Author's Note: Hello, hello, my readers! Welcome back to another chapter of Raise Me Up! We are at CHAPTER 20, and strap in, folks, because this one is LONG! In this chapter, we're finally at the press conference and the first meet-up with Peter's social worker, and Peter tries to keep his nervousness in check. I hope you all enjoy it! Also, I wanted to apologize if you had trouble viewing the last chapter when I first updated. The site had some issues, and it finally got resolved about a week or two ago, so if you hadn't read Chapter 19, do that and come back here! Before we get to that…REVIEW REPLIES!
Megan844: Exactly! Tony and Pepper will always be there for him!
Sillysammijo: Hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading, friend!
SapphireRuby24: (They emailed me their review when the site wasn't really allowing them to review) THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'm really glad you loved it, and yeah i decided to throw a little pancake battle in there to lighten things up a little!
Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything related to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Chapter 20
Peter opened the door just a crack as he heard people chattering about in the press conference room. From what he could see and hear, there had to be about 20 reporters standing out there…waiting for him…to know about him. The teenager breathed a shaky breath as Tony gently led him away from the door.
"Don't look out there, buddy," Tony said guiding him back to where they were standing with Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, and Vision.
Rhodey and Vision came early that morning to support Peter, Tony, and Pepper at the press conference, and they were more than grateful to have some familiar faces supporting them behind the scenes.
"Sorry, Tony," Peter said as they walked back over to the group. "I didn't mean to be rude. I just—"
"No, no, you weren't being rude," Tony said quickly pulling him close to his side wrapping an arm around Peter. "I just don't want to see you get more nervous."
"Trust me, Pete," Rhodey suddenly said. "Tony did the exact same thing when he was named CEO. All he would do was look through those doors and then throw up because he was so nervous. I'm pretty sure Obadiah lost a good pair of shoes that day."
Peter widened his eyes slightly as he looked at Tony. It was hard to imagine someone like his guardian getting so nervous to the point of throwing up. Not only that but Tony, Rhodey, Pepper, and Happy hardly ever mentioned Tony's former mentor, which obviously made sense. "Really?" he asked.
"Absolutely," Rhodey replied. "Trust me, these things tend to freak me out, too. It happens."
"But, like we talked about," Tony said pulling Peter just a little closer to his side, "it's all going to be fine. We've practiced, and all you have to do is trust your instincts and be yourself. Believe it or not, you're pretty lovable, buddy."
Peter smiled at Tony feeling some of the confidence return. "Thanks, Tony," he said. "I feel better knowing you and Pepper will be with me."
"And we won't leave your side for a second," Pepper confirmed with a warm smile.
Peter's smile widened a little more. "Thanks, Pepper," he said.
"Alright," Pepper said taking a deep breath, "should we get this show on the road?"
Tony looked from Pepper to Peter. "We're ready when you are, kiddo," he said.
Peter took a deep breath to calm his pounding heart trying to remember what May told him once again.
"You need to use your instincts…"
He looked at Tony and Pepper again standing up straight as best as he could to show some sliver of confidence…despite the nerves. He took another deep breath and nodded. "I'm ready," he said to them. It was now or never, and the idea of this being a short press conference put him at ease somewhat. He still worried over the possibility of making Tony and Pepper look bad on TV, but if Tony and Pepper weren't worried, then he shouldn't be.
Tony and Pepper both nodded with smiles on their faces. Then with Pepper in the lead and some last minute words of encouragement, they led Peter into the press conference room and walked up to the platform. Tony kept his arm around Peter and tried his best to shield him from the flashes of the cameras, and Pepper led them up to the platform and went to the podium as he and Tony stood behind her.
"Good afternoon," Pepper said signaling the reporters to quiet down and to give her a chance to speak. "As you know, my name is Pepper Potts. I am CEO of Stark Industries and Tony Stark's fiancée. We are here to address the recent photos that made their way to the news and to hopefully put this to rest."
As Pepper continued to explain that Tony was going to speak next to explain the situation, Peter couldn't help but marvel at how poised she was in the face of these vultures, as Tony put it. It was yet another example as to why Tony picked Pepper to be CEO of his company, and the fact that this was the same woman, who had been so supportive and loving to him for the past year…was pretty amazing.
"I'm going to talk next, kid," Tony whispered to him, "and once they start asking questions, I'll have you join me. But Pepper will stay with you until then. Don't feel pressured to answer a question if it's too personal, okay? Just look at me, and I'll take over."
