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Chapter 5

Where was she? Peter sat atop her roof, her face lingering in his mind. She was all he cared about in this moment. The night wind ruffled his mop of hair. Was she alone, cold and scared in some ditch? Was someone beating her? Was she about to be dropped off the side of the Brooklyn Bridge while he sat here twiddling his thumbs? A few police cruisers had arrived a few moments ago, and officers had run up to Gwen's apartment. But she wasn't with them. And so he waited. He'd wait here all night if he had to. He had to know that she was safe, the gaping hole in his heart wouldn't let him move from this spot until she was in the care of New York's finest.

They'd move her family somewhere safe, somewhere Captain Stacy's death wouldn't be fresh in the minds of criminals. For the millionth time, he looked at his phone. He teetered on calling on her. He should, just to hear her voice.

But she had been so mad at him last time, and he didn't want to put her in a worse mood. He'd stay away if she needed him to. He'd swing to Egypt and bring her back a camel. Anything she'd need, he'd do for her.

But that was all it could be. He'd be her spot in the darkness, an angel on her shoulder and nothing more. She needed a normal life away from all of this. Away from the pain he seemed to bring her. He had created the monster that killed her father. And no amount of apologies would make up for that.

Another cruiser was turning onto Gwen's street. He watched as it parked next to the others, and she got out, her eyes red, her make up smudged just under her eyes.

But she still looked beautiful.

He could imagine her small hands clasped together, slight tremors running through her arms as she walked to her building. Someone called her name and she turned back. Peter was surprised to see Flash get out of the cruiser and race after her.

Gwen glanced up at the sky, and saw Peter silhouetted against the moonlight. She stared at him for a few moments, and then Flash put his arm around her and ushered her inside.

He knew this. He knew he had asked her out, but it still hurt him. Enough of this. He had done his part. Her family was safe. She was safe. Flash was here. It was time to go.

…...

Two weeks passed, and things fell into a sad ritual. Peter would get up, put a smile on his face, eat breakfast with Aunt May, avoid Gwen and Flash like the plague at school (though he happened upon them sucking face outside of the cafeteria one afternoon, something that still haunts him), return home from school, dinner, maybe Wheel of Fortune with Aunt May before she went to bed, and then he'd patrol until he was either absolutely exhausted, or the sun was rising. High school graduation was just a few days away, and he remembered something Aunt May had told him about. The open position at The Daily Bugle newspaper.

Peter walked inside the newspaper office, and was expecting it to be like how it looked on tv. Typewriters ringing in the background, reporters chattering into phones on the top stories, interns running around with lattes. Instead, what he got was the whirring of the printing presses, about twenty desks with people typing furiously into computers, and a chorus of people screaming for sources to be checked.

Not bad. Peter took a few steps forward, and saw a woman with the most odd color hair sitting at a desk, eyeballing him. He guessed this was the secretary, and took a step closer to her. And he froze in his shoes.

This woman with the odd color hair. He had seen her before. He had fought with her. He had gotten her arrested. This was the Black Cat that sat at the desk, typing merrily into her computer whilst cradling a phone between her neck and shoulder. Secretary by day, thief by night. His first instinct was to run up and grab her, but he'd be revealing himself as Spider-man. So he stared at her from across the room, wondering what exactly to do.

A few moments later, she ended the call, and looked up at him. "Can I help you or do you want to take a picture of me? It'll last longer."

"Pictures are actually the reason I'm here." He said, walking forward. He decided to keep talking and see where this leaded him. It wasn't like she was hurting anyone at the moment. Maybe she stuck by her word of what she meant by turning to a life of good. He supposed he should give her a second chance. Maybe people changed.

…...

Peter had just swung from his fire escape when his phone rang. He pulled himself back up onto it and saw Gwen's face staring at him. He stared at it for a moment before deciding to answer. It had been almost three weeks since the kidnapping. She had said not a word to him in school, barely even looked at him. He took a deep breath, and answered. "Gwen,"

"Peter!" She cried, "I thought you weren't going to answer for a minute."

"I'll always answer for you." He whispered.

There was a pause between them, and then he said, "Are you alright? Are you safe? I haven't really gotten the chance to ask."

"Yes," She said, "I'm sorry about that. Things have been crazy. They allowed me to move into my apartment early. My family moved upstate." She took a deep breath, and her voice wobbled, and he knew that she was about to break down, "Peter, I want to thank you, so much, for saving my family. I don't know what I'd do if..."

