Luke stared at the slender youth who had addressed him, "Excuse me?"

Parker splayed his hands in greeting, "I'm Parker Robbins. You mean you don't know who I am?"

Luke Cage shook his head, "I've never heard of you, kid, you a fan boy?"

Parker shut his mouth and clenched his teeth, feeling like he had assumed too much. It seemed that Janet had not told all of the other Avengers everything about him, and he was suddenly at risk of revealing the fact that he was on the wrong side of the law to a vigilante.

Parker simply nodded, "Yeah, I figured you might know my name since I run a lot of Luke Cage fan web sites. No big deal…" Parker felt the urge to simply bow out of the conversation and move on, but he fought the feeling, knowing that if he walked away now he wouldn't forgive himself for not trying.

Cage shook his head, "Nah, I appreciate that folks out there have my back, but I don't really have the time to keep up with all the fan mail. You want my autograph or something?"

The way Cage studied him Parker could tell that the other man sensed he was more than just a fan trying to meet his idol, so he dove right in, extending his hand to shake Luke's. "Actually, given your background in life, I thought if I could bother you for just a few minutes for advice…"

Luke leaned back into the leather couch he sat on. After him and Parker had walked a ways and the younger man had begun telling him a halting rendition of his less than admirable choices, Luke had invited the youth to his own place to relax as they spoke.

Cage spoke at last to Parker's account, "You fucked up, but it's more than that, isn't it? You gotta change something in your life so that you're happy with it, cut out the stress that makes you feel like you have to run to this Gro chick. How's your job; it sucks, right?"

Parker perked up, "I didn't say that, I mean, it is great pay, and steady with benefits."

Luke waved his statement off, "Everyone says that; many folks feel stuck where they are and vent their frustrations this way. You have the right idea in wanting to be a better person, Parker, but you need a more tangible goal than simply being a good guy."

Parker gave Cage a curious look, "What do you mean?"

Luke smiled grimly, "You need to find something good you want to do in your life, whether it's marrying your girlfriend or going to college or training to run a marathon, anything. Then you have to nut up and do it."

Parker was confused, "What does this have to do with lying to my girlfriend?"

Cage gave him a knowing look, "You'll like yourself better for one, and start taking pride in your life choices. Also if you get busy enough with it, just maybe you won't find time to go visit a whore."

Parker stared at the floor as he tried to consider what he wanted, "Well, thanks for the help; I'll think about it."

Luke leaned forward and gave him a stern look, "There's more, though. You wanna turn your life around you need to surround yourself with good company; the kind of friends that lift you up rather than tear you down."

Parker frowned, thinking on how his cousin John had been the only friend he had spent any real amount of time with before becoming the 'Hood'. He had a lot of villainous thugs who called him friend now, but that would have to be the 'tearing down' Luke was referring to for sure.

Parker scratched at the stubble on his chin as he thought. John wasn't going to be building anyone up anytime soon. Parker loved his cousin, but the man couldn't keep from tearing himself down, never mind others.

Parker looked up to see that Luke was staring at him in a studious fashion that made him self-conscious. "You ever wanna talk again; you know where I live now." Cage leaned forward over the coffee table and scratched a note on a post-it, which he handed to Parker, "Here's my number, call me even if you just want to hang."

Parker took the note and stared at Cage for a long moment before giving him a smile, "You realize you just handed a fan-boy exclusive stalking privileges, right?"

Cage shook his head, smiling, "I know you aint no fan-boy, unless your just the chilliest mother-fucker on the planet, playing it as cool as you do in front of your supposed idol."

Parker gulped at being caught and nodded, admitting his deception guiltily, "Yeah, sorry, I don't have posters of you on my wall or anything, but I do respect you and everything I've heard about you."

Luke waved it off, "Don't worry about that, you could tell me worse lies." Luke's expression became serious, "But I'd rather if we kept it straight from here on… sound fair?"

Parker nodded and stood, suddenly feeling too awkward to stay. "Okay, uh, I should head out, then."

Cage nodded, "Till next time."

A few months later Parker had seen Cage a few more times, mostly to discuss unimportant things and catch up on how Parker was doing with his girlfriend and child. Today Cage had called him, asking to meet at a Mediterranean restaurant.

