The trope has been done a gazillion times and I have read twice of it, but I decided that I will also write my own version, especially after getting so angsty after Endgame.

SO, please enjoy and talk to me after! Please?

This is a repost. The original one is in AO3.

Warning: lots of angst, dashes, italics

"I know you can see it. If you listen hard enough, you'll hear it, too. But you're not even trying. I'm sorry for having to ask this of you. But it's been a year. And I've done everything I could. Nothing's working."

Silence.

"I don't beg Pepper. I don't, not usually. But. I'm teetering on the edge of desperation here, and I know you can help."

The silence stretches out.

And then.

"No, Jim. I want to, really, but, I just can't, not now. It's too soon."

"Look at this—that's our school's academic decathlon. They won Nationals in DC, before the snap, and they didn't even have their chem kid there. And when I visited their session today, they were worn out in a way that I've only seen in the eyes of my troops. In the military."

There is a loaded look. It is heavy, but Pepper seems to be carrying something much heavier, so she doesn't falter.

A lock of strawberry-blonde hair falls to her face.

She doesn't move it.

"I asked Harrington. He said they were more alive, then. They joked about, laughed. They were kids, then. But after the snap, it was all just different. These students are one of the brightest in America. But even their grades and performance leave a lot to be desired. They're failing, Pepper, they're falling through. And it's not just them. Robotics, Mathletes, Vanguard—they're all stuck."

There is a certain croak to his voice that doesn't have to do with talking for hours, trying to convince the immovable Pepper Stark-Potts. It comes from something deeper. Like a year-long clawing, searching, and failing to find a solution. Until now.

"And I've been doing everything that I can to bring them back. But everywhere I go, it always leads me here."

This time, Pepper speaks.

"What exactly do you see here?"

It is a calculated question.

Jim Morita, Principal of Midtown Science and Tech High, is more than capable of answering. But he let his mind wander for a bit, the long table stretching out even further, bringing him to the place he's been calling home for a few years now.

There, he sees his students, five years gone in a flash. He sees the dark clouds that fly over their heads. He sees their grades and their papers, and he doesn't see the usual excellence, the usual exuberance, the usual love for learning.

He thinks, after talking to the guidance counselor, that they are using their studies as a distraction for the five years that went and gone.

Or, they're not studying at all, because whatever happened in those five years had been a big enough toll on their young minds to take.

And when Jim Morita looked into the eyes of that one student, the one who seems the most harrowed by it, that kid, Peter Parker, he couldn't just stand by anymore.

He knew he had to do something.

"I see the future here," he starts.

Pepper raises her eyebrows, in a you can do better than that look¸ and he agrees, so he ploughs on.

"I see the foundations of something bright here, something that could speak to my students in a way that an aging man in a suit cannot. I see that this is the best possible place that my students could gain something essential, something life changing. This is the place of Ton—Iron Man— after all," Pepper's eyes quiver, but she holds her head high, "and there is no better place to learn about life once again than the castle of the man who gave his life for it."

"Really, Jim?"

She is tired. More so than he has ever seen. Perhaps, it is because they are friends that she lets him see a fraction of her heart. This is all he needs, because at least he knows Pepper is strong enough to show him that she does, indeed, still have a heart.

That it didn't die along with—

Jim gives her a rueful smile. He did take public speaking before, and he wasn't a general in the military for nothing.

But when he begs, and he usually doesn't, he tries to cover it up with beautiful words. As compensation.

It doesn't work here. And so, with the look of a man as tired as she, he rasps:

"Could you at least—please, consider it?"

There has been a rumor circulating around Midtown Science and Tech High that involves their Principal Jim Morita coming to school from a visit at the Stark Tower upstate, looking very pleased.

It is an understatement though, to call him that. Because Principal Jim Morita wasn't just pleased¸ he was chipper¸ elated, ecstatic, hell he was skipping down the hallway towards the principal's office while singing Don't Stop Me Now by Queen—(Abe swears in his life that was what he saw, but the others won't believe him until he got Ned to hack the school cameras and show the disbelieving students—Michelle—that he was, indeed, skipping.)

The teachers all knows something as well. Seymour saw the teachers all huddled together, speaking in hushed tones, and then proceeding to casually scramble when he burst into the teacher's lounge.

