Bell and Peter were currently swinging across the city on another patrol. It had been about two days since Bell had dropped off Haruhime at his grandparent's home for displaced children. Since his Grandpa knew his secret identity, he was giving Bell updates on how she was doing.

She was still quiet and shy, but Ishtar was slowly helping her break out of her shell. Apparently, Haruhime had taken a liking to Ishtar, said she made her feel safe, so to speak. Bell didn't know the full details as he hadn't been back yet. Maybe he should pay a visit to the kids as Spider-Man?

Peter noticing something was on Bell's mind, spoke up. "Something wrong"

Bell blinked and looked at Peter. "Not really, just been thinking about that girl from a couple of days ago."

"The one who wanted to jump," Peter asked.

Bell nodded his head. "Yeah, thinking about her and how I was able to talk her down has gotten me thinking. I felt good helping people. I had forgotten what that felt like. I mean, sure, I helped people here and there, but I didn't go out of my way to do it like I used to. Not until I got bit by the spider."

Peter was confused. "So becoming Spider-Man has reawakened your desire to go out of your way to help people. But isn't that why you became Spider-Man in the first place"

The two landed atop a building so they could talk better. "Yeah, but I felt like it was something I had to do. I mean, here I have this power that not many have. What good would I be if I didn't use it."

Peter was starting to understand Bell a little more. "So since you saved that girl, you've felt more fulfillment helping people than before."

Bell nodded his head. "Yeah, that's it. I haven't felt like this since" Bell was afraid to finish the sentence.

"Since F.E.A.S.T.," Peter finished his sentence.

Bell's head fell slightly, and he tried to make himself smaller. Peter sat down and patted the spot next to him.

Bell took a seat as Peter started speaking. "If you want to talk about we can. I think it would help instead of trying to forget."

Peter wasn't gonna force Bell but would give him the little push he needed to open up.

Bell sighed as he thought back to that day three years ago. He was 12, and his aunt Alfia was helping at F.E.A.S.T.

He went there after school as his parents weren't home and he had finished all his schoolwork. So he went there to visit his aunt Alfia. Bell loved his aunt as she always had a piece of candy for him when he was younger.

Alfia had made plans with her sister Meteria the day before to come over for dinner, and she also wanted to see her nephew. So she happily greeted him when he arrived at F.E.A.S.T. while she worked.

Bell was also popular amongst the staff and people at F.E.A.S.T. cause he was cheery and smart and was able to make them smile as he talked about whatever interested him that day.

So Bell waited in the kitchen, talking with his Aunt as she prepared food for the homeless people in the lobby. She was enjoying listening to Bell talk about what he and Welf got up to that day and told him once she finished up here, the two would go for ice cream.

When Bell asked why they would have ice cream before dinner, Alfia said it would be her treat, but he couldn't tell his mother. Bell agreed, as it would be time he could spend with his aunt, that he loved.

Once Alfia finished making the food, she got it ready to serve and said she'd be right back as she needed to grab her purse, and the two would be off.

So Bell waited in the kitchen for her to return, and waited, and waited, and waited. He waited for so long that his mother arrived at F.E.A.S.T., wondering why her son and sister were taking so long.

When she saw Bell waiting in the kitchen alone, she quickly rushed to him. Bell was confused when he saw his mom. Why was she here?

When his mother asked what he was still doing here, he told her he was waiting for his aunt. When his mother asked how long, Bell realized it had been three hours since Alfia left him to grab her purse.

He realized she wasn't coming back. She had abandoned him. It broke Bell's heart, and he wasn't the same after. Before, he used to go out of his way to help people, but since Alfia, who was his inspiration to help people left him, he changed. He didn't become cold, but he did put his walls up.

He acted aloof and uncaring about what people said or did to him. He kept everyone, even his close friends, at arm's length, never telling them how he felt or letting them inside, if his own aunt could hurt him like that. What type of damage could they do?

That was why he moved on so quickly from Ais's cold rejection. He was glad he was rejected. It meant he didn't have to take his walls down. He was glad right?

I mean, her words didn't hurt. His aunt left him behind. She loved him and left him, so why would some blonde bimbo who had the emotions of a doll hurt him? Her words just pinged off the iron armor around his heart.

Bell let out a sigh feeling the memories he had long suppressed coming back to him. "You know what my aunt did to me, she just left me at F.E.A.S.T., one day, and I haven't heard from her since."

Peter put his hand on Bell's shoulder as a sign of comfort. "Are you scared she won't be there if you go back"

Bell shook his head. "No, I'm scared she will and act like nothing happened."

Peter nodded his head as he gave Bell's shoulder a squeeze. "Well, I'm not really good with this whole confronting stuff, but the only advice I can really think of is just take a leap of faith. Go back one day and see for yourself that she isn't there."

Bell just sat there, Peters's words going through his mind. He would have a lot to think about when he got home.

"Well, we should get going. Crime won't stop itself," Bell deflected.

Peter let out a sigh. He felt as if he almost got through to him. "Alright, kid, let's go."

The two jumped off the building and began swinging. Unknowingly their entire conversation was listened in upon by the prowler. Another weakness she could possibly exploit.

