April 6th - 2031

Earlier in the night...

Eddie Brock stood in front of the fireplace set inside his apartment. His right sleeve was now pulled slightly towards his shoulder, allowing him room to apply the many stitches to the fresh wounds in his arm. The outcome from the encounter at the church.

The fire burning within the fireplace in front of him was reflected in the needle he held in his fingers. The symbiote now hid under his skin, freeing his thoughts for a brief moment as he concentrated on the current task.

I know the suit... it's clouding your judgment, Eddie. Let me… help you. Why are we doing this…?

He grunted in pain once he moved the needle and line through his skin.

Leverage, Eddie. Your ill sister was only leverage so that you could've done this, I thought you wouldn't, but you proved to be far worse of a person than I could ever imagine.

Eddie frowned as the wound began to bleed once again. His symbiote had been struggling to heal him as it once did before. To him, something felt off about it. It wasn't a common behavior from the organism.

He then heard something land on the balcony behind him.

He looked over his shoulder and found Spider-Man, in red and blue, standing next to the frame of the door that led to his balcony.

Spider-Man noticed how scarred the right side of Eddie's face was, as he had once seen before at his father's lab. Eddie also stood on both legs, most likely due to the symbiote's impact on his body.

Eddie began, "I thought you were... gone."

"I was, for a time."

"... how did you find me?"

"We share the same symbiote, the same bond. I've felt you,"

Eddie nodded to himself. "... then why are you here ?"

"Because I need your help."

He chuckled to himself and turned back to face the fireplace, supporting himself against the woodwork. He gazed down at the fire. "What could you possibly want with me at this point?"

Spider-Man took one single step closer. "... I have to finish it." He paused. "... he has done enough harm to all of us and he will continue to do so unless we put an end to it."

"You may have forgotten what I did to you."

"I haven't, but I still have faith in people, otherwise what's even the point of… life?"

Eddie silenced, briefly. "Does Gwen even know you are here?"

"She's the one that told me to be here." He continued, "I just can't take on all of them and Quentin, not by myself. I have help, but it won't be enough."

Eddie shut his eyes. "I can't, this thing within me… it has done enough. I've lost… enough."

"If we don't do this... there might be no one left to save later. I need your help, Eddie."

He insisted, "I'm... I'm sorry, Peter. Please… just leave me be."

Spider-Man sighed. He turned on his feet and headed towards the open balcony, before looking slightly over his shoulder. "We think of the symbiote as something that... controls our mind and body, that it feeds on us, and maybe it does, but the truth is… it's only an extension of our mindset, if you look back as I did before, you will know this, you'll know the dark times we both have lived. There's a cost… and my father made the symbiotes this way because he knew how such organism would be used, so he succeeded at making it unstable, but now… we can put an end to this whole… mess created by people that are no longer with us, only their stains." He continued, "... it's never too late, Eddie."

Eddie exhaled deeply as he heard the sound of a web-shooter being used behind him. In a matter of seconds, Spider-Man had disappeared from his apartment. Eddie gripped the structure above the fireplace, digging his fingers against the concrete.

Present time…

Spider-Man put every strength within him on his knees and boosted himself towards the air above him as he caught Flash in his arms, stopping the latter's fast descent towards the ground, before shooting a dark web-line that made him do a u-turn in the air and consequently get back on ground level.

They landed between the building and the vigilantes that watched them from afar in their position.

Peter quickly lowered Flash against the wet ground. His friend's eyes were shut and a trace of blood slid down from the corner of his mouth. He moved his sight to Flash's stomach, placing a hand over it, the symbiote in his hand quickly got soaked in blood.

He tried to have the symbiote move itself to his friend's wound, but it didn't even flinch. He ignored the sounds of death and horror coming from above them. His ears were deaf to anything else that wasn't related to the man laid in front of him. "Hey…" He gently slapped him on the cheekbone, searching for a reaction.

"...please…"

While reality still dawned upon him, the lights of the entire island slowly began to disappear, one square after the other, starting with the one where the former Oscorp Tower was found. Everyone present, except for Peter, was taken aback by the darkness that was set upon them, clouding everyone's sight.

Back at the barricade, Daredevil gestured with his hand for everyone to keep still. They could notice the intense fear coming from the cops on the other side of the wall of webbing that was set between them. They all felt like those were their very last minutes on foot. There were still gathering of civilians that were desperately retreating from the areas behind near the tower. They didn't have enough time even after the local authorities were alerted.

The symbiotes now screamed even louder. They began scratching the walls of the building, itching to drop down into street level. Quentin Beck watched everything from the roof, his eyes were settled at the nearest hero. He then slowly raised his hand and pointed at the avenue, the symbiotes in their huge numbers, finally began to rush towards the ground.

Spider-Man slowly lowered Flash's head against the ground, before moving his hand away from under his friend's head. Spider-Man took his hand on his free one and held it tightly. He shut his eyes and sighed heavily for a moment, before webbing the entirety of Flash's body firmly against the ground.

He looked up to the skyscraper. The waves and waves of symbiotes were seconds from viciously reaching the ground. The majority of them were without hosts, they were thin and those would have been easier to tackle, were not for the symbiotes that carried a host within them, evidenced by their far larger composure.

Many debris landed around him, they were almost bringing the whole building down with them in their descent. The land under his feet was shaken as if an earthquake was taking place there.

The hundreds of symbiotes had reached the ground. They were now dropping at the main entrance of the tower and after forming a voluminous horde, they all headed straight towards him, destroying everything in their way. The loud shrieks were causing his ear to bleed slightly.

The rumbling of thousands of feet upon ground rang through the air.

There was nothing Spider-Man could do. He would face the bulk of the symbiotes first, they would run him down over the ground. Then his companions would be next. He breathed slowly, the world around him slowed down.

He closed his fists as he watched them cut short the distance between them. He then spotted the soundless and dense wave of green gas coming from inside the building's main entrance, bursting the locked doors open while breaking through the windows. The high pressure caused the mist to quickly overcome the symbiotes, leaving them behind and hidden as it covered Spider-Man himself.

The many manholes in the ground began to be burst open due to the gas. In just a matter of seconds, the entire square was covered by the gas that began reaching some of the buildings on the sides. Everyone failed to see a single thing through the thick mist, except for some land near their feet.

The rumbling of thousands upon thousands of symbiotes got louder and louder with each second that went on; the howling greenish blizzard stood in their way after overcoming everyone in the streets.

It unnerved every present human being when the first thing to hit was a silence of sorts, where all one could hear was their very own heartbeat and breathing. Daredevil narrowed his eyes as the mist surpassed them; he couldn't spot Spider-Man anymore. For all he knew, he could have been the first to go down. The whole plan was probably no more.

The sounds of death were getting closer.

Daredevil ordered, "Castle, Hawkeye, now…!" His voice was filled with fear.

The Punisher, now standing on the rooftop of a smaller building in the side, caught his breath and pressed the button in the activator he held in his hand. He had set up some explosive charges back at the streets. Hawkeye raised his bow and shot some explosive arrows into the sky and watched them fall back towards the ground and above the symbiotes in the distance. Some quick explosions were then heard and seen in front of them, many waves of flames emerged.

They hoped they slowed down the horde. It did, but for a few mere minutes. Before anyone knew it, a swarm of symbiotes stampeded through the darkness and were now down upon their throats.

Daredevil ordered again, "Get ready…!" They were about to be obliterated by the swarm.

Before they met their fate, orange and transparent shield walls rose from the ground in front of them, placing one last barrier between them. Stephen Strange quickly entered the mist and landed in front of Daredevil. He made some gestures towards his mystical barrier to keep it firm as the symbiotes crashed upon the shield wall like water upon a rock; snarling and screeching as they piled atop one another; desperate to sink their organic blades and claws into something fleshy.

They all watched Strange's assistance, that was the edge they needed to put up a fight.

He warned, "It won't hold for much longer!" He changed the front side of the shield wall by creating spikes in front of it, piercing the symbiotes that charged against it.

They continued to swarm; disregarding their safety as they impaled themselves upon the spikes to make it easier for the symbiotes behind them to jump over the mystical barricade. One such symbiote that made it through was quickly beheaded by Iron Fists' strike.

Clint's arrows found their targets as they pierced deep into the weakest symbiotes, both he and Castle provided long-range support, the latter had an even larger line of sight due to his privileged position from above. Castle kept pulling the trigger, hoping that the symbiotes didn't notice him for the time being.

The improvised New Avengers held their ground the best way they could, but even with Strange's shield wall, they were not immune to the sheer weight of the hundreds of symbiotes when some began to pour over the top, entering their lines.

The wall began to break and before they knew it, they were going head-to-head with the enormous swarm in front of them.

Harry had been sitting in the comfy chair in front of Gwen's desk for quite some time by now, playing around with the lighter in his hand a kind customer once gave it to him. He waited for her work to finally be ready. He didn't know how much time they had left before everything possibly went to hell.

He questioned, "How are we doing, Gwen?"

She had her eyes fixated on the screen. "The antibodies are almost functional, to an extent. We are almost there." The small machine connected to her computer kept spinning viciously.

"What's in there, in the formula?"

She faced Harry and explained, "The symbiote's tissue and a sample of Peter's blood."

Harry was surprised. "Peter's blood is involved in this?"

"Without it, ordinary organisms wouldn't try to fight the symbiote off. This combination will cause a chain reaction, the present symbiote will absorb it and the host will struggle. The symbiote will then have to cut the connection, at least that's what I hope will happen." She continued, "It doesn't work on Peter because the symbiote adapts to him, not the contrary."

"So, Peter just has to inject it on Quentin."

Gwen sighed heavily. "Yeah… he just has to."

The melancholic silence was set upon them. They again realized the type of night they were having and what it could truly mean to their lives. Maybe they wouldn't get to talk to each other ever again, they even hadn't done much of that since they met again many years ago.

He hid the lighter in his pants and then broke the silence between them, "Gwen…" She raised her chin and focused on him. "... I know that because of me, we didn't have much of a great start to our coexistence."

"It's fine, seriously. That was then."

"Just… please allow me to go on. I need to say this." She nodded, eventually. "You are a great person, Gwen. Before you, I only thought of Peter like that. We shared a pretty rough childhood, so I'm glad that he eventually settled for someone that does so much good to him, I truly am. I wouldn't want to imagine a life where you were not at his side. I know I can never undo what I once did to you, but… please, no matter what happens, don't ever let go of him. You're the one that keeps his compass straight, the one that reminds him of all the good still left in this problematic world."

She began softly, "Harry… you're talking as if we won't see each other ever again."

"I'm not sure. At this point, I've kinda lived two lives and the first one didn't end too well. I'm only here because… ironically, of the thing in my DNA. I needed to tell you this, I need to say that, because of my friend, I'm nowhere with all of you. I'm so glad for that, the last few years have been… the best. So, please… just take care of him, as I know he will of you. Nothing else would be more important to me. Now… I understand how good life can be."

"I… I will, Harry. I give you my word."

He nodded in thankfulness. He was about to say something further but a beam of green light coming from outside overwhelmed Gwen's figure. He narrowed his eyes and looked over his shoulder, paying attention to the windows.

Harry rose from the chair. "What is that…?" He was now also covered by the shadow as he approached the windows.

Gwen followed closely and stood beside him. "That's… Oscorp." They could see the tower from her office. A large mist of green gas covered the majority of the region there, some of the buildings were already completely covered by it.

Harry cleared his throat. "This wasn't supposed to happen. They were caught off guard."

The lights of their entire block and beyond were then gone. They were now completely in the dark, they could even hear the commotion of people back in the streets that were coming from the tower's direction.

He turned to her side. "We need to go, it won't be safe here anymore. Is the serum ready?"

"W-Without power, we won't know for sure."

"Then let's take it and go outside. I need to hand this to Peter and you need to go to safety." He began walking away from the windows.

Gwen quickly approached her table and took the vial from the machine and into her hand. It was incredibly cold. The substance had a dark and red pattern to it. She placed the vial inside the injector and approached Harry at the door, before handing him the injection.

He took a glance at the vial and gave her a nod. Later on, they quickly made their way back to ground level by heading through the main entrance and entering the chaotic streets full of people rushing past them.

"They are coming…!" A citizen exclaimed as he ran past them.

Gwen looked in the tower's direction. She and Harry spotted a small group of stray symbiotes jumping from car to car while they headed in their direction. Some symbiotes, less than half a dozen, managed to break free of the barricade around the tower. That's what they were running from.

That could only mean they were not doing too well back there.

The pair were caught by surprise and reacted in shock as the manholes began to explode due to the pressure coming from the green gas coming from inside them. The street in front of them slowly began to get filled by the mist.

Harry held her arm. "We need to go, now…!" He brought her to his car and opened the passenger's door for her to quickly get inside, before closing it and walking around the front side to reach for the driver's entrance.

After getting inside, he looked over the mirror and noticed how one of the symbiotes seemed to be determined on reaching them. He turned the engines on and heard the tires screech as he quickly moved them away from the area with the many symbiotes back on their trail.

Alone and within the thick mist, Spider-Man lifted the symbiote above the ground after burying his fist inside the symbiote's chest, reaching for the other side of the organism. It didn't have a host, so he didn't hold back. He then used his free arm to split the symbiote in half as both parts separately landed in the ground.

Yet, the symbiote wasn't dead. It struggled, but it didn't stop.

He took a glance at the symbiote, before pressing wrapping his hands around its neck as his symbiote began to consume it. Eventually, there were no traces of it left in the ground.

Spider-Man rose and immediately hugged himself, gasping harshly in pain. Something awful took place within him after pulling off such a move. It took some minutes, but eventually, the pain went away.

"You know she will come…" Quentin's voice spoke through the mist. "Bring me the girl and this will be over.

Spider-Man immediately checked his surroundings. He could barely see anything. The mist was too thick for him to tell anything around him. He didn't even know where he was exactly.

"Otherwise, she will come for you… and when that happens, she'll submit to me."

The voice went away. He could now only hear the sounds of violence, they weren't close, but they weren't also far away. It was easy to tell the loud thuds, shouts, shrieks, and screams of pain apart from each other. Maybe everything had just gone to hell. Maybe they lost, and there was nothing else to do aside from bringing along to his grave as many symbiotes as possible.

A symbiote jumped over his back, craving its claws on his shoulders. He let a painful gasp out while trying to take the symbiote off him, but failed miserably at that. It finally sunk its teeth in the spot near his neck. Spider-Man again rose his arms behind him and webbed the symbiote with both web-shooters, before pulling the symbiote off him and swinging the monster towards his front direction.

He brought his hand near his neck and watched the symbiote land on top of the concrete. He noticed his blood coming out from the wound and into the same hand. Even with the symbiote, he remained a mortal.

Spider-Man grunted again. The symbiote now stood back on its feet. It faced him from a distance and before he could engage, more symbiotes began to come through the mist and fill the flanks around him. He was cornered. Their numbers only increased with each second that went by.

Spider-Man stood still on his characteristic defensive stance. The first symbiote jumped towards his direction with its claws raised at him, then there was a second symbiote going for the kill and eventually a third. He managed to handle the very first strikes by counter-attacking them, but before he knew it, he was being overwhelmed as they all engaged at once from every possible corner. The swarm of symbiotes began to pile upon Spider-Man while pressing themselves against him, leaving the vigilante little room for him to maneuver.

They tried to take his symbiote off, some stabbed or bite him where possible. The others then began to jump above him and on top of each other, forming a huge pile of symbiotes above his figure. He felt the weight of dozens and dozens of hungry symbiotes pile on him.

