4Across the streets of New York, Shriek crossed the streets destroying all cars in sight, making her way towards the biggest screen in town, while everyone around ran for their lives.
"I for one am sick of troublemakers in colorful suits, no matter which names they might have, especially Spider-M-" J. Jonah Jameson's usual hate speech was cut short by the villain's sonic blasts breaking the screen.
"Couldn't agree more with ya, old man, but your voice is just a pain." She commented with a huff.
"Look who's talking." Another female voice called her attention, followed by a direct punch in the face from Spider-Woman. "The loud mouth herself."
"Seriously?" Shriek rubbed her face.
"Yeah, I'm not as creative for puns. Not that it matters, because you're going down." She threatened.
"I am not losing to a fangirl like you!" Shriek responded, using her sonic scream afterwards. Spider-Woman had to jump back, for the sake of her sound-sensitive symbiote. Carnage growled within MJ's mind.
"Don't worry, buddy, as far as I know she's a one-trick-pony." Mary Jane assured the symbiote, and looked around for an idea. Then, a blonde girl was seen crossing the street with headphones. "Hey, watch out! You're in a dangerous zone right now! Hey!"
It was no use: the music was so high she could not listen to Spider-Woman… but she did felt the web pulling her away from Shriek's sonic blasts.
"Mind if I borrow these for a moment?" She asked the girl, who nodded before running to safety. With a quick flip, she put the headphones on and ran into her foe's direction, with her arms turning to spikes.
"Ha! This will not protect you forever, Spider-fangirl!" Shriek laughed it off, launching another sonic scream at her. Mary Jane skillfully used the song's beat to dodge the attacks. She spinned around with one of her arms like a break dancer, kicking the villain's chest and leaped forward to attack, only to be blocked by shields. However, one of Carnage's spikes broke through it.
"It's Spider-Woman, Shriek. And you got served." MJ said, her hand reappearing through the shield's hole and throwing her against the nearest wall, leaving her trapped with webbing all around. Spider-Woman then looked at the crowd cheering for her, especially girls like the blonde from before.
Mary Jane watched the video of the whole battle until the part where she returned the headphones and saw someone had recorded the whole thing. She and Carnage were still awake in the dormitory and she could not believe how many views her latest battle had.
"Hm… still think I could've come up with something better." She commented, while Carnage growled in confusion.
Episode 02a - Watson's Choice
The next day, while making her way to the next training session, MJ answered a phone call from her aunt Anna.
"Yes, Aunt Anna, things are going great. No, my dog is not eating my homework!" She replied, the last part calling Flash's attention. "I told her Carnage is a dog… which is not really lying." She whispered quickly to him before returning to her call. "Okay, I have to go to class. Please tell mom I love her and-" Suddenly she interrupted her speech, as her aunt said something on the phone. "No, wait, really?" Her excitement was visible as she ran in an opposite direction of the classroom.
"Hey, MJ! What about spy technique class!?" Flash tried calling her back, but a passing-by Spider-Man tapped his shoulder.
"You know it's useless, right? MJ does what she does. Besides, judging by her face, must be the best news ever."
"These are the greatest news ever!" MJ cheered out loud, wavering a piece of paper around. "Finally an open road to the world of journalism!" Aunt Anna Watson looked at her with a cheerful smile.
"I knew you'd be excited, but this is another level of it." She said, as she poured food for Carnage, the symbiote committed to his dog form. "I just hope you don't leap to big expectations. We are all aware of the barkin' man that leads the place."
"As if I didn't saw enough of these in my life. It's not J. Jonah Jameson that's gonna make me rethink that.." MJ said with confidence. Then, she saw the news starting on the TV.
"As you are aware, these annoying Spider-Man lackies are a constant fountain of annoyance. However, one of these is growing in popularity and influence so much it can actually overthrow her boyfriend!"
"What?!" Mary Jane shouted with a blushing expression, quickly covering her mouth and expression from her surprised aunt.
"That's right, Spider-Woman is on her way to take Spider-Man's place as the true friendly neighborhood. I'm not saying I support these masked nuisances, but who am I to not support a strong female figure?!"
"... I stand corrected." She muttered, as she watched the videos exhibited on the news with Spider-Woman's battle footages. She watched the fans of Spider-Man cheering for them both as a power couple, and many of them holding dolls of them both.
