November 4th - 2025

Gwen was awoken once again by the noise of high pitched crying. She blinked several times before throwing the warm blanket off her tired body, grabbing the bathrobe by the side of the bed. As she moved her actions woke Peter next to her, he groaned as he came around.

"Jesus, what do they want now?"

"I guess attention, they've had plenty of milk and their nappies were changed before bed," Gwen sighed as she headed over to the cots on the other side of the room. "Hey you two, are you going to be quiet?"

"Want a hand?" Peter gave her a weak smile as he appeared by her shoulder.

"You should go back to bed, you did last night's rounds," Gwen reached down to tickle David under the chin, managing to quieten him. Peter picked up Aiden to give him some attention as well, and eventually the crying died down. "Hmm, guess that worked."

"Well what do you expect?" Peter grinned. "All us boys need is a little attention, then we're content."

"So it seems."

Peter widened his grin and laughed lightly. "Hey, if I began to cry, would I get more attention from you?"

"Yes Peter." Gwen smiled as she lifted David out of the cot, taking a seat on the edge of their bed.

"Whoo-hoo!" Peter chuckled as he sat down next to her, jiggling Aiden in his arms. He noticed Gwen was using one hand to open up David's mouth, peering inside with narrowed eyes. He cocked his head. "What are you doing?"

"Well I suspected that they've begun teething, and I'm right," She nodded at her own theory. "It explains why they've been particularly troublesome sleepers over the past few weeks."

"Elizabeth didn't really cry that much, even when she was teething," Peter shrugged. "It's strange how different siblings can be."

"Not really, it's just down to genetics," Gwen explained as she smoothed back the tufts of brown hair on David's head. She smiled. "And they've got your genes. That's for certain. Their hair is identical to yours, identical eyes, and same temperament – always seeking my affection."

Peter chuckled. "So we have a mini you and two mini-me's, fantastic. I have more minions than you!"

"Yeah, but my minion is trained all ready," Gwen gave him a wink and grinned. "You're going to have a nightmare training yours."

"Hmm, suppose," Peter nodded before grinning back at her. "Though, I have quite a sway over your minion."

"I know, Liz is such a daddy's girl," Gwen rolled her eyes. "Oh, that reminds me. Later on I need you to take the boys out, me and Liz have some stuff to do at home on our own."

"O.K..." Peter raised an eyebrow. "That's cryptic."

"Uh-huh, I'll explain all later on," Gwen pressed a kiss onto David's head as the seven month old fell asleep in her arms again. "I think these two can probably go back to bed again."

"Aye," Peter nodded. "And then we'll put them to bed in another half hour once more!"

"Hmm, probably going to happen," Gwen agreed as she placed David carefully back down in his cot, Peter placing Aiden next to him. Gwen smiled down at the two baby boys. "But I wouldn't change this for anything."

Both of them climbed back into bed, Peter wrapping his arms around Gwen's body and pressing a tender kiss to the back of her neck. "I agreed."

There's nothing like a walk at Central Park.

"Peter Parker!" A young lady ran straight from her mother up to Peter, shouting wildly. "Can I have an autograph please?"

"Uhm," Peter scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, he hated being stopped like this in public. "I guess so, yeah."

He put the brakes on the double hover pram with the twins in and took the camera and stylus from the young girl.

"How's Spider-Man?"

"Probably wanting to move on to Mars, I guess."

He sighed off his name and passed it back to her with a smile. The girl before ran back to her mother as she blushed a bright shade of purple.

"Wow, I don't know," He rolled his eyes at the twins in the hover pram. "Girls eh? You're going to have to make sure you avoid the really clingy ones, and the strange ones."

Both of the twins watched him with intrigue, David in particular giving him a wide, gummy grin.

"And watch out for the shallow ones, you know? Don't just go for beauty, look for brains as well," Peter advised them. "I mean look at your mother, she's the whole package – a rather fantastic package actually. You have to go deeper than looks."

"Peter," Peter turned as Jake, his colleague at Empire State, called his name, approached him with a grin. "I see you're getting your boys well trained."

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Peter nodded. "Don't want them both bringing brainless bimbos home."

"Too true," Jake nodded, smiling as he looked over the twins. "Though I have to apologise for interrupting what must be an enjoyable walk."

"Oh," Peter fixed Jake a disappointed look. "I should have known you weren't just coming over for a social."

"Aye, I was about to call you in fact," Jake sighed as he took on his customary sarcastic tone. "There's an emergency reunion at Empire, it's about the project we've been working for years now. It's urgent."

