Chapter 27: A field day

Midtown 10:00 PM

She panted heavily as she raced across the rooftop, clutching her side to ease the pain a little better, Gwen ran for dear life. She could hear the footsteps of her attacker gaining on her, the blonde wonder what in the world did she do to deserve this. All she wanted was to make a difference like her former crush instead she finds herself being chased by a woman wearing a red leotard and two sais ready to make her into a spider kabob.

She pushed harder as fast as her legs to carry her, she saw that there was a major gap between buildings coming up. She leaped soaring in the air, she saw that she wasn't going to make it; thanks to her injuries. Using her only not limp broken arm she spun her web swinging towards it crashing into the side creating web cracks on the windows. She cried out in pain, she then began to climb unsteadily; it hurt her body all over the place.

She paused looking into the reflection of the building, her suit was torn in different places; her mask half destroyed from the bottom revealing her mouth, her mask was ripped from the left revealing her blue eye. Slashes and gashes in various parts of leg bleeding from the cuts as well as her arms, she pushed her self forward.

Once Gwen was on top she stumbled a little laying on the cold rooftop panting hard, it pained her to even breathe due to the force of being thrown against a metal bar that broke her ribs. She slowly got up, from the distance she saw her pursuer standing on the edge as the wind blew her sashes lightly in the cool night. Even though it was dark the moon lit the figurine, with keen eyes Gwen saw she saw a pair of binoculars. Now Gwen was a modest kind of girl never in her life was she crude; however, in this circumstance, she flipped the bird towards her attacker walking away limping.

Her eyes blurred, how long was she going to keep running away? That didn't matter she needed to rest get away from all of this, one more step she fell to her knees. She couldn't keep going it hurt all around, lips tighten as teeth gritted. She struggled to her feet, every step she took pain shot from her legs but she was going to be tough.

That strange buzzing was back, it was telling her to duck instead of doing so she was met with the full blunt force of a double kick to the back. She flew forward flying into a metal pipe of an AC unit, she made a dent with her face imprinted she fell on her back upon impact.

Dazed her vision spun out of control, everything around her was moving her ears rang even. A shadow was over her, it moved away allowing her to see light when suddenly she felt a weight on her when her vision was back the woman was straddling her pinning her good arm with a sai right where the web shooter was.

"Look…w-we got on…the wrong foot…let's call it a…n-night?" Gwen struggled to form words, "Bygones be bygones…."

The woman wearing the red leotard uniform said not a word, she gazed upon this child. It was a pity really that she needed to end her life, she was only 14 or 16 years old with a full life ahead of her while she only 18; her life was based on training to become the best assassin. The life of a mercenary required her to do jobs that normally she didn't want to do, she often wondered what drew her to it? The life of an assassin? The adventure? The money? Both actual. It's the camaraderie you miss from; it's mainly the high adventure, the adrenaline boost. And of course the money, which is sometimes in excess of $1000 a day, depending on the buyer.

She sighed, "I'm sorry, it's nothing personal it's just business."

"Lady…y-you are about…to take my life…of course it's personal." White-spider breathed, "Who are you?"

"My name is Elektra." She quickly gripped her throat with her left arm, Gwen only arm being pinned couldn't break through the sai that was deeply rooted into the ground thanks to her injuries not to mention she was getting tired, "I'm sorry…I'll make this quick and painless as possible."

She pulled out a sai with her right hand from her back, tighten her grip on the smaller girl's neck. Gwen couldn't breathe as her windpipe was being crushed, she could feel herself going in and out of consciousness, her vision seeing spots.

"Please…"

Elektra's hand came down fast, Gwen closed her eyes if this is how she was going down in her short crime-fighting career so be it, the regrets she had was not being to confess her love for Peter or be able to become someone important down the road.

A flashing light happened and Elektra was suddenly thrown off with a shout of pain. Gwen could finally breathe again as oxygen flooded her lungs, she gulped it in, longing for it. She heard a light scraping; her hand was free, she felt herself being lifted up. She was too tired to be fighting anymore, she could feel her mask being pulled off above her forehead.

"Gwen…" The voice said softly

Her blurred vision came back into focus just for the moment to focus on a face that she could recognize anywhere, with a trembling hand she touched the face making sure he wasn't an illusion, two lone tears slid down her cheeks as she smiled.

"Peter…" Then she fell limped, with a smile on her face she let tiredness consume her, sleep singing its sweet tune.

Peter kissed her forehead, "Sweet dreams Gwen."

It was a good thing that his back was towards the assassin or else he risked exposing her identity, he did it because he didn't have a choice when he was fighting Karn, heck the man killed him so the Beyonder said. He wondered where Sym was and how he was holding up. Aunt May must miss him terribly; that thought sent a frown on his face. Gently as he could he pulled her mask down recovering her face, he lifted her up using his newfound telekinesis thanks to Phoenix force he acquired from Jean Grey due to that kiss.

