Make Way for the Spiders

-_-_-_-Rayne's POV-_-_-_-

The woman was truly terrifying.

I could see lightning striking in her eyes, and the hairs on the back of my neck rose. Although I knew for a fact that I had never met this woman, she seemed... familiar. Like I should know her, but I just couldn't put my finger on who exactly she was.

"Tell me where she is!" she screeched, and a lightning bolt struck a little too close for comfort.

"Listen lady-"

"Tempest," she spat.

"Right, Tempest," Peter sighed, stepping forward. "I don't don't know why you need this Rayne girl, but know this: it is now my responsibility to make sure she's safe from you - and everyone else for that matter."

"I will find her," Tempest hissed, and with a whirl of wind, and a clap of thunder, she was gone.

My knees trembled, and Peter had to help me stand. "Who is she?" I murmured.

Peter was silent, as he helped me sit down. He sat down next to me, at the edge of the building, our feet dangling.

"What does she want?" I murmured to myself, in shock.

Peter pulled off his mask, and ruffled his hair. "I don't know," he growled, obviously frustrated. "But I told you I would figure it out, and I will."

I pulled my mask off too, and my red hair cascaded down my back. I leaned against Peter for support, as I was starting to get dizzy. The last thing I wanted was to fall off the building.

"I think that was a little too much excitement for one day," Peter decided, stroking my hair. "Do you wanna head back?"

I didn't answer, not wanting to move. Instead, I put my head on his shoulder, and closed my eyes. I heard him chuckle, and felt him start to stand up. I groaned as he took my hands, and yanked me to a standing position next to him, and I pouted.

"C'mon," he urged. "I bet the bank robbery is on the news by now." He winked before putting his mask back on. "And that's my favorite part."

I giggled softly before putting my own mask on, and then followed him through the city, back to my apartment. We climbed through my window, making sure no one was around, and Peter pulled on his sweat pants and hoodie over his suit before going into the living room so I could change. I was not walking around with this on under my clothes - I felt all sticky and sweaty in it.

I put my clothes back on from earlier, and gently folded my new costume, and hid it deep in my sock drawer. I was brushing my hair out, when I heard a knocking on the door down the hall.

"Peter, can you get that?" I called. It was probably my mom - she had a bad habit of leaving her keys on the kitchen table.

I heard the door opening, and with my new, sensitive hearing, I heard two voices that made my blood boil. A cold chill went down my spine at the sounds, and I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself - and failed. Abandoning, my hair, I stormed out of my room, and down the hallway, where Peter was standing in front of the door, facing my two least favorite people - Dad and Kim.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed, and I felt Peter's eyes shift towards me.

Dad's blue eyes widened at my hostility, but I didn't care. He still had his dark brown hair, and five o'clock shadow that he's had ever since I could remember. He was much taller than me, around the same height as Peter. He wore a suit, which didn't surprise me. He was an accountant, and I doubt he owned anything other than tuxes and pajamas.

Kim's black hair was darker and curlier than last time, and I was pretty sure she had a new nose. Her green eyes seemed to crackle as they raked over me, making me uncomfortable, but I refused to look away from her, showing her who was in charge. She was wearing a long, grey dress, that seemed to cling to her hourglass form.

"It's nice to see you too," Kim chuckled, and tried to step through the door.

I put my arm up on the door frame, blocking her entrance, and glared. "I said," I snarled, "what are you doing here?"

"Sweetie, we were here on business, and decided to stop by for a visit," Dad said gently, putting his hand on my shoulder.

"You stopped by, now leave," I spat, not lowering my hand. I refused to let these people - strangers - into my new home. Everything was just starting to get perfect, I was finally forgetting about these two... things... that ruined mine and my mother's lives, and now they show up on my doorstep.

Peter cleared his throat from behind me, obviously uncomfortable. I had told him about my messed up father and stepmother a while back, and he knew of my deep hatred for them. "Rayne, I'll um... go ahead and go," he said, hugging me from behind. "Don't do anything stupid, okay?" he whispered into my ear, and I couldn't help but giggle.

Dad studied Peter as he tried to go past him, but Kim grabbed his arm, pulling him back. "And what's your name?" she asked him, and Peter fidgeted under her touch.

He glanced at me before answering, which I thought was stange. "Peter," he said, offering his hand for her to shake. Although he wasn't being rude, he wasn't exactly being polite either. His eyes were colder than usual, and his voice wasn't as sweet sounding.

"Hello Peter." Kim grinned, and ignored his hand, instead hugging him. Peter looked shocked, and I felt my face flush. "I'm Kim. Please don't leave just because we showed up. Please, stay for dinner. Rayne's cooking, right dear?" She looked at me, and I narrowed my eyes.

"No, I'm not actually," I said coldly. "As a matter of fact, Mom and I planned on going out tonight." Which was a lie. But now, we would. Then spray the house down with disinfectant.

"Excellent!" Kim cheered, still holding onto Peter by his arm. "We'll all go out! William, you can get us reservations for a restaurant, right?"

My dad nodded, smiling sweetly at his wife. "Sounds like a plan," he agreed in his gruff voice.

"No, that's not-"

"And Peter, you can come too, right?" Kim interrupted me, grinning like the cheshire cat.

