Spider-Man: Home Sick

14 - A New Family

Peter's P.O.V

I was curled up in the corner, gazing at the necklace in the palm of my hand, for what must have been hours. I could feel the others' eyes on me, but I couldn't bring myself to care.
Pippa and Lucas were whispering to each other, having some kind of argument, which Pippa seemed to win, as a second later Lucas gently said to me "Hey Tony... Are - are you okay?"
I sat up, still not taking my eyes off of the black dahlia necklace "I - I don't know... I just... I - I miss her..."
Lucas chuckled softly "This MJ must be quite some girl."
I looked up at him. He was right. I couldn't even begin to express how amazhang she was. I could never full explain how much I... Well, how I felt about her.
"Look, Tony - "
I never found out what he was going to say because Anya came rushing into the room "They - he - she - " She gasped out.
"Woah, hold on, slow down." Lucas held her by her shoulders "What happened?"
She took a deep breath and started again "Cade - has her - sent me - 12 hours - " Anya moved her head to the side to look at me, revealing a huge bruise spreading across her cheek like someone had punched her.
Pippa was on her feet and by Anya's side in an instant "Did Cade do this to you?" She demanded.
Reluctantly, Anya nodded "But he has - MJ - "
I shot up "MJ? What happened? Is she okay?"
Anya shook her head furiously "Cade has her - revenge - said you have 12 hours to meet him - in his apartment - or he's going to..." She gulped "Kill her."
"I - I have to go, I have to get her back, I - "
"Woah, dude, calm down."
"No, you don't understand, this is my fault. It's my fault she's looking for me, it's my fault Cade wants revenge, it's my fault that she's been kidnapped."
"You don't even know where his apartment is - "
"I do." Pippa chipped in.
Lucas rolled his eyes and glared pointedly at her "Not helping. But Tony, listen, we just need to - "
"No. No, I have to do this alone. I - I can't put anyone else in danger."
"Girl, please." Pippa scoffed "We're with you till the end of the line, Tony. We're going to be by your side, whether you want us to be or not."
"But - " I tried to protest meekly.
"We're coming." Lucas insisted "There's no way you can stop us."
"You only met me 2 days ago!"
"Doesn't matter." Pippa shrugged "You're one of us now. You're family. And we'll always protect our family."
I looked from Anya's worried face, to Lucas's determined one, to Pippa's disturbingly excited one. I couldn't believe I had only known them for 2 days. This strange assortment of kids had somehow burrowed their way into my heart, and I wasn't ever going to let them go.