Peter springs into action, jumping onto the four-foot wall and reaching out his hand for Kate as he moves and she falls in seemingly slow-motion. As he puts his hand out, the tips of his fingers meet Kate's, then separate. Quickly, he decides what he has to do. He does not want to do it, but Kate must be saved. He thinks about this in less than a half-second. With Kate only four meters down, he shoots a fast web from his right hand that grabs the bottom of Kate's left wrist. He holds onto the back of the edge of the wall with his free hand, using some web to stick to the back of the edge, anchoring himself on the back end as Kate's weight weighs him down on the front. He pulls Kate up, and she is able to grab the edge and climb back over capably. Peter goes back to the safety of the roof, too, letting go of the web and making it disconnect from the shooter. He pulls his sleeves over his shooters.
For a moment, they look at each other, not knowing exactly what to feel. They are both a mix of relieved at the save, nervous at the other's thoughts about what just happened, angry at the lack of trust from the other, and grateful for the real trust they have.
Kate in shock. Her jaw is dropped. She asks, "What just happened?"
They both know very well what just happened.
"You were going over," Peter says, "and I saved you."
"You did," Kate replies, wide-eyed. "With webs. You're Spider-Man."
Desperate, Peter tries to lie his way out of the situation. "It was a traumatic moment," he says. "You might not be thinking straight. Maybe you're in shock."
"I AM in shock," Kate says, "at the fact that you're Spider-Man."
"I'm not Spider-Man," Peter denies, annoyed in tone at having to repeat the falsehood again.
"Explain THIS," Kate says, holding up her left arm. Web is on the wrist.
"I don't know WHAT that's from," Peter says. "Could be from anything."
"Like web shooters?" Kate asks. "Show me your wrists."
"It's cold," Peter objects. "I don't wanna have to pull up my sleeves for this."
"It's only for a couple seconds, it's fine," Kate responds. "Let's see those 'braces.'"
Peter is done. He knows he cannot hide the truth any longer. Kate has figured it out. He pulls up his sleeves, showing Kate the web shooters around his wrists.
Kate looks Peter in the eye, trying to hide her judging excitement.
Peter, however, cannot bring himself to look at Kate, now that reality is out there. He lied to her, vehemently, severely, several times. He sighs and mumbles, "I'm Spider-Man."
"What was that?" Kate asks, thinking she knows what Peter heard but wanting clarification. She steps towards him and puts her hand on her ear to hear better.
Peter blurts out clearly, "I'm Spider-Man, okay? Now just let me go, please. Look, I'm sorry I lied to you, but it's what I had to do."
"You're Spider-Man," Kate says, going through another round of awe.
Peter nods.
"Why'd you lie?" Kate asks.
"To keep you safe," Peter says. Now that Kate knows he lied, he does not want to have to face her. He wants to bottle everything up and just go. He decides to do just that. He sighs heavily and puts his right hand up out in front of him, folding in his middle and ring fingers, with his index and pinkie fingers pointed forward in that classic pose. Just as he is about to shoot a web at a billboard across the street, Kate stops him, putting her left hand on his outstretched right. Peter looks her in the eyes, embarrassed and ashamed about everything.
Kate shakes her head. "Don't go," she says. "Let's figure this out. There's time."
Peter's voice is choking up. "Last time this happened," he says, "people got hurt. I can't let that happen again. You don't deserve this. No one does."
"Who else knows?" Kate asks.
"Just you, as far as I know," Peter says.
"We'll figure it out," Kate says reassuringly. "I'm positive."
"If another Mysterio finds out," Peter says, "or another Vulture, or another Lizard or Sandman or Electro, you could get hurt. You could die."
"You saw me on the news," Kate replies. "I can fight."
Peter shakes his head. "Not gonna risk it."
"Yeah, you are," Kate says. She intertwines her fingers with Peter's, their hands outstretched from Peter almost leaving a moment ago. Almost awkwardly, yet instinctually and with captivation, Kate kisses Peter on his cheek, his left one.
At that point, a few tears fall from Peter's eyes. "Can't risk it," he says, blinking away any more tears.
"I won't tell anyone," Kate says. "I promise. Okay? Give me a chance. Give this a chance."
Peter lowers his hand. "I can't ask you to do this," he says, as if agreeing. He does not want Kate to get hurt, if it comes to that.
"Odds?" Kate asks. "Odds that you make a major enemy?"
"Low, I guess," Peter answers.
"Okay, then," Kate says. "We have each other's backs. I helped you last night. You helped me with those criminals that one time. Your enemies are my enemies."
