A Spider in a Web: Cheaters Prosper

“Wrrmph!” Jessica jolted awake, alert, unsettled by something.

Consciousness washed over her like cold water, and left the hairs on the back of her neck on end. She clenched her eyes shut, shaking her head, trying to dislodge the last, clinging weight of Morgan's powers, over her. That had rendered her senseless, momentarily. She couldn't have been out long.

Or...or maybe it'd been a little longer than she thought, she mused, looking around. Still chained, with sturdy metal links around her upper arms and chest, bunched around her wrists, behind her back, and around her knees, and ankles, she was now slumped in an oversized, plush chair, in a corner of the room. Seemingly left to her own devices.

Not quite, she reflected, as she saw the Hangman, up and about again, standing guard close by, watching her. His costume rather ragged and torn, after his 'talk' with Carol.

Of more concern, to Jessica, and apparently to Morgan le Fay herself, was Carol. The woman was strapped down, to that notably sturdy, solid looking wooden table she'd seen earlier, which had been moved the the centre of the room, not far from the fireplace. Thick leather straps criss-crossed Carol's body, covering her arms, chest, thighs, legs, and ankles, and a black leather panel gag was buckled around her head, covering her mouth tightly.

She didn't think they'd be able to hold Carol, if she woke up...but she hadn't woken up. And Morgan le Fay, her shadowy form busy moving about the table, doing...who knew what, didn't seem to be in any hurry.

“Mmppph?” Whining, under her gag, the thick blue scarf still securely wound around her head, covering her own mouth. “Rmmhph.” She struggled to move, sit forward, start struggling, the chains clinking with her movement.

“Silence, woman.” Hangman snarled, planting a heavy hand on her shoulder, pushing her back down into the chair. “This time, at last, there is no more time for escape.” His swollen, puffy jaw twisted in a satisfied sneer.

“Yrrmpph, rrmmpgh.” She retorted, staring up at him, letting him think she was prepared to remain seated quietly, like a good damsel.

While behind her back, using the stuffy, plush material of the huge chair as a muffler, she started twisting, pulling, working at the chains messily wrapped around her wrists.

Wasn't the first time she'd heard that, after all.

She wasn't actually chained to the chair, a point in her favour. Morgan le Fay simply seemed to want her out of the way, while she was readying herself, to take Carol. Distracted, absorbed, by her work. Another point in her favour. The Hangman tried not to show it, but he wasn't looking too steady on his feet, after Carol had put his head through the roof, earlier, and he already thought Jessica wasn't a threat. Point three in her favour.

While Hangman was preoccupied watching Morgan, rather than her, apparently as confident as the witch that Jessica wasn't really a threat anymore, she leaned slightly forward, and peered over her shoulder, behind her. If she could work out how the chains were tied, secured, maybe she could find the right leverage, the right way to apply pressure, and...

“Hhmph?” She mumbled, under the scarf, in surprise.

...and they weren't. Tied. Secured, really. The chains bound her tightly, still, but they weren't really visibly restraining her in any way. It was still Morgan's sorcery, keeping them binding her like this. But Morgan was preoccupied, with Carol, and more so every moment. If Jessica could bide her time, wait till Morgan le Fay, and her powers, were fully consumed with whatever she planned to do, then maybe...maybe her spell, and the chains would weaken, on their own.

Then she could bust out of these damn things, take out Hangman, send Morgan le Fay back to whatever hell she'd skipped out on, and rescue Carol.

...tall order, maybe, but...

The windows to the ratty, crumbling mansion crashed open, suddenly, a strong, howling wind carrying in freezing cold and cutting, icy rain. Morgan barely reacted, looking up from Carol's unconscious, bound form, on the table, and nodded.

“It is time.” She uttered, quietly, and moved further up the table, trailing a hand along Carol's body, idly, as she went.

“Trrmphh?” Jessica mumbled, trying to shuffled back further into the oversized chair, to shield herself from the storm currently blasting in through the windows.

