Spider-Man and Power Girl
Chapter 20: Peter and Kara
Peter felt a bit odd knocking on the door in front of him, it had been a couple of weeks since the incident at Horizon and things at work were finally getting back to normal. He had been busy as usual with his Spider-Man side of his life of course. Then he got a message from Kara to see if he wanted to come on over.
He had nothing really going so he figured why not? They had talked a little bit from the Horizon incident, as both of them having busy lives but this was the first time in awhile since they had been able to just sit down and talk. The door opened to Kara in loose jeans and a red t-shirt.
"Hey there, come on in," Kara got out of the way.
"I have to admit, it's odd coming in here outside of the costume," Peter commented and noticed a few changes since he last got here. There were a couple of house plants, a painting on the wall, it was of a nice little landscape that most likely you could get from any store. He doubted she threw her money at some expensive famous art piece she couldn't afford.
"The place is coming along," he noted.
"Oh yeah, give me a few months and this place will start to feel like home," she went to the coffee maker. "I was making some, you want a cup?"
"Never say no to coffee," Peter smiled as he sat down at the small dining table. "You have no idea how many nights and days that had to get me through."
"I can guess," she smirked. Even though she didn't technically need it she enjoyed the drink. Giving him a cup she noted he took his with some sugar and no cream. She had a bit of a sweat tooth herself as the pure bitterness of black coffee wasn't to her taste.
"Any special reason you called me over?" Peter asked.
"Well things were calm, and I know we didn't talk much after Horizon," she took a sip. "Given we know each other outside of the costume was I was curious to get to know the real you."
Peter shrugged, "Not much different with the mask on, oh sure I'll act out a bit more and stuff with the mask on but I'm still the science geek at heart."
"Well given you're the first real friend I made here and helped me out so much in getting started I wanted to get to know you behind the mask," Kara told him. "I know that with the suit on people let out a side of them that they hide but also hide a part of them that usually is under the costume too."
"I figured you were pretty much the same in or out," He admitted.
Kara shrugged. "Mostly, but I like the simple stuff in life. Back when I ran my own company I didn't live in some high rise, I lived in a modest apartment and looked very normal in just average clothing."
"Normal," Peter grinned. "Says the walking heart attack."
Kara smiled and rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean, I always tried to have a normal home life. Have friends and just hang out."
The smile slowly fell from her face as her eyes got that longing look in them for older times. Peter instinctively reached out to gently place his hand on hers to let her know he was there. There was a moment she locked eyes with him seeing a mirror of understanding in them.
"Sorry, still going through therapy." She muttered breaking the look.
"How is that going?"
She thought about it for a moment. "Honestly, I do feel better these days, I don't feel like my life is one cosmic joke and the rug is going to get pulled out from under me any day now. I still miss everything though. I miss my world, how it used to be, how friends I had no longer exist and even if they do in some way they wouldn't know me. I think that last bit is the worse, remembering them but being, well it's worst then just being forgotten. You can't forget what never happened."
Peter solemnly said. "I can't imagine what that last one is like, but I get loss. I think everyone's lost something in this line of work. I know Tony lost his parents, Cap lost his entire era and woke up in a world that was totally different, sometimes I feel like we have to deal with so much it's a wonder we don't just break."
Kara nodded her head she was tougher than any metal she could think of but at times like this she felt as brittle as clay.
"If you don't mind me asking…" she looked up at him.
Peter took a breath as he thought about all the losses in his life. "I guess there are a lot but the most memorable I guess were my parents, I was really young when they died. Then my uncle Ben who raised me, he's the one that taught me that with great power comes great responsibility."
Karen thought about those words, they were simple but, in a way, if you looked deeper had much more meaning. Especially for people like them, people that had great power, she could literally lift all of Manhattan Island. It would be so easy to just use her powers for herself but that wasn't her. She wanted to show the world that there was someone out there that would help them if they needed it.
"I like that saying." She said.
Peter got a sad smile on his face. "Yeah, me too. Well after that there are a few personal tragedies. God, just thinking about it all is hard. I think Captain Stacey, he was this cop that died saving this kid from a fight between me and Doctor Octopus, I was there for him in the end. Strangest thing is he knew who I was. I never figured out when or how he knew, I didn't get the chance to ask. Then there was Gwen…"
Kara saw the pain in his eyes at that.
