We worked on her costume. Like me she wanted an all black costume. Okay. Spider woman gets what she wants.
It was hard for her though. She still had to focus despite the chaos going on outside. Making it worse was her budding Spidey sense. It could really gnaw at you. Gee; how would I know anything about that right?
More screams. Teresa growled and stopped her sewing. She jumped to her feet. "Whoa there Spidey number 2 there. Take it easy." She looked at me with something akin to bewilderment. "How do you do it? How do you fight this damn buzzing in your skull all the time?" I shrugged. "I learned to roll with it a long time ago. But then I was still a kid when fate bit me. Literally."
She closed her eyes and focused. "That's right. Ex spy. You know calming techniques and all that." She breathed deeply and focused. She then sat back down gently. "Me? I just did math equations in my head. Or I dreamed about MJ..."
God I hoped she and everyone else I knew was still okay. There was no way to know right now. Even my power upgrade by the big sky guy didn't make me like Thor or anything. I estimated I was about double what I was before. I could likely heal a lot faster. Still not Logan or Deadpool level but much better.
As for my sister. She'd get the hang of it. She's a Parker after all! I just hope she had better luck than I did.
She opened her eyes and starting sewing again. The yells and other social disorder still occurred. Training moment. I discerningly watched my sister as her spider Yoda to see how she'd handle it. Verdict? She was handling it. I had to remember she was a fully trained assassin. A Tasha of sorts...
Tasha...
She looked over at me. As though her spider powers had heightened her familial instincts... maybe they had. "You okay big brother?"
I cleared my throat. "Yeah. Just thinking about Tasha." Teresa nodded slowly. "Yeah." Tasha had been a hero to her as well as Spidey. Now things were different in ways that would never be the same again.
It was still a twisted knife in my guts. Sorry about the graphic image there; but there was no other way to describe it. I still considered Tasha and Teresa my family.
Most of my life I'd always tried to be a head person; but as I'd gotten older I'd actually become more of a gut person; even over heart. Most debated the heart versus the head. Me it was gut. And I had spider enhanced intuition anyway. So that only... enhanced it.
She kept sewing. It was getting there. More screams. Teresa stopped for a second breathed a moment then went back to work again. That's it sis. That's how you do it. She would soon learn that as spider woman you couldn't save everyone. You'd do what you could. We weren't like certain overpowered kryptonians in another comic book reality you know! We were just us. And we'd do what we could.
Even so we still had an edge over many others. With electricity being gone it was a super game changer. Lawlessness would increase for many. We'd be the new sheriffs in town. I used to say that as an old Spidey joke but the truth was that was our new reality. I mean yeah the fuzz busters would keep making collars as they used to do in the old days but it would still be different.
I just wish you were here too Tasha... then my family would be complete...
As we worked a yellow sparkly portal thing just happened. We were both quick to our feet. Teresa "what the hell." I knew what it was instantly... doctor strange...
But as I waited for him to step through the portal... he didn't. Instead, a sight that made both of us gasp stepped through...
"Hey nerd." Tasha...! It was her. Fiery hair and just as she was before. The portal then just disappeared. Sis and I were obviously at a shared Parker loss for words.
My sense didn't go off; neither did sis's. That had to be genuine article reaction between the two of us. This was "really" her. It had to be.
The scientist in me kicked in. "Strange." She nodded. "Wong too. They broke me out restored my abilities and sent me back here. To you. To my love."
I just blinked at her. She slowly walked up to me. "If... you still want me..." the screams sounded again outside. "Sure as hell sounds like you need me." Tasha looked over at Teresa. "Heard about the upgrades to both of you. Congrats."
Teresa walked up to us and set a hand on each of our shoulders. "Nat; brother; we've been reunited." Tasha smiled and set a hand over hers. "Indeed Teresa. Indeed."
The ladies then looked at me. I'd been uncharacteristically quiet. They were right. Ordinarily I'd be cracking bad jokes by now. I was stumped.
"I could make a bad joke right now but that's not my specialty department" my returned girl said dryly.
My inner dork pushed through though. "Your humor is so dry it makes me thirsty..." they laughed a little. Tasha walked up close, pressed herself against me and set her hand to my face.
Oh it was "her." I'd know those distinctive curves anywhere. "Strange did this to give New York the best chance at survival." I knew strange well enough that he could do that; and for that reason.
"That's my nerd." She paused. "Peter; I'm just gonna ask it. Because second chances are rare." I had no idea what she had in mind. "And if you are interested I just wanna do it here and now." Sis and I were puzzled.
"Peter Parker; will you marry me..."
I just blinked at her. Teresa's supportive hand went to my shoulder. She didn't hate the idea.
"Yes Tasha. I will."
We just kissed then and there. Teresa laughed and clapped. "A different kind of ceremony to be sure; but I consider you both married now."
Natasha Romanoff...Parker and I just shared a shrug.
"Are you gonna hyphenate now?" They just laughed. Screams and yells outside again... that restored seriousness again. Tasha walked over to Teresa's well underway costume and said "New York needs new law. I can think of three that could be ready very soon..."
Me "let's do it then Mrs Parker."