Chapter Text
Tony stood at the end of the long table, his hair dishevelled and his entire appearance utterly unkempt. He had called an emergency Avengers meeting as he had sprinted down the hall to the elevator after his discovery in the morgue, leaving no time to tidy himself up. Tony couldn’t care less about his appearance, as there was only one thing on his mind and it trumped anything else that could ever matter.
“Peter is alive.”
The room may have been quiet before, but it was nothing like the heavy silence that hushed the small space as eyebrows quirked and sideways glances bounced back and forth. Tony held his breath as he waited for a response but no one seemed in a rush to speak up.
Tony pulled off his glasses and set his hands on the table with enough force to rattle the glass panel. “Is no one listening to me?” He seethed, and Rhodey suddenly let out a deep sigh, burying his face in his hands as the rest of the present avengers sent completely baffled and confused looks Tony's way.
Sam was the first to sound off. “Peter… Parker? As in Spider-Man?” Tony nodded once, thankful that the quiet had finally been broken. If it wasn’t for the urgency of the situation, Tony would be slightly put off by the faces that owned his attention. It was a strange sensation to be surrounded by his teammates once again after 8 months of deliberately avoiding them.
Natshas chair squeaked as she pulled her feet off the glass table. “Are you feeling okay, Tony?”
“Tony, I...” Steve began slowly before Tony could respond to Nats question, arms tightly resting across his chest. “Maybe you should-”
Tony waved a hand in the air, rolling his eyes. “Look, I know what you’re all gonna say, but I wasn’t finished.” The avengers stared him down, words unspoken hidden behind their eyelids, scrutinizing his sanity. “I have proof.”
When no one responded right away, Tony ordered FRIDAY to read out the reports of the research and tests he had conducted and watched as their expressions changed from disbelief to complete horror.
“So, if he didn’t die that night, then… what the hell happened?” Rhodey asked, an air of seriousness in his tone. “And why the secrecy, why-” He paused to wave his hands in the air. “Why the elaborate cover?”
“Someone took him...” All eyes turned on the woman who spoke. Natasha had her elbows pressed against the table in front of her, her mouth drawn in a straight line. “...and you know who did.” It wasn’t a question.
Tony nodded, grim. “Thaddeus Ross.”
Sam sat up in his seat at the mention of the name, anger flashing across his eyes. “Let me get this straight, Peter Parker has been alive this whole time… and he’s what, on the raft?”
Tony shrugged, stuffing shaking hands into his pant pockets. “It’s the only logical place Ross would keep him- seeing as it's the only thing he has jurisdiction over since the new accords went up.”
“But… that’s illegal…” Nat looked around the room as she spoke up. “There was no trial, and even then, Spider-Man operates under the direction of the avengers. He’s not a freelancer anymore.”
Tony finally took a seat as Rhodey nodded in agreement with Natashas statement. “We set up these new accords so this exact thing wouldn’t happen.”
“Steve,” Tony began, pleading with the captain, the one man who had stayed silent throughout the ordeal. “Ross has had my kid imprisoned for eight months straight… please, we have to do something.”
Steve uncrossed his arms as he shrugged minutely. “Ross broke the rules.” The blond rested his knuckles against the glass table and stood. “That means we have the responsibility to set things right.” The man's gaze panned around the room and his mouth turned to a sad smile as he locked eyes with Tony. “Everyone, suit up and meet in the hangar bay in twenty minutes. I think we have some avenging to do.”
Tony was rarely ever at a loss for words, yet he sat speechless and dumbfounded as he watched his teammates stand and begin to follow their orders. It was almost too much for Tony to wrap his head around. Peter was alive and they were on their way to get him.
Eight months of grief and suffering. Eight whole months of awkward conversations and drunken arguments with strangers and people he loved dearly. Avoidance and guilt and built up emotions that would periodically come spewing out, often aimed at whoever was closest if not the man in the mirror. He had wasted his time wallowing in misery when he could have been out searching for the clues that were oh so obvious- and Peter… he had spent the entirety of it all locked up and alone with a monster.
