Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! =) You're all amazing! You're comments have been livening! Thank you! =)

Updated April 15th, 2019.

Chapter Eleven:

Natasha, Pepper has decided after a less than a minute of watching her, was born to be politician. After putting Tony and Peter in the nearest hospital in Wyoming, Natasha had called the president of the U.S. (how she got his number is beyond Pepper) and demanded a U.N. meeting on Tony's innocence and pardons for herself and the other Avengers.

Less than a day later and more than seventy percent of them participating via internet, Natasha got her demanded meeting. The press had been everywhere so Pepper watched through the T.V. of the Peter's hospital room as Tony underwent surgery. The ex-assassin had strolled into the White House, armed to the teeth yet hiding everything fairly well. Her blonde hair had been tucked under a hat and taken her seat, calmly despite the erupting chaos around her.

When no one had shut up after she asked them to, Natasha had ripped a gun from her belt and fired three times at the ceiling. Dead silence had followed which the assassin had smiled to before she laid a flash drive down on the table with a slam expression hard, "This is the virus found in Iron Man's systems." She had stated coldly almost daring anyone to agree with her, "I know we are not on the public's best eye right now, but I can assure you that Tony didn't send the weapons out. This," She had pulled out a single sheet of paper that she had somehow managed to keep hidden in her brown jacket and placed them neatly beside the flash drive, "is a printed report of every weapon Stark Industries has sent out in the last eight years since Tony shut down the main faculty. As you can see, it is blank."

When she said this, everyone had erupted into questions and demands for answers most claiming her to be lying. Natasha had raised an eyebrow to them and spoken swift and easy answers without a hint of a lie in them. She had led them onward easily, explaining about the situation with Claree simply stating Tony had been captured and was in hiding now, in a location only the Avengers knew, and revealed the true villain behind all of this: General Ross.

The U.S.'s president had shot his eyebrows upwards, startled, then demanded why she thought so. Natasha, wisely had dragged the police Pepper had distantly remembered her talking to with her from Wyoming who confirmed bother her story and Ross's involvement.

(Ross, who did not deny shooting Claree Tren in the head. Murder confession. A murder confession).

This had set discomfort through the U.N. and the questions became more viscous. Natasha had answered to the best of her ability and before disappearing among the crowd had stated: "It's not that we don't agree with the Sokovia Accords, but the easy way it can become corrupted makes us nervous. Me and Cap have seen how easily lies can be slipped through an agency that knows everything. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s collapse is evidence on this, knowing and controlling everyone's actions only brings power—not safety. The Accords shouldn't be a violation of human rights. If you don't want us to help you every time, make it something like a passport. We may not always make the right call, I'll admit that, but we can't save everyone. We try; we try till we're exhausted and stiff to the point we can't move and we will keep trying until our last rattle of breath but we can't do that sitting in a cell rotting. I leave you with this question: If the man who created the Accords is a traitor, can you really trust them?"

Government's erupted into chaos.

The news exploded.

Government officials took the data chip and tested it before re-hacking into SI and comparing the two for hours on end until they decided Natasha's chip was indeed real and the weapons malfunction was fake. Tony was pardoned a mere twenty six hours after the conference.

Thirty six hours after the conference, General Ross was tried and found guilty of not only being involved with the creation of the Hulk, murder of Claree Tren, kidnapping, and everything else in Natasha's story and given a life sentence in prison. His deeply bruised, crooked nose with a white bandage slapped on it didn't seem to matter to the older man. His smug, sneering expression had been satisfying to watch fall even if from a distance on the small screen as she panicked about her son and husband.

The Sokovian Accords became the only thing being talked about everywhere. It was all over the internet and T.V. as people started to question why it is exactly that the government couldn't just give the Avenger's guidelines for their country and instead had to have full power. A "passport" as Natasha dubbed it.

The government itself became conflicted.

The U.N. had demanded a meeting with Steve who, after some persuasion, went with Bucky to New York arriving with just as much dramatics as Natasha did and had been relentlessly questioned on his actions. Steve had answered as honestly as he could, explained about the other winter soldier's and any other questions they had.

