Questions & Revelations

Well, after much thought and research, I am happy to bring you all the next chapter in 'Starting Over'. I would like to thank Ability King KK and petescheude for their input in writing this chapter, without their help, I would be at a standstill in regards to writing this. A heads up though, this chapter will contain strong, graphic violence. Anyone who has problems with that, please wait until my next posting. To whoever reads, please enjoy and review.

-N

It had been too long since he had seen him. His fellow crime bosses had all but stopped their activities out of fear of his retribution. After what had happened to Swarm, they were all now aware of what the menace was capable of. He raised his hand, and rubbed the mark that was now almost healed. He would never forget what that boy had done to him. He didn't really think that the boy would have the drive to commit himself to the act, but the scar proved otherwise.

Fisk rose and walked to his window, knowing that Spider-Man, the masked hero who had always been an annoyance, was swiftly becoming something much more troublesome. He had gone from being a perpetual thorn in his side to an unacceptable risk, one that had to be dealt with. With extreme prejudice.

"Twenty points," he cackled as the dart landed near the hollow of her throat. The woman had stopped screaming hours ago. He didn't even really know her name, just that she had bumped into him at the bar, ruining a perfect shot and costing him twenty bucks in a bet. After the money had exchanged hands, he had gone up to her and bought her a few drinks before taking to his home. She had come willingly, and that was the best part. She willingly became a part of his games. He raised his eyes to the three inch nails holding her to the drywall. In his mind, she resembled a macabre version of Christ on the cross. "You bleed beautifully," he walked to her, and almost lovingly pulled the darts from her skin. The blood that flowed soon joined the rest pooling on his carpet.

When he resumed his place across the room, he groaned as he heard his phone start to ring. "One moment please," he raised his free hand in apology to the woman's blank eyes, and left the room, the better to focus on his caller. "What!" He didn't hide the anger in his voice, no one had the right to interrupt his game.

"I have a job for you," he heard the deep rumble and smiled. He hadn't had any work in months, and the King Pin always did give him the best targets, the most challenging opponents.

"I'm all ears boss," he walked back to the woman, and picked up the discarded darts.

"I want Spider-Man eliminated." He smiled into the phone. Spider-Man, the guy was bothering everyone lately. People were afraid to go out at night and do their jobs now, especially after the rumors of what he had done to the King Pin. To bring him down would make him truly the best. After that, all the work in the city would come to him, and no one would dare try to bring him down.

"What about the woman who's running with him?" He threw the first dart, and growled as he missed. He was too excited about this, he had to calm down, to focus.

"Whatever you want." He cackled into the phone, the woman had lost too much blood now, and didn't make any noise as the projectile buried itself in her shoulder.

"Done."

"Very well, I'll send you everything I have on the both of them."

"No need boss," he looked to the steel case that occupied the bed. "I already have everything I need."

"Come see me when you're finished."

He heard him hang up and focused back on the body that hung from the wall. He could see that she had stopped breathing, and shook his head slightly. She had had so much potential, but instead had chosen to falter and fail his expectations. But that woman, the Black Cat, she would be perfect. He could enjoy her for hours. The flawless white skin and piercing eyes could captivate him for hours with the fury they would hold. Even if she chose not to scream and simply suffer, he could use the new dartboard. Yeah, a few days of research, and the game would start. Have to be on top of my game. He took aim and threw, smiling as it pierced her eye. No problem. He stared at the body, frowning at the wounds that had gone from a steady flow to a slow drip.

He started to pull the nails holding her up, and after releasing her, dragged the corpse to his window. He leaned out, and could barely see the dumpster sitting in the alley. Flinging her out the window, he waited until he heard the faint metallic thump, and smiled widely. "Bulls eye."

It had been almost a month since they had left Manhattan, longer than he had planned, and frankly, they didn't want to go back. Peter was enjoying the peace and quiet, and Felicia, he looked to her, already curled up and asleep in the truck. She had enjoyed the attention that the school and town had given her.

He remembered when they had gone down for breakfast the next morning, and how he had somehow lost all his shirts sometime in the evening. That being said, he was forced to attend an already tense meal, where he was greeted by a whistle of approval from the black woman who stood at the kitchen counter. He had hoped that he would be only mildly embarrassed of the damage Felicia had caused, but Logan had decided to go for the kill. "Get your cat declawed, and you won't have those problems." He felt himself glowing red, and wasn't able to speak, and sadly, his girlfriend had needed to come to his rescue.

