Archive of Our Own

Elmwood Cemetery was always quiet. It was tucked into a quiet part of the city, one you would only find if you knew where you were going- the Labyrinth of roads and alleyways surrounding it ensuring most travelers were turned in the opposite direction before they even got close.

But it wasn't always so deserted- before all the high rise apartment buildings cropped up around it, essentially walling it off from the rest of the world, cars would come in and out regularly, bright bunches of flowers and trinkets sitting in almost every row.

Now, the grass stood empty- the oldest headstones starting to erode, and sometimes it would be weeks on end before even a single car passed through the tall iron gate.     

Which is why Peter was sprinting across the grass at the sound of tires on gravel, eager to catch a glimpse of the first visitor he'd seen in months.

He skidded to a stop beside the elm tree that stood like a monolith at the center of the cemetery, peering down the hill at the yellow car that was parked on one of the far roads- the bass emanating from the radio sending small vibrations across the noiseless space. The sound cut out as the car was turned off, a man in sunglasses and a three piece suit stepping out, holding a large bouquet of white flowers in his hand. Peter wandered down from the hill, hovering a few rows away as the man stood in front of a large grey headstone. 

"Hey Jarvis," he said softly, resting the flowers gently against the stone before taking his sunglasses off and sliding them in his pocket. "Sorry I haven't been by in a while- time just kinda got away from me you know?"

Peter peered closer, squinting to see the name engraved on the back, still standing a few feet away.

Edwin Jarvis

April 4th 1913- December 9th 2006

Loving Husband, Loyal Friend

"Hey kid- the hovering's getting kinda weird ok? If you want an autograph send a letter to SI- I usually give 'em to my secretary to mail at the end of the month,"

Peter's head shot up, his jaw dropping open in shock.

Nobody could ever see him. In over twenty years, not a single person was able to notice him- no matter how hard he tried.

At first it was almost exciting to be able to move around completely unseen by the rest of the world, thinking of it as a sort of experiment; reaching out to tap people on the shoulder just to see what would happen, or rustling the branches of the elm tree to see if they would notice. But the longer time went on Peter's awe had given way to longing, desperately wishing for someone to talk to him- or even just look in his direction.

He used to avoid getting too close to the various people who visited, only hanging around long enough to get a glance of the people who stepped out of the cars before retreating to the far side of the cemetery- not wanting to intrude on their private moment with their loved one. But as the visitors grew fewer and fewer, and more years passed by, Peter would find himself sitting on the grass next to the people as they talked or prayed- starving for any form of contact, even if he knew deep down that they weren't really talking to him.

Peter blinked owlishly- stunned into silence at the first words somebody has spoken to him in almost two decades. "You can see me?" He gasped, voice tinged with awe.

"Well you're not making much of an attempt to hide," the man commented, raising an eyebrow.

"Holy- wow- oh my god- hi, I'm Peter," He waved excitedly, barely able to restrain himself from bouncing with joy.

"Tony," the man replied, a bemused smile on his face.

"Wait-" Peter said, eyes darting between Tony and the headstone. "Like- Tony as in Tony Stark?"

"The one and only,"

"Woah- but you're like an adult now," Peter said, awe in his voice.

"That's usually how life works kid," Tony replied, no bite in his words- only sheer confusion. 

"But you- oh my god, you're my hero!" Peter blurted- barely waiting for the man to finish. "I spent all summer trying to build my own A.I. robot- and I mean obviously it wasn't even close to how cool yours was cause all I could afford was just scrap parts- and I was the President of the A.V. club at school! Which I know isn't exactly like working with robots but my school was really small so that was the most tech focused club we had- but I mean it was good practice for working with machines you know?" Peter babbled, his hands moving around wildly, words rushing out of him now that he had someone to listen.

"Wow- they still call it A.V. club? I didn't know they had those anymore," Tony asked, and Peter tilted his head in confusion.

"Huh? I uh- I guess so," he said, shrugging his shoulders, deflating a little bit.

Peter didn't really like to think about how much life had changed since he was alive- his only way of learning about the world being when a stray newspaper happened to blow in on the wind or end up in one of the trash cans.

So he was forced to simply sit back and watch as the world changed around him- the people who walked along the gravel pathways using slang that he couldn't quite understand, unfamiliar songs echoing from their cars or apartment buildings. 

At first it seemed insignificant- why would he care about the changing model design of cars, or the fact that he could barely pin down what the fashion trends were supposed to be? But after almost twenty years it felt suffocating- the more differences he noticed from his own time only cemented the feeling that he didn't really belong.

"You'd know more than me kid," Tony said, guilt sitting heavily in his stomach at the dejected look on the teenager's face. "So- did you ever finish the robot?" He asked, relaxing slightly as the excited glint shone in Peter's eyes again.

"I did! I mean- it wasn't much though, not like what you do- I had all the mechanisms at the center in this box, and I attached a leg to each corner- and it kind of looked like a spider when it moved you know? It couldn't do much other than walk back and forth but I did win my last science fair with it!"

"Hey, way to go bud- did you end up keeping it? Somehow Dum-e is still hanging around the lab after all these years,"

"You still have Dum-e?" Peter asked excitedly, and Tony laughed.

"And I regret it every day of my life," he sighed, but his words were betrayed by the fond smile on his face. "I swear I threaten to give him to the community college at least three times a week, but I just can't seem to bring myself to do it,"

"Aww," Peter replied, and Tony shot him a playful glare.

