After dinner Monday evening, the Parker family was in their living room. Peter and MJ were watching TV while May stretched out on the floor as she reviewed her French vocabulary on her laptop. As much as she wished she could switch to the files from Coach Stephens's computer, she knew that her father could look over her shoulder at any moment and catch her. Not only was she still hesitant to clue her father in on the Grave Dust situation… she really did need to study before her test on Wednesday.

Her focus was broken when her dad's cellphone rang.

"Miles, what's wrong?" he answered. "Where?... Okay, I'll be right there."

Peter stood, turning to go upstairs.

"What's up?" MJ asked.

"Loup-Garou again. Miles is asking for backup."

"Wait," May interrupted. Loup-Garou… it couldn't be. "The guy you've been chasing recently? His name is Loup-Garou?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Loup-Garou as in were-wolf?" May rushed to follow her father.

"So Google Translate tells me."

"Dad, let me come with you. I-"

"No," Peter cut her off. "You know it's too dangerous at night for you to be out."

"Dad, you don't understand-"

"May, you're staying here with your mother. End of discussion." At that moment, the family reached the master bedroom. "I've got to change."

"Dad, wait-" The door closed behind her father. Within seconds, May heard the familiar woosh as Spider-Man swung away. She pounded her fists on the door. "Why won't he just listen to me?"

"That's your father for you," MJ sighed, walking up from behind May. "Believe me, I know how frustrating it can be when he acts like he knows how to protect you better than you can protect yourself, but he's just looking out for you. More importantly, though: do you know something about Loup-Garou?"

"There's no time to explain." It was all connected, and it possibly went deeper than May realized. If Loup-Garou was involved with Grave Dust, he could be hopped up on it, or have friends that were. Of course, she was sure her dad and Miles could handle themselves, but if they were caught by surprise… "I have to catch up with him."

"May, wait. Your father said to stay here. What aren't you telling me?"

May ignored her mother as she went to her own room. When MJ grabbed her by the wrist, she easily shook her off. She entered her room, closing and locking the door behind her.

"May Mary Parker, open this door," MJ demanded. "May!"

The girl quickly changed into her suit, not even bothering to check for onlookers before she zipped out her window.


Peter was halfway to the waterfront on the upper west side, where Miles had told him Loup-Garou was spotted fleeing from the scene of another robbery. His fellow Spider-Man had only called for backup because something had apparently seemed different about the guy, like he was stronger somehow, almost unnaturally- whatever that meant. Not to mention, this time he had friends. Just what is this guy's deal?

Peter's thoughts were interrupted by his phone ringing. MJ's name appeared on his visor's caller ID. This early after leaving for a mission, Pete knew that this couldn't be good.

"What's up, MJ?" he answered.

"May ran off to catch up with you right after you left," MJ explained.

"What?"

"She's gone. I tried to stop her, but… Pete, she seemed almost frantic, like she had something to tell you."

Pete refrained from cursing under his breath. Why couldn't that girl just do what she was told? "I'll have some choice words for her myself once I can catch her. Miles and I will keep an eye out for her, and we'll be home as soon as we're done with Loup-Garou."

"Okay. Be careful, all of you."

"Always." Pete hung up to find that he was already at his destination. Scanning the area, he saw Miles fighting what must have been one of Loup-Garou's friends. He understood now what Miles had meant by unnatural: the guys' skin looked almost… grey? What did that remind him of? Well, he didn't have time to dwell on that. He swung in, knocking over Miles's opponent.

"Thanks," Miles greeted, squaring up to take on the next combattant. "Lovely evening, isn't it?"

"Not really," Pete responded, kicking a thug that began to rush him, surprised that it felt almost like kicking concrete. "Kid ran away; apparently, she's on her way here."

"What? Why?"

"Don't know; but if you see her, stop her."

"Of course."

As if on cue, a blur of pink and blue flew past them, knocking over the next guy who would have rushed Pete.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded. "I told you to stay home."

"I have to tell you something," May replied, ducking under a thug's swinging fist before grabbing it herself, twisting it behind the guy's back. "It's Loup-Garou, he's-"

"Can't it wait until later? It's not safe for you here!"

"You don't understand. Just listen to me!"

"No, you listen to me for once," Pete insisted. "Go home now, or I'll web you up to carry you home after your uncle and I are done here."

"Coach," Miles interrupted. "Maybe you should hear her out."

"Don't you get started!"

"But, Dad-" May pleaded.

At that moment, Peter saw Loup-Garou himself, rushing towards May from behind. Dodging a blow from one thug, he ran towards her to push her out of the way. Once she had safely landed, he occupied himself with fighting the beast-like criminal.

"Dad, no!" May cried. "He's-"

A loud squeal interrupted her sentence. Out of nowhere, a dark brown sedan jumped over several lanes, barreling straight towards May. The driver had the same unearthly grey skin as the other thugs. After several moments, he jumped out and ran off.

"I'll get him," Miles called. "You take care of Squirt!"

Still stunned from having been pushed, May didn't move, but was shocked still as the vehicle came closer to her. Before Peter could reach her, the car hit her head on, knocking her over the nearby safety railing between the bridge and the river. The car itself followed shortly after.

"May!" Pete cried, abandoning Loup-Garou, as well as all caution, as he rushed forward. He helplessly shot a web towards his daughter as she shot her own to try and catch herself. Neither one reached, falling short and going limp in mid-air as they lost velocity. Time seemed to slow as, before his eyes, May tumbled further down. At the same time, before it hit the water, the car exploded, debris raining down in all directions. "May!"

He climbed up the railing, scanning the water for May. There was no sign of the young Spider-Girl. Pete squatted to jump in after her, but several well-meaning bystanders grabbed him by the arms, holding him back. As soon as Pete batted them off, webs took their place and he was pulled away.

"You think I'm going to risk losing both of you in one day?" Miles demanded, turning Pete to face him.

"But, May," Pete argued, breath hitching. "May, she's-"

"I know, and we'll find her, but we need to be smart about it."

"Right."

"Alright. So, let's go."

By then, Loup-Garou had gotten away, and the police had arrived to arrest the co-conspirators that the Spiders had managed to take down. Both Spider-Men swung along the waterfront, carefully searching for any sign of May. Even climbing along the sides of the bridge, they found nothing.

How could I have let this happen? Peter asked himself. My own daughter… If she didn't survive, her last memories of me would be of me yelling at her. All I wanted was to protect her, and I ended up pushing her away… both figuratively and literally.

He and Miles perched on the railing to catch their breath. Seeing no one around, Peter took off his mask and put his head in his hands. Sitting still, the reality of the situation began to really sink in, and he started to sob.

"Pete, I'm so sorry." Miles put a hand on his partner's shoulder. "This never should have happened."

"It's my fault," Pete replied. "If I had just been faster, if I had done something…"

"I don't know if there was anything you could have done."

"We have to keep looking." Peter stood up, scanning to decide where to search next.

"Pete, we've been at this for hours. It's dark, and you're exhausted. We could spend all night out here and not find her."

"But she's out there. She has to be."

"If she's alive, she'll call or come home," Miles protested. "She knows how to take care of herself. We can start our search again in the morning, maybe get Mr. Stark to send out some divers or something, but, right now, I don't think we can do much good for her. We need clear heads and rested bodies if we're going to find May."

"How can I face MJ without bringing her home?" Peter asked.

"She's going to worry one way or another. You have to face her eventually. Let's both go home."

Peter searched his mind for a counter-argument but could find none. As desperate as he was to find May, he knew Miles was right; in his state of mind, and with how dark it was, it would be easy to overlook her. Resigned, he shot a web and swung away. I'm so sorry, my little May.