A/N: Man, this one took a while! It was half-finished for ages but then I ended up finished a whole bunch of other stories before getting to this one. In fact this one was half-written even before chapter 5! Sorry it took so long!

This chapter is a bit angstier than the rest, though it's not heavy, and the ending is as fluffy and happy as you'd want! It's about 6000 words long so it's another biggie like chapter 2! This is kind of the end of the first 'arc' I imagined when I thought of the premise. You'll see what I mean!

There's a teeny tiny amount of Spanish - some of which is taken straight from the official Miles Morales comics, and other bits I gleaned from some online research. There's not enough for me to go horribly wrong (I hope) but yeah, consider this my 'get out of jail free' card if I did somehow misfire :P

Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 6: Manic Monday

Ham woke up face-down in a pile of pillows on the floor of Peter B's walk-in closet. B's snoring grumbled beyond the wood-paneled walls like an idling garbage truck.

Monday…

Ham reached into the back pocket of his pajamas and pulled out a calendar. Then he pulled out a match.

"What's a pig gotta do to get a light around here?"

He struck the match and checked his calendar. Sure enough, it was Monday - and that meant J. Jonah Jackal would be expecting him in the office.

Can't hang around here too long, otherwise ole sourpuss will get his panties in a twist.

Ham flipped the light switch, which in hindsight he should've done in the first place, then picked up his shoulder bag. His work clothes and camera were safely stowed away, along with his Spider-Ham outfit.

I'll drop this off back home first, he thought as he yanked the familiar red and blue costume out of the bag and jammed it in his pocket along with his infinite supply of matches.

The living room was empty. So was the dining area. Ham dropped his bag by the sofa and settled in beside one of its plush cushions.

Peni must've gone to bed already.

No sooner had that thought entered his mind than the door to the pantry/kitchen swung open. Tiny steps, overshadowed by loud rustling, tapped across the dining area. Ham stood up. Messy black hair peeped over the bar.

"Peni?"

She jumped in surprise. The rustling object thudded to the floor and fell silent. Peni's hair disappeared below the bar.

Ham couldn't wait any longer. He trotted off of the sofa, hopped onto a stool and peered over to see what the young genius was up to.

"You alright down there?"

Peni looked up, "I thought I'd make you breakfast! This is the time you normally wake up, right?"

Ham sat down on his stool, "Well, yes, but-"

"Good," she sighed in relief, "I've been trying to keep track but you get up so early I was worried the house wasn't comfortable or something."

He waved his hand, "Nothing wrong with the house, Peni. Getting up early is just one of those things that comes with age. That, and it helps me keep my job at the Daily Beagle."

"Does J. Jonah Jackal get up early?" she asked as she placed a bag of flour on the countertop next to a glass bowl.

"No, but he makes sure I do."

Ham eyed up the ingredients in front of him as Peni crouched down once again.

Is she… baking me something?

She stood up carrying eggs, milk and butter.

Definitely some bakery going on here.

"Uh, Peni-?"

She cracked an egg into the bowl, "Do you like pancakes?"

"I do, but you don't have to-"

She wagged her finger, "I want to!"

"I can have cereal. It's faster, anyway."

She poured some flour in, covering the eggs, "What's the rush?"

"Well, you know, like I said, Jonah expects me to get in at the crack of dawn. Also, don't you need baking powder in there?"

She gasped and clapped her hands to her mouth, "Oh no! I knew I was forgetting something!"

"It's no big deal, kiddo, you can just-"

She ran back into the kitchen before Ham could finish his sentence. He climbed onto the bar and opened one of the drawers on the other side, looking for a whisk.

Even geniuses need a little help sometimes, huh, he thought with a smile, well don't worry Peni, when it comes to pancakes I'm second to none.

As he whisked the eggs and flour together, it occurred to him that she still needed to add the milk. Clanks, thuds and thumps echoed ominously from beyond the kitchen door. He didn't have much time.

I don't want her to think she messed up again.

Quickly he unscrewed the top of the milk bottle and poured some into the bowl.

That's more like it.

Peni came back into the dining room huffing and puffing.

"Ham, what are you doing!?" she exclaimed, carrying an industrial size bag of baking powder in her slender arms, "I'm meant to be making it for you!"

He patted her on the head as she stood alongside him, "Don't mind me, sweet stuff, I was just holding down the fort while you did your thing. Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Yep!"

She dropped the bag of baking powder beside Ham. It was big enough to be his father.

