Little Trouble

Chapter 28

October 7, 2023

Peter was outside, watching over a now four-year old Morgan play. The day was Saturday, and it was sunny, but the air was chilly. Inside the tent, the sunlight was muted due to the pink fabric of the tent they were inside. Peter was on his phone while Morgan messed around with...something. Peter wasn't really paying attention to her. 

He heard clapping outside and immediately perked up. It was Tony, and he was apparently calling them for lunch. "Morgan H. Stark, Peter B. Parker. You guys want some lunch?" he heard him say.

Peter exited the tent first, still looking at his phone, and was followed by Morgan. "Define lunch or be disintegrated," he heard Morgan say.

Confused, he turned around. Then he understood what she meant. She was wearing a fake repulsor and an Iron Man mask, like he had done. Except, this mask was real, and it was blue and gold. Tony didn't think that was a good idea.

"Okay, you should not be wearing that, okay?" Tony said, disapprovingly. "That is part of a special anniversary gift I'm making for Mom." He took off the helmet, revealing Morgan's mischievous looking face.

"Okay," Morgan said.

"Are you thinking about lunch?" he asked her. "I can give you a handful of crickets on a bed of lettuce." 

"No," Morgan said, trying not to giggle.

Tony looked up at Peter. "How about you?" he asked. "Do crickets sound good?"

Peter chuckled. "No, I'm good," he said. "I want a sandwich."

"Alright then," Tony said. "How did you find this?" he asked Morgan.

"Garage," Morgan said.

"Really? Were you looking for it?" Tony said.

"No," she said. "I found it, though."

"You like going to the garage, huh?" Tony said. "So does daddy. It's fine, actually. Your mom never wears anything I buy her."

Tony picked her up and started walking towards the house, motioning for Peter to catch up with them. Peter ran towards them, and as he caught up with them, Tony put his arm around him. 

They looked up when they heard the sound of a car approaching. A black Audi. Peter watched as Steve, Natasha, and another guy exited the car. He looked at Tony, as if expecting an explanation as to why they were here. Tony just sighed, and continued walking towards the house. Steve, Natasha, and the guy followed him.

"Go take Morgan inside the house," Tony told Peter. "Go eat lunch. I'll come later."

Peter obeyed, taking Morgan inside, while Tony greeted Steve and Natasha and the guy. They started talking.

Fifteen minutes later, once Peter had finished his sandwich, he walked back outside again. He could tell Tony and the others were discussing something important, and he didn't want to interrupt. He remained hidden and eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Now, we know what it sounds like," the new guy, Scott, said. 

"Tony, after everything you've seen, is anything really impossible?" Steve asked.

"Quantum fluctuation messes with the Planck Scale," Tony said. "Which then triggers the Deutsch Proposition. Can we agree on that?"

None of the three answered, for they were just as confused as Peter was. Tony ignored that fact and started handing drinks out to everyone.

"In Layman's terms, it means you're not coming home," Tony finished.

"I did," Scott said.

"No, you accidentally survived," Tony corrected. "It's a billion to one cosmic fluke. And now you wanna pull off a...what do you call it?"

Peter had no idea what they were trying to pull off. A new invention? Scott's answer didn't help. "A time heist?" he said, almost sounding unsure.

"Yeah, a time heist," Tony said. "Of course, why didn't we think of this before? Oh, because it's laughable? Because it's a pipe dream?"

"The Stones are in the past," Scott said. "We can go back and get them."

At the word Stones, Peter felt a little mental jolt. After the snap, he didn't want to think about Thanos or the Stones again. It reminded him a little too much about the fate of his dad.

"We can snap our own fingers," Natasha said, trying to inject a little optimism into the conversation. "We can bring everyone back."

Upon hearing that, Peter felt a minor jolt of optimism, but the past five years had taught him a very important lesson: Don't get your hopes too high.

"Or we could screw it up worse than he already has, right?" Tony said, shaking him from his thoughts.

"I don't believe we would," Steve said.

"Gotta say, sometimes I miss that giddy optimism," Tony said, scornfully. "However, high hopes won't help if there's no logical, tangible way for me to safely execute said time heist. I believe the most likely outcome would be our collective demise."

"Not if we strictly follow the rules of time travel," Scott said. "That means no talking to our past selves, no betting on sporting events-"

"I'm gonna stop you right there, Scott," Tony said, addressing the guy. "Are you seriously telling me that your plan to save the universe is based on Back To The Future?"

"...No," Scott said, hesitantly.

"Good," Tony said. "You had me worried there. 'Cause that'd be bullcrap. That's not how quantum physics works."

"Tony," Natasha said, her eyes pleading. "We have to take a stand."

"We did stand," Tony said. "And yet, here we are."

"I know you got a lot on the line," Scott said. "You got a wife, two kids. But I lost someone very important to me. A lot of people did."

Tony just rolled his eyes has Scott continued, his voice getting louder and his tone more pleading. "And now, now we have a chance to bring them back. To bring everyone back. And you're telling me that won't even..."

"That's right, Scott, I won't even," Tony said, darkly. "I got kids."

Peter, who usually agreed with Tony, was about to come from his hidden spot and argue with him. He still missed his dad. He wanted him back. Why was Tony so reluctant?

Morgan came running from behind him and ran to Tony.

"Mommy told me to come and save you," she said. 

"Good job. I'm saved," Tony said. He looked in Peter's direction, and Peter walked towards him. "I wish you'd come here to ask me something else," Tony said to the other three, when Peter had reached him. "Anything else. Honestly, I...I missed you guys...oh, and table's set for five." Peter and Morgan had already eaten lunch, so Peter guessed they were free to do whatever they wanted.

"Tony," Steve said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I get it. And I'm happy for you, I really am. But this is a second chance."

"I got my second chance right here, Cap," Tony said, motioning to Morgan and Peter. "I can't roll the dice again."

When nobody else answered, Tony did for them. "If you don't talk shop, you can stay for lunch," he said, returning inside, Morgan in tow. Peter stayed outside, watching Steve, Natasha, and Scott leave.

Sighing, he took out his phone, walked back inside, and up into his room.