By the following morning, Lydia was growing anxious. She was worried about Peter and Happy. Last night, she never returned home. She stayed in the undercroft with MJ and Ned all night. They said she could leave, but staying made more sense. If anything went wrong, MJ and Ned wouldn't be able to handle themselves. They weren't like Lydia and Peter. They didn't have abilities or experience in a fight.
Stressful situations such as this brought back painful memories. When the stress became too much, she always started to crack.
"Bring her out," a deep voice spoke. However, the noise didn't bother her. She was exhausted; her body was exhausted. She was mentally drained from all the experiments they were running. "Witaj," the man snapped again. If Lydia's mind wasn't drained of its energy, she would have noticed his words weren't Russian. "I said get the girl," there was a slapping sound. "In room 2051, get her now. I won't ask again."
Lydia's mind dozed off briefly, but it was only for a moment. Her door was suddenly ripped open, and a raven-haired man walked in. "Let's go," he snapped, reaching down and grabbing her by her arm. Lydia cried as she was ripped from her room and tossed into the open space. "Get up." Lydia didn't move. "Ruszaj się." For the second time, her body was ripped from the floor.
She helplessly followed behind the man towards the chair that her body had previously been strapped to for the last seven hours. "Get her in," the Doctor spoke, gesturing towards the chair. Lydia wanted to object, but she had learned it was better to remain quiet. The raven-haired man pushed her roughly onto the seat. Lydia didn't object. As he began strapping her in, she noticed the Doctor pulling out a box she had never seen before.
Just as quickly as he pulled the box out, he was turning towards her. "Hello, my beautiful," he stepped closer. He reached over and pushed the brown strands of hair out of her face. "We are going to try something a little different today." He placed a hand on the side of her face. "So beautiful." With that, he pulled away. "Put on the straps."
Lydia watched nervously as the man grabbed a headband with metal prongs on it. She didn't fight as he put the object on her head. There were several strings attached that led to a small metal box. It had different readings on it and several nozzles. Her eyes then went to the Doctor, who had a purple syringe in his hand. The smile on his face caused Lydia's stomach to turn. He pulled down the side of her shirt but stopped his actions. The Doctor lowered his head next to her ear and whispered. "You will one day be the most powerful creature, and all of this will be worth it." He pulled away and shoved the needle straight into her chest.
"No, no," Lydia muttered to herself. "Not right now. Don't do this right now." She couldn't break down right now. She had to remain focused. "Stay focused. Stay focused. Think clearly. Breathe." The white-haired girl couldn't afford to fall apart again, not after spending so many months putting herself back together. The pain of her younger years had been behind her for so long that she had started to forget. Now, it was all returning because of her fear. The fear of the unknown. The fear of losing someone. The fear of failing.
Like she failed so many others in the past.
"Hey," MJ noticed the distant look in her eyes. She had been watching Lydia throughout the night. Noticing how she was the only one who stayed awake, almost keeping guard. How she was always on edge, always prepared for a fight. MJ couldn't begin to relate to any of Lydia's life. She had an entirely normal upbringing. She wasn't held hostage and used as a child experiment. She had a family, a place to call home. Lydia only ever lost the people she was closest to. Lydia never had a place to call home for long. "You okay?"
Lydia nodded before she spoke. "I'm fine."
"Did you sleep?"
"A bit."
A lie. A lie that MJ caught but decided not to say anything about. What was she supposed to say? "Are you tired? I can run out and get coffee or something."
Lydia smiled at the kind gesture. "I'm okay. Thanks, MJ."
But MJ was still worried. As she opened her mouth to say something more, someone else spoke. "Guys," it was Peter. They all turned around to see him entering the room with a man. "This is Mr. Osborn-"
"Doctor," Dr. Osborn corrected.
"Sorry," Peter said. "This is Dr. Osborn. These are my friends." He gestured to the three standing in front of him. Lydia smiled as she was referenced as one of Peter's friends. She knew they were friends, but every time she was called someone's friend, she couldn't help but smile. "This is Ned, MJ, and Lydia." Ned and MJ waved, but Lydia stood still.
"Mary Jane?"
"It's Michelle Jones, actually," MJ corrected.
Dr. Osborn looked around. "Amazing." He slowly walked toward the cells.
"Do you think there are other Ned Leedses?"
That caused Lydia to think. That meant there were other Lydia's out there, somewhere. She wondered about them. If they were happier, sadder. If they still had Natasha, or if they had never met her. She wondered if any of those realities had Wanda. Were they friends? Enemies? Or possibly, something more.
Dr. Osborn walked deeper into the undercroft. His eyes scanned the cells. Lydia remained on high alert. "Octavius?"
The tentacle man spun around. "Osborn?"
Peter glanced at Lydia. The two observed the scene. "What happened to you?" He didn't understand. "What happened?"
"What happened to you?" Dr. Octavius responded. "You're the walking corpse."