As they were there, Bucky was put on a full trial and declared innocent of what he did and under mind control that was swept free through Wanda.

Six days after the initial rescue, Tony and Peter were declared strong enough for a transfer across country to the Avenger's HQ and Pepper had agreed without a second thought. Stark Industries has better medical equipment than Wyoming does, their chances of survival increased that way.

Tony had woken up somewhere on the seventh day, demanded to know if he was a janitor before passing out without receiving an answer again. Peter remained stubbornly unconscious the bullet wounds making quick work of his health even with his enhanced healing and after an initial exam had been given and Peter had been changed to the hospital's ugly attire, revealing faint bruises around his neck.

Natasha had to physically hold her back from flying to the prison and breaking Ross's nose, again. Steve had dislocated it and the severity promised that it would never heal quite right.

Happy had shown up somewhere close to day eight, demanded an update on his two charges talked briefly with the rest of the Avengers, raised an eyebrow at Bruce before plopping himself down next to Pepper and remaining at her side for hours on end.

Pepper couldn't remember the last time she ate anything but coffee, slept or changed her clothing. It's getting disastrous. At the end of day eight, Tony had woken up again, still not fully conscious, asked for Peter's state and lemon juice before slipping asleep again. Happy had sent her home telling her not to return until she'd slept, changed her clothes and eaten real food.

On day eleven, the U.S. government, moving faster than anything Pepper had seen in her life, declared that they thought the Sokovia Accords faulty and instead gave the Avengers a small list of requirements of what they needed to do in order to work in the U.S.. The "Passport" that Natasha requested. The Avengers agree.

On day twelve, the Avengers were given full pardons from the U.N. presenting the paper's to Natasha with the statement that, "Captain America was only trying to bring truth into our sights. The Accords to their extent are not longer followed by any country after the small African country, Wakanda dropped it, others quickly following."

Natasha had nodded, smiled, and taken the papers offered a few words of thanks and disappeared off the stage returning just in time for Tony to wake up again in semi consciousness, demand a glass of water and pass out again.

The medics assured them it was a good sign.

Pepper wasn't so sure.

000o000

Talking.

Crying.

Whispers.

Lonely.

Helpless.

It's painful.

It's loud.

It's bright.

His senses are sluggish, yet somehow still on overdrive and everything sounds like his ears are filled with cotton. His eyelids are heavy and every muscle feels like it weighs as much as the Empire State Building. Maybe it does. Is he crushed again? No. Oh, no, no, no.

He scrambles to pull up memories of what happened and his mind draws blank. He can't remember. Why can't he remember? Is his brain broken? Did his skull get crushed? What's wrong with him!? He's not dying is he? Nothing is coming!

What is—

This—

It—

Peter.

Parker.

His name is Peter Parker. He and Tony were captured by Claree and it—the guns. There were guns and he jumped in front of Tony because that and—there's nothing else but ripples of pain. His memories are fuzzy and everything he can remember feels hazy through the pain and sedatives pumped through his systems. The rescue feels the blurriest, (probably the rescue?) There was screeching metal, a hand on his shoulder, silence and darkness for the first in days and a red haze and a redheaded woman whispers to him softly before everything draws blank again.

Black Widow.

Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, and the Winter Soldier rescued him.

How? Why? What..?

They were missing, all of them dropped off the face of the planet. No one could find them, not Tony, not the government, no one. Why would they rescue him? He's just the bait—Tony!

Oh, gosh, Tony.

Is he okay? Please let him still be alive. After everything that happened it's not fair for the universe to take him. He has to be okay, right? Peter needs to know, his muscles are so heavy, though, and he's exhausted.

Peter battles himself. After some effort, he wins the war with his eyelids through a small struggle and after the second wave passes, he manages to pull them apart. The bright light makes him groan and he squeezes them shut again curling his hands into fists at the pain trying to downplay the panic. Why is it so bright, can't it tone down some? Are they coming back because Peter can't—

Breathe.

