Chapter 13
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September 3rd 2016. Avengers Compound.
Afternoon.
As they would have been alerted as soon as they drove back onto the compound Tony isn't surprised to find Rhodey, Hope, Natasha, Laura and the kids waiting when he and Peter walk into the common area.
"Pete, I'm so sorry." Cooper says, running over to his friend and hugging him.
"Thanks Coop." Peter says in a quiet voice as he returns the hug.
"Peter's going to be staying here." Tony reveals as Peter and Cooper break apart, "I've been granted temporary guardianship and am applying for permanent." Tony reveals and as he does Natasha gives him a warm smile while the others look shock.
"You're going to be living here too?" Cooper asks Peter who nods, "That's great… I mean I know you would prefer for your Aunt to still be alive, but it's good that you're going to get to stay here, but it's not fair you're in pain." Cooper explains, trying to explain what he is feeling.
"No, it's not." Tony says, intervening, "We better get you a room." He realises, looking at Peter.
"I set up the empty room next to yours last night." Natasha reveals, "It's all ready for Peter."
"Thanks Nat." Tony says gratefully.
"You knew Tony was doing this?" Rhodey asks surprised, turning to look at Natasha.
"Yeah." Natasha says with a nod.
"I think I want to go to the room Natasha set up for me." Peter tells Tony.
"Okay." Tony says with a nod, "I'll help you with your bags."
"It's okay Uncle Tony, I will." Cooper says and the two boys, with Lila trailing behind head towards the room that will not be Peter's.
"Tony…." Rhodey starts to say.
"If we're going to talk about this let's go to the office." Tony tells the others.
"Lead the way." Hope says and the group do just that.
A couple of minutes later Tony, Natasha, Hope, Rhodey and Laura walk into Tony's office and close the door behind them.
"When did you decide to apply for guardianship of Peter?" Rhodey asks his best friend as soon as the door is closed.
"As soon as I realised that he would need a new guardian." Tony admits.
"Why'd you tell Nat and no one else?" Hope ask, not understanding that.
"I needed help, and I knew that Nat would ask me once if I was sure and drop it. I didn't want to be questioned over and over again. I wanted to do this and I didn't want to listen to anyone trying to talk me out of it." Tony explains to his closest friends.
"Tony, being someone's guardian, a parent, is a huge responsibility. Peter has lost everyone are you sure you're up for this?" Rhodey asks his best friend, being pretty sure that Tony hasn't thought about this all the way through.
"Yes." Tony answers, "Jim, he has no one else. I cannot abandon him too, I won't. When we found May and I realised what that meant I knew that was going to do whatever I could to look after Peter." Tony reveals, "I remember what it feels like to feel completely alone in the world and I never want Peter to feel like that. He may have lost his parents, and his Uncle and his Aunt, but I want to make sure that he knows he's not alone, that he still has someone who cares about him." Tony reveals, "I know it won't be easy, but I'm willing to do whatever I can, for Peter."
"Okay." Rhodey says with a nod, realising that he was wrong, and that Tony has thought this through.
"Let me know if there is anything I can do to help." Laura requests.
"Thank you, Laura." Tony says gratefully.
"So, you've got temporary guardianship at the moment?" Hope says.
"Yeah, there is going to be assessments, including a home study, and a hearing, sometime in the next month and I'll know then whether I'll get permanent guardianship of Peter." Tony explains to the others.
"Well the fact that there are already three kids here should help with the home study." Laura admits, "Me and the kids have been here for two months and they have been safe, haven't had accident and I feel completely comfortable with them being here, me telling all that to the social worker will help your case." Laura reveals.
"You don't have to talk to the social worker." Tony tells Laura, worried about her safety.
"Of course I will." Laura responds.
"This hearing, do you need us to testify?" Hope asks.
"I don't know yet, maybe." Tony admits and the group drift into silence, Tony feeling completely amazed about the support that his friends, his family, are showing.
September 3rd 2016. Avengers Compound.
Night.
It has been hours since he and Peter returned to the compound and as there are things that he wants to fully understand Tony is in his office re-reading everything about the process of becoming a legal guardian and adoption so that he can know exactly what is to come.
