I do not own Spider Man or any of the characters.

Prague

I look around the hotel as we walk in. It's fancy, expensive, and possibly about to be a pile of ash if me and Beck can't stop the Elemental. I like it, though. It's the kind of place that will have room service. And alcohol. I've been lucky so far. I haven't had a single dream the entire trip, let alone nightmares. But I'm a little worried about the upcoming fight. It's going to be dangerous, even for me. And especially for Lexi and Jess. However, they've promised to stay far away from the fight, no matter what, so I'm praying that'll keep them safe.

Suddenly, Peter's phone begins to ring and he walks away to answer it as Mr. Harrington informs the rest of us that the Carnival of Lights is tonight, also the same night as a giant flame monster will attack. I sigh, Lexi looking over at me knowingly.

"It'll be okay," she says quietly. "This is what your powers were made for."

I nod and look over at Peter as he walks back over, rummaging through his pack before pulling out a small black earpiece. He nods to my own pack and I pull it off, taking the earbud I had found the first time I put mine on in.

"The good news is, we've all got our own rooms," Mr. Harrington was saying, everyone cheering.

"Parker, Dover?" Fury's voice asks.

"I'm here," I say.

"Me too," Peter says.

"Head outside," Fury says. "Dimitri will bring you here."

"Roger," I sigh, Lexi giving me a confident smile, Jess mirroring it.

I kiss Lexi and take my suit out of the backpack, handing it to Lexi. "Put this in our room for me?"

Lexi nods and kisses me again. "Go kick its ass."

I smile and nod, then walk out of the building with Peter. We follow Dimitri to Fury's base here in Prague. Peter's distracted, worrying about the others and wishing for a normal life. I can sympathize, as much as my old self would hate to admit it.

"Parker, Parker! PARKER!" Fury snaps. "That thing will be here in a few hours. Are we boring you?"

"He's not bored," Beck speaks up. "He's thinking about how you kidnapped him."

"He had obstacles," Fury says. "I removed them."

"No, you made them worse," I say. "For both of us. You put both of our friends in the same city as a monster that has the potential to destroy the entire planet, nevermind just Prague. You know what fire does to Lexi and Jess."

"And I'll buy some eyedrops so I can cry for your symbiote girlfriends later if you can't do your job well enough," Fury says. "For the time being, do your job, and nobody gets hurt."

"They still won't evacuate the city," Hill says.

Fury sighs. "Idiots."

"You put the people we love in the crosshairs just so we'd be there too, and you expect Peter to not be distracted?" I ask. "He's got strength and flammable webbing. I've got ice powers and I had already promised to help," I say. "Why are you so desperate to have Peter help?"

"I apologize for getting you some moderately competent backup," Fury says. "Parker, what's the plan?"

"Ben and I will be in the cathedral tower watching for the fire monster," Peter says. "Once we see that, I will radio you guys, and that is when Ben, Mr. Beck, and I will-"

"My name is Mysterio," Beck interrupts, smiling knowingly at Peter, who grins.

"That's when Ben, Mysterio, and I will move in," Peter says.

"Peter, listen to me," Beck says. "The best hope you have, the only hope, is to stop it here and now, no matter the cost. We'll handle the damage. You keep it away from civillians as much as you can. But for both of you, most importantly, keep it away from metal. If it gets too big, it'll be able to draw power from the Earth's Core. After that, there's no way to stop it."

"Alright," Peter nods. "I'll try. But...like Ben said, my friends are here. Can you guys try to keep them away from the fight, Mr. Fury? You have people everywhere, right?"

"You're worried about us hurting your friends?" Fury snaps. "You? Who called a drone strike on your own school tour bus? Stark gave you a multi billion dollar A.R. tactical intelligence system, and the first thing you do with it, is blow up your friends. It's clear to me you were not ready for this!"

Fury turns, walking back to his computer, and Peter and I leave the base, Peter heading to the roof of the hotel while I walk to the room I'm sharing with Lexi and Jess, without permission. I sit on the bed and sigh heavily. Lexi wraps her arms around me from behind, kissing my cheek.

"It's going to be okay," Lexi promises. "Everyone's going to be okay."

