~Iron Family~

Stuck With Us

As soon as the final bell rang, Peter jogged out into the parking lot where Happy was waiting.

"Hey, kid," he greeted. Peter shivered as he stepped inside--Happy had turned the heater up all the way, so it was like a sauna in here. "How was school?"

"Okay," Peter replied, tossing his backpack into the passenger seat up front. He squeezed in the back between Morgan (who had tagged along to greet her big brothers) and Harley.

"We've gotta hurry back," Happy commented as he sped out of the parking lot. "Bruce wants you for some more testing."

Peter groaned. "Not more needles! I've had enough of being a lab rat."

"No needles, don't worry," Happy chuckled. "Just a kind of check-up and investigation on that...thing."

Peter gulped, suddenly self-conscious that his leg was pressed against Harley's in the small space of the backseat. He scooted away, not wanting to hurt him.

"Oh, you can smell that?" Harley asked in surprise. "Sorry."

***

"Ah, my most regular patient!" Bruce greeted fondly. "How are you today?"

"I'm doing fine," Peter sighed. Bruce asked him to sit on the table where Mr. Stark was leaning against.

"What's up, kid?" he ruffled his hair.

"Can we do this fast?" Peter begged. "I promised Morgan I'd help her build a giant fort."

"Okay, okay, I'm coming. Hold your horses." Bruce grabbed a little tablet and started to type on it. He pulled a vial off the counter and handed it to Mr. Stark, and Peter saw the label read Peter P.

"That's the blood I drew yesterday," Bruce explained. "I ran some tests on it."

"And?" Peter raised an eyebrow. "Am I a mutant now or something in addition to having radioactive blood?"

"No..." Bruce sighed and pulled up some pictures on his tablet. He showed them to Peter who glanced over them, intrigued. "This is the power stone. Created at the beginning of the universe, one of six Infinity Stones. Now the important thing for you to know is you now have the essence of this stone."

Bruce pointed a finger at the screen and Peter felt his blood turn to ice.

"What?"

"Like..." Bruce blew a puff of air out of his mouth as he tried to think. "Like Wanda. She has the essence of the mind stone, right?" Peter nodded. "Well, you've got some essence of the power stone. Not as much of an essence as Wanda has from the mind stone, mind you, but a little essence all the same."

Mr. Stark snorted at Bruce's pun, but Peter rolled his eyes. "So, what... I've got powers or I'm gonna die? Which one?"

"Well, you almost died," Bruce started, sharing a darkened glance with Mr. Stark. "Your body rejected it at first. But after awhile, I think the stabilizer kicked in, and along with your enhanced strength you were able to pull through not only with your life, but with the essence that Guy stabbed you with."

"Ah. That stupid knife, I knew there was something fishy about it."

"Will it ever go away?" Mr. Stark blurted, looking so nervous Peter thought he was actually going to pass out. "Or will he be burdened with this forever?"

Bruce gave a shrug. "Tony, I feel like I keep repeating myself, but I have no idea. This is new water we're treading through, we've gotta be careful. Don't worry--we'll monitor him very closely, run lots of tests. But not too many," he added quickly after seeing Peter's annoyed expression. "Trust me, kid, I'm going to do everything in my power to help you. Got it?"