Hello All! Yes, I'm not dead. Yes it's been more than a year since I've updated or uploaded anything. I wanted to give yall a little something for the holidays, so welcome to my new fic Silk and the Leauge of Misfits. Before I start, I want to explain how the story is going to work. The first like four chapters of this story are going to a prologue of sorts talking about Cindy before we move to the Main Character.
"What world is it taking place in?" - The answer is Earth 34662, my own special little universe. Chacracters will be different, so be warned.
"Will there be smut?" - Yes, there will be smut to a good degree. I wanted to go out of my comfort zone with this fic
Thats should be everything, so enjoy! Don't forget to follow and favorite an review! Untill next time!
February 23rd, 2022, Manhattan, New York, Earth 34662
Cindy Moon gracefully swung through the air on a crisp fall afternoon in the city that never sleeps. She smiled gently under her bright red mask. While she primarily worked at night, a select few times, she would instead go out on a lunch-break patrol.
She always loved how freeing swinging through New York felt. It was one of the main reasons she continued to do it time and time. Even after nearly fifteen years, the thirty-three-year-old still loved the freeing feeling of going out as Silk brought her.
Suddenly, an ear-piercing scream hit the vigilante's ears, causing her to stop her swing and perch onto a nearby building to try and figure out where the scream was coming from. Thanks to her senses, it only took her a few seconds to pinpoint the exact location of the scream.
"This doesn't sound good," she mumbled as she leaped off the gargoyle she had previously been sitting on. Cindy urgently swung towards the scream and sighed when she finally reached the scene.
"N-no, please don't hurt me!" a young woman, no older than thirty, shouted. Her back pressed against a brick wall like a scared, caged animal.
Cindy watched as two men, covered head to toe in black, approached the woman with what looked like guns in their hands. She noticed that one of the men had a limp and mentally noted it for later.
"Where is the money, Oliva?" The first man said in a thick Mid-Western accent. "You said you'd have it to us by the 13th, and it's the 20th!"
Cindy watched as Oliva's eyes widened and started darting from side to side. She gritted her teeth when she realized that the poor woman was trying to find some way to get out of this situation.
"N-no, please. I swear I'll get you the money!" Oliva cried while trying to protect her face from the punches and hits she was taking from the men.
"Too late for that, you dumb bitch!" one of the men yelled, a sick grin on his face as he cocked the handgun in his hand.
"Alright, I think that's enough!" Cindy yelled as she jumped down from her perch.
"Silk?!" One of the men yelled as he pointed his gun at the masked vigilante.
"What are you doing here?!"
Cindy rolled her eyes and said nothing, opting to punch the man running towards her in the jaw.
"Dontae!" the other man shouted while glaring at Cindy, who merely flicked her hand at him. "Get this shit off me, you stupid bitch!" He yelled while trying to free his arm from the webs. "I'm gonna fucking kill you!"
"Ok, buddy," Cindy said while approaching a shaking Olivia.
"P-please don't hurt me!" She cried, watching as the superhero walked towards her.
Cindy rolled her eyes and couldn't help but smirk under the red mask that covered the lower part of her face. "I'm not going to hurt you like that guy over there," She gestured to the guy webbed to the wall.
"What about the guy behind you?!"
Cindy raised an eyebrow when she felt the familiar buzzing in the back of her mind. She spun around and narrowed her eyes at her new target.
Standing before her was Man Mountain Marko, a short but gruff-looking man with large muscles bulging from an all-black work suit. He had on steel-toe black rubber boots and a large metal socket wrench in his hand.
Cindy could immediately tell that the man was on steroids. She could smell the hormone imbalance in his body. "Marko? I thought you were supposed to be in rehab!" She yelled as she stepped protectively in front of Olivia. "That's where I sent your ass last time, is it not?!"
"You've still got that mouth of yours," Marko said in a thick Russian accent. "Maybe I'll break the pretty girl's neck with yours this time."
Cindy's eyes narrowed when he mentioned the woman she was trying to protect. She knew how unpredictable Marko was and needed to get her out immediately.
"Can you hear me?" Cindy whispered while keeping her eyes on the man in front of her.
"Y-yes,"
"Grab onto my waist," she instructed while slowly lifting her arms as though she was about to fight.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Marko shouted while lumbering towards the two women. "Usually, you are running towards me, Spider," he said while slowly swinging the socket wrench.
"I'm not your average spider!" Cindy yelled while sending two webs onto the roof of the building where the fire escape was and launched herself and the woman into the air like a human slingshot.
Cindy cringed lightly when her passenger started to shriek loudly in her ear. She always disliked the rescue part of the superhero job. Not that she wouldn't do it; she hated it when the people she saved would scream and squirm.
"Alright, this is your stop," Cindy crouched to let the girl off her. "There should be a fire escape somewhere over there." She pointed to the other side of the building. "If not, just wait here, and I'll come get you when this is over. Got it?" She asked loudly, causing the woman to nod her head.
