Chapter 23

Merry late Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all have been having a good holiday season, got my broken laptop replaced as a Christmas present and got straight to work on this chapter for you all, really hope you enjoy it :)

For those of you who didn't check my profile, I feel i must explain the lack of chapters the past 3 months as well simply put my laptop imploded, something which thanks to a Christmas present I managed to replace recently.
Been working to catch up to what was deleted, thankfully had half of this chapter saved on a USB so this chapter wasn't too hard to get semi-back to where it was.

Now, onto the reviews!

Frosty Wolf: That opinion of him may just wind up in the Marianas trench by the time this story is through with him. I would have to agree with you, I tried to showcase Peter kinda realising this at the end as he saw the unconvential power he had at that moment as Spider-man.

You summed it up so simply it brought a tear to my eye, she went into it with no real plan or exit strategy! She's winging it and that's the damn truth, her challenge will be figuring out a plan and seeing where things take her from there cause right now, man she floundering.

Thank you I tried really hard on getting the energy right for the birthday scene so it means alot! Loved bringing Flash in too, glad that you liked it cause we'll be seeing more of him ;)

That was the easiest bit to write actually, Felicia flows quite easily as a character!

FictionWriter453: Thank you very much for the review and the honest criticism, I really appreciate it :) In regards to Gwen, it's tough like i'll go for a rundown so my thoughts are she's a young adult who has urges like any other human being but finds herself torn between two different boys, one the one her heart yearns for (Peter) and the other the one who actually noticed her and who needs her at the moment (Harry).

She's no doubt in an unhealthy relationship, the real question we all need to be asking however, is just how unhealthy is it? The idea i'm trying to go is kinda like a stockholm approach from Gwen and is something that would be explored further when we get to the switch and start looking at things from her angle.

Cataist. rl: Thank you very much for the kind words and the review :) Glad you're enjoying the story but i gotta break some bad news to you, things are about to start getting dark.

Bufa. mic: Didn't manage to get this out in time but atleast it's an early January chapter so I hope that brings some holiday cheer :)

"Spectacular" = Speech

'Spectacular' = Thoughts

"What is a 'Hero' though?" = Speach with a quote

*BANG* = Important Noise?

-Flashback- = Flashback setting

"I love you" = Written words

{4:00am} = Important Time/ Date

$Chocolate!$ = Symbiotes on their own

Disclaimer: Spider-man, Marvel and related IP belong to their respective owners. The author of this story owns jack-shit and holds no fantasy that they ever will.

The doors to the Ravencroft Institute opened up that cold August night, allowing the filth covered form of Jason Karlson, the officer who had been missing ever since the police's excursion into New Yorks sewer system days ago, to walk with a limp into the atrium with his head down.

Sitting unconcerned or more likely, unaware, the same old lady receptionist who'd been on the door on Peters first visit to Ravencroft could be found sat typing away at her computer as she smoked on a marlboro cigarette with a grouchy expression on her face.

Meanwhile Jason just kept making his way closer towards the reception desk until something surprising happened, atleast to anyone who'd had the pleasure of interacting with the secretary as she finally took notice of someone entering the room without needing to hear the ear-splitting ring of the bell.
Granted, not that this was a good thing as her face scrunched up in disgust from the smell wafting off the man before her.

"By the Lord, where did- ahem, I mean what can I help you with sir?" The receptionist blurted out before quickly catching herself as she inwardly groaned 'Last thing i need is another complaint'

Jason finally looked up at her words, revealing pitch black orbs for eyes and a sadistic grin stretching his face, the sight of which immedietly caused the receptionist to scream and try reach for what could only be a panic button under the desk...not that she made it.

*WATSHHHH*

The sound most of New York associated with Spider-man and his webs could be heard as a black web brutally shot out of the possessed officers mouth flinging the old woman off her feet into the wall harshly where she was now hung up unconcious.

Cracking his neck before taking a deep inhale through his nose, 'Jason' let his grin grow wider as he picked up the scent of his partner nearby, his feet taking him towards the double doors that would lead to a guards station according to this meat sacks memory.

Leaking out of the cuts that had accumulated on his body, 'Jason' not paying any notice to it as he approached the doors, was a black fluid oozing out to cover him rapidly until finally right before the door 'Jason' finished his transformation into...

*BANG, CRASH*

"V-VENOM!" One of the many backpeddling guards shouted in terror at the sight of the buff, near pitch black, monstrosity that was looking at them as if they were ants in its way as he threw open the double doors.

