Part Five: Tony Stark

Peter glanced at his watch worriedly, turning to Rhodey who was pacing back and forth with a frown etched on his dark skin. "Uh, Mr. Stark does know that he is getting married today…right?"

Rhodey groaned, tugging on his wrist cuffs, mumbling quietly to himself. "Oh he does, I mean where could he hide?! We are at the farmhouse! Where on God's green earth could he be?! I'm going to tie him to a post or implant a tracker…no, that's too lenient…I'm going to hide every single grind of coffee, burn all the coffee machines, and bury his mugs…" The man rubbed a hand over his face. "...I'm too old for this…"

"Uh…" Peter looked at Happy who was tapping on his phone furiously with a firm frown. The boy pointed to the door, knowing the men weren't focused on him. "Okay… I'm just gonna go look for Mr. Stark…yeah…" He quickly left the bedroom, closing the door behind him making his way downstairs. Mr. Stark was supposed to arrive to get himself prepped and ready for his own Wedding, but when minutes went by, Peter just hummed it down as being late, but when it turned into an hour his anxiety reared its ugly face and Rhodey and Happy were a calm and collected presence until an hour passed without any sign of the man. Then the firm duo turned into a panicked pacing mess, making calls, even getting some of the country locals to 'subtly' look for his mentor without letting the bride know.

Peter exited the Barton's house, glancing at the cars that were lined up along the dirt driveway as close friends and family conversed with one another smiling. He spotted Laura and Lila holding pitchers of lemonade that Peter was practically addicted to, as the men brought out large benches from a large shed behind the barn. Cooper and Ava were helping Nate move a very small bench for the little ones as Clint stood on a ladder, fixing the last minute details on the altar for the couple-to-be. The plan was to have the wedding near the lake Peter swam on during Spring Break, but without the groom the wedding of the century will definitely be the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons, bringing the boy back to his current mission: to find his mentor and fast. Once preparations were done and all of the guests had arrived the ceremony would soon begin and he would die and bury himself if he didn't find his mentor and drag him back to his bride's side before that happens.

The only problem was that Rhodey was right. They were in the countryside, there weren't many places he could hide, but now that he looked at the endless fields and the thick lines of trees and wide hills he realized how big of a lie that was and soon felt overwhelmed and had the intense urge to just get out of there…

Peter could groan, because of course his mentor would run off, to get out of the current place that was suffocating him, like a snake in a humid jungle, to find a place of solitude usually in the depths of his lab to center his thoughts and gather his emotions back into gear. He snuck back inside of the house, careful of the people around him and walked out to the back porch where no one resided. With a tap, his watch opened and the cool sensation of nanobots poured over him, the Iron Spider suit taking over his tux, the metal gleaming bright red in the afternoon sunlight.

"Hi, Peter, shouldn't you be getting ready for the wedding?" Karen asked politely in his ear.

Peter winced, but rolled his shoulders. "Uh, yeah, about that, Karen I need you to locate any Stark Tech frequencies in a fifteen mile radius, more importantly his suit, please."

"Of course. Scanning." Karen complied.

Peter shot a web into the trees and swung into the forest. The last thing he needed was someone spotting Spider-Man and the old ladies starting a line of gossip. Because other than photographers and the Avengers themselves, the other guests and families were not allowed to have their phones and each required to sign a NDA to keep Clint home and the Wedding location a firm secret.

He landed silently on a thick branch that overlooked the farm, but kept him hidden from any unnerving eyes as he waited.

"Peter, I think I found something."

He looked at his HUD, as Karen pulled up three blinking beacons on a layout of the forest. "Why are there three?"

And from the look of them they were deep in the forest, almost ten miles apart each. Peter banged his head against a thick branch. "Okay, so he set up decoys, great. Karen, which beacon established first and last?"

"The first was activated at the farther reach of the county line, and the last is approximately fourteen miles from the farm."

Peter nodded. "Which means Mr. Stark will be right in the middle of it. Find the quickest route, please."

"Will do."

Peter shot out a web and began the fifteen mile stretch. Swinging in the forest was a lot harder than the spaced out city, and he found himself slapped by trees almost constantly as he dodged branches and thick brush.

His HUD lit up as he swung, a contact picture of Rhodey smiling brightly in his Air Force uniform. "Peter, Rhodey is calling. Should I answer?"

"Go ahead." He gritted out, swinging into another thick branch. "Ow."

"Peter?"

"Hey, Rhodey."

"Please tell me you are searching for him."

Peter let himself free fall before catching himself on a branch, leaping back into the air flawlessly. "Yes sir. He even went the extra mile to leave decoys. I'm on my way to the best estimated location, I'll let you know if I find him, sir."

He heard a sigh of relief. "Kid, you are a literal lifesaver. Me and the others will try to keep the women busy. Not sure how well that will go, so I suggest you hurry and if you have to drag his scrawny prodigy butt back here then I happily give you permission."

