chapter forty-four
nine lives

    NEVER ONCE in Nina Hart's life this year so far, would she ever consider using their new friend John Jameson's career to get her anywhere. But she would admit, knowing a famous astronaut and being invited to a lavish celebration that required her to wear nice dresses and drink champaign out of a flute was most definitely a perk from it. To everyone's surprise except for her, Nina grew close with the son of the notorious journalist. It started with hot chocolate━she often made him some whenever he felt a little excluded, or stepped back away from their little group when she was sure their dynamics became a little too much. And then, following that, were their conversations. And those conversations were great━they were comforting, and they were simple. They laughed at simple things and stories from each other's past. They found out they both used to try and save ants from school childrens' boots back in elementary and had a secret love for comics. Nina once showed him her Spider-Man comics that started coming out after the web-slinger became known within New York━for she always found the best way to support her superhero friend whenever she could. She also tried not to laugh when John pointed out the girl he saved from falling off the Manhattan Bridge was designed shockingly similar to her, having no idea that it had been her. 

    (She was now a reoccurring character, it was sort of cool). 

   She kept fiddling with her dress, flattening the skirt and fixing her straps. So much that Mary Jane ended up lightly smacking her arms to tell her, "Stop it. You look great."

    Nina flushed, brushing her hair off her shoulders and down her back. "Did you have to fall in love with an astronaut?" she joked, glancing around at the gathering they were in the midst of. So many people she would never no personally, but would definitely see on television━political figures and film personalities that made her hunch up and quickly whisper to MJ: "Was that Brad Pitt?!"

     Her friend chuckled, looking gorgeous in a black blazer over her dress. She had twisted her hair back off her face in a tight, sleek bun, showing off a dazzling palette of eyeshadow that made her gaze glow. She was glowing. Nina has never seen her so happy. Mary Jane linked her arm with hers, "You will be all right, you nerd."

    Nina narrowed her eyes playfully, "Being a nerd and being anxious standing in a room full of celebrities is entirely different."

    "Well," MJ grinned, squeezing her close, "I'm glad you're here. So is John."

    "Which━" Nina unlinked her arm to take her friend's shoulders and say, "━speaking of John, you need to go and find him before the presentation."

     Mary Jane pursed her lips. She glanced at the clock on the wall and then back at her. She was a little hesitant, "Are you sure you will be all right?"

     "I'll be fine!" said Nina with a reassuring smile. She ushered her best friend along, "Now, go. You don't want to keep everyone waiting."

    MJ started shuffling back. She kept glancing over her shoulder, as if to check whether Nina might explode if she got too far away, but she just waved at her to get moving and her friend chuckled, rushing away towards the side door. 

    Once she was gone, Nina glanced around, suddenly feeling as if she was about to explode with her nerves. But she just took a deep breath and flattened her dress again, titling her chin up and accepting the champaign glass that was offered to her off a nearby platter. 

    She didn't see the camera lens held by gentle hands capture the moment she smiled as she thanked the girl that passed her. Peter Parker slowly emerged from behind the lens, gazing at Nina who wouldn't think to look his way━not anymore. Not without feeling that jab in her heart to know that the one person she thought would always be there for her, wasn't. But in this moment, in the crowded room, Peter Parker only saw Nina Hart━and he found her more beautiful than anyone else. 

    Nina pursed her lips once she took a sip from her glass. She searched the crowd and found one person exactly where she knew he'd be. Some part of her sighed sadly within her chest to be proven right, finding Harry all by himself clutching an entire bottle at the bar. 

    After what happened with Otto, he had become miserable. But now that his hope for a future that would make his late father proud suddenly returned to the light with four arms and malicious intent━robbing banks and speaking crazed words━, Harry had gotten even worse. 

    (They now called him Doc Ock━a rising villain. There was no mention of the man; the scientist he was before. But she supposed everyone loved the idea of a mad scientist who had lost his way). 

    Even if she wanted to go over to him, she knew there would be no point. He would snap at her and he would tell her to go away. He would insult her in a drunken slur, and everything she'd do to try and help him━to be there for him━seemed to mean absolutely nothing. She was worried. She was really worried. But she also didn't want her mood to be dampened by being hurt by him again. 

    What could she ever do if he didn't listen? Or want to listen? He was so caught up in his determination to fill his father's footsteps and find Spider-Man to avenge his father's death, that there was nothing else on Harry Osborn's mind. And it was consuming him; drowning him. 