Stomping towards the metal detector and wrought iron gates that partially helped split the room, Venom grinned with spiked teeth and long tongue as he saw the guards run from him before he bent the bars apart to give his bulky form space to pass through the destroyed metal detector.

Bullets began flying from the guns of the guards towards Venom in a vain attempt to slow him down as he approached menacingly until he finally decided to be a bit more...proactive.

Punching the air Venom shot a tendril at one of the 4 officers defending the doors leading to the rest of the expansive asylum, yoinking the officer off of his feet and dragging him back into his grasp, Venom showcased why close combat wouldn't be their key to victory as he slammed the officer into the ground.

Two of the remaining officers gulped, the thought of running through the doors behind them and looking for either backup or the nearest fire exit becoming more and more appealing to the two guards, a young woman and a middle aged man.

Meanwhile the last guard found herself in a fury as she watched her comrade get manhandled like that, the only solace she could find being the slow but steady rise and fall of their chest as Venom left them groaning in a spider-web cracked floor.
Naturally, this left her not only worried for her colleague but it also triggered her fight or flight response and unlike the two cowards beside her, she went with fight as she unloaded her automatic gun into Venoms bulky frame.

One of the two fearful guards ran out of bullets on both their automatic and pistol, both of which they decided to throw pitifully at Venom who just smiled as bullets sank into him before being pushed out harmlessly.

Quickly flicking both his wrists up, Venom shoot two tendrils, one at each of the fearful guards chests before they were reeled in nigh immedietly.

Catching both of the fearful guards by their heads, Venom brutally clunked the two against each other before dropping them unceremonsiously as he continued his approach towards the lone guard remaining aiming her pistol at his head murderously.

"You bastard." She spat as she held her fire whilst her collegues were in the line of sight before letting a shot loose straight into Venoms head the second they were clear which was quickly followed by two more and counting.

*CLICK*

The sound of the last remaining, conscious, entrance guard's pistol clicking empty resounded throughout the hallway like room as Venom made it right infront of her, grinning before raising his fist and delivering a mean right hook that knocked the brave guard unconcious as she dropped like a sack of potatos.

Stepping uncaring over the body of the guard, Venom pushed open the doors they had been protecting and looked at the three different ways he could go, before deciding to head straight, rather than to either of the two wings of the asylum.

Walking through the halls of Ravencroft Asylum, Venom kept sniffing the air as he slowly worked on tracking his target down until he happened to overhear the most interesting information about his target as he turned a corner

"Man, Brocks doing good but if that cellmate of his steals his socks to make sock puppets once more he might just loose it for good" A masculine voice could be heard coming from a nearby room, the reinforced metal door currently being held open by another guard who had his back to Venom as he stared into the room where his colleague was looking at camera screens covering the walls.

The guard inside the security room didn't even notice as his colleague was reefed off his feet behind him as he watched the screen that showed the feed from the camera monitoring Eddie Brock's cell, who was currently argueing with his cellmate about another pair of holey socks atleast from what the guard could tell.

As the guard sat there looking at the screen though he suddenly felt a spike of fear when he felt and saw a long pair of black claw like fingers slowly find themselves being placed one at a time on his shoulders, rooting him to his spot in the swivel chair.
Looking back at the screens infront of him, the guard nearly wet himself in fear as he could barely make out the dark monstrous form of Venom behind him, stretching it's jaw wide as if about to bite down on his head.

In a panic the guard accidently pressed one of the buttons on the control panel below the monitors, causing them all to switch to one screen in particular: Eddie Brocks cell.

"Eddie!" Venon purred with a satisfied gleam in his white teardrop eyes as he stopped trying to eat the head of the guard who was reliving his near death experience, instead turning his focus entirely to screens before him.

"I'm coming for you Eddie, you can't escape..." Venom continued as he rested a hand against the monitors that displayed the bulky blonde in question only to be surprised by the sudden flashing red light and alarm that started ringing throughout the building, before he noticed the previously terrified guard discreetly pressing a big red button, the sign above reading: "Emergency Prisoner Release".

"Vermin!" Venom shouted at the cowering guard who was hoping Brock appreciated what might very well be his last act, before a sound attracted his attention from the now reset monitors showed patients beginning to cautiously leave their cells before starting to riot.

