Annie's alarm blared. Groaning, she rolled over and grabbed her phone, turning off the alarm. She had spent the entire night tossing and turning, getting absolutely zero sleep. Of course, just moments before her alarm went off, she had settled into a a comfy position and dosed. A lot of help that did.

Rubbing her eyes, she got out of bed and made her way to the kitchen, where her dad already had a pot of coffee brewing. He was standing at the counter, buttering a piece of toast.

"Morning," she yawned.

"Good morning sunshine! Want some?"

"Sure, thanks." She glanced at her pump. Her blood sugar was running a touch low. Knowing that she would soon be webswinging, she needed some sugar, and grabbed herself a glass of orange juice.

"Are you low?" Her dad asked as she poured the glass.

"Not really," she said, trying to keep her voice even. She knew he was stressed over what had happened with her mom, but when was he going to realize she had this whole blood sugar think under control?

"I'm good, really," she said, waiting for him to check his phone to see for himself. She hated that app. He didn't check it, but she knew he would the second she left the kitchen. "What time is our meeting," she asked, distracting herself.

"Seven thirty sharp, which means we gotta be outta here in twenty."

Her dad poured a couple of mugs of coffee and grabbed two plates of buttered toast. With impeccable balance, he led the way to the table.

"Why so early?" She moaned.

"Its the best they could do on such short notice. The FF are busy people. And Tony will pop in." He took a bite of his toast, crumbs raining down. "So, here's the plan. We swing over to the Baxter Building, drop off the suit, the FF run their diagnostics, we grabbed a couple of knishes, some light patrol, and then back to the Baxter building."

Annie nodded. "What's gonna happen to mom if they can't fix the suit?" It was weird enough heading out today without her mother.

Her dad sighed. "We'll figure that out."

"Mom is going to hate being grounded."

"Oh yeah. I know. She already gave me an earful." He smiled ruefully.

"I bet." That was a relief. It meant her mom was feeling good.

Annie set a phone reminder to text Ms. Reid at 8:30, letting her know she was going to be a little late for the bake sale. Annie knew part of the problem last year was that she didn't give anyone the heads up. In her defense, of course, it was a bitch trying to text while apprehending the Rhino in Central Park. Annie of course couldn't tell her teacher why she was going to be late, but she planned on saying it was a blood sugar thing. Annie hated lying, but honesty would blow her secret identity, and she knew Ms. Reid wouldn't question her health. And besides, her blood sugars have, on many occasions, made her life hell.

Her dad would have a fit if he knew she was using her sugar levels as an excuse. Having a secret identity himself, he would not be opposed to a white lie, but this particular one? What if that really happens now, he would likely say, and would go on and on about not using her sugar levels as an excuse. But Ryan confessed to using her blood sugars as a way to get out PE class, so she wasn't the only Diabetic who did this. And she didn't do it often.

"Alright Kiddo, let's suit up, it's getting late."

"Kay," Annie said through a mouthful of toast. In minutes they were dressed and out the door. Well, out the window, to be exact.

There's nothing wrong with the suit," Reed Richards said.

"What?" Peter asked. He and Annie had dropped off MJ's Spinneret suit to the FF, and then stopped a couple of car jackers and then helped direct traffic when the light went out on 35th.

Now, about an hour or so later, Peter and Annie stood in Reed's expansive lab, ready to learn what had caused MJ to lose her power yesterday, and, more importantly, how to prevent something like that from happening again.

"I said," Reed began, "there is nothing wrong with the suit." He wore a white lab coat over his blue costume, the iconic 4 on his chest exposed.

"Peter," said the hologram of Tony Stark. Stark was too busy to come to the meeting in person, but he did agree to make a brief appearance. Of course, he came late, but hey, better late than never. And Peter was the last person who could fault anyone for being late. "Tell us what happened."

Peter sighed. He had been through this with Reed, detailing everything bit of their fight. Relieving yesterday morning was something he was trying not to do. It lay there in his mind, just under the surface, bits and pieces seeping into his consciousness throughout the day. And last night, well, last night was awful. He had tossed and turned, in and out of sleep, his mind tortured by nightmares of him being too late for MJ, as he had been too late for Gwen.

