| Welcome to X-Men: Dark Horizons. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
| Complicated Situation; 05/22 - (Jess/Pete) | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: May 22 2013, 04:59 PM (162 Views) | |
| Spider-Woman | May 22 2013, 04:59 PM Post #1 |
|
Does Whatever A Spider-Man Can, And Then Some
![]()
|
[cont'd from Stupid Girl] This time, Jessica acknowledged, she couldn't even deny that she was sulking. Not even to herself, since no one else would believe her anyway. They never did. So, alright. She was back in her room, on the brand new helicarrier, curled up into as small a ball of misery as someone nearly six feet tall could manage. In a corner of the ceiling, because somewhere along the line she'd found some sort of weird comfort in hanging upside down. Maybe it was all the blood rushing to her head, helping her not to think. Letting her just feel. Whatever it was, it's where she'd come after seeing Carol. After seeing the woman that had been her best friend, closer than she imagined even a sister could be, who could never be those things to her again. Come here, attached herself to the ceiling without a thought, curled up and cried herself out, dark hair hanging down from the top of her head and her sinuses filling up and giving her a throbbing headache and she didn't give a damn. If anything in her life had ever deserved a few minutes of grieving, and sulking, wasn't it this? Yes, it was and so here she was now. Sulking and sniffling and feeling sorry for herself and she didn't feel like stopping that just yet. Wasn't finished. Wasn't sure she ever would be. Couldn't forget the look on Carols face, the words - both of theirs - couldn't let it go. Not yet. That was another choice she'd have to make, and she would. Jessica knew she would and soon, but not right this second. Once she was done with this, she wanted to be done. Wanted it to all be over, be out of her system. This wasn't something she was willing to mourn for the rest of her life, even if part of her would've liked to have done just that. That same part that kept insisting there had to be a way to fix it. Make it right again. Somehow. Bullshit, and she knew it, just like she'd known it standing there in the brig and looking through the bars at Carol. For years, she'd known somewhere deep inside that's what it would come to. The way they'd finally meet again. She just hadn't known who would be on which side of those bars. Now, that mystery was solved and Jess unfolded herself a little, sniffled again and crossed her arms over her chest, still hanging idly upside down, feet clinging to the ceiling as if they were rooted there. Leaned back so her back was resting against the wall. Took inventory again. Nope. Not done sulking yet. Almost, maybe, but not quite. Slowly, methodically, Jessica closed green eyes now tinged with red (god, the clashing going on there, it would be hideous) and went about putting her mind to order. Taking all those memories, the ones she'd held onto for so long, picking them up, looking at them again, then putting them safely away out of sight. In storage. There were a lot of memories that she kept there, in that storage in her head. What were a few more. In they all went. All the breakfasts they hardly ever got to eat, all the fights and missions and drama - personal and professional, theirs and other peoples - all the late night talks and wierd hour phone calls. Everything that made up that friendship that hadn't been like any other friendship she'd ever had. Probably never would have. A way of saying goodbye. Of making that final choice. The foundation had crumbled, taken the structure with it, and all those memories were just that. There wasn't anything left anymore. ...oh dammit. Nothing except Chewie. His little furry cat face popped into the forefront of her mind, all twitchy whiskers and wide, wise eyes, and Jess sighed. They'd grabbed Carol last night, and there was no way Carol Danvers had ever expected that to happen. So Chewie was, without a doubt, still in her apartment, all alone. And, god knew, even if they weren't already completely looney, neither Hank nor Tony would ever think to feed the poor thing. Or change his litter box, god forbid. Would anyone even think to check her apartment at all? The sulking, or at least most of it, came to an end then with a long-suffering sigh from Jessica. Well, there was really only one thing to do. One thing she could do. Round up the team. Stage on more raid today. This one on Carol's apartment. Operation: Rescue Chewie the cat, becuase she'd be damned if he'd pay the price for their choices. [And here she will be for a bit, if anyone wants her. Otherwise she will get off the ceiling, go round up the rest of Creepy Crawly, do a stealth raid on Carol's apartment to extract Chewie, then be back in time for Beer Pong, whenever that starts.] |
![]() |
|
| Wisdom | May 25 2013, 01:14 PM Post #2 |
|
Bargain Basement Bond
![]()
|
Faint wisps of steam were still rising from both cups by the time Pete got to her quarters. He’d made it a point to get to know the layout of the helicarrier during the move, and he could now comfortably navigate his way to anyplace on any deck in minutes. Plus, his hands were useful for keeping things warm when he needed to. It had probably been long enough. Not that he’d been timing it, mind. He just happened to be in the general area and happened to fancy making a pot of coffee. As for the rest, well, he’d been on security detail. He’d seen the whole thing play out over the monitor. It wasn’t hard to guess what Drew must be going through, what it was like being on the other side of that cell, talking to Danvers. He understood that all too well, at least that part of it. What he was doing right now, that part, he was sort of making up as he went along. Part of him wasn’t entirely sure what the hell he was doing. It just seemed like the thing to do. He was as good as anyone, right? And it was just coffee, after all. Coffee and a bit of friendly company for someone who he guessed could use some right now. Upon reaching the door, Pete paused, looking it over. No different from any of the other nondescript doors strung throughout. He gave it a week, tops, before everyone started personalizing the area. Less than a day for some. Pete glanced down at each hand, briefly considered transferring one of the cups to his other hand so he could knock, then shrugged. Instead, he lifted one leg and gave the door a few raps with his knee. “Drew, It’s Wisdom. Figured you might like some coffee, so I’ve brought some.” |
![]() |
|
| Spider-Woman | May 27 2013, 06:33 PM Post #3 |
|
Does Whatever A Spider-Man Can, And Then Some
![]()
|
Footsteps out in the hall prickled at her awareness, but Jessica dismissed it the same way she dismissed all the other millions of little every day sounds her ears tended to pick up. Over the years, she'd had plenty of practice with that, tuning it all out when she needed to or wanted to. Living in what amounted to a super-hero commune for years and years had led her to hone that skill well, lest she know things about her teammates that made it so she could never look any of them in the eyes again. No different here, and in so many ways it really did feel like coming home. A strange merging of her time in SHIELD with her time in the Avengers with her time in the Resistance. The past, merging with the present. Maybe that was a good omen that they were finally headed to a future they could all live with. A future without some of the people they'd known. Some of the people they'd once been so close to. Right. Not going back down that path. Time to get her ass off the ceiling and go rescue Chewie. God, Peter would never, ever shut up about this one. Wait, had those footsteps stopped at her door? Glancing toward the door in question, Jess let out a long breath. Let it be someone at the wrong room. They could realize it and move on down the line, no harm no foul. Company wasn't something she was fit for just now. Not even Rogue, who she half expected after she'd dodged every single thing the other woman had asked or said with one word answers or noncommittal grunts after coming out of that brig. Couldn't talk about it then. In all honesty, she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to. The only one she could've talked to was, ironically, Carol herself. And, if not Rogue, then she wasn't up to pretending to be just fine. Not this time. Not about Carol. Her luck was just like usual, though. Bad. A second later and there was