Victoria-You can never go home again-The Watch v1.1

[Enchantress]

The events written in here take place after the "Black as Night" Chapter


“Someone once said “You can never go home again.” Victoria said aloud as she stood on the balcony of her small apartment. The night sky seemed blanketed with stars and as she leaned against the wrought iron railing, she closed her eyes and listened to the scents of the city.
The place was exactly as she had left it. Clean but cluttered. She had been home only a matter of moments, but it seemed like she had never left.
Going inside, she walked over to the phone and picked it up hoping to hear a dial tone. Luckily enough, one was there. “Great idea, signing up for those automatic payments” she smirked as she dialed a familiar phone number.
It rang 4 times and she was about to hang up when a male voice said “Hello?”
“Peter...it’s me..Tory...”
“Victoria? Where the hell have you been? I’ve been searching the city for a good 6 months for you. What the hell happened.” He sounded angry, indignant, but relieved.
“Peter..it’s a long story...can I come over?” she bit down on her lower lip as she asked the question.
“I’ll be there in 5 minutes.” was his reply before he hung up.
Hanging up the receiver, she leaned against the kitchen counter for a moment and hung her head. She had a lot of explaining to do. At least Piotr and Kitty knew what had happened already and knew she was safe and were ok with her new line of “work.” She was sure Peter would throw and absolute fit at the idea.
She walked into the bedroom and rifled through the drawers finding a fresh pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt and pulled them on. It seemed like no time however, before the knock sounded on the apartment door and it opened.
“Hey you...” Peter Parker stood in the doorway of Victoria’s bedroom, smiling at his friend as she sat on the edge of her bed, seemingly staring at the floor. Before he knew what hit him, she was off the bed and in his arms, hugging him.
“I’ve missed you so much! So much has happened Peter. Oh god... I don’t even know where to start.” She held him close for a moment before looking up at him.
“I’m sorry...I didn’t mean to scare you...I wish I could have told you where I went, even Kitty and Piotr didn’t know.”
“Hey..it’s ok. Hell, I even went as far as trying to track down the crackpot to see if he knew where you were.” Peter kept his arms around her, he really had missed her more than she’d ever know.
“You went to Sin..err...Essex? You’re nuts...” her brown eyes looked up at him, concern and worry mirrored in them.
“No sweat, he had no idea where you were, but was searching as well. So, you gonna tell me?” Peter led Victoria to the sofa and sat her down, settling himself next to her.
Taking a deep breath, Victoria turned and looked at him for a long moment before speaking.
“It’s so good to see you. You really don’t know.” she smiled with tears in her eyes and hugged him again.
“Woah Princess, it’s not the end of the world.” he chuckled and pushed her white hair out of her face, wiping away a tear.
“Peter, you’re the only person here who’s ever understood me...and as for the end of the world... you haven’t heard the half of it.”

The sun was starting to peek through the New York Skyline as Victoria and Peter stood at the railing of the balcony, watching it rise.
“That’s all...pretty deep Tory. You ok? Reality hopping, Atlantis, Deadpool.” his arm was where it had been all night, around her.
“Yeah, I’m better now. I mean, I was told my reality was gone, my family was dead, my friends were all dead...but in the meantime, I’ve met some amazing people and....I....I fell in love.” she smiled at him and began to tell him about Hank.
“I want you to meet him Peter, it’s so hard to explain. I mean...he looks kinda like Mr. McCoy, but not...it’s like I can sense his soul in Hank...maybe that’s why I’m drawn to him...” she let out a sigh and continued... “I don’t really know. But I do know that Dr. Strange has chosen us to safe guard reality, and I can’t turn him down.”
Peter felt his heart breaking all over again as Victoria spoke of Hank. First Franklin, then Wade, now this Hank. She’d never see it in his face, he’d never let her.
“Sometimes, we’re given responsibilities we have to shoulder. You’re a special person Victoria with very unique gifts and it’s only understandable that Dr. Strange would want someone like you on his side. But tell me, what’s Spider-Man like? I mean, you know I’m fascinated with the guy here at home...” Peter couldn’t contain it, he had to know what this alternate reality version of “Spider-Man” was like. Maybe it wasn’t him. Maybe it was someone else. He had to know.
“Oh, he’s dark, broody, never takes off the costume, I’ve never seen his face..but...in a way, he reminds me of you sometimes. He’s a sweet guy deep down, it just seems that somewhere in there, he’s been hurt really bad and well..he doesn’t want to let anyone in.” Victoria pushed a wayward strand of white hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear.
Peter listened and smiled silently. Sounded like this Spider-Man was more like him than he would have thought.
“Well then, you’ll just have to bring him home with you someday.” he was still smiling “And this Hank too. I want to meet the guy who beat me out of your affections...again.”
Victoria rolled her eyes and punched Peter in the arm.
“Oh please Parker, like I ever had a chance with the likes of you!” shaking her head, she walked back inside, leaving Peter staring behind her in a forlorn way.
“If you only knew.” he whispered before following her in.

