Confusion

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***

8 July 2013, 21:46.

New York, Peter Parker's Apartment.

The Amazing Spider-Man.

- And what is it you need to tell me? - I clarify with a smile, pulling the girl close to me.

- You know I love you, right? - Mary asked, wrapping her arms around my neck.

- Well, that's nothing new," I reply, snorting merrily, "I love you too.

- Here, we love each other, and what can happen when grown boys and girls love each other? Especially as intensely and often as we do? - With a slight slyness and incomprehensible anxiety specifies the redhead.

- А?

To my, shall we say, tight-lipped response, MJ only steps back to the table and picks up some plastic thing from it.

- That's the news, Peter," Mary hands me the object with sparkling eyes, "we're having a baby!

I, on the other hand, freeze and stare in amazement at the two-striped pregnancy test.

"Congratulations, Bearer!" - brings me back from my daze with Raj's joyous shriek of joy echoing in my head. - "Offspring is always a good thing.

- Is that a sure thing? - I ask the question.

- By all accounts, but I was going to see Dr Desfel tomorrow to be sure," MJ's eyes were sad. - You're not happy?

I just kneel down and place my palm on my beloved's stomach. It's still as taut and athletic as ever, and it doesn't show signs of new life, but I can feel it-it's true.

I'm going to be a father soon.

- Glad? - I look up at the stunned redhead, "Words can't describe how happy I am!

I jump up and start twirling my Carrot-top in my arms.

- Peter, you're dizzy! - Mary Jane shouts cheerfully, wrapping her arms around my neck.

- I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I gently place the girl on the floor.

- I was just kidding, silly," Carrot-top flashed her emerald eyes.

Meanwhile, Fey stood some distance away from us and smiled brightly.

- Why are we standing there? Come here," Mary Jane held out her hand towards Cat.

- It's just your moment, I wanted to give you some alone time, - the blonde cheerfully replies approaching and hugging us, - congratulations.

- Yes," Mary places her palm lovingly on her belly, "our family will soon be bigger.

Family.

I just hug the girls and dissolve into this moment of happiness.

***

9 July 2013, 2:37 a.m.

Shield aircraft carrier

Prison Ward.

Gustav lay in his cell waiting for a visitor.

- 'I hope you have important business to attend to, Dr Fierce,' came a voice from the shadows, 'ensuring privacy for such conversations is quite a challenge.

- Thank you for coming," the man rose from the couch. - I'd like to know about Peter Parker, has he done anything about it?

- Nothing, just like Director Fury, so he's probably out of the loop, but it's only been a few days, the guy can tell me later.

- No," Fierce shook his head negatively, "he'll keep quiet. I've had time to study the boy well, he's the son of his parents, he's too noble to risk his sister's life.

- So why are we having this conversation, Doctor?

- I'm asking you to consider him for recruitment.

- Recruitment? Parker clearly doesn't have the best feelings for HYDRA," Gustav's contact pointed out sharply.

- But loyalty can be nurtured right? - Firs smiled a cold smile. - 'Peter Parker is too valuable a resource, believe me, and obedience will be rewarded,' Gustav put his hands behind his back, 'convey my request to Ophelia.

- As you say, Doctor. Heil Hydra.

- Heil Hydra," Firs repeated calmly as the girl left.

***

Buffalo.

Roadside bar.

Johnny Blaze.

A man in a worn leather jacket sat behind the bar, sipping a beer.

For several years now, the former circus performer has been a messenger for the devil himself.

And Johnny's tragedy occurred on the day when he learnt that his father was ill with cancer. To save the life of his only family man Blaze was ready to do anything, even sell his soul.

And he did.

Mephisto appeared to him one night. The broken and desperate trickster had no options left, which the demon took advantage of.

Johnny has been the Spirit of Vengeance, the hunter of sinners' souls, the Ghost Rider ever since.

Blaze thought that at least today he would be able to rest, but those happy thoughts left him when the biker felt his skin begin to bubble.

