Lunchtime was announced by the resounding screech of the bell, dividing the crowd between those still craving knowledge and the majority who, with a sense of relief and anticipation, streamed out of their classrooms.
Urging her students to prepare, Mrs. Connelly announced, "Last exams are next week, kids! Make sure you've noted our important topics to review," before they made their way to the cafeteria.
Peter began to rise from his table, but before he could make it to the door, he was interrupted,
"Peter, we all heard about your glue tech. It's truly impressive. Congratulations," Mrs. Connely beamed with pride. "We all look forward to your presentation at the Expo."
Peter's reputation precedes him at Webster Elementary School, and it's not just because of his Stark roots.
Consistently topping his class, Peter is a young intellect who dominates both quiz bees and science fairs, earning him a slew of Science Awards.
He learned from the best. His Dad was his first teacher and taught him everything he knew. At every awarding ceremony, his Dad never missed a moment and was always present to offer unwavering support.
They haven't finalized yet the date on when he'll be presenting. With all that's been happening, it seems like it will be delayed for the time being.
"Oh, um. Thank you, Mrs. Connelly." Peter humbly replied.
He silently thanked that he was not asked further questions about the incident in Monaco.
The news had spotlighted his close call with the lash and his Dad carrying him after the fight on the track. Thanks to Pepper's strategic management, the press refrained from digging deeper into his involvement.
Walking down the hallway, he caught a few students giving him disapproving looks, he felt their judgmental gazes lingering from the whole Iron Man incident. Despite being the youngest and smallest in his grade—having kicked off third grade at the young age of seven—he carried the weight of their critical stares.
He may be well known for his ingenuity but you just cannot please everyone. There are still some people who are envious and jealous of him because he's the only son and heir of the billionaire Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man. While some belittle him for being a nerd and a dork, a thing so ironic that just cannot be erased easily in the American Culture.
Carrying his lunch tray, Peter headed to his regular table.
A hand tapped his shoulder, and he looked up to find his friend seated beside him. With a sneer, his friend bit into an apple and noted, "So, how's Monaco? Looks like you're stealing the spotlight again, Peter."
"I know, Charles, it sucks. And it was horrific by the way." he expressed with a scowl to his fellow science enthusiast and friend, Charles Murphy. Their shared passion for science had forged a bond since the beginning of the school year.
"Don't worry, it'll pass. Your Dad was incredible, dude!" Charles reassured, then launched into an animated recount of his Dad's battle against Whiplash.
The echoes of the conversation with his dad from the previous night lingered in Peter's mind, where tears had streamed down his face until weariness had led him to sleep. During breakfast, he replied to Dad's questions in a monotonous way, clearly expressing that he was still upset.
He felt guilty at the moment, fearing that his silence might have caused pain to his dad. Today was his father's birthday, and he was overwhelmed with a sense of guilt for not even extending a greeting.
"Sweetheart, is there an emergency?" Pepper asked anxiously over the phone. She had been wondering why Peter was calling her.
"No Pepper, are you busy later? Is it okay if you pick me up after school? Help me pick a gift for Dad? Let's keep it a secret for now, please," he asked sheepishly.
He wanted to surprise his Dad and tell him he was sorry for acting the way he did. He had come to the realization that crying his heart out and moping around wouldn't be helpful. Instead, it would only sadden everyone. So, he decided to support his Dad instead and help him find a cure. He thinks it's what Dad needed most.
"No problem. I'll call your Dad, and I'll be the one to pick you up. See you later okay?"
"Thank you, Pepper." He smiled as he hung up his phone.
The rest of the afternoon was spent listening uninterestedly to his teachers. Having already tackled and studied most of the topics being mentioned, he used his time to doodle and wonder what the perfect gift for his Dad would be. What could a billionaire slash superhero wish for his birthday when he seemingly already has everything?
If it were possible, he would gift him a cure, ensuring a long and healthy life. This way, they could have more time together, and he wouldn't have to experience loneliness again. A tear trickled down from his eyes, which he quickly brushed away.
He immediately exited the school doors at the sound of the bell and immediately spotted Pepper, who warmly embraced him.
