Hello, I'm back! I wanted to bring this new chapter a bit earlier, but my job had other ideas. Anyway, it's here now and it's Tony's time to shine. Enjoy!

Thanks again for the favorites, follows and reviews, your support is everything!

Disclaimer: no, I don't own Marvel. I wish.

A ray of warm sunshine wakes Tony up, gently stroking his face. He groans and rolls onto his other side. "Friday, windows," he mutters and the AI instantly darkens the room, shutting out all the natural light.

Tony went to bed like at 6am. Peter's abrupt leaving the day before left him shocked, worried and restless. So he decided to spend the rest of the day in the lab. That was always a good idea. Working there, trying to figure out science mysteries, upgrading his suit and inventing new toys always offered a perfect distraction from his personal issues.

But not yesterday. Because yesterday he couldn't really do anything. He just couldn't focus. He began something new every ten minutes. He tossed away a tool irritated every five minutes. He drank coffee after coffee, but not even that helped. He was exhausted and agitated at the same time.

All because of Peter.

And Tony still can't wrap his mind around it. How could the kid not jump on his offer? Tony might not be who the boy really needs or deserves, he's probably far from that, but even his sorry self and the Tower should be better than living on the streets and starving. Okay, the kid didn't want to go into foster care and Tony gets it, that might suck, but the streets, dammit? Would he rather sleep in his fucking warehouse than here? Is this really such a bad place? Is staying with Tony really such a horrible option that even the streets seem more inviting?

Fine, the kid didn't exactly reject his help, he asked for time. But what on earth could he think about? From Tony's point of view, it's simple. Tower or the streets. Is it really such a hard decision?

The man knows the kid has lived on the streets by himself for a few long months now and he's sure this is definitely not how Peter imagined his life would go. But he has coped with it. He's independent, tough and persistent. Damn, kid is so strong! He's a real superhero even without the suit. And truth is, he doesn't even know.

But a 15-year old kid shouldn't be like that. He shouldn't live by himself (let alone on the streets), he shouldn't starve, he shouldn't make serious decisions all by himself, he shouldn't be alone at all. Totally, utterly alone. His life turned into a mess when his aunt died, but now when he has the chance, he refuses to change it. It's not right. Peter's life is not the life he should live.

And yet he turned Tony down when he offered him a way out.

Why? Doesn't he believe he deserves it? But he deserves so much more! He would deserve a loving family and a place to stay that feels like home. And Tony can't guarantee any of that, he can offer much less, but Peter should accept at least that.

Last night Tony went though many stages. He tried to understand the kid's decision, tried to figure out the logic behind it, tried to pretend he didn't really care, tried not to get upset. Well, the last one wasn't really successful. Tony did get upset. He got angry. With the kid for not making the only reasonable choice and with himself for not being able to move on and live his life forgetting about Peter. How could have he gone to bed?

When dawn came, he decided to give it a try, though. But he just tossed around under the blankets; his sleep was anything but peaceful. The exact opposite of the previous night when Peter had been staying at the Tower.

But when Tony finally managed to fall asleep, that damned sunshine woke him up.

And now he can't go back to sleep. He's just lying in his bed staring at the ceiling, wondering what the kid might be up to. He glances at the clock. Right. Peter must be at school. Enjoying the only part of his day that has remained relatively the same in the last few months. At school he can be with his friends and do what he really should do: just being a kid.

"Boss, sorry to disturb you, but Karen is trying to contact you," Friday suddenly announces.

For a minute, Tony has no idea who Karen is. She must be important, though, otherwise Friday wouldn't tell him about her. His AI knows better than to inform him about any random caller. Then he remembers.

"Why isn't Peter calling me?" he lifts an eyebrow.

"Karen says Peter is injured and unconscious."

That makes Tony bolt out of his bed. "Elaborate, Friday, dammit!" he grumbles.

"According to Karen, there was a giant gorilla-"

The man comes to an immediate halt. "A what?" he asks staggered.

"There was a failed lab experiment at Oscorp, this gorilla-like monster escaped and ran amok in the city. Peter managed to stop it but got injured in the fight. He is on a rooftop-"

"Give me the coordinates!" Tony orders, immediately summoning his suit.

