So much had happened in so little time that Zim just couldn't sit still. His heart was racing with anxiety and excitement and his eyes searched all around the strange aircraft. He was so curious about the symbiote Harry had and this "shield" agency he was about to enter. Most of the humans tended to have their agencies on the ground but this one had their headquarters located in the sky.
Zim noticed that most of the agents sitting across from him, Harry, and Peter were very nervous and fidgety. Only a couple of them were clutching guns, but he could tell that they weren't the lethal kind.
"The symbiote must scare them," Zim thought to himself "If it is such a threat they must either be very foolish to not have lethal weapons to kill it if it attacks or they don't want it dead."
It was extremely dangerous for an Irken, such as himself, to even be in the presence of an Earth authority, but his curiosity compelled him. After all, this "shield" had to have some pretty extensive and undisclosed information about the Earth. He couldn't waste such a valuable opportunity, not this time.
Suddenly the aircraft slowed down as it approached an even larger aircraft about as big as 50 football stadiums merged together into one of the largest aircrafts Zim had ever seen, that was human made anyways. Zim's jaw dropped so low he could fit his whole fist into his mouth if he wanted and then some. He shook himself out if it and looked over at Harry who was still asleep.
"How could he be sleeping during all of this?" Zim muttered under his breath.
Zim extended his arm out to wake Harry, but retracted it when the aircraft came to a sudden stop and jerked him awake. Harry blinked then instantly looked down at Peter to see how he was doing.
His breathing was getting shallower, but he was still alive nonetheless. There were splotches of drying blood all over Peter's shirt and on his face and hands as well. Harry fought the urge to pity himself and woke Peter with a light nudge.
Peter's eyes slowly fluttered open and Harry soon came into focus. Peter forced a smile to let him know he was okay, even though he felt pain throbbing throughout his torso.
"We're here," Fury stated a bit furiously.
Zim and Harry carefully picked up Peter and carried him out of the aircraft, behind Fury. All of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents stood perfectly still and stared down at Peter with looks of not exactly fear, but more of a shocked expression. Then they all walked through several corridors until they came to a door with the word 'Infirmary' stamped across it.
Fury pressed a button on the wall and opened the door, then gestured for the trio to enter. Zim and Harry felt very nervous as Fury watched them, but knew it was more important to focus on getting Peter some medical treatment.
A few doctors sprinted to them and instructed them to set Peter on a bed. Once they laid Peter onto the bed Venom went back onto Harry's right arm and covered it from his fingertips to his shoulder blade to make his presence known.
Peter shivered as Venom left, and then winced when one of the doctors injected a sedative into one of his arms. Everything became a big blur and soon he could only see bright lights and silhouettes. All of the voices became muffled sounds and he became dizzy from all of the confusion and pain. It wasn't long before he closed his heavy eyelids and passed out.
Harry sat down on a bed that was two beds away from Peter and watched as the doctors tended to his wounds. Zim leaned against the foot of the bed and saw Fury and the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, through a window, outside of the infirmary talking amongst themselves.
"I don't like this. They must be forming a plan to get rid of us. You'd better stay on your guard, Harry; they probably want that symbiote of yours," Zim said to Harry.
Zim didn't exactly want to help Harry but he'd rather have the guy with the symbiote on his side rather than against him if all hell broke loose here. He saw the agents' faces plastered with fear and he knew that if humans, or really any race for that matter, fear something they tend to eradicate the source of that fear…permanently. Zim would rather not be eradicated by these fear infested humans, and the symbiote fascinated him.
Harry kept his eyes on Peter as the doctors removed his shirt and began to put things back together. He knew S.H.I.E.L.D wanted the symbiote, but it was his. It was almost all he had. All he felt like he had was Venom and Peter right now, and he hoped that Peter would live. He knew Peter would live; he was Spider-Man after all. Harry let his thoughts trail off as he sighed quietly.
"Why did it choose you?" Zim almost whispered.
Harry glanced down at his arm covered with Venom and replied, "I don't know. I ask myself that question all the time. I even ask him but he gives no real answer, just a simple 'why wouldn't I?'"
"So it's a him?"
"Yeah."
"How do you know?"
"That's what he told me and I don't see any reason for him to lie."
Harry stared down at his feet and frowned. "I hope he doesn't lie," Harry whispers to himself but Zim hears the last three words. '…he doesn't lie.'
Fury then abruptly entered the room and began to walk toward Harry. Harry and Zim noticed so they stood up and walked over to the other side of Peter's bed to avoid him. The doctors continued their work but one of them walked over to Fury and showed him something on a tablet.
The doctor pointed to the screen and started saying to Fury, "It might take him months to fully recover but he'll live. I don't know how but that symbiote managed to keep all of his organs and everything in place until he got here. Honestly he should be dead right now, even if he is Spider-Man. No one could have survived that long without severe organ damage and blood loss…"
He continued on but Zim and Harry didn't need to hear anymore. Yes Peter would be fine, but they were probably even more curious about the symbiote than they ever were before.
"I won't let them take it," Harry whispered to Zim when Fury was too busy looking down at the screen.