Alongside the pain upon every area of his body, he grew desperate for oxygen as they crushed against the ground. He couldn't even see the mist in the tiny spaces between each piled symbiote. Instead, the only sight was the many horrifying faces of the symbiotes upon him.

Osborn's State - Upstate New York

"Have you heard anything about them, Uncle Ezekiel?" Elizabeth questioned. She had been sitting near the very large dining table in the even larger dinner hall within the Osborns' old residence. They had an entire whole section just to share a meal, a somewhat old section, but it still was quite overwhelming.

She eyed the antique but still fancy chandelier lamp set over the table and right in front of her.

Ezekiel had been checking the many paintings found against the wall of the stairwell, in the opposite direction of the dining table. One particular painting had caught his attention. It was a picture of the very first Osborns as a family. They stood in front of what seemed to be a mining cave. There was a figure, found behind all of the family members, but still visible, that seemed to have some sort of deformations in his face.

That had him curious.

He looked over his shoulder to focus on Elizabeth but before he could answer her question, he coughed in his hand, spilling some blood in the palm of his hand.

Elizabeth was immediately alarmed after watching such a scene. "Uncle Ezekiel, are you okay…?!"

He coughed again and gestured for her to keep calm. He cleared his throat afterward. "I-I… I'm fine, Elizabeth. Don't worry." He joined the child by sitting on the opposite side of the table to face her.

"How can you say that? You just bled."

"You'll understand later, but I'm fine. Trust me." Ezekiel imagined the whole world of pain Quentin would find himself in if he ever managed to travel through the verse. Unless he did get his way, the latter would be up for quite the surprise.

At least that's what Ezekiel thought.

He continued, "I haven't heard anything yet."

"Do you have your phone with you? Mom took mine for the night. We can check on the news."

He shook his head. "I think we shouldn't do that, Liz. Let's just… have faith in them."

Elizabeth felt frustrated, but she didn't want to argue, so she began focusing on the chandelier again."Do you want to see something cool?"

He tilted his head slightly to the side, wondering what she could be up to. "Of course."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at the chandelier. She inhaled deeply, without ever taking her sight away from the object. Eventually, she closed her eyes to concentrate even harder and within seconds, the chandelier disappeared from the table after a quick beam of blue light emerged around it.

Ezekiel widened his eyes due to what he had just witnessed. Elizabeth freed her sight and wiped the sweat off her forehead, before placing a content smile for her uncle.

She spoke, "What do you think?"

He was speechless. "W-What… did you just do?"

"I sent the lamp to another… world!"

Ezekiel stared at her, realizing how gifted the child in front of him was. He already knew what she was capable of before, after all, she was the daughter of Peter and Gwen. She was the owner of some special genes. She already had doubled down on the gifts her father unlocked after being bitten by the genetically engineered spider.

She now got even further on the extent of her gifts.

Ezekiel added, "You are truly something else."

She found herself confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, we knew that you share the same special sense that your father has and that you also developed an even more expansive version of it, but this is... a whole new thing."

"Um… so is this a bad thing?"

"I-I… don't think so. You are just… so powerful, Elizabeth. You are probably the most powerful individual when compared to any of us."

She giggled. "Of course not, silly. Dad's the strongest person I've ever met. He's Spider-Man!"

He chuckled. Unfortunately, his moment of peace didn't last very long. He realized the real meaning of what had just happened, it meant that Quentin Beck was right all along and that maybe Elizabeth could truly find a way to carry him to where he wanted to go.

She rubbed her nose and noticed that her index finger was slightly covered in blood. "Um… Uncle Ezekiel?" She called while still eyeing her finger.

Ezekiel snapped back to reality. He narrowed his eyes, in concern. He rose and walked around the table, before sitting beside her and taking her hand on his. "Are you feeling well?"

"Y-Yeah, I guess so."

He analyzed her nostrils, one of them had a trail of blood near its edge. It wasn't much. He took one of his unused sheets and cleaned it for her. "I think… this is a side effect to what you did with the chandelier. Just… don't do it anymore, okay? It might not be safe, it doesn't seem to be doing any good to you."

Her spirits seemed shaken. "Okay…"

Ezekiel moved his arm around her shoulder and sighed heavily. "You know, the Peter I grew up with… well, I always wanted to be like him, and when he became Spider-Man, that desire became even bigger, I wanted to be useful… I wanted to be just as strong as him, we were brothers." He paused. "For a long time… I stood back and watched him do… what he usually did, then I got a chance to become… something more. So, what I'm trying to say… is that there's more to us than just a couple of 'powers', I see that now, by taking care of you… I'm already doing some good, that's my responsibility, I don't need gifts to do that. We are shaped by what we do, not by what we have."

She smiled. "And I'm taking care of you too."

"You are not wrong with that one."

Elizabeth was about to tease him further until the loud bolt within her mind caught her attention as the world around her briefly slowed down. She watched as Ezekiel's lips slowly moved as if he was asking her about something else. He seemed worried.

With time, her surroundings resumed to their former normal speed.

"Elizabeth?"

She looked up to him, determined. "I have to go."

"What? No, you can't."

Elizabeth quickly got off her chair and stared at the large window set in the wall behind them. The moon shed its light over the property. "I can feel them. They are in danger… all of them."

Ezekiel stood up. "I can't let you do that, Elizabeth." He went to approach her.

"But I have to, there's no other way."

Before he could place his hand on her shoulder, she had already disappeared in the air as the beam of blue light appeared once again and took over where she once was.

"We're not gonna make it, Harry!" Gwen placed her hand over her still hidden pregnant belly as she watched the road in front of them submerge under the green mist. She could barely see anything through the thick gas unless they were a couple of meters from it.

The rain didn't help either.

Harry ignored her and tried his best to avoid the people and vehicles on their way, they were all running from the monsters that chased them all from behind. He looked at his rear mirror and spotted some symbiotes jumping over the people that were left behind.

They were too close.

Harry had to pull the brakes once he noticed that there was a large truck parked sideways in front of them. They almost crashed in it. He found that the driver had been pulled out from the driver's seat by a symbiote who grabbed him through the window. The symbiote was now all over him in the ground, ripping him to shreds.

"Harry…!"

He tried to move the car backward but it remained still as if something was currently blocking their rear. A symbiote landed on top of the car and began burying its claws against the ceiling to rip it open.

They set their backs against the door on the sides to avoid the sharp blades that came through the openings of the ceiling. Harry briefly looked over his shoulder and spotted someone outside who was at the entrance of the ordinary and old building, gesturing for people to quickly hurry inside.

"Gwen, we need to go!" Harry shouted as Gwen opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle before he did the same thing himself. He reached for the front of the car and held her close to him as they made their way under the rain and towards the entrance.

The symbiote above their car noticed that they were back on the run and then crawled its way back to ground level, aiming to close the distance that kept them apart for the moment.

The old man at the door gestured for the pair to quickly come inside and gave them enough room when they were almost inside. Harry allowed Gwen to go through the building's entrance first. He then joined the unknown man by the door and urgently pointed out that they had to close it.

The landlord eventually complied once he was aware of the one symbiote outside that rushed towards them. He moved out of Harry's way as the latter finally slammed the door shut.

Harry still had the serum in his hand and so he approached Gwen who stood near the stairwell and handed it back to her. "Gwen, you two need to climb these stairs and never look back, find somewhere safe to hide."

Her first reaction was one of confusion.

Harry quickly went back to the door and pressed his back and elbows against it.

She took one step towards him. "What are you doing, Harry…?"

He stood firm on his standing and observed the picture of the two puzzled human beings in front of him, before closing his eyes and sighing heavily. It was a very different picture when compared to the one he helped shape many years ago.

He found Gwen's own green-colored eyes again, they were filled with fear. "Just go… now."

She hesitated at first, but eventually took the elder's hand and quickly guided them upstairs while she cursed herself with each step for doing so.

Harry felt an arm covered by a symbiote burst open through the door and above his shoulders. The symbiote, still locked outside, quickly dug its claw in the flesh of Harry's shoulder, causing him to growl in pain as more arms came through the door behind and reached for the other areas of his body.

Amidst the carnage, Harry noticed that Gwen had suddenly stopped in her tracks to check on him. He looked up to her and ordered for her to keep going as the blood poured out of his lips. The door would fall over him anytime soon.

"Go…!"

He kept watching Gwen as she resumed the task of climbing up the rest of the spiral stairwell.

Eventually, his strength turned out not to be enough to hold them back outside and the door finally crashed over him with the many symbiotes tripping inside and above him. He gasped and quickly slid himself from underneath the torn apart door, before clumsily standing up and limping his way towards the stairs.

The symbiotes outside immediately got back on their feet and crawled on top of each other as they tried to reach Harry once again. There wasn't much space for the small horde to maneuver around in the stairwell, but before Harry could count that as an advantage, he felt a stab to the side of his leg and then another to his rib cage. He consequently fell on his chest and against the steps. He began dragging himself forward with his right hand, realizing that one of the struggling symbiotes managed to grab his foot.

Harry rose his chin and found Gwen and the elder up near the end of the stairwell.

Keep going, Gwen, just… keep going…

He dragged himself further, hoping to hold them back for as long as he could, to give the two human beings above a chance. He locked eyes with Gwen, they stared at each other for a couple of seconds. What took him a little longer to realize, was that there was a gas storage in the bottom of the wall on his right side.

His eyes fixated on the warning sign set in front of the storage door. Maybe that was the edge he could give them.

Upstairs, Gwen finally reached for the door of the landlord's apartment. She helped him get inside and looked over her shoulder to check if Harry was anywhere to be seen, but she could barely take a peek at the stairwell from her spot. She closed her eyes and regretfully shut the door to keep the symbiotes on the other side for as long as she could.

The room itself wasn't very large. There was a kitchen, a single bed and what was supposed to be the TV room, they were all next to each other. The only separate location was the bathroom.

Gwen quickly ordered the man to hide inside the bathroom and lock the door. She took a few steps back away from the door, placed her hand over her belly, and watched over the entrance that could collapse anytime. She heard a quick and loud burst from outside as if an explosion had taken place on the other side of the door. Within seconds, she then heard a few weak knocks against the door.

"G-Gwen… it's me…"

She hurried towards the door and after opening it, she was greeted by the sight of a bloodied Harry Osborn who was barely managing to stay still on his feet. There was a cut to his throat that bleed down his chest. He slowly fell towards her, but Gwen wrapped her arms around Harry and dragged him inside. His weight almost overwhelmed her.

"T-They are still coming…" He whispered as she laid him back on the ground.

Gwen panicked after seeing the extent of his injuries. The cut in his throat was the one that kept her worried the most. "Hold on, Harry!" She rushed back to the door and closed it again, before grabbing a nearby wooden chair to give the symbiotes some more trouble.

Gwen knelt before Harry on the floor and reluctantly pressed her hand against his throat. She didn't know exactly what to do next, despite the many years of taking care of her husband's injuries. There was too much going on.

His skin was now pale and he seemed to be losing his consciousness. Terrified, Gwen felt like she was paralyzed, she was so scared that her throat tightened.

"No, no…"

His eyes were almost shut.

Gwen jumped like a startled rabbit the moment the symbiotes began slamming themselves against the door. She didn't know how much time there was left, but she chose to not give up on what she still had at the moment.

"Hold still, Harry." Gwen pulled her right sleeve off her arm and began wrapping it around his neck to contain the blood. She tightened the rag the best she could while being careful to not suffocate him.

Gwen sighed and sat down near him, carefully accommodating his head over her lap. Despite Harry barely managing in keeping his eyes open, they looked at each other.

She again pressed her bloodied hand against the rag around his throat and whispered, "It's alright, don't worry. We did… everything we could." She smiled, weakly.

The many thuds against the door grew louder. A single dark arm finally went through the door and began scratching it from their side, then another went on to do the same thing. The door was falling apart and they would face the horde in no time.

She looked up to the door and waited for her fate. A fate that, despite all the odds, never came. Instead, the symbiotes seemed to disappear as the area outside the door grew silent in a blink of an eye as if they were never there.

A small arm went through one of the spaces in the door and unlocked the knob. Elizabeth opened the door and fell inside and on her knees. She panted heavily, shaking her head once she felt better.

Gwen was shocked. "Elizabeth!"

"It's okay, mom. I-I sent all of them away." Elizabeth cleared her throat and stood on her feet to walk towards Gwen. She lowered herself next to her mother and looked down at the man in her arms. "Uncle Harry…?" His eyes were shut.

"He's still breathing." Gwen didn't take her eyes off her daughter. "How did you… get there, Liz? It's not safe."

"Just like I always do, mom." She felt a trail of blood leave her nose. She wiped it off with her sleeve.

"Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, I swear." She sniffed.

"You are not okay, Liz…" Gwen begged, "I need you to leave and go back to safety, please."

Elizabeth picked the serum from the ground next to her mother. She knew what it was about since she overheard the plans for the night. "I'm sorry, mom. I just can't do that. Dad needs this. I need… to do something."

Gwen begged further, "Elizabeth, please don't do this to me… please. I can't handle it." Her voice turned out even weaker. A tear left her right eye.

Elizabeth cupped her mother's cheek and wiped the single tear with her thumb. "It's okay, mom. I can do this."

Gwen buried the side of her head in her daughter's hand and looked straight into her eyes.

Elizabeth smiled, reassuringly. "I love you. You are... the best mom ever."

"Liz…"

Elizabeth concentrated and within seconds, both Gwen and Harry had disappeared from the apartment, leaving behind only a trace of blue mist where they once were found.

She again coughed some blood into the ground and held her weight against it with both arms. Her blonde bangs landed near her eyes. She cleared her throat, tightened her grip over the serum, and disappeared.

Spider-Man opened his eyes and found himself crouched and facing the dark floor that seemed to go on forever in the borderless world around him, which was also empty. It was instead filled with dark horizons.

He extended his knee and rose from the ground, only to meet the figure of a very familiar person that stood still in front of him, hands buried deep in the pockets of his brownish jacket.

He froze.

"... Uncle Ben?"

Ben Parker smiled, lightly. "That would be me, yes."

Peter took his mask off, revealing an expression full of bruises, cuts, and stains. He dropped it to the ground and quickly went forward to embrace his Uncle who was slightly surprised and overwhelmed by the sudden reaction.

Ben hugged his nephew back and smiled in his embrace. Peter was taller than him, but that proved not to be a challenge. He patted him gently in the back. "Everything's alright, son."

Peter whispered, "I missed you… so much." He continued, "I don't want this to be a dream… I've had far too many of those, Uncle Ben."

Ben noticed the crack in his voice. "What makes you think this is a dream?"

Peter pulled back from the hug, still resting his hands on Ben's shoulders, afraid to let him go again. "... then I guess… I'm most likely dead." He sighed, disappointed in himself.

"No, son, you are not. This is only temporary." He moved his hand against Peter's cheek. "But you do look handsome… and slightly older."

A tear left Peter's right eye as he chuckled weakly. He felt relaxed at the touch. "I have… so many things to say, Uncle Ben. You have... no idea."

"I believe we have some time."

He dropped his chin, slightly. "I just… I just didn't have a chance to say that I'm… sorry, for what I did to you."

"You've done nothing to me aside from making me proud of the man you've become, as I always expected."

Peter shook his head. "Aunt May…"

Ben cupped both his cheeks and made him look straight into his glasses. "Son, she's fine, all of us - we are all well, Peter." He smiled, reassuringly. "We led the lives we wanted, we kept believing in all of us until the very end."