"Wait a second!" I shouted, stopping all conversation. Peter sent me a warning look, which I ignored. "No one has agreed to anything. I don't want to go out with you too, and I can guarantee that Mom doesn't want to either."

"Well why don't we give Cheyl a call?" Kim suggested, stepping through the door that I had accidentally stopped standing guard at. Her and my dad entered my home, looking around the place with obvious distaste.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Peter start to slip away, but I grabbed his hand and yanked him back. "If I'm stuck in the same room as these two, there will be two missing bodies in less than an hour," I hissed in his ear, and he rolled his eyes while smiling, and closing the door behind him as he re-entered the apartment.

"When does Cheryl get home, anyway?" Dad asked, making himself comfortable on the couch. Kim wandered around, studying the entire place.

"Soon," I replied, glancing at the clock. Why can't you just leave?

"And she left a pretty little dear like you all alone with a boy?" Kim asked, raising her eyebrows.

"She trusts me," I said shortly, glaring.

Kim must have finally recognised my tone, as she sighed, and left her wandering to sit next to my father. "How about some water, dear?" she asked, and I huffed, before trudging to the kitchen area, and filling up a glass with tap water.

Before I could start to make my way back to the beast, the door opened once more, and Mom stepped in, her cheeks red from the wind, and her arms filled with her briefcase and papers. She didn't seem to notice our guests, as she closed and locked the door behind her. "Rayne, what have I told you about locking this door?" she asked. "You never know what kind of creeps are walking around." She turned to see the terrible two on the couch, and she visibly paled.

"Speaking of creeps," I muttered, and Peter shot me a look. What? I mouthed.

Be nice, he mouthed back.

No.

He sighed, leaving it be, and went to help my mother so she wouldn't drop anything.

"Thank you, Peter," Mom sighed, as they placed all of her work on the kitchen table. "What are you two doing in town?" She directed the question to Kim and Dad, and I don't know how she was acting so nice.

She should go into acting. She'd win Oscars and Grammys, and be offered a new role every month.

"We were in town for a business trip," Dad told her, and I noticed he was avoiding eye contact with his ex-wife.

Good.

"We were going to call, but I thought it would be nicer to surprise you!" Kim cheered, her strange green eyes crackling like electricity. "And Rayne was just agreeing to go out to dinner tonight - all of us! Even young Peter over there."

"Was she now?" Mom glared at me, and I shook my head rapidly.

"So it's all settled then!" Kim said, smiling brightly. "William will get us reservations for a nice resturant, and we'll come pick you all up!"

"You'll get reservations on such short notice?" I scoffed, and I could see that Mom was trying to hide her disbelief as well.

"Don't you all worry about a thing," Kim said, walking over to poke me on the nose.

One, two, three, four...

"We have connections. Dress fancily, and try to get some rest, okay, dear?" she said to me. "You look like the walking dead."

...five, six, seven...

"And Peter, make sure you're here. We'll probably pick you all up around six thirty." She gave me a hug, and I tried not to rip her head off.

"Wait," I said, a slight smile playing at my lips. "If I get to bring a date, doesn't Mom get to too?"

She blinked, glancing at my mom, and a grinned stretched over her face. "Of course! That would be lovely! A triple date! Rayne, you're a genius, darling!" She kissed my cheek, and I tried not to gag.

...eight, nine, ten.

Then, as quickly as they had come, Kim grabbed my dad's hand, and they were out the door, Kim yelling down the hall about plans.

When we were sure they were gone, the three of us stared at each other in shock.

"What were you thinking?" Mom asked, closing the door quickly, and locking it. "Why did you let them in?"

"I didn't mean to," I defended. "That slime ball pushed past me before I could stop her."

Mom sighed, and looked at Peter apologetically. "I'm sorry you had to breathe the same air as those two," she said, and Peter laughed.

"I really don't mind," he assured. "I was just... shocked." He started walking towards the door, smirking at me. "But it sounds like you two have a date tonight, so I'll just let you get ready and-"

Mom stepped in front of him, a mean look in her eye. "Oh no, Peter," she said, wagging her finger at him. "You were invited too."

"And you can't just say no to Kim," I sighed. "Many have tried, and all failed."

"If you're not here by five o'clock, mister, I'm going to your house and I'll drag you here myself, got it?" Mom threatened, and I stuck my tongue out at Peter.

He chuckled at us, and sighed. "Alright, five o'clock," he agreed. "See you then." He smiled at me, and I winked.

When he was gone, Mom smiled too. "I like that boy," she said. "Maybe one day, he'll be my son-in-law."

"Mom!" I cried, blushing. "He could still hear you, you know!"

"Oh, no he couldn't," she said, sitting down on the couch. "But who am I supposed to invite to dinner on such short notice? I cannot believe you did this to me..."

"What about Frank?" I asked, smirking. "You two have been spending a lot of time after work hours together."

She threw a pillow at me, and I easily caught it, giggling. "Just call him," I told her. "I refuse to let you be alone while Dad is with that monster. Hire a random dude off the street if you have to."

She sighed, and started making her way down the hall. "I'll call Frank," she decided. "Now, we only have a few hours to get ready. And knowing Kim, 'fancy' means prom night."