Chapter Text
Natasha was in the Medbay, taking care of her wounds. She couldn’t get the thought of Tonys new intern out her mind. Sure, she trust the fact that Tony did a background check on the kid, but something about him was so familiar. It distracted her so much that she almost didn’t see Cap getting closer.
“Nat?” he calls as he gets closer.
“If you are going to ask me to look for dirth about the kid, forget it.” She said not looking up. Steve frows at this and continue.
“Look, there is something about this kid, but I can’t put my finger on it yet. As much as I trust Tony, he too seem to be hiding something about Peter.” He said in a serious tone and the spy looks at him this time.
“What? You think that the kid might be Hydra or something? Steve, be serious. Just because Peter isn’t dressed like how you are used to be, doesn’t mean he is a threat! Aren’t you the one who always says that people have the freedom to choose who they are? Are you going back on your word because someone doesn’t meet your expectations?” Steve quickly shook his head at Natasha outburst. Captain America really needed to try and keep up with the new fashion trends.
“No no! It’s not that! Well… maybe a little bit. But you saw what he did to Wanda! Don’t tell me that wasn’t suspicious!”
“What about what Wanda tried to do to him? Do you really think that was the right thing to do?”
“Wanda is a kid! She just wanted to make sure that Tony intern wasn’t a threat!”
“Peter is a kid too! Even younger then Wanda! Who knows how that might affect him!”
“No one could ever resist Wanda powers! Not even Thor! How can a kid that has a clean record manage to resist and also attack Wanda back?!”
The super spy looks away for a moment. Steve have a point: ‘How did Peter do it?’.
“Fine! I will look into it! But if I find nothing and Tonys theory is right, I expect an apologi for Peter! Understood?” says Natasha and the captain nods.
She quickly patches herself up, grabs a quick snack and head towards her room. She has some research to do.
At first glance, everything that Tony said was true. The kid didn’t have a criminal record and nothing seems to be alter from an outside force. His medical files did make Natasha rise an eyebrow. From the looks of it, Peter did get in a lot of fight growing up, mostilly against bullies. There were two major incidents that got his hospitalize it seems: First being from a severe allergic reaction from a spider bite venom (now she knows why the kid is afraid of spiders) and the second one was from a gunshot in his right side. That made the spy stop in her tracks. How did that happen? Did someone assult him? Some more digging and Nat found out how it happen. The kid also have a part time job as a photographer for the Daily Bugle and was taking pictures of the vigilante Spider-Man, one night he got caught in the crossfire and Spider-Man saved his life. Nat made a mental note to teach Peter some self defens. Moving into his family history, Nat was meet with some sad surprises. Peter was an orphan, his parents died when he was three months old and was taking in by his aunt and uncle. His uncle was killed a little over 3 months ago. Natasha leans back into her chair, questioning how the kid had such bad luck, but at his core, Peter was a good person.
“I guess Cap owns you an apologi kid…” whispered Natasha, ready to close her computer for the night, but there was one more thing she needed to know tho.
“Why do you look so familiar….”
Taking another look at his family history, Nat took a depper look into his parents lives.
“Richard Parker and Mary Fitzpatrick-Parker.” She hums. The names did sound familiar. But from where?
She needed to make a phone call.
“Clint? Do you have a moment?” Natasha hoped Clint might know something, otherwise she will have a long night of searching.
“It’s pretty late. What is it Nat?” Clint sounded like he just woke up and to be honest is was pretty late.
“Do the names Richard Parker and Mary Fitzpatrick-Parker sound familiar to you?”
“Uuhhhh… hold on a moment.” Some shuffling could be hear at the other end.
“Hey honey? Wake up please?” a goarn could be hear as Laura woke up.
“Yes honey?” whispered Laura, still being half asleep.
“Didn’t you had a mission with an agent named Richard Parker and his wife Mary Fitzpatrick-Parker?” more shuffling is heard, now Laura voice was much clear.
“Yeah, I remember that. Richard was a good agent and was working closery with Fury. His wife was a scientist. They died nearly 15 years ago. I remember that they just had a baby. His name was Peter if I’m not mistaken.” Nat nods, she remembers now. Fury was, well, furious when the two died. Now she knows why Peter was so familiar to her.