Peter laughed as he landed in his signature pose on a branch, standing up, he tapped his earpiece. "Yes sir, I'll do that. You know Pepper won't be fooled…like at all, right?"

"Then consider yourself blessed and lucky that you are out there and I am here. She's already giving me looks. Just hurry before the future Stark stains her wedding dress with my blood. You know if this continues I'd prefer it if she just killed me and got it over with."

Peter smiled underneath his mask, his suit glittering in the sun. "Yes sir."

Swinging toward the middle destination was soothing as he swung, the repeated pattern of letting go and clicking another stream of web almost made him lose focus that could have taken off his head. When he reached two hundred feet away, he knew that his assumption was correct. Even from the distance he could hear the strained, uneven intakes of breath and the loud crunch of sticks and dead leaves that was being brutally murdered from the Billioniare's pacing. Peter let his mask fall back into his suit as he landed and walked the rest of the way.

It was a small pond, with those corn dog plants that Peter always wondered about, Cattails he mind supplemented, with broken down trunks that were rotted or dry to the bone creating a border around the still body of water. It was quiet and undisturbed. The pond almost a milky green until Peter honed in on the hunched man. Mr. Stark stood out with the nature around him, his tie loose, his Tux unbutton and untucked, with his arms tucked in tightly against his chest as he sat down on one of the dried logs near the bank.

Peter took a deep breath and walked forward, standing next to Mr. Stark looking at the serene scene in front of them, birds chirping lightly up in the trees.

His mentor's head was caressed inside his hands almost in a raggedy sense of anxiety, and Peter was worried about him. He swallowed, unsure how to start when Mr. Stark let out a soundless chuckle at his presence as he glanced up at the boy. "Didn't take you long to find me, kid."

Peter, still in his Spider-Man suit, disengaged his costume letting it fall back into his watch, silently asking if he could sit down. Mr. Stark answered by scooting off to the side, giving Peter enough room to take a seat next to him with a nod of thanks. "...Setting up decoys is really wasn't your best move, Mr. Stark." The boy smiled in good humor, but felt the tension breaker fall short when his mentor let out a heavy sigh.

"I assume Rhodey and Happy are out for my head?" Tony stated.

Peter shrugged with a hum, trying not to think about how much they really were freaking out. "I think they are more afraid of your future bride than they are angry." The vigilante turned and watched his mentor closely, seeing the exhaustion deep behind his eyes, the weary and tense way he held his shoulders, and how the man clutched his pants in his hand, fingering the soft fabric erratically. Peter nudged his shoulder with Tony's hoping the contact helped enough to settle him down, but Peter couldn't bury his own curiosity. "Mr. Stark, what are you doing out here?" He wondered aloud.

Mr. Stark had a thin smile, his hands tensing and relaxing against his pant leg. "Oh, you know, just evaluating my life choices here, nothing earth-shattering."

Peter raised an eyebrow in questioning, keeping his voice soft. "About the wedding today or the life after the wedding?"

"Is it that obvious…?" Tony asked solemnly. He ran a shaking hand through his hair. "Kid, you know how I am, and I am grateful to Pepper for putting up with my endless shenanigans, flawlessly saving Stark Industries hundreds of thousands of dollars every year because of me, but in the end what if this…" He said, pointing to himself, gritting his teeth in frustration as he turned his attention to Peter, who stayed quiet, but was listening intently. "...Isn't enough. My parents were not the printed, and hung up frame of a perfect married couple, kid. In fact, it was like they could barely even manage to tolerate or least of all loved one another."

"Did they?" Peter asked curiously with a tilt of his head, his brown curls bouncing.

"I know they loved each other, if that's what you are asking, it's just…" He sighed, his eyes downcast. "At the end of the day there was always something between them, a thick tension, a wedge. I don't want that between Pepper and I, but what if it's an undeniable factor, just like everything else in my life. I mean not even a year ago I was almost always in a drunken haze, fed up with Rogers and his band of misfits, and even before the Avengers were a thing I was a disgusting mess, and I thank God and hope you will never see that part of me…ever."

Peter nodded slowly, taking in that last statement. "But you made amends with Clint."

"I had to. In the end, the United Nations gave him a choice about Katniss's fate, prison or house arrest which wouldn't even be an option without me wearing those amateurish members of a council to the ground." Tony let out a stressed laugh. "You know, I'm not surprised by this…"

Peter gave him a worried glance. "Surprised by what, exactly?"

"This!" Tony remarked, gesturing between himself and Peter. "The fact you have to come and pull me out of my own burdens is a true testament of how deficient I really am."

