*Captain America: Civil War
"Uh, Petra!"
Petra dumped her backpack on the floor and yanked her arms out of her coat. "Yeah?" she called into the apartment. She caught her reflection in the hall mirror, frowned, and yanked a hand through her tangled hair. Unsurprisingly, the bed head had survived the day.
"Petra!" Stef called again.
"What?" Petra said.
"C'mere!" Stef said.
"I'm coming, Jesus, what is—?" Petra froze in the living room's threshold, the words dying on her tongue.
"Tony Stark is here to see you," Stef said from where she was sitting on the couch next to Ironman, her eyes huge behind their frameless glasses.
Petra just opened and closed her mouth a few times.
"I'm here about the internship that you applied for," Tony Stark said, one of Stef's homemade gluten free cookies in his hand.
"The internship?" Petra said, finally having regained some ability to speak.
"Yes, the one you applied for. I'm here to tell you that you got it," Tony said.
"I got it?" Petra asked.
"Oh my god, Petra, you didn't tell me you applied!" Stef exclaimed.
"I applied?" Petra said.
"Yes, and you got it. The internship," Tony said.
"Petra, congratulations!" Stef exclaimed, jumping from the couch to hug her roommate.
Petra still felt like there was cotton in her brain. "Thank you," she said, numbly returning Stef's squeeze.
"Mind if we have a few minutes alone?" Tony asked.
Stef nodded. "Of course! I'm gonna go make another batch of cookies – to celebrate!" she exclaimed before rushing into the kitchen.
Once she was gone, Tony turned to her. "Somewhere we could talk?" he asked.
Petra nodded. "Uh, yeah, my room."
Tony jumped up from the couch and followed her down the hall. She held the door to her bedroom open for him and followed him in. Tony closed and locked the door behind them.
"I didn't apply for an internship," Petra said immediately.
"I know," Tony said.
"Then why are you in my house?" Petra asked.
Tony stared at her a little too long before asking, "You made that?"
Petra glanced over her shoulder at the computer sitting on her desk. "Yeah."
Tony meandered over and took stock of all the equipment. "Impressive. Thrift stores?"
"Dumpsters, mostly," Petra said.
Tony nodded. "Cool. Very cool."
"Uh, Mr. Stark, I'm still very confused," Petra said.
Tony held up a screen and swiped his fingers across it, projecting an image against the bedroom wall. "Have you seen these?" A blurry video clip began playing.
Petra's heart stopped. "Yeah, I guess."
"How 'bout this one?" he asked, swiping to a second clip. "Look at that, an SUV going 40 – pretty crazy."
"Sure, but—"
"Looks like it could be from around here, what is that, Madison and 76th?" Tony asked, moving his inspection from the desk to the nightstand, which was stacked high with books.
"Yeah, but it's all special effects," Petra said.
"Is it?" Tony asked.
"Of course, none of that stuff's real," Petra said, and turned just as Tony hooked his foot around a box sticking out from beneath the bed and kicked it out onto the rug. Petra immediately kicked it again, sending it skittering across the floor and into the closet, but not before both of them saw what was stashed inside.
"Special effects, huh?" Tony asked.
"Mr. Stark, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave," Petra said, reaching for the door.
"How do you do it?" Tony asked.
"Mr. Stark, please, I'm not asking for any trouble," Petra said.
"Sure looks like you are," Tony said, swiping onto another video.
Petra's posture slumped. "What do you want?"
"That suit you're wearing, what is it?" Tony asked.
Petra sighed and retrieved the box from the closet. Folded neatly inside was a deep black suit with a pile of gadgets atop it. "It's a leotard and tights," she said.
Tony cocked an eyebrow.
"Spandex. Like for gymnastics," Petra said.
"And this stuff?" Tony asked, reaching for a metal wrist band. "Is this where the webbing comes from? Managed to get a small sample of it myself – it's incredible, the tensile strength alone… Who manufactures it?" he asked.
"I do," Petra said.
"Here?" Tony asked.
She shrugged. "Sort of."
"Why do you do it?" Tony asked, dropping the wristband and swiping another video up onto the wall.
"Why do you do it?" Petra shot back.
Tony stared at her. "Because it's my job."
Petra shrugged. "With great power comes great responsibility."
"You got a passport?" Tony asked suddenly.
"A passport? I've never even left New York," Petra said.
"How about Germany?"
"Germany? I can't go to Germany," Petra said.
"Why not?" Tony asked.
Petra looked around the room, as if something there would give her an answer. "Because…I've got class."
"Please tell me you didn't say that," Tony said.
"Are you serious?" Petra asked.
"Like you said, great power…."
*Civil War Airport Battle
"Alright, I've run out of patience," Stark said. "Spidey!"
With a snap, a strand of wire shot across the air. It webbed onto Cap's shield and yanked it out of his hands. Attached to the end of it was the figure of a woman, encased in a suit of deep black with the white pattern of a spider emblazoned across her front. A shock a blonde hair whipped behind her as she executed a front flip over the tarmac and stuck a neat landing atop a nearby luggage vehicle, shield strapped to her arm.
"Nice job, kid," Stark said.
"Thanks! Well, I could have stuck the landing a little better, it's just a new suit—wait, it's nothing, Mr. Stark, it's perfect, thank you," she said, only her eyes showing above a mask that covered her nose and mouth.