Dr. Osborn stepped back. "What are you talking about?"
"You died," he said bluntly. "Years ago." Lydia stepped closer, crossing her arms over her chest. What did he mean by his words? How was he dead?
"You're insane."
"God, I love it here," Max chimed in.
Peter walked down the steps. Lydia followed closely behind him. "What are you talking about? He's standing right here." How could Dr. Osborn be dead? "How-"
"He's dead," the Sandman said. "They both died." He walked toward the glass. "Fighting Spider-Man." All eyes were on him. "It was on the news. The Green Goblin was pierced by the glider he flew on." His attention shifted to Dr. Octavius. "You drowned in the river with your machine a few years later, Doc Ock."
"That's nonsense," he responded coldly. "Spider-Man was trying to stop my fusion reactor." He explained to them. "But I stopped him. I had him by the throat, and then-" he stopped in realization. He had died. "Then I was here."
"Please," Max said dismissively. "Let me tell you what. I was kicking Spider-Man's ass." Lydia listened closely. "Then he caused an overload. I was stuck in the grid, absorbing data. I was about to turn into pure energy, and then-" like Dr. Octavius, Max stopped talking. "Oh, shit. I was about to die."
"Max?" It was the lizard, Dr. Connors. "Do you know if I died?"
Max never had a chance to respond. Doctor Strange materialized. "Oh good," he said. "You caught another."
"No, wait, Strange. He isn't-" but Doctor Strange had already waved his hand, sending Dr. Osborn into a cell. "It's okay-" he noticed something in the older man's hand. "What is that?" Doctor Strange was holding a box with something bouncing around inside.
"It's an ancient relic. The Machina de Kadavus." Lydia had no idea what he was talking about. "It trapped your corrupted spell inside. Once you've finished the appropriate ritual, it will reverse the spell. Sending these guys back to their universes."
"Then what? We die?" Lydia rubbed her hands together nervously. The last thing she wanted was for them to die. She didn't know them, but that didn't matter. Nobody deserved to die.
"No, I'm good." Max didn't want to die.
"Let me out of here. Peter!" Dr. Osborn was scared.
"Strange," Peter began. "We can't send them back. Not yet."
"Why?" He didn't understand.
He glanced at Lydia, Ned, and MJ. "Some of them will die."
"Parker, it's their fate."
"Strange, have a heart."
Lydia winced at his words. Fate. Was it Nastaha's fate to die? What would happen if she was given another chance in another reality? Lydia would want someone to help her. "It doesn't have to be," Lydia found herself saying. Typically, she liked to remain in the background of situations, but not this time. "Maybe that's why they're here. Maybe dying isn't their fate."
Doctor Strange never hesitated in his next words. "In the grand calculus of the multiverse, their sacrifice means infinitely more than their lives. I'm sorry, but if they die, then they die."
Sacrifice.
Natasha.
Lydia's hands tightened into fists.
She glanced at Peter, who was already looking at her. His eyes were full of uncertainty. She knew hers looked similarly. What Strange was about to do wasn't right. They both knew it.
Fate was meaningless.
Doctor Strange raised his hands around the box as something happened inside.
"Peter!" Dr. Osborn was terrified. He didn't want to die. None of them did. Lydia wasn't sure what to do. Was there anything she could do? She could see the fear in their eyes.
Questions filled her mind. Was that how Natasha looked when she died? Was she that scared? But there was one that echoed in the back of her mind. If Natasha were here, what would she do?
Lydia knew the answer. Natasha would fight.
As a button appeared on the box. Doctor Strange prepared to hit it when Peter shot out a web. It hit the box. "Don't."
Peter pulled his arm back, yanking the box from Doctor Strange. It sent the man spinning. Using his other hand, he shot out a web. This one hit Doctor Strange and sent him into a cell. "What are you doing?" Ned panicked.
"Peter," MJ dashed forward. "Peter, you have to go."
"Go," Lydia encouraged. "Hurry!" Peter did as told. He took the box and ran away.
Doctor Strange sighed. "This is why I never had kids." He walked through the cell door easily. Sandman tried to follow but failed. Lydia lifted her hands, ready to stop him. "Don't be ridiculous. Move."
"I'm usually one to follow orders, but not this time." She raised her arms, entrapping him in a purple dome.
"Lydia-"
"Maybe fate can't be changed," she responded. Maybe fate was destined and unchangeable. "But our choices are still our own." This was the right choice. It was the choice Natasha would have made.
Doctor Strange stared at her through the foggy purple force field. "You're terribly naive." With a wave of his hand, he created a portal and escaped the force field.
"Shit," Lydia muttered, the force field vanishing. "I didn't think about that."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Five minutes later, a portal opened in the undercroft. It was thirty feet away. Lydia raised her arms, keeping Ned and MJ behind her in case Doctor Strange returned mad.
