"I think you're worried too much about this, Jean.", Gwen said. "Look, if these two didn't simply abandon you the moment you started reading and moving things with your mind and all, I think simply coming out as a lesbian, or I guess with Peter, we're both bi...".
Gwen shook her head, "The point is, I think they'll still love you no matter what.". Jean sighed as she nodded. "I get that, I'm just... it's nervous to do that...".
Gwen kissed her cheek, "I know...That morning was a coincidence of purely weird luck with Dad, and this is different, I know, but your folks know me for the past two years, and this is the third year to the end of New Year's Eve...It's about time, right?".
Jean smiled softly, "Yes, you're right...", before taking a deep breath, and kissed Gwen on the lips passionately and tenderly, "Just for a boost in confidence...And that I love you, Gwen.".
"I love you too, Jean.", Gwen smiled warmly, and squeezed her hand again, "You got this, my sexy redhead, and don't forget, we have a home already in the warehouse. So, no worry there, okay?".
Jean nodded, and they walked down the stairs, going to the living room where Jean's parents Ellen and Phillip is setting up the Christmas tree. "They still haven't gotten things set up?", Gwen whispered as Jean chuckled.
"What, you were expecting all this to be up on Black Friday or something?", Jean smirked. "Well... um... yeah... thought that was kind of the norm, these days at least.", Gwen gave a small laugh.
Jean smiled, "Not every family is the same.", and took a deep breath, "Mom, Dad?", and Phillip glanced over, "Hey, Jean, I was about to call you and Gwen over. The tree is set, and would you untangle the lights for us while we go get the boxes of the ornaments?".
Jean replied, "Actually, Dad, I want to say something to you and Mom...It's very important...", and Ellen asked, "About what, darling?", having a feeling that her daughter is going to come out to them about Gwen and their relationship.
Jean sighed for a moment, still wondering how she should play this... should she work towards the truth, slowly easing them to it or just do the band-aid ripping approach and just say it. Jean closed her eyes and decided on the latter, "Mom... Dad... Gwen and I are dating.".
Phillip blinked in surprise, "What?", as Ellen looked at Jean with a small smile, and Jean nodded, "I'm not single anymore...Gwen is my girlfriend...", looking at Gwen lovingly as she reached to grasp her hand, and Gwen smiled warmly.
Jean then exhaled, "And we're both bisexual...", with a nervous smile, as Ellen widened her eyes, having not expected that particular fact and Phillip startled back, staring at Jean and Gwen in shock.
"Dad?", Jean whispered as now suddenly she was feeling very worried and frightened by how Phillip wasn't saying anything at the moment. Even Gwen was starting to tense up from the silence.
Ellen asked, "Phillip?", anxiously worried, and Phillip exhaled, "I was totally fine with our daughter being a mutant as she was unable to control it at first, scared to hurt us, and got training with that professor, and she never had problems since. I'd be so happy if Jean was always single, never bringing a man home and all, and I would have been fine with her as a lesbian, dating a girl, a girl we know for years already. But Ellen, I can't...I can't handle her in cahoots with a man, sharing him with Gwen! That's not right!", his voice raising with every sentence.
Ellen raised her voice at him, "Phillp Watson, our daughter is special, and I will support her no matter what! If she shares Gwen with a man, so be it as long as she's happy! Deal with it!".
Phillip retorted, "It's not right!", and Jean reached out with a hand, "Dad...", and Phillip looked at her sharply, "And don't even force me to change my mind! How long has you been sneaking behind my back?!".
Jean whispered with tears streaking at her eyes, "Three years now...", and Phillip widened his eyes, and whispered-shouted, "Three years?! I would have understood if it was one year, but three years! You're damn lucky that you haven't gotten infected or pregnant!", thinking that his own daughter fooled around with any man in sight, sharing them with Gwen, knowing how hormones are in high school and all.
"But I didn't!", Jean protested, and Phillip scowled, glaring at her, "How am I to know if you're telling the truth if you snuck behind my back for three years?! You're responsible for this! Get out of my sight!".
There was a brief pause... Gwen curled up her fist, practically wanting to smash his face in for that... but Jean just turned around and ran out crying. "Jean!", Gwen called out as she ran after her.
Ellen gasped, and narrowed her eyes, slapping Phillip on the face, "For that, you're going to sleep on the couch, mister! I told you a million times to control that slow-burning temper of yours!", before going to run up the stairs to Jean's bedroom as Jean was frantically packing up a bag, with Gwen trying to calm her down, "Jean, Jean, it's not your fault!", her heart hurting at the sight of Jean crying.
Jean looked at her, "Gwen, just...please, get me home to your apartment or the warehouse...I...I can't live here anymore...I'm already 17, and I still got several months to turn 18...", with a sob, and Gwen sighed deeply, "What about your mother? You heard her. She loves you still, and if you leave, you're going to break her heart...".
