The Many Loves of the Amazing Spider-Man

Never Changing Beauty (Carlie Cooper, aka Monster)

She sighed. A summer hat covering her from the heat while black glasses covered her eye made the sun less harsh to them. She walked aimlessly, thinking to herself about various things that she would have to do to just be herself again. She didn't want to hide any more, but she really didn't have a choice any longer.

It had been months since Norman Osborn had turned her into the villain known as Monster, and she was sick of ever falling under his machinations. The things that she had done, it would forever remain in her consciousness. It affected her, made her run away from everything that she ever loved. Including the man that still had her heart.

"Would you still love me?" She whispered to herself, merging herself with the crowd as to make herself fade into nothingness. She didn't want to be found, she wanted to fade away from everything. She wanted to be nothing, that everyone forgets who she is so that she can live her life in peace. "Even if I now look like this?"

"Well, well, well... Look what we have here, boys~" She looked back, looking at just how four men had cornered her. She was not really worried, she could easily escape from this kind of situation thanks to her training with the Police Department, but she didn't want to deal with anyone or anything. She would be forced to use her curse and it was the last thing she wanted to do. "A beautiful flaming orange haired babe~"

"Please... I just want to go home" She said, not wanting to deal with anything that may happen right now. She even took a step back, looking just how the gour men drew even closer to her. She really didn't want anything to do with heroics nor villany. It was a curse, she didn't understand just why Peter could constantly do this. Risking his life for people that would never be grateful to him.

"Sure thing, sweetheart. But why don't we have some fun~?" She gulped, slight fear in her eyes. And it was definitely not because of the situation, but more because she feared what would happen if she gave in into the Goblin Serum again. She was already cured from the manipulative effects, but the physical enhancements and some physical changes still remained. "Maybe you'll get to-"

"Hey! Why don't you let the nice lady decide what to do?" She widened her eyes, her body trembling slightly as she heard the voice. He was here?! He couldn't see her, and she definitely didn't want to be seen. Specially not by him, not by Spider-Man

"Shit! Is the Spider, run for-"

"I don't think so Scotty" Spider-Man webbed the thug to the nearest wall, making her sigh a bit. She could definitely see that he was back to the way he was, not like how he was just three months ago. "Wait... Can I call you Scotty?" She even saw just how the thug was about to answer. Only to be knocked out by a web to the head. She looked at the arachnid hero, pushing her glasses a bit further in. "Nah... I don't care either way"

"Thank you, Spider-Man..." She whispered, trying to escape the area as fast as she could. She saw that the other three had run away, though she understood why he let them go. The remaining three had done nothing except follow the now unconscious thug. "Now... If you excuse me"

"Why are you running away, Carlie?" She stopped walking, her body cold from the mention of her name. She glanced back, looking just how the hero took his mask off, revealing Peter Parker. She already knew of his identity, having known about it because of her previous relationship with him. It was because he hid his identity from her that she cut things off. But her heart still yearned for him. "I have been trying to find you?"

"For what?! To mock me?!" She took her glasses and her hood off. It revealed the image that she wanted to hide from the world. The ponty elven ears and the green eyes that the Goblin Serum had changed in her. She was not the same, she was a monster. "To tell me to the face that I'm hideous?! You can go to-"

"You're still beautiful, Carlie..." She didn't say anything, her mouth hanging slightly as she felt his hand on her cheek. She even felt just how a tear fell down from her eye. Even with these changes, he still called her beautiful just like all of those months ago. It made her heart beat again, to yearn for the warmth that he had taught her body. "You will never be hideous. It actually makes you even more attractive..."

"Peter... Please don't-" But she was interrupted, her lips being closed by his own. Being honest, she missed his kisses. She even still had the tattoo that she made on her stomach area of Spider-Man's mask. Maybe internally, she still loved him. It was the sole reason as to why she kissed him back.

"Is that enough proof for you that I still love you, Carlie?" She nodded against his chest. She could feel his heartbeats, the rhythm that it made calming her quite a bit. She missed this, the closeness to the man of her heart. "Come with me, Carlie... Don't do this to yourself"

"Alright..." Her words were not only confirmation to him, but to herself. That in her heart, she never stopped loving him. That he always had a place in her heart that has never been filled like he had filled it. She needed him in her life, it was just that she always denied it.

And she savored their closeness, because it was a promise. A promise that would never be broken, and that she was not Monster. At least, not like she used to be. She would be the monster that protected life, because she was making a promise to herself. She would train, not for herself but for Peter. Because she didn't want to lose him again.