Thanks for the reviews and the follows.

Peter is struggling with his own demons in this chapter.

Happy New Year!

Peace,

~Sawyer~

NEW YORK

Tony's jaw dropped as he took in the reality of the situation. Peter hadn't exaggerated. Things were much worse than Tony had anticipated. Holy Shit, kid. When you screw up, you make sure you do it with flair. Tony looked down at the floor and stepped over what might have been some stools. Everything was so charred and broken, he couldn't make out much of anything.

"Geez, Pete."

Peter walked in behind him, his entire body downcast. The boy was silent, nervously worrying his lower lip. Tony's hands found his hips and through his jacket, he felt for his cell phone. He needed to call May. He might be able to handle the financial aspect to this, but he'd have no say over the parental side of things. Peter was in a lot of trouble. Tony pulled out his phone and started to dial.

"What are you doing?" asked Peter, panic heard in his voice.

"What do you think I 'm doing? Calling your aunt. Shit, Peter, this isn't good. This isn't good at all. What the hell were you thinking?"

Peter's pale face paled further and his lips were whiter than his face. "Y-you can't do that. Please, …she's gonna…"

Tony looked at Peter incredulously. "Look around you, Peter." Tony threw his hands up in the air, flinging his fingers out in disbelief. "You and your friend turned your school lab into charcoal. You can't hide from this."

"Yes," insisted Peter, "Yes, I can. You don't have to tell anyone it was me and Ned. It was an accident, granted a really dumb one but still an accident. No one has to know."

Tony dropped his arms to his side and tilted his head in complete awe. "Pete, you do realize a simple inquiry will show exactly what happened, right? If not you then who will be blamed? Some other poor innocent sucker?"

Peter was desperate. "I don't care. This will ruin my life, Mr. Stark. My aunt will freak…"

Tony took a step closer. "Stop right there. That song is getting old." He took Peter by the shoulders and spun him around. "You did this and you're gonna take responsibility for it. I will pay for the damages but YOU are going to own up to what you did."

Tears brimmed Peter's eyes.

"Everyone makes mistakes, kid. Granted this one is a biggie and it's not going to be easy to face the music but you will survive and you'll be a better person for it."

XxXxXxX

Peter shook his head. He knew he was cornered. His shoulders drooped, and he sank to his knees, feeling too exhausted to stand any longer.

"I-l just wanted to impress you," he mumbled under his breath but Tony wasn't listening any longer. Tony had his cell phone to his ear and was walking around the ruins of the science lab.

Peter sat back on his heels and collapsed, curling his knees up to his chin. He surveyed the damage anxiously as he felt tears fall down his cheeks. He deserved whatever happened. Tony was right. He'd own up to what he did and accept the mountain of consequences. He was ready to give up anyway. What was the point of trying any longer? His uncle was dead and it was his fault. His aunt would find that out soon enough, not that she didn't already blame him for everything anyway. All the long shifts she had to work to keep him in the expensive private school. May had committed to seeing it through. It was a promise she'd made to her sister and then to Ben. His uncle Ben had always seen his potential.

Tony walked over and squatted down to his level. "You ok, kid?"

Peter nodded.

"I made a few calls and my crew will take care of the clean-up." Tony patted his knee. "You did the right thing calling me, Pete. And for what it's worth, you did a good job containing and putting out the fire."

Peter nodded and swallowed. If he wasn't in so much trouble, he might have been offended by the man's compliment. It seemed like everyone in his life underestimated his capabilities. Apart from a stupid miscalculation, his theory was sound. If Tony only knew what he'd been doing, he would have been impressed. He would have respected him more as an equal instead of just a dumb kid. Maybe he would have even realized just how capable he really was to be Spiderman and not put such ridiculous limitations of him.

Tony sat down in front of him, both of them sitting in the debris, soot and ashes, and stared at him in concern. "What happened?"

Peter groaned. The last thing he wanted to do was explain himself to the brilliant Tony Stark. Peter had seen the man's lab. It was freaking amazing. The man could do anything. Peter had wanted to impress him. He wanted to surprise the man with his amazing discovery. It would feel like the internship was far less a scam if he could earn it…if he could just be worthy. He could just imagine the look of pride on the man's face had he succeeded.

"I screwed up."

Tony nodded. "Yah, it's obvious you mixed a little too much vinegar with your baking soda." Peter put his head into his lap. It was hopeless to even try to explain himself at this point. Tony making fun of him wasn't helping, and Peter didn't think it was worth the bother to defend himself.

"Peter, you have access to my lab pretty much anytime you want. Why break into your school and use the labs here?"

