It wasn't uncommon to find Peter Parker fast asleep during lessons. Giving a sigh, Roger Harrington looked meaningfully at Ned before moving his gaze to the sleeping form of Peter a couple of times. Ned's eyes sparked with realization and started gently shaking his friend to wake him up.
The boys head snapped up, his eyes snapping to attention and Roger nodded to himself.
"Now, next lesson is going to be a little different. For our learning on genes, next lesson is going to be about finding out your families origins. You could argue that this is the kind of thing you would do in history, maybe you would, but we're doing it in science because I say so."
There were mixed reactions amongst the students, some looking worried, others excited, but some *cough*Parker*cough* looked a little...troubled?
"You all have permission to take part in this activity, and failure to comply, unless you have a very good reason for not getting involved, will result in punishment. Do I make myself clear?"
There were mumbles of agreement, and Harrington knew to take what he could get. Rolling his eyes and making his way over to his desk, he called over his shoulder, "Ok you lot, pack your bags and go home. See you all tomorrow."
With that chairs scraped against the floor, bags were hurriedly stuffed with pieces of loose paper and books, and pencil cases were crammed in the small spaces left. The students fled the room, joining the current of students in the hall leaving school for the day.
Roger watched as Peter and Ned left the class slower than the others, talking to each other quietly, 'probably about Lego or Star Wars' Roger mused to himself, before they were joined by Michelle Jones and the trio disappeared amongst the crowd.
Mr. Harrington sat at his desk and began to mark the homework his students had handed in at the start of the lesson. Before long, he two left the school for his comfy apartment with his cat, Tabatha (He took the break up hard ok?)
Peter was worried. What was supposed to be a harmless, fun activity was going to reveal something he didn't want revealed. You see, Richard Parker, although a father figure, and his adoptive father, wasn't Peter's biological father.
Mary never told Peter who his real father was, all Peter knew was that for a while, it was just him and mom, then it was his mom and pa, then it was May and Ben, and finally just May.
He wasn't ready to find out who his real father was, in all honesty he didn't think he'd ever be ready to find out who his real father was. Ever. But there was no way out of this, he had to do the activity or possibly risk his grade.
May didn't get home till late so Peter didn't get around to telling her about it, as he went out for Patrol as soon as she got back.
After a long night of patrolling ('yes Karen, I'll head back soon, no you don't need to let Tony know...WHY WOULD I WANT TO ACTIVATE INSTANT KILL?!') Peter found himself sitting at the top of one of the taller buildings in Queens. He looked up at the cloudy sky above and the sparkling city below.
Taking in a deep, calming breathe, Peter centered himself. 'Ok Peter, it's ok, your just going to find out who your real father is after 15 years...yeah I can do this, I CAN DO THIS!' there was silence for a minute. 'No, I can't do this, I can't, what if he's like a-a drug dealer?' Gasp 'What if he works for Oscorp!?' Peter felt bile in his mouth at that thought.
He jumped at the sound of Karen's voice alerting him to an incoming call.
"Hey Mr. Stark."
"Hey Kid. Would you like to explain to me why your vitals just raised higher than they should do, and why your still out even though we have a schedule for this?"
'Great' Peter thought, the 'Dad' talk.
"Don't worry about it Mr. Stark, it wasn't anything important," (yeah, because finding out who your real father is isn't important at all.) "I was just about to head back, just admiring the view."
Peter could here Tony sighing on the other end. "Ok kid, take care of yourself, and get home soon. Lab-day on Wednesday?"
Peter checked his watch, Tuesday 01:23, and winced at realizing how late it was, and just how over curfew he truly was.
"Sounds good Mr. Stark, see you then." And with that they hung up, and Peter swung back home, calling it a night on his patrol.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Peter groaned and smashed the snooze button on the offending clock. He looked at the time, then did a double take. 'Crap, crap, crap, crap!' 30 minutes till school starts.
He jumped out of bed and rushed into the bathroom, emerging 5 minutes later, hair damp and toothbrush still in his mouth. He pulled on a t-shirt and hoodie with some science pun on it, and climbed into some jeans. Chucking his brush in the sink and running a hand through his messy, still drying hair, he made his way into the living area.
