AN: I own Kat. I own her professor. I do not own Ock.

I don't know if I like this chapter, it rates high on the coincidence-o-meter for me. But anyway. I dedicated to erinflangan because she sent me a Christmas card. It be the brest card I ever ish received.

Our Future

kod.

It would be fitting to say that Katarina was in a hurry. Flagging down the first taxi she saw and cursing her entire lack of car, she looked at the driver and just said, "43rd and 19th.. Fast, preferably."

The driver just nodded and rode off.

Kat sighed in relief. She thanked her parents and their jobs. Her mom, being a successful lawyer, had enough money to pay for Kat's rent. Her dad, a pediatric orthodontist, covered her random other bills, plus all sort of extra fees. Such as cabs. She was one hell of a spoiled college student. Ah, well, that was all well and good, considering her parents begged her to live off-campus.

She dwelled on the current situation for the rest of the ride. Her thoughts mainly focused on what Otto would do when he woke up. She could not honestly think of something for him to do – which meant the arms would do something for him, and that was never a good thing.

But the stopping of the cab in front of the familiar building was enough to snap her out of her reverie. She was dreading this. No doubt Mae had told everyone that she was protecting Otto. And they had told everyone THEY knew. Until everyone knew.

In short, she was screwed. Why did she even bother coming to class? To be arrested?

She walked hurriedly into the building, avoiding the gaze of anyone else. She knew they were staring at her – she could feel their eyes on her sweatshirt. It was hot in there, and she really wanted to take it off, but she knew she couldn't. With the same silence, she slipped into her chair in her psych class. Even the fact this was undoubtedly the coolest class, with the coolest teacher, couldn't brighten her spirits. She slunk into her chair, still very much aware of the stares at her.

"Class….listen up…class…look up at me. Quit staring at Katarina." Half of them looked up, the others didn't, "You're being assigned a project today."

There was a class-wide groan of complaint, but the teacher didn't seem to care, "You will take one individual, one that you can remain with for a good section of the time, and study their reaction to various stimuli. You will write a six-page paper, short, might I add, about their reactions and how these reaction can change due to the person's surroundings and current situation. You will do this without them knowing you are studying them. It is wise, therefore, to do it about someone who is more likely to agree to be studied as such. And of course, if you have any desire to hand it in early, because I know the complete lack of procrastination in this class, you'll receive extra credit."

The teacher, Doctor Rachel Taies, glanced at every one of her fifty-two students. They knew little about her, which half amused and half annoyed the professor. This was her part-time job, her other time spent in criminal psychology. That was where her PHD was granted. Her studies were mostly out-of-prison and out-of-court, mainly behind a desk somewhere as she figured out what drove these people, these murderers and thieves and arsonists.

Imagine her amusement, her shock, her sheer interest and curiosity, when she found out there was a connection between one of her brightest students and the criminal that had been a complete puzzle to her. Perhaps she could find out why Doctor Octopus was driven to do what he did. Rachel had quite a good feeling that Katarina already knew. So she devised this project. It seemed simple enough – with the rumors that the girl Mae (who was also in her class) had spread, it would alienate Kat from anyone else she could have tried to study. And parents, as Katarina had told her in an extra help session, were out of the question.

Kat looked up. She met her professor's eyes directly, which clearly told Kat this project was for her, her and Otto. Kat had taken a few sessions of extra help with Doctor Taies, and because of this, knew the woman's other profession. Rachel wanted to know about Otto.

"The project is due in two weeks," The teacher said, looking towards everyone else, "There is a list of stimuli for each of you to test with your unknowing subject on my desk. Now, turn to page 254 of your textbooks, and we will continue studying the insanity plea."

Kat couldn't focus on the lesson. She was nailed by her teacher's indirect request – study Otto! Study Doctor Octopus! Without him knowing! It was insane. But even so, she couldn't help wondering what her professor would do with such information. Would she give it to the police, or keep it to herself? Would she post it on the internet or grade it and hand it back as any other paper? It was these sorts of questions that bugged her throughout the hour that she spent here. She stared blankly at the textbook, the words beyond her. Pages didn't turn, and she would have been amazed if she even blinked while she thought of the sheer size of the task in front of her.

Her professor sympathized with her. She had given the girl quite a bad burden – study a very, very dangerous man without him knowing. And if he knew, well, then Rachel just pitied Kat. There was no telling what sort of relationship the two had. And the doctor also knew that Katarina was a perfectionist in this class – she'd beat herself if she didn't' get an A on this. Doctor Taies was half proud of her way she had just about forced the thing upon Kat, but in another way, she was ashamed of herself. She didn't call on the stunned girl once, nor did she ask anything of her. Rachel had already asked quite enough of Kat for today.

The hour slid by. Slid by like mud through fingers, and the ringing bell did not snap her out of her reverie. She just stared at the book, still uncomprehending at the task that had been put at her feet. It was amazing. Extraordinary. Gigantic.

And yes, was it not exactly what she really wanted? To study the tentacle-boy, his own strange existence in a hostile world with only an artificial intelligence that thirsted for destruction by his side? It must be insane. And to keep such a cool head in the way that he did, despite everything they went through now and everything she read in the papers about him and the fusion machine, must have been one hell of a job. He was still sane. He was still lucid.

She was impressed.

"Katarina, the bell rung." Her professor placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What? Oh…sorry…" She closed the book and stood up, tossing it into the old backpack that had seen far too much abuse.

"Everyone else has gone."

"yeah, I see that…"

"You know why I assigned this?"

"You want me to study Ott -- Doctor Octopus." Not Otto. The professor probably couldn't have cared about Otto. It was Doctor Octopus she wanted to know about, right? The criminal. The combined force of the arms and the man.

"Not just the criminal, but if the relationship between you two is peaceful—"

"Why would he hurt me?!" She said, turning to face her professor, her temper flaring, "he's not such a bad guy, you know! There's more to him then that! He's not just some homicidal psycho like everyone you deal with! It's those fuckin' arms he deals with that made him like that!"

"Calm down, Katarina." She gave the student a soft smile, "I know. I deal with people like that everyday, and quite a few of them are deeper then you'd think."

Kat pursed her lips. She nodded quietly, "I'll hand it in whenever."

"Of course. The sheets on are my desk."

Standing up quietly, the student grabbed her backpack, walked down the steps of the classroom, picked up a sheet from her teacher's desk, and left her teacher standing there.