Uncanny Spider-Man
Chapter 11: Hellfire Finale
By
The Uncanny R-Man
Disclaimer- All familiar characters belong to Marvel.
Shout Outs-
Zack Strith- The thing with Venom and She-Hulk was supposed to be a joke. You weren't supposed to take it seriously.
DarkKnight92- Once again, the Venom/She-Hulk thing was only supposed to be a joke. As for more adventures from the Spider-Buddies, just you keep your eyes peeled for future chapters.
Robert Mcclelland- I'm glad that you like this story. Hopefully there will be many more reviews from you later.
Sean Malloy-1- Sigh. I uses nobody liked my token silly chapter then. You try something different and nobody likes it…As for Gwen getting de-brainwashed… Just you wait and see.
Agent-G- Yeah, the Grievous ideas was a big mistake. I guess I was just hyped up on a post-Star Wars high. The She-Hulk/Venom date thing was just meant to be a joke, you weren't supposed to take it seriously. I guess you guys prefer Venom as a villain then…
Thanks to- LordLanceahlot, Todd fan.
Author's Notes- Due to the lack of positive responses from the last chapter, I have decided to change this chapter. Sorry, no Octavius fluff, I'm afraid. Apologies to any Dr Octopus fangirls out there.
New York-
It had been a quiet day in the city of New York. There had hardly been any crime to foil at all. Just one measly mugging and nothing else. Spider-Man was seriously considering giving up and going home to his wife. The baby was due any time now, and Spidey didn't want to miss it when his wife went in to labour.
Spidey was presently sitting atop a gargoyle eating a hotdog he had just purchased from a vendor down below.
'Mmm-mm…' Spidey licked his lips. 'God knows what they put in these things, but they're sure tasty…'
Spidey was so immersed in his quick snack that he didn't notice a familiar blonde figure lower themselves down behind him.
The feline vigilante known as the Black Cat smiled at catching Spider-Man unawares.
'Hey Spider!'
Spidey yelped in surprised and lost his grip on his hotdog, sending it tumbling to the ground, many floors down below. Spidey's Spider-Sense hadn't warned him of his friend's presence as the Black Cat didn't wish him any harm.
'Felicia! Geez.' Spidey gasped, putting his hand on his heart. 'You made me drop my hotdog. I think I killed a guy!'
'Those things are bad for you, you know.' Black Cat tutted. 'Goodness knows how Mary Jane would feel if her beloved husband became a blimp.'
Spidey fixed his friend with a mock-angry glare.
'Is there any particular reason you're here? Are were you just planning on making me soil myself?'
'As funny as seeing you soil yourself is, I was just wondering whether you'd seen today's newspaper.' Black Cat responded.
'Felicia, you very well know that the Parker household is a no-Bugle area.' Spidey pointed out.
'I just thought that you'd want to see the headline, Spider.' Black Cat said as she held out the latest issue of the Daily Bugle. Spidey's jaw dropped as he read the headline.
'Norman Osborn dead?' Spidey sputtered. 'H-how…?'
'He was supposed to have been beheaded.' Black Cat read. 'The words Justice Has Been Served were reported to have been scrawled across the wall in Osborn's own blood.'
'Scourge…' Spidey growled. 'I knew it was only a matter of time until she showed her face again.'
'D'you think this is another case for the Amazing Spider-Buddies?' Black Cat asked.
'No.' Spidey shook his head. 'This thing between Gwen and me is personal. I'm going to take care of this alone.'
'It could be a trap, you know.' Black Cat pointed out.
'I can't take that chance, Felicia.' Spidey sighed solemnly. 'I have to stop Gwen before she kills anybody else. This has gone too far. Osborne may have been a Class-A bastard, but there was no need to kill him like that. People like him should be locked up and have the key thrown away.'
Black Cat didn't say anything more as Spidey shot out a webline and swung away. Hopefully the Web-Slinger wasn't taking on more than he could chew…
Later-
Spider-Man had scoured the entire city for signs of Gwen, but had come up empty. The Web-Slinger landed on the roof of a building near the docks.
'Well, this is the last place left to look…' Spidey muttered to himself. 'If Gwen isn't here, I don't know where she could be.'
Pain shot through Spidey's head as his Spider-Sense went off. Spidey leapt out of the way just as a barrage of bullets shredded the spot he had been standing on.
Spidey looked around for the attacker.
'What the…?'
'Yoo-hoo! Over here, Spidey!' A voice called.
