RETURN OF SPIDER-X

CHAPTER 44: EPILOGUE

Jamie was sitting on the ground by a tree just thinking, he was thinking of a lot of things really. A few of the parents were concerned about the school, even his own talked to him asking him if he wanted to stay there. Truth was he felt safe here despite everything, and there were other reasons.

He looked at the watch that allowed him to walk about and not have to worry about his powers activating in crowds. Although that seemed to not be much of an issue anymore, everyone would know he's a mutant. School was tough before and when that picked up again he just knew it would be even harder now.

But he still wanted to stay, this place was just cool and there were others like him as well. Sure some of them treated him like the little kid (which he was), but they were also nice to him at times sometimes seeing him as like the 'little brother' of the mansion. But there was another reason, this reason was a certain girl with grey eyes, skin and hair.

Ollie or as she liked to be called Spyder was the first girl that he thought of that wasn't well…before he never liked girls in that way but now she was in his mind a lot of the time. He wasn't sure what to do with her but thankfully fate was taking that out of his control.

"Hey Jamie you mind if I sit here?" He looked up to see Spyder and he nodded as she sat down. "Jamie, can I ask you something?"

She seemed off to him, normally she was so confident but she seemed uncertain about something. It was odd to see that in her and he was wondering what was bothering her so much. "Is something wrong?"

She bit her lip not sure how to go about it, "Well…I'm not sure. Jamie…Why did you kiss me that time in the X-jet?"

Jamie went pale remembering that, he thought she had been asleep. He was scared now for several reasons and he was also wondering why she hadn't kicked his ass earlier for it. He saw her waiting for an answer and he nervously starched the back of his head, looking at his feet.

"I don't know I mean…I just…"

"Jamie…Do you like me?" She asked softly, he didn't do anything at first but then he nodded. "More then friends? Like…More then friends?" He blushed deep red and nodded slowly. "Jamie look at me."

Reluctantly he did look at her and he didn't see any anger or anything like that. He wasn't sure what he was looking at. His heart was pounding and he was so nervous at the moment but when he looked into her eyes, those grey eyes he found a center to his fear. Jamie figured that if she already new about the kiss he might as well go fro broke.

"Spyder…Ollie…I…I do like you a lot. You're my best friend and well…Lately I can't stop thinking about you. I think you're brave, and fun to be with. And…Well…Really cute."

Both teens blushed again at that and Spyder felt nice that he felt like that. "Well…I think…That you're cute too." She said just as softly neither one could look at the other but Jamie reached over and touched her hand with this. Slowly the two young teens looked up and each other shyly, Jamie smiled a little nervously at her and she returned it.

"So…We like each other then." He stated.

"Yeah looks like it…So…Now what?" She was unsure what to do next and he didn't know either. So she figured maybe it was time to return the favour in a way. She leaned in close and gave him a small kiss on the mouth. It wasn't long just a shy one leaving them both red faced.

"Was that…Okay?" She asked him and it took a moment for him to find his tongue.

"Y-yeah it was, it was nice." He said and she smiled broadly as her hand squeezed his and he did it as well. The two of them were enjoying the moment unaware that someone had been watching. Peter had been sent by his Aunt to get Spyder to help her out and he had seen what was going on.

He had given them their space and he saw the kiss at least, he had to admit it was a cute scene although he wasn't sure how to take it. Spyder was like his little sister but then again Jamie was a good kid. He also never saw this coming either, but after he gave them a few moments longer he decided to step in.

"Hey Spyder there you are," He tried to hide his smile as he saw them jump apart like that. "May wants you to help her out for dinner."

"Oh okay," She stood up and straightened and gave Jamie a last look, "I'll see you later."

He smiled as she ran off and just when he was about to get up Peter was there his arms crossed but a small smile on his face. Jamie wasn't sure what was going on but he suddenly got a bad feeling. "So…You and her huh?" He said to him and Jamie fidgeted under his gaze but he just smiled.

"Don't worry about it I'm going to give you a hard time. Just letting you know that I think you two make a nice couple."