"Oh, really?" He nodded reluctantly. "That's fantastic, lovely."

"I thought you'd think that."

"When is the meeting?"

"In ten minutes," Jake shuffled his feet awkwardly. "It was a last minute decision by command; I told them they were being ridiculous."

Peter raised an eyebrow. "Do I have a choice?"

"Well, technically you do have a choice," Jake explained slowly. "But..."

"...I don't really," Peter shook his head. "Well I can't go, I have these two. Gwen's chucked us out of the apartment for some unknown reason, and if I go to a meeting they'll cry the place down in under five minutes."

"That's a good excuse." Jake nodded.

"Yeah," Peter grinned. "Tell the boss I'm ever so apologetic but my parental duties prevent me from attending any meetings today and..."

"Peter?" They both turned at the sound of his name being called once again.

"Flash?"

He nodded as he stopped his jogging and approached him. "Having babysitting troubles?"

"Not really," Peter grinned. "It's saving me from a rather dull meeting in fact."

"That's a shame," Flash grinned. "I decide to jog a little while MJ is talking with her producer."

Peter chuckled. "That sounds like you."

"Any ways," Flash nodded. "I'll take these two of your hands whilst you go to your meeting. How long will it take?"

"It will only an about hour." Jake replied.

"No, no way," Peter shook his head defiantly. "It's not that I don't trust you Flash, but if Gwen found out she'd slice off my fish's and feed them to me."

"I don't doubt that," Flash chuckled. "But I can be discrete."

"But..."

"Come on Peter," Flash urged him. "I'll take good care of them, go for an ice-cream or something and go to one of the parks or a lake."

Peter raised an eyebrow, giving Flash a surprised look. "You really want to do this, don't you?"

"Erm..." Flash scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "I just happen to have a couple of hours free, may as well do something useful."

"Fine, but we meet back here in exactly an hour," Peter sighed, placing one hand over his face in resignation. Peter fixed Flash a stern look. "But go nowhere near my apartment just in case of Gwen, do not go to any dodgy areas, do not leave here."

"Peter, chill," Flash took the hover pram firmly off him. "You have my word they'll be fine."

"Right," Peter nodded. "No funny business, I mean it."

"No funny business," Flash nodded. "I got it."

Flash peered over the glass railing in front of him, scanning the area around the café. He looked over to behind the back.

"Now you two, I need you both to do uncle Flash a favour." He leaned forwards to whisper to them. "I need you to look really, really cute. Like irresistibly cute, all right?" The twins looked at him for a second before becoming more interested in a bright neon sign.

Flash spied a vacant table as he headed into the café area, taking a seat and parking the pram up next to him. He picked up one of the menus, browsing more out of a desire to appear like a normal customer than the fact he was actually wanting anything. It wasn't long before his plan fell into place.

"Hello sir, can I get you..." As Flash lowered the menu in front of his face the waitress realised who he was. She narrowed her eyes and folded her arms rather aggressively. "Look, I thought I told you to beat it during the last two hours."

"Yeah, you did," Flash conceded. "But I've come back to apologise, to make amends."

She cocked her head, speaking in a rather sarcastic tone. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah, really," Flash held his hands up innocently. "I come in peace."

"Well, if you're not here to get any free donuts then I suppose you should order something," It was then that the waitress noticed the twins in the pram. "Who are these two?"

"Oh, these two?" Flash smiled. "My nephews, they're so sweet aren't they?"

"Nephews? These are yours?"

"Yep." Flash nodded, placing a grin across his face.

"So you're a family guy?" The waitress curiously inspected the twins, giving them a smile. "They're lovely, you must be proud."

"Proud?" Both Flash and the waitress turned their heads as a trio of Flash's ex soccer teammates approached them. "Be proud of what?"

"Ah, Scott," Flash tried to keep the quick flash of annoyance at Flash's sudden appearance, the man didn't exactly fit into his plans to get any free donuts. They were so good that Flash had lost most of his money while eating them, and he didn't want to ask MJ for money. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm just meeting my old friend!" Scott looked over at the twins before scowling at Flash. "Where did you steal those babies from, where's the old Flash?

"Steal?" The waitress looked shocked, before the look of shock turned to one of disgust. "Oh, I see. You're trying again, aren't you?!"

"What?" Flash momentarily appeared stunned.

"This isn't the first time I've seen this trick," She shook her head at him. "Just pay for the donuts and I'll get you some!" The waitress turned and stormed off, though stopped to turn back and shout at him. "And make sure those babies go back to their parents."

