Chapter 2

The subway is always full of odd characters, from every walk of life. New York being such a diverse city, you may even meet someone from a country you had never even heard of. People could be in a variety of outfits, from business suits to a homeless man's rags. Generally, no one was judged on the subway. People just seemed to tolerate each other, and go on about their daily lives.

Although the Merc with the mouth got almost everyone's attention. Women seemed to clutch their purses a little tighter, and the men seemed a little on edge, mouths pressed into thin lines as they eyed the black and red clad man. The subway train clacked on the tracks, filling Peter's mind with only a slight amount of peace: At least they were moving.

Peter kept his eyes on the floor for the most part, his back facing Deadpool. This was the closest he had ever been to him without being in his suit. The whole ordeal was getting his heart racing. He knew from the past, the Merc wasn't the most, how to put it nicely, sane individual. He also killed people, despite Peter constantly trying to teach him not to. The one thing that was strange, is the Merc had an odd fascination with him for as long as he could remember. Calling him his best friend, telling him he wanted to be like him, Peter shuddered in his jean jacket. Not a chance, he thought with disgust. Peter didn't kill people, no matter how much they might deserve it. He wasn't the one that decided life or death, he walked the gray area.

He listened to the incessant gabbering from the Merc with a growing frustration. You could cut the tension in the tiny subway car with a knife, it was so thick. Peter yawned, hand still clenching the railing. Surely they would arrive at the station soon, this was supposed to be the way to travel, or so he'd heard from the gabbering of the Merc.

Peter suddenly learched forward and a squealing of the breaks could be heard. A few women screamed, and the lights flickered.

"Ladies and gentleman, we will resume route in a moment, please stay calm and remain in your seats." The conductors' voice drifted soothingly through the intercom.

"Fat fucking chance," a man snapped, and exited their cart and into the the next one, away from the Merc. A few people followed suit, but a little more cautiously. Peter was now alone in the subway car with Deadpool.

The lights flickered again, and he could feel a bead of sweat trickle down his neck. Normally the Merc didn't bother him, he was just annoying and got in the way. However that was only for Spiderman, things felt a little more dire as Peter Parker. He didn't want him knowing his identity, he felt a knot in his stomach at even the thought of it. He could find his school, follow him home, make his life a living Hell.

"The one day I decide to be a little more social and ride the subway it breaks down!" Deadpool stated, shaking his head. He leaned back onto the seat, resting his arm along the top. Peter could feel the Merc's eyes on him. He started to force his legs to move, to get out of this cart and away from him as soon as he possibly could.

The lights flickered again and a scream could be heard from a few carts ahead, causing Peter to jump a little. Someone must be afraid of the dark.

Deadpool was fidgeting around on his seat, the way an impatient child would. Peter glanced at him and saw that he looked at his arm the way you would view a wrist watch, however he had no watch on. "Come on, I got places to be!" He muttered something else under his breath and looked up at Peter.

Turning his head sharply he started to walk towards the moving door to the next cart, steps precise as if walking a tight rope. The power flickered again and then ceased to be. They were immersed in darkness now, and Peter groaned. "Fantastic." If he hadn't of been so tired, he could of just scaled his way through the skyscrapers easily and made it home in thirty minutes tops. But he didn't trust his body right now to be able to get him there safely, being utterly and completely exhausted and sleep deprived.

"It's pretty romantic, just the two of us alone in this dark and delipidated subway cart! Kind of reminds me of my apartment actually," Deadpool quipped. "Want to spill your feelings for me or should I go first? I've been seeing you keep looking at me all this time, unfortunately I gotta inform you that I'm in a bit of an odd relationship right now, but I won't mind if you don't!"

"I really have no idea what you're talking about," Peter said hastily. "It's just not everyday you see someone in costume on the subway, but that's none of my business. I'm going to the next cart to see what's going on up ahead." Definetly nailed that, he nodded to himself in the dark. He needed to shake off this nervousness, there was no way the Merc could tell he was Spiderman. The conversation done, or so he thought, he finished walking to the door. Blindly, albiet, but feeling his way through the dark his hand finally landed on the cold metal door and he began to push on it.

He could hear Deadpool pacing around behind him, and he dropped his hands with a frustrated sigh. "It won't open. I'm going to have to try and find something to pry it with,"

"How did-"

Another loud scream was heard from the front cart, but this time an ungodly roar accompanied it. Peter tensed for a moment, realizing how helpless he was right now. Whatever it was attacking the subway, he couldn't fight because Deadpool would know he was Spiderman. He needed a way out of this subway car, and fast. If he could open one if the windows and crawl out onto the track, he was home free. The only thing that seemed less than desirable about this plan was the wet and rat infested territory he would be entering.

Shaking his head, he started creeping for the window as quietly as possible to not disturb the Merc.

The sound of katana blades being drawn erupted through the air and Peter tried to quicken his pace as quietly as he could. He suddenly stopped, his senses now gripping a hold of him. There was something dangerous nearby, crawling somewhere in the subway.

"Sounds like something is on the roof," Deadpool said, breaking the silence. Peter ignored him and tried to pull the window open in the darkness. Just got to get out of here and I'm home free, he thought gripping the safety latch on the window. He definitely did not want to be trapped with the Merc, the situation would be less than desirable. First, he had no way to defend himself without the Merc suspecting something and secondly, he did not want to be in a damsel in distress type situation.

The safety latch clicked and he felt his heart speed up. Perfect, now to just climb out the window. His sixth sense acted up again and he felt dread wash over him as something loud from above moved along the top of the subway. The thing seemed to step down with such a ferocity that the entire subway almost felt like it was shaking, but it was only his imagination. He could hear the thing from above breathe and exhale as if sniffing the air, and the sound of claws clicking along the roof of the subway cart.

You have got to be kidding me. Peter looked up and expected the worst.

The claws began digging in a flurry on top of the cart and Peter tried hastily to open the window only for it to open and slam down on his fingers. He drew them back and cursed, then felt incredibly helpless. He was too tired for this, whatever it was and being in the darkness was confusing his body. It almost seemed to try to trick his mind to sleep.

"Don't worry kid, I gotcha," Deadpool's voice echoed in the darkness. "Wait 'till Spiderman hears about this, he'll definitely think I'm capable of being a hero and not just a mercenary,"

Peter narrowed his eyes, not sure whether to be bothered by this notion or touched. He wasn't quite sure why he was even on the Merc's mind, much less why he felt the need to tell Spiderman anything.

Whatever it was that was tearing through the top of the cart was picking up its pace and then stuck it's big ugly head through the opening in the metal. Taking a deep breath, it sighed finally and seemed to gurgle an almost inhuman laugh. Peter peered up to the opening in the cart and into deep yellow eyes.

"Peter Parker..." It hissed.

Peter felt his heart sink, and waited for the worst.