Spider-Man: Evolution (Book 1 of 7)

Chapter 5

Tony sat there with his face in his hands as the TV was turned off. Steve suddenly walked in.

"It's been 6 hours and the kid is still in surgery." Steve snapped at Tony and Tony moved his hands and Steve saw that he had been crying. Steve looked shocked. "What did that kid go through with his Uncle Ben that has you and Nat so upset?"

"You don't want to know. He blames himself for something that was not his fault. Without me even realizing it I was insulting the very reason that he defends everyone when I went to recruit him. He told me. 'When you can do what I can do, but you don't, and then the bad things happen, they happen because of you.' And I assumed that he was just looking out for the little guy. I had no idea that he felt that if he didn't do things to stop bad people, then someone would suffer the way that he did. This poor kid, he's, HE IS A KID. I don't know why I kept denying that he's just a kid, and he's been through hell and I'm just making things a million times worse." Tony said and Steve walked over to him and sat down beside him.

"Because he's braver than the average man, and he's smarter than the average man, and stronger than the average man. I don't blame you for not seeing it." Steve pointed out.

"This never would have happened to him if I had just taken care of him the way I said I would." Tony sighed as he wiped his face off.

"Your right, I believe, if Happy told me correctly, you used an interesting analogy once with Peter. Tony, you screwed the pooch, big time, but then you did what was right, you took the pooch to the free clinic, and you raised the hybrid puppies." Steve joked and Tony turned to him, unamused.

"Accept I didn't. You guys went and fixed my mistake. I messed up, big time, and I don't know how to fix it." Tony admitted.

"It's not too late Tony. If he survives, then you can talk to him, and make sure he knows that it's ok to come to see you in these type of situations and then tell him you're never going to take away his suit ever again. Because that's messed up Tony. If we took away your Iron Man suit every time you messed up, there would be no Iron Man." Steve said and Tony laughed.

"I suppose your right. Let's get down there and make sure we are there when that surgery is done." Tony sighed and then he left the room and then Steve followed behind him. They went downstairs and found everyone waiting impatiently. Ned was asleep and he was leaning against Star Lords shoulder and Star Lord was asleep and his head was leaning against Ned's head. Steve let out a laugh at the two and them and then they saw that Nat was asleep in Bruce's arms.

"Well that must hurt your masculinity." Tony said to Steve as he saw that Nat and Bruce were kind of bothering Steve.

"No. I just don't get why she would be with a guy who blows up when he gets angry. I'm just worried about her safety that's all. That's what I do. I'm Captain America, worrying about the safety of beautiful women in need, and all of the other children and men in the world." The Capt. tried to act like he didn't care.

"Uh-huh, keep saying that to yourself." Tony sighed and then he walked over to May and MJ. MJ and May were both wide awake and they were also very exhausted and seemed hopeless. Tony got down on one knee and got eye to eye with May.

"I'm so truly sorry May. I made a massive mistake by making Peter feel like he couldn't come to me. I made a mistake in thinking that he was an adult. Just because he has the strength and bravery of one, it doesn't make him one. If you will allow me, I will start taking your calls again and I will keep a better eye on Peter." Tony sighed. "He doesn't really like listening to me, but I'll try to get through to him as much as possible. I took on the job of being his mentor and now it's my job to BE a mentor to him, not the half caring asshole that he thinks I am." May looked to Tony and nodded.