Contrary to popular belief, every transformation of a Zarathos spirit bearer caused him indescribable agony.

Johnny jumped up from his chair and ran for the exit, shoving everyone he met along the way.

Blaise's mind cleared a little in the car park, by his motorbike.

- You spilled my beer, you arsehole! - spoke out from the bar, a biker in a headscarf and his mates.

- Guys, trust me, you don't want any trouble with me," Johnny said, leaning on the pavement. His eyes lit up.

- I'll decide if I want trouble or...

The bearded man didn't have time to finish, as the face of the strange blond boy naturally lit up before his eyes.

The guy stood up and turned to the motorbike enthusiasts, but it was no longer Johnny Blaze.

The racer looked at the shocked crowd and set his bike on fire. It was enough to scare away the crowd of trouble-seeking fools.

The spirit of vengeance saddled his bike and rode onwards, leaving a trail of fire behind him. New York was waiting for him.

***

9 July 2013, 10:00.

The bedroom of Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson and Felicia Hardy.

Spider-Man.

I slowly unclench my eyes, chasing away the drowsiness. There's a pleasant languor running through my body, though it's probably due to the latest news rather than a great night's sleep.

I rise slightly and look at the cause of the change that promises my life the most global of changes.

Last night was the first time we'd fallen asleep in a different way than usual, with MJ at the centre of our cosy sleeping nest, and Felicia and I hugging her tightly, possessively protective, if you could call it that. After all, Carrot was now the centre of our family because of her condition. Of course, there was still the trip to the doctor, but all my senses said he would only confirm Mary's pregnancy.

I watch my sleeping girls fondly for a while: at MJ, who has become so fragile to me since the news, and at Felicia, who holds her tightly but tenderly to herself.

And the thought clicks in my head that in order to keep them safe I would do anything, absolutely anything.

But the emotional moment passes and rationality returns.

One, I'm an idiot. A complete idiot. Yesterday I went on emotions again, like a snotty kid, no other way than piss in the head, because how else to explain that I went to the office to Goblin! Why?! I didn't have a plan or a solution and Norman was right, all I did was make empty threats, nothing concrete. I wanted him to be afraid of me, to be more careful about committing his crimes. It's Osborne, he's insane! Which he proved by ripping off my palm himself and jumping out the window. He won't be afraid of me.

And he was fucking right about me liking being a hero, too! That's what I'm all about, making Spidey a symbol of what's good in this world, what's right. And everything bad that Spider-Man does is done by the man in the suit in the first place.

Me.

But Spidey has to be a symbol. No other way. And yesterday I almost ruined it.

No, if there's going to be one last fight between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin, it's definitely not going to be in Oscorp's office, under the watchful eye of dozens of cameras.

It will be just between me and him.

Which again brings me back to an important observation. Why the hell has Osborne become so powerful?! I defeated him during the last skirmish, not without problems, but still.....

It seems I'm not the only one who's been working on improving myself since our last encounter.

Once again, my thoughts return to the realisation of why I regret so much what I've done.

Things are changing. I'm going to be a father. I'm going to have a child. Maybe more than one.

The reality of what's happening hits me like a bucket of ice water and I get out of bed, walking out of the room.

What if Fey is pregnant too? I wasn't particularly careful when I came back from my adventures in the Wild Earth. And Mary? What if there are abnormalities or god forbid it's confirmed that my genetic material is harmful to my partner, as in the story of the Power universe?

Things change. It already has. And I'm going to have to make plans to accommodate those changes.

I'll start right now.

I go to the phone and dial the number.

- Hello? - I hear the exaggeratedly cheerful voice of my interlocutor.

- The army habits of early wake-up have not left you even after seventy years, right, captain? - I ask with a smile.

- Let something in this world remain unchanged, eh? - replies with a smile to my teasing, the super-soldier. - Good to hear, Pete, to what do I owe this morning's call?

