No particular warnings for this chapter

Sorry for not updating as quickly as I usually do, it's been a hectic week and I wanted to take my time with this chapter. A lot of emotional vulnerability in this one, Miguel needs some therapy!

Big shout out to rachelm1418 on Tumblr for assistance with the Spanish in this chapter, and thank you fresitacake and voidhope on Tumblr for their assistance with picking out nicknames for reader. They saved me from using an embarrassing nickname that Google claimed was a common one to use in Spanish speaking countries (which wasn't true at all, be careful using Google for that kind of stuff guys!)

Thank you so much snowcloud8 for another review! For the help with Spanish I just made a post on Tumblr asking for help and different users saw it and answered my question, the users who helped me I've mentioned in a few chapters at the beginning. I hope this helps!

Reader's Perspective

I sat in Gabriel's kitchen, a cup of herbal tea mixed with lemonade in my hands, listening to him give me a complete backstory on Miguel and his family. Listening to the drama and the mess, is it bad that it made me feel a bit of a relief to have none? Maybe. I really liked Gabriel, he was friendly, funny, and had a good-natured, lighthearted way about him. All I could think of is what a good uncle he would be, and that I really wanted him in twitchy sea monkey's life. I don't even know how much time I passed from sitting here talking to him, but I noticed the sun had started to set outside through his kitchen window. Gabriel's house is what you expect from a single man his age, it's full of random stuff in piles (definitely not as much of a neat-freak as Miguel) . It looked like he was a bit of a gear head, having little gizmos and stuff scattered around that he liked to work on.

"And that's how mom found out about us sneaking out. Throwing up in the azalea vase was not a good cover, that definitely started to stink in the morning." Gabriel chuckled, finishing up another story he told me.

I laughed, taking a sip of my tea. Despite the rigid exterior and broodiness, it seemed like Miguel had an okay childhood with his brother. Not perfect by any means (his parents being a big contender of that), but he did all the things you expect a rebellious teenager to do. I liked hearing these stories, it helped me get to know and understand Miguel better.

"So what about you, any crazy stories about your family?" Gabriel asked.

"No, I don't have one."

He seemed crestfallen by my answer.

"No family? Like no grandparents, aunts, cousins, nothing?"

I shook my head: "My memory is really hazy about my past. I vaguely remember being in a couple of foster homes, but I don't remember anything about my parents, or who they were."

"I'm so sorry, pulga. That must have been hard. I shouldn't be talking so much about my family like this…" Gabriel replied, guiltily.

I put my hands up, feeling bad that he was upset and tried my best to downplay everything.

"No, no, please don't feel bad! I'm fine, it was a long time ago! I like hearing about your family, and about Miguel growing up. He's a very guarded person so it's hard to get any information like this out of him."

"Speaking of Miguel, how did all of this happen anyway?" Gabriel questioned, leaning on the kitchen table. "He's someone who likes to plan, so an unplanned pregnancy does not sound like him at all. No offense."

"I don't know, it just kind of happened I guess? I know that sounds bad…" I laughed, nervously. "I've liked him for a long time but honestly didn't know he felt the same way. I am a bit angry with him at the moment, though. Before I moved to Nueva York he would disappear for long periods of time…"

Gabriel gave me his full, undivided attention as I vented.

"When we… first got together, he left and I didn't hear from him in months. I found out I was pregnant and had to do something drastic just to get his attention. Then things were good for a few days, he was attentive, but then something happened…" I shuddered at the memory of Doc Ock, "and now he's being all weird and distant again. He won't clarify what our relationship is, and it's really upsetting me."

Gabriel sighed, looking clearly frustrated at his brother. Understandably so, this was the man who stole girlfriends from him.

"Doesn't sound like he's changed much." Gabriel mumbled.

"What do you mean?"

"He's never faced his feelings head on, makes irrational or rash decisions when he's upset, and tends to self-sabotage. He's had issues with commitment." Gabriel sighed in exasperation. "But the unplanned pregnancy is still not like him, the man is a geneticist for Christ's sake! He knows about this stuff…"

"I don't know, he had children in other timelines, maybe it's meant to be? I don't know much about the alternate realities, timelines, Spiderverse, and all that, but the world didn't cease to exist when I became pregnant so I'm thinking this was an intended path?" I wondered aloud.

