Opportunity arises
“Miss Parker, my name is dr. Stephen Strange and I’m-“
“I know who you are,” May returns. “We worked at the same hospital.”
There’s a heavy silence. Tony watches the gears work inside Strange’s head as he tries to place May, but it’s clear that recognition is far away.
“Right, okay,” Strange continues, looking down at the chart. “I don’t normally practice medicine as much anymore, but Dr. Cho called me in for this. I’ve looked over mister Parker’s MRI and there’s just some things that I want to discuss with you if that’s alright?”
May looks at Tony, who is still holding the journal in his hands. Steve is still next to him, equally silent. Before Strange can continue, Tony gets on his feet and approaches the sorcerer-slash-neurosurgeon.
“Stephen, can I have a word?”
The man gives him a confused look. The fact that Tony used his first name should be indication enough that Tony’s really serious about it. He still has the journal in his hand, and he’s aware of the annoyance coming from May, who still can’t seem to follow what’s going on.
“Of… course?” Strange returns. He steps out of the room once more, followed by both Tony and Steve, the latter seeming extremely oud of his comfort zone. “Make it quick, Stark, there’s a lot I have to discuss with your boy over there.”
Tony just pushes the journal in Strange’s face. “Read this bit here,” he says, pointing that the paragraph that he wants the wizard to look over. Strange takes the journal, and gives it a quick read.
“What am I reading here?” he asks after that.
“Richard Parker, Mary’s husband, he designed the spiders, supposedly gave them his DNA so that they would only show results in his bloodline,” Tony explains.
“Yeah, so?”
“Richard Parker isn’t Peter’s blood relative. So it wouldn’t have worked,” Steve deduces. Tony nods.
“No, you see? Mary wrote here that, somehow, she knew Peter would be bitten when he’s older. Now there’s no possible way for her to know that other than-“
“Time travel,” Strange concludes. He closes the journal, throws it back Tony’s way and then crosses his arms over his chest. “And now you’re about to asks me to send you back in time to warn her?”
“No but- uh… yeah? Maybe? I mean, is it possible that, somehow, the person who went back just… hasn’t gone already? Crap, this sounds weird.” Tony slams the journal against his head while he tries to get his thoughts in order.
“Is it possible that something here is preventing Mary from knowing it in the past?” Steve asks a bit more controlled. Tony nods in affirmation to that question.
“It is possible, yes,” Strange says. “But I’m not sending you back in time.”
“Why not?” Tony asks angrily, feeling a strong burning feeling inside of him that is far from pleasant. Strange doesn’t seem affected by his tone.
“You’ve travelled back in time before to save your son. As a miracle, nothing happened back then even though it was a few months that you travelled back to.”
“It wasn’t just to save Peter, it was to save the universe,” Tony counters angrily. Strange crosses his arms.
“Don’t try to fool me. I might not have been there, but I saw it all happen beforehand, remember? You holding your dying son in your arms, seeing him vanishing away? It was what drove you to travel back in time, after all.”
Tony growls, running up to Strange and pushing him against the wall with all the force he can manage. Strange doesn’t seem bothered at all.
“That moment, you couldn’t care less about the universe. You just wanted your son back,” Strange continues to add salt to the wound. Tony’s only aware that his fist was heading Strange’s way until Steve grabs his arm to stop him.
“No, Tony,” Steve warns him. “We still need him.”
Tony clenches his fist a bit tighter, an angry growl escaping his mouth before he loosens his grip, taking a step back. Strange just readjusts his scrubs and leans down to get the chart from the ground.
“You’re lucky, Stark, that I pledged to save people who need it. Because this is not a favor I’m doing for you,” he tells him in a low voice. Strange then walks off, returning to the room to continue his conversation with Peter and May.
“We should get back inside,” Steve points out. He’s holding out his hand in Tony’s direction, but the other man is just looking at the ground, unmoving. That’s what usually happens whenever Tony is reminded of the Infinity War. The burning smell, the ashes covering his hands. He’s not even aware that he’s practically punching his chest until Steve grabs his hands.
