Chapter 8

Wow, it's been a while. I know, understatement of the year. I actually feel really disappointed in myself. I haven't written anything lately. And I hate that. I really do. And I know you guys don't want to hear my self pity, but there it is. How I Met Your Mother and Raising Hope are over FML. The ending of HIMYM was awful, sorry if you liked it. The Amazing Spider-man 2 was garbage, yeah I said it. Freedom of speech, bitches! (Sorry, you're not bitches, it's just rough right now.) Annie had way too much singing. I've been in the worse writing slump I've ever been in. But hey, on the bright side, I'm undefeated in the verses mode on Contest of Champions. (EDIT: I've now been defeated. And so has my faith in life.)

Okay, I'm done. I've completed my complaining...Kerry Washington is so sexy.

Thanks to AndurilAflame for favoriting and following Deadpool: New World. (Although the story is kinda completed, so I don't know why you followed it. I won't turn down support though.) and thanks to Trubosswritr55 for the reviews.

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Kendrick swung through the air furiously.

He was chasing down a speeding car that was just seen being the getaway vehicle of a bank robbery two blocks away. And, if he was being honest, he was having a little trouble keeping up. He probably could've stopped the robbery if he wasn't so tired.

It'd been weeks since his brother Drake had taken his own life.

Ever since then, he'd been taking the phrase about power and responsibility very seriously, and had barely gotten any sleep. If he had to give a rough estimate, he'd say he's gotten a total of six hours of sleep since the...event happened.

It was a wonder how he was still going.

Spider powers, he thought. They do wonders for your body.

And the constant adrenaline pumping through his body didn't hurt.

Spider-man fired a web-line from his wrist that attached to the back of the car, and pulled, causing the car to fly into the air. Using all the long, long, long, hours of practice he'd had these weeks, Kendrick made a web net to catch the car. The car landing perfectly in the middle, suspended above the sidewalk where everyone can see.

Spider-man clung to the door of the car and knocked on the window of the car, chuckling to himself as the driver and passenger cowered for dear life. He pointed downwards, motioning for him to let the window down. As he did, Ken leaned into the car.

"License and registration please," Spider-man said.

"J...just let us go, man..." the passenger pleaded.

Kendrick quickly bounced towards the passenger, making him think he was going to lunge at him. Kendrick didn't act like his reaction didn't amuse him as he was pretty sure he saw pee going down his leg.

"Look man," the passenger said reaching into his pocket. "I will pay you to let us...ow!"

"What's your problem?" Kendrick asked.

"I..I cut myself on my pocket knife." he said as he pulled out his finger with a small trickle of blood coming from a cut in his finger.

Kendrick's blood ran cold.

Blood.

Flashes of memories flew through Spider-man's mind. Images of blood. Images of his brother's blood flying through the air. His brother killing himself right in front of him. He felt his breathe start to shorten as he thought of these painful events.

"P..put that away..." Spider-man stammered.

"Put what away?" the scared driver asked.

Spider-man fell off the car as he felt his blood run cold. He was passing out.

The last thing Kendrick heard before he passed out was from the driver: "Come on, man! Let's book!"

Nicki Ross poured water on the rag.

This is not what I wanted to do with my life.

She turned to her temporary houseguest who was still passed out on her couch.

"Spider-man," she whispered/mumbled to no one who could hear.

When her twin brother Nathan had suggested they help people like them, she had been all for the idea. She wasn't all for the idea of making a spectacle out of it. Bringing in guys with costumes definitely fell into that category.

She wondered how he would react to the fact that they had taken off his mask.

Probably not by thanking us, she thought.

"Hey, Nicki," she heard her brother Nathan Ross walk in. "How's the greatest sister in the world doing?"

"Other than the fact that I have to play housemaid to a guy who runs around in a red and blue outfit," she said as she placed the rag she had wetted on his forehead to help his fever.

"I'm also suffering a serious case of PMS," she finished.

"Okay," he said after a moment of hesitation. "I'll leave you to it."

"Oh hell no," Nicki said. "This was your idea. So, you have to put in work too."

"Come on, sis." Nathan pleaded. "You know I'm no good at..."

"Now!" Nicki yelled angrily.

Nicki heard something that sounded like "eep!" come from her brother's mouth before he went and started to care for Spider-man. She smirked to herself. She wasn't really PMSing, but she knew how to manipulate her brother.