“The witching hour.” Hangman said, half to himself, half to her, arms crossed over his barrel chest.

He was trying to appear unfazed, by all that was going on, but she could see he was struggling. Just as much as he was struggling to remain stood still, buffeted by the gale blasting through the house, at the moment.

“This vessel will serve, perfectly.” Morgan announced, pausing by Carol's head.

Her fingers had traced a line up to the woman's throat, and stopped. She slid her hand up her neck, cupping it under her jaw, caressing her cheek, turning Carol's sleeping face toward her.

“Wake.” Morgan whispered, somehow still loud enough to be heard over...no...more through all the noise. “Wake, warrior.” The witch leaned down, over her, so their faces were...close.

“Hmrmrpph!” Jessica protested, angrily, through her gag. “Gmrrph ummph frrmpph hmmph!” She demanded, wrestling with her chains, forgetting all that stuff about plans, momentarily.

Morgan gave her the barest of glances, before focusing her intense gaze again on the avenger, strapped to the table.

“Umnrph?!” Carol's eyes snapped open, grunting under the heavy leather panel gag. “Wrrmmph?” She stretched, strained under the thick, wide straps, holding her down.

The wind was howling through the house, now. Jessica huddled behind the back of her seat, trying to keep her eye on Morgan, on Carol, on the Hangman, caught between guarding her, and his plain curiousity with what the witch was up to.

“Now is the time. Give thyself up, to me.” Morgan sneered. “Your will is drained, your resistance is exhausted. Undone by your pathetic feelings for my enemy, my prisoner.” The witch leaned down closer, so their faces were mere inches apart.

“Crrmph-...frrmmlpph?” Jessica blurted, staring at the restrained heroine.

Feelings?

“Rnnmpph.” Carol only frowned up at Morgan, stubbornly.

Like...actual feelings?

She struggled still, under her restraints, but the heavy straps held firm. A quiet calm seemed to settle over the avenger, as she breathed, steadily, under her gag.

Morgan was probably just trying to get under her skin, Jessica tried telling herself, but...

“Know that thou shalt be used to destroy the pest that plagues me.” Morgan hissed. “Thou wilt not know of it, but draw satisfaction that the raven-haired temptress that led you to ruin shall be no more.”

And then the witch closed the space, pressing her lips, hard to Carol's leather panel gag.

“Mph!” Carol murmured, quietly, in surprise, eyes wide.

“Crrmmpphh! Nmmph!” Jessica found herself struggling forward, unintentionally, only for Hangman's hand to clamp again down on her shoulder, holding her in place. “Lrgghhmph ggmmph!” She snarled, glaring at him, wrestling against his grip, against the chains, stubbornly.

“Be still, woman.” Hangman said, loudly, over the rushing winds, which had only increased in fury following Morgan's actions. “And watch.” His flat mouth curled, in an arrogant, satisfied smirk.

Her eyes darted back to Carol. The avenger had stopped struggling, and closed her eyes, now, folding under Morgan's assault. Morgan herself, her ghostly, shade form, flickering in and out of view, fading in and out, more and more.

She couldn't let this go on! Morgan le Fay, with the power, the strength, the image of Ms...Captain...whatever! With Carol's body...she could do untold damage! And...and...and...

...she was making out with her god damn girlfriend!

“Mmrrpphh!” Jessica groaned, squirming under Hangman's grip, tugging her chained wrists apart-

...apart?

She peered cautiously behind her back, and saw...they had just come apart. The chains were completely loose. So were the ones around her arms now, and her knees and ankles.

Morgan. She must have been so consumed with her ritual, and Carol...her powers over the chains binding her had weakened!

Hangman was distracted too, watching the 'show', rather than her. Jessica frowned, letting out a low, quiet, rumbling growl under her gag, as she slowly, carefully, wound some of the chains around her fists, clenching them in her hands, tightly. Just waiting for the moment, the moment she needed...to...

