Just wanted to say thanks to all who keep up with me, it really means a lot. Thanks to Thunderxtw, Moontearz, and everybody else.

Chapter 20: Flashbacks

King gasped in shock. "…no…" He looked down to his hands and he swore he could see Peter's blood reappear on them. Flashbacks of Peter's previous death pushed through his head. 'It can't be…it just can't…' he thought to himself. Julia slumped down the wall slowly as the doctor got ready to shock Peter's heart.

Peter opened his eyes after the white light died down. His mother let go of his hand and looked back. She sighed as she touched her son's face. "Rest, is something you deserve…"

"Clear!" yelled the doctor as he delivered an electromagnetic shock to Peter's system.

"…but it would seem that perhaps…rest isn't needed now." said Peter's mother. Peter looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?" he said as the atmosphere began to get dark again.

"Clear!" Shock two. King looked over to Julia who was being held by Mina. Jaime stood behind the glass and watched in disbelief. His head was tipped down, as if bowing in respect to Peter.

"It would seem that the world is your calling for now." Peter's mother said as she smiled. She wrapped her arms around her son one last time and said "goodbye. I'll be waiting for you." Just as she let go, Peter was about to ask her what was going on. Suddenly, the white floor shattered like glass and Peter fell into the pitched blackness. "Mom!" he yelled as he fell deep into the abyss.

"Clear!" yelled the doctor as he charged more electricity into Peter's body. Almost as if on cue, Peter's eyes burst open as he sat up in his bed. As he stared at the ceiling, color began to reappear into his skin, returning to its naturally tan shade. King's eyes widened in shock as he looked over to Julia. He watched as she jumped to her feet and screamed in shock.

Falling back down into his bed, Peter looked around at his surroundings; bright lights, white walls, nurses and a doctor standing over him. King rushed over to Peter's side and took a good look, making sure that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. Peter looked around innocently, first from the ceiling, to the doctor, and then to King. All in that one moment, he remembered what had happened.

He had heard from Steve that Marduk was going to beat him up, all in an attempt to anger King. He remembered that he got gutsy and tried to take Marduk out all on his own, and quite frankly, he remembered getting his rear end handed to him. King's eyes got teary as Peter smiled up at him slowly. Without regard to Peter's bodily injuries, King embraced his step-son, holding on to him as if his life depended on it.

"Dad…" Peter said. King gasped mentally, that was the second time that Peter referred to him as being his father. "Hey I know you're happy to see me breathing again big guy, but if you hold on to me tight enough, you might change that." Peter said playfully, although pain was visible in his voice. King let go, looking down at Peter apologetically. "I thought I was going to lose you forever, just like Armor King." King's voice cracked with that last statement. He felt as if he would give way to tears, but this was a happy occasion.

King stepped out of the way and allowed Julia to see her boyfriend. "Peter…oh thank God!" she yelled as she embraced him softly. Jaime and Mina stepped back and watched as the 'family' reunited. It was quite touching to Jaime, despite his ultra manliness. In addition to making him happy, the scene before him made Jaime very sad. He missed his own parents, and the sight of King and Peter together made him remember everything; the attack, everything.

Mina gently rubbed up against Jaime's arm. "You okay?" Jaime smiled back to Mina and nodded. "I will be."

King watched on as Julia held Peter. Tears flowed down the both of their cheeks, connecting in some sad way, like the soul mates that they were. Though King was happy to see his son alive again, he had an important question to ask him. "Pete." He said. Julia stood up and backed away, letting the grip of Peter's hand fall slowly. King moved forward, ready to ask what he wanted.

"Who did this to you?" Just then, Miharu, Xiaoyu, and Christie walked into the waiting area with Jaime and Mina. Mina nudged Jaime's arm and said "You should tell him." Jaime looked to Miharu and the others and replied "That's up to Peter." Sensing it was his cue, he left with Mina, the others following them to ask what happened. Julia held on to her chest, afraid of what the answer would be.

Peter said nothing. He just looked up slowly to his father. His eyes said it all, and King didn't like the answer one bit. "Rwaarrrrr…I knew it! Marduk is a dead man!" Peter looked away, shame crossing his Latin features. Julia gasped briefly, and then she took off quickly to tell the others. King shook with rage, scaring the doctor and the nurses around the table.

"Calm down…please." Peter said as he looked back in King's general direction. "Calm down! What if he had really killed you? He did this all to get to me! If it's a fight he wants, then it's a fight he'll get…" Turning around, King began to plot what he would do next. He would have made a fatal mistake, but he felt a hand grab onto his wrist. He turned around to see that it was Peter.

"Don't let me." He said in an almost pleading tone. King closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "Of course." King said. His plan would have to wait. Right now, his responsibility was to his son.