Patrons scattered, no longer caring about the two fighting in their midst. lights fell and sparks flew as bulbs shattered.

Rhino gave Venom the finger before punching his way through the glass-windowed wall. Sandman had already made his escape and more oozed than ran after him.

Venom had no choice, if he chased them then the people would suffer,

"Run Run," he yelled and the stiff statues, frozen by violence began to panic. As the ceiling began to fall, he shot out webs and grabbed pieces pulling them away from the larger crowds. It wasn't enough as everyone rushed towards the smashed doorway and the broken front wall.

He began to spray the stickiest web fluid he could make on the remaining pillars and the cracked ceiling. Rhino had done too much damage, even if he got underneath it the ceiling was going to come down.

He webbed as much as he could but it wasn't enough and large chunks began to fall. He watched as Flash pushed MJ out the door before the ceiling collapsed onto him. In a twist of irony as he was squashed into the symbskin goop. Most had escaped but the unlucky few remaining were soon buried under rubble.

Leaving only himself and Gwen, he threw out a web line and webbed her and pulled her towards him.

He dove under a table in one of the booths hoping he could create a shelter. As she fell, he winced as he heard the sickening crunch of Gwen's head impacting against the floor. She hadn't been prepared for the sudden jolt and had fallen awkwardly, her head bouncing as it hit the wood.

Venom stared in horror as the blood pooled in her hair. He knew that in trying to save her, he had condemned her instead.

The TV still connected and still working hung loosely from the wall. It was blaring as the cries and shouts for help echoed from the survivors.

"This just in. The menace, Venom, has just been spotted fighting with the Fearsome Four. A diner, a good honest to god all-American diner was destroyed. We have reports that several diners are still trapped. This shows these freaks need to be captured, these menaces need to be given a taste of their own medicine. I, J. Johnan Jameson, will give anyone a reward leading to the capture of these heinous villains. Especially the one calling himself Venom."

Peter cradled Gwen in his arms as her blank eyes stared holes into his soul. He knew that the head wound and her shallow breathing and one fully dilated pupil meant the worst. She had suffered some kind of brain injury and without immediate help, she would most likely die.

He closed his eyes, seeking how to within his vast knowledge. This time it didn't come from his mind, he felt an instinct, and his senses tingled when he focused on himself.

It was a long shot, whatever had been done to him rebuilt his body, stronger and faster. Maybe he could use that to heal Gwen. The only problem he had was how? They were trapped. He had no equipment and he had no idea how to do a blood transfusion.

It had to be the one thing he had. Holding her tightly he brought his lips to hers and with no resistance kissed her deeply.

He felt something rising in his throat. Not an acid taste of rising vomit but a sticky sweetness. Whatever it was made its way from him into Gwen's mouth. Pulling back he saw her throat bulge as whatever it was moved down her neck.

Gwen spasmed as the thing, the lump he gave her, diffused itself into her body. He could see it under her skin as it travelled down and then branched as it entered her lungs. Gwen suddenly took in a deep breath and Peter lay her down.

Small white, almost imperceptible, threads made their way across the skin of her chest. They flowed up, back into her neck and across to her heart. He really hoped that nobody was checking for survivors. he had lifted her top to make sure it wasn't hurting her. Anyone watching would definitely get the wrong impression.

Gwen's breathing steadied. He watched in rapt fascination as the white lines moved through her arms. spreading through her veins and then branching out to her capillaries.

The wound on her head stopped bleeding and soon began to ooze with the same white liquid. He waited until it stopped bleeding and formed a large white scab before touching it gently. He recognised it as the same material he secreted when he became Venom.

Whatever the intent was, he had infected Gwen with the same thing that he hosted. He was thankful its abilities were healing and repairing the damage done to her body.

It oozed out of the wound and then retreated back into her skin, leaving the cut deep but looking much better. The blood had stopped and now it was just messy rather than flowing

Peter had to bite his lip. Tears welled up in his eyes as he knew that even if she was changed that she was alive and he hugged her close to him.

Her breathing was steady and the smaller cuts on her body began to heal at a visible rate. The large mark on the back of her head had stopped bleeding but still looked bad. He had a limited amount of medical knowledge, but he could still check to make sure she was okay. Her pulse was steady. Her eyes, even through closed lids, now reacted to the small amount of light Peter had from his phone.

He held her tightly and he could hear the calls of the rescue services.

"Hello? Search and rescue, how many under there?" A voice yelled through a small opening and Peter spotted an inspection cam.

"Two, and she's injured, head wound." He yelled back and moved the camera with his hand to show the gash.

"Help is coming so hold tight. If you can move her, lie her down and support her neck. We'll get the hole opened further and send in water and something for you to clean the injury with," the EMT shouted.

Moments later a thin tube was pushed through the hole. It had a pouch of water, a few packets of sweet energy gel and a roll of sterile wipes. Wrapped in band-aids and simple medical instructions.

Peter cleaned the wound and squeezed himself into the corner so Gwen could stretch out. As he waited, he sat eating the apple-flavoured paste and gently dabbed a wet cloth over Gwen's lips.