When they got him back, would he even be the same?
Steve was the last of the avengers to leave the room but he paused in the doorway for a moment, turning to face Tony after correcting his posture. “Are you coming with us?”
Tony huffed a small laugh as he got to his feet. “Are you joking? Of course I am, Capsicle, don’t you think I’ve been sitting on my ass for far too long?”
Steve smirked as he stepped back to let Tony slide through the door. “That’s what I like to hear, Tony.”
Even with the revelation of Peter's predicament, Tony still couldn’t bring himself to go to the lab to grab his armour, at least not until Peter was back home safe and sound. It still seemed wrong to enter that room where so many good memories had been made without the partner that had helped create them. But still, he couldn’t enter the raft without some form of protective tech, so just to be safe he fastened his wrist watch gauntlet around his arm and secured the housing unit for his nanoparticles to the clean sweatshirt that he wore. It was still a prototype, but it would do in a pinch.
Tidied up for the first time in forever, Tony felt a bit like his old self again. It was nice, refreshing even, to look in the mirror and not utterly despise the thing he saw in its reflection. With one last deep breath, Tony left the penthouse to meet up with his friends. If there was a spring in his step, nobody he passed in the halls commented on it.
It was time to go get his kid.
It was blatant that Tony had lost an ounce of his professionalism in his time off of the avenging business because he was the last to arrive in the hangar bay. He met Steve on the ramp of the hightech jet and could see Sam, Natasha, and Rhodey bustling inside its belly. They were all Tony had for this mission as the only avengers and residents of the compound, but he was more than grateful for them.
Steve matched Tony's smaller stride as he caught up to his place on the ramp. “So what's the plan, we just gonna barge in there?” Tony asked.
“It worked for me last time.” Steve answered nonchalantly.
Tony's steps faltered and he frowned. “Things have changed since then, Rogers. Ross wasn’t expecting a break out.”
Steve stopped abruptly and Tony followed suit, matching expressions meeting eye to eye. “And you think he is now?”
Tony shook his head. “No, no, but things are different… after the Sokovia accords were abolished, he…” Tony thought back to the last time he had ever seen that man. Ross had been livid, absolutely outraged at the prospect of losing almost all of his authority and most of all, fuming at the reality of losing to Tony Stark.
”Mark my words Stark...” Ross had spat while Tony had grinned and blown him kisses, “...One day- one day, you’re going to regret that you had ever crossed me.”
“Oh god.” Tony whispered as he remembered.
“Tony?” Steve's voice was laced with concern as he stepped forward worryingly.
Tony dragged his gaze off of where it had become glued to the floor as he thought back to that wondrous day. They had won, but now that Peter had been taken… had they really?
“This is personal, Steve. This is a vendetta and he took Peter because of it.” Tony's world was beginning to spin lazily around him as he fought to catch his breath. Steve's eyes went comically wide as they both recognized the warning signs of an oncoming anxiety attack.
Tony felt sick to his stomach as Steve gently rested a hand on his shoulder and guided him into a seated position. “What Ross has done is illegal thanks to you and the new accords.” Steve started quietly, as Tony closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands, attempting to smother his panic. “The raft is supposed to be for enhanced individuals who have broken the law. He had no right to do what he did and he knows it. With the help of SHIELD we’ll put him behind bars.” Tony blew out a breath as he nodded slowly. “I’ll see to it myself, Tony.”
Tony willed his tense muscles to relax as he grabbed at the hand that still rested firmly on his shoulder. He was still blinking angry tears from his vision as he gave the captain a curt nod as a silent ‘thank you.’ Now was no time to get sentimental, they had a kid to rescue.
With one final inhale, the pair stood from their spot on the ramp and entered the jet. Natasha took the pilot's seat once she spotted the duo, sliding a headset over her braided hair as Steve walked over to take the neighboring chair. Within moments the dull hum of the jet engines starting up began to rattle the walls as they lifted off the ground, out of the hangar bay, and into the air.