"Alright, one problem solved," she mumbled as she jumped back over the edge of the building. She then swung out of the alley to find where Marko went. "One problem to go."
Silk didn't take long to track down her latest 'problem' as she called him. All she had to do was take one swing down the street and waiting for her was a trail of smashed car windows, cracked concrete, and broken fire hydrants shooting water high up into the air like inner city geysers.
"Marko!" She shouted as she landed on the destroyed city block. "Why are you doing this?!" she asked, in genuine confusion. While she hadn't faced the madman as many times as some of her other partners, she knew that usually, Marko didn't put up much of a fight. Most of the time, Makro was subdued with just a few words.
But this time, Cindy knew something was different. Something in that man's body wasn't right, and she wanted to know what it was. She closed her eyes and could sense the hormonal imbalance, but that was always the case with Marko.
So then, what was she missing? She wondered as she opened her eyes because she felt something moving towards her head. She quickly performed a backflip onto the hood of a parked car and shot webs at the maintenance hole cover, shooting toward her.
"Really?" she asked, spinning around and sending the maintenance hole cover into an ally. "Aren't you a little old to be playing frisbee?!" She shouted while leaping from the car and sending a punch at the Russian man's face.
Marko growled, his eyes narrowing as the punch connected with his lower jaw, sending him skidding a few feet. "Is that all you got, Spider?" He grunted before roaring into the air, causing the ground to rumble lightly.
"Ok, that's new!" Cindy looked around to make sure no civilians were around. "Marko! This-" She gestured towards all of the destruction. "Isn't you!" She shouted as she jumped and propelled herself into the air thanks to two webs she shot. She then launched a kick to the buff man's sternum.
Mako grabbed Silk's leg, spun around, and launched Silk into the air toward the lobby of a building. Cindy tried to reorient herself but soon felt herself crashing through the glass building, causing the occupants to scream in terror.
Cindy didn't have much time to think because soon she saw Marko towards her with his shoulder down like an angry bull. "I gotta get him away from this lobby," she whispered before charging the man and launching webs from her fingers to wrap him in a cocoon.
Marko angrily screamed as he tried to escape the webbing, but it was too fast. After a few seconds of struggling, he was wrapped waist up in webs. "He said this would make me stronger!" He shouted while struggling in Cindy's web.
"He?" She asked while punching him in the face, this time sending him flying back into the street. "Who is he?!"
"He said I'd be invincible!" Marko roared, his face redder and redder the longer he was stuck.
It didn't take long for the familiar tingling feeling she got on the back of her neck to go off. "What now?!" She asked as she looked around to make sure nothing else would happen. She then turned her attention back to Marok, causing her to step back gently.
"He said I'd be able to beat him! That I'd be the best!" Marko screamed as now not only was his face turning into a shade similar to that of a tomato.
Cindy's eyes widened as she looked at the man before her. She could almost swear that his arms were growing bigger and bigger. Her theory was soon proven correct when she saw her webs start to stretch around the man's arms and torso.
"I…will not be stopped!"
Suddenly, a loud ripping sound exploded in the alley as the webs around Marko's torso fell to pieces.
"Marko…what did you do?!" She screamed as she started shooting more webs from her wrists and fingertips. "You weren't like this last time we met!"
The behemoth laughed as he continued to shred the hero's webs as if it were nothing. "I have grown more powerful than you!" He chuckled as he walked forward. With every step he took, more and more dents and cracks appeared on the pavement below him.
"Now I can destroy you!" He raged as he pulled back his arm, ready to punch the hero in the skull.
Seeing the punch coming, Cindy ducked her head, sending a powerful kick to the man's knee. She swiftly followed that up with an uppercut to his jaw, launching him a few feet into the air.
"Are you sure about that?!" She yelled as she launched two webs at him and yanked him downward head-first into the concrete. She looked around and saw a large blue mailbox. She shot some webs and hurled them at Marko's head.
"And stay down!" She smirked after webbing him to a streetlight. Thinking the fight was finally over, Cindy looked around to ensure no significant casualties. She quickly ran over to a woman trapped in some debris and lifted it off her.
"There you go, ma'am!" she said as she tossed the bit of concrete away off to the side. "Are you injured?" she asked while doing a visual check on the woman.
"N-no, I'm fine!" she stuttered, giving the superhero a shaky hug. "Thank you, Spider-Woman"
"You're welcome, but my na-.
Cindy felt the usual tingle at the back of her neck and took action. She grabbed the woman's arm and dropped her to the ground. After being sure the danger was gone, Cindy looked up to see an enraged Marko standing in the middle of the street.
She immediately noticed that the man was at least two feet taller and had muscles building out of his skin like a poorly cased sausage.
"Stay here, Ma'am," Cindy said before running towards the middle of the street.
Tension filled the air as Cindy ran towards the behemoth that Marko had become. She could hear the new helicopter flying overhead. It didn't take someone with her genius intellect to realize that the police were on the scene. As she ran, she could see the streets blocked off with police trying to help the injured and clear the area.
