So here's chapter ten and the last chapter set in Peter's perspective be he meets up with Diana again. We also get to see a bit more of what happened in that lumber mill all those years ago and just warning you now, it isn't pretty.
And to answer a few reviewer's questions and or statements…
DemonSageGod: Don't worry the Avengers will not be appearing in this story. As for introducing a hero and giving them an anti-hero make over… I have a few in mind and a few anti-heroes that I think will fit into this story. And some can relate to Peter's… unique situation.
Cabrera1234: Yes… she did… you'll see next chapter
Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel or DC character mentioned, used or seen in this story
Peter found himself lying in the center of the odd drawing on the floor of the lumber mill and staring up into the darkness. His mother had him remove his clothes except for his underwear while several people drew a spider symbol on his body that was similar to the ones they had on their robes.
Peter gulped as he laid on the cold ground while the people and his parents gathered at the edge of the oval and kneeled down. They began to speak quietly in some sort of language that Peter's never heard before and the men with the guns wandered back down the hall.
Peter began to fidget as the uncomfortable feeling he's had intensified almost tenfold. Peter slowly raised his head to find his mother and father when suddenly he felt something slam his head back down.
"AH!" Peter screamed out as some unseen weight pressed down on his small frame. He tried to move and call out for help but his body seemed to have a mind of it's own. He kept staring up into the darkness that now seemed to have something moving around through it. Peter's eyes widened at the odd shape moving through the shadows and tried calling out to his mother and father.
While they haven't been the greatest parents to him in the world, they still were his mom and dad and some part of Peter still thought they would come to his aid.
The people around the symbol stopped their chanting as they all lowered their heads to the ground while the candles began going out, as if something was blowing the small little flame out and blanketing the room into further darkness.
Peter still kept struggling before he felt a sudden crushing weight on his legs and arms, as if something was deliberately pinning him to the ground. The air felt cold to Peter and suffocating as in the darkness he made out an even blacker shape slowly lowering itself down to his face.
It was then Peter found the ability to speak and he didn't waste any time in calling for help "MOMMY DADDY HELP! HEEEEEELP!"
Peter watched the figure pause for a moment before it resumed lowing itself towards his face. Then suddenly the candles in the room relit with a small white flame and Peter finally got a clear image of the figure before him as the shadows seemed to peel back. Its appearance made him tremble in absolute terror and he felt tears gathering in his eyes.
The figure was some sort of thin pale white being that had four large spiders like legs emanating from its back that Peter saw were what was pinning his arms and legs to the ground. The figure's body was humanoid as in it had two legs and two arms and a head, that's where the normal features ended. The body itself seemed to be as if it was half starved, the rib cage was visible and seemed to be on the verge of tearing through the thin pale skin that was covering it. The arms and legs were similar in appearance, thin and bony. The head which was bare and seemed to have the same thin shrunken skin appearance as the rest of the body was now hovering right in front of Peter's with two large black eyes that seemed to pierce into Peter's very soul. Its mouth had two large fang like appendages on each side that twitched ever so slightly. The two fangs seemed to move slightly to the side as the mouth suddenly opened into four mandibles vaguely similar to the alien that he saw on T.V. once, possessing teeth that seemed to be stained with what looked like blood, Peter had to resist the urge to vomit as the stench of the creature's breath filtered through his nostrils.
The being's head quirked to the side as its mouth closed and its large eyes scanned Peter's sniveling tear stricken face. The entity huffed as six more eyes three on each side of its head seemed to open each one just as black and piercing as the largest two. The two columns of eyes started with the largest and rose up towards the sides of the skull in an odd arch. The other smaller eyes seemed to be observing the people around the room while its main ones remained on Peter.
Several minutes passed with only Peter's small hiccups and low whimpers echoing through the room before the figure suddenly raised its head and looked to the left of it and Peter at one person in particular, its fangs twitching ever so slightly in the slowly darkening room. Peter didn't follow its gaze as his head felt like it weighed several tons and seemed to be sinking into the ground. The three eyes on the side of its head seemed to narrow at Peter before a clawed hand roughly grabbed Peter's chin and forced him to look towards whatever it was that had the entity's attention.
