"I just wanted to make you proud." said Harry. "But since that will never happen, I'll just make you go away. Forever!" roared Venom.

"Harry. Stop."

Venom turned, about to cut Goblin in half with his claws. He hesitated as Peter walked out of the shadows.

"You don't need to do this." he said, before Venom grabbed him and slammed him on the screens behind. He winced in pain, but didn't give up yet. "You don't need to do this. I know you've been hurt, Harry. I know I've let you down too. But we can't give up on the people we care about, Harry. Not ever. You didn't give up on me. I won't give up on you."

"He's a monster! I'm a monster!" roared Venom. It took one to know one after all.

"No! That suit is the monster!" argued Peter. "You're my friend. My best friend. My family. And I know my friend Harry still believes his dad can be saved."

Venom looked at his reflection in the shattered green glass on the ground, then at Goblin's reflection.

For all his destruction, everything he did, no matter how much Harry felt left out, even as Venom...

"Dad?"

Harry's face resurfaced from the symbiote, he looked at Goblin briefly. His dad was still in there and, Harry was still in there. The symbiote may have messed the both of them up, but...

"No!" growled Venom, his symbiote taking over Harry again. "Father is gone forever. You and I is family. We is one." He was ready to strike again, but Harry had other plans.

"I want my father back, and I won't give up! I won't. In spite of everything, I love him. Get out!" screamed Harry.

At that point, Venom lost control. Harry was the one in charge, not a stupid symbiote suit.

"Noooooooooooooooo!" growled Venom, tendrils coming out from his body everywhere as Goblin was starting to regain consciousness.

The symbiote slowly removed itself from the rest of his body, shrinking down as it became as small as a worm, wiggling in his palm.

Peter looked at Harry, who simply took the small remnant of symbiote and put it inside a nearby glass cup. He smiled. Harry did it, the symbiote was gone, Venom was gone, he was... free. It surely took him a lot, but Peter's best friend was back.

What was he thinking? Harry was always there. Peter just needed to come around more, maybe this entire parenting issue wouldn't have happened in the first place...

"Okay. That was just wow." he said, getting Harry's attention. It really was more impressive and simple than he imagined it'd be.

"Wow, indeed." said a voice from behind.

They suddenly remembered they weren't really alone, and quickly turned back to see Goblin with a worrisome smile on his green face.

"But I find it more intriguing that young Mr. Parker just happened to arrive when Spider-Man is nowhere to be found. Something you're not telling us, Peter?"

Harry looked at Peter. While Goblin obviously wanted to buy himself time, his sudden arrival was indeed strange. Peter just popped out of nowhere while Venom was thrashing Goblin, while Spider-Man just... left.

Peter on his side also wanted to buy himself time. Why was the team taking so long?

Goblin charged his arm with green electricity, ready to shock them again. He lunged forwards making both boys dodge from as he destroyed the table, separating them.

'Come on, Iron Fist. Get here already!'

They had to escape soon, the Green Goblin got them cornered. If Peter hadn't taken off his costume, maybe he could've used his webs without any suspicion. He had to hope Harry didn't notice it lying around here...

"Now, now, boys. As Harry's father, I know exactly how to discipline you when this is done. And as Carnage's father, I would advise Peter to stay where he is, before Spider-Man becomes no more."

Peter gulped. 'Great! Looks like he knows who I am! C'mon, guys, where are you?...'

"You two need a punishment, but who should destroy Spider-Man? Venom?" he said, looking at Harry who was obviously unwilling to do so. "Or himself?"

Harry realized his mistake, leaving the symbiote around. Green Goblin had grabbed the glass containing the Venom symbiote, and he was ready to use it again on them both. Or maybe even himself, but... If Norman, as crazy as he was now, was right, then... was Peter Spider-Man?

How did Peter get back here again? And on his own? And where was Spider-Man?

As he walked back, his feet touched red fabric on the ground. His eyes widened as he recognized Spider-Man's costume, could it be...

