Author note yay!! (That was sarcasm) You don't have to read this; just skip to the story. Great! So for the few of you that remain here what is happening.
Ships:
Pepperony at the beginning (I don't know if it will end with it)
Happy and Aunt May (I don't know why, but it makes me laugh.)
Peter will be a single pringle so no spideypool, spideychelle, OC, or parley... etc.
Trigger Warning will be at the beginning of each chapter. I never listen to them, (Even when I should sometimes) but if it triggers you, don't put yourself in that pain. If any of you amazing people want to talk, I am here. I won't judge you.
Thank you to the people who are reading my book. You're the best!!! I don't know you, but I hope your day is going well. Whatever problems that you do have, it will be okay. There is always light at the end of the path.
WARNING: Light cursing, and a little bit of child abuse
Malibu October 17, 2008
October 17 was a joyous day for the Stark's household. Birthday cake and presents filled every minute with smiles. This year was special, especially for William. While most of Will's birthday parties were hosted at their house, this year, Will was going to a circus with his family. Tony and Pepper paid for the whole thing; their son was only given the best. The rides, food trucks, and games were 'anonymously' funded to the city of Malibu. Thousands of people showed up, making it easy for the Stark family to go incognito. It was usually a hard achievement since the world loved the billionaires and their genius son, William (Will) Stark.
The four-year-old enjoyed every second of it. He had ridden on an elephant and eaten an enormous amount of sugar. His favorite sweet was cotton candy. It surrounded his mouth and covered his hands. He even had a spot on his nose, which Pepper was trying to wipe off with a napkin. Will kept squirming and complaining as Tony was laughing at the look of his son. Finally, when William didn't resemble a pink and blue monster, the couple allowed him to go off with a new friend on a ride. They followed loosely behind holding hands and smiling at their son, occasionally conversing with the parents of Will's friend. Once they reached the ride, the group saw there were only four seats. The two kids went in excitedly and looked at the parents impatiently.
"Come on," Will called. "We can all get in if we try."
The adults laughed and turned to each other.
"Go on," Pepper replied. "We will ride the next one."
The other couple thanked them and sat in the remaining seats.
"We will keep William safe." The father responded with a sly smile, and the ride started blocking Will's smiling face.
Tony and Pepper walked to the end of the ride listening to the circus music. They watched as families got off with their kids; each held smiling faces. As the families passed, Pepper and Tony started to worry. Where was William? The ride started again leaving the couple with an empty feeling. The joyous circus music turned sinister. The fun games became death traps. Their precious son was gone, and the world kept moving. Tony and Pepper searched tirelessly, but no one knows where William and the family went. William Howard Stark was taken that day, without one clue as to how or why.
New York April 14, 2020
Peter was having a crappy day. First, he woke up late and forgot to put his suit in his backpack. He arrives at school thirty minutes after it began and is yelled at and embarrassed by the teacher. Then, there was Flash, the popular kid who decided he was going to make Peter day hell. From the name-calling to the shoving, Peter didn't get a break. It was finally the last period, History. History wasn't Peter's favorite subject, but he didn't hate it either. It was more of a I-have-to-do-this relationship. The class didn't start rough, but the announcement at the end that was a different story.
"Before you leave, I have an announcement to make." The History teacher, Mrs. Jones, tried to get the class's attention. "We are going on a field trip!"
All of the Seniors head's popped up in mild interest. After the horrible reputation the class had on field trips, it was surprising the school was allowing them to go.
In the front row, Flash eagerly raised his hand.
"Yes, Flash?" The teacher sighed.
"Where are we going?"
"Stark Tower," Mrs. Jones beamed as the class erupted in conversation. "Settle down, everyone." She said, but trying to calm that class down was like going on the wrong escalator. It just didn't work.
"When is it?" Someone called out behind me.
"Two days from today."
"Are we going to meet the Avengers?"
"I don't know."