Peter through his tears of a bit of pain form the clawed hand and fear made out the form of his mother whose head was still bowered to the floor along with his father and everyone else. Several moments passed before Peter saw his mother's head twitch ever so slightly up to see what was happening. She paused as she took in the sight of the entity's gaze and it holding her son's face and forcing him to stare at her with fear carved into his face.
Peter saw her quickly lower her gaze back down towards the ground and try to get her breathing under control. It was then that the other people began to take small glimpses and found themselves shocked at the sight. One person stood ever so slightly as they stared at the scene in confusion. Peter saw that it was Mrs. Bree and the older man kneeling beside her seemed to be her husband.
The old woman seemed to try and say something before she swallowed her words roughly before speaking in an uncertain tone "W-what is happening?"
The entity stared at the woman with all of its eyes as it released Peter's chin and slowly turned its body so that its thin bony legs rested on Peter's stomach but keeping a majority of its weight on its four long bony pale white spider legs.
Peter let out a small whimper of pain as the spider creature's clawed three toed feet pinched into his aching body. "P-p-please"
The spider turned its head to Peter with its smaller eyes closing and lowering its head closer to him. The look in its black eyes seemed to be asking 'Please… what?'
"P-p-please s-stop" Peter was able to choke out before he slowly began to cry. Tears began to flow down his rosy colored cheeks and his body shook ever so slight from his sobs.
It was then that the other people began to rise their feet with confusion etched on their faces… something had gone wrong.
Peter's father Richard slowly made his way to Mrs. Bree's side while keeping an eye on the pale spider being crouching on top of his son.
"Emily…" Richard said in a whisper "What's going on?"
"I-it should have taken over by now…" Emily Bree said in confusion
"Did we do something wr-" Richard began again before the pale entity suddenly rose on its four legs and pulled its human ones in closer to its body
Its arms folded in as well as it lifted its thin spider limbs off Peter's arms and legs and back away from the child and turned towards Richard's wife Mary. Its gaze bore into the woman's surprised and slightly fearful one.
Finally, she spoke with a notable tremble in her voice "I-i-is t-there something w-wrong with P-Peter?"
The entity stared at her for a moment before it's mouth split open again and let loose a demonic roar that darkened the room even further and caused everyone to cover the ears to drown out the roar.
"RWWWWWWWWWWWWWWR-RRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
The building itself seemed to shake as bits of dust began to fall from the ceiling and the candles shook before tumbling over and being snuffed out.
Before anyone could react the entity launched itself at Peter who let out a small shriek of fear before his head was forced back and his jaw pried open by the entity's clawed hands until his cheeks split apart, causing him to scream in pain
"AHHHHHHHHHH!"
The entity then seemed to shrink as it began to force its way into Peter's mouth and down his throat
Peter's tear filled eyes widened in horror as he began to choke on a combination of his own blood and the spider creature squeezing down his throat. "ACCKCKCCK!"
…
Peter's eyes shot open as he sucked in a deep breath and forced himself up. Wolf jumped at his sudden movements and began to let out a series of small whimpers when he saw the wide eyed look on him
Peter leaned on his knees as he tried to get his breathing under control. After several minutes he slowly rose out of his bed threw on a white shirt and some sweat pants approached the window before leaning against it and stared out into the early morning.
Peter felt Wolf's nose nudge his hand with his nose. He looked down to see the dog quirk its head in confusion at Peter's earlier state.
"…Just a bad dream boy" Peter said as he scratched the black German shepherd's ear "Just a bad dream…"
Peter then picked up someone, Selene from the sound of the footsteps, approaching his room and quickly picked up a shirt and threw it on. It's not like she hasn't seen it before, but when she was younger he tried to keep it covered around her so as to not bother her even though she never showed any signs that it did.
A moment later his daughter peeked through the door with her hair still in a mess, indicating that she hasn't been awake long
"Daddy… are you okay?" Selene asked with concern in her voice
"I'm find princess, just uhh… fell out of bed" Peter said with an embarrassed smile as he pointed to his bed's scattered blankets.
Selene looked back and forth between her father and his bed that was several feet away before looking at him with an innocent look of confusion on her face "But… how did you get all the way over there?"
"…I rolled...?" Peter squeaked out before clearing his throat "Ahem, let's go get you some breakfast…"
He then walked over to his daughter before picking her up and carrying her to the kitchen with Wolf running ahead. On the way up the stairs Peter saw Mr. Snuggles sitting on the first step with an expectant look on his whiskered face
Peter arched a brow at the cat "What?"