However, the person who lept out of the portal was Peter. He had the cube. The portal shut behind him. Doctor Strange was nowhere to be found. Seeing it was safe, Lydia lowered her hands and rushed toward him with her friends.
"What happened?"
"I fought Doctor Strange and won!" Peter was ecstatic. He then raised his hand to show the ring that he had. "I stole this thing." Ned took it from him, inspecting it. "I was swinging through the city, and then I went through this massive mirror thing. Then I was back here." Peter took off his mask, revealing his messy brown hair.
"Where is he?" MJ was concerned that Doctor Strange would come back.
"I trapped him, but I'm not sure for how long."
Dr. Octavius spoke. "You could have left us to die. Why didn't you?"
"That isn't who he is," MJ spoke for Peter.
"You did the right thing." Lydia placed a hand on his shoulder. He smiled at her. "What do we do now?"
"I think I can help them." He turned to face the multiverse travelers. "If I can fix what happened to you. Things will be different when you return home. You might not die fighting Spider-Man." To Lydia, it made sense. They had to help them.
"What do you mean fix us?" Max wasn't pleased with his words.
"Technology here is very advanced-"
"I could help," Dr. Osborn offered. "You know, I'm something of a scientist myself." They had heard that the previous night. "Octavius knows."
"Fix?" Dr. Octavius was annoyed as well. "Like a dog? I won't do it."
"I can't promise you anything, but at least this way, you might get to go home and have a chance. Another chance. Wouldn't that be worth trying?" To Lydia, a second chance was everything. She had been given another chance at life because of Natasha.
"Peter, believe me," the lizard said. "When you try and fix people, there are always consequences."
"You don't have to come," Peter responded. "I also wasn't aware you could talk."
Lydia, who had been on edge the entire time, stepped next to Peter. "Peter's right. You don't have to accept our help. Just know that if you don't come with us, you'll wait here until Doctor Strange returns." They would wait to be sent home to die.
"So go or die. Not much of a choice."
There was a pause. The Sandman decided to break it. "I want to go home."
"Well, I don't want to be killed, especially by a guy dressed like Dungeons and Dragons," Max spoke. Lydia glanced at MJ, confused about his reference. She waved her hand, telling Lydia she would explain later. "What's your plan?"
"I have it under control." Peter turned around, nodding for his friends to come closer. They huddled together, away from listening ears. "What are we going to do about this?" He was referring to the cube.
"Well," MJ thought as she spoke. "It needs to be kept somewhere safe, right?"
"Yes." Ned and Lydia agreed.
"Then you take it." Peter pointed the cube at MJ.
"Wait, what?"
"If something goes wrong. I can text you, and then you just push this," he pointed at the button. "And then it's all over. They'll go home."
There was one part of the plan MJ didn't like. "We're not leaving you."
He furiously shook his head. "You can't come with me. It's way too dangerous." He didn't want them getting hurt. "You guys have already done enough." But Lydia wasn't about to leave him. Not again.
"We're in this together."
"I know we are, but if-"
"I'll come with you," Lydia cut Peter off. "Ned and MJ will be safe with the cube, and I can help you if things go south."
"Yeah," MJ agreed, although still hesitant. Having Lydia with him was better than him going alone.
Peter prepared to argue, but Lydia stopped him. "I know it could get dangerous, but it's my choice, okay? And I've been fighting much longer than you. If anything, you need me."
Peter laughed faintly. "Okay, fine."
MJ took the cube. "If I don't hear from you, I will press the button."
"Okay." Peter was okay with that.
"I will do it," MJ shouted at the people locked in cells. She pointed the cube at them for emphasis.
"Yeah, we believe you, Michelle."
"She'll do it," Peter said.
"Yeah."
"Absolutely."
"Okay." Peter turned to Ned. They began doing their handshake. "Bye."
"See you later."
"Be safe." They were still doing the handshake.
"You too."
When they got to the end, there was a spark. Ned was wearing Doctor Strange's ring. "Woah."
"Okay." Ned was smiling. Peter and MJ embraced, kissing each other. Lydia looked away, eyes on Ned. "Be safe."
"You too," she responded with a faint smile. "We'll see you soon."
"You better." With that, he left.
"Hey," MJ placed a hand on her shoulder. "Be careful. Okay?"
"You too, bye." She followed Ned out of the room quickly.
Peter and Lydia shared a nervous glance. "So," she began. "Where are we going?"
He rubbed the back of his neck. "How mad do you think Happy will be?"
She snorted, shaking her head. "Absolutely furious." But what other options were there? "Luckily, I know where the guns are."
Peter relaxed at her joking words. "Okay." He clapped his hands together, facing the others. "Who's coming with us?"
There was a long pause. For a moment, nobody spoke. "I'm in," Max said as he threw his arms out. "But if this goes sideways, I will fry you from the inside out." Lydia clenched her jaw, knowing she wouldn't let that happen. Nothing would happen to Peter with her around. That Lydia was sure of.