He turned his attention to the 18-year-old assassin getting up, he put his mask back on; "You know if you want to be a ninja don't dress like a prostitute, people are going to get the wrong idea."

She gritted her teeth as she stood, she had murder in her eyes, "And who are you supposed to be? A Spider-Man knockoff? You even got the colors wrong, walk away from this I don't want to kill you but I will if you interfere with my mission."

"Lady, I don't who you are nor do I care who you are working for and quite frankly...I don't care. You harm my friends or family and you will pay the price." Peter said Elektra couldn't move her body something was holding her in place.

"What did you do to me?" She tried to move again, "I can't move!" She screamed

"Telekinesis courtesy of the Phoenix force." He said with another wave of his hand he opened a rift in the space-time continuum; "Tell your boss that Spider-Man is back better and improved then after that you will have no memory of this event of meeting me."

He pushed her in as she screamed falling in the black void, once settled he turned his attention back to the floating limp body of his high school friend Gwen. He brought her towards him allowing him to carry her bridal with a sigh he vanished in a flame along with his passenger.


Stokes County Maximum Security Facility

Prison gates opened as officer's walks up to a bolted door, a special key was used to open the blast door. With a flick of the switch the door opens and the officer walks through with ease, the blonde male officer comes up to another security with a laser grid.

On the wall was hand scanner when the process is done, the laser field drops allowing clearance to a larger holding block.

Finally, the Officer gets to the last terminal this one was an eye scanner, taking his hat off he leans over allowing the light to scan the eye. After a few seconds of scanning the machine beeps its approval opening the final blast door.

The giant terminal circles around to reveal another holding cell, it was as large as a lab but within the middle of the third a giant tube covering something underneath.

After pressing some codes on the small panel, the metal handle rises to reveal a lit green liquid within the tube was a man chained to this contraption wearing an oxygen mask keeping him from suffocating from the liquid that surrounded him.

With a final push of the button, the liquid slowly drains, and the officer reveals himself to be Mystique. She smirks smugly, "Wake up Cain it's time that you have a long overdue family reunion with your brother Charles Xavier."

The man in the tube awakes at the name of Charles, murder was written in the eyes.


Realm Unknown

Gwen stirred as she opened her eyes, the whole place was white. A door opened when she sat up in came a smiling Peter Parker in a brand new suit, she gasped, "Peter…"

"Hey," He said softly

Gwen felt the tears well up in her eyes, throwing off the covers she quickly limped towards him despite the pain that she was feeling in her body. Peter placed the tray down on the dresser as he outstretched his arms to catch the girl as she threw herself at him sobbing.

Rubbing her back he gently said words to her, she pulled back she took in his face it was the same boyish grin he had when they first met, "How is this possible? It's a miracle."

"It truly is Gwen." Peter pulled her once again into a hug

She pulled back once again loving the embrace, she didn't miss a beat when she cupped his cheek bringing her lips upon his. The boy was completely caught off guard by this action, still, after a few seconds of the reboot of his mind, he wrapped his arms around her responding to her deepening the kiss. He was gentle not to aggravate the wounds she had.

They broke apart when they needed air, "You don't know how long I wanted to do that. Peter when you died I felt a piece of me die with you."

"Gwen…"

"Peter please…" He shut up letting her continue; "Peter for the longest time we've known each other we bonded over our love for science, I've gotten to see a side of you that I like, you're smart, funny, and kind even though you do have you dumb moments."

"Way to blow my ego." He whined

"But when I found out that you were Spider-Man I felt hurt, betrayed…" She was silenced when he put a finger to her lip

"Gwen..." Peter began, "...There was a reason why I couldn't tell you my secret I have to many enemies and honestly that night you and MJ found out about me I was scared to death if they or anyone else would have found out." He tucked a rogue strand of hair behind her ear.

"I know I realize that now…but most of all I am proud." She rested her head on his chest, "Peter when you died I couldn't sleep or eat right I lost my chance to tell you something."

He stroked her hair, "What do you want to tell me?"

She looked up at him, "Peter Parker, I Gwendolyn Stacey am madly in love with you." She stood on her toes wrapping her only good around his neck to kiss him, he responded accordingly, he broke the kiss Gwen looked at him questioningly, "Peter what's wrong?"

"I'm not going to lie, Gwen, I love you too but there is also someone else I like as well." The color drained from her face, "I like the both of you and I'll be damned if I see the both of you hurt. You already know her Angelica Jones."

Gwen felt her heart shatter, slowly her bangs began to cover her tear-filled eyes, Peter cupped her chin slowly bringing her face back to meet his she didn't resist his pull, his thumb wiped away the few tears drop. His face was desolate he captured her lips with his own, she felt her face heat up he then reaching for her legs cradled her as her head rested on his chest once again.

