"Carol, what do you think you're doing here?" Jessica asked as she planted her hand firmly on her hips.
"Post-incident report," she replied swiftly. "Cap and Tony's orders. they want to make sure that venom thing didn't addle my brains." Carol was still wearing her Ms Marvel outfit, albiet with the mask removed while Jessica was dressed much more casually. The raven-haired woman wore black track-pants and a green t-shirt.
"No," Jessica stated firmly as she pointed at Carol with one accusing finger. "You're avoiding doing the right thing because you're afraid."
"I am doing the right thing, Jess!" Carol snapped, "I'm following orders!"
"Yeah-huh. Like when you didn't arrest Spider-man?" Jessica replied with a slight smirk, much to Carol's annoyance. "Twice? No...wait...three...four times?"
"This doesn't have anything to do with that!" Carol retaliated, more to herself than her best friend. "I was possessed by an alien life-form, and protocol dictates that I..."
"Fuck with what's protocol," Jessica said with force. "Do you think for even a second that if you and Spider-man where to switch places, that he'd be here, tied up with 'procedures'? No. He'd be right there in the hospital with you, getting you a coffee or something and saying something really, really stupid that makes you either wanna piss your pants or throttle him senseless."
"Yeah well..." Carol began halfheartedly as Captain America entered the hall. "I don't have a choice, do I?" she said as a slight sigh escaped her lips.
"Bullshit," Jessica snapped. "What's that corny catchphrase spidey's always spouting about doing what you can to make things right?"
"With great power comes great responsibility?" Carol offered with a reply.
"Yeah," Jessica said, "that one. What does it mean to you?"
"What's this about?" Captain America asked politely. He had his shield slung across his back and a armful of papers in his hands.
"Carol's being an idiot. Again. She should be giving Parker some much-needed emotional backup." Jessica answered a she folded her arms across her chest, disgusted. "Instead she's insisting on getting the green light and shit because she was 'compromised' today. The only way she's compromised is in the head, for refusing to go where she's most needed. But that's just my justified opinion."
"Spider-man was clearly the target of today's attack," Captain America said flatly. "And protocol states that he is to be in contact with one of us at least once every two hours for the next week. Ms Marvel, I'm ordering you to go and find him." Carol nodded slightly and got to her feet. As she exited the hall, she heard Jessica whisper faintly.
"Good one, Cap."
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He rubbed his forehead in frustration. He'd been sitting on a bench in the hall for nearly two hours and still, there was no word from any of the doctors. Why the fuck did this have to happen? Today started out so well. Hell I kinda had a sort of date thing. Now Aunt May's in the hospital and JJ's gonna kill me for not getting him those pictures on time. So in addition to the possibility of losing the only family I have let, I might lose my job because I wanted to know for certain if she's okay. Gee god, you can be a real dick sometimes, you know that? He continued his deep introspection as a doctor came up to him.
"Peter Parker?" the man asked, earning Peter's full attention. "We have an accomplished coronary surgeon on her way, and she should be here in an hour. It appears there was a case of atherosclerosis in your Aunt's heart that caused her to have a severe heart attack. She's still in very critical condition, and unconscious. Surgery should help her recover. But we need to discuss her coverage and health insurance."
"What's there to discuss?" Peter snapped at the man as he got to his feet rapidly. "she needs surgery. So give it to her!"
"I'm sorry," the doctor said apologetically, "I really am. But her health plan doesn't cover it, as it's been expired for the last ten months. And your coverage only covers immediate family, mother, father, wife, children... Unless you can cover everything yourself..."
"How much?" Peter asked the man point-blank.
"I'm sorry?" the doctor replied politely.
"How much is it going to cost." Peter said blankly and directly, "is a fairly strait-forward question."
"The surgeon's fee, plus the ambulance fee, hospital services, boarding fee, medication..." The man said with a grim voice, " and given her history of heart issues...it all adds up to...over fifty thousand dollars."
"Shit..." Peter muttered as he slid down the wall and onto the bench in utter defeat. He ran a hand through his hair as he pondered over his situation desperately. Fifty grand...I don't make that in a year...and It's not like I can ask Jameson for a raise...but I'm gonna have to try. I'll have to get rid of the apartment and...I'm so sorry Uncle Ben...I didn't do what you asked.
"We've placed her in a charity ward for now but..." The Doctor continued, "people aren't very charitable right now, with the economy being as it is and..."
"I get it," Peter snapped while he hid his face behind his hands, trying to fathom coming up with that much money. He felt tears slide down his cheeks as his emotions overtook him entirely. He did not know how long he had his eyes closed for before someone caught his attention by taking the seat next to his.
"Protocol dictates you not be let alone for more than two hours over the next week," he heard Carol whisper in a soft voice.
"Is that some lame-ass excuse to come spend time with me?" He muttered back as he opened his eyes to face her.
