( kingdom come ) ❝ i need someone, someone who hears. for you, I've waited all these years. ❞
[ The last 113 years were far from easy for Dr. Helen Magnus. Living through the 20th and 21st Centuries again, knowing what would happen, and being unable to stop it all? It was a burden that some days crushed her to the point where she had wanted to give up. She never did. How could she? So much would happen once Adam Worth caused the attack on the calderas, causing the Hollow Earth abnormals to surface and start an urban war over territory of the surface. She had to be prepared. The Sanctuary Network had to be prepared. Helen had come to the decision decades ago on what to do. It was the matter of funding such a large operation and being able to keep it under wraps from everyone else in the world.
That was not an easy task.
She had gone through many aliases through out the years. Helen Bancroft was a favorite, as it was her mother's maiden name. For a time she even went by the name of Mary Bancroft. In a way, that was one of the worst and best decisions of her long life. Through that name she had met Richard Parker. He was a brilliant young geneticist. Clever, understanding, and willing to embrace the full spectrum of reality. His theories on cross-species genetics were fascinating, even if she was wary of the idea. She could see how it could be used in the future - something Richard didn't have the ability to see. As such she kept a watchful eye on him, his friend Dr. Curt Connors, and their research. Once the company Oscorp had gotten wind of it, Helen knew she had to step in some how. There was no way she could let Oscorp become another version of the Cabal. The ancient cult that had managed to spread into every major corporation. Large enough and powerful enough to cripple the Sanctuary Network, and ultimately be the catalyst of her daughter's death.
Then the unexpected had happened. What started as a form of power play to keep certain genetic information a secret became a whirlwind romance with Richard. Helen had broken down and told him only the bare basics of what he had to know: her longevity, that his idea of cross-species genetics could work, and the greater spectrum of life on the planet. Part of her had hoped, although she would have never admitted it, that Richard would be able to leave Oscorp and come to the Sanctuary. It would be a long wait, admittedly, but she knew that the world Richard sought was in the Sanctuary. He had agreed to keep her identity a secret. To him she was Mary, not this mysterious Helen Magnus. It took years before she finally accepted his marriage proposal. It was mostly in part of hoping that he would indeed come to the Sanctuary, and a bit of a deeper desire to have the life she truly couldn't have. She knew the timeline was at risk by her doing so, but it was a risk that had to be taken. There was no way that Oscorp could be allowed to get their hands on Richard's research.
A year later, Helen found herself pregnant. It was a shock that nearly sent her to her knees. She hadn't been pregnant since carrying Ashley to full term, and the idea of being a parent again struck her down at her core. Ashley's death still haunted her. The only thoughts she had was: 'What if I fail this child as well?' Richard reassured her otherwise, but the doubt still nagged at her. The baby was a lovely boy, whom Richard named Peter. For a time, Helen let herself live the normal life. Seeing her husband to work and raising Peter. The more time passed and the more Peter grew, she knew the day would come when she'd have to explain to him why his mother never aged. It was a conversation she had with Richard quite often. Peter would never be fully normal, but like Ashley, it was possible nothing would surface unless tampered with.
And then that night happened.
Oscorp had broken into their home and tried to find Richard's research. Both Helen and him knew it. The number one priority in Helen's mind was protecting their son. She would not let Oscorp get a hold of Peter as the Cabal had Ashley. The two went to Ben Parker's home, Richard's brother. They explained the situation in half-truths and begged Ben and May to take care of their son. Just until it was safe. Leaving behind her only living child nearly broke Helen's resolve. She knew that until either Oscorp had been dealt with or the Sanctuary Network was safe, she couldn't see her son again. Richard had tried to comfort her, but the fear of never seeing him again ate at her as they rushed into the dark of night. She knew exactly where they could go to hide the information that Oscorp so badly wanted.
They never made it.
There was a horrible crash, one she knew was staged. The car tumbled off the side of the road into the trees. The next thing she knew was being in a hospital, hearing the sounds of doctors around her. Helen panicked. If they had anything relating to her DNA, then all of the work she had done over the last century could be undone. She was in luck. The attending doctor was part of a fail safe network she had created long before the calderas went sky high for her. Every record of her ever being in the hospital would be erased. And then, they told her. Richard had not survived the crash. He was dead by the time the paramedics had reached the scene and she was nearly dead herself. It crushed her. The reality of the dream of the "normal life" ending hit her hard, right in every weak point she ever had.