He whistled, "Well polish my knuckles and call me Thanos… that sure is one heck of a bag of baking powder you got there."

"Sorry," she said in a small voice, "I didn't really think when I generated it in the infinity matrix."

"Hey, it happens to the best of us," Ham replied, knowing that even if he asked what the infinity matrix was, he wouldn't understand the answer.

Peni opened the bag for him, and with the help of his round head as a handy dandy pivot, poured a little too much into the bowl.

"There!" she declared with a smile, "Now it's ready!"

Ham regretted his next words before he even spoke them, "How about the sugar?"

Peni facepalmed loud enough that it made Ham jump, "I'm so stupid…! Just a minute, okay?"

She went and fetched an equally colossal bag of sugar, apologized, poured in too much (once again using Ham's head as a pivot) till finally-

"Is that it?"

"Looks good to me, Peni!"

-they had all the ingredients in the bowl mixed together into a nice, smooth batter.

"Okay," Peni said, "now I'll fry up the pancakes for you. How many do you want?"

Ham rested his hand on Peni's shoulder, "I can do the frying."

"No! I said I'd make this for you and I'm gonna do it!"

"You really don't have to, you know. It's the thought that counts."

She became flustered, "No it's, I just want to, okay? I wanna make you pancakes."

Not wanting to push her any further, Ham nodded and said, "Okay, in that case I'll have three small pancakes. Or one big one. If you do need help, though-"

She gave him a gentle poke on his snout, "I don't! Now sit your butt down on the stool and wait for me to bring the pancakes out."

The kitchen/pantry door opened, closed, and Ham was left sitting alone on his stool, staring at the twin peaks of the sugar and baking powder bags. In his normal day-to-day life he was always the first up, and last to bed. His mornings and evenings were always spent alone.

I could really get used to living here, he thought, though I can't just leave Aunt May all by herself.

Suddenly a tremendous clatter erupted from the kitchen, followed by a frustrated groan.

"Peni?" Ham called.

"Stay there! I'm fixing it!"

Ham stayed put and strained his ears to hear what was going on behind the closed kitchen door. For a while he couldn't make out anything, then he heard a gasp, a series of clicks, and finally-

"Oh my god," Peni sighed as she shouldered the door open, "I can't believe that worked. They're a little burned, but…"

"But nothing!" Ham reassured her, "A pancake is a pancake kiddo. They always taste good."

"You haven't gotta eat them if you don't wanna."

He pulled a plastic knife and fork out of his back pocket, "Do I look like the kinda pig to say no to free food?"

Peni frowned, "I just thought they'd turn out better…"

"You're beating yourself up too much. Y'know, I was a terrible cook in my school years," Ham explained as Peni placed a plate of three very small (and very burned) pancakes in front of him, "but nowadays I'm a compulsive stress baker. Time changes everything, Peni, and you've got plenny of it! See what I did there? Peni, Plenny? Pun of the century right there if I do say so myself."

His terrible pun didn't do much to cheer Peni up (and he didn't blame her, it wasn't his best). She was staring off into nowhere, her face droopy and forlorn.

"These taste great," he said with a wink, even as his tastebuds told him otherwise, "It's not every day that you get your breakfast made for you."

She walked round to the other side of the bar and sat on a stool next to him, "I just… I thought… you know, as you're going home… I wanted to do something special…"

"You're talking like I'm going off to another planet or something."

"Well it is another dimension."

"That you can reach any time via a magic door."

"I know, but it's not… it just seems so far away…"

Now he understood. He patted her on the head, "It's been a good weekend, Peni. I don't want it to end either, but Mondays have a way of turning up uninvited. You gotta remember though, that for every Monday there's also a corresponding Saturday and Sunday, and let's not forget Friday! Come next weekend I'll be right back here. After all, you can't beat the ambianceof a swirling void side-eyeing you while you swim in a high-tech swimming pool! The time'll fly by, just you watch."

Peni rubbed her eyes, "Wish I wasn't so sleepy."

Ham whipped some maple syrup out of his pocket and drowned one of the pancakes in it, "You should hop on into bed."

"I wanna stay up a bit longer. At least until you go."

The pancakes tasted a lot better with the syrup, "Can't get enough of my pork rind, huh?"

A hint of a smile crossed her face, "I guess not. Though I might need a break to recover from your dad jokes."

"A week won't be nearly enough. You'd need a whole sabbatical, maybe a trip to Mars and back."

