Once Tony was sure the kid was in a deep sleep he carefully removed himself from the stiff mattress of the twin bed, gently unfurling the thin fingers attached to his shirt. He took a moment to brush the stray curls from Peter's forehead, smiling fondly as he leaned into the touch. He quietly whispered, "sleep well kiddo, love you," before rejoining his team in the lounge.

The mechanic sat himself between Bruce and Rhodey on the loveseat, Natasha having claimed the chair with the others spread across the floor, forming a partial circle.

Bruce spoke first, sitting forward slightly and adjusting his glasses. He kept his voice low as not to interrupt Peter's much needed sleep. "Okay, now we need to start figuring things out. We've contacted the school, which gave us nothing. We talked to Peter's friends which knew nothing but shared our concerns." Green flashed within his eyes the more he spoke. "We're here in this ratty apartment which obviously looks like a child shouldn't live here." Tony squeezed his friends shoulder in an attempt to calm and reassure him. Bruce took a couple shaky breaths before continuing. "He's too pale and too thin Tony, even for him."

"What's he supposed to weigh?" Bucky asked, voice quivering despite his best attempts to control it. He knew Peter's metabolism was insanely fast; seven times faster than the average human male to be exact. The kid was and would always be very thin, his body type and powers guaranteed that. But this was pushing it even for him, he looked like a walking skeleton.

"He's five foot eight, but with his enhanced metabolism and lighter bone density being a part of his powers the mid to high nineties is Peter's average weight range. Sometimes a little higher if he eats what he's supposed to."

"There's nothing here to eat," Rhodey chimed in and gestured with his thumb towards the old clunky refrigerator, "unless you count alcohol." He huffed angrily. "The poor thing could barely hold himself upright. Yet he's going to school, on patrols, missions and has a job apparently. A job that's under the table… meaning illegal."

"And why the hell does he even have a job, which requires him to walk five blocks alone, at night?" Clint spat. "He's fifteen!"

"There's a possibility May isn't taking in enough of an income to support the two." Tony mused, "I talked to Peter numerous times about paying him; since he's a genius in the lab and is an avenger. I noticed a long time ago that his clothes were worn and not to mention way two big. But he always, very adamantly, said no. That money was sometimes a problem but they got by." He sighed, rubbing his forehead tiredly. "That never stopped me from worrying, or slipping May a couple hundred dollars a month."

"We're all worried." Steve agreed, hesitating slightly before continuing. "But upon being in the Parker's apartment... and getting a bit of information from Peter I… I'm wondering if there's more going on."

Tony's head shot up. Fear briefly crossed his face before he schooled his features into the usual calm and collected facade he was known for. "What-What do you mean? I know he gets bullied but he ha-"

"That's not what I mean Tony." He rubbed his chin as if in deep thought. "We always knew May and Peter were a low class family. But his health and appearance seemed to change drastically a few months back."

"Right after May found out about Spider-Man's real identity." Natasha nodded to Steve before turning to her disgruntled friend, voice gentle. "He's changed Tony, and not just physically. He's even more jumpy now, he's perpetually exhausted and I've seen him flinch if someone's not within his line of sight or simply gets too close."

There was no surprise in his voice, no accusing tone. "Are you suggesting May's abusing Peter?"

Tony saw the signs, the changes, he knew them first-hand and was horrified to see them in Peter. The jumpiness, the decline in health all the way to the sad, scared look in his beautiful brown eyes. But saying that sentence out loud felt wrong. And not just because abuse itself is an awful thing; but because Peter of all people, didn't deserve it.

"I'm not suggesting it," Natasha snapped, "I know she is! No one else lives in this apartment but Peter and his aunt. The symptoms of physical abuse are obvious and with Peter's already low self-esteem having taken a nosedive, I wouldn't doubt verbal abuse either. Not that any abuse is easy to deal with, but words tend to hurt more than any hit." The group of heroes sat in silence for a few moments, taking in the reality of the situation.

Eventually, Tony broke the silence, his declaration irrefutable. "I'm staying here with the kid and figuring out this mess. I already had Pepper send over some adoption papers, but if Peter's being abu- mistreated then this'll speed up the process. And I won't take no for an answer."

"We'll rotate," Steve gestured with his hand around the group, "a few of us will drop by to check in periodically." He locked eyes with his friend, a soft smile tugging the corners of his mouth upwards. "We love the kid and we'll help in anyway we can."

Tony couldn't help return the smile. "Thanks cap."

Clint lightly smacked Tony's arm, taking the moment to lift the mood and joke around. "You're a great dad Tony."

…..

It was decided that Tony, Bruce and Scott would stay while the others went back to the tower. Tony gave the two super soldiers a thousand dollars and sent them off to get groceries with strict instructions of getting a mix of healthy and heavily caloric foods. Once the two left, the three men turned the tv on low and attempted to relax, the stress of the day catching up to them.

"How's it going… between you and Pepper I mean?" Bruce sunk into the chair beside the billionaire. "You seem happier, less stressed."

"Yeah, I really am." He thought back to the conversation with his CEO. After years of being off and on, arguing then getting along, he'd decided to just end it permanently, and Pepper had readily agreed. Keeping their relationship professional had left a positive impact on Stark Industries, Pepper and his personal life. There was less drama and he no longer felt pressured to be someone he wasn't. It opened his schedule, allowing him to dedicate more time to his team and Peter, his family. He cared for Pepper dearly but the change was welcomed and having more time with the genius vigilante he considered his son was well worth it.

Peter woke up at six twenty, ten minutes before his alarm was set to go off. He reset his alarm then pulled the covers back over himself, not ready to pull his aching body from his warm bed. "Wait?" He was so confused. "I'm… not cold?"

It felt weird, not shivering for the first time in months. Once October rolled around and the temperature began to steadily drop, his spider DNA began to screw him over. Like most spiders, he found he was unable to thermoregulate. Even with two or three shirts, a sweatshirt and a jacket or blanket on top he still shivered.

May had also cut the heat back because money was tight, giving him no reprieve from the frigid winter months. The constant shivering left him fatigued and worn out.

Stress and malnutrition wasn't helping either. Not even one day after May began restricting his food did his weight start to drop, very quickly too. His enhanced metabolism was eating him from the inside out. His reflexes were dulled and his healing factor was suffering. The stab wound on his side from yesterday afternoon was proof of that. Still scabbed over and tender.

Huffing a sigh the young hero willed his thoughts to settle and his mind to clear so he could catch a few more minutes of shuteye.