The students continued firing more and more questions; it wasn't until five minutes later that the class finally settled down. "I am going to give you a permission form. Have a parent sign it and bring it in the morning of the field trip. When you come back, you are going to write a three-page paper on the effects the Avengers had on modern society." All the students groaned from annoyance. The teachers could never let students go on a field trip without an assignment. It must be an unwritten law. "That's it for today. You are all dismissed."
The sounds of chairs squeaking and excited conversations filled the room. The harsh noises hurt Peter's enhanced ears. Was he excited for the field trip? Yes, maybe, one side of his brain could not wait but the other. That side was nervous. Nicholas Fury approached him the other day with an offer. He stated that he was the director of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division, aka SHIELD. Fury said that if Peter allows SHIELD to understand his powers, then he could join the Avengers as an honorary member. The guy seemed shady and wasn't happy with Peter when he nicknamed him, eyepatch. Honestly, Peter didn't trust anyone without a sense of humor. This whole field trip to the tower seemed too good to be true. It might be a trap to experiment on Peter, and one thing he was certain of was that being experimented on was not fun.
Peter was knocked out of his worries by a spike in his spider-sense. 'Front, ground, step over' it told him. Sadly, Peter was at school, so it was time for a faceplant. His foot hit another one, and his world tilted. The books that he had been holding were scattered all across the floor. A sharp laugh ridiculed his embarrassing fall.
"Looks like the orphan can't walk," Flash announced to everyone in the hall.
A couple of chuckles came from the kids attempting to please Flash. The rest of the students quietly shuffled around me, trying not to be noticed.
"The day is over Flash," Peter replies, grabbing his books from the floor. "Can't we just wait until tomorrow?"
"Aww," Flash taunts. "Is little orphan Annie scared?" The comment receives a chuckle from his mindless goons. Flash proceeds to drag Peter to a back room with the help of his friends.
"Ready for your daily punching, Penis." Flash kicks Peter until he curls up into a ball. Then, he punches him in the face for good measure. "Stop being such a wimp, Parker." He eventually leaves after gifting Peter with broken ribs and a black eye.
"What a great day," Peter tells himself.
He stays there for thirty minutes letting his body heal. He contemplates field trip and decides there is no way to avoid it. He has to write a three-page paper if he goes, and if he doesn't, then it will probably be longer. Who knows, maybe everything will pan out.
Finally, when he feels he has enough strength, Peter stands up supported by the wall. He doesn't appear to be dying, the bright side of today. He walks through the deserted halls and out the front gate. He shouldn't aggravate his injury right now by jumping the fence. The streets of Queens are bustling as usual. He receives weird looks from concerned people, but otherwise, his commute is normal. After walking across a street, he turns happily into Delmar's.
"You're late." An annoyed familiar voice greets him.
Peter checks his phone. "By a minute."
"So, you're late."
Peter discreetly rolls his eyes as he puts on his apron. He kills the next five hours at Delmar's, taking orders, and making the best sandwiches in Queens. It is nine when he is finally able to leave. Usually, he would change in an alley and work his second job as Queen's vigilante, but since he forgot his suit, he would have to walk to the apartment to change.
The stroll begins serene. The light from the street lamps guides his way. He could hear the muffled conversations of families in the apartments, and the comforting hum of car engines as they drive by. All over the peaceful city, the moon glows.
Of course, Parker LuckTM had to barge in on this peaceful evening. His spidey sense spiked the second time today. This time it pointed him towards a dark creepy alley.
"Yes," Peter thought, sarcastically. "This is a great idea. Go toward the creepy alley."
The alley was your typical creepy alley. Trash lines up against the walls. The odd graffiti that fails to bring color, the shadows watching your every move, and don't forget the alley cat that runs by at the worst time knocking over the trash can. Overall, it was the stereotypical terrible alley experience.
It looked as if nothing was happening. Peter was about to leave when he heard a voice from further back in the alley.
"What was that?" A gruff voice said. Peter ducked behind one of the trash cans.