"Okay," Peter whispered in reply.
"Now, Mr. Stark will come up and say his piece," Pepper said before turning to the billionaire signaling that it was now his turn.
Tony gave Peter one last squeeze before moving up to the podium while Pepper swiftly moved to where Peter stood wrapping an arm around him and smiling at him.
"Oh, all of this for me?" Tony said lightly putting a hand to his chest. "You shouldn't have." The press chuckled before he continued to speak. "Thank you all for coming. Now, let's get down to business. Like my lovely fiancée said, we are here to clear the fog so to speak on the pictures that came out recently. Yes, my intern, my fiancée, my forehead of security, Vision Col. Rhodes, and I are in those pictures. Yes, one was taken in front of the courthouse and in Coney Island. While the Coney Island one doesn't seem all that out of the ordinary, I'm sure the courthouse one does. The teenager in those pictures is my intern, Peter Parker. We had met a while back, and he became my intern here almost a year ago. Our families had gotten close since then, and he was the same intern who was kidnapped alongside me a few months ago. He and I had been getting close, and recently, he and his aunt—May Parker—were in a tragic accident. Unfortunately…his aunt…Mrs. Parker didn't make it. She passed away in surgery on June 16.
"Now like I said, both Peter and I and our families had gotten close, and a few months before Mrs. Parker's untimely death, she…named me as Peter's guardian in her will. We agreed that should anything happen, I would gain custody of her…beloved nephew…her entire world, Peter. The picture of us at the courthouse was simply after the Guardianship hearing when the judge granted me full custody, and Coney Island was simply our way of celebrating. That's all. Now, before we go onto questions, I would like to remind you that Peter is in fact a minor. Therefore, Pepper and I ask that you respect his privacy unless stated otherwise. That means none of this happens again. Should it happen again, measures will be taken. Alright, now, we'll have Peter come up to help answer questions. Come on, bud."
Peter took a deep shaky breath as Pepper squeezed his shoulder once more before walking up to the podium right alongside Tony. "Uhh…hi, everyone," he said, "I'm…I'm Peter, and…I'll take your questions now."
A few reporters raised their hands, and Peter quickly pushed down the overwhelming nervousness in his stomach as he picked a female reporter dressed in red.
"Hi, Peter," she said, "I wanted to ask you, how old are you?"
That was an easy question. "Oh, I'm 15, ma'am," Peter replied. "I'll actually be 16 next month in August."
The reporter smiled and nodded as she wrote down his answer. "So you're in high school?" she asked. "What school do you go to?"
"I go to Midtown School of Science and Technology," Peter answered with a small smile.
"And just to add to what I said," Tony said quickly, "we also ask that you go nowhere near Peter's school."
"Yeah, that would be super weird," Peter added, "so…please don't do that."
The reporters chuckled at Peter's statement before raising their hands again, and Peter, feeling more confident, pointed to another reporter.
"Peter, I have to ask," a male reporter began, "Mr. Stark said that your aunt assigned him to be your guardian, but…don't you have any extended family, who would be willing to take care you?"
That question sort of felt like a cheap shot…both at May and Tony, but at the same time, he could understand why that was asked. Plus, Pepper and Tony warned him that they might ask this question. "Well," he began, "I…I don't really have any extended family. My parents died when I was little, and my aunt May and my uncle Ben—her husband and my dad's brother—were the only family left. My uncle died over a year ago, so…no…there's no extended family."
Tony squeezed his shoulder in reassurance. He hated the idea of Peter being asked about it, and…thankfully, they prepared him for these questions as some people would question why Peter was placed under the care of a billionaire and superhero and not with family or the system. So far, the teen was poised and kept his cool.
"I'm so sorry to hear that, Peter," the reporter said clearly stunned by the information.
"Thank you," Peter said nodding, "but…even if I did have family, my aunt trusted Tony. I trust Tony, and we're buds. We're family. We all have been for a while. My aunt knew what she was doing. I said that to the judge, and I'm saying it now. I will keep saying that for as long as possible. Tony, Pepper, Col. Rhodes, Happy, and Vision are my family too."
Tony stared at Peter in complete disbelief as he handled that question. Once again, the kid never ceased to amaze him.
"Thank you, Peter," the reporter said.
"You're welcome," Peter said nodding and smiling.
"Another question," Tony said. "Then maybe one or two more?"
Another reporter raised his hand, and Peter pointed to him.