They explored shops to find a suitable gift for Dad. Pepper had already selected a new watch, but he struggled to find something worthwhile. As darkness fell, he decided to just create a playlist of their favorite songs, primarily rock songs, and craft a birthday card with a heartfelt message. By the time he made this decision, the evening had set in.
They proceeded to Pepper's apartment to organize the gifts. Although it took him a bit longer than expected, they finally departed around eight. During their drive back home, they observed several unfamiliar cars parked outside as they neared the mansion.
"Did you invite a lot of people to come, Pepper?" Peter asked, curious about why there seemed to be a party inside that they weren't aware of.
"No, it was supposed to be just us and Rhodey, like we used to do before," she said, her brows knitting as she pondered what was going on. "What have you done this time, Tony?" she mumbled under her breath.
They stepped out of the car and entered the mansion, Pepper holding his hand.
Even from outside, the thumping beats of loud music could be heard. The living room was transformed into a party club, complete with a stage and a DJ. Unfamiliar faces greeted them, and amidst the crowd, they caught sight of different faces they had never known before.
Then, their attention was drawn to Tony Stark, who was on the stage, dancing in the Iron Man suit, evidently drunk as a skunk.
Holding his gift tightly in his hand, Peter couldn't help but feel disappointed. Dad shouldn't be doing this. It was supposed to be a special evening.
"Sweetheart, why don't we step outside for some fresh air? And how about a sleepover at my place tonight? That sounds good?" Pepper rubbed his arm, smiling, trying to reassure him that everything would be alright.
His heart sank at what he was seeing. He had expected the evening to be joyous and hopeful for them. It was supposed to be just another birthday celebration for Dad where they would surprise him again, but they were the ones who got surprised and thrown off. Fighting back tears, he nodded.
They were about to head outside when Uncle Rhodey entered the house and approached them, "What's wrong?"
"We're going to get some air. This is all just inappropriate for Peter," Pepper pointed out to Uncle Rhodey, glaring at Dad.
With a disbelieving tone, Rhodes blurted out, "You've got to be kidding me," upon seeing Tony on stage in a drunken state.
"I don't know what to do," she confessed, disappointment evident in her frown.
In a near misstep, Tony's swaying steps brought him perilously close to an unintended collision with the wine cellar.
Despite his anger towards his father, Peter couldn't shake his feeling of remorse, wondering if an earlier talk might have averted this situation.
Rhodey's frustration boiled over. "This is ridiculous. I just stuck my neck out for this guy, and his son is right here. That's it, I'm making..." He was to intervene, but Pepper cut in, "James, just handle this calmly."
"I know. I know. I get it. I'm gonna handle—" Rhodes was cut off by a resounding bang from the blasters and the jarring noise of shattered glass emanating from the glass waterfall near the stairs. Peter loved that waterfall considering it an exquisite element of the house, and now it lay destroyed in an instant.
Tony, lost in his own world, seemed completely unaware of their presence in the room.
"That's it. I'm going to handle this." Uncle Rhodey marched off to the lab angrily.
In a surprising turn of events, Tony blasted a champagne glass, leaving both Pepper and Peter in stunned silence while the room erupted in loud cheers from the crowd, but Tony just laughed it off as if it was all part of the plan.
Another girl seized a bottle of champagne, tossed it in the air, and a beam fired off, shattering it with its contents spilling. Pepper instinctively shielded Peter, and they both stepped backward to avoid getting entangled in the chaotic spectacle.
"Dad!" he cried out, the intensity of his scream reflected his inability to endure the chaos anymore. It needs to stop.
Peter successfully captured his Dad's attention, causing Tony to stop whatever he was doing.
Despite his Dad mouthing "Peter," the noise continued to drown out any attempt at communication.
Just then, an unpainted Iron Man suit emerged, catching everyone's attention.
"I'm only saying this once. Get out," Uncle Rhodes declared with a menacing tone. The helmet slid down, prompting a rushed evacuation of the house by everyone except Peter and Pepper.
Uncle turned to Dad. "You don't deserve to wear one of these. Shut it down!"
"Goldstein."
