Spider-X Chapter 4

Opening scene Peter Parker is laying in what looks like a hospital room unmasked and changed into a clean white t-shirt and sweat pants. He is sleeping with heart monitors attached to his chest and an IV drip in his forearm. Peter woke up slowly examining the new environment. "Is this a hospital I don't have insurance" Peter said groggily. Peter ripped out his IV and attempted to stand when he fell to the ground.

"Oh my stars and garters he's awake," said the hairy blue animal man. He quickly grabbed Peter and tried to put him back into bed. "It's ok your safe this is the X-Men headquarters, not a hospital no Insurance needed."

"X-Men?" Peter replied "I can't stay her- "Just as I said that I fell back on the bed feeling the fur of the man holding me "So fluffy," I said as I drifted back into unconsciousness. I woke up later with a huge headache. I studied the room I was in further noticing the furry man was gone and the brown-haired girl, Kitty, I threw at Eric was there

"You're finally up," said Kitty

"Finally how long was I out!" I said

"About a week," said Kitty

"A week I'm going to lose my job," I said, Kitty, started laughing

"I'm kidding it's only been 5 hours according to Dr. McCoy you were exhausted and malnourished so we brought you here" I looked around for my own clothes and a way out of this place when the furry man walked back in the room

"Oh, Peter you're awake how are you feeling?"

"Like I want to go home," I said

"You should probably eat something before you go. Oh, where are my manners I never introduced myself my name is Dr. Hank McCoy."

"Wait, Dr. McCoy, the famous geneticist!" I said

"You've heard of me?" said Dr. McCoy.

"Yeah I read your work on mutations when I was in school I didn't know you were a mutant there were never any pictures of you." I said remembering how I studied his work "I even wrote a couple of papers on you and the discoveries you made about evolution and the theories about where mutants come from".

"You studied me in school I never thought I made that much of an impact on today's youth," Said Dr. McCoy.

"I looked you up out of personal interest, its closer to say my school just didn't stop me from reading about your work," I said. "What am I talking about!?" "I need to leave," I said.

"Wait before you go we have food set out for you in the kitchen," said Kitty.

"Thanks but no thanks" just as I said that my stomach started to growl.

"You sure" Kitty said with a smug look on her face. Feeling my face go red I turned away from Kitty's gaze

"Look I don't want to be rude, but I don't want any handouts I don't want to owe you anything," I said still feeling embarrassed.

"You won't owe us anything it's just food no strings attached if you want to leave after you can," Kitty said she looked sincere and it has been forever since I last had a decent meal

"Fine what are we having," I said

"Follow me," Kitty said

"Oh and just to let you know your clothes are in the laundry room I imagine they have finished washing by now," Dr. McCoy said as Kitty and I left the room. The moment we entered the kitchen I could smell it. The potatoes hit me first then I smelt steak and what seemed like vegetables my stomach growled again louder this time. Kitty looked back at me and said: "Wow you are really hungry." "You're practically drooling," she said. I turned away from her embarrassed. I quickly walked ahead of her to the kitchen and scarfed down as much food as I could. I was going to ask why Kitty who sat down in front of me wasn't eating, but I was too busy putting buttery mash potatoes in my mouth. As soon as I was done a teenage boy walked in the room he looked about my age with short blonde hair wearing a bathrobe so he obviously lived here. He sat down right next to me and looked me up and down for a couple of seconds.

"Can I help you?" I said to the boy.

"You're the Spider-Man right," said the boy.

"Yeah?" I say with a little trepidation in my voice.

"I thought you'd be taller and have more limbs, but this works," the boy said

Kitty chimed in and said "Peter this is Bobby, Bobby this is Peter sorry he's rude and has no concept of privacy" she meant for that last line to sting but Bobby just rolled it off like he didn't even notice. Still looking at me Bobby said "You single" practically choking on the last bits of food I manage to say

"What!"

"Need me to rephrase I mean are you dating anyone," Bobby said with a playful wink.

"Bobby stop hitting on him," Kitty said commandingly.

"Can I take your silence as a yes" Bobby continued looking at me.

"I'm not gay" I managed to say "And are you an X-Man or something I didn't see you in the fight with Magneto and his kids," I say quickly trying to change the subject.

Kitty interjected "He wasn't there because he's been grounded since he thought it would be funny to freeze the floor in front of everyone's bedroom"

"In my defense it was hilarious," Bobby said to Kitty, Kitty quickly stood up and grabbed my arm

"You are done eating good, let me introduce you to everyone else" with that Kitty quickly rushed me out of the room.