Peter stood up and walked towards the centre of the room. Every wall in the room was covered in pitch black soot. All the computers and microscopes were charred, shattered and strewn around the room. The explosion had been epic. He and Ned were lucky they hadn't been seriously hurt. Ned's quick thinking and ingenuity had got them out quickly, sucking the oxygen from of the room, extinguishing the flames before they could spread. Unfortunately, it hadn't been fast enough to prevent all the damage. The school had cutting-edge safety protocols in place, better than any in New York. It hadn't been the first time some brilliant kid had blown up the place. The greatest scientific discoveries occurred because of mistakes. Peter knew that. What he'd done wasn't unforgivable. The difference was other students who messed up hadn't broken into the school to do it. Breaking and entering was a problem, one that wasn't going to be so quickly forgotten or forgiven.

Sirens could be heard in the distance. Peter felt his heart rate quicken. This was real. It was happening. His school lab was blown to pieces and it was his fault. He was going to be held accountable for it. Peter tried hard to swallow but his mouth felt like cotton. He called Tony because he thought the man would be able to save him from this but he hadn't. His life was ruined.

"You called the authorities?" accused Peter, anger sparking in his eyes. He felt betrayed. He thought that if anyone could have handled things quietly, it would be Tony Stark.

Tony nodded. "Sorry, kid. I had to. They need to come to check out things are okay; you should have done it yourself when it happened. I get that you know how to put out a fire, but you can never be too careful with volatile chemicals. Trust me, I know. I've blown my own lab up a few times through the years…just ask Pepper." Peter cringed at the scolding knowing he deserved much worse and knowing Tony was being easy on him. He wanted to be mad at Tony for betraying his trust but he couldn't maintain the emotion. He was angrier at himself.

Peter scratched his nose, covering it with black soot from his hands. "I'm so dead."

"Peter!" called a familiar voice.

Peter felt his insides quiver, making his knees feel like they were going to give out again. It was his Aunt May. She was going to kill him.

Peter turned to see his anxious aunt burst into the room. She stopped in her tracks, and her hand went to her mouth when she saw the state of the room. Her eyes were wide and all the colour drained from her face making Peter rush to her side for fear she would collapse to the floor.

"I am so sorry, Aunt May. I can explain…" began Peter, trembling all over and expecting the worse. Tears blurred his vision and he tried desperately to blink them back away before they could betray him.

May opened and closed her mouth several times as she looked around. Then she looked at Peter, apparently surveying him from head to toe. "Are you hurt?" she managed. They made eye contact and for a few moments, Peter felt her distress burning him to his very core. Her expression sucked the air from his lungs. May had been terrified he'd been seriously injured or worse. He was worse than pond scum.

Peter shook his head. "I'm okay." He whispered, dropping his eyes to the floor. He didn't have the strength to maintain eye contact. Seeing the fear turn to disappointment and then to anger hurt him too much.

Tony walked over and smiled grimly at her. May nodded at him, acknowledging his presence but nothing more. May began to walk around the room and small sounds came from her mouth that Peter couldn't make out.

"I'll pay for it, Aunt May…" began Peter, hoping it was the right thing to say.

May spun on her heel. The anger was evident now. "How, Peter? How on earth will you pay for this? Look at this place! I hardly have enough money to pay your tuition and for us to eat as it is. How do you think I will pay for this? You're 15 years old for Pete's sake. You can't get a job!" His aunt's voice was low and controlled but Peter could tell she was on the verge of losing it.

"I dunno, but somehow I will pay for it. Even if I have to go to the local high school and get a job. I'll do it, May. I swear I will!" Peter heard the pleading in his voice but he didn't care. His aunt was going to lose her shit at any moment and it wasn't going to be pretty. He needed to placate her so Tony Stark wouldn't see how bad things could get. Aunt May was tired and worn. None of it was her fault.

May rubbed her temples with her hand, visible pain on her face.

"May, the money isn't the issue," began Tony, taking a step forward and reaching out a comforting hand to pat her forearm.

May pulled her arm away before he could touch her. "That's easy for you to say, Mr. Stark. Money is not an issue in your life but it is in ours. I work 12-hour shifts, 6 days a week so we can eat, pay the rent and Peter's tuition. New York is not a cheap place to live unless you want to live in the slums, and like that would be such a safe place to raise a kid!" May's voice grew shriller.

Peter took a step away from her, fear filling his eyes. May had struck out at him before and he knew she'd do it again. He swallowed hard trying to control his erratic breathing. He hated seeing her freak out. None of it was her fault.

"How could you be so stupid, Peter?" asked May, stepping towards him.