"Marko!" She screamed at the mountain of a man. "You need to calm down!"
However, the only answer she got in response was a primal roar, which sent her skidding back a few feet. Once the roar was over, Silk took a breath and slingshot herself towards Marko.
With a yell of her own, Cindy launched a barrage of kicks at the man's head. With a final grunt, she twisted herself to throw a solid front kick in his sternum, sending him flying into a lamppost.
"The gloves are officially coming off," Cindy mumbled to herself as she cracked her neck. She then ran towards the man and sent an uppercut to his jaw, launching him into a parked car. "Why won't you stay down!"
"Maybe because you aren't hitting him hard enough,"
Cindy looked over her shoulder and scowled at the man behind her eating a donut. He was 6'4" and wore a red, white, and blue spandex suit with a black spider emblem in the center.
"And what are you doing here, Peter?" Cindy asked while picking up a large truck and tossing it at Marko, who dodged it. He then let out another roar and started running towards the two heroes.
"Well, I was in the area and saw all the commotion. I originally thought it was Miles because of how messy it looks." He answered while casually standing off to the side.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She huffed while she sent webs towards a large chunk of concrete that Marko had sent flying towards her. She spun around and sent it back, hitting him in the head.
"It means you're sloppy," he replied while watching the battle. "I thought you were better than this,"
"Don't you have a girlfriend to be cheating on?" Cindy snapped while continuing to launch more and more objects at Marko as she tried to slow him down.
And so the banter continued as Cindy tried more and more ways to subdue the giant behemoth of a man. She tried everything from launching physical assaults to webbing him up to even leaching a vehicle at him.
"All right, that's it!" Cindy shouted as she sprinted towards Marko and jumped onto his back. She then webbed the man's head up, causing the man to become enraged. "Just like riding a bull," she mumbled, leading him into a traffic post.
Marko screamed again and, this time, started using his arms to try and swat her off of him.
"You don't get arm privileges anymore," Cindy growled while taking his arm and snapping it into a strange position. She then did the same to the other arm, causing him to howl in pain.
"You're annoying, you know that?!" She said while putting her hand over his mouth and webbing his mouth shut. She then grabbed his head and started to push.
"Cindy, what are you doing?!" Peter yelled. While he mainly had stuck to sending light jabs at the hero, he was still paying close attention to what she was doing.
"Ending this!" She said as she smashed the man's head into a fire hydrant, causing him to howl in pain. "He's not going to stop unless I make him stop!"
"You're not going to…" Peter's eyes widened with a newly found interest. He dropped his phone and swung over to Cindy in an attempt to pull her off of Marko.
"I'll do what I need to," she said, leaning down and maneuvering her arms around the man's beefy neck. "Something you're not willing to do!"
"Are you calling me a coward?!" Peter yelled while swinging towards the duo. "Because I know you're not talking!"
Cindy rolled her eyes and shot webs at a nearby traffic light, "Will you both just shut up?!" She screamed as she pulled, sending the entire traffic light system crashing down on top of both men. Then, the Spider Vigilante flipped over the tangled bits of metal and sent her most powerful heel kick to the villain's skull, effectively ending the fight.
"I'm sorry it had to be this way," she scornfully whispered as she wrapped the body in her webbing. "I wish I could have found a way to help you." she frowned and closed his eyes, but not before getting a vial of his blood to study.
After the intense showdown on fall streets below, Cindy sighed, the weight of the night's events settling on her shoulders like a heavy mantle. She shot a web to a nearby rooftop and swung onto the elevated surface, distancing herself from the scene below.
"What got into you back there?!"
Cindy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew that Peter would want questions, but this soon after the fact was a bit wild even for him. "What do you want, Peter?"
"What do you mean 'what do I want'?! You killed someone!" He shouted while throwing his mask onto the ground. His blue eyes crackled with energy as he stared at Cindy.
"And you think I don't know that?" Cindy yelled while lowering her mask. She stood up from where she was sitting to face Peter with clenched fists. "I did what I had to to save this city!"
"You killed someone, Cindy! You ended his life!" He waved his arms animatedly in the air. "In broad daylight. We don't do that!"
"And what were you going to do, hmm!?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. She was sick and tired of Peter always going for the moral high ground when she knew he was no better. She walked up to him and poked him square in the chest. "You just wanted the credit, didn't you?"
"Cindy…" Peter said, his voice growing more agitated.
"I knew it! You were waiting for me to slip up so that you could swoop in and save the day for more of your stupid PR!" She said as she circled the man like a wolf circling their prey.
Peter stood stoically and took a deep breath. "Get out of my city," he said after a pregnant pause. His tone left no room for argument. "Now!"
Cindy's eyes widened, shock and anger crossing her face. "Your city?!" she scoffed, her voice laced with disbelief. "Last time I checked, the city belonged to everyone, not just you."
