CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Far Away Places

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Peter Parker

Despite Cap's proclamation, we don't actually go home right away. There's getting onto the shuttle, cramming together and flying to the larger ship outside of the planet's atmosphere. Then there's treating injuries, reunifications, and a lot of technical stuff that kind of goes in one ear and out the other. I'm running on steam, here.

But I do know that a team is being deployed to the Dravec's main ship, which has already been cleared of the aliens, to download all data and records, take samples of their weapons and tech, and I think someone mentioned trophies and funeral rites?

I shudder.

What would they have taken if they'd killed me? Just my mask? My suit? My head?

"If you're gonna puke, do it in the bag," Clint hands me a bundle of crinkly plastic. "None of us want to smell vomit the whole trip home."

I give him a shaky grin. "Thanks. Didn't expect to see you here."

He raises a brow. "You kidding? Date night is coming up, and I need my sitter. Coop would have been pissed if we had to call old Mrs. Nelson."

I snort, then hiss and clutch my head as the gesture sends pain ricocheting up my skull. "Ow."

Clint claps a hand on my shoulder. "I'll get Bruce over to look at that noggin of yours."

"I'm right here."

I squint up at him, about four of the man standing in front of me and wavering around the edges. Mr. Stark is right behind him, which really starts to mess with my vision.

"What about Cap?" I say. "Pretty sure he's a lot worse off than me. And Bucky. And-"

"Relax, kid. We're on it. They're being treated too," Dr. Banner says, pulling a pack from under his arm to set on the bench next to me. "Let's check out that concussion, yeah?"

"Yeah. Okay."

Clint pats my arm before heading to the other side of the ship to join Wanda and Vision.

"Did you black out when you hit your head?" Dr. Banner asks, shining a light in my eyes that sends spears of pain through my eyeballs all the way to the back of my skull.

"Uh..." I blink. "Ummm…"

"He did," Bucky calls from not too far away. "For a couple minutes."

"Apparently I did."

Dr. Banner clicks his tongue. "Grade 3, kid. I'd ask you questions like the date and what city you're in, but considering I don't even know what day it is, why don't you start with your full name?"

"Peter Benjamin Parker."

"And you live?"

"With my aunt in Queens. I was probably only out for like a second. I'm fine," I insist, rubbing my ears. "Could you not speak so loud?"

"That's the oversensitivity, not me."

"Oh."

He proceeds to test my coordination and reflexes, which could be better if I wasn't so exhausted and malnourished from being hunted on an alien planet for god knows how long. Then he and Mr. Stark start talking, and I let my eyes fall shut, closing off the too bright lights and leaning back against the wall of the ship.

Just for a minute. God, I'm so tired.

"Hey, stay with me," Dr. Banner's voice pulls me awake, my head jerking when he speaks. "Why don't you tell me what happened after you left the cave while I look at the rest of your injuries."

"They chased me," I say, yawning hugely as Dr. Banner cuts away the top half of my suit. I hear hisses of sympathy and look down to see the dark, mottled bruises covering nearly every inch of my skin like a poorly done watercolor painting, interrupted with cuts and burns.

"I'm purple," I say with surprise.

"That you are," Dr. Banner says tightly. "Go on."

"Uh...I tried to hide. Think maybe I turned into...a rabbit? I remember being a rabbit, and then I was me and they found me. The big one killed the one I-oh shit."

"What?" asks Mr. Stark.

"I stabbed one," I admit. "On accident!"

"Kid, no one's going to blame you for stabbing one of the murderous bastards that tried to hunt and slaughter you," Mr. Stark says exasperatedly.

"I felt bad."

"Of course you did."

"Then what?" Dr. Banner asks as he begins wiping at my skin with a damp, white cloth that stings. Badly.

"Then...then I was in a cage. And I met Korg," I glance over and the alien waves at me, the slug-like Miek cradled in his arms. I quickly realize where this story is going and veer sharply left. "Then we escaped and freed all the dinosaurs and came to your rescue."

