Come Home
Tony Stark nearly had a heart attack when Happy told him about the call. His heart had skipped a beat, and his eyes bulged out of his skull. He was in his little mini lab when Happy had barged into the lab like a madman uninvited, looking as if he ran a marathon.
“Would it kill anybody to say hello anymore?” Tony grumbled, throwing down his screwdriver into his toolbox.
“Peter just called,” Happy blurted out with no warning, ignoring the mechanics comments and down attitude.
“What? When?! Is he still on the pho-“
“He hung up,” Happy deflated.
“Hung up?!” Tony scoffed. “So you’re telling me you had the kid on the phone and you let him hang up!” It wasn’t fair to be angry, but life wasn’t fair. The universe usually loved to give him gifts of light then pull a fast one over him. So yeah, he was pissed.
“I can’t control the person on the other line! I’m not a freaking psychic!” Happy exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air in a fit.
“Yeah, because you’d be horrible at it!” Tony let out a frustrated groan, feeling the tension of the week catch up to him, making his eyes feel suddenly very heavy, his limbs like bricks, and his mind mush.
“When did he call?” Tony asked, grabbing the phone from the other man’s hand, taking it over to his desk. “Friday, pull up the most recent call recording.”
“Just a few minutes ago-wait you record your own phone-you know what forget it!”
“ Will do boss .”
Happy watched as the retired hero pulled up the recording of the call, finding it quite disturbing that the other man found recording his own phone was completely normal.
Tony gave the command for the AI to play the call, his face suddenly ice.
“M-Maybe you shouldn’t list-“
“ M-Mister Stark? ” Happy rushed to the mechanics aid, catching the man mid fall from shock. He helped his boss to a chair, placing him on it. He tried to ask if he was okay but was shut down by the complete heartbroken look on the man’s face. It was the face the man wore for months after returning from Titan empty handed with only his guilt and regret with him. The depression was horrible for everyone, watching all their friends hope whither away after being told there was no hope to return the fallen. To see that look again was like looking at a ghost.
“ Morgan, what are you doing of you dad’s phone? ” Happy’s voice suddenly cut in. The sound of Peter’s quiet sobs could be heard through the phone static as the security guard yelled at the boy, warning him.
“ H-Happy? ” God the kid sounded so broken listening back on it. In the moment time moved too fast to hear every detail but now all of it was hitting him in the face. The cracking voice, terrified sniffling, choked sobs. All of it was enough to make Happy back away from the mechanic and just listen.
“ I’m so sorry, Happy.. ” The kid sounded so deflated, sucked dry of all his usual spunky drive. He just sounded like a normal kid, terrified of something and broken about whatever.
“ I’m sorry...I wasn’t thinking straight. I-I was scared….S-Something’s happening to me and I-I don’t know what to do. ”
Tony’s face hardened, his emotions blocked from sight. Though Happy might not know what the man was thinking, he knew inside the man was worried and shattered by how fragile his mentee sounded. Any stranger could walk in here and think this man was upset because Peter was his real son who went missing.
The billionaire’s eyes flickered towards an empty chair across from him, keeping his gaze steady on it.
“ Where are you kid? ” Happy exhaled, already knowing what was going to happen next. “ I’m…” There was a pause. “I can’t tell you.”
Tony shifted his seat, his eyes remaining on the empty shark across of him. It was Peter’s chair, the one that Tony got just for him before the whole Thanos thing. He never had the heart to get rid of it. Maybe deep down a part of him knew he was getting the kid back so he kept it in the lab open and waiting for him.
“You need a chair. It’s like a rule. All the best scientists and mechanics have one. You sit on it, think, brainstorm, eat, sleep, and brood on it. Although you’re not allowed to do the last two things. ” Tony told the kid after noticing the kid awkwardly standing as they tried to brainstorm ideas for their new project. Though the kid seemed contempt with standing, it go without saying that Stark wasn’t happy with letting him just stand.
“You don’t have to Mister Stark! It’s no big deal! I can stand!” The kid protest, suddenly high on his heels instead of leaning on the table. “Kid, your first chair is a big deal. It’s where you spend most of your thinking time. So you’re getting one. No whining.” That was it for the great Tony Stark. However it only earned a rolling of the eyes from the young teen and him restraining himself from letting out a laugh.
Tony clenched his fist, thinking of the scared little boy out there all alone terrified, possibly hurt. It killed him. It felt like somebody kept crushing his heart with a hammer. Everything was suppose to be okay when the kid came back. Return how it was except for five years in the future.
