A/N: I know I haven't finished my other story, but this idea took over. Don't worry, I will finish my other story (I am Spider-Man) as well.

SPOILER WARNING for Infinity War

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Still here? okay... you were warned.

This story explores Tony and Peter's relationship upon his return after Thanos' snap. This story will be set in the same universe as my first story, "To Tell the Truth." You can read this one without reading it, but it will make more sense if you read that one first as I will be making references back to that one. This story takes on the possible time travel aspect of Endgame as a solution to the Snap. I won't be spending too much time with that since the science boggles my mind, so this focuses more on how time travel could have left some scars in the present. What might be side effects of undoing the snap? And what happens when devastating events in Peter's life feel like one of those side effects? How will Tony handle it when the kid he cares about lashes out at him?

Chapter one is meant to be a bit of a prologue. You'll get bits and pieces in this chapter that will become more clear and easier to understand in future chapters. Please read and review. I love to hear your thoughts.

Italics are memories and thoughts

Chapter 1: From Dust to Broken Pieces

"The loss was too much. It was devastating," Tony told him. "Half of all living creatures…. Gone. We did the only thing that we could. We went back and started over… reset the timeline. It's over and now we can finally get back to living our lives."

These were the words that Tony used to help Peter understand the events that had unfolded. It was just too bad that not everyone would get their old lives back.

Peter had just arrived back to school from a field trip. Ned was talking to him about their day, rambling on and on about how he wished there had been some radioactive creature to turn him into an Avenger.

"It would be so cool, Peter!" Ned said. "We would both be superheroes thanks to school field trips and genetic mutation! How cool would it be if I had been bitten by a bat?"

Peter shook his head, "Dude! No! That's just… no! That's not okay."

"Why?" Ned asked, "I'd be Batm…"

Peter cut him off, "Nope! Don't even say it! That's not allowed here."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ned asked.

Peter coughed, trying to hide a laugh, "It's just not."

The two friends laughed and made their way over to where families were waiting to take kids home. Peter was looking through the crowd of parents for May. When he saw her, he was surprised to see that she wasn't alone. May didn't see him coming. She was too engrossed in what looked like a serious conversation with the man next to her. If Peter wasn't mistaken, she also looked a little pale.

Something was… off.

"Why is Mr. Stark here?" Ned asked Peter.

Peter didn't answer his friend. Instead, he just moved forward towards the two adults, wanting to know what the serious conversation was about. As he got closer, Tony turned to look at him… stopping Peter in his tracks.

The look in his mentor's eyes was… different. Something about the man had definitely changed. He looked worn out and run down, and there was a haunted look in his eyes. However, when he locked eyes with Peter, his eyes lit up. He looked beyond relieved. He took deliberate steps towards him, and his eyes searched Peter up and down. It was as if his father-figure was trying to make sure that he was in one piece. Peter frowned in confusion. He had just texted the man that morning. What could have him so rattled?

Tony put a hand on each of his shoulders and studied his face, "Peter?" he asked. Tony brought a hand to the young man's head, brushing back some curls. "You're alright," he stated, eyes filling with tears. Before Peter could question him, Tony pulled Peter in for a hug and squeezed him tightly. "You're really alright… you're alright… this time you're alright."

Peter couldn't help but to melt into the embrace. He also felt as though Tony really needed the hug. Peter wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but he finally opened his eyes and looked for his aunt. Tony continued to hold him tightly, and Peter could tell the man was crying. It was so out of character for the man to display such public affection. There was no doubt that the people around them would be confused as to why Tony Stark was giving his intern a heartfelt hug. When Peter caught sight of May, he saw that she looked shocked and uncertain. To onlookers, it might seem like she was feeling this way because a billionaire was embracing her kid. However, Peter knew that there was something else behind the look on her face. It had something to do with whatever conversation she had with Tony.

Peter sighed at the memory. He scrubbed his hands over his face, fighting with the emotions swirling inside of him.

He remembered Tony taking Aunt May and him back to the compound. He was shocked to find many of the original Avengers there, all except Steve Rogers. The gathering of heroes was incredible. T'Challa and Shuri were there, and he also recognized Ant-Man. Scott then introduced Wasp. He also met Dr. Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Nick Fury, and Maria Hill that day. Nick Fury had also helped the team learn more about another new hero in the room, Carol Danvers… who also went by the name of Captain Marvel. Under other circumstances, it would have been so exciting to see them all. However, it was obvious that they had gathered for a rather serious discussion.

They sat him down then. They let Aunt May stay and be a part of the conversation, too.

Since getting off the school bus, so much had felt… wrong. And after Tony and many of the original Avengers filled them in on the events, he knew why.

Three years.

Thanos had attacked and won.

