They all still belong to Marvel
Chapter 18: Reunion
Peter was resting in the back of the jet, thinking about the phone call with Tony. He wished so badly that he could be going back home to Aunt May. He couldn't believe he had managed to get himself into this mess. He should have made sure to tell Mr. Stark and May about Toomes. He couldn't believe his own foolishness. In his attempt to protect himself from the guilt of hurting Liz, he failed to protect himself from the one man who could give away his identity. Now he would have to live with the consequences.
"We'll be landing in Wakanda in about 30 minutes," Steve told Peter as he came to join him in the back of the jet.
Peter sat up to look at him, "Things can never be the same," he said.
"How do you mean?" Steve asked, coming to sit next him.
"Well… I'm a fugitive now, right? Ross will never just let me go back to my old life," Peter said.
Steve saw that the kid was struggling. He didn't really know if he had the words that he needed to hear. He decided to approach a different topic. "Listen, Peter… Do you know why we came to help you?"
Peter looked at him and cocked his head, thinking, "Actually… no. I was wondering… I mean… I know Natasha said that Pepper called, but…" He stopped for a moment to try and find his words. "… I'm not sure I deserved your help. Not after I fought against you in Germany."
Steve smiled sadly, then set a hand on Peter's shoulder. "What happened in Germany, Peter, was a misunderstanding…" He shook his head, "…a very unfortunate misunderstanding. I wasn't upset with you for fighting us. If I'm honest, I would tell you that I was impressed. You fought hard and with a lot of heart. You were fighting for what you believed was right. That's all any of us can do."
"So, you came to get me out because you were impressed with me?" Peter was still confused. That didn't seem like a very good reason.
"It's a little more complicated than all that," Steve said, putting his head down a little. "Tony discovered that Bucky was never the one responsible for the death of King T'Chaka or the bombing. He realized that I had a reason for pushing back against him and Ross. I wanted to get to Siberia to stop the man who was responsible from causing even more damage."
Peter studied the man. He saw guilt, and Steve looked haunted by whatever had happened. Peter decided to just listen intently. He had never asked Mr. Stark for the details from that day. Not that he wasn't curious; he just could see that it was too painful for him to talk about. He wasn't sure that Captain Rogers was eager to talk about it, but he let him continue anyway.
"I didn't realize the damage he wanted to cause was to the team… to the Avengers. He saw the perfect way to drive a wedge in between us, and he did." Steve looked at Peter and asked, "What do you know about Bucky… about what happened to him?"
Peter was surprised by the question, but he answered it none the less, "Oh… um… I know people thought that he was killed in action back during World War II. Uh… I know that Hydra managed to turn him into a weapon or something… they called him the Winter Soldier, right?"
Steve nodded, "They got inside of his head, Peter… made him into the ultimate soldier and sent him on missions." Steve exhaled sharply, "He killed people on those missions, Peter; however, he did NOT know what he was doing. Hydra controlled him, kid. Do you understand?"
"Y-yeah, I guess," Peter hesitated then asked, "I'm sorry, but…what's the connection to helping me?"
Steve smiled a little and said, "I'm getting to that part. You see… one of his missions turned out to be…" Steve studied Peter carefully, "it turned out to be Tony's parents." The two men looked at each other. Each trying to read the other one's thoughts.
"Wait…" Peter's eyebrows shot up. "You mean… you mean Bucky killed Mr. Stark's parents?"
"He did," Steve confessed. "Tony wasn't just mad about learning that truth. I had learned that Howard and his wife were killed… I didn't know it was Bucky at the time… but I knew it hadn't been accident."
"So, Mr. Stark was angry because you knew they were killed and didn't tell him," Peter said, thinking out loud as he tried to put it all together. "And he was even angrier when he learned that your friend killed them?"
"Yes… plus… Zemo, the man behind tearing us apart, he showed a video file in Siberia from that mission. Tony watched the footage of his parents' death," Steve confessed.
"Poor Mr. Stark," Peter said, quietly. "You know… I lost my parents when I was little. I guess that's something else that Mr. Stark and I have in common. But… I never saw them die. I don't think I would want to, either."
Peter suddenly stood up and moved away from Steve. He turned around and scowled at the man, "So why did you hurt him… Mr. Stark, I mean. He was hurt when he got back. If you knew that he was so upset, why did hurt him?"
Steve stood up along with him and held up his hands to Peter in a placating gesture, "I didn't want to… but he was trying to kill Bucky and get revenge. I couldn't… Peter, I couldn't just watch him kill my best friend."
Peter just stared at the man.
"Look," Steve said, "Things escalated out of control quickly that day. I can't expect you to understand why we fought like we did. But I might be able to get you to understand why I couldn't let Bucky die."
Peter was listening.
"Your aunt… she's the only family you have left, right?" Steve asked.
Peter just nodded his head in confirmation.