Peter's jaw tensed as he looked at the ground in thought. Is that really what Tony thought of himself? So little, without that stone hard confidence Peter has come to lean on when his own confidence was nothing but a wisp of smoke. He pulled his lips into a firm line. "So what? You pull me out when I'm in distress more times than I can remember." He looked up, his brown eyes serious. "And I'm very aware about the drinking and your past, everyone is." He dismissed the wince Tony gave him and continued on. "Pepper, especially."

Peter looked at the pond, knowing Pepper was putting on her dress, letting the women braid and curl her hair, her soft features and crystal blue eyes. Peter smiled as he looked at his mentor who was the opposite image of radiant. "Mr. Stark, you are right about one thing. It is an undeniable factor." He ignored the incredulous look the man shot him. "...But not for the reason you think. Mr. Stark, you prove that you are not your father, your mother, or anyone who has ever done wrong to you. The Rogues made their choice, and you made yours. Everything else, really is an undeniable factor as you said, but you and I both know that there are positive factors, too. Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, Clint, the women, the kids, heck even Thor and Loki… every single one of us is an undeniable factor, because we are your family. You are not alone, not anymore. You have people who will point out your mistakes and will help you when you need it. The Stark Legacy ended with you, because you have done the one thing your past never could. You fixed what you broke. A year without drinking. Recalled every weapon you sold and converted to clean energy. Became the world's greatest defender and you made a decision to be better, just like you asked me to be so long ago. You may have been a man with bad recollections, but you made better amends not just with your friends, but with yourself. "

Tony stayed silent, listening deeply as Peter continued.

"And do you really think Pepper would let you get away with treating her like that? Do you think any of us will ever let you become the man you once were?" Peter asked, watching the man closely.

"No." Tony whispered, knowing how well and true that really is.

"Then trust the family you have built and earned rightfully to help you when you make a mistake. Sure, you guys will argue, sometimes you will have a bad day, but we are here, not just to have fun, or comfort each other, no, we are here to make sure you live a happy life. You. Just you. You are getting married to the most powerful woman on the planet, Mr. Stark. You are definitely going to need us to keep you alive, sir."

Tony chuckled lightly at the thought. "Yeah…I just… God… I love that woman."

Peter laughed as he scooted closer. "And sir, I would never let you do something that you would ever regret. I know how much Pepper loves you. She respects you, she is literally the only person I know that could possibly keep you in line, to love you, and still be that powerful woman that could move mountains and demolish companies with a simple wave of her hand. You would be a fool to let her go, for a fear that is so small. You have loved and cared for Pepper long before I met you, the difference today is that you both realize that and understand that the bond and love you share was meant to last, to be cherished. You took care of her for this long, sir. Why not take care of her and love her for the rest of your life?"

Tony gave him a hesitant smile that Peter happily returned.

The boy leaned into Mr. Stark's side, soaking in the contact and the comfort it emitted. "You deserve this, sir. You and Pepper both do."

Tony took a shuddering breath, his head tilted to the sky, the blue sky solid and welcoming, as he took a large, painful breath that ease his lungs before pulling the kid tighter into his side as he laid his head on the boy's soft curls. With a shaky nod, he laughed, loud and clear, his voice echoing across the pond. "...You're growing up, kid. Gosh…h-how did I find you?"

The boy mumbled into the man's firm chest with a wide grin. "YouTube."

The man chuckled, hugging him tighter. "Kid, you are truly a one of a kind." He leaned down to place a soft kiss on the boy's head. "I can say this confidently that I was lucky to find the people that I did."

The boy looked up almost saddened, but his bright smile never left. "The world made you feel alone, but you never were. We just came into your life when you needed us the most, but we are here for the long run, and long after. I…I love you sir, and I cannot not explain how lucky I am to have met you. You think I am one of a kind, I'm not, because I am not the one who fixes the world on a daily basis."

"No… but you fixed mine." Tony whispered, rubbing circles on the boy's hand with his thumb. "I think we can both agree that we are very lucky people."

"Very Lucky." Peter commented with warm content soaking in the warm rays of sunlight and basking in the silence.

They both jumped in surprise as Peter's phone started to ring disturbing the warm, silent peace that emitted around the two. He fumbled for his phone buried in his back pocket and quickly accepted the call, putting it on speaker. "...Hello?"

"WHERE ARE YOU?!" Peter moved his head away from the phone in shock.

"Ned?"

"Dude, Pepper is scary! You gotta save us! ALL OF US!" The boy screamed in panic through the phone. Ironman and Spider-Man winced at the loud volume screeching through the phone, glancing toward one another. "Please tell us you found him."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Right here, Ned."

"Mr. Stark, you have no idea how… HEY!"

"Pepper is ready to tear you apart, Stark." A firm female voice spoke.

Tony sighed. "Hi to you too, Michelle."

"So are you still quaking like a chicken looking at a rotisserie spit or did Peter hype you up to be a man for once?" Michelle asked through the phone, her smirk obvious to the two.

