Leap of Faith. (A Spider-Man Fanfiction.)

[XIIIthewanderingpaladin]

Falling is second nature to me. Gravity's my natural enemy. I close my eyes and the din of the city rises before me. Yeah, yeah… second nature. The wind hits me and I dig my fingers into the wall. Whew… just… just one push. One little push and I hit the air, wind ripping through my ears, diving down, down, down! My arm lashes out and the web shoots out, swinging forward with my weight. The world rushes by below me, my body knowing what to do. The air, the sun, the blue sky. Tears sting my eyes from behind the goggles I'm wearing. I'm limitless. I'm unstoppable! My throat rips out a cry of…

"YEAHAHAHAHAAAA!" I scream, flipping and swinging out into Times Square, landing near one of the billboards. I break into a weird, jerky dance. Until my body seizes and I clack down onto the roof with my Sense buzzing and getting overwhelmed.

Gaaagh! Okay, let's do this!

Hey. My name's Jack Parker, and I guess you're here because you're expecting a tragedy, right? Lost love, lost parent, loss loss loss? Well when I was born I was cut off from oxygen that gave me my disability…

I clack my braces, Cerebral Palsy! My parents, Ben and May Parker, really took good care of me for a long while. But you're not here for the deets on my life, right? Well…

I'm now twenty one and falling still terrifies me. Sure I have stupendous Spider Powers that I've yet to figure out, and the fact that I'm swinging from webs that come out of my hands from a slat between my middle knuckles makes this insane. How I got it was some weird spider in my apartment, it bit me and BAM. Next day I'm pretty much a superman. Breathing gently, I close my eyes. This city constantly moves, pulses, every person and every car engine. My Sense captures it all in a harmony. All of it in one constantly moving place. Mutants, humans, weird superpowered guys, fellas in costumes…

It's all here.

But where do I fit in?

Ever since I got out of high school my life has just been, 'Get the degree of your dreams!' but when you're limited by your body, when you can't be spectacular… it… it's sad. Everyone was gunning for me at home, everyone was counting on me. That's when I see his face. My older cousin, Peter. Dude's literally everywhere as Stark's wunderkind and I just wanna punch the billboard to sparking cinders. God, I don't know what's worse.

The fact that Pete's got everything figured out or the fact I can barely go home without…

My phone dings, a text from Dad.

Settled in, buddy?

I sigh and type back, Yeah. I'm settled. Just thinking.

No, no. Delete that, Jack! He'll be onto you! I deleted Just Thinking. Whew! Nice save! Another text.

Good!

Letting out a small puff of air, I close my eyes with a small smile. I got this. I got this.

Your Mom's worried about you.

I don't got this. Oh god I don't got this at all. Okay, okay. Settle down! You're gonna be-

My Sense blares, the vibrations break into screams. Holy shit what's… a train. Somewhere nearby! I pocket my phone and yank up my hood, feeling more and more of it going down. People panicking, the driver trying to stop, the screech of the brakes but it's just not going to stick. Pulsing, thundering, crashing through my Sense like a bull in a china shop. I don't even think about staying back, my Battle Vest on my back with buttons clinking and hood billowing like crazy trying to stay on my head.

I have to catch it. I have to help. The train's rollicking off the tracks soon and I gotta- I put myself on the front, the wind whipping back my hood and lashing my face. Why in the ever-loving FUCK would I put myself at the FRONT?! My webs shoot out and stick to some buildings, thick enough to try to slow it down, my back dents into the front, "It's alright! It's alright!" I yell, my webs bending hard around the sides. My Sense screams along with the pain thundering through my muscles.

The engine pushes through my Sense, slowing down but something rips through my back, two long legs pop out and stab into the tracks ahead, grinding through the gravel, trying to find a way to stop the train. They catch and the Train grinds to a slow stop, "I got it! I got… I got it!" my muscles and legs scream for release, but I slump down against the front. Weakly, I turn my head towards them. My Sense sending tinnitus and brain fuzz through me but at that moment, looking at all the people looking at me in sheer awe?

Relief, pride, all of it surges in my chest as I try to smile and stay awake without slipping into unconsciousness.

Wheezing, panting, chest jerking and legs keeping me up, "Everyone okay? Call the… call the cops…"

"What do we tell 'em?" the driver pipes up.

"Tell 'em the Recluse saved you guys!" I salute with two fingers on the side of my temple, quirking them almost like a windshield wiper. They cock their heads and I wave my hands in front of myself.

"Look, look. I'm a new vigilante. Like ah… Iron Fist!"

More confusion. I rub the back of my head, still mercifully covered by my hood. Which I think I willed to stay stuck.

"Harsh. Daredevil?"

"Oh yeah!" one guy exclaims.

"See?! One of you guys gets it!" Turning, I take off, "HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, NEW YORKERS!"

Falling has always scared me. But now? I don't think I have much to fear. As I sling back, there's the happy buzz in my chest again. Just the idea I saved people, me. I did that. Just the gratification but also… The fact I barely hesitated. Just went for it like it was normal? That's… that's not… oh my god. I pause in my swing, hanging there on a webline. I just stopped a goddamn train. A train! Got four spider legs out of my back, used my Sense to track down where it was, and now I'm acting like it was normal?!

Just what is today?!

---

This is Hell. Just… god, this is worse than my surgeries. The constant pulse, the aches in my muscles, the fact my back is constantly tapping. Fucking hell. And I have a lecture about human evolution to sit through. I didn't sleep well. It shows. Slowly making it to class despite me being in a time crunch. But just as I get to the bathroom in my apartment… I pass out. Everything just kind of fades. Sleeping the day away, my Sense picking something up at my door.

The knocks are quick, rattling my skull awake. Did I already fuck up rent? Well no, Mister Ditkovich doesn't collect rent until the first of the…

I'm at the door now. Opening it and seeing someone standing there.

"Hello… I don't have time to talk…" I hear a warm laugh, bright blue eyes and graying dark hair in a ponytail. He's wearing his big coat and I can't believe he's here but he's all happy to see me so I grin and let him in.

"Heya, Jack!" Dad exclaims, pulling me into a hug, "My big ol' college boy!" he's big and rough handed, a worker's man to the last breath. He smells like metal and tool grease. His truck is probably downstairs but he lets me down and I guide him in.

"So ah… I ended up moving in about a couple of days ago." I start, "I know, I'm not in class right now, but I ah…" I rub the back of my head, "I don't really feel good."

"I can tell." Dad sighs, "Look buddy, what's wrong?" I jolt and turn a little, Sense pitches up with vibrations of him trying to figure out what I'm going to do.

"Wrong? Nothing's wrong! See, I'm just… nervous! Nervous, yeah!" I sputter, "I mean, new school and all that can you go now? Nice to see you an' all but-"

He grabs my shoulder with my Sense jolting my aching body into action and the popcorn ceiling digs into my feet. My hand steadies me, "Dad!" I squeak as he gawks.

"Jesus Christ! What the hell? What happened?!" he gasps, that's when my legs pop out and stab into the ceiling gently, lowering me and keeping me upright, a shooting pain going through my spine and head.

"Listen, just a day or two ago, actually yesterday-"

"What, you got bit by a mutated Spider?"

"Yep! Well, that's what I think anyway…" I mumble, "I don't know where it came from, Dad."

"Do you still have it?" he wonders, "Look, I know it sounds weird-"

"No I didn't keep it! I just… passed out and woke up all sticky and junk with these coming out after I stopped a train-"

Dad holds up a hand, "You stopped a _what_ ?"

"A train."

He slumps down onto my couch, "Oh fuck…" he breathes, "You stopped a train. You can… can sprout Spider Legs, and what else?"

"I can Sense things. Like the vibrations in the air, I can feel… well, everything." I sigh, "Look, it's… it's okay, I'll be okay."

"No, it's not OKAY. None of this is! We shoulda never let you out of Queens and here you are with Spider stuff! What were you doing?"

"I was just moving in! Stop making it seem like it's my fault because it's not!" the pain builds in my head, spreading down to my mouth with my canines slowly being pushed out but I stumble towards my bathroom.

"Jack?!"

"Dad, don't look!" I squeal, my canines tinking in a flood of blood while the new ones slide out smooth as butter. I stare into the mirror, and Dad backs off.

"Kid, is this normal?" he asks.

"No! I just have fangs now?!" I yell, "Search me because I dunno how the hell I even… Wow, they actually adjust length…" they retract into a normal tooth length without pain, I wipe the blood away and start the water with the blood swirling into the drain.

