Something about the full moon had always comforted Alexia. She liked to think that it had something to do with her childhood. As a child growing up in a poor area of L.A., she had often lain awake at night, prevented from sleep by the sounds of police sirens outside. On nights like these, she would stare out her window and gaze at the moon, its comforting glow lulling her to sleep.

"Statistics say that violent crimes increase during a full moon. And how couldn't they? The moon affects the tides of the oceans, and the human body is made of 70 water," her mother had once said.

'It's certainly true tonight', Alexia thought. She was sitting on one of the stone gargoyles of the Chrysler building, taking a moment to admire the view before she had to head back down search for more random crimes being committed. She'd already stopped three attempted muggings, a car theft, and a gang fight within the last few hours. It was a bit tiring, and was beginning to take its toll on her.

Alexia stood up and prepared to jump, deciding to go home and get some sleep. The world would survive without her until tomorrow. She dove off of the building, her braided hair flapping in the wind as she passed sky-scrapers and high-rise buildings. She was free-falling rapidly, waiting until just the right moment to launch a web-line and lean forward, her momentum carrying her upward as she swung toward her destination.

When she was less than ten blocks from her apartment, a strange feeling came over her, one that she had become familiar with over the past few weeks; it was her spider-sense, a tingling sensation that seemed to spread outward from the back of her head, a warning of impending danger. She followed her new sixth sense to a nearby ally, where she found the source of the danger; a small gang of thieves was attempting to break into a gun shop. She landed silently on a rooftop beside it. Two men watched as another thief worked on the lock, while two others stood guard with guns.

Alexia aimed her wrists at the men's guns and fired two web-lines, yanking the guns to her. She caught them and held them up.

"Didn't your mother teach you not to play with guns?", she taunted. It was the most cliché thing she could have said, but also the most appropriate. In any case, it was the little things like teasing criminals that made these little outings fun. She jumped down into the ally to face the would-be thieves.

"You shouldn'ta done that", one of them said in a think Brooklyn accent, advancing toward her, "Someone like you could get hurt doing things like that." As the others started to move toward her, Alexia backed up in mock fear.

"C'mon, you wouldn't hit a girl, would ya," she said, her back against the wall. The thug pulled back his fist to strike her, and she made no move to stop him. She stepped out of the way at the last second, and the man's fist smashed into the wall, breaking most of his fingers. He let out a yelp of pain, and Alexia elbowed him in the back, knocking him to the ground.

"I didn't think so," she commented, smiling.

At this, the other four thieves charged at her. She easily side-stepped their attacks, tripping one of them, and delivered a round-house kick to another one's face, causing him to fall and join his friend with the broken fingers. The one she'd tripped attempter to get back up, but she kicked him in the stomach, and he stayed down. The fourth thief ran at her, but she grabbed his arm with one hand and twisted it behind his back, pushing him into the wall, and smashed his head against it. He fell unconscious next to the others.

The last thief backed up toward the equipment he'd been using to break the lock, and picked up a crowbar, lifting it above his head.

"Don't come any closer," he threatened, though his voice shook with fear. Alexia laughed and took a step toward him. He stepped back.

"Sorry, but it's the superhero protocol. Play nice and I'll just tie you to a streetlight or something," she said. She started to walk toward him. He panicked and threw the crowbar at her. Alexia caught it with one hand, and bent it in half. The expression on the thief's face was priceless.

"Okay, that was NOT nice".

The thief started to run, but Alexia fired a web-line at his foot and dragged him toward her. He got up and tried to kick her, but she caught his foot and pushed him away. He fell into the window of the guns shop, and the glass shattered. An alarm rang out and the thief fell through the glass, unconscious, but Alexia caught him.

"Even better than 911," she commented, and dragged him over to his friends, then webbed them all to the ground. She stuck something onto them to let the police know she had been there; a card with a picture of a Black Widow spider on it, thinking it a little more creative than notes. With that last detail taken care of, Alexia scaled the wall and headed home.

"Hey Alexia," someone said behind her as she unlocked her apartment door. She turned to see Peter coming up the stairs.

"Hi," she replied, pushing her door open. Peter stood in the doorway as Alexia picked up her t.v. remote and absently began to flip through the channels.

"I haven't seen you around lately," Peter commented.

"I've been a little busy," Alexia responded, trying to sound casual. Peter's expression changed for a moment, remembering something, but then he smiled.

"I know the feeling," he said, amused. Alexia put down her remote and filled her kettle up with water.

"You're back earlier than usual," Alexia said.

"I need to get some sleep before Dr. Conners catches me falling asleep in class again," he said. "Besides, it looks like someone's got me covered tonight," he added.

Alexia followed his gaze to the t.v. screen, where a female reporter was speaking.

"Who is this new super-powered woman? A vigilante? A heroine? A bit of both? Behind me is Captain Stacey, with the men police believe had been prevented from breaking into a gun shop by the person the Daily Bugle has in recent days nick-named 'Spider-Woman', for obvious reasons."
The camera panned back to where police were attempting to pry loose the webbing holding the 'suspects' in place. Alexia smirked as the strands they were holding dissolved, and one of the officers fell into the pile of thieves. New York's finest, indeed. The camera panned forward to the reporter again. She held up the card Alexia had left behind.

"The card I'm holding was found on top of the suspects. Perhaps an attempt to distinguish herself from one of the cities other costumed heroes, Spider-Man? The two have not been seen together since the fourty-third street fire where witnesses say they worked together to save eight people from a burning building. No matter that the public thinks of her, it seems that Spider-Woman is letting us know that she is here to stay."

The camera did a close up of the Black Widow design on the card before switching to the weather. Alexia turned off the t.v.

"Cards. Hmm. I wish I'd thought of that," Peter remarked. Alexia smiled.

"So, what's she like?", Alexia asked, curious to hear his opinion.

"I don't really know. I only met her once. She didn't say much. It's nice having someone helping me out, though. From what I've seen of her, she's an enigma wrapped in a mystery."

"Sounds like you," Alexia commented.

"Really?"

Alexia nodded. Peter stifled a yawn, his eyes tired, but happy.

"I'd better get some sleep, or I won't even make it to Dr. Conners' class. See you later," he said, and went to his own room.

Alexia closed the door after him and locked it. The kettle started to whistle, but Alexia unplugged it, knowing that she needed some rest, too. She had a lot to do the next day.