I Am Soul - Spider-Man / Peter Parker [2]

Chapter Eight - Whatever It Takes

I just wanted to say thank for all the encouraging comments and votes that people have been giving this series. It does mean a lot. I wish work wasn't so busy so I could write more but I'm working with what I've got. Anyway, here's the next chapter.

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Earth

From arriving at the Compound Tony had had one goal, one item he had to tick off his bucket list (so to speak) and yet he still hadn't managed to bring himself to do it. Enter Maria's room.

There was one thing Tony had regretted over the years and that was not having collected the items from Maria's room but at the beginning, when he had returned to Earth from space he just couldn't do it, couldn't bring himself to stand in a space that was once hers in much the say way that none of them could. And it had never gotten easier but with Scott's return people had finally entered the room, found the plans and set everything in motion.

Tony had thankfully been able to get the help of Natasha in empty Maria's room. When he got her back, he wanted to have her room at the lakeside house ready for her, filled with her stuff unlike its current unused state. Of course, Tony had immediately had Maria's new room painted neutral colours and new furniture put in upon discovering her plan was doable but he just needed her personal items. Despite the fact he was putting everything into action, Tony had yet to step into the room himself. However, the plan was now moving and Tony was so close to getting her back that he finally was willing to enter the room.

The door almost mocked the billionaire as it concealed behind it Maria's life. He was stood at the closed door knowing that all he had to do was push it open. The older man took a shaky breath as he raised his hand, it was just a room ... but it held so many memories. Eventually, Tony felt the cool material of the door beneath his palm as he pushed it open revealing the large residence that once was Maria's. Stepping into the room caused a shaky breath to leave Tony. So many memories.

As his gaze ran around the room different memories crept up, Maria working around her room, laughing at the stupidest things, her sprawled out on her bed watching movies with her friends, her twirling around in a dress just because Pepper asked, them taking photos of her before Homecoming; the list was endless. The only difference in the room nowadays was the collection of boxes and the empty spaces. The majority of the room had been packed up and was being loaded onto the moving van but there was one space that Natasha had yet to pack, Maria's vanity desk. Tony moved towards the desk that was something of organised chaos from her makeup to the pictures that covered the desk. She had never been one to sit at this desk for hours and hours but Tony had still insisted she had a desk. The vanity desk had become instead a place of memories. Some pictures sat on the desk in frames and others were pinned around the central mirror. Tony began to carefully take down each picture viewing every single one of them.

Maria was in many of the images, her face beaming as she was surrounded by her friends. Tony knew each one of them. Michelle was common in the pictures, a book usually somewhere near her, even some photos she dared smile in which even Tony knew was rare. The pictures Ned were in, he was always smiling or messing around somehow, there was even a photo of Ned and Maria proudly sitting beside a massive LEGO Death Star - they were nerds and proud of it. However, quickly, Tony's fingers came across images that contained Peter, the smart, selfless boy who meant a lot to the Starks. He was often smiling in the photos much like the rest of them, even pulling stupid faces with his best friend Ned. Then he came across group photos were one of them were taking the photo or they were all trying to get into the shot and some of the results were more than laughable but clearly treasured. There were ones from Christmas and Halloween where they were dressed up as elves, Santa Claus, witches, vampires, Jedi to name a few. Pictures from parties, from Bonfire Night where they were holding sparklers and watching fireworks. Each and every picture was one of joy and happiness, of laughter and enjoyment.