“Tony?” Steve asks. Tony blinks up at him, eyes stinging. Steve looks sad, heartbroken upon seeing him like this. It sucks, Tony never meant to make him this worried. Steve’s hands go up to Tony’s cheeks, and he holds his face in a semi-tight grip. “Are you with me?”
Tony blinks twice before nodding, a tear rolling down his cheek. Steve wipes it away with his thumb, gently kissing Tony underneath both eyes before pulling him in a tight embrace.
“We’ll figure it out. We can still ask Scott if he could help us,” Steve assures him. Tony lets out a shaky breath, but then he nods as well. And if Scott can’t help – it’s still a long way back, after all – he’ll just invent something. He’ll sneak that time stone out of the Sanctorum and he’ll analyze it, and he’ll work his fucking ass off to get something working.
Steve guides Tony back inside the room, but Tony’s not really listening to Strange, who is discussing the reactions in Peter’s brain. Instead, Tony’s mind is stuck on Mary, on who told her in the first place. Who was the person that warned her? And what did they tell her? Did she know everything? Know that Tony knows? She didn’t let that show in that video of hers, at least, but it might have been recorded before that person arrived.
He’s barely aware of Strange leaving, only pulled back into reality when he sees a pale hand appearing in front of him. Instinctively, he reaches out for it, feeling Peter’s cold, sweaty skin under his fingers.
“You with us, dad?” Peter asks. He sounds a bit more lucid, it seems. That’s good.
“I’m just thinking, honey,” Tony assures him, pulling Peter’s hand towards his lips to kiss his knuckles gently. Peter looks at him sadly, as if he knows exactly what’s going on in Tony’s head.
“You found mom’s journals, right?” the boy asks. Tony nods. “You know, then, that she somehow knew?”
“Why didn’t you ever mention that before? We could have figured out how she knew?” Tony asks in return. Peter shrugs lightly.
“To be honest, I was more taken by surprise by her admitting that I wasn’t really his son,” Peter admits. Tony takes in the frail figure in front of him, sad to see that thick bush of hair on his head so thinned out, but it wouldn’t be the first time that Peter would have to regrow his hair. After his surgery to fix his ears they had to shave it off, too.
“It’s okay, Peter,” Tony continues. He glances a quick look at May on Peter’s other side, finding the woman close to having some sort of panic attack. Shit, he should get Rhodey here as soon as possible. Quickly, he leans to Steve’s side and whispers at him.
“Steve, could you maybe ask Barton to head over to Rhodey’s to take over dogsitting? We need the guy here.”
Steve doesn’t respond, just nods. He gets on his feet, pecks Tony on the lips before doing the same to Peter’s cheek. After a quick promise that he’ll be back, he exits the room and closes the door behind him. May, then, too gets on his feet.
“I’m… I’ll get some coffee. You want anything, Tony?” she asks. Tony shakes his head, and after a nod from the woman she follows Steve out. She seems close to losing it, which Tony can’t blame her for.
“Strange wouldn’t help, right?” Peter asks the moment they’re alone. Tony clears his throat.
“He thinks it’s too high a risk,” he explains. Peter nods, looking down at his hand fidgeting in the covers.
“He’s right,” Peter says. “It’s not worth risking the universe for me.”
“Don’t say that, Peter,” Tony gets out with a shivering voice. “You’re worth the universe to me.”
And Peter smiles sadly. “To you, yes. To other people, no. I’m just another human being who is getting the inevitable,” he continues. He squeezes his dad’s hand. “Dad, I know you’re going to be doing some crazy shit to get me out of this. I’m asking you not to. Don’t risk the universe for me.”
Tony shakes his head. “You can’t ask that of me,” he whispers out. “I would never put anything before you.”
“You should if it’s the right thing to do,” Peter finishes. He closes his eyes after that, leaning back in bed. The hand in Tony’s loses strength, and for a moment Tony wonders if he actually fell asleep like this.