Dad gently grabs my shoulder and turns me around, "Look, look. I won't tell your mother. Just… just don't do anything crazy, okay? Back to normal, right?"

"Back to normal? I… I can't just stop, Dad! I saved those people on the train! I have the power to swing from webs, to practically fly! I'm not scared of falling anymore!" I grab his hands.

"Dad, I can't be normal. I never was! I… I can be more if you just let me." my eyes close and he stands up, his hands landing on my shoulders and everything coming back into focus.

"Son, I don't want this to go to your head! You have enough on your plate as it is." he sighs, "Just… mind your head, mind your power, and be responsible with it."

So here I am, slinging out. Thinking about it. My aching went away after Dad left, at least an hour or two after anyway. A wasted day and I'm already behind on my classes, just great. After emails and trying to take it easy I put my hoodie back on and my jeans, with my braces and shoes too, hitting the air again. Swinging like a good goddamn pro at it, I smile and stop at the MoMA, so I can get a pic of it so I can remember where I am at any part of the city. But my Sense picks up on something odd. A signature that my Sense is particularly interested in. It's not the middle of the day, so…

It's a languid, almost cat-like signature, deftly moving through the vents like it has no issues. Slowly scuttling across the ceiling I come upon her, she's looking at the art almost like she's there like a normal patron.

But uh… she's behind the glass. She's got long platinum blonde hair and she's in a jumpsuit looking thing with fur around her arms and legs, both white and I lower on a web line, reaching out and knocking on the glass. She jumps and looks at me from behind a domino mask. There's a few seconds but I smile under my scarf. She doesn't really react until I talk to her. She's trying to figure me out, her eyes kind of darting up and down.

"Excuse me, Miss. Closing time." I stand there and she smiles.

"Oh this? Well, I need it for something, sweetie." she lifts the painting with a soft grin and something at her waist lifts her up but I web up her exit.

"Okay, so now this is your cage. Sorry." I state, "So put it back and I'll unstick your exit." That's when a new signature comes in, screaming on an even louder one. It's constant and picking up speed. She perks up at the constant sound, it doesn't really sound like a high pitched scream but more like the grinding engine.

"Listen, you help me get outta here and I'll just leave this be." The lady's tone sounds really desperate and I look towards the entrance to see a bright gold glider and its rider crash through with a cry of…

"Goooooooo… GOLD GOBLIN!" he flips off and poses, white and gold jumpsuit with a shiny golden mask and gauntlets with a white scarf billowing behind him. He stands tall with I think a cocky grin?

"You, Black Cat! Prepare for a serving of SHINING JUSTICE!" he cries with his hand shooing me away, "Also you, mysterious Spider-Boy, go away!"

"Hey!" I snap, "I saw her stealing a painting first, you Power Ranger reject!" my legs shoot out of my back and pock into the glass, the alarms going off and the Gold Goblin blasts forward. The security guards backing off because they're really outclassed with this shiny plated prick.

"Mischief… KICK!" he almost closes in but I whack him down with one of my legs.

"Look dude, if you're gonna call out the attack names, maybe consider NOT doing that." I sigh with the Black Cat sauntering out by me but I web her and pull her back from the entrance. Dodging out of the way of another flying kick from the Goblin.

"Aha! I see now!" he taps the side of his helmet, "You two are partners!"

Shock goes through my system as I vault over him and plant my legs into the floor, "Look buddy, I've never met her in my life!" his gauntlets start glowing as he shoots out a stream of rubber bullets from an arm cannon.

"What the fuck?!" I squeak, dodging through the stream and my Sense picks up Cat heading outside. The painting's gone! I dash towards the nearest vent and dart into it with all cylinders going. No no no no no! I'm not letting that go! As I move, all I can think of is the fact that the painting's expensive, why would she steal it if she's got a suit the way she does? I skid into her path and the scream of his glider sounds overhead.

"Stop right there, Spider and Cat!"

"Okay, first of all, I'm a Recluse!" I made a grab for the painting, with the Cat dancing out of the way and swiping at me with a clawed hand, but I ducked at the last second, "Second of all, we're not partners!"

My hand goes right for the frame, a webline reaches out and she grips it hard, turning it into a tug of war. The Goblin is firing more of his bullets at us and all I wanna do is get him to stop. But then right as I'm about to clean his clock she goes over the side, the painting clattering to the roof.

I leap after her, "I gotcha!" my web shoots out and catches her. She hangs and smiles up at me. With the Goblin flying around to hover over us.

"Seriously?! What the hell's your problem?!" I yell, "Stop peltin' us with shit and leave us alone! I'll get her to put it back!" But at that, he flies away all of the sudden and the Cat lets go, grappling to another place.

I stick to the side of the building, the painting in my hand.

"Well. Let's go put it back." When I do, there's a kind of moment when I think about what I could do with all this power. Thinking about how Peter has everything figured out and how I'm just getting started with my life and everything in it.

Laying on my back, watching the night sky, there's just this feeling that I could do anything, be anything. Swing out of town, live somewhere else, be something somewhere else rather than here where Peter's already beaten me to the punch.

He has the girlfriend, the job, the life. I don't. And I can't lie and say I'm not jealous, but there's just that feeling that I could be doing so much more. Always there no matter how hard I try.

There's a physical gap between us, and I always have to be extraordinary. I have to push myself further than ever just to make it some kind of way through it all. Just to be worth it.

That's when I get the idea. I could try to be extraordinary. As I swing back home, all I can think of is how this is probably a bad idea. It most likely is. 100% But hey, at least I tried, right?

Yeah...

I'm probably going to die.

 

[XIIIthewanderingpaladin]

Someone knocks on my door, calling me from the silver seas of sleep to the world of the waking. Of course I dunno who'd be knocking on my door like… eight? Nine? No, it's ten. Ten. Ten in the morning but here I am shuffling.

"I'm comin' I'm comin'..." I yawn and rake my hand through my hair, seeing the tiny points of my stingers under my hands. So it really happened. I touch my doorknob and turn it, opening it to someone I've never met.

Or at least in the hubbub of me being bit and passing out I forgot about him. He's wearing a ballcap, gray hair shoved under it with a trenchcoat on, military issue. There's a heavy buzz coming from him as he smiles.

"You're Jack, right?" he asks.

"Yeah? What's up?"

"Oh don't mind me, I just live upstairs. Remember?"

"Oh right, Mister Sims! Sorry about the other day… I was just so busy with getting in and I didn't introduce myself." I rub the back of my head cheekily, and he smirks just a little. He's older than Dad and Mom by a good amount. He doesn't have shoes on. That's weird. Weirder still is the fact that the buzzing I'm feeling almost matches mine. He glances at my wrist, the point had gone fully back in, so he couldn't see it.

"Huh. Well kid, nice meeting ya properly." he pats me on the shoulder and walks down the steps. He's… well, a weirdo. I head back in, get my clothes on for the day, and fix myself a quick breakfast before heading to class.

I get in and the class hasn't started, I amble my way to the back. Just so I don't have much of a- Huh. There's a girl right next to me. Long, platinum blonde hair, almost silver. Bright blue eyes wearing a black shirt with a band on it that I don't really know.

Babymetal?

She smiles, her eyes sparkling with interest and I offer her a slight smile, "Felicia." she says, holding out her hand. I take it, it's soft and well manicured, but I could recognize that hair anywhere.

"Jack." my voice is normal, toned nicely enough. Her slight smile doesn't widen or change and I let go. Watching as our professor lopes in. I'm just taking a science credit so hey, a class with an award winning temporary professor is an opportunity.

But there's someone else my Sense blares at. A boy a few rows over. He's got slicked back dark hair and I don't get a good look at his eyes but there's something about how bored he's sitting that reminds me of…

That Goblin guy and the way he kind of crouched over his glider. What are the odds I have the Maybe-Gold Goblin and the Sorta-Black Cat in my class? Maybe a million to one or a billion or a trillion or a quadrillion? I don't ask them about it, but she shadows me. Follows me and I still feel her languid unchanged signature. I don't even know why she keeps following me, it's creepy. I stop and turn a bit.

"Listen, stop following me." I say.

"Aww, why not?" she croons.

"Because I don't know you and you're freaking me out?" huffing that out, she's pretty but stalking me isn't very nice at- the boy from earlier comes up to us.

"Felicia!" he greets, grabbing her in a one armed hug, "Haha! Good to see you again!"

