Mama Nat [On Hold]

Field Trip, pt 2 ✓

Hands flew up, question after question was thrown at the heroes. Peter and MJ stayed quiet.
"What's it like saving the world?"
"Why is there so much security if you guys live here?"
"Do all of you live here?"
"What's your relationship like?"
"Are any of the heroes dating?"
"Is Spider-Man coming?" And the like were shouted and answered until Peter was called out for staying quiet.
"Peter, you haven't asked anything." Tony pointed out. Natasha and most other heroes perked up and looked straight at him.
"What're you doing here?" Natasha demanded. Before Peter could say anything Flash piped up.
"Told ya you wouldn't be allowed back Parker." The heroes glared at the boy but for the most part ignored him.
"I didn't sign anything to say you could leave school."
"Actually-" Peter trailed off.
"You did. It was disguised as something else." Maria finished for him. Everyone was quiet.
"We know that while you're looking after him for his aunt, you're responsible for his well fair. But he didn't want you to know." Pepper strung together a lie quickly. The heroes looked at her in confusion, agents nodding in agreement, until she shifted her gaze to the teenagers and back again. They all nodded and continued.
"And why is that Pete?" Natasha glared at the boy.
"Uh- because, I uh, because-"
"Out with it." She demanded sharply.
"Uh. I didn't have a chance to tell you alone and I didn't want to others knowing because they're embarrassing?"
"Are you asking or telling?"
"That depends on your reaction." Peter grumbled. At any other time everyone would have laughed.
"Peter."
"I'm sorry. But I didn't want any special treatment or to make a scene and that's exactly what's happening now."
"We wouldn't have -" Tony starts before Wanda interrupts.
"Oh come off it. We all know we would have - or at least, some of us would have - embarrassed him." The smile on her face told everyone she knew all along.
"I'm disappointed in you Peter. You shouldn't lie, and you most definitely shouldn't get other people to help spin your web of lies." Natasha turned her glare to Maria then, who glared back but shifted her right hand anxiously - a tick she'd had since getting away from the KGB.
"Says the spy." Peter quipped.
"You're grounded." Natasha didn't even look at him.
"But-" He tried to protest.
"No buts Mister. Grounded." She was now looking in his eyes, anything but amusement shining through her own green orbs.
"What about-"
"Grounded means grounded." Fitz, Daisy, Coulson, Tony, Scott, Wanda, Rocket, Drax, Shuri, Peter Q, Rhodes, Carol, Hunter and Sam were all laughing at his predicament.
"Fine." The entire class (excluding MJ) was in shock. They had just watched Peter get mothered by the Black Widow while half the universe's heroes laughed at him. Not only that, but they all seemed to know him very well and he was living with them. Flash was surprisingly the first to snap out of his daze.
"What the fu-"
"Language!" Steve interrupted before everyone erupted in laughter and mocked the old soldier. Peter chuckled before he spotted Natasha's glare on him - oh boy was he in trouble.

(⊙_◎)

The rest of the Q&A session went by quickly, efficiently and half in shock. Peter was glad when it was over, but before he could walk out he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. He knew that hand anywhere - his mother. He gulped and stopped moving.
"We'll be keeping Peter." Natasha growled when the teacher turned to call for him when he didn't exit.
"Is-are-um- are you sure?" Natasha sent one glare at the man and he scampered out with the rest of the class, a yelled agreement passing over his shoulder.
"So, while I am proud that you hid this so well, I am beyond angry that you hid it at all." Natasha started, yet her tone wasn't angry - it was filled with disappointment - a voice Peter had rarely heard from his mother.
"I'm sorry." Peter said, upset, but not truthful.
"Are you?" The redhead demanded, the boy shook his head. "Why, Pete?"
"I didn't want everyone to embarrass me!"
"You know full well that I can keep a secret from these lot. So I ask again, why?" Peter looked to Pepper for help, and got only a sympathetic smile, Maria beside her sending an encouraging nod his way.
"I love you, and I love my family and who we live with and what we do."
"But?"
"And I know you try your absolute hardest, and always have."
"Pete?"
"But I don't live a normal life! Everyone at school talks about all these things I just can't comprehend - all these normal, everyday things. Like that one time as a kid they went to the park, fell off a swing and broke their leg. And while they were doing that, I learnt where the most effective place to stab someone is."
"I thought that's what you wanted? To train?"
"I did! I do! I wouldn't change it for anything. I just, I wish we had done some normal things too. Like go to a theme park or something." Noone said anything. "So I lied. And dragged Maria and Pepper into it so that I could pull it off. I just wanted a normal trip, where I didn't have to be Spiderman, or Peter Romanoff, spy protégé. Somewhere I could just be Peter Parker outside of school." Natasha would have comforted him if she weren't so shocked. She thought she'd done a brilliant job raising the chestnut haired boy - given him what he wanted and helped him thrive - but the Red Room and her handlers were right. She wasn't meant to be a mother. She was a spy, and everyone she got close to would end up becoming a monster. Just like her. "Mama?" Before anyone could comprehend what happened, Natasha had left the room, and Maria had followed. Wanda had moved over to Peter to hug him tight.

(⊙_◎)

Peter hadn't gone back to school in a couple days - Tony had gotten in contact with the school saying Peter would need work sending over as he was unable to attend. His punishment included school, but seeing as he was ahead even after having missed so much, it wasn't really a bother.

Natasha had locked herself in the gym, Maria and Clint were the only people she would talk to, until they decided she would never ignore a superior officer and sent Coulson and Fury in. Fury came out unaffected, but Coulson was visibly upset. She was blaming herself for making Peter loose out on being a kid - they reminded her that Peter had asked to train, and had never asked to go to a theme park or holiday like most kids. He had asked to learn to sky dive where most kids asked for a bicycle. He asked to learn how to make a fire in the wild where other kids would ask for chocolate. He wanted to be a spy, when other kids wanted to be a prince. He had always been given what he asked for - and she had never thought he was unhappy. She realised now she should have insisted on him having at least a little bit of normal childhood.

(⊙_◎)

Wanda had been comforting Peter for the duration of the three days he'd been kept from school.
"I upset her, more than I have before."
"I know Pete. The most you can do is wait for her to talk to you. Get some work done and go to bed." Maria kissed his head as she left. As soon as she was gone, Wanda moved closer to him and whispered comfort into his ear until he smiled gently, kissed her cheek and got to work like Maria had said.

(⊙_◎)

The boy's punishment lasted a week before he could go back to school, and another one before he could go back to being Spiderman, and another one after that before he was allowed his phone and TV privileges back, and one more before he was allowed to hang out with his friends.

Natasha had long forgiven him, but was still upset, so made sure they did more fun stuff than training in those few weeks - board games, family time, movie nights once Peter was allowed to watch it. Anything that could resemble a childhood that a super powered teen would enjoy. She also secretly planned a trip to the beach, the zoo, a theme park and an aquarium.

Over all, it ended pretty well for Peter - even if he ended up being teased at school by his friends.