Pepper read through the working papers, at least she tried. Tony and she sat on the couch in the living room and she tried to work while Tony was watching something on TV. Well, he pretended to be watching a show on TV. In fact, his gaze was still sliding toward the door.
"That's ridiculous!" she finally said when she couldn't stand it anymore.
"What's ridiculous?" he asked, confused, giving her a look.
"Are you really so worried about him? It's just a field trip!"
"Just a field trip? But to Oscorp! I still don't believe you signed the pass. If it was up to me, he would stay home," he said stubbornly, and Pepper sighed. Sometimes he could be really dramatic.
"Then you shouldn't have named me as his next legal guardian. Tony, he really wanted to go on the excursion. What could happen to him? He would be with Ned all the time, and I doubt that Osborn will even know that Peter was there," she explained. They've talked about it several times, but talking to him was like talking to the wall.
"I still don't like it," he insisted.
"You're just paranoid. He's fourteen, he can take care of himself. You will see that when he comes home and tells us enthusiastically about it, you will be glad he went. You know how he is. He loves everything related to science. But don't worry, I'm sure he won't leave us in the future because of Oscorp. He likes technology rather than biochemistry. He is your son after all," she told him with a small smile. She had little suspicion that Tony wasn't going to let him in because he was afraid Peter would like Oscorp too much.
"Ours, he's our son," he corrected. It has been two years since Peter began calling her mother and a few months after she signed the court papers and became his official legal guardian. Even so, it always warmed her heart when someone reported Peter as her son. She treated him as her son almost from the start when she was there for them after Mary left, but the fact that the others took it that way was something else. That meant it was real.
"I love you," she said, kissing him on the cheek. Sometimes it still seemed like a dream.
"I'm home!" came a voice from the hallway came the corridor, and Tony jumped to his feet in a moment and followed his son. Pepper shook her head in disbelief and followed her boyfriend.
"So how was your day, little bat?" Tony asked, and Pepper smiled to herself when she heard him. He had to be really worried about him because he hadn't called him a bat for quite a few years.
"It was absolutely great, but I will probably go to bed," he replied, and both adults frowned slightly. This was not their son's usual behavior.
"Honey, is something wrong?" Pepper asked, ignoring Tony's expression I told you.
"No, the excursion was really interesting, but I got sick on my way back home. I'll go to bed before dinner. It's certainly nothing," he assured them, but neither of them was convinced.
"All right, then go to bed. I'll get you some tea," Tony said, and Peter immediately went to his room.
"Don't even start," Pepper said before Tony could start talking about how he was telling her.
"I was right!"
"Tony, dear, you're not serious. It's just a stupid coincidence," she said vigorously. She really didn't want to talk to him about it again.
"But if not, I'll give Osborn what he deserves!" Tony threatened on the way to the kitchen. Pepper still didn't understand why he was making such a deal of it. As far as she knew, Tony's journeys did not cross with those of Osborn...
•••
A group of scientists stood around the glass terrarium, which was empty right now, and was discussing the situation.
"Richard should tell her. He's her favorite," said the smaller blonde, moving her glasses closer to the root of her nose. Everyone knew they were in trouble and no one wanted to be the one to tell their research leader. She was not exactly famous for her kind nature.
"Nope! Plus, I wasn't even here when he escaped," the man in his forties protested.
"What's going on here? I don't pay you for gossiping!" came a sharp female voice.
All present turned to the door. None of them gave a sound.
"What is it? Do you have nothing to do?" she asked, glancing at them all. None of the best brains she found gave her a glimpse, and she had already thought that something had happened that she would not like.
"We lost our specimen, miss," one of the newer employees dared to speak.
"What do you mean? He was stabilized!"
"He didn't die," Richard explained.
"Be that kind and tell me what happened!"
"He escaped. We haven't been able to find him yet."
"Damn it, you better fix this. A radioactive spider is running around here, if you don't want to end up as the last experimental volunteer, you should find it as soon as possible. I don't have to remind you that no one has survived the bite yet," she informed them, leaving the lab.
This was trouble of enormous proportions.
•••
Here we go... I think it's safe to say that our main storyline is slowly starting from now, welcome!