"Pete?"
"...eh..."
"Pete??"
"..ya...eh..wha.."
"Peter!"
It was no use. Peter refused to get out of bed. "C'mon, Peter!" yelled Kurt again. "It's 12 noon! How could you possibly be this tired?"
Peter squirmed in his bed a little bit. He seemingly tried to fight his eyes open, but he was still too tired. Or just too lazy. It was true that he, along with the X-Men, had a pretty hard night last night, but they only stayed out until 11 o'clock. Kurt asked again for Peter to get up. "How much more horsepower will this Viper have with this modification?" was his response, which was no more that a practical mumble.
Kurt was puzzled. "What?" he asked to a not even half awake Peter.
"How much more horsepower?" he asked again in mumbles.
Kurt smiled. "50," he said trying to keep him self from laughing.
Peter turned over in his bed still asleep. He let out a small moan and said, "Wha? Thas crazy," in a voice that confirmed that he was still fast asleep.
Kurt laughed again. "Ok, fine," Kurt said still holding in his laughter. "100."
Peter exhaled deeply in his slumber and said, "Thas more like it."
Kurt gave it up and just left the room.
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
1 hour later....
"C'mon, Pete!" yelled Rogue. "Get your lazy ass up! It's one in the afternoon!" Kurt was right behind her waiting for a response from Peter, but all they got was a few tosses and turns, and possibly and mumble or two. Kurt dug his face in his palm and groaned. Not even Bobby sleeps this long! Did something happen last night? "Ok, Peter," began Rogue again in a threatening voice. "Suit yourself....looks like Ima have to shed these here gloves..." Peter shot up from his bed from a laying to a sitting position instantly. That obviously got his attention. Peter then collapsed back down, however he did not fall asleep, he just began massaging his head. "Are you alright?" asked Rogue.
"Yeah...yeah," Peter replied still massaging his head. "Just a rough night is all."
"Vhy rough?" Asked Kurt concerned. "Vhat happened?" Just then, something caught Rogue's eye. While Peter was sitting, his covers were low enough to reveal some of his waist and upper thigh. He was shirtless, however, he was wearing clothing from the waist down, but they looked... different. What it looked like from Rogue's point of few was an unusual tight material of red, black and blue. Peter's eyes suddenly met Rogue's and quickly covered up the revealing parts of his body.
"I don't know," Peter finally replied as he covered himself more with the covers. "I just couldn't sleep."
"Well, I think I know why," began Rogue.
Peter swallowed very hard. "You....you do?" he asked in a very shaking and fearful voice.
"Yeah," replied Rouge. "It's freezing in here!" Peter exhaled in sheer relief. Rogue looked around to figure out why the room was so damn cold. Her eyes finally set on the window near Peter's desk. It was open. "Well, here's the problem!" she said as she went to the window and closed it. "Pete, it's the middle of winter! How could you sleep with the window...." Rogue trailed off. She then squinted her eyes so she could focus on Peter's dresser located on the other side of his bed. Something was sticking out of on the drawers. It was a glove...a red and black glove.
"Open?" Peter finished for Rogue. Although he did not notice that she spotted the glove sticking out of the dresser, he did know she felt something was wrong. Kurt was completely obvivious to anything. "Yeah. I guess I forgot to close it."
Kurt laughed. "You forgot?" he asked still laughing. "Vell, in case you didn't know, shutting zhe window might make the room just a little warmer."
"I'll keep that in mind," Peter replied to Kurt's sarcastic statement.
"C'mon, Kurt," said Rogue grabbing Kurt's arm and dragging him out the door. "Lets give this guy time to change." Rogue rushed herself and Kurt out the door as fast as she could and shut it. Kurt tried to fight her tough grip on his arm, and he eventually won.
"Hey...vhats your problem? Zhat hurt..." He said rubbing his arm where Rogue had grabbed.
"Did you see that?" Rogue asked immediately.
"See vhat?"
"What Peter was wearing?"
"Uh...no...?" Kurt didn't understand.
"Remember that suit he wore when he first got here?"
"Oh yeah. Zhat was pretty cool. That mask looked awesome. I wonder what those eye lenses are made out of..."
"He was wearing it!" Rogue half-yelled.
Kurt stopped to think. "Vhat? Really? How do you know?