The DJ appeared hiding from the stage, "Yes, Mr. Stark?"
"Give me a phat beat to beat my buddy's ass to," Dad laughed mockingly and slipped down his helmet.
Oh great. Now they're gonna fight.
With a sudden grab from Uncle, Dad swiftly reversed direction, leaving chaos in his wake as he bulldozed through the sauna, wreaking havoc up to the gym.
"Now, put that thing back where you found it before someone gets hurt," Dad backed down but Uncle started throwing things at him.
Tony smacked him with weights, "Sorry, pal, but Iron Man doesn't have a sidekick."
They continued fighting and hitting each other from different rooms.
Pepper started questioning Natalie frantically blaming her for what was happening but stopped short when the two plummeted from the ceiling.
"Peter!" Tony called out seeing Peter, defending against another attack from Rhodes.
"Dad! Uncle Rhodes! Stop! You're destroying the house!" Peter yelled.
Happy sprinted up to them, "Why are you both still here, get out of here!" dragging them out of the house.
The fighting didn't stop as they walked back to the car. He can't come home now by the looks of it and Dad's gonna take another set of drawbacks from his actions.
They were already a kilometre away when they heard the loud explosion from the mansion. A few moments later Peter saw the silver suit take off and flew to the sky.
"Listen, it's our position that Stark has and continues to maintain propriety ownership of the Mark II platform," Pepper pointed out to their head lawyer, Burt, as she listened to him lamenting on the issue of the government's control of the suit.
Two days have passed since the grand birthday bang, and Stark Industries is once again grappling with the aftermath. As the CEO, she is diligently handling the situation—likely advocating for Tony's rights regarding the suit—while simultaneously facing criticism for her qualifications.
Gazing upon the company grounds and massaging her temple, she wondered when the problems would finally come to an end. Since when did she have a vacation, she can't even remember. All this work was making her feel old.
Peter has been staying with her since, and the morning after, Tony called to ask about Peter's whereabouts but never bothered to visit his son.
The man has already gotten on her nerves. If she ever sees him again, she will seriously consider shoving something at his head to make him think straight. She's taking care of a man-child more, rather than the actual real child, Peter. It has always been easy with Peter. The boy has been the most understanding and selfless child she has ever met. Tony doesn't realize how lucky he is. How Tony even managed to raise a kid so well without making a mess of him is something she can't fathom.
And speaking of the devil, the man appeared at her door, carrying a box of strawberries. Her secretary trying to stop him,
"Miss Potts, Mr. Stark is here."
"No, Burt, listen to me. Don't tell me that we have the best patent lawyers in the country and then not let me pursue this," she continued debating, while Tony looked over at his boxes in the corner containing his belongings from the office and the Stark Expo model.
"Well, then, tell the President to sign an order. We'll talk about it at the Expo. Hammer's giving a presentation tomorrow evening. Will Tony Stark be there?"
He pulled up a chair and settled into it,
"Will I? I'd like to be."
"No, he will not." she declared firmly before hanging up the phone, casting a sharp glare in his direction.
"How about Peter's presentation?"
The question brought about a shift in her expression- a frown etched across her face," You know, you're the one who's supposed to be handling that. Coaching him and helping him prepare. You haven't even seen him yet. What are you even doing here?"
"I can't really face Pete, right now. Can't really bring him home yet. The house's a mess," Tony said with a downcast expression.
Narrowing her eyes, she retorted, "And whose fault is that?"
Tony sighed, "I was driving over here, and I thought I was coming to basically apologize, but guess I'm not."
"You didn't come here to apologize? I'm really gonna hurl something at your head right now, I think. I am trying to run a company. Do you have any idea what that entails?" Anger radiated from her.
"Yes."
"No, you don't. I'm tired, Tony. I understand what you're going through, but time and time again you screw things up. People are relying on you to be Iron Man and you've disappeared, and repeatedly, all I'm doing is putting out your fires and taking the heat of it. I am trying to do the job that you were meant to do."
His eyes brought a mixture of guilt and anguish, "Pepper... I apologize. I'm sorry."
