Still don't own them. I'm just borrowing them from Marvel for a little while.
A/N: Thank you all for your interest in this story! The reviews and follows are really encouraging. This idea has been floating in my head for a long time now, and I finally decided that I needed to write it down.
Chapter 5: About Ross
Now that Tony and May had refilled their glasses, Tony figured it was time to talk about Ross.
Peter cut in before Tony could begin, "Um, Mr. Stark…are you sure this is something Aunt May needs to hear?" He didn't miss the glare she sent his way at that question. "It's just…I don't want her to get involved in anything that will put her in harm's way. I want to be honest with her, but…I can't have her knowing things that are dangerous." He looked back and forth between the adults; his eyes were pleading with them to understand.
"Peter Benjamin Parker," May scolded. "Like it or not, I know you're Spider-Man. I appreciate what you are trying to do, but it is not your job to take care of me. I was the one who promised to look after you!" She blinked back tears, "I want you to worry a little less about me, and more about yourself. You need to let me help you figure this out. You don't need to take on this responsibility alone…not as long as I'm around."
Peter sighed before looking towards Tony. The Iron Man looked uncomfortable, and he was clearly over the mushy emotions. He wanted to get down to business, and he began talking as soon as Peter gave him the slightest nod.
"Right…so we're good now? Love fest has concluded?" May and Peter rolled their eyes, and Tony continued, "Ross knows about Spider-Man's existence, and he is dying to know the man behind the mask." He got straight to the point, and he didn't fail to notice how the other two people in the room went completely still as he shared the news.
"It's my fault," Tony continued. "Ross saw Spider-Man's involvement in Germany with Cap, and he knows that Spider-Man helped to stop Toomes from robbing my plane. He feels that Spider-Man is becoming too much of a danger to the public. He wants his identity so that he will sign the Accords."
"Ross? As in Secretary Ross? In charge of the Sokovia Accords? Is that who we're talking about here?" May sucked in a breath and looked straight at Tony, "I should you hit you again. You're right, this is all your faul…"
"…No!" Peter interrupted. "I don't think it's all his fault. I was becoming more active as Spider-Man even without Mr. Stark's suit. Heck, I brought down the plane without the suit, remember?"
Both adults looked thoughtful. How could they forget? He could have been killed!
"Ross was bound to want more information on Spider-Man sooner or later. It may be sooner than I would like, but at least I don't need to figure this out alone. Right, Mr. Stark?" Peter asked.
Tony looked dubiously at Peter. Was this kid serious? How was it that Tony had gained so much trust from the kid? One thing was for sure, he was not going to let Ross get anywhere near him. Peter was just too innocent. He didn't need the crap that Ross would bring down on him.
"Yeah, kid," Tony confirmed. "You're not alone. We…" He pointed between the three of them, "…will figure this out."
"What if Peter signs?" May asked. "Would that be so bad?" May was still new to all of this, and she wanted to understand the problem.
"Ross is one annoying son-of-a-bitch," Tony explained. "If Peter signed the accords, he would need to sign as Peter Parker. The whole world would learn that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. That means that Pete's life would change forever. He would probably need to leave school and move here in order to be safe, and…"
Peter cut in, "It could put you at risk, Aunt May. Your life would be changed, too. I'm not ready for people to start chasing after us all the time. I turned down Mr. Stark's offer to be an Avenger because I realized that I still need some time to be a kid, and that's what you need from me, Aunt May."
"Ok….so, if Ross is looking for Spider-Man, then Peter just stays off the streets and focuses on school from here on out!" May offered hopefully. Even as she said it, she knew that neither of the men in the room would agree, especially Peter.
Peter's mouth dropped open, and he was ready to protest. However, it was Iron Man who answered for him. "From experience, May, I learned that you can't take the Spider out of the kid. He can't help himself, can you, Pete?"
Peter shook his head and responded, "This is who I am. I cannot ignore a problem when I can do something to fix it. I will never leave someone to be taken advantage of! I can't!"
"Right. Just as I expected! So, we need to find a way to balance the life of Peter Parker with the adventures of Spider-Man. Oh! And…we have to try to keep those two things as separate as possible in order to keep Ross from connecting the dots." Tony explained.
