It was over, the Hulk had been defeated and dragged away to some deep dark hole to be thrown in. Or at least that's how wolverine put it one way to someplace safe.
AVENGERS MANSION
Adrian was sitting on a metal medical table, again, he had a few bandages and wraps around his head as Reed Richards was holding a device over him. Next to Spider-Man was his father Peter,
again. THe room they were in was one of the underground medical facilities that had an observation window. Sue and Johnny were on the other side with the Thing. Mary Jane was there too arms held around her own to keep her warm in a black shirt and jeans.
The Sanctum wasn't safe and many of the heroes who were unregistered had nowhere to go since the island was still surrounded. Turns out Tony did something unthinkable, he said the Mansion, the Avengers mansion was safe haven for anyone who fought before he went to Washington to speak with the President directly about pardons. He even had Jarvis bring MJ to the mansion along with everyone else's families.
She had a nervous expression on her look as Reed scanned Adrian, a boy she loved as a son. Johnny looked at Sue then nudged is head to the left toward MJ for Sue to give her brother a look knowing she understood what he meant without saying a word.
"Mary Jane?" Sue asked walking "Right." MJ said back to her.
"I just wanted to let you know if you need anything, anything at all Johnny and I are here." Mary Jane moved her head slightly, the models face was like a mannequin to Sue's kind words.
"... Thank you." Mary Jane said back to her, Sue could feel that Mary Jane was still I upset "Maybe we can go upstairs and get some coffee."
"I'll stay with my family." MJ said.
Sue wasn't known as Mrs. Fantastic for nothing as she didn't give up easily "Mary Jane, I understand what your going through there are so few superhero spouses, even fewer who have super powered kids." Sue said as MJ finally turned her head to look at Sue directly.
"I'm sure you do, being the superheroes communities first family and all." Mary Jane said with a rather menacing tone.
"Excuse me?" Sue asked as Johnny gulped "uh-oh."
"You and Reed were in favor of the registrations the same one that turned my boys into criminals, giving men like your husband unlimited power which brought us here." Mary Jane said callously to the Invisible woman.
Sue was about to retort but she paused "... it seemed like the right choice, at the time." Sue said her words filled with regret.
"Reed, Peter, even Adrian they aren't us they aren't wives or mothers." Sue said looking at her husband then at Peter who looked at his own son.
"They fight so hard for what they think is right, when they fall we have to be there to pick them back up and we can only see them go down so many times before it's to much its…" Sue cut herself off turning away from MaryJane. The Jackpot looked over at her seeing she'd been to harsh on Sue.
"I'll take that coffee." MJ said putting a hand on Sue's shoulder, Sue took Mary Janes hand in her own.
Johnny Storm watched the two women leave before the door opened and Ben Grimm walked in "You missed it, the claws were about to come out." Johnny said.
"Just glad we all made it through that in one piece hot head." The Thing replied to their youngest four.
"How's Parker jr. Doing?" Ben asked.
Back inside the medical room, Reed's device beeped and a small green light appeared "Adrian, I'm glad to report your completely symbiote free in other words you're cured."
Adrians face fell at those words as he slouched on the bed "Cured…."
Ruin was really gone, maybe for good, I didn't see any red or black symbiote goo scurry away, but symbiotes always come back… somehow.
The boy gripped his hands on the metal bench as Spider-Boy slowly breathed a sigh of relief hiding his worry "Thank you Mr. Richards."
"And you Peter, I've got so much to tell you so much to apologize for… but later." Reed said heading to the observation room. Peter Parker waited until Reed and the other Fantastic Four were out the door and it was sealed.
Alright Parker, time to be a parent.
The other three of four left the observation room too as Adrian sat here "How do you feel?"
"Like a piece of me got ripped out of my chest." Adrian said back to his dad.
"I under… no I guess I don't really, all the times I had symbiote latch onto me it never ended with the symbiote actually saving me let alone all of Manhattan." Peter said leaning on the medical bed crossing his arms.
"Dad, Ruin he- I think he was different from Venom or Carnage it's almost as if he never needed me in the first place as a host, that all that negativity and evil from the others made something positive?" Adrian said looking at his own reflection still thinking Ruin would appear as he usually did when he had done so in the past "I think I needed him more, when I was at the X-Men he resisted the Professors attempts to try and access my mind knowing the pain I had, Ruin wanted to protect me to the very end."
Peter wrapped his arms around him, "Well I'm grateful for it and him all of Manhattan will be too, please get some rest we got a busy day tomorrow with Damage Control." Peter said.
