Chapter 54: Moments and Motives
**Earth-10005, 1984 – Jean's Room**
After Peter finished explaining to Hank what had happened with Lorna, the room fell into a heavy silence. Hank sat on the chair infront of Jean's bed and his brow furrowed as he processed the information.
Finally, he broke the silence. "Okay, this is getting confusing. If Lorna isn't Pietro's biological sister, then that means—"
Peter cut him off with a chuckle. "It means Erik slept with a lot of women in his life. And maybe, in the future, all his kids will come here looking for their father. The entire school could end up filled with Erik's children—and grandchildren." He laughed and is clearly amused by the mental image.
Hank shot him a stern look. "This isn't funny, Peter. How did she even get information about the Sentinels?"
Peter shrugged and his laughter fading slowly, "She has her own ways. Or maybe she's just lucky."
Hank sighed while pinching the bridge of his nose. "If you don't want to talk, just say so." He stood up, "It's best to let her stay here until Charles comes back. He'll know what to do."
As Hank moved toward the door, Peter called out, "What would you do if you had to make the decision, Hank?"
Hank paused as his hand resting on the door handle. He turned back with serious expression, "I'd do whatever I could to make sure she doesn't end up going down the wrong path—just like her father once did." With that, he left the room, leaving Peter alone with his thoughts.
Peter flopped onto the bed, closing his eyes to calm himself. He replayed the earlier confrontation with Lorna in his mind. 'Maybe I went too far with her,' he thought. 'She's just a teenage girl with some issues. There was no need to be so harsh.'
Determined to make amends, Peter got up and headed to the garden, where Lorna was sitting with Jean and Alex.
As he approached, Lorna visibly tensed, and Alex immediately stepped between them with his arms crossed.
"I'm sorry for earlier, Lorna," Peter said, "I was angry at someone else and took it out on you. I shouldn't have behaved like that."
Alex scoffed. "Yeah, you better be sorry and that sounds like a pretty lame excuse."
Peter sighed while glancing at Alex. "Are we never going to be friends?"
Alex shrugged. "Maybe I just don't want to be your friend."
Peter turned to Jean, who gave him a small, encouraging smile. He nodded in return before addressing Lorna again. "Hank thinks it's best if you stay here until the Professor gets back."
As Peter walked away, Alex muttered to Jean, "How can you stand being with such a jerk?"
Jean smiled softly with her gaze following Peter. "You're only seeing his actions, Alex. I see the reasons behind them. He's just like us—flawed, with his own issues. He stood by me when no one else did. He's helped me in ways I can't even explain." She paused with her eyes lingering on Peter as he turned back to glance at her. They shared a brief smile before he continued walking.
"He's the most important person in my life," Jean added, "And the best thing that's ever happened to me."
Lorna watched Peter's retreating figure, then turned to Jean. "Alright. You can go now. I'm fine."
Alex also sat down beside Lorna, "It's better if you go to your boyfriend. I'll stay with her."
Jean nodded before giving Lorna one last reassuring look. "Okay. But if you need anything, you know where to find me." She glanced at Alex, who gave her a curt nod, before walking away.
As Jean left, Lorna sighed. "She's lucky to have a boyfriend like that."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"
Lorna smiled faintly. "She loves him, but I can tell he loves her even more—just from the way he looks at her." She turned to Alex with thoughtful look, "It's every girl's dream to have someone who'd do anything for her."
Alex leaned back while staring at the sky. "Yeah. I don't like him personally, but I'll give him that. He really cares about her."
The two sat in comfortable silence for a while before their conversation picked up again. Slowly, the tension eased, and they began to laugh a little more, finding common ground in their shared experiences.
.
.
.
As Jean entered her room, she found Peter lying on her bed while staring at the ceiling. A soft smile spread across her face as she approached him. Without a word, she climbed onto the bed, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his chest. Peter instinctively held her close with one hand gently caressing her hair.
For a moment, they lay in comfortable silence, the rhythm of Peter's heartbeat soothing Jean. But then she tilted her head up with her eyes searching his. "So," she began softly, "can you tell me why you were so angry earlier? I've never seen you like that before."
Peter sighed. Instead of speaking, he reached out telepathically, sharing the memory of his encounter with Miguel—the accusations, the tension, and the weight of the multiverse's expectations. Jean's eyes widened as the images and emotions flooded her mind.
