Calm Before Doom

The next few days had brought to them all a sense of calm. Serena still hadn’t found a way to open the maglock that was keeping her from her mother’s powersuit. Peter had become scarce as he had his studies and when he wasn’t training with the others he was spending time with his new girlfriend Mary Jane though he could not bring her to the tower nor tell her about who he really was.

Steve and Kate began to explore what it was to be a couple again and Malcolm and Natalya had decided to begin going on dates as if they weren’t a couple already. He’d plan one then she’d plan the next one and they grew closer and more in turn with one another with each passing day. Tony had begun developing some new defences for the Tower with Pharaoh’s help and Logan was the lone wolf who seemed to cloister himself away from everyone else but Natalya knew why he hadn’t come around lately. They did live near one another in the tower but Malcolm wasn’t there all the time nor was she. He could have said hi or had a beer or any of the things they used to do together. He had said he needed time when she had asked and it might be a good deal of time before their relationship went back to some semblance of what it used to be.

At just after 10am Peter was asked by Tony to help him put together several small boxes that absorbed several different kinds of energy. The hope was that if Doom came someone could lead him into the lab and once there if he tried to use his powers Jarvis would initiate a null pulse that would hopefully render Victor unconscious. He knew Serena was there to but his heightened sense of awareness made him feel as if she were watching him and it made it difficult to concentrate on what he was doing. Tony had given her the power leads to splice and assemble and once she got one done she could put it into the fabricator and then reproduce several of them. As many as they needed to link the small boxes all around the room.

Serena was trying to tell herself that what she was feeling was just jealousy because Peter was her best friend and he wasn’t spending as much time with her anymore, but she began to wonder if it wasn’t actually something else. She was upset that his attention was no longer on her and she tried to tell herself that she was being ridiculous and a spoiled brat. However, no matter what she told herself those feelings remained there and had actually gotten stronger. Did she actually have romantic feelings for him? Even if she did she knew that her father would never allow it. He had told her very strongly that she was not to date any superheroes.

She glanced over at Peter as they worked and really looked at him. He had matured quite a bit over the past two years and he was quite attractive. She had never really looked at him like this before and she began to wonder what it might actually feel like to have his arms around her and his lips on her own.

As her father stepped out of the room for a minute she looked at Peter. “So, I had an idea for how to get into that wall. What if we recorded my father’s voice saying some commands and then replayed it to Jarvis? I’m certain that wall opens up.”

Peter cringed at what Serena suggested and his neck bent to look to make certain they were alone. He thought about her plan and purses his lips toward her. “It might work, but just getting it is only a small part. How will you keep it? Tony won't just let you keep it. You’ll need to train with it somehow, make it so he sees you as one of us,” Peter suggested. “I also think that we might need to duplicate it Incase he decides to look at it while no one is around. If he finds it gone he’ll know who took it. Then there is the matter of where to keep it,” Peter said. He smiled at her while he saw her eyes glaze over in thought. She had an incredible mind but he would have settled for just a kiss…’Get a grip Peter, your with MJ now!’ He scolded himself.

Serena was listening to Peter but she couldn’t actually hear what he was saying. All she could think about was his lips and how full they were. Suddenly, she couldn’t take it anymore. She reached over and grabbed him by the shirt. She pulled him to her and kissed him. It wasn’t a soft and gentle kiss, but a kiss in which she poured all of her thoughts and feelings. As she heard her father coming back she let go and quickly pulled away.

Peter had turned to face Serena, he had detected she was about to say something more. It was going to be very likely Tony would know he helped her get to the suit. He had a small, black circuit housing in his hands and he wasn’t looking at her directly.

However what happened next had completely taken him by surprise. With his hands occupied Serena pulled him forcefully toward her and planted the most passionate kiss he had ever received upon his lips. She had startled him but in an instant, warm heat coursed up and down his spine. Her lips were soft, from, warm and moist all at the same time. He felt his lips instinctively react to hers instantly. He was about to press further into her but before he knew it she pushed him back and sat down into her stool as if it had never happened. His eyes looked into hers for a moment then he saw her father, Tony Stark come back into the lab with them. His cheeks and forehead were flushed with heat and he had a stun fed expression on his face.

“Kid, those conduits aren't going to finish themselves, chop chop,” Tony chivied then moved up toward the front of the lab. Peter looked up and saw that he wasn’t paying attention and he turned back toward Serena.

“What the hell was that?!” He whispered breathlessly. He wondered if she was just playing a game with him. Whatever her motives however his brow furled as he thought that she might be.

Serena had felt Peter kiss her back and she had wished that they had had more time just for that. She knew Peter was going to have questions and she needed an answer. Did she want to date him? She knew that she wasn't messing around with him here. She never would do that to him. The kiss had been completely spontaneous and she hadn't even really realized she was going to do it until it was already happening.

