This Is Our Path

by LucasA

Their lives were never the same after the incident at the Clocktower. Together, they've found comfort in each other's hearts, and their bond remains strong despite the countless attempts to wipe everything they ever had. A tale of the most important stages in their life, from the moments of calamity and happiness, to the difficult moments of sadness and reflection.

53. Blood Of Broken Men

July 4th - 2028

Aunt May's House - Queens

After arriving from her job, Gwen sat down on the small couch of May's living room. She held David with both her arms while he leaned his head against her shoulder and hugged her neck. She massaged his back with her hand which adventured underneath his shirt and observed her other boy lying over the carpeted ground and on his stomach, playing with his countless car toys that once belonged to his illustrious father.

Last time she had deeply gotten used to hold her children was when they're simple babies. She missed doing that, even if they're a bit more heavier to be carried around, but she was thankful for them growing into beautiful and healthy kids.

For someone who initially was rather afraid of failing the task of raising her children as a mother, she was proud of her accomplishments. It still wasn't easy, parenting has never been easy, but after Elizabeth was born, it turned out to be a natural process which she quickly got the hangs of it.

She truly loved being a mother, and she wouldn't trade such occupation for anything else in the entire world.

"Mommy, I'm hungy." David said, lazily. He had been playing around with his twin the entire day until his mother arrived. She instantly saw how much tired David was when he went to hug her and didn't let her go until now.

"Hungry," Gwen turned slightly to his side and kissed his smooth cheek, and nuzzled his brownish and soft hair. She whispered, "I think May is preparing something for my handsome boys."

David now turned on his mother's shoulder to face her, instantly meeting her green and huge eyes. She gently leaned her forehead against his and and smiled contently, gaining a lovingly smile back from her son.

"I love you." She kissed his tiny nose.

He cupped her cheek with his small right hand. "Love you too, mummy."

While the two Stacys cuddled for some time, Aunt May later entered the living room, holding a silver tray containing just - out of the stove - homemade chocolate cookies ontop of it. She carefully placed the tray over the coffee table as Aiden instantly raised from the ground and struggled to choose which one he would take first, despite all of them being the same thing.

His eyes glowed in adoration.

May chuckled. "It's all for you guys."

Gwen looked up to her and smiled in gratefulness. "You're are our savior, this Parker was already complaining about the lack of food."

She sat down in the nearest comfy chair. "I thought they were hungry after chasing one another the entire day; someone had to be the bad sheriff." She took a heavy breath.

Gwen nodded thankfully. She noticed Aiden was already eating next to the table and called, "Hey, sweetie," He turned on his back, his lips already marked by traces of chocolate. "Could you please hand me a single cookie?"

He retrieved a large one and walked the short distance towards her.

"Thank you." Gwen gently pinched his cheek with her free hand, before taking a small bite from the masterful piece of cooking the almost - if not - mother of her husband managed to create like if it was the easiest thing ever. Either that, or Gwen simply didn't fully master cooking at all, it was a learning curve to her. Her husband was always willing to assist her, though. "Hum...it's so good." She closed her eyes and slowly savored it.

David turned on her grip so that the back of his head was now positioned against her chest.

She handed the cookie to him as he took it with both hands and experimented the food for himself.

"That's too kind of you; I just assumed they'd like since Peter also did, it seems I was right." May gazed the two twins and their gorgeous mother.

She remembered seeing Gwen and her boyfriend just as simple in love teenagers who began dating more than ten years ago. It felt like that just happened days ago, and now they were married, and the fruit of such love were now three beautiful children.

May smiled. She asked, "Again, why didn't Liz come over?"

Gwen answered, "She's with her Auntie MJ at the hairdresser; MJ recently arrived back from Miami so she wanted to spend some good time together with her while her and Flash's baby child isn't born."

May chuckled. She had heard the fantastic news from Peter before. "Elizabeth might as well become a model when she's older."

"Right?" Gwen herself was surprised her daughter already considered her appearance so much important at her current age. She was already interested in learning new techniques regarding that, but such thing could be said about anything. Apparently, the apple indeed never falls away from the tree. "You would be surprised if I told you she has been invited for a photoshoot for a new clothing store...that's work of MJ, of course."

"Well, not really...your daughter is beautiful."

Gwen nodded in agreement. "That she is."

"And I'm guessing Peter will have a hard time protecting the beauty from the beasts." May joked.

Gwen grinned. "I know!' She giggled. "He's already so protective over his little girl, my father was no different, and now I finally get to understand him." She looked down David and gently wiped the trade of chocolate on his lips with her thumb.

May smiled sympathetically. She didn't get to meet Gwen's father, but from what she heard from Gwen herself and the news, he seemed to be a great man, one who also played a big part on Peter's life. "We talked about you and Peter's children, but how are you doing, Gwen?"

She exhaled deeply. "I...I am good, I guess."

"You...don't sound too thrilled; I've lived long enough to know the meaning behind your tone." May affirmed. "You know you can talk to me."

Gwen sighed. "It's just that...well, it's a nightmare on my job, tons of pressure and normally I would handle them like I always did." She paused. "...but it's affecting me, like it never did before, and it's not only that..."

"There's something else, right?"

She hesitated at first. She didn't want to give too much details about her daily problems, May shouldn't go through the trouble of getting aware of them, but she thought maybe May could help. "Yeah...It's kinda, well...Peter, I feel like he's not truly being honest with me since he stopped Avenging, something is definitely going on with him, but he doesn't tell me and I don't want to push him; it's killing me...I want to help Peter, but I just can't do that." She remembered how shaken he was when she found her and rescued him, his expression was built by horror.

She had never seen him like that before.

May rubbed her chin. "I think I know what you mean, Peter acted like what you described shortly after Ben's death, he closed himself and kept me away."

Gwen's eyes shot up in expectation. "So you can help him?" Her hopeful tone questioned.

"I guess I could...but I am not the right person for that task, don't you think?"

"You know him longer than I do, you were there since the beginning."

May argued back, "Maybe, but I'm not the woman Peter has chosne to share his life with, I didn't take the vows, and I won't live forever." She paused. "You need to talk to him, you're his wife, the most important woman on his life, and that's not up to debate, Mrs Parker."

"I...I suppose you are right." Gwen continued, "I guess I should confront him about it."

May smiled. "Just try to keep him alive."

She giggled. She was now much more relieved. "If anything, he's into the doghouse, which is the kid's bed."

"Does it work?"

Gwen shook her head. "Not really, he eventually sneaks back to bed, it's kinda pointless."

May crossed her legs. She loves hearing the many stories of Peter being a dork, even more from his incredibly friendly wife. "I know what you mean, Ben used to do that as well, never could fully reject him."

"I sense some story here..." Gwen teased.

She nodded with an enthusiastic grin. "It goes back to when we bought Peter his first bike, we had to work a lot for that, and Ben was dying to take Peter to test it, even more than the little one, I think." She continued, "The minutes after we gave the gift to him, Ben already wanted to go get Peter to ride it through Queens, he'd teach him how to; thing is, I had seen the weather news, it was meant to rain heavily that afternoon, but Ben told me : 'No, they're wrong, I know when it's going to', so they went out despite my best efforts to keep them at home."

"What happened?"

"Well, it did rain - quite a lot, they both caught a cold, and I had to make them soup for three days." May smiled, recalling such old memories she stored within her heart. "Ben had to hear a lot from me, but as usual, we quickly made peace with each other, the man had too much charisma to resist, and stubbornness."

Gwen noticed David had fallen asleep on her arms. She said quietly, "So that's where Peter's stubbornness comes from, it all makes sense."

"I know." May questioned, "Speaking of the Parker, where's he?"

Gwen shrugged her shoulders. "If he's doing what he told me, he's probably at work."

---

NYPD Station - Manhattan

"Spider-Man...!" Toomes almost fell off his chair once he saw Spider-Man literally leaning his back against the high corner of the wall after the guards escorted him to an interrogation room and forced him to sat down and remain still. "I demand a lawyer!"

Matt Murdock, sat in the opposite chair in the table, replied, "I am your lawyer." He smiled, conservatively.

"Why is the damn bug here?!" Toomes pointed to the vigilante who now landed back to firm ground and stood next to Matt and with arms crossed.

"I believe an old case is being re-open and I was assigned to assist you." Matt explained. "As for Spider-Man, well...he's one of the interested parties, so I suggest you to cooperate."

"Yeah - that's right, you could say I'm the promoter." Spider-Man affirmed, cockily.

Toomes looked back and forth between the two persons in front of him. "Are you freaking kidding me? I don't believe this crap, and you're not here to help me, are you?" He stared at Matt's pair of red glasses.

The lawyer, sometimes Daredevil, held himself from not grinning. "Of course, I am."

"Look, Toomes, I just have one question, answer it and you'll never see me again until you escape and I put you back here again." He stated.

Toomes scoffed in disgust. "What is it?!"

Spider-Man unfolded his arms and walked around the table. "Harry Osborn."

"So...?"

"I want names, locations, anything." He stopped between Matt and Toomes.

The prisoner laughed. "And why on earth would I even know anything about that spoiled brat?"

Peter contained himself. He had to remain focused. "You worked for him."

"Yeah, worked - not lived with him, moron." Toomes narrowed his eyes.

Matt interjected, "Mr Toomes, your inappropriate vocabulary is greatly not appreciated during this exchange."

"Well, I don't care, blind boy." He snarled. "Deal with it."

