Chapter Text
He was supposed to be fine
Everything - everything was supposed to be fine
Pepper couldn’t get the frustrating, heart aching thought out of her head as she stood on the porch, watching what she knew was Happy’s car coming from some distance, carrying a scared, stressed, and exposed Peter Parker. Because Beck just had to have the last laugh. He had to ruin one more thing, get revenge on a man who was already dead, whose family was still grieving.
Pepper hadn’t left any room for argument. Happy was to Peter up from an alleyway in Midtown and brought directly to the lake house. May would be joining him shortly - Pepper cashed in a favor with Sharon Carter to get May up here as soon as possible. There was the matter of Peter’s other friends, but as far as Pepper was aware, MJ told her that she was “pretty much okay” and to “focus on Peter”. Ned, meanwhile, asked as politely as he could manage when Pepper called him to just update him on Peter’s situation, but that he had to stay in the city. Someone had to advocate for his best friend, after all.
She was giving that boy a 6 figure job offer the minute he was out of college, hell, out of high school anyone with that kind of conviction deserved a spot with Stark Industries (which was still a multi billion dollar company, by the way). MJ as well, though probably in the HR department.
The car was close now, and turning slightly.
It slowed.
It parked.
Happy got out, and looked over at her.
The expression on his face said more than words ever could.
The passenger door opened, and out came Peter Benjamin Parker, sans mask, with what she was certain was one of Happy’s spare shirts over his suit. His eyes were red and his face pale. Every breath he took was stuttered and shaking.
She took a few steps, then a few more, then a few more, a little faster, until she was face to face with the young man
He stared up at her - she was just barely taller - and, with another trembling breath, managed to speak
“... I-I’m sorry, Misses Stark”
And Pepper couldn’t take it anymore. She grabbed the boy in a hug, using one hand to shove his head into the crook of her neck and shoulder.
“No… no Pete… No” She managed, her voice weak. She made brief eye contact with Happy, who simply nodded and headed to the house. “Not your fault, never your fault” she sighed deeply - noting that Peter wasn’t hugging her back. “This is all Quentin and his… helpers.” She explained, “I have the best people in the world working on this. And if no one believes them” She pulled back, holding his shoulders and making eye contact “They’ll have to deal with me”
The conviction she said that last part with caused the boy to hiccup with a sob. He finally returned the hug, tight and scared and begging for the comfort she was providing. She returned the hug, and knew that he’d be fine.
May would be here soon, the PR team and legal was working their asses off. Happy was with Morgan, who was ready to provide Peter with more love than he could probably handle. And if things still went to shit?
She'd handle it.
And oh, the world hadn’t yet dealt with Mama Bear Pepper Potts-Stark.
To say they were unprepared was an understatement