Reborn From The Void

Chapter 9 - Surprise

(Your POV):
"Hey sparks, you ready to head out?" Tony asked me as he arrived with my breakfast.

I began to scarf the food down, thankful for the opportunity to leave my cell. Between bites of food, I asked him, "where are you going to be bringing me?"

Tony's eyes sparkled as he replied, "we have a surprise for you."

"What is it?" I inquired, my body straightening slightly as curiosity filled my body.

"Well if I told you, then it wouldn't be a surprise. I'll take you there after you finish eating."

My plate was cleaned a few minutes later and I eagerly awaited my cell door to be unlocked so I could discover what Stark was hiding from me. He brought me over to the elevator and pressed the fifteenth floor. I frowned slightly, wondering why we would be going to the kitchen. I had already eaten breakfast, what else could be waiting for me there?

The answer came in the very room that the Avengers held the game night the evening before. There, sitting on one of the couches, were two people I hadn't seen since graduation. And, much to my surprise, they seemed somewhat happy to see me.

"Ned? MJ? What are you doing here?" I asked in shock, wondering why on earth they would want to see me.

"We're here for you, loser," MJ replied in typical MJ fashion. "You went on radio silence and then we had to find everything out from Peter."

My face fell, "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you guys, but it would have put you in danger and I guess I was afraid that it would drive you away."

"You're kidding right? You're an actual assassin, that's super cool," MJ replied and I was taken aback by the fact that she was actually interested in what I did. "You have to show me what you're like in action sometime."

I gave her a smile before turning to Ned, "and are you mad?"

"I mean, I was annoyed at first, because you didn't tell us. But Peter also didn't tell either of us that he was Spider-Man, he made us find out on our own and I'm not mad at him. So I guess not. And I agree with MJ that it is kinda cool, I mean besides the whole killing thing," he replied, a little nervous to have been put on the spot, but still oddly supportive.

"Excuse me, that's the best part," MJ argued, but I was too busy being lost in my own thoughts.

I finally spoke, "but our entire relationship was a lie, you don't feel at all betrayed?"

"Look, you may be Void, but you are also (Y/N). What I've seen is that you are different around us, otherwise you wouldn't care about our opinions. Nor would you actually love Peter, don't even deny that you love him because it is painfully obvious that you do. It's actually disgusting how infatuated you two are. Even with that, you can make a case that our relationship may have been built on a lie, but the relationship itself wasn't a lie. Besides, I think that the real you is (Y/N), not Void. Once Peter and Ned broke down those barriers you had around you, we were spending time with who you truly are, not who your parents made you be."

I stared at MJ, shocked that so many words had just left her mouth. I wasn't even aware that she was capable of saying so much, yet her she was, words spewing out of her. Then came the emotion, the realization of exactly what she was saying. They were standing by me, supporting me even after everything I had done.

It wasn't right. They should hate, May should hate me, just as Peter did, just as I did. Why were they blind to the monster that I was? I didn't deserve them and I never would.

"(Y/N)? Are you alright?" Ned asked, standing from his seat and placing my hand on his arm.

I pulled my arm out of his grasp and turned on them, "you should leave."

He frowned, "why? I thought you'd be happy to see us."

"Happy?! How can I be happy?! You're both acting as though nothing has happened! I've hurt people, Ned, I've killed them and you just sit here acting as though all I have down is eat the leftovers that you were saving for yourself! I'm a monster, Ned. You should treat me like one."

"A true monster never admits to being a monster unless it's to boast," MJ criticized, standing and moving next to Ned as though standing together in solidarity.

"Yeah, if you know what you did was wrong, then you're not a bad person at heart," Ned added, encouraged by MJ's words.

"But I've known what I was doing wrong for a while now and I didn't stop because I was selfish. After Harry's death, I considered leaving this life behind but I didn't want to give up Peter, I didn't want to give up my friends, but in order to stop I would have had to disappear. I should have just left, it would have hurt a lot less then this. Do you have any idea what it is like to be in the same building with the man who taught you how to love and then never see him, except for once when he looks at you with all of the hatred in the world? And what's worse is that I know I deserve it!"

"No one deserves this, (Y/N). You were raised without compassion and feeling, but you love Peter, we can all see it. You've grown, (Y/N), you're not a monster because you've forced yourself to be better. That's why we're all still here, supporting you, that's why Peter will come around eventually, trust me," Ned assured me, warming me with his kind words.

"Thanks Ned, MJ. I just don't really know what's I'm supposed to do anymore. When I was with H.A.M.M.E.R. I always had a purpose, targets to go after and intel to obtain. Even outside of my work with them, I had created my own goal: protect my friends. But now I'm just a prisoner here, one that they are refusing to put onto death row. They've recently eased up and have been treating me with kindness, but it doesn't change the fact that my life no longer has a purpose, I have no idea what to do with my life."

"Join the club," MJ spoke, leading me to the couch so that we could sit. "Do you really think anyone knows what their purpose in life is? I mean what is the point of existing if you're just going to die one day? You're not special anymore, (Y/N), you're just as lost as the rest of us. And that's a good thing, because now you can choose who you get to be. You can shed the molds that your parents have built and become your own person."

-

(A/N): I zoomed for five hours straight today and now I don't know how I'm going to survive remote classes because it was so exhausting and I may have to take a three hour class online next semester in addition to another class that day and I'm nervous for that. But on a happier note, I was really excited for what I was making for dinner tonight and it turned out to be really good and I haven't felt that happy in a while so that was really great. And more happy news, Ned and MJ aren't pissed at you, so now it's just Peter!