"Boss, it's dinner time, you said to tell you." FRIDAY informs Tony.
"Thanks FRY. Are the others there yet?" Tony asks curious.
"Everyone except Mr Peter is." FRIDAY answers
"Where's Peter?" Tony asks, frowning.
"In his room." FRIDAY answers.
"Okay, thanks." Tony says before getting up and heading over to Peter's room.
About a minute later Tony gets to Peter's room where the door is open and the teenager is just sitting on his bed. Seeing him Tony reaches out and knocks on the doorframe, causing him to jump and look towards the door.
"'It's dinner time." Tony tells Peter.
"I'm not hungry." Peter admits.
"You need to eat, Peter." Tony says walking over, "And I have it on good authority that Laura's made your favourite." He reveals.
"She didn't have to do that." Peter reveals, feeling surprised, touched and feeling that no one should go to that much of a fuss all at the same time.
"She wanted to." Tony says as he sits down on the edge of Peter's bed, "We all know you're hurting, and we all know that there is very little we can do to help, but we're still going to try because we all care, I care." Tony tells Peter, "Shutting yourself away right now is the worst thing you can do, I'm speaking from experience here." Tony reveals, "You don't have to eat much, you don't have to stay out of your room all night all I'm suggesting is that you come out and just stay through dinner, then come back here if that's what you want." Tony reveals, "Do you think you can do that?"
"I guess." Peter says, looking uncertain.
"Good, come on." Tony says, getting up and heading out of the room, Peter right behind him, and the two of them head out to the dining area. When they get there they find everyone else already eating and even though everyone clearly realises when Peter and Tony join they don't say anything, something which Tony can tell Peter is grateful for.
Hours after a dinner which Peter stayed for the entire time, but didn't eat much, before going back to his room, Tony is in his office doing things he has to get done while trying to think of ways to help Peter at the same time.
"Knock knock." A voice says and Tony looks up to see Natasha in his doorway.
"Hey." Tony says as Natasha walks in.
"Hi. I wanted to see how you were doing, May was a friend of yours." Natasha says as she walks over and sits down across from him.
"Truthfully, I haven't even let myself go there." Tony admits, "I'm being more focused on helping Peter."
"I don't blame you there, but you can't push everything down, Tony, sooner or later you're going to have to deal with it." Natasha points out.
"I know, I will." Tony assures her, "Nat…" Tony starts to say before trailing off.
"What is it Tony?" Natasha asks in a gentle voice.
"What if I don't get guardianship of him?" Tony asks, there being worry in his voice.
"If you don't get guardianship we'll figure something other." Natasha tells him, "Everyone here will help you Tony, everyone here will fight for Peter." Natasha tells him, "If you don't get guardianship then we'll figure something out, none of us will let him go into foster care without a fight." She promises him.
"Good, good." Tony mutters and the two of them drift into silence.
"Boss, Mr Parker seems to be in distress." FRIDAY says and as soon as they hear that both Natasha and Tony basically leap out of their seats.
"He in his room FRIDAY?" Natasha asks.
"Yes, Miss Romanoff." FRIDAY answers and Natasha and Tony go running.
Less than a minute later Natasha and Tony run into Peter's room where they find the teenager tossing and turning, clearly in the middle of a nightmare but that doesn't stop Natasha from scanning the room for danger as Tony approaches him.
"Peter, Peter, wake up." Tony says, getting to his side and shaking the young boy, seconds later Peter bolts upright, "You're okay, Kid. It was just a nightmare." Tony assures him.
"Tony?" Peter says confused, looking around the room, "Natasha?" he asks, sounding just as confused.
"Friday told us that you were in distress, we found you having a nightmare." Tony explains.
"Oh, thanks for waking me." Peter says, sounding glad.
"Do you want to talk about what you were dreaming about?" Tony asks curious.
"Not even a little." Peter admits.
"Okay." Tony says with a nod, accepting it, "You know if you ask nicely I think Nat could be convinced to make you some of her incredible secret recipe hot chocolate." Tony tells the teenager.
