A/N: do not test me I said I would
(This is an alternate ending to The Interview. I really don't know what happened.)
It's completely quiet as the lights show up on the stage.
Slowly, Peter stumbles out to the microphone.
"H-Hi," Peter's says quietly. "M-my name is Peter Parker."
The microphone squeaks. Peter takes a deep breath and looks down.
He looks back up. The audience is patient. They understand.
"Ten years ago," he starts. "My mentor, the late Tony Stark gave a speech," he reads off the cards.
He stares at the words on the cards and then puts them in his pocket.
Pepper watched the live feed from behind the stage, and she smiles sadly at the simple action.
He looks back up at the audience and starts again.
"Ten years ago, the entire universe faced the worst tragedy in all of history," Peter says slowly. "I'm proud to say that my mentor was one of the people who fought back against the cause of this tragedy. He truly was Earth's best defender."
"..and he was the best avenger, too."
"I am the proclaimed personal intern that Mr. Stark said he was traveling with when he went to Titan," Peter explains. "The one he said was shorter than him but really wasn't."
The audience laughs quietly.
"I'm sure you know how the story goes," Peter sighs. "I climb onto the ship while he's on the mission, etcetera. I didn't realize how dangerous that was at the time, but whatever, I was just some stupid kid right?"
Peter laughs softly but it fades away.
"Tony Stark was..was like a father to me," Peter says firmly. "He helped me with my homework when I was in high school, he actually taught me to shave. He taught me about life. How to stand up against bullies. How to not apologize for everything."
"He taught me how..to say goodbye. When people had to leave, and couldn't come back."
Peter got slightly choked up and looked back down. He took a deep breath again and looked over to the side of the stage.
MJ was looking at him with soft eyes behind the curtains. She mouths a 'you can do this.'
Peter looks back to the audience. "When I came back, I barely had any time with him. That's the reality. I came back, I looked for him and we eventually ran into each other on the battlefield."
"Which—by the way—Was the most insane thing I'd ever seen in my life. Every hero you've ever seen on the news was there. There were armies. People you didn't even know existed had showed up. All for the same cause," Peter says, his back straightening with pride.
"These people have risked their lives to save us. Tony Stark risked his life to save us."
"The only difference was he didn't make it this time," Peter said quietly. He sniffles. "When we met on the battlefield, he had hugged me."
Peter nods, smiling tearfully. "He hugged me for the first time in five years, and it was just—the most amazing and comforting thing I've ever felt."
"And he even kissed my head, which is like—a total dad thing to do, by the way."
A few people choked out laughs.
Peter took another deep breath. "Death happens. Tragedy happens. It is what we do after it that makes us strong, and I think I've really had to learn that over the time of my life."
"I am no longer a teenager, as you can clearly see by the stubble on my chin that makes me look more like a rat than anything like the legendary beard of Tony Stark," Peter jokes. More quiet laughter. "And now that I am an adult, I am proud to announce I am the CEO of Stark Industries."
"Apparently Tony's been planning this since I had applied for the internship? I literally don't even know. You should have seen my face when I was told I was even in the will."
Even more laughter. It isn't as quiet, people are having a nice time.
"I fully intend to do this company the justice it deserves, and to give Ms. Potts a rest, because the woman had had to deal with so much since the time she started working here."
People clap intensely at that. Pepper let's out a tearful laugh from behind the stage.
"Anyways..."
"When I first got back from being..blipped. I didn't know about the speech Tony had given. So..I had watched it and didn't quite understand. I didn't understand how he had described being a father."
"But.." Peter looks back at MJ, who's smiling. "I understand now. As much as it hurts, I understand now."
"And I hope I'll be as good as a father as Tony was to me. So.."
"Thank you, Mr. Stark."
"Thank you."