Peter's jaw clenched, the tension between them escalating. "And last time I checked, the people don't like murderers living with them!"
"Well then, I'm shocked you didn't leave after Stacy's death," Cindy jumped back to avoid a heavy blow from Peter. "What? Did I strike a nerve?" She asked while reading herself for a fight.
"This is your last chance, Silk. Leave this city, or I'll make you leave," Peter said, picking up his mask and putting it back onto his face.
Cindy looked at the man before her, fist clenched with righteous anger. She never thought a friendship spanning over two decades would end like this. She sighed, her bandana in hand, and pulled it over the lower part of her face.
"You don't want this to get ugly, Spider-Man," Cindy said while lowering herself into her fighting stance.
"Oh," Spider-Man said while getting into his own stance. "It already has."
February 6th, 2027, Gold Coast, Chicago.
The glow of the Chicago skyline cast a warm ambiance over Cindy's apartment as she anxiously paced back and forth. She had just taken a pregnancy test, and the results had left her in a state of disbelief. At 38, Cindy never thought she would be in this situation. She had always made sure that she was careful, not that she was a raging sexaholic.
"This can't possibly be happening right now!" she mumbled as she paced around the bedroom of her downtown Chicago apartment. She occasionally glanced at her phone timer, the seconds feeling like hours as she waited for the tests to develop.
She didn't even know why she had taken the tests. She knew this as soon she sensed the chemical and hormonal change in her body that she was pregnant.
Shortly after that revelation came the dreaded morning sickness and breast tenderness. Maybe it was the tiny bit of hope she held onto that she was wrong. Perhaps that's why she got the tests, as a sick prank to herself.
The sharp chirp of her alarm signaling the end of her wait brought her out of her musings. She quickly walked to her phone, turned it off, and walked into her bathroom.
Taking a deep breath, Cindy reached one of the tests and felt her stomach drop.
"Fuck," she mumbled as she saw the dreaded word 'positive' on the digital screen. "Maybe it's a false positive," she naively hoped as she looked at another test with the same result. "Shit, no, no, no, no!" She cried as tears started to gather in her eyes, threatening to spill at any moment.
In a rare moment of weakness, Cindy grabbed her phone and opened her contacts. She quickly scrolled through her contacts until she found the one she was looking for and pressed it.
"Pick up, pick up," she whispered as the phone rang.
"Cindy? Is everything ok? You never call," a feminine voice said through the phone's speakers.
"Felicia? Oh, thank god you picked up!" Cindy breathed as she leaned on her bathroom counter. "H-how are you?" She asked shakily.
"Oh, you know…the usual," Felicia replied, a hit of concern in her voice. "What's wrong?"
"What? Can I not call my friends?" she asked, swallowing a lump in her throat when she was greeted with silence on the other end. "Alright, fine, it's just… it's a lot,"
"Do I need to fly over?"
Cindy stood silently and tried to take a deep breath to reassure her friend. "I…N-"
"Alright, my flight gets in at 3; it is 12:30 now; whatever it is, can it wait till I get there?" Felicia asked while moving on the other end of the phone. "Cindy?"
"Wha- oh um yes, it can," She said as she tried calming her raging emotions.
"Ok, I'll see you soon," Felicia said as she hung up the phone.
As the call ended, Cindy found herself alone with her thoughts, the weight of her revelation settling in the quiet of her apartment. She took a moment to compose herself, wiping away the traces of tears that had escaped during the emotional call. The realization of her unexpected pregnancy lingered like an unspoken secret.
In the following hours, Cindy tried to distract herself, tidying up her apartment and glancing occasionally at the clock. Felicia's impending arrival brought an enormous amount of anxiety. She couldn't help but wonder what her friends would think of her once they learned she was expecting.
Cindy was brought out of her musings when she heard the jingle of keys at her front door. She looked down at herself and groaned when she realized she hadn't showered and that she was in her pajamas.
"Cindy?" She heard from down the stairs and at her front door. "It's Felicia, and I brought some friends!"
"Hey, I'll be down in a second!" She yelled as she darted into her bathroom to try and freshen up a bit. "Just make yourself at home!"
One quick shower and outfit change later, Cindy was ready to meet her friends. She slowly walked down the stairs to try and gather her thoughts before she faced her friends.
"Hey, girl!"
Cindy turned and smiled when she saw her four closest friends sitting on her living room couch. Felicia Hardy, the first woman to greet the superhero, was tall with silver-gray hair tied back in a tight bun. Dressed in black designer boots, blue jeans, and an expensive-looking sweater, Felicia was confident as she stood up to examine her friend.
Beside Felicia was Susan Storm, known to most as the Invisible Woman. With her striking blond hair and calm demeanor, Sue wore a stylish yet professional ensemble that reflected her status as a leading figure in the superhero community. She wore a maternity top and leggings to accommodate her prominent baby bump.
