Tears of an Angel

SR POV

Steve got back to his feet as Payton collapsed into Rhodey's arms.

"Is she alright?" Thor softly asked as he stood, seeming the most interested he had since Thanos disappeared.

"Fatigue finally caught up to her." Rhodey explained, adjusting the girl to lay more comfortably in his arms. "She tends to push herself to hard. Like Tony tended to do."

"Is she his daughter?" Steve asked staring at the girl. Honestly she looked like death warmed up. She was almost literally skin and bones. Her cheeks were sunken in, emphasizing the huge dark marks underneath. Her skin deathly pale. Had she not just lifted him off his feet, he'd be more worried about her.

"Biologically? No." Rhodey clarified. "You should've seen them together though." He looked down to her. "He'd do anything for her."

Steve could still remember fighting her at the airport a couple of years ago. She had to have been at most 14 at the time. "He shouldn't have brought her."

"She kicked your ass." Natasha piped up. "I don't like how young she is either, but Tony knows- knew what he was doing."

Rhodey stood with her as his leg braces whirred. "I need to get her back to the med bay."

"Let me." Steve insisted.

"I got her." Rhodey insisted smiling fondly at the girl. "She's a lot lighter than she looks."

After Rhodey left, Bruce finally spoke up. "Tony had mentioned y'all broke up, but didn't explain it. What happened while we were gone?"

"It's a long story." Steve said tiredly. They'd been so wrapped up in their most recent failure that he hadn't even talked about the 'civil war'.

"Was she telling the truth?" Thor asked somberly.

"Partly." Steve conceded before looking to Nebula. "You wouldn't happen to know where Thanos went would you?"

"Yes." She said mechanically. A weary look in her eyes. "Thanos spent a long time trying to perfect me. And when he worked, he talked about his great plan. Even disassembled, I wanted to please him. I'd ask 'where would we go once his plan was complete?'. His answer was always the same: 'To the Garden.'"

*******

PP POV

Voices came first to Payton.

"-don't know how to tell her." A male voice said. "I was hoping..."

"Even if it had worked it wouldn't have brought everyone back." A female voice- Pepper said. "There were thousands of accidents caused by the disappearances. May..." She heard a sigh. "If I hadn't told Happy to bring her-"

"She would've hated being left out and the Compound should've been safe." The male voice she now recognized as Rhodey. "Payton is- was basically her daughter."

"And now Payton has no other family. Biological or married into."

"May?" She called out weakly trying to open her eyes. She refused to believe it. May couldn't be dead. "May?!"

"Shh." Pepper cooed running a hand through her hair. "Shh. It's alright. It's alright. Rest now sweetie."

Payton sighed as darkness consumed her again. She didn't know how long it was until she awoke again. She was finally able to blink her eyes open, finding Pepper by her best side, her head knelt down as if in prayer.

"Miss Potts?" She whispered.

Her head shot up. Her soft smile contrasting with he red eyes. "Hey." She said gently. "How you feeling?"

"I'm okay."

"And I'll believe that because?"

'She's got you there Spiderling' Ghost Tony spoke up appearing behind Pepper, hands on her shoulders.

Payton smiled tiredly. "I feel crappy."

"That makes sense." Pepper reasoned. "With your metabolism you need to eat almost three times the normal amount."

"Yeah." She chuckled weakly. "It sucks."

"Helen says you need to stay on bed rest for the next couple of weeks."

Payton shook her head. "No. I have to help. I have to do something."

Pepper smiled again. How can she still be smiling after al this? "Don't worry. Everyone's helping out. And you need to build up your strength."

But now what?

"Miss Potts?" She said softly.

"Yes?"

"What's going to happen to me?" She looked over at the silence. "May was all I had left. Not even she had any other family.

"You don't have to worry about it."

Tears trickled down her face. "Yes I do. She's gone. She's-"

"No honey." Pepper said softly holding her hand gently. "May talked to Tony and I a few months ago. She asked if anything happened to her. We'd take care of you."

"You don't have to-"

"But I want to." Pepper insisted. "Did you know your father went to MIT with Tony and Rhodey?"

Payton shook her head. "Ben and May didn't tell me a lot about them. Didn't want to bring up the pain I guess."

"Well the three of them were friends. Good friends. So close Richard had made Tony your godfather."

Payton's eyes snapped to her. Tony was her godfather? Where had he been for so long then?