"Jealous that a woman can leave her mark on him?" She had then stared pointedly at him and turned her gaze to the woman who sat beside him. The woman had merely giggled when he growled, and proceeded to actually pet the man until he had calmed down. From that point on, he had locked himself in the mansion's lab, and only came out for meals and rest. Sadly though, even the quiet silence of the lab was ruined.

True, he had enjoyed the times when Felicia when came down into the room, and proceeded to act out what she considered several of her darker fantasies. But shortly after one of those enjoyable distractions, he was again interrupted. He had been so focused on trying to improve his web shooters, convinced that he could implement the immobilizers into the weapons, when he heard it. He had thought nothing of the crash, considering their training area shared the lab's wall, until Logan had crashed through it.

The man was ragged, covered in slashes, and his eyes were almost glazed over with the fury they held. He just roared out his frustration, and Peter watched, stunned, as he dove back through the opening. Seconds later, Felicia landed inside the lab, granted more gracefully. He could only watch as she adjusted her now shredded costume, waved to him and with a laugh, leapt back in. He had turned back to what was left of the lab, and continued his work. Even when Alpha had demanded that he stop them, he continued. She wanted to fight with Logan, and he wanted to work. Peter knew that if he tried to stop them, they would both just come after him.

That event had been the most memorable, and when they had left, everyone was, more or less, friendly. She had even suggested they come back when everyone else was there. She said she wanted to try and get under the skin of every male in the building. He looked to her then, and relaxed. The good food and atmosphere had done wonders. The bruises were completely gone, and thankfully, the red in her eyes had faded to what might only be thought of as a bad case of pink eye. She was wearing a pair of black jeans that hugged her form, one of his wife beaters, and her black cat heels. He almost wished that she had the jeans rolled up. He enjoyed just how much they accentuate her legs, not that he would ever openly admit it to her.

His eyes drifted momentarily to the camera that was one the dash. He had been forced to take some pictures of them together, sailing over the low buildings, and stopping the one burglar who had taken it upon himself to actually try to fight back. Peter remembered when he swung the pry bar he carried against his shoulder. He felt the joint pop out of its socket, but didn't show it. He merely restrained the man, and calmly wrapped the metal around his wrists. When they were safely away, he allowed Felicia to wrench his bones back into place. He couldn't help but think that she had enjoyed doing that, but like she had said then, when they got back, she had "kissed" it all better.

He brought his eyes back to the road, and mentally checked the list in his head. When they got back, he would go to Jameson, drop off the photos, listen to the lecture of how he was wasting the company's time, collect his check, and come home to start his patrols. He was worried though, being gone for so long. Fisk may have gotten cocky, he might have even started doing more damage than when he had left. No, but he will be waiting, be ready. He nodded, no matter what Fisk sent his way, he could bring him down. He was Spider-Man, there was nothing that could stop him.

He stared over the photos scattered on the bed. He couldn't help but smile as he mentally checked the list of what he had learned. Spider-Man was fast, that went without saying, but he almost seemed to be a psychic. Every person who had gone after him and lived all said the same thing. It was like he could sense that he was in trouble before it was even there. He remembered the similar problem he had had with the Daredevil, and while the fool was still alive, he had taught him so much. He had learned how to overwhelm someone with powers, to even the playing field. This one wouldn't be any different.

His gaze drifted over to the video of the Black Cat he had playing on a loop. She seemed to always fight the same way. Kick, punch, swipe, flip, repeat. She was quick, but other than that, she wasn't exceptional. She would be easy to bring down. That was the key, bring her down and the fight would begin. He turned to the window, and wished that he would see them, but shook the thought away. He wasn't ready yet, a few more days, and he could attack. When they met, the battle would be epic.

"Explain to me again why this trip was so important Parker?" He sat across from Jameson, and silently told the man just what he thought. Go on Peter, tell him. I think its hysterical. So did Felicia. He had originally told the man that Spider-Man and the Black Cat were leaving town for a few weeks, but he wasn't sure why, all he had known was that it was big. Then, Felicia had come up with what she thought was a brilliant plan, but it had made him nervous. She liked to play head games with him, to mess with him. Was she doing that to him now, or sending signals?

'Well, you're female, is she?' Like I'd tell a man, I might be inside your head, but a woman doesn't give these kinds of secrets away, we have a code. 'I don't even know if you're human, and you call yourself a woman'? He heard her laugh, and he could picture he shaking her had at him in pity and denial for answers. Gender transcends the species barrier. Deal with it and tell him the lie. "I'm waiting Parker."

