When Peter came to he was lying on a small, comfortable bed. And he was scared. He wasn't scared because he was comfortable of course, he was more comfortable than he had been in a week. No, he was scared because he didn't remember why he was there or how he got… wherever here was. The last thing he remembered was he went to that old, creepy building, had some tea, then...nothing.

He was in a small room with nothing but a desk, a large window, and the bed he was lying on. The door was shut. Did they lock him in there? Did he do something wrong?

Just as he was about to start completely panicking, somebody walked in.

"Oh? You're up," The man's eyebrows knotted together. And then suddenly everything came flooding back into his brain. It's quite overwhelming actually, to have moments you didn't remember previously suddenly all there again. But how did he get in this room, on this bed?

The man, Strange- that's what that shorter man..Wong.. had called him, didn't notice Peter's perspective realignment (probably because normal people don't assume that people couldn't remember how they had gotten there) And he was still talking when peter zoned back in.

"...ome down to breakfast. We didn't get a chance to feed you last night before you passed out."

Oh. Right. That's why even after the memory flood he didn't remember coming into this room

Who turned up the thermostat?

Peter shot up out of bed, face rosy and turned to Strange to reply and

"Shut up," the man said anger burning his features," Shut up or her brains go all over the floor,"

Peter felt his throat close up before he could barely think about making his vocal cords vibrate.

He only nodded solemnly after that because, why can't you speak, Peter. She's already gone, it won't do anything if you speak. But he can't, For some reason he just can't get himself to speak. Peter knows it's irrational, he knows he has no reason to be scared of speaking, but he can't bring himself into doing it.

The man, Strange(what kind of name is Strange) only looked concerned but not surprised. Then he turned on his heel and started to walk out.

Just as he was about to leave he turned again " Are you coming?"

Peter nodded enthusiastically remembering the promise of food and scurried out the door to follow Strange.

When they left, Peter was led down a large set of stairs and through many hallways. Left, Right, Straight, Straight, Left… Peter tried to remember the way but was proved fruitless because he could've sworn they had passed that painting already. When they arrived back at the kitchenette Peter was welcomed with the wonderful smell of food.

After about half of the very large plate of bacon, eggs, and toast was consumed, Peter looked up. The other dude, Wong, from the night before was there and he was reading a book labeled "The Key of Solomon".

Peter remembered that book from somewhere. Where, he couldn't remember. So he asked, well he gently nudged The Wong Dude and pointed at the book and made a questioning face. Scrunching up his eyebrows and tilting his head slightly to the left while pointing at the book.

Wong, seeing his expression, almost laughed, because with his soft features and small tilt of his head he looked… he looked just like a puppie. So small and cute and vulnerable.

"It's always good to refresh yourself on 15th century Renaissance magic," Wong replied to the question without really thinking.

Peter's eyes grey slowly wide, almost comically, as they looked to almost be popping out of his head. He frantically pointed at Wong, then Steven, then back to Wong. He opened his mouth, this time being aware enough not to try to speak, and mouthed silently 'MAGIC?'

xxxXXXxxx

Ned was worried. No, Ned was beyond worried. Peter disappeared a week ago and nobody could find him, not the police, not Ned's family, not Ned. they had been looking for him since that stupid supermarket and stupid robber.

Today Ned and MJ were scheduled to put up missing posters of Peter. Ned's mom had almost chosen last year's yearbook picture of Peter, seeing that they hadn't taken a new one Ned knew how much Peter had hated when they got them, he never even gave them to Aunt May when they had gotten the pictures back.

So Ned chose a photo off his phone that Peter actually liked, he wasn't paying attention so that's probably why.

When Ned got to the coffee shop where they always met up, MJ was already there and was waiting on him. She had volunteered to print all the posters at the library so they were sitting on the table, in the spot Peter normally sat.

"Hey Ned," she greeted him. The fact that she didn't call him a loser is a testament of just how bad she actually felt, even if she had that frustratingly neutral expression she always had when she was out in public. And no matter how stoic she acted, her red eyes betrayed her.

He sat down and sighed," Hi."

"You look like shit," She told him bluntly, eyebrows quirking up briefly.

She wasn't lying, He did look pretty bad. He hasn't slept well since they got the news, and he hardly paid attention to what he put on in the morning. Looking down he realized it was a button-up shirt with the buttons done wrong, ripped jeans, miss-matched socks, and shoes.

"Ready to go?" Ned asked, ignoring her very astute observation.

She stood up and shrugged," Ready as I'll ever be."

They walked around Queens, occasionally putting up a poster every block or so, and put one up at places they frequently visited. They gave 10 to Mr. Delmar, then posted a couple around the public library. Once they were done, they were completely emotionally drained again from another day of not finding Peter. But they couldn't mope, they didn't whine. Because they needed to find him.

No matter what the cost.