May lifted her glass and emptied the contents before standing up. She placed her hands on her hips and began pacing back and forth. "It's probably too late, right? I brought Peter here to the compound, and he's been here before. Surely Ross already keeps a close eye on this place? He'll want to know who this kid is that is welcome at the Avengers facility!" May's eyes were wide and frantic. She looked like she could pass out.
"Woah, woah…May, please sit back down." It was Peter's turn to stand up, and he ushered his aunt back into her seat before placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
Peter looked at Tony, "Is that true, Mr. Stark? Do you think Ross knows that I'm here?"
Tony didn't miss the concerned look on Peter's face, but the kid did a good job of hiding away any panic. Peter was clearly trying to be strong for his aunt.
Tony offered them a cheeky grin and held out his hands, "Who are you talking to?"
They both looked back at him with confused expressions.
Tony huffed before continuing, "I'm Tony Stark, and I designed this place. Do you really think I would give Ross access to a live feed of this building?"
Peter gave Tony an impressed and knowing smile, but May still looked confused. Tony continued, "Ross thinks that he knows what is happening here; however, that man only sees what FRIDAY and I will allow him to see. There is a delay on his feed…one that he knows nothing about. If someone comes to the compound that Ross doesn't need to know about, their arrival is erased before he can ever see it. Those security guards work for me, not Ross. Therefore, he only knows that Pepper arrived this evening to discuss our wedding. He has no idea you're even here!"
Tony was clearly proud of himself, and May visibly relaxed. "Thank God," she said.
"You can call me Tony," he answered back.
May looked like she was about to throw another comment at that, but Peter spoke first. "That's amazing, Mr. Stark. I'd hate for him to know anything about Aunt May."
"Peter!" his aunt scolded. "Will you strop worrying about me! It's not me that he's curious about." She took a breath, "Ok…what happens if Peter doesn't sign and Ross finds out? Just how worried do I need to be about this guy?"
Peter gave Tony a look that said, "Please don't make her worry!" However, Tony was prepared to let them both know just who they were dealing with.
"There's a prison that was designed to contain enhanced individuals. Ross took some of the wayward Avenger's there after the incident in Germany. I was there before Cap helped them escape. It's an awful place, and I'm afraid, with Peter's abilities, that Ross could take him there," Tony confessed.
Peter went pale. He didn't want to be locked up or trapped in some prison.
"But he's just a kid!" May exclaimed. "Surely he wouldn't condemn a kid to that fate!" She looked at Tony hopefully.
"Ross doesn't have an ounce of compassion. If he doesn't get his way, I feel that he could take drastic measures." Tony took a deep breath.
"So why in the hell did you sign the Accords? Why work with this man?" May questioned.
"Initially, I felt I needed to be held responsible for what happened in Sokovia. That was on me." Tony's face was full of regret. "But after I signed the Accords, I realized just how much of a jackass Ross truly is. It's like he thinks those of us who signed are at his beck and call…his puppets. Rhodes and I are working with some of our contacts. We want to see the Accords amended. Things need to change, and Ross needs to go. Hell, we may even get the others to sign if there are changes made. I just think it will take some time."
The room was quiet as they all pondered the information.
Peter stepped away from his aunt and took a step towards Tony. He turned so that he was standing in a position that both of the adults could see his face. This was his life, damn it, and he was going to have a say about it.
"Here's what I think needs to happen. I've thought about this a lot…it is my life, after all. As I said before, I would like to stay on the ground and finish high school. However, I need to be free to be Spider-Man as well. I propose that May and I continue our lives In Queens. I go to school as usual during the day, and I am given the opportunity to improve my skills as Spider-Man in the evening."
The adults looked skeptical, but Peter continued before they could interrupt.
"Look…what if I agree to stick to the small stuff? You know…things that wouldn't make it to Ross' radar? If I see anything big, I contact Mr. Stark." Peter explained.
"I need to know when you're out!" May said with determination. "And there would be a curfew! Plus, you are still grounded at the moment, so you will need to wait to put that plan in motion."