Jamie smiled in relief, "Thanks and I really do like her I wasn't sure she would feel the same."

"Oh trust me most guys go through that believe me. But if you need any help don't be afraid to come to some of us okay? First girlfriends are tough and you're lucky to get it at your age. Some don't get one until later if they're lucky." Peter knew from experience Rogue was his first girlfriend, the first girl he fell in love with, first girl he was intimate with. He hoped they lasted but you can never tell. But he was glad that she was the one he had experienced all of that with.

"But just to clarify don't hurt her Jamie, this is her first relationship and she hasn't had an easy life. You've been very good for her but don't do anything stupid okay?" He said in a more serious tone. Jamie gulped and nodded quickly and Peter let him go after that.

After dinner Peter made his way to his room which was actually Kurt's. Seeing as just his luck his room had been damaged and some of his Spider-Man gear had been ruined. It would take him awhile to fix things up. He didn't have a bed so much as mattress on the floor but he didn't mind. He flopped himself down onto it looking up at the ceiling.

Things sure have changed that was for sure, he thought back to when before he met the X-Men, he had just been doing his thing in New York trying to do good and get by. He remembered the day they met both at that hospital and then when they came looking for him. To telling his Aunt everything, moving in, finding Spyder on the streets, his friendships, and it all started to center on Rogue.

He really did love her he just knew it, she was like him at her core. Someone who was in a lot of pain from their lives, had been so lonely, an outsider, a bit stubborn and yet they clicked. Maybe it was that they understood the other so well.

Then he went to that night in the woods and he sighed deeply, that had been the most perfect night of his life. Just then the door opened and the girl of his dreams (literally and figuratively) stepped in. Rogue smiled seeing him there and closed the door as she went over and laid down next to him.

"Hey there," She said and he smiled back at her.

"Hey yourself pretty lady," He loved the way she gave a small smile when he said things like that to her. He liked seeing her smile, "So Logan is getting ready to put us through all that extra 'training' for the, you know what."

Rogue groaned and rested herself against him holding him close. She knew it was going to come sooner or later. "Oh well…Ya know tha Professor is giving meh my own room after this."

"Really?" Peter perked up at that, they always had to be in his room when they wanted to be alone since Kitty had a nasty way of walking in on them. Not always using the door of course since it was her room as well.

"Yep ah was surprised mahself given, well you know," She blushed at that night together, "Anyway he said that he put meh with Kitty ta help meh start ta open up. He feels that ah can have mah own room now, so that means ah actually got some privacy for once."

"So you got your own room to listen to your music, do your own studying or say…Having gentlemen callers at night?" He grinned at her and she gave a small laugh slapping his chest lightly.

"Yeah right, we got ta beh careful though. Havin' ya or meh coming out of the others room in the mornin' will get people wondering."

Peter only grinned at her, "Hey unlike Jean and Scott you got a boyfriend that can climb to walls. And since the summer is practically on us, having those French doors opened up for the night is perfectly reasonable."

Rogue hadn't thought of that and she had to admit the thought of Peter sneaking into her room for them to be together some nights under the noses of everyone was kind of exciting. She looked at him smiling, "Ya know you really are very smart."

"Why thank you."

"Despite how ya dress in a red and blue costume." She smirked.

"Hey it's a uniform not a costume and what's wrong with red and blue?" Peter said faking being hurt. "And what would you prefer? All black and scary looking?"

She smirked at him, "Why not, ya look good in that Spider-X uniform. And that is a uniform, what you wear at night is a costume."

"Oh that's it!" He pinned her as he started to tickle her, he had found out awhile back she was actually quite ticklish. Especially on her sides as she started laughing her ass off trying to fight him off, Peter liked hearing her laugh he had a very nice one. "Are you ready to apologise?"

"Nevah!"

"Suit yourself," Peter continued on, she was laughing so hard she was near tears. She managed to get a leg around and flipped them so she was now on stop straddling him. "Oh crap." Peter muttered as he saw the vengeful look in her eyes.

