Hello friends. I hope you like fluff and tooth-rotting sweetness. If you do, then this chapter is for you. No warnings here other than you may need to eat some vegetables to counteract the sweetness. Also, this is a bit more of a Peter-centric chapter. It's always fun to check in with the next generation of heroes. They deserve all the loves. Happy reading!

Time continued on and life with it. Peter started working on his master's degree and was now working as a fully fledged Avenger. In the past, Peter would have continued to keep his identity as Spider-Man a secret. But life was different now. He didn't have to worry about exposing his family if he came out as a hero. They were already in that situation. So, the week after Peter's 20th birthday and his announcement of becoming an Avenger, Peter called for a press conference.

At first, nobody really thought anything about it. Peter was a Stark. Well, not by blood, but family is so much more than blood. The press just thought it was called because Peter was a Stark and they knew that eventually, he'd hold a prominent place at Stark Industries.

Oh, how wrong they were. Well, they weren't wrong about Peter holding a place at SI. The young man was starting to learn the rope of what it took to work in RnD. But no, that wasn't the reason. Peter was a Stark, and Starks were known for causing a scene. So, with Peter dressed in his nicest suit, and with Ned and MJ lurking off to the side, Peter took to the stage with the biggest shit-eating grin he had.

"Hello everybody. Now, I'm sure you're all curious as to why I've called this conference. Like, I don't currently hold a prominent position at SI, and I'm still at school. So why would I call a conference? Well, I'm a Stark. Maybe not by blood, but I've learned from the best what it takes." Peter was starting to feel a bit antsy as the atmosphere in the room changed. Ned gave him a thumbs up before he continued.

"Now, I'm sure that you all recall the Avengers press conference held a week ago when they introduced their newest member, Spider-Man. He didn't give you much information did he? Hell, none of you guys even know what he looks like under the suit. So, I've decided to take a page out of my Dad's book and just cause the world to go insane." The room was absolutely silent and Peter took that as his cue. With a smile over to Ned and MJ, Peter proceeded to turn the world upside-down.

"The truth is, I am Spider-Man."

As predicted, the room exploded into chaos as reporters tried to ask their questions. Peter just smiled and answered what he could. The biggest one was a really stupid reporter asking if Tony had forced him into it. Peter responded with snarky laughter. He told that reporter that he had been Spider-Man well before he'd been adopted and that Tony and the rest of the Avengers had given Peter everything he needed to stay safe and to succeed as a hero and as a person with his own dreams and ambitions. All in all, it was one of the more controlled press conferences ever held by a Stark.

When Peter returned home to the compound that night, Tony and Steve were still laughing about the press conference. Tony was proud that Peter had taken a page out of his book on how to cause a scene with the press. Steve, Rhodey, and Pepper on the other hand… Well, they just rolled with it. Turns out that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. They could only hope that Carter and Ana-Maria didn't grow up to annoy the press further. Although they all knew that that was just a dream.

MTHS

Two years had passed since Peter had outed himself as Spider-Man, and life at the compound had changed. First of all, Hope and Scott had gotten married in a beautiful ceremony. Cassie had been the flower girl and had been over the moon excited about her role. Hope had looked stunning in her dress. It was a white A-line with a lace bodice. She carried a bouquet of yellow roses and Scott had cried when he saw her.

Only a few months after their wedding, Hope had announced that she was pregnant. Turns out that condoms were something that they forgot to pack for their honeymoon. Either way, everyone was excited about the new baby. Ana-Maria was especially excited once she finally understood what was going on.

7 months after the announcement, the team welcomed Christopher Henry Lang to the family.

In other news, Ana-Maria had started to find her way in the world. At 4- and-a-half she was very energetic and outspoken. Everyone loved her and her spunky attitude. She didn't let the fact that she was blue and looked different than everybody else bother her. She knew she was special and used that to her advantage. It was hard to resist when she turned on the puppy dog eyes. So, when she decided that she wanted her nickname to be Annie, everyone just rolled with it. Ana-Maria was a bit of a mouthful for a little kid anyway.