But then, after a few seconds of just gentle breathing, the spasms seem to begin. It starts in Peter’s fingers, going up to his arms until his entire body is moving up and down on the bed. Like before, his eyes are open, looking lifelessly at the ceiling. For a short second, Tony has no idea what he should be doing here. In only a matter of seconds, his brain directs him to the internet to look up some instructions.
Keep other people out of the way. Clear hard or sharp objects away. Don’t try to hold them down or stop their movements. Place on their side to help keep airway clear. Look at watch at start of seizure to time its length. Don’t put anything in friend’s mouth.
Okay, okay, he can do that. After pressing the panic button on Peter’s remote, he leans forward, grabbing on to Peter’s right side and pulling him towards him, until he’s lying on his left side.
“Come on, baby boy, just ride it out,” Tony begs of him, feeling Peter shake up and down underneath his hold. His eyes are stuck on the ceiling, unable to look down at the frightening form of his son like this. He could keep observing him, probably should, but he also knows it will just be more nightmare material for later. He doesn’t need that.
The doors open in just a matter of seconds after he pressed the button. He hears one of the nurses say something among the lines of ‘damn it, again?’, though Tony doesn’t respond to it. He takes a step back when the nurse comes up to him, indicating that she’ll take his place.
“Sir, it would be best if you leave the room,” the male nurse says. Tony nods hesitantly before heading out. He casts another short look behind him before he closes the door, letting the medical staff do what they do best. He isn’t too surprised when he sees Strange storm through the hallway. Without speaking a word to Tony, he enters the room, closing it behind him.
Tony sighs, leaning against the wall and throwing his head back. He knows that, in all those movies, people refuse to leave the room, to stay with their child and make sure that they’re alright. But Tony just can’t right now. There’s too much happening in there, more than his brain can handle right now. Too many possible nightmares in that room.
“Tony? What’s going on?”
Tony opens his eyes again, finding both May and Steve walking up to him, holding cups of coffee in their hands.
“He, uh… he had another seizure. They kicked me out, but Strange’s in there with them.”
“Oh my god,” May calls out, tears already starting to form in her eyes. Steve throws an arm over her shoulder and holds her close to his side, for which Tony is grateful since he doesn’t think he would have been able to comfort her.
It’s good that he asked for Rhodey to come here. He doesn’t really know how else he would have dealt with this. He can barely even hold himself in right now.
“Tony, I’m-“ Steve suddenly starts, but Tony shakes his head.
“Just- don’t say anything,” he mutters out. He turns back towards the door to Peter’s room, hating the fact that he can’t see anything in there. He can hear more footsteps coming up from behind him. It’s probably Rhodey, Nat or Bucky. Or anyone, really. Tony can’t think at all.
It’s like the nerves come up after the event. It takes about ten minutes before the door opens up again and Strange gestures for them to come inside. Before Tony can even move, May storms inside with Steve following her a bit more slowly. Tony stays on the spot, unable to move.
He watches a couple of the nurses walking out. Strange is behind them, passing a hand over his forehead in a gesture of wiping away sweat. One short look shared with the doctor is enough for Tony. They’re running out of time. If he’s ever going to find something, it needs to be soon.
Slowly he makes his way to the room, though he doesn’t go further than the door. Looking inside, he sees May seated on her chair next to Peter’s bed, holding his hand as she holds his fingers against her lips. Steve, meanwhile, remains behind her with a hand on her shoulder in a comforting way.
Tony doesn’t dare speak, barely even manages to look at his son, who looks even paler than before. His hair is sticking to his forehead, his eyes closed. His mouth is opened, as there’s a tube put through it. Endotrachial tube. Tony closes his eyes.
“He stopped breathing,” somebody behind him suddenly says. When Tony turns around he finds one of the nurses standing there. “Strange intubated him since he’s not breathing on his own. We’re now waiting for him to start up again on his own.”
Tony nods, grateful that somebody bothers to tell him. The man quickly disappears again and Tony bites his lips.
This is going on long enough. He needs to contact Scott as soon as possible. However he’s going to go back in time, Scott and Hope surely can help him out with it.