"We don't really need to start a conversation," Stark said.
"Yeah, okay, sorry," she said. "Captain," she added, sending a salute in Cap's direction. "Big fan, big honor," she said, hefting the shield. "Spiderwoman," she added, pointing to herself.
"Yeah, we'll talk about it later," Stark said.
"Hey everyone," Spiderwoman added.
"Good job," Tony said.
Cap turned from the new arrival back to Stark. "You've been busy."
"And you've been a complete idiot," Stark shot back.
"Alright Lang," Cap said.
"Hey guys, something—!" Spiderwoman went flying as Antman ripped the shield from her arm.
"What the hell was that?" Rhodes asked.
"I believe this is yours, Captain America," Antman said, handing back the shield.
"Hey, Mr. Stark, what should I do?" Spiderwoman asked.
"What we discussed," Stark said, "keep your distance, web 'em up."
"Okay, copy that!" Spiderwoman said as she took off at a run towards the terminal.
"What the hell is that?" Bucky asked.
"Everyone's got a gimmick now," Sam said.
Spiderwoman shot out a strand of webbing, pushed herself off the window and whipped herself through the glass, straight at Sam. Feet first, she collided into him and sent him flying into a kiosk, pivoting just in time to catch Bucky's swing.
"You have a metal arm!" she exclaimed. "That's awesome, dude!"
She didn't notice Bucky's incredulous expression as Sam slammed into her full speed.
"You have the right to remain silent!" Spiderwoman yelled as the two grappled in midair before she broke loose but kept pace with Sam as he flew through the terminal, firing up into the ceiling at her wildly. "Oh god!" she exclaimed as an arrivals board came flying at her. "Hey buddy, I think you lost this!" she yelled, sending the screen soaring back across the terminal in Bucky's direction.
She didn't even see it hit the ground as Sam slammed into her from behind. Spiderwoman shot a web into the ceiling and yanked herself out of the way, letting out a yell as she shot a web at one of the exhaust vents on Sam's pack. The thing shut down with a whine and he dropped.
Spiderwoman was quick to web him to the railing.
"Are those wings carbon fiber?" she asked, coming to rest on the side of a kiosk.
"Is this stuff coming out of you?" Sam asked as he struggled at his restraints.
Spiderwoman ignored him. "That would explain the rigidity flexibility ratio," she said, "which, I just gotta say, that's awesome."
"I don't know if you've been in a fight before, but there's not usually this much talking," Sam snapped, still pinned to the banister.
"Alright, sorry, my bad," Spiderwoman said.
Sam could practically hear her grinning beneath her mask.
Spiderwoman leapt from the kiosk, aiming straight at Sam, but Bucky leapt in front of her and the two of them went crashing through the railing. Spiderwoman shot upwards and webbed them both from midair before coming to perch atop of strut.
"Look, guys, I'd love to keep this up but I've only got one job here today and I've gotta impress Mr. Stark," she said, "so, I'm really sorry"—she held out her hand to web them again—"what!?"
Redwing, Sam's little drone, came flying out of nowhere, hooked itself onto Spiderwoman's wrist, and flung her out the window.
Leaving Sam and Bucky webbed to the ground.
"You couldn't have done that earlier?" Bucky asked.
"I hate you," Same grunted.
"What do we do, Cap?" Sam asked.
"We fight," Cap said.
"This is gonna end well," Black Widow said as the two sides began advancing.
"They're not stopping," Spiderwoman said even as she broke into a run.
"Neither are we," Stark said.
Spiderwoman began firing off webs as fast as she could, aiming for Wanda Maximoff's hands.
Spiderwoman swung over the tarmac, aiming for Clint. Cap flung his shield and severed the web, sending her flying. She caught herself in a graceful tumble just as the shield returned to Cap.
"That thing does not obey the laws of physics at all!" she exclaimed, motioning to the shield.
"Look kid, I don't want to hurt you," Cap said.
"I wouldn't be too worried about that, I'm tougher than I look," Spiderwoman said.
"There's a lot going on here that you don't understand," Cap said.
"Mr. Stark said you'd say that," she said before flinging out a web.
Cap blocked it with his shield.
Spiderwoman aimed another one at his ankle and pulled, yanking him to the ground. Using his weight, she launched herself at him, feet first. Cap got the shield up just in time to block the hit but it sent him reeling, flying into a nearby jet way. Spiderwoman recovered with another graceful roll.
"He also said to go for your legs!" she exclaimed.
Cap scrambled after the shield.
Spiderwoman webbed his hands before he could reach it, pulling them back. Cap struggled against it and realized with a start that they were nearly evenly matched as far as strength went. With this realization, he sprung sideways, shifted his weight and pulled, sending Spiderwoman flying.
She recovered right away and shot another strand at the shield. Cap blocked it but used it as leverage, yanking her directly into the shield. The vibranium made a dull thud as Spiderwoman was forced face-first into it and landed flat on her back.
She rolled away and shot a web, retreating on top of a jet way.
Cap stared up at her. "Stark tell you anything else?" he asked.
"That you're wrong but you think you're right," she replied. "And that makes you dangerous." With that, she jumped back into action, swinging around the jet way before shooting a web right at Cap's head. He ducked and kicked her right in the stomach, sending her flying.
Spiderwoman slammed into a support strut and hit the ground.