Parker met him there, curious what news had prompted the meeting. Cage clapped him on the shoulder as they greeted and as they sat down he started telling Parker what was on his mind, "It seems that every time we talked about your job, I got the feeling that you hated it."

Parker shrugged, "I can't really complain. I sit on my ass all day routing calls, it's not glorious or fun but it pays the bills and I don't wanna be a bitch about it when I suppose I could be shoveling shit or something."

Luke nodded, giving him a smile, "Well I learned that you work for Van Dyne, which doesn't seem to suit your particular tastes at all."

Parker gave him a sharp look, "How the hell did you know that, did Janet tell you?"

Cage's eyebrows shot up, "Janet hired you personally? No, she didn't, and if I had known she had I would have dropped a word for you with Tony without doing the background check bullshit."

Parker's face betrayed annoyance, "Background? I wasn't looking to be hired so… wait, Tony? You mean Tony Stark don't you?"

Luke's smile widened and he nodded again, "Yeah, you're a smart kid with ambition, I'm sure he could use you."

Parker held up a hand palm forward, "Whoa, wait a second, I'm no brainiac; I'm not cut out to be some lab monkey in Stark Enterprises."

Luke laughed, "Yeah, I'm not talking about putting you on the science team; the idea was more Avengers oriented. How would you like the boring job of listening to broadband radio and handling our communication tech? At least you won't be dealing with irate old ladies most of the time."

Parker couldn't believe what he was hearing and suddenly wondered what would happen when Janet told Luke that he was the Hood. "You want me to be part of the team?"

Luke laughed again, "Yes and no; you'll be helping us in a way that allows us to do what we do, but you'll never really be involved in the action. Whether or not that's a perk is up to the person, but Tony figured it was an opportunity for you."

Parker raised an eyebrow, "You told Tony about me?"

Luke sighed in mock exasperation, "Only that you needed something more exciting and that you were a bright kid. Are you gonna take the job or are you gonna give me the twenty; you trust me, right?"

Parker sighed and nodded, "Alright, thanks, Luke." His inner thoughts could only turn to how bad this might turn out if someone found out about him and became 'sensitive' over some of the things he had done as the Hood. "I'm sure it'll be great."

Nearly a year had passed since Parker had seen Gro, and though he missed the excitement of her caress, or the strange caress of any unknown beautiful woman, for that matter, he felt he had stepped into a new stage of maturity, if only perhaps to be a better father.

His stress also receded dramatically, and Parker came to realize that a lot of it was in fact brought on by the web of lies he constantly supported, added to and worried over. Not that Parker was done dreading his past; after all, he had never told Sara about the things he had once done.

Concerning his past as the Hood, though, either Janet had not bothered to tell anyone (which he found highly unlikely) or they simply didn't care. After getting to know them all a little better, he decided that the latter could be possible with this group.

Clint dropped by occasionally just to shoot the shit, and he and Parker became friends almost immediately. It was like they shared the same sense of humor, and when Parker learned that Clint had also been an ex-con before joining the Avengers, he had realized they had even more in common than he had realized.

Steve had dropped by the first time he started and periodically since to see how things went. Parker thought he was a strange man, but once he learned about the era gap things started to make more sense. In retrospect, Parker had to think that Steve had adapted well, considering.

Still, Parker didn't feel comfortable around him, as if the Avenger might suddenly see him for what he really was. For this reason too he was glad that Thor never showed up at all. If he really had godlike powers and wasn't just a crazier version of his idol Electro, Parker's feeling that he was a villain amidst heroes would only double.

Of course that balanced out when he met Login by sheer chance at a bar, having a drink alone. A short conversation later and Parker felt like he suddenly had a shot at being an Avenger himself. After all, if they let that man in…

Not that Parker was interested in being an Avenger, especially without the powers of the cloak he had given up. As he thought about that cloak a flash of red caught the corner of his eye and Parker glanced up to see image of his mind's eye stood across from him, like a crimson specter.

Parker jumped a little. He was in the apartment that the pay Tony supplied him with afforded; a nice flat overlooking the city. Sara and the baby were out grocery shopping, so no one else was there to hear him speak, "John?"