Spider-Man sighed. So much for a successful interrogation. "Maybe it's time for plan B then."

Toomes provoked, "Maybe you should try plan D for dumbass."

That's it. Peter fired two web-balls at the door's lock and gently placed a hand on the prisoner's shoulder, then he suddenly moved his hand ovee the back of Toomes' head and quickly pressed him down into the table. "Don't mess with me, Toomes!" He snapped.

Matt was taken by surprise, but he remained still. The plan was to get Peter a meeting with Toomes, and if needed, he'd play a victim if it ever came to that as combined. It apparently did. His friend never appeared that angry before.

"L-Look, I don't know anything about the Osborn guy!" Toomes said desperately.

"You're lying!" Spider-Man noticed some cops urgently trying to open the door and get inside, but if his webbing can carry a plane, then they would have a difficult time to achieve their task.

Toomes continued fastly, "Okay - okay, maybe I heard something about Connors back then, he seemed to have history with Fiers and Harry, but that's it!"

Spider-Man still didn't let Toomes go from his grip. He now wondered what Connors could possibly know. It has been ages since they last talked, and he was probably in Ravencroft. It was almost impossible to talk to him due to the strict security.

Matt tried to bring his friend back, "Pete, you probably should go now." Spider-Man looked at him. He gestured his head to the ventilation shaft above them in the ceiling.

He nodded thankfully, let go of Toomes and jumped inside the shaft, disappearing from sight, and leaving the lawyer and prisoner face to face. Matt exhaled sharply and sighed on his chair. "Well, that really escalated quickly, eh."

Once outside, Spider-Man calmly swung between buildings, seeing the sun disappearing in the now orange colored horizon not far away from the island. Now things were getting even more weird. Harry is being chased for some reason only god could know, and Connors could know something Peter didn't.

Now they will be saying that Han shot first.

Peter let go of the single web-line be held and dove towards the intense traffic back in the streets of Manhattan. When just a few meters from crashing into firm ground, he fired another web-line just to slow down his speed as he perfectly landed over a police car and crouched just behind the sirens.

"Hey, Spidey!" The driver smirked from his seat. He moved his arm outside the window as they both fist-bumped each other.

"What's up, Bob?" Spider-Man leaned his head down into the window.

"Nothing much, slow day, thanks to you." He replied. "What about you, mate?"

Spider-Man nodded to the cop on the passenger seat and answered, "Same old same old."

"Any victims today?"

He chuckled. "My patience, yes." His phone suddenly fired and played his theme song made by a probably devoted fan. "One second." He unzipped his pocket and grabbed the device, 'My Beautiful Girl' was the name of the caller. He answered it, "Parker's Accountancy, how can I help?"

"Daddy, it's Aiden!"

Inside the mask, Peter smiled. "Hey, my boy, what's going on?"

"Where are you?"

Peter said, "I'm in a police car."

"Oh...mommy is asking if you got arrested, did you?" He sounded excited.

Peter chuckled. Being arrested is still a thing on his list of things to achieve. "Nope, just taking a ride, what about you guys?"

"Popsicle, do you want one?"

"Oh, you bet." He replied. "Look, I have to go now, see you in a bit, okay?"

"Alright, hurry because Lizzie will start watching Frozen 3 if you're not here."

"Gosh, we can't allow that to happen, can we?" Peter took a quick glance in the nearest buildings. "Gotta go, love you!" He blocked his phone and placed it back to its original place.

Bob interjected, "Kids, eh?"

"Women, it's driving me crazy." He joked. "Listen-"

The radio cut him off, "All units, please standby, any sign of Spider-Man is ordered to be reported; temporary arrest is no exception."

Bob lowered the volume and looked up at the vigilante. "This is your go, Spidey."

"I owe you one." Spider-Man patted him in the shoulder.

"More than one." He grinned. "Now just go!"

"Aye!" Spider-Man suddenly jumped off the car and towards the buildings, causing the vehicle to actually shake in the process due to the strength that was applied against it's top.

Bob checked his wheels through the side mirror. "Son of a mother is now owning me new hydraulics."

---

Peter closed the kitchen's fridge once he retrieved an energy drink. He turned around and calmly made his way towards the living room, taking a sip and enjoying the whole serenity of the now dark ambient of his apartment. The whole city felt peaceful during night. He didn't need to leave the cozy area and head after danger.

He approached the window, and took in the view of what he has been protecting for more than a decade now. Such task was something that had become part of his life, it just felt natural. He could actually felt in peace out there.

The sound of the main door's bell ringing brought the Parker back to the reality as he immediately turned on his shoulder. He wasn't expecting any visitors at this hour of the night. Everyone was currently sleeping except for him.

Peter approached the door and turned the knob, before calmly pushing it inside the apartment and widening his eyes once he realized who was standing right in front of him.

Norman Osborn, back from the dead. He stood emotionless. Peter gulped at the sight of the man who ordered the death of his parents and later was the cause of his best friend's death.

"So, that is what your greatest fear." A mysterious and familiar voice broke the silence from behind Peter.

He instantly turned around and saw himself leaned against the kitchen's wall.

"You again?!"

He shrugged. "You mean we, right?"

Peter once again resumed his former position and saw nothing but a closed door and no Norman Osborn. "What...?" He cleared his throat. "Is this one of those weird - fugly dreams again?"

Other Peter continued, "I just needed to know something, but yeah - it's kinda of a dream."

Peter cleared his throat. "Okay...if I'm not going nuts, then what are you?"

The presence tilted his head to the side, confused. "I told you...I'm-"

"If you say what I think you're going to say, I swear I'm gonna throw you out the window." Peter threatened. "Dream or not, I don't care."

He raised his hands into the air in defense. "Your call, bugboy."

Peter ignored the provocation. "What do you want, evil me?"

He smiled. "I won't bug you all the time, but I have something that interests you."

"Such as...?"

"Our old pal, Harry." He revealed. "I know where he is."

Peter chuckled, sarcastically. "Right, and I'm Facebook's founder."

"Well..."

Peter sighed. "Please don't remind of that." Is this really happening...?

"I won't take much of your time, after all, our healthy relationship will last even during afterlife."

Peter wondered what he meant with that. His puzzled expression only confirmed his internal thoughts.

He continued, "The first funeral ceremony, go back there, and hurry...he won't last any longer."

"Wait - what?" Peter shook his head. "Is that it? You're not very helpful for a dream." He couldn't believe he was actually engaging with a dream.

"I want to help you, but I'm not going change your diaper." He walked across the living room and towards the large horizontal window. Peter deadpanned. Was he always that mean? "By the way, when are you going to tell Gwen about how you're really feeling? Or are you going to hide things away from the only person you should confess everything about your life to?"

Peter took a few steps closer. "What are you talking about - I'm not hiding anything from her."

"Oh, really?" He slightly turned on his shoulder. "You didn't tell her how you felt in that night when you unleashed yourself over those Hunter something, how...pure...you felt? Ruthlessness can be pleasant, doesn't it?"

Peter stood quiet. He didn't know what to say. His other himself had a point. He wasn't being truly honest with the person he cared the most. He took a quick tired breath. "What do you want of me...?"

"I? I want you to be yourself, just that." Other Peter replied seriously. "Where's the harm of being what you're supposed to be?" He chuckled, sarcastically. "I know all about that..."

"You're full of nonsense."

He shrugged his shoulders. "At this state, do you think you succeed with your daughter, the most important living being in the whole universe, where you failed?"

"What...?" Other Peter smirked. He shook his head once the thought of being manipulated crossed his mind. "Whatever that you might be, get off me and mind your business."

He had accomplished his objective. "Of course, until a certain time, your wish is my command."

You shall resist, you will always resist, in the end...it matters not.

---

July 8th - 2028

Howard's Bulding - Gym Area

"Honey, are you dead?" Peter slowly opened his eyes, seeing Gwen crouched next to him. She smiled lightly. "Don't be a princess."

Peter groaned as he calmly sat over the floor. He was at the gym. Gwen wore her skin tight tank-top and black shorts. Next to them there was a punching bag. "W-What happened?"

Gwen giggled as she helped him to stand up. "You tell me; you're holding the punching bag, then you suddenly fainted." She explained. "I got super worried but you started muttering my name, it was hilarious."

Peter narrowed his eyes at her in disbelief. Gwen now suddenly appeared more serious. "Your love is undeniable overwhelming."

She snickered lightly. "You okay? Want to see a doctor?" She asked, seriously this time.

"Doctor - of course not!" He sighed. "I'm fine, let's just continue what we're doing."

"Okay..." Gwen nodded, before positioning herself next to the bag once again. She wasn't really buying his talk. She would eventually have her ways of making him talk.

Peter held the punching bag while Gwen shifted back into a fighting stance; arms raised, right foot back from the left, and shoulders square on to target. He gave her a small nod, and she let loose with a series of flurries and blows against her target, all executed with near-perfect skill and precision.

He was lost in thought about what occurred when he was out. Was he going crazy? Could he trust whatever that was on his head?

As Gwen finished her movements and paused to catch her breath, Peter leaned his head around from the edge of the bag. He decided to keep the vision to himself, at least for now. "Not bad at all, honey," he complimented. "Of course, I still maintain that you took the easy way by giving me something while you are more concentrated." He gave a grin, knowing that this would most likely provoke a reaction from her.