"Guess he had a point," Cap said as he launched his shield at the damaged strut.
On impact, the jet way collapsed.
Spiderwoman was on her feet just in time to catch it.
"You got heart, kid," Cap said.
Spiderwoman let out a grunt as she struggled under the weight of the jet way.
"Where ya from?" Steve asked.
Spiderwoman stared at him, still holding the jet way aloft. "Queens," she said between clenched teeth.
Cap smiled and shook his head. "Brooklyn," he replied, before turning.
"Holy shit!" Spiderwoman exclaimed as Antman's figure towered over her.
"Give me back my Rhodey," Stark said.
Antman sent War Machine flying.
"I got him!" Spiderwoman yelled, sending a webbing after him.
"Get off!" Antman grumbled, swiping at Spiderwoman.
"Hey guys, you ever see that really old movie—Empire Strikes Back?" Spiderwoman yelled as she ducked beneath Antman's giant hand.
"Jesus, Tony, how old is this kid?" War Machine asked.
"I don't know, I didn't carbon date her—she's on the young side," Tony said.
"You know that part where they're on the snow planet?" Spiderwoman asked as she rocketed around Antman, attached to him by a strand of webbing. "With the walking thingies?"
"Maybe the kid's on to something," Stark said.
Stark landed right beside Spiderwoman's crumpled body.
"Kid, you alright?"
Spiderwoman sprung up and batted at Tony's hands.
"Woah!" Tony said, catching her wrists.
"Get off!" she said.
"Same side! Hi!"
"Oh!" Spiderwoman calmed. "Hey, man," she said. "Woah, that was scary," she said.
"Yeah, you're done, alright?" Stark said. "You did a good job, but stay down."
"What? I'm good, I'm fine," she said.
"Stay down," Stark repeated before jetting off.
"Mr. Stark, wait!" Spiderwoman said, rolling onto her knees. "Wait! I'm not done! Oh," she faltered, falling back on her butt, clutching at her side. "I'm done. Okay, I'm done."
*The aftermath of Civil War
"You lied to me!" Petra exclaimed, thrusting the file that had mysteriously appeared under her door that morning at Tony Stark.
"I never lied," Stark said.
"You didn't tell me what we were even fighting for!"
"You never asked."
"You used me," Petra said, jabbing her finger into Stark's chest. "You waltz in here and give me a suit and jet me off to Germany and ask me to fight without ever telling me why."
"You never asked," Stark repeated.
Petra crossed her arms over her chest and stared him down. "Yeah, well, I won't be making that mistake again," she said.
"Look, Petra, I'm sorry," Tony said, reaching out a hand.
Petra batted it away. "Yeah, well, maybe it's a good thing you didn't tell me. Because now that I think about it, I wouldn't have agreed to help you if I'd known."
"Kid, look—,"
"I'm not a kid!" Petra yelled.
"Petra—,"
"I'm keeping the suit," she snapped before throwing open the window, launching herself outside, and disappearing.
*At Steve Rogers' apartment
"…and so then I said, 'How the hell am I supposed to carry that?'" Banner's voice died.
All three of them froze.
"The window," Sam said. Shattered glass lined the portal.
"Look!" Banner said.
They rushed further into the apartment and dropped to their knees beside the crumpled body of Spiderwoman.
"I've got a pulse, steady, but faint," Banner announced, his finger pressed to the girl's throat.
Steve and Sam gently rolled her onto her back.
"Is that blood?" Sam asked.
"Hold her head," Banner instructed Steve, who carefully cradled her head in his hands, her blonde hair tangling around his fingers.
"What happened to her?" Sam asked.
"Stab wound," Banner answered.
The girl let out a moan.
"What did she say?" Sam asked.
"Cap, gently, very gently, pick her up. We need to clear off the kitchen counter. Steve, where's your first aid kit?"
"Above the fridge," he said.
As the two other men went on ahead to prepare, Steve gingerly slid his arms beneath the young woman's back and thighs. As he lifted her from the floor, another moan slid from between her lips. Her body felt small and breakable in Steve's arms as he carried her across his apartment and laid her down on the counter.
Her suit was torn to expose a vicious looking stab wound in her lower abdomen, anchored above her left hip. With practiced precision, Banner cleaned and stitched the wound with even, delicate sutures.
"Will she be okay?" Steve asked once the girl was bandaged up.
"Should be fine. If she's anything like you or me – and by the fact that she's able to shoot webs out of her wrists I'm guessing she is – she should have an increased healing rate," Banner replied.
"Not increased enough."
All three men jumped.
Spiderwoman was sitting upright on the counter. With a grimace, she pulled down her mask. A bruise hung on her right cheek and her lip was split, dried blood streaked down her face. Her skin was tanned, covered in freckles. Her blonde curly hair was held back in a disheveled ponytail. Her eyes were light grey, shining out below a heavy brow.
"Here, drink something," Banner offered as he reached into the fridge and pulled out a carton of orange juice.
"Nuh, uh, buddy, I'm over 21, give me something a little stronger," Spiderwoman snapped, pointing at the beers in Steve's fridge door.
Sam grinned. "I like her already."
"What happened to you?" Steve asked as Sam went to pour her a drink.
Spiderwoman shifted, crisscrossing her legs as she wiped at the blood on her face. "I brought a web to a knife fight," she sighed.