a thump at the door. God. All right. Maybe if she stayed on the ceiling, pretended she wasn't here... “Drew, It’s Wisdom. Figured you might like some coffee, so I’ve brought some.” That stopped her mid-thought and Jess started at the door for a second, warring with indecision. Pete? With coffee. Maybe she could do coffee? With someone who might not take one look at her and know immediately what a wreck she was? It actually didn't sound bad. It might even be good practice for keeping the others from dog-piling her as soon as she started rounding them up for Chewie rescue duty. So, with a deep breath and taking another swipe or two at her undoubtedly red eyes and probably blotchy face (uggh, god), Jess called out, "Coming! Hang on." Releasing her hold on the ceiling, she half somersaulted and landed on the floor in bare feet with a soft thump. Hand reaching up to comb through what used to be her hair and was now probably something closer to a tangled bird's nest, she padded across the floor and twisted the handle pulling the door open. "Fancy meeting you here," she greeted the dark haired man on the other side, mustering something close to a half smile, but it would have to do. "Thanks, that's nice of you," Jess added, nodding toward the cups in his hands, then standing back to let him in. "Come on in. I could definitely use the caffeine about now." Not that it actually did anything to her, her metabolism usually saw to that. But her head seemed to think it did and who was she to argue with anything that might help her pick herself up a little? Mind over matter, or something like that. Maybe mind over moping. |
![]() |
|
| Wisdom | Jun 6 2013, 03:34 PM Post #4 |
|
Bargain Basement Bond
![]()
|
As he waited by the door, the room beyond it stubbornly silent, Pete felt a strange, inexplicable urge to pace. Drew should have answered by now, even if it was just to tell him to sod off. She might still do that, come to think of it, and he wasn’t sure what he’d say if she did. Hadn’t bothered to even consider that, really. But the silence was making him more nervous than he’d expected and he wasn’t sure why that was. "Coming! Hang on." Pete released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. What was he doing? Apart from being bloody ridiculous, that was. No reason to go thinking things until he knew for certain. Wouldn’t do her any good, for one. And he knew better for a second. A little healthy concern was fine. He’d been looking out for his mates like that for half a year now. Fortunately he had a few seconds to compose himself. Not that he needed to compose himself, mind. The latch on the door pulled away and the door opened, revealing Drew, who was wearing what could be called a smile if one was generous, especially when the rest of her was taken into account. She’d had it rough, all right, just as he’d known she would. And he’d known equally well it was something she needed to do. "Fancy meeting you here," she said, looking at him through reddened eyes. Pete tilted his head up slightly to look her in face properly. She was taller than he’d expected, which had come as a mild enough surprise when he’d finally met her in person earlier. There were traces of moisture at the edge of her cheeks and in the corners of her eyes. She must have been just finishing up a good cry and had rushed to scrub them out before answering the door. Her hair was slightly tangled as well, but nothing nearly as bad as the way Pete usually wore his own. Pete offered a smirk, as if he was sharing a joke with her, rolling his shoulders in what was almost a shrug. The gesture could have meant, ‘yeah, never know where I might turn up,’ but it was mostly an effort to distract from any sign that he’d noticed the state she was in. She’d tried to hide it, but it would take someone as oblivious as Astrovik not to notice, or not to realize she didn’t want any attention called to it. Seemed only right to at least do what he could in facilitating the second item on that list. Nodding to the cups, Drew added, "Thanks, that's nice of you," before stepping aside to let him in. "Come on in. I could definitely use the caffeine about now." Stepping inside, Pete said, “Might not get a chance later.” He reached forward to offere her cup, fixed the way she liked, based on what he’d seen over their months of talking over the webcam. “The way some have acting now that there's fresh beans a coffeemaker that isn't on it's last legs, you'd think the Holy Grail's up in the galley. We'll be cleaned out before the week's done.” He glanced around at her room, pretty much like all the quarters on the… Awesome. Most of the new occupants had barely had a chance to unpack, much less decorate their rooms according to their tastes. “Hope the new accommodations are suiting you,” he said, half-apologetically. Was that one corner of the ceiling a bit darker than the rest of it? “We’ve barely had time to do more than clear out the stuff belonging to all the crew.” For everyone at HQ and the ruins of the Florida base, nobody had complained at all. It was clean, orderly, in good repair, and there was no need to share a room unless you wanted to. Still, for some, the bases they’d left had been home, and it was always hard to leave that behind, even when you were trading up. |
![]() |
|
| Spider-Woman | Jun 7 2013, 05:18 PM Post #5 |
|
Does Whatever A Spider-Man Can, And Then Some
![]()
|
Yeah, yeah, lame opening. Tell her something she didn't know, but at least Pete was willing to play along, apparently. At least he gave her a customary smirk in return and went about thankfully not mentioning that she looked like hell. Because she knew she did and it didn't take a spy to notice that. Uggh. Right, Jess. Just let the former spy in, because he won't notice you're a complete and total basket case. Of course not. Brilliant. She might've indulged in a roll of her green eyes toward the ceiling, but definitely directed toward herself, if that wouldn't make it all the more obvious. So, okay, he'd brought her coffee, he could obviously tell she was a trainwreck, but he wasn't pointing it out. At least immediately. Jessica appreciated that as much or more than the coffee. Nice of him, really, and she could use it. Just because the caffeine might not technically have any real effect on her, no one had ever quite convinced her brain of that. Or maybe it was more the ritual of it all. Sitting down, drinking the stuff, focusing on waking up or...whatever, instead of everything else. The ritual that hadn't ever changed very much over time, unlike everything else. When all else failed, there was still coffee. Stepping back to let him in, Jessica raised her hand, this time somewhat self-consciously, running it through her tangled mass of dark hair. Ow. Dammit, she was going to need a comb for that. “Might not get a chance later.” Pete commented s he stepped inside and she stopped fiddling with her hair to reach over and take the cup from him, bumping the door closed with her elbow at the same time. Taking a sip she lifted a brow slightly. He'd remembered the sugar. Huh, how about that? “The way some have acting now that there's fresh beans a coffeemaker that isn't on it's last legs, you'd think the Holy Grail's up in the galley. We'll be cleaned out before the week's done.” With a low laugh that almost sounded normal, even to her, Jessica shook her head. "I doubt they'll go through the helicarrier stores quite that fast. Even this group." It could house a crew of over a thousand with relative ease and she'd never known the stores not to be plentiful. Of course, a lot had changed since those days, too. A lot. As she refused to let that thought take her back down that particular road again, Pete was taking in the room. Such as it was. Standard issue helicarrier quarters, which meant spare and plain for the most part. And none of them had really had a lot of spare time for decorating. Still, it felt more like home than anything had in years. “Hope the new accommodations are suiting you,” he said, half-apologetically. Was that one corner of the ceiling a bit darker than the rest of it? “We’ve barely had time to do more than clear out the stuff belonging to all the crew.” That brow that had been up before inched up again as Jessica sipped her coffee and considered him over the rim of her cup. "So they've got you playing 'Resistance move coordinator', have they?" she asked, since that 'we' made it seem like something he was having more than a slight hand in. "How'd Rogue manage to talk you into that one?" Possibly, she'd just informed him that was his new job and then took off before he had time to argue. That drawl might make her seem a little slow at times, but she was wily and you had to watch her. Motioning for him to have a seat where ever he liked, Jess dropped down tiredly on one end of the sofa. Experience had taught her that, if they weren't Peter Parker, other people were usually a little put off by holding a conversation with someone clinging to the wall or the ceiling. "The room's fine, though," she assured him, leaning back as her own green eyes swept the small, but still bigger than she'd gotten used to, quarters. A hint of a smile tugged briefly at the corners of her mouth. "In fact, it's practically familiar. Same one I had about...oh, seven, eight years ago, now?" That seemed about right, she decided, after a moment's pause and looking back over at Pete. "The helicarrier was home for a while when I was working with SHIELD." A lifetime ago, or so it seemed. Sometimes she supposed things really did come full circle, even if others couldn't. |