Just then Kurt teleported in and grabbed a spare shirt as he was going out to meet Amanda, then saw the two of them on there. All three looked at each other and Rogue and Peter noticed how they must look. "Uh…We can explain?" Peter offered him.

Kurt put a hand over his eyes, "I don't vant to know, in fact I vas never here and I never saw any of zhis." He was about to port out when he took one last look at Peter, "But I do vant to talk to you about you and mien sister."

He disappeared in blue smoke and Peter's head fell back, "Great just great. Like I need another long talk, but at least he doesn't know just how far we've gone. I'm really not in the mood to dodge a teleporter all over the mansion as he tries to kill me."

"Yeah well Jean and ah still have to get birth control tomorrow so deal with it. And you're going ta get some condoms too like we said we would to the adults."

"Joy," Peter muttered not looking forward to that.

She leaned down and kissed him, "You're cute when y'all are brooding."

-A Week Later-

It had been a long week for everyone and things hadn't been as easy as you'd think. Sure it was great being back home but it was stressful given that now their secret was out mostly everyone in the town weren't exactly thrilled seeing them. Thankfully their friends have only been grounded for about a week.

Paul and Taryn were already there helping out with the rebuilding. Paul was with Scott and Logan helping to install a new dish on the roof. "So how pissed were your parents?" Scott asked as they were holding the dish while Logan secured it.

"Pretty pissed, thank god in their day they used to be hippie protesters," Paul laughed.

"You're kidding?"

"I wish," Paul shook his head, "Trust me I've seen the pictures. But leaving like I did they did ground me and I'm still in trouble. I just had to explain a lot of things to them, they're still on the fence about Mutants but I think with time they'll get over it."

"That's good to hear at least." Scott sighed at hearing that he was hoping something like that would happen. They would need all the support they could get at the moment. After they placed on the dish they took a break. Some of the walls had been build by now, at least on the first floor, the second floor was still exposed to the elements but they put on plastic sheets to keep out rain and stuff.

Inside Jean was with Taryn and Amanda as they were fixing up the inside of the living room. It was the first room that was nearly fully repaired, it just needed some windows so they were painting the walls. All three of them were in older clothes and covered a bit in paint.

Jean wiped her brow careful to check to see she had no pain on the sleeve. She put down the roller in her hand and the one floating up there in the air with her powers. Taryn shook her head seeing that, "I swear to god I'm not sure I'll ever get totally used to seeing you do stuff like that."

"Try having a boyfriend with a tail and blue fur," Amanda laughed taking a small break. The room was totally empty there wasn't even any carpeting so they didn't have to put white sheets down. "So I'm just glad my parents calmed down, even after I explained how I had to help out Kurt, which by the way I had to explain a lot of things to them, I still got grounded. But I can understand that."

"At least your parents didn't cut up your credit cards," Taryn sighed as her parents had done that for extra punishment and had taken her phone privileges until further notice. At least she finally managed to get out of the house even if her curfew was now nine PM for the rest of the month. Her parents didn't like the idea of her hanging out with mutants, but then she told them how they had gotten along with Jean.

That had gone into an argument, she wasn't sure if her parents would like mutants, maybe tolerate them but she wasn't sure if Jean would ever be welcomed in her house again. Oh well at least she could visit Jean still.

"So Amanda you're parents are handling Kurt well?" Jean asked trying to get the topic to something else.

Amanda sighed, "Well…They want to get to know him more, which by the way is making Kurt really nervous. We can only hope that given that my parents are giving him a chance that they'll at least like him."

Taryn felt a bit bad if her parents didn't approve of Kurt, but then she was looking at Jean and there was something that she had to ask her. "Jean there is something that's been bugging me. What's up with you and Scott?"

Jean froze wondering what she was referring to, so her friend placed her hands on her hips, "Don't you dare pull the 'I have no idea what you're talking about' face on me. I've known for years and I don't have to be a telepath to see that. You've two have been acting a lot closer then normal, giving each other loving caresses when you think no one is looking, and talking without saying anything and a lot of other things."

