Part 1 Of 7 Day 1 (Special Edition)

So I've revised this chapter early like I did The Morning After don't expect me to do the next one for a while I only did it because the chapters less than ten thousand words. As I've said the most prominent changes in the revisions will be concerning Gwen and Callie Cooper. Looking back I'm finding it quite silly how subordinate I made MJ to Gwen in the early chapters and I'm correcting that as best as I can (Peter has told MJ he loves her more than he ever did Gwen a half dozen times) as I have a much more accurate picture of her now. A nuanced/consistent/3-dimensional one as well something very hard to craft from the 616 comics that effort will probably be showcased to a greater extent in later chapters of Group Therapy. Reading the Lee/Ditko/Romita stories as well as all the flashbacks published in the years since then Gwen and MJ weren't best friends neither were they "Betty and Veronica" they were frenemies who both enjoyed their competition and envied one another for a number of reasons many of which were unrelated to Peter Parker and honestly what competition they had over Peter (which was much shorter than people make it out to be) was really more about their own feud than it was ever about the man. There was a respect though and some understanding beneath it all which showed through on rare occasions and Mary Jane was a better friend to Gwen than she ever was to her. Now with Gwen alive again however their friendship will blossom.

At work Peter had been rather distracted granted it wasn't very hard to be distracted given his present circumstances. He had just finished field testing a new meta-material with his co-workers. Its bizarre properties hadn't quite reached everyone's hopes but it exceeded their expectations. It didn't draw a lot of attention but one of his co-workers asked about his wristband Peter said it transmitted to Spider-Man's sixth sense so that he would know when his gadgets were ready why hadn't he thought of the inventor cover years ago it was so convenient?

Peter hadn't really though much about the item before but when he was alone in his lab again he decided to take it off he tried but it was attached pretty darn tight. He tried controlling the artifact piece with his mind like the others and found he could get it to retract segmentally until the whole thing had rolled inside his wrist and it would roll right back out with a thought. After a little more tinkering he determined that he could in fact remove it but he'd have to literally rip it off of himself he was no Wolverine so he wasn't quite ready for that yet.

After exiting the restroom Peter occupied himself for an hour helping others develop a new bio-fuel then lunch break came and Peter left hooking some earphones up to a small modified police radio while he searched for a hot dog stand. He had just found a bench and was halfway through his meal the city was safe so far today and he was making a lot of money pursuing science it was almost enough to make him forget what had happened that was when his phone started to ring. He picked it up.

"Peter Parker who is this?"

"Peter it's Jess I'm at Avengers Mansion alone I just had a talk with Madame Web and there are no morons in costumes tearing up the city so I thought this was as good a time as any for us to talk about… what happened if that's okay with you?"

"Of course Jess what's on your mind?"

Felicia Hardy had finally found the right dress for her appearance in court. It hadn't been very hard though Felicia was never one to pinch a penny when it came to fashion the model would never have to complain she had nothing to wear. She stopped for a moment to admire her ring again it was diamond and obsidian crafted in a pattern that would have cost an insane amount of money to procure. It glowed faintly in a way that she found oddly reassuring. Once she was done she wasted no time in making her way to the courthouse. As the founder of the Cat's Eye security company she was here as a witness for the fourth time in the past three months someone had stolen proprietary software from a client and the company had implicated one of her employee's in the theft. It didn't bother her much what were people to think about a security company when she and most of its members were ex-cons still her company had a great record and she had been reformed for years. She found Jack and asked if the lawyer they had tried to secure had come.

"Foggy's busy at another trial."

"Well that's just great they have no evidence and still we're going to lose."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." a tall feminine figure interrupted them

The two turned their heads and saw She-Hulk with her suit and briefcase.

"I just came out of the courtroom we were ten minutes in when the judge postponed our case for the trial of Juggernaut."

Jennifer tried not to sound bothered as she had a reputation for sleeping around and photos of her in bed with Juggernaut had appeared in the courtroom in the past had taken months for people to accept that it was a version of her from an alternate universe.

Felicia was silent but you could see a mixture of hope and playfulness on her face glancing at the giantess's hands she couldn't see a ring but it looked like there was an orange sapphire embedded in her finger. At the moment however it was just like just an ordinary jewel.

