Part Five

Disclaimer: I do not own Eddie Brock, Venom or any of the other characters within the franchise.

The short trip back to Emma's apartment was in silence. Unlike the last time though, it was anything but tense. While nervous, Emma felt hopeful. Hopeful that things weren't a complete mess between herself and Eddie.

Emma figured they could have this talk at her apartment since she was already heading there anyway and Raya wouldn't be back for a few hours because of work. Plus, she didn't think this was a conversation that should be happening out in a very public place.

She had missed him so much. Just his presence alone was comforting.

"Make yourself at home, Eddie. I figured we could start that talk while I work on making these cupcakes?" She asked knowing he wouldn't turn down some chocolate. Hoping anyway.

"SAY YES, EDDIE! YES!" Venom's voice rumbled through Eddie's head. Eddie could practically feel Venom drooling for more chocolate.

He smiled that sweet smile you missed seeing so much and replied, "You know me and my chocolate. Can never say no."

"I still don't know how you can eat so much of it and look how you look, Eddie." Emma pouted as she put the rest of the ingredients she needed on the counter.

Eddie chuckled as he sat down at the island facing the counter Emma was working at. It felt like all of the pain and sadness from the last month melted away just by being near her again. He missed the feeling she gave him. Venom hummed happily as the thought passed through Eddie's head.

They both felt happier despite not talking through anything yet. "WE'LL BE OKAY, EDDIE."

"So," Eddie started nervously. "How have you been, Em?"

Emma paused in thought as she started mixing the dry and wet ingredients together. She couldn't help but laugh thinking about the truth. "Not gonna lie, Eddie. I've been better." 'I missed you' she thought to herself but didn't want to voice that aloud just yet.

"Heh, seems the feeling's mutual." Eddie replied looking up at Emma and holding her gaze for a moment. Thinking much the same as her, about how much he had missed her and quite frankly how miserable he had been without her.

"EDDIE, WHY IS SHE ADDING BLOOD TO THE CUPCAKES?" Venom's voice echoed in Eddie's head causing confusion to cross his face. Looking to see what Emma was doing, he smirked, "Vee, that's food coloring. It changes the color of the cupcakes."

"HMM."

Emma switched the mixer on to let everything slowly blend together and turned towards Eddie. Figuring they may as well pull the band-aid off and get to the whole point of even being here together right now.

"Eddie, what was that last month?" She whispered softly while looking to make sure the batter wasn't over blending.

He sighed knowing he had to tell her everything now. "Remember when I told you about the mess I got into with that Carlton Drake case?"

Emma nodded while turning the mixer off so she could start scooping the batter into the cupcake pans.

"Well, one of the doctors who worked for him reached out to me about the messed up crap he was doing; experiments on the homeless in the city." Eddie continued. "He was trying to bond humans with symbiotes."

"Symbiotes?" Emma questioned.

"Basically they're another life form from space. They need a host in order to survive here on earth." Eddie answered nervously because he didn't know how she was going to take the next bit he told her.

Emma looked at him as she put the first batch of cupcakes into the oven. "So they're like aliens?" She asked with her nose scrunched up in thought.

Eddie chuckled, "Sort of."

"Okay, so what happened with the doctor?" Emma asked.

"I met with her at Drake's research facility and I was only supposed to document what I saw going on in there." Eddie trailed off.

He felt Emma take his hand like she always used to when Eddie had a hard time talking about things. She gave him a soft smile letting him know it was okay. How could she be comforting him even through this?

She squeezed his hand as he continued, "This woman, Maria, I would see from time to time and talk to was one of the people Drake was experimenting on. I thought I could save her but." He paused again feeling like he couldn't breathe as he thought about that night and what happened again.

"EDDIE, TELL HER."

"The symbiote that was connected to Maria transferred to me. Bonded with me." Eddie said.

He would've laughed at the look on Emma's face if he didn't feel so scared. Scared of what her reaction would be once she fully processed what he was saying.

"So." Emma started trying to understand what Eddie was saying. "That's what bit that guy's head off?"

