Chapter 19

A few days later, Peter was still unable to stop smiling. His life was great right now. He'd had a few more driving lessons which were going really well, and he was getting more confident. His dad seemed proud of him too, which Peter loved.

They were working in his lab at the Tower, just hanging out as Peter was asking his dad some driving questions. About how much stuff he still had to learn.

"I wouldn't worry too much bud. You're already doing great. Like I said you're a natural. Are you sure you've never driven before? With May or anyone?"

"No. I guess it just runs in the family." Peter joked, and they laughed.

Until FRIDAY spoke.

"Forgive me Peter, but I think you are forgetting when you stole a car the night of your homecoming dance and crashed it."

Peter instantly stilled, his eyes bugging out as he stared utterly terrified at his dad.

Tony blinked as he stared into space, before he slowly turned to Peter narrowing his eyes.

Peter gulped and held up a hand; "That...is not what is sounds like. I can explain I swear."

"Please." Tony growled, trying to wrap his head around what he just heard. It didn't sound like something Peter would do, and why would he have never told him?

"Um ok well before you yell and take my suit away again. Just listen ok. It was yes the night of homecoming. After you took my suit away. I was trying to be a normal kid and go on a date with Liz because she was really cool and said yes..."

"Peter." Tony warned, knowing how the kid tended to veer off point.

"Oh right. Well her dad was Vulture right!" Peter exclaimed raising his hand; "I turn up at her house to pick her up and he answers the door! So I don't know what to do, I'm panicking. I can't just leave or say I know who you are. So I just pretend everything is fine. But on the drive over he figures out it's me. And when he stop at the school he talks to me alone, he...

"He what?" Tony prompts, because he hadn't heard any of this before.

"He pulled out a gun."

"Peter! Why the hell didn't you tell me this before?" Tony's heart just about stopped.

"We weren't exactly talking then." Peter pointed out before sighing; "Anyway it didn't matter. He didn't hurt me. He just...threatened me. Warned me to back off investigating him or...or he would kill me and everyone I care about." Peter murmured quietly looking away.

Tony hissed, standing and turning to pace away. He clenched his fists, resisting punching something. Just picturing Peter sitting there with a gun pointed at him getting threatened by such a dangerous criminal, he felt rage well up in his whole body. And he had no idea! Because instead of talking to the kid then and explaining why he had been so upset, he had pushed him away.

Not liking his dad silent, he gulped and carried on hoping it would explain; "Anyway um...I just couldn't stay at the dance and let him get away. It wasn't just about stopping a bad guy anymore, he threatened me, he threatened May. You..." Peter looked away as Tony turned; "And I couldn't live my life every day knowing he was out there and could hurt the people I care about. So I left...used my old suit and had Ned track the tracer I left in Toomes car. I stole a car..." Peter grimaced and made sure he didn't mention Flash, not wanting to get into that; "It was a bad choice, I know. And very very stupid. But I knew you and Happy wouldn't listen to me so I had no choice. So um yeah in chasing after Toomes, and not being a great driver..."

"You weren't a driver at all." Tony reminded him.

"Yeah right well yeah. And I did a turn too fast and the car went up on it's side and skidded along the ground. I was unharmed I swear. Then I went after Toomes."

"Where you had a building dropped on you!" Tony snapped and Peter flinched making Tony regret his anger directed at him.

"He got the insurance money."

"What?"

"For the car. It was his dad's car. The kid I stole it from. And he got the insurance money. So..."

"So that makes it ok?"

"No no of course not." Peter said looking up wide eyed and terrified; "I know I did a bad thing and I'm sorry. I was just trying to do the right thing."

"Jesus kid." Tony paced and shook his head trying to collect his thoughts; "You should have told me all of this before."

"I was scared." Peter mumbled pulling his sleeves down over his hands anxiously.

"Of me?" Tony frowned at that.

"You were already mad at me. I knew you'd be furious. But then when I stopped Toomes, and you said you were proud of me." Peter shrugged; "I didn't want to ruin that by making you mad again."

Sighing, Tony moved back over Peter, and pulled him into a hug. Peter stiffened before hugging him back. He shook a little like he was crying, and Tony just comforted him.

"I'm not mad buddy. Well I am. But more so that you didn't tell me. And that I put you in danger by taking your suit away. If you had it...maybe none of that would have happened. You wouldn't have been put in danger. I was just trying to protect you but I admit I didn't do it the best way. I should have listened to you more and explained I had told the feds."

Peter pulled back looking wide eyed at his dad in surprise, amusing he was just going to yell at him.

"You...you're not mad about the car?"

"I am." Tony said slowly before smiling softly at Peter's face; "But I can see on your face you're already beating yourself up enough. And well honestly I'd crashed my own car a few times when I was a kid. But for me it had been from being drunk." Tony grimaced hoping he was traumatising the kid; "Atleast you were trying to do the right thing. Just don't you ever. Ever. Steal a car again." He firmly tapped Peter on the nose.

"Yes you bet. Ok. Never ever again." Peter said instantly bobbing his head.

"And moreover, if you ever keep something like that from me again. I'll ground you under your thirty."

Peter shuddered but nodded; "That's fair."

Tony ruffled his hair before gently carding through it; "That night scared me buddy. Knowing you almost died and I had no idea. That I put you in that position. That kills me. So I'm never going to take your suit away again. Even if you do something I don't like. Because atleast with the suit I can track you, and FRIDAY and Karen can keep you safe. You have protection."

Peter smiled at that. Because if he had had the suit that night, maybe his dad could have come to help him.

"Thanks dad...for understanding. And not being too mad."

"I told you when you broke the fridge accidentally, there's nothing you could do which would make me stay mad at you. You're a good kid buddy. I know that. Now let's just make one thing clear. You aren't driving alone ever again until you get your license. You wont set foot in a car without me, Pep, May or Happy. Understood?"