Using his newly found powers the tray was lifted up with telekinesis as he sat on the bed with the young Stacey sitting on his lap.

A sniffle escaped the blonde he said softly, "It's not that I don't return your feelings, Gwen, it's just when I had the symbiote or Sym he kind of made my urges 10x worse so you can say that I was a horny teenager trying to get some. I feel a connection to Angelica as well, like some sort of kindred soul like mine, I had a rough childhood as she did."

A little huff was heard, he mixed the herbal tea pouring some hot water into the small cup.

"I promise you give me some time to sort my feelings out, it's not like I can merge the two of you together." He said stroking her blonde hair, "Now drink this tea it'll make you feel better."

The cup flew to her lips, she lightly blew on it to cool when the savor of the liquid touched her tongue it was raspberry with some green tea mix, soothing to relax the nerves. A few sips later the tea was placed on the dresser.

"How are you even doing that?"

"Practice lots and lots of practice after I was 'reborn'." He said

"What do you mean?" She asked

"I allow me to explain that part." A mysterious voice said when they appeared it was none other than the Beyonder in all his silver-ness, "Greeting Ms. Stacy, I'm the Beyonder it all started the week Peter died."


Flashback

"He's dead." Madam Webb saw the web line shatter a single tear slid down her cheek, "That boy would have been a valuable asset to the X-Men."

"Ah, indeed his would and will."

"What are you talking about?"

"Once the life of a man or woman is over they are to stand before the Almighty in judgment, it is written."

"True, very true however do you remember when I said it is but with a kiss that Spider-Phoenix will arrive?"

Webb then realized what he meant, "Could it be that simple?"

"I don't know...you tell me..." Beyonder said with a smug smirk

A few days later after the funeral Beyonder took the opportunity to make sure the body was preserved for the rise of Spider-Phoenix. However, he was not alone when he stopped in front of the grave someone had defiled the grave of Peter Parker but whom?

It was raining that day so he got a good look at the muddy footprints on the ground, he did a little humph whoever did this, will pay. He floated following the tracks towards a white van, a man with a few people placed inside a coffin which he could only guess was the Parker boy body.

"Oh no, you don't. I'm probably going to get in trouble for this but I cannot allow this to happen." Within a twinkling of an eye everything around him stopped moving, he smirked forming a triangle with his hands, "Chaos control anyone?" He snickered, "Ah Sonic X you will be missed especially you Shadow the Hedgehog." Manly tears escape his eyes, "You were the best character even more popular than Sonic."

Quickly he made his way towards the still figures, when he opened the coffin his soften, where he laid in a black suit with black pants was none other than Peter Parker. He carried the boy out of the coffin his hand glowed briefly.

"So it just an egg? We'll hatch that pretty soon."

He looks around his area, he plucks a small speck hair from the dead body leaving it behind in the coffin, he lifts the boy up as he says; "Time continues…" Then he vanishes.

The workers are mortified when they see the body missing, "The boss isn't going to like this."


The Unknown realm a couple of days later

Cassandra stroked the boy's hair, it looked like he was sleeping save for the fact that his chest wasn't rising nor falling. She sighs death was a part of life ever since the fall, it was never intended to be this way she looks back at what Beyonder was doing.

"Well, it's been exactly five days since you took his body what are you going to do with him?" His eyes glowed as Webb reminded him of the limits Tribunal and Eternity "Beyonder you know you can't use your powers directly! Do you wish to incur the wrath of the Living Tribunal?"

"The Tribunal doesn't have the final say as I told Uatu the watcher the One above all granted me little intermission here and there if I deemed the situation at hand a necessity and this my dear Cassandra is one of those situations." He explained, "Now I will try to make contact with the Phoenix Force that lies dormant inside of Ms. Grey this may take a few days to make our guest comfortable."

Another few days later the embodiment of the Phoenix force presented itself before the Beyonder and Madam Web. Though her appearance is Jean Grey the subconscious of the said girl is sleeping in her own body as Phoenix listens to the plea of Cassandra. "Please isn't there anything that you can do to save his life he already has a piece of you inside of him, there is a war coming to all the web of life and even some of these have already perished!"

"As much as I would like to help I cannot do such a thing." She said, "Madam Web try to understand I cannot his life is done. Move on."

"Why not you are able to resurrect yourself and stay inside that White Room until you deem the time is right to remerge so how is this anything different?"

"He is not worthy of my power! Tell me why should I give him the power cosmic because these Inheritors are threatening your precious web of life?" She asked, "It is not my problem should your spiders die."