“Hm.” Hangman shrugged, amusedly, his hand on her shoulder softening. “This is what you troublesome females need to learn, when-” He started to turn toward her.

Jessica shook the chains from her arms, smoothly leapt to her feet, throwing off the ones around her legs. In one fluid motion, she piled her chain-wrapped fist into Hangman's chunky jaw, knocking his head sharply back.

“Frrumphh yymph!” Snarling, she drove her left fist into his exposed gut.

Hangman coughed, wheezed, doubling forward, taking a few lurching steps back, trying to find space. Jessica followed up, bringing her knee up, hard, into his face. The hulking vigilante jerked back again, almost at an unnatural angle, bent backwards. She swung her leg in a wide, horizontal arc, crashing into his side. He spun, wheeled out of control, reeling under her assault.

God damn it, this felt good, after the day she'd had so far.

He still wasn't done yet, just barely managing to stay on his feet, catch his balance. Hangman snarled at her, eyes rife with anger and hatred, as he lunged at her, making to grab her. Jessica slipped under the clumsy grapple, and to the side, driving another chain-wrapped fist into the side of his fat head. He stumbled, but lashed out, hard, catching her in the face.

“Wrrmmpph!” She grunted, momentarily stunned, shaking her head quickly.

The Hangman was on her, quickly. It was another clumsy, unsteady attack, but he had the weight to make it count.

Instead of fighting it, Jessica threw herself back, taking the vigilante down with her. She threw away one of the chains, in her hands, as they fell. She twisted, slipping out from under him before he could pin her down, and tackled him down, instead. Gripping the end of the other chain, still clenched in her other hand, she pressed it down, over his trunk of a neck.

“Srrmphh drrmmpph!” She snarled, putting all her weight, strength, into starving his lungs of air.

“Wretched...woman...” Hangman ground back, through gritted teeth, his flailing, giant hands on her shoulders, trying to force her off of him. “I will...not...be beaten...by...you!” His hands dropped, to her waist, abruptly, and he threw her bodily up and over his head.

“Hmmpphh-MMRPGH!” Jessica grunted, failing to steer her landing, hitting a bookcase and sliding down, head first.

Hangman dragged himself to his feet, panting, spluttering. He lumbered her way, weaving unsteadily. Jessica struggled to get upright, but Hangman caught her first. One meaty hand around her throat, the other grabbing her thigh, and he lifted her, from the floor, over his head.

“This time...I'll have you tied...so securely...you'll never move...again...” He growled up at her.

“Dmmmnph...rrmmph smpph.” Jessica snapped back, under her gag, one hand gripping the one around her throat.

The other she planted, palm flat, against his hooded face. His eyes widened, in alarm.

Jessica poured all she had left into the venom blast. Hangman didn't even cry out, as he crumpled to the floor, under her, and she fell on top of him.

Carol.

The thought popped like a bubble, in her fuzzy head. She pushed herself up, onto her hands and knees. Reached up and tugged the blue scarf gagging her, from her mouth, tossing it aside.

Hangman didn't stir, beside her. But he was still breathing. Damn, that man could take a punch.

Carol...Morgan!

“Carol...?” She managed, forcing herself to her feet, hands resting on her knees. “Carol, where...” Glancing about, for her friend, she was surprised to find the heavy table where she'd been restrained...empty.

The straps were broken, snapped, laying in tatters. No sign of her. No sign of Morgan. Where-

A boot connected with the small of her back, hard. Jessica cried out, thrown face down to the floor, in a sprawl.

She fumbled for purchase, trying to use her shaking arms to prop her up, while she worked out where the attack had come from. Before she had the chance, someone grabbed her ankle, plucked her up off the ground easily, and tossed her like a rag doll through the air.

She hit the table, on the way, rolling atop it and off the side, hitting the floor with a dull thud. Winded, gasping for breath, she lay there, on her back, trying to work out which way was up.

Someone landed on the table, over her. She blinked, squinting up.

Carol perched atop it, crouched, on her haunches.