"Ow...what the hell..." she heard someone say.

Nicki wanted to hit something. Just her luck he wakes up as soon as Nathan starts.

Spider-man (with his mask off) jumped up in the air and stuck to the ceiling in surprise.

"Who the hell...?" he started.

It's okay, Nicki projected into his brain, more of instinct than anything else. We're here to help.

"Who...who was...," Spider-man stammered in confusion.

"That was me," Nicki said out loud this time. "Sorry, I'm a telepath and I..."

Nicki was stopped by a web that pulled her to the ceiling to Spider-man.

"STAY OUT OF MY HEAD!" he yelled at her furiously.

"Hey!" Nathan said. "Put my sister down!"

"Who are you people?!" Spider-man asked.

"We're the ones who just saved your life asshole," Nathan said as his right hand burst into flame, and his left hand was encased in ice. "But if you don't put my sister down, we can fix that real quick."

Nicki watched silently as Spider-man and her brother stared each other down for what felt like hours, but was only a few seconds. Suddenly, she felt her butt hit the ground as she was dropped.

"Shit...," Spider-man said rubbing his head. "I'm really sorry. I just..."

"It's okay," Nicki said in sympathy.

"Who are you guys?" Spider-man said as he dropped to the couch. "What happened to me?"

"I'm Nicki Ross," Nicki said introducing herself. "And this is my brother Nathan."

"Hey," Nathan said with a hint of anger towards Spidey.

Be nice, Nicki sent to Nathan's head.

I don't like the way he grabbed you...she heard him think in reply.

How would you have liked him to grab me?

You know what I mean, he thought irritated.

He's just confused Nat. It's not like we got his permission to bring him here.

Yeah...

Nathan walked up to Spider-man, hand outstretched.

"Nice to meet you," he said.

"Yeah," Spider-man said, taking it. "You too. And, uh, sorry about...you know..."

"You were just confused," Nathan said. "It's not like we got your permission to bring you here."

"Why am I here again?" he asked. "You said you saved my life, but you never told me how, or why my life needed saving anyway."

"You don't remember passing out?" Nicki asked.

"Oh, uh, now that you mention it..." Spider-man said rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, I do."

"Well, that's where we found you. This homeless guy was trying to steal your shoes," Nathan said.

"You're suffering from PTSD, Spidey." Nicki said bluntly.

"Yeah, I kinda figured that actually," Spider-man said.

"I was able to stop that particular episode with my powers, but you have to get over your brother's suicide."

"How..how did you know...?" Spider-man stammered.

"To stop your episode, I had to go inside your head," she stated. "Sorry."

"You...you shouldn't..." Spider-man stammered out before falling over.

"Shit," Nathan said. "He's having another episode."

"I probably coulda handled that better," Nicki said as she kneeled next to Spider-man and put her hands on his head.

"You think so?" Nathan asked sarcastically.

Nicki's hands started to glow as she accessed Spider-man's mind. Soon, he sat up, perfectly fine.

"Welcome back to the land of the living my friend. You've been gone for quite some time." Nicki said.

"You know my secret identity, don't you?"

"I promise we won't tell anyone, Ken."

"Shit!" Kendrick said annoyed.

"Sorry."

"Y'know" Nathan said. "Didn't expect you to be black."

"What?" both Nicki and Kendrick said in disgust.

"I'm not sayin' that to be racist or anything," he said. "I just assumed you were asian."

"Why asian?" Kendrick asked.

"You'll have to forgive my brother," Nicki said rolling her eyes. "He's kinda an idiot."

Spider-man stood up and strolled towards the window.

"Well, thanks for the help guys," he said. "But somebody out there might need me. I gotta go."

"Go home Ken," Nicki said with sympathy. "Your parents already lost one child, they don't need to lose both."

Spider-man just stared back at her before speaking, "I just have one question: why did you help me?"

"That's kinda our thing. We help people like us anytime we can."

"We're the C-Men!" Nathan cut in.

Kendrick burst out laughing, while Nicki just face-palmed.

"What's so funny?" Nathan asked.

"Where did you get that name from?" Kendrick asked.

"I got the first letter from our mother's first name," Nathan said. "Cassandra."

"I like you way of thinking, but C-Men is pretty bad." Spider-man said.

Nicki put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing.

"What's you father's name?" Kendrick asked.

"Xander," Nathan and Nicki said in unison.