"Hey Harry…" she looks away with an almost glower in her eyes but then Harry turns his attention to me.

"Oh, you must be…"

"Jack Parker, future rockstar." there's a grin and a chuckle. Good, good. I got him laughing. Gotta ease him into what I'm thinking. That or I'm just being paranoid about a potential new friend. That's a problem.

Yep, definitely an issue, "So, what's your major?" he asks, "Mine's Engineering, of course my Dad…"

"History. Well, that's what I say anyway." I cut him off, "Sorry," Harry shrugs and I smile. Of course I'd love to get to know him, but when you open up first about parents it sorta makes me think you're sheltered.

I mean considering the Rolex I've considered that as a possibility. That and the fancy stuff he's wearing compared to my grungy look, something Eddie would always poke at like I would poke at him too.

"Eh, sometimes people find me being an Osborn free license to bow and scrape." he laughs a little, "There's only so long I can go with a 'Mr. Osborn.' this or a 'Mr. Osborn' that."

Felicia cuts in with a clearing of her throat, "Right, isn't it interesting?"

"Not really…" I sigh, "Growing up rich had to be easy."

Harry snickers, running his hand through his dark hair, laughing a little, "No, no it wasn't. I mean, sure I could get anything I wanted but then my Dad was always busy."

"I guess my dad wasn't?" I shrug, "I just… well, I'mma go." Things always get awkward with me and it doesn't ever slow down and stop, you know? I'm just a weird guy and it just snowballs into a big mess.

Felicia still tails me and I look over my shoulder at her, "You stalking me?"

She shrugs off the accusation and smiles like she's been doing all day so far.

"I wouldn't call it 'stalking' Jack." She hovers close, the smell of something more expensive than my apartment wafts into my nose and makes things haze over.

"Do you ever believe in 'love at first sight'?" She leans on me and my cheeks go beet red. Backing off her, my eyes widen and I make tracks. No, I don't, thanks!

I screw my eyes shut, "Dammit! Dammit! Fuck me!" Stuck to the upper wall and gripping my hands into it. Is that crazy? Is that wrong? She's pretty, but- How do I know her?

---

Night is the domain of the Recluse. That's what I determined just now. I have time at night, I have all the time in the world. Slinging through the cool summer's night. Just slinging around trying to find something to do. Until I see a little silver dot in the distance, moving along the rooftops towards the Financial district. Here we go! Slinging towards her and closing in, she looks over her shoulder with an almost fond smile.

"You can't just stay away, can you?" I land and she meanders close to me. Hanging over her upside down.

"Come on, I'm just being polite…"

The Cat brushes her gloved hand against my jaw, "We really have to stop following each other like this, Recluse."

"Listen, about the other night..."

"Oh don't worry about it, I had fun."

She smiles, "And about this goggles and bandana setup? It's... not great." her opinion slides off my skin like water.

"I'm not a seamster, okay?"

"I know, Recluse. Which is why..." All the sudden my bandana's down and she kisses me, her lips soft even tasting sweet, "Mm..." she coos before pulling back and pulling it back up, "Don't be a stranger." she leaps away and my webline snaps.

"Shit shit shit shit shit!" I squeak, swinging away and landing near the Empire State building, I breathe softly, trying to steady myself. My legs pop out and stab into the roof just to help me out. I know this is about to sound really lame, or look really lame...

But that was my first kiss. And it wasn't even from that cool girl from Music Theory class! Dammit, that really stings! I close my eyes and think about it. Okay, so her voice and eyes are familiar, her hair color is matching that girl, and she's just as confident...

Is Felicia the Black Cat? I think so.

I could be wrong. She could just be wearing a wig, or have a twin sister, or I'm running on two hours of sleep, a doubleshot Starmaid's coffee, and a single sandwich slapped together and shoved down my gullet. I'm still hungry. Not only is my metabolism super high but it's even higher now with all my powers. But... other than that the whole not having a legit suit thing is really bugging me. Of course I could be alright but...

That's when I feel something in my Sense. Something that goes from normal buzzing to a constant thundering pulse. Screaming towards me on a pair of mighty wings is a guy flying through the air with duffel bags in… her? Industrial metal claws. Big and obvious warning signs but whatever. Hitting the air, I swing off towards adventure and glory, the screaming engines and the feeling of the air hit me all at once. My webbing goes taut and I whip into action.

The winged lady is wearing a dark green flight suit with the wide metal wings and massive whining hover engines. She whips to the right, I run alongside a building. The webline strains and I leap off, using a new one and slinging off a building this time.

"Hey buddy! I think you're from outta town! Vultures are in the desert!" I yell, the Vulture lady looks over at me.

"AHHHHHHH!" she screams in pure fear. My spider legs jab at her and she whips her wings, feathers shoot out and I dodge them, a sharp pain going through my side, I got grazed! She's got throwable feathers!

The webline snaps and she swoops down, her claws gripping me and slamming me hard into the pavement, my shirt shreds and my jeans ripped. In a sheer panic she slams me again and again screeching.

"DIE! DIE! DIE YOU NIGHTMARE FROM HELL!" but that's not what my Legs thought, bursting out of my back and unhooking the claws, grinding me to a halt as the Vulture wheels back towards me, money flying everywhere since he tore through the bag like nothing to it.

"Oh, it's the legs, isn't it?! You know you're TECHNICALLY being ableist, right?" My legs weave up a better hold as I try to slingshot myself away from her, just to find something to ground this madcap flier. I kick up a manhole cover, breathing in as I twirl it around me like a discus.

It snaps out of my hand like the deadliest Frisbee known to man. But then shots ring out from her wrists, it's not a gun but installed wrist cannons. Taking to the air again I chase her down.

"Listen, Duck Hunt's a fun game but I don't think-" Outta NOWHERE comes this massive horned beastie, rocketing at me with a low bellowing, my Sense gets me out of the way. In seconds it rounds and Vulture hovers nearby.

"Aidranne, come on! To crush a spider is simple business!" the armored Rhino-thing thunders. Vulture shakes and shivers, her eyes wide.

"But LOOK at him, Alexei! He's DISGUSTING!"

"What? He is spider! Spiders are weird and fascinating!"

"Do NOT support him!"

Aww! They're fighting like an old married cou- my muscles seize right as the Rhino rockets at me, my Spider-Legs scramble to try to flick me out of the way but I get clipped by the Rhino and go for a flight.

I twirl through the air, my Sense and everything overwhelmed and overtaken. As the Rhino and Vulture close in… there's a brown blur and a heavy WHACK. Standing in front of me is Ezekiel! He looks down at me, his face splitting slightly into armored mandibles and drooling out of his fanged maw.

"Kid, get outta the way!" he snarls, "Do you wanna die?!" My eyes screw shut as my Spider-Legs retract, my head fuzzing with my Sense, my fangs aching and my vision swimming like nobody's business. My hands find where they are, my Sense still buzzes, there's no reason why I'm doing this. Why am I becoming a Spider-Man knockoff? Why? Is it fame? Glory? Standing up, I watch as Zeke and the other villains fight.

He makes it so effortless, so clean. So clearly his own talent. But… Here I am. Drooping legs painfully, and slowly, retracting into my back. My wrists and hands hurt from the web and stinger slats, why should I risk myself? Risk my youth? If out of the eight point eight million people in New York City, why was I the one bitten? Why couldn't have it been Peter? I'm no one special, the only thing that's special about me is the fact my brain got damaged from a lack of oxygen.

What's the big play here? What's the world thinking of making a boy from Queens with Cerebral Palsy a Spider-Man? Through the pain, I crouch and my muscles strain. My Sense hones in on The Vulture, still wheeling through the air but I don't hear her screeching. I always wanted to be something more. To be something great. Here I am, legs pounding the pavement, launching myself at her with all my might and the leftovers of my strength. I leap, feet leaving the ground and everything falling away, the weightlessness as my web slats fire, the pain numbed and I close in, my feet lashing out and scoring a huge hit.

She goes tumbling, end over end, wings sparking and crackling as she lands in the thick webbing Zeke put out. I land and stumble, my breath panting and wheezing. I close my eyes and raise my fist in the air.

Why do I want to be Spider-Man?

Why do I want to be one of two?

I don't know.

As I fall, I'm caught by strong, old arms. A warm chuckle and I'm moved to his shoulders.

"Good job, kid. That's step one."

