CHAPTER 14: To Be Determined

PETER P.O.V.

MJ and Ned had to keep shaking me because I fell asleep through every single class and I fell asleep at lunch.

Another update, the same dreams/nightmares kept reappearing over and over again.

The first one was that Kingpin turned Ned inside out and his body was melting. The second one me and Miles's identity was revealed to the entire world and we had to go into hiding. That dream felt like it lasted forever, and the last one, May was dying.

All three of them just had to deal with the dimension situation, and the worst part is I can't tell anybody about this.

I don't want anybody to tell me I need a break from fixing the world's problems. I can't focus on anything else but that machine, and I want to figure out how to get the tech to work today. Alone this time.

I loved that MJ was willing to help me, but I can't keep doing this to her. She already suspects that I'm lying and she isn't wrong, but I need to be Spiderman and save the world like I'm suppose to. The best experience is when you figure things out on your own, right?

I went to the bathroom to have a on the low mental breakdown. It's something I do when I need to lose my mind but through my head and aggressive hand gestures. It sounds stupid, but it works. As long as the guys can hold in their pee and not trigger me right now.

I go in the bathroom and I just stand in front of the mirror with both my hands resting on the sink. I look awful. My eyes are heading towards a blood shot red from how tired I am. I can see bags forming under my eyes from the restless nights I've had ever since school has started.

I just realized that it's still just the beginning of the school year. I feel like I'm heading towards the middle, where I should be crashing to the ground from all the quizzes, homework, the senioritis. I really need to get back into my element. What exactly is that element?

Everyone is going to think I'm going insane if I try to build the machine, video games aren't necessary because I'm getting all of the action in real life (and I don't want it) and being an Avenger is giving me horrible nightmares.

However, if people think I'm going insane from building but it's the only thing I'm excited for because it gives me less anxiety, then that only leads me to build! I look up at the mirror and I smile to myself, knowing what I have to do to calm myself down.

I skip out of the bathroom with a couple of concerning stares, and I head out to my car so that I can drive myself to Avengers Tower. I know I have friends who are going to be concerned about me not showing up for Decathlon practice because that's coming up again soon, but they should thank me. Even though they don't know I'm Spiderman, I'm saving their lives.

I get into my car and I'm practically speeding down the road. It's not the greatest thing to do in New York considering the fact that people walk the streets, but I have a mission to accomplish and going 20 miles per hour is not ideal right now.

When I finally get there, I sprint up the stairs and I burst through the door which startles little Morgan who is sitting on the ground playing with her toys. I thought she was going to start crying because of the look on her face, but then it turned into an adorable smile.

"Hey Morgan." I lean down and I embrace her in a hug as she puts her arms around me."Hi Peter! How was school?"

"Uh, it was, school. What are you playing?" I sit across from her.

"My princess was just about to meet up with her friends."

"Peterrr!" I can detect Happy's voice from anywhere. He's walking quickly into the room and he looks angry. The only reason why I don't know what I've done is because I've done way too much to even guess.

"Uhhh, hey Happy. Is something wrong?"

"Well, I was working my ass off working on this dimension madness, and I was looking through your gear and saw that a web shooter is missing." Oh crap. I still forgot to put the other one back.

"See, about that. There was an emergency going on and I really needed an extra one to make sure I took care of everything I needed to take care of." Happy just stared at me like I'm trying to make him look like an idiot, and I'm not, but just this one time I wanted him to be clueless.

'What did you really do Peter?" Happy asks, fully irritated at this point.

I couldn't keep it up, especially from Happy."I took one of them so I could teach MJ how to shoot webs and swing on buildings." I knew he was about to full on scream so I had to interject before he thinks I shouldn't be doing this."We were fine! I made sure the area was safe, I made sure she wouldn't fall, and nobody broke anything."

Of course saying that everything was fine isn't going to stop him from yelling at me."Peter you know damn well you aren't suppose to give that to anybody else!" I could tell he wasn't finished.

"You could've hurt her out there and you could've hurt yourself! You're a teenager, I know you do dumb shit, but that's the most irresponsible thing you've done to date! You can't teach her how to swing, how to make webs, hell I don't even want you to stare at one with her, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, I understand Happy." I put my head down, feeling really disappointed in myself, but it even makes me realize something else. All this time, ever since this multiverse thing has started I've been trying to shield MJ from this part of my life. Treating her like a baby, becoming her big protector, and trying to save her when I was already putting her in danger.

Something really bad could've happened that night, and it would've been all my fault, regardless of who got hurt. What is going on with me? Why am I so all over the place and wishy washy with everything?

"Shit, I hate having to yell at you like this. Stop making me yell at you like this."

"Happy, I really need to work on the machine so can I please start working on it? I promise I've learned my lesson and I wont do anything dumb like that ever again." Without even waiting to get his approval, I walk past him and I see that my unfinished machine is still in the room.

I look at it and I feel like all my problems have faded. Miles having to save the city by himself this morning, Happy letting me have it, MJ, May, all of it is gone and I can focus on the one thing that takes away the anxiety growing inside of me.