Tony took a step forward and spoke, "It sounds possible, kid, but you would need to be very careful. Ross is looking for you, studying Spider-Man's patterns. You may need to expand your radius a little and keep your distance from your house when you're suited up. This could work for a while, but I'm not sure how long it will take for him to start connecting those dots."
"Right…so, it just has to work long enough for the Accords to be amended." Peter rubbed his head and added, "You know, I'm willing to sign so long as my identity is a secret." Again, he looked at May. "They need to understand that the people signing the Accords aren't the only ones impacted by that decision."
Tony was studying Peter again. "Damn this kid! Why does he have to be so likeable? How am I supposed to fix this and keep him safe?"
"Ok, Spider-Man." Tony agreed. "It seems there are still some details that need to be ironed out, but you don't need me for that." He looked towards May, "There's still things that you need to discuss with your aunt, and you can both tell me what you decide. I'll respect it and help out as much as I can. Sound fair?"
"Yes. I can be agreeable to that," May confirmed before trying to hide a yawn.
Peter gave Tony a nod before asking, "FRIDAY, what time is it?"
The AI responded quickly, "It is 11:52 P.M., Peter. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"I got this, FRIDAY," Tony cut in. "Oh…on my way down here, the guy who parked your car did a routine sweep. He informed me that you both had some bags in the trunk, so I had them taken to some rooms upstairs."
May looked mildly embarrassed and perhaps a little upset that someone went through her car. "Oh…Um…well…uhhh…"
Peter spoke up and smirked at Tony, "She was prepared to wait here all weekend in case you weren't here when we arrived."
Tony snorted a laugh and looked at May, "You wanted to punch me that badly, huh?" He absently put a hand to his face as he spoke.
May looked somewhat triumphant at the small mark that she left and rubbed her own hand slightly. "You deserved that." She said simply.
"I suppose I did, Muhammad Ali," he joked but Peter could tell that Tony really did feel that he deserved it.
"Anyway…the point is that you are welcome to stay. You're welcome the whole weekend if you'd like. Pete already has a room, and I had your bags placed in one of the other rooms just across the hall, May. You two will pretty much have that area of the building to yourself. Vision snuck off to have some happy times with Twitchy Scarlett fingers." He shrugged his shoulders, "He only thinks that I don't know about his little crush, but it's totally obvious. Who knew an Android could be just as weak as any other man when it comes to women?"
May looked a little confused, but mostly she looked exhausted.
"Thank you, Mr. Stark." Peter said, deciding to ignore the information about Vision. "But, we don't want to be a bother. I'm sure we'll head out tomorrow."
"Let's decide that in the morning, shall we?" Tony asked. "We may want the weekend to sort things out. Plus, I was hoping to work with you in the lab a little. I have some ideas for those web shooters of yours."
The three made their way to the door. May shook her head slightly, "I guess this is the new normal, huh?"
Peter put his arm around his aunt. "Everything will be ok, May."
She stifled another yawn.
"I'm going to join Pepper upstairs. Join me on the elevator, and I'll direct you to the right floor. FRIDAY will help you from there," Tony explained.
As they all entered the elevator, Peter noticed the exhaustion of his aunt yet again. He felt terrible for putting this burden on her. However, she did look a bit more relaxed than she had looked before. He only hoped that she would get some much-needed sleep that night.
The elevator moved up and stopped on the third floor. "Pepper and I are up on four," Tony explained. "FRIDAY can help you or notify me if you need anything."
It was late, and while May still had questions, her tired body was winning out. She would learn more about the compound later.
She and Peter waved their farewell to Tony as they stepped off the elevator. "Oh!" Tony added. "FRIDAY is programmed to give you full access, Pete. No one else can enter this part of the building without permission. Keep your aunt with you for now because I haven't programmed her in…yet. You'll be ok for tonight, but I would stick to this floor."
With that the doors closed, and Tony was gone. The lights in the space slowly dimmed up to a soft light that wasn't too harsh for the late hour. The floor was massive. They were standing in an open common area with a large kitchen off to the right.
"Your rooms are straight through the lounge area. You will find a hallway ahead. Peter's room is the second door on the left. Mrs. Parker will enter the third door on the right." FRIDAY's voice entered the space, making May jump slightly.