"She was…well…she was the first love of my life. She had this smile that lit up a room and she was really smart, one of the things we bonded over." He leaned back as memories overcame him. "We had our rough patches, but we made it work in the end."
"And then?" She asked having a feeling where this was going.
"She died," Peter's face fell with all the guilt of that day on his shoulders. He never forgave himself for what happened that day. Putting her into that situation even unintentionally, and then failing to save her. "She died because of me, I failed to save her."
Kara could see the wound on this was deep and terrible on him, "There really are no words huh?"
"Not really," he shook his head. "I mean I've heard them all from 'I'm sorry for your loss' to 'are you okay?' that last one I don't think anyone really answers honestly."
"Not really, we always say 'okay' or 'I will be' but we never just admit we feel like crap." Kara looked down at her coffee. "Great, now I started us down all this depressing conversation I do feel like crap."
"Hey, you didn't know the pandora's box you were opening," Peter assured her. "And yeah, that's a deep wound but it was years ago and I'm a lot better these days."
"I guess moving on is all we can do after a while," Kara sat back in her chair looking around. "It's either move on or we stand still and go mad with everything weighing us down."
"Yeah, that's true," he took a sip of his coffee. "I mean that was one of the worst times of my life, but I did move on eventually."
"Oh?" Kara sipped as she got interested in this. "I do remember something about you recently being out of a relationship when I first got here."
Peter winced, "Yeah not one of the best ways I got dumped. At least with MJ and Black Cat it was nicer than that and MJ and I are still on friendly terms."
"I have no idea who those are and Black Cat?"
"Oh right, uh, well Mary Jane Watson is an actress and model."
"I call BS right there," she stated in a half joking way.
"Look her up," Peter grinned as Kara paused for a moment before digging out her phone.
Karen was not expecting to see a beautiful red head with green eyes as the search result. Apparently, the woman really was a model and had been in a few movies, but she was best known for her role for a few years on a soap opera called Secret Hospital, she never heard of it but just assumed it was just another difference in their worlds. Also, the fact that she never got into soap operas, there was just too much backstory to learn to get started for once thing.
Out of curiosity she typed in 'Black Cat' she got some cat results but what caught her eye were articles about a cat burglar. There weren't many images, but the few good ones showed a beautiful woman with long white hair in a very skintight black outfit.
"You dated a thief?" She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Felecia is, well she's complicated," Peter admitted and so was their relationship. There was just so much to cover and the whole on again, off again nature of their romance hadn't helped.
Karan just let out a laugh. "You're as bad as Bruce." She saw the confused look on his face. "He's been known to have an on again off again relationship with another cat themed thief in Gotham called Catwoman."
Peter was silent for a moment processing that. "So, wait, there are two cat-themed thieves who have I assume have complicated relationships with their respective heroes? I don't know if this is some kind of cosmic joke or just a really weird parallel of our worlds. Like both have heroes and villains, super teams and stuff like that."
"And you think cat themed sometimes villains, sometimes not villain is one of them?"
"I mean it's kind of odd how close you described them, does this Catwoman have white hair?"
Kara shook her head. "Nope, black hair." She looked down at her phone again. "Although they do have similar taste in clothing."
"I swear the multiverse is just weird," Peter sighed. "But now that I know someone else has gone through that, I don't feel so bad about it. Okay so that's enough of my dating life, what about you then? Any romantic skeletons in your closet?"
Kara thought about it. "Honestly? My dating life has been kind of limited. There was this one guy that might have been nice. Jimmy Olsen who worked at this newspaper the Daily Planet, thing is, he caught me fighting my evil clone and nearly would have gotten hurt by covering it."
Peter winced. "Ugh, clones, why is it always clones? I lost count of how many clones were made of me."
"Seriously?"
"Oh yeah, I think I would need like a white board to get it all straight, but I get it. The whole not wanting to put someone in harm's way thing, that's a major relationship killer."
