Tony, Peter, and I landed on a rooftop, where I assumed my father was being held. We peered in through the skylight, only to find my father sitting in a chair. He was violently coughing and visibly shaking. It pained me, and I turned away, closing my eyes. Peter put his hand in mine, making me look at him. "We'll get him back, Kate," he whispered. "What's the plan, Mr. Stark?"

"Alright, Kate, you said Samantha takes after me?"

"Yeah, she really admires you," I replied, looking to him, then back through the skylight.

"Then I'll take her on. You two get your father and immediately take him to the hospital. Whatever she's given him needs to be counteracted right away."

Peter and I nodded as Tony gave us the layout of the building. He entered through the "front door" as he called it, shouting out. "Hello, Samantha. It's Tony. I don't know you, but I heard you know me."

Peter and I opened the skylight window, allowing me to float down onto the second floor, which overlooked the first. Peter jumped down, making as little noise as possible. I picked up Peter, carrying him with me as we hovered down to the first floor. I rushed to my father's side. He was having trouble breathing to begin with, let alone the forced coughing and blood coming from his mouth. I put my hand to his cheek as Peter untied him. "You're going to be alright, dad..." I whispered. "I love you..."

My father couldn't respond, only a groan escaping his lips. We helped him stand, allowing me to conjure a portal to the hospital supply room. We carried him though, the portal closing behind us. I made sure to blur my face and voice and Peter made sure his mask was on.

We burst out into the emergency room. I scanned it, seeing Dr. Palmer at the nurse's station. "Dr. Palmer!" I cried out, getting her attention. She abandoned her paperwork as she looked up, rushing over to my father, who was still coughing and trying to breathe. "Please, she gave him something, something that would kill him! He doesn't have much time left, please help him!"

Without a word, she helped lead him to a gurney, then they wheeled him away. I tried to follow but a nurse held me back. "Let the doctors work, please."

"Please, I'm his-"

"No visitors. Go sit down, Dr. Palmer will see you in a bit to asses his situation."

I sighed, turning to Peter. He gently took my hand, leading me to a bathroom. Luckily, it was a one room bathroom so we could both go in it. I let the spell dissipate, my face and voice returning to normal. My robes shifted back into clothes and my cloak wrapped around me as a sweatshirt. Peter took off his mask, hugging me to him. "I'm sorry sorry, Kate, this would've never happened if it wasn't for me."

"No, no!" I said, pulling away to look at his face. "This isn't your fault. She was just using you. She wanted to get to my father. This was all she really wanted."

Peter hugged me tightly and I let out a shaky breath.

"Hey, do you think I could run home and change real quick?" He asked, pulling away. "Otherwise I'd kind of have to be Spider-Man the whole time."

I laughed a bit, wiping my wet eyes. "Sure," I replied, opening a portal to his room. He stepped through and grabbed some clothes, changing. I threw his mask at him. "Don't forget that."

He laughed a bit. "Thanks Kate. I don't know what I'd do without you."

I smiled as he stepped back through, closing the portal. I hugged him tightly and he gave me a small, reassuring kiss before we stepped back out. We entered the waiting room, sitting in chairs against the wall.

After an hour or so, Dr. Palmer walked in to find us. I stood and she seemed to recognize me, walking over. Peter held my hand gently, ready for whatever news she was going to bring.

"He's alright, Katelyn," she said, making me release a deep breath I'd been holding. "But, he's slipped into a coma."

That's when my breath left me altogether. I stared at her. I didn't have any words and could only breathe erratically and stutter. "Wh-, I-, W... I... J... I..."

Peter gently squeezed my hand, but I was at a loss. Dr. Palmer encouraged me to sit, but I was frozen. I stood in place, stuttering. He wasn't dead, but he wasn't exactly alive and well either. I didn't know what to do. It wasn't until Peter pulled me into a hug that my senses came back to me. I let him hug me, then pulled away to look at Dr. Palmer. "For how long?"

"I don't know," she whispered. She gently took me into her arms. "Kate, he's strong... I'm sure he'll make it through."

I was silent for a moment, then got the nerve to speak. "Can I see him?"

"Yes, you can see him," she replied, letting go of me and leading me to my father's room. Peter stayed behind, knowing he probably wouldn't be allowed in. I heard his phone ring and he answered it, sitting back down where we were a few moments ago.

Dr. Palmer led me down the hall and into an emergency room. "He'll be moved to ICU shortly, okay? You'll be able to visit him there too."

"Thank you," I whispered, walking over to my father's bedside. He laid lifeless in front of me, only a small rise and fall of his torso making any movement. His heart monitor was beeping steadily, but he wasn't moving. I needed to see some part of him move, something to calm my nerves. I sat beside him on the bed, gently taking his hand in mine. "Dad," I whispered. "Dad, please..."

Dr. Palmer checked his vitals, writing them down on a clipboard, then clipping it to the foot of his bed, giving me a sad look before walking out.

"Dad," I said a bit louder, tears rolling down my cheeks. "Please wake up. Please. I can't lose you. I can't. I need you, please. Dad... Wake up..."

