Put there by the ache in me
It was like watching it in slow motion. One of the aliens the team was fighting had pointed it’s weapon at Spider-Man and the next thing anyone knew was Iron Man had thrown himself into the line of fire and was slammed against the wall behind him. Spider-Man had watched his head bang back against the brick building in a sickening way.
“Karen?” Spider-Man demanded while still handling the alien.
“Iron Man is in critical condition. Medical intervention is recommended.”
“Spider-Man, you’ve got the alien? I’ve got to take him to the jet!” War Machine yelled on the coms as he scooped up his limp best’s friend’s body.
“I’ve got it.” Spider-Man forced his attention to the situation at hand. He couldn’t do anything for Iron Man but he could make sure civilians were safe from this threat.
~
Peter didn’t hesitant. As soon as they made it back to the tower he was running to the MedBay only taking time to rip his mask off as he ran. He found Rhodey in the waiting room, “What do we know?”
Rhodey just pulled the kid into a hug, “You’re dad’s going to be okay. He’s strong but Pete. I need to prepare you. He took a hard hit to the head. Doctor Cho is worried that this could impact his memories.”
“He might not remember me?” Peter’s jaw dropped.
“Us, kid. He might not remember us.” Rhodey sighed.
“Forever?” Peter’s eyes welled with tears.
“We don’t know, Roo.” Rhodey squeezed his shoulder.
“Don’t!” Peter felt tears run down his cheeks, “You can’t call me that. It’s his name for me.”
“Peter? I’m sorry.” Rhodey started but Peter was walking away. He figured he’d give the kid some space. This was a lot to take in.
~
“He’s awake.” Sam told Peter when he found him in the penthouse still in his suit sitting on the couch, “And he will kill you if you get this couch disgusting with alien guts.”
“Does he remember us?” Peter asked.
“I don’t know. I came to find you right away.”
Peter nodded, “He’s all I have.”
Sam had been there the day the adoption was finalized. Peter and Tony had never looked as happy as they did that day, “If he doesn’t remember you then he could get those memories back. The brain is a tricky thing. Let’s not panic. Let’s just go see him and talk with Dr. Cho.”
Peter finally got up and followed Sam back to the MedBay.
~
Rhodey was by his best friend when he woke up. He watched Tony’s eyes blink open. That alone was a relief. He was awake. That was the first step of this recovery, “Tones.”
Tony cleared his throat shaking his head.
Rhodey got up and got him some water.
“Platypus?”
“You remember me?” Rhodey breathed a sigh of relief.
“Of course. You’re my best friend.” Tony rolled his eyes and then winced at the pain in his head,
“What happened?”
“You took a good hit while fighting some aliens.”
“Is the team okay?” Tony’s concern was the people that were like family to him.
“Everyone is okay. Peter’s a bit upset but he’ll be happy you’re memory is intact. I’ll get him!” Rhodey was up and out of the room before Tony could ask him who Peter was.
~
“You’re okay!” Peter ran in and practically laid against the man in a hug.
Tony cleared his throat looking at Rhodey behind the kid who was hugging him. He patted him gently on the back, “Yeah. I’m okay.”
“I was so worried.” Peter finally moved to sit down in the chair.
Tony nodded, “Take a lot more than some aliens to take me out.”
Dr. Cho walked in, “I see you’re awake and everyone is already coming in despite visiting hours being over.”
“Dr. Cho!” Peter whined.
“No. She’s right. He needs to rest, Pete. Let’s go. You need a shower.” Rhodey led the kid out of the room.
Tony waited until he was sure that they were far enough away, “Dr. Cho? One question—Who was that boy?”
Dr. Cho laughed, “Very funny, Tony.”
Tony just frowned looking at her, “I’m not joking.”
“You don’t know who that is?”
“Some superhero based on the outfit but I don’t know why he’s so attached to me.” Tony shrugged.
“That’s your son, Tony.”
Tony felt his heart start to race. The monitors started to beep rapidly.
“Okay, Okay. Let’s just breathe.” Dr. Cho told him, “Everything is okay.”
“I can’t have a kid. I don’t know how to raise a kid. I’m not supposed to be anyone’s dad.”
“Let’s just run some tests and see if we can figure out what’s going on but Tony I promise you are an excellent dad and you love that kid.” Dr. Cho reassured.
~
Peter woke up the next morning and snuck down to the MedBay. He found Dr. Cho sitting in his dad’s room with him. He was asleep, “Morning.”
“Morning, kiddo.” She smiled, “Listen, Pete. We need to talk before your dad wakes up.”
“He’s okay, right?” Peter sat down on the chair on the other side of the bed.
“He is. I’ve run a lot of tests. But for whatever reason it is—He doesn’t know who you are.” Dr. Cho tried to speak as gently as she could.
“No. He was fine last night. He knew who I was!” Peter insisted.
“Sweetie. He didn’t. He thought you were just another person on the team.” Dr. Cho stood up and came around the bed to squeeze his hand, “I believe it’s temporary. I believe he’ll get his memories back. I just don’t know when.”