Adrian looked up to his father and smirked "They always tell you about the big epic battles, but never about the cleanup heheh."
"Heh nope." Peter stood up smiling "Adrian, I'm proud of you maybe tomorrow when we're done we can go see Aunty May." That's when Peter noticed him and his sons black suit was torn.
"Maybe we get ourselves some new suits?" Peter said pulling at the fabric that was so worn already it tore in between his fingers.
Adrian "Dad…"
"Yeah?" Peter asked "Can we go back to the old ones, the red and blue, I'm tired of wearing black." Adrian said following him out of the room "I'll see what I can do, maybe tomorrow we can go see Aunty May."
Spider-Man walked Adrian upstairs into the living room where many of the heroes were getting some long needed R&R. Luke Cage has Jessica Jones and there baby in there arms by the fire. She-Hulk was standing near the window looking out at the night sky, Iron Fist was speaking with Daredevil as Wonder Man was snoozing on one of the couches as Ms. Marvel looked over him while Johnny Storm drew a mustache with a sharpie.
Everyone was exhausted, the final word on what was going to happen to the unregistered heroes like us, but there were also heroes part of Iron Mans 50 state Initiative
As they walked past the living room they came to a bar that had some of the other heroes outlaw or legal. Wolverine was sharing a drink with Yellowjacket and a two Initiative heroes, two white boys one with black hair and skull shirt along with a blonde haired boy with a domino mask and red shirt that had an H on it. Holding a pitcher of beer was a blonde girl dressed like Thor sat next to a living cartoon character.
"Let's try to find you a room." Pete said as they walked up the stairs past Jarvis the butler dusting a few old photographs "Master Parkers, how may I be of service."
"Hey Jarvis." Adrian said "Any rooms left?" Peter asked the butler.
"Indeed sir, down the hall to the left fourth door." Jarvis said, both Spiders followed Jarvis's instructions till Peter opened the door.
It was a single bed guest room with long drapes overlooking the back of the mansions pool. The floor was covered in a purple carpet with wooden walls decorated with paintings of old colonial art. Including photographs of Avengers past. Adrian walked over to the bed and looked back at his dad "See you in the morning."
Peter nodded "Goodnight Adrian, I love you infinity."
"Love you too dad, infinity." Adrian said as his dad shut the door.
Adrian looked at the bed and fell down face first onto it.
Oh god yes, that feels so good, I've never been so tired and this bed was so soft I was right about to fall…. aslee….p…..
Spider-Man closed the door locking it just for good measure before he pulled his mask and started to walk down the hallway. He walked by a mirror noticing just how torn up his suit was he looked down at the white spider before Jarvis appeared in the hallway, "Sir are you well?" Jarvis asked.
"I think I need a drink that's all." Peter said walking past Jarvis and toward the stairs to the lower levels "The bar is located down the hall to the left sir in case you forgot, Master Logan has already begun to dismantle our stocks."
Eventually, Peter walked into the bar where Logan saw him "There he is, must be proud huh bub." Wolverine said already tipsy.
The Thing was behind the bar serving drinks to the Avengers, the Initiative and even a few of New York's police and firemen had seemed to spill into the mansion.
"Pull up a stool Pete, I'll make you something great." Ben said as he took a mug and despite having the hands of a boulder he was able to handle drink mixers with an exceptional grace.
Peter sat down as instructed when he noticed someone else already sitting next to him, it was She-Hulk.
"Parker." She said.
"Hey Jennifer, how you holding up?" He asked.
She-Hulk was quiet looking at her drink, a whiskey coke, extra whiskey by how dark it was "They took Bruce to god knows where, now they have every reason to kill him but I know they can't, and I'm just so… so tired."
"I think we all are." He said.
"No, tired of all this-this whatever the hell it is, I met some people today who were so angry at us, us the Avengers for bringing all of this since Stamford like we wanted this to happen." She-Hulk grumbled "Worst of all Bruce is going to reinforce that idea, he didn't ask to be turned into the Hulk same as you not asking to become Spider-Man but his power is to much, the anger the universe just keeps throwing all this stuff at us I don't know how much more I can take I just… I just worry for you I guess."
Peter cocked a head at her "Me?"
"Your family, your son, before this Adrian already took out two teams of Initiative agents, veteran Avengers and now the Hulk. Everyone saw, General Ross especially he'll already have some countermeasures ready because he's already thinking on how to stop the boy who beat the Hulk." She-Hulk told him in a hushed voice.