I rest a hand on her forearms, tilting my head against hers. "Promise me that you won't try to help me, or go near the Elemental, no matter what happens. Even if I'm hurt."

"I promise," Lexi says.

"I promise," Jess says.

I nod and Jess sits beside me, hugging us both, both girls holding me tight. A little while later, Mr. Harrington announces we've been "upgraded" to an opera, rather than the Carnival of Lights. Peter nods to Ned who nods back, and begins to agree with Mr. Harrington. After a few moments, we're all sent to our rooms to change into the dress clothes Mr. Harrington forced us to pack. Lexi and Jess both form a classy dress from their bodies, and I borrow a button-down shirt and black slacks from Flash, under the threat of telling everyone Peter knocked him out on the bus. We walk through the city to the opera house, passing people heading for the carnival the entire way. I stand off to side with Lexi and Jess, eavesdropping as Peter and MJ talk, Peter actually getting the nerve to tell MJ she looks pretty, and MJ offering to share opera glasses and sit next to each other, Peter agreeing. As MJ walks away to save him a seat, Peter gives me a knowing, heartbroken look.

I give Lexi a light squeeze, Lexi having been held tightly in my arms, holding me as well, her head tucked under my chin since we arrived. She squeezes me back before pulling back and smiling up at me, eyes watery. I brush a stray tear away and kiss her on the forehead.

"Go block Brad for Peter, okay?" I say. "Cover for us, alright?"

She nods and her and Jess walk to the seats at the front, me and Peter walking out, Peter pausing to take one last look at MJ before he follows me.

"You had Lexi and Jess sit beside MJ?" Peter asks.

"Better them than Brad," I say. "Lexi's covering for us."

Peter nods. "Hopefully we'll be back soon."

"We will be," I say, opening my button-down, my suit's black shirt under it. "Just keep the civilians away from the Elemental. Let me and Beck worry about it."

Peter nods and we swing up to our spot, both changing quickly. We wait in silence, Peter reporting the suit's good, claiming it's tight around the "ole web shooter," only to get yelled at as I laugh. Finally, I sigh, looking down at the plaza we're overlooking and stop, staring at the fountain in the center of it where the water's boiling.

"Show time Beck," I say. "Fountain water's boiling."

"Roger," Beck says. "On my way."

The ground around and under the fountain breaks apart, molten rock reaching up to the metal statue in the center, beginning to melt it. I hurl a ball of frozen ice at it, freezing the entire statue, but after a moment, the ice suddenly shatters, the statue falling away into liquid metal as a massive humanoid of molten rock formed, roaring. It drops off the statue's pedestal and begins to absorb a police car. I form an ice slide, sliding to the ground and hurl another sphere of frozen air. A massive ice formation appears on the creature's shoulder, and it roars, staggering backward, a step before the ice melts in seconds and the creature kicks the cop car's remaining half, sending it spinning at me. I freeze it into a pillar of ice and stop it, suspending it five feet in the air, then begin to run, hurling a spear of ice at the creature. It stabs into his side and it roars, the spear melting in seconds as the creature heads for the nearest metal object, the merry-go-round. As the creature steps over a fire hydrant, Peter rips the hydrant off and water explodes up into the creature, which roars in pain, only to charge out of the steam a moment later, directly into a giant spiked wall of ice, smashing straight through, the entire wall falling to the ground and beginning to melt.

"Damn, this thing's ridiculous!" I snarl, forming another ball of frozen air, focusing this one and making it colder than usual. "Try this!"

I hurl it and it explodes as it hits the Elemental, encasing its entire body in ice. However, the ice begins to glow red instantly before exploding off, the creature roaring angrily. It swipes at me and a massive wave of molten rock sails toward me, only for me to get yanked out of the way by Peter. While Peter pulls me out of the way, the creature, blocking Beck's energy beams with its arm, smashes the carousel, beginning to grow as it rapidly melts the metal.

"No, Beck!" Peter shouts. "He's got the carousel! He's getting bigger!"

"Fuck this thing!" I shout, sending a stream of frozen air at the creature, the creature roaring and raising its arm, which freezes solid, then breaks off, shattering on the ground. "Fuck yeah!"

Peter cheers, only for me to hurl myself to the side as the ground below me explodes, molten rock surging across the ground to the Elemental again. "That's not fair!"