The hooded figure stepped forward and for a second, Parker was convinced that this person who strode with such confidence was certainly not his cousin.

Then he pulled his hood back, though, and John's face beamed a smile at him.

Parker stood from the reclining sofa chair he had been sitting in and gave his cousin a hug, the two men patting each other on the back boisterously in good cheer. Parker held him at arm's length by the shoulders, a large smile on his face, "Dammit, cuz, why no phone calls? For all I knew you could've been dead!"

John shrugged, "You know how it is, I got a little swamped with trying to get back into the group and all…"

Parker patted John on the back, "Well, you're alive and well, so you must be leading them well!"

John scratched the back of his neck, staring down so as not to meet Parker's eyes, "Well, about that…"

Parker's mouth quirked, "You couldn't get leadership back from Shocker, right? Don't fret it, all that's important is your health when it comes down to it, and you don't have to be in charge to pull some money for yourself, what with your powers and all."

John moped again, his feet shuffling the floor, "Yeah, but I've been doing things more solo lately…"

Parker paused and stared at John for a few tense seconds before giving John a side-ways look, "You fucking bitch, you didn't even go back to them, did you?"

John gave him a sharp glance, "I figured I don't need a fucking club, okay? You weren't in anymore, so why waste my efforts on a bunch of assholes like them?"

Parker sat back down, covering his face with his hand as he closed his eyes, "More like you were afraid you wouldn't be able to hang with those 'assholes' cause you're a bitch. You realize the 'effort' you saved yourself from is the one that gives you a 'get out of jail free' card?"

John frowned, "Yeah, I know that was the idea of it when you put them together, but who knows if Shocker's following? My problem isn't that, actually, you see, my problem is they have a couple people that somehow found me, and…"

Parked scoffed, "And they want you to either join the gang or pay up for doing their city. What have you been using your powers for, John, stealing purses and robbing seven elevens?"

John was quiet a moment, looking miserable, then he snapped, "Okay, so I never had fucking big plans, okay? I just want to live comfortable and not have to deal with thugs easing up into my game."

Parker held his hands up, "Well, you could always hang it up, John."

John gave Parker a scorching look, "Bullshit. I understand you got a kid, Park, but I can't let this ride pass me by."

Parker shrugged, "That's your choice, cuz. I can't say I don't understand, it's just that we both know that's not my thing anymore. Now I'm sure it hasn't just passed you by that I'm actually working in the freaking Avenger's mansion…"

John gave an irritated shrug, "So, why does that affect anything? You think family shouldn't…"

Parker held up a hand, "Not at all, but I know you and I know where this conversation is going…"

They stared at each other a long moment, and John held his hands together plaintively, "Please, Park, you gotta help me! I don't even know what to say to these creeps! You got them figured out; just tell me what I should do!"

Parker grabbed a fistful of his own hair as he let out a frustrated sound, "Dammit, John! I just told you, I work right under the noses of a large group of vigilantes; I work for them! You want me to run a goddamn cartel?"

John splayed his arms open hopelessly, "C'mon, Park, I got no one else to turn to, and I just need advice; you don't have to talk to me unless you feel safe about it."

Parker sighed, relaxing into his chair. "Look, fine, but you can't be coming to me, even if you can go invisible. Call me when you wanna meet, and then meet me where I tell you to go, no exceptions."

John smiled widely and clasped his hands together happily, "Thanks, cuz, you're a life saver, literally."

Parker frowned, "I know; if it wasn't for the fact that I know you'll get your pathetic ass killed without me, I wouldn't bother. Just do me a favor and try not to be such a douche, okay?"

Time passed and Parker would have forgotten that he secretly aided a criminal group, as busy as he became in his work for Tony. The Avenger had asked

Parker to start handling some PR work for the group, offering a substantial raise, and Parker soon had trouble finding time for anything other than work.

Except that it seemed that at least a few times a week, his cousin called or texted him urgently concerning some decision he had to make as the Hood.

Parker threw his coat against the rack as he moved to sit down at the small diner he had agreed to meet John in.