“Tony?”
He blinks, looking up when he hears his name. There’s Steve who’s glancing his way, worry clear in his eyes.
“I’m going to fix this now,” he says, trying to sound more assured than he feels. Steve just gives him a sad look while pressing his lips together.
“I’ll keep you updated on his situation,” Steve eventually gets out. May, next to him, isn’t even moving.
Tony hesitates for a moment longer before he does an abrupt turn and storms away from medical. Once he’s outside he opens up the suit and he’s in the air before anybody can even call out his name. He flies all the way to where he knows Scott and Hope’s apartment is located. Landing on the balcony, he loudly knocks on the window.
“Make a temperature scan of the place, will you?” he asks FRIDAY, who does as he asks. On his screen he can see whatever FRIDAY’s picking up, which isn’t much. He curses, figuring that there’s nobody home.
He calls them up, but neither are answering. When he tries anybody else of the Avengers he finds out why that is.
“Scott and Hope went to France for a week, on a holiday. They’re currently in the plane I would suspect,” Carol responds calmly. Tony is unable to hold back a tear as he listens to her, and before she can say anything else he thanks her and hangs up the phone.
There’s nowhere he can go, nothing he can do. He puts his hands in his hair, eyes locked onto the sky. It’s getting dark already, seconds ticking by, precious time being wasted. And Tony’s here, unable to help out his son because he’s a couple years too late.
“Sir, when it comes to the matter of time travel I would suggest looking up Kitty Pryde at Charles Xavier’s school.”
“Why?” he asks in confusion.
“According to multiple sources at the institute, she’s been shown to be able to send a person’s mind back in time for a short period.”
Tony lets out a shaky laugh, almost too scared to hope. He balls his hands into fists right before he gets himself airborne again. The school isn’t far, so he’s there quickly. Not bothering to get out of his suit, he storms inside the building all the way to where he knows Charles’ office is.
“I need to find Kitty Pryde!” he shouts as he opens the door, startling everybody inside except for Charles, who has his eyebrows raised. In the room stands Mystique along with Yaël and Scott.
“I’m sure you do,” Charles mutters before looking at the other three. “Would you please excuse us?”
Mystique and Scott nod, while Yaël hesitates for a moment longer.
“How is he?” she asks calmly. Tony gives her a sad look while shaking his head.
“Not good,” he says truthfully. The girl presses her lips together but nods in understanding.
“Alright,” she returns. Then she follows the others back into the hallway. Tony closes the door behind her before removing the suit and storming towards the desk.
“I’m running out of time, Charles,” Tony confesses. “He’s been having seizures, he’s stopped breathing! They’ve shoved a tube through his throat for crying out loud!”
“I know, Anthony,” Charles returns. “But there’s a thing you’ll need to know about Miss Pryde’s powers.”
“I don’t care if it’s going to hurt me, I don’t fucking care at all! I need to save my son!”
“You would not survive long enough to reach the past,” Charles reveals. “Last time we sent Logan because he was the only one who was able to heal himself fast enough. You, I’m afraid, do not possess that ability.”
“Then call Logan, he’ll go in my place! He likes Peter well enough!”
“I’m afraid I just sent Logan away for a mission in Egypt.”
Only bad news, again and again. Nothing seems to be working for his favor. Tony grits his teeth together.
“But I suspect there’s somebody at the door who is willing to help you out.”
Tony frowns, turning around to see the door opening. Charles probably saw it coming, probably heard whoever it was before they even made to open the door. But coming inside is Wade Wilson, dressed in his normal clothing. The hood of his sweatshirt is pulled up over his head, and his hands are hidden in his pockets.
“I’m sure you’re here for an important matter, Wade?” X asks patiently. Tony quickly rubs the tears away from his cheeks before sniffing his nose.
“Stark, I know how to get you back in time,” Wade calls out without really answering Charles. Tony’s almost afraid to hear what he’s got, but right now he’s about ready to hear every possibility, even if it’s from Wade Wilson.