She did not disappoint. "Really?" she asked, still breathing very heavily. Without waiting for a reply, she spun around and let loose a sudden backwards kick, her feet digging square into the middle of the bag. Even with his combat-honed skills, Peter was caught a little off-guard by the sudden attack and the strength behind it, and he felt himself being pushed back a little.

Gwen took a few steps back and turned around to face him again. She placed her hands on her hips and continued to breathe heavily, though this was starting to even out a little. "Well, maybe I did that because I wanted to make sure that you didn't need to worry about me from the get-go, I can handle this."

Peter stepped out from behind the back and smiled. "Is that so?" he asked.

Gwen paused again. "Maybe. I'm a little too winded to think of a better excuse at the moment." Peter laughed as she walked over to her bag which rested on the bench. She first picked up her towel, patting away the layer of sweat that had accumulated on her head and shoulders, then put this down and grabbed her water bottle, downing nearly half of its contents to quench her thirst.

As Gwen took a few moments to recuperate, Peter slowly made his way out to the middle of the sparring mats. "You know what?" he said, his voice taking on the slightest hint of a challenging tone. "It seems that while working over the bag is easy enough, you could probably do with a live opponent. I think that would be a more interesting test, don't you think?"

After taking a few seconds to place her towel and drinking bottle back in her bag, Gwen looked over at him. To most people, taking on Spider-Man, even in the controlled nature of a simple sparring match, was decidedly tempting fate or even risking life itself. Perhaps the only ones who could come off mostly intact would be another person like him.

But Gwen was also fully aware that Peter would never willingly hurt her. He would pull his attacks to ensure that he probably never even hit her. His level of devotion to her was so strong that he would willingly allow himself to get hurt, even seriously, if it meant that she would remain unscathed. He always cared about her that much.

Still, if he was offering to help in her training, she saw no reason to turn down his offer. Hell, she might even get lucky and land a few blows.

"Alright, Peter," she said as she stepped on to the mats. With that, she assumed a fighting stance once more.

Peter also assumed a fighting stance, with the ease of one who had been doing such things for so long that they had become second nature to him. Though he wanted to provide a challenge for Gwen, he still did not want to hurt her, of course, and so he figured that he might as well let her take the first shot.

She did not disappoint. Gwen started out with a few jabs from her left fist before following up with more strikes from her right, and continuing on with a series of combinations of the two. So Peter was not that surprised when Gwen gradually increased her pace, and soon introduced kicks to her retinue of moves. She knew what she was doing, for sure, and in a fight against any other person, she probably would have stood a good chance of coming out on top to at least defend herself. But Peter wasn't just any other person, and his years of combat expertise allowed him to block, parry and deflect the blows with little difficulty.

Pausing a moment in her assault, Gwen shifted back, still hopping and moving back and forth like any good fighter would. "You're holding back, honey," she challenged.

Peter remained in his defensive posture, his hands still at the ready. "I thought I'd see what kind of attacks you were capable of, sweetie."

"What?" Gwen said mockingly. "Are you afraid of hurting little old me?"

Peter laughed. "Maybe. I just figured that -"

His comment was cut off as Gwen let loose a sudden strike with her fist, catching him off-guard on the bridge of the nose. She had pulled her punch, so it was of reduced strength, but even had it been full power, the hero would have barely felt it. Still, the fact that she had suckered him in and scored a cheap shot was something of a surprise.

Gwen laughed. "Gotcha!"

Peter shook his head and allowed a feral grin to cross his face. "Oh, now you're gonna get it!"

For the next couple of minutes, the pair circled around each other. One would make an attack against their opponent, who in turn would usually block or deflect it with ease. Despite the obvious size advantage that Peter had over her, Gwen seemed not the slightest bit intimidated by her opponent. This was partially due to the relationship that they had, but it was not the sole reason.

After nearly three minutes of sparring, Gwen launched a kick aimed at Peter's midsection, only to have the him grab the limb and use his strength to push sideways and outward on the knee, causing her to fall to the mats. The plan was to push her down and go down with her, trapping her under his body mass and forcing her to submit. But it seemed as though the joke was on him; Gwen had actually planned this movement and as he went down, she continued the momentum, making them roll until she was on top! Peter suddenly found himself lying flat on his back, and Gwen quickly positioned herself so that she was straddling his chest, with her knees on either side of his head.

She looked down at him with a victorious smirk on her face. "Give up, my dear handsome husband?"

He sighed. "I have to admit, you are good," he said. This only served to widen Gwen's smirk, and he sensed her letting her guard down ever so slightly.

This was all he needed, and he brought his arms up to grasp her on either side of the midsection. He pushed her easily off him, and shifted their positions so that she rolled backwards and he rolled with her. The end result was her lying flat with him positioned over her and using his hands to pin her arms firmly against the mat.

"But I'm Peter." he said with his own smirk.

Gwen knew that the chances of her being able to reverse this particular situation were virtually none, so she decided to let herself relax and allow the residual adrenaline to drain from her system. "Of course you still are," she pointed out breathlessly. "You're Spider-Man, remember?"

Peter regarded her with a smile. "Don't feel too bad, Gwen," he said, with the slightest hint of affection creeping into his tone; one that he frequently took with her. "You handled yourself very well."

"Really?" Gwen asked, raising her eyebrows. "I don't suppose you pulled your punches with them too?"

"Well, yes," he admitted, "And I will also admit that I didn't pull my punches then as much as I did now, but that's because you matter to me much more than the entirety of the universe."

It was a simple comment, delivered in a casual off-hand way, but the very nature of the words was enough to make Gwen's heart flutter with love at the man. She felt his hands relinquish their hold on her arms, and she wrapped them gently around his neck, drawing him closer for a kiss.

When they pulled apart, Peter could not resist goading her a little more. "Of course, I still maintain that you technically cheated by training with Natasha and knowing how I operate when I'm privately 'dancing' with you, my little fragile princess."

Gwen promptly whacked him on the side of the head. "Shut up!" she said in a mock anger that was offset by their matching smiles. Then they locked lips once more as Gwen's grew when she felt the firm muscles of his pectorals pressed against her breasts.

As the kiss deepened, Peter instinctively ran his hands along Gwen's sides, feeling firm and yet feminine body under the layers of her training clothes. He finally made contact with her creamy skin when his hand adventured over her flat stomach. Gwen moaned against his mouth that savored her lips. They were getting carried away in the lustful exchange of kisses.

For a training session at Howard's bulding, they couldn't said the place was uninteresting at all.

Elizabeth suddenly asked, "Dad, why are you lying over mommy like that?"

Peter released her lips and looked up to the main door, seeing his daughter standing with one single eyebrow raised at her parents. He looked back and forth between Gwen and Elizabeth. "Um..."

Gwen tossed her husband to the side, not so gently. She stealthily licked her lips and stood up, before giving Elizabeth a kind smile. "We were...it's something called sparring, you know?"

"Ouch..." Peter groaned lightly on his end, Gwen's shove wasn't so subtle.

Elizabeth remained suspicious. "Isn't that what Uncle Howard watches?"

Gwen grinned. "Exactly, honey!' Peter walked next to his wife, they quickly exchanged a glance.

She hummed something. "But...those grown up boys never kiss during a match."

"It's a new rule." Peter quickly intervened. "They can...if they want..." Gwen turned her head on her shoulder and widened her eyes at him. "But they don't usually do so...um...yeah."

"Oh, I guess that makes some sense." She nodded in agreement.

Peter whispered to himself, "Thank god it does..." He chuckled awkwardly and went to pick Gwen's stuff in the bench while she approached Elizabeth and placed an arm around her shoulder.

"What are you doing down here, Liz?" Gwen brushed a trace of her daughter's blonde hair behind her ear.

She looked up and replied, "Uncle Howard told me to warn you that lunch is ready, he said you would be down here and that I could interrupt anytime."

Peter walked past his girls and muttered, "I'll kill your brother, Gwen."

Gwen giggled briefly. Elizabeth didn't fully hear him. "What did you say, daddy?"

"Just...how much I like your adorable uncle." They stepped inside the elevator. Elizabeth stood between them.

She looked to Gwen's belly. "Do you feel Sarah, mommy?"

Gwen frowned in confusion. She gazed her daughter with a suspicious smile. "Who is Sarah, honey?"

She met her mother's green eyes. "My little sister, I named her Sarah."

"Um...come again?"

Elizabeth sighed in annoyance. "Daddy told me you're pregnant."

Peter almost lost his neck as he quickly looked down to his blonde daughter. "What?! I didn't say that!" He protested.

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him. Peter continued, "I said your mother might be pregnant, that's not a confirmation."

"No, you didn't." She argued back.

Gwen just stood quiet on her spot - observing the intense discussion happening between her daughter and her husband. She had an expression of amusement across her face.

"Oh, you're one stubborn little princess, aren't you?" Peter gave her a playful stare.

Elizabeth scoffed. "So you've lied to me, daddy?"

"No - no, not again." She was making him appear as the guilty one. He placed a hand over his face and sighed. He uncovered his face and replied, "No, I didn't... I'm sorry if you thought mommy was pregnant.".

"Oh, that's okay..."

"But hey, I'm sure we can arrange you a sister." Peter smiled boyishly at his wife. "Eh? What do you say, mommy? Should we make some experiments?" He frequently and rapidly raised his eyebrows at her.

Gwen tilted her head to the side and gave him a both deadly and surprised stare. "You..."

"Really?!" Elizabeth grinned. She then frowned in deep thought. "But..why do babies stay in their mother's belly? Where do they come from?"