“Friday can you trace the call?”
“ The call originated from a payphone in Manhattan Boss.”
“I’m sorry Tony.” Tony ignored the older man, shooting up from the chair. The call was fresh meaning if he flew fast he’d have a good chance of finding the kid before he got far. He ignored the concerned calls of his friend and took off without a word.
May was picking out a photo of Peter to print on a missing flyer when she got the news.
Flipping through photo albums and staring at her nephews face had become a regular thing for her to do. After losing his nephew to the snap, she’d reminisce of her dearly departed by flipping through albums. She’d stare at Peter’s face, noting every detail and examining every curve on his face. It was the only thing that brought her any comfort. She remembers all the good memories with her nephew, holding him, loving him, raising him. All birthdays, holidays, awards, trophies, and science experiment. Though Ben was the one to mostly help with the science aspect of the boy’s life, May had lent a hand or two in her time. She remembers the smile on Peter’s face when he’d finish his projects or win an award at a science fair. There’s not enough gold in the world could buy his smile.
After her nephew returned, May had been over the moon to see him. She had stormed into the emergency camp, pushing past guards, fighting the front desk all to see her nephew. Seeing his face again had been unreal. It wasn’t like looking a picture like what she had done for many years. It was indescribable. To have been alive and to be around to see his face once again had been a blessing. She couldn’t have believed it. She spent weeks sleeping in her nephews room, afraid when she’d wake he’d be gone again and for all of it to be a dream. He never faded.
However the light in his eyes did.
May tried to ignore it at first. The was he looked, acted, talked. She didn’t want to see the empty boy sitting in front of her. She just wanted her Peter back and she had gotten him. All the nights when she imagined getting her nephew back and hearing him ramble on and on about school or Star Wars were possible now. Only the Peter she got back wasn't the Peter she recognized. He had changed. He always looked so haunted by the past, and frightened of the world outside. He hid in a shell that nobody could penetrate. He refused to leave his room, barely ate, suffered nightmares, and withdrew himself from life. Over time the boy looked dead inside as he chased the life he could never get back.
May tried everything to help him when she realized her nephew‘s depression as time went on. Group therapy and individual therapy seemed to be working. He grew better at socializing and sometimes would speak like his old self, going onto long tangents and then apologizing like his normal nerdy self. She felt so happy to have him back even if it was only a small part of him showing. She was so caught up in the fantasy, she didn’t look underneath the curtains. Her nephew was crumbling slowly and she didn’t see it.
She didn’t want to see it.
Now he was gone again. Only this time he wasn’t dead because some alien snapped him out of existence. He had left on his own free will, packing a bag and left. He left behind his phone so it couldn’t be traced, taking his wallet and savings, swiping a few photos, and some clothing.
As May flipped through the photos, she thought of her nephew out in the real world. What she’d give to see him and hold him tightly. She’d listen to him, talk to him, make him open up.
It was like she lost him again.
May had been looking at photo of Peter during his kindergarten graduation when she heard a knock on the door. Her heart skipped a beat, briefly wondering if it was her nephew behind the door returning home to her. She set the book down and rushed towards the door incase it was, pulling the door open with hopeful eyes. She was crushed to find a man and woman standing at the door. The man wore a stoic expression, tan skin, cheap suit, salt and pepper hair slicked back, and cheesy dark sunglasses. The woman was more down to earth, wearing a normal work pants suit, light eyes, blonde hair tied back up in a bun, and a neutral expression.
“C-Can I help you?” May asked, wrapping her robe around her tightly trying to conceal her disappointment.
“Are you May Parker, legal guardian of Peter Parker and widow to the deceased Benjamin Parker?” May blinked, her expression tightening before nodding to confirm. Hearing her deceased husband's name pulled the rug right out from under her, bonking her on the head.
“Yes, what’s this about?”
“May we step inside? We have information that concerns your nephews whereabouts and we find it best to talk to you in private.”
May’s eyes drifted upwards, feeling her hope rekindle as she let the two in, leading them to the living room to speak. Once sat down she asked the million dollar question, “Where’s Peter? Is he safe? Is he hurt? Is he-“ The concerned Aunt was cut off by a hand going up, silencing her.
“We are here on behalf of Shield,” Both visitors flashed her identification, “I’m Agent Cunningham and this is my partner Novak.” Novak, the woman in a blue suit raised her hand identifying herself. May glanced between each agent confused. She had never heard of Shield before, but apparently they knew where her nephew was.
