The end has come! Thank you so much to everyone that has read and a HUGE thank you to my reviewers! I hope you have enjoyed reading this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it, and that you all stay safe and have a lovely day.

Endings And Beginnings

September 20th: 11:02pm

When Peter woke up, it was all at once. One moment, he was stepping into his body, the next, his eyes were open. He still felt tired. Still felt that full-body exhaustion. But there was something different. Something new. Last time, he'd woken up...he searched his memory, trying to remember. He'd woken up on the floor...as a ghost? And then in that hospital bed alone when Doctor Strange had come to talk to him. He'd cried in front of Mr. Stark, and Mr. Stark had cried in front of him. The man had told him that he loved him. That Peter was like his son. That getting back into his body was the best option. And so, trusting Mr. Stark, Peter had done it.

So...so it had worked? Or was he still out of his body?

No, Peter thought, staring at the ceiling and trying to summon the strength to move his head. He was inside his body because he felt heavy. Tethered. And his hand in particular was so heavy it was immovable. Taking one deep breath, and then another, Peter felt his lungs fill. Felt his chest expand and despite the pain in his throat, it felt amazing. Like he hadn't taken in a full breath in so long. Next, he blinked at the ceiling, twitching the fingers of his free hands. They opened and closed slowly, as if there was a delay, but he was able to move them.

Then, finally, he turned his head, just a little, to look to his side and find out what was holding his hand hostage. As it turned out, it wasn't a 'what.' It was a 'who.' Mr. Stark lay with his head next to Peter's, leaning over from a chair at Peter's side, both of his hands wrapped around Peter's. And Peter remembered that conversation. Remembered Mr. Stark's promise. That he wouldn't be alone. That he would be there the whole time. And, feeling tears spring to his eyes once more, this time solid and real in a way the others hadn't been, Peter squeezed Mr. Stark's hand.

He was alive. He was alive! The wonder of that thought made one of the tears spill over, then another, he tried to blink them back as he tried to wake Mr. Stark.

Gently at first, then with a little of his returning strength, Peter squeezed the hand in his until Mr. Stark grimaced in his sleep, turning his head a little and giving Peter a better view of his face. Smiling, Peter cleared his throat, wincing when that hurt but not caring very much. "Mr. Stark?" he asked, his voice raspy and weak. He tried again. "Mr. Stark?" The man grumbled and Peter choked out a painful laugh. "You promised me Europe, remember?"

That got his attention, and the man frowned in his sleep, then winched before blinking a few times. "What?" he whispered, jerking a little when he met Peter's eyes.

"I was thinking Rome but…" Peter's words died in his throat at the look Mr. Stark gave him. The man stared at him, awe and fear and hope warring in his eyes, lips trembling and eyes glistening with tears and Peter made himself smile, trying to look normal. "But Paris would be cool too."

The man nodded, swallowing hard before closing his eyes for a long moment, taking a shaky breath before leaning forward and wrapping his arms carefully around Peter, moving to sit on the bed beside him, then laying down so that he could hold him close. Peter fit perfectly in his arms and smiled into his shoulder. "Anywhere you want, Pete," Mr. Stark choked out. "Anywhere...god, kid…"

Peter clutched his hands into the back of Mr. Stark's shirt, taking a deep breath of the familiar comforting smell that he'd smelled so many times during so many quick hugs and so many lab days.

"You're okay?" Mr. Stark asked, and Peter nodded into the hug.

"I'm okay."

The man took a shuddering breath. "I thought...god, Pete, I thought…" He squeezed him a little harder. "I thought I was going to lose you."

"You can't get rid of me that easily," Peter teased, trying to stop crying, and the man gave an almost hysterical laugh.

"I came close. Pete...I came so close."

"I'm sorry."

"Not your fault. None of it. And when I find the people that did this…"

"I don't think you can win against a sorcerer."

"Just watch me. They hurt my kid. I'll find a way."