"I don't know what he's gotten into as Spider Man, but I don't think anything good comes from messing with time. I am surprised to hear that there's more people like the both of you, a lot more. Did your DNA get experimented on, too?"

"No, I was bitten by a radioactive spider. That's the most common way to become a Spider Person." I shrugged.

Gabriel made a face, grossed out by the concept of a spider crawling around on someone's body and biting them. Understandable, arachnophobia is common.

The sound of a shredding metal and something breaking alerted both of us. My Spidey Senses picked up on a Spider presence forcefully entering the home. I knew it was Miguel. My back was toward the hallway that led to the opening of the kitchen, I could tell by Miguel's angry sounding footsteps that he was not happy. I kept my eyes on Gabriel, not wanting to turn around.

"You know you can knock without breaking my door…" Gabriel deadpanned, staring up at Miguel entering the kitchen.

"Time to go." Miguel's voice came from behind me, he sounded very on edge.

His hands were on my shoulders, giving me a squeeze that was a bit uncomfortable. Oh yes, he was mad mad. I sat there in silence, feeling like I was a child about to be scolded.

"Miguel, come on-" Gabriel started, standing up fully.

Miguel ignored him. His fingers clasped my chin and moved my head so I could face him. His face was very close to mine, I could see the heaviness in his eyes.

"We need to leave now, mi vida." He repeated, his voice low.

" 'Mi vida?' You must really like this girl, Miggy." Gabriel commented.

"Don't call me that." Miguel warned.

He hoisted me onto my feet with ease. I tried my best to keep myself planted, not wanting to be rushed out the door. Gabriel's arm grabbed onto Miguel's in an attempt to stop him from leaving. Miguel tugged his own arm out of his grip, casting his brother an ugly leer.

"Why do you always do this? Running out on family and keeping secrets! When were you going to tell me about her, huh? You better not try and run out on her, too, she's carrying your child, I'm going to be a tío!" Gabriel bellowed.

Oh shit.

" ¡Esto no te importa, no te metas en esto!" Miguel countered angrily.

"¡Es mi negocio, soy parte de la familia! Y ella también lo es!" Gabriel yelled back, gesturing wildly toward me.

I knew they were talking about me, but that wasn't what was irritating me. Gabriel didn't deserve to be yelled at, especially when Miguel was the one who had wronged him - he even said it himself! I yanked myself out of Miguel's grasp and went to stand in front of Gabriel, glaring up at Miguel who stared back down at me, bewildered.

"Don't talk to him like that!" I cried.

"You don't understand, mi vida, please let's just leave." Miguel answered, trying his best to keep his tone steady, but was failing.

"No! I should be getting to know your family, right? He's going to be our child's uncle, isn't that important to you?"

"She doesn't want to leave." I heard Gabriel add from behind me.

"Me encargaré de ti más tarde." Miguel snapped, holding up his hand at Gabriel to get him to hush.

Gabriel rolled his eyes, crossing his arms at his brother's warning. Miguel tried to take my arm again and guide me toward the direction of the front door, but I ripped myself free again, refusing to budge from the kitchen.

"This isn't the time for this!" Miguel sighed, frustrated.

"This is the perfect time! I know you miss your brother, Miguel!" I protested.

"It's a complicated situation, more than you're able to understand."

I groaned, taking a step toward him and jabbing a finger into his chest: "Stop saying that! Why would you think I don't understand? Speaking to each other and apologizing to him seems simple enough to me!"

"Because you've never had a family! You're an orphan! How could you possibly understand?!" Miguel shouted back.

I was stung by his harsh words, even though they were true it still hurt for him to say it. I took a couple steps back, my mouth hanging open, unable to scrounge up any sort of witty comeback. I felt the corners of my eyes begin to prickle with tears while I was processing what he said in silence. I didn't even want to look at him, I was just rubbing my hand over my mouth and avoiding his eyes.

