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Morgan met Peter three days after her Mommy and Daddy had come home saying that the big monster was gone and everyone who had disappeared had returned.
She had heard about the heroic Spider-Man, Peter Parker, who her dad had spoken to her fondly about since she was a tiny baby. She would have loved him, she had been told.
It wasn’t his Spider-Man powers that her parents were talking about either, even though Morgan thought those were pretty awesome! Instead, she was told other things, how he loved to play games, was super funny, always kind.
Morgan wanted to know this boy that her daddy loved so much. From the time she could talk she had begged to be able to meet him. Those requests however had always made her daddy quiet. She would ask him why he was so sad, but he never answered her, he would just shake his head with a smile, promising that he wasn’t sad at all, but Morgan always knew better, she may have been little, but she knew that her daddy wasn’t fine.
That’s why when her parents came home a week after the big battle, her daddy’s arm bandaged up tight, but his smile so wide it was hard to tell that he was even hurt, Morgan knew that Spider-Man must have come back too. He was the only thing she could think of that would make her daddy that happy.
And he was back, the adults had confirmed the following morning, and Morgan had been promised that she would get to meet him the very next day! She was so excited she had barely slept the whole night and when she had woken up that morning, her Mommy had to bribe her with pancakes to calm her down until after breakfast when the boy would finally arrive.
When Happy knocked on their door, having gone to pick Peter up, Morgan cheered, running full speed to greet their guests.
“This is Peter, Morgan,” her daddy had introduced with a smile that went from ear to ear.
Morgan spoke no words to the boy, just launched herself into a hug that Peter caught gracefully.
“Oof, it’s nice to meet you, Morgan,” Peter had patted her back and smiled.
“Daddy says you’re Spider-Man!” the girl stated when she finally detached herself from him. She had believed her dad, yet, she felt the need to get confirmation anyway.
Peter bent down to be eye level with her and gestured her to lean in, “Can you keep a secret?”
The little girl nodded vigorously, wide eyes hanging onto his every word.
“I am Spider-Man, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. It’s a big secret. I don’t think I have to worry about you though, you seem like a really great secret keeper.”
“I really am!” Morgan agreed straight away, “I never even tell Mommy when Daddy sneaks us extra desserts after bedtime!”
All the adults laughed, though Morgan didn’t understand what was so funny, or why her mommy swatted her daddy’s arm. Still, she laughed along too.
“That’s great Morgan, I’m not worried at all that you’ll spill my biggest secret,” he said it kindly, and Morgan was unable to notice the hint of joke hidden in those words. She beamed proudly. She knew that Peter was already her favourite super-hero ever!
The rest of the day had been great. Peter had played tea party with her, they had all watched a movie that Morgan was allowed to pick, and they had eaten pizza and ice-cream for supper. Morgan was pretty sure she loved having Peter back, just like her daddy. Not only did she have a new playmate, but her daddy had been gone a long time too, and she was so happy that he was staying home now. She didn’t like it when he left to fight the bad guys.
That’s why the next day, straight after breakfast, Morgan was incredibly disappointed.
She had eaten her Fruit Loops quickly, already planning her day with Peter and her daddy in her mind, hide-and-seek, Play-Doh, maybe even a trip to her super-secret fort in their backyard.
However, when Morgan had brought this up to them, the boys had frowned, her daddy speaking up first.
“Mongoose, Petey and Daddy have some big people stuff to do today,” he spoke carefully, and the girl could already feel her lip wobbling.
“What kind of big people stuff?” she asked, a hint of whine in her voice.
“Well, we’re going to work in the lab for a little while,” he explained, looking toward Peter who looked a little guilty.
Morgan smiled, “Oh! I love working in the lab!”
Daddy shook his head, “I’m sorry Little Miss, but this lab time is just for Daddy and Peter.”
The girl’s smile fell, “Why?”
He leaned down to her level, “You know that Peter has been gone a long time, right?”
She nodded.
“Well, we missed each other a lot during that time, so, now that Pete’s back, we want to have a bit of time together, just the two of us, do you understand?”
Morgan didn’t understand, not really, but she nodded anyway, “Ok Daddy,” she managed to say.
Only after the boys had exited the room, did the girl allow her eyes to fill with tears.
She tried to entertain herself as her dad and Peter enjoyed their alone time, but none of the games she tried to play were much fun by herself.
She pushed herself up from where she was playing with her dolls on the floor and found her mommy in her office.
“Mommy, is Daddy going to come up and play soon?” She questioned with a pout.
“Oh Hunny, him and Peter went for a walk. I think Peter was having some sad feelings and Daddy is trying to make him feel better, just like when you are sad.”
“Oh,” Morgan sighed, and she turned to head back to her toys. Why did her Daddy have to help Peter feel better? She was feeling sad too, and he was her daddy! He should be making her feel better first!
She huffed, sitting down on her beanbag chair, deciding to read one of her many picture books until her daddy and Peter came back.
It took a long time, the girl growing bored with her books long before the boys walked back through the cabin door. When they did, Morgan ran for them.