Peter quickly filled her in on the details of things that had happened while she had been gone. Franklin was...well...gone. The Richards family had him moved to a private institution one night and he escaped. The search for Franklin Richard still continued. Victoria couldn’t help but to feel a little sad over it all. She still felt a tremendous amount of guilt over what had happened. She hadn’t know...and even now...the mental wall that Tessa had helped her erect kept the memories from flooding her with misery.
Dr. Essex had also mysterious vanished after his lab had been invaded by the S.H.I.E.L.D. No one knew what it was about, something about breeding genetic viruses to unleash on the world or something to that effect.
The words all swirled around Victoria as Peter continued to talk. She could almost feel Sinister near them, but for once, she wasn’t afraid.
“Peter, my “father” has another name...one you should know..” she started to speak slowly but Peter stopped her, putting a fingertip to her lips.
“Tory, I know already. Remember? I found everything in the lab the day we found out about your...unique birth. I know who he is, and what he’s capable of.” Pulling her into his arms, he kissed the top of her head.
“And if your Hank isn’t around, I will be. So don’t worry.”

[Local Hero]

Excellent aside Chanty!! This is probably something all the Watch players can be thinking about.. What would you're character do next time they go home? How would they react, knowing what they know now?

[Spiderbob]

Don't know if you want reviews or not posted in your thread. If not just feel free to erease this and I appologize in advance. Anyway...


Wow. That's awesome. Really loved the interaction between Peter and Victoria. You did a really great job all around with this chapter/volume/whatever. Looking forward to more. Keep it up.

[Enchantress]

no no..replies are fine! Thanks guys.
I've always had the Victoria/Peter relationship worked out in my mind this way. But had never really had the opportunity to write it out. I'm loving the idea of what they are going to be able to do in their down time, it's going to give me volumes to write.
Peter sees Victoria as the one who always got away, Victoria always saw him as the one she never had a chance with. It's rather sad in a way. But it still makes for a great story.

And there will be more to come!

[Enchantress]

Part Two

"So, when was the last time I took you out for dinner." Peter smiled at Victoria as she ran a hand through her mussed white hair.
It was a small sofa pillow that slapped him in the face.
"Parker, you jerk! You've stood me up more times than I care to count. Let's see, the last time was...working on finals before graduation, I was doing a paper on Atomic Energy and you were supposed to meet me for dinner and showed up, umm...two hours late?" Shaking her head Victoria stood up and stretched, letting out a bit of a yawn.
"Oh yeah, something came up...ok, You get some sleep Princess, I've gotta head to work. I'll be by here at 8 and dinner's on me. And I promise. 8!" Peter gave Victoria a kiss on the cheek as he stood at the door for a moment watching her.
"I really have missed you." he smiled again and closed the door behind him.

It took all of about 5 seconds for Victoria to find her bed and collapse in it. Even though she had missed hers and Peter's late night chat sessions, she was still pretty beat from the last assignment and needed some sleep.
"8:00 pm Parker, and if you're so much as an hour late, I'm unleashing the Phoenix on you." she murmurred as she fell into a fitful sleep.

