Regrets And Hope (X-Men/Spiderman movieverse)
Title: Regrets And Hope
Author: Joanne Collins joanne_c
Written For: demoerin Who requested Spiderman/X-Men movieverse. I'm afraid the idea I got didn't allow for Doc Ock, but there is lots of Harry, as well as Peter and Professor Xavier so I hope you enjoy.
Summary: Harry takes his father's work to Professor Xavier, and Peter has been working with him. Professor Xavier gives them some advice.
A/N: Slightly AU to what will likely happen in the next Spider-Man movie.
My apologies for the lateness of my posting.
******************************
Harry Osborn straightened his tie and tried not to wipe his slightly sweaty hands on his
pants. It wouldn't look good to be seeing one of his heroes looking less than his best.
He was still shocked to be here, in upstate New York at the kind of school he'd done his
best to get away from in his teen years. But his teen years had been very different. His
father had been alive.
"You may go in," the woman at the desk said to him. "The Professor will see you now,
Mr Osborn."
Harry walked slowly into the office, feeling intimidated, though he would never say it
aloud. He stood and watched as an older, bald man maneuvered a wheelchair across the
office.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Charles Xavier said, reaching a hand up to shake Harry's. "Your father told me so much about you."
"The pleasure - and honour - is mine," Harry said, relaxing a little. He felt strangely at ease after the nervousness of earlier, like his fears had been soothed.
"What is the purpose of your visit today?" Professor Xavier asked.
"This is quite complicated," Harry began. "You know my father died a couple of years ago. Recently, I had a vision or hallucination of him. I'm not sure which. And I found some...rather odd stuff." With that, he opened the case he'd brought with him. "These changed my father," he said, showing the Professor the green glowing substance in the protective glass shells. "I don't want them to hurt anyone else."
"You haven't taken any, have you?" Professor Xavier sounded scared.
"Not after what I saw it do to my father," Harry said firmly. "I couldn't. This killed him as much as Spider-Man did." He didn't realise until he said it that he felt that way. He'd blamed Spider-Man for so very long.
"Or more?" the Professor prompted gently.
"Maybe," Harry said. "I needed...needed a face to blame. Something to pin the fault on, to have something or someone...to blame. And it almost killed me when I found out..."
"Found out what?"
"That Spider-Man was my best friend. The one person who I thought understood what I was going through was the one who had visited it on me," Harry said, then laughed. "Sorry for sounding so dramatic."
"So Spider-Man was someone you knew? I've read the stories about him, of course." A subtle probing, but Harry did wonder if there was another reason for the Professor's interest.
"I'm afraid I don't know how he changed, exactly," Harry answered. "If I could tell you, I would. But I can't. I just..." he suddenly wonders how they got onto this topic. "I thought I was here to give you this, to have it analysed in your labs? My inquiries led me to your school, to Dr McCoy."
"I'll make sure he gets it," Professor Xavier said. "And we'll call you with the results. Or you can come up here."
"It reminds me of where I went to school," Harry murmured, many memories flooding back. "I think I'd like to see more of this place."
"Your father had a seat on our board. The seat has not been filled since his death. I would like to offer it to you," Professor Xavier said. "We encourage our board members to be involved in the school - it's not just a name for your letterhead."
"I'd like that," Harry nodded, and stood to shake the Professor's hand again.
"Also, Harry," Professor Xavier smiled gently. "If it's at all possible, you should try and talk to your friend, to Spider-Man. Sometimes not talking can widen the rift until there's no way to repair it. I think if you try, you can repair it."
"I'll think about it," Harry said quietly as he turned to leave.
***************
Ten minutes later, someone knocked on Charles Xavier's door. Not an uncommon occurrence, but it was unusual for him to wheel over and open the door himself.
Standing there was Peter Parker, better known as the mysterious Spider-Man. Public opinion tended to divide between hero and vigilante lines when trying to figure out what Peter was, but Charles Xavier knew, from personal experience, that like most people, Peter just wanted to help, and it didn't always turn out well. There was another figure standing behind Peter.
"How'd it go?" a gruff voice asked.
"Come in, Logan, Peter," the Professor invited them. "Training session go well?"
"Kid's got more moves than a Karate Kid flick," Logan answered.
"You pinned him?" the Professor asked Peter.
"A gentleman never tells," Peter demurred, but grinned.
"You weren't so damned gentlemanly earlier," Logan muttered.
Deciding that a subject change was in order, Xavier told them about his meeting with Harry. "I've handed the substance to Hank. He'll make sure it's destroyed if there are no useful applications."