"I'm free for the rest of the day and I've kind of made it a habit of representing superheroes. We both had… a strange morning today so I can help you out. What do you say pro bono?"

"Sounds like a plan." Felicia accepted

Jack was left staring at the beautiful women trying to imagine what had happened that morning. He wasn't even close.

Mary Jane was trying to get to work in a hurry she never told anybody but having just turned thirty she was past the expiration date of many women in the industry it was only March and she had already had one paycheck withheld this year she wasn't going to again. Traffic wasn't to great so she had to run a lot MJ was very familiar with running between all the times she had been kidnapped by supervillains, wealthy creeps and creepy fans she had a lot of experience but she was more of a sprinter than long distance. Somehow though she was able to make it the whole way without a sweat even managing to weave her way through a street of speeding cars and motorcycles unscathed. Mary Jane didn't have to be the smartest woman in the world to know that she couldn't have done what she did the day before.

"Peter Parker what did you do to me?" she asked herself more elated than anything else

When the makeup artist was working on her she took a look at the ring that was mostly concealed under her skin the purple Amethyst gem was given off a faint but uninterrupted glow. A few minutes later she was posing for the camera she was fabulous but not up to her usual standards the photographer noticed.

"Is there anything wrong Ms. Watson?"

"No Pedro everything is alright." She said as she thought about how she would look in a green costume.

Gwendolyn Stacy could be a bit naïve at times but she had been the brightest student at Standard High a lot could change in seven years and she spent a good portion of time on the web seeing what had changed. Gwen had thought she would be ready for anything but not even she was prepared to learn that Jameson was now mayor of New York. She liked Peter's apartment but the place was quiet however after her father's death she had been a bit needy and didn't really like being alone. After a warm meal and a hot shower to assure her that she was in fact alive she prepared to leave.

"I'm sorry Peter." She said as she stepped out into the city and felt the sun on her face.

Gwen planned to surprise him at Horizon but she wanted to make a little stop first at her gravesite. She stood next to her gravestone and read the familiar words "Here Lies George Stacy Rest In Peace." Gwen had been very curious about death after her father passed away. After the incident with Sam Bullit and Iceman she hadn't given it much more thought but she remembered what she had told Peter earlier that morning how her last memory before waking up the Green Goblin and that cloth. She didn't recall any afterlife between then and now this for all intents and purposes was her afterlife.

There were few people there at the time but there was a man in a police uniform he had left flowers on a grave not ten feet away from her own neither said a word to the dead as they paid there respects. Gwen was surprised however when the man spoke up.

"She was a great girl I knew her father on the force it's such a shame when people die young. It's said youth is wasted on the wrong people but she deserved every moment she could get I'm sorry for your loss."

"It's okay it's been a while. Who is she?" Gwen asked as she read the other tombstone.

"My daughter she died when the twin towers went down she was one of the ones that jumped. Somehow I knew she was dead before they called me it didn't make it any more pleasant when they asked me to identify the body."

"I'm sure she was a fine woman."

"She had her problems but I loved her. By the way when I look at you I swear I'm looking at Ms. Stacy I know she had family in England are you her cousin?"

"Yes" Gwen lied "Jill Stacy."

"Well Jill you'll always be welcome around the station."

"Maybe I'll pay a visit someday."

"I'd like that. When were are near death it reminds us what it's like to be alive don't waste your life kid the world's had enough blood as is."

"I don't think I will Herschel." She said recognizing him now

On her eighteenth birthday he had taken an extra shift so her father could attend. That was her last party before she met Peter. The man smiled but it was clear that he wanted some time alone. Gwen left and stated walking towards Horizon she was four blocks away when a drunk driver ran a red light and sped right into her. Gwen was slammed into a lamppost. As she got up she knew she should be dead the driver was certainly quite injured but all she had were some bruises a broken rib and mild to moderate bleeding on her cheek and a few other places. There were some people who wanted to help her and she drew quite a few looks but she ignored them she needed to see someone and get cleaned up. Gwen couldn't face Peter he had been through so much he didn't want him to worry so that left her with the woman who she still remembered as her best friend. After getting as much of the blood of in an alley she took a look at her ring it was a pink topaz and unlike some of the others it didn't give off a faint glow but rather flashed if you saw it at the right angle.

