NOTE: This story had been written to be read as a standalone but is technically a sequel to another work In Stitches. While I suggest you read that one first, it is not required (if I have done my job right).

Chapter 1: In Which Spider-Man Attempts Persuasion

"Peter, you are Spider-Man…surely we both agree that you do dangerous things all the time," Catherine started slowly as she looked at the teen in front of her. "Right?"

"This is different." He fidgeted in the chair. He played with a stress ball in his lap and by the jitters, he had a heel bouncing too. She closed the medical files on her desk so he couldn't read them. It didn't matter, his attention was barely on anything in the room.

"So talking to your aunt about being Spider-Man is more scary than bank robbers?"

"Yeah."

"More than that vulture character?"

"Yup."

"You would rather be shot."

"Absolutely."

She rubbed her face. "You do remember I'm the one that has to deal with your bullet wounds?"

"No, no, no, you don't understand." There was no hesitation in his voice as he leaned forward. "She found out a couple weeks ago and well, it was okay and then she started watching the news for me and she, well, it's snowballed and now she's all worried and overprotective."

"Really?"

The sarcasm from her question got him to to still a little. "Come on Ms. Catherine. I don't know what to do. I need backup or something. I can't keep hiding outside our apartment, waiting to sneak in after she falls asleep waiting for me to come home."

Teenagers. Their logic was priceless.

"There is your first problem."

"I know. She needs to stop waiting for me." The stress ball was getting further and further pressurized in his hands.

"No-"

He squeezed the ball too hard. The plastic cover ripped and foam beads burst out in rivulets. He froze looking guilty but she was already pulling the trash can around for him. It was high time she went to Walgreens to get an Iron Man one. There would be something therapeutic about squeezing her stress into her boss.

Peter was dressed normally. To the rest of the Stark office, she had become friends with the teen. Since Andy, she had let him grow closer, or if she was honest with herself, he was persistently worming further into her life.

One of the more observant staff had pressed her on the relationship once. To that, she had insisted that she had enrolled in Big Brothers, Big Sisters and he was her Little. Nobody was the wiser.

Who would have thought Peter Parker was Spider-Man?

The white fuzz covered his hands as he brushed them awkwardly over into the trash can.

"Destruction of property," she said evenly, "That's not very neighborhood of you."

He tried to smile but it came out wrong, crooked and half hazard. "Sorry Ms. Catherine…Hey, do you think I could invite MJ to Mr. Stark's engagement party as my plus one?"

"Sure."

MJ and Peter had gone on a few "hangouts with friends" now. It had been mildly successful but Peter still panicked at the idea of them going on anything that started with a "d" and ended in an "e". She was sure the poor girl probably had no idea that Peter liked her.

"I figure she would freak at the chance to meet Mr. Stark so then…I dunno, that might be good?"

Catherine smiled at him. "You are doing a wonderful job of trying to distract me, Peter."

"Did it work?"

"Not in the slightest." She pushed her point. "You just need to talk and listen with your aunt. She's probably just afraid that you are going to get yourself killed."

That had been her own concern not too long ago. Since then, she had accepted it. He was a superhero and this came with the territory. Her job was to patch him up over and over again and now, strangely, to talk to him when he needed it.

He paused and his face crunched up, working the puzzle pieces of confronting his aunt on his antics. She got up, pulling the files off her desk and putting them back. There was actual work to be done. She had a check up with a technician in thirty minutes. He had been fighting off a cold from staying up late daily trying to a circuit done of the next Iron Man iteration.

She'd have to thank Tony soon endangering the health of his staff.

"Can you talk to her?"

She let out a short laugh. "No kid. This is your mountain to climb."

"It's perfect." He got up. "You're my nurse. You take care of me. You can tell her that I don't get hurt."

She gave him a long withering look.

"Last week was a strange week."

"You got hit by a taxi and then called Happy at 4 a.m. stating that you were feeling a little sore. I get there and you've got four broken ribs."

"It's New York! Taxis are crazy and I'm sure that he wasn't using his turn signals."

"No. I won't do it." She slammed the cabinet shut and went around the desk towards him

Peter got up. "I'm all better now plus don't forget the bird I saved by jumping in front of it. Come on Ms. Catherine, can you help me on this one?"

She spun him around and marched him towards the door. "The answer is still the same. You need to talk to her. Have a heart to heart. It isn't that scary."

"I just don't want her to worry anymore than she has to." He let her bully him into the hall, slinging his backpack across his back. "I didn't even want her to know but now it is just getting worse and worse."

"That's because you need to talk to her."

"-but."

She pushed him gently. "No buts! Now I've got work to do. Do it tonight. Text me when it's done."

He looked pained as she closed the door. The staff were used to him now. He could find his way out. Peter Parker had a guess pass unlike Spider-Man that just had to waltz in the front door.

Crazy kid.

He didn't text her. She was too busy doing follow up appointments to get in touch with him. Yet, she got her answer anyways. Happy gave her a call the next morning.

Peter had fallen inexplicably ill and the aunt was pretty torn up about it. Could she do a house call?

Damn smart kid.

Here we go again! If you are coming over from In Stitches, thanks for coming. If you are new, thanks for making it! As usual allow me to state the canon rules I am bending:

I've had to tone down super healing a little for this story to work. They are still superheroes but something has to give.

I'm trying to work within the timeline as much as possible but things may get a little stretched here and there.

Finally I have no background in medicine so forgive any mistakes.

What do you think? What kind of tomfoolery is Peter up to now? Let me know. As usual, I will respond with a snippet from the next chapter.

Thank you for reading as always. I appreciate it. Let's enjoy the ride…yes? -Quin

Ps. I'm old school but I'll say this once. Tony, Peter and everything else belongs to Marvel. Catherine is my character and is owned by me.