"Our rescue, huh?" Mr. Stark raises a brow.

"Oh you skipped a bit," Korg interjects helpfully. "Tell them about the part where we got recaptured and the leader pinned you down and nearly branded you. That was intense."

My lips mash together as I give Korg a sharp, exasperated look. He waves again.

The ship has gotten infinitely quieter.

"I'm sorry," says Mr. Stark, voice tight. "Did he say branded?"

I wince, more awake than I was a few seconds ago. "Er...well...sort of?"

"Yeah, branded!" says Korg. "You know, with one of those red hot pokers twisted into a Dravec symbol? The thing was only a couple inches away before it got distracted enough for you to get free. I was terrified on your behalf."

"Thanks, Korg," I say through clenched teeth. "They get it."

"Holy crap," breathes Dr. Banner, and I swear I hear Bucky's knuckles crack. "How'd you get free?"

"Actually, I think I have you to thank for that. They heard the Hulk, and I was able to get it off me."

"What the-is this-is this from a whip?"

I wince. Clearly he's moved onto my back. "Er...yeah."

"Jesus Christ," Mr. Stark rubs his eyes, not even bothering to look. "Is there any way you didn't get injured on this trip?"

"Well…" I blink slowly and take too long to answer while I think.

"I think that's enough story time for now, okay kid?" Mr. Stark says. "Bruce, is he good to pass out now?"

I yawn widely as something wet and cool is spread along the welt on my back.

"Yeah, he's good. His super healing is already kicking in, and if he's anything like Steve, sleep will make it go faster. Just wake him up every ten or so to make sure."

Thank god. I feel like I could sleep for a month. I go to fall back on the bench, but Mr. Stark grips my shoulder before I can do so.

"Easy, turbo. You do not want to lay on that back of yours right now."

I wince. "Right. Thanks."

He helps ease me onto my stomach, and I fold my arms underneath my head, cringing at the way it stretches my skin painfully. I yawn again. "Hey, Mr. Stark?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"Next time, can I save you instead? This getting captured thing is kinda getting old."

He snorts, and my eyes fall shut. "Sure thing."

It takes less than a second for me to pass out.

Wanda Maximoff

"Can I ask you something?"

I look up as Loki takes a seat across from me. He really must have a death wish.

"Just how did you get those phenomenal powers of yours? Born? Or burdened?"

I'm not stupid. I am aware that my abilities are what has drawn him to me. It was written all over his mind that first time I took a look. This is a man hungry for power, attracted to it, willing to go to any lengths to get it.

"I don't see how it's any business of yours," I say, feeling Vision's eyes on me from across the ship.

"Indulge me," Loki's lips curve. "After all, I did save your life."

I eye him warily. My body is still too drained to even risk looking into that mind again, so I will have to guess his intentions through our conversation. "They were the result of an experiment done upon my brother and I," I say carefully.

"Must have been awful."

"It was my choice."

A flash in those eyes. "So your brother? He shares your abilities?"

"He's dead."

Loki's face turns solemn at my tone. "I'm sorry."

"So am I."

"May I ask about what sort of experiment it was? Forgive me, I just seek to understand."

I wonder why. Perhaps he hopes to recreate the trials himself to add to his power, to create monsters of his own. Perhaps in learning my origins, he hopes to somehow wield something over me, his knowledge of the staff greater than my own.

"I'm surprised you do not know," I finally answer, eyes narrowed. "As my powers were born from your scepter."

His eyes widen, the first true emotion I've seen on his face. Wonder, shock, intrigue, all flickering in those dark depths. I can see the wheels of his mind turning, but cannot read them.

"My scepter?" he breathes.

"Yes," Vision says from behind him, and Loki turns quickly. "As did mine."

The Asgardian's eyes flick up to the yellow stone in Vision's forehead.

"Wanda needs rest," Vision says evenly, his tone polite but eyes hard. "If you'll excuse us."

"Of course," Loki says generously, rising to his feet. "I'll take my leave." He glances at me one last time before he makes his way towards the back of the large ship.

