Spider-Man: Dark Web

Guardianship

The rest of Peter's first day back was smooth sailing, height no homework, his best friend got a new girlfriend and he nailed his Physics pop quiz. He was very Happy to see Mr. Hogan waiting for him in the parking lot. He ran to the car with smile plastered on his face. He opened the door and hopped into the back.

"Hi Happy!" he said happily.

"Hey kid, put your seat belt on and let's go," he murmured in response. As soon as Peter buckled up Happy sped off towards Peter's apartment. Peter talked about his day with Happy only grunting to let him know he heard him. He wasn't much for conversation. Eventually they pulled up and Peter hopped out.

"See you tomorrow Happy!" smiled Peter, to which Happy simply grunted and pulled off. Peter shrugged and entered the apartment building making his way to his apartment on the fifth floor.

Peter entered his apartment not really paying attention and heading straight to the fridge, "Hey May I'm home!"

"Hey Peter, how was school?" she asked. Peter lifted an apple and closed the door. He shrugged in response and turned to face May immediately dropping his apple. May was sitting on the couch accompanied by Mr. Stark and his soon to be wife Pepper Potts.

"Hey Mr. Stark what's up? Hey Ms. Potts," rambled Peter waving at his mentor and his fiancee.

Tony gestured Peter to sit down, which he did without hesitation. He looked from Tony, to Pepper, to his Aunt May.

"Now Peter, Tony, Pepper and I were having a discussion about...you, more specifically your guardianship," said May calmly.

This only confused Peter more, "I don't understand...why are you looking into that?"

Tony looked at May with a sad expression but stayed silent. It wasn't his place to break the young man's heart. May looked at Tony and he could see a visible tear fall.

"Peter, the thing is...I'm ill," May said as calm as she could. Peter sat there in quiet shock, he couldn't believe this.

"Can it be cured?" he asked in a small voice. They looked to each other and then all three adults shook their heads sadly. This is when the shock became sadness. Peterlee his seat andclung onto Aunt May. She held onto him. Tony and Pepper sat there, their hearts breaking over what was happening in front of them.

Petter was crying into his aunt's shoulder, "Please d-don't leave m-me. I can't do t-this without y-you."

May cried, "I'm sorry Peter. But everything will be okay. Tony will take care of you."

Peter simply sobbed harder, "No-no-no-no-no please mom this cannot happen."

The fact that Peter called her mom took her by surprise, she couldn't think of anything else to say but she simply cradled her crying nephew in her arms attempting to comfort him. She looked to Tony and Pepper, both of whom were crying silent tears.

Tony placed a handover Peter's shoulder, but Peter snapped at him, "DON'T TOUCH ME, YOU'LL NEVER REPLACE HER!"

Tony is surprised by this, the sudden anger in the sadness shocked him. Peter simply went back to hugging his Aunt who was simply hugging him back looking very apologetic to Tony and Pepper.

For hours Peter wouldn't let go of May, but eventually he fell asleep in her arms, Tony picked him up and layed Peter down gently on the couch. He turned to Pepper and May, they were in the kitchen talking in low voices. Tony joined them.

"So that went well," he murmured to the two ladies.

"It went as I expected it to," said May sadly, "He is attached to me, we've been together since he was five. I think if anyone else was to take the guardianship it would make him feel like I was being replaced."

"Then why don't we adopt him?" asked Pepper softly glancing at Tony.

"That may work," said May in deep thought while taking a sip of her herbal tea.

"What, so me and Pepper will be like his mom and dad?" asked Tony in a barely audible whisper.

"I think it would be better, that way I have still got the guardianship, but you two would be his adoptive parents, it might make him feel as if your not replacing me once I...you know...die," said May with a grimace as she said the last word.

Tony nodded, "Okay I agree with you, Pepper and I will adopt him. But you are moving into the Avengers Tower."

May chuckled, "Alright Tony deal."

Pepper sighed, "It's really going to kill me watching him be sad after all...your his last blood relative."

May nodded, "Yeah but I know you guys will take good care of my boy. Make sure he visits me every weekend, I don't want him to forget about me." As May says this tears begin to fall down her cheeks, she begins to sob, Tony and Pepper pull her into a grouped hug.

This was going to be the toughest thing Peter would face in his young life. Even tougher for the people around him.