    She pursed her lips and realised even without going over to him, Nina felt a sadness weigh over her still. She glanced briefly at the clock and took the little time she had left before the presentation to slip outside into the fresh air. 

     Peter noticed her go. With a flicker of a frown on his face, he left the group he was surrounded with, ignoring Jameson's shouts to take pictures to follow her.

    Nina glanced up at the sweet fairy lights and lanterns that lit up the balcony. She wandered to the edge, setting her arms on the barrier as she kept looking up at them, having a strange want to be a fairy light━bright, colourful, her life so simple with the only purpose to be wrapped around a tree in order to light up a dark night.      

    She gently rubbed her eyes, suddenly quite cold to be outside. Though it did not make her head back in through the door. She turned her attention to the city around her, and tried to imagine him swinging through it━wondering whether if he knew she was waiting on this balcony for him to be saved like some damsel in a movie. 

     Nina realised she was always waiting. Waiting on a balcony, waiting by someone's door, waiting for people to accept her for who she was━waiting for people to see her worth. Always waiting. 

     "Hi..."

    His voice made her eyes close briefly before she decided to turn to face him. Peter Parker stood there in his suit and his camera slung around and hanging from his neck. He looked unsure on what to say or what to do━he knew she was not happy with him, and yet he still came to talk to her. Nina didn't know whether he was brave or stupid━or perhaps both.

    Nina squared her shoulders and managed a stiff, "Hi."

   Immediately, he launched into an apology━like he always did, "Listen, I'm sorry━"

   "You've already said you're sorry," Nina cut him off, annoyed. He pursed his lips, falling silent. "Again, again and again. 'I'm sorry, Nina, that I couldn't make it to lunch. I'm sorry, Nina, I got stuck in traffic. I'm sorry, Nina, something came up that I missed your birthday. I'm sorry, Nina, my bike and a security guard stopped me from being there for you━' I'm so sick of apologies, Peter. They don't mean anything because you go ahead and you do the same thing all over again."

    Hurt flashed in his gaze and she wanted to feel satisfied by it, but instead it only just hurt her, too. Nina's brows furrowed and she looked down at her drink. "I want to believe you," she said to him. "I want to━but I don't think I know you anymore, Peter. And yet ... yet I can't stop thinking about you. It's too painful."

    He forced back tears from his eyes. Peter stammered, like he wanted to tell her so much ... and yet he never did. "I ... I ... I've been reading poetry lately."

    She grew incredulous. With a scoff and a shake of her head, Nina let out, "Okay? Whatever that means..."

    He took a shaky breath, "Day by day; he gazed upon her. Day by day; he sighed with passion━"

    "Don't," she stopped him before he'd go too far. Walking up to him, she said: "I don't want to hear poetry, Pete. I want to hear the truth, for once... Oh! And by the way," she began, "MJ listened and helped me with my presentation ten times before she saw it. Harry came and watched two nights. Aunt May came to see it. John has seen it and is pushing for it to be presented in front of the science committee. My father's work friend even came to see it and congratulate me. But one of my closest friends, who apparently cares so much about me, who told me he would always be there for me ... couldn't even make a seven o'clock presentation. After all these years, Pete ... after everything ... I don't mean anything more to you than just an empty seat. So, I'm done. I━" she spoke slowly and strongly, "━am done."

   She left him there by the balcony, and Nina knew she should feel better by doing so ... but deep down, she didn't. 

*ೃ༄

    "PARKER? PARKER!"

    Peter spun around, his breath hitching as Fury raised his voice. He hadn't heard what he had said before, and he flushed at the cheeks, rather embarrassed. But he couldn't help it. He couldn't stop thinking about what was going to happen━about what Ned said to him. His friends had been dragged into coming to Prague because of him. They were going to be put into serious danger because of him. Ned, MJ and Nina could get hurt ... because of him. Because Fury wanted him on his team, and when he said no, made him be apart of it without any choice━and his friends were going to suffer because of it, and he'll blame himself. He could never look himself in the face, look them in the face, to know that if they never met him, they probably would have had a good life━a better life; a simpler life. A life without Spider-Man. 

    He thought of his Uncle Ben. Before he died━because of Peter━he had always tried to teach him to do the right thing; to make the right choices for the good of others as well as the good of himself. He taught him to be humble, and to be selfless; he taught him that if he had the capability to do something for the good of people, he had a responsibility to do so. Peter tried his best to follow in his footsteps━to follow his words in respect of his life and all the good he has done. The good he did right up until he died ... Peter tried ... he tried so hard ... and yet he still felt as if he was disappointing him. 