"It's good to be alive." She said smiling

There weren't that many coins lying around on the ground but after some earnest searching Gwen finally found enough nickels and dimes to use the payphone she had her cell number but only got her voice mail.

"Mary Jane this is Gwen… there's been an accident can you meet me at your place soon it's urgent."

Peter was sitting on the bench talking on his phone with Spider-Woman.

"Parker I'm sorry if I'm a little rude but I'm going to ignore what happened last night." Jessica said

She had been standing in front of a mirror in costume trying to muster the guts to call him previously. Jess was very fortunate that the ring could phase through her glove at a thought (It had been over the glove but fused to her skin) otherwise she wouldn't know what to say about why she couldn't get her glove off. She'd become a powerful and confident hero over the years but she had once had been a pretty shy woman and for her this situation was uniquely embarrassing.

"I understand it's what I would probably do."

"It's not that I'm not attracted to you or anything" she said blushing "I have been for some time."

"I know." Peter said

"How?" she had only told her best friend

"Carol told me a couple weeks ago. The feeling was mutual."

"What?"

"I guess I have a thing for woman that can beat me to a pulp and look good doing it."

"Peter this isn't about the other women though I'd act the same way because of it. I never told you how I felt because of the whole innuendo."

"What do you mean?"

"Well your Spider-Man I'm Spider-Woman people are stupid regardless of how different we are from each other just because we have the same first word in our name people would expect us to get together. I don't want my name to be remembered a symbol of some stupid cliché."

"Wow I never thought about that… Jess I know you, I respect your wishes and want you to be happy but I know that that isn't the reason because you're not here in person so please what's bothering you?"

"Well there are some other reasons after our encounter with the Mandrill I've lost a bit of control over my pheromones some of the men here have been flirting with me and last week Widow tried to kill me in my sleep. I've had enough relationships in my life that were compromised by this I would never enter into something that wouldn't be real and people are just starting to trust me after the Skrull thing your reputation is bad enough without."

"I don't care about that. Have I acted oddly around you? If there was a problem with your pheromones then I'd be all over you we both have Spider DNA. Besides everybody knows Natasha sleepwalks she almost embedded a knife in my leg the other day. If you want things to stay the same that's fine but I'll check with you in a few days to be sure and Jess you're not the only person life has screwed over it comes with the business you ever want to swap stories I'm here anytime I hope that you don't worry too much you've saved humanity more than enough times to make up for what your imposter did."

Spider-Woman didn't notice but her aquamarine ring started to glow in a manner that rose and fell.

"It's not that simple."

"Trust me they'll come around and if they don't well I can always web there shorts."

And then Jessica laughed Peter always felt good when someone appreciated his jokes.

"I was really starting to doubt myself there thank you Peter… you're a good guy."

"And you're a fine woman."

The two didn't say anything else but both waited a while to hang up at more or less the same time. Peter finished his hot dog quick and went back to work and Jessica took a short flight out of the mansion.

Felicia had expected to be in court all day but it was a mere hour Ms. Walters was a respected lawyer but the victory couldn't be attributed to her skill alone a temp at her clients company literally ran into the courtroom and presented some damaging evidence that the leak was from the vice president of the company. Jack was exonerated but for some reason he was cropped out of the photos of him next to the two women in the next morning's paper. She bumped into She-Hulk again in the restroom.

"We don't know each other very well but thank you for helping us I don't think that the judge would have waited long enough for his ruling if you hadn't been there."

"It's nothing… Say Cat what's the Spider like?"

"Why would you ask you've worked together as Avengers for some time?"

"That's different you and him were much closer."

"I really owe you Jennifer but I've waited years for another shot at him and I don't care if you can tear a car in half he's mine!"

"Don't be so possessive I was just curious the last time I was attracted to him I was still part of the Fantastic Four I've just wondered for a while what he was like under the sheets."

"Well we all have our fantasies." Felicia said as she finished drying her hands and the discussion went to other topics.