"Night monkey!" Betty's voice shouts above us, my gut dropping.

I look up, seeing her and Ned in the Ferris Wheel and groan. "Hey, Night Monkey!" I point upward at them as Peter glances at me.

He looks and shouts in fear and surprise, leaping up to them The Elemental roars, charging toward the ride, but Beck and I both get in front of it, blasting it with our powers, making it back away. Peter hurls a massive chunk of stone into its chest and Beck blasts the rock, the explosion of his powers on the rock larger than his powers hitting the Elemental directly, blasting a patch of its chest into black rock with a green outline for a moment before it regenerates.

"That hurt it," Beck says. "Keep it coming!"

I hurl the next boulder while Peter gets Ned and Betty out of the Ferris Wheel. However, just as we do, Beck gets punched and goes flying, barely having shielded himself. Then, the Elemental punches the ground, fracturing it over to under the Ferris Wheel, which begins to tilt toward it. I slam my hands into the ground, several ice pillars forming, only for the Elemental to stomp, flames exploding out of the ground and blasting them all. It reaches for the ride, but Beck begins to blast its hand, holding it back. Peter moves to stop the Ferris Wheel from falling with his webbing and I move to help Beck.

"Get the fuck away from it!" I shout, hurling sphere of frozen air after sphere of frozen air.

However, each time ice forms over its body, it just shatters instantly. It does however, cause the Elemental pain, and it staggers away from the ride, roaring. Unfortunately, as it does, it hits a scaffolding, which falls on it, beginning to melt as it roars, beginning to grow, its face deforming in what I could swear was a grin. I swallow hard, Lexi and Jess's faces flashing through my mind.

"No," I say. "I won't let it win. I won't let it hurt them. I won't lose!"

I send a massive beam of my concentrated ice power at the Elemental, but it roars and a massive jet of white-hot flames erupt out of its mouth, hitting my power and fighting it, holding it off. I roar in effort, pushing harder, only for Peter to suddenly yank me backward, just ahead of a massive molten fist. I flip back to my feet as the Elemental roars, beginning to grow rapidly as the ground below it begins to glow cherry red, spreading outward from its feet, melting near it. It's too late. It's begun to draw power from the Earth's Core. Beck stops to hover beside Peter, turning to him as his helmet disappears.

"Whatever happens, I'm glad we met," Beck says.

"Beck, what are you doing!?" Peter shouts.

"What I should have done last time," Beck says, green energy flooding out of the air around him, into his body.

He shouts in agony before streaking forward, green energy racing over his body. Then, he explodes into the Elemental's chest, the Elemental roaring, starting to turn green rapidly before it exploded, a wave of green energy flashing outward. We run over to Beck, who's lying on the ground, smoking and covered in light burns and soot.

"Mr. Beck!" Peter gasps, just as Beck begins to roll onto his back, groaning and panting. "Oh thank God!"

"Damn man," I say, inspecting him as Peter helps him stand. "You tanked that shit like a pro."

"Sure doesn't feel like it," Beck groans. "Granted, I didn't expect to wake up, so I suppose that's a good start."

"So it's over?" Hill asks.

"That was the last of them," Beck nods.

"But not the last threat we'll ever face," Fury says. "We need to stay vigilant. There's a void in this world for someone like you. Hill and I are going to Europol headquarters in Berlin tomorrow. You should join us." His eye flicks to me, then back as Beck stands, smiling and extending his hand.

"Thank you," Beck smiles. "I just might take you up on that."

Fury turns and walks over to Peter as Beck sits back down. "You've got gifts Parker, but you didn't want to be here."

"Mr. Fury, I-"

"I'd love to have you in Berlin too," Fury says. "But you've got to decide whether you're going to step up or not. Stark chose you. He made you an Avenger. I need that. The world needs that. Maybe Stark was wrong. Was he?"

Peter's eyes fall in shame, watering.

"The choice is yours," Fury says, turning to me. "You're welcome to join us too, if you're sticking around. Just make sure you keep your pets on a short leash."

"You insult Lexi and Jess one more time and the only one needing a short leash will be me, that way I don't show you why guys that are half blind should watch what they say, and who they say it too," I warn. "but then, I suppose it wouldn't do you any good if someone told you to keep one eye open, would it."

