Spider-Man. The House Of Venom

Peter relented. "But if it says no, then it means no. I won't create another, and you will have to make sure whoever we choose understands the risk. It's not just the Symbiote that will be in pain."

Jessica turned and tapped on a virtual keyboard, "I'm entering a search algorithm. It will narrow down those who have the highest chance of survival, plus the most optimal DNA for a swift bonding. Age, gender, and yes, powers are all going to be a factor"

"I have the de-powering formula. Powers aren't a problem."

Jessica paused, continued typing and then after hitting enter, "You can remove powers?"

"Uh, my Gwen realised that Osborn's Formula was really toxic, so she figured out how to remove it. We've used it to fix a few people. We then leave it up to them if they want a new one. Not everyone got their powers by choice."

Jessia nodded, "We get that too. Standard procedure here is physical and psych evaluation after. Not everyone takes loss well." She looked over at Miguel, "Might as well tell him."

"Spider-Carnage right?" Peter asked, "We have a Carnage in my word too. But I guess yours was worse."

"Not here. One of the Peter's was brought here by Madame Webb. She can see across dimensions and she saw one of us trying to destroy everything. He made a dimensional bomb and was ready to set it off. It was only Aunt May who got him to stand down." Miguel sighed unhappily, "We removed the Symbiote, and he killed himself a few days later."

"OH MY GOD! That is so boring!" Wade jumped to his feet. "If there isn't going to be a hot threesome with the pregnant lady, I'm leaving."

"Yes, you are." An older woman, dressed in a strange red but black outfit opened the door, "I am sorry Miguel, but Wade needs to come with me."

"Aww no fair, I wanted the hot ‘take her clothes off’ Madame Webb, not the wrinkled sourpuss one."

"And I wanted a foot massage from Ryan Renolds, not the whiny wise-cracking trope I've been saddled with. Both of us are disappointed," she retorted.

"Oh, I think I like you, Do you have Dakota Johnson stashed around somewhere? I mean, we all thought Fifty Shades would kill her career, not Sony," Wade asked as he followed her out.

"No, I am afraid not, you'll just have to make do with a sock full of jello and that jar of mayonnaise."

Peter raised a hand, about to ask, but Jessica shook her head, "Don't. Just don't. Madame Web is blind but can see between dimensions. And I mean all dimensions. Even the ones we're not sure actually exist. When she meets someone like her, she usually devolves into riddles and nonsense. It's best just to ignore it."

"Riiight, so I was going to ask if it was wise to let Wade just walk out of here. I mean, he might be my clone but I've only spent like ten minutes with him."

Miguel facepalmed. "I could get a couple of guards to tail them, but Madam Web usually loses them. If she's here, just let them be."

"But while we wait, we can tell you a bit more about what we do here, and you can tell us about yourself. I mean, most Parkers are super intelligent. We might be able to help each other," Jessica said with a smile.

⁂

As they walked through the city, Madame Web took Wade down several corridors. She seemed to know where she was going, even if Wade had no clue. He was just happy to get some page time.

"So uh, where exactly are we going, because I need both my kidneys, even if they do grow back."

"You are not the only Parker to be cursed, and you won't be the last," Madame Web said critically, "And we are here."

They stopped in front of a blank wall space. "Now, walk in front of it back and forth, wishing for what you desire," She said, "well go on."

"Uh, no. How about you tell me what's going on, and I won't get my painfully stashed gun out and shoot you," Wade said. He tensed his buttocks uncomfortably. "If you give me some time and maybe some Ex-lax.

"Spoil sport," Madame Web stuck out a hand and pressed a seamless panel, and a door swung open. "As I said, you aren't the only cursed Parker."