"MJ!" Peter blurted out in shock as Tony got up dusting himself from wood abrasions and chips off his suit unaffected from the girl's comment.

He took the phone from the boy. "Yes, we are heading back now. Think you can stall her for a bit."

They could both hear Rhodey in the background. "Stall? What does he think we've been doing for the past half hour!"

Michelle sighed on her end. "Don't worry, me and Ned have something up our sleeve."

"You do?" Peter asked as Ned spoke up. "We do?"

"Yes, we do. We'll keep Miss. Potts occupied while you rush back. Fair warning, it may be chaotic once you arrive."

Tony nodded, "Noted." And ended the call. The two males glanced at each other in a wary silence before they both shared a soft laugh. "We better get back, your girlfriend is threatening my wedding plans, and I kind of do want to see what insane, and recklessly dangerous plan your friends cooked up."

"SHE IS NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Peter commented loudly, throwing his head back, but even he couldn't hide the smile on his face. In sync, both of their nano-suits covered their lean figures, as Peter adjusted his web shooters. "She's just a supportive and an amazing friend."

"You know who else says that…their boyfriends." Tony said with a crooked grin as his faceplate slammed closed and he blasted into the air, leaving behind a gawking spider.

"That's not…! I AM NOT HER BOYFRIEND!" Peter yelled, shooting a web to the nearest tree and thrust himself into the air. He caught up with his mentor who slowed down, hovering in the air, his suit reflecting the early afternoon sun.

Peter shot a web attaching it to Tony's armored back and the man carefully adjusted the weight imbalance and sped off. When the farm came into sight, Tony halted in the air and winced as the boy lost momentum, hitting a tree with a splattered 'oof.'

Peter clamped his hands around the tree, shaking his head getting rid of the pounding pain deep within his skull. He looked at the tree with a frown and a pout. "What did I ever do to trees, huh?" He muttered to himself, recalling falling out of the tree as he stealthy watched his best friend ask Betty out, and the time on patrol a branch punched his sternum when he looked away from his swinging path, when he spotted a large Poodle dog walking with its owner. Peter shivered, he swore that the poodle looked like that one in the movie Open Season, he didn't know if it was the first or the second movie…

He shook his distracting thoughts away. Peter's gaze flickered up toward his mentor. "Why did you stop?" He looked at the tree in front of him when he spotted a dent in the bark. "...Great, just what I need. My face on a tree." He remarked sarcastically before glancing back up to his silent mentor.

"Maybe it's because I just realized that I'm getting married today." The man mumbled as the man turned in the direction of the Clint farm, but Peter still heard it. The boy tilted his head cautiously.

"Uh…yeah, but it won't be a long marriage if we don't get back before she decides to kill you, and that will really ruin Stark Industries stocks not to mention putting out the wildfires. I mean can you imagine…"

"Okay, kid, message received. Are you hopping back on or swinging the rest of the way back?" Tony asked, looking down at the kid.

"I'll swing, you go on ahead, I'll be there after you, I don't want anyone knowing I'm Spider-Man, don't want to upstage your wedding and all," He smirked as he started to swing.

Tony rolled his eyes. "How thoughtful." But followed after the vigilante anyway.

oOo

Loki was waiting for Peter in the backyard, with a glass of water, and the boy took it kindly, taking a careful sip, then chugging it down under the smoldering heat. The Iron Spider suit disappeared, the boy back into formal attire.

"Did Mr. Stark…?"

Loki nodded with a very smug grin. "The men grabbed him as soon as he landed. I wouldn't be even remotely surprised if they are giving him the lecture of the millennium."

Peter laughed, siping his water. "MJ and Ned were talking about keeping the others busy. How did that go?"

Loki gave him a wide grin as that familiar glint that Peter came to learn as …pride? Seeing that gleam on certain occasions only caused Peter to sigh and walk past the man, who looked like he was having the time of his life and entered the house. He looked left and right, the house being silent except from the loud muttering upstairs.

'Probably the 'lecture of the millennium.' Peter thought and opened the front door and froze. "You have got to be kidding me…"

Peter could facepalm as he surveyed the front yard. All the kids and he meant all the kids, MJ, Ned, Cooper, Lila, Ava, Nate, Cassie, and even Harley Keener all wore matching grins in a collection of dresses and tuxedos as Clint ran with a hoard of wasps on his tail, as Scott uselessly tried to coral the horses back into the barn. Tables were turned over, benches tossed carelessly from the horses, and scattered flower petals that were used to lead down the aisle were smashed and or completely ruined. Peter stepped off the porch with a groan, sensing an upcoming headache, but he couldn't wash down the small twinge of satisfaction of Clint screaming in terror with his wife chasing after him with a can of bug killing spray.

