Chapter 63 - You Win Some, You Lose Some

He was itching for his phone, just to have something that could give him some more information on what was happening out there. He had no illusions that he'd learn anything about how his aunt was doing or where Mr. Stark was of course. If he had really gone to see her. If he had talked to her. If she was okay.

But at least it would give him some form of distraction. Lying in that bed, just waiting for things to unfold, waiting for the man to come back and clinging to the hope that he would talk to him, tell him what had happened when he did return, all of it was just exhausting

The Colonel, Rhodey, he was still right there with him. As awkward as it had been at first, Peter couldn't deny that he welcomed the company. They didn't talk all that much, but when Pepper had come in with a light breakfast, the Colonel had retrieved some playing cards from somewhere in the penthouse. Peter was sitting up, feeling better with some actual food in his stomach and he couldn't deny that his spirits were up somewhat after he had convinced Rhodey to change from Go Fish to Texas Hold'em. The man's face fell a little more with every round just like the pile of quarters on Peter's side of the bedside table grew.

It was a distraction alright, but not enough for him to miss the vibe in the penthouse change. Just before noon, he was back. Peter could just tell, that Mr. Stark was back. It drew his attention enough that Rhodey won back a couple of quarters off him and they were on the fifth card of the next round as the door to Peter's room was pushed open.

It was Mr. Stark alright. He looked like he hadn't slept in a week which he likely hadn't, but there was no urgency to his steps, no detectable flutter in his heartbeat.

"Hey..." A few long strides and he was by Peter's side, his hands were warm as one of them squeezed Peter's arm and the palm of the other against his forehead, feeling his temperature. "Hey, you're up. How do you feel?"

"Did you see her?" Peter could hardly hold onto himself, cards forgotten in his lap. The need to know that she was okay or... or would be, it was too strong to push down for even another moment. "Is she gonna be okay? Did she... did she—"

"Shh, alright now, calm down." The man squeezed his shoulder and gestured to the row of cards spread out on Peter's bed. "Go on, finish your hand."

Peter huffed. "Fine." He picked up the three little towers of stacked up quarters and dropped them onto his bed. "There, all in."

Rhodey's eyebrows shot up and after a quick look at Mr. Stark and then at the five quarters still stacked up on the table next to him, he pulled out his wallet and added a few more dollar bills. "I guess, I'll call then."

"Cool." Peter dropped his two cards onto the bed facing up. "Flush, King of Spades High Card." He turned back to Mr. Stark. "Is she okay?"

"You gotta be fucking kidding me." Rhodey threw his two Aces in the middle of the pile.

"Aw, Three Of A Kind isn't all that bad. Nice try, Platypus!"

Peter wouldn't take his eyes off the man next to him though, searching for his attention. "Mr. Stark, please..."

"Shh, just settle down, buddy." Mr. Stark collected the coins and dollar notes from the bed and moved them back to Peter's bedside table. "I can't believe you let the kid talk you into Poker. It's like you learned nothing from college, honeybear."

Rhodey had leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "I even thought about letting him win. Should have known better, of course with your kid." He shook his head, just watching as Mr. Stark collected the many quarters from between the folds of Peter's sheet.

"The kid was the one who calibrated your braces, genius. You think Poker would be hard on him?"

Heat rushed into Peter's cheeks and he looked away when Rhodey's eyes shifted up to him. "Is that true?"

Peter shrugged. "I... I just helped a bit."

"Every screw is calibrated by hand and believe me, my hands don't bend that way anymore. When's the last time Helen was here?" Setting the cards next to the coins, Mr. Stark nudged Peter a bit. "Scooch over a bit, kid."

"Please, Mr. Stark—"

"The sooner you tell me, the sooner we can get to everything else."

Peter groaned but moved over a bit until there was enough room for Mr. Stark to sit down next to him. "Couple hours ago," he mumbled, eyes cast down.

"Alright, what did she say?"