"HE WAS A BAD GUY!" Venom grumbled in Eddie's head causing him to wince a bit. Eddie rubbed his thumb over Emma's hand that was still holding his as she was processing everything.

"Yeah, pretty much." He laughed nervously.

Emma jumped up as the oven beeped letting her know the cupcakes she put in were finished. She set the pan on top of the oven to start cooling as she put the next batch in the oven. This was a lot for her to take in but she didn't feel as afraid as before. Eddie would never hurt her she kept telling herself. He's had this alien thing in him since well before they even met and nothing bad has ever happened to her.

She couldn't help from asking as she started working on the cream cheese icing for the cupcakes, "Is it bad? The alien, symbiote whatever?"

Eddie winced again as he prepared for Venom to start shrieking about how they only took care of bad guys but it was surprisingly quiet in his head. He stood up to move near Emma as she mixed the ingredients in a small bowl.

"Not completely. They're more of an asshole than anything else really. We only harm bad guys. That's the rule." Eddie tried reassuring her, feeling hopeful that she wasn't kicking him out of her apartment. At least not yet.

"YOU ARE THE ASSHOLE, EDDIE." Venom hissed causing Eddie to laugh. Emma looked to Eddie almost asking what he was laughing about.

He cleared his throat and started explaining, "Since were bonded they're able to communicate with me and they were just letting me know that I am in fact the asshole, not them."

Emma suddenly giggled at that.

Eddie couldn't help the huge smile that took over his face at that sound. God, he missed hearing it. This was going so much better than he could have ever hoped. He didn't know what he had done to deserve this woman but he would be forever grateful.

"Oh, so that's funny to you is it?" He asked playfully stepping closer to her.

"No, no!" Emma couldn't help but still giggle. "I'm sorry." And then she wrapped Eddie into a hug. A hug they both missed.

He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing tight. "No, I'm sorry, Em. We should've had this conversation months ago. I was just scared. Still kinda am, not gonna lie." He laughed.

"EDDIE." Venom called.

"Hmm, what is it, Vee?" Eddie asked as he still hugged Emma, burying his face into her hair. Then he suddenly stilled and tensed in her arms at Venom's response.

Emma pulled away slightly. "What's wrong, Eddie?" He looked more nervous now than when he first started explaining everything. "You can tell me."

"Venom wants to meet you. Properly." Eddie spoke softly.

He didn't miss the brief flash of panic that crossed Emma's face. "If you're not okay with that, we don't have to do that, Em. I know this is a lot to take in as it is. I don't want to make you any more uncomfortable by forcing that on you." Eddie said as he rubbed her arms comfortingly.

"That's their name? I'm just. I'm a little, no, a lot nervous, Eddie. But, I mean, they've always been there right?" She bit her lip trying to hide how scared she really was. But, she wanted to try for Eddie because she really liked him. A lot. And couldn't bear the thought of not seeing him again.

"If it means anything, they like you. Maybe as much as I do." Eddie laughed nervously while running one of his hands through his hair.

"MAYBE?" Venom growled.

"Really?" Emma asked curiously.

Eddie laughed, "Yeah, Em. May be biased but, who couldn't like you?" She blushes at that and Eddie could see she was ready to disagree with him but he continued before she could, "I know they won't hurt you. That thought has never crossed their mind. Ever."

"NEVER!" Venom shouted causing Eddie to wince yet again.

"What? What are they saying?!" Emma asked almost excitedly causing Eddie to laugh.

They both jumped when the oven dinged again. Emma moved to get the last of the cupcakes out of the oven to start cooling and turned to Eddie waiting for him to tell her what this Venom said.

Eddie smiled feeling like everything was really going to be okay. "They said they would never ever hurt you."

The whole thing really was strange. Stranger than anything Emma's ever experienced or heard of. But, she really wanted to kick herself for ever letting them go a month apart instead of hearing him out when this first happened.

What's the worst that could happen if she agrees to letting Venom "properly" meet her?

She turned to Eddie. "Okay."

He looked to her a bit confused, "hmm?"

No going back now. Emma took a deep breath, "I think I'd like to meet them too if that's okay?"