October 6th
9:58 am
(Present Day)

TONY LEANED ON the kitchen counter wearily, exhausted from a busy morning trying to talk his way into the United Nations. It might have sounded crazy to anyone else, but, hello? This was Tony Stark. If anyone could do it he could.

He guessed that meant nobody could, seeing as he hadn't even succeeded. Why was he doing this in the first place, you may be wondering. Well, the Avengers were too.

"Tony, what the heck?" Steve stepped forward and gripped the counter side in frustration. "I know you just want to help, but I thought we established that getting rid of the Accords was a lost cause–"

"I get that, Steve! But it's different now," he snapped and massaged his temples. "He's holding things over my head that he didn't with you guys - things I didn't know he had the guts to touch. It's-it's strange. I don't like it."

"Why does he want Peter so bad?" The super soldier questioned, lowering his tone. "He's just one guy with superpowers. There are so many other mutants Ross could be hunting down, but he's threatening moving militaries in to catch him."

Tony sighed, reminding Cap yet again that he understood that. "I don't know why he has this obsession, alright? I just know that if he doesn't get mine - or Spider-Man's - answer within twelve hours, New York is going to turn into a war zone."

Steve closed his eyes and mumbled something under his breath. Tony scrolled through his list of contacts desperately as the soldier poured them both a cup of coffee, which slightly surprised him, seeing as Cap didn't normally drink the stuff.

He sat at the island counter, jerking Tony's phone away along with him. The billionaire shouted in protest, but Steve only raised an eyebrow.

"You haven't slept in two days, Tones," he pointed out. "You need a break."

Then he sat casually, coffee in one hand and stolen mobile in the other.

"You can't just steal my stuff, Capsicle! I'm trying to save Peter's life," he argued. "Do you want to help him or not?"

"Have you tried talking to him instead of all your fancy lawyers?"

Tony started to say something, but hesitated. Steve waited for him to argue, but instead watched as he pursed his lips and knitted his eyebrows together in indecision.

Steve rolled his eyes and turned Tony's phone on. He was sure the billionaire was now regretting telling him the password as he scrolled through his contacts.

The super soldier smirked at Peter's listed name, but didn't comment. Instead he slid the phone back to Tony and took a sip of his drink. Then he pulled his face away, blanching.

"This stuff is so bitter," he complained. "Now call him."

"One, it's because you didn't put any sugar or flavoring in it, Capsicle," Tony pointed out and scooped up his phone. "And fine! Maybe I will. But not because you told me to, I just decided."

Steve rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Just call him."

Tony grumbled something under his breath and pressed the call button. It started to ring. Peter was obviously not in a hurry to pick up the phone.

By the fourth ring, Tony knew something was wrong. If he had been out on patrol, he still would have picked up since he had direct contact with Karen. So he wasn't in his suit.

"Hey–"

"Kid are you oka–"

"–this is Peter, sorry I can't pick up the phone, but leave me a message!"

Tony pulled the phone away from his ear and squinted at it confusion. He called two more time to the same result.

"Shi-ooooot," he caught Steve's annoyed eye.

"What's wrong?"

Both of them jumped as Natasha appeared silently in the room. Her expression didn't betray any emotion, but her eyes were clouded with worry. She leaned against the fridge on her elbow and studied the two men.

"Is Peter okay?" She asked. The assassin had obviously been there a while.

Tony sighed and opened his holoscreen watch. "Peter is not answering his phone. Neither is Karen. It's just not like him."

She grunted in acknowledgement and her calculating mask slipped on. "He's probably in the middle of school right now...that could be why."

Tony snorted in disbelief. "He would leave class to answer the phone if I were the one calling."

Steve rolled his eyes and scrunched his face up as he took another sip of the coffee. He eventually gave up on it and dumped it down the sink before turning to Tony and Natasha with a determined look.

"Let's go check on him."

"Uh...in the middle of school?" Tony scrambled to follow the super soldier as Steve unhooked his coat from the peg and shrugged it around his shoulders. Natasha didn't question him and instead silently followed his example.

