Chapter 4
Peter waited in the living room for Tony to wake up. He didn’t want to leave for school without seeing him first. They didn’t leave on best terms last night and Peter was scared to leave the house without making peace with Tony. His life experiences taught him that anything can happen, any time. He was about to be late but he didn’t care. Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait much longer before Tony enters the living room.
‘Kid, aren’t you supposed to be on your way to school?’ Tony didn’t know he was going to have to face with the kid right now. He thought he would have at least until the evening.
‘I waited for you...’ Peter hoped Tony wasn’t mad again.
‘And why is that?’
‘I just...I am scared of leaving you while we are… I need to make sure we are okay.’
Tony felt so bad. How could he treat the kid so harshly? He wanted to punch himself in the face.
‘Come here kid.’ He opened his arms and Peter gladly took the offer. ‘I am sorry for the way I acted yesterday. I was just worried about you. I don’t trust the Osborns. Nothing good ever comes from them.’ He put his hand on the back of Peter’s head.
‘Harry is a good friend. He didn’t do anything wrong, Tony.’
Peter didn’t realize using Tony instead of Mr. Stark. But Tony did. ‘We will talk about it later.’ Said Tony in a happy voice. ‘Let’s go I’ll drop you off.’
‘Okay.’ Peter was glad they solved their problems.
---
He met with Ned before entering the class.
‘Hey, Ned.’
Ned’s face wasn’t in his usual happy state.
‘Dude, why didn’t you tell me what happened? I had to learn everything from Harry. And I am supposed to be your best friend.’
‘You are my best friend Ned. I didn’t do it on purpose; there is just so much going on and time slipped by.’
‘Yet you have time to hang out with Harry but no time to send a text to me. Great.’
‘You know it’s not like that Ned. You are my guy in the chair. And speaking of Spiderman, I feel like I am ready you get back in the streets. What do you say? Are you ready for new adventures?’
‘No. I am busy. Sorry.’ Ned left, leaving Peter standing alone in the hallway. He sighed. He needed to make up to his best friend. Why was all his relationships with the few people that cared about him were falling apart?
‘Hey Pete, missed me?’ Harry came beside him.
‘Hey. Yeah, sure.’ Said Peter in a sarcastic voice. He wasn’t sure what to do with the Harry situation. He didn’t want to upset Tony but he couldn’t just stop being friends with him. Harry didn’t do anything wrong.
‘Are you okay? You look like you have a lot on your mind.’
‘Nothing new. Come on let’s get to class.’
‘Oor we could leave school.’ Peter looked at him as if he just admitted to be an alien. ‘We deserve a break. And the week just started. We can go to a little game arcade.’
‘We can’t do that Harry. We could get into trouble and I don’t want to make Tony mad.’
‘We will be back in an hour or so. Come on Peter, for me.’
‘I don’t know Harry. We could go in the weekend.’
Harry puffed. ‘Weekend is too far away. I am leaving with or without you. Are you gonna leave me alone?’
‘Fine, but only for an hour.’ They left the school. Peter panicked, he wasn’t used to doing this. Harry said he knew a place and stopped a cab for them.
The place was in a long street full of game shops. They played different games for an hour until they heard a big crash coming outside of the shop.
‘What was that?’ Asked Harry. A scream followed the crash. The two kids rushed to the window to see what was happening. There was a guy in a green costume flying and shooting at the shops’.
‘Wow. What the hell is that?’ asked Harry but got no response. ‘Peter?’ He looked around but there Peter was nowhere to be found. ‘Oh shit…’
---
Peter had to do something. He left Harry’s side without a trace and quickly put on his suit. He took a deep breath and stepped before the flying guy. ‘Hey! Over here, MR. Halloween.’ Suddenly the shootings stop and there was no other noises, pure silence. Peter thought it was weird, why the hell there wasn’t anyone else in this street. The guy turned his head to Peter’s direction and looked at him for a few seconds before storming away, leaving a confused Peter looking after him.
After the shock, Peter swinged away from the scene, the only person watching them was Harry so he got back into the shop from the back door with his normal clothes. Harry was looking for him. He stepped up behind a vending machine as if he has been hiding there.
‘Dude, why didn’t you come out I have been yelling your name?’