As if reading her mind, Pepper began. "Tony didn't know when you were younger. Stane kept that information from him and by the time he figured out Ben and May were already given custody. He decided to let y'all be. Although he would send money if need be."

Pepper held her hand tightly. "So you see, with Tony and May gone we have to look after each other."

'Thank you, Pep." Ghost Tony said kissing her cheek softly.

Her tone left no room for uncertainty, but... "Does that mean they lost again?"

"Yes and no." Pepper sighed. "The others found Thanos, but by the time they did, Thanos already destroyed the stones. They killed Thanos."

"But there's no getting them back." Payton concluded as she chocked on tears.

"Payton." Pepper said, pulling her into a  hug, petting her hair softly. "I promise I'm right here for you."

'Oh, baby.' Ben told the seven year old softly, tears still in his own eyes. 'I promise I'll take care of you.'

'I promise I'm not going anywhere.' May had told her after the funeral.  The apartment felt so big with just the two of them now. 

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Payton hiccupped.

*******

After a couple of weeks, Payton was finally allowed to walk. Sort of. She left when Pepper wasn't looking.

She didn't really have a destination mind. Just away from the pale walls. She would still wake expecting to find him next to her doing something on his phone to distract himself from his worry.

She found herself outside the training room. She looked in to see the Black Widow at the shooting range.

'As well as always' Ghost Tony noted as Black Widow made six consecutive bullseye's.

"Who did she lose?" Payton asked.

'Barton?' He guessed. 'He was the only one that could get real emotions out of her. It was anyone's guess otherwise.'

She knew that her betrayal had hurt Mr. Stark pretty bad. But he still cared for her. For all of them.

'I was always fond of spiders.' Mr. Stark once joked as they worked in the lab, as she sat on the ceiling, tablet in hand.

'Even Black Widows?' She regretted the question almost immediately. Looking back to her tablet with sudden interest. She looked up at his chuckle.

He smiled ruefully. 'Especially black widows.'

"Shouldn't you be on bed rest?" She blinked, looking up to see Black Widow looking at her, having exited the training room.

"I'm fine." Payton dismissed, ignoring the ache in her legs as Ghost Tony disappeared.

"Obviously." She clearly didn't believe her. "Come on. I'm hungry. Let's find something to eat."

****

Payton pushed the food on her plate, not really eating.

"You know," Payton looked up. "Tony didn't tell me he was brining you into the fight at the airport."

"I got the impression he didn't tell anyone." Payton said. Rhodey had seemed shocked, and a little angry after they had first met, about a month after Homecoming.

"Communication was never his strong suit." Natasha smiled fondly.

She thought back to the Vulture Incident. "Can't really argue with that." She looked up to Black Widow. "Why did you switch sides?"

She sighed tiredly. "The Accords were a bad deal. But they were the only way to keep the Avengers together. Wanda's powers had just caused a major accident. People were afraid of us, and I knew if we didn't cooperate we'd be forced into something worse. Stark and I were discussing amendments we could do. But then everything with Bucky and Steve happened. Ross was immediately aiming to kill. They were my friends. I couldn't stand by and let them get killed, so if they didn't listen-"

"You joined them." Payton finished knowing she'd do the same for MJ and Ned. "He still hurt Mr. Stark. He still left him alone in Siberia. Beaten in a non functioning suit." She swallowed hard. "I can't forgive that."

"Tony and Steve have a complicated relationship." Natasha gently explained. "The Accords situation intensified it. But Bucky-"

"I get it. Bucky was important to him." Payton looked to the older woman. "But you didn't see Mr. Stark afterwards."

"And you did?" It wasn't a question.

"FRIDAY called me once." Payton said softly. "Pepper, Rhodey, Happy and Vision were all out of town. And he..."

'Please.' Tony had drunkenly sobbed on the floor of the lab. 'Don't tell anyone. I - They wouldn't understand.'

She couldn't tell her. "What happened to Hawkeye? Did he also-?"

"He's alive." Natasha assured, not commenting or reacting about the subject change. "He's just-"

"Payton!" Natasha smiled sympathetically at her as Pepper rounded the corner. "What are you doing out of bed?"

Payton quickly scooped food into her mouth before looking at Pepper innocently, holding the food out in peace offering. Pepper looked at her exasperated before looking to Natasha.