Gwen. She was killed decades ago. The details of that night had faded. But now, they invaded his mind, sharp and clear as if he were reliving that fateful day all over again. Peter clenched his fist. He did not want to detail yesterday's events again.

"Dad? You okay?"

Peter saw the concern written all over her face. She had been unusually quiet during this entire meeting. Normally with the FF, Annie was a chatter box, especially with Johnny. MJ always teased that Johnny had been Annie's first girlhood crush.

Peter took a deep breath. "My Spider Tracer picked up movement from the one of the members of the Vulture gang."

"Which one?" Tony asked.

Peter shrugged. "The younger blond guy. So we follow the signal to the East River Promenade. We found Vulture, a hostage and two newbies, a man and a woman. I'm pretty sure they were a couple."

"Super powered?" Tony asked.

"Yeah. The guy produces a type of force field, he used them for protection, and as weapons." "Weapons?"

Peter nodded. "He shot bursts of energy at us. They were pretty powerful, but nothing out of the ordinary."

"Kind of like Sue?" Tony asked, turning to Reed. Reed nodded slowly, taking in the story yet again. Poor guy must've have heard it a dozen times this morning.

"Can you think of anything else about those force fields?" Reed asked.

"They were magenta, and so were his eyes. Same shade. Don't know if that helps."

Reed only nodded, hand on his chin, stroking his beard. "And the woman. Tell Tony about her."

"Okay, so I didn't really go up against her. MJ did, I handled Vulture and the hostage. But MJ said the lady wasn't really strong in terms of fighting, but if she touches you, then a piece of your, soul, comes out of your body?"

Tony gave him a quizzical look, and Peter described the shadow thing. How MJ felt the pain the shadow experienced, and how she felt weak and almost sick when the shadow was out of her body.

"That's not creepy," Tony quipped. Reed stared intently ahead, his brilliant mind mulling over the details. "Is that when the suit failed?"

Huh. Maybe Blondie broke the suit. But Reed just said the suit was fine. "It's possible, but I had assumed it was from the bomb."

"Bomb?" Tony said.

"Yeah. While fighting the three of them and trying to keep track of the hostage, a bomb went off. It sent MJ flying into the East River, and I went flying into Bubble Boy's force field."

"Force Field," Reed cut in. "You hit it, right?" Peter nodded. "Then MJ lost her powers." Peter nodded again. "Your suit. MJ's passed all the diagnostics and appears to be in working order. But maybe Bubble Boy's? force field interfered with yours."

His suit? That made sense, especially if the Spinerette suit was fine.

Peter got his shirt off and handed it to Reed. At that moment, Sue and Johnny walked in.

"Take it off Spidey," Johnny teased, and then said hello to Annie, who lit up.

Sue quirked an eyebrow. "Well, we're definitely missing something. Hi Annie, want something to eat or drink?"

"Hey Sue, no thanks!" She said sweetly. He should invite Johnny to move in. Annie would always be on her best behavior.

"Reed, keep the shirt as long as you need. We need to get going, Annie's got a bake sale soon."

"Yeah sure." Reed looked Peter up and down. "You want to borrow something to wear?"

"No, let him go out just like that," Tony said, and Johnny snorted.

Peter knew he looked ridiculous, standing there in his mask, gloves, pants, and shoes, but no shirt.

"Johnny, lend him a costume," Sue said.

"No way! They reek when he gives them back." He turned to Annie. "I don't know how you and your mom do it."

"You have no idea. We give him a 10 foot radius and he still stinks!"

That was not true at all! Johnny laughed and fist bumped Annie. Of course he would encourage her. The jerk.

Peter looked to Tony. "Don't ever have children," he said, and Tony chuckled.

"Speaking of children," Reed began. "Sue, where are ours?"

"Oh they're off world with Ben," Johnny said.

"And why do you know that and we don't?" Sue asked.