"Wow…" I breathed, the corner of my lips turning up into an upset and twisted version of a smile. "You can be real mean, man…"

I exited the kitchen, retreating further back into Gabriel's house, still unable to look at him. Neither of them said a word as I breezed by. The tension was so thick in the room I swear it could be cut with a knife, but I didn't want to be around for the aftermath. I locked myself in a hallway bathroom, finally letting the tears fall when I was alone.

Miguel's Perspective

He regretted his words the moment he had said them to her. He had let his anger overcome him, again. Gabriel's eyes pierced daggers into his heart as she fled from the kitchen, Miguel felt too much shame to try and call back to her, wanting to apologize immediately but knowing it would fall on deaf ears.

He had confronted Margo about the firewall breach. She had been tight-lipped at first, but with Lyla's surveillance it was easy to work out what had happened. She had been there, fishing for information about his brother. He cursed himself, knowing he shouldn't have spoken about Gabriel to her. When Margo couldn't hide her secret any longer she finally confessed that she had asked her to do it, but wouldn't further expand why. Miguel had used his dimension travel watch to go to Gabriel's house. He had moved here two years ago and Miguel had never visited it, or had even spoken to him in that timespan. He felt his heart briefly pang with sadness and anxiety as he entered the gate to his house, but the feelings soon mixed into anger and irritation that he even had to be here. All of those emotions had faded now, all that was left was a deep ache that bloomed in his chest.

"She really loves you, you know." Gabriel piped up.

Miguel put his face in his hand, sighing deeply: "I know, that's what terrifies me."

"I just don't understand you, why would you say those things to her or treat her that way?" Gabriel questioned.

Miguel met his gaze. Even in anger there was a softness to Gabriel's expression, a kindness that never wavered. Miguel had always admired his positivity, even if he acted like he loathed it at times.

"Little pulga told me about how you sent her home and tried to distance yourself from her. I don't know why you would take away access to the only family she's ever known, and then go and throw it in her face like that." Gabriel shook his head, disgusted.

"I don't know how to make things right with her." Miguel admitted. "Whenever I think we're doing fine, I ruin it somehow."

"Sounds like you're not trying hard enough, hermano." Gabriel placed a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "She's going to be the mother of your child, and I know you really care for her, but you need to stop pushing her away."

Miguel didn't respond, his heart felt heavy as did his eyes. It was hard to look at Gabriel now, after all the hell he had put him through in the past while they were teenagers and into early adulthood. He deserved so much better, and so did she.

"She deserves more than me, she deserves the world."

"Who said you can't give it to her? Look at you!" Gabriel gestured at his blue and red Spider Suit. "You're literally Nueva York's Spider Man! You're smart, and you got the O'Hara's good looks!"

Miguel scowled at him in annoyance for teasing him.

"I think the issue is you just need to find yourself worthy of love and stop trying to destroy it." Gabriel continued.

He started to push Miguel out of the kitchen, leading him to where the bathroom is. He went along with it, wanting to resist but he knew his brother was right. They were both facing the bathroom door now. He could hear her sniffling inside, listening to her cry to herself pulled at his heartstrings.

Gabriel gave him a little shove in the back, making Miguel whirl around to glare at him.

"Talk to her." Gabriel whispered.

With a heavy sigh Miguel knocked softly on the door. He heard her go still inside, but she didn't say a word.

"Is it okay if we talk, mi vida?" Miguel started, tenderly.

"Don't call me that if you don't mean it." She bit back from behind the door.

Another dagger in the heart. Miguel glanced back hopelessly at Gabriel, who only beckoned him to go on.

"I do mean it, truly." Miguel responded.

He heard her scoff in disbelief.

"Gabriel, can I have some privacy for a moment?" Miguel turned to his brother.

"You're not going to rip the door off its hinges, right? You already broke one of my doors today." He deadpanned.

"No…" Miguel groaned. "I just need to speak with her, alone."

Gabriel finally left, his hands behind his head as he slinked through the hallway. Him trying to play casual only solidified that Miguel knew he was going to eavesdrop from the next room. He turned his attention back toward the bathroom door.

