I Miss You 3,000: A Rebooted MCU Story

Chapter 1: Morgan

The clock rang in Peter's ears. It read 3:03. School ends at 3:15. Soon, the school bell rings and he hurries to his locker. However, he didn't notice that his mind drifted out of this world. Hardly anything mattered. Suddenly, a usually ecstatic Ned Leeds ran up to him.

"Peter! Guess what I just got?" he said, whispering in Peter's ear so no one heard, "The Lego Millennium Falcon! Wanna build it with me today?"

"Sorry, Ned," Peter said, closing his locker and leaving, follwed by Ned, "I need to go."

"Where?"

"I'm...meeting someone..."

Peter swiped a silent tear with his sleeve.

"Who? Peter, what's up with you?" Ned asked.

Instead of answering, Peter slipped into a brick alley as the two left the school. Ned followed him to see Peter pulling off his shirt, revealing his Spider-man suit. And without another word, he used his web shooters and swung away, leaving Ned behind to stare at him.

...

Peter placed his shirt back on. He's faced quite a lot over the years of his career of being Spider-Man. But none of it feels like it could even be anywhere compared to what he's about to face.

He heard the door to the Stark's cabin open and a familiar face greeted her with a sorrowful smile.

"H-hi, Peter." Pepper Stark choked out.

Peter smiled, forcing his tears to be contained in his eyes. He walked and set his backpack on the floor with a chunk.

Soon, a young girl, her hair silky smooth and her eyes brown as the earth. She brushed the hair from her face as she slowly walked to her mother. Peter kneeled down to her level and took a deep breath.

"I'm Peter." he said.

"I'm Morgan." Morgan Stark whispered.

The young girl clutched her stuffed animal closer as she meekly walked back and forth.

"You look just like him." Peter let out suddenly.

"Who? Daddy?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah...your dad..."

Peter sank closer to the wooden floor. He felt himself beginning to lose his emotions. Morgan's eyes narrowed worriedly and she looked to her mother, who moved closer to the boy.

"Peter-" Pepper started.

Peter got up quickly before she could finish her sentence.

"I'm fine." he interrupted, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and turned for the door.

Pepper put her hand on his shoulder before he could move.

"Please stay," she said, "I know it hurts, Peter. We understand...it's okay to be upset."

As if his emotions were listening, Peter felt his eyes cloud in tears.

"I should really get back to Aunt May..." he said, then turning to the older woman, "...but I'll be back tomorrow once school's done."

Pepper nodded her head in agreement as she grabbed Morgan's hand. She then told Peter that he wouldn't need to swing his way back to Queens, offering Happy to pick him up.

"Thanks." was all Peter could reply with.

He closed the door once exiting the cabin. His heart burned. Why did it have to be him? Peter thought. Pepper needed him, Morgan needed him, Peter himself needed him. They all needed Tony Stark.

When he walked into their house, he saw a picture of the 2 of them, the golden frame resting on their windowsill. He never thought that Tony really cared about him. Pepper said that after everything happened, Tony was depressed, he completely blamed himself. He'd spent long hours just staring at that photograph.

Peter's feet slipped and he fell to the ground. He felt the earth move around him. Leaves stir as a pitch black car pulls in. The door flung open and Happy ran out to get to the teenager.

"Peter?" he said, looking concerned, "Peter, are you okay?"

"Yeah." Peter replied, steadying himself, "I'm fine."

"Get in, I'll bring you in."

"Thanks, Happy, but I'm fine."

Peter then struggled to find his backpack, only to find it in Happy's hand, who tossed it into the car.

"Peter, get in the car." he said.

Peter had no other choice, but he had to listen.

...

Once they pulled, Peter opened the door.

"Peter, I miss him too." Happy said, "He saved the universe. He knew what he was doing. He'd do it 100 times over if he knew it would bring you back. He loved you."

Peter couldn't look at Happy. As soon as he opened the front door, all that came flushing from May's mouth were questions.

"Peter, where were you? What happened? You're covered in dirt..." she then touched a cut that swelled Peter's cheek, "...what happened here?"

"Fell when I was swinging, it's fine." Peter replied coldly.

May turned Peter's head towards her.

"Peter, what's going on with you?" she asked.

"I...met his daughter today." Peter finally answered.

"Who's daughter?"

Peter winced and pulled away. May stepped back once her eyes showed realization. She asked for her name.

"Morgan." Peter replied.

"Peter," May said, "it's okay to miss him."

"Everyone keeps telling me that."

"Because it's true. Look, think of this as an opportunity..."

Peter stared at May with anger in his eyes.

"Okay, not an opportunity." she rephrased, "but you lost your parents at the same age as her, you can help her, Peter. I know he doesn't say it to you, but I can see that you're a son to him."

Peter couldn't stand it anymore. He tosses his backpack inside his room and closes the door.

Tears began to pour down as Peter's back hit the wall and sank down. He felt like some part of him was missing. It was as if he could never fill the hole Tony left. He then grabbed his mask and pulled it on from his backpack.

"Karen," he said, "play Tony Stark's last message."

Karen was an A.I. plugged into Peter's suit made by Tony Stark, sort of like Friday in Tony's Iron Man suit. Peter watched a 3D projection of his hero walking around the room, talking.

It was so good that Peter almost thought that it was real at first. He wished it wouldn't end, suddenly, a loud buzzing caught him off guard, causing him to fall off the bed. It was from Rhodey. He sat up and after a bunch of hesitation, Peter accepted it.

"Hey, kid." he said.

Peter sat silently. How could he talk to him? He couldn't do it without losing his cool.

"Pepper told me to check on you." Rhodey continued.

"I'm fine, sir." Peter replied.

"We all miss him. You're not alone."

Rhodey's voice shook as he finally ended the conversation and hung up. Peter curled up on his bed and fell asleep to another one of Tony's presentations.

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