     Peter barely knew his father. He died when he was very young. From that moment on, he had known no other father than his Uncle Ben. And then he died. Then, Peter met Tony ... and there had been something about him━he taught Peter the responsibility of his suit, he believed in him when no one else did ... and then he died, too. 

    Peter was alone━he was the survivor of a curse to whoever got close to him. 

    Sometimes, he often wondered whether that was what it was like to be an Avenger; to be a superhero━the Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man: to be alone so everyone else didn't have to be. 

     Peter Parker cleared his throat and nodded, "Yes, sir."

    Fury frowned at him from where he stood; gaze sharp and deadly, "That thing is going to be here in a few hours. Are we boring you?"

    Before he got the chance to try and defend himself with many stammers and flustered words, Quentin Beck━the infamous mysterious hero from Venice━spoke up, "He's not bored." He looked Fury dead in the eye. "He's just thinking about how you kidnapped him."

     "He had obstacles," said Fury. "I removed them."

    Quentin Beck didn't look amused. He was a tall man━tall, wise ... he looked exactly like how a superhero should look. With a gruff look in his eye, as if the whole sky weighed down upon his board shoulders from all that he's experienced, learnt and faced. He had a gruff beard, too, which only seemed to add to every heroic thing about him. 

    "They still won't evacuate the city," said Maria Hill; a stern, serious woman with a sharp nose and a sharp tongue. Peter knew who she was. She was friends with the Avengers and Tony Stark━she was super cool. 

    Fury sighed, throwing his head down and running a tired hand down the side of his face, "Idiots..." he muttered. He took a deep breath and set his jaw, "So, what's the plan, Parker?"

    Peter huffed and puffed out his chest, trying to look as heroic as he could standing next to Mr. Beck. "I will be in the cathedral tower," he recalled━though he sounded breathless; he sounded just as scared as he felt, "keeping watch for the fire monster. When that shows up, I will radio you guys, and then Mr. Beck and I will━"

    "My name is Mysterio," interrupted Mr. Beck. Peter spun to him, and the nerves left his chest to see a bright, mischievous gleam in his eye. He let out a chuckle and Mysterio sent a little reassuring smile. 

    "That's when Mysterio and I will move in," finished Peter, though his confidence wavered as soon as he saw the scowl on Fury's face. 

    "Peter, listen to me," said Mysterio. He took a step towards him, all mischief gone━it now replaced with grave severity. "The best hope you have, the only hope, is to stop it here now, no matter what the cost. Manoeuvre it away from civilians if you can, but most important, keep it away from metal. If it gets too big, it'll be able to draw power from the Earth's core. After that, there's no way to stop it."

    Peter felt his heart fall deep into the pit of his stomach. No matter the cost ... with gut-wrenching worry, he couldn't help but feel as if the cost was going to be everyone he cared about.

    He thought of Nina━of how much faith she had in him. He couldn't fail her. He couldn't let her get hurt because of him━not again. But this thing ... this monster ... he was terrified that he wouldn't be able to save her from it. That something will happen, and his promises would fall to nothing ... and he wouldn't be quick enough. 

    Swallowing down bile in his throat, Peter shuffled his feet and hugged his stomach. Shy, he glanced back at Fury to mumble, "Hey ... my━my friends are here. And I can't help but think that we're putting them in danger━"

    "You're worried about us hurting your friends?" let out Fury, suddenly quite livid. Peter's eyes widened, holding his breath as he stormed up to him. "You━" he pointed a finger at him, "━who called a drone strike on your own school tour bus?!" Peter looked down, his jaw setting as he tried to keep down the sudden overwhelming emotion that stung at his eyes the moment Fury raised his voice. "Stark gave you a multibillion-dollar A.R. tactical intelligence system, and the first thing you do with it? Is try and blow up your friends. It's clear to me that you were not ready for this!"

     And what hurt the most, was that Fury was right.

    As soon as he could, Peter got out. He got out and he swung to the tallest building he could imagine━he tried to run away, but there was nothing tall enough. There was nothing quite like New York, where he could run up skyscrapers that stretched to the clouds in order to run away from his problems when they got too much. 

