Gwen had taken Steve Rogers up on his offer. The pair were in the boxing ring. Steve was hesitant to hit her at first. She'd managed to convince him she could take a hit though. Considering some of the things she'd survived up to this point, a sparring match was not likely to do much harm to her. Even with Captain America. Not that he could hit her. Her spider sense made that very challenging. He took a swing. Once again, she wasn't there. Her follow up punch didn't land. Steve motioned for them to go again.

"You have the fastest reaction times I've ever seen. You still punch like a girl."

Gwen tried taking another one-two combo punch at him. She clipped him in the chin of his headguard. Then bent backwards suddenly to avoid his retaliation swing. He smiled and they reset.

"Remind me again how you managed to get shot if you have this danger sense?"

Gwen shrugged.

"Inexperience and a lot of bullets."

He motioned for her to attack. He swung at her as she came in. She spun around, evading his strike and feinted with a punch in his face. Her other hand went for a gut shot. Steve staggered back holding his side.

"You're getting better."

He pulled the Velcro on his glove off and looked at it with a shake of his head.

"You know, we'd have to get help stringing these up back in the day? Now just rip and you're out of them. You're spoiled."

Gwen laughed and started removing her own gloves. They each removed their headgear. He motioned at a punching bag.

"Let's do some work on a bag. Don't quite have anything to deal with your strength so let's go gentle, well gentle for you."

She practiced the combos he had shown her. He encouraged her and corrected her where she could improve. As she worked on her combos, he started asking questions. Questions she was sure she should answer. For some reason she felt she could trust him.

"I read about you some more. I will admit I'm a little concerned. You're a wanted criminal. Murder, Attempted murder. Those are serious crimes."

Gwen punched the bag a few more times as she answered.

"Someone else tried to kill James Fisk."

She threw another combo.

"I just took the blame to protect my family. James's father is a very bad man. He put a hit out on me. His father would kill the real person who did it. He has no idea who Spider-Woman really is, so he has no one to target."

She threw another flurry of blows at the bag.

"The murder?"

Gwen's punches became harder threatening to burst the bag again.

"He was shot by Fisk's bodyguard. When I tried to grab him. Because I was technically committing a crime any death during that crime can be attributed to me."

He held up his hand.

"Slow down. You're going to break the bag again."

Gwen stopped punching the bag.

"Sorry. Sensitive subject. Being blamed for my uncle's death. If I'd known… It was James and his thugs that did it. Stupid laws. The only reason I had to be involved is because the police are on Kingpin's payroll. Fuck!"

She hauled off and punched the bag again. He slid back again still seeming to be surprised by the raw strength she had. Steve shook his head.

"Now where I come from, people do not say words like that in polite company."

Gwen's hands went to her mouth, and she blushed.

"I'm so sorry. I'm usually not… It usually takes more than being angry to make me do that."

He nodded.

"Apology accepted. What you say, and how you say it is a reflection on your upbringing, I am sure your mother and your Uncle Ben wouldn't want to hear you talking like that."

Gwen nodded. He took up position behind the bag and motioned for her to start again. She started throwing combos again. Gwen was starting to break a sweat. A rare occurrence for her. He started to speak to her again.

"Last night… when I asked you to imagine you were hitting someone when you hit the bag. Who did you see that made you so angry?"

Gwen didn't say anything and focused on the bag as she punched it.

"Gwen, it is alright to be angry at someone. Letting it fester. It's kind of like a poison."

Gwen unleashed another four-hit combo on the bag. Each blow slid Steve back a bit further.

"Did someone hurt you?"

Gwen unleashed another combo rocking Steve even through the bag. He didn't let up.

"Get it out Gwen. Just get it out."

Gwen let loose another flurry of blows. Causing puffs of dust to explode into the air from the bag. She was breathing heavily as her fists fell to her side and she finally answered him.

"I saw my face, Cap. I did this to myself. I ruined any chance I had at a normal life. I am responsible for my uncle's death. I pushed Flash away. I trusted Obadiah Stane. Then I kissed my best friend's boyfriend last night. Why can't I do anything right? I just poison and destroy everything I touch. How long before my dad gets hurt? My stepmom? My Aunt May? Peter?"

Steve patted the bag a few times. There was a lot to unpack in Gwen's admission. He finally started to unwrap the cloth from his hands.

"And because you live this double life, who do you have to talk to about it?"

She wiped tears that were starting to fall from her eyes with the back of her hands and nodded. He was about to say more when Gwen's phone started ringing. She moved over to it, her pace quickened when she saw PP on the call display. She answered the phone.

