Chapter 2: My Immortal

I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
'cause your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone

He always gets back up.

He always gets back up.

Spider-Man always gets back up.

Miles Morales always gets back up.

A massive argument was going on inside the mind of Gwen Stacy as she rocked the limp body against her, sobbing and begging for him to open his eyes, so she could see those bright brown eyes shining with intelligence and wit just one more time.

Since they met, he never stopped. He never gave up. He would never fail. He would face an army of superhumans to do what he believed is right. He did. And he made it through, outsmarting them all.

In her eyes, he was the only one to bear the suit and webs to earn the title The Amazing Spider-Man.

So, her mind and her heart couldn't comprehend what was going on. He couldn't fall. He couldn't. He didn't even know how to fail. So why was he lifeless in her arms. She didn't understand. Her heart refused to allow her to.

"Kiddo… Gwen… you have to let him go…" Peter said crouching down on one knee beside her.

"I… I can't… I can't…" She shook her head, holding him tighter.

"Gwen…" Peter sighed sympathetically.

That's when she heard a pair of gasps, and she saw Peter and the few Spiders around her pull down their masks. She didn't move. She didn't care who saw her face anymore. There wasn't anyone left there that could be used against her anymore.

"Miles!" She heard a pair of voices she recognized instantly. Her eyes widened and she felt her blood turn to ice.

These wounds won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase

She glanced up and her tear-filled eyes fell on his parents who were standing there dumbfounded at their boy in her arms wearing Spider-Man's tattered costume.

She numbly allowed Rio to pull him from her arms but didn't have the strength to get to her feet.

"Miles? MILES!" Her medical training went into effect. She searched for a pulse, "No Mijo, don't you dare. Don't you dare do this to us…" she said starting CPR.

"He's… he's Spider-Man…my Miles is Spider-Man…" Jeff breathed numbly as he watched the scene. His eyes going from Mile's still face to the bloody wound on his side.

"I'm… I'm sorry…" Jessica Drew placed a hand on Rio's shoulders. "It's too late…" Rio crumbled into her son's chest.

Gwen tried her best to say something but was cut off when she felt the buzz of her spider-sense. She glanced to the side where she saw a trembling pistol drawn on her.

"You have the right to remain silent…" Jeff said with a trembling voice.

Gwen struggled to her feet and stepped toward him. Her tears continued to fall as she stood before Jeff.

Before the new Captain could continue reading her rights, Rio placed a hand on the gun and pushed it down. "Jeff, Mi Amor, stop it. She's … she was his friend… his querida, to be arrested is the last thing she needs… it's the last thing Miles would have wanted…" she said pushing through her own tears.

The three turned to see Peter had removed his robe and placed it over his face. Gwen started to break down again, but Rio pulled her into a tight hug as she broke with her. "Don't grieve alone, Mija…" she said holding the girl close.

Gwen cried into her shoulder, still clinging to Miles' mask as if it was a lifeline.

You used to captivate me by your resonating light
Now, I'm bound by the life you left behind

Several hours later, Gwen sat silently on the couch in Jeff and Rio's living room. She was only vaguely aware of what was going on around her. Her focus was still on the black and red mask she was clutching.

The other spiders had returned to the headquarters Nueva York, there was an all hands on deck order to discuss what to do with Miguel, but Gwen couldn't focus enough to even be a part of that. She was too numb to even go back to her world to check on her father. She glanced up when Jeff's pacing caught her eye. He was talking to someone on the phone, likely his higher ups in the NYPD. She was envious of how well he was holding it together. How both of them were.

"Gwenda, Mija, have some warm tea," she glanced to see the red eyed, tear stained face of Rio offering her a steaming cup.

"Gwen…" she crocked out, "My name… my name is Gwen… Gwen Stacy…"

Rio nodded with a sad smile, "It is nice to finally meet the one that made my Mijo smile so brightly."

"I'm… I'm so sorry," Gwen sniffled, "I … promised to bring him home…"

"And you did, Mija," Rio placed an arm around the girl. "We raised him to fight for what he believed in. I… did not anticipate him becoming a hero… and giving his life … but… I…" she couldn't continue as tears began to fall anew.

Gwen and Rio embraced and cried for what felt like hours. They hadn't realized that Jeff had seated next to them and quietly cried with them.

Gwen blinked when he offered her something. It was Miles' jacket that she had grabbed and put on the last time she was there, when she had promised to bring him home.

"He'd want you to have this," Jeff offered.

Gwen looked uncertain but finally nodded a thank you and took it and held it along with his mask.

"I… I probably need to get home… I…" Gwen started, but Rio placed a hand on hers.

"No, Mija, it's late and…" Rio smiled sadly.

"Yeah, at least stay the night. Know you're a super hero or whatever but you're hurting…" Jeff nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder, she shuddered when she realized it was exactly like Miles always did. "We're probably the only ones who really understand, too. Stay the night and go home in the morning. You can … you can take Miles' room."

Gwen started to argue but nodded and whispered a 'thank you'.

Jeff led her to the room, and opened the door for her. She nodded and closed the door. But when she turned around she found she couldn't breathe. She quickly pulled on his jacket as if it was a life preserver, and his scent flooded her nostrils. She walked to his window and opened it to breath some fresh air.

Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me

Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw a dark-haired man in a red suit on a rooftop looking her way, but when she looked there was no one there. She shook her head, it didn't even trigger a tingle from her spider sense, and it had been a long terrible day.

She sat down roughly on his bed and she could see him everywhere in the room.

She grabbed his art book and absentmindedly flipped through the pages, seeing the increasing pictures of herself. When she saw this the first time a few days ago it amused her and flattered her that he had missed her as much as she missed him. But she was taking it all in this time, noticing all the fine details.

