The Let Down

That night Peter called Serena. He hadn’t spoken to her in what seemed forever but he knew it had only been a couple a months. Peter loved Serena and he missed her terribly. Kit was there in his head to but even though he did have romantic thoughts about her he didn;t really know her all that well and he hoped that they could become good friends.

Peter had called Serena three times and just before he hung up for the third time he heard her answer.

“Serena? Hi, this is Peter,” he said.

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Serena was on her right side and Gambit was as well right behind her. He was making love to her and their bodies moved together. They had never done it like this before and feeling her body against him was actually quite nice. That and her middle was available to him so he could use his fingers as well. He had heard her phone go off but they had been ignoring it. As he kissed her she moaned into his mouth just when her phone went off a second time. He could feel her tensing up, a sign that she was getting close. The explosion that was coming did not require anything to change which was nice. It was only a matter of time now as he felt her breath coming in gasps. Then her phone went off once more...

Serena had been trying to ignore her phone. However, having it go off multiple times while she and Gambit were making love was quite distracting. Serena and Gambit were getting married in four days and they had agreed that tonight would be their last night together until they were married.

Gambit always knew just where to touch her to drive her wild and tonight he had gotten her super worked up. She was getting so close when she heard her phone go off again. She began to think that perhaps it was extremely important and that she should pick up. Thankfully she climaxed and she felt Gambit do the same. The phone was still ringing as she grabbed it and picked up. She was rather out of breath however.

“Hello?”

When she heard Peter’s voice she blinked and sat up. She had not expected to hear from him. She hadn’t seen Peter since he had almost sexually assaulted her. “Peter? Is everything alright?”

Hearing Serena’s voice made tears come to his eyes. He couldn’t believe it was her! He missed her so much and he wanted to wrap himself up in the moment as if he had been separated from her for so long.

“Oh my god, Serena its good to hear your voice. Everything IS alright. Now it is anyway. Venom is gone Serena. Gone, out of my head. Out of my life, out of ‘our’ lives. Kitty Pryde did it. She did it Serena, she really did it,” he said excitedly.

Serena was relieved to know that Venom was gone. Peter sounded so much better and that was a high weight lifted from her shoulders. She could see Gambit out of the corner of her eye watching her. She gave him a signal to let him know that she was alright.

“I’m so relieved to hear that Peter. Everyone had been so worried about you. I know my parents will be thrilled.”

Gambit mouthed. ‘Going to go clean up’ and he hopped off the bed and moved into the bathroom. He half closed the door and turned on the light then began to wash up.

“Serena, when are you coming home? I know things between us...I know what venom did. But it wasn't me Serena. It wasn’t. I love you and I tried Serena. I tried to fight him...with everything I had I fought. I’m ‘your’ Peter. The one that was crazy about you in high school. The one that was and still is your soulmate. I know it will take time for you...to forgive...me,” he said but it felt strange to say it when he knew that it wasn't him that did anything wrong. “But I don’t want to lose you, not like this. It’s like I’m finally out of a terrible nightmare and you are there asking me if I had a nightmare than holding me. Please come home, I need you Serena. I want to try and make things right between us,” he said.

Serena closed her eyes tightly as she listened to Peter beg her to come home. She didn’t want to hurt him, but he deserved the truth. She wouldn’t lie to him anymore. This was the only way they both could heal and move in. She needed to say these words out loud to him. It needed to come from her.

“Peter,” she said gently, “I am always going to love you and I do forgive you for what happened, but I’m not returning to the Tower, at least not any time soon. I’m with Gambit, Peter. He and I are...we’re getting married in four days.”

Peter felt his stomach begin to churn. Hearing her words made him want to sick up. In an instant his entire life had just been turned upside down. He felt dizzy and he reached up and touched his forehead.


“What?...How?...When? Serena, you can’t mean that!? Please, Gambit? You can’t mean that. Don’t throw away what we have together,” he pleaded as fresh tears began to fall down his cheeks. “It’s like I'm still in the nightmare,” he said. “None of this is my fault...I’m losing you...no, I’ve lost, lost you and there is nothing I can do about it? This isn’t fair...this isn’t happening...this just isn’t happening!” he cried.

Serena felt her heart break in her chest as she listened to him begin to cry. She hated hurting him, but she couldn’t remain with him just because he was going to get upset if she left him. That wouldn’t be fair to either of them because their relationship would be built on a lie.

“Peter, I know this is difficult right now, but it will get easier. I’m still your friend and I will still be there for you, but I’m marrying Gambit. I need you to let me go Peter. That is the only way you will be able to move on. I know you wound love again Peter because you deserve it...you deserve it so much.”