As the floodlights illuminating the collapsed building began to filter through. Peter felt relieved to know they had been saved.

He was sure he could have just lifted the rubble off the tabletop but not without the consequences. The TV had been shut off, but as nobody was yelling at him for causing this mess, he guessed they thought Venom escaped.

Soon enough hydraulic clamps lifted some of the rubble and pneumatic poles were sent in,

"Secure the table before we move the rubble. We don't want it to collapse on you."

Peter did as he was told, placing one at each corner and then cranking them until they were tight.

Firemen stabilised a tunnel and an EMT crawled into their cramped shelter. "I'll take her first okay?" He slid a neck brace onto Gwen and then securing straps under her shoulders crawled back out.

Gwen was slid slowly out, making sure she wasn't injured further before the EMT crawled back in.

"I know you think you're fine, but let's check okay?" he said as he shone a penlight in Peter's eyes before checking for broken bones. "yeah, you're good. follow me." and they both crawled out of the tunnel.

Peter was carefully shown through a passage of broken ceiling tiles and furniture.

It hadn't just been a single floor. Peter had thought they were trapped under a couple of inches of debris but it was a whole side of the building.

Once outside, Peter was helped to an aid station. He sat on a folding chair while he was checked over again, and watched as Gwen was lifted into an ambulance.

⁂

George had been here since the start. He was in the station house when the call came in and recognised the diner had rushed with the first units.

They had arrived as the van was driving away and two units left in pursuit. It was the three giant freaks fighting in the diner that drew their attention.

The police had watched helplessly as the fight destroyed the building. Then the pair of grey and sandy criminals made short work of the squad cars in their escape. With their own casualties, they were helpless as the fire department worked.

He saw Peter being led from the ruin, right after Gwen had been stretchered out. "What the hell did you do Parker?" George yelled as if the scene before him could be blamed on Peter.

Peter ignored him and was taken over to an ambulance. An EMT shone a light in his eyes and asked if he was okay? If he had any pain or dizziness? Peter answered the questions mechanically. His arms and legs were gently pressed and checked for broken bones but Peter barely felt the man’s touch.

Physically he was fine but inside he raged. He had been surrounded and beaten. His hand was almost severed, his dignity trampled by bullies once more. Four vs one was never going to be a fair fight and he vowed it would never happen again.

Peter watched as Gwen and her father were loaded into an ambulance which then sped off. All around him, the rescue work was still continuing.

He swallowed down the rage as it turned to grief. Several covered stretchers were being moved out of the public eye and into a van marked 'Morgue'.

He saw an EMT working on Flash. Wrapping his legs, and yelling as they turned red almost immediately. He was lifted and rushed into an ambulance. Its sirens wailed in the still night as it sped off.

He recognised the barista as she dry heaved into a bucket. Next to her, a sheet covered something, or more likely someone, she knew.

MJ had thankfully been saved. Flash pushed her out of the diner before the collapse. He tried to hate Flash at that moment, but he bore the full brunt of the ceiling collapse and he couldn't. Peter knew Flash would probably never walk again but he found it difficult to care.

The survivors were interviewed, at first by the police and then by the crown of news crews. Each one jostled the staff and patrons who had made it out of the diner unharmed. He saw MJ shielding her face as a young Asian reporter waved a microphone at her and he bounded over to her.

“Hey, leave her alone,” he snarled at the pair and pushed the camera down to point at the ground. “Go creep at a cemetery. Damn ghouls,” and the reporter gave him the finger as they left to find another victim to interview.

MJ grabbed onto him. Her face was streaked with dirt and soot from the diner and tears had left track marks down her cheeks.

“Hey MJ?” Peter asked her but she was staring blank-eyed at nothing. “Anyone?”

An EMT came over and shone a light into her face, “It’s just shock. Was she in the diner?”

Peter shook his head. “She got out just before it collapsed,” he explained. The EMT took her pulse and gave her a quick once-over.

“She’s fine. Just don’t leave her alone and she’ll snap out of it,” he said as he slipped the penlight back into his jacket.

After the EMT had finished her check-up he left with her. They walked silently to a taxi Peter knew he should let her father know, but he doubted he would be sober enough to deal with her, or that MJ would want him there.

He sent a text message to Aunt May to let her know they were alright but Gwen was in the hospital. It wasn’t great, Aunt May deserved more but right now he had to take care of MJ.

While Gwen had her father and he had Aunt May. Peter knew her father was not a loving caring man and she would be left to take care of herself.

If she wanted him to know she was alright, she could call him in the morning. For now, he would make sure she was fine.

MJ was quiet on the ride back and even after drinking a cup of coffee and wiping her face with a damp cloth, she was silent.

It wasn’t until he led her into her home and set her down on the bed she acted on her own.

"Please. Stay." She tugged at his sleeve as she crawled under her blanket. He nodded and climbed in next to her, wrapping an arm around her and letting her cuddle it.

He had tried his best and failed.

He had tried to save Gwen and the rest and failed.

As he held onto MJ, hearing her quietly sobbing he knew he had to do better.

He had to be better.