p id="docs-internal-guid-adbb20e5-89be-b837-e00c-c29a3178e588" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Tony was at war with Thanos. A few good hits here and there, but the Titan was beating him down far more than Tony could. When Tony got hit particularly hard and fell to the ground, he could hear Peter's startled yell for him./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Mr. Stark!" Peter started towards the fight and Tony felt his anxiety spike. He would not let his kid get hurt because of him. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Kid, stay back." Tony said, somewhat out of breath. Peter looked up for a fraction of a second and looked at Thanos, the giant with four of the stones. There was no way he would make it out of a fight with that thing alone, but he could help./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""No, Mr. Stark I can-" Peter started, desperate for his hero to understand. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Peter!" Tony bellowed. Peter flinched in surprise but stopped moving. Tony almost never called him by his name. It was always kid, or Spider-Boy, or /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"something/spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;", but rarely ever Peter. Thanos watched this exchange, the wheels in his head turning. This tiny human was worth something to Tony. Thanos tilted his head, eyes turning to slits as he looked over this small Avenger. He would give this child mercy./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Stay. Back." Tony stood up as he ran out of time for this moment with his disobedient kid. He watched the Titan's eyes skim over him and linger on Peter. Tony realized he was no longer the target. /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"No./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Just as Thanos took a step, Tony was back in front of him, hitting whatever he could with everything he had. Tony had to win. If he didn't, Peter would be dead. A strong determination welled inside of him as he hit Thanos in the face so hard he felt it resonate through him. Thanos stopped for a moment, on his knees as he felt the cut. He pulled his hand back to see the purple blood that was beading on his cheek./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""All that, for a drop of blood." Thanos loomed over Tony while the mortal geared up for round two. Peter watched from his half hidden place behind the rocks as a dagger grew from Tony's armor. Suddenly, his spider sense went haywire. Something very, very bad was going to happen if he didn't stop it. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""There's more where that comes from." Tony said as he jabbed the knife forward, only for it to be caught in Thanos' large hand. Tony's eyes widened in horror as the big purple grape turned his wrist and plunged it back towards him. But he didn't feel any pain. Tony heard Thanos start to laugh as he opened his eyes to see Peter standing in front of him with Tony's knife buried deep into his stomach. Tony had never felt his heart drop as fast as it had then. His body filled with rage, he only saw passionate red as he flung his last dagger into Thanos' neck. While laughing, the monster hadn't expected it. Thanos let go of the child as he fell to the dusty ground, choking on his own blood./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Tony turned to his kid, sitting on a rock in shock, blood dribbling down his chin. Tony's stomach burned in phantom pain as Peter gasped for breath with tears in his eyes. Peter grabbed the hilt of the knife and, with a grunt, ripped it out before Tony could stop him. He slumped against the rock in defeat, his blood slickening the stone. Tony felt his throat constrict. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Peter, I told you to stay back." Tony said uselessly as he rushed for his son. "Strange, help him!" He looked over at Strange and motioned for him before seeing the wizard was lying unconscious. Tony yelled for him once more, hoping to wake him, before giving up and turning back to Peter. Peter was reaching out for him, shaking hand barely above the ground. Tony took it and held it to his chest, his other hand sealing Peter's wound with his nanotech. Peter's chin wobbled in pain and Tony felt awful, but he had to seal the wound or Peter would bleed out. A small whimper left his mouth as Tony finished. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Ton-Tony, I don't wanna go. I-I don't want to go. Please." Peter begged, his bloodied hand curling in Tony's./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You're not going anywhere, you're okay. You're alright." Tony reassured Peter, whose tears he could feel sliding into his hair. As Peter slipped off the stone, Tony cradled him to his lap, holding his head against his chest. From this position, he could hear and feel every hitch in Peter's breath, every gasp of pain, every swallowed cry./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Mr. Stark, I think I have to go now." Peter whispered, his eyes fluttering with every slow blink. It didn't matter that Tony had sealed his side, Peter was injured too badly. Tony held on to his boy even tighter, frantically trying to keep him in his arms. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""No, /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"no. /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"You have to graduate, you have to go on to MIT and fall in love and get married and learn new things. You have to have a life Pete, you have to live." Tony says, curling his thumb into Peter's baby hair at the nape of his neck, ignoring the tears trying to escape his eyes. Peter looks up at him with a sudden urgency./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Can you sing? May does that sometimes when I can't fall asleep." Peter's big eyes fill with tears as he remembers May. He hopes she'll be okay. He hopes she'll be proud of him. Tony lets out a quiet sob as he nods his head. After a moment of thinking, he picks the song he wished his own mother could have sung to him when he was younger. He wishes he could sing something else, something that wasn't so close to his situation, but now it's the only song going through his head and he couldn't think of another if he tried. Tony clears his constricted throat and takes a deep breath./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Come stop your crying, it'll be alright. Just take my hand, hold it tight." /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Tony picks up Peter's hand as he rocks him back and forth, the relief on Peter's face being worth the pain he feels. A rogue tear falls from his left eye. "/spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I will protect you from all around you. I will be here, don't you cry." /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Peter smiles into Tony's embrace as his eyes flutter closed. Tony gasps, a sob ripping his throat as Peter lets out a breath and doesn't take another. He cries harder than he did for his mother as Peter goes limp in his hold, his hand falling from Tony's./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"For a minute, an hour, a few, Tony doesn't know how long he screams for Peter. All he knows is that his son is gone and there is nothing he can do to bring him back. By the time Strange wakes, Peter has gone cold. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Stark? What happened?" Strange says, eyeing Thanos' body with an odd joy. When Tony answers, Strange almost doesn't recognize him. His voice is so dull, so lifeless, so without sarcasm, so not Tony. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You know, when he got older, I always thought it was going to be me not there for his graduation. I never thought...I never thought he wouldn't be." Strange looks around Tony to see Peter lying limp in his arms, Tony still curling his thumb into Peter's hair. He lets out a slow, heavy sigh as he hangs his head. After a moment, he throws his false stone to the ground, landing beside Tony, as he magically produces the real one right between his fingers. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Strange? What are you-" Tony stops short as he realizes what the doctor is doing. He looks at Peter's face intently, watching his eyes for any movement. As Strange turns back Peter's clock, the blood starts to flow back through his body and his heart starts to beat yet again. When Tony can see the slight blush reentering Peter's cheeks, he lets out a relieved cheer. Finally, Peter's eyes open./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Peter?" Tony asks, holding his breath./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Dad?" Peter returns, blinking slowly, trying to make sure what he's seeing is true. He didn't think this is what the afterlife looked like…/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Oh, Peter. Oh, my boy. You're back. I'm so-" Tony cuts off as Peter wraps his arms around his middle. "I'm so /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"proud/spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" of you. You scared me to hell and don't you /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"ever, /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"and I mean /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"ever, /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"jump in front of me again, but I mean it. You helped me kill the evil bastard /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"even though I specifically told you to stay back/spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;", and-" Tony took a deep breath. He couldn't decide whether to celebrate the kid or ground him for the rest of his life. Peter looked up at him with watery eyes filled with pride and guilt, and Tony decided to put his façade aside and speak from his heart. "I'm so proud to call you my son, Pete." Peter's face turned to shock, and after a moment he buried it in Tony's neck./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Thanks, Dad." Peter said as he tightly clutched the fabric of Tony's hoodie. After a moment, Tony turned to Doctor Strange./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Thanks, Harry Potter." Strange rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to tell Tony off about the nickname. His words died as he looked the shorter man in the eyes and saw only honesty, but buried in his arms Peter was giggling. Strange closed his mouth in a smirk and let it pass. Just this once. Strange helped them both up as he opened a portal back to Earth./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""What do we do now?" Peter asked as he stared at the dead Titan, his dad's arm slung around his shoulders./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Now we go home, kid, where maybe you can learn some self-preservation skills."