Peter glanced at MJ who smirked. "You like it?"

"Was your plan to disrupt the ecosystem?" Peter asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets as Loki grinned even harder.

"Oh… not just the ecosystem. Let's just say no one is going to try the red wine tonight." MJ vaguely listed as Ned laughed.

"Or the white wine."

Peter shrugged, dismissing the warning. "I said to keep them occupied, not commit arson."

Harley snorted, watching the scene was pleasure. "Nothing is on fire, Curly fries."

"Realistically, no, figuratively, oh absolutely." Peter answered with a barely contained grin, even he couldn't resist a smile.

Nate giggled with Cassie. "Just wait until daddy puts on his dress shoes. We poured mama's entire jar of honey in them!"

Cooper and Lila groaned as Harley high-fived the two little ones. "Nice! Classic Parent Trap move."

Peter took off his jacket, hanging it on the post next to him as he rolled up his sleeve. "Well with Mr. Stark back we need to get this disaster under control and quick otherwise Pepper will murder us along with the rest of the guests." He said, rolling his shoulders. "Cooper and Lila can you help Scott coral those horses. Harley, Ned, I need you to reorganize the seating area and take care of setting the catery back up, because I know you hid it and we need it back." He ignored the pouts his friends made. "MJ and I will take care of the aisle. We made this mess, so we need to clean it up. Loki think you can get rid of the wasps?"

"Why would I do that? I am the God of Mischief. I create chaos, not clean it." The man stated, crossing his arms, unimpressed.

"Loki."

"Fine." Loki gritted out, rolling his eyes as he walked past Peter following the screams coming from Clint.

Everyone nodded and took off as Nate and Cassie raised their hands over their heads. Nate tilted his head up, his eyes wide. "What do we do, Petey?"

"Uh…" He looked toward MJ who shrugged. "Did you make a mess in the kitchen when you poured honey into Scott's and Clint's shoes?"

"Noooo…" The tiny voices said with fake innocence, but Peter could only raise an eyebrow at the obvious lie.

"I want you to clean it up and if you do I'll sneak you an extra slice of cake tonight." He offered and the response was immediate as the kids eyes lit up and they cheered, running off into the house with little giggles.

MJ watched them for a moment then gave Peter a blank glance with a quirked eyebrow. "You do realize cleaning up in little kid speak means to eat it right?"

She watched in satisfaction as Peter's eyes widened at the sudden realization. "I'm an idiot." He said as he facepalmed, "and I promised them extra cake."

She patted his shoulder walking off not bothering to make sure the boy followed, his steep but quiet steps behind her was enough to know he was following her to the fields. They reached a small cove and Peter helped MJ climb down, spotting the wildflowers growing in tremendous quantities and the two got to work. They picked bundles of flowers enough for the aisle and made their way back carefully. Peter gave her a look as she tucked a flower between his ear and curls with a sneaky smile. He rolled his eyes but managed to slip flowers into her braid as they walked back to the farm.

The wedding setting was looking better as the horses were back inside the coral, Ned and Harley stood on ladders setting up strings of lightbulbs on the trees to keep it a low setting light, with the guests seated on the chairs lined up in rows speaking in a much calmer tone. He shook his head when he spotted Nate and Cassie with honey covered faces. They waved at him and Peter gave them a sheepish wave back, already hearing the lecture from Clint in his head about the high consumption of sugar in little kids before Laura interrupted revealing that he is also a kid in a man's body who should also be limited on their sugar intake.

Peter and MJ got to work on clipping the stems and removing the pedals from the buds and placing them in a basket for Cassie to spread out during the ceremony as the flower girl. Peter left MJ to finish as he helped Ned and Harley program the lightbulbs to his computers, and make adjustments to the table arrangement before chasing down Nate and Cassie, wiping their faces clean of honey. The sun slowly descended down past the top of the mountains as early evening began, the heat slowly cooling into a nice, easy climate as Peter took some of the flowers he picked and placed them in steel water pitchers, setting them on the table where it was needed. He straightened out the tablecloths and placed down the plates and silverware in the proper order, wiping the chairs down with a cloth. Laura joined his side, helping him bring out the food that was safely tucked back inside while the world burned down from MJ's chaotic distraction.

Laura made Peter a bowl of ice cream as they sat down for a moment taking a breather back inside the house. She leaned on the table with a knowing look. "So you're a match-maker, a genius, and a wedding organizer."

Peter rolled his eyes with a smirk, clicking the spoon against the bowl before taking a bite. "Me? No, I was just trying to clean up the mess. But I was wondering if I could borrow some fabrics, you know the special kind. I was going to put some last minute touches on the tables."

"Think you will finish it on time from all that chaos?" Laura asked, sipping her glass of sweet tea.

