Like You'd Know How It Works

Chapter 4

After a quiet car ride back to the city and a lengthy argument with May at the apartment, Peter was back outside. The location Nebula had arranged for them to meet at was a few blocks northeast from his and May's apartment. There was still time. Food would be great so he took a short detour. Turned out that it was harder to find an open sandwich shop in Queens than he had thought. Three tries later and a turkey-swiss with pickles richer, Peter headed for the address. He had spent a considerable amount of time on the borough's rooftops in the last few days, but it turned out he had paid zero attention to what was happening around him. Mr. Stark had been right. Well, of course. The realization shocked him nonetheless. Things had gone from bad to worse in the entire neighborhood. Boarded up windows, empty apartments everywhere. Broken glass on the sidewalks and even the larger streets seemed almost deserted. Where was everyone?

He shook his head and took a bite out of the sandwich. All of this didn't matter right now. Mr. Stark was everything that mattered. Everything else... everyone else... His heart stung as his thoughts circled back to the apartment. He had said some things, he wasn't proud of. Some things - no matter how true - that May hadn't needed to hear. She'd understand though. When everything was over, she'd understand. She just... she just had to.

They had just returned from the funeral and Peter was about to head to his room, lock the door, and change. He was on a clock to meet Nebula.

"Peter, I need you to talk to me. Please."

He put away his shoes, careful not to bend over too far. If the haul he carried in his jacket's pockets would drop to the floor, the game would be up.

"There is nothing to tell. I just want some time to myself. Is that really too much to ask for?"

"Honey, you were lost for 5 years. Since you've been back you've spent every day in your room or... somewhere... I don't even know where you go. I finally have you back but you don't even want to stay in the same room with me for more than 5 minutes. I... I know you're hurting. I understand. I do, but I missed you so much. Please! Please, just let me be here for you!"

"There is nothing you can do to help me, May!" He turned to face her. "I get that you're worried, but there is nothing you can do. Nothing!"

It was hard to argue with her. Hard to argue against her reasonable anguish, her wish to be close to him after 5 years of separation when all those years had only been moments for him. She was still in so much pain and it hurt his heart to see her like that. Helpless, what to do with him. He'd make it up to her. Only one more day. The next day would end either in success or failure, but either way, it would end. Then he'd be all hers. But not now. Now he needed every minute to solidify his plan.

"Peter, I know you're blaming yourself for what happened to Tony. You need to stop. You know! You know he wouldn't want that!"

He stopped in his tracks halfway to his room. He felt his temper being lit. Did nobody want to understand that all that didn't matter? He turned and stepped back closer to her, his heart beating so loudly, it muffled everything around him.

"I don't care what you think he wanted. I didn't want a lot of things to happen either. Did anyone care about that? Nooo!"

He turned to storm into his room, but May caught his arm, trying to hold him back.

"Peter, that's enough. What has gotten into you?!"

He tried to twist his arm free from her grasp without hurting her. Her hand had grabbed him just next to the nano housing unit.

"Let go of me!"

"You will not self-destruct after everything you came back from. I won't let you do that!"