At least it is not John all over again, she thought to herself over and over as she recovered. At least it is not John's nightmare all over again.
Helen had all of her medical records falsified, placed under the name of Mary Parker. Once she had been discharged, they documented that Mary Parker had died of extensive injuries. To Helen, Mary Parker had died with Richard. She had to return to who she truly was. The price of that, however, was being unable to return to the Parkers and seeing her son again. She had sent a letter to explain the situation and not to tell Peter until he was old enough. And, luck abiding, she would be the one to tell him in person. Not that she expected her son to believe her after so long.
2012. A year after the mishaps with SCIU and the Sanctuary Network being destroyed and relocated underground, Helen had made the decision it was time to finally see her son again. There had been a video she had seen on the internet from Henry about a 'Spider-Man' who was cleaning up the streets of New York City. She watched closely, and once it had come out that the menace of the Big Apple had been Dr. Curt Connors, Helen rushed to the city as fast as she could. Amazingly, May Parker had not moved from the house that she was in when they trusted Peter to her all those years ago.
She was met with a less than a warm welcome. Something Helen had expected and embraced entirely. She nodded and agreed with May, apologizing for all the hardship the family had run into because she and Richard had to leave. Ben had passed away in search for Peter after a fight, and Helen knew the man's death was ultimately because she had left her son with him. But, she knew, that if she had taken Peter with them that night, then he would have died as well. Helen had already lost one child before their time and refused to do so again. ]
'You could have wrote! You could have called! You could have done something to let him know that his mother was still alive. That she still cared! What sort of mother makes her son think she is dead - or even worse - doesn't care about him at all?'
Mothers that are far better than I am, May. We both know that. [ Helen bites her lip. She has no intention of stopping May from expressing her opinions. The woman is more than entitled to them. ] However, I couldn't let him be caught up in what Richard and I had been. I wasn't about to risk his life for my mistakes. Not after--
'--And that alone would keep you out his life for this long? What am I supposed to say to him?'
Nothing that you do not wish to. Let me speak to him. That is, if he even wants to--[ She stops mid-sentence as the door opens. A quick silence falls between the women as Helen turns to look at who enters the living room. Her heart races as well as drops at the same time. She has practiced in her head what to say to Peter, but, that situations like that hardly pan out like they do in one's mind. ]
That was not an easy task.
She had gone through many aliases through out the years. Helen Bancroft was a favorite, as it was her mother's maiden name. For a time she even went by the name of Mary Bancroft. In a way, that was one of the worst and best decisions of her long life. Through that name she had met Richard Parker. He was a brilliant young geneticist. Clever, understanding, and willing to embrace the full spectrum of reality. His theories on cross-species genetics were fascinating, even if she was wary of the idea. She could see how it could be used in the future - something Richard didn't have the ability to see. As such she kept a watchful eye on him, his friend Dr. Curt Connors, and their research. Once the company Oscorp had gotten wind of it, Helen knew she had to step in some how. There was no way she could let Oscorp become another version of the Cabal. The ancient cult that had managed to spread into every major corporation. Large enough and powerful enough to cripple the Sanctuary Network, and ultimately be the catalyst of her daughter's death.
Then the unexpected had happened. What started as a form of power play to keep certain genetic information a secret became a whirlwind romance with Richard. Helen had broken down and told him only the bare basics of what he had to know: her longevity, that his idea of cross-species genetics could work, and the greater spectrum of life on the planet. Part of her had hoped, although she would have never admitted it, that Richard would be able to leave Oscorp and come to the Sanctuary. It would be a long wait, admittedly, but she knew that the world Richard sought was in the Sanctuary. He had agreed to keep her identity a secret. To him she was Mary, not this mysterious Helen Magnus. It took years before she finally accepted his marriage proposal. It was mostly in part of hoping that he would indeed come to the Sanctuary, and a bit of a deeper desire to have the life she truly couldn't have. She knew the timeline was at risk by her doing so, but it was a risk that had to be taken. There was no way that Oscorp could be allowed to get their hands on Richard's research.
