Chapter 21: Truths and All the Tears That Are Cried

Pepper continued to explain the other things the teams could do for each other. She spoke of business deals, exchanges of science and other discoveries. Somehow everyone stayed quiet. Tony grinned, Pepper had a way that made everyone listen especially those with egos like his. It was how she managed all those corporate business men every day and now all these heroes.

"I'd like to start some discussions to show how this could work but it's been a while and I think we're all rather hungry. There's some food waiting for us outside in the lounge. Help yourselves."

Everyone filed out but as Peter stood up he met Nick Fury's one eye. The spy nodded and stayed back. Peter waited until everyone was by the door and walked over. By the door Tony frowned excusing himself from his conversation with Strange. He trusted the ex-director of SHIELD more than he used too but not enough to leave Peter alone for a conversation with him.

The other original Avengers, Bruce, Clint, Natasha and Bruce exchanged glances. Steve nodded at the other three and turned to Coulson. "If you don't mind maybe we could talk with your team a little more? I know Bruce has been eager to share more with your scientists even before those formal discussions start. I'd like to talk to you a bit more as well."

Coulson nodded completely sure of what Steve was really doing. He wanted another spy there. A team which would detect Fury's lies. He, Clint, Natasha and May could probably do that better than anyone. As for the rest of his team, it would look weird if Tony, Clint, Natasha and Bruce were just standing around and not talking to anyone. Daisy, May and Fitzsimmons stayed back as Yo-Yo and Mack left the room continuing their conversation with Luke Cage. Fury obviously knew what was going on too but didn't make a move besides one sideways glance at Coulson and Steve before turning to Peter who approached him.

"What can I help you with kid?"

"Did Mr. Stark tell you who I was?" Peter demanded.

"No. I've been keeping track of you for a while."

"You have?" Peter's surprise look quickly turned into a frown. "How long? What do you know?"

"Everything. We've known about you since the day I was born."

"I wasn't born with my powers. Why on earth would you have been watching me?"

"Your parents."

"You knew them?" Peter gaped in realization. "How?"

"Richard and Mary Parker were both amazing in their own right. Your father was one of the best scientists in the world. He did a few projects for SHIELD but declined to work for us full time."

"Your father was Richard Parker?" Bruce asked stopping his conversation with Tony and FitzSimmons. "Tony didn't tell me that."

"There were other things to talk about at the time," Tony replied though it was obvious at this point no one was listening.

Simmons' eyes widened and she looked at Peter with a pleasant look. "His research is brilliant! Are you interested in bioengineering and chemistry like him?"

Peter nodded shyly and turned back to Bruce. "Why do you ask?"

"He worked with me on the super soldier project that Ross was running. Quit a few months after I joined because he said that travelling back and forth when you and your mother were in New York was too hard. He seemed quite proud of you." Bruce tried not to look at the soft smile on Peter's face obviously sad with memories and turned to Fury.

"That wasn't the only reason he quit was it?"

Bruce's question brought a dark look on Fury's face. "No. He knew what SHIELD did. Mary was an agent."

"My mom was a spy?"

"She was more like Coulson than Romanoff or May. A field agent, not a specialist. Everyone loved Mary."

"She was one of the agents that was always nice to Clint and I no matter what."

"Tash never had to threaten her once either," Clint agreed.

"She was a good agent. A good person," Coulson nodded.

Peter nodded thankfully before meeting Fury's eye. "You said my father told you about the project?"

"He brought the real goals to our attention, super soldiers and everything. He and Mary were going to talk to some informants in Europe."

Peter turned pale. Tony unconsciously moved closer and Bruce gasped. "I'd heard about it. The plane crash."

"It wasn't an accident," Peter said with startling certainty though his voice cracked.

"No," Fury agred. "Though we could never prove it or put the people responsible away."

"You've known about this the whole time? About them? Me?" Peter asked before turning from Fury to Tony.

Tony opened his mouth but Fury held up a hand. "We always kept an eye on you kid. With parents like yours we couldn't be sure who else might be watching you. Our monitoring got sharper after the events of the Stark Expo."

"You were there?" Daisy asked.

Peter nodded.

"Are you kidding?" Tony asked slinging an arm around Peter's shoulder proudly. "The kid tried to stop one of the drones in a costume because the programming was stupid enough to mistake him for me. Luckily I was able to come and save him."

"That was five or six years ago. You must have been nine, ten maybe?" Bruce asked shocked.

"Yeah."

"Which is why he was on our watchlist. That and all the awards you were winning. I still had eyes on you after SHIELD fell. Lucky too. Got that spider bite a little over a year later."

"Your powers were caused by a spider bite?" Fitz asked. "How does that work?"

"I suppose with certain—"

"I was on a field trip to a lab," Peter replied before Simmons could finish her theory. Instead she asked if she could look at his DNA.

"Later. He'll be with us in the meeting of scientists," Tony said. "I need a moment with Peter here. You all go eat before Pepper decides we've had enough time in here even if we never went out there."

Everyone left except the other Avengers. Bruce looked queasy but left a second after the SHIELD team. Clint and Natasha followed after giving Peter and Tony looks and exchanging their own. Steve lingered for another moment taking a step forward until Tony shook his head. The super soldier sighed and took one last worried look at Peter before leaving.

Tony put his arms around Peter who was taking blubbering gasps of breath. "Breath kid. Let it out."

Peter leaned into Tony's shoulder as the billionaire rubbed his back. They stayed that way until Pepper opened the door to get them telling them everyone else was already in the next rooms.

AN: I don't think Peter was so shocked. Or at least it hasn't set in. He'll have a good talk with Tony later. Both know what it's like to suddenly find out their parents were murdered. But for right now he'll be fine to take part in the rest of this meeting.