"PETER!!! PETER!!! DON'T YOU DARE SHUT YOUR EYES!"
The voice was panicked, sobbing. I felt something warm cradling my head and way too much weight crushing my legs.
Before my eyes even opened, my mind lit up with memories — happy, sad, angry, stupid, desperate.
" Turning into an oversized lizard wasn't the greatest of my ideas." I growled through gritted teeth, then turned my head.
A white mask with a white and pink hood with spider web pattern stared down at me.
"Gwen?"
"Uh—no, citizen, I'm Spider-Woman." She said, trying and failing to deepen her voice.
"Cut the crap, Gwen. I'm not stupid. Figured out that you're Spider-woman a long time ago."
She flinched, then sighed. "…Sorry. I should've understood that you were hurting inside and been there for you so that you didn't have to take such a drastic step."
Her mask came up just enough to reveal her face, her right eyebrow piercing catching the glow of the emergency lights.
"Yeah, well." I said, forcing a smirk, " Turning into a giant lizard to deal with my bully wasn't exactly one of my brighter ideas. But this—" I motioned to the concrete pinning my legs "—is the consequence of my stupid decision. Not your fault. It's kinda of both our fault as we never really knew each other beyond..... the interactions.... gasp.... we had in the presence of our family."
Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I should've been a better friend."
That made a vein pop on my forehead. I thwacked her head with my hand.
"OW! What was that for, jerk?!" Cried out Gwen.
"Better friend?" I snapped. " Granted our friendship isn't very in depth but it's genuine nonetheless. You were there for me on my best days and my worst. You stood up to Ned every single time he picked on me. You — the popular, cool, drummer girl spend time with the nerdiest nerd in school not out of pity but because you actually liked me as your best friend.
Gwendolyn Maxine 'Gwen' Stacey, never — ever — belittle your commitment to our friendship in front of me ever again."
Her face softened, smiling through tears. "Sorry for slamming you onto a wall of concrete."
"If I were in your shoes, I might've thrown acid. I was that ugly." I said with a shrug.
Footsteps pounded closer. Gwen pulled her mask back on, panic flashing in her eyes.
"Don't worry, help's here. I gotta go—"
I grabbed her arm. "If a cop catches you running, you're guilty no matter what I say. Stay."
She hesitated, then nodded, sitting back down and cradling my head again.
Lieutenant Stacey burst in, gun drawn, face pale.
"Peter! Don't worry, everything's gonna be fine!" He barked into his radio: "Dispatch, I need an 11-42 for an 11-80! NOW!"
"Yo, Lieutenant Stacey. Or should I say Captain Stacey?" I croaked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Don't talk like that, Peter. You're gonna be alright."
"The correct term is," I wheezed, " I'm going to live."
His gaze slid to Spider-Woman and hardened.
"This is what happens when untrained people try to contain situations!" He snapped. "You have power, yes. But the skill set to use it? No."
"Yeah, I don't think there's a handbook for fighting mutant murder-lizards in spandex, Cap'n." I quip back from the rubble.
"Don't encourage her!"
"It wasn't her fault, Lieutenant." I said firmly. "It was a mutated lizard — turned into an oversized murder-alligator. Spider-woman saved me."
His expression softened… but only slightly.
"Doesn't change the fact that she's under arrest for vigilantism."
He turned but Spider-Woman was gone.
"One of these days, Spider-Woman! I will arrest you!"
"Counting on it, Cap'n!" She called back from somewhere above, swinging away.
Read ahead on P.A.T.R.E.O.N
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