I sigh as I step out of the Iron Heart suit and grab my tools from my workbench in the lab. It's been weird going on patrols without Peter. He still doesn't believe that he can be Spiderman without the suit, which we will always disagree on, but every day I do my best to remind him of it and everything he taught me. No matter how long it takes, I'll keep going until he knows it for himself.

"How was patrol?" Tony asks without looking up from what he's working on.

"The usual, which is to say mostly purse and bike snatchers and the occasional tourist about to get conned. But I was having some delay with the blasters. So I need to fix that before I go out again."

It's quiet for a while as Tony and I work on our projects. "So, how's the kid? Or at least, the other kid."

"He's having a hard time, but he's trying to pretend it's all okay." I focus as intently as possible on my suit. "Plus, it doesn't help that I'm still patrolling and working here. It sucks because I feel like any time I say something about it, I'm just rubbing it in his face. I know he probably doesn't see it that way, but I just feel like no matter what I do I'm a crappy girlfriend."

"You know, if you want, I can take your suit too." He leans against the work table and watches me as he says, "Do you believe you're a hero without a fancy suit?"

I stop for a second. This isn't the first time I've thought about it. In fact, it's been circling through my head in the weeks since Tony took the suit. "Yeah, I do." I reply with a confidence I wasn't expecting. "It's funny. If you had asked me the same question last year or even a few months ago, I would've immediately said I'm not a hero and never would be."

"What changed?"

"As stupid and cliche as it sounds? Peter changed my mind. I guess, I spent so long hiding away and trying to make myself as small and invisible as possible, I never thought I'd be anything to anyone. Then, I met Peter, and suddenly, I was someone to him.

"You know, he was the first person who didn't act like I was crazy when I told him that my dream was to working with you. I mean, my parents were supportive, but everyone else acted like I was nuts and could never do it.

"Thing is, I know who I am. I know my limits. I know I'm just a regular teenager, who just happens to be good at science. And I used to think that's how I would help people—I might not be able to save the world, but maybe I could help one person. That's all I needed—just to save someone, and I'd be happy.

"And who knows, maybe that person would go on to do something amazing and save the world somehow.

"Then I met Peter, and I finally realized I couldn't save anyone if I didn't save myself first. Funny thing is, I started to believe that maybe it could be me. Maybe I could be someone who saves the world, who makes a difference, who could be a hero.

"So, no, I don't need the suit to know who I am. Because now, I'm determined to be the best person I can be—the best hero I can be—with or without one." I sigh and set my tools aside, "Now, I'm just waiting for Peter to realize the same thing."

"He will." Tony states. "He's a good kid. It's only a matter of time before he realizes this is what he's meant to be."

"That's what I'm hoping for." I sigh and go back to working on the suit in front of me. It's not until I'm nearly finished and my phone starts ringing that I bother to check the time.

"Shoot. Is it really already 1?" I ask myself and answer the phone. "Hey, Mom, i swear, I'm heading down now. I just lost track of time working on this project."

Mr. Stark offers me a look, and I lower my phone. "I forgot to ask, is it okay if I leave early? I completely spaced that it's homecoming today, and my mom's here to pick me up."

"Go ahead, kid. I gotta finish packing up and head upstate anyway." He replies with a laugh. "And take next weekend off. You've earned yourself a break."

"Thanks, Tony." I smile at him, and offer a wave as I head out. "Alright, now I'm heading down. I just—I lost track of time working on this project."

"It's okay, honey. I'm pulling up out front." She replies, "And I've been practicing different hairstyles for you all morning. So we can get you ready even though we're behind schedule."

I try to appreciate the effort she put in and the excitement she has for this silly high school event, but then again, this is the first one I've ever been wiling to attend. So, I decide to grin and bear all the hovering, cooing, and picture taking that's going to happen in the next few hours. Because at the end of it, I get to be normal for a little bit and go with my boyfriend to a ridiculous dance.

That's what I keep in mind as mom obsesses over how to do my hair and makeup, that my dress has no wrinkles, and a million other things. I keep in mind that this means the world to my mom. Plus, it will be worth it to see Peter's reaction. "Go ahead and put your dress and shoes on, sweetheart. Peter should be here soon."

"Thanks, Mom. Are you sure you're okay with driving us to go pick up Liz?"

"Of course. I think it's sweet you invited her to homecoming with you and your friends."

"I wasn't just gonna let her go alone." I shrug and grab my dress. "She's been really nice to me while we were on the homecoming committee, and no one should have to go alone to a dance."

