Something Immortal

Collapsing Nation

        You were walking the streets yet again when you were suddenly embraced from behind. Almost positive that it was Peter, you turned around to say something to him and nearly smacked heads with a fragile-looking middle-aged woman. This was very confusing for you. As far as you knew, you didn't know this woman, but there was something familiar about her eyes and the two rosy spots on her cheeks. Even though she was quite a bit older than you, there was something quite youthful about her. Perhaps it was the fact that all of her wrinkles were obviously smile lines, or that her eyes still sparkled.

"Y/N! I can't believe it's you! Where have you been all this time? Oh, my poor baby," the woman spoke rapidly as she pulled you in closer.

Something seemed to rise up in the back of your mind and a lump grew in your throat. "Mom?"

She looked up, grinning. "Yes, Y/N, It's me. I can't believe it..."

You were blinking rabidly. From what Peter had told you, your mom had been your best friend besides him. But, yet again, your emotions were complicated. You felt almost like you were a different person now and the girl that they were talking about was dead like they said you were supposed to be.

"How did you find me?" you asked.

"Peter came to the house and told me." You mom stepped back. "He said to give you time before approaching you but...I had to be sure that it was actually you. I thought that he was lying, to be honest, that he probably just saw someone that he thought was you, but he was right."

You nodded. "So, what gave away who I was?"

"You have three little freckles right behind your left ear. Your hair is up right now, and so I was able to see them. How are you still alive?" she asked.

"Honestly, I don't know. Most of my memories are either missing or a blur. BUT-" you started, seeing your mom's face starting to fall, "they're starting to come back. Slowly, though."

Your mother let out a sigh of relief. "That is good. Your father...I divorced him a few months after I thought you died. He just...didn't seem to care. He almost seemed happy that you were gone. I was able to win the house in the divorce, so it's a safe place for you to be now, okay?"

You didn't remember much about your father, of course, but you already didn't like him, just from what you had been told. Everything that happened seemed to be his work, and it was getting rather frustrating. The person that should be sworn to protect you no matter what was the reason why you didn't remember the people you loved the most and why they used to think that you were dead. Part of you wondered how your mother was able to win the house in the divorce, you but you didn't ask. You vaguely remembered just how persuasive your mother could be, especially if under pressure.

"I'm glad that you were able to keep the house, Mom. And...I'm sorry that I worried you," you apologized.

She shook her head. "It wasn't your fault, dear. This is a very strange situation, and one that is quite fortunate on our part. Of course, you had no power over what happened to you, whatever did happen. So, what are you doing now? Do you have a job?"

You nodded. "I'm...a canary. I know that it's not the best job, but the bartender at the place I work actually gave me an apartment and the job, so I feel like I owe him. It's actually how I saw Peter again. He and a few of his friends were working on an investigation and it took them to the bar that I work at."

"I'm just relieved that you are doing well. Being a canary isn't the worst job that you can get, and it kept you safe. Now, you should come back home with me. Peter is waiting there for us."

...

When you walked into the front door of your house, you just had to stop for a moment. You had forgotten just how big this house was, especially compared to the apartment that you were living in at the moment. Then, you saw Peter, and you immediately knew that something was wrong. He had a smile on his face, but it looked forced. The usual gleam in his eyes was gone.

"Hey, Peter, what's wrong?" you asked.

His smile faltered. "Nothing. I'm glad to see that Miss. L/N found you."

Your mother grinned at him. "Thank you so much, Peter. I'm sorry to hear about your newspaper job."

With that, she left the room, leaving you and Peter in the room together.

"Peter, what happened with your job?" You sat down next to Peter, who was slumped against the couch, looking even more tired than usual.

"Well, the day that my friends all went home, my boss had to shut down the newspaper office. No one is reading the newspaper anymore. It's too expensive for most people to read anymore. I still have my private eye business, but...other than the investigation that the dame gave me the other day, there hasn't been much help needed. Everyone's starting to give up. If something's stolen, they pretty much know that it's as good as gone." He sighed through his nose. "I really needed that job. I guess that I'm not the only one, though. John's in a pretty tight spot right now. I feel bad for the guy...He has four kids at home. But it's not like I can help him. I'm just in as bad a spot as him right now."

This was something that you really hadn't thought about. Thanks to your job as a canary, you hadn't really felt the effects of the depression. You hadn't thought about Peter and the other people who were struggling to just buy some bread for their families. Well, until this point, Peter was actually pretty well off, but people not having enough money to hire a private eye meant that he wasn't going to get hired unless someone rich needed him. Even then, private eye rates were high, and so the rich would probably still not hire him unless they were desperate.

"I wish that there was some way that I could help you," you told him. "But I don't think that I have any cases for you to solve."

Peter shrugged. "You don't need to worry about it. I'll find something to do. Maybe I'll start working at the radio station. That's always running nowadays."

He seemed so tired right now, completely drained. And you couldn't blame him. You wished that he could be paid for the most important job he did: being Spider-Man. He kept people safe, and asked for nothing in return. Instead, he had gone and worked two jobs at the same time. Three, really, but he wasn't paid for being a hero. Also, you couldn't tell him that you knew his secret. You didn't know if that would ruin your relation before it started to build up again.

"Do you want me to walk to your house with you? I'm sure May is waiting for you," you suggested.

Nodding, Peter stood up. "She probably is. Worried sick, I'm sure. She hears news faster than almost anyone in town."

The both of you didn't really talk on the way to Peter's house. You weren't sure what you were supposed to say. There was too much going through your mind and he was obviously very weighed down by the fact that he had just lost his job. When you got to the door of his house, you just gave him a hug. You thought that it was the thing that he needed the most right now. Just your love and support.

"I'll always be here for you," you whispered.