Arc Seven. Chapter One Hundred Eighty-Nine. An Extremis Cure

The trio waited until Maria arrived. As she stumbled through the warehouse doors, Peter knew she had been drinking as she looked like hell. He could smell the cheap whiskey, and her skin had an unhealthy paleness from someone not sleeping or eating properly.

"So, pants off or do I just bend over?" she slurred, and Peter knew she was drunk.

Looking over at Liv, "We'll do this in a bit. First, Liv is going to give you an injection, to prepare you okay?" and as Liv took her away Peter knew the next hour was about to be hell.

He could hear her being sick as Liv depowered her first. The anti-power serum was needed to stop her own enhanced body from reacting to the new Extremis, and being drunk was definitely a no-no. Thankfully the formula would take care of both problems and as Peter came back in she was curled up on a gurney with a yellow glucose bag attached to her arm,

"Hate you," was all she said as she curled up, but he shrugged,

"Yeah, I get that a lot, but that's just the sobriety talking." and she scowled at him and pulled the blanket up higher.

"Do I?" And he shook his head.

"Do you want to?" And she looked down and pursing her lips shook her head, "Then we don't, not gonna force you into anything, you might have a different attitude when we bond you though. Did Liv say anything?" and Maria sat up,

"No, but uh, why?" and Peter sighed

"Okay, I was exposed to a new formula, Extremis and it's different." he clenched a fist and it glowed, "More volatile and definitely more powerful. We don't know if the new symbiote will be unstable or not, you could get mood swings, be violent, or just go crazy. We really don't know. So, girls or boys? Cause we can do both, or just let you punch things till you calm down." and Maria looked at the pair.

"Seriously? You're asking if I'm gay or not?" and Peter shrugged.

"Each symbiote birth has been followed by sex, barring one and that was a lot more violent. So you got someone you can call or a preference say now. I'm not letting a crazed newly hosting agent run riot in the streets." Maria stared at him as if he was crazy as he continued, "and no one here gives a shit of your gay, Liv is Bi, so's Gwen, Felicia is gay and Laura is straight, I'm straight too. So what's your poison, it helps."

Liv cleared her throat. "We hypothesis that a newly born symbiote craves certain brain chemicals, adrenaline, dopamine," but as Maria's eyes began to glaze over, "uh yes, but sex provides them with all that in one handy package, so to speak," and Gwen stifled a laugh. "It's much safer than violence and the outcome is a calmed symbiote which can then eat, further destressing both the host and the newborn. We have prepared a few things but if there is something you would really like then we can get it for you."

Maria sighed, "Peter is fine, and anything. Pizza is normal but no anchovies or pineapple," and Peter laughed,

"See, told you it was gross."

"I like it, just allergic to pineapple," Maria stated, sitting up and making herself more comfortable.

"Right. Peter dear, it looks like you're," and she raised an eyebrow, "up, and Gwen please order a few. Might as well make it pizza night, especially if we're here for a while."

Maria nodded and slipped the blanket down. Peter hadn't expected to be naked underneath and as the pale-skinned and muscular woman unashamedly stood and moved over she knelt in front of him. "So this okay or do I need to do more?" she asked, looking up at him expectantly.

"Uh, you get the symbiote first, not after" and she just sighed,

"Oh," and shrugged, "well, might as well get started then," and standing, "but I am not the only one freezing their asses off, naked," and Peter smiled and shook his head, letting his clothing let away. Maria nodded and whistled, "So how do we do this?" and Peter held his hands up and gently took her in his arms,

"Like this." and as his symbskin connected them he felt her pain.

Sharon had been her best friend since the academy. they were inseparable and her death hadn't just hurt Maria, it tore a hole in her. He could feel the silent rage bubbling underneath the grief and it was all aimed at Hydra.

He let her feel his own emotions and she was slightly shocked at the amount of intercourse the group seemed to have but didn't even bat an eyeball at the violence.

