The Watch-Victoria “A Spider-Man’s tale”

[Enchantress]

The fog of sleep that had surrounded me wore off instantaneously as my Spider-Sense kicked in. I bolted upright with a gasp as I saw Victoria slumped in the corner. It’s hard to describe the scene as it played out before me.
She was leaned against the corner, a black hooded cloak spilled out around her, covered her head but I could see that her hair was matted with blood. There was blood trailing down one bare pale arm and her sword laid askew at her side.
“Victoria!” I was at her side faster than I could say her name. Pushing her hair out of her face I saw horror in her eyes as she tried to focus and look at me.
“It’s gone, it’s all gone.” she mumbled as I looked her over quickly. A few cuts, some bruising, but all that would heal. I knew she had an accelerated healing factor. I had read about it in his diary.
I knelt next to her, watching her face as her expressions played out the battle she had just participated in.
“Peter?” she said as she finally looked up at me.
“Shh, I’m here. Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” I helped her up, placing my arm around her waist and guided her to the bedroom.


Victoria’s eyes began to focus on the room around them and instantly she looked at the table. The book, the diary, was gone. It was for the best. She knew everything she needed to know. No use in giving Sinister another reason to pay any more unwelcome visits. Letting her weight rest again Peter as he helped her into her bedroom, she wondered for a moment how long she had been gone this time. It seemed like years they had fought the battle in New Asgard, yet she had left him here with she left.
As she sat down on the bed and let Peter pull her cloak off from around her and wipe the dried blood from her arm and face she began to slowly tell him of the battle they had fought, and the one she had faced prior to it.
“I know...” was all he said to her as he brushed her hair back from her face again, taking a moment to look into her eyes. “I read it in his diary.”
She watched him silently, as if she were carefully trying to chose her words.
“Then you know...I’m doomed to be the Goblin Queen.” there was such a hopeless finality to her words.

I didn’t take my eyes off her as she said it but my heart sank. N’astihr had won. As tears began to well up in her eyes I reached up and touched her cheek.
“No, you are Victoria. You need to quit letting people pre-determine the role you are going to have in life. Sinister used you, the Phoenix used you, now you’re going to let some nether-world demon use you as his pawn? Then you aren’t the Victoria I’ve always known... and loved.” I let the last part slip out as I stood and turned away from her to leave. I paused by the door and turned back to look at her one more time.
“I’ve always loved you, and always will. But you’re stronger than this. I’ve always been there to help you. But if you aren’t going to help yourself... I can’t save you this time.” I pulled my mask out and put it on, heading to the balcony, letting myself out and swinging through the New York skyline.

Tears trickled down Victoria’s cheek as Peter turned away from her. She knew his words were true but she felt like the fight was just not in her anymore. Reaching for Peter as he walked away, she dashed away a few tears as he stopped at the door. When he pulled Spider-Man’s mask out of his bag she let out an audible gasp and her eyes widened with surprise. All these years, and she had been so preoccupied with herself she hadn’t seen what was going on with Peter, or the love shining out of his eyes. She ran after him but he had already left, his shadow reflecting in the buildings across the way as he swung off into the night.
“I’ll make you proud of me Peter Parker!!” She yelled after him. “I’ll make you believe in me again!”
And for the first time in a while...her heart felt light again.