The surprise save wasn't the only fortunate event that happened that day in Cat's favor by the end of her day her company had secured five new clients, two new fake passports for her personal use and her friend Firestar dropped off a fresh costume (a replica of her original) even her stalker had died Black Cat hadn't been the suspicious type but she had seen more than her fair share of misfortune so she knew something was up. It's about time she thought as she relaxed in her penthouse and watched some television Maybe just maybe it'll work this time. She took another look at her ring and noticed that it had a faint glow that spun clockwise like a lighthouse after years of working with Spider-Man she knew just how to push his buttons and that morning she had used the most effective tool in her arsenal guilt she might have to share but she was sure he would come around by weeks end.

"I've got seven lives left Spider" she said before diving into some champagne "They are all yours."

MJ arrived at her apartment in a hurry by the time she showed up Gwen was mostly cleaned up and was over half healed but she was just a little weak and there was some blood on the floor.

"Gwen what happened don't you know how much it would hurt us to lose you again?"

Mary Jane didn't care about her clothes getting stained as she hugged Gwen to Stacy's genuine shock.

"Mary Jane Peter told me how you acted when I was in London I thought our friendship was a sham that you'd pounce on the chance with Peter when I was gone."

"Gwen you naïve doll I was there for him when you were gone and we did end up together eventually but I knew his secret… what he went through, what happened to you and when he was ready I choose to date him anyway. I was devastated by your death like everybody else and I don't think I could ever grown as a person if I didn't stare death in the face. Now tell me before I call the hospital what happened?"

The two now stood in the kitchen deciding whether or not to spill the day's secrets it didn't take very long.

"I went out to visit my grave I had to just to be sure this wasn't all a weird dream. I was going to surprise Peter at Horizon I knew his wrath would melt in an instant but a car hit me on the way slammed me into a lightpost."

Mary Jane examined her and took a look underneath her clothes it was astonishing.

"Gwen you shouldn't be alive not after this much time without treatment."

"I know" Gwen said starting to tear up "before I left I looked myself up and found all these rumors of clones I shouldn't be alive now MJ I couldn't get out of that I must be a clone, a copy meant to bring fresh torture to Peter's life."

"You're not thinking straight Peter trusted that you weren't a clone, I don't believe you are, we both have encountered them in the past, you woke up on the floor with twelve other girls and you have this ring on your finger doesn't that sound a little stranger than even what a mad scientist could come up with. Besides you're wearing the same clothes you had on… when you…"

"Your right"

Mary Jane opened a box filled with photos she still had from when she and Peter were a couple there was still the full set from there college days.

"Peter once told me that a clone has the memories of the original but doesn't have emotion with them because emotional responses are learned from outside stimulus."

Gwen took several and looked at them they were from a number of settings all of her and Peter and her with Peter Harry and MJ they were all good moments but she stopped at one of the gang at the Silver Spoon.

"When was that Gwendy?"

"I remember we were at the Silver Spoon I had just returned from London and we got back together. I was such a fool to run off on him because he didn't propose. He told me that he wasn't going to let me go again and that he was going to spend the rest of his life with me and I was so happy when he comforted me this morning because I knew that his feelings for me hadn't changed."

"We've got a genuine Stacy here."

"How did I?"

"It's got something to do with these." MJ held Gwen's hand so she could take a look at her ring. "Mine flashes like that to the same thing I could have been a street pizza too but I was able to get across the street in a pattern that would put Captain America to shame don't worry about it sister you've got your life back."

Gwen was smiling now and removed a wine bottle from the pantry she didn't care if she was technically a twenty year old what did the world care she'd been dead. Mary Jane smiled and poured some she told her some stories and they laughed a bit but after their first drink Gwen was silent for a moment.

"What is it?" MJ asked

"It's just that won't you be bothered if Peter and I get back together?" (She was clinging to the hope that he would be exclusive with her)

"Hey in the past I was all too swoop in when you two were broken up or in a very bad spot but I wouldn't pursue him otherwise. I didn't think I could handle a serious relationship back then and I wasn't going to put forth that kind of investment if I wasn't his first choice. After the years we had I'd be lying if I said it wouldn't bother me. You probably remember me as a party girl but I never told you about my past… my issues before you came back Gwen I was married to Peter for years."

"What happened?"