"I'm not sure I can go on… like this. This pain… it just never goes away."

"... and it won't, we'll just have to live with it, Pete." Ben gestured to the bench that suddenly appeared in their right. "Come sit with me."

Peter joined him at the bench. They sat next to each other and watched the calm street in front of them. They were now on Queen, at the porch of the former house they both once lived in.

The light in the ceiling kept them visible under the night around them.

Ben nodded towards the street. "Remember when we used to play soccer right there?"

"... you always let me win."

"Well, I certainly didn't share your vigor, but you were finally happy and that's what mattered to me at that moment."

Peter smiled. "I wish you could have met the children, they would have loved being around you. They already adored Aunt May."

Ben pulled a photo from the pocket in his jacket. "But I'm still around all of you." He showed the picture to his nephew.

"That was taken on my birthday." Peter smiled again as he saw Gwen hold David next to him and behind the cake, while he held Aiden in his arms. Elizabeth stood over his shoulders with her arms aimed towards the air above them, smiling happily as evidenced by the clear sight of her missing tooth at the time. "We were so happy..."

Ben beamed in contentment as he watched Peter recall the day. "You asked me how to move on… there's your answer, right here."

"... what do you mean, Uncle?"

"You'll take all of us with you, your entire family, me, your father, mother... through the actions you take, we are part of you, and in that way… we'll be together forever. Just as I keep you close to me." He returned the picture to the pocket in his pants.

Peter sighed heavily, before letting out a tiny smile. "Thank you… Uncle Ben." He felt his shoulder be gripped gently by his uncle.

"I love you, son. Always. Remember that." He continued, "And keep being the best possible husband to your beautiful wife, she deserves it. Your responsibilities have changed, you can do so many good deeds without having to give up on one the most precious things you have, those can't be replaced by anything else."

Peter nodded. It felt like his uncle was saying goodbye. He didn't want that to happen.

Ben gestured towards his nephew's chest. He knocked gently over the white spider symbol there. "I've always thought you looked better on the red suit."

"... me too, Uncle." Peter focused on Ben for as long as he could, and eventually, in a blink of an eye, he was alone again in the empty void. "Uncle Ben…?" He looked around and before he realized it, he again emerged in complete darkness and laid on his back, facing the dark sky above him.

A tiny dot of light appeared in the same sky and it only grew bigger over time.

Peter still couldn't move and neither get himself out of the ground. He felt like he had an airplane holding him against the surface of where he was. He raised his right hand at the source of light.

Take a leap of faith, son.

His surroundings began to take shape again as he also started to hear the many vicious shrieks around him. Through the source of light, an arm covered in darkness approached and reached for him. Their hands finally connected and before Spider-Man knew, Venom had pulled him from inside the gathering of symbiotes that had been previously slamming their bodies over him and against the ground. He was dragged on the air above them all until Venom released him. Spider-Man landed beside the vastly larger and seemingly friendlier symbiote present.

Venom's arms quickly took the form of an ax that immediately sent the many incoming symbiotes flying in every direction as they were finally spread all over the area.

Now fully covered in his symbiote while assuming a more defensive standing, Spider-Man looked to his side and spoke, "You are here…"

Venom licked its teeth and focused on the hero at his side. "All of this is my fault… I was the one that gave Kassady's symbiote to Quentin, allowing him… this very entire horde. It even affected mine… it's no wonder mine gave you the one you are wearing. I can at least try to undo this whole thing."

Spider-Man sighed heavily. "Thank you... Eddie. You've come just in time."

Venom ignored his gratitude. "What do we do now?"

"I need to check on the guys back there."

Venom quickly interrupted, "They are all gone, Peter. The symbiotes broke into the city." He watched as the stray symbiotes began regrouping around them, slowly closing the distance between the duo at the center of the green mist.

Spider-Man stood still, gazing at Venom through his mask and in disbelief towards what he had just heard. There was nothing he could now at ground level that wouldn't prolong the fight.

Venom insisted, "There has to be something we can do."

Peter focused on the symbiotes around them again. "Without the serum… I don't know what that might be."

"You're Spider-Man… you always know what to do."

Venom rose his chin and gazed at the upper end of the building, the same location where Flash was thrown from.

Spider-Man spoke, "I need to get up there… then I'll have to do everything I can to stop Quentin and hope... it will be enough."

"Then let's do this fast!" Venom struck a symbiote midway through the air in their direction. He then took Spider-Man by the arm and spun him around, before releasing the superhuman towards the colossal building that helped maintain the course of their lives.

Spider-Man quickly regained his composure throughout the flight and finally reached the outside walls by burying his fingertips against the concrete due to the sudden impact of two objects, shattering the concrete under his hand while doing so. He looked up to the sky and instantly began running against the wall and towards the rooftop.

Again, he found himself racing towards the source of most disasters that took place in his life. It was like a curse that never seemed to go away, it was something buried deep within his journey. Everything that went on throughout the years had been leading up to this moment. Spider-Man raced forward against the wall and gravity to protect his city, those he loved, and his daughter.

Just like his parents once did so that they could protect him. It brought back so many memories.

Are you following me?

His feet cracked the windows as he made his way up.

Okay. Careful, wouldn't want to inject you by mistake. Human trials aren't until next week.

Spider-Man grunted as he hurried towards the rooftop, fighting back the gravity that tried to slow him down.

You're gonna make enemies, people will get hurt. Sometimes people closest to you.

He shot biocables from both his wrists and boosted himself even further above in the wall.

He was bitten by one of those things and it worked! I don't know-how, and I don't know why, but he can do everything else a spider can, including self-heal.

The tower, throughout his life, always sought him. His genetic code would have unlocked things there that were just beyond his imagination. It would also have possibly cured Norman Osborn, but that wasn't the latter's only goal as put on evidence by his father, Richard Parker himself.

So they watched him for years, keeping their invisible hands close to every moment of his life, with the hope of one day, extracting what they truly needed from him, what his father took from them. Eventually, Peter finally put an end to every single scheme that emerged from the depths of the tower.

Now he was back, to where it all started. He would give the tower what it wanted the most, his blood.

As Spider-Man went to firm his grip against the edge of the rooftop, Quentin had already anticipated his move by suddenly appearing near the border and grabbing Spider-Man's head on his hand which was now completely covered by his symbiote. He pulled him into the air above and swooped him violently against the ground, slamming his back against the hard concrete that shattered around him.

Quentin held him firmly against the ground. "You are giving me… far too much trouble."

Spider-Man spotted some of the deformations on Quentin's face that were also covered by his dark and rugged hoodie. He shot a web-line to his expression and stunned him for a short time so that he could finally break free from his grasp as he spun out of the ground and backward.

Spider-Man noticed the smaller signal tower behind them, the one that replaced the far larger tower both him and Lizard once brought down, so he shot a web-line to the ground beside his foot and with his free hand, quickly swung towards the tower while still holding in the original webline attached to the floor. After landing on the tower and taking cover behind it, he shot a second web-line to his left side, now he had both hands busy with a biocable.

Quentin stood right under the shadow of the tower. "Ready to kill, aren't you?"

"No… just a whole world of pain." Spider-Man began using his feet and unnatural strength to apply pressure against the tower as the two web-lines back at the ground helped bring the same tower down on top of Quentin who stood still in his position and became one with the ground.

Spider-Man spun to the side and off the fallen tower. He approached the debris and noticed the goo coming out of the gaps between the ground and the tower. He then noticed a hand popping out from the concrete under him and grabbing his leg.

Quentin, fully covered by the symbiote, came out of the ground in front of him, like a missile being shot. He had his claws raised at Spider-Man and sent him flying shortly towards the sky after landing a blow on his chin.

Now back on his feet, Quentin shot a symbiotic web-line at Spider-Man and swung him around as the latter was thrown against the walls.

The vigilante crashed on his back and fell onto his knees, gasping heavily. He rested for a moment and looked over the city, seeing the green mist all over the island. "... l-look at what you've done… Quentin. You've become delusional." He raised his chin and immediately found Quentin diving towards him.

Spider-Man jumped backward and against the wall, before throwing himself towards Quentin and hugging him as they flew together towards the ground. He landed on top of Quentin, webbed both his hands, and began to repeatedly punch him over and over again.

He could even hear the cracks taking place in his wrist. It felt like he was punching steel. Eventually, he stopped as he grew tired. He breathed heavily.

Quentin coughed slightly, "... Y-You've done this… yourself, Peter. I gave you a choice. I tried to not make this personal…"

Spider-Man listened to him.

"... but I must be honest now, just as I lost my wife when you ended every opportunity I was given…" He recalled his time with the Sinister Six and the promises that were made to him. "I indeed tipped off Wilson Fisk about your aunt."

Spider-Man quickly tightened his fist in anger, and before he could put him down for good, part of Quentin's symbiote jumped out of his chest and sent him away until he again landed against a wall. He quickly recomposed him and looked up only to see Quentin slam his fist against his cheek, spilling parts of the symbiote that covered his face all over the ground beside him. He fell to the side and on his shoulder.

Quentin had returned to his smaller and original form. Spider-Man tried to fire some webbing at him from the ground but Quentin didn't waste any second and as soon as he noticed such a move, he anticipated himself and axed Spider-Man's little and right ring finger at the same time.

Spider-Man shouted heavily in pain and held his trembling right hand on his left one. It bled over his symbiote.

Quentin picked him up by the neck and directly stared at him due to the opening in the symbiote that then exposed his right eye. The symbiote tried to gather itself back on the hero's face. Quentin then moved him near the edge and again raised him further in the air while still holding him by the neck.

Spider-Man struggled in his grip while dealing with the enormous amount of pain in his bleeding hand. He punched the side of Quentin's arm but he was somehow far stronger than him.

Quentin protested, "This could have been avoided."

He kicked Quentin's chest, hoping to break free. "Did you really expect me to... give up my daughter to you?!"

"How many could have been spared if you didn't intervene? We all must sacrifice what we want for the greater good… wasn't this what you were told?"

Quentin placed his free hand against Spider-Man's chest and buried his fingers deep in the symbiote's flesh. He then began pulling off each other, slowly exposing the red and blue suit once covered by the organism. "This has helped you enough. You should have stayed dead."

Quentin took the symbiote off Spider-Man and watched it stir in his left hand. He held Spider-Man by the throat in his right hand.

Spider-Man found himself disoriented as if a part of him had been quickly taken off him. He gasped harshly. "N-Not… like this." He looked up and watched as his former symbiote was consumed by Quentin's fist.

Quentin looked at Spider-Man and held him with both hands, before raising him off the ground and positioning him in the air above the rebar that was stuck on a large piece of concrete. He pressed Spider-Man down against the rebar, effectively impaling him.

It went right into the Spider-Man's side. He screamed in absolute pain. He dropped his head against the concrete under his back as he gasped further. He looked at the rebar that was coming through his side and screamed again.

"It doesn't matter now. She can, but the scent of your wife's blood will lead the symbiotes to her. It's only a matter of time."

Spider-Man moved his left hand to the rebar and held it tightly. His blood poured from the corners of the injury. He was losing blood fast. "W-What have you done?!"

Quentin walked away and stood still on the edge of the rooftop. He looked over the city. "What I should have done from the get-go. I wouldn't risk everything on a brawl with you. I will have what I've always wanted, what you helped take from me by ruining everything in that station."

Spider-Man tried to raise his chest and get off the rebar, but the pain was too much for one to bear.

Quentin added, "Just stay still now, it will be over soon."

Spider-Man dropped his head against the concrete once again. His sight began to fade out.

Peter found himself in the middle of the room at Oscorp where the spiders that once fell all over him were located on. He didn't wear his mask and pressed his left hand against the injury caused by the rebar. His suit was leaking out blood from where he was impaled.

He looked around. The room looked the same as when he first got to know it.

"Oh, you are here." Norman Osborn spoke from behind one of the moving walls that contained the spiders.

Peter looked at him. Norman seemed much better now. "It's you..."

"I told you we would meet again."

Peter sighed. "You're dead." He looked away.

"And you aren't?"

"At this point, I wouldn't be surprised. I don't even know anymore. I don't know where I am." He added, "Figures that I would be back here at one point."

"It's where everything started after all."

"It always comes back to you and Oscorp, right?"

"I wish things could have turned out better."

"Yeah... sure."

"I do. I wasn't always like that. I tried, in the end... I did."

"You almost got your son killed. I remember that."

"I'm glad I didn't. You did more good to him than I could ever do."

Peter silenced. He cleared his throat. "It wasn't easy."

"Hardly anything ever is. You know that better than anyone."

"... yeah, but I wish things could change for once."

"Things did change. You've changed the people around you, you've changed a whole city."

Peter nodded and added, "... and I guess that they changed me too." He let out a brief chuckle. "Who could have ever imagined this, Norman? You of all people... right here."

"Another thing that did change in the end."

"I'm tired... my family... maybe I can find them here."

"You won't, you will need to wake up. It's no time to die yet, there's another person you need to talk to."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just go through another door." He pointed at the door at the other end of the room.

Peter glanced at the said door. When he looked back at Norman, he wasn't there anymore. He limped his way towards the door and opened it carefully. He was greeted by the sight of an empty and cloudy endless world. It was a whole new area ahead of him. He took a step further into the world and once he looked back to where he came from, the door was gone.

He focused on the view ahead of him and began to walk forward with no real sense of direction. He later stumbled on something. He looked at the foggy ground. He had hit a body, a familiar one. It was Flash's, he was laid on his chest. Peter couldn't see his face.

Next to Flash, he could see what seemed to be his mother and father. He looked behind and found more bodies, Ben's and the rest of the people that accidentally after trying to fight him. He eventually spotted the bodies amidst the fog of Gwen, Jameson, Harry, Elizabeth, and beyond. It didn't end.

Peter crouched between Gwen and Elizabeth. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes as he moved his bloodied hands to their legs. He later stood up and looked over his shoulder once he felt movement from behind him.

May had raised from the ground. She looked at her nephew.

Peter inhaled deeply and looked at the ground near them. He gestured to the bodies. "They are all... dead, Aunt May."

She nodded with a tiny smile. "I know, and it's alright."

"Why would you say that?" A crack could be heard in Peter's voice. "How can this be alright, May?"

"You did your part, as I did, and the one before us. This will happen to all of us. But what matters is what we do with our time left, we changed each other, we helped each other, we became stronger as one... so that the others after us can do the same for more people..."

A tear left Peter's right eye.

"... and it will never end."

He kept his hand in his side. "It feels like everything is ending."

"Somethings do end, but it's never the end of everything. We live in each other's memory and actions, we get passed along. The good lasts more than anything else, the love remains."

Peter closed his eyes and smiled.

May smiled too. "We will always be with you, and you'll always be with us. Do you remember where Spider-Man was born from?"

"... I do."

"He's not getting anywhere, ever. That matters too. Now, you need to go and be with your daughter. There's still time."

Peter cleared his throat. "I miss you... May. I miss you so much."

May widened her smile.

Spider-Man woke up and realized he was back on the rooftop and stuck on the rebar. He spotted Quentin still at the edge of the rooftop. Spider-Man began to pull himself up and off the rebar, gritting his teeth as did he so. He shot two biocables to what was left of the tower and used the webbing to help get himself off the rebar more quickly.

Quentin turned on his back once he heard the screams of pain from Peter. The latter had successfully pulled himself off the rebar and was now standing on his left knee and bleeding out on the ground.

