Peter Parker doesn't like guns. Hates them, actually.

He'd never been a fan of them, but then his Uncle had been shot and killed right in front of him and he hated them even more. But the thing about being a superhero, is that you get into trouble a lot, and usually a gun or two is involved.

So, while Peter didn't like guns, he'd become a little desensitized to the dangers of them, because Spider-Man could take the guns from the bad guys before they got a shot off, or he could swing out of harm's way before a bullet came close to hitting him. But what was he supposed to do as Peter Parker?

School was supposed to be a safe place, it was supposed to be somewhere he could be normal, until some idiot gave a psychopath a gun and told him he had the right to hold it.

Peter had been concentrating on his school work, and doing really well, until something pricked at his ears, something only enhanced senses can hear.

Footsteps coming down the hallway, metal clinking together, but muffled, like coins or…something else rattling in a pocket. He would have tuned it out, had it not been for the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked.

He shot up from his chair, staring at the door with wide eyes, hands shaking just a little as every hair on his arms and neck stood straight up.

What was he supposed to do? He wasn't Spider-Man here, he was just Peter, and there was someone with a gun coming towards their classroom.

Ned noticed his friends discomfort and nudged his elbow.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Peter could barely breathe, as those footsteps sauntered closer. The gunman was coming right at them, steps calm and measured, as if he had as much time as he wanted, and all the control.

Metal clinked again and Peter realised that it was the sound of loose bullets rattling around in his pocket. He was planning for a lot of victims, but Peter couldn't let that happen.

The teenager sprinted over to the door and locked it, turning out the lights as he did. His hands scrabbled for his phone in his pocket, as his teacher called out to him, annoyed.

"Peter, what are you doing? Turn those lights back on and get to your seat."

The footsteps continued, coming ever closer, and Peter put his phone to his ear as he begged his teacher to understand.

"There's someone with a gun, right outside! Everyone stay quiet and get under your desks, I'm calling for help!"

His teacher, Mrs Philips' face went white, as every student did the same, staring at Peter in shock.

"How do you-?"

"Just do it! And text everyone you can think of, to tell them to do the same." He was trying to keep his voice low, so as not to alert the attention of the gunman in the hall, but he was freaking out. Finally, Tony picked up the phone.

"Hey, kid. I'm kind of in the middle of something so if-"

Peter held the phone close and hissed into it, words coming fast and panicked. He'd seen news reports of school shootings and new it could get ugly real fast, and there wasn't much he could do about it.

"There's someone outside my class with a gun. I don't know what to do, he's only like, ten meters away and I don't have my sui-"

Tony's voice was hard, a tell-tale sign he was just as panicked as Peter, but there was noise in the background like chairs scuffing against the floor, and Peter knew he was coming.

"Okay, I'll be right there. Just try to hide, and don't do anything reckless. I'll notify the police, just stay hidden okay? You aren't Spider-Man right now, so just be safe as Peter Parker."

Peter agreed, catching Ned's eye from across the room and nodding slightly, letting him know help was coming.

Everyone was under their desks now, and with the lights off, Peter was hoping the gunman would pass by their room, thinking it was empty. It sounded like the gunman was coming to their class, but he could be going to anyone in the school.

Tony was still on the line with him, and he could hear the thrusters from the Iron Man suit. He'd be there soon, and they'd all be safe.

Peter's attention was taken away from the slow, leisurely footsteps as Tony spoke again.

"Where is the guy with the gun? Are you somewhere safe? Police should be arriving in five minutes."

Peter ran a hand through his hair as he replied, trying to keep his heart rate steady. He needed to focus.

"I'm in my history class, I turned the lights off and locked the door, and everyone is texting people in other classes to do the same. Hopefully, anyone far enough away from him, can get out of the classes without him knowing, and when he walks past our room he'll think its empty and keep going, so when he's far enough away we can get out. Then he'll just be walking around an empty school, but there are a lot of people just in this one block, what am I supposed to do if he starts firing?"