"I gave it up you could say it ended in a Faustian bargain. Whatever it was Peter got in the mail yesterday it would never have come if it were not for me I sacrificed everything for Peter's Aunt so yes I'd be a little bothered if you and Peter were exclusive but I would never get in your way."

"Have you told him about…"

"I kept you're secret but I didn't need to it came out eventually no matter how hard you keep them secrets come out eventually it's only a matter of time."

"How were they?"

"They're very… mature for their age." MJ answered remembering when she found Sarah kissing Peter in Paris.

"Don't tell me Norman got ahold of them!"

"They're out of his hands now that's all that matters. I'm sure you'll see them soon enough."

"Thank you I know what you could have to done with that information you're a better friend than I ever was I seriously owe you for that."

"Pretty wise for a girl with a broken neck now I don't think Peter would like to see you in those bloody rags so..."

Mary Jane stripped her out of her clothes and presented her wardrobe.

"Mi casa es su casa and all that take your pick."

Too delighted to really care she was in the nude Gwen spent a good five minutes finding an outfit before putting it on. Mary Jane now had a mischievous look on her face.

"Well now that we have these powers I was thinking of being a little creative with my wardrobe help me make a costume and I'll call us even."

Though as appreciative of courage and heroism as the next gal Gwen detested violence nevertheless she thought it was a pretty cool idea.

"Only if we make one for me as well"

"I think you're going to fit right in here."

Peter had just finished work at Horizon and called his apartment Gwen was there and let him know she was fine so he decided to take an hours patrol before returning. In actuality he wanted to process the logistics of this situation and nothing helped him think like some good old fashioned swing-time. There were many angles that he could approach this but there was only one decision that had him really troubled should he pursue Gwen or…

"Carol!" he said as a curved swing to the right caused him to almost crash into the powerful heroine… and technically his current girlfriend.

Spider-Man made a spectacular recovery and landed on the rooftop. Ms. Marvel descended and the two took a seat on the ledge.

"What are you doing in this part of town?" Spider-Man asked

"I actually came to talk with you after what happened last night where are we?"

"I don't know our first date was a month ago and you haven't called me back are we still a couple?"

"It's hard to say I always intended to see you again but we were so busy I want to be really cool about what happened but I didn't choose to date Tony Stark last month as long as were exclusive I might give you another chance."

"Well no one in there right mind could turn you down gorgeous. You don't have to worry about the other girls one of them was my old college girlfriend… and she sort of just came back from the dead… so she'll be living at my place for a while but I would never ditch you even after hearing that story about-"

Ms. Marvel—Mrs. Parker (she was definitely going to have to change her codename) gently but firmly told him to shut up before pulling off part of his mask and kissing him.

"Carol that time last week when Venom possessed you was he telling the truth about?"

Carol was uncomfortable but she had known this was coming.

"Yes Peter I wanted to wait a while before telling you but yes I have deep feelings for you."

"I didn't know what came over me when I asked you out but however awkward our night was the moment I saw you at the restaurant I knew it wasn't a mistake I'm not ready to use the L word but I'm close."

Ms. Marvel had a smile on her face but she was quiet in deep thought.

"What is it?"

"I'm just thinking of you and Captain Marvel I'm sorry but I always seem to compare people to him always hoping that I can be the kind of hero that he…"

"He was special I know I remember his funeral."

The two rose to their feet and watched the activity below.

"So what now?"

"Well I was going to go on patrol."

Carol laughed.

"What you're going to stop a mugger, save a cat in some tree?"

"Yes if I have to no problem is too small. I just wondered how many crimes do you and the other Avengers stop."

"Well five I think last year and Jess stopped eight robberies we're pretty good most years we're at about three. What about you?"

"Thirty six."

"This year?"

"Last Friday."

"Wow!"

"The city might be a bit more peaceful than usual but just because Doctor Doom isn't knocking on our door doesn't mean that people don't need our help."

Mrs. Parker got really close to him.

"Oh Spider-Man you're my hero?" she teased trying not to laugh as she started an impression of an old lady

"How about we have a little wager?" Spider-Man said."

"What's the bet?"

"We both try to stop as many crimes as possible a supervillain counts as ten whoever scores the most points in an hour wins."