It seemed clear that the question wasn't really addressed to him and he didn't even look up as Rhodey cleared his throat. "Pain's still there. She gave him another shot of the sedative, only half a dose though. Vitals look good. Nutrition levels have picked up."

Mr. Stark's hand ran through his hair until Peter looked up at him. "Did you eat?

"Pepper... Pepper made breakfast."

"Beacon and eggs?"

"Toast and fruit."

Mr. Stark screwed up his face. "Well, you missed out. Maybe you'll be luckier for lunch."

"Mr. Stark—"

"In a minute, buddy." He turned back to Rhodey. "What's her prognosis."

The man sat up a little straighter. "Couple more days of rest. She'll be back to look at his arm in a bit. Maybe tomorrow a trip to the Compound to let the Cradle do its job on it. When he's a bit stronger."

"Alright, that..." Mr. Stark sighed and pulled Peter a little closer. "We'll get you there, kid."

Rhodey's eyes were on him and he couldn't help but duck closer to Mr. Stark, hiding his face.

"Could you give us a few minutes, Platypus?"

Rhodey grimaced but nodded. The soft sounds of the braces followed him as he made his way out of the room, only second to the loud thumping of Peter's heart. Or so it seemed to him. Even before the door closed behind the Colonel, Peter reached for the fabric of Mr. Stark's dress shirt, doing his best to ignore the low throbbing of that bullet wound on his arm.

"Mr. Stark..."

"Shh, just..." The man blew out a long deep breath, only pulling Peter closer. "Just give me a moment, bud. Just... just..."

Both his arms were wrapped around Peter now, his cheek resting on Peter's hair. Peter clung to him, fearing the worst, his eyes stung with uncertainty. The man was nervous, it was easy enough to tell, his heart strong and loud in Peter's ears but the rhythm not as steady as it had been before. Not as confident as it had been when they had been there before, right in that room after what had happened in Lagos, when Peter had skipped school and fled to the Tower, had craved security and found it right there with his mentor.

Only weeks ago but what now felt like another lifetime. Like someone else's life.

"Please, did you... did you see her?"

Mr. Stark swallowed hard. "I did, buddy."

"Is... Is she—" Peter bit his lip. She wasn't alright. He knew that she wasn't for he couldn't get the last memories from their apartment out of his mind. The way she lay in his arms, unmoving, unconscious. How he had left her there.

"She's recovering. Not... not at the rate you are, obviously. She... she'll need time to heal, but she will."

"Can you... can you just get her out? Please, Mr. Stark... please, help her, please. Doctor Cho, she can help her, just... just like she helps me."

"Pete, she's in police custody. I can't just—" The man blew out another deep breath, pulling in one just as deep. "I told her I'm sending my lawyers to help but—"

"You... you talked to her? You talked? What... what did she say? What did you say?"

The silence in the room was heavy, Peter could positively feel it pressing down on him. It wasn't a good sign. Mr. Stark being nervous, none of these were good signs.

"You... you told her? About me?"

Mr. Stark nodded, his teeth gritted. Peter's hand let go of the fabric of the man's shirt and covered his own face instead. He couldn't even imagine, didn't want to imagine what her reaction had been. He didn't want to know either, he just wanted her to be safe.

"Mr... Mr. Stark? Please... please help her."

The man shuffled next to him. "Buddy, look at me." His arms loosened around Peter, one hand tilting up his face. There was nowhere to hide and as self-conscious as Peter felt, tears in his eyes and all, he pulled himself together, looking up into the man's face.

"I am trying to help. I will explain if you let me."

Peter nodded before he was even finished talking.

"There are some things that will happen now. Things we can't control."

"But—"

Mr. Stark arched his eyebrows at him, giving Peter a look that shut him up right away.

"They will charge her, likely some time today. There is nothing we can do about that. They know enough to charge her now and there is more evidence out there that we can't hide. Evidence they will find and—"

"But... but Mr. Stark—"

"Kid, I'm not done." He waited a beat for Peter to stop fidgeting before he continued. "There's evidence, there are documents they will find. They will offer her a deal. It's not her they really want. Not her who Clarke is gunning for but they will take what they can get."