It was getting harder to breathe, and Ned was watching him from under his desk with wide eyes. He knew what he was asking and shook his head. He didn't have his suit, Tony had taken it for repairs after his last disastrous mission; he didn't even have his web slingers, and his old suit was at home. Tony had told him to take a week off from Spider-Man duty, and Peter had actually thought it would be a good idea.

Not so much now.

"Good job, kid. Just follow the plan and stay quiet, there's nothing else you can do. You aren't bullet proof and there's no way you can take on an armed gunman without your suit. Just stay quiet and wait for me to get there, okay?"

Peter nodded, not daring to utter another word, because he could hear those footsteps coming closer. Too close.

They were only two meters from the door now. Peter's heart almost leapt out of his chest as Tony spoke again.

"I just got word from the cops, he's a bank robber, they chased him but lost track of him a few blocks away and they don't think he's there to hurt anybody. He's probably just looking for a hostage, to use to make a deal. They're almost there, and kids and teachers are already being evacuated from other classes."

Peter breathed just a little easier at that, but the gunman was still there, and he held his breath and those footsteps came to a stop outside the door.

The faces of his classmates were all aimed towards him, in the dark. They were scared, and he could do nothing to help them.

The room was silent, as everyone held their breaths.

The door handle jiggled, turning, and twisting as the man tried to open it. It wasn't until he thumped against the door, that someone made a noise.

It was such a small sound, just one terrified whimper as the gunman slammed against the door, but it was loud enough, and the thumping stopped, replaced by the sound of a gun tapping against the wood, and a husky voice.

"Open the door, or I'll shoot through it and kill everyone."

Peter froze, as terrified faces looked to him for guidance. He was the one in front of the door, he was the one that had locked it, and none of them wanted to make the decision.

Tony's voice came through the phone. "Peter…" But he didn't know what to do either.

The voice came again, louder this time. "Open the door, or everyone dies! You have three seconds!"

Peter didn't want to do it. He wanted to be anywhere else in that moment, he wanted his suit, he wanted a mask to hide how scared he was, but he had nothing but the phone in his hand.

He unlocked the door, jumping back as the gunman burst through, making a few kids let out startled cries.

He was carrying a machine gun, with a bag slung over his shoulder, filled with cash. Some of it was splattered with blood.

A few kids were crying softly behind him, and Peter clenched his fist to stop his hands from shaking as the gunman walked into the class, aiming his gun at the teacher behind her desk.

"You. Come with me."

Mrs Phillips nodded shakily and got up from her crouch, tears in her eyes as she walked towards him. But Peter couldn't let her go. She had a kid, a three-year-old named Tyler, and he couldn't just watch her walk out with someone that could kill her.

"No, take me instead."

A few gasps echoed in the dark behind him, and Ned's soft voice. "Peter, no!"

Mrs Phillips frightened gaze turned towards him, as the bank robber frowned. "What?"

Peter raised his chin, defiant, as his teacher watched him in awe.

"She has a family, she's a mom, I don't even have parents, just an aunt. Take me, and I'll do whatever you want, I won't cause trouble, just don't hurt anyone else."

The gunman looked vaguely impressed, while Mrs Phillip's shook her head.

"No, Peter I can't let you."

He gave her a smile, fighting to keep it relaxed and free of the fear he felt coursing through his entire body. He turned his phone towards her from where his arm hung at his side, subtly enough that the gunman didn't notice.

"It's okay. Just keep everyone else safe."

The woman looked down at his phone screen, seeing the caller name across the screen. He was still connected to Tony, the other man hearing the whole thing, and he was almost there. Mrs Phillips knew about the internship, and seeing the name, and knowing Iron Man was coming, convinced her that help was on the way, and she nodded slightly.

Peter gave one last smile to Ned, knowing he'd be forever apologizing for the look of fear he got in return, before the gunman grabbed his arm and pulled him into the hall.