Mary Jane marched towards the Daily Bugle newsroom. She tried keeping her hopes up, because this was, like she said, the open road to the world of journalism. First an intern in the Bugle, then a good indication to a prosperous college, and finally news anchor, or field reporter! She repeated this plan so many times in her mind since high school she was convinced she'd never think twice.
As she approached the front door, she took a deep breath and send a reminder for Carnage to stay hidden. Then, a startling door opening startled her out of her thoughts.
"You'd better get me something about Spider-Man or I'll make sure you never work on this city anymore!" Friendly as always, J. Jonah pushed his recently hired freelance photographer outside the room. MJ wanted to think back, but she just got there, and was so close…
"H-hey. Little help?" The plump lad asked, picking up the pictures of superheroes he could reach. MJ nodded and helped him up, picking the latest one he took: one of Ms. Marvel fighting against Absorbing Man. Then, she looked at the other pictures: they all had girls fighting bad guys!
"Wow, that's impressive work… um, mister..."
"Leeds. Ned Leeds" He said, rubbing the back of his head. "I-I have been working freelance for a month a-and this Spider-Woman fad made me go after other superheroines battles, b-but Mr. Jameson said he wanted more Spider-Man stuff!"
"Yeah, I heard the last part. In fact, maybe the whole place heard it." She joked, but Ned trembled at that. He then hushed her.
"Y-you're new here, right? Please don't do that in front of the boss." He asked, looking back quickly to be sure Jameson was back in his room. "You have no idea how dangerous he is."
"I'll be okay." She said with a confident smile as she walked through the door. Ned leaving with his pictures. Deep in MJ's mind however, Carnage noticed the repressed fear. As she knocked on Jameson's door, everyone stared at her. Understandably, they commented between themselves about Mary Jane's "fate".
"So, I'll be doing internship in the Bugle, helping with all I can from coffee to reports, and with a job well done, I'll have a proper portfolio, which I'll send to the more prestigious colleges in the region." MJ was back in the dormitory, organizing her life plans again. Her first day wasn't as stressing as she first took: Jameson was receptive and announced her as the new intern, and she quickly got acquainted to all the staff.
"I'm happy you got this job, MJ." Harry said, looking from his top bed, and rubbing his tired eyes. "I really am. But I'm so tired from all the training. You missed the hardest simulation ever."
"Yeah, I promised Flash I'd take that class with him tomorrow." She assured. "I'll be going to bed soon. This month is gonna be a challenge, and I will be ready for anyth-" The alarm then rang, calling their attention. Spider-Man and Agent Venom appeared in the room.
"Iron Spider needs backup, we got Beetle on the run!" Nothing else needed to be said.
Iron Spider pursuit the Beetle across the Brooklyn Bridge. Something didn't felt right: as he heard from the Avengers, the Beetle have joined the Thunderbolts and was in the side of good.
"The Thunderbolts weren't enough for you, Beetle? What does it take to make you really change your ways?" He asked as he helped the civilians in the middle of the crossfire. By then, Spidey, Spider-Woman and Agent Venom arrived.
"Well, he is a mercenary." Spidey sighed.
"He WAS a mercenary." The Beetle talked, revealing its armor, way less technologic than the one Spider-Man knew: the purple and green coloration remained, but the suit looked lighter and simpler. The four Spiders got surprised at that: after all, the Beetle they knew was of few words. And surely was not a woman. "I'm afraid you are in front of his students."
"Students?! Like plural?!" Agent Venom asked. Two other Beetle-suited people stepped forward, throwing cars at the Web Warriors, who not only dodged from one, but helped a mother and a daughter to get out of there.
"Our master has forsaken us, but we shall use what he taught us wisely, as the new Beetles." She announced, her comrades weaponing up for battle, and electricity flowing from her gloves.
"Really? When will you find a fourth member and play on T.V.?" MJ uncharacteristically teased. Spidey couldn't hold back a laugh. "Or better yet, don't find one, just scram!"
"So, Spider-Man's girlfriend wants to take on all of us?" A polished male voice came from the suction-cup gloved green Beetle armor.
"Wait, what?" Both Spidey and Spider-Woman looked at each other, but she kept him from taking a step forward with a wave of her arm.
