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Another Strand In The Great Web – Episode Five Triumph Through Tragedy Part II
Avengers Tower, early afternoon
"How she is holding up?" Black Cat asked Spider-Man.
"As best as can be expected," Spider-Man said. He was seated in a chair Mayday asleep in his lap. A quick DNA test done by the Avengers upon their arrival had proven beyond a shadow of a doubt the little girl was indeed his and MJ's long lost daughter. "I finally calmed her down. She's so afraid of losing her mom. They've only just found each other. God Felicia, what will I do if..." His words trailed off.
"Don't say it. Don't even think it." Black Cat said. "Mary Jane's tough she'll pull through." In each of her hands she held a cup of coffee. "I thought you could use one."
"Thanks, maybe later." Spider-Man said. With understanding Black Cat placed the spare cup down on the table next to the seat she sat in to Spider-Man's right.
Peter's smartphone buzzed. He picked the device up from the vacant seat to his left where it lay. "It's a text message from Aunt May. She's wondering if there is an update on MJ's condition." The smartphone buzzed again. "It's Harry, he wants to know what happened. He's seen the news reports about his father's escape and the confrontation we had at the girls' school." Spider-Man said. "That's his six message. I really should respond."
"What are you going to tell him?" Black Cat asked.
Spider-Man signed. "What else, the truth. The only good thing about my dual identity being public knowledge is that I no longer have to life to those around me." Spider-Man put down his smartphone. Black Cat reached over and squeezed his hand reassuringly.
Ironman, Wasp, Hank Pym and Bruce Banner appeared a moment later. "We need to talk," Bruce said.
Peter gently handed Mayday off to Black Cat then walked away with the group of Avengers. Mayday awoke with a yawn not long after her father's departure. "Where am I?" She asked blinking an expression of confusion and fear on her small face.
"Hush, your safe honey." Black Cat said stroking Mayday's hair.
Mayday looked around. "Where are my parents?" Mayday asked a note of panic in her voice. "Why did they leave me again? Did they change their minds? They don't want me as a daughter do they?" She started to cry.
Black Cat was at a loss. While not the most knowledgeable person about parenting she knew Mayday's reaction was not typical. The poor girl was obviously emotionally fragile.
Black Cat held the girl close. "Of course they want you as their daughter. They love you very much. Why else would they have fought those nasty goblins? I'll go get your father if you'd like?"
"No," Mayday said clinging to Black Cat. "Please don't leave me alone."
"Okay," Black Cat said. "I'll stay here until your father returns."
"Thank you," Mayday said. Clinging more tightly then ever to the Black Cat.
Felicia sensed Peter and MJ would have their hands full with Mayday moving forward. The girl was very insecure from her years alone to the point she could be borderline neurotic. In that moment Felicia fervently wished she knew more about the inner workings of the human psyche, sadly she did not. She knew the only thing she could do was offer her help to MJ and Peter once the current crisis passed. Silently she cursed Norman Osborn. While Felicia had been a thief she was never the type of criminal who preyed on innocent people, least of all children. Why anyone would either attempt to murder a baby or make her a ward of the state just because they hated her parents and wanted them to suffer was beyond Felicia. Felicia believed their was a special place in hell for those who committed such deplorable acts.
A Nearby Room
"The internal damage is too extensive," Bruce explained. "There is nothing we can do but make her comfortable. I'm sorry."
Spider-Man felt numb. He barely noticed Bruce's hand on his shoulder. Mary Jane could not die she just could not. He needed her. Their daughter needed her. There had to be someway he could save her, but how?
"That's not strictly true." Hank Pym said.
"Hank, may you shouldn't." Wasp said.
"He has a right to know. She's his wife." Hank Pym said. "Mary Jane's blood workup showed her system contains latent abnormal DNA. We theorize you are the source of this mutation or ah rather prolonged exposure to you of an intimate nature is." Hank said blushing a bit in spite of himself.
"Along with some genetic drift when your daughter was conceived," Wasp added.
"What does any of this have to do with saving my wife?" Peter asked.
"Simple," Hank Pym said. "I've developed an experimental serum by which latent mutations in an individual can be activated. You possess a somewhat advanced healing factor do you not?" Peter nodded his head. "No doubt your wife will possess the same general type of healing factor once her alternations take effect. We should be able to keep her alive until then."
"I must protest," Bruce said. "This procedure is extremely risky. We have no way of knowing what the potential side effects might be. Conversely, it may not work at all."
"But without it, Mary Jane has no chance of survival, correct?" Spider-Man asked.
