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Ch 14: Always

He could see her through the doorway, her big beautiful eyes alert and vibrant, talking to someone by her bedside. She laughed at something they had said, turned her head, and stared. She could see him through the door. Her smile faltered, and he questioned why it had. Something was wrong. He pushed open the door then, and entered the room. Her hospital room was pretty small, there was enough room for her hospital bed, a chair, and a small table with a desk chair. A small door was against the wall, which he assumed was a closet or bathroom. A TV was mounted on the wall across from her bed. The only light in the room was above her bed, but it was bright enough to light the room. Their eyes locked on each other, and Coulson, who was by her bedside, cleared his throat and went to leave. He placed a hand on Peter's shoulder, and said, "She's all yours." He smiled at him and left the room, pulling the door shut behind him.

"Hi," She whispered, taking her eyes off of him to stare down at her hands.

"Hi," He whispered back, drinking in everything she embodied, her spirit, her energy, her essence. What a relief it was to see her lovely eyes staring up at him, to see a small playful smile tugging at her lips. "How're you feeling?" He asked.

"Good." Gwen said. "This place is amazing."

"Are they treating you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah," She said with the raise of an eyebrow. "I was just talking to Phil. He's very nice."

"Yeah he is," Peter confirmed.

"They offered me a position here."

"What?" He asked. This was news to him. Fury didn't even mention anything like this. He wasn't sure he liked the fact of Gwen being in harm's way.

"Not in the field or anything," She said, "but in the lab, working with Dr. Banner and Tony."

"You met them?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, haven't you? They came in here with Phil."

Peter shook his head. SHIELD sure worked fast. "I've met Stark, but not Banner yet."

"Tony kissed my hand, and brought me those." She nodded to the vase of pink roses on the table. "They seemed to know a lot about me. Phil said they've been watching us... as in me and you."

Peter's brows creased. "Watching you? Why?"

It was easy to see why SHIELD would be interested in him, he was the freak. But Gwen? Gwen should be able to live a normal life.

"Because of my work with Connors and at OsCorp. It's not because of you, Peter."

He breathed a sigh of relief. At least that was free of his conscious.

"Phil was supposed to talk to me at graduation. But then, I ran off." She said bitterly. "It was stupid. I'm sorry I did that, but I don't regret it."

"You could have died, Gwen." He said softly, starring down at his hands again. His voice was barely a whisper.

"People die every day, Peter. You of all should know this. Good people. People doing the right thing. It's life."

"Don't talk like that." He said. "Do you have any idea what you'd be leaving behind? That you'd be leaving me behind?"

They were silent a moment, lost in their own thoughts. The buzz of the lightbulb above her bed was the only sound in the room.

Peter eyed the roses. He should have asked Fury if there was a gift shop on this heli-carrier. He should have brought something for Gwen.

"Hey," She said softly, "are you okay?"

Did she really have to ask that question? She just almost freakin died on him. He took a step forward and sat on the edge of her bed. She seemed okay. A little pale, but sturdy. "Are you really alright? No lasting side effects?"

She gave a sad sigh. "Just one," She said, "But it's not permanent."

His heart sank to the bottom of his stomach. He had been expecting this. What was it? Loss of her legs? Was she paralyzed? Did she need him to call The Scooter Store? He didn't care, he would happily walk next to her while she operated her motorized chair through the streets of New York. He'd do anything to be by her side.

And then he felt incredibly guilty. Had he been faster, if he had only stopped her from leaving the graduation to chase after Flash, he could have avoided all of this. She had been hurt, and he'd never forgive himself. His brows creased, "What?"

"Peter..." She whispered, reaching for his hand and smiling when his fingers entwined in hers, "It's impossible, yet it's happening..."

His brain started working in overdrive again. What was it? Had she been mutated in some way? Did she have spider like abilities too now? "What is it, Gwen?"

"I can't tell you." She said, avoiding his eyes at all costs. There was a small blush on her cheeks, and her mouth was set in a frown.

Oh God. It was bad. He could tell by her body language that it was something she wanted to hide from him.

"Why?"

"I don't know how you'll react."

"Gwen," He whispered, "This was enough for me. These past few hours when I almost lost you for good..." He sighed, "There's nothing you can say to push me away now. Whatever it is, I'm here."