As their lips parted and she sat back down on her stool she could feel Peter looking at her and her eyes looked into his for a moment before her father walked in. Once he did she looked away almost immediately. She felt just as flustered as Peter and could feel a warmth in her cheeks. She could sense Peter waiting for an opportunity to talk to her and when he got it he asked exactly the question she figured he would. She was quiet a moment and Peter would see a seriousness come over her face. Whatever she was about to tell him was the truth and not a lie.

"I...I have feelings for you Peter..." she whispered back as she rather shyly looked away from him. She finally forced herself to look at him to see what his response was going to be.

“Serena! You’re hitting me with this now!” Peter said in obvious irritation. “I asked you…” he began then had to stop as he thought about it. “I asked and you...I asked,” he said again completely confused. He turned briefly to look where Tony was and seeing him preoccupied he turned back to face her. When he did his eyes took on a more suspicious look.

“Does this change of heart have to do with me dating MJ?” He asked. “Because you were pretty certain before,” Peter said.

Serena actually looked upset and rather embarrassed. She glanced over at her father and then looked back at Peter. "I...I thought I was certain," she told him. "I had never thought about you in that way. We've always just been best friends and I was also afraid of what might happen if a relationship between us didn't last. Would we still be able to be friends? I couldn't bear the thought of losing you. But then you started dating MJ and...and I became jealous and upset and that's when I began to look at you differently and realized I did actually have feelings for you that I hadn't known. But I'm sorry...I shouldn't have told you. I'll leave you alone."

Peter frowned in confusion. “So that’s it? You’re jealous, you kiss me and that’s it?” he asked. He really liked Mary Jane She was kind and beautiful but she couldn’t share with her what he shared with Serena. She knew both parts of himself and obviously liked both parts. That might not be how MJ reacts if and when she ever found out about the fact the he was Spiderman. “I’ve wanted us to be together for years,” Peter said softly and looked toward Tony quickly and turned back. “But there is never any guarantees about what will happen to us if it doesn’t take. There never are,” He said and thank you Pharaoh for that bit of advice, he thought. “So I guess the ball is in your court Serena. I’m doing things for you that will get me into a lot of trouble with your father and you know how he is about you dating...someone like me,” he added. He didn't refer to himself as a superhero. Peter was too humble for that.

“I know I shouldn’t have hid my feelings for you but...but you never seemed to see me other then just Peter...your friend.,” He said. “Well I guess you know now, the question is, what are ‘you’ going to do about it,” he said. He wasn’t going to just break up with MJ over a kiss. Nor would he mention it to her. He suspected that Serena had told the truth when she said she was jealous. But that didn’t mean she really wanted him. Sometimes competition was the thing and made men and women more desirable to others. And that was from Pharaoh’s insights to.

Serena suddenly felt herself grow angry and upset. She had just told Peter that she had feelings for him and that had been difficult for her. She had kissed him! She thought perhaps that would tell him what he needed to know, but apparently not. Having been raised by her father, Serena was not one to gush about her feelings. She found talking about such things difficult and she knew Peter knew that. And yet he was still going to make her say it. She looked over at her father and then back at Peter.

"I like you Peter...as more than just a friend and I want us to be together...to find a way. I think we belong together. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to figure this out, but you could have said something sooner too. However, if you decide you would rather just stay with MJ I will understand and I will still be your friend."

She looked into his eyes for a moment before turning back to what she was working on and didn't say anything more.

Peter nearly gaped at her. One moment he had thought this particular ship had sail and now. Now she had put the ball in his court to carry it all further. What was he going to do? What could he do? Tony would likely skin him if he made a move on Serena. But her kiss...that was not something he would easily be able to forget. He turned back to face forward with an uncertain look on his face. One moment he wasn’t certain if he’d ever get a girlfriend and the next? The next he had 2! What was he going to do. MJ was a good kisser to, he thought.

“Are you worried about Doom coming here?” Steve asked as he lay back on their bed. He had propped himself up with a pillow and was reading a book titled, ‘The Guns of Navarone’ a world war 2 book. “Pharaoh said there was no way for us to know if his control over you was completely removed or not. I know I said I wouldn’t try and keep you out of harm's way but I think if it’s even a possibility...you could do alot of damage to us,” he said.

Serena didn’t look at Peter again. She just continued to work. She wasn’t going to bother him again about this. It was up to him to decide now what he wanted. She knew if they decided to begin a relationship that they would need to consider her father, but they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

Once her work was completed, Serena left and went to the kitchen. She made herself a sandwich and then grabbed a drink and sat down at the table. She tried not to think about Peter but she couldn’t help herself.

Kate was sitting at the table in their room working on a few things while Steve read. His question though made her pause and look up. She considered the question and hesitated in giving an answer. “It’s always possible that he still has a hold over me. I certainly don’t feel the way I did when I knew he was controlling me, but it could always just mean that he hasn’t made a move yet. I understand your concerns and they are my concerns as well. I will do whatever the team thinks is best for everyone.”