"I'm up for squishing any bug on our way!" A more brute voice was heard from the bigger suit, which resembled a Hulkbuster armor mixed with a Destroyer asgardian suit in Bettle's colors. With that, the three Beetles charged against the Web Warriors. She called out her spike whip arms and faced of against the girl Beetle, her static shocking visibly hurting and annoying her symbiote. Carnage then helped MJ resist enough for her to grab her opponent by the arm and gripping it tightly, reducing the gloves to mere vestment.
The civilians cheered for her, including the recently rescued mother and daughter. Ned Leeds was also there, and took a picture of the battle in front of him. Spider-Man fought against the green Beetle, avoiding his suction cup gloves and headbutting him. Agent Venom tested the resistance of the giant Beetle armor, avoiding his microwave antennae blasts and missiles.
Spider-Woman looked fiercely at her opponent, and with a quick lep sweep, she immobilized the girl Beetle, threatening her with her pointy arm. The green Beetle stood up just around the moment Spider-Woman launched her opponent against him, both armored fiends interrupting the battle between Venom and the giant Beetle. Flash quickly escaped thanks to the Spider-Sense, but all three were thrown against the car barrier caused by them.
"Now who got squished?" Spider-Woman said, as the other three Spiders approached her. The girl Beetle then threw a smoke bomb, providing them an escape route.
"Have I ever told you how I hate smoke bombs?" Iron Spider coughed, after the clouds disappeared. Soon, S.H.I.E.L.D. sent backup to help normalize the situation. However, Spidey had a bad feeling on his guts.
"Hey… are you ok?" He asked Spider-Woman as he saw her looking at the distance, possibly to the route the Beetles have taken.
"You kinda cut my fight short there." Agent Venom complained. "I was doing fine there, you know."
"Not fine enough." She answered, her voice tone showing a mix of anger, determination… and maybe a bit of exhaustion. She then looked at all the people that remained there cheering for them, and Ned with a happy smile. Mary Jane then sighed and started to leave the scene, just waving gently at the crowd.
"Something's wrong with MJ." Spider-Man told Venom, and he nodded in agreement.
"Not only with her, Spidey..." He added, as they saw Spider-Woman swing her way back to the Academy.
The following days, Mary Jane's daily schedule was followed strictly: over following weekdays, she divided herself between S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy lessons and her internship at the Daily Bugle. She did show some strong results in battling classes, especially in solo training, however both Scarlet and Venom noticed a rise on her aggressiveness and strength levels.
At the Bugle, things slowly started to weight on her back: after a receptive week, MJ got lots of paperwork to take care of, not enough coffee breaks and barely communicated with anyone. Ned, having sympathized with her, tried offering his help, but she assured him she'd take care of everything.
By night, she helped in every patrol, especially those related to the Beetles. At any sign of danger nearby, she'd start a furious pursuit, not even waiting for backup to arrive. Although she never truly saw them, she did surrendered many pickpockets and burglars, which was something great for Spider-Woman stories on the bugle… but made Spider-Man feel uneasy and worried about his friend.
Two weeks had passed: Spider-Woman's performance started to rise worrying results.
"Sorry for not bringing this earlier, but I had to be sure of what was going on." Flash apologized, Venom's wormy face nomming on a lollipop as Dr. Connors analyzed MJ's results.
"That is not good. Although her fighting abilities are improved, there's a huge amount of stress levels peaking up as well. I fear she's repressing it so hard that the Carnage symbiote is being affected as well."
"That's what I was afraid of. She's hurting Carnage and herself with all the training, and overworking at the Bugle…" Flash voiced his concern. "I don't know what can we do. She seems so confident she can take it."
"The human body, bonded to a symbiote or not, has its limits. Spider-Woman might need to make a choice… for her own wellbeing."
Spider-Man watched the two of them concerned over that, and with the confirmation of MJ needing help, he made his way to talk to her. Lucky for him, she was on her way to the Bugle.
"Mary Jane!" He called. "I know you have to go to the Bugle, but I really need to talk t-" He cut his talking short as MJ's face revealed how tired she was. "Oh my gosh..."
"Mind waiting till later, Tiger? I have a lot to take care of for Mr. Jameson." Mary Jane sighed. "All that paperwork need organization, and I have to help Neddy on his new stor-"
"Neddy?"
"Ned Leeds. He's a freelance photographer, working on a bunch of newsflashes. Most of them are focused on the latest battles." She showed him the picture of Ned and her on the Daily Bugle as J. Jonah Jameson was about to send him out for new stuff.