"You have a secret hot chocolate recipe?" Peter asks.
"Yep, and I'll make you some." Natasha says, stressing the you in a way that makes Tony suspect that he isn't going to get any hot chocolate.
"Really?" Peter asks, actually managing to look excited.
"Yeah, come on." Natasha assures the teenager.
"Great." Peter says as he gets up and heads out of his room.
"You'll make enough hot chocolate for me too, right." Tony says to his friend.
"Nope." Natasha says, drawing out the word.
"Oh come on, Nat! That's cruel." Tony says pouting.
"No it's not." Natasha says as she heads out of Peter's room, Tony trailing behind them.
Ten minutes later Tony and Peter are sitting at the bench in the kitchen, Peter is waiting for hot chocolate while Tony is hoping that Natasha will give him some.
"What's going on?" Rhodey's voice asks as he and Hope walk into the kitchen and find the others.
"Natasha's making hot chocolate." Peter reveals.
"Nice, you making enough for two more?" Hope asks, looking excited as she loves Natasha's hot chocolate.
"Yep." Natasha answers, "FRIDAY is anyone else awake? Laura or the kids?" she asks curious.
"Mrs Barton is." FRIDAY answers.
"Great, tell her to come to the kitchen, I'm making hot chocolate." Natasha requests.
"Of course." FRIDAY responds.
"Now that's not fair!" Tony objects, wining like a kid, "I want hot chocolate too." He says.
"Why aren't you getting hot chocolate?" Rhodey asks curious, being pretty sure that Tony must have done something, as he and Hope sit down too.
"Because Nat's mean." Tony says with a pout.
"Keep complaining like that and you definitely won't get any." Natasha informs him.
"Did I say mean? I mean incredible." Tony says and Hope and Rhodey exchange amused looks.
"You're making Hot Chocolate?" Laura asks as she walks out, "The stuff you make for the kids that you won't tell me the recipe off?"
"Yep." Natasha confirms.
"Don't feel bad about the not being told the recipe. I've been trying to get her to tell me for decades." Hope reveals.
"It's a secret." Natasha says as she pours one mug of the chocolate, "First mug to Mr Parker." She says before putting a few marshmallows in it before putting it in front of Peter.
"Thanks Natasha." Peter says before taking a small sip, "Holy crap that's incredible." He says, sounding amazed."
"Told you." Tony says with a grin as Natasha pours hot chocolate for the others too, and grabs a mug for herself before walking over to the seats to sit down, "Wait were you serious about not making me hot chocolate? Because that would be cruel Nat, even by your standards."
"Look by the stove." Natasha says simply and Tony looks to see a cup and so he gets up and hurries over, seeing the hot chocolate.
"I take it back; you are the kindest person in the word." Tony says, causing Natasha to roll her eyes as she heads over to a seat as the group drift into an amused silence as they enjoy their hot chocolate.
September 5rd 2016. Avengers Compound.
Afternoon.
It just after lunch and Tony is in his office where he has been most of the day as he's been organizing everything for May's funeral as even though he could have had someone else do it he felt like it was something he had to do, not just for Peter, but for May his friend.
"Boss, Miss Potts is here." FRIDAY reveals.
"Okay, tell her where I am." Tony says, sighing as he is pretty sure he knows exactly what this conversation is going to be about.
"Of course." FRIDAY responds.
For a couple of minutes Tony continues to respond to the email he is writing to T'Challa, as the two of them email and call each other several times a week, and it's usually has very little to do with the Accords, at least lately.
As he hears footsteps Tony looks up and sees Pepper, and he isn't overly surprised to see that she looks shocked.
"Is it true?" Pepper asks as soon as she sees Tony.
"I'm going to need you to be more specific." Tony responds, though he knows exactly what she is talking about.
"Tony." Pepper says in a warning tone of voice, "Are you applying for guardianship of a fifteen-year-old?" she asks.
"Yeah, I am." Tony answers.
"Why?"
"Because Peter has no one, and I care about him, I don't want him to go into the system, I don't want him to think that he's completely alone in the world, that no one cares, because I care, and I want, I need, to be there for him." Tony explains to Pepper, giving the answer that he has now given many times.