He can't help feeling mad at his AI, too. Why didn't she tell him earlier? This freak seems like a pretty big deal and the fight must have been all over the news. Yes, Friday knows Tony is usually sleep deprived, so she doesn't disturb him when he manages to fall asleep, unless it's an emergency. But this is an emergency! And he was more like trying to sleep, not actually sleeping.

Then he remembers Friday is his AI, he's the one who has programmed her, so there's only one person he can blame: himself. He seriously needs to reprogram Friday, so that she warns him when Peter's in danger, even when Tony is asleep.

But first, he needs to find Peter. While he's on his way to the scene, flying over buildings, Friday gives him a report on Peter's injuries. Broken bones, bruised ribs, cuts and bruises. Nothing seems life-threatening, but Tony still worries about the kid. A lot. He instructs Friday to call Bruce, so that the scientist can take care of the boy, as soon as they get back to the Tower.

So this is what the kid was up to. While Tony was lying in his bed, deep in his thoughts and guessed Peter was at school like an average kid, he was fighting some kind of beast. Friday shows him the footage from Peter's suit and he can see the battle was definitely not an easy one. Geez, that creature was bigger than the Hulk! And he tossed Peter around as if he was a freaking rag doll. The AI also informs him that the monster died when it fell from the top of the building where Peter was lying unconscious. But not before breaking the kid's leg and wrist. For that, Tony would love to bring the freak back to life and give it a torturous death.

Getting closer to the scene, he can see several police cars everywhere and more vehicles arriving. He ignores them, he has only one priority: finding the injured superhero.

As he lands on the rooftop and spots Peter leaning against a pole with his head hanging low, Tony's stomach once again swoops with nerves. This scene is way too familiar, he has a feeling of déjá vu and he hates it. Last time when he found Spiderman on a roof like this, the young superhero was about to bleed to death. Even though Tony knows this time his condition is less critical, he can't help worrying. Peter slumped to the ground with broken bones and unconscious is anything but normal.

He steps out of his suit, rushes to him and kneels down, squeezing the kid's shoulder, trying to rouse him. Friday told about the mild concussion and what if it got more severe?

"Kid, can you hear me? Open your eyes, Pete," he asks softly. "Please, kid."

There's a long moment of silence before anything happens, but then the boy stirs and raises his head; his big brown eyes slowly flutter open and find the man beside him. Although Tony doesn't like how unfocused those eyes look, he gives Peter a huge smile. He waits until realization hits the kid.

"M'st'r St'rk… wha-what are you… doin…here?" Peter rasps, looking up in confusion.

Really? Kid's down and he wonders what Tony is doing here. Concussion, right.

Peter looks around nervously and Tony doesn't know if the boy is trying to figure out what happened or searching for his dead opponent. The man gives Peter's shoulder another squeeze to gain his attention. "How are you feeling, kid?"

"I… Karen said... I… broke my leg… and wrist," the boy answers hesitantly, glancing down at his hands as if trying to figure out which one is hurt.

His behavior starts to freak out Tony, but he forces himself to look calm.

"Yeah, and you also have a concussion," he adds but doubts Peter comprehends it. "We should get back to the Tower, Bruce is waiting for us."

"Dr. Banner?" the boy's head snaps up. "Dr. Banner is there?"

Tony gets up, steps back into his suit and returns to the kid.

"Of course that gets your attention," he grins and carefully slides his arms under the kid's back and knees.

When he cautiously lifts him up, another memory hits him: how surprised he was when he did the same back then. When Spiderman was shot. Tony wondered how light the superhero was. Back then he didn't know there was a miserable kid under the mask. Now he knows and he can't help speculating if the kid had dinner last night. Damn, when they get back to the Tower, he'll force-feed him if he has to but he won't let him leave without gaining some weight.

Hell, he doubts he can ever let him leave at all.

So what do you think? Did you like it? Tell me, please :)

And what will Tony do now? What should he do? The next chapter is gonna be his POV, too, okay?

Thank you for reading!