"Poor boy… Having to put up with Jameson's nagging." Peter tried to joke over that, but MJ's reaction was not what he expected.
"Yeah, we HAVE to put up with it. If you want to actually go somewhere, you must be ready to deal with this sort of people." She replied, with a slight harsh tone. "My plans, my future, my career depends on it."
"Wait, what?" Peter was stunned. "Y-you're just doing internship."
"For now! I am going places after this. The world of journalism is at my door calling for me, can't you see it's my only chance?!"
"I'm not saying-" Around that time, everyone looked at them talking. Peter was not liking the route that conversation was taking.
"I expected you to understand me, tiger… you're the one who lived a double life and made it look fine." MJ said before turning her back, the last statement hitting Spidey like lightning. He hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward, reaching for Mary Jane's shoulder… only to get a punch in the chest for an answer.
Everyone around gasped and whispered among each other in surprise and worrying. MJ glared at Spider-Man for a moment, before realizing what she had done and seeing everyone around. She rushed out of there right when Venom and Connors reached Spider-Man. Peter couldn't hold back a choked sob: he feared MJ have made her choice already…
Later as the Bugle's workers were leaving for the night, Jameson placed a big amount of papers on Mary Jane's table.
"I want these filed for tomorrow, Watson! That Leeds kid is taking far too long to bring me something good, I'm thinking about kicking him out!" J. Jonah grumbled.
"B-but, sir, lately the photos and news were so interesting-"
"Who cares about the same old battles, with the same people on the stories?!" Jameson punched the table. "I want new blood, something everyone can group in to comment about! Nobody cares anymore if Spider-Woman is doing better than her boyfriend!"
"He's not her boyfriend!" She accidentally answered, before covering her mouth. "I-I mean, as far as I know. Spider-Man never had a girlfriend."
"That's the spirit! Expose that masked annoyance's secrets for the whole city to see! If only Leeds could bring me this sort of news instead of glorifying all those girls..."
Mary Jane's fists clenched. She looked down at the paperwork and at Jameson's triumphant posture, completely ignoring the fact that he actually complimented Spider-Woman on the news. Something in her felt about to snap. Then, the windows nearby were crashed by the giant Beetle.
"What the-" Both Jameson and MJ were surprised.
"You call yourself a leader when you can't even get a boy with a camera?!" The girl Beetle called him out. Ned Leeds was held by the green Beetle. "At least HE knew how to make a stealthy appearance, Gary!"
"And you think throwing me in a building is less stealthy, Elizabeth?!" He replied. "What else do you want?!"
"We were meant to be a collective, and honor our master's work by continuing his mercenary business, and you kept the biggest parts of our loots for yourself!" She showed him the pictures revealed from Ned's camera.
"Don't you know that's what a mercenary should do?" The green Beetle replied.
"Shut up, Joaquim!" She growled. Jameson watched in awe from his office: the three Beetles were fighting among each other?!
"Yes, yes! That's newsworthy! Watson, grab a camera!" He ordered… but then noticed Mary Jane had left the place.
"M-Mr. Jameson, help me!" Ned begged, trying to free himself from the green Beetle. He finally managed to reach his camera and used the flash' reflection on the nearest mirror to make that fiend let go of him. However, as he got free, he lost his balance and would have fall down from the very hole the Beetles opened if it wasn't for a web launched on his direction.
Spider-Woman pulled Ned up and helped him to the top of the building the newsroom resided in.
"Are you okay?" She asked, as Ned took a couple of breaths before kneeling down to her.
"Thank you so much! Y-you're my hero, Spider-Woman!" He looked up, his eyes still a bit in fear. "I-I'm sorry, I found the Beetles' operation in the pier and thought I could get something for the news and-"
"Hey, hey!" She called his attention. "Are you okay?" She repeated. Ned breathed in and out before nodding. "Call the police, get Jameson and go home. I'll handle those three."
"A-are you sure?" He asked.
"I'll be okay." She replied. Ned took a moment to notice the familiarity of that sentence… but shook it off as he saw the giant Beetle armor climbing up and ran down the stairs. MJ stood still as the trio of Beetles surrounded her.
"So we take on Spider-Man's girlfriend and we go each our own way?" The girl Beetle assured the other two.
