From the Shadows | PETER PARKER [2]

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Eloise's phone rings for the thousandth time, but she ignores it and sinks further under her covers. She doesn't even know how many days she has been closed in her room, the window covered, only getting up to go to the bathroom. After she was questioned at the police station, Eloise has had a lingering feeling of numbness. Her mind is foggy and she can't seem to fall asleep despite lying in bed all day. She just feels drained. And, honestly, she just wants to be alone.

Of course, there are several people who make sure that doesn't happen. Peter checks up on Eloise as often as he can with his busy schedule and knowing the feeling of wanting to be left alone. He tries to console Eloise, to let her know that he understands her pain and is a shoulder she can cry on, but she brushes him off. He did the same to his friends when his uncle died, but he still feels hurt by the action. Ned and MJ come over once each. Ned hasn't experienced a lot of death in his life, so he awkwardly tries his best to lift Eloise's spirits. When MJ visits Eloise out of nowhere, the strange girl just puts in a movie and watches it with her in silence. Although Eloise doesn't feel like being with anyone, she appreciates the action. Some of the people she expected to visit her didn't, such as Elena, Lucy, and Luis. Luis and Elena texted, and Alev calls her, but there's radio silence from Lucy. Eloise doesn't know how to feel about that.

May is Eloise's rock during these next few days. Despite working a full-time job and having her own nephew to take care of, the Italian woman makes it a priority to make sure that Eloise isn't grieving alone when that's the one thing she wants. May also tells her parents about the murder and how Eloise was there, and they actually seem to ease up around her. They don't scold her for spending the entire day locked in her room like they usually would.

Bucky doesn't call until a couple days pass. Eloise doesn't pick up, but he leaves a sympathetic message and tells her to call him back.

But she doesn't want to. She doesn't really want to do anything for a while, but there's one thing she knows she has to do.

Eloise wakes up on Thursday with a text from Alev saying that the funeral is the following day. She sits up in her bed, unwashed hair in tangles and dark moons stamped under her eyes. She glances at the window and sees the bright afternoon sun seeping in from the cracks between her blinds. Yawning, Eloise lies back down and covers her eyes with her blanket.

Peter races to return to the apartment building from the Avengers facility. He and Tony still aren't getting any closer to figuring out anything about Zagan and Dark Menace, but Tony saw the way Peter's foot kept tapping against the floor and how he was unfocused and he told him to go home early. Usually Peter would turn him down, but today he accepted the opportunity to get back and see Eloise. He has given her space, but he still wants to be there for her. He was glad to have Ned to help keep Peter from drowning in grief and sadness when Uncle Ben passed.

Peter knocks on the front door of the Jones's apartment. The last time he wanted to check on Eloise, he couldn't get in because she had locked the window.

The front door unlocks and opens, revealing a tall man in nice jeans and ironed shirt. Even though there aren't many similar characteristics, Peter recognizes him as Eloise's father.

Mr. Jones looks down at Peter, a scowl forming on his face.

Peter wrings his hands together and gives him a small smile. "Hi, I'm Parker, I mean, Peter." He takes a deep breath. "Peter Parker."

Mr. Jones raises a brow.

Awkwardly, Peter looks down at his hands before returning his eyes to the intimidating man in front of him. "Could I, uh, could I see Eloise, please? I'm her friend."