Nora Gibson

Her heart pounding like mad, Nora thought it was going to leap out from her. That and the possibility of early delivery of her baby. She hadn't wanted to leave Miss Page there in the hallway, but the woman insisted and provided a good reason too – Spider-Man needed to know what was on that laptop, what was Russo's weakness. If the man somehow damaged the laptop, then all would be lost.

Some floors down, Nora finally set herself down In the middle of the staircase, and turned on the laptop. Waiting impatiently, she watched as the small Apple logo loaded up and then the sign-in fields appeared. The username, Nora knew. Password... Damn it. A password. A birthday maybe? Debbie didn't really make her passcodes hard, and the number of times she had to remind her friend to make more secure ones only hinted to Nora that it was something simple.

The question was how simple?

Nora typed in Debbie's birthday. Nope. Her mother's maiden name? Nope. And then of course, the simplest there was, Debbie's cat – Marmalade.

Bingo.

As the computer loaded in, Nora went directly to the browser application. Instantly she saw there were multiple tabs open. Scanning them quickly, Nora found the very last one was on an online video streaming site. It instantly started to play the cached video, and she knew it was the right one when she heard the "Spider-Man" tune that was being amateurly hummed. Nora had been afraid that she would have had to sift through Debbie's history, but this was better. But it also implied that it may have been the last video her friend watched before she was killed.

Just as the Spider-Man had predicted, it was definitely a fan video. Yet still, this wouldn't have been something her friend would have pulled for patients to watch. Then it occured to Nora it might have been one of those autoplay suggested videos.

As the video played, Nora felt fear grip her. This fan was insane. He gave Russo a whole lot of powers, and probably a number of them the Inhuman didn't even know he had. If the man did know them, the death toll would have been much higher.

Nora waited impatiently as the fan rattled on and on all the insane theories of powers Spider-Man had. Where the heck was he going to get to his idol's weakness?

Finally the teen started to talk about it.

"Like, Spider-Man, he's so f*cking awesome, he should have these powers, right? But with all super heroes, they've gotta have a weakness? No shit, weakness in Spider-Man? You're asking? NowhereInTheWorldMan last week asked about this, and I was like, f*ck, you think he has one? Guy's got super senses, controls spiders, acid webbing that shoots from his wrists! Should he have a weakness? Like maybe spray him with a can of bug spray or something? Haha, yeah, that would be cool, but not in my books. That won't work. Not the Spider-Man I know. My answer for you buddy, no, he ain't got no weakness. He's Spider-Man!"

"No," said Nora aloud, her blood running cold. "This can't be it. Damn it!" Looking at the amount of time left, Nora's heart sank - fifteen seconds.

Damn, bug spray would have been the perfect weakness , thought Nora.

"But hey you know, one thing a spider can't do? It can't f*cking swim. So maybe Spider-Man can be stripped of his mojo if you like drown him in water? Ha. That would be funny. Till next time, name's Kyle Moss, remember to subscribe to my channel!"

"Kyle Moss," muttered Nora under her breath, "You bloody created a monster with your crazy ideas. But thank God you got sense to give the mad man a weakness, even if it is speculative."

The next problem was, how the hell were they supposed to "drown" a guy if they couldn't even hold him?

Nora knew she needed to get this information to the real Spider-Man. Shutting the laptop, she started up the steps only to hear the sound of a door opening. Feeling a surge of panic, her grip on the laptop tightened. If anything she could throw the laptop at Russo in hopes of a distraction.

"Nora?"

Thank God.

"Karen," she said aloud, letting out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

Quickly the blonde woman descended down and gave her a quick embrace.

"You're okay?"

Nora nodded.

"Did you find anything on laptop?"

"Yes, we need to get this to Spider-Man. Is he…" Nora trailed off when she saw the expression on Karen's face.

"Russo didn't…"

"No. Last I saw him, he was upstairs, tackling Russo."

"Should we go back up?"

Karen looked unsure.

"I found something on the laptop. It was just as Spider-Man said, a fan video, it all started from it."

"Okay, let's go back up then. But stay behind me."

Nora nodded as they started their way back up to the top floor.

As the reached to the last floor, looked tense, as if she sensed something. Pressing her index finger against her lips, she motioned Nora to step back as she slowly pushed the door open.

