The visit to Genosha was brief, Erik had only intended it to be a pit stop for them to illegally enter the US. While Peter and Nat were both granted entry as Shield agents, Erik, Pietro and Wanda would all be illegal aliens, and Genosha would be their home while Erik took Peter and Natasha to see Charles.

Nat was getting comfortable in a chair while Erik prepared the jet for takeoff, Peter was sat across from her, noticing the smirk on her face,

“What?”

“Why is it every time you meet a powerful woman you end up pissing them off?” Nat asked innocently, but the twinkle in her eye betrayed her intentions.

“Just so awesome I guess,” Peter deflected. He knew that during dinner Selene was giving him glances, Wanda was giving him and Selene glances, and Erik was glaring at them all. Nat had to contain her laughter as the group ate in silence.

Wanda looked through the jet door and seeing Peter and Nat there, walked in with a small bag over her shoulder,

Frowning, Nat shrugged and Peter asked, “uh, are you coming too?” and Wanda nodded

“It's not like I will walk around with a giant sign that says ‘illegal immigrant’, plus arent you some big shot secret agent anyway? Can't I just hide with you?” and Nat laughed and shook her head. 

“Only if I can watch the conversation with your father and then his uh, housemates.”

Wanda tutted, “I already know about them, I have been in his head,” and Natasha shrugged, “you didn't tell her?” and Peter shook his head.

“Want me too?" and Nat watched as Wanda looked down at her feet, with a slight blush on her face and shook her head.

“Tha tells me enough, so her too?” and Peter made a chopping motion over his throat,

“If Erik thinks that he might stop helping, so no, we never did anything. Please Nat, weren't you telling me about professionalism not too long ago,” and Nat laughed

“Fine, fine, no teasing. Sorry Wanda, I know how,“ and a look of sadness crossed her face, “I know how bad it can be,” and Nat smiled and sat down.

“It's okay, we never did anything to be ashamed of. Him and the rest however, I had never seen such things,“ and she said a few words in Sokovian and Nat laughed and said something back. Wanda stared at her wide-eyed and said something else to which Nat nodded, winked at Peter and continued.

With no clue as to what they were saying, and even if he could use the Mind Stone it would be rude to eavesdrop, he settled in for the short flight. 

Peter was practising getting used to his powers, using them to extend his telepathy while keeping his own mind closed, but the flight was too short for any real practice.

Soon enough, “We’re here,” sounded over the PA, and after a few minutes landing and letting the jets engines cool and spin down, Peter stood and took a breath.

“You two, stay here, this might turn ugly,” and Erik shook his head as he opened the cockpit door,

“I’ll be coming. Charles knows it's me and why I'm here, he’s agreed to meet with you but only you.”

Peter looked out the jet window and saw that a small group had gathered around the basketball court where Erik had landed, and with them was a man in a wheelchair and the other short hairy man he had brought with him.

There were others, a couple of young girls, one, in particular, had flame-red hair and she looked apprehensive as the door to the jet opened, a man with a red ruby visor put a hand on her shoulder and touching it Peter felt he recognised them but couldn't place where.

“If you are finished,” Erik said, heading out. “Ah Charles, I would say it's nice to see you but let's be honest, that ship sailed years ago, but, tea while I wait. I don't think this will take long.”

The man in the wheelchair, Charles, pushed the control on his chair and rolled forwards shaking his head. “I knew you’d get desperate Erik but to recruit a monster like him, you’ve been out of the world too long my old friend.”

“Monster?” Peter snorted, "at least I don't kidnap little girls you bald-headed asshole,” and there seemed to be a collective intake of breath.

"Charming Venom. I rescued her from a monster, even if they don't see it. We both know what you are,” and as he spoke he touched his head and Peter found himself in a mindscape once more.

“Oh come on, really?” He was getting sick of telepaths dragging him to whatever hellish landscape they could think of, and there was the young Charles Xavier, with hair, walking and Peter just ignored the scenery, no doubt it was a memory or another trick.

“You took a scared girl, no negotiations, no asking you took her, so stop being a fucking hypocrite.”

"Yes I took a scared girl, and what had just happened moments earlier, what was going to happen before you realised what your powers were doing?" Charles stopped and pointed a finger at Peter. "What did you think was going to happen? You forgot, the one power you have no control over, that affects women and you forgot."

“I forgot. So what? Did I walk out and slap it on the table, no. Laura was welcome and safe with us. You took her.”

“Are you mad I took her, or mad you couldn't stop me?” Charles countered.

“Both, but let's cut the crap, Captain Baldy. I want to speak to her, if she’s safe then I won't break anything while I'm here. If you refuse then well, everyone tells me what a badass you are, and I'm actually willing to find out.”

"She is safer here. You have no idea what is happening, all because of your little stunt. How many lives you've touched, and how many you've taken. No, Laura will stay here, and she is going nowhere near you." Charles laughed. “You couldn't stop me last time, what makes you think you won't leave here wagging your tail like a puppy?” and Peter felt the mental pressure on him grow.

“This time, I brought presents,” and tapping into the Mind Stone, connected in his chest with a small pocket of symbskin, Peter unleashed enough of its power to counter Charles's.

“I'm not stupid, but apparently you are. So hard way then,” and Peter let the mental pressure increase until the mindscape exploded.

Charles shuddered in his chair and blood trickled down from one nostril. “No, that's not possible,” and the redhead ran over,

“Professor!” she shouted, wiping the blood from his face. “What did you do?” she turned and yelled at Peter, who shrugged.

