Ch. 1- On the ship back
Nebula was kind enough to let Tony Stark on her ship as they started their adventure back to Earth-to be more specific, the Avengers' headquarters. She didn't know how to start a conversation as he was sitting on a seat, in shock by what just happened as he held dust or ash close to his face. "Tony, I don't know what to say," Nebula started an attempt to comfort him. "I never knew him that well, but I bet he was a bright kid. It's not your fault."
"Peter," Stark began to speak as his voice was shaky. "That was his name." He heard the cry of fear that came from Peter, moments before he disappeared. That apology will haunt him forever. He had always thought that he would be one who would die…not Pete, and now that he was gone, he didn't know what to say to anyone. He knew that we have to tell May Parker somehow, but that was something that he had no idea how to begin. "I took responsibility for him, he knew what he was doing…he said that he was loyal and he thought of me, so yes, it is my fault that he's gone." His breathing become rapid as he tried to keep himself from bursting into an emotional breakdown.
Then, he broke down despite his attempt to hide it. His cries had her feeling terrible because at that moment, she saw the real Stark. The father-type of a man who lost his special friend, or what people called him, his spider boy. She noticed how he was rocking back and forth like he did in Titan. Luckily, they arrived at the headquarters in New York, where the rest of the Avengers were located.
Nebula got off of the ship first to break the news while Tony stayed in a state of shock and guilt.
"Where is he?" Bruce Banner asked her. "Where's Tony? Is he alright?"
"He's in the ship," she began to break the news. "Something horrific happened, and I don't even know where to start." She sat Bruce down. "Peter…he…didn't make it. He fell into Tony's arms and disappeared, and all Tony has left of him is the dust that the kid turned into, on his hand."
"The boy of the spiders," Thor interjected with a sigh. "He is gone." He never knew Peter well, but he did know how much Tony loved him.
After a few moments of silence, Tony came out of the ship without saying a word. The only thing he could look at was his hand that had some of Peter's ashes. He looked up to be embraced by the stares of the others.
"Tony," Bruce began and walked towards him. "Let me get you cleaned up, and we can talk, okay?" He wrapped his arm around Stark's shoulder and took him inside.
While Bruce trying to clean Tony's hand, Stark refused. "That all I have left of him." With that being said, Banner pulled out a jar.
"Is it okay if we move him in here?" Banner asked. "It's safer this way." He hardly saw Tony this distraught as he gave Banner the okay.
"I need to write a letter to May," Stark uttered out. "She needs to know how it's my fault that he..." he began to breathe rapid. "It's my fault that he's gone! He should be here getting the care that he needed, but no-"
"It's not your fault," Bruce pulled him in for a hug as his friend cried silently. "You didn't do anything that would cause this, understand?" He felt his friend's back trembling. "Go get some rest. You need it now."
"Is Pepper okay?" Stark managed to ask. His friend gave him a smile and nodded. "She's good."