Peter's POV

Today is the press conference, and I've never felt more terrified than ever. I don't know if I can do it. What if no one believes me? Beck put up a pretty convincing act that I killed him, and the public might twist whatever else I say and try to put me behind bars away from Wanda.

I don't want her to lose another sibling, she was already so devastated to lose Pietro, so I can imagine how she would feel losing her only living brother, after all, I'm all she has left. I don't want to leave her. As I'm poorly attempting to knot my tie a million thoughts are running through my head and I feel myself becoming more and more frustrated by the second. I throw my tie down in frustration as I sink to the bed sighing as I run my hands through my hair.

I turn around at the light sound of feet shuffling to see Morgan standing in my doorway. I throw her a tight smile inviting her and she plops down on my bed next to me. She greets in her over-enthusiastic voice, "Hey Peter!"

"Hey Morgan what's up?" I asked.

"Are you okay? You threw your tie on the ground."

"I'm okay just anxious." I said.

"What does that mean?"

"It's another word for scared I guess." I replied.

"Oh okay! Well daddy said hugs always help when someone is sad or scared."

I admitted with my voice barely higher than a whisper, "I think I could use one right now."

She grinned and threw her arms around me causing me to laugh as I hugged her back. I did feel slightly better but I'm still scared about the conference that only looms closer and closer by the second. If there's one thing I know is that I have my sisters and Mrs. Potts to take care of me. After the hug I grabbed her hand and we headed to the conference.

I stood backstage feeling clammy as my hand started to shake. This can't be happening now, the last thing I need is a panic attack right before I go live. MJ glanced over at me and grabbed my hand and after a few minutes my hand stopped shaking. Right on time too.

We were expected large angry crowds with people shouting and yelling as they snapped photos so Pepper would stay on the stage in case things began to escalate. And that's exactly what happened when I stepped out to the mic. I spoke trying to get everyone to calm down. "H-hello I'm Peter Maximoff I'm here to answer questions but one at a time please."

One reporter raised her hand, "Did you kill Quentin Beck?" She asked.

I answered, "No I didn't that video is an illusion I would never harm anyone good or bad."

Another reporter raised their hand, "Why are you telling us that you didn't kill Beck when there's physical evidence against you?"

"It's not real. Beck was a villain who created illusions. The elementals aren't real, they were his illusions. He doesn't even have powers those were fake too."

"Just to confirm this but are you Spider-Man?"

"I am your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man but technically I am an Avenger."

Which then prompted the next question, "Who deemed you as an avenger?"

"Mr. Stark did when we were trying to defeat Thanos."

"One more question and then we're done." said Mrs. Potts.

"What happened to you before you came to New York?"

I sucked in a breath before speaking, "I grew up in the poor country of Sokovia, with my older twin siblings Pietro and Wanda, mainly because our parents sadly passed away due to a missile and we were placed into foster care for a few years. Right around when I was ten, we turned to HYDRA who had advertised that they were giving shelter and golden opportunity, which really was a sign up for years of illegal experimentation, and torture. Everyday we were tortured, and I still have the scars to prove it. As if our trust hadn't been betrayed enough, Ultron would had claimed to make the world better, failed to fill us in on his real plan, eliminating the entire human race, and in his failed attempt at doing so, nearly tore my home country apart, and killed my older brother."

The crowd had gone quiet, desperately clinging to every word that escapes my lips. I continue trying to prove my innocence, "My sister, brother, and I joined the Avengers to stop him, but as I mentioned not too long ago my brother died sacrificing himself to save a little boy and Hawkeye. Not too long after that, Mr. Stark took us in and became our guardian."

I softly exhaled, "Life after that wasn't exactly flowers and rainbows, but there were times that I wouldn't trade for the entire world. I went from having nothing, to having a family, something that I never thought I could have. Mr. Stark served as a father figure to me, always being there for me and my sister, making sure that we were okay. And when Thanos came and snapped half the universe out of existence, it was Tony who comforted me as I turned to ash."

I feel my voice pitch changing as I talk about the memories that still continue to haunt me. "And it hurt incredibly much when my father figure died right in front of me sacrificing himself to save the rest of the world. He deemed me as an Avenger because he knew I would step up and take that responsibility. In fact, his exact words were, with great power, comes great responsibility."

I felt tears sting my eyes and I wiped my face as they started falling, 'I've dealt with a lot in my life, and I'm not asking for your forgiveness. I know how cruel and unforgiving the world is, but I believe that I came out as a better person. I know people all over the world watching are thinking that I am a murderer, but I am not. Because I know that my actions have consequences."

My voice tightens and I feel the urge to sob so I quickly wrap up, "Thank you for taking your time to listen to me."

Right after I dismissed the meeting, Mrs. Potts led me backstage where I collapsed into Wanda's open arms and I began to sob as all of the stress and anxiety built up in me. I just want to get rid of all this. I can't deal with all of this, and I honestly don't know how I feel anymore. I just want to go home.

And that's where I went. MJ's parents said that she could spend the night so we cuddled watching a movie and had a few conversations as we fell asleep with the unbearable weight of the world on my shoulders, and I don't know how to handle it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The End of Chapter 36