     He found himself sitting on the edge of the motel building, staring━glum━out at the bronze lights in the distance. With his legs dangling over the edge, he has never felt so far away from home. 

     His phone buzzed. He glanced down at glimpsed a message from Nina asking where he was━and when he was getting back. She then sent a video of MJ threatening to throw her book at Flash across the hallway of their rooms. He screeched and ran for his life, though they all knew that MJ would never hurt one of her books for the sake of someone else━even if it was to try and hurt Flash. 

     He wanted to smile and chuckle at it, but he couldn't find it within him. 

    Peter stared at Nina's name on his phone, and felt as if he was making the same mistakes. He was still lying to her━even if he said he never would. But he didn't know how to tell her. He didn't know how to tell her that Felicia had blipped, and now she had taken upon the alter ego of the Black Cat. He didn't know how to tell her she wasn't the same━he didn't know how to tell her that all of Nina's fears that she tried to ignore about Felicia had been true. He didn't know how to tell her, knowing the truth would break her. 

    When she noticed he was active within their instagram chat, she immediately tried to call him. Peter pursed his lips and decided to answer, putting his phone to his ear, "Hey," he muttered. 

    "Hey━!" she started off very bright and excited, until she noticed the down-tone to his voice, and he heard her falter on the other end of the line. There was a pause before she said again, more gentle: "Hey, what is it? What's wrong?"

     "Nothing," he lied. "Just ... just getting ready."

    "It'll be okay," she said immediately, and Peter clenched his eyes shut, wanting to cry at how sure she was. "I know you'll keep everyone safe."

     Peter sighed, hanging his head. In a whisper, he told her, "You don't deserve this..."

     He heard a breath of confusion, "... What?"

    "Just ..." he blinked back his tears, but he knew she could hear it in his voice. "Just all of this. You guys are here because of me. If━if you didn't know me━"

    "Hey, hey, hey━" she cut I'm off, "━that's not true. None of this is your fault. Peter, if I didn't know you, I would hate it. Nothing would make sense. I've known you all my life, and I wouldn't change a thing. Yeah, things are crazy. Yeah, we deal with a lot of crazy stuff ... but it feels right because we're together. I don't want it to be any different. Peter Parker is worth it all, trust me."

    Peter Parker clutched his phone tight, wishing she was up here with him right now. He wanted to ask her to come━beg, even━to just hug her. He wanted to tell her everything━how grateful he was for her, how much he didn't deserve her. How he would never be here; still standing and still fighting, if it weren't for her. How, even stuck in space with no hope, he had been determined to find a way home. To get back home, because of her. Because she was going to be waiting by her window━he had to get back to make sure he met her at her window. 

    But instead, he nodded and mumbled. "Okay."

    "Okay?" she repeated, to be sure he heard her and he understood.

    Peter found himself able to smile a little, "Yeah. I'll see you soon."

    "See you later, Tiger."

    The call ended, but Peter still held his phone in his lap, staring at the screen where her name had just been. He frowned when he felt something shift in the air; the hair on his arms stood on end and he glanced up, preparing Mysterio's arrive even before he came to hover in front of him. 

     It felt strange to hear him speak without seeing his face behind the globe. "Fury asked me to come up here and see how you were doing," he said after a short moment of silence. "He just━he felt bad about snapping at you."

    Peter's brows lifted in surprise, "Wait ... really?"

    Mysterio hovered to a seat beside him on the edge of the building, "You guys do have sarcasm on this Earth, right?"

    Peter's chuckle was dry. He went back to his phone, getting out of instagram to then stare at his background; his heart grew frond of the sight of himself and his friends after their Junior Decathlon. 

    "How're you feeling?" then asked Quentin Beck as the globe dematerialised around his head, revealing a gentle, concerned gaze. 

    Spider-Man met that gaze. He pursed his lips, not sure whether to tell him ... but soon, he just sighed and slumped forward. "Uh ..." he tried to think of his words carefully, but he soon realised that if there was anyone who could understand how he felt, it would be Mysterio━it would be another superhero. "I didn't think I was gonna have to save the world this summer."

    Quickly realising how that sounded, Peter clenched his eyes shut and back-tracked, "I━I know that makes me sound like such a jerk. I just..." he sighed again. He could feel Quentin's eye on him, listening intently━understanding. Peter glanced back down to Nina smiling on his home screen. "I just had this plan with this girl that I really like and ... now it's all ruined..."