It was...Carol. Her face, her body, but the...expression, the eyes, filled with malice, and predatory joy.

Jessica couldn't work out what the hell was going, at first. Why was she attacking her? Where had Morgan gone?

Then she saw her, just barely. The same flickering shades, barely there now, of Morgan, just over Carol's shoulders. Like...like a puppeteer, pulling the avenger's strings, somehow.

“Insect. Thou wilt finally die.” Carol sneered, though the voice was Morgan le Fay. “By the hands of your thick-headed lover. Most satisfactory, I say.”

“Crap.” Jessica grumbled, seeing Carol's body tense.

Barely in time, she managed to roll quickly, under the table, as Carol bounded off the table, landing right where she'd been laying.

She rolled out the other side, scrambling to her feet, turning to face her opponent.

Carol. What was she supposed to do?

“Carol, you're in there still, right?” She tried, pacing back and forth, keeping the massive table between them.

“She hears you not, little spider.” Morgan's voice hissed out, as Carol mirrored her movements.

Although it was pretty clear, to Jessica, who was the predator, and who the prey, in this scenario.

“Take me, let her go.” She tried, fighting to keep the desperation out of her voice. “You wanted revenge on me, well, take me, do what you want with me, instead.” She held her arms out at her sides, carefully taking one step back, and another.

“And give up all this power?” Morgan shrugged, in Carol's body, the flickering ghosts of Morgan's self stretching out behind her. “Thou overstates thy worth. But thou shalt still die, this day, all the same.” And with that, she surged forward, flinging the huge table aside, as if it was nothing.

It smashed through a rotting wall, to outside. Gale winds, and lashing rain, swept inside. Jessica threw herself back as Carol lunged at her, throwing herself. She missed, rolling past. Jessica leapt for the ceiling, sticking to it, upside down.

She couldn't beat Carol, even if it was Morgan in there. Not a chance. There had to be some way. Some way to bring Carol back out. She was still in there, she had to believe that. Maybe...

Torrential rain flooded in, from outside, through the gaping hole, coming down in buckets.

Like a puppet. Morgan had Carol like a puppet. What if she could...cut the strings...

She stared at the torrents of rain.

“Rrrraarrghh!” Carol snarled, hurtling at her, suddenly.

Jessica yelped, springing from the roof, to the ground again, landing in a crouch. Carol smashed through the ceiling, and a moment later crashed through somewhere else, careening toward her, fist raised. Jessica flipped back, twisting through the air in a spin, and landed nearer to the gaping hole in the wall.

Icy wind rushed in outside, carrying the sound of the storm in the night beyond. Her hair whipped across her face, in it. Carol spotted her again, teeth clenched, bared, fists balled at her sides. Faster than seemed possible, she swept across the floor, toward her. Jessica threw herself back again, toward the hole, stopping just shy of the outside.

Rain soaked her through in moments, drenching her long hair, plastering it to her face, chilling her to the bone, through her suit. She stood up, carefully, warily.

“There is no escape.” Morgan seethed, rage barely in check, pacing steadily, threateningly, toward her. “Cease this game, and accept the inevitable.” She prowled closer still.

Jessica slowly held her hands out, open. Blinking water and wet hair from her bleary eyes.

She had to believe it had done enough.

Carol closed the space quickly. Jessica barely had time to catch her breath before the vice-like hand closed around her neck, lifting her, kicking and struggling, off the floor. She fumbled for Carol's arm, trying to breathe, as the hand closed tighter and tighter.

“Look, little spider.” Morgan tittered. “Look into these eyes, as a squeeze the life from you. The eyes of your comrade, your friend, your brainless lover.” She sneered.

Jessica didn't waste her breath replying. Instead, she focused. Focused her all on her pheromones. Grasping at Carol's arm, staring into her eyes, taking short, gulping breaths, as the hand crushed, crushed tighter, around her neck, her feet kicking, just off the ground.