"My question is actually for Ms. Potts," the reporter said looking to the CEO.
Pepper smiled as she walked up to where Peter and Tony stood.
"How do you feel about your fiancé taking in a teenager…when you're both engaged in to be married?" the reporter asked.
"Our engagement has nothing to do with this," Pepper said calmly. "I've known Peter about the same amount of time Tony did, and I was there when Mrs. Parker asked Tony to be Peter's guardian. I support it 100%, and we are a family. That's what family does, and when Peter called Tony that night, there was no question. Peter was going to live with us, simple as that." As she said that, she placed her hand on Peter's shoulder just as Tony did.
"Well, I don't know about you, hon," Tony said after a moment, "but I think we can take…two more questions."
"Of course," Pepper replied while Peter nodded.
More reporters raised their hands, and Tony pointed to yet another reporter in the back row.
"My question is for all three of you," the reporter began as she stood up. "I noticed that you've been emphasizing that Mr. Stark is Peter's guardian, and according to New York State, guardianship usually lasts until the child in question turns 18 years of age. Given that Peter is about to turn 16, is there any chance the guardianship could become an adoption?"
Peter's jaw dropped slightly hearing that question, and he honestly didn't know how to answer it. It wasn't exactly something he thought about in the past, especially now that he was in Tony's custody. He had forgotten that legal guardianship lasted until the child turned 18 years old. Not only that, but did he want Tony and Pepper to adopt him? Would that make it more permanent…more official than a guardianship? Did Tony and Pepper hope to adopt him someday? He honestly didn't know what to think. Not only that, but…what about his biological family…his parents, May, and Ben? What would they think about it? He wasn't upset the reporter asked. He just…wasn't sure. Plus, wouldn't that be admitting that he viewed Tony as a father figure? How would Tony feel about that? And Pepper?
"Well, I think what we can say for now is that…Peter is going through a tough loss of a loved one," Tony began trying his absolute hardest to maintain composure. "Not only that, but we just had the hearing over a week ago. We are taking things one day at a time and," he snuck a look at Pepper, "seeing where things go. If we feel adoption is the next step, then we will discuss it when we feel ready. There's no time limit, but if for some reason it's not an option, to me, it doesn't matter what New York says about guardianship. Peter is our family and has been for a while, and you don't need paperwork to prove that. I promised his aunt I would take care of him—that Pepper and I would take care of him, and that promise has no expiration date."
Peter felt himself relax as he listened to Tony answer the question. It wasn't a direct yes or no, but it was definitely Tony explaining that they were going to see what the future held and that just because the guardianship would end when he would turn 18, it didn't mean anything. They would always be a family in some way, shape, or form, and there was nothing anyone or anything could do to change that. However, that still didn't stop him from wondering if that was what Tony and he would eventually want, and he made a mental note to ask about it later.
Pepper smiled and nodded before turning back to the press. "I think we have time for one more question," she said signaling that the press conference was coming to an end.
Another reporter stood up and raised his hand. "I have to ask, Mr. Stark," he began, "have you looked further into those pictures taken of you and Peter? I…mean is it possible that someone is watching you and your family? It seems odd that there's two pictures taken of you in the span of one day."
Peter furrowed his eyebrows together at the question. Was this reporter seriously suggesting that someone was watching them? Stalking them? He hadn't really considered that, but now…it did seem a little odd that there are two pictures of them in one day.
"That's not really something I'm willing to disclose to the media," Tony said with a smile. "We will deal with it if it becomes concerning."
"Thank you," Pepper chimed in before leading Tony and Peter out of the press conference room as the reporters started talking at once trying to get them to answer one last question. However, Tony and Pepper refused to comply and gently ushered Peter out of the room.
"So was that good or bad?" Peter asked as soon as Happy closed the doors behind them.
"Are you kidding me?" Tony asked with a huge smile on his face as he pulled Peter into a hug. "Kid, you were fantastic! You handled that beautifully!"
"Sweetie, that was amazing!" Pepper said happily. "You were so composed, so mature, and polite. You were amazing!"
"Really?" Peter asked excitedly as he pulled away slightly from Tony to look at Pepper. "Because I feel like I was a little rude when I asked them not to come to my school, and—and I kind of got a little annoyed when that one guy asked about my extended family. I-I tried not to be, but—"
"Kid, kid," Tony said gently placing his hands on Peter's shoulders turning the boy around so that they were looking each other in the eye. "Relax, relax, okay?"