"Bucky is the only family I have left… he has always been like a brother to me. When I woke up out of the ice, everyone familiar was pretty much gone. Getting Bucky back… it was like I was getting another chance with family. Peter… it's my fault that Hydra got into Bucky's head. I wasn't there to protect him, then. But now, I can do something. I am doing something to help him! With T'Challa's help… Suri, his sister, she's helping to undo what Hydra did to him. Peter, if someone had hurt your aunt, and you had the chance to fix it… wouldn't you want to take that chance? The chance to make it right?"
Peter realized that Steve was pleading with him to understand. "I suppose that I see what you're saying," Peter said. "But…"
Steve cut him off, "I never wanted to hurt Tony! Howard, his father, was my friend, too!" It was as if Steve was fighting tears now, "Don't you get it? I feel responsible for Howard's death because I should have been there for Bucky! Hydra never should have gotten into his head! That's on me, kid! I couldn't let Tony take it out on Bucky. The only way to fix everything… the only solution that I could see was to keep Buck alive and give him a chance at the life that Hydra stole from him. I had to stop Tony in order to give Bucky that chance. But I never meant to hurt Tony."
Peter nodded his head and said, "I think I get it."
"Do you?" Steve asked. "Peter… the man who killed Tony's parents, that wasn't really Bucky Barnes." He paused, wanting to emphasize his next words. "The man who saved your life today, that is the real Bucky Barnes."
That was a point that hit Peter right in the heart. The man had, in fact, saved his life.
"So…" Steve said, "…I came for you at that prison because I owed it to Tony. I hurt him, and I needed to make things right. I was willing to take the chance so that I could finally save the life of someone he loves."
Peter looked up at him, unsure that he heard him correctly. "Oh… uh, no! I mean, Mr. Stark is my mentor. I don't think…"
"Is that how you see him?" Steve cut him off again. "As just a mentor? Is that why you were so disappointed that he didn't come for you? Why you want to see him? Is he just a mentor to you?"
Peter was quiet. He had never said it out loud, but Tony Stark had somehow become more like a father. He respected the man in the same way a son respects a father.
"Peter?" Steve asked.
"I don't really remember my real dad," Peter confessed. "My Uncle Ben was the closest thing I ever knew to a father. Then he was killed…" Peter choked back tears, "…and he was gone. It was just May and me." Peter then gave a little smile. "Then, one day… Tony Stark is on my couch when I get home from school! He helped me out as Spider-Man, and he's never really stopped looking out for me. I guess… I mean… yeah… I look up to him. I like spending time with him." Peter shrugged at Steve. He didn't need to say anything else. Steve already had a clear picture of their relationship.
"I know Tony, kid. He doesn't let people get too close. He's very careful about the people he chooses to spend his time with. The fact that he commits so much time to you says a lot. I believe he really cares for you, Peter. I think he sees you as the son that he may never get to have. So yes…" Steve said, "I do think he loves you like a son. That's why I didn't hesitate to help getting you out of there."
Peter sat down again. The weight of that information was too heavy to hold while standing.
Steve once again joined him. He gave a sideways smile to Peter before adding, "And yes… it didn't hurt that Spider-Man impressed me in Germany, either!"
Peter returned his smile. "Thank you, Captain Rogers. I really do appreciate everything that you are risking for me." He shifted a little, "I need to thank Sergeant Barnes, too, I guess."
"You can thank him when we land," Steve said, looking out a window. "We're almost there."
Tony, Rhodes, Vision, and Wanda met and discussed their next steps. Pepper stayed to offer her support to Tony, but he seemed to be doing better now that plans were coming together. While he would never admit it, Pepper knew that Tony was happy to see Wanda. He hadn't wanted any of them to be forced into hiding.
Ross had contacted Tony not long after Natasha called. The man was livid. Tony convinced Ross to come to the compound to discuss the situation. Ross had agreed, saying something about wanting to arrest Tony anyway.
The plan was for Tony and Pepper to meet Ross at the compound with Wanda. The Scarlet Witch would remain out of sight until it was time for her to play her part.
Rhodes and Vision were on their way to DC. Tony made some comment about Vision sticking out, and he was surprised to find that Vision was able to alter his appearance so that he looked more human.
The two men were going to work together to destroy any files with information about Spider-Man and Peter Parker.
Wanda had also spoken with Natasha. Apparently, the tricky Black Widow had managed to destroy any information about Peter on board the prison before they made their escape.
The only problem that remained were the people who knew Peter's secret.
Ross arrived by car on this visit. Tony noticed that he seemed to have fewer men with him this time, and the man who had shown up with him earlier wasn't anywhere to be seen either.
"Stark!" Ross called as he entered the building, "If you expect me to believe that you had no part in the most recent breach on the Raft, then you are sorely mistaken!" he yelled.
"Secretary Ross, let's go somewhere more private, shall we?" Pepper said.
He and Pepper directed the man into the nearby conference room.
"Stark, let me be clear… that kid is done for! There will be no negotiations when we catch him, and we WILL catch him! We'll catch him and those other criminals for good! They'll be locked up for the rest of their miserable lives! They'll pay for killing the guards at the prison! They'll pay for killing the doctor, and they'll pay for killing my men!" Ross yelled. There was a look in his eyes, a guilty look.