It was a bar. Behind the counter washing a glass was a huge giant mutated humanoid spider. "That is Man-Spider. One Peter who got a much larger dose than usual, and well, but he does make an amazing Old Fashioned." She pointed to another corner, where a blue and red-suited Spider-Man had his finger in a pint of amber liquid. "That is Spiders-Man, a self-aware colony of spiders who fight crime." The suit seemed to ripple, and the spiders inside it rearranged themselves to reach the drink

As they sat at a booth, a very large-breasted masked Spider-Woman came over. Madam Web nodded as she set two beers, and a card, down before walking off.

"Uh, what's her deal, is she really ugly under the mask?"

Wadam Web laughed, "Oh dear, of course not. You see, some universes are completely immoralistic. Death, purges left right and centre, and of course, where you have no morals, you have Spider-sluts. She is Petra Parker, with huge boobs, no brains and super stamina. We hire them to cheer up the less fortunate."

Wade looked at the card

"For a good time, room six."

"She's a prostitute?"

Madame Web laughed and set her glass down, "Oh of course not. You see. Universes like that, where the writers decide that everyone is a complete slut, well, they don't ask to be paid."

Wade looked at his drink, looked at the smiling Madame Web, and downed his drink. "I'll be back in five minutes. If she's lucky, two."

⁂

It took five minutes for the computer to reduce the list to five names. All were Peter's who were from dimensions that didn't have Formula. One was even Iron Spider, a mentee of Tony Stark.

"These all look good, " but the door opened and in walked Madam Web.

"No, you should use the newest Gwendolyn," she stated.

Miguel stood up and paced towards her, "No, Gwen is in therapy for a reason. Peter said."

"I know what he said, and why. But he can now control his power. Did it not help Jean and Wanda? Can you not help another lost soul."

"Right, well, I'm not doing anything until someone explains. So why don't you pick one person, and tell me why this is either a bad idea or a good one."

Miguel looked at Madame Web, who raised her hand in agreement, while Jessica just shrugged. Miguel ran a hand over his face, “Gwen was forced to kill her Peter, he wasn't Spider-Man, he was Lizard."

Peter nodded, "Let me guess, young love, tragic outcome, and now she won't talk to anyone, won't eat and barely moves?"

Miguel snorted, "We wish. That can be dealt with. It's the uncontrollable rage where she loses it, barely lets any of us near her, and curses her powers.”

"Oh, yeah, that could be bad." Peter looked at Madame Web, who was smiling, "But, you already know I'll say yes, so I'm not going to argue."

"She's in containment, I'll walk you there." Miguel stood, "Prepare the Formula anyway. I'm going to push de-powering the more unstable Spiders until they get over their issues."

Madame Webb stepped to one side, but Miguel leaned over, "I really hope you know what you're doing Cassandra."

⁂

Wade was snoring loudly, after lasting a record-breaking four and a half minutes. Petra looked over at him and her fangs retracted. Madame Webb promised her she would get home, as long as she kept a single Peter clone unconscious. His blood tasted like shit, but it was warm and fresh. It wasn't the worst thing she had ever tasted, and as he twitched, she leaned over and bit down once more.

⁂

Miguel let a panel scan his hand and Peter was ushered into the containment unit. "This isn't a prison. We just hold the more dangerous version of ourselves until we can send them home or let them into the main complex. Gwen was a good member of a team until the incident."

Miguel led him into a room, with the standard orange energy barrier, "Hey Gwen, I have a visitor for you."

Sitting in the corner of the room, holding her head between her legs, A very young Gwen sat. She looked up, "Oh great, another Peter. Come to tell me I had no choice and he's in a better place?" She dove forward, "Him, you brought him here?" Her hand reached out for him, trembling, "You look just like him," she whispered.

"And you look like my Gwen as well, well uh, a lot younger though." Peter looked around. "Can I sit, and have some privacy?"

Miguel pushed a panel and a chair rose from the floor, "Just call me when you need out." He gave Gwen a sad look before he closed the door behind him.

"So, going to give me pity stares. You saw that right, poor little Gwen, all fucked up and got a booboo."

Peter laughed, "Nah, My Gwen cried for a few days after George died but was fine. I know there's more going on here. So, what's up?"