"So what about you? Got your little Spider hanging out in your room?"

"I...I don't know what happened to him actually. He probably got dumped in the trash,"

Peter got that look on his face again, and Tony's heart ached at how someone so young could look so sad. "Well, if you ever want to rebuild him, you can always stop by one of my R&D labs- we can take a crack at it together," the words were out of his mouth before he could even stop them, but instead of the elation he was expecting, Peter seemed to deflate even more.

"Uh- wow, I uh- That would be amazing but I- I can't leave- um, my... house. My parents are super strict, you know? They think I'm at the library right now," Peter stammed, and Tony's brow furrowed. 

Something was off.

Before he could say anything else, his phone rang in his pocket- taking it out and sighing heavily as Obadiah's name flashed at the center of his screen. "Shit," he hissed, digging his car keys out of his pocket. "Shit- shit," He wrenched the door open, turning back to Peter with one leg inside the car. "I'm sorry bud- my board meeting started a half hour ago- I'll tell my secretary to keep an eye out for you if you change your mind about the lab," he said, scribbling down a number on the back of a spare business card and handing it to Peter. "It was nice meeting you kiddo," 

"O-oh it was nice meeting you too- um- bye, Tony," Peter said quietly, his shoulders slumping and sending stabs of guilt through Tony's heart.

And he hovered for just a moment- almost opening his mouth- but his cellphone rang again, and with one last whispered curse the car door slammed shut.

******

A month later Peter was sitting up in the branches of the elm tree as the yellow car weaved through the pathways again, the heavy guitar of ACDC wafting towards him on the breeze. With a beaming smile Peter dropped down to the grass, immediately sprinting over as Tony stepped out of the car.

"Mr. Stark!" He shouted, skidding to a stop a few feet away from the man.

"Hey, I'm not that old just yet kid- first names only, alright?" Tony said, leaning back against the side of the car.

"So, have you been busy? I mean- of course you've been busy- you're you- but uh- I was just curious cause um- I haven't seen you in awhile you know?" Peter babbled, his cheeks turning red.

"Well Obie's been breathing down my neck about finishing the plans for this new missile the military wants built, and the board is based here, and they want to see the plans too- but honestly the last thing on Earth that I want to do right now is stare at these blueprints some more- so I ditched my 3 o'clock, swung by the florist, and here we are," Tony explained with a weary sigh, and Peter frowned.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, as Tony walked over to Jarvis' headstone and placed the small pot of white flowers down gently.

"Not your fault kiddo," he said, shrugging his shoulders, before freezing- an idea popping into his head. “So- how do you feel about being the first person to see my new project? You know- one that I’m actually excited to be working on,”

"Really? You're gonna show me? Just like that?" Peter replied, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"Somehow I don't think you're gonna rip me off kid," Tony said, opening the car door and grabbing the folded up paper off the backseat. "And plus, you said you were into tech right?"

Peter was almost afraid to breathe as Tony sat down on the grass and opened up the papers, patting the spot next to him. "This," he said as the teenager knelt down, "is a miniaturized arc reactor- we got a big one that runs the factory building here, but I just couldn't stop thinking about what could happen if we were able to harness that kind of power in a more accessible form right? It's not perfect yet, but this is what I’ve got,"

Peter stared down in awe at the drawing sketched out in front of him- the equations scribbled on the edges too advanced for him to make out, but Peter found it amazing all the same. "What's that going to power? Like- what's it for?"

"No idea," Tony said with a shrug as he took a pencil out of his jacket pocket to scribble some more notes on the side. "I'm sure something will hit me by the time I'm done,"

"Can I see it when it's done? Like- can you bring it back here?" Peter asked, and Tony looked at him, an eyebrow raised in confusion.

"Uh- sure, whatever you want kid," he said, and Peter could almost see the gears turning in his head. "So, how'd this become your favorite hang out spot huh? You don't really look like the goth type, so what gives?"

"Oh- uh it's just quiet here, you know? And I can't really go home so..." Peter said softly, and a frown pulled at Tony's face.

"I'm sorry kid- I remember what that was like," he said, his voice going slightly softer. "But you've still got uh- A.V. club though, right?"

"Well- I used to, I finished high school already actually- I ended up skipping a few grades cause- well, you graduated so early- I just kinda wanted to follow in your footsteps, you know?" Peter replied shyly, and a weird look came across Tony's face.

"Well- as long as you stop there alright? That's basically the beginning and end of my 'role model' legacy," he muttered, standing back up, and putting the plans back in the car.

"What do you mean? Tony- you're amazing, if I could do just a quarter of the stuff you do it'd be a miracle- I-"

"Look, I don't know where you get your news kid- but you don't want to go down my path, trust me," Tony said, his voice sounding just a bit colder.

"I-I'm sorry I-" Peter started, but Tony waved him off, opening the drivers side door.

"Don't sweat it kid- I gotta get back, I think I can feel Pepper's rage from all the way out here," he muttered, “Take care of yourself alright? It'll all work out,"

And once again Peter was watching Tony drive away, the loneliness creeping back into his heart.

******

As soon as the car had driven out of sight, Peter had fished a couple of empty water bottles out of one of the trash cans by the entrance, leaving them out to fill up during the next storm- using the rainwater to keep the plant Tony had left by Jarvis' grave alive and healthy.

