It was done. Peter awoke. He felt terrible. As he also had after the infamous fateful bite as well. But he could tell instantly that it was different. His bad eyesight had returned. He was still in his super max cell that was now only temporary. He reached over for his glasses and put them on. Bad eyesight disappeared. He was just Peter Parker again.

He felt nauseous but that would only be temporary. He slowly stood and looked himself over. He wasn't ripped anymore. He was the gaunt nerd again.

It was ironic. There had been a time when he'd wanted to just be Peter again. To leave Spider-Man behind so he could then be with MJ; but all that had changed.

Now...

The cell door opened. "Teresa!" "Peter!" They were quick to hug. They held it for a long moment. Both cried a little. They then pulled back. "Are you all right?" She nodded. "Yeah. Mephisto kept his word." Peter sobered at that. She was right though. He had. Obviously it wasn't out of charity. No way that was the case.

"I'm glad you're okay." Teresa nodded a little; but then grew serious. She grimaced; as though pained by something. "What's wrong? Did Mephisto do something else..." "no; it's not that..." Peter frowned. He couldn't guess what it was. "I heard what you gave up..." "I did it for you." "I know." "I had to." She looked away and nodded too. "I know..."

She took a few steps away. Her back was to him. He didn't wanna push things. They'd both been through a ton. Many others had too... especially in Nigeria...

"It's okay Teresa. If this stops Mephisto it's worth it." Peter knew deep down that wasn't gonna be permanent in that sense. Mephisto was definitely the villain of this series and Peter the hero of sorts. That would never change.

Hell; he might even make me Spider-Man again someday. Who knows. Whatever makes me suffer the most. Until then just roll with it. What else can we do?

She then faced him. "I quit shield before coming here." "Why? They need you." "The world needs Spider-Man more. But that's not possible either now is it?" He stayed silent there.

She walked back over to him. "I'm so sorry about Natasha too..." he sighed heavily there and nodded slowly. "My god Peter it's all just so wrong..." he nodded again. "It is. But we gotta live. That's how we honor our parents; our family."

She smiled a little through her tears. "We 'are' family." They hugged again. "I'll always be there for you Peter." "Same here sis."

They parted again. Peter "what will you do now?" Instead of answering she moved off to the side. At the cell doorway there was Tony Stark. "Tony? What're you doing here?"

Tony removed his Friday glasses and looked over at Teresa. They shared a look and then she walked out.

"Look Peter..." "you don't need to say anything." Tony frowned a little. "Come work for me." You don't have anything better to do nerd! Really! "Okay." Tony was a little surprised by that. "What?" Tony shook his head. "Just thought it would be harder." Peter shrugged. "Gotta keep living."

Tony nodded a little walked up to Pete and rested a hand on his shoulder. "That's right kid. You do. And I don't care what they say. You didn't kill those people." "Thanks. Will my working for you affect your company or the campaign?" "No to both. You're gonna be new deputy ceo and campaign manager starting right now." Peter was stunned. "Kid. I'm controversial. Always will be. You're in my club now." Peter didn't think that was exactly true but whatever. "Okay boss. And thanks."

Tony smiled and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. "This is a new beginning Parker. Things will get better." Things already are. Teresa came back in. "It will be the Parkers now. Teresa is my new head of security."

The Parkers shared a look of surprise and joy. "You guys are the new phoenixes from the ashes; almost as good as me..." they'd let their new boss have that. "Ain't that right Friday?" "Very much so boss. Welcome aboard mister and ms Parker."

Peter didn't have much to say to that. Tony nodded at that. "That's what I thought kid. Now if we're done here we have a company to run and a mayoral contest to win. Let's get the hell outta here. What do you say?" Peter "best thing I've heard in a long time."

The parkers and Stark headed out to begin their new shared future. It was a helluva twist to be sure but Peter was getting used to it. Inasmuch as he could. But he would make the best of things no matter what.

He'd been Spider-Man long enough to know what had made the hero tick. It wasn't the fancy powers now taken from him. It was the nerd Peter that had made the hero a hero. And that real hero had been inside him all along.

Even though Peter's powers were gone he would never go back to the shy person again. He had his confidence. He would be a different kind of bad ass. And he would finally do what he'd always wanted to do; even before Spider-Man. Make a better world for all through science.

Yeah; there's still evil out there; but I still have my mind and science. And I'm gonna change the world; with the likes of Tony Stark behind me. I'm gonna deal with Hank and the other intellectual greats too. As for Africa... I don't know. But this isn't over yet, kill monger. Nothing is truly over in a multiverse. Not really.

That's just scientific fact. Hope for all is still there. And I'm gonna do my part!