Spidey narrowed his eyes as he saw a familiar figure standing on the roof of a nearby building.
'This is over, Gwen!' Spidey yelled. 'Stop this madness, now!'
'Aww, c'mon Peter…' Gwen pouted. 'Can't a girl have a little fun?'
Spidey answered that question by swinging across to the building and kicking the gun out of Gwen's hand.
'Oh, pooh…' Gwen sulked. 'You're no fun.'
'This isn't a game, Gwen.' Spidey frowned. 'I'm going to take you in for killing Osborn.'
'An eye for an eye, Petey dear.' Gwen responded. 'He killed me, so I simply repaid the favour.'
'You're insane!' Peter hissed. 'The Gwen that I knew wouldn't harm a fly.'
'The Gwen Stacy that you once knew is dead, Peter.' Gwen sneered. 'The Hellfire Club brought me back so I could get my revenge on those who wronged me. Now that Normie's out of the picture, you're next on my list!'
Spidey's Spider-Sense went off again, warning him of danger. Gwen lashed out with a knife, which Spidey easily avoided.
'Gwen, please…' Spidey begged. 'It doesn't have to end this way.'
'Oh, doesn't it?' Gwen asked. 'You can't seriously tell me that you never thought of killing Osborn yourself after all the stuff he's put you through. Just look at the list of the things that monster has done to you: he killed me, he kidnapped your Aunt May and kept her captive for years, he made Mary Jane lose your baby, and he turned Flash Thompson into a vegetable. Norman Osborn was an animal and he needed to be put down!'
'But killing him wasn't the way.' Spidey countered. 'That isn't how it works.'
'Well it should be!' Gwen snarled angrily. 'I just did what you never had the guts to do! Nobody needs to be afraid of that monster now!'
'You're the one who is a monster, Gwen!' Spidey pointed an accusatory finger. 'And I intend to stop you!'
'I have some friends that might have something to say about that…' Gwen smiled evilly as she spoke into her wrist communicator. 'Okay, let's get this party started, people!'
Spidey's Spider-Sense went crazy as hoards of Hellfire Club soldiers burst out of the surrounding buildings. Also amongst the soldiers were members of the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle: Legion, Omega Red, Black Tom Cassidy, Viper, Lady Deathstrike and Carnage!
'Ooh, I love a party.' Carnage grinned, clapping his hands excitedly. 'Dibs on the Web-Swinger's spleen!'
Spidey's shoulders fell. Black Cat was right. This was a trap. There was no way in hell that he could survive this fight.
Fortunately for Spider-Man, help was about to arrive…
'Hi, is this a private party or can anybody join in?' The Human Torch asked as he arrived with a crowd of allies. Along with him were the rest of the Fantastic Four, She-Hulk and several of the Avengers, Wolverine and several members of the X-Men, Black Cat and Daredevil.
'I know that you said that you wanted to take this on your own, Spider…' Black Cat apologised. 'But I couldn't let you leave that unborn child of yours fatherless. What kind of godmother would I be then?'
'Ooh, so many pretties.' Legion grinned. 'We're gonna have ourselves a real party now!'
'You shoulda stayed dead, kid…' Wolverine growled as he unsheathed his claws.
'And what're you gonna do about it, old man?' Legion snorted.
'Oh, I think you can learn that for yerself…' Logan responded as he leapt in to attack.
With that, everybody followed Wolverine's lead and attacked the Hellfire Club without mercy.
'Oh well, the more, the merrier…' Gwen shrugged. 'Just as long as I get you all to myself.'
'I really don't want to hurt you, Gwen…' Spidey warned as he got ready to fight. 'But I will if I have to.'
'That's the spirit, Peter…' Gwen grinned evilly. 'To think I thought you were beginning to go soft!'
Spidey didn't reply as he swung a punch at his ex-girlfriend. Unfortunately, Gwen was ready for this and caught the punch. She then used Spidey's own momentum against him and tossed him over her shoulder.
'You're getting old, Peter.' Gwen tutted. 'Give up before you break a hip or something.'
'I'll never give up as long as monsters like you are still around!' Spidey hissed as he swept Gwen's legs from under her.
'Good boy.' Gwen smiled. 'That's what I like to see, a man willing to go all the way.'
Gwen pulled out another knife and lunged at Spidey again. Spidey quickly webbed Gwen's hand and pushed her away.
'Hmm, what shall I do after I kill you?' Gwen thought out loud. 'Oh, I know. I'll make sure that your beloved Mary Jane and dear old Aunt May join you. Or perhaps I'll only beat you to a pulp, then kill them in front of you!'