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Boring."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Mr. Stark!" Peter started towards the fight and Tony felt his anxiety spike. He would not let his kid get hurt because of him. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Kid, stay back." Tony said, somewhat out of breath. Peter looked up for a fraction of a second and looked at Thanos, the giant with four of the stones. There was no way he would make it out of a fight with that thing alone, but he could help./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""No, Mr. Stark I can-" Peter started, desperate for his hero to understand. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Peter!" Tony bellowed. Peter flinched in surprise but stopped moving. Tony almost never called him by his name. It was always kid, or Spider-Boy, or /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"something/spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;", but rarely ever Peter. Thanos watched this exchange, the wheels in his head turning. This tiny human was worth something to Tony. Thanos tilted his head, eyes turning to slits as he looked over this small Avenger. He would give this child mercy./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Stay. Back." Tony stood up as he ran out of time for this moment with his disobedient kid. He watched the Titan's eyes skim over him and linger on Peter. Tony realized he was no longer the target. /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"No./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Just as Thanos took a step, Tony was back in front of him, hitting whatever he could with everything he had. Tony had to win. If he didn't, Peter would be dead. A strong determination welled inside of him as he hit Thanos in the face so hard he felt it resonate through him. Thanos stopped for a moment, on his knees as he felt the cut. He pulled his hand back to see the purple blood that was beading on his cheek./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""All that, for a drop of blood." Thanos loomed over Tony while the mortal geared up for round two. Peter watched from his half hidden place behind the rocks as a dagger grew from Tony's armor. Suddenly, his spider sense went haywire. Something very, very bad was going to happen if he didn't stop it. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""There's more where that comes from." Tony said as he jabbed the knife forward, only for it to be caught in Thanos' large hand. Tony's eyes widened in horror as the big purple grape turned his wrist and plunged it back towards him. But he didn't feel any pain. Tony heard Thanos start to laugh as he opened his eyes to see Peter standing in front of him with Tony's knife buried deep into his stomach. Tony had never felt his heart drop as fast as it had then. His body filled with rage, he only saw passionate red as he flung his last dagger into Thanos' neck. While laughing, the monster hadn't expected it. Thanos let go of the child as he fell to the dusty ground, choking on his own blood./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Tony turned to his kid, sitting on a rock in shock, blood dribbling down his chin. Tony's stomach burned in phantom pain as Peter gasped for breath with tears in his eyes. Peter grabbed the hilt of the knife and, with a grunt, ripped it out before Tony could stop him. He slumped against the rock in defeat, his blood slickening the stone. Tony felt his throat constrict. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Peter, I told you to stay back." Tony said uselessly as he rushed for his son. "Strange, help him!" He looked over at Strange and motioned for him before seeing the wizard was lying unconscious. Tony yelled for him once more, hoping to wake him, before giving up and turning back to Peter. Peter was reaching out for him, shaking hand barely above the ground. Tony took it and held it to his chest, his other hand sealing Peter's wound with his nanotech. Peter's chin wobbled in pain and Tony felt awful, but he had to seal the wound or Peter would bleed out. A small whimper left his mouth as Tony finished. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Ton-Tony, I don't wanna go. I-I don't want to go. Please." Peter begged, his bloodied hand curling in Tony's./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You're not going anywhere, you're okay. You're alright." Tony reassured Peter, whose tears he could feel sliding into his hair. As Peter slipped off the stone, Tony cradled him to his lap, holding his head against his chest. From this position, he could hear and feel every hitch in Peter's breath, every gasp of pain, every swallowed cry./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Mr. Stark, I think I have to go now." Peter whispered, his eyes fluttering with every slow blink. It didn't matter that Tony had sealed his side, Peter was injured too badly. Tony held on to his boy even tighter, frantically trying to keep him in his arms. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""No, /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"no. /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"You have to graduate, you have to go on to MIT and fall in love and get married and learn new things. You have to have a life Pete, you have to live." Tony says, curling his thumb into Peter's baby hair at the nape of his neck, ignoring the tears trying to escape his eyes. Peter looks up at him with a sudden urgency./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Can you sing? May does that sometimes when I can't fall asleep." Peter's big eyes fill with tears as he remembers May. He hopes she'll be okay. He hopes she'll be proud of him. Tony lets out a quiet sob as he nods his head. After a moment of thinking, he picks the song he wished his own mother could have sung to him when he was younger. He wishes he could sing something else, something that wasn't so close to his situation, but now it's the only song going through his head and he couldn't think of another if he tried. Tony clears his constricted throat and takes a deep breath./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Come stop your crying, it'll be alright. Just take my hand, hold it tight." /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Tony picks up Peter's hand as he rocks him back and forth, the relief on Peter's face being worth the pain he feels. A rogue tear falls from his left eye. "/spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I will protect you from all around you. I will be here, don't you cry." /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Peter smiles into Tony's embrace as his eyes flutter closed. Tony gasps, a sob ripping his throat as Peter lets out a breath and doesn't take another. He cries harder than he did for his mother as Peter goes limp in his hold, his hand falling from Tony's./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"For a minute, an hour, a few, Tony doesn't know how long he screams for Peter. All he knows is that his son is gone and there is nothing he can do to bring him back. By the time Strange wakes, Peter has gone cold. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Stark? What happened?" Strange says, eyeing Thanos' body with an odd joy. When Tony answers, Strange almost doesn't recognize him. His voice is so dull, so lifeless, so without sarcasm, so not Tony. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You know, when he got older, I always thought it was going to be me not there for his graduation. I never thought...I never thought he wouldn't be." Strange looks around Tony to see Peter lying limp in his arms, Tony still curling his thumb into Peter's hair. He lets out a slow, heavy sigh as he hangs his head. After a moment, he throws his false stone to the ground, landing beside Tony, as he magically produces the real one right between his fingers. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Strange? What are you-" Tony stops short as he realizes what the doctor is doing. He looks at Peter's face intently, watching his eyes for any movement. As Strange turns back Peter's clock, the blood starts to flow back through his body and his heart starts to beat yet again. When Tony can see the slight blush reentering Peter's cheeks, he lets out a relieved cheer. Finally, Peter's eyes open./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Peter?" Tony asks, holding his breath./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Dad?" Peter returns, blinking slowly, trying to make sure what he's seeing is true. He didn't think this is what the afterlife looked like…/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Oh, Peter. Oh, my boy. You're back. I'm so-" Tony cuts off as Peter wraps his arms around his middle. "I'm so /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"proud/spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" of you. You scared me to hell and don't you /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"ever, /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"and I mean /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"ever, /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"jump in front of me again, but I mean it. You helped me kill the evil bastard /spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"even though I specifically told you to stay back/spanspan style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;", and-" Tony took a deep breath. He couldn't decide whether to celebrate the kid or ground him for the rest of his life. Peter looked up at him with watery eyes filled with pride and guilt, and Tony decided to put his façade aside and speak from his heart. "I'm so proud to call you my son, Pete." Peter's face turned to shock, and after a moment he buried it in Tony's neck./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Thanks, Dad." Peter said as he tightly clutched the fabric of Tony's hoodie. After a moment, Tony turned to Doctor Strange./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Thanks, Harry Potter." Strange rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to tell Tony off about the nickname. His words died as he looked the shorter man in the eyes and saw only honesty, but buried in his arms Peter was giggling. Strange closed his mouth in a smirk and let it pass. Just this once. Strange helped them both up as he opened a portal back to Earth./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""What do we do now?" Peter asked as he stared at the dead Titan, his dad's arm slung around his shoulders./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Now we go home, kid, where maybe you can learn some self-preservation skills."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.08px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Boring."/span/p