"You let them out of their cages! No, no, no. Eddie will not get away from us that easy." Venom said, his gaze zeroing in on immedietly on the screen which held Eddie's cell before he turned quickly and made for the rooms metal door to get out into the hallway but not before a slug of black slime shot out of Venoms back at the guard who'd released the prisoners, violently slamming him against the wall as the symbiote left the room.

llllllllllllll

"- And for the last time Jimmy if you take anymore of my socks i'm going to fucking deck you, you hear? The heatings shit in this place and i'm not loosing a toe during winter cause I had no socks." Eddie Brock said as he poked the chest of his cellmate, Jimmy Nebel who just grinned up at him whilst his hand came up with a holey sock puppet.

"Mheh, mheh." Came a squeky toned voice as Jimmy pursed his lips to talk...as the puppet, naturally causing Eddie to throw his arms up in the air as he let out a noise of pure frustration at his roomates/cellmates antics.

*BRRRIIIIINNGGGG*

"What the...?" Eddie said as he and Jimmy turned around to the cell doors that kept them contained within their room as they rattled open, both their faces a mask of surprise before Jimmy's shifted to one of glee as he hurriedly climbed up to the top bunk of the rooms bunkbeds.

"HA! Told you I'd be sprung in time to market my designs before the Christmas season, there won't be a puppetter around who won't want one of my beauty's!" Jimmy exclaimed as he emptied his pillow case which turned out to be a hidey hole for his many sock puppets which he was stuffing into his pockets, all the while Eddie lay back down on his bottom bunk bed as he let out a sigh.

"Well toodaloo ol' chap, but the next time you'll see me will be on Time magazine!" Jimmy proclaimed as he saluted Eddie, receiving an awkward salute back, before he dashed out of the cell into the cacaphony of noise that was rapidly getting louder as the beginnings of a riot started to form from the Institutes more violent residents.

"What the hell is going on now?" Eddie whispered from his bed as he wondered which supervillain had tried to break out this time, his money was on Mysterio, dude was salty as fuck that he had finally been caught for real.

llllllllll

Whilst Eddie was pondering the current situation in cellblock B which was located in the Ravencroft Institute's east wing, over in cellblock A that was in the west wing sat a chubby but well groomed individual who sat on his bottom bunk bed reading what seemed to be a letter.

"Dear Otto,

Like usual these past few months, your letters have brought me a comfort that I thought lost to me once my husband left this world and for this I can't thank you enough. I hope my letters have brought you the same joy your letters have brought me as i've gotten to know the man behind the personna portrayed on the television, the man who's as passionate about science as my darling nephew and who harbors a carefully hidden kindness that i feel extremely lucky to have bore witness too.
I sadly must leave this letter brief, but worry not, rest assured that I will be speaking up on behalf of you at your next parole hearing in the next few weeks come the start of September.

Best wishes,

Ma-"

*BRRRIIIIINNGGGG*

Whatever else the letter said was lost to Doctor Otto Octavious as he was distracted by the sound of a loud alarm ringing throughout the cellblock, his celldoor sliding open not a second later.

"Well, this is most unexpected. Did Beck finally grow tired of being called a magician enough to actually use his brain?" Otto pondered as he carefully put his letter away in a box that he pulled from under his bed, the contents filled with letters addressed to him causing him to smile as he placed the newest one carefully with the others before sliding the box back under his bed.

The sounds outside his cell were growing in volume and pitch, the unmistakeable noise of a riot becoming clearer and clearer as the guards on the cellblocks nightshift were becoming quickly overrun by violent and disastisfied patients led by one unmistakeable voice.

"Go my fellow victims of this oppressive establishment, as a master of the arcane arts that naturally includes divination! I have seen the future and our future is freedom!" Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio, shouted as he stood on a table down below in the common area, the row of cells to his left and giant stone walls with barred windows to his right, whilst around him erupted a full blown riot that charged forward to meet the guards.

A steely look crossed his eyes when he thought of what the only woman to give him a chance would do, her kindness...it kinda reminded him of Spider-mans.

"Tch...i'll be superior." Otto said with a confident look that seemed as if a great weight had finally been lifted from Doctor Otto Octavious before he turned around and strode purposefully towards the entrance to his cell as four inflatable tubing like arms begin to grow from his back.

lllllllllllllllll

As the riot went on Eddie lay on his bed resting his eyes as much as he'd allow during a riot, afterall he was trying to get out of this place, last thing he needed was someone thinking he was taking part in this and tacking an extra few years onto his sentence.

'You know, it's a hell of a lot easier to get some sleep without Jimmy playing with his sock till 4am every night.' Eddie thought to himself as he started drifting to sleep, the sounds of the riot slowly starting to vanish.