With a huff of air, he blurted it out, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. "I believe that Spider-Man and the Black Cat went on a honeymoon." The only noise he heard was the sound of Jameson biting clean through the cigar. He stood gazing at him, eyes wide and chewing on the end.

"What proof do you have?"

"Well," he opened the folder he held, and slid the first picture across the desk. The first was one that was already published, her pining him against the wall. "First, the obvious fact that they're together." He pulled the next photo, and slid it across. It was when they were performing stake outs over several jewelry stores, before he had first confronted Fisk. "Secondly, they were sighted constantly over stores that deal exclusively in wedding bands." He could see the gears turning in Jameson's head, and wrinkled his face in disgust as the man began to chew feverously on the cigar's remains. "Then they disappear for a while, and I find them in a quiet area of southeast New York, being very," he blushed then, knowing what the camera had captured. "Together." It was of right after they caught the burglar, and Felicia, in the heat of the moment, had leapt up, wrapped her legs around his waist, and was in the process of peeling his shirt off when the camera caught them. "See what I mean?"

He heard Jameson bark out a laugh then, and did something he would never have expected. He jumped, actually jumped over the desk, clearing the furniture, and embraced Peter like he was his long lost son. "This is great kid, that menace is gonna make us rich." He ran to his phone, and started screaming before he had even finished dialing. "Stop the presses and start a new layout. I'm sending you photos and articles will follow." He turned to Peter and gave him a thumbs up. "I want the front page to read, 'Masked Menace and Queen of Thievery Tie the Knot' Got it." He spit out the stub, and fished another out of his desk. Lighting it, he grabbed his check book, and after writing, tore the paper loose. "Take this and celebrate. Have fun, I sure will be tonight." He took a long drag and again barked out his laugh, grasping the pictures as if they were gold.

He walked out of the office, closing the door and gawking at the check. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Still though, his mind drifted back to what Felicia had said. It was just a little white lie, nothing would happen. 'Would it?' His only answer was the silent laughter that filled his head.

He started to pull on the Kevlar vest, and smiled at the brand over his heart. He had put it there himself, so if someone was ever lucky enough to get a shot, they'd know where to aim. The vest secure, he reached for the belt that held his knives. Twenty perfectly weighted and chromed blades that flew so perfectly that the wind sang over their edges. He reached for the arm guards and slid them on. Each one held four loaded needles. He didn't know how much he'd need to put her down, but he would be ready. When she went down, the fun would really start. Finally, he reached for several concussion grenades and hung them from the vest. They were loud and bright, and destroyed any normal person's senses. He couldn't wait to see what they could do to the wall crawler. Finished, he reached for his duster, and after pulling it on, went to the window, and climbed the fire escape. Reaching the roof, he looked around and waited.

He had chosen this area for a reason, the 'lovebirds', as the news rags were calling them, had starting hunting in this area more often, so his best bet was that they were in this area. He sat down on a ledge, and pulling out a tooth pick, began to chew it. "Clocks ticking, and I'm waiting." He cackled into the night, wishing that they would hear him. He was finally ready, after all this time. And he would win. Spider-Man would be dead and his woman would belong to him.

"Why can't we just go back to your place? I'll even put on that dress you like, honey." He rolled his eyes at the woman laughing beside him. "You know, the red one." They had only been on patrol for a few hours, and she was already wanting to leave. When they had gotten back, she was dying to go out, and had even talked him into staying out until sunrise a few nights. But now, since they had found nothing, she was complaining. But he didn't miss the teasing in her voice. The second the Bugle had starting publishing, she had called, demanding that they start living together since they had were now "married". 'She is enjoying this way too much.' So? 'Just shut up.'

"Well dear, we can go in a little while. I just want everyone to know that we're back in town." He leapt over the edge of the building and she followed him.

Felicia couldn't understand why he was acting so strange. Sure, it was a little weird, everyone thinking that they were married, but it was just a lie so that his boss wouldn't chew his ass out for skipping town for a while. Granted, she really did enjoy hearing everyone talk about them being together. She smiled, thinking about how her friends started to complain about how Spider-Man was now tied down.

Maybe one day, she shook the thought from her head. They were only good friends, fuck buddies, nothing really more than that. She didn't know how things would end up, but she knew one thing, he cared about her. She remembered when he had told her what he had done to Swarm. How he had told her that he had killed a man and scarred another for her. It was really romantic, in a Ted Bundy slash Casanova kind of way. When she fired her grapple hook, her hand reached up and stroked her neck.

