"Kung Pao chicken for the lady," Peter said - handing Gwen the white container of food; chopsticks in hand. She sat with her legs crossed beneath her on their tiny couch; black leggings and a loose peach top - her hair messy on top of her head.

Peter held her gaze for a moment; grinning as he took her in. Even with no make up and gym clothes she was stunning. How did he get so lucky?

"Thanks Ace."

He sat beside her on the love seat, stabbing a small piece of chicken with his chopstick before placing it in his mouth. There wasn't much room but they couldn't pull themselves away from each other. No money for a honeymoon - despite her parents offering to pay for one - they chose to go home after their wedding and spend the entire day in bed doing ungodly things to one another.

"Maybe Yuri would give Spider-Man a job? Pay you for working harder than half the force."

Peter'd be lying if he said he hadn't considered mentioning it to Yuri but the hero in him wouldn't allow it. Spider-Man protected the people of New York because it was the right thing to do - not for a pay check. He glanced around their tiny apartment; taking a bite of food.

He wished he could give Gwen the world - a high rise home in Manhattan, a fancy car - diamonds bigger than the speck she wore proudly on her ring finger.

"We could move into aunt May's house." He muttered with a mouthful, glancing over at her reaction. They'd managed to clean the kitchen out of his childhood home but not much more in the few months she'd been gone. Gwen stared into her untouched container of food. She knew Peter wasn't ready for that even tho it was the smart thing to do financially. "Here is fine, for now." She said quietly, sitting the Chinese food down on the side table.

"For now?"

Peter continued to shovel it in; chewing quickly as he watched her. Something wasn't quite right with his new wife. "One day, when we have kids maybe we could move there - if you're ready. If not maybe we could find something else and rent it out."

"Kids?" He removed the chopsticks from the container and met her eyes. Kids. As in plural. As in more than one? He swallowed nothing - watching her turn to him; eyes to large for her pretty face.

"You do want kids, right? One day?"

Gwen frowned at the thought. Perhaps this was a conversation they should have had last week.

"The way the world is.. I already have so much on my plate - the thought of kids... keeping them safe. Losing them.. I don't know. How do you go on from that?"

Gwen met his eyes. Taking the information in. She had always dreamt of having a large family - at least four kids, two boys and twin girls. The thought of that not being a possibility pained her but she forced a smile - brushing it off. They'd been married for a week.

"You make the world a better place for kids. Plus, that's way down the line. Nothing to worry about now." She assured with a grin; nudging him as he came back to life beside her and took another bite.

Peter managed a thin smile; turning his attention to the TV as their movie began to play. All of the crime in the city; the snarling evil assholes that mugged people among other things; the thought of bringing kids - his kids, into a world like that didn't set well with him.

"We've got plenty of time to decide." He muttered, taking another bite.

X

They had eleven days.

Gwen stood in a isle of the super market - staring at several different brands and types of pickles. She didn't even like the tangy condiments but for the past two days it was all she could think of.

"Gwen, Hey."

She turned her blond head slightly - spotting Mary-Jane at the end of the isle looking cute in a yellow sundress and heels. Her stomach did a sudden flop - causing her to groan inwardly and force a smile.

"Hey. Peter said he talked with you last week. Thanks for the knives."

A wedding gift the red head probably wished she could use to stab her with repeatedly.

"No problem! Pete told me you were at work when I called last week to congratulate you guys on your wedding.." That I wasn't invited too. Gwen could read Mary-Jane like a book.

"Yeah, work." She muttered, looking everywhere but at her red headed company. "Peter was in charge of the guest list." She said suddenly; causing Mary-Jane to glare at her. "I wanted it to just be us at the court house but he went and asked for my dad's permission and they surprised me at the chapel. It was just us and my family."

Why was she rambling? Why was it so hot in here? She glanced back at the pickles silently wishing MJ would disappear and she could go back to selecting one of the many options.

"I'm happy for you guys. Peter really loves you - anyone can see it."

Gwen smiled. That was the truth and she loved him just as fiercely.

"He's the best thing to ever happen to me." She assured as Mary-Jane glanced toward the door. Gwen took in a breath; bile rising in her throat as nausea took over. "I just hope his, side job, doesn't change your mind. It's not easy loving someone who has so much responsibility. He'll choose this city over you."

Gwen narrowed her eyes at Mary-Jane's words. "It's as easy as breathing - loving him and I would never make him choose me over protecting the people of New York. That's why it could never work with you two. What he does is bigger than the both of us."

Mary-Jane stared at Gwen for a long moment; turning her eyes to Peter as he walked up behind his wife.

"Hey beautiful." He whispered, kissing Gwen's hair as he glanced towards Mary-Jane who could only gape at the couple. Anyone that looked at them could feel the love they had for each other - it was almost painful to watch. "MJ, thanks for the knives." Peter muttered - forcing a smile to his ex-girlfriend.