"Guys, they're adults now, they don't need your permission to go off world," Johnny replied.

Sue sighed, and Reed shook his head.

"They'll always be our babies," Peter said. Sue and Reed smiled, and Annie sighed. The brat. But, she was his brat, and he loved her with every fiber of his being. Hell, he had no idea he was even capable of such love.

"Let me get you something to wear," Johnny said. When he returned, he tossed Peter a Fantastic 4 varsity style jacket, which didn't exactly match the rest of his attire. He looked ridiculous, but it was better than being shirtless.

"Alright, come on, kid," He said to Annie. "Let's head out. Keep me posted about the suit?" Peter asked.

"Of course. And I'd love to get your feedback dear," he said to Sue.

"I'm all yours," she said.

Peter thanked his friends and said his goodbyes, then turned to leave, but Annie stayed behind.

"Have any of you come across them yet?" Annie asked. "This new couple."

The FF (minus Ben) and Tony shook their heads.

Annie nodded solemnly. "If you do, just be careful. My mom knows what she's doing out there. And they almost killed her."

Hearing those words from Annie brought a sobering chill. He could've lost MJ. Just like he lost Gwen. He clenched his fists. He would never let that happen again.

"We'll be careful, Sweetie," Sue said. "You too. Don't do anything rash, stick with your parents, okay?" Annie nodded.

Peter and Annie left the Baxter Building, Sue's words haunting him. Annie wouldn't try to take them on herself, would she? He hadn't even thought of that. And wasn't that what he had done? Racing out after that burglar, all those years ago?

That was different, he chastised himself. Uncle Ben was killed and Peter was all alone, and had absolutely no idea as to what he was doing. Annie had him and MJ. And years of training and experience. She knew better than to be so rash, right?

"We'll get them, Spiderling," he said, as they swung through the city. "We'll get them together. You, me, and mom. Okay?"

"I know." Annie shot a webline and flew forward. Peter quickened his pace, trying to distract his mind by thinking about what could be wrong with his suit. But he couldn't shake the heavy feeling of dread as he followed his daughter.

Annie and her dad swung in silence. Her eyes carefully scanned the city below, hoping to catch a glimpse of Blondie and Bubble Boy somewhere down below.

Annie tried to focus on her connection to the Web of Life and Destiny. She repaired The Web last year, after traveling across multiple dimensions with the Spider-Girls of two different universes. It was her connection to the Web that gave her the ability to see into the future. And she tried to focus on that ability now. Annie wanted nothing more than to get a glimpse of the villains, a clue as to where they were, how to find them, and how to defeat them. But, even now, after rebuilding the web, she couldn't control when a vision came.

And when the visions did come, there was hardly ever time to prevent the events she saw. What was even the point of those visions then? And boy did they fail her yesterday morning.

"Alright Spiderling," her father said. "Let's drop soon, change, and get you to that bake sale."

"Where?" Annie asked.

"Behind Kathy's Kitchen," her dad said. "We'll throw on our clothes in the alley, head home, grab your cupcakes, and get you to that bake sale. You shouldn't be too late."

Annie sighed. The bake sale felt a lot less important now. She'd rather use her time finding the crooks.

Just then, a car sped underneath them, with a line of police cars, zooming behind. A chase.

"Change of plans, kiddo. I'll take care of this, you just get yourself home and to the sale safely. Text me when you're there!"

And her father took a sharp corner and shot a web onto the top of a police car, hitching his ride.

Annie watched the police car and her father disappear as it turned, her dad's recounting of yesterday morning haunting her. Her mother was one of the toughest people Annie knew. And she was almost killed by a couple of newbies. She never imagined something like that happening. All her life, her parents made super-heroing look easy. But yesterday, everything changed. Yesterday, she almost lost her mom, despite her mother's strength, despite her father's. And if her mom could be hurt, almost killed, then so could her dad. Yeah. To hell with the bake sale.

Annie shot out another web, gaining air as she twisted around. She swung after the police chase, the bake sale all but forgotten. Nothing was more important than protecting her family.