To her, he was an amateur and the few times he had killed she would have done the same. As they shared, you know that agent was Shield right? and watching her memories she found her thinking of two agents, missing after trying to apprehend Black Cat, who then mysteriously vanished. Of course, hunting and trying to kill both Felicia and everyone involved marked them as Hydra, but with no way to interrogate them, and no proof, it didn't really matter.

She snorted, Felicia, yeah, they hid that well enough, so, issues, problems, gonna do me like Liv just to get a what do you call them, adorable little snot monster of my own? And Peter laughed,

"I can do anything you want, it's a partnership, not a pet or a toy," and as his symbskin retracted she was already wrapping her legs around him as he slid inside, moving her back to a wall he pumped and thrust into her, filling her at once and she leaned back and cried out in pain and ecstasy.

"We are Vengeance," she cried out and a thick black symbiote covered her, "And we accept you," and she pushed him to the floor and began to ride him once more. She grabbed his hands and pressed them to her chest, squeezing her breasts, and began to move faster. As she gave him one final thrust she came, "we are hungry," and without a care, she slid off him, stood and stretched. Maria's symbiote changed into the Shield jumpsuit she normally wore. Looking down at him, as he leaned on his elbows, "I know why you have six, but one time only," and as she walked away, he stood and shrugged,

"Just uh, don't explode or anything," and as he clothed himself he went down and sat at the table with the rest while they ate.

Liv fussed, taking sample after sample and Mariah morphed her new armour into different forms, each one with a singular pitch-black colour. "Well, that's a rush, and yeah, fucking pervert. but uh," and as she stared at the pizza on her plate, "thank you, I mean it. Sharon would be," and she gave a bitter smile, "Sharon actually liked you you know, from your files. We got drunk one night and laughed as she wondered exactly how good you were. She even stole Widows file, the one on the bathroom and she'd never believed you were actually that big." and she wiped a few tears away, "stupid fucking," and as Liv handed her a tissue she leaned back and shouted, "got him for you," and laughed, "I got him for you."

The rest of the meal was eaten in silence as Maria, the normally stoic and stern Agent Hill bounced between laughing to herself and crying, all while being comforted equally by Gwen and Liv. As the night went on she began to perk up,

"I, yeah, we're fine. Vengeance," and she shook her head, "Sharon would call me so pretentious for that, but she's fine, but uh, cream, we know and I want some. I'm not coming here every time I get horny," and Gwen laughed and left to prepare a bag.

"One last freebie, Fury, and I are quitting, Fury'll take care of Sword for you, but after that, we're gone. Shield might be there but it's a hollow shell. Hydra was in deeper than anyone knew and Cap and his team are cleaning up the small fries. We, well we're going to find the more high profile ones, the ones that hid and the ones that never showed themselves." and looking at the group, "you know what?" and she leaned over and grabbed Peter's face and gave him a huge kiss, letting her tongue invade his mouth. "Sharon would have rocked your world," and lifting a slice of pizza, taking a bag from Gwen, "and she didn't mind the others," and with that admission, she turned and left.

As Gwen tidied up, Peter had a freshly swabbed arm and Liv was busy extracting the newly formed Extremis symbcells from his blood. Even at a low dose, they should give Widow the last jolt she needed to wake Natasha and finish the healing.

After they had been separated and injected into the armour it slowly opened and a pale and frail-looking Natasha climbed out, "well, yeah, let's not do that again" and Peter lifted her straight out of the armour and into his arms,

"Is, is he crying?" and Gwen snorted, "yeah, big softy," and as Liv took her away to make sure she was fine, Gwen patted Peter on the arm,

"You okay?" and he nodded,

"Need some alone time though." and as she pursed her lips she rubbed his arm and let him walk away, hearing the roof hatch open.

Sitting in the crisp air of the chilly autumn night, Peter stared up at the lights of New York City. Today had been strange but he was glad to have Natasha back.

