(Baxter Building, Morning)
The soft beep of the medical equipment fills the silence of the lab. The sterile smell, the rhythmic breathing, and her peaceful expression tells him he is not dreaming. He is not imaginative enough to make this dream. This is the unyielding reality he is experiencing.
Gwen is alive. She is actually alive. The thought continues to circle in his head, unwilling to settle. He can't believe it. No matter how much looks at her, lying there inches away from him, he can't accept that she is here. Unconscious but alive.
And he should be overjoyed, he would be. In any other set of circumstances his heart would be bursting with all the happiness one can muster. But instead, a storm of conflicting emotions roils inside him. Mostly a mixture of elation and a deep, unsettling dread.
The sound of the doors hissing open and the clicking of heels break his thoughts and tells him who entered the room.
"Peter?" Sue's soft and gentle voice, motherly if you will, tells him he was right. "Reed has the results."
He doesn't look at her or immediately respond. He just continues to look at Gwen sleeping. Every monitor, every wire, all stand as mute witnesses to a miracle he both craves to keep and fears to see what will come of it.
She looks exactly the same as fateful day. A day that is forever scarred in his mind and heart. One that even now torments him by just looking at her.
"I don't want to leave her," he murmurs to Sue, his voice heavy with guilt and agonizing conflict. He lowers his gaze, to Gwen's hand that he wants to hold so feel her warmth again, "I don't want her to wake up and be scared and alone."
The last thing he wants is to cause her any misery if he can help it.
Sue places a supportive hand on his shoulder, which oddly does help if only a tiny bit, "You called Mary Jane, right?" She inquires gently and he nods in reply, "Well, until she gets here and you come back, I'll stay with her."
He wants to reject her offer, if only for selfish desires to remain by Gwen's side, but he knows what he has to do. He lets out a reluctant sigh and gets up from his seat, "Thank you." He whispers, his voice cracking under the strain of responsibility and regret.
She nods and gives him a smile but he doesn't see it. He leaves the room without another word. Head down, hanging in shame. Not because he is leaving Gwen alone, no, but because of his conflicted emotions on the fact that she is back. And what that will likely entail if what he figured back at the graveyard is true.
But she is alive. He should be happy. That should have been his first emotion in seeing Gwen alive. But it wasn't.
(Flashback)
Staring into the eyes of the woman who has haunted his every thought for years, as she stares back, Spider-Man does not know what to make of it. He is lost in a turmoil of emotions.
It isn't until she utters, "Peter?" in a fragile tone, only to collapse and slip into unconsciousness, that breaks him out of his stupor. He rushes to her and catching her before she hits the ground. He looks at her closely, seeing that she looks exactly the same as the day he lost her.
This can't be possible. It has to be a trick. How can Gwen possibly be-?
'And it will also be a reward for all of your help.' The Enigma force's words echo in his head before it plucked a feather from the baby phoenix.
This? This is his reward? Why would-?
"Who's she?" Rogue's voice cuts through his racing thoughts. It brings him crashing back to the reality he is not alone, that his team is watching and waiting.
He can't deal with them now. He can barely deal with his own turmoil over the woman he thought he'd never see again. He has to make sense of this miracle... or curse. But now, not here.
"We need to go," he blurts, scooping up Gwen and carrying her with desperation. He turns to Natasha, urgency bleeding through his voice and showing on his face through the tattered mask. "We need to go to Reed."
Natasha has a suspicious look that shifts between him and Gwen, clearly wondering what the story here is.
"I'll explain later," he tells her, desperation leaking into his voice and showing in his eyes, "Please."
The plea in his voice softens her expression, and she nods. They all race to the Quinjet, hovering low to avoid desecrating the graves of the deceased.
"Hold on," Rogue calls out to him but he doesn't stop. He can sense her approaching, "Hey! Who is she?!"
The hero ignores her, which he knows will make her more mad but he isn't concerned about that right now. His concern is for Gwen. Everything else right now is just noise to him.
Fortunately, The Thing comes to his aid by grabbing the southern mutant's shoulder, "Back off!"
He can hear them arguing, Rogue saying she wants an explanation while Ben is stating she doesn't need to know, but Peter ignores it all. All of his attention is on the woman in his arms.
He does however hear Logan break the two up and say, "Enough! Rogue, let it go. He'll talk when he's ready."
That did the trick as Spider-Man can hear the clamoring of footsteps onto the Quinjet. He knows he should be diverting some of his attention to his clearly curious team, but he can't right now. Gwen needs his full attention.
And he needs answers on what this could mean. After all, Death made it clear she is not happy about people coming back to life.
(Present)
Once they landed on the Future Foundations rooftop, he went somewhere private, pulled out his cellphone, and called Mary Jane to come to the Baxter Building. He didn't say why, just that she needed to be here. Which she does. As much as Gwen meant to him, she meant a lot to so many others and he definitely shouldn't keep this from MJ.
He walks through the hallway between Reed's lab and the medical wing of the building. Which isn't too far. But as he rounds the corner, he stops when he sees a familiar trio walking his way. Two he's not surprised to see, because they live in the building, but one is certainly a surprise.
"Laura?" He says, seeing her with Franklin and Valeria.
She nods in greeting, "Spider-Man," before she gestures to the kids, "They heard you were here and wanted to come and see you."
"Uncle Ben said something happened," Franklin tells him, "But he doesn't know if it was good or bad. Just that it's hurting you."
"Which does not make sense," Valeria adds as she looks at him curiously, "If it hurts you, then it is clearly bad."
"Felicia would say different," Peter mumbles under his breath. He shakes his head to refocus, "But uh, it's complicated."
Valeria does not like that explanation, as she crosses her arms stubbornly, "We're smart. We can figure it out."
"It's emotionally complicated," Peter clarified, his tone gentle but firm.
The young girl's confident demeanor faltered as she processed his words, "Oh," she said, stumped.
Peter huffs a little in amusement. These two are the smartest kids he's ever known, Valeria in particular, but that's just science and technology. Everything else, like people and emotions, they have a lot to learn.
He smiles beneath his mask, appreciating the innocence of their ignorance. "I'm gonna be okay," he assures them, mostly to make himself believe it.
The kids exchange a glance that says they're not convinced but won't argue. Valeria finally shrugs, "If you say so."
"But let us know if we can help," Franklin adds.
Peter nods in appreciation, "I will." He says happy to see his number one fan eager to help others. He then turns his sights to Laura and asks, "So, not to sound rude, but why are you here? Last time you were eager to bail out of here as soon as possible."
He notices the slightest hesitation in Laura's eyes before she responds with her usual bluntness, "I'm living here now."
His eyes widen in surprise, "Here? Why?"
"Mom said with her here, it'll help get dad to go out more if we have someone watch us," Franklin cuts in, excited.
"And she is fun to have around," Valeria adds, her own voice being genuinely warm from her usual tone.
Spider-Man's eyes shift between the two before looking at Laura. Noticing a warmth in her eyes she definitely did not have the last time he saw her as she looks at the two kids. He doesn't know her that well, but she's always struck him as the quiet and brooding type, like Daredevil or Logan. Not one to crack a smile or care about what others think of her. But here she is, being someone that Franklin and Valeria want to have around.
Then again…
He looks to the kids again, speaking in a playful conspiratorial tone, "You guys like her because she lets you get away with a lot and can survive anything you put her through, don't you?"
The children seem to freeze for a moment before Valeria grabs her brother's hand and bolts.
Peter shakes his head and laughs fondly at the two retreating children. But this momentary reprieve leaves him when he recalls Gwen, and all the emotions he's been dealing with come crashing back.
Laura picks up on this and asks, "Are you alright?"
The hero lets out a long, weary sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. "You ever have days where you wonder why God loves to mess with you?"
"I'm not one for religious beliefs," Laura responds, her tone even and measured, "And to be honest, certain organizations have done nothing to make the prospect seem appealing."