"Don't. Don't apologize to me. Apologize to your son. You let him down, and you're letting your emotions control your behavior because you think this is the last one, this is the end. 'I'm dying. I should do this. I should do that.' But you know what you need to do? You just have to accept and take responsibility. Do the right thing, and search for solutions. Stop making rash decisions and then letting other people bear the consequences."
She had finally admitted it. He had to hear the truth. Unexpectedly, she felt a tremendous weight lift off her shoulders.
Silence crept in. Tony looked down, defeated, his hand on his temple. All that Pepper had said rang true, slowly sinking in and now hitting his core. He had been an asshole for the past week, or rather, for months—letting Pepper handle all the work, not taking responsibility or facing the consequences of his actions.
He knew what he was doing, but not really, he didn't care about what happened next. He was guilty of it all. What he needed was the talk, and Pepper gave him that.
Everything she said hit him bullseye where it needed to be, and it was just what he needed to get his head straight in the right direction.
Natalie entered the room, and Tony was stunned to see her—or rather, Natasha Romanoff—still spying on him from behind. She was his former assistant turned double agent, now an Agent of SHIELD. The question lingered: What was she really? Her portrayal of a personality or character was unprecedentedly deceptive. Throughout the entire time, he hadn't even noticed the pervasive dishonesty. One could never guess what she truly was or what she was up to.
Happy walked in, "Anything else, boss?"
"I'm good, Hap." He answered but Pepper replied at the same time.
Oh, he's not talking about me.
A rueful chuckle escaped him as he admitted, "I lost all of my kids in the divorce," casting a glance at Happy, who responded with a disapproving shake of the head.
He made a sardonic attempt to spark a conversation, smirking as he addressed Natasha, "Are you blending in well here, Natalie? Here are Stark Industries? Your name is Natalie, isn't it? I thought you two didn't get along?"
"No. That's not so. Bring your strawberries with you and while you're at it, maybe you and Natalie could discuss the matter of the personal belongings."
Pepper stood up and began to leave with Happy. He forgot that Pepper's allergic to strawberries and bringing it to her just shows how insulting it is on how little he pays attention.
"I'm surprised you can keep your mouth shut." Natasha retorted snarkily at him.
"Boy, you're good. You are mind-blowingly duplicitous. How do you do it? You just tear things. You're a triple imposter. I've never seen anything like you. Is there anything real about you? Do you even speak Latin?"
Natalie spoke something in Latin while picking up all the files.
"Which means? Wait. What? What did you just say?"
Geez, that's incomprehensible. Nobody even understood that.
"It means you can either drive yourself home or I can have you collected." Then she left.
"You're good," Tony called out.
He stood up and threw the strawberries into the bin. Glancing at the model, he observed the original Stark Expo model visible in his father's pre-recorded videos.
"Everything you'll need in the future can be found right here," echoed the voice of his father, Howard, in his head.
He pulled off the cloth and examined it through one eye.
That's it— the key to the future.
Sighing, Peter closed his locker and made his way out of the school grounds.
"See you next week, Peter!" Charles tapped his shoulder and quickly ran out, waving cheerfully. Peter waved back.
Thank god it's Friday. He will have another weekend in New York as he is arriving tomorrow with Pepper. They plan to visit the cemetery and then enjoy some time at the Expo.
It's nice that he has friends here in Malibu, but he sometimes wishes he had Ned as his classmate. It's different when you get to open up and talk to your best friend.
He still hasn't seen his Dad ever since the party and he already misses him. He's upset about the house for a short while but it has already faded, it can be fixed anyway.
He's not so mad anymore but just sad. He still worries about the affliction of his Dad. He remembered Pepper's words yesterday.
"If I just talked to him at breakfast, he wouldn't have to do those things," Peter murmured as they were eating a late dinner at Pepper's apartment after the explosion.
"Peter, look at me. It's not your fault. Don't you dare ever blame yourself for what's happening with your Dad. He's a grown man, he should have thought of his actions. Let him figure it out. Let him learn his lesson."
Pepper's right. She's always right anyway. Dad's gonna figure it out.
Near the exit, he caught sight of people gathering around the parking spaces.
