Chapter 6: I Promised
Miles roared as he tried to use Peter B. Parker to break open the reinforced shudders inside the bank lobby.
Jackpot leaped toward the two, but their symbiote-controlled friend threw the unconscious Spider-Man at his wife, knocking them both to the floor.
"Gwendy, we 'ave ta do somethin' soon, luv, or else e'll get out o 'ere!" Hobie said, checking on the two.
Gwen glanced to the side and saw Harry's last plasma rifle he had given them. It was a worse-case-scenario failsafe for her, and as the black-suited Miles Morales rushed toward her, she knew she had no other choice and used her webbing to draw the weapon to her and aim it her boyfriend.
She reached up with her free hand and pulled off her mask so he could see her face, maybe even allow her one last chance to reach him. "Miles! Miles, please. Please don't… don't make me do this…"
Eternity
In an hour
Our dignities help,
Life, and dreams…
"Miles… please…" tears stung her eyes as he came to a stop before her, the black suit pulsing as the demonic, white eyes stared at her.
We were crazy 'bout the powerful for a time.
But we were trying to go back…
To our senses of childhood…
"Gwen…" the monster's voice almost sounded like Miles as it stared back at her. "Miles, if you can hear me… fight it… please, fight it…" Gwen begged, the rifle trembling in her grasp.
Don't worry 'bout a thing
We'll reach out to you
Even if it's the harder way…
"Gwen…" the monster growled again.
It's plain to see the reason why
Oh, that's all because of the mighty heart
"Miles, come back to me," she begged again, refusing to put her finger on the trigger.
Remember it's just natural that
We'll be there if you need help
"I… I…" the beast growled, "I have everyone I need…" its clawed hands clutched into fists. "I don't need you…" Gwen closed her eyes as the tears rolled down her cheek and she placed her finger on the trigger.
"Te amo, mi Amor…" she said with a trembling voice as she pulled the trigger.
Far across the distance…
The rifle released a blast of superheated plasma that collided with the chest of the black suit, and it exploded violently, splattering black sludge all over the ruins of the bank lobby.
Her eyes watched helplessly as Miles' body flew across the lobby into the crumbling wreckage caused by the plasma blast's explosion.
Rest assured…
Gwen violently threw the rifle away and collapsed to her knees, the rifle shattering to pieces from the force of her throw.
"Miles…" She whimpered.
That our faith…
Her face crumpled in tears and pain as she buried it in her hands.
'In every other universe, Gwen Stacy falls for Spider-Man… and in every other universe… it doesn't end well…'
Just won't die…
Earlier that morning, Earth 65
The Spiders and Jackpot all landed on the rooftop in Brooklyn. "Ok, Gwendy, tis 'our stompin' grounds, wat's da plan?"
"Peter and MJ will come with me," Gwen said, glancing at the gathered group. "The rest of you get around Williamsburg Bank. He's going to find his way there. We're going to make a trap for him so we can try to get that thing off him and destroy it once and for all."
"How are we going to set a trap for it?" Peter asked, "Trust me, it's going to take a lot to contain it… Are we just going to waltz up to the bank and ask the president to use it for a trap?"
"Of course not," Gwen said, moving toward the edge of the rooftop, "We're going to his boss."
Gwen led Peter and MJ to the Oscorp building and swung up toward the penthouse office. "Ok, I really don't like this…" Peter said, grimacing behind his mask. They landed by the skylight.
"And what's the deal with the bank?" MJ asked, "How are you so sure he'll go there?"
"He's still in there," Gwen said defiantly, "That tower means too much to us… to him…"
Several months ago, Williamsburg Bank Tower, Earth 1610
Gwen gracefully swung toward their spot as she approached the tower. She spotted him quickly and quickly ziplined up toward the tower overhang. "Miles!" She called out as she threw herself into the air, "CATCH ME!" She yelled and he got up and effortlessly caught her by the waist and spun around on his heel as he steadied himself. Gwen laughed as she held on to his shoulders. "Hi," She said, her mask emoting the joy she had at being in his arms.
"Hi," his maskless face smiled back at her as he sat her down on her feet. She pulled back her hood and removed her mask.
"You called?" Gwen asked, and Miles nodded and moved back to where he was sitting when she came. She did notice he was sitting up the upper side instead of their usual spot underneath.
"Yeah… I've… I've got something I want to talk to you about…" he said, and she noticed his shoulders suddenly stiffened.