Ooh he forgot about that. Peter scratches his head, "Right, sorry. Kind of forgot who I was talking to." He clears his throat then looks at her again, "So it sounds like you're getting along with the kids. How's that been?"
Laura lifts one shoulder in a casual shrug, her face betraying little emotion. "It is not unpleasant. Valeria is very smart and Franklin has an active imagination. Which means it's never boring with the two of them."
Peter is able to pick up some hints of warmth in her voice. "Sounds like you're fond of them." He notes with a small smile tugging on his lips.
She shrugs, "I suppose." She says in her usual impassive tone. She then brings up another topic, "I met your younger counterpart."
Peter waits, expecting her to elaborate, but she remains silent. "Was it on good terms?" He finally asks, curious about the encounter.
"We were playing a flag football game." Laura explains as she recalls the day, "He showed off a lot. It seems when you were young, you were quite arrogant."
Spider-Man sheepishly rubs the back of his neck, "Yeah. I also remember being much angrier."
Although for some reason, he hasn't seen much anger from his mini me. Wonder why that is?
"You were very competitive," Laura adds.
"Still am," he admits with a chuckle, "You should see me in Mario Kart."
She regards him quietly, as if considering saying something.
Peter raises an eyebrow beneath his ruined mask, "What?"
"Your younger self said I was pretty."
His eyes bulge from his torn mask, and he stammers, "Oh wow. Uh. Sorry about that."
He expects her to look at him like he's insane, but she just stares at him with those emotionless eyes. It's unnerving.
After a moment of silence, she says flatly, "I need to go watch the children," then turns and leaves.
He watches her go, more confused than before.
Peter enters Reed's personal lab and finds the man furiously typing away on his holographic displays. Holograms of Gwen float around the room and the smartest man in the world is stretched around all over the lab. Reed doesn't look down when Spider-Man enters, too engrossed in his work.
Though the man does know he entered. "Peter," Reed greets him while sifting through the data.
"Reed," he greets the man back, "What'd you find out?"
Mr. Fantastic swipes his hand, dismissing some holograms before looking at Spider-Man, "Based on preliminarily analysis, you are correct in your worries about the Enigma Force choosing Miss Stacy as its newest host. I am detecting cosmic energy all throughout her body."
His suspicions confirmed makes his stomach sink. This was not what he wanted. He removes his tattered mask as he takes a seat, elbows on his knees, trying to come to terms with what is happening. But how can he? A cosmic entity brought back the first girl he's ever loved as a reward, and yet it's not feeling like a reward. He doesn't know what he's supposed to be feeling.
"Is there anything else you can tell me?" Peter asks Richards.
The man shakes his head negatively, "Unfortunately, no." He says looking back at the holograms, "There are patterns of unusual brain activity I can't decipher. It might explain why she remains unconscious."
Peter goes quiet for a moment, contemplating a choice he has to make that will greatly affect everyone, before he asks. "Hey Reed, can you shut off those cosmic detectors you have installed? Just for a second."
Reed looks at his fellow genius curiously, eyebrow raised and all, before he does as he asks. He presses a few buttons on his screen.
Peter takes a breath and closes his eyes, "Jean." He calls out.
Now Reed's brows knit together in confusion before a swirl of fire in the middle of his lab pulls his attention as Jean Grey materializes before them.
The fiery haired woman looks between the two men before addressing the man that called for her, "I had a feeling you'd call."
Peter looks at her for a second before he glances at Reed, who is dumbfounded by a woman he thought to be long dead making a sudden appearance. Peter sighs and says to the man, "Reed, there's some things I forgot to mention, and I will. But right now, I need answers."
He turns his attention to the White Phoenix, who did not come alone. She in fact has on her shoulder the Phoenix that the Enigma Force had hatched. And it is excited to see Peter as it chirps and flutters off Jean's shoulders and into his waiting palms.
Reed looks at the creature curiously before he gets a look of dread, "Is that…?"
"The Phoenix Force reborn," Jean answers the man as she looks at the animal as well, "Albeit, not as powerful as it once was. At least, not yet."
Peter looks at the baby bird in his hands with some apprehension. He is concerned about what he has to tell the others now that this thing has hatched. He can't keep it a secret, because he is not locking it away like Xavier basically did. No matter how good his intentions were, the man had imprisoned power he couldn't understand because of his fear of said power. Peter won't make that same mistake.
And the little bird seems to hear these thoughts because it chirps some more, happy chirps he can tell, and leaps onto his shoulder.
Meanwhile, Reed stands in silent astonishment, his mind a whirlwind of confusion. Completely discombobulated, he finds himself lost for words, his only recourse being to observe intently, hoping that the unfolding events might eventually yield the answers he seeks.
Peter turns his attention back to Jean and asks, "Can you tell me what's going on with Gwen?"
Jean considers his question, something of a somber expression settling on her face, one that Peter didn't think she was capable of making anymore. "This is new territory for both the Enigma Force and Gwen," she states, "She's reborn, a newborn as far as her existence is concerned, and she carries all the memories of her life to the point of her death and after."
"After?" Peter questions in concern, even more dread seeping into his stomach if that is even possible, "What do you mean after?"
Jean looks at him dead in the eye, "Death is not the end," she states, "Merely a transition."
Peter loses all the air in his lungs as he collapses into his seat. Reed listens in on this conversation and finds his voice, though a little lost still, "If Miss Grey is telling the truth—"
"I am," Jean states with confidence.
"Then it's possible the neural activity I've recorded is Miss Stacy's mind trying to…" He doesn't finish his sentence, knowing Peter will understand what he means.
And he does. Gwen not only remembers dying but being dead. How the hell can someone process that? The thought alone gnaws at him as he struggles to comprehend the magnitude of it. It's one thing to deal with the trauma of an untimely death, but to carry the burden of awareness beyond that? To retain the consciousness of being gone for so long? To have those memories stirred from a dormant past and awakened into the present? He thought he was worried before, but now? Now this revelation amplifies his anxieties, multiplying them into something almost unmanageable.
He slumps in his chair, feeling the weight of impossibility crush him. His mind races with questions, each more daunting than the last. How does Gwen reconcile with a world that moved on? How does she step back into the life that was abruptly taken from her? What does it mean for her to be reborn with the knowledge of her own end? His heart aches at the consideration of her pain, of the mental labyrinth she must navigate. He tries to imagine himself in her position, but it is too overwhelming to even contemplate. This was not a reward. It was a cosmic curse wrapped in a cruel gift. Despite the love he still holds for her, he worries about what this means for them and if he can help her through this.
Jean, seeing and sensing the turmoil he is going through, sighs as she walks over to him and places her hand on his shoulder before speaking gently, "Peter, I know what you're going through."
"Do you?" he finally asks a little more harshly than he wanted.
"I do," she assures him, unbothered by his understandable outburst, "More than you can imagine."
Peter glances at her and remembers who he is talking to. If there is anyone that understands or comes close to understanding what he is going through, then Jean sure as heck does.
"So what do I do?" He asks, hoping for some insight to make this easier for everyone.
Again, Jean knows what he is asking, and seems to think about an answer for a moment before she says, "There isn't an easy answer I can give you Peter. For helping Miss Stacy, telling your friends, or informing your teammates about everything."
He slumps some more.
Peter thinks about it. Frankly, the easiest thing for him to deal with right now is telling his teammates. As angry as some will be, I.E. Rogue, Alex, Logan, and maybe Hope, he knows that if he talks to them then he will get them to understand why he hid it from them.
He'd rather get all of that out of the way. One less thing to immediately deal with.
Peter sighs and runs his hand through his hair, "Alright. I know what I have to do. Reed, call Tony, Steve, and Strange. If I'm doing this, I'd rather do it once." He gets up from his seat, the phoenix still on his shoulder, "And I'm also telling everyone else too. With Tweety here, can't keep what I am now a secret anymore."
The bird chirps angrily and pecks at his cheek.
"Hey, you watch it. I am not against feeding you to a stray cat or Jeff."