 

[XIIIthewanderingpaladin]

Waking up in a strange man's apartment is weirder than I ever could describe, of course the Vulture and Rhino are all over the news. There's the smell of breakfast and cigarettes in the air. Even weirder is the fact that we lived in the same building. The same burning pull-catch of my limbs calls me from sleep as I rise and Zeke squats over me, holding a plate out.

"Here. Get eating." he says, smiling as the nicotine smell grows stronger. It's going to be all over me.

"You smoke?"

"I'm eighty-three years old, I can do whatever the hell I want." he grumbles, "So you're the new Spider? Recluse." there's a grin on his aged face as I shovel in the eggs, pancakes, bacon, and other things.

"Hrah, hry?"

"That's a dumb name, what happened to 'Spider-Man'?" He leans in, looking me dead in my eyes, "You come swinging in, calling yourself the Recluse, and expect everyone to just accept it?"

I bristle a little at that, "Hey!" I didn't want to be them! Why the fuck would I be?

"There's a bunch of Spider-People already, I thought it'd be- pwa!" he tosses a bunch of clothes at me and they flop into my arms. It's a nice leather-like jacket and black turtleneck, alongside some pants and some... boots?

"I can't wear boots." I state.

"They're slip ins." he answers.

"Still can't wear 'em." I answer, "Got a hinge in my braces, it'd get in the way."

"Sneakers then." He still insists? Why is he even helping me at all? I thought he hated me? Ah well, I guess this solves my suit problem as convenient as it is. I slide on the turtleneck, and shrug on the jacket.

"Did you just have this ready?" I ask him. Zeke leans against the doorframe, eyes not really seeing me but full of some kinda pride? He focuses again and hardens his expression.

"Yeah. Mostly 'cause I knew this world'd have another Spider." he states, "It ain't some fate shit, it's a fuckin' curse." he glares at the streets below.

"You think you can just swoop in and save people, be some big hero, get the hot chicks, and then go have your happy ending?" he glares at me, his scowl deeper, "You ain't seen nothing yet, Jack."

"I don't need a happy ending, I just want to help-"

"You're lying, you're Jack Parker. I've seen your cousin, Peter. How *successful* he is, how much he's done for the world." he grins, "And I figured it out the moment I clocked you."

"You're jealous, kid." he states simply like he's understood how I feel about everything. I mean, I guess? It's not like it's too much but at the same time thinking that's all there is to it IS kind of reductive, right?

He's right though. I have to admit that. So I do.

"Yeah, you're right..." I sigh, looking down at the mask, "I am jealous. Because he's got it all figured out."

Zeke chuckles, "Just 'cause he's famous doesn't mean he's not a total wreck." He pops the tab on a beer, "But just some words of wisdom: There's tragedy in this. There's no happy ending for you."

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, "I'll make one, Zeke."

"Come back to me when you eat those words, kid."

---

I don't think I'll ever not get used to the feeling of webslinging. The air rushing past my face, my new suit looking great, the red and black making it pop. All of it just feels... right.

Like I could take on the world and then some. Every moment spent slinging through the air on hopeful lines of webbing makes the pain a little more bearable. That's all before my Sense goes off as the ringing of a bank alarm comes into focus. Out front there's a line of vans. I get inside and post up on the ceiling, it's Dad's bank. The one he goes to cash paychecks at. Hopefully, he's not here and I can just swoop in and save the day but my Sense detects several people, low to the floor and gathered up almost like hostages.

I can't sus any specific ones out. They're too close together but voices bubble up towards me.

"Everyone down!" one of the robbers in a Dr. Doom mask yells, "Nobody moves and you'll all get outta here!" They're holding assault rifles and I crawl along the ceiling. There's five of them, no, ten.

Ten bank robbers against one Spider-Man. I don't think this'll be easy, but as long as I keep a cool head, trust my body, and...

Drop.

Webbing goes off, hitting their rifles, my Legs popping out to block the feeling of bullets, ricocheting but being stalled by my smooth movement. A crowbar whistles past me like a screaming bullet.

It's almost like everything comes naturally. Until a shot grazes my side, sending pain dappling through the smooth feeling. Keeping it light, webbing shooting out and dancing on the weblines. A daring airshow where I'm the stunt pilot. Leaping, webbing, dodging, and kicking. Bright red and black, legs a tornado of pain. But then right as I get to one of the last ones, I don't notice the reload.

Or Dad.

He pushes me out of the way, "Spider-Man, MOVE!"

The shot goes off, and I see my Dad go down. Everything slows, even the fight. I dart right towards him and scoop him into my arms, "Dad!" I scream, ducking through the hail of bullets. But all I get is the rush. The burning of adrenaline. I crouch, muscles bunched and legs spread, eyes wide behind the mask, my wrists hurt. They form up and the last few are in the safe.

I don't give a single shit. Years of Dad protecting me, years of him teaching me things, of course I never shared it here because I didn't think it right then. All I could feel was indescribable. I just... hit them. They tried to fight back but I closed in mere seconds away and beat them all down with one shot, then grabbed my Dad and off I went. Like a machine.

Once I get outside I'm holding my Dad, wound webbed up as best as I could get it, with someone waiting for me on the rooftop. The Black Cat stands there, eyes widening and the sly smile falling.

"What-"

"Help me!" I snap, "Please! My Dad's been shot!" tears sting my eyes, I was right there and about to end it with flash and then... "Please, Cat. You... you gotta-"

"Follow me." she states, "Quick!" my legs wrap around Dad and I take off as fast as I can. Swinging through the air trying to keep him stable. Trying to go as fast as I can. Felicia and I land in front of a hospital, I forgot the name and a lot of the way in, I remember ripping off my mask and taking off my coat, running in with Dad in my arms.

Screaming 'Help him! Help my Dad!' over and over. Then the hours set in, agonizing over me calling my Mom. Over what went wrong. Alone and scared. But I stuck by him, I ended up calling mom and rapid-fire explaining what happened, including the fact that Dad got shot and I didn't know what to do so I rushed him right over.

Dad looks up at me, still in pain on the bed, "Don't... blame yourself..."

"Dad..." I warble, my jacket and gloves off so I look pretty normal but I grab his hand, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."

"No... you did your best, kiddo..." he groans, reaching up and touching my cheek.

The curtain moves aside and there she is. Panting and worried, Mom stands there and looks at me, numb and my Sense buzzing. She takes off her glasses, clearly worried.

She's got graying brown hair that she dyes blond. It's nice but she looks at me with so much sadness seeing my jacket and mask, gloves too tossed onto a chair. She takes it in, then looks over at Dad, he smiles lamely.

"Surprise, May..." he groans.

"Oh fuck off!" she snaps, "Ben, what the hell?!" she starts forward, "Please tell me it's good," her eyes meet mine and I start crying. He's fading out from my Sense. I shut them and tears roll down my cheeks.

There's a shake in her steps as she wraps her arms around me, "Oh my baby..." she rocks me a little, "Oh my baby..." she kisses my temple as the horrible warning from Zeke comes back.

'There's tragedy in this. There's no happy ending for you.'

"Mom..." I bury my face into her chest and shut down. Dad strains to sit up, still fading but his voice carries into the hug.

"May, Jack." he says, "C'mere." we break apart and rush to his side. His eyes on both of us and he smiles. There's a moment where everything kind of fades away with a high ringing. Almost like tinnitus.

But I hear his last words plain as day, "May, Jack's Spider-Man. He saved me."

"What?!" she gasps, "Ben, you better be fucking joking." the ringing comes back and overcomes the next few bits but the next moment I remember I'm running down the hallway with my stuff back on, crying under my mask. It's my fault. I should've listened to Zeke. Should've protected Dad better. Running up the side of the building and leaping off into the wet, heavy night. I have to go, have to face this somewhere else.

Just... why him?

Out of all the people that could've died why was it my dad? I only had one place to go and I ended up turning off my phone. Landing where I could sense her and standing on her balcony, taking off my mask and knocking on the door. I see her with her long platinum blond hair billowing behind her, wearing pajama pants and a normal white T-shirt.

"Jack?" she says, opening the door and letting the eco-friendly light pour out to me, "Are you-"

"Can I stay with you?" I ask, "I just... I can't stay in my apartment and the hospital's got my Dad and I don't wanna watch him fade away." My voice sounds small and hollow, she grabs my hand and leads me inside.

It's way fancier, way nicer, and all kinds of modern in here. Clean lines, everything orderly almost like she has some kinda feng shui she's got. She settles me down on her couch and a couple of very fluffy cats trot out to see me.

Both of them are black furred and very cute looking.