Peter deadpanned. He gulped and whispered, "She didn't..."

Gwen held a smirk. She slowly nodded and mouthed. Yes, she did.

There were twenty floors yet to go. This is going to be a long trip. He thought. "Well...Liz, you see...there's a time when a woman...um," Gwen stood in disbelief. She didn't approve of his incoming juvenile explanation. "...look, there's a woman, okay...? She wants to have a baby, so she asks this being, its something...let's say..."

"Magical...!" Elizabeth replied, excited.

"Yes, magical, ha!" He laughed, nervously. "Well, this being, called as...it's like a bird, who has the seed for a baby." Gwen rolled her eyes. "...Birby! Eh, a cool name? Right, uh?" He grinned, proud of the nickname he came with.

Gwen shook her head at him in disapproval.

"No...?" He sounded disappointed, his smile weakened.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"No...no, okay then." He wiped his grin off his lips after the failure of his invention.

Gwen sighed. "Look, honey, it's kinda complicated, your father's explanation is half correct, for now, you'll understand when you're older, okay?"

He interjected, "What you're talking about my explanation was spot on."

Thirty minutes later...

Peter entered the living room, carrying two mugs filled with hot coffee in each hand. He handed one to Gwen's brother who was sat in a puffy chair and playfully inspected the liquid just in case if there were any poison. He then sat next to Gwen in the couch as he wrapped his left arm around her shoulder and held the mug he shared with his wife on his free hand.

Gwen moaned secretly to herself as she cuddled with her lover. Howard asked, "So, mom told me there's this possibility you're carrying a baby, Gwendy."

She placed a hand in Peter's thigh and said, "Yeah, well - turns out I'm not this time, unlike with Elizabeth, we weren't actually planning one, it just happened."

"Really? What could possibly have changed your calendar?" He placed his mug over the coffee table.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm a woman, depending of what I eat it causes a chain reaction, maybe it's that."

Peter finally interjected, "You're talking about chocolate, honey." He took a sip. "It makes you happy and sad at the same time. Go figure."

Gwen giggled as she pressed herself closer against his torso. She looked up and met his eyes. "You know me too well." They kissed lovingly for a few seconds.

Howard started acting as if he was about to puke. "Oh god, get a room you two." He was aware of the fact that his brother in law also enjoyed pulling his leg, and that his sister would have more effectiveness at doing that.

Gwen smiled against her husband's lips and finally let them go, before turning to face her younger brother and tease him, "Are you jealous, little brother?"

He frowned in return. His ego wouldn't let him slid in front of his big sister. He began seriously, "Going back to the baby topic, are you two even planning to have another one?"

Gwen shrugged her shoulders and gently elbowed Peter on his cagerib. "I don't know, are you going to take me to Disneyland at least once in your life, Peter?"

He sighed heavily and looked at Howard, cracking an exhausted expression. "You have no idea how much times your sister asks me that." Howard chuckled. He knew Gwen always wanted to go there someday, and she wanted her husband come as well. "But I don't know, Gwendy...does it take to go to Disneyland to have another baby?"

Gwen nodded, playfully. She began carefully, "Why not? We have been together for fifteen years...we made children together...why can't you go with me on this?"

He moved his eyes away from the siblings and towards the large window on his corner. "Because... reasons."

"Why's that?" Howard tilted his head to the side, curious at his disinterest.

Gwen grinned. "I have his theory; from what May told me, Petey here has fear of clowns, and some living characters, you know, with someone inside." She revealed. "The irony."

Peter instantly gazed his blonde wife in shock. "That's not true!" He snarled.

"Oh, yes - it is."

Peter opened his mouth as if he were going to say something, but changed his mind midway through the action and just kept his eyes almost shut, before looking away and standing quiet.

"Aww," Gwen grabbed his arm and leaned closer to him. "I actually feel bad now, honey." She kissed his cheek and rested her head against his chest. "I can protect your sorry butt if we go there."

Peter smiled a tiny bit. If there was one thing he loved about Gwen, just one of the many qualities, it was her down to earth personality. Her snarks were also very welcome to him, most of the time. "Well, Howard, the answer to your original question is yes, I mean - I do plan to have another one, probably, yeah - I plan to." He looked down to his wife who was lost in words, she slowly nodded at him in surprise. What?" He asked.

"Um...I'll admit I have baby fever a lot, but I didn't know you were this sure..."

He held a chuckle back. "Well, it takes...t's a team effort..." Now he couldn't it hold anymore. Gwen stared at the ceiling as her cheeks slowly became red, she smiled lighty. "Like, I can't have a baby on my own." He laughed.

"Oh god..." It was getting awkward. She looked down at Howard and decided to change subjects, "So, yes - probably; speaking of babies, where's my adorable niece?" Peter played with locks of her golden hair.

Howard grabbed his coffee again to take a sip. "She just woke up, Miranda and Liz are bathing her last time I checked on them."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" She stood up.

"Because I knew I'd lose you to her." Howard grinned.

"That's right!" Gwen hurried upstairs.

Peter and Howard exchanged a surprised glance. The Queen's boy asked first, "So...do you have the newest Madden?"

He grinned. "Fire the console while I bring the beers." Howard also raised from his seat and calmly headed towards the kitchen. "Giants is mine, though!"

"Why?!" Peter protested.

"Cause you're in my house!"

Peter repeated his words in a dorky way,"My house - my house..." He murmured, "Fair enough..."

---

Parker's Apartment - Manhattan

Later in the night...

Peter patiently waited for Gwen to fully fall asleep on his chest. He had his right arm wrapped around her naked back, keeping her comfortable and relaxing body close to his chest. She always had been a light sleeper while he was the one who slept like a rock. Surely a rather negative factor for man like him who always enjoyed her grip over him, and sometimes to kiss her skin while she was unconscious, so he had to be extra careful as usual.

He stared at the ceiling, thinking about what was going within him. His brain was messing up with him, or something much more serious found it's way to him. It was the fourth time he talked to 'himself'. Surprisingly enough, his other himself had some true points about him.

He is changing.

Ever since the war, Peter has noticed the new way he uses to see the world around him, as if he had no hopes, even Spider-Man had changed to an extent. He now realized he is becoming what once was a distortion of his real personality, when he had the infamous symbiote.

He often took the easy way back then, and history now seemed to repeat itself.

The one time when he actually felt soulless. Was this what he is changing into? Can't he control himself anymore as show in the Hunter's base? Isn't he able to be Spider-Man anymore?

Those were questions that currently haunted his subconsciousness, and with the possibility of Harry being alive, he barely could think about himself, but only about those he'd sacrifice his life for their safety.

And that value was present on his new plan depending of how things go with Curt Connors. Gwen was surely going to disapprove what he had in mind. He didn't even tell her about only person in the entire world who he could say all the things he needed to.

Without Gwen, Peter was well aware that half of what he had so far wouldn't ever exist. He owed everything to her, and now he was keeping things away from his wife.

I'm going to hell...have I gone too far?

"Honey..." Gwen moaned before she stirred slightly on his arms.

Peter changed the focus of his attention to his fastly asleep wife. She had her left hand lying over his stomach. She wasn't willing to let him anywhere as long as she had to sleep.

With the arm that was around her, he placed his left hand to her cheek and gently slid his finger over the smooth skin while peering into her calm facial expression.

Peter kissed the top of her golden hair, nuzzled it and whispered amorously in her ear, "Love you, always." She now seemed to smile lightly.

He slowly started leaning his torso to his side of the bed and away from Gwen, being extra careful this time. He eventually sat at the edge of the bed, and quickly moved his pillow next to Gwen once she started groping the sheets to reach him. She groaned in disapproval and eventually settled herself next to Peter's pillow which she kept closely pressed against her chest.

Peter sighed heavily at the sight. He raised from the bed and silently walked towards the wardrobe, before opening it, and moving all of his formal suits to the side as he saw all of his Spider-Man suits hidden behind them.

He had four of them - the original one, the redesigned version which Gwen helped him make, the same version with a more brighter blue and raised silver webbing while the last one was the Iron Spider. The bottom one was too much flashy for the long run. He thought.

Too many option...this is torture. He narrowed his eyes at them. Okay, let's go with the classic one. He grabbed the redesigned version and proceeded to wear the tight spandex over his perfectly sculpted muscular body and only left his head exposed.

Peter took one last glance at his beautiful Gwen and how innocent she looked. He smiled briefly, before using both hands to slid the mask over his face and observe her through the lenses.

Right, let's close this case once and for all. He turned on his back and jumped through the open window as he dove into the air.

He looked up the buildings and fired a single webline through his left webshooters as the sudden opposite force coming from above kept him crashing into the ground.

He was now being brought back to high levels as the webbing expanded and raised once again. Spider-Man joined his legs against each other and kept his grip tightly over the web as it reached it's maximum elasticity point and height in the air. He released it, leaned his head and torso down towards the streets, and spun towards his back and in the air just before shooting another biocable and enjoying the momentum that fastly made him pass above all cars by inches.

He saw a truck crossing the avenue right on his front, and instead of doing something to evade it, Spider-Man continued his one time swing down in the streets and managed to quickly pass between the truck and its cargo without actually releasing what kept him alive.

"Woooh...!"

---

Ravencroft Institute - Manhattan

Curt Connors found himself sat on a chair and next to the desk on his cell room. He read a book his now much older son had brought to him during the last week.

