Gwen's POV (2 days after the incident)

The sweet and slightly tangy flavor of the dressing coats my tongue as I bite into my salad.

I buoyantly wait beside the window, longing to see Peter. I know it's been only 20 hours since I saw him, but my heart longs for his presence. I look down at my plate and stare at the crunchy lettuce, waiting for my bug boy.

When I raise my head up, Peter sits in the chair across from me. I smile and bring my lips to his.

"Hey, beautiful," he says, "So... how did your mom take the news last night?"

"Well, she was a bit overjoyed at me still being alive. But then she told me about Oxford..."

"And?" He says.

"They said that I'm still enrolled, but they have cancelled my plans for the summer courses."

"Oh... I'm so sorry, Gwen!" He says, "This is all my fault!"

"No, Peter, I-"

"If I hadn't taken you out of your taxi and onto the bridge, none of this would be happening! You would be safe in England, Harry wouldn't know my identity, and... and..."

"And, what?" I say, "Look, Peter, if you hadn't taken me out of the taxi then we wouldn't be together anymore. Our paths would've gone in different directions. But thanks to you... you're my path."

I throw my arms around him and we embrace. I can feel a tear escape my eye as Peter brushes it away. "I love you," he says.

"I love you, too."

We sit back down across from each other and I continue to eat my salad. "What else did she say?" Peter says.

"Well... um, you know how I told you my grandmother in England is... sick?"

"Yea," he says, "What about it?"

"Well, it turns out that she has cancer... My mom told me that she and the boys were moving to England to be with her."

"Is she making you go, too?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about... she said that I should come to, you know, to be with her."

My eyes well up with tears as I try to finish talking. "So, I might be going, too."

I can tell that Peter's heart just dropped.

"But I can't leave now, the city needs me... Harry's still out there and it's my job to protect New York." His eyes redden and he sheds a tear.

"I know, I told my mom that I didn't want to leave you... so... she's letting me stay."

The color is the put right back into Peter's body as he pulls me off my seat and kisses me. His lips feel warm against mine, despite the freezing weather outside.

"But I don't have anywhere to live and she wants me in England at least two weeks before my semester starts," I say.

"I don't give a damn, Gwen, as long was we're together right here and right now, nothing else matters."

I love that he always knows what to say. Even when he doesn't, the right words are always there. While resting my head on Peter's shoulder as we embrace, I see a man in the back of the shop wearing a large jacket and a hat the covers his face. He seems to be staring right at me, then quickly absconds through the doors.

I have a bad feeling about this.

I dismiss the thought as Peter continues to envelop me. I almost don't notice the giant mechanical beast that marches down the street as dozens of police cars race in from all different directions.

Peter's POV

While in the midst of what seems to be a good morning, it always seems to take a turn for the worse at some point.

When Gwen tugs on my sleeve and points directly behind me, I see a giant, metal colossus encasing the infamous Aleksei Systevitch. He maniacally laughs as huge machine guns fire from his arms.

In an instant, I grab my backpack and run out the door. When I find myself alone in an alley, I tear off my clothes and quickly assemble my Spider Man outfit.

When I peer around the corner, dozens of officers lie dead or on the edge of life, while only few hide behind their vehicles, occasionally shooting at the hunk of metal. Without thinking, I climb up the swiftly climb up a building adjacent to where the rhino stands.

When I reach the top, I lunge myself of the edge, latching onto the cover to a manhole and swing it around my head, gaining momentum. As the rhino notices me out of the corner of his eye, the beast shifts and charges at me.

Within seconds, the cover to the manhole slices through one of his arms and slams against his head. He shrieks in rage and swings at me, now on the ground.

I shoot my webs into his remaining gun, covering the barrel and preventing him to shoot. I feel a little more confident in my victory... that is until he scoops up a chunk of concrete. He launches it at my face, ridding me of my balance.

I stir and stumble a bit before I can totally remember what the hell is going on. When I see the rhino charging at me, the environment registers and time freezes. I suddenly notices that the impact of his previous blow destroyed both of my web shooters.

My hope is now, just like my webs, broken. I look over at Gwen, who watches intently through the shop window. Are you okay? she mouths. I kind of shake and nod my head at the same time as an idea bursts into my head. If I can destroy the wires that allow him to operate the machine, I can surely handle it.

I instantly feel a wave of bravery flow into me as I charge at the rhino... ironic. He gives me a cocky smile and charges at me.

Just as he begins to dip his head in order for him to decapitate me, I slide onto my back and glide right behind him. Just as I thought, the machines rear end expose all of the wires.

As unsafe as it may be, I grab the wire with my gloved hands and yank as hard as I can. In an instant, the machine slowly rids itself immobile as it stumble to its knees and the power shuts off.

It feels as though the weight of a rhino has been lifted off my shoulders as the thing falls apart and police crowd the machine. Aleksei is taken into custody as every bystander cheers. I give a few waves and disappear behind the alley where my backpack rests.

Now, the only thing I have to worry about is a visit from Harry... at least I hope it's just Harry.

Harry's POV

"The rhino has failed."

The voice echoes through my head as Fiers stands at the door with his head held down.

"Failed?" I say, "Did you just say that he failed? Who in their right minds would go up against a hulking, mechanical beast-wait... don't tell me. Did this hero happen to be Spider Man?"

His head slowly nods as I rise from the chair I sit in. "Spider Man has done enough," I say, "if you can't defeat him then so help me I will stick a bullet into your mouth, you bastard! Now find someone else or I'll do it myself!"

I almost continue speaking of my plan when a Ravencroft guard clears his throat, letting us know of his presence. I refrain from speaking and slowly descend back to the chair. When I look back into the warped mirror, I see Harry. I despise this man. I despise him since he let himself trust Peter... he let himself have hope in Peter. Never again will Anyone make that mistake again.

"Send the next one," I say in a calm voice, "Oh, and Mr. Fiers? If you ever see Mr. Systevitch... slit his throat."

As the door slams shut I can feel it. The immense pain consumes me as my skin turns a sickly green and my hair stands up.

"SPIDER MAN!" I say before I slip away.