Her eyes started to sparkle with mischievous glee, "I was thinking Saturn."

Ham pointed his fork at her, "I'm disappointed in you Peni. You didn't even consider Neptune?"

"I wanted to visit Neptune, but it's just a little too close to Uranus."

"Hah! Well you've got me there, kiddo… Oh! Looks like these pancakes have been officially demolished too."

Her face became serious again, "So you're going now?"

"Fraid so. If I don't go now Jonah might literally eat me for breakfast, and no one wants that - not even Jonah."

Ham picked up his shoulder bag and trotted over to the interdimensional door hidden away beside his and Peter B's shared bedroom. Today it was bright white, with a little golden handle. It looked completely unassuming, completely normal. If you didn't look out the window, you'd never know the house was suspended in a quantum uncertainty space or whatever the heck Peni called it.

"Well," Ham said, suddenly feeling a bit blue himself, "I'll see you next weekend Peni."

Peni looked down at him sadly, "See you…"

Ham reached for the handle, but it was just a little too high. He stretched his arm out towards it, and as if by magic the handle drifted down to his fingers. He looked over his shoulder - Peni had her tablet out.

She rubbed her eyes again, "Forgot I set it so high."

He put on his best smile, "Thanks."

The handle was cold under his pudgy fingers. He gave it a twist and the door began to smoothly swing open. Beyond the doorway swirled the deep blue vortex that would take him home.

"Here goes nothing!" he declared, and with one last wave at Peni stepped through the portal. One trotter on the cool tiles of the interdimensional house, one trotter on the creaky floorboards of his bedroom. Before he knew it the house was gone from view. He looked back; no longer was the door white. Instead it was a faded brown, old wood.

That's never gonna not feel strange… he thought, then he began to unpack his civilian clothes.

"Time to go to work."

Miles sighed, "Time to go to school, I guess."

Then it dawned on him: he was still in the interdimensional house. It was almost 8am. The dorm manager would be coming round any minute now, knocking on doors, and he wasn't gonna be there.

"¡Hostia PU-"

Suddenly his phone started ringing. He answered it.

"Mom?"

"Miles!? Are you alright?"

"Uhh, yeah?"

"You didn't message me all weekend."

He dragged his hand across his face, "Yeah, sorry about that."

"I tried to call, but I couldn't get through."

"Yeah that's uh, you know," he looked around the room, as if an answer would materialize out of the darkness, "I… forgot to charge it. I'm an idiot."

"Chiquito, you can't worry me like that!"

"I'm sorry…"

Out of the corner of his eye he saw his bedroom door inching itself open.

"Mom, I gotta go now. The dorm manager's about to show up and Ganke's still asleep. If I don't wake him up-"

"You go, baby. Just don't forget to text your momma from time to time, okay?"

"Don't worry Mom, I won't forget. I promise. Love you."

"Love you! Have a nice day at school!"

"I will."

He hung up. A gangly silhouette stood in the doorway, staring at him. It raised one of its arms.

"Miles…" came a sleepy voice.

"Peni!?"

She shuffled into his room, disappearing into the shadows, "I was wondering if you wanted to play a game or something."

He reached for his bedside lamp and turned it on. When he saw Peni he gasped.

"Peni, are you alright!?"

She was as pale as pale gets. The bags under her eyes were so dark she looked like she was cosplaying an anthropomorphic panda.

"I'm fine," she slurred, thwomping her butt down on the edge of his bed with a yawn, "Just a lil' tired."

"Just a lil', huh?"

"What time is it?" she asked, groggily looking over in his direction.

Miles checked his phone, "7:56, which means I gotta get to school A.S.A.P."

Peni flopped back onto his bed, "Why does school even exist?"

"You're preaching to the choir."

"I think I have school today."

"You think you do?" Miles asked as he rolled out of bed.

"Sometimes we test the mech on a Monday."

"That sounds a lot better than school."

"It is, cos all the tests involve," she yawned again, "blowing stuff up."

Miles pulled on a pair of navy blue socks, "Didn't take you as the 'blowing stuff up' type."

"I don't blow up people. Just… things."

He opened his dresser drawer and grabbed his balled-up school uniform, "What kinda things?"

"Target dummies, mostly. They're made of a special kind of concrete. Except strong."

"Concrete isn't strong?"

"This is stronger. It's like," she spread her arms wide, "mega strong. Super duper."