"Oh, these're Lupin and Joker." she scoops them up and gently plops Lupin into my lap. He looks up at me and starts purring, "See? Don't cats make it better?"

"Kinda." I state, petting him and he's just purring up a storm, "Why're you on your own?"

"My dad's never really around." she stiffens a little but curls against me, Joker crawling around on the floor exploring things. I know I left Dad and Mom just to stay here with her.

"How'd you find me?" she wonders aloud, "I never gave you my address."

"My Sense has kind of a... familiarity with certain signatures," Looking at her with a smile on my face, "You're familiar, so it was easy to find you."

"Wow that's-" she grins, "Absurdly handy. Is it like an x-ray sense?"

"Well, no. I have to be in the same room as the signatures, at least that's as far as I know." Lupin leaps off my lap and Felicia touches my cheek, guiding me to look at her.

"I know it's hard, Jack." she states, "I've never seen you more scared, or even that angry before." her eyes half-lidded and she pushes me forward, kissing me gently.

I pull back, "I'm going to take a shower."

"Sure, second door on the right, okay?" she watches me go, "If you need anything just holler, 'kay?"

"Yeah!" I call back, I know I left my phone in my coat and all. So now here I am under the rain of water in the shower, closing my eyes and trying not to cry about it. I was warned.

I knew and it still happened. I knew and he *still* died. Nothing to fix it and no way to go back. He just so happened to be there, and it wasn't my fault right? He said to not blame myself but I'm all he had.

So much pressure pressing down on me now. So much. I ran away from it, I'm with my... friend? Girlfriend? Partner? Whoever Felicia is to me. I take some of the shampoo and run it through my hair. I remember when Dad used to play Billy Joel and whenever I'd have issues he'd fire up Pressure. The truck would be trundling along with the same jerky bumping because Dad liked Fords.

He used to tell me over sandwiches looking out over the city that, "Pressure's a part of life, Jack." he motioned out to the world, "All around us, there's pressure."

"What would you do, Dad?" I warble as I rub my tiny Spider-Legs with a washcloth. Getting my slats clean too. I make sure to get everywhere I can, "You always seemed so unstoppable."

I don't get the magic answer, the hiss of the showerhead is all I get back. All I got back is nothing but the hiss. So I grit my teeth and close my eyes. I have to keep going, all the pressure ramped up on me.

So I'm just going to have to bear it. After the shower there's nothing much I can do. I wander out of the bathroom with a change of clothes she laid out for me. It's so... normal.

Felicia pops her head around the corner, "You can stay in my bed tonight."

"Why?"

"Because you might need it. Plus you're not that chivalrous, right?" Felicia leads me to her bedroom and there're posters lining the walls of a lot of different bands, a couple of cat beds for Lupin and Joker, and a double bed. I get in, and so does Felicia. We just kinda... fell asleep. No kisses, no close hug, just falling asleep before the world falls down on me and I feel what I need to feel.

---

The familiar chords of The Recluse by Cursive fill my ears, laying in her bed at her apartment in Midtown. Staying there ever since the funeral and all that. It was guys from Dad's work, relatives we barely saw. Mom understood in the end, probably because I was torn up and I needed somewhere that wouldn't remind me of Dad. Which would be my apartment because of course it'd be.

Peter was too busy, he'd catch us later. Figures. I kept my phone off but Felicia's opened her home to me. She didn't come with me to the funeral, seeing it as way too personal and not wanting to get in the way. Which was her choice. I ended up going back home with Mom. She looked at me with an unsaid thing. Almost like she was about to ask me about the whole Spider-Man thing.

But she didn't, "Come inside, Jack."

"Oh, okay." I step in and settle down in the living room, "How y'holding up, Mom?"

Mom sighs and shakes her head, "Your father meant a lot to me." she starts, "Imagine, big city girl meets a smaller part boy in a mechanic shop here in Queens."

"Right, and you almost left him for-"

"Denver, I had a good job lined up and he was like, 'I thought we were getting married.' It was one of the ONLY times I ever wanted to slap him." she laughs a little.

"Then you had me...?"

"About five years in, I got tested and y'know I thought you'd be an easy pregnancy." she sits and smiles sadly, "All the books, fuckin' Mozart, and the cravings were the weirdest part." she continues after tearing up a bit.

"Ben would... he'd find all kinds of things." she dries her eyes, "He'd find a crib, some clothes, he was a great finder." Mom switches over to sit next to me and she wraps an arm around my shoulders.

"Nothing got me ready for you, your Dad was in a complete PANIC." she laughs again remembering what happened that day, "Apparently the way to the hospital was blocked by the cleanup from a Moloid attack!"

"So what'd you guys do?" I ask, almost feeling like I was a little kid again, "Like, was there another way or..."

"No, but guess who came to help?" she nudges me and shows me a video of that day on an old camcorder, and Dad's over the moon expression in a squealy breathlessness as they wheeled her in, but the kicker?

"Captain America?" I mumble, "Why was he...?"

"He was there to help with the cleanup, saw me and your Dad, and escorted us to the hospital himself." she laughs as a string of Italian curse words hit Cap square in the face after he said good luck.

"See? I cussed out Captain America!" she laughs hard enough to double over, the speaker having a panicky Dad yelling.

"May! May! You DON'T CUSS OUT CAPTAIN AMERICA!"

"I JUST DID!"

We both burst out laughing as there's a knock at the door. Mom goes to answer it. I continue watching as it cuts right to Mom and Dad at the NICU, seeing me squirming in the tank.

"Ah, look at him, Ben..." she sighs, touching the box, "He's so small."

"I know. Smaller n' most." he turns the camcorder around and looks me in the eyes, "You're here, Jack. You gave me and your Mama a scare but..." he turns it back around as Mom holds out one of her fingers for me to grab in my tiny hand.

"You're gonna be amazing, kiddo." he sighs, "Just... amazing." I can't help but start crying because they always believed in me no matter what and here I am just being a stick in the mud. But then a sensation, a familiar sensation, fills my Sense.

"Hey man, how's tricks?" a familiar voice says behind me, I turn and there's an old friend from years ago, slimmer but no less big. Blond hair shorn short wearing a San Francisco hoodie and a wan smile. Taller than me, stronger, but no less a best friend. Eddie Brock stands there with the same old smile he always has. I put the camcorder down, pausing it and looking at my best friend in sheer shock.

"Eddie?" I ask, "Oh my GOD!" I run right into his arms and he wraps me in the biggest hug he can muster, "Ohoho! Still strong!"

"Still bigger n' you!" he snaps, "And you got Spider-Powers?" He plops me down and I can't fight the watery grin on my face. I can't believe he came all the way here from San Fran.

"So... uh..." I dry my eyes a little, "You been here long?"

"No, took me a bit but when your Mom called me I dropped everything and here I am." he wraps an arm around my shoulders, "Look, your Dad was like a dad to me too."

He looks out at the yard, "Remember when we used to play Captain America?"

"Yeah." I look at the old tree, "I'd be Bucky and you'd be Cap, and I think it was MJ who was the damsel, right?" I close my eyes and remember how simple things were. How it was always the three of us.

"You know my Mom cussed him out when I was born?"

"Really?! Damn."

"Watch the tape in the camcorder if you don't believe me."

Eddie laughs, "Later, later. I think a special someone's gonna come."

That's when there's a knock at the door, Eddie looks at me with a cheeky grin and I bolt to it, throwing it open and-

Standing there is Felicia. Holding some flowers, probably a little guilty, "Oh! Hey." she yelps, wearing a punkish ensemble, "Just ahh... dropping these off." she plops them in my hands and I smile as Eddie and Mom peek out from behind me.

"Thanks, Felicia." I say, "You wanna come inside and say hi to my Mom or my friend?" I lamely wilt hearing Eddie go.

"Oh my GOD it's Felicia Hardesky."

"Hardy, Brock!" she snaps back at him before shoving past me into the house. Okay, now this is awkward. Mom fixes a smile on her face.

"Felicia! What a nice surprise!" she has that false tone like she's about to go off in Italian at her at any moment. She walks forward and gently tilts her face around.

"Gosh, how long has it been, sweetie?"

"A while."

Eddie scoffs, "Sure, 'a while'."

"Seriously, what is your problem with her, Eds?" I ask, "Is it something dumb?"

Felicia sighs and sits down at the bar next to him, "No, just..."

"She and I used to butt heads a lot." Eddie groans, "Always some shady shit with her papers and junk."

"It wasn't papers and junk!" she snaps, "I just couldn't get it done sometimes Mr. Drill Sargant!"

