Written by Sara K.

"Aunt May I'm going to be fine!"

Peter handed her the bag by the door. The apartment keys in hand as well.

She stood in the doorway; her backpack on, taking the duffle from him before taking the keys as well.

"Peter maybe I shouldn't go-"

"No no no," Peter perked up, moving to block the doorway. "We talked about this for a month! You deserve a break!" He nodded.

"But what if-"

"It's one week! I'll live I swear!" He chuckled.

She let out a long sigh.

Peter rested his hand on her shoulder, a bright smile on his face. "You've been taking care of me forever. I want you to go alright? I'm just gonna be inside playing video games and hanging out with Ned all week."

"And getting your physics project done?"

"Yes," Peter nodded. "I will have a fully functional mini roller coaster when you get back."

May gave him a small half smile. She press the palm of her hand against his cheek.

"And no spider activities right?"

"Aunt May-"

"No Peter. None."

Peter bit his lip and turned to the ground. He let his shoulders drop before turning back up to her.

"I promise."

May rubbed her thumb over his cheek. Her eyes showing how much she wanted to stay. How much she hated leaving. She then moved her hand behind his head and pulled him into a hug.

Peter wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed tightly. He buried his head in her shoulder and held her close.

"I'll be ok."

She held onto him there a few more moments, closing her eyes and sighing. May then pulled back, only enough to were her face was in front of his. She took his head and pulled him down so she could press a kiss on his forehead.

Peter smiled as she pulled away. "Go, have fun."

May nodded, flashing him a warm smile before wiping her eyes and picking up her bag once more.

"I love you."

"Love you too Aunt May."

"I'll check in once I get on board."

"Ok,"

"And once I land."

Peter shook his head, chuckling. "Alright."

"And when I get to the hotel!"

"Bye Aunt May!"

She gave him one last smile before making her way down the hall. Peter watched her a moment before stepping back inside and flipping the lock.

He pressed his back against the door and let out a long deep breath. He stood there a moment before whipping out his phone from his pocket.

Peter pressed a few buttons before holding the speaker to his ear. The phone rang as he made his way to the living room. He kept his eyes on his feet with each step before jumping onto the cushions of the couch. He bounced a bit on his knees before the phone finally picked up.

"Hey Peter!"

"Hey Ned, what time you coming over?"

"Oh crap...uh...I don't think I can."

"What?" Peter stopped moving. "Why not?"

"Cause my dad's pissed I failed that Spanish test." Ned sighed. "Then he started telling me how I need to take responsibility for stuff and now he's making me go job hunting."

"It's spring break!"

"Tell that to my dad."

Peter tilted his head up to the ceiling and let out a long groan.

"Maybe you can call MJ to hang out."

"No she's out of town with her family." Peter stepped up on the arm rest of the couch. He then fell backwards, landing his head on a throw pillow and kicking his feet up on the other side. "Plus I think Aunt May would flip if I had a girl over while she was gone."

"Well being home alone is better then this, trust me."

"Yeah I guess so."

"Sorry dude, I'll call you later ok?"

"Ok, bye Ned."

"See ya."

"No make sure I got six, last time they only shipped five."

Tony tapped a few blue files and moved it to the other screen. He read off the information while taking a sip from his mug.

"Do you want it shipped here to the Tower or the Avengers Facility?"

"Uh, the facility is fine Friday."

"Sure thing boss."

"Hey and make sure it's expedited. I'm not waiting a month to put this together. By then I'll probably have a different obsession."

"You got it."

Suddenly, a buzzer went off by his desk.

Tony looked through his glass screen at the small blinking light.

"What's that?"

"Your 4 o'clock is here sir."

"My 4 o'clock? I thought that was Pepper's thing; meetings."

"She left this morning boss."

"Right." Tony nodded vaguely; taking another drink of coffee. "Who is it?"

"Jessica Taylor. She's part of a small cooperation called Parks Intelligence."

"Uh huh." Tony closed his files, opening up a tab on the company. "What do they want?"

"Funding and selling shares of the start up."

"Must be pretty fresh off the drawing board." Tony flipped through the search pages. "I don't even see their name online."

"Well they are a start up."

"And why should I give them money?"

"I think that's the point of her being here. To tell you why."

"I don't remember uploading sarcasm into your mainframe."

"Huh, wonder where I learned it from then."

Tony smirked. "Alright send her in then."

He pushed the glass panels out of his way and rolled up the sleeves of his gray T-shirt; placing his mug back on his desk.

The door opened to reveal a woman in her mid thirties. She had dark long hair and wore a black blouse with a matching pencil skirt. Bright red lipstick popped from her pale features. She held a small binder in her arms and wore a bright smile once she caught sight of Tony.

"Mr. Stark." She stepped up to him, the door shutting behind her. She held out her hand to greet him.

Tony smiled, just like he did every time he had one of these meetings.