Half of all living beings in the universe died.

The remaining Avengers, with the help of information from Ant-Man and Captain Marvel, traveled through TIME to fix it.

And it had taken them THREE YEARS.

Peter had been lost. T'Challa, Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes, Wanda, Vision, Dr. Strange, most of the Guardians… all gone… all lost to wind.

And the remaining Avengers gave all they had to get them back… especially Steve Rogers.

A tear slipped down Peter's cheek as he recalled hearing about Steve's sacrifice. They had traveled back in time to recover the Infinity Stones before Thanos could get them. And Steve… he traded his life to get the Soul Stone to the team.

As a result, they defeated Thanos and reset the timeline.

It should have ended there, right? How did the fairy tales end? And they all lived happily ever after?

FALSE. Happily ever after was not reality.

Peter shook his head at the thought. How could they have been so foolish? They must have known there would be consequences to resetting the timeline. Losing Steve Rogers was only the beginning.

More tears slipped down Peter's cheek as he thought aloud. "Saved my life," he scoffed. "Yeah right… start over and live my life again? What life? This isn't the life I wanted!" Peter picked up a picture from his nightstand. It was a picture of him and Tony. He looked at it for a moment, but then threw the picture across the room. It shattered into pieces as it hit the far wall.

Peter was in a rage. Everything felt WRONG! He didn't want this life!

How much of the wrong in his life was the result of the reset timeline? Was the universe punishing him for being alive by making this life miserable? Did the universe see justice in May being diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer? Was it fair that it took her so quickly?

Was he supposed to be thankful that he was living at the compound now? It didn't really feel like living.

Peter picked up another picture of him and Tony, throwing it across the room to shatter onto the floor with the other one.

A knock could be heard at his door. "Peter?" Tony called. "Kid? You okay?" Peter walked towards the door, but he didn't speak. He just stared at the door as he noticed the knob jiggle as Tony tried to get it open. "Come on, kid. Please unlock the door," Tony called.

Peter clenched his hands into fists. He could feel the anger surging through him, and some part of his brain reminded him that anger was the second stage of grief. Some part of him knew that his emotions were the result of his anguish at the loss of May. He was still dressed in the black suit from her funeral. He didn't stay for gathering afterwards. He couldn't stay. He needed to be alone.

Tony jiggled the knob again, "Please… Pete, let me help."

Anger surged again, and Peter picked up a chair and threw it down hard. It shattered easily as a result of Peter's strength. Peter's breathing was fast and his heart pounded as he fought through the tears and pain. "LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE! GET AWAY FROM ME!" Peter's voice cracked as he yelled at the man on the other side of the door. "YOU CAN'T HELP! THIS IS YOUR DAMN FAULT, TONY! THIS. IS. ALL. YOUR. FAULT!" Peter poured as much venom as possible into the words as he yelled at the top of his lungs. He finally crumpled to the ground, crying harder.

He thought he had convinced the Iron Man to leave him alone, but there was more movement as his door was unlocked and carefully pushed open.

Peter kept his eyes down as the door was opened. He didn't want to look at the man. He didn't want to see the man who he believed to be responsible for causing so much disruption in his universe.

Tony stood in the doorway for a long time. It seemed like he didn't know whether to move towards Peter or away from him, so he just stayed rooted to that spot.

Peter didn't like how he stood there. His anger was so intense that he felt like Tony was violating his privacy by standing there and observing his grief. He reached over and picked up a piece of his broken chair. He hurled it at Tony's head with as much force as he could muster, "Fuck off, Tony!"

After throwing the piece of broken furniture, Peter finally looked at the other man. Tony had barely managed to move out of the way of the broken furniture before looking back at Peter. And Peter was really wishing that he hadn't looked up. The broken look on Tony's face was enough to subdue the fiery rage, which was quickly replaced by a feeling of guilt. But he had come too far and he would not apologize… not yet. Instead he lowered his voice into a broken whisper, "Just… please… go away. You've done enough."

Tony blinked at Peter's words. And Peter didn't fail to notice the tear that trickled down Tony's cheek. "I never…" Tony started, his voice breaking. "… This wasn't supposed to happen, kid. God… I am so sorry." Tony turned to leave, but stopped. He glanced back over his shoulder, but his eyes didn't meet Peter's this time. "It should have been me, kid. I wish to God that it had been me."

Peter swallowed hard as he watched Tony leave his doorway. The guilt intensified at Tony's words.

"No," Peter thought, "It was meant to be me. Now I'm alive, and the people I love are suffering for it!" Peter's stomach twisted with a familiar discomfort as he thought, "You should have just left me in the dust!"

A/N: Ouch! I'm just going to hide over here with the tissues. What happened to our boys? Can they fix their relationship before it's too late?