It had been two months since the unmasking of Spider-Man on national television. Two months since people rushed to their phones to report that Spider-Man was really Peter Parker, a sixteen-year-old who goes to Midtown School of Science and Technology. Two months since Midtown was released on summer break. Two months since Spider-Man or Peter Parker had been seen.

Many people theorized what had happened to him. That he had gone into hiding, fled the country, or even died in the battle that led to his big reveal. The truth was nobody knew. His classmates and friends were grilled by the press, but they didn't know either. No one, not Ned, not MJ, had heard from him since that day. When they went to his apartment to confront him, he was gone, the apartment empty, and not even a trace of where he went was left behind.

The first big break came only a week before Midtown started again. A boy by the name of Peter Stark was enrolled. The media went crazy again, but Spider-Man still didn't show up. There was no comment coming forward from Tony Stark himself or Stark Industries. All they could do was wait until the first day of term...

"Ready for your first day, son?" Steve asked over his shoulder as he flipped pancakes.

"Uh, yeah. I think so anyways," Peter said, nerves gnawing away at him.

Wanda rolled her eyes and said, "Calm down. People will freak about your identity for a few weeks then stop caring. Teenagers have very short attention spans."

"I'm more worried that all my friends will hate me because I haven't talked to them in two months," Peter corrected.

Steve slid a plate piled with pancakes in front of the teen and leaned against the counter. It was Wanda who gripped his hand and said, "If they're you friends, they'll forgive you."

"When'd you get so wise?" Steve asked the girl with a proud smile.

She rolled her eyes. "From spending so much time with Vis."

Peter just dug into his breakfast. His summer had been going great, fantastic even, until a few days ago, when it struck him his friends were going to be pissed. He'd ignored all their texts and calls. They would have found out from the news leak that he was returning as Peter Stark. There was no way he wasn't going to be in trouble for that.

"So, kid, have you changed your mind yet?" Tony asked, entering abruptly and dropping onto the chair next to Peter. "Private school, home school, new school, all good options. I would suggest college, personally. You'd love MIT, and they'd love a literal genius, such as you. I could call a few people and have you enrolled by the end of the week. Maybe sooner."

Peter rolled his eyes. They'd had many versions of this discussion in the last few weeks. He knew it made Tony anxious that Peter would be nearly an hour away at an undefended location with no back up, but he respected Peter's wishes and had enrolled him anyways. Not that it stopped Tony and Rhodey from trying to sell him on MIT everyday.

"I chose Midtown, Tony," Peter reminded him. While it was true that multiple professionals believed him to be a genius, Peter liked school. He liked field trips, decathlon, band performances, and hanging out with his friends, Ned and MJ most of all. He needed a bit of normalcy in his world which had suddenly become flooded with heroes, villains, and battles with the world hanging in the balance.

"I'm just saying, there are other options I'd prefer you to explore."

"Let it go, Tony. It's good the kid wants to finish high school. Education is important."

"Is that why you agreed to do all those PSAs?" Peter asked slyly.

"PSAs? What is this?" Tony asked the first Avenger, his eyes as bright as a child's on Christmas.

"They still show those?" the soldier asked in horror. Peter nodded. Steve grimaced, but simply said, "Not the highlight of my career, but I've had worse."

Peter raised an eyebrow. "What could be worse than those?"

"Would you believe me if I told you I was a showgirl for awhile? Great way to inspire confidence in people during a war."

Peter and Wanda were both laughing. Captain America, a renowned super soldier, leader of the Avengers, a showgirl? It was hilarious, to say the least.

"Do me a favor and never tell Bucky about the PSAs. He's still giving me crap from seventy years ago about the showgirl stint," Steve said with an eye roll, though it was fond, as his expression almost always was when he was talking about Bucky.

"Language, Rogers!" Tony barked.

"Dammit, Tony, that was one time-"

Tony stood up, delivering Peter's plate to the sink. "Never mind, Cap. Hey, kid, I have a present for you down in the garage. Grab your stuff."

Peter slung his backpack over his shoulder, nerves returning. Time to go and face the world. Curiosity about this present kept the nerves mostly at bay though. Gifts from Tony were common. New gear, new weapons, new tech, and fancy vacations were regularly gifted upon all the Avengers but he couldn't imagine what Tony had waited right before he left for school to give him. Oftentimes, the gifts were just dropped onto the recipient's lap as if they were a second thought.

Steve and Wanda told him to have fun and wished him luck as Peter and Tony got into the elevator that brought them down to the massive car garage. Tony popped out first, walking over to the closest car, which Peter had never seen before.

"Like it? I thought you might want your own ride since you'll be commuting everyday. I already uploaded Karen into her, of course. And don't worry about fuel. Solar charged. Latest technology from Stark Industries. These beauties won't be on the road for at least another two years," Tony babbled in his typical manner. Peter stepped forward, as if in a trance, towards the new car.