When suddenly he’s handed a mangled-looking watch he’s almost ready to burst out laughing.
“Wade, I’m pretty sure Cable isn’t going to be happy you took his watch,” Charles chastises him, though only barely.
“He’ll survive, Peter won’t if we don’t use this.”
“I’m sorry, am I missing the point? What’s this thing going to do to help me out?”
“It’s some sort of time-machine. It’s what Cable used to travel through time to kick my ass,” Wade explains. “I’ll show you how this works but you need to be fast.”
For a moment Tony hesitates. Is it really possible that, just by mere chance, he’ll get to go back? He’ll be able to save his son? Tony takes the watch with a frown, observing it carefully. Making sure that he’s not pressing any buttons, he takes in the unfamiliar design.
“You see here? You select the date you want to travel to. Could be the future, could be the past. Then once you’ve selected a date you press this button here.” Wade shows him which button he needs to push. Tony nods in understanding.
“Why are you helping me?” he asks in confusion. Wade just seems unsettled, worried, even, if Tony dares to call it so.
“I know all of you constantly think that I’m joking, but I care for your son. A lot.” Wade sighs. “I would go back, be the hero myself, but it’s not my thing to do.”
And for the first time ever Tony manages to smile to the man next to him. He holds out a hand and rests it on Wade’s shoulder, squeezing it gently.
“Thank you, Wade,” he says truthfully. Wade seems shocked for a moment longer before he smiles his teeth bare, truthful look gone from his eyes, replaced by the playful grin.
“Hey, I’m still down to marrying your son,” he says with a wink, though it lacks the usual enthusiasm. He tries to hide it, but Tony can see just how worried he is. It’s kind of endearing.
“Well I’m not really the one who should be arranging that for you,” Tony returns. He pats Wade’s shoulder one more time before he looks down at the watch. With quick movement he notes down the date of Mary’s last journal entry. Once it’s over he looks up at Charles, waiting for him to say just how bad of an idea this is.
But Charles doesn’t say anything. He just holds up his thumb and nods. Tony clears his throat before nodding as well.
Right, he should go. He suits up again, flying away from the school to where he remembers Mary’s home to be. In his mind he prepares a quick message for Steve, to assure him that he’s found something. Just so that they know he’s on this.
Once he’s landed in front of the old house of the Parkers, he removes the suit once again. The watch, which is now safely wrapped around his wrist, seems to be inviting. He clears his throat, wondering if he should prepare some sort of ‘speech’ to convince Mary to help him?
And then he figures he won’t be needing that. Because he’s a father, and a father would do anything to keep his kid alive. And Mary, being a mother, should be able to recognize that desperation.
He presses down the button without any further hesitation. And it’s just in a flash that it starts raining. It’s completely dark outside now, drops falling down on him. There are a few cars driving behind him, and a couple of people walking on the sidewalk. When they see him, they don’t spare him a second glance. That’s probably the first time somebody hasn’t recognized him while he’s lacking any disguise.
Right, Tony Stark is MUCH younger here. People wouldn’t even dare to think it’s me.
A sigh escapes Tony’s lips before he shakes his head. He needs to continue, finish this job. With careful steps he goes up the stairs, slightly hesitating before he raises up his hand towards the wooden door in front of him.
It’s just a knock… he can most definitely do this! In his attempt to find any reassurance from FRIDAY, all he finds is static. She wasn’t yet around back in this time. And any search for internet brings him horrible results so he’s not even going to try again with that.
The knocks on the door are heavy, though still not too loud. He notices the doorbell on the side, but he decides not to ring that one just yet. After all, Peter must be around five here, and he’s probably fast asleep. His stomach tingles at the idea that his son is here, a child he never got to meet.
There doesn’t seem to be an answer. Tony tries again, knocking a bit louder this time. His heart jumps when lights suddenly turn on from the inside. There’s the sound of a key turning in a lock before the door opens slightly.
“Who is it?”
And Tony’s breath catches, because that’s the voice of Mary Fitzgerald.