"Uh-huh. Look, Peni, I appreciate the company and all, but I'mma need you to step outside for a minute while I get my school threads on."

She rolled onto her side, "D'you think Gwen's free?"

"I dunno, I mean, she must have school too, right?"

"Mmm…"

Miles stood there in the shadowy bedroom staring at Peni (who was in turn staring at the wall behind his bed) for perhaps a whole minute before he finally said, "So… do you mind just, stepping out for a minute? I gotta get my uniform on and everything."

She rubbed her eyes, "Sorry, of course, I… I'm not thinking straight."

He smiled, trying his best not to look too concerned, "Don't sweat it. Maybe get some sleep, though."

She shook her head, "Nuh-uh, not yet. I need to see everyone… gotta say goodbye to… everyone…"

And with those words she turned and shuffled back out the way she came. Miles quietly pushed his bedroom door closed, listening to make sure she wasn't about to wander back inside. Then he started getting changed.

Gwen looked into the bathroom mirror and frowned. Her grim reflection frowned back.

Kill me now.

She picked up her toothbrush, ran it under some water, then-

"Gwen…"

She froze.

Did my toothbrush just… speak to me?

Eyes locked on the brush, she asked, "Hello…?"

"Gwen…"

Then she realized: the voice was coming from behind her.

"Peni? Whoa! Are you alright?"

Peni looked even worse than she did.

Like a zombie her friend mumbled, "You're going to school, right?"

"Uh, yeah. Aren't you?"

She staggered forward, "It can wait."

Gwen moved to the side, out of the way of the sink, "Wanna brush your teeth?"

"Can I hug you?"

"Hug me?"

Without warning two stringy warms clamped themselves around her waist.

Peni spoke into Gwen's stomach, "Has anyone ever told you you're…squishy?"

"Is that a compliment?"

"Of course!"

Gwen stared out at the hall, searching for help, but it was empty.

"Look, Peni-"

"How about we… skip school today…"

"Yeah, no. I'm on thin ice already. Gotta make it work where I can. Today might be the first day ever that I turn up on time."

Peni grumbled, "Aww come on Gwen."

"Nope."

Still facing the hall, Gwen reached behind her back to grab some toothpaste. Contorting herself to her body's limit, she snatched up the tube with the tips of her fingers and squirted some onto her toothbrush.

Peni asked, "Can you take me with you?"

Gwen's mouth was too full of minty fresh 'FLUORINE PLUS' to reply.

She continued, "I can move the house. Or your school… or both, if you want."

Gwen didn't particularly want either of those.

"…I was thinking we could play a game, maybe…"

Gwen put an arm round Peni's back and spun them around. In order it was: her, then Peni, then the sink. Not ideal.

"Gool Gwahbha bgloob oudda da aahgy," she said.

"Huh?"

It was hopeless, as she'd expected. Doing her best to aim over Peni's head, Gwen took the plunge and spat out the toothpaste towards the sink. It arced in a beautiful line through the air, a sparkly cyan slop, then it splattered safely into the sink. Peni was unharmed.

"I said, you'll wanna move outta the way."

"Oh…"

She saw something flick past in the mirror. Someone.

"Miles!" she called out, unable to completely hide the desperation in her voice.

He backtracked, coming into view just beyond the doorway. Gwen watched him through the mirror.

"Gwen!" he said sheepishly, "I see you found Peni…"

"She found me."

Peni sparked into life, "Miles!"

She unlatched herself and shambled towards the new arrival. Gwen took her chance. Toothbrush still in hand she zipped past Peni and out the bathroom door.

"Gwen! Nooo!"

Gwen dashed down the hall towards her bedroom, trying hard not to look back, "Sorry Peni, I still have to put my uniform on!"

Miles chased after her, "Gwen, we need to talk!"

"I'm kinda in a hurry!"

"It's about Peni!"

Gwen slowed down, "Peni? What, you mean she's not just having a sugar crash?"

"Well-"

Suddenly they heard a deep thud from the other end of the hall. It was Noir, crouched in front of the bathroom with a hand on his hat.

"What's all the ruckus about?"

Peni shot into his waiting arms, "Noir!"

He held her tightly, "You weren't there when I woke up, doll. Everything alright?"

"Noir…"

Gwen looked at Miles. Miles looked at Gwen. Gwen looked at her phone.

"I've got five minutes."

Miles barged through her bedroom door, "That'll have to be enough!"

"Miles, wait! Enough for what?"

