Hello!

Thank you so much for all your wonderful support and comments! I can't thank you enough for all the love you are giving this series! Sorry in the delay in updating, I've had a big week of work and have been exhausted!

PROMPTS ARE CLOSED! and thank you for all those are waiting for your prompts to be done! I promise I am getting to them all.

This prompt is from WorthlessFangirl on Ao3 - What if everyone forgets to tell Peter after the blip that MJ and Ned weren't blipped so when he goes back to Midtown he doesn't find then and is with a bunch of new faces.

I hope you enjoy and apologies for any mistakes!

Best Friends Forever

"You ready for this kid?"

Peter turned his face away from the window where he had been staring at Midtown High School of Science and Technology and faced Tony. Getting dropped off at school by Tony Stark was not unusual. Peter had lost count the number of times his mentor had. But it felt different now. Tony's hair was greyer and there were new lines on his face, and he had a daughter (and Peter adored the little girl). Five years had passed but for Peter it felt like only month.

After the blip (as everyone had been calling it) schools had shut down to become displacement centres for those who had returned and found that their homes had been taken over. Peter had spent that time recovering at Tony's Lake house and learning about everything he had missed. At times it had been overwhelming, Peter had more than a few sensory overloads, and he found himself retreating into himself. Tony, Morgan, and Pepper were always there to bring him back though and stopped him from spiralling.

"I'm ready," Peter offered a small smile.

Tony peered at him carefully. "It's okay if you're not ready, Pete. You don't have to force yourself. I can still take you home."

The offer was tempting. Really tempting but Peter shook his head. "No. I need to do this. Can't hide forever."

Tony reached across the small space between them and squeezed Peter's shoulder. "You call me if you need anything. I mean it."

Peter smile grew more genuine. "I will. Promise."

"Alright. Have a good day. I love you kid."

"I love you too."

This too was a new change but one for the better. Since Peter had returned from the dead, Tony had been a lot more emotive. He had always touched Peter – a shoulder slap there, a tousle of his curls, letting Peter fall asleep on his shoulder as they watched movies but now it was more. They had a big talk one night by the lake after Peter had woken up from a nightmare. Tony had shared how much he had missed Peter, how much he had come to see him as a son.

Peter slipped out of the car and headed into the school. When he reached the top of the stairs, he turned and waved to Tony who was still waiting and watching him and then turned and followed the rest of the students into the school.

It felt wrong to be back at school. Peter gripped the straps of his backpack tightly as he weaved his way through the halls. All students that had been dusted had to report to the office to get a new schedule and new lockers. Peter's new locker was close to his old one, and Peter foresaw himself getting confused in the future. As Peter looked over his new schedule and collected the books he needed, he kept an eyes out for Ned and MJ.

There were so many new faces in the hallways that Peter felt his skin prickling. His senses were a low, constant buzz that Peter was doing his best to ignore. When he reached his first class, Math, Peter searched the room for familiar faces. He only recognised a couple, Flash and Betty. He made his way over to them, slipping into the seat beside Flash. A month ago, Peter never would have considered sitting next to his bully but universal genocide tended to change a lot of things.

"This is so weird," Betty said, looking around the room forlornly.

"Yeah," Flash agreed, unusually quiet. "Half our classes have graduated."

"Has anyone seen Ned? Or MJ?" Peter asked, leaning forward eagerly. There was a feeling in his gut that something was wrong. Ned and MJ should have turned up by now.

Betty shook her head. "Sorry."

As the day went on, Peter found himself sticking close to Flash and Betty. At lunch, they scanned the cafeteria for people they recognised and were joined with several other members of their Decathlon team. There was still no sign of MJ or Ned.

Peter had texted both Ned and MJ when he returned and had been relieved to know that they were both okay. He hadn't been able to speak much with them, not with the clean-up at the compound, finding a new apartment with May and spending time with his new dad and sister.

Pulling out his phone, Peter sent a quick text to Ned.

Dude, are you not coming in today? P

The bell rang before Peter got an answer. He was in his chemistry class when he felt his phone buzz. Making sure the teacher couldn't see, Peter pulled out his phone and he froze as he read the messages.

I'm so sorry Peter – N

I wasn't blipped. I already graduated -N

Peter blinked at the message. Ned hadn't blipped. Ned hadn't died for five years. Ned had graduated school and was now in his twenties. He was now at college. Peter's stomach churned uncomfortably, nausea rising steadily inside. His phone buzzed again.

Dude, I'm so sorry I forgot to tell you – N

Are you mad? – N

Peter fingers trembled as he typed out a message to his best friend.