"I say his waist in below. He was wearing some kind of tight cloth, and it looked that suit he wore that night."
Kurt stopped to think again. "So? He likes to play dress up. So vhat?"
"Kurt!" Rogue half-yelled again. "Open your eyes, will ya?" Kurt cocked his head sideways puzzled. "Did you also notice all of the scratches and bruises?"
"Now your just being paranoid."
"Kurt, I'm serious. Those weren't there yesterday!"
Kurt laughed again. "What? Are you keeping track? Is there something between you two that I don't know about?" Rogue hit Kurt in the arm. "Ow!" he said as he started to rub off the pain. "Vhat vas that for?"
"Kurt!" Rogue this time fully yelled. Her frustration was finally coming to the surface. Kurt knew that, so he decided to keep his mouth shut until she fully finished. Rogue looked to her left and right to make sure they were alone, and then she continued in a whisper. "Remember what Peter told us when we first met him? That he would sneak out at night to 'keep the peace'?"
Kurt eyes widened as he nodded. "Yes. Vhat? You think he's sneaking out to get...bad guys?"
"I did her something on the news about two thieves that were found just outside of the jewelry store tied to a wall," was Rogue's reply. ...Spider-man's signature.
There was a short silence between the two mutants. They were both thinking of the same thing. Could Peter have been sneaking out every night? If he did, then that would definitely explain why he's so tired all the time, and all of those mysterious injuries he seems to get often. Most of his excuses was his PE class, but volleyball isn't much of a dangerous sport. Rogue and Kurt headed downstairs. "There's only one real way to find out for sure," said Rogue mischievously.
Kurt raised an eyebrow. "You have something planned?" he asked.
"Maybe," she replied. After they've completely gone down the stairs, the chime on the big clock in the living room signaled that it was 1:00. "Oh crap, I have to get changed!" she said as she stormed back up the stairs.
Kurt sighed heavily. "You have another session with Logan, again?" he yelled up the stairs at her.
"If I ever want to control these powers," began Rogue still running. "I gotta be strong."
Kurt headed towards the dining room. "That's a 'yes'," he said to himself. Once in the dining room, he noticed everyone was there, with the exception of Logan, Rogue, Peter, and a couple of new recruits that have better things to do than to have lunch with their fellow teammates. "Thank God!" he said as he sat down. "I'm starved! Jean, could you pass the sandwiches?"
"Sure," she said as she telepathically passes the plate of sandwiches, which were actually no where near her, to Kurt. "Is Peter awake yet?" She asks as the plate landed in Kurt's hands.
"Yeah," replied Kurt after stuffing a sandwich into is mouth.
"'Bout time," said Scott just before he took a drink from a blue cup. "He messed half of the day, already! I don't think anyone sleeps that late....not even Bobby."
"Well, Scott," began the professor. "This is he's first weekend with us. Perhaps he's one of those really late sleepers."
"Someone talking about me?" asked Peter as he gradually made his way into the dining room. "Ooooh, looks good," he said about the food as he made he's way to an empty chair right next to Ororo.
"Peter...are you limping?" asked Scott. Kurt felt the hair on his neck stand straight up. It was true. As Peter was walking, it seemed like he had a minor limp. Kurt studied Peter's face, and he could tell he was either embarrassed, or afraid of something. Could what Rogue said be true?
"Uh....yeah..." he answered. "I...I twisted my ankle when I got out of bed." Kurt's eyes squinted. "I must've gotten up to fast." This time the professor squinted, but Peter didn't notice.
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
Much later that night....
Knock.... Knock.....
..........
Knock.... Knock.....
..........
The sound of an slowly opening door was very loud due to the silence that had once filled. The door's sound was replaced but soft yet hearable footsteps. They were slowly approaching a bed. There was a sound from the bed. It sounded like mumbling and movement within the bed comforter. The footsteps stopped that the foot of the bed. A pair of black gloves slowly headed towards the being laying under the covers. The gloved hands started shaking the sleeper. "Kurt..." Said a female voice. "Kurt?"
"Huh!!?" yelled Kurt in a violent shake. "What!? Amanda? Mr. Sefton!!?"
"Shh...Kurt!" said Rogue putting her gloved hand on the blue furry kid's mouth.
