Peter Parker Imagines

66. Begin Again - Part Four

a/n: this chapter is pretty nice compared to what is coming in the next couple so :) enjoy! I didn't have time to edit this but I really wanted to post it, so hopefully it's not full of errors lol, hope you guys like it anyway!

warnings: language, death mentions / allusions, ptsd/anxiety, near death experiences?

reminder: my requests are CLOSED

Peter forgot how much he loved being Spider-Man.

It really was like riding a bike - as soon as the suit was on and Karen was talking in his ear, he felt like he had never left. Soon enough he was swinging through New York - he couldn't tell if anyone saw him, or if they would even believe it was actually him if they did, but he didn't care yet.

He felt like he was on top of the world again, and that feeling only got better when he finally found something to do.

"A gas leak on 26th caused an apartment building to light on fire," Karen's voice instructed, and Peter immediately moved his hand to shoot webs to the left, heading in the right direction. "Police and firemen are on the way, but it's lighting up fast. People could still be inside."

"Gotcha," he breathed out, trying to swing a little faster. 

That was when the doubt started setting in. 

What if he failed? What if he was too late? What if he didn't save anyone, could he even make himself go out as Spider-Man again if he didn't? The media would take that story and people would eat it up - "Spider-Man returns after a year, epically fails, disappears again - probably for good this time."

He breathed in again, trying to relax as he swung by another building. These were the same fears he had before the incident, before he ever stopped. It was a constant worry on his mind that he would fuck up and New York would turn on him - the police and the newspapers already hated him, but if the people did too, well. It wouldn't be good.

But he knew better. He had a responsibility (at least, he believed so) to help people because he would be a bad person if he didn't. He took a year to mourn, and now that time was up. He owed a year back to the city and all the people he didn't save during his time off - failure should be the last thing on his mind, the only thing he should focus on was at least trying.

After all, he only failed to save someone once before, and he was determined to never let that happen again.

He was on the scene in only a few minutes, not having time to look at all the people down below - instead he dove straight into one of the upper level windows, not hesitating to get started. 

A few people were struggling to open a door, one of them screeching when he tumbled into the room. 

"Spider-Man?" A man coughed, his hand up to his mouth to block the smoke. 

"That's me," he managed to say, moving toward the door they were trying to get through while they stared in awe. Without an issue he snapped the handle off and pushed it open hard, nearly breaking the hinges. "Hurry down before it gets worse, okay?"

"Thank you," one of them grasped his hand, and they all rushed out without another word.

 Luckily the flames were worse on the right of the building, and he checked to see them getting down safely on the left. He figured they'd be safe on their own and focused on moving toward where the fire was spreading more.