"Understood." Peter said grinning and hugged him again.

"Thanks for ratting me out FRIDAY." Peter murmured as he mocked glared at the ceiling.

"Your welcome Peter." She answered honestly as if not hearing his sarcasm, but it was like he could hear the amusement in her tone. Like she had done it on purpose so this would happen.

"Come on bud. Let's get some ice cream. I think we both need it."

0o0ooSPIDERMAN0o0o0o0o0

Sitting on the penthouse balcony, leaning on the cement wall, Tony turned to Peter who was sitting on the edge, both of them eating their bowls of ice cream.

"So I've been meaning to ask you, what are you dressing up as for Halloween?" Tony murmured curiously; "I've been waiting for you to tell me or ask for help."

"Ah yeah about that. I actually asked May and Pepper for help. If that's ok?" Peter asked looking at him sadly.

"That's fine." Tony replied looking at his bowl to hide his disappointment.

"No it's just I want to surprise you." Peter said shifting to face him, one leg sideways on the ledge, and he grinned at him; "It's going to be more effective on the night. I want to see your reaction."

"Ah I see." Tony smiled nodding; "Well actually now that you've said it, I can say that my costume is going to be a surprise too."

"Oh cool." Peter grinned at that eager to find out; "Is mom's a surprise too? Because I've tried to ask her and she just stays silent and winks at me. Not sure what that means."

Tony laughed; "Your mom's costume is always a surprise. She always jokes about me loving Halloween. But she loves it just as much. And her costumes are always amazing. So be forewarned we won't even compete with hers."

"Thanks for going trick or treating with me dad. I know it may seem lame..."

"Hey no no. Thanks for coming with me kid." Tony objected; "I told you I love trick or treating."

"I can't wait I'm so excited." Peter murmured scooping another spoonful of ice cream into his mouth; "I haven't been trick or treating since I was like 10 I think with Ned and his parents."

"I know May worked a lot but how come you stopped going with them? I thought he was your best friend?"

"He is." Peter defended quickly and looked down shrugging; "I grew out of it I guess."

"Nope." Tony shook his head instantly; "Try again buddy."

Sighing Peter smirked at how dad could just tell when he was lying which is kind of a relief. He hated lying, and well he was glad his dad pushed him to tell the truth. Confiding in him about stuff really helped and he loved talking to his dad and hanging out.

Tony gave Peter a moment, and just leant there waiting for the kid to continue.

Peter turned away to look at the skyline as he finally replied; "It was just hard you know. Seeing Ned with his parents."

"Oh buddy." Tony's heart broke in that moment.

"It's not a big deal." Peter said quickly giving him a smile to reassure him, but Tony saw right through it; "Really. I'm over it now. But back then seeing his parents helping him with his costumes, taking him out trick or treating, doing pumpkins, they went all out. And then when we went out trick or treating watching them interact so happy, it made me sad. And a little jealous."

"That's understandable bud. There's nothing wrong with feeling that way."

"But I did feel guilty. I mean I know I had May and Ben. And I love them so much, I appreciate everything they did for me." Peter rambled, and Tony patted his arm to stop him.

"I know how much you love your aunt and uncle. It's ok kid. You don't have to explain to me. Breathe. You can express yourself here, no judgements."

Peter sighed in relief; "Ben did take me out trick or treating a lot when I was younger, and there was a couple of times when May wasn't working. It was great. Fun."

"But?" Tony prompted seeing this was hard for Peter to admit; "But it's not the same as being with your parents?"

Peter nodded and looked down ashamed.

"Come here spider baby." Tony opened his arms and was relived when Peter eagerly hopped off the ledge to hug his side. Burying his face in his chest.

Supporting his head, Tony murmured softly into his ear; "You had nothing to feel guilty about Underoos. There's nothing wrong with missing your parents, about wanting parents. May and Ben would understand. They love you. They only want you happy and they knew they couldn't replace your parents. So they didn't try to."

Peter still felt a wave of guilt, but felt better having his dad's support, and understanding. His dad always seemed to understand which always made Peter feel better.

Shifting he rested his head in the crook of his dad's neck, finding it almost a perfect fit for him. He blew out a breath relishing in the safety and comfort he felt.

"After Ben died, May struggled after losing him too. And she had to work more to pay for everything. She wasn't up to celebrating Halloween like we used to. I wanted to help, because she was giving everything up for me. I wanted to repay her for taking care of me."

"You didn't have to bud. You never have to thank me or your aunt, or Pep for taking care of you. We love to. And you most certainly don't have to repay us." Tony murmured gently but also firmly.

Peter just made a murmuring sound that Tony took as an agreement.

"I didn't want to bother her about celebrating stuff like Halloween, or going all out for Christmas or my birthday. I knew we couldn't afford it anyway. So I said I didn't really care anymore."

Tony gripped Peter tighter at that, hating how a kid so young had to grow up so fast, to take care of his aunt because he felt guilty for having someone take care of him. He was the nicest, sweetest kid in the world. He just wished he could have been there for Peter at that time, to take the burden off him. He was just a kid, he still is, he shouldn't have to worry about stuff like that. He should just be a kid, enjoy kid stuff.

"I went with Ned for a few years. But seeing them just hurt too much, and then they went away one year. May was working. I was invited to come but I refused. Felt like I was intruding on a special family moment. After that I just stop going. It just became habit after that."

"Until now." Tony said firmly. Because he was going to do everything he could to make sure Peter had the very best Halloween. He couldn't make up for all those past ones, but he could try. And he would never let Peter be alone again.

"Until now." Peter agreed with a broad smile, feeling so happy to think he had a real dad to celebrate these events with. He got it now. His dad would always be there if he needed him.