Tony was too anxious to sit with his comrades. Bouncing his knee so fast it called everyone's attention but Natashas, he began to pace the small area at the rear of the quinjet. No one dared to say a word to him as he wandered, his pace gradually increasing as he thought of all the different ways he was going to kill Ross when he found him.
There were thousands of ideas floating around his head. Strangulation, bullet wounds, or even just punching the fucker until his brain juices leaked from every crevice on his face. Tony could make it slow. Draw it out. Make Ross feel every ounce of the agony that he had put Tony through. Torture him like he tortured Peter.
Tony hovered over the metal cot that had been set up with a variety of medical supplies. For Peter. He prayed to a higher power that Peter wouldn’t need to use anything but the bed.
Tony was terrified of what he would find in the stomach of that damned prison the second time around. Ross had put Wanda in a shock collar and straight jacket when it was legal to do so, but now that it wasn’t? What sick things had that man done to the poor kid trapped inside the metal walls?
“Tony.” Someone called to him. Sam. “We’re here, they need you up front.”
Tony nodded to the winged avenger and wasted no time making his way over to where Steve and Natasha both sat. The sight before him stole his breath, and he peered over the large window pane and stared into the depths of the ocean below. The sun had begun to set and its rays casted orange hues across the rushing waves, but Tony could still see the shape of an enormous structure hidden just underneath the surface.
“What is it?” Tony asked.
Natasha flicked up the microphone wire on her headset as she turned to look at him. “They’re asking for security codes.”
Tony's mouth was set in a firm line as he nodded, and stole Steve's seat beside Nat. “FRIDAY, give me access codes to the raft prison,” he muttered to his watch as he typed with his free hand. FRIDAY did as she was told, immediately bringing up a list of codes to choose from. Tony had already memorized the first group of digits before the list was even completed.
He side-eyed Natasha. “Ready.”
The red head pulled her microphone wire back to her lips. “Entering security codes now. Please standby.”
Tony took the cue, entering in the code that would give them entrance to the building below them. After a rough minute of processing, the water below them began to part as the prison forced its way up through the ocean, metal gleaming in the light of the sun. Tony stood, absolutely buzzing with apprehension as the hangar bay doors on the top began to open and the quinjet began to descend.
Steve was giving orders to the team as they touched down, but Tony couldn’t focus on a word the captain was saying. Peter was close by. He could feel it and it overwhelmed any and everything else.
The quinjet doors opened with a hiss and Tony was the first one down the ramp, Steve hot on his heels.
A man in a military jumpsuit was waiting near the foot of the jet with his nose buried in a clipboard. When he looked up to the sight of the avengers parading towards him, he did a double take, his jaw dropping a fraction. “You- you’re not our supplement shipment…”
Steve was the first to speak up. “No, son.”
The man turned to run, likely to go and start the alarm, but Tony was faster. Tony grabbed his arm and tugged him close, activating his wrist gauntlet and pressing it into the man's back as a threat. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. We want to make this as easy as possible.”
He held the man still as Steve sent the others to go and secure the control room and detain the personnel working inside. The captain remained behind Tony, standing sentry over the pair.
Tony continued once the others passed by. “Now, if you’re willing to cooperate, tell us where that bastard boss of yours is.”
The man swallowed. “I don’t know.”
Tony growled in his ear as he tightened his grip on the man's arm and let his repulsor charge up. The sound reverberated around the hangar bay and the man squirmed in Tony's hold.
“I’m serious!” he shouted. “No one has seen him since he left last night, I swear, I swear!”
Tony huffed out a breath at the admission as he let go of the man and shoved him into Steve's chest. He had no doubt the man was telling the truth, but Ross was a snake, he could be anywhere.
He tipped his head towards the control room where they could see the avengers rounding up all the people inside. “Put him with the others.”