Karen didn't move, she stood frozen to the spot. Curious, Nora looked past her and saw a dozen of officers with guns trained on to them.

"Freeze!"

Karen remained where she was, keeping her hands up and Nora shielded with her own body.

"Hey, hey, back up okay," she said as she slowly moved forward.

Karen was protective, but Nora was no lightweight herself. Just because she was pregnant didn't mean she couldn't handle herself. That and she didn't want to waste time – Spider-Man needed this.

"I'm the one that called you guys!" She called out as she made her way around Karen, who was surprised at her boldness.

Slowly the guns lowered when they saw her approach them.

Yes, who would point a gun at a pregnant woman.

"Look, if you're looking for the killer, Spider-Man, I know a way to stop him." At the corner of her eyes, she saw an officer speak to his radio softly.

"And, just to note, there are two of them, one of them has been trying to stop the impersonator all night. So don't go in blindly shooting, there's a good guy out there putting his life at risk. He's saved my life and dozens of others at the hospital twice over."

As she explained the situation, the officers had escorted them back to the penthouse apartment. There, Nora could all but hold back a gasp to the extent of the damage. What drew her attention most, however, was the fresh blood splatters on the white marbled floors. One look at Karen and she knew the devastation she must have been feeling too.

Staring at the bloodstains on the floor, on the furniture, cabinets... Nora hoped that was Russo's blood. It had better be.

"Miss Gibson?"

Nora turned her attention to the voice, and saw a tall lanky middle-aged man with dark hair approach her. The man looked exhausted, as if he hadn't slept for days. Given the circumstances, Nora wasn't surprised if that was actually true.

"I'm Detective Grahams. My officers tell me you have some intel that can help us apprehend the Spider-Man?"

Nora nodded and flipped open the laptop again.

Russo, you bastard, we've got you now.

Frank Castle / The Punisher

The kid, Peter, as he introduced himself finally, was lying to Frank about how badly injured he was. Frank could feel the kid's blood soak into his clothes. Not to mention the glass that was likely embedded in his back. How he was still on the move was an anomaly on its own.

Damn it, Frank wanted to help, but there wasn't anything he could do. If he had any weapons, he'd have gladly shot Russo a dozen times over, this time, he'd aim for the head. All this shit had happened because of him. He had wanted the man to suffer, to live and have that mangled looking face stare back at him, haunt him. Instead, fate had other things planned and instead gave Russo super powers so he could not only get his revenge, but kill dozens of innocent people.

He had asked Peter over and over to set him down somewhere, let Russo get his revenge, but the kid wasn't having it. That and the fact that there wasn't exactly any time for him to set him down. Russo was literally seconds behind them and he could see how much concentration the kid had to use just to avoid getting caught in Russo's wild webshots from behind.

When Peter had confessed to him that he had an idea, Frank's ears had perked up. It wasn't a very good one, the kid admitted, but it would work. He told him that they were going to go high, like really high up once they reach the Piers. Frank would fall for a bit, but it would be okay, he'd be safe. Peter, however, didn't really go into detail on how he was going to catch Russo. And Frank didn't get a chance to really ask any more because by then, the were literally at the Piers.

The kid planned this, Frank's gut told him. He planned it so that Frank couldn't get the full details of he was planning to do.

At the Piers, Frank could see that there were a dozen of spotlights scanning the night sky and sounds of helicopters close by.

Peter asked Frank then if he could do something for him immediately. That something was to goad Russo, distract him so that he would follow them, no matter what. Let the man's emotions cloud his judgment.

Ha. Frank could definitely do that.

"Sure kid, that's my specialty."

That got a small chuckle for the kid and Frank couldn't help but smile. If they ever got out of this alive, he was so taking this kid for lunch. Dinner. Wherever the hell he wanted to go. Him and the rest of the damn Defenders – though he may exclude the latter just for the fact they were nowhere to be found. What were they doing? Were they taking a nap or something? Two of them had super strength and one of them had a glowing fist. They should have been here, doing everything they could to help the kid.

"You give him to me now, kid, and I'll let you off," crowed out Russo from not too far behind.

Frank wanted to roll his eyes.

Seriously, Billy? That's the best you can do? Like he's going to f*cking trust a word you say?

The kid ignored Russo's words, and instead replied with, "No, I don't think so. But hey, since we're talking, why are you so obsessed with the Punisher?"