He took a hand out of his pocket before taking hers. "Miss Taylor." He shook it once before gesturing to the seat on the other side of his desk. "Please, have a seat."

"Gladly." She nodded.

Tony then made his way to the seat opposite of her. He waited as she opened up her binder and flipped through a few things before she stopped and turned back up to him.

"First off, I just want to thank you for fitting me into your busy schedule and how much of an honor it is to be in the same room with you."

"Oh don't worry, I've been looking forward to this meeting all day." He grinned back.

She smiled before pulling out a file and sliding it across his desk. "I'll get started then." Jessica nodded.

Tony hesitated a moment before pulling it in front of him. He flipped it open to be met with a series of spreadsheets and paragraphs. His lack of motivation blurring everything into a colorful printed mess.

"As you probably already know, Parks Intelligence is a small start up company that focuses on bio organics and any other pie we can stick our thumbs in." She leaned forwards. "We've got a team of fifty so far but we're hoping to recruit more. It's a think tank that runs on pure necessity of how to make our nation more efficient in our energy and oil crisis."

Lazily, Tony flipped through the pages. His face not being able to hide his lack of interest.

"I'm boring you aren't I?"

"Hmm?" Tony looked back up from his desk. "Sorry I just have a hard time reading and listening at the same time, it's a character defect."

She laughed. "You don't have to lie Mr. Stark. I understand, formalities are boring. How about I skip to the interesting part then?"

Tony leaned back in his chair as she placed her binder back on the desk. She pulled out a second file. This time, she only took one page from the sack and passed it over to him.

"Tell me what you see there."

Tony took the paper in one hand and flipped it around to face him. He cocked his head to the side as he looked it over. On the freshly laminated sheet was a picture of his building's arc reactor.

"Something that's mine."

"Indeed." Jessica nodded. "Your arc reactor technology is top of the line in generating clean easily accessible energy. The best there is."

"I have a feeling you've come up with something else." He smirked.

She grinned back. "You're the futurist. How about you tell me."

Jessica then passed him another sheet.

He looked at it only a moment before his eyes got wide. Narrowing his eyebrows, Tony read over the information again; making sure what he was reading was correct.

He rubbed his thumb over his chin as he thought for a moment. "I'm sorry, is this a theory you guys are working on?"

"Actually it's been tested and we're already working on a prototype."

Tony turned his confused gaze away from the paper and back up to her.

"Have I got your attention now?" She smiled.

"How? There's no way you could stabilize something like this-"

"I can send you all the schematics but I'd like to keep it to our company until we've made a deal." She nodded.

Tony put the paper back on the desk and leaned forwards. "So what's this deal your looking for Miss Taylor?"

She stared back for a couple of seconds. Holding onto the dramatic pause before leaning forwards, moving her chair closer.

"I'm going to be honest with you Mr. Stark, we're not looking to run electric cars or neighborhoods. Your arc reactor is enough for that. We're looking for a bigger picture and we need your help to reach that picture." She crossed her arms. "Now we know you've been out of the weapons business with the military for almost, what, ten years now? But we propose something else. Defense."

"Defense?" He raised an eyebrow.

"The best offense is a good defense. We could create the perfect protection against America's worst enemies. With power like this we can create the invincible soldier. We can create an army that is totally undetectable by satellite or camera. We've already created techopathic and phasing technology with it. Imagine how much the government would be willing to pay for something like this."

Tony stayed silent with his hand over his mouth. His expression now blank with no bit of curiosity in it. He glanced down at the paper once more before looking back up at her.

"It sounds like human experimentation."

Jessica bit the lip of her professional smile. "If we move with it, it would obviously be optional."

"Uh huh." Tony kept a finger pressed against the corner of his mouth. With his other hand, he pushed the paper back and forth on the desk's surface. "It also sounds like you're trying to put me back into the weapons game."

"It's not weaponry-"

"Yeah it's defense, I remember." He nodded, flashing her the same professional smile.

He looked over the picture again. "And what's it called?"

"Project Laser." She chuckled. "I didn't come up with the name."

The room stayed silent a moment before Tony turned the paper around to face her.

"Now what would happen if, theoretically, this gets into the wrong hands. What would you do then?"

A pause.

"We wouldn't let it." She said simply, the same plastered smile on her face.

Tony stayed watching her a moment, coping her smile. He nodded and turned the paper back around to him. He gave it one last look before gathering the file together with her photos. Then, he handed it back to her.

"I'm sorry but I can't help with this." He sighed, shaking his head. "It's just too close to weaponry. I got out of that business for a reason and I'm not looking to jump back into it anytime soon."

She stared back at him in silence. Her smile gone now.

"I wish you all the luck with your company." He nodded.

Jessica glanced down at his desk. She pressed her lips tightly together before turning back up to him, another professional smile on her face.