"I trust you," Peter said. "You've been more help than some people..." he sighed.
A beeping sound came from Logan's uniform. "Gotta go," he said. "Rogue's back from town."
"I would think Mr Drake would be the one she'd want to see," Professor Xavier murmured.
"Not when she wants my advice on his birthday present it ain't," Logan replied. "Seeya, Parker. Next time, best two out of three?"
"You got it," Peter said, smiling at his sparring partner. It was amazing how a bit of training helped harness his abilities.
Logan left and the office seemed a lot quieter, less small.
"He's certainly a good trainer," Xavier said.
"He is," Peter agreed.
"Harry was the friend you told me about?" Xavier finally got to the point.
"I never said his name, but I didn't lie," Peter said. "I gave that up."
"I'm going to give you the same advice I gave him," the Professor said. "Talk to Harry. Explain why you did what you did. The rift doesn't seem wide enough to be declared irreparable yet. But if you don't talk, and somehow get past it, the resentment and sadness will build up that any love or good feelings you had will be so buried, they'll only come out in bitter tears and occasional lapses in judgement."
"I'll try," Peter said. "I've already tried, but Harry is... a little stubborn."
"His father died," Xavier said. "He needed time to mourn. I think he's done that. He wouldn't have brought the serum to me if it meant anything to him."
"I needed time to mourn too," Peter murmured. "Mr Osborn was a friend to me as well, so good after my uncle died. I understand that..."
"You and Harry both lost someone, and he needs to know that too," Xavier said. "With a little time and patience, I think you can work it out. And if not, at least you'll have tried and not let it all fester and turn into pain. You don't need more pain."
"I don't," Peter agreed. "I'll call him right now, see if he will talk. The worst he can do is say no, right?"
"Right," the Professor nodded.
"Thank you," Peter said, and shook the Professor's hand.
As Peter closed the door, he couldn't see the Professor's expression, the pain and sadness in his eyes. He didn't see him look over at a picture that had hung on his office wall for years.
Two young men, breaking ground for what would become the Charles Xavier School For Gifted Youngsters. Xavier stood, tall and proud, Erik was leaning on him.
"Ah, Erik, if only..." he murmured softly, then turned and picked up a file.
FINIS
******************************
Author: Joanne Collins joanne_c
Written For: demoerin Who requested Spiderman/X-Men movieverse. I'm afraid the idea I got didn't allow for Doc Ock, but there is lots of Harry, as well as Peter and Professor Xavier so I hope you enjoy.
Summary: Harry takes his father's work to Professor Xavier, and Peter has been working with him. Professor Xavier gives them some advice.
A/N: Slightly AU to what will likely happen in the next Spider-Man movie.
My apologies for the lateness of my posting.
******************************
Harry Osborn straightened his tie and tried not to wipe his slightly sweaty hands on his
pants. It wouldn't look good to be seeing one of his heroes looking less than his best.
He was still shocked to be here, in upstate New York at the kind of school he'd done his
best to get away from in his teen years. But his teen years had been very different. His
father had been alive.
"You may go in," the woman at the desk said to him. "The Professor will see you now,
Mr Osborn."
Harry walked slowly into the office, feeling intimidated, though he would never say it
aloud. He stood and watched as an older, bald man maneuvered a wheelchair across the
office.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Charles Xavier said, reaching a hand up to shake Harry's. "Your father told me so much about you."
"The pleasure - and honour - is mine," Harry said, relaxing a little. He felt strangely at ease after the nervousness of earlier, like his fears had been soothed.
"What is the purpose of your visit today?" Professor Xavier asked.
"This is quite complicated," Harry began. "You know my father died a couple of years ago. Recently, I had a vision or hallucination of him. I'm not sure which. And I found some...rather odd stuff." With that, he opened the case he'd brought with him. "These changed my father," he said, showing the Professor the green glowing substance in the protective glass shells. "I don't want them to hurt anyone else."
"You haven't taken any, have you?" Professor Xavier sounded scared.
"Not after what I saw it do to my father," Harry said firmly. "I couldn't. This killed him as much as Spider-Man did." He didn't realise until he said it that he felt that way. He'd blamed Spider-Man for so very long.
"Or more?" the Professor prompted gently.
"Maybe," Harry said. "I needed...needed a face to blame. Something to pin the fault on, to have something or someone...to blame. And it almost killed me when I found out..."
"Found out what?"
