Stark Mansion

Afternoon

In his workshop, Tony slowly walked over to a corner of a room, where he had something covered with a sheet. With a heavy sigh, Tony removed the sheet, revealing Bucky's ctyo-chamber.

For a long moment, Tony just stared at Bucky's frozen form, wondering if he was really going to do this. Then, he remembered his conversation with Pepper earlier.

"Someone I would never ask for help from, right Pep? Well, here goes," Tony said with a sigh.

Reaching out, Tony pressed the button on the side of the chamber. For a few moments, nothing happened. Then, there was a sound like smoke from a train before the ice from the window melted and the door to the chamber lifted open. Bucky's eyes opened, blinking as his vision came into focus.

"Hey," Tony said awkwardly, trying to put aside his personal feelings for the time being.

Even knowing that Bucky hadn't ultimately been responsible, it was still hard for Tony to ignore that Bucky's hands had been the ones to end the lives of his parents. But now wasn't the time for that.

"I'm-"

"Tony Stark. I know," Bucky said as he stepped out of the chamber, shuttering a bit from the change in temperature. "Where's Steve?"

"That's a long story," Tony said, handing Bucky a blanket, which he accepted. "Short version is, we need your help."

"Where's the fight?" Bucky said after a few moments.

"Again, long story. You hungry? I'll have some lunch made up for us and I'll fill you in while we eat," Tony said, leading Bucky out of the workshop.

Bucky was silent as he followed Tony, wondering about the nagging feeling at the back of his mind whenever he looked at Tony. Somehow, Bucky didn't think it was because he was Howard Stark's son. But that was a mystery for another time. For now, he needed to find out what was going on.

New York

Not long after

In her room, Gwen was doing homework when she heard someone knock on her window. Gwen looked up, surprised to see Spider-Man standing outside on the fire escape.

"Hi, can you let me in?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Gwen came back to herself before walking over; opening the window and he stepped inside. "What are you doing here?"

"Your mom told me to come back, remember?" he pointed out and she nodded, remembering now.

"Right. Well, she won't be home from work for another hour. So you'll just have to hang around for a while," Gwen told him and Peter nodded.

"Well, I guess…"

Peter trailed off as he spotted something. Gwen followed his gaze and froze, seeing the sketch she had first drawn of Peter, when he had saved her on the street. Gwen almost swore, not having even remembered she kept it.

"What is that?" Peter asked in a low voice and Gwen weighed her options before sighing.

"When you first saved my life. When you hit Marko with that trash can lid, I saw you walk away," Gwen said, looking over at Peter as he stiffened. "For some reason, I couldn't get you out of my head. Maybe it's because my Dad is a police officer, but I've never liked secrets I didn't understand. Then, yesterday, I was on my way to the bathroom when I heard you, sounded like you calling out for someone. I opened the door and I…saw you reach for your mask. I wasn't trying to snoop, it just kind of happened."

For a long moment, Peter simply stared at her, his eyes hidden behind his mask. He didn't think she was lying, while he didn't know her well, Gwen seemed like a good person, with good parents who had helped him. She knew what he looked like, but she didn't know who he was. After a few moments, to Gwen's shock, Peter reached up and removed his mask.

"I'm Peter. Peter Parker."

Stark Mansion

Not long after

"So this Ross is monitoring you?" Bucky inquired before taking a bite out of his sandwich as he and Tony talked in the kitchen.

"Yeah. We couldn't stay together with him watching us all the time, The Compound wasn't safe. So we all went to the wind," Tony explained as Bucky swallowed.

"So why wake me up? I assume I'm not deprogramed," Bucky noted.

"Not completely, although Helen Cho has made some progress. But I'm getting out of here, and I can't leave you here for Ross to find. Figured you'd like to come with," Tony said and Bucky raised an eyebrow.

"Fair enough. But how are you getting us out of here if Ross is watching us?" Bucky inquired and Tony smirked.

"I'm a genius, former playboy, and Philanthropist. I have a few ideas."

Stacy Apartment

Later in the afternoon

"We're the same age. I can't believe it," Gwen said in disbelief and Peter smiled awkwardly.

"The mask helps me hide my age. Besides, would you believe it if someone told you Spider-Man wasn't even sixteen?" Peter pointed out and Gwen nodded after a moment.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Is that why you wear a mask?" Gwen asked as they sat on her bed.

"Partly. But mostly to keep my identity secret. Which is more important now with the Accords," Peter explained and it was silent for a moment.

"Why are you doing this? Most guys I know wouldn't choose to become a superhero when they get powers," Gwen pointed out and Peter was silent for a moment.

"When you can do the things I can, but you don't, and then the bad things happen…" Peter trailed off, thinking of Ben with a lump in his throat. "Then they happen because of you."

"Sounds like something my dad would say," Gwen noted.

"I don't know him well, but your dad seems like a good guy. He saved my life when he didn't have to," Peter noted.

"He is. He always tries to do the right thing, which is why he saved you. And trust me; things are bad when my dad is the one breaking the law," Gwen said with a tight smile.

"I know. Feels like the entire world has lost its mind. Good people are being punished while bad guys seem to get whatever they want," Peter said, thinking of Ross darkly.

"Feels that way sometimes. But Dad always says 'as long as there are good people willing to stand up for what's right, there's always hope.' Good people like you," Gwen noted and Peter shrugged.

"I try my best, but it's not so easy. I'm just one kid. But I have to keep trying. I like to think I give people hope," Peter said, trying not to sound boastful.