- Remember you promised me training?

- Sure, you want to start today?

That's why I love Cap, he doesn't sweat the small stuff, he gets right to the point.

- I'm ready to go right now. Where are we meeting?

- I recently moved out of my Shields flat and into a small flat in my old neighbourhood, Brooklyn, there's a gym right across the street, I'm sure you can use it, I knew the grandfather of the current owner.

- I got it. So I'm in a suit. Meet me there, I leave in 20 minutes, text me the address.

- Okay.

- And don't forget your shield," I'll end the call.

I finish my water, eat breakfast and get ready to go.

I change into my costume without waking the girls, grab Spiderbot, my small medical kit, and leave the flat through the window under symbiotic invisibility.

I fly to Brooklyn, handing over control of the flight to Raj. Through my lenses, I make adjustments to the Jackal's research list stored in my Spiderbot. In the course of my research, I created two copies of the materials, one on this medium and one in the Prime Spiderbot, which is linked to all the other spider drones. Basically its job is exactly to store and process information.

This idea came to me when I wondered about getting a bunch of eyes in the city and not repeating the fate of the Superior Spider, depending too much on drone information. Now there's just one main hub that connects all the others, whose purpose is to spot potential threats. If any street Spiderbot is suddenly hacked, Prime will immediately shut it down, relaying the coordinates with the location to either me or the Web Warriors. The Prime Spiderbot itself is stored in my safest place at the moment, where no one will think to come and where the most important but not dangerous things for me are.

In fact, even Jackal's research can't be called dangerous without a sample of my blood. But I've already over-insured myself with the training of a true paranoid.

And with this unit of the deceased professor's research, I have an idea.

While I was doing the research stuff, Raj redirected my carcass to its final destination.

"Thank you, co-pilot," I address the symbiote, making final adjustments to the Jackal's notes.

"Always happy to stretch, Carrier."

I arrive at the exact address and crawl up the wall, knocking on the window of the flat I presumably want.

- Couldn't you have done it through the door? - Rogers asks, lifting the window frame.

- Sorry, no way," I shrugged calmly.

- Okay, God be with you," Steve sighed and waved his hand at me.

- Ready? - I asked, climbing into the flat. - It's cozy," I said, looking around the small flat. It's really small, but it's quite cosy.

- Thank you," the blond replies and throws on his jacket, picking up his famous weapon at the same time. - I'm ready.

- Great! Shall we go?

We leave Cap's flat and go to the same hall. It's funny, but passersby don't react to me, which is not strange, it's New York, and I could be a random cosplayer, of which there are dozens in my costume. I don't do that. I don't do the web thing. I don't climb walls.

We reach the building and go upstairs.

We enter a completely empty hall.

- Shall we get started? - Steve asks, switching on the lights.

- Yeah," I jump in the ring.

- Do you want to change your clothes? - asks the soldier from the past, who, unlike me, is wearing a sports coat.

- Nah," I just take off the top of my suit, "that's enough.

I'm standing up.

- Whatever you say," Cap shrugs and attacks.

The sparring is going pretty well, and I try to use neutral techniques, memorising Steve's moves. My thoughts keep returning to my situation, though. And it was at one of those moments that I simply ignored my senses and took a straight punch to the jaw.

- Ow," I sit on my arse in surprise.

- Not bad on the whole, but you're in the clouds," Rogers said, giving me his hand, "are you okay?

- Yeah," I take his hand and stand up, "I'm just distracted by all the thoughts in my head.

- Well, I hope you won't have such problems at throwing practice?

- No.

I've been looking forward to this for a long time.

- That's the spirit, soldier - Cap rolls out of the ring and picks up his discus - let's go.

I leave the ring and we walk a little further into the open space of the gym. Steve and I set up some targets, which we substitute for punching bags or dummies.

- The most important thing in throwing is to keep balance," the blond starts his lecture, aiming with his shield, "throw not too hard, so that you don't accidentally kill someone, but not too weak, so that the throw is useful.

