I don't own any Marvel character that you'll see in this chapter. If fact I don't own Sean, Ian, Michael, Braxton, Wayne or Brad either. I only own Sliver Star/Elizabeth and the plot line for this story.

Chapter 3

Elizabeth, Sean, Ian, Michael and Braxton watched on, grim faced, as Wayne and Brad's caskets were lowered into the ground. Behind them stood various other heroes: Spider-man, Captain America, Ironman, the X-men; all in their civilian identities. Venom stood off to the side (disguised as Eddie Brock, even though Eddie had died sometime earlier), hidden by the photographers and reporters that had come to get shots of the famous Tony Stark and friends. Elizabeth had called everyone she could think of once the others had convinced her not to go chasing after Carnage, and now she struggled not to break down. She was the leader of The Stars. She was Silver Star, a hero. Heroes don't break down and cry, at all. Michael and Braxton each had a hand on her shoulders while Ian and Sean stood behind and to the side of her, one of their hands on her shoulder blades--each one giving support anyway they could. Elizabeth's fist clenched as the gravediggers started to throw dirt onto the coffins.

"This is my fault. I should have been there."

The boys all exchanged glances before Ian sighed. "What could you have done? Besides getting killed yourself."

"First into trouble and last out. That's what it means to be a leader. If I hadn't stopped to beat up that gang, I could have been there to save them." Unshed tears welled up angrily in her eyes as she turned to glare at them. "I should have been there. I could have saved them."

Michael snorted. "Or been killed along with them. Face it, Liz. There was nothing you could have done to save them."

Elizabeth took a deep breath and let it out slowly before replying. "Sorry guys. There's too many unchecked emotions around here. I think I'm about to overload." Her hand twitched as she shook off their hands. "I need to get somewhere else before that."

The boys exchanged another glance. "How bad are we talking?" Braxton said as the five of them took off in a jog for the older, more secluded part of the cometary.

"Very bad." Elizabeth fell to her knees on the other side of a mausoleum; her eyes taking on a faint blue glow. Sean dropped in front of her and pulled her into his arms. Ian hugged her from behind while Michael and Braxton embraced her from her sides; each one on their knees as well. Mentally, they braced for the agony they were about to experience.

Venom watched from afar as The Stars ran to the older part of the cemetery. 'She must be close to an overload.' He glanced at the collective group of heroes and caught Peter Parker's eye before walking in the direction of The Stars. 'Let's see if web-head as enough brains to bring help.' He resisted the urge to look behind him and wait to see if Parker would bring help. Of course, if he did, Venom could call him weak and laugh. If he didn't, he could call him a fool and snarl at him. All thoughts of teasing Parker flew out of his head when he turned the corner of the mausoleum. Sean, Ian, Braxton and Michael had been blown away by the force of Elizabeth's overload. They were unconscious but fine from what he could tell. He turned his attention to Elizabeth. She was floating four feet in the air on her back. Her eyes were closed and there was a faint blue outline around her body. He was standing half a foot away from her when Parker, Rogue, Gambit, and McCoy rounded the corner. Venom hadn't even noticed the fact that he had been moving closer until she floated into his arms. The blue outline surrounded him for a moment before shrinking and forming an almost choker-like chain necklace with a single round charm on it. The charm had a white spider, exactly like the one on his chest, with a black background. No one moved for a moment. Then Venom tore his eyes away from Elizabeth to glance over his shoulder. "Get the boys some medical attention to make sure they're alright. We'll take her home."

"Remy is confused. What goin' on?" Gambit scratched the back of his head.

Rogue glanced at her lover. "That makes two of us, suga." The four of them watched as Venom shed his Eddie Brock disguise and took off with Elizabeth cradled to his chest.

McCoy looked at Parker as he knelt next to Sean. "Have you ever seen Venom act like that before? I didn't think he had it in him to be gentle."

Parker hoisted Michael onto his back. "Just once. It was right after her father was killed by Carnage. Venom comforted her then. That's the only time I've ever seen him act so serious."

Braxton piped up from Rogue's back. "Unless he's trying to kill Carnage."

Gambit had his arm around Ian's shoulders while Ian leaned heavily on him. "How are you, mon ami?"

"Worn out. That was no ordinary overload." Ian panted. Sean groaned as McCoy shook him awake.

"It's Sunday. I don't get up before noon on Sundays."

Braxton rolled his eyes. "It's Friday and its 3 o'clock in the afternoon."

Ian tapped him with his foot. "Get up, you pussy."

Sean sat up slowly. "Gawd. I feel like I went on a drinking binge last night. What happened?"

McCoy answered as he helped him up. "Apparently, Elizabeth didn't have a normal overload. You're all suffering from the backlash."

Michael stirred. "That wasn't an overload. That was a bonding of some kind."

Parker glanced over his shoulder at him. "Are you sure?"

Michael nodded tiredly, "Yeah, and whatever bond she needed, we couldn't provide. That's why we were rejected." He looked around. "Where is she anyway?"

"Venom took her."

The Stars glanced at each other from their various positions. Sean was the on to break the silence. "Do you know if he was the first one to touch her after we did?"

"She floated into Venom's arms, if that is what you mean." McCoy supplied.

"She stopped glowing?" Ian's question sounded more like a statement.

"Yeah."

The Stars seemed to let out a collective breath. "She's alright then. Whatever bond she needed, Venom must have been able to provide." Braxton managed to slide off of Rogue's back and remain standing. "Venom will take care of her. We need to see if we can't locate Carnage."

Parker let Michael off his back. "How can you be sure that Venom won't harm her?" He sent a worried glance in the direction Venom went. "This is Venom we're talking about here."

The Stars exchanged knowing looks. Braxton finally broke out into a grin. "Two things. First, if the person you're bonded to gets hurt, you're going to feel it in some way. Second, after all she's done for him, he better treat her right. He owes her big time."

McCoy blinked at their expressions. "What do you mean, he owes her?"

Ian and Sean looked at each other before replying in unison, "Let's just say the streets of LA are really starting to clean up.

I would like to thank my one reviewer. You know who you are. And thanks for the story alert too. To everyone else, REVIEW!!! Otherwise, Carnage gets to have some fun.

Carnage: *insane laughter* I'm going to enjoy this so much!

Me: *hides behind Venom* So, review so Venom can kick his ass!