Marvel's The Avengers: Hydra's Little Spider

Chapter 16: Aliens in New York

It turned out that it was far more complicated to get a suitable ship than all those years ago when Wanda and Peter fled from Hydra. In the end, they had to wait a full week until a ship left for New York from the United Kingdom and they had to travel to Southampton for it. After they made reservations for it, they informed Steve that they were delayed for a bit, just so that he wouldn’t worry unnecessarily. Before they boarded the ship, they also made sure to send May and Pietro a postcard from Edinburgh, to keep the tradition alive. Once they were on the ship, Peter and Wanda started to think about how they were going to approach meeting May and Pietro. May would obviously be easier to meet, since Pietro lived in the Avengers Compound still.

Shortly before the ship arrived in New York, they agreed just to wing it. They would reach out to May firstly and invite her for a nice meeting in a coffee shop in Central Park. After that, they would think of a way to get to the Compound unseen, in the hope that they wouldn’t be turned in by the Avengers who would be present.

Once they were in New York, they booked a hotel room in the same hotel where they booked a room all those years ago when they first came to New York, with the small difference that they fully intended to actually sleep in it at least once this time around. So far, nobody suspected that Peter and Wanda were actually fugitives of the law. Peter always thought that the best disguise is the one where you simply behave as if you belong somewhere. Usually nobody looks twice at you in that case.

While Wanda changed into some more comfortable clothes, Peter went out to buy a pre-paid phone. He wanted to call May with it and confirm their meeting in one of the next few days. As soon as he came back into their room, Peter dialled May’s number, which he still knew from memory only.

It rang a few times, before May’s tired voice answered the call. “May Parker,” she said and Peter was overwhelmed with joy about hearing his aunt’s voice for the first time in around two years again.

“Hey May. It’s Peter here,” he answered calmly. Wanda came around the bed to sit next to him and listen to Peter and May’s conversation.

“Peter!” May shrieked. “Why are you calling me? How are you? Where are you? Is everything alright?” she asked in an absolute onslaught of words.

Peter had to hold back a laugh at that and said, “Alright, calm down May, one thing at a time. I’m fine. I am with Wanda right now.”

“Hey May,” Wanda shouted into the phone as a greeting.

“I just called because I, I mean we missed you. We want to meet you. Are you free tomorrow?” Peter continued.

“Yes, yes of course. I will make some time,” May answered instantly. “Where do you want to meet? At my place?”

“No we thought about a more neutral spot. There is a small little coffee shop near the South West corner of Central Park. How about we meet there for lunch?” Peter offered instead.

“That works as well,” May agreed quickly. “So I guess we will catch up there?”

“We will, yes. See you tomorrow,” Peter said and ended the call, after May said her goodbye as well.

Wanda looked at Peter, who had a relieved expression on his face. “You were actually nervous about calling her, am I right?” she asked sympathetically.

“Yeah, of course. I mean, we haven’t talked in two years. I technically broke the law and ran away from everything, what if she wanted nothing to do with me after all of that?” Peter explained his worries.

“But she still did, didn’t she? I am sure she will be absolutely delighted to see her only nephew again tomorrow,” Wanda reassured Peter. “Now come on, it’s getting late and I still want to eat something before we go to bed,” she continued.