"You're serious about this." Pepper says, her voice sounding surprised, but truthfully she is proud too.
"There have been very few things that I have been more serious about." Tony admits as he stands up.
"So, tell me about him." Pepper requests.
"He's fifteen, as you know, he's a genius and has a great sense of humour, reminds me a little of myself when I was his age, though he's a better person than me." Tony reveals, purposely leaving out anything about Peter being Spider-Man as that's not his secret to tell, not even to Pepper.
"UNCLE TONY."
"TONY."
Two voices yell as Cooper and Peter come running into his office.
"Uncle Tony?" Pepper says, sounding completely shocked.
"Sorry, we didn't realise you were in a meeting." Peter says, feeling bad.
"It's okay." Tony assures him, "Pepper, this is Peter Parker and Cooper Barton." Tony introduces pointing to each of the boys, "Boys this is Pepper Potts." He says.
"Barton?" Pepper asks surprised, realising what that means.
"Yeah." Tony confirms.
"It's a pleasure to meet you both." Pepper says, smiling at the boys, forcing herself to get over her shock.
"You two need something?" Tony asks curious.
"Aunt Nat has agreed to go swimming with us, and we wanted you to swim too." Cooper explains.
"Sure, I'll be there when I can." Tony answers and both boys look happy at that.
"Great." Peter says.
"We'll see you there." Cooper adds.
"Make sure you ask your sister if she wants to go swimming too." Tony says, looking at Cooper.
"But….." Cooper starts to say.
"No buts Kiddo. You heard your Mom the other day, you've got to stop excluding your sister." Tony tells the young boy and as he does Pepper can't help but smile, even though she is shocked, at seeing this side of Tony.
"Fine." Cooper says, looking annoyed.
"Make sure he does ask Lila." Tony says, looking at Peter.
"Of course." Peter responds, "It was nice meeting you Miss Potts." Peter says, meaning that.
"You too." Pepper says, smiling at the teenager.
"We'll see you in the pool Tony." Peter says and he and Cooper head to the pool.
"Oh boys." Tony says and both the boys turn back around, "Prize if you push Nat into the pool." He tells them with a grin.
"Tony!" Pepper says disapprovingly.
"Okay Uncle Tony."
"Yes, Tony."
Cooper and Peter say before they leave.
"What?" Tony asks Pepper, who is giving him a disapproving look.
"You cannot tell two teenagers to push Natasha into the pool!" Pepper tells him, with a frown.
"Why not? If they do it Natasha will take it better, even be amused." Tony explains.
"If you say so." Pepper says, not entirely sure she believes that, "Clint has a family?" she asks surprised.
"Yeah, a wife and three kids." Tony answers, "They've been living here for about two months." He explains.
"Wait, the rumoured Avenger Safe House that blew up. Was that their house?" Pepper asks, realising that it would make sense.
"Yeah. Luckily Natasha and I moved them here about two weeks earlier because we were worried about their safety so they weren't home." Tony explains.
"That's good at least." Pepper realises.
"Yeah, as soon as they meet Peter and Cooper became friends, I think it's been good for both of them, and Peter really needs a friend right now, they both do really." Tony admits.
"I'm glad." Pepper responds, "I should go because you've apparently got a to go join some people in the pool." She comments.
"Yep, hopefully we can have some fun without getting called away to do something." Tony admits.
"Hopefully." Pepper responds, seeing a lot of changes in Tony, she's seeing him as more responsible, but at the same time it doesn't change anything between them as Tony is still going to risk his life whenever he has to, and she can't worry all the time if he's going to come home alive.
"Yeah." Tony says, "It was good seeing you Pep." He admits.
"You too, let me know when your custody hearing is. I'd like to support you." Pepper reveals.
"Thanks." Tony says with a grateful look.
"Bye Tony." Pepper says before heading out of Tony's office.
"Okay, finish the email to Kitten then join in the pool." Tony mutters to himself before heading back over to his computer.