"How did you know to come here?" Steve asked.
A blush rose in her cheeks. "I've been following you," she admitted.
"I thought you were with Tony," Banner said.
Sam offered her the drink.
Spiderwoman accepted it a took a swig before answering. "I was. But things change," she said. "Who are you?" she asked, her eyes drilling into Banner.
He raised his eyebrows. "I'm Dr. Bruce Banner," he said.
Her eyes widened, but she just nodded and turned to Sam expectantly.
"Sam Wilson," he said. "How's the drink?"
"Perfect, thank you," she said before taking another sip.
"What's your name?" Steve asked.
Spiderwoman turned her silver eyes to stare at him and for a second Steve could imagine how a fly would feel caught in a web. "Petra," she said finally. "Petra Parker."
"What happened?" Steve repeated.
"It's a bit of a long story," Petra said, and she made to get up but staggered and Banner caught her elbow.
"Think you could tell it to us in the time it takes you to recover?" Banner asked.
Petra nodded and let him help her back up onto the counter. Once she was settled, she took a deep breath and began.
"I'm a first-year Master's student at NYU, studying mechanical engineering. A year ago, my class was invited to tour Intec's laboratories – which is a dream come true. They are on the cutting edge of just about everything, next to Stark of course," she added. "But when we were there observing a test of a new machine something went wrong. The test failed. There was an explosion, we were being evacuated, and somehow, in the chaos, I was bitten by one of Intec's experimental spiders, which they're breeding and using in trials on accelerated healing. I didn't realize it until the next morning, but suddenly I'm strong and fast and I can climb vertical surfaces and my perception, all my senses, are turned up to, like, eleven. And I can shoot webs out of my wrists."
"So that stuff does come out of you," Sam said, half fascinated, half horrified.
Petra laughed at his expression. "Yeah."
"Where from?" Banner asked, having never seen her in action before.
Petra rolled up the sleeve of her suit and exposed the underside of her wrist. "Right there," she said, running a finger over the slightest ridge right at the base of her palm. "Anyways, while I was busy flipping out over my new powers, I let my best friend, Margo, go out without me one night." At this, she paused, her face darkening.
Steve's stomach tightened. He could guess where this was going.
"She was raped," Petra continued, "and murdered on her way home. They found her body in an alley, two blocks from our apartment." At this, her voice cracked.
The kitchen was silent. All of them knew what it felt like to lose someone. All of them knew what it felt like to feel responsible for that loss.
"I was angry and guilty," Petra continued. "And I vowed to find whatever monster did that to her. And so I started going out at night. At first I was just looking for Margo's killer. But I realized pretty quick that I could help in other ways, too. You've seen the videos. The newspapers called me the Friendly Neighborhood Spiderwoman," she said with a faint smile, a far-off look in her eyes.
"And then, two months ago, Tony Stark showed up in my apartment and asked me to fight you guys. And I was just so caught up and star struck that I just said yes. I mean, he gave me my suit. Before, I'd just been prancing around in one of my old gymnastics leotards – spandex. So when he came and asked me to help him… I was totally blind," she paused and glanced around. "I'm sorry."
"No hard feelings," Steve said, flashing back momentarily to that day on the tarmac in Germany. It felt like years had passed.
"And then, I found out the truth," Petra continued. "Someone left a file on my doorstep, detailing everything about Zumo and what actually happened – how he framed Bucky Barnes," Petra said, her fingers curling into fists. "And I felt like a complete idiot. So, I went back to what I'd been good at – just being the Friendly Neighborhood Spiderwoman."
"How'd you get hurt?" Banner asked after a moment of quiet.
Petra's hand went to her side. "I finally did what I'd set out to do in the first place. I found Margo's killer."
"Did he do this?" Steve asked.
"Yeah. I followed him. And I cornered him. But I was too wrapped up in my own head and here I am. I got hurt. I should have killed him." Petra's eyes dropped to the floor, her hands tight fists in her lap.
"You didn't?" Sam asked.
"No," she sighed. "I webbed him up and dropped the cops an anonymous tip, like I usually do." She sighed. "But I was hurt, and I couldn't go to a hospital and I just didn't know where else to go." She looked up at Steve. "I'm sorry about your window. I can pay for it."
"It's fine," Steve said. "It's just a window."
Petra shot him a smile. "Welp, she said, straightening, "I feel much better now. Thank you, Dr. Banner, for the stitches." She leapt off the counter. "And Sam, for the drink," she added, raising her glass in his direction. "I'll get out of your hair now."
"Wait," Steve said, grabbing her arm.
Petra stopped and looked from his hand to his face, her eyebrow cocked.
Steve let go. "Are you sure you're okay."
"Right as rain," she said.
He nodded. "If you ever need a place to crash, there are easier ways of getting in this apartment than through the window."
Petra smiled. "I'll remember that." She moved towards the living room, but paused, glancing over her shoulder. "Oh, and if you ever need help saving the world, your Friendly Neighborhood Spiderwoman is here to help," she said with a wink before vaulting out of the window.
All three men rushed to watch as she swung across the street, shot a web onto the next building, and disappeared around the corner.
Sam whistled. "Damn."
*Later that week
Steve didn't notice the woman sitting on his front steps until he was practically on top of her. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. Her hair was blonde and curly, pulled back in a neat ponytail with a pencil stuck through it. She wore a pair of earbuds and was bobbing her chin to the music, eyes closed.