"She was here after I finished training."

Pepper sighed softly. "Come on." She ushered after Payton finished eating. "Helen says you're on bed rest."

"But I feel fine." 

"It's like having another Tony."

*******

Pepper officially adopted her a month after she returned. Somehow the media caught hold of this.

"How did they find out?" Payton asked over dinner. They had moved into Pepper's New York Penthouse a few weeks ago with a promise to Natasha to come over to the Compound for training, that she had no intention of doing.

"Someone at the agency told them?" Pepper shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm not sure. They would've found a way anyway. They're like that."

Payton looked back at her phone. 'CEO of Stark Industries, Pepper Potts adopts Queens Orphan'.

"We're going to have to release an official statement." Pepper said apologetically.

"Why? It's none of their business. People are adopted all the time." Was she being a little bitter? Maybe. Did she care? No.

"Unfortunately when someone is high profile they don't get much privacy." Pepper explained tiredly, like she too questioned it. "So things like adoption, hell what we eat for dinner half the time are questioned and portrayed to the media for their entertainment."

"So what? We confirm to the reporters you adopted me?"

"Pretty much." pepper sighed.

"Do you still want this?" Payton asked after a moment of silence.

"Of course." Pepper said in a mixture of annoyance and assurance. "Why do you keep asking?"

"Because you're already pregnant."

Pepper's eyes shot up. "How'd you know?"

"I can hear another heart beat." Payton explained. "I've also heard you throw up in the morning. And I hacked into Dr. Cho's files when I was trying to change the records to get out of med bay sooner. Friday stopped me."

"That's another official statement I have to make." Pepper said tiredly.

"How long?"

"Three days."

*******

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

She stood next to Pepper and Happy as Rhodey gave an official statement about the state of the Avengers, state of Stark Industries, and Pepper's adoption of her. When it comes to official business go with Rhodey. Tony had once told her. Unless you can go to Pepper, then always go to Pepper.

"-And now Miss Potts will be releasing a prepared statement. And I must reiterate, we are not taking questions at this time. Thank you."

Pepper squeezed her hand gently before moving to the podium, Rhodey taking her place.

"In the wake of such tragedy," She began. "We must look to the future in order to thrive. Today we announce the soon to be additions to the Stark family. Shortly after the Decimation, I discovered I was pregnant with Tony's child."

Murmurs rang throughout the room as several reporters took notes.

"Further more, it is my pleasure to officially announce the adoption of Payton Mayday Parker."

Even more murmurs sounded, some hands shooting up trying to get her attention. Pepper of course ignored them.

"Payton is an intern who previously worked directly under Tony. After some research, it was discovered that several years ago, Payton's father Richard Parker and Tony were friends when they attended MIT together, Richard would make Tony Payton's godfather."

The murmurs increased in the room.

"And now I intend to honor Tony's previous engagements and promises by taking in his goddaughter. Payton is-"

"Miss Parker!" She heard someone yell. "Does this mean you'll inherit Stark Industries? Will you take over the company one day?!"

"Miss Potts." Another reporter yelled. "What does this adoption mean for your and Tony Stark's blood child?"

"Miss Parker do you have access to the Iron Man suits? Will you take over his role in the Avengers some day?"

"We'll be taking no questions at this time" Pepper said sternly, giving the reporter who started the questions a death glare.

This would be her life now. It slowly dawned on her as she tuned out the voices. She would be a celebrity of sorts. She'd get almost no privacy. She'd have to learn how to control a room like this, How to run a company?

She felt Happy gently place a hand on her shoulder as they exited the room.

"I'm actually surprised this went well." Happy admitted as they entered their penthouse. Payton plopping onto the couch.

"Tony's always left things open for..." Rhodey trailed off.

Tony did things his way. She always knew that. It was something that May initially hated about him. Yet he was still admired through everything he did.

"Improvisation." Pepper finished coming to sit next to Payton.

Spider- Girl had to act on the fly and leave almost nothing planned. Payton? She mentally planned everything. She was awkward, had trouble figuring anything out. How was she supposed to live up to Tony?

"How you doing?"

Payton shrugged, not knowing how to word her thoughts. How could she live up to Pepper? She was practically perfect.

"Payton?" Her eyes burned as she looked up to see Pepper's concern gaze, the exact same as May's.

Instead of answering, Payton ran to her room.