Selene than leaned in and whispered "He wants you to carry him too"
Peter looked at his daughter with disbelief before looking down at the cat "Your joking…"
The cat meowed in a way that Peter swore said 'Hell no bitch, now pick me up!'
Peter sighed before leaning down and picking the cat up by the scruff of his neck and handing him to Selene who pulled the purring feline close to her chest and snuggled against him. Peter let out a small smile at the sight as he made his way up the stairs and eventually making it to the kitchen to see his Aunt and Kaine having a stare down
"Kaine… dear" May said through a strained smile. She was currently wearing blue slippers, and a long white robe with her hair in a bun "We will be having pancakes for breakfast, not waffles!"
Kaine who was dressed in a pair of blue and white flannel pajamas gave the woman a forced smile "We could, but I believe waffles are a better option!"
"How about bacon?" Peter spoke up as he placed Selene and by proxy Mr. Snuggles on a stool and turned to the duo with his arms crossed
"We're out of bacon" Kaine said as he pointed towards Wolf's food bowl that had the strips of bacon in it that were currently being eaten by Wolf at a speed that the Flash would pale at
Peter felt his brow twitch as he turned to his daughter who gave a him a big grin "Wolf likes bacon!" her grin faded as a saddened frown replaced it "But we didn't have the other kind so I gave him some from the fridge!" Selene's face than adopted a look of worry "Is that okay?"
Peter sighed in defeat and nodded "Yes dear that's fine…"
Kaine just looked at the dog with a narrowed gaze 'You're lucky that the nearby Chinese restaurant got closed down you little bastard…'
Wolf seemed to feel Kaine's gaze on him and turned to give the clone a smug expression as he slowly ate a strip of bacon.
Kaine gritted his teeth in annoyance and anger
"We have cereal…" May said as she opened a cabinet to show everything from Lucky Charms to Cheerios
"Ooh, ooh, I want the Lucky Charms!" Selene bounced in her seat as Mr. Snuggles hopped on to the counter with a meow "And Mr. Snuggles wants milk! But you have to add cream to it or he won't drink it… and it has to be warmed a little"
Peter pinched the bridge of his nose 'Sure why not? While I'm at it I'll cook him up a tuna and salmon casserole… ugh!'
Breakfast was a rather quiet affair with the only talking being Selene as she tried to feed the cat some of her marshmallows from her cereal. Afterwards everyone returned to their rooms to shower and change before leaving in the van that May bought a few months ago and heading for the beach.
Peter was driving with Aunt may in the passenger seat and Kaine sitting next to Selene behind them. Wolf was sticking his over the seat and sniffing Kaine's head before pulling back to roam around the back part of the van, occasionally barking when he sees another dog. Mr. Snuggles opted to stay back at the house and sleep.
'That cat is the laziest thing I've ever seen' Peter thought as he came to a stop at a red light.
"Do you think Mr. Snuggles will be okay daddy?" Selene asked from the back seat clutching her towel and bucket filled with a small plastic shovel and her life jacket.
"I'm sure he'll be fine honey" May said as she was on her phone. Peter was pretty sure it was a dating site.
'Okay eww' Peter mentally shivered at the thought of his sixty some year-old aunt trying to get some with another old person. 'That's more disturbing than a spider demon forcing its way into my mouth'
As Peter made a turn on the road and checked his rear view mirror he caught a brief glimpse of the shadowy figure again.
'Hmm guess he wants to check out the beach too' Peter thought as he drove down the busy street. 'Come to think of it… why does he keep appearing as some mass of shadows? I already know what he looks like'
"Pete pay attention to the road!' Kaine spoke up "I want my obituary to say 'died awesomely' or 'of extreme old age in his sleep'! Not because his brother wasn't paying attention"
"Oh like I need to see where I'm going" Peter said with a roll of his eyes "I can do this with my eyes closed"
Which was true considering that his spider sense could help him navigate through the traffic like when it helps him swing through the air on a web line hundreds of feet in the air. Now there was an idea…
Ten minutes later the odd family pulled up to the beach and Selene was jumping in excitement "We're here, we're here!"
The beach wasn't very crowded given that it was a work day and still early in the morning. But there were still a decent number of people already there.