Kara nodded. "Yeah, exactly and he would do just that because it's his job to report on things. I tried with a few other heroes, but nothing really clicked." She remembered her very brief tries with Atom, Firestorm and that one time she slept with Hal Jordon. They weren't bad or anything, but she just hadn't found that person that just seemed to fit.
Honestly, she found that Peter remaindered her a lot of Jimmy, only a bit more intelligent, had superpowers and so he could handle himself more in dangerous situations.
"Yeah, I get that," Peter nodded. "Every time I think I found just the right girl it seems life keeps throwing complications to the point that it ruins it all. Some didn't know about my Spider-Man life, some did, Felecia was more interested in Spider-Man than who was under the mask, and it just seems like as soon as I get somewhere my legs get swept under me."
"At least you sound like you got more chances than me," she sighed leaning her elbow on the table. "What I wouldn't give for a nice and decent relationship. No secrets, no ulterior motives, just a nice and healthy relationship."
"That does sound nice," he nodded with a smile. "Oh well, until then we can keep each other company."
"What am I, the consolation prize?" She half joked.
"Oh, please if you were a consolation prize everyone would intentionally fail to get you," he took the last of his drink.
"Oh really?" She tilted her head with a smirk. "Do tell."
"Uh…well…" he wasn't sure what to say here. Does he go with flattery, honesty or more of a neutral thing to say here?
"Go on, be honest." She told him as she couldn't wait to hear what he came up with.
"Honest huh?" he sat back for a moment. "So honestly, I think you're an amazing woman. You're super smart to the point that I just enjoy holding scientific conversations with you, you're caring, I know because you seriously care what happens to those around you. You fight hard to protect everyone you can, and you got this warmth about you, despite all that life had thrown at you, you still get up every morning and try."
"It also doesn't hurt you're one of the most beautiful women I know…" He paused at that last bit as he was worried, he might have said too much.
Kara wasn't prepared for such a statement, and she felt touched by his words, she felt something warm deep inside of her. She smiled as she felt the slight blush forming on her face as she fought to keep it down. Her hand brushing the hair on the side of her head.
"Oh, well, thank you for being honest." She wasn't sure what else to say. No one had just come out and said something like that to her. Oh, sure she got the told things like how sexy she was or how pretty but from his lips that last statement felt earnest. She was very touched by his words because of the genuine feeling behind them.
She had to admit that Peter was a very nice guy, he was kind and caring and she was starting to see why he seemed to have women of that caliber attracted to him.
'He is kind of handsome without the mask,' some part of her brain offered, she wasn't sure how to feel about that. She was hoping she wasn't just projecting feelings because of how much he had been helpful towards her. 'Great something new to talk to my shrink about.'
Peter really hoped he wasn't crossing a line with her. He knew she was just now getting her feet firmly planted for the first time since she got here and didn't want to rock the boat. Even if he did admit that Kara was a very attractive women and he wasn't just talking about her looks. Okay yes, she looked amazing, but it was also that hear and brain of hers that really caught his attention.
'Come on Peter, pull it back, think of something else to distract the conversation,' he mentally told himself as he tried to think of something. "So…you said you ran a software company, I don't think we ever talked what kind of software."
Glad for the distraction Kara launched into what her company had been about, it was good to talk about it again. She missed her old job and the people she used to interact on a daily basis. Thankfully Peter was more interested in the technical side of things, something she could use to focus on. The two talked about software and going back and forth on their own ideas. Peter had a plan in the back of his mind about this 'webware' technology, but he was so busy with other things it was just something always on the back burner.
Kara asked some questions about his idea and while rough and incomplete she had to admit it held promise. If she still had her company, she would have hired him on the spot to develop it. The idea of a device that could give you affordable, clear and unlimited data was something she could see taking the market by storm.
"I'm surprised you haven't developed that idea more," Kara told him.
Peter shrugged. "I only recently came up with the idea, still got a long way to go. I don't even have any designs for it just an idea. Plus, with all the time and effort I put into helping around Horizon or doing other research and my Spider-Man gear, I could use a few more of me to help around."
Kara smirked. "Too bad you don't have super speed."
"Still a broken power," he joked at her.
"But effective," she shot back. "I once went around the world solving problems in twelve seconds."
That impressed Peter but then a thought hit him. "I don't think I've seen you outside of the city."
