Beautiful Ruins

Chapter 13

I wake up, gasping for air. I feel my heart race slowing as I feel the air entering my lungs, it was just a dream, thank god it was just a dream. I'm safe. "Storm?" I jump, staring at my doorway as the light turns off. I sigh in relief as I see Peter staring in the doorway.

"What the hell are you doing? It's three in the morning!" I hiss, not wanting to wake up any of the avengers, especially my parents. Peter comes over and sits down on the end of my bed. I look at him impatiently, waiting to hear what he wants. I can't deal with Peter's issues right now; I might feel differently at a reasonable hour.

"You sounded restless, I wanted to check you were okay" Peter says hesitantly. "I heard you calling out Scarlett's name." Tony mentioned that Peter occasionally spends the night here, I just have no idea why tonight is one of those nights. Hasn't there been enough drama for Tony without adding in another kid to look after?

My cheeks turn red, and I stare down at my bed. Peter hearing me having a nightmare is just the cherry on top of what's already been a terrible day. I would give anything to erase the past twelve hours.

"Sorry to wake you, I'm fine" I mumble, not looking up at Peter. A part of me is glad it's Peter who heard and came in instead of Tony or Natasha, but this still isn't a conversation that I particularly want to have. Talking about my feelings has never been my top strength. Peter's my friend but we're not close enough for me to get into my past.

"It's okay if you're not" Peter says softly, I close my eyes, wishing again that I wasn't having this conversation. I've already discussed all my feelings with Tony and Natasha, something I'm already starting to regret. I shouldn't have let my parents see at such a vulnerable position; I need to be stronger.

"Well, obviously it sucks but ultimately it is what it is" I shrug, looking up at Peter. I can't change what happened last night, I also can't change Scarlett's opinions as much as I wish I could. I can't make her see what I see.

"She was the closest thing you had to family" Peter points out. "Then she went insane and bombed a hospital in order to join people who kill innocent people for control, something tells me you're not okay."

I clench my fists. "Why do you get to judge her for her worst mistake?" I snap, Peter hasn't even met Scarlett yet, where does he get off calling her out?

"I'm not judging-"

"Actually, you are" I interrupt.

"Okay, fine, I am, but I am allowed to believe someone is a terrible person when they knowingly bomb a hospital of all places! Your case was different, Storm, you didn't know. Scarlett willingly did this" Peter snaps, rolling his eyes. That was the first time I've seen Peter get angry, he's always been so kind and patient, I wasn't actually sure if he could get angry.

I look away from him, knowing he does have a point. I want to defend Scarlett and believe she'll somehow find her way onto the right side, but what she did is permanent, it can't be taken back. Innocent people are dead, Scarlett can't ever undo that.

"I'm here for you, Storm, I care about you. Chasing after the Scarlett you think you know is just going to get you hurt, maybe even killed. The Scarlett you knew isn't the girl you saw last night, that was an x-men" Peter says gently, moving closer towards me.

"I know, Peter, I do but I just need time" I say honestly, I can't throw away all of the good memories I have with Scarlett and pretend they didn't happen, I can't let go of our friendship as quickly as Scarlett did. I feel my heart beginning to ache, did I mean anything to Scarlett at all?

I fiddle with a loose thread on my purple doona cover, trying to ignore the aching in my chest. I meant what I thought last night, I can't allow this to destroy me.

"I know you haven't known me for as long as Scarlett, but I'm your friend too, you're not alone" Peter says, placing his hand on my shoulder.

I smile at him; Peter is turning out to be a good friend and he's one of the most stable people in my life right now. I can't imagine what I'd be going through if I didn't have Peter by my side at the moment, I'd be even more alone and miserable.

"MJ really cares about you" I say, thinking back to when MJ threatened to hurt me if I hurt Peter. "She seems like a good girlfriend."

"She is" Peter replies, his eyes lighting up at the mention of MJ. "I never imagined myself ending up with someone as perfect as she is."

Peter deserves to be happy, he's the kindest person I've ever met. MJ isn't my biggest fan, but I don't really care as long as she treats Peter well. Peter deserves somebody like MJ, someone who isn't complicated and will support him unconditionally and through everything.

"You deserve to be happy" I say to Peter. I bite my lip; Peter would never have done the things that I did. He would have realised and ran away from the x-men many years ago, he's better than I am in every possible way.

"I might go back to bed, but please come and wake me up if you need me" Peter says, standing up. Peter gives me a hug and I return it, glad for the temporary feeling of comfort it brings. He pulls away and walks out of the room.

I lie down, glancing up at the ceiling. My eyes narrow as I think of the x-men, they've ruined everything I've ever had, they need to pay for what they've done, they've ruined so many lives just so they can be in control of America. The x-men cannot be allowed to continue to turn children into weapons.

A plan forms in my mind, I don't care what Tony or Natasha say, I am going to stop the x-men even if I have to take them on all by myself. I'm not letting some random kid end up like I am, staring at ceiling wishing life was differently and hating themselves for crimes they didn't even realise they committed.

*Author's Note* Peter and Storm actually warm my heart.