Chapter 6
Tony pushed his suit to the max to get Peter to the Medbay as quickly as possible. He was worried because Peter wasn’t waking up and his head wound was still bleeding but thankfully not as profusely as before. He wasn’t sure why it hadn’t stopped altogether with the kid’s healing abilities because it should have. Maybe he was eating and sleeping way less than he thought which got him spiraling further.
Friday monitored his vitals on the way and he was stable at least, but with a severe concussion. He saw the tower in sight and sighed with relief because a few minutes felt like hours with him carrying Peter limp in his arms. He saw a couple nurses from the medical staff waiting for him with a stretcher. He landed on the Medbay landing pad with a loud clank of his armor and they didn’t wait to take Peter from him even though he didn’t want to let go.
“Mr. Stark, Dr. Cho said as soon as you get here to go to the penthouse so she can come back down and treat Peter,” said a nurse.
He retracted his suit and held onto Peter’s hand one last time to kiss his knuckles and tell him he’ll be right back, then ran to the elevators. As much as he wanted to stay, he knew he had to go and it was killing him not to be with his son. When he got up to the penthouse floor, Helen met him at the elevator door as soon as it opened.
“Friday told me you were on your way up and gave me the latest report on Peter. Any more news on what happened to him?” She asked as Tony held the elevator door open for her as he stepped out. “I was told to also give him a drug and alcohol test?” She asked questioning Tony because even she knew Peter should have learned his lesson the first time.
Tony nodded. “According to Friday she said he was in an altered state so yes, run the tests. I don’t know anything else. We might not be able to find out until he wakes up because his friend didn’t even know what happened to him,” he said running a shaky hand down his face.
“Ok, I’ll keep you informed,” she said stepping into the elevator. “Oh, and Morgan didn’t wake up at all so she should still be sleeping.”
“Thank you again for coming up and being here while I got Peter. That’s not part of your job so I owe you big time.” He was about to turn and leave when she gently grabbed his arm.
“Tony, I may be employed by you but I consider you a friend and that’s what friends do,” she said sincerely.
Tony gave her a small smile. “Thanks Helen, and same. I know Peter’s in good hands and I’ll be back down there as soon as I can.”
Helen nodded and the doors closed as he stood there staring at the elevator doors for a minute trying to process everything. He walked down the hall to check on Morgan and she was still sleeping soundly having no idea about the chaos that just took place. He kissed her forehead and fixed her messy blankets before he left the room.
Tony ended up sitting on the couch and then walking around the living room pacing back and forth and then he’d sit on the couch again before he got up again. He was so full of anxiety he couldn’t sit still, asking Friday for any updates every other minute but there was no news. He wanted to be down at the Medbay for Peter knowing he wouldn’t be able to see him right now anyways, but he just had to be there. So he called Pepper to tell her what was going on knowing she could calm him down even though it was to tell her what happened to their son.
Suddenly he heard the elevator doors open and to his surprise Happy walked out with Ned. He wasn’t expecting Ned to show up but he seemed to be really upset. He couldn’t blame the kid since he just saw his best friend unconscious and bleeding from the head. Unfortunately, Tony was used to the sight from all the injuries Peter’s had, especially Spider-Man related and hell, he still gets shaken up. He doesn’t think Ned has ever seen him hurt so it obviously shook him. His eyes were red rimmed and still had tears in them.
He walked over and placed what he was hoping a comforting hand on Ned’s shoulder and squeezed it tight. “Hanging in there, ok buddy?” he asked and Ned just shrugged.
“How is he?” Ned asked softly, almost afraid of the answer.
“I haven’t heard anything yet. They have him down in the Medbay and he’s being treated by the best of the best. I’m sure he’ll be just fine. This is Peter we’re talking about, right?” he said trying to make the kid feel a little better, along with himself.
Happy looked at Tony giving him a stern look and a nod pointing to the kitchen. “Can I talk to you in the kitchen for a minute?”
“Uh, yea, sure. Ned, why don’t you take a seat on the couch and flick through the tv, we’ll be right back.”
Once they got in the kitchen for a little privacy Happy didn’t hesitate to get to the point. “I know it’s late but I had him call his parents and he asked them to sleep over and they said it was fine. He’ll be staying the night so he could see Peter tomorrow, he’s been worried to death. I said he could probably sleep in Peter’s room tonight since he’ll be in the hospital. There’s something Ned needs to talk to you about. He told me on the way here but I said you need to hear it from him yourself. It’s not good Tony. Peter’s more of a mess than we thought.”
Tony’s stomach twisted into a knot seeing at how concerned Happy looked. He knew he and Pepper picked up on Peter’s poor mental state lately but didn’t know Happy noticed, too. Obviously, Peter wasn’t doing well and he’s been under a lot of stress but how bad was he? He rubbed a hand down his face again and then through his already messy hair and sighed. “Shit, ok, thanks for the heads up. I’ll go talk to him.”
