Well it's been a while since I updated this story. I've been on a writing tangent though. I think the next chapter will be last one but I'm not sure yet. Thanks to everyone who reviewed.
Disclaimer: I don't own Spider-man. It belongs to Marvel comics.
Chapter 5: Realization in the fire
Gwen didn't pay much attention to the parade. She still obsessing over that phone call. She knew she had to leave, but every time she entertained the thought chunks would rise in her throat. Gwen was finally starting to put together a normal life and once again her past ripped it to shreds.
'I should have realized a long ago that my life would never be normal.'
"Earth to Gwen…Come in Gwen."
"I'm sorry Pete, what did you say?"
"I asked you what you thought of the parade. You sure you're alright, you've been out of it since we left Starbauch's."
"I'm fine I was just thinking about the last time I was at a parade."
"Oh. Did your parents take you?"
Gwen couldn't hold in the laugh. Her parents take her to a parade. That would have been a sight. James and Jenny Hargrove at a parade. They wouldn't know what to do with themselves. Jenny would have insulted everyone about their taste in clothing and if anyone came to close to James he'd sue them.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing just thinking of my parents at a parade. My Uncle John took me to a Memorial Day parade when I was five. Uncle John felt sorry for me because he knew what crappy parents his brother and sister-in-law were. He'd always find reasons to get me out of the house and when my parents had to go away he'd stay with me till they got home. Those were the only times I felt safe or happy in the house."
"What happened to him?"
"He died in Bosnia. Uncle John was a highly decorated captain the Marines."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay, you didn't kill him. In fact if he knew you I bet he'd like you a lot. He always thought that anyone who had the ability to change the world for the better and didn't was a jackass."
Gwen and Peter both laughed and walked in silence for the next few blocks, until they saw the sirens up ahead. An apartment building was on fire and a woman was going on about how her baby was still in the apartment.
"What mother would leave their baby in an apartment alone?"
"You got me. Better help though, I'll go in alone."
"Peter I'm getting a really bad feeling from this fire. Remember that dream I told you about?"
"Yea, I remember. If your really worried watch from that roof top over there. If I need help I'll let you know."
"Okay…Just be careful alright."
"I will. Call Aunt Mae and tell her we'll be a little late."
"I'll need to borrow your phone. I lost mine."
Peter gave Gwen a quizzical look but obliged and gave her his phone. He then ran into an alley to change into his Spider-Man costume. Gwen took her position on the roof top across the street and watched Peter go into the building.
"Hey Aunt Mae, how are things going?"
"Their fine dear. Are you and Peter on your way home? Harry's father will be here soon."
"Yea, we're just tied up at the store. I guess a lot of people put off their Thanksgiving shopping to the last minute. The lines are massive so we may be a while."
"Alright dear. Just get home as soon as you can."
"We will, see you soon Aunt Mae."
Gwen clicked off the phone just in time to see Peter diving into the building again. She looked into the street and saw the woman safely holding her baby. She wondered why he'd gone back in. The bad feeling Gwen had intensified so she went in after Peter. Thankfully she got there in time to stop the razor cutters from slicing Peter.
"Well hello again. I was hoping to run into you again. I've made an interesting deal with your former employer. If I can deliver you to them I'll get a very handsome reward that's doubled if I turn in the arachnid too."
"I figured those bastards would cut a deal with you. I'm just surprised they didn't try to take you into custody."
It was then that Goblin noticed that Gwen hadn't taken her eyes off the razor cutters. It didn't take him long to figure out why. Gwen knew what Goblin was going to do and in order to stop him she'd have to break her eye contact. No matter what she did that would happen so she blocked Goblin and left Peter to dodge the cutters.
That spider sense was Peter's saving grace. Thankfully he was able to dodge then without a scratch. It took him a while but he was finally able to destroy all of them. However, not without a nasty cut on his right arm.
Gwen wasn't fairing to well either, Goblin was a tough opponent and she was never given the opportunity to concentrate on him enough to immobilize him. Out of nowhere goblin landed a punch to her face and pulled her hand into the burning flames. She screamed in agony with a hard mental shove Gwen was able to once again send Goblin flying. This time though he only went to the other side of the apartment.
Peter rushed to Gwen's side and checked her hand. It was a bad, her hand was bloody and blistered. She also had a nasty bruise on her left cheek. The bruise wasn't going to be hard to hide, but her hand was another story.
"We've got to get out of here before Goblin can get back to his feet."
"Easier said than done. You gave him a pretty hard push."
Gwen grabbed Peter's arms and they orbed to the roof top across from Peter and Harry's apartment building. Peter got a better look at Gwen's hand. They needed to deal with this quickly or she may loose the hand. Gwen was able to get the first aid kit from Peter's room. Thankfully his cut was easy to hide. He wrapped it and covered the bandage with his shirt sleeve.
Gwen had a tougher time though. Every time Peter rolled bandage over the burn it seared with pain and when he'd out on the burn ointment she had to bite down the scream that wanted to burst from her. This was going to be a hard one to explain to everyone.
"Pete, how am I going to explain this to the others?"
"We'll tell them someone knocked into you at the parade and you burned your hand on the hot coffee."
"Am I going to have to go to the hospital?"
"Probably. We'll give it till tomorrow though okay?"
"Okay, let's get over there Aunt Mae is probably starting to worry."
"Yea. Does it hurt a lot?"
"What do you think?"