On the other side of the table sat Rogue, the X-Men member with the power to absorb abilities and memories. Anna's distinctive white streak in her auburn hair was hard to miss as she sat with a relaxed yet attentive posture. She had on a pair of old blue jeans, boots, and a green Jets hoodie.
Lastly, Barbra Morse, also known as Mockingbird, was leaning back in his chair with a smirk. Barbra, an expert martial artist and spy, exuded a laid-back confidence. She wore a leather jacket over a black shirt, her sharp eyes observing Cindy with a hint of curiosity.
"Hey, girls," Cindy said while slowly walking over to join them between Sue and Felicia on the couch. "Wow, Sue, you look great!" She smiled while gesturing to her friend's stomach.
Sue giggled at Cindy's nervousness. "Yes, thank you, Cin," she said, rubbing her bump. "But I don't think we stopped everything we were doing to get on a plane over here to talk about me and little Valerie here,"
Cindy felt her stomach tighten at Sue's words; the anxiety that had been bubbling up since this morning was starting to show. She glanced around at her friends, unsure how to begin the conversation that had brought them here.
Rogue, sensing Cindy's unease, flashed a warm smile. "Hey, no need to stress, darlin'. We're here for you, whatever it is."
Cindy appreciated Rogue's reassurance but couldn't shake the nervous energy that coursed through her. She took a deep breath before finally speaking. "I appreciate you all coming on such short notice. It's just... well, it's kind of a lot."
Felicia, always perceptive, leaned forward. "Spill the beans, girl. We're not here to judge unless you get back together with that fucktard Peter Parker. Then we're going to judge."
Cindy chucked at her friend's joke and tried to look around the room at something to look at to avoid her friend's eyes. After an awkward moment, she caught Sue's expectant gaze, then at the curious expressions of Rogue and Bobbi, and sighed.
"Ok, here goes nothing," she mumbled before taking a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."
A long, tense moment of silence hung before Felicia's eyes widened. "Pregnant? Like, baby pregnant? Like-"
"No, Felica, I'm not. This was all a joke; yes, I'm pregnant with a mini-human!" She snapped. She immediately regretted the words when she saw her friend flinch. "Sorry, I-"
"You're fine; you're stressed," Felicia said gently as she laid her head on the woman's shoulder.
"Well, wait a minute, are you sure you're pregnant?" Barbara asked while looking at her stressed and distraught friend. "I mean, you've always been the most careful out of us.
"Barbs does have a point. When was the last time you even had sex?" Anna chimed in while she pulled out her phone to look up a pregnancy tracker.
"Last time would have been New Year's Eve," she said, rubbing her face.
Barbara let out a low whistle as she leaned back in the loveseat. "That was a little over a month ago,"
"And you haven't had your period?" Sue asked gently while rubbing the spider heroine's hand. She knew her friend's feelings well, having had her children.
"That was one of the first things that tipped me off. That and noticing the additional hormones flooding my body," Cindy explained to her friends. "And the fact my tits don't fit into my bras anymore."
"Well, that's a positive, right?" Felicia asked while wiggling her eyebrow, earning a chuckle from Cindy and the others.
"I guess there's a silver lining in this after all," Cindy chuckled softly as the tears slowly started to fall. "I… it's just a lot to take in."
"Well, for what it's worth," Sue reached over to whip some tears from her face.
"Congratulations, Cindy." She smiled gently. "You'll be a great mom."
"Yeah, Congrats Cin!" Felicia squealed while hugging her friend. "Have you scheduled your appointments yet?"
Cindy blushed a bit but slowly started to smile. "Yeah, I made one for Monday."
"Good! Do you have anyone going with you?" Sue asked gently while rubbing the girl's hand.
"I…I was going to go alone," Cindy mumbled, averting her eyes.
The girls, minus Cindy, all looked at each other and shared the line of thinking. They wouldn't leave their best friend alone at a time like this. Not when she had been there so many times.
"Well, I'll go with you then!" Felicia said after a brief pause in the conversation. "I don't need to be in Manhattan to work, so I can be here as much as you want!"
"Yeah, sugah, count me in too!" With a big smile, Anna said, "I've got family here, so that I can swing by occasionally!"
"Really?" Cindy asked, this time hope written all over her face. She didn't expect her friends to drop everything and help her like this.
"Oh, Cindy," Susan said, gently cupping the distraught hero's cheeks." You've helped us so many times. It's about time we helped you!"
"Yeah! Auntie Rogue is going to spoil both of your kids rotten!" Anna laughed while walking over to her friend to place her hand on her shoulder.
Barbra looked at the outpouring of support and smiled. "While I may not have any special powers or genes," She said as she walked over to join the group. "I'll always be here to offer any support I can."
Feeling all the love and support she was getting from her friends, Cindy finally let the tears fall, her guard falling entirely. She looked at all of her friends and smiled. "Guys…" she cried while trying to fan her eyes.