What's going on?
Stepping outside, he spotted his Dad casually leaning against his favorite Audi R8 Spyder.
Tony Stark sported his typical red sunglasses and leather jacket, seemingly trying to not spark attention. But clearly, his presence just screams attention.
Most of the people tried hard not to stare but they just can't help it. That's Iron Man right there. Happy didn't mention Dad's going to pick him up.
Dad immediately spotted him and waved at him grinning. The crowd turned their heads as he walked towards the car.
This is embarrassing.
Without hesitation, Dad pulled him into a warm hug, gently kissing his head.
"I missed you, bud. C'mon, let's hop in."
He huffed out a breath of relief once they revved off.
"I missed you too, Dad."
He gazed at his dad who looked so much better now. That's a good sign.
Dad pulled out a box of donuts from the back.
A subtle frown appeared, yet a smile broke through as he couldn't resist the peace offering. He remembered the time they usually hang out at the big doughnut on the roof of Randy's Donuts, eating there and just watching the sunset.
"Really Dad?"
They stopped at the red of the stop light.
"I know you're still mad at me, and it's been a while since you had doughnuts,"
Gazing at him with tenderness, Dad spoke softly, "Look, Pete. I'm sorry. I'm sorry about the whole— you know, my birthday... and hiding up stuff about the palladium."
"What happened to you?"
"I needed to figure out a riddle before seeing you."
"And did you?"
As the stoplight shifted to green, they resumed driving, and Dad's only reaction was a knowing smirk.
Peter let out a laugh, "Of course you did."
He never has to ask anyway. Dad always finds a solution for everything.
With a grin, Dad affectionately ruffled his hair,
"I missed that laugh."
He took a bite out of the choco-peanut doughnut, "Where are we going?"
"Home. I want to show you something."
Within a few minutes, they reached home, only to find chaos. Glass shards, dust, and dirt littered every corner. The walls lay in ruins, completely destroyed, with gaping holes from floor to ceiling. The aftermath of the explosion left the once pristine walls now blackened, and everything within the house was displaced. There are some construction workers going back and forth cleaning everything.
"Ugh. You broke the house, Dad."
A pang of nostalgia hit him as he gazed at their once-beloved house, now resembling a haunted resort in its dilapidated state. The only untouched ones were their rooms.
"My bad," Tony admitted with a remorseful tone. "I know."
With Dad holding his hand, they descended the stairs towards the lab.
"Wait— is that a particle accelerator?"
He gazed at the big and bulky cylindrical system set up at the lab.
Peter was wide-eyed beyond words. A particle accelerator at a lab slash garage?
Who can even do that?
"How did you manage to do all this Dad? What for?"
"For this," Dad pointed out, smiling at the new arc reactor illuminated in a triangle prism, "I created a new element and it is a viable replacement for the Palladium. Thanks to your Grandpa who theorized it and left clues and a blueprint."
"You synthesized this in a day? Here in the lab?"
He simply cannot believe it – a new element! And Dad just admitted it casually, as if it were nothing. If his dad could create an arc reactor in a cave, then, of course, he could also create an element in a garage.
"You're— Oh my God. That's amazing! You're amazing Dad!"
He hugged his Dad, "This means you're going to be okay right?"
"Exactly."
Dad chuckled, and in that shared laughter, they wrapped each other in a blissful hug.
"Sweetheart, we'll be at the Pavilion if you want to join us," Pepper said as they stepped out of the car. They had just arrived at the Stark Expo. Ned was supposed to be with him, but he had a family gathering out of town.
He didn't want to see Mr. Hammer's presentation. The man would just brag again about his tech, but when you actually saw how it worked, you'll realize how inferior and crappy it was. He decided to just explore his favorite attractions with Happy.
"Okay. Maybe I'll drop by later if Dad decides to go," he said. Dad mentioned he would be here, we just don't know what time.
The new suit was still being prepared for the new arc reactor when they left New York. Dad mentioned he might drop by here once it's finished.
