Irondad Bingoooooo

You know what would be really great?” Tony’s voice comes through the comms and Steve is the one to respond.

“What?”

“If we weren’t fighting on the side of a cliff. That would be really great.” Tony replied and Peter had to agree.

The creatures that they were fighting were like giant evil dogs but much tougher and harder to defeat.

The call had come in an hour previously and anyone who was at the Tower had all rushed to the call, Peter included. He didn’t like being on the side of a cliff with no buildings or trees around because it made it harder for him to use his webs. He had been using them mostly by grabbing the dogs and tossing them aside, sometimes over the cliff. There was a strong, raging river down below and even evil, modified giant dogs wouldn’t survive that, with all of the rocks below.

Peter threw his webs at one of the dogs that was charging at Steve’s back and tossed it aside. It landed right next to where Thor was and he set his lightning upon it and three other dogs in the vicinity. Tony flew above them, using his beams to cut through a clump of them who had surrounded Clint. The archer taking care of the two that Tony didn’t hit with the beam.

Peter halted for a second to survey the scene, seeing everyone working together like a fine oiled machine. He knew it hadn’t always been like this, but he was glad that he got to see this now.

“PETER!” Natasha screamed into his ear right before his neck screamed and then something hard plowed into him, knocking him over.

He shot up a web at the creature right as the creature swiped its metal paw at him. Peter threw his hands up and the dog’s paws raked over his hands and the webshooters on his wrist. He felt the shooter break and when he tried to pull away, he couldn’t get the web unattached.

The dog went to swipe at him again, and then suddenly howled above him. Peter managed to shift his body slightly to see an arrow protruding from the dogs’ side and the archer running towards him, Natasha close behind. The dog roared above him and started running, Peter being dragged along underneath him, unable to unhook himself.

The dog howled again and Peter could see a knife next to the arrow, but the dog kept moving. Peter was panicked now, the ground ripping at him as he was dragged, over grass and rocks. He tried to get his broken webshooter off his hand but before he could do so, his head smacked into a huge rock. He yelped in pain as the dog kept running, and Peter suddenly realized exactly where they were headed.

He renewed his attempts to get his webshooter off, but his head smacked into another rock and everything went black.

-

“PETER!” Tony heard Nataha’s scream and he turned around just in time to see a dog leap right onto Peter. The teenager disappeared under the dog and Tony’s heart immediately started pounding.

He saw Clint shoot an arrow at the dog but as he watched, the arrow didn’t take the dog down but caused it to start running.

Tony realized with a terrified jolt that the dog was heading straight for the edge of the cliff. He couldn’t see Peter underneath the dog but it was clear that the teenager was being pulled along and not able to get away from the dog. Natasha and Clint were sprinting as fast as they could to catch up but the dog was moving incredibly fast.

Tony shot a beam at the dogs that were surrounding him and Steve and then shot up to try to reach the other end of the cliff. As he watched, the dog stopped and turned around to them.

Tony could see Peter from where he was, and the eyes on the suit were closed and the teenager wasn’t moving. Tony’s heart leapt to his throat and he put more power into the suit. Clint and Natasha were almost to the dog, peppering it with knives and arrows but being careful not to hit Peter.

Before they could reach the dog, it turned back to the cliff and jumped, Peter being dragged along with it.

“NO!” Clint yelled as he and Natasha reached the end of the cliff, just to stop at the edge. Tony shot past them, panic-stricken, as he tried to shoot down to where the dog and Peter were, desperately trying to catch Peter before he hit the water. He got over the cliff just in time to see the dog, and by extension, Peter hit the churning water and disappear. 

“No. No. No.” He cried out as he shot down towards the water, desperately hoping that if the dog surfaced that Peter would be with it. He knew the teenager was unconscious and unlikely to resurface on his own.

Thor landed on the bank on the side of the river, his eyes roaming the water with Tony, trying desperately to look for something, anything of the dog or the teenager.

Moments passed by and there was nothing. Tony’s breaths were coming much heavier and he gasped as he tried to get through them. Thor was on the other side and he just looked at Tony, tears forming in his eyes.

“Stark…” Thor started and Tony shook his head desperately, causing the tears that had formed in his own eyes to fly.

“No. No.” He protested. “We have to find him.”