"Miles? Is something wrong?" Gwen asked, moving closer. Then she noticed the fire going in the metal trashcan beside him. Her blood ran cold, and her heart dropped when she noticed that the fire was being fueled by all the many drawings of her he had made while they were separated. "M-Miles?"
"Sit with me?" Miles asked, picking up his old notebook. She awkwardly sat beside him.
"Have I done something?" She asked, trying to sound casual but tears were battling her eyelids.
"You know, all these pictures I drew, they're nice and all, but…" he ripped out another picture, wadded it up, and dropped it in the fire. The action made the blond wince. "I've realized I don't know who this person was. I didn't know this girl. It was just pictures of a mask. It wasn't who she was… who she is…"
Gwen stared at the flame, holding her breath as he continued. She watched as he put the almost empty sketchbook into the fire and watched as the flames devoured it and all the images of her.
"So, I'm starting fresh," he said holding up a new sketchbook, still in plastic. "Not a fantasy of someone I put on a pedestal… who didn't even really exist. This time, I want to capture someone… someone I love…"
The words hit her so hard, it knocked the breath she was holding out of her. "Someone you… you…"
"Yeah… you're my muse," Miles smiled nervously, "I love you."
Gwen just stared at him with wide eyes as he shifted awkwardly. "Um… would be nice for you to say something back…"
"Promise you'll not do something crazy like with the Spot again…" she asked softly, staring deep into his eyes. "Promise, even if you have to do something risky, you'll always make sure to make it back… that you'll always find a way back to me… promise me, Miles."
"I promise," Miles replied, smiling softly, "And you know I always keep my promises…" Gwen threw herself at him, barely getting an "I love you, too" out before she smashed her lips to his.
The movement knocked the burning trash can off the edge, but the young couple was too caught up in each other to care even about the car alarm that suddenly sounded from the burning debris coming out of nowhere.
"We… we might want to get out of here before they call the cops…" Miles chuckled lightly against her lips.
"That was so sweet…" Mary Jane smiled as Gwen finished her story.
"Oy…" Peter rolled his eyes, "I wish I had thought of that…"
"So, yeah… ever since we ended up back in each other's lives, that's been our spot." Gwen glanced to the office and nodded when she saw the familiar face at his desk. "Miles may not have much control, but he's at least trying to nudge. That's going to be our best bet. I know, because I know him." She sighed and glanced down to her late best friend's other best friend. "And Oscorp owns that bank building here."
"I don't like dealing with Oscorp, Gwen," Peter protested.
"This isn't our Oscorp, Peter," Mary Jane said, squeezing her husband's hand. "Maybe it's not as bad in this universe?"
"No Goblins here, guys. Harry is… quirky but he's cool," Gwen said, opening the window. "Let me talk to him first, and I'll signal when you guys can come in, ok?" She slowly lowered herself into the office by webline behind the young CEO of Oscorp and started to announce herself when Harry Osborn spoke up.
"I didn't see a wanted murderer on the appointment list for today," Harry said casually. "We're already deep in holiday preparations, so I'm sure you can understand I'm a little busy, but then you never were the kind to keep to timetables and schedules?"
"Hello to you, too, Mr. Osborn," Spider-Woman said, dropping gracefully to the floor as he turned his chair to face her.
"You are responsible for what happened to my best friend," Harry sighed dramatically. "The only reason I'm not calling the police is because you helped me after I OD'd on that Lizard formula the last time we fought." He clasped his hands together and leaned forward. "You have five minutes."
"Harry…" She pushed back her hood and removed her mask. "Ok, that got you ten." Harry cocked an eyebrow. "Because you are a lot more responsible for what happened to Peter than I thought."
"Look, I need your help," Gwen said, taking a step toward him.
"Oh, this must be big. Ever solo superhero is one thing, but Gwen Stacy actually asking for help?" Harry sat back in his chair. "Wherever you disappeared to must have been very humbling."
"You can say that again…" Gwen hugged herself slightly. "There's… there's a lot you don't know about what's out there. There's a whole… multiverse out there…" She began trying her best to quickly explain the Spider-Verse, the canon event theory, and the Spider-Society to her old classmate.
"The theory of parallel dimensions is true? Tony would love to learn about this," Harry replied after she finished.
"Tony Stark can't know about this…" Gwen's eyes widened at the thought.