Spider-Man shouted, "Quentin...!"

"You just couldn't wait for the girl."

A third and feminine voice separate from the duo spoke, "I'm right here!"

Elizabeth jumped on top of Quentin's back and buried the serum's needle deep into the side of his neck. Quentin's natural reflex had him bring his hand to his back and pull Elizabeth away by the collar and off him, throwing her towards the ground between him and Spider-Man.

Quentin brought his hand to the side of his neck and pulled the now empty serum out of his skin. "What is this…?" He crushed the serum in his hand and looked at the child.

Still laid on her back, Elizabeth slowly rose her torso from the ground and wiped the trace of blood pouring from her lips with her sleeve. She was quickly approached by her father who wasted no time and lifted her back on her feet once again. It didn't take him long to notice how she seemed to be struggling with herself every time she used her gifts.

She quickly noticed his bloodied side and hand. She became terrified. "Dad, your fingers…"

He grunted as he webbed his injured hand and side to contain the blood.

Quentin fell on his knees and hugged his stomach as if his insides were about to come out at any second. Part of his symbiote came out of him and slid back to the ground. Amidst the grunts, he chuckled weakly to himself. "You think… this would work?" He slowly recomposed himself and got back on his feet. "You tried this... too late. I already have his genetic trace with me."

Spider-Man moved in front of Elizabeth and kept her behind him with his right arm.

Quentin closed his fists and stood still while his back faced the city. He began raising his arms at the pair, the palm of his hands was pointed towards the sky. Some symbiotes appeared above them and in their corners all over the rooftop, they began to shriek loudly as if they were responding to a calling of sorts.

The building again began to shake under their feet.

"You already lost a lot... " Quentin continued, "... but now you will lose everything you ever had."

Elizabeth quickly moved in front of her father."Wait…!"

Quentin focused on her, still with his hands up.

She followed up on her last word, "I'll give you what you want, I can do it!"

Peter protested, "Elizabeth!"

She quickly looked over her shoulder and pressed her hand against his chest, throwing him backward in a quick burst of blue mist from her hand. She coughed in pain for a short moment and then focused on Quentin once again. "I… I can do this. I can bring you anywhere you want. We'll go together."

He lowered his hands and nodded at her. Yet, the tremors didn't cease, they were getting closer and louder. It was like the earth around them was shattering apart.

Peter struggled to get back up. He felt as if she had temporarily done something to his joints. He didn't even know she was capable of that. He watched in pain as she walked in Quentin's direction.

"L-Liz… he will… please don't…"

"Only I can stop this, daddy." She answered, without looking back. "You know you can't stop me."

Peter, now on his knees, began dragging himself forward. "It's not your responsibility…"

"If I don't do this, our city will fall apart. There will be even more deaths. Only I… can prevent this from going on any further."

Some symbiotes finally emerged from the edge of the rooftop that faced the whole city. They gathered from a distance and behind Quentin and Elizabeth. Soon, every corner of the rooftop had a symbiote near it.

Elizabeth stopped beside Quentin and looked at her father. She put out a short smile and spoke tenderly, "I always believed in you dad, always, so please… now believe in me too. This is also my story, let me put an end to it."

Peter reached out for her with his hand and within seconds, their figures were all covered by a beam of blue light that emerged near his daughter. The strong source of lightning overwhelmed the entire rooftop, effectively blinding him for a moment.

Spider-Man looked around the strange world he was in, he stood on nothing firm. There was only darkness around him, darkness filled with what looked to be tiny bright stars all around him.

Something had just happened. How was he still alive and more importantly, where was she? If he was alive she had to be alright.

"Elizabeth." She wasn't answering him.

Peter called again, "Elizabeth, where are you?" He felt desperate now. If something had truly happened to her, he would never be able to live with himself. He looked around. "Please..."

She had to be okay, she just had to be. Suddenly a strange light started glowing behind him. He turned to face whatever was glowing and prepared for an enemy, before noticing the child walking towards him.

As Peter turned to face his daughter, he began, "You're okay..." He sighed. "Do you know what is going on here? You look… different, Liz."

Elizabeth smirked. "I can't be the weirdest thing you've seen all day." She quipped. "I've brought us here for a little while. It's safe."

He looked around the weird world the two of them were in. "So, how do we get out of here?"

Elizabeth looked down in sadness. "I'm not coming with you, dad." A trail of blood left her right nostril. She didn't react to it.

They had been through so much together and now she couldn't help him anymore. She wouldn't be able to see him ever again.

Peter was shocked. "What?" He rasped.

Elizabeth dropped her chin. "I could only get you off the tower… otherwise you would be sunk with the two of us."

He shook his head. "No. That's not-... we are going together. I'm not leaving you alone with him."

Elizabeth looked at him sadly. "You can't change anything anymore. It's… done."

"I'm not leaving you here." He growled.

"Dad..." Elizabeth walked towards him. She reached up and slowly placed her hand over the spider in her father's chest. "I'm sorry for the things I… have caused. Yet, you never stopped believing in me."

He looked at her and spoke weakly, "None of this… is your fault, Elizabeth. It was my job to take care of you."

Elizabeth chuckled, lightly. "We were supposed to take care of each other… dad, and I like to think that we did." She sighed heavily and began to walk backward, away from him. A single tear slid down her right eye.

She spoke one last time, "...I love you."

He watched her slowly fade away. "I... I love you too, Liz."

Eddie moved the many debris over his body to the side and slowly made his way out of the rubbles. His arm reached for fresh air and eventually, he was hallway outside the pile of rubble once gathered over him. On his over the debris, looked around and checked his surroundings, everything was quieter and the mist was pretty much gone. He could now see the amount of destruction spread all over the avenue.

There were many spots with burning flames over some parts of the ground, some cars were destroyed and the asphalt was torn apart as evidenced by the impact holes in the ground. Near the former Oscorp Building, some portions of the mist were still visible at the entrance.

The symbiote currently spread over his body could be seen failing to cover some sections in his figure, a consequence of the battle he just fought minutes ago where he tried his best to hold the symbiotes back from getting back in the tower and after Spider-Man.

His eyes then focused on the humanoid shadow that seemed to be exiting the greenish haze.

It finally stepped outside the mist. Spider-Man, now wearing red and blue again, slowly walked back into the avenue while holding a body across both his arms. It was his friend's. He walked towards Eddie Brock, taking notes of the destruction that took place around him.

Eddie sighed and finally dropped his guard, allowing himself to catch his breath once again. He focused in the sky above them and also in the tower behind Spider-Man, and much to his surprise, the whole building was now completely gone.

Eddie never noticed it at first when he first got out of the rubbles. It was like it disappeared in a sudden blink of an eye. There was barely anything left of the tower and as the haze disappeared with time, he finally spotted some of the pillars left behind that once held the former building still.

Spider-Man stopped next to Eddie and looked at him.

Eddie broke the silence, "I'm… I'm sorry, Peter." He saw Flash, eyes closed, tucked against Spider-Man's arm.

Spider-Man had his sight on Eddie for a few extra couples of seconds until he walked past him and headed towards what was left of the barricade, the one he had set up with the group of vigilantes he gathered to fight for the city and him as well.

The wall of webbing he came up with across the whole street was no more. He didn't see any of his colleagues at first, so he decided to keep walking forward. He moved past a flipped and burnt car, seeing the now maskless and unconscious Matt Murdock sat down against it. Clint stood closely next to him, attending to his many injuries.

Spider-Man looked down at them.

After checking on Matt's pulse, Clint found himself through Spider-Man's lenses and spoke delicately, "We tried… I tried, Peter."

Spider-Man sighed heavily. He dropped his chin, slightly, "... thank you, for everything. Please, give him… the rest deserves." He got back on track and watched the people that fought for them all slowly get up from the ground and help the others that were still in need of help, mostly officers that somehow weren't hit as hard as they were. He sent a thankful nod to Stephen Strange who used his special skills to lift some of the rocks set upon some of the fighters.

Throughout the rainy night, Peter let go of some people dear to him, and also people extremely loved by him. They all lost something, and for many, the future ahead of them looked pretty much uncertain.

There was a cost to everything, and Peter now felt like he paid the highest one in his life.

April 10th - 2031

"... there were many wounded and the reported casualties within the area of the building are increasing every hour, but the situation was contained through the joint effort made by a group of vigilantes that banded together to arrest Quentin Beck, who's still missing. Reports suggest sightings of Spider-Man in the night, some policemen also confirmed it, but people ask themselves, are there more than one Spider-Man as seen in the variations in the suit? Could he still be alive? Here's what…"

The news channel went on as seen in the TV set high above in the wall of the hospital room. At the center of the room and set against the opposite wall, the hospital's bed made the once unconscious Osborn more comfortable as he slowly came to his senses after hearing the chattering coming from the TV.

Harry carefully opened his eyes and placed his hand in front of his eyesight due to the discomfort he felt in his pupils. His sight slowly adjusted itself to the brightness of the world around him. He eventually realized where he was.

A voice spoke, "Hey, careful now."

He felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked to this side while still having his eyes not completely open. "Peter…?"

"It's me, you're okay," Peter spoke reassuringly after he rose from the comfy seat that was placed right next to Harry's bed.

"What… what happened?" Harry asked after noticing the bandages on the side of his neck. He pressed his hand against them.

"Don't mess with those." Peter continued, "You got hurt bad, we got you here for better treatment."

Harry was finally fully aware of his surroundings. He could barely move his neck. "Does it look… bad?"

"It looks nasty, but not worse than the usual."

Harry chuckled weakly, feeling some slight pain as he did so. "Yeah… you would know after having those braces on for so long."

Peter chuckled back, but it didn't last long as reality dawned upon him once again.

"Is everything alright?" Harry questioned, concerned after noticing the sudden change in his humor.

Peter sighed, heavily. "We did it… but a lot happened that night, Harry."

"What do you mean?"

"We… lost some people, Flash was one of them." Harry was caught off guard by the revelation. Peter continued, "Quentin had him during all that time while he was gone. He used him to… yeah."

"I… I-I'm truly sorry, Pete."

He exhaled deeply and dropped his chin for a moment. "Yeah. We buried him a few days back."

"I wish I could have been there for you."

"You were recovering, it's alright," Peter assured him. "There's more you need to know, but you should focus on your recovery for now, okay?"

Harry nodded. He noticed the wraps on his friend's hand and how he seemed to be missing two fingers. "Peter… what happened there?" He gestured to Peter's hand.

Peter looked down at his hand. "Quentin got the better of me here. While it hurts like hell, I'm… fine. Could have been worse. I mean, I got impaled too... I can barely walk straight these days, my spleen was almost gone."

"Wow… I…"

"Don't worry about it, Harry. I've gotten used to it. I need to think twice before doing some things that I once did without much effort, but I'm learning to live with it. It's okay."

"Okay, but if you need anything… you can count on me."

Peter nodded in gratitude. "I know. Also, thank you… for keeping Gwen safe."

"... she's the one who kept me alive. You have a fighter in your wife."

Peter insisted, "You still went out of your way to protect her, you almost gave your own life for her. I can't ever thank you enough for this, Harry."

"It's… the least I could do for her." Harry glanced at his friend and then at the TV. "They are talking about you today."

Peter followed his gaze. "Maybe they finally got the idea, just as you said once… spider-guys… or girls, they won't ever know... for sure. We fought for each other, we fought as one. That's one of the things... I hope to leave behind long after I'm gone."

"Well, nothing seems to truly stop you. You always come back."

"Then you haven't seen me tackling a dirty diaper."

Harry smiled, shortly. "Have you decided then… how everything will play out from now on?"

"I'm not sure, Harry, but thank you… for caring." Peter patted him gently on the shoulder. "I think I should go now, you need to rest. We'll figure everything else later."

Harry stopped him from leaving by asking another question. "What about Ezekiel? He told me he was… physically struggling with being here."

"We kinda sorted that out… and I think for good. That might also be part of the answer to the question you just asked me… about the future."

One after the other, Spider-Man dangled away from the blocks, trying to find the robbery in progress. He searched the alleyway the police had stated on the radio. He could not find anyone there. His short experience as a crime fighter made him realize that perhaps the person had fled.

Right now, some thug was chasing down the victim down the alleyways in the city. He swung back up, arching his back. Eventually, He finally found them. The thug had cornered the victim, a man with his wife and child. They were looking thoroughly scared. The child, a nine-year-old boy, was shaking. He hid behind his mother.

"Give me everything you've got! now" the thug yelled threateningly. "Or else…"

The threat lingered in the air, hanging like a low-lying branch. Bravely, the husband pushed his wife and son behind him and denied them to the criminal.

The thug waved his gun, brandishing it aggressively. Spider-Man was ready to jump any time now.

"Spider-Man!" The woman spoke after pointing upwards.

Spider-Man, who had been hiding in a shadow and against the wall within the alleyway, was ready to spring, but instead, for the first time, he watched something truly unusual.

The criminal was now fleeing. He also had thrown his gun aside before running away, without ever taking a second look upwards. Another moment of surprise as Spider-Man realized that the woman was not pointing at him. She was pointing in the wrong direction, she only told the criminal he was there with the hope of scaring him off.

The family was now relieved as they checked on their son.

Spider-Man watched them from his position before they finally left the alleyway. He then crawled his way towards the rooftop of the building, approaching its border so that he could look at his reflection in the windows of the opposite building on the other side of the avenue.

So this is why… this is why he does it.

He analyzed the colored spandex through the reflection, watching as the symbiote slowly emerged from within the suit, changing the color to a dark shade of purple once again.

This is not my legacy, it's his… but I'll live by it, I promise, Peter.

Ezekiel swore to himself, now finally free of the inevitable destiny that once awaited him by physically being in the same world as his brother.

"Your mother was… a very brave human being. Olive. She endured a lot, far much more than I could ever bear." Eddie Brock spoke calmly, sat in the wheelchair next to the line of waiting seats at the hospital's reception.

Olive, sat in the seat next to the wheelchair, asked, "How did she look…?"

Eddie smiled, shortly. "Pretty much like you."

"I wish I could have a picture of her. I don't have many family pictures, I only have one of my brother."

He nodded in understanding. "I...I heard about him, and I'm truly sorry." He was misled by Quentin after he was told to go after some individuals that helped destabilize the whole country even further. He felt extremely guilty over it. He had told her about it, and even then, she forgave him. He cleared his throat and continued, "... but I do have pictures of her and if Peter allows it, I'd like to show them to you."

Olive finally let out a tiny smile. "I'd like that."

Eddie chuckled briefly to himself, before assuming a more serious face, a regretful expression. "Olive, listen... I… I wish I could have met you far earlier than this, I've searched for you for so long, but I always failed at that." She watched him open up. "It's okay if you don't understand what I'm saying, but… I just wanted to let you know that I tried, I tried doing everything I could, you're my niece… and I also want you to know how I feel about you, because… you're so very important to me."

Olive put her hand on his arm. "It's okay, Uncle Eddie." She smiled, content.

He let out a relieved exhale as if he had finally gotten rid of a huge amount of weight that was once set over him. "Thank you… Olive."

She maintained her reassuring smile.

"Hey, you two." Peter greeted them after leaving the elevator. "Is everything alright?"

Olive nodded.

Eddie asked, "How's Harry?"

Peter stopped in front of the pair. "He will be fine, just a few more scars to the collection. A few more days and he will be allowed to leave. Thankfully, nobody has recognized him so far." He continued, "What about you, Eddie? How are you feeling?"