"Mmrog?" Kurt said under the gloved hand. Rouge released her grip in his mouth. "Rogue?" he said as looked for his alarm clock. "It's 2 in the morning! What's wrong?"
"Come with me," she said as she tried to force Kurt out of his bed. But he wouldn't leave. "Come on, Kurt!"
"Can't a get some pants on first?" he yelled quietly.
"Oh," said Rogue sheepishly. "Yeah..I'll wait outside," she said as she headed out of Kurt's door. A few second have passed and Kurt opened his door, revealing himself in his natural blue and furry self with a white shirt and checkered pajama bottoms. "Lets go!" Rogue said as she headed down the hallway followed by Kurt.
"Where are we going?" he asked
"Peter's room," she replied. Kurt had a feeling in the put of his tail that what Rogue wanted to show him was an empty bed room...and he was right. The approached Peter's room, opened the door...no Peter in sight. "See? He does sneak out!"
Kurt took a look around the room. She was right. There was no explaination. ...Except... "Vell, maybe he's in the bathroom?"
"I knew you would say something like that," she said as she went towards Peter's dresser drawer...the very same one that had the red glove hanging out of it. She opened the drawer...and it was empty. "Kurt...face it. Peter does sneak out. Kurt couldn't believe it at first...but it did make sense. The scratches, the bruises, the lack of sleep. Now it all came together. What should they do? Tell the professor? ...Unless he already knows. Kurt felt a cold chill come from the direction of Peter's bed. He looked over to find the open window, which was a doorway for the coldest of night.
Meanwhile...
"Hurry up!" yelled a voice.
"I am!" yelled another.
"What should we do with the guards?" said a man dressed in complete black who was pointing to 3 tied up and gaged security guards.
"Leave em there," replied the first voice who had to be the boss. "All we need are the supplies." The guards muffled under the tap that covered there mouths.
"Hey, boss?" asked one of the men. "Do you have any idea what exactly is in this thing?" he asked pointing to a black colored van.
"Not a clue," replied the boss. "We were ordered to gather up all of the equipment inside. That's all he said." The three men where taking boxes out of the van and putting in the trunk of another black SUV.
"Yeah, but maybe we should just take a few things for ourselves. You know...make a little side cash."
"Are you nuts?" asked the boss. "If we do that...the kingpin will kill us, and you know it!"
"Hey," said another man. "Did you guys hear about that guy who were stopping robberies all over the city? They say it was a super-hero kind of guy. Some people are saying that it was...batman.
"I'm sorry...Bat is not on the menu..." said a voice from above. All three of the thieves looked towards the voice to find a costumed man...sticking to the wall. "But can I interest you in something else? Perhaps....spider?" Just then the costumed figure jumped off the wall and landed right in front of the boss.
FLASH!
The boss quickly threw a punch to a web-covered mask, but it was easily dodged, and was retaliated with a kick right into the jaw.
FLASH!
"The hell was that?" asked one of the robbers as he drew he's gun and pointed it the costume figure, however, a string-like web shot out of Spider-Man's wrist and connected with the gun. The gun was yanked and tossed at the other robber's head, who tried to draw his own gun.
FLASH!
Spider-Man jumped towards the robber, hit him in the stomach, and tied him up with his webbing. "Say cheese!"
FLASH!
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
Spider-Man attached himself to the wall of the mansion. He climbed through out the side of the mansion looking for his room. All of the windows looked the same, but Peter made a little spider symbol with a permanent marker right near his window. He eventually found it, and quickly jumping through his open window, and took off his mask...but something was wrong. "Did I leave the light on?" he asked himself out loud.
"No," said a southern female voice. Peter quickly looked towards where the voice was coming from, and spotted Rogue and Kurt sitting on his bed.
Peter rubbed his neck. "Busted?"
"Oh yeah," said Kurt.
"What do you think your doing?" asked Rogue getting straight to the point.
"Uh....Getting a burger?"
"Nuh-uh"
"I have a secret Girlfriend?"
"Nope"
"Stopping thieves and potential murderers in New York City?"
"Bingo"
Peter and Kurt laughed, but Rogue didn't find it that funny. In fact, she was the only one taking this situation seriously....although Kurt has a habit of making jokes and laughing when he's feeling uncomfortable. "Why are you doing this?" asked Rogue once again cutting straight to the chase. "Putting yourself at risk like this?"
