Chapter Six

"A kid?" Steve looked back at Tony with a perplexed expression on his handsome face. Bruce and Natasha had similar expressions filled with disbelief and wondering if Tony was messing with them. "You're telling me a fourteen-year-old kid was under that terrible costume? That kid is Spiderman?"

"That is what I just said, Rogers," Tony replied, obviously irritated at the end of their forty-five-minute meeting. "Maybe they are right, and kids are growing up too fast these days."

Natasha didn't find it the least bit funny. "We should tell someone, his parents? The authorities maybe. We cannot have a fourteen-year-old kid running amok."

"Parker's parents and uncle are both dead." Tony winced. "And his aunt is a nurse who is barely scraping by. I will not have them subjected to humiliation and ridicule. All of us know that as soon as Ross, Osborn, or whoever else in our wonderful government gets a whiff of this then Peter is going to be stuck in a lab being pricked and prodded and I will not have him go through that."

Natasha nodded at the exhaustion in Tony's voice. "What's the plan then?"

"Keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. Happy and I already have an eye on him, but it would help if you three keep your eyes and ears open. Class dismissed."

Natasha and Steve quickly left, but Bruce stayed behind. "Are you ok? You seem a bit agitated."

Tony flashed him a smile, not wanting to admit he had been thinking about the kid for the past twelve hours. "Everything is fine, Brucey. Just thinking about taking the kid under my wing."

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "That's generous of you."

Tony shrugged as he started tinkering with his tools. "Well, it's the least I can do with both of us being orphans and all, but I'm telling you there's something different about this kid. He's smart, a little bit of a smartass. Moody too."

Bruce laughed. "So like you?"

Tony smiled. "I suppose so."

Peter was still feeling irritated at himself two mornings later after first period. He slammed his locker door shut harshly and Ned and MJ scurried away like scared rats. He couldn't blame them; he had bitten their head off more times than he could count and he was too ashamed to apologize.

Peter finished off his animal crackers and was headed toward his math class when he saw Flash. "Nice sweater, dork. Running for congress later?"

It wasn't Flash's worst insult. It was even a terrible one, but after everything that had happened with Tony it was the straw that broke the camel's back. Before Peter could even stop himself, he had slammed Flash against the row of lockers. "Shut up!" he hissed. "Just shut up!"

Flash looked terrified, but it only lasted for a second before it was replaced with a sneer. "Feeling sensitive today, aren't we Penis Parker? I thought having a father figure in your life after your scrawny uncle would finally toughen you up. Guess I was wrong."

His anger grew when he mentioned Uncle Ben, he didn't care if Flash made fun of him, but he would not talk shit about Ben. He gripped Flash's shoulders and slammed them against the locker door three more times. "SHUT. UP."

Peter expected Flash to start cursing. To fight back, but instead Flash's eyeballs were staring right back at him and Peter felt wetness dripping from his head. Blood.

He looked at the locker in horror, it was dented and covered with blood. Had he killed Flash? He hadn't mean too. It was an accident.

"Somebody help!" Peter begged, but everyone was staring at him as if he was a known serial killer. "Anybody call an ambulance."

Coach Wilson was the first one to respond. "Ok, Parker let's stop the hollering-holy shit." He pulled out his phone and started dialing 911.

Peter flinched when he felt MJ touched his arm, her eyes were full of pity, but she was also clearly scared of Peter. Ned was kneeling besides Flash and reassuring everyone that he was alive.

The statement didn't make Peter felt better. He looked at his bloody hands. What was wrong with him? He was a monster.

After Flash had been taken by the ambulance and the teachers had forced everyone back to class, Peter found himself miserably sitting down in the principal's office.

Principal Morita's usual gentle expression was replace with an angry one which Peter rarely saw. His face was beet red and sweat was dripping down his forehead. Peter had a feeling he was worried about Flash. Peter hadn't killed him, but Flash's parents were major donors and were both lawyers. No doubt he was worried about a potential lawsuit.

Peter's hands balled into fists. He hadn't meant to hurt Flash, but after all the bullying Peter had experience at his hands since first grade could anyone really be surprised that he had lost his temper?

"Absolutely despicable," Principal Morita roared. "Peter, you are a straight A student, on the decathlon team, and honor student of the month to have you behave this way is absolutely atrocious."

"I already told you, it was an accident." Peter was trying not to lose his temper, but it was harder than he imagined. "It didn't mean to push him that hard."

Principal Morita didn't seem to believe him. "That may be, Peter, but hurting another student is an expellable offense." Peter's heart dropped. "However, since you are only a freshman you will be suspended for three days starting tomorrow."

Mrs. Whittaker, the ancient school secretary stepped inside and coughed. "Peter's stepfather is here to take him home."

Peter felt his stomach churning. Jake? He would rather have Loki deal with him than Jake. Hell, he would rather deal with an entire HYDRA army than Jake. "Why didn't you call May?"

"Mrs. Parker didn't respond. Your stepfather was second on your emergency contact list."

Jake stepped into the office and threw Peter a you're gonna get it look which he immediately changed when he saw the principal. They exchanged pleasantries and Principal Morita told him about his three day suspension.

"Don't worry," Jake pressed a heavy hand on Peter's shoulder. "Peter will be more than taken care of."

After saying goodbye to the principal, both of them exited together with Jake's hand on Peter's shoulder. MJ and Ned were waiting for him outside.

"Peter, what happened?" Ned looked at him worriedly. "Were you expelled? Do you have to do community service? Are you a convict now?"

MJ snorted. "I bet Flash was faking the whole thing, you know what a drama queen he is."

Before Peter could respond, Jake tugged him away like one would pull away a naughty puppy. Peter gave them a weak wave wondering what was waiting for him at home.

-End of Chapter Six-