It's About Time

Ch. 20

Natasha poked her head into Peter's room.  She slowly pushed open the door and walked in, shutting the door behind her.  Peter was laying face down on his bed, but he didn't appear to be crying.  She couldn't be sure, though, so she made her way across the room and sat on the edge of his bed.  Peter didn't even shift.  She gently rubbed his back and eventually Peter let out a sob.  He cried into his pillow for nearly fifteen minutes before he slowed to just whimpers and then sniffles.  Once he was just sniffling, he forced himself to sit up and face Natasha.  She didn't say anything as he wiped his face and a few more tears trickled down his face.

"I didn't mean it, Aunt Tasha,"  Peter said quietly, hiccuping part way through his sentence.  He sniffled again and wiped his nose on his shirt sleeve.  "I was just mad.  I don't really want him to not be my Dad.  I wasn't thinking."  Natasha pulled Peter to her chest and hugged him tightly, rubbing his back as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I know,"  she said softly.  She kissed his head then laid her cheek on top of his curls.  "I know you didn't mean it.  People say things they don't mean when they're upset."

"But what if he thinks I really meant it?"  Peter cried, hugging her tighter.

"Oh Peter,"  Natasha said.  "He knows you love him and he loves you too."

"Not after that,"  Peter whimpered.  "I just wish he wouldn't try and fix all my problems sometimes.  I want to fix them myself, but I never get to when he's always ready to do it for me."  Natasha nodded and gently combed her fingers through his hair.

"He was just doing what he thought was best,"  she told him.  Peter let out a sob and Natasha hugged him tighter.  "It's good you told him you didn't want him to fix all your problems, but you should have done it better."

"I know, I just-"

"I know you were upset, Peter,"  Natasha interrupted.  Peter pulled away from her and wiped his face with shaking hands.  "And now you have to fix this with your dad, but your life isn't over.  Now you can go and talk to him about how you feel and get somewhere.  Next time, though, try not to explode."  Peter nodded and Natasha kissed his forehead.  "Do you want to go talk to him now?"  she asked.  Peter thought for a second then nodded.  Natasha stood up and offered him her hand.  Peter took it and followed her out of the room and down the hall.  They found most of the team in the living room, but Tony was nowhere in sight.

"Hey, Peter,"  Steve smiled softly.  Peter gave a small smile back but stayed quiet.

"Where's Tony?  Peter wants to talk to him,"  Natasha said.  Steve's small smile dropped and Natasha immediately knew what had happened.

"He left,"  Steve said.  Tears started down Peter's face once again and Natasha hugged him.

"He hates me now!"  Peter cried.  "He doesn't want to talk to me because he hates me."  Wanda got up from the couch before Steve could and hurried over to Peter.  She rubbed his back as he cried, but it didn't seem to do anything.

"He doesn't hate you,"  Wanda tried telling him.  Peter shook his head fiercely and continued to cry.

"Then why did he leave?"  Peter demanded.  He pulled away from Natasha and tried to go back to his room, but Steve stopped him.  "Let me go!"  Peter yelled, trying to push Steve away.  Steve didn't move, though, and eventually Peter gave up trying to escape and put his head against Steve's chest and cried.

"It'll be okay, Peter,"  Steve promised.  He hugged Peter tightly and Peter just stood in front of him crying.  "Everything will work out."

* * *

Pepper could hear something being smashed in the lab.  At first she thought nothing of it.  Tony was always breaking things.  Then she realised he was supposed to be at the Compound for two more hours.  She frowned and asked FRIDAY who was in the lab.  Bruce hasn't come in, so it couldn't be him.  Besides, he rarely broke anything when he wasn't Hulk and he never turned into Hulk in the Tower.  He knew it was too dangerous and made a point of not losing his anger.

"It appears Mr. Stark is in the lab having an emotional breakdown,"  FRIDAY reported.  Pepper stood up quickly.  Why was Tony having a breakdown?  Why was he back so early?  Had something happened to Peter?  She tried not to worry too much, hoping Tony would be able to explain what had happened.  As she walked into the lab to see him smashing all of his suits, though, she figured explaining would have to wait.

"Tony!"  Pepper yelled, rushing forward to stop him.  He stopped mid swing, turning to look at Pepper.  He was a mess.  His face was red and soaked in tears.  "Oh my god, what happened?"  she asked, taking the iron bar from his hand and setting it down.  Tony didn't respond.  He just collapsed against her, sobbing as he buried his face in her shoulder.  She wrapped her arms around him tightly and tried to calm him down, but it seemed useless.  "Tony?  Please tell me what happened,"  she said softly after he had calmed down a bit.  He pulled back and wiped his face, sniffling and trying to regain composure.

"Peter and I had a fight,"  he said quietly.  He walked over to Bruce's desk and grabbed a tissue.  He blew his nose while Pepper just watched.  "He's been keeping the fact that he's being bullied at school from us.  Apparently Steve knew, though."  Tony gave a bitter laugh and blew his nose again.  "Pep, he said he wished I wasn't his dad.  He all but said Iron Man was stupid."

"Oh, Tony,"  Pepper said, reaching forward to hug him.  He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder.  He could see his destroyed suits laying on the floor and closed his eyes.

"What do I do, Pep?  He hates me,"  Tony said.  Pepper rubbed his back and squeezed him tighter.

"Calm down, first,"  she told him.  Tony was working on it.  "Then you're going to go back and talk to him.  He doesn't really hate you."

"You didn't hear him, Pepper,"  Tony said.  Peter's words echoed in his head and he felt more tears trickle down his face.  "It was awful."

"I know,"  Pepper whispered.  "Just talk to him.  Then if he truly does hate you, we'll go from there."