Chapter 25:

He landed the Blackbird softly on the rooftop. He had asked the professor if he could borrow it for a little night-before-the-wedding outing with Kitty.

You still haven't told me where we're going, Kitty pleaded.

It's a secret, He replied with a grin as he opened the roof access door and allowed her to enter first. They held hands as they descended the stairs, all the way to the bottom.

Couldn't we just use webbing to get there? She asked.

Not where we're going. It's somewhere special. He repeated as he opened the door for her. Arm in arm, they walked down the street as a couple, as normal as any of the ones around them. Finally, they reached their destination.

The Forest Hills Cemetery.

Ohhh...was all Kitty managed to say as he pushed open the iron gates.

I think it's about time you met my Parents, He replied softly as they wound their way through the headstones. He knew his destination by heart, so it was no issue for him to find what he was looking for in the dark, even though it had been so long since his last visit. Finally, they stood in front of Richard and Mary Parker's graves.

"Hi Mom," He smirked quietly, "Hi Dad." Kitty rested her head on his shoulder, giving him support. "I know I don't come as often as I should but..."

"Things have been busy," Kitty continued. "Your son is the most wonderful, Amazing and Spectacular person I've ever met. You two must be so proud of him. I know I would be." She smiled as she cast a glance up at him.

"I was at an all-time low when I met him," Kitty continued sombrely, "I'd been assaulted. My boyfriend had tried to rape me. I'd been shunned by the world. Then he had the guts to come say hi to me on my first day at a new school. Then I got to know him better. Then he found my secret, and didn't care. Then I really started to like him a lot. Then I found out about his secret, and felt like he was the one. Now he is."

They just stood on the spot, hugging the other for moral support. Neither of them heard the footsteps of the person walking up behind them, until he was right there.

"Is it true?" The familiar voice asked. They both turned, and came face-to-face with the un-costumed Symbiote-peter. He looked horrible. His clothes were torn, his eyes were sunken and puffy, and his hair was a wreck. "True...about..."

"Yes," Peter replied with strain, still not fully accepting it himself. He placed a hand on his alternate counterpart's shoulder. His counterpart hit the pavement, tears streaming from his eyes.

"Hey," Kitty said as she knelt beside him, trying to offer solace.

"Its all my fault..." he cried aloud. "I...I was so angry after...then the suit came to me...told me it would be okay..."

"I know," said Peter.

"No..." his counterpart continued, "You don't...In my world...I...I..." He struggled to speak.

"It's okay," Kitty said.

"No..." he said, "It's not. In my world...I...I turned you in...all you..." he sunk even lower to the ground as black slime dripped from his skin and disappeared into the ground.

"I let everyone down," The alternate Peter continued. "Gwen, Aunt May, Uncle Ben..."

"You didn't let your Uncle down." said Kitty, "That I know."

"You didn't know him," The alternate Peter sobbed.

"He came to me," Kitty replied as she cast a look at her fiance. "When that...that...thing had me. He came out of nowhere, and he saved me."

"He...he did...?" His alternate counterpart asked her.

"Yes," Kitty smiled as he stood up on shaky legs. He began to turn and walk away, but Peter stopped him.

"Reid's working on a way to get you home," said Peter, stopping himself in his tracks.

"I can't go home," said the alternate Peter. "I'm starting over. Here. Where I can maybe make a difference. If you ever need me, just look up Ben Reilly."