Once again, Tony's grip and his smile was grounding him and bringing him back down from the adrenaline rush.
"I'm sorry," Peter said quickly.
"No reason to apologize," Tony replied rubbing his hands up and down Peter's shoulders. "I'm telling you, buddy. You handled it just fine. You don't want them to come to your school, which is valid, and you were defending your family and doing what we practiced. Trust me, you were far from rude. You were amazing, buddy."
"Well, I had you and Pepper up there with me," Peter said smiling. "There was no way I could've done that on my own."
"Eh, debatable," Tony said playfully, "but I'm glad we were up there with you. I know May would be proud of you…insanely proud of you."
"How do you know?" Peter asked raising an eyebrow.
"Because we're…Pep and I are so proud of you," Tony said as he gently pulled Peter back into his arms hugging him tightly.
Peter of course returned the gesture hugging his guardian and burying his face in Tony's shoulder breathing in his cologne. "Thank you, Tony," he said shakily. He still wanted to ask about the question regarding adoption, but for now, he was just thrilled that Tony and Pepper were proud of him and how he did in the press conference. His smile widened as he felt Pepper ran a hand through his hair, and he wasted no time in pulling her into the group hug as well.
After a moment, the three of them pulled away and found Rhodey, Vision, and Happy watching the moment close by and smiling at them.
"Kid, you are on your way," Rhodey said as he walked over before Peter could apologize for forgetting to include them or to acknowledge them. "You handled that like a pro."
"Thanks, Rhodey," Peter replied as he and the colonel shared a fist-bump.
"Agreed," Vision said smiling in approval. "You performed exceptionally well, Peter."
"Thank you, Vision," Peter replied shaking hands with the android.
"I already knew you were going to do fine," Happy said with a smile as he patted Peter's shoulder and shook his head. "Great job, kid."
"Thanks, Happy," Peter said.
"Alright," Tony said, "I don't know about you four," he referred to the four adults, "but I know this kid is probably starving, so how about we go back up and order some sandwiches for lunch?"
Everyone agreed with no hesitation.
After the anxiety and adrenaline that came with the press conference, Peter welcomed lunch with his family with open arms. Tony briefly turned the news on to see if the media was in fact covering the press conference, and sure enough, they didn't waste anytime in doing so. They even talked about how Tony, Pepper, and Peter were asked about the possibility of adoption and when Tony was asked about the pictures being from someone possibly watching their family…the two questions that sort of threw Peter off. Tony didn't say anything in front of everyone, but Peter made a note to ask as soon as they were alone.
About an hour after lunch, Rhodey and Vision said their goodbyes before heading back to the Compound promising to see them sometime before Peter's birthday. Happy left around the same time to go back to his post, and Pepper had some phone calls to make. So, she went back down to her office, but not before sharing a look with Tony. That was something Peter tended to notice now that he was living with Tony and Pepper. Whenever they wanted to talk about something that he wasn't supposed to hear, they would just look at each other and somehow had a whole conversation in about seconds. It wasn't annoying, just very interesting. Nevertheless, she promised to come back before Ms. Walker would come at 6:30 leaving Tony and Peter in the penthouse.
"Well, we got some time to ourselves," Tony said to him with a smile. "How about we get out of these monkey suits and head down to the lab?"
Peter smiled and nodded. "I could really use that right now," he said.
"Hey…uh…Tony?" Peter asked as they continued to work on the nanotechnology project.
"Yeah, Pete?" the billionaire replied looking up from what they were working on.
"C-Can I ask you something?"
"Of course, you can."
"Umm…w-what that one reporter asked about…the…you know…" he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, "adoption…Umm…I w-was…well, first, I was a little caught off guard. It's not that…I mean…well…I'm not—"
"Slow down, slow down," Tony asked as he put his supplies down making sure his eyes were on Peter. "Take it easy, it's just us. Now, before you ask me anything, I want to hear what you think about adoption."
"Uhh...well…uhh…" Peter began before taking a deep breath, "I mean…to be honest, I haven't thought much about it, you know? I mean…to be honest, I haven't thought much about it, you know? I mean…May did just die, and then we had the wake and funeral and then the hearing just last week. And other than the press conference and Ms. Walker, after the hearing and moving May's things out of Queens, I…I guess I thought things were finally starting to settle down, you know? And it…it's not like I never want it to happen. I guess…I-I'm not sure, you know, if…now's the right time to…think about it, and…I know that makes me sound awful—"
"Peter, it doesn't make you sound awful at all," Tony said taking the teen's hands into his. "It makes you sound human. I meant what I said during the press conference, and Pepper and I wholeheartedly agree with you."
