"So, what's the plan?"

Gwen fiddled with her web-shooters, not turning to face Peter B.'s question. The two had taken a moment away from the others, on Peter's request. Apparently there were some things they had to discuss before they headed out.

"What do you mean?" she replied. "We go to Earth-42, get Miles, and bring him home." She finished the adjustments her web-shooters didn't need and rested her hands on the edge of the rooftop they were perched on. "Simple enough, right?"

Peter sighed, scratching his head nervously. Mayday squirmed in his lap, focused intently on a conversation she couldn't understand.

"I know 'the plan', Gwen. I'm more concerned about the plan after the plan."

Gwen turned to meet her friend's tired eyes. They burned with determination for his former pupil, but a shade of uncertainty hid just beneath the surface. She dug her palms into the edge of the rooftop, staring down to the streets below, unable to form a reply. Peter continued to press her.

"I know you know how risky this is. But let's take away Miguel and Spider Society for a minute. I need to know what we're going to do about…Miles."

Gwen bit her lip, her mind racing with memories of the past day. She took a deep breath as she tried to collect her thoughts.

"I…I don't know, Peter."

She heard an exhale to her right as the elder Spider-person kissed his daughter softly on her bright red curls. Gwen had noticed it was something he did when he needed to calm himself down.

"I gotta be honest here, Gwen. I…" There was another exasperated exhale from Peter as he rubbed his eyes. "I don't know what to do." Peter looked out into the city, one of an infinite number of mirror versions of his beloved hometown.

"All I'm here to do is to make sure that he's okay, you know? I mean, at this point, I think that's all I can really do…"

Gwen looked over to her friend, whose eyes had turned sadly down into his daughter's hair. He gave her a few half-hearted bounces on his knee, which she responded to excitedly.

"I let him down," Peter continued, his voice wavering a little. "He trusted me and I let him down." He let out a breath.

"And I thought I was protecting him. That I was doing what was best for him."

Gwen swallowed, trying to push down her feelings.

"So did I," she said softly, her eyes leaping from building to building in the distance. "But in the end, I just ended up hurting him."

Peter nodded, understanding how she felt. The two stewed in their guilt and regret for a moment before Peter spoke up again.

"Listen, Gwen," he said, clearing his throat awkwardly. "It's like I said. I'm just here to make sure he's okay, but…" He turned to the young woman, unsure if what he was about to say was right for the moment. "You're…the only one who can bring him back."

Gwen met Peter's eyes. She couldn't read them this time. She brushed some hair out of her face absentmindedly. He was clearly struggling to say whatever it was he was trying to say.

"Um, Peter, I'm...not really following here." Peter cleared his throat again, straightening up a bit. Gwen noticed Mayday curiously looking up at her father, as if she was trying to get a read on him, too.

"Well…" he began. "I just…know how much you guys mean to each other. I know what you mean to each other...you know?"

Gwen felt a bit of heat in her face as she awkwardly looked back out into the streets.

"Um," she managed to reply. "Uh…well, Peter-"

Peter raised a hand up to stop her. "You don't have to go into the details." He chuckled. "Trust me, I've been in those shoes before."

Gwen gave an amused exhale through her nose, and the hint of a smile touched the edge of her lips as she looked to Mayday, who smiled brightly and cooed in adoration. Gwen took a deep breath, her heart beginning to twist as she thought of him.

"I just…see so much in him, you know?" As the sun began to peak above the horizon, she felt as if she were speaking to all of New York.

"He's got all this potential to do great things. To do the right things. And I want to see him fulfill that more than anyone. And I know he wants to, more than anything. Even if the world's against him, he won't back down on that."

Peter nodded in agreement, smiling thoughtfully at memories of his former protegé. Gwen went on as a soft wind blew through her hair.

"Ever since I jumped into that collider, I've felt like he's the only person who understands what this is like for me. But…he was an entire universe away."

Peter looked as Gwen suddenly grew quiet, her hands folded in her lap.

"After all that time, I just ended up hurting him," she said, her voice quivering ever so slightly. "And I need to do this for myself just as much as I need to do it for him." Her heart ached as she remembered his last words to her.

"I can't let this be goodbye, Peter." She looked up to her friend, seeing a look on his face that mixed pride with melancholy. "I need him to know what he means to me. And I need to make things right."

Peter smiled tiredly as the sun rose on New York. Mayday squinted as the bright sunlight struck her eyes, and Peter gently tucked her Spider-beanie over her eyes.

"So do I," he replied. He stretched, sighed in satisfaction, and rolled backwards off of his seat to land on the rooftop behind him, yawning as he paced back and forth.

"Okay!" he exclaimed. "I guess this has been a good step one to the 'real plan'. A great 'team-building' exercise."

Gwen shook her head and smiled. Peter was always good at breaking the tension and bringing things back down to whatever Earth they were on.

"That being said," he continued. "We still need a more solid plan. What do you say we go talk to the others?" Peter gestured towards the fire escape. Gwen nodded.

"I'll be down in a minute," she said, turning back towards the sunrise. "I just…wanna watch this for a bit longer."

Peter shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said before heading for the fire escape. Gwen heard Mayday squeal excitedly as Peter vaulted over the edge of the roof and down to where the others were. She gazed out over the city as a ray of orange warmth struck the rooftops.

Longingly, she leaned to her left, and felt something caught in her throat when there was no shoulder there to catch her. No warm, solid presence to carry her loneliness. No nervous yet courageous smile to lift her up. She sat upright again, feeling her heart climb back up into her chest from where it had fallen.

She looked up to the sky and closed her eyes, imagining another perfect moment with him.