Chapter 2 - Explanations
I was frightened.
Well, weirded out was more like it, the look on Evan's face as he stared at me like some form of demi-god was a little disconcerting, especially paired with the confused stare from Rogue and the patented 'evil-death-glare' I was getting from Jean. Kitty seemed to still be in shock. Pretty much the same look as Evan, but her eyes didn't have that glazed over adoring quality to them.
They were also all still staring at my chest.
Mental note. Continue to wear baggy clothing constantly.
I darted my eyes around the room nervously, looking for a likely exit. The silence was starting to get to me. Jean's eyes narrowed.
"And you didn't tell us about this?"
"Um… no?"
She seemed exasperated and pressed her hand to her forehead.
"Why?!"
"Um, look, I was going through a difficult time when I came to the institute. I, in all honesty, wanted to put it behind me. I…"
At this point I sighed and trailed off.
Time goes by so fast… Has it really only been a few months since it happened?
Kitty spoke now, her voice soft.
"What exactly did happen Peter? The Professor and Logan didn't tell us much. Just that you didn't have anywhere else to go…"
"I… Evan, you do it. You probably know about as much as I do…"
Evan swallowed and nodded.
"The last time anyone saw Spider-Man in costume then, he was fighting the Green Goblin. The Goblin crashed into a house and it exploded…"
I nodded and took over.
"Yeah… In the house were my girlfriend, my aunt, and her aunt. The Green Goblin's real name was Harry Osborn, who was one of my best friends before it all happened."
I paused then, out of respect for the dead, grief, guilt and a million other things before continuing.
"The Professor confronted me about it when you were on your way back from your first encounter with the Six. We had a few talks, but I was never really comfortable with the idea of putting my mask back on until right at the end there."
Jean nodded slowly, and Rogue asked the question I'd been expecting.
"How exactly did you survive the explosion?"
I smiled a little for the first time in the conversation.
"Well, Mysterio not knowing I was Spider-Man helped a lot. He underestimated me. I was almost to the door out of the Cerebro chamber when the bomb went off, and that entryway is fairly solid. I was knocked unconscious, and some debris covered me, but I wasn't really crushed by it."
Jean frowned.
"I couldn't sense you. Even your subconscious mind would have given me some indication that you were alive."
Okay… That is a little weird…
I thought for a moment.
"Well, this is just a thought, but Cerebro takes a lot of concentration to use right?"
Jean nodded in response.
"Well, if it takes so much concentration, I know I certainly wouldn't want just anyone waltzing into my mind at critical moments. Maybe it's shielded against outside interference."
Then I frowned for a moment.
"Well, it has to be actually. How else can you explain Magneto's helmet?"
Jean nodded a little more thoughtfully.
"That does make sense…"
I let out a huge yawn, cutting her off. I blushed sheepishly.
"Sorry, sleep deprivation's a killer."
Kitty frowned at me.
"And just what have you been doing for seventy-two hours."
I blinked.
"Looking for the Sinister Six. Why?"
She smiled.
"Just wondering."
I shrugged.
"Anyways, I spent seventy-two hours tracking down every thug, rat, and friendly cop I could find, then I started checking their old hideouts. They aren't in anyplace they've been before."
I paused again, thinking about it.
"Then again, I suppose they wouldn't be, but it couldn't hurt to check. Ock's a perfectionist, he wouldn't want to get caught because he used a base he'd used before."
Jean sighed.
"Well, at least you were trying, though I really wouldn't have minded some quick answers. And now we've got someone else to help look."
I nodded and looked around.
"I actually had a few more people I wanted to talk to. What time is it, anyways?"
Rogue shrugged.
"Around noon."
Crap.
"Oh boy. I have to get back to Johnny's. I need to get some clothes."
"And this is so urgent because…"
I sighed and gave Jean a sheepish look.
"Because I can't go to a dinner party in street clothes. I have to have a tux fitted."
"You're going to a party?!"
I chuckled.
"That was about my reaction when Johnny asked me to come with him. But as it turns out, a lot of the people who know who I am will be there. People who make excellent contacts."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Such as…?"
I sighed. I obviously wasn't going to win this one without a fight.
"It's the party being held at Tony 'Iron Man' Stark's mansion. Besides the host, there'll also be DareDevil, out of costume naturally, but Johnny says he's on the guest list, Colonel Nick Fury, Doctor Strange, Thor, possibly a few others."
Evan was grinning ear to ear. I was a little worried about his head falling off. Jean, Rogue, and Kitty's eyes were as wide as saucers. Kitty managed to choke out a response.
"And who is this 'Johnny' that he got invited?"
I grinned.
"Jonathan Storm, better known as the Human Torch of the Fantastic Four."
Jean was the first of the girls to recover, while Evan's smile just got wider. I grinned back.
"A lot to take in at once, I know, but like I said, I should be going…"
She nodded, then looked concerned.
"Do you think they'll have the time, or willingness, to help us?"
I shrugged.
