This writer owns none of the characters involved.

Hello readers. This is my first story so I hope y'all enjoy. If you could review and comment on mistakes or suggestions I will gladly accept them.

"Man my life sucks."

The comment came from a bespectacled 21-year old as he walked dejectedly down a crowded sidewalk in the "city that never sleeps."

The 5'10 male rubs his hands through his brown hair as he began to wonder what his next step was.

Peter Parker is a prime example of having a rough life. When he was a four-year old Peter's parents died in a plane crash. It affected Peter a little, but he barely remembered them. The loss of his uncle and aunt, however, was a bigger blow. After the untimely death of his parents his Uncle Ben and Aunt May took Peter in and raised him as a precious son. Life, however, would have other plans for Peter as his uncle was shot by a person who robbed the local wrestling event. His uncle, a former police officer, was one who said if you have the power to do something it is your responsibility to use that power. So as he saw the person running away, looking confused and scared, he tried to stop him and convince him to turn himself in and give the money back. The crook, however, panicked and shot him point blank, killing his uncle. It hit Peter hard, as he looked up to his uncle like a father. It hurt his aunt even more, as she suffered from depression after the event and truly never recovered.

Peter began to take odd jobs here and there to try to support his aunt, who also began working at the local hospital again, a job she retired from only a couple years ago. The combination of the two began to pull them through the hard times. Then the family was rocked again as his Aunt was diagnosed with leukemia. Peter was shocked to the core again, but his Aunt was a fighter and tried to work through it. However, the weight loss and fatigue became too much for her and she would have to stop working, which put more pressure on Peter to work. Eventually it was all Peter could do to just provide food for his family, let alone pay for the bills. The grind was also affecting Peter's school life.

Peter was never a social butterfly, but his grades were always good enough to get him into a good college. However, under his new circumstances, he would always sleep in class and with his constant working after school, Peter never had many friends. When his Aunt was diagnosed with leukemia Peter became more secluded. His best friend, Harry Osborn, the son of the owner of Oscorp, offered to help monetarily, but Peter refused, seeing it as a hand out. Peter appreciated the gesture, but he was taught to get something you have to work for it. His other friends, Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson, tried to console him and help his aunt out at home. Especially Gwen, who Peter tried to pay for her help, but Gwen refused, saying she owes Peter for being there for her in her time of need.

Peter would help out around her home because Gwen lost her father, who was the captain of the local police force, to a criminal named Hobgoblin. Peter was there for her at his funeral and he was around to help Gwen and her mom out at their house when a plumping problem or some odd job Gwen and her mom couldn't handle. He would take time out of his busy schedule to try to give advice to Gwen and just talk to her.

Peter would get through high school with a B average, which could get him into a college if he could, but he would have to foot the bill because most scholarships was out of reach for him. Instead, he went to work as a part-time photographer at the Daily Bugle and spent the rest of his time working as a local handy-man at an apartment complex down the street. Peter would work at the complex during the day and spent his nights trying to take pictures of superheroes, namely a heroine named Spider-Girl. After a year of doing this it became a routine to help at the apartment complex and take pictures at night, with devices that helped Peter get around the fact he wasn't the strongest person in the world. He years of handiwork helped him make devices like suction cups, that carried him to rooftops and a device that let him take pictures remotely. When Peter turned 20 he got a raise at the apartment complex, which helped out with his aunt's medical bills, but the Bugle's editor, one J. Jonah Jameson, refused to pay top quality for his photos. Peter would try to go to other places, but they would need someone to go with him to get an interview with the subject of his photos. Peter, not comfortable with that arrangement and honestly too shy to ask heroes for an interview, settled with the low pay and slander from 'Jonah jackass' as Gwen would call him.

A couple of months before his 21st birthday, Peter's Aunt May finally succumbed to the effects of her leukemia. It devastated Peter, even though he was preparing for the day where she would pass. The loss, unfortunately, was shown in his work performance at the apartment complex. He tried to take more hours, now dealing with a house payment as well as what was left over for his Aunt's medical bills, but the complex was going under new management and they were fazing Peter out for someone with more experience. Finally a couple days before his 21st birthday, the apartment complex let Peter go. Peter tried to go back to the Bugle, which he took a hiatus from after he tried to pick up more hours at the complex, but they had found another person who was taking photos for them and declined his offer.

Desperate Peter tried to find any jobs to keep him afloat, but unfortunately nothing panned out and Peter lost his house. Peter could barely afford to keep his stuff in storage, let alone go apartment shopping. He thought he would give it a shot, but was proven right as apartments were actually more expensive then the payments he had for his house.