![]() |
|
| Wisdom | Jun 29 2013, 11:25 PM Post #6 |
|
Bargain Basement Bond
![]()
|
Pots of coffee had been brewing non-stop since before Storm had even been given a chance to name the helicarrier. The lure of fresh beans had people coming for them so often Pete wondered if that had more to do with convincing them to move out of their various cells than the helicarrier itself. Hard to really blame them. Pete had been one of the first in line for a cup himself, but he had to feel a bit bad for their poor, forgotten coffeemaker down below, which had loyally given its all morning after morning when most everyone had given up on it. Concern for small appliances wasn’t what had brought him here, however. Drew accepted the cup, closing the door behind them with her elbow before taking an experimental sip. By the look on her face and the brief rise of her brow, he’d remembered the way she liked it correctly, too. Good thing. At the rate everyone else was going through the stock, Pete thought it best to warn her they might run out before they knew it. Drew gave her head a shake, laughing softly in answer. He’d heard her laugh enough times over the webcam to know there was still a bit missing from that, but she was trying, and that was encouraging. "I doubt they'll go through the helicarrier stores quite that fast. Even this group." “Well, whatever you do, don’t tell them that,” Pete said with a teasing grin, lifting his cup to take a sip of his own. “They might take it as a challenge.” Everyone in the Resistance was good about rationing, but he’d seen the sort of appetites Maximoff and Marco had, and though she didn’t look it, Penance could pack it away better than anyone else on her team. Drew had a good point, though. Pete had taken inventory of the helicarrier’s supply himself, and was confident it’d be a good long while before they had to worry about restocking most of the staples. Tasks like that hadn’t given them much time to prepare for everyone’s arrival, though. The personal effects belonging to the crew had been dealt with, but past that they’d barely done more than assign quarters for everyone. It wasn’t much, but Pete hadn’t heard any real complaints. All the same, he hoped Drew was finding it comfortable. If not, he’d have to see what he could do. Another lift of Drew’s brow his concern. Sparkling green eyes regarded him with a look Pete had seem from her plenty of times before. Almost always, that look was preamble to some clever remark or observation her quick mind had brought her to, and this was no different. "So they've got you playing 'Resistance move coordinator', have they? How'd Rogue manage to talk you into that one?" Pete shrugged modestly. “Wasn’t much of a talk,” he confessed, wandering further inside. Compared to the cramped conditions of the rooms they’d just vacated, these were honestly more cozy than modest. “More like an ambush, really. She fed me some bullocks about how I’ve already been doing most of the work making our new arrivals feel at home, so she figured that made me perfect for the job.” He flashed his teeth in a lopsided smile. “Put a clipboard in me hand and vanished before I could remind her that I got in a shouting match with the first one o’ them to show up at me door.” He punctuated that last bit with a wink. Drew had seen for herself how off-putting Pete could be when he was in a mind to. He hadn’t exactly dropped his old act overnight. He was going to have to be more wary of those two, before they decided to just hand the whole thing to him and fly off to some Caribbean island for the rest of the war. Drew gestured to Pete in silent invitation for him to sit down, and he did so, dropping into the nearest seat, which happened to be the sofa. A second later he was momentarily buoyed back up as Drew’s own weight sank into the cushion next to him, her shoulder barely missing his by a couple of centimeters. She looked pretty drained, which Pete had expected. He liked the perfume she was wearing, which Pete hadn’t expected. Most of the time he’s sooner fill his lungs with fresh air. "The room's fine, though," she said, leaning back as she looked the room over. He turned his head, catching the ghost of a smile nearly fall over her. "In fact, it's practically familiar. Same one I had about...oh, seven, eight years ago, now?" At that, one of Pete’s own brows rose. Same one. Not ‘just like.’ He was sure that hadn’t been an accidental phrasing. Come to think of it, he had found it interesting when he’d found the room had already been claimed by her as he was putting together quarters assignments. A moment later her eyes returned to Pete. "The helicarrier was home for a while when I was working with SHIELD." Pete’s other brow joined the first. “You must know your way around here pretty well then, yeah?” He took another sip off his coffee as he rolled that around in his mind. “And here I’ve been up to me ears trying to figure out where everything is, what it’s for and what to do with it. I’d be glad for your help. That is, as long as you’re willing.” Something like that might be the last thing she’d want. Couldn’t blame her for wanting to limit how many memories she dredged up right now. But it might also be a good way to take her mind off certain things, and would be a lot better for her than hiding herself in this room. |
![]() |
|
| Spider-Woman | Jul 1 2013, 12:21 AM Post #7 |
|
Does Whatever A Spider-Man Can, And Then Some
![]()
|
Funny Pete should ask about the room, since she'd hardly given it any real thought. Just claimed the one she'd had when she'd been a SHIELD agent. Out of nostalgia or habit, or both, Jess wasn't entirely sure. All she'd really noticed was that it was familiar. It felt like home, in a lot of ways. Her apartment back in the city, no, somehow she doubted that would feel anything like home anymore, even if she could go back to it. Her last memories of that place were being woken from a sound sleep by armed SHIELD elite forces crashing in through the doors and windows. Troops sent, at least in part or in a round about way, by the woman who'd been her best friend. Who'd known what Hydra put her through, how they'd used and controlled and then eventually hunted her. And who'd sent them for her anyway, even if she probably hadn't issued the order herself. Carol hadn't stopped it, either. Uggh. No, not thinking about that, Jessica, the dark haired woman admonished herself. Interrupting her own thoughts, she forced them elsewhere. She done the falling apart thing, now she had coffee and company and it was much easier to focus on that. Maybe ask how Pete had managed to get himself cast as Resistance Move Coordinator and Helicarrier Host. Rogue's doing, somehow or other, she was sure and Pete confirmed that as he lifted his shoulders in a small shrug. “Wasn’t much of a talk,” he confessed, wandering further inside and it occurred to her that the place was probably something of a mess, too, but considering she hardly owned anything, at least not too much of one. “More like an ambush, really. She fed me some bullocks about how I’ve already been doing most of the work making our new arrivals feel at home, so she figured that made me perfect for the job.” He flashed his teeth in a lopsided smile. “Put a clipboard in me hand and vanished before I could remind her that I got in a shouting match with the first one o’ them to show up at me door.” With a soft laugh and a little more of a smile than she'd have thought she could've managed