Karen shifted a little. "Yeah, there's a reason for that. I've been trying to get my footing before I try and travel the world. This New York is starting to feel comfortable but I'm worried that every time I travel the world, I'll keep seeing all the missing things. Just this country alone has several cities I know that just aren't here, not to mention a few countries that aren't here and are replaced with something else."
"I just wanted to get used to things before I go off into the deep end."
Peter could see where she was coming from and nodded his head. "Well, I think that's a good idea, get used to things first and take it one step at a time."
Kara snorted, "You sound like my therapist now."
"Well then I charge a coffee and snacks," Peter joked.
Kara couldn't help but smirk, "Cheaper than Doc Sampson's rates."
"So, any plans for the day?" Peter asked trying not to sound awkward.
Kara shrugged, "Not really, taking a 'me' day, I've been told it's good for my mental health to just decompress now and then so here I am, decompressing. I got a few films I've been meaning to watch, mainly stuff that's a bit different then what's at home."
"Oh? Well now I'm curious," Peter wanted to know all the differences there might be to the films and TV he knew from his world. Part of him was hoping that maybe there were ways to get some from, well he was going to say 'her world' but that wasn't accurate anymore as her timeline was just gone now. Maybe the world that took its place would have similar stuff.
"Well, I don't mind the company," Kara picked out a DVD film as she got a bag a popcorn. She got a large bowl and using heat vision popped it.
"That's handy," Peter noticed what she was doing just holding the bag as the red beams came out the heat not bothering her hand. "Surprised the bag doesn't go up in flames."
"Took me five tries to get it right," Kara admitted as she could have just used the microwave but that was always imprecise, it always left unpopped ones in the bag and sometimes cooked it too much. This way she could get every single one and not overheat the others.
The movie was and older action film, Kara loved action films and apparently Peter enjoyed them too. Turns out they shared a lot of similar movie tastes, she always was what Earthers called a bit of a 'tomboy' but she didn't care, she liked what she liked.
Little comments were made between them, both about how when you jumped through a window it never goes into how the glass usually cuts you while doing it, especially your clothing. She made a few comments on the changes to the film from the original time she watched it. At some point in the film, she ended up leaning against his shoulder.
It surprised her by just how nice it felt, it was a calming sensation, a sense of comfort she hadn't felt in a long time.
Peter for his part wasn't sure what to do in this situation, she was a good friend, but he couldn't deny she was also an attractive woman. Part of him wondered if she was sending signs or not, even after all his relationships he still wasn't sure about certain things at times, at least at the start. Sure, once he started dating a woman things went well (for the most part) but it was that start up phase that he got all awkward with.
He decided to just let things go as they were, at least that was the plan until she rested her head on his shoulder. That really made him lose focus of the film as he was wondering what to do next. He could try and move his arm behind her to get more comfortable, but would that seem too forward?
He mentally sighed, this was starting to become a problem. The more time he spent with her the more he started to like her, and he wasn't sure where he stood with her. It was nearly five months since she came to this world, yet he wasn't sure if she was even ready for relationships or if she even liked him.
Kara's mind was also starting to wonder.
'This feels nice,' she thought as she was enjoying the moment. She was trying to remember the last time she felt this around another person. Most likely Terra, god how she missed that young woman. She had no idea if she even existed anymore and preferred not to find out. She hoped that she was still alive and just living in her underground community because if she found out none of that existed anymore, it would just tear her heart apart.
'And here comes the depression,' Kara thought feeling that deep aching pain in her chest again. It happened every time she thought about how her life was just erased, it was all gone and there was no way of getting it back. A whole different world had replaced hers again and it hurt so much more this time around.
"Hey, you okay?" Peter asked seeing the expression on her face.
"Oh sorry," she mentally cursed herself she didn't want anyone to see her like this, she hated feeling like this and others seeing her like this. Granted he had seen her at her worst, so it wasn't too bad, but it just made her feel awkward.
Peter knew that while she put on a brave front, there were days she struggled. He knew pain and loss, but she had in in spades. So, he moved his arm around to place it across her shoulders and gave her a small one-armed hug. Sometimes words can't really to justice, and it was actions that spoke the loudest. Kara for a split second wanted to pull away but most of her just wanted some kind of comfort.