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As Peter and Bell were swinging, Mayday popped up with an alert.

"Bank robbery on 5th street. It's the Shocker, no hostages."

Both Peter and Bell were confused. Who would rob a bank without hostages? The two arrived at the bank before the cops did and strolled on in.

The bank was quiet as no one was in the lobby. However, thanks to their enhanced hearing, the two could hear someone rummaging around in the vault.

"Wait here. I'll confront him. You block off his escape," Peter ordered.

Bell nodded his head as he stuck to the ceiling and waited, having a full view of the lobby. About 10 seconds later, Peter came flying out of the vault taking the vault door with him. Shocker running out of the vault shortly after.

Bell shot a web at Shocker and pulled himself to him, his fist cracking across his face causing Shocker to tumble to the ground.

Shocker used his gauntlet and shot a shockwave at Bell, which he barely dodged. Shocker kept sending more and more shockwaves at Bell until he couldn't dodge anymore and was slammed into a wall.

"Great, another one" Shocker muttered.

Before he could try and escape again, Peter had stuck two webs to his back and swung him away from Bell.

Shocker slammed his fists on the ground, causing a giant shockwave to flow across the floor. Peter and Bell both jumped into the air and stuck to a wall to avoid the blast.

Both jumped off the wall after the shockwave was done. Seeing the damage done to the floor with cracks and some pieces of tile shattered.

Bell stuck his webs to Shocker's back and yanked him towards Peter, who clotheslined him. Shocker slammed his gauntlets into the ground again, sending Peter flying into a wall.

He got up and shot shockwaves behind him, and flew towards Bell. Bell didn't have time to react before Shocker's gauntlet was right in front of his face.

His gauntlet was active, and this blow could kill him. He had to move. So move Bell. Move.

He couldn't. His legs were glued to the floor. He was scared. Death was right in front of him.

"KID, NO!" Peter yelled. He wouldn't be able to reach Bell in time.

At the final second, Bell's reflexes kicked in, and he leaned back and watched as Shocker's fist went right over him. He landed on his back, and before Shocker could try another attack, Peter was already on him.

With a stronger right hook than normal, he knocked Shocker's mask off and knocked him to the ground before webbing him up and making sure he couldn't move.

He then went over to Bell to check on him as he was still lying on the ground.

"Kid, kid, are you ok, come on talk to me" Peter worriedly asked as he slid next to Bell.

Bell was lying on the ground, frozen in shock. He nearly died. He should be dead, so why did he have time to move?

Bell's mind flashed back to right when Shocker's glove nearly hit him. He remembers seeing a faint clear hexagon stop Shocker's fist for only a second.

Peter shook Bell again. "Talk to me, kid. Are you ok"

Bell snapped out of his shock-induced state and started laughing. Peter was relieved and worried about this, but right now, he was just glad Bell was alright.

"Heh, ha ha ha ha, I nearly died. Ha ha ha ha ha, I nearly died" Bell was currently in shock right now. His mind blocking out most of the trauma to keep his mind from breaking.

After a minute, Bell stopped laughing and looked at Peter, hyperventilating. Peter quickly wrapped Bell into a hug to try and calm him down.

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Bell and Peter were long gone by the time the cops showed up. Peter had made sure Shocker couldn't escape and took Bell away from the bank to give him some time to breathe. The two were currently on the rooftop. Bell was sitting down, his legs dangling over the edge, while Peter was standing near him.

Once Bell was able to calm down and catch his breath, he spoke. "Well, that was scary."

Peter walked over to Bell and sat next to him. "You can still back out of being Spider-Man if you want. I wouldn't think any less of you if you wanted to after today."

Bell shook his head. "N-no, I-I'm going to stay. Sure, almost dying was scary, really scary. But being Spider-Man has made me feel more accomplished in just a week than in my whole life. I don't want to quit now, not while there's still so much I could do."

Peter looked at Bell worriedly. "Are you sure, Bell"

Bell swallowed a lump in his throat as he nodded his head. "Yeah, today was just a fluke."

He let out a nervous chuckle. "One that nearly cost me my life but a fluke nonetheless. I still want to be Spider-Man. I still want to help people. Will you still teach me"

Peter smiled under his mask as he nodded his head. "Of course, kid. Just for my sake, please be more careful."

Bell let out a breathy laugh. "I will"

Across town, a woman dressed in black latex with black hair had just finished a heist while the two spiders were distracted. Someone had paid her good money to steal this for some plan they were doing in Orario's eastern district. It was such a small device, yet it could do so much damage if used correctly.

She didn't care what was going to happen in the eastern districts. As long as she got paid and got to have her fun, she would do her job and deliver the device.

But she was hoping that one day she would encounter this new Spider-Man. She was getting tired of the same old song and dance she did with Peter.

Oh, how she wouldn't have to wait long.

Well Bell's trauma about why he's scared to go back to F.E.A.S.T. has been explained as well as him almost dying. Black cat made an appearance but it's not Felicia Hardy I wonder who it could be. Anyway I hope you enjoyed see you next chapter.