Being much more familiar with the process this time around, Mary Jane's entry into Ryker's Island was much more efficient. She quickly took care of the check-in process before once more being escorted into the visiting area. She'd been fortunate that she'd made it in time; it was already pushing the end of visiting hours, and they'd warned her that she wouldn't have as much time as normal before all the prisoners had to turn in for the night. The limited time made M.J. even more nervous. As she took her seat, she ran through in her mind again what she wanted to say.

The truth was, she hadn't really settled on anything outside of begging Gayle one more time to let her help. Of course, there was always the possibility now even more than before that her older sister might just turn around and refuse to even talk to her at all, given how their first conversation went. Still, Mary Jane held on to hope. From what he'd told her, Peter had gotten two out of three in terms of reconciliations today, so maybe the odds were in her favor too.

The door on the other side of the room opened, and the lack of other visitors offered M.J. a clearer view this time as her sister walked out, a guard accompanying her. When they locked eyes, Gayle stopped, staring at her in what appeared to be a mix of disbelief and frustration. Mary Jane practically held her breath as her older sister made no move at first, hoping against hope that she wouldn't turn around and walk back inside. Fortunately for her, after several seconds that felt like minutes, the woman walked over to the station, still appearing somewhat reluctant. She sat down, the two ladies grabbing the phones.

"What are you doing here, Mary Jane?" Gayle asked, her tone more annoyed than anything else.

"I've decided that I'm not giving up on you, whether you like it or not," she replied, fighting the urge to swallow as she hoped this was the right approach. Her sister simply rolled her eyes.

"Like I told you before, I've tried," Gayle said, "and like I said, I don't..."

"I know, I'm the last person you want help from," Mary Jane replied, pressing on. "But frankly, I don't care. I felt the same way when dad came back claiming to be sober and past his issues. We had to work through some things, and we still are really, but I took a risk on him, and we're both better for it."

M.J. paused, focusing on her sister's expression for a moment. She couldn't quite tell if Gayle was softening up or not, but she hadn't pushed her away yet, so she continued.

"Gayle, this might be our last chance to have our family back, to really be a family again. I know that it's not going to be easy, and we have a long way to go, but I'm willing to take a chance on it. Are you?"

Her sister's lip curled in, seemingly to disguise a light quiver. Her eyes darted back and forth, and she sniffed, her whole body appearing to try to stifle the fullness of whatever emotions she was feeling. Eventually, she reestablished eye contact with M.J, a newfound intensity in her expression.

"I've been so angry with you for so long," she said, letting the words out like a heavily held breath. "You were all I had, Mary Jane. The two Watson girls against the world, that's how it used to be... until you betrayed that, and then I trusted someone else who also walked away when things got hard... I'm not sure that I have it in me to trust someone like that again." Surprisingly, Gayle's words weren't laced with the same venom as before. There was still anger, but this time, they seemed more like a plea, like she was stuck somewhere and needed help getting out.

"I wish that I had something that I could say that could just make you trust me again," Mary Jane said. "I wish I could go back and change how selfish I was, but I can't and I hate that. Speaking from experience, I know it's not easy to move past all the resentment. We don't have to fix everything all at once though; we can just take one step at a time."

Gayle wiped her nose with her sleeve. "So, what does that look like for us?"

"Let me see if I can at least get your case reviewed," M.J. suggested. "I know the D.A. in the city; if I can get her to have the records transferred from Montoursville, maybe we can see if there's any way to reopen your case. It might take a little bit; Anne was recently injured, but she's expected to make a full recovery. When she does, I'll reach out to her."

"Okay," Gayle replied. "Just... just let me know when you've talked to her."

"Alright," M.J. said. "And Gayle... thanks."

A perplexed look came over her sister's face.

"For what?" she asked.

"For at least giving us a chance to talk when I've come to visit," M.J. explained. "You might not believe this, but I've missed you."

Gayle did not reply, instead hanging up the phone and quickly walking away, the officer nearby escorting her out of the room. Closing her eyes and letting out a sigh of relief, M.J. hung up the phone as well, getting up and taking her leave. She reacquired all her belongings and made her way outside. She'd just about made it to her bike when her phone rang. Recognizing the ringtone immediately, M.J. answered it quickly.

"Hey Pete."

"Hey," he greeted, his tone leaning slight towards melancholy. "So, how'd things go with Gayle?"

"Honestly, about as good as I could have hoped for," she replied as she came alongside her bike. "She's agreed to at least let me see if I can get her case reviewed."

"Really? That's great!" Peter exclaimed.

