Posted: 5/20/11.

Dual Identity Final Chapter: Where They Stand

"Why, exactly, are you forcing me to go on a date with Peter?" Gwen asked.

"Because you two need to clear up the air between you," Mary Jane answered. "I'm a busybody; sue me. I'm tired of your 'I like him but my pride won't let me be with him' attitude. And he's no better."

"This has nothing to do with pride." Mary stared at her. "Okay, it used to be because I was too stubborn to let it go. But things are different now."

"Exactly! You know the big secret, just like you wanted. You don't have anything to fight about anymore."

"Just because we're not fighting..." Gwen trailed off.

"You only want a boyfriend who's normal?"

"It's not that. I can accept that he has this... condition, whatever it's called..."

"It's called Dissociative Identity Disorder," Mary Jane answered, relishing the chance to be a know-it-all. "And I think it's the stupidest thing ever that they don't still call it Multiple Personality Disorder. With that name, you knew what it meant just by hearing it."

"Right. I can deal with knowing he has another 'him' inside him. I don't like how he's a crime-fighter, but I can deal with that too, eventually. It's just..."

"Just...?"

"Well... Mary, you met him too! Spidey is thoughtless. He's reckless. He's self-centered. He doesn't take anything seriously - or at least he acts like he doesn't. His ego is through the roof. He has no sense of responsibility. He's everything I hate and everything Peter isn't."

"Well, yeah, that's all true I guess. You just gotta get past that."

"You're missing the point, Mary. I feel like... I'm not 'allowed' to like Peter when I can't stand his other self."

"Oh, that's no problem. Peter can't stand him either."

"How does that work?"

"Just remember that they're completely separate people... almost."

"That's easy enough to say..."

There was a pause. Then Mary Jane realized something.

"Hey. I'm fun-loving and have a big ego..."

Gwen smirked. "Yeah, but you're not as bad as him yet."

"Yet?"

Mary Jane also had a pep talk with Peter.

"Mary Jane... I'm not sure about - "

"Don't argue. You're going on this date if I have to drag you there."

"Why are you trying so hard?"

"As Gwen's best friend, I am obligated to help her love life! And let's face it. You two will never get back together if left to yourselves. This is an intervention."

Peter was silent for a while.

"I want..." He stopped.

"Too late! Spit it out!"

She's almost as brash as Spidey, he thought. Maybe she's where he gets it from.

"I... really like Gwen. But I'm worried. Even if things are fine now, how far can they go with... me like this?"

"You just worry too much. Problems don't happen until they do, you know? Besides, haven't you ever heard 'true love conquers all'?"

Peter seemed uncomfortable. "I'm... still hesitant to call it 'love'."

There was another brief silence.

"I've just had an epiphany," Mary Jane said.

"What?"

"I shouldn't be wasting time talking to you. The whole point of this date is for you to talk with Gwen. So... shoo, shoo, shoo! You'll be late. Go!"

"I'm going... I'm going..."

Peter and Gwen met at an outdoor cafe. They sat down together.

"So..." Peter trailed off.

"So..." Gwen followed.

Silence.

"This is awkward," he mumbled.

"Mary said we needed to 'clear the air,' but... it's just hanging over our heads."

"Yeah..."

More silence.

"Peter... Why did you ask me out?"

The question surprised him. He thought it was obvious. "Because I had a crush on you."

"For how long?"

"I don't know. I admired you for long time... Heh. In the beginning, I think I was jealous of you."

"Jealous?"

"You were smart, but, so much better than me. You were confident. Headstrong. Proud. And you understood people. And..." He sighed and gripped his hair. "It's hard to put into words. You were just so cool and... I kept looking at you. I remember thinking, I wanted to know more about you... But I wasn't jealous anymore."

"I can understand the feeling of wanting to know someone you like."

Peter hung his head. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't apologize. I got carried away. I knew you didn't want to tell me about Spidey, but I was too stubborn to ignore it. I think being headstrong isn't all it's cracked up to be."

He nodded. "Gwen, what do you like about me?"

She thought about this for a long time. "You know... I don't think there's anything about you I don't like."

That surprised him. "But..." He let it go unsaid.

Gwen shook her head. "You're you. He's him. That's what I think."

He stared at her. Then he smiled. "That means a lot."