Even calling out his quip to the inhuman was taxing for Peter, Frank realized when he felt the hitched breathing on the kid. That was why he needed Frank to help him do the talking, the goading.

"What, you weren't even listening? Don't schools teach kids to listen now?"

Frank decided to jump in then,

"Hard to listen to a p*ssy talk, and whine about not having a face. I'd have to say though, even if you may hate it, this is a f*cking improvement," Frank said with a smirk, though inwardly he felt apologetic for having to use foul language in front of Peter.

"Last I saw, your pretty little face was nothing but a mash of flesh and bone. Better than you deserve though."

"Shut your f*cking mouth," shouted Russo as he moved in more towards them, throwing caution in the wind.

Hmm, maybe I'm too good at my job.

Frank could feel Peter tense up, but he was still keeping ahead and swinging upwards, and notably closer to the open waters of the Hudson river. Russo had "shown" him New York City on a bird's eye view earlier, and Frank hadn't much appreciated that. Now it was happening again. He had a dread in him that Peter's plan was a dangerous one.

"When I get you, Castle, I'm going to make sure I make you watch as I tear that kid to pieces in front of you. Or maybe I'll burn him, just like those two kids you like so much?" Russo cooed the last sentence to Castle, making him feel a burning rage.

Leo. Russo had killed her in the second fire, having missed her the first time around. God, he wanted to pound the man down with his own fists. But he needed to keep a cool head, if anything, for Peter.

"Even with your new found powers, Billy, you're still a useless piece of shit. You can't even hold yourself against a kid. I can see him beating the shit out of you and you living out of a f*cking cage for the rest of your life under government supervision. Maybe they'll even dissect you there. Now that makes me feel better already."

"Yeah? You think I can't take down the kid? I so f*cking can," snapped Russo as he quickened his pace even more. He was literally only two steps behind them.

This couldn't be good.

"Um Peter, your plan, is this it?"

"Yeah," said the kid, and it sounded tired.

You've got this, Peter , thought Frank, and the Spider-Man continued the upwards swing, strategically using the various cranes by the docks as anchors. Thank God for all the construction in the area.

Jessica Jones

Racing out of the police station, she could feel Luke, Claire, and Foggy close behind her. They needed a cab now since running all the way to the docks was nuts.

By pure coincidence a yellow cab sat stationary right in front of them. The driver, however, looked as if he were in an argument with someone on the phone.

Just as Jessica approached the vehicle to tap on the glass to get the man's attention, the driver happened to roll down his window.

Guess he's done on the phone , thought Jessica.

"You guys need a cab?"

"Hell yeah."

Immediately the four of them instantly hopped inside the cab, with Jessica in the passenger seat.

"Where to?" asked the cabbie.

"The docks. Pier 78 area."

"Okay, no problem," said the young driver grinning broadly and stared at her just a little too long.

"You all in a rush?" He asked after a beat.

"Yes," they all said in unison.

"Then you've met the right taxi driver," said the man with a grin as he gunned the engine.

"Jesus," gasped Foggy as he felt the lurch, leaving Jessica to roll her eyes slightly.

While they were in the taxi, Claire contacted the hospital to where Colleen and Danny were taken. Good news was given; Colleen was okay, she was out of surgery and in recovery. Danny, while he was physically fine, was still unconscious. Jessica assumed it was due to over using his chi to save Colleen.

The driver tried a few times to do small talk, but everyone was way too anxious to say much. Especially when he switched the radio channel to a news one. The report of what happened at Leroy apartment showed evidence of a violent encounter. The place was described by the newscaster as a warzone. There was also apparently blood splayed all over the penthouse suite. They were speculating it might be Frank Castle's.

Jessica looked over to the others and she knew they were all thinking the same thing. It probably wasn't his, but Peter's instead.

When the vehicle finally came to a complete stop, Foggy opened his side of the door and stumbled out, face looking rather pale and green. Jessica wasn't sure if it was the ride or the fact his mind was reeling from all the worse-case scenarios for his friend since he had been trying to call her relentlessly during the drive.

Suddenly, Foggy's phone rang, and he froze a moment before answering it. The first relieved sounding word being 'Karen' spoke volumes that the abducted woman was okay.

While the lawyer talked to his friend, Jessica took the time to pay the taxi driver. Pulling out two scrunched up twenties from her back pocket, she handed it to the man. The driver surprisingly waved off her payment.

