(AN: lol I thought I was done with this fic but apparently not lol here we go please tell me what you think?!)

Peter slumped in his chair, less than enthused about his social studies class. He was fully healed, and itching to go on a Spider-Man mission, but Tony was still worried.

A worried Tony meant being checked up on constantly, and his suit tracker fully functioning. Tony had even put a tracker in his watch just in case something happened when he wasn't in his suit.

Peter would have complained about it being a breach in privacy but Mr Stark had saved his life and almost seen him die, so he figured he owed him some peace of mind.

He wasn't the only one being over protective either, his Aunt May barely wanted him to go to school, and Ned was stuck to his side like a toddler on his first day of kindergarten. Of course, he appreciated it, he knew they'd been through a lot when he'd gotten hurt, and everything they did was out of love, but man, it was intense.

Michelle interrupted his thoughts as she ruffled his hair with a clumsy hand. It was less friendly and more purposely annoying, and he frowned as she removed her hand to punch him in the shoulder with it.

He rubbed his shoulder as he grumbled at her. "What?"

"You weren't at school for like, two weeks." Her tone indicated that she didn't care, or at least that she didn't want him to think she did. She took a seat beside him, dunking her books noisily on her desk.

Peter rolled his eyes as Ned suddenly wrapped his arms protectively around him, squeezing him gently while he scolded M.J.

"Don't hit him! Be gentle he's still hea-"

Peter shook his friend off and patted down his sweater, before slumping back to his desk.

"Ned, I'm fine. I missed school 'cause I was busy with the Stark internship.

Michelle whispered to him as the lights dimmed and the teacher started up the screen at the front of the room.

"Well you're lucky because we've been talking about nothing but the newest alien attack. There's been so many, I think we're used to it by now."

Peter's heart jolted in his chest, and he sat up, suddenly paying attention to every word being said. "What?"

She didn't look at him, just pointed to the front of the class, where the teacher was beginning to play camera footage of the latest alien attack. The one he almost died in.

It was the first time he'd seen any videos of it, he didn't think there was any. After Tony told him what happened he hadn't wanted to see, and he'd decided not to ask newly repaired Karen for any details. But now it was playing out in bright sound and colour, and it was like all the air was sucked from the room.

Aliens flashed across the screen as things blew up in the background. The footage was shaky, like whoever was filming had been running away as they took it, but there they all were, running amongst the monsters that sought to kill them.

Cap's shield flew across the sky, and multiple figures flew across the screen with it, charging at the onslaught of aliens.

Ned nudged Peter with his elbow, whispering about how big the aliens were, but Peter couldn't respond, he couldn't breathe. All he could do was stare at the huge masses of terrifying bulk that he'd fought on that battle field.

He hadn't been able to remember all of it, and what he could be chose not to think about, but there they were on the screen right in front of him, huge and howling. He'd almost died. Those things had almost killed him and his friends.

Ned's elbow stopped poking him, turning into a hand that gently gripped his shoulder.

"Peter? Are you okay?"

The person holding the camera screamed, as things exploded around them, and suddenly the screen was full of Tony. His mask hiding what Peter knew to be a worried face, as he picked up the civilian and flew them further away from the fight. His voice was hard anger, wrapped over fear and worry.

"Get out of here! Get to safety!"

Peters heart jolted in his chest, as his mind threw images at him. But they weren't the ones in the screen before him.

These were memories, and they were sharp and hot, and he flinched in his chair as he was assaulted with them.

An image of Tony hovering above him, face crumpled in grief, his own mouth tasting of copper as he mumbled apologies.

His heart beat so hard in his chest, that he lifted a hand to press against it, fingers burying themselves in his sweater. He felt as if he were having a heart attack, each pounding of his heart transporting him between past and present, snapping him between flash backs and reality.

Boom. The classroom was dark and the sounds of the battle echoed off the cold floor, explosions and screams from both human and alien fighters.

Boom. Mantis' warm hands on his temples, her huge eyes hovering above him as he screamed. The agony was overwhelming and he was made of pain.

Boom. He was on the floor and Ned was gripping his shoulders as he tried to suck in just one breath.

