Ghost of Christmas Not Your Past | Peter & Not!Peter

[st_ayedhidden]

Peter could not believe that his daughter somehow got sucked into another dimension. He was grateful that she was safe here and there was another version of him to look after her alongside the Avengers who used to be his friends. He did not know how to lighten the burden his daughter felt as him being captured. Peter didn't know if he could tell her the future in case it changed the outcome too much.


He walked the short distance to where Annie mentioned the other version of Peter Parker stayed. Maybe there should have been some preamble or he should have had Annie sent up the meeting, but what he had to talk to Peter about was something not for her ears.

Peter chose to walk right though the door and into the room. He searched immediately for someone who might go by the name Peter.

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[st_arkintern]

Peter doesn't know if things will change or if they won't, but he knows that telling Annie isn't his call to make.

"I won't tell her," he promises. "But... I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to kill... anybody."

[st_ayedhidden]

"I didn't think so either," He replied. "It's not something I think most people think they're capable of until they have to make that choice."

He looked to the other Peter.

"It's not like it doesn't stay with me, even to this day." He said. "Eddie might have been angry with me, but it was the symbiote that twisted his mind to the monster he became."

He straightened his back and looked up at the night sky like he was reading something in it.

"I don't regret it, though." He continued. "I kept my family safe. So, if you ever have to make that sort of call, do it when you know there's no other choice."

[st_arkintern]

Peter can't imagine a scenario where he'd be willing or ready to kill someone. Maybe it was idealistic of him to believe that he could always save the day if he just tried hard enough, but he didn't want to be a superhero that kills people. Maybe some superheroes could do it, but he didn't think he could ever be one of them.

But Peter's also intelligent enough to know that in a world with infinite possibilities, there's a chance that some day, like this other Peter, he'll be forced to make the same choice this other Peter did.

"Okay," he says solemnly. "Thank you."

[st_ayedhidden]

Peter nodded as a 'you're welcome' but it felt like a heavy one. Peter hoped this younger version would never have to experience the same sort of thing.

"I have to go soon." He said, but turned to Peter. "Promise me you'll look after her until she goes back home?"

[st_arkintern]

"Yeah, I will," Peter says. That's a promise he can keep. One he would have fulfilled even if Peter didn't ask him to.

[st_ayedhidden]

He nodded again.

"Come on," He said. "We need to get you back."

Instead of heading back to the apartment, Peter walked over to the nearest building. The door opened easily and it was black again.

"Follow you heart, Peter." He said. "It's always been good to us."

[st_arkintern]

Peter doesn't immediately step through the door. Not yet. He feels that he needs to say something else, but he can't figure out what. All he wants to do is tell him thank you again, but he knows it's not thank you that he wants to say. There's so many conflicting, undefinable emotions inside of him that it's hard to know what to feel let alone know how to express it.

"I really hope that things work out for MJ and Annie. I really do."

[st_ayedhidden]

He smiled.

"They're both strong, stubborn women." He said, as if answering some unknown question.

[st_arkintern]

"And I really hope that someone's able to stop him."

Peter's not even sure if there's anybody left to stop him.

[st_ayedhidden]

Peter didn't answer him this time. He already has the answers if he thinks hard enough about it

"Enjoy your time at the Madonna Inn, Peter," he said as a reply. "Take advantage of it."

[st_arkintern]

"I will."

Peter steps through the doorway and when he does, he finds himself standing back in his room at the Madonna Inn. When he turns, he confirms what he knew even before he stepped through that portal:

The other Peter is gone.