twenty minutes ago, Jess grinned back at him. "That sounds about right," she agreed, sipping her coffee again - still couldn't believe he'd actually remembered how she took it - and moving toward the sofa. "If you don't want her ambushing you, you have to learn to either hide really well or look very busy or both." Not that she blamed her, with Remy's penchant to take off after god alone knew what at almost any given time and Rogue had the hit and run tactics down to a science by now. Waving Pete toward whatever seat he wanted, Jess headed for the sofa, coffee cup in hand. And nearly sat on him. Gah! Jesus, with enhanced reflexes you'd think she'd be less clumsy than the normal person, and that theory worked just fine in a fight. In regular life, that didn't seem to be the case. Jess managed to shift enough not to actually land in his lap, or spill her coffee over either of them (thank you, hands that can grip anything with a hold that would make Crazy glue jealous), ending up next to him a little closer than was generally strictly comfortable, personal space wise, but she'd take it over coffee-covered collision. Shooting him a small, half-rueful, half apologetic smile, she decided the best thing to do was move right along. He'd asked her a question, after all. One that was easy enough to answer. The room was fine. Familiar and fine, just the way she remembered from the last time she lived here almost a decade ago. Something she assumed Pete hadn't picked up from either the files or the general Resistance grape vine she was guessing, considering the look on his face. It wasn't a secret by any means that she'd worked for SHIELD, even if having lived on the helicarrier wasn't something that usually came up in casual conversation. Unless, of course, they were currently moving into the helicarrier. That brought his second brow up to join the first one in curiosity or surprise or probably both. “You must know your way around here pretty well then, yeah?” Nodding, she lifted one shoulder in a light shrug. There'd probably been some changes or upgrades over the years but the general layout would certainly be the same. “And here I’ve been up to me ears trying to figure out where everything is, what it’s for and what to do with it. I’d be glad for your help. That is, as long as you’re willing.” Tucking one leg under her, she turned slightly toward him, giving that some actual thought before nodding again. "Sure, if you'd like. I'd assume nothing major's changed in the layout over the years so I'd be glad to play tour guide if it'll help." It'd give her something to do, too, aside from sit here and brood. Or hang off the ceiling and brood, or do most any of a hundred and one other things that she could tack brooding onto. Though there was a small errand she needed to deal with first, she reminded herself. "I've got...well, let's call it an errand to run in a little while," Jess continued, resting her coffee cup on her knee and trying not to look amazingly embarrassed as she tried to figure out how to say 'I have to go rescue the evil cat of my former best friend from her likely well secured apartment' without sounding like she really had lost her mind. There wasn't, she decided, any way to make both those things compatible, so she pressed on around it. "It shouldn't take long, but I'll probably need most of the team. After that, I'm all yours if you want the grand helicarrier tour." Provided, of course, that they all survived the mission without massive lacerations and multiple teeth marks. Maybe she should pencil in a little time in the infirmary, just in case. |
![]() |
|
| Wisdom | Jul 20 2013, 07:57 PM Post #8 |
|
Bargain Basement Bond
![]()
|
Pete hadn’t expected Rogue to saddle him with the task of organizing the move to the helicarrier. He would have thought with the way his first encounter (the hug did not count, and the less spoken of it the better) with Pryde had gone, or at least the way it had started, the Southern woman would have been more cautious about giving him responsibilities that involved new arrivals. Instead, she pointed out that he’d been making himself involved in them pretty much from the start, which he couldn’t rightly argue, and it was a logical progression for him to move on to this. She’d buggered off to whatever else she was managing at the moment before he had a chance to agree or, most likely, argue the point. So now he was welcoming committee and logistics operator for the sodding Awesome. The name was sticking, unfortunately, but that was one part of the whole thing he was free not to like. "That sounds about right," Drew said with a quiet laugh, gracing him with her pearlies in a grin that very much resembled the ones he knew so well from the webcam. He quite liked those smiles. After another sip of her coffee while both of them drifted further into her quarters, she added, "If you don't want her ambushing you, you have to learn to either hide really well or look very busy or both." Pete shrugged, finding it easy to leave that smile on his face as he chatted with the leader of the Resistance’s bug-themed cell. “She wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important,” he allowed, lifting his cup to his lips. He took a healthy swig from it. A pleasant warmth spread throughout his stomach as he swallowed the liquid. “’Sides, somehow it’s a lot harder to keep track of what we’ve got, who’s where and what they’re doing when they’re all in the same place instead of scattered all over the country.” Seemed like it ought to be the other way around, but experience had taught Pete before that it wasn’t always the case. There was no telling what might happen if everyone just ran loose and had to figure things out on there own. Drew waved an invitation for Pete to take a seat, and he settled into the sofa a half-second before Drew did the same, on a trajectory that would set her right on top of him. The nearby arm of the sofa had him trapped, unless he wanted to jump back up, which was out of the question given the collision that would inevitably lead to. She must have realized it herself, as her rear changed directions at the last moment and she landed next to him, giving him a demure smile that spared them both the need to deal with one or both of them saying some variation of ‘whoops.’ She was closer than either of them had probably anticipated, but Pete found he didn’t mind. And she smelled nice, which was a definite plus considering his usual opinion on perfume. Seemed she was good with the room, which was good to know. The fact that the former SHIELD agent had lived on this particular helicarrier was something he hadn’t quite expected, though in hindsight he probably should have. The odds weren’t that long, and based on how she’d said it, he supposed she’d found her way back to the very room she’d once had back before Stark and taken over and made SHIELD into the mockery of itself it was now. It may have been five years or more, but if she could still find her old room, she probably knew her way around here pretty well. Drew confirmed that with a nod, along with a little shrug he took to mean she didn’t expect her knowledge to be perfect, which was only natural. Christ, all this time he’d been trying to figure the place out and there was an inside source sitting right next to him. If she wasn’t busy with other things, and didn’t mind, he’d be happy for her help and her company. And he figured it was possible she could use a few other distractions as well. She already looked better. Not her usual self, but better. Drew lifted one leg and tucked it against herself, then turned a little toward him. Pete obliged her by shifting a bit so his back was against the armrest and he was facing her more directly. She seemed to consider it for a bit, then gave him another nod. "Sure, if you'd like. I'd assume nothing major's changed in the layout over the years so I'd be glad to play tour guide if it'll help." That seemed sorted, then. Pete nodded in agreement. “Do you like to take the lead or should I let you know what I’ve already got and have us go from there?” She might have a few places she particularly liked or knew a lot about and he wouldn’t want to miss her input just because he’d found it himself. A look passed over her then, which he couldn’t quite read. She set her cup down on her knee, and the look became even enigmatic. Something was going on he didn’t know about. "I've got...well, let's call it an errand to run in a little while," she said just as he was getting ready to ask. Ah, so that was it. Or it wasn’t it at all, since he had no idea what the errand in question was or why it was making her look more and more like something Pete would place in the realm of ‘uncomfortable.’ It didn’t seem like she was going to just volunteer the information on her own, but she did speak up again, at least. "It shouldn't take long, but I'll probably need most of the team. After that, I'm all yours if you want the grand helicarrier tour." An errand… no, something she was using the term ‘errand’ as a placeholder for, that would likely need most of her team? Pete took a smaller sip of his coffee as he considered that. “Well now you’ve got me curious,” he said, smiling again as he lowered his cup. “If you could use me, I wouldn’t mind helping out. What sort of errand is it, anyway?” It didn’t matter that he’d quit the spy business, a secret was a sure way to get his attention. And Drew’s was one of the few cells he hadn’t helped on a mission or two. Until earlier today, the only member he’d even met in person had been Romanov, and while that might have been fun, but it hardly rated as a Resistance activity. |