Carter continued to excel in school and was doing well at his new middle school. He was showing an aptitude for robotics just like his dad. Where Peter excelled in the more biological side of things such as bioengineering, Carter was more hands-on and liked building. Peter and Carter were already working together to make a whole new line of prosthetics once Carter was old enough to work for SI. Tony didn't want him working before he was 16. He wanted his kids to have an actual childhood unlike his own. That being said, Tony was fully on board with his kids inventing and being creative. He encouraged it. But, he still made sure that it was always their decision and not out of some mislead thought on trying to live up to the Stark name. Tony was not Howard, and he was proud of that fact.

A few months later, Peter decided that it was once again time to shake things up at the compound. Things had been pretty calm as of late and it was high time there was a party.

So, on February 8th, 2023, Peter took MJ out to their favourite little restaurant in Queens. It was a small Italian joint near Peter's old apartment. At least once a week Peter went their with Ned and MJ to just talk. They were all working for SI but their jobs didn't have a whole lot of overlap. While Peter worked in RnD, Ned worked in assembly while MJ was shadowing Pepper Potts. MJ was turning out to be fantastic at all the CEO stuff and taking care of the media.

But back to dinner. Peter took MJ out that night because he had plans. Big plans. Hiding in Peter's pocket was a ring. It was a simple silver band with a 3 diamond inlay. It was the ring he was planning to propose with. Surprisingly, Peter wasn't nervous. He had gotten some helpful tips from Steve and Clint before he left and he felt confident that MJ would say yes.

Once they were all seated they ordered their favourites and talked about their day. MJ had been learning what it was like to work with the board of directors while Peter had been training with the team all day. Steve had them running endurance drills that left even Bucky complaining. Although, it was kind of funny to listen to all the ridiculous names Bucky came up with to insult Steve.

The two spent the evening laughing and making stupid jokes. They hadn't really grown up much in terms of humour since high school. It didn't help that their friend Shuri was an instigator when it came to stupid humour. When it was time for dessert, Peter ordered them some cannoli's and tiramisu to share. About halfway through, Peter smiled at his girlfriend, got down on one knee, and opened up the black velvet ring box.

"Michelle, you've been one of my closest friends since high school. You've been there to support me through some of the most emotional moments in my life. You've been there through late night, coffee-fueled study binges and through starting our careers. I want to be there with you for so many more moments where we're together. So, Michelle Jones, will you marry me?" Peter looked up with expectant eyes. MJ on the other hand just let out a little snort.

"Of course I'll marry you, you idiot. Who else you help you keep life under control." She smiled and Peter almost cried as he slid the engagement ring onto her finger. Peter was always the more emotional of the two.

When they got back home to the compound that night they were met with congratulations from the whole team and the kids. Tony couldn't stop teasing his eldest son but it was all with love. Tony just couldn't really reconcile with the fact that Peter, the same kid who still got excited over new Lego sets, was all grown up and getting married.

MJ and Shuri went a little bit crazy in planning the wedding. By their wedding date, August 24th, everything was ready to go and it looked insane. It was a small affair. Just the Avengers, their families, Shuri, T'Challa, and MJ's family. It was a beautiful ceremony with the hall decorated in reds and blues with gold accents. Annie, who was now five, was their flower girl. She looked so cute in her creamy blue dress and braided blonde hair. Carter, who had just turned 11 the month before, was the ring bearer. Ned was Peter's best man while Shuri was MJ's. Everyone cried at some point, especially Tony, Steve, and MJ's father.

The reception was just as big of a party as expected. There was good music, dancing, and plenty of games for the younger kids. Tony took the time to pass on some helpful words of advice to his son who just gave him a hug in response and told him not to worry.

"Pete, you're my kid. I'm always going to worry about you."

When Peter and MJ left to go on their honeymoon, Tony and Steve took a moment to reflect on their own marriage. Sure, it wasn't perfect. They'd been through all sorts of ups and downs. But at the end of the day, they still loved each other with all their heart. Tony hoped that Peter and MJ would be the same.

So, did y'all like this happy little chapter. I thought it was cute. The world needs more love so I decided to give it some. So many happy things. Well, I don't have too much to say about this chapter. It was cute with a bit of humour. The kids are growing up and Tony is not ready for that. Well, that's about it. I'll see you next chapter! -Shadows