"Eddieeee..." An inhuman voice whispered seductively like the call of a siren, effectively dragging Eddie from the cusp of Morpheus as opened his eyes only for them to shoot open in fright at the sight of the black claws that had just been placed on the side of his celldor before it was followed by an unmistakable form.

"My Venom...you found me again, why?" Eddie whispered tentatively not sure whether to feel intense fear or joy at the sight of his old love.

Venom just grinned wide with his teeth before suddenly seeming to melt and shoot towards Eddie, leaving the malnourished and unconcious body of a barely alive Jason Karlson on the ground as Eddie was knocked back by the sudden strength of the symbiote connecting with his chest.

$Eddie, have you missed us? We've been dying to return to you after that foul arachnid seperated us!$ Venom whispered lovingly in Eddie's mind, clouding his thoughts as he collapsed off his bed to the floor, starting to sweat.

'Ye- I mean No! How can I trust you not manipulate my emotions again?!' Eddie thought to himself and Venom, feeling panic due to a fear of regressing when things were finally starting to improve for him.
Meanwhile, black ooze began to start forming on Eddies body as he and Venom waged an internal war for control.

$Eddie...it's us, let us in, you know you can trust us to always have your back.$ Venom purred before he continued as if he'd had an epiphany. $In fact...let us show you, let's get out of this dump.$

'Wait, what!? No, no. Venom, wait just a minut-' Whatever else Eddie was thinking would have to wait as he suddenly found himself blindsided by a strong mental push from Venom as the symbiote took control of his body, the ooze now having having formed the unmistakable 7 foot-frame of Venom, iconic white spider pattern and all.

Venom got himself into a runners position as he ignored the voice of Eddie telling him to explain himself before with a mighty push, Venom got maybe 2 good strides from the back of Eddies former cell to the metal runway outside it before he jumped out over a ton of patients knocked unconcious or stuck in black webbing and crashed through a high point in the opposite wall to freedom.

$HAHA, I did it Eddie, we are free!$ Venom cheered in his head as he landed in the street outside Ravencroft, skidding to a stop and cracking the pavement below him.

'I was going to be checked for Parole soon you fucking idiot, now the police will be after us!' Eddie shouted back at the symbiote living rent free inside his mind, exhaustion clear in his voice, not that the symbiote noticed as it focused on one thing in particular.

$Aha! You admit it is still "Us"! We won't let you down Eddie, we'll get our revenge on Spider-man if it's the last thing we do!$ Venom rejoiced before promising much to Eddie's chagrin who realised the symbiote obviously hadn't bothered to go through his recent memories yet, too busy being hyped up on reuniting,
All the while on the outside their body dashed away into the night, the midnight black form of Venom getting lost in the dark city of New York relatively fast.

'Yeah, about that...Pete's really come around, dudes finally maturing a bit' Eddie thought back as he mentally spoke up for his old friend, much to Venom's shock who, and Eddie wouldn't have believed it if it wasn't his body being controlled, honest to god stumbled at his words of support for the resident webhead.

$Say what!?$

llllllll

"Shocking report this morning out of the Ravencroft Institute which last suffered through a series of riots that saw many injuries and even a few escapes from it's halls. Thankfully no casualties have been reported so far but some do remain in critical condition." The TV newscaster said in Parker residence the following morning as both Peter and Aunt May sat on the sofa with their eyes glued with worry to the TV.

"Now how did this occur you may ask? Why, it was none other than notorious villain Venom! Shown here on CCTV footage recovered from Ravencroft, you can clearly see Venom engage with the trained security team who bravely fought to keep him out." The newscaster continued as it showed a corner angle of Venoms first encounter with guards the night prior.

'No, no, no, Eddie please tell me it didn't get you again' Peter thought panicked as he watched the newscast alongside Aunt May, the urge to dart out the door growing with every passing second.

"The next piece of footage we have was captured from a Deli's surveillance system across the road from the Ravencroft Institute and shows the landing of this villain, escaping after causing mayham and allowing some patients to follow through the hole left in the wall." The footage shown next only caught Venoms landing, it's angle not managing to catch the Institutes walls.

Whatever the reporter said next was lost to Peter once they showed a quick list of the missing patients, Peter naturally zeroing in on one name in particular.

'Eddie Brock!'

With that information in mind, Peter completely ignored the rest of what the newscaster was saying, instead darting up off the couch and out the back door with a hurried goodbye to Aunt May who was still paying rapt attention to the TV.