Peter couldn't take another jolt. He couldn't face another memory. It was too much and he was drowning, suffocating, he was going to die. Shaking legs ached as he tore from the room, running out into the brightly lit hall, and finding the first empty room he could find. Clammy fingers locked the door and found his ears to block out the noise.

Peter stumbled to the middle of the empty room, as his teacher and classmates pounded on the door. His knees buckled as another memory flickered to life in his head, nurses and doctors and strangers surrounding him, poking him, and pressing down on his chest where it hurt the most.

Another scream pierced the air, as Peters throat tore apart. His eyes were clenched shut as he pressed his hands to his ears, rocking on his knees on the hard floor, and just begging for someone to help him breathe.

It felt like he was on that ground for so long. Kneeling there, in an eternity of pain and fear, and hot tears falling down his cheeks.

His trembling mouth mumbled apologies, and he couldn't keep track of how long he'd been on the floor, begging for Tony to forgive him.

"I'm sorry, Tony. I'm so sorry, please, I can't do this. Help me, I can't…I…Tony…Please, I can't. I'm sorry."

Suddenly, glass broke and fell, raining down somewhere close by, but Peter only flinched, unable to defend himself from whatever had just broken into the classroom.

Metal pounded against the floor, vibrating peters shoes as he sobbed. And then that voice that he knew so well, close to his ear and as comforting and gentle as he'd ever heard it.

"I'm here Peter, you're okay kid. You're safe, I promise but you have to breathe."

A firm finger lifted his chin, but he kept his eyes closed and his hands over his ears as his shallow pants whistled through his teeth. He didn't want to see anymore, he didn't want to relive that pain again.

The voice came, as Peter shook his head. "Come on, Pete, you're safe, just take slower breaths."

Peter whimpered as sobs wracked his body, constricting his chest, and making it even harder to pull in air. If he didn't breathe soon he'd pass out.

"Dammit. I'm sorry kid, this will pinch a little."

A click and a pain in his arm, sharp and quick. He whimpered at the jab, and pulled his arm away, hands falling from his ears, and eyes opening to see Tony, kneeling in front of him, with a worried expression.

Peter's breathing was slowing down significantly, and his heart calmed from its thunder. He was exhausted, and slumped as he blinked at that face in front of him.

"Tony?"

The man nodded and took Peter's arms gently in his hold, looking him over for any damage and sighing when he found none.

"You're okay, everything's all right. You just had a panic attack, a pretty bad one, so I gave you something to help calm you down."

The teenager nodded, sitting heavily on his haunches, and let out a sob.

"I couldn't make it stop. The images-they just kept on coming. And it hurt so bad and I was so scared. I didn't know what to do."

Tony's chest ached for the kid. He was back in school, he was safe, he was supposed to be focusing on being a regular kid again. It wasn't fair.

But here he was, sobbing on the floor of an empty classroom, body sagging to the floor from the weight of the sedatives Tony had injected into his system. He couldn't take it anymore, he couldn't pretend like it didn't hurt him or like he didn't care.

He wrapped his arms around the kid and pulled him into a hug, holding the back of Peter's head as he sobbed into his shoulder. This kid had been through enough.

"You're okay, I got you. Just breathe, kid. I'm here, you're safe now."

Peter's arms were tight around Tony's waist and he shook with every gasping breath. He shook his head. "No, it was awful. You were…you almost…and then there was just so much pain. It wouldn't stop and when it finally did I was all alone. I can't…I can't do this."

Tony clenched his teeth, holding the teenager tighter as he spoke, voice firm but laced with a softness that he reserved for a select few.

"Yes, you can, Peter. You're okay, and I am too. We're safe, no one's coming to get you here. I won't let anything happen to you, ever again."

It took a little while for Peter to calm down, but it was easier with Tony there, and the sedatives numbing his brain. Finally, he sucked in a shaky breath and let go of his mentor.

Tony sat back, watching Peter's face as he wiped his eyes, head dipped low in embarrassment. His voice was quiet, like a child's.

"I'm sorry."

Tony couldn't help himself, he tried to be as casual as he could while brushing Peter's fringe away from his face with a gentle finger. "You don't have to be sorry. Remember when I said everyone gets nightmares? We get this too."

Peter lifted his face, eyes wide and trusting. Tiny offered him a reassuring smile.