"I'm sorry, Aunt May. It was an accident…we were just trying…"

"We? Who else was involved? Ned? Is that who you were with?" Peter's face gave away the answer without having to say a word. May groaned and shook her head. "Great…as if his mother doesn't already think I'm a horrible guardian to you. It's so easy for her to criticize me. She stays home and knits all day. She doesn't know what it's like to work every day to try to make ends meet and raise a family." May's face was red with anger.

Peter cleared his throat and looked helplessly at Tony. Tony's face looked shocked.

"May," said Tony again. "I'll take care of the damages. What Peter needs now is…"

May spun on her heel and shoved a finger in Tony's face. "Don't tell me what my nephew needs. I'm his aunt! You're just some rich guy off the street. I know what he needs! Not you!"

Peter's face paled further as if that was even possible. His heart raced in his chest imagining what his aunt's next words would be. He had fears but he was sure his worst fear was on the tip of her tongue.

"This is your fault, Stark! Ever since he met you, he's been talking nonstop about how great you are and how you let him do whatever he wants there! How am I supposed to stand up against that when the only time I see him is when he is asleep or when I have to discipline him? I have to work so often I never see him and when I do all he talks about is the almighty Tony Stark!" May's voice had reached a high scale now, actually shouting at Tony.

"Aunt May," began Peter, stepping closer in hopes of calming her down. "It's not Mr. Stark's fault. It's mine."

May turned back to face Peter, fury in her eyes. She lifted her hand and smacked him fiercely across the face. Peter's eyes widened in shock but before he could say or do anything, May smacked him again and again.

"Ben would be so ashamed of you, Peter and what you're becoming," she shrieked, raising her hand to hit him for the fourth time. By this time, Tony gained his wits and he stopped her arm mid-swing.

"Whoa, that will be enough of that!" stated Tony, his voice firm and resonating authority. "Get a hold of yourself, Mrs. Parker."

Peter held a hand to his face, tears shimmering in his eyes. His heart thumped in his chest and pain sliced through him, not from the slaps but from her words. His uncle Ben would be ashamed of him. The words sliced him to the core but at that moment he knew she was right. Ben would have wanted him to take care of his aunt, not make her work herself to the bone to support him. Peter backed away from his aunt, not seeing her look of horror and shame. All he could hear were the words she'd said ringing in his ears. Ben would be so ashamed. Peter tried to blink back the tears that burned his eyes but they escaped in torrents down his cheeks.

"Peter, hey, it's okay, kid, she didn't mean it," assured Tony, reaching for his hand to pull it away from his face. Peter's head spun around and the tears blinded his vision as he tried to pull his arm away from Tony's tight grasp. "People say things when they are upset," continued Tony, inspecting Peter's bright red cheek. Peter had accelerated healing but he still felt pain. Peter felt the slaps but the pain from his aunt words cut deeper than he could articulate.

"No, she's right. My uncle Ben would…"

Tony grabbed Peter's face in his hands. "He would have forgiven you, Pete. Teens drive a neurological car with a hot accelerator and spotty brakes. You can't help spinning out once and a while and that's okay…"

Peter pushed Tony's hands away and scrubbed at his eyes. He continued to look at his aunt, just seeing and hearing her disappointment and disgust.

May took several steps toward Peter. "Peter, honey, I'm so sorry I said that. Your Uncle Ben was always proud of you…I'm just upset and I'm not thinking straight…"

Peter shook his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. He looked at Tony with a desperate look on his face. He felt like he couldn't breathe. His uncle's face flashed in his mind, and the day the man he loved so much was murdered. No one knew what happened that day…everyone knew Ben had been mugged and shot but no one knew that Peter could have stopped it…except for Peter. Aunt May knew about all the trouble and problems Peter had caused and how his uncle had taken a firm hand with him, but no one knew how angry Peter had been that night when his uncle was shot. No one knew that Peter could have saved him. No one knew it was all Peter's fault his uncle died. The walls felt like they were closing in on him, his lungs felt like they would explode from lack of oxygen and he hurt so much. Every part of him felt such agonizing pain, like the worse excruciating agony that ripped his guts apart. Peter gasped for air.

Tony watched Peter, seeing the range of emotions playing across the kid's face. He wasn't a man with a great deal of kid instinct but seeing Peter's anguish play out on his face was disconcerting.

"Peter," he grabbed Peter by the arms firmly and spun him to face him. "Hey, don't zone out on me, okay? This is bad but you're not alone. We will get through this."

Peter shook his head. He needed to get away. He needed to run away. Far away. He yanked away from Tony and high tailed it from the room.