The Parker Tales: Days of Future Past

Part 6

Most of them sat back in their chairs, jaws on the floor, and unmoving. Johnny was blinking repeatedly, pinching his arm to convince himself that he was dreaming. A sharp flash of pain broke him out of his trance, but sent him further into the depths of his thoughts. His best friend was actually a superhero. A real life, super-villain fighting, cat-out-of-tree saving, superhero. Johnny had always adored Spider-Man, and had pestered Peter about the vigilante repeatedly when his best friend told him that he'd met the hero. 

Peter was always the best, and sometimes only, photographer to get pictures of the hero. It all made sense now, because he was the hero the whole time!

"Holy shit," Robbie breathed. 

"So, wait wait," Ben tried to reboot his brain which had stuttered to a halt. "You're telling me, that the superhero you were telling me about earlier? That superhero, is in fact my nephew? Peter?"

"It all makes sense," Gwen spoke, her voice breathy from shock, her brain running a mile a minute. "Every time there's ever any danger, or some super-villain around, he always makes some dumb excuse to get out of there, and then a few seconds later, guess who shows up?"

George was just as surprised. Peter was a responsible kid, who he thought was simply a little flaky, and a bit of a scaredy cat, from what Gwen had told him. To think that he, a boy Gwen's age, one of Gwen's friends, was going around trying to clean up the city and save people, that put a whole new spin on things. 

Jean DeWolff blinked rapidly, rubbing her eyes fiercely as if to dispel the illusion. The TV had been paused at the moment where Peter glared at his suit, but she was still unable to accept the fact that a boy had been the cause of endless headaches for their department. She had slowly started liking Peter over the course of the movie. He was just a very intelligent, helpful kid who wanted to make the world a better place. That hadn't changed. What had changed was realizing the extent that he would go to help people. Stan, next to her, wasn't better. He still hadn't picked his jaw up from where it had fallen open.

"Oh my," a shuddering voice caught their attention. They looked over to see May with a hand over her mouth, terrified shock clearly visible in her tearful eyes. Ben was steading her, but she was still swaying dangerously.

Felicia looked over at her, alarmed. She ran over to her, and sat beside her, rubbing her back gently.

"Mrs. Parker," she started slowly. "I know it's a surprise, but I'm gonna need you to calm down. Deep breaths, in and out. Breathe in, breathe out. In, out. That's it."

May had started hyperventilating over the course of past few seconds, and Felicia could faintly make out the irregular, but fierce thumping of her heart. Arrhythmia was very dangerous for a heart patient, and she didn't want to explain to Peter that his secret had caused a heart attack in his aunt. It might just kill him.

Ben slowly regained his senses, emulating Felicia's comforting of his wife, trying to calm her down as best he could.

"May, you need to listen to her," he whispered in her ear. "Deep breaths, honey, come on."

"B-Ben," she sobbed, her voice coming out through fierce exhales. "H-he's been t-throwing himself in danger all t-this time. My boy!"

The entire room started emerging from their shock to witness the old lady cry out in pain. It had been one too many shocks for her to take. Knowing that Peter had so many secrets wasn't doing her much good, so Ben crooned in her ear, easing her into a more serene state. The room remained silent as she slowly closed her eyes with her head in Ben's lap, awake, listening, but not participating.