Tony trailed behind the super soldier as he gently ushered the man into the control room and into the corner with the other personnel. Tony couldn’t bear to look at them. He hated every single one of them for having anything to do with the raft and Ross.
“Tony.” Rhodey beckoned him over to where he stood over a computer screen. “Found Peter. Fifteenth floor down, section A, cell five.”
Tony squared his shoulders as he turned his head to face the set of double doors in the opposite wall. He steeled himself for the horrors on the other side, “I’m going down.”
“I’ll come with you.” Steve stepped into his line of sight. “I know my way around here, and you’ll need back up if we meet resistance.”
“Okay,” Tony agreed easily. He wouldn’t mind the help. He glanced at the others to see if they had anything else to add before he and Steve went to get Peter.
Rhodey's armour whirred as he shuffled into a new stance. “I’ll stay here, watch the cameras, keep an eye out for Ross.”
“Alright then,” Steve started, “Sam, Nat, you’re with us. Scout the floors for any sign of Ross, and place him under arrest. Use force if necessary. Keep all comm channels open in case of emergency.” Steve stepped up beside Tony. “Let's get this show on the road.”
Tony chained his hesitation in a steel box and buried it in the furthest corner of his mind. Without further ado, he turned on his heel and pushed through the double doors, heading directly for the stairwell at the opposite end of the hallway. Sam and Natasha were silent as they broke off from the pack to scout the floors, Tony only realizing that they were gone when he stopped to examine the blotchy brown stains littered all over the stairs.
He ran his fingers over the dried liquid and gasped once he realized what it was.
“Blood,” Steve noted, and Tony stood. “A few days old by the looks of it.”
Tony was suddenly filled with dread. “We have to hurry.”
Tony took off down the stairs as fast as he could, counting the numbers on the walls until he reached the fifthteenth floor, Steve directly behind him. They had been extremely lucky that they had yet to run into any guards, that was, lucky until Tony forced his way through the newest set of double doors.
Two guards dressed in full tactical gear were marching down the long hallway towards them. Tony didn’t even have time to register the situation before Steve's shield was whizzing past him in a blur and ricocheting off their chests before returning to its owner.
Tony tipped his head in gratitude. “Thanks.”
The two guards lay unmoving on the floor as Tony approached their unconscious bodies. One of the men had been carrying a tray of food, its contents already missing. Someone had just had dinner. Tony kneeled as he and Steve patted down each of the guards, and Tony nabbed a fancy looking key card off the belt of one of the men.
He clutched the device in his fingers as he scanned the walls for the letters painted above his head. They were in section D, but Peter was being held in section A. Tony wandered further down the hall before he found a new hallway and another one after that, before the lettering climbed down the alphabet and he found the section he needed.
Section A was being held shut by a thick steel door. Tony's fingers were numb as he fumbled with the key card after noticing the small slot in the door. It was harder than necessary to swipe it due to his shaking hands, and Tony knew for sure that Steve had noticed even if the bigger man hadn’t said anything about it. Tony didn’t have time to feel embarrassed. The large door creaked loudly while churning its gears as it opened to reveal a well lit chamber.
He stepped inside and spotted what he was looking for immediately.
Cell five appeared to be empty at first, but when Tony looked closer at the bed, he could see a small figure curled up under the blanket, tufts of long curls poking out at the sides. He may have only been able to see a portion of his shaggy head, but Tony knew it was his kid.
The key card tumbled to the floor as Tony ran up to the glass.
“Peter!” His hands came to rest against the cold surface and he looked the tall door up and down. “Peter, it’s me!”
Peter's blanket slowly fell from his face and Tony watched as the boy lifted himself onto one elbow, confusion morphed with disbelief and shock written on his face. “Mr- Mr Stark?” Peter's voice was hoarse and scratchy but it was like music to Tony's ears. “You’re… here? For me?”
It had been so long. Too long.