"Well yeah," Steve told him, as if it were obvious. "Of something's wrong would you want to find out five hours from now or right now?"

Tony narrowed his eyes, seeing the logic. "I get your point. Just us?"

Natasha nodded and that was the end of that. The three Avengers chose a random car from the large garage and prepared for the hour drive to Midtown Tech.

——————————

October 4th
12:04 pm
(Two nights before...)

Peter took a shaky step back from the agent, very much confused.

"I thought–" his voice faltered and he cleared his throat. "I thought Nick Fury was...dead? Wait...they told me you died too!"

The agent gave him a look that Peter couldn't really translate. "Do I look dead?"

The arachnid hesitated. Was this a test? "Well...no, but–"

"Good," he interrupted sharply. "Now would you like to accept Director Fury's proposition or try to fight 87 armies on your own, Spider-Man?"

"Wha-What?" Peter blanched. "How did you...? What?"

"Find out your secret?" He raised a calm eyebrow and stood smoothly from the chair. The agent fussed with the wrist cuffs on his suit before glancing back up at the defensive hero. "We're SHIELD. We make it out business to know about super powered individuals - especially ones with potential. Who do you think gathered the Avengers in the first place?"

"Uh...Mr. Stark?"

Coulson snorted. "I'm not surprised he took credit. That does seem like him."

"Tony Stark is a great man," Peter snapped hotly. The agent raised the other brow. What, did he expect Peter to communicate through facial hair? Because he didn't have nearly enough for that.

"I came here for one answer to one question," he pulled sunglasses out of his pocket and slid them over his eyes. "Decide now."

"I-I–" Peter stuttered in shock. "You expect me to right now? This is - you can't just decide something like this!"

"So your answer is no, then? Very well, though Director Fury may be disappointed–"

"Wait," Peter sighed and Coulson stopped just in front of the door to look back at him. The agent tilted his head as Peter pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Can I just..." his voice broke with stress. "Can I just make a call first?"

He could sense the man's eyes narrow behind the reflective lenses. "Who?"

"...Mr. Stark?"

"No," Coulson denied firmly. "He cannot know about this. Not yet. You may not contact anyone related to SHIELD or the Avengers. Anyone else is fine."

Peter winced, afraid if that. Should he even go? Wouldn't he be safe with Tony? But he could also be endangering him. Steve, Bucky and them were fugitives too though! What was the difference? How come SHIELD didn't step in when the heroes went into hiding? Maybe he was in even more danger than them.

Maybe he could just lay low, like Tony said. Stay away from the compound. He could only hope Ross and his men didn't remember the random kid at the compound when they had shown up looking for the ex-Avengers with a surprise inspection. Probably trying to trip Tony up. Thankfully they had a contingency plan for that, so they were safe. Ross had unfortunately seen Peter doing homework on the kitchen counter innocently. Frick. If they did find out he wouldn't only be endangering the Avengers, but his aunt, Ned, MJ...anyone he had ever come into contact with, really.

Coulson seemed to hear what he was thinking. "Your friends and your aunt will be out under constant surveillance and moved out should Ross attempt to find them. If you are willing to work with us, that is. We may even be able to lead them away from Stark's - ahem - friends hiding in his facility."

...was that a threat? Were they blackmailing him? What could SHIELD possibly gain from protecting him? Maybe they just want him in their debt? But why? He was just some amateur hero. He wasn't even a junior yet!

"If not, we will depart and leave you to your own devices," he finished. "This is your only chance to accept this offer, Peter Parker. What do you wish to do?"

Peter sighed and slumped his shoulders. "...let me make a call first, please."

————————————

October 4th
12:10 pm
(The same night...)

Ned Leeds sat twiddling his pencil around as he studied the word problem on the review paper. He hated word problems. Just tell him what to solve for God's sake! There was absolutely no need to make it more complicated. Regardless he spent a whole five minutes of his life answering the stupid problem, only stopping when he accidentally stabbed himself in the eye when spinning his utensil around. The boy hissed and tossed it away, rubbing his eye painfully. He wondered for the hundredth time that day how his life could be so dull while his best friend was New York's biggest secret.