"Really?" Peter asked furrowing his eyebrows together.
"Oh, yeah, kid, you just lost May a few weeks ago," Tony replied, "and you were put through the ringer with the wake, the funeral, and the hearing on top of all that. Not to mention, Pepper and I are going through this along with you. We know how fast it all changed for you because it did for us, and please, don't take that as we don't want you. We talked about that, but what I'm saying is what I said at the press conference: we're going to take our time to adjust to things and see where things go. So, if we want to go down the route to adoption, great, we'll discuss it. If not, that's fine, too."
Peter felt as if the weight had been lifted off his shoulders hearing Tony reiterate what he said. Not that he thought Tony would lie, but it was nice to see that his guardian and his fiancée were in the same boat as he was. His guardian was in fact right. Even though it felt longer, everything between May dying and the hearing happened within the span of a few weeks. All three of them needed time…time to adjust as a family, and they would get there at their own pace and see what happened. However, that was when he remembered…the difference between a guardianship…and adoption.
"But...what about what the reporter said…how guardianship lasts until the child turns 18?" Peter asked.
"Doesn't matter," Tony said. "Like I said, my promise to May and you…my role has no expiration date. We're family no matter what. Paperwork be damned. We'll always be family, and Pepper and I will take care of you always…until we're old and gray."
Peter smiled with tears in his eyes. It was easier to get emotional when it was a quiet family moment and not during a press conference, and he quickly walked around the workbench wrapping his arms around Tony, who quickly returned the gesture. "Thank you, Tony," he whispered.
Tony smiled as he carded his hand through Peter's hair. "You're welcome, kid," he said. "Everything will fall into place. We just need to take it one day at a time, and we'll get there. We are getting there."
"We just…still have more to go," Peter said looking up at him.
"Exactly," Tony replied.
They held onto each other for just another moment longer before pulling away smiling. However, there was still one more thing on Peter's mind.
"Umm…so…what about what the other reporter said…about the pictures…?"
"Well, not much has happened since then," Tony began, "and as much as I would love to punch the asshole in the face for taking them, there's not much we can do, but Pep and I talked about it. We agreed that if it happens again, then we'd look further into it, okay?" He hated the idea of not finding the man responsible, but it made the most sense, especially when they had a teenager to take care of. All the person did was take pictures, and so long as it didn't happen again or lead to anything harmful to Pepper or Peter, perhaps, it was a one-time occurrence. "But we will be keeping an eye out."
Peter nodded. "Okay, that's fair," he said.
After spending some more time in the lab, Tony and Peter had to pull away from the project when Pepper asked FRIDAY to inform them that it was time to get ready for dinner with the social worker. Thankfully, it was not like the press conference where Peter dressed in a suit. He went for a button-down shirt and khaki pants, while Tony decided to wear a suit. The three of them worked together to make sure everything was in order: no mess, no sign of Spider-Man was in the penthouse. Wanting to continue to make a good impression, they prepared for dinner just before Ms. Walker arrived. Tony and Pepper worked together to make pasta with sauce and salad on the side while Peter set the table.
"Boss, Ms. Potts, Happy wished for me to inform you all that he is on his way up with Ms. Walker," FRIDAY announced at 6:30…just as they finished putting food on the table.
"Thanks, FRIDAY," Tony said as he placed food on the table. "Okay, we ready?"
"A little nervous," Peter said taking a deep breath.
"It's going to be fine, sweetie," Pepper said placing a hand on his shoulder. "You can do it."
"We're right here with you, buddy," Tony said with a smile of his own.
Peter quickly smiled in return and nodded. "Okay," he said. If he could survive the press conference, then he could survive dinner with the social worker.
"Well, Mr. Stark, Ms. Potts, this is just delicious," Ms. Walker said as she took a sip of water.
"We're glad you like it," Pepper said with a smiles. "It's actually Tony's mother's recipe."
Tony chuckled. "There's no denial," he replied. "Mom was an immaculate cook. Italian food is my specialty. Breakfast not so much."
"What?" Peter suddenly interjected. "Come on, Tony, you're improving in the breakfast department." That earned some chuckled from the three adults, which made Peter blush slightly.