He slipped on some socks and tied his beat up trainers. Grabbing a protein bar from the cupboard, his eyes wandered over to the fridge where May had left a note. 'Double shift today, money on counter for food, don't wait up. Larb you 3'
Peter smiled at the note, before shoving the protein bar into his mouth, grabbing his keys and phone, and throwing his back over his shoulder, then racing out of the building, and heading to the station, praying that he wouldn't miss the train.
He missed the train. Resorting to slinging his way across town with his web shooters, Peter only just made it to school in time. Small mercies.
Meeting Ned at his locker, the two quickly fell into comfortable conversation about Lego and Star Wars, before being joined by MJ.
"Hey Losers."
"Hey MJ." The two greeted back.
The three of them all had separate lessons first thing so they each went their different ways. The day flew past and before he knew it, it was time for mixed science with Mr. Harrington, woo.
Peter stood outside the science room for longer than he would like to admit, but sue him! He was about to find out who his real father was! (He was still revolted by the idea that his father could work for Oscorp.)
He felt a presence behind him and turned to see the encouraging faces of Ned and MJ. Both of them knew Richard wasn't Peter's biological father, Ned had known for years and Peter had trusted MJ with the information earlier on in the year.
Together, they all walked into the class that would change Peter's life forever.
They chose seats at the back of the room, Peter in-between his two friends, as if they could protect him from what he was about to find out.
Mr. Harrington came in moments later, balancing a large box and some books on his hands. Placing them down on his desk, the teacher opened the box and quickly distributed it's contents amongst the class.
"Each of you are about to receive a kit. Once you have received your kit, you will take out the swab, get a sample from your cheek then place it on the pad inside the kit. Understood?"
Once everyone had agreed, they quickly got to work. Peter watched as his classmates all did something that they knew wouldn't affect their lives in any way shape or form, but for Peter, his results would change everything.
He ripped open the packaging, like a plaster (band-aid?) and quickly got to work. With shaky hands he swabbed the inside of his cheek and placed the sample on the pad as instructed. Once that was done he released a shaky breath before looking up and realizing everyone else had finished two.
"Now you have all completed these tests, seal them all in the envelope you were given, write your name on the envelope, then hand in the tests."
Peter did as told, handing in his sample when Mr. Harrington came round to him. Once back at the front, the teacher began talking again.
"These tests will be sent of to a lab where they will find out who your related to. We will get the tests back in 1-2 weeks time, so look forward to that. Now I'm going to pass out these books and I would like you to turn to page 394-"
After that, Peter tuned the teacher out and just sat for the rest of the lesson in a mind of his own. Finally the bell rang, snapping him out of his thoughts. He packed his stuff and rushed out the room, making his way over to his locker where he waited for his friends, glad to finally be out of that room.
***2 weeks later***
Peter made his way into science, anxious, with his spider sense giving of a faint hum, like it knew something was about to change. Mr. Harrington had told them that their tests had arrived back and they would be going through them now.
Choosing to sit in the furthest corner, Peter unpacked his things. He watched as his teacher came around, giving each student their samples. Finally the man reached Peter, and passed the nervous teen the sealed crisp, white letter.
Grabbing the envelope with shaking hands, Peter swallowed back the bile that threatened to come up his throat. Carefully, he opened the envelope, sliding out the sample and letter inside.
Unfolding the letter, he read, a knot in his stomach. There on the paper, was one name he was not expecting. Of all the people! Peter bit back a laugh at the pure insanity of it all. Quickly he folded the letter back up before anyone else could read it.
Mr. Harrington came around with books that he explained had family trees in them, and that they were to see if they could find their families amongst the many pages.
Peter knew he would. In fact, he didn't even need a family tree to explain the latest few generations of his family. Out of all the people! And the scary thing is, Peter could see it. Something inside him just knew this was right, it wasn't some trick. It wasn't some faulty test. It was real, and he was terrified.
He opened the book he was handed, simply to have something to do, and turned to the index, where he found the page he was looking for. Flicking through the book till he landed on the correct page, Peter held back a gasp, staring at the names looking back at him. The names of the family he didn't know he had.
There, at the top of the page, in beautiful writing, read one name. A very well known name.
Stark.
He was a Stark. Tony, his father figure, his greatest supporter (well second only after May), was his father.
Tony was worried. He wouldn't admit it but he was. The Spider-Child had been awfully quiet since he had arrived. At first Tony just thought he was tired but then he realized it was something more. There was something he didn't know, and he really wanted to be in the loop.