Noir embraced Peni as she sat on his lap. They were both snugly embedded in a couch in the corner of their shared bedroom.

Peni leaned her head against his chest, "Time goes so quickly…"

The warm light of the hall crept under the door into the shadowy bedroom. Darkness was restful. Still. Safe. Peni's shoulder rose and fell softly under his gloved hand. Her spider sat on the brim of his hat, already asleep.

She spoke into his coat, "You're not gonna go, are you?"

"Mmm…"

He had to go. He had to protect the people of New York from themselves.

"Good. I knew you'd stay," she replied.

He didn't correct her. Right now she needed sleep. If the white lie got her there, then it was worth it. Still staring at the door he watched as dark beams began breaking up the hall's steady light. They got darker, bigger. Footsteps.

The door opened. Gwen and Miles with concerned faces.

"Noir," Miles whispered, "you got a minute?"

Peni didn't stir. Noir carefully slid his arms into place and lifted her up, carrying her like a princess. Her eyes flickered open.

"What's-?" she mumbled.

"Go to sleep."

Her eyes became panicked, "Don't leave me."

"I'm not going anywhere."

He kicked the blankets back and gently laid her down on the bed. Then he tucked her in. She rolled onto her side, watching him.

"Stay…"

He crouched beside the bed silently till her eyelids slid closed once more. Finally, she was asleep. Miles and Gwen were still peering through the doorway.

"Alright," Noir said, standing up, "I'm all ears."

Peter B held the phone to his ear as he swung down 2nd Avenue in his New York.

"MJ, I'm gonna need you to pick something up for me."

The smell of 'Joe's Fresh Tortillas' graced his nose. On any other day…

"It's on the corner of Madison Avenue and 33rd Street. Near the 7-Eleven. Yeah. Well I'd do it, but I'm on my way to work. Grocery store? No, they fire- I mean, I quit that one months ago."

He dipped down past a line of school buses and did a cool pose for the kids inside, almost smacking his head on a lamp post in the process.

"Christ, that was close! What? Oh, nothing. No, MJ, trust me, it's not like it used to be. Robbie's in charge now, remember? It's the Bugle, but… not the Bugle."

Deli after deli appeared before him, making his stomach grumble. Not even Peni's infinite pizza could satisfy his mighty hunger.

A whole pizza for just one dollar? Maybe I could fit it in…

And by fit it in he of course meant in time, as there was no doubt in his mind that it could fit in his stomach.

"You don't need to drop it off at my apartment. Keep it at yours and I'll come get it. That's okay, right? Well I didn't know you were free, but you could say my spider-sense told me."

He allowed himself a midair smirk.

"I'll be there as soon as I can after work. Thanks again MJ. You're gonna make a little genius very happy. Love you too. Bye. Love you. Bye. Byeee~"

He hung up just in time to faceplant a STOP sign. Above it, a smaller and much friendlier-looking green sign read 'E 39 St'.

"Well… at least I'm in the right place."

He snuck into a nearby alley, hidden behind a hair salon, and changed into his civilian clothes. It'd been a long time since he worked at the Bugle, but it'd been a long time since he'd done a lot of things.

Been a long time since I've been happy, too.

After the incident with the collider he'd become a new man. Thanks to his spider friends. Thanks to MJ. A few months ago he couldn't even remember what it was like to feel proud of himself. But now…

He took a deep breath, immediately regretting it as car fumes stunk up his nose. He coughed, regained his composure, and set his sights on the Daily Bugle's shiny new sign. He stepped through the automatic doors, into the old and the new alike, smiling all the way.

Peni awoke to Noir's hat on the bedside table. SP/dr was sleeping on the crown.

"Noir?"

Silence. She threw the covers off and sat upright, straining her ears for any signs of conversation from downstairs or in the hall. In her mind, she felt SP/dr stirring. Then she felt his legs dance across her forearm.

"They're gone," she said. Half to SP/dr, half to herself. His eyes twinkled in the bedroom's twilight. She stroked him gently with her little finger.

It was over. Worse, it was still Monday.

Peni took Noir's hat with her to the bathroom, hanging it on a hook by the door. As she brushed her teeth she imagined all the ways she could give it back to him.

I'll have to go to his universe, she thought, Oscorp will have to wait.

Aunt May wouldn't be happy, but it didn't matter. It wouldn't change anything. Peni knew they needed her. She could skip for a whole week and they'd have to take her back.

