Spider-Woman: Origin

1. Spider-Woman: Homecoming

Five Years Later

2023

I collapsed onto the tiled floor, disoriented and surrounded by dirt and debris. My legs felt like jelly, but I pushed myself upright. I scanned the chaotic room, a former restaurant, now a shell of its past. Overturned furniture lay scattered, creating the illusion that a tornado had swept through. Despite the sunlight pouring in a heavy gloom clung to the air.

"What the hell happened?" A man nearby asked. No one answered.

I stepped deeper into the wreckage and struggled to grasp the fragmented memories of how I ended up here—or if I had been here all along. My gaze fell on the floor, where faint blue letters formed the words "happy birthday," accompanied by a small piece of round cardboard. Four empty plates sat nearby, remnants of a celebration now long forgotten.

As memories surged, a soft gasp escaped my lips. I pressed my hand to my mouth, feeling warmth against my skin—was I truly alive? I stared at my hands, now solid and whole, not the ash I feared I might become.

"I'm alive," I whispered. The declaration drew in curious looks from the others. A flicker of excitement ignited within me, soon washed away by relief. But my thoughts quickly turned to my family, the last image burned into my mind being their terror as I felt myself dissolve into nothingness. I had to get home.

I dashed toward the exit and weaved past the bewildered crowd. The moment I stepped outside, sunlight bathed my face, and I looked up at the endless blue sky. Birds chirped, but the cacophony of voices drowned them out. Ahead, the street littered with dozens of people all wearing the same lost expressions. Had they returned like I had?

Determined, I moved through the throng, pushing past anxious bodies. I quickened my pace as I entered a quieter neighborhood. A man knocked frantically on a wooden door, and it swung open, revealing a shocked figure who embraced him tightly. My heart warmed at the sight. It fueled my urgency to reach my own family.

As I neared the main road, the crowd thickened again, voices rising to a fever pitch. I squeezed through and nearly sighed in relief when I spotted a gap ahead. Just as I thought I was free, an elbow jabbed into my face, pain flaring between my eye and eyebrow. I hissed, instinctively raising my hand to soothe the injury. When I looked down, I saw specks of blood on my fingers.

"Savages," I scoffed, shaking my head as I broke free from the crowd. The throbbing pain dulled to an ache, and I pressed on, choosing alleyways over bustling streets. Each step brought me closer to home.

Reality began to set in as I rounded a corner and spotted the familiar numbers 7101 on a mailbox. I slowed, breathless, my heart racing with a mix of excitement and disbelief. Here I stood, just a door away from my family after thinking I might never see them again.

Pressing the doorbell, I fought to keep tears at bay. Seconds ticked by, each one stretching into eternity. Frustrated, I pounded on the door until I heard locks clicking. I prepared for the moment I had yearned for. The door swung open revealing a girl about my age, her eyes widening in shock.

"Jordyn?" I choked out, and as recognition dawned, she gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Tears brimmed in her eyes as we rushed into each other's arms.

"Jessica!" she cried, a whimper escaping her. We embraced tightly, the joy of our reunion flooding me. "What the hell, you're a grown woman now!" I laughed through my tears, marveling at how much she had changed.

After a moment, I pulled back to take in my sister's familiar face, now adorned with the features of adulthood, a clear indication at the passing of time. "How long has it been?"

Her smile faltered. "Five years," she said quietly.

My mind raced, trying to grasp the enormity of her words. I felt as if time had frozen, yet I stood unchanged, while everything around me had shifted dramatically.

Before I could process her answer, another voice called from inside. "Who is it?" A petite figure appeared behind Jordyn, her eyes widening as they met mine. My mother.

"Jessica?" The sound of my name came out like a gasp of disbelief.

"It's me, Mom," I assured her, feeling a swell of emotion rise within. She stepped forward, and the light revealed the greys in her hair and the fine lines etched around her eyes. My heart ached as I took in the sight of her.

"My baby girl," she cried, wrapping me in a tight embrace. I felt her warmth, but she felt smaller, thinner, as if years of worry had taken their toll.

Jordyn stood by the threshold, tears streaming down her cheeks, and the sight struck me anew. I let my sobs come, the dam finally breaking. "I thought I was dead," I cried, my voice breaking as my mother held me tighter.

Once my cries subsided, Mom cupped my cheeks, brushing away the tears. "You're here with us now," she said gently. "You're safe."

"Come inside," she urged, motioning for me to follow. I stepped over the threshold, my heart pounding in my chest as I entered the narrow hallway lined with family photos—memories frozen in time.

"What happened to your eye?" Mom asked, concern flooding her features.

I shrugged. "Someone in the crowd elbowed me." Jordyn nodded in understanding, but I caught the flash of anger in my mother's eyes.

"Don't worry about it," I said, trying to defuse the tension. But another question burned in my mind. "How long was I gone?"

"Five years," Jordyn reminded me again, her tone somber.

I stumbled back, shocked. "Five ye—" The words caught in my throat. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to comprehend it all. How could five years have passed when I felt so unchanged?

My gaze drifted to the fridge, and my breath hitched when I spotted an obituary held up by a magnet. Johnathon Drew—1965-2021. The name sent a chill through me. I picked up the pamphlet, my heart racing as I turned to face my mother and sister, dread pooling in my stomach.

"Please tell me this isn't true," I pleaded, desperation clawing at my throat. Sadness filled their eyes. My father was gone. I had missed his last moments, his farewell, and I hadn't been there for my family when they needed me most.

"Dammit!" I shouted. There was an ache in my chest. I collapsed to the floor, the weight of my sorrow crashing down. My mother and Jordyn reached for me, but their comforting hands felt insufficient against the storm within.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, my sobs echoing in the hollow kitchen.

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