![]() |
|
| Spider-Woman | Jul 21 2013, 07:25 PM Post #9 |
|
Does Whatever A Spider-Man Can, And Then Some
![]()
|
Company wasn't something Jess would've thought she'd be up for even half an hour ago. Not from Rogue, not from most of her friends and teammates. They meant well and she was grateful for that, but... Too much sympathy, too much worry on her behalf even if they tried not to make it obvious. She never really knew how to handle that. Hell, she didn't really know how to handle this. There'd been friends she'd lost before. More than a few, especially in the early days, but there'd never been losing that kind of friend before. Pete, though, yeah. He was okay. He wasn't making a fuss, the coffee helped, and he was one of those rare people in whose company she tended to actually feel mostly at ease (well, at least when she wasn't almost sitting on him, anyway). Didn't have to find herself second guessing everything she did or said. Over the years, she'd learned to hide it fairly well, even when that awkward uncertainty was there, but it was tiring. Today, she would've been awful at it but Jessica found she didn't have to worry too much. She could talk about Rogue roping Pete into playing welcoming committee, or how she'd lived here, in the exact room, years ago as an agent of SHIELD under Nick Fury. She could even play helicarrier tour guide if it would help him out. In fact, she wouldn't mind at all. Something useful to do was a welcome idea, considering the alternatives were various combinations of Jessica-being-useless things combined with brooding. Putting a stop to that before it could turn into a thing? Definitely a good idea. Turning to face her so that his back was to the sofa arm, Pete nodded his apparent agreement. “Do you like to take the lead or should I let you know what I’ve already got and have us go from there?” Another time, and considering Pete's reputation, she might've teased him about that choice of phrasing, but the humor wasn't quite there yet. Instead, Jess tilted her head thoughtfully for a second, then lifted her shoulders in a light shrug. "Picking up where you've left off should be fine. Let me know what you've seen already and, if there's something you need to know about I think you might've missed, we'll compare notes. It should all be straightforward enough." Or it had been years ago, but since nothing at all seemed to be anything close to straightforward anymore she probably shouldn't count on that here, either. And then she remembered that little 'errand' she had to do. The one she'd probably need most of the team for, even if she expected them all to think she'd flipped good and proper, and she tried to downplay it to Pete as well as she could. There was no way she was telling him she was going to take a Resistance team and break into a high security building to mount a rescue of her evil former best friends cat. God, maybe she had flipped. If she had, so be it, she was still doing it. At least it shouldn't take very long and then they could go over the helicarrier with a fine tooth comb if Pete liked. It wasn't like she was going to actually sleep tonight anyway. Pete didn't say anything to that right away, taking a drink of his coffee instead, considering look on his face that told Jessica it wasn't going to be as simple as him accepting that and moving on. Because, of course, being evasive and semi-cryptic where a former spy was concerned wouldn't have him honing right in on it. Jesus, Jess. “Well now you’ve got me curious,” he said, smiling again as he lowered his cup. “If you could use me, I wouldn’t mind helping out. What sort of errand is it, anyway?” With a slightly wan smile and a sigh that was self-directed, she leaned back a little, careful to keep a hold on her cup so as not to upset it into her lap. "You're going to think I'm insane." The former agent prefaced the coming explanation with that warning and a slight, rueful attempt at a half-smile. "But, I...uhhh..." Grappling for words that somehow wouldn't sound as crazy as she'd just warned him they would, Jess completely failed to come up with any that would come even close to sounding at all rational to any other human being. Okay, well, crazy, lab experiment, socially inept terrorist girl explanation it was, then. "All right, actually?" Spider-Woman continued with a somewhat resigned sigh, free hand going up to tug self-consciously at a lock of dark hair as she looked over to Pete. "I'm going to break into Carol's apartment and steal her cat. It's probably exactly as crazy as it sounds, so no hard feelings if you want to rescind that offer of coming along." Or if he wanted put down his coffee and run for the door. It wouldn't be the first time. |
![]() |
|
| Wisdom | Jul 30 2013, 10:07 AM Post #10 |
|
Bargain Basement Bond
![]()
|
That hadn’t quite come out the way he’d intended, but it had gotten to be a habit to slip into that sort of thing with certain women. Normally he would have expected Drew to playfully call him out on it, too, but now wasn’t the time for either. Fortunately, Drew didn’t seem to notice, so he let the question stand in the spirit it had been meant. What would work best for her as far as the tour they were discussing? The dark-haired woman considered it for a moment, head tilting to the side. A moment later she shrugged and said, "Picking up where you've left off should be fine. Let me know what you've seen already and, if there's something you need to know about I think you might've missed, we'll compare notes. It should all be straightforward enough." Pete nodded his agreement. There were a few areas he had in mind that might need a closer look despite what he’d already found, but he’d save that for after the tour. The tour itself, though, would apparently have to wait. For an errand she left vague, but was unavoidably urgent and involved enough that she was going to have to round up most of her team. What was she trying to hide? Probably none of his business, except that nosing into these sorts of things had been his business for far too long for him to resist. Before he knew it he was offering to help out. Most of the heavy lifting was already done as far as coordinating the move went, and he liked to idea of ‘unwinding’ a bit with Drew and her team. Drew’s smile was a bit more strained this time, but he didn’t think it had anything to do with her encounter with Danvers this time. Not directly, at least. More like she was debating whether to answer his question. She sighed and leaned back, her cup balanced carefully on her lap. "You're going to think I'm insane." She smiled ruefully, or at least tried to, and Pete arched one eyebrow, leaning in slightly. Now he was more than curious. "But, I...uhhh..." She had to know there was no getting out of it now, so Pete waited calmly, taking another slow sip of his coffee. He wasn’t used to seeing her this self-conscious, and was tempted to rest a hand on her knee to help put her at ease, but he had a feeling that might just cause her to withdraw completely. Best to just let her work up to it on her own. Heaving a resigned sigh, she did just that. "All right, actually?" she said, tugging lightly at some of her smooth black hair. Her bright green eyes settled on him and she continued. "I'm going to break into Carol's apartment and steal her cat. It's probably exactly as crazy as it sounds, so no hard feelings if you want to rescind that offer of coming along." He