"Probably. The Avengers probably won't know much, this isn't exactly their sphere of influence, but it can't hurt to ask. DareDevil is a more likely source of information, and he'll appreciate the heads-up that they're in the area, if he doesn't know already. Colonel Fury always likes to keep tabs on people like the Six, and Logan from what I've heard. Doctor Strange is always good at finding unusual information. If he wants to help you. That's always the key with him. He usually has something better to do, on a more keeping the universe intact kind of level, but, again, it can't hurt to ask."
She nodded. The others seemed to be recovering. Evan's smile was so bright it was blinding.
"Man, I wish I was going. That'll be so cool!"
I rolled my eyes.
"That's why you're not coming. This is supposed to be discrete, and I can't have you running around asking for autographs."
He blushed a little.
"Sorry."
Kitty smiled.
"Don't be too hard on him Peter. I mean, I kind of wish I was going with you, too. I mean, that's really going to be a fancy party."
Whoops, almost forgot…
I blinked, then blushed.
"Well, um, would you like to go with me?"
Her eyes widened.
"You mean you can bring someone?"
I blushed some more.
"Well, um, I kind of told Johnny that I'd find a date myself of go stag rather than subject myself to whatever floozy he picked out."
She blushed too.
"I'd love to go… I-If it's okay that is…"
She shot a hasty glance to Jean at the end there. Jean smiled a little.
"I think we could all use a little relaxation. Go ahead and go."
She looked at the others.
"I think we'll use this time to try to find the Acolytes. We'll need all the help we can get on this."
I smiled.
"Different tactic this time?"
She grimaced.
"The moment at which you caught on the street was pretty stupid, I admit. We really should be working together on this. We just… lost sight of that."
I nodded and smiled.
"Glad you understand."
I looked at Kitty.
"We'd better get over to the Baxter Building if we're going to be ready by tonight."
She nodded, then frowned.
"So how did Johnny come by three extra tickets? I wouldn't think that the guests would be able to invite just anyone."
I smiled.
"Dr. Richards, Sue, and Ben are on another planet negotiating some peace settlements."
"Why isn't he with them?"
I rolled my eyes.
"Because it's not a great idea to bring a man who spontaneously bursts into flame to a planet where the year round temperature is low enough for the resident species to stably build all of their buildings out of ice. Kind of disrupts the proceedings when the floor melts out from under the guests."
She giggled.
"Oh."
We walked out of the room, hand in hand. I wasn't quite sure when it had happened, but I certainly wasn't complaining. Stepping into the elevator, I hit the button for the ground floor.
Some days it's actually good to be me.
I was frightened.
Well, weirded out was more like it, the look on Evan's face as he stared at me like some form of demi-god was a little disconcerting, especially paired with the confused stare from Rogue and the patented 'evil-death-glare' I was getting from Jean. Kitty seemed to still be in shock. Pretty much the same look as Evan, but her eyes didn't have that glazed over adoring quality to them.
They were also all still staring at my chest.
Mental note. Continue to wear baggy clothing constantly.
I darted my eyes around the room nervously, looking for a likely exit. The silence was starting to get to me. Jean's eyes narrowed.
"And you didn't tell us about this?"
"Um… no?"
She seemed exasperated and pressed her hand to her forehead.
"Why?!"
"Um, look, I was going through a difficult time when I came to the institute. I, in all honesty, wanted to put it behind me. I…"
At this point I sighed and trailed off.
Time goes by so fast… Has it really only been a few months since it happened?
Kitty spoke now, her voice soft.
"What exactly did happen Peter? The Professor and Logan didn't tell us much. Just that you didn't have anywhere else to go…"
"I… Evan, you do it. You probably know about as much as I do…"
Evan swallowed and nodded.
"The last time anyone saw Spider-Man in costume then, he was fighting the Green Goblin. The Goblin crashed into a house and it exploded…"
I nodded and took over.
"Yeah… In the house were my girlfriend, my aunt, and her aunt. The Green Goblin's real name was Harry Osborn, who was one of my best friends before it all happened."
I paused then, out of respect for the dead, grief, guilt and a million other things before continuing.
"The Professor confronted me about it when you were on your way back from your first encounter with the Six. We had a few talks, but I was never really comfortable with the idea of putting my mask back on until right at the end there."
Jean nodded slowly, and Rogue asked the question I'd been expecting.
"How exactly did you survive the explosion?"
I smiled a little for the first time in the conversation.
"Well, Mysterio not knowing I was Spider-Man helped a lot. He underestimated me. I was almost to the door out of the Cerebro chamber when the bomb went off, and that entryway is fairly solid. I was knocked unconscious, and some debris covered me, but I wasn't really crushed by it."
Jean frowned.
"I couldn't sense you. Even your subconscious mind would have given me some indication that you were alive."
Okay… That is a little weird…
I thought for a moment.
"Well, this is just a thought, but Cerebro takes a lot of concentration to use right?"
Jean nodded in response.
"Well, if it takes so much concentration, I know I certainly wouldn't want just anyone waltzing into my mind at critical moments. Maybe it's shielded against outside interference."