After the introductory part, Captain America professionally throws his shield, which bounces off three targets, flips them off, and returns to Steve's hand.

I think much of the credit for these magical, physics-defying manoeuvres is owed to its structure, namely an alloy of vibranium and something else, probably carbonadium. I'd be curious to study it, but I've got my hands full right now.

- Now it's your turn," Rogers announced, handing me the flying saucer.

- If you say so," he says, "Oh, it feels good to hold this weapon in my hands, the shield is so light.

- Yes, initially it was hard to get used to the weight, while realising that this fluffy thing could absorb the blast wave after a tank shot, - the cap recalls nostalgically.

I withdraw my shield arm and aim at the targets. If I get the mechanics right, it'll work. I calculate the throw and throw the shield.

The disc flies smoothly along my trajectory, bouncing off two of the targets, but the throw is too weak to hit the third.

- Not bad," Steve exclaimed in surprise as he reached over and picked up the shield, "not bad for a first time, Pete.

- Thanks, I understand the principle, but it's worth practising.

- No one's rushing you, kid," Rogers said, handing me the disc, "let's do it again.

I throw the shield tirelessly for several hours and after forty minutes of this training I can't perceive myself without it. The material construction is amazing, it's so unique that even Raj couldn't copy it, only absorb and use it, but I can't do that to Captain America.

- Pete, you're a master," Steve remarks after the training session is over, "Maybe you should change your suit to a star-spangled one and I should retire.

- Hmm, Spider-Captain? Nah, I think that's your title, Cap," I jokingly mull over the suggestion.

Rogers laughs.

- So, same time tomorrow? - The super soldier clarifies.

- If I'm not too busy training.

- Not at all," Cap says.

- One more thing, Steve," I say, rubbing my neck uncomfortably.

- Yeah?

- Do you trust me?

- What?" the cap's surprised. - What's your point?

- I want to ask you something, something that's a true test of trust, and before I make this, frankly, very brazen and not the prettiest request, I need to know that you won't want to throw me out the window after what I've said," I said nervously.

- Um, well, you've helped me a lot to adapt to the new time, you told me where to find a mate from the past, we fought together on the battlefield and I consider you a friend, so yes, Peter, I trust you.

- Thanks, Cap," I said, smiling a little sadly, "that makes it even more unpleasant to ask you to do something like that.

- So, what's the worst thing you're going to ask? - Without realising the intensity of the situation, the Cap asked cheerfully.

I sigh deeply.

- Could you give me a sample of your blood for analysis?

The smile fades from the super-soldier's face as he says this.

- Why do you want my blood," Steve asks tensely.

Yeah, judging by the slight ringing of his gut and Cap getting ready to fight, he's not just pissed. He's furious.

Let's try to cool the Captain's ardour with honesty.

- I'm having a baby," I say quickly.

- What?

The shocked soldier clearly wasn't expecting that answer.

I sigh and sit down on the nearest chair.

- My girlfriend's pregnant.

- Um...congratulations," Steven says, a little miffed, also sitting down in a nearby chair, "but that's not exactly an explanation.

- I'm just getting started," I say with a slight smile. - You see, I have powers, but she doesn't, and I'm fucking paranoid and I've already thought of dozens or even hundreds of situations in which things could end very, very badly for my girlfriend and the baby, so I need to look for options, one of which is hidden in your genetic structure, Steve.

After my explanation, Rogers hesitated and we fell silent.

I try not to look at Cap, though I wish he wouldn't think I'm only talking to him because of the super-soldier serum in his blood.

- Can you swear you're only using that sample to protect your girlfriend and your baby? - Rogers asks me with his hands clasped together.

- Steve, I swear to you that I will never betray your trust, I will never experiment to recreate Project Renaissance, and all research will be focused on improving my girlfriend's body, I swear. I'm not sure I can decipher the formula's genetic key at all.