had to admit, that hadn’t been what he’d expected. At all. Pete choked a little on the coffee, but he hadn’t taken a big sip and was able to confine it to a simple, muffled grunt of surprise before he swallowed it down. “Her cat?” he said, just to be sure he hadn’t misheard her. “That place is going to be crawling with SHIELD right now,” he added, half incredulously, half thoughtfully. Anything connected to her would be considered a massive security risk now that she was their prisoner, and they’d be trying to button everything up tight before the Resistance had a chance to use anything they learned. Suddenly, Pete’s face split into a wide grin. “That’s brilliant,” he said enthusiastically. “They’d never expect us to go to that sort of trouble for a cat.” Not an ordinary one at least. He snorted a bit as he considered it further. “It’ll look like complete a misdirection. They’ll go mental trying to figure out what the real objective was.” He gave his knee a light slap, giving his head a bemused shake. “I wouldn’t want to miss this,” he said. He doubted messing with SHIELD was her goal. No chance, really, but given some of the crazy things he’d done, he wasn’t about to tell her she was being overly sentimental. Nodding, his face became more serious, he added. “And if it needs doing, it needs doing.” |
![]() |
|
| Spider-Woman | Aug 2 2013, 07:42 PM Post #11 |
|
Does Whatever A Spider-Man Can, And Then Some
![]()
|
For a few minutes, there, she'd almost managed to sound competent and sane, talking to Pete about the helicarrier and the tour and showing him places and things - little quirks of the machine - that he probably wouldn't pick up on his own right away. Benefit of having lived on this amazing hybird ship/flying aircraft carrier for a while. Of course, then she had to go and ruin it by mentioning her 'errand' and, oh god, she knew that look. It was a look that meant 'now you've truly gotten my attention'. Having known he was a former spy himself, she should've expected it and known better than to try to skirt around the issue, especially with obvious avoidance. It was the surest way to get someone who'd done that for a living to do anything but let it go. If they could resist a puzzle or a challenge, they wouldn't have been in the business in the first place. Jess sighed and sank back into the arm of the sofa. Wonderful. He was going to think she was insane. It was even accurate enough, since she probably was. Or more insane. The rest of the team would probably think so, too, but she was used to it from them and they were used to her particular kind of crazy. Pete, well, he hadn't gotten a good look at that side of Jessica Drew, but she supposed he was about to as she sent a rueful smile his way and stuttered as she grasped for words that wouldn't make it sound as crazy as it was. Small hope of that, but he waited patiently enough, sipping at his coffee as she self consciously admitted to what might be the craziest scheme anyone had ever come up with. Even knowing that didn't give her pause, though, despite the nervous tugging at her hair Jess didn't even realize she was doing. She was going to break into Carol's high security apartment and steal her cat. It was exactly as insane as it sounded and if Pete dropped his coffee and was out the door before she finished, she wouldn't have been at all surprised. Or at all offended. The dark haired man didn't do that, but she assumed it was only because he was too busy choking on his coffee to manage it yet. Welcome to Jessica Drew's crazy, Pete Wisdom. Hope you survive the experience. “Her cat?” he said, just to be sure he hadn’t misheard her and Jess gave a resigned nod at that. Yes, she knew that look. Any minute, he'd be running for the door. Maybe she should offer to take his coffee so he didn't dump it on himself on the way out. “That place is going to be crawling with SHIELD right now,” he added, half incredulously as she twined the lock of hair she'd been pulling at around her finger, feeling that already formidable self-consciousness double. "That would be the one," she confirmed with a half-smile that was more than a little embarrassed and feeling increasingly ill-at-ease. Bad idea. Very bad idea, both to do it and to try to explain it. Pete had to think she was certifiable. Hell, he was probably right, but it was something she had to do. Then she realized that Pete wasn't giving her the 'I've never met anyone this insane' look. No, he was actually grinning at her. “That’s brilliant,” he said enthusiastically and she blinked at him owlishly. He...wait, no. This wasn't how this went. She said crazy things and normal people told her she was insane, they didn't agree with her. “They’d never expect us to go to that sort of trouble for a cat.” Not an ordinary one at least. He snorted a bit as he considered it further. “It’ll look like complete a misdirection. They’ll go mental trying to figure out what the real objective was.” Feeling the unease dissipate, Jessica laughed in spite of herself, half from surprise, half from relief, head shaking in bemusement. "You might be the only person on earth that would see it that way," the dark haired woman told him, releasing the lock of hair she'd been on the verge of probably pulling out of her scalp. "That probably means you're just as crazy as I am, and that should scare you." It was certainly a side benefit, though, she couldn't deny that. Tweaking Tony and Hank a bit, in the process of rescuing Chewie, definitely had it's appeal. Pete's humor was infectious, too, and by the time he gave his knee a slap, his own head shaking, she was very close to grinning again. “I wouldn’t want to miss this,” he said and that definitely proved the theory that he was likely as looney as she was herself. “And if it needs doing, it needs doing.” The grin softened to what she knew had to seem like a rather pensive, slightly uncomfortable smile and she paused to take a drink from her coffee cup, gaze shifting to a random point in the room. "I don't know if it needs doing, but I need to do it," she explained, or attempted to. That wasn't something she was very good at, either, explaining her own feelings. Half the time she didn't understand them herself, they just were. "Chewie's a nasty, awful cat, but I can't just leave him there on his own. And he's the only part of this left that can still be salvaged." Everything else, it was gone and had been for a long time. Today had just been about facing it, coming to terms with it. Or trying to. She was still trying. |
![]() |
|
| Wisdom | Aug 4 2013, 07:42 PM Post #12 |
|
Bargain Basement Bond
![]()
|
This was a new one, no question about it, and LeBeau had led them on some bizarre and seemingly capricious missions. But Pete could tell Drew was absolutely serious. She looked nervous, embarrassed, even, but she was serious about rescuing that cat. A cat belonging to their most valuable prisoner, and Drew’s former best friend, Carol Sodding Danvers. He’d survived the coffee’s attempt to murder him, and had to check to make sure he hadn’t misheard Drew. She nodded as if she were admitting she’d locked her keys in her auto. The finger she was using to play with a lock of her hair made another couple of loops, drawing the hair taut against her scalp as Pete mentioned what they both had to know. SHIELD was going to be all over Danvers’ apartment for the next couple of days at least. It wouldn’t be anything resembling a suicide mission, but it would be extremely dangerous, especially with little time to put together a plan. That’s where she was planning to break in and steal a cat. A wan smile passed over Drew’s face. "That would be the one," she said, looking thoroughly embarrassed about it. Like she expected him to laugh at her about it or something. No wonder she was going to need most of her team for this. With Davers captured, it was too obvious and tempting a target and it would be well defended. And it couldn’t have been more perfect because of that. Pete’s face lit up. Drew’s went wide-eyed and blinking, as if she hadn’t expected this. Probably with good reason, he supposed, but what were the chances Stark and Pym would expect them to go to all that trouble for a cat? It would look like a complete ruse and they’d tear their hair out trying to figure out what they’d really been after. They’d never think that was the true objective, or they’d think there was something about that cat that only Danvers knew. Either way, that was a level of psychological warfare they rarely got to indulge in. Drew