Kaine clad in a pair of black sandals, red swim trunks and a white T-shirt made his way over towards one of the stores next to the parking lot… likely for something to drink. May who was dressed in a rather conservative swim suit and flip flops with a sun hat and glasses began to set up the space that they would be using before sitting down and continuing you to read her book that she started last night. Selene started to build a sand castle a few feet in front of her while Wolf laid down on the warm sand and watched the oceans break against the sand.
Peter was decked out in a sleeveless blue shirt and black shorts and a pair of black sandals and sitting down next to his Aunt and watched his daughter play.
It was fairly warm out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky as people enjoyed the day at the beach. It wasn't until Peter and his daughter went to get snow cones and he took off his shirt when problems began.
Peter to his credit applied some make up to his scar that made it seem more like an elaborate tattoo and less noticeable than a visible and physical reminder that he's now the host of some sort of demonic spider figure. Still if one did look closely enough they would be able to tell that it wasn't a tattoo, which is exactly what a woman did when her friend pointed it out to her quietly.
Peter had just given his daughter her cherry and blue berry flavored snow cone when he felt someone tap his shoulder. Peter looked to see a rather attractive woman around her early twenties dressed in a black and gold bikini standing before him.
"Yes?" Peter asked wondering what the woman wanted
"Uh hi… look I don't mean to be rude or anything but your uh, scar…" she gestured to the spider shaped scar on his muscular torso. Normally the sight of such a well-built man would leave her lusting after him but the scar, in her opinion, ruined the sight "… is kind of bothering some of the people here"
She gestured to a few people who tried not to look in their general direction and a few who were. One of them was a little girl who was pointing at Peter and asking her mom 'Why does that man have a weird mark on him?' The woman seemed to gape at her daughter before harshly whispering back that it was incredibly rude to ask something like that
Selene's eyes narrowed at the woman who was speaking to her father while she ate some of her snow cone. She could see how uncomfortable her father was beginning to get with the sudden attention
Peter blinked in surprise "What do you mean by 'bothering them'?"
The woman took a deep breath before saying "Your scar is freaking people out and some of us were hoping that you would put on a shirt or something!"
"Oh… uh sorr-" Peter started before his daughter stood in front of him with a scowl in place
"Why should my daddy wear a shirt? Because he doesn't look pretty and flawless like you and that makes him less than a person?" Selene said in a loud voice that caught a lot of people's attention. The woman's face began to turn red from embarrassment
Peter sighed "Selene, come on lets-"
"Well I think people like you are less! Because they can't accept other people's appearances! So what if my daddy's scar is ugly! I think it's prettier than you are because it doesn't judge others!" Selene continued on and even stomped her foot down for emphasis "Your nothing more than a big mean bully head!"
Selene screamed the last part out before taking Peter's hand and pulling him away, with surprising strength, from the stunned woman and the surprised crowd.
It was then that Kaine appeared with a raised brow at the group of people looking at his brother and niece in surprise and an embarrassed woman. He quickly caught up with Peter and Selene
"What was that about?" Kaine asked Peter who sighed
"Woman didn't like my scar" he gestured to his torso "And Selene here publicly tore her a new one"
Kaien looked at his niece and then back at the dispersing crowd and started to laugh "Damn… girl's going to be a badass when she grows up!"
"Hey language!" Peter scolded his brother as they returned to Aunt May and Wolf.
"Stupid little air headed whore…" Selene mumbled out loud enough for everyone to hear as she went back to building her sand castle while Peter gaped at his daughter's words and Kaine laughed. May smirked a little as she continued reading her novel and Wolf just sniffed the snow cone placed before him before pulling back at the strong sweet smell assaulting his nose.
And so the rest of the day at the beach was relatively calm until they left once the area started to get a little more crowded. It was on the way back to the van when an older gentlemen's voice called out
"Excuse me! Sir?"
Peter turned to see a well-groomed man who looked to be in his forties dressed in a grey suit approach the group. Peter eyed him for a moment before nodding towards Kaine who took Selene's hand and followed May who had Wolf back to the parking lot.
Peter looked towards the man "Is there a problem sir?
"What? Oh no, no, no, no. I just wanted to speak with you! I'm Deimos" The man said as he held out his hand for Peter to shake.