Tony knew the killing part didn't sound right. The others wouldn't have gone that far. He shuddered to think that the man in front of him was that corrupt; yet, he had no doubt that those people were likely casualties of Ross's rage for losing his prisoners. He had them killed and was blaming Peter and the others. No doubt he would try to use it as an excuse in DC to lock them away forever. Too bad for Ross that he would never be able to take this nonsense any further.
Tony took a deep breath. There was no time to waste. He had a plan that needed to be set in motion.
"I'm sorry you feel that way, Ross. But… you know…" Tony said, "…you should really just forget about it."
Ross didn't have time to answer.
The Scarlet Witch came in behind Ross and his men, her fingers working furiously. She was altering their reality, changing their memories. If she was successful (and if Rhodes and Vision did their job) Ross would forget that he ever learned the truth about Peter Parker. It was sad, but he supposed that Ross had done him a favor with the witnesses to Peter's identity at the prison. Wanda was powerful, and Tony hoped that this new reality for Ross would be a permanent solution.
The Scarlet Witch finished her work, nodded at Tony, and quickly disappeared without a trace.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Secretary. But I'm afraid that I just can't help you," Tony said, holding his breath and hoping that this worked.
Ross blinked at him. "Can't help me?" he asked.
Tony didn't breathe. Surely, Wanda had been successful.
"I come here and tell you that two of my men, Wade Reynolds and Wilson Ryan, went rogue and slaughtered innocent people on the Raft prison, and you feel that it's not your job to help make sure that the situation is contained? They were using weapons made with alien technology! The place was torn apart!"
Tony inwardly let out a sigh of relief. It worked! Ross was blaming the damage at the prison on his own men.
"Why would I get involved? It's over already. I think the FBI can help you contain the situation from here. How many times do I have to tell you?" Tony asked, putting his arm around Pepper, "I have a wedding to plan. My fiancé comes first, Ross. You don't need Iron Man for this."
"I am so tired of your bull shit, Stark!" Ross said. "You have done nothing to comply with me since signing the Accords. I'm on to you! You have your own agenda; you just want the public to continue supporting you. You think they will still see you as the good guy because you signed!"
Tony had heard this from Ross before, but the man clearly didn't remember.
Tony was afraid to say the next thing, but he had to know, "It's always the same conversation with you, Ross. Let me guess, next you're going to accuse me of knowing how to find Rogers? Or you'll tell me that I should help you figure out who the spider guy really is?"
Ross sneered at him. "I don't have to ask you those things," he said.
Tony almost lost it.
"…because you'll only give me more of your bull shit! You know what, Tony? I don't need you! I'll take care of the prison situation, Rogers, and Spider-Man myself! One day, Stark… I will have my answers!"
Ross began to storm off.
"Wait!" Tony called. "We can't leave it like this!" He stepped over to Ross and suddenly pulled him into a hug. "Let's hug it out! You and me!"
The man was aghast. "Get off of me, Stark!" His men helped to separate them, and Tony stumbled away into Pepper. No one ever saw him hand her the device he pulled from Ross's pocket.
With that, Ross stormed out of the building and left.
Tony and Pepper watched him go with triumphant smiles on their faces.
Once the man was at a safe distance, Wanda joined them. "I do not think he will remember what truly happened," she said.
"Thank God!" Pepper proclaimed. She looked down at the flip phone that Tony had given to her. "That was a little unconventional, Tony, but effective. It was important for us to get this back." She frowned a little, "How did you know that he would have it on him?"
Tony shrugged, "I was hoping that he would. Ross didn't seem the type to trust anyone else with it. He probably brought it along in hopes of making me use it again. Too bad for him that we were one step ahead of him this time."
"Sir…" FRIDAY said, "You have an incoming call from Colonel Rhodes."
Tony answered quickly, "Rhodey? You good?"
"We got everything, Tony! His system didn't really stand a chance against an android. I think we got everything. How'd you make out?" Rhodes said.
"Ross doesn't remember a thing. Wanda has him imagining a whole other reality for himself." Tony sighed, "I just hope it holds. He only needs one thing to remind him."
"We can't worry about that right now, Tony," Rhodes said. "The next steps are to bring the kid home, hope for the best, and prepare for the worst."
Tony couldn't wait to bring the kid home. "I like how you think, Rhodey! Thanks for everything," He said. He owed him big time for this one.
"I'm happy to help. Peter's a good kid. As a matter of fact, why are you still wasting time talking to me? Go bring the poor kid home already! Vision and I are on our way back now." Rhodes said.
"Sounds good. I'm going to get a plane ready. I'll probably be gone before you're both back, but Peter and I will see you later!" Tony said cheerfully.
The call ended, and he turned to Wanda.
"I can't thank you enough, Wanda," he said.
"I did not do it for you, Tony," she said. "Vis told me about the kid. I know what it is like to be stuck on that prison. I am happy to help someone else to escape that fate."
Tony could see how serious she was, and he once again felt the guilt bubble up inside of him. "I'm truly sorry that you ever went through that. I was happy to hear that Cap was able to get you out of there," Tony said.