"Well we never really got to enjoy our lunch," she replied with a tilt of her head. "So I figured this'd have to do." She finished as she handed him a sandwich wrapped in plastic.
"Thanks," he muttered as he began to unwrap his food.
"What's the verdict?" she asked quietly as a hoarse shout was heard from down the hall.
"Fat build-up in one of her arteries plus massive emotional shock caused blood deprivation," He replied as the shouting became more audible, and somewhat recognizable. "In layman's terms, she had a severe heart attack." he finished in a defeated tone.
"Well at least they know what it is," she offered up with a shrug, "That's some good news. It means they know how to fix it, right?"
"Oh they're gonna fix it," he replied bitterly. "But only if they get their money. She's in a charity ward right now that's apparently running on fumes."
"Well how much is..." Carol began.
"Fifty grand," he replied stiffly as the hoarse shouting reached a peak.
"PARKER!" J. Jonah Jameson'shoarse voice called out as he stormed forward, coming to a stop righ in front of Peter. "YOU'RE OVERDUE BACK AT THE OFFICE AND NOW I HEAR ABOUT SPIDER-MAN AND MS MARVEL! YOU'RE HOLDING OUT ON ME BOY! IF I DON'T SEE SOME QUALITY PICTURES THAT SAY MASKED MATCH-UP MADE IN HELL I'LL..."
SMACK! Peter's fist connected with Jameson's jaw hard, sending the man reeling and causing a stir amongst the hospital staff. To his credit, Jameson looked as though he was unable to fully process the fact that he had just been punched by one of his employees.
"You...you...you.." Jameson stammered as he massaged his jaw, "ungrateful little..."
"Ungrateful?" Peter remarked with a raised eyebrow. "For what? The shit pay? The regular abuse? The daily threat of being fired? The fact that you openly damn a man who has saved hundreds of lives, including yours and that of your son?" He paused briefly, in order to centre himself, "where exactly have I gone wrong, Mr Jameson?"
"Get me those pictures by tomorrow night or consider yourself fired," Jameson stated clearly before turning around and leaving. "and I guarantee you'll never have another photograph published in any newspaper!" He finished with a shout.
"About time someone punched that man," Carol whispered into his ear as a nurse approached, with a clipboard in hand.
"Mr Parker?" the nurse asked apprehensively.
"Yes?" Peter replied, doing his best to keep the shakiness out of his voice as he spoke.
"Well, your Aunt is conscious. And she's asking for you...both of you," the nurse said calmly. "She's in room 23b. Just be very careful, she's not very stable right now." Peter got to his feet and walked down the hall into the designated room. Aunt May was the only occupant, and she was braced against her bedding, which was in the upright position. A medical tube ran into her arm, and she was hooked up to several monitoring machines. He felt Carol stop just outside the door.
"Oh, Peter," she mumbled as she slowly turned to face him. "You aren't hurt...I was so worried and..."
"I'm fine Aunt May," he replied as he took up one of the chairs next to her bedside. "I gt there just as they took you away in..."
"Why did you lie to me...?" his Aunt asked.
"I...?" he stammered, not sure of where he went wrong.
"You...you lied to me last week," Aunt May replied gently. "you lied to me abou...about who she i...is." she wheezed.
"I..." he said, flabbergasted, "what...what do you mean...?"
"I wasn't born yesterday Peter," Aunt May replied as she folded her hands across her chest slowly and painstakingly. "I know...I saw what...what happened...is she here?"
"Aunt May, you need to rest," he said, hoping it would be enough to detract her from the conversation, which he knew could lead to ruin. "The doctors say the surgeon should be here in the hour. I really think you should sleep." He said as he got out of his chair quietly and made his way to the door as she closed her eyes.
"Peter," she whispered quietly as he reached the door-jam. "She must mean a lot to you, if you feel compelled to lie about it."
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Felicia Hardy
Four Hours Later.
"What's the matter spider?" she said in as sultry a voice as she could muster as she slithered her toned body around his slender but strong and powerful frame. "Something on your mind?" She said as she forced her ample breasts upwards, presenting them to him in the most sensual way possible. She had specifically designed her suit to attract a man's eyes towards her chest. It made robbing them blind so much easier. As well as getting away with things that more clothed individuals would be unable to get away with as easily.
"Give it a rest, Cat," Spider-man replied harshly. "We aren't ever going to happen."
"Oh what's the matter Spider?" she said with a put, pulling at her lower lip with a single finger. "Do you wanna tell me all about it? My place isn't far from here. We can go there now and.." she paused to trace a finger down his chiseled, spandex-covered chest, "...talk." she finished with a seductive wink.
"I'm not in the mood," he said briskly.
"Don't tell me the tabloids have got it right," Felicia purred as she continued to trace her finger down his chest and edge near his thigh. "You can't possibly prefer the super-slut over me..."