‘I..got scared. Just wanted to make sure that thing really left.’ Harry looked at him with an unreadable face.
‘I think it’s better if we go back to school or else we might get in trouble, though Spiderman was here he would protect us.’
‘Oh really, I didn’t see him but it is nice to know he is around.’
‘Peter I know you won’t but just to make sure, you’re not going to tell Tony about this right?’
Peter shook his head. How could he? He skipped school without telling him.
---
When Peter went to school the following day, he couldn’t find Harry anywhere. It seemed as Harry didn’t come to school. Peter texted him and Harry replied with a simple message that said ‘Sick. Will call you later.’
He saw Ned sitting with M.J. and Gwen in the cafeteria.
‘Ned! Dude you’re not going to believe what happened. I have been calling you since last night.’ Peter looked at the girls. ‘Oh, Hi.’ He said smiling and they waved at him.
‘Sorry I was busy. But I know what happened. You and Harry skipped school. I noticed both of you were absent in the class.’
‘Yes but that is not what I was going to say. There wa-‘
‘I am sorry Peter but I am really not interested in your fun adventures with Harry.’ He left. What was wrong with Ned? Was he jealous of Harry? He sighed.
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‘The suspect was seen in green clothes and was flying on a glider. Fortunately, no one was killed but several people were seriously wounded. The estimated number of wounded people is about 15. The police were not able to catch the suspect. As the commissioner of police has stated there is a possibility of a second attack, citizens should be careful’ Peter sat on the chair eyes set on television.
The woman kept talking ‘Many believe the absence of Spiderman attracted the criminals to be more active in Queens area. There is still no information on Spiderman.’
So Peter was right, there was really no one on that weird street, no one saw Spiderman nor the weird green guy yesterday. Still, it was Peter’s fault. Pepper spoke up as if she heard Peter’s thoughts.
‘Peter, it is not your fault, okay? That lunatic would probably attack anyway.’ Peter didn’t answer.
‘I have to stop him Pepper. I will find him and make sure he never hurts people again.’ Peter had a determined look on his face.
‘No, no no. This is too dangerous. And you know Tony just left this morning for some Avengers stuff to D.C. and until he comes back you are my responsibility. Let the officials handle it.’ Silence again.
‘Promise me Peter?’
‘..promise.’
The rest of the evening was spend quite peacefully. Peter was doing his homework when Pepper’s phone ringed.
‘Hey Tony, how are things in DC’
‘Everything is under control now Pep. How are things at home? I heard about the Green Goblin guy. I bet Peter is blaming himself.’ Tony wasn’t aware Peter was in the room and could hear him with his
spider powers.
‘Why don’t you talk to him yourself to see how he is doing?’ Pepper was looking at Peter. He smiled at her.
‘ Yeah good idea. Love ya Pep.’ Pepper extended the phone to Peter after saying I love you too Tony.
‘Hi Tony. Is your mission done? You’re not hurt are you? Don’t lie to me.’
‘Calm down kiddo’ he chuckled ‘I’m still in one piece. Did you visit May today?’
‘Yeah, I did. Thanks for sending Happy to pick me up.’
‘We will go together when I come back. Before I hang up, Peter, let me tell you, I know you plan on going after that weirdo and I, as you guardian, inhibit it.’
‘Inhibit?’
‘As in you can’t. Glad we established some rules. Oh and I have a surprise for you. Wait until I come back.’
Now Peter was curious but he knew Tony would never tell him so he didn’t even bother. ‘Okay…I miss you’
‘I miss you too, Pete. It’s just until tomorrow. Good night kid.’
‘Good night Tony.’ Peter gave the phone back Pepper who was watching him with a smiley face.
‘What’
‘Oh nothing. I just love watching you and Tony interact. He is different with you.’
‘Yeah...he is the best. But he is different with you too. He loves you a lot.’
‘Well his love for me is different from the love he has for you. Some say that kind of love is stronger.’
‘What kind of love…’
‘..The kind between a parent and child.’
Peter started to feel shy. ‘Tony isn’t my-‘
Pepper sighed. ‘He loves you like his son. Look Peter, there is something I need to talk to you about. And I don’t know if I am doing the right thing by telling you this I don’t even know if tony will be mad at me for this. I just can’t keep this from you anymore.’
Silence.