For a long time, Peter lay there, encompassed in warm arms and the familiar scent and the temptation to go back to sleep was almost too strong. But someone was missing. He knew that his aunt tended to throw herself into her work to cope with grief. It was what she'd done when her grandmother had died, and again when her mom had gone back to Italy, and then again after Ben. But surely after he'd gotten back into his body, she would have come. "Where's May?"

Mr. Stark rubbed a thumb over his shoulder blade, the motion repetitive and gentle enough that he felt himself drifting closer and closer to sleep. "She was here for a few days but she left this morning for a double shift."

He frowned at that, looking up but not pulling away. Mr. Stark's eyes were closed and he was taking deep breaths, which seemed to be slowing his racing heart. "A few days?" he asked, too tired to sit up, so he just stayed where he was. It wasn't like he wanted to be anywhere else anyway.

"It's been three days...almost four, since...well, since Strange got here."

Peter's memories of that were a little fragmented, but they were there. He remembered meeting Doctor Strange and watching Mr. Stark step out of his own body and being so, so tired. It was all so strange. So...so impossible sounding. And...and Doctor Strange was a sorcerer?

Mr. Stark gave him one more squeeze, pressing a kiss to his hair just like he had before, then sat up, reaching over to the table beside him and grabbing his phone. "Fri? Have Happy pick up May and bring her here. And tell Strange and Cho. And the Avengers. But tell them no visitors until he's cleared."

"Mr. Stark? Did…" Peter wiped a hand over his eyes as he yawned, blinking heavily and struggling to open his eyes again. "Did you really go into to a store and buy a ouija board?"

The man barked out a laugh, nodding through tears that sprung to his eyes as he smiled down at Peter. "I sure did. The Infinite Bliss Spirit Haven. Great place. I'll take you some time."

Peter wrinkled his nose. "I'd rather go to Europe."

Mr. Stark was still chuckling when the door to his room opened, and Helen Cho and Doctor Strange stepped into the room. Helen wasn't quite able to put up a professional front as she exhaled in relief, moving over to his side and taking a look at his chart. "It's good to see you awake, Peter," she murmured, resting a light hand on his shoulder from the other side of his bed. Neither she nor Doctor Strange asked Mr. Stark to move, instead working around him as Doctor Strange checked the machines. There was still an IV in his arm, he realized, and he wondered if that was what was making him so sleepy.

"Do you know who I am?" Doctor Strange asked, looking up from the machines and picking up a tablet.

"Yeah...you said you were a sorcerer? Doctor Strange."

"Correct. Are you experiencing any dizziness? Pain?"

"No...I'm just kind of tired. But haven't I been asleep for a long time?"

"You were in a coma. It's very common to be tired after waking from a coma. I'd like to run some tests before you go back to sleep, and we can get you something to eat as well. Your advanced healing has sped up your recovery immensely in the last few days, but I'd still suggest at least another few days of bedrest." All of this was said quickly, almost absently, but not unkindly, and Peter nodded.

"Okay…"

"His aunt is on her way." Mr. Stark put in, ruffling his hair and leaving the hand on his neck.

"Why don't you update the others while we run a couple of tests and get him changed into some new clothes?" Helen suggested, although she didn't really phrase it as a question. Mr. Stark hesitated, the hand on the back of Peter's neck tightening just a little before he nodded.

"Right. Mind if I step out for a minute, Pete?"

Peter shook his head, and then the next hour or so was a whirlwind of being disconnected by several machines, being helped into a shower where he could sit down, which was a good thing because his legs felt like jello, helped into new clothes, and helped into a fresh bed with cool clean sheets, and then being asked by Doctor Strange to do everything from memorizing flashcards to solving simple algebra equations. The tests weren't too hard, even though it sometimes took his brain a moment to process things, and Doctor Strange assured him that this was a common side effect that would probably fade after a couple of days. By the time the tests were over, he felt drained, and he lay back against his pillow, not overly interested in a tray of food that the nurses brought in. Still, Doctor Strange sat in a chair across from him, and Peter was surprised that he was still here.

"It would be best for you to eat something before you go back to sleep," the man told him softly, looking up from his tablet.