“Why do you ask Nat? It is for a mission?” asks Clint this time.
“Well, turns out they kid, Peter, is Tonys newest personal intern. Guess the apple doesn’t fall from the tree.” The tree of them chuckels at this.
“Why look into him? Is there something wrong?” asks Clint and Nat chuckels again.
“No, nothing is wrong. Cap is just being paranoid. The kid has alt and punk style of clothing, plus a tattoo.”
“Huh? Isn’t he 14? How did his aunt and uncle let him have it?” Nat stopped smiling.
“Only his aunt now. His uncle died a little over 3 months ago…”
There was moment of silence.
“Poor kid…” said Laura.
“I … I guess as long as it’s nothing stupid, his aunt would let him have a tattoo…”
Silence again.
“Thank you for telling me about his parents. I’m now going to make Cap eat his shirt for being wrong about Peter.”
They say they goodbyes and Natasha closes the phone. Once again, she wanted to stop for tonight, but curiosity got the better of her.
“Who killed your parents?”
Natasha had an idea who, but she hoped for Cap sake she was wrong.
After decoding some old incrypted SHIELD files, she found her answear.
“Oh no…”
When Steve Rogers heard a specific set of knocking at his door, he instantily knew who it was. He open the door and Natasha rushed in with a StarkPad in her hands.
“Nat? Is there something wrong?” he asks, a worried look on his face. Nat turns towards him with a glare.
“I got good and bad news. Good news is that you own Peter an apologi.” Steve deflates at this, he really hoped he was right. But if this were the good news… What were the bad news?
“And the bad news?” he hesitated and Nat looked away. That wasn’t a good sign.
“There is a high chance that Bucky killed his parents.”
Silence.
Steve looked at Natasha with horror in his eyes. The spy taped a few things on her StarkPad and show it to the captain.
“The kid parents worked for SHIELD. They were the kind of people that Fury trusts. The way they died matches up with the way the Winter Solider killed his victims. From the looks of it, Richard might had found that SHIELD was be compromise. He and his wife were on they way to report this when they were killed on a plane crash. The autopsy report however, shows that they might had been already dead even before the plane started maulfunctioning. Other reports say that a figure could be seen jumping out the plane. HYDRA tried to cover it up, but there are still some reports about the incident. Look for youself.” She said and give Steve the StarkPad.
The super solider looked over the reports for a few minutes and then give the StarkPad to the super spy. Steve stood there, thinking, not saying whats going on in his mind.
“I’m going to tell him in the morning after the meeting.” Natasha said as she makes her way out, but Steve hand on her shoulder stops her.
“Wait….” Said the captain. After a few moments of silence, he speaks again.
“I’ll tell him… when I’m rea-“
“When your ready?! How long are you going to cover up HYDRA assainations? First Tony, now Peter? They deserv to know the truth! We both know that Barnes was not in control, but how long are you going to hide it? Both of them now know what is like having someone in your head, they will understand if we explain what HYDRA did to him. If we don’t tell them when the time is right, someone else will tell them at the worst time possible (foreshadowing!)! We have the evidence that Barnes is innocent! We need to tell Tony and Peter soon or the evidence will mean nothing to them! You were mad at Tony for keeping Ultron a secret, but you were keeping Buckys secret for longer then that!” Natasha snaped. Steve might be her friend, but so is Tony. They were a team and this kind of secret could destroy them.
“I know! I know… But I can’t! Bucky is my friend and- “ the spy cuts him of again.
“So is Tony!”
“I know! But what if when Tony finds out, he would go after Bucky? What if Tony fighting Bucky might trigger something and Bucky might actually kill Tony? Have you thought about that? I can’t let that happen! Tony can’t know yet! Not until I find Bucky and get those codes out his brain!”
“Tony literally made a new type of technology to help people bring back lost memories and go over trauma! Did you forget about BARF? Tony was talking for weeks about it! That could save Bucky!”
Steve looks away, thinking.
