Dependence

Chapter 8

I've been using Chrissy Costanza as a face claim since I was fourteen, probably the one thing that hasn't changed about my writing XD

          Pepper was a superhero all her own. She cleaned up Tony's messes- big and small- with all the style and grace of an angel sent from heaven. It took only seconds after Friday notified her of the situation for her to get to work at making sure the twins were safe. Luckily Tony's AI knew exactly where they were and the woman was able to get there only an hour after the fact (she purposefully waited so that they could have some space).

The cemetery the Parker family was buried at wasn't anything special. It was a normal, dreary, plot of land, lined with different shaped headstones above the bodies of different peoples loved ones. One spot of land belonged specifically to the Parker's.

Pepper found the twins sitting in front of their mother's grave, silent tears running down Peyton's face as she stared at the headstone in front of her. Peter, however, stared straight ahead with a stony look on his features. The CEO eased herself down next to the teenage girl. The three didn't talk for several minutes.

"Did you know too?" Peter finally croaked out. Pepper flinched at the unexpected sound but adjusted quickly.

"Yes. I did. I'm sorry." she said. The twins shared a look

"Don't be. None of this is on you. You were just doing what your fiance asked of you." Peyton said.

"Yeah... what's on your minds?" she asked.

"Hm, there's a long lost to choose from. The fact that Tony Stark is our father, the fact that he's known our entire lives and didn't care at all, the fact that he came back just so he could use my brother, the fact that he promised to help us find our father which was him the entire time. You pick." Peyton said. Pepper sighed sadly.

"When the two of you were born, Tony was a different man. He was still in his party phase. Drinking, gambling, one-night stands, all of that. So when your mom showed up, he wasn't ready to be a father. He was irresponsible, reckless, selfish. He kept tabs on the two of you, though. When he found out Peter was the kid running around Queens in his pajamas he had a panic attack. He didn't show up just because he needed help. He showed up because he was worried and wanted to give Peter protection. Why do you think he took the two of you in three months ago? He cares about you." she said. Peyton frowned, deep in thought.

"He lied." Peter said, "He lied about everything."

"He didn't do it out of ill intent." Pepper promised.

"That doesn't changed the fact that he lied, Pepper." Peter sighed. Pepper opened her mouth to reply but Peyton beat her to it.

"I think Pepper is right, Peter. Tony has done so much. I know it can't make up for all of the crap and the years but... he tried... He's trying. Maybe we could try and work things out." she said. Peter looked at her incredulously.

"I can't believe you of all people are the one saying this! You've never even liked him that much!" he exclaimed.

"Not at first, no, but he's been growing on me. Besides, I'm trying to be rational. Fair." she said. He stood up.

"Fair?! Peyton, nothing about this is fair! We deserved to know! I can't believe you're siding with him." he said. She stood up as well and Pepper followed in pursuit, ready to step in if things went too far, for now, though, she needed to let them hash it out.

"I'm not siding with anyone, Peter. Come on, you're supposed to be the loving, bubbly, optimistic one! I have always stood by you, Peter, in everything, even when- like you said- I didn't like Mr. Stark! I've always listened to you and considered what you were saying, can't you do the same and consider my side as well? He's our father, nothing we do is going to change that."

"We don't have to like it. He used me! He lied to us and used me and you want to just let that all go like it meant nothing?"

"I want to start over. We keep losing people. He's all we have left, Peter!"

"We have each other!"

"AND WHAT IF YOU DIE?!" she screamed. Tears were running down her face again. They both stopped and Pepper watched cautiously. Peyton inhaled a deep breath.

"Peter, what if I lose you? What if Spiderman goes out and Peter doesn't come back? Will I just be alone?" she asked, voice hoarse from shouting. He took a step forward and pulled her into him, frowning as he sat his chin on her head.

"No, of course not. I just- I don't know if I can just forgive him just yet, ya know?" he asked.

"I don't expect you too, I haven't. We can try, though, can't we?" she asked, voice muffled by his t-shirt. He looked up and caught Pepper's eye. She nodded.

"Yeah... Yeah, we can try."

~~~

Peter was willing to try, but he just wasn't ready to face Tony quite yet. Honestly, neither was Peyton. While she and Peter were now on the same page of willingness to open up, they were also both on the page of needing time, so they talked Pepper into leaving them alone and she made Happy drive them to MJ's place where she and Ned were waiting.

"MJ, what is this?" Peyton, who may or may not have been snooping through the girls drawers- picked up a bottle with the label "Nature Max Supplements Fish Oil" on it and shook it to make a rattling noise. MJ rolled her eyes.

"I don't know, some weird pills that are supposed to help my mom lose weight or whatever. I stole them." she said.

"Why?" Peter asked.

"Because she doesn't need them and it's stupid. I steal all of her dieting type pill things." she said with a shrug. Peyton chuckled.

"Remember a couple of years ago when these things gave people super powers?" she asked. MJ nodded.

"Actually, those are from around that same time... Mom, wasn't really too upset about losing them.

"You kept them for that long?" Ned asked.

"Yeah. Gotta a problem with it?" MJ asked, raising her eyebrows.

"No, they're just old." he said.

"Yeah, well, I've been considering taking one to see if I get any superpowers." she said. Peyton laughed. Unlikely. Peter already had powers, he was the one friend that got them, now nobody else could. At least, that was the rule in Peyton's mind.

"Actually, that's a good idea, give me one." Ned said excitedly.

"That's a terrible idea." Peter said.

"Eh, what harm could it do?" MJ asked. Peyton shook her head as MJ opened the bottle and tossed one to him. Ned reached out to grasp at it but it fell to the floor. It didn't stop him from picking it up and downing it with the soda he had.

"Feel any different?" Peyton asked. He shook his head.

"Everyone that changed got wrapped in some crusty cocoon thing, like, right away, so you're out of luck." MJ said before popping one herself.

"This seems like a horrible thing to do." Peyton said.

"It's all natural. It's just one... well, no superpowers, want one? I'd offer you one too, Peter, but you already have superpowers." MJ said.

"No thanks." Peyton replied.

"Oh come on! Maybe you have inhuman blood in you! It would be cool!" Ned said. The three teenagers began to pressure the fourth until she raised her hands.

"Okay, okay, fine. Gimme." she said, holding out her hand. Not like anything would happen anyways. She took the pill and a gulp of Dr. Pepper. At first, she was fine. All of a sudden she felt her bones restricting, her breathing shorten, her body being confined. She felt something crawling its way up her arms and around her body. The last thing she saw, was Peter's horror stricken face. 

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