Liz was glad to go home with good news. It was the first time in a long time that she felt good. After everything going on, life had been rough, and Liz enjoyed the moments as they passed through. She finished off the conversation she was indulged with Betty on the bus and hopped of, ready to finally wear that nice, pink dress in her closet. There was a car that was parked in the driveway that hadn't been there in a while.

It was her father's.

When Liz walked in, her parents were having a conversation on the couch. She walked up and questioned herself. He was here. And this time, it wasn't just his voice on the other side of the phone, only to be taken away by her mother. It was actually him.

"...Dad?" Liz asked, just to make sure. Her backpack was still on her shoulder, shoes still on, as well.

Mr. Toomes arose from the couch, and without thinking twice about it, Liz wrapped her arms tightly around her dad.

She sniffled and wiped her nose on her sleeve while she was still hugging. The day just got so much brighter for her.

"Dad, what happened?" Liz questioned, as he slowly pulled away.

She realized that he, too, started to sniffle and get on the edge to crying.

Mr. Toomes opened his mouth, slowly picking his words before he spoke. "It's a long story," he replied, "but I missed you so, so much."

"I got a date to homecoming."

That was blunt, and Liz knew it. But she was done cutting corners and hiding the truth. She wanted to be happy and live life how it used to be; not hiding from death, not keeping secrets and sneaking around.

Her father's eyes widened a bit in surprise. "Homecoming?" he repeated. "Who is it?"

Liz smiled, her face still slightly wet, although they were starting to be tears of joy. Thoughts filled her brain; all happy, of course, because she was joyful. Thoughts of when her and her new date to homecoming would bump in the halls, or that strange phone call she had on Ned's phone with him. She thought about his shy, adorable smile when ever they passed each other and how much he'd changed within a few years.

She couldn't believe she looked at him as a nerd when he was much, much more.

Liz didn't hesitate to respond to her father - and mother, considering she was on the couch listening in on the conversation. "Peter Parker," Liz answered, with a smile spread across her face.

The rest of the night, Liz and her parents had happy thoughts, laughing, playing bored games...just having fun, like they had in the old times. They were a happy family again, enjoying themselves. It was like nothing ever happened. Like Liz's father didn't almost die, and he wasn't keeping secrets; like Liz was always safe on the Washington Monument and she thought about normal things that a teen should.

And after a quick, light and early dinner, Liz went upstairs and took a nice, relaxing shower, letting the warm water wash over her body. It was refreshing to no end. She closed her eyes, soaking it all in before finally getting out.

Then Liz started to get changed. She repainted her nails a matching shade of pink to the dress she planed to wear and put nice curls in her hair after drying it. She picked out a simple, but cute pair of shoes that matched.

She sat on her bed with her phone in her hand, now in a robe when Liz had the sudden urge to go call Peter. She wanted to hear his voice again, make sure that this wasn't just a dream. But at the last second, she put her phone down on her bed. Calling him now would feel rushed.

It was crazy, though, how much her thoughts had changed about him; how much she couldn't realized that she like Peter back.

But, she picked it up and called Betty Brant. She answered almost immediately.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Betty."

"Liz? It's been a while. Everything okay?"

"Peachy," Liz responded with a small sigh.

Betty didn't reply quickly. She paused, waiting to think her words through. "Your father, too?"

Liz was a bit shocked. How did she know about that? Did it really show? Peter didn't suspect anything, so how did Betty figure out. If she did find out, how much did she really know?

"How did you-" she cut herself off.

"I'm your best friend, Liz," Betty said. "I know you better than you know yourself."

Liz suddenly wanted to change the subject. It was getting awkward. This was information between her and her parents, so how did Betty know it all? Yet, she might be true; Liz hadn't quiet figured herself out. Either way, she had to come up with something new to talk about.

"I found a date today."

"Really? Who?"

"Peter."

"P-Parker?"

"Yes, Betty."

Liz knew that there would be some sort of being made fun of by her best friend now because of her own accepted invitation to homecoming with Peter Parker, the nerd. She knew that Betty would say something like Oh, Liz. You can do better, but she didn't care. It was her choice and it felt...right.

"Oh...kay," Betty replied.

Suddenly, her mother knocked on her ajar door, pushing it open all the way, and hesitantly walking inside. Liz turned her head and watched her mom for a second before returning to the phone held at her ear.

"Betty?" Liz asked into the phone after the short silence.

Liz could tell that she was smiling, even through the phone. "Still here, Liz," Betty answered.

"I gotta go, okay? Talk later."

"C'ya."

Liz hung up the phone and threw it on her bed. It landing with a soft thump! a few inches away from her leg. She turned to her mother.

Mrs. Allan slowly sat down next to her daughter. "It's time to get changed," she said, twisting Liz's hair between her fingers. She let out a small sigh, dropping her hand on her lap. "You're not my little Liz anymore, are you?"

Liz put on her most reassuring smile. "I will always be your little girl, Mom," she replied, wrapping her mother in a hug.

They shortly parted from each other; Mrs. Allan stood up and walked to the closet.

"C'mon," she started, "you should put your dress on now." Mrs. Allan reached her hand inside the closet and pulled it out carrying the pink thigh length dress. She laid it out on the bed, going over it to smoothen the wrinkles from putting it down.

"I'm sure that Peter will be here to pick you up soon," she continued. "I'll be downstairs with your father, okay?"

Liz nodded and her mother continued again. "We are proud of you, Liz," Mrs. Allan said. "And we love you very much. Your father...he's just been busy."

"Mom, it's okay," Liz replied, standing up. "It's fine."

It was now her mom's turn to nod, and she did, accepting the response. Without saying another word, she walked out of the room and shut the door behind her, leaving Liz alone once more with her thoughts, and the pink dress laying out on her bed.