He grabbed the wheels of his chair and replied, "Being stranded like this is… something new to me, but I feel somewhat better now that the symbiote is gone. There was no need for it anymore."

"That's good to hear. We can finally… move on from all of this."

Eddie nodded, before asking, "Any signs of your… you know?" He omitted the person's name he was referring to due to the child near them.

Peter sighed heavily. He shook his head in response, before changing subjects, "What's next for you today?"

"If you allow me, I'd like to have Olive for the day so that we can finally get to know each other better."

"Of course. Olive? are you up for it?" He looked down at her.

"Yeah!"

Peter smiled at her reaction. "Then it's okay." He focused on Eddie. "I hope you two can finally find peace in each other. If you guys need anything, please let me know."

"Thank you, Peter." Eddie continued, "What about you? Where will you be today?"

"You were such a hot-head… maybe that's why you and Peter eventually clicked. But I did always believe in you, in your capacity, all the way back in high school. I can say I had a role in your life, and I'm forever so glad for that…." Gwen touched the gravestone under her glove. "We miss you… Flash. We miss you very much."

Gwen caressed the gravestone. She wished she could stop burying her loved ones in such a short period.

"I'm sorry I couldn't… do anything for you that night. You shouldn't be here. You may not think of yourself as such, but you were always good, kind, and decent." She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. "Please… watch over us all, take care of us."

There was some movement from behind her. She was already aware of the identity of the visitor.

Peter stopped near her and waited for his wife to finish paying her respects to their lifetime friend. He buried his hands in the pocket of his coat and set his gaze down at the gravestone, taking a moment to read the marking in it.

Gwen eventually rose her chin and brushed her teary eyes, before turning on her feet to face her husband. They exchanged a reassuring look at each other. She approached him and buried the side of her face against his cheek. He moved his arm around her shoulder and kept the palm of his hand against the back of her head while hugging her waist with his free arm.

Peter planted a kiss on her golden hair, before whispering, "I'm also… tired of burying so many of the people we love."

She hugged him back. "Do you think we will… ever see Elizabeth again...?"

He inhaled deeply. "I'm trying everything I can think of, but I don't want to lose hope."

Gwen cleared her throat. "She might be out there, somewhere, scared… and afraid. I… I'm just terrified."

He tightened his grip over her. "I'm so sorry, honey. I couldn't protect her."

"You did everything you could." Gwen looked up to him, "I just… time somehow rots everything, Peter, even hope. I don't know for how long I can deal with this."

He cupped her cheek and spoke reassuringly, "Don't say that, Gwendy. I need you."

She rested her head against his hand while locking eyes with her husband. "Please, don't ever… leave me again, stay with me… forever. I can't bear any of this anymore."

"I was gone once… I don't intend to leave ever again." He kissed her forehead.

They embraced each other in front of their friend's final resting area, holding onto hope for as long as they could. Yet, Peter didn't know for how long he would be able to keep it together and provide her wife the support she needed now more than ever. He was just as devastated as the love of his life was, part of him felt like they would never see their daughter again, yet, he tried to ignore such thoughts.

He tried to believe the best was still to come. It's what she would have wanted.

"You did well with your homework, Aiden." Peter praised his son for his effort. He found himself sitting in front of the desk in the office room. He looked down at the notebook set on the desk. Aiden himself could be seen over his lap, lying his back against his father's chest.

The oldest Parker in the room took one last look at Aiden's answers. "Great job, buddy."

He waited for any reaction, but Aiden was surprisingly quiet, something that didn't fit with his son's personality. He noticed that the child was fastly asleep on his chest.

Peter chuckled at the sight. "You're your dad's son." He got up from the seat and lifted Aiden in his arms, taking a moment to mesmerize his peaceful expression. "Uncle Ben would have loved to teach you this stuff too as he did to me."

Peter eventually headed outside and into the hallway, heading towards the twin's bedroom. He first stopped at the front of Elizabeth's door as it was slightly open.

There wasn't anyone inside. Olive was spending some time with her newfound uncle, they were doing well so far. Still, there was another very dear soul he hadn't seen for weeks. He cleared his throat and focused back on his original task.

Once inside Aiden's bedroom, he lowered his son in the bed which still had some space for David who was currently having his hair cut by his mother in the bathroom. He had finally allowed his mother to test her skills with that.

"Goodnight, honey." Peter caressed his son's cheek. He whispered, "You are safe."

He left the room and almost fully closed the door, leaving only a small gap so that they could check on him later on. As he turned on his shoulder, he found Ezekiel leaning against the handrail of the second floor, facing him at the door.

Ezekiel greeted, "Pete, how are you doing?"

"We are doing our best." He gestured to him to follow him downstairs. "What about you? How are you feeling nowadays?"

They entered the kitchen. Ezekiel took a seat next to the countertop set in the middle of the room. "I haven't felt anything so far. I think… I think the suit is working just fine."

Peter closed the bridge and threw the soda can at Ezekiel's hands, before sitting at the other side of the countertop so that he could face his brother. "I'm glad to hear that, Ezekiel. You had me worried for a while."

"There were bigger concerns back then."

"What matters is that you are now free from that fate, as long as you keep that suit, so please… keep yourself in it." Peter took a sip.

Ezekiel took a sip of his own. "I'll try my best." He continued, "It's been quite the experience, doing these patrols like you always did."

"Wait until you feel like going to the bathroom."

He nodded. "Very true." He asked carefully, "... did you find anything?"

Peter sighed and shook his head. "Nothing. I.. don't know what to do next."

"By being here for so long, I've lost most of my skills. The only thing enabling me to do what you always did, is the symbiote that survived the tower. I haven't felt anything different than the usual... I'm sorry. I miss her just as much as you do, she just… left before I could do anything."

Peter nodded, in understanding. "I know… and it's okay. She always acted like that… but I can't lose hope." He changed the subject, "So, are you feeling alright as Spider-Man?"

"Better than I expected, Peter. I'm trying to do right by you."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you are doing great. Don't think Spider-Man belongs to me, he or she belongs to every single one of us."

"Thank you, Pete." He added, "Will you come back eventually?"

Upstairs, after putting David to bed, Gwen felt like coming to the kitchen in the hope to find her husband, and she did, but once she noticed he had been talking to Ezekiel and the latter had raised a delicate question, she stopped in her tracks and stood against the wall outside the kitchen.

Peter hesitated. "I… I am not sure, to be honest. I feel like… I have a bigger responsibility with my family and I should pay more attention to such responsibility, you know? So much has happened recently, it made me rethink my priorities. For a moment... I was gone, I almost left my children without a father, I almost made them go through what happened to me. I thought I could handle everything at once, but I was proven wrong." He continued, "For what it's worth it, despite everything, I love being Spider-Man. I helped some people have what I didn't in my childhood, and I accomplished a lot of good things, with and without help, but… I just don't know anymore. I need to… sort things out before doing anything else. I wish I could do both, but I'm not sure this would be a viable option at this point."

"I understand. I truly do."

Gwen leaned her shoulder against the wall and dropped her chin slightly, reflecting over her husband's words. She eventually sighed and headed back upstairs.

Peter continued, "I don't want you to feel obligated to do this, though, even with the symbiote."

"I know, don't worry. I think I found a new purpose and I can now do something for you. Otherwise, I wouldn't even be here anymore." He paused. "... and we still have to find Elizabeth, there's much to do."

"Yeah…" Peter spoke, somberly. He looked at the empty can above the table and in his hands.

Ezekiel knew such a topic was sensitive to him, to all of them. He decided to change it, "Is Harry leaving then?"

Peter nodded. "Yeah, he's going to Greece, to meet his friend… Felicia." He continued, "Honestly, he deserves the break. I don't know if he ever intends to come back, his life always has been chaotic up here. He has a chance to start again with a person I know he cares a lot."

"I hope he finds happiness then."

Peter nodded. "Me too. We'll be taking him to the airport this week if you want to join."

"I'll try to meet you all there, if I feel I won't be able to, I'll talk to him earlier." Ezekiel stood up and placed his empty can inside the garbage bin on the ground next. "It's getting late, I think I should go now."

Peter smiled, briefly. "Thank you for coming by, for being a friend… and a brother." He stood up and approached him.

Ezekiel patted him in the back. "Anytime, Pete. You can always count on me for anything."

"I will… now more than ever."

I love you. You are... the best mom ever.

Gwen Stacy jolted awake, cold sweat making the bed sheets cling to her body and causing her to feel slightly claustrophobic. Taking a deep breath while still laid over the bed, Gwen pressed her hand against her forehead and tried to calm herself. Her husband wasn't anywhere to be found next to her. She did hear some noise from the bathroom as if something fell to the floor. She figured that was him.

Lately, having a goodnight's rest turned out to be a very hard thing to achieve.

Gwen untangled her body from the sheets and raised herself from the bed. Walking over to the window, she looked down at the peaceful city, before furrowing her brows. So much had happened in just a short amount of time. They could now catch their breath, but not exactly as they wanted to.

Opening the window slightly to allow some air inside the room, Gwen tried to piece back her nightmare. She had been reliving that one night at the tower over and over again, she recalled the many terrifying sensations she had to endure to survive.

Gwen looked over her shoulder and spotted her shirtless husband coming out of the bathroom. His torso was still filled with dark bruises and stains.

Before approaching his wife, Peter asked, "Having trouble to sleep?" He held his now uncovered injured hand on his healthy one.

She fully turned towards him. She could see the dark stains in what was left of his two fingers. He walked by and placed his hands on her hips. She rested her own hands in his chest. "You too, I guess."

"Yeah, I felt like splashing some cold water into my face." He continued, "Sorry if I woke you up… I accidentally dropped the brushes' pot. Still not used with only having three fingers in one hand."

"I know, and It's okay... it wasn't that. I was already awake by then."

"... nightmares?"

She nodded, locking her eyes on his. "Just the usual."

He cupped the freckles in her cheek and whispered, "We'll get through this." He felt her emerald-colored eyes stare straight into his soul.

"I hope so." She looked down at his pectoral. "... that's a new one." She slid her finger gently over the scarred skin.

He kept watching her beautiful expression. His eyes eventually slipped to the uncovered spot behind her right shoulder blade. "You have one yourself."

She focused back on him as he touched the very tiny scar on her shoulder, a trinket from the night in the city's power plant. For the first time in ages, she felt something else again, something good. "I'm somewhat of a warrior myself."

He smiled, weakly. Harry had mentioned that earlier. "You always have been one."

She followed his smile with one of her own, but it quickly disappeared as her recurring thoughts surfaceD again. She gripped him tighter and inhaled deeply. "Do you… do you think you got to do most of the things that you ever wanted…?"

He was slightly taken aback. "Where's this coming from, honey?"

"Please, just… answer me." Her eyes begged.

Peter held her chin in his hand, delicately. "No, I don't think so… but that's only because I've failed at so many things."

Gwen interjected, "... you also gave up on so many things."

"Some yes, but we all have. Do you have anything specific in mind, Gwendy?"

"I just… sometimes I feel like… and this is something not exclusive to this year or the one before, alright? But I can watch you… and I feel like I'm not enough to you… I feel like I might be holding you back."

"What? Why are you saying this?"

"It's just… a thought of mine. That is all. I needed to get this off my chest."

He let out a brief and desperate chuckle. "That's so not true, Gwen." He cupped both her cheeks and leaned in. "You are enough to me... you always have been. You are all that I adore, you made me who I am. Were not for you, I don't know where I would be at.

She eyed him back. "I… I love you, Peter. Don't get me wrong, I love you more than anything else. I can just... feel guilty for pushing you into making some decisions when you were struggling many years ago… maybe I kept you away from doing what you are meant to. I don't think you would understand."

"Gwen…"

She moved her hand to his jawline. "You don't need to say anything, honey. It's… it's okay. I'm just thinking out loud. We should get back to bed, we need a proper rest… you need a proper rest." She planted a kiss on his lips and slowly freed herself from his comfortable embrace.

Peter turned on his shoulder and watched as his wife calmly went back to bed, before taking a deep sigh himself.

April 16th - 2031

John F. Kennedy International Airport - New York

"Have you gotten your passport, Harry?" Gwen questioned as she hopped out of the driver's seat and landed her foot in the parking lot. She rested her arm over the car's roof and watched her husband unload Harry's bag and backpack from the car's trunk.

Harry stood still on the other side of the car. He adjusted the sunglasses above his nose. He answered, "Somehow... I did."

Peter closed the trunk and joined them, holding Harry's bags in both his hands. "What about your plane ticket?"

Harry took the ticket from inside his jacket and showed it to the couple. "Don't worry. I've got it."

Peter handed him the backpack. "You always give me enough reasons to worry."

Harry shrugged. "I won't argue with that."

They all began moving towards the actual building, Harry's bag hitching and wobbling as it was wheeled along behind. Gwen walked next to her husband and took his hand on hers. The whole terminal was crowded.

Harry spoke, "I can't remember the last time I've been to an airport. Not since I was officially declared dead."

Peter nodded to himself in agreement. "Welcome to the club, I guess."

"You are kinda late." Harry looked around the airport, a smile dimming as he settled on the security checkpoint. They stopped near it. "I just hope it works out."

Gwen teased, "We could always break you out of jail."

He sighed. "You two can do anything, such a power couple… so I don't doubt that." Gwen chuckled shortly to herself.

Peter met his friend's eyes. "Are you sure you really… want to do this? Greece?"

Harry eyed the checkpoint again. He cleared his throat. "I would like to think so. What do you… think?"

He crossed his arms and gathered his thoughts. "I don't know what to tell you, man. I'm not the sanest person in the world. But… I can say that whenever I got to face a tough decision in front of me, there was always this one thing… that managed to keep the other concerns away. That one… instinct, that will make you simply give up on everything else, no matter how logical these side concerns can be, because with this person, everything will be worth it. You gotta dive straight in,"

Gwen raised her chin to look at her taller husband. Harry waited for his friend to complete his speech.

Peter bit his lower lip and continued, "... and that's love. If you like her, as I think you always did if you can find that with her, then I think you have the answer to your question."

Harry cleared his throat, trying his best to keep his emotions in check. He nodded. "... thank you, thank you so much."

Gwen comfortably pressed the side of her body against his own and then took her husband's hand on hers,

Peter went further, "Just… take it easy, you guys haven't seen each other for a long time at this point."

Harry looked back at him and nodded. "I will."

"Well then…" Peter reached for his wallet in his pants and pulled a credit card from it. "You'll need this."

"Peter... there's no need for that." Harry kept his friend from handing him the card. "I saved enough money for some time. I need to take charge of my life."

"Are you sure, Hare? You can always send it back to us later."

Harry nodded again. "I appreciate it."

The speakers announced the last warning for his flight.

He took a deep inhale. "I appreciate what both of you did for me, I can't ever thank you two enough."

Gwen added, "It's alright, it's what families are for." She smiled, reassuringly.

He gave her a thankful nod. "You two saved my life, more than once. I'll now do something with it."

Peter sighed. "Take care of yourself, please." They exchanged a hug.

Harry patted him on the shoulder and smiled reassuringly. "I will." He turned towards Gwen and embraced her next. "I'll be always rooting for you guys. Please have faith."

Gwen nodded. "We will, Harry. Thank you."

He stood back and took another glance at the couple, before giving them one final thankful nod and turning towards the checkpoint as he brought his bags along. He walked away, sometimes he looked back to wave at them, but his figure slowly turned out smaller.