While small, his cell had a surprisingly comfortable bed, and it didn't end there, he actually had access to books that were available in the institute and food that was actually better than anything the workers daily give to the common deranged criminals that lived in there.

He had accepted his fate. He'd have to live the rest of his life inside a cell where only a wall made of reinforced glass kept him off the corridors. He knew he deserved it, what got in there in the first place was more than enough to keep him forever locked.

What Connors could at least do is gather more knowledge into his mindset, that was enough for him.

Later on, he caught some movement outside the cell. He turned his head on his shoulder and saw Spider-Man hanging upside down by a single web in front of the glass.

It had been years since they last talked. Peter used to visit him, but his other more important duties kept him away, and he didn't blame him at all, he even considered himself unworthy of his presence. The Parker was a brilliant man and he deserved everything good from the world.

"Peter...what are you doing here?" Connors asked, concerned. "How did you even get inside?"

"Hey, Curt." He answered politely, "Let's say I recently hired a hacker, and I need to talk about you about something."

Connors calmly raised from his seat and approached the transparent wall. "I wasn't expecting a visit from you, not at this hour."

"Sorry about that, I really am." Peter apologized. "Life has been acting like a storm over the past few months."

Connors nodded sympathetically. "I understand." He inquired, "What do you want of me?"

Peter carefully dropped himself into firm ground and crossed his arms. "Do you remember where my parent's funeral were? I can't find an address anywhere, even my Aunt doesn't know it."

He replied, "Oh, yes - it was in one of Norman's mansions away from the urban area, only selected people could be there, all of them were privately brought to the area."

Peter asked, "So you can get me there?"

Connors shook his head. "I honestly can't, even I had to go through such security checks; I believe some of Oscorp meetings happened in there as well, only high personnel, though."

"Damn it..." Peter cursed as he placed both hands on his waist.

The ex-scientist slowly frowned as he came to remember something important. "Unless..."

"What?"

He continued, "There might be a way; I remember digging through Oscorp's network after your parents passed away, my laptop absorbed lots of information; it might still be there."

"It's worth a shot then." Peter affirmed. "Where is it?

Curt sighed in regret. "It's inside the old train station, it's now demolished."

"Roosevelt?"

He raised an eyebrow, curious on how Peter did get such information. "That's...precise."

"It isn't!" Peter continued enthusiastic, "I went there years ago...father has one as well, how about yours? Never found it."

"We built that place as our secondary option, we worked quite often with the Venom project in there." He explained. "To trigger both station you had to place two coins in the meter, then scan my retina; your old man wasn't that worried about security, though."

Peter stroked his - covered in spandex - chin. "That means I need to break you out from here..."

"What? You're not actually considering that, are you?"

He eventually nodded.

"You can't, you'll be ruining your reputation, don't you see?" Curt tried to talk his friend out of it.

"There's things more important than my reputation." He pressed his closed fist against the reinforced glass as Connors slowly take a few steps back. "Hold tight; everything will go smoothly." He retracted his arm just to aggressively direct it at the glass once again.

Half an hour later...

"Argh...!" Spider-Man grunted in pain and clumsily sat on the first chair he found inside Connors' laboratory, just as similar to his father's, but with more books instead, a lot more. He brought his right hand to the cauterized wound on his waistline.

Stupid spider sense keeps randomly failing on me.

At least they had indeed found the information. Peter could look for Harry anytime he wished now. If he's really out there.

Connors immediately questioned, "Is that your idea of smoothly? Beating everything and everyone that appears in front of you?!"

Peter took off his mask and placed it over the table next to him, revealing a face covered in sweat while his cheeks were red in heat. He exhaled deeply, "Hey, they attacked first, with an electric baton by the way, hurts like crap."

Connors was shocked at his simple response. "O-Of course they did, you've invaded a restricted area and released a prisoner!" He continued, "I shouldn't even be here."

Peter searched through his eyes for anything near that could help him relive the pain. "I did what I had to do."

"How can you say that, Peter?" Connors was having hard time trying to understand what was going on with the young man. "Since when you started acting like this? Brutally beating those guards and actually freeing a convicted prisoner? You never had been like that, that's not the Peter I used to know."

He hesitated. "It's been years-"

"Yes - it has been, but doesn't justify your action." Curt argued back. "All those cops in the main gate? They will hunt you down; is this how you want to be remembered after everything you've done? A criminal? You saw the news, they're calling you a traitor, demanding more strict control over your kind, not mentioning the whole lunatic part; people are changing their opinions regarding you after tonight."

Peter gasped as he adjusted himself in the chair. He sighed. "Look, you have to understand...this is all about the guy who was there for in the beginning, we're almost like family - if not that; I have to do this for him, and I won't rest until I have all the answers because that's what always has been circling around on my life, questions..." He paused. "This would be no different if my wife, Aunt or children were involved, I'd do anything for them."

"Really? Would you become someone else, corrupt the very kind person you are like you're doing right now in order to achieve something?"

Peter stood in absolute silence. Curt had just confirmed what he has thinking over the last few months. He looked away. "I...I have to go." He raised from the seat, unzipped his pocket and went to grab his thin leather walled.

Curt observed his movements. He only wanted to help Peter. He was heading a path it wasn't meant to happen. He's a good man. Connors couldn't bear the thought of seeing Peter ruining by himself everything he fought and stood for.

As Peter opened his wallet and searched its contents, Connors spotted a small picture of a blonde child set down close to his bank cards. "Your daughter, she's a beautiful young girl; looks exactly like her mother." He smiled sympathetically.

Peter firstly looked up at Connors, then at the picture on his wallet. He smiled weakly as if the weight of the world over his shoulders just had vanished away. "Yeah, I hear that a lot, but thank you; she's... my life to put it shortly."

Curt nodded. "I know."

After retrieving a couple of hundred of bucks from his wallet, Peter handed them to Connors, who hesitated in taking it. "You need this."

"Peter..."

He continued, "Change your name, your appearance, Connors is no more; take it, for me." He gestured his head to his open hand that held the notes.

Connors hesitated at first, but later took his friend's offer and gave him a respectful nod.

Peter groaned lightly due to the injury. He took his gloves off, allowing his bare hands to breath and searched for any kind of civilian clothes around his surroundings, none could be seen.

Maybe with my father's...

"Be careful, Peter; the Osborn state is frozen, but what you can find within this family is always a mysterious." Curt warned.

Peter turned at him. He breathed heavily, "I know; take care of yourself, Curt..." He patted him on the shoulder with his free hand, before walking off the compartment while bringing his gloves and mask along.

"You too..." Connors said to himself, "...and Peter, don't go down a path...you won't be able to come back."

Cemetery

"All of them..." Peter stood in front of his Uncle's grave, hiding his hands inside the black hoodie's pocket. "Everyone I've helped, everyone I've saved...they're crucifying me."

He continued somber, "...and there's this guy, actually myself...that keeps haunting me; I don't know why, I don't know what the connection is - not yet anyways." He paused. "It's like my old life i-is coming back after me or something, like - if it doesn't want me to be happy."

Peter stood in silence for a brief time. "I know what you would say, go out there, your happiness for other people's lives, no room for second thoughts if I can do something, right?"

The Parker followed such dilemma closely over the years and until now. Everyone, no matter where from, race, orientation and anything else that qualifies a person, all souls were worthy. He dedicated his will and body for them, every time, but he didn't know if he could continue doing that or if he's even capable of completing such monumental task anymore, or if he wanted to.

"But why? Why is it my job to save these people? Why do I have to forever be the grand hero?" Peter asked, irritated. "What about us, uh? Can't Gwen live the rest of her life without having to worry about the dangers of being my wife? What about the twins? Do they deserve to be overwhelmed by my shadow when they get older? Elizabeth is not supposed to have a degree, get married, build her own family and give them a peaceful life?"

I just want to be a good father, and a friend.

He rubbed his eyes to remove any trace of incoming tears as he stared the graveyard. "I...try to keep the city safe, and they're angry; I save their lives daily, and they're angry; I stop a much bigger threat - twice - with my own damn blood!" He snarled and looked up towards the sky. "Can't one single thing on this damned world just stay fixed!?"

Peter exhaled deeply, his hands shaking slightly in anxiety. He returned his gaze to the original spot and closed both fists. "Why do we have to sacrifice everything...I want to...do the right thing...have I lost the definition of what that really means?" A single tear slid down from his right eye and down his cheeks.

"What am I supposed to do...Uncle Ben?" Peter whispered weakly to himself while not taking his eyes away from the stone. He waited for any kind of response, not that he certainly expected one, just...anything.

Peter cleared his throat. He already had vented enough. "Yeah...well, I miss you...I hope you're having a good rest in where you might be...goodbye, Uncle Ben." He placed the tip of his finger over the grave and closed his eyes, paying his respects to such beloved man, before turning on his shoulder and calmly walking way from the area.

It was then when Peter noticed his wallet wasn't inside his hoodie, it was empty. He immediately stopped on his tracks and turned around once more, spotting what he was looking for not so far away, and back into the Parker's resting area down in the grass.

When close enough, he kneeled and went to grab it, instantly seeing that half of the tiny picture of Gwen was midway off the wallet while the other part remained inside. He had framed her sat in one of Midtown's outdoors benches, she wore her black blouse accompanied by a white shirt underneath it and alongside her charming black headband. Although she posed for the photo, she didn't seem happy; in fact, that was after he had convinced her to miss class to hang out together instead. He had been craving her attention for eons back then.

