You'll Never Be Alone [mpreg|sequel]

vi

Dan sits up in bed. He finds it odd being on this side of the hospital, bed ridden and growing weaker, sicker. He closes his eyes and leans his head against the propped up pillows. He's really fighting to keep his breakfast down.

"Dan?"

He looks to the side and stares at Venom.

He doesn't need to say anything. Venom knows he's paying attention.

"We apologize," they say sounding so sincere it hurts.

A look of confusion crosses Dan's face.

Venom continues guiltily, "For what Riot has done."

"Don't," Dan begins, voice scratchy from misuse, "please don't."

"But if we-"

"Look," Dan sighs, "you created Riot, but it's not like you're responsible for his actions. He's his own symbiote and you shouldn't be held accountable for his actions."

Venom tilts their slimy head and Dan feels like he's talking to a child. He sighs and scrubs his face.

"I know you're sorry," he whispers softly, "but I also made mistakes. I felt like I couldn't tell you lest Riot would remember what his objective was and hurt you, hurt Eddie or, god forbid, the children."

"You feel as if you are incompetent and are not a part of our family," Venom points out, "you felt like that was all you could do, take the brunt of Riot's anger and destruction. But what you fail to understand is that you are family, our family. We have considered you family since the beginning, since you helped Eddie."

Dan looks away, unable to see the sincere expression the black symbiote has learned to master.

The symbiote's voice only softens as they admit, "We would've helped you, had you let us. We would have fought tooth and nail to free you from Riot."

Dan tries not to choke up at Venom's words. He blinks away the threatening tears and swallows past the lump in his throat. He briefly closes his eyes and lets his hand rest on his stomach, just where a new life has taken root. A life that may not make it.

Both look up from their stupor at the light sound of knocking on the door.

Eddie is rushing in, slightly out of breath and quickly scooping up Venom.

"We're getting you out of here," Eddie breathes.

"What?" Dan asks, brows furrowed.

"I don't know who authorized it, but they're coming to get you in a few minutes for surgery, to remove-"

"My baby," Dan finishes, a lilt of panic in his voice.

Eddie nods, already disconnecting wires.

Dan hisses as he rips out the IV none too gently and slips off the heart monitor as he disarms the sudden alarms.

Venom growls, "no time."

Dan looks at the symbiote, but they're right. He can't disarm all the alarms, not when they've already alerted the staff.

"Can you walk?" Eddie asks, wrapping an arm around Dan's waist.

Dan nods as he limps out the room with Eddie's help. They have to hide around the corner when they see a group of rushing nurses headed for Dan's room.

Dan has his heart stuck in his throat.

"Shit," Eddie curses.

Dan looks at where Eddie is staring and finds that he's bleeding.

"It's okay," Dan croaks, "I'm ok, just need gauze and pressure."

Eddie nods and the next time they hide it's in another patient's room. There's an elderly woman on the bed in a profound coma with what seems to be the daughter watching over her. Venom reacts quickly, curling a tentacle around the young woman's mouth to stop the scream for help.

Dan leans against the wall as Eddie grabs gauze and presses it to Dan's oozing arm.

"Thank you," Dan smiles.

They both turn to Venom who manifests in front of the sobbing woman, "Do not scream. Do not say a word. We will leave you both unharmed if you follow my order. If you disobey, we will personally make sure you never speak again. Understand?"

The woman nods frantically and Venom lets go of her.

Eddie helps Dan out the room, the woman's scream echoing behind them.

Venom has half a mind to keep good on their promise, but Eddie pulls them along.

"Stupid wo-"

"Venom," Eddie hisses.

Venom grumbles under their breath but follows dutifully, keeping watch as they escape the hospital. They manage to make it, walking another bit away from the hospital until Dan pleads to stop.

"I can't," he gasps, "I can't go on, it hurts, the baby, I-"

"Okay," Eddie soothes, wrapping him in a hug, "it's okay, we can stop. I called an uber, someone's coming to get us."

Dan nods, closing his eyes as he breathes deeply through the pain. He peels away the gauze and notices the blood has stopped, a bright bruise left in it's wake.

With that reassurance he returns his hand to his belly, "I had the chance to tell Abel, to ask for help, but I was so scared I didn't, I let Riot-"

"Hush," Eddie soothes, "it's okay, we understand."

Dan nods still unsure but let's himself relax. He's safe.

Eddie on the other hand looks worried. Who the fuck gave the order? Gave the okay to cut open Dan without his consent?

Venom rumbles soothingly inside his chest, but he knows Venom is on high alert.

Someone is out to hurt Dan, someone who may not even be Riot.