Eddie laughs and Mom can't help but chuckle, I settle back down but then right as I'm about to there's *another* knock. I turn and there's a familiar face standing right at the door.

Deep blue eyes, deeper than the ocean stare into mine, her long red hair billowing softly in a breeze that wasn't there. Just like the last time I saw her, the day before I moved out. She stands there, a faded Metallica shirt on and a flannel shirt. Jeans, a backpack on her back and a couple of clips and barrettes in her hair holding most of it back. She gets a smile on her face. Her voice sounds like music and she says...

"Hey tiger, long time no see."

I wrap her up in a big hug, my Spider Legs excitedly popping out to wrap her in them too, "Mary Jane!" I yell, "Oh my God!"

"Hey, hey..." she soothes, "Easy there, you're about to pop my back!"

"It's just- It's-" I sputter as I grab her hand and pull her inside, "Mom! It's MJ!" Mom laughs as I bring my best friend in like she's a cool stick I found. Felicia immediately looks like she's about to get her shit kicked in and Eddie gets up to greet her.

"MJJJJJ!" he yells, tackling her in a hug too, "How's our favorite damsel in distress?!" he swings her around and plops her back down, "Mama Parker was just about to make dinner."

"Yeah, I know." MJ answers, then growing frosty, "What's Felicia doing here?"

"Well ah..." Felicia starts.

"Yeah, that's what I'd like to know." Eddie says, "You don't have anything to do with-"

"I'm Jack's girlfriend." Felicia answers, looking at me for support, "I mean it's a recent development, and I helped him get Ben to..." she wilts, "Okay, okay. We're in a situation."

Mom turns, "Miss Hardy." she states, tone tenser than a spring, "If you have anything to do with my boy's powers I swear I will-" I step in.

"Mama-"

"Per favore, stai zitto, figliolo." she cuts me off, "Just... Felicia, hold off on the titles."

She gets up, gets her bag, and leaves. Looking over her shoulder at me and smiling.

"I'll see you around, Spider." she walks away and I watch her go. Mom grabs my shoulder and turns me around, smiling and smoothing my hair.

"Jack, you barely know her." she touches my cheeks, "I just want you to be safe, okay? And this Spider-Man gig you have-"

"It's not a gig, Mama." I sigh, "An' I'm not a mamoni."

"Let's just get inside and eat. It's Lasagna, and I made some Tiramisu because your friends were coming. There's a couple more people too." she states, grabbing my hand and taking me inside while Eddie and MJ were catching up.

I sit down and MJ and Eddie both look at me, "Dude, it's okay." Eddie says, "MJ and I always looked out for you and Felicia wasn't all that great."

"Eddie!" MJ snaps, her hair writhing, "Not now." I sit and look at them with a bit of anger in my heart. Felicia helped me get Dad to the hospital, she's the only one who's out there with me, and these two left me.

Abandoning me so they can play reporter and Broadway star. I see her up on the matinees all the time. People love her mutation, it's pretty. I quiet down with a sip of soda as the door knocks again.

Mom goes to answer the door, "Oh!" she exclaims, "Peter! Gwen!"

I sigh and close my eyes, "Greeeat."

Peter comes in first, round glasses and beard in a humble set of clothing. At first glance you wouldn't see him as Stark's golden boy, but ever since Mr. Octavius went off the grid he's been under Stark. He looks at me with a soft smile.

"Heya Jack." he greets, "MJ, Eddie."

"Hey." I keep it short, hug him for a few seconds as Gwen drifts in. She's a big time scientist too, works at Oscorp. Funny how that works out, huh? She hugs me and I return it.

She was always nice to me. Wearing her usual black hairband and having a long coat and a professional look about her. She smiles and asks the million dollar question.

"Jack, are you feeling okay?" she asks.

"No. No I'm not." I admit, I look down at my feet. I don't deserve to be in a room full of people that have themselves together. Peter and Mom talk in the kitchen as Eddie pipes up.

"So, you and Pete've been working under Stark Industries?" he asks, flexing that investigative muscle like he's been willing to do. Gwen nods but doesn't look very happy about it.

"It's not really Mr. Stark's anymore..." she sighs, "Some new CEO came in, all flash and pomp, I've heard he's going to cut our funding."

"What?" I blurt, "But the AFO project, and the Tensile String, what the-"

"Peter's trying to get out of there, but... my mechanical engineering is way too important to pass up, something about more efficient energy cores."

That's when I get a soft length around my arm, looking down there's a thick tress of hair wound around it, MJ looking at me shyly. Almost like she's got something she needs me to say.

"Hey Mama? Pete?" I pipe up.

"Yeah?" Mom calls back, "What?"

"Can ya hold off on the food for a sec?" I hear her grunt and a begrudging answer back of...

"Alright!"

---

MJ's got me by the arm, this is more than important. She pulls me aside, towards my room, "Got something to say to me, Ma-"

She pulls me forward, kissing me deeply, "I missed you, Jack..." she admits, "Just... well, seeing Felicia with you kind of made me a little angry."

"MJ..." I start, "Please don't."

"I'm just trying to protect-"

"See? That right there is why I never tried dating you." I watch her hair billow and dance with a life of its own, "Now I'm out, Mary Jane." I sigh, turning around and when I'm just about to leave the room I feel her hair wrap around me.

"Jack, just... this Spider-Man thing isn't something to take lightly." she sighs, "It scares me, that train and that fight with the weird Vulture woman and Rhino guy."

"I had those."

"But what if you didn't?" she asks, "What if you need someone?" I gently tuck some of her hair behind her ear, it winds around my hand and fingers.

"I got bit by the Spider, it's my responsibility." I look at her hair, my hand, and then into her eyes, "You already have to deal with being a mutant, MJ."

MJ hugs me, "I don't care, Tiger, I really don't." she looks down at me, "Just... you're not alone, okay?"

I lean into the hug and rejoin everyone, the table set and everything. Mom looks at me and MJ. She doesn't know, does she? I sit down and join in for grace. It's been a while since I've done that. We ate, the conversations all going pretty well despite the reason why we were all there. Peter and I ended up in the kitchen washing up and putting the dishes away. He stands next to me, looking at me, glancing at my back, and under the shirt my legs tap gently.

"So... you got bit by a Spider?"

"Yeah, got these powers."

"Neat."

We continue to put them away, put the leftovers up. Everything's winding down and Peter continues.

"Listen, if you need technical help or expertise, you got me!" he suggests, "I'm good with tech."

"I know." I snap, "God, I've always known."

Peter shirks back and I continue, "All my life I've known you were better than me." my eyes look dead into his, "You were always the one your parents would talk about and compare me to you."

"I know that wasn't right, Jack." Peter's tone is full of remorse, even hurt, "You needed more help and it wasn't right what my Dad did." he looks back down at himself, "My dad always had it in his head that Uncle Ben was better than him."

"Huh. Guess he was wrong." I state, "I always thought Uncle Richard was some kinda saint."

"He wasn't, Jack." Peter sounds hollowed-out, tired, "What he developed for the Department of Defense, even PMCs, makes my stomach churn." he glances at me and I keep looking at him almost like he's not that far off. Working for Tony Stark, master of war? The one guy who basically laid the groundwork for that Sentinel shit that MJ's probably going to be the victim of? I grit my teeth.

"Does Stark use your tech?" I ask.

"That's something only I need to know-" Peter starts.

"Then no, I don't need you." my voice is strong, simply tough, "You can be all redemptive, but you chose to work for Stark instead of taking Dr. Octavius's place." My voice warbles, thinking of how Otto used to help me with my braces, and how Dad and him were close.

"Jack, sometimes-" he tries to get all moral, get that high ground again. My Dad isn't even cold in the ground, and you're offering your bloodied hands? I turn and snarl at him.

"Fuck off." I grab my jacket and my gloves, my mask too. I can't stand him. I can't stand any of this. I have to go. I have to be Spider-Man again. I land on one of the houses on the edge of the neighborhood.

I understand it all now.

Dad's gone, Zeke was right, tragedy will follow me wherever I go. I'm probably pissed off but I don't care. The pressure still is here, the guns in my face are here, all of it is.

So bring it, New York, bring your worst.

 

[XIIIthewanderingpaladin]

My earphones play Comfortably Numb, webslinging through the air. One of Dad's favorite songs where it all just recedes. For some reason my cooldown wasn't so bad this time. So, what am I doing? Well, I can't stay with Felicia forever. The air rushes past me, my Sense gently pulsing around me, my webbing shining silver in the sunlight. Every part of me makes this all feel right. How it all just comes together. Like I've always needed to be Spider-Man.