The small white flowers were still standing tall two months later- and Peter spent more and more time sitting by Jarvis' grave, sitting cross-legged in the grass and babbling on about anything, just to keep the man company. He'd gotten the impression that Tony didn't get to come as much as he liked, so Peter tried his best to fill the void- and not to worry two much as one month turned into two...then three...three and a half...

"I mean he's Tony Stark- he's just gotta be busy, that's all," Peter murmured as he wandered the grounds aimlessly- never straying too far from the front gates out of fear of missing Tony's car. He spotted a flash of color at the edge of his vision, looking over to see a thin orange newspaper bag caught up in one of the bushes- a small hole in the side leaving the paper slightly damp and crumpled.

Peter ran over, practically tearing the rest of the bag open in his haste to get to the paper inside, having been ages since he was lucky enough to snag a newspaper. A gasp tore out of his throat as his eyes locked on the headline- the ink had bled slightly but was almost impossible to obscure the words that took up almost the entire page:

Tony Stark- MIA After Weapons Demonstration

"Oh my god," Peter murmured, his eyes welling with tears as he read on.

Tony Stark was reported missing by the Pentagon early last week- experts say that the chances of him returning from capture are slim to none.

For the first time in what felt like ages, Peter could feel actual emotion bubbling up inside him, something cutting through the numbness that had settled in his chest after spending so many years alone, the overwhelming sadness clawing at his heart- the accompanying fear and rage making him feel almost lightheaded. 

A loud bang cut through the silence, an entire section of the metal gate in front of him exploding outwards, the force of the blast setting off the alarms of the cars sitting across the street. Peter jumped back with a frightened cry, nearly dropping the paper in surprise before looking down at his hands in awe.

Did he do that?

Peter shook his head, trying to breathe deeply- even if he didn't technically need to- standing perfectly still until his heart rate had slowed back down to a normal pace.

He had never done anything like that. Ever. Not even the day he realized that he was truly alone- that no one was going to come save him, he was just going to be stuck like this forever. Peter had fallen to his knees and screamed loud enough to nearly fry his vocal chords- his voice reduced to a raspy croak for the next few days- and even that didn't spark anything like the explosion of power that sent the metal bars flying across the road.

There were so many things that Peter didn't know about his own existence, or rather, lack thereof, and he supposed he’d just have to learn to be comfortable with never learning why.

Holding onto the paper tightly, he walked over to Jarvis' grave, falling down on the grass heavily and leaning against the side of the stone.

"Something happened to Tony, Mr. Jarvis," he said sadly, reaching up to wipe away the tears that fell from his eyes. "And I really don't know how the afterlife works, I don't think everyone ends up like me- at least I hope they don't- so uh- I mean you're probably doing this already but just- watch over him ok? They don't know for sure that something uh- happened so just- let him be ok? Please? And I'm not just saying that because I'm lonely and I want him to come back- I just- he doesn't deserve- he was really nice to me, even when he didn't have to be, so yeah- just make sure he's alright,"

******

Thousands of miles away, Tony was staring up at the ceiling of the cave, his heart sinking with guilt as he thought of Peter, sitting all alone amongst the headstones.

******

By Peter's estimate it was a few days shy of four months before a car turned down one of the rows, this one a muted gray. His fingers froze, the clover he was absentmindedly braiding together falling to the grass as the car stopped at the edge of the pavement- Tony stepping out of the car a second later.

Peter scrambled to his feet, leaning forward on his toes- almost launching himself into Tony's arms before he realized he couldn't.

"Hey kid," Tony said, a warm smile on his face.

"Tony- oh my god- I saw- where were you? What happened- what-" Peter spluttered, his eyes locking on the glowing blue light at the center of Tony's chest. "What's that?"

"This," he replied, the metal clinking slightly as he tapped at it. "Is the keeping the little cluster of shrapnel in my chest from entering my heart," His tone was so nonchalant it was almost scary.

"Oh my- god, how did that happen?" Peter said, his voice pitched upwards in disbelief.

"Haven't you been watching the news?"

"Uh- must've missed it I guess,"

"You're one weird kid, you know that?" Tony commented, though there was no bite in his words. "The military convoy I was in was...attacked. They launched a missile at us- and well, here we are,"

"Oh my god- Tony, I'm so sorry," Peter said, struggling to keep his arms at his sides- desperately wanting to reach out and put a comforting hand on the man's shoulder, even if he knows he couldn't. 

Tony simply shrugged, throwing his hands up in the air before letting them fall heavily to his sides. "And that isn't even the worst bit, cause all the weapons I've been designing- all the missiles, the guns, the stuff that I thought was supposed to protect people? They're all in the hands of the people who killed an innocent convoy of soldiers just because I happened to be inside,"

Peter stayed silent, not knowing what to say in the face of the haunted look in Tony's eyes.

"God- I was so fucking stupid- I can't believe I trusted Obadiah when he told me there was a line that we didn't cross- but, turns out he crossed it. And I've gotta fix it, I have to,"

"Hey, it'll be ok- it's not your fault Tony,"

"But I-"

"Not your fault," Peter said firmly. "It was that other guy who was going behind your back- I know you'd never willingly let that happen,"

"You don't-"

"Anybody who let's a 17 year old kid pester them in the middle of an empty cemetery has a heart of gold- trust me. I can just... tell,"

Peter had always been sensitive to people's emotions- but being a pseudo-ghost had kicked that trait up to an eleven- finding that everyone exuded a sort of aura that he could tap into if he got close enough. Sometimes it was pleasant, like the warmth that bloomed in your chest after having a warm drink on a frigid day. But other times, Peter could barely look at a person before his stomach was churning, a burning feeling at the end of his nerves- sending him fleeing from the other side of the Cemetery even though he knew the person couldn't touch him.

