Aunt May gently shook Peter awake in the morning, earlier than he would have liked. "Peter, honey, your ride is coming soon, it's time to get ready."
A surge of emotion went through him as we got up, and he wrapped Aunt May in a strong hug. She laughed quietly. "Peter, it's only a couple of days. You'll be home before you know it." He nodded, fighting back a couple tears. He didn't know how he would say goodbye to her and Morgan. "I made you some bacon and pancakes for breakfast so you get a good meal in before you leave."
"Thanks, May," He mumbled, pulling off his PJs.
After devouring the food May had made, Peter packed the last of his things in his old suitcase and was waiting anxiously in the living room. Finally, he got a text from the driver that the car was outside. Peter felt his mouth go dry. May had woken Morgan up so she could say a quick goodbye and Peter could go over his list of tasks for her to do, then the eleven-year-old had quickly gone back to bed. May was in her bathrobe, and her hands picked at the old upholstery on the couch, a rare sign that she was anxious too. She had not done her hair or put any make up on, and Peter was struck by how much older she appeared. He cleared his throat and they stood up together. "It will be great," he said reassuringly, wrapped in her arms, "I'll be back before you know it."
"I love you Peter," she said.
"I love you too," he replied seriously.
When he made it down the stairs with his suitcase, he saw another fancy black car on the street. There was a man in front of it in a suit. "Peter?" He asked. Peter nodded, and the driver took his bag without smiling, put it in the trunk, then climbed in the driver's seat. Peter got in the passenger seat and received a weird glance. "You can sit in the back if you want, kid."
"Oh! I'm okay here, I guess. If you're okay with that. I can move…"
"Don't worry about it. I'm Happy Hogan, Tony's driver. You ready?"
Peter grimaced. Ready for what? "Um, I guess?"
"Seatbelt."
Peter exhaled and laughed nervously, "Right." They drove to the tower without saying another word, although Peter did catch Happy mouthing along to the music a couple times. He surmised that Happy wasn't used to having someone in the passenger seat.
"Alright kid, we're here." It was hard to miss Stark Tower in the New York skyline, but Peter had never actually been inside. They were in a garage underground, and Peter couldn't feel any smaller if he tried. Happy got the suitcase out of the trunk, but Peter grabbed it before the driver could.
"I got it," he said confidently…more confidently than he was feeling. They rode up in an elevator; Peter wasn't even sure how many because there were not buttons or indicators. For a giddy moment, he felt a bit like he was in the Star Wars movie from the night before, but that thought soon disappeared as the doors opened, and four pairs of eyes turned his way.
Mr. Stark was there, of course. He was deep in conversation with Vision and the Black Widow, while the Scarlet Witch sat on the couch, phone in hand. The walls were entirely glass windows, with a view of the city better than any he had seen as Spiderman (he had never quite worked up the confidence to swing to the top of Stark tower). He took a few hesitant steps into the room as Mr. Stark walked over with the heady confidence of a man in his element. "Mr. Parker, nice of you to join us." He motioned the other Avengers over, and with a wide smile, put his hands on Peter's shoulders. "Everyone, this is Spiderman. Peter, this is everyone. Natasha, Vision, and Wanda." Natasha and Vision looked at him appraisingly, but Wanda gave a small smile and a wave.
Pepper Potts walked in and was talking to Happy, and she caught Tony's eye. He nodded, "Right, the woman beckons. Get to know each other, I'll be back in a few."
Wanda stared at Peter's forehead and looked like she was about to say something, but instead she tugged on Vision's sleeve to pull him away to the side. Peter was left with Black Widow…Natasha. She gazed at him appraisingly, then asked Peter the same thing Happy has asked before. "You ready?"
It held a lot more weight, and Peter's hands started to go clammy. He had heard that Black Widow always knew when someone was lying, so he forced himself to tell the truth. "Not really."
For some reason, a smile slicked its way onto Natasha's face. "Good. This is bigger than anything you've ever seen. It's healthy to be a little nervous."
The news was playing on a window (a window?) in Peter's periphery. There was new footage that he hadn't seen before, of an explosion in the UN. The headline said that multiple world leaders were injured, and the King of Wakanda had been killed. Peter's stomach sank.
Wanda and Vision joined them again, as did Mr. Stark.
Stark looked at the group assembled before them. "Well, we're all here. The quinjet is on the roof."
Vision cleared his throat; Peter might even say it sounded nervous. "Mr. Stark, I would be remiss to not bring to the attention of our team that Mr. Parker is perhaps too young to accompany us on this mission."
Wanda nodded, hesitating a second before speaking, "And…I looked in his head. He's not committed to the cause. He could be a risk."
Peter was caught off guard. She had looked in his head? And who was Vision to say he was too young? Mr. Stark had recruited him! He had to know that Peter was only fourteen! Stark looked pissed. "We need him."
Natasha scoffed, "You just want to win, Stark. If Peter doesn't want to go, he shouldn't go."
Peter finally spoke up. "Mr. Stark, I'm in this, 100%." Tony glanced at Wanda, who shook her head, and Stark finally made a decision.
"Okay, okay, you're right. I got a little over-excited in my recruiting. Happy, take Peter home. Natasha, try Clint again, see if we can get him on our side."
"No!" Peter objected abruptly. "Mr. Stark, you promised me $50,000. I need that, my family needs it. I'm coming." The conversation stopped, and Natasha frowned.
"You bribed him?" She asked accusingly.
"Yes, okay, I bribed him," Tony said flatly. "And you're right, that was wrong and he's not coming. Rhodey's up loading the quinjet, go meet him. We'll leave in fifteen minutes." As soon as they left the room, Peter protested.
"Mr. Stark, please. I'm ready. I'm committed…please."
The slight pleading in his voice convinced Tony—to do the opposite of what Peter wanted. "I shouldn't have offered you the money in the first place, Peter. They were right, I can't bring a fourteen-year-old to Avengers fight club. I just…I was…" He trailed off. "You're not coming. The money thing…we'll figure something out when I get back."
Mr. Stark turned his back and walked away, leaving Peter with his ratty suitcase and a stomach full of intense disappointment. He had already spent the $50,000 in his head, delightedly planning how he could spoil Morgan and make May's life easier. But now…Mr. Stark had said "When I get back". But without Peter…would he come back? The thought made him want to hurl. And even if he did come back, would he remember the teenager from Queens?
"Kid? Peter?" Happy was holding open the door of the elevator, staring at Peter, who was lost in thought. Finally, the teenager exhaled and dragged his suitcase to the elevator, slowly giving up his dreams of financial stability.