"Leave her alone Cat," Spider-man snapped as he faced her head on. "I mean it, I don't have the patience for this kinda crap right now."
"Sounds like you need to relieve some stress," Felicia said in a sultry voice, "I can certainly help you with that. All you've gotta do is ask, and I'll be putty in your hands, Spider."
"I said leave me alo..." He cut his words short as a hissing sound preempted a missile, heading strait for them both. Felicia was unable to re-act in time. Luckily Spider-man was, pushing her out of the way, and they both rolled on the hard gravel.
"Well," Felicia smiled as she wound up underneath him. "So sudden...? I like a man who plays it rough."
"Move!" Spider-man shouted as he pulled her to a vertical base. She pumped her legs forward as a hoarse shout came from behind her. She turned just in time to see the criminal mastermind known as Doctor Octopus wrap his mechanical tentacles around Spider-man triumphantly.
A brief thought of fighting the mastermind entered Felicia's mind. But it was quickly dismissed as she saw the man had backup, and she knew there was no way she could take them all. Not on her own.
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"So...?" Jessica asked as she entered Carol's room. "How'd it go?"
"Doctors say she'll make a full recovery," Carol replied as she folded her arms across her chest and sat down on the bed.
"Well that sounds good," Jessica said as she imitated the action, "right?"
"Yeah," Carol said quietly, "but he's gotta come up with the money quick. Something I dunno if he's gonna be able to do because he decked his boss..."
"Wait," Jessica replied, "Parker decked Jameson? In or out of uniform?"
"Out of," Carol said, "He stormed into the hospital and started demanding Peter get him pics of Spider-man and me together." She finished as she placed her hands on her face, "why'd I have to do it."
"What, kiss him?" Jessica said with a slight smile.
"Yeah," Carol replied, "Why'd I have to kiss him?"
"Well let's see...there's his abs. His biceps. His chest. His legs. His ass. His..." Jessica smiled warmly as she placed an arm on Carol's shoulder. "And there's the little story the Globe printed about how he killed time with those two kids after their parents where shot. I might just have to kiss him now that I think about it."
"Back off," Carol snapped, "not in the mood."
"Hey you're not the one with the issue," Jessica replied, "Unless you really are worried about..."
"I just hate to see him so stressed," Carol replied honestly. "I mean, a guy who sits with two recently orphaned kids for an hour while waiting for a specialist. Or who breaks up robberies on a daily basis."
"A guy who carries a half-conscious woman halfway across the city with a broken arm?" Jessica smiled, "have you told him how much you care yet?"
"I..." Carol muttered, "I just wanna help him out. The treatment's gonna cost a lot and I don't think he'll be able to afford it..."
"Excuse me, Ms Marvel," Jarvis said in a synthetic voice over the intercom, "There's someone waiting for you in the main lobby. She's very insistent that you talk with her immediately."
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She lay in her bed, not moving. It was late at night. Most of the doctors had already left, or where in the process of leaving. And that's when a white mist seeped into the room, and took a shape that was familiar.
"May," a voice called out to her. A voice that she was very familiar.
"Ben!" she replied with joy as the mist solidified into the spiting image of her late husband. From the ripped jeans to the fisher's hat and leather jacket. The sight of her husband brought tears to her eyes. "I missed you so much, Ben Parker."
"And I missed you to, my beautiful wife," Ben replied as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You've done wonderfully with our son without me."
"We aren't his parent's," May replied with a smile. She had always been unable to conceive. Peter was the closest they would ever have to a child.
"And yet, he's our son." Ben said as he gave her a hug. "And he loves both of us just as much as we love him. But sometimes loving someone means saying goodbye."
"Is it time?" May asked the man she loved.
"It is," her husband replied softly. "It's time for you to go. You're ready."
"But is he?" May said, fear beginning to come into her voice.
"Spider-man is ready," Ben smiled warmly, "Peter will hurt in the beginning, but he will recover. He is ready, May. Our son's all grown up."
"I always knew," May replied as she rose from her hospital bed and clasped her hand around her husband's. "I always knew he'd turn into something special. Into someone special. He's got his Father's mind and his mother's heart and your kindness. I..."
"Yes?" Ben said in a sympathetic tone.
"Am I leaving him alone?" she asked, frightened of what his answer would be. "He's lost so much in his life, Ben. Am I leaving him all alone?"
"You know the answer to that question as well as I do," Ben said with a smile, "Even if he doesn't know it himself yet. He will never be alone, not with the way he gives his heart out to anyone who asks."
"He's a very special boy," May smiled as she walked out of the room, arm-in-arm with her husband. "He deserves only the best." she finished as she laid her head down on his shoulder.
"And that's why he gets her. And why she gets him." Ben replied softly as he wrapped his arm around her tightly. And together, they departed.
A/N: The plot thickens...