It had completely healed, and now, she had marked him as well. Her nails had really carved his back, and she knew it would be much longer until they had scarred over. She wasn't even sure why she had done it. At the time, Felicia felt that it was just fair game, getting him back for what he had done. Now though, as she watched him swing up to the top of the building, she wasn't so sure. Maybe she did want the lie to be true. When she landed on the roof, she stumbled, surprised by what she was thinking. Did she, Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat, want to get married?

"Felicia, everything all right?" She turned to face him, and started to speak, when she felt it. A sharp prick and a sudden pressure. She raised a hand to her neck, and felt the object sticking into her skin. With a quick pull, she looked at the glass dart, and noticed her vision had started to blur. Dropping it to the ground, she heard the glass break, and stumbled to her knees.

"What?" she started to fall, but not before she heard the hiss.

"Bulls eye."

Peter had noticed that Felicia was lagging behind him towards the end of their patrol. When he had landed, he was waiting for her, and after a few minutes, she had finally appeared. "Felicia, everything all right?" She had started to speak when he heard it. The noise was strange. It sounded like the wind was whistling, and yet, there hadn't been a breeze all night. They, he saw something bury itself into her neck. He had started to run towards her, and was only partially relieved when she pulled the object free and saw it was only a dart. He grabbed her as she fell, and began to panic when she slipped into unconsciousness.

He felt his senses start to explode when he heard the sound of boots crunch on the roof. He spun, and saw the man. He would never forget him, never not know who he was. His skin was pale white, and the brown eyes seemed to accentuate the crazed look that he wore on his face. He saw that he was wearing the standard Kevlar vest and was covering himself with his classic black duster. He took a moment to eye the weapons he wore, and raised his gaze to the brand that was seared into his smooth forehead. The target insignia only confirmed who he thought the man was. 'Bulls eye.' He pulled Felicia closer, and started to turn, but stopped when the man only laughed.

"Don't worry, I didn't hurt her." He stared at the sleeping woman. "I'm planning on having loads of fun with her."

He hurt her. KILL HIM! Setting her down on the roof, he felt his lungs fill with rage towards the man before charged forward, ignoring the warnings his body told him, slamming hard into the assassin, sending him spinning into the rooftop wall. He smiled as he saw the wall collapse, and bury him. He turned back to Felicia, determined to get her to safety, when he felt a burning sensation in his lower back. Reaching behind himself, he grasped the object and pulled the knife free, allowing it to drop to the ground. He turned to face Bulls Eye, who had dug himself free and was still wearing the same smile.

"Congrats, you drew first blood," he raised a hand, and wiped the blood from his nose. He looked to Spider-Man and frowned. "I missed your kidney, sorry." He pulled a second knife free and drew his arm back. "I was too excited." He threw the blade and grinned when his target caught the blade in mid air, allowing it to join its brother on the roof. "You're good," he reached under his duster and grasped the grenade. "But I'm better."

Peter watched as the object sailed towards him, and tried to drive away, but wasn't quite fast enough. He felt the force of the blast, and his sight filled with white light. He fell to the ground screaming, the pain was excruciating, his senses were on fire. They were screaming at him, telling him that danger was all around him. But he couldn't focus, the pain and noise was too much. Then he felt it. In his mind, Peter could even place where the blade had entered his body. It had pierced him high, through his chest on the left side, into the hollow of his clavicle. 'Painful, but not lethal, get up!' The second found itself buried deep into the middle of his chest, effectively splitting his sternum and piercing his lung. He coughed and tasted the copper. Get up, you've got to keep fighting. He tried to stand, and felt a blade slam into the back of his right knee, destroying the joint. Collapsing, Peter felt his vision clear and saw the man standing over him, shaking his head in disgust.

"I thought you would be better." He raised a bent piece of rebar to his face, and gestured with it to the pile of broken concrete behind him. "I'll start with her here," Peter could only cough as the blood started to pour from his mouth, soaking his suit and joining the rest on the roof. "That way, she can she just how good I really am." Peter raised his hands, trying to grasp the metal rod, but the object just slowly slid through his gloves, coming to rest on the plastic lens over his left eye. "I win." With a grunt, the man slammed his full weight onto the bar, grinning as he felt it stop on the roof. Peter didn't know what he could do, he just heard the crack of the plastic, felt the searing pain as he was impaled, and then, nothing.

