Finding Their Way Home

Chapter One

-Twelve Years Later-

"--see how loud he can scream, eh?" "Who are you? Where's my daddy? I want my daddy!" "He's gone kid. You're never gonna see him again."

Peter woke up to the annoying blare of an alarm clock. He groaned and smashed it without a thought. He then opened his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh when he saw that he had completely demolished it. That was the second one this week. Aunt May was going to be pissed.

Peter forced himself to get up, wincing at his sore muscles from last night's patrol. He risked a glance in the mirror and frowned at the purple-yellow bruises on his torso. Those should have healed by now. He slipped on a T-shirt and pants before making his way to school, kissing Aunt May goodbye on his way.

School was as dull as ever, and every time the bell rang, Peter fought back a grimace. "You good?" Ned asked him during lunch. Peter waved him off with a smile but Ned frowned and stood firm. "Did you get hurt...you know..during...you know?"

"No," Peter said. Ned had found out about his 'after-school activities' only a month in. Ned helped him with the suit design and helping Peter get through his grief at the loss of Uncle Ben. Ned truly was the best friend. "I'm just sore. Nothing to worry about."

"Then what's been bothering you?" Ned asked. "You've been acting super weird lately."

Peter sighed. "You noticed?"

"Of course I did," Ned said. "What do you take me for? So, tell me, what's been bugging you? Get it?" Ned laughed at his joke before his face sobered and he looked at Peter seriously. Peter sighed and picked at the macaroni in front of him.

"I had another dream last night." Peter said softly. Ned looked at him sympathetically.

"Have you talked to your aunt about it?" Ned asked. Peter shook his head.

"No, it would just upset her. She doesn't like thinking about it." Peter said. "In her opinion, I'm her nephew and she doesn't care that I'm adopted. She doesn't want me to look into it."

"But those dreams..." Ned trailed off. Peter nodded.

Ned was the only person Peter had told about the dreams. The extent of them. They were so fuzzy and Peter barely remembered them when he woke up, but when he did...Peter didn't know, but there was just something off about them.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Peter said with a forced smile. Ned only eyed him suspiciously for a moment before letting it go, but Peter knew he didn't believe him.

To be honest, Peter didn't believe himself either.

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It was quiet tonight.

Peter sat uneasily on the edge of a building as he looked out across the busy street. It had to have been several months since Peter had witnessed such a quiet night. It was nearly one AM and there had been nothing.

Peter let his legs swing back and forth and he let out a bored hum.

A shrill scream rang through the air and Peter sat up instantly, a smile gracing his face. "Finally!" he muttered as he fell forward off the building before shooting a web out of his wrist and swinging in the direction of the scream. "Something interesting!"

He was led to a back alley where three men were harassing a woman. The woman was trembling as she was backed into a wall. Peter shot a web at the one closest to her, sticking him to the ground.