Steve cleared his throat.
Her eyes snapped open and she sprung to her feet with a breathtaking amount of grace. "Hey there," she said with a charming lopsided grin.
She didn't quite match to the person he knew in uniform but it was definitely Petra Parker. The eyes were the same, an arresting silver gray. "Hello."
"You didn't recognize me, did you?" she asked. "How 'bout now?" and she held her hand over the bottom half of her face.
Steve laughed. "Well, the freckles were a dead giveaway."
Petra smiled.
The pair stood in a moment of awkward silence.
"So, you said this apartment of yours has an actual door?" Petra asked.
Steve nodded and cleared his throat. "Of course." He fumbled for his keys. "Would you like to come up?"
"I'd love to," she said before spinning on her toes and leading the way up the stairs. She chattered away as they climbed the three flights to Steve's apartment, something about quantum mechanics and an annoying professor that he couldn't quite follow. Once he unlocked the front door and let her in, she let out a long whistle as she gazed around the loft.
"Nice place. I didn't get to see much of it last time," she said.
"Thanks," Steve replied.
"You can afford this on an army pension?" she asked.
"Why are you here?" Steve asked, ignoring the question.
Petra spun to face him, hands in her pockets. "Well, first of all, I came to give you cash for the window."
"You don't have to do that," Steve said.
"Nope, I want to. I feel bad," she said, pulling out a handful of folded bills out of her pocket and dropping it on the counter. "And I want answers," she added. "I told you my story, now I want to hear yours—all of it. All Stark did was lie to me. I'm hoping you don't do the same."
*Next week, after a night out with Sam and Wanda.
"I'll walk you home," Steve offered.
There were six subway stops and three miles between their apartments. They managed to fill the entire time with conversation. Steve spent most of it asking Petra about her research, the Master's thesis she was writing. He liked the way she lit up when she talked about it, the glow in her eyes as she tried to explain the complicated science behind her topic, something about sustainable infrastructure. When she finally stopped in front of a building and said, "This is me," Steve wished they could keep walking forever. He glanced up at the run down tenement building, a brownstone older than he was. Laundry lines bedecked its impressive front, boxer shorts and socks fluttering in the breeze.
Petra jogged up the front steps and fit her key into the lock. As she opened the door, she glanced back over her shoulder and shot Steve a smile. "Thanks," she said.
"You're welcome," Steve said.
Petra stared at him. "I hope I didn't bore you."
"No, not at all," Steve said.
Petra cocked an eyebrow. "You didn't get a word of it, did you?" she asked.
Steve smiled. "You caught me."
Petra laughed. "You should've told me!"
Steve shrugged. "I liked listening."
"Maybe I'll tell you more about it sometime," Petra said.
Steve smiled. "I'd like that."
Color rose in Petra's cheeks. "Good night."
"'Night," Steve said.
*After another night out, this time with Sam, Wanda, Scott, and Thor
"I'd better get going also," Steve said as Petra stood.
They left to a chorus of farewells as the rest of them ordered another round of drinks.
Once outside the restaurant, Petra buried her hands into her jacket pockets and scrunched her shoulders up to her ears as her breath plumed before her in a cloud of condensation. "Are you walking me home?" she asked, keeping her eyes straight ahead.
Steve smiled to himself and shrugged. "Maybe."
"Well, I'll have you know Mr. Rogers, that I don't need to be walked home," Petra said, raising her chin.
Steve laughed. "Yeah, I know. I still remember that time at the airport, you know. You almost had me a few times."
"Almost!?" Petra cried. "I did have you."
"I let you think you had me," Steve corrected.
Petra let out a snort of exasperation and altered her gait to bump her shoulder into Steve's arm. "I got a few good hits in."
Steve laughed, "You did, I'll give you that."
Petra suddenly stopped in front of an alley. Steve halted beside her.
"See ya 'round, old man," she said with a wink before slipping into the darkness of the alley.
Steve peered in after her. "Petra?" he called.
A gust of wind rustled Steve's hair as Spiderwoman swung out of the alley with a whoop!, her black and white suit gleaming in the city lights.
*The next week
Petra looked up as the doorbell rang. She set down her knife and wiped her hands on the thighs of her jeans. "Coming!" she called as she slipped out of her kitchen and peered through the peep hole of her front door.
In the dimly lit hallway of her apartment building stood Steve Rogers.
"Steve!" Petra exclaimed as she opened the door.
"Hello," Steve said with a bow of his head.
"Come on in, I was just making dinner, why don't you join me?" Petra offered, ushering him into the room before shutting and locking her door.
"Oh, I don't want to bother you," Steve said as he shuffled down the narrow hallway, his broad shoulders grazing the walls on either side of him.
Petra snorted. "No, no, I'd love the company. My roommate's out of town all week, I've been going stir crazy all by myself. Here," Petra quickly shoved a pile of papers off the couch and onto the floor. "Sit, dinner's almost ready."
Steve hovered uncertainly in the small cluttered living room while Petra disappeared into the kitchen. The walls were covered in peeling wallpaper and the grated windows looked out onto a narrow alley way covered in trash. Spread across every surface were books and loose papers, all covered in dense handwritten notes.