Loki passes by Clint, who hasn't taken his eyes off of him since he arrived. "How's the arm?" Clint asks, and the Asgardian shoots him a glare.

"You should be sleeping," Vision admonishes quietly.

"I know," I say with a sigh, watching as Bruce and Tony work on treating the boy's injuries. "I'm too tired to sleep...if that makes any sense. My body wants to, but my mind doesn't believe we are quite out of danger yet."

"Of course it makes sense. You went through a great trauma."

I shoot him a glance. "You were there too, Vis."

"Yes, well, I was unconscious for a great deal of it," he says with a wry smile.

The reminder twists at my insides, and I squeeze my eyes shut.

"Wanda."

I don't answer.

Hands draw me close, sweep my hair back over my shoulder, and I open my eyes to see his strange ones intent on me. "I'm alright," he insists gently, hands on my upper arms. "Thanks to you."

"I almost couldn't-you almost," I breathe out sharply, bowing my head so our foreheads meet. "Don't do that to me again. I don't know if I...I can't lose you, Vis. I can't."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise me," I whisper fiercely, placing my hands on his chest, on the fragile bindings where a gaping hole once rested. I'm trembling, feeling cold and shaken.

Vision hesitates. "You know that kind of promise is out of my hands. I can fight to my last breath and work to be careful to increase the odds of my survival, but to say that I won't get injured or killed is statistically-"

"Vision," I interrupt sharply, placing my fingers on his mouth as I take a deep breath. "Please...just...please."

A moment of silence, and then, "I promise."

Tony Stark

Branded. He'd almost been branded.

Jesus Christ.

Instead, he'd escaped with just a concussion, a thousand bruises, cuts, burns, and a massive welt along his back where he was struck by a whip.

Then there's the mental and psychological scars to consider. Being hunted like an animal...it has to do something terrible to your mind. Add on to what the kid has already been through in his life...shit.

I make a mental note to talk to Sam once we get back. There won't be any more sweeping things under a rug for that kid. He's recovered remarkably well after Hydra and Venom, but I've always thought that he still needed to talk to someone about it all. A professional.

And now? I'm making damn sure it happens. A prerequisite to becoming an official Avenger, which the kid has undoubtedly earned after this.

Okoye is communicating with T'Challa on their kimoyo beads, and I overhear that his team has finished getting the equipment and data they came for. As well as the remains of their people from that horrific trophy room I had no interest in ever seeing. They're on their way back now.

Good. I want to get the hell out of here.

I walk over to the princess, who is finishing her examination of Barnes's mess of a shoulder where his bionic arm should be.

"Hmm," she says.

I raise a brow. "Hmm what?"

"I'm just wondering why you integrated the processor to the nerves in his shoulder instead of going straight for the source, to the nervous system itself."

"That would require installing a chip in his brain. Pretty sure he's had enough of people scrambling around that head."

Barnes shoots me a grateful look.

"Not his brain," Shuri shakes her head. "His spine. If we rerouted the wires here to connect with the nerves attaching to his brain stem here, the arm's capabilities would increase by forty six percent."

I stare. Barnes raises a brow at me.

"Well...that's one way to do it."

They both snort.

"I was also thinking," Shuri's eyes light up. "About the Dravec technology they are bringing back from the ship. If we integrated their alloys with our vibranium, we could-"

"No."

Shuri and I look at Barnes, his face dark and one hand clenched. "No Dravec anything."

The princess looks like she will argue, but I put a hand on her slim shoulder. "No Dravec," I nod, meeting Barnes's gaze. After what they went through, I don't blame him.

Natasha's voice in the distance is soft, but the alarm in it has everyone's attention going to the back of the ship as she says, "Steve?"

Barnes goes rigid, and I whirl.

The redhead assassin has a hand on his uninjured shoulder, her face creased with concern. Then I see why.

Steve's skin is sheet white. There's not even color in his lips, which are parted as his glassy eyes struggle to focus. Blood loss, I think, but then I look at the shoulder Okoye had just finished cleaning and stitching. Black veins creep over the curve of his shoulder, spider webbing across his chest.