“Unfortunately, we cannot give you your nephews exact coordinates since he’s currently working on a mission. It’ll be in his best interest for you not to know where he is. We can’t afford to risk the mission.”
“ Excuse me? ” May glared at the two agents, her tone sharp and full of anger. “I don’t know who you are but my nephew isn’t one of your agents ! You have no right to keep him from me!”
“I know this may be hard, but your nephew is the world's only hope. He agreed to this mission knowing full well what this meant.”
“ He’s just a kid! ” May screamed. “He can’t make the decision to go on some stupid mission with you people!” To say the woman was furious was an understatement. She was fuming with anger that Shield was keeping her baby was from her! It was perposturious.
“This is illegal! You can’t keep my nephew away from me! I’m gonna call the police station and see what they have to say about this!” May moved to grab the phone but she was stopped by Agent Cunningham who blocked the phone with his body making a barrier between the two.
“Your nephew is a superhero Miss Parker. Call the police and you’ll have to tell them that your nephew is the vigilante that they want on a silver platter so badly.” Novak’s tone was stiff but firm. She knew that May would never put her nephew like that. It would only put the boy in danger.
“We’re just asking for your cooperation Miss Parker. We do not want to have to arrest you for competent but we will if you try to interfere.” The agents met May’s fiery glare. “We can assure you that your nephew is perfectly well. We found him on the streets wandering and Shield will make sure that the boy is well cared for until the mission is over.” Novak laid a gentle hand on the Aunt’s arm, only to have her pull away in anger. “Our boss has permitted five minute calls between the two of you if he wishes to make contact however we do ask that you do not inform Stark about this unless he realizes that we have a job to do and won’t interfere.”
May remained silent, deeming it best to keep her words to herself. She glared at the two suited monkeys, watching their annoyance bloom when the well aged Aunt didn’t outsay whether she agreed or not. Though they seemed to get the hint, backing away from the fuming aunt, their expression reserved.
“We’ll be in contact Miss Parker.” With that, the two agents rose from their spots, straightened their jackets, and left the house. Once May was sure they left, she let out a frustrated breathe, throwing her head in her hands feeling a migraine burn deep inside her brain.
Tony did not find Peter. He checked every subway and every payphone around however the kid was nowhere to be found. Gone before Tony even got there.
Afterwards the call left Tony glued by his phone 24/7, determined to be there if his intern called back. It was always in a pocket of his or in his hand, staying in reaching distance to ensure a speedy pickup.
Pepper grew increasingly worried for her husband, watching him dote on the phone although the day, unable to part with it without having a panic attack. To watch her husband get worse as days pass was awful to watch. She sent Morgan to stay with her parents for a bit just so she didn’t have to see her father like this. To spare her the image of her father breaking all over again. She tried to help, but she knew the bond the kid and Tony shared was too strong. Losing it took a great hit on the world’s mightiest avenger, but losing him twice was finally breaking him. No longer eating or sleeping and obsessing about being there for Pete was pushing him over the edge.
Strange and Rhodey were out searching but nothing, which did nothing but worry her husband even more. Without the kid, Tony would continue to act this way until he kills himself over it.
“I-I just need him to be safe, I need to know he’s okay even if it means I miss a few hours of sleep! I let him down so many times but I won’t this time,” Tony hold told her one day after Pepper begging his to take a break to care for himself. “I’ve got to be there.” It broke her heart, but nothing would make the mechanic move other than Peter coming here himself and telling him.
May knew she was gonna tell Stark. She didn’t give a rats ass about Shield. All she cared about was her nephew. She didn’t care of the boy joined the goddamn military while away, he was still a kid. Not some soldier these people can whisk away for their own benefits. She knew corrupt men when she sees it, she’s dated one before Ben for crying out loud. She didn’t trust them, but she knew Peter must’ve to got with them. Even after Thanos, the kid was still so trusting of people. It baffled her how her nephew always saw the good in people first. It’s one of his greatest strengths and weaknesses. She knew there were bad people out there trying to take advantage of Pete, her gut was hardly ever wrong about this sort of thing. She knew they’d play him like a violin before tossing him like a worn out prom dress.
Call it a hunch but these people, Shield, seemed very untrustworthy. She had to protect her nephew from this! It her job! She failed to do it before but she wouldn’t fail this time. Never again. Not if she could help it.