Pathetic, he can't stand the dark and—

He's cold.

Freezing—

Finger's wrap around his clenched fist and Peter tenses, his senses whirling upwards in panicked hazes, his spider-sense dulling in the back of his head like an annoying alarm. He fights off the panic attack that threatens to succumb him before struggling to pull his eyes open again. Who is touching him? Their grip is gently tight as if they don't want to let go or he'll disappear if they do.

Pulsing, aching, why won't they flipping open!?

"Shh, Peter, it's okay." The female voice is soft and soothing and Peter grabs onto it mentally as an anchor. It's familiar, he knows them. This isn't that room with her sharp voice and laughing mockery. It's alright, he's safe, though he can't place the voice he knows that with it there, he's safe. The gentle hand runs fingers through his sweaty bangs, "You're safe now."

"M-May?" He mumbles through dry lips, they feel chapped and he knows their split down the middle because he can taste the blood. His throat could make the Sahara jealous. Maybe it already is, because it is not a challenge. His aunt is here, right? That's who the woman is. Everything is okay, she's safe. Is Tony? Is Pepper? He needs to know but the answers just aren't coming.

A very soft, yet somehow sad sigh comes on his left side where the hand is over his knuckle and the fingers tracing through his hair come to a halt before the hand pulls away. The fingers around his knuckles tighten ever so slightly, "Yeah, sweetheart."

Peter's body slumps with relief.

She's here.

She's safe.

He thought that the hospital, and—

Peter pulls his eyes apart again and winces some, then turns his gaze towards the brunette. May's face is tired, her eyes heavy with dark shadows, but she gives him a small smile as she sees him. She runs a hand through his messy hair, "Hey, Pete," she says quietly.

Peter squints with confusion, "I don't…" He trails.

Understand.

He's confused.

The room is white and making everything so much brighter. He has an IV in his arm and it's uncomfortable, but it gives him reassurance on where he is. The hospital. Medical. With May.

Where is Tony? Why is he in a hospital? Where are the other Avengers? Is the government here? Did they get Claree? Where is Pepper?

He blinks several times trying to get his eyes adjusted before he opens his dry mouth again, "I don't…" he trails, then swallows along his dry throat, biting back a shiver, "where am I?"

May gives his hand a squeeze, "Avengers Tower."

His eyes widen.

"You got hurt pretty bad," May says quietly, "you've been in a coma for the last thirteen days."

What!?

Peter attempts to sit up, but a sharp pain flares through his ribs and he finds that it's impossible. He gasps and May shoves him back down gently, "Hey, hey, honey, let's not do that," she says and turns away from him, eyes rapidly searching the room.

Peter does a quick assessment.

There's a few empty chairs lined in various positions in the room, but all are empty. He can see people moving outside the jaded window of the door. Hospital. He hates hospitals. The last time he really interacted with doctors was after Uncle Ben was shot.

And—nope.

Not thinking about that.

"Here, Pete," May says and Peter drags his attention away from the door to her as she holds up a glass of water to him. Peter takes it from her hands with shaking ones though she doesn't release it and lifts it to his lips. The cool liquid has never felt more amazing. Peter downs the rest of the glass and May pulls it away and sets it on the table it giving a dull clunk that Peter flinches at again. The voices outside are so loud, everything is. Peter just wants silence. If May noticed his flinch, she doesn't comment just grabs his knuckle with both hands this time.

Peter licks his split lips, "Where's...Tony? Pepper?" He questions.

May looks like she's chewing on her inner lip, "Pepper's with Tony. He...Ms. Tren messed up his...they had to do a heart transplant."

Peter's spine goes rigid and he bolts upright, a thrum of panic spinning through him. "What!?"

"Peter—"

"Is he okay!? Oh my gosh!" Peter hisses.

Tony is—

Tony might be—

A heart transplant!? Peter squeezes his eyes shut and his breathing picks up. His mind is spinning. "No," He murmurs because what else can he say? He did nothing. Useless, again. This is just like Ben all over again and he can't—

"He's fine, Pete, breathe, it's okay, alright, hey, hey," May says and Peter fills a sob build up in his throat before May moves away from the chair and leans over the bed gathering him into her arms. She holds him close to her chest as the gates break and sobs erupted from his throat tears leaking from his eyes.