Mom offers a sad smile at the comment before closing the door behind her. I can't even remember how many times I was talked into going to something like this by my parents despite my lack of friends. So yeah, when Liz told me she didn't have anyone to go with, I knew that feeling all too well and offered for her to come with my friend group.

I quickly put on my dress, and look myself over in the mirror. It's not often that I'd call myself any variation of beautiful, but it's the only word that can come to mind right now. It's an oddly warm feeling. I can stop smiling after that.

My clutch is sitting on my bed, ready to go with my lipstick and phone packed. I linger for a second. I have a spare set of bracelet blasters hidden in the drawer of my nightstand. There's a part of me that always wants to be prepared, even if it is supposed to be a normal night. I just can't shake the feeling that it'd be a good idea to bring them. Even if I'm just a teenager, there's been a bunch of times where villains tried to attack someone when they least expected it.

I quickly slip them on and am suddenly very grateful for forgetting to paint them. Since they're silver, my mom and everyone else will likely assume they're just bracelets meant to match my other jewelry. Once they're clipped on, I head towards the door. The longer I let myself think about it, the more likely I'll be to put them back.  "Honey, Peter's here!" My mom shouts, and I smile as I head out.

His eyes widen as I walk out. "Y/N, you look beaut-zing." He shakes his head. "Sorry, what I meant to say is, you look beautiful, but then I also wanted to say amazing, and I kind of mixed them up."

All I can do is laugh, "I knew what you meant, and for the record, you look handsome. I mean, who knew you cleaned up so well?"

"Okay, I got the camera! Let me take a few pictures before you two leave." May says, and Mom quickly rushes to agree.

I give Peter an apologetic look and jokingly whisper to him as we move to take pictures. "Now you know why I suggested we just a taxi to pick up Liz. Not that it isn't adorable to watch them bond over spending the next hour talking the same three pictures over and over."

Peter bursts out into a laugh and nods. May and my Mom just give us the classic scolding look. I try to hold back my laugh as well. They don't seem to mind too much as they start talking about what photos to take.

May's face lights up as she pulls a plastic container from her purse and hands it to Peter, who turns crimson as he gently takes it and hides it from me for a moment. I wait patiently as he opens the container and hands it back to May, still holding whatever was inside.

He turns back to me with a soft, wide smile as he takes my hand. I bite my lip as his brow furrows at the sight of my bracelet blasters, but he doesn't say anything. Instead, he just pretends there not even there as he slips on a beautiful corsage that matches the color of my dress.

I press a kiss to his cheek amidst the flurry of camera clicks, but I try to pay it no mind. "Okay, okay." Mom says as she pushes us into a different pose, which continues on for what feels like hours.

If doesn't take long before my cheeks hurt from so much smiling. "Okay, I think that's enough." I laugh and wave my hands. "You must have a hundred pictures by now, and we still have to go get Liz."

"Fine. Go have fun—just not too much." I hide my face in Peter's shoulder and groan. "Sorry!"

"Okay, we're going now." I shout and drag Peter out, who is followed by a laughing Aunt May. I keep a hold of Peter's hand the entire way down to the car and to Liz's house.

"I remember this place! This was where the house party was." May calls as we pull up. "Do you need me to wait out here?"

"Liz said her parents wanted to drive her, but thank you, May." I tell her with a smile as we head out.

"Of course, sweetheart. Call me when you're ready to leave, and I'll come get you guys."

Peter and I thank her one last time as we get out and head towards Liz's house. I almost say something about the party. The guilt of not being there for him that night is still raw and eating away at me, but I bite my tongue.

I'm so lost in my thoughts that I barely realize Peter's already rung the bell. The door swings open, with who I assume is Liz's Dad smiling at us. "You must Liz's friends. Y/N and Peter, right?"

"Yes, sir." I reply after a second, and once Liz's dad has invited us in and turned around, I look at Peter, who is wide eyed and tense. My hand grips his tighter as I whisper, "What's wrong?"

He just shakes his head and hesitates to follow Liz's dad far past the doorstep. "Pete, you're scaring me."

"I know that voice." He whispers, and my heart starts to pound so hard my hands start to shake. All I can do is wait for him to explain. The seconds stretch into hours until he puts a finger to his lips and mouths, 'He's the Vulture. Stay cool.'

All I can do is look at my boyfriend with wide eyes and nod. I tighten my hold on his hand and drag him to where Liz's dad went a second ago. Every ounce of my focus is working on staying cool and not tipping off Vulture that we know.