Peter smiled weakly as he picked the small picture with his left hand. Of course...Gwendy, always you, and no one else.

---

Parker's Apartment

After precisely landing on the balcony, Peter lowered his hoodie's top and carefully slid the door open. He made his inside while scanning the ambient wih his eyes. Sneaking inside my own apartment. Just wonderful. He thought to himself.

Peter walked around the kitchen's countertop and later stopped in front of the fridge, before slowly pulling the door towards him and being greeted by the automatic lights that flared on the second he pulled the door open.

His left hand went straight around the single bottle of water that was set next to the ice cream box. He took the cap out and brought the bottle against his lips, drinking all of its contents until there wasn't a single drop of water inside.

He was dead thirsty.

"Goodnight, Daddy." Gwen said from behind, putting an extra emphasis in the last word from her sentence.

Peter almost spit everything he quickly drank but refrained himself from doing so. His lungs - on the other hand, were now an ocean. He repeatedly smashed his chest with a closed fist and eventually turned around, seeing his wife wearing a white bathrobe while standing next to the stairwell, with crossed arms.

Ren could be seen sat down and besides her. A little green tenis ball was trapped inside his mouth. He had his head tilted to the side and aimed towards one of the Parkers.

"Um...hello, sweetheart." The fridge's door closed itself behind him. He cleared his throat. "You...look unsurprisingly astonishing."

Gwen placed a fake plastic smile across her lips. She noticed his suit appearing in the opening of the hoodie's collar. "So, where were you? Cause mommy here...was rather surprised when she found the bed suddenly half-empty."

He rubbed the back of his neck, and that already sold everything to Gwen. "I was...patrolling."

"Oh, really?" He nodded, awkwardly. "Hmm, that's interesting...then why didn't you leave a note like you always do when you have to leave during the night? Better yet, why not bring your not phone along, uh?"

Peter took a few steps closer. Things were getting out of hand. He thought. "I forgot to do that, it was urgent, you know...?"

"That makes sense, obviously." Gwen said with a hint of sarcasm in her tone. She suddenly stared him deadly in the eyes. "Peter Parker, you're one lying moron...!" She stated, angry.

He raised his hands in defense. "Wow...! Why are you calling me a moron for?!" His tone raised slightly. It was the second time someone called him that during the week.

"Shh...!" Gwen quickly placed single finger over her lips. "Our children, are sleeping, so shut the hell up." Peter was shocked. He never had seen her curse that much. It was so unusual for Gwen to act like that.

He tried to place a hand on her shoulder but she slapped his hand away. He whispered, "Honey..."

Gwen shook her head in disapproval. "Don't honey me; instead..." She moved her left hand inside the bathrobe's side and retrieved the small remote controller and pointed it towards the television, activating the screen in matter of seconds. "Explain that."

Peter turned on his shoulder and saw the same talk-show from minutes ago at Connor's place. They're now dissecting the footage gathered from some helicopter's point of view. Gwen knew everything, and he just got caught on his lie.

"It's been confirmed just now, Spider-Man actually freed a convicted prisoner responsible for the biological attack in New York years ago. Authorities are now on high alert. Tony Stark already commented on the subject by saying that Spider-Man must have a reasonable reason. His words. But either way, Spider-Man committed a crime and he must be legally punished for his actions like any American civilizen."

He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Why would you do that, Peter? Since when do you break people out of prison? Don't you do the opposite?" She asked, concerned about the consequence of such decision.

"Look, I know how you feel about Connors-"

She cut him off, "It's not about what I think of the man, I'm torn by your decision of keeping things away from me, things you would normally share with your wife, not only that - you might just as well destroy everything you built over the years, and that affects not only you but possibly our children!"

"It...it just happened, Gwen, I physically needed him to unlock the same type of compartment my father had." He explained. "I'm one step closer to Harry now; I didn't want...to lie to you..."

She scoffed. "Yet you did; do you know how I felt when I discovered what my husband was doing through the damn television?" Peter gulped at the sight of her hurt expression. "I felt...as if I am some sort of secondary piece on your life, because...the man I created a family and I chose to spend the rest of my life with until the last moments, doesn't seem to think I'm trustable or capable of doing something at all...he didn't bother telling me he was going to visit the man who murdered my father on the first place - not even May, or your daughter."

Peter noticed the trembles on her voice and how deep it was becoming. He began softly, "It's not like that..."

She continued as a single tear slid from her left eye and down her cheek. "Combine the fact that you don't want me to help you nor do you tell me what's troubling you with everything that's happening on my job, I just can't..."

Peter gently moved his hand to her cheek. She didn't protest now. He wiped the trace of water off her skin as his own very eyes were becoming wet. He wanted to jump off the bridge for making his wife go through such pain. "I..I'm sorry...for everything, I'm not truly being honest with you, and you're right, I'm a complete utterly moron for lying to the only woman I'm supposed to count on."

"It doesn't work like that, Peter, this just keeps repeating...you recently don't seem to think I can help you, when I have been doing since the night you knocked on my bedroom window; I can't live like this, it's not healthy for me, having to wonder every time we go to sleep why you're locking yourself away from me." She took a heavy breath. "I'm tired..."

Peter stood quiet so that she could vent her emotions further.

She looked down towards the floor. "I do love you - I love you, but I have other stuff to do on my life besides looking out for you, one of them being three children - there's also my own professional career, and I won't stop pursuing those responsibilities because of you...it's already becoming emotionally overwhelming."

He placed both hands on her hips. "There's so many things I don't want to do, and making you suffer isn't one of them; you deserve to know what's happening, and I'll tell you everything... I just thought you already put up with a lot, and adding more to that pile is unbearable." He slowled pulled her into a hug. She didn't return it at first, but allowed him to embrace her. "It's not you, it's me, and I will...change to make things right."

Gwen rested her head on his shoulder, feeling his left hand massaging her back as he tightened the reassuring embrace. She whispered, "I need some time...to think about everything, and try to...regain the trust I placed upon you."

Peter closed his eyes and nuzzled her hair. "I understand." He had damaged their relationship enough. "I won't go against your word, no matter what that might be."

Gwen sighed and closed her eyes. She now had released everything that was trapped inside her throat for weeks. She began feeling lighter, as if part of the weight over her had just faded away during their exchange. There isn't a man as important as Peter is on her life, and she hated seeing him struggle, suffer and lie all at once.

It was obvious that the latest events took a toll over him. Hopeless. He was emotionally shattered. He didn't fully recover, and with the possibility of Harry being alive after all these years, she could only wonder the turmoil of emotions he was swimming through.

That also affected her. Their whole relationship. He was slowly distancing himself from his own family in order to accomplish his goals, and also losing his way during such path.

The break-out was only one of the evidences that reinforced such thought.

As they comforted each other without any words but actions, Gwen started to feel his weight getting heavier and heavier over her. His grip was loosening. She opened her eyes and placed both hands on his cagerib to gain some support.

"Peter...?" She called, but he didn't answer. Her right hand was now suddenly damped by some sort of thick substance.

Gwen looked down to her hand saw her palm slightly covered in blood. Peter was bleeding, and he apparently lost his consciousness since he wasn't answering her and his weight was becoming too much for her to handle.

"Hey - hey, hey...!" Gwen quickly patted his back, hopeful that would bring him back.

Peter...?!

---

"Wow, easy tiger." Gwen said gently after Peter suddenly opened his eyes and exhaled deeply on their bed. He was now awake but slightly disorientated, she had to push him back down when he tried to get up.

He was laid on his back and with two pillows under his head. His hoodie and the top of the suit were also missing. A bandage could be seen where an electric button did some damage hours ago.

"H-How...long was I out?" Peter asked the woman sat next to him. He still felt dizzy.

"Twenty minutes, and that's long enough to get me worried." Gwen held a white towel and removed the rest of blood strains that were spread on his abdomen due to the hoodie previously trapping the liquid inside him. "Did you know the commissioner has put five hundred cops after you?"

Peter smiled. "Five hundred? That seems a bit excessive."

"Yeah." She smiled shortly, before asking, "Maybe it's time you pay a visit to Dr Adams." She suggested.

"It's nothing serious; I just should have treated it earlier."

Gwen looked up to him. "Is it? That's the second time you pass out this week, since when did you start doing that?" She paused. "You went through worse before, maybe it's time we accept the possibility that you aren't as physically resilient as you used to be."

He sighed. She was right about the topic, as hard as it was for him to accept. Adams once told him to not abuse his powers, he suspected Peter was becoming his own venom, but he could be wrong. "Maybe you're right, that would answer a lot of questions; that time at the gym, when I was unconscious, I had this... dream...one more from a long list."

Gwen noticed his hesitation to talk about it. Maybe that was one of things he was hiding from her knowledge. "You can tell me." She said reassuringly.

He fixed his eyes to her green's. "In my dreams, there's this other me, he seems to be more...I don't know, ruthless? He says I have to change in order to succeed at my goals and protect my loved ones, and that I'm not reaching my full potential and causing more mistakes that he could count; he once told me that sparing Harry at the clocktower, almost backfired years later, and I think he's right about that, even if I wouldn't ever do that."

"Since when is this happening?"

He answered, "Since the war ended." He continued somber, "...and I don't know what's going on with me anymore, if this is simply some type of damn PTSD or if I'm simply going crazy like you told me once I got back from that whole new dimension."