Not mad. Just surprised – P

Peter put his phone back into his pocket, ignoring the buzzing against his thigh. He drifted through the rest of the day and when the final bell rang, Peter headed out the front doors and made his way to the waiting Audi. He slipped inside, shutting the door and immediately rested his head on the glass window.

"Hi Petey!" Morgan greeted cheerfully from the back seat.

"Hey Morgan," Peter responded in monotone, staring unseeing out the window.

"Rough day, kid?" Tony asked, his voice gentle.

Peter nodded, not wanting to say the words out loud. The glasses vibrated against his skull as Tony pulled into traffic and the sped away.

"The Compound is finished," Tony said. "We're heading over there for a celebration. Pepper's organised a cake. It's going to be massive."

"Can we have ice cream too?" Morgan asked from the back excitedly.

"You two can have all the sugar you want this afternoon," Tony said.

Peter heard the conversation happening around him, but he couldn't respond. All he could think of was Ned and the fact that his best friend was no longer the same age as him. His best friend had spent five years thinking that Peter was dead, had grown up and was now in college. Had Ned mourned him? Did he have new friends now? What were they like? Did Ned live by himself or did he have a roommate? Was he still at home?

"Pete?"

Peter blinked and realised that the car had stopped moving. He had missed the whole ride to the newly constructed Compound. The large building looked similar but there were some subtle changes to the building that Peter could pick out.

"Where's Morgan?" Peter glanced at the back seat to find it empty.

"Pepper took her inside," Tony answered. "You were stuck deep in your thoughts kiddo."

"Sorry."

Tony gave him a long look. "Want to tell me what's going on?"

"Just….a long day at school," Peter lied.

Tony nodded but didn't look like he believed Peter. "Are you up for this?"

"Yeah," Peter nodded, unbuckling his seatbelt. "Let's go before Morgan eats all the cake."

Every Avenger had turned up for the christening of the new Compound. Peter tried to engage as much as he could, tried to keep his mind off the fact that he was no longer going to the same school at his befriend, that they no longer would be spending every day together, but it didn't work. At the first opportunity, Peter slipped away. He walked across the expanse of the freshly manicured lawn, hardly believing that the final battle against Thanos had happened right there. He walked until he reached the river and plopped himself down on the bank.

His phone rang and Peter stared at the picture of Ned squished face. Finally, he answered the call.

"Hey."

"Dude," Ned breathed down the other end of the phone. "I am so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Peter said, automatically.

"No, I should have told you sooner," Ned said, his voice heavy with regret. "I guess, a part of me didn't want it to be true."

"Yeah," Peter swallowed thickly. He didn't want this to be true either.

"I missed you," Ned said. "Everyday."

Tears welled up in Peter's eyes. "I'm sorry."

For the first time in months (or in Ned's case, years) they talked. Peter spent hours on the phone to Ned, catching up on his life and everything that had happened in the five years he had been dead. They made plans to meet up on the weekend, along with MJ, and Ned promised that he would keep texting Peter during the week. By the time they said goodbye, the sun had set, and the only light came from the compound, the stars, and the moon. Peter heard Tony approaching and he hastily wiped his eyes.

"Kid?" Tony called when he was closer. "I'm starting to get worried, kiddo. You've been out here for hours."

"Sorry," Peter sniffed, climbing to his feet and brushing loose grass from his clothes.

"Hey," Tony stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. He searched Peter's face, carefully wiping away a stray tear that Peter had missed. "Underoos, what's going on?"

"Ned didn't get dusted," Peter blurted out. Tears welled up again, spilling down his cheeks. He face-planted into Tony's chest and started to sob.

"I got you," Tony murmured, wrapping his arms around Peter, and holding him close. "It's okay."

"How?" Peter sobbed. "Ned and MJ are in college now. Everything has changed!"

Peter cried at the unfairness of it all. Cried at how everything had changed, on how much he had missed. He wanted to curl up in a ball and hide under the covers. He wanted to wake up and be back on the bus on his school excursion and this to be all a nightmare. He wished he hadn't woken up at all.

But Tony Stark would not let that happen because he had already lost Peter once before and had said he would never let that happen again.

"I know it sucks," Tony said, holding Peter close as he cried. "I know it hurts but it's going to be okay, Underoos."

Peter hugged Tony tightly, not sure how that would be possible.

"I know it doesn't seem like it now," Tony said, seemingly reading Peter's mind. "But one day, this isn't going to seem so scary. I am so proud at how you are handling all of this kid."

Peter pressed himself closer, letting Tony's soothing wash over him. Peter was inclined to believe Tony, after all the man had invented time travel to get Peter (and everyone else) back. Whatever happened, Peter knew one thing; Tony Stark had his back.

Happy reading :D