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Tony drummed his finger on the table. Peter should have been back by now. Where could he have got to? For the hundredth time just that minute, he checked the time.
11.37pm
Tony sighed loudly and finally gave in. He promised Peter he wouldn't go prying when he was on patrol but how could he not. What if something had happened? Tony turned and opened the tracking system of Peter's suit.
Nothing.
He refreshed it. Still nothing.
"FRIDAY pull up location of Pete's suit." He bit his lip and crossed his fingers. Hoping.
"I'm sorry, sir. The tracking software seems to have been disabled."
"Shit."
Tony turned to the window, looking out onto the cool June night. He was just late. Probably lost track of time helping old ladies or something. Tony tried his hardest to rationalise it but all he could think of was Peter somewhere alone, hurt.
His hands were trembling. Clenching his fists to hide this, he made his way to the lab. Maybe he could hack into the suit from here.
"FRIDAY, start systems. I need to find Peter's suit."
"Of course, sir."
Tony got to work. He tried everything. Everything he could think of. But it was as if Peter had just disappeared.
"FRIDAY, call Peter."
"Peter Parker is offline."
He slumped forward in his chair, hiding his face in his hands. Looking up he stared at the map projected across the table.
"Where are you?" he whispered.
He knew if anything happened to Peter, May would kill him. But in that moment it wasn't even fear of Peter's Aunt that tipped him over the edge. It was his fear for Peter.
His body began to shake. He couldn't breathe. He tried to swallow the sobs building within him but nothing could stop the tears that began to slide down his face. His throat hurt and his heart was pounding.
"Sir, it seems you are experiencing a panic attack."
Tony muttered, "No shit."
He slid from his seat onto the floor. He grasped the table leg in a desperate attempt to ground himself. The ground felt like it was moving and his head spun. He didn't know when he had begun to sweat so much but it just made him more uncomfortable.
He'd lost Peter. It was such a simple task. Look after Peter while May is away. And he'd fucked it up. Like how he fucked everything up. He was so goddamn useless.
"Sir, I am programmed to call someone during a panic attack. Should I call Miss Potts?"
"No," Tony shouted although his voice came out hoarse, "Today's her day off. She doesn't want to deal with- deal with- with-"
He broke down in another set of sobs. His chest hurt. Peter was probably lying in some alley but he had been such a shit carer that he didn't even know where he was.
"Sir, I have to call someone. How about Dr Strange?"
"No."
"One of the Avengers?"
"Not a chance."
"May Parker."
Tony laughed bitterly. "Do you want me to die?"
His breathing came in ragged gasps. His lungs ached.
"You need to take deep breaths. In through your nose for 7 seconds and out through your mouth for 5."
So FRIDAY is searching for advice now, he thought. This didn't stop him from taking the AI's advice. His breathing began to even out a little and the tears had begun to slow.
"Sir, I still need to contact someone. How about Peter Parker?"
Tony groaned loudly, "Are you kidding me? That's who we were just trying to find."
"I can use the emergency tracking feature you installed on Peter's phone."
He looked up. "You mean you haven't already tried that!"
"Sir, it is for emergencies only and-"
"And this is a goddamn emergency," Tony snapped as he dragged himself off the floor and summoned his Ironman suit.
"Sir, you are in no state to fly."
"Don't you fucking dare. I'm going to find my son and if you interfere I'll make a new AI." His words came out as a seething hiss as his suit assembled around him.
Tony took of flying straight through the lab window. The glass shattered around him.
"Set flight to Peter's location."
The further he flew the more on edge he got. He could feel himself trembling and his breathing was still uneven. but his heart seemed to stop as he reached his final location. A warehouse near the docks.
"I'm coming, Pete," he whispered as he flew through the doors.
He charged his blasters ready to shoot whoever was there. Whoever had hurt Peter and-
"Mr Stark?"
Tony stared straight ahead of him. There in the middle of the warehouse was Peter.
Completely unharmed.
Beside him stood his friend, Ted. Or was it Ned? In front of them was a pile of scrap metal and wires. To the side of that was what looked to be some form of robotic arm.
Tony continued to stare. The suit slid apart around him and he stepped out.
Peter's eyes widened and he gasped as he saw him.
Tony looked awful. His eyes were red from crying. Tear tracks down his face. He was trembling and his chest rose and fell sharply with quickened breaths.
Peter half ran across the room and threw his arms around the man's neck. Tony clasped the teen close to him and pressed his face into his shoulder. He was safe. He was here. He was with him.
"Mr Stark, did something happen?" Peter asked, his voice soft.
Tony shook his head. "You. You happened. I didn't know where you were and- and I thought something had happened and-" He held Peter tightly against his chest again, "Don't scare me like that again."
Peter hugged him back. "I'm sorry."
The teen suddenly grinned and stepped back.
"Ned, what time is it?"
The boy stood behind him, Ned, his name was Ned, checked his watch.
"12.43am."
Peter's smile widened and he gestured to the robot behind him.
"Happy Fathers' Day!"
Tony blinked. "What?"
"It's Fathers' Day! That's what I was doing. Making your Fathers' day gift!" Peter replied grinning, "It hasn't got a name yet. I thought you could name it. It's to help you in the lab when I'm not there!"
Tony just stared. "You made it for me?"
Peter smiled in response. "Of course!"
Tony pulled him into another hug and the two stood holding each other.
"Mr Stark, are you crying?"
"No," Tony murmured.
He was.
Ned watched the pair awkwardly as they hugged each other. Both were crying a little bit.
Peter sighed. "You're not mad at me are you?"
Tony laughed.
"I could never stay mad at you."