Thea woke up in her bed still mentally and physically drained from her battle with the Hulk. The amount of power she had to use to subdue him was an enormous amount, not to mention some physical marks Thea had gotten too. Bruises and marks were strewn about her body, leaving her sore and in pain.

The walk to school seemed longer than usual due to the fact that Thea was now walking alone. She had been gone for almost two weeks and she never got a word from Peter. Thea had gotten to school early in order to avoid Peter as much as possible. So in order to cure her boredom, she explored some of the school. Inside the mostly empty library was a single girl. She was dressed in comfortable looking clothes, almost pajamas, her hair was in a loose ponytail, her curls peeking out of the hair tie, and she was hunched over reading a book.

The sound of the door opening and closing alerted the girl of Thea's presence. With a sluggish pace, the girl looked up from her spot in the book.

"Oh, I'm so sorry for interrupting you," Thea said. She turned around 180 degrees and was already taking a few steps when the girl called out, "Hey...you're Thea right?" Thea's feet halted in their position as she turned around to look back at the girl. "I'm Michelle," She said in a monotone manner. "You've been gone for almost two weeks right?" She noted. Michelle, who was reading a book when Thea came in, put a bookmark on her page and set the book down softly.

"Yeah that's right," Thea affirmed. "Not to be rude or anything, but how do you know me?" Thea asked, her arms resting on her hips.

"Don't worry...I'm not a stalker or anything, I'm just observant." the girl put as a matter-of-fact. "Also, you're one of those people which everyone knows, even if you don't think so. Everyone knows of you, Thea."

Thea shuttered at this thought. Without even realizing it, Thea spoke out softly. "Everyone?"

"Yeah, the entire male population of MidTown knows you, and for good reason," Michelle said this and scooted out of the table slightly. "I might also be friends with Peter and Ned, so that kinda helps when it comes to knowing you." Thea's brain was still trying to wrap itself around that fact that everyone knew of her, but what the girl said shook me out of her thoughts. "Peter and Ned?" This was more of a statement than a question.

"Yep," She popped the 'P' at the end of the word and continued, "Speaking of those two, they both have been down in the dumps ever since you've been gone. Especially Peter." Thea's heart began to pick up speed at the thought of Peter missing her, "R-really?" Thea cursed herself for sounding so desperate in front of someone she barely knew.

"Uh-huh, Peters been practically whining about you ever since you've been gone," Michelle said.

Thea's hands became restless and her body began to shift from one foot to another. Michelle took notice of her unrest and stated, "You should probably go...I can tell you miss him too." Thea's face grew slightly redder and she stammered incoherent words before Michelle waved me off. Thea took this as a good time to go and before she left Thea said, "Thanks...Michelle was it?"

She smiled, which confirmed Thea's question. Thea briskly walked over to the library's wooden doors, but before she exited Thea turned back around and said, "Really...thanks."

~~~~

Thea was now determined to find Peter and apologize immediately. However, Thea wouldn't have to wait anymore as she saw Peter and Ned strolling down the now crowded hallway.

Thea's hesitation got the best of her. She waited, contemplating whether or not to strut right up to Peter and apologize or to do this on the down-low. A mental battle raged in her head until Thea knew that there would never be a good time to confront him.

Her first couple of steps toward Peter were shaky and awkward. Thea tried not to focus on the numerous eyes staring at her. I guess Michelle was right....people do know me. The eyes followed Thea and she could hear whispers being told to people nearby. Thea couldn't quite understand what they were saying but she could only assume they were saying something about Thea being back.

The only eyes that mattered, that Thea still hadn't caught the attention of yet, was Peter's. His eyes were still fixed onto Ned's and Ned's to his. Thea took notice that his walk was different, less confident and more awkward than usual.

I really left him in a bad place, didn't I. Thea thought to herself.

It wasn't long before the whispers about Thea grew into full-blown chatter. The sudden change in the hallways volume seemed to catch both of the boy's attention. Their eyes wandered throughout the crowd for a moment before they rested on Thea's figure. Peter's face showed pure shock. His walking ceased and his whole demeanor changed, he grew taller and more rigid; Thea could almost see him shaking.

Thea too almost stopped as soon as he laid eyes on her but Thea didn't. Her steps never once faltered and it seemed like Thea almost grew more confident when he saw her. Thea's pace grew quicker; she wanted to get out of this gossip ridden hallway as soon as possible. When Thea was close enough to Peter, she just barely heard him whisper, "Thea?"

Thea stopped right in front of Peter and Ned in the middle of the bustling hallway. She smiled at Peter sweetly and said softly, "Hi, Pete." Peter was about to say something to Thea, his lips parted slightly, but before he could Ned interrupted, "What? No hi to me?" Ned crossed his arms and gave his best pout possible.

Thea chuckled and turned her head to focus her attention on Ned for a moment. "Hi Ned, good to see you too." Her body visibly relaxed in their presence. Her shoulders sunk down, her eyebrows unfurled themselves.

"So-so what's happening?" Peter tried to be cool by crossing his arms and leaning slightly to one side. This failed greatly seeing as he tumbled a little bit and almost fell to the floor. Thea shot her hand out to steady him by gripping his sweater he was currently wearing, feeling the muscles underneath. Thea was silently giggling to herself and Peter caught on to this and fake gasped, "Hey! That was not funny." Thea let go of his sweater and brought her hand to her side once again and said, "I don't know, it was kinda funny."

The awkward silence ensued after Thea said this. Peter and she both began to shuffle their feet and Thea couldn't look him in the eyes. Ned caught on to what was happening and said, "I'll get going then..." He slowly drew himself out of the group and made his way down the hall to class. Thea lifted her eyes up to see Peter, who was already looking at her. Fiddling with her hands, Thea said, "I have something to say."

"Me too," Peter replied. He cleared his throat and stood stiffly. Thea began to say, "I want to apologize," as Peter said, "I'm sorry." They both paused and Thea cut the silence by saying, "We...we should probably go somewhere else." Thea looked around at the eyes wandering about Peter and her.

"People are staring at us," Thea said. Peter answered, "Y-yeah, let's go." The awkward silence seemed to follow them wherever they went, it only stopped once the pair reached an empty classroom.

"So-I-um..." Peter paused. "I'm sorry." He confessed. "I wasn't thinking and I did some stupid stuff and now I'm paying the price." Peter looked down at the ground and sheepishly smiled. Gingerly, Thea placed her hand on his shoulder and protested, "No, I'm sorry. I was just so worried that her mind went to the worst-case scenario. I shouldn't have snapped at you." Her hand was still on his shoulder when he looked up at Thea again. He smiled, showing all his teeth and said softly, "So...ar-are we good now?"

Thea took her hand off of him and placed it on her hip, "Yeah...yeah we're good."