When the connection faded, Jean lifted her head again and her gaze locked with his. "Peter… I don't know what to say."
He gently placed his hand on her head, guiding it back to his chest. "You don't have to say anything," he murmured. "Let's just stay like this for a while."
Jean nodded, hugging him tighter as they lay together, the warmth of their connection pushing away the lingering shadows of Peter's anger. For a while, the world outside didn't matter. It was just the two of them, finding solace in each other's presence.
But eventually, Peter opened his eyes, breaking the silence. "Now, let's go meet Aunt May."
Jean lifted her head again with a hint of reluctance in her voice. "How about some other day?"
Peter shook his head, "No. I want you to meet her. And it's time we tell her about my powers… and the multiverse. It's better if she knows as early as possible."
Jean studied his face for a moment and then nodded. "Okay," she said softly. She sat up, and Peter followed, swinging his legs off the bed.
With a shared glance, they stood together. Peter reached for Jean's hand, and in the next moment, the space around them shimmered and dissolved. A second later they both vanished from the place and were no longer on Earth-10005.
...
**Earth-199999 – An Unknown Location**
Inside a normal looking office, Nick Fury sat at his desk, his one sharp eye scanning through a stack of documents Maria Hill had handed him. The files contained detailed information about Peter Parker—a teenager from Queens who had recently gained extraordinary abilities.
The report highlighted Peter's academic achievements, his life with his Aunt May, and his relentless efforts to be a hero despite facing bullying and personal challenges. Fury's expression remained unreadable as he flipped through the pages, absorbing every detail.
Maria stood across from him with her arms crossed behind her back. "Director Fury," she began, breaking the silence, "it's been seven months since your conversation with Peter—the one who claims he's from another universe. You never told me what you discussed."
Fury slowly placed the file on the desk. He leaned back in his chair and his gaze shifting to Maria. "Hill," he said, "It's best you don't know the details of that conversation."
Maria frowned but her concern is evident. "Sir, I've never doubted you, but ever since that talk, you've seemed… shaken. What did he say to you?"
Fury's expression darkened, and for a moment, he said nothing. The room felt heavier, the air thick with unspoken tension. Finally, he spoke in grave tone, "All I can tell you is this: if that kid ever decided to go rogue, there's nothing we could do to stop him. We'd be like ants under his foot—crushed before we even had a chance to react. This will not be like the invasion on New york. It would be over in an instant."
Maria's eyes widened and her usual composure faltering. She had never heard Fury speak with such unease. Her gaze shifted to the small device Fury now held in his hand. He hesitated with his thumb hovering over the button. "It will be wise not to keep an individual of that much power at one place for too long."
"From all the data we've gathered over the past seven months," Fury continued, "he's harmless. But it's for the best if we don't push our luck. Everyone needs to go home from their vacation eventually—and he's no exception."
With a deep breath, Fury pressed the button and placed the device on the table. It activated, projecting a holographic symbol into the front. Maria recognized it immediately—a signal to someone.
"I just hope this goes peacefully when we ask him to leave," Fury muttered with his voice tinged with rare uncertainty.
Then Maria and Fury turned their attention to the monitor on the wall. The screen flickered to life as Fury pressed a button on he remote, displaying a live feed.
It showed Peter Parker sitting at a kitchen table, enjoying breakfast with Wanda. But he suddenly looked at the camera before smiling lightly.
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**Inside the Avengers compound**
The morning sun spilled through the tall windows of the Avengers compound, casting a golden glow over the sleek, modern kitchen. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mixed with the faint scent of pancakes and eggs.
At the center of it all sat Peter and Wanda, sharing breakfast, laughter, and the subtle tension that lingered in the space between them.
Peter chuckled at one of Wanda's jokes, nearly choking on his food. Wanda with a playful grin, continued munching on her scrambled eggs, oblivious to the small smudge of sauce clinging to the corner of her lips. Peter who is sitting beside her, reached over without hesitation, gently wiping it away with his thumb before casually popping it into his mouth.
They both paused and their eyes meeting, and then smiled at the undeniably intimate gesture.
Just then, Sam Wilson strolled into the kitchen, catching the tail end of the moment. He stopped mid-step, raising an eyebrow with a mix of amusement and exasperation on his face.