Tony's aura had always been comforting- a gentle warmth washing over Peter, reminding him of how he used to feel in the summer, when the sun would shine softly on his skin.

He'd never been afraid of Tony- not once.

"Well- thanks kid," he replied, still not sounding absolutely convinced, but at least he wasn't furiously denying it either. A moment of silence passed between them- Peter at a loss as to what to say. “Damn it," Tony hissed suddenly, looking up at the sky before pinching the bridge of his nose. "Drove all the way out here just to forget the goddamn flowers,"

"I mean- if it makes you feel any better, I still think these are still doing ok," Peter said gently, and Tony looked up raising his eyebrows in surprise at the healthy pot of flowers sitting on the grass. 

"Jesus- how the hell are these things still alive?"

"Well I uh- I might've been watering them while you were gone," Peter said shifting awkwardly on his feet. "You used to come every month on the dot and then you just didn't- and I saw in the newspaper that you- so until you came back I- uh, tried to take care of them for you. And for Mr. Jarvis,"

An unreadable expression came across Tony's face, before settling on something that was tinged with fondness. "Thanks Peter," he said, a small but genuine smile on his face. "It’s good to see you-  while I was gone I was- '' Tony cleared his throat, pausing for a moment, clearly choosing his words carefully. "You- if there was anything going on that you needed help with- you know you can tell me right? And I know you haven't known me for that long but I- and don't get me wrong kiddo, I love talking to you- but it's just a little... concerning that you're here, like- you're always here. Every time I come, any time of day. I'm just a little worried kiddo," he finished, his posture slightly stiff, but true concern shining in his eyes.

"I...I'll let you know, I promise," Peter said quietly, and Tony nodded- seemingly reassured enough for now.

*****

Peter wasn't even looking the next time Tony drove up, too focused on walking up and down the rows, straightening any of the flowers and flags that had been blown over during the storm. It was a force of habit, but he waited to move any big objects until the cover of nightfall- a remnant of when there were enough people around to notice a vase standing up by itself.

It wasn't until he walked over the hill that he heard Tony's voice, sounding tired and weary. "God Jarvis, they're gonna kill all those people- they're gonna kill that entire village with the weapons that I made- that I practically gave to those-"

"Tony?" Peter called, too wrapped up in how upset the man looked to realize how late it was.

"Peter?" Tony said, his eyebrows jumping up in shock. Before the teenager could even open his mouth, Tony was striding past Jarvis' stone, meeting him up at the top of the hill. "Ok- who do I need to call?" He said simply, standing back and waiting for Peter's reaction.

"Tony- I don't need to-"

"Nope. Nuh-uh. Not going there. It's two o'clock in the morning and-"

"Please, I'm fine I-"

"It's two o'clock in the morning and you're in the middle of a cemetery- there are no excuses that cover that ok?," Tony bulldozed his attempt to talk, crossing his arms over his chest. "Just lay it on me, ok kiddo? What's going on?"

"I just- I don't-"

"C'mon Peter please- something's wrong, I know it is," Tony said gently, seeming to debate for a second before reaching an arm out to rest on Peter's shoulder.

The teenager flinched away before Tony could get close, and sadness shone in the man's eyes- bright and clear. "Oh kiddo," he sighed softly, his hand falling back to his side.

Peter's stomach churned at the sliver of guilt he saw on Tony's face, but he couldn't manage to force any words out. What was he supposed to say?

No, I'm fine really- it's just that if you try to touch me your hand is going to go through me and I'm really not ready to have that conversation 

Because that was the crux of it really- he was too afraid of scary Tony away, and being all alone again. 

"Just let me help you alright? We can do whatever you're comfortable with- if you don't have any place to go, I have a penthouse a few blocks away from here that'll be all yours until we can figure something out. And if you don't want that I can always take you to a hotel- wherever you want, however long you need to stay- it'll all be on me ok?" Tony pressed, his voice still gentle, and tears welled in Peter's eyes.

"I can't- I can't leave- I-"

"Hey, hey shh, that's ok- we'll do whatever we have to, we'll call somebody who can get you out, I promise-"

"No- no, I can't-" There were tears streaming down his face because this was all he wanted to hear after twenty years- but his situation was far more complicated than just troubles at home. Tony didn't truly know what he was signing up for, and Peter couldn't bring himself to saddle him with this burden.

So he did the only thing he could think of- he ran. He turned on his heel and sprinted up the hill, Tony's shouting getting further and further away.

Ducking behind the maintenance shed, Peter slipped in through the loose board that no one ever bothered to fix- hiding behind some boxes and waiting for Tony's voice to disappear.

******

After everything fell silent, Peter slowly stepped out of the shed, his eyes sweeping across the grounds. Deeming that the coast was clear, he kept walking, avoiding getting anywhere near Jarvis' headstone out of an abundance of caution.

The sun was just starting to peak over the horizon as Peter hurried over to the elm tree- almost starting his morning routine of climbing high into the branches to watch the sun rise when he felt a familiar gentle aura wash over him- freezing in place. He hurried around the base of the tree to find Tony on the other side, leaning heavily against the bark and snoring softly.