"No need, Miss Jones. Mr. Cage," he nodded in acknowledgment to Luke at the back.

Hearing him say her name surprised Jessica.

"Big fan of you Defenders. Was on my way going to pick up DP, but this is way cooler."

DP? Who was that?

"Here's our card, by the way, if you ever need us," and the man handed a card to Jessica.

It read: Team X-Force. And that was it.

"Uh, we're still working on what else to write on it," said the man looking embarrassed.

"Maybe a phone number?" Suggested Claire who peered at it from the backseat.

"Oh shit. Yeah. Number." Quickly the man took out a pen and scribbled a barely legible number.

"There. Damn. This is pretty awesome. Defenders. Damn, DP is going to be so jealous I got to meet you guys. You guy's going to save Spider-Man? I can help. I can call DP and we'll be your backup?"

"Um, nah, we got it handled," it was Luke that answered, he and Claire were out of the taxi at this point. Jessica moved to do the same, opening up the passenger door and feeling the cool night air hit her.

"Oh… okay," he said, sounding dismayed. The man no doubt was about to add more but then phone started to ring.

"Ah, you sure?" said the driver as he distractedly looked at his phone. "Sorry, DP is calling… gotta go," though the driver sounded deeply reluctant.

He seriously really wanted to help out. Commendable but too dangerous, thought Jessica.

Just before driving off, the man shouted out, "Name's Dopinder by the way. Real honor to meet you guys! Goodluck with your mission!"

Once the man had left, the four looked at each other.

Even for Jessica, the encounter was extremely weird. What was this, superhero teams meet and greet? First Spider-Man, now this 'X-Force'? Who the heck was DP?

This night was just too weird.

Jessica was ready to move, but she was stopped by the lawyer who said he had important information to relay from Karen.

As anxious of she was feeling in helping Peter, Jessica knew that intel was just as important.

First, Foggy quickly told Claire that the nurse, Nora Gibson, was okay. Her friend let out a breath of relief at that information.

Foggy continued, however, with bad news: Frank Castle was taken by the Spider-Man. They weren't exactly sure which of them took him, but one of them was in hot pursuit of the other. It might be Peter trying to get to Russo who had Castle... or it could be the other way around. Jessica, however, knew better. From the news report's description on the radio, the Spider-Man that had Castle, he was gravely injured.

Jessica still couldn't believe that Tony Stark hadn't suited up in his Ironman armour to deal with the shit that was going down. It might be below his pay grade, but seriously, his protege, was out there, hurt but still fighting. The kid needed his backup!

Shaking herself out of her anger at the billionaire, she listened as Foggy provided a vital piece of information given by Karen: There was a way to defeat the guy - that was simply to drown him. The goal, though, wasn't to kill him, but the process would actually strip the guy's powers. Foggy added though, it was still just a hunch.

Hypothetical or not, Jessica didn't care. It was worth a try. And given that the two Spider-Mans were swinging around the Pier area, it was a much easier task to take on. Dunk the right one in water, hold him down till he passes out, then resuscitate him. Easy. Jessica would gladly even take on the task herself, maybe even skip the last bit, especially after what he had done to Colleen.

"That would be murder, Jessica..." a voice suddenly whispered to her.

Jessica ignored as the phantom Killgrave appeared beside her. She didn't time for this. Focus. Focus!

As quickly as he had appeared, the man's smug face disappeared from the corner of her eye.

Good. Let's keep it this way. Jessica couldn't afford anymore distractions. She needed to focus on the present.

And the present begged the question: Did Peter know any of this information?

It would make sense then that he was leading Russo to a trap by the Pier. This guess, however, was busted when Foggy said Karen wanted them to pass on the message to Spider-Man.

Great... then what exactly was the kid's plan?

Whatever it was, there was dread that suddenly washed over Jessica. No. They needed to get Peter out of this and help him take out Russo themselves. The kid wouldn't even think about drowning anyone in the first place, so if anything, Peter was going to try and incapacitate Russo somehow...

Shit.

Oh no, no you don't Peter, thought Jessica in alarm as the possibility of what the kid's real plan came to light.

"Shit, the kid is going to do something seriously dangerous. I'm going ahead."

"I'll follow too, Jessica," said Luke, then looked at Claire. "You okay staying here?"