He was back in the cave, and didn't know what to think at this point. The cave around him was collapsing, and he could see what looking like webbing was the only thing holding the roof up. He looked to the center, and saw that the fire was barely burning, the only light was from a single coal, that was gradually growing dimmer. "You idiot!" He heard the scream and the sound of running feet. The ground and ceiling shuddered, and suddenly stopped. "He has killed you, and I can barely keep us here."

"So what do I do!" He screamed at her, angry at himself and fearful for Felicia. She was defenseless. He had just experienced first hand what that psychopath could do, and now he was gone, and he couldn't protect her.

"Go back and finish him!" The ground again shuddered, and a fissure opened, causing half the cave to collapse around them.

"HOW!" He suddenly saw it. A hand, small and feminine reaching out to him. It was covered, or hidden, in the black shadows and all he could do was stare at it. Its palm up, waiting.

"Take my hand. I can help you!" He didn't think, didn't question her. Peter just grasped her hand, but panicked when her grip crushed his hand, and held him steady. "Trust me." He could only watch as a familiar blackness crept up his arm towards him, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Felicia woke and saw that she was still on the roof, and she was bound with what looked like electrical wire. She looked around and felt her heart break. Laying not ten feet from her was Peter. She could see the blades sticking out of his chest and his leg. She cringed when she saw the five foot bar that had been pushed through his head standing straight up from the roof. His blood had pooled around him, and she knew then that he was gone. He was gone and he wasn't coming back. She heard the cackle then. Turning her head, she saw the man. Even without the weapons or brand, she would have recognized him anywhere.

She had met Bulls Eye on several occasions during her forced servitude to Fisk, and each time, he was covered in blood and wearing that same maniacal grin. He would stare at her for hours, and each time, he disgusted her. Now here she was, trapped and at his mercy. "I have waited a long time for you Cat."

She could only spit in his face, and grimace as his wiped his face and licked his fingers. He turned lazily to Peter's body, and all she could do was scream her rage at him. "Don't worry Kitten, you'll live a lot longer than he did." She turned away as he drew one of his knives. Her eyes settled on Peter, willing him to just sit up. Help me. She continued to watch him, and saw that the blood had started to soak into the ground, almost disappearing.

But then, she watched as he started to move. She wanted to scream at him, for him to help her, but knew she needed to be quiet. If he knew that Peter was still alive, he would simply finish him. She turned her gaze back to the killer, and growled. "You think you can hurt me. You don't have the guts, you balless fuck." She heard the knife bury itself in the wall next to her head, and turned her face away as he pressed himself against her.

"Oh, I can assure you, I've definitely got the stones darling." She looked to Peter and saw that he now was sitting up. He had pulled the blades from his body, and was grasping the bar still buried inside his skull. She couldn't look away as he pulled it free with a jerk, and how no fluids seemed to pour out, it just came free and nothing else. She noticed then that he wasn't acting right. The way he had stood up and moved, it was like he wasn't in control of his body. As if he was on auto pilot or something was controlling him. Something that didn't know how a person was supposed to move. Soon, he was behind them, and he slammed the man into the wall, burying one of the blades into his shoulder.

She took pleasure in hearing Bulls Eye scream and saw that the blade was pushed through him, eventually pinning him onto the wall. Peter stepped back then, and almost robotically pulled her free. He embraced her once and turned back to the man. "I already know, but I'm still gonna ask," he gripped the man, turning his head to face him. "Who sent you?"

"Fuck you." Bulls Eyes was not ready when the man grasped the blade, twisting it freeing him and slamming his body onto the roof. He was stunned as the Spider-Man sprayed his webs, securing him to the ground. He struggled as the man reached forward, grasping his right hand and extended each of his fingers until he settled on the smallest one. With a quick wrench, Bulls Eye screamed as he felt his finger, now bent at a ninety degree angle to the left.

"I have just broken your little finger," he now held the one next to it. "Tell me who sent you." The only answer he received was a glob of spit hitting the intact lens of his mask. "Very well."

Felicia could only watch as he went through the routine with Bulls Eye. She watched as he would break each of the man's fingers, and ask the same question. Yet the man only shook his head. She had to give him credit though; to take this kind of abuse, and not crack, it was almost impressive. Almost. She noticed that Peter had finished with the man's hands, and had moved on to his wrists, when he stopped.