“Status report?” Steve’s voice cut through, and Tony couldn’t answer. He heard Thor respond, even if he couldn’t understand the words, and then Steve’s soft response. Tony still hovered above the water, trying to scan the water for any sign, but there had been nothing since the two had hit the water.

He wasn’t sure how long he hovered there for but he was aware of a chopper up above, and he looked up. The chopper was hovering just above the water and there was a person leaning out from the door, holding what looked like a telescope out, and just below the surface.

“Stark.” Fury’s voice chimed in and he could see the man standing just behind the person with the telescope.

“When did you get here?” Tony asked. “What is that?” He motioned towards the telescope.

“Barton called. This-” Fury motioned to the telescope “allows us to see through the water much clearer. If Spiderman is down here, we’ll find him.”

Tony nodded. He felt sick and shaky and his heart was pounding. Logically he knew it was very unlikely that Peter was alive but he couldn’t accept that until he knew. He couldn’t leave Peter behind, he knew the teenager wouldn’t have left him. The thought of leaving him behind absolutely sickened Tony.

He tried to take a few deep breaths before calling out to his AI.

“Fri?”

“Boss?”

“Can you show me Peter’s vitals?”

“Boss-” Friday hesitated and that was when Tony knew. He knew that Peter was gone.

The sobs erupted before he could do anything, and then he was screaming. Begging. Pleading for Peter not to be dead. People were yelling things over the comms but Tony couldn’t hear or answer. His only thoughts were the teenager who Tony hadn’t been able to save. He should have been there, shouldn’t have even left the kids’ side. It was his fault that Peter was dead, no one else’s. His, and his alone.

He heard Friday’s voices chiming in with the others and then suddenly Thor was flying past Tony. He grabbed him and yanked Tony up and away from the river. Tony screamed again, trying to fight against him as they reached the top of the cliff and landed. Before Tony could do anything, there was a prick in the back of his neck and it all went dark.

“He fell- there’s no-”
“Did they find-”
“They- don’t-”
“May-”
“She’s coming-”

The voices came into Tony’s consciousness slowly. He tried to get his bearings, and could tell that he was in a bed and his armor was gone. He had a few seconds of nothing before the situation hit him again and he gasped. The voices immediately stopped and then he felt someone take his hand, and he opened his eyes. Pepper was standing there, her eyes red as tears slipped down her cheeks.

“Tony-” She started and Tony’s chest ripped apart again. He took a few deep breaths and then the tears started coming again. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry honey.”

Pepper gripped Tony’s hand as he took his other hand to cover his eyes.

“Tony.” Steve’s voice said and Tony removed his hand to see Steve and Bruce standing there. Both of their eyes were red, and they looked devastated.

“Did they find him?” Tony asked. He knew the answer, but he had to ask.

“Tony, i’m so sorry. There’s no sign.” Bruce replied, and Tony put his hand back up to cover his eyes. His chest felt like it was being torn apart, his heart breaking beyond any other point and his brain struggling to comprehend that the teenager was gone.

“It’s been about 5 hours. Friday told us you have a sedative installed in the back of the suit for any instances and she hit you with it. We brought you back in the Jet while Clint, Natasha and Thor stayed behind with Fury. They just got back about 20 minutes ago, and they couldn’t find him.” Bruce explained to Tony and he just nodded. “Tony-”

“Can you all just get out?” Tony shouted. “Please just get out.”
He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t lie here and just let them all tell him how sorry they were, when this was his fault.

“Okay.” Bruce agreed, and he headed towards the door with Steve. Pepper stayed clinging to Tony’s hand and he looked at her.

“Pep, you too. Please.” He said and she nodded, removing her hand from his.

“May is on her way. I’ll go and talk to her. I’ll be back whenever you want me. Just let me know.” She said and Tony just nodded.

He wouldn’t ask her to come back. He wouldn’t ask any of them to come back, and he certainly couldn’t face May.
He waited in the bed for a total of 10 minutes after the room had emptied before getting out of bed. His vision swam slightly as he stood up but he still headed towards the door, before leaving the room and heading towards the elevator.

“Fri, take me to the workshop.” He instructed and the elevator headed down. Tony was extremely relieved that he didn’t run into anyone on the way down, and when the elevator opened up, he hurried into the workshop and shut the door behind him.

“Fri- no one is allowed in here.” He instructed the AI.

“Boss-” Friday started.