"He's fine," May repeats, "it went over well, his body accepted the donor and everything's fine. His heart couldn't take the strain after the arc reactor and they needed to do it. It's fine, Pete, just keep breathing."

Not dead.

He's not dead.

So why can't he stop crying?

May traces circles against his back and murmurs something into his hair that he doesn't understand. He's still gasping and he can't stop because everything just aches.

Peter rips his head away from May's shoulder as the door is thrown open and a dark haired man he's pretty sure is the Winter Soldier followed by Happy throw themselves into the room the Winter Soldier armed with a pistol and a long knife and Happy has a gun aimed at nothing.

May pulls Peter closer to her in surprise her grip tightening before she gives a shaky laugh. Happy scans the room his eyes sweeping over everything before resting on May and Peter. He lowers his gun and his face twists in sympathy.

"Finally decided to join us again, kid?" Happy questions. Peter hasn't seen him since sometime last month when Tony had wanted Peter to drop by the tower (which he decided not to sell) to work on the suit. Happy looks a little more ragged and—are those sweatpants? Seriously. What time is it? Happy's deep purple shirt with a jacket thrown on it what looks like a hurry don't fit his grey sweatpants in the slightest.

The Winter Soldier looks a little more alive, but is still only just. He's wearing a T-shirt with the some sort of stupid science pun he doesn't get or attempt to with jeans his long hair pulled back. They looked much more intimidating when they threw themselves into the room like he and May were being eaten by a giant worm or in peril. Now that he's actually looking at them...less frightening, more tired, human.

"Yeah," May says softly when Peter can't. His chest is frozen with shock and he's not sure if he can cry out anymore. There's a super soldier assassin in the same room as him. That guy is supposed to be in hiding. Where are they? They aren't in New York, right? That would be stupid. The only people in between the Avengers and Bucky that aren't wanted by a government is him, Happy, May and Pepper.

"Good," Happy says grumply, then pulls his weapon back, "I'm going to murder the next person who wakes me up at three AM for nothing." He mutters under his breath.

Bucky rolls his eyes in answer to the man's comment and spins the long dagger before shoving it into his boot and pockets the pistol. Happy glowers angrily, then runs a hand through his hair. The man's hair looks exhausted. Bucky moves forward a few steps and Peter tenses slightly May runs a hand across his back and Bucky rests a hand on May's

"You should get some rest." He says. His voice is a little deeper than Peter was expecting.

And—wait.

No.

That's really not what Peter wants. Peter needs her steady presence right now or he's going to lose his mind. Twice! Two times lost! How someone can go mad twice is beyond him, but Peter will successfully do it. He can't handle this by himself and he needs something familiar.

He needs his aunt.

Don't—

May shakes her head, "I—I can't. Peter needs me and the hospital might call me for another shift and I can't—"

"Mrs. Parker." Happy presses, his voice irritable. Peter squirms slightly on the inside, his exhausted mind and body protesting heavily, but nothing verbal escapes him.

"But—" May starts tossing her hair over her shoulder. It's hanging down and Peter can tell it's been a while since she showered.

"No." The Winter Soldier presses.

"I'm not leaving him—"

"We can handle it, alright? You haven't slept in over forty hours." The Winter Soldier insists. May's eyes flash with fire and she casts an angry glance up at the ceiling, looking betrayed.

"I can sleep later."

Peter buries the rouse of a panic attack.

The Winter Soldier leans down in front of May and sighs quietly, "Mrs. Parker, please."

Peter doesn't want her to go, admittedly, but at the same time, if she needs to sleep, she should. He won't be a hindrance. He isn't going to be inconvenience with a capital "I".

Peter squeezes his eyes shut and May exhales softly and runs a hand through his sweaty hair, "I'll be back in a few hours, okay, do you think you can make it?" May asks quietly and Peter nods, though it's a lie. May pulls back from him and slowly rises to her feet, her posture singing with exhaustion.

