Peter Parker... Stark?

Two Years Later

"Oh, May! Look! It's a nanotechnology power converter! That's SO COOL!"

May watched in mild fascination as her nephew dragged her from one exhibit to the next. She could practically see the waves of energy and excitement ebbing off of him as they wandered the Stark Expo and learned about all the new technology Stark Industries was working so hard to develop and improve.

As they joined the crowd surrounding the large stage where Tony Stark himself would come out and show off their newest project, May couldn't help but smile as Peter hopped from one foot to the other in anticipation. Ever since he'd been old enough to talk, Peter had taken after his parents' love of science. After their deaths just over two years ago, May had resolved to save up enough money to one day bring Peter to the Expo.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the one and only.... Tony Stark!" The crowd went wild as the billionaire strutted on stage, slipping his signature glasses off his face as he approached the mass of eager people awaiting his presentation. May watched as Peter stared unblinkingly at the man he'd grown to admire, absorbing every last word that came out of Stark's mouth.

Suddenly, Peter's whole demeanor changed. May frowned as his eyes focused and his brow furrowed, and he turned his head sharply to the left.

"Peter? Is everything okay?"

"Something's wrong," he said, almost too quietly for May to hear. "May, you need to leave. Now." His hand abruptly planted itself at the small of her back and he began guiding her through the hundreds of people towards the door.

"Peter, will you please tell me what's got you so worked up?"

"Something's just... Something's not right. It's not safe here anymore."

May was about to demand more of an explanation when suddenly all the electricity in the room turned off. The crowd began to hiss and shift uncomfortably as Peter continued to try and guide May through the mass of people surrounding them. Others saw them making an exit and began to follow, as, in the background, Stark assured everyone that everything was fine and the would get the electricity back up and running in a minute.

That was when the first explosion went off.

Panic ensued as several exhibits went up in flames, and a stampede of terrified people flooded towards the doors. Tony Stark, now suited up as Ironman, flew overhead with a woman in his arms. A second BOOM rocked the building, and the room began rapidly filling with smoke.

Screams choked the air as a third and fourth explosion ensued, May's panicked voice soon joining them as Peter's hand was torn away from her and she was swept into the frantic horde.

She shouted his name, choking on the smoke clouding the air, and searched desperately for him, but before she knew she'd tripped, she was on the ground. People were stepping on her and kicking her and she couldn't breathe and her glasses were missing and a loud noise erupted right next to her and there was fire everywhere and--

~~~

Pepper Potts Stark did not like it when things went out of control, especially when they went so far out of control there was literally nothing she could do about it. So when the electricity mysteriously cut out, a little warning alarm started going off in the back of her mind, and from behind stage she began organizing what she could in a moment where nothing made sense.

How was it possible the power could go out? Tony had made sure to hook up each of his buildings to individual arc reactors, supplying them with clean energy in a way that should have made it nearly impossible to lose power.