Rogue's foot impatiently taps the floor of the common room, where the rest of her teammates are lounging about. Though they are more relaxed than she is.
Alex is reclining in a lazy boy chair, trying not to sleep. Logan is by the large window doors that lead out to the helipad, smoking a cigar and having a drink. Something that would be considered polite but he is only doing because Sue threatened to make several shields grow inside him if he smoked near her kids.
Her eyes shift to Carol, who is chatting with Wanda, Betty Ross in her human form, and Thor. But every once in a while, Rogue catches Carol's eye on her. She knows Captain Marvel is watching the southern girl, waiting for Rogue to explode and make another attempt to confront Spider-Man and demand answers. Beside them Hope and Silver Sable are fiddling with some tablet that they got, and whatever the two are reading seems to be real interesting if the emotions that cross Hope's face say anything. So far, Rogue has seen the girls be shocked and concerned. Silver kept her composure for the most part, aside from the occasional facial twitch.
Black Widow left them as soon as she got patched up. Widow told them she needed to look over the USB drive they found in the military base to see who funded Osborn. Which would be something Rogue would want to know as well, but this thing with Spider-Man is driving her nuts!
Who the heck was that blonde girl who crawled out of the grave? Rogue only saw a destroyed headstone, so she didn't see a name. She did hear the guy mutter 'Gwen' before she muttered something back that Rogue didn't catch before the mysterious girl collapsed. So she can surmise her name is Gwen, but what the hell is her connection to the Webhead, and why did she crawl out of a grave after his fight?
The sound of doors opening makes her whip her head, thinking it's her team leader finally here to give some answers, but instead it's Johnny Storm with a med kit.
"Alright, who wants painkillers?" He questions lightheartedly with a smile, looking around the room.
Alex raises his hand, "Right here, Hothead," he says as he gets up from his seat. He winces as he walks, "Who knew fighting phonies of your friends hurts so much?"
Some others get some medication from the Human Torch as well, like Hope and Silver. Though when Silver got some, she also got some extra attention.
"You know," Johnny puts on his most flirtatious smile, "if you really need some R , I know a few places that are out of this world. A beautiful place for a beautiful lady." His piercing blue eyes lock onto Silver Sable's, awaiting the familiar dance of interest and banter.
Silver's eyes lifted from the tablet, appraising him with detached amusement. "I'm immune to your charms, Torch." She took the painkillers and turned her focus back to Hope and the screen.
Undeterred, Johnny tries again. "You should give me a shot."
"Stand in front of my rifle, and I will." Silver retorts coolly, not bothering to look at him.
He raises his hands in defeat and walks over to Rogue, who watched the exchange with a smirk, folding her arms across her chest. "Maybe you should try flowers next time, sugah," she quips. "Seems like you're losin' your touch."
He raises his brow at her, his smile widening into something more playful. "Worried about me already? Didn't know you cared so much, Rogue."
She raises an eyebrow and stands so she can saunter over to him. "About as much as Silver does," she teases, taking the med kit he holds.
"I always knew you had a soft spot for me," Johnny retorts, leaning in just a little too close.
"I do," Rogue laughs lightly, pushing him away with a finger to his chest. "Right next to the one that makes me puke."
He chuckles, more amused than offended by their banter, and hands out the remaining meds before settling into an empty chair beside Thor. The god of thunder nods at him approvingly while Rogue leans back in her seat.
The levity helped ease her, if only for a moment. It's been a minute since she felt like she can be her usual fun self, with everything's that's happened. First the Phoenix, then Red Skull, now this. She lets out a long sigh and pushes herself up. How much can she put up with?
The sound of the elevator doors opening drew Rogue's attention again. Only this time, people she did not expect to see at all. Steve and Stark walk off the elevator, with the mayor and team sponsor, Jameson, behind them.
The man practically bulldozes pass Rogers and Stark. "Where is he?!" The former publisher shouts at them, giving each one a glare, "Where is that imbecilic incompetent irritant!?"
Rogue crosses her arms, raising a brow at the older man's outburst. Everyone else is also unbothered by the man's frustration. Rogers steps forward and speaks to them more level headedly, "Widow called us and told us there is a situation."
"A situation?!" Jameson questions incredulously as he whirls around to the WWII soldier, "A national monument is destroyed and dozens are dead! This is beyond a situation!"
Stark calmy walks past the two to lean on the couch casually, "He's not wrong. Hill called us and said she was already being pressured to bring Spider-Man in."
Betty Ross speaks up from where she seated, "Well tell her to go after Norman Osborn." She is angry and borderlining Hulking out as evident by her eyes glowing yellow, "It was that lunatic that blew up the mountain and killed all my people."
Steve raises a brow at her, "Miss Ross?" He says, surprised to see her here. He was not told fully about what occurred.
Stark is also looking at his friend's ex-wife with a raised brow, "Guess Natasha forgot to mention a few things." He states.
Logan speaks up front the back, "Where is she?"
"In the Quinjet," Stark says, pointing outside, "She is looking over the info she stole from Osborn."
Silver stands and approaches them, "Mayor Jameson," She greets the man professionally, "I believe the situation is more complicated than you were told."
"I was told that that bumbling buffoon was at the epicenter of an explosion that killed dozens and leveled MT Rushmore!" Jameson rants, and Silver does not so much as twitch, "So someone tell me what exactly happened, otherwise there will be hell to pay!
Again, Silver keeps her professional composure as the mayor rants and rages, "Very well." She says and she begins to give him the cliff notes on what happened. From the point they got to the desert to the point where Norman had teleported with Spider-Man and Red She Hulk. She left out no detail, and even wrote it all up for the Mayor to read on the tablet. "What occurred at Mt Rushmore, only Spider-Man and Miss Ross know."
The mayor and everyone else turn their attention to the woman in question. Ross has a somber expression as she tells her part of the story, "Osborn transported us to where the terranometer was, which was underneath Mt. Rushmore," she informs them. Her fists clench and her eyes, even as they glow under her eyelids, but she remains in her human form, "That sick bastard blew it up and killed all of my people. All the members of the Order of the Shield."
While there are somber and sympathetic looks across the room, Stark has a more curious one. "The order of the what now?"
"Long story," Alex states kind of dismissively. Only 'cause the whole thing was just weird, even for an X-Men.
Jameson has his brow furrowed as he scrolls through the tablet before he looks at Sable, "Well, all of this doesn't make it any easier to assure the public." He tells her and the team. He then looks up with a thoughtful look, "But if we just state Osborn made a threat to destroy a national monument and kill tourists then we can spin it."
Rogue rolls her eyes. She hates politics.
Alex, being a fan of that idea, points out, "That would mean we lost."
Jameson fixes him with a stern glare, "You'd consider this a win?" His voice dripping with incredulity
Alex shrugs nonchalantly, "We stopped the bad guys."
"And people died, Alex" Steve chimes in with a somber tone, making a valid point, "Spider-Man is your team leader. Knowing him, he would consider this a loss."
Well nobody can argue with that.
"Speaking of that colorful chatterbox," Tony attempts to add some levity to the tense situation and looks around the room, "Where is he?"
Rogue looks around the room and sees her teammates get looks of uncertainty. Most are in the dark as much as she is. The only ones who aren't are Ben and Logan. And only her fellow X-Men is currently in the room by the window with a conflicted look.
A look that Rogers picks up on since he says, "There's something else isn't there?"
Logan lets out sigh, "After the fighting was done, we found Webhead at a cemetery here in the city passed out. He beat Goblin and destroyed the cosmic cube."
Tony raises a brow and comments, "So what? Webs lost an arm?"
Rogue, getting tired of everyone avoiding talking about the issue, rolls her eyes and decides to step in and say, "For gods sake. Some girl crawled out of a grave. Spidey knew her. Called her Gwen."
The room goes quiet as all three men's eyes widen in shock at this bit of news. Steve and Tony look at each other in great concern and Jameson just stares at Rogue with a haunted look.
