It was so much cloudier than the day he died.

It looked like the world was still in mourning, even five years later. Earth had changed while he'd been gone. For all the world, it felt like only a moment of rest, a bad dream.

Peter wiped away the blood trickling down his nose. He certainly looked like a corpse, but it didn't matter, he was alive and they had won.

They had won.

Why didn't he feel like they had won? Peter sank to his knees, watching helplessly, motionlessly, as Pepper Potts said goodbye one last time. He owed everything he fought for, everything he was to Mr. Stark. He gazed through half lidded eyes at the infinity gauntlet. For all the power it had, for all the destruction and life that it wrought, it couldn't save one man. Peter registered the sound of someone wailing in the distance. He realized belatedly that it was coming from him. He may have been alive, pieced together by an eternal snap, but he felt more broken than ever.

Peter walked through the airport, scanning the crowd until he saw his aunt's familiar brown hair. May clutched peter for dear life, resigned to never let him go again. At the same time, she was so grateful and so bitter toward the universe for ripping her child from her for years, then suddenly smiling on their poor planet and granting them all they had lost. Peter returned the hug tentatively. This Aunt May was different than the one Peter had seen only a few days ago. She had changed, and the two of them would have to navigate where they would go from here. They knew that.

Peter leaned tighter in his Aunt's embrace. The last hug he had was from Mr. Stark. The last hug Mr. Stark ever gave was to him. At the time, he thought nothing of it. Now he knew he would never forget it.

They were on their own now. They would get through it like they always had. Peter leaned back, looking into Aunt May's glistening eyes, seeing the love and sorrow there. They would get through it.

Together.

A week later, Peter walked into Midtown high for the first time in many years. Half of his class, the people he had just talked to yesterday, had graduated. They had gotten jobs or gone to college, moved on. Despite the crowded, bustling halls shifting as people searched for their friends, the school seemed more empty than ever. Almost haunted.

At one point, they were the ghosts who resided here, in everyone's memories. Peter gripped his bag ever tighter.

He scanned the crowd, before falling on one familiar face. Ned Leeds stood, in a Star Wars t-shirt and khakis, looking just the same but also completely different, just like everybody these days.

Tears threatened to flow from both of them as they slowly approached each other, before hesitantly going into their best friends' secret handshake and latching onto each other in a tight hug. Peter let himself fall apart as he had many times since coming home. Regardless of the situation, he had Ned.

"Peter, I heard. We all did, about Mr. Stark. I'm so sorry, but Peter, you made it home, we survived." The two of them hugged each other even tighter. "Hey, would Aunt May let me come over tonight? We could work on a Lego set or watch Star Wars. I mean, if you aren't feeling up to it…"

Peter smiled. "That sounds great Ned." It was the first time he had genuinely smiled since coming home.

Peter had devoted himself furiously to his studies. The unspoken rule was business as usual – act normal, and eventually you'll feel normal, or so they said. So he missed the knock at the door. He did not miss the hushed tones outside his room. He jumped up, flinging the door open.

"Happy." Peter looked at him in surprise.

Happy Hogan smiled, resigned. Both he and his Aunt May had unmistakable looks of pity on their faces. He hated it.

"Hey kid. Been a while." He walked across the kitchen, handing an envelope to Peter. "I only wish I were here on better terms." Peter felt tears prickling at his eyes again without his permission. Shaky hands opened the envelope. Inside was a card with a handwritten address.

"We wanted, well. The family wanted a private ceremony. Apart from the public one. There's no pressure, but everyone would be happy if the both of you could make it.

Peter wiped at his eyes, looking up. "We'll be there."

It was a beautiful day. Perfectly sunny and not a cloud in the sky. Peter stepped out of the unmarked car, adjusting his tie. He felt Aunt May's hand on his shoulder.

Everyone had come. Regardless of any fights he had started or issues with his ego or personality, everyone knew the same thing. No one would be here without him. The world had been restored to order, but for the few gathered at the small lake, it would never be the same. Normally, Peter would be making his rounds, introducing himself to everyone, trying desperately to fit in and be one of the team. But it was indisputable now. He was truly an Avenger. And besides, he wasn't in the mood.

The ceremony was small and beautiful. Proof that Tony Stark has a heart. He found it redundant. Peter, Morgan, half of the universe was all the proof anyone needed that Mr. Stark had a heart. He watched the flowers roll gently across the lake. After a long silence, people began to move around. Peter really didn't have the heart yet, still staring into space. He didn't register the presence beside him.

"Your Spidey senses must be getting rusty." Captain America looked down at him fondly.

"Oh, Captain America! Sir. Sorry. I must have gotten uh…" He watched as the flowers floated out of view. "…distracted."

Steve Rogers smiled, with a twinge of sadness. He looked around, across the milling crowd.

"Peter, I don't know if this will help. Actually, I'm sure it won't, but I think you need to hear it." Peter snapped out of his reverie, glancing up at the man. May lingered in the distance. He sighed.

"Tony was abrasive, ego-centric, and too smart for his own good. We were sure that he always had nothing but his self interest in mind. Then, well. Then he met you." Peter listened, frozen in place. "You changed him, Pete. Tony was the only one of us who moved on. He had a wife, a daughter, everything he ever wanted, but because of the possibility of getting you back, he listened to our stupid ideas and did everything he could to fix things. He's gone, but because of you, we're all still here." He glanced down at Peter. "And the Avengers are here for you too."

Peter felt tears flowing freely down his face. He realized now that he had really lost not just a mentor, but a father. Mr. Stark had helped fill in the space that was empty ever since his Uncle Ben left, and now it was empty again. Peter looked around. This time he wasn't alone. This time he had a true family to support him, and he'd be damned if he let Mr. Stark make this sacrifice in vain.
"Kid? You okay?" Peter realized he had been quiet for a very long time.

"I'm sorry, Captain." Peter looked into his concerned eyes. "Thank you. For everything. We'll be okay, I know that now."

Steve smiled. "I'm glad you're on the team, Peter. You're something special." He put an unsteady hand on Peter's shoulder before walking towards Bucky. Peter glanced at the house, seeing an unusually paternal Happy comforting the girl. Morgan. Peter turned, walking toward the house. Happy walked inside to get a juice pop for the girl. He sat on the fence across from Morgan, her cheeks still tearstained.

"Hi Morgan. Um. I'm Peter." He shifted anxiously. Morgan looked up silently. "Your dad, in a way, was my dad too, you know." Pepper stood in the distance, watching the exchange from the door.

Peter knelt down at her level. "I promise it will get better. And until then, if you need a brother, or a juice pop," Peter used his webs to snag the frozen treat from a bewildered Happy inside the house. He handed it to Morgan, staring up at him in wonder. "I'll be there, ok?" A tiny smile appeared on Morgan's face as she ate the juice pop. Peter stood awkwardly, meeting the proud gaze of Pepper and his aunt. He looked out over the lake again, seeing the reflection of the sun. It would be hard, but Peter was going to help this world as much as Mr. Stark had. He had been given a second chance at life. He planned to live it as an Avenger.

As a brother.

As Peter.