A/N: Yay for quick update for once, lol! I hope the trend continues. I just pounded this chapter out in the last hour or so, and I'm hoping its ok. I'm keeping some secrets, but all will be answered in time, I promise. I'm sort of forming a solid base plot line at this point, and I think some of the filling is forming in my head too, which should make for occasionally quick updates and occasionally slow ones, please forgive me ahead of time. Enjoy!

Chapter Seven: Friends on the Job

Lilliana Hudson rolled out of bed, dragged herself to her closet, and threw on her workout clothes before trudging into the gym. Halfway through her workout she was finally awake enough to notice the Amazing Spiderman working out with Steve, in full costume. It peaked her interest, and she couldn't help but wander over there and observe.

"Why don't you just tell her? It has to be hard to keep it from someone that entwined in your lives." Steve was saying. It hit a nerve with the webslinger, who started hitting harder.

"You don't get it, she'd freak out, and get all in my business and concerned with my safety. It would be a distraction to both of us. I'm already going to be paranoid about her when she's around dangerous stuff." He replied. Lilly knew that voice, she'd heard it almost every day for three years, and there was no mistaking it. A strange anger overwhelmed her and she walked over to the costumed hero and ripped the mask off his head.

"Damn you Peter! How dare you keep it a secret from me this long! Does MJ know?" She shouted, causing the room to quiet. He turned around quickly, snatched her wrist and dragged her forcefully out of the room.

"Why can't you ever stop eavesdropping on me you nosy little brat?" Peter shouted at her before the door closed behind them. She yanked her arm from his grasp, rubbing her already red wrist. He was fuming; she hadn't seen him this angry in a long time.

"Sorry for caring about you and MJ and wanting to get close to the hero that saved my life! Is that why you're here? To protect me? I don't need it!"

"Sure, that's why Tony got in touch with me and told me you couldn't fire a gun to save your life and he doubted you had any real skill at hand to hand combat. You're proving yourself so independent here. Face it, you don't have any skills other than you're writing, no matter how much you study your 'heroes.' And yea, it's my dream to babysit you for MJ!" Lilly screamed and swung a punch at him, he grabbed her fist hard, making it crack. She whimpered.

"You're really cruel today Peter." She said simply, before turning and walking towards her room. He looked after her, already regretting his words, and once she turned the corner, he could hear her sob before he turned back into the gym. As he looked around, he could see the many disapproving glares, and he turned and left after her.

Lilliana reached her room, her body still shaking with tears, and she started shoving her things in her bag. She was determined to resign and leave, even if it meant making the base stop to let her off on some remote island. If they had no faith in her, they should have let her go in person, not leave it up to Peter to tell her. Once her bag was packed, she sat down to pen a letter of immediate resignation when she heard a knock on her door. She opened it, and after seeing Peter, promptly gave him the finger and went to slam it in his face, but he stopped it, and allowed himself in.

"What are you doing Lilly?" He asked her, as she sat back down to her letter.

"Quitting." She replied curtly.

"The only job you've ever been excited about in your life?"

"If I'm not any good for it, then why am I here?"

"Tony didn't say that, it was just a questioning of your ability to defend yourself. If the base gets attacked, or you're on scene and become a target, you're screwed. That's why I agreed to come on board. I'm an extra set of eyes on you."

"I don't want to be babysat."

"I got carried away. I didn't want you to find out. I was going to tell you once I got you home safe. I don't want you to get distracted worrying about me."

"You're Spiderman Peter, it's a big deal, I've known you for three years, you practically live with us, and you saved my life! I deserved to know before now!"

"Maybe, but I don't like to tell people, I worry that if people know that I'm Spidey, they will become targets."

"Valiant, but if MJ is a target, and I'm her roommate… I'm fair game."

"Point noted. I'm sorry. It just, never felt right to tell you, especially after the nature of the rescue. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

"I've wanted to thank him every day for the past two years. I just, can't believe it's you."

"I know right? Dorky Peter is good for something."

"I better get interview rights." She laughed.

"We'll see. Maybe I can work it out with Jameson." He chuckled, and she wrapped him in a warm hug, enjoying the bond of their friendship, despite the anger. "You better rip up that letter, unpack, and get your butt to the firing range. By the way, you look great."

"Thanks Peter. I don't know why I got so mad. I just, want to be good enough on my own."

"Your writing is. You're shooting, not so much. It will come with time. They just don't have it."

Lilliana pulled out of the hug, and tore up her letter. Peter grabbed the pieces and threw them in the trash, and then he helped her unpack. They talked about MJ and what was new at home for a while, and about what it was like to live a double life while they were unknowingly being observed by Fury and Tony. Both men were glad that she was the key to getting Spiderman on board, but Tony felt a little guilty for using her and hoped they really could use her writing somehow.