So, first off, thank you to anybody who chose to take a look at my story! Having looked through the fanfiction on this site, it seems I picked the wrong character to like and be inspired to write for. Kruger seems to be extremely popular, which I don't really understand, but you do you fam. Anyway, I never planned on this being a particularly long story, I just wanted to write something about Spider. He was such a mysterious and interesting character to me, with so much room for an amazing backstory. But since I did not create the character, and the people who did offered no insight whatsoever into his past, I wanted to stay away from defining it too much. But this idea took root and I had to see where it went. So without further ado, I hope you enjoy and feel free to leave me reviews!

Veil sat on her small bunk in her small room, reading a book. It was something of a rarity, in these times. To read an actual book with paper pages, something that could be touched. But it was one of the few things she actually took pleasure in. And she figured if she was going to die, she would at least spend what time she had left enjoying herself.

That morning, she had been diagnosed with lung cancer. Impossible to treat down here on Earth. Less than a year left to live for sure. Anything more than that? Unknown. How incredibly helpful that was.

Veil heard a knock on her front door and sighed, slipping a worn piece of paper into the pages of the book before walking slowly to her door. Her house was little more than a shack, typical of anyone living on Earth. As small as it was, it took her only seconds to get to her door. She stood, staring at the wood. She had a pretty decent guess of who it was, and wasn't looking forward to telling her the news. She sighed, knowing she would have to face her eventually.

Veil slowly opened the door, and stood face to face with her sister, if only in affection and not blood. She watched as Kailani's face went from excited and happy to worried.

"I know that look. And it's never good," she said quietly.

Veil bit her bottom lip and stepped aside, letting her friend pass through the doorway to sit on her couch.

Kailani looked up at her expectantly.

"Lung cancer," Veil said, looking at the floor as she spoke. She couldn't bring herself to look Kailani in the eyes as she delivered what was essentially her own death sentence.

"How long?"

"Less than a year."

Veil heard a quiet sob after a pause and looked up.

"I'm sorry," Kailani said. "I know the last thing you need right now is me crying in your living room. But you're all I have left, Veil."

Veil sighed quietly. She really didn't know what to say. Kailani's parents had passed several years ago, and her younger brother had died only two years ago from disease.

She walked to the couch and sat down next to Kailani, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Isn't there anything you can do about it?" Kailani asked.

Veil opened her mouth to reply no, then shut it again. She couldn't lie to her. Truth was, Veil did have something she could do. It was a long shot, and more likely to fail than not. There was always the possibility that it would end with her dying before the cancer could strangle her. But that wasn't what was stopping her. It was who she would have to go through. She had worked so hard to forget about him.

But looking at the sobbing girl in her arms, Veil knew it wasn't really her choice. It would be selfish of her to take away the only person left in Kailani's life who cared just because she didn't want to see him again. She sighed and ran her free hand through her hair; it seemed her decision was made.

"Spider," Veil said quietly.

Kailani looked at her questioningly.

"Spider can get me to Elysium. For the right price, of course," Veil explained.

"Yeah I've heard about him. But there's no guarantee you'll survive to get there. I heard that not that long ago, he sent up three ships and two were shot down."

"Well... I'm gonna die either way, aren't I?"

Kailani forced a small smile. "I guess that's true."

"Well, no point in wasting any time," Veil said, standing.

"Wait, you're leaving now? Just like that?" Kailani said, standing with her.

"Might as well. Not like I have anything better to do anyway."

"Just... be careful, okay? I love you," Kailani said, stepping forward to hug her tightly.

"Love you too," Veil said, hugging her back.

"Wish me luck," she said, forcing a smile as she walked out her door and headed down the familiar dirt road, leaving Kailani looking forlorn in her living room.