"And it was Steve who helped the kid escape," Wanda said, raising an eyebrow at him, "It sounds like you should be thanking him as well."
Tony would have to think about that. He wasn't so sure that he wanted to be thanking Steve for anything. He decided to change the subject. "I'm going to be firing up the private jet. Why don't you come along? I'll drop you off anywhere you'd like to go," he offered.
"I will be fine. I will wait for Vis. He'll help me find my next location," she said.
Tony nodded, "You can have him anytime you want. All I ask if for him to make me a promise to come back." Tony shrugged, "I'd hate to lose him, too. Bruce would be so ashamed of me if I were to lose another super-bot."
Wanda gave him a small smile, "You'll have to talk to Vision, but I'm sure we can all come to some agreement."
Pepper spoke up, "How about I go and give May the good news about Peter while the jet is prepared?" She was already turning towards the elevator. "Just don't leave without me, Tony!" she called back over her shoulder, "I'm coming with you!"
He smiled at her, "I'll be happy to have you, Ms. Potts!"
He bid farewell to Wanda and made his way to prepare the flight.
"I'm bringing my kid home," he thought happily to himself. "And we should even have him back for his birthday!"
It felt like they would be able to celebrate so much more than the kid's 16th birthday now.
Wakanda was nothing like what Peter was expecting. The place was a thriving metropolis.
He noticed King T'Challa giving him a smile as he stood staring with his mouth agape at the surroundings. The Black Panther approached and put a friendly hand on his shoulder, "Come, my friend, I would like my sister to take a look at you. I know you are a quick healer, but I would feel much better knowing that that device didn't do too much damage."
Peter was confused, "Is your sister a doctor or something?"
"Or something," T'Challa answered with a cheeky grin.
A girl that looked to be about Peter's age came to greet them as they were making their way inside. She must have heard their conversation because she said, "What my brother means to say is that his little sister is a genius who is apparently very good with broken white boys that need to be fixed." She turned to T'Challa, "Really, brother? Another one?" she joked.
Peter liked her immediately. He couldn't help but to think that she would get along well with MJ. "Hey," he greeted. "I'm Peter." He held out his hand to her.
She shook his hand and gave him a warm, confident smile. "Shuri," she said. She looked at the bruising that was healing around his neck. "That looks like it hurt. This is about 5 days old then?" She inquired.
"Actually, it's probably from the pulse that almost killed me today," Peter answered honestly.
Shuri cocked her head at Peter, but T'challa spoke first, "I think you will find Peter to be a rather interesting patient for you, sister."
Peter decided there was no harm in being honest with the princess, "Actually, you may also know me as Spider-Man. I have some enhanced abilities from a mutation that came about after being bitten by a radioactive spider. I heal quickly."
She raised her eyebrows, "A quick healer, eh? What do you need me for?"
"They used a rather primitive looking device to subdue Peter at the prison," T'Challa shrugged, "Well… primitive by our standards, sister."
"Ah…So you want me to use our advanced technology to repair any possible damage caused from their primitive tech," She looked back to Peter, "Not a problem. You can follow me to the lab."
"Lab? You're speaking my language. Awesome!" Peter told her honestly.
Her work space and lab were beyond impressive. He thought Mr. Stark had cool technology, but Shuri had tools unlike anything Peter had ever seen before.
She ran a simple scan of his body simply by using a device around her wrist that then projected the results for them both to see. Shuri was fascinated by Peter's DNA. He was glad that she didn't react like the doctor at the prison and treat him like someone who was less than human.
She seemed pleased with how easily Peter could understand the explanations of her work.
He was also pleased to learn that no lasting damage could be found from the horrible collar. The only thing left was for the bruise to go away.
Shuri was telling Peter about her upgrades to T'Challa's Black Panther suit, when Bucky walked in.
"Ah! The White Wolf returns. You better not have damaged that new arm!" She told him.
He gave her a small, subtle smile, "I'm just here to return it."
She looked at him, studying him, "So? How was the test run?" Peter assumed she meant the arm, but then realized she meant his head when she added, "Any signs of dementia, old man?" As she spoke, she scanned his head and then projected an image of his brain activity.
Peter just stared in fascination.
"This old man seems… semi-stable," Bucky answered honestly. "The arm worked well, too."
"Of course, it did!" Shuri said, "I made it!"
"It ripped through the collar on my neck," Peter said. He looked at Bucky, "You saved my life. One moment later, and I wouldn't be here."
"Hey!" Shuri said, "I made that arm! You can thank me, too!"
Peter smiled at her, but Bucky answered, "I couldn't have saved the spider from being exterminated without you, Shuri!"
She just smiled at him. "You see, Peter? Manners!"
Steve walked in the room, "You must have added those when you were working around inside that head of his!" Natasha came in behind him.
"Good News, Peter." Natasha said. "I heard from Pepper. Wanda was able to alter Ross's reality. He thinks his men destroyed the Raft prison with Alien weapons, and he has no recollection of ever meeting Spider-Man or knowing his real identity."
Peter sat up straight, "Really? Are you serious?" he asked.
"Yep," Natasha said. "Stark's on his way to get you. He should be here in the morning."