The Thing put a drink down in front of Peter that he quickly took a big gulp of, "It was the symbiote who's topped the Hulk, you know that when those things latch on to me they make me stronger more dangerous and that one was incinerated to ash, hopefully for good."
"Pete, Sentry tried to burn that thing to ash too and it whipped the floor with us do you really think it or any of those things are gone?" Jennifer asked him.
The man said nothing back to her, Jennifer took that as her que "You've got enough people telling you how to raise him, I'm not going to but just remember I'm here if you need to talk."
The Incredible She-Hulk for sure, when it comes down to it, you can always count on Jennifer Walters to be the voice of reason. I remember how she defended me on live TV when the world was against me and Adrian. But she's right, Ross will for sure be telling some government black ops teams about tonight, Reed, Tony who else knows will be taking countermeasures… guess that makes this decision pretty easy.
As She-Hulk walked out a few other heroes walked in, both Wonder Man and Ms. Marvel, Iron Fist, Daredevil and many more. "I heard that Grimm was making his famous cocktails." Wonder Man said as the Thing already had a few glasses in hand "The bar is open." Ben said smugly as Johnny Storm flew in in flame before flaming off next to him.
"I've always wanted to do that trick from that Tom Cruise movie." He said as he picked up a bottle "Oh shut up pretty boy and give me a drink." Ms. Marvel said as Wolverine handed Wonder Man a beer.
Suddenly the doors burst open and everyone looked to see a few other late comers to the party. There were four of them, a man as big as a mountain wearing a green and orange tunic with a headband and beard, next to him stood a blonde woman with a one piece sleeveless and pant less leotard with wings on her pale feet. Angel the X-Men along with a young boy holding a dog "Friends, I heard there were spirits to be had I Hercules challenge any to a contest of drink!"
Angel walked over to Wolverine who already had him a drink ready "What brought you here Warren?"
"Hulk, same as everyone else." He said toasting with his fellow mutant. Music started to play as a jubilation ensued amongst the heroes who hadn't had a reason to celebrate in a long time.
"You know we're going to start the cleanup tomorrow right webs?" Logan said his own mask off so he wouldn't spill any on his mask.
"That's how this works right, we mess it up then we clean it up." Peter said sipping on his cocktail.
Wolverine looked over at the crowd of Heroes that seemed to have more and more people coming into the bar "Yeah but nights like these are worth it." Wolverine said "How's the lil'bub?" Wolverine asked referring to Adrian.
"Hopefully asleep, but he's okay the symbiotes gone and if Tony keeps good on his promise so will the bounty." Wolverine hoisted his drink "For all our sorry hides I hope."
They both drank and the music started to get louder as people made merry, there was laughing, even some crying from former friends turned foe finally reconciled the Thing turned on one of the TVs grumbling "Ugh come on got to be something on?"
He flipped through the channels until one appeared with Iron Man on the tv "Wait hold it there." Peter said shooting a web to snatch the remote out of the Things Stoney grip.
"Y'all shut up!" Wolverine barked when Peter turned up the volume, whoever was playing the music shut it off so they could all listen. Tony was wearing an extra set of his Exterminus Armor, no doubt hiding the bruises he was still sporting.
"The Hulk has been taken to a secure location, as we secure New York from the invaders I and the American people would personally like to thank all the super powered citizens who came to us in our time of need, that is why effective immediately all superheroes who weren't previously registered with the government who aided in the Hulks defeat are hereby pardoned." Iron Mans said a wave of camera flashes, questions and applause echoed.
A cheer erupted from the bar as everyone celebrated so hard many of them spilt drinks, everyone but Peter who kept listening "But in accordance with the will of the American people all those who are still unregistered will have the chance to, if they do so however choose to return to being vigilantes those pardons will be void."
"That two faced-" "Luke don't please." Jessica said stopping Luke Cage from going on a rant "It's a start ain't it?" Wolverine asked.
Clint didn't seem to mind "Bought us some time to find a new hideout now that the Sanctums done."
"Stuff for another day Cage." Wolverine said as Spider-Man got up and started to head to the door, on his way out he bumped into someone "Peter? Peter Parker?"
Peter stopped and looked to the man who spoke to him, "Shang-Chi what are you doing here?" Shang Chi, master of martial arts and defender of Chinatown.
"Considering the ladder, this seemed like the best place to be." Shang-Chi said shaking Peters hand "So you and the Heroes for Hire we're here for it all too?"
"Yes, I think we'll be leaving tomorrow I just wanted you to know, she's here." Shang-Chi said making Peter go pale.