It was a sleek sports car, a deep blue color similar to that of his Spider-Man suit. The roof was clearly made of solar panels. Just looking at it you could tell it cost as much as a private jet. Peter gaped at the gorgeous vehicle, his vehicle. Tony tossed him the keys and he caught them on instinct, eyes not lifting from his new ride.

"This is awesome," Peter whispered in delight. Tony smiled as Peter opened the door to examine the dark leather interior.

"I also put a spare suit in there, just in case of an emergency. No showing off to your friends," Tony instructed lightly. "Oh, and I want you home by four at the latest or else I send the army after you. Understood?"

"Yes," Peter said quickly, nodding vigorously. He met Tony's eyes and smiled happily. "Thank you."

"No problem, kid," the billionaire said gently, then clapped his hands together and stepped back. "You need to get going or you'll be late for school, Underoos."

"Bye," the teen said, getting into his new car eagerly. The engine roared to life, a wonderful sound. A giant smile on his face, Peter shot out of the garage. The gates opened automatically for him and then he was speeding through upstate New York. He quickly found the autopilot button and let Karen steer so he could sit back and enjoy his amazing car. It ran smoother than anything he'd ever been in.

But his nerves quickly returned as he approached the school. Yes, he'd chosen to fall off the radar these last two months, but now he would have to face the consequences of that choice. There would be endless reporters, of course. Pepper had been pushing for a press conference for months, but Tony had kept putting her off, much to Peter's relief. He wasn't sure he could handle all the attention. He'd become Spider-Man to help people, not to become the darling of the media. And then there were his friends...

No. Screw that. He was Peter Stark, he was Spider-Man. He could handle reporters, classmates, attention, aliens, villains, whatever. He could handle high school.

MJ didn't know why she was here, in the sea of people hoping to catch a glimpse of Peter Parker's glorious return to civilization. She wasn't some starry-eyed fangirl or wannabe suck-up. She wasn't an amateur reporter hoping for a big break like the many camera crews littered across the road and football field. But she was someone who cared about Peter, not Spider-Man, but Peter.

The most recent image anyone had of Peter wasn't a pleasant one. He was lying motionless on the ground after he'd been stabbed and fallen twenty stories like a stone. Captain America had been the first to reach the fallen hero. When it was clear he wasn't breathing, he hadn't hesitated in ripping off Peter's mask, despite the TV helicopter right above with a clear shot of Peter's unmasking. Captain America had performed emergency CPR right there. It had taken two minutes to get him breathing again, two minutes during with MJ had hardly breathed herself as she watched the live feed.

Then Iron Man had arrived, Tony Stark emerging from his suit in the midst of battle to cradle the young hero in his arms. Cap and Stark traded a few words before Cap re-entered the battle. Stark's suit enclosed around him. Iron Man scooped up the tiny looking Spider-Man in his arms before flying away to an unknown location. That was it. All the other Avengers had been seen since, except Spider-Man, who wasn't even an official Avenger to the public's knowledge. Whenever an Avenger was asked about Spider-Man there was either no reply or a simple 'no comment.'

MJ had hidden herself off to the side from the majority of the crowd, pretending to be immersed in a book. She'd only been tempted to move when she saw Ned, also alone, standing hopefully at the front of the crowd. They'd spent a lot of time together this summer, checking if Peter had contacted either one of them. The answer was always no, but it hadn't stopped them from meeting up over and over again. It was comforting to be with each other, the only people who still seemed to care about Peter, not Spider-Man.

A sudden surge of excitement from the crowd had MJ looking up, both nervous and hopeful. She heard it first the growl of a powerful engine, followed soon by a glimpse of a sleek, expensive sports car. Camera crews and reporters with microphones were leaping up because that car could only belong to one person at this school. Especially as the sports car was followed by a fleet of black vans, out of which poured unmarked security personnel. The guards held the reporters and students back as the driver's door opened and a lean guy with wavy brown hair stepped out, a backpack slung over one shoulder. Something in MJ's chest loosened as she saw him, Peter, alive and well.

Very well. Something had changed in him, she saw it instantly. He seemed to stand straighter, taller. His clothes, though casual looking, were...nice. Designer. The cameras and crowds didn't seem to faze him at all. He talked to one of the guards for a minute before heading straight for the front doors. He came to a stop before Ned. MJ watched anxiously as they had an intense, quick conversation. Then she rolled her eyes as they did their stupidly long, secret handshake. They walked into the school together. The students parted before them as if they were kings. In a way, they were. Peter, and by extension, Ned, had become the rulers of the social structure of high school.

MJ didn't move until the warning bell rang. Peter was fine, she reminded herself as an uneasiness settled in her chest. That's all that mattered. Even if it looked like he was way beyond high school now. Even if he might be beyond her now.