A/N) Here, have an upload!

I'm feeling like my A/N's are too long, so I'm gonna keep this short. Also, thank you all for reading, reviewing, following, and favouriting! I don't say it enough, but it means a lot!

Oh yeah, and this chapter is a bit short.

Yeah, just so you know, you guys are either gonna be really confused, or really angry at me by the end of this chapter. Just so you know. (It was all her idea, I'm innocent!)

Chapter 5

Peter walked to school early that morning. It was another normal day today, and neither S.H.I.E.L.D nor the Avengers had bothered him since that one time with Hawkeye and Black Widow. Apparently they had decided to try and get him a different way. While he was wary about what kind of plan they had cooked up, he figured that he would deal with it when it hit him.

He decided not to think too much on it, and pulled the straps on his Jacksport bag forward. It was something he did on habit and instinct, from when he and Flash had been on less... pleasant terms. It was something he did when he got nervous.

When he reached school grounds, he paused on the outskirts, by the gate. He remembered being beaten up by that lunch table over there. That was the first time Gwen had stood up for him, and was partly responsible for him falling in love with her. He smiled slightly at the memory.

He continued walking, thoughts still on that time when he and Gwen had had one of their first conversations. He had gotten over her death, slowly but surely. It had been a long process, but he had Flash and aunt May with him the whole way, and he was really grateful for it. He was still recovering slightly, but now, instead of feeling sad when he remembered those times with Gwen, he felt himself swell with happiness.

Sometimes he had nightmares about that night, but he got over it, because he knew that Gwen would want him to move on. She wouldn't want him to be held back by her memory, she would want him to fall in love again, and find the love of his life. He knew that.

That didn't mean that he wouldn't see the ghost of himself and her where they had kissed, or where they had talked, or other places around the city where they had had encounters. Oscorp was especially effective when it came to memories of her. When he was Spiderman, he always avoided that building in particular, because sometimes he was hit with harsh memories of when they slew the Lizard together.

Usually he had to wait the memories out until they left him. Sometimes he would shout out things about what he was experiencing in public, and people would laugh or jeer. But sometimes there were nice people, who understood what he was going through. Mostly they were family members of PTSD victims, or sometimes even PTSD victims themselves. Peter had confessed to one, once, and they had told him that in order to get over it, you had to accept it.

He thought, at the time, that he had accepted it. But now, he knew better. He couldn't accept it, and he wouldn't accept it. It was just a part of his stubborness... but it was fine that he didn't accept it. He felt like he could accept that he would not accept that she was gone. That was just fine for him. It was acceptance enough.

Peter walked through the halls of school slowly, and kept his head down. If he couldn't see the place where he had asked Gwen out, he couldn't experience the memories. He walked as he usually did through the school, and didn't look up until he reached his locker.

Once or twice, he had considered trying to move schools. But he couldn't ask aunt May for the money... he would just have to make do. Especially now...

At the thought of his aunt, Peter slumped slightly. He felt her blank stare behind him, watching his every step.

He knew that she wasn't actually there, but it didn't stop his mind from coming up with the feeling of being followed. The way his aunt had looked at him... he just couldn't shake it off. Ever since he could remember, her face had been a pool of emotions. Sometimes she was sad, sometimes she was happy, sometimes she was understanding...

And he could read her like a book. But that face... it was just so unlike aunt May. and he could not get over it. He just couldn't.

He sighed and closed his locker door, and wandered over to class. He had changed a lot since Gwen's death, but he liked to think that it was for the better. Now he always got to class on time, despite his nightly activities. At first, his teacher had been worried, but she was probably just glad that he got there on time now.

Peter sat himself down at his usual seat, and got ready for the first lecture of the day. He felt the normal feeling of boredom as he began to hear the drone of his teacher's voce filled his ears.

.o0|O|0o.

A few hours later

"Sir," said JARVIS randomly, at nine in the evening. "Do you remember those files that we downloaded the day master Thor came back?"

Today Tony was absently fixing a chest piece for a new suit, while he and JARVIS were on the look out for Loki. Tony really wanted to know why he got the boring job, and the others got to go outside and be productive. Sure, sometimes interesting things appeared on screen (like the time with Spiderman and the bank yesterday) but that only happened every so often. And it wasn't like Loki would be stupid enough to be found so easily. He could transform himself into anything he wanted, for Pete's sake!