Shang-Chi rubbed the back of his neck "I know it's none of my business but she seemed shaken up a-... bit?" He was speaking to himself because Spider-Man was gone.
Running down the hallways of the Mansion bouncing off the stairwell and toward Adrians room with a door open "What do you think your doing here..."
Peter was looking into the room where he saw Adrian was fast asleep, tucked under the covers as someone was sitting behind his bed. It was a woman but it wasn't MJ, the woman was tall, slender but athletic in a skin tight black suit with white boots and clawed gloves with white fur trim around her collar stroking Adrians head when she raised a head of white hair and two green eyes, Adrians eyes "... Felicia."
Felicia Hardy, aka the Black Cat, she's been in and out of my life a hundred times over and more. A criminal, a vigilante and sometimes the woman I loved but despite all that and how she keeps changing between the dark and light she was also now and forever… the mother of my child.
"Hey Spider." She whispered, pulling the blanket up around Adrian to make sure was tucked in. Adrian was still asleep when she got up and walked out of the room, shutting the door softly so as not to wake him up. When the door was shut and locked, Black Cat and Spider-Man locked eyes.
"Rooftop, now." Peter said say they wouldn't disturb Adrian anymore. Felicia followed him up the stairs in silence, neither Felicia or Peter spoke at first they just stared at one another, no words, neither of them knew exactly what to say, but Peter did have one thing that he needed to ask when they came out on the rooftop.
"Why?"
Black Cat crossed her arms "Why what?"
"Why didn't you tell me Felicia, why didn't you come to me when you knew you were with child, my child- children." Peter said to her as she avoided is gaze. Thinking on Jonas the son he'd never get a chance to meet on this earth.
"What would you have done?" She then asked.
"I-..." "See that's it, I didn't know what to do either Spider, when I started throwing up I just thought I was sick then some old lady on the street asked me when was I expecting and I knew it was for real." She strode over on another part of the rooftop as the wind blew through her silver locks.
Shaking her head as Peter took a deep breath "Did you know it was twins?"
Felicia let out a sarcastic laugh "Ha, yeah right you think I could go to as single Doctor, legit or otherwise who wouldn't start asking questions."
"So why go to California?" Peter asked.
"It was a good place to lie low, I died my hair and hid in a convent during the last days of the pregnancy, wore a fake wedding ring told the nuns you died to let me stay but… I think they would have let me in either way, its Cali."
After she finished, Peter spoke "Adrian told me its where he was raised, but you know what he didn't tell me that he had a brother that it wasn't just one kid it was twins and ONE OF THEM DIED!"
She turned her back to him as he walked toward her "I… I didn't know."
"You left them there, you abandoned them and he died, his name was Jonas he and Adrian were twins so everytime I look at Adrian I see him too, I see the child I couldn't save!" Peter yelled at her as Felicia refused to look at him "Spider please-" "My boy, our boy he died!" Peter grabbed Felicia by the arm turning her around and when she was face to face to him she was in tears.
Peter was speechless looking into her red puffy eyes "I didn't know…. I didn't know… I thought they'd be safe, they'd both be safe far away from us as possible Spider."
"That's why I didn't tell you why I didn't tell anyone I thought I was doing the right thing because… because I wasn't ready to be a mother, I wasn't ready to give up on my life to be a mom." She stammered through the tears she grabbed onto his white spider.
But Peter didn't hold her close, he didn't embrace her he did nothing but hold her arms as he looked out at the city still burning. Felicia wasn't a normal woman, she had been through all sorts of hardships so crying for a few moments was nothing to her. She wiped her tears and looked up at him and pushed away letting her go Felicia peeled off her mask and sat down on the edge of the mansion.
Rubbing her eyes she brushed back her hair "You know I thought about an abortion, all those two faced politicians telling you one thing or another about it, got me sick just thinking on it." She said out of nowhere.
"Why didn't you?" Peter asked it was only natural.
"The funny thing is, I have no idea, part of me thought of going to you and telling you out right, that maybe somehow you and me and whatever kid we had would live happily ever after, I'd stop being a criminal I'd be like my own mom but I saw what that double life did to her with my own family." She told him shaking her head, eyes still puffy from the tears.
"Spider… Peter, I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I was scared, oh god was I so scared when I found out." Felicia said cupping her nose and mouth.
She took a long deep sigh "Now we- I brought a child into this, all of this?" She said looking at the city and the state it was in "This is going to be his life, some psycho or monster is going to show up and your going to go fight, he'll follow you and… ooh god." She said getting quiet.