Peter let out a small surprised noise, but apparently even that was enough to wake Tony, as his eyes slowly opened a second later.

"Hey kid," he said groggily, his voice low and scratchy.

"Did you stay here all night?" Peter asked, as Tony stretched, wincing at how his back cracked.

"Jesus," he hissed softly, rubbing at his shoulder before looking up at Peter. "Well, I figured you'd be back at some point, so I was just gonna wait here until then. Hope you appreciate this kid- I don't sleep on the ground for just anybody," Peter laughed softly, and Tony smiled, patting the grass next to him. "Have a seat kid,"

The teenager obliged, knowing there was no way he was going to escape this conversation now.

"Look- I know I'm not really good at this stuff, so- I’m sorry if I was a little too overbearing yesterday, but I just- I remember what it was like to dread going home, and I know where that got me- so I don't want you to go down the same path I-" Tony was reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder before Peter could anticipate the motion, wincing as Tony's arm went right through him.

Any trace of sleepiness had disappeared from Tony's eyes as they stared at Peter unblinkingly, his mouth opening and closing in shock. "You- you uh- I just- what the hell?"

Peter curled into himself slightly, looking down at the grass with a dejected look on his face. "It's ok- I know you're probably really freaked out, you don't have to stay," he said softly.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell just happened-"

"It's just- you're not gonna believe me even if I tell you," Peter sighed, and Tony blinked back at him incredulously.

"Peter- my hand just went through you like you were a hologram- I think we're well past the point of suspending my disbelief here,"

Peter sighed, looking up at the sky for a breath moment before steadying himself and turning back to Tony. "I'm a ghost," he said simply, and was met with dead silence. "See- I knew I'd freak you out," he sighed, and Tony held up a hand.

"I'm not panicking, I'm just...uh digesting that little piece of information- um, how did this happen to you, exactly?"

"All I remember is that my parents were driving me home from the library, there was this big explosion- and then I woke up here," Peter shrugged, pulling at some blades of grass anxiously. "There's uh- nobody else that's you know here- so I don't think this happens to everybody. Just me I guess,"

"Jesus kiddo- why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to scare you off ok? You're the first person who's been able to see me in basically twenty years- I just really missed having someone to talk to," Peter said sadly, and Tony almost reached a hand out towards him before he remembered.

"And that's why you couldn't come back to the penthouse, or go to the lab... you can't leave, can you?"

"Nope," Peter said simply, still staring down at the grass. "I tried one or two times, but if I get too far out of the gates it just- hurts," Tony stayed quiet, and Peter curled in on himself- almost counting the seconds before the man got up and fled. "I know this is super weird so- you can- go now, if you want to. It's ok if you don't want to get involved-"

"Hey- kiddo, I'm not leaving ok? I'm just- I can't imagine-" Tony took a steadying breath "God Peter, I'm so sorry,"

"It's ok- I'm kind of used to it by now to be honest," the teenager said, shrugging his shoulders sadly.

"No- no it's not, I- look, I'll admit this isn't exactly my area of expertise but we're gonna figure this out ok? But until we do-" Tony fished his keys out of his pocket, the car beeping as it unlocked. "I'm just gonna go grab a couple of things alright? I'll be right back- I promise, ok kiddo?" Peter nodded as Tony got in the car, rolling down the window as the radio blared to life. "Fifteen minutes- that's all, ok?" He promised, before putting the car into gear and driving off.

And no matter how much Peter trusted Tony, he couldn't bring himself to move from his spot in the grass- unable to shut out the little voice in the back of his mind that was convinced that he was never coming back.

******

So when he looked up to see the light grey car pass through the gates again, he almost cried- jumping up to his feet and greeting Tony with a beaming smile.

"You didn't think I was coming back," Tony commented as he shut the door, his voice gentle but serious.

"Well I mean- this is kind of a lot to handle," Peter said, gesturing first at himself and then out towards the cemetery.

"Well it's a good thing I'm no stranger to the unexpected, huh kiddo?" He replied easily, before taking something out of his pocket and extending it to Peter.

"What is it?" The teenager asked, turning the piece of plastic over in his hands.

"That is your very own cell phone- I already programmed my number in it, and I want you to call me any time you get lonely ok? Any time, even if it's 2AM- odds are I'm probably up anyways," Tony explained, as Peter pressed the on button, jumping slightly at the start up noise. "Here, let me show you how to dial out- you just hit this little arrow twice, press the center button on the little book symbol, and then one more time on my name," On cue, Tony's phone started to ring, and he slid it out of his pocket, holding it up so Peter could see his own name reflected on the screen. "See- easy," he said, his phone falling silent after a second. "I'll try to come visit as much as I can, but I'm working on a uh- a project in Malibu right now so make sure you use that whenever you need to- I already told Jarvis to push your calls through no matter what, ok kiddo?"

"Wow- Tony I- I just- thank you," Peter said softly, his eyes filling with happy tears. "You didn't have to do this,"

"I know kiddo, I wanted to. And, you know what else I wanted to do," Tony opened up the trunk of the car, revealing all different types of mechanical parts and tools. "Rebuild your little spider-robot. I'm sure between the two of us we'll be able to make a pretty decent recreation," he said, as Peter looked down at all the machinery with awe. "You can't come to the lab, so the lab comes to you,"

"Oh my god- oh my god- I haven't- not in- this is so cool!" Peter squealed, picking up the little case of circuit boards. "Woah- everything looks so different," he breathed, his eyes scanning over everything.