Then I frowned for a moment.
"Well, it has to be actually. How else can you explain Magneto's helmet?"
Jean nodded a little more thoughtfully.
"That does make sense…"
I let out a huge yawn, cutting her off. I blushed sheepishly.
"Sorry, sleep deprivation's a killer."
Kitty frowned at me.
"And just what have you been doing for seventy-two hours."
I blinked.
"Looking for the Sinister Six. Why?"
She smiled.
"Just wondering."
I shrugged.
"Anyways, I spent seventy-two hours tracking down every thug, rat, and friendly cop I could find, then I started checking their old hideouts. They aren't in anyplace they've been before."
I paused again, thinking about it.
"Then again, I suppose they wouldn't be, but it couldn't hurt to check. Ock's a perfectionist, he wouldn't want to get caught because he used a base he'd used before."
Jean sighed.
"Well, at least you were trying, though I really wouldn't have minded some quick answers. And now we've got someone else to help look."
I nodded and looked around.
"I actually had a few more people I wanted to talk to. What time is it, anyways?"
Rogue shrugged.
"Around noon."
Crap.
"Oh boy. I have to get back to Johnny's. I need to get some clothes."
"And this is so urgent because…"
I sighed and gave Jean a sheepish look.
"Because I can't go to a dinner party in street clothes. I have to have a tux fitted."
"You're going to a party?!"
I chuckled.
"That was about my reaction when Johnny asked me to come with him. But as it turns out, a lot of the people who know who I am will be there. People who make excellent contacts."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Such as…?"
I sighed. I obviously wasn't going to win this one without a fight.
"It's the party being held at Tony 'Iron Man' Stark's mansion. Besides the host, there'll also be DareDevil, out of costume naturally, but Johnny says he's on the guest list, Colonel Nick Fury, Doctor Strange, Thor, possibly a few others."
Evan was grinning ear to ear. I was a little worried about his head falling off. Jean, Rogue, and Kitty's eyes were as wide as saucers. Kitty managed to choke out a response.
"And who is this 'Johnny' that he got invited?"
I grinned.
"Jonathan Storm, better known as the Human Torch of the Fantastic Four."
Jean was the first of the girls to recover, while Evan's smile just got wider. I grinned back.
"A lot to take in at once, I know, but like I said, I should be going…"
She nodded, then looked concerned.
"Do you think they'll have the time, or willingness, to help us?"
I shrugged.
"Probably. The Avengers probably won't know much, this isn't exactly their sphere of influence, but it can't hurt to ask. DareDevil is a more likely source of information, and he'll appreciate the heads-up that they're in the area, if he doesn't know already. Colonel Fury always likes to keep tabs on people like the Six, and Logan from what I've heard. Doctor Strange is always good at finding unusual information. If he wants to help you. That's always the key with him. He usually has something better to do, on a more keeping the universe intact kind of level, but, again, it can't hurt to ask."
She nodded. The others seemed to be recovering. Evan's smile was so bright it was blinding.
"Man, I wish I was going. That'll be so cool!"
I rolled my eyes.
"That's why you're not coming. This is supposed to be discrete, and I can't have you running around asking for autographs."
He blushed a little.
"Sorry."
Kitty smiled.
"Don't be too hard on him Peter. I mean, I kind of wish I was going with you, too. I mean, that's really going to be a fancy party."
Whoops, almost forgot…
I blinked, then blushed.
"Well, um, would you like to go with me?"
Her eyes widened.
"You mean you can bring someone?"
I blushed some more.
"Well, um, I kind of told Johnny that I'd find a date myself of go stag rather than subject myself to whatever floozy he picked out."
She blushed too.
"I'd love to go… I-If it's okay that is…"
She shot a hasty glance to Jean at the end there. Jean smiled a little.
"I think we could all use a little relaxation. Go ahead and go."
She looked at the others.
"I think we'll use this time to try to find the Acolytes. We'll need all the help we can get on this."
I smiled.
"Different tactic this time?"
She grimaced.
"The moment at which you caught on the street was pretty stupid, I admit. We really should be working together on this. We just… lost sight of that."
I nodded and smiled.
"Glad you understand."
I looked at Kitty.
"We'd better get over to the Baxter Building if we're going to be ready by tonight."
She nodded, then frowned.
"So how did Johnny come by three extra tickets? I wouldn't think that the guests would be able to invite just anyone."
I smiled.
"Dr. Richards, Sue, and Ben are on another planet negotiating some peace settlements."
"Why isn't he with them?"
I rolled my eyes.
"Because it's not a great idea to bring a man who spontaneously bursts into flame to a planet where the year round temperature is low enough for the resident species to stably build all of their buildings out of ice. Kind of disrupts the proceedings when the floor melts out from under the guests."
She giggled.
"Oh."
We walked out of the room, hand in hand. I wasn't quite sure when it had happened, but I certainly wasn't complaining. Stepping into the elevator, I hit the button for the ground floor.
Some days it's actually good to be me.