"Come on, kid. You're gonna be my ticket out of here."

Ned didn't want him to go, he didn't want him to get hurt, but he couldn't do anything as he watched his best friend walk out with the gunman.

He watched Peter as he left, seeing the last look he sent him, and as much as Peter tried to hide it, he could tell he was scared.

Ned gripped the legs of his desk as he watched Peter leave, the door remaining open as the man led Peter down the hall, a gun against his back.

He had never been more scared in his life, watching his best friend walk out the door with a criminal, knowing he didn't have his Spider-Man suit with him. But it would be okay, because Mr Stark was coming, and Peter got into fights all the time and was fine. Right?

Ned watched through the open door, watching their shadows stretch across the floor, as shouts were heard. The police had arrived.

Ned couldn't hear like Peter could, but he could hear the policeman call out for the gunman to drop his weapon, and then a hurried argument between the gunman and Peter, before a gunshot rang out. A few kids let out frightened screams at the sound, but Ned couldn't breathe.

And then he felt as if his heart had stopped too. Peter fell to the floor in front of the doorway, hands desperately pressing against the blood pouring from his stomach. Kids screamed and cried around him, as more gunshots fired, but Ned didn't make a sound, his head spinning as he watched his best friend bleed out on the floor.

…

Tony heard Peter give himself up to the gunman, to save the teacher, and he heard them walk away from the classroom. His heart hammered, almost painfully, against his chest as he continued to listen to the horrifying events unfold.

He had told Peter to lay low, to hide, and he was so close to the school, but too far away to help as the gunman threatened a class full of kids. The call was muffled slightly, from where Peter had put the phone in his pocket, and he knew Peter wouldn't be able to hear him anymore, as he walked out of the class with the criminal.

It was the most sickening feeling, hearing everything but not being able to help, and he thought it had been okay when he heard the policeman.

"Kyle Monger, drop your weapon!" Help was there, Peter would be okay.

But the gunman didn't want to give up just yet, and his voice was hard, and unafraid. "Leave, before I kill you, and then the kid."

Tony could almost see the way Peter would have looked as he leaped for the gun, hearing him pant and yell as he struggled with Monger.

"No! You promised you wouldn't hurt anyone!"

He let out a shout of his own as he heard the rattle of the gun, and grunts of effort as Kyle Monger tried to wrestle his gun back, Peter doing everything he could to protect the cop.

"Peter!"

"Let go, kid!" Kyle sounded angry and that only worried Tony further.

"You can't hurt him!"

And then the gun fired and Peter gasped. Tony held his breath, as he heard another gunshot and a cry of pain from the robber. Then the cops voice, panicked, as Peter's laboured breathing shook.

"Monger is down, I got him in the west block, but he shot a kid! I need medics here now! I repeat, some kids been shot! I need immediate assistance!"

Tony almost passed out while flying, but Friday kept him on course as her quiet voice interrupted Peters wet panting.

"I'll notify Dr Banner of the incoming patient."

…

Ned watched Peter twitch on the floor, body instinctively trying to curl away from the pain, as he struggled to pull in air. Blood was soaking through his blue shirt, staining his hands and pooling on the floor beneath him. He was bleeding out so fast, it seemed to only take a second before a policeman was leaning over him, pressing his jacket to Peter's stomach.

Kids were crying around him, and Ned didn't want to see his best friend die, he didn't want to see him bleeding out and gasping for breath, but he had to help, he couldn't do nothing.

Mrs Phillips words were cracked and wet with tears as she called out to Ned, but he didn't listen, just kept crawling over to the hall to his friend.

"Ned, honey, don't look! Stay under your desk!"

The policeman was talking to Peter, telling him to stay awake, and Peter was trying, blinking up at him as he tried to breathe through the blood filling his mouth. The policeman looked up as Ned came closer, and Peter coughed, sending red splatters to cover his lips and a trail of blood to drip out the corner of his mouth, rolling down his cheek.