"With everything going on, feel like we could all use a little hope," Gwen paused. "Can I ask you something?"

"I guess so. You already know my secret identity, anyway," Peter said, looking at her warily, wondering what she could want to know.

"The webs, how does that…work? Do they just come out of your wrists or-"

"No, I shoot them out of these," Peter said, showing her his web shooters. "I have to make the webs in a lab."

"I know college students who wouldn't think of that," Gwen said impressed and Peter shrugged.

"I've always been smart," Peter said simply, thinking of all the times his aunt and Uncle had struggled to help him with his homework.

Gwen opened her mouth to speak when they heard the front door open and then close.

"That must be my mom. I'd put that back on," Gwen said, gesturing to his mask.

Peter nodded, quickly grabbing and beginning to pull the mask over his head.

"Gwen? Are you home?" Helen called out.

"Yeah, just a sec," Gwen called out, making sure Peter had his mask back on before opening the door to her room. "We have company."

"Hi, Mrs. Stacy. I'm here for that checkup," Peter waved when Helen raised an eyebrow at seeing Spider-Man in her daughter's room.

"I see," Helen said, looking at Gwen for a moment before looking at Peter. "Well, let's head to the kitchen. The lighting is better in there."

Stark Mansion

Not long after

Outside the mansion, in a van, two men in suits watched as Tony seemed to get into a car with Happy in the driver's seat before taking off.

"Sir, Stark is leaving," one of them radioed in.

"Follow him. I want to know where he's going and who he's meeting with."

"Sir," the man acknowledged Ross's orders before his partner drove after Tony's car.

Stacy Residence

Not long after

"Amazing," Helen breathed as she stared at Peter's wound. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear this was weeks, maybe months old."

"I heal fast," Peter said simply and she nodded, beginning the process of removing the stitches.

"You seem to have some kind of healing ability. At this rate, you should be fine by tomorrow," Helen said, noticing Peter wince every so often.

So he could still feel pain, she noted, her eyes flickering towards Gwen, who watched silently.

It hadn't escaped her notice that her daughter seemed drawn to Spider-Man. Whatever had happened before she had come home had clearly caused something to shift between them.

Helen wasn't sure how to feel about that. On one hand, she doubted Spider-Man was a pedophile. On the other, she really hoped her daughter wasn't turning into one of those superhero groupies. They really didn't want to draw more attention to themselves right now.

"And done," Helen said as she removed the last stitch.

"Thanks, Mrs. Stacy," Peter said as he began pulling his suit all the way back on. "I should be going now."

"Will we see you around?" Gwen asked before she could stop herself.

From the look her mother shot her, Gwen knew she had overstepped. But, to her surprise, Peter just looked at her as he finished putting on his suit.

"I'm always around," Peter said simply before walking over to the window.

Mother and daughter watched as he opened it before jumping out, using his webbing to swing away.

"Think we'll see him again?" Gwen asked after a moment.

"I don't know," Helen said with a glance at her daughter. "But regardless, we did the right thing by helping him. That's all we really need to know."

New York

Later that afternoon

"Where the Hell is this guy going?" one of the men in the car asked as they continued driving after Tony and Happy. "He's just been going in one direction for the last half hour."

"Don't know, but Ross told us to follow him. So until they stop, we follow them," the other man said.

"So, think they'll figure it out?" Happy asked as he glanced back to the back seat.

"Probably not for a while," Tony said with a grin, his form flickering. "Thanks for this, Hap."

"What are friends for? Will I see you soon?" Happy asked after a moment.

"I don't know. Depends on when we get the situation with Ross and The Accords fixed. Look out for Pepper though. Wouldn't put it passed Ross to go after her to get to me," Tony said with a sigh and Happy nodded.

"Whatever you need Boss."

"Thanks. When this is over, you and me are going out for a steak dinner, on me," Tony promised before his holographic form fizzled out.

"Looking forward to it," Happy told the empty limo.

Tony pulled the small disk off his forehead, turning his head to the driver's side, where Bucky was driving the car.

"So, now what?" Bucky asked.

"Now, we get somewhere safe, reach out to Cap and the others, figure out our next move," Tony said and a beat passed before Bucky spoke.

"I think I know a place."

Unspecified location

Same time

"What do you mean the Museum Heist isn't gonna happen?" Klaue demanded as Killmonger explained his plan to them.

"Exactly that," Killmonger said, not sounding concerned at all about their outrage.

Killmonger then pulled out a gun and, to their shock, fired twice, getting Limbani and Linda in the head, killing both instantly. As they went down, Klaue opened his mechanical arm, attempting to open fire but Killmonger pressed a button on his wrest and Klaue cried out as his arm short circuited.

"Small EMP. Knew I'd need it to take you out," Killmonger said before firing, getting Klaue in the abdomen, causing Klaue to fall backwards, landing on his back.

"Are you crazy? What are you doing?" Klaue groaned as Killmonger walked up to him.

"Getting what I need," Killmonger said simply, aiming at Klaue's head before firing.

Peter revealing his identity to Gwen might seem a bit rushed, but he is still a fifteen year old who feels a little isolated because he can't really talk about being Spider-Man with anyone he trusts. And given that Gwen has, to Peter, proven herself to be someone who can keep a secret, it makes sense that Peter would reveal himself to her.

And after taking a break for a bit to focus on other storylines, we're going to be getting back to the Black Panther side of things.