I'll go back tomorrow… or the day after, she added as she rinsed her mouth out with a cup of glowing mouthwash.

She liked being 'SP/dr' (along with SP/dr the spider, in the SP/dr mech… it's complicated), but she didn't like Oscorp. She envied her friends' independence. But then again, maybe they envied her. They were always talking about her 'futuristic' tech.

It's not so bad, she told herself as she went downstairs, at least Oscorp repairs my mech for free.

In her mind she saw New York in all its neon glory. The rivers of floating cars, the chasms formed by the skyscrapers, the mists way waaay down below. She saw herself swinging through it, free. Nowhere to go. No one to answer to. She saw her friends beside her.

"If only…"

The door to Peter B's bedroom hung open, his bed unmade.

B's gone too…? What time is it?

Time for her to go home. She'd missed an entire day of school. Probably missed a calibration test. Even Uncle Ben would be back from work soon enough, and he always stayed in late at the lab.

She went into the pantry and got herself a chocolate bar. She snapped a bit off with her teeth and crunched it into tiny pieces. Sugar always made her feel better. Back in the living room she laid down on the sofa and closed her eyes.

I did a good job with this fabric.

The cushions weren't bad either. It was almost as comfortable as her bed. The house bed, not her bed back in 3145 AD.

"Ugh, this isn't working."

She needed to distract herself. Play a game. Read a book. Make a bomb.

A bomb…

She walked out to the pool and materialized a gigantic sphere of explosives off in the distance. The explosion was so enormous it knocked her off her feet and shattered every window in the house, leaving only silence.

The silence hung on her like a lead blanket. The weekend was over. Truly and completely. They had lives to live, and they were living them. Without her.

It's just five days.

"That's right," she said to herself, "it's not that big of a deal. It'll be over in no time."

The door was in front of her now, the door back to her world.

Five days…

She could always message them via their communication devices. She could even message them right now. She pulled out her device and-

No. It could wait. She could wait. The house would still be there next weekend.

Pull yourself together, Peni.

She brushed down her skirt, checked to see SP/dr was safely on her shoulder.

"Alright, buddy," she sighed, "Guess it's back to work for you and me."

She reached for the handle, then-

Suddenly the door swung open so hard that the doorknob clanked against the wall.

It was Mary Jane.

"Sorry I'm late!" she said with a breathless smile. Her smile faded as she looked around the room, "Is it over already?"

She was carrying something in her hands. A pink box, with a tag. But the writing was hidden. Peni was so confused she didn't know what to say.

"Why-"

The door slammed open again almost immediately, making SP/dr leap into Peni's hair in surprise.

"Yo!"

Her mouth dropped open, "Miles?"

Gwen was next through the vortex. MJ sighed in relief, "For a second there I thought I'd missed everything."

"Got held up at school," Miles explained, "But now we can get the party started."

He wrapped an arm round Peni's shoulders and ferried her to the dining table. The pink box was placed in front of her. Chairs scraped on the dining room floor. Gwen, Miles, MJ. She was surrounded. Bags of things, emptied onto the table. Party hats?

Peni's brain was having a critical error, "I…I…what? I thought-"

Miles shot her a heart-melting smile, "It's just a little thank you gift."

She stared at him, "A thank you gift?"

"You know, for making this house for us!"

MJ tapped the box, "Peter wanted to give it to you himself, but then Shocker showed up."

Peni nodded absentmindedly, "Of course…"

She eyed up the box. Gwen noticed.

"Don't you wanna see what's inside?"

She nodded again. As Gwen pushed the boxed towards her, Peni could barely contain her emotions. Her mind was a mess of every feeling you could imagine. She wanted to laugh. She wanted to cry. She knew she was probably going to end up doing both. And then there was another feeling. A thick feeling, like jello in her throat. It was starting to sink in: they were here, together. All of them. Or most of them, anyway.

Peni lifted the lid off the box and placed it on the table. She clasped her hands over her mouth as she saw what was inside: a red and blue cake with 'THANK YOU' written in white icing on top.

"It's not much," Miles began.

Peni didn't let him finish. She wrapped her arms round his neck and squeezed him into a hug, "Thank you."

"No, thank you."

"I call dibs on the next hug," Gwen said playfully.

"Hah!" came a voice from behind them, "I think you'll find that hug belongs to me, Gwanda!"