“Serena, you won’t even give me a chance? Did we just stop being soulmates? I was sick Serena, I was not myself and your leaving me? For Gambit?! I can’t believe this, I can’t believe your just going to turn your back on me like this. Friends? No friend of mine would abandon someone like this!” he said angrily then hung up on her. In his room he threw his phone and it smashed into pieces against the wall. He slid down onto the floor and began to weep.

By the time Peter hung up Serena was sobbing. She hated doing this to him and she hated being made to feel like she was horrible for doing this. When Gambit heard her sobbing and stepped out he would find her on their bed sobbing into her hands.

“Do you consider me a horrible person too for breaking up with Peter?”

Gambit did not hear the conversation but hearing Serena sobbing, even in the darkness of the room took him aback. “What are you talking about? Serena, who was that? Peter? What’s going on? Ofcourse I don’t. Things change, feelings change, life always changes. You are your own person Serena. You are allowed to change your mind,” He said gently as he sat down on the bed next to her. "Peter, your mother and father, no one has the right to tell you how to live your life, especially me," he said.

Serena leaned against Gambit as she cried. She couldn’t help but hate herself for breaking his heart but things had changed...she had changed. And she doubted Peter would come through this without changing himself.

“I didn’t want to hurt him.”

“Serena, I will admit that Peter has been given a raw deal,” he said though he would not go into it now. She certainly didn’t need to be reminded of how much Peter has already lost. His parents, his Uncle, his Aunt and now the love of his life. Gambit winced at that but Serena had to be fair to herself as well. The problem was Serena had a big heart and she was not above sacrificing her own happiness if it was really important. Gambit was going to have to steer her away from that...somehow if it came up.

“But we’re beyond that now. We have responsibilities and commitments that we’ve made to one another,” he said. It was a cold statement but there was nothing for it. The truth was going to be cold no matter how it was presented. Gambit was not going to let her get away from him this time.

After Peter had no more tears left he began to think. Not a particularly dangerous past time and in most situations a good think to do. Not in this case however. He thought about his parents and his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. He thought about his existence and how obsolete the world had made him. Serena had cast him aside when he needed her the most. If she could do that than his own worth must not be much anymore. He knew it wasn’t all her fault but she had made promises and given her heart to him. He saw now what that was all worth. Nothing.

The lab was dark but as soon as he entered the lights flickered on. He knew what he was going to do. There would be a little bit of pain but not for long. He turned on the pad and then moved and turned on the transformers. As they powered up tears filled his eyes and he wiped his nose. This is what his life was worth...nothing. And just thinking about Serena. Serena with her beautiful dark eyes and her freckles. He had memorized every freckle on her face. Her cute nose and the way she held him. He turned on the power unit.

“Peter, the charge on the pad is at a very dangerous level, shall I discharge it now?” Jarvis asked. “No Jarvis, keep it going,” Peter said and Jarvis complied. Serena was his everything. And now he was nothing to her. Nothing to anyone...just nothing. He stepped toward the pad that crackled with danger.

Kitty had decided to go check on Peter. She hadn’t seen him for a few hours. She had decided to leave him be and let him get some much needed rest. She had gone to see if he wanted to play a video game or watch a movie, however he wasn’t in his room and she found his cell phone smashed. She began to fear that perhaps she hadn’t gotten all of Venom out and she began to look for him.

She was nearing the lab when she heard a strange crackling noise. As she looked in she was horrified by what she saw. She immediately rushed over and grabbed his arm and jerked him back. There was fear in her eyes of what he was trying to do. She told Jarvis to shut it down and then she looked at Peter.

“What are you doing Peter?”

When she jerked Peter back he didn’t fight her. He was crying, he didn’t want to die but he had lost hope. In himself and in everyone. He hadn’t thought about Kit though he knew he should have. She had done so much for him in so short a time. She didn’t even know him and she risked herself for him. A pang of guilt flew through him just then. He was about to undo all of her efforts. Not at all a respectable thing to do to someone.

“Why did no one tell me Serena was getting married? Was it to keep me calm in my cage?” he said as he wiped tears from his eyes. “I’ve lost everything Kit. My parents, Uncle Ben,” he began than he began to sob. “Aunt May,” he cried but tried to stop and wiped his eyes again. “Serena and I are soulmates so naturally I lose her to,” he said bitterly and then met her eyes. “I think you should go, Kit,” he said wanting the pain in his heart to stop.

