"You sure you wouldn't rather be at homecoming with your friends?" Happy asks as I emerge from the lab in my Phantom suit. "The plane's got a lot of security and trackers. You really don't have to be on it."

"I'm sure." I tell him and thank the fact that I have my suit on. Mostly because the mask and voice modifier hide my red eyes and trembling voice.

I don't even know what kind of excuse I could make to Happy about it. Because I certainly can't tell him that I think I'm in love with my best friend, who just so happened to ask someone else, and I couldn't bear having to see them together all night long.

It takes me a second to realize that Happy long since walked away to shout at the movers about the boxes and checking each item off his list. I grab my phone from the table and decide to head onto the plane. Dad and I reconfigured the system, but I want to manually calibrate the controls.

At the very least, working on the plane should distract me from Ned's texts about if I'm coming to Homecoming and the still sinking feeling in my gut. For once, I'd love to just block it all out—not answer Ned and pretend I'm probably wrong about this whole thing, but I can't.

I've never exactly been good at letting things go easily. Even if it hurts, I have this tendency to hold on—like with the REM Trials or my feelings for Peter. It can keep punching me in the face or opening old wounds, yet I'll still keep looking for answers or hoping that one day Peter will look at me the same way I do him.

No, I can't focus on that right now.

"That's the last of it." Happy calls from the back of the plane. "Everything all set?"

"Yep. The system's upgraded and ready to go." I tell him with a smile and lean against a crate. "It'll send an update if anything happens, and obviously, I'll be monitoring and keeping everything running from on board."

"Alright, then. You should be landing at the new facility within the hour."

"Sounds like a plan." I smile with a quick thumbs up. My phone buzzes in my pocket, but I ignore it assuming it's another text from someone asking why I'm not at homecoming. Why everyone makes such a big deal about one school dance is beyond me, but then again, I was too until Peter asked Liz.

I shake my head to dispel the thoughts. Instead, I decide to practice my phasing and pass my hand into one of the crates. It goes pretty well until I get distracted. There's a bright glowing coming from a little farther into the plane, and I swear my stomach drops all the way down to the ground thirty-thousand feet below.

"ARTI," I whisper as a figure emerges from the glowing purple square, "tell Happy we've got a situation."

"It appears all communications are currently being blocked." ARTI replies, and I feel the full weight of the situation come crushing down on me. "I'll keep working to get the message through, but I suggest proceeding with the utmost caution."

I ignore ARTI as I creep through the crates to follow Vulture toward the cockpit. He opens up his mask and attaches something to main console, while asking questions to who I assume is a member of his team. It's quiet as he turns the dials and adjusts the plane's course.

The shift in trajectory makes me nearly lose my footing, and I have to scramble to regain it before creeping up behind Vulture as he surveys the wide array of crates with wide eyes. "Hot dog." He whispers in awe and remains completely unaware of my presence until the shadows wrap around his wrist, and my fist meets his jaw.

A low growl emits from he as he struggles against the binds. He tries to land a kick that I have to dodge in the cramped space. I move to cuff him, but the plane shifts, which sends me stumbling to the floor and Vulture free.

He grips onto my shoulders and rams me into the doorway. It knocks my breath out of me, and I struggle to regain it as his arm wraps around and presses on my throat. Luckily, all of Nat's training comes to mind, and I ram my elbow into his gut.

There's a loud thunk followed by an immediate change in pressure. Both Vulture and I turn to the source to see the air being sucked out of the space he entered through. I immediately look towards the screens for the source, and he must do the same judging by the words he whispers, "You've gotta be kidding me."

And honestly, I wish this was a joke. Because holding on to the bottom of the plane and dislodging Vulture's wings is Peter Parker. If he wasn't my best friend and being stupidly brave, I would probably kill him for this. It's still up in the air right now.

I recover from the shock faster than Vulture does, which gives me ample chance to deliver a solid punch to the nose that knocks him down. He quickly looks between me and the vacuum behind him before making a decision and rushing out there. Under any other situation, I wouldn't mind, but right now Peter's out there about to get attacked by Vulture.

My feet slip under me as I rush to the cockpit, rip out his ghosting system, and try to get a handle on the situation with the cameras surrounding the plane. The best I can see is Vulture attacking Peter before his wing gets jammed in the turbine. "Engine three has sustained significant damage." ARTI tells me, "Engine three has been lost. We are now losing altitude."

"No, no, no." I whisper as I try to follow ARTI's instructions on which switches to flip, but it's no use as we continue to plummet. There's a loud screeching, and I run back to the cabin to see Vulture's wings carving a whole before his claws reach inside for a crate. "I'm not letting you get away that easy." I whisper and plant my feet as I use the shadows to add resistance to his efforts.

Although, his actions dislodged other crates, which tumble around as the plane turns and drops. I try to keep my footing, but it slips as the plane crashes into something. My eyes screw shut from the strain, and my brain goes fuzzy for as ARTI counts down the seconds to impact.