It has been going on for a month now. The excitement and speculation over the whole thing bringing a sort of lightness around the dreary setting.

Peter has been ignoring most of the talk, blocking out everything at the very mention of Sta—. But you could only get so far when, everywhere he goes, he is looking at him.

It's been almost a year now, since The Awakening.

The whole world took a collective break from school, all adjusting as best as they could—the government, the system, the positions left behind and attempting to be reclaimed.

It had been messy. That's why it took a while until Midtown High opened its gates again for the students that have just Awoken.

They all tried to be the same old students, same old kids, but when you look back across the room to share an inside joke, and find your best friend's seat empty, because, right, right, he's in college now, it forces you to reevaluate about the whole life thing and smacks you head first about what could have happened if Tony Stark didn't sacrifice his life for the world.

But that's what he heard from the sobbing kid in lunch earlier.

It's quite hard not to hear it when you've got enhanced hearing.

Sometimes, Peter wishes he didn't have this—everything Spider-Man, the internship, Tony—

Ned nudges him in his side. Peter turns to him. Ned smiles.

For now, everything is quieter. Everything is alright.

A pause.

Pepper closes her eyes.

A breath.

Her eyebrow furrow, and then relaxes.

A sigh.

He doesn't know what this means, but Pepper is looking at him now and he knows he should listen.

"Alright."

Principal Morita blinks.

"Is this—really?"

Not his most eloquent, but whatever.

"Yes, Jim. I'll help you."

In a beat, he collects himself and smiles, "Thank you, Pepper."

Pepper returns his smile and tilts her head forward as a silent 'you're welcome'.

There is a gentle fire in Pepper's eyes, a smoldering flame, not unlike a fireplace during winter, when the guests have left and the children are asleep, and there is only the two of them, Pepper and Anthony, on the couch, talking, and Jim knows he should not be thinking this, but he sees Tony in Pepper's eyes, and he sees love—a love for life that is so monumental that he gave his, in exchange for half the world.

It could be said, then, that Anthony Edward Stark is worth half the population on Earth. And that's if you haven't met him. If you did, you might say, more than half of Earth, or the Universe—he's worth infinity— Jim knows, because he's been in that conversation before and he doesn't want to delve into it again.

And he should really be starting now, the presentation, the plans, but he thinks of Tony and his shocked thank you suddenly isn't enough.

Jim starts— "Really, truly, Pepper, this, everything, thank you."

Pepper's face flickers for a split second, but she recovers immediately, "You, as well, Jim. Give yourself some credit."

And then comes in the child.

She ambles towards her mother, all pretty dress and blue Iron Man helmet on her head.

Morgan Stark.

Pepper turns toward her daughter, hands outstretched as the five-year-old hugged her, "Morgan, honey, did you run away from Judy again?"

Pepper presses a button, revealing the child's pouting face.

"Yeah… she's boring. And I wanted to play with this," she taps her helmet, "but she said I can't, so, I hid!"

"Alright," Jim watches as Pepper laughs genuinely for the first time since he came, "Better run and hide somewhere else, she'll find you here!"

Morgan squeals and scampers off, the two adults watching as she does so.

"She's…"

"Yes. She is," Pepper agrees, love in her eyes, "And she's as amazing as he was."

It comes out of nowhere.

Well.

No.

That's not right.

They've been waiting, listening, watching, for the teachers to spill. What is this secret that's gotten everyone so busy?

Club presidents are called over one afternoon, and when they come back to a barrage of questions, they reply with secret smiles.

The robotics club offer a parcel of information, that their president told them to prepare their best drones and gadgets, and to hone their presentation skills.

The Vanguard's Betty Brant, Editor-in-chief, calls in a meeting, informing them of a big event where they are all to attend, because it is going to be the biggest scoop of the year, and that they should recruit more photojournalists.

Student leaders—from sports captains to mathletes—are always out of class, bustling around, talking in their quiet circle. And everyone wants to know why.

There is a buzzing in the hallway, a deep contrast to the hollow silence and the silent murmurs that always pervaded before. Peter feels it. The undercurrent of energy, a breath of life, they're laughing.

Peter lets out an easy smile after that. He tries to forget, for that second, the burden of Spider-Man.