Gwen growled, "I'm not her, and you're not him. He died and I lived," she turned and slumped on the bed, "nothing more. I killed him and now I'm stuck in here."

"Looks like it." Peter looked around the cell. “Looks like it could be worse too, you could be stuck with mouth fang things.”

Gwen huffed, "Chel..Chel, something. Oh, I don’t know. I skipped that part.”

“Chelicerae. Not my strong point, but Gwen would know, well, my Gwen,”

“See, I can't even get that right. Your Gwen’s probably super smart too, I dance and play in a band. I wasn't even supposed to be there."

"Yeah, she is, but not everyone is. MJ barely passed her exams. You're you, she's her, and I'm me. But that's not why I'm here."

"Gonna pat me on the head, call me a good girl and tell them I'm broken?" Gwen curled her legs up again. "They don't listen, nobody listens."

"I want to remove your powers and give you new ones. I want you to listen to one story, and if you say no, then I leave."

Gwen looked up, "remove them, so I can be normal?" She snorted a laugh, "I'll never be normal. My dad is looking for Pete's killer. How am I supposed to live in his house after that."

"I can take away your powers and your memories. But first, my story?"

Gwen there her hands up in frustration, "It's not like I can go anywhere."

Peter explained about Liv, about Laura, and about his misunderstanding with Natasha. “I thought she was being over dramatic. I mean, a ledger dripping with red. who talks like that. Well, someone who killed a whole bunch of people and had no coping mechanism. Until I gave her one." Gwen snorted, "Yeah, not like that, well, yeah like that but that's why I'm here."

Gwen raised an eyebrow, "That's why you're here?"

Peter scrunched up his face, "Eww, you're like ten, so no."

"I'm fifteen, asshole. Old enough to kill someone," Gwen buried her face in her knees again, curling up into a ball.

"See, you can't cope. Hell, I wouldn't be able to cope. Grief is the wound left by love leaving us."

Gwen snorted, "You should write Christmas cards."

"Meh, it was a fortune cookie. We eat about six bags of those when we get Chinese, you're bound to get a good one eventually. But, it was right, you're hurt, wounded, and nobody can help you, but," Peter moved until he was right at the barrier, "I can. I can help. If you let me."

"By taking my memories?" Gwen stood up and moved to the barrier, "but giving me a reason to find his killer, when really it was me?"

"Nope." Peter looked around and found the control panel. He touched a hand to it and it flashed red. He let a little symbskin slide into it and it flickered to green and the barrier dropped. "By giving you the tools to heal yourself."

"You're not going to molest me, are you? Because I dance and I know karate," Gwen backed away, looking to see if she could get past him.

"Eww, what is it with you and...oh, you slept with him, right." Peter straightened up, "No. No kissing, just a new friend and a little voice in your head."

"Will you shut up?"

Peter snorted, "nah, I have eleven girlfriends, and they can't make me. Just give me your hand."

Gwen reluctantly held out her hand. It was better than the endless stream of Peters and Gwens all trying to make her feel better. The constant 'we know you didn't mean it' empty platitudes. She hated it more than the look of betrayal on his face as she drove that rebar through his chest. He would have killed everyone in the building, and she just had no choice.

She jumped as black ooze covered him, but he held her fast and she tried to scream as it slid over her as well,

What? You are noisy. Shut up, noisy girl.

Uh, what? What are you?

We are. Hmm, we do not know. Peter has left out some parts. Oh, we know, hehe, Peter, why do you not share everything with us?

Because she's fifteen! Gah, I am not explaining why you do not share things with a fifteen-year-old. There is a word for that, my name is Peter Parker, Not Peter File.

Gwen laughed, So, is this the, oh hey, why do I feel...kinda good?

She's helping. For now, she's the bandage you need. And when you don't need her, she's still going to be there.

And if you call me Bandage I will eat your brain!

Suture...no wait, Stitch.

Hmph, Acceptable, your brain is safe...for today.