"Here you go." Petra reappeared, two steaming bowls in her hands. Steve took the one offered to him and sat down on the edge of the sofa so as not to disturb the pile of books beside him. Petra pulled her desk chair to the center of the room and turned it to face the couch before collapsing into the seat.
"This is really good," Steve said after a few bites.
"Thanks, it's just ramen," Petra said. "Now, I know you didn't come here just to sample my cooking. What's up?"
Steve swallowed the bite he had in his mouth and cleared his throat.
"Well, I, uh, I'm being honored at a military gala this Saturday," he began.
"Really? Congratulations," Petra interrupted with a warm smile.
"Thanks," Steve replied. "And, well, it's a formal event, and there's going to be a huge party, and I was just, uh, wondering if you, uh, would like to…accompany me? I mean, we'd go together, and you'd be there as my, uh—?"
"You want me to be your date?" Petra broke in.
Steve took a deep breath. "Yes."
"Of course I would absolutely love to go…with you," she added shyly.
*Before the gala
Even though Steve had seen Petra in her suit, an outfit of clinging black, the dress she wore took his breath away. The fabric shimmered like a billion stars. It hung on Petra's body like mist, falling from thin straps over her shoulders to puddle at her feet. Her blonde hair, usually pulled up in a ponytail, had been expertly arranged to frame her face in a soft halo of blonde curls and her eyes gleamed amongst the freckles that covered her cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. A dazzling smiled pulled at the corners of her lips.
"Well it's definitely an improvement on the stars and stripes," she giggled, gazing at Steve's new tuxedo.
"You don't clean up too bad yourself," Steve laughed.
"We'll knock 'em dead," Petra said.
*After the gala
Her back against the front door of her apartment, Petra turned her face upwards to meet Steve's lips. As he kissed her, his hands cupped her cheeks and his body pressed her against the wood. Unconsciously, Petra found herself pulling Steve's shirt loose, un-tucking the stiff button up.
"I'm a, uh, a bit rusty," Steve said suddenly, pulling back.
"That's okay," Petra said. "Just follow my lead."
"And I don't have a lot of experience," he added.
Petra paused and smiled. "We'll take it slow."
Steve gazed down at her, once again caught in her eyes. "And I'm probably too old for you," he added.
At this Petra pulled him down into another kiss. "My roommate is out of town, my apartment is actually clean for once, and I'm wearing new lingerie," she whispered against his lips. "I don't give a damn how old you are Steve Rogers." Still holding Steve's hand, with the other she unlocked her front door and tugged him into the apartment.
As soon as the door was closed and locked, Petra pulled Steve toward her and pressed her lips to his. He held her body against his as they kissed in the dark front hallway of Petra's cluttered apartment. After a few minutes, Steve swept Petra off her feet and she let out a burst of laughter as he shuffled sideways down the narrow hallway, passed the kitchen, and into her bedroom.
Steve gently sat her on her feet, but had barely taken his hands off her before she began to unbutton his shirt. Petra giggled as she pulled the shirt off of Steve's shoulders and tugged his undershirt up, over his head and flung it to the floor. Petra placed her palm flat against Steve's chest and pushed him backwards, onto the bed. He fell back, a look a surprise flashing across his face. Petra slipped the straps of her gown off her shoulders and let it puddle on the floor before climbing on top of him.
Steve couldn't help but stare at her, the way her blonde hair fell over her shoulders, how her chest and stomach were covered in the same explosive map of freckles as her face and arms. Petra braced one hand against the mattress beside Steve's head and bent over him to press her lips to the sharp line of his jaw while the fingers of her free hand played up and down his bare chest…
Steve kept his arm slung across Petra's waist as she curled up beside him, the perfect little spoon. Steve pressed his nose to her hair and breathed in the citrus scent of her shampoo. He remembered the first time he'd held her – bleeding, in his apartment. Then, she'd felt fragile, breakable. Now, her body felt good beneath his hands, small, but strong.
"Sorry I lied about my apartment being clean," Petra said.
Steve opened his eyes and noticed for the first time that the layers of papers and books and journals from the living room had migrated in here, coating her desk and the bedside table. A large peculiar looking computer quietly hummed beneath its burden of papers. "I honestly didn't notice," Steve said. "My attention was…elsewhere."
Petra laughed and rolled over so they were face to face, their noses inches apart. "I like you, Steve Rogers," she said quietly.
Steve gazed into her eyes. "I like you, too." He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.
"Can I ask you a question?" Petra asked.
"Anything," Steve said.
"Did you know, when you agreed to take the serum to undergo the experiment, what would happen?"
Steve stared at her, tracing the constellations of freckles on her face with his eyes. "No, not really."
"Do you regret it?" she asked.
At this, Steve took a deep breath. "Some parts I regret. Others, I don't. It's become a part of me, though, so going back to the way I was before wouldn't be the same person," he answered, truthfully. "Can I ask a question?"
Petra smiled. "Anything."
"Would you go back?"
"Never," she answered immediately.
Steve ran his fingers up and down the inside of Petra's forearm.
"It's right there," she said.
He paused, his fingers hovering over the slightest ridge in her skin, right at the base of her palm. "How does it work?" he asked.
Petra shrugged. "I don't really know. I'm a mechanical engineer, not a biological one. Banner thinks whatever experiments Intec was doing on the spider made it infectious and somehow the virus blended with my DNA instead of killing me. He ran some tests and is looking into it." She made a shape with her fingers and webbing shot out of her arm, hitting the ceiling fan.