Peter nodded excitedly. "Yeah, we just have the touches to do. Think they'll like it, despite completely destroying it? I mean we kind of rearranged everything after...that."

"I think they will love it. It was a nice change in my opinion."

The boy smiled. "The ribbons for the tables were actually Cassie's idea. She watches too many Disney movies and says it needs to be fit for a princess."

"Oh really?" Laura grinned, leaning on her elbows on top of the dining table. "Because I have a distinct memory of you and my son singing karaoke to Do You Want to Build a Snowman."

"How and why you know that is incredible, but deeply unsettling." Peter commented as he took a bite of his ice cream. Laura grabbed another pitcher of water for the guests, cutting up lemons, dropping them in a small bowl if they wanted the addition to the beverage.

"If you want to be invisible all you have to do is don't try to be." With that she walked out of the house leaving Peter thinking.

He turned to the door. "It was Cooper's idea! He needed a partner!"

He glanced down at his melted treat with a frown, but his attention was diverted to the floor above as he continued to hear soft thumbs and stomps from boots and dress shoes as well as yelps. He threw his tux over his shoulder and walked upstairs heading up to Clint's room.

He knocked, waiting for the door to open. He heard whispers and annoyed grunts as Happy opened the door, who let out a relieved smile. "Hey kid, we are just about done here."

Peter opened his mouth to respond when he heard Tony yelp. "Will you quit doing that!"

Rhodey's voice was dismissive. "No."

Peter and Happy smirked as the boy nodded. "Okay, I'll let the others know. Think you guys will be ready in ten minutes?"

"How about twenty?" Tony asked loudly.

"How about now?" Rhodey replied sternly. "You are marrying this woman if it's the last I thing I do."

"You know when you find a woman of your own, you're going to regret saying that to me, Honeybear." Tony said, clipping on his cuffs.

Rhodey threw Tony's tux at him in retaliation. "Quit stalling and let's get you married."

Tony slipped on his suit, buttoning it and straightening his bowtie. Pulling down on his suit and rotating his shoulders. "I can't tell if I'm going to throw up in excitement or nerves. Am I supposed to be this nervous?! Or am I going into cardiac arrest? I think this bowtie is too tight…"

Rhodey pulled his best friend close. "Nope, I just think it really clicked in that Tony Stark is finally ready to be committed for once, but before we go we have one last thing to give you, Peter, if you will."

Happy nodded to Peter who left the room quickly and came back with a small wooden box cradled in both of his hands. Tony glanced at the men in confusion as Peter gestured his head to the box, prompting Tony to slowly walk forward.

Tony's eyes widened as he opened it, looking at them in shock. "I don't…?

Peter smiled softly, holding the box open. "We figured you would rather put these on instead, you know to help with the nerves."

Tony pulled out a pair of cufflinks, but he knew exactly who they used to belong to. An onslaught of emotions slammed into his chest and made his eyes burn thickly. "These are Jarvis's cufflinks…" He said, taking in the carvings etched into the cuffs. The smooth letter J glittering in the light in the bedroom.

Rhodey nodded, taking the cufflinks gently from his friend's grasp. "Jarvis would be proud of the man you have become and we wanted him to be a part of this moment."

Happy walked over to Tony's side with a nod. "We understand how important he means to you. He raised you, so it seems fitting to have the man who was more of a father to you, be with you and stand loyal by your side at your own wedding even beyond the grave."

Tony blinked in shock, his eyes burning as Rhodey snapped the last link on. The dark-skinned man gave the man who he considered a brother a loving and proud look as he nodded at the Billionaire's appearance in approval. Tony let out a choked gasp as he tried to reel in his emotions. He could easily remember sitting on Jarvis's lap as a young boy, looking down at the very cufflinks that were secured tightly to his own wrists, reminiscing the story between Jarvis's and Ana's own wedding he was told with a voice laced with love and warmth when his own parents left him cold in a lonely house.

Tony wiped a lonely tear with his thumb, laughing. "...I…Thank you… thank you." He sniffed, his love for his friends growing as he lifted his chin high, his brown eyes twinkling in happiness. "I say it's time I finally marry the love of my life, gentlemen. What do you say?"

Peter cheered loudly. "Yes sir!" As Rhodey grabbed his own tux. "That's the spirit!"

Tony watched Peter take off quickly, warning the others to begin the final preparations, sliding down the stair railing and shooting through the front door in barely contained excitement. He smiled to himself, the cufflinks were heavy for their size, but deep down the weight felt like soft hands were grabbing his wrists in a firm but gentle hold, and if he thought hard enough he could see Jarvis next him with that warm crooked smile and bright eyes that always held happiness no matter how depressing the day could be…almost exactly like the spider-kid. It could be raining, thundering, a horrible, awful, or lung-crushing day, but once the boy crosses the threshold with an absurd, but truthful story at the edge of his lips it was almost too easy to leave the bad thoughts behind and focus on the endeavors Peter went through that day, just like the stories that were always ready to cheer him up from Jarvis's tales of wonder.