"I wouldn't either if I were you," Zim whispered back. "You're probably intimidating them by having it all over your arm."
"Good."
"Normally I'd agree with you, but the agents just outside the door might get an itchy trigger finger if they're extremely scared of you. You should still keep it out though, just don't try to scare them. People are more rational when they're calm."
Harry nodded his head and replied, "Alright, when do think Peter will wake up?"
Zim glanced over at Peter being sewed up and bandaged. It made him feel sick that humans would sow their skin, but he quickly brushed the feeling off. He didn't know when Peter would wake up, but when he watched those hospital shows with GIR he remembered it always taking a few hours for the patient to regain consciousness.
"Maybe in two or three hours since the sedative has to wear off." Zim then looked at Harry and stated, "He's going to be in a hell of a lot of pain when he wakes up, you know."
Harry then pulled his knees up to his chest and said, "I know, but won't the painkillers help?"
Zim scoffed, "Painkillers can only do so much. He'll probably want to talk to you when he wakes up."
"I hope so. I want to talk to him, too."
Fury then began walking toward Harry and Zim took a breath and stood up straight. Harry put his knees back down and balled up his hands into fists, then relaxed them as he remembered Zim's advice.
Fury stopped right at the foot of Peter's bed and looked down at him. There was a blank expression on his face as if he felt something but didn't at the same time. Then he turned his gaze over to Zim for a second, then to Harry. They looked at each other for what seemed like forever to Zim, but was only about fifteen seconds.
Fury then turned around and exited the room. Zim and Harry then both sighed unanimously.
"I thought we were going to have the world's longest staring contest for a minute there," Harry said relieved.
"You might as well have. At least he left."
The doctors finished some final touches on Peter's bandaging, then most of them left while two stayed behind to record his vitals.
The female doctor whispered to the male doctor, "What if this had happened to Luke?"
"The symbiote can't hurt him, Amanda, you know that," the male replied harshly.
"Should we tell him about his friend?" the female doctor or Amanda said a bit uncertainly.
"After school we'll tell him, okay?"
"Alright, Walter, we'll tell him after school."
The two doctors then left and it was just Zim, Harry, and an unconscious Peter alone in the room. Even with the six or seven S.H.I.E.L.D. agents right outside the door it still felt very isolated since Harry and Zim barely knew each other.
Zim stood up then walked over to the bed on the other side of Peter and sat on it. Harry examined the symbiote on his arm and lightly touched it with his fingertips. It rippled a little bit but nothing more.
It was perfectly silent except for the rhythmic beeping of the monitors attached to Peter. Venom couldn't stand the undaunted silence, but he didn't know exactly what to say to Harry. He didn't want to risk Harry blaming him for this. If he did he would have to push Harry under and take control, but the only problem with that was that it was getting harder each time.
"MJ is going to hate me for this," Harry whispered to Venom.
"She is going to feel sssympathy for you, Harry, essspecially if you truly regret your actionsss."
"That's my problem then. I don't regret all of them, not one hundred percent. I wanted to hurt him for not telling me and for not trusting me, but I understand why he didn't. He knew I hated Spider-Man and that it would've ruined our friendship then. I know Peter won't hate me, but I don't know how MJ will react."
"She is your friend, Harry, she cannot hate you."
Harry smiled for a second and replied, "I hope you're right."
Venom honestly could care less about MJ hating Harry but he had made a deal that he would help Harry win her over. This would prove to be a very difficult task.
Peter felt pain everywhere, running from head to toe, or at least it seemed like it was. He opened his eyes and all he could see was bright light with blurred figures throughout the room. He heard a familiar voice but couldn't make out what it was saying.
"Harry?" Peter said weakly.
He craned his head to the left and saw Harry sitting next to his bed, with Venom on his right arm. He noticed that he was no longer in the S.H.I.E.L.D. infirmary but in a hospital.
"When did we move?"
Harry shifted and replied, "While you were unconscious we moved you to a hospital. Fury tried to separate us again, but Zim and I refused to leave you. One S.H.I.E.L.D. agent is at the door and school is going to end in an hour."
Peter took a few seconds to process what Harry said. It made sense that Fury would move him so his friends and family could talk to him, but what was he going to tell them? A lie or the truth? He had to tell them the truth, especially if Harry already knew it.
"Could you call Aunt May and ask her to come visit me?"
Harry smiled and said, "Sure. Are you going to tell her about…Spider-Man?"
Peter sighed and said uneasily, "I should, she might get mad but she deserves to know. And she's going to ask about how I got hurt…" His voice trailed off. Should he tell her about Harry being Venom too, or should he leave that detail out?
"You can tell her about me if you want," Harry said a bit too calmly.
"I don't think I should tell her who Venom is. Hearing about who Spider-Man really is is enough for one day."
Harry smiled and touched his arm with Venom on it as if he was reassuring himself and Venom at the same time. "Thank you."
Harry then stood up and walked over to the corner of the room to make the call. Peter noticed that Zim was sitting by the window and playing some sort of game on a tablet. Zim looked over at Peter then put down the tablet.
