Parker (Avengers Fanfic)

Parker

It took time to get back home to Earth.

Time, however, did nothing to ease the pain. Tony Stark couldn't erase the memory of Peter Parker disappearing from his arms. Worse, time did nothing to help the man – the man who was Iron Man – figure out what he needed to do. Instead, time played around with his head putting forth a multitude of scenarios of which each the outcome seemed like a bleak answer to his problem.

He imagined showing up at the door with his hand poised to knock and, on the door, only for the woman inside to open up and look him in the eye. Sometimes his imagination simply stopped thee as looking into the eyes of the women in front of him was devastating enough, but he couldn't imagine his mouth moving. Other times he managed opening his mouth and saying, "Sorry mam, but I have some bad news," as if he were some military personnel delivering bad news.

Peter, however, wasn't military and in the back of Tony's mind he knew all to well the fate the boy faced was the fate he never wanted for the boy, yet he never once did he ever get to explain to Peter Parker that he never once thought the boy wasn't capable. He simply didn't want anything bad to happen to the boy. Eventually, his mind led him to the conclusion he didn't want anything to happen because Peter was his kid.

Somehow this put the dream he told Pepper about before everything hit the fan into a new perspective, one he didn't quite like, but his current company honestly wasn't the most intellectual of conversations. Worse, the lack of intellectual conversation, in all honesty, had nothing to do with lack of intelligence among those remaining but instead lay with the clash of personalities which in turn didn't help the manner in which Stark's mind wandered.

He thought he would find himself elated once he was with Pepper and left to their own devices, yet the first words out of his mouth were, "How am I supposed to tell his Aunt May he's dead?" He watched Pepper's lips push together and her eyes waver slightly. Her hand reached up to touch his face, yet she said nothing. "I mean, I kept thinking about it, and thinking about it, but I'm stuck with words like, 'he was like a son to me', but doesn't that trivialize the pain she's going through."

"She's not exactly going through that pain yet."

"And then I think I might lie to her and spare her. You know, say I have him off working on some project. He's that much of a genius Pepper." Stark held up his hand and pinched his fingers together. "Thanos couldn't possibly understand what he's done and what he's taken from the world because he thinks of them as numbers and not faces. People aren't numbers, but each a unique individual. So how can you quantify half as worthy and the other half as not."

"I..."

"Because you can't. Even a lottery system still says half are worthy and the other half or not. Sure, it's not saying that those who honestly need a second chance in life aren't worthy if they manage to be spared, but goodness knows it sends that message to those remaining who have a loved one gone. How do you explain this to anyone?"

"I don't know. I think she suspects something because he's not returned home, but it's been a while."

"Yeah, but as far as I know she doesn't know he's Spider-Man either, so I'm also placed at the dilemma of keeping that a secret."

"People have kind of noticed Spider-Man is gone as well."

"Yeah, but they don't know that's because Peter Parker is gone. She's his aunt, but I've met her. She's not some flake and would put two and two together. And..." Stark paused. "I guess there is a part of me which is still thinking I'll wake up tomorrow and he'll be there, but I also blame myself for dragging him into this."

"Peter is a better name than Morgan I think."

"What?"

"Parker would be a good name for a girl. I mean, if we were to have a kid." Pepper glanced away

"I thought you thought I wasn't ready to have a kid because I couldn't give up the suit."

Pepper's mouth twisted into a smile. "I'd been thinking while you were gone about how superheroes are a part of our everyday life, but maybe I was just worried about losing you. What happened reminded me we could lose anybody any day for any reason."

Tony contemplated what she said for a bit. "Really Pepper. A Parker Stark? Peter would be appalled. Even Parker Potts-Stark doesn't sound right."

"Okay. Okay." Pepper gave him a half smile. "No naming our daughter Parker even though I like the name better than Morgan because it doesn't go with the last names. Peter though is a better name than Morgan for a boy. That, or Howard for your father."

Tony leaned in and kissed Pepper on the lips. "You do realize if Peter were to ever come back, or we were to find a Peter from another universe, he would be mortified?" A sigh left his lips. "I do get it though. There are ways we can remember the fallen."