A/N: Well, this is it folks. The story is complete. Thank y'all so much for sticking through & seeing this story to the end. Thank y'all for leaving reviews & comments every time I updated. Whether it was a notification for a comment or for a like, I loved opening my email & seeing that someone had given this story some love. I plan on writing some more stories set in this universe, so please keep on the lookout for those. In the meantime, I hope everyone stays healthy & safe. Have a happy holiday season. And may this new year bring peace, happiness, & love to each & every one of y'all.

Peter remembered very little of the events that transpired over the past week.

He remembers waking up after surgery, Bruce's face looming over him, telling him that they were able to get all the extra bone growth out with minimal resistance. He would need to wear a cast for three days, a brace for a week, but then he would be good as new.

He remembers Tony waking him up at two in the morning, settling him into a wheelchair because he was too groggy to use his crutches, and wheeling him into Ned's room where said boy was awake.

He remembers talking to Ned until the other boy succumbed to a drug-induced sleep. Tony informed him that after some rigorous physical therapy, Bruce and the others were confident he would be able to walk again. It was just going to take him quite a long time.

Peter didn't remember being transferred back up to his room.

He didn't remember Pepper and Tony taking turns sleeping in the overstuffed chair in his room at night. Nor did he remember Morgan sneaking into his bed.

He didn't remember the team periodically checking on him, bringing him various foods and video games to try and cheer him up.

The one thing he vividly remembers is Happy coming into his room.

It was late at night, but not late enough for Tony to be settling in to sleep. Happy knocked softly on the door before pushing it open. Light from the hallway flooded into his room and Peter squinted from the cocoon of blankets he had wrapped around himself.

"Sorry… did I wake you?" Happy whispered, hesitating in the doorway.

Peter merely shook his head, laying it back on his pillow while he waited for the man to fully enter his room. Happy crept softly inside, ignoring the overstuffed armchair that was always occupied these days and opting for sitting on the edge of Peter's bed.

"I know I wasn't with your aunt for very long… but I miss her every day. I loved her so much and it hurts not getting to see her or hear her voice. I can't even begin to imagine how much pain you're going through. I never wanted to replace your uncle Ben, but I loved her so much and I love you too, kid. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to talk to you." Happy whispered into the darkness.

Peter laid there in silence for a while, staring at the outline of Happy's knee.

"I miss her laugh… When uncle Ben died, I thought I would never hear her laugh again. Then she met you and I remember hearing her laugh for the first time since that night and I thought I was in a dream." Peter turned his head to look up towards Happy's face. "She loved you too, Happy."

He heard Happy sniffle before feeling his fingers carding through his hair.

"That chair over there looks pretty comfy. I might have to call dibs on the night shift tonight."

"Have fun watching me drool." Peter huffed, turning his face into his pillow.

Happy snorted before getting up, careful not to jostle Peter's knee, and got settled into the chair.

It was exactly one week later that they had May Parker's funeral. The funeral was a small affair. Tony, Pepper, Morgan, Rhodey, and Happy accompanied Peter to the Harlem cemetery where Ben Parker had been laid to rest. Beside him was May Parker's gravestone.

Peter remembers coming to Ben's grave one September afternoon, the air just beginning to chill in the evenings, with May. They each held a small box containing the ashes of Peter's parents. They thought it appropriate to spread them over Ben's grave.

The gang's all here. Peter thought, ironically.

"How did you get the plot right next to Ben?" Peter asked, instead.

"I'm Tony Stark." Tony merely responded.

Peter nodded absently.

The funeral itself was quick and, before Peter knew it, May's coffin was being slowly lowered into the ground. He carefully knelt on the ground beside the open plot, being mindful of his still healing knee, and cupped a handful of dirt.

"I larb you." Peter whispered before throwing the dirt down into the hole.

Each person took their turn, kneeling and speaking to May, before tossing in a handful of dirt over her coffin. Peter heard Pepper whispering to Morgan, explaining to her what was happening. Peter felt a small pain in his chest, remembering how Ben and May had had to explain this very same concept to Peter around her age.

Now they were both dead.

"We can stay as long as you want." Tony whispered in Peter's ear.

Peter jerked slightly, blinking forcefully to ground himself.

He had been so lost in thought that he hadn't even noticed everyone else was waiting at the entrance to the cemetery, giving Peter his space. Peter glanced back at Ben and May's graves, a weight suddenly lifting off his shoulders. As much as he missed May, as much as his heart ached to be held by her one last time, he felt peace knowing that she was with Ben once again. It was the same feeling he felt three months after Ben had passed when he realized that Ben was with his brother, Richard, again.

"I'm ready to go." Peter said, turning back to Tony.

Tony stared at Peter, his eyes searching his face for a moment, before nodding once. Peter gave Tony a tight-lipped smile before making his way down the path towards the others.

"I'll be right there!" Tony called out, staying near May's grave.

"Okay." Peter said, turning his head slightly.

Suddenly, Peter felt his phone vibrate. Pausing in his steps, Peter fished his phone out of his jacket pocket.

Hey dork, haven't heard from you in a while. Tony said May's funeral is today. I hope it goes well. I would love to see you later. I miss you.

Peter's thumb hovered over the screen as he read MJ's message over and over again. Admittedly, he had been avoiding her. He didn't really know why, didn't know if he would ever know why. All he did know was that being close to anyone, especially someone he loved as much as MJ, felt suffocating right now.

"You ready kiddo?" Tony asked, clapping him on the shoulder.

Peter whipped his head up to look at Tony before slipping his phone back into his jacket.

"Yeah, let's go home."

Tony watched Peter walk down the path towards the entrance of the cemetery before stopping halfway down, pulling his phone out and staring at the screen.

"You know, I did something pretty stupid that day you guys were in that accident. I made a promise I couldn't keep – one I shouldn't have made in the first place. But I'm making you a promise right now, May, one that I can keep. One that I will always keep." Tony clenched his jaw, turning to face the two headstones behind him. "I promise to always love him. To always watch out for him and to make sure that he has everything he ever needs to succeed in this crazy, fucked up world. I can promise you that."

Tony swiftly turned on his heel, blinking back tears, as he made his way down the dirt path towards Peter. The kid was still looking down at his phone and Tony merely clapped his hand onto his shoulder.

"You ready kiddo?"

Peter snapped his head up, a myriad of emotions swirling in his eyes as he shoved his phone back into his pocket.

"Yeah, let's go home."

And the way he said that, the way he called the tower home, made Tony's heart warm. Maybe the kid had always thought of the place as a home to him. Or maybe it was wherever Tony was that he thought of as home.

Whatever it was, Tony knew without a shadow of a doubt that he had made one promise that he would never break.