laughed, sounding surprised, but much less tense. She gave her head a bemused shake and the lock of hair she’d been tugging on sprang free from her finger. "You might be the only person on earth that would see it that way," she informed him, and she might have a point there, but that didn’t mean he was wrong. "That probably means you're just as crazy as I am, and that should scare you." Chuckling, Pete said, “Trust me, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve scared meself.” It didn’t look like she was bothered by it, though. She was nearly grinning as Pete gave his knee a little slap. He couldn’t help it. The plan was that good, and that bloody hilarious. Just the sort of thing to give those slapheads more to worry about. He definitely wantd to be part of it now. And even if that wasn’t the case, he’d done things that were about as crazy. Not because of the advantage he saw in them. They’d just needed doing. Drew’s grin faded slightly, and she began to look a bit more uncomfortable again. She took another sip from her cup and her eyes turned away from him, looking sidelong at something else in the room. "I don't know if it needs doing, but I need to do it," she said. Yeah, he knew that look. Pete’s expression sobered as he lifted his cup for another sip of his coffee. "Chewie's a nasty, awful cat, but I can't just leave him there on his own. And he's the only part of this left that can still be salvaged." There was no need for her to explain what she meant by ‘this.’ He understood that well enough. Nodding seriously, Pete reached out to place a gentle, reassuring hand on her knee. “Far as I’m concerned, that makes it worth doing,” he told her. It was a lot better than burning photos or getting a wild haircut. She’d gotten through the worst of it, and in time she’d find her equilibrium. If this helped her come to terms, how could anyone begrudge her that. Besides, it wouldn’t be right for a helpless cat to go neglected on account of them capturing its owner. “Anyway,” Pete said, dropping his hand back to his lap, “how bad can one cat really be?” Couldn’t be much worse than its owner, at least. She seemed to think she deserved to be bested by a higher class of freedom fighter and had plenty of creative ways to express it once they'd tossed her in the brig. It was a good thing Betsy had kept her out cold the entire trip back or they might have listen to her rant the whole way back. Had Drew said its name was Chewie? “Long as it doesn’t bother you that I may have lost me mind, I’m in. Soon as you’re ready to get started, just let me know. |
![]() |
|
| Spider-Woman | Aug 8 2013, 07:26 PM Post #13 |
|
Does Whatever A Spider-Man Can, And Then Some
![]()
|
Yes, she wanted to break into the high security apartment of one of the three people effectively running the country for all intents and purposes now. Yes, she wanted to do this to rescue a cat. An evil, awful, horrible, helpless cat. Yes, she was probably completely insane, though in her time she'd actually done stranger and crazier and more dangerous, but that was back when she honestly hadn't cared how it all turned out. A statement on her life in general Jess supposed, embarrassed and self-conscious and just waiting. Waiting for what always happened when she did something like this. And there it was. The look. The one that said 'you may need to be put away for your own safety and for ours, too', or something very like it. It was right there on Pete's face and it was a look she was used to. Next would come either the calmly and politely pointing out that she was insane and likely to get herself and half her team, at least, killed over a cat. Or the not so calm or polite exclamations that she was completely mental. Feeling as though she'd gotten to know Pete decently well the last few months, Jessica was pegging the latter for him. He'd never struck her as one to beat around the bush and god knew she wouldn't blame him. If anything, she was probably an idiot for mentioning it when she knew exactly how crazy it would sound. She could've probably made it a few more weeks, at least, without making it that obvious to him that she was nuts. Only what happened wasn't at all what she expected for once. Instead of all of that, instead she got a grin and a pronouncement that it was 'brilliant'. It wasn't a reaction she'd have ever expected and surprise had her laughing out loud, tension draining away. Pete just might be the only person on earth who'd ever think that about what she'd just proposed and it might just make him as insane as she was - scratch that, it probably made him exactly as insane as she was - but it was a nice change of pace all the same. “Trust me, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve scared meself.” Pete told her with a chuckle. So Jess supposed they had that in common, too. "You, too, huh?" she asked, though it wasn't really a question. More of a statement that said she understood how that worked. And he wasn't humoring her, or playing along, his enthusiasm was genuine. Maybe he could pass some of that off to Peter when she broke the news to him of how they were spending part of their evening. Did it 'need doing', as Pete put it? That dimmed the humor a little, along with her smile, as the dark haired woman considered it. In the process, her eyes moved from his to some far point in the room. It was somehow easier that way. No, maybe it didn't need doing, but she absolutely needed to do it. Chewie was horrible, a nasty creature that hated her and everyone else she'd ever seen. Everyone but Carol. He wouldn't thank her for 'saving' him at all. He'd probably try to claw her eyes out for her trouble, but he was the only thing that could be saved in all this and she couldn't just leave him there on his own. There were analogies there, maybe, to her own life. Some parallels to the angry, naive, dangerous little girl Nick Fury dragged out of the vipers nest for her own good, whether she wanted him to or not. Maybe, but she didn't want to think about those just now. Not any more than she'd meant for the conversation to take this turn as Pete gave a serious nod, laid a hand on her knee and had her looking back at him. Managing a small smile for that, she briefly laid her hand over his. Understanding, yeah, that was nice. “Far as I’m concerned, that makes it worth doing,” he told her and that was even nicer. Maybe this making friends thing was something she was getting better at with a little time. God, she'd hate to think she'd get worse at it, at least. “Anyway,” Pete said, dropping his hand back to his lap as she moved her own to puck up her cup of rapidly cooling coffee, “how bad can one cat really be?” Jess couldn't help a small wince at that. Welllllll... "You're probably better off not knowing that," she interjected before taking a sip of her coffee. He'd see for himself soon enough and no point trying to explain it. He'd never believe her anyway, no one did until they'd had the Chewie experience. “Long as it doesn’t bother you that I may have lost me mind, I’m in. Soon as you’re ready to get started, just let me know." Her smile widened a little over the rim of the cup and she lowered it back to rest against her leg. "Bother me? I think it might be a requirement for this. I need to round up the others, and probably convince Peter I haven't entirely lost my mind," the former espionage agent added with a grin and a slight lift of her eyebrows, "so...hmmm...forty five minutes or so? How does that sound?" She could put it off a little longer, and it was tempting. Tempting to just sit here and talk to Pete and not think about it all for a while. But the sooner they got to it, the better it would probably be. There was that beer pong thing later that Jen had been talking about. After, they could head there and she could try to give Clint a run for his money while lamenting her general inability to get drunk off her wall-climbing ass. |
![]() |
|
| Wisdom | Aug 11 2013, 01:30 PM Post #14 |
|
Bargain Basement Bond
![]()
|