"How long have you been in here?" Peter asked.
"Only for about 1 hour, 47 minutes, and 16 seconds. Why?"
Peter was stunned that Zim was paying attention to the exact time. "I, umm, was just curious."
Zim smirked and said, "You humans are always curious."
Peter then sat up carefully to avoid hurting himself and noticed that most of his torso was covered in bandages. He felt a familiar feeling in his stomach. Hunger.
"Could you get some food for me please?"
Zim stood up and replied before he walked out through the door, "I'll try not to throw up in it."
Peter laughed but stopped when it began to hurt. He didn't know how long it would take him to fully recover. And then it hit him. How long before people notice that Spider-Man is gone? Surely someone would notice that he was put in the hospital and suddenly Spider-Man was nowhere to be found. If he didn't heal fast enough people would get suspicious.
His train of thought was interrupted by Fury barging through the door. Harry immediately went over to the other side Peter's bed.
"Harry knows doesn't he?" Fury said trying his best to stay calm.
Peter nodded his head and replied with a rather weak, "Yes."
"I would have apprehended him sooner if he hadn't keeping you alive."
Peter looked shocked then replied defensively, "Wait, you're going to apprehend him? He saved me. Doesn't that count for something?"
"He attacked you, Peter. What if he attacks someone else? Venom is a threat."
As soon as Fury said 'Venom' Harry shivered. He didn't like Fury talking about him as if he wasn't there, but he didn't want to be a part of this conversation. If he said anything to Fury he wouldn't believe him, only Peter could convince him of anything.
"Harry is not a threat, he is my best friend! And he can learn to control Venom. I'll make sure he doesn't hurt anyone, just don't try to capture him. You know how messy that'll get," Peter spat at Fury.
Fury growled, and then sighed angrily, "Fine, but if he steps out of line-"
"I'll take care of it."
Fury then glared at Harry and left the room. Harry sighed and began laughing a little bit. Peter smiled and glanced down at Venom. It was weird seeing him on Harry like this.
Harry then sat down and said, "Thank you so much, Pete. I thought he was going to explode there for a minute."
"No problem. I think there's been enough chaos today and I don't need to see you get dragged out of here and…"
He stopped. They both knew what he was going to say so there was no point in saying it. There was a moment of silence where all they could hear were the monitors beeping and some people walking around out in the hallway.
"Aunt May said she would come as soon as possible," Harry said to break the silence.
Peter smiled, propped up his pillow and then said, "Good, do you think she'll ground me for being Spider-Man?"
Peter then leaned against his propped up pillow and stretched out his arms. He was a bit stiff, but too sore to stand up.
"I don't think she'll ground you, but she'll definitely want to have a talk with you."
Harry looked at the time on the clock on the wall. It was about 2:15 so school would get out in about an hour. Then MJ would show up to talk to Peter and him. He then felt a pang of guilt.
"Pete, I-I need to tell you something. About why I got back together with Venom."
Peter shifted a bit to face Harry and said, "Go ahead."
"Somehow he managed to find me and when he did I was…I was jealous of you because MJ liked you. I thought I could use him to win her over, but I only ended up hurting you. And the worst part was…" He couldn't say it. It was already too painful to admit to himself but just couldn't to Peter.
"What?" Peter asked.
Harry stared down at the floor, hoping he could melt right into it.
"I…" He started.
He forced himself to look up at Peter and painfully admitted, "I wanted to hurt you."
Peter gasped and covered his mouth. His friend, no, his best friend wanted to hurt him over a girl? He knew that guys did stuff like this all the time, but Harry had taken it to a whole different level.
"I'm sorry, Pete. I understand if you're mad at me. I just wanted to tell you the whole truth since you told me the truth," Harry said with his voice quivering.
Peter didn't know how to react or what to say. He felt frozen in place and betrayed. He wasn't mad at Harry, but he definitely felt hurt deep down inside.
Suddenly Zim came into the room with a plate of Pizza, some fruit salad, and pasta in one hand and a glass of soda in the other. He walked over to Peter and set down the food on a table next to his bed.
"They were out of milk so I got you soda instead."
"Thank you," Peter said dully.
Peter looked at the food and, for hospital food, it actually looked pretty good. Either that or he was so hungry he'd eat anything. Peter began eating and Zim sat down by the window again, next to Harry.
Zim noticed Harry staring down at his feet uncomfortably and asked, "What happened to you?"
"Fury," Harry said without taking his eyes away from his feet.
"Who?"
"The guy with the eye patch who runs S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Oh, him."
Zim looked out the window and saw a world of white. He smiled, realizing that if Dib showed up at his school today he would be disappointed to not find him there. He'd skip school for anything really, and the principal probably excused today since he helped Peter or whatnot.
It started snowing again and the Sun was nowhere to be found. Zim pressed his hands against the window and felt the coldness invade his palms and fingertips. He smirked at his faint reflection in the window and knew that somehow, somehow he'd find a way to take over this ball of dirt. And that maybe the key to that was closer than he thought.