"What?" The mayor questions her, with a hollow haunted voice, "As in Gwen Stacy?"
Rogue, noting his reaction, shrugs, "Don't know. Didn't catch a last name since he hauled ass here without so much as a word who she was."
"Was she blonde?" Jonah interrogates her, a fearful look in his eye, "Young looking? College age?"
Now Rogue looks at the mayor suspiciously, "Yeah, she was." She tells him, her voice now firm, "Mind telling us what you know?"
Jameson ignores her question and takes a step back, stunned. His breathing becomes ragged as he tries to comprehend this news. Rogue looks at him with annoyance and curiosity, but mostly annoyance. The man opens his mouth several times as if to say something but no words come out.
Steve places a hand on Jonah's shoulder and speaks quietly to him, "Jonah..."
"Where is he?" Jameson demands once yet again, but softer as desperation seeps into his voice.
Johnny steps forward, "I'll take you to him."
The two leave immediately, Jonah rushing out with Johnny practically running to keep up, and some of the heroes even more curious on what is going on. Rogue in particular watches the two leave and wanting to follow to get answers herself. But she gets the feeling if
But Rogue has never been a patient person. And by the looks of things, there's a whole history with Spider-Man and this Gwen girl that everyone knows but her and the rest of the team.
Rogue turns her sights to Rogers, "Y'all know who she is?"
Steve exchanges a look with Tony, "We know about her," he clarifies, somewhat reluctantly, "We know about her connection with Spider-Man."
"And?" Rogue prompts him to continue.
Tony shakes his head, "It's not our story to tell, Stripes."
Rogue scowls at the two men. Fed up with everyone seeming to avoid telling her anything about what is going on.
Silver looks up from her tablet, eyes narrowing at Rogue. "For someone so desperate for information, you've made surprisingly little use of a tool most Americans take for granted." Her accent cuts through the tension with crisp precision.
Rogue turns, brow furrowed. "What're you talkin' about?"
Silver swiped through several articles on her screen. "Americans and their strange relationship with technology. You carry supercomputers in your pockets yet resort to interrogating people when information is readily available." Her accent became more pronounced as she continued, "In Symkaria, we don't have the luxury of such... inefficiency."
Hope suppressed a smile beside Silver, while Carol let out a barely contained snort.
Rogue's cheeks flushed with embarrassment and irritation. "Well excuse me for not Googlin' every pretty blonde that crawls outta the ground," she snapped, marching over to Silver. "What's it say then, Miss Know-It-All?"
Silver handed her the tablet without hesitation. "See for yourself." She turns the tablet so everyone can see the headline: 'TRAGEDY STRIKES: INNOCENT STUDENT KILLED DURING SUPER-VILLAIN ATTACK.'
Now Rogue could get her answers.
Mary Jane is still getting used to these transitions.
One moment she's Red Sonja, warrior woman from some barbarian age traveling around New York City with sword and steel bikini on display for the world to gawk at. The next she's Mary Jane again, supermodel turned actress turned superhero and fully clothed by whatever magic allows her to switch forms between floors of an elevator.
It's trippy as hell.
Anyway, she is in the elevator now with her girlfriend Felicia and their guide Ben, who has been mum as to why Peter called them. Said guide has been rather mum as to why their shared boyfriend called them and asked them to come here. Whatever it is though, can't be good. Grimm's face has been grim since they got here.
Mary Jane makes a face and groans internally, 'Peter is a really bad influence on me.'
She can hear Sonja snort in her mind, and not because she found her dumb joke funny.
The elevator dings and the doors slide open. Ben Grimm hold his hand out, "Ladies."
He did the same thing when they got on the elevator. MJ smiles at his old school gentleman behavior, "Thank you." She says and walks off the elevator.
Black Cat walks off without a word beside her. The two turn to the Thing who has yet to come off the elevator, that both are surprised to see can hold him up.
"You're not coming with us?" Felicia inquires.
He rubs the back of his neck and gets sort of sympathetic and uncomfortable look on his face before he says, "'Dis sort of ting is personal betweens da three of ya." The man presses a button and the doors close. "Good luck."
They watch the doors close before Felicia comments, "That was cryptic."
MJ hums and nods, before she looks at her business partner, "What do you think is going on?"
"Knowing our man?" Felicia says with a wry grin, "He wound up in some trouble and wants to reassure us he's fine when he's really not."
MJ sighs and shakes her head, "Yeah that sounds like Peter." She comments. She then walks down the corridor with Felicia beside her and asks, "You think it has something to do with Mt. Rushmore?"
They both got the notification when the news hit. A national monument was destroyed, dozens died, and Spider-Man was being blamed. MJ can only imagine what was going through his head right now.
The playful look on Felicia's face vanishes as she looks down as they walk, "If it does, then we'll be there for him. Whatever he needs."
A loving smile creeps onto Mary Jane's face and she nudges her girlfriend playfully, "Look at you being mature supportive girlfriend when our man needs it."
Felicia rolls her eyes at her but still smiles, "Whatever. He isn't as fun to play with when he's moody."
Mary Jane giggles at her shared lover trying to play off her obvious concerned for their beau.
The two reach the end of the corridor and stop in front of a metal door, with the words medical on the door. And before either one can assume their man is hurt, Sue Richards steps out.
Sue closes the door behind her and gives them a warm smile, "Oh good, you're here." She acknowledges their confused looks and continues, "He's inside."
"Hey Sue," MJ replies, "What's going on?"
Sue hesitates for a moment before she says, "I think it's better if Peter explains."
MJ furrows her brows at this, "Is everything okay?" She asks, noting the look on her face.
Sue looks at both of them before she says, "It will be." And gives them another comforting but sad smile before she steps out of the way and lets them in.
The women exchange a worried look before they walk into the room. They enter an observation area and they immediately see Peter looking through the glass. The first thing they notice is the state of his costume. Torn and dirty and in desperate need of repairs. The second thing is how much he looks like crap. MJ has seen him beaten up before but this is new level of exhausted that she's never seen him at before.
He turns to them and grabs them both to bring them into a tight embrace. "I'm glad you're both here."
"Hey easy, Tiger," MJ says with as much care as she can while hugging him back, "Whatever it is, we're here to help now."
Felicia puts her arm around him to and rubs his back, "Yeah. Just so long as it's nothing ridiculous. Like you died again and came back to life."
Peter lets go of them and doesn't say anything. He has that look in his eyes and its pointed at Mary Jane. The one where he knows something she doesn't and is trying to figure out the best way to say it. Because he is really scared and concerned about her.
MJ knows what she has to do here, she has done this thousands of times already. "Tiger," she says again, "Tell us."
He glances back at what he was looking at through the glass before turning back to them with a tired voice, "I need you both to see something."
His tone worries them but they move forward and look into the other room. And what Mary Jane sees shocks her to her core.
"Who's that?" Felicia inquires.
Mary Jane unintentionally answers her, "Gwen?" She says in a whisper.
Felicia looks at the redheaded supermodel in confusion, "Gwen?" She says before a look of realization crosses her face and then looks at her beau, "Gwen Stacy? As in your dead girlfriend?"
"Not anymore," Peter says with no humor whatsoever as he stares at the unconscious blonde below.
Mary Jane's hand moves to her mouth, eyes wide and unblinking. She steps closer to the glass, as if needing to see the impossible reality from every angle.
Peter watches them with a mixture of guilt and relief, the emotions tangling like webs and pulling his insides taut. He runs his hands through his hair, the exhaustion seeming to settle deeper into him as he waits for them to process what he still can't quite believe himself.
Mary Jane finally turns back to him, her voice choked with disbelief. "How?"
His exhausted eyes meet hers. "You remember that cosmic power I had years ago? The Enigma Force?" he questions her and she nods. "Long story short, Norman was messing with that and after I freed it, it used a part of the Phoenix Force to bring her back and then made her into its host."
"What?" Felicia, completely lost by what he just said, "What the hell are you talking about?"
