Hiding Away (closed to Peter)

[st_ayedhidden]

When the fighting was over, Annie left the temple and looked for Peter. In her panic, she couldn't find him. She tried the clinic, but only found Liz. Annie was certain Peter was hurt or worse.

She didn't return to her room. She found her way back into his room. She felt tired from the entire day and the adrenaline that was wearing off. Taking Peter's pillow from the bed, she crawled under his bed and curled up. She cried quietly until she drifted off to sleep.

Comments

[st_ayedhidden]

"It's not okay," she insisted with a frown. "It's all my fault."

Her fingers tightened around the fabric of his shirt.

[st_arkintern]

"Hey, hey," Peter says softly. "This isn't your fault."

[st_ayedhidden]

"Not this," She said, not really thinking. "Back home. Back home when you were taken."

She sniffed. Annie hadn't dealt with those feelings yet.

[st_arkintern]

Taken? Peter doesn't need to know the details to know one thing:

"That absolutely was not your fault," he says, giving her a hug. "Okay? So don't blame yourself over it."

[st_ayedhidden]

"If I hadn't listened to mom, then maybe I could have helped you." She said.

His hug felt warm and she did relax against him.

"I don't want you to be dead." She said quietly, clearly she was tired. "Can you not be dead?"

[st_arkintern]

He can't promise that.

"I'm glad you listened to your mom," he tells her. He's worried that if she hadn't, something might have happened to her, too. "And I'm not dead now."

[st_ayedhidden]

"You don't... You don't hate me?" She asked quietly with her eyes still closed.

She often wondered if her dad back home was upset with her for what happened.

[st_arkintern]

"No, of course not. Why would I hate you?"

[st_ayedhidden]

"Because it was a kid at school you were helping. You didn't want him taken." She said, her voice becoming a little lazy. "And I would break the rules sometimes and use my powers... And now they said your dead and mom says your not and... And everything's not the same anymore."

[st_arkintern]

"I could never hate you for that," he says. He can say that in absolute confidence, not just for him, but for any other Peter that might be out there who might be the father to this Annie.

"Let's tuck in," he suggests. It was clear before he even discovered her that Annie was tired. "We can talk some more in the morning, okay?"

[st_ayedhidden]

"Don't Tell mom," she said with a heavy voice. "But I'm going.to save you no matter what."

Her breathing was already becoming somewhat even.

[st_arkintern]

Peter doesn't say anything to that. Instead, picks up Annie and sets her down on the bed, then stretches the rumpled ball of comforter out and over her. He even tucks his favorite pillow back beneath her head.

Peter stands next to her until he's sure that she's asleep, then takes the other pillow and heads for the couch.

He'll have to be up early if he's going to make muffins for them for breakfast.