"Perfect," Spider-man said, smiling under his mask. "X-Men. You guys are the X-Men."

"X-Men...I like it." Nicki said.

"I like C-Men," Nathan said crossing his arms.

Nicki burst out laughing while Spider-man just shook his head.

"Oh dude...," he said sadly as he jumped out the window, swinging off.

"I swear, you are so embarrassing, Nathan." Nicki said walking back into the kitchen.

"I just don't see what's wrong with C..." Nathan's eyes quickly lit up. "Oh! I get it! Oh God!"

Spider-man swung through the air, a smile on his face. That guy Nathan reminded him of Marshall.

Thinking of his friends, made Ken feel nostalgic. Marshall, Jen, Kim...he missed all of them. Maybe Nicki was right. Maybe it was about time for him to go home.

Just then his spider-sense (dammit Marshall) went off, warning him of danger. He looked to his left and saw a car flying out of an alleyway. Instinctively, he fired webs from his wrist, stopping the car from landing of any pedestrians. He then swung into the alleyway to see what was going on.

"Hey man, I'm mad that gas prices are above two dollars again too, but that's no reason to throw your car," Spider-man quipped as he landed in the alleyway and stopped.

"What the hell...?" he said in surprise.

Standing in front pf him was what he could only describe as a really big scorpion. Like, really big. It was green, had a long tail with a pincer at the end of it, and...a human face. In fact...the face looked...kinda familiar...

"Spi...der..." the Scorpion said.

"You...you know me?" Spider-man asked. "Oh my God, you talk?"

"Help...me..." the Scorpion said holding its head in what looked like pain.

"Of...of course I'll help you," Kendrick said. "Just tell me what you..."

Spider-man suddenly jumped out the way as the Scorpion's tail swung at him.

"Hey, what the hell?" Spider-man asked mid-air. "I thought you needed my help!"

"So...sorry...can't stop..." the Scorpion said holding its head again.

Spider-man walked towards the Scorpion slowly.

"I want to help you," he said. "Tell me ho -ARRGHHHHH!"

Spider-man cried out in pain as the Scorpion's tail stabbed him deep into the stomach.

"Sorry..." the Scorpion said. Kendrick could swear he saw tears in its eyes. Or maybe those were his own.

The Scorpion held the tip of its tail in front of it. It was covered in Kendrick's blood.

"Sample received..." Scorpion said as he started to walk away.

Kendrick fell down, holding his side, now with a big gaping hole in it. He saw all the blood and thought he was gonna die. He really thought this was the end.

I don't even know why...

Kendrick thought of his brother. His brother gave his life because he felt bad for hurting him. He killed himself so he would never hurt Ken again. So that he could keep living.

Kendrick felt his strength return.

I have to keep going, he thought as he stood up, applying web to his side. I have to live for Drake. Because he can't do it for himself anymore.

But first, I need to go home.

Dr. Lance looked at the blood sample he had got from the Scorpion. Said experiment was sitting in the corner of its cage, in a fetal position, saying something about spiders.

Dr. Lance paid it no attention. He had used the previous sample of Kendrick Durham's blood to create Venom. That plan didn't go quite as planned, and he was left without a blood sample. There was something about the boy's blood that kept it from being replicated, or at least correctly. The cowering scorpion in his cage was proof of that. The only way to get the blood was to capture Kendrick Durham and harvest his blood manually for the rest of his life. The only problem was, he would have to capture him first. He would use the Scorpion, but he had almost lost control of it in the field earlier. No, this problem needed a...personal touch. He looked at the blood sample before him and smiled.

Well, he thought. If you want it done right...

Sorry this took so long you guys. But I'm back now. At least for now. Can't tell the future.

Oh, and those few of you who are reading Spawn: New World, I'll try to get something done with that.

So, in this story, I just introduced the Scorpion and the X-Men. With the Scorpion, I read the original debut of the Scorpion, and I kept thinking, this guy has potential to be a major Spider-man enemy. So, I was waiting on the chance to use him.

As for the X-Men, remember, Nicki and Nathan are just starting out in their endeavors, and by the time they're done, they'll have even more people baring the name X-Man. And since there are only OC's in this universe, don't expect any characters you know. Also, this universe of X-Men are made up of teenagers, so no mentor's or anything. Think the Runaways, except not exactly. You guys have any ideas for members, like powers or name's or anything, just leave it in a review or PM me.

Till Next Time.

-Brad.