"I know that the King Pin sent you." He reached into the man's jacket, and pulled one of his knives free. "I just wanted to hear you say it." Placing a hand on his forehead, he pushed his head down, and stared into his eyes. "I want you to deliver a message for me."

Wilson Fisk was actually smiling. His assassin had contacted him, saying that the job would be done tonight. He had even promised to bring him the wall crawler's mask. Such a trophy would be a thing of true beauty. He wasn't even sure what he would do with it. It would probably take its place on his mantle. True, it wasn't the man's heart, but still, it would do.

He looked out his windows, and saw a shadow moving across the rooftops, carrying another. He rubbed his hands together, the boy had probably decided to just bring him the entire body. He rose and walked to his bar. Pouring himself a brandy, he raised it to the window, saluting his victory. With the man's body, he would never be questioned by the other crime bosses. One look at the mangled remains, and they would know that he was in charge, and that they should always cower in fear of him.

He waited, and was not ready when the body crashed through his window. Cautiously, he inched his way forward, and growled when he heard the body start to groan. Leaning over, he saw it was his Bulls Eye. One look and he knew that the man had been broken. It was not his hands, but in his eyes and mutterings. Gingerly, he lifted the man as if he were a child, and carried him to his chair. "Bulls Eye my boy, what happened?"

The man gazed at his employer and shuddered. "He's not human boss. I put a knife in his lung, a chunk of rebar through his eye, and watched as he bled out on that roof, and still, he sat up! It was like he didn't even feel it!" He screamed and raised his mangled limbs. "Look what he did to my fucking hands." He openly cried then, out of pain and failure. He had only failed once, and even then, he had recovered. He didn't know if he could now. Looking at his hands, he didn't know if any surgeon was good enough to repair him. "I failed."

"I know my boy, but that's all right, we're only human." He felt the heavy hands on his shoulders and shuddered with pain. "It won't happen again," he raised his eyes, and saw only concern in his employer's eyes.

"No s-," he didn't finish as his neck was broken. Fisk looked at the lifeless body that now sat before him. He knew that this was getting serious, two of his men were now dead, one by his own hand. His eyes fell to the brand on the man's forehead, now covered by two bloody vertical lines. Strike two. He couldn't stand this anymore. Looking at the body, he reached for his phone and dialed a number. "I need someone to come and remove some garbage from my office." He looked at the broken killer. Bulls Eye should have known better, he walked back to the shattered window. "I don't tolerate failure."

Felicia stared at Peter as he got ready for bed. She watched as he peeled off the remains of his costume, and was shocked when she saw only faint red marks on his face and body where he had been punctured that night. She was still staying with him, and couldn't forget what had happened on the roof. She knew that he had been dead. What else could have happened with those injuries? He had seemed perfectly fine when he carved the mark into the killer's forehead, as if rising from the dead was a common occurrence for him. She didn't even argue with him when he told her to leave. She had gone back to his place while he took the killer back to his boss. "Peter, what happened?"

He froze, not even sure himself. "I don't know, I think someone must be watching out for me." he went to her, and pulled her close. She felt the love he had for her, as well as the fear at almost losing her. "We'll talk more tomorrow." She nodded and allowed him to pull her into the bed, wrapping his arms around her. Peter slowly drifted off, willing himself to sleep, he needed answers.

"What the Fuck are you?" He was back in the cave and the fire was burning brightly. The walls were still cracked, but seemed to be mending themselves. He could see her more clearly then. She appeared to be just a shadow, one that existed anywhere, even in light.

"I already told you, I'm complicated." She gave him a calm answer, as if she knew already what he wanted to ask.

"Don't feed me that bullshit. I remember what happened when I grabbed your hand." He was furious, and stepped around the flame, and watched as she shrunk away from him. "You are nothing but a leech, a parasite." The walls shook then, and she stopped. The shadow seemed to grow until it towered over him.

"I saved your life, and this is how I am repaid?" He voice sounded like thunder. "I have already told you, I am not a symbiote!" Her roar was deafening, but he didn't flinch. He swore that he would never be their slave again, and here he was, attached to one, and he was actually letting it have free reign.

"Then what are you?" The shadow seemed to shrink down, until it had become its normal size.

"This wasn't how I wanted you to find out." He felt as if her eyes were searching his face, as if she was trying to apologize. "You really want to know?" He only nodded and stared at her. "Fine."

Sorry for the cliffhanger, but it seemed like a good place to stop. Please, I don't mean to beg for them, but all reviews are welcome.

Take it Easy,

-N