There was one final glance and one final wave before he was completely gone from sight. Peter was left without his lifetime friend. At that moment, he felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He didn't have to look up to know who it was.

Gwen planted a kiss on his cheek. She assured him, "It will be okay."

He turned towards her and cupped her cheeks. "... you are right." He kissed her tenderly in the lips, before breaking the kiss and adding, "I have… I have something to show you. Shall we go now?"

The frigid air collided with the couple as they left the car they parked on the side of the street. The sun was already gone and the many lights of New York City had taken the entirety of the city once again. Peter wrapped an arm around Gwen and led them forward on the sidewalk until they reached their destination.

Gwen followed his focused gaze to a horse-drawn carriage that was found in their way, besides the sidewalk. It moved forward slowly. The horse itself was browned, a dark ribbon braided into its hair in honor of the night. The carriage was dark and the open seats were covered in red velvet.

As soon as Peter took a step from the curb and raised his hand the carriage stopped and waited for them.

Peter approached the carriage and questioned, "Is everything good for the ride?" The driver nodded.

Gwen ran her palm down the horse's long neck. "He's so pretty."

Peter motioned for Gwen to climb up first. He helped her up by gripping her waist as she climbed the steps. After he settled next to his wife and his leg right up to hers, Gwen unfolded the blanket the driver provided and spread it over their laps for some extra amount of warmth.

She teased, "We are doing this."

He smiled, weakly. "Sometimes I have to stick to the ground for a change."

She nodded in agreement and rested her head on Peter's shoulder as the horse began to move forward, encouraged by the driver's actions. They watched the many outdoors and skyscrapers above them. They had been used to the view for such a long time.

Gwen finally relaxed next to him.

As they rode, the couple excitedly pointed out spectacles to one another; the bright lights and hysterically dressed people. The streets were still buzzing, even at the late hour. After all, they were in the city that never slept so nothing less could ever be expected.

People seemed to carry on with their lives after the struggles everyone had been dealing with lately. The streets were safer and more energetic once again. They didn't have to worry about two or more powerful forces clashing against each other.

Gwen saw a gloriously happy couple, probably in their mid-thirties as well, walking down the street happily, arms around one another, smiling brightly as they laughed. Her eyes were crinkled to slits as he threw his head back laughing. Peter's hand found his wife's under the blanket as they intertwined fingers. She turned her gaze towards him and saw that he was also watching the couple as they faded from view and remained behind them.

A small smile touched her lips as she studied his features; his perfect curled hair, his shining brown eyes, and soft lips looking slightly purple in the cold.

They finally locked their sights on each other again. He asked gently, "How do you feel?"

"... better."

"Good, then look up now." He raised his chin."... just in time."

Gwen leaned her head slightly back due to what he said, confused, but eventually looked up to the many colorful billboards found on both sides of the avenue they were currently taking a comforting ride in.

The advertisements were then replaced with pictures showing the trajectory of their lives so far. The first picture was repeated in the other billboards around the area. It showed Gwen reading a book while sitting at the outdoor table in the former high school they once attended together. The pictures then changed into the one where Gwen could be seen sleeping in her boyfriend's chest before they graduated.

She didn't take her eyes off the enormous screens. "Peter…"

"... shh." He squeezed her hand.

Eventually, their time in England came next, as evidenced by the many cheeky selfies they took while visiting some landmarks of the country. They certainly didn't miss the opportunity to take one inside the trademark red telephone cabin. Within minutes, the tiresome yet happy photos of the couple arranging the furniture for their first apartment appeared, one of them showing Gwen desperately trying to block the incoming yellow-colored paintbrush her boyfriend used to rush after her.

Gwen smiled widely at the pictures, some even managed to take a short laugh out of her.

Their wedding came next. They chuckled together at the picture of Peter supporting the back of his then-girlfriend turned wife as she, still in her gown, raised her left leg off the ground while she pointed the arrangement of flowers towards the ceiling above them, putting the most cheeky smile she could while doing so.

She cleared the tiny tear from her right eye and spoke delicately, "That's Mrs. Spider-Man alright…"

The twins came next, then photos where they were all together with other members of the family.

Peter squeezed her hand slightly harder, gaining her attention back. She turned to him and stared deeply into his eyes, clearly affected by her emotions due to the images. He cupped her cheeks and leaned his forehead against hers.

"Not enough to me? You are just… absolutely everything to me, Gwen Stacy. If somehow I had the chance to go back to the day where we first kissed, I would do it… all over again."

She closed her eyes and dropped her chin slightly in his hands. "I love you… so much."

Peter brought her face gently against his neck and planted a kiss on top of her head. He whispered, "... I love you more." He continued, "... and I promise… that I will do anything to bring our family together again."

April 25th - 2031

Hey, brother. I figured this would cheer you up while I'm not with you guys. Maybe you can play it for Elizabeth, I bet it will make her feel better. Do you remember me playing at that party? I think we could even form a band if you are good enough! I hope you like it. Better days are yet to come. - Flash.

Peter smiled weakly. He finished reading the handwritten letter in his hand that came with the large package that had arrived at their apartment. He found himself sitting on the edge of his bed with the package in front of his feet. It was a gift Flash meant to send to him shortly after May passed away.

Unfortunately, he never got to post it due to how fast things deteriorated after her death. Mary Jane found it recently and took the opportunity to fulfill her husband's wish.

Peter sighed heavily as he gripped the letter harder with both hands. He inhaled deeply, before gently folding the letter and placing it beside him in the bed. He took a glance at the package and eventually took it in his hands and over his lap.

It was a large one, horizontally.

"What are you up to, Flash?"

He closed his eyes with the hope of feeling any kind of connection with his former friend once again. Yet, every time he thought of him, he recalled the night where he lost him. He opened his eyes and noticed that his right hand over the package had been trembling slightly. It had been healing nicely, the stitches had already been removed.

"Daddy, are you okay?"

He closed his fist as the trembling finally stopped. He looked over to the door and found David standing still near the door's frame, already wearing his pajamas.

Peter smiled and spoke delicately, "... of course I am, honey. Are you ready for bed?"

David took a few steps inside, glancing the package over his father's lap. "Not yet, mum's still making us soup."

"She does that very well, doesn't she?"

He nodded, stopping next to the bed. "What is that?"

Peter patted the spot beside him in the bed as a gesture for his son to come closer and join him. "Well, this…" He began unwrapping the item in his hand. It was well packed. "... is Uncle Flash's last gift to us."

David watched him unwrap the present. "I wish he could be here with us."

Peter took a glance at his son. "Me too, Dave… me too."

The gift finally began to come off as Peter placed the rest of the packing back to the ground.

"What is it?"

Peter sighed as he took a long glance at the shiny memento in his hands. "This… is what we usually call a guitar." He analyzed while appreciating the craftsmanship.

"Wow… can you… play it?"

"I'd like to try." He focused on his missing fingers. They would certainly impact his learning curve. He probably wouldn't ever manage to play as he once would be able to if his hand was still intact. He sighed heavily and slid his finger over the surface of the object. "Maybe we could even try together, teach ourselves at the same time. Would you like that?"

David nodded again. "I think Liz would love it too once she comes back."

"... she would." Peter let his right hand go off the guitar to caress the back of David's hair. He spotted a few tiny strands of blonde hair and smiled shortly. "I love you, okay?"

"I love you too, dad."

"Good," They both heard Gwen back at the kitchen call for David. The soup was ready. "You should join your brother now."

David hugged his father for a couple of minutes. Peter relaxed in his embrace while massaging his son's back. David eventually let go of Peter and turned on his back to jog his way towards the stairwell, leaving his father alone to his thoughts once again.

Peter wiped the smile off his face and looked down at the guitar in his hands. He did his best to hold it properly. He adjusted the angle of his fingers over the strings and played the cords. He went on through the different chords. It was pretty difficult to hit the lower cords. Eventually, he made some extra effort and got the next chords easier than the first batch.

Still, it was nothing to write home about.

He smiled to himself. "You do want to keep pushing me forward, don't you, Flash? That does sound like you. We miss you… I miss you." He played with the chords again, until he heard some movement at the entrance.

Gwen had her left shoulder leaned against the frame of the door and had her arms crossed. She smiled delicately at her husband. "... I'm sure he misses you too, honey."

He smiled back, weakly. "I know."

"And I think he would agree that you look super handsome while holding that guitar."

He chuckled, lightly. "I don't know about that."

"Well, I do." She eyed the guitar. "It looks nice in your hands."

"Did you know about this?"

She nodded. "MJ told me beforehand. I just got off a call with her."

"How is she?"

Gwen inhaled deeply. She shrugged his shoulders. "She's getting better. Sarah too. I… I know what she's going through, so I try to do what I can… where I am."

"We all know that you do, honey," He continued, "... you are the best partner one can dream of."

She chuckled lightly. "Thank you for the compliment, I'd like to think that way since you've been with me for so long." He smiled again. "Okay, honey. I'll leave you to it then. I'll go check if the twins are not giving their plates to Ren."

Before she left, Peter called for her name, making her look back at him from the entrance. He spoke again, "... thank you."

Gwen winked at him and left the room so that she could check on their kids.

Peter sighed heavily and carefully placed the guitar aside in the bed. He looked at their large wardrobe and after gathering enough inner strength, he stood up and approached his section of the furniture.

After opening the door in front of him, Peter saw the red and blue Spider-Man suit stashed under the clothes that were hung upright on the suit hanger. He stared at it for a couple of seconds, hearing his very own breath as he closed his eyes and slowed down his heart.

March 9th - 2037

Six years later...

I... feel so extraordinary...

Something's got a hold on me…

I got this feeling I'm in motion…

A sudden sense of liberty…

Peter Parker slowly stopped his car in front of the very well decorated high school. He rested the back of his left elbow above the frame of the open window in his side, allowing himself some extra seconds to hear the music coming from the radio.

He eventually lowered the volume down and looked at the person sitting in the seat beside him. "It's a nice song, an oldie but a goodie."

"... it truly is," Elizabeth spoke with a tiny smile spread across her lips.

"You look… tremendously gorgeous." His daughter wore a red prom dress with a v-shaped opening for her neck.

"You have mom to thank for that too."

He chuckled, lightly. He advised, "Careful with what you'll be doing tonight."

Elizabeth teased, "I wouldn't want to be in the spotlight in the same school where my father teaches his lessons."

"That's a good point." They exchanged an honest look for a moment before Elizabeth looked slightly away. Peter sighed deeply, before noticing a rather anxious figure standing at the entrance of the school that faced his daughter's door.

He questioned, "I thought Nora would be with you?"

She initially looked at her father but then joined his gaze, finding Miles Morales looking incredibly nervous while he waited for her. Miles scratched his head and looked away when he noticed the pair staring at him.

"Oh, yeah… well, she's not."

Peter was surprised. "Did something happen? You two seemed happy together."

She dropped her chin and shrugged her shoulders. "We weren't… doing well lately, we haven't talked for a few weeks."

"But you do… like her, right?"

Elizabeth closed her eyes and rested her head against the seat. She looked at the street in front of them. "It's… kinda complicated, dad."

Peter followed her gaze. "I don't know what happened, and you don't have to tell me… but you should know that - I'm here for you, whenever you need me. Always."

She focused on her father again. "Thanks… dad."

"... okay then." He inhaled deeply. "I think he's waiting for you."

"He is." Elizabeth undid her seat belt.

"Have fun and be safe. Don't do anything that I wouldn't do."

She smiled. "What haven't you done?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "You know what I mean."

Elizabeth leaned to her father's side and planted a kiss on his cheek. She opened the door and moved her leg outside, before closing the same door after completely standing on her feet again.

Peter spoke from his seat, "Call me when it's time to pick you up."

She leaned down against the window. "I could just order a cab back home. I will be fine."

"I insist, okay? I'll be up. don't worry."

Elizabeth sighed. "Okay, dad." She gave him a gentle nod and turned on her shoulder.

"Hey." Peter again called for his daughter, making her look back at him. "Take care."

She let out a tiny smile for him. "You too, silly." He smiled back, allowing her to resume her steps towards Miles.

Peter watched them from the car. He felt like he was seeing Gwen herself walk away from him. Their daughter was just perfect. There was not a single thing that could take her away from him, no matter how difficult things could sometimes be.

At the school's entrance, Miles stood still while wearing his white tuxedo jacket over his black shirt. His jaw almost hit the ground as he watched his date slowly make her way towards him. Eventually, his eyes landed at Elizabeth's father, who in return gave him a simple nod from the car.

Miles cleared his throat and awkwardly greeted him by waving his hand.

Elizabeth, after finally reaching him, chuckled the moment she saw such a gesture. She didn't even have to look back to know what was going on. She stopped in front of him. "He's only messing with you, don't worry." She analyzed his outfit with a convincing smile.

"Oh… it's alright. I was just being… friendly."

She met his eyes. "You do look good, though." She noticed how his hairline was on point. He looked incredibly handsome.

"Thank you, you look amazing too…" He quickly corrected himself, "I-I mean good… that you look good."

Elizabeth chuckled lightly again. She offered him her arm. "Should we go?"

He nodded, wrapping his arm around hers. As they went further within the well decorated and lit hallway, she took one last glance over her shoulder and noticed that her father was still present outside the school and inside the car, looking out for them.

She slightly dropped her chin and later smiled to herself, before focusing on the path in front of them once again. She noticed that Miles seemed slightly tense. "Are you okay?"

He was brought back from his inner thoughts. "Hmm…? Oh, yeah - yeah. I'm fine, Liz."

"Okay…. thank you for asking me out, otherwise I'd be coming alone. I wasn't even that much motivated to be here… before you asked me."

Miles was not convinced. "That's… that's hard to believe."

"Why?"

"You know why."

She looked at him, slightly amused at her date. "I don't think I do."

"Well, I mean… you are… you are…"

She tilted her head to the side while looking at his eyes. "I am…?"

"You are very pretty, that's what I'm saying."

"Oh, wow… thank you. That's very sweet, Miles." She continued, "... but yeah, I guess you are somewhat right, I did get some invitations."

He looked at Elizabeth.

She raised his confidence, "... but I wanted to go with you. They weren't appealing to me, especially when they were saying mean things about me before, and got tired of getting into some fights. You're great, though."

"That's… I'm glad you came."

Elizabeth smiled as they stopped at the entrance of the agitated dancing floor, where the school's so-called "athletes" gathered to play basketball. Everyone and everything was covered by the weak dim and purple light that came from the projectors spread against the walls in the area.

It was possible to see the many holographic stars slowly moving around in the ceiling to the rhythm of the current music.

She nodded to herself, slightly impressed. "Not gonna lie, this looks pretty… and kinda cozy."

Miles chuckled. "Cozy?" He let go of her arm to move in front of his date and face her.

She followed him with her green-colored eyes. "You know what I mean."

"Maybe." He offered her his hand. "... care for a dance?"

Elizabeth found herself slightly surprised at his initiative, but she enjoyed it nonetheless. She took his hand on hers and allowed him to guide her further into the crowd until they found a spot where they settled in.

They faced each other. Elizabeth placed her arms against his shoulders and smiled at him as Rivers and Roads began to play around them.

Miles himself looked around to see how the other "couples" were doing. He quickly focused back on her captivating eyes again and respectfully placed his hands on her hips. They now slowly moved around.

Elizabeth grinned. She spoke gently, "This feels nice."

Miles smiled back. He confessed delicately, "I thought I wouldn't be able to… come with you, tonight."