~
Peter was alone when Tony woke up. Rhodey had just stepped away to get a snack for himself. He had assumed Tony would sleep for hours, “Oh hi.”
Tony looked at the kid. The kid who was supposed to be his. He guessed he could see it. They looked alike. The kid had his eyes. His mom must have had curly hair though. The kid looked distraught. He must have heard he doesn’t know him, “Hi.”
“So you don’t know who I am?” Peter’s lip wobbled a bit.
“I don’t.”
Peter nodded, “Well umm I’m Peter.”
“Yeah. The doc told me that. She also told me you’re Spider-Man and that you love Star Wars. You’re best friend’s name is Ned. You have no other family…”
“You call him Ted as a joke.” Peter gave a watery laugh.
“Oh.” Tony gave a soft smile, “Dr. Cho said I can come home today. She said the suit protected me from most severe injuries. I guess I’ll have to work on the helmet being more protective for the future.”
“That’s great! Rhodey stayed with me last night but it wasn’t the same.”
Tony feared it wasn’t going to be the same even if he was home, “Kid, I don’t want you to have false hope. I have no idea who you are or what you mean to me. I don’t know any routines or secret handshakes we have. I’m not even sure why I decided to be your dad to be honest. I never wanted kids.”
Peter felt his throat fill with emotion.
“Tones, stop. That’s too much honesty for a 14 year old.” Rhodey walked back in the room and put his hands on Peter’s shoulders in support.
“No. He needs to know. If he had any other family I’d send him to live with them. We’re not going to be good for each other.”
“I want to go.” Peter told his uncle.
“Go upstairs. I’ll find you there in a minute.” Rhodey told the teenager.
Rhodey took Peter’s seat, “That was uncalled for. If you knew how much you love that kid then you’d never forgive yourself.”
“Are you sure I love him?”
“This isn’t a joke, Tones.” Rhodey snapped.
“Whose joking? I’m not ready to be a dad!”
“You are a dad—So figure it out!” Rhodey shook his head, “I have to go check on your kid because for all I know he’s doing something stupid because of this. He’s just like you.”
~
Rhodey was keeping a close eye on Tony and Peter. Tony had already snapped at Peter for little things three times. He was positive that the kid was ready to snap back. All patience was lost at this point.
Peter grabbed a drink from the fridge opening it up—
“—That’s mine.” Tony told him.
Peter rolled his eyes taking a sip in front of him, “Delicious.”
“Buy your own stuff.” Tony told him.
“You kind of agreed to take care of me when you became my dad.”
“I didn’t agree to anything because it was probably just a drunken night.” Tony raised an eyebrow.
Peter frowned, “You know I’m adopted, right?”
Tony’s face showed he did not, “We look alike.”
“Just by chance really. We’re not related by blood.”
“I chose this?”
Peter sighed, “Yes.”
“That doesn’t sound like me. What are you blackmailing me with?”
Peter looked at Rhodey, “You want to check your friend?”
“Tony.” Rhodey warned, “Cut it out.”
“I’m just saying,” Tony started to pace, “None of this makes sense. I don’t know this kid but I don’t feel anything toward him. If I loved him wouldn’t my heart still know that?”
Peter dropped the drink in his hand and walked out of the room.
“Out of line, man.” Rhodey flipped him off as he walked after Peter.
~
Rhodey had been playing referee all night. Every time Tony said something rude to the kid. He had to handle it. He wanted someone else to take a turn. Being a best friend to Tony Stark and uncle to Peter had never put him on different sides. Right now he had to choose Peter. “Pete. I can’t stay. I have to be in Washington tomorrow. I’m taking the jet to make it in time tonight. Are you going to be okay?”
Peter was laying on the couch on his phone, “You mean are we going to kill each other?”
“No. I mean are you going to freak out the minute I leave and have a panic attack?”
“Don’t know.” Peter shrugged, “I’ve never had my dad forget me and then be a jerk about it.”
“Just call me if you need someone to talk to, deal?”
“Deal.”
~
“Shouldn’t you be in bed?” Tony came up from the lab and found Peter on his phone on the couch.
“I don’t know. I don’t have any parents currently so I’m just winging this.” Peter kept scrolling on his phone.
Tony snatched the phone, “Go to bed.”
“You aren’t in charge of me if you don’t remember me so you can’t tell me what to do.” Peter sat up.
“It’s 11:30, Peter! I want the penthouse to myself!” Tony yelled, “Just go to your fucking room.”
Peter jumped. His dad had never spoken to him that way even when Peter had screwed up,
“Fine! I’ll go!”
Tony watched kid go down a hallway and settled on the couch. Finally some peace and quiet. He was positive he didn’t want kids still. This kid was driving him crazy. And he kept looking at him like he was expecting someone else.
~
Peter threw some stuff in a bag with tears blurring his vision. If his dad wanted to be alone then he’d leave him alone. He was going to live with Uncle Rhodey in Washington. He felt safer there anyway.