A Different Life (June 2015)

Soon it became somewhat late and Peter came up to Serena who sat on the couch in the living area. “I’ve made up the room next to mine for you Serena. I didn’t know if you...you can always be with me if you want to,” Peter said. It was clear he wanted her to sleep in his room but out of respect for her he didn’t say it.

“Normally you...Serena tucks them in at night…” Peter said with a smile. His eyes looked at her lovingly like her own Peter did. Her Peter ‘was’ this Peter as well for the most part.

Serena was upset about the situation she was in, but at least she was around people who were comforting and familiar. Serena wasn’t quite sure what to do to tuck the twins in, but Peter walked her through it. She wanted the twins to be happy so she tucked them both in and read them a story. That night she slept, or at least tried to, in the spare room Peter had set up for her.

A week passed and Serena was still in this other timeline. She was making the best of the situation and everyone was doing their best to make her feel at home. It was late one evening and Serena was with Peter in his room.

“This must be difficult for you too. I mean I know I’m Serena but I’m not your Serena.”

Peter did the best he could with the given situation. There were just enough differences in Serena’s personality to realize that she was from somewhere else: a good place by the sounds of it. He missed ‘his’ Serena though a Serena that looked and acted like his own was right here. And as lovely as ever. He longed for her touch again

“Well...of course it’s hard. Most of the time My kind thinks of you no differently than if this hadn’t happened. The way you look, the way you move, the way you talk...it’s the same. “And I miss you...uh. Her,” he said as he looked into her eyes. He held her gaze for a moment and then looked away. He and Serena were a very close couple. And right now he missed that closeness and intimacy.

Serena missed her Peter. She hoped he was alright. She longed to be back in his arms. He had a way of comforting her when she was upset. He just seemed to know when she needed him. As she looked into this Peter’s eyes, she could see he needed the same comfort she did. She lay back on the bed on her side and Peter did the same. She felt him pull her into his arms and she rested her head against him.

“Peter and I are working on the arcbots in my timeline,” she said softly. “It was amazing to see them fully functional.”

Peter felt Serena’s warmth on his chest and took in her scent. Sleeping alone had not been easy this past week. And knowing that ‘his’ Serena May never come back. The only choice though, the only real choice was to go on like they were. She was Serena after all and not a stranger.

“Well that’s encouraging. It’s done so much good for the world...well, they have anyway. Millions of them,” Peter said as he kissed Serena’s forehead and rubbed her back with his hand. She felt exactly the same and he loved the feel of her in his arms right then.

“You were instrumental at creating the coding system for the bots so once they were coded for a specific purpose they couldn’t be reverse engineered and used for anything else,” he said as his hand moved up onto her hip.

Peter felt almost exactly the same. In this timeline they were in their early 30s and therefore they were both still in good shape. She breathed in his scent and smiled because he smelled exactly the same. It was strange to think that this Peter was, in a way, her Peter. He had come from this timeline, only a few years in the future. It was nearly impossible to wrap one's head around. She listened to what Peter said about the arcbots and felt a sense of relief when he told her that they had been coded so they could not be reverse engineered.

"That's been my main fear with the arcbots, is that someone will get their hands on them and use them for ill intentions." She glanced over at the two Nobel prizes hanging framed on the wall. "It's always been my dream to win a Nobel prize."

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Isabella hated seeing Peter like this. He was nearly beside himself with worry. So far, there was still no sign of where Serena had gone. Peter had not been sleeping very well, although neither had herself and Tony. However, they had not lost Serena twice, like Peter had. She had made a sandwich for him and she put some chips on the plate and slid it over to him.

"Dr. Strange is supposed to be coming by today. Perhaps he will be able to give us some information," she said hopefully.

Peter couldn’t resist the look in Serena’s eyes and how soft her lips looked. He just went for it and kissed her. Her lips were every bit as wonderful as he remembered. There was no harm in just making out was there? They were essentially married. Were’t they?

Serena's first reaction was to pull back, but she didn't. This was Peter after all. She wasn't cheating on him...at least she didn't think so. Peter's lips felt exactly the same and there was something so comforting about being with him. She didn't feel alone here. She kissed him back, softly at first, but then the kiss slowly deepened.

Before Peter really realized what he was doing he was on top of Serena and her arms were around his neck as they kissed. They still had clothes on but they were going hot and heavy. Serena had been transported against her will and Peter’s Serena had been replaced because of that. There were 2, 6 year olds that she didn’t know but needed her to be their mom and everyone else was busy trying to figure out how to send her back. Here in Peter’s arms, in his bed she could get away from all of that. In his arms she was safe and loved and she knew he needed her. All of her. “I love you Serena,” Peter said as he lifted her shirt and began to kiss her stomach. He unbuttoned her jeans and unzipped them and his kisses lowered to her abdomen right above her panty line.

“I want you Serena,” Peter murmured as he kissed her.

Serena began to tremble as she felt Peter's weight atop her. She felt his hands on her body and she realized that she didn't want to stop him. This was still Peter and she still loved him. She wanted for a while to forget about everything and in Peter's arms she had that opportunity. Her heartbeat began to increase as she felt him kiss her stomach and then unbutton her jeans. As she felt his kisses go lower she moaned softly.

"I want you too Peter."

The next morning after they made love for the second time Peter got out of bed to make them coffee. As he did both Willow and Ben jumped on his and Serena’s bed in their pajamas. “Momma!” They giggles as they attacked her. Peter finally came back to the room but he was surprised to see the children there.

“Well there is my family,” he said as he smiled and delivered Serena’s coffee. Willow’s dance recital was that evening and she was very excited about it. Peter came and sat down next to them though Ben was content to sit in Serena’s lap. He was very much a.momma’s boy.

Serena had put on some clothes before the twins came in. She was still getting used to the idea that these were (at least in a way) her children. She was starting to grow fond of them both. Willow seemed more independent and outgoing, while Ben seemed a little more reserved. The twins seemed very close to each other though and looked out for each other. She had grown up in this environment herself and she knew that it could be stressful at times. You didn't live a normal life when you were the child of Avengers. It appeared though that everyone was trying to give the twins as normal a life as possible.

Ben curled up on her lap while Willow danced around the room. Serena gratefully accepted the cup of coffee Peter brought her and she saw him give her a little smile. They all remained there in the bedroom for a while before the twins left to go get dressed and Serena and Peter went to the lab where her father and Dr. Banner were.

"Any news?"