C99 Telling The Truth

C99 Telling The Truth

Check out early access chapters on my Patréon, currently 14 chapters ahead!

——————

Peter led his grandparents through the quiet streets, every step accompanied by the echoes of their footsteps on the pavement. They walked for a few blocks until they reached a quiet park, where a large oak tree stood.

Peter guided them to a secluded bench beneath the tree, the stars overhead casting a gentle glow on the scene. He sat down, taking a deep breath to steady himself, ready to tell the truth.

"Alright, we're good here," he said softly. "I think it's time I told you everything."

Jason and Anne sat down beside him, their faces a mixture of concern and curiosity. Anne reached out, taking Peter's hand in hers. "We're here for you, Peter. Whatever it is, just tell us."

Peter nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. "After Mom died... I ran away because I couldn't handle it..."

Anne's grip tightened on his hand, her eyes filled with empathy. "We know it was hard for you, Peter. But why did you run?"

Peter's gaze shifted to the ground, the memories flooding back. "I overheard Uncle Tom and Aunt Lisa arguing in the hospital while you were dealing with everything. They were badmouthing Mom, calling her crazy even after she died. They even mocked her before arguing about who would take me in after her death. Neither of them wanted me, and truthfully, I didn’t want them either."

Jason's face turned red with anger. "That bastard! He never told us any of this. The police questioned him, and he never mentioned it!"

Anne's eyes welled with tears. "Our own son... how could he? He was her brother for crying out loud..."

Peter continued, his voice steady. "I couldn't listen to them anymore, so I put on my headphones, cranked up one of Mom's favorite songs, and ran out of the hospital."

He paused, the weight of his next words heavy on his mind. Would they believe the rest of his story?

"What happened then?" Jason asked, his voice gentle.

Peter sighed, looking at his grandparents with a mixture of hope and fear. "What I'm about to tell you... are you sure you want to know? You might not believe it. But it's the truth."

Anne and Jason leaned in, their expressions earnest. "We're on your side, Peter," Anne said softly. "Just tell us."

Peter took a deep breath. "I ran from the hospital, but I didn't get far. After a few minutes, I found myself in a field. Suddenly, I was blinded by a bright light, and a giant ship landed in front of me."

Anne interrupted, confusion etched on her face. "Like a helicopter or a plane?"

Peter shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "No, Grandma. Like a spaceship with aliens."

The shock on their faces was palpable. They exchanged a glance, their eyes wide with disbelief, before turning back to Peter, their expressions questioning.

"See," Peter said with a wry smile, "I told you that you wouldn't believe me."

Jason and Anne remained silent, processing his words. Despite the incredulity in their eyes, they didn't dismiss him outright. Instead, they waited, their love and trust for Peter unwavering.

Jason cleared his throat and asked, "What happened after the ship landed, Peter? Did they kidnap you?"

Peter raised an eyebrow, his surprise evident. "You believe me?"

Jason and Anne shared a look of uncertainty but then turned back to Peter, their faces resolute. "We don't know if you were actually abducted by aliens or if you've just been influenced by your mother's stories," Anne said gently. "But one thing's for sure, you're telling the truth, or at least what you believe to be the truth. We'll listen for now and ask for proof later."

Jason and Anne gasped, their eyes widening in shock as they watched the trashcan float effortlessly in the air.

"See," Peter said, lowering the trashcan back to the ground. "It's real. The Force is real, and so are the Jedi."

Jason and Anne exchanged stunned glances, their skepticism giving way to amazement. They turned back to Peter, their faces a mixture of wonder and disbelief.

"Peter, that is... incredible," Jason finally managed to say. "But are you sure that you’re not just a mutant?” He asked.

Peter's eyes widened in surprise at the mention of mutants. ‘Wait, are the X-Men in this universe as well?’ he hadn’t heard of them at all since he returned, but he hadn’t exactly been looking either.

Seeing his reaction, Jason quickly clarified, "We don't have anything against mutants, Peter. I served in the army, and there were a few of them serving alongside me."

Anne nodded in agreement. "I've worked with a couple of mutants before too. The news might talk bad about them, but they're just like everyone else, just with special powers."

His grandparents tried to make it clear that they wouldn't hate him for being a mutant and that he didn't have to make up any stories.

Peter quickly regained his composure, realizing that the X-Men existed in this universe as well. "No, I'm not a mutant, or at least I don’t think I am. But it seems like you won't believe me fully until I show some proof, huh?"

Without giving them a chance to respond, Peter pulled out his datapad from his pocket. His grandparents eyed the device in curious shock, having never seen such advanced technology before.

‘Could he be telling the truth?’ They wondered simultaneously.

But that wasn't his proof. Making a quick call, Peter waited a few seconds before Rocket picked up. "What do you want? I'm busy upgrading our new base."

“That’s good to hear, but I need a pick up...” Peter told Rocket to track the helicopter he took out and pilot their ship there, or have someone else from the crew do it if he was busy. "Either way, I'll be waiting by the helicopter."

Rocket asked, "What? Did you run out of fuel or something?"

Peter smiled. "Something like that. I'll be waiting, so don't leave me stranded." He hung up the call and turned back to his grandparents, who were looking at him with a mixture of curiosity and doubt.

"Let's go," Peter said. "You want to see proof, right? So follow me, and I'll show you some proof." They nodded, standing to follow him as they left the park.

After a quick cab ride out of the city, Peter walked into the desert with his grandparents following behind.

As they walked, Jason asked, "Peter, where exactly are we going?"

Anne added, a hint of worry in her voice, "Maybe we should turn back before we get lost."

But just as they were starting to get worried, a bright light shined down from the sky as a huge spaceship landed before them, shaking the ground as it touched down.

Anne and Jason watched with shocked open mouths as Peter glanced over his shoulder, smirking at them. "So... do you believe me now?"

Before they could answer, the ramp to the ship opened, and Groot came walking out, saying, "I am Groot."

The sight of Groot seemed to be too much for his grandparents. Especially his grandmother, who wobbled on her feet and fainted on the spot, collapsing like a puppet without its strings.

“Anne!?” Jason exclaimed, his eyes wide as he tried to catch her, though he was far too slow.

But thankfully, Peter was there, and with a wave of his hand, he managed to catch her with the Force, levitating her safely into the air.

A/N: 1980 words :)