Peter sighs and looks down in guilt, "Gwen now has cosmic powers inside of her."
Mary Jane cannot tear her eyes away from the glass. "But why?" MJ's voice cracks at the edges, a fragile thing barely holding together under the weight of this revelation.
He shrugs uncertainly, "I don't know. Jean said something about her valuing life as much as I do. So she was a great choice for a host."
MJ takes in a deep breath, trying to ground herself in the surreal reality before her. Peter's been through so many impossible things, she should be used to this by now. But Gwen being alive? It's like seeing a ghost made flesh. No wonder he looks like he's been through hell.
"God," she breathes out again as she looks at him. "How are you holding up?"
He gives a small shrug, eyes flicking back to Gwen as if afraid she'll vanish if he doesn't keep watch. "About as well as you'd expect."
Felicia touches his arm gently. She knows what they're both thinking: What does this mean for them? For all of them? "We're here for you," she tells him with more sincerity than Mary Jane's used to hearing from her.
Peter nods but doesn't look away from Gwen.
Mary Jane watches him, feeling the weight of the moment press onto her. She reaches for Peter's free hand without thinking, needing that familiar connection as they both stare through the window at a piece of their past suddenly thrust back into their lives.
Their tender moment is disrupted when the doors to the observation open again and Jonah and Sue are seen standing there.
"I'm sorry," Sue says as she gestures to Peter's former boss, who she ran into with her brother before she said she'll escort him the rest of the way, "Mayor Jameson was insistent in talking to you."
Peter lets go of Felicia and MJ, looks to his old boss without his usual spark. "Jonah," he greets the man.
Jonah fully walks into the room and glances out the glass. He stops dead in his tracks when he sees Gwen in the room, unconscious but breathing. Alive. "My god, its true," Jameson says in complete shock staring at a ghost of Peter's past brought back to life. "I-I didn't know what to think when they said some girl crawled out of the grave and…" He looks back at Parker and asks the most pertinent question, "How is this possible?"
Peter sighs and rubs his eyes, "I'll tell you, but only with everyone else too." He says, wanting to avoid having to repeat himself multiple times.
Jonah goes silent for a moment and looks out the window separating them from the resurrected girl below. He eventually nods and says, "Okay. I owe you that much."
Peter nods, thankful that Jonah is being reasonable here for once. He glances back at Gwen and then to the two girls who he loves dearly. "I need to tell everyone," He begins, his voice laden with the weight of the world. "They deserve to know."
Felicia's brows furrow with concern. "So you're gonna tell them who you are?"
He nods, the decision clearly difficult but necessary. "Who I am, who Gwen is, about the Phoenix. Everything."
Even if they don't like it. Even if it explodes in his face. He's gonna tell them, because that's the only way he's gonna have a prayer of sorting this mess out.
Mary Jane winces, already anticipating the trouble brewing. She might not be an expert on the superhero business, but she's heard Peter ramble enough times about how their world works. Secrets and betrayals and angst. MJ realizes Peter's just opening up the doors for more drama to get dumped on him. And on them. But that's how he is; he can't stand to leave people in the dark, even when he should. She can't help but feel for the man she loves.
MJ diverts her attention from the girl she thought she'd never see again, "You want me to come along?"
Peter shakes his head, his gaze drifting back to the girl on the other side of the glass, "No. I need you to stay here with Gwen until I get back." He says, "If she wakes up, she needs to see someone she knows."
MJ gets a small endearing smile as she nods in understanding. Here her boyfriend is, an emotional wreck, and is still thinking about the well-being of everyone else.
Felicia glances at the unconscious blonde below before she looks back at her man and states, "Well, I'm going with you."
He opens his mouth as if to protest but stops himself when he sees the look in her eyes. A mixture of determination and care that could make even him melt.
"Thank you," he finally says.
She smiles at him before pulling him down into a kiss. Peter returns it before pulling away and glancing at MJ again. She nods knowingly and watches as they leave the room together, Jonah in tow.
There goes their superhero boyfriend, exhausted beyond belief but dead set on doing what needs to be done.
Mary Jane spends another moment staring at the door they walked out of before turning her attention back to Gwen's unconscious form on the other side of the glass.
Sue joins her and repeats what MJ said earlier, "How are you?"
MJ exhales softly as she stares through the glass, conflicted beyond belief. "I don't know."
Wanda does not like to stir trouble. After everything she's done, she fights the good fight but that is all. All of it in an effort to make up for everything. That being said, she wants answers as much as Rogue does, maybe more so. She is only keeping her impatience contained because she is still mending bridges with everyone.
Currently, she is sitting with Carol and Thor, looking through some old news on a tablet. All of it surrounding this Gwendolyn Stacy, who Wanda swears she recognizes from somewhere. Maybe she already read this news? But that doesn't feel like that's right.
Anyway, Gwen Stacy, the daughter of the deceased Captain George Stacy, lost her life years ago during a confrontation between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin. Accounts of her death differ, but the prevailing narrative is that she was thrown off the Brooklyn Bridge. The Daily Bugle, unsurprisingly, points the finger at Spider-Man, even going so far as to claim he was the one who pushed her.
Wanda rolls her eyes at the ridiculous accusation. She does not believe that for a moment, but she at least has an idea of the connection between Spider-Man and this Stacy girl. She was someone he failed to save years ago. And it would also explain why Spider-Man allowed this rag to tarnish his name for years. Because of who the photographer is.
Peter Parker. Who, according to the article, was betrothed to Miss Stacy before her untimely demise. The hex user can see why Spider-Man allowed the Bugle to vilify him. Because he blames himself and allowing Peter Parker tell the world to do so as well was his way of atoning. Something Wanda can understand completely.
Still, she feels like there is more. The looks and hushed conversations she is seeing Steve and Tony have, not to mention the knowing glances Ben and Logan exchanged on the ride over here, tell her there is more to this connection between Spider-Man and this Gwen girl. Perhaps they had a secret affair? The man clearly has no qualms on when it comes to exploits if his current relationship status says anything.
Wanda's train of thought is interrupted by the doors opening and Reed Richards walking in with Doctor Strange in tow. "Spider-Man will be joining us shortly," Reed announces, gesturing for everyone to gather around. His eyes land on Steve and Tony before turning to the rest. "I imagine you're all eager for an explanation."
Rogue stands up, arms crossed but relief visible in her stance now that something is finally happening. "Finally."
Wanda also rises to her feet, glad that they'll finally get some answers. She catches Carol's eye, who looks just as anxious for information as the rest of them.
A strange shimmering light appears in the corner of the room, and then Stephen Strange appears in an astral form. "Evening everyone," He says politely before looking around the room, "I was told Spider-Man had an important matter he needed to talk about."
Before anyone responds, the doors open again. Spider-Man walks in with Black Cat beside him, and Mayor Jameson trailing behind them. The webslinger's costume is in tatters, and his body language speaks volumes about his mental state. Exhausted but determined.
"Thanks for waiting," Spider-Man says, his voice lacking its usual lighthearted tone. "I know you all have questions."
"That's putting it mildly," Rogue mutters, but there's less bite in her voice now that she can see how beaten down he appears.
Spider-Man moves to the center of the room, taking a deep breath as he surveys the gathered heroes. His fingers twitch at his mask, hesitating for just a moment before he pulls it off completely.
Rogue's eyes widen as she realizes what he's about to do. "Wait, are you—"
But it's too late. In one fluid motion, Spider-Man pulls off his mask, revealing the face of a man in his late twenties with disheveled brown hair and tired eyes.
"My name is Peter Parker," he announces to the stunned silence. "And I've been Spider-Man since I was fifteen years old."
The revelation hits different people in different ways. Those who already knew, Logan, Ben, Reed, Tony, Steve, and Strange remain stoic. Wanda, Rogue, and Silver Sable are floored by this reveal for different reasons. For Wanda its because she is bombarded with memories she did not realize she had of the man before her. Memories of him having a family with a blonde woman that she now recognizes, from a reality she had created.