The pheromones she gave off, naturally, as part of her mutated biology. The ones she suppressed, with a combination of special perfumes, and self-control, after years of practice. The pheromones that had caused a lot of trouble, for a young Jessica Drew, making men desire her, want her, and women dislike, hate her. She'd had to learn early, to deal with that.

The pheromones she was now exuding, again, having drenched herself, in the heavy rainfall, washing off the perfume. The pheromones she was actively trying to increase in intensity, to overwhelmingly blanket herself in.

She'd never actually done this before, but...but it might...just get through to Carol. It might...just get past Morgan's influence, on a biological level. If she could get through, make Carol angry, furious, even, trigger her natural responses, then maybe-

“What...what are you doing?!” Morgan demanded, Carol's face twisting, conflicted. “What have you...done?!” She shook Jessica angrily.

“Cheat...ed...”Jessica wheezed, struggling to catch her breath, a sour grim spreading across her face.

“Shut thy...wretched...mouth!” Morgan screeched, enraged.

Carol's other hand clamped tightly over her mouth, squeezing her jaw painfully tight, making it numb. Worse than that, she was being starved utterly, of air.

“Mmmphh...mmmpphh! Mmmpphhrph!” Jessica mumbled, frantically trying to breathe. “Hhmmpphh!” She fought against Carol's still unyielding grip, her steady arms.

She had to...hold on! The conflict was written on Carol's face, it was...working! Her arms were shaking, her whole body was tense, stiff, like she was fighting with herself, internally. Jessica just had to...outlast...Morgan!

“Thou wilt not sur...survive...this!” Morgan railed, fighting to tighten her grip on Jessica's throat, and mouth, suffocating her faster.

She kicked out, weakly, erratically, at Carol's solid torso. Wrestled, pulled against her hold. She felt her head start to spin, her heart thudding in her chest, faster, faster...

“Mmrrppphhmmphh!” Jessica mumbled, glaring defiantly back.

“No...n-no!” The witch, inside Carol, ranted, suddenly, shaking her head, grinding her teeth. “No, not now! Not now! Not-” Her vice-like, crushing grip grew just a bit looser, but Jessica felt it, felt the slack.

She'd done it! She just had...to...brace herself. The amount of pheromones she was giving of...might actually have affected Carol so severely...the avenger might end up punching through her ribcage, or snapping her like a twig, she hoped she hadn't-

Without warning, Carol dropped Jessica to her feet. Starved of breath, and energy, she nearly toppled sideways, to the floor, but Carol caught her arms, holding her up on her feet, like a limp ragdoll. Her face was strangely blank, confused for a moment.

“Ca...Carol? Are you almmpphhh?” Jessica blurted, in surprise, as Carol pulled her close, and crushed her lips to her own. “Mmpph?” She could only mumble, perplexed, fumbling about with her hands, vaguely, unsure what to do.

This was...not what she'd expected.

Nor was the blinding white flash, that followed, filling her vision with spots, or being tossed bodily outside, through the ruined wall, flopping down into the wed, muddy grass, on the storm-soaked hillside outside the crumbling mansion.

“...perfect...” Jessica groaned, unable to let herself catch her breath, recoup, as her body was screaming for. “...just...just perfect...” She grunted, struggling shaking up, soaked through with rain and slick with cold and wet and mud, clambering onto her hands and knees, then her feet.

She staggered back toward the house, climbing back up, through the hole in the wall.

“No! No! No, no, no, noooo!” Morgan's ghostly, flickering shades, fading in and out, stormed, stomped back and forth, standing over Carol's unmoving, unconscious body. “You! Vile creature! Insect! Thou hast ruined all!” The ethereal, reflecting shades railed at her, stalking up to her.

The blonde let out a rumbling groan, then a snort, and rolled over onto her back. She seemed to be sleeping. She gave Morgan one brief look, shook her head, and decided not to bother. She knew what she had to do.

“Typical.” Jessica sighed, clutching her side, and limping past her, breath hitching, sore, with every step. “Back...in a moment, Carol.” She gritted her teeth, against the pain, forcing herself on, across the room, toward the blazing fireplace.