"Ohh, sweetie!" Felicia said as she rubbed her shoulder. "Everything will be alright,"
And Cindy honestly believed her. She had never felt this much love and support from anyone. She and her friends had been through many rough times when they were younger, and Cindy didn't think anything could prepare them for the next nine months.
"Have you eaten anything?" Anna asked after a comfortable silence.
Cindy shook her head no and sighed. "No, I got in late last night because of a project I recently got put on," she explained, her eyes widening as she realized something. "Shit," she mumbled while starting to pick at her thumb. "What about work? I can't be a Bio-Engineer while pregnant!"
"Why can't you?!" Anna asked while ordering a few pizzas on her phone. "Isn't it illegal to discriminate for being pregnant?!"
"No, it is," Sue stood up to grab a glass of water. "The concern is that it's not a safe work environment for a pregnant person."
"I'm guessing you haven't told your boss," Barbra asked from her spot in the living room.
"No," Cindy replied, her fingers still picking at each other. "You guys are the only people I've told this to."
"Well, you're going to have to tell your job," Felicia said while turning on the TV to college football. "You can't risk hurting the baby."
"Which presents the question-"
"I'm not giving up, Silk!" Cindy declared while standing up. "I…the city would fall apart, and I just start to be recognized, and-"
"No one," Sue walked into the room with a tray of assorted drinks. "Is making you give up being a hero." She said with a soft authority, like a mother talking before her children could get into an argument. "We all want to ensure the little tyke is safe and healthy."
"Yeah, we wouldn't want you or the baby to get hurt because of something that happened out in the field," Feleica explained while getting up to get the ordered pizzas.
"I know it's just," Cindy paused to get out her wallet to give Felicia money to tip the driver. "I don't want to give it up."
"And like she said, we aren't making you puddin'," Anna gently smiled at the woman. "All we are doing is ensuring you and the little guy are going to be ok."
"I know it's just…I don't know how I'm going to do this." She sighed into her slice of pizza.
"People have been having babies for centuries," Barbra said, rubbing her back. "The only difference between you and them is some spider powers."
"Yeah, you're right," Cindy said, rubbing her lower stomach gently. "I think we'll be just fine."
September 19th, 2027, Chicago
Cindy groaned as she yanked her mask off of her face. Lightly panting, she threw it onto the ground and slumped against the radiator on the roof she was sitting on.
"What a fucking day," she mumbled, her hand resting on her bump. "First, that project Jannett had me working on went sideways, then that stupid break-in at the bank."
Cindy looked down at her swollen womb and smiled. "Aren't you lucky you don't have to deal with this stuff yet?" She asked while palming her stomach, feeling her baby respond to her touch.
Cindy was in the waning moments of her first and hopefully only pregnancy. She had grown to like always having a traveling companion with her. It made living alone a lot more fun, having someone to talk to all the time.
She smiled as she remembered some of the more memorable moments of her pregnancy. "We've really been on an adventure, haven't we?" She asked while stroking her belly. "But now it's time for you to come out and meet your family!"
Cindy had already turned the second bedroom of her three-bedroom apartment into a nursery. She spared no expense regarding a baby monitor, crib, changing table, and wardrobe. Cindy had even gotten Susan to give her a list of everything she had gotten for little Valarie. She even got a custom-made rocking chair for all the late-night feeding she would have to do.
The heroine yawned as she stood up and arched her back to the best of her abilities. She knew her body was at its limits when carrying her baby. She discovered that no amount of Super strength would make her less tired and achy from carrying around an extra ten pounds of baby.
"I hope you're ready to meet me, little one," she said while slowly moving towards the edge of the roof she was on. "Because I'm so ready to meet you."
Cindy closed her eyes before jumping off the roof and sending webs from her wrist to latch onto another building, allowing her to swing around the Chicago skyline.
Even while pregnant, Cindy was able to go out and be Silk. Sure, there were a few close calls here and there, but overall, she had never really let the pregnancy affect her hero work. She smiled as she remembered some of the times when the baby kicked her a little too hard, whether it was during a business meeting or while she was out fighting crime.
"You sure are active, huh?" she asked when she felt her child kick her in the rib. It was still a feeling she had become accustomed to over the months.
Cindy continued to swing from building to building with a smile. She figured she did have a lot to be thankful for. She had finally finished a project she had been working on for months at work, even if the ending was a bit messy. There weren't too many criminals out tonight, and her friends were coming to stay for the weekend, hoping the baby would be born when it was supposed to.
As she swung, Cindy felt her phone ringing inside of her suite. She cursed and pulled hard on the web she was swinging on, sending her higher into the air. This allowed her to unzip her suit a little to answer the phone.
"Hello?" She answered as she caught herself and continued to swing down the street.
"Hey, it's Sue," Susan said from Cindy's apartment. "We were wondering when you were going to get here."
"Oh, hey, Sue!" She replied while landing in a crouched position on a lamp post. "I'm like… a twenty-minute swing away." She looked down at the street sign to confirm where she thought she was.