"Ok, ok, I don't mind sitting on it, not the only secret I've been keeping from my parent company," Harry smirked. "So, you got sucked into another dimension after what happened to Peter, met a guy, helped him become his world's Spider-Man with other Spider-People, fell hard for him, came home, got roped into some kind of cult of Spider-People…"
"More of a specialized strike force to…"
"Whatever, got back with the guy, fell deeper for him, and now he's in trouble," Harry finished his summation. "Sounds like a bad Disney movie."
Gwen glanced back, and Spider-Man and Jackpot dropped down behind her. "They can explain what's taken him better than I can…" Gwen motioned to the couple.
"The black suit is a type of parasite, a symbiote. It's feeding off Miles, particularly his emotions. It has taken over his body and motor functions, and the longer it stays on him, the more it will take…" Jackpot explained.
Jackpot glanced to Spider-Man. "It's almost a euphoric feeling at first, as it feeds off negative feelings like anxiety, fear, and pain. Also has the benefit of healing injuries, even near fatal ones," Spider-Man continued, missing Harry's widening eyes. "As much as I hate that thing, it did save my life early on, but eventually, it starts taking more and more from you, to the point you're not in control at all. You're fully conscious, but all you can do is watch. It's… he's trapped in his own body while the symbiote pulls the strings."
"So… will you help us, Harry?" Gwen asked, a hopeful tone in her voice.
Harry looked her coldly in the eyes, "Only if I can keep the specimen."
"What?" Gwen blinked in confusion.
"Hell no, that thing needs to be destroyed," Spider-Man motioned with his hand harshly. "It's far too dangerous."
"Then the answer is no," Harry sat back in his chair. "I'm a businessman after all and have to judge each action by its cost-benefit ratio, and I see no benefit for me right now. You understand. Of course, now we're aware of such a creature, we can hardly let him remain in the wild. It would behoove us to capture him ourselves, to see what knowledge could be gleaned from him. There could be any number of practical applications for a living bio-suit, even outside the military possibilities."
Before Peter or Mary Jane could stop her, Gwen had Harry by the tie and lifting him out of his chair. He opened his mouth to complain, but she shoved the heel of her palm into his open mouth. "Ok, you want to make a deal? Let's deal. You help us save Miles, and I won't fill your insides full of webbing. How about that one?"
"Give Oscorp half of the remains of the symbiote," Harry mumbled against her hand. Gwen moved her two middle fingers over the button of her webshooters. "Thirty-five percent of the symbiote. Your society can take and do with the rest. We can contact this Society of yours and provide details of our studies. Deal?"
"Deal…" Gwen let him go and stepped back.
"Gwen!" Spider-Man gasped.
"We don't have a choice. We have to do this…" Gwen glanced back at the older webswinger. Harry cleared his throat and adjusted his tie.
"You know, Gwen… if you were this impassioned to help our Peter as you are Miles, he might still be walking among us." Jackpot and Spider-Man managed to grab her this time.
A short while later, Harry, Gwen, Peter and MJ joined Hobie, Noir, Ham, and Pav inside the bank. "So what's the plan?" Ham asked, placing a hand on his hip.
"Is… he a cartoon?" Harry blinked at Spider-Ham.
"You get used to it," Gwen waved the conversation off before it started. "I'll get Miles in here, and then we seal the steel shutters, trapping us inside. Once that happens, while high-frequency sounds are played through the lobby speaker system, we use these rifles to hurt the suit enough to get Miles out. We still try our best to not hurt him, but… but I'd rather him be hurt and free than whatever is going to happen to him when the symbiote's done."
Harry then opened one of the cases to reveal a high tech-looking rifle. The sight almost made Gwen throw up. Miles… don't… don't make me do this… It was exactly the same rifle she was holding in the model display Lyla had shown her. "These are high heat plasma repulsor rifles. Prototypes from Oscorp for Stark Enterprise' peace keeping division."
"He can beat it again…" Gwen whispered to herself, closing her eyes tightly. "He can beat it…"
"When we save your boyfriend…" Harry grabbed her attention, giving her a soft but honest smile, "And if I can do what I think I can with the symbiote's genetics … maybe… maybe we can all get together for a D&D session?"
"I…" Gwen started to snap but closed her mouth, seeing the sad look in Harry's eyes. She knew he had to miss Peter as much as she did. "I dunno if Miles has ever played…"
"Well, there's a first time for everything, right?" Harry smiled, closing the case to the rifle and missing Gwen's slight shiver at the phrase.
