Lost Stars - A Post No Way Home Story

Winter is Coming

A grand snowstorm will be arriving soon , the weather reporter announced, and we should prepare for the worst.

Peter had been cleaning the tables, listening in to all the things that the social workers were talking about.

"We need to make sure that those who were displaced by the Blip have enough," concern dripped off Gina's voice. "And that we also for those who will be out in the streets."

"It will be enough," Gloria assured. "We know now. We can prepare - do we still have the money from Pepper Potts?"

"It's running out. May Parker didn't exactly leave the direct line to Pepper Potts."

"We'll make do."

Somehow, he felt guilty. Guilty that he couldn't do more than he already did. He knew how spread thin they were. Peter knew that politics weren't doing enough to restore the lives of those who were lost - 4 billion to 8 billion was frankly a lot of identities and lives to deal with, but even on a smaller scale they could never truly help. Each evening he would see the people trinkle into their room, and every few days it was the same people. He had gotten to know each person and their life stories, how they got there in the first place. Some were veterans, some were women running away from an abusive home. Some just had plain, dumb luck and were a missed paycheck away from bankruptcy but brilliant people all together.

Peter would listen when they spoke because all of them needed an ear, even when they ended up spewing gibberish about topics Peter had no idea about.

"Parker," Gloria called out from her office. "A word."

Peter threw the towel over his shoulder, focusing his breath before walking into Gloria's office. Eavesdropping never did him good. It opened all of his senses to things he didn't want to hear - the sound of a siren from far away, the pots in the kitchen two rooms over. It could be worse, he couldn't imagine what he would do if he could hear someone's heartbeat at any given time.

The last time he had been in Gloria's office, it had been to introduce himself as May Parker's unknown nephew. She had been surprised and wouldn't have believed him because there wasn't a single resemblance between the two. Peter was related to her late-husband by blood, after all. To his luck, there had been a picture of May and Peter in her office and ever since then, Peter has been a regular volunteer while he completed his GED. Gloria had nodded her head when he had told her this information.

"How are you feeling, Pete?" Gloria opted for sitting on the table instead of behind her desk. "It's been a rough time."

"I'm getting by," Peter admitted. "I got a new apartment. Not the best facilities, but it does well."

Gloria nodded. "And how is learning for the GED coming along?"

"I'm good, Gloria. It's fairly easy, actually. I barely have to learn."

The corner of Gloria's lips twitched,"You could have made it to MIT, I gather."

"Yeah."

"I remember your aunt saying something about your parents - they were Scientists, weren't they?"

"I don't recall, m'am. They died when I was four."

He didn't want Gloria to prod on it anymore. He didn't remember his parents and had only seen pictures of them from when he was young.

"Well, let's not dwell. You're a bright mind and community college isn't bad either. But that's not what I asked you here for -" she nodded in the direction of the television. "We're going to need all hands on deck when that storm hits. I know you're here on a volunteer basis -"

"I'll do it, Gloria. No question."

"I don't want to pull you away from any other obligations, Pete -"

"I don't have anything," Peter smiled. "I'll be okay."

The thing about being an independent vigilante who volunteered at the homeless shelter? He can combine the two. F.E.A.S.T, despite all of the drama surrounding Peter's alter ego, turned a blind eye to the Mysterio fiasco because he still did what he did. Peter never stayed as Spider-Man for a long time, though. He never knew when the police would be coming after him. Perhaps he should have changed alter-egos altogether, but with the conspiracy theorists online they would figure it out soon enough. There was an entire page dedicated to Daredevil and his fighting at this point.

A light dust of snow had fallen while he was at the shelter, but it wasn't cold enough for it to stay. Shouldering his backpack, he walked past Peter Pan's Doughnuts and Pastries Shop. Through the window, he could see MJ working the cashier. His heart raced at the sight of her, but he also felt immense guilt. A few days ago, he tried to tell her but nothing came out of his mouth. He knew he only had a few months before they graduated high school. MJ and Ned would be going to Boston and he would stay here in New York, trying to find his way to MIT after the mess he had created.

There was a certain glow to the way MJ carried herself these days like a burden had fallen off her shoulders. He wondered if that had anything to do with him but quickly shoved that thought away.

MJ was just happy at the thought that she was leaving Queens, that was all.

The bell at the door rang as he walked in, hands feeling clammy. No matter how many times he came by, he couldn't get rid of his nervousness.

"Can I help you, Peter Parker?" MJ had looked up from the register and gave him that smile where she didn't show any teeth, the awkward one she did when she wasn't sure what to say.

But what caught him off-guard was MJ knowing his name .

"You... know my name?"

"Uh yeah, you said it the first time you came here. I try to remember names no matter what my boss says... coffee? The usual?"

"A coffee and a donut," Peter added, though his voice went up a few octaves when he said donut . "I've got a prep course in front of me."

"Driver's license?"

"GED. I'm finishing high school."

"You dropped out?"

"Recently, yes, but not because I didn't want to go to school. It's been rough and I actually prefer it this way...It'll take longer but..." he was rambling. "Sorry."

"That's okay, but it's one past 5 and I am off-the-clock. No bartending duties from me, Peter Parker," she handed him the donut and coffee, and Peter lingered a little bit too long when his skin touched MJs. When he noticed, he quickly snapped back. He didn't want MJ to think he was a creep hitting at her at work.

"See ya, then," Peter said and MJ disappeared behind the counter as her replacement came. He only saw the little wave she did with her finger, her little good-bye wave.

Peter tried to convince himself that he was happy this way. That being friends with MJ and Ned would only endanger them once more. He couldn't do that to them, and he couldn't forgive himself if any of them died on his watch. Peter couldn't lose anyone again, and that's hard to do when you have nothing to lose anymore.