Peter ran over and gave the Black Widow a hug. He was just so excited. "Wow! That's great! Thank you! All of you have been so good to me! I can hardly believe this! Wow!" He hugged Steve next, still unable to contain his excitement. They were happy to return the hugs… it had been a long time since they had been shown this kind of genuine gratitude and they appreciated Peter's friendly affection.
Bucky had removed his metal arm, and Shuri was helping him place a wrap around his side over where his arm should be. "Don't even think about it, kid!" Bucky warned when he saw Peter hugging the others. "I don't do hugs… one arm, you know?"
Shuri shook her head, "You can give a hug with one arm, old man. Don't be so grumpy all the time!"
Peter smiled, a little embarrassed by his hug fest. "Ok, sorry dude. How about a fist bump?" Peter held out his fist towards Bucky, but the man just looked genuinely confused.
Shuri laughed out loud. "Did you not hear me call him an old man? He does not know what a fist bump is! He's been taking century-long naps! I had to tell him that a high five wasn't a Nazi salute!"
Peter blushed. "Oh… uh… sorry." He put his hand by his side, thoroughly embarrassed.
"Will you settle for a hand shake, kid?" Bucky asked.
Peter looked up to see the man looking amused, a twinkle in his eye. "Y-yeah," Peter stuttered, "Of course. Thank you, Bucky. For everything." As they shook hands, Peter thought about what Steve had told him on the jet. He could tell that the man in front of him was not someone who was a natural killer. There was a protective and caring side to him. Peter wanted to talk to him more, but he realized that he was exhausted. This had been a really long day.
Steve noticed that Peter looked tired, "Come on, Peter. T'Challa showed me where you would be staying.
They bid Shuri a good night, and Steve, Natasha, Peter, and Bucky made their way upstairs.
"I actually have a place of my own to get back to," Bucky said.
Steve nodded to his friend. "I'll stop by before we leave."
"Wait!" Peter said, "When are you leaving? You guys will stay and get some sleep, right? I mean… you deserve some rest after saving my as… uh… my butt today!" Peter corrected himself after remembering a story from Mr. Stark about Cap scolding the team for using bad language.
Steve smiled at him. "Natasha, Sam, and I will probably leave early, Peter."
"Cap only needs a few hours, and I don't typically sleep late," Natasha clarified. "We just drag Sam out of bed."
Peter was thoughtful for a moment, "You mean, you want to leave before Mr. Stark arrives?"
The other three were quiet. "There's no guarantee we'll get out of here before he lands, but it may be best to avoid any confrontation," Steve answered honestly.
Peter frowned, "But maybe you should try to talk to him. I mean… he might want to thank you."
Bucky scoffed at that, "It's doubtful he'd thank us for anything. Certainly not me, kid. He hates me, and for good reason."
Peter looked like he wanted to argue, but Natasha stopped it by saying, "Peter, it's late. You need your rest. Tony won't be happy if you're exhausted when he arrives. He'll want to see that you're ok. We'll see how things go in the morning, ok? For tonight, Cap will be across the hall from you and I'll be next door."
Peter nodded, then turned to Bucky. "Goodnight! Thanks again!"
"Sleep well, kid," Bucky said. He nodded a farewell to Natasha and Steve, then made his way towards the exit as they moved in the direction of their rooms.
They found Sam in the hallway looking annoyed. "What? Y'all have a party without me or something?"
"Sorry, Sam," Steve said. "It looked like you were having a serious conversation with Okoye. We didn't want to interrupt," he added with a wink to his friend.
"Well…" Sam said smoothly, "…it was a serious conversation, so I'll forgive you this time."
The friends smiled at each other and Natasha just shook her head. "She's too good for you," she teased. "Goodnight Peter," she said. Without another word, Natasha was in her room with the door closed before Sam could even attempt to argue.
Peter just looked amused.
"That's your room there, Peter," Steve pointed. "T'Challa had them leave some food for you, too," he added.
"And this is my room. It's next to Cap's space. If you have a nightmare or something, go see grandpa. He don't need his sleep like daddy does," Sam said.
Peter couldn't help but laugh at Sam's joke. "Ok, daddy," he teased. "I'll be sure to knock really loud on grandpa's door if I have any trouble."
They smiled and shook their heads at one another before finally saying good night and entering their rooms.
Peter found the space to be comfortable. He did grab some of the food and eat as he prepared to go to bed. He found some clothes that were left for him to sleep in, and he was happy to have a real bed to climb into. It felt like it had been far too long since he slept in a nice bed.
As he settled into sleep, he found himself feeling oddly sad. He was happy to be going home, and he was eager to see Mr. Stark and Aunt May. Yet, he had made new friends, and he was sad that he would have to say goodbye.
The flight to Wakanda seemed to take forever. Tony almost wanted to use an Iron Man suit just so he could get there faster, but Pepper reminded him that he couldn't carry Peter all the way back to New York.
Tony and Pepper got some sleep on the flight, or they tried to sleep. Pepper was able to sleep more than Tony. He was too anxious to see that the kid was ok.