Peter just then put his legs together and his arms tightly to his side as if standing at attention in the military. "For truth, justice, and the American way, sir!" he said as if he were a military man.
"Peter I'm serious!" yelled just loud enough so only Kurt and Peter can hear, and not the rest of the mansion. "Putting your life at risk to stop people from breaking the law! It's okay once in a while, but making a habit of it will hurt no one but yourself! And what if the time comes where the only way you can stop a criminal is by killing?" All of Peter's sarcastic traits have disappeared at this point. "Will you kill someone? Will you take a life? Are you gonna be doing this for the rest of your life!?"
...Silence....Dark....Deafening....Silence. Peter took a deep breathe. He then threw his mask and his dresser, and began to slowly take off his gloves, one by one. He then stopped for a moment. His facial expression remained monotone. He then began to take off the abdomen part of his costume. Kurt wondered what Peter was doing, and Rogue felt like the was going to throw up in fear of what he could possibly be doing. After his whole upper body was bare, Kurt and Rogue feasted their eyes on assorted cuts and bruises on Peter's chest, stomach, and arms. Kurt's uncomfortable feeling grew, and Rogue was trying to fight off tears.
"You see this?" asked Peter presenting his bare upper body. There was no reply. "This is the price I have to pay for taking the law in my hands knowing if I had done it sooner, I would have saved him." There was no need to explain who 'him' was, Kurt and Rogue knew. "Every night, I try as hard as I can to fix the worst mistake I ever made. It never works...but...that doesn't stop me from trying. I don't know how long I'm going to keep this up...and I don't much care. All that matters right now is here and now. It's true...nothing good comes out of it for me...except for the feeling that I get when I know I do something right. But if it eases my pain...even just for a second...then I'll do what I have to do...and when that few seconds on painlessness comes...then I'll milk it for all it's worth."
"So you put your life at risk for a few seconds of clarity?" says Rogue an a tone that was beyond her years. "It's like a drug. Putting ludicrous things at risk just for a few seconds of heaven, but in the long run, you get nothing but physical and mental pain. Your just a slave..nothing more."
Peter took a few seconds to digest those words. Rogue didn't speak much about her past, but Peter didn't know that she and him are a lot alike in ways neither of them would understand. Peter took another deep breathe. "Except for one small thing..." Peter said as if finishing what Rogue was beginning top say. "I spare innocent lives. And that feeling is one like no other. Another so-called 'drug'. The big difference is that I don't just help myself, I help the people. I was once like them...I wasn't born a mutant. I was given a gift...even if it was by accident...and with that gift came responsibility, and I intend to do everything I can to use this gift to it's fullest."
"But what you don't understand is that your not just 'doing it for the people'," replied Rogue. Peter didn't understand. "You know that if you didn't get that moment of clarity that you wouldn't be doing what you do. You know that if your uncle didn't die you'd still be using your powers for entertainment and money. You know that you NEEDED someone to die...someone close to you to die for you to understand what 'responsibilities you have right now. You know that if your uncle didn't die...you would be in this very room right now." Silence. Peter couldn't think of anything to say. "Honestly...what kind of hero is that?"
""""""""""""""""
I have entered into a world. A world of things I could have only imagined back home. I have met people. People of so many shapes and sizes, on the inside and out. I have seen things. Things that always seem to tell me that nothing is impossible. However, as I had mentioned before, it's impossible to go back and fix a mistake. But it isn't impossible to make things right again. It isn't impossible to try receive forgiveness from those you have hurt. Even after there dead, you can still make peace with them...and yourself.
(A/N: Wow...I like that. I do believe once again that this is my longest Chapter. By the way, I'd just like to let everyone know that I'm going on Vacation out of the country, so I probably wont be able to update for at least a month...yeah...thats right...a month. But please please PLEASE REVEIW..er...REVIEW!! I promise I will update as soon as I get home....wow...do you knwo what else I noticed? If you would look up where it says Published: 6-28-03...you will noticed that I had updated on 6-28-04. 365 days/52 weeks/12 months/one year ago today I have first published this chapter. Hmm...time flies... REVIEW!!!! Later)
"...eh..."