He couldn't take to hear her like this. He needed her to know that she'd never have to worry, that he'd be there..."You don't have to thank me, Gwen."

"Yes I do." She sniffled.

"No..."

"Yes."

"No."

"Can I at least talk to you? Are you busy?"

"No. Give me the address and I'm on my way."

Gwen pulled open her window and pulled him inside before he even had the chance to knock. It was dark in her bedroom, but Peter could make her out clearly. Her blonde hair was back in a loose rubber band and she wore a thin night shirt. He decided not to linger on how much he could see of her skin, and focus on other things. Her room was roughly the size of the one she had at her parent's place, but this room was disheveled and her jacket plus a handful of clothes were scattered everywhere. Boxes as high as the ceiling where stacked in corners. They were facing each other, about six inches from one another, and he saw a small tremor run through her body. He pulled off his mask, and held out a hand to steady her.

She looked him in the eye for a moment, and then clasped her hands together, and looked up at him again. "Thank you so much, Peter. I... I know it's been weird between us..."

He shook his head. What was she getting at exactly? Did she think he really wouldn't help her family if they needed it? "Gwen... look, I told you, you don't have to thank me, you don't owe me anything..."

"I... I know, I just... I don't know." She walked to her bed and sat down. "I'm just tired, and I don't think I'll be able to sleep again. My mother and brothers are a mess, and I'm a mess..." She buried her face in her hands.

He walked to her then, and sat down beside her, and pried her fingers from her face. "It's going to be okay."

She looked up at him, and she placed her head on his shoulder, and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I know you don't want to be here." She said, "but I'm glad you are."

No. No, she had it all wrong. There was no where else in the world he wanted to be. He missed holding her so much that sometimes his arms felt long and lanky. He'd get a chill and miss her body heat next to him. "I want to be here, Gwen. I just can't."

"Why?" She whispered, her big doe-ful eyes looking up at him. "I miss you."

No. He couldn't go through this again. She knew damn well why he couldn't be with her and she was making it harder. His teeth snapped together and he frowned.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She said softly. "I won't bring it up again. But can..." She paused, "Peter, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

She looked down at her hands, and her voice became small, like a child's. "Would you stay with me, just till I fall asleep? You can be out on the fire escape if you want..."

He looked reluctant, but how could he say no to her in a time like this? And how would he be breaking his promise if he was gone by morning? No one knew he was here. There was no danger. For now. "Lay down, close your eyes." He said gently.

She smiled, and snuggled down in the bed. Under the blanket, she gave a small shiver.

"Are you alright?"

"Cold."

He sighed, and laid down next to her, everything in his brain telling him that this was a bad idea, but she was his soft spot, and he was so lonely, and he'd do anything for her. He wrapped his arm her waist, and she snuggled back against him. This felt so right. It was as if they were two pieces of a puzzle that fit together.

"Go to sleep now," He whispered, his breath tickling her neck.

She turned her head toward him, and opened her eyes in the dim light. "I'm sorry about what I said to you the other day at school."

He shook his head, "I know why you did."

"And I know why you're doing what you are." She paused, "I know you promised my father, and I want you to know that I'm dating Flash."

"I know." He sighed. "Why didn't you call him over here?"

"I don't trust him the way I trust you yet."

He sighed once more. He studied her face in the darkness, the curve of her lips, the outline of her eyes. Her head was bent to him, and he knew he shouldn't, he knew he'd be increasingly hypocritical, that he was breaking every rule, even the promise to the Captain, but his loneliness and longing for her won out, and he placed a very soft featherlight kiss against her lips.

Her eyes fluttered up to his face in the darkness, and she stared at him for a few moments, as if she was arguing with herself on whether she was mad, or accepted his gesture. She closed the distance between them and covered her mouth with his own. He abandoned all thought. Let it go, just let it go for tonight. He moved his hand down to her waist, and she groaned, and he turned to kissing her neck instead.

"Peter," She breathed.

"Do you want to stop?" He asked, his mouth still against her neck.

She bit her bottom lip. She knew she should. She definitely should stop him. But he felt so good, and she trusted him. More importantly, she missed him so much it hurt, and the thought of him leaving her now was too much to bare. "No." She whispered, and surrendered to his touch.

…...

So, Peter and Gwen do the mattress mambo. Thoughts? :)