"Yeah, it feels... nice," Mary Jane explained. "Thanks for helping me stick with it, Tiger."

"Yeah," Peter replied, his tone a little clipped. "Of course."

"What about you?" she asked. "How'd it go with Eddie?"

His response came in the form of an audible moan.

"That good, huh?"

"I don't know; things were great with Robbie and Jonah; the latter even accepted the invitation to our wedding," Peter explained. "I let myself get my hopes up just a little, but when I found Eddie, he... Anne's attacker was in his house."

"What?" M.J. questioned, "so, what happened?"

"I think Eddie had already taken him down," Peter explained, "but when the guy tried to get away, Eddie ran over and just started beating him. Eddie also had a gun."

"A gun?" M.J. questioned.

"Yeah," Peter replied, "he said that the guy attacked him, and maybe he's telling the truth, but... I don't know, something just felt off about him tonight, worse than normal too. He just seems so angry right now, so set on revenge. I don't know what to do."

"I don't know if there is anything that you can do," M.J. said. "He might just need to work through this on his own."

"You think I should give up?" Peter asked.

"No," M.J. replied, "just give him some space. Once Anne starts doing better, it might help."

"Yeah," Peter muttered. "I hope so."

Finally running out of breath, Eddie slumped against the metal side of the nearest building. Running his hand over his face and hair, he tried to compose himself as he caught his breath. He still couldn't believe what had happened back at the hospital. Had he really been so angry with his father-in-law that he would resort to hitting him like that? What was going on with him?

He could still picture his wife's face, the look of horror in her eyes. Shame once again covered Eddie's body, making him wish that he could just bury himself in a hole somewhere and cease to exist. He obviously couldn't do that though, so what was he supposed to do? Maybe if he just talked to somebody about it... but who? He supposed he could reach out to Peter, but there was still too much frustration there. He could talk to Robbie, as he knew his boss was always willing to lend a listening ear, but he was likely at home with his family right now, and he didn't want to intrude.

The ring of a bell caught his attention. He looked across the street to find Our Lady of Saints Church right in front of him. Eddie started walking over to it, jogging across the street. By now, it was well into the evening, the sun having already gone down. Even so, he knew that some of the priests there occasionally stayed later in the day, though he had no idea how great his chances really were of this as he went up to the building, finding that the door was still unlocked.

Letting himself in, Eddie entered the church's sanctuary, nearly bumping into a priest as he did.

"I'm sorry," he quickly apologized. "I don't mean to intrude; I know it's late, but I was hoping that I could talk, maybe even do a confession."

"I'm sorry," the man said. "But I'm afraid you'll need to schedule an appointment with us to be able to do so. I will warn you though that we give priority to members, so it might take a while for you."

"I am a member though," Eddie explained. "Though I will confess that it has been a few months since we last attended."

"Oh, well then that's perfect," the priest assured him. "We try and reach out to the more wayward members first, so call first thing in the morning, and we'll get you scheduled as soon as possible."

"Sir," Eddie said, reaching out and grabbing the man's arm to stop him from leaving. He soon felt embarrassed at this and retracted his hand. "I just really need to talk to someone now, tonight. I've done something that I deeply regret, and I need counsel on how to move forward. Please."

"I'm sorry," the man said. "My only advice to you is either to go home and get some rest, or if you really feel as though you must, take your concerns directly before the Lord."

The priest then exited the church, leaving Eddie alone with his thoughts. He could just go home, but he really felt that he needed to get his thoughts out there at the very least. But could he just talk to God like that though? Most of his prayers in his life had come either before meals or during other important times that he was required to observe, and even those he had sometimes skipped or forgotten due to the busy nature of his life. Would God listen to someone like him?

Ultimately deciding that there was no harm in at least trying, Eddie stepped over to the Holy water in the small container nearby. Dipping his pointer and middle fingers in it, he then tapped his forehead, followed by the right and lefts sides of his heart. He then walked down the aisle of the sanctuary, gradually making his way to the front of the room. He stopped at the base of the steps, sinking to his knees at the weight of his thoughts and recent actions began to feel overwhelming. He just felt so lost... and alone.

"God," he stammered out, hoping that getting started would help him figure out what to say. "It's Eddie; oh, who am I kidding, you already know that. I don't know exactly what I came here to say. I've made mistakes recently, including a big one tonight. I just feel like no one understands what I'm going through. It seems like I'm the only one who is trying to get justice for my wife. I know that some of my recent methods have been a little... extreme, but I really feel like I've been left with no other options to protect my family by."

Eddie's lips began to quiver, his anger coming back towards the surface again.