She grimaced. "Now that we're on the subject, I have a confession. I like you, but I... really, kind of... hate Spidey."

"I know. And, to be blunt, the feeling's mutual."

"You mean, you hate him too, or he hates me back?"

"Well, both, really."

"Why do you hate him?" Gwen asked.

"Well, before I knew he was... connected... to me, I just didn't trust him as a vigilante. By after reading a lot of letters from him, I've gotten to know him as a person. And I know he's not bad, but his personality just rubs me the wrong way. He's thoughtless, reckless, selfish, he doesn't take things seriously - or at least he acts like he doesn't, and he has a huge ego." Peter sneezed.

Gwen stared at him for a moment. Then she laughed. "It's like we're on the exact same frequency."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Never mind... Does he ever talk about me?"

"Yes," he answered, not seemed amused. "A lot. He only met you that one time on the bridge, but you really made an impression on him."

"Is that so?"

"I don't get it. Considering how much I like you, I figured that would, I don't know, rub off on him or something. But it hasn't."

"What did he say about me?"

"He said... To be clear, this is completely in his words and I don't agree with any of it."

She nodded calmly. "Okay."

"First, he says you're headstrong. Well I said that too, but he meant it in a bad way. Also he said you're stubborn, bossy, crabby, irritable, short-tempered, inflexible, nosy, judgmental, you have a stupid name, you don't care about how you look, you pay no attention to fashion-"

"I don't need the whole list!" she exploded.

"I'm sorry! Sorry!"

They both paused.

"Well, I guess we're even, me and him," Gwen said. "And it's okay if we don't like each other. Because I'm dating you and I'm not dating him."

"So... are we dating again?"

She thought about it. "Yeah, if you're okay with that."

"I'd like that."

They smiled at each other. And then three police cars went speeding down the street.

"Of all times," Peter mumbled. He stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"It seems big. I should help. I mean - he should help."

"So you can switch with him anytime?"

"We did it once. I can probably do it again if I try."

Gwen looked disappointed.

"You don't want me to go." It wasn't a question. "Are you scared I'll get hurt?"

"My dad's a cop. I'm used to worrying when he goes out. And considering Spider-Man's record, I know he can take care of himself."

"But...?"

"The problem isn't you fighting crime, exactly. It's Spidey fighting crime."

"I don't follow..."

"I'm sorry to keep bashing Spidey, but he's selfish and immature. He only fights crime and helps people because he thinks it's 'fun.' Do you really think it's right for someone like that to be a vigilante?"

Peter nodded. "I see what you mean. At first, I was scared he'd stop helping people as soon as it got boring. Or worse, change sides. But then I realized he would never do that."

"Why not?"

"You said it yourself. He thinks it's fun.

"Responsibility is a choice. If you're forced into an obligation, you'll start to resent it. Spidey's different. He doesn't do good because he's weighed down by guilt or obligation. He helps people only because he likes it. So he won't be corrupted by self-righteousness or a hunger for power, because he doesn't have those. He's childish - simple-minded - but that may make him the perfect choice to be a superhero."

"I see," Gwen replied.

"Once, we wrote to me saying... 'If you think trying to help will do nothing... then not trying to help will do less than nothing'. For all of Spidey's faults, he's a good person inside."

"Yeah... Let me just do just one thing before you go." Gwen grabbed a napkin and scribbled something on it. She handed the note to Peter. He read it.

Spidey, if you let Peter get hurt I'll kick your ass! -Gwen

Peter laughed out loud. "I'll make sure he gets it."

He ran towards the closest alleyway, but stopped after a few steps. "Gwen... One thing..."

She looked at his back. "Yeah?"

Peter turned around and smiled brightly at her. "I love you."

Gwen stopped. She smiled back. "I love you too."

Life went on.

Things changed. Things got harder. Things got better. Still other things stayed the same.

Peter's daily life got hectic. Between schoolwork, a girlfriend, and "loaning" his body, he had no free time anymore. But he learned to live with it.

Peter realized, his normal life wasn't lost after all. It only got busier.

"Normal" is what you make of it.

That's what the three of them learned - No, the four of them. Friends, barely-tolerated acquaintances, and lovers.

Mary Jane Watson.

Gwen Stacy.

Peter Parker.

And his other self... the infamous adventurer... Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

End.