"Damn," Sam muttered with a smirk, "they're at it again. I swear this place is turning into a love nest for you guys."
Peter and Wanda turned to greet him with friendly smiles.
"Morning, Sam," Peter said while chuckling.
"Hey, Sam," Wanda added while waving her fork slightly.
Sam grabbed a sandwich from the counter, deliberately avoiding the table. "Nope. Not sitting here. I'm not third-wheeling your rom-com."
Peter laughed. "Come on, man. Join us. We're just having breakfast."
Sam shook his head, already backing out of the kitchen. "Nah, I won't disturb your honeymoon phase. Wanda, get ready—we've got a mission soon."
As Sam disappeared down the hall, Wanda turned back to Peter with her smile softening.
"Why don't you join us for the mission? You barely participate in any of them," she said, tilting her head slightly.
Peter wiped the last of his food from his plate and leaned back in his chair. "I've got something to take care of. But how about this—after you're done with the mission, I'll take you shopping?"
Wanda's face lit up like the morning sun. "Don't you dare forget that, Mr. Parker."
Before Peter could respond, Vision entered the room and greeted them with his synthetic voice which is smooth and polite. "Good morning, Peter. Wanda."
They exchanged greetings, but Peter's gaze lingered on Vision, more specifically, on the Mind Stone embedded in his forehead. His stare was subtle but intense, something Vision—if he could feel such things—might have described as unsettling.
Wanda noticed the tension and sighed before standing up. "Peter, go get ready. We'll talk later." She shot Vision a polite smile. "Goodbye, Vision."
Peter finally tore his eyes away before nodding slightly. "Goodbye."
As Wanda left, Peter remained for a heartbeat longer, his gaze once again drifting to the glowing gem on Vision's forehead. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away.
Vision stood there, processing the encounter. If he possessed the full spectrum of human emotions, he might have described the feeling as… unease.
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Later that day, Peter stood on the balcony of the Avengers compound, staring out at the gathering of Avengers as they are about to go on a mission.
Despite being technically "on Earth," he was still very much an outsider—an enigma to most.
The world governments remained blissfully unaware of his true origins, thanks to a forged identity crafted the moment he arrived in this reality. Only Nick Fury and the Avengers knew the truth, and they weren't eager to share that information. The potential consequences were too severe.
The Avengers are busy with their own things instead of bothering him but kept him close.
Pietro was off touring the world, indulging his need for speed and freedom.
Tony Stark had shifted his focus from heroics to his company—and to Pepper. But Peter could see the cracks. The guilt was eating away at him slowly, like rust corroding steel.
Today, the Avengers were heading out to track down CROSSBONES, an operation that would eventually ignite the flames of Civil War.
Peter had no interest in getting involved. But if Wanda needed him, he'd burn the world to the ground for her.
He smiled faintly, seeing her waving at him as she went on the Quintet.
She was strong now, thanks to all the training he'd given her. She could handle herself.
It was time for him to focus on his own path. His break was over.
With a casual thought, Peter teleported and vanishing from the compound in a swirl of blue light.
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**Indian Film Set – Mumbai, India**
Peter reappeared in the middle of a bustling film set. The scene was chaotic yet vibrant, filled with the energy of an Indian action movie in production.
The set was a sprawling outdoor location, designed to look like a crowded marketplace. Brightly colored stalls lined the streets, their awnings fluttering in the breeze. Extras dressed in traditional Indian attire milled about, while crew members adjusted cameras, lights, and props.
At the center of the set, an actor who was preparing to perform a high-octane action sequence. He stood atop a rickety wooden cart, surrounded by fake debris and smoke machines ready to simulate an explosion. The director shouted instructions in Hindi and his voice carrying over the din of the set.
Peter watched from the sidelines with a small smile playing on his lips. He activated his powers, and a green energy pulsed from Peter's body, expanding like a wave and freezing everything—and everyone—on the set. Cameras hung mid-swing, people paused mid-stride, even dust particles suspended in the air like stars in the void.
Except for one person who blinked, looking around in confusion before his eyes landed on Peter. "What… what's going on?" he asked in surprise.
Peter stepped forward with his smile widening. "It's nice to meet you. I'm a big fan of your work," he said, "Now, how about we talk about doing a favor for your fan?"
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