sorry for the late update everyone, hope you all enjoy
The sun rose with a reddish orange tinge and a rooster with an attitude problem crowed from his perch of Peter's bedroom window "UGH! I hate this place who lets a rooster in the window!" Peter screamed whipping his bedside lamp at the rooster scaring it out the window "freaking chicken come back here again I'll deep fry you!" Peter was extremely cranky this morning and why not he hadn't slept very well in days his team was still on the mend, he had no idea what was happening back in his time and for the past 3 days James has been trying to help him prefect his quick draw capabilities since his encounter with the general was "luck".
Groaning and protesting Peter pulled his blankets over his head ignoring his door being opened "rise and shine cutie! Marek wants to see you", Peter didn't have to look over his blankets to know Laura was standing at the foot of his bed egging him on. "Go away!" he deadpanned,
Laura however only smiled Peter was starting to take on a "road" persona he was crabby and gruff "can't do that" she said walking to his side "come on…" she grabbed the bed frame and with all her might heaved it over "…get up Peter" the bed flipped over and Peter toppled over to the floor, "hey w-whoa!" he yelped crashing onto the cold stone floor ("Ava! Right there was an Ava stunt!")
"OW!" Peter growled as he dragged himself up "really! Was that really necessary!"
Laura didn't reply at first, her mouth hung agape and her eyes were fixed in surprise Peter wasn't wearing a shirt but his body wasn't even scratched he had been shot same as the others but not even a scratch on him "what are you?" she asked eyeing Peter suspiciously. "You were shot with a 3oo. Caliber bullet and not even a scratch meanwhile everyone else had to undergo severe disinfecting and stitching so what are you…are you like James?" something in the way she asked that didn't sit with Peter almost as if she didn't think very highly of James's background.
"Not completely, I'm something else, but I suggest you try and get over that distrust you have of James he's a good man" Peter said throwing on his kid arachnid outfit "where's Marek?"
Laura led Peter to the hospital wing of the monastery Colt & Rawhide were still out cold while Sasha was back in the baths, Marek was sitting on his bed with a bottle of tequila "thanks Laura…kid I think we owe you and James and debt of gratitude if it wasn't for two we'd all have died in the canyon…" Peter opened his mouth to respond but Marek quickly cut him off "…Peter I know how to send you home and I promise I will but I think I'll need your help to finally end this so if you help me I'll help you" Marek finished with a swig from his bottle.
Laura had overheard everything between them Peter was going "home" where ever that was, she fell back against the wall she had thought he was a permanent part of Marek's team but he wasn't.
"We're family Marek of course I'll help you finish this, but from now on think things through because unlike James we can die!" Peter snapped, the priests all turned head towards him "sorry padres" Peter mumbled,
Marek leaned back on his bed with an amused smile on his face "fair enough kid I made a poor judgement call and put my team at risk I can swallow my pride and admit I was wrong…and think it's time I told you how I knew about you and your powers…" Peter perched himself on the wall and waited for Marek to explain, he was curious how Marek knew his secret.
"kid there's ancient Japanese relic in the Wyoming mountains called the sceptre of time Colt, myself and a former member of our team called phantom rider his real name was carter slade, we found this relic in the mountains where Japanese refugees were hiding from the railway company, a young woman had broken her ankle Cater tried to help her he grabbed this old dusty and cracked relic and in blast of white light and blue lightning Carter and I were transported to the year 2020 where we met a man named Johnny Blaze who shared Carters abilities a spirted bounty hunter, during our time Johnny asked us to help him track a demon whom had possessed a young woman in a tiger suit which is where I met you although you somehow already knew who I was…you were also tracking the young woman. You cared for her, tried to protect her by every means including intervening against us the extent you went to in attempt to save her were admirable, then you surprised me…you took out Carter but Blaze, after a hard hit to the skull agreed to do things your way…you two purged the demon from the girl saving her, afterwards the 4 of us talked, I learned your true identity before returning to my own time"
Peter was at a loss for words Marek had also travelled through time and yet Peter knew him before Marek and himself had met. ("How does that work? Somebody please tell me")
"I'll help you get home Peter but I need your unwavering determination and stubbornness to help end this age old battle with Shade" Marek said "for your piece of mind…the tiger woman showed you true affection after the demon was purged from her"
Peter was now smiling like a hero who just received a medal under his bandana Ava was a part of his future and showed him affection maybe there was hope yet. "Marek…Shade called you little brother and said something about a guy named Billy?" he asked nervously,
"Another time junior" Marek yawned "now I need to rest check on Sasha will you? Not all the fathers are as devout as they claim…then again some of the sisters could be called into question as well" the empty bottle fell to the floor Marek was passed out drunk.
Peter made his way to the back rooms towards the baths knocking on the door "Sasha?" he called out,
"It's open!"
Peter poked his head through the door Sasha was nearly submerged in water and bubbles "its fine kid no need to be shy" Sasha nonchalantly said waving him in. Peter remained a little uncomfortable with each enclosing step finally stopping at the edge of the tub, "you've seemed to have healed up nicely" she said looking him over "pity the rest of us don't benefit from that" Sasha shifted in the water causing a nervous Peter to avert his eyes to his boots. Sasha took notice of Peter discomfort and allowed herself to sink deeper into the bubbles,
"We're eh…we're riding out as soon you and the guys are ready" he said scratching his head while looking at his boots, these kinds of encounters were still weird for Peter to deal with. ("What? So I'm not used to a woman being so casual about a guy walking in on her bath")
"So…yeah thought you'd want to know"
As quick as he came Peter retreated through doors leaving Sasha alone in her bath, "I swear before I go home I'll get used to this world" told himself in a strict tone.