The cop gave Ned an apologetic frown, hating what he needed to ask him.

"Kid? I have to check on the suspect. Can you press down on this for me? Press really hard, we have to stop the bleeding."

Ned didn't move for a moment, body frozen as he watched the blood drip from Peter's mouth to the floor. The cop called him again, louder, making Ned jump a little.

"Kid!"

Ned lifted wet eyes to him, and the cops face softened a little.

"Is he your friend?"

Ned just nodded, looking back to Peter, where he was blinking up at the ceiling, mouth open and gasping.

"I'm sorry. Help will be here soon, just push down on this, and I'll be right back."

The cop took Neds hands and pulled them to Peter's stomach, pressing them down on the jacket there. Peter let out a cry of pain, eyes flitting to Ned as if just realising he was there, and Ned let out a small sob. The cop went to tend to Kyle Monger, and Ned pressed down on the bullet wound in his best friend's stomach.

"Peter, I'm here."

His voice was wobbly and small but Peter dragged his glassy gaze to him, hands coming to grip Ned's slick with his own blood. Ned released another sob.

"Hold on, helps coming. Just hold on."

Peter sucked in a shallow breath, struggling to get his words out through the pain clouding his every sense.

"It's o…kay."

Ned shook his head, pressing harder on the still bleeding wound. Why wouldn't it stop?

"No, it's not. You got shot, Peter. None of this is okay."

Peter blinked sluggishly and rolled his head a little, in an exhausted version of a head shake.

"It is, because you're okay. I'll be fine. I…" He coughed painfully, eyes scrunching shut against the agony of it, before pushing out the last of his sentence.

"…I heal fast, remember?"

Ned looked back down at the mess of blood, red soaking through the cop's' jacket and covering his hands. God, it was everywhere.

"The bleeding won't stop, Peter, I don't know what to do. What do I-?"

His words faded as he looked back up at the other boy's face, because Peter's eyes were rolling back into his head.

"No! Peter, stay awake!"

But, Peter's eyes closed and his breathing was nothing more than shallow puffs of air. Ned's best friend was dying under his hands.

The cop looked up at his frantic yells, but didn't have time to do anything else before something smashed behind them.

Ned looked up in fright, as Iron Man smashed through a window in a nearby, empty classroom, and came soaring down the hall towards them.

Ned sobbed with relief, whole body shaking as Tony landed next to him, mask opening to reveal his panicked expression.

"Peter!"

Ned pressed down on the jacket once more, but it was almost useless at this point and he knew it. There was too much blood on the floor.

"He tried to save everyone. He gave himself up so the bad guy wouldn't take our teacher. He…he got shot. It won't stop bleeding."

Tony looked down at the kid and tried to remember how to breathe. He was so pale, and the red splattered across his mouth meant he was already drowning in his own blood, and would die soon, if he didn't get the help he needed.

He needed to move, he needed to pick him up and fly him to the base, but he just…couldn't.

Peter didn't look like a superhero, he just looked like a fifteen-year-old kid, and Tony didn't know that he could stomach looking at him for much longer. He looked dead, and every part of him screamed for the terrible injustice that it was.

Ned was sobbing quietly, shaking as tears trailed down his cheeks, hands soaked in the blood of his best friend. Tony felt so horrible for him, for having to see Peter that way, for having to hold that burden.

He tried to keep his voice steady as he laid a hand on the kid's shoulder.

"You did good, Ned. I'll take him now, I'll get him some help."

Ned nodded, but didn't want to take his hands away from Peter's stomach, worried about what may happen when he did.

Tony looked around for some help, spotting a teacher in the doorway behind them. She had her hand over her mouth, and a face wet with tears. Tony gestured towards her, grateful when she came forward quickly.

He tried to be as gentle as he could, as he gathered Peter into his arms, cradling his cold, limp form, against his chest. The teacher, sniffed as she pulled Ned's hands away from his friend's body, and hugged him as he fell against her, hands dripping with red.

