Supernova: Written in the Stars

The Return of Supernova

Alright, let's do this one last time. My name is Nova Ortega. I was bitten by a radioactive spider and for the past 2 years, I have been the one and only Spider-Woman. I think you know the rest: I saved Gwen Stacy, but I couldn't save my best friend, Peter Parker. So now, I save everyone else... I don't do the friends thing anymore, just to save myself from the pain. But, then the weirdest thing happened. I was blown into last year, quite literally. A ghost from my past landed in Hyde Park. My Spider-Sense told me she was someone I knew. I wasn't sure why until I finally took the mask off. Then things started to take a turn for the worse.

2 años despues

I walk through the cold streets of Hyde Park, wondering where my feet will lead me today. It's been two years since Peter's death and every day since then, I have been home less and less, trying to avoid my father trying to console me. I'm tired of his presence and can't deal with being in a security officer's house every second of every day. So I take walks, swing across the city, anything just to take my mind off of Peter and my Dad.

I continue to walk down the street and accidentally bump into someone. 'Sorry.' I say and continue to walk away. But they grab me gently by the arm, forcing me to look at them. 'Nova? Is that you?' I stare at him for a moment and realize that it was Flash Thompson from High school. 'Eugene?' My eyes widen at the sight of him. 'What are you doing here?' I ask.

He lets go of me and runs a hand through his hair. 'Um, I'm here with my girlfriend, you remember Liz. Yeah, we're here shopping for college textbooks.' I look at him, searching for some lie in his eyes. Why was he with Liz? She practically treated him like garbage in high school. 'You're with Liz now? Well, congrats.' I force out. He notices my tone but tries to laugh it off. 'Yeah, ever since... um... you know, Peter died. You know she was always infatuated with Parker. But with him out of the equation, she realized that I actually existed.' He even has the audacity to smile and laugh. 'With him out of the equation?' I say, offended. 'Wow, what a friend you were.' I say before walking off. He calls after me but I ignore him.

I turn the corner and I am met with a warm smile and blonde hair. 'Hey, Gwen. How's it going?' I say, not even daring to stop walking. Her footsteps quickly fall into sync with mine. 'Hey, Nova. I was just wondering if you wanted to go to Earth 928 with me today?' She looks at me with hope and I have to plaster on a fake smile. 'Sure.' It is all I can force out as she leads me to an alley and punches a bunch of buttons. A portal forms in front of us and she steps in, with me close behind. The air around me squeezes and pushes as I'm forced through space and time. Next thing I know, I'm standing in the elevator leading up to the Spider Society. 'So, how have you been?' Gwen asks. I know she doesn't mean how I've been in the past couple of days, but the past couple of years. 'I'm fine.' I forced out before looking out the window of the elevator to watch the earth below us become smaller and smaller. 'I know you're not okay, Nova. You can talk to me.' She presses the situation further. 'There's nothing to talk about, Gwen.' I say as the doors of the elevator open.

I walk out and wait for Gwen. 'Whatever you say, depressed little girl.' She says with a smile, trying to get me to smile as well. It doesn't work. When she realizes that jokes won't make me laugh she walks to a nearby cafe. 'Hungry?' She asks. I nod and follow her into the cafe. When we enter, we are immediately seated by a spider-kid. 'What would you guys like today?' He asks kindly. 'Just a burger, fries, and a chocolate shake. And she'll have the same.' Gwen says and the spiderling walks off with the orders, happily. I watch a little longer as Gwen stares at me. 'What are you thinking about, Ortega?' She finally asks. I snap out of my daze and look at her. 'Nothing.' I say. I then look out the window and watch all of the Spider People walk by, enjoying their day. 'Just thinking about what I could have done differently that day.' Memories flash through my mind of the day, but I try to shake them off. The scar on my leg and the bite marks on my side smart at the memory of the Peter Lizard.

Gwen sets a gentle hand on mine and I look back at her. 'It was supposed to be that way, Nova. Cannon events just work that way. You have to lose someone to become something greater, learn from your mistakes, and try not to make the same one again.' She says calmly. 'I know.' I croak out, fighting back tears. 'I know.' I say again, not knowing what else to say.