‘Peter, I am pregnant.’
Silence.
‘Peter?’
‘T-that’s great. I am h-happy for you guys..’ His voice was significantly lower now. Peter knew this day would come sooner or later. They were going to send him to foster care now. Why did Pepper even fed him with lies saying Tony loved him like his son? Tears started to build up.
‘Really? Thank god. Thank you honey.’ Pepper petted his knee.
‘I need to call Ned, I promised him I would call him after dinner. He will get mad if I don’t.’ He left without giving Pepper time to answer. And Pepper only now realized Peter wasn’t okay with this.
‘What did I do?’ She asked to herself in a worried voice. She put her hand on her stomach and sighed. ‘Don’t be sad baby, your brother is going to love you so much just like daddy told you.’
----
Peter sat on the floor, crying. He needed to talk to someone. He called Ned but he didn’t answer so he tried his chance with Harry instead.
‘Sup Peter?’
‘I- I am screwed, Harry. I don’t know what to do.’ He felt panic rising in him.
‘What happened?’
‘Tony is going to be a dad. Pepper is pregnant. He is going to leave me now Harry..’
Harry was silent for a moment. ‘..Maybe he would still visit you though.’
Peter didn’t expect that as an answer. ‘So.. you agree with me?’
‘I am sure Tony loves you but…a baby will sure change things. He will probably marry Pepper now and they will be a family. He will still help you I am sure!’
Peter didn’t want help. He wanted a dad too. He wanted Tony. He wished what Pepper said was true and Tony really loved him like a son. ‘What should I do?’
‘You can’t do anything. Forget it and just accept what is about to come.’ Peter nodded to himself. ‘I have to go now. Talk to you later.’ He hang up.
Peter sobbed into his hands. Friday spoke to him after a few seconds.
‘You are in great distress Peter. Would you like me to contact Mr. Stark?’
‘No! Don’t...’ He just sat on the floor and kept crying until his phone lit up with new message notifications. They were from Harry.
‘Peter forget what I said. I am sure Tony won’t leave you. There is no way okay.’
‘That baby won’t change his feelings towards you.’
‘Maybe it will be like having a sibling.’
‘I can’t talk right now but we will talk more tomorrow. Trust me.’
Peter was extremely confused now. Why did Harry change his mind in a few minutes? Another notification lit up his screen. This time it was from twitter.
‘That Goblin Guy is on the move again. Can’t believe my eyes. #gottahide’
Peter knew he promised Pepper not to do this but he needed to clear his mind. So he sneaked from the window with his suit on.
---
Harry looked at his father as he answered the call from Peter Parker. He putted the phone on speaker.
‘Sup Peter?’ He was nervous. He didn’t want to disappoint his father.
‘I- I am screwed, Harry. I don’t know what to do.’ He was crying?
‘What happened?’ Norman was sitting at his desk; he leaned on his elbows as if trying to be closer.
‘Tony is going to be a dad. Pepper is pregnant…He is going to leave me now Harry…’ That news surprised Norman. The thought of another Stark in this world disgusted him.
Harry didn’t know what to say. He knew he had to make Peter depressed. This was what his father wanted from him, to get Peter in a bad mood so it would be easier for his father to capture him. ‘..Maybe he would still visit you though.’
‘So.. you agree with me?’ Norman smirked.
‘I am sure Tony loves you but…a baby will sure change things. He will probably marry Pepper now and they will be a family. He will still help you I am sure!’ Harry couldn’t go all negative on Peter. He just couldn’t.
‘What should I do?’
‘You can’t do anything. Forget it and just accept what is about to come.’ No answer came from Peter. He couldn’t do it anymore. He looked at his father to check if this was enough. Norman nodded. Ever since the little show he pulled for Peter in front of the little arcade place to make sure Peter really was Spiderman, he couldn’t wait until he gets Peter in the lab.
‘I have to go now. Talk to you later.’ He hung up.
‘Good job, son. I have to say, you were above my expectations.’ At least he was able to please his father. But Harry couldn’t do it. So took his phone out to send Peter a text. His voice was so down when they talked and he couldn’t help but feel sad for Peter. The guy was actually a nice person. He quickly wrote some texts starting with:
‘Peter forget what I said. I am sure Tony won’t leave you. There is no way okay.’
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