    Mysterio noticed the way he frowned at the girl smiling next to him on his phone. "Is she the one you were just talking to on the phone?"

    Peter went to argue, but he stopped himself. He nodded. "Yeah," he mumbled. "Her name's Nina. She's ..." he shrugged, not even sure there was a word to properly describe her. "She's my best friend━I mean, she's ... she's just always been there ..."

    There was a sweet glimmer in Quentin's gaze━like he was watching some cheesy, romantic comedy that one couldn't help but smile at. He slumped forward as well, "You know ... you're not a jerk for wanting a normal life, kid. It's ... it's a hard path. You see things ... you do things ... You make choices. People look up to you ... and ... even if you win a battle, sometimes they die." 

    Peter still hadn't taken his eyes away from the picture. His thumb brushed down the side, close to Nina's face. 

    "I like you, Peter," then said Mysterio. "You're a good kid." He managed a quick smile at that. "There's a part of me that wants me to tell you, just ..." he shook his head. He gestured out to the city before them, "... turn around, run away from all this. Then there's another part of me that knows what we're about to fight━what's at stake ... and I'm glad you're here."

    Peter sighed. Despite it all, he knew he'd feel more guilt if he wasn't doing something to help. "Me too," he said. 

    "But, you're worried about your friends."

    "Yeah ..." he turned off his phone, "... just always feel like I'm putting them in danger."

    "Look," said Mysterio, "just get them inside and keep them in a safe place for just a few hours. They'll be all right."

    Peter glanced up at him. A small smile made its way onto his face. He was grateful for this━grateful that Mysterio came to find him. He was nice, and he was wise━he knew about this superhero stuff, and he understood it ... he was a great hero━the type of hero Peter could only dream of becoming. "It's really nice to have somebody to talk to about superhero stuff, you know? I mean ... Nina tries━she's great at it, but ... she doesn't always quite understand, you know? She has this ... perfect idea of who I am━of Spider-Man, and sometimes I'm scared I'm not gonna live up to that because it's hard ... it is so hard ..."

    Mysterio shrugged, "I don't know, Peter," he sighed out, giving him a quick, little smile, "having someone who believes in you, unconditionally ... that's a type of love not many people get ... you better look after your girl, kid."

    Peter's brows bounced. To himself, he muttered, "That's the plan..."

*ೃ༄

    HIS NIGHT got only worse from there. As soon as he leapt down into the back street from the top of the building, Peter was determined to find a way to protect his friends. As he stood back up, an elderly couple passing by stared at him, shocked. Peter hunched up, "Uh━scusi━" he immediately winced. "Sorry, that's ..." he watched them walk away, startled and confused, "... Italian ..."

    He rummaged through his bag for E.D.I.T.H. and scrambled with shaky fingers to slip her onto his nose. He pushed the brim of the glasses right up and stammered, his heart beginning to race, "O━okay, okay━E.D.I.T.H.?" She didn't respond right away, unlike Karen, and so Peter huffed and puffed, tapping his foot on the stone stairwell until he heard━

    "Hello, Peter."

   "Hey!" he ducked to the side of the building, checking his surrounds to make sure that he was definitely alone. He waited until the elderly couple were out of earshot before he continued, "Uh━I need to find a way to keep my friends inside for the next few hours."

    "Let's see what we can do."

    Peter let out a long sigh of relief, "Great! Thank you, E.D.I.T.H.━whoa━!"

    His spider-sense hadn't even worked. Peter didn't even realise someone had crept out of the shadows around the corner until her claws latched around his elbow and dragged him into the dark. "Hey!" he cried out, trying to fight whoever it was━but she just twisted his arm and pushed him up against the wall. It didn't hurt, but it surprised him and he grunted, hoping to Thor that the glasses hadn't broken. When he heard E.D.I.T.H. finally let him know: "Beware, oncoming hostile━" Peter grumbled, "You think?"

     A voice purred into his ear, "I like the new look, Spider."

    Recognising it, Peter's heart leapt with anxiety. His breath quickened, and he didn't even think to wonder how she figured it out, but he gritted his teeth and spun around, catching her with strength she didn't have━he quickly gained the upper hand, forcing Felicia up against the wall instead. She huffed in his face, impressed with a mocking smirk across her lips. 

    Behind her mask, the Black Cat tilted her head at the glasses and furrowed her brows, "Though ... on second thoughts, the glasses don't really suit you━they're a bit big, Peter."

