Ghost Widow

The Truth

Pepper and Tony supported Peter under his arms as they walked into the compound. He kept fading in and out of consciousness. Steve was heading to the kitchen when he saw them. The super-soldier rushed over and took some of Peter's weight. Pepper ran ahead to tell Bruce to set up the med bay.

"What happened, Tony?" Steve asked confused.

Tony's eyes couldn't meet his friends, "We bought our kid home."

The trio reached the medical wing to find Bruce setting out a tray. The men laid Peter on one of the beds and Bruce stuck and IV in his arm and hooked him up to numerous monitors.

Natasha, Bucky and Yelena ran into the room to see Peter stretched out on the bed; bruises coating his skin.

"Tony, we have a problem. Ana's missing too. We think she was taken by the same people." Steve spoke and Bucky looked at Tony skeptically.

'Why isn't he shocked?' Bucky thought.

Pepper sat at Peter's side looked up at her husband. She began to cry into the boy's hand. Tony gulped forcefully and stared at the floor.

"About that..." he started.

Melina joined everyone in the room to help with Peter. Tony looked at her and sighed.

Bucky scoffed, "Spit it out, Tony."

"In return for Peter, we made a deal with Project Enlightenment..." Tony trailed off.

Peter stirred, "You gave them Ana. How could you do that?"

Tony looked down at the kid; Peter shrugged Pepper off. She was taken-aback and tears fell rapidly from her eyes.

"We're so sorry." the woman whispered over and over.

Yelena stepped closer to Tony. She stared him in the eye. The Russian struck the man across the jaw with all her strength. He flew into the wall and clutched his face in pain. Yelena lunged to hit him again but Bucky held her back.

"How could you? You gave her to those people?" Yelena yelled at the man, her voice faltering.

Melina had stopped attending to Peter and crossed the room. She stood in front of Pepper.

"You were apart of this too?" she said calmly.

Pepper nodded.

"You gave my child to a bunch of killers? What kind of a mother are you?" Melina spat.

During this, Natasha had been stood at the side of the room. A hundred thoughts raced through her mind. These people were supposed to be her friends and they traded her sister like it was nothing. A tear fell onto her cheek which she hastily brushed away. Bucky saw this and put his hand on her back. At the contact, Natasha hurriedly left the room.

Steve followed his friend down the hall. She slumped against the wall and broke down. Steve sat beside her in silence. Natasha rested her head on Steve's shoulder. The pair sat like that for a while until Nat had calmed down.

"We'll get her back, okay? I promise." Steve smiled at her and she nodded.

Bruce had finished patching Peter up; his powers mean he would heal quickly. Tony sat beside him next to Pepper, but Pete wouldn't look at either of them. Pepper had fallen asleep in the chair.

"Why, Mr Stark? Why did you trade her for me?" Peter still couldn't look at him.

He reached his hand over to the boy, "Because Pete, you mean more."

Shock coursed through Peter's blood. He turned his head sharply to face Tony.

"GET OUT" Peter screamed.

Pepper woke abruptly. Peter pulled Tony's hand off his own.

"C'mon Peter. Don't be like that." Tony shook his head.

Peter sat up in bed, "No, get out. I hate you."

Tony and Pepper stood and walked slowly out of the room leaving Peter alone. Tears flooded down his face as he hid in his knees.

The pair saw Steve and Natasha on the floor. they locked eyes with each other. Steve stood and walked over to Tony.

"You crossed a line. The guilt must be eating you alive." Steve tutted at the man.

He looked over to Pepper, "I hope you are happy."

The couple headed up the their room, away from judgemental eyes.

Yelena, Melina and Bucky were seated in the kitchen; informing the rest of the team on what happened. Rhodey, Bruce and Vision were quiet. Bucky eyed them up, as he saw the others were affected by the news.

"You lot think Tony was right, don't you?" he narrowed his eyes at them.

Everyone turned to look at them. Bruce shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I mean, you guys saw the video. They were torturing the kid. You can't expect Tony to just sit back and watch." Rhodey said with crossed arms.

Yelena scoffed and gave him side eye, "So you're okay with him trading my sister and putting her through the exact same thing?"

"Well, it's not like she isn't used to it." Vision spoke from next to Wanda.

"Why would you say that, Vis?" Wanda looked offended.

He looked at her confused. Bucky looked at Bruce. He was twiddling with his fingers nervously.

"What is it, Bruce?" he asked.

Bruce looked up at the man, "Well... after we watched the tape, Tony came to me. He asked me to make a paralytic. A drug that could paralyse someone and disable their powers temporarily. I didn't realise-"

"-that he was planning on using it on Ana so that he could kidnap her." Melina added.

"I'm really sorry. I-I never meant for this to happen." Bruce bowed his head ashamed.