“Daddy, you’re back!” She shrieked with glee, but her excitement was short-lived.
“Hey baby,” Tony smiled, but it wasn’t a real smile. It was the type of smile her dad would give her when he thought what she did was funny, but he also knew he had to punish her for it. “Let’s try to be quiet right now, okay? Peter’s feeling a little tired, we’re going to have some quiet time and watch a movie.”
“Yay!” Morgan cheered, before remembering she was supposed to be quiet. She softened her voice, “Can we watch Moana?”
The man shook his head sadly, “I think we’re going to let Peter pick this time, okay?”
Morgan’s smile dropped again, “It’s not fair,” she stomped her little foot, “I want to choose the movie! It’s my house, not Petey’s!”
“Morgan Harper Stark! That’s not very nice, apologize to Petey!” Tony chastised his daughter.
“No! You’re my daddy, not his! And I don’t want you to play with him anymore! I want Petey to leave!”
“Morgan!” her dad yelled again, but he didn’t get anything else out before she ran out of the room and up the stairs, going straight for her bedroom and throwing herself into her pillows and stuffed animals with a sob.
She did not like having Peter there after all, because now that Peter was back, her daddy didn’t need her anymore! He only ever wanted Peter, she realized, feeling her little heart break into a million pieces.
She would just have to leave, she decided. If her family no longer needed her, she would find someone who did. Maybe Uncle Rhodey would want her to live with him. He lived all alone, and he always said that Morgan was his favourite Stark! Peter wasn’t a Stark, so Morgan knew he couldn’t take that title from her. With a tiny huff, the little girl picked up her duffle bag from her closet and started pushing all her favourite items inside. If she left soon, hopefully she’d be able to find Uncle Rhodey’s house before suppertime.
The girl was struggling to zip her overstuffed bag when Tony leaned himself against her open door. She looked to her daddy, then scowled, turning her little frame around so her back was facing him.
“Why are you packing, baby?”
“I’m leaving!” she cried out, sounding much less ferocious than she intended.
Tony’s lip curled up slightly, but he forced himself to stay serious. Whatever his little girl was feeling was real to her, and he needed to find out what was wrong, “I’m sorry to hear that, where are you going?”
Morgan faltered for a moment, eyes widening briefly before catching herself and huffing, “Uncle Rhodey’s! He loves me!”
“He sure does, but Mommy and I love you tons and tons, we’d sure miss you if you left.”
“NO, you wouldn’t! You only love Peter, not me!”
Tony’s brow furrowed, “Honey, just because you don’t get to pick the movie tonight doesn’t mean we don’t love you. We take turns in this family, and tonight was Peter’s turn.”
Morgan shook her head, “Now that Peter’s here you don’t need me anymore, you only want to be with Peter. I played by myself all day because you love Peter more, and now that he’s home you don’t want to play with me.”
Realization hit Tony’s face, “Oh Mongoose, I didn’t mean for you to feel like that. Of course, I love playing with you.”
“Then why did you only play with Petey today?”
Tony sighed, collecting his thoughts, “Do you remember when you were so so scared of the dark, and you would come sneak into our bed every night because you felt safer when Daddy was right there while you slept?”
The little girl nodded her head.
“Well, Peter is feeling so so scared right now. You know how he went away for a long time?”
Another nod.
“That was really scary for Peter. He was all alone, and he didn’t know what was happening. It was dark and cold and scary.”
“Like how my bed was when I was all alone?” the five-year-old questioned curiously.
Tony ran his hand through her long hair, “Sort of, yes. And Peter is still feeling really sad and scared because of that, so right now he needs me to hug him and make him feel safe, just like you needed me to when you were scared. He’s a little embarrassed about being scared, and he doesn’t want people to know. That’s why I asked if I could spend some time with Petey alone today so that I could help Petey feel better without him feeling embarrassed because of it. Does that make sense?”
“Uh-huh,” she nodded vigorously, “So Petey needs lots of hugs?”
“He does,” her daddy agreed, “Do you think you can help me with that now?”
“I can! I give really good cuddles, Daddy!”
Tony smiled, nodding his head, “You sure do, I think your cuddles are the very best.”
Morgan’s face lit up, “I’m going to go cuddle him right now!”
“Hold up!” Tony ordered, pulling the girl back by her sleeve, “Daddy needs a cuddle first!”
Those were the only words needed to get an armful of Morgan.
When they entered the living room a few minutes later, Peter was seated on the couch by himself, looking worried. He glanced at Tony as the pair arrived and the mentor gave the boy a thumbs up.
“Petey, I brought some blankies and pillows! Daddy says we can make a blanket fort to watch our movie!”
Peter’s mouth upturned, “That sounds great Morg.”
“Oh wait! I almost forgot!” the girl dropped her blanket fort materials and threw her arms around Peter’s middle, hugging tight, “I’m sorry you’re sad,” she whispered like it was the highest of secrets, “but me and Daddy are going to make you feel all better!”
And that’s what they did because, in the security of the knitted walls and soft floors of their blanket fort, wrapped in the arms of so much love, the world really did seem a lot less scary.