Peter's breathing was fast and shallow, his eyes stung. "It's me they want."

"Pete—"

"I... I'll go! I don't... not May, it's not fair. I'll go and they can... they can just—"

"You will do no such thing." Mr. Stark pulled him into his arms again, holding him tightly pressed to his chest. "They want to get to me, not you."

"No..." Peter shook his head, not holding back the tears any longer. "Clarke, he... he wants me, he knows. I know he knows and he won't stop—"

"Shh, calm down, buddy."

Peter pushed at his chest and felt the man shrink back with a grunt. "You know it's true! You saw him! He knows!"

"Hey, buddy, breathe. Peter, you—"

"Don't!"

His heart was racing. There had to be a way out. He couldn't let this happen, not to May. Not after everything he had already cost her. Mr. Stark's arms were wrapped around him so tightly, he couldn't seem to move all that far. He tried to wiggle away but the man held on, refused to give even an inch. With his powers sedated, there wasn't anything he could do about it and after a couple of minutes his breathing seemed to even out, his body giving up.

Mr. Stark swallowed hard, one hand moved from Peter's forearm up to his face. "You listening now, buddy?"

Peter nodded into his shirt, worried that his voice would break would he attempt to speak.

"What the Parker's did, your... your aunt and uncle, taking their own son's identity to give to you, moving you across state lines into New York—"

"I... I told you, I... I wanted to! I wanted to... to stay with them, I did, I swear I—"

"I know, buddy. I believe you, but legally that doesn't matter. You were a minor, you... you are a minor still but back then you were so young and impressionable they had you accept the name of—"

"They... they kept me safe, took... took care of me."

Mr. Stark sighed, his eyes cast down like Peter was too stupid to get it, too naive to understand but he just couldn't let it go. It wasn't fair! He could tell the court and they would have to listen! This wasn't justice.

The door to his room was pushed open again and he couldn't even look at Miss Potts as she rushed to the bed, her hand finding Peter's.

He needed to focus, needed to find a solution. "What... what's the worst that could happen?"

"Honey..." Pepper squeezed his hand, looking back and forth between the two of them. "This isn't the time."

"The very worst? Mr. Stark, please..." It was hard work to keep his voice somewhat measured and it didn't help that she had come in either so when he looked back up, he was searching only for Mr. Stark's eyes. "What could they do to her?"

He was still close but enough to his side that Peter had a clear view of his face, the way his lips were pressed together tightly. "Life. Worst case scenario. Plus... plus the identity theft charges which... which could be up to another 15."

"L—Life?" Mr. Stark's hand was in his hair, trying to soothe him, but failing. "Life in prison?"

"Worst case."

"That's not gonna happen," Pepper's voice was strong, determined.

"You don't know that, Pep."

"B—but, but no, that..." He couldn't even cry, his body shook to the core.

"They brought you across state lines, buddy, that makes this a federal crime." Mr. Stark's words came out low but clear and still Peter's brain seemed to reject the very idea of what he was suggesting. "Kidnapping of a minor by a non-related person."

Peter shook his head, fighting to keep his voice up. "No, but... but she's my aunt. She's my aunt! They... they can't! They can't do that!"

Mr. Stark's hands were both on his shoulders, squeezing them. "Not legally, she isn't."

"Tony..." Pepper's voice an almost inaudible warning.

Peter's eyes shot up at the man next to him, the shock that was paralyzing at first pushing his brain to work harder, faster. The man's face was stoic, apologetic in a way but set, unwavering.

Cold dread swept over him. "You... you want her in jail."

The man's mouth twitch, just for a split second he looked away but it was enough of a tell.

"You.. you want her locked away—"

"No, that's not—"

"You promised me!" Peter's hands were balled up in the man's shirt. "You said you would help! You promised you would—"

"And I am!" Mr. Stark grabbed his hands now, holding them close, not letting go.