His phone rang with a particular song - he had no shame in admitting it to be the Star Trek theme. Speak of the devil, he thought and chuckled before picking it up and bringing it to his ear to find out what kind of trouble Spider-Man had gotten himself into this time.

"Sup' Peter?" He greeted.

"I haven't got much time Ned, so just listen, okay?" Peter cut him off quickly, voice an octave higher than usual.

Ned's joking tone immediately dropped. He had been joking about Peter being in trouble. But something seemed seriously wrong. It freaked him out when his best friend got the nervous tone. "Peter wha–"

"Just listen!" Peter interrupted hurriedly. "So the government sort of wants to hunt me down, well lots of governments - actually the world's governments - but anyways it turns out SHIELD is still alive and Nick Fury is still alive but it's a secret or something, but–"

"What?" Ned's mouth fell open. "Peter that's all insane!"

"I know! But this agent guy - Coulson - he showed up at my apartment because he knows like everything and said Nick Fury was offering to protect me and you and my friends and Aunt May from them and help the Avengers out if I accepted their offer and I don't know what to do so...Ned? Ned are you still there buddy?"

"Uh, ye-yeah, I'm here," the teen stuttered and sat on his bed heavily. "But that's-that's a lot to process. Why can't you just stay with the Avengers?"

"Because that's exactly where they will think I'll stay. I don't want to get Mr. Stark arrested or put Cap and the others in more danger, y'know?"

"Whoa," Ned took a deep breath. "Okay, okay, so...um, wait why is this a hard decision? SHIELD seems to be giving you a pretty sweet deal, man."

"Yeah but..." his voice faltered. "It can't be free. There must want me to do something. I don't want to be...I don't want to be used like that."

"Oh," Ned bit his lip anxiously. "Well, it's not like they can force you. You're Spider-Man! Stole Captain America's shield! Took down the Winter Soldier and the Falcon single handedly, not to mention a sixty foot giant! You took a plane out of the air with one web! Plus you do have a bunch of overprotective superheroes on your side in case things go south. And me, of course."

Peter's voice relaxed a smidge. "Of course. Do you think I should?"

"It's your decision," Ned shrugged, tapping his foot on the ground. "But if the entire world is after you...well it might be smart to have an army of trained agents in between them and you. Also, I'm pretty sure Nick-friggin-Fury counts as a hundred agents on his own."

"Yeah," Peter laughed. "I guess so. The Avengers did say he was an okay guy. I think...I think I'm gonna go with him. I just want you guys to be safe."

"Okay just..." he rubbed his face tiredly. "Just be careful, alright? I don't want Tony Stark on my ass for talking you into this instead of talking you out. And good luck."

"Hey man, thanks. Also...uh...I'm not really allowed to tell the team about this so could you let them know I wasn't kidnapped or something? Don't go looking for them or anything, just if they ask. And tell May..."

Peter was silent for a moment. Ned could hear his breathing hitch after saying her name. The poor guy. He had to hold the weight of the world. His best friend wished he could help but...without powers or cool gadgets he was stuck as moral support.

"Tell her I love her. And make up some trip to China for the 'internship.' She'll know what it really means, but whatever."

"Yeah I'll tell her Pete," Ned smiled sadly.

"Thanks Ned. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Probably die a horrible death."

Peter laughed. "Something like that. Okay I gotta go. See you later, hopefully."

"Hopefully," he repeated with a snort. "Try not to die."

"You too."

The call disconnected.

Ned took a deep breath...

...and proceeded to finally freak out in peace as his best friend went to who-knows-where to do who-knows-what with a dead guy and a dead corporation. Without telling his overprotective superhero body guards and billionaire father figure. Leaving Ned to deal with his social life as the entire world hunted Spider-Man down.

...he was so in for it.