May had arrived at the Stark residence with her mind set. She wasn’t gonna let some government keep her away from her nephew. That’s where she draws the line with this whole hero business. She charged up to the front porch, ready to vent all her loaded anger, and knocked. She waited a few seconds before the door flew open, revealing a very disheveled Pepper.
“You look horrible,” Aunt May pointed out, some sadness in her voice.
“I’m fine. Tony’s just been having a hard time and I don’t think I’ve had a good sleep in years.” Pepper gave a small forced smile. “You shouldn’t have came. Tony isn’t really up for visitors so it might be kinda quiet.”
“I have news about Peter,” Aunt May blurted out.
Pepper immediately popped up, no longer leaning on the doorframe and slouching, suddenly fully alert.
“Come inside.”
“ Oh my god. ”
“Those bastards!” Tony shot up, infuriated. Pepper pressed her forehead into her hands, knowing there was no stopping her husband now. “I’m gonna hunt down that one eyed son of a bitch and kick him where the sun don’t shine,” Tony snarled.
“Get in line,” May muttered.
“Friday, make sure to add that asshat to the search!”
“ Will do, Boss. ”
“They told me Peter was their only hope,” May suddenly spoke up, “Peter would never have said no if he thought the world needed Spider-Man. It’s always just his responsibility, never anybody else’s. He’s so much like his Uncle Ben. Always doing the right thing no matter what.” Tony head lifted in surprise at the mention Pete’s Uncle. It was a subject that was touched upon only a few times, and about 99% of the time its Peter doing the storytelling. He didn’t know much about the man but he felt grateful he was there for Peter when he was a kid. That man raised the fine kid he knew today.
“I’ll find him May. I promised you that and I’m not gonna break it,” Tony stated firmly. May smiled, nodding, barely glancing up.
“I know Tony. I know.”
“Stark.”
Tony couldn’t breath as he walked through the rubble. His eyes trained on the titan before him, sitting down, weapon stuck in the grown, gaze on the ground. The madman he fought against, shed blood for, sat down in front of him. The sky was dark, and he was alone. No Thor or Cap by his side this time. Alone he was to face the all almighty Thanos, his curse.
“You won.” Tony stared down at titan, legs weak, eyes petrified yet refused to show it. The hero stood his ground, though his heart shook. He couldn’t show the fear buried deep inside. “ You could not live with your failure and it had brought you back to me.”
Thanos old eyes met Stark’s glaring ones, his expression sort of amusement yet filled with a deep bitterness. The emotions broiling underneath were hidden well with a calm facade. Only a fool would mistake his anger for calm.
“In all my years of conquest, violence, slaughter, it was never personal. I just wanted to bring balance to this world, to do what no other living being would dare to do. To save people from the fate my people had suffered all those years ago.”
Tony clenched his fist, feeling his eyes to be a little heavier than before. Though, determined not to show the titan any fear, he kept his expression blank and slowed his pace. “I was the only one who knew what would happen to life in this world if it was left unchecked and I was the only one who with the will to act.”
Stark shook his head feeling sick to his stomach as he stared the mad man down. The words rang sirens in his head, never ending and very loud.
“See, you and I aren’t very different Stark. We both have the same goal. To save the universe from destruction. To protect it from what will come.”
“You’re wrong,” Stark shook his head, spitting fire, “ I’m nothing like you.”
Thanos chuckled, looking off in the distance at the destruction before him. His eyes scanning the battle field, for a moment thinking. About what would remain a mystery for the billionaire. “You and I both saw the future. The destruction it causes. We were the only ones with the will to act on it.” The images of his teammates laying dead, not being able to save them, Steve’s dying breath. The future he had saw with his own two eyes leading him to build Ultron. “You weren’t the only one who was cursed with knowledge, Stark.”
Tony was now tip toeing around the titan, his eyes glued in fear. His very night terror sitting in front of him haunted his very core, shaking him up and killing him.
“My only curse is you,” Stark whispered.
Thanos stood, his hand laying on the double edged blades weapon, yanking it up.
“I carry a message for you, Stark, from the beyond. Consider it a warning from up above.”
Thano’s booming steps forward sent chills down the spine of the hero. His gaze remaining on Stark, back straight, eyes narrow.