Peter wanted to tell him that he was more tired than hungry, but this was the man that had basically saved his life, so he nodded and took a bite of the soup. "I, uh...I didn't get to thank you. For...well, for everything," he told the man after he'd taken a few bites. "I really appreciate it."

Stephen Strange regarded him for a moment before nodding. "Of course."

"Do you know who the bad sorcerers are?"

"I am having a colleague of mine follow some leads." Peter took another bite, then took a huge swallow of the water, both of which felt great on his sore throat. Still, he winced as he swallowed. "The soreness should go away soon. It was caused by the ventilator, which we were able to remove soon after your spirit was reunited with your body."

That sentence sounded so silly that Peter almost laughed, but of course, it was true. He'd lived it. So he just took another bite of the soup. Once he'd finished most of the bowl, he sat the spoon down, and as if he'd asked for help, Doctor Strange stood and took the tray away, rolling the table to the side and then, in a move that surprised him, pulled the blankets up to his chest. "You should sleep. Your body needs rest."

"I've been resting for days...wait...what day is it?"

"You already know that isn't the same thing. Today is the 20th of September," the doctor and sorcerer and who knew what else murmured, and Peter's eyes closed against his will as his bed started to recline.

"But May…"

"Your aunt will be here when you wake up. I'll let Stark know that you ate and are doing well. I'm sure the Avengers will be down to see you soon."

Doctor Strange might have said something else, but then Peter was asleep. Truly asleep, for the first time in what felt like a long time. He dreamed...nothing specific. Just swinging around the city and working in the lab. Sitting in class. And then listening to voices.

"You found them?"

"My associates have tracked them down and I have...dealt with them."

"Dealt with them?" That sounded like Mr. Stark, and Peter fought the urge to roll over or cover his head with a pillow. Maybe he was talking about something important. The other person sounded like Doctor Strange, and someone was sitting on the bed with him. May? Yes, he realized, her scent clicking in his brain. May. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed her until her scent was surrounding him, her fingers resting on his hair.

"In a manner of speaking."

"Okay. Fine. Whatever." He heard Mr. Stark let out a long breath. "Why did they target Peter?"

Doctor Strange hesitated for a long moment, then huffed softly. "Good morning, Mr. Parker."

Peter bit back a sigh and opened his eyes, smiling up at May who almost immediately started crying, reaching out and touching his face. "Hey, baby."

"Hi, May." He put his arms around her when she leaned down, her lips pressing into his hair, and for a long time she held him close, him being careful not to squeeze her too tightly. For the first time in what felt like a long time, he felt strong. Strong like he'd been before. Still, May pushed away after a moment, laughing through her tears, and he realized he might have been holding her too tightly. "Sorry,'" he muttered, but she was still smiling at him like he was the most amazing thing in the world.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, ignoring his apology and brushing some of his hair back.

Peter shrugged. "Fine. Not so tired anymore."

"I guess you aren't. You slept for almost twelve hours. It's 8:30. Tuesday morning."

Tuesday. He struggled to make that fit. Time had felt strange ever since he'd woken up outside of his body, and it didn't help that the last day he actually remembered being awake and in his body was Friday. Friday from almost two weeks ago. He'd missed almost two weeks of his life. It was strange and disorienting and the first words out of his mouth after realizing this were, "Did Ned get my homework?"

May pressed her lips together and gave a helpless sounding laugh as Mr. Stark moved over to sit in the chair by his bed. "Don't worry, kiddo. We'll get your homework." Peter had expected the man to tease him, but he left it at that, reaching out and resting a hand on his shoulder as if he just needed to be close. And then he thought about their last conversation...the one where they'd stood a few feet away, Peter crying in his arms, Mr. Stark crying into his hair. Peter asking him to tell May and everyone in his life that he loved them. Peter asking him to be okay.

And Mr. Stark agreeing to it all. Mr. Stark putting up a brave front despite the tears that kept falling.

And he got it. He got why Mr. Stark wanted to be close to him, because the thought of being away from May or Mr. Stark for long at the moment made him feel sick.

