Sometime after Tony returned from space
Tony stood outside in the rain. He didn't care that he was wet to the bone. He had a difficult task ahead of him, and somehow he couldn't make it out loud. He screwed up. He promised. And he didn't keep it.
"I'm so sorry!" he sniffed. "There was nothing I could do, May. I wasn't even there. I sent him home to be safe. To be with Pepper. And I came back from space just to know he's gone. I couldn't protect him. I promised you I'd do everything to make him happy. To protect him. And now he's gone. I'm so ashamed. I want to make a new promise here. I hope you give me another chance. I'll get him back. Whatever it takes. Are you listening, May? I'll bring our boy back at all costs. And then I'll make sure it never happens again. He will live a beautiful and long life," he said, putting the white lilies on the floor beside the tombstone.
Then he went home. He had a lot of work to do.
Now
Pepper moved nervously from one end of the living room to the other. In doing so, she did not forget to check every few seconds the clock that was hanging on the wall. The last few days had been hell for her.
The next day, after they and Peter talked about Venice, he called and told them that Nick Fury had kidnapped his vacation. He says he is taking him to Prague! Pepper was extremely furious and had a pretty long phone call with Nick Fury and then with Peter too. In the end, it ended up that Peter fought again in Prague. Tony was already preparing a suit that he was going to fight, but Fury told him that he wouldn't make it in time.
Pepper could live with this. Soon it was over and Peter wasn't hurt. Mysterio did a lot of work again. Soon, however, Peter called that he had lost Edith. Tony was upset with Peter and Pepper was upset with her husband. She told him not to give him those glasses!
Then their paths split for a moment. Friday was finally able to recognize the face in the photo. It was Dr. Ludwig Rinehart. He was employed by Stark Industries. Then he had specialized in developing his own holographic technologies. He worked on the Binarily Augmented Retro-Framing, or B.A.R.F. Tony said he released him because he wasn't stable. In other words, the guy was a madman. They immediately tried to connect with Peter, but they failed.
Meanwhile, Peter figured out that everything had been an illusion created by Beck. He went to Berlin to see Fury, but there he was unpleasantly surprised.
"You took Edith from me! It doesn't belong to you!"
"You're so wrong, kid."
Then it was really psycho. Peter didn't know what was true and what wasn't. He was done. He was so done. In a moment like this, he wished he was a normal kid. To have a normal family.
"Parker! Who did you tell?" Fury asked again. And Peter relieved. Fury will take care of it. So he told him.
"Just MJ and Ned, who perhaps said it to Betty."
"You're so trusting," Fury said, and Peter frowned. No, no, no. Not again. Beck stood in front of him and another thing Peter knew was that he was hit by a train.
When Pepper found out, she felt as if she were back the moment her son turned into dust. Her child was hit by a train. Her child was hit by a train. Her child was hit by a train. It was the only thing that ran through her head.
"Stay where you are, we're on the plane immediately," Tony blurted, finally getting Pepper out of her thoughts.
"No need. We're on our way to London. We had a conversation and made it clear. Peter knew I was sitting around, so he called me."
"Why are you on your way to London?" Pepper asked hysterically. They were supposed to be on their way home!
"Someone has to stop the madman. By the way, Edith has not been lost. Beck stole her."
So, yeah, her last days were hell. Now she waited for Tony to arrive home with Peter. She would go to the airport with him, but she knew that as soon as she saw her son she would lose it. Finally, there was the clink of the elevator, and she immediately ran into the corridor.
"Uh, hey, mom," Peter said nervously. Visually, she could not tell that he had suffered any injury due to his rapid healing. Pepper was glad for that. Looking at him when he is hurt is too much for her.
"You're so in trouble," she murmured, hugging him tightly.
"I know, but I'm fine!" he whispered, returning her embrace.
"Well, at least one of us is. Tony and I almost died worried about you!" she said with tears in her eyes and stepped away from him.
"I'm sorry, Mom, but someone had to stop him!"
"And that someone must have been you, didn't you?"
"I don't know what you want me to say. I didn't mean to, but that guy was about to destroy London and I was closest. What was I supposed to do, let people die there? Let my friends die there?" he said in defense. Tony just stood there, knowing better. There was no point in interfering with their conversation.
"I know you couldn't, I just wish it didn't have to be you."
"It happened."
"Just so you know, no Spider-man while we're in Malibu," she said, and Peter gave her a disbelieving look.
"What?"
"You heard me."
"But I just found my lost power to put on a suit! I'm not afraid that whenever I put on a suit, I die, anymore."
"But I am! Don't you understand? If it was for me, you would never wear that suit again!" she snapped.
"Then I'm glad it's not up to you!" he cried.
"You know what? Fine. Do what you want," she retorted and was gone before he could say anything.
"So I think we should talk," Tony said after a moment of silence, leading Peter into the living room where they sat on the couch.
"She can't make that decision for me," Peter murmured as they sat down.
"I know this, Pete, and believe me she too, and that's why it's harder for her. If it were up to her, I would never wear a suit again too. But she realizes it's part of us. She will never want us to give up this. In return, we must understand something. Sometimes Pepper is somewhat hysterical, but you must realize how much she has to experience with us. How many times she thought I died. How many times she got into danger because of me. How many times she was worried about you. You died. And that was hard for all of us, but she watched you turn into dust. And there was nothing she could do about it. And then she was alone. And she stood. She is so strong. I think the real hero is her, not us," he explained, and Peter felt terrible. Of course, he knew all this.
"I know, dad. I'll go talk to her," he said, getting up from the couch.
"I'll order something for dinner so far. We're going to Malibu tomorrow."
Peter nodded, then started up the stairs. He found Pepper in her home office sitting at her desk looking out the window.
"Uh, I want to apologize for screaming," he murmured as he slowly walked to the table.
"An apology is accepted," she said in a monotonous tone, still turning her back to him.
"Can you look at me? Mom, please," he rasped.
"Sometimes I think I'd rather have an ordinary husband and an ordinary son," she said, turning to him.
"Wouldn't it be boring then?" he asked nervously.
"Maybe, but imagine how much stress and nerve would save me."
"I am sorry."
"Don't apologize for who you are. Would it be nice to have a normal life? Maybe. But I wouldn't trade mine for anything," she said with a small smile.
"I know it's not easy for you, and as long as I have something to say, I'll make sure my dad and I always come home."
"I want to believe you, Petey, really. But after all the years I live with Tony, I know this promise is not fulfilled. And that's all right, hun. I know what life I chose."
"You know I love you, don't you?"
"And I love you, Pete. It doesn't change the fact that you don't take your suit to Malibu. Spider-man has appeared in Europe, and if it appears in Malibu, it may be of interest to anyone. And we don't want that."
"Yeah, okay, that makes sense," he murmured.
"You should go pack your stuff."
"Well, I will, but so far I have just received a hug for greeting. Where is my kiss?" he asked teasingly. Pepper finally smiled fully and got up from her chair to kiss his forehead.
"Now go," she said and she ran fingers through his curls.
***
Wow, we had a couple of stress parts right now, so we'll have some more fluffy next time. I don't know when the next part comes out, because even though writing this makes me really happy, I don't have as much time as I would like. Plus, November and December are not exactly my best months. Be safe <3