Updated & edited: 12/03/14

What'd I Miss?

Jessica Drew prided herself in the skills that she has honed as a HYDRA assassin and as an agent of SHIELD. She had very few rivals that matched, if they could, her very unique skillset.

She excelled in espionage, deception, assassination and hunting & tracking. Because of her ability to manipulate pheromones, she was also well trained in seduction and manipulation; as an assassin and a SHIELD agent working undercover, one needed to master the art of getting into a person's heart and mind if the need was required. Her abilities made that all the more easy: play a lover and win trust to deceive and backstab the victims easily. Jessica was an expert in that field, matched only by Black Widow and X-23.

Jessica also held vast knowledge on reading people: their emotions, body language-the whole nine yards. She could tell if someone was lying, hiding something or was attracted to someone. Her pheromone manipulation made it all the more easier to pick out liars and deceivers.

Yes, Jessica Drew thought herself an expert on reading people inside and out, basically. It was one of the many things she brought to the table as the Avenger known as Spider Woman.

So it came as great shock to her when she came across a particular scene when she came to Avengers Mansion, headquarters of Luke Cage's New Avengers, that evening-specifically the lounge. It was something she never would've expected-a possibility she never would've thought possible even if Hell froze over.

Jessica stood in the lounge doorway for a good five minutes before walking away, trying to comprehend exactly what she had just seen. A part of her brain was actually lagging behind the rest, wondering if she actually did see what she saw. She found her way into the mansion's kitchen. Sitting on a stool, leaning on the countertop and sipping away at a beer from a freshly opened six-pack, was Wolverine.

"Hey Jess. Whatchu doin' here at the Mansion?" he asked as soon as she walked through the doorway, not looking away from his bottle. He had caught her scent once she entered the mansion gates 10 minutes ago. He was answered with silence. He turned to her, slightly concerned. "Jess?"

"Huh?" Jessica suddenly realized she had ignored the mutant Avenger's greeting. She also realized that she still had her mouth open in a dopey looking trance-like appearance, and quickly shut it.

This wasn't lost on Logan. "You ok, Jess? Somethin' wrong?"

"No, no…nothing's wrong, Logan," Jessica replied with a sheepish grin. Actually, I'm sure I woke up in an alternate reality or something. "Actually, I came here looking for Carol. We're supposed to have a girl's night out tonight."

Logan returned his gaze beer, taking a big chug, satisfied she was not in any trouble, before replying, "Well, Danvers was in the lounge area, last time I checked."

"Um…yeah, I know, Logan. I was just there a minute ago," she replied in a tone that made it clear that something was confusing her here, that something was completely lost on her.

Wolverine set down the bottle, turning back to his fellow Avenger with an arched eyebrow and a questioning look in his eyes. He caught her tone of voice and the confusion hidden away in it. "Wait, so if you already know that she's in there, why are-"

And then it dawned on him.

And he let out a chuckle, much to Spiderwoman's surprise and shock. "Wow, they're still in there, huh? She must really have 'im wrapped around her finger to keep him sittin' through a few hours of that garbage," he said, returning to his beer.

"Wait," Jessica said, realizing what Wolverine meant with those words. "You're telling me you knew about this?"

"Knew about what?"

"The two of them, Logan-them being…together?!" Jessica couldn't keep the shock from her voice.

At that, Logan snapped his head back to Jessica, his eyes wide with shock. "You're tellin' me you DIDN'T know?! Jess, she's your best friend and you never figured it out?" The look on his face made it seem like it was the most obvious thing the world, like if she had just realized the sky was blue.

"Logan," she began as she took a deep breath, "how long has this been going on?"

"Since a bit after Osborn took over, but it really…came out, I guess, when he saved her from Venom durin' the Siege."

Jessica was speechless.

"They've been official for only a month, if it makes you feel any better," Logan added as he finished his beer and opened another bottle.

A MONTH?! She had been oblivious to it for a MONTH?! And since Osborn took power-so she was oblivious to it for what-TWO YEARS?!

"I'm her best friend! How did I NOT know this?" It just didn't make sense; it defied all logic, common sense, it defied everything that made Carol, well, Carol; her and him?!

"I have no idea. Hell, we all figured it out eventually after she came to us after quittin' the Initiative. We assumed you knew it, too. Hell, Rogers, Stark, Thor and Hawkeye-they knew, too."