That was the last straw! Nobody threatened Mary Jane or Aunt May and got away with it! Spidey lunged at Gwen with a vicious punch to the face, soon to be followed to a kick to the gut.
'That's it, Peter…' Gwen grinned through the pain. 'Don't let up. Show everybody how much of a badass you really are!'
'Shut your mouth!' Spidey yelled as he punched Gwen again. 'Just shut your damn mouth!'
'Ooh, somebody's got a temper!' Gwen teased in a singsong voice.
Spidey didn't reply as he kept on fighting Gwen. Unknown to the two combatants however, they were moving perilously close to the edge of the building.
Gwen slipped on the edge of the roof and began to fall. Spidey lunged forward and grabbed Gwen by the hand just in time.
'You always were a softie, Peter…' Gwen sneered.
'Give me one reason why I shouldn't let you fall.' Spidey responded threateningly.
'You don't have the guts…' Gwen challenged. 'You never did have the balls to kill anybody…'
Spidey's Spider-Sense went off once more as Gwen pulled out a gun.
'You should have killed me when you had the chance, Peter…' Gwen hissed as she pointed the gun at him. 'Now that lovely little child of yours is going to be without a daddy…'
Gwen slowly pressed her finger against the trigger. Suddenly, a jolt of pain shot through her head.
'Ahhh!' Gwen hissed. 'Hurts…'
'Gwen…?' Peter asked concernedly.
'Gotta shoot Peter…' Gwen hissed through the pain. 'Must do it…'
Gwen yelled in pain as she let the gun drop from her hand.
'No!' Gwen screamed. 'I-I can't…'
'Gwen… What's happening?' Spidey blinked in disbelief as he pulled Gwen to safety.
'I-I-I couldn't do it…' Gwen mumbled to herself. 'I-I couldn't do it…'
Gwen felt something warm and metallic drip down her face.
'Gwen, your nose is bleeding…' Spidey pointed out. 'We need to get you to a hospital!'
'No!' Gwen pushed Spidey away. 'It's too late for me, Peter… Leave me…'
'Gwen, no!' Spidey yelled. 'I won't lose you again! Come back to me, Gwen. Please!'
Spidey's pleas were no use as Gwen had already blacked out.
The Baxter Building, later-
The rest of the Inner Circle had been taken into custody while Spider-Man took Gwen to the Baxter Building to see whether Reed Richards could revive her. Spidey was presently pacing about nervously.
Spidey looked up as the door to Reed's lab opened up and looked at the stretchy scientist with concern.
'Is she…?'
'I am truly sorry, Spider-Man…' Reed apologised solemnly. 'The brainwashing was just too thorough. I dare not do too much at the risk of damaging Ms Stacy's mind any further.'
Spidey punched the wall in anger.
'Dammit! There must be something you can do, Reed.' Spidey asked desperately. 'You're like, the smartest guy in the world! You have to do something!'
Reed placed a comforting hand on Spidey's shoulder.
'Ms Stacy has not been subjected to any old brainwashing. There is some kind of… magic stopping me from returning her to normal.'
'Then call Dr Strange!' Spidey demanded. 'He'll know what to do!'
'I have already notified Stephen Strange…' Reed explained. 'But he is unfortunately indisposed for the moment. I will keep Ms Stacy's body in stasis until he is able to help. All that I suggest is left to do is wait. You should get home to your wife. She will be worried. I will notify you when there are any changes to Ms Stacy's condition.'
Spidey sighed heavily.
'Okay, Reed. You've got it. I may as well enjoy what I already have.'
'Good man.' Reed smiled comfortingly. 'You have my word that you will be the first to know when there is the slightest change in Ms Stacy's condition.'
Spidey positioned himself beside the window in preparation to swing away. Spidey turned back to Reed.
'Reed… Thank you.'
'I only wish that I could be of more help…' Reed shook his head solemnly. 'Keep safe, Spider-Man.
'You too, Reed.' Spidey replied. 'And look after Gwen for me, will you?'
'You have my word.' Reed responded.
And with that, Spider-Man swung away home to enjoy spending time with his wife.
TBC…
Next: Another One Of Those Days
Mary Jane goes into labour. Unfortunately, Spider-Man is in the middle of a fight with the Vulture and the Scorpion. Will the Web-Slinger be able to get to the hospital before his child is born? Tune in next time to find out…