For now, he had three separate but pressing problems,

Shield was back up and running, even if Maria said it was just a shell. A new division, calling itself Sword, had been set up, Strategic World Observation and Response Division. As the Asgardians had made good on their promise and a diplomatic channel had been opened, bringing news of more species in the galaxy than just themselves, a civilian-based organisation had been created with a more diplomatic mission. Of course, even Peter knew that was bullshit as one of their remits was to acquire and integrate alien technology with earth-based tech, they just weren't advertising that fact.

The newly re-organised World Security Council had taken a small bite of Shields power and set up the department to deal specifically with otherworldly threats. Officially Peter was still a Shield agent but there was a hint he was going to be transferred, As Natasha, Laura, and Wanda were all human, it would be him alone moving to the new department.

What had riled him though was an addition to the paperwork. There was also a small and unobtrusive clause in his new contract. Peter would be expected to submit himself for medical examinations and provide blood and tissue samples for analysis. After reading that he almost caused the contract to burst into flames and sat alone for a while on the warehouse roof.

It was Widow that swung up to the roof to check on him, carrying with her a few bottles of Gwen's homebrew. "So, sulking or brooding, or making a super plan?" she asked as Natasha slipped back into slacks and a T-shirt, popped the top of a cider and handed it to him,

"First two. The last one, not so much," he said sullenly as he took a swing.

"Yeah, kinda figured. I mean, a lot of people forget you're only 21, so Nat to the rescue," and she took a swig of her own beer. "You're now a CEO, start your own group. Even if you think Fury's about to let them poach his superstar it's always an option. He'd rather fire you and let them spin that actually give you over to that group of assholes. Carols the same, well, if she ever comes back to Earth."

Peter had forgotten that under the New York Accords private companies could host their own supergroups, as Tony kept rubbing in everyone's face. So why couldn't he? "Think they'll let us all out of contract?" and Nat tilted her head and half shrugged.

"Only you and I are actually agents. Laura and Wanda didn't pass, so they can just drop out, and nobody likes me anyway. Well, Clint, but he retired." She took another swig of her beer. "With you, they'll pull some bureaucratic bullshit, tell you you're too important, too volatile, but as all your records have been expunged, thanks to Fury and Liv, they can prove dick. Hell, even as Venom you could walk down Fifth Avenue tomorrow and nobody can say squat. It's all clean since Hydra."

Peter laughed, taking another swig of his cider "then we'll do that, I'd kiss you but you might explode"

"Wait, that was real?" and Peter nodded,

"Shit, I thought it was a joke."

Peter put down his bottle and clenched a fist, as it burst into flames Natasha looked in awe.

"Fuck, I want that too." and she slipped out of her symbskin bodysuit.

"Woah, Woah, Woah. What are you doing?" and Nat stared at him quizzically,

"Isn't this one of these things where we get our powers from having sex with you?" and Peter shook his head,

"Well, yeah but here? I mean-" and Nat kissed him to shut him up,

"I'm fine, and, Mr I fucked Fel from behind against the water tower, don't give me that prude crap, pants off, no arguing, Widow wants an upgrade. Plus, I figure I've been asleep for what a week or so, so it's not just Widow that wants it, oh and don't think Widow didn't tell me about Gwen's little brag." and she kissed him again as she straddled him, already willing and wanting for his touch.

"There is also,"

and as Peter looked at the naked Natasha, "what?"

"I'm leaving." and Peter frowned and as Natasha stalked away and bent over by the water tower, "I know its sudden," and she wiggled her ass at him, "but Fury needs someone," and as she parted her legs "we're hunting Hydra, and they owe me, Pete," and hearing the anger in her voice. This wasn't a goodbye, she just wanted one last memory before she left for a mission and Peter smiled.

"No, not like this." and as she stood, looking hurt and betrayed he grabbed her, lifted and slid into her, he ran, leapt off the building and sent out a web line, covering them both in an invisibility cloak before swinging out into the city.

"Let's make it memorable." and as she pulled herself closer to him, she laughed and they swung out into the night.