"we misfits have to stick together"
Peter grabbed his backpack and headed out the school doors, eager to start his winter break. Just one more stop before vacation officially began - meeting up with Wanda at Delmar's for their traditional pre-Christmas sandwich.
As he walked the familiar route, Peter breathed in the crisp December air. Freshly fallen snow blanketed the sidewalks, dampening the usual city noises. Twinkling lights and festive wreaths adorned storefronts. The holiday spirit was palpable.
Peter smiled as he imagined the fun in store over the next two weeks - baking cookies with Nat, movie marathons with the team, exchanging gifts. This would be the best Christmas yet with his new family.
Lost in thought, Peter didn't notice the black van creeping up behind him until it was too late. Before he could react, the van's side door slid open and three masked figures jumped out, grabbing him and dragging him inside. A cloth covered his mouth, flooding his nose with a sickly sweet smell. As everything faded to black, the last thing Peter saw was his backpack abandoned on the sidewalk amidst the softly falling snow.
20 MINUTES LATER
"He should've been here by now," Wanda said, pacing back and forth inside Delmar's deli. "It's not like Peter to just not show."
Natasha laid a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation. Maybe he and Ned got caught up working on that Lego Death Star. I'll call Tony to check."
Before she could dial, FRIDAY's voice emanated from her phone. "Priority alert from Peter Parker's AI. Vital signs and suit tracker offline."
Natasha and Wanda exchanged an alarmed glance. "Get the team assembled now!" Natasha ordered. "We'll meet in the briefing room in five."
The two raced out of the deli, Wanda's heart pounding. What could have happened to her friend...no, her brother? Ever since Nat had taken them both under her wing, they'd become as close as siblings. She had to find him.
5 MINUTES LATER
"Suit tracker last placed him only two blocks from here before going dark," Tony informed the room, map projection highlighted behind him.
"And no ransom demand or communication of any kind?" Steve questioned.
Tony shook his head grimly. "Whoever took him, they're not looking for money."
"They're looking for a new asset," Bucky said darkly. All heads swiveled his direction as the meaning sunk in.
"You think HYDRA is attempting another super soldier?" Nat asked.
"It makes sense," Bucky said. "The spider bite gave the kid enhanced abilities. In the wrong hands..." He trailed off, but the unspoken words hung heavy in the air.
Natasha felt the blood drain from her face. HYDRA was obsessed with exploiting enhancements for their own gain. And with Peter's powers, plus his scientific aptitude...
"We need to move. Now!" She leapt up, maternal fury coursing through her veins. No one was taking her spider baby.
"FRIDAY traced the suit's last signal to a location just outside the city limits," Tony supplied. "Ground transport ready in 5."
As the others scrambled to suit up, Wanda pulled Natasha aside, eyes wild. "We have to find him! Who knows what HYDRA is doing to him right now!"
Natasha gripped the girl's shoulders. "Listen to me. We are getting him back. Peter is strong - your brother can hold on until we get there. We won't let anything happen to our family."
Wanda took a shaky breath and nodded. They would bring her brother home in time for Christmas. Failure was not an option.
15 MINUTES LATER
The quinjet touched down half a mile from the coordinates FRIDAY provided. The team disembarked and picked their way cautiously through the snow-blanketed forest, nearing a clearing.
Steve held up a hand, signaling them to stop. "There," he said in a low voice, pointing ahead. An unassuming concrete structure was just visible between the trees. "Looks like some kind of bunker."
"Wanda, can you detect how many hostiles we're dealing with?" Natasha whispered.
The teenage girl narrowed her eyes in concentration, red wisps extending from her fingers. "At least twenty that I can sense, heavily armed. And..." Her breath hitched. "Peter's in there. His mind is foggy, but he's alive."
"Then let's get him out of this nightmare," Tony declared, face plate snapping down over his determined expression. Repulsor rays glowed, ready for action.
Steve hefted his shield. "Avengers, move in!"
Chaos erupted as they burst from the tree line and descended on the bunker. Alarms blared to life as HYDRA soldiers poured from hidden doors, opening fire. Natasha leapt and wove with catlike grace, taking the enemies down with well-placed shots and widow bites. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tony blasting through the main entrance, Steve shielding their rear from gunfire. They had to get inside and find Peter.
Suddenly the ground rocked with an explosion, chunks of concrete flying. Bucky strode out of the smoking hole, metal arm glinting. "Found us a shortcut. Path's clear."
They rushed in, footsteps echoing down the dim hall. More soldiers appeared, attempting to block their progress, but Hulk plowed through them like bowling pins.
"Puny HYDRA no match for Hulk!" he bellowed.
Wanda's hands glowed red, flinging enemies against walls. "Peter's close, I can sense it! Down this way!"