*******

Later that week, Payton went out as Spider Girl. The first time since the Decimation. She took the plain Spider Girl suit. The Iron Spider, Rhodey has told her, was in it's charging port at the Compound, waiting for her whenever she was ready. Which would be never.

She swung through the city, but there was still barley any crime out. It made sense she mused, the world was still in shock.

"Spider Girl!" Payton looked down to see a small boy looking excitedly at her, holding his phone sideways.

Payton stepped off the roof, bending her knees slightly to absorb the impact as she landed. "Hey, sweetie."

"Oh my gosh it's really you!" The boy bounced excitedly. "We thought you had disappeared too!"

Payton forced a chuckle. "Well as you can see I'm right here. Where are your parents?"

The boy saddened. "They did disappear."

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry."

"Can you bring them back?" He asked looking up to her eagerly.

"I'm sorry. We already tried." Payton explained. "I wish we could've brought them back. I lost my- my aunt too. But that's why we need to hold onto the people we have now. Who are you staying with?"

"My Uncle Aaron." The boy responded. "He was Daddy's brother."

"It's getting late. You shouldn't be out here by yourself. Where is your Uncle Aaron?"

"Over there." The little boy pointed to the apartment building across the street. "He was asleep on the couch. But then I came out when I saw you outside."

"Come on." She stood up. "I'll take you back." She held out a hand to the boy who eagerly took it.

"Spider Girl," He asked as they walked. "Are the Avengers over?"

"What?"

"I overhead the big kids in the building say that the Avengers were gone now. Is it true?"

"They're not gone per say." Payton said opening the door, letting him take the lead. "We're.... We're taking a time out right now."

"Is it cause half of them are dust?"

"Yes. We're- Well we're people too. We lost who we cared about and now we need time to come to terms with it. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah. That's what Uncle Aaron said about the teachers too." He paused. "Are you going to lead the Avenger when they get back together?"

"No." Payton chuckled. "I'm still too young to lead to the Avenger."

"Well if you're not who will?" The boy paused, looking up to her with wide innocent eyes.

Captain America she wanted to say. But he hadn't led for years, that was Tony. And now Tony was gone, so would Rhodey lead? Would he even want to? And if he didn't who did that leave?

Thor? Would he want to lead the Avengers when he had his own people to watch?

Bruce? He didn't seem like a leader, not by what Tony had told her.

Rocket? Nebula? Carol? They had all gone back to space. Although they all left communication devices at the Compound if they ever wanted to get back in contact. And Nebula had promised to come visit her every once and a while.

"MILES!" She looked over as a door swung open, revealing a distraught looking man run out of his room. Payton's eyes widened as she recognized the man.

"Uncle Aaron!" The boy excitedly yelled running over to the man and hugging him.

Payton almost forgot about him from that day. After all that happened on the ferry, she had almost forgotten how she webbed his hand to the trunk.

"Where did you go?" Aaron fearfully demanded as they separated, holding the boy- Miles- by the shoulder. "Why did you run off like that? I thought I lost you."

"Sorry Uncle Aaron." The boy said shyly. "I-"

"It's alright." Aaron looked up to her, his eyes widening as he took in the sight of her in costume. "I brought him over as soon as I saw him."

"Thank you." Aaron said standing up. "It's uh... Nice to see you again."

Payton chuckled. "I was a little over eager that day. It was my first interrogation."

"Have you gotten any better at it?"

"Depends on who you ask." Payton shrugged. "Thank you for helping me that day, but I should be going." Aaron nodded. "It was nice meeting you, Miles." Payton said sweetly as she opened up the nearby window. "Try staying out of trouble."

He laughed before she jumped out the window, swinging away. She only got a few blocks over before pausing on that roof.

Who will lead the Avengers now? Miles question nagged at her. It couldn't be her. It wouldn't be.

'Why not?' She turned over to see Ghost Tony staring at her, sitting on the roof ledge.

"What?"

'Why can't you lead the Avengers?'

"Look at me." Payton said. "I'm way too young. I have nowhere near enough experience. I'm not a leader. I just mess everything up. And I can't go one day without talking to you like your real."

'I may not be real.' Ghost Tony walked to her. 'But I do still care. And I need you to believe me when I say there was nothing you could've done. Heck, you did more than some of the actual Avengers!'