"I'm so angry," he let out, raising his eyes heavenward. "I'm sorry that I feel that way; I don't like it, but it's how I feel. It just seems like this anger is all that I have left. It's like the only thing that's there for me, you know? All anyone else seems to want to do is lecture me on what I should or shouldn't do and warn me to be careful, tell me that I'm getting in over my head. What am I supposed to do?"

All he was met with was silence, each second causing his blood to get hotter as his rage grew.

"Why won't you answer me!?" Eddie cried out, his frustration boiling over. "Have you turned against me too? I'm sorry okay, I'm sorry!"

Collapsing against the stairs of the stage, Eddie began to weep bitterly, burying his face in his arms. He hated himself and his situation right now. He hated that those close to him had always tried to talk him down instead of helping him out. He hated how he'd let his anger get the best of him tonight, and most of all, he hated the look his wife gave him tonight. The person he loved more than anything or anyone else in the world, the person who had always supported him no matter what, had been the person he'd hurt the most in all of this.

"What have I done?" he muttered through his sobs at one point.

As Eddie continued to pour out his soul, he gradually became more and more oblivious to his surroundings. He just felt like the weight on his shoulders he'd felt as he entered was only growing heavier and heavier. He clenched his fist as it did. How was he supposed to process this burden What was he supposed to do with it?

Eddie then felt something touch his back, shaking him from his thoughts and pulling him back to reality. He slowly sat up and looked back, seeing what appeared to be some strange black stuff that had somehow landed on the back of his jacket. He reached over to it, taking some of it in his hand to see if he could discern what it was. It felt strange, like some kind of semisolid material. It then started to spread out among his hand, seemingly trying to grip him. Eddie tried to shake it off, but it remained stuck to him. Suddenly, a much larger and thicker batch of the stuff collapsed onto him, the substance quickly enveloping him.

"Stop!" Eddie screamed. "Get off me! Help!"

But it was too late; before he knew it, the material had completely encased him, his world turning to darkness.

"Hello, new friend."

Eddie nearly jumped at the sound of the voice. It sounded deep and mysterious... yet still oddly friendly.

"Who said that?" he asked as he looked this way and that, surrounded by nothing but blackness. "Who are you?"

"We are exactly what you need, Eddie," the voice answered, "someone who understands your pain. We know what it feels like to want to help someone, to achieve justice, only to be cast aside and rejected for our efforts."

"Y-you do?" Eddie questioned.

"Yes," the voice assured him. "Let us show you."

Suddenly, Eddie began to see images, flashes of memories almost. They were all of Peter and Spider-Man, specifically from all the times he had interfered or tried to deter him from his goals. He then witnessed Spider-Man tearing off the same black substance that he now appeared to possess, and finally, he saw Spider-Man standing alone somewhere, his mask removed... revealing the face of Peter Parker.

"Peter... Peter Parker is Spider-Man?" Eddie questioned. His mind seemed to almost freeze at the development before the proverbial wheels began turning again. "Of course, it all makes sense. All the times he left me behind, all the times that he just disappeared, he was running off to be Spider-Man!"

His mind then began to put other pieces together.

"He was the reason Anne got kidnapped by that hunter guy," he said. "He didn't even bother to explain what was going on, that it was his fault!"

"No, he didn't," the creature spoke up.

"And everything with Anne, stopping me from testifying to the police, telling me that I to just sit back and do nothing... that was Peter!" Eddie's fists began to clench, his blood boiling as his rage began to spike like never before.

"All this time you were his friend, he did not trust you," the creature said. "He abused his power and tried to rub it in your face, make himself seem better than you."

"When all this time, he was too cowardly to do what needed to be done," Eddie spoke up. "All this time, he claimed to be my friend, when he's really been an enemy."

"Exactly!" the creature replied. "But not us! Join with us, Eddie Brock, and together, we will be what this city, this world really needs. We will stop at nothing to achieve true justice, no matter what we may face!"

"Yes," Eddie replied, beginning to accept the creature.

"And most of all, we will rid the world of the one who betrayed us both, the one who has stood in our way!"

"Yes!" Eddie shouted.

The being that made its way out of the church was not the same as when it had entered. Rather, it was now a fusion of two creatures, a perfect symbiosis between two beings. Big plans were already forming in their joined mind, plans involving the city and how they would make it a safer place. More than that though, as they raced towards the skyscrapers and off into the night, their thoughts came back to one goal, one purpose above all others.

Destroy Spider-Man.

At last, we are here.

Thanks again for all the support! Continuing to pray for you all; stay safe and healthy!

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:12-13