"As far as I get from you two, the better. More loot for me." The giant Beetle grumbled.
"I need time, a long time for myself away from you two dumbbells." The green Beetle agreed.
Unknowingly for them, MJ was focusing, finally listening to her inner stress tormenting Carnage and taking his voice away like an oppressive bully. She replayed all the times she ignored this aching feeling on her mind, and the events of that day: her arguing with Peter, her clearly intolerable boss and the look of fear in Ned's eyes…
That. Was. It.
The giant Beetle charged against Spider-Woman, and was immobilized by a large, thick tentacle and a bunch of other tendrils swarmed around their host; as her shape grew larger, and other two large tentacles kept the other two Beetles from reaching her, a silhouette watched from far away. Finally, the tendrils retreated, and a red figure with black details stood in front of the Beetles, letting out a loud ear splitting roar as the tentacles retreated.
"Yes, I see her. I think she's got it." The silhouette, in reality Agent Venom, told someone in his comm device. "I'm sure she's got it!"
Now giant and with large tentacles to attack, Mary Jane did not waste anytime delivering a good beatdown to the three Beetles: grabbing the girl Beetle, she slammed her against the green Beetle, their masks breaking and parts of it falling down. As the giant Beetle charged after her, a duo of spiked tentacles wrapped over his arm, squeezing it till the armor broke.
Recovering from the attack, the girl Beetle used her broken wing to free her comrade from that spiky trap. As he stepped back, holding his injured arm, she started to climb up to Spider-Woman's neck, using her static electricity gloves to electrocute the symbiote; this proved itself as a mistake, as tendrils rapidly emerged and grabbed her. The green Beetle was about to escape, but was surprised by Patrioteer's blasts breaking his wings.
"Sorry, pal, you're not going anywhere." He assured, Spider-Man arriving with Venom afterwards, him looking over the giant Beetle's injury.
"Spider-Woman, the cops are coming. You can let go of her now. It's over." He asked. She gave him a glare and then looked over to her "prisoner". Then, she saw Spidey's concerned stare… and her rage finally subsided. The girl Beetle fell down as the tendrils retreated, and Spider-Woman returned to normal, her taking only a few steps before fainting in the friendly neighborhood's arms.
Peter sighed silently of relief… Mary Jane was back. At least, he hoped so.
The next couple of days, the Daily Bugle's newsflash announced the arresting of the Beetle Trio, and the disappearance of Spider-Woman afterwards.
"I don't know where that fantastic female went after the seemingly exhausting battle with those three fiends,, but I sure hope she still remains relevant and fantastic in whatever she chooses to do with her life! I support strong females and assure you they're better than Sp-" Mary Jane turned off the video on her phone. She waited for Connors' diagnosis along with the others.
"Guys, I'm sorry I worried you. Especially you, tiger. What I said back then was-" MJ apologized, until Peter signalized her to stop.
"That doesn't matter anymore. I'm just glad you're okay." His answer made her smile.
"Welcome back, Mary Jane." Flash said.
"Well, I'm glad to say your stress levels have finally decreased, and both you and Carnage are out of risk." Connors came over with the good news. "It was a close call though. I truly demand you don't push yourself that far again."
"I won't, Doc. For mine and Carny's sake." She promised her symbiote, who formed its wormy face around her shoulder to lick her cheek. Then, she got a call from Ned. "Excuse me, I need to take this call."
"Hey, MJ. A-are you okay? It's been sometime since you told Jameson to… you know." He said as she answered his call. He was on his home, looking over the pictures of Spider-Woman. "I-I'm sorry it ended like this for you. You wanted to be a journalist so much-"
"I still do. But I have other plans, and I noticed how much I ignored them and my own self-worth. My plans might be still possible, and I also noticed I'm not truly in a hurry to bring them to life now." She explained. "You were right about him, Neddy. And I lied to myself when I said I'd be okay then."
"So… what about now?" He asked, just out of curiosity. She looked over to her friend talking outside and Connors nodding to her.
"I'm okay now." She said, as she walked out of the medical bay. And this time, she meant it. He smiled at that and looked over his best picture of her placing it nearby his camera.
Episode 02b - Rekindled Spirit
A funeral was being held that calm afternoon, and among the sad visitors, there were Peter and Ben, and a very quiet Flash Thompson. He looked at the picture on the frame nearby the coffin: his mother Rosie Thompson has just passed away.