No, he couldn't believe it, no way Peter would...

"Well, maybe I should just let the symbiote decide instead!" said Goblin, dropping the vial on the ground, breaking it as the symbiote started crawling. Harry took his chance and called out for it.

"Come at me!"

"Harry, what are you doing?!" shouted Peter.

"You know me, I can't help but become a monster..." said Harry as he looked down.

"You're gonna fight Spider-Man and his team if you do!"

"Then they'll take me out, or put me out of this miserable family situation if they can catch me. I know you would."

Peter looked at him anxiously, he knew Harry wasn't that dumb. He was sacrificing himself for him, times and times again just because Peter couldn't help him...

What good was it to have powers when he did nothing useful with it?

The Venom symbiote crawled towards Harry, growing in size as it was ready to adapt him into it again. Harry would lose his mind and attack him, or maybe he'd attack Goblin again for guilt-tripping them. And if the team arrived, they'd see what's going and...

Peter was stupid. Before the symbiote reached his best friend, he ran to Harry and pushed him away, a black tendril catching him.

Harry looked horrified as he fell. He turned to see Venom slowly covering Peter's body.

"Peter, no!"

"I can't let you do this, not again... You keep accepting Venom every single time, even if it hurts you or only helps Goblin act nicer to you. I'm not gonna let you lose yourself because of me again..."

The symbiote covered his face, forming two familiar white orbs on his face resembling eyes, becoming his eyes. Then he screamed.

Spikes came out of his body as his voice tore through the dead silence inside the labs. He gasped for air as Harry ran to him, trying to remove the suit.

"Venom! Leave him alone, it's me that you want!"

"Oh no, Harry, far from that..." said Goblin. "Venom was attracted to your wishes of revenge, of payback, of constant betrayal. You were used to disappointment and disliking others in a way the symbiote adored. But after switching hosts so many times, and since Mr. Parker here gave himself up willingly for someone that always became his enemy, I believe Carnage will stay with me after all my efforts."

Harry panicked, trying to pull on the suit, getting it off of Peter, to no avail.

"Harry!" croaked Peter. "Get away! It's- it's taking over!"

"No! I'm not gonna let you do this, Peter! You hear me?!"

"Just, go away, argh!" he screamed more, red markings were forming on his body. "Every time I tried to help, I felt like all I did was letting you down. So let me make this up to you and-" he shouted. "GO!"

"No way! I won't-"

"I SAID GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Peter roared.

The spikes retracted and Carnage's jagged mouth appeared. He kept convulsing on the ground as Goblin laughed.

"I must thank you, Harry! You brought my son right back to me! Maybe you're not a such a complete letdown after all, not that you're still of any use to me. As for you, Carnage, you shouldn't have lied to your father this way, never telling me you were Spider-Man before I sent you to destroy him and his, or should I say, your team."

Harry frowned as Goblin kept insisting on his supposed family bond with Carnage. Peter shouldn't have anything to do with this, Norman shouldn't have dragged him into it.

"Lying to your own creator and to your best friend like this, and to think you were the same nuisance that ruined all of my plans. Only Spider-Man could've been smart enough to do that while staying close as Peter Parker, I should've known you had it in you in the first place, you and I are truly alike." he grinned. "Cunning, calculating, manipulating those around us to get what we want."

Carnage stopped convulsing, and stood on four legs, facing Goblin as he hissed eagerly.

"You truly are in my image, Carnage. Now, since Harry made himself clear that he didn't want to be a part of our family, how about you show him the door?"

Carnage turned around, staring at Harry. He hesitated, then started roaring before lunging at the teen. Harry dodged down, avoiding his now feral friend from tearing him apart. His eyes landed on the spider suit, still lying on the ground.

He looked at Peter, now Carnage, who was growling like a beast. He didn't have much of a choice left, did he?

Without a second thought, Harry picked up the suit and, with a heavy heart, he ran.