"Yeah. I'm going to prepare some first aid stuff. I can't imagine Peter doing better than he was back at the dojo and he's not going to want to go to any hospital."

That was true. As injured as the Peter was, he would want to keep his identity secret, Jessica realized.

Luke gave Claire a quick embrace and his eyes met hers. He was ready. Racing ahead, Jessica looked up ahead and saw the spotlights were tracking something in the sky.

Yeah. It was the kid. God she hoped the cops didn't open fire. Yet given Peter's luck all night, Jessica wasn't betting on the odds.

Literally a swing behind Peter was Russo. The bastard was gaining on them fast, and the kid just looked like he was tiring and slowing down.

His injuries must have taken its toll on him.

The kid was running out of things to anchor his webbing to, he was literally at the tip of one of the freaky tallest crane she'd ever seen in her life. Jesus, what were they building?

Peter, you can do this. Hang in there! We're close. Just hang on!

Helicopters sounded above Jessica, and there was a swell of hope. They would take down Russo and get Peter out of there.

Jessica felt like she was holding her breath as she made her way towards the terminal. She was close, very very close.

Suddenly her heart sank as Peter suddenly dropped Castle, and what happened next froze her to the spot. Luke who was only seconds behind her nearly crashed into her. But he didn't say a word but stared in shock as she did.

No. Peter, don't you dare! Not like this.

Jessica rarely used her aviation skills because she was awful in her landings. However, given the urgency, it didn't matter if she crashed to the ground afterwards.

Running forward, she leapt above the terminal building to the docks and felt the wind against her face as she tried to beat time and gravity at the same time. Her landing, as she feared, was crap, but at least she didn't land on her face. Not even bothering to dust herself off, she tore into a mad sprint towards the river banks; but even she knew it was too late. Both Peter and Russo were gone, pulled into the depths of the Hudson River.

Oh no, you are so not going out this way, not on my watch!

Without any hesitation, Jessica dove headfirst into the river.

Peter Parker / Spider-Man

Russo was close, really really close behind. Peter had slowed down his swings on purpose because he needed the man in close proximity in order to make his plan work.

When Peter had first gotten his powers, he had kept note of his limitations. Where would Spider-Man be weakest, was probably a place where he should lead Russo to. He knew that places with nothing to anchor and swing from, like a suburban town with just residential buildings, Peter would be limited in what he could do. The same would apply to the Inhuman. The Pier and the water was also such a place also, once enough distance was created from the banks, Russo would have nothing to get him back to shore. That and also there would be few people, aside from the swarm of police surrounding them.

While Peter knew his webbing worked in water conditions - albeit not at its best, he hoped that Russo's may not work as well once he was immersed in it. Not that Peter had any real evidence to back that up, everything was very much speculative.

While his plan involved luring Russo towards the Piers, it also included in using the NYC police and the numerous resources they had pushed out to capture him. Helicopters, speed boats, snipers, swat teams, local cops, you name it, Peter was pretty sure they were out there.

The helicopter bit of the plan was to use it to be Castle's safety net. Peter was going to use it as an anchor to secure Castle over the Hudson River while at the same time take Russo down with him into the waters.

Peter wasn't crazy to just dive in and not come up, no. His intention was to pull Russo towards him, web him up enough so that he couldn't get out of his bounds until they were in the water.

Ideally, while he kept Russo in the water secured, the cops that were literally swarming the Pier would make their move and shock the guy with the Stark weapon a few times, and done, super villain apprehended. Then Peter would… well, swim off into the sunrise? Honestly, he hadn't thought that far as to how he was going to get away. And the fact he was basing the whole gamble the authorities were going to use the shocker weapon to apprehend Russo and not real guns. That and also Peter was going under the assumption they wouldn't shoot him with the weapons.

Nora and Karen, they would have cleared that up with the authorities , Peter tried to assure himself. They were not going to shoot him, he was the good guy afterall.

Time for second guessing his plan was up though, it was now or never. Though a small part of Peter hoped for the latter.

The helicopter hovered just slightly out of Russo's range – Peter had been calculating the man's reach during the chase, and he was certain of Russo's webbing distance. By the time the man released his anchor, in mid-swing, it would be the perfect time for Peter to act.

"Mr. Castle?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"It's time. Brace yourself."