"And so, with heavy hearts, we bid our farewells to Rosie Thompson, devoted wife and caring mother. Let us pray in a moment of silence to recall this woman's passing by this world, how many lives were blessed by her presence..." The priest said, as the crown bowed their heads.
"-time freeze- Loss is never an easy thing to deal with, yet we must accept that it's part of life. It also helps to be surrounded by people that care for you, and I'm glad we can be here for Flash. -time unfreeze-" Peter said, holding a handkerchief.
"Thank you for coming, you guys. I really didn't want to be here on my own." Flash told the Parker Bros.
"I am sorry for your loss, but I'm also quite intrigued. You told me yourself you wanted distance from your family." Ben reminded.
"Just my dad. My mom… she's always been so nice and caring for all three of us." Flash wiped his tears. "Why haven't I tried looking for her after Coulson took me in?"
"She didn't want to be found, Eugene." A voice called their attention. There stood a woman, with green eyes and long blond hair… at first glance, very much like Flash.
"What you called me?" He asked, standing up.
"You're Eugene, right? Eugene Thompson? Son of Harrison and Rosie?" She asked directly.
"Flash. I prefer being called that way." He admitted. "But how do you-"
"Rosie was my mother too… I'm your sister, Eugene." She replied, earning a surprised expression from Flash and Ben, and a loud gasp from Peter.
Later, at a building, the woman showed her three guests her apartment. It was not that small, but it felt pretty crowded; many boxes laid all over the place.
"Sorry about the mess. I moved about a month ago, and I still haven't fully unboxed everything." She sheepishly admitted. Peter opened one of the boxes out of curiosity.
"Look at all these books. George Orwell, Sun Tzu, Harper Lee... Ooh, Ant-Man told me this one's really good!" He picked every book he could. Ben pushed his head forward, not really slapping it.
"Stop snooping around. Flash has lots of questions that need answers, and I want those too." He reminded Peter.
"And I'm snooping around?" He teased, only to meet a serious glare from his synthezoid brother. "I'm just saying."
"So, Jesse..." Flash hesitated. "Boy, that feels so awkward and weird, I never knew I had a sister. And one that actually read books."
"Needed those books and different research sources for my law degree." She replied. "After graduation, I was put in contact with Mrs. Jennifer Walters; luckily for a chance of internship."
"Law degree? Graduation?! Internship with She-Hulk?!" Peter sounded more surprised and excited than everyone. Ben furrowed his brows. "I know, I know, not a good time, but that's a lot of stuff at once."
"You have very interesting friends, Euge- Flash." Jesse chuckled a bit, as she picked up the teapot and served them some tea. "This also feels very strange to me. As far as I could remember, Mom sent me at a young age to live with our grandparents." She finally started answering the questions Ben wanted Flash to ask. "They raised me with love and always told me that a good education could take me anywhere."
"Wish Mom told ME that." Flash sighed, Ben tapping his shoulder.
"Did you came before you knew she was sick?" Peter asked, blowing his still hot cup of tea.
"Yes, I moved as soon as She-Hulk return my call. I never truly saw Mom before the night she died. We mostly talked on the phone as she was in the hospital." Jesse started to get a bit emotional. "She felt… regretful and lonely, telling me how sorry she was for keeping us from meeting, sorry for never telling me I had a little brother, that she KNEW Dad was a bad person, but felt she couldn't escape… until they lost everything and she finally left, but without saying goodbye to you..."
"Jesse..." Flash sat close to his sobbing sister. Peter, of course, couldn't hold his own tears, and Ben looked over to the siblings. Something on him felt agitated and also conflicted.
"S-She told me he'd always win everything anyway, so she was scared he'd make you hate her… She felt it was better if you never saw her again. So sure HE won." Flash clenched his fist.
"He didn't! He's all alone now, and I'll gladly never see him again." He explained.
"That's what I told her before she died. What I found about you thanks to Coulson, and how well you were doing without Dad in your life… It gave her a reason to smile in the end." Jesse smiled, wiping her tears away and hugging her brother. "She knew everything before she died. She was proud of you, Eugene."
As the siblings kept embraced, Ben stood up, picking up the teary-eyed Peter with a rough pull.
"You guys can go on with your talk. I have to take this crybaby home."