"That's not true, and I wasn't myself that night." Gwen replied. "You're okay."

"You think? Look at what I have done so far, I have made more mistakes than I count...I lied to you, there's this day I sent a guy to the hospital after he robbed an old lady, if Matt didn't intervene, I would have probably lost my way for good, not only that, but you saw what happened when I freed myself from my kidnappers." A moment Gwen thought the worst when she first got there.

Peter didn't mention the one time he went the route he never had taken before in order to save his wife. He still felt ashamed for not thinking about something else, and that was when he began losing his faith on his ideals.

"I actually...enjoyed that moment, for a second." Gwen stood surprised at his confession, but she remained quiet. "Once you touch that darkness, it never goes, and maybe - deep down, that's who I am, a primal example of force that was contained until just now."

"There's nothing dark about you, honey...absolutely nothing." She stated.

Peter shook his head. "There was a time I was a hero and not a stone cold psycho." He affirmed, "These are all the same sensations I had when the symbiote had control over me, but this time, its pure me." He gently placed the palm of his hand over her cheek. "I'm scared...I can't go down that road again, I can't becomethatthing again."

"And you won't, we're together on this, whatever happens, we'll overcome it." She kissed the palm of his head.

He cleared his throat. "I just don't think I'm able to be Spider-Man for much further, not on this state, I have done more harm than good since I stopped Avenging." He moved a lock of her blonde hair behind her ear. "I can't wake up with this false hope that everything will be alright and that I'll somehow be that man everyone wants me to be again."

Gwen placed a hand on his chest. "You can't just lose hope, honey; this is just a phase that will eventually go away, you need to believe in yourself." She leaned down ontop of his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

Peter began gently, "I don't want to be remembered by everyone as something similar to what I did tonight, our children nonetheless. They're that important too me." He caressed her shoulder. "If...If I do go down that path, if something happens to me, you need to take care of me, for all of us."

Gwen looked up to him with a shocked expression. "No, Peter, no...I won't ever do that, you don't get to quit on us, this family is all we ever had!" She said firmly. "You can't simply stop, you need to always keep fighting, you need to fight for that man I fell for, a man that wouldn't let anything put him down, a man full of life and love to give, I want him back...you want him back, you can't bail on me now because of some dream that is nothing but a bad - stupid dream; you're not a bad person and you'll never become one."

"I just..."

"Look, you've made some mistakes, yeah - no doubt, I also did, but you're trying to fix them, the fact that you're confessing all of this to me is another step into that direction, and that's not something dishonorable, it's the opposite." Gwen hugged him once again. "We need some time to figure things out...see where we stand; a hurricane went by lately, let's just take our time, okay?"

Peter eventually nodded as Gwen leaned her head under his chin. "I suppose you are right." His left hand adventured down through her covered back, and stopped over her thigh. She once again had persuaded him into accepting new point of view regarding some of his thoughts.

He hoped she was right, and that maybe...maybe he will eventually find himself at peace once again.

It was time to sit down and take a break from everything, at least after the one mystery left is solved, and when that is out of the way, they could be back doing what they love most, without worrying about everything and everyone.

"What will be your decision regarding Spider-Man, Peter?"

"I'm not really sure; we've lost so much...we've sacrificed so much." He replied.

She argued back, "But people are alive because of you, it's worth it...it sure hurts like hell, but it's worth it, and whatever your decision may be, choose it aware that you made us proud." She pulled the lonely lighten lamps' cord down.

It was unbelievable the effect Gwen had upon him. She always made him feel lighter when together, despite all. Peter yawned, he was now holding himself from not falling asleep with his wife lying ontop of his torso, a pleasant weight he didn't mind.

He also noticed Gwen had already chosen her spot for the rest of the night, and while that wasn't his top position, it sure was better than sleeping on the couch, at least Ren would accompany him, probably.

As their breathing slowly reached the lowest levels of frequency, Peter instinctively pulled the single white sheet over their warm bodies. The room embraced a silent present amidst the darkness, although that didn't last long enough after Peter's cellphone started vibrating in the stand next to the bed.

Gwen groaned in annoyance. She moved her right hand towards the stand, grabbed the device and answered the call without opening her eyes to check who was calling. "Yes...?" Her now husky voice inquired. "Sam...? What are you doing this late...?

Peter opened his eyes after the mention.

"No, I don't know what that is..." Suddenly, Gwen rose from her husband's chest. "What? Are you sure?

Peter raised an eyebrow before sitting next to her. " What's going on?"

"I see..."

He insisted, "Let me-"

"Shh." Gwen placed a single finger over his lips. "Hold that info, we'll see what will be of it later. Yeah...he does, thank you, we both appreciate it; no problem, Sam...alright, get some sleep." She moved the phone off her ear and slid the tip of her finger across the screen, turning the call down.

"Talk to me, honey."

Gwen turned on her shoulder, still holding his phone against her chest. "It's...Harry, they're going after him, this time for good."

"What? How do you know about this?"

She answered, "Sam was listening to their comms, they're now going to avoid exposure because of the element of surprise." She exhaled deeply as she prepared herself to the next revelation. "Also, if Harry tries to resist by using his curse to his defense, that will only increase its damage, meaning he could die; she read his file they apparently had."

Peter was lost in words. Once again, things were taking a spin he barely could follow. "What do I do, Gwendy...?"

She said calmly, "Go, I'm not going to stop you."

He sighed, and later nodded respectfully. He leaned in and kissed her lips deeply, caressing her cheek as he did so, enjoying the taste he would unfortunately miss for some hours.

Peter released her, gazed into her dark green eyes for a few seconds and quickly kissed her lips once again, before walking way from the bed and crouching to gather his Spider-Man chest set that was spread across the floor.

He fastly moved the single part down his head and then proceed to fit both arms inside their respective sections, and finally lowering the rest of the suit towards his waistline and adjusting the tiny hidden locks between his pants and the rest of the suit.

Noticing something flying towards his head from behind him, Peter quick turned on his shoulder and grabbed the incoming mask Gwen had threw from the bed.

She smiled contently. "Good luck, and bring him back."

"I will." Deciding to not discard the possibility of having to blend in, he gathered his clothes and dressed them over the suit and pulled the same hoodie over his head. He hid the mask inside his pants.

Better safe than sorry.

Gwen nodded to him as he slightly jumped across the bedroom and into the open window, leaving her alone to her own thoughts. She dropped her head over the pillows, exhaled deeply and stared at the ceiling.

She needed to just stay in silent for awhile, it's not like the recent days were relaxing days at all.

Oh boy...I'm still in trouble.

---

Upstate New York

After driving miles away from Manhattan island and towards Upstate New York, Peter got off the main road and entered the path that cut straight through a dense florest. It was type of location he wasn't really used to it. His suit was rendered useless, unless if he wanted to protect his face from the squirrels he spotted running out of the road.

At least one useful thing was finally coming from it, memories. He now remembered being inside one of the cars given by Norman Osborn, they're meant to escort the guests to the manor, one of many in the Osborn empire.

Ben and May accompanied him that day. They had agreed in executing the funeral in such a distant area. They thought Norman Osborn was Richard's friend and that it was an honorable idea doing the event far away from the city and the press. His father did have a reputation, and his funeral would surely bring some important persons, one of them being Norman himself, a man that constantly lived with cameras directed at him.

Peter eventually reached a large gate. He could already see the enormous garden and straight path made of stone that led towards the main entrance of the manor. Surprisingly enough, the place was well taken care of, meaning someone was living inside there.

Either it was because of another Osborn Peter wasn't aware of, or Harry himself had really found some isolation.

He parked the car in front of the gate and gazed what kept him from entering the other side. It seemed so much easier on paper - get inside, talk to Harry, and bring him back. Now he struggled to come up with a plan or something to say in case he met the Osborn.

There could even be any words? He wondered. This is the man you grew up with, the only sort of friendship you had for years, he was there for you, Parker.

Peter sighed. He opened the door and stepped back to firm ground. He noticed the gate was actually half open, the locket that was supposed to keep it closed was broken and spread over the ground.

He raised an eyebrow in suspiciousness. It didn't take long enough to realization to finally kick in.

Damn it...!

He began sprinting from the gates and towards the mansion. His special sense was going crazy. He rushed to the front door, crouching to the right of it, before leaning his ear against the door with the goal of trying to hear something or someone he could surprise if it ever came to that.

Nothing.

Peter turned the knob and got shocked by the fact the door wasn't actually locked. He only hoped it wasn't too late.

As he went inside he noticed several bodies of some type of special troopers lying in the ground of the enormous room which was now a completely wreck. Harry must have delt these ones by himself, the mess only reinforced the notion that a big confront just went down.

Such group wasn't an ordinary one. Their gear couldn't be found anywhere else, unless if they worked for the government.

...would answer a lot of questions. They're probably aware of the inhumans by now, and were trying to contain - or study them.

The only question was why they were after Harry.

Peter wasn't sure if they're dead, he could actually hear some painful low andisolateds groans. He approached one of the attackers who was lying on his stomach and carefully turned him on the ground.

The man coughed heavily under his mask and helmet. Peter asked, "Where is Harry Osborn?"

He slowly pointed with his hand at the stairwell that led to a new closed door at the end of it.

Even if he didn't needed to, Peter nodded thankfully and rushed straight forward towards the stair. He didn't stop his pace when he was about to reach its end, instead he propelled his shoulder against the door and stormed inside of what would have been an exquisite living room.