"I don't know, probably the cat we saw." A different voice answered.
The first man huffed. "So, as you can see, this is the anti-gravity option. It is highly recommended for robberies." They must be criminals. That was what my spidey sense was telling me.
"A jewelry store?" A third voice questions.
"Yes," The first man's voice said, a little annoyed. "This one can cut through basically everything."
"Nice," The supposed buyer responded.
"It is." The second voice agreed. "And this one is my personal favorite. It is like a gun, but it shoot lasers, so the police can't trace it to you."
"Wow." The buyer seemed happy, that is the hero's least attitude for criminals. "Can it kill Spiderman?"
"I'm sure it can." The first voice replied.
While all this was happening, a rat scurries between the trash. He is scavenging for food going through all the dirt and grim. Suddenly, he sees something nice and shiny. The creature quickly runs over to investigate.
Peter feels something climbing on top of his shoe. He doesn't want to look, but he feels obligated. Glancing down, he sees a rat.
"Shit." He curses as he tries to get the rat off. As he shakes, his foot, Peter unintentionally knocks over a trash can. Then, he proceeds to lose his balance and tumble in front of three angry men.
"What are you doing here?" The first voice he heard asks furiously.
"M-me?" Peter's spidey sense is telling him to escape. "I am just walking around. Nice evening isn't it?"
Two of the men draw their guns.
"Or not," Peter mumbles to himself as he stands up.
"What did you hear?" The buyer questions.
"Nothing." Peter starts backing away. There is a police car coming by if he can just distract them for a minute.
"You're lying."
"Umm." Peter starts to run to the alleyway entrance. His spidey sense is going haywire, but it informs him to jump high, and he can't reveal he is Spiderman. A sharp pain erupts in his side. Grabbing the painful area, he continues running.
"Hey, Hey," Peter yells at the police officers. "Those men are selling illegal guns." The highschooler points to the alley.
"Thanks," An officer says as they both run into the creepy alley.
Peter nods, lightly, and glances at his side. A dark liquid is staining his clothes, slowly seeping downwards. The adrenaline is wearing off, so the young hero supports himself by placing a steady hand on the building beside him, unknowingly leaving a bloody handprint. After a couple of deep breaths, the injured boy walks home.
Malibu October 24, 2008 (A week later from the kidnapping)
"Boss," Jarvis spoke in the quiet house, "There is a private number calling you."
Tony's head rose from his hands, opening his eyes from a restless sleep.
"Answer." He ordered gruffly.
"Good Afternoon, Mr. Stark, I am sure you are worried about your son." A distorted voice filled the room.
Tony woke completely at the word son. "Jarvis, tell Pepper to come to the lab."
"Of course, Sir." His AI replied.
"Yes, that's good. Bring Mrs. Stark down here too." The caller replied.
Pepper came jogging down the stairs and entered the lab out of breath. Her clothes are disheveled, and her eyes are red from crying. In her hand, she is clutching a stuffed bunny, like her life depended on it.
"Did you find him?" she begged quietly.
"In a way, you did." The caller spoke up.
"What do you mean?" Tony asked. "Do you know where William is?"
"Yes, I am looking at him right now. He is a smart little boy; isn't he, cute too. It would be a shame if someone cut him up." The caller said with a laugh, as the Starks held their breath.
"What do you want?"
"The world, I want the whole world." Another laugh came from the phone.
"You're crazy," Tony brought his hands to his face.
"Yes, I am. I also have your son, so you should think twice about insulting me."
"Can we hear him?" Pepper spoke up. "I need to hear his voice."
"Umm, no" The insane man refused.
"I won't do anything unless we hear his voice," Tony replied.
"Oh, that's nice to know."
A banging sound followed. Then came the muffled cries. "Daddy, Mommy please help me, it hurts." The couple held their breaths, tears clouded their vision. Tony fell in a chair, running a hand through his hair.
"Please, stop," Tony begged. "He's just a kid."
The cries continued, but the banging stopped. "I think that is going to leave a scar. Oh, well."