"If you win I'll go out on another date with you."

"And if I lose I'll show you my blooper reel."

"What?"

"I used to make my living as a photographer I can't carry the camera around all the time so there are a lot of embarrassing photos."

"Now I'm curious."

"Well I'm a very likable fellow I web up the maniacs before handing them to the cops and make sure to insult them first so the police don't have to."

"Wait shouldn't there be some sort of handicap you're a lot more experienced than me?"

"Darling I'm fast but I can't break the sound barrier."

"You've got a point." She said as she continued to think about the photos.

The two raced off in opposite directions and performed pretty close every once in a while one would get a little streak but as they reached 55 minutes Spider-Man and Ms. Marvel were tied at 10 then Spider-Man caught Electro performing a surprisingly small robbery Spider-Man did a pretty good job at first his boots now had a thick layer of rubber but the villain was still able to get the better of him. Max had him on the ground and slugging him repeatedly when Ms. Marvel showed up and knocked him over with a blast and helped Spider-Man up. Electro rose very angry he didn't last fifteen seconds. After Spider-Man webbed him up and dropped a particularly silly note for the police he had been saving for when the two crossed paths. Spider-Man felt slightly emasculated as Carol carried him to her apartment she got changed it took a bit longer for Peter though because he had to remove them from his web backpack.

"So what's the score?"

"Ten crimes."

"Same here."

"And we both stopped Electro so I'll have to plan our next date."

"Not until you hand over the photos."

"Fine."

Peter reached for one of the voice activated webshooters on the couch and pressed a tiny button a fake cartridge opened up and he removed a chip.

"Here ten years of embarrassing photos."

Carol couldn't help but smile as she held it in her hands.

"What is it?" Peter asked worried

"I'm just glad you were willing to own up you really care about me don't you."

"Yes."

"I'm working on a new version of my autobiography the first was I don't know it sold well but I wasn't happy with it. Could you take a look?"

"Well I should go back home see if Gwen's okay but I can wait another half hour."

"It means a lot to me" she gave him a kiss on the cheek and added "because that means I have more time to look at these." She ran to her computer.

After a half hour and a lot of laughter Peter finished skimming through the book Carol asked

"So what's the verdict?"

"Well it's a very well written book I like it but the first few chapters about your childhood and family there's something different about them it's like it was written by a different person."

"I know after my encounter with Rogue those memories I still have them but… there is no emotion to them it's not fun to meet the people who raised you and those you grew up with an feel nothing I think it's why I sometimes get fixated on Captain Marvel he was still really important to me after that…"

"At least you have those memories my parents died when I was really little and I would do anything for one more day with them. If there's one thing I've learned in life it's that there is always something missing with people it's how we respond to that missing part that defines who we are I know you've had your problems but you've turned out great. I wish you never had to worry about this sort of thing again."

Carol's skin started to glow as she was distracted sitting next to her boyfriend his jokes weren't always perfect but he was a really good friend... and more and those photos were totally going to go on the internet the second that he… her train of thought ended as something funny happened to her mind her skull felt a bit denser but not painful and her mind felt more relaxed and free but in no way weak. She did not notice that her Sapphire ring was giving off a strong glow until a few minutes after he left.

Peter got up from his seat and went to the front door but Carol stopped him slammed him against a wall and made out with him after the two stopped she said

"I still owe you that date."

"We could give that restaurant a second try I have more money now."

"I was thinking more along the lines of a Yankee game I have tickets for tomorrow. Do you like baseball?"

"I Love baseball."

A few minutes later she finally let him go and he made the short commute back to his apartment.

Peter arrived at his apartment just on time he and Gwen were more comfortable than he had expected but they didn't talk much. He asked her a few questions she lied and asked how he became Spider-Man and what his routine was they watched a romantic comedy and she considered wearing just lingerie when he came out but choose not to (she was a bit more adventurous now but didn't have the nerve of MJ or Cat plus when she desired them to be intimate she wanted to feel like they were the only two people in the world rather than claiming her as his own like some animal.) after raiding the fridge for some sparse deserts they got ready for sleep after so many years apart Peter really wanted the reassurance of Gwen waking up next to him but he was committed and he wasn't going to change that not even for Gwen.

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