Just a memory

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“Mr Stark?” Peter hoped the intercom was working. “Mr Stark, can you hear me?”

Tony Stark's voice crackled over the line. “Where are you?”

Peter tried not to look down. “Uh… about that. You see that plane heading up to the sky? The big one with a ton of explosives? I'm on it.”

Tony stilled. “What? What do you mean you're on it?”

“I mean just that. The explosives are enough to wipe out half of the city. I'm taking care of it. I'm going to activate them when we're far enough away.”

“No. You can't do that!”

“I'm sorry, Mr Stark. I don't want anyone else getting hurt if I can stop it. I have to do this.”

“No you don't." Tony said frantically. "We can figure something else out!”

“Like what? Look, I only have about a minute left before I detonate. Tell Ned I'm sorry I couldn't finish the death star. Tell MJ that I really liked her. I want to do this, Mr Stark. I need to be someone they can be proud of. That you can be proud of. I have to go. If I don't make it out...take care of them. Okay?”

“Peter…”

Peter dropped the earpiece on the floor, then hit the button.

Tony lifted off the ground, but before he could follow Peter, the sky lit up with an explosion. The shock wave, even though it had been miles away, was still enough to knock everyone to the ground.

Tony dropped to his knees, staring at the sky. “Peter… no.”

Cap knelt beside him. “I'm sorry.”

Tony shrugged his hand off viciously. “He's dead, Steve. He was a boy. I let him fight. I can't… I can't…” he trailed off. “I promised.”

Steve stepped back. “Tony. You can't blame yourself. He chose for himself. You had no control over him.”

Tony clenched his fists. “He did this because he wanted to prove that I could be proud of him. I already am. But he didn't know. I didn't tell him.”

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Eight months later, Peter stood at the door of an apartment in Queens. The door of MJ's house. He raised his hand to knock, and noticed it was shaking. Nerves probably. Then he knocked. Silence, so he knocked again. This time he heard footsteps.

The door opened slightly. "Yes?" The vise was quiet.

Peter stepped back. "Uh... is MJ here?"

The door opened fully, and the girl herself stepped out. Peter looked up, and her eyes met his.

She inhaled sharply. "P-Peter? What-"

Peter scratched the back of his head. "Uh... hey?" Her eyes got even wider, if that was possible, and she threw her arms around Peter. Muffled sobs came from her, and Peter just hugged her tightly. "Everything's okay. I'm back."

She pulled away, wiping her eyes. "They said you died!"

Peter rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah. I know. I wanted to come back sooner. I just...couldn't remember how."

She frowned, but quickly dismissed it. "Come in while I call Ned."

The corner of his mouth twitched. "Okay." He followed her in, sitting down beside her on the couch as she waited for Ned to pick up. Soon he did. "Ned you have to get over here! Now!" She waited for a second. "Yes it's an emergency! It's a good emergency! YOU HAVE TO GET OVER HERE."

Irondad OneshotsWhere stories live. Discover now