"You're not! You just want her out of the way! You want her gone!"

Pepper stepped between them, one hand stretched out to push Mr. Stark back, off the bed, the other reaching for Peter. "Alright now, darling, calm down, that's not—"

"I'm not stupid!" His voice was hoarse, his vision swimming not just with tears but from the light-headed feeling that had his fingertips prickle. "I know what he's doing!" He leaned over to look at Mr. Stark directly. "I know what you're doing! I won't— You can't!"

"Shh, just breathe. I promise you, we are trying. Both of us." She didn't hold him down, but she held onto him firmly. "Tony, tell him."

"I did," Mr. Stark spat out. "I tried! I'm sending the most expensive lawyers you can buy in this city!"

"You're trying to throw her under the bus to keep them away from me! But I won't let you! You can't do that!"

Mr. Stark threw his arms into the air in resignation. He paced a few steps before he came to a stop, looking up again. "I'm not, but... you know what, I would!"

"Tony!"

"If throwing your aunt to the wolfs would keep you safe, I wouldn't even hesitate." His eyes were locked with Peter's, positively burning. "I don't care what you think of me, kid. If that's the price I have to pay for them not to get to you, I'll pay it every fucking day of the week."

"Tony, stop!" Pepper blocked him from Mr. Stark's view, her back turned to Peter.

"What? You want me to pretend that my top priority is to keep the woman who has been hiding away my son for almost a decade out of jail? As a thank you for keeping him from me?"

"Get out!" She stepped towards him and pushed his shoulders till he had turned to the door. "Get out and don't come back until your head's screwed on straight again!"

To Peter's surprise, the man didn't argue. He didn't even speak. He simply ripped the door open and a moment later, his steps were echoing down the hallway as he called for the elevator. Pepper's hands were back on Peter before he could really react to what had just happened. She ran her fingers through his hair then settled down next to him and just let him cry his eyes out.

#

The lab was dark and quiet. The windows were on lockdown, not a single ray of that August midday sun penetrated his walls. Nothing would penetrate his walls and when Rhodey asked for access to the lab he had a strong urge to refuse it.

"Tones..."

He shook his head.

"Tony, get a fucking grip."

"Shut up!" He didn't even look at him. "What the fuck do you want?"

"Well, there was a bit of a screaming match on the other floor so I went to check out where the fire was."

Tony shook his head again, not in the mood for banter, not in the mood for anything other than pulling out the suit and getting to kick some ass. All these people that had ruined his life. That had taken away the one thing that meant the most to him, the one person that changed his life and was now lost to him forever.

"Hey, can you look at me?"

"Listen, I'm not in the mood for a lecture."

"Well, too bad for you—"

He turned on him, barely able to hold it together. "I'm not kidding, just leave me the fuck alone."

"Tony, you need to pull yourself together."

"Fuck you."

Rhodey pressed his lips close tightly, biting back his response. Tony's blood was boiling. He couldn't deal with this anymore, with any of this.

"We all know that you're strung up to your breaking point and considering everything that has happened you get a pass for lashing out but—"

"Jeeze, so generous." Tony gave a small curtsy. "I feel so special thanks to your deeply considerate—"

"Alright, cut it out." His friend stepped further into the lab. "You want to rage at someone? You want to blow off steam, go right ahead. I'm right here, so give me your worst."

Tony puffed his cheeks with a huff and turned away. He picked up one of the tools that lay disregarded on his workbench, anything to just not engage.

"Go on, big shot. You want to scream and curse and throw stuff, do it to me, not to a 13-year-old kid!"

"Fuck you!" He spun around, screwdriver pointed at the other man. "You don't tell me what to do. Nobody fucking tells me what to do!"

He couldn't stand the look on Rhodey's face. It wasn't anger, not even disapproval. Pity. He wouldn't let them judge him. He was better than that. They could all go to hell if that's where all this was going. He didn't need this. He didn't need any of this.