Peter smiled at her before leading her towards the hallway. They peaked into his room first.
May gasped at the sight. It was as big as their apartment in Queens, but the space was all meant for Peter. The room included a sitting area with a small entertainment system. It had the newest Xbox and games for Peter.
"Wow!" Peter gasped. "This is all mine?"
FRIDAY responded, "Yes, Peter. Mr. Stark stocked this space specifically for you. He also wants you to know that there is a wide selection of classic sci-fi films downloaded for your viewing pleasure."
"Seriously?" May asked. "This is…too much." She also saw an area with a desk/office type space in a little alcove. Beyond that was a door. They walked forward and opened the door, and they found that Peter's sleeping space was sectioned off from the sitting area. He had his own bathroom and walk-in closet. They walked into the massive bathroom and realized that there were two doors. One that gave him access to the bathroom from his sleeping area and another giving him access from the sitting area. They walked back to his bedroom.
"This bed is huge!" Peter exclaimed. It looked like a Queen size, and May didn't fail to notice the Star Wars posters and Lego sets that mimicked his room at home.
"Wow!" May thought. "Stark didn't miss a single detail. This space is perfect for Peter."
Peter looked like a kid on Christmas morning. He found his bag at the foot of the bed and reached for it.
He stopped himself and said, "Let's get you settled, Aunt May."
She nodded her head and followed Peter as he walked back towards the hallway. She was at a loss for words; Both because she was impressed by the extravagant room and because she was truly worn out.
They entered May's room to find a space that mirrored Peter's own. This space, however, had not yet been personalized for anyone in particular. It was more than enough for May. She turned towards Peter.
"I think I got it from here," She looked at him for a moment before pulling him into a hug. "I'm ready to crash, sweetheart. I don't want you to worry about anything else tonight. We both have a lot to think about and we need our rest. I'll be fine here, and I know where to find you if I need anything." He was quiet and looked thoughtful, so May asked, "Will you be ok?"
Peter finally looked up to meet her eyes. "I don't know what to think, Aunt May." He hugged her again and kissed her cheek lovingly. "But I want you to know that I'm glad you're here. This is crazy, and I never could've imagined…" He lifted his hands and motioned to their surroundings, "…all of this. I was scared to tell you, but I think I'm thankful that you know the truth. I feel more relieved than I thought I would. I'm still worried about you, but I also have hope…you know…I think..." He took another breath, "…I think we're going to be ok."
May gave him a reassuring smile and took his hands in her own. She gave his hands a squeeze and said, "Whatever happens next, it will be ok because we'll face it together. Just like we always do."
Peter squeezed her hands back. "You're right, May. Thank you…for everything…I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I love you, you know? Can you ever forgive me, Aunt May?"
She looked deeper into her nephew's eyes. "Oh honey, I already forgave you. I love you, kiddo!" She sighed and gave him another quick hug before pulling away and saying, "Alright enough of that for tonight! We need sleep, and I think that scotch has me feeling all the more tired. We'll talk more tomorrow, ok?"
"Ok," Peter replied. "Goodnight, May." He turned to exit the room.
"Goodnight, Peter." She called after him.
As Peter closed her door behind him, he took a moment to lean back and rest his head on her door a moment. He used his enhanced hearing to listen and be sure that she was alright. He could hear her moving towards the bedroom and felt confident that she was ready to simply rest for the night.
Peter was beginning to realize just how tired he himself was feeling as he walked into his room. He went directly to his bag to see if she remembered to pack what he would need to get ready for bed. As he opened his bag, he was surprised to see the familiar red and blue of his suit beneath the other contents. "She really did think of everything," Peter thought to himself with a small smile.
He took what he needed into the bathroom, only to discover that the drawers and cupboards were already fully stocked. He shrugged his shoulders and opted to use what his aunt packed for him.
A few minutes later, Peter was climbing into the ginormous bed. It wasn't long after Peter's head hit the pillow that he was falling asleep. His last cognizant thought before sleep took him over was of a floating prison in the middle of the ocean. He suppressed a shudder as he drifted into a dreamless sleep.