"Pete??"
"..ya...eh..wha.."
"Peter!"
It was no use. Peter refused to get out of bed. "C'mon, Peter!" yelled Kurt again. "It's 12 noon! How could you possibly be this tired?"
Peter squirmed in his bed a little bit. He seemingly tried to fight his eyes open, but he was still too tired. Or just too lazy. It was true that he, along with the X-Men, had a pretty hard night last night, but they only stayed out until 11 o'clock. Kurt asked again for Peter to get up. "How much more horsepower will this Viper have with this modification?" was his response, which was no more that a practical mumble.
Kurt was puzzled. "What?" he asked to a not even half awake Peter.
"How much more horsepower?" he asked again in mumbles.
Kurt smiled. "50," he said trying to keep him self from laughing.
Peter turned over in his bed still asleep. He let out a small moan and said, "Wha? Thas crazy," in a voice that confirmed that he was still fast asleep.
Kurt laughed again. "Ok, fine," Kurt said still holding in his laughter. "100."
Peter exhaled deeply in his slumber and said, "Thas more like it."
Kurt gave it up and just left the room.
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
1 hour later....
"C'mon, Pete!" yelled Rogue. "Get your lazy ass up! It's one in the afternoon!" Kurt was right behind her waiting for a response from Peter, but all they got was a few tosses and turns, and possibly and mumble or two. Kurt dug his face in his palm and groaned. Not even Bobby sleeps this long! Did something happen last night? "Ok, Peter," began Rogue again in a threatening voice. "Suit yourself....looks like Ima have to shed these here gloves..." Peter shot up from his bed from a laying to a sitting position instantly. That obviously got his attention. Peter then collapsed back down, however he did not fall asleep, he just began massaging his head. "Are you alright?" asked Rogue.
"Yeah...yeah," Peter replied still massaging his head. "Just a rough night is all."
"Vhy rough?" Asked Kurt concerned. "Vhat happened?" Just then, something caught Rogue's eye. While Peter was sitting, his covers were low enough to reveal some of his waist and upper thigh. He was shirtless, however, he was wearing clothing from the waist down, but they looked... different. What it looked like from Rogue's point of few was an unusual tight material of red, black and blue. Peter's eyes suddenly met Rogue's and quickly covered up the revealing parts of his body.
"I don't know," Peter finally replied as he covered himself more with the covers. "I just couldn't sleep."
"Well, I think I know why," began Rogue.
Peter swallowed very hard. "You....you do?" he asked in a very shaking and fearful voice.
"Yeah," replied Rouge. "It's freezing in here!" Peter exhaled in sheer relief. Rogue looked around to figure out why the room was so damn cold. Her eyes finally set on the window near Peter's desk. It was open. "Well, here's the problem!" she said as she went to the window and closed it. "Pete, it's the middle of winter! How could you sleep with the window...." Rogue trailed off. She then squinted her eyes so she could focus on Peter's dresser located on the other side of his bed. Something was sticking out of on the drawers. It was a glove...a red and black glove.
"Open?" Peter finished for Rogue. Although he did not notice that she spotted the glove sticking out of the dresser, he did know she felt something was wrong. Kurt was completely obvivious to anything. "Yeah. I guess I forgot to close it."
Kurt laughed. "You forgot?" he asked still laughing. "Vell, in case you didn't know, shutting zhe window might make the room just a little warmer."
"I'll keep that in mind," Peter replied to Kurt's sarcastic statement.
"C'mon, Kurt," said Rogue grabbing Kurt's arm and dragging him out the door. "Lets give this guy time to change." Rogue rushed herself and Kurt out the door as fast as she could and shut it. Kurt tried to fight her tough grip on his arm, and he eventually won.
"Hey...vhats your problem? Zhat hurt..." He said rubbing his arm where Rogue had grabbed.
"Did you see that?" Rogue asked immediately.
"See vhat?"
"What Peter was wearing?"
"Uh...no...?" Kurt didn't understand.
"Remember that suit he wore when he first got here?"
"Oh yeah. Zhat was pretty cool. That mask looked awesome. I wonder what those eye lenses are made out of..."
"He was wearing it!" Rogue half-yelled.
Kurt stopped to think. "Vhat? Really? How do you know?