The other came without his cloak, and Parker wasn't sure, but he looked more stooped and weary than ever without it. As John sat he jumped right to business, angry, "I hope you know I had to look very unprofessional putting the vice-president on hold just to answer your damned summons, prick."

John's eyes widened, "You got that kinda clout? Maybe we can…"

Parker sensed where his cousin was going with this and nipped it in the bud, "Not me; my boss, Tony Stark. Look, you need to stop calling for 'emergency meetings' unless it's really something life or death."

John nodded, "It is! These assholes are gonna string me up if I can't find a way to deal with us losing so many of our crew to the joint in one swipe and the fact that we have more burgeoning wannabe vigilante pricks in the city than ever before. Park, they say we don't have the manpower to break ours out again and…"

Parker held up a hand, "Cuz listen to me. Your crew has to always focus immediately on releasing its members, or you have no crew. Stop getting so stressed about this shit and learn to tell these jocks that you'll get back to them and consult me when I'm off work."

John started to protest, but Parker held up his hand again and shook his head no, "You can turn fucking invisible, dipshit, don't ever feel like you can't break out of conversation. Not like they don't expect you to be rude… on that note; exactly how much do you think they respect you now?"

John scratched the back of his head, looking at the table, "Well, I think some of them suspect I'm not you, that's for sure, and a couple of them have gotten more than a little lippy, but how much should I even take before I start shooting people, y'know?"

Parker sighed and leaned back before putting his forehead on the table in despair. "Okay, we need to talk about boundaries and what you can accept, dumbass…"

Parker was at home, watching television with his girlfriend and baby girl when he noticed the flash of red outside of his house. He handed Briana to Sara and claimed that he was going to use the restroom, and then slipped outside.

Parker approached the now clearly visible form of the cloaked figure standing off in the shadows of his patio. "John, what the hell, man," Parker strode up to him, "I told you never to come here, especially not wearing that get-up. Are you out of your fucking mind?"

A set of red orbs fixed on Parker from underneath the cowl and he froze, suddenly aware that something was off. A voice like his cousins but infinitely deeper responded instead, "John isn't here right now, Parker. He tried to subvert me by doffing the cloak as you suggested, but since he is nothing without it, I have easily swayed his weak mind."

Parker gulped, feeling a hard knot of fear in his gut, "You're the voice that was trying to sweet-talk me earlier… what are you, some kind of demon? And why fuck with John?"

The creature who wore John's body moved closer, and Parker felt as if his bones were chilled and his skin was on fire by its mere proximity. "I am no mere demon, and I would far prefer to deal with you than this sorry excuse of a man."

Parker licked his lips and sat on a patio chair, glancing nervously back to see if Sara would come to investigate. "I, uh, told you before; I'm a one-man gig.

I'm definitely not interested in being possessed or whatever you're doing with John, and I'm telling you you're wasting your time with him."

Irritation crossed John's hooded features and he scowled, "You are the one wasting my time, mortal. It was you that was chosen to bond with the cloak, and you aborted the process…" the creature smiled darkly, "…putting your cousin in danger."

Parker felt trapped, a creeping realization of how badly he had messed up dawning on him at the same time as the realization that this demon had come to blackmail him, "So what, I take the cloak back and you let John go?"

John laughed in a way that would give hardened killers frightening nightmares, "Fool, you had your chance to be a willing acolyte. I shall make an example first of this John, since he is close to your heart, and you will make better choices in the future."

Parker rocked up to his feet, his face contorted in horror, "No!"

But just like that, the specter of his cousin was gone, only the empty night air greeting his resounding cry. Sara opened the patio door, "Parker, babe, are you okay?"

Parker looked over at her and managed a pale smile, "Yeah sure, everything's fine…"

Parker couldn't focus on his work the next day, calling in sick and telling Tony that he just wanted to spend the day resting. "Sure, Parker, I can have Pepper take care of you share of the PR stuff scheduled for today. You know, I hear Reed Richards came up with a prototype cure for the common cold if you want to try it out?"

Parker blanched at the thought, trying to make his voice sound reasonably hoarse as he replied, "No way! That stuff would probably make me grow tits or something; I'd rather suffer a cold than be a test subject for any drug."

