Spider-Man: Coming Back Home

Chapter 4

"Hey, kid," Tony's recording flickers. "I hope I got to see you again."

Peter feels shocked that he didn't know about this. "What is this, Pepper?"

Pepper motions to the message. "I made this just in case things go wrong, and I'm not coming back." Tony looks content and brave in the projection, his eyes lit up with determination and dignity. "So, here we go.

If you sat down and told me, I dunno, fifteen years ago, that I'd wanna be a parent, I'd written you off as wrong. But then I met you, Peter. I've never really been good with touchy-feely emotions, so I'm guessing this is gonna be rough..." Tony laughs under his breath. "I met you, Peter, and once you said you wanted to be a kid, to grow up like a kid, I knew that you weren't like anyone I'd ever met. I knew.

And maybe that's why I was quick to get you into the fight when you shouldn't have been in it. I could tell from that look in your eye that you wanted things to be right. And I've seen that look before. In me.

So you're why I wanted kids. And Morgan in her bedroom is here today because of you. Because of you, my life's better.

Now, I don't know what the circumstances are that you're watching this, but I'm probably not there. And what I can say is, remember that really old movie The Empire Strikes Back? Well, I'm the force ghost...

Anyway... oops, I gotta go. Morgan, that robot arm doesn't go there!" The message stops. Pepper looks up from the recording to see Peter on the floor now, sobbing. He never knew about this side of his father. No one did.

"There's another recording," Pepper crouches down beside her son, "if you want to see it..."

"No, that's okay, M-" Peter stops himself. "That's okay, Pepper."

"It wasn't your fault, you know."

"What?" Peter looks at Pepper with a startled look in his eyes, eyes darting around her beautiful face. "Wh-"

"He may have done it for you and died for you, but it's not your fault. Loving your son is no one's fault." Pepper looks into Peter's eyes now with deep sorrow, with love in the center of her gaze.

"I-"

"Open this door, now!" A random voice comes in from the hallway. It's a deep, raspy tone. "Now!"

Morgan screams as Peter opens the door and sees the three men in the hall holding the five-year-old hostage. Peter's eyes widen sharply as he thinks of a way out of this.

"Morgan!" Pepper shrieks as she sees her little girl being held by her arms, struggling to get free. "What do you three want? Lemme guess... money?"

"Uh... yeah..." The skinnier of the three sheepishly responds. "And if you don't give it to us, she dies," the man collects himself and points his gun at Morgan's tiny, heart-shaped head.

Peter, out of instinct, does a back flip toward the three guys and shoots a web towards the guy holding Morgan. The white web sticks to the man's face, which Peter uses to discombobulate the crook. Unexpectedly, the man fires his shotgun without aim, the bullet landing in Morgan's arm. "Morgan!" Peter loses control now, angry that someone would be vile enough to hurt someone so innocent. Before he knows it, he's caught the men in one big, strong web, tied up so they can't escape. "Go call someone," Peter calls to Pepper, who is behind him, cowering in fear. However, before she goes to call the police, she turns, walks toward the guys that threatened her family's lives, and kicks one of their faces with the back of her heel. She then runs to the other room, where she left her phone.

Several hours later, at the hospital, Morgan is sitting in a hospital bed after the surgical removal of the bullet when she turns to Peter. "Why did they do that?"

Peter sighs. "They are bad guys. They're why people like superheroes are around."

"Oh, then I should thank them!" Morgan smiles.

"What?!" Peter asks.

"They got you here."

"Oh. I guess so," Peter laughs softly.

"Morgan, it's time to say goodnight to Peter," May says. She came as soon as she got the call that Morgan was hurt. She knew Peter would be hurting, too. "Peter has to sleep, and so do you. Plus, we have to get cookies to give you."

Morgan's eyes light up. "Okay! Goodnight, Peter!" Morgan leans outward to hug Peter. "I love you." She whispers.

"I love you too, Morgan."