I don't know at what point the plane started splitting apart, or when I involuntarily started phasing through the wreckage. I do know when my ribs crack upon contact with one of the crates, and I fall face first into the sand.

Somehow the grains find a way into the edges of my mask and rub against my skin. Although, it's the least of my problems right now. Not even my very painfully cracked ribs or ringing ears are at the top of the list.

I push myself up onto my elbows to see Peter standing a few meters away. Just the sight of him standing up is enough to make a wave of relief flood through me. Even if it doesn't last for long as Vulture appears and knocks him off his feet before the former crash lands.

He stands up with his wings bent and sending sparks. I start to push myself to my feet, knowing this isn't over yet when Vulture's deep, gravely voice calls out, "Hey, Pedro."

It wasn't until just now that I knew what it felt like to have your blood run cold.

He knows Peter is Spiderman.

I don't snap back to reality until Peter's scream echoes through the air, and I look up to see Vulture's claws clamping down over his chest as he raises a fist for another blow. "Leave him alone." I scream and tackle him before another punch can land.

There's no hesitation before Vulture's claws find me and clamp down through my suit. My head spins as he lifts me into the air before dropping me. Peter shouts. A web connects to my back, but Vulture still keeps hold despite all efforts against him until he starts to spin out of control.

I fall against the sand with a thud, and for a moment I wonder if it isn't secretly concrete beneath me. Especially as those Vulture's sharp talons clamp around me again, and he slams me into the ground over and over and over again.

The world grows fuzzy around the edges.

It's hard to make out Peter's shouts as he struggles to stand back up or the eerie glow of Vulture's eyes with the cracks in the lenses as he picks me up by my suit's hood and examines his handy work.

There's a metallic taste in my mouth, and ARTI's voice swims around my head.

I fall back to the ground.

Peter shouts something, and Vulture shouts back before the former falls in the sand next to me.

His body covers mine for a moment as the ground shakes ,and a wave of heat passes over us. "No." Peter shouts as he forces himself to his feet, and I try to do the same.

Peter runs through the flames, and that's when the darkness falls over everything.

It takes me a minute to open my eyes, and my immediate thought is, "ouch." Every inch of my body radiates pain, but I deal with it knowing that it will pass soon enough. Right now, I need to make sure Peter's okay. He has to be okay.

"Nice to see you're awake." He says, clearly exhausted and spent. "For a moment there I thought I wasn't sure if you were gonna make it."

"I wasn't so sure either. Especially about you." I manage to wheeze. Sirens blare in the near distance, and I look around to notice Peter collected all the crates and webbed Vulture to them—with a note no less. "Go. I'll take care of this."

"But what about you?"

"I'll be fi—" I'm caught in a lie as I stumble forward, and Peter catches me in time. "Okay, maybe, I'm not."

"C'mon, I'll help you get back to wherever you need to be." He looks over his shoulder at the fast approaching blue and red lights. "Plus, I don't think either of us should be here when everyone arrives."

I barely nod and stumble as I try to step out of Peter's arms. "Woah, I got you." He whispers and scoops me up. My head rests against his chest as everything fades out again, but this time, I know it's okay—'cause Peter's got me. I swear, the world could be ending, but I'd still feel safe with him around.

"Four cracked ribs, bruised spine, and a mild concussion." A voice rattles off somewhere in the distance, and I blink open my eyes to a dimly lit medical room, which I recognize from the tower. The doctor stands in the doorway talking to Dad, who nods his head with a sad look on his face. "Don't worry. Her abilities have her healing wonderfully already. She's a tough kid."

"She shouldn't have to be." Dad whispers, and I can hear the tears threatening to spill from the sound of his voice alone.

"And give up being a kick butt genius? Never." I tease with a raspy voice. Doctor Sharpe grins and shakes her head at me as she leaves the room. "I'm sorry, Dad. I should have been more careful."

"No, it's my fault." He quickly counters and falls into the seat next to my bed. "I should never have let you do that alone. I should have just listened to you."

"I wasn't alone though." I tell him with a small grin. "Peter was there. Pretty sure he saved my life."

"And for that, I owe him everything." Dad whispers and rubs his thumb over my knuckles. "Don't worry, I've already got some ideas on how to thank him. What I really wanna know is how you're feeling."

"Better than you'd think." I sigh and smile at him. "Especially knowing that Vulture and his weapons are taken care of. It means I can focus on stopping the trials next."

Dad lets out a soft laugh and shakes his head. "One thing at a time, bug. Okay?"

"You say that like I wasn't born multi-tasking." His expression falters, and I can see the worry clouding every inch of his features. "Dad?"

"Yeah?" He hums in acknowledgement, and I push myself up so I can look him in the eye and hopefully gauge his reaction.

"How would you feel about me having a partner?"

His expression stills before breaking into a soft grin. "I feel like it's a great idea. I'm assuming you already have one in mind?" The question is almost joking, because we both know that there's a very short list of people I'd work with—and even fewer I'd do well having as a partner.

Still, I smile and nod. "Yeah, I've got one in mind."