Even though I have a serious help in the form of the Jackal's research.

- Okay," the man sighs and puts his hand on the table, "take a sample.

Without hesitation, I take out from my belt a few vials and syringes, brought specially for this operation. I draw three vials of Captain America's blood under the blond's intense gaze.

- Thanks Steve, you have no idea how much I really appreciate this.

- Just don't screw it up, Spider," Cap said, rising, "remember, I trusted you.

- I remember, thanks again.

Rogers stood up and, with a sigh, raised his head to the ceiling.

- I suppose I'm entitled to ask you for something now, after this? - the super soldier asked.

- Anything you want," I nod.

- I think we'll increase the hours of training," the blond said thoughtfully, "and now you won't be in the clouds," Rogers turned and gave me a Hollywood smile. - I'm going to make a first-class fighter out of you.

How calmly the Living Legend took my request, and how he didn't hold a grudge, I couldn't help but hug the Captain.

- Thank you, my friend.

- Whoa-whoa-whoa, what are you doing?" the blond was surprised, patting me on the back in return.

- I'm glad you didn't get mad at me, though after that I had every right to.

- No, I didn't," Cap shook his head negatively, "I had a right to say no, but not to get mad after I said yes, believe me, Pete, I wouldn't forgive myself if I said no to a friend who was just looking for any way to protect his fiancee.

- Um," I rub the back of my head awkwardly, "we're not really getting married.

- Wait, you said she's pregnant," Cap's bewilderment was palpable.

Oh, that '40s upbringing.

- Yes, it happens, but I'm not going to marry Mary just because of the fact that we're going to have a baby, and that's disrespectful to your sweetheart in the first place, saying you're getting married just because of your situation.

- Well, things have changed," Cap shook his head.

- Believe me, Steve, I'd love to marry Mary, but not under pressure.

- Whatever you say, Pete, but I'm waiting for an invitation to the wedding," Cap jokingly wagged his finger at me.

- Trust me, mate, you'll be the guest of honour.

Our conversation was interrupted by a call from the masked communicator.

- Sorry, Steve, but our one-eyed boss always needs something.

Cap nodded understandingly.

- At the machine," I activated the masked communicator.

- You know, with your rebranding you confused me a lot, so when I call you, how do I address you as Spider or Agent Venom? - Nick surprised me with a question.

- I think it depends on the topic of discussion, if you're going to give me a mission, then Agent Venom is at your service, if anything else, then Spider-Man.

- It's a funny situation, I have a mission for you, but it requires the presence of Spider-Man.

- How so?

- You may have heard about the recent incident with Tony Stark, or more specifically, the battle between Iron Man and Iron Monger.

- Is that Obadiah Stane? Yeah, I've heard that.

- Well, we've been in close contact with Stark ever since. I won't go into specifics, but he's vital to our time.

- Yeah, what does that have to do with me?

- I was originally planning on sending Agent Widow to liaise with Stark, but after seeing some of his requests, I think you're the man for the job.

- I don't know what's more frightening, me instead of Natasha or the fact that you have access to information from Stark's computers.

- Sometimes you underestimate the shield, son.

- Or Tony's relaxed," I say wryly. - Still, why me?

- After Lydia Hardy's reception and your timely rescue of the day, Mr Stark has taken an interest in Spider-Man, and he.... is a very eccentric individual.

Oh, I believe he is.

- So should I go to Malibu right now?

- No, I think you can go with Phil.

Oh, great, I've been wanting to ride Lola again for a while.

- What exactly is my mission?

- Meet Stark, find out what kind of man he is, see if you can find out anything else useful. I think he'll want to talk to you about a project I've been talking to him about.

- What kind of project?

- Let it be a surprise, - Nick smiled, judging by his voice.

- Okay, got it. Should I tell him I work for Shield?

- If you want, but I think he already knows.

- All right, I'll be ready to go tomorrow.

- Phil's picking you up, over and out.

The call is terminated.