"I know it's hard. It's the part of being a hero that no one tells you about, but if you want to keep being a hero, and keep helping people, then it's all worth it right?"

A knock on the classroom door made Peter turn, and he ducked his head once more, cheeks red. His teacher, and all his class mates were standing outside the door, staring. Ned and MJ looked worried but Peter couldn't feel anything but small.

"Everyone saw."

Tony shrugged, getting his phone out as Peter rubbed at his eyes, tiredly. "And I broke a window. Don't worry, I'll have everything fixed and explain the situation to your teacher."

Huh, he had broken a window. The Iron Man suit was just standing, waiting amongst the smashed glass on the floor. Tony must have flown through it to get to him.

The teenager made a face, one between confusion and apprehension. "You're going to tell them Spider-Man had a panic attack in class?"

Tony smiled just a little, tapping at his phones screen.

"No, I'm going to make up an excuse that explains this while also making you look cool enough that your class mates will leave you alone about it. Happy will help you to the car, you'll probably want to sleep this whole thing off."

Peter hadn't noticed the car waiting outside, but there Happy was, walking through the debris to gently take the boys arms and help him off the floor.

He didn't look as grumpy as he usually did, he actually looked a little concerned as he supported Peter's weight and looked him over for damage.

"You okay? Rough day at school huh?" The sedative made Peter feel sleepy and a little wobbly, so he just nodded and accepted Happy's help to the car to lay down.

Tony watched the kid curl up in the back seat, making himself small as possible. He felt a little better when Peter accepted a juice box from the other man, mouth forming something akin to a smile.

The teacher knocked on the door again, and Tony sighed in annoyance as he got up and unlocked the door.

"Mr Harris, isn't it? Peter tells me you do great slide show presentations. Would you mind if I talk to you for a moment?" He led the man away from the group of kids as they all stared, being sure to make it far away enough that it wouldn't be obvious he wanted them to hear.

The ruffled social studies teacher didn't seem to know what to say, stuttering a few words before Tony interrupted.

"Well, he just started freaking out and I- it was just a clip and-"

"Yes, Ned called me and told me what happened, that's why I'm here. I'm sure you know about Peter's involvement in an internship at my company, and…when that attacked started, Peter was with me. We were driving to one of my labs when those things attacked the car. He pushed me out before we were crushed but he was hurt very badly. We almost lost him."

A few gasps came from the kids gathered behind them, and Mr Harris let out a breath of disbelief himself.

"That's why he was away for two weeks?"

Tony nodded solemnly, and leant closer, as if confiding in the man. "He took a little while to recover, but the whole experience was hard on him, so if you could keep him away from anything about those attacks, I'd appreciate it. His Aunt May and I have been trying to keep it away from him, but it's everywhere."

The teacher nodded and pointed out the shattered window, where the car waited for him.

"Of course. You'll take him home? Will he be okay?"

Tony nodded and tapped at his phone, sending the Iron Man suit flying off back home, as kids took pictures.

"Yeah, he'll be okay, he's a tough kid. I'll take care of him till his aunt finishes work. And I'll pay for that window. Anyway, I have to get going, it was nice to meet you."

Mr Harris accepted a handshake before Tony turned to Ned, the whole class watching in awe as they completed a simple, yet secret, handshake.

"Thanks for calling me, Ned, and uh…visit Peter after school? He'll want to talk about what happened. I'll see you at Aunt Mays for family dinner, all right?"

Ned nodded, face brighter than an arc reactor at the public display of friendship from Tony Stark, in front of his whole class.

Tony smiled, knowing exactly what he was doing. But the kid deserved it, he'd called Tony as soon as Peter started freaking out, so he figured he owed him one.

The stares, whispers, and occasional camera flashes, did not escape his notice as he left through the same window he'd come on through, but he didn't care. Peter was almost asleep as he lay curled on the back seat of the car, and Tony patted his arm as he took the seat next to him. He was lucky it was a limo or they'd never fit.

Peter's sleepy eyes blinked sluggishly as Tony placed his jacket over him, and his words were quiet in the lush vehicle.

"Thanks for saving me again."

Tony smiled, not looking at him as he brushed the teenager's hair back. "Anytime, kid."