But 8:00 pm came and went and Victoria was just getting dressed at 9 when a knock sounded on her door.
She quickly zipped up the back of the red halter knee length dress she had dug out of the closet and walked to the door.
"I'm not even going to ask, had to save a kitten from a tree, did you?" She smiled as she opened the door, Peter standing there with a single white rose in his hand.
"Actually...a tiger, but it's a long story. Wow Tory, amazing doesn't even begin.." he started before she rolled her eyes at him.
"Please, I haven't been out to dinner in a looooong time, don't spoil it by trying to smooth over the fact that you're late." she took the rose and let him in.
"Sweet.." she smiled at it before grabbing her heels and strapping them on.
"Oh, like you're even ready yet!" It was Peter's turn to throw a sofa pillow at her.
Victoria stood upright, smoothed her hair which was pulled back in an elegant french twist, small tendrils escaping it, and smiled.
"I knew you'd be late. I took my time. So, where are we off to?"
"The moon Alice, to tha moon." Peter snickered as she threw the pillow back at him.
Guiding Victoria out of the door, Peter did pose a serious question to her.
"What's your Hank going to think about this?" His arm going around her waist to guide her down the stairs.
"Hank's off somewhere, either still on assignment or at home sorting out stuff, and honestly, I don't know what he'll think...he's been...distant with me lately. Ever since...well...we haven't....Peter, I'd rather not talk about it right now." Her brown eyes looked up at him and he saw a bit of sadness mirrored in them.
"Hey, not tonight Princess, You're home, you're alive and life is wonderful. So, pizza and skeeball or wine and sorbet? Choice is yours."
Victoria just laughed at him and shook her head.
"I can soo beat you at Skeeball."

[Tessa]

I love this idea also, and loved your interlude hun! It's so adorable ^_^

I've already started plotting an interlude for Tessa after 'Black as Night' finishes. Thought up the general idea last night actually.

[Enchantress]

Victoria knew it was only a matter of time, she knew that he would be watching for her, watching her every move once she came home. But she didn't care.
The following morning, Peter managed to sneak off from work to go with Victoria to see her parents.
"You look nervous, anything you didn't tell me?" Peter asked as they walked up the steps to the house.
"Yeah, but nows not the time." she whispered as she went to knock on the door. Surprise crossed her face as the door flew open and Kitty stood there tapping her foot.
"Well, it's about time." Kitty's voice sounded a bit stern and Peter rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as Victoria gave him the evil eye.
"You called my mom before *I* did!" turning away from a very blushing Peter Parker, Victoria threw herself into her mom's arms and hugged her close.
"God I've missed you." she whispered into her ear. As the two embraced, a large shadow loomed over them both. Victoria opened her tear filled eyes to see Piotr Rasputin standing over his wife and adopted daughter.
As the hug ended, Kitty ushered them into the house and closed the door. Victoria looked up at Piotr and smiled. This was going to be tough and she knew it.
"Um..Hi Poppa..." She pushed her hair out of her face and glanced over her shoulder at Peter for some reassurance, but he was busy being berated by Kitty for not bringing her home sooner.
"You've had us all worried." his thick Russian accent hadn't changed at all. Even the passage of time had been kind of Piotr and Kitty.
"I'm sorry...it's a really long story and I want to tell you all about it..." she began, but before she could finish the sentence, Piotr's hand was on her shoulder.
"I'm sure you do, come...let's find a seat." moving into the living room, Victoria sat down nervously on the sofa and to her surprise, Piotr sat down right next to her. Pulling her into his arms, he hugged her tightly to him.
She sat stunned for a moment. Slowly she hugged him back and heard tears in his voice as he spoke.
"I thought we had lost you forever. I thought, he had gotten to you and..." he couldn't continue, he just held her close. Victoria looked up at Kitty who smiled down at them both with tears streaming down her cheeks. Peter stood next to her, smiling all the same. It had taken more years than any of them could count, but Piotr had finally admitted his love for his adopted daughter.
"I'm fine Poppa...and wait until you hear what I've been doing." she leaned back and reached up to touch his cheek and smiled with tears in her eyes as well.

The sun was already setting by the time Victoria finished her tale. Piotr and Kitty sat in shocked amazement at it all.
"It's...wow." Kitty said, leaning back in her chair and exhaling.
"I know, it's alot to take in...and I even have a hard time with it somedays." Victoria leaned forward for a moment, letting her elbows rest on her knees and her chin rest in her hands.
"I'm just thankful that it's all over." she sighed. "I mean, I'm going to continue to work for Dr. Strange. I have to. It's the right thing to do. But I know everyone here is safe, and alive...and I'm making a difference somewhere." Leaning back against the sofa again, she looked over at her father as he spoke.
"But Snowflake, I have to know something. This...Hank...is he who we think he is? I know your mother and I are both wondering the same thing."
Victoria had deliberately left out the details of Hank. Other than mentioning his name, she wasn't sure how Kitty and Piotr were going to react. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and sighed.
"He is...but it's not what you think! It's not like they were the same person. Green is..well...alot younger than Mr. McCoy was when we knew him...and well, he's Green...and Poppa...he means alot to me." she smiled as Peter took her hand and winked.
"And someone once again, beat me to the punch." he laughed as Kitty rolled her eyes.
"Peter Parker, you've been around Victoria forever. You've had your chances boy!" she wagged a finger at him as Victoria blushed. But Piotr's fingers came to rest under Victoria's chin and turned her face to his. Looking very stoic and almost unreadable, he spoke.
"I will have words with this Hank McCoy."