Doris, Liz's mom, comes in a second after we do, and I do my best to smile at her. We've met a few times when she showed up to school events. "Y/N, you look beautiful, and Peter, you're looking handsome as well."

Peter still holds onto my hand as tightly as I am his. I'm fairly certain it's the only thing keeping us from falling apart right now. Especially as Doris disappears to get Liz, and we're left alone with Vulture, who is currently holding a knife. "You two okay? You look kind of pale." He tells us, and I try to smile and brush it off. "Can I offer you a drink? A bourbon or scotch or—?"

"We're not old enough to drink." Peter replies, which makes Vulture smile.

"That's the right answer." He smiles at something behind us. "Wow. Wow. Wow. You look beautiful."

I turn around and smile at her—Liz—my friend, who has no idea who her dad really is. This is going to be awful for her. Suddenly I realize how difficult this job of ours really is. Trouble is, there's always going to be innocent people who get hurt. No matter how hard we try, it's still going to happen.

My mind is racing and raging as Liz's mom directs us together for a few pictures, and I can barely manage a smile through it all. Thankfully, it's only a few pictures instead of the hundreds we already went through with May and my mom. "You know, you really don't have to trouble with driving us, sir."

"No, no, it's no big deal." He replies, and there's something about the way he's talking. It's so casual for someone willing to sell alien weapons and cause mass destruction. "I'm going out of town, and it's right on my way."

I feel my chest tighten. There's almost no chance he's just going on a crime-free business trip. Especially after he lost that big sale, Peter interrupted. He lost a lot of product on that ferry. Maybe he's suiting up for one last hit.

"He's always going." Liz's mom tells us casually before turning to Liz.

"Don't worry though, this is the last time. I promise." So he really is going for one last payday. Question is, where is he going and who might get hurt along the way. I can feel Peter's anxiety spiking right alongside mine, and I know this night isn't going to go how we had planned.

"Come on, Pedro, Y/N." Vulture calls us as he picks a bag up off the floor with the keys in hand. I reach for my boyfriend's hand again in search of even a little bit of reassurance. All I can think is that there's not going to be an easy way out of this. Especially because we can't just let him get away with it, and I doubt he's going down without a fight.

Liz sits in the front seat, fixing her hair as she watches herself through her phone. I close my eyes and try to swallow down the nausea bubbling up. The silence only makes it worse. I can hear my heart beat screaming in my own ears, and there's nothing to distract me from the spiral of wondering how this will end.

"What are you two gonna do?" Vulture asks, and I genuinely wish I had an answer for the question I'm sure he has a different meaning for.

"Pardon?" I pipe up, quite proud of myself for how even my voice sounds.

"When you graduate. What do you think you're gonna do?"

"Oh, um, I don't know." Peter answers for the both of us.

"Don't grill him, Dad." Liz mumbles, still intently focused on her phone.

"Just sayin', you know. All you guys who go to that school, you pretty much have you're life planned out, right?"

"Yeah, not really. We're—uh—we're just sophomores." I answer and fight the screaming urge to shrink down in my seat.

"Well, Peter and Y/N have internships with Tony Stark. So I don't think they have to worry." Liz brags for us, and I wish I could scream at her. She has absolutely no idea the target she's painting on Peter's back, and I wish there was something more I could do.

"Really? Stark?" Vulture asks with a certain suspicion and surprise to his voice. "What do you do?"

"Yeah, actually, I don't—" there's a twinge of sadness amidst the panic in Peter's voice, "I don't intern for him anymore."

"Seriously?" Liz asks, drawing her attention from her phone for the first time since we got in the car.

"Yeah, it got—um—" he pauses searching for the right word, "—boring."

"It was boring?" Liz continues, and I silently pray she doesn't make this any worse. "You got to hang out with Spiderman."

Okay, she did make it worse. I open my mouth to cover up the comment, but Vulture cuts in before I get the chance, "Really? Spiderman? What's he like?"

Peter stutters for a second, which I take as my queue to jump in. "He seems nice. We really only talked with him when he was finished meeting with Mr. Stark. Even that wasn't very often."

"Look!" Liz calls as she shows us her phone with a kitten video playing, "So cute."

Peter and I both awe to placate her and try not to draw any more suspicion. Except, I don't think it's working. Vulture looks at us through the rearview mirror, his eyes focused on Peter as he continues to interrogate him. "I've seen you around, right? I mean somewhere. We've—Have we ever? Because even the voice—"

"He does academic decathlon with me. So does Y/N." Liz tells her Dad, inadvertently helping us a little.