They spent quality time together that afternoon. He watched a video of his Grandpa with Dad. Grandpa really loved Dad, he just had a rather unpleasant way of showing it. He also discovered that Grandpa was a co-founding member of SHIELD—so cool. Dad also shared with him about his house arrest, where he was monitored by Agent Coulson, and about Natalie, who turned out to be Natasha. He kept quiet about it as Dad had asked.
Dad also coached him for the presentation scheduled for tomorrow. His invention truly coincided with the Stark Expo mission: Better living through technology.
Pepper and Natalie made their way to the Pavilion, while Happy and he made their way to the Oracle exhibit.
"Come on, Happy. Faster," He urged at Happy who's now slightly out of breath.
In contrast to Happy, who opts for the ease of golf carts and Segways, Peter, the energetic kid, finds sheer delight in his nimble runs, showcasing his love for physical activity.
"Slow down! We just ate a waffle!" Happy called out, breathless and on the verge of cursing at the energetic kid.
After a short break for a waffle, they were back on the move, leaving Happy consistently drained during his expeditions with Peter at the expo.
They're only a short distance from the Pavilion when an intense crashing noise filled the air, quickly followed by the alarming sounds of gunshots. Panic gripped the entire populace, inside and outside establishments, as the crowd scattered chaotically in search of escape routes.
Happy's gaze darted towards where Peter had stood just moments ago, only to be met with a chaotic scene—people shouting and running in all directions.
The kid was nowhere in sight, and Happy felt a surge of panic. He cannot find the kid. He was given strict orders not to take his eye out of Peter and now the kid is nowhere to be found.
Tony escaped from the Pavilion at full throttle, his instincts proving correct, Ivan Vanko is indeed allied with Justin Hammer.
The situation intensified as Rhodey struggled with a suit that's being manipulated beyond his control. The system needed to be overridden to stop the drones.
"Jarvis, break in. I need to own him." Tony commanded, blasting every oncoming drone.
Tony soared higher into the sky, the drones and Rhodey hot on his tail, unleashing a barrage of fire. Evading their precise targeting, he maneuvered skillfully to escape the incoming attacks.
"Jarvis, locate my son. Where is he?"
He had already seen Pepper earlier at the Pavilion but Peter wasn't there.
"I cannot locate Peter, Sir."
Peter's phone must not be with him. The only way he can locate his son now is if Peter has the Iron Man helmet on.
"Call Happy."
"Boss," came Happy's immediate and frantic response.
Tony skillfully thwarted several drones by cleverly maneuvering through various establishments, catching them off guard with his unexpected evasive tactics,
"Where's Peter? Is he with you?"
"Boss, I'm sorry. I lost him," Happy replied apologetically.
"Shit. Get back in the car. I'll find him and drop him off there." He ended the call.
"JARVIS, where is he?"
Launching into the air, he swiftly soared towards the flying droids, determined to shield civilians from the airborne threat.
He needs to find Peter.
"I have already located him, Sir."
The coordinates flashed on the screen, and without hesitation, he steered the course toward the specified location. The onslaught of shooting drones intensified, creating a frantic atmosphere with people screaming.
In a heart-stopping moment, he caught sight of his son's petite figure donning an Iron Man helmet, adorned with glowing hand blaster gloves.
Accelerating through the air, he raced towards him, witnessing a drone zeroing in on his son. With determination, Peter extended his hand, fearlessly mimicking a heroic attack against the drone.
Tony sensed not a hint of fear in Peter, who stood resolute and unshaken. So brave and so fearless, unbelievable. Tony's timely intervention obliterated the drone, blasting it out of existence before it could even unleash its attack.
"Nice work, kid."
"Dad!" Peter was startled. Tony immediately scooped up his son, soaring towards the Pavilion where the top-down car awaited. Happy and Natasha already waiting for them. He dropped off Peter at the passenger seat next to Happy.
"Get out of here! Go!" he shouted, and without hesitation, Happy slammed on the gas pedal.
A powerful blast erupted from his position, knocking the menacing drone off course just as it poised to attack.
In that unexpected moment, surprise flickered across his face, only to be replaced by sheer relief as he realized his father had arrived, swooping in to save him.
