Peter and Harley waited for the tension to somehow cool down before they decided to tell Pepper that they'll be on their way. They saw Pepper still seated in the bench by the lake. Peter put a hand on Harley's shoulder who was a little bit ahead of him. The blonde head stopped and allowed Peter to go to Pepper.

Peter cleared his throat, "Mom?" he said in the softest voice he could.

Pepper looked at him, "Pete, I'm…I'm sorry for earlier."

"You don't have to be. We're also deeply sorry for the trouble."

"It's just…I don't…I can't lose you anymore" she restated with a calm voice but you can still feel the pain.

"I…I…" Peter was at lost for words. "Come here" she opened her arms and smiled at Peter.

"I'm really sorry for hurting you." the young man stated.

Pepper looked at him, held both his cheeks, "just promise you'll look after your siblings, okay?"

"Yes, yees..I promise." Pepper then kissed his forehead.

"I just came to say goodbye. Keener and I will go home"

"Take care and don't drive fast, okay."

"Yes ma'am. I'll just say goodbye to Morgan."

"Sure, go ahead." Peter trailed off and went past Harley who was about to follow his lead.

"Harley" Pepper called.

"Yes, Pep?"

"A minute" and she put her hand by the side of the bench inviting her adoptive son to sit beside her

"I'm awfully sorry for—"

"Morgan told me about your answer to her as to why things changed between you and Pete."

"Oooh" Harley tensed a little 'cause he didn't want anyone to know especially Peter or their adoptive parents.

"I'm not gonna say this as your adoptive mom but I'm gonna say this as a friend…" Pepper went on, "You remember when your proposals kept on being rejected? And you called me one day happily sharing the news that the board finally approved?"

"Yeah" Harley responded.

"And when your department is in the middle of the solar air filter project and the finance department wouldn't approve of the fund?"

"mmhm"

"That day when the tornado snuck most of your team's houses and you wanted some assistance to be extended to them?"

Harley now got more confused, "Why are you saying this to me?"

Pepper looked at him straight in the eye, "It was Peter."

Harley's brows furrowed and his brain refused to process the info, "Huh?"

"He did all he can to convince the board to sign the approval." Pepper continued, "He believed in you, Harley. I saw that when he first met you. I saw that when you do some science bonding. I saw that each time he tried to prove how brilliant you proposals are. I still see it now."

Harley was speechless. He couldn't believe what he's hearing.

"You guys can still save it." Pepper assured pulling Harley's head to her shoulders and kissing the side of his forehead. Harley remained silent, still frenzied as what to feel.

"Can you promise me that?" he just returned Pepper's hug.

"Morgan?" Peter knocked at his sister's room.

"Morg, come on…open the door please." Harley then approached his brother and stood by Morgan's door and said "She must be sleeping already."

"No she ain't. she's probably still upset." Peter continued knocking,"Morgan? Open up, please?"

"Let's just leave." Harley tried grabbing Peter by his arm but he let go.

"No!" Peter then started knocking louder.

"Morgan? Morgan?"

Harley noticed Peter turning pale, "Why?"

Peter shot a concerned look at him, "I don't…I don't hear a heartbeat inside."

"What?!" Harley faced the door and started knocking with Peter, "Morgan! Morgan open this now"

"I'm breaking in." Peter then broke the door and found nothing but an empty room."She ran away."

"Come on, she can't be far!"

After minutes of searching, they found no signs of their little sister.

"Oh my God" Pepper was already breaking down as Harley held her.

"How did she manage to—" the conversation was cut with Karen's voice, "Incoming call from the headquarters"

"Peter? Signals detected from your location." Shuri said from the other end of the line.

Peter's heart sank to his feet and he felt his color drained as he shot a frightened look to his brother and his adoptive Mom. "He took her."

Peter then touched then called his team through the com.

"Avengers, assemble!"