“No one Friday. Lock out everyone else.” Tony snapped back and the AI affirmed his command.

He heard the door lock behind him and he threw himself onto the couch. The couch that Peter had insisted that he had to the workshop after he had learned that Tony fell asleep pretty often down there and needed something more comfortable than the table. Tony reached over and picked up on of the cushions.

Peter had spilled coffee all over it a week prior and despite trying to clean it up, there were still a few stains on there. Tony held the cushion for a moment before throwing it back down onto the couch. There would be no more memories with the kid, no more accidents in the lab, no more laughing at one another or the rest of the team. All of the hopes and dreams that Tony had found himself having and wishing for the kid were gone. He hadn’t even been able to say goodbye to the kid, and he would live the rest of his life wishing that the kid was still there.

Tony wasn’t even sure how much time passed with him in his workshop. He spent most of the time just sitting on the couch, staring into space. Pepper, Steve and Bruce all came down at different times, trying to get in but he refused them each time. He fell asleep on the couch and then woke up there, a migraine coursing through his head. Dum-E brought him medication and some food.

He took the medicine and then passed out on the couch again, waking up numerous hours later to May Parker banging on the glass windows and shouting his name.

Tony rose from the couch and headed over to the door, instructing Friday to unlock the door. He braced himself for the anger and the potential punch coming from the woman, but instead she just threw herself into Tony’s arms, wrapping her arms around his back. He hesitated for a moment and then put his hands around her back. She sobbed into his neck and clung on to Tony for dear life. He hugged her back until she eventually broke away from him, and he guided her to the couch he had been sleeping on.

“May-” He started, not even able to look at her properly, and the woman cut him off.

“Do not even start to blame yourself for this.” She said and Tony didn’t reply. She reached over and put her hand on Tony’s face and made him look at her.

Her face was pale, and her eyes were red and swollen but there was still the same fierceness in them that Tony recognized.

“Tony, don’t. You know Peter wouldn’t want that.”

“It doesn’t really matter though does it?” Tony bit out as he pulled his face away from May’s hand. “He’s gone.”

“He is.” May agreed. “But that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t want you to blame yourself.”

“Boss-”

“Not now Fri.” Tony shot back as the AI tried to interrupt.

“But Boss-”

“FRIDAY.” Tony shouted. “Leave us alone.”

“Boss. Someone matching Peter’s description was just sighted outside of the Compound.”

“WHAT?!” Tony shot up from the couch and rushed over to the screens to see the security cameras outside of the Compound.

May was close behind him and they both stared at the screen. It took a few seconds but they both gasped when they saw the teenager stumble into frame. His mask was missing and his face looked bloody and bruised but it was definitely Peter.

“Oh my god.” May gasped from behind Tony.

Tony couldn’t even say anything, he didn’t know what there was to say. He just gaped at the screen as he watched Peter stumble towards the Compound until May shoved him from behind.

“Go to him.” She shoved him again and pushed Tony out of his stupor.

“Right. I’ll fly to the Compound. FRI, is anyone at the Compound? Do they know?”

“Captain Rogers and Dr Banner are there. I alerted them and they are heading to Peter now.” FRIDAY replied and Tony nodded.

“Okay good. I’ll go and fly there. Right. Okay.” Tony went to the door so he could get out onto the landing pad to engage the suit, and as he reached the door he suddenly remembered May and turned back around.

“May?” He asked and she nodded. She had her cellphone out and was already talking to someone. Tony raised his eyes in question as she joined him at the door.

“Pepper. She’s not in the Tower right now but she’s coming back. You get up to the Compound and take care of Peter. Happy is going to drive me once Pepper gets back.” May said and Tony nodded.

They headed up the elevator together and out onto the landing pad. Right before Tony engaged the suit, May grabbed at his hand.

“You take care of our boy until I can get there. Tell him I love him so much.”

Tony nodded and took off. The flight to the Compound seemed to take far too long. Tony’s heart was pounding and he felt sick. Sick for a completely different reason than he had been the past however many hours it had been. They had left Peter, he had survived the fall and they had all left him to try to get home himself. Tony had left him. He didn’t know how he could forgive himself for that.

Bruce called him halfway through the trip and he flailed in an attempt to get Friday to answer the call.

“Tony?”

“BRUCE! How is he? Is he okay? What’s wrong with him?” Tony shot back.