Ok, her boyfriend knew and never told her? Well, granted, Clint probably figured she knew also, being both women were best friends after all, but still…

"Jess?" Jessica returned her gaze and focus to Logan, who stared at her curiously. "What's your take on 'em?"

"It's just…" she sighed as she ran her hands through her hair. "Well, Carol is so independent, a no-nonsense type of woman. And he's just…well-"

"The complete opposite," Logan chuckled. "Well, like the sayin' goes, opposites attract. But you haven't answered the question, Jess. What's your take on 'em?"

"Let me just get out the shock I'm still in & I'll let you know. Umm…I'll see you later, Logan." And with that, Jessica made her retreat back into the mansion's interiors.

"Huh," the mutant Avenger said as he returned his attention to his beer. "She had NO idea whatsoever."

Jessica stood in the doorway of the lounge room once more, careful not to make a sound and disturb the couple in front of her. She still couldn't believe it.

Carol Danvers, Ms. Marvel, the proud and independent woman, the ex-USAF pilot and former leader of the Mighty Avengers…

And Peter Parker, the Amazing Spider-Man, the nerdy and talkative scientist/photographer, the guy with all the jokes and the loud mouth of the New Avengers…

Together. In love.

There they sat on the couch, watching a movie. Or rather, he was sitting and she was curled up & snuggled against his side. They were both in uniform, but both had their masks & gloves off, discarded on the other side of the sofa. Peter was running his ungloved hand through Carol's lush blonde hair, and by the foggy mists of pleasure in her eyes and the ocean of goose bumps that peppered her skin, Jessica could tell that she was greatly enjoying his touch.

The soldier and the jokester. It seemed so unnatural, logic defying; it just seemed so…wrong.

And yet…

Carol turned her head from the giant flat screen to Peter. "Why are we watching this again?"

"I think you said you wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I'm here because you said you'd break me in tow if I didn't watch it with you," came the Web Head's response. He then gave a look of thought before adding, "I should've let you break me in two. This is more painful than hearing Green Goblin recite Shakespeare."

A giggle escaped Carol's lips, and from her vantage point, Jessica couldn't help but smile at the sight before her eyes. Yes, this seemed unnatural, for they were polar opposites. Yes, it seemed kind of wrong.

And yet, it seemed so right.

Before her eyes, Peter was slowly letting out a side of Carol Danvers that not many people saw, she herself being one of those few. His jokester personality and pure spirit had chipped down the emotional barriers Carol put up around herself, and her gruff & iron will military persona was fading away into nothingness. All that was left was a woman who held some insecurity and self-doubt with men because of her father and past broken relationships, held by a man who was himself an expert on insecurities and broken relationships himself letting her know that he would never judge her, that to him she was perfect the way she was, that he accepted her for who she was.

"Thank God, it's over." Peter immediately clicked off the TV. He turned to Carol and asked, "Well, what'd you think?"

"I think I can see why so many people hate the series. Seriously," Carol as her eyebrows went up in angry confusion, "what kind of girl tries to kill herself to make her boyfriend come back to her? And since when do vampires SPARKLE?!"

"We should show it to Blade," came the chuckled response of the Web Head. "He'd have a field day; probably hunt down the people who made these movies. That alone would get him my vote to make him an Avenger." He stopped to feign a serious thinking face. "You think Blade sparkles when he's shirtless, too? Maybe that's why he wears all those black clothes all the time. I'd be embarrassed, too."

"Blade, as a vampire on Twilight? That's hysterical," Carol laughed adorably, making Peter look at her in such a loving way that it made Jessica gasp to herself and smile. When Carol's laughter finally quieted, she looked at him with a similar gaze.

"I love you, Peter," she whispered to him before she planted her lips onto his.

The passion Jessica saw right there, as she turned around and left the two there before they knew she was there, told her that it was for real, and that it was right. She smiled as she realized that Peter Parker was indeed the perfect match for Carol Danvers.

Girl's Night could wait for another time, Jessica decided. Right now, her best friend was right where she needed to be.

Fin.

I can't get the image of a sparkling Blade out of my mind now…

No, I do not apologize to any Twilight fans who read this: that was a disgrace to vampires and werewolves and a terrible movie saga…seriously sparkling?