Twenty minutes later Tony, having completed his email and gotten changed, is walking into the pool area and right away he sees Cooper, Peter and Lila but no sign of Natasha, which makes him worry.
"Where's…" Tony starts to ask, but before he can get the question out he finds himself getting thrown into the pool, head first.
As he hits the water Tony feels a second of panic as he flashes back to caves in Afghanistan as his head was forced into water, but he quickly forces himself to relax and he turns and swims up to the surface where he finds the kids laughing and Natasha smirking from the edge.
"I guess I deserved that." Tony realises.
"You think?" Natasha asks as she gracefully dives into the pool.
"Yeah, guess so." Tony says as Natasha comes back to the surface.
"Yep." Natasha responds, smirking at Tony.
"AUNTIE NAT."
"TONY."
Peter and Lila yell.
"Race you." Tony says and the two of them both swim as fast as they can towards the kids and the group of five enjoy a while just swimming in the pool.
September 6rd 2016. Avengers Compound.
Night.
Having just gotten Nathaniel to bed Laura is sitting in her bed, and has just started to read her book when she hears a knock on the door.
"Come in." Laura says and Cooper walks in, "Coop, is something wrong?" Laura asks concerned.
"No." Cooper answers quickly, not wanting to worry his Mom
"Come, sit down. Talk to me." Laura says and Cooper walks over and sits down on the edge of the bed.
"I want to go to the funeral tomorrow." Cooper informs his mother.
"Okay, why?" Laura asks, not willing to agree yet.
"Because Peter's my friend, he's probably my best friend, and tomorrow is going to be incredible hard for him, I want to be there for him." Cooper explains, "Please Mom." He begs.
"Are you sure? Even just supporting Peter won't be an easy thing to do." Laura tells her son.
"I know." Cooper says with a nod, "But I still want to, I want to help Peter." Cooper admits.
"I'll have to talk to Tony, because he's taking Peter, but if he says it's okay you can go." Laura tells Cooper.
"Thanks Mom." Cooper says, looking grateful.
"You're welcome, now get to bed." Laura tells her son.
"Night Mom." Cooper says, kissing his mother on the cheek and giving her a hug before he heads out of her room.
"FRIDAY, where's Tony?" Laura asks, once Cooper has left.
"In his lab." FRIDAY answers.
"Thank you." Laura says as she gets up and heads out of her room.
A couple of minutes later Laura walks into the lab where she finds Tony working on one of his suits.
"Tony."
"Laura, hi. Has something happened? Is something wrong?" Tony asks concerned.
"Everything's fine." Laura assures him, "There's just something I want to talk to you about." She admits.
"Oh, sure, what's up?" Tony asks as he puts what he is doing down to look at Laura.
"Cooper wants to go to the funeral tomorrow to support Peter." Laura reveals.
"Oh." Tony says, sounding a little surprised, "What did you say?"
"I said that it was okay with me, but because you're taking Peter then I had to talk to you." Laura reveals.
"Does he know it won't be an easy thing to go through?" Tony asks.
"Yeah, I made that clear." Laura says with a nod, "He still wants to go."
"Then it's okay with me." Tony says, thinking that it could be good for Peter to have his friend there.
"Good. I'll let him know." Laura answers, "You're leaving here at nine thirty in the morning, right?"
"Yeah." Tony says with a nod.
"Okay, I'll make sure Cooper's ready by then." Laura assures him, "Night Tony."
"Night Laura." Tony responds and while Laura heads out of the lab Tony turns back to what he was doing while trying not to think about how hard the following day is going to be for the boy he has grown to care about so much.
September 7rd 2016. Avengers Compound.
Morning.
It's early morning and Tony is in his room getting ready to leave for May's funeral knowing that there is only one thing that matters today, and that is being there for Peter. As he's getting ready Tony hears a knock on his door.
"Come in." Tony says and he isn't overly surprised when Hope walks in, "Hi."
"Hey." Hope responds, seeing him doing his tie, "Here let me." She says as she walks over, "You always suck at doing these things even though you wear them constantly."
"I don't suck at doing ties." Tony says, though he turns to face Hope.