"Ok, just…be careful," Susan said, worry laced in her voice. She knew the hero had a habit of getting caught up in mischief and didn't want anything to happen to her this close to the baby's due date.
"Don't worry so much," Cindy smirked confidently while leaping off the light post to continue swinging. "I'll be back there before you know it!"
"Alright, talk to you then," Sue hung up the phone, leaving the line dead. Cindy tucked her phone back into her phone and continued to swing home.
"I wonder what your gender will be?" she said as she sprinted along the walls of an office building before flipping off and launching more webs to swing from. "Don't get me wrong, I'll love you regardless of gender, but I kinda hope you're a boy."
She felt a firm kick in her sternum, making the here crack a smile. "I think you like the idea of being a boy, huh?" She said lovingly while running a hand over her belly. "Maybe you and little Valerie will be friends or even get married one day!" She giggled while doing a flip in the air.
Cindy was close to home when she felt the hairs on her neck tingle. She raised an eyebrow when, all of a sudden, she felt a strong gush of water exit her body, followed by a sharp pain in her lower abdomen. "Shit!" She screamed as she lost focus for a second and started falling.
After realizing she was falling, Silk launched webs from her wrist to catch herself and continue to swing towards her apartment. "You know, when I said I was excited to meet you, I didn't think you'd come as I was swinging down the street!" She chuckled before wincing again when she felt a solid kick to the rib. "Ow! Ok, ok, no more jokes."
Cindy swung for a few more minutes before she had to take a break due to the intense pain she was currently in. "Fucking hell!" She said through gritted teeth as she pulled out her phone and placed it on the ground. "Hey Siri, call Susan Richards!"
The phone rang a few times, making the heroine groan. "Any other time you'd answer on the first ring," she mumbled, balling up her fist in pain.
"Hey, everything ok? Did you get caught up with something?" Susan asked from the other end.
"It's happening!" Cindy yelled through gritted teeth,
"What's happening!?" Sue asked, panic laced in her voice.
"The baby! My water just broke," Cindy replied
The line suddenly went silent before pandemonium erupted from her phone.
"Are you ok?! How long are the contractions?! Are you safe? Are-"
"I'm like three miles away," She interjected before her friend could say anything else. "I'm gonna try to make it back home, have one of the windows open, and have to go bag ready to go." She explained while limping to the ledge and jumping off to swing home.
After a long swing home, Cindy maneuvered herself through her bedroom window. After taking a few moments to rest in her bedroom, she stood up and walked over to her closet to change her clothes. She was about to start stripping when a sharp contractions hit her. "Arrh FUCK, this hurts!" She yelled as she gripped the doorframe.
"Cindy, is that you?!" Felicia asked as she opened the door to the primary bedroom. "Oh, sweetheart, how are you feeling?"
Cindy rolled her eyes. "Oh, you know, I'm just on the verge of pushing an eleven-pound baby out of my body!" She yelled, her grip breaking the door into pieces.
"Ok, ok, let's get you out of the suite, and then we can take you to the hospital," Felicia said as Susan and Anna rushed into the bedroom.
"Yeah, let's get you out of the suite, and then we can get you to the hospital," Susan said, immediately taking charge of the entire situation. "Anna, call 911; Felicia, get the hospital bags ready."
Cindy took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly as the realization of impending motherhood set in. She allowed Felicia to guide her out of the bedroom, the remnants of the broken door scattered on the floor. Susan was already on the phone with the dispatchers, providing them with the apartment number and address.
As they navigated through the apartment, Cindy felt a contraction seize her, causing her to pause and send a fist-sized hole into the wall. The pain was intense, but she was determined to endure it. Anna rushed to her side, offering support as Felicia hurriedly prepared the hospital bags.
"Fuck this is worse than being shot!" Cindy yelled as she grabbed her friend's arm, snapping it effortlessly, causing the Mutant to yelp.
"Come on, Cindy. You've got this," Anna reassured her as she swallowed the extreme pain she was in. "Just a few more minutes till the ambulance shows up, puddin." She said while desperately praying for it to arrive.
Within minutes, the paramedics arrived, efficiently taking charge of the situation. They carefully guided Cindy to the waiting ambulance, where Susan and Anna joined her.
The ambulance sped through the city, its sirens wailing as it carried Cindy towards the hospital. Susan kept a comforting hand on Cindy's shoulder, trying to offer solace amid the chaos.
Cindy winced, enduring the contractions and the bumpy ride simultaneously. "I swear, if I survive this shit, I'm going tear into whoever is in charge of these fucking potholes!" She screamed as she continued to endure the pain.
Anna chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood. You can add 'improve transportation for people in labor' to your list of accomplishments.
"Funny," Cindy retorted, a mixture of pain and amusement in her voice. "But really, guys, thank you. I don't know what I would do without you."