He immediately stopped on his tracks and looked up to the only two persons present in the room. He couldn't believe his sight. His eyes were surely playing a piece on him.

Harry was only some small meters in front of Peter. He held the same person who interrogated him days ago by the collar of his klevar vest since the man was kneeled next to him, clearly beaten up. They didn't even notice Peter's arrival.

The skin of Harry's arms was rather hardened and greenish, his hair was also slightly different, more conservative and a bit tad messy due to what he just went through, aside from that, he looked pretty much like the Harry he used to know, only this time he appeared exhausted and hurt. He gasped heavily as he prepared himself for the final blown towards the man.

Peter shouted, "Harry, stop...!"

Harry jumped at the familiar voice's call. He was startled as he turned on his shoulder and at Peter's direction, without letting the man go. To say he was shocked would be a monumental understatement.

His tired and painful voice asked, "Peter...? W-What are you...doing here?"

Peter took a single step forward. "You need to stop right now, if you keep using your disease, it will...kill you, for good." He wasn't even thinking about how Harry survived, he deemed it impossible, but such question wasn't important right now.

Harry's puzzled expression showed he wasn't really worried about that. "And...?" Peter widened his eyes at the reaction. He wasn't expecting that. Harry continued, "You think...you think I deserve to live?"

"Don't do this to yourself..." Peter loosened his expression. He was feeling the pain and guilty his friend showcased through his physical expressions.

"After everything...everything I have ever done, you think it's worth saving someone who caused more harm than good on his entire life...? Why do you think I stayed away from you all these years...?" His eyes began to get wet.

Peter interjected, "It doens't matter now, we all make mistakes."

"Of course it matters, all of that matters, you just can't ignore your past." Harry said, desperately. "I also have this thing on me, and I've tried to fight it, I've tried to beat it on my own...b-but I can't, I'm...done."

Peter shook his head in negation. He said gently, "What the hell...man? You'll just walk way...?"

A single tear slipped down from Harry's left eye. "It's the best option... I'm tired of living like this, I really am; this dark...way, a shadow of the monster I once became, you know that better than anyone else!"

"Wait!" Peter continued sounding as if Harry had just said the most absurd thing ever, "I don't believe you...look - you are not evil, listen...you and me both are far - far from perfect, but we are good." He said reassuringly as he slowly took another step forward. "I have lost the count of how many times you tried to come up with something to help everyone since we were both kids."

Peter softened, "You aren't done, otherwise you wouldn't send me my father's will, you did that because you need me, you're trying to be heard - looking for another way out; that's not an evil person, Harry, that's a good person."

Harry sniffed as countless painful emotions filled his mind. "I wish I could...could believe that."

"You can, and I...came here to save you, to help you, because I just...can't do it...no without you, not anymore."

Harry began hurtfully, "You can barely do with me! Last time we tried something I screwed things up and I almost killed the person you love the most, I can't do something like that again." He panted heavily. "And that's not even what I consider my greatest mistake in such a long list..." Peter couldn't see his friend on such state for any longer, it was painful to think Harry considered himself the worst factor on his life. He finished, "...it's the countless times I have disappointed you...I can't bear the thought of letting you down again."

Peter moved his eyes towards the ground. "Harry..."

"What if you think I'm not trustable again...? Who are you going to turn to this time around? Another Avenger...? Another...Mercenary...?" A second tear found its way down his cheeks. "You can't even imagine what's like to hurt the only person who you consider to be your family-"

"Okay - okay, just hold on!" Peter was aware of their dysfunctional relationship, but Harry was saying things that were not true regarding them. They're both making the same mistakes they did before.

He continued, "When are we going to change, man? We need to trust each other, we can't keep making the same poor decisions over and over again; listen - I can't believe what you just said, man...I-I refuse to...but Harry, come on...I left my wife alone, when she needed me the most, to save you...I'm willing to let this moron..." He pointed at the unconscious man without taking his eyes away from Harry's. "...and all other son of kittens who messed our lives up to walk away because of you! So don't you dare, think that I would scrap everything we ever had because of something that happened eons ago!"

Even durig their last encounter, Peter had realized that Harry was suddenly put in a situation he couldn't deal with it by himself, instead - he was forced to do things he would never think about in order to survive. That was the moment things fell apart, the second they decided to not rely on each other to overcome together any possible barriers. Harry thought he could handle everything by himself. He wasn't himself during that night, and Peter took the worst decision he could think of when he refused to properly help his friend in need.

Harry didn't remove his eyes away from Peter's. He was dripping in sweat, his body screamed in agony, but he wouldn't ignore him, not again.

Peter continued, "It's never been like that, ever...! I want to help you, and I need you to see that, I'm begging here."

Harry stood motionless, trying to assimilate everything Peter had just said in front of him. If there was someone he should listen to, it was him. Peter provided him what he lost when his mother passed away, affection.

He released the man into the floor and gasped in pain. He looked up at Peter. "How...can I stop this?"

Peter slowly approached him. He didn't have an accurate answer for that. He replied, "Just let it go."

"It's burning inside me, Peter, I can't..." Harry allowed the Parker to hold one of his arms as he checked them.

He squeezed his hand carefully and smiled reassuringly, "We'll find a way, okay?" Harry nodded. "Come here." Peter pulled him into a firm hug as he wrapped his strong arms around his shoulders, providing him the shelter he needed.

Harry groaned in pain and hugged him back and rested his chin over his shoulder. He slowly began to feel at ease. It had been years since he last experimented such act of affection, unsurprisingly, Peter was the last person he ever embraced until just now.

Peter said gently, "Just forget it..." He stroked his back and briefly closed his eyes. "Just forget it, brother...you're family and I'm here to bring you home." He whispered.

They stood in silence for a few more seconds. No words were needed.

Feeling the burning sensation suddenly fading away, Harry slowly pulled back and offered the sight of his arms to Peter. "Look." He said, surprised. The green marks were retreating, revealing his bare skin once again.

Peter smiled contently. "See? It will be alright."

Harry weakly smiled back, but his smile's duration was immediately cut short as he violently gasped in pain and fell on his knees. He felt as if his head was about to explode in tiny pieces. His face was heating in redness.

"Harry...?!" Peter grabbed his left arm, made him stood up once again before placing his arm around his neck. "No - no, come on, Harry!" He started hurrying towards the door and eventually walked downstairs in fast pace.

"I got you!" They stopped at the front door. Peter was about to open it but strong centralized lights coming from outside were instantly aimed at the windows. He could hear a commotion of people out in the yard. A helicopter now appeared to be flying over the manor.

"You're surrounded, there's no escape!"

Peter cursed, "Damn it...!" Hunters had arrived.

He held Harry tightly against him. He seemed to be losing his consciousness. "Hold on, buddy, hold on." He took a peek through the curtains and saw a barricade of black SUVs stationed next to other while the special forces used them as covers. Red dots coming from countless weapons were now directed at the entrance.

That wasn't even the most shocking sight. Peter spotted a tall and strong figure standing next to one of the cars. It had it's arms crossed, and it was covered by a very familiar black substance, one that formed a white spider that began on its chest and was connected with one on the back through its legs.

Another one...? It can't be Flash. The suit is not with him anymore.

They suddenly started slowly walking towards the manor. There wasn't anywhere to go. They're trapped.

Peter looked to his side and at Harry. He was struggling to breath and to see anything. Peter might lose him if didn't bring him home.

I didn't come this far to lose you again...

Peter felt a quick disturbance in the once empty space of air behind him. He turned on his back and brought Harry along. His eyes widened. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, it wasn't Harry's, but the presence's. "You..."

---

A/N : Hey everyone! Hope you all had great holidays :) After losing half of this chapter and having to rewrite it once again, it's finally done. I also spent some time writing my new story during the disappointment of having bits of this chapter lost.

This is a piece I am really proud of how it turned out, also difficult. Just one more chapter until the conclusion of the aftermath and its side plot, the next one won't take much longer because most important stuff were written here.

As you can see, Harry is back. His return is something I've been meaning to write since chapter 31. I was just waiting for the most appropriate time. The character has never been forgotten throughout the fic. Harry had so much potential in the movies, but his personal story was tossed aside to get to that point we all don't really appreciate. I always liked him, until that part.

I wanted to write these two character, Peter & Harry, as friends who obviously have a lot common, so here, they are going through basically the same problems, both mentally and physically, and bonding once again is something that helps them both, first at childhood, now during adult life. It was really challenging writing that, and in the end, I hope I succeeded at it.

Another factor I wanted to highlight, is how much important the strong women of Peter's life are to him. They're there to pick him up, chastise him and teach him a valuable lesson, while having to deal with their own issues aside from him, building the Peter and Spider-Man we have grown to love.

Some throwbacks were added to the chapter. You can't build the future without looking at the past. So yeah, Peter's delusions were addressed, and that will help build the most wise and capable Spider-Man he can be.

Richard and Mary's funeral actually happened like that. TASM2's Blu-Ray (Commentary) says that. Some creative liberties were taken.

One last chapter before the inevitable time jump. What I consider to be the most important character on the story, will gain a great focus later on as she grows. We'll get back to those random one shots of before, with all humor and fluff this originally began with, while absorbing some elements that I think will improve and refresh the story.

Big thanks to Sebas F and Firefly Survivor.

I hope you guys enjoyed it, and if it's not too much to ask for, please review.

PS : The Force Awakens was awesome...!

PPS: Rey, though.