Spider-Bug: A Spider-Man and Miraculous Crossover

Sneak Peak 4: Five Minutes

Description:

Peter has five minutes to talk to someone...an old friend helps him able to spend them as he wishes.

"So," asked Marinette, "was it everything you hoped for?" 

"It was great, Mari.  Best birthday I've ever had." I answered genuinely, "Though, I'm still not sure about the bunny slippers.  I wasn't born on Easter..."

I held a small box that had a logo of Doctor Strange's magic club.  

"What's that, Pete?" I heard Marinette ask.

"Nothing." I cailmed, "I think I'll go get some air.  You okay cleaning up?"

"Sure thing...enjoy the night air.  It's beautiful tonight."

...

I then walked up to the roof.  I was curious of what the Genie-of-the-lamp gave me.  I opened the box and a few glowing particles escaped.  A note magically appeared

You have five minutes.  Spend them as you wish.

-Doctor Stephen Strange

That's what it read I was...confused.  Why would it say that?  What did it mean?  My answer soon came by when I heard...a familiar voice behind me.

"Hello, Peter." said the voice.

I turned.  My eyes widened.  It was him.  It's...Uncle Ben Parker!  

"Uncle Ben...?" I stammered, "I don't believe...it really is you..."

"Well sure, who else would I be?" my Uncle teased.

He then looked behind him.  He mentioned that it was "odd."  He was just coming back to Aunt May, they had a fight, and Uncle Ben was walking in the door, and...there was a sound, he thought it sounded like a gunshot but it didn't make any sense.

Not to him anyway.

It was the day he got killed.  Because of me.  I remained shocked still.  I then relized, it was either that he was from the past the moment the bullet hit him, or that he was in Heaven, but it wasn't for too long.  I didn't know...

I felt Uncle Ben then hold on to my shoulders, regaining his old-man smile.  The smile I've been missing for so long.

"I know it shoudl mean something, but strangely, it doesn't." he said, "What matters is...you're here.  You look good, Pete.  Real good."

"You look great, Uncle Ben." I replied, "Gosh, there's so many thins I want to tell you...so many things I want to ask your forgivness for, I-"

"Forgivness?  There's nothing you need to be forgiven, Pete.  Not by me."

I wasn't surprised.  But I just wished he knew all that was going on.  I wasn't angry, furstrated or sad, or really anything negative.  However, I still felt horrible as the who-knows-how-old guilt began to come back into my heart.

"But I wasn't there when you needed me-" I tried.

"We all mess up sometimes." said Uncle Ben, "it's not only inevitable, I think maybe it's even necessary.  You know what would disappoint me?  If you didn't reach for the kind of life I wanted for you.  If you settled for less because you were afraid of reaching for more.  If you walked away from what you believe, eve once.  Have you done that?"

I looked down.  I remebered every time I refused to let others down, as both Peter Parker and Spider-Man.  And maybe he's right.  His death did have a meaning.  Because of him, I learned what his phrase truly meant.

I looked back at him.  He is right.  I never have.  

"No." I answered, "No, I haven't."

"Then I taught you right," replied Uncle Ben, "and your life has meaning."

"But the thing is...I've done things, Ben, I've got...abilties now.  I can do amazing things.  There's stuff you need to know."

"And there you're right.  There's one question I have to ask you, Peter.  An important question.  So I can sleep easy."

I then got in front of my Uncle Ben.  I want to give as much information to him just as much as I can.  But I will do what my elder says.  He deserves it.

"Anything, Uncle Ben.  Anything." I said happily.

"Whatever it is you do now, whatever it is you've become, tell me this, Peter." he asked, "Are you happy?  We all go through pain, we all lose people we care about, we all suffer, we all get hurt.  It's the price of being human.  But at the end of the day...do you like your lfie?  Are you happy?"

I then thought about all the times I failed, all the times I couldn't save someone, everytime I got beaten by the villains I fought everyday.  

At the end of each failure, I became better, stronger, greater.  I then turned back to my Uncle.

"It's the craziest thing, but...I am." I replied, "I have a good life, Ben.  A real good life.  I'm very lucky.  Sometimes I don't realize just how good, and how lucky.  But yeah...I'm happy, Ben."

"Then that's the only thing that matters, isn't it?" asked Uncle Ben.

"Maybe so.  Maybe that is the right question.  But I still miss you, Ben.  God knows, I've missed you so much."

I then hugged him.  I began to feel tears coming down my cheeks.  He hugged me back.  I don't want to let go...but I have to.

"I've missed you too, Peter." replied Uncle Ben, "I love you, you know."

"I love you too, Ben." I replied.

"Goodbye, Pete.  Take care of them for me."

I blushed for a moment, embarrassed.  I guess he knew more than I thought.  Aaaaaand, even more embarrassing enough, I know he's not talking about just Marinette.  I then let go of my embarrassment.

"I will.  I swear.  I always have, and I always will." I promised.

"I know." replied Uncle Ben

And then, he disappeared.  I hated to see him go, again.  But, I'm growing up.  I have to do this without him.  

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