"I am so stupid…" She whispered to herself as tears fell on the pages. "If I had just been honest… if I had just stood by him from the beginning. He might… he could … we could be…" she closed her eyes tightly trying to futilely stop the tears from flowing again. She hugged the book and his mask to her chest and curled into a ball. And there she cried herself to sleep.

These wounds won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase

That night, She dreamed of what could have been. She saw herself embraced and sleeping in Miles' arms. But the sweet dream came to an end and she woke up alone, reaching for someone who wasn't there. She could still imagine what it felt like to be in his arms and his corny bad jokes and quips as they cuddled in her dream.

She took a deep breath to steady herself. She got up and fixed her hair as best she could with Miles' mirror, and exited the room and found his parents setting quietly at the kitchen table, looking over photos of their son.

"Uh… good morning…" Gwen entered in and the two gave sad smiles to the girl.

"The Jacket suits you, Mija," Rio noted.

"Thank you for it," Gwen replied, "I'm going to go home and check on dad… he had a run in with … with a villain yesterday as well. Miles… he saved him before he came here to fight the Spot."

"You're welcome here any time, Gwen," Rio stood up and hugged the girl, "Please do return, I'd love to see you again… perhaps we can share stories of Miles."

"I got more than a few you might enjoy," Jeff added. "Be careful going home."

"I will, thank you…" she said, and exited through the door, which was an odd feeling for her. For whatever reason, after that … figure she saw, it made her nervous about exiting out the window.

She grabbed the jacket and pulled it to her nose to inhale the scent again. Oh, how she missed him. She shook herself and reached for her bracelet and typed in the coordinates of her home dimension. The portal opened and she pulled on her mask as she walked into it.

She appeared on a rooftop on her New York and took to the air swinging. Her eyes widened when she saw the window of her and her father's apartment was busted open.

"Dad?!" She asked swinging inside, and was relieved to see him scrubbing the carpet.

"Hey kiddo, welcome…" he was cut off when she hugged him.

"You're ok…" she breathed into his chest.

"Fine and dandy," He replied hugging her, "Thanks to that black and red Spider-Man, you know the one with the weird red lines from his armpits?"

"Miles?" Gwen pulled back, removing her mask.

"Yeah, that's the one. I never seen anyone fight so hard to protect me. Even after he took a really, really bad hit from the big blue guy."

Gwen stared at him, trying to keep the tears from flowing yet again.

"I tried to get him to get that checked out, he was bleeding a lot… but he insisted on rushing off to help you and save his dad. He was really worried about you. He was more concerned about you and his dad then he was about himself. I'd like to see him again, he seemed like a fine young man. Maybe invite him over for dinner sometime, Gwen… Gwen, did I say something wrong?"

"He's… I … Miles …" She stammered, losing the fight with her emotions again.

It took George a moment to realize what had happened. "Oh sweetheart…" He embraced her, "I'm so sorry…"

"Daddy…" She cried into his chest, "Am I just meant to never be happy?"

"Gwen, honey, you know that's not true, I know this Miles wouldn't like hearing you ask that, and I'm certain Peter wouldn't either."

"Then why does everyone I care about get taken away?" She sobbed.

"Cause life isn't fair, there's no reset or do overs…" George said, thinking of his late wife as well, "you just have to take every second you can… and treasure them close after they run out."

"I… I need some air…" She said pulling back and pulling on her mask.

"Don't be out too late, sweetheart, be careful…" George nodded, understanding her pain.

She nodded and leapt into the air through the broken window.

I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me, I've been alone, I'm all alone

She swung hard through the city, finally landing on the clock tower that her New York shared with Miles. Where they had talked a few days earlier. Where they had promised to come and work things out. Where she wanted to tell him how she really felt about him.

She looked out over the city, and down to the street below. An unwanted thought entered as she watched the cars and people walk so far below her. Maybe she could join… no. She shook her head hard.

He would want her to live for the both of them. As hard as that was at the moment. She knew that she wouldn't forget. She knew the scars would never heal in her heart. But she had to try for them. For Peter. For Miles.

"Miles Morales… I love you," She spoke to the sky, hoping somewhere someway, he would hear her. "I will always love you. No matter what. Until the day we see each other again…"

When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears
I held your hand through all of these years

You still have… all of me…

"I am so sorry for your tragic loss, Miss Stacy," she turned quickly to see the man she saw outside Miles' bedroom.

"Who are you?" She asked, making sure her mask was still properly on.

"It truly was a tragedy for the loss of your Miles Morales," He said, giving a sympathetic smile. He was dressed in black slacks and black button up shirt, bright red shoes and long coat, with a red tie. His hair was dark and slicked back with a trimmed black goatee, well-trimmed eyebrows over dark, sinister looking eyes.

"It's always incredibly sad when the universes lose a hero, especially one as amazing as Spider-Man." He said nodding solemnly.

"Who ARE you? How did you know about any of that?" She took a step back, being careful to not too close to the edge. "Are you a Spider? Are you part of the society?"

"Please, your little Society is as meaningless to me as the TVA," he laughed, "Nothing but entertaining to see people try to understand something beyond their grasp."

"But I digress … I've been waiting for the right opportunity to approach you, Gwen Stacy," He smiled softly at her.

"What do you want from me…" She asked, ready to fight if she had to.

"Oh, it's what you'll want from me is going to be the question, my sweet Spider," he replied, "Please, allow me to introduce myself…" He said, making an exaggerated bow, "I'm a man of wealth and taste. And I've been around for a long, long year… pleased to meet you. I hope you guessed my name. But what's puzzling you is the nature of my game…"

To Be Continued…

*song credits*

My Immortal – Evanescence

Sympathy for the Devil – Rolling Stones