"I say his waist in below. He was wearing some kind of tight cloth, and it looked that suit he wore that night."
Kurt stopped to think again. "So? He likes to play dress up. So vhat?"
"Kurt!" Rogue half-yelled again. "Open your eyes, will ya?" Kurt cocked his head sideways puzzled. "Did you also notice all of the scratches and bruises?"
"Now your just being paranoid."
"Kurt, I'm serious. Those weren't there yesterday!"
Kurt laughed again. "What? Are you keeping track? Is there something between you two that I don't know about?" Rogue hit Kurt in the arm. "Ow!" he said as he started to rub off the pain. "Vhat vas that for?"
"Kurt!" Rogue this time fully yelled. Her frustration was finally coming to the surface. Kurt knew that, so he decided to keep his mouth shut until she fully finished. Rogue looked to her left and right to make sure they were alone, and then she continued in a whisper. "Remember what Peter told us when we first met him? That he would sneak out at night to 'keep the peace'?"
Kurt eyes widened as he nodded. "Yes. Vhat? You think he's sneaking out to get...bad guys?"
"I did her something on the news about two thieves that were found just outside of the jewelry store tied to a wall," was Rogue's reply. ...Spider-man's signature.
There was a short silence between the two mutants. They were both thinking of the same thing. Could Peter have been sneaking out every night? If he did, then that would definitely explain why he's so tired all the time, and all of those mysterious injuries he seems to get often. Most of his excuses was his PE class, but volleyball isn't much of a dangerous sport. Rogue and Kurt headed downstairs. "There's only one real way to find out for sure," said Rogue mischievously.
Kurt raised an eyebrow. "You have something planned?" he asked.
"Maybe," she replied. After they've completely gone down the stairs, the chime on the big clock in the living room signaled that it was 1:00. "Oh crap, I have to get changed!" she said as she stormed back up the stairs.
Kurt sighed heavily. "You have another session with Logan, again?" he yelled up the stairs at her.
"If I ever want to control these powers," began Rogue still running. "I gotta be strong."
Kurt headed towards the dining room. "That's a 'yes'," he said to himself. Once in the dining room, he noticed everyone was there, with the exception of Logan, Rogue, Peter, and a couple of new recruits that have better things to do than to have lunch with their fellow teammates. "Thank God!" he said as he sat down. "I'm starved! Jean, could you pass the sandwiches?"
"Sure," she said as she telepathically passes the plate of sandwiches, which were actually no where near her, to Kurt. "Is Peter awake yet?" She asks as the plate landed in Kurt's hands.
"Yeah," replied Kurt after stuffing a sandwich into is mouth.
"'Bout time," said Scott just before he took a drink from a blue cup. "He messed half of the day, already! I don't think anyone sleeps that late....not even Bobby."
"Well, Scott," began the professor. "This is he's first weekend with us. Perhaps he's one of those really late sleepers."
"Someone talking about me?" asked Peter as he gradually made his way into the dining room. "Ooooh, looks good," he said about the food as he made he's way to an empty chair right next to Ororo.
"Peter...are you limping?" asked Scott. Kurt felt the hair on his neck stand straight up. It was true. As Peter was walking, it seemed like he had a minor limp. Kurt studied Peter's face, and he could tell he was either embarrassed, or afraid of something. Could what Rogue said be true?
"Uh....yeah..." he answered. "I...I twisted my ankle when I got out of bed." Kurt's eyes squinted. "I must've gotten up to fast." This time the professor squinted, but Peter didn't notice.
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
Much later that night....
Knock.... Knock.....
..........
Knock.... Knock.....
..........
The sound of an slowly opening door was very loud due to the silence that had once filled. The door's sound was replaced but soft yet hearable footsteps. They were slowly approaching a bed. There was a sound from the bed. It sounded like mumbling and movement within the bed comforter. The footsteps stopped that the foot of the bed. A pair of black gloves slowly headed towards the being laying under the covers. The gloved hands started shaking the sleeper. "Kurt..." Said a female voice. "Kurt?"
"Huh!!?" yelled Kurt in a violent shake. "What!? Amanda? Mr. Sefton!!?"
"Shh...Kurt!" said Rogue putting her gloved hand on the blue furry kid's mouth.