Peter eyed the man carefully as his spider-sense began to tingle ever so slightly. He could make out at the farthest end of his vision a familiar mass of shadows. Peter slowly gripped the man's surprisingly strong grip "I'm Peter…"
"Yes I know who you are Mr. Parker!" the man said with a friendly smile
Peter's eyes widened "…You do?"
"Oh yes, yes, yes! I was and I do stress was an old 'friend' of Luthor. In fact, I was hoping to hire you for something of the…" he leaned in "…violent nature. If your available that is? Luthor once said that if I ever needed anyone taken care of, you'd be the perfect man for the job!"
Peter stared at the man while trying to keep himself calm. It wasn't the first time a man approached Peter because Luthor mentioned him. "…Who are you and what do you want exactly?"
The man grinned and Peter felt his spider sense flare slightly stronger than before…
…
Two Days later…
…
"But Daddy you just got here!" Selene cried as she clung to her father's leg as if the action would keep him there.
Peter wished that Kaine didn't leave yesterday but the man only had a few days to relax before he had to go play enforcer to some drug lord in Gotham. Apparently some guy named the Red Hood had showed up and was starting to take over…
"Look Princess I don't want to leave either but I have to" Peter said sadly as he knelt down to his daughter's level to look her in the eye "Look, I won't be gone long. Not like last time and when I do get back…" Peter trailed off as he tried to think of something that he and Selene could do
"…Will you have my new mommy with you?" Selene asked tearfully
Whatever Peter had to say died in his throat as his eyes widened "I uh…"
Now that was something he wasn't sure he could do. Peter for a time thought Catalina could fill the role since Selene loved her but well… Catalina didn't strike him as the motherly type, at least as of right now. That and it's kind of hard for a man like him to find someone that would be willing to put up with half the things he faces on a tri-weekly basis.
Peter sighed as he hugged his daughter "I can't make any promises that I'll have your new mommy with me when I come back… But I'll do my best to find you one, deal?"
Selene was quiet for a moment before she nodded "Daddy…"
"Yeah...?" Peter asked
Selene pulled out of the hug to look her father in the eyes "Will you love her to?"
Peter couldn't help the smile from forming "Trust me princess… I wouldn't bring her here if I didn't"
Selene nodded at the answer while wiping some tears from her face before looking to see Wolf sitting at the front door. She turned back to her father "Can you take Wolf with you? So that way I know you'll be safe. Please"
Peter looked to see the black German Shepherd wander over and give a small lick to Selene's face before giving a happy bark.
"…Alright then" Peter agreed. Besides, Wolf might prove helpful and help alleviate the loneliness he feels on some of his assignments. He couldn't always drag Catalina along with him and more often than not his fellow assassins or mercenaries made piss poor conversationalist.
Selene gave her father another hug, this time bringing Wolf into it before pulling back and holding the dog's face with her hands "Keep my Daddy safe Wolf, and my new mommy if he finds her… please?"
Wolf responded with a lick to her face with a determined expression on his furry face that said 'You can count on me!'
Peter stood up to see his Aunt watching the two with a thoughtful look on her face before walking forward "Alright dear, it's time for your father to go…"
Selene nodded as she gave Peter one last hug before reluctantly pulling away and heading back inside the house. Peter watched her go sadly before turning to his aunt and gave her a nod of gratitude. He may never forgive her for her neglect in the past at least not anytime soon, but he doubts he'll ever be able to repay her for watching his daughter… even if she didn't have too much of choice.
The older woman merely nodded before following her grandniece back into the house leaving Peter and Wolf standing outside.
Peter sighed as he rubbed his head in exhaustion before turning to see Wolf looking up at him. Peter smiled before rubbing the canine's head "Well buddy I hope you don't mind snow, because where we're going… there's going to be lots of it!"
"Bark, Bark, Bark!" '
…
And done.
So next chapter will pick up a month later with Peter and Diana meeting again after a little over eight months. Starting that chapter is when things between the two begins to get a little more 'heated'. No lemons though, that will be the next chapter.
As for Selene, Mr. Snuggles, Aunt May and Kaine… they'll be back soon. I already have a rough draft for Selene's and Diana's first meeting. The little girl is a lot tougher than she seems…
As for the man Deimos well… I'll leave you all to guess his identity. The first major hurtle for Diana and to some extent Peter is about to begin.