    Peter Parker faltered then. His breath hitched again. He stared at Felicia who reached up and took her own mask off━and it was startling to see just how similar she looked now. She had the same cat-eye eyeliner, the same mischievous glint━behind that mask, she was young; she was his age, and Peter could see the slight wince at hi strength he momentarily forgot━and so he stumbled back, staring at the girl he once knew in shock. 

    "How━who━?" he shook his head. "I'm not who you think I am," he desperately tried to lie.

     Felicia took a deep breath, finally able to properly breathe. Even with her malicious teasing and looks that hadn't aged in the five years she was dust, she was different. There was a different look about her━a darker look; a look that was weighed down and almost sad. "Funny, you're still denying it to me."

    "I'm not Spider-Man," he told her.

     She chuckled, "Really?" pushing off the wall, she walked up to him in her slender, black suit, "Then why aren't you surprised to see me, Parker?"

     Peter swallowed harshly. He clenched his jaw, watching her get a little too close. He stepped back, eyeing her with a breath of warning. She understood and stopped, holding her hands up and with a slight smirk, took a step backwards. "What are you doing here, Felicia? Who are you following?"

    "Why, you, of course," she answered playfully. 

    "How did you find me?"

    "The same way Fury did━" she reached a sly hand out. Peter tensed, still and ready to fight until her clawed fingers of her gauntlet abruptly changed direction, snagging something off the elbow of his flannel sleeve. She showed it to him, and Peter's eyes widened as he saw something small and circular━it sparked as she crushed it in her palm: a tracker. "You gotta be more careful about who you let get close to you."

     Peter took a sharp breath through his nose, trying to not get angry at the thought of Fury tracking him without his permission━without him knowing. He wondered how long he had that there━since the funeral? He must've done it before the trip, for he must've used it to find him at their Venice hostel. 

     The Black Cat let the pieces fall to their feet. But the way she gazed at him, it was very Felicia. "So ... it was you the whole time. Peter Parker ... Spider-Man━"

     "Keep your voice down," Peter hissed at her.

     "━how did I not see it?" she shook her head, incredulous. "Were you like his at school?" His lack of answer gave her one. "So, you were." Her eyes widened. "Berlin ... you went to Berlin, and then you broke up with Nina━that was because of this. All those times you skipped class ... you disappeared, never answered calls ... you were off fighting crime━Tony Stark's little elf, I suppose."

     Peter set his jaw, scowling down at her. Felicia scoffed at him, as if this made her absolutely livid. "That's how you knew who I was━that's why you tried to chase after me. Itsy Bitsy Peter Parker climbing up walls and swinging past buildings; the Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man━the new leader of the new Avengers."

    As she turned on her feet, swinging elegantly while she spoke, Peter lurched forward━terrified that she would run off, "You━you can't tell anyone, Felicia━" at how mirthful her smirk was, he added, "━I mean it. You can't tell anyone."

    "Why not?" she played along, circling him like a feline eyeing her prey. 

    "Because━" Peter stopped, not quite sure on what he was going to say. 

    But she seemed to know exactly what it was. Her brows shot up, finishing off his sentence for him: "Because we're friends?" Black Cat chuckled. "Because it's the right thing to do? Because it's the nice thing to do?" she pouted at him. "But what if I want to? It would be a fun game ... and I like playing fun games."

    He kept quiet, because she was right━those were along the lines of what he was sure he might've said. Felicia stepped up close to him and picked her claws at his flannel. "Does Nina know?" she decided to then ask. Peter decided not to answer. "She admires you so much," went on Black Cat. "Spider-Man ..." she mused, "... she never stopped talking about you. She wanted to help━wanted to impress you. I helped you, too, did you know? I got the Vulture's name off dear old Daddy in prison━and look where that got me? Attacked and stabbed at my own high school homecoming. Learning my father was killed because I made him tell me what he knew ... for you. For Spider-Man. For Peter Parker." She chuckled━she did not sound happy-going, but instead rather bitter and vengeful. "The irony ..."

     Peter Parker clenched his fists. He took another sharp breath to keep himself calm and his voice even, "What are you doing here, Felicia?"

     "Why must I do anything━?"

    "You have a reason," he cut her off and her eyes flashed━glinting like her claws. "You always have a reason. Robbing jewellery stores wasn't enough, was it? You're trying to steal something a bit more eye-opening?"