"That Spider-Man was my best friend. The one person who I thought understood what I was going through was the one who had visited it on me," Harry said, then laughed. "Sorry for sounding so dramatic."
"So Spider-Man was someone you knew? I've read the stories about him, of course." A subtle probing, but Harry did wonder if there was another reason for the Professor's interest.
"I'm afraid I don't know how he changed, exactly," Harry answered. "If I could tell you, I would. But I can't. I just..." he suddenly wonders how they got onto this topic. "I thought I was here to give you this, to have it analysed in your labs? My inquiries led me to your school, to Dr McCoy."
"I'll make sure he gets it," Professor Xavier said. "And we'll call you with the results. Or you can come up here."
"It reminds me of where I went to school," Harry murmured, many memories flooding back. "I think I'd like to see more of this place."
"Your father had a seat on our board. The seat has not been filled since his death. I would like to offer it to you," Professor Xavier said. "We encourage our board members to be involved in the school - it's not just a name for your letterhead."
"I'd like that," Harry nodded, and stood to shake the Professor's hand again.
"Also, Harry," Professor Xavier smiled gently. "If it's at all possible, you should try and talk to your friend, to Spider-Man. Sometimes not talking can widen the rift until there's no way to repair it. I think if you try, you can repair it."
"I'll think about it," Harry said quietly as he turned to leave.
***************
Ten minutes later, someone knocked on Charles Xavier's door. Not an uncommon occurrence, but it was unusual for him to wheel over and open the door himself.
Standing there was Peter Parker, better known as the mysterious Spider-Man. Public opinion tended to divide between hero and vigilante lines when trying to figure out what Peter was, but Charles Xavier knew, from personal experience, that like most people, Peter just wanted to help, and it didn't always turn out well. There was another figure standing behind Peter.
"How'd it go?" a gruff voice asked.
"Come in, Logan, Peter," the Professor invited them. "Training session go well?"
"Kid's got more moves than a Karate Kid flick," Logan answered.
"You pinned him?" the Professor asked Peter.
"A gentleman never tells," Peter demurred, but grinned.
"You weren't so damned gentlemanly earlier," Logan muttered.
Deciding that a subject change was in order, Xavier told them about his meeting with Harry. "I've handed the substance to Hank. He'll make sure it's destroyed if there are no useful applications."
"I trust you," Peter said. "You've been more help than some people..." he sighed.
A beeping sound came from Logan's uniform. "Gotta go," he said. "Rogue's back from town."
"I would think Mr Drake would be the one she'd want to see," Professor Xavier murmured.
"Not when she wants my advice on his birthday present it ain't," Logan replied. "Seeya, Parker. Next time, best two out of three?"
"You got it," Peter said, smiling at his sparring partner. It was amazing how a bit of training helped harness his abilities.
Logan left and the office seemed a lot quieter, less small.
"He's certainly a good trainer," Xavier said.
"He is," Peter agreed.
"Harry was the friend you told me about?" Xavier finally got to the point.
"I never said his name, but I didn't lie," Peter said. "I gave that up."
"I'm going to give you the same advice I gave him," the Professor said. "Talk to Harry. Explain why you did what you did. The rift doesn't seem wide enough to be declared irreparable yet. But if you don't talk, and somehow get past it, the resentment and sadness will build up that any love or good feelings you had will be so buried, they'll only come out in bitter tears and occasional lapses in judgement."
"I'll try," Peter said. "I've already tried, but Harry is... a little stubborn."
"His father died," Xavier said. "He needed time to mourn. I think he's done that. He wouldn't have brought the serum to me if it meant anything to him."
"I needed time to mourn too," Peter murmured. "Mr Osborn was a friend to me as well, so good after my uncle died. I understand that..."
"You and Harry both lost someone, and he needs to know that too," Xavier said. "With a little time and patience, I think you can work it out. And if not, at least you'll have tried and not let it all fester and turn into pain. You don't need more pain."
"I don't," Peter agreed. "I'll call him right now, see if he will talk. The worst he can do is say no, right?"
"Right," the Professor nodded.
"Thank you," Peter said, and shook the Professor's hand.
As Peter closed the door, he couldn't see the Professor's expression, the pain and sadness in his eyes. He didn't see him look over at a picture that had hung on his office wall for years.
Two young men, breaking ground for what would become the Charles Xavier School For Gifted Youngsters. Xavier stood, tall and proud, Erik was leaning on him.
"Ah, Erik, if only..." he murmured softly, then turned and picked up a file.
FINIS
******************************