Pepper squeezed his hands. "Fortunately for us, we are." She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. "What happens now?"
"Tony and I will continue with what we're doing, ensuring the safe passage of the Accords and keeping the Avengers together," explained Natasha.
"We're also tracing a man named Helmut Zemo who is responsible for a terrorist attack which is due to happen soon," continued Tony.
"Unfortunately, we cannot act until he's committed a crime and so far he hasn't but FRIDAY is keeping tabs on him. We'll be ready to act as soon as we receive notification." He hesitated then, unsure whether to take the risk.
Pepper noticed. "What is it?"
"There's this kid, where I came from, who became a big part of my life. It's around this time I met him… He changed me for the better. I'm debating whether to go ahead and put myself in his life when the situation which forced me to go to him in the first place shouldn't happen now…" Tony had been considering whether to leave Peter out of everything.
Keep him safe by not getting to know him.
"How much did he mean to you?" Pepper queried quietly.
"He died in my arms and it broke me, Pep. He's got powers, and he has the potential to be one of the greatest superheroes of the world… I took him under my wing but one mistake I made was not telling his Aunt about his after-school activities. She did find out though and she accepted my role in his life. He's fifteen."
Pepper swallowed. "I think if he means so much to you, you need to be involved. Maybe mentoring him previously made him a better superhero. Don't cut him out of your life."
"Tony, we'll need him. We'll need as many people to fight as possible. At least with us he'll have the right training and will not come blundering in unprepared," suggested Natasha.
Tony sighed. "I want to keep him safe. Everyone I love safe. But I know it is not possible."
"We'll do the best we can." Natasha glanced at Pepper.
"But what I believe is most important to the future we are trying to build is you two. The voice wouldn't have told us to trust Pepper if she didn't play a pivotal role in what was to come next." Natasha said.
It was perhaps an interesting statement and one development Tony hadn't considered. 'I should have seen it. Pepper has always been pivotal to everything I do. Why would it be different this time?'
"Trust," Pepper murmured, "that's what is important. Trust one another and we can't fail."
The only issue now towards trust was the difference in the Accords and whether the rest of the team would support them.
Tony worried their efforts would be for nothing. "Then let us believe the others will trust us and help us keep the Avengers together."
Natasha smiled gently. "I don't know why but I believe they will."
----------
Friday 20th May 2016
Queens
A week later, Tony asked Happy to drive him to Queens where he intended to bring Peter Parker into the fold.
He'd thought long and hard about how to approach the subject. There was no need for him to take the kid to Germany now.
If things worked out the way they were supposed to, the airport fight wouldn't be happening.
But the kid still had superpowers and was quickly becoming more and more noticeable in the media, especially with the multiple YouTube videos that were popping up online.
It was time for Tony to step in.
Only this time, Aunt May would be informed of Peter's identity.
She had supported her nephew when she had found out the true nature of Peter's internship with Stark Industries, though she hadn't been too happy about Tony Stark keeping the secret from her.
She had slightly relented when Peter had told her he had asked Mr. Stark to keep the secret.
Now everything was different.
Tony's first priority was to safeguard Peter. He could simply just walk away and leave the kid to it, but no matter what, the kid would still get involved.
For instance, the Vulture was operating in the vicinity, another man Tony was keeping an eye on, waiting for the right time to take him down.
He could just as easily shut down the Vulture's operations now but he had a good reason not to. His priority at the moment was sorting the Accords.
After that, Tony had a few years to prepare for Thanos, in which he could turn his attention elsewhere.
Right now, it was Peter.
The car pulled to a stop outside an apartment building.
He knew the Peter and May would be moving soon as their lease was due to run out and wouldn't be renewed. He'd had to remember which apartment to go to.
"We're here, boss," said Happy.
"Thanks," said Tony, getting out of the car. "Wait here. I won't be too long."
Taking a side entrance, not wanting to be seen, Tony took the emergency exit stairs, disabling the alarms with FRIDAY and ran up the stairs to reach the sixth floor. The hallway was deserted.
'Perfect.'
Knocking on apartment twenty-three, Tony waited, feeling a bit nervous.
He heard footsteps from beyond the door and May opened it, eyes widening as she saw who was at her doorstep.
"Hi, Ms. Parker, Tony Stark, may I come in?" He tried his best to appear genuine, flashing a smile at her as he held out his hand for her to shake.
"To…Tony Stark? The Tony Stark?" She extended her own hand and shook his. "I think… you've got the wrong apartment."
"No, definitely the right one. Peter Parker lives here, right?"
"Yes…" She stepped aside, allowing him to enter the apartment, shutting the door behind him.
"Is he here?" he asked.
"What do you want with him?" she asked carefully, her shock at seeing Tony Stark on her doorstep was wearing off and the colour was returning to her cheeks.
"Just a talk. He's very smart for his age and I have an internship I'd like to offer him, if he's interested and you are agreeable to it, of course?" Best way to play this. Keep the internship intact. Peter needed it to so he could reach his full potential.
"How… how did you know about him? He's just a normal kid."
'Oh, if Aunt May knew he wasn't just a normal kid.'
***
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