The irony of the gift wasn't lost to him either.

"It was good seeing you guys. I've got to catch the L train to Manhattan. Take care." The red head assured, waving as she turned and left as quickly as she appeared. Gwen looked up at Peter feeling as green as she looked.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, it's so hot in here."

Peter glanced around, feeling comfortable in the small super market. A police officer walked up to them then, glancing at the array of pickles. The walkie on his chest came to life as dispatch called out informing any local officers that there was a gang of thugs spotted in an alleyway on 28th street with an attempt to sell narcotics. Peter glanced to Gwen then the officer as she gave him a slight nod; forcing a smile.

"I won't be long. I'll meet you at home, ok?"

"Go get em, Ace." She whispered out of ear shot of the officer, returning her attention to the wall of pickles as Peter kissed her temple again - jogging out of the store.

Finally, pickles, she thought - grabbing a jar that said crunchy across the front.Another jar caught her eye - bread and butter pickles? She grabbed that jar too and turned to the front of the store; moving in line to pay for the two random jars of pickles. There was a woman in front of her with a toddler on her hip and a smaller baby in a carrier - causing Gwen to smile.

The lady glanced at her, smiling as she bounced the toddler gently.

"I love pickles." She assured, nodding to Gwen's full hands. "When I was pregnant with this one I couldn't get enough."

Gwen winked at the toddler causing him to squeal in delight; reaching for her.

"How far along are you?" The random woman asked - switching her son to her other hip. "Oh, I'm not..." Gwen glanced down at the jars in her hands suddenly - doing some quick math in her head as the woman watched; giving her a knowing smile.

"I have a sixth sense about these things honey, plus you look like a petite girl and those boobs are definitely swollen."

Gwen looked down at her boobs. Peter had mentioned something about them being bigger a few nights ago but she hadn't thought much about it during the heat of the moment. He'd shrugged it off to to much take-out and definitely wasn't complaining.

"Isle twelve, honey." The woman assured as the cashier called her over to ring up her groceries. Gwen could only stare at her in horror before she turned on her heels and made her way to isle twelve where tampons, pads and pregnancy tests awaited her.

X

Peter unlocked the apartment door quickly, still in his normal clothes as NY's finest had everything under control when he arrived at the scene. Maybe one day he could retire from the Spider-Man gig, he thought - flipping the light on and flooding the room in light. Gwen sat at the small kitchen table staring down at her hands, an empty jar that once contained pickles to her left.

"Hey..."

She didn't look up and he noticed she was holding something; a white and pink - stick? tightly in her grasp. It looked foreign to him.

"Gwendy? You alright?"

Her head hung down; new tears forming as they began to fall down her rose colored cheeks. She didn't have the strength to brush them away anymore. A sob escaped her as Peter closed the space between them and sat down in the other seat backwards after bringing it across from her. "Hey? What's wrong?"

"I.. I don't know how..." Her voice was so quiet.

"What? Are you hurt?" Panic began to grow in his chest at the sight of her. She was completely broken. Her head shook no so slightly he barely saw it. "Talk to me, Gwen."

Her tearful eyes finally met his and it broke his heart. What could have her so upset? He glanced between them getting a better look at the device she held so protectively. A pregnancy test?

"I took my pills exactly like I was supposed to. I know there's always a chance but we were so careful..."

Peter felt a pain shift in his chest, concern turning into something else. Uncertainty? Fear? Anger? He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat - glaring at his everything.

"Did you know about this last week when you asked me about kids?"

"No! I just found out.. the lady at the store.."

Peter looked at the pickles then the test in her grip. She wouldn't let it go - protecting it, protecting the baby they had made. A baby he couldn't protect. The others? Rhino - Electro - Dr Octavius? What would they do when they found out he had a kid? They would rip him apart to get to it. They would make him choose between saving his wife - the only person he loved in this whole fucking world or their child, the only person he would love more than Gwen.

Peter stood suddenly - causing his chair to fly across the room as he began to pace.

"Peter, this isn't a bad thing. I know we're just getting started but a baby is a blessing..."

"A blessing?!" He yelled causing her to sit back in her chair - startled at his raised voice. "There's super villains out there who spend all their free time plotting my death. Imagine what they'll do to you or our kid. How the hell am I supposed to keep you safe?"

Gwen stood quickly - reaching for him as he turned to the front door; punching the wall so hard it left an intention of his fist in the wood. She fell back on her heels - watching as he jerked the door open and left; slamming it behind him without another word.

X

A/N: whaaat. I hope this chapter wasn't rushed. I wanted to get it out there so quick but I don't want the story to suffer for it. Hope you liked it! Let me know! Please review! I check my phone all through out the day waiting to see if I get a review. ✌