"Oh, I will. I will tell you what to do. I got 11 years of godfather duties racked up and I will tell you to keep your fucking lit on around the kid because no matter how much you're suffering, he's just a boy." Rhodey took another step towards him and Tony couldn't help but flinch back. "And I know you know that. I know you don't want to hurt him, that you're reeling under everything that's happened. That you're just trying to protect him."

"Stop. Drop the fucking act." Tony threw the screwdriver back onto the workbench were it rolled off the other end and landed on the tiles with a metallic clank. "You think I need you to lecture me on my son? He's mine, my boy!"

Rhodey's hands were up in the air, trying to calm, but his voice was bating him all the same, pushing him to crack. "It doesn't work that way, Tones. You know that. He's his own person and if you go down this road, you'll lose him."

Both hands tugging on his hair, Tony paced up and down, his knees weak. "None of that matters. I already lost him. He'll never—" Tony shook his head. It didn't matter. It didn't matter what the kid thought of him, even if it would hurt, tear him up inside, only one thing mattered. "All that matters is that he's safe and I don't give fuck what the price for that is."

"Tony, you can't force this on him. If he refuses to—"

"He's 13! You think he has any idea of the consequences of what he wants to do? Of what he wants me to do? He's still a kid!"

Rhodey still had his arms up, his eyes followed Tony around the room. "A kid with superpowers!"

So what?! Tony scoffed, turned away. That didn't matter. It didn't excuse him from his responsibility for the boy. If anything if meant Tony had to be so much stricter, so much better at keeping the kid safe.

"What happened with the aunt?"

"Nothing." Tony shook his head, pacing. "Nothing happened."

"You told her that he's your son."

Deep breaths. His head was swimming. "I did."

"So?"

"So what?"

"What did she say?"

Tony shrugged, his arms spread wide. "Other than how much she hates me and that I'm ruining her life? How I could never buy the kid's affection and would never—" He cut himself off. It was enough. He didn't want to think back on that. It didn't matter what she said, what she thought. She wasn't important.

"She's beaten up in a hospital bed, in police custody. Did you think she'd be thankful for any of that?"

"That's not—" He gritted his teeth. "It doesn't matter. I don't care about her."

Rhodey blew out a low breath. "Dude, the sooner you accept that you do, the faster we'll work this through."

"I don't, I—" He had turned, eyes on Rhodey, but his anger was failing, floating away. It was replaced by something he couldn't quite put his finger on. "I'm not the villain here, I didn't..." Emotion was choking him up. It wasn't just his head that hurt, there was a stinging pain in his chest, making it difficult to breathe. "She's had him, kept him to herself for all these years and... and me? I'm the bad guy in this?"

Rhodey dropped his arms, slowly stepped closer. "You're not the bad guy, Tones. You're not."

He turned his back, his head low. "I am though. Everything I do. None of it is enough. It's all... it's not changing anything. It's not helping, not... nothing I do."

"Hey, come on..." Rhodey's hand grabbed his arm, squeezed it tight. "Don't be so dramatic. You know that's bullshit."

His tone was flippant and at any other time, Tony would have been able to appreciate his effort to take the tension out of the situation. But not that day. All of this, the stakes were just too high.

"This sucks, okay? All of this." Rhodey pulled him closer, his eyes searching Tony's face. "Hell, I've been here for less than 24h and I already want to rip my hair out."

Tony snorted a low laugh. "Shut up. That's not funny."

A smirk tugged on the other man's lips. "No. No, I guess, it's not." He blew out a low breath through his nose. "This sucks. All of it sucks, but you need to pull it together."

"I... I know, I..." He rubbed both hands across his face. "Fuck, I... I fucked up, okay? I just... I just need him to be safe." He dropped his hands, looking straight at his friend. "I don't know how to keep him safe."

"Sir, Agent Hill is on the line for you."

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[author's note: Alright, guys. As promised, here's part #2of today's update!

Next update will likely be some time next week! Thank you again for all the comments, kudos and the feedback. It's the perfect motivator! :) ]