"You'd manage just fine," Susan smiled and rubbed her arm. "But we're here because we care about you and are not about to let you go through this alone."
As the ambulance pulled up to the hospital, the medical team quickly wheeled Cindy inside, ready to help her bring new life into the world. The trio of friends followed closely, offering encouragement and support.
In the hospital room, the medical staff worked efficiently, preparing for the imminent arrival of Cindy's baby. The atmosphere blended anticipation and excitement, with Susan and Anna at Cindy's side, holding her hands and offering encouragement.
"Is this really happening?" Cindy asked in a rare, pain-free moment. "I'm actually about to have a baby."
Susan smiled warmly, squeezing Cindy's hand. "Yes, it's happening. You're about to become a mom, Cindy."
Anna, always the humorist, said, "And soon you'll have your very own Spider-Baby swinging round the crib."
Cindy chuckled, grateful for the lighthearted moment amid the intensity. "Spider-Baby, huh? Maybe I should start thinking about baby names. Any suggestions?"
"Well, is it a boy or a girl?" Felicia asked as she walked into the room carrying Chinese food.
"I think it's a boy," Cindy responded while smelling the delicious food that had just entered the room. "Call it a mother intuition,"
"Well then, let's start thinking of names," Susan announced after taking a bite of her beef and broccoli.
"Sam?" Anna suggested.
"What short for Samual?" Cindy asked as she gently rubbed her belly.
"Nah, too boring, Susan said. "How about Tommy?"
"Nope! I've never met a good man named Thomas," Felicia said while pointing her chopsticks at Susan, who rolled her eyes.
"Do you have any suggestions, Cindy?" Anna asked while looking at the mother-to-be, who was checking her phone.
"I have a few," she said, smirking at her friend. "But I want to look at him before I name him, you know?"
Yeah, that's what Reed and I did with Valerie," Susan said while rubbing her back. "Just pick what feels right,"
Cindy nodded her head and hissed as she felt another contraction tear through her body. She groaned and leaned her head down on her pillow, trying to fight the pain. "Fuckkkkkk," she sighed as she gripped the side of the bed.
"It'll be other soon, Cindy," Felicia said while rubbing her friend's hand. "Soon, you'll have a beautiful baby in your hands."
"You keep saying soon," Shed replied through gritted teeth. "But I want him out of me NOW!"
Cindy would only take a few more hours to get her wish. The room soon filled with medical staff since it signaled that it was time for the baby's delivery.
The atmosphere shifted, and Felicia, Susan, and Anna offered words of encouragement, their excitement palpable as their friend followed the doctors' instructions. The rhythmic beeping of the fetal monitor echoed in the background, serving as a reminder of the imminent joy that was about to unfold.
Felicia, with her trademark confidence, leaned in close to Cindy. "You've got this, girl. A few more pushes, and you'll have him in your arms."
Susan held Cindy's hand over the nurturing figure, offering soothing words. "You're doing amazing, Cindy. Just a little more, and we'll meet your beautiful baby."
Anna, with her Southern charm, added her touch of encouragement. "You're stronger than a bull, Cindy. One more push, and we'll be celebratin' with cigars and baby booties."
Cindy, surrounded by the love and support of her friends, summoned the strength for the final effort. The room was excited as the medical team guided her through each contraction. The camaraderie and shared excitement created a cocoon of positive energy, wrapping around Cindy like a protective shield.
With one last determined push, the room echoed with the cries of a newborn.
"Congratulations!" A nurse smiled as she cut the umbilical cord. "It's a boy!"
The medical team swiftly placed the tiny baby boy in Cindy's arms. Tears of joy glistened in her eyes as she looked at the little face that had been the source of so much anticipation.
The nurse announced the gender and gently handed the newborn to Cindy. A wave of indescribable joy washed over the room as the mother and son were united for the first time. The shared anticipation had now transformed into a tangible reality.
Felicia, Susan, and Anna gathered around, their faces beaming happily. "He's perfect," Felicia whispered, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
"Oh my god, look," Susan said as she gently pointed to the baby as he opened his eyes. "He has your eyes!"
The nurse, sensing the emotional atmosphere, smiled warmly. "He's a beautiful baby. Have you thought of a name yet?"
Cindy, still overwhelmed with the bliss of the moment, looked down at her newborn son. A soft, contemplative smile played on her lips. "Tristan," she whispered with a sense of quiet determination. "His name is Tristan Moon."
The nurse nodded, recording the name on the chart. "Tristan Moon, a wonderful choice. Congratulations, Cindy. He's a real blessing."
Cindy nodded, holding Tristan close. She gently kissed her son on the head and let the tears fall. The aches, pains, kicks, and vomiting have led to this moment. She had never felt more calm and at peace with the world than at this moment.
"Hi Tristan," she whispered to the child, who had stopped crying and was looking at her. "I'm your new mommy," Cindy said while weeping softly. "And I'm always going to love you." She kissed him on the forehead and smiled again. "Now, forever, and always."