Flash sighed before placing his head in his hands. After a few seconds he turned to look at Scott who was chuckling softly.

These donuts were marvelous, damn. He said to himself.

As Peter approached the square where he had left Flash with the twins he noted, with relief, that Flash was there and the twins seemed fine. As he got closer though he noted Flash's strange companions, three men. All looked rather sheepish though, and were staring intently at their feet. Flash looked a bit uncomfortable.

"Hey Flash, who's your friends?"

"Look Peter, it wasn't my fault."

"What?" Peter raised an eyebrow. "What wasn't your fault? What's happened?"

"Look Peter, an opportunity came up which I couldn't say no to..."

"...Are they OK?" Peter hurried to inspect the twins, but both seemed pretty happy in the pram. "What's going on?"

"Well, these idiots here think that they are still on high school so you can imagine it." He sighed. "Their vocabulary isn't a good one, for children."

"What?"

Flash turned to the babies. "Hey guys, could you two talk?"

For a few seconds nothing happened, but then David spoke, followed by Aiden.

"You..."

"...Idiot."

Peter stood there rather stunned, mouth slightly agape. Slowly he turned to Flash, narrowing his eyes.

"You...idiot!"

"It wasn't my fault, blame this bastard!"

"I'm...so screwed." He glanced at Flash's friends. "You there, get out of here before I send you guys away by myself."

They nodded hurriedly before walking off rather quickly, taking his companions with him. Peter turned back to Flash, shaking his head disapprovingly.

"I trusted you; just for once I thought I might be able to be right and Gwen wrong." Peter shook his head again.

"Yeah...I know..." Flash looked down, staring at his feet shamefully again. "I'm sorry, they weren't leaving me alone. I guess this happens when you are leader of the team back at school. They wanted to have fun, the good old days they claimed, but I told them that I was busy."

"Jesus," Peter sighed. "You know this would've perhaps been funny in another circumstance, but I guess what's done is done."

"Peter, I..."

"Look I'm not angry really, just disappointed," Peter explained, Flash's face fell again. "But I guess no harm was done, so I won't mention this to Gwen if I can avoid it. But Flash, this can't ever happen again. "

"I guess that's fair enough."

"Yeah," Peter nodded. "And if I can't stop them from saying 'You idiot' and Gwen finds out then I'm going to have to tell her the truth."

"Again, that's fair enough," Flash cracked a wry grin. "But if you do please let me know in advance, I want a chance to hide somewhere so that she doesn't cut my head off."

Peter chuckled, before beginning to walk on. "Look, I've got to get home with these two."

"Right, OK," Flash nodded as Peter headed away. "I'm sorry, again."

"Yep," Peter sighed. "See you around Flash."

Peter headed straight to his cat, opening up the vehicle. He detached the seats one by one from the hover pram, placing David's seat securely in one of the back seats of the car. As he attached the seatbelt to the babies seat David looked up at him with a wide smile.

"Idiot, Idiot, Idiot, Idiioot!" He giggled.

"No, stop that," Peter forced a stern look onto his face, pointing a finger at his son. "Seriously, you'll be in trouble!"

His son giggled manically again, clearly finding Peter's attempt at discipline rather amusing. Peter shook his head as he turned back to Aiden who was happily chanting the word 'you' and 'idiot' over and over again in varying tones. As he strapped him in too the two began chatting to one another, giggling crazily to themselves.

"You!

"Idiot!

"Youuuuu!"

"Idioooooot!"

"No!" Peter raised his voice slightly, and that quietened both kids. After a few seconds of silence both began to screw their faces up, tell tail signs of the beginnings of a tantrum. Hurriedly Peter began to apologise, speaking softly to them. "Oh sorry, I didn't mean to shout. You guys just need to not to stop saying that, otherwise mummy won't be very happy."

His grovelling apology appeared to have worked, both of his sons deciding not to begin any wailing. Peter sighed with relief as he packed the frame of the hover pram away into the boot of the car, climbing into the driving seat. As he drove the vehicle he began to think of ways to tempt them from repeatedly insulting everyone around them.

"Hey look at those shops we've just gone..." Peter turned to face them, emphasising his last word. "You're cool!"

Both twins stared at him before shouting out at the same time. "Idiot?!"

"Oh great," Peter turned back and sighed. "Now they're both saying idiot."

He kept quiet during the rest of the journey and whilst removing the twins from the car, placing them in the hover pram, and heading towards the elevator. He hit the button for their own flat and ascended, making sure to keep quiet – the twins were beginning to fall asleep gradually.