"Yeah, we've made quite a few leaps and bounds over the past two decades- don't worry, I'll walk you through everything ok? Now come on, this little guy isn't going to build itself,"

******

Peter bobbed his head to the music in his headphones- swinging his legs absentmindedly as they dangled off the tree branch, a star wars magazine laid out on his lap. About a week after their makeshift lab session, Tony had flown out from Malibu for the express purpose of getting Peter an ipod- and Peter was so excited that Tony had flown out almost every weekend since to download new music and give him more books to read.

He had just placed the magazine back in the tree hollow that stored all his books when a metallic clank sounded below him- something hitting the ground. Peter stiffened in fear at the noise before he felt the familiar warm aura, letting out a sigh of relief. 

“Tony? What was that?” he called, scrambling down from the tree to be met by a giant metal... robot? Peter stared up in awe as the faceplate swung upwards to reveal Tony, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 

“How could you tell it was me?” he asked, smiling fondly as Peter barely even seemed to hear him, too fascinated by the suit. 

“Holy- was this the project you’ve been working on?” the teenager asked, his eyes shining with excitement. 

“Got it in one Petey,” Tony replied, backing up a few steps. “Watch this-” He shot off the ground, doing a couple of loops around the perimeter before landing at Peter’s side once more, the teenager’s eyes as wide as saucers. 

“Oh my god- that’s like, the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,” he squealed, bouncing up and down excitedly. 

“You wouldn’t believe how fast this thing goes- I can fly over here in almost an hour-” Tony’s voice faded out as Peter stepped closer, the smile slowly slipping off his face. 

“What are those?” he asked softly, pointing at the little round indents in the front of the suit. 

“Oh uh- that’s ...nothing you need to worry about kiddie,” Tony replied, wincing slightly, and Peter’s head shot upwards, a hurt look in his eyes. 

“It’s not- that’s not nothing Tony,”  

“Hey- look, I’m perfectly fine ok? There’s no way those bullets would be able to go through the suit- you don’t have to worry Petey,”

“Somebody shot at you!”  

“And I’d much rather have them shoot at me than defenseless civilians,” Tony said, his heart aching at the tears welling in Peter’s eyes. “Petey- I’m safe ok? This,” he said, gesturing down at the suit, “This is my armor ok? It’s my protection. Those people being held hostage? They didn’t have that. I had to step in- it was my weapons that put them in danger in the first place, I had to be the one to make this right,” 

“But something could’ve-” Peter’s voice cracked slightly, “And then you’d never- and I don’t want you to go,”  

“Oh Petey- that’s not gonna happen ok? I’m not going anywhere,” Tony assured, as Peter wiped at his tears. 

“Promise?” he said softly. 

“Promise,”

******

Tony hurried up the hill, a sigh of relief leaving his lips as his eyes landed on Peter, kneeling near some overgrown grass. 

“I couldn’t find you anywhere kiddie- what are you doing over here?” he asked, his stomach sinking as he was met with soft sniffles. “Hey, what’s wrong Petey?” Tony knelt down at Peter’s side, his gaze looking over the teenager’s shoulder and falling on the three headstones sitting in front of him. 

Mary Parker

Richard Parker

Peter Parker

“It was today,” Peter said softly, his words punctuated with a sob. “I’m sorry- I don’t- I don’t know why I’m crying, it’s been twenty years I still shouldn’t be-”

“Shh- none of that ok? God kiddo- you’re so young, and to have lived through everything you have…” Tony inched just a little bit closer, knowing that even if he couldn’t physically comfort Peter, his aura was always able to calm him down. “Even me- I know I should be used to it by now- I’ve lost so many people in my life- but it takes everything I have to be able to even get out of bed on the day Jarvis...he was like a father to me- more than Howard ever was, and god- I miss him every day,” 

Peter wiped at his tears, his whole body trembling slightly. “Sometimes I wish they had woken up with me,” he said, curling into himself slightly, “And I feel horrible saying it because I wouldn’t wish this on anyone but I- I just wish I didn’t have to be stuck here alone,” 

“You’re not a bad person kiddo- I can’t imagine how scary it must’ve been to wake up completely on your own, it’s only natural to want your parents around,” Tony assured gently, his heart aching. 

“And I didn’t mean- you’ve helped me so much, I just-” Peter spoke so fast he stumbled over his words, looking up at Tony with guilt shining in his eyes. 

“I know what you meant, it’s ok Petey,” 

They sat in silence for a few moments before Peter stood up, resting one hand on each of his parents headstones and closing his eyes, his lips moving silently. By the time Tony stood up Peter had already started to walk away, looking over his shoulder and waiting for him to catch up. 

“If I ever get to- move on, someday, I promise I’ll find Mr. Jarvis for you and tell him how much you miss him, ok?” Peter said softly as they walked down the gravel path. 

“Thanks Petey,” Was all Tony could force out, his voice choked with emotion. 

*****

The dial tone rang loudly as Peter sat down on the grass, leaning back against the elm tree as he waited for the call to go through. Immediately, he was met with Tony's pained scream- Peter’s entire body tensing and his heart stuttering in his chest.

"Tony? Tony- what's the matter?" He asked, the words rushing out of him as he gripped the phone tightly.

"Oh- hey Petey," Tony said, his voice sounding strained and weak.

"Are you- are you hurt- w hat's going on?"