“Still to risky to have so close to one another. I will find another way.”
“What about Peter? He deservs to know what happen to his parents!” Steve looks away again.
“He is too young to understand. Maybe when he is older?” Natasha shook her head at this.
“Peter already is old beyond his age. He is like a mixture of you and Tony. Smart like Tony and brave like you….”
They stood in silence for a bit afterword. Way too many emotions going on. Natasha sighs after a while and makes her way towards the door.
“I will not tell Peter or Tony about Bucky. But you better tell them soon. Because if I do it, I will not sugar coat it..” she opens the door and enters the hallway.
“Ok… goodnight Nat-“ she slams the door behind her.
Natasha was angry.
Angry at Steve for keeping this from Tony and Peter.
And angry at herself for going along with it.
With a sigh, she makes her way towards the kitchen. She needed something strong after that conversation.
She really hopes that Tony and Peter would forgive her if it’s too late.
Speak of the Devil-
Peter and Sam were coming from the direction of the kitchen, both holding cups with what seems to be hot chocolate. The kid had whip cream on his nose and Nat found that adorable.
But there was one thing that stopped Nat alltogheter. There were bandages on Peter hands that weren’t there before and he looked like he just cried a bit early…
….Natasha was really going to have a very loooong conversation with Wanda soon.
The duo stops in front of her.
“Hey Nat! How are you doing?” asks Sam and afterwords takes a sip from his hot chocolate that had peppermint on top.
“Doing better now. How are two doing?” she said, looking between the two. She was not surprised that Sam was the first to start bounding with the kid. It was either him or Vision.
“We’re good! We were debading what were the best toppings for hot chocolate. My top is just a lot of whip cream and grated chocolate.” Says Peter, lifting up his hot chocolate.
“I can see that… it’s all over your face.” She said with a smile as Peter quickly cleaned himself up.
“What about you Ms. Romanov? Do you add anything to your hot chocolate?” asks the kis innocentily. She wasn’t sure he would like her answer.
“I usually add whiskey or rum to my hot chocolate.” She answear and Peter tilts his head.
“Another type of hot chocolate I can’t taste…great.” he mumbles and Sam laught at that , Nat gives him a weird look and he explain.
“You know how I like to add peppermint to mine, right?” she nods at this and then he points at Peter.
“The kid is allergic to peppermint!” Sam laugh again and Peter chuckle a little too.
“It makes me vomit the moment I put my toung on it!”
The three of the laugh. Nat mood was a lot better now. She was glad that Peter was feeling better, but she wasn’t sure how much Wanda attack affected him. The spy could see that Peter was slightly shacking and it wasn’t by any means cold in the hallway. She will have a loooong talk with Wanda soon enough.
“Welp! We are going to get some rest.” Said Sam and Peter nods.
“Agree! I’m going to have a lot of work tomorrow.” Adds the kid.
“Well I guess this is goodnight then!” said Natasha. The boys says they goodnight towards the spy and make they ways towards they bedrooms.
Nat looks back at Peter, a smile on her face. But then she notice it. A spider tattoo at the back of his neck. Something click in the super spy brain and asks the kid one last thing for that night.
“Hey Peter!”
The kid turns around. “Yeah?”
“I like that tattoo on your neck! It is new or?” at that, Peter, awkwardly, covers it with his hand.
“O-oh! This one? I had it for a little over three mounth. Why?” he asks, giving her a weird look.
“I was thinking of getting a tattoo myself for a while. Can you do it for me?” Peter beams and gives Nat the address for the tattoo shop he works at (even tho she already knew that) and leaves for the night.
Nat went into the kitchen and instead of getting alcohol, she gets a cup of strong coffee. She still had some digging to do.
Next day…
Natasha regrets staying up all night doing research.
Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem, she done it a million time before, but after a two weeks mission where she hasn’t sleep for more then 10 hours total, it was torture.
The research and the hacking Nat had to do were exhausting. She really hated Steve now for wanting to have the meeting at 7 in the morning!
She went to the kitchen to grab a quick snack before the meeting. Nat knows that they will have breakfeast after the meeting, but she wanted to take a nap afterword.