"I couldn't get it off in-"

'And Quill punched him. Mantis let go. Thor didn't go for the head-"

"That's different-"

'Why?'

"Because I almost had it off! I was there I could've done something and I didn't!"

'Fine it's your fault. Is that what you want to hear?' Ghost Tony gently forced her to look at him. 'Does that make you feel better?'

"No." She admitted. "But why do I still feel like it is?"

'I don't know. But I know this feeling... This guilt. It's crushing. But promise me you won't let it crush you.'

"I don't know how..."

**** 8 Months After the Snap ****

Payton's foot eagerly tapped on the ground as Pepper was in the hospital room.  They wouldn't let her into the room, despite even Pepper's request.

"How is she?" Payton looked up as Natasha walked closer to her. Nebula close behind.

"I don't know." Payton admitted as Natasha sat next to her. "They won't let me in and I don't want to listen in."

"Giving her privacy?"

"My senses make hospital's too much." Payton whispered as she lightly turned the headphones in her hands. "But I can't let myself zone out. What if she needs me?"

"Pepper's in the best place for her." Natasha assured, squeezing her hand gently. "And it'll probably be a few more hours."

'Try telling her that.' Ghost Tony said annoyed. 'I've been trying for hours.'

"I should still-"

"Payton." Nebula said walking closer towards her. "We all know this woman is incredibly strong. She and her child will be fine.'

"What if she's not?"

"Then we'll be here too." Nebula promised.

Natasha took the headphones from her. "You need to relax." Natasha moved to put the headphones on.

"No," Payton protested grabbing her wrists instinctively.

The two spiders stared at each other for a moment. Payton sighed letting her go before letting Natasha slide them on. She released a tense breath as the music began playing. 
Please, she silently prayed. Don't let me lose a sixth parent.

She didn't know how long they sat there, before Natasha nudged her.  Payton slipped the headphones off, rising to her feet as she saw Rhodey.

"How is she?"

"She's great." Rhodey smiled. "Come on. She wants to see y'all."

Payton let Rhodey guide her, pausing at the door. Pepper was sweaty as she sat on the bed, looking down at the pink bundle in awe. Nebula was next to her looking at the child with a tilted head.

"She's smaller than I would've imagined." Nebula noted with a head tilt.

"Hey Pep," Pepper looked up smiling at them.

"Come here, Payton." Pepper held an arm out to her.  Payton slowly walked forward taking her hand. "I want you to meet your sister, Morgan Hope Stark."

Payton looked down to see her eyes were squeezed shut with a little tuff of brown hair.

'Nice work, Miss Potts.' Ghost Tony said with a proud smile.

"She's beautiful." Payton marveled, looking at her.

"Do you want to hold her?"  Before Payton could protest, Pepper slid her into her arms. Payton awkwardly held the swaddle looking up in panic as Morgan made a strange noise. Pepper smiled encouragingly.

Payton looked down at Morgan, seeing brown eyes staring back at her. "Hi there." Payton greeted softly. "I'm Payton. We're going to be good friends."

*******

Later that night, she was back at their New York apartment. They'd been staying in the city since Payton was initially released from her hospital stint at the Compound. Right now she was sitting on the roof. Happy and Nebula asleep in the apartment under her.

'Kid.' She turned to see Ghost Tony walk towards her.

"I wish you could've been here." She said. "She really is beautiful, Mr. Stark."

'I know. And I know you'll be a good sister.' He stopped right in front of her. 'But not if you're still holding onto me.'

"What do you mean?"

'Payton, you need to let me go. Morgan needs you now.'

"But I can't let you go." Payton shook her head. "No. I-I can't. I need you."

"Payton-"

"No. I can still be there for her, but I need you. Please Mr. Stark-"

"You know you can't." Ghost Tony gently cupped her check. 'That's why I'm telling you this. You barely patrol, are hardly even participating in school, and barely even talk to Pepper. You talk to me more than you do actual people. You need to actually live your life.' He sighed tiredly. 'I need you to do this for me. Let me go.'

"I can't. You're-"

'Dead.' Tony finished. 'I'm dead. You're still living. You need to live. Now go, do it. Let me go.'

Tears were streaming down her cheeks at this point. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

He kissed the top of her head gently, before stepping back. She tried to grab onto his hand as he stepped back. 'Do it.'

Tony disappeared as a sob tore through her body, sending her to her knees.