Closing my eyes and just trusting my body, trusting my mind and my strength all at once. I can do this. I have to do this. Dad died saving me, and if I let him down or anyone down it's just going to make it worse. Of course, there's a moment where I think about the fact that I could do way more than just save people. I could make money, I could completely change my future just by using my powers.

Landing on a building, the morning din sounds up to me and my Sense thrums along with it all. Eddie and MJ were still in town, and maybe she's got a show she's doing soon? I hope she's okay. Normally I wouldn't worry, but after all the Sentinel attacks have been ramping up, someone like her would probably almost get themselves killed just walking around. I sit, watching. Waiting. My slinging trips were getting more and more frequent. Mostly because I didn't really have to think about it. I just... did. I didn't have to think or feel anything.

I just did.

So I keep going, helping people normally and happily enough. Hiding the pain by just acting like I'm good. My aching, my pain, all of it ignored and shoved deeper into my vault of a brain. You're stronger than this, Jack. You're Spider-Man. You're supposed to laugh in the face of the odds. So I have to keep going, even with those weirdos who keep showing up.

---

Grand Central Station is a weird place to be in terms of being a supervillain. I mean, unless they can shut the tunnels with whatever new power there is. The odd thing is the feeling of these shockwaves fuzzing out my sense. The building shudders and quakes, the people insides' signatures fuzz and break, my own powers seem to hesitate but I creep my way in from the roof. Crawling through the ventilation and onto the ceiling.

The person standing at the platforms was tall-ish. More average height actually, muscular and covered in a quilted suit, almost like padding. The arms of the person, wait no, the woman, are gauntleted and vibrating with bright yellow energy. I don't want to just land and fight her head on. She looks around with an almost eagerness about her. Almost like she rustled this up intentionally, and well... considering that the Gold Goblin, Vulture, and Rhino have popped up this is the fourth.

What's with these guys?

"Hey lady! I think you should give that back to your grandma!" I snap, trying to web her up but she notices and bursts my webs apart. I close in and kick her skyward, punching her back down and trying to-

BWAAAM.

The shockwaves burst my Sense to shreds as The Shocker rains blows onto me. She's a boxer, she's made for this. You put me in a corner and I'm done for. One heavy shocked blow and I'm on my knees.

"Seriously? I thought he said you were good."

My arms and legs burn with pain, my Sense flickers in and out. I still bunch up, jabs and crosses raining into me and my Spider-Legs still keeping me balanced until a heavy uppercut slams me into the roof.

A meaty crunch and blinding pain crash into my back, my legs spasm and go limp. My breath rushes out of me as I fall back to the floor. People screaming and Shocker laughs. At least after the blinding pain goes from loud to a dull roar. Shocker raises her arms, hands spread wide, showboating like she had no other business to. Almost like Crusher Hogan from all the way back when Peter and I were kids.

"Wow! This was too easy! And you came in all cool!" she walks up to me and kneels, "Too bad I beat you, Spider-Man." My Spider legs broken and fallen off around me.

"No... I'm not..." my hands dig into the floor, "I'm... not..." I try to push up but my legs won't work, neither will my arms. God, did I really push myself that hard? I look up at her and she stands back up.

"Not what?" she looks over her shoulder, "Not gonna fight me?"

"Fuck... you..." I grab her ankle, "You... you're not... gonna..."

"Oh honey... are those really gonna be your last words?" she charges up her gauntlet and I screw my eyes shut. No one's coming, I pushed my powers well beyond their limits, and now I'm gonna die.

Suddenly, my Sense snaps me into action. There's someone familiar nearby. A tide of red hair busts in and engulfs the Shocker. She tries to burst it apart but more and more lengths tie around her gauntlets and hold her up.

"What the-" she yelps before getting tied up and softly whisking in is someone I didn't even expect to see. That and people get even more excited seeing her. Standing there in a purple and black hero suit with a black utility belt with an M belt buckle is MJ?!

"Madame Medusa!" A hostage cries, almost in excitement. How long has she been doing this?

"Medusa?! No way!" one of them exclaims, "Hey, Spider-Man's hurt!" I watch as she looks at me and I want her to stop looking. She walks towards me, her hair winding around me and lifting me into her deceptively strong arms.

"Hey! He's mine!" Shocker snaps, "I had him, you bit-" a length of hair wraps around her mouth with a soft chiding laugh from MJ.

"Shocker... there're kids here." she waves a tress at a little girl holding a Wasp doll. I can barely move but MJ still holds me close. She looks down at me and her expression's full of that... I don't wanna say mocking, more like that caring worried expression she gets.

"What am I gonna do with you?" she sighs, almost swaddling me in her hair. My cheeks burn with embarrassment. MJ continues on, her hair carrying her along and still keeping me safe in its tresses while Shocker bounces along with an angry growling.

"I swear, he's gonna have a fucking cow..." she bobs along, a length of hair whacking her on the head, "Hey! I'mma give you intel!" MJ tuts and dangles her by a length of hair, upside down and hanging over the side of a building.

"Alright, spill. Or you do." she starts, "I'd much rather not kill you for what you did to my friend here."

"Whoa whoa whoa!" I squeak, "Who said anything about killing?" MJ looks down at me with a serene smile.

"This bitch tried to kill you. I wanna know who put her up to it." she snaps. Shocker rolls her eyes and then there's another BWAAM. We go flying and MJ swaddles me up in her hair, holding me close as we roll.

I end up on top of her, she ends up below me, squeezing me as tight and as close as she can. My overworked body roars in a dull pain. But MJ takes me back to my apartment, flowing along on her long tresses of hair.

Mostly blinded from the pain, I feel my bed hit my stomach. The soft sheets falling over me, and a soft, gentle touch on my cheek. Mary Jane stays by my side. My Sense overwhelmed as she bustles about, looking at the sad state I'm in, my costume a little rough around the edges from The Shocker's attacks.

She hovers, sitting next to my bed on a chair she set up, "Jack... sleep well, okay? I'll be here when you wake up."

"Thank you, Mary..." I mumble, closing my eyes. Not long after I passed out she went through my stuff. Mostly just because she was curious. Or maybe it was because she didn't trust me when Felicia showed up at that dinner a week ago. Not that I have anything to hide. I just passed out and wake up to my school alarm going off. I rise from my bed, finding a lunchbox packed for me, my clothes folded and put away, and other small things.

I guess MJ wanted an excuse to take care of me again... I take it and grab my walking stick, my powers in a sort of cooldown mode where I can't use them, and considering the absolutely blinding, disabling pain that my body goes through because of it, it's only natural my family and friends worry about me.

MJ sees me wandering out, "Have a good sleep, Jack?" she asks with a serene, almost regal smile. Like she's been proper even though I've seen her deal with things beyond my own ability to.

I nod and eat my breakfast just kinda normally. Not that there's much to say anyway. she watches me, leaning on her hands with that same entertained smile on her face. I don't know what the hell is with her.

"I'm ah... going to class now."

She drifts up to me and hugs my arm, "Let's go then."

And just like that I'm on the way to the campus with her, the fact that she's even with me sending my mind into a panic because Harry's there, and so is Felicia. Maybe that's the point? Hell if I know. She walks along with me, some people staring at her hair wrapped around my arm, meandering along with me like she doesn't even have anywhere to go or anything to do. Like she's always found time to center her life around mine, which freaks me out deep down. Is she obsessed with me? Or is it just some other reason and I'm being dramatic?

Some of the other students look at me, almost whispering excitedly seeing MJ. Especially the drama kids. My cheeks heat up and I try my best not to draw attention to ourselves but of course it doesn't take long for something to go horribly wrong. I ended up bailing on her so I could sneak into class without any awkwardness. Of course I never really got that far because stealth and I don't really mix. She didn't notice me cutting and running.

Felicia sees me, "Hey Jack!" she calls, waving me down. I raise my hands, trying to quiet her down.

"Shshshshshshsh!" I shush, "MJ's here!"

"What? What's Mary Jane doing?" Felicia asks, "Is she being weird again?"

"No, no, actually she's being weirder." I say, looking around, "Can we just get to class?"

"Sure, are you okay?" her tone's concerned, "I heard about the whole Shocker thing. Who knew MJ was a media darling?"

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah, people love her." Peeking around because I don't know if she's still here or not thanks to the cutting off of my Spider Sense. Felicia nods but the thing is I can't get a read on what MJ even wants.