If there was anything at all that Drew might be able to have, any piece of her tattered friendship with Danvers that she could still look at and not feel pain, Pete could see exactly why she’d want that as bad as she did. He’d been there himself at least twice, and neither time had really worked out, but it hadn’t stopped him from trying. This, they could do, though, and it was worth doing, whether it really needed to be done or not. She smiled faintly, briefly laying her hand over the one he’d placed on her knee. It was nice, being able to connect with her like this, even if the circumstances were less than ideal. Drew had a good heart, and she was a good friend. Somehow, since joining the Resistance, he’d managed to get a bit better at making them. He liked that he could include Drew on that list. Besides, he was sure one cat couldn’t be all that bad. Once they got past the agents and security and whatever else was set up around the apartment, they probably didn’t have too much left to worry about. Drew winced slightly, her cup held before her. "You're probably better off not knowing that," she said and took as sip as if cutting herself off before she could go into detail. She sounded serious, but all the same it was a cat. They could carry the thing around in a bum bag if they wanted. No matter how bad it was, he was sure they could handle it. And whatever attempts she’d to discourage him, or give him a fair chance to change his mind or however they wanted to think about it, he was in. Unless she had some objections, he be right with her as soon as she was ready to get started. She set her cup down for a rest against her leg. Her smile widened a little more. "Bother me? I think it might be a requirement for this. I need to round up the others, and probably convince Peter I haven't entirely lost my mind," she said, arching her eyebrows and grinning at him. Sounded like she was accustomed to this sort of thing from Parker. Considering some of the characters he used to run around with, Pete would have thought he’d be able to take anything out of the ordinary in stride. "so...hmmm...forty five minutes or so? How does that sound?" It was a sensible decision. The more time she let pass before they got started, the harder the whole thing would become. Eventually SHIELD would simply empty the place out for indexing and storage, and at that point, finding the bloody thing would be next to impossible, much less bringing it safely back. Sitting with her and talking had been enjoyable. She was good company, even when he knew how much she had to be torn up inside when he’d shown up at her door. He would have liked to just stay here for a bit longer, but it wasn’t a very practical thing to want. But there was that tour they had planned, and he might see what she was doing after the mission. His mind was already shifting gears, habits grown out of long years in the business. It was her team and her mission, she’d be the one making the decisions, but the more information she had available when they got started, the easier it would be for her to make those decisions. Forty-five minutes would be just enough time for him to find Ramsey, or Pryde if he wasn’t available, and check in on surveillance, radio chatter and whatever else they could dig up to give them an idea of what they had out there by now and what was on the way. “I can make that work,” Pete said in answer to her question, mind still moving like a well oiled machine. He drained the rest of his coffee. “I’ll suit up, gather some intelligence, maybe see about planting some false reports to draw their attention elsewhere for the next few hours if there’s time for that. You already know the place pretty well, yeah?” Davers had been an arrogant sod, not even leaving her apartment after everything had changed, effectively turning it into her own brownstone estate. Or maybe she just liked to keep what was hers. Either way, it was something they could turn to their advantage. Pete realized he was still sitting, and had to practically tell himself to get back to his feet. “Is there any other information or gear you might need?” he asked. There was one source, at least, he was going to work on if he had the time, but he’d need help for that. Maybe from Frost, or Betsy. “If I can get me hands on it, it’s yours.” A wry grin tugged at the corner of his lips. “Have to say, this isn’t even the first mission I’ve had that might involve the use of cat treats.” And this one, at least, he expected he'd like a lot more. |
![]() |
|
| Spider-Woman | Aug 15 2013, 03:46 PM Post #15 |
|
Does Whatever A Spider-Man Can, And Then Some
![]()
|
There was no use trying to tell Pete exactly how bad Chewie could be, he'd never believe her and he was probably better off not worrying about it going in, anyway. There was only so much prep you could do beforehand when it came to dealing with a determinedly demonic cat. As far as the insanity issue went, well, it certainly wouldn't bother her. That would be a little hypocritical, to say the least, and for this particular 'mission' it was practically a requirement. Though she was going to have to come up with some way to convince Peter she hadn't finally snapped completely while she was rounding up the team. If Pete needed a time frame, then Jess would say maybe forty-five minutes should do it, provided her fellow spider person wasn't being particularly stubborn or that the rest of the team didn't drag her down to Cecelia or Faiza to have her head examined. Jessica knew better, though. They were a good team, good friends, and however much they might protest out of habit, they'd understand. Every single one of them would understand. Maybe it shouldn't have been such a surprise that Pete, too, seemed to understand. Seemed to get where she was coming from without her having to go into detail with the explanations. That he hadn't immediately thought she was as completely mental as she probably sounded to anyone who hadn't known her a lot longer than a few months. But it was still a surprise to her, after all these years, when she managed to actually connect with another person enough to form an actual friendship. Especially another person who didn't know about her own, special, messed up history to make allowances for it. Or maybe Pete actually did know more than she assumed. Information gathering, and making a point of knowing as much as you could about your situation and the people around you, that was a habit so ingrained for most of the spies she'd ever known that it never really went away. Like now, when she could interpret that look on his face as his mind working to process what they were about to do and all the little need-to-dos and incidentals that went with any mission. “I can make that work,” Pete said in answer to her question, mind still moving like a well oiled machine. He drained the rest of his coffee. “I’ll suit up, gather some intelligence, maybe see about planting some false reports to draw their attention elsewhere for the next few hours if there’s time for that. You already know the place pretty well, yeah?” Another sip from her almost empty cup and Jess nodded her approval, as well as her acknowledgement. "As well as I used to know my own apartment," she confirmed, trying to shift into that mode that would let her think of this as any other assignment, with a clear goal and plan of action. Instead of the revisiting of her best friend's apartment, a place she hadn't set foot in in five long years, when she used to be there nearly as often as she was in her own. "Anything you can come up with to send some of them on a wild goose chase would be appreciated, and helpful." They could and would manage either way, but the faster in and out the better and they could save the energy for fighting Chewie instead of SHIELD soldiers. Pete got to his feet and Jess decided she should follow suit if she was going to be ready to go in forty five minutes. “Is there any other information or gear you might need?” he asked. There was one source, at least, he was going to work on if he had the time, but he’d need help for that. Maybe from Frost, or Betsy. “If I can get me hands on it, it’s yours.” A wry grin tugged at the corner of his lips. “Have to say, this isn’t even the first mission I’ve had that might involve the use of cat treats.” Setting her cup down on the coffee table, Jessica's eyebrows surged upward. "You're going to have to tell me about that one some time." Which also brought to mind the things they might need, though she wasn't sure where Pete would possibly come up with the main one as her lips curved into a grin. "If you have any leads on where to get a few bags of catnip, we might be ahead of the game. Otherwise, I'll see if there's some canned tuna or salmon around the pantry." Pausing then, the grin softened to a smile as she reached out impulsively to give his hand a light squeeze. "Thanks, Pete. I appreciate the help, and the company." |
![]() |
|
|
|
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Private Quarters · Next Topic » |
- Pages:
- 1
- 2









3:33 AM Jul 11