It's About Time

Ch. 5

It was the Sunday before his first day of school.  Peter was bubbling with excitement.  All summer long they had been working on changing his legal name on all his documents from Peter Stark to Peter Parker.  They had just barely registered him at school before a waitlist began.  Peter had been bouncing the entire time and hadn't calmed down since Friday.  Ned and Michelle had spent the weekend at Stark Tower, running Peter through things like how to not look like a loser (Michelle), how to avoid bullies (Ned), and which clubs were the best to join (Ned said Lego; Michelle said Literature).  Overall, his two friends drowned him in information about what to expect and Peter was loving it.

"Come on, Peter!"  Ned called, running towards the store.  Although it was a little late, Pepper was finally taking Peter shopping for school supplies.  Tony would have come, but his presence would have drawn attention and that was exactly what they wanted to avoid.

"We're coming,"  Peter replied, hurrying after his cousin.  Pepper and Michelle followed at a much slower pace, Michelle with her nose in a book and Pepper fumbling with her purse.  By the time they entered the store, Peter and Ned had grabbed a shopping cart and were waiting impatiently.

"Alright, let's go,"  Pepper said.  She put her purse in the child's seat and followed the boys to the school supplies section.  Michelle followed, still reading her book and still further behind.  "You boys find what you can here then we'll look somewhere else for the rest."  Peter and Ned nodded before shooting off down the aisles.  Pepper parked the cart out of the way and she and Michelle stood by it.  Peter and Ned grabbed stuff and dropped it in the cart, racing back and forth until they had finally found everything they could.

"I need a backpack too, Mom,"  Peter reminded her.  She nodded and walked to the cash register.

"We can go look somewhere else for that,"  she promised.  Peter nodded and helped load things onto the belt.  Pepper paid for all the supplies then followed the boys out to the car.  When they got there, Pepper had Peter and Ned put the bags in the trunk.  She looked around for Michelle but didn't see her.  "Where's MJ?"  she asked the boys.  They grabbed the last few bags then looked around the parking lot.

"Wasn't she with you?"  Peter asked.  Pepper began to panic as she looked around the parking lot again.  "Don't worry.  I'll run inside and see where we left her."  Peter put the two bags he was holding in the trunk then ran back inside.  Michelle was sitting on a bench, deep in her book.  She only looked up when Peter tapped on it.

"What?"  she asked.

"We're leaving,"  he told her.  She nodded and stood up, walking with him out to the car.  Pepper sighed in relief when she saw them both returning then issuers them into the car.

"We have a backpack to find,"  she told them.

* * *

Michelle and Ned had to go home after dinner.  Pepper promised to pick them both up the next day, though, so the three friends could go to school together.  They waved goodbye to Peter as they got in the elevator and Peter waved back until the doors shut.  Once his friends were gone, he raced around to make sure all his school supplies were in his backpack so he wouldn't forget any.  He then went into his bedroom to find the perfect outfit for his first day.  That's how Tony found him two hours later: holding up shirts in the mirror then tossing them back only to pick them back up five minutes later.

"You excited, Peter?"  Tony asked.  Peter dropped the shirt he was holding up and turned to face his dad.  He nodded excitedly and Tony walked into the room to sit on his bed.

"I know you don't want me to go,"  Peter said.  He tossed some shirts out of his way and joined Tony on his bed.  "Thank you for letting me go, though.  I promise I won't make you regret it."  Tony chuckled and looked down at his hands that were folded in his lap.

"No, Peter, you'll have a wonderful time,"  he said.  He glanced up at his son briefly before continuing.  "I think the main reason I didn't want you to go was because it would mean you're all grown up.  You're gonna do real well, Peter, and I don't want to be the reason you're held back."

"You aren't!  If anything, you help me,"  Peter rushed to assure him.  Tony smiled and nodded, still not looking up at Peter.

"I want you to know I'm proud of you, kiddo,"  he said.  He turned to look up at Peter.  "I hope you enjoy school, but try not to let the other kids ruin your relationship with Ned and Michelle.  Other kids will probably try and make you ditch your friends, but don't do it.  You'll just regret it."  Peter nodded, soaking in every word his dad was saying.  "You'll also learn that other kids don't find it "cool" or whatever to tell your parents everything or be friends with them, but don't cut out me and Mom."

"I won't!"  Peter immediately objected, looking horrified at the idea.  "I love you guys and nothing is gonna change that." 

"I'm gonna hold you to that, Pete,"  Tony said.  Peter nodded and before Tony could say anything else, Peter launched himself at his dad and hugged him tightly.  Tony wrapped his arms around Peter's shoulders and kissed the top of his head.

"If I try and get rid of you and Mom, make sure you go all Iron Man on me,"  Peter said, voice muffled by Tony's chest.  Tony chuckled and nodded.

"Don't worry,"  he said.  "I will."