"Wh-why would you do that?" Pepper cried, falling to the ground hand, covering her face.
"It was fun. Now, let's talk business. I am going to need 10 million dollars sent to this bank account." An email notification appeared on Tony's phone with a bank account number. "Do you understand?"
"Yes," Tony whispered, shaking.
"Great," The caller cheerily said. "That's it for now. See you next week." He hung up.
The lab was strangely quiet. Dum-E was the first to move. He clutched a box of tissues and offered it to the couple, but they didn't move. Pepper was on the floor sobbing, hanging on to her son's bunny. Tony, on the other hand, was slouching in his chair with tears silently rolling down his face. His eyes never left the picture of his son on his desk. William was the light of their world's, and without him, it seemed meaningless.
After a couple of minutes, Pepper spoke up. "You had to test him." Her voice filled anger.
"I didn't know what else to do," Tony said. His voice tight with annoyance.
"Anything else would have been better. My son is hurt because of you." She pointed a finger at Tony. Her face filled with hatred through the tears.
"Our son! Pepper, he is our son, and this is not just my fault. If you didn't let those parents get on the ride instead of us, he would be here."
"You had the circus idea." Pepper rises from the floor and stands in front of Tony. "I want a normal party, but know we had to throw a whole circus."
"It is what Will wanted," Tony replied quietly.
"Do you think William wanted to be kidnapped?" Pepper yelled.
"Of course not. Pepper," Dum-E offered tissues again, pushing its way between the angered couple. Annoyed, Tony grabs the box and throws it across the room. The room grows silent as the box thumps against the wall.
"I have had enough of this," Pepper spoke quietly. "I am going to go stay at a hotel. Tell me if he calls again." She walks to the door, but before she leaves, she sets the bunny on the table by the door and looks at Tony. He is crying as he holds his son's picture. Though she is enraged at him, she does want to see him hurt.
"I'm sorry." She whispers.
Tony nods "I'm sorry too."
Malibu December 15, 2008
It has been almost two months since William's been captured. Every day was a struggle for the couple and their close friends. Tony and Pepper are separated. They can barely see each other without thinking of William. It got to the point that they only talked once a week when the kidnapper called. Though talking does describe it adequately, it was more of an angry yelling conversation. Outwardly accusing each other, but on the inside they only blamed themselves. They were now meeting in the living room of their former house with the FBI, Rhodey, and Happy. The room was mostly silent except for the FBI agents conversing on what was the best approach. It was impossible to track the kidnapper Even after two months, they didn't have any leads. The phone finally rang, pulling a dark curtain across the room.
"Good Afternoon, FBI, Rhodey, Happy, and the Starks, or should I say, Potts and Stark, since you both are splitting up." A cheery voice of the kidnapper greeted.
"Can we skip the greeting and get what you want this week?" Tony spoke up.
"I don't want anything. I just called out of respect."
"What do you mean?" Pepper asked.
"Well, I got everything I wanted."
"So, we get our son back?" Tony's voice was full of ignorant hope.
"No," The caller chuckled. "Here is the thing. On one hand, I promised you would get him back, and on the other, I just want to kill someone."
"Please no," Pepper begged.
"I would say sorry, but I am not."
"Where is he?" Tony shouted at the FBI. "Please! you have to stop him."
"It's too late. He is dead."
"No!" Pepper sobbed out.
"I will text you the address." The caller responded. "You might discover the body a little crisp."
The call ended. No one spoke up. Tony's phone dinged, but he didn't check it. There wasn't a point anymore. The FBI searched at the address and unearthed the body. Willian Howard Stark was buried two days later. The world mourned with the couple for a life that was taken to early. A month after the funeral, Tony and Pepper divorced. They continued to work together at Stark Industries, but they were barely friends. About two years after William died, Tony became Ironman... (and the Avengers happened. The only difference is Civil War, Infinity War, and Endgame didn't happen and will never happen in this book.)