"-time freeze- In my defense, who wouldn't cry? Flash might have the saddest life story ever! A horrible dad, abandonment issues, a sister he never knew until now… At least now they know the truth, and they have each other. -time unfreeze-"
"I know it's not really of my business, but was it really necessary for you to inform EVERYTHING to Jesse and Mrs. Thompson?" Ben talked to Coulson via video talk. "And please don't mention the times Spidey revealed his identity."
"Wasn't planning to. And everyone deals with these things differently." Phil said.
"I just… I don't know, for some weird reason, I felt Flash should be freaking out with these news. Suddenly you just realize all you thought about your life was a big lie, a-and the truth is so heavy to deal with..." Ben vented. He sighed, covering his face with his hand. "I just… feel really bad for all that's happening, and I see he's sad about the loss, but-"
"You were sure he'd freak out too."
"Ugh, I'm so horrible for even thinking that!" He admitted.
"You should really stop saying these things about you." Coulson pointed out. "Like I said, everyone deals with these emotions and situations differently. And the fact that you're concerned about Flash and his sister's wellbeing with the identity reveal just show that you care very much for them. Don't think you're less human for caring or crying for someone."
"...You're right. I honestly didn't even thought I'd care so much at first… but I want to be there for Eugene, and if he loves his sister… I'll protect her too." Ben smiled. "You just gave me a therapy session demonstration, right?" He said, after a short realization. Coulson wrote down something in his notebook.
"Would you like to do more of these?"
"Hey, Ben! Flash's on the phone!" Peter called him from downstairs.
"I'll think it over and call you back." Ben said, before ending the video chat, and coming down the stairs to get the phone.
"See that? I told you that Coulson would know how to calm him down." Peter winked at Aunt May.
"I was sure of that already. What I didn't expect was you being so amazed with Flash's sister."
"Really, how else could I react to what I heard about her?" He replied. "She's so… not like him." In a fantasy scenario, chibi Flash looks in a mirror and sees him in female form (him with longer hair and eyelashes, wearing a cheerleader suit), and chibi Spidey watches as the reflection surprised Flash asking him to wait, and breaks the mirror to reveal chibi Jesse with a ta-da pose.
"She actually wants to see HIM?!" Ben was surprised to hear the news from Flash.
"It's just what I said; once you guys left, she told me she wanted to see Dad herself! I tried talking her out of this idea, but she just feels she needs to for some reason!" Flash was visibly concerned. "I really don't know and I don't think I'll like what might come from this, but… I can't do anything because of the restraining order. I never thought I'd regret having something meant to protect me."
"You don't need to regret it… Let me handle this." Ben decided.
"What? W-why?"
"She's your sister, and you care for her, right? I'll follow her to any given address and in case something happens, I can help. I swear to you I'll not let Jesse get hurt."
"Wow, Ben..." Flash sighed with a smile. "Talking to Coulson really helps, huh?"
"Wha- You- How-" Ben was caught off guard with that. "Whatever! Just let me know when and where she'll go!"
"Okay, I will. Thanks, love." The blond chuckled before hanging up.
Taking a cab, Jesse looked over the informations she got from her father's location. Scarlet swing around that same area, following the car to a building on the suburbs.
"Whoa, that's one fancy place to live in." Scarlet commented as he saw the cab leave and Jesse checking the address. "Right, Spidey?"
"Yeah, sorry for following you." Being caught again by his brother, Spider-Man crawled from the nearest wall.
"I'm used to it now. So that's where Mr. Thompson lives now..." Scarlet saw Jesse enter the building, and Spidey zoomed in to watch every window.
"Not just him. I see lots of privileged people." Spidey commented, seeing a happy couple, a lady with jewels and some eccentric-looking lad with a suit calling someone, and then closing the window. "Seems like a party everyday for that one. And HEY, Jesse!" Finally, Jesse's face appeared on the open door of a 4th floor window. A blonde, older man received her with a hug tryout, but she politely refused and entered the place.
"Time to implement a few more spying." Scarlet said, shooting a web as close to the window as possible and implementing a Spider-Tracer. "Let's see if this actually work."
