Mind Full of Roses // Peter Parker

4.11: Aftermath

The apartment door stares at me, the chipped golden number daring me to walk towards it and press on the handle.

Yet I hesitate, my hands squeezing the straps of my backpack nervously.

My frenzied heart beats in time to the faint drums sounding from somewhere underneath me until a neighbour shouts and my heart beats alone.

The elevator dings and an old woman steps out and starts shakily making her way down the corridor towards me. I step backwards to let her shuffle past and she beams at me, deep smile lines framing her lips and her eyes are filled with unrepressed joy.

"I'm visiting my grandson," she says to me excitedly and clutches her carpet bag excitedly with rosey knuckles. I smile at her and she takes it as an invitation to continue. "The Avengers brought him back to me and I'm going to surprise him. I even brought his favourite sweets!" She pulls out a bag of slightly squished strawberry chews and dusts them off lovingly. "I bought them for his birthday before the Blip but when I couldn't give them to him, I've been keeping them safe in my purse. Are you visiting someone, darling?"

I open my mouth to reply but falter, glancing over at the door. Am I visiting someone? Am I so desperately hoping that Yelena is in there somewhere with a pot of Mac and Cheese just waiting to dish some out for me?

"I'm coming home," I say after a couple of seconds. "I'm coming home to my sister."

The woman pats my shoulder and I get a whiff of lavender hand cream. "Well, good luck to you then, darling. It's nice to have you back."

She gives me one last smile before continuing down the corridor in a quick sort of shuffle/walk. I stare after her until she turns a corner and disappears from sight and then focus my attention back onto the door.

Okay, just do it. Just open the door and see if she's there. I close my eyes and picture the old woman's face filled with joy at the prospect of seeing her grandson again. She looked so excited and I bet that was the fastest she's moved in about seven years, yet here I am standing outside in the storm when there's an open door right in front leading to a warm fire and comfort.

If Peter were here, he'd grab my hand and pull me inside whilst teasing me for my unneeded nerves. I try to imagine the warmth of his hand entwined with mine and step forward until the tips of my boots touch the base of the door.

I try the handle. I know it'll be locked but the small part of me still hopes that Yelena got here first and is waiting to jump out and scare me when I enter, laughing all the while. When it doesn't give, I kneel down and create two lock picks, putting them into the lock and jiggling them just so until I hear the satisfying click and it swings open.

The smell hits me first; a dusty, unloved aroma that makes my nose scrunch up. Yet, everything else is just how I left it that fateful morning five years ago. And that includes the washing up in the sink that is now covered in green mould. I bend down and grab a bin bag from under the sink before emptying the unsalvageable dishes into the bag and placing it by the front door, clicking it closed.

I make my way down the corridor and stop outside Lena's room, hesitating before making up my mind and entering. Her wardrobe is still stuffed to the brim and almost bursting with faux fur and velvets. I run my hands over the soft fabric, still smelling of the strong floral laundry detergent she insisted on buying because 'the bottle looked fancy'.

A loud bang shakes me from the memory and my head flies towards the noise. It came from my room. Holding my hands out like a red shield, I quietly make my across the corridor and stand with my back against the wall next to my door.

Small, pained groans seep from under the door and my brow creases in confusion. Why is someone here?

I take a breath and clench my fists before swinging the door open and tackling the person who just got up from the floor back onto it. I pin them to the ground and hold a dagger up to their throat with one hand whilst the other is by my head with a red ball surrounding it.