"I think we can take it from here," Peter B. Parker said, walking up to the group. "You can go back to your board meetings, Harry."
"No, I'm staying right here," Harry crossed his arms.
"That wasn't part of the deal," Gwen glanced to the businessman.
"Number one, I'm the only one that can close the shutters without getting the police involved. And number two, I don't trust any of you to hold up your end of the bargain. I… I need this symbiote for someone close to me. The healing factor, this could be life and death, even if I get less than we initially agreed upon."
"Fine, you can stay, but behind cover. This is probably going to get ugly…" Gwen sighed.
"So, how are you going to get him to show himself to get him inside?" Peter asked.
"That's easy, I hope…" Gwen glanced to him over her shoulder. "He's probably already on or around the tower… and if any part of him is still Miles Morales… he'll never let me fall."
"Be careful," Peter called after her as she fired a webline and swung out of the bank lobby on up to the top of the of the tower.
She glanced around and pulled her mask back on her face. It was almost the exact same view she had seen when Miles called her his muse, when he told her he loved her. And as she began to walk around the overhang, as if in zero gravity thanks to her powers, she was back to the spot where they had first teased the idea. "In every other universe…" Gwen repeated to herself, gazing out at the upside-down view to her city, "Gwen Stacy falls for Spider-Man… and in every other universe… it doesn't end well," she finished, looking out at the slowly setting sun. "You said there was a first time for everything, Miles… please… don't let this be any other universe," she whispered as if in prayer, released her feet's hold on the surface above her and took the leap of faith.
She felt the wind rush past her as she dropped toward the unforgiving concrete below. Her spider-sense screamed, but she fought it because under it all was another tingle far more familiar and comforting. As she felt a pair of arms encircle her, she imagined the drum beat in her head giving her a four count, then snapped her eyes open and fired weblines from both hands. It threw Miles off balance as she pulled them both into the bank lobby. "HARRY! NOW!" she cried out, and the security shutters slapped down over every entrance and window.
She flipped away from Miles, and her stomach dropped when she saw the monstrous face that used to be the black suit's mask. "Always betraying us…" it spoke with a voice that just barely resembled Miles'.
Harry then hit the switch that fired off super sonic frequencies from the speakers of the lobby, and Miles gripped his head and roared as the noise slammed into him.
The Spiders and Harry, all armed with the plasma repulsor rifles, began firing on the symbiote, but only Harry was aiming for the body. "Don't let up!"
"He's right, we can't let it recover!" Peter B called out as they began to fire on all sides. Gwen simply watched while holding on to her own rifle with trembling hands.
After taking several hits, the symbiote lashed out its tendrils, grabbing Spiders and slinging them toward the speakers, smashing them with the impact. During the mass of slashing tendrils, falling debris, and flying Spiders, Gwen was knocked back and lost her rifle in the mess.
Once the speakers were destroyed, Miles turned his assault on the remaining Spiders. Peter B. tried to fire a webline to escape, but Miles grabbed him by the leg and turned toward the secured entrance of the bank. "Miles, buddy, don't do this. You don't want to… AH!" Peter cried as the monster tried to use him to break open the reinforced shutters.
Jackpot leaped toward the two, but their symbiote-controlled friend threw the unconscious Spider-Man at his wife, knocking them both to the floor.
"Gwendy, we 'ave ta do somethin' soon, luv, or e'll get out o 'ere!" Hobie said, checking on the two.
Gwen glanced to the side and saw Harry's last plasma rifle. It was a worse-case-scenario failsafe for her, and as the black-suited Miles Morales rushed toward her, she knew she had no other choice and used her webbing to draw the weapon to her and aim it her boyfriend.
She reached up with her free hand and pulled off her mask so he could see her face, maybe even allow her one last chance to reach him. "Miles! Miles, please. Please don't… don't make me do this…"
As the beast rushed toward her, inside another fight was raging.
In an empty void, a fifteen-year-old boy in a Spider-Man Halloween costume two sizes two small hit the ground roughly and gasped for breath as a giant, black monster stood over him. "STOP FIGHTING US!"
"Then… give… me… back… control…" the masked boy glared up through the mask's eyeholes.
"We are helping you, Miles! We are the only ones who want to…" The monster hissed.
"Look around you, Miles. You are all alone; it is only me and you… we are all you have…" the monster said reaching out a hand. "Embrace us, and we can finally become whole…"
"They abandoned you once, and they've abandoned you again…" it hissed. "There's no one here but us… just us…" Miles began to relax his body in defeat and looked at the monster's outstretched hand.