"Parker?" Silver finds her voice as she stares at the man she is infatuated with, "The one who was always taking Spider-Man pictures for the Bugle?"
He gives a tired half smile, "The same one." Peter nods, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "The woman who came back tonight is Gwen Stacy. She was… my girlfriend, my whole world, in college. She was the woman I was planning to marry and spend the rest of my life with. She died years ago during a fight between me and the Green Goblin."
Natasha has a sympathetic look and says softly, "She's the one who climbed out of that grave?"
Peter's eyes become even more somber as he nods. "Yes. But there's more to it than that." He takes a deep breath, bracing himself. "Much more. And some of you—" his gaze lingers on the X-Men members of his team, "—aren't going to like what I have to say next."
Jean materializes in a swirl of cosmic fire, causing several people to jump in surprise. The baby Phoenix Force chirps from her shoulder.
"What the hell?" Hope gasps, her eyes wide.
Logan, his face a mask of disbelief, stares at the his lost love, "Jean?"
Jean looks around the room with her blank white eyes, "I am not the Jean Grey you all knew in life," she states and the fire that is in her hair intensifies, "I am the harmonious union of Jean and the Phoenix.
I am the White Phoenix." She declares as the bird on her shoulder chirps and flies off her shoulder and lands on Peter's.
Everyone in the room, save for a select few, stare at the White Phoenix in shock. The sight of Jean Grey, supposedly dead, combined with her declaration about the Phoenix Force, has stunned them into silence. The baby Phoenix chirps again, nuzzling against Peter's cheek in a gesture that's almost affectionate.
Logan is the first to break the silence, his voice a ragged whisper. "What the hell is going on here?"
Peter strokes the Phoenix bird with one finger, the gesture automatic and familiar. "I've been keeping secrets," he admits, his gaze steady despite his obvious exhaustion. "I didn't tell you everything. When I died during the Phoenix incident, I didn't just come back as a champion to the Other. I came back as something else too."
Already getting the idea, and not liking it, Rogue decides to ask any way through gritted teeth, "What else?"
Peter hangs his head before lifting it and stating, "I volunteered to be the host for the Phoenix Force."
The room erupts in a cacophony of voices. Rogue's southern accent cuts through the noise, her face flushed with anger. "Are you kidding me? After everything that happened with Scott and the others? After what the Avengers did to us?" She turns to Steve and Tony, her eyes blazing. "And you two knew about this?"
Tony doesn't flinch under her accusation. "We've been monitoring the situation."
"Monitoring?" Alex stands now, his hands clenched at his sides. "My brother is in prison. Charles is dead. And all this time, you've been harboring the very thing that caused it all?"
Peter raises his hands, trying to calm the situation. "It's not the same," he says, "When it took over your brother and his friends, they were dealing with a fully grown Phoenix." He points to the baby bird on his shoulder, "This was just hatched."
"How convenient," Rogue spits out, her voice dripping with sarcasm and anger. "And I suppose this resurrected girlfriend of yours is just another happy accident?"
Peter's expression hardens slightly. "No. The Enigma Force brought Gwen back and made her its host. It was a reward, or so it thought, for freeing it from Norman Osborn's control."
"A reward?" Wanda's voice is quiet but penetrating. She's staring at Peter with an intensity that makes him uncomfortable, memories of another reality flickering behind her eyes.
He sighs, "I don't know what to think," Peter admits, the weight of his exhaustion evident in every word. "I just know that Gwen is alive, and she's going to wake up soon to a world that's moved on without her. A world where I..." He doesn't finish his sentence, the implication hanging in the air. His eyes shift to Felicia, whose hand tightens around his in silent support.
Rogue's anger doesn't subside. If anything, it intensifies as she stalks toward him, stopping just short of invading his personal space. "So while we've been fighting side by side, you've been harboring the very thing that tore our world apart? The very thing that killed Professor X?"
"It wasn't the Phoenix that killed Xavier," Peter responds quietly. "It was Scott. And I'm not harboring it—I'm guiding it. There's a difference."
"A difference?" Hope interjects, her voice tight with emotion. "My entire life was shaped around containing that thing, and you've just been walking around with it like it's a pet?"
The baby Phoenix chirps indignantly at this characterization, fluffing its fiery feathers.
"I understand why you're upset," Peter says, his voice steady despite his exhaustion. "But this was the best solution at the time. The Phoenix needed a host who wouldn't be corrupted by its power—"
"And naturally, you volunteered," Rogue cuts in, her tone bitter. "Because Spider-Man always knows best, right?"
Jean steps forward, her cosmic presence filling the room with an uncomfortable heat. "The decision was not made lightly," she states, her voice carrying an otherworldly echo. "Peter Parker possesses a unique balance of power and responsibility that makes him an ideal host for the fledgling Phoenix."
"And you didn't think to tell us?" Logan finally speaks, his eyes never leaving Jean's face. "Any of us?"
Peter looks away, guilt evident in his expression. "I knew how you'd react. The wounds from the Phoenix incident were still fresh. There was already so much tension between the Avengers and X-Men. I didn't want to reopen those wounds."
"So instead you lied to us," Rogue says flatly, "You said you were made champion to some big spider, not the host to the freakin' thing that killed Xavier! You didn't even tell us that our friend was alive this whole time!"
"I've been watching over Peter since his return," Jean answers for herself. "I am not the Jean Grey you knew, Rogue. I am what she became when she fully accepted the Phoenix."
Logan's expression is unreadable, but the tension in his body speaks volumes. "And you didn't think any of us deserved to know that?"
"It wasn't your burden to bear," Jean replies softly.
"Bullshit," Logan growls, finally tearing his eyes away from her to glare at Peter. "You had no right to keep this from us."
"I know," Peter admits, not backing down from Logan's glare. "But I made the call I thought was right at the time. And I'm making another one now by telling you everything."
"A little late for that, isn't it?" Alex mutters.
Rogue, still seething, turns away from the group and stalks toward the window. The betrayal cuts deep, not just because of the Phoenix revelation, but because of the trust she had placed in Spider-Man—in Peter. A trust that now feels misplaced.
"I need some air," she mutters, heading for the door.
"Rogue," Peter calls after her, but she doesn't stop.
The exit of Rogue seems to break some invisible barrier, and Alex follows suit, giving Peter one last hard look before departing. Hope hesitates, torn between loyalty to her fellow mutants and her respect for Spider-Man, before ultimately deciding to stay.
Logan doesn't move, but his eyes flick between Jean and Peter, internal struggles evident in the tensing of his jaw. Finally, he makes a decision, giving a curt nod to Peter that could mean anything before following Alex and Rogue out.
Peter watches them go, his shoulders sagging slightly. He knew this would happen. He knew they'd be hurt, angry, betrayed—but knowing doesn't make it any easier to bear. The Phoenix chirps sadly on his shoulder, as if sensing his distress.
"They'll come around," Felicia whispers, her hand finding his again.
"Will they?" he murmurs back, unconvinced.
Wanda approaches Peter, her gaze intense but not angry. "You should have told us sooner," she says, her voice carrying a weight of experience with secrets and their consequences. "But I understand why you didn't."
Carol steps forward as well, her expression complex. "So this whole time, while we've been fighting together, you've been carrying this... responsibility?"
Peter shrugs and gives a halfhearted smile, "You know me. I carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. I am that dumb."
Felicia nudges him, "Well, you're not doing it alone anymore."
This time he does have a real, though small, smile adorn his face, "True."
Felicia returns the smile, before she catches the eyes of Silver. Seeing a familiar look she has seen in the reflection when it comes to Peter.
"Head back down," She says to her man. "I'll be there in a sec."
Peter nods and proceeds to leave. Felicia turns her sights to Silver and gives a subtle gesture to the glass doors leading outside. Silver nods but does not head out immediately. She instead turns her attention to the mayor, to see if he has any more questions she can answer. He did leave before she finished her report on what occurred.
