Listen With Your Heart Chapter 21

That night when Phoebe returned home she's still left reeling over the revelation she underwent at Gwen's place about Peter.

So many pieces of the puzzle are coming together. Jagged pieces that previously made no sense at all coming together into one big clear image in her brain. The clues had all been there. Information that she has failed to connect until now.

Coming home late at night covered in cuts, bruises, and lacerations, becoming reclusive, and how defensive he'd gotten at dinner when he spoke out in defense of the vigilante's actions has become obvious.

Peter is Spider-Man plain and simple.

The question is how he has become that way in the first place?

Phoebe has a lot of questions to ask Peter and once she and Gwen have a chance to corner him tomorrow at school then they're not going to leave him alone until they get some answers.

As Phoebe got ready for bed she took note that her father is nowhere in sight in the house like he was earlier that day. Now Phoebe is starting to get concerned. She checks the messages on the phone, but only finds one or two from company's trying to sell them stuff. None from are left from him. Shakings herself off Phoebe simply shrugs any doubts plaguing her away, figuring he's just out late working at Oscorp.

Not once did is cross Phoebe's mind that anything was wrong.

That is until she woke up the following morning.

As Phoebe got up to make breakfast in her regular morning routine she's met with a strange and peculiar sight to behold. It's so unusual in her household that it literally freezes Phoebe in her tracks.

"What the hell," she mumbled, exasperated.

Something's up, he's never been so careless just to throw around his clothes leaving them lying them on the floor like this before.

Clothes were thrown about, spread from the door all the way to his room. What made this even more out of place is that there are puddles of water on the tiles underneath the raggedy and wet clothes. From the hallway Phoebe can hear the shower on in her fathers bathroom so he's definitely home. This isn't an intruder.

Tentatively knocking on the bathroom door, Phoebe called "Papa? Papa, are you in there?"

At once after Phoebe spoke the water is instantly shut off in the shower creating an eerie silence for a couple of passing seconds. All Phoebe heard inside is someone stepping out of the shower and coming over to the door.

The door unlocks and opens a crack, steam billowing out in a huge cloud. Judging by the amount he's obviously been in there for a lengthy amount of time.

Curt Connors sticks his head out and Phoebe gasps.

Curt Connors is looking so haggard and fatigued. More than she has ever seen him in her entire life. So coarse and unruly. Not at all as refined as he normally appears to all who see him.

Bringing a hand to her lips, Phoebe says "Oh my god. Papa, are you all right?"

"What? Oh, yes, I'm fine, Dear," said Curt Connors, nodding his head tiredly.

"You don't look all right. You weren't here when I got home. You were gone all night. You weren't jumped, were you," said Phoebe, voice rising in pitch on the last part.

Quick to dissuade her on that, Curt Connors said "No, Phoebe. I just had a very rough night. Don't worry about the mess in the hall. I'll clean it up later."

"All right," said Phoebe, feeling a twinge of uncertainty rising in her chest from worry. "I'm about to make breakfast before I leave for school. Do you want me to make you something?"

Smiling at her, Curt Connors said "That's sweet, Darling, but no. I'm not very hungry nor in the mood for anything to eat this morning. I'm just going to catch a couple of hours of sleep here and then go back into Oscorp. I'll get something on the way there."

"If that's what you want," said Phoebe, a bit put out.

She always likes making him breakfast.

Tapping his cheek, Curt Connors said "Now give me a kiss."

Tilting her head, grinning impishly at him as her nerves eased up, Phoebe said "Why?"

"Because I need it," he said.

Phoebe leans in to kiss him on the cheek.

Motioning towards the bedroom door with a nod of his head, Curt Connors said "Now go on. Get ready for school. I don't want you to be late."

"I'm never late," retorted Phoebe, over her shoulder.

Maybe this was all just in her imagination and nothing is wrong with him after all?

Once Curt Connors knew she was out of his bedroom he shut the bathroom door and locked it again. Curt Connors pressed his back to the door sliding down until he's sitting on the floor burying his head in the palms of his hands.

What Phoebe failed to see is the small spots of lizard scales spread out over random parts of his body. He's lucky there weren't any on his face and neck or he wouldn't have known how to explain that to her. Curt Connors can't tell what he's been up to. Not yet. It would break her inside and out and he can't bear to see that.

Phoebe is the most precious thing in his life. He'll do whatever it takes to protect and keep her safe. Nothing is going to get in the way of that.

Not Osborn and unequivocally not this Spider-Man.

Next time he comes face to face with Spider-Man…he'll kill him!

Authors Note:

Hope you guys all liked this one! ;D

I believe we are now in the middle of the film, the turning point in the story where things begin to slowly get more intense for our characters.

Don't you agree?

I already have it planned out in my head, but how do you believe Phoebe should discover what her father has become in the future?