(Spiderman) The Amazing Story of Altered Fates: Chapter 7 – An Amazing New Future Part II

Chapter 7 – An Amazing New Future Part II

When the colors solidified, the two Peters were standing in a room that was clearly someone’s office.

The walls were white; the floor had a wooden deck on it. The windows were covered by thick red and blue curtains. There was a desk in the middle of the room. It was large and took almost the entire length of the available space. The chairs on both sides of the table had an orthopedic high back and were black to contrast the white of the desk. On the desk itself were two AIO screens, each pointing in the opposite direction, with a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Peter wondered what the hell this place was. He turned to his twin to get an answer, but apparently, he already heard his thought and responded, “It’s our office in the London apartment. We had a three-bedroom place close enough for Gwen to get to her courses and work.”

Just as he finished talking, the door to the office opened, and in walked three people. First came Gwen, wearing a beautiful deep blue dress, next came Peter, and he was carrying another comfy-looking chair with him.

Both of them walked around the table. Gwen sat in the chair there, while Peter set down the chair he brought and took his seat on it. The third member, an old man with grey hair in a brown suit holding a briefcase, walked in and sat on the chair across from them.

The old man cleared his throat before speaking with an English accent, “Mr. Parker, my name is Edward Walker. I have been sent here to talk to you on behalf of Harry Osborn. It was meant to be in a private setting.” His subtle hint with a glance toward the blonde left no doubt what he meant.

Peter adopted a neutral expression, which was hard considering the hated name of Harry Osborn was mentioned a moment earlier. He gave the man a flat look and said evenly, “Be that as it may, Ms. Stacy will not be leaving. If you wish to, you may.”

The man looked conflicted for a moment before Gwen intervened, saying in her own flat tone, “Might I point out, Mr. Walker, that according to British law, a spouse may always be included in discussions concerning their fiancé.” She raised her left hand, flashing the ring Peter put on it a couple of months ago.

Walker looked relieved he could go on with his duties. He cleared his throat again and spoke, “Of course. Apologies, Ms. Stacy. As I said, I’m here on behalf of the late Harry Osborn…”

Peter jumped in his seat and leaned forward on the table, asking eagerly, “Late? As in the bastard is dead?”

Peter ignored the admonishing call he received from Gwen and kept staring at the older man in front of him.

Walker looked uncomfortable with the situation. The poor man cleared his throat once more before explaining, “Indeed. About six months ago, the treatment to heal the late Mr. Osborn from the chemicals he used during the incident in 2014 proved successful…”

Walker was cut off by an angry hiss from Peter, “Incident?! He killed my…”

Peter stopped when Gwen grabbed his hand in hers and squeezed it tightly. She looked at Peter firmly yet softly and said, “Peter, Mr. Walker is just doing his job. I get the subject is sensitive, but you will have to power through. I’m here with you; don’t forget it.”

Peter took a deep breath, leaned back in his chair, and gave a small nod.

Walker shifted in his seat before speaking again, “As I said, he was cured. Unfortunately, with a clear mind, his actions caused him a great amount of distress, and his physical health deteriorated quickly. Less than a month ago, Harry Osborn died in his cell. All he left behind were instructions for his estate and a letter, which he wished for me to read to you.”

Peter’s jaw moved, but no sound came out. He felt so conflicted; he wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear the letter or burn the last evidence of Harry Osborn from the face of the earth.

Gwen looked at Peter, but when it was clear he wouldn’t say anything, she spoke instead, “Please proceed, Mr. Walker.”

The man nodded. He reached for his briefcase and pulled out a sheet of paper. After another throat clearing, he began reading, “Peter, buddy… I know I don’t have the right to call you that anymore, and I hope you will at least hear this letter through. I promise it will be worth it. You and I both know how my dad always got inside my head. Before he died, my father’s last words were demanding that I not die like him, and those words echoed in my mind throughout our confrontation in the penthouse, fueling my desperation. Ironic, isn’t it? All I went through to avoid it, and here I am. Laying on my cot in a cell, dying just like my father did. Dr. Connors has been one of my visitors. He explained to me what you were trying to say about your blood and your dad’s research. I can’t believe that even when I kidnapped May and dropped her to her death, you still tried to reason with me. Still tried to save me. With or without your secret, you were always a hero to me. You are the best guy I ever knew, and that’s why I decided that after I die, everything Dad left to me is going to you. Yes, that includes Oscorp. I always thought you would be able to do more with it than I could ever dream. Just do me a favor and change the name. I don’t want mine or Dad’s crimes to taint your genius. Parker Industries has a good ring to it, and you can get the incredible Ms. Stacy on board with you once you put a ring on her. And don’t be stupid, buddy. Put a ring on her; don’t give up on her. You know it does feel like passing the business down to family. You were more like family to me than my father ever was. When I think back on it now, the scared look on May’s face as she looked at me breaks my heart more than any time my dad told me he was disappointed in me. I’m not trying to buy your forgiveness, Peter, not even asking for it. I did so much damage in my life that I want to fix it in my death, and what better way than to give you all the tools you will need to make the world a better place like you always wanted. Just do me one last favor in the name of our past friendship: make your own life better as well. I love you, buddy.”