The moment she enter the kitchen, she was meet with the smell of pancakes, bacon and eggs.
Natasha was surprised to see Peter, preparing breakfeast!
Taking in Peter outfit and cute beanie, the spy made her way towards Peter.
“Morning Peter.”
The kid in question looked up, letting Nat have a better look at his chocker.
“Morning Ms. Romanov! Anything I can do for you?” he said as he flipped one last pancake, setting it on a plate and then put the plate on a cart along side bacon and eggs.
“I was looking to grab something to eat before the meeting. Is this for the meeting?” she asks as Peter moved to make a pot of coffee.
“Yep! Mr. Stark was complaing about not being able to process the meeting on an empty stomach. I had a feeling that the sentiment was mutual with the rest of the team and made something for all of you.” He explain as he pots the now full coffee pot on the cart and goes back to make a second one.
“That’s very thoughtfull of you! Thanks kid.”
Peter beams at that and then continue with making the food.
After a moment of silence, Natasha speaks again.
“What are going to do after the meeting?”
“Me? Going in the city to do one of my part time jobs. I will be back in the afternoon to assist Mr. Stark at a meeting. After that I have to go out again. Then I will help Mr. Stark with another meeting. Going out for a bit once again. Some lab time. Out again” He said, not really paying attention to Nat.
“Huh? You go out as Spider-Man a lot in the weekend.”
Peter nearly drops the orange juice he was pouring.
He slowly turns towards the super spy.
“Wha-“
He didn’t get to finish as Natasha hold up her phone and a holographic projection shows all the evidence that he was Spider-Man…..
.
.
.
….deja vu.
He looks at her. More serious then ever.
“So… what now?” he challenge. Natasha turns off the hologram and just look at him.
“Good question. What now? What to do with this?” she reply.
The two enter a staring competition.
“I could bring this to the press, have you arrested for vigilantism. Make your aunt lose custody.”
Peter eye twitch. Nat now knew that his aunt was a weak spot.
“The only way you can prove that your evidence is the real deal is by admitting that you stalked a minor and hack into very personal information about said minor. And you think that I will end up in a prison for this? No. That would be mercy. Do you think that Ross would let me see the light of day again? He would stuck me in a lab, perform tests on me to see what makes me move. If I’m lucky, he would let me out, but by then I will be nothing, but a weapon. Tell me: What would happen if you combine the Winter Solider and the Black Widow?”
The kid stood his ground. Good. But for how long…
“Your powers would be more usefull that way.”
“But moraly, it would be wrong.”
“Ross doesn’t care about morals. Neither do I.”
“Are you seriousily going to put me trough the same pain as you did growing up? Even worse?”
No, she won’t. She won’t do that to even her worst enemy. But she needed to know something…
“You know I will resist?” he said, staying straight as a statue.
“Maybe you will, but I’m not sure your aunt wi-“
She blinked.
And she was on the ground.
She didn’t see him jump over the kitchen counter.
She didn’t see him bringing her hands behind her back.
She didn’t see him pulling her face first into the ground.
She didn’t see him pulling a pocket knife at her neck.
Yeah…
She might had push it a little too far.
“Do you really want to finish that sentence?” he asks, slowly and a darker tone.
She stood quiet. She needed to know how he would respons next.
“That’s what I thought. I’m going to say this once: Stay the hell away from my family! I don’t care that you are an Avenger, you lay a finger on my aunt and I will cut that damn thing off!” he said as he applied more pressure with the knife on her neck. She had to warp this one fast.
“Would you kill me?” she asks and now it was his turn to stay quiet.
“If someone killed your aunt, would you kill them?” she could feel his gaze moving away from her. Natasha could have used this moment to escape, but she was well aware about the kid super senses. He just proved he was faster and stronger then her.
“No.”
What?
“What?” she asks.
“I’m not a killer. They death won’t bring my aunt back. Plus, I would stop them before they would even think to try and harm her.” That was his answear and Natasha smiled. She got her answear.
“Good answear. Now get off me or we will be late for the meeting.” She said, trying to free her hands, he had a strong grip on them.