"I take it that Mr. Stark is learning how to make breakfast," Ms. Walker inquired looking at Peter.
"Slowly but surely," Peter said careful not to make Tony look bad. "There was one time not long after we first met where he let me stay over for the weekend, so that my aunt could go to a convention for work. So, that Saturday morning, he wanted to surprise me with breakfast, but…uhh…he ended up burning it. FRIDAY woke me up, and I ran into the kitchen. He burned fried eggs, so…we ended up having to go out instead."
"Really? And where did you two end up going?" Ms. Walker asked.
"We went to this diner I know in Queens," Peter replied. "Aunt May wasn't the greatest of cooks either, so I picked the diner she used to take me to whenever she burned breakfast." He suddenly felt the grief wash over him remembering all those times May burned food in the kitchen to the point where they had no choice but to go out to eat.
Tony saw how the teen got quiet when mentioning his aunt, and after looking at Pepper, he took Peter's hand into his giving him a squeeze.
"You must miss her a lot, huh?" Ms. Walker asked.
Peter nodded. "And please, don't get me wrong, Ms. Walker," he said. " I love being here with Tony and Pepper, really. I just still miss my aunt, you know?"
"Of course, I understand," Ms. Walker said nodding. "Believe me, I felt the same when my parents died. I was like you in fact. My parents died when I was about your age, and I went to live with my aunt and uncle and their children—my cousins. Let me tell you, they welcomed me with open arms, treated me like I was their daughter, and I've always been so grateful. At the same time, I missed my mom and dad like crazy, and my aunt always told me that it was okay to miss them and that grief had nothing to do with maturity or appreciation."
'Tony said that, too," Peter said looking at his guardian before looking back at the social worker.
"So, it must be true, right?" Tony asked raising his eyebrows.
Peter rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah," he said earning a chuckle from the adults again.
While Tony and Pepper cleaned up from dinner, Ms. Walker asked to see Peter's room and to talk to him privately. Peter of course was nervous, but he once again reminded himself that if he could handle the press conference, he could handle talking to the social worker. Besides, other than Spider-Man, there was nothing to hide, so there was no logical reason to be nervous. He just needed to be himself and follow his instincts.
"So, Mr. Stark had all of this moved from your old apartment?" Ms. Walker said looking around his bedroom.
"Yeah," Peter chuckled. "The double bed was here already, but everything else, he put it all in here and surprised me after my last day of school. He said this room had been mine for a while, and the furniture made it more official."
"Well, that was very generous," Ms. Walker stated.
"Yeah, that's just who Tony is," Peter said. "Give him an inch, and he goes a whole mile. That's what Pepper usually says."
The social worker nodded. "So, now that we're alone, I wanted to ask you how things had been going," she said as she sat in Peter's desk chair.
"Honestly, grieving wise," Peter said as he sat down on the bed across from her, "it's been up and down. You know, it was hard with the wake and the funeral, and after that, one minute, I'd be fine and then…I remember…and it hurts. I haven't even asked Tony or Pepper to take me to the cemetery yet."
"And that's perfectly fine, Peter," Ms. Walker said. "I'm sure they've told you that everything takes time, and you've had a crazy few weeks."
Peter nodded. The social worker was right. Like he and Tony said, the past few weeks had been crazy. He wasn't ready to visit the cemetery, but eventually he would be.
"How about Tony and Pepper?" Ms. Walker asked. "How are things going with them?"
Peter smiled. "It's…it's been great, so great," he began. "I-I'm grateful for everything they're doing for me. Tony…and Pepper…they've let me call the shots about the press conference. They've let me cry when I've felt sad, especially Tony. They really care about me. I mean, not that they didn't before, but they've been just amazing. I really feel like I'm at home here with them, and I know my aunt knew what she was doing when she asked Tony to be my guardian."
Ms. Walker nodded. "That's good," she said. "I'm really glad to hear that, and I have to say…you handled yourself very well during the press conference."
"Thanks, Ms. Walker," Peter said, "so…I guess you heard those questions about adoption and the pictures."
"I did," she replied nodding. "Have you talked about it with Mr. Stark and Ms. Potts?"
"Yeah, I talked about it with Tony," Peter replied, "and I told him that…with everything, I just want things to settle down first, you know? And it's not that I'm totally against it, it's just…I don't think this is the right time to…think about it, and Tony agreed. He said that we all need time to adjust to things and that we're just going to see what happens…and that no matter what, we'll always be family."