Peter keeps sitting despite the pain in his abdomen. May flicks a hand towards Happy, "Don't leave him by himself, okay?" Happy rolls his eyes but nods and May glances at Peter again before leaving the room her steps quickly disappearing.

The Winter Soldier turns his gaze from her to Peter, his gaze calculating. "I'm sorry, I know you wanted her to stay here, but she would never agree to this." He says, his voice is quiet. Peter purses his lips together in confusion.

"...What?"

The metal armed-man stands, "You want to see Tony. Can you walk?"

"What!?" Happy cries in outrage behind Bucky, "Are you serious!? He isn't supposed to leave the hospital room!" He snaps and Bucky turns giving Happy a look that silences him quickly. Peter doesn't see it, but whatever it is is effective.

"He's just transferring. It shouldn't be an issue or more than a few minutes, I repeat my question: can you walk?" Bucky asks and Peter gives a shaky nod despite how sluggish his muscles feel. Bucky carefully grabs Peter's wrist in a slow fashion that Peter can track with his eyes and pulls the IV from Peter's elbow. The needle feels weird as it slides from his skin and Bucky turns to him and grabs Peter's hand swinging it over his shoulders apparently not stupid enough to trust Peter's statement.

Peter staggers to his feet his face twisting at the pain and sudden blurriness but Bucky steadies him easily. The ex-assassin is only a few inches taller than Peter so the height difference isn't severely awkward. The two move forward slowly Peter stumbling with his feet that don't seem to work quite right anymore.

The hallway is empty, but Happy's endless streams of protest, unfortunately, are not.

The walk is slow and aggravatingly painful, but Peter manages to bite his tongue for a majority of his pained cries, but can't quite catch the sigh of relief as Bucky pulls open a door about a minute after they started the trek.

Tony's room is lit brightly and Peter winces at it immediately trying to quell down his rising panic and focus on something else. There's chairs set up in the most awkward spots as if someone was trying to get the center of the room each time they pulled a chair in. Tony looks so still on the hospital bed that it startles Peter slightly. The man, for as long as Peter has known him is always doing something. Moving, fiddling with his hands, talking, playing with his hair phone—anything but now, his pale skin is obvious. He isn't attached to anything but an IV and a heart rate monitor, but it still scares him.

May never mentioned what happened.

Pepper is slumped asleep in one of the chairs in a position that doesn't look very comfortable.

"What happened?" Peter asks softly, raising his voice as loudly as he dares.

The Winter Soldier is quiet for a moment and comes to a halt easing Peter from collapsing to the ground easily, "Ms. Tren poisoned him."

Poison?

Ms. Tren poisoned him?

Heart transplant.

Peter's blood rushes cold again.

The Winter Soldier frowns a little, "They had to do a heart transplant and then flushed what the could from his systems with...I'm not familiar with what they used, but he'll be okay in a few weeks. He's woken up about four times now. Well, semi-awake."

Peter just wants to curl into a ball and cry because everything is too loud or bright or to much to handle and Peter just wants it gone. Before he fully realizes what he's doing, Peter staggers to the hospital bed, pulling away from the Winter Solider and heaves himself onto it curling into a tight ball beside Tony's stomach, avoiding all the wires and tubes at the same time. The exhaustion is beyond a threat now, it's a fact, and Peter's going to act on it soon.

Being close to Tony though, somehow makes it all okay, somehow better. Peter feels safe for the first time since he woke up. He knows that Tony isn't conscious or anything, but Tony won't let anything happen again and for that, Peter is grateful. Peter won't let it either. Peter sees the Winter Soldier takes a seat in one of the crazily arranged chairs, Happy grumpily doing the same near the door before Peter falls asleep, listening to the rhythmic pattern of Tony's breathing.

