Lost in Time
The swirling chaos of light and energy enveloped Peter and Gwen as they tumbled uncontrollably through the portal, their screams swallowed by the deafening rush of their descent. Time itself seemed to stretch, twisting and distorting their perception as they spiraled into an unknown future. When they were finally hurled onto solid ground, the disorientation was so severe that they struggled to regain their footing, gasping for breath as they looked around in bewilderment.
It took a moment for their surroundings to register. They were on the rooftop of the Baxter Building, but something was unmistakably wrong. The once familiar architecture now seemed futuristic, almost sterile in its sleek design. A large corporate emblem—one neither of them recognized—dominated the skyline. Peter glanced at Gwen, the tension between them unspoken but palpable.
“This… this isn’t right,” Gwen muttered, her voice shaky. She brushed off the dust that clung to her, her mind racing.
“Maybe it’s just a… really intense renovation?” Peter suggested, though the unease in his voice betrayed his words. “We should check the city. Something’s gotta give us an answer.”
They swung through the streets, moving instinctively, the comfort of the city’s familiar patterns suddenly jarring against the subtle changes they couldn’t quite place. New York’s skyline was still the same, but the streets, the billboards, and even the very air felt different—like a city they knew had been lost in time, leaving them behind.
When they arrived at Stark Tower, the sight of the towering “A” where “STARK” had once been only deepened their unease. Gwen narrowed her eyes at the massive structure.
“Peter,” she whispered, “this isn’t just a renovation. Something’s happened. Something big.”
They dropped to the nearest rooftop, their breaths shallow, adrenaline coursing through their veins. “We need answers,” Peter said, looking around desperately. “Let’s find a newspaper stand or something. We need to know what’s going on.”
They scoured the streets, finally coming across an old, abandoned stand. The papers inside were aged, the newsprint faded and covered in a fine layer of dust, as if untouched for years. Peter’s pulse quickened as he read the date—October 2nd, 2024.
“No way,” he muttered, disbelief choking his voice.
Gwen’s eyes widened, panic creeping into her expression. “We’re not in 2003 anymore…”
“We’ve been thrown forward in time,” Peter said, the gravity of the situation beginning to settle in. “We need to talk to Tony. He’s the only one who can explain this.”
As they swung towards Stark Tower, dread weighed on them both. When they finally landed on the balcony, their nerves were frayed. Before they could even step forward, an AI voice greeted them.
“Welcome, Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy.”
The calm, automated tone startled them, freezing them in place. Peter shot Gwen a glance of panic. “How does it know our names?” he whispered. The sense of wrongness thickened, wrapping around them like a fog.
Before they could react further, Tony Stark strolled into view, looking as casual as ever in his Iron Man suit. “Pete, Gwen—what a surprise. What brings you here? And what’s with the old-school suits? Feeling nostalgic?”
Peter and Gwen exchanged bewildered looks, struggling to find the words to explain themselves. But before they could, Tony’s expression shifted—his casual demeanor replaced by something much more serious. With a quiet gesture, he activated energy restraints, trapping them where they stood.
“Tony, what the hell!” Peter shouted, thrashing against the bonds as Gwen did the same beside him.
Their masks were forcibly removed, and Tony’s face softened with a kind of sad understanding. “This… this is bad,” he said, his tone heavy.
Confusion and fear bubbled up inside them as a flurry of questions tumbled from their lips. “What year is it? How do you know us? What’s going on?”
Tony sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “You’re in 2024 now. You’ve been… out of touch for a long time. And let me tell you—time hasn’t been kind.”
Peter’s heart raced. “How long?”
Tony hesitated. “It’s been over a decade. You two have been part of the Avengers for years. But something—something’s changed, and it’s brought you back like this.” He gestured to their confused expressions and outdated suits.
The weight of the revelation hit them like a punch to the gut. They weren’t just displaced by a few months or years—they had been thrown over a decade into the future. The world they knew had moved on without them. Gwen’s breathing grew shallow, her mind racing with thoughts of the people she left behind—her father, her brothers. What had happened to them?
Peter was no better off, his mind spinning at the implications. May—what had happened to May? His friends? His entire life was gone in the blink of an eye.
The overwhelming realization was too much, and before either of them could process it, their bodies gave in to the stress. Darkness crept in around the edges of their vision, and they collapsed, fainting from the sheer overload of information.
Tony moved quickly, catching them before they hit the floor. “Of course, they pass out,” he muttered to himself. With a few swift commands, he called for assistance and carefully carried them to guest rooms within the tower.
Once they were settled, Tony stepped out onto the balcony, staring out at the cityscape. He pulled out his phone, dialing a number he hadn’t used in a long time. The line rang twice before a voice answered.
“Stark here,” Tony said, his voice grave. “We’ve got a situation. It’s Peter and Gwen—they’re here. But… they’ve been out of the loop for over a decade. You need to come as soon as possible. I don’t think they’ll handle this well when they wake up.”
After a brief pause, Tony nodded. “Yeah, I’ll keep them safe. But hurry—they’re going to need all the help they can get.”
As he hung up, Tony lingered by the window, glancing back at the unconscious forms of Peter and Gwen. The weight of the future pressed down on him, heavy and full of uncertainty. Whatever had brought them back, it was bigger than any of them realized.