What Tangled Webs We Weave

Chapter Twenty-Three

Steve held his lifeless child in his lap, shaking uncontrollably.  His tears landed on his face.  He couldn't believe it.  His son - his only son - was gone.  Before he could even turn seventeen.  Mere days away from his birthday.  He was gone.

Steve looked at Tony, who was talking to the authorities, a blank, dead look on his face.  They both did their best to ignore the laughing of Andrei as he was being dragged off by the authorities.  He seemed to think that he had won.  Maybe he had.

Richard was nowhere to be found. How lucky for him that Andrei had kicked him out, or else he most definitely would have been arrested.

When Tony had finished talking to authorities, he stumbled over to Steve, sitting next to him, looking down at their son.  He ran a shaking hand through Peter's hair, sighing.

"Why didn't he tell us?"  Tony asked in a quivering voice, not looking away from Peter.  "If he had, we could have helped him and this never would have happened."

"Tony, don't..." Steve quickly said.  "He didn't know what would happen.  He thought he might get in trouble.  It's not his fault.  And it's not ours either.  Don't blame yourself."

"Mr. and Mr. Rogers-Stark?" A young officer asked hesitantly.  "We've found the other Avengers.  Should we send them up?"

"What do you think?"  Tony snapped, causing the officer to gulp and nod before running off to get the Avengers.

They sat there in defeated silence, waiting until the other Avengers arrived.  They didn't know what they had expected to happen when the large army of men came to the tower less than twenty-four hours earlier, overpowering them and taking them hostage.  When Peter had shown up and tried to help them not long ago.  It definitely hadn't been this.  Nothing like this.

The Avengers soon reached the room and were led over to Steve and Tony. 

Natasha gasped as she saw Peter and immediately looked back at Bruce, who looked at Peter, took in everything, closed his gaping jaw and nodded.  He took Sasha, who's cheeks had been red from crying and went outside.

"No, no no no no."  Clint shook his head, a look of pure shock on his face.  "This can't be really happening, right?  It's all a joke?  Some sick, sick joke?"

Wanda had her hands over her mouth and turned to Vision, who held her in comfort and shook his head solemnly.

They all eventually sat down.  They sat in silence before Bruce came in, sitting beside Natasha.  Sasha was being watched by some of the authorities outside.

"He sacrificed himself to save us," Tony muttered, not looking up from Peter.  "Gosh, what an idiot."  He grabbed Steve, who held Tony as he began to cry into his shoulder.

"There's nothing we could have done," Steve said, voice broken from the pain. 

"There had to have been," Tony muttered.  "It's too late."

After what seemed like eternity, two people came over with a stretcher.  Everyone moved back slowly except for Steve and Tony, who stayed for a moment.
Tony kissed Peter's forehead and Steve did the same before they let the authorities take him, which was very hard for both of them.  The authorities grabbed him and set him on the stretcher.

"We're sorry for your loss," One said as they began to walk away.

"Yeah, where's Spider-Man when you need him?"  The other one muttered.  Steve and Tony stayed silent as they sat back down on the floor next to the others.

Once the body had been taken out of the room, Sasha was brought in.  She looked happier now, but still confused.  She was especially confused when she saw everyone sad.

"What's wrong?" Sasha asked, looking around at everyone.  She seemed to notice the absence.  "Where's Peter?"

"Sweetie," Natasha said slowly, her eyes watering. "Peter's gone."

"Gone where?" Sasha asked, looking around for Peter. "Where is he?"

"Sasha, he... he died. Helping Uncle Tony and Uncle Steve."

A look of pure terror replaced the confusion. "No. No! Where is he?" Tears already began to slide down her cheeks. She tried to run after the authorities. "Petey!"

Bruce grabbed Sasha and set her in his lap, holding her close. He tried to calm her as she yelled for Peter. Everyone but Sasha seemed to make eye contact. They all shared the same thought.

The Avengers would never be the same again.

——————

"Friday, bring out the alcohol."

"Would you prefer the vodka first, or the wine?"

"Both."

As soon as they got home around noon, Tony had gone to the lab. Steve had tried to stop him, but Tony had shook him off.

"Please. Steve. I'll be back soon. I just- I just need some time to process everything."

Natasha rested a hand on Steve's shoulder and gave him a empathetic look that also told him to give Tony time.

"I- Alright." He sighed and went into the Tv room with the others.

Now, Tony was working. Working as hard as he could. Every now and then he'd take a sip of his drink. It wouldn't help.

"Bring out project D-23," Tony muttered after finishing off the drink. Friday complied and from a closed shelf in the wall came a suit. Dum-E grabbed it and gave it to Tony. "Thank you."

He took in the sight of the suit. It was an Iron-Spider suit. Tony had made it for Peter. He was planning on giving it to Peter on his birthday, but that plan had gone down the drain a few hours ago. He sighed and stared at it. The Spider symbol on the front, the colors, the material. If only Peter had been wearing this when...

"Shall I keep it, or dispose of it, sir?" FRIDAY asked eventually.

"Keep," Tony replied. He knew it was never going to get used, but it reminded him of his son. He couldn't explain it, but he wanted to keep it. "Put away the drinks for now. Close up for the day."

He needed to be with his husband. He wasn't going to get anywhere if he just worked in his lab all day. He needed to be with his husband, who needed Tony as much as Tony needed him. He walked out of the lab as the lights turned off.

When he got up there, they were all sitting around the Tv room, nothing playing on the Tv. Natasha and Bruce were in another room, probably trying to calm down Sasha.

Steve looked up as Tony walked in. His eyes were bloodshot, not unlike Tony's eyes most likely. He didn't say anything, he just stood up and hugged him. They held each other in a firm embrace in silence. Wanda tapped Vision on the shoulder and motioned to leave the room. They both stood up and left. Clint followed after them, still seeming to be in a state of shock. With Clint being a father himself, it must be hard for him to see this to. To see a child lost.

They stood there in each other's arms for what felt like eternity.  And yet, when they finally pulled away, it seemed like it hadn't been enough. 

"He's gone," Tony finally said.  "He's actually gone.  I never thought that this would happen.  Why did this have to happen?"

Steve nodded.  "I know.  We just have to believe we'll be okay.  We'll be okay."  He kissed Tonys forehead and grabbed his hands.  "He wouldn't want us to be sad."

It should have been me, Tony thought.  He nodded and looked down.  He saw Peters backpack still laying on the floor and turned his head.

It should have been me, Steve thought.  He sat down and motioned for Tony to sit down with him.  They sat and stayed silent, looking at nothing.  They stayed that way before eventually falling asleep in each other's arms.