Still there's something that tells me it isn't enough. Peter must feel it too, because his palms grow sweaty as his hand grips mine like a vice. Especially when Liz makes comment about her party and how Peter disappeared, 'just like in D.C.'

"That's terrible what happened down there in D.C. though. Were you scared?" Vulture begins, and I want to vomit right here in the back of his car. Because I'm even more scared now. I'm terrified that he won't hesitate to kill Peter to protect his secret. He certainly hasn't had any qualms about killing anyone else. I can hear it in the way his voice darkens as he continues, "I bet you were glad when you're old pal Spiderman showed up in the elevator though, huh?"

Peter looks at me, and I can see straight through his calm facade as he answers Vulture. All I can think to do is pull out my phone to discreetly send a message to Tony about what's going on. Except, he's unavailable while he sets up for the move, which means the best I can manage is Happy.

If he ever decides to check his texts, now would be the best time. Vulture gives Peter a knowing look through the rearview. It's over. He knows, which means Peter won't be safe until he's stopped for good.

"Here we are. End of the line." Vulture calls as he pulls up to the school, and I hate the way his words have more than one meaning in this context. "You and Y/N head in, gumdrop. I'm gonna give Peter the 'dad' talk." Liz says something in reply that I don't catch before saying goodbye and meeting up with her other friends.

I look between him and Peter, desperately searching for a reasonable excuse to stay. Peter seems to notice and offers me a reassuring look. It takes everything in me to actually step out of the car and head inside.

Everything is too loud, too bright, too small. Or at least, it feels like it is. All I can think about is what Vulture must be saying to Peter. I'm so consumed by the spiraling anxiety, I can't bring myself to go past the front doors to the dance. The most I can manage is playing with my dress as I wait for Peter.

He comes in a few minutes later, clearly lost in though too. "What happened? What are we gonna do?" I ask as I softly reach for his arm. There's no response from him for a second, and I follow his gaze to inside the dance where our friends are waving at us. "Peter? Hey. What did he say to you?"

His eyes are still wide, brows furrowed in fear. "Gotta go."

"Okay. Then let's go." I reply and grab his hand, but he pulls back.

"I'm—I'm sorry. You don't deserve this, and I'm not gonna let you get hurt." My heart drops. He's doing it again—pushing me away like he did before. I know it's because he's scared to lose someone else or see me hurt, but the trouble is, it already is hurting me.

"No. You're not doing this alone. I made a promise to you, and I'm not giving up on it now or ever."

He holds my face in his hands as the tears start to stream down my face. "Y/N, please, just go inside. Enjoy the dance, and I promise I'll be back." His voice is shaking as he begs me and rests his forehead against mine. "I love you, and I'm going to come back."

I close my eyes to blink away the continuing tears, and when I open them, he's already rushing away down the hall. Something in my brain malfunctions. I don't think, just react. My heels click as they swing in my hand, and I use my free on to text Ned '911' as I run after Peter.  Right now, I don't care if he hates me for this. I can't let him do whatever it is alone.

Trouble is, I have no idea which way he went.

I look around the hallways, trying to remember where Peter said he stashed a spare suit and web-fluid, but my brain is all hazy and frazzled, which gives Ned a chance to catch up. "Ned, thank goodness. I need your help. Peter's in trouble."

In that split second, I remember where it is and sprint off to find Peter. His tie is lying in the middle of the hallway, and as I continue on, he's no where to be seen. "Y/N!" Ned shouts after me as I keep going. "What's happening?"

"We have to find Peter!" I shout back and run to the back door. It's the only place Peter could leave without being seen in his make-shift suit.

I run as quickly as I can through the hallways and out the backdoor. Even before I go outside I can hear the commotion of the fight. I hit my wrists together to activate the blasters, which form around my hands.

There's another loud crash, and I follow it to see a bus turned on it's side. Next to it is Peter crawling away from a man with a piece of the Vulture's trademark tech on his arm. "Why did you send you here?" Peter groans, clearly in pain.

"Guess you'll never know." The man replies, as he charges his weapon.

"Hey!" I shout to draw his attention away long enough to take the shot, but Ned beats me to the punch and grabs the man's arm with one of Peter's webs.

"Nice shot!" Peter cheers and grabs his web shooter from Ned while I blast the guy against the bus for the former to web. Once he does so he rushes over to Ned and I. "Dude, the guy with the wings is Liz's dad."