As the lift stopped he slowly and carefully headed into the apartment, cautiously passing through the front. As he entered he noticed Gwen in deep conversation with some unknown old lady, so he went straight past them and immediately to their room, settling the twins in their cots. Amazingly they stayed asleep, and he tiptoed away from them and back downstairs. Peter approached the sofas in the living room, both the women on the sofa turning to look at him.

"Peter, I wasn't expecting you back quite so soon," Gwen said. "This is Mrs Owens, a piano professor from the music conservatoire."

"Ah, this is for Liz," Peter nodded with understanding. "I see."

"I would love to teach your daughter."

Gwen nodded, though Peter could see a strange glint in her eyes. "Yes."

"So, you're a proper pianist?" The woman nodded, Peter humming as he stroked his chin in thought. "Can you play that really dramatic piece then?"

"Erm..." The woman slowly turned to regard Gwen, clearly unsure of what to say. "You'll have to give a little more information than that."

"You know, the one that's always used in the comedy vids – when something bad or dramatic happens," He received a pair of rather dumbfounded looks from them, so resorted to humming the tune. "It goes, du du du duum, du du du duum."

"Oh!" Gwen rolled her eyes as she realised. "You mean Beethoven's fifth symphony?"

"I think so," Peter nodded. "Yeah, can you play that?"

"Well, of course not!" The woman bristled. "That's a piece for a full orchestra, I'm a solo pianist!"

"Oh," Peter was a little taken a back. "I see, sorry."

"Right," Gwen turned to the woman. "Well, I have to get on with work and I'm sure you are busy."

"Well not really, I..."

"No, I have to go," Gwen headed over to the door, opening it rather finally. "We will contact you when she is ready to learn."

"OK then," The woman nodded slowly as she headed out of the door. "Goodbye."

"Yes, goodbye," Gwen keyed the door to close, snorting as it closed. "I didn't like her."

"Really? Wow, I didn't suspect that," Peter grinned. "But now what's going to happen? If you don't like her then we can't have her teaching Liz."

"Yeah, and?" Gwen shrugged. "The next guy may well be better, if not then the three others afterwards might be."

"Wait, let me get this right," Peter raised an eyebrow. "You're interviewing piano teachers for Liz, without me?"

"Yes. Let's be honest Peter, you know nothing about classical music. Or music in general," Gwen chuckled. "But they're not just any piano teachers; I've messaged some concert pianists for a chance to teach Liz."

Peter raised the other eyebrow. "That's...slightly crazy."

"No it's not, Liz's only going to get the best," Gwen told him. "Now I guess you can help me interview the rest, but keep quiet about anything related to the music."

"So I should stay completely silent the whole time?" Peter dead-panned. "When is the next one coming?"

"In 3...2...1..." As Gwen said one the doorbell rang, and she turned to Peter with a smile. "Perfectly on time, I like him all ready."

She opened the door to reveal a very smartly dressed middle aged man with slick dark hair and a black briefcase to match. He smiled at them, speaking in an Australian accent similar to Gwen's own.

"Hello I'm Mr Lewis, here about the chance to teach your daughter?"

"Yes, come in." Gwen smiled, Peter noting she seemed much friendlier with this man.

"Well obviously you know my extensive resume, though I am happy to answer any questions you may have," He paused as he looked around the room. "I would rather like to meet Elizabeth."

"Oh yes, of course," Gwen chuckled. "I'm amazed; you're the first person who's even bothered to want to meet her."

"That's ridiculous," He shook his head in disbelief. "How can you possibly know if a teacher is suitable for the child if they don't meet?"

"Tell me about it," Gwen agreed. "I'll go and fetch her."

As Gwen left the two men alone Peter felt a little at odds. He cleared his throat awkwardly, thinking of something to say.

"So...erm...I don't actually know anything about you, I had no idea Gwen was doing this today," Peter started. "Do you want a drink or anything?"

"No thank you."

"Right," Peter nodded. "So…you're a concert pianist?"

"Yes," He nodded. "I travel the world to perform, and to give master-classes at various music schools. My main teaching occurs at the conservatoire in Paris however."

"Wow," Peter remarked. "Yet you're happy to teach our almost five year old?"

"Of course," He smiled. "Your daughter deserves nothing but the best, and I am the best."

"Right," Peter nodded, and then had an idea. "Oh, can you play this piece I'm thinking of? It's really quick, something to do with an insect?"

"An insect?" The man stroked his chin for a second before his face lighting up. "You mean The Flight of the Bumblebee? Off course!"