"Correct, regrettably," Bruce said.
"If your serum works what should happen, besides Mary Jane recovering from her injuries?" Spider-Man said to Hank Pym.
"I suspect she'll develop spider based powers not dissimilar to your own." Hank Pym said.
Spider-Man frowned beneath his mask. He knew his wife was by no means the biggest fan of metahumans. Under normal circumstances, he would never dream of imposing such a life upon her. Unfortunatel he could see no other option. Letting Mary Jane die was not a choice he was willing or able to make. "Give her the serum." He said after a long pause. He added a moment later. "I can't lose her." I hope you will understand MJ he thought. I do not want to be without you or raise our daughter alone.
"I'll prepare a dose of the serum." Hank Pym said. Spider-Man said nothing.
The Next Day, morning
Mary Jane bolted upright in her bed. Sweat beaded on her forehead. Her breathing was ragged. "Peter," She yelled.
"I'm right here," Peter said. Although still in his Spider-Man outfit he had removed his mask. He sat on a seat at her bedside where he had all night.
"I had a terrible dream. There was this awful, thing. Not the superhero but some orange skinned creature. I don't know a demon, maybe. It wanted our family erased unless I agreed it would leave me in limbo. I refused it then tried to drag me down into Hell, but a giant spider saved me, weird huh?" Mary Jane said.
"Whew, that is strange," Peter said with a smile. Happy beyond measure she was awake
"Where's Baby May?" Mary Jane then asked. "Tell me she's okay."
"She's with Felicia in the waiting room, for lack of a better term, and she's sage and sound." Peter said.
"I feel, different, energized somehow." Mary Jane said stretching her arms. "And hungry really hungry. I think I could literally eat a horse." Mary Jane got out of bed surprising Peter.
"Are you okay?" Peter asked.
"Sure am," Mary Jane said doing more stretches in her teal green hospital gown. "In fact, I haven't felt this good in years." She noticed Peter's face. "What are you looking at me like that?"
"MJ I'm sorry," Peter said.
"Sorry for what?" Mary Jane said.
"I couldn't lose you. I hope you understand." Peter said.
"Understand what?" Mary Jane said.
"The only way we could save you was to use an experimental serum developed by Hank Pym and the other Avengers. The serum works by activating latent abilities in an individual." Peter answered.
"But I don't have any such latent abilities. I'm not a mutant nor have I ever been part of an experiment gone wrong." Mary Jane said quirking an eyebrow. "Latent means dormant, right?"
"Right," Peter said. "Well, you do or rather did have latent abilities."
"Okay, tell me how and from where." Mary Jane said still skeptical.
"From me," Peter said guiltily. "Intimate exposure to my altered DNA caused latent changes in your own, along with sharing a child."
Mary Jane had a deer caught in headlights expression on her face. "I'm a superhuman now?"
"The correct term is metahuman dear." Peter joked trying to ease tension. Mary Jane shot him a none to pleased look. "Sorry, I thought a joke might help relieve tension. Please don't hate me."
"I could never hate you, no matter what tiger." Mary Jane said a moment later her expression softening. "We'll get through this together."
Peter got out of his seat. "Like we have everything else," Peter said as they embraced.
"One thing though," Mary Jane said.
"Yeah," Peter said.
"I want my own web shooters, web swinging lessons, a cute costume oh and a snappy codename." Mary Jane said. "How about Spinneret? It has a nice ring to it. Sounds find of like a kick ass spider powered ballerina. I would be Spiderwoman, Arachne or maybe Scarlet Spider, but those are all taken. Damn there sure are a lot of spider themed heroes out there and a few villains." Mary Jane frowned slightly.
"Demanding much," Peter said playfully.
"Hey now none of that. A girl needs to accessorize when she enters a new line of work mister." Mary Jane said feigning offense. "There's no reason I can't maintain my high standard of being stylish in the world of superheroes and supervillians. I mean have you seen some of the outfits people wear, please. Take Doc Ock's green jumpsuit for example, it screams 1980s'. That man desperately needs an updated wardrobe along with a good haircut. Who does he think he is anyway sporting that mushroom shaped do? Moe of Three Stooges fame called he wants his look back."
"Good point, you can have anything you want red," Peter said with a chuckle.
To Be Continued
Next Up – my rendition of Big Time and more Spider Family goodness.
Author's Note -
The idea for MJ's latent mutation came from Spider-Island where it was revealed her years of close quarters exposure to Peter granted her limited immunity from the transformative effects of the Spider Virus. Seeing how I want to keep this series as canon as possible I used that information here.