The rest of the heroes disperse, Thor, Carol, Hope, and Wanda head home, Tony, Steve, Reed, and Strange go to the elevators, and Betty Ross lingers, not sure where to go.
The Order of the Shield was her latest home. Now that is gone and she has nowhere to go. She does not want to be with Bruce and certainly not with her father.
Carol sees Ross stay behind and figures what could be wrong. So makes an offer, "You wanna stay at the mansion for a bit."
Betty nods in thanks and leaves with the kree hybrid.
(Baxter Building Rooftop)
Felicia leans on the balcony and stares out into the city, lost in her thoughts. Waiting to talk with Silver about what she suspects will be an uncomfortable conversation. But that isn't where her mind is. It's with her two lovers back inside, waiting for that Gwen girl to wake up.
Gwen Stacy. Spider's first love according to Mary Jane. Felicia has heard very few stories about the girl. But apparently she was the perfect girl for him, even though Felicia has a hard time believing that. After years of watching the guy with Watson, and now experiencing the relationship with them, she can't see how anyone can be better.
Although, Mary Jane claims she was the bad girl in his life when Gwen was around. The girls death was a wake up call for the redhead.
But that's not really what's on her mind. What is on her mind is frankly ridiculous but nevertheless bothering her. Her current position in this relationship of theirs now that Peter's first love and Mary Jane's best friend is alive again.
She knows it's dumb, and undoubtedly wrong, for her to be feeling this way. But it is what she's feeling. Is it wrong that a part of her wishes that this Gwen girl stayed dead? Most definitely. Can she help it? No.
During their week away, they spent a lot of time talking. Trying to come up with a game plan on how to pursue this relationship of theirs. From telling their loved ones and friends, to navigating through arguments when they arose, and to finding time to spend together. The last one was mostly Peter's concern since his Spider-Maning gets in the way a lot. But the girls told him that when they got dates planned, and Peter is busy, then he better be okay with them showing up to help. He is not doing anything alone anymore so long as he's got them in his corner.
The plan had seemed perfect then. They were a team, navigating this unconventional relationship together. But now, with Gwen's resurrection, Felicia feels like an outsider to a history she never shared. A history that binds Peter and Mary Jane in ways she can't touch.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Sonja's voice knocks her out of her head and Felicia turns to see the spiritual apparition of the She-Devil. "Mary Jane was concerned."
Felicia shrugs and turns back to the cityscape. "I'm fine."
"You are not," Sonja counters, floating closer. "You fear what this resurrection means for your place in this relationship."
Felicia's jaw tightens. She hates being so transparent, especially to the warrior woman who shares Mary Jane's body. "I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to," Sonja replies, her spectral form shimmering in the moonlight. "I understand better than you think."
Felicia considers this. It's strange to think of Sonja—fierce, battle-hardened Sonja—harboring similar insecurities. "So what, you're worried too?"
"Felicia, you are speaking to a woman who has watched another woman live her life and fall in love with a man, and unintentionally making me fall in love with that man as well. All the while, I was trapped inside. Unable to be heard for years."
Felicia winces, "Right. Sorry."
Sonja floats next to her and looks at her with care, "If you think I don't understand, you're mistaken. I love him. And he has yet to say those words to me."
The sound of the rooftop door opening draws their attention. Natasha emerges, followed closely by Silver Sable.
"Romanoff," Sonja greets the spy politely.
Natasha nods back, "Sonja," she says cordially. "So, this whole thing must be a rollercoaster for you guys."
Felicia shrugs dismissively, "Eh, comes with the territory of dating Spider." She tries to play off the seriousness of the situation. She notices a look in Silver's eyes that she knows all too well. "He told us he talked to you by the way. About this…" she gestures between herself and the astral Sonja, "thing we got."
Sable clears her throat, "Yes, well," she says, trying but failing to hide how uncomfortable she is, "Had I known he was involved already with someone else, I would not have approached him the way I did."
Felicia huffs in amusement and crosses her arms as she leans on the railing, "Relax, Sable. If I or either Reds' were upset, we'd be in your face telling you what's what."
Natasha raises a surprised brow at the thief, "You're not upset?"
Sonja shakes her head no, "On the contrary, we were expecting this."
Sable's eyes narrow with suspicion. "Expecting what, exactly?"
"That our man's charm would rub off on you," Felicia says with a knowing smirk. "He has that effect on people."
Natasha leans against the railing, studying Felicia with newfound interest. "So this arrangement of yours... it's open to expansion?"
Felicia twirls a strand of her platinum hair, considering her words carefully. "It's complicated. We're still figuring it out ourselves." She glances at Sonja, who nods slightly in encouragement. "But Peter has this... capacity for love that's different from anyone I've ever known."
"What my feline themed companion is trying to say," Sonja interjects, her spectral form shimmering, "is that our relationship defies conventional boundaries. We care deeply for each other, all of us, in ways that would make most people uncomfortable."
Natasha crosses her arms, her expression guarded. "And what does this have to do with me?"
"Or me?" Silver adds, though her tone suggests she already knows the answer.
Felicia studies both women, seeing beneath their carefully constructed facades. "I've seen how you look at him. Both of you. And I get it—believe me, I do." She pushes away from the railing, turning to face them fully. "What we have... it's weird. It's messy. It breaks every rule society tells us about relationships. But it's the best thing that's ever happened to me."
Her voice softens, vulnerability showing through her usual bravado. "I spent my whole life taking what I wanted, consequences be damned. Then I fell in love with a man who taught me that caring about others doesn't make you weak. And then I fell for his girlfriend too, which was definitely not part of the plan."
Natasha's eyebrow quirks up in surprise.
"Oh yes," Felicia confirms with a small laugh. "I love Mary Jane. And Sonja. I never thought I could feel this way about so many people at once, but here we are."
"Here we are indeed," Sonja agrees, a warmth in her ethereal voice.
Silver shakes her head, trying to process. "And you're telling us this because...?"
Felicia gets a smile on her face, "We spent an entire week away from our usual craziness to get closer together. And do you know what the best part was? We didn't just fool around, like I would have preferred. We grew closer and actually connected. Mostly me and Red. Other Red. Not to say this one didn't participate, but she came out mostly during the physical stuff."
Sonja shrugs, "I am a very active person."
"We've noticed. Anyway, we got to know each other better. We talked things out, and we made sure this thing we have is something we all want. And you know what? It is. So the only question you two need to ask, is if you want this too."
Natasha shifts her weight, eyes narrowing slightly as she processes Felicia's words. "So you're proposing what exactly? That we join your... arrangement?"
"I'm not proposing anything," Felicia clarifies, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "Just pointing out that if you feel something for our man, there might be room for that. When the time is right."
As she turns to leave, Natasha calls after her, "Hardy."
Felicia pauses, looking back.
"Thanks," Natasha says simply. "For the honesty."
Felicia nods, understanding the rarity of such straightforward conversation in their complicated lives. With that, she heads back inside, leaving Natasha and Silver alone with Sonja's ethereal presence on the rooftop.
Back down the med bay, Spider-Man is sitting beside Mary Jane and holding her hand while they are both looking at Gwen sleep. The silence between them is weighted, filled with unspoken fears and questions neither knows how to articulate. Peter's thumb absently traces circles on the back of MJ's hand, a nervous habit she's noticed over the years. His eyes never leave Gwen's face, as though afraid she might disappear if he looks away.
"What are you thinking?" MJ finally asks, her voice barely above a whisper in the sterile room.
Peter's exhale is long and shaky. "I'm thinking about what I'm going to say to her when she wakes up," he admits. "How do you tell someone they've been dead for years? That the world kept spinning without them?"
MJ squeezes his hand. "You tell her the truth," she says simply. "The way you always do."
A bitter laugh escapes him. "The truth," he repeats. "That her father's dead. That her best friend and her ex-boyfriend moved on together. That the man who killed her is still out there." His voice cracks. "Some truth."