"I'd really hoped you'd help us Mr. Stark."

Suddenly, a hand pressed against the left side of Tony's face.

A loud ringing echoed in his ears as Tony's body went stiff. The air in his lungs froze as he tried to breath. His whole body stopped, he couldn't move.

Panic crashed over him. His senses going into overdrive. Panic and fear. He couldn't move. He couldn't breath.

He groaned as he leaned back in his chair, the file falling from his hand.

"Mr. Stark, I'd like you to meet our founder; Arthur Parks."

At that, a man stepped into Tony's line of sight. He had dirty blonde hair and a scar that cut through his eyebrow. From his neck down to his boots, he wore a black motorcycle type suit with matching gloves. The one pressed against Tony's temple obviously sending whatever pulse that was keeping him from moving.

On the man's face sat a wide devilish grin.

"Well, our founder of our cover up company. But really he's our first test subject. Volunteer actually." Jessica stood. She moved to the other side of Tony; taking a seat on his desk. "We had to run and hide after that stunt you pulled way back."

She picked up the file and tossed it back towards her binder.

Tony's chest was tightening, it was becoming harder and harder to breathe.

"Honestly I don't think it would've mattered if you said yes or no." She laughed. "We'd make you pay for everything you did one way or another. Sadly we can't kill you now, we still need that brain of yours. 'Cause you're right, we can't stabilize it, not yet. But I'm sure you could figure it out for us right?"

Her professional fake smile was gone; it was now a genuine one.

"Oh, you look so confused." She spoke in almost a sing song voice.

Tony grunted and gasped, struggling in his chair. His teeth gritted together tightly.

"See, we had a fearless leader. He could've figured it out. But guess what? You killed him. You took that from us."

Tony stared back at her. His mind still blanking. All he could think about was getting back control of his body.

Then Jessica leaned forwards. The smile still bright on her red lipstick.

"His name was Aldrich Killian."

Tony's heart stopped.

AIM.

The name seemed to float in front of his face.

"Ah and the confusion dissipates." She leaned back.

A new level of panic was rising in Tony's chest.

"Well that's my reasoning for eventually killing you; Mr. Parks has a different one."

The man in question moved close to Tony's face.

Tony could now see a new level a rage in the Arthur's eyes. A new level of anger. A new level of pure hatred.

"My reasoning dates father back then five years ago." He shook his head. "You ruined my life Stark."

Tony grunted. "Get...in line..."

"Oh Stark," Arthur scoffed. "I'm at the front of the line."

Arthur pressed his hand harder, the ringing in Tony's ears grew.

"AGH!" Tony let out a harsh yell. His whole body felt like it was being pulled into himself.

"Parks." Jessica rolled her eyes. "You wanna stabilize or not? Don't fry him completely."

He let up on Tony's face, keeping his hand on though.

Tony took in a few gasping breaths. His body still paralyzed but the pain had lessened.

Jessica placed her elbows on her knees, leaning close enough to where her nose almost touched his.

"Didn't think it'd be so easy to snatch up an Avenger." She shrugged. "Aliens and robots but you couldn't deal with two regular people. It's kind of pathetic."

"You should've...disabled...my security..." He coughed back.

"Oh we did Mr. Stark. No one's coming for you."

Tony smirked. "No one...ever does..."

The whole time they'd been talking, Tony had been reaching under his desk. Struggling with each breath but making it there anyway. Finally, his finger was on the button.

"I think...our meeting's...over..."

Jessica leaned back, confused about his sudden confidence when-

BOOM

Arthur fell back in agony as Jessica flew off the desk. The EMP shockwave took out all the lights of the room along with the rest of the building.

Tony's chair had fallen over and he now tried to keep balance on his hands and knees. The ringing stopped and his hands were back on the wheel of control. He clamped his eyes shut, taking in a few erratic breaths; his body aching everywhere.

"Done the paralyzed thing..." Tony nodded, catching Arthur moaning in pain. "...not a fan."

Then the lights switched on red. The back up power of the building kicking in.

Tony tilted his head to the ceiling.

"FRIDAY, ANY TIME NOW!"

"On it boss."

The closet at the end of the room opened. A suit of familiar red and gold armor came to life.

Tony lifted his arm to it, signaling it towards himself.

A roar was heard as it broke free from its container. Each piece attaching itself to a part of his body. Snaps and hissing was heard until every piece came together. Tony let out a grunt of relief once the lights inside his mask came on.

"What the hell happened?" Tony asked in between breaths.

"They used some form of a paralysis weapon on you. More direct than the one Stane designed. Also it seems to be made up more of an electronic charge than a pulse."

Tony stumbled to his feet. "Well put that on the back burner, right now we have bigger problems."

He looked over to see Arthur was now on his feet as well. Jessica leaning against the desk behind him.