Peter just nodded his understanding. He knew all to well the pains of being a hero. Still it was harder for Gwen; her whole life had been pain and loss. Whenever something good came alone fate had to be a bitch and take it from her.
As expected when Peter and Gwen arrived at the apartment Aunt Mae looked worried. Especially when she saw Gwen's hand she'd looked it over and fussed about how clumsy people in a hurry could be. Then Mr. Osbourne arrived and Gwen's stomach churned. From the moment they shook hands Gwen had a bad feeling about him.
"Oh Peter did you get the cranberry sauce?"
"Yea, it took us forever I had to beat an old lady with a stick just to get this can."
"I would have helped but I don't condone abuse of the elderly."
Everyone laughed at the joke, even Mr. Osbourne. That when Gwen felt it, while his guard was down. Something was inside Mr. Osbourne she didn't know what it was but it did not give off a good vibe. She wanted to say something to Peter but she saw how the two men reacted towards one another. Mr. Osbourne treated Peter as a son. She didn't want to ruin that relationship, since she was leaving soon no point in stirring up problems.
"Alright everyone we're ready to begin. This is the boys first Thanksgiving here and we are going to do things properly."
Ever the adamant hostess Aunt Mae placed the perfect stuffing on the table. Norman took some of the stuffing with his fingers. Aunt Mae smacked his fingers in a scolding manner and asked him to carve. Gwen gasped out load when she felt the evil radiating off of him. Everyone turned and looked at her wondering about her outburst especially Peter.
"Sorry, my hand it's really throbbing."
"Oh poor dear. I'll go get you some Tylenol."
"Thanks Aunt Mae, but you don't have to I can get it."
"Nonsense dear. You sit there and dig in. Peter help her cut her turkey."
"Sure thing Aunt Mae."
Norman gave Gwen the strangest look, as if he was trying to see through her. Gwen returned the look never backing down, she wasn't going to show weakness, but she still couldn't shake that feeling from earlier.
"How did you say you hurt your hand again?"
"Clumsy moron knocked into me and I spilled my caramel macchiato on my hand."
The look on Norman's face terrified Gwen although she didn't let it show on her face. Norman for a brief moment flashed a look she often found Peter with. It was a look of realization she had dubbed 'the light bulb look'. Norman jumped from his chair and went to get his jacket.
"Dad, what's the matter?"
"Something has just come to my attention which I need to attend to."
"What do you mean?"
"I can't explain right now, I need to go."
Everyone inside the apartment heard the argument between Harry and his father. The all cringed and looked at Mary Jane when they heard how Mr.Osbourne had described the relationship between Harry and Mary Jane. Then when Harry came back and actually defended his father's actions to everyone else. It was understandable that Mary Jane walked out.
"God Harry you can be a real asshole sometimes."
"What do you know Gwen?"
"I know about fathers that are assholes, so please don't defend that bastard in front of me."
"How dare you speak of my father that way? After I let you stay here."
"Save it Harry, I'll make it easier for you and leave."
Gwen stormed out of the room and went to 'her' room and started to pack her things. A few minutes later Peter came into the room. He looked at Gwen and the suitcase on her bed.
"You're really leaving?"
"I have no choice. Peter, I……I think that. Oh to hell with it, Norman Osbourne is the Green Goblin."
Peter just stared at Gwen with an almost shocked and even disbelief.
"How do you know?"
"Call it a gut instinct. Don't you think it's weird that Mr.Osbourne asked me about my hand and then he jumped up saying something 'had just come to his attention'. He knows about me."
Gwen didn't get explain anything else because a giant explosion ripped the room apart. When the smoke cleared the Green Goblin was hovering over them. Gwen's instinct was to shove Peter out of the room, but it was too late the Goblin had seen him.
"I had a feeling we'd see each other again my dear, although I'm amazed that you didn't loose that hand."
"We're past games by know, so why don't you just take off the mask Norman."
Goblin put his index finger over his mouth and shook his head. Then he looked at Peter.
"Careful dear, can't be spilling the beans too quickly, we have to wait until your pal Spider-Man comes."
Peter ran to check on Aunt Mae and Harry. They were okay some cuts and bruises but other than that they were fine. They both looked much shaken by the whole incident.
"Pete, where's Gwen, is she okay?"
"Yea, I'm going to go get her. Get Aunt Mae to the hospital, we'll be there soon."
Harry did as Peter instructed with some argument from Aunt Mae, she'd recently lost her husband she couldn't bear the thought of loosing her nephew too. Peter went to help Gwen, but when he got to the room he only found fire, debris, and a note.
Tell your friend Spider-Man to meet me at the Lincoln Bridge if he wants to see his little girlfriend again. (A/N: Sounds corny but hey, works for me.)
Peter re-read the part about Gwen being his little girlfriend. What would make Goblin think that? Yes, he and Gwen formed a very strong bond in a few weeks. He'd told her everything, which was more than he could tell Mary Jane. Peter felt comfortable with Gwen and trusted her more than anyone else. Was it possible, that his feelings for Mary Jane had transferred to Gwen? It couldn't be possible; you can't find love that fast. Then he remembered his Aunt and Uncle, they were pretty young when they got married. He always knew that love wasn't supposed to be easy or simple. He'd figure out his feelings for Gwen later, right now he had to make sure they at least had a chance at a relationship.
There it is. I know I kind of left you guys with a cliff-hanger but it was necessary. Don't forget to review