"So, other than 'not tired' and 'worried about homework,' how do you feel?" Mr. Stark pressed.

"I feel fine. Good. Hungry."

"I'll have one of the nurses bring you some food." Mr. Stark grabbed his phone, typing something, and while he was distracted, Peter turned to Doctor Strange. "Why did they come after me?"

Doctor Strange, who had been standing in the doorway, lifted an eyebrow and placed the tablet that had been in his hand onto the bedside table, moving around Mr. Stark who had looked up from his phone, eyes moving between the two of them. "I'd like to draw some blood and run a couple more tests. It would be best if we could get you out of bed and walking as well."

And before Peter could ask again, Doctor Strange was leaving the room, making space for Helen, who took some blood, and a nurse, who brought him a plate full of food. Neither May or Mr. Stark knew the answer to Peter's question, but before he could dwell on it, the Avengers were coming into his room, one or two at a time, with Steve and Sam coming in first. Steve wanted no time in leaning forward and wrapping Peter in a fierce hug, the words 'I'm so sorry,' so soft that Peter doubted anyone else heard them.

"Not your fault," he whispered back, shaking his head.

Sam was next, surprising Peter with a hug as a well. "Don't do that again, okay?" he asked, pulling back and ruffling Peter's hair.

"I mean...I'll try." Peter shrugged, giving a cheeky grin when Sam rolled his eyes.

The other came then, all with hugs and smiles and soft conversations with Mr. Stark and May, asking if Peter was doing all right. They all seemed tired and relieved and...light. As if they'd been living under a heavy burden and it had finally been lifted. Pepper pulled Mr. Stark out of the room and he promised to be back in a while as Wanda chatted with May and Vision with Peter, and Rhodey came too, carrying a teddy bear that Peter hugged tight, surprising himself when the feel of it, soft and solid in his arms, made his chest tight.

Helen and May were the ones that helped him out of bed, and although he'd been ordered to remain in bed for the majority of the day as his body and brain continued to heal, he also needed to get his muscles working again, so he walked around the room and leaned on May and wondered where Doctor Strange had run off to.

He got his answer that evening, after a day that had felt like a whirlwind, when Mr. Stark came back to his room. May had been sitting at his side, one of her hands holding his as he'd been texting Ned, a novel in her hands, when Mr. Stark appeared in the doorway. "Hey, kiddo. What did I miss?"

"Not much," Peter told him with a tired shrug. "Where's Doctor Strange?"

"Oh I see how it is." Mr. Stark grinned, approaching the bed and resting a hand on Peter's ankle. "The wonderful wizard saves your life one time and suddenly he's your favorite."

"You know that Thor's my favorite."

Mr. Stark snorted. "Which, I continue to insist, is ridiculous, as you have never met Thor."

Peter shrugged. "So?"

The man rolled his eyes, a fond smile on his lips. "May, you want to get some sleep? It's been a day."

"That it has," she agreed, squeezing Peter's hand. Leaning in, she kissed his forehead. "Do you mind if I head to bed? I've got a shift tomorrow morning?"

"Which is ridiculous, by the way."

May snorted and Peter wished her a good night.

"You can always work for me."

"No thank you, Tony."

"I've got plenty of spots. I pay pretty well too!"

May paused in front of Mr. Stark, giving him a genuine smile and resting a hand on his shoulder. "Good night, Tony."

"Night, May."

Once she was gone, the door shutting softly behind her, Mr. Stark took a seat at Peter's bedside, taking up residence in the same chair. "How are you, Underoos?"

"Fine. Just tired. Which is dumb because I slept for forever."

"That you did." The man nodded. "Maybe tomorrow we can get you moved into your room upstairs. Probably more comfortable up there. Plus you'll have a TV to watch." Peter nodded, biting his lip before asking his question once more.

"Where did Doctor Strange go?"

"He's around. Still keeping an eye on your bloodwork. Told me it's looking good."

"Why did they come after me?"