"Out of all the things that happened to me today getting hit on by an X-Man was the least expected," I thought to myself. I followed Kitty to what looked like a garage with motorcycles and nice looking cars and I say someone was on the ground fixing one of the motorcycles.

"Logan," Kitty said "Come out and introduce yourself" Logan continued to work on the bike ignoring us "Logan!" Kitty said angrily Logan sighed and stood up he was a tall man that looked utterly disinterested in this conversation

"Hi, I'm Logan. now can I get back to my bike?"

"Would it kill you to be polite?" said Kitty.

"Yes," said Logan.

"Fine let's go meet everyone else, Peter," Kitty said turning back to me.

"Why am I going along with this" Peter thought "I'll just meet the last of them and leave". We enter what looks like the library and I see the red-headed woman from earlier with her hair tied reading a textbook and writing a paper on her laptop. As soon as we got close my spider-sense went off. I tensed up and jumped back

"What are you doing," Kitty said with a confused look on her face. I start looking around for danger and when I don't see anything I stammer and try to say something but all that comes out is

"What?"

"You have a sixth sense for the danger that's interesting," Said the red-head

"How do you know that!?" I said still on edge. The woman stood up and took a few steps toward me.

"I haven't formally introduced myself my name is Jean Grey I'm a Psychic"

"You read my mind?" what's wrong with you people never heard of privacy.

"My abilities much like your's are a sixth sense they can never be fully turned off. I can control them the best I can, but asking me not to read your mind when it's screaming at me is like going to a concert and trying not to hear the music."

"Alright Jean since you seem to have all these answers why do you set off my spider-sense," I say with contempt in my voice.

"Spider-Sense" Jean said with a slight laugh. "My powers are omega level you probably just sense that, and your sixth sense picks that up, but don't worry I don't bite," Jean said.

"Ok maybe you two want to stop measuring each other up," said Kitty

"I agree with Kitty stop playing with the kid Jean," Said the tall man with the visor. "Hi, Scott Summers leader of the X-Men nice to meet you" Scott raised his hand to me to shake. I considered slapping it away but still on edge from Jean I reluctantly took his hand. "Jean are you done working today or do you still want to mess with Peter," said Scott.

"Don't blame me I didn't know I was so dangerous I set off warnings just by existing. I don't have a problem with the boy, he has a problem with me." Said Jean defensively.

"Are you two having a lovers quarrel right now cause me and Peter should go if you are." Said Kitty.

"Before you go Professor Xavier wanted to speak with Peter in his office," said Scott.

"Why?" I questioned

"He wants to know how you're doing" replied Scott with a small grin. "Kitty can you show him where it is" Kitty quickly lead me out the room and down the hallway where I walked into a beautiful office space with shelves of books and a nice window view of the backyard and large desk with a large nameplate that read Dr. Charles Xavier.

"Hello, Nice to see you so well," Said Xavier. "Can I call you Peter or is there some other name you want to go by." I glared at him before saying "Peter's fine everyone here knows who I am already so I might as well let that go."

"Alright, I wanted to see how you felt about joining after the fight between the Brotherhood and the X-Men," said Xavier.

"Honestly I still don't trust you," I said earnestly.

"OK Peter we can work on that, but with the X-men, I can offer you a home and a chance to make a difference in the world are you sure you want to give that up," said Xavier.

"I'm not stupid I know my living situation is bad, but don't think I'll get into bed with you just because of that," I said.

"What can I do to help you trust me," Said Xavier.

"I don't know how about not reading my mind!" I said.

"I can promise to try but psychic abilities are always active in a way if some feeling or thought is strong enough I'll hear it," Xavier said trying to appease me.

"Jean said something similar," I say as I turn down my head.

"Well is there anything else to get you to join us." Said Xavier.

"Why are you so determined on having me join your team," I said with curiosity

"Because you are special you have powers and despite your current circumstances you fight for others put yourself in harm's way to help total strangers that kind of person is someone the world desperately needs right now." Said Xavier with the utmost admiration. I couldn't help but be a little flattered that some actually recognizes what I was trying to do and approves.

"Ok Xavier I'll give your team a try under three conditions," I said.

"Anything name your price," Xavier said.

"First try not to read my mind and tell Jean the same, Second I will still work at my own job and not rely on you for anything more than food and somewhere to stay, and lastly I want to be able to continue doing my solo work as Spider-Man stopping petty crime," I said.

"The last condition it would be more helpful to have a team with you or someone to help, but as long as you contact us if you're ever in trouble I can agree to it," Said Xavier.

"I'll call if I need help, but I've been doing fine on my own for a year," I said confidently. Charles raised his hand to shake and said

"Welcome to the X-Men Peter"

"I hope I don't regret this"