Tony was frantically patting down the door, locking for any signs of a lock or key of some sort while simultaneously watching Peter stiffly sit up all the way. The kid had one arm wrapped tightly around his midsection where Tony could see the outline of bandages underneath his ugly prison uniform.
His heart fell. Peter was hurt.
“Of course I’m here for you, kiddo. I… I should’ve been here a long time ago.” He stopped what he was doing at the sound of Peter groaning in pain. The teen had was attempting to stand with the help of his bed, but obviously the new position was tugging on whatever injury was hidden under his shirt. “Take it easy, Pete, we’re gonna get you out.”
“Tony.” Steve gestured to a key pad inserted into the left of Peter's door as he spoke, and with Tony's quick nod he began punching in random numbers.
“I’m not dead, Mr. Stark. He- he wanted you to think I was dead.” Peter's face was stretched into a tight grimace as he staggered to the door and their hands met, separated by glass alone. Tony saw tears in Peter's eyes and felt the burning of his own as the two drank in each other's images for the first time in eight months.
“This can’t be real,” Peter whispered before he slid down the glass door, unable to hold himself up any longer. Tony crouched to match his level, panic creeping up his throat at the sight of Peter suffering on his own even with himself only inches away.
“I’m here Peter, I’m… I’m going to get you out.” Tony cursed as he looked over to see Steve still struggling with the lock. His eyes roamed the room as he wrestled to find any sort of tool that could help them, when they caught the sight of a blinking red light in the corner of the room. A security camera. “You wanna do something about this door, Rhodes?!” he shouted as Peter's hand fell off the glass, connection broken.
A near minute passed before they all heard the clunk of something shifting, and then the door was opening before their eyes.
Tony dropped to his knees as Peter tipped forward without the support of the glass, catching him in a soft hug before he could fall to the floor. Peter stiffened at the abrupt contact but Tony refused to release the boy he had mourned for all this time. Eventually, Peter sagged into his mentor's hold with a soft gasp as his energy depleted itself. Tony held Peter close as the urge to cry overwhelmed him and he ran his fingers through the kids hair as he tucked Peters head under his chin. Tentatively, Peter lifted his thin arms around Tony's middle and hugged him back with whatever strength he had left.
“I’m sorry,” They both blurted at once before pulling back with meek, wet laughter.
Tony reached out to cup Peter's face in his hands, brushing away tears with his thumbs as he went. Tony suddenly frowned. The kid was burning up. His cheeks were flushed and his skin was overly warm even though he was obviously shivering. He stared deep into Peter's fevered eyes. “God, Pete, what did they do to you?”
Out of nowhere, Peter was throwing himself back into Tony's arms with full sobs catching his every breath. “I’m sorry… I gave up on you… I thought I’d never see you again.” Peter cried into Tony's chest and Tony held him close through it all.
Tony shushed him kindly. “No, no Peter, I’m sorry. It was me who gave up on you.” Peter was shaking in his arms. “God, I’m never letting you out of my sight again.” Tony untangled the hair at the nape of Peters neck, pausing momentarily when he felt fresh stitches there. Odd.
Tony wanted to get off the raft and get Peter proper medical care as soon as possible, but it was hard to make any movements with Peter when he had yet to catch his breath. Tony wasn’t known to be a patient man, not in the slightest, but sitting on the floor with his kid wrapped in his arms, living, and crying and so beautifully alive, was something he wouldn’t rush for the world.
It was when Tony thought Peter was falling asleep in his arms that he nudged him gently to arouse him. “You falling asleep there, kiddo?”
Peter hummed as he pulled his head out of Tony's chest, big brown eyes foggy with fever. “Aren’t you a little short for a stormtrooper?” His face cracked into a lopsided grin as Tony snorted at the joke. Tony hadn’t watched Star Wars since… well, since he thought Peter had died.
“Let’s get you on your feet, huh? I think it’s time we got you out of here.” Tony rubbed at Peters back as he steadily got to his feet, joints protesting at the awkward position he had been seated in and offering a hand to the boy on the floor.