"And he's right," Ms. Walker said. "Legal guardianship ends at 18, but…it'll never change anything in regards to family. And what about the pictures?"
"Tony said that we'll just keep an eye out if anything else happens," Peter replied simply.
"Okay," Ms. Walker said, "well, I still have to talk to Mr. Stark and Ms. Potts, but from what I can see and what you're telling me, I think things are looking good. Would you mind waiting in here while I speak to them?"
"Sure, Ms. Walker," Peter replied nodding.
"Peter is quite the young man," Ms. Walker said as she sat with Tony and Pepper at the dinner table with a cup of steaming hot coffee.
"Believe me, you're not telling us anything new," Pepper said as she took a sip of her coffee.
"He's amazed me since Day 1," Tony said earning a chuckle from the two women.
"So, how have things been going?" Ms. Walker asked after sipping her coffee.
"It's good," Tony replied. "I mean, the past couple of weeks have been…busy to say the least, but Peter's been hanging in there. He's had about one nightmare, and he's trying to process and adjust to everything."
"And we're getting him there," Pepper interjected.
"And how have you two been doing?" Ms. Walker asked.
"Honestly, it's been good," Tony replied. "We've been trying to help him as best as we can, and we love having him here. I mean we saw each other once a week—Peter and I, so to have him here all the time…it brightens things up."
"I really feel like we're coming into a routine," Pepper said. "Tony and I have been adjusting to that routine, but I feel like we're really clicking."
"And we have great support," Tony added. "We have Col. Rhodes, Happy, and Vision, and on top of that, Peter's best friends and their parents agreed to help if we need anything."
"That's great to hear," Ms. Walker said, "and I feel the press conference went as well as expected."
"The kid knocked it out of the park," Tony said practically beaming with pride at how well Peter handled it. "He was cordial, polite, and endearing as always. I think they loved him, not that I doubted that. How could you not?"
"We're very proud of him," Pepper added with a huge smile of her own, "and even though the adoption question came completely out of left field, he handled it very well."
"Yes, he and I actually spoke about that," Ms. Walker said nodding. "He said that you spoke to him about it, Mr. Stark."
"We did," Tony replied. "and we agreed that now wouldn't be the right time for that and that we just need to focus on the new normal for now."
"I think that's very smart," Ms. Walker replied. "It would be a big change, especially in regards to changing his name and where he feels his biological family falls into this. However, if you all ever do feel you're ready for that, don't hesitate to let me and the lawyers know."
"Thank you, Ms. Walker," Pepper replied.
"Well, it appears that things are going well," Ms. Walker said. "I will be sure to put all this in my report, and we can pick a time for next month?"
Tony and Pepper smiled and looked at each other and back at Ms. Walker.
"That…That…yes, Ms. Walker," Tony said happily as they stood up from the table, "thank you."
"Really, thank you," Pepper said as they each shook hands with the social worker. "Thank you so much."
"My pleasure," Ms. Walker replied. "I'll see you all in a month."
"Yes, definitely," Pepper replied.
"I'll go grab Peter," Tony said as he walked over to the teen's room.
Peter felt his heart pounding as they said goodbye to the social worker while Happy escorted her down to the lobby. When Tony came to get him to come say goodbye, his guardian didn't say anything about what the social worker had to say, and when he asked, Tony simply said that they would talk about Ms. Walker left. He fiddled with his hands as Tony and Pepper closed the door and looked at him with smiles.
"Did she…did she say anything to you guys?" Peter asked. "I mean…I thought it went okay, but what did she say?"
Tony's smile widened as he wrapped his arm around Peter's shoulder. "She said everything looks good, kid," he said. "She's going to write us a good report and see us in a month."
Peter sighed in absolute relief as he pulled Tony and Pepper into a group hug. "Oh, thank God," he said. "I was so nervous."
"And what did we tell you?" Tony asked. "Everything was going to be okay, kid. It will continue to be okay."
Peter smiled and sighed in relief yet again. For the first time all day and maybe even in a few weeks, he felt himself relax. If he could get through a press conference and dinner with a social worker, he could do anything so long as he had Tony and Pepper with him and his biological parents, Ben, and May watching over him.
Author's Note: Annnnnnd that's all for now, boys and girls! Wow, that was super long, but I hope you all enjoyed it! Stay tuned for CHAPTER 21 because there is a surprise in there you're not going to want to miss. Don't forget to read and review, thanks, guys! See you in the next chapter!