Kitty listened to Peter and she gently put her arms around him to comfort him. She just held him and let him cry. "I'm not going anywhere Peter," she told him after a few moments. "And neither are you. The world needs you Peter, even if you think it doesn't. The city hasn't been the same without Spider-Man and I've been enjoying getting to know Peter Parker. Life unfortunately isn't always fair. I lost my sister and I will have to live with that guilt and pain for the rest of my life. I could have just wallowed in self pity and pain, but instead I got up and got back out into the world and did some good. I have no doubts that you and Serena are soulmates, but being soulmates doesn't always mean being in a relationship with them. What you and Serena have is special and not even Gambit can take that away. You haven't lost her Peter. She's still there and I truly believe that she doesn't want to lose you either. You have a choice to make here though Peter. You can either lock yourself away for the rest of your life and never love or do good again...or you can grieve shortly and then step back out into the world and know that you are worthy of happiness and love. Which are you going to choose?"

Peter listened to Kit and took real comfort from her close proximity and her warm and compassion. ‘Maybe she’s right?’ He thought. “I don’t know Kit, I wish I did,” he said. In either case it was late and they both needed sleep. Peter promised not to do anything like that again at least for tonight.

The next morning Peter was up early and he was making bacon and pancakes of all things. He didn’t know if Kit liked pancakes but they were a staple here in the tower and one of the few things he knew how to make without a microwave. He made coffee as well though he preferred a cold energy drink to coffee. He had showered and dressed Incase the Avengers came home. He shattered his phone so he didn’t know what was going on and they removed his wrist comm a while ago.

Kitty's eyes slowly fluttered open and she groaned and stretched as she tried not to let herself fall back asleep. As she sat up the smell of pancakes and bacon hit her nose and caused her mouth to start to water. She quickly got dressed and pulled her hair up into a ponytail before heading out into the kitchen. She smiled when she saw Peter making breakfast.

"That smells wonderful," she complimented with a smile before going to get some coffee. She looked over at him slightly as she poured it into a cup. "How are you feeling this morning?"

Peter only shrugged as he set her up with several strips of bacon and a mound of blueberry pancakes then got some for himself. After the buttered and dressed their plates and begun to eat he looked at her.

“So your sister dying, is that why your so angry with Logan?” He asked gently. He certainly didn’t want to get slapped for asking. Or mentioning Logan’s name.

Kitty nodded, but didn't push the matter any further. She knew it would just take time for his heart to heal. As long as he didn't scare her again like he did last night then she was fine with him not wanting to talk about it. She took her plate and sat down with her cup of coffee at the table and then Peter joined her. When he mentioned Logan and her sister she became quiet for a moment before slowly nodding.

"I am, but I'm starting to wonder if the person I am truly angry with is myself and I'm just taking it out on him."

Peter shrugged. “We initially thought that you just knew Logan and that’s why you slapped him,” he said. After a moment thinking about that he chuckled. And then she chuckled and then they both laughed at that.

“So then, let me tell you how he met his wife Natalya…” he began then proceeded to tell her the tale through breakfast.

After breakfast he asked her. “Do you know how to swim? And did you bring a bathing suit with you? We have a pool downstairs,” he said. “And a hot tub if you like hot tubs,” he added. “I do...sometimes,” Peter said trying not to insinuate anything. It wasn’t all that easy when one spoke about a hot tub these days. He wasn’t coming on to her, but she was pretty. He liked her hazel eyes.

Kitty had brought a bathing suit and they changed and then went down to the pool. They swam around and laughed and playfully splashed each other. Kitty was a strong swimmer and showed off her diving skills. After a while they went to the hot tub and sat in it together and talked some more.

"So, did you really get bitten by a radioactive spider?"

Swimming with Kit was a lot of fun. She was an excellent swimmer and even a better diver. Even though she had Been through a lot it didn’t seem to staunch her spirit and he really appreciated that about her. In the hot tub it was difficult not to think of her as a woman. She had long, dark hair and large hazel eyes that looked at him as if he were interested in him. In her bathing suit he also saw her but she was more feminine then and his eyes drifted down to her breasts more than once. She didn’t have as large of breasts as Serena but he wagered to himself that they were still nice.

For Peter’s part his body hadn’t changed much. His mutation never allowed it to change. A spider required speed and agility and strength. “I did and it made me very sick for a day. Norman Osborn had us as students and we worked in his lab. One spider got out of its box and it bit me when I touched it by accident,” he said.

Kitty couldn’t help but find Peter attractive. There was a slight boyish quality to his face that endeared him to her, but his body was definitely that of a man. His body was tight with very little body fat. He was muscular without being overly so.

She listened as he told her what had happened and she was absolutely amazed.

“So, do you like having your powers or would you rather be a normal person?”