"Ho, ho it will become a problem in the future Phoenix. Let me remind you that these inheritors are after pure life substance; you favor good but when you are corrupted you become evil. You are simply a force to be reckoned with and whosever uses your power is like a god." Beyonder stated, "You have two choices either…"

Phoenix wings flares, "You dare threaten me, Beyonder? Let me remind you why I am known as the Phoenix Force who is feared throughout the universe and to all of the creation!"

"Yeah except for the Almighty who can erase you from existence; should you tamper with his perfect creation, will you risk it?" As flames died her eyes narrowed "Look I'm not here to start a fight, all we ask you give a piece of your power to the boy so he can stand against these Inheritors in the future and if you don't think he is worthy then you use your power to see into his past."

"Very well." With that said she teleports to where the body was resting with a wave of her hand she sees Peter's past.

"This might be awhile." Beyonder waves his hand and a window pops open, Aunt May is mourning for her nephew while Angelica tries to comfort her. It has been a hell of a few days for May Parker, News media comes and go and still she isn't left alone to mourn for her nephew in private. The X-Men were also mourning each in their own way, but the most that hit the hardest was Angelica she also had the symbiote or at least 90% of it when she was almost killed by Karn.

Before she breathed her final Peter gave her most of the symbiote to heal her even though she had major broken ribs, a fractured arm and was lying in debris. The symbiote did its job in reciprocating her as she laid in the hospital bed.

He opens another window, here in Albany he sees a science lab filled with test subjects that are in early stages of fetus level, "So he cloned him just as I hope he would do."

"You mean to tell me that you deliberately let Miles Warren have a piece of Peter?! Are you out of your mind?!"

"Oh relax, The Other has to appear and I can tell you something it isn't going to be in the Center of the web that The Other is going to appear either sister." A sniffle is heard, "Are you crying Phoenix?"

"No…" She said wiping her eyes quickly, "I got something stuck in my eye."

"Uh-huh so is worthy or not?"

"I cannot put into words what I saw in that boy's past, the guilt and the shame and the reason he puts on the mask. It takes my breath away to know that a being such as himself hasn't given up on being the hero." She said wiping a rouge tear away, "Very well I will give you a piece of me but make sure you train him Beyonder."

"You have my word that he will be at his best with your powers."

The Phoenix materialized a feather within her hand, "This is only a fraction of my power make sure that he uses it well."

End Flashback


"Ever since that day Mr. Parker has been alive, I've been teaching him how he can control his newfound powers for the last two weeks, as well he's been on the assignment checking on the totems of different universes, he recently got back after checking with a sister Universe and speaking of which you sent Elektra through a void, you knucklehead." He deadpanned

"I did what now?"

"Follow me and Ms. Stacey you look so much better without the bandages." In a blink of an eye, Gwen was back to her old self.

Gwen stood by close to which an arm wrapped around her waist. She leaned her head against his shoulder, sighing in content. When they arrived Peter was surprised to see two webs in the center of the room but what was really shocking was to see two beings of light with flaming swords drawn their appearance was that as the sun.

"What are those?" Gwen asked in astonishment

"Those my dear are angels of the highest." Beyonder explained, "Archangels to be exact."

"Angels? What are they doing?"

"Believe it or not guarding the multiverse."

"Why?" Peter stared in amazement

"Don't know." Beyonder, "Even I can't get near it without them pushing me back with a single push of a word."

"Wow someone stronger than you? That's a laugh, maybe we can Thor wager a stick measuring contest, see who throws it further."

"Hardy, har, har…" He waved his hand, in front of the two beings, "There's Elektra."

Gwen's mouth gaped like a fish when she saw the said girl was still falling through the void, this time she was unconscious. The window closes as Beyonder turns to Peter, "So we'll just get her back, no problem."

"Problem these angels will not let anyone through to go to the void so you...my friend will have to wait until the time is right." He clapped his hands together "Speaking of time the X-Men are about to face Xavier step-brother Cain Marko you better make haste Peter and test your abilities on this unstoppable object."

"Consider it done, I defeated two inheritors in once so this should be no problem." He willed his mask to appear before capturing Gwen's lips, "I'll be back."

"Save the day bug boy, like you always do."

"You know it" He smiled placed his mask on, he then had an idea, "Well since you been watching New York while I was gone how about you come with me to stop this unstoppable force."

"Peter I'm not like you, I don't think I can do it. The last supervillain I faced I let him get away."

"Hey don't worry about it everyone makes mistakes, I'll teach you the ropes."

With a bright light Gwen regular clothes disappeared and there she stood in her now newly repaired Spider-Costume.

"Did I ever I tell you that you look very sexy in that costume?" He said hugging her

"If this was the only way to get your attention I would have done this a long time ago." She grasped his hand, "Let's do this."

With a flash, they are gone.


LXD: Second time re-editing this chapter. So comment, rate, subscribe.