She leaned into it resting her head on his shoulder, her mind no longer on the movie or anything else. She just wanted to focus on this warm soothing feeling she was getting. Once more he was her rock, the one thing that was keeping her calm and stable. Giving her something to hold on to while her mind and emotions felt like a raging storm inside of herself.
'He really is a good man,' she thought of how kind and helpful he was, not only to her but he had seen how he was as Spider-Man. It reminded her a bit of Kal but a little less serious all the time.
"Sorry for being a mess." She stated.
He rested his head against hers in that moment. "We're all a mess, apparently, I've been told I got a guilt complex and have to carry the world on my shoulders. So, we all have our own issues."
He had been told that by a few closest to him and once by Logan. Looking back, he couldn't really refute the claims, he did feel a lot of guilt. For every live he failed to save it hit him hard and only made him try harder so there wouldn't be a next one. It didn't stop from there being a next one but then the cycle continues.
Kara smirked, "You ever thought of therapy?"
"I know I'm a bit of a basket case already."
"No, you're not, but it is good to talk to someone," she knew firsthand about that. Her therapy sessions had been helping her deal with her trauma and loss.
Peter wasn't sure how well that would work but he couldn't deny that he missed having someone in his life to share things with. The spell might have been helpful to keep his family and loved ones safe but the few friends he had that knew he was Peter Parker now only knew him as Spider-Man.
'Maybe she's right, it's time to start opening up again,' he thought. Although this time he would be careful on who knew his identity. As much as he liked Tony, it had been his idea to reveal his face to the world. That lead to so many problems that he just didn't trust Tony. Sure, the guy thought he was doing the right thing but the problem with Tony was that when he thought he knew better or thought it was the right thing, he put on blinders and didn't want to see or hear any other option.
The Fantastic Four were on his list to tell that was certain, hell the kids considered him an honorary 'uncle' by this point. He wasn't that close to the X-Men, and he was sure if Logan hadn't figured it out like last time he would with that nose of his. Maybe Daredevil? He was pretty sure if he met Peter Parker and Spider-Man in a short time frame his ears would pick up the similar heartbeat.
There were a couple of others on the short list, Jessica Jones knew him in high school, maybe it was only fair to let her know him again and her husband by association.
While he was lost in thought Kara was just enjoying the moment. How it felt so nice to feel to have someone in her life she could confide in and get emotional support from. That was something she was missing, sure she had started to make friends, but everyone needed that person you could always turn to when life started to get too much for you.
A part of her was starting to wonder when the time came and she was ready, maybe this relationship could be more than just friends. She had to admit that Peter was attractive, she liked being around him, he treated her as an equal and listened to her. She loved their long talks and being here right now she allowed her mind to think what if this was just a normal date?
She killed that line of thinking she wasn't ready for that and was it right to go after Peter? Maybe she was having a type of Florence Nightengale syndrome, and she was only thinking this because of how much he helped her? She didn't want her first try at relationships in his universe to be based on something like that.
That's when she jerked her head up and looked in a direction as her hearing picked up something.
"What is it?" Peter asked her.
"Car pileup ten blocks from here, sounds like someone was speeding," she could hear the shouts and yells, people were in pain and needed help.
"Let's go," Peter got up.
"You got your costume?" she asked.
Peter pulled down his shirt to reveal the suit under it. "Never leave home without it."
Kara smiled as he got into her bedroom to quickly change, she had to wait for Peter to finish but he soon came into her bedroom in full costume.
"Alright let's go," he stuck to her ceiling as he opened the skylight.
Kara couldn't help but notice something else. 'Damn, really does have a nice ass…damn it Jen! Stop putting ideas in my head!'
She silently followed taking pains not to look there again. 'Is this how it feels for everyone else to not stare at my chest?'
"Alright lead the way and I'll follow," Spider-Man told her since she knew exactly where the accident happened.
"Got it," she was eager to lead the way as it stopped her from looking all the while cursing She-Hulk and her comment on that Ladies Night about Spider-Man's ass. At this rate she really might have a new topic to talk to her therapist about.
TBC…