"... you are talking of Nora, right?" He nodded. She replied sincerely, "We stopped talking some time ago. Maybe I just carry… too much baggage with me, maybe I'm not easy to deal with. I don't know."

"If you… ever want to talk about it."

"Thank you, Miles." Elizabeth smiled, contently. "Maybe later, because now... I'd rather have this dance with you." She winked, playfully.

"I think I can live with that."

Do you think… that you can do this and walk freely? Because of a child? Your daughter? You're going too far.

Peter rested his left arm over the frame of the window on his left side. The wind brushed against his hair as he drove through the peaceful and empty road within upstate New York, as it was called.

On his side, he could see the enormous lake greeting him with the reflection of the moon thanks to the clear sky, and on the other side of the road, a vast and dense gathering of woods filled the entire land there.

He tapped the wheel with the fingers of his right hand. It was a long straight road ahead of him. Eventually, his eyes focused on his two missing fingers on the same hand, catching his attention for a brief second.

A scar that initially took place many years ago, one that still gave him moments of chronic pain whenever it felt like it.

Peter sighed heavily and focused on the road once again, widening his eyes once he spotted a bloodied Flash Thompson who was about to collide with the car. He held the wheel with both hands and quickly buried his feet over the brakes, aggressively scratching the tires of the vehicle as it slowed down.

He was jolted slightly forward but quickly moved his torso back against the seat. Alarmed, he looked around and tried to slow down his heart rate. He opened the door and stepped outside, before reluctantly walking towards the front of the car while focusing on the road under the car.

Peter stepped in front of the lights, he finally calmed down once he realized there was nothing underneath the vehicle, nothing at all. He brushed his face and sighed heavily while covering his sight. He later moved both hands to his hair as a gesture of desperation. He didn't know for how long he would have put up with such things.

He closed his fist and hammered the hood of the car with it, before turning on his feet and slowly sitting down in front of the car like the back of his jacket brushed against the surface behind him. His side was hurting again, it came and went from time to time. His mobility wasn't the same as it used to be. He immediately regretted his outburst once he saw the damage he had done to the car.

He later rested his arm on his knees and dropped his chin.

"I don't know… I don't know what to do anymore."

He cleared his throat as his eyes became wet in a matter of seconds.

"I just don't know how…"

Peter covered his face with his hands once again. He was alone in the dark, alone with his scarred mind. Even with time, the pain seemed to never go away, and the people around him knew that very well. Those who could help him did their best, but some take roads could never be set straight together once again.

"I guess that's just what I do, I let down... the people I love. I don't know anymore."

He looked up to the bright and clear sky, watching the many stars shine towards him. "I'm sorry… I'm so… very sorry." A tear slid down the cheek under his right eye.

Without ever taking his eyes off the sky, Peter got off the ground and slowly sat over the hood of the car. "I tried to accept that I was never able to save everyone, that it was impossible… but that doesn't make sleeping at night any easier, especially when you see that every moment happening over and over again, no matter how hard you try to forget about it. I can't... go through all of that again. I've lost so much, I almost lost everything again."

Peter rubbed the tears off his eyes. He exhaled deeply, still facing the stars. "... all I can ask… is for forgiveness, I can't ever let go of this guilty over the things I've done and allowed to happen, but until judgment day… I'll have to live with it… for the rest of my life."

He stared at the sky, waiting for a signal, anything. When he accepted the truth that nothing out of the ordinary would happen, he closed his eyes for a moment and eventually looked down at his right hand, it trembled slightly.

Peter inhaled deeply and held the same hand in his left one. He spoke, "... I'll see you guys again sometime again." He went back to the car and placed his hands over the wheel, before taking a glance at himself through the rearview, allowing himself to remember who he was and what he had done in life due to the slightly hidden marks on his face.

Too much went in his life to ever dare to let go of some memories, he would carry a lifetime of events with him for the rest of his years. He could only hope to not ever allow such memories to consume him as he dealt with them.

Gwen Stacy left the kitchen while holding in her right hand, the tasty apple she had taken a small bite so far. She kept a small book in her left hand and looked deeply focused on it. Her now shorter and almost platinum golden hair looked fantastic. Her hair was cut into a lob and kept with loose beachy curls.

Still chewing on the apple, she entered the living room and heard Aiden jump from the stairwell and land somewhat behind her before he quickly ran away from sight while his brother rushed after him.

Mr. Bubbles, the mix of Persian cat with a mongrel one, followed her closely. Bubbles had been the new addition to the family after they adopted him, sometime later after Ren passed away of old age.

"Give it back, Aiden!" An upset David ordered.

Gwen warned, "Careful you two." She didn't take her eyes off the book as she walked around the large couch and finally sat down. She rested her bare legs over the couch and made herself comfortable. Mr. Bubbles jumped into the couch and laid down over the warmest and beside her. Sometimes she placed the book above her belly so that she could pet him.

With time, Gwen heard the sound of a shutter from behind her. She looked over her shoulder and found her husband standing still and in front of the entrance, holding his old camera in front of his face.

"Hey, mister."

He lowered the camera back to the stand near the door that also served as support for a couple of pictures. The camera helped decorate the furniture. It was his wife's idea. "Hey, beautiful."

She took another bite of the apple as she watched him walk towards her and sit next to her. "Hey, I didn't even hear you coming."

Peter allowed his wife to lie her slender legs over his lap. He looked to his side and at her, they exchanged a curious glance. He finally broke the silence, "... I was about to make a joke that I'm not sure you would approve of."

She chuckled, briefly. "I do like your jokes, most of them."

"Well, thank you." He leaned in to capture a small portion of the apple in her hand. "What are you reading?" He asked while chewing the contents in his mouth.

Gwen smiled to herself, amused at his behavior. "A guide on how to keep your reader engaged."

"You always had me engaged. You need no one else, woman." He teased.

"Don't be jealous. It's not that easy as people say."

"But you were doing great with your articles, honey. They wanted you writing for them for a reason." He continued, "You're just full of science within you."

Gwen let out a brief giggle. "I sure hope so, but thank you." She placed the now thinner apple over the armrest and then the book shortly after. She took his hand over her leg and held it on her own, before intertwining fingers. "How were things with Liz?"

"She is probably having loads of fun right now." He continued, "Did you know that she and Nora broke up?"

"I didn't, not exactly. I had my suspicions since they haven't been here together for some weeks, but I decided to wait some more before asking her about it."

"I wonder what happened. Liz seemed so happy around her, they both did."

She sighed. "Yeah, it's a shame. I'll talk to her, though… see what I can do to help."

He nodded. "At least she seems to be having a good time with that boy, Miles."

"Really? What do you think of him?"

Peter shrugged his shoulders. "Well, he seems to have his mind straight. People at the school do say nice things about him, nice grades, and a good record. He's alright."

"Aren't you such a well-informed teacher?" She teased, moving closer next to him on the couch.

He snaked his arms around her shoulders. "I do teach some useful things too."

She rested her left hand against his pectoral. She smiled. "What could you teach me then?"

Peter moved a lock of her golden hair behind her ear as he appreciated the beauty found in her expression. "A teacher isn't allowed to engage with his student the way you want, Mrs. Parker."

She giggled, before setting her eyes at his fist which was close to her face. She spotted the bruises there. She took it in her hand and asked, "What did you do here?"

"About that… yeah, I-I… I might have rabies."

Gwen widened her eyes in disbelief. "What? You are joking, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah, sorry." He continued, "I may have accidentally punched our… car?"

"Accidentally… why would you do that?"

"I'll… explain it later, okay? I'm so sorry, it was stupid." He sighed. "I'll fix my mess, I promise."

Gwen had an eyebrow raised. "Okay… but you are… strange right now. You punched our car."

"Many years later and you've just figured that out now, honey?"

"It's one of the reasons you always stood out."

Peter quickly leaned in for a kiss and captured her lower lip on his. His wife was slightly surprised at first but didn't waste much time as she cupped his cheek and kissed him back with the same passion.

She felt a hand land near her breast. She chuckled against his mouth and spoke between the kisses, "... someone… is still… waiting for you… to find her."

Peter leaned further and almost pushed Gwen further into the couch, before letting go of his wife's lips. He inhaled deeply and stared into her eyes. "I almost forgot that." He caressed her leg and stood up. "This ain't over, Gwendy."

She smiled happily as she watched him walk around the couch. "I look forward to it, bugboy."

Peter laughed shortly to himself and made his way upstairs, watching every corner as he searched for the individual that had been hiding from him since he got back home. He looked under every bed, opened every wardrobe and closet, but he was having a hard time unveiling his target.

Eventually, he again stopped near the entrance of Elizabeth's room, the door was still half-open since he left it minutes ago. He took another peek inside.

The room was well organized and had a creamy yellow pattern set on the walls. It reminded him of a tulip, also Elizabeth's favorite type of flower, and one of the reasons she decided to make her bedroom the way it is. She also appreciated how the soft yellow could remind her of the spring season.

Her personality was just spread all over it.

Peter was brought back to reality once he realized that the glass which once contained a dead spider was now shattered over the ground of the bedroom. He frowned at the sight, wondering how that could have happened. Earlier in the day, he knew the dead spider was still there while she was dressing up for prom. Maybe she accidentally dropped while walking around and didn't even notice it. Or maybe the twins got the spider for themselves, unlikely since they didn't venture much in her room without her permission.

They found the spider on Elizabeth after she finally came back to them.

Elizabeth told them she had no idea how it reached her and what it was made of. It was an unusual blue-colored spider. She then decided to keep it. He wouldn't judge her, their family somehow had a thing for keeping dead spiders inside glasses.

He sighed. "Well… if it wasn't her who did this, then someone will probably not be too happy before the end of the night." He picked the shattered tray without the missing spider and placed it back on the counter and next to the rack that contained her many pairs of snickers.

Feeling defeated, Peter went on with his walk of shame and headed downstairs, only to feel a sudden amount of weight appear over his neck like a pair of small legs reached for his chest.

"Hah! Got you, daddy!"

Peter kept his firm position on the stairwell despite the sudden interference on his balance. He grabbed her legs and held her still. "Were you hiding in the ceiling, May? That's too dangerous."

Little May argued back, "You took so long!" Their youngest child enjoyed playing hide and seek from time to time.

Gwen raised her chin and let out a smile as she watched the pair arrive at ground level.

"Oi, I brought your sister to prom." He playfully threw his daughter over the couch and beside his wife.

Gwen's heart sank as she watched May giggle in the air and land on her back and beside her. She couldn't ever get used to their antics.

"When will you bring me to prom then?" May questioned with a huge smile spread across her lips.

Gwen tickled her daughter's belly as she burst into fits of giggles. Peter leaned against the back of the couch and smiled. She teased, "... when you are old enough and are not hiding in the ceiling, missy!"

Peter felt a relaxing wave of warmth fill the entirety of his body as he watched the two women interact and laugh towards each other. They just looked so happy. He found himself relieved of any weight that wasn't important to the house they now lived in.

For a moment, he let it all go. Maybe that's what he needed to focus on as he healed the wounds he still could with time. He didn't know what life would still lead up to, but he hoped he could get more scenes like the one taking place right in front of him.

That's all he could ever ask for, that was all he needed right now.

Elizabeth, sat near the gathering of friends at the stands near the running track of the school, watched one of her friends play around with the skateboard down at the running track, a skateboard someone had sneaked inside while everyone was paying attention to the party itself.

She wore Miles' coat over her shoulders, protecting her from the fresh wind that moved between the stands and past them. Aside from her, they were all chatting about something she couldn't make up since she was mostly paying attention to the skateboarding session back on ground level.

Elizabeth…!

She quickly turned her sight towards the person who had just called her.

There he was, Franklin, holding a bottle in his right while wearing a cheap Spider-Man cap over his head. He was barely managing to keep himself firm on his feet.

He continued, "... do you want.. to be my valentine?"

She chuckled. "Yeah, right. Too late for that, Frank."

Miles frowned at him. "You shouldn't be drinking… at least not on school grounds."

He abruptly sat between Elizabeth and Miles, against the latter's wish. "Liz… I can make you happy."

"Oh… can you?"

Franklin lazily leaned his back against the stand. "O-Of course… I-" He was cut short after allowing too much of his weight against the stand and managed to swoop himself backward and off the stands.

They all panicked at the sudden turn of events and were unable to react in time, the only exception was Elizabeth herself as she quickly dove towards the edge of the stand to grab one of his hands.

She succeeded with that and stared at him with deadly eyes.

"You stupid mother-" Elizabeth effortlessly pulled him back into the stand and made him lie down in the seats below them. "Never do this again… you moron." She rolled her eyes at him and then looked back to the group of friends beside her.

They were all in awe, except for Miles.

She cleared her throat. "... what?"

Marie, one of her friends, exhaled deeply and adjusted her glasses. "You are… really agile, Elizabeth. Wow."

Miles nodded. He wasn't that surprised for obvious reasons. Still, he pretended to be. "Yeah… that was something else."

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders and sat down. "You just gotta do… some push-ups, consume enough protein, and um... that's it."

"What can't you do then?" Franklin questioned, still lying on his back.

"Well…" Miles focused on a friend by his side. He wanted to change the subject for Elizabeth. His friend quickly got his message and pulled the hidden guitar from behind her, before handing it to him. "I know what she can do." He smiled, showing her the guitar in his hands.

Elizabeth hesitated. "I… I don't know about that."

He insisted gently, "Oh, come on. I've seen you playing it so well. You are great at this."

She sighed. "It just… brings back some memories."

"Can't you think of the good ones?"

Elizabeth eventually smiled. "You are right... okay." She took the guitar off him and they all carefully gathered around her, even if that meant going one step down so that some of them could face the Parker.

She prepped the guitar in her grasp. "What do you guys want me to play?"

Marie answered, "Just play something that… speaks to your heart? God, that was cheesy."

Elizabeth laughed. She grinned. "Yeah… it was, Marie." She looked down to her fingers near the cords. "... but fine, that makes sense." She played a single cord, testing the waters. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes.

"... I… feel… so extraordinary, something's got a hold on me… I get this feeling I'm in motion… a sudden sense of liberty."

Elizabeth recalled the memories from her time in a place distant from where she was now, somewhere unreachable to many people if not all.

"... I used to think that the day would never come... I'd see delight… in the shade of the morning sun. My morning sun is the drug that brings me near…"

She somehow got to see her family again, that's what she then wanted the most, but some things drastically changed while she changed. Some doors were yet to close, some answers were yet to come, but she had to go on with her story.

"... to the childhood I lost, replaced by fear."

Deep down within her, her lineage aside, she already knew her life would be far different when compared to the people of her age. She had lived a whole life she wouldn't ever wish upon anyone.

In the end, Elizabeth asked herself, who was she… and who she could be. She had gifts, skills, and flaws that right now seemed to lead nowhere in life. Still, she didn't have the answer to both questions right away, but she knew she could rely on some people to help her understand them better.

Later in the night, Peter carefully extricated himself from Gwen's sleepy embrace and blearily walked into the bathroom. They had taken a small nap on their bed after watching together the sitcom on his phone, it was kind of a lazy day. His wife was still wearing casual clothes instead of her usual night outfit. He looked at himself in the mirror and figured it was time to go ahead with a brief shave and then a shower to wake him up while he waited for Elizabeth's call to pick her up.