This last statement by Kate makes Peter realize that she is in this thing with him and that she is willing to risk any consequences that come because of it. That is enough for Peter to quit worrying about bad guys and start worrying about himself. He is okay. Without directly stating his agreement, he says, "I'll explain everything."
"There's time for that later," Kate says. "Now's the time for me to show you how to use a bow." She lets go of Peter and walks around on the roof, looking for the bow.
"What is it?" Peter asks.
"I dropped my bow," Kate says. "A second ago, when you saved me. Look, I'm sorry for being prideful or whatever and risking us both like that. Ah, I'm an idiot."
"You're not an idiot," Peter says, wiping away the tears stained on his face. "I'm sorry if I gave you too hard of a target to shoot at."
"I wasn't hard at all," Kate mumbles, embarrassed and feeling guilty about her faultiness in the situation. "I'm so stupid. I didn't have to lean over like that. I guess we're lucky we're both still alive."
"I had you the whole way," Peter says. "Look, it's okay. Just be more careful, okay? For your sake."
Kate nods. "Yeah, I should be." She thinks she might cry, but she is tough, and there is no way she will. But for a passing second, she thinks there is a chance.
Peter feels like he should lighten the mood, especially with the seriousness of the reveal of his identity. "Let's go get your bow," he suggests. "If it isn't shattered by now."
"It's a strong bow," Kate replies. "It definitely held up. Now we just gotta make sure no one took it."
"I'll stay up here," Peter offers, "while you go down to get it, and I'll keep watch."
"Why can't you swing down, Spider-Man?" Kate responds.
"So other people don't know," Peter states.
"Why does it have to be like that?" Kate asks.
"I'll explain later," Peter says. "Can we just please get the bow this way?"
"Yeah, sure," Kate agrees. "Explain later, though."
After a couple minutes, the plan goes well and Kate is back on the roof with the bow. "You want a turn?" She asks Peter.
"No," Peter answers jokingly, "but I'll give it a try anyway."
"Now, have you ever shot an arrow before?" Kate asks.
"No," Peter says. "The one time I tried, Mr. Barton stopped me before I ruined anything."
'"Mr. Barton?'" Kate repeats. "Dude, just call him Clint, he seriously doesn't mind."
"I guess you'd know," Peter says.
"I do," Kate says. She hands Peter the bow. "Now, hold it like Hawkeye does."
"How does he hold it?" Peter asks.
Kate takes the bow back and holds it how Peter is supposed to. "Like this." She gives the bow back to Peter. "Here, try again."
Peter tries again but cannot figure out how to hold it correctly.
"Okay, you're helpless," Kate says teasingly.
"Ouch," Peter reacts.
Kate gets behind Peter and puts her hands on the back of his, her arms laid across his almost perfectly. Both get a rush of adrenaline and happiness. Kate takes a deep breath, trying to prolong the moment, while Peter waits for instruction, feeling warm and at home in Kate's arms.
Kate moves Peter's hands to the correct position. Then she tells him, "Here, spread your feet some." She kicks the insides of his feet, making him widen his stance. "Now, pull back and shoot."
"Pull back and shoot," Peter repeats.
"Aim for that billboard," Kate points at a billboard on a building directly across the street.
Peter aims at the billboard.
"Higher," Kate says.
Peter jolts his arms higher.
"Lower," Kate corrects.
Peter gets the aim right.
"Now, pull back and fire," Kate instructs, "but keep the arrow steady."
Peter pulls back on the string and closes one eye, aiming at his target. Then, he lets the arrow loose.
It crashes into the ground two feet in front of him.
Peter and Kate look at each other, both expressionless, trying to find an expression in the other. After two seconds of this awkward standoff, they laugh at each other for being so non-reactant. It starts slow, but in eight seconds or so, they can hardly stand.
Kate says through laughs, "Okay, try again."
"I'm good for today!" Peter laughs.
"No, try again!" Kate pushes, still laughing.
"Fine!" Peter responds, hardly able to stand still from laughing. He picks up the arrow and goes through the motions again and fires, laughing all the while (as does Kate).
The arrow sails over the billboard to parts of New York unseen from the building.
This makes Peter and Kate laugh even harder, and they fall against each other back-to-back and slink to the ground, barely able to even sit up straight as they laugh together. They give that up entirely, falling in opposite directions onto the concrete roof as their laughter begins to die down but persists nonetheless. Now, their sides hurt and they need to catch their breath. They glance at each other, but this is too much, and they laugh again.
Meanwhile, two streets over, a very annoyed Yelena Belova sees an arrow has flown through her open window directly into her mug of tea. "Not again," she groans.