"Did it hurt?" Steve asked.
"A little bit. But not really. It happened while I was sleeping. Did yours?"
"Like hell."
Petra glanced over at him. "I'm sorry."
"You don't have to apologize," Steve said.
Petra sighed. "I know. I just want to protect you."
This made Steve smile. "You'll protect me?"
"Of course," Petra said.
"I'll protect you," Steve promised.
Petra lifted herself onto her elbow and leaned over Steve, pressing her lips to his.
*During an evening out policing, Petra runs into Steve
Spiderwoman emerged from the shadows, her mask pulled down around her neck, a smile on her face. "You know, this neighborhood is dangerous at night," she said.
Steve grinned. "I'm not too worried."
Spiderwoman cocked an eyebrow. "Why's that?"
"Because the Friendly Neighborhood Spiderwoman is here to protect me," Steve said.
Petra's whole face smiled. "Whatcha doing out here?"
"There's a VA around the corner. I come and visit every once in a while," Steve said. "Are you busy? Want to grab a drink?"
"Wish I could, but I'm on a job," Spiderwoman said. "Tomorrow?"
"Yeah, tomorrow'd be good."
"Pick me up at seven?"
"I'll be there," Steve said.
Somewhere a few blocks away, a car alarm sounded. Spiderwoman glanced over her shoulder. "Duty calls." She turned, shot a web, and disappeared.
"Petra!" Steve called.
She reappeared, suspended upside down by a thread of her webbing. "What?"
Steve stepped towards her, caught in the silver of her eyes. Cupping her face in both hands, he kissed her.
*After a date
Petra slung her leg over the bike and settled in behind Steve, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her cheek into the space between his shoulder blades. Steve kick started the bike and it roared to life beneath them. As had become his habit, he sped off the curb, and, like always, Petra's hold on him tightened.
*At Pepper and Tony's rehearsal dinner
Bucky joined Steve at the bar, leaving Petra and Banner to continue talking about advanced molecular engineering while Sam nodded his head along.
"She's cute," Bucky said, still looking over his shoulder.
Steve glanced up from the drinks he was pouring. "She's young," he said.
"Everyone is compared to us," Bucky reminded him. "How old is she?"
"Twenty-three," Steve said.
"Weren't you twenty-one when you went in the ice?" Bucky asked.
Steve shook his head. "Twenty-one when I took the serum. Twenty-seven when I went in the ice."
"Didn't the serum halt your aging?" Bucky asked.
"Sort of."
"Then technically, she's two years older than you," Bucky said.
They returned to the table, where they'd moved on from molecular engineering.
"Yeah, but that still doesn't explain how you can move the way you do," Sam was saying.
"I was a gymnast," Petra said with a shrug.
"I still can't believe a gymnast kicked our asses," Bucky said.
"Hey, we do not tell anyone about that," Sam hissed.
Petra laughed.
*One morning
"Dammit!" Petra yelled.
Steve burst out into the kitchen. "What?" he asked, glancing around like he expected someone to jump out and attack him.
Petra was standing in front of the stove, a half cooked pancake in the pan in front of her, a spatula in one hand, her phone in the other. "Oh! Nothing, nothing's wrong," she said.
Steve let his shoulders drop and joined her, coming to stand behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist, his chin resting atop her head. "What is it?" he asked.
Petra set down her phone and checked the pancake. "Our landlord's raising our rent again and Stef wants to bring in more roommates to cover it but I do not want to share a room," she said as she flipped it.
"What are you gonna do?" Steve asked.
Petra sighed. "I have no idea." She fished the pancake out and poured another round of batter in.
"You could move in here?" Steve offered.
Petra looked up at him. "Are you serious?"
Steve let go and took a step back. "Yeah," he said. "You practically live here anyways. And…I miss you when you're gone."
Petra set down the spatula, crossed the kitchen, and pulled Steve into a long, slow kiss. Steve let his hands trace her figure. They only stopped when Petra realized the pancake was starting to burn.
*Late one night
Steve rolled over and realized that Petra was still awake, her bedside lamp just bright enough to let her read the book she had balanced on her knees. Her hair was up in a knot with a pencil stuck through it and she was absentmindedly twirling another pencil in her hand.
"Come and sleep," he said.
Petra glanced at him and smiled. "After this chapter," she said with a smile and reached out to run her fingers through his hair.
*At the Avengers compound
"And, uh, Cap, you have contact with our friendly neighborhood Spiderwoman, don't you? Let's bring her in, too," Tony said.
"Stark, she's just a kid, this isn't her fight," Cap said.
Tony cocked an eyebrow. "I bet you weren't saying that last night."
"What did you just say to me?" Cap asked, his fingers curling into fists.
"Woah, woah, woah, boys, cool it," Nat said. "First of all, Tony, locker room talk does not belong here. Second of all, Steve, Petra deserves to know. This became her fight as soon as we tangled her up in all this mess, as soon as that spider bit her."
*random battle images
The crowd fell to a hush as everyone turned their faces upwards to peer into the darkened sky above their heads.
With a snap, a strand of webbing shot across the air, and suspended from the end of it was Spiderwoman. Her blonde hair whipped behind her as she swung across the busy intersection. At the highest point in her arc, she severed the web, flinging herself up into the air fifty stories above the crowd. She executed a neat front flip before shooting out another line of wire that allowed her to swing forward and land in front of the Avengers.