"It has to work. -time freeze- You guys remember these?" Peter recalled the Spider-Tracers. "Last time, by meddling with science I shouldn't, I helped creating Swarm." In a fantasy scenario, Chibi Spidey is fixing the Spider-Tracer and Swarm emerge from it, scaring him. "But now that Cho has a place in Stark Industries, we've revisited the project and our minds combined made it better and safer!" Returning the previous fantasy, Chibi Spidey is joined by Iron Spidey with a blueprint, and they cheer once the Spider-Tracer is finished.
The Spider-Tracer entered the apartment through the window and hid in a corner, activating its cam and sound capture.
"You have grown so much, dear. You look so beautiful and smart." Harrison tried complimenting his daughter, but her stare remained around the house.
"And you live quite well for someone who lost its wife and custody of both children." This remark made the man hesitate, and rub the back of his head, which was showing signs of hair loss. "By the way, how do you even afford this place?"
"Well, Jesse, there were some perks of… Um, you see… When we divorced-" Harrison tried explaining himself.
"Mom just told me she left you." That precise remark froze the blood in the man's veins. "She never legally, neither you, asked for divorce. So once more, HOW are you affording to live here? You can't get any sort of compensation or pension for Mom leaving you, right?"
"Wow, she's harsh." Peter watched everything in his bracelet's screen.
"Sshh! She's got him cornered." Scarlet was impressed by Jesse's directness and calm behavior facing her abusive liar of a father.
"I-I… I really don't know what you mean, Jes-" Harrison stood up slowly. "Y-you think that…T-that's ridiculous! I have the papers!" He started getting agitated, with a unsure smile, picking a folder from a shelf nearby. "I-I asked for it once she left!"
"Do you know what financial fraud is? I learned that in college, and later with mom that in the bank she left just enough to afford a good life once we got independent…" Jesse's stare moved away from the folder and faced the former cop. "She may have forgotten to ask for divorce, or maybe she felt she was not strong enough and would come back… but you didn't even waited to see that, huh? This is fake and so are you, living in this fabulous place with the money YOU took away from us."
"That money would not be useful for any of you. Your ungrateful brother ran away and then I found about this secret account-"
"The only ungrateful I see here is you! You think you deserve any part of that after all Mom and Eugene went through?!" The young woman smacked her hand on the tabletop. "I'm glad Mom sent me to grandma and grandpa. I'm even happier that Eugene ran away from you. We deserved better, Mom deserved better, and now that I know for sure, you'll have to deal with the mess you created, Harrison!"
"Why, you little- I'm gonna-" Harrison couldn't hold any longer. He charged against Jesse as she held the folder close. A web stopped his arm from reaching her.
"Uh-uh-uhh, let's solve this as civilized people." Spider-Man came through the window, followed by Scarlet.
"Spider-Man! Y-you don't understand, she-" Harrison tried to excuse himself, as Spidey wrapped his web around his hands like handcuffs. "She tried to take what's mine, she's a thief, she-"
"She's your daughter, and you're the worst father ever." Scarlet reminded. "Are you okay, Jesse?"
"Yeah, thanks." She sighed in relief. "I would ask you many hows if I didn't knew so much already." She wasn't that surprised for real: despite not truly seeing the Spider-Tracer, she did felt she was being followed and knew Flash was upset for not talking her out of seeing their horrible dad.
"I gotta say, you're as set on as your brother." Spidey complimented.
"He told me he was a coward."
"All he needed was the right type of guidance. The one your dad never gave, and the one that helped him grow up." Spider-Man said, as they all walked out of the fancy place.
After the police cars and the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents cleared the area, Spidey and Scarlet watched as Agent Venom and Jesse talked about the incident.
"I really hope he doesn't get away with it. Not just because I hate him… but you know, everything." Flash undid his mask as he vented.
"I think we have enough to win this case. Nobody in their right mind would take his side after finding out what the police department got from his ex-colleagues." Jesse assured. "It's just a pity I couldn't get back what mom left for us."
"Well, he bought that fancy place to live in… I'm fine where I am, sure, but..." Flash hesitated. What if he was suggesting something wrong to his sister? "You think Mom would-"
"I'll have to think it over." She sighed, and then smiled. "Well, at least we made one thing she couldn't."
"Make it two, Jess." Scarlet added. "Your dad lost everything he took away from your mom… and her two children are reunited at last."
The siblings looked at each other with assured smiles, and Spidey and Scarlet shared the happiness with them. This felt like a victory in many ways.