"I haven't been good to you, for that I am sorry. What I said to you earlier was terrible and hurtful, I wish I could take it back more than anything. You don't deserve that, you haven't deserved any of this treatment, I'm…" Miguel paused, trying his best to find the words. "I'm so scared of messing up. I've messed up so many aspects of my life, in all honesty I am full of doubts about the Spiderverse, doubts that I'll ever actually be a good father… Gabriella died because of me, there's no way I could ever prove myself worthy to be a good parent again."

Miguel didn't realize he had been crying. He wiped his face with the back of his hand, seeing the dampness from his cheeks.

"I have doubts about you and I, because of me. Every relationship I had fell apart because of my fears and insecurities. I did nothing but harm those women emotionally, and in turn hurt my own brother in the process. Gabriel was the only one who ever stayed by my side through everything, and I couldn't take his forgiveness… I had to push him away, too."

She had gone silent from behind the door as he spilled out all his tear-filled confessions.

"Everything in my life had turned to shit, that's all I've known. And then you walked into it, this funny, perfect, beautiful ray of sunshine that started to make me feel like life was worth living again. All I have done is make you upset since I've known you, while all you wanted to do was make me happy. I thought distance would work between us, but I was wrong. You make me want to strive to be a better person, mi vida. When I thought I lost you two weeks ago, I could've died right there myself. I'm horrified by the effect you have on me, but please understand when I call you 'mi vida' I mean it with every fiber of my being."

Miguel pressed his head against the bathroom door, closing his eyes as he continued. He could hear her labored breathing inside.

"To answer your question from earlier today, I have difficulty putting a label on us because of what you are to me. Girlfriend and lover aren't enough, you are the essence of my life-"

She opened the door, making his head fall forward and snapping him out of his long-winded confession. He caught his balance, meeting her own tear-filled eyes and slightly bruised, still-healing face.

"You're really going to start using telenova quotes on me now?" She asked, wiping her nose with the back of her hand.

He couldn't help but chuckle. He used his thumb to wipe her tears. She reached up and did the same for him. He moved her hand to wipe his own tears hastily away.

"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to guilt trip you with crying. Whenever I think about how I failed Gabriella, I…" he started, but her fingertips brushed his lips to quiet him.

"I know, Miguel, you don't have to explain that to me…"

He took her hand, sighing with both relief as he was overcome with her sympathy. He cupped the sides of her face.

"Would you ever forgive me?" He questioned.

"You make that really hard sometimes." She replied, giving him a small smile.

"I know… I love you."

"I love you, too, Neptune knows why. You need to start therapy or something, maybe we both should before the little sea monkey is born into this world. And you should work things out with Gabriel, he's going to be a good uncle." She added.

"Really?"

"It takes a village, right?" She smiled again.

He swore she was glowing again. He pulled her into a passionate kiss, holding the back of her head, taking fist-fulls of her hair. They had never kissed like this before, this was desperate and hungry. She had started gripping his hair, and he hadn't realized he had her pinned against the wall beside the bathroom door for a minute. He gathered as much of her as he could, but it was like holding just wasn't enough.

"Get a room!" Gabriel called from down the hallway.

The two of them pulled apart, nearly forgetting where they were for a second. The two of them tried to catch their breath. He was embarrassed that he let himself get carried away like that, but he had exposed such a vulnerable part of his soul, and she had taken his words in stride - it felt like the perfect moment.

"My lord, Miguel…" she breathed, rubbing her cheek, her eyes downcast. "You've never kissed me like that before, damn… my fast heart rate is making the baby kick." Her hand was on the slight bump of her stomach.

"Yeah, I can hear your heart." He commented, smiling at her.

Lyla popped up on his watch, drawing his attention away from her.

"Miguel, you-" Lyla paused her sentence, studying Miguel's face. "Wow, you are beat red and out of breath. You good?"

"What do you want, Lyla?" He clipped, not in the mood.

"The big boss wants to see you, ASAP."

Es mi negocio, soy parte de la familia. Y ella también lo es - It is my business, I'm family. And so is she.

Me encargaré de ti más tarde - I'll deal with you later/I'll take care of you later

Pulga - flea (cute nickname I was advised was better to use, better than what Google said!)

I got the scene of reader telling Miguel that he's mean from one of my all time favorite shows, Atlanta. The story about throwing up in the azaleas from the St. Vincent song Teenage Talk!