My hope was fading as his hand sat limply within mine. I started to cry, laying my head down on his chest gently. I head people come in and a tender man's voice behind me. "Miss, you're going to have to get up," he said. I sat up, looking to them. Two nurses were there to take my father like Dr. Palmer had said. I stood, shuffling out of their way, wrapping my sweatshirt tightly around myself. I followed them upstairs, making a mental map to his room.

I sat beside my father for the rest of the day, holding his limp hand gently, begging for him to wake. Peter was allowed in to see me, sitting beside me and cuddling me. I took a short nap in his arms until the nurse came in to say he had to leave. He left, making sure I knew I could text him if I needed him.

After another hour or two of sitting beside my father in silence, my phone chimed. It was a message from Mr. Stark.

Mr. Stark
Meet me in the cafeteria
I'll buy you dinner

Kate
I'm not hungry

Mr. Stark
You need to keep your strength up for your dad

Kate
I'm not hungry ok?

Mr. Stark
Then at least come talk to me

Kate
I want to stay with him

Mr. Stark
Now Kate

I sighed, standing weakly from my father's bedside, then placing his hand gently back where I found it. I leaned down and kissed his temple, then walked silently out of the room.

I walked down to the cafeteria, getting dizzy on the way. I scanned the room, finding Tony sitting at a secluded table in the corner. I walked over and sat across from him.

"Katelyn, I'm sorry about your dad," he said.

"It's fine..." I replied quietly.

"Here," he said, putting a wrapped burger down in front of me. "Eat for me, please."

I glanced up at him, then down to the wrapper. With a sigh, I brought my shaking hands up to the table and unwrapped it, taking a small bite.

"Thank you," he said, leaning back in his chair. "Now, as for Sam, she's sentenced to house arrest."

"That was fast," I replied, feeling a bit stronger after getting some food in me.

"I didn't get the police involved," he replied. "She's under my protection. If the police were involved, she'd easily escape a house arrest bracelet."

"But your tech is too advanced for her."

"Yes, therefore she probably won't escape it anytime soon."

"How long are you planning on keeping her under house arrest?"

"Until she figures out how to take the anklet off."

"Huh," I replied. "Interesting."

"She's very smart, but was led astray, that's all. She'll probably be the next Iron Man after I retire."

"Tony Stark? Retire? I doubt that."

He chuckled a bit. "Then it's after I die."

I finished my burger, wrapping up the wrapper and chucking it at a garbage can carelessly, but it went straight in nevertheless. I sighed, exhausted from everything.

"Katelyn, he'll pull through. Believe in him."

"It's hard to believe when he's so lifeless. Sometimes I check to make sure his heart is actually beating and the machine isn't lying to me."

Tony looked up at me, concerned. "Have you had an attack yet?"

"No, Peter's been in. I've just been thinking."

"Sometimes that's the most dangerous thing to do."

"I know," I replied. "It's nice to have Peter there, though. He holds me, which is all I need. I fell asleep earlier when he was with me."

"Good, you need it."

"I know," I said. "I just can't..."

"I know. Come on, let's take you home."

"No, I don't want to go home!" I said, panicked. "Dad's not home... I want to stay here."

"Visiting hours are nearly over, Kate."

"I can't go home. I can't. Without him, home is nothing. The sanctum is empty and quiet. I can't go back there."

Tony sighed, looking at me. I was terrified of the sanctum at the moment. "Fine, come on."

"Where are we going?"

"Peter's," he replied, escorting me out and to his car in the parking lot. He started it, allowing me to curl up in the passenger's seat.

May gladly took me in when we arrived, Peter having explained it all to her prior. She hugged me tightly, thanking Tony for bringing me. Then, Peter hugged me, gently rubbing my back. We sat on the couch together, and I snuggled up beside him. He put an arm around me, holding my hand with his other hand. I leaned my head on his shoulder, drifting off to sleep before long.

————————————————————————

I sat beside my father whenever I could. I sat with him after school every day until visiting hours were over. Peter usually stayed with me until he was asked to leave. We did our homework together at night after I arrived at his apartment. May cooked us a late dinner as we worked, and I was just floating through the days, as if I was detached again. However, I was a depressed version of myself this time, not an angry one.

After ten days, I finally got a call from Dr. Palmer during lunch at school. Peter was sitting beside me on the ledge as I answered. "Hello?"

"Katelyn, he's awake."

"I- What?"

"Stephen, he's awake. He's out of his coma."

"R-Really?" I asked, standing.

"Yes. He's eager to see you."

"I'll be right there!" I exclaimed, hanging up the phone.

Peter stood beside me. "What is it?"

"He's awake," I said, grabbing his hand. We checked out of the office, not planning on returning. I pulled him behind the building, out of sight of cameras and pedestrians, opening a portal to the hospital supply closet. We rushed out together, hand in hand as the portal closed behind us.

We ran all the way to my father's room, then stopped outside his door, we took a few deep breaths, then entered. I rushed over to his beside where he opened his eyes and reached for my hand. I smiled, tears brimming my eyes. He reached his other shaking hand out to caress my face. "I missed you," his raspy voice said.

"I missed you too, dad..." I whispered, leaning down to hug him.