Peter opened his eyes, but the glint of the fluorescent lights made him close them again. Where the hell am I? he thought, confused. The last thing he remembered was Kraven standing above him, ready to kill him. He didn't understand how he was still alive. Maybe I'm still in the cell and I dreamed everything. He touched his side, just to make sure what he had lived was real and not product of some horrible and extremely vivid nightmare. He had to bite his lip until he felt blood to avoid screaming. OK, it wasn't a dream. He sat up slowly though his side hurt like hell anyway no matter how careful he was, and looked around. It looked like a hospital room, which made no sense. Peter tried to find a logical explanation about how he had ended up there, but couldn't think of anything. You know what? I don't care. I'm getting out of here he thought. He had to find Gwen and his aunt and let them know he was fine. He was sure they were worried sick about him and he hated making them suffer because of him.
There was a small window beside the bed. He opened it and looked down. It was a high building but he had his web-shooters...
Blame the dizziness or the confusion but he didn't realize he was bare chested and without mask until that moment. Whoever had brought him knew his identity. He knows my face but not my name. I have to get out of here before he or she decides to ask questions. He looked around and saw a white t-shirt laid on a chair, but no sign of his suit. He sighed, and put the t-shirt on. He would have to climb down the building and pray no one would look up and see the wall-crawler teenager.
The Avengers were in the living room having breakfast. After the previous stressful day, they had been exhausted and the last thing they had wanted had been talking about HAMMER. They had decided to put aside the matter until they'd had some rest. The only break had been the shifts they had made to be sure Peter was fine, but he had been unconscious since the disastrous fight at Oscorp and didn't look like he was going to wake up any time soon.
But they couldn't keep avoiding the problem eternally, so there they were, trying to make a plan to defeat Osborn, or at least, improve their actual situation.
"He has more resources than us" Natasha said. "Besides the four freaks, he has the soldiers that belong to HAMMER"
"Yeah, I wonder how he got them" Tony replied.
"It's obvious HYDRA has helped Osborn since the beginning" Steve said, ignoring Tony's sarcasm. "If we take down HAMMER, we'll take down HYDRA too".
"How do we do that Spangles?" Tony asked while he chewed a piece of bread.
Steve glared at Tony. He knew the sarcasm was the billionaire's way of confronting difficult situations, but he really hated it when Tony called him Spangles.
"We need to contact Fury" Clint interrupted. "He has enough men to help us".
"Or not" Tony said. "For all we now, the agents of SHIELD have decided not to sink with the captain".
"The agents of SHIELD are not like that" Clint said. "They're not going to abandon Fury".
"But Fury has abandoned us! He could have helped us at Oscorp. He could even have helped me get out of that cell, but he didn't. And look what happened" he said, pointing at the room where Peter was resting.
"I never thought Spider-Man would be so young" Steve said. "I mean, how did he get his powers? Because of an experiment too?
"No idea" Tony answered. "He didn't tell me anything when I talked to him. We would have known by now if you had let me use the computer".
"We've already talked about it" Natasha said rolling her eyes. "He'll tell us what he wants to and we can't invade his privacy".
Tony was about to open his mouth to explain how privacy was overrated (he would have told Natasha that she wasn't the most adequate person to talk about privacy but he appreciated his life too much) when Jarvis' voice sounded.
"I'm sorry to interrupt this nice conversation" the AI said with a very ironic tone. "but it appears your guest is awake and trying to leave through the window".
"I'll go" Tony said standing up.
He walked towards the room and opened the door. Then, he yelled to Peter who had already a foot out of the window:
"Don't even think about it or I'll drag your ass back here even if I have to chase you through the city".
The teenager looked at him, with an expression of complete surprise. He tried to say something smart but all he managed to come up with was:
"Shit".
"Well, I hoped a "thanks for saving my life" but that's good too".
Before he could stop himself, Peter said:
"Excuse me if I'm not in a good mood. I don't like waking up in an unknown place with a stab wound".
"You're in my tower. Does that make you feel any better?"
"Not especially".
Tony groaned. Thirty seconds and he already wanted to strangle him, but he knew he had to be patient. The kid had woken up after almost dying and he must feel like crap. Tony would be even in a worse mood in his situation.
"Are you gonna get off that window?" he asked.
Reluctantly, Peter got off the window and closed it. Then, he swayed slightly, but Tony grabbed him by the arm before he could fall to the ground.
"You're okay?"
"Yeah. Just a little dizzy".
"It's normal, you lost a lot of blood. You should eat something".
Petee wanted nothing more than to get out of the tower, but it would be impossible if he passed out as soon as he walked two steps so he shrugged, and said:
"Maybe".
"Great" Tony said grinning. "Because we're having breakfast in the kitchen".
