Listen With Your Heart Chapter 17

For the next couple of weeks things began to fall into place. While things held a sense of normalcy before now nothing really remained the same. Everything is changing.

The biggest thing that occurred is that Uncle Ben's funeral came and went. Both Phoebe and Curt Connors were in attendance for this one. The latter came at the formers insistence. To be perfectly honest Phoebe didn't think she could've gone through it without him. Aunt May wasn't all too happy about it, but even she understood where her niece is coming from. Phoebe didn't outright stand with Aunt May and Peter during the memorial. No one really knew Peter and Phoebe are connected yet and they wanted to keep it that way for now. So Phoebe and Curt Connors remained off to the side. In attendance yet out of the way.

It's only afterwards in the graveyard where Phoebe and Peter were permitted to mourn together. After Uncle Ben was buried and everyone else had walked off this left the twins alone together. Aunt May and Curt Connors were still present, but were now giving them space. A good thing, too, because Peter broke down in a matter of seconds. Phoebe was there to comfort him by leaning into him with her head on his shoulder.

In spite of all this life still has to go on.

While Peter was having a hard time copping with Uncle Ben's untimely death Phoebe is perturbed for another reason. She's still going through writers block for the Emerging Authors Competition. No matter how hard she tried or which direction she took none of Phoebe's ideas panned out. In this perspective things are beginning to look hopeless. There are even times when she nearly gave up.

Thankfully there is the sudden appearance of a strange vigilante apprehending criminals left and right around New York City. Everyone at school is talking about this mystery spider person. He's catching a lot of criminals that have evaded police. Gwen informed her that her own father had a task force set up to catch this guy.

After the funeral things slowly got back to normal with Phoebe and her father. Slowly things are returning to what they once were. Curt Connors said that he even had a surprise coming up for her birthday. Phoebe tried to get it out of him, but Curt Connors stood firm. She'll know what the present is when her birthday comes up. Till then she'll just have to be left wondering.

Unfortunately while things are going uphill for Phoebe and her dad again things are getting downright weird and concerning with Peter.

Days go by as Phoebe notices how Peter is becoming more distant and changing in ways she doesn't like. From her talks with Aunt May she's learned that he's become more elusive and unsocial which isn't like him. From Phoebe's own investigation it seems that Peter is obsessing over finding the guy responsible for murdering Uncle Ben. More than once she's caught him staring intently at the flyer the cop's gave them, thirsting for revenge over what happened. He was out for hours on end outside of school each day. Sometimes he didn't come back till late in the night.

Things soon got so serious that an intervention is in order about two weeks after this all started.

One day Phoebe had gone straight to the Parker house at the request of Aunt May. It was getting let and Peter has yet to make an appearance back at the house.

Phoebe and Aunt May waited hours and hours in the dining room for him until Peter finally returned.

Peter came in with the hood of his sweatshirt up to cover his head sneakily through the back door leading into the kitchen. He went straight to the refrigerator ducking his head inside for something to eat.

Yeah it didn't fail his notice that he had company.

"You don't have to wait up for me, you know," said Peter.

Rising from her chair. Aunt May said "Yes, I do."

Shaking his head, Peter said "No, you don't. You didn't have to ask Phoebe to come over either."

"Yes, she does. She's worried for you, Peter. We both are," said Phoebe.

"Okay," sighed Peter, tiredly.

"Where were you," demanded Aunt May, tone of voice sharp.

"I was out," said Peter.

"Did you get the eggs," said Aunt May, arms crossed.

Aunt May had asked him to pick up some organic eggs for her early in the day.

By the silence that followed the question looks like it slipped Peter's mind.

Realizing his error of breaking this promise, closing the refrigerator and heading back towards the door, Peter said "Nope. Forgot the eggs. I'm going to get them now."

Cutting him off, slamming the door shut as he was in the middle of opening it with Phoebe blocking it with her body, Aunt May said "No! You most certainly will not! Not at this hour!"

Peter went over to the sink bending over to shield his face, hiding it from sight. Phoebe blocked any sort of escape routes so Aunt May can freely confront him.

"Look at me, Peter," said Aunt May.

Peter did not move.

"Take off the damn hood and look at me," said Aunt May, leaving no room for argument.

Unable to run from this Peter spun around removing the hood.

Peter's face is covered with cuts, bruises, dirt, and muck. A black eye is even forming over his left.

Phoebe's jaw dropped in shock, speechless at the extent of his injuries.

Aunt May gasped in horror bringing a hand up to her mouth.

Shakily, Aunt May whispered "Peter. Where do you go? Who does this to you?"

"Peter, what's going on," said Phoebe, shifting to stand beside Aunt May. "Talk to us."

"Phoebe, go home. Please go to sleep, Aunt May," said Peter.

"Please tell me," said Aunt May, tearfully.

Barely holding it together, Peter begged "Please, please, please, please, please do as I say."

"We can't," exclaimed Aunt May. "Don't you understand that?!"

The kettle on the stove began to smoke. With no one else about to turn it off Peter did.

Cupping Peter's face in her hands, speaking with great wisdom, Aunt May said "Peter, listen to me. Secrets have a cost. They're not for free. Not now, not ever."

Phoebe came up from behind Peter, laying her cheek on his back and wrapping her arms around his chest in a gentle embrace.

Peter wanted so badly to tell both of them what's been going on with him. Basically his newfound ability's, crime fighting, nightly activities, everything. Of course Peter can't tell either of them what's really going on. They wouldn't understand. He knew they'd try to stop them. But he has to do this for them and himself.

The man who took Uncle Ben away is going to get what's coming to him. After so many nights of searching through the streets Peter is sure that one-day he's going to get him.

Too bad, even with all the good Peter is trying to do now, things are going to get a lot worse from here on out.

Authors Note:

Hope you all like this one. ;D

So what do you think he present Curt Connors has for Phoebe is?

Also, I need your shared opinions over a new story idea that I came up with recently while watching two of my favorite franchises.

I'm considering doing a Venom story for the 2001-2003 Justice League Series. Do you guys think I should make it a crossover or just put it in the Justice League Universe? Another thing is about an idea of the symbiote completely taking over the host or if the relationship is a lot like Eddie and Venom's in the 2018 movie? Another thing is I'm having trouble with figuring out a title and a name for my character. If anyone has suggestions I'm more than willing to hear them.

I'm thinking of starting it out in the Secret Origin episodes of Justice League, but if you have better suggestions then I'm all ears.

As per usual with stuff like this the person/readers that offer the winning suggestions gets a question answered for the story in mind. In this case it's the Justice League 2001-2003 and Venom 2018 story.

I really want to get this idea up and running soon, but I'm kind of all over the place.