CHAPTER THREE; HOMECOMING

❝ in a terrifying moment the truest friend will be revealed ❞

･ ｡ﾟ☆

❝ alina's apartment ❞

SHE NEVER KNEW THIS ABOUT HERSELF WHEN she was younger but Alina actually did like shopping, especially when the money wasn't hers and was endless. What she didn't like was carrying the bags all the way back to her apartment, especially knowing she didn't necessarily need do it that way. As soon as she entered her place she rushed to put them all down on the ground with a heavy sigh. Choosing the ones with clothes into he bedroom she declared, "Conmoveo."

She watched as her clothes directed themselves, putting themselves away into her closet and drawers. Exiting her room coming back for the other bags she left she caught a glimpse of the smoothie cup she had left there earlier. The sight of it made her remember Peter, she couldn't help but feel guilty leaving him alone even though it wasn't the first time he'd gone out as Spiderman alone.

Alina shook her head free of her thoughts on Peter as she took the bags to finish unpacking them. She didn't last long trying to distract herself before she huffed reaching for her cellphone. Swiping it open she opened her GPS app waiting for it to load Peter's location. Once it had she felt somewhat relieved to know he wasn't so far away, in fact, he was back by Delmar's again. Not wanting to be seen, as herself or any type of affiliation with the Avengers she looked to the box on the floor in her closest.

So she did the only thing she could do, she grabbed her mask covering half her face. Before putting it on though she couldn't help but stare at it, Alina hadn't worn it since the Lagos catastrophe. She hesitated a moment longer, it was as if the mere sight of it was enough to make the pleas for life she'd heard while wearing it echo louder and louder around her. Alina used to believe she could help the world, but now being a hero only reminded her of blood she would shed while being one. However, Peter could need her help and she couldn't sleep until she knew he was okay, so she put it on begrudgingly. 

. * ✦ . ◍ ∘ . * ✦ ‧ ∘ ⊹

❝ queens community bank ❞

"Can't wait to see this thing, guys," a robber wearing a Hulk mask said cutting the ATM with a high tech tool that has a glowing Chitahuri energy core inside.

Another robber, this one wearing an iron man mask replied, "Yo, this high tech stuff makes it too easy."

"Told you it was worth it," mused the other robber.

The crew all moved rushed as they waited for the device to grab and pull off the front of the ATM. The huge chunk of metal was suspended in the air while the other robbers started to bag the cash. Just as they were congratulating themselves, Peter silently came through the door. Landing softly behind them he awkwardly tried to strike a casual but cool-looking pose.

Clearing his throat he greeted, "What's up, guys? You forgot your PIN number?" All the robbers turned to him, almost instantly he was amused by the sight of them wearing cheap plastic masks of the Avengers. The Hulk, Captain America, Thor, and Iron man. "Whoa! You're the Avengers. What are you guys doing here," said Peter in amazement.

Suddenly, one of the robbers loaded his gun but Peter swiftly used his web to grab it and hit 'Iron Man' and 'Thor' with it. Moving too fast for anyone to even react, he pushed 'Hulk' away. "Thor. Hulk. Good to finally meet you guys. I thought you'd be more handsome in person," Peter said within the midst of everything.

His sticky feet held 'Thor' and threw him into a wall, Peter was hanging upside down from the ceiling when 'Iron Man' started to throw aimless punches at him. Easily missing every swing he mocked, "Iron Man. Hey, what are you doing robbing a bank? You're a billionaire."

'Hulk' sneakily grabbed one of his high tech weapon while Peter quickly dodges a punch from 'Iron Man,' who lost balance and ended up punching 'Hulk' instead. While the chaos was in full swing, 'Captain America' rushed for the weapon picking it up using it to suspended Peter in the air for a short time. With his voice all distorted he said, "Hey! Oh, this feels so weird." This time it was Peter's turn to be flung into the wall, getting up he asked, "Whoa, what is that thing?"

Just before he could do anything again, he was once more caught in the force field of the device and was thrown back and forth between the ceiling and the floor. Between getting hit Peter managed to say, "I'm starting... to think... you're not... the Avengers!"

With his sticky fingers, Peter held onto the ground and shot his web at a desk in the corner. Using all his strength, he pulled on it and hit 'Captain America' with his force field device. Swiftly Peter kicked 'Thor' into a glass wall, making it crack upon impact. 'Iron Man' held up the force field device, but before he could do anything, Peter webbed the device against the glass.

With the man temporarily down, Peter jumped onto his back attempting to see what was underneath it. "So, how do jerks like you get tech like this," he asked but the sound of the device turning on again pulled him from his task, "No. Wait, wait, wait!"

Having no second thoughts about it, Peter pulled 'Iron Man' and himself out of the way. The plasma blast cut right through walls but Peter watched as blue energy had surrounded it, containing it just as it had started to grow. As he looked outside he saw the reason why, Alina was there, wearing her blue and black suit with her mask covering her mouth. Even with the mask he knew, it was her, "Alina," he said so soft only he could hear.

He watched as she grunted attempting to hold back the blast as best as she could. She could feel the flames and whatever energy was inside she was attempting to contain burning her fingers to the bone. In all her life Alina had never felt an energy signature like it, and it was too much for her. She barley even manage to put her feet down on the ground before she had seen the weapon go off and she attempted to contain it. Trying with all her might still, she moved the blast away from the building but before she could complete her task, she felt a sharp pain fly through her hip.