"So remember Obadiah?" Tony asked, and Peter could vaguely hear the sound of an explosion in the distance. "Well- turns out he made his own version of my suit and uh- he's kind of got it out for me kiddo,"

"But your suit’s better right? Your suit is better because you’re you," Peter said firmly, and Tony chuckled softly, a small smile pulling at his lips for just a moment. 

"He took my arc reactor- the suit's dead in the water kiddie- I don't have many options left," Tony said, his voice sounding pained. "I can't let him get away with the arc reactor- the damage he could do-"

"No- no- you're gonna get out of there- Tony, you have to get out of there please," Peter begged, running towards the front gates even if he knew it wouldn't do any good.

"Hey, don't worry Petey- I left instructions for Pepper on where to find you-" Another pained cry escaped his lips. "She’s gonna take over for me and help you alright? You won’t be alone, I promise, " 

"No- no, Tony you can't- you can't, please- no," Peter sobbed, running out onto the sidewalk- a scream of frustration leaving his lips as his whole body screamed in protest, his legs unable to take another step. Tears streamed down his face as he fell to his knees- knowing that even if he could step more than twenty feet beyond the gates he wouldn't be able to get to Tony anyway, but still feeling powerless just the same.

"Hey hey hey- it's gonna be ok Petey, it's gonna be ok I promise," Tony said softly, his voice sounding weak.

"No- I don't want you to go- please don't leave me," Peter sobbed, his nerve endings feeling like they were on fire- the same lightheadedness washing over him that he felt when he picked up that newspaper months ago.

"I'm sorry- I'm so sorry kiddo, I-"

There was one last bang, and the line went dead- Peter letting out an agonized scream, the phone short circuiting in his hand. He barely had any time to react to the sparks that leapt from the device before a force knocked him backwards, an explosion toppling the front gates- sending the metal bars shooting outwards, the once imposing frame that remained clanging heavily to the ground. 

Peter wasn't sure how long he spent sprawled out on the empty road, tears streaming down his cheeks as he held the phone tightly to his chest.

******

Tony's eyes widened as he pulled his car to the side of the road, eyes taking in the twisted metal and cracked stone that was all that remained of the towering front gates, yellow caution tape strung between the opening. His heart started to pound in his chest as he scrambled out of the car, a group of construction workers tuning to face him. 

“I’m sorry sir, I’m afraid the cemetery’s closed- they instructed us to turn all visitors away until the area is no longer classified as an active crime scene,” one of them spoke up, standing in front of Tony and blocking his path. 

“Hey- my kid’s in there, back the fuck off,”  Tony pushed against the guys chest, knocking the man off balance- using the opportunity to duck underneath the caution tape and sprint down the pathways- ignoring the indignant shouts coming from behind him.  

He had been calling Peter’s cell almost non stop since he had woken up in the hospital, but the teenager never answered- and now seeing the gates…

Less than six months ago he didn’t even know Peter existed- it stands to reason that there was probably a whole world of beings out there that he’d never even heard of- and he shuddered to think of what would happen if whatever was powerful enough to take down the wrought iron gates turned itself on Peter-

“Hey Petey? C’mon kiddie- where are you?” he shouted, scanning frantically over the grounds. “Please- I need you to answer me ok? Peter!”  

Tony stopped on a dime as he noticed Peter stumble into view, stepping out from behind the elm tree. 

“Tony?” the teenager called, his voice wet with tears. 

“Oh thank god,” Tony sighed in relief as Peter jumped into motion- closing the distance between them and trying to tackle Tony in a hug- leaping right through him instead. “Jesus!” Tony exclaimed, as he turned around to meet Peter’s guilty face, shivering like he’d been doused in ice water. 

“Sorry- I just forgot I-” Peter stuttered, as tears slid down his cheek. “Y ou’re ok,” he said softly, relief surging through him. 

“I could say the same thing about you- why weren’t you answering your phone?” Tony replied, running a shaky hand through his hair. 

“Uh- I might’ve fried it somehow,” Peter said sheepishly, and Tony’s brow furrowed in confusion. 

“You fried it? What- did you drop it in water?” 

“No I uh- I did it- I think,” Peter murmured, one hand on the back of his neck. “The line just went dead, and I thought you were- and then my phone had sparks coming out of it,” The teenager hurried back over to the tree, bending down and picking up the charred piece of plastic before holding it out to show Tony. “And I may or may not have uh- broke the gates too,” 

“That was you?”  

“Hey- I was- I thought that guy-” Peter stammered, unable to finish the sentence. 

“It’s ok Petey, I’m ok,” Tony said gently, wishing that he could reach out and pull Peter into a hug. “Hey, I promised you I would be safe, didn’t I?” 

******

Two days later Tony paused in the doorframe, turning back to look at Coulson, the press clamoring for attention behind him. 

“Your agency wouldn’t happen to know anyone who’s familiar with magic, do you?” 

******

“Hey kiddie- c’mon out ok? I got somebody here who wants to meet you,” Tony called, smiling at how Peter immediately dropped down from one of the tree branches. 

“Oh! Uh- tell him I said hello ok?” Peter said, looking over at the man who stood at Tony’s left- his aura feeling soft and quiet, like the tranquility of a library on a rainy day.

“Oh no that won’t be necessary- my name is Doctor Stephen Strange, and you are?” he replied, and Peter’s eyes widened in shock. 

“You can see him?” Tony asked incredulously, and Strange let out a very weary sigh. 