     Black Cat didn't say anything. Peter wasn't even sure whether that meant he was right━he soon learnt that Black Cat liked to play any game she got the chance to; toying with people ... their minds, twisting their words, making them think any angle. That hasn't changed, either. 

     But the difference was, Peter Parker knew Felicia Hardy, even if she wished he didn't. "You're here for Nina, aren't you?"

     And just like that, he knew he had struck the truth. He saw the way she stilled, and the facade she held crumble enough for him to see a flicker of surprise he guessed past her lies. 

    "You're here for Nina," went on Spider-Man, "and yet you've been avoiding her━what is your game, Felicia? Her?" He stood over her. "Nina isn't a game, Cat━she cared about you, she searched for you ... you hurt her, and you're hurting her now━"

    "You think you're so much better, don't you?" she shot straight back to him, furious. "Just because you're some great superhero?" Peter pursed his lips. "You put her in danger! You've hurt her━constantly! You really think you're always going to be around to catch her from a falling elevator, or keep her safe from some angry villain with a thirst for vengeance? What game are you playing, Spider-Man?"

    "So that's what you're trying to do?" Peter frowned. "Trying to protect her from me? I thought you didn't want to see her again?"

     Felicia clenched her jaw, too. She fumed, and they shared a short, glowering exchange. "I can keep an eye on her from a distance." She said eventually. "Ever since I realised she was still trying to help you, I had to step in. I owe her that."

    "You know what you owe her?" Peter told Black Cat. "The truth."

    She scoffed once more, "I'm not going to be lectured about truth from a damn spider who has done nothing but lie."

     "You know what? Fine," Peter nearly gave up. He was mad at Felicia━or maybe he was mad at himself. But the only thing that kept him from fighting her right now was Nina. And so, he tried one last thing. Lowering his voice, he walked back up close to the Black Cat and she didn't run away. She stared up at him, almost vulnerable━there was something about the way she looked at him ... as if finding out the truth was the worst thing possible; that she'd much prefer the mask rather than the person underneath━and Peter didn't know why her thinking that hurt him so much. "You want to protect Nina? You want to keep an eye on her? Tonight, there's going to be a fire monster━an Elemental who is going to be hell-bent on destroying not just Prague, but the entire world. If he gets too powerful, that's it━that's everyone done for."

    Felicia stopped staring to blink, and then frown. "Fire monster ... you mean something like that thing that exploded from the canal in Venice?"

    He didn't stop to question. He presumed if she followed Nina and him here, she would've done the same to Venice━he had sworn he saw her at the airport back in New York. "Same but worse. He's made of fire━and he's going to try and draw power from the Earth's core. Tonight in Prague." Peter's voice turned gentle. "I know you're not a terrible person, Felicia━even if you try to be. You care about people. And if you don't want to admit that, I know you care about Nina. She is here, in Prague━and so is MJ. If this thing wins ... they'll die. Come with me━help us fight it. And then you can see Nina again━she'll be happy to see you."

    Her brows knitted further. She pursed her lips, and for a moment, Peter thought he saw herself consider it. All of her anger and her stone walls fall down enough for a breath of worry and fear to consume her that made her features soft and horrified. 

    Until it was gone. Black Cat narrowed her eyes, "The hero thing isn't really my type," she sneered. "You're so determined to think you can keep Nina safe? Then fight this thing and keep her safe━but don't think for a second that I'd want to help you, Spider-Man. I made that mistake once━I'll never make it again."

     She slipped past him, and he let her, watching her disappear off into the Prague night. 

*ೃ༄     

     a/n: Peter and Felicia have such merlin and morgana vibes except Felicia ain't going around killing a bunch of innocents. 

     sorry for the lack of spider-man 2 content in this chapter lol but like so much of spider-man 2 is Peter going through a crisis and losing his powers and trying to juggle both of his lives - so most of the flashbacks are just peter and nina moments until you get closer to the end. 

    which is sorta good, because tasm2 and ffh have such a large importance to the plot in the second act. 

    (pls give my girl Felicia a pass for this act. she's going thru her villain arc but she has character development which is also what this act is about. like she's not gonna stop being black cat, but my girl is destined to be an anti-hero and that's what she'll become). 

     also, Pete, don't tell mysterio about Nina ... that's ... don't trust him (I say this like I'm not the bloody author)

   also, I passed my drivers test today - I'm now an annoying p-plater. 

   (minimal editing)