An hour later Parker insisted he go to the store for meds despite Sara's admonition that she should go while he get some bed rest. Instead of going to the store though Parker sped down to the two-story building that served as the headquarters for their gang.

He hesitated outside, knowing that few knew what he looked like without the crimson hood and cloak that marked him as leader of the group. The thought of anything happening to John, and worse that it was his fault for giving his cousin the damned cloak overrode his caution and he went in.

Parker moved silently and carefully through the dilapidated building, his eyes taking in the complete stillness of the place. Of course, it was daytime, and many of those who called the house home slept during these hours. Still, too quiet, thought Parker.

As he entered the largest room in the building Parker took in the lack of table and chairs, and he stared in surprise. "It's empty…"
"Not entirely." A voice responded from behind him, but before Parker could turn to see who had spoken something heavy and hard struck his skull, and his world went black.

"Do you think he's dead?"

"No, moron, I can see im breathin."

Parker groaned as he regained consciousness. He opened his eyes blearily to see a short heavy-set man and a tall thin man watching him. "See," the short one turned to the tall one, pointing a stubby finger at Parker, "He aint dead."

Parker squinted at them, not recognizing either. He tried to move his arms but found that they and his legs were bound to a chair he now sat in. "Who are you?"

The thin man shook his head, "No, motherfucker, you came inta our house, who the fuck are you?"

Parker blinked as he thought on what to say, taking in the ratty clothing that both men wore and their odor, which he could smell from across the room.

"Okay, maybe that doesn't matter; I don't think you're who I was looking for. I was trying to find my cousin, and either I came into the wrong house, or he moved."

The short man laughed, "Nobody's actually lived here for years, asshole, so your story don't add up. You better tell me the truth or Lefty here is gonna fuck you up."

True to the fat man's word, 'Lefty' palmed a set of brass knuckles from his own baggy pants and slipped them over his fist menacingly. Parker found it ironic that it was his right hand. "You lookin to loot us, kid, or you thinking of setting up shop here?"

Lefty belted Parker across the cheek, and bright lights flashed across his vision as he bit back the pain. "You usually hit people before you hear the answer?"

That elicited another agonizing blow to the face, and the thick man added his own question, "You sellin? If you are best say now. Your duds are too nice to think you're just lookin for a place to sleep."

Parker spat blood and glared at the man hitting him, "I'm not selling, so no there are no drugs for you to steal from me. I'm looking for my cousin John King."

Both men perked up, and the short one gave him a discerning stare, "Then what's your name, son?"

Parker gave him a bloody smile, "Parker Robbins. What, now you realize what pricks you've been?"

Lefty raised his fist but the other man stepped forward and shrugged the arm aside, "Yeah, we've shared a few awnings with your cuz; he's unable to hold his liquor and dumb as a rock, but he's not bad people."

Lefty glared at his partner a moment then sighed, leaning forward to untie Parker, "Okay, I'll admit that not everyone's gonna know about our washed up John King."

Parker massaged his jaw as he looked at one man then the other, "Do you know where he might have gone from here, then?"

Both men shook their heads, and Lefty shrugged, "We didn't even know he was ever holed up here. It's a hell of a nice place to do so, but the thugs that was here afore only just moved out this week."

Parker nodded, and then snatched Lefty by the back of his head, slamming the taller man head first into the chair as his other hand retrieved the pistol from Lefty's pants. Parker pulled the hammer back as he pointed the weapon at Lefty's temple and both men froze, the short man still halfway out of his chair.

Parker took a deep breath and spoke in even tones, "Don't ever touch me again or I kill you, and don't steal a man's gun just to stick it in your fucking pants. The safety was still off; you could've blown your own sack open."

Lefty nodded slowly, otherwise still as the grave, as did his compatriot. The thick man licked his lips and spoke hesitantly, "We didn't mean real harm; we was just afraid you was gonna turn this into a crack house or somethin."

Parker grunted and pushed Lefty over, the other man landing on his back to stare with wide eyes full of fear. "Well next time you think to hit first and ask questions with fucking brass knuckles later, remember this." Parker unloaded a round into Lefty's leg and left as the man began to cry out in pain.