“Calm down. He’s okay. He’s very banged up and bruised but nothing life threatening. He’s dehydrated but he’s on an IV right now. He broke his right arm and dislocated his collarbone as well as fracturing his left foot. He somehow walked here on that.” Bruce explained and Tony nodded.

“Can I talk to him?” He needed to hear Peter’s voice. Just knowing the kid was alive was not enough right then.

“He’s asleep right now. I gave him some painkillers and combining their strength and how exhausted he was, he fell asleep pretty quickly.” Bruce explained and Tony tried to take a deep breath.

“Okay. I’m about 15 minutes away. Did he say what happened?”

“Only that he found himself on the bank of the river and just started walking, hoping it was the right way.” Bruce replied.

“Okay. I’ll be there soon.”

Friday hung up the phone and Tony could feel his chest tightening again. He shut his eyes as they flooded with tears, trying to blink the moisture away. He wasn’t letting Peter out of his sight after this. Absolutely no way. Not ever. He wouldn’t be able to handle it if the kid got hurt again.

He landed on the top of the Compound, hurridly shedding the suit and rushing down the stairs to the Medbay, not even waiting for the elevator. Steve was standing there and he looked up when Tony came rushing around the corner. He was smiling broadly.

“Tony.” Steve greeted but Tony only gave him a nod and pushed past him into the room. He needed to see Peter.

As he entered, Bruce turned around from the bed and took a step back, and Tony could finally see the teenager. The kid was as pale as the sheets, his eyes closed and face slack in sleep. There was an oxygen mask on the kids’ mouth and nose and Peter breathed evenly and steadily. Tony stepped closer to the bed, and he could see Peter’s face clearer. There was a massive bruise on his head and multiple scrapes and cuts down the side of his face. His arm was in a sling and his fractured foot was suspended up from the bed slightly and in a cast. His hair was mussed up, and tinged with red and brown, both of the colors transferred onto the white pillow his head was lying on.

“Oh Pete.” Tony sighed as he moved so he was next to the bed.

“He’s okay Tony. His breathing was a little off when he got here so that’s why he has the oxygen but I should be able to take that off soon. With his healing, his foot, arm and collarbone should be fixed very soon. He had a pretty big lump on the back of his head as well as that bruise on his forehead, so I am pretty sure he had a concussion but it was more or less gone when he got here so he is okay to sleep right now.” Bruce explained and Tony nodded.

Without even thinking he grabbed Peter’s unbroken wrist and put his fingers around the pulse point. The beats underneath his fingers were strong and steady and they helped to soothe Tony’s pounding heart. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he moved his hand until it was holding Peter’s limp one.

He heard Bruce move around and then a hand was laid on Tony’s back.

“Tony. I mean it. He’s going to be okay.” Bruce said softly and Tony nodded. He opened his eyes and turned slightly to see the man behind him.

“I know. I know he is but Bruce- I thought he was gone. And we all just left him. He survived and we all just left him. If he hadn’t gotten back here, we would never have known that he survived.”

“Didn’t leave me.” 

Tony’s head shot back around to see Peter’s eyes open and looking at Tony. He looked exhausted and his eyes were only half-open but he smiled slightly when Tony met his eyes.

“Kid.”

“Bruce said everyone looked for ages.” Peter said and Bruce nodded.

“But we left you.” Tony protested. He couldn’t let himself off the hook for this and he wouldn’t let Peter let him off the hook.

“I fell a long way. Understandable.” Peter tried saying but his eyes were already closing again.

Tony settled his hand not holding onto Peter’s in his hair. Peter smiled and closed his eyes all the way.

“Go back to sleep Pete. May is on her way with the others. She loves you. We’ll all be here when you wake up.”

Peter smiled again from the bed and then his hand went limp in Tony’s grip as he fell back asleep.

“You look like you could get some sleep too.” Bruce pointed out and Tony sighed. He knew Bruce was right but he didn’t want to leave Peter.

“I’m fine here.”

Tony missed the look that Steve, who was by the door now, and Bruce sent over his head.

By the time May and Pepper arrived with Happy, Rhodey and Clint, Tony’s head was resting on the edge of Peter’s bed and the two of them were fast asleep. May gave her nephew a quick kiss on his forehead while Pepper took a picture, and they left the room quietly.