She took a deep breath, counted to ten and looked up at his eyes. She melted in his dark chocolate. She had to tell him of course, and she just hoped that he'd be okay with it. He'd have to be, right? This was Peter, and she trusted him above all others. She knew he'd be there for her. She hoped. "Whatever it is? Promise?" She asked.

"Cross my heart." Peter said and even made an 'x' on his chest.

"Okay," She started, "Peter, the reason I'm alive... the reason they were able to remove those horrible cartridges from my back... is because I'm having a baby." She said clearly, folded her hands on her lap and waited for his reaction.

Peter was sure that he had misheard Gwen. He tilted his head closer to her, and cleaned out his ears. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Peter, I'm pregnant."

He rose to his feet then, and did a walk around her small room. He stopped a few times to open his mouth to speak, but then closed it again and continued to pace. He felt his heart rise into his throat for the umpteenth time. Well, this was good. She'd be a good mother, and he would bring Flash back to her and they would be a happy little family.

But oh, did he love her. And this news hurt him to his core. Here he was, spilling his heart out like a love sick Romeo, and she was having another man's baby. But it didn't matter in the long run. He'd love her until he died, that he was sure of. He'd watch over her, but from afar. He'd be a silent guardian on her fire escape. A silhouette in her window, but nothing more.

"Peter, say something." Gwen commanded.

"Gwen," He said softly, "I promise you, I will get Flash back to you."

"Flash?" She asked. "No, no, Peter... he's not the father. You are."

Her words hung in the air, and then fluttered down into his brain and on his shoulders. He's not the father. You are. This was impossible. This was improbable. And yet, reality stared him straight in the face. He turned to Gwen. "I'm sorry, what?" He repeated stupidly.

This changed everything. A milisecond ago, he thought that she was lost for good. But now, it seemed that destiny had other plans.

"Peter," She said, and reached for his hand. He walked to her, and gave it to her. She put his hand on the spot where their baby was growing, and whispered softly, "It's impossible, I know it is, but it's happening." She took a moment to dry a few tears that had slipped out, "This little baby that's growing inside of me has your blood, and your blood slowed down the poison in the cartridges so they didn't dissolve as quickly as they normally would have."

"But Gwen, we only..."

"I know. I know we were only together a few days ago. I know it doesn't make sense. I've seen Dr. Banner about thirty times today.. All of his tests confirmed it. He might ask you for a blood sample."

"But Gwen," He said softly, rubbing his thumb on her belly. "Is this safe? Are you going to be okay?"

"Well, it's too early to tell how things are going to go, but according to Dr. Banner, everything should, hypothetically be okay."

"What if it isn't?" Peter asked quietly, and sat next to her on the bed. He cupped her face in his hands, "What if this baby..."

"He or she's saved me so far, right?" Gwen said just as quietly, putting her hands on Peter's shoulders.

Peter rested his forehead against hers, and drew his arms around her waist, pulling her close. Everything has indeed changed now. Whatever happened, his life was going to change drastically. Again. But he knew one thing. He loved Gwen, and whatever she needed, he'd be by her side.

"I need you here with me." She whispered.

"Always," He replied.

…...

"Check this out." Bruce told Tony and Cap as they stood side by side in the new state of the art lab. Bruce had the cocooned dead man and the symbiote in an oblong glass chamber. They both watched the symbiote bang around the inside of the walls. "As soon as I removed Peter's webbing, this thing left the dead man and tried to latch onto me. It needs a living a host."

"That's all good about the dead man and the ink stain, but where does this put us? Nowhere. We have to get Osborn."

"I don't know about that, Fury told me to do analysis on this." Bruce said.

"Your dad have a feud with Osborn or something, Stark?" Cap asked.

"Were you not there?" Tony asked him. "Did you not see Osborn scream out of there like a bat out of hell?"

"Osborn is not our main objective right now."

"Always following orders..." Tony grunted.

"Guys," Bruce said with an eye roll, and nodded to the woman who stood in the doorway of the lab.

Agent Maria Hill stood watching the boys bicker like school children before she opened her mouth to speak, "Captain, please gather your men and meet Director Fury on the bridge."

"Yes ma'am." Cap said.

Maria gave the inkling of a smile before turning on her heel and leaving.

Tony eyed Cap up and down. "You got a thing for the ice princess?"

"Stark..."

"You want to thaw her panties!" Tony exclaimed.

"Shut up, Stark." Cap said and left the room.

"Just use your ice pick!" Tony said, chasing after him.