Hey, thanks for the reviews. I'm getting a kick out of writing this little tale. My son has been reading it and making hilarious comments.

Just a note to say, I'm not a father who believes in corporal punishment of real-life teenagers...umm, no, that's just a little over the top and out of my comfort zone, but I'm having fun playing with the characters and making my son squirm. It really is a joke between us but thought I'd share it on here. Glad to see there are so many who enjoy my little tale.

Cheers,

Sawyer.

Peter stuffed his plundered suit into his backpack as his mind wandered over recent events. He was trying to convince himself that he wasn't the biggest idiot on the planet for telling Tony Stark to go to hell. Habit brought him to his hiding spot where he stored his backpack. He went on autopilot as he quickly dressed in his street clothes and slung his bag onto his back.

"Now what, Genius?" he muttered out loud. "Do I just go home and have dinner with Aunt May like nothing happened?" Peter smacked himself in the forehead. He couldn't believe how much trouble he'd made for himself. Tony Stark knew where he lived. He knew where he went to school. "I am so screwed."

Peter stood in the remote alleyway frozen in place, completely chagrined. He honestly did not know what he was going to do next. He had no plan, and he was still so irritated that his mind wouldn't allow him to think clearly. He couldn't wrap his head around how unreasonable his mentor was being.

Peter began to pace becoming angrier as he thought about what happened on the ferry. None of what happened was his fault. How could Tony blame him? He tried to warn the man but Mr. All Important, self-involved Tony Stark couldn't make time to speak with him.

Peter was so deep in thought, he didn't notice when Tony landed in his suit and exited it directly behind him.

"So, what's the plan now, Spiderling?"

Peter spun around and stood face to face with his billionaire mentor.

Tony stepped closer into the lamplight so the kid could see his clenched jaw. The last thing Tony wanted to do was have a power struggle with a damned teenaged kid. Hell, he'd rather be getting a root canal than arguing with a hormonal adolescent.

"Where did you think you could go that I wouldn't find you, kid?"

Peter huffed. "Just go away. You're so damned good at ignoring me. Why don't we just go back to that, huh?"

Tony sniffed. "No can do, kid. Where's the suit?"

"Somewhere you'll never find it. Go away." Peter tightened his grip on his backpack self-consciously.

Tony rolled his eyes. "Hand over the bag, kid"

Peter stepped backward. "NO!"

Tony's hands went to his hips. "You really don't get it, do you?"

"Get what? That you're a self-righteous idiot?"

Tony smirked. He was amused at the kid's new tenacity. It was cute… in a very annoying way.

"Why'd you mess with the suit?"

"How did you find me?" asked Peter, glaring at the man ignoring his question. Peter knew that he'd yanked out the tracker and left it in the hotel room. There was no way Tony could track his whereabouts any longer. He had no clue how the man had found him.

"You're kidding, right?" chuckled Tony incredulously. "You don't think I don't know every one of your hideouts? I've been tracking you day and night since the day I gave you the damned suit. You're a creature of habit, kid. In fact, Happy has managed to find about three of your abandoned backpacks full of clothes. You think your aunt is made of money, kid?"

Peter chewed his lip. It was true. He was forgetful sometimes. In the aftermath of his Spidey duties, he often misplaced his backpack and belongings. He had several overdue library books and a lost textbook as a result.

"Did he find my Chemistry book by chance?" asked Peter, forgetting himself.

Tony hands dropped to his side and he began to pace. "Do you get how expensive that suit's technology is? It's not a toy! You don't get to dismantle it like one of your Lego sets. There are safety protocols built into it to keep your skinny butt safe! That tracker…you know the one you stuck to the lamp in your hotel room…I installed it for a damned good reason. You put your life in danger by removing it. What the hell am I supposed to tell your aunt if you get yourself killed?"

"I never asked you to put all that technology into it…"

Tony stopped pacing and glared at him. "You're damned right you didn't and you want to know why? Because your 15 friggin years old. You think you're immortal."

Peter looked away. He wasn't used to being in this kind of trouble. His pulse was racing and his stomach ached from the tension. In the distance, a feral cat screeched and several dogs could be heard barking. Muffled voices could be heard coming from above them. It was getting darker and more shadows were forming around them. Peter felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. It was probably his Aunt May texting him wondering where he was. He was late for supper again with no good explanation he could give her.

"You lied to me, Peter. I asked you where you were and you said you were at school. Band practice, was it? That's where you damned well should have been. Skipping school to play Spidey wasn't part of our agreement. Playing superhero is something you do after school and on weekends…"

Peter's eyes narrowed. "I'm not playing a game!"

Tony stepped into his personal space. "You're damned right about that one! It's not a game. You should have been at school because that's where kids belong, and in case you forgot, you're still a kid. Kids stay in school and live to go to college. They don't swing from buildings on spider webs and they sure as hell don't go after supervillains by themselves." Tony stared him down sternly causing Peter to step back again. Tony Stark was not someone to be messed with when he was pissed.

"I seem to remember pulling your sorry ass out of a lake. Remember? Yah, you do," said Tony seeing the look of annoyance come across the kid's face. "I told you to back off then and to stick to small crime. You know like being a friendly neighbour spider boy? That kind of thing but did you listen? NO!"

Peter narrowed his eyes, defiance showing in every fibre of his being. "YOU didn't pull me out of that lake. Your lame ass suit did. You were too busy wining and dining at some fancy resort to give a crap about me and what I had to say."

Tony narrowed his eyes right back. The billionaire was becoming more and more irritated at the kid's attitude. Impressed on one level but definitely annoyed.

"I told you to stick to the smaller stuff and work your way up, kid, not track some dangerous criminals. You interfered with the freakin' FBI investigation that I set up because I did listen to you."

"How was I supposed to know?" screamed Peter. "It's not like you ever talk to me or tell me anything."

Tony took a deep breath. "Since when do I need your permission, Mr. Parker!"

Peter threw his hands up in the air. "You are so freakin' frustrating! Listen to yourself. If it wasn't for me, you'd have never known about those weapons!"

Tony poked his chest firmly. "Hundreds of people could have died today, Peter. I can't believe you can't get that through your thick teenage skull. You. Could. Have. Been. Killed!" Tony poked Peter for each staccato word. Peter stepped away until his back came up against a grimy wall.

Peter glared at his mentor, choice words growing momentum on his tongue.

"Hey, knock it off down there!" shouted a husky voice from above them. "Some of us are trying to eat. Just smack the mouthy kid already and let us eat in peace! You're giving us indigestion." The window above closed with an annoyed bang.

Tony eyed Peter for a moment allowing the alleyway to exist in silence. "The man's got a point, Pete. Let's take this conversation elsewhere, shall we?"

Tony turned his back to Peter and walked back towards his suit.

Peter huffed loudly. "Forget it. I'm finished talking. I'm going home."

Tony climbed into the iron suit and looked down at Peter. "Yah, kid, that ain't happening. This discussion isn't over by a long shot."

"Yes, it is!" shouted Peter turning and walking away from Tony.

The suit closed around Tony except for the mask. "Okay, have it your way. We'll go have a chat with your foxy Aunt May. I'm sure she'd love to hear about what happened today."

Peter froze mid-step. His aunt had no idea he was Spiderman and he planned to keep it that way for as long as he could. If she knew about it, she would flip out and probably forbid him from doing it.

Peter turned to look at Tony all suited up. "Please, Mr. Stark…I'm begging you not to do that."

Tony closed his mask, stepped forward and grabbed Peter securely in his arms. "Hang on tight, kid."