And he succeeds, for a few gracious moments.

Until.

Flash bumps past him. He sneers.

"Watch it, Penis."

There is a heat to it that was never quite there before, a sort of resentment that speaks of a deeper wound.

Flash here, Eugene, he lost his father. In the bus one second, woke up in the streets the next and then goes home to an urn and a sobbing mother.

Both Flash and his mother had been turned to dust. His father stayed. Until he couldn't take it anymore and shot himself in the head. Flash's uncle manages their business. Technically, Flash owns everything now. At the cost of losing his father.

And that's something Peter understands.

"Flash," Peter calls out, his voice failing him halfway—

What was he gonna say? That he was sorry? Bullshit. Flash doesn't need an apology; he needs his father.

And right now, even though it hurts, when Flash mentions his internship and Mr.— and his 'lies', he takes it. Because he can take it. Because he has to take it or both of them will break, and it is better for only one of them to crack—Peter is prepared to be that one, plus, he deserves it—

"What, Penis? Here to clear up the internship? Heard that's what the fuss is all about. You're probably scared now, huh? Shaking in your boots, trying to stand up to the only one brave enough to call your bullshit."

Peter stands and takes it all.

"What could you ever possibly say about that to make me, or, or anyone, believe that a fraction of that is true? Even if you try now, Tony Stark is dead, no one will believe—"

Peter does not hear the rest of it because he has already turned and walked away before Flash could even finish his name.

They're in Chemistry when it happens.

The sound system cackles to life.

Their teacher stops talking midway.

Everybody knew there was going to be an announcement one day, but they didn't know it was going to be through this.

So much speculation, and with such an anti-climactic reveal?

Or so they thought.

It is Principal Morita that speaks through the system, his voice echoes, "You can clear them now."

Their Chemistry teacher, Ms. Warren, bolts to life.

She is giddy and breathless when she starts—a wild excitement barely held back in her eyes—

Everyone is on the edge of their seats.

If they can make even Ms. Warren like this, then it must be something.

"Okay, class, I know you have been waiting for this for a long time, but now is the time that we finally tell you." She looks around the class with a smile that stretches to its full capacity, an undeniable exhilaration ripples through her body. "Through the efforts of countless teachers and student leaders, and of course, primarily Principal Morita, who was able to get us the deal, it is my pride and enthusiasm to announce, that—"

A room burst into cheers and screams and someone is definitely crying—

Everyone stops breathing.

"—Midtown Science and Tech High School will be visiting the one and only Stark Industries—"

Everyone is screaming.

"—which has relocated upstate, so that means, we will also be going to the Avenger's Compound—"

It is like a stadium in the classroom—

The students are stomping their foot and banging their table, but Ms. Warren isn't finished, oh, she was just getting to the good part.

"But that's not all! Of course, that's not all!" Ms. Warren's grin is as wide as it can get, enjoying the student's reactions, "Pepper Stark-Potts, the CEO of Stark Industries, also just approved our plan for a two-day camping trip there—"

If the screams before was close enough to rupture Peter's sensitive ears, then this could probably do it in completely.

The students are all standing up, hugging each other, crying—

If this was before the snap, the reaction could have been milder. Really. But because this is the first exciting thing that happened to them after everything, it wasn't much of a surprise that they would be shrieking in earnest.

They also know that ever since the Awakening, the Stark Industries has been closed off from the public, recovering whatever it can from the ruins of the war.

Pepper singlehandedly raised the company and Avenger's Compound together, taking on her original role and her husband's responsibilities on her own. Although, there was talk of an apprentice but no one was really able to prove it, given the privacy.

So, they know, that whatever is happening right now, that it's special and they're the only ones who are going to experience this, and witness a phoenix rise from the ashes, the rebirth of a fallen tower, from the ashes of a fallen man.

Peter blinks, hard.

MJ rests her knee on his, sitting on his left, as Ned leans toward Peter's shoulder.

Ms. Warren isn't finished yet.

"I will be discussing the plan with you, until next period, so there won't be a next period, but! But, I need you all to settle down, yes, sit right down Ms. Moon, you too Ms. Avril."

As the last students sit down, with the spontaneous cheers from across classrooms echoing in their sentiments, Ms. Warren continues on.