Bursting into a cavernous room, they skidded to a halt at the scene before them. Peter knelt motionless on the floor, blank eyes fixed straight ahead. A man in a lab coat stood over him, holding a syringe.
"Peter!" Natasha cried out, starting towards him. With a guttural yell, Bucky tackled the scientist before he could inject the boy. The syringe tumbled away, shattering on the concrete.
"You're too late," the man choked out beneath Bucky's clutched hands. "The trigger words have already been spoken. Your friend is ours now!"
"Peter, hey, look at me," Natasha pleaded, dropping to her knees before him. His gaze remained vacant. She cupped his face in her hands. "Peter, it's me. It's Mom... Please..."
Tony retracted his helmet, emotions playing across his face as he took in the boy's empty expression. "Kid, your family's here. We got you."
Peter gave no indication of hearing them. Natasha spotted a glint of metal around his neck - some sort of etched collar, undoubtedly serving as HYDRA's control device. She reached out to examine it.
In a blur of movement, Peter seized her wrist, expression still blank. With impossible strength, he flung her across the room. She slammed brutally against the far wall before crumpling to the ground with a pained grunt.
"Nat!" Clint rushed to her side, bow drawn warily.
Wanda stepped forward, hands raised in a calming gesture as Peter slowly rose to his feet. "Peter, it's me. You know who I am. I'm your sister."
His brow twitched faintly. Wanda took another cautious step.
"You have to fight this. I know you're still in there. You're too strong for HYDRA to control." Her voice broke over the words.
Peter blinked rapidly, head tilting. A hint of recognition flashed across his face.
Watching intently, Bucky spoke up. "The serum hasn't completely taken hold. His emotional connections can override their programming." He locked eyes with Wanda. "Keep talking to him. Logic and reason won't break through, but sentimentality can."
Wanda swallowed hard. "Do you remember when we first met? I was so alone and afraid of my powers. But you helped me. You said we misfits have to stick together." She gave a watery laugh. "You convinced Tony to take us both in, give us a home. You're the reason I have a family now."
Peter wavered on his feet, confusion creasing his brow. The vacant look was fading, replaced by inner turmoil.
"You're my brother," Wanda pressed on fervently. "I know you would never hurt me. Or any of us. This isn't you!"
With a guttural yell, Peter grabbed his head, sinking to his knees. The etched metal collar sparked and snapped free, clattering to the floor. Peter looked around wildly, chest heaving.
Wanda ran to him, pulling him into her embrace. "You're back. You're safe," she soothed, tears wetting her cheeks.
"Wha- what did I do?" Peter stammered. Spotting Natasha leaning heavily on Clint, blood trailing from her temple, his face went white. "Mama, no... I'm so sorry..."
Natasha limped over and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's alright, Peter. You had no control. We know you would never hurt any of us intentionally."
He scrubbed a hand down his face, shame and relief warring across his features. Natasha wrapped her arms around both him and Wanda.
"Let's go home."
ONE WEEK LATER
Christmas morning dawned clear and bright. The tower windows glittered with freshly fallen snow. Inside, remnants of torn wrapping paper and empty mugs littered the common room.
Peter sat curled on the couch, smiling softly as he watched his family. Tony and Pepper cuddled by the tree, her engagement ring glittering. Thor regaled Banner with tales of Asgardian Yuletide feasts while absently petting a purring Chewie. Steve meticulously sketched the domestic scene as Bucky looked on over his shoulder. Sam and Rhodey laughed over some shared joke.
Clint slipped next to Peter and nudged his shoulder. "Got you a little something extra." He handed over a crudely wrapped gift.
Peter carefully opened it to reveal a framed picture of himself, Natasha, and Wanda. "This is from right after we first came to live at the tower," he said in surprise.
"Yep. Don't tell Nat I gave you that - she hates old photos of herself." Clint's eyes twinkled conspiratorially.
Peter grinned. "Thanks, Clint."
"Alright, enough lounging. Kitchen needs all hands on deck," Natasha announced, tying an apron over her fluffy red robe. "These Christmas cookies won't bake themselves."
Amidst the flurry of activity that followed, no one noticed Peter slip away to his room for a moment. He set the picture gently on his desk, leaning close to study the captured faces.
Past Peter looked tired but content, finally feeling safe and wanted. Nat had a fierce gleam in her eye as she sheltered the two teens under her wings. And Wanda gazed up at her new guardian with an expression of disbelief, as though she couldn't quite trust this newfound sense of home.
Peter traced his fingers over the image. So much had changed that first year. Nat had woven the lonely, damaged threads of their little family together into an unbreakable bond. And she'd never given up on him, even when he'd needed her most.
"Peter! Those snickerdoodles need decorating," Natasha called from down the hall.
He took one last lingering look at the photo, heart brimming with gratitude, before heading off to join the happy voices of his family.