"In lighter news, many families can rest easy thanks to the good natured efforts of one Doctor Otto Octavious, a fellow patient of the Ravencroft Institute's west wing who helped the guards on duty subdue the riot with minimal harm to the patients involved." The newscaster added as an accessory to the story from earlier which seemed cause the tension to finally leave Aunt May's body.

"I knew you had it in you Otto." Aunt May whispered as she clasped her hands together infront of her chest whilst the news continued.

llllllll

Swinging through the skyscrapers and alleyways of Manhatten Peter kept his eyes out for any glimpse he could see which might lead him to any hint of Venom as he made his way towards the Ravencroft Institute.
Something he arrived at in a relatively short time from when he left the house, the seriousness of the situation propelling him faster and faster as thoughts of the last time he had to go up against Venom flashed through his mind.

'I just gotta hope Eddie was sincere with his remorse, and that the old Eddie stays strong.' Spider-man thought to himself as he sat perched on a roof across from the Ravencroft Institute and overlooking the wrecked street.

Turning around and swinging forward carefully to the next building, Spider-man kept a look out for anything that might give a hint for where Venom was at this point in time but no matter how much he searched the area around Ravencroft, he was just turning up blank.

"Ugh come on if I was Venom, where would I hide?" Spider-man hissed stressed and frustrated at his lack of sucess as he swung through Greenwich New York, eyes scanning every nook and cranny as he continued his search only to be disturbed by a sudden noise.

*RINNNNGGGG, RIIINNNNGGGG*

Looking at the number on his phone in confusion Spider-man, felt a pit of dread form in his stomach, what if this was Venom calling to say he had Aunt May, Gwen and MJ?

"Hello?" Spider-man answered the phone whilst he kept his eyes open incase he was being watched.

"Peter! It's Doctor Warren, you know from ESU where Ms. Stacy and yourself are interning at?" Came a voice over the phone that took a while for Spider-man to place before the image of the calculating man formed amongst his thoughts.

"Ah yeah, sorry slipped my thoughts after not being in the lab for the summer." Spider-man replied disintrestedly as he hoped Doctor Warren would just end this call already, he had other things on his mind right now.

"Yes i'd imagine so, none the less i'm afraid i'm going to need Ms. Stacy and yourself to meet with me today at the ESU lab to sign some documents pertaining to your next years employment with us." Doctor Warren informed Spider-man over the phone who bite back a curse at how much time that would eat up, time that could be spent looking for Venom!
But he needed that internship too...not only was it likely gonna be one of his only chances of impressing someone for a scholarship but it was some of the only guranteed time he had with Gwen no matter how stiffled it was.

"I'm on my way."

llllllllll

"I'm telling you Venom, no more hurting innocents!" Eddie argued with the floating face of Venom made of ooze that was attached to his shoulder as he sat on a rooftop in Chinatown.

$Fine, fine Eddie if you say so but what's in it for me?$ Venom asked with a fanged grin as the floating head got closer to Eddie who looked stumped, they'd been arguing about these new rules for hours afterall.

"You do realise this includes Peter too right? I'm on my way to forgiving him and that would go alot smoother if we weren't locked trying to beat the shit out of each other." Eddie pointed out causing Venom to growl.

$Yes I am aware Eddie as much as hate it, but I repeat my question, what's in it for me?$ Venom conceeded reluctantly before repeating his question expectantly as he waited for Eddie to provide the meat of the conversation so to speak.

"...Remember what you asked me to do when we first bonded, and I refused?" Eddie brought up after a pause and a sigh.

$You don't mean!?$ Venom asked shocked as his excitement began growing.

"Yes...but only to people who deserve it, like murderers or rapists!" Eddie shot back as he tried to keep the excitable symbiote in check.

$Yes, yes it will be as you say Eddie, HAHA what a wonderful conclusion, I can hardly wait.$ Venom said as his tongue briefly came out from the floating ooze head to lick his teeth in anticipation.

Meanwhile, down in the alleyway below them a young man dressed in a white chefs jacket stepped out of the side door of the Chinese restaurant and leaned up against the wall, taking a joint out as he did so which was quickly lit as the young man fresh out of college tried to enjoy his 5 minute break.

Sadly, this wasn't meant to be as not a second after taking a drag of his joint, the smoke still in his lungs, did he hear a voice coming from his left further into the alleyway. "Hands up buddy, then slowly pass me your wallet, phone and oooh i'll take that nice watch too."