000o000

Tony gradually becomes aware of something warm curled against him and he fights to open his eyes and sees blurry haze for a second before everything snaps into focus and Peter's sleeping form is revealed to him. Someone appears to have tossed a blanket on the kid and Tony can't help the overwhelming relief as he sees him. Peter's alive, Peter's safe, Peter is perfectly fine. Though Pepper had assured him to the best of her ability, Tony refused to believe it until he saw it.

How he got here, Tony doesn't really care for only that he's here.

Tony ignores the deep ache of his chest and lifts his heavy arm to run it through the kid's hair. Peter relaxes to the touch. Everything about him seems to be tense and somehow frightened and Tony doesn't like it. It makes him want to find the nearest suit of armor and kick anyone and anything.

Tony turns his head slightly and spots Pepper, as every time he's woken up as much as he can remember is sitting in the chair next to him. This time, though, the room is empty save the three of them. Tony lets out a soft groan to catch her attention or announce that he's in pain—he's not really sure, but Pepper clicks the phone she's using off and smiles at him.

"Hey," she says, softly and Tony gives a tight smile in response.

He glances down at Peter again before looking back at his wife, "How long has he been here?" He asks.

Pepper purses her lips together, "About four hours. Tony..." She pauses for a second, then gnaws on her inner lip, "Did you know about the nightmares?"

Tony squints in confusion, "The what?"

"Nightmares," Pepper explains, then sighs a little, "I guess not. Did you know that the Vulture dropped a building on him? I—I don't know. He woke up about two hours ago in a panic and Wanda had to force him to sleep again because we couldn't get him to calm down."

Pepper purses her lips together and closes her eyes before reaching out a hand to Peter's hair to take Tony's in her own. Tony lets her before they both rest their joined hands against the back of Peter's head. "You've both got a long road of recovery." Pepper murmurs and Tony shrugs in answer with a small nod.

"I know."

Pepper gives a grimaced smile, "But you aren't going to be alone."

000o000

Tony has often heard people say that the road to recovery is a long, slow process and honestly for him? He's never gone through something quicker. One moment he's on the bed, dying of boredom and pain the next he's on his feet and unable to stop moving. He drives the nurses to the brink of insanity, slips through the doctors with practiced ease, and manages to wander the whole extent of the Tower's medical before he was caught by Steve.

The captain had given him raised eyebrows, but didn't look surprised and dragged him to the nearest chair where the two awkwardly exchanged small talk for a few minutes before Steve had turned and admitted, "Tony, I am sorry about what happened to your parents. I wish I could have told you sooner...I didn't know how."

"It was probably for the best," Tony had agreed, "I'm not...I don't know. I'm still angry, but I guess…"

Words don't come easily. But instead of of breaking into a shouting screaming match with Steve like most people would expect him to do, Tony and he exchange a further conversation before he goes to find a bed to crash onto.

Even as much of a handful of a patient as Tony is Peter, to some extent, is worse. After he could stay conscious for more than an hour or so he had insisted he was fine to anyone who would hear him and weaseled from the hospitals group wandering the halls of Avenger's Tower with something close to amazement and giddy joy.
Because of Peter's condition, Tony had offered to let May and their kid stay in the Tower until things resolved. After some prodding on Natasha's part, Peter borrowed her friend and texted his friends. Ted? Led? Ned. Ned and Michelle.

Did Tony know about the nightmares? No, he didn't, and after some wrangling, he and May manage to get Peter to agree to sleeping pills and Natasha, because she's unnervingly perceptive about things like this, pulls up a list of recommended therapists that work with teenagers. Tony called his own and asked if she would see Peter, and things sort of turn into a mess.

Peter comes back from the first appointment with May and refuses to speak with anyone or leave the room he was sharing with May.

The only reason that Tony managed to drag him from it (with careful avoidance of the doctor) was demands that he help him decorate the Christmas tree that Clint had dug out of storage a few days ago. It's December twenty third and Tony wants to pretend that everything is normal.

That the last month didn't happen and wasn't so much of a mess.

When Peter refuses, Tony grasps his arm and bodily drags him to the communal room to where Clint and Steve were arguing over the best way to set the tree up, Steve waving a instruction manual violently. Bruce was attempting to sort the branches out and occasionally giving the two a glance his expressions just as easily readable as Tony remembers them being. The sight was so familiar that Tony's heart had ached with just how much he missed this—living in the Tower with them. Just...them.