As we get going, I notice her standing and waving at me. I wave back and Felicia's arm goes around my shoulders, glaring at her. Mary Jane doesn't seem to mind. Felicia lets go once we get inside and sit down. Harry's off towards the front again, being stressed out because he's been running his hand through his hair. Felicia sits next to me, passing a note my way.

You okay?

I scribble on it, Nope. Cooldown's a bitch and a half.

She chuckles, and we take notes, but she slips one back towards me, Wanna go to a show with me?

I send one back, Well, I don't have much to do thanks to my powers crapping out.

She smiles, "Doors are at eight, I'll get you at seven." she says, leaning down and kissing me on the cheek, "Be ready to get knocked around a little gentler than Shocker."

"Oh please, that was nothing." I scoff, yeah. Yeah it was something. That wasn't gentle it was brutal. Why'd she bring up a 'him?' who is this mysterious 'him?' Mysterious 'he?' Seems like there's something up and I have no idea what it's going to be.

After class, I rush over to Harry as fast as I can. He's gotta know something about what's been going on because he breaks into a very suspicious run the minute he sees me. He outruns me, guess he's not good at hiding things? Or maybe I scared him? Maybe the second thing is way more plausible because I was limping like I was going after Danny Torrance.

However, I buzz a little with excitement over the fact that this was going to be Felicia and I's first date. A show! A metal show! I can't wait! Felicia laughs behind me, and I take her hand. Just another day in the new insanity called my life I guess, but the whole 'he' thing is looming in the back of my mind like the real-life foreshadowing it is. Maybe whatever it is was my archenemy? Maybe he's not.

"You're thinking again." Felicia pipes up as we get into her car to get to the show, "What's up?"

"Am I really that obvious?"

"Yeah, your face scrunches." she smirks, "What'cha thinking about?"

"Just... The Shocker brought up a 'he' when we were fighting earlier." I start, "I hope you know something about it because I don't. All I know is that these attacks are coordinated, it's almost like a fighting game in a way."

I look out the window, "That. An' MJ's also a vigilante."

"Oh shit, guess that's the rub." She sighs, walking next to me and holding my hand. We get into the club and the band sets up, but surprising me entirely is the fact that Felicia takes the stage herself.

She takes the lead guitar and goes up to the mic, "How're we doing tonight?!" the people there cheer.

"Well hell yeah!" she answers, "Welcome to the Black Cat! My band and I are excited to play for you all tonight, too! This concert goes out to my lovely boyfriend and that new vigilante Spider-Man!"

At that a light shines on me, not for the Spider-Man bit thank God but the whole

People cheer and her drummer smacks her sticks together to start the show. I'm leaning against a pillar, stabbing my stick into the floor and shaking my arms, every fiber in me is jostled around and I see my girlfriend completely change up there. Her voice goes from low, almost sultry, to a full on metal HOWL. Screaming something about Spiders on strings and other spidery things. Not like the old TV show theme but something new.

Felicia's hair becomes a fluffy tornado of platinum blonde, shining in the spotlights as the fog builds. She leaps off the stage, strumming and thundering away, the pit spreading to allow her some space. She wades through them, walking towards me and slinging her guitar away from her front, the mic cutting off as she yanks me forward and kisses me.

She then yanks me up to the stage, giving me my own mic. I know what to do because I've always wanted to do it and I give it all I got, screaming along with her to lyrics she gave me earlier in class. I practiced the entire day but at this point I wanted my cooldown to end already so I could be Spider-Man again. I have stuff to investigate and not a lot of time to do it in. Every second and every moment I don't the more things seem to not make sense.

There's four or so supervillains. Gold Goblin (Maybe, he's a weird dork.), Vulture, Rhino, Shocker... my thoughts seem to spin and whirl but Felicia's music banishes it for a while. We land on her bed, half-alive and ears ringing like the constant scree of her guitar and the thunder of the drums and crushing bass. She giggles at my kisses.

"Okay, okay, Spider!" she laughs, "You've been all over me lately..."

"That was the best surprise ever! My girlfriend's a noise sensation?!" I yell, my voice way too loud from the ringing of my ears. She kisses me some more, lipstick leaving traces all over my face and neck, breaking me out of my storm of thoughts.

Maybe this next round'll go better for me. That's when my phone rings and I reach out for it, I don't know the caller but I answer anyway.

"Hello?" I ask.

"Kid? It's Zeke." Zeke's voice sounds kind of stressed, "You're making waves. Big ones."

"Isn't that what I have to do?" I ask.

"No! Now I gotta deal with this kinda bullshit!" he snaps, "Get out here and he-"

He gets cut off and the call disconnects. Felicia watches as I get up and run towards her closet, where I put my backpack and all that. I take out my suit, shouldering on the turtleneck and my leather jacket, my gloves, my mask...

"I'm going. Someone's gotten Zeke." gently I flex my muscles, the pain and soft dull Sense still there.

"Not alone you're not!" Felicia snaps, "Gimme a minute."

"Felicia, these guys are strong, The Shocker almost beat me half to death." I say. She scoffs.

"You don't need to tell me the odds, I'm helping." She pulls off her shirt and reaches for her costume, "You're still cooling down and you're not alone."

"I don't want you to get hurt!" I snap, "This is my chance. This is my chance to make it right." I open the balcony window, my Sense buzzing only a few inches away from me, not even that.

My Spider Legs aren't back yet, my fangs deploy, my web slats slide open and there's an almost whistling pain going through them, but my webbing shoots out, I need to go. I need to help him. I need to save him. I hit the air, swinging through the air and ignoring the pain and the constant pulling of my Legs trying to restore themselves. Hopefully I can find him. Hopefully I'm not too late.

Hopefully I can make it right.

---

The Shocker, Hanna Scultz, unwraps her hands. Almost cheerily so as she saunters to the bag on the table. Her pay for taking out the Spider-Man and well, while Madame Medusa was a setback, it wasn't too bad. Her shockwave gauntlets almost knocked the poor webhead out, if not downright kill him. If she wasn't doing her job she thought he was kinda cute. She smiles, 'Man, I love it when they fight back.' her thoughts go back to that intense glare even through the mask.

No wonder her current boss was interested in him. She takes out some of the money, counting it as someone slinks from the shadows. A bowed form of a woman, slouching with her posture but still slinking. Dragging a body behind her, a tail whipping around, a cruel set of dark scorpion legs spindle down from her sides, between her ribs.

Mandibles mar her tanned face, long black wavy hair with a dark green tint slopes down her back in a slick and smooth rain of hair, normally bunched into a segmented braid resembling her tail. A wicked, also segmented one lashed around the old man's neck.

Dark green and cold, leaking poison from the bulbous and sharp stinger. She could snap the old man's neck in seconds, but their employer didn't want them to. Her mandibles and legs fold into her face and sides, restoring her to some kind of humanity. Blood rains softly from her nose, her arm at an odd angle but a sharp POP relocates it. Two punctures hissed closed by chemical burns on her neck. A few muscular segments pulse under shards of her dark green carapace.

Compared to her victim, she was barely hurt.

The old man, wrapped in her tail on the neck, has bloody stumps where his Spider Legs once were, his mandibles torn out, and his face marred and healing. His bone stingers clink and clatter around her neck from an almost leather cord. His chest rises and falls, he was a fearsome opponent, but old. Old and not as strong as she wanted him to be. Ah well, there'd be a new one. He took pain well, but still was fragile in some way.

Hanna looks up, seeing the Scorpion, "Hey Maria." she greets plainly.

"Schultz." Maria snarls, her tone lightly tinged with an accent Hanna didn't care about. She wasn't too concerned with where her buddy for this enterprise was from. Only that she got results.

"So... we got the old man." she states.

"Yes. And soon... we shall fight the little spider..." Maria croons, a blush coloring her cheeks at the thought of the Spider-Man's screams of agony. Hanna scowls and turns her attention back to her shockwave gauntlets.

"Maybe I can kill this one?" Maria asks.

"No. The boss said to take the old fart and wait. Then get the kid and push him to his limits." Hanna grins, liking the idea of dominating a super-powered opponent. Judging by what Maria did to the old man there's no way they could lose.

But she thought back to the Spider-Man's grip on her ankle, and even through the mask she could see his eyes. How wide and sharp and dangerous they were. How strong he could be.

She adjusts her gauntlets and slides them on, "Well then, Scorp. Let's get hunting."