But here he was, stuck indoors, doing nothing but excessevely fixing and refixing parts of his suits. And watching the screens, of course, but he made JARVIS do most of that. "Yeah, I remember that. Why?" He asked, absently poking one of the screws into place with his screwdriver.

"Well, sir, you never finished reading those files, and you have been screwing and unscrewing that screw for the past hour, sir." Tony laughed. hearing JARVIS say 'screw' so many times was... fantastic. "I was wondering if you would like to continue reading those."

Tony sat back into his chair and rubbed his eyes. "Sure, I can read those."

JARVIS shoved the screens to the side of the hologram and pulled up some of the documents that Tony had been reading. He started again where he left off, enjoying knowing all of the secrets that S.H.I.E.L.D had. When he started on the next document, however, he became very intrigued.

The file contained hardly any words, but there was multiple video clips. They all seemed to be security camera footage tapes. Tony opened the first one, and watched what happened.

It was late at night, (about two in the morning according to the camera) and it was still dark. The camera was set in an office building, he noticed, and there was a lot of desks and chairs and files scattered everywhere. He noticed with pride that his offices were a lot tidier.

In the corner of the camera's screen, he could see a shady figure, rifling through some files. The figure darted around the room, but when he got close enough to the camera. He looked right up into the lense and smirked. He could now see the figure easily.

His skin wasn't really skin at all, but more some kind of blue electrisity molded into the form of a human. He was wearing a dark hoodie and jeans, so he looked kind of like a civilian, but it was evident that he was not.

Tony frowned. Wasn't this guy Spiderman's enemy? He blinked to himself, slightly confused. What was he doing at one of S.H.I.E.L.D's offices?

Even if he couldn't figure that out, he had a feeling he knew what was going on. Things started to slide into place, but he watched the next video just to make sure. Doctor Octopus. Then he watched the next. Venom...

He scrolled down to the bottom of the file, and read the few words that were there.

'Stolen: 0 item(s)

Broken: 116 item(s)

Casualties: 0 victim(s)

Witness(es): 1 (Cameras)

Criminal(s): Electro, Dr. Octopus, Venom.'

This was why they wanted Spiderman. Huh.

So they had not only Loki, but most of Spiderman's enemies out there too. That was... just great. Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair. How many villains were out there these days?

To Tony, it was pretty obvious that they had some kind of plan. Three had attacked, and yet, nothing was stolen. Sure, 116 things were broken, but he would bet his place on the Avenger's team that most of what was broken was just windows and building parts, not impressive pieces of equipment.

Tony yawned and stood up. He should go to bed early today- he was more tired than usual, and he had to muse over this new information. Should he tell the rest of the team? Should he tell Spiderman? Would that help with recruiting him? Did he even care?

He absently asked JARVIS to shut down the files and computers, and alert him if Loki appeared. (Again, he doubted that Loki would appear. A lot of villains were stupid, but Loki wasn't 'a lot of villains'. Loki was a god).

.o0|O|0o.

Spiderman was on his way back from yet another patrol, late at night. It was now getting close to 1 o'clock in the morning, and he had to make up an excuse for aunt May, who was undoubtably still waiting for him. He sighed as he thought back to what had happened yesterday evening.

That look had been following him around all day today. And it probably would for the rest of his life if he didn't tell her soon. He had to tell her... he was convinced. He was going to move out in two years, and while that sounded quite a long time (which it was) he didn't want the rest of his time spent with his only living family member to be unpleseant.

Surely it would be better for the both of them if he told her? Maybe she wouldn't stay up so late waiting for him, maybe she would realise that he could take care of himself. Everything could be so much more simple if he just told her.

And it would be nice to have someone to help with his injuries. He knew that his aunt May was getting on in the years, but her hands were steady, and she could probably sew a few stitches. (If she wasn't put off by all of the blood). Not only that, but his suit would be better sewn up if it got torn; she was always very good with clothes and stuff.

He would also have a giant weight lifted off of his chest. He wouldn't have to sneak bandages from the first aid box, (which he was sure that she should notice). He wouldn't be weighed down by the guilt of lying to her day after day...

It sounded perfect to him. Such a life, such a reality... It would be so easy, if he just told her his secret.

But alas, that is not how the world works. Call it Parker luck, Karma, whatever you want. But when Peter rounded the corner to his house, (in civilian clothes of course), he couldn't believe his eyes. He just stood there, mouth agape, limbs slack, and and face blank.

He stared down upon his home, eyes unseeing, and just looked. He couldn't see it. He wouldn't see it. He would not look upon this, no- it was not real. It could not be real...!