Peter took a deep breath. He didn't want to face all of the Avengers. As Spider-Man he would step in confidently, but as Peter Parker... He really didn't know what to say. The Avengers kept eating without looking at him because they didn't want to startle him even though they were dying to ask him questions. Peter sat with a groan (damned stab) and took a piece of bread. Thinking the silence was very awkward, he decided to ask:
"Does everyone knows that...?"
"Yes" they answered in unison.
"OK" Peter said, sighing. "Since there is no use in denying it, can I ask where my suit is?"
"That torn thing is useless" Tony said waving a hand.
"Please tell me you didn't throw it away". If Tony had destroyed his only suit, he'd kill him.
"I was tempted, but I didn't. I'm washing it, though. Blood stains are tricky to remove".
The rest of the Avengers glared at him and Natasha elbowed him.
"Ouch!" Tony said. "You have to stop doing that".
"I'll stop when you stop being a jerk".
That earned some laughs from the team, and even Peter smiled.
"You're all against me" Tony pouted.
"And my web-shooters?"
"On the table. I always thought that web of yours was organic".
"I stole the components from Oscorp to make it".
"That's why Osborn hates you so much?" Clint asked.
"Among other things".
He really didn't want to talk about the guy that had tried to kill him three times at that moment, the team saw that clearly so they didn't push.
"So you're really Dr. Barrimore's assistant or that was a lie to see the weapon closer?" Bruce asked.
The others didn't understand the question so the scientist explained:
"We've met before".
"You should have told us before, Bruce" Tony said. "Keeping information is against the rules".
Peter chuckled and then grimaced when the pain in his side flared.
"I really am Dr. Barrimore's assistant, but taking into account that I don't know how many times I haven't appeared in the laboratory these last weeks, I think I'm fired".
"This is so great!" Tony shouted.
"Since when being fired it's great?"
"I knew you were smart when I saw your web-shooters, but you also like science! Finally I have a science buddy besides Bruce".
"Tony, what did we say about not overwhelming him?" Steve warned him.
"I'm not overwhelming him. I'm offering him a job!"
Peter didn't know how to take that. Tony was his hero (though he would never tell him that, his ego was big enough already). Not because he was Iron-Man, but because he was a genius. He had always admired his technology and working with him would be his dream job. Then, Tony's cell phone rang and he picked it up.
"Hi, Pepper? Is something wrong?" Tony listened for a few moments. Then, he grinned and said. "Of course. Let her in".
"Tony this is a secret room" Natasha said. "You can't let in whoever you want to".
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing".
"Usually, when you say that it means the contrary".
The doors of the elevator opened and Peter's heart almost stopped because of the surprise.
"Gwen?"
"Thank God you're fine" Gwen said, running towards him and hugging him.
Peter grimaced because of the pain in his side, but he didn't care. He'd endure thousands of pains like that to be with Gwen. The girl let him go, and then slapped him in the face. Peter stood there, with a hand over his reddened cheek without understanding.
"Next time I tell you, sneaking into Oscorp is a bad idea, listen to me" she said angrily. "And don't throw me out of the building again while you stay there fighting against an armed psycho! I thought you were dead when I heard the explosion".
By that time, Gwen was crying, the sudden anger already forgotten. Peter cupped her face with his hands, and told her:
"Gwen, I'm sorry. I promise I won't do it anymore".
"Don't make me promises, please".
Peter chuckled "OK, I won't make promises".
Gwen smiled and wiped away her tears. Then, Peter remembered they weren't alone and blushed slightly when he saw the Avengers looking at them with amused expressions on her faces.
"You could have given us some privacy, you know?" Peter said, annoyed.
"There's no privacy in this tower, you better get used to it" Clint said.
Peter sighed. Of course it wasn't.
"Guys, this is Gwen Stacy, my girlfriend".
"We already figured that out" Natasha said.
"You don't know how much I wanted to meet you" Tony said offering his hand which Gwen shook. "I knew you were a temperamental girl when you talked to me on the phone".
"Yes, and you should be more accessible, Mr. Stark. Your security guards kicked me out twice".
Nope, definitely Gwen doesn't have my shyness problems he thought. Tony, for his part, laughed and said:
"Call me Tony please. Do you want a toast?"
"Yeah, thanks" she said, sitting on one of the chairs, as if eating with the Avengers was the most common thing in the world. "Peter, you have to call your aunt. She called me to ask where you were and I told her you were staying with me because you had fallen asleep while doing homework together".
"Oh, no! I had forgotten it completely!"
Gwen gave him a dissaproving look and handed him her phone. He called his aunt and, after apologizing a thousand times for spending the night at Gwen's house without telling her, he hung up. He sighed. Lastly, he lied to his aunt a lot and, even though he knew it was to protect her, he couldn't help but feel guilty.
"You're okay?" Steve asked.
"I'm fine" another lie.