"You're not going to break my heart, Jean...", Ellen's voice replied from the door, and Jean's tears increased as she whispered, "Mom...", and Ellen went to hug her, shushing her daughter softly, "I'll support you and Gwen with whatever you need. You're my daughter, Jean, and Gwen loves you so much, and besides, I've always wanted to have a second daughter.", with a bittersweet smile at Gwen.
"Thank you...", Gwen gave a small smile as Jean wrapped her arms around her mother tighter. Jean wondered if this all would've gone better with her original parents... or what Mary Jane would've been like had she lived and grew to her age... Jean stopped thinking about that. No need bothering to think about what ifs, right now... she needed space from her father... maybe permanently, worst case scenario.
"Mom... I...", Jean whispered as Ellen gave a small shush. "It's alright, Jean... look, you... you do what you feel you need to do, stay at Gwen's for the time being... I'm... I'll try to see if I can at least get your father's head on straight... maybe let him think on things without you around for a few days or weeks...", Ellen explained.
"And if nothing changes?", Jean teared up. "Then I might be going to stay with my mother... and perhaps start filing papers... I already lost one daughter... I'm not losing another if I can't help it.", Ellen replied, with a firm nod.
Jean nods softly, and Ellen smiles softly, caressing Jean's cheek, "You take care of yourself, alright, and don't worry about school, I'll pay for the last couple of school years or maybe just one year if you skip ahead with your smarts and good grades, okay?".
"Okay.", Jean kisses her mother on the cheek, "I love you, Mom.", and Ellen smiles, "I love you, Jean, my darling daughter. And Gwen, take care of her, okay?".
Gwen nods, "I will. I ain't leaving her, and I love her, Mrs. Watson.", and Ellen waves a hand, "Oh, just call me Ellen, dear Gwen. Text or call me anytime, okay?". Both girls nod, and Gwen replies, "And oh, Dad knows about us...He was totally cool with it.".
Ellen nods, "Ah, good. I will talk with George...Perhaps he will help me with your father, but not right now. You better get going.".
Both girls nod again, and under a quick minute, they left the house, with Jean glancing at Phillip's back before sighing deeply, bitterly realizing that she won't be able to spend this Christmas with her father, knowing how Phillip's slow-burning temper gets him fired up, and he won't be able to think with her around, but she will be able to have her first Christmas with Gwen.
Jean, not in the mood to drive, so Gwen went to drive, glad that she's almost 16 in a month and a few days, having a permit and all, and parked the car in the cement lot besides the garage door that held George's civilian car.
"You alright?", Gwen asked as Jean sighed. Obviously, it was a dumb question since she knew exactly, but Gwen didn't think it would hurt to at least see if maybe she was at least holding it together.
"Not really... I... I've never really seen my father like that before... and certainly directed at me...", Jean sighed. "I shouldn't have said anything... why did I have to say we were bi?". She put her hands to her face.
"Jean... don't beat yourself up, no way you could've seen that coming. Besides... sooner or later, he was going to know about Peter and Jasmine...", Gwen responded, holding her closely.
Jean sighed deeply as she buried herself into Gwen's embrace, and Gwen kissed her hair, rubbing her back, knowing that saying that 'it's gonna be okay' is stupid right now, as they rode the elevator up to Gwen's apartment, and after they got in, Jean couldn't go any further to Gwen's bedroom, collapsing on the couch, after Gwen closed the door.
She then broke down, crying and sobbing, with Gwen zooming instantly to hold her lover, kissing her forehead, rubbing her back once more, barely hearing the office door open, knowing that her father has been on a break leading up to Christmas, and after that, he's back to work.
After a few moments, Gwen looked up to see her father looking back at the two of them. "I take it you probably told them?", George guessed. He was an officer after all but in this case, it was practically a shot in the dark. For all he knew, Jean was breaking down from the news of a family member dying. Gwen nodded, "Her father... didn't take the news well...".
George exhaled, "Aww, shit.", shaking his head, hating to see Jean upset as he knew her all those past two years and now up go this year as well, knowing how she's kind, caring, compassionate, just like his daughter, and he realized that with Gwen and Jean being so serious about being together, it was possible that he'd gain another daughter in Jean.
"And her mother?", George asked, and Gwen replied softly, "Ellen's in support of us, doing anything to help us with stuff like school as she loves and cares for Jean. She's going to try to set Phillip's mind straight. I can't promise Jean that it would happen that fast or whatever for him to change his mind.", kissing and shushing Jean who kept crying, hiding herself into Gwen's body.
George sighed heavily, having met Ellen and Phillip over the past few years of parents' days and all, and replied reassuringly, "Jean, like I said, you're always welcome here, and you can stay here as long as you need to. You got Gwen, your other friends, your mother, and me. You ain't alone, okay?".
Jean gave a small nod as she was trying to stop the tears. "Thank you, sir...", she sniffled as Gwen continued to rub her back, "There, there, Jean... feel free to let it all out...".