"Fuck," she shouted the sensation scorching a whole the size of a tennis ball in her him. It broke her concentration had she had no choice but to let go of the blast and the second she had a burning heat sent her flying through the air across the street creating a chasm in the building she slammed into. 

With the air long gone from her lungs, Alina gasped propping herself in time to see Peter leading Mr. Delmar and his cat to safety. She was pulling herself to her feet as Peter's eyes locked on her and he came running to her aid. "Are you okay," he asked his hands keeping either side of her head up and looking at him.

Alina blinked her blurred vision away hearing the sounds of sirens encroaching, "We should get out of here." Peter agreed wrapping her arm around him holding her tight as he used his webs to pulled them away from the scene. 

. * ✦ . ◍ ∘ . * ✦ ‧ ∘ ⊹

❝ central branch library ❞

Peter followed behind Alina before she landed on top of a building removing the mask covering her mouth as she said, "What the hell was that?"

Landing safely on the roof as well, Peter removed his masked as he replied, "I don't know! I thought they were just robbing the bank, I mean, technically they were but they pulled out those weapons. How did you manage to do that back there? It was amazing, well, up until you made the deli blow up." Seeing the look on her face he realized this was one of those moments where he had said too much, "Sorry I didn't mean it like that."

Shaking her head she sighed replying, "You're fine, but whatever they were using it was different Peter. They felt different then normal flames, it wasn't normal."

"Well thank you for helping me, why were you there anyway? I thought you went home," he said taking full notice of her in her suit, this was the first time he'd ever seen her in it in person. It covered almost all of her except her shoulders and fingers. The suit was mostly black with blue lining across the waist, chest with a line outlining her hips, to match she had her blue boots and black mask.

Alina thought for a moment before she answered, "I felt bad about leaving you alone." Peter's face softened as she quickly added, "Look Peter, I need you to understand me right now okay? As much as I hate to admit it, Tony was right to send me away. Today I walked around shopping, shopping Peter... I've never even done that before, not on my own. Not as free as I felt today, that little bit of quiet, made today bearable for me and it's been a long time since I've felt that way, or anything at all."

Trying to be sympathetic he reached out saying, "I can only imagine-"

Cutting him off she said strongly, "You're right, you can only imagine." She could see the sorrow in his eyes, and it only made her feel worse. Alina always felt if people saw a reason to pity her, they'd see a reason to see weakness. Trying her hardest to not be defensive she told him, "Peter, you don't get it all I've ever wanted was to be like you. To spend one day where I wasn't being cut up and put back together, or doing something similar to someone else. And after all I've been through and done, for all the shit he pulled, Tony got me the chance to do so. I hate that it's true but it is, and I still I want to take the chance."

Instantly Peter told her his voice kind and honest, "Then take it, Alina I promise the last thing I want is for you to do something you don't want to."

Alina finally paused letting out a sigh before replying, "Thank you, but I can't in good conscience allow for you to look for those weapons alone. Whatever they are something tells me spider webs can't stop a bomb."

He opened his mouth to protest but after he rethought it for a moment he admitted, "Okay maybe I could use some help..." It was his own words that made Peter think of something else, pulling out his phone he explained to a confused Alina, "We have to tell Mr. Stark what we know."

"Peter," before she could even protest he had called Happy.

She could hear him through the phone saying, "Yeah?"

Too fast for her to even try stopping him, Peter rambled on, "Happy, the craziest thing just happened to me. These guys were robbing an ATM with these high tech weapons––"

Before the teen vigilante had much of a chance to explain anything Happy replied dismissively, "Hey, take a breath, okay? I don't have time for ATM robberies..." Peter still tried but she could still hear Happy said abandoning the teens reason, "Or the thoughtful notes you leave behind. I have moving day to worry about. Everything's gotta be out of here by next week."

She could hear the sadness in his voice as Peter confirmed, "Wait. Wait! You're moving? Who's moving?"

"Yeah, don't you watch the news? Tony sold Avengers Tower," he said his words hurting both teens more than he realized. For Peter, that was his dream, for Alina it was her first ever home. Before she lived at the compound she stayed at the tower, "We're relocating to a new facility upstate where, hopefully, the cell service is much worse."

"But what about me?"

She could hear Happy's confusion as he asked, "What about you?"

She watched as Peter dolefully hit his foot off the ground pondering a thousand things. With his back turned to her he questioned Happy, " Well, what if Mr. Stark needs me or something, I don't know, something big goes down? Can I please just talk to Mr. Stark?"

Shutting Peter's hope down as if it were a balloon game at a carnival, Happy said, "Look, just stay away from anything too dangerous. I'm responsible for making sure you're responsible, okay?"

Peter knew this wasn't going his way so he caved as his eyes landed back on Alina, "I'll call you back."

"Feel free not to," exclaimed Happy hanging up  the phone.

"I tried telling you Peter, he doesn't really care. Tony got what he wanted from you and now you won't hear from him again until he needs you," Alina told him clearly noting the sadness on his face.

Alina's pajamas next chapter