He was about to reach when the sound of a baby cooing beside him grabbed his attention. "May…Mayday?" Miles glanced at the curly, redheaded child.
"You're the reason I had her, ok?!" Peter B's voice echoed. "I thought if I did a decent enough job raising her that there's a chance that she'd turn out like you. And that got me excited because you are a WONDERFUL PERSON! And I LIKE being around you!"
You're not alone
There's no doubt
Your gift isn't futile to be
"You're the best of us, Miles… you're on your way…" His uncle spoke from behind him.
Miles slowly sat up, and the beast began to look around as figures began to appear in the shadows, slowly becoming clearer
If we'll be united
We're stronger together
"I see this, this spark in you. It's amazing!" His father spoke, "Whatever you choose to do with it, you'll be great."
"Man-like Miles! MY GUY!" Hobie cheered.
We always have the high hope
Not all for one but one for all
"What I always think…" Gwen spoke softly, standing nearer than the rest, "You're amazing…"
Don't worry 'bout a thing
We'll reach out to you
Even if it's the harder way
"For years I've been taking care of this little boy, right?" His mother spoke, "Making sure he's loved, that he feels he belongs wherever he wants to be. He wants to go out into the world and do great big things, but what I worry about the most is they won't look out for you like us… they won't root for you."
It's plain to see the reason why
Oh, that's all because of the mighty heart
Gwen removed her mask, and he could feel the love in her eyes, "Tea Ammo, My Armor."
Remember it's just natural that
We'll be there if you need help
"NO… This isn't true, it's only us… it's only US!" the monster roared.
"Promise you'll not do something crazy like with the Spot again…" Gwen asked softly, "Promise, even if you have to do something risky, you'll always make it back… that you'll always find a way back to me… promise me, Miles."
Far across the Distance…
"Wherever you go from here, you have to promise to take care of that little boy for me," his mother asked. "Make sure he never forgets where he came from… and he never doubts that he's loved…"
Rest assured…
That our faith…
""NO!" The monster roared and threw a punch down at Miles, but a glove with a red palm caught his fist and twisted it backwards.
The monster looked up into the redlined eyes of Spider-Man, who glared back at him as he stood over Miles. The teen Miles faded away as Spider-Man tightened his grip on the monster's fist.
"I have everyone I need," Spider-Man narrowed the lenses of his mask. "I don't need you."
Just won't die!
"We are one!" the Symbiote roared in Spider-Man's face. "Nah…" He shook his head and clenched his fists. "I'm Spider-Man, and I'm not the only one," he replied, and as Gwen pulled the trigger of her rifle, Miles released his venom strike from every pore of his body.
In the split second as the blast from the rifle approached him, the black suit bubbled and boiled from the release of electrical energy. Just before the blast made contact, a very soft thwip sounded from the shadowy corner of the ruins of the lobby and a single, thin webline shot out and attached to Miles back, jerking him free from the Symbiote just as the blast connected.
Miles felt dazed and struggled to stay conscious as he was lowered to the ground. All he could see was a head of long blond hair. "Hey, hey, kid, you're ok," a vaguely familiar voice spoke as Miles started to lose consciousness. "You've done good, Spider-Man, now rest a second and get back up."
Across the lobby ruins, Gwen was on her knees, crying into her hands. He was gone, and this time, there wasn't any coming back. She heard her watch beeping, but she couldn't deal with seeing "Canon Event Complete."
"Gwen! LOOK!" Peter B. Parker cried as Hobie helped him up, pointing to his own watch.
Gwen blinked before finally taking a deep breath and looked at her own. She rubbed her eyes furiously. She had to be looking at it wrong. "Canon Event Interrupted."
"Inter… interrupted… but that means…" She breathed before glancing to see someone rising from the rubble. Miles was covered in cuts and burns and nothing else. "Miles?" She asked softly, watching him dragging his feet.
"Gw-Gwen?" He asked before he began to stumble forward.
She used her webs to zipline toward him and collided with his falling body, going to her knees and lowered him down with her. She held him as if her whole life depended on it, and with his head on her chest, she was sure he could hear her heart racing.
"Miles? You… you're alright…" She rested her cheek on his head, holding him even tighter as she cradled him.
"I promised…" He whispered as his breathing evened out into a steady rhythm as he lost consciousness again. Gwen could only hold on tight and cry.
To Be Continued…