Happy stopped him, “Since I’m here, why don’t you head down there with Ned and wait for news. I’ll stay up here with Morgan. Just let me know as soon as you hear anything.” Happy offered.
Tony nodded with gratitude. “Thanks Hap, I’ll take you up on that. I just checked on her and she’s sleeping. I’m sure she won’t wake up until morning.” Tony went into the living room and told Ned they’ll be going down to the Medbay.
“Um, are you sure it’s ok for me to be down there?” Ned asked and Tony nodded.
“Of course, especially because you’ll be with me and nobody will say a god damn word about it.” He assured him.
When they walked out of the elevators and headed to the waiting room, Tony couldn’t help but smile at Ned’s amazement looking around the state-of-the-art medical facility for the Avengers. Before they went in, Tony stopped at a vending machine and got drinks and snacks for them which Ned appreciated.
They took a seat on a comfy sofa and Tony turned to Ned not waiting to ask, “So, Happy tells me you have some things you need to tell me about Peter?” Even though Tony was anxious as hell and panicking on the inside, he was trying to keep his voice steady and calm for Ned’s sake.
Ned looked almost scared but nodded. “I do, but I feel like I’m betraying him if I say anything. I promised him I wouldn’t and I don’t want him to hate me or be mad at me for telling you.”
Tony put an arm around him and he let him so he thought it might comfort Ned a bit. “Listen, I know exactly how you feel. I’ve been in that sort of situation many times and it sucks to be in that position. But in the long run, you are helping him, not hurting him or helping him so he doesn’t hurt himself more. He may be mad a for a little while but then he’ll realize you did it because you care about him.”
Ned nodded and took a sip of the soda. “I get that, I do but I feel guilty for telling you but I am worried to death about him. It’s gone on for far too long and now he’s in the hospital!”
Tony was taking it slow, trying not to push because he knew how he felt. Not too long ago he had to break his promise to Peter and make him go into inpatient treatment when he told him he wouldn’t have to but it ended up saving his life. Plus, he needed to know what was going on with his damn kid already! “What’s gone on long enough? You know, any information you give me will only help him. I know he’s been stressed with schoolwork and it’s taking a toll on him. What else is going on?”
Ned sighed and looked at Tony for a second and looked away with his head down. “It’s Flash,” he admitted and Tony could see the guilt eating away at the poor kid.
“Flash? That assh --- that punk kid that always picks on Peter? What did he do?” Tony was already getting upset because he knows Flash is relentless when it comes to Peter.
“That’s the thing, I don’t know much but I’ll tell you what I do know.” Ned confessed.
“Ok, that sounds good. Let’s start with that,” Tony said encouraging him. “Did he hurt Peter tonight?”
“I honestly have no clue what happened because I wasn’t with him. I tried to go with him but they told me to stay in the house. Flash has something over him and I don’t know what it is because he won’t tell me, even though I asked a hundred times. He admitted Flash threatened him but that’s all I know and now he has Peter doing all these things and humiliating him. Peter said he’s afraid he’ll go through with the threat or whatever it is so he listens to him. It has to be bad if Peter is putting up with it.” Ned gave a huge sigh of relief for getting that out in the open but a tear ran down his cheek.
Tony was almost afraid to ask. “What kinds of things are we talking about here, Ned? Could they be harmful or hurt Peter in anyway?” He didn’t like where this was going and he clenched his hand into a tight fist trying to quell the anger.
“Well, the ones I know about don’t physically hurt him, not really, but they are just humiliating and demeaning and I hate seeing Peter go through that, especially because he’s well, you know, sensitive.” Ned sniffled and took a deep breath and didn’t hold back. “Flash has Peter getting his lunch every single day and bring it to his table in front of all his friends and they just laugh at him. I think he’s even paying for it, too! It’s like it’s people’s highlight of the day and all the kids just stare and wait for it to happen. And, um, I probably should have told you sooner but he never eats lunch with us anymore and I don’t think he’s eating. There’s some stuff he doesn’t tell me and I’m fine with that but I do know why he was in treatment, just not the details because he never brings it up. I’m hoping he does on his own time but I’ve known Peter forever and know he’s had issues with food since he was a little kid, and I can see him slipping again. As soon as he brings Flash his tray he just leaves because he’s so embarrassed. The first few times me and MJ followed him out of the cafeteria but he just sort of yelled at us and said he wanted to be left alone. I didn’t blame him; I’d want to be alone too after that.”