It was fast, and it had to be: Peter dropped the webbed up Castle - something he had done earlier, and then connected the webbing to the landing skids of the nearest helicopter. Within the same window of time, Peter shot out his webbing as he free fell, onto Russo, pulling him down with him.

The Inhuman flailed and fought against him, trying to use his webbing to latch onto the helicopter closest in range - the one Peter had binded Castle to.

Peter, however, refused to give him the opportunity. Using his own sticky webbing, he literally glued Russo to him, making sure that man couldn't aim his webshooters anywhere near the surrounding anchor points.

This no doubt pissed the former soldier off.

It was this that worried Peter the most in his plan - the time midair just before falling into the water. It would only be a few seconds, but Russo, well, he didn't really need that much time to do serious damage to Peter.

Peter felt the man dig his hands into his wounds, and he could all but cry out in pain. He felt as if his whole body was on fire, but that lasted only an instant before another even more painful jolt ripped through him.

No, this was so not part of the plan. Why did they shoot him too? Did someone miss the memo again?

It was either that, or they just didn't care.

With his body still seizing from the STARK weapon's discharge, Peter felt like dead weight as he hit the water hard with Russo still holding a deathgrip on him. While the STARK weapon also stunned the Inhuman, the man was still able to move, albeit much slower. The struggle was real, but Russo was determined, Peter could tell, to end his life. Already under water, the man used Peter as a personal launch pad; shoving him down and a making a break for the surface.

Unlucky for Russo, however, it was then that a net happened to come down. The man struggled to get out of it, but it only got it more tangled. Figures with glo lights appeared in the water moments later and Peter knew that that there were divers; they were going to finally capture the Inhuman. Thank God.

The celebration, however, was short because Peter was still sinking at an alarming rate; the distance between him and the surface had grown quite wide. It didn't help that Russo had also pushed him off at an angle.

Peter wasn't going to give up, however. He struggled with every bit of his being to shake off the paralysis. Did it last this long the last time? He didn't think it had. But then again, he noticed that each time he was stunned with the STARK weapon, it took longer and longer for him to recover from it.

Peter knew he was in serious trouble when the divers and their glo lights were suddenly only shadows.

No! Please! Someone... someone help me. I...I don't wanna go.

Peter felt his lungs tighten, he was running out of air. The wounds that Russo had rudely torn open even more, bled freely in the water. Like a splash of red paint, it spread all around Peter.

The surface, was now no longer visible to Peter, in its place was just a sheet of black. Weariness washed over him, but he wasn't going to stop fighting. He had to get back to the surface. May. Ned. Mr. Stark. He couldn't leave like this. He wasn't ready to go. Peter struggled against the paralysis triggered by the STARK weapon and finally, he felt his fingertips tingling, then his toes, his legs, and arms... he could move now.

Wasting no time, Peter, propelled himself upwards, towards the surface, towards life.

He was close, so close. There was a light, dim as it was, it was there. Peter had to reach it, he had to. Black spots started to appear over his eyes.

No.. please, no...

Peter continued to push himself forward, no matter how much his lungs wanted to burst for just a breath of air.

Just a little more, and he would be at the surface. A little more.

The silent motto held up until... until he reached the light he had been swimming towards. Peter's hope that it was a diver was dashed when he saw saw it was just the glo stick on its own. One of them must have dropped it and it must have sank down.

Peter choked out a cry of dismay as he grabbed onto the glo stick to use it to light his way. He was going to try, till his last breath, to get back to the surface. Though even with his resolve, nothing could deny reality: the surface was just too far for Peter to reach.

He knew he reached his limit when he couldn't help but let out his breath. Immediately he felt the icy river water rush into his lungs. Peter felt the coldness wrap around him, closing in, chaining him to the watery abyss below.

While Peter's mind screamed to live, his body seized in the water. The glo stick suddenly slipped from his hold.

Peter didn't want to give in, he wanted to live. But his body no longer wanted to listen to him, instead it chose to give into the weariness. Peter reached out his arm towards the surface, trying again to reach out, moments before darkness claimed him.

Frank Castle / The Punisher

When Peter had told him the plan, the kid had failed to mention that he planned to grab hold of Russo and go down with him into the water. If the kid had told him, Frank wouldn't have gone along with the plan.

Frank should have asked. He should have known . The kid had already put himself in harm's way more than once all night.