He strode over to the piano in the corner of the flat, flicking back the bottom of his jacket. He spread his hands out slowly, and then descended on the keys. Peter had seen Gwen play before, and she was rather fantastic, but this man was something else. The sheer velocity of his fingers was incredible; Peter had never seen anyone move that quickly.

As he finished Gwen and Elizabeth came to stand next to Peter, both watching with intrigue. When the pianist finished he turned around, cocking his head.

"Was that the piece you meant?"

"Yeah, think so," Peter nodded. "Damn impressive, you have some skills."

"That's very true, though excuse Peter's crudeness," Gwen smirked. "His music taste only extends as far as songs where the band destroys their instruments at the end."

"That's not true!" Peter protested.

"Don't worry, we'll make a Mozartarian out of him yet," The man laughed before turning to Elizabeth. "But first, we're going to make a concert pianist out of you!"

Gwen sighed once again. She dropped the tablet from her hands onto the bed next to her, scowling at it again. As she did that she felt the hands around her waist tighten slightly, one of Peter's hands reassuringly stroking her stomach.

"What's up?"

"It doesn't matter," Gwen gave him a weak smile. "Honestly."

"No, it does matter if it's bothering you," Peter sat up in the bed. "You've been staring at that data-pad for hours."

"It's work stuff."

"Ah, I see," Peter nodded slowly. "Yeah, maybe I can't really help you there."

"It's just really pissing me off."

He leaned closer and kissed her cheek, softly. "You're going to get through, you're brilliant."

Gwen smiled. "I hope so," She held his hand and intertwined her fingers with his. "You mentioned some AI a few couple of days ago."

"Yeah," He nodded. "Tony is building drones with the AI he found at some old Hydra base, they are amazing."

"Hydra? Isn't dangerous to work with tech from them?"

"It's Tony Stark, he know what he's doing." He affirmed. "They are meant to bring peace for the world, but at a much faster rate than before."

She cupped his cheek. "That sounds cool."

"And there's this blueprint for a superweapon called 'The Breach'."

"That's not cool; let's hope that it doesn't get in wrong hands. Is there anything else?"

"He's also doing drop shuttles for the government; they have a propulsion system and are able to drop at any zone that you could imagine. The military are going to love it." He joked.

"I meant Peter Parker." She smiled.

"Oh, then nothing different than the usual," He shrugged. "You know, being the man of the house, father, husband, Avenger and hero, there you go."

"Such an adorable ego," Gwen teased. "I don't think that there's enough room on this bed for me, you and your ego."

"Heh, it's a part of me -"

She spun on him and pressed her lips to his feverishly, pulling back with a huge grin. He grinned back.

"Now, that's something new."

"You need someone to cool you down."

He smirked, wrapping an arm around her waist and leaning closer. "I don't know if that cooled me down…" He flirted.

"Looks like..." She was interrupted by crying from the cots. Gwen raised an eyebrow before rolling her body out of bed, heading over. She leaned down to stroke both of the twins, getting them to be silent. She was about to leave when David and Aiden both opened their mouths.

"You..."

"...Idiot."

Gwen slowly turned to face Peter, narrowing her eyes.

"Explanation. Now."

A/N : And there's goes another chapter. It's been quite the journey for me, one that I'm holding it very close to my heart. This chapter took more time to be published than the usual, I know , the thing is that I'm now finishing the first chapter of a new story that isn't related to Spider-Man. That doesn't mean that I will be ending this one, while I know how it ends, there's some more content that is yet to come, but my focus are now divided, meaning that updates are going to take more time to happen. I like to challenge myself into trying new things, I feel like it's something that I should do because it gives me some new perspective and I can also work in a different way than the usual. I learned a lot with This Is Our Path, and with you guys as well, I could write a list of lessons but that would take too much time :) Thanks for still reading this story, I hope that the already established characters and their minions were given justice, because this is probably the only story about Spider-Man that I would ever write, it's how I envisioned Peter and Gwen's future, together and as a family. Some stuff are heavily inspired from the only story that I used to write with my old account before I abandoned it due to not having ideas anymore, I wanted to start fresh again, while using the this pattern that I've used for so many stories that I've never published before, just one.

As ever, huge thanks to FireflySurvivor for supporting me and the story, she's the one who uses the last pencil in the story. I love you :* If possible, check her stories about the couple, they are very well written and I consider them one of the bests out there, if not the best, her work is a passionate one, they are listed on my profile's favorites.

Love you guys.

- Andrew