When Gwen woke up it was after ten in the morning. She rushed to her laptop and opened the lid. She quickly logged into her email. She bounced when she saw one from Pepper Potts. She clicked on it and then opened the attached forms. Her grin slipped into a smile, then a frown. To work for them she'd need her father's signature and approval from the local board of education. Not the New York City Board of Education. The one where the Stark Industries Research Park was located. Thankfully all her father needed to do was sign it. Gwen breathed a small sigh of relief when she actually read the contents of Pepper's email. The request had already been approved by the local board of education, pending her father's signature. She sent them to her Aunt and Uncle's printer and closed her laptop up and got changed to walk home.

Gwen didn't see her Uncle Ben, or Peter when she was moving to leave the house. Aunt May was crocheting in the living room. May waved to her.

"Just give me a few minutes, I'll make you something to eat."

Gwen smiled at her aunt.

"I'm good Auntie May. I need to go talk to my dad."

That made her Aunt May smile.

"Good. I'm glad."

Gwen tugged on her shoes and walked home. Her father was sitting at their kitchen table reading a newspaper. He looked over it when he heard her. She could tell by the panicked look in his eyes he hadn't expected to see her. She heard the shower. She frowned. She couldn't react badly or he'd never sign the paper. On the bright side he was probably so mortified he would sign it just to avoid a conversation about Erica being there.

"Uh, Gwen. I did not expect to see you this weekend."

Gwen forced a smile onto her face.

"I didn't expect to be home. I need you to sign something. Also, I need some new clothes."

Gwen pulled out the form she needed to get her New Jersey work papers and put them in front of her father. She sat down at the table. He put down his newspaper and picked up the parental permission form. He put them back down and looked at Gwen.

"What is this for?"

"You remember that school trip to Stark Industries?"

"Vaguely."

"Mr. Stark asked me if I'd like to intern there over my summer holidays. I asked him if I could do anything for Stark Industries during my Christmas break. He said yes."

"As in 'the' Stark Industries? Is this at Stark Tower?"

"Yes."

"I thought that wasn't finished being built."

Gwen sighed softly.

"Its at the Research Park in New Jersey."

Her father looked over the papers again.

"New Jersey? That's in another state."

"Its only forty-five minutes away."

"How are you planning on getting there then?"

"Mr. Stark is going to hire a car service for me. There and back."

The shower turned off and he glanced towards the bathroom. He rubbed his face.

"Look, I should tell you something."

Gwen frowned.

"I know already dad. I don't want to talk about it. Just focus on the paperwork please."

"Is this about money?"

Gwen rolled her eyes.

"No dad. Its about not being stuck sitting around for two weeks missing mom."

"They build weapons, it's not going to be anything dangerous, is it?"

"No dad. If I'm lucky I'll be sitting in a lab shadowing some researcher. I'll probably just be filing paperwork or something. It is an internship not a full-time job. Just sign it please."

"Is it paid?"

Gwen was starting to get frustrated.

"Yes!"

"Okay, okay. I'll sign it. Just don't let them put you somewhere you might get hurt."

Her father lifted up the pen she'd provided and signed his name. He handed the stack of papers to her. She grabbed them.

"Thanks. I'll go scan them so you can warn her I'm here."

Gwen went into her room and closed the door. She started to run the form through her scanner. She could hear them out there trying to be quiet. They had a bit of an argument. He had told Erica that Gwen wouldn't be back over the weekend. Erica was upset. He was trying to calm her down. Gwen focused on getting the form to Pepper. Pepper replied shortly afterwards that she had received them and would take care of the rest for Gwen.

Gwen waited until it sounded like things had calmed down between Erica and her father and left her room. Erica waved at Gwen. Gwen tried not to scowl at her.

"Hiya Gwen."

"Hello Erica."

Her dad looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Gwen decided to save herself more awkwardness.

"So, dad, about the clothes I need?"

Her dad blinked a few times then nodded.

"Hey, didn't we buy you a whole set of clothes before school started."

Gwen nodded then shrugged.

"I don't know what to say, they don't fit me anymore."

"You outgrew them already?"

"Apparently. So can we afford them or what?"

Her father pondered briefly he glanced at Erica.

"Why don't we all go?"

Gwen blinked in disbelief at her father. She was trying really hard not to rip into him about how insensitive that was. Finally, she sighed.

"I was hoping to just go get it done instead of making it a thing."

Erica was definitely on the same wavelength as Gwen in regards to the shopping trip.

"You know what. I have some things to do today…"

Gwen shook her head.

"Don't worry about it Erica. Dad just transfer the money to my account and I'll go shopping."

Erica touched her father's hand. He shook his head.

"No, I'll take you shopping. You're grounded."

Gwen shrugged.

"Whatever dad."

Gwen collapsed into one of their kitchen chairs since her usual one was taken up by Erica. Her dad stood up and went into his room to get ready. Erica looked at Gwen. Gwen held up her hand.

"Just don't Erica. I know all about it."

Erica nodded, but she spoke in a low whisper.

"I know you're angry with us, but please do not tell him about that thing in the alley."