I take the piece of technology to the computer and I start working on connecting it to the machine. Tony has this really advanced panel touch screen in his work place so I turn it on and the projector is shining in my face, slightly above my head and it reminds me of when I was creating my first suit. I feel like I'm learning more every time I do this.

I see that the tech is fully charged, which is great, but I'm trying to reach the settings so I can enable the connections. I just need to make sure I turn it off when needed so I don't turn Avengers Tower into millions of pieces.

I see somebody coming in with the corner of my eye and Miles is walking into the room with his Spiderman suit on."Hey Miles! Is everything okay in the city?"

"Yeah, I took care of everything hours ago, but I was just practicing Spiderman stuff in it. Working on the machine again?"

"Yeah. I'm getting close to getting you home Miles."

"Really? It's working that fast? That's amazing!" I smile. I like how somebody is admiring my work."Thanks. So, about your friend Gwen."

"She's coming later on tonight. She called me saying she wanted to see me, but I told her about the situation and she said she wants to help. She's just busy in her universe with school and everything so she's going to get all of that done and come over here."

"That's awesome! I really want to see if she knows about this stuff!"

"The good thing about Gwen is she can adapt really fast. She can adapt to all this stuff if you explain it to her well."

"Cool cool. Is that another thing you like about her?" I smile, knowing that he's probably going to get all nervous again. He just laughs nervously and I burst out in laughter."I think you should tell her how you feel. Who knows, it sounds like she likes you back since she called just because she wants to see you."

"Yeah, that sounds great and all but then what am I suppose to do after that? We're from two different worlds, literally! If we try to be anything more we'll really be out of whack with all the stuff we have to do and the people we have to save. It's hard."

"Trust me. It's hard when one is the superhero and you just want to protect the girl you really care about and she's a normal high school girl that drives you crazy. Not in a bad way though." Even if it was in a bad way, it wouldn't be MJ's fault. It would be mine.

"Have you told her that you love her?" Miles asks. This through me in for a loop."I know the two of you just started dating over the summer and you're just getting everything started, but when superheroes see the person they're with and they have to do what will save them, it means they love them. Would you do that for MJ?" In a heartbeat.

"Of course I would do it for MJ."

"So that means you love her and you should tell her." He got me there. My smile can't leave my face and it stays there as I'm still programming the machine. Miles is smiling too."You know Peter, I've learned a lot from you the most out of all the Peter's I've met. Honestly, out of all the people I know. You're really determined Peter. You know what you want, what you have to do and you make sure you get it done.

I wish I taught myself that before I threw myself into this hero business. It helps when heroes are determined." I look over at him, realizing that Miles has taught me things nobody has ever told me before. Kind of like a little brother who can have more wisdom than the older one.

"You've taught me a lot too Miles. I'm working on something that will get you home, but I really don't want you to go in a friend, brother type of way."

"I feel that way too. Your New York is pretty cool. I like it better than my own. Trust me, there is a difference. I feel like I've been in the way so I'm gonna let you work your magic, but I'll be back after I call Gwen and see what's up again. I'll probably hint that I'm gonna tell her how I feel. Just to be more determined like you Peter. I'm talking too much again. I'll talk to you later."

"Miles. You aren't in the way of anything." He looks at me and smiles, and I feel this warm feeling inside of me. He is a really good kid.

Then as the minutes are going by, I feel myself getting more irritated. The technology put me on stand by basically and it's about to tell me how long it's going to take for it to be fully programmed. It finally pops up on the screen and I want to throw everything out of the window.

3 DAYS! A WHOLE THREE DAYS! Who has the time to wait for that long? The whole world is on the line here and a basic technology that's used for airports is going to take this long to fully load. I could scream, I could punch something, I could tear this entire room down with just my bare hands, but I'm not going to.

I'm determined. I am determined to make this process as efficient as I possibly can. I'm determined to make this go faster than it wants to. I'm going to find a way. I go back into the settings and I look at better options because enemies like this don't wait for three days to attack the innocent. They do it whenever the hell they want to and I'm not giving them that power.

My fingers are moving like Quick Silver as I search for better options so that this technology can load overnight. I'm cutting it really short, but there is a way to do this. On Star Wars, they can get their stuff programmed way faster than three days, so I'm turning this into a Star Wars episode. I will get this done.

LATER THAT DAY

MJ- Peter, where are you? I was sitting outside of your class and you never came out.

MJ- Peter, you really have the guts to miss another decathlon training? This isn't 10th grade you aren't allowed to do that anymore, especially since I'm your captain.

MJ- Peter, Ned is taking me home. We also have a test next week for anatomy based on the terms from the quiz.

MJ- Peter, you down to get some ice cream tonight? My cousin is actually offering to buy us some. Crazzzzyyyyy

NED- Bro, the finale is going to be insane! Wanna come over and watch? I said I wasn't going to watch it without you.

MJ- You're not making me feel any better as I'm eating this ice cream Peter. Is everything okay?

MAY- Peter, what do you want for dinner tonight? I know you're tired of Chinese food. Indian?

MAY- I'm getting emails from your teacher that's talking about a project on dystopian stories. Sounds fun, pretty sure MJ and I can help you with that.

MJ- Peter, is something going on? You said you wouldn't keep things from me. I'm walking to your place right now.

Phone is going off. I don't need distractions.