Jean sniffed as she rested against Gwen, crying softly, and George replied, "I am gonna make my triple candy brownies. That always cheers Gwen up, would you like that, Jean?".
Jean gave a small smile, "Yeah...that sounds delicious, George.". George smiled, "Great!", leaving the couple on the couch to head to the kitchen.
"Look, it'll be okay...", Gwen tried to assure her, "One way or another, you still have family and those that truly care about you, even if your father is a pig-headed bigot that refuses to accept you being happy...".
Jean smiled at her lover, "I know...you always love me no matter what...", and Gwen smiled, "I do, and that will never change.", kissing her lovingly on the lips, and held her, "Let's watch something on tv, you're with me now. Girlfriend time, eh?".
Jean nodded, cuddling with her, sighing deeply as Gwen turned the TV on. Hours later, after Peter's patrol, they went to the warehouse, and Peter was upset, along with Jasmine upon hearing what happened straight from Jean's mouth.
"Despicable... just... it's absolutely despicable...", Peter growled as he punched the side of his fist against the wall. "Peter...", Jasmine sighed as she was trying to keep him calm. "You can't expect everyone to be so open minded... hell, even my own father admitted that when I died!".
Peter exhaled deeply, "I know, but this is our Jean, Jasmine! And for him to even dare insult Jean for being a... a slut of all things! He thought that she was fooling around in real time, ruining herself, risking herself! I would never, ever do that to her, not when she has school and a responsibility to take care of herself, and if that ever happened, I would have pulled out before I came for freaking sake, if she wasn't on the pill or whatever!", ranting as Jean and Gwen watched him.
Peter panted heavily, looking around, and noticed Jean before realizing what he said, "I... you heard that, huh? I was...was meaning about the real world, right here, honest!".
"I know, Peter... I know you're frustrated too...", Jean assured him as Peter took a deep breath. "I just would like to give him a piece of my mind... but I'd probably somehow make things worse...", he said.
"Pity you haven't been as close with Jean as long as I have... maybe that might have been alright if it was you, I mean, if he knew you as long as he's known me.", Gwen shook her head.
Peter sighed, nodding softly, "Yeah...", and Jasmine replied, "Well, best to wait a long while before we pile the quartet thing and the superpowers thing on all of your folks. Probably best to reveal it when we are all settled or something.".
Jean gave a small smile, "Yeah, that sounds good...Let's go to bed.", with a tired nod. Peter exhaled, "And what about your dad, Gwen?", and Gwen smiled, "He knows about the warehouse a bit as it's Jean's clubhouse in a way of the truth. And what about your folks, Pete?".
Peter replied, "Slipped them a couple of sleeping pills. They exhausted themselves out with Christmas shopping and overtime shifts. As long as I get home before dawn, there won't be any suspicion especially if they sleep in, considering their age.".
Jasmine chuckled, "He's right...he was almost anxious to come here after we got the message.", and Jean smiled tearfully, "You didn't have to do that for me, Peter.", glad for already making a home here in the warehouse, thanks to Gwen's speed and Peter's strength, over the past six days.
"It's the holidays, and you deserve to be with your lovers, Jean, in the real world and the dreamworld.", Peter smiled lovingly, kissing Jean on the lips tenderly.
"Thank you, Peter...", Jean smiled as she took a deep breath. "It's going to be so weird... I've... I've never really done Christmas like this before...".
"Well, there's certainly some gifts I think we'll all like.", Peter chuckled. "So long as you don't read our minds and spoil it.", Jean suddenly gave a healthy laugh upon hearing that.
The others smiled, hearing her laugh, seeing her feel better, and took her to bed; cuddling with her in the middle, kissing her, and falling asleep to the dreamworld where Jean was ravished and loved by all of them, having a multitude of pleasure sessions.
Jean spent the rest of the break, having Christmas with Gwen, George, and some secret Christmas gifts from her mother via George, and after Christmas morning, Jean had Christmas gifts from Peter and Jasmine, and that night, she had, one by one, lovemaking sessions, along with Jasmine who gave a try to have a flesh penis as well.
And so, Jean healed with the ones she cared for and loved, with weeks and weeks coming and going, and before they knew it, it was April, near the end of the month, where it's time for the prom.
But it was only the day before the day of the prom when everything changed, and it started with Peter's first supervillain.
For months, things had mostly been sort of the usual routine for Peter; swinging around, keeping his eyes out for things, going into stop petty criminals. Yes, on occasion he'd make a difference and have repeats of his first true Spiderman moment of stopping a rapist, but that was thankfully rare. No, for him, it was just pick pocketers, thieves, the occasional mugger. He had to suppose that at least it wasn't too heavy of crimes; the sort of thing that folks like Captain Stacy would have been dealing with for years.
And there was the occasional fire as well where the firefighters' ladders couldn't reach, along with stuck cats or kids in trees who couldn't move because of heights or something.