“Ignore me, would thee!?” Morgan screeched, tearing after her. “Do not presume to, insignificant, pitiable creature that thou art! I am Morgan le Fay!”

“Yep.” She managed, by way of reply.

The fireplace loomed. Sturdy, old, very old.

Of course, she couldn't be sure. What did Jessica Drew know about magic? Sorcery? The dark arts?

But it always seemed to start here, with Morgan. So this is where she'd finish it. Or try, at least.

“What are you doing?” Morgan demanded, lurking, looming around her, as Jessica moved up to the structure, putting both hands atop the wide, thick, oak mantel. “What are you doing? Stop it!” She hovered, buzzed about, insistently.

Jessica took a few deep breaths, gripping the wood in her hands. She dug her feet in, set her squared her shoulders, set her legs an even space apart.

And then she started to pull.

“Cease, creature!” Morgan screamed, deafeningly, in her ears. “Halt thy pitiful actions, at once! I command it!” She waved her arms, wildly.

Nothing was happening though. No spells. No chains. No nothing. She was...drained, exhausted. As drained, and exhausted, as Jessica herself. Whatever power Morgan had, in this form, she'd expended everything...for now.

She ignored her, heaving on the mantel harder, grinding her feet in, hauling at it, with everything she had left. Which wasn't much.

The ancient stonework around the fireplace crumbled, started to buckle, under the strain. And the rest above the mantel, which she pulled, with all her might.

“You will pay for this!” Morgan howled, wailed, at her. “You will pay, you will-”

“Would you...just...shut the...hell...up!” Jessica clenched shut her eyes, grinding her teeth, and focused on nothing but pulling.

“Sto-” Morgan began, shrilly.

Without warning, the mantel came away. Jessica jerked back, completely off balance, falling. She heard the sound of falling stone, collapsing masonry. A cloud of dust fell from above, momentarily blinding her, splitting, cracking wood, snapping louder and louder overhead. Rumbling, shaking, the whole house.

An arm caught her, before she fell, around her back. Another arm slid under her legs, scooping her off her feet. She tried to wipe dust and debris from her mask, as she felt herself carried away, into the cooler, clearer air of outside.

The snapping became crashing. Timber splitting, old struts, and supports giving way, behind them. A thundering crash next, and then all was still. Quiet knocks, bumps, thuds, as wreckage settled.

The storm had abated, and the sky was clearer. Jessica cleared up her view, peering up, and finding Carol, looking down at her, cradling her, in her sturdy arms.

“You looked like you could use a hand.” The avenger grinned.

They both looked at the ruined mansion, now a pile of...little more than old, rotting wood.

“Quite a...hand, you've got there.” Jessica quipped, wryly. “You can...put me down now, y'know.” She added, looking down at herself.

“In your shape?” Carol shook her head, dismissively. “I don't think so, you were barely on your feet, when I caught you at the fireplace.”

“...you're probably right.” Jessica shrugged, as she tried to twitch one of her feet, dangling over Carol's arm, and couldn't even drum up the energy to do that. “Nice timing, by the way. I'm glad you're not trying to kill me, anymore.” She smiled, dryly.

“You can thank me later.” Carol grinned, turning away from the wreckage, and carrying her down the slope of the hill, back toward the city. “For saving your ass.”

“I'm sorry?” Jessica snorted, peering up at her, in disbelief. “This fine ass saved yours, 'ma'am'. I'm not the one who blundered into a trap and got possessed by a ghost witch. And then tried to turn me into paste. What a rescuer you turned out to be!”

“Alright, alright, we'll call it a draw.” Carol shrugged, forcing a smile, and playing it off.

Jessica could see a hint of doubt, though, guilt, rippling across her cheery outer demeanour. She tried to change tack. Something had been niggling at her, since Morgan lost control of Carol.

“Why did you kiss me?” She asked, eventually.