"Mmrog?" Kurt said under the gloved hand. Rouge released her grip in his mouth. "Rogue?" he said as looked for his alarm clock. "It's 2 in the morning! What's wrong?"
"Come with me," she said as she tried to force Kurt out of his bed. But he wouldn't leave. "Come on, Kurt!"
"Can't a get some pants on first?" he yelled quietly.
"Oh," said Rogue sheepishly. "Yeah..I'll wait outside," she said as she headed out of Kurt's door. A few second have passed and Kurt opened his door, revealing himself in his natural blue and furry self with a white shirt and checkered pajama bottoms. "Lets go!" Rogue said as she headed down the hallway followed by Kurt.
"Where are we going?" he asked
"Peter's room," she replied. Kurt had a feeling in the put of his tail that what Rogue wanted to show him was an empty bed room...and he was right. The approached Peter's room, opened the door...no Peter in sight. "See? He does sneak out!"
Kurt took a look around the room. She was right. There was no explaination. ...Except... "Vell, maybe he's in the bathroom?"
"I knew you would say something like that," she said as she went towards Peter's dresser drawer...the very same one that had the red glove hanging out of it. She opened the drawer...and it was empty. "Kurt...face it. Peter does sneak out. Kurt couldn't believe it at first...but it did make sense. The scratches, the bruises, the lack of sleep. Now it all came together. What should they do? Tell the professor? ...Unless he already knows. Kurt felt a cold chill come from the direction of Peter's bed. He looked over to find the open window, which was a doorway for the coldest of night.
Meanwhile...
"Hurry up!" yelled a voice.
"I am!" yelled another.
"What should we do with the guards?" said a man dressed in complete black who was pointing to 3 tied up and gaged security guards.
"Leave em there," replied the first voice who had to be the boss. "All we need are the supplies." The guards muffled under the tap that covered there mouths.
"Hey, boss?" asked one of the men. "Do you have any idea what exactly is in this thing?" he asked pointing to a black colored van.
"Not a clue," replied the boss. "We were ordered to gather up all of the equipment inside. That's all he said." The three men where taking boxes out of the van and putting in the trunk of another black SUV.
"Yeah, but maybe we should just take a few things for ourselves. You know...make a little side cash."
"Are you nuts?" asked the boss. "If we do that...the kingpin will kill us, and you know it!"
"Hey," said another man. "Did you guys hear about that guy who were stopping robberies all over the city? They say it was a super-hero kind of guy. Some people are saying that it was...batman.
"I'm sorry...Bat is not on the menu..." said a voice from above. All three of the thieves looked towards the voice to find a costumed man...sticking to the wall. "But can I interest you in something else? Perhaps....spider?" Just then the costumed figure jumped off the wall and landed right in front of the boss.
FLASH!
The boss quickly threw a punch to a web-covered mask, but it was easily dodged, and was retaliated with a kick right into the jaw.
FLASH!
"The hell was that?" asked one of the robbers as he drew he's gun and pointed it the costume figure, however, a string-like web shot out of Spider-Man's wrist and connected with the gun. The gun was yanked and tossed at the other robber's head, who tried to draw his own gun.
FLASH!
Spider-Man jumped towards the robber, hit him in the stomach, and tied him up with his webbing. "Say cheese!"
FLASH!
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Spider-Man attached himself to the wall of the mansion. He climbed through out the side of the mansion looking for his room. All of the windows looked the same, but Peter made a little spider symbol with a permanent marker right near his window. He eventually found it, and quickly jumping through his open window, and took off his mask...but something was wrong. "Did I leave the light on?" he asked himself out loud.
"No," said a southern female voice. Peter quickly looked towards where the voice was coming from, and spotted Rogue and Kurt sitting on his bed.
Peter rubbed his neck. "Busted?"
"Oh yeah," said Kurt.
"What do you think your doing?" asked Rogue getting straight to the point.
"Uh....Getting a burger?"
"Nuh-uh"
"I have a secret Girlfriend?"
"Nope"
"Stopping thieves and potential murderers in New York City?"
"Bingo"
Peter and Kurt laughed, but Rogue didn't find it that funny. In fact, she was the only one taking this situation seriously....although Kurt has a habit of making jokes and laughing when he's feeling uncomfortable. "Why are you doing this?" asked Rogue once again cutting straight to the chase. "Putting yourself at risk like this?"