Coughing out the smoke as he tried his best to hold his hands up lest he get shot from the bulky man wearing a stereotypical ski-mask to hide his identity and pointing the gun at him from further in the alleyway.

To say the young cook was cursing his luck was an understatement, leave it to him to get robbed in the most stereotypical way ever, man that watch was his grandfathers!

Whilst this was going on down below, the two above on the roof finally drew notice of the scene below them as Eddie looked over the edge of the roof, Venom doing the same beside him.

$Eddie...?$ Venom asked quietly.

"Yes Venom?" Eddie replied equally as quiet, his gaze hard as watched the young man start to struggle to take his watch off due to nerves, no doubt due to the gun being pointed at him by the thief who was laughing at his struggles.

$I think that's a bad one.$ Venom said confidently as he turned to face Eddie who gave him a sidelong glance before he spoke.

"Venom...I think you're right."

"Finally! Took you long enough kid." The robber said exasperated as he took the fancy watch the young man looked devastated to give up, looking at his reflection in it whilst keeping an eye trained on the cook, his gun not wavering.

"Now, what to do with you?" The thug said as he turned his gaze back towards the cook whose blood had frozen in his veins as the words of the guy with the gun set in.

"W-w-what do you mean? I gave you everything, this is where I go back to cooking lunch and you escape into the dark right?" The cook stuttered as he dared not move an inch.

"In most cases, yeah...but i'm just feeling bloodthirsty today." The thief said as he lined up his shot, only for his ears to pick up one final sentence coming from behind him.

"Good, so are we."

The cook nearly lost his breakfast then and there as he watched the hulking form of Venom drop down quietly and quickly despite his frame before in an instant, stretching his sharp toothed jaw wide and biting the thugs head clean off.
Naturally, the cook was currently on the floor of the alleyway trying his hardest not to piss himself in fear at what had just happened.

"Ah yes, finally! You served up a great lunch there kid, you gonna be okay?" Venom said to the cook who just nodded his head, a bit teary-eyed at all that had happened as he hesitantly moved to get his grandfathers watch back from the thugs body, obviously whilst keeping an eye on his 'Saviour'.

"I-Is there anything I can get you for, you know, saving my life and all?" The cook asked hesitantly as he watched Venoms grin get wider.

"Whatcha got for dessert?"

The cook returned after about 2 minutes with a plate carrying the most delicious smelling thing Venom had ever smelt before.

$Eddie, what in your world, is that heavenly scent?$ Venom purred excitedly in Eddies mind as their body worked in tandem to pick up the plate of the mysterious dark brown, circular and spongy cake like treat.

'That's chocolate. Particularly chocolate cake.' Eddie thought with some amusement and joy, it'd been awhile since he'd had some chocolate so this was actually going to be quite the enjoyable treat.

The second Venoms tongue touched the chocolatey surprise, the rest of the treat was devoured within milliseconds as he shouted at Eddie internally.

$That was euphoria. More. We demand more!$ Venom raged like a spoilt child in the sweet shop that was Eddie's head, all the while Eddie couldn't help but develop a sense of incredulity at his antics as he took control to wave goodbye to the cook before swinging away.

llllllllllllll

Walking through the ESU campus towards the labs was Peter as he ruminated on how shit his day was going so far with his lack of progress tracking down Cletus and Venom and the fact that he was now going to have to interact with Gwen again after their 'Talk' without other people there his age to act as buffers like there were at his party, so yeah to say he was stressed and anxious was an understatement.

It seemed so easy to ignore his feelings when there were distractions to keep his mind busy, but now that he was being forced to be near her again so soon and in a more private setting, like it was when he'd had that talk with her as Spider-man...it was just leaving him unsettled.

Peter couldn't help but feel hurt about what she'd done, the fact that she'd not only enjoyed it in the moment but partially done it to protect him was sending such mixed signals to him that he couldn't help but feel lost like a ship out at sea in the middle of a storm.

'Sometimes I wonder If she ever even had a plan on how to break up with Harry when this started' Peter thought to himself with a sigh as he kicked a stray pebble out of his path, his feet carrying him up the steps to the ESU labs with familiar ease.

Walking into the lab Peter spotted something that immedietly caused his mood to take a nosedive, Harry and Gwen stood with their backs towards the entrance but turned towards him upon hearing the doors open.

"Peter!/ Peter."

'Great, cause this is so much better universe.' Peter thought with a deapan and internal wince as he waved at the couple who called out his name.

Before any conversation could start flowing as Peter made his way slowly towards the couple, they were interrupted by the sudden arrival of the man who'd gathered them there in the first place.