Peter nodded, “Okay.” and took the offered limb with a firm grip, putting the majority of his weight on Tony as he pulled himself upright with a grimace.
Peter took one limping step forward before he toppled into the wall, barely catching himself with his hands as Tony latched onto his shoulders to hold him steady. Peter's breaths were ragged and Tony made to pull Peter's free arm over his shoulders but stopped when Peter began to protest.
“D- don’t. I can walk on my own.” Peter shrugged out of Tonys grip and started moving forwards again at an agonizingly slow pace. Tony didn’t know what to do so he followed close behind the kid, hands at the ready, ready for Peter to fall, Steve picking up the rear.
Peter was limping- badly- using the wall as support as he trudged down the hallway. Whatever had happened to his midsection must have been gruesome enough to render him nearly immobile, Tony was thankful that he had survived whatever had caused the injury, but was angered that it had happened in the first place. Who would do such a thing to an innocent child?
Tony was surprised to see that Peter knew his way to the stairwell, but wasn’t surprised when the kid doubled over in pain with a low moan and slid down the wall directly below the beginning of the staircase.
“Shit- Peter? Peter!” Tony cursed himself for letting Peter walk this far on his own, but Peter was nothing if he wasn’t a stubborn little shit. He placed a hand on Peter's forehead again and winced at the heat he felt there. “Damn it, Steve, he’s burning up.”
Peter patted Tony on the head. “ ‘m fine, jus’ wanna go home…” he slurred and Tony grabbed at his flailing hand.
“You are not fine, kiddo…” He turned to face the man he should have confronted a while ago. “Steve… do you think you could…?” He gestured to Peter with his free hand.
Steve stepped closer to the pair on the ground. “It’s not a problem Tony, I was just waiting for your permission.” Tony stood and gave Steve room to step in and scoop Peter into his arms as gentle as possible, but Peter still hissed in pain. “Sorry Peter.” Steve apologized and Tony watched as Peter's expression changed from confusion to awe.
“You’re Captain America.” Peter stated as if he was seeing the man for the first time since they arrived.
Steve chuckled as he began going up the stairs. “Yes I am.”
“And you’re carryin’ me.” Peter pointed out the obvious. Tony smiled and shook his head as he watched the two interact.
“Yes I am.” Steve answered again.
“I’m being carried by Captain America…” Peter spotted Tony over Steve's shoulder and grinned. “Hey Mr. Stark, I’m being carried by Captain America.”
Tony felt a wisp of the darkness in his mind slip away as he listened to the sound of Peter's voice, and a real, genuine laugh crept up his throat for the first time in eight months. “Yes you are Peter, yes you are.”
They made it back to the control room without issue and Steve passed Peter into Tony's arms as he left to check in with Natasha and Sam about Ross’ whereabouts. Peter made no sound as he was maneuvered into his mentor's arms, and Tony held him with ease, remarking to himself how light Peter had gotten.
Tony spotted Rhodey at his station and waved him over with a quirk of his head. The soldier stepped closer at the invite and raised a gloved hand, aiming for Peter. A warm blue light swept over his limp body and after a few seconds the War Machine helmet opened up. The colonel's eyes softened at the sight of Peter laying loose and half-awake in his best friend's arms and he cast Peter a sad smile.
“Is it bad?” Tony asked at the sight of his friend's expression.
Rhodey met his eyes. “He’s going to need medical attention. The sooner the better.”
Tony chewed at his ip as he found Peters half-lidded gaze, staring straight through his chest. He didn't want to admit it, but the kid was starting to add some unwanted strain to his back. Rhodey seemed to sense this. “Let’s get him to the jet.”
Rhody set a hand between Tony's shoulder blades as the two exited the control room and entered the hangar bay. They were almost free, almost out, only a few paces away from the lip of the quinjets ramp. Then Peter started to squirm.