“You’ve won. You’ve grown to be a father and learned from your past mistakes. With what you learned, you managed to reverse the damage done. For that, the universe applauds you.” Tony could see his family, his daughter smiling perfectly in the arms of his loving wife. The life he built for himself after all the pain. His second chance standing there in front of him. “Your work is done. No more battles that are left for you. You can do what I could not, retire to a peaceful life. To watch the sunrise with the family you’ve created. The ending you wished for is finally yours.” Thanos watched the images of the family with a slight hint of grief, his loss still painful. The emotion passed briefly, turning cold as he laid a hand on the humans shoulder.
“Though every happy ending comes with a price.”
Tony could hear footsteps creek behind him, growing closer by the second. Each step growing warmer. The hero slowly shifted his body, turning his head around to see a little boy standing behind him. The boy wore an Iron Man mask, dark blue hoodie, white shirt, jeans, and ratty old sneakers.
“At the price of our triumph, we both paid a terrible fare.”
Tony wasn’t sure why his heart sank in dread or why this kid seemed strangely familiar. Something about him made Tony almost have a heart attack. Though the hero could hardly figure out why.
“For I lost the one thing I loved the most, my daughter.” The child’s small hands lifted up, his small fingers latching onto the helmet he wore and pulling it off revealing his true face.
Peter.
The boy was Peter. His hair, eyes, nose, cheeks-they were all the same. Tony could hardly believe it.
“Now you will lose the one thing you loved the most. Your son.”
“Why’d you leave me Mister Stark?”
Tony bit his lip, knitting his brows, and frowning. Hearing the kid sound so innocent hurt. His desperate need for his approval made him want to pull the kid into a hug and hold him tightly.
“Peter...”
“Why did you forget? Why didn’t you save me sooner? Why did you lie to me that things were gonna be alright?”
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
“I was scared. For five years I was alone, scared, hurt! I prayed for you to come and save me Mister Stark every day! You’re suppose to save people, why didn’t you save me?” Peter cried large tears, his eyes full of betrayal and anger. “Have you seen what I’ll become?”
The world went dark for a second.
Footsteps echoed around him, growing louder by the second. The billionaire twisted around, his breath quickening.
The first thing he saw was the bright orange pupils staring at him in the dark. He felt all the air left his body as suddenly the world lit up once again.
An older recent version of Peter stood behind him, his face maskless and wearing a suit never before seen. His eyes dark, no longer the brown ones he knew but replaced with a bright orange color. His gaze full of such anger, pain, and hatred.
“Peter?” Tony whispered, squinting his eyes to get a better look.
Suddenly the boy’s hand flew upwards and Tony couldn’t breath. He could feel his insides squeezed together, crushing under the invisible weight of the boy’s hand. Everything burned within him, turning to charcoal. It was unlike any pain he felt before. It was much more sadistic, painful, and horrifying than anything he’s experienced before.
“P-Peter..?” Tony choked.
”I won't let you or anybody hurt me ever again,” Peter seethed. “You tried to hold me back, but now I have a purpose. Let me show you what I’m made of!” Unable to stand any further, he collapsed. His world went blurry, seeing double now. He could he hear his breath slow down, grow lighter by every breath he took.
“You can’t stop me.”
The last thing Tony could see was the bright light in his wards eyes watching him suffer without remorse before everything went black.
“PETER!” Tony’s head shot up, sweat beading down his forehead. His head pounded on his chest as he held his chest searching for the pain he felt only a moment again.
“Tony?” Pepper walked into the small lab, looking at him with concern written all over his face.
“I-I-Thanos-Peter-“ Pepper looked at him with pity, now standing beside the chair to rub soothing circles around the man’s back.
“It’s okay Tony…”
Tony didn’t say anything, just watched his chest rise in disbelief and fearful of what he had gone through not only moments ago.
“This is the end.”
Lake wasn’t easy to catch off guard. She had seen many dead bodies in her days. All of them ranging from natural to gory homicides. So surprise wasn’t something she was expecting to feel when she had been in charge of doing the autopsy on a John Doe who was found in the alleyway dead.
“Cause of death…,” The Warner faded, unsure of what to say, “...unknown.” The man was perfectly healthy. In no way should he be dead, he passed a health test with flying colors. Now he was dead, with no signs of foul play or natural causes. It was strange to say the least. She turned off her microphone and recorder, sighing.
“What happened to you?” She asked aloud, scanning the body. She stepped down, her face dull as she put away the body. In her gut, she knew something had happened to the man. However scientific evidence said nothing to support her. Though judging by the lack of pants when they brought him, she knew something went down the night he died. So she picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number.
“ Agent Watts, Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division.”