"Like I said," Tony turned on his jets, lifting himself a couple feet off the ground. "Meeting's over dipshits. Do I need to show you the door?"

Suddenly, sparks began to fly around Arthur; his black suit lighting up like Christmas.

"Friday, what's that..." Tony's eyes widened.

"I-I don't know! He's somehow drawing in the power from the building!"

"Well I need you to figure it out pretty fast-"

Tony lifted his arm, the palm of his hand letting out a whir before blasting Arthur backwards.

Except...he didn't go backwards.

The blast absorbed into his suit.

"Well...that's a problem." Tony watched as the blue energy turned into sparks around him.

Arthur laughed. "Whatever you hit me with Stark, I can throw it right back!"

"Then I'll just trying hitting you HARDER!"

Tony sent a few more blasts his way, each one with as much power as he could muster from his suit.

When the firing stopped, Arthur stayed standing; his suit radiating the energy.

"Friday, I'm gonna need more juice to fry this guy."

"You hit your suit with an EMP wave, it's still trying to recover!"

"Well how long is that going to take?"

"Thirty minutes at the least."

"That's not gonna work- AH!"

Suddenly, Arthur charged against him, knocking Tony into a wall.

Tony groaned and looked up to see him a few inches from his face plate. He wound up his arm, ready for a punch; the sparks and energy all focusing around his fist. A loud screeching whir came from the electricity gathering together.

Tony's eyes widened with a bad feeling sinking in his stomach.

"That's not good..."

BAM

Tony felt that hard. He looked up to see the battery level of his suit drop by 20%

"Ugh...that's really not good."

A heat then began to generate around his breast plate.

"Your shell can't hold you forever." Arthur laughed.

"Friday, revert power to the arc."

"He'll just absorb it!"

"Yeah, but it'll get him off of me."

Tony saw the blue glow reflect off of Arthur's face as his arc charged up. Tony then jerked back as the pulse blasted outwards, pushing Arthur to the ground and blasting through one of the giant windows facing the city.

"Boss, we're at 40% power now!"

"Yeah I got that- you got any good news for me?"

"You'd have a better chance of killing him outside the armor."

"That's not good news Friday."

"ARGH!" Arthur grabbed his shoulder plates; his energized hands singing the metal.

He then flipped Tony upwards, throwing him to the other side of the room.

Tony could feel a line of blood dripping from whatever wound he developed on his forehead.

"You wanna see what I can really do?"

"Not really lightning rod." Tony groaned, shifting in the rubble of the wall behind him. "Maybe put yourself back in a bottle? That'd be really impressive."

Arthur laughed. "You've always talked too much Stark."

"Yeah well...call it a character defect."

"Are you ready kids? Who lives in a pineapple under the sea-"

"The Giants are down by four, they'll have to pick up their defense if they want to-"

"Do you even know how to bake a cake? There is no flour in this at all-"

"If the President wants to make a change to tax reforms then he has to move the-"

"To buy NOW you just have to call the number at the bottom of your screen-"

Peter kept his thumb on the channel button of the TV.

It turned out a friend did come out to hang out with Peter after all.

A friend he knew quiet well;

Boredom.

Every minute that passed gave Peter another reason to let out a long dramatic sigh. God, he just needing something interesting. Anything at all.

Then he flipped the channel to a headline that read:

"STARK TOWER ATTACKED"

Be carful what you wish for.

Peter froze; his finger off the button.

"A little while ago, the building had shut into an emergency mode. Witnesses stated seeing all the power shut off with only red lights inside." A reporter standing in front of the building spoke."Now, there have been reports of Iron Man sightings from people in other buildings high enough to see. The window to Mr. Stark's office has been reported to have shattered along with other pieces of the building falling onto the street below as well. We cut now to our helicopter view of the building- David?"

The screencut to an almost eye level of the shattered window. The helicopter still a good distance away from the building.

"Thank you Claire. We report we have seen Mr. Stark battling in his armor. The attacker is still unclear."

Suddenly, a blast of blue shattered a couple of windows.

"WAIT- there he is!"

Peter jumped up, leaning forwards on the couch once sight of Tony came on.

"What the hell..." Peter whispered under his breath.

Tony's armored fists seemed to be being held back by a glowing yellow figure. It looked like a shadow of electricity.

Peter felt a tinge of fear swell up once the guy began pushing towards Tony. The knees of his armor buckling to the ground.

"It's not looking good Claire. Whatever he's facing, it's big. He might need to call back up on whatever this thing is..."

Peter stared at the screen for a few more seconds before snapping his attention to his backpack.

He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, covering his face.

Peter was able to stay like that for only a moment before glancing back up at the bag.

"Ughhhh" Peter sighed.

He gave his head one last shake before leaping up off the couch. He swung the back pack over his shoulder and turned to the open window of his living room.

"I'M SORRY AUNT MAY!" He shouted, just before leaping out into the city.