Gwen blinked at her. She'd nearly forgotten about the encounter truth being told. In fact, she had forgotten about it right up to the fever-dream. She started to realize maybe she'd had other dreams that night she didn't remember, and it brought her anger at her mother's death closer to the surface. She let the thought go. That way be the monster of self-reflection which she decided to avoid confronting like any normal teenager.

"I'm not mad you're seeing my dad. I'm mad you were doing it while my mom was still alive."

Erica went pale.

"How… how did you know?"

Gwen didn't answer, she just grabbed her running shoes and started tying the laces up. Erica was staring at a spot on the table when she spoke again.

"Did your mother know?"

Gwen frowned.

"I have no idea, but I'd like to think if she did my dad would be out the door on his ass."

Erica leaned forward and put her face in her palms. She shook her head.

"It was a mistake, we didn't mean for it to happen."

Gwen stood up.

"Whatever. It's done. She's gone. You two can live happily ever after or whatever. I've always liked you, just don't expect me to get over this bullshit anytime soon."

Her dad caught the tail end of the conversation as he walked out of his room and grabbed Gwen's arm.

"Hey, that is no way to talk to an adult."

Erica held up her hands.

"It's alright. Just let it go George."

Gwen's father puffed out his chest.

"I won't."

He pointed to Erica.

"Gwen, this woman is going to be your stepmother one day, she deserves some respect."

Erica raised her voice.

"George, I told you to drop it."

He looked between the two women. He released Gwen's arm.

"Gwen, that is still no way to speak to an adult. You've been acting out and I'm getting tired of it."

Gwen glared at him.

"Get used to it dad. I'm a teenage girl. Not four, which is when scrambled eggs were my favorite by the way!"

Her dad looked at Erica.

"I'm sorry about this Erica. We'll be back soon."

Erica's hands were shaking as she looked at Gwen. Erica nodded. Gwen walked out of the apartment. She almost ended up slamming the door in her father's face. He managed to stop it but was caught off guard by how strong his daughter had become. Her father's private vehicle was parked in an underground lot a block away from their house. Their walk was silent, as was their drive as he drove them across the state border to New Jersey. The mall they were heading to was the one her mother had always taken her too to shop for clothes, well that and Costco. Just after they left the tunnel, he glanced over at her.

"I thought kids wanted everything bought online these days."

Gwen didn't even turn away from the window when she responded.

"Well, I would if I had a credit card, and I knew what size I was."

"You knew what your size was in August."

Gwen rolled her eyes.

"That was then, this is now. Look dad, I started working out. I lost some weight. I'm taller than I was last year so all my skirts are too short for school."

Her father kept himself focused on the road.

"Its not because… it's not because of your mother, right? You've been eating enough?"

At this point Gwen turned to him with a look of disbelief on her face.

"You seriously think Aunt May would let me out of her house without forcing me to eat something if she thought I was starving myself?"

Her father moved his head side to side.

"I guess you're right. Now, why were you being so rude to Erica if you knew already?"

Gwen looked at him in disbelief once again.

"You really want to do this now? While we're trapped in a car together? Maybe I'm not talking to you so I don't say something we'll both regret, dad. Did you think of that?"

He frowned.

"What is with you? You used to be such a good girl. Now you're swearing at me, being rude to Erica. Doing… stuff with older boys. I got a call from your Gym teacher who tells me you haven't been trying in his class all year."

Gwen glared at him.

"First off, Flash is my age dad! We're in the same grade! Second you deserved everything I threw at you, and third if you hadn't been fucking Erica behind my mother's back I wouldn't be pissed at her! And so what! It's just Gym class, who cares about it? And by the way, who are you to go getting all moralistic on my sex life when you can't keep it in your pants!"

Her father went very pale when she admitted she knew about him cheating on her mother. His knuckles went white as he held the steering wheel. He was quiet for the rest of their drive. If Gwen weren't so angry at him she might have felt bed for the nuclear bomb she'd just dropped on him. After he parked he kept staring straight ahead.

"Gwen, there are things you just don't understand about the situation. You just have to trust me that it was a mistake and we only did it once."

Gwen kicked the floor panel on her side of the car.

"Trust you? Mom trusted you and look where that got her."

Her father's grip on the steering wheel tightened. Though he was a big man with a temper he had never once laid a hand on her, or her mother. Her heart fluttered briefly. Part of her was worried she'd pushed too hard. Then her father relaxed as he let out a long-held breath. He spoke in an eerily calm voice.

"Gwen. I made a mistake. I hurt you. I will not do it again. What Erica and I did has nothing to do with what happened to your mother. I'm not going to go into details about what exactly happened between us. So, either you will trust me, or you will not. But this whole conversation about it is over. It's done. Do you understand me?"

Gwen nodded in response. She wasn't sure what to say. The rest of their shopping trip was quiet. Her father didn't comment on her choices, nor did he say a word during their lunch in the food court. When she looked into his eyes, she saw defeat. Apparently, she'd won the battle, possibly the war. She sure didn't feel like a winner.