He could hardly sit still as the private plane made its final descent into Wakanda.
T'Challa was there to greet Tony and Pepper as they got off the plane. There was a younger girl with him, and he introduced her as his sister.
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Stark," Shuri said. "We could have a lot to discuss. I think I could help you make improvements to that suit you use."
"Excuse me?" Tony asked the young girl. He didn't think he heard her correctly because he was sure that he was the one who could probably help her to make improvements on their technology.
"He is not here for a technology lesson this time, sister." T'Challa said. "He is anxious, I think, to pick up Peter."
"Hmm…ok," Shuri said. "I'll let Peter tell you. He knows I'm smarter." With that she shrugged and walked away.
T'Challa smiled at the look of confusion on Tony's face, "Did I just get insulted by Princess Tiana? I'm a little tired, so it's hard to tell."
"I would not let my sister know that you referred to her as a Disney princess. That is a touchy subject for her," T'Challa joked.
Pepper just shook her head and asked, "Is Peter still sleeping? He must have been exhausted!"
"I believe he slept well," T'Challa said. "He was up quite early. I think he was afraid he would miss bidding farewell to the others."
They had been walking together down a hallway that Tony assumed led to Peter, but Tony suddenly froze and stopped walking. "The others? They're still around?" Tony asked.
Pepper eyed him carefully, "Tony…" she warned, "They saved him. I'm sure they needed to rest, too, before heading out."
"Hmm…" Tony wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. He hadn't planned for running into the others. He supposed he should have been ready for that, but he was too focused on Peter.
"Let us continue on our way," T'Challa said. "Peter will be happy to see you."
Peter had woken up early to catch the others before they left. He had gone with them to the hangar where some members of the Dora Milaje were waiting to fly them to their undisclosed location.
Shuri had given them some supplies, and Sam, Natasha, and Steve insisted on loading the items themselves, not wanting to make work for anyone else.
Bucky had also come to see his friends off.
It gave Peter a chance to talk to him some more. "Sergeant Barnes," Peter started.
"Woah… what happened to calling me Bucky, kid?" he asked. "That sounds so serious," he took a look at Peter's face, "Ah… so we are being serious?"
"I wanted to tell you… Steve told me… you know… about what really happened after Germany. Uh… in Siberia w-with Mr. Stark?" Peter wanted to be careful with this subject.
"I see," Bucky said. "So, you know then? Why Tony has a right to hate me?"
Peter shrugged, "I guess." He looked Bucky in the eye. "I've thought about it, and I want you to know… that… I… well, I don't hate you. I mean, yeah… partly because you saved my life. But also because I feel like I got to see who you really are."
Bucky studied Peter for a moment, "And who do you think I am?"
Peter smiled, "An ornery old man who doesn't know what a fist bump is." Bucky returned the smile and Peter added, "I don't see you as a killer."
The former Winter Soldier just shook his head, "You know, I didn't get it. When I first met you, I thought… this kid isn't a hero!" Bucky looked at him, "You proved me wrong, Peter. You're a fighter. You remind me of Steve…" he looked over to his friend who was still loading up the jet, "…the little guy with a big heart and a whole lot of fight in him."
Peter smiled at him, "Thanks… I think."
To Peter's surprise, Bucky raised his fist. "I'm a fast learner," he said.
Peter gave him a fist bump, and the two enjoyed the friendly moment together. At least until Bucky looked over Peter's shoulder and froze.
"Oh shit…" Bucky said.
Peter turned to see what Bucky was looking at. He saw a very shocked-looking Tony Stark.
"It's ok," He told Bucky. "I got this. I'll distract him if you'd feel better making your exit."
"Good idea, kid," the other man said, his eyes never leaving the stunned man staring in their direction.
"MR. STARK!" Peter yelled, running towards the man. The Iron Man finally pulled his eyes away from Bucky and smiled towards the teenager who was running at him.
Peter didn't waste any time, and he didn't bother to ask permission before throwing his arms around Tony. "You came!" Peter said.
Tony was stunned by the hug for only a moment, and then wrapped his arms around Peter tightly. "You sound surprised, Pete," he said.
Peter was surprised to hear his mentor choking back tears, so he pulled away to look at him. "Mr. Stark? Are you ok?" he asked.
Tony held Peter by the shoulders and looked him over, seeming to check him for injuries. Upon seeing Peter in good condition, he said, "I'm ok now, Pete." Tony pulled Peter in for another hug.
Peter found himself fighting tears now, but laughed to try to lighten the mood, "I guess we're there now, huh?"
Tony looked confused before realization dawned, "You hugged me first," he defended. "And there were no car doors to open for you this time, so yeah… I guess we've officially reached the hugging stage."
Pepper had her hands to her heart, "Can I get one of those, kid? Your aunt asked me to give you one from her anyway."
Peter smiled and rushed to give the beautiful redhead a hug.
As he did, he stole a glance back in the direction where Bucky had been standing earlier. The man was nowhere to be seen, and Peter figured that was probably a good thing.
As he let go of Pepper, he turned to see Tony staring towards the jet where the others had been loading supplies earlier.
