Spider-Man. The House Of Venom

The True Cost Of Loss.

John Jonah Jameson.

Today marks a first for me. I have no agenda. I have no words.

What I do have are shaking fingers as I try to write down what I am feeling.

What I have are tears and an indescribable sense of loss.

I lost my son. He was my world. He was my proudest achievement and my greatest joy.

There is no feeling like being a father. To watch the baby transform into a man. A man that everyone can aspire to be, that can be proud of.

John loved his country, he loved this city, and he died for it.

There are no words to describe this feeling. Many have tried but all have failed.

Instead, I have a list of demands.

I want the city to acknowledge that masked vigilantes are dangerous.

I want the city to start laying a foundation to reign in these criminals.

I want the city to start taking them seriously.

I want my son back.

Draw the line

Take a stand

Show no fear

With pride in hand

You did your duty

You stood your watch

You kept us safe

From dangers clutch

Ring the bell

Lay him to rest

His time has past

He did his best

We lift his flag

Our chest is tight

We ring the bell

We do what's right.

My dear readers. From this day forward I call to arms the citizens of America. We can no longer stand idly by as these monsters who dress up and fight on our streets evade capture, evade justice. Normal people do not have strange powers. Normal people do not stalk the streets at night hunting us like animals.

We need to put the normal people first. We need to put humanity first. We are the Human Majority, and we shall not remain silent.

⁂

The days after the incident were quiet. Life moved on for those in the warehouse but the women still took turns to make sure Peter was okay. Even if he made jokes about everything, even if their times together were the same, it felt different. He felt different and nothing could shake him from his mood.

Unknown to them it wasn't melancholy. He really didn't care that John had died, any more than he cared that Bullseye had.

Venom was now a wanted criminal. The time and effort they had taken to make him more or less a public defender was now in the toilet. Peter was lost in thought on how to safely clear his name. There were more lives at stake than just his. Walking into a police station and giving a statement wasn't going to cut it.

He’d even met with Matt, and the news was grim. He’d argued with him until they both gave up in exasperation. Matt believed he was innocent, there was just no proof he could use to get Venom off. None he could use without outing Peter.

⁂

MJ, however, was on cloud nine as she served a coffee to one of the regulars. He was a sweet old man who thanked her and took off his glasses to clean the steam from them.

Filming in the US for the Iron Man movie had finished and it was two weeks before she was off to Europe to film. Until then it was back to shifts at the diner. Movies might make you rich and famous, but they had to be completed. She had her retainer, but it wouldn't last long.

With the part generating waves she had gotten an interview for a commercial. It was for skin cancer and she’d had to do several shots in nothing but a swimming costume. she’d lied and told the producer she had one and used Muse to shift into something appropriate.

Even if Muse made a gagging noise in her mind when they smeared fake sun cream on her, she kept her professionalism. After she’d done their few tests they’d nodded to one another and a date had been set. The director agreed that MJ was a natural and they both not just took her card but gave her their own. MJ called her agent and the contracts were going to be sent over and signed. Now all she needed to do was tell everyone the good news.

Hearing another table ring for assistance, she grabbed her notepad and went back to work.

⁂

At work herself, Gwen was daydreaming about Felicia. The analyser would take a while. It was long enough to be boring but short enough to wait for but right now Gwen had seen Huntress's new outfit. A slick black bodysuit. Tiger stripes up each side and the half mask style she'd used as Black Cat complete with the small cat ears on top. Gwen discovered a new kink, women in tight leather with cat ears.

"Earth to Gwen," said a soft voice next to her. Coming out of her daydream she saw her new supervisor pointing at the machine. It had finished its cycle and needed to be emptied.

"Sorry doctor, girlfriend issues," Gwen admitted.

The woman grinned, "when I was a student I had several boyfriends and girlfriends. Of course, I was a lot younger then and times were not as tolerant. Having said that, you really need to make sure you pay attention, that sample is ruined and needs to be redone."

Gwen soured, "Sorry boss, I'll pay more attention next time."

"Next time is tomorrow. It's quitting time. While I won't write you up Gwen, you do need to be more careful." She shook her head, even though she knew a simple mistake like this at Starktech could get her fired.

"I will," Gwen grabbed her jacket and left. Unaware of the shadow tailing her.

As she made her way through the parking garage to the exit, a pair of hands grabbed her and pulled her into the darkness. One hand over her mouth muffled her voice but surprisingly to the man, she didn't scream.