That was news to Tony and his heart sank hoping he wasn’t slipping back into his eating disorder. He thought the kid was eating his lunch because the account’s been used every day. Now he knows not on himself but to buy Flash his fucking lunch! Tony knew the kids have known each other for a long time but it just dawned on him Ned has so much more insight into Peter’s life before Tony even knew he existed. It pained him that he wasn’t there watching him grow up but was glad he had a friend like Ned to be there for him.
He was trying to figure out why Peter would let Flash do something like that and couldn’t for the life of him but then he remembered Ned mentioned a threat. He tried to not show his anger or worry so he just nodded for Ned to continue, glad that he was telling him everything.
Ned continued, “And in the halls, Flash picks on him more than usual, like all the time in front of everyone. Pushes him into the lockers, says really mean things to him, trips him and makes him drop all his books and the worst part is Peter is just letting him! He’s not sticking up for himself at all. He used to in the past to some degree but now, nothing, not a word. He’s letting Flash walk all over him and we’re not even lab partners anymore because Flash wanted him to be his and he said yes! I see them working together and Flash doesn’t do anything so Peter does it all for both of them. I have to admit, that one hurt a lot,” Ned said sniffling and wiping the tears falling.
Tony sat and listened and the more he listened the more his blood boiled. He was trying to keep his breath even and not show anger in front of the kid, he didn’t want to scare him anymore than he already was and clam up on him.
“Jesus, Ned. No wonder Pete is always stressed and not himself lately. What does he say when you ask him about all of it?” He had a million other questions and comments but he was trying so hard not to push and let Ned steer the conversation so he was taking it slow even though his patience was wearing thin.
Ned shrugged again. “He keeps saying he has it under control and to trust him. He says he has no choice because he can’t ‘risk it’ but no matter how many times I ask he won’t tell me what he has over him or what he threatened him with. And I think Flash made him quit the decathlon team so he could take his place. He just told us he quit because he doesn’t have time anymore even though we tried to stop him. MJ was really upset when he told her. Oh, and just so you know, I asked him if Flash knew about his um ‘alter ego’ and he said no so that can’t be it. That was the first thing that came to mind.”
Tony didn’t even know he quit the team and was wondering what the hell the kid’s been doing after school instead because Happy still picks him up later in the day when he’s supposed to be at practice. He tried to remain calm but was glad to hear that as far as Ned knew his secret identity was still a secret. He would take the wins where he could get them.
“He doesn’t seem to have time for anything anymore with all the homework the teachers give you. Pete works on his for at least five hours a day and sometimes he doesn’t go to bed until after midnight. Is it the same for you and MJ?” Tony asked and he knew he was starting to pry but he had to find out what’s been going on with his son.
“What? Five hours? No, not at all,” Ned said shaking his head. “Maybe two max and that’s when we’re assigned a research paper, project or book report, but our normal homework is usually like an hour or so. I don’t understand why it would take him that long, I mean, we practically have all the same classes and I know he could fly through his assignments. This is Peter ya know? That doesn’t make sense.”
Tony sighed, so the plot thickens… He knew the answer before he asked but wanted to see Ned’s reaction. “Are you in his Astronomy class because that’s the one that seems to be giving him the most trouble.”
Ned gave him a puzzled look. “Astronomy? No, he’s not in that class and neither am I. We didn’t need the credit because of all the other classes we’re in.”
Tony wasn’t surprised because the principal already confirmed he wasn’t taking that class. “Would uh, would Flash happen to be in that class do you know?” Tony asked already knowing it was most likely yes.
Ned shrugged. “Honestly sir, I don’t know. The less I know about him the better. I hate that kid. I just know what classes we’re in together.”
A couple things were falling into place. He figured Flash is making Peter do his homework in all his classes on top of everything else. He just has to find out the why now, what he has over him and put a stop to it.
They sat in silence for a little while after Ned spilled his guts and sat back against the sofa. Tony told him how proud he was that he told him everything and how much this is going to help Peter and thanked him. Tony looked at the clock and saw it was after midnight already meaning Peter’s been in there for over an hour but it felt much longer.
Ned looked up at Tony with those big brown watery eyes, “I’m glad he has you Mr. Stark. I know losing May was awful and he went through hell but without you who knows where he’d end up. You helped him through the most difficult time in his life. I know he loves you and your family so much and I can see how much you love him. I just, um, wanted to tell you that I appreciate everything you do for him so thank you, sir.”
Tony smiled a real smile for the first time that night because he wasn’t expecting Ned to say any of that but it felt good to hear, really good. “Thanks for that. I love him more than he’ll ever know, kid.”
“Believe me Mr. Stark, he knows,” Ned reassured him.
Hearing Ned confirm that Peter really does know how much he’s loved almost brought tears to his eyes. Ned was being so sincere so he just gave him another smile and a side hug. He was glad that he had someone like Ned as his best friend. Like he told Peter before, everyone needs a Rhodey in their life.