With that, Walker laid the letter on the table and pushed it toward Peter. But the man could only sit there, frozen in place, silent tears streaming down his face as he stared at the letter he just heard.

Gwen had her own tears running down her cheeks, and she kept staring at Peter, worry written all over her face. She glanced toward the old man across from her and asked softly, “Mr. Walker, may we have a couple of minutes to talk?”

The man in the brown suit nodded and asked where the bathroom was. After Gwen gave him the directions, he left the room.

Once they were alone, Gwen turned to Peter and called gently, “Pete. Talk to me.”

Peter turned his eyes to her, but they had a faraway look in them as if he was in a daze before he spoke weakly, “What am I supposed to feel?”

Gwen pulled her chair closer to Peter’s and hugged him. When she talked, it was quietly and into his ear, “Everything you feel is okay, honey. It’s a complicated situation.”

Peter shook his head on her shoulder and said desperately, “I just can’t separate the image of my best friend and the man that killed Aunt May.”

Gwen shrugged her free shoulder and said, “Maybe you shouldn’t. It was the same person, Pete. You knew him better than anyone else. You don’t have to accept his explanation or excuses; he himself didn’t ask for forgiveness. That choice is only yours.”

Peter raised his head to look at Gwen, “And what should we do with this estate thing?”

Gwen laid her hand on his cheek softly and said with a smile, “I think you should accept it. Harry was right; you can do a lot of good with a company like that.”

Peter looked at Gwen for a long moment. An idea began to form in his head. But did he feel ready to go back? Their life in London was so good, and they were about to start a new chapter in their life. Would they have a place there for this kind of chaos?

Knowing there was only one person who had the answer to those questions, he took a deep breath and spoke, “Maybe, but I think we can do even better things together.”

Gwen blinked at him for a moment before asking, surprise coloring her voice, “You mean… But how will it even work, Pete?”

Peter looked at her with his usual goofy smile and explained, “We get married sooner. And we sign these papers as co-CEOs. I’m sure Curt will help us carry the company in the start so you can focus on finishing your studies. We will have a private plane to take you anywhere you need, and I’m sure we can convince some of your professors to allow remote study. You’ve already impressed most of them. What do you say?”

Gwen was frowning in thought for a long moment, causing Peter to start worrying about her reaction. He didn’t want a repeat of the last time they had a similar discussion.

Eventually, Gwen smiled and said, “I’m sure Harvard will accept me, and their biology program is almost as good as here. It will make things a lot easier, and we are going to have enough troubles in the near future.”

Peter blinked, completely shocked at her simple statement. He looked at her with an open jaw and asked, maybe a little too loudly, “What about your future and not giving it up?”

Gwen giggled and patted Peter’s cheek as she responded, “I also said life moves on. It did, and circumstances changed. It’s clear now where our future is.”

Peter was so happy he jumped from his chair, pulled Gwen out of hers, which caused her to squeak in surprise, and hugged her close.

They were both laughing when a surprised Mr. Walker walked back into the room.

The scene began to melt.

Peter turned, shocked, to his mirror image, who stood there with a smile. “The PI logo on the phones. I saw Connor’s briefcase had that logo too. Parker Industries?!”

The guy nodded with a smirk, “Business is good. Harry was right; with the resources of PI, we did make the world a better place. Max develops green energy projects that are already in use around the world. Curt and Gwen work in the medical field and have created many cures. I personally work on the tech stuff.”

Peter could only keep blinking. He couldn’t imagine himself as a big-shot CEO of a company that big. The thought seemed ridiculous.

When the environment around them became clear again, they were standing on a rooftop. The sky was clear blue, and the sun was high, providing warmth and light for the entire scene.

Peter looked around. He could see many people sitting on chairs around them. He recognized Max, Connors, Mrs. Stacy, Philip, and Simon among the hundreds in attendance. All were dressed in fancy clothes.

At the edge of the roof was a big altar. Under it stood two men. One of them was clearly an old bald man who wore thick glasses and a grey suit, while the other was Peter Parker himself. He was wearing a tuxedo. His hair was as messy as ever, his eyes were shining with happiness, and he looked at the old man with a smile.

Peter looked at the guy next to him and asked with a voice full of wonder, “Is that…” His twin probably knew what he was about to ask and just nodded. His face was so content watching this that Peter felt a little jealous. He looked at the old man again and asked, “Who is that?”

