Chapter Text
Peter didn’t remember much of the paramedics working on him, and the ambulance was just a noisy blur. At one point he heard Sable make some threats before she was allowed in with him but the words at that moment were meaningless.
As soon as they started working on him, he felt the pain he should have already been feeling. His arm ached and his wound was burning. Whatever they were doing just made it worse.
He let out an involuntary scream.
“Why is he still awake?” one of the paramedics asked. “He should be out.”
“Doesn’t work,” he coughed. “Can’t be put out.”
“What? Did you know about that?”
Sable sounded beyond pissed, “how dare you assume that I would not tell you if I knew.”
“Sorry, I’m just asking.” The girl turned her attention back to Peter and the others working on him. “You’re going to be okay Mr. Parker. We will be as careful as we can but it will hurt.”
Peter tried to nod, “done it before.”
His free hand found Sable’s; or perhaps, hers found his. Her grip was firm and comforting. Peter tried to smile up at her but the second they started working on him again, he lost all composure.
The ride to the hospital felt far too long and all the swaying and bright lights made him feel sick. His heaving chest only made the already painful situation worse, but he couldn't stop it.
When he was finally taken out and wheeled into the E.R, he was weary and wanted nothing more than to sleep. Then he heard the question.
"What do you mean he can't be put out with anesthesia? Is it an allergy?"
"He said it doesn't work on him and he definitely proved that on the way in."
"I'm fine," he lied.
Sable glared down at him; her hand still entwined with his. "Quiet love. You are not well." She turned back to the nurses in charge. "Save him or you will have me to answer to. Hurry up."
He was prepped and readied for surgery. His wounds cleaned; his clothes cut away. Then it began. He knew it was coming and he couldn’t stop it. The first incision.
His grip tightened around Sables hand as he cried out in pain. “I’ll heal. You don’t need to do this,” he practically begged.
Delicately, Sable brushed the stray, sweat-soaked hair out of his eyes. "I know it hurts. But you will be alright. It'll be over soon. Just let them work."
Peter sobbed as the feeling of fire in his gut only worsened. He could barely breathe.
He blinked and; as if out of nowhere, there were tubes and bags of fluid attached to him.
The cutting and digging into soft flesh never seemed to end. He grasped desperately for something; anything to lessen the pain.
“I know it hurts,” Sable whispered in his ear. “It is almost over. You are doing well.”
Peter wanted to be sick or to just stand up and leave but he knew he’d never make it. He could see the blood staining the gloves of the surgeon and nurses.
Once they removed the bullet; he finally passed out; much to the relief of the others in the room. No more screaming, no more flailing. Though; for Sable, her heart stopped. Only for a split second once his rock hard grip fell limp; bul it was still long enough to leave her panicked.
Peter woke up many hours later with the tubes still hanging around him. This time; however, it was dark and quiet. No nurses of doctors. No bright lights blinding him. Had it not been for the burning pain still consuming him, he might have even said it was nice.
Carefully, he looked around the room and quickly found who he was looking for. Sable sat, staring at the ground; as if in a trance. Unblinking.
“Sa-” his words barely made it past his lips. “Sable?”
She didn’t look up but he somehow knew he had gotten her attention. Something about her face changed.
“How could you?” She asked; her voice wavering.
“How co-”
“You did not tell me you were unaffected by anesthetic.”
“Never came up.” He tried to laugh.
“I thought you had died.” Sable was always blunt. He should have expected it. "I was worried."
Peter felt a small smile creep onto his face. "Come here."
She stood and slowly made her way over to his bed; her eyes quickly tracing the outline of her pistols on the table.
"You don't need to worry about protecting me. Come on," he lifted his arm. "Lie down with me.”
“I am not going to lie down with you. It will either hurt you or pull on your tubes.”
“It’s okay, I’ll lift them up. Please. I hate hospitals.”
She huffed but allowed herself to carefully make her way into the bed beside him. He wrapped his non-broken arm around her and snuggled into her neck. “I’m sorry I scared you, but thank you for being that worried about me.”
She didn’t respond.
“So what happened?”
“You were shot three times in the lower abdomen.”
“Three?!”
“Yes, three. They saw your escape plan; most likely before you ever even thought about it. They were trained that way.”
“How do you know that? One of your enemies?”
“They were my allies.”
“What?”
“I thought they were, at least. Men that were stationed in my country as guards to protect my negotiator.”
“Oh shit.”
“Oh shit, indeed. I have not had a chance yet to interrogate them, but I am not stupid. I have been betrayed and she is more than likely dead.”
“Oh, honey. I’m sorry to hear that.” He yawned; sending a jolt of pain down his spine. “What can we do now?”
“You will rest,” Sable whispered. “You’ve been through a lot. And I will have my scientists work on a painkiller for you.”
“Love you.”
There was a long silence after that. He couldn't sleep; the pain was getting worse, but he didn’t want her to know so he stayed as motionless as possible. Eventually, he felt her move slowly off the bed and over to the corner where he heard the click of the safety be switched off. “I will protect you next time my love. And they will suffer for what they have done to you. As will my father. Then things will be different.”
She placed a tender kiss on his forehead before storming out of the room.