A proud smile adorned his face as he glanced up at his Dad, who had just set off on yet another mission to save the day.
The car's top smoothly sealed shut shortly after he hopped in, "Where are we going?"
"We're going to Hammer Industries," Natasha answered at the back.
He was about to look at the back when he was stopped by Happy.
"Don't," Happy instructed. He shot a questioning look.
"I'm changing clothes" Natasha answered.
"Oh," Peter said half embarrassed.
"Happy, I need you to watch the perimeter when we arrive. I'm gonna enter the facility and take down the target," Natalie said and he saw Happy taking a look at the rear-view mirror. Bad Happy. They nearly slid off to another car almost causing an accident.
"Geez, Happy," Peter said, comically holding out a laugh.
Natasha added, "Watch the road."
"I got it. I got it."
"Peter, stay in the car when we arrive."
Upon reaching Hammer Industries, Natasha and Happy wasted no time stepping out of the car. Following instructions, Peter remained seated inside, observing Happy and Natasha argue. The debate continued for a while until Natasha flung open the door with Happy trailing behind.
"This is lame," Peter said, talking to himself. He wants to see the fight. He has nothing to do here. He doesn't even have his phone with him so he cannot play and the music playing on the radio sucks. How many minutes has it been already? Oh, it's only been five minutes and he felt as if it's already been a year.
He checked outside and there's not a single soul so slowly he went outside the car. He's just going to take a look. He went inside the door and saw Happy taking down a guy punching hard but way past him a lot of guys were already down.
His eyes widened in awe as Natasha skillfully utilized SHIELD tech, executing a flawless combination of punches and kicks that swiftly took down five guards simultaneously. Her prowess as a perfect assassin left him astonished, witnessing a level of combat expertise he had never seen before. By the time Happy wrapped up, Natasha had efficiently dispatched all the guards.
"I got him!" Happy said but sees what Natasha had done.
Peter let out a laugh then Happy finally saw him "We told you to stay in the car."
"Sorry, but I got bored already."
"Oh screw it, let's go," Happy held his hand and they followed where Natasha went.
Natasha kicked the door, but Vanko was no longer inside. She approached the computer, and Peter watched as she skillfully overrode and rebooted Uncle Rhodey's suit successfully in just a few seconds.
Wow. She's almost at par with Dad.
"Thank you very much, Agent Romanoff," Dad praised.
"Well done on the new chest piece. I am reading significantly higher output and your vitals all look promising."
He smiled at it. Finally, the diagnostics went well. Dad found the cure,
"Yes, for the moment, I'm not dying. Thank you."
"She's unbelievable Dad!" Peter exclaimed quickly, his excitement evident in a slight squeal.
"Peter? What are you doing there?"
"Don't worry, Tony. We'll take care of him. You got incoming. Looks like the fight's coming to you."
"Be careful!" Peter called out worried.
Though out of sight, the intense sounds of Dad and Uncle Rhodey in action filled the air, accompanied by the visible heat signatures of their battle.
"Heads up. You have one more drone incoming. This one looks different. The repulsor signature is significantly higher."
"That must be Ivan Vanko," Peter mumbled.
They struggled to fend off the lash but managed to find a way by shooting at each other, causing an explosion at the center. Unfortunately, Ivan found himself in the middle. Vanko died, and shortly after, all the reactors began flashing red, as did the drones.
"The drones are rigged to blow. Get out of there." Natasha notified them.
"Pepper?"
"She's still at the Pavilion! You need to save her!" Peter cried.
They couldn't let anything bad happen to Pepper. She was the next closest thing he had to a Mom, and Dad obviously loved her. They just didn't know how to talk about their feelings.
Dad took off, and Pepper was near a drone. Thankfully, Dad managed to grab her before everything could blow up.
"It looks like our work here is done, little Mr. Stark," Natasha said, smiling as she patted his back.
"Agent Romanoff, that was wicked! You need to teach me your moves!" Peter said in his high-pitched voice which he always does when he's excited.
"Sounds lovely, we'll see. We'll ask your Dad, but I'm afraid he pretty much won't allow that."
Laughter lingered as they all walked out, having successfully rescued the day.