A year later, Helen found herself pregnant. It was a shock that nearly sent her to her knees. She hadn't been pregnant since carrying Ashley to full term, and the idea of being a parent again struck her down at her core. Ashley's death still haunted her. The only thoughts she had was: 'What if I fail this child as well?' Richard reassured her otherwise, but the doubt still nagged at her. The baby was a lovely boy, whom Richard named Peter. For a time, Helen let herself live the normal life. Seeing her husband to work and raising Peter. The more time passed and the more Peter grew, she knew the day would come when she'd have to explain to him why his mother never aged. It was a conversation she had with Richard quite often. Peter would never be fully normal, but like Ashley, it was possible nothing would surface unless tampered with.
And then that night happened.
Oscorp had broken into their home and tried to find Richard's research. Both Helen and him knew it. The number one priority in Helen's mind was protecting their son. She would not let Oscorp get a hold of Peter as the Cabal had Ashley. The two went to Ben Parker's home, Richard's brother. They explained the situation in half-truths and begged Ben and May to take care of their son. Just until it was safe. Leaving behind her only living child nearly broke Helen's resolve. She knew that until either Oscorp had been dealt with or the Sanctuary Network was safe, she couldn't see her son again. Richard had tried to comfort her, but the fear of never seeing him again ate at her as they rushed into the dark of night. She knew exactly where they could go to hide the information that Oscorp so badly wanted.
They never made it.
There was a horrible crash, one she knew was staged. The car tumbled off the side of the road into the trees. The next thing she knew was being in a hospital, hearing the sounds of doctors around her. Helen panicked. If they had anything relating to her DNA, then all of the work she had done over the last century could be undone. She was in luck. The attending doctor was part of a fail safe network she had created long before the calderas went sky high for her. Every record of her ever being in the hospital would be erased. And then, they told her. Richard had not survived the crash. He was dead by the time the paramedics had reached the scene and she was nearly dead herself. It crushed her. The reality of the dream of the "normal life" ending hit her hard, right in every weak point she ever had.
At least it is not John all over again, she thought to herself over and over as she recovered. At least it is not John's nightmare all over again.
Helen had all of her medical records falsified, placed under the name of Mary Parker. Once she had been discharged, they documented that Mary Parker had died of extensive injuries. To Helen, Mary Parker had died with Richard. She had to return to who she truly was. The price of that, however, was being unable to return to the Parkers and seeing her son again. She had sent a letter to explain the situation and not to tell Peter until he was old enough. And, luck abiding, she would be the one to tell him in person. Not that she expected her son to believe her after so long.
2012. A year after the mishaps with SCIU and the Sanctuary Network being destroyed and relocated underground, Helen had made the decision it was time to finally see her son again. There had been a video she had seen on the internet from Henry about a 'Spider-Man' who was cleaning up the streets of New York City. She watched closely, and once it had come out that the menace of the Big Apple had been Dr. Curt Connors, Helen rushed to the city as fast as she could. Amazingly, May Parker had not moved from the house that she was in when they trusted Peter to her all those years ago.
She was met with a less than a warm welcome. Something Helen had expected and embraced entirely. She nodded and agreed with May, apologizing for all the hardship the family had run into because she and Richard had to leave. Ben had passed away in search for Peter after a fight, and Helen knew the man's death was ultimately because she had left her son with him. But, she knew, that if she had taken Peter with them that night, then he would have died as well. Helen had already lost one child before their time and refused to do so again. ]
'You could have wrote! You could have called! You could have done something to let him know that his mother was still alive. That she still cared! What sort of mother makes her son think she is dead - or even worse - doesn't care about him at all?'
Mothers that are far better than I am, May. We both know that. [ Helen bites her lip. She has no intention of stopping May from expressing her opinions. The woman is more than entitled to them. ] However, I couldn't let him be caught up in what Richard and I had been. I wasn't about to risk his life for my mistakes. Not after--
'--And that alone would keep you out his life for this long? What am I supposed to say to him?'
Nothing that you do not wish to. Let me speak to him. That is, if he even wants to--[ She stops mid-sentence as the door opens. A quick silence falls between the women as Helen turns to look at who enters the living room. Her heart races as well as drops at the same time. She has practiced in her head what to say to Peter, but, that situations like that hardly pan out like they do in one's mind. ]