He pushed her down, "not so tough now bitch," he said with an evil grin on his face. As he pulled out a small revolver he pointed it at her. "They fired my ass you fuck, easier than a lawsuit they said. So now, yeah now I'm gonna do what you accused me of."  The gun clicked as he pulled back the hammer. "Make a sound and you die."

It was the asshole from Oscorp. People like him never learned. Gwen growled as Poison began to stir within her.

He pulled apart Gwen's legs and failed to notice the look in her eyes as he undid his belt pulling open his trousers.

There was no need to tell Peter about this, no need at all. She clamped one hand over his mouth the other grabbed his wrist and twisted the gun from his hand. Then she tore at him, a black claw extending and digging to the flaccid flesh at his groin. As he tried to scream the thick webbing smothered him but she made sure not to suffocate him.

Rapists were scum. Rich rapists were just rich scum. As her fingers dug and ripped his manhood out at the root she let Poison envelop her.

They would have fun, yes they would, no need to tell the Peetie Pete, no evidence for afters either.

As urine and blood squirted out of the ruined hole in his crotch, the man passed out while Poison took her revenge.

The bubbling decaying pile was left dissolving in the back of the parking garage. Poison shed all the man's disgusting blood and skin from herself and left it all to be washed away by the rain. A storm drain was the perfect place to hide all that remained of the body. not that with Poison's strongest acid web there was much left.

Gwen realised that she enjoyed that, and now she knew why Peter did his patrols. She could see herself revelling in taking out those who would rape or murder. Ironic considering she just killed someone, more so as she knew Peter was worried about the death of John.

Gwen had no idea how many women fell victim to this man but she did know that there would be no more. She thought of Peter and she realised what he was hiding. It wasn't guilt of killing someone. It was the guilt of doing so for people who didn't or couldn't understand. She now knew though, some people deserved death. Rapists, paedophiles, and the lowest of the lowest scum, those that hurt their family.

As she headed home she thought she would have a heart-to-heart with him. If Poison behaved, show him just how much she appreciated what he did for them.

⁂

As Gwen went about her day, Felicia was also thinking about her. She was thinking it'd be great to have someone here who could make sense of some of this crap she'd found.

They knew someone had ransacked the files they took from Fisk, but they had left the rest. She had started to go through them once more, trying her best to decipher the scrawled Russian.

Even with Liv's help, the sheets of formulas were gibberish to her, and while Aleksei had scribbled "Oscorp?" in one corner there was nothing to indicate where it was coming from.

It got added to the ‘Shit to end’ pile, the one Peter and she had made of the really bad stuff. Lists of kills squads or dens where rape and torture were a paid privilege. She had almost thrown up when she heard of a place called ‘the farm.’

The surface looked calm and clean. Everyday people doing everyday things. It wasn't until you stuck a hand down far enough that all the shit and filth the world had to offer floated to the surface.

Huntress and Venom would be busy for a while. There were still places that needed to be burned to the ground in New York. Hives of scum and villainy that went past the limit and straight into pure evil territory. She would enjoy taking them out.

Maybe the house, the wife, and kids were just a pipe dream for people like her. Gwen and MJ ran in different circles. They worked with their brains or their looks while she worked with her fists. Maybe once she found her dad she told him to shove his cat burglar schtick and go for the big times. Be her own boss and not the muscle. If she could get Elektra to calm down for five minutes.

They had argued. Peter hadn't just beaten her soundly but he had pissed her off. She wanted certain things from their relationship. Control being the main one, and Peter refused to budge.

Felicia just couldn't get it across that everyone in the warehouse was equal. It wasn't Peter's little harem. It was a group that had their own lives. Their own dreams, and their own expectations. It wasn't Peter plus, it was everyone sharing. Elektra couldn't understand that and wanted to have them at her beck and call.

So when Peter said no, she was upset.

It didn't change their relationship, it only soured what Peter and Elektra had. It firmly put an end to anyone else taking part. Gwen made it clear she wasn't anyone's girlfriend. MJ was tired of being paraded around as a trophy. Liv just laughed and there was a promise of blood if Elektra started her nonsense with her. Almost immediately they hit it off though. Elektra was the kind who liked a little blood now and again.

She stretched back in her chair. She groaned as the ache in her muscles complained about being sat hunched over for too long.

Come on Huntress, why? She sighed as she stretched.

Huntress tutted, we heal you when you get hurt, not when you are lazy.