Just when the pressure around us grew unbearable, the food came out and was placed before us. Gwen lets go of my hand and looks at the food. 'Well, let's dig in.' She says and takes a bite out of her burger. I take small bites of my own and eat a few fries dipped in a chocolate shake before I ask for a to-go box to put the food in. When I have my food in the box, I excuse myself and walk out of the cafe with my food, not even looking back at Gwen and the cafe. I needed air, and that small cafe was not helping.

I hear footsteps behind me, trying to catch up and I see a kid in a black and red suit. 'Nova!' He yells. He has Gwen in tow and they run towards me. 'What are you doing out here alone?' He asks when they reach me. 'I needed a breath of air. I couldn't stay in the diner.' I say as they both look at me concerned. 'Well, maybe we could just hang around with each other for a bit, yeah?' He says, but he trails off and looks behind me, and so I do, only to see someone familiar walking towards us. But he was at least 6'9 and 310 pounds.

His red eyes, brown hair, and muscular build take my breath away. 'Miguel.' I gasp when he reaches us. 'Nova Ortega. Mucho tiempo sin verlo.' He says with a slight smirk. 'Hey, it's been a while.' I say. I look him up and down before meeting his eyes again. 'We have a lot of catching up to do.' He glances behind me at the other two Spider-Kids and so do I. They look at him, a bit scared, before scrambling off. I look back at Miguel and smirk. 'Catching up, you say?' I tease. He nods and takes my hand gently. 'Ven comigo.' He says quietly. 'Por qué?' I ask, a smirk still teasing my lips. Instead of answering, he smiles and begins to lead me away from the Cafe. 'A dónde vamos, Miguel?' He glances back at me before speaking. 'Verás.' It's all he says as he leads me out of the Spider Society and to the penthouse porch.

He faces me at the setting sun on the horizon and what I see baffles me. The look of the setting sun is more beautiful than the one at home. The way the clouds drink in the hues of pink and blue takes my breath away. 'I know you haven't seen a proper Earth 925 sunset before so I wanted to show you.' He whispers in my ear. 'It's beautiful.' I gasp. 'Not as beautiful as you, amorcita.' He says, which actually brings out a sincere laugh from me.

'Why did you bring me here, Miguel?' I say after a few hours of catching up. He just looks at me with a glint of mischief in his eyes. 'Because, I missed you, Nova. What? I can't catch up with you?' I shake my head, smiling. 'I just... didn't think you would want to hang out with me since you're super busy with your life, just as I am with mine.' I say. I continue to smile as I look at him in his red eyes. He then places a gentle hand on my cheek and smiles. 'You're the only thing I've been thinking about for the past 2 years. And when you stopped coming around, I grew anxious, because I wanted to see you again. But I knew you needed time and space. And that is what I gave you. But I can't wait anymore.' His sincerity and the genuine look in his eyes, take me by surprise. 'Oh, really?' I tease, trying to hide my surprise and pain. I see an emotion you could call desire, flash across his face.

I pull away with a smirk and he takes a step towards me. I back up again and he steps towards me again. 'Miguel.' I say quietly just as another voice joins mine. 'MIGUEL!' A woman yells and walks onto the patio. I look at her, a black woman with long curly and a round belly, obviously pregnant. And above it all, she was wearing a Spider-Woman suit. 'Oh, hello. Jessica Drew. You must be Nova Ortega.' I nod and glance at her belly again. 'Are you...' She looks down at her belly as well. 'Oh, this? We don't know the sex yet. My husband wants it to be a surprise. He's really corny.' She chuckles and then looks back at Miguel. 'Gwen and the gang need help with the Vulture.' Miguel glances at me before looking at Jess and nods. 'Let's go. Nova, stay here, I'll be back, yeah?' He says before running off to put on his suit. Jessica waits with me and when Miguel comes back they swing off the building into the night. 'Okay.' I say to myself and go back inside to get some rest.

I entered an empty room only to find it lavishly furnished from ceiling to floor. I scoff at the expensive curtains and bed sheets, feeling the velvet between my fingers. It felt odd to sleep in such a bed, covered from the outside world with beautiful curtains. But, I lay down anyway, sleep overcoming me and my emotions quickly. For a night I could finally let this other world take all my cares away.

I can finally be Nova again. I can finally return to being Supernova, if only for a fleeting moment.