My blood goes cold.

Steve's knees buckle, and Natasha catches him the best she can, but his weight sends both of them to the ground. We're running, Bruce and Okoye and Sam and I, as Natasha calls Steve's name again.

Our hands are on him, lowering him to his stomach on the ground.

The wound from the spear is the size of my hand, and I can see the professional manner in which it had been cleaned and stitched by Okoye's steady hand. No sign of infection. No inflamed skin or pus or swelling.

But dark mottled patches spread around it, black veins in a thick cluster encircling the wound and scattering in every direction.

"What is that?" breathes Bruce in horror.

Steve's chest rises and falls in short bursts, his breathing shallow and uneven. His eyes stare dazedly at the wall.

"It's...alright," he mutters distantly. "Just...blood loss, I think. I just need...to rest."

Sam and I share looks of alarm, and I snap in front of Cap's face as his eyes start to drift shut. "Hey, HEY! Look alive, Rogers! Don't you go passing out on us yet."

Because it isn't blood loss. Not by a long shot.

It's poison

A/N:

Hey strangers. I can't apologize enough for the super long delay in between updates. With getting a new, full time job, holiday craziness, and art commissions, I had ZERO time to do hardly any writing. But I have LOTS of good news.

First off, for those who are still wondering about the continuation of this series, you are in luck. I've added even more stories to the series that I plan on writing. (Aaaaand have actually written a lot of scenes for already). Here's the order starting after Riders is finished. Hunted, Sound of Silence, Enter Sandman, Seeing Red, and In the End. Yes, Venom WILL be making another appearance in this series, but not in Riders. Yes, there will be LOTS of new villains and characters. I'm SO excited for all of these stories and wish I had more time to write. It may be a long time between updates and posting stories, but rest assured I am NOT giving up on the CMFU. EVER. I have too much goodness to write. ;)

Second! I am also, because I'm certifiably insane, starting ANOTHER fic at the same time that I will be finishing this one and starting Hunted, the next in this series. This other fic will be SEPARATE from the CMFU. For those of you who have read my two-shot, Let Freedom Ring, and have been asking me to turn it into a full novel instead of a short ficlet, your wish has finally been granted. I will be writing a full length story detailing the events of that short fic, and I am really looking forward to sharing with you. Might even post the prologue soon! Keep your eyes out for it!

I sincerely thank you all for your reviews and continued support even though I've been a bad updater and left you hanging so long...and then returned with a cliffhanger. Lol. I will do my best to get another chapter to you as soon as I can, but I haven't even started it yet, and my muse is a wild, primitive thing. You guys are amazing and I miss and adore each and every single one of you!

GUYS! Have you read PippinStrange's Avenge the Departed? HOLY EFFING SCHMIDT! This is the real deal guys. Are you missing quality fics with well thought out and detailed plotlines, an intermeshing of all the Avengers with focus on our favorite, Peter Parker? LOOK NO FURTHER. And no, this is not a paid ad. I've just read this thing four times (In it's entirety, because I am lucky enough to be her beta) and it is legit the best fic on this website. If you haven't, go read it now, because it has everything. EVERYTHING. You won't regret it.

REVIEW REPLIES:

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AppleSpongeCake: Venoooom. Yes. I can't wait to share with you guys the return of that particular villain. Gonna be awhile yet, but I promise it will be worth it.

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I wish I could have given you guys a longer chapter, but I figured any kind of update is better than no update, and I will endeavor to make the next chapter longer and hopefully sooner than three months! GEEZ! I"M SO SORRY! I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE STILL WITH ME!

COMING UP: CHAPTER NINETEEN

The Dravec were advanced in so many ways. Their tech. Their strategies. Their strength and weapons. And, of course, so is their poison. As Steve fights for his life, the others frantically search for an antidote before they make the long trek home. Will they succeed? Or will there be one less Avenger returning to Earth?