Amanda was really curious now, she hadn't noticed any of this but then any good gossip was good to hear. Jean of course tried to deny things but Taryn was having nothing of it and kept on pushing. "Come on Jean what's going on? I mean we normally share stuff like this, it's not like he proposed or anything right?"

"Proposed? Are you nuts we're still in high school," Jean had no idea why she would pick that.

"Well what? You slept with him? Carrying his love child? Had some sore of deep spiritual…Why are you blushing so hard?" Taryn asked as Jean started blushing her hair color at the first guess. Taryn looked and then her eyes widened, "Oh god, please tell me it was the first and not the second one."

"What, are you serious?" Amanda gasped surprised.

Jean winced and looked around and did a quick mental scan. "Okay please I'll tell you everything but you can't tell anyone, not even Kurt, Amanda." Jean said seriously and Amanda bit her lip but nodded. She hated to keep things from Kurt but promised, so then Jean told them all about it. She even slipped that she and Scott weren't the only ones caught that night.

By the end of it Taryn was grinning and Amanda looked like she was nearly floored, "Oh god there is no way I'm telling Kurt any of that especially about his sister." Amanda said knowing full well what Kurt's reaction would be after the shock wore off that is.

"Wow I never knew you had it in you," Taryn giggled, "So…What's he like?"

"Taryn!"

"What Jean? Come on you know I used to have a crush on him, least you can do is tell me what I missed out on. What are best friends for?"

Jean sighed and buried her face into her hands wondering if it had been wise to give her this kind of information.

In the labs Peter had been helping McCoy and Kitty to get the computer up and running. Hank went to the medical area to install all the medical files onto the computers again. They were just finishing with the final parts of setting the computers up. Both of them sat on chairs as they were taking a break. "God this is like only half of the computers we just finished up. Couldn't those military guys at least just leave the hard drives? I mean putting in new ones and setting them all up is just so tedious."

"Oh yeah and of course we had to be the big computer geeks on campus," Peter stretched out.

They heard the door open and saw Lance walk in with a tray with some snacks and drinks. He looked at Kitty and her face brightened up a bit at the sight of him, "Hey figured you guys were getting tired and needed a snack."

"Aw that is like so sweat." Kitty said smiling at him.

Peter took a can and gave his funniest (and lamest) version of the swooning heroine, "My hero."

Lance scowled at the joke, "Dude you're not my type and I only got the idea to feed Kitty, you were an after thought man," He grinned it was mostly for Kitty but he figured Peter could use a bit of a drink and snack as well.

Peter shrugged it off, "Hey as long as I get a drink and chips I'm not complaining."

Lance looked at the computers, "So how long are you two going to be at this? I mean I was thinking of taking you out tonight to that old drive in." He asked his girlfriend.

Kitty shrugged, "Well this is going to take us a few more days…But I like don't see why I can't take a night off. Staring at these screens all day are making my eyes hurt."

Lance nodded and kissed her head, "So Peter what are you going to do? They're starting to talk about Spider-Man and that 'mysterious' mutant on the team with the spider powers."

Peter groaned, "Yeah and Xavier is trying to keep the press back. I swear there are still a few news vans out there." The first week of being back home they were plagued by reporters trying to get the inside story. And he saw a few news stations already asking the questions he was worried about.

Xavier was planning on making a press conference soon just so they would be able to put a decent spin on things. So far Peter had a few options, quit Spider-Man which wasn't an option so that was gone. Come out as Spider-Man but he wasn't sure that would be a good idea, not being affiliated with anyone meant he could operate outside of the normal rules.

Then there was the current option he was thinking about, it was risky and it may not work. He was already making a few things for this in preparation. He had already talked this through with the Professor. Thankfully he agreed to at least try this out, since he felt that Peter being exposed as Spider-Man may not be for the best as well. So now he hoped he could get his few surprises in store for the big day.

"Well guys I've had a week to think about this…I think I got an idea but I'm not really sure it will work. But if it does then I don't have to worry about any of that, and I can just worry about people thinking that I'm a 'mutant' is all."

"What is it?" Kitty asked him.

Peter just grinned, "Now where is the surprise in that?"

