(OC portrayed by Danielle Campbell)

Chapter 2 - Exposed

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

"Piece of cake," Kate replied with a grin, though I could see the exhaustion in her eyes as the team boarded the hovercraft, I allowed myself a moment to breathe, leaning back in my seat and letting the adrenaline fade. I leaned back against my seat, closing my eyes for a moment, but my thoughts raced as I replayed every moment of the mission.

Kate nudged me gently, pulling me out of my head. "You cool?"

I smirked faintly without opening my eyes. "Yea, just tired." My power tends to drain me out if I over use them.

Maria's voice crackled over the comms, cutting through the quiet. "Good work tonight, team. We've got confirmation that HYDRA's communication system is completely down in the region. This should give us the upper hand for upcoming operations."

The team murmured their agreement.

Her words eased some of the tension that had been weighing on my chest. I nodded in appreciation, glancing over at Dad, who was busy talking to Maria on his com. He caught my gaze briefly, giving me a small, reassuring nod.

As the hovercraft hummed softly in the background, I let myself relax a little more. The team bantered about where to grab food once we were back at HQ, Kate arguing passionately for pizza while the others debated tacos versus burgers. Their easy laughter filled the cabin, grounding me in the moment.

I glanced down at my hands, flexing my fingers. Despite the exhaustion, a sense of accomplishment warmed my chest. We had done it. Another mission, another win for the team.

"Hey, pizza's winning," Kate said, nudging me with her elbow. "You in?"

"Yeah," I said with a smirk.

◇◇◇◇

I groggily woke up the following morning, still feeling the exhaustion from last night's mission.I threw on my outfit I had left out and then made my way downstairs to see Laura, my adopted mother sitting in the dining room watching T.V.

"Good morning." I greeted.

Laura turned her head, her warm smile greeting me. "Morning, hon. Sleep okay?"

"Yeah, just tired from last night, if you know what I mean" I replied before stepping into the kitchen and making me a small bowl of cereal before taking a seat on the recliner next to her. As I ate, the News came on and my stomach dropped with what appeared on the headline.

"SPIDER-MAN UNMASKED: PETER PARKER EXPOSED!"

They showed a grainy picture of my best friend Peter and clips from the Daily Bugle's coverage, with J. Jonah Jameson's voice blasting through the speakers.

"I can't believe this," Laura muttered, shaking her head. "That poor kid. The media's going to tear him apart."

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stay calm. "Yeah...," I said, shocked then called Peter. "Pete, I saw the news. We need to talk."

◇◇◇◇

I waited downtown as I stood on the sidewalk, watching the city bustle around me, but my mind was elsewhere.

As I waited for Peter to arrive, I steeled myself for what was to come. The media storm was just beginning, and we were going to need all the strength we could muster to navigate it.

When Peter finally showed up, looking like he hadn't slept in days, I stepped forward to greet him, offering a reassuring smile. "You good?" I asked softly.

Before he could answer, the sudden onslaught of flashes and questions caught us both off guard. Reporters surrounded us, yelling over each other, trying to get the scoop.

"Peter! Is it true? You're Spider-Man? How long have you been hiding this from us?" one reporter yelled, shoving a microphone in Peter's face.

"Why didn't you tell the world? How do you feel about being exposed?" another added, practically tripping over their own feet to get closer.

"Peter's who's the girl?"

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"Does MJ know?"

I immediately stepped in front of Peter, putting my body between him and the crowd. My heart pounded in my chest as I scanned the crowd, trying to keep my cool. "Back off!" I snapped, my voice steady but firm. "He's my best friend! Give him some space!"

Peter was still standing there, wide-eyed and clearly overwhelmed, but he wasn't saying anything. I knew he didn't have the strength to handle all of this right now.

"Peter, let's get out of here," I said softly, my voice just for him. I grabbed his arm gently, pulling him toward the street corner. He followed me without protest, his eyes darting nervously around, clearly trying to stay composed.

Me and Peter ran to an empty alleyway and Peter used his webbing to sling us into the air.

I yelped, gripping my hold on Peter's neck. "Peter! A warning next time!"

Peter glanced over at me with a sheepish grin as he swung us higher, the city unfolding beneath us. "Sorry, Kyr! Just hold on tight, alright?"

I rolled my eyes, trying not to panic as we soared from building to building.

We reached the top of the skyscraper, and Peter carefully landed us on the rooftop. I stumbled slightly as we touched down, my legs still feeling like jelly from the swing. "I swear, next time I get a choice, I'm taking the stairs," I said, trying to joke through my nerves.

"Come on, it wasn't that bad!" He joked.

I scoffed. "To you!"

Peter chuckled, but I could tell there was still a heaviness to him. He wasn't laughing like he normally would, not with the weight of everything that had happened.

"It's everywhere." Peter said after a moment of silence.

"Yeah, I know," I said quietly, my voice tinged with sympathy. "The whole city's talking about it. What happened?"

Peter sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "I don't know. But it's all out there and I don't know what to do."

I stepped closer to him, my heart heavy with concern. "We'll figure this out."

He nodded slowly, his gaze distant. "I just... I never thought it would come to this. The whole world knows my secret....I don't even know where to start."

I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, there wasn't much I could say to help him or make the situation go away. The only thing I could do was be there for him.