Peni looked up just in time to see a ball of red and blue somersaulting through the air. It landed on the table in just the right way to both avoid the cake and knock all the cutlery onto the floor.

"Ham," Gwen scolded, "No feet on the table."

He feigned annoyance, "What are you, my mother?"

He hopped onto a chair and gave Peni a cheeky wink, "Hey kiddo."

Peni couldn't help but smile.

"You guys," she began, "I thought… I thought I wouldn't see you for-"

"For forever?" Ham interrupted, "Peni, you couldn't keep me from this place if you wanted to."

A tiny laugh escaped her lips. She let her eyes fall to the brightly colored cake. As she read the words again, something wet tickled her cheek. She realized then that she was crying.

"Whoa, hey," Miles said, "Are you alright?"

She nodded, wiping her eyes, "I'm just… so glad that we're friends."

Now Gwen and Miles were both hugging her. She heard Ham's small feet patter across the table. She heard the sound of a rubber band. Cardboard unfolding. Then before she knew it a hat had been strapped to her head.

Ham held his hands up like he was framing a photo, "Yep. Now you're party ready."

That got a giggle from everyone. Peni wiped her eyes one last time, picked up the plastic knife and fork laid out for her (freshly replaced after Ham knocked the other set off), and prepared to enjoy her cake. She knew she had to go back, she knew Aunt May and Uncle Ben would be annoyed with her, but for the moment none of that mattered. She was with her friends, in their special house. And they had cake.

You can't say no to cake.

Noir arrived shortly after they'd cut the cake up into eight pieces. Two for Peni, and one for everyone else (including MJ). B turned up a few minutes later, huffing and puffing like he'd just run a marathon.

"That is the last time I help an old lady cross the street!"

Peni pretended not to notice Noir stuffing the entire slice of cake in his mouth all at once as B explained the series of unfortunate events that led to him being so late.

"…I've never seen a banana peel so huge!" he said, spreading his arms wide, "So naturally I slipped on it."

Peni thought about starting on her second slice. It was mostly blue, with a tiny wedge of red and a thick line of white from the 'T' in 'THANK'. She wanted to eat it. Her mouth was watering. But another part of her wanted to save it.

No. I don't need to save the cake. I have the hat.

The argument was so compelling that Peni immediately picked up the spare slice and bit a chunk out of its narrow corner. It was delicious. Strawberry and blueberry, with smooth cream in between. Whoever made the cake was a genius. Baking… now that's something Peni wanted to learn. If Peni could bake as well as she could weld metal, she'd never leave her house. New York would have to make do without her.

Her phone buzzed. Her personal phone, her 3145 phone. She held it under the table to hide it from the others and peeked at the message. It was Aunt May.

[Where are you? Are you alright? Call me.]

Dang it…

She knew it was coming. She'd left it too long already.

"Guys," she said, pushing her chair back and standing up, "I've… gotta go."

The room fell silent. Miles glanced at Gwen.

Peni continued, "Aunt May's worried about me, so."

"Ah, yes," B said, "I've been there. You better get back to her before she starts refusing to make wheat cakes for you."

Peni picked up her backpack, "Mine doesn't make wheat cakes. She cooks a mean nut roast, though."

Noir got out of his chair to join her, "I'll see you home."

Peni smirked, "The door will take me straight to my room, silly."

"Still…"

In the end they all joined her in front of the warp door. Ham handed her what was left of her slice of cake, carefully wrapped in clingfilm.

"It'll keep for a day at least," he said.

"Don't worry," she replied, "it won't last that long."

She rested her hand on the door's cold handle. The door, plain and unassuming, stared back at her. She looked over her shoulder. A sea of expectant faces watched her. She'd seen a lot of stuff in her short time as a superhero, invented things the world had never seen before, invented things even Norman Osborn hadn't imagined were possible. But making friends, especially friends as weird as she was… that was something she'd never imagined.

Until now.

She asked, "Wanna hang out next weekend?"

A chorus of 'hell yeah's and 'you bet's greeted her ears, and Peni smiled.

"I'll make sure the freezer's stocked up with plenty of pizza," she joked. Then she pulled the handle. The door slowly swung open. Before her, the vortex swirled in violent ultramarine. It was time.

With a final wave she stepped through and fell softly onto her bed, her 3145 bed, her normal bed. Beyond the window, the familiar spires of New York's skyscraper maze. SP/dr crept along her arm.

"I hope Aunt May isn't too angry."

Much to Peni's surprise, she wasn't.