"What?" Ned replies with a slack jaw and wide eyes.

"Y/N, we gotta tell Mr. Stark. You need to call Happy and let him know."

"No, Ned can." I snap back, "I'm not letting you do this alone."

All I get from Peter is a heavy sigh as he once again hold my face in his hands. "Babe, please, just this once let me handle this."

"Not be rude, but it didn't exactly work out well last time you tried to do something like this without me."

"Fine." He says and backs away a few steps away from me. There's barely a chance to blink before he shoots a web that pins me against a bus. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you come with me. I love you too much to see you get hurt."

"Peter," I shout as he gives Ned some instructions and runs off. "I swear if he survives this I'm going to kick his butt for this."

It takes me a second to free my hand enough to blast my way out, and I follow Ned inside. We both work together to help Peter through what we can. Except, unlike Ned, I don't find this situation very thrilling. With every crash and shout I swear I get a little bit closer to having a heart attack.

It only gets worse when we're caught in the computer lab and ushered back to the dance. I feel like I can't breathe—like the whole school might as well be crushing me. "Ned, I can't do this." I tell him through anxious breaths, "What if he's hurt—or—or worse? Why didn't he just let me go with him?"

"Because he knew his entire focus needed to be entirely on fighting Vulture." Ned says like it's the simplest thing possible. "He'll be fine, Y/N."

"You don't know that, Ned." I say and start to cry. "I can't do this."

It's got me so consumed with my worry and need to actually breathe, I don't realize where I'm going until I run right into someone. "I'm so sorry." I stutter and look up at who I ran into. "Actually, I'm not."

In front of me stands Nick, EAST's star quarterback and aside from Mandy, my cruelest tormenter. "You should watch where you're going, traitor." He snaps, and I roll my eyes.

"Says the guy that's at my homecoming dance. What happened? Did Mandy get sick of you?"

"Actually, I dumped her. My new girlfriend comes here, and well, I couldn't leave her without a date." A dark smile creeps across his face, just like it used to before he'd slam me into the lockers for no other reason than to please Mandy. Except, this time, I'm not scared—not of stupid high school bullies at least.

"So what you mean is no one at EAST wanted to go out with you?" His jaw clenches, and I can see the anger boiling up. I just smile and walk happy to finally be the one holding all the power. "Good for them." I whisper to myself.

Marcus's hand reaches out and latches on to my arm in a vice grip. I don't think and hit my palm against his chest, which nearly knocks him on the ground. "Don't you dare touch me again, or it will be a lot worse than what you put me through."

"Is that a promise, traitor?" He challenges just before he 'accidentally' spills his punch all over my dress.

It takes everything in me to not punch him in the face. "You know what? You're not even worth it." I sigh and walk off to hide away until someone can tell me for sure Peter's alive and safe.

Mostly I just end up crying. Of course this night had to get worse with seeing Marcus and him ruining my dress. Mom is going to be so mad. I can't stop myself from crying harder. It's gonna be impossible to explain this to her.

"Y/N?" Ned calls after what feels like years as he stands in the open door to the girls' bathroom. "The—uh—the dance is over."

I wipe my eyes as best as I can, but they're still red and puffy. "I'm coming." I whisper and hop off of the dingy counter. "I probably should call my Mom instead of waiting around for Peter, huh?"

"Don't worry." Peter's voice chimes in, and I stop in my tracks. "You don't have to wait around any longer."

"Peter." I cry again as I rush into his arms. "Don't think I'm not still mad at you because I am. I'm just so happy you're okay."

"I know, and I promise I'm gonna make it up to you." He whispers into my hair. "C'mon, let's go home."

Peter and I spend the next few years fighting side by side. I guess he finally learned that he can be a hero all by himself, but that we're better ones when we fight together, which I think Tony knew from the start.

Speaking of Tony, he helped Peter and I get into our dream colleges, while also making sure we were the recipients of a mysterious new scholarship and that there would always be a place at Stark Industries for us. Not to mention the places he reserved for us as part of the Avengers.

Most days I still wake up and expect this all to be some crazy dream. Especially on days like today, when Peter and I have finished with patrolling after long days at work and crash on the couch of our tiny little apartment like no time has passed—like we're still the high schoolers who met by chance and fell madly in love.

And every day I'm thankful to wake up and find that this is all very much real—that I get to become the hero I never expected to be alongside the great love I thought only existed in stories.