Sam, Natasha, and Steve were all standing on the ramp, smiling at the reunion.
Peter noticed that Steve was looking at him with an "I told you so" look in his eyes. Peter didn't think on that for too long. He turned to look at what Tony would do upon noticing the others.
Pepper held on to Peter. It seemed like she was almost holding him for comfort, like she was nervous about what would happen next.
Tony looked back at Peter and Pepper and noticed their anxiety. He looked closer at Peter, and then returned his gaze back to the trio on the ramp.
It was so quiet. Peter could hear the breathing of every person in the room.
Tony didn't speak. He just nodded at the others. The nod was his sign of thanks. It was all that he could give at the moment. Then, he turned back to Peter and Pepper. He put one arm around Peter and the other around Pepper; then, he began to walk them back in the direction of his private plane.
Peter turned to look back at his friends and rescuers. He gave them a sad smile.
He saw Steve give a shrug and return the smile before the three friends entered the jet with the ramp closing behind them.
Peter wanted to protest. He was ready to tell Mr. Stark that he should have said something to them, but then he felt the man shaking. He looked up to see him blinking away tears and heard him fighting to control his breathing. Peter realized that it was just too soon for him. He wasn't ready to face Steve yet.
"Mr. Stark…" Peter said. "I'm sorry."
Tony stopped walking and looked at Peter, confused, "Why are you sorry?"
"It's my fault. I put you through this. I know with everything that happened… I mean.. the raft… the Captain… coming here…" Peter listed these things slowly, giving them time to sink in. "I'm sorry for putting you through all this trouble."
Tony blinked. Then blinked again. Peter thought maybe he had managed to break the man.
"Tony…" Pepper whispered to him, trying to help him break out of his stupor.
"Y-yeah… I'm…" Tony shook his head and grabbed Peter's shoulder. "Peter, you don't have to apologize for any of this. I don't know why you think you owe me any apology at all!" Before Peter could even think about explaining, Tony continued, "Kid, I've spent days trying to think about how I could even begin to apologize to you!"
"Oh no, Mr. Stark!" Peter insisted. "You aren't the one who messed things up!"
"I LEFT YOU THERE!" Tony cried, suddenly. "I couldn't get to you, and you were stuck on that prison! They had that torture device around your neck and that doctor…" Tony couldn't finish that thought. "My god, kid! I'm the one who is sorry! I wanted to find a way to get you out of there, but I failed you! I'm so sorry, Peter!"
Peter shook his head, "H-how did you… who told you about those things? About what happened?"
Tony didn't even think about that. "Oh… uh… Ross kept us informed of how he was keeping you 'comfortable.' He showed me what was happening with you so that I would cooperate and give him the others."
Peter's eyes shot open wide, "DOES AUNT MAY KNOW EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED?" He was fighting panic.
Tony placed a second hand on Peter's other shoulder to steady him. "She only saw one image of you there. I told her that I would only tell her what she needed to know. She agreed but insisted to see that you were alive. She knows about the thing on your neck, but that's pretty much it." Tony looked sad, "She's been so sick, Pete. She was resting a lot, so we couldn't even give her many updates. In some ways, it was a blessing in disguise. She might not have let us get away with telling her so little."
"But she was worried about me," Peter said sadly, "That's why she got sick."
"Oh no!" Pepper spoke up. "Peter, she was already getting sick when we discovered you were missing. We were fortunate to get her to the compound when we did. Tony made sure she was taken care of. He knew that was important to you."
"It felt like trying to look after her was the only thing that I could do for you," Tony explained. "Ross didn't really give me any room to do anything else."
Peter nodded in understanding. "Thank you, Mr. Stark… for everything, especially taking care of May. I'd like to see her."
They started walking again. T'Challa had gone back after leading them to Peter. He and Shuri were waiting by the plane and said their goodbyes. Peter insisted that Shuri visit the compound sometime and told her that he wanted her to meet his friends.
Before long, they were on Tony's plane and heading into the air towards New York.
Tony and Pepper looked tired. But Peter could tell that they were also relieved.
"There's something else I should tell you…" Peter spoke suddenly.
Tony looked worried.
"It's something else I'm sorry for. If I had told you, I don't think this would have happened. You'll understand that this really is my fault," Peter said.
Tony looked even more worried.
Peter's breathing was coming faster now. "I was trying not to think about it. I really hurt my friend…Liz. She was my Homecoming date, Mr. Stark. I went to Homecoming with Liz Toomes!"
"Your aunt told me that, Pete," Tony said. "What…"
"He figured it out that night," Peter began to cry, "He realized who I was when he was driving us… He recognized my voice and Liz was talking about how I would go missing. He realized I was missing from Liz's stories at the same time when Spider-Man was a part of his stories! He threatened me when Liz got out of the car, but I went after him anyway… you know the rest." Peter swallowed, "I know how Ross found out. I know he got the information out of Toomes and killed him!" Peter was nearly sobbing now, "Liz's dad is dead because of my secret! This whole thing happened because I wasn't ready to face that night… or the truth! I should have told you, Mr. Stark. I'm sorry!"
