The photo did not "blow over" as quickly as I would have liked it to.

After all of the comments from other students, the harassment from the media, Tony Stark decided to get involved.

Tony had Happy drive me to the Avengers' facility upstate. He also requested that Peter come along.

As soon as Stark and I locked eyes, I felt like I was in big trouble. My heart sank as he led the two of us into a private conference room.

"You're not in trouble," was the first thing Stark said.

It kinda felt like we were.

"Is that picture real?" he asked firmly.

"Yes," I said after a deafeningly silent moment.

Tony looked to Peter who nodded in a nervous confirmation. Stark let out a long sigh and pulled out his phone.

"Daily Bugle," Stark said into the phone. "This is Tony Stark. Yes, the Tony Stark. Look, I don't appreciate you harassing my team, especially because the Angel of New York, or whatever you want to call her, is a minor. That photo is a fake, you and I both know it."

The person on the other end of the phone began arguing.

"Ah, save it for court," Stark stopped them. "If you don't take that photo down, you're going to have a damn hard legal battle ahead of you . . . For what?" Tony repeated. "Oh, how 'bout for slander of a minor. You're harassing a kid with something you made up. Do you see the issue I have?"

The other end of the phone went silent.

"Good," Stark decided. "I expect all versions and articles surrounding the photo to be down by the end of the day." The call ended and Tony put his phone down on the table.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

"No, you two have to be more careful," Tony said. "There are cameras everywhere, I mean everywhere. Peter's lucky with his mask and all, but you don't have that luxury, Eve."

I nodded.

"On a lighter note," Tony began. "I want to thank you two for not letting my plane crash into Coney Island."

My head picked up.

"And . . . Sorry I took your suit, Pete," Stark said. "I mean, you had it coming. Actually, it turns out it was the perfect sort of tough-love moment that you needed, right? To urge you on, right? Wouldn't you think? Don't you think?"

Peter shrugged. "Yeah, yeah, I guess."

"Let's just say it was," Stark said, leading the two of us towards a door.

"Mr. Stark, I really—" Peter began apologizing.

"You screwed the pooch hard. Big time," Stark interrupted. "But then you did the right thing. Took the dog to the free clinic, you raised the hybrid puppies . . . All right, not my best analogy." Stark paused. "I was wrong about you. I think, with a little more mentoring, you could be a real asset to the team."

A huge smile crossed my lips, proud of Peter.

"To the, to the team?" Peter stuttered.

"Yeah. Anyway," Tony pointed to the door. "There's about fifty reporters behind that door. Real ones, not bloggers."

"Mr. Stark—" I began.

"I've informed them that if they bring up the photo they will be promptly removed," he stopped me.

Stark pressed a few buttons on his watch causing a secret compartment in the wall to open, revealing a brand new Spider-Man suit.

Peter's eyes lit up.

"Didn't forget about you, Eve," Tony said, opening yet another wall panel with his watch.

A sleek black suit, reminiscent of the one I had been wearing in Cairo, with bits of silver woven in sat before me.

"Ready to get back out there?" Tony asked, nudging me on the shoulder.

Truthfully, I didn't know.

"When you're ready, why don't you try that on?" Tony began, looking to Peter. "And I'll introduce the world to the newest official member of the Avengers: Spider-Man."

"I . . ." Peter breathed. He laughed in quiet amazement, stepping up to the suit.

"Yeah. Give that a look," Stark said.

Peter admired the Iron-Spider Armor.

"So, after the press conference," Tony continued. "Happy will show you two to your rooms, your new quarters. You'll fit right in."

Peter hesitated for a moment, then turned to Tony.

"Thank you, Mr. Stark," Peter began. "But I'm good."

"You're good?" Stark asked incredulously. "How are you good?

"Well, I mean, I'm—I'd rather just stay on the ground for a little while. Friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Somebody's got to look out for the little guy, right? Besides, I like living with my aunt, next to Eve."

"And you?" Stark asked me.

I shrugged. Just looking at that suit was making me think of Apocalypse. My heart was pounding but I wasn't sure why.

Tony took off his sunglasses and stared right at Peter's eyes.

"You two are turning me down? You better think about this." Stark pointed at the new suits. "Look at that. Look at me. Last chance, yes or no?"

"No," Peter said.

I inhaled a shaky breath and tore my eyes away from the suit. It felt like my hands were starting to shake. Still, I shook my head.

"Okay," Tony said at last. "It's kind of a Springsteen-y, working class hero vibe that I dig. Uh, Happy will take you home. Yeah? Eve? Eve?" Tony asked.

I looked up from my lap.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Stark said.

"Thank you, Mr. Stark," Peter said, standing from his chair. "You okay, Eve?" he whispered to me, placing a hand on my back to guide me out of the room.

"Yes, Mr. Parker. Very well," Tony said, watching the two of us go.

Stark and Peter shook hands.

"See you around," Peter said.

Peter began to leave but then slowed to a stop and turned to Tony, who was putting the Iron-Spider Armor away with a tap of his watch.

"That was a test, right?" Peter asked. "There's, uh, nobody back there?"

"Yes, you passed," Stark said. "All right, skedaddle there, young buck."

"Thank you, Mr. Stark," Peter responded. "Thank you."

"Yeah. And look after her, will you?" Stark called after the two of us.

"I will!" Peter said, leading me towards the car.