So Peter wandered aimlessly into downtown New York, trying to find anything cheap for him to eat for lunch. What Peter didn't expect was a blonde he hadn't seen in a sneak up on him and give him a hug.

"Peter, it's been a long time. How have you been?"

Peter turned around to see the face of Gwen Stacy, smiling as she wore her usual sweater, t-shirt combo and a skirt that went down to her knees.

"I... have been better honestly Gwen. How are you doing," Peter tried to shift the discussion away from him. It is something he picked up in high school. Usually it worked on Harry and Mary Jane, but with Gwen…

"Don't do that Peter. What's wrong?"

… it usually didn't work.

"It's nothing I can't work out. How is your mom doing?"

Peter hoped the shift the focus to Gwen's mom would get him out of talking about the wreck of his life. In high school it was the ticket to get Gwen to forget about him and shift the focus on her. However…

"She's good. Come on if you are not talking to me here, you are going to talk to me over some pizza, my treat."

As if taking a sledgehammer to his strategy she started dragging Peter towards their favorite pizza place. Peter didn't know how, but Gwen seemed stronger than him when she wanted to. He didn't know why Gwen needed help with heavy lifting jobs at her house with the strength she showed when she wanted to be forceful.

After she pulled Peter into the pizza place and they placed their order they sat down in one of the outdoor tables. It was a warm fall day, the sun seemed to play hide-and-seek as it would appear and disappear between the buildings. A light breeze kept the humidity at bay, making the sun seem bearable.

"So Peter what's happening?"

Peter thought maybe he would try one more time to deflect the blonde's query, but decided against it. He knew she would continue until she got some answers.

"Well after my aunt died I tried to take more hours at the apartment complex I worked at. They gave them to me, but I had to basically quit at the Daily Bugle," Peter said as there pizza order came up. He got up and grabbed the medium pepperoni pizza and brought it back to their table. He gave Gwen a plate as they each took a couple of napkins from the dispenser on the table. Peter took a bite, immediately regretting not giving it time to cool as the combination of the cheese and the grease burned the roof of his mouth.

"Well I'm sorry you had to quit the Bugle, but honestly I don't know why you continued to work for a jerk like Jonah jack-ass," Gwen spoke in-between bites.

"Gwen I already told you, I couldn't work anywhere else because they would send someone with me to get an interview. Besides I don't think Spider-girl would stop her fight and give someone an interview, no matter how talkative she could be."

Gwen chuckled as she took another bite of her second piece of pizza. "I guess not. Anyway I am pretty sure not working at the Bugle is causing the usual Parker scowl, what else is up?"

"I do not have a scowl," Peter tried to defend himself, but realized that a scowl worked on his face as he said that. Dealing with Gwen's stifled laughter Peter continued. "Well after a month some new owners took over the apartment complex and they began to cut back my hours, until…," Peter paused. He really didn't want to tell her, but he came this far now. "…Until they let me go a week ago. The bank finally took my aunt's house. I have been behind on payments because of the loss of hours at the complex and they finally took the house Gwen. I have lost everything," Peter finished with a heavy sigh and tears starting to accumulate on his face. It finally hit him like a right hook from a pro boxer. He lost his uncle and aunt, his house, his job, his childhood and his friends. He was down on his luck and he wasn't sure how to dig himself out of this situation.

Peter almost didn't recognize Gwen's hand on top of his as she tried to talk to Peter. "I'm so sorry Peter. If there is something I could do…" Gwen trailed off until she perked up and grabbed Peter's hand.

"I know Peter, there is an open room at our apartment complex and we could use a handy man. I'm…," Peter tuned Gwen out as he noticed something in the corner of his eye.

Working at the local apartment complex for years he taught himself to recognize some things to make his life and life of the people in the complex easier and safer. One thing was when someone was carrying a weapon, namely a gun. The guy Peter noticed wore a brown trench coat and a top hat, like he was a reject from a Dick Tracey comic. Peter noticed his eyes were honed in on a 5'9 brunette in jeans and a white t-shirt. Peter, reacting out of instinct got out of his chair and made in front of the brunette, just as the guy drew his gun. The gunshot rang out as all Peter felt was a sharp pain in his gut. He looked down and saw blood staining his white shirt as he began to fall to the ground. Before Peter could pass out he saw the lady he took the shot for pulling out a phone and Gwen, who was cradling Peter as she talked to him. Peter couldn't make out what she was saying. His last thought was, 'Man my life sucks.'

For those wondering this is an AU story. It will crossover with DC eventually. Any comments, suggestions and opinions are all welcomed.