Wanda's laughter had rung up followed quickly by Natasha's, May's and Pepper's as the women separated various ornaments. The entire process took maybe two hours and by the end he and Peter were slumped against the couch, exhausted the other's teasing them about their "wimpiness" Peter had grabbed some of the cranberry-popcorn-train-thing-that-Tony-can't-remember-the-name-of and threw it at their faces as Tony high-fiving him exhaustively a moment later with a cackle of laughter.

The mess is hard to clean, but Peter's laughter is worth it.

On Christmas night after spending a large majority of the day binging movies and eating far too much junk food than is healthy, Tony steps onto the landing bay of Avenger's Tower folder clutched under one arm. The weather chill and Tony is extremely grateful for the warm purple jacket he snagged from Bruce before coming out here. Peter had disappeared from the celebrations nearly an hour previously and Tony had allowed him some space for a little bit.

Tony inhales through his nose the cold air sharp against his lungs, but he ignores it staring at the shape of Peter a dozen or so feet away sitting at the edge of the landing bay. His legs are dangling over the side and he has something on his lap that Tony is pretty sure is the phone Tony gave him earlier. He made it from scratch.

He had plenty of time between recovery and being forced into doing nothing by the bullies he calls teammates to build it.

Tony moves forward, not bothering to be quiet and Peter glances back at him for a moment. After a few seconds Tony reaches about a foot from Peter's back and stares out at the city below. The lights are twinkling happily towards them the clouds covering the smog.

Tony glances back at Peter's head and clenches the paper in his left hand slightly tighter. As he suspected Peter holds the newly gifted phone on his lap his hands lax as he stares down at an image blinking.

There's almost a full minute of silence before he speaks: "What are you doing out here, Mr. Stark?"

Tony's fingers clench around the folder and he walks forward, barely repressing a roll of his eyes in annoyance. "How many time do I have to remind you that it's Tony, kid?"

Peter gives a slight smile. Tony shakes his head and releases a sharp breath before whacking Peter on the head with the folder and drops it onto his lap as he takes a seat beside him.

Peter gives a yelp of surprise at the action and grasps the yellow paper on instinct before looking at Tony in surprise his eyebrows lowering in frustration. "Why did you do that!?" He cries in indignation. Tony rolls his eyes and nudges his elbow into Peter's upper arm.

"Just read it."

Peter shoots Tony a slightly wary look before he flips the folder open and Tony watches his expression carefully. There's confusion then his eyebrows shoot upwards to his hairline disappearing behind his long bangs. The Parker whips his head up so quickly to Tony he's afraid for a small moment it will swing off of his neck. Peter's hands are shaking slightly and it takes him a moment to get his tongue to work right.

"Are you serious?"

Tony nods and turns, "I am. May was pretty insistent. It was mostly her idea." He admits, rubbing at the back of his neck.

Peter stares down at the joined custody papers his brown eyes wide and sweeping over everything again and again. He turns to Tony and tosses the paper to the side before wrapping him in a tight hug so quickly that Tony gives a highly unmanly yelp before hesitantly returning the gesture. Peter's grip is tight and Tony holds him gently.

"Merry Christmas, Underoos." Tony says softly and rubs a hand along Peter's back. Peter gives a muffled strangle-sounding laugh, like he's holding back tears, before softly replying: "Merry Christmas, Dad."

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! =)

Fun facts about the story that you probably don't have to know:

Ms. Tren was in chapter three. There's a line in there that says "a young blonde woman rams into her left shoulder" or something to that extent. That's when the tracking device was inserted ;)

Loki has a cameo. I'm completely ignoring Ragnarok, so I mean, yep. Man in the elevator next to May? Loki.

May originally died in the 2017 version, but I was like, "why?" when I re-edited and so now she lives.

Anyway. Alright. Thank you guys so much for reading! You're amazing, don't you forget that! ;)