Ned watched as Tony took away his friend, and just hoped he wouldn't lose him.

…

It took far too long to get Peter back to the base, and Tony held him tight, talking to him the whole time and just praying he was still alive.

"Hold on, Pete. Just keep breathing, I've got you now, everything's going to be okay. Stay with me, kid."

It was all a blur when he arrived at the Avengers compound, Bruce and the med team took Peter from him, placing him in a bed and cutting of his shirt, pressing gauze and bandages to the bullet wound, and yelling things.

Tony didn't move until they wheeled the kid away, and strong hands pulled him to a chair, a calm voice interrupting his thoughts.

"Tony, get out of the suit."

He blinked, wet eyes focussing on Caps face in front of him, watching him with concern.

He came out of the suit, stumbling against the hard floor, and turning to look at what Cap was staring at. There was blood smeared all over the chest plate, and that was it. Tony couldn't take the pain anymore. His knees buckled and Steve caught him before he fell to the floor.

Cap held him as he cried, gripping the soldier as he tried to breathe.

Steve didn't know what to say, what was there to say? Peter had been shot at one of the only places he was supposed to be safe in. The normal part of his life, the part he got to be a kid in, had been intruded on by a thug with a gun, and now he was dying.

There was nothing he could say to make it better, but he tried anyway.

"He'll be okay, Tony." His voice was quiet, because they both knew he might be wrong. And that hurt more than anything.

…

It took a few hours of surgery, but the bullet was removed, and the bleeding was finally stopped. Peter was okay.

Tony wiped at his eyes, as Ned walked ahead of him, into Peter's room. He'd sent Happy to pick him up from school, after his parents had made sure he was okay, and he tried to be strong as the kid approached the bed.

Peter lay there, covered in wires and pale, his eyes were closed and he wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. He'd lost so much blood his heart had almost had nothing left to pump, and it would be a while before he had enough strength to wake up.

Ned's steps faltered as he saw his best friend, and Tony placed a hand on his shoulder.

"He's okay. Don't be scared, go talk to him."

The teenager nodded and took a deep breath as he approached Peter's unconscious form, carefully picking up one of his limp hands to hold.

"Hey Peter. Um…Please don't ever do that again, I don't think I can handle it. And I can't lose you, you're the only friend I have. Actually...you're more like my brother. I don't think I've ever told you that." He sniffed and wiped at his eyes, before trying to think of something else to say. As long as he spoke, he wouldn't have to hear the too-slow beating of the heart monitor.

"Oh, dude Captain America shook my hand. So, that was cool. I think I might have blacked out though because I don't remember what I said to him."

Tony laughed a little and patted his shoulder, encouragingly.

"You told him your name twice, but it's been a long day, he understands."

Ned smiled just a little, and sat down in the chair next to Peter's bed, as Tony pulled a blanket from the end and draped it over the spider baby, unable to hold back his worry at the dark circles under his eyes.

"Damn it. The first time I meet him and I embarrass myself." He sighed, and Tony's heart broke at the pain in his voice. "Please wake up, Peter."

Tony sat on the other side of the bed and watched over the two kids, wondering how the hell he'd come to end up there.

He'd be having a talk with Peter when he woke up, although he didn't know what he would say. He was mad, because Peter was supposed to stay out of trouble, he was supposed to let the cops handle it, but he had taken things into his own hands.

But he couldn't be mad that Peter had saved his whole class, and been willing to die in order to protect others, even when he was scared.

Maybe he should just take them all on vacation instead, they could certainly use it.

He sighed, and wiped a tired hand over his face. He didn't know what he was going to do, but for now, it was enough that Peter was alive. So, he sat back and listened to Ned ramble on to his best friend, talking about everything that had happened and all the cool stuff he'd seen.

They wouldn't always be, because Peter found trouble wherever he went, but for now, they were safe.