~~~~

"So I have a question," Peter said to Thea. They were both in the cafeteria sitting on their usual bench, waiting for Ned. Thea hesitated for a moment before she said, "Ask away." She opened her arms in a gesture that showed that she was ready for any question.

"Where were you? And who was that man you left with?" Peter asked Thea.

"Oh, I-um, that was my guardian. We had to go to a funeral for his grandparent." Thea lied. "I didn't know the grandparent very well but I still wanted to show my respect. You know?" Her body was clenched as she lied straight to Peter's face. Peter took in what Thea had to say for a moment and asked yet another question, "Wait, why were you gone for so long then?"

"I was in another country," Thea said confidently. She glanced over and spotted Ned walking into the cafeteria. Hastily, Thea waved him over to her. "Oh hey Ned," Thea said casually. She leaned back slightly and scooted over to make more room for him.

"Hey guys," Ned replied back. He set down his backpack on the ground and placed his meal onto the table.

"What are we talking about?" Ned asked Peter and Thea.

"Oh nothing, just stuff," Thea said quickly. Ned nodded his head and then brought up another subject. "Did you guys hear what happened to the Avengers in Korea?"

This piqued Thea's interest, her head popped up straight as she inquired, "No what happened?" Usually Tony would at least call me if something bad happened, Thea thought.

"You know how the Avengers got their asses handed to them in Africa right?" Thea visibly cringed at this. Thea regretted what happened in Africa, how easily the entire team was brought their knees.

"Well, the same thing almost happened in Korea!" Ned said this a little too enthusiastically. Thea's whole body went stiff with anxiety. Her mind went wild with thoughts. Tony had never told her what happened in Korea, she barely knew they were even in Korea.

"Also did you guys see that video on the internet about Hulk?" Ned was still waving his hands about crazily. Peter finally chimed into Ned's conversation, "Didn't Dark Matter take him down? She's crazy for doing that."

Thea's stupor was shaken when she heard Peter mention her alter-ego's name. She stared at Ned in curiosity. Ned answered back to Peter, "Yeah, crazy strong! Who do you know that can take down the Hulk? Not only is she strong but she also is crazy gorgeous."

Peter rolled his eyes at Ned's shenanigans and laughed. "You can only see half her face though!"

Ned looked at Peter in disbelief, "Oh so you wouldn't date her if you had the chance is that what you are telling me?" Thea glanced between Peter and Ned awkwardly, although neither of the boys noticed her uncomfortable expression.

Peter looked at Ned and shook his head, "That's not what I meant! She probably already has too many things to deal with, the last thing she needs is a relationship with some teenager."

~~~~

After Thea's fight with Ultron, she had almost forgotten why she was in high school. The team had never gotten that badly beaten and she didn't know what to do next. Of course, she knew to finish her mission, but it was just a strange feeling.

Thea's thoughts raged on as she walked down the bustling hallway. Looking up from the ground, she noticed Peter standing idly by his locker. His locker door swung open as he rummaged through it. Silently, Thea stood next to Peter's locker, hidden behind the open door. With a stroke of his hand, Peter swung the locker door closed. He looked visibly shaken by the sight of Thea hiding behind his locker. "Thea?!" Peter spoke out with a tinge of shock in his voice.

Thea leaned against the lockers as she smiled sweetly at Peter. "Hey, Pete."

Peter looked at Thea strangely, his head tilted slightly to one side as he questioned. "Pete?" He looked shocked by this new nickname. "When did this start?"

Thea raised an eyebrow as she smirked softly. "I just thought if we were going to be friends we should have nicknames." Thea looked down at her shoes as she sighed out. "I mean, I have never had a real friend like you or Ned before." She confined to Peter. "Isn't that what friends do?" Thea asked as she looked up at Peter's shocked face.

Peter grinned at Thea as he spoke out, "Yeah, it is." Peter cleared his throat as he brushed a hand through his hair. His brown locks flopping wildly on his head. "I better get going...Aunt May is probably wondering where I am." He stated.

Peter picked up his backpack, which was strewn across the ground in front of him, and waved goodbye before leaving. "See you tomorrow Pete!" Thea yelled down the hall, only to see him exit the school and head back home.

~ Author's Note ~

All rights to Spider-Man and original plot goes to the Marvel franchise and their fantastic movies and comics. I own new story lines and new characters, like Thea Quinton.

Peter and Thea are back!!!!!!! They made up and are now back to being friends finally! The last chapter of Age of Ultron is the next one. After that story line is over I'm going to start bringing in the Civil War story line.

How are you liking the story so far? What are your theories? I would like to know.