Peter just then put his legs together and his arms tightly to his side as if standing at attention in the military. "For truth, justice, and the American way, sir!" he said as if he were a military man.
"Peter I'm serious!" yelled just loud enough so only Kurt and Peter can hear, and not the rest of the mansion. "Putting your life at risk to stop people from breaking the law! It's okay once in a while, but making a habit of it will hurt no one but yourself! And what if the time comes where the only way you can stop a criminal is by killing?" All of Peter's sarcastic traits have disappeared at this point. "Will you kill someone? Will you take a life? Are you gonna be doing this for the rest of your life!?"
...Silence....Dark....Deafening....Silence. Peter took a deep breathe. He then threw his mask and his dresser, and began to slowly take off his gloves, one by one. He then stopped for a moment. His facial expression remained monotone. He then began to take off the abdomen part of his costume. Kurt wondered what Peter was doing, and Rogue felt like the was going to throw up in fear of what he could possibly be doing. After his whole upper body was bare, Kurt and Rogue feasted their eyes on assorted cuts and bruises on Peter's chest, stomach, and arms. Kurt's uncomfortable feeling grew, and Rogue was trying to fight off tears.
"You see this?" asked Peter presenting his bare upper body. There was no reply. "This is the price I have to pay for taking the law in my hands knowing if I had done it sooner, I would have saved him." There was no need to explain who 'him' was, Kurt and Rogue knew. "Every night, I try as hard as I can to fix the worst mistake I ever made. It never works...but...that doesn't stop me from trying. I don't know how long I'm going to keep this up...and I don't much care. All that matters right now is here and now. It's true...nothing good comes out of it for me...except for the feeling that I get when I know I do something right. But if it eases my pain...even just for a second...then I'll do what I have to do...and when that few seconds on painlessness comes...then I'll milk it for all it's worth."
"So you put your life at risk for a few seconds of clarity?" says Rogue an a tone that was beyond her years. "It's like a drug. Putting ludicrous things at risk just for a few seconds of heaven, but in the long run, you get nothing but physical and mental pain. Your just a slave..nothing more."
Peter took a few seconds to digest those words. Rogue didn't speak much about her past, but Peter didn't know that she and him are a lot alike in ways neither of them would understand. Peter took another deep breathe. "Except for one small thing..." Peter said as if finishing what Rogue was beginning top say. "I spare innocent lives. And that feeling is one like no other. Another so-called 'drug'. The big difference is that I don't just help myself, I help the people. I was once like them...I wasn't born a mutant. I was given a gift...even if it was by accident...and with that gift came responsibility, and I intend to do everything I can to use this gift to it's fullest."
"But what you don't understand is that your not just 'doing it for the people'," replied Rogue. Peter didn't understand. "You know that if you didn't get that moment of clarity that you wouldn't be doing what you do. You know that if your uncle didn't die you'd still be using your powers for entertainment and money. You know that you NEEDED someone to die...someone close to you to die for you to understand what 'responsibilities you have right now. You know that if your uncle didn't die...you would be in this very room right now." Silence. Peter couldn't think of anything to say. "Honestly...what kind of hero is that?"
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I have entered into a world. A world of things I could have only imagined back home. I have met people. People of so many shapes and sizes, on the inside and out. I have seen things. Things that always seem to tell me that nothing is impossible. However, as I had mentioned before, it's impossible to go back and fix a mistake. But it isn't impossible to make things right again. It isn't impossible to try receive forgiveness from those you have hurt. Even after there dead, you can still make peace with them...and yourself.
(A/N: Wow...I like that. I do believe once again that this is my longest Chapter. By the way, I'd just like to let everyone know that I'm going on Vacation out of the country, so I probably wont be able to update for at least a month...yeah...thats right...a month. But please please PLEASE REVEIW..er...REVIEW!! I promise I will update as soon as I get home....wow...do you knwo what else I noticed? If you would look up where it says Published: 6-28-03...you will noticed that I had updated on 6-28-04. 365 days/52 weeks/12 months/one year ago today I have first published this chapter. Hmm...time flies... REVIEW!!!! Later)
