The prize to pay for the lost souls

Epilogue

"We don't have to go, y'know. If you don't want to..." James was leaning against the door frame to their bedroom, watching his husband adjusting his tie in the mirror. "You don't owe him anything" Peter looked at him, raised eyebrow and lips pressed on top of each other.

"Of course we do. I can't keep avoiding him. He spent so much time trying to make up for his mistakes, and he deserves a chance." Peter didn't mention the fact that he missed his mentor/father figure. Or the fact that the man was growing old, and wanted to be there for his last years. He hated himself for taking so long to reach out, and even when he did, their relationship was strained. The least he could do was show up at his wedding. "Get dressed, I'll get Nova ready." He kissed his husband on the cheek as he passed him in the door, and went on the hunt for their daughter, who appeared to just vanish every time they were supposed to leave the house.

"Nova! Get down from there! You know the rules. We walk on the floors, not the ceilings. We need to get ready. Morgan's gonna kill us if we're late!" The five year old rolled her eyes as she stared down at her father standing with his hands on his hips, frowning up at her. "What are you even doing up there?"

"I wanted to think. It's quiet up here." She crawled along the ceiling and down the wall, coming up in front of her dad, smiling innocently, and tilting her head to the side. The chestnut hair standing up in all directions. "It's quieter. Not quiet. It's never quiet."

"I know, honey. I'm sorry. Remind me to pack your ear buds, okay?" He gave the girl a sympathetic look. He knew all too well what it was like to hear everything all the time, and he cursed himself time and time again for his stupid spider DNA and the fact that his kid was going to grow up with it too. They knew it was a chance of it happening when they decided to get a surrogate, but James was so persistent in the idea, and the girl from his dreams all those years ago never really left his mind. "Let's get dressed, I bet you'll be the most beautiful girl in the whole wedding!"

"Even prettier than the bride?" She skipped ahead and ran into her room, eyeing the dress Morgan had brought her for the occasion. Baby blue silk with a bow around the waist, reaching her knees, and puffy sleeves. Morgan had insisted, claiming the two men didn't know how to dress nice even if their life depended on it. She had taken them to a tailor, to fix suits for both of them and got the dress for Nova made just for her with one of May's old clothes. It was gorgeous, and Peter couldn't help the emotional tear threatening to escape its imprisonment as he looked down at his most precious jewel swinging around in the silk, testing the flow of the fabric as she moved.

*

"Pete! You're on time! Wow!" Morgan grinned, looking absolutely stunning in her own baby blue dress, black stiletto heals, and her dark brown hair laying graciously on her shoulders. She looked like a mirror of her mom, as she walked towards the little family.

"Hey, princess. You look beautiful! Sure the bride won't be jealous?"

"Nah. She looks amazing, and has absolutely nothing to worry about. But thanks!" James came up to her with Nova on his arm, giving her a warm hug. "Hey, James. I knew I could make you look human. That suit is just..." She shook her head in a mix of amazement and disbelief, before she stole Nova and took off to show her around, yelling over her shoulder that Peter should go talk to her dad, and make sure he didn't escape.

Peter knocked on the door with the letters GROOM written on it, waiting patiently for someone to open or tell him to enter. The stuttering voice from inside made him nervous of what he would find, but couldn't help the smile on his face when he opened the door, seeing Tony sprawled out face down on a sofa, and Rhodey leaning against the wall, looking all kinds of frustrated. His face lit up with hope when he saw Peter entering, and gestured wildly with his hands in Tony's direction. Silently screaming for help.