Make Him Proud, Peter Parker

TEN. you won't let him down, peter parker

During the ride from the hospital in Manhattan to upstate New York, Peter had found it hard to keep quiet. He was sure Rhodey would have much preferred it that way probably, but the ability just wasn't within him.

"So, aliens again, huh?" Peter went on, pressing a button here or there in the suburban.

He stopped only when he realized Rhodey was spending more time eyeing him than paying attention to the road ahead.

"I guess you could say that. I don't really know what we're looking at yet. Stark Tower was destroyed and by the time we got there, she was gone." Rhodey responded, leaning forward to turn the radio down.

"So, there's just one? She came alone?" Peter inquired, watching as Rhodey retrieved something from the center console.

He then tossed a small tablet to Peter. Peter caught it and held it up, watching as the screen lit up. The holographic revealed a portal opening up on the roof of Stark Tower; Peter recognized this because he and Nellie had watched many sunsets sitting up top together. He continued watching as a woman emerged from the portal, more human-like than Peter would have guessed.

Her hair was dark, her complexion pale and angular. She appeared in human form, yet her hands engulfed in flames soon after stepping out onto the roof. As if by magic, which Peter knew better than to dismiss, she caved the roof in and the building burst into flames. The camera footage went fuzzy before turning black entirely.

Peter lowered the tablet to his lap with a heavy breath.

"That's what the security cameras channeled to the Avengers Facility right before the building blew to pieces," Rhodey spoke again, gripping the steering wheel a bit tighter.

"Why were the cameras still sending feedback to the Facility? I thought Tony sold it a few years ago. . ." Peter wondered, not able to place the pieces of this puzzle on his own.

Rhodey glanced at Peter, "Who do you think Tony sold the tower to?"

He paused in response, thinking about what Rhodey may have meant. It only took him a moment to run down a mental list of people Tony actually liked.

"Happy." Peter exhaled, looking out at the cornfields they were now passing in the vehicle.

They'd left the heart of the city long ago, heading to the Avengers Facility -- or what was left of it. From what Rhodey had explained during the car ride, there were parts of the compound undamaged in their final battle against Thanos. Fortunately, Tony left behind more than enough funds for the Avengers to rebuild. It just took time to do so.

"That would explain why he's in the hospital then. But how could Happy--"

"Afford it?" Rhodey forced a chuckle that lacked humor, "I'm betting Tony gave him a pretty hefty 'discount.' Tony wasn't leaving that place to some corporate company to turn into an overrated office building. No, he wanted to give it to someone he trusted."

Peter nodded understandingly; it made more sense to him now. Stark Tower was no longer Tony's, but it was still connected to him somehow. Or at least it was. Probably because he knew at some point, the Avengers might reunite, and if so, they'd need a place to come back to. Peter was sure he hadn't predicted that having been anytime soon, though.

"So, this lady's obviously operating on outdated information, right? You think she probably targeted Stark Tower for Tony?" Peter knew he had a lot to learn, and he was hoping this was just the beginning.

Rhodey shrugged, "I'm sure Tony still has a lot of enemies out there, kid. It's hard to say which one of 'em it could be."

Peter shook his head, confused, "But I thought Mr. Stark won pretty much every fight."

Rhodey chuckled dryly as he took a sharp right turn onto a backroad, "Yeah, he'd love to hear that right about now. But think about it, Parker. Every battle we fought, every enemy we defeated. . .the Universe is all connected. My best guess?" He glanced over at Peter, his face old and tired.

Peter raised his eyebrows, waiting for him to continue, "What would that be?"

Rhodey looked back at the curving gravel roads, the sound of gravel crunching beneath the tires as they moved.

"Everybody's got somebody. It's hard to tell whose loved one Tony may have killed. Even of those who seemed unlovable."

Peter remained quiet as he thought about Rhodey's words. He'd never taken this in account before. Even the bad guys had family. . .friends. It was only a matter of time before those that had lost were going to come for their vengeance. And now the remaining Avengers were left to clean up the mess, a few good soldiers short.

He watched as the treeline cleared and the warehouses surrounding the demolished Avengers Facility were revealed on the horizon. Being back gave Peter an unsettling feeling.

Rhodey pulled up outside one of the warehouses that remained in-tact, several other cars parked in the grass surrounding it.

"Who came?" Peter asked, looking out of the window at the area.

There was still so much damage from the battle that had ensued there what felt just like yesterday to him. He felt his hands grow clammier by the second. He was unsure if he'd even be able to grip the handle of the car door.

"Some never left," Rhodey replied, rather solemnly. "Including me."

Peter took his eyes away from the window and turned back to Rhodey. He put the car in park and turned the engine off, but sat there a moment longer looking out of the windshield.

"This isn't going to be the same, Peter. I need you to know that. The Avengers are far from done, but not everybody could stay. They needed time. . ."

Peter swallowed. So did I, he thought, but I didn't get much of a say in the matter.

"I wanna do this, Rhodey. I don't want to let him down."

Another minute of silence hung over them like a thick cloud before Rhodey made the first move, opening his car door.

"You won't," Rhodey replied as he stepped out, then closing the door.

Peter blinked away a tear that was threatening to spill over. The feeling inside of him was overwhelming. He felt as if he had so much riding on his shoulders. Tony's legacy, to which he could never live up to, was waiting for him right outside that car. He feared --he knew -- he wasn't ready, deep down. He tried to convince himself he was, but he couldn't.

He thought about Nellie. And Aunt May. They needed him, and because of that, he knew what he had to do. They were impossible footsteps to follow, but they were counting on him. The world was counting on him. Tony had served his time, and now it was Peter Parker's turn to protect the homeland. Even if it took a few missteps. He'd have to figure it out along the way.

"You're an Avenger now," Peter whispered to himself, barely audible.

Rhodey was almost to the door of the warehouse by then, but he stopped and glanced over his shoulder to see if Peter was following.

Peter took in a deep breath, and slowly reached for the car door handle. He gave it a tug, and watched it pop open. His eyes lowered to the grass they were parked on. His heart sunk. He heard himself sniffle, and he couldn't stop it. He watched the tear finally drop, falling to the ground as he pushed himself out of the car.

Peter put a foot down, the grass growing tall above his foot. He was stepping onto the ground where the final battle had taken place. He was stepping onto the ground that he'd reunited with Tony after five years of not existing.

He was stepping onto the ground where Tony Stark took his last breath, ending the era of Iron Man.