“I am the Master of the Mystic Arts- the real question here should be why can you see him,” he shot back, and Peter giggled at the indignant look on Tony’s face.

“I’m uh- Peter- Peter Parker,” he cut in, trying to decrease the tension. “So- um- do you think you can figure out what happened to me?” 

“Of course- it’s very simple actually,” Strange replied, orange sparks leaping out from his hands as he waved them over Peter. “I suspect that the explosion you remember was caused by a rogue sorcerer, and that for some reason, your body reacted differently to the spell- it simply casting your body into a sort of in-between realm rather than kill you outright,” Tony blanched at how nonchalant Strange was speaking- the reality of the details making his stomach churn. 

“So- what now?” Peter asked softly, taking a step closer to Tony’s side. 

“Well- had it been directly after the incident, any sorcerer could have pulled you back into this realm quite easily- but after so much time has passed it makes the transition... difficult to achieve,”  

“And what happens if you can’t get him back?” Tony said sharply, taking a protective step in front of Peter. 

“He’ll simply pass on- no longer stuck in the intermediate dimension,” Strange said simply, frowning at the panicked glint in Tony’s eyes. “I promise you it won’t hurt him- it’ll feel just as if he were falling asleep,” A heavy silence followed his words, and Strange took a step backwards, giving them some space to come to a decision. 

“Should I- um should I let him try?” Peter said softly, and Tony turned around to face him, every bone in his body aching to say no- terrified of his kid blinking out of existence right in front of him- but he couldn’t force the words out. 

Because no matter how much Tony wanted him to stay- he wouldn’t let Peter suffer anymore, not if he wanted to finally leave. 

“It’s your choice kiddie,” he replied, the words catching slightly in his throat. “I know how hard this has been on you- and I- I want you to do whatever makes you happy, ok Petey?” 

Peter nodded a couple of times, tears welling in his eyes as he turned back to Strange. “It’s really not gonna hurt?” he murmured, Tony’s heart aching at the words. 

“Not for a moment,’ Strange promised, his voice gentle. 

“O-ok then- I guess uh- I guess you can try, ” Peter replied before turning back towards Tony, a tear running down his cheek. “I’m sorry,” 

“Hey hey hey, no apologies alright? We don’t even know if it’s gonna happen,” 

“But what if it does?”  

“Then you.. move on, and- and I’m gonna miss you like crazy Petey- but- at least you won’t be stuck here anymore,” Tony’s voice wavered slightly, having to choke back a few tears of his own. 

“I’m really gonna miss you too,” Peter said softly, his body tensing slightly as Doctor Strange took a step forward. 

“Ready?” he asked, circling his hands around, runes dancing between his fingers. 

Peter nodded, his eyes shooting over to Tony one more time. “I’m gonna come back ok? I’m not going to let the spell take me, I promise,” he said, determination clear in his eyes. 

“Ok kiddie- I trust you,” Tony tried to smile, only allowing it to falter when Peter shut his eyes, bracing himself for what was to come. 

A bright light flashed across Tony’s vision, and he threw his arms up, squeezing his eyes closed as orange sparks flew into the air- almost relieved that the spell was so blinding that he wouldn’t have the moment his kid faded out of existence burned into his memory forever.

Finally, the lights ceased, but Tony still couldn’t bring himself to open his eyes, his heart hammering in his chest.     

And suddenly he was stumbling backwards, almost falling to the grass, a pair of arms wrapped tightly around him. 

“Tony- Tony- I did it, I’m ok,” Peter’s voice came out in a rush, and his eyes shot open, immediately finding tears blurring his vision. 

“You did, you did it Petey- oh thank god-” Tony held Peter as tight as he could, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of his kid’s head. 

“I have to say, I’m quite impressed- Your son shows quite a proclivity for the mystic arts-” Strange started, and Tony shot him a glare over Peter’s shoulder. 

“Nope- no- absolutely not. No more magic, I think we’ve had enough of that for a lifetime,” He said firmly, as Peter giggled into his shoulder. 

“Well, should he change his mind, the Sanctum Sanctorum will always welcome him as a student,” Strange said gently, looking over his shoulder one last time before opening a portal and stepping through- the orange circle fading from existence a moment later.   

“Alright Petey, what do you say- time to hit the road?” Tony said and Peter nodded eagerly, almost pulling Tony along as he bounded towards the exit. 

But Peter abruptly stopped as they came upon the back gates- pausing under the metal archway, chewing on his lip anxiously. Tony spun back around when he noticed the teenager was no longer at his side, his face pinched in concern. 

Peter’s eyes were shining with fear, afraid to take the first step outside- convinced that this was all a trick, that Strange’s magic didn’t really work and he was going to be tied to this place forever.  

“Hey, you’re alright kiddie- don’t be scared,” Tony assured, and Peter winced in anticipation as he put his foot forwards- expecting the searing pain to flare in his limbs, his nerve endings feeling like they were on fire. 

But nothing happened. 

His eyes shot open, giving Tony a beaming smile as he sprinted forward, nearly tackling the man in another hug. 

“Woah- hey there,” Tony laughed, holding onto Peter tightly so he wouldn’t fall. “ See, what did I tell you,” he said gently, pressing another kiss to the side of his kid’s head. “Let’s get you home ok, Petey?” 

Peter didn’t even bother to look back at the cemetery one more time before he nodded- Tony wrapping an arm around his shoulders as they walked out to the car.