Spider-Man: Home Sick

9 - Welcome Aboard

Peter's P.O.V

I leant my head back against the wall and closed my eyes, just enjoying the peace of the moment.
"Hey, Tony." Someone, I think it was Pippa, said. It took me a few seconds to realise that she was talking to me - my name was Tony now. My eyes shot open.
"Did you have somewhere you were heading before I found you half dead in that alley?"
I wanted to protest but I saw from the playful gleam in her eye that she was just teasing me. And that felt good, she was treating me just like she treated Anya and Lucas, like I was already one of them.
I hadn't actually had a plan of where I was headed other than away from home, where I was putting everyone in danger. "I - uh.... Just...away, I guess."
"You ran away without knowing where you were going?" Lucas asked.
"Oh, shut up." Pippa elbowed him. "Like you've never done that before!"
"I knew where I was going!" Lucas protested.
"Yeah right." She rolled her eyes.
"I did! I was going to Boston to - "
"Yeah, yeah, we know."
"Where were you going?" I asked.
Lucas leant forwards conspiratorially "There's rumors of this place in Boston that takes in homeless kids, no questions asked,"
"That's run by mysterious teenagers who never age." Pippa continued in a mock scary voice.
"Shut up, it's a real place."
"Sure it is."
Anya locked eyes with me and stifled a giggle. I could tell she was used to them arguing about this.
Pippa now had Lucas in a headlock and was ruffling up his hair despite his loud protests. He jabbed her in the side so she would let him go and then pushed her away jokingly.
"Are they dating?" I whispered to Anya.
Both of their heads immediately whipped around "No, no way, nope, never." They objected in unison, shifting away from each other.
I smiled knowingly "Sure. Anyway, I did have something I need to do... That guy Cade, he took something important from me."
Pippa shifted uncomfortably and glanced down at her hands. Anya looked at me curiously "What did he take?"
"Uh... It was this necklace... My... Uh, MJ gave it to me, just before I... Well, left."
Lucas smirked knowingly "No problem, we can get it back."
"I'm coming too." I added.
"And me!" Anya piped up.
"No," Lucas nodded at me "And definitely not." He pointed at Anya. She pouted, but had clearly expected that answer.
"Why can't I come?" I shot to my feet.
"You're still injured."
Pippa rose to her feet as well "And you can't really fight that well."
"I can!" I stopped and thought for a second. I hadn't fought that well against Cade, but I could have. "Who d'you think knocked Mikey out?"
Pippa studied me carefully, but still seemed unconvinced "Lucky punch."
I was thinking about how to prove I could fight without telling them I was Spider-Man when Pippa suddenly punched me. I automatically grabbed her fist, twisted her arm around and held it behind her back.
"Oh, sorry!" I jumped back. I hadn't even realised what I was doing until it was done.
Pippa smiled mischievously at me "Welcome aboard, Tony."