"You kind of do. They're never straight." Hope comments and then she realises what she said, "Don't."
"Wasn't going to, it was too easy." He admits, though Hope very much doubts that.
"Cooper's ready, he's in the living area." Hope reveals.
"Peter?"
"Haven't seen him. I think he's in his room." Hope admits, "Nat and Vision are doing what they can to make sure that the press doesn't get word of anything."
"Good. Tell them thanks for me." Tony responds
"Will do." Hope responds, "Jim, Laura and I are going to help once you guys leave."
"Good, good." Tony says as hope finishes tying his tie, "Thanks."
"You're welcome." Hope responds, "You've just got to support him Tone, show him that he's not completely alone." Hope says, "That's all you can do, you should remember that." She comments.
"I do." Tony admits, "I better go." He says, "Thanks Hopey." He says, placing a kiss on her cheek.
"Don't call me Hopey." Hope says annoyed as Tony leaves the room.
After leaving his room Tony goes to the room next to his and knocks on the door.
"Come in." Peter's voice responds and Tony walks in where he finds the teenager fully dressed but sitting on his bed with a lost look on his face.
"It's time to go." Tony reveals and Peter doesn't move or say anything, "Peter?" Tony asks, after a few seconds, becoming concerned.
"I don't know if I can go." Peter admits and Tony walks over and sits down next to the boy, "Not so soon after Uncle Ben." He admits.
"I'm not going to lie to you kid, today's going to be impossibly hard, and it's not fair that you've had to go to so many funerals." Tony admits, "But I'm talking from experience here when I say that if you don't let yourself morn, if you don't let yourself grieve then everything is going to be so much worse." He reveals.
"I don't know if things can be worse than they are right now." Peter admits.
"They can be." Tony tells him, "It might not feel like it right now but you can get through this Peter, and you're not going to be alone today. Cooper and I will be with you every minute of today and we will do whatever you need us to do, we will do whatever you need us to do." Tony tells the boy.
"Thanks Tony." Peter says, being pretty sure that he would be in such a worse place if it wasn't for Tony.
"You don't have to thank me, Kid." Tony assures him, "Do you think you're ready to go?" Tony asks curious.
"Yeah, I guess." Peter responds and the two of them get up and head out of the room, Peter being pretty sure that he may not make it through the day.
September 7rd 2016. Cemetery.
Mid-morning.
Honestly for Peter everything that has happened since he and Tony walked out of his room has been a blur. He knows that he, Cooper and Tony have driven to the cemetery and he knows that a lot of people have come up to him, and the funeral has happened, but, truthfully Peter isn't sure he could remember a single thing that was said or identify a single person that he has spoken to.
Even though everyone else has left Peter, Cooper and Tony are still standing at the gravesite, having not moved because Tony and Cooper have both realised that Peter doesn't want to, so instead the three are just standing together, with Peter in the middle.
"How do I keep going without her?" Peter asks, looking up at Tony, hoping that he has the answer.
Hearing the question Tony is quiet for a little while, honestly he has no idea how to answer a question like that and honestly he doesn't want to make things worse, "You take it one day or even one hour at a time." Tony answers, choosing every single one of his words carefully, though truthfully after he starts to speak he realises that he is quoting what Peggy told him after his mother died, "You force yourself to keep going, to keep living because you're alive and that's what you have to do." Tony says, looking at the dirt "It's what she would want you to do."
"Yeah she would." Peter realises.
"She'll always be with you." Cooper says, wanting to say something to help, "That's what Mom told me when Grandma died." Cooper says as his mother's mother died when he was eight, "She said that when we lose people we love a part of them lives on in us so it's like as long as remember then they're never really gone."
"That's a nice way to think of things." Peter says, not sure whether he believes that, "I…. I think we can go."
"You sure? We can stay a little longer if you want." Tony tells him, not wanting Peter to go until he is ready.
"I'm sure." Peter responds he forces himself to turn away from his aunts grave and with Peter and Cooper on either side of him Peter heads out of the cemetery honestly having no idea how to live in a world that his Aunt May isn't in anymore.