"Do you live with your aunt?" Bruce asked.
"Yeah, in Queens".
"A lot of people have seen Spider-Man there" Clint said. "Just saying".
"And your parents?" Steve asked.
"They died in a plain crash".
"I'm sorry" Steve said, kicking himself mentally for mentioning it. And I'm always saying Tony is the one who screws it up when he talks. Peter shrugged and said:
"It happened when I was a child. I barely remember them".
Gwen grabbed Peter's hand under the table. She knew how much his parents' death affected him, though he tried to hide it. Suddenly, the pain in his side, that had been dull until that moment, increased and Peter groaned, putting his hand over his wound. He took a deep breath, it was as if Kraven was stabbing him again.
"Peter, what's wrong?" Gwen asked, worried.
"Kraven stabbed me" Peter answered, his voice strained because of the pain.
Gwen was paralyzed for a moment and then shouted:
"I'm going to kill him! Why didn't you tell me anything?"
"I didn't want to worry you. I'm fine".
"You don't look fine".
"Ms. Stacy, the pain is normal during the first days. With Peter's healing factor the wound should be cured by tomorrow" Bruce assured her.
"I can't thank you enough for saving him" Gwen said.
Peter blushed slightly. He had never thought his girlfriend would have that kind of talk with the Avengers.
"It was the least we could do, we couldn't let him die" Steve said. "Besides, we're Avengers and we protect our own".
"But I'm not an Avenger" Peter replied.
"You could be, if you wanted to" Steve said.
"No, he can't" Tony said quickly.
Steve looked at the billionaire, without understanding and Peter could help, but feel betrayed by Tony's words. The teenager thought Tony liked him. Obviously, I was wrong.
"You were his main defender when this started, Tony" Natasha said.
"He's too young" Tony said. "He's not even 18. He should be going to the high school, not fighting criminals by night".
"As a matter of fact, I go to the high school".
"I don't care, I think you should wait until you're older and more mature before making a choice so important. You're risking your life when you haven't even started it".
"Probably it will be the first and last time I say this, but I'm with Tony" Clint said. "The fact that you have powers doesn't mean you're forced to do this. You need to find reasons and motivation to keep doing what you do".
"I already have reasons and motivation" Peter replied. "I didn't become Spider-Man because I thought swinging through the city and beating up criminals was fun, or because I was trying to be like some hero of my childhood".
Then, he took a deep breath and told them everything about the death of his uncle. Gwen was holding his hand again, and Peter really appreciated it. He didn't know if he would be able to tell the story if she weren't with him.
"So that's my motivation. I don't want people to go through the same I had to suffer when I lost my uncle though it was my fault".
"Did you shoot him?" Steve asked.
Peter was a little taken aback by the question, and he answered confused:
"No, I didn't".
"It's not your fault, then. You were just a kid who has just gotten his powers and you had no idea what that thief would do. You're not responsible for his actions".
Peter gave him a sad smile. Steve's words helped him ease his guilt a little. It would never go away completely, but it was nice to hear those words said by Captain America.
Tony sighed. He had expected Peter to be a kid who didn't know what he was doing. Maybe it would be easier to convince him to quit like that. But no. He had to be the most mature teenager he had ever known. The kid had gone through a lot of crap. Things a person so young shouldn't experience, and he admired the fact that, instead of ruining his life, Peter had decided to use his powers to make the city a better place. But he's so goddamn young he thought. If he keeps doing this, he will end up dead before he's even twenty. Young, and stubborn too. I think it would be easier to convince a bird to stop flying than convince him to quit.
Before the argument could go on, Tony's phone rang. He picked it up and said:
"Hi again, Pepper! What? But, you're OK? Yeah, I'll do it, don't worry".
He hung up, and said to the team:
"HAMMER is turning this tower upside down. Pepper is keeping them from going to this floor for the moment, but we don't have much time".
"But I thought this floor was hidden" Bruce said.
"Yes, but HAMMER could find it. This place is not safe anymore".
"Any suggestions?" Clint asked.
All of them shook their heads. They couldn't even ask Fury for help because none of them knew where he was, and it's not as if they would go unnoticed in a hotel.
Suddenly, Peter had an idea. How didn't I think of it sooner? He grinned and said:
"I know a perfect place".
A/N: So here's the chapter, I was pretty nervous about it because it's the first conversation between the Avengers and Peter now that they know his identity, and I rewrote it a lot of times. I intended to make Fury appear in this chapter (I actually wrote the whole scene), but the chapter was too long like that, so I've left that part for the next chapter. You'll have to wait a little Batman111893 .
I have more than 100 follows! I'm so happy right now! You're so awesome! Thank you for your reviews (I laughed a lot with Nerdyicesk8er because the chapter is a little like that) and if you've liked it, leave another one!