"Ah yes, good you're both here..." Doctor Miles Warren said as his gaze ran over each of them individually, internally making Peter shiver before Warren took out two stacks of paper, passing one to Gwen and Peter respectively.

"I'm sure you'll find this contract to be satisfactory, it includes the same provisions as your last one along with some added bonuses and...opportunities" Doctor Warren explained to the two youths who were skimming through the contract.

"Like what?" Peter asked curiously as he glanced up from the contract, Gwen pausing in her reading whilst Harry tried to read over her shoulder.

"A payed bonus to the Intern of the month, a field trip to the upcoming scientist convention in November and the potential to help me co-author a research paper too name but a few." Doctor Warren said as he sweetened the pot, the first two points in particular making Peters eyes shoot wide, an extra bit of income even every second month would really help alot and the scientist convention had been booked silly mere minutes after tickets went on sale!
Peter couldn't help but steal a glance at Gwen to see her reaction to the news about the scientist convention, only to see her sneaking a glance at him, the two looking forward nigh instantly afterward, slight blushes on both their faces...something that didn't go unnoticed by Harry.

With their slightly flushed faces and excitement over the bonuses mentioned, Gwen and Peter both just finished skimming the documents as quickly as they could before moving to the back whre the all-important dotted line was, which was soon filled with both their signatures.

"Peter Parker./ Gwendolyne Stacy."

"Perfect! Perfect...I'll just get these filled away in my office now and grab us some refreshments to celebrate." Doctor Warren said as he took the forms away from Gwen and Peter delicately, as if afraid they'd vanish before he made his way up to his office, leaving the trio to their own devices.

'Well time to pull the Parker special vanishing act' Peter thought to himself as the words began building for him to say 'goodbye', only to be beaten to the punch!

"Well i'm gonna head off, my spa appointment is in 20 minutes and if I don't leave now I won't make it." Harry said as he pushed himself off the table he had been leaning against beside Gwen, stretching as he did so.

"The one you took me to in the Upper East Side?" Gwen asked curiously and with a twinge of unease that went unnoticed whilst Peter let out an unnoticeable sigh at the reminder of what he doesn't have.

"Yeah, see you later Babe." Harry said before he did something that nearly caused the whole room to erupt.

*SMACK*

"Harry!" Gwen shouted in shock and embarassment after having her ass smacked whilst Harry strolled out the door with a shit eating grin, Peters furious glare fixed on him the whole way.

The silence was deafening once Harry had left, the two young adults left standing in a tense and awkward silence, both feeling intense emotions after that recent stunt and struggling to find the right words to say until finally Peter couldn't keep it in any more.

"So, are you ever going to break up with him?" Peter asked scathingly as he crossed his arms causing Gwen to wince, they'd probably been due this conversation a while ago she thought.

"Peter, you know it isn't that simple." Gwen replied with a painful sigh before she continued. "He's barely holding himself together after his dad died Peter, he says he'd be lost without me."

"Oh yeah, he seems real torn up about it." Peter shot back as he thought about what had just happened as Harry left.

"He is Peter. He just doesn't want to show it around you, you know 'macho' stuff." Gwen said as she refused to meet Peters eyes, one of her arms rubbing the other as it lay limp against her side.

"Since when did any of us care about who was the most 'macho'?" Peter said in disbelief before something mournful happened as his thoughts turned to the talk he'd had with Gwen as Spider-man, the info he'd found out... his pain and jealousy when he found out she'd enjoyed it coming to the forefront of his thoughts after Harry's stunt leaving.

"...Or maybe you just enjoy when it's Harry?" Peter nearly spat with a pained look in his eyes that was soon reflected in Gwen's before hers alit in fury.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gwen asked frostily as she turned a glare towards Peter who matched hers with one of his own.

"Well for someone who's supposed to be breaking things off with him, you two sure are getting extra 'close' don't you think?" Peter retorted hotly catching Gwen off-guard before she found herself.

"He's technically still my boyfriend Peter, it's not exactly easy or in our best interest for me to say no..." Gwen said quietly as she let out a sigh that set felt like a knife to Peters heart.

"Oh yes 'Our' best interest, like that stupid deal you made to protect me without even asking me if I would be okay with it!" Peter ranted as he let out the pain he felt that he'd helped contribute to the scene he'd stumbled upon back in Florida.

"I just wanted to do something to help you for once! I'm sorry okay I know I fu- wait, how did you know about the deal!?" Gwen shouted at him before shouting again in alarm and shock that Peter knew about the deal between her and Harry.