“I wanted to.” Carol replied, and frowned a little, in thought. “A lot, actually. Like, really a lot. Kinda want to now...is that how you did it? Got Morgan out? It's your pheromones, isn't it?”

“I...think so. But they always used to make women angry with me. Something in them, sets them off, on edge, hostile.” Jessica went on, staring idly at Carol's hand, currently holding her thigh. “I was hoping they'd set you off, trigger your natural response, your hostility toward me. It was just men that used to...y'know.” She finished.

Carol didn't say anything for a moment, sighed, and chuckled to herself.

“Jess...”

“What?” She frowned lightly, up at Carol.

“Jesus, Jess.”

“What?” She demanded, stubbornly.

Carol adjusted her hold, on her back, hoisting her up higher, suddenly, and leaned down, kissing her again, on the lips.

That was nice. She lifted a wobbly hand, putting it behind Carol's head, trying to lean up higher, into the kiss.

And then the thought, like many, popped, like a bubble, in her head. A very late, delayed moment of sudden clarity. A puzzle she'd never tried to solve, coming together.

“...oh.” She mumbled, as they pulled apart, and Carol started walking again, carrying her down to the bottom of the hill.

Well...oh, indeed. Women. That was...huh. But then, she'd worked out ways to stifle her pheromones so quickly, after she worked out how most people reacted to them. She'd never considered that...oh.

“For someone so clever...you can be really slow, sometimes.” Carol smiled, looking immensely pleased with herself.

Pleased at being one up on Jessica, in their fledgeling...'partnership', for once. Well, they'd have to fix that.

“You can take this fine ass home.” She crossed her weary arms, over her chest, settling into Carol's strong...comfy arms.

“Too far. My place is closer. I want to make sure you're alright, get you some rest.” Carol shook her head, coming to a stop at the foot of the hill.

On the horizon, the first glimmer of morning was discolouring the dark of the night sky.

“You're kidding, your place is a dump.” Jessica laughed, sharply. “No way. Fly me home, flygirl.” She grinned, reaching up, teasing at Carol's chin with a gloved finger.

“Jess...” Carol started, in that endearing, responsible tone she had, that let Jessica know she cared.

Even if she could be a stickler, sometimes.

Jessica slid her whole hand up, cupping Carol's cheek, turning her face downward.

“You can always stay...” She smiled, softly. “Look after me...” Caressing Carol's cheek, now.

She was aware her pheromones were probably going overdrive, but there wasn't a lot she could really do about it, for now.

Carol stared at her, with an unguarded hunger Jessica found adorable. Then she blinked, shaking her head.

“Damn it Jess, you're making it hard to even think!” She laughed.

“It's not my fault.” Jessica protested, mock-hurt.

Carol adjusted her hold on Jessica again, shifting her so she was carrying her in one arm, cupped under her butt. With the other, she trailed it, in a line, up from Jessica's chest, to her neck. They kissed again, briefly.

Then Carol plucked the damn white rag Hangman had gagged her with, hours ago, which she'd had, hanging loose around her neck all this time, and yanked it tightly between her lips.

“Hhrrgyy!” Jessica mewled, as Carol secured it behind her head, under her hair, carefully.

“You cheated. It's only fair.” The avenger smirked, scooping her legs back up, in her free arm, again.

“Drggh ngghht.” Jessica pouted, grumbling stubbornly, around the gag.

“Did.” Carol retorted, taking off, into the spreading morning sky.

“Drrrgh ngght.” Jessica grunted back, sliding one arm around Carol's shoulders, and getting comfy again.

“Did.”

She could have taken the gag out easily enough, but...she'd let Carol think she'd 'won', this time.

“You do have a fine ass, by the way.” The avenger added, cocking a cheeky grin.

Jessica quietly counted all the ways she was going to get Carol back for this.

But for now, she smiled, around the gag, leaning up to nuzzle Carol's neck, plant a soft kiss, to her cheek.

“Drrmghhm hhshrrghht.”

They'd see who was wearing it later, after all.