He still felt the aches and pains from the last couple of years, but the warm shower usually helped with that. The hypnotic sound and comforting feel of the cascading stream of water caused him to drift in thought. He must've stood under the flowing sluice longer than he thought because his semi-trance was broken when he felt Gwen's hands on his back as she lathered soap on him gently. He closed his eyes and relaxed, letting her ministrations ease the tension he didn't even know he had. Once she was done, she nudged him aside and stood under the stream herself. She wordlessly handed him the soap and presented her lovely backside to him. He was tempted to make it another lustful rendezvous., but since his oldest daughter could call him anytime soon, he didn't feel like starting something he wouldn't be able to finish properly.

He would just have to deal with aching mental ones on his own. Like her, he was gentle but made sure that while the act was almost salacious, it was also efficient and practical. She seemed to be happy nonetheless, amused at his choice of self-preservation,

Stepping out of the shower together, Peter toweled off quickly. Gwen watched him through the other side of the glass that kept them apart from each other. "You think they already have destroyed the house?"

"Most likely. Why?"

"Well, if they are behaving for now..."

Peter chuckled. "... I know very well what you mean, honey," He watched her slide the door open and stand against the wet frame of the entrance. He leaned in for a brief but intense kiss. He mumbled, "Gorgeous...?"

"Hmm...?" She spoke against his mouth.

He parted from her lips, "Thank you."

She felt him kiss her forehead. "For?"

"For… for giving me so many times, for taking a chance on us."

She looked up at him. "Pete, I fell in love with you. It might not have been easy for us early on, but I had so many feelings for you. I felt like it was a chance worth taking."

He gave her an appreciative kiss. "You know... I remembered something that baker said," He felt her tense at the mention of the other woman's name. He tightened his hold on her. He immediately felt her relax.

"What did she say?" Gwen said, her voice neutral.

"She told me you were 'undressing me with your eyes when I was picking the pieces of bread at the stand. Was that true?"

"Maybe, but you do know she's flirting with you whenever you go there alone, right?"

"Uh? I don't think so."

She rolled her eyes. "I can tell when a woman is interested, I'm one myself... Peter." She continued, "Gosh, you are so oblivious... ever since we moved here."

"Maybe I'm just too focused on my incredibly beautiful wife to notice it."

She chuckled. "Cheeky."

Peter stole a kiss from her, biting on her lips slightly before parting again. He smiled and headed over to the closet, putting on a change of clothes. "I'll check on the kids." He left her preparing herself for a night's rest as she applied the many oils and moisturizing cream to the skin of her slender legs and beyond.

"Are you sure you don't want me to get you closer to your home?" Miles parked his father's car. He kept the engine and lights on, before lowering the radio that was synced to his phone, playing Where is my Mind to them.

Elizabeth undid her belt and smiled at him. "You sound like my brothers, always trying to take care of me when there's no need to… even if they are a bit younger."

"Well, I'm just saying."

"This is already enough, Miles. Thank you. I wasn't even supposed to come back with you, it's too much from your part."

"I-I don't mind, it's okay. It's no problem."

She enjoyed how much anxiety he could get around her. She grinned again. "Well then, thank you again, mister." She continued, "I had a great time with you, even if you forced me to play guitar in front of everyone."

"Oh, I… I didn't - worry about that." He cleared his throat. "It's just that… you are fantastic at it, I thought you would like it."

"That's nice to hear… but it's okay, there was no real reason for me to be that hesitant to be it."

"You said something about memories…?"

Elizabeth looked away and sighed heavily. "Yeah, like I said… I just have too much baggage with me."

"Do you want to share it with me?" Miles questioned, delicately. "Maybe… it can help just a tad bit."

She smiled, shortly. "You already know quite a lot about me, don't you?"

He nodded. "I know that you are talented… awesome, can pull off some terrific stunts… and also look… amazing on prom... and every day as well."

Her cheeks became redder as she looked away from him and smiled to herself. "Gosh, you are so smooth out all of the sudden."

He laughed, happily. "I'll be quieter from now on, promise."

Elizabeth chuckled back. "There's no need for that. I like you like this." She continued, "... but I appreciate your initiative, there are not many people I can talk to about some stuff, you know?"

"I'm glad to be one of those."

"Do you remember those years I was away?" He nodded. "Well, I wasn't away because I wanted to, it's more like I couldn't... get back."

"This is due to your gifts, right?"

"Pretty much… they are the reason for most things that happened that year. But somehow, I was back here, and it wasn't because of me."

"Isn't that supposed to be a good thing?"

"It should, but things don't happen without a reason. I don't think anyone could pull that off, but… someone did."

"Don't you think that maybe your father…?"

She nodded. "I'm pretty sure he's the one, somehow he did it, and I don't know what he might have done. We didn't talk much for some time... I just know he's hiding something from me, but I'm trying to move on from that."

She tried to move on from everything she endured in her time away from the world she now lived in. Not even her parents were truly aware of every she went through, especially with Quentin for a time.

"You probably already asked him about it."

"I did… but that conversation always ends rather awkwardly, he avoids it." She continued somberly, "The guitar just…well, I stopped playing it for him for a time, a sort of protest of mine I guess. It's just an instrument that has gone through so much and it also means many things… it goes way back to my late uncle, so yeah." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Wow, I could never… imagine all of that."

"It's a lot, I know. It's a burden I should keep to myself, I'm sorry."

He placed his hand on her arm, reassuringly. "No, no… Liz, it's fine. I'm a… good listener." She looked down at her arm and eventually smiled. "I think... your father is certainly a good person, one of the best, I also think he might have his reasons. He might not come clear with you because… maybe he doesn't want to share another weight with you. You all have gone through so much, I can't even... grasp the things your family had to endure."

"Every single one of us, Miles. Not just my family."

He let go of her arm. "Yes, I know, but… I don't think I would handle all of that. He might just want to guarantee you a better life from now on."

Elizabeth nodded to herself, in understanding. "I just… I don't think I was supposed to be here, you know? And I don't want to again lose… someone that I care about so much, especially because of me. I'm… done with that."

"I understand, Liz. But… does it matter what he might have done? You're here now, and that's what matters."

"Maybe you're right… hopefully." She then grinned cheekily, "And of course, you would endure anything better than me, you live with a retired officer. You probably have more fiber than anyone in here."

He shrugged his shoulders in response. "There's that, but you haven't met my mom yet… she's truly something else."

Elizabeth chuckled. "I get what you mean. My mom is awesome too." She continued, "But hey, thank you for… this, for listening to me."

"I think we should do this… more often…?"

She tilted her head to the side. "What do you mean with this?"

"You know, um… just, taking the night for a… date, I guess?"

"Is this a date then?"

"Yeah, kinda… I think so."

She leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek, near his lip. "I'd like that."

He smiled, noticing how his insides seemed to twist all over the place. He gave her a nod and sighed heavily. He didn't want to do anything beyond that, the night was already marginal enough to them.

She took her heels off and held them in her right hand.

He questioned, "What's that?"

"My feet are tired… and it's nice to feel the grass too."

Miles chuckled, amused. "Okay, Liz. See you tomorrow then?"

"Of course. Have you prepared for the interview?"

"I'm doing the best I can, but I already feel much better after tonight. I hope we'll do well."

Elizabeth smiled, before opening the door and stepping outside. She leaned on the open window. "I believe so, hopefully." She gave him a wink. "See you later, Miles."

He smiled back and watched as she reached for the sidewalk and calmly made her way towards home. He stood still, hands settled at the wheel, making sure that she would be okay.

It was one night to remember. He had fun and he hoped she did too. She was a great person and he wanted to be near her if she still allowed him to be. They went way back, he could always count on her.

Miles smiled to himself, content with the night he shared with his friend. Distracted by his imagination, he didn't notice the small and blue-colored spider sneaking out of his sleeve and then standing still on top of his hand.

Once he did notice the spider, it was already too late.

At the entrance of Parker's residence, Peter found himself at the porch and sat in a chair beside the main door that led inside the house. Above him, a delicate lamp set up some light over him. He had Mr. Bubbles laid over his lap, the furry cat was enjoying quite the nap there.

The night was peaceful. He could only hear the sounds of the wildlife and the fireflies moving above the pathway that led to the street. It was a good location to live and raise their children in the meantime. He still wanted to give Gwen the dream home he knew she once dreamt of. It was a project he would want to come back to, eventually.

They deserved it. She deserved it.

Peter opened the photo Harry had texted him minutes ago. It showed a far happier Harry Osborn who finally wore a decent pair of sunglasses while he held his four-year-old daughter, Emily, in the calm water of the beach. Felicia herself seemed to be further into the water.

Greece had done wonders to him.

He chuckled and sent him a couple of heart eyes. He knew Harry would tease the living hell out of him, claiming that he was becoming a proper uncle. Regardless, he was extremely content that his long-time friend seemed to have found the happiness he had been desiring for so long. He didn't have much of it throughout his life.

Peter noticed some movement back at the street and spotted Elizabeth walking calmly at the sidewalk and towards the porch. She had her heels in her hands. A white coat seemed to keep her warm. He remained still in his comfy chair and waited for her to reach the porch.

"Hey, dad." She greeted, climbing the steps.

He spoke gently, "I guess you figured things out then."

"Sorry, dad." Elizabeth finally arrived at the porch and leaned her rear against the handrail. "I didn't want to bother you just for a simple ride."

"It's okay, honey. It wouldn't even bother me, don't worry." He asked, "Did you have fun?"

Elizabeth nodded. "It was pretty fun. Better than I initially expected."

"That's good to hear. I guess… Morales drove you back home?"

She chuckled, lightly. "Yeah… he did. I asked him to not drop me right here because, to be honest, I wanted to take a walk. It allows me to think more about stuff in general, and I got to talk with Olive for a little while."

"Yeah, she called us too. I'm glad she's doing well." He then teased, "But in reality, you just wanted to spare him of me, you can tell me the truth."

She smiled. "Yeah, maybe that was the reason." He chuckled as well. She inquired, "What about you? Why are you here again?"

"What do you mean? I was just making sure you would arrive alright."

"Dad, please - I know you have been leaving bed late at night to be here. You… you can tell me... I'm your daughter." She crossed her arms.

He sighed. "That you are, Liz…" He looked away. "I often come here… so that I can make sure you all will be safe... that no harm's on the way. "

Elizabeth cleared her throat.

He continued, "... that way you will be protected, safe." He looked back at his daughter. "I've wronged so many people in my life… I've taken so many disruptive decisions and ticked off so many powerful individuals… I need to be sure that my past won't come back to haunt me again. You know this very well."

"Dad… things are… okay now. You don't have to… do this every night."

He inhaled deeply. "It's just something that I need to… learn to live with, eventually.

Elizabeth walked towards the door, "Then I'll pick a second chair to join you here."

He gently grabbed her arm. "Honey, please don't. You deserve a rest after tonight. Don't worry about me."

She noticed the two missing fingers in his hand. She sighed heavily. "Okay… dad." She leaned her back against the door frame and looked down at him while playing with her fingers. "... you know, I played guitar again today."

He seemed surprised. "... really?"

"Yeah, and it felt… great." She placed her hand on top of his. "... maybe… I could play it to you… someday?"

He cleared his throat and nodded. "I… yeah, I would be happy with that." His voice came off slightly sore.

She nodded back with a shy smile spread across her lips and wiped the incoming tear off her left eye with her index finger. "I think... I'll go to bed then."

"Okay, but don't ever forget that… I love you… so, so much. No matter what happens, I always will."

Her heart sank due to how profound his words came out. "I love you too, dad." She planted a kiss on top of his head and gave him a kind smile before going inside the house.

Peter whispered her goodnight and made himself comfortable in the chair as he looked upon the view in front of him. He caressed Mr. Bubbles.

Things were probably never going to be easy for them, but he would always want what he has right now in life. He tried to live by a message, a meaning, something that began with a very important figure many years ago. He found guidance in people he never expected he would, and then he found peace in the arms of a woman that stood by him when life frequently brought him down, also brought them down.

He may have briefly gotten off the main tracks, but he never lost sight of hope. From being an intentional outcast figure in his early life and then turning into a father and husband who held the weight of an entire city, sometimes world, on his shoulders. Yet, he wasn't perfect, he would never turn to be and he also knew he wasn't defined by his gifts. Every single individual already had their gifts, but often they were unaware of it, and so they could not shine. He recalled the night at the bridge in his early Spider-Man days, the kid in the car, he used his superpower, the power of keeping a child and his father together. His action brought joy to a family that day and created a memory that accompanied him through his adulthood.

He knew what he was capable of.

When Peter didn't know about his true self, he was not acting according to it, it hindered him in exploring and enjoying his abilities and skills. And so, his gifts remained undiscovered, unused or underused.

So, as a teacher, he asked his students if they were ready to use their superpowers? And if they weren't, they would discover them together, and make the most of it.

Eventually, Peter rose with the cat in his arms and went inside, checking the front door of the house and making sure it was locked. Mr. Bubbles jumped off his arms and again curled up on the couch in the living room, fast asleep. He checked the back door as well; it was locked tight.

Peter went upstairs and checked if the kids were asleep, they all seemed to be. He then headed towards his bedroom. The door was slightly open, the room itself was mostly dark were it not for the light of the moon that was coming through the curtains. He completely stepped inside and saw his wife sitting near the edge of the bed, facing him while wearing a white satin bathrobe that contrasted with her beautiful blonde hair.

She had been waiting for him. Her legs were crossed, showing him a bit of skin.

He carefully closed the door and locked it behind him. "... you look amazing."

Gwen smiled, tenderly. "I've been waiting for you." She spoke delicately, before raising so that she could stand on her feet as they both walked towards each other.

Peter snaked both arms around her back and touched his forehead against hers. She moved his left hand to her rear and under the strap that kept the robe firm in her body. He pressed her harder against him as she rested her hands on his shoulders. He whispered back, "... then let's stay together for the rest of our lives."

She caressed the back of his hair and looked passionately into his eyes. She leaned in to kiss him deeply. What began as some slow and delicate kissing, turned out into a far more passionate touch of lips as she moaned into his mouth. She eventually broke the kiss and locked her smoldering eyes on her husband's.

Peter was left hanging in the air as he searched for her lips once again. He slowly opened his eyes a bit, noticing she had been looking at him. He sighed and moved a lock of her golden hair behind her ear. She never took her eyes off him as he did.

She sighed heavily in his affection, appreciating the fact that she somehow managed to be part of his life and his part of hers. Despite all the arguments and also the challenges that their relationship faced, they were an instant match.

He spoke weakly, "... what's wrong?"

Gwen smiled, tenderly. "I just… have been waiting for you… to leave me naked in here."

Peter shook his head, shortly, amused at his wife. His gaze fixed on hers, clinging to the warmth of her touch, and the pleasant scent of her flowery perfume. He let her presence overwhelm him, there was only them, standing in the room and to themselves, holding each other as tightly as they ever had.

He did as she asked. The strap fell to the ground and her robes followed shortly after.

Promises were made, promises were broken, but their passion for each other only became more intense with time. They kept each other still, safe and firm. Their future only depended on each other, their story was only theirs, the only promise that was needed was the one they made for each other, to never lose sight of hope, to never give up on the family they built over the years.

That was one promise they felt like following for good, and they would indeed.

A/N: Thank you for reading this, it wasn't easy for me to finish this one last chapter and end the whole narrative, to write it, and to let go of it, so I can only hope I succeeded at giving you one worthy and final experience. The final author's note is to come soon, every decision made here will be explained better there. I can also say farewell to the readers of this story and maybe tell what could happen next. After that, I'll be adding the "complete" mark to the story.

Thank you again.

11/11/2021: Fixed mistakes.