It's important paperwork.

We are Huntress, we stalk our prey and devour it whole. Our prey is not paperwork, we are not Secretaress

Felicia sighed. Secretaress isn't a word Huntress.

The belligerent Symbiote just huffed at her and was silent.

It had only been a week, but a week of paperwork was a lifetime prison sentence for Felicia. Huntress was right. She was a thief, not an accountant and really, she wanted Peter here to do all this.

It was maybe time for a break, heal me and I'll get burgers. Poison was not the only symbiote that could be bribed.

We do wish to have some hot meat inside us, Huntress tittered as she made her counteroffer. Find Peter first, then we can eat after. If we are still hungry for food.

Felicia smiled at the thought of that and more. He was good with his hands after all. She stood and heard the door buzzer go, waiting and listening she heard who it was.

Oh screw that, she thought. He was the last person she wanted to deal with right now.

⁂

Liv and Felicia were trying to rebuild the files they had lost during the missing day so Peter was by himself.

Even talking to Matt, who thanks to client privilege, didn't have to hand him over there was no solution. He had to give a statement on the attack, which meant handing himself in.

As soon as he was in police custody though, they could hold him and charge him for withholding his identity. There were no official laws on secret identities, but there were on vigilantes. Even if he refused to unmask they could charge and send him to trial.

He was drawn out of his musing when the door buzzer went. He flicked on the camera and gritted his teeth when he saw who it was. "What the fuck do you want Flash?" He spat through the intercom.

"Let me in shithead, we need to talk, and not out here." Peter considered telling him to fuck off. No, he wanted to bring Flash here and finish it. Maybe beating Flash for a while would lift his mood and he hit the door buzzer.

Flash looked nervously around, "MJ isn't here is she?"

Peter just ignored him, moving over to the breakfast table. "No coffee? Poor manners Parker," Flash snorted.

"Cut the shit Flash, why are you here? In fact, why aren't the cops kicking my door in with tanks and bombs?"

"Eddies gone, heard Philly but who knows right?"

"Or cares Flash. What do you want?"

"Yeah and uh, I'm leaving too, going abroad till this all settles. So the task force is gone, hear they're pulling in some real badasses to catch you though."

"Your point Flash." Peter was losing his patience, maybe it was time for the beating.

"Parker, I didn't come here to fight. Hell, I don't even want to be here but it, the uh, symbiote made me. It wanted to warn you, there's more of them, Peter, more than just the one you have. Like a whole bunch more."

Peter stroked his forehead, "crap." Maybe coffee was a good idea.

"Look Parker, we both know these things are fucking scary, and there's more? Even if the ETF was up and running we weren't ready, John," Flash paused and balled his fists. "John knew we weren't ready. So it's all on you now, nobody knows who you are, I swear. " Flash ran his hands through his hair. "Shit, why is this so hard? Why do I know all these things about you? Why do I hate you but feel like shit for everything I ever did, huh?" Flash shook his head. "Do you know? Does it get better?"

He stared at Peter, an unfamiliar look of vulnerability on his face, "Aww, fuck it." Flash stood and was about to leave when Peter put a black coffee down in front of him. Flash started at him and sat back down, adding six sugars and cream to the cup.

Peter snorted, guess they all like sugar huh? he thought to himself.

"So uh, you and MJ?"

Peter shook his head and glared in warning.

Flash raised his hands in surrender, "Okay okay."

As Peter walked away to make coffee for himself he wondered what the hell he was doing, but he felt better.

Maybe knowing that Flash and Eddie were in just as much crap for that asshole's death was a good thing. Maybe a problem shared was a problem solved. Plus if the feds were too busy chasing them around, he'd get some peace.

His own curiosity also got the better of him. He had realised long ago that he didn't have a symbiote like the girls and now he knew what happened to it.

While it was just a pity it ended up with the shithead he hated more than anyone, he still wanted answers. After the incident, he knew if Flash started anything he was powerless to stop Venom.  With that realisation, Peter finally felt a sense of calm. He was right, what he said on the rooftop, Flash was nothing compared to him.

There was no issue between him and Flash anymore. They had fought and Venom had won. He had time to think and Flash was consumed by revenge, by hatred and that was not Peter's path. He would punish those who deserved it. Even John had struck first with the intent to kill. They didn't deserve his mercy only his pity.

Peter had a life, had a family and with a strange sense of understanding, Peter began to explain.