II. PREYING ON THE WEAK "i'm doctor otto octavius"
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NOTHING EVER TRULY PREPARES YOU FOR THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE, the grief seems to be the same every time. Isabella wasn't prepared for the death of her father when it happened, even though she knew it could have happened at any time considering what his profession was. However, she was proud in a way because he had died a hero, helping to take down the giant lizard and saving the people of New York. He hadn't died for no reason, and that's what she constantly told herself to get through the grief.
With Gwen, it's so much harder.
Gwen Stacy was barely out of high school, and had her whole life ahead of her when she passed away. She hadn't got the chance to live out the future she wanted with her friends and family, to live the life she deserved. Instead, she fell to her death with the belief somebody would save her. Nobody did.
Gwen had died thinking that she would be saved, and that makes it so much more cruel. At least her father had died knowing his family and the people who he wanted to protect, the people in his city, were okay. Gwen didn't get that.
Sitting on the chair by the coffin, Isabella sniffles softly as more and more people begin to leave. Condolences are handed out but the brunette hardly pays them any attention, staring at the picture of her smiling older sister instead. The aching in her heart seems to intensify by the second, almost as if it's taunting her.
"Hey Bella,"
This time she does look, the familiar voice of Peter Parker flowing through the air. The younger girl immediately latches onto him, allowing the warmth of his body to embrace her. She hasn't seen him in a few days, but she can't blame him for it. Much like her, he is grieving. He has also lost somebody else recently, his Uncle Ben, just like she had.
"I'm glad you're here, Peter. I know it must be hard for you as well so I'm glad you came. Gwen would want us to get through this together," Isabella speaks quietly, holding on to him just that little bit tighter.
Peter doesn't say anything more, simply allows the girl to cling to him as if he's going to disappear within seconds. It's comforting to him, the fact that every person he cares about isn't gone — it feels as if the young brunette and May are all he has left, everybody else gone.
"Do you think she was scared?" The slight crack to her voice brings a new layer of tears to his eyes. "I can't stop imagining how scary it must have been,"
"I'm not sure, Bee," Peter replies, using the old nickname that Gwen had gifted her when the two girls were younger. "I don't think we would be able to know,"
Her limbs continue to shake as she keeps hold of the boy, unsure about whether or not he'll fade away when she lets go. Isabella can't lose anybody else, she just can't. Gwen, her dad — who's next? Peter? Her mum? The list goes on and on.
"We're such an unlucky family," Isabella says softly. "I-I don't want to die, Peter,"
"You're not going to die, Bee. All the bad guys are gone," Peter assures, almost a further underlying promise in his tone. Isabella doesn't exactly pick up on it.
"There's always more. I mean, the electric guy, he was just a normal person at one stage. He had an unfortunate accident and look what happened to him. Harry was dying and tried to fix himself and look what happened,"
Peter looks down at her for a few moments, her words sinking in. In every way she is right, both of them didn't want to be a villain per say, but circumstances made it that way.
The cemetery is practically empty now, bar the two of them sitting on their chairs, everybody having paid their respects and left. Isabella almost doesn't want to leave, because when she does reality will well and truly set it — Gwen will be gone for real. She doesn't want it to be real.
"Come on, I'll take you home," Peter's tone is gentle, as if he's trying to coax her away from the site before her. "I'm sure you mum would like you back,"
"I need a little while longer. Mum said she'd come pick me up when I was ready, I'll be okay," Isabella adds the last part on assuringly when she notices the way hesitation builds in his expression.
"You call me if you need anything," Peter speaks and Isabella nods her head. "I mean it,"
"Thanks Peter, you can call me too. I'll always pick up," Isabella nods towards him before watching him leave.
The brunette simply goes back to looking at the picture that still hasn't been moved. Isabella sniffles lightly, lifting her hand so she can graze her fingers over Gwen's smiling face — the exact same way she had when it was her father, almost as if she's memorising their features.
This picture had been taken on her eighteenth birthday where they'd had a small party for her, their family and Peter gathered around the table eating chocolate cake and drinking ridiculous mock-tails. Gwen looks so happy, Isabella had taken this photo with a wide grin on her face as well. It was almost as if joy simply radiated from the sisters that night, infectious to anybody close.
Peter had enjoyed himself to, dancing around the room with Isabella to some Abba song as she tried to show what she'd learnt in her dance class. He'd indulged her too, watching and clapping along to the beat on the music.
It seems so long ago, a lingering memory in the back of her mind. She'd never experience anything like that ever again, and it aches. She feels the physical pain, her heart constricting with every beat. It's torture.
Deciding she has to leave before it got worse, the teenager rises to her feet. She gives the picture one last glance before turning around and letting out a small scream when a man appears before her.
"W-who are you?" Isabella stutters, her breathing now somewhat erratic as the man looks at her. "What do you want?"
"I'm Doctor Otto Octavius, your sister used to work at Oscorp too, correct?" The man questions and Isabella nods her head in response.
The way he looks at her is strange, almost as if knows something she doesn't. Taking a deep breath, she moves back a step to give herself some personal space before he speaks again, a smirk pulling at him lips.