"What is this?" Peter asked her.
"Huh?" She sighed.
"Why are you here, you haven't been here for him since he was born, why are you here now?" Peter asked.
Felicia saw Peter's face, he didn't have any sympathy for her "I… I just wanted to see him, I know that sounds cheesy but all of this seeing him in the news every day knowing what he was going through." She said rubbing her arms.
"Knowing how many moms lost there children in Stamford…" she said bringing up the catastrophe that set almost all of these events in motion.
"What do you know Felicia?" Peter asked walking toward her "What do you know, you left him, you don't get to come back here and play mom. Adrian has a mom, the woman I love cause she doesn't love Spider-Man she loves me and she loves Adrian." Peter said standing over her before he stopped himself from saying or doing something he'd regret.
Peter grabbed the sides of his head pacing away from her then back in front of her "So what now Spider?" Felicia asked him.
"Now we keep moving forward." Peter told her.
"Forward?" Felicia asked "I love Adrian, he's the most important thing in the world to me right now, I hope one day you see that but for now I want you to do something?"
Felicia got up and looked at him confused "What?"
"Stay away or be here." Peter suddenly said.
"What?" Felicia asked "I don't want you near him unless you plan to be here when he wakes up, when he goes to sleep, if that's too much to handle then go." Peter said hands curled into fists.
"Alright, but does he… does he know about me?" She asked him.
Peter was quiet for a long time "I don't know, I don't think so."
"Then keep it like that, for me at least until I'm ready to be the mother he deserves." Felicia said jumping off the roof vanishing into the night.
THE NEXT MORNING
Adrian walked down the stairs of the Avengers Mansion, the mansion was abandoned for the most part. The party had created quite the mess that Jarvis was already cleaning up bottles and empty cups with a trash sack, as Adrian walked past him.
"Jarvis, where is everyone?" He asked.
"They've gone to meet up with the members of Damage control young master Parker, I've prepared breakfast in the kitchen for you."
Adrian smiled and nodded "Thanks Jarvis, I can always count on you."
The boy walked into the kitchen to see fresh eggs and bacon on skillet tubs that were near empty. He scooped some out onto a plate and started to eat them like a man who hasn't eaten anything in years. He was sitting at the counter in the massive kitchen adorned with the latest fashion and kitchen utensils. Sitting at one of the dinning tables spoon feeding her baby was Jessica Jones, the Avenger now full time parent was spoon feeding Luke Cages daughter, Danielle.
"Jarvis makes the best scrambled eggs on the east coast." Adrian's head shot up from the breakfast and looked to see Tony Stark standing in his Iron Man armor without his helmet.
If this was any other days, I'd attack him or something like that but having had some sudden revelations I restrained myself.
Adrian swallowed "Yeah there good."
Tony walked around to the other side of the counter "How are you feeling?"
"Still sore, what about you?" The boy said.
"Sore." Tony replied as he held up his hand and showed Adrian a card "Adrian I know you probably have a lot on your mind, I know you and I have been cross for a long time but I want you to know we all appreciate what you did and I wanted-" "It's fine." Adrian said swallowing some of his breakfast.
Tony rebutted with a "Huh?"
"Whatever you got to say, I get it, you just thought what you were doing was right and maybe I was a bit too stubborn to let you explain it to me." Adrian said leaning on the counter "Does that mean you're going to register?" Tony asked.
The boy looked down at his eggs playing with them "Why should I?" Adrian asked looking up at him.
"Because you can do some real good, no one will be trying to hurt you there unless its training or a terrorist attack." Tony said.
"Tony, who gets to decide who's a terrorist and who isn't?" He asked eating more eggs "We do, the good guys."
"See thats it Tony." Adrian said dropping his fork holding his hands up "You're the one deciding, I know I'm beating a dead horse here but you sound like your playing god when you do this." Adrian said.
"And I know it's not just you, its a bunch of government stooges who get to tell you what to do and then when you fuck up they'll throw you to the wolves." Adrian said just as fang walked in growling past Tony and coming up to Adrian, who tossed the beast a piece of bacon "That's why we need people like you, you'll keep us straight Adrian."
Adrian looked at him puzzled "It's time Adrian, time for you to step up and be the person Cap and I knew you could be." Tony said standing up.
Iron Man tossed a white card on the table sliding into Adrian who picked it up, he saw it had bold red letters on it spelling one word, a word that had been on his mind since he had put on the mask, his name beneath it and a serial number with a picture of him next to it "Adrian Parker how would you like to be an Avenger."