Tony noticed the guests had settled down as the groom's men and the bride's women took their places, as the town officiator took his place by the altar. To the left of the altar, a large piano was placed on a small built-on patio, a young woman who was a great friend of Laura's had the honor of composing the hymns for the ceremony as she smiled warmly at him, her fingers pressing on the keys once he gave her the signal. The soft, slow notes went across the crowd who respectively quietened turning to Tony.

With a deep breath, he walked down the aisle, noting the carefully placed petals that marked the path, shades of pink, reds, and violets contrasted brightly against the deep forest green grass. Behind him, Rhodey was walking down the aisle solo, with his chin held high in his own form-fitting suit as he proudly represented Tony's Best Man.

Happy and May walked down in a pair, their arms interlocked with each other with wide grins, as Peter and MJ followed their lead, MJ's hair with numerous flowers placed into her braid courtesy of Peter who slipped them in at the last minute with a smile. Maggie and Jim Paxton trailed behind the young couple rolling their eyes as Scott waved at them from his seat, his ankle monitor still clamped on tight. Hope sighed next to him, pulling the man's arm down. And lastly, Clint and Laura walked together, no space between them as they held each close. The men and women separated, the women taking their place on the Bride's side of the altar, the men moving to Tony's side.

The adults cooed and awed as Nate held his head high, tiny in his little tux suit, holding the silk pillow that held purchase to the wedding rings on top. Behind him, Cassie grinned, grabbing fistfulls of pedals throwing them across her feet, trying her hardest to cover every inch for Aunt Pepper.

Her dad gave her a thumbs up. "You're doing great, peanut." He whispered as she passed him, and she gave him a toothy grin in return. She took her place next to Nate who stood by his mother. Laura gave her friend a nod and the tune easily transitioned to the traditional wedding hymn as the adults instinctively looked behind them in sync as they all stood up together.

Pepper emerged from the thick treeline, and the crowd let out soft gasps as the evening sun illuminated every gem and sparkle on her dress, making her glow. Her golden-strawberry hair was heavily curled, a bouquet of rich blue blossoms held tightly in her hand, her face lightly hidden from the lace veil, a crown made up of lightly colored wildflowers placed securely on her head, as her dress trailed down hugging her slim figure, her train caressing every petal Cassie laid out for her. She bit her lip, absorbing every reaction, but her eyes were focused on one person who was stock-still, as his eyes wide in shock. The wonder and pure enthrallment as he took her in made her cheeks burn red under the veil, as her heart pounded harder than before.

She stepped up to the altar, placing her hands into Tony's, smiling reassuringly at his nervous smile. Her thin, soft hands slipped in perfectly in Tony's rough, large hands that were calloused from long nights in the lab, creating innovations beyond limitations with ease. Her heart skipped a beat when she felt him rub his thumb in small circles over her hand before he gently lifted the veil over her head letting it drifted onto her back as he took in a shuddering breath, dark brown eyes meeting ocean blue.

The music slowly died down as the officiator cleared his throat. "Please be seated." Everyone took their seats respectively. "Family, friends, and loved ones, we come today, in the sight of the divine and of you as witnesses to join Tony Stark and Pepper Potts in marriage. We gather around them now in this wonderful place, and we look on with love and hope as these two begin their new life together as one. Marriage is a sacred commitment molded by love, friendship, and devotion." The officiator looked between Tony and Pepper with a warm smile. "Tony, Pepper, are you ready to proclaim that foundation of love for one another in the sight of the heavens and these witnesses?"

Tony and Pepper voiced their permissions, the officiator nodded. "Tony, do you take Pepper to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, through sickness and health, and whatever life may throw at you both, until death do you part?"

Tony's eyes never left Pepper's as he nodded firmly. "I do."

"Pepper, do you take Tony to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, through sickness and health, and whatever left may throw at you both, until death do you part?"

Pepper smiled, her eyes watering in elation as she nodded. "I do."

Tony let himself smile openly in return at her words, her voice sending electricity through his body, making his legs shake and quiver in excitement and anxiety. The Officiator continued. "At this time, Tony and Pepper will exchange rings." Clint guided Nate in front of the couple as Tony and Pepper each grabbed their rings. "The wedding ring is a symbol of binding. A symbol of attachment and of belonging, not of possession, but of partnership."