"As I said, this will be a two-day trip. During the first day…"

Pepper listens intently, nodding along as Jim highlights plans and reasonings.

"…during the first day, it would be best to start with the tour in the Stark Tower. It would be the perfect jump off point for the next day. Which is the mini-Midtown high festival. But before that, a little bonfire by the lake accompanied by music will be good for letting off steam. Plus, it's the perfect bonding experience for the students—to cool off and be kids again."

Pepper hums.

Everyone is looking at each other. Friends vibrating in synchrony and barely contained energy.

Ned shares a look of worry with MJ, above Peter's head, who is slumped in his chair with his hands covering his face.

"…we will be staying in the Avenger's Compound, where it is big enough to house us all. Bring your sleeping bags, because we will be staying there during the night. Yes, in the compound, on the floor, they'll be clearing up two floors for us, yes, it's that big—

"Now, the second day is the most important one. You could even say; it is the highlight of the whole trip. It will be a very busy day, indeed. Because, that is when we will conduct the mini-festival—where all creators of all fields from the school will be given the chance to present their works, the theme: life."

At this, Peter looks up.

"And the thing that also makes this so special is, Principal Morita and Pepper Stark-Potts had agreed on making this an official event, a tribute for the hero, Tony Stark—"

Ned scampers toward Peter, who is already out of the door, his chair scraping and falling on the floor with a loud THWACK!

There is a collective silence at the suddenness of the movement.

MJ sighs, "He's sick Ms. Warren. Leeds is already on it, so if it's alright…"

Ms. Warner simply nods and then continues on.

"And now, on to your behavior during the trip…"

Peter doesn't want to go.

Not so soon.

Not… not for a tribute, because that would mean he's—

(He's dead Peter, he's never coming back, he's—)

Peter is doubling over the sink, he can't breathe, but he doesn't think he should, because if he does, he'll do something worse—he'll cry—

(There is a certain wetness in his cheeks, trailing down from his eyes and to his lips—it is salty, but he doesn't think it is what it is—he's not, he's not crying—)

Ned bursts into the men's room, catching his breath and honing in on his shaking, breaking brother.

Peter notices him in a dull, peripheral way. Somehow, the water is running and if he could, he would drown himself in the sink water, but since he couldn't, he just drowns in his tears instead.

Ned is by his side now, rubbing circle on his back, and he seems to be talking, he could make out some words, but not enough to understand what he means by it.

He doesn't want to go, he doesn't, hedoesnthedoesnthedoesnt—

"I know, Peter. And nobody's making you. You don't have to go."

Did he say that out loud?

(Yes, yes, he did. That's all he's been saying since he ran out of the classroom. And Ned understands.)

Later, when the bell rings for third period, and Peter and Ned are sprawled on the bathroom floor, with the latter rubbing circles on his shaking friend's back, Ned tells him that he doesn't want to go, as well, and that he would join him wherever he wants to go, because that's what best friends do.

They stick with you till the end of the line.

"The students are all going to love it here, Pepper," Jim says, picking up his folder as Pepper stands.

"Well of course. You've thought and you've fought this out for them after all." She looks down, "And, I think this is really good of you, Jim. For caring as much as you do."

Jim stares back at her. He smiles softly.

"Yeah, well, when you've seen the best in a person and you're seeing them at their worst, you would want to bring them back up. Only, multiply it to a hundred for me."

Pepper returns his smile. He is right. In every way that matters, no matter how much it hurt her, he is right.

So. That's it. This is my version of the Peter goes on a field trip to Stark Industries. But, like, darker and with a LOT of italics, commas and cut scenes. Because I like it that way.

Also, the class' reaction is definitely warranted. I know because my school collectively cheered and shouted and basically did everything I described up there, when our class was canceled for the afternoon. That's just how it is.

I had planned this on being a long, long one shot, but then I was eager to post this and I already had a good place to end it without, hopefully, not dragging it out. So, please expect a few more chapters!

Also, also, this is my first published fanfiction since I was 13 and cringey and high on wattpad, so please send me feedback!

Edit: Forgive me for the delayed edit, but the somehow didn't put in the breaks that I had in word. I had to go back to do it again.