Mr. Stark nodded to himself, as if he'd been expecting that question. "Strange told me it would probably be best if I didn't tell you." Peter just stared at him and the man snorted. "Then again, I don't work for Strange."

"And yet, I saved his life." The voice made the both of them jump, and the two looked up to find Stephen Strange standing inside a circle of light, arms crossed as he rolled his eyes.

"What the hell, Strange?" Mr. Stark demanded, sounding as exhausted as Peter felt.

"I should have known the man who couldn't keep his own secret identity a secret for more than a week would have trouble keeping any secrets."

"He's my kid," Mr. Stark said with a shrug. "And if this is going to happen again…"

"It won't. Peter is under my protection as well now, Stark."

"Wait...what?" Peter asked, butting in.

Stephen Strange regarded him for a moment, then stepped into the room, the circle of light dissolving behind him. "Something is coming, Peter. Something big. Or...rather, someone. A being that will pose a threat to this universe."

Peter swallowed hard, glancing over at Mr. Stark who stared grimly down at his own hands.

"Tony has seen him. In the wormhole. In New York. This being is on a mission to destroy life as we know it."

"Okay…" Peter's voice came out as a squeak, and he cleared his throat. "But...what does that have to do with me?"

"You are the thing that will bring the Avengers together. The thing that will make them a team once more. Earth's mightiest heroes. The only way we have a chance at survival, at defeating this being, is if we work together. Fight together. These rogue sorcerers, who wish to swear their allegiance to this being, knew that without Peter Parker, this fight cannot be won."

"I could have told you that," Mr. Stark broke in, ruffling Peter's hair and giving him a cheery smile that looked pained. "Kid's gonna be the best of us all. I already knew that."

"Mr. Stark…"

"Hey, this isn't something for you to stress out about, okay?" The man took his hand, squeezing it gently. "We're going to be fine. So you're very important to the survival of the universe. I could have guessed that." Mr. Stark shrugged and Peter choked out a laugh.

"I'm a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!"

"Tony is correct," Stephen Strange cut in, his expression almost kind. "You don't need to worry about this. Now that we know what's coming, we have time to prepare. Time to train and research. You played an important role in bringing the Avengers together, but we all will play important roles."

Peter nodded, staring down at his hand, which rested in Mr. Stark's.

"We will work together. All of us. The sorcerers from around the world and the Avengers and the mutants who study under Doctor Charles Xavier. All of us. And we will be victorious." Doctor Strange's voice was soft and sure, and he met Peter's eyes, giving a soft smile. "There is no reason to worry."

He was so sincere...so sure, that Peter almost believed him. So he nodded, and the man wished them both goodnight before leaving the room, taking the door this time.

"Mr. Stark…"

"You heard the wizard, Pete. Nothing to worry about." The man squeezed his hand, grabbing his tablet and placing it on Peter's lap. "Now pick a movie so you can fall asleep and droll on me."

Two years later, standing amongst the Avengers and the sorcerers and the Guardians, all of them on Titan, with the gauntlet in his hand, eyes glued to Thor as the Asguardian swung his axe and took off Thanos's head, Peter would remember that night...the assurance from Stephen Strange that they would make it through...that they would win, and he would shudder at the thought of how close they'd come to losing.

Mr. Stark would hurry to his side, flinching at the cut in Peter's side from where he'd shoved the older man out of the way, and put a hand on his shoulder. "Pete? You good, kiddo?"

"We won."

"Of course we did," Mr. Stark would say with a shaky grin, grabbing the gauntlet and tossing it to Stephen Strange who would approach to take the thing away...to put the Infinity Stones somewhere that they could never be used to hurt someone again.

And, tucking himself under Mr. Stark's arm, Peter would grin up at him. "That's why Thor's my favorite Avenger."

Mr. Stark would laugh, holding him close and pressing a quick kiss to his hair, showing just how afraid he'd been. "You're a little shit, you know that? I ought to leave you here."

"You wouldn't!"

"Don't test me, Spiderling."

The End

Thank you so so much for reading! I hoe you enjoyed!