"Kid, you alright? Your being a little quiet. Not plotting my demise are you?" Tony asked with a grin, but worry filling his eyes.
Peter jumped, looking around like a spooked deer, before nodding his head.
"I'm fine da-Mr. Stark. Nothing wrong over here, nope just me, umm, besides if I were plotting your disappearance and subsequent death, there would be a lot more evil cackling."
Tony smiled at the kid, eyes still laced with worry but he was a bit more relaxed. "Kid, if something is bothering you, you can tell me."
Peter gave a non committed hum before continuing with his work, the two falling into a comfortable rhythm.
"Did you know a Mary Fitzpatrick?"
The billionaire looked up at the kids sudden question, frowning when he recognized the name but couldn't place the face.
"Did?" Questioned Tony.
"Mhm, died a while back, different last name though."
Tony simply nodded, "Yeah, the name is vaguely familiar. Why?"
"It's just-" the kid began, putting down the web shooter he was working on, "16 years ago. I'm not sure where, but at some point 16 years ago you met a woman. Mary Fitzpatrick."
Unsure of where this was going, Tony watched the kid as he spoke.
"One thing led to another, and well stuff happened. Anyway, the next day, one of you left the other, never to talk again. You probably never even though about her after that day. But she couldn't stop thinking about you. Not when 8 months later, she had a kid, premature but a fighter. She couldn't forget you, because the kid had your eyes."
Tony sucked in a breath. The kid was saying that somewhere, Tony had a child. A 15 year old child-wait. 15. His eye's widened as he began to fit the pieces together, but he still needed to hear it, and Peter seemed to realize this, so he continued.
"She met a guy, 2 years later, fell in love. They got married and she changed hers and her child's name. Tony, she married Richard Parker."
If he were dreaming, Tony was going to have a fit. This kid, this pure, innocent, amazing kid in front of him, was his. The boy shuffled uncertainly on his feet, waiting for a response.
"Kid-" Tony's voice failed him, and the two of them had tears in their eyes. Silently, the billionaire opened his arms and the kid darted into them, and together they broke down. Over the loss of a mother, the joy at having each other, and the love shared between father and son.
For how long they sat there, in tears neither could say, but what they could say for sure was that it felt right. Having each other in their arms, having the person who they loved most be confirmed as family. Tony would be damned if he ever let anyone take his son from him.
The next morning (a Saturday) saw Tony in the kitchen, trying to recreate his mother pancakes for his new found son. A bleary eyed Peter walked in, dressed in Tony's old MIT hoodie and joggers, both slightly too large for Peter (Although Tony is small, I imagine Peter being taller but much smaller, so he seems tiny in the clothes.)
"Morning Underoos!" Tony greeted as his son walked in. Peter smiled at the nickname and sat at the Island table.
"Morning da-uh..."
"If you want, you can-you can call me dad?" Tony asked quietly.
Peter practically beamed at him, and Tony honestly felt like he was soaring with how elated he felt at seeing his son happy at the idea of calling him dad.
"I'd like that, so...Dad. Morning dad."
Tony felt like his heart was going to burst from hearing Peter say those words out loud. In that moment, neither of them could ask for anything more...until the burning smell reached Peter's nose, his eyes comically widened and the two spent the next few minutes trying to put out the fire caused by forgotten pancakes, and then explain to Pepper why there was a fire in the first place.
May found out soon after and agreed to share custody with Tony, and May and Peter quickly moved into SI, since the compound was to far for school and Tony spent most of his time at SI anyway.
The Avengers were soon filled in and in true Avenger fashion, they organized a baby shower, renamed a 'Peter' shower. That day was full of laughter and embarrassment, with May sharing some baby stories and photos of Peter, games and celebrations.
As I have said before, they are a family. A highly dysfunctional family, but a family all the same, and with the chaos this family brings, comes happiness, love and protectiveness.
So yes, that day he walked into Mr. Harrington's class did change his life, but it changed it for the better.
A/N: This is the third chapter in 2 days, and I have no clue how it happened. I just want to say that I have never done a family history test thing before so sorry for the inaccuracy of it.
First person to get the reference gets to request a one shot =)
Hope you all enjoyed and please feel free to comment and review, I would really appreciate it =)