Tony took that as his cue, taking a deep breath as he tightly squeezed Pepper's hands. "Pepper…ten years ago I…if someone would have told me that I would be marrying the most extraordinary, intelligent, selfless woman on the planet I would have conjured it as a false truth, a lie, but I am standing here today with you, right here by my side. You could have given up on me so many times, turned around and never looked back." Tony swallowed the large lump in his throat. "And sometimes I wondered why you never did. I was a mess from the very beginning, but the day I met you, you didn't even hesitate to tell me what was wrong with me, to tell me that I was wrong, and you never failed to correct me. You have been there when I needed you most, even saved me from death." He let out a laugh. "You stood with me when I cowarded away from you, because I was afraid of committing myself to you, to love you unconditionally, because I believed that I could never be the man you needed me to be, and I was wrong." He glanced at Peter. "I had someone remind me that it was okay to be afraid, because I know from the very bottom of my heart that I will protect you to my last breath, and love you eternally in death as I have for years. I have loved you and protected you for years, so why not love you for the rest of my life." He gave her the warmest smile he could give her. "I love you Pepper, from the moment I met you and I will love you ever after." He slipped his ring on her finger, his vow sealed, never to be broken as he looked up meeting Pepper's gaze.

A single tear cut through her cheek as she gasped and smiled. She licked her lips, and opened her heart as she took her turn, never straying away from the man in front of her, the same handsome man who put her through so much, but gave her infinitely more.

"Tony, when I met you, I…wasn't impressed." Tony chuckled lightly as did the audience at the comment as she continued. "But someway somehow, you managed to tear away my walls. You put me through so much, and I always asked myself in the middle of the night why do I even try?" Pepper looked down. "It wasn't until…It wasn't until I realized that in the short time I worked for you, you have became a constant presence in my life, always there asking me how I was, a coffee on my desk when I knew it was you who bought it, paid for my trip home when I lost my dad. I was prejudiced toward you, blinded by the media and how they pictured you to be and I believed them, but your acts spoke volumes. You never were the arrogant, selfish, contemptuous man I grew up learning about. I saw the real Tony Stark when you invited me to the lab one night, and I saw who you truly were. An inventor, a man who was thoughtful, understanding with your heart in the right place. I saw you without your mask, and I realized at that moment that…I loved you. And as the years went by, I watched you fall over and over again only to rise stronger. Becoming the leader and the defender our world so desperately needs, and I cannot express how proud and amazed I am at what you have accomplished. I fell in love with the man who loves his people so compassionately that you would lay down your life for them without thought, the inventor who saved and inspired so many, a teacher who advises and protects his student proudly, a friend who puts family and supports them unwavering first, but most importantly…I fell in love with the man who forgave the world for it's misdeeds, even when we all know that the world will never understand what you truly sacrifice everyday…but I do. And I will be there for every battle, threat, and villain who dares threaten our family, our home. I will be there by your side and never cower." She said softly, but powerful. "Tony…I understand why you fight, so I am here today, right here, with you, forever, a promise of my love and duty…because now it's my turn to take care of you. I love you, Tony." She slipped her ring on his finger. "Thank you for being my best friend and my guardian."

Tony choked as a few strands of tears slid down his face. Her words sliced through his chest in all the best ways he could ever imagine and conveyed every ounce of love he could through his eyes hoping to send her a silent message and he knew she recieved the message of love when her lips curled up in a glittering smile, her ocean blue eyes sparkling in genuine affection and such warmth. He used his thumb to brush away his tears as the Officiator lifted his head.

"Tony and Pepper, having proclaimed your love and commitment to one another in the eyes of these loved ones, and with the power vested in me by the Church of our fair town, I am happy to pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss the bride!"

Tony didn't waste a second, pulling his now wife to his chest, as his lips met hers sharing a passionate kiss. Around them, the sound of shouts and cheers piercing their ears as he put ten years of love into the kiss.

Pepper smiled as they finally parted. "It's not everyday I make the great Tony Stark cry."

"It's the countryside. Lots of dust and pollen everywhere." He replied, glancing over to their audience, the people who stayed by his side, even the kids who were cheering louder than the adults. He couldn't help but laugh as he saw May discreetly hand Happy a tissue. The bulky man turned his back toward the crowd as he wiped away his tears in fake solitude. Rhodey and Clint both had tears in their eyes but their pride kept the burning tears back, but they looked at him proudly nonetheless.

And Peter who was watching silently with a look of pure happiness, his curls brushing against his eyes as Tony nodded his head slightly in gratitude, smiling when the teenager's eyes widened before he smiled uncontrollably, nodding his head in return.

You're welcome.

Tony faced his wife who was still in his arms, as she raised her hand to caress his cheek and he instinctively leaned into it. "Well, Mrs. Stark, I'm ready to celebrate, how about you?"

Pepper laughed warmly, shaking her head in delight. "I am." She gave him a look. "Will that be all Mr. Stark?"

He gave her a smirk in return, pulling her into another deep, searing kiss. They parted as he laid his forehead against hers. "That will be all, Mrs. Stark."

A/N: Last Chapter tomorrow!!!

Next Chapter: Peter Parker