“He wasn’t playing nice so I spanked him,” but that was the wrong thing to say,

The redhead growled at him, and Peter found himself being lifted from the ground and slammed into the jet, crumpling its side. Shouts could be heard from inside and as Peter shook his head to clear it he snorted, “Bad. Idea,” and his armoured symbskin slipped over him. “We asked to play nice but unruly children get punished,” and pushing himself free from the jet dropped to the grass onto all fours.

A beam of red energy streaked towards Venom with a thrumm, and he rolled to one side and sprayed webbing over the redhead. While they had attacked him, his purpose here was to prove a point, not to create a body count. He jumped and as he sailed over her, he coated her head and arms with a sticky webbing, not as bad as the tar web he used on Sandman but enough to blind and contain her.

The red beam streaked out again and having to continually move Venom danced and weaved his way around the gathering. Kids he thought, none older than he was, was this guy building a child army?

A stray blast hit him and surprisingly the energy was absorbed by his armour but it was like being hit by a truck and Venom found himself being thrown through the air once more. There was no follow up as the red visored man shouted, “Jean,” and ran to the aid of his companion

“Leave him alone Flash'' he watched as she yelled at the football star and her boyfriend, Scott stood between them, taller and more built than Flash. He had a disability that meant he needed red glasses to protect his eyes.

He remembered. That asshole. He remembered Jean and Scott, guided by a special teacher, Ms Munroe, Peter had a serious crush on her during their first two years and then they started to hang out in their own group, only attending classes Peter didn’t have. Without powers, he couldn't remember them being there, a faint memory of Scott and Flash fighting while Jean shouted at them both. He had never gotten along with Scott, another high school jock, he never said much, but he always made sure Peter knew to stay away from Jean.

Venom huffed, these were people just like him and even as Scott blasted more energy at him, Venom began to tone down his attacks. More sticky webs were thrown at anyone unwilling to back down and soon only Scott and Venom were left.

“So, was this such a good idea Charles?” Erik asked, and Charles shook his head,

“You have no idea how bad it's been, and to leave anyone with him. I did what I needed to,” and Erik laughed.

“Really? Bad enough you're using your powers on children?” and Erik patted him on the shoulder, “Call off Cyclops, Charles. Before he gets himself hurt.”

Charles sighed and shook his head, “Scott, stand down, go help Jean. Venom, please, I’m sorry. May we talk?” and Venom stopped, shaking his head

“Bring out Laura and we can talk, and if I sniff any mind control bullshit I’ll make this more than just webbing.”

Scott moved slightly, to touch his visor once more, but as Charles shook his head he moved over and began to help pull the webbing from Jean. “Uh wait” Venom spoke, seeing that all he was doing was grabbing and pulling it, even if they had attacked him first he wasn't about to be a dick, “stay still,” and he gently let more dissolving fluid coat her, the webbing softened and she glared at him.

“Thanks, I guess” and Venom shook his head.

“You’re welcome Jean,” and she frowned at him saying her name, but Scott moved her away from him, keeping his visor trained on him.

“Monkey!” he heard Laura shout and she dove at him, wrapping herself around him, sniffing and rubbing her hands over his chest,

“You okay?” and she nodded “You left, and didn’t say goodbye”

Laura whined but shook her head, “They said you were bad, and I wasn’t safe.”

“Look at me,” and Laura looked up. “Sorry,” and he dove into her memories.

Well, at least I now know why and he watched as Charles, Scott and one more, Logan. He now knew what his name was, explained who Venom was, and he was right. Charles had made her trust them, that she would be safer with him and the X-Men.

X-men? How egotistical was that,

“Yeah, so no mind control huh?” And Venom moved Laura back, “they took you by force, so if you want to stay here, you can but you’ll always be welcome at the warehouse.”

“Yeah, that ain't happenin’,” a short, hairy and very muscular man spat a wad of spit on the grass and then took a draw from his cigar. “That's my daughter and you ain't takin' her anywhere.” This was Logan? her dad? Venom thought, oh shit, and he let his symbskin retract back.

“Yeah, listen short and hairy, I don't give a shit what you want, it's not up to you, it up to Laura, and right now between eyebeams over there, captain mindfucker and wherever the hell your power is I really don't care.” Dad or not, they had used the wrong methods to make sure she was safe, and Peter was tired of their games.

Extending his thoughts Peter stripped away the residual ‘trust me’ interference that Xavier was giving off and Laura shook her head, “Monkey?” and she hugged close to him.

“Want to come with me?” and Laura looked over at Logan.

“Dad, boyfriend, boyfriend, dad,” Laura said, looking between them,

“What!” they both shouted, Wolverine's claws sliding out and Peter kneeling down to stare at Laura, "you uh, can't call me that."

“Jean said, like a boy, make boyfriend, do things, like her and Scott,” and he heard Scott cough as the group looked over at them, Jean going red and hiding her face while Scott shrugged.

“Uh, bad guy?” Scott said, pointing at Peter. “Hey wait, I know you. You're Peter Parker,” and Jean looked over and stared in shock, with her mouth open.

“Peter?” she said and he nodded, “oh crap,” and she hid her face away from him, but he could see the red tinge to her cheeks and hear the quickening of her heartbeat.

Well shit, he thought, Laura’s got the wrong idea, and Jean Grey likes me.