“Wait what?” he said dumbfounded, but did let go of her hands and moved the knife away.
“You heard me. You have super hearing.” He finally got off her and he helped her on her feet.
“I don’t believe this was just an act, right?” he crossed his arms as he said that, giving her a look.
“Part of it. I wanted to see how serious you are about this. Most of the videos that manage to get close enough, you could be heard joking and laughting. It’s a good stradegy to make your enemy angry to make them lose focus, but I wanted to see how serious you can be when the situation needed it to be.” She explain and she notice that his body didn’t relax.
“It might had been an act, but you were not lying. I know you weren’t.” she frow at this.
“I was saying the worst case scenario, but how did you know I wasn’t lying?” she asks and he points at his head.
“I have this power. It warns me of incoming danger. It gives me bad headaches, but overall usefull. It was buzzing like crazy after you said that I was Spider-Man.” He explains and Natasha frows again. Thinking back to the night before, she remember how Peter resisted Wanda powers.
“I think your precognitive power does more then just protecting your body of danger, it also protects your mind. When Wanda tried to enter your mind, instade of you getting a vision, she did. The spider part of your body and mind frought back against her power and pushed her away.” She said and Peter looked at her with wide eyes and puts a hand on his head.
“Huh…. I can block mental attacks… add that to the weird powers I got….”
A buzzing sound was heard and Peter picked up his phone.
“We have to go, the meeting is starting soon.” He said as he goes to grab the food cart and make his way towards the conference room, the spy not far behind.
The stood in silence for a while, walking towards the meeting.
After a while, Peter broke that silence.
“So! You know my secret. What now? Really?” he asks, looking at the spy.
“As long as it’s not putting anyone in danger, including yourself, I won’t say a word.” Sha says and the spider kid nods.
“But-“
“Of course there is a but.”
“You need training. I know that you wear a version of my suit and while it would block must of the bullets, but it will get so far in a long fight.” After she said that, she pokes his head.
“That spider sense of yours is usefull, but still need to learn how to use it in combat. I will train you.” He looks at her with wide eyes.
“A spider training another spider? Awesome! But I do have two conditions.”
“Oh? And those would be?”
“No training to kill or how to use guns. Anything else is on the table. Got it?”
She smiles and pats his head.
“Got it.”
“And one more thing…”
He gets his knife out again and points it at her. She should ask him why he carry one.
“Nobody knows my secret.” He was dead serious.
She gives him a look and nods, pushing the knife away. “You got good intimidation technic, but we can improve on them. Why do you carry a knife?”
He pulls the knife closer. “Mr. Stark made it for me. It’s a special one. I can tease too.”
He pressed a secret button and the blade sparked.
“It can also super heat up. It also has a tracking device in it in case I’m in big trouble.” He said as he put the knife away.
“I see that, but why do you have it on you now?” she asks and he looks away.
“What Maximoff did affected me worse then I thought. And you saw how Rogers looked like he was about to trow me out the window. I wanted to be prepare in case they attack me. I already told Mr. Stark and Mr. Wilson saw what it did to me last night. We are going to talk more during the meeting.”
Natasha face fell.
Peter was afraid that they will hurt him again or worse. She was more then sure that he could hold his own in a fight against them, but she was also sure that he would not use his powers on them. Not at first atleast.
She looks at him with a solemn look.
“Peter. I want you to know, that if they try something: I will personally rip them apart. Their actions will have consequences.” She said and pats his head again, he smiles at her.
“Thank you….”
The automatic doors of the conference room open, with the rest of the Avengers already at the table.
Wanda and Steve were glaring at Peter.
Sam give them a friendlily wave.
Vision give Peter an awkward wave. Stiil feeling sorry for what happen the night before. He hoped to apologize after the meeting.
Tony talked first: “Perfect! The food and everyone is here!”
Peter quickly set up the food on the table, Wanda and Steve glaring at him as he passed by them. After that, Peter grabs the StarkPad that Tony had it ready for him beforehand and the intern took a seat right next to his boss. Tony spoke again:
“Now that we are ready, we have a lot to disscuss…”