Tony was quiet. Pepper was quiet. They were trying to take in the information that was spilling out of Peter.
"I could have spared everyone if I had told the truth. To tell the truth… I'm learning that is important, Mr. Stark. Even when we don't want to face it. I realize now that the truth always comes out! I'm sorry! It's my fault you went through all of this… you had to deal with Ross… you had to deal with the pain of seeing Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes! It's ALL my fault! I have no one to blame but myself." He fell into quiet sobs. He had his hands folded on his lap and his head down. He couldn't look at Tony. He couldn't bare to see the disappointment he would have on his face.
Peter heard shuffling. He saw the shadow of someone kneeling down in front of him, but he refused to look up.
"Peter…" It was Tony's voice, whispering his name gently.
He didn't answer, and he didn't look up.
"Peter…" Tony said a little louder.
Still Peter refused to look at him.
Tony sighed and gently said, "Peter Benjamin Parker… I need you to look me, kid."
Peter closed his eyes and let the tears fall. He took a deep breath, lifted his head, and opened his eyes to look at Tony.
The shame Peter held in his eyes was enough to shatter Tony's heart. "Oh, kid. I'm not mad at you. It's true… I wish I had known about Toomes…"
Peter started to lower his head again, but Tony took hold of his chin and lifted his head back up to look at him as he continued, "…but there is no guarantee that this wouldn't have happened anyway. Even if I knew about Toomes, Ross still could have gotten the information in the same way. This all sucks, kid. But you CANNOT take on all the blame. This was on Ross."
Peter blinked, not sure if he believed what Tony said.
"I wish I could put Ross away for what happened, Peter. I had to settle for letting Wanda inside his head. However, I believe the universe has a way of working things out. One day, Ross WILL get what is coming to him. He will pay for treating you like he did," Tony said. "Do you hear me, Peter? Someday… Ross will pay."
Peter just nodded.
Tony placed a hand on Peter's head lovingly, "Please don't cry, kid. I don't want you to hurt anymore! Your birthday is tomorrow! You'll be home for your 16th birthday!" Tony rubbed his head to get his attention, "That's exciting, right? I wanted to get you home for your birthday so badly, Pete."
Peter swallowed and looked between Tony and Pepper, "You mean… I'll still have a party?"
"If you want one, you will. At least the one at the compound. We did postpone the one that was set for Friday," Tony clarified.
At first, Peter was relieved, but then he worried about what his friends knew. "Why do the others think it was changed?"
"Don't worry," Pepper said. "We told your friends that May was really sick, which is true. They just think that you want to be with her until she's better."
Peter nodded, satisfied. "Yeah… that makes sense. Thank you."
"MJ and Ned are still coming tomorrow, is that ok?" Pepper asked.
Peter smiled at that, "It will be good to see them."
Before the subject was too far gone, Tony wanted to discuss one more thing with Peter… something else he apologized for. "Peter… I need to tell you… you don't have to apologize about me seeing Steve and… that friend of his. That is just something that I need to deal with, but I don't want you to worry about that."
Tony was still kneeling in front of Peter, at eye level. Peter was looking at him and saw Tony give an uncomfortable shrug, "I'm not going to tell you that it wasn't weird to see you getting all chummy with Steve's friend and giving him a fist bump. That was weird… but that's your business, so I don't have to know…"
"I think you should…" Peter interrupted. "You should know… I know what happened between you… all of you."
Tony sat back on his heals and studied Peter. "You do?" he asked. "How?"
"It all came out when I asked Ste…uh…Captain Rogers about why he came for me. He confessed that he hurt you, and he told me what the Winter Soldier did. He told me he couldn't save the parents you loved from the Winter Soldier, and he wanted to try to save someone else you lov…uh…cared about," Peter corrected.
"Huh… that's… a lot to take in, kid. So, you know… and you gave the Winter Soldier a fist bump?" Tony asked, raising an eyebrow. Peter noticed that he wasn't mad. He was trying to understand.
"No…" Peter said, "I gave Bucky Barnes a fist bump. The Winter soldier was controled by Hydra and killed your parents. Bucky Barnes is free from Hydra control now, thanks to Shuri." Peter looked desperately at Tony, trying to get the other man to understand. "Mr. Stark, Bucky Barnes is the man who saved my life just in time. If it weren't for Bucky, I would be dead."
Tony's eyes went wide. He stared at Peter, stunned by his words.
He backed up and went back to Pepper's side, needing her presence. But his eyes never left Peter's.
"Oh shit! Peter almost died," Tony thought. "Oh F**k! I owe his life to the same man who killed my parents!" Tony thought that was even worse.
He was going to need some time to let that sink in. He also hadn't missed the fact that he would need to clarify something else with Peter. He really did need to be honest with the kid and let him know just how much he cared.
A/N: Sorry this is posting late! This was harder to write than I anticipated and there is still so much to explore here.
What will Tony do with the new information about Bucky?
How will May react to seeing Peter?
Will Peter be able to enjoy his party?
Will they see Ross again?
Stay tuned! And don't forget to review!