"You looked like you guys could use some help," she said with a wink.
Spiderwoman smiled and laughed even as she continued to bleed. "Are you calling me slow, old man?" she asked.
His teeth brilliantly white against the grime coating his face, Cap grinned. "You said it."
Spiderwoman smacked his arm. "Eat my dust," she cried before bursting out from behind the car and flinging herself back into battle.
Cap chuckled to himself before joining her.
"Are you sure?" Cap yelled over the sound of gunshots.
"Of course I'm sure!" Spiderwoman snapped.
Cap braced himself and held his shield before him at a 45 degree slant.
Spiderwoman backed up a few yards, took a running start, leapt at Cap's shield, and pushed off as he thrust his arms upwards. She rocketed into the air and hung suspended for a heartbeat before shooting out a web and swinging around the corner.
Spiderwoman launched herself at Steve and shoved him out of the way, catching the blast head on instead, which sent her flying.
"Petra!" Cap yelled as she was flung off the side of the building.
"Got her!" Wanda yelled as Petra's limp form was suddenly engulfed in a red mist.
"Go to her," Bucky said over the headset. "We've got this."
Cap took a running leap down onto the next rooftop, where Wanda had lowered Petra to. Black Panther beat him there but hung back to keep anyone who approached at bay. Cap dropped the shield and took Petra in his arms, she was bleeding heavily from a gash on her forehead. The blood had begun to gather right where her mask met her cheek, and as Cap lifted her into his arms, it began to drip into her hair, turning the honey blonde locks crimson.
"Petra," Cap breathed, holding her face in his hand.
Slowly, one eye opened, and then the other. "Hey soldier," she said, her voice hoarse.
Cap let out the breath he'd been holding. "Don't do that again."
"Someone's gotta protect you," Petra said.
*After the fight, back at home
"Here, let me," Steve said.
Petra let him undress her, grimacing as he helped her pull her arm from the suit. The side which had taken the blast was mottled in ugly purple bruises. As soon as she was free, Petra flopped back onto the bed.
Steve stripped off his own suit.
"Aw c'mon, now I really can't complain," Petra moaned. She was looking at Steve's own bruises.
Steve laughed. "I'm a little more used to it."
"How do you ever get used to this?" Petra asked. "I'm just throbbing—one giant purple bruise."
Steve held out a hand. "C'mon."
Petra let him pull her up and he led her to the bathroom, where he flipped on the shower. She leaned against the counter while they waited for the water to heat up.
"They're already fading," Steve noticed, brushing Petra's arm.
She glanced down. A noticeable amount of swelling had gone down.
They showered together, staying under the hot water much longer than they needed to. Steve was gentle as he helped her clean off the grime of the battle. She returned the favor. When they emerged, their fingers were wrinkled and Petra's skin was nearly free of any sign of bruising thanks to her accelerated healing.
Back in the bedroom, Petra pulled on one of Steve's t-shirts as he slipped into a pair of boxers and they both fell into bed.
"How are you feeling now?" Steve asked as Petra curled up beside him.
"Better. You?"
"Throbbing," Steve said. "I don't have any spidey powers."
"Would a kiss make it better?" Petra asked.
"Probably," Steve said.
Petra smiled. "Well, in that case."
*At Petra's graduation
"Petra Parker, summa cum laude," they announced over the speakers.
An entire section of seats burst into shouts and applause as Petra crossed the stage. Even though they all were supposed to be incognito, they couldn't help but celebrate. Tony whistled, Sam and Bucky let out a yell, Nat cried out, "Ow ow!" Banner clapped, Wanda cupped her hands around her mouth and cheered. Thor made as if he was raising a toast. Vision stood among them all, smiling. Steve made sure the camera was in focus as he videoed Petra shaking the dean's hand and receiving her diploma. After she did she turned to the crowd, found the tiny explosion of celebration that had erupted at her name, and blew a kiss in their direction before walking off stage.
"There she is, the woman of the hour!" Tony exclaimed.
Petra burst out of the crowd and ran straight into Steve's arms. He caught her up and spun her once before kissing her fiercely. "We cheered for you," Steve said as he set her down.
Petra was beaming ear to ear. "I know, I heard," she said.
Vision tapped a nearby man on the shoulder and asked, "Would you mind taking our photograph?"
"Of course," he said, accepting the camera from Wanda.
Everyone crowded around Petra and Steve.
"Squeeze in a little closer, I want to get you all," the man said.
Everyone shuffled in tighter.
Steve looked down at Petra. "I am so proud of you," he said.
Petra smiled up at him. "Thank you," she said.
*The photo
Petra and Steve are in the center, Steve with one arm around her waist, the other holding her diploma. Petra is beaming into the camera while Steve is gazing at her lovingly. Petra's cap is slightly off kilter. Bucky is next to Steve, with one arm slung around Sam's neck, who is standing next to him. Sam's mouth is open because he's cheering. Thor towers behind them, grinning, one giant hand on each their shoulders. Wanda is next to Petra on the other side, smilling like a proud mom. Vision is behind her, staring directly into the camera. Natasha and Banner are next to them, holding hands. And Tony is crouched in front of them, throwing up a pair of peace signs.