Just as Peter had said in his detailing of Castle's part of the plan: he would fall from a high drop point. There was a lurch and he was secured to landing skids of the helicopter, dangling there. Frank, however, had to watch the kid fall, and then pull the psychopath towards him, so that Russo would be out of reach to any anchor point.

After that, he watched as the two wrapped together in a free fall, and Peter cry out in agony as the bastard jabbed into the kid's injuries.

You assh*le!

But that wasn't the worse part. No. The worse was when two more copters that joined them, they shot the STARK weapon at the kid and Russo.

Shit. Things had gone from bad to a nightmare.

The kid was going to go under if he wasn't able to move!

"You assh*les! What are you doing! Why the hell did you shoot them both?!"

But no one of course was listening to him and Frank was literally shouting to air.

A net was thrown over the area where the Russo and Peter had entered the water. Shit, what the hell are they thinking? Russo would just use the netting to get out, flipping the boat while he was at it.

And just as predicted, Russo yanked the netting, pulling the boat forward, and startled some of the occupants who in turn fell into the water.

What was surprising however, it stopped there. The boat wasn't flipped over after that. Divers went in to the river and Frank waited with apprehension for them to resurface with Russo and the kid.

It felt like forever when finally, the netting came up and.. What the hell?

It was Russo...stark freakin' naked, with his mangled up face facing the night sky and half a dozen news reporting station showing coverage.

The man was pulled onto the boat that connected the netting and paramedics started to recitate the former soldier.

Meanwhile, the divers returned back into the water.

Shit. Where the hell was the kid?

If Frank could have launched himself into the water at that point, but Peter's webbing while it was flexible, it was very secure. He was stuck as an observer. Frank could only watch as the divers resurfaced every few minutes, shaking their heads.

No.

NO!

This wasn't happening. Frank felt cold all over. It didn't matter that Russo was caught. The kid... the kid was gone. There was no way he could have held his breath that long.

This... this was his fault. The kid had traded his own life to save his. Frank swallowed the lump in his throat.

"But I'm not worth it kid. I'm not," he said softly.

Behind him, the sun had slowly began to rise, casting light to city of New York. Frank didn't notice any of it. Instead, he continued to stare down below, to the waters of the Hudson River, clinging on to the desperate hope the divers would return with Peter at any moment.

They had to find the kid. They just had to.

Ned Leeds

Ned hadn't been able to sleep since Peter called him. Peter was hurt, Ned knew it. He didn't sound right and his words to him, it seemed like a goodbye. A part of him wished he hadn't have helped Peter, but he was his best friend, and most importantly, his guy in the chair. They were a tag team, working together to take down bad people.

It looked like, however, they weren't a team anymore. Because Ned had killed his best friend by helping him.

May had returned home maybe about two hours ago, looking worried and exhausted. Ned had wanted to tell her then and there that he talked to Peter, that he was okay, but he held his tongue at the last minute.

Now, as he watched the news report on his laptop, he wanted to throw up. They showed footage of the penthouse apartment that Ned had given the address to Peter of. The place was in pieces. Literally. And there was blood everywhere.

What have I done?

If Ned had just said he couldn't find the address, Peter wouldn't have been there. The news report continued to say that there were in fact two Spider-Mans on the loose in the City, one who was violent, and one who was the real one.

Obviously! Was what Ned wanted scream at the screen, but instead he watched with apprehension as they showed live footage of the two Spider-Man's swinging across the city.

Another news flash notification appeared on Ned's computer and it said, "Killer caught, but Spider-Man still missing."

No. No... Peter. Instantly Ned clicked on the video and they showed the Piers 78 in Hell's Kitchen where they showed a naked unconscious guy cuffed and carried away in a stretcher. Dozens of divers, however, remained in the Hudson River, searching ... searching his best friend.

The live footage went on for a full 15 minutes. Ned knew Peter's powers, and that didn't include gills.

While he wanted to mourn for his friend, it was still too early for that. He held on to hope that Peter was okay. He had to be. Right now, however, he had to make sure May was okay. Peter would want him to do that.

With the sun out already, Ned didn't waste a moment.

"Hey, Mom? Dad?" He called out, "I'm going over to Peters. Be back soon!"

Ned didn't even wait for them to reply before he was out the door.


Hope you guys liked the chapter and the little cameo of one of DP's team members! :P