A Different World

Reconnecting with an old friend

Peter excused himself from the room as he needed the time to process what he was just told. He asked that he not be followed as he wanted be left alone.

He exited through the main doors and was freely able to roam the facility, his first instinct was to head for his room and lock himself in while he figured things out.

The next idea he has was to go and talk to Lorena herself and see if she knew about it, but he stopped himself as he didn't want to get slapped by that Lorena for asking such a thing or being involved with it in the first place, or potentially ruining the image of their good marriage. He felt like she should know if she didn't already but he couldn't do it.

Lastly he decided that he needed the air and left for the roof. Normally he would go web swinging to clear his head but with being in a different world where you're not only supposed to be dead but your former friends are now your enemies, he thought it would be best to stay close to the base.

Taking a deep breath of the fresh air on the roof Peter stares out at the new city and tries to reconcile with the new information he's just been told about his counterpart.

He had multiple relationships with different women.

He couldn't believe it. Him. The scrawny nerdy kid in high school who got picked on by just about everyone was now in a multi-relationship with who knows how many women.

He sighed out deeply before rubbing the back of his head in slight frustration. "This world... it's so weird. Everything's backwards and... I don't know how to feel about it." He said to himself.

"Well maybe if you talk to someone about it it could make you feel better." Said a voice coming from behind him.

Turning around startled Peter saw Felicia standing there with a small smirk on her face.

"What's eating you huh?" She asked.

Quickly relaxing he decided to open up with her, she after all was a familiar sometimes friendly face to him.

"Did... did Lorena know? That I... or the other me was... seeing other women?" He asked straight away.

"Of course she knew. And no she didn't have a problem with it. If that's what you were going to ask next." Felicia answered.

He was dumbfounded at her casual response. "Why? Why was she okay with it? Why did all of them go along with it like it was nothing?" He asked a bit more confusedly.

"Why? Because they all cared about you dingus. After you... the other you was brought into our group everyone was weary of you. Maybe you were sent as a spy or something, to get information and attack us from within. We didn't know." She explained.

"But after a while we saw what good you were doing. That you really wanted to be better, to do better. We opened up to you, and you with us. You were always there to listen to our problems, what was wrong and how we were feeling. You'd be surprised how much that meant to a lot of us. Myself included." She continued a bit more happily.

"Then... Lorena took an interest in you. You started dating and things were working out well for you both. But then that brought out some jealousy from the others, they relied on you for comfort and it felt like you were picking favourites with her. They got mad and wanted to know why you chose her over the rest."

"Why? Why did I choose her then?" Peter asked curiously.

"You couldn't decide. You saw them all for who they were, how amazing they all were and how important being around them, around us made you feel. Lorena was just the first person to make things personal and thats why you chose her. That... that alone sealed the deal for them, someone who was honest and sincere like you was everything they were looking for. So things progressed normally after that but eventually you and Lorena agreed to wave things open. And I do t have to tell you that it wasn't long before they came in droves once the got that green light." She answered sincerely.

"So in short, you loved them all equally. And they all loved you. You officially married Lorena once she was pregnant but you still made time for everyone else." She summed it up for him.

Peter was silent. He listened to everything she had to say about his other self and his relationships with the rest of the girls. And he had to say... he was happy for them, they got to have those moments together were they felt truly loved by someone and that his other self was getting to have a life outside the hero-ing. He had a family.

"Thanks Fel. Thanks for telling me this. I really appreciate it." He said walking towards her and catching her in a hug.

"Okay easy big guy. No need for any waterworks alright." She said humorously.

"Can I ask you something though?" She asked breaking away from his embrace.

"Sure go ahead."

"What was I like. The me from your world? You said we were close but like... how close?" She asked curiously.

"Not as close as I'd hoped. Not like how Lorena is. I wanted it to be more and I tried but... you didn't seem that interested. Heh actually at one point you never wanted to know who I was underneath the mask. You were far more interested in Spider-Man than whoever was underneath." He said to her surprise.

"Wow. That other me... sounds pretty shallow if you ask me. What's not to like about you?" She said rhetorically.

"I got over it anyway. And besides that was a long time ago, the Felicia in my has come a long way since when we first met." He said assuring her.

"Well... I guess that's good to hear at least. You gonna be good with everything?" She replied.

"Huh. Yea. I just, need time to readjust ya know. I don't know how long I'll be here for so I guess I should get used to some surprises." He answered meekly.

"That's the spirit. Now come back inside, you can grab a bite to eat." She said slapping his back playfully.

"Sounds good to me Fel. It was nice talking to you like this. Reminds me of... well... you." He said tubbing the back of his head.