Hi. I wanted to apologize bc i accidentally published this chapter before it was finished so u guys got the notification even tho i had unpublished it. I'm sorry that that happened but plz enjoy!!

  Tony pulled at the cushiony collar around his neck, grumbling like a child.

"Do i have to wear this thing?" He whined. "I told you, it's just a few bruises!"

Both Dr. Helen Cho and Peter Parker frowned at the older man, looking at him like a parent would at their misbehaving kid.

"It's just a precautionary," Dr. Cho said, reaching forward and adjusting the velcro on the side, making it tighter. Tony wheezed in response. "We really don't know how much damage Steve did until it shows."

"Yeah," Peter agreed, scooting closer to his father figure at the mention of the man who hurt him. Tony couldn't help but notice how protective the teen was of him now. It was weird to be the one being defended and not the other way around. "Mr. Rogers did, uh, grab you pretty hard."

Tony scoffed, the sound making his vocal cords ache. Maybe i do need this stupid collar after all. "Not hard enough. You took him down like it was nothing, kid!"

The billionaires voice was filled with pride, much to Peter's dismay. "I didn't want to, though," he whispered quietly. "I was hoping he'd let go. But he didn't."

Dr. Cho gave the shaky teen a steadying pat on the back. "It was a good thing you did anyway. If you hadn't, Mr. Stark here would be a lot worse off."

Tony nodded as much as the collar would allow. "She's right, kiddo. You saved me."

A tiny smile tugged at the corners of Peter's mouth. "Think of it as repayment, for all the times you saved my ass."

Tony went to jokingly say 'language,' but thought better of it.

"Speaking of Steve," Dr. Cho continued the conversation as she wrapped up her supplies. "Where is he? I keep expecting him to come in with injuries..."

Peter looked away, something like guilt shadowing his features. Tony went to comfort him, to reassure him again that he had no choice when the resounding sound of a brick smashing through one of the medbay windows stopped him short.

  The trio stood in stunned silence for a moment, all staring at the brick on the floor and the shattered shards of glass surrounding it.

Surprisingly, Tony was the first to react. The billionaire ran a hand down his face, groaning with frustration.

"You'd think that glass would be more durable for the amount i paid for it."

  Peter Parker doesn't find the comment amusing though, in fact it seems to fill him with dread. The teens eyes widen, brown irises sparked with fear as he shoots a hand out and yanks Dr. Cho towards him just as another object comes barreling into the medbay. The doctor gasps, clutching at her chest where the metal pipe would be if not for Peter.

  Tony doesn't have anything funny to say to that.

  Sam Wilson comes charging into the room a moment later, spurred on by both Clint and Bucky on his heels. They tread with trepidation at the sight of the scene in front of them, Sam the most as a fresh cut bleeds above his eye.

  "Oh god," Clint murmurs, his face draining of all color. "They're here too."

  Tony straightens up against the pillows propped up behind him. "Who are?"

  Bucky speaks up quietly, his deep voice a whisper among the thick tension in the room. "Rioters."

  Peter nods along, hiding his unease behind a brave facade. "He's right. I can hear them. They're surrounding the Tower."

  "Someone threw a fucking sign at my head!" Sam cried and gesturing to be gash in his forehead. "Look! I'm bleeding!"

Tony cocked an eyebrow. "A sign?"

"Yeah," Clint said. "One of those old-fashioned wooden ones."

"What did it say?"

"Something like 'How can we trust the Avengers if they don't trust each other?'" Bucky said, sidestepping a rock as it sailed through the shattered window.

  Tony's hand immediately went to his throat, clawing at the collar and feeling pressure on the bruises underneath. "They know," he whispered, fear griping him like a vise.

  But how?

  "Oh god," Peter breathed, running a hand through his tangled curls. He had pulled his phone out, staring at the screen intently. "MJ..."

Bucky wrinkled his nose. "MJ? As in that teenager that was running around last night?"

Peter ignored him with a quick intake of stalled breath. He seemed unable to tear his eyes away from his screen, if only to respond. Whatever held his attention definitely had him entrapped, which only stirred Tony's curiosity more.

  "Peter..? What about MJ?" Tony asked softly like the teen boy was a wild animal he was trying not to spook.

Peter only shook his head, his mouth opening and closing like a gaping fish out of water. After trying and failing to find the right words, he simply turned the phone so it faced the billionaire.

Tony wordlessly took the phone and held it up to his face. His eyes widened as they realized what they were seeing. Steve, lunging forward and snatching Tony around the neck, again and again and again.

"What? What is it?" Sam whined. He peered over Tony's shoulder to catch a glimpse, paling immediately. "Oh, that little shit!"

"No!" Peter exclaimed, jumping to defend his friend. "Don't call her that."

"Why not?" Sam asked, gesturing to the video. "She went behind our backs and posted a video that she knew would tear the team apart!"

Bucky scoffed. "If you hadn't already noticed, the 'team' is in shambles already. She just showed it to the rest of the world."

Peter nodded stiffly, taking the phone back from his dad. "He's right," he said. "They aren't rioting against us, they're rioting against Steve."