I guess I'll finish this - it's been fun! Could definitely see myself writing some more stuff post movie. XoXo and thx for the reviews ~.~

It took some time being inpatient before Eddie's vitals stabilized to the doctor's satisfaction. For whatever reason his endocrine levels were constantly up and down - 'no doubt an after effect from the parasite' Dan had reasoned.

Funny... whenever someone referenced Venom as a parasite the hairs on Eddie's neck went up and his shoulders tensed, as if he was angry on his former counterpart's behalf.

He really did miss him...as sick and twisted as it sounds. He just couldn't get it out of his head - and when Eddie dreamed, the symbiote was there. Every. Night.

Dream or a nightmare depending on your interpretation. Recreating their origin, events of their short-lived pairing.

I am Venom. And YOU are mine...

The only solace to his week-long stint in the hospital was that Anne had visited him every day. She kept him abreast of information about the LIFE foundation's police investigation into the rocket explosion as she knew of it. She also confirmed for Eddie that Jack had received the phone (and his 'colorful' note) and was going to do the right thing with it. Best of all she brought him coffee, every day. Eddie swore to her he'd make it up and the 'next one's on me' when he's finally discharged.

The argumentative New Yorker in Eddie was in full form on this particularly restless day. Dan almost felt thrust into a 'good cop bad cop' routine with the attendings at USCF, reasoning with Eddie that it was best to play it safe and not discharge until his systems were well and healthy.

"Look, I promise," Dan reasoned with him," you give me just one more 24 period of stable vitals. Sound good?"

Eddie scoffed incredulous and impatient but couldn't help to agree. As hard as he tried to dislike him, Dan's fanboy love for his work made a soft spot in the former investigative reporter.

It wasn't long after his acceptance of Dan's proposal that Anne had to take off from her visit, leaving Eddie Brock alone again and more restless than ever - confined to this room and bed.

Eddie sighed to himself and looked around. "What oh what to do to pass the time..."

Speaking out loud to himself. Second nature at this point.

He grabbed a magazine from his end table that Anne had brought him and flipped through the pages.

"I should really start writing." Eddie mused.

You should. I bet you'd be really good at it.

The voice was clear, distinct, so unmistakeable and sudden that Eddie couldn't help exclaiming - throwing the magazine across the room as if there were something to hit.

"It's you!" He said, much too loudly.

"Everything alright Mr. Brock?" The nurse on shift popped in at the noise - a young male. Eddie was shaken and embarrassed but tried quick to course correct. He got up from his bed and moved to get the magazine. "Yep yep! Totally fine - I saw a uh, really big spider. I got him though, you don't have to worry."

The nurse laughed slightly, "Alright. Well we're here if you need anything."

Eddie nodded in thanks and waited anxiously until the nurse was out of sight before b-lining it to the bathroom in his room, shutting the door and moving to the mirror.

Venom his reflection.

Eddie laughed to himself in a dumbfounded cross of happy and psychotic awe.

"I thought you were dead!"

I was almost dead. The symbiote's words and reflection all spawned from his head but Eddie heard it just the same and saw expressions on the reflected face. You almost died too.

"But you saved me - in the ambulance." Eddie stated inquisitively. Venom nodded, cueing a self-satisfied reaction in Eddie. "I knew it."

My cells were reduced to almost nothing. It took a while to regenerate without killing you.

Eddie soaked that information in. After a moment's pause he looked up to the reflection again, "you saved the world."

Venom's face being a permenant grin Eddie could hardly perceive a reaction in his face being positive. It made the moment eerie.

WE saved the world.

A simple reply. Eddie pressed harder. "You saved my life."

The symbiote reflection shrugged. What good would Earth be without you?

Eddie, emotional enough as it was, closed his eyes. Pressing a hand to the mirror, as if through it he could grasp his friend.

His...friend.

Yes.

Venom was his friend. A friend willing to die for him. Possibly the best friend Eddie Brock had ever had in his 30-something years of life.

His eyes shut as he felt himself tear up. "Thank you buddy...I'm really glad you're not dead."

Venom's reaction to this show of emotion was humorous.

It there something wrong with you? You seem to cry a lot.

"I don't fucking cry a lot," Eddie retorted. "I'm not even crying now!" He sniffed as he wiped his nose with his forearm and moved away from the mirror to point an accusing finger at his reflection. "You're an asshole!"

Eddie caught something this time in the reflection - the grin, did it just get slightly wider?

And you're a pussy. But, I still like you.

And there it was: a wink of black eyelid over long slick-looking white eye.

Now, when can we get out of here? It smells weird and has too many doctors.

Eddie stared at his reflection for a moment before smiling, slowly shaking his head. "Soon. We'll be outta here soon."

-FIN-

*mwah~!* hope you liked it!