The mirror image of him smiled softly, “He was one of Gwen’s professors at Harvard. He immediately liked both of us and did everything he could to help Gwen balance the company with her courses, even if it meant working with her until late. Then one day, his daughter and granddaughter were attacked because of his involvement with some project. Long story short, I saved them, but in the process, all three of them learned about me being Spider-Man. We became the girl’s godparents and asked him to officiate the wedding. His name is Charles Medrol.”

Before Peter could ask more questions, a familiar music began playing across the rooftop.

Everyone looked at the other end of the rooftop as two people entered through the white curtains hiding the door. Howard Stacy began walking toward the altar with his arm around that of another blonde woman’s.

When they reached the altar, they unlinked their arms with a small kiss, and Howard high-fived Peter on his way to stand next to him as his best man, while the girl that was with him took her spot across from him as the maid of honor.

Then the curtains parted again to reveal Gwen Stacy. She wore a short white dress that reached just shy of her knees. It was strapless, and across the entire dress, a spider-web pattern was clear for everyone to see but only for a few to understand the significance of. Her blond hair was brushed beautifully backward, but still, a few strands of golden locks escaped and were flying around her face with the soft wind. Her ruby lips were stretched in a wide smile.

She was on the arm of Commissioner George Stacy. He was grinning widely himself, wearing his own tuxedo. Both of them took small, slow steps to the altar.

When they finally reached it, George grabbed Gwen’s hands and put them in Peter’s. He looked at the younger man and said softly, “Welcome officially to the family, son.”

Peter had to hold back the happy tears as he replied, “Thanks, Dad.”

George turned to Gwen, kissed her forehead, and whispered, “You got yourself a good man, princess. Take care of him.”

Gwen beamed at her father and responded simply, “Always, Dad.”

With that, the older man sat down next to his wife in the front row, a huge smile still on his face.

The couple turned to each other and listened as Charles began to speak, “Dearly beloved, we stand here today to celebrate the love of these two young, extraordinary people. We are standing on top of the building that represents this couple’s dedication, love, and improvement, not just to each other but for others as well. These are special people who dedicated themselves to help everyone they could in their own way, in more than one way, as well as to each other. I had the privilege to see them at their highest and help them rise when they fell. It gives me great pleasure to be able to unite them in this holy matrimony. Now, I believe the couple prepared their own words.”

Charles turned his stare to Peter, indicating he should go first. Peter turned his eyes to stare deep into the bright sea of blue in front of him and spoke in a dazed voice, “I lost a lot in my life, and I used to be the guy to dwell on it. Allow myself to drown in the grief and pain. When I lost my Uncle Ben, I thought that this grief would end me, but then an angel showed me a better way. No matter how hard I made it, you always fought for me. You once told me that life always moves on, and we should always be ready for the challenges of our future. Once upon a time, this would have scared me, but now, as long as I am with you, I am ready for whatever the future will bring next.”

Peter watched as her eyes began to fill with tears. He hoped they were the happy kind. He reached up to wipe them off and whispered to her, “Thank you.”

She gave him her sweetest smile just before she began speaking, “Peter. It takes a special kind of man to go through all you did and still want to help the world. No matter how many times life pushed you down, you always pulled back up and made the best out of the situation. Yes, sometimes you needed help. A shoulder to lean on or a hand to help you get back up. I promise to you that I will always be there with you, and if you need me, I will never hesitate to be by your side and offer you anything you need. My shoulder, my hand, my mind… my heart.”

They kept staring at each other until Charles called, “Ring bearer, please step up.”

The white curtain opened again, and a small girl, about four years old, with dark hair in pigtails, bright brown eyes, and a huge smile, stepped through. She was wearing a light blue summer dress and was holding a velvet red pillow with two golden circles on it. She began walking slowly toward the altar, her mother on her heels.

Once the little girl reached the couple, she raised the pillow as high as she could and said in her adorable voice, “Here you rings, Auntie Gwen and Uncie Pete.”

Everyone chuckled at the girl’s antics. Peter smiled down at her and whispered, “Thanks, Raven. You are the best,” before taking one ring from the beaming girl.

The couple exchanged rings before Charles announced, “You may kiss the bride.”

Peter laughed and lunged toward Gwen’s lips.

The kiss was deep and lasted for a little too long. By the end of it, Charles cleared his throat to draw their attention back to reality before he announced again, “It’s my greatest honor to be the first to introduce to you Mr. and Dr. Parker!”

Everyone stood up, cheering, before advancing toward the newlywed couple.

Raven was the first to get a hug from a crouching Gwen before the scene began to melt back into the white walls of the void Peter saw when he first got here.

The two people in the void turned toward each other again. Peter looked at his twin and asked, “I guess that’s where we wake up.”

The other guy nodded and added, “And move on with our life.”

Peter looked around the void while saying, “It will be different. We will be different.”

“But we will have Gwen with us,” came the simple reply.

As both Peters closed their eyes and felt themselves merging together, they could hear the same thought going through each other’s minds: “It’s more than enough.”