"H-huh, oh that, eh...Spider-man told me?" Peter stuttered out as he realised his mistake that could cost him his secret identity, he should of known Gwen would have a keen enough eye for details to not let a slip like that go-by.

"What!? What else is he telling you about me, do you have Spider-man stalking me?" Gwen said as she began panicking, getting flashbacks of black and white and the last time she'd been stalked, and remembering all the times she's ran into Spider-man now feeling...malicious.

"What, no Gwen, it isn't like that!" Peter shouted as he watched Gwen start to panic before she made her way towards the door, freezing to shoot a frosty glare towards him when he made to approach.

"Gwen I-"

"Save it and fuck off Peter and tell your pal Spider-man to leave me alone too, I can't believe he would tell you when I trusted him!" Gwen said as she stormed out of the ESU lab leaving Peter standing shellshocked at what had just happened.

"Where did everyone go?" Doctor Warren said as he stepped out of his office, three champagne glasses in hand alongside a bottle of the accompanying liquid, seemingly deaf to the large arguement that's after taking place right outside.

Peter didn't grace him with a response, instead walking off with a huff and a scowl back towards the door, today was shaping up to be one hellish day.

Waiting till the doors closed, Doctor Warren paused as he looked sadly down at the glasses in his hands.

"I guess i'll get her DNA another time then."

lllllllll

As dusk turned to night Eddie wandered throughout the city of New York still trying to figure out his next plan of action, so far it was looking like crashing on Peter's couch was their best bet for now atleast.

Whilst the duo of Eddie and Venom came to the agreement that this was indeed their best idea they'd managed to stop a few crimes and gathered some funds, all of which was currently being spent on chocolate at the behest of Venom who seemed to have found his third love.

Devouring their chocolate haul as he exited the bodega in Chinatown was Eddie Brock, a hungry smile on his face as he used a little plastic spoon to eat a chocolate pudding cup, his feet carrying him unflinchingly into the alley, afterall who was a bigger predator than Venom?

Sadly this hubris would cost him alongside a lack of awareness to current events due to being locked up in Ravencroft for so long, what event in particular? Namely the presence of a notorious serial killer loose in New York City.

Springing out from the shadows and catching the unsuspecting Eddie off guard was a bloodthirsty Cletus Kasady who in the sudden commottion managed to latch onto the blonde viciously, knife sliding into his stomach and teeth sinking into Eddies neck savagely.

"AHHHH YOU LITTLE FUCK!" Eddie shouted angrily and in pain as he tried to dislodge the crazed lunatic who was biting him, and who currently had their knife stuck trying to shish kabob him.

Finally knocking free of Cletus' teeth, Eddie watched as something very satisfying happened, the little shit was punched clear off him and flung to the mouth of the alley by a black tendril that erupted from his chest.

"Fucking hell, Venom, took you long enough." Eddie complained as he watched his stab wound already beginning to close, wincing as he went to poke it, something that was similarly happening to the chunk of flesh Cletus had torn from his neck as it began healing much faster than normal.

Sudden noise drew Eddie's attention towards the mouth of the alley where Cletus spasmed for a second as he lay at the opening of the alley, passerbys quickly gathering around to see if the man needed help whilst his veins turned red before he went deathly still with his back arched as Eddie finally seemed to notice something wasn't right, one hand holding his still healing stomach.

"What the...?" Was Eddies articulate response before he nearly had to barf up the little food he had in his stomach as suddenly, large dark crimson red spikes erupted from Cletus' body, fatally skewering the four people who'd come to check on him.

"Hehehe, oh that's some special blood you have there yes sirree!" Cletus giggled like a deranged lunatic as a spike of crimson pushed him to his feet, sucking his thumb clean of Eddie's blood, an insane look the likes of which Eddie thought could only exist in the deepest nightmare plastered on the mans face as he was framed by the still hanging bodies of the bystanders.

"Now where were we?"

And that's chapter 23 everyone! Hope you all enjoyed it after so long a wait, lots of stuff happening this chapter should hopefully have something for everyone sure we have the buildings blocks for so many things that i'm excited to see if someone picks up on everything.

I will note that there were some things from last chapter that were not picked up, particularly the beginnings of a future plot thread so if any sleuths want to go back through it be my guest to try find it ;)

Anyway thank you everyone for coming back for chapter 23, it's been great to see you all again and I can't wait to see you again for chapter 24.

Best wishes,

LovecraftianShaggy