"Oh come on you're not like going to tell us?"

"Nope sorry but you guys need to act surprised but trust me it should be very interesting," He smirked at her as both Lance and Kitty shared a look wondering what was going to happen.

-Elsewhere-

In a secret lab being fixed up to their specifications worked Professor Miles Warren and Nathan Essex. Miles was currently working on his new devices, large tubes that would be used to house their new experiment. Essex had to admit he was excited at the prospect of what they could do with that technology.

Only that even though Miles had a brilliant mind it was one tracked onto his near obsession with cloning. There was more that could be done with his technology he was sure of it but not just yet. Essex went to check on the genetic specimens that they had, the blood and tissue samples of those they had captured.

But two of them caught his attention the most, first up was Jean Grey. Her DNA was very special because of all the potential it held, not only that he had been comparing it to other DNA samples in his more private collection that the others didn't know about. He was amazed at how her DNA was so compatible with one of his earlier subjects. In fact the irony of who she was compatible was something that even he couldn't have predicted.

Then there was Mr. Parker, he knew of other people who had gotten powers through either accidents or experimentation but his DNA was a perfect blending so far. And he wasn't sure but it seemed that his DNA was still in an evolutionary state. It would be very interesting to see how it would develop.

After looking after the samples he retired to his personal room. He threw his lab coat aside and locked his door. It was a large office room with no windows but that didn't bother him. He preferred to work like this. There was a bed in a corner but he didn't really need to use it, not for someone like himself.

He went over to a wall and pressed his hand to it, there was a sliding panel that opened up showing a small closet room with a very advance computer set up. He grinned if only Osborn knew of the kind of man he hired, he bet that fool never thought that Essex was more then he appeared to be. He checked with his system that was hooked up to his private information net that he had spent decades building up.

So far his few side projects were working well and he had one message. "Ah so he's calling in, I wonder what he wants."

His form changed as he brought up a live video link, his face paled into ghost white, his eyes turned glowing red, as a black bodysuit covered his form and his teeth became nice and sharp. This was his true form, as he liked to call himself Sinister while in this form.

On the screen after a few moments came the image of Magneto, "Ah Magnus so good so see you again. Sorry to say it looks like your little war has been shut down before it started." He grinned knowing that Magneto's plans to start a full scale war with how Congress had dealt with things, after the X-Men took down the Juggernaut.

He didn't looked fazed at all by his words, "It's merely postponed the nature of humanity will see to that. But I'm calling you because of that machine you helped to design."

"Ah yes the one using the crystals to enhance humans into something else. I must admit it's one of my greatest designs. Is there a problem with it?"

"Only that I can only use it to make humans into mutants one at a time. Have you any luck with making it work on a large scale?"

Sinister had been thinking about it but he couldn't think of a way around the problem of it basically killing everyone in the area. All the power it would need to reach a large area would be massive, and then all that power going out over a city? Well only the strong would survive and that wouldn't be many. "Unfortunately I think you'll have to keep it as it is. Although I have thought of a new program to help turn more mundane mutants into a bit more powerful if that's any help."

Magneto thought about it, "That may prove useful. Send me the data and I'll take it from there."

"Of course and I expect my usual payment as well." He grinned evilly at the man with the helmet and Magneto scowled and nodded. Sinister did get paid a nice sum into several accounts but also he wanted new genetic material for his experiments, which had to have the name and location of that mutant, since you never know when he may want to have that mutant personally.

The image died as Magneto hung up and Sinister changed his form just in case and closed up the secret wall. He had a lot of work ahead and he was excited to get started. He looked at the folder for the purpose of their first project here.

To think they would start their cloning experiments soon, he was eager to see how they did. Of course a few trail runs would be needed to perfect the process but that was what good science was about. Now all what was left was who to start cloning first? There were several good choices and he couldn't wait to pick one and get to work.

THE END

Well that's it folks another story gone, well I'm off to the military so it may take me twenty weeks before I start to write like I used to. But I need the break but I plan on being back and you can bet that one day I'll get the next story 'SpiderX: Evolutions' up when I can.