[Enchantress]

It almost sounded like thunder. The resounding "Booms" that were coming from the opposite side of the door. With one swift kick, the sound of a door casing splintering filled the eeriely silent hallway.
Pulling herself out of the kick, Victoria straightened her shoulders and looked into the abandoned room. It was very much the same as it had been the last time she had been here. Although the memories of that visit had almost been wiped from her mind by Professor Xavier.
"You sure you want to do this?" Peter's voice echoed from behind her. He watched her closely. She was dressed almost entirely in black, save for the small dash of red on the front of her top.
"I'm positive." came a very flat answer. She hadn't bothered turning to look at him, she was too busy looking over the years of disuse that had fallen upon Essex Manor.
Stepping into the foyer, her footsteps resounded through the empty house.
"I didn't ask you to come along." she glanced over her shoulder at her best friend, who stood in the doorway.
"Yeah, but I wasn't going to let you come alone. You've been almost obssessed with coming here since I told you I found this place." his worried whisper followed her up the grand staircase.
She looked at the pictures hanging along the stairs. Paintings of long dead members of the Essex family...one of Madelyn...and one of...
"Victoria Essex." she whispered as she stood there staring into the happy blue eyes of the woman in the portrait. It was obvious from her attire this was a very old portrait. Wiping the dust from it, Victoria looked at the date etched along the bottom.
"It's her..." she smiled only slightly at the woman that Sinister had chosen to name her after. She felt some sort of odd kinship with her. Both of their lives had been manipulated by him, and Victoria wasn't about to stand around and let him do it anymore.
"I'll find my answers here Peter." she smiled down at him and put her finger to her lips to silence any reply.
"But from here on in, we go in silent mode. I don't want to scare off anyone if they are here. Now, I'm going upstairs...you see what you can find down here."
Peter watched her walk off and shook his head silently. He had never really gotten used to Tory's telepathy. Since she had returned from her interdimensional travels, she was a stronger person than the one Peter had known for so long. She had gone from a frightened little girl to a determined young woman seeking the truth.
When he was sure she was out of his line of sight, Peter climbed along the walls as to not to disturb the footprints in the dust on the floor. If she was determined to find Sinister, he'd help her. Even if he did think it was a foolish crusade.
He moved in silence, listening to her mental comments as she rummaged through drawers and desks on the floors above. He moved to the basement, hoping to find whatever it was she was looking for.

Victoria stood in the doorway of what could have only been at one time a study. Books lined the shelves, covered in what looked to be a century of dust and disuse.
Her dark eyes followed them along the wall. She knew Sinister well enough to know he wouldn't leave his secrets just laying about for anyone to find. Moving into the room, she began to look behind paintings for a safe or a hide away. When that yielded nothing, she moved to the books on the shelves and one by one, began scanning the contents of the bookshelves.
"Come on." she whispered almost pleadingly as her fingers ran along the spine of each book. Physics, Science, Botany...but one book stood out as she stopped mid search.
"Frankenstein." she muttered and smiled to herself as she pulled the book from the shelf. As the book gave way, so did the bookcase to reveal a secret door behind it.
"Never let it be said you aren't predictable." she smirked as she called to Peter.
"I've found something...get up here, you won't believe this!"

[Spiderbob]

*GASP*
Dun Dun Dun DUN!!!

Very intriguing. Glad to see you started writing again after that period of abscence. Looking forward to what she found.

[Enchantress]

Thanks so much SB! I've had this sort of planned out for months now but hadn't had the time to get it posted.
I've got another big piece of the puzzle that will get posted later this evening.

[Enchantress]

He watched as his once happy home was invaded by his wayward daughter and her friend. From the safety of the shadows, Sinister watched as Victoria opened the secret door and walked inside. He almost couldn't help but smiling. However, the secrets that room held, were not for Victoria's eyes. Not yet.