Fury's eye narrows at me before he turns, walking away.

Beck walks over to Peter and rests a hand on his shoulder. "Let's get a drink." He glances at me but I shake my head.

"I'm heading back to the others," I say. "Drink one for me."

Beck nods and walks away, Peter following, reminding Beck that he's not twenty one yet. I turn, heading up to the chapel tower and changing back into my dress clothes before dropping back into the street and heading back. However, within a couple of blocks, MJ steps out in front of me, arms cross and Lexi and Jess following.

"Where did you two go?" she asks. "And where's Peter?"

"Something came up," I say. "I'm not actually sure where Peter is right now."

"Right, and that giant monster that just attacked?" MJ asks. "Were you just watching the superhero fight that one too?"

"Heroes, actually," I correct her. "And yeah. I like superheroes. I'm sorry. I always wanted to be one, so I like watching them fight. What about you?"

"I was looking for Peter," MJ says. "Instead, I found Mysterio, a guy wearing a black suit, kind of like that one you've got folded up under your jacket, and a guy wearing another black suit with all the same powers as Spiderman."

I watch her for a moment before sighing. "Alright. I'll admit it. You're not bad. You'd make a pretty good private detective. Yes. I'm the guy with the ice powers. I know Mysterio, and I know the guy in the black who ripped off Spiderman. He calls himself Black Spider, though the news might make up a different name for him."

"So it wasn't Spiderman?" MJ asks.

"Nope," I say. "Just the European rip-off. He's a Scottish guy, so when he gets pissed off it's pretty entertaining. Picture a leprechaun voiceover for any Spiderman fight you've ever seen on the news."

MJ just stares at me.

"What?" I ask.

"We should get back before everyone starts to worry," she says finally.

I nod and she turns, walking away as Lexi and Jess step up, hugging me. I give Lexi a long kiss before pulling back. "I thought you were supposed to keep them there."

"We tried, but MJ's pretty good at disappearing into a crowd," Lexi says. "We didn't find her again until the fight was practically over. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," I say as we follow MJ back toward the hotel. "It's over now. I just want to go back, shower the smell of smoke off of myself, and sleep for a week."

Lexi nods in agreement. Unfortunately, as soon as we get back to the hotel, Mr. Harrington tells us to pack our bags. Everyone's parents want them home, so we're all heading back to America in the morning. I sigh. Oh well. It was fun while it lasted. We walk into our room and I grab clean pajamas, then head to the bathroom, taking a quick shower before heading to bed. As I lay down, Lexi and Jess both cuddle into my sides.

"Goodnight," Jess says.

"Sweet dreams," Lexi says.

I smile and give both a kiss before setting my head back down and willing myself to drift off to sleep.

I scream, thrashing, pulling, shoving. I try desperately to break free, but he holds on. His claws dig into me, tearing at my skin, shredding me. Two of them stab into my eyes, but I can still see. In front of me, there are two more voices screaming. Lexi and Jess. Lexi is being dragged into the fire Elemental by tendrils of molten rock, screaming in agony as she dies slowly, her hand reached out for me, screaming and pleading for me to save her. Further to my right, Jess is screaming as Jake, fully mutated into a new Omega, rips her apart, his mandibles shredding her skin as his clawed hands rip entire chunks of her body away. I scream again as Carnage drives spikes through my body, turning them into barbed anchors, yet still I fight. I have to save them. I can't lose them.

Then, with one, final, horrible scream, Lexi is dragged completely into the Elemental, and Jake's mandibles snap closed around Jess's head, crushing it and splattering her blood across the ground.

"NO! ! !" I scream, sitting bolt upright, gasping for breath and with my body soaked with sweat, the same for the bed.

Two pairs of arms instantly wrap around me, but I shout in fear and fling myself away from them onto the floor, scrambling away, only for a body to land on me, pinning me down.

"Ben!" a voice snaps, making me fall still, staring up into a pair of light pink eyes.

"Lexi," I breathe, looking to the side where Jess is kneeling beside me. "Jess."

Then, I break, beginning to sob, Lexi pulling me into a hug as Jess wraps her arms around me from behind.

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