“Wait, wait… Mr. Stark... Tony.” Tony tried to hold onto the struggling teen but relented his hold after a moment, and set him on his feet beside him.
“What’s wrong Pete?” Tony held Peters bicep tightly, afraid that he may keel over again.
“I can’t go... I can’t leave here, not yet.” Peter looked distraught, and on the verge of tears.
Tony was confused as he searched his kids face for answers. “What- why?”
Peter grabbed at the back of his neck. “There’s something-” Peter suddenly cut himself off, eyes going wide.
“GET DOWN!” Steve screamed.
Many things began to happen at once. So fast, it was as if time had come screeching to a snail's pace.
The sound of multiple guns cocking at once filled the drums of Tony's ears before a shower of bullets were released in their direction. Tony tackled Peter to the floor just as the glass wall of the control room shattered and sharp shards bit at Tonys skin. Peter choked back a cry at the harsh shove and Tony apologized a million times inside his head as he laid on top of the kid, using his own body as a human shield to protect Peter from becoming injured further.
It only took a second for Rhodey to activate his armour and begin firing back, and in the moment of reprieve Tony heard Steve shout again, “Tony get the kid out of here now!”
Adrenaline stormed through Tony's veins and he rushed to stand, hoisting Peter to his feet beside him, ignoring Peter's protests and pulling him to safety. They had only taken a few steps when Peter crumpled to the ground with a shout, doubled over and twitching as if he were being electrocuted. The avengers were shouting directions and sprinting towards them all at once, blinding Tony with all the new sensory inputs. In his panic he grabbed his missing kid, and slinging him over his shoulder, ran the rest of the way to the jet, fear tenfolding when Peter didn’t stop writhing and crying.
The avengers filed in after Tony as he laid Peter on the cot at the back of the jet. Someone sat at the helm and activated the quinjet. Tony's hands hovered over Peter's chest before he decided to pin down Peter's shoulders to the cot to keep him from falling off the table during take off.
Something was seriously wrong and Tony didn’t know what to do.
Peter was crying as strangled screams forced their way up his throat, and he kept thrashing against Tonys hold. The kids movements only seemed to grow more intense the farther they got from the prison.
“FRIDAY, scan him!” someone with more brain cells than Tony shouted over to pof the ruckus. Steve was suddenly at Tonys side, holding down Peter's legs.
There was a pause as FRIDAY did her calculations. “There is a small technological device implanted between vertebra C3 and C4 that is emitting a series of electrical impulses.”
Tony felt sick to his stomach. The nature of the implant brought back distant memories of Obidiah Stane and his cruel designs for the old Stark Industries tech.
“How do we turn it off?” Steve hollered.
If this was what he thought it was… “We have to get it out!” Tony yelled. “Shit, I need something sharp!”
Sam was by his side in an instant, scalpel in hand. “I’ve got it, Tony. Just hold him still for me.” Wilsons voice was calm despite the chaos, and Tony found himself fully trusting the younger man for the first time since Rhodeys accident.
Tony wrapped his arms around his convulsing kid and pulled him into an upright position, folding Peters neck downwards and pushing his choppy hair away from the incision site. It looked to be freshly installed and Tony was more than grateful for that fact.
Sam's hands were as steady as could be as he swiftly sliced through the thread and skin on the back of Peter's neck and removed the small black chip with the tip of his blade. Tony felt himself pale at the sight of the sinister object. How Ross had managed to get his hands on that tech, Tony didn’t know, but the man was as good as dead.
Upon its immediate removal, Peter sucked in a sharp breath and went totally limp in Tony's grasp. Tony breathed a sigh of relief as he tenderly laid his unconscious body back down onto the cot. It was over. The vibrant Peter Parker, who had been through so much, was finally back in his life again.
Tony brushed back Peter's bangs from his forehead and leaned forwards to plant a kiss there.
“Rest now, kiddo. I’ve got you now. I’ve got you.”