James came into the mess hall carrying a bag "hey runt come here and give me a hand will you?" he asked waiving Peter over to him "I caught dinner" he laughed as the bag slammed down on the table as If it were heavy prompting Peter to stare at it he was sure it moved,
"What…is that?" Peter gulped.
James simply smirked as he handed Peter a bowie knife "rattle snakes, don't worry they're dead…mostly"
Peter stared with a grimace at the bag "I am not touching a bag full of mostly dead rattle snakes!" he shuddered. James rolled his eyes at him and reached into the bag pulling a dead diamond back out of the bag "see dead you big baby"
Seeing the dead snake Peter hesitantly reached into the bag ("please let them be dead") with trembling fingers he felt the dry gritty scaly surface of the snake bodies his face cringed when felt a head move under his fingertips "AH!" he screamed jumping out of his chair away from the table, his heart was pounding while James was killing himself laughing Peter saw one of his claws extended and was poking into the bag he moved that snake.
"You freaking suck you know that!" Peter yelled still wiggling his fingers making sure he still had 5 "bastard" he mumbled.
"Ah lighten up kid it was just some harmless fun" James laughed,
"You suck" Peter spat back.
They locked eyes briefly but the tension quickly subsided when another priest entered the room and looked upon the two with worried eyes "uh…sorry to interrupt but you asked my fellow believers to oversee what remained of your attackers?"
James rose from his chair in a cross expression of anger and curiosity "and?" he questioned.
"and we have discovered that a group of a dozen men were spotted riding south west one of whom fit the description you gave us" the priest finished before exiting leaving Peter and James to sit in confusion,
"Freaking priest's man don't underestimate them" Peter joked.
James however picked up his belt and grabbed Peter by the scruff of his shirt "come on kid the others will be up and ready soon and your skills still need some fine tuning" he growled.
(2014)
Ava stayed the night at May Parkers in Peter's room after the emotionally draining day that was yesterday.
(flashback: Ava just finished reading Peter's letter her voice was hitched in her throat "he can't come home, he can't come home and the thing I said to him was his half antics would get him killed" these thoughts and similar ones swarmed through Ava's mind as tears dropped from her eyes to the letter oblivious to Aunt mays presence.
"Ava…is that Spider-mans mask?" Aunt May asked.
Ava's tears streaked own her cheeks faster and faster when she closed her eyes and nodded the responsibility fell to her to tell Aunt May about Peters other life, "did something happen to Peter?" Aunt May whimpered over the other items his web shooters, eye less mask and his cell phone. But Ava was still too choked up to answer right away to which Aunt May took as an indication to a worst case scenario "Ava please he was my nephew long before he was Spider-man….please tell me what happened" she pleaded.
Ava wiped her eyes dry knowing she had to be strong not just for her sake but for Aunt Mays to, "h-how long have you...you known?" Ava was stammering. The professional head strong Ava Ayala was stammering from being scared, Aunt May already knew Peter was Spider-man.
"I've always known Ava…ever since the night Ben died Peter became so aloof, he would come home at the latest hours of the night sometimes until the morning and the bruises the cuts, the blood his sheets would be soaked and I would find bandages piled up in his garbage can and then there was the news stories about the man in the red mask attacking criminals fitting the description of Bens killer…but the biggest hint was you kids Spider-man teams up with 4 new young heroes and a few months later the shield heli-carrier crashes in the ocean and Peter brings home 4 new friends that night…" Aunt May trailed off to let Ava process what she was telling her, she could understand Ava's pain losing someone you held so close treasured even was capable of leaving the impression that a part of your soul had been ripped away leaving you empty and alone with a permeant emotional scar…like a tattoo on your heart.
"Mrs. Parker…I am so sorry…Peter's gone because of me…" Ava sniffled, "he's trapped in some other time because of me…we were at the Baxter tower. One of Mr. Fantastic' experiments went wrong it created a vortex…" Ava lost her voice she hated this next part "…I tried Mrs. Parker, I had him in my grasp but the vortex was starting to pull us both in and he…he pulled free of my grip…I'm so sorry Mrs. Parker it's all my fault! I can't forgive myself much less to ask it from you"
Aunt May sat in disarray at Ava's guilt driven tale. From her perspective Ava tried to save Peter but knowing her nephews feelings about losing the people he cared about, Peter's choice to save Ava was just that his own choice. "Ava there is nothing to forgive" her voice was surprisingly calm and steady "while I'm heartbroken that I'll never see my boy again, I can't help but be proud of him for everything he's done and the people he saved…he's my son and I'll always love him and miss him but if this letter is true I can take comfort in knowing he is ok and still making his uncle and me proud in another time and I know he wouldn't want you blaming yourself for his choice" Aunt May finished.
"I loved him Mrs. Parker…I really did" Ava whispered,
Aunt May smiled a heartwarming smile "then keep looking for him dear just don't let it consume your life, don't forget to live your life" she replied taking Ava in a tight hug "just be strong Ava"
Ava stifled a sniffle Aunt Mays embrace was warm and comforting as were her words, Peter was still gone but she would not give up her search despite his letter she was going to prove history wrong and the Arachnid kid was not going to die. end flashback)