She could sense him, feel his presence in this room that had once been his secret lair so long ago.
"What drew me here?" She asked aloud, her eyes adjusting to the minimal light flowing in from the study.
"I don't know, your all consuming thirst for knowledge?" Peter cracked from behind her, making her turn only slightly and glare at him.
It was then, she saw something on the old desk in the room that caught her attention. A black leather bound book with a single red diamond patterned on the cover.
"Ah ha..." she smiled and scooped it up. Bringing it out of the secret room and into the study to get a very in better light, her jaw almost dropped when she opened the cover and read the first words...
The Journal of Dr. Nathaniel Essex
"Peter..." she whispered, looking up at him with wide eyes.
"Come on Tory, let's get out of here." Peter knew they were being watched. His Spider-Sense had told him that they had been followed, and he knew exactly who would follow them here, and it wasn't Gambit.
"Ok..." she looked back into the secret room, almost disappointed that she couldn't explore it more. But for now, she at least had something.

"NO!" His mind almost screamed as he saw her pick up his private journal and walk from the room with it.
"A bigger fool than myself there never was. I thought it long lost, destroyed...and now..." Sinister felt a well of rage flow through him, but there was nothing he could do. He stood in silence and watched his Victoria and Parker leave. Granted, he could have faced her down, but not yet. Not now. Partly because inside somewhere he was curious to see what affect that journal would have on her, mostly because he knew he could never withstand the Phoenix Force should she decide to unleash it on him.

"You...you going to be ok?" Back at Victoria's apartment, Peter and Victoria sat on the sofa, the diary laying on the table in front of them. Neither had said a word in over an hour, simply staring at the tome as if they were afraid it was going to jump to life before them.
"Yeah...Peter, there's something I need to talk to you about. You know, when we were at Mom and Pop's and you asked if something was wrong...well... up until this morning, I thought perhaps I might be pregnant." it was all said so clinically, but Peter could sense the relief in her voice.
"Really? I mean, are you..." he wasn't really sure how to finish it. He watched her as she laid her head back against the sofa and stared at the ceiling.
"I'm ok. It's weird. I didn't even tell Hank. I never had the chance really. He's been so damned distant and I didn't want to just spill this in the middle of what we were doing. Besides, I didn't want it to come off as some desperate plea for him to pay attention to me." she rolled her head and looked over at Peter and watched his expression closely.
"You shouldn't have to plea to him to pay attention to you Tory. That should be a given. But...now, you're certian you're not pregnant?" the worry in his voice was evident.
"Yes, not only did I use one of the home tests, I ran the bloodwork myself. Something's going on with me Peter and I don't know what it is. It's like there's something building inside of me and I can't figure it out. Ever since Dr. Strange worked his magick on the Phoenix, it's been acting different. I can control it, but it's not like it always has been. It's voice is silent in my mind...I can't sense it as strongly as I always have..." she paused and rubbed her eyes and smiled at him.
"I'm sorry, I'm rambling aren't I? I just...I really haven't had anyone to talk to any of this about. Spider-Man tried, in his own way...Tessa could sense something I could tell. But Hank...I've gotten more attention out of Deadpool lately." she laughed a little as Peter groaned.
"Please! Don't say his name! It's just like Beetlejuice! You say it 3 times and he appears." Peter winked at Victoria and pulled her over to him.
"That guy...needs some serious help." He gave her a hug and let her just lay in his embrace.
"He's sweet, in his own psychotic way." Victoria laid her head against Peter's chest and giggled just a bit. This was nice. It had been a long time since she had been close to someone and this was a comfort to her.
"I don't know what you see in him. I mean, he was hired to kill you." Peter toyed with a lock of her hair, twirling it between his fingers.
"You know what they say, love and hate and all that. Besides, you should really meet the other versions of Wade...some of them aren't nearly as psycho as ours." Victoria looked up at Peter, then down at the book again on the table. Letting out a sigh, she closed her eyes for a moment.
"You don't have to do it today...you have it now, you can go through and read it any time." Peter's words of encouragement were whispered into her ear.
"Get out of my head Parker!" she whispered back to him, smiling.
"Besides, you never know when Dr. Strange will send his calling card of service to you. I need answers...soon...and this book, I think is where I'll find them."