"Peter—"
"I couldn't save her," he interrupts, the words spilling out like he's been holding them back too long. "I was right there, and I couldn't save her. And now she's back, and I don't know if I can save her from what comes next either."
MJ shifts to face him fully, taking both his hands in hers. "Listen to me, Tiger. You don't have to save her. You just have to be there for her."
His eyes finally meet hers, filled with a vulnerability that still takes her breath away after all these years. "What if that's not enough?"
MJ doesn't say anything. She just squeezes his hand tighter. Basically stating that she'll be here with him when the time comes.
The doors to the medical bay slide open with a soft hiss, breaking the intimate moment between Peter and Mary Jane. They both look up to see Reed Richards leading Tony, Steve, and Doctor Strange into the room. The four men's expressions range from concern to curiosity as they approach.
"We need to talk," Tony says, his voice uncharacteristically subdued as his eyes drift to Gwen's unconscious form.
Peter slumps in exhaustion, "I know." He turns to MJ, who gives him a reassuring nod.
"Go," she says softly. "I'll shout if anything changes."
With visible reluctance, Peter releases her hand and follows the four men into the small observation room above the medical bay. Through the glass partition, he can still see Gwen and MJ, which provides a small measure of comfort.
The door closes behind them with a soft click. Strange's astral form shimmers slightly as he takes position near the window, while the others settle around a small table.
Tony decides to start in his usual manner, "So, that was a spectacle."
Knowing he was refering to what happened upstairs, Peter shrugs and says, "They were gonna find out eventually. At least this way I can say I was upfront with them."
"Only when you had no other choice." Stephen points out.
Peter rolls his eyes, "Yeah well, that's not my biggest concern right now."
Steve picks up on something in the hero's tone, "There's something else, isn't there?"
For a moment, Peter is quiet. Seeming to be reluctant to share his suspicions. But he does. "It's Osborn. Nothing about what happened with Project cosmic makes any sense. He also mentioned a benefactor that told him to destroy the terranometer. Which again, doesn't make sense. Rulkie said that thing was a secret."
Tony taps his fingers rhythmically against the table, "So who would know about it and want it gone?"
Peter nods, "Exactly. Because whoever knew, also gave Norman the knowledge to not only capture and contain the Enigma Force, but to also create phony X-Men and then mash them together."
"Yeah, we saw the images Romanoff captured," Tony comments, with a disturbed look, "Not a pretty sight.
Steve has a thoughtful look on his face, "So the question is, who was helping Osborn pull this off?"
Nobody seems to have an answer. But one man, an ethereal one, does have a suspicion on who the culprit could be.
(Manhattan Streets)
It's very late in the night in the Big Apple. So late, it's actually the next day. The only people out and about are society's bottom feeders, drug dealers and homeless people.
One man in particular who appears homeless is pushing a cart full of cans across the sidewalk. His head was down and his hood was up, shadowing his face.
He turns into an alleyway where a dealer was currently making a sale. The homeless man lifts his head enough to eye the dealer to see if he'll leave. Watching him and the buyer intently.
The buyer takes whatever product was given and leaves but the dealer remains. The homeless man glares at the dealer, angered at the nuisance. As subtle as he was being though, the dealer felt eyes on his person and turned to the bum, who turned away from him.
"Hey!" The Dealer shouts at the bum as he menacinlgy walks up to him, "Beat it buddy."
The homeless man does not reply, which angers the dealer.
He steps up real close, "Didn't you hear me?" He says as he lifts up his shirt to reveal a gun in his waistband, "I said leave."
The apparent homeless man eyes the gun before he calmy responds, "You should be careful. If I were a policeman, you'd have given me probable cause to arrest you."
The criminal seems to hesitate to go further for a moment before scoffs, "Cops are paid off." He states confidently as he pulls out his gun and points it at the mans head, "You ain't no cop."
Again, the man goes silent before a smile creeps onto his face. "You're right. I'm actually someone to be worried over."
The homeless man's hand shoots out from underneath the rags faster than the dealer can react. He grabs the hand with the gun and crushes them both together, eliciting an agonizing scream from the dealer. The bums other hand flies out to the throat and tears the larynx out, effectively silencing the scream. The dealer drops to his knees as he clutches his throat in vain. He looks at the bum and can see a twisted smile, before his world fades to black.
The bun stares at the body for a moment, before he places his hand on the brick wall beside him and pulls out a single brick. He then reaches inside and tugs at something, there is a crack and then hiss as a section of the wall opens up. The bum grabs the dealer's body and easily tosses him inside before he pulls his cart in.
Once in, he closes the panel and the room lights up. Revealing a shoddy yet still highly functional laboratory.
The man pulls down his hood, revealing himself to be a bruised and battered Norman Osborn.
Norman smashes the cart over a table, sending cans and another body clattering across the room. His eyes are wide with fury, and his breath is ragged as he screams at the empty lab.
"SPIDER-MAAAN!" he shouts, the name a curse of the worse kind.
He paces like a caged animal, kicking over chairs and swiping equipment off shelves. The miserable insect had once again defeated him. Even when he had the power to rival gods, the cretin had somehow stopped him. He was told the power he wielded would be enough to finish his nemesis off for good.
"The military at my beck and call," he seethes, "and still I lose to that—"
"Now what does this tantrum accomplish?" A smooth voice interrupts.
Norman whirls around to see Mephistopheles standing by the dead criminal Norman had to kill.
Norman glares at the demon lord, though there is a hint of fear and submission in his eyes, "Lord Mephistopheles." He greets his secret benefactor.
Yes, his benefactor. How did these two meet? The devil had approached the businessman a short time back, while Norman was hiding under his latest proverbial rock. He was the one who told Norman all about Project Cosmic and gave him the knowledge he needed to not only lead the project but make it a success.
There was only one condition Mephistopheles demanded. Which was the complete destruction of the terranometer, something Norman did not know even existed. Other than that, Norman was allowed to use the power from the synthetic cosmic cube for whatever he desired. The devil even provided an extra incentive of a book that gave Norman the knowledge in creating the monstrous amalgamation his foe's teammates had battled. A book that showed him how magic and science can combine.
But it was all useless! His nemesis had prevailed! And he wants the devil to know who's fault it is.
The devil steps over the corpse and waves his hand to bring a chair over to him. "You've succeeded in your task. Why are you upset?"
Osborn wants to snarl and curse at the smirking demon lord but resists the urge to do so, "Respectfully, you promised me I would destroy Spider-Man!"
Mephisto raises a finger, "I said, I would provide you the means to contain power capable of destroying him." He tells him in a condescending tone. "You were the one that failed to utilize it correctly."
Norman's jaw clenches, the wild look in his eyes intensifying. But he does not let it out. For some inexplicable reason, he is afraid of the demon before him. As if the part that has driven him to commit his atrocities knows this demon is not someone to trifle with.
Mephisto leans back, casual, unfazed by Norman's anger. "The Enigma Force was never meant for one as…" He pauses, as if thinking about the word while he looks at the two bodies in the room, "unstable as you, Norman."
Norman's fists tighten and loosen repeatedly. "Then why give me false hope? Why not help me destroy him?"
"False hope?" Mephisto chuckles darkly. "No, no. I gave you the very chaos you thrive on. A taste of what real power feels like." The demon lord's eyes burn with a sinister glow. "And now, I offer something far more suited to your particular disposition."
"What are you talking about?" Norman demands, though there's an edge of desperation in his voice now, a craving for what Mephisto promises.
Mephisto smirks, "Most are not aware of this, but the Phoenix force has a polar opposite. An entity powerful enough to bring destruction to other cosmic beings." He snaps his fingers, and in a puff of smoke, a box appears in his hand, "It was believed to be destroyed some time ago. But such a thing cannot be destroyed. Only… put to sleep for lack of a better term."
Norman, intrigued by this, steps closer, "What is it?"
Mephisto pulls open the lid and an orb is revealed inside. An orb with a swirling black mass inside, "It is called the Goblin Force."