Whatever It Takes

Chapter Twenty One

Emma tried to relay in her memory the last few minutes of her life. Looking from Peter to Rachel. For what she expected to be disappointment, hurt, was understanding. But that didn't mean that her eyes didn't waver. Because as said before, Rachel knew everything.

"I'm so-"

"I know. I understand." She was smiling. Why the fuck was she smiling?

"I swear Rachel on my life I will tell you what's going on when this is over-"

"Em," Hands on her shoulders that were beginning to tremble, her smile stayed. Worry secretly filled her insides, but that was her secret to keep from the girl. "Go. I know you will."

Then, Rachel made her own moment. She pulled the girl in, kissed the corner of her mouth gently, and pulled away. "For good luck."

Emma wished more than anything she had time to say something. Anything. And she tried to think of what she would have said as she and her brother made a mad dash out of the gymnasium and down the moonlit hallway. Peter skid to a stop at a set of lockers, unannounced for Emma. You could hear her heels screech off the floor. "What are you doing?" as she questioned, Peter gutted out the contents from under the lockers. He tossed her homemade suit to her, pulling his own out in a heap on his feet. She didn't have time to ask when he had put it there. "Go get changed, quick!" Emma nodded, and sprinted for the bathrooms. She tore off the clothes that still smelled of Rachel's perfume with regret and threw on her cotton tights, black track sweater and red shirt that donned a Sharpie spider logo on the front. The smell of dust and general High-School stink replaced Rachel's scent with a quickness. Emma raced out of the bathrooms, catching up with her brother and continuing on to a back exit that brought them to the parking lot. In the shadows and little to their knowledge however, the Shocker waited. Like a cat he leaped out, catching the side of Peter's head with an electric charged fist that sent him flying. In a fit of rage, Emma reacted quickly, bouncing from a school bus to land a swift kick to the mans chest from above and roll to the ground. But as she was about to charge him again, he buried his fist onto her gut, and sent her flying too. The siblings pulled themselves from the ground slowly. "I gave you a choice," the man approached Peter coolly, "you chose wrong." Peter groaned, "what the hell?"

"What's with the crappy costume?" The man taunted. Emma began to pull herself up from the cement, "you didn't hear?" her ribs ached as she spoke, "Party City was all out of stock." The man gave her a glance and half a smile, like somewhat of a nod before he activated his fist again. It buzzed aloud, ready for it's next hit. Peter scrambled to his feet, headed for his web-shooters when the man hit a bus and sent it hurdling towards Peter. Emma popped up in time, taking a hit from the bus but stopping it and tried to send it back to their opponent. Peter only got the chance to graze his weapon before Shocker dodged the attack, moved around the bus, and hit both of the teens lined up. The shock threw them through the exit doors of another bus, past every seat, and into the front. They groaned, noticing the gum covered seats and felt the next rush of energy in the bus. The Shocker punched it again, sending it flying sideways and over like a log. Emma and Peter smacked against seats, the ceiling, each other, all with bits of glass digging into their bodies that flew around like freshly fallen leaves on a windy day. When the bus finally landed on it's roof, the two fell out of the back onto the concrete. Emma tried her best. To fight, to get up, to do anything as Peter tried desperately to retrieve his web-shooters. She went for his legs while on the ground only to get kicked back down. She tried to web him, only to just then realize that her web shooters were missing too. She staggered, kicked again. The man raised his fist, buzzing with deadly intent, when the unthinkable happened. From the last person Emma would have ever suspected.

A web latched onto the Shocker's fist. And on the other end was Ned. Peter hollered, "nice shot!" Emma quickly pulled the web down to throw off the man's balance, tossing the web-shooter to her brother who caught it. Emma sent both feet into the man's chest, and as a final touch, Peter webbed him to the bus he flew towards. For once, Emma didn't want to kill Ned Leeds. Emma searched the dark lot for her own web-shooters, finding one underneath a car and the other by an undamaged school bus. She attached them to her wrists, running back to Peter. "Ned! The guy with the wing's is Liz's dad!" Peter exclaimed.