"Peter, what's wrong?"

Peter sounded upset.

"It's Aunt May, she's in the hospital. We're at Queen's general. I… why weren't you at the house today?"

Gwen blinked a few times.

"I had… someplace to be. Look, I'll be right there. Sorry."

She disconnected the call. She gave an apologetic look to Steve.

"I need to go. My Aunt May is in the hospital. Thanks Cap. I'll see you later."

He nodded and watched her go. Gwen ordered an Uber. She totally forgot her hands were wrapped for boxing. She was so worried about her Aunt May, nothing else really seemed to matter at the moment. The ride from the boxing gym to the hospital was a stressful one. Gwen spent the whole time assuming the worst. She rushed to the floor and room Peter had given her. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard her Aunt May speaking as she approached the room.

"I am feeling fine, really. I was just light-headed."

Gwen closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief before going inside. She blinked a few times when she saw MJ was there with Peter. She thought since when was she part of the family? Peter caught her look and frowned. Gwen plastered a smile on her face.

"Auntie May. I'm so glad you're doing okay."

Aunt May smiled at her, then her lips slipped into a frown when she saw the wrappings on Gwen's hands. Peter and MJ excused themselves quietly.

"Are you okay? I told your father leaving you alone for a month was a poor choice."

Gwen looked at her hands and gave a soft laugh.

"Oh, no, I'm fine. I was just… volunteering with an older veteran. He wanted to show me how to box."

Aunt May smiled.

"Oh, that's good of you, spending your time helping someone. Is boxing okay for him?"

Gwen shrugged.

"He's very spry for a hundred-year-old."

Aunt May tended to think the best of everyone, but that didn't mean she just accepted things blindly, so Gwen wasn't surprised when she inquired further.

"How did you come to be volunteering?"

Gwen shrugged and she continued the conversation while unwrapping her hands.

"One of the Federal Agents from that mess at Stark Industries asked me to meet with him. They're worried I might have some… PTSD after being in an explosion. They figured someone who's also been in a few close calls with explosives might be able to help me through it. I'm fine though."

She held up her hands and turned them.

"See, all fine. Now enough about me, let's talk about you Auntie May. Why are you here? I know it is not for the food. It must be serious. Peter isn't the type of person to call an ambulance randomly."

Her Aunt May waved her hand.

"Oh pish. I just fainted. I didn't drink enough water, that's all. It is a hot day. All this is unnecessary."

Gwen nodded.

"And expensive."

Her Aunt May nodded. Gwen walked around beside the bed and took her Aunt May's hand.

"You do not have to worry about the bill. I will pay for it. I still have my last bonus. So, why are you really here, Auntie May?"

Aunt May shook her head.

"No, I can't do that to you."

Gwen smiled at her.

"Aunt May, I saved it to help if it was needed. I was going to buy you a new roof, but a new roof and no you wouldn't be very good, would it?"

Tears started to drip down May's cheeks.

"My heart. They say my arteries are clogged. It is so expensive."

Gwen sat down in a chair beside the hospital bed.

"You've known about this?"

May nodded. Gwen squeezed her hand.

"You're getting the treatment. No matter what. How much did they say it would be?"

Aunt May wiped her tears up with a tissue and shook her head. Gwen squeezed her hand gently.

"Auntie May, if you don't get the surgery who will look after Peter?"

Aunt May looked at Gwen like she'd just cursed up a storm. Finally, her face fell and she nodded.

"With Medicaid, ten thousand dollars. It's too much."

Gwen laughed.

"I'll barely notice that Auntie May. You tell them to schedule the surgery. I'll make sure the bill is paid. And while you're here, I'll get your roof repaired so you won't be bothered by the noise."

May pulled Gwen in close for a hug.

"We don't deserve you, Gwen. You're too good for this world."

Gwen felt a pang of guilt. She sighed as she broke the hug.

"Look Auntie May, I wasn't entirely honest about the whole volunteering thing. I did something bad, a few things bad, one of them enabled a bad person to almost hurt a bunch of people. So, Mr. Stark asked me to speak to the veteran, who, has had similar experiences he hoped… He hoped that my new friend would rub off on me. Mr. Stark says I'm too smart for my own good and Dad just doesn't understand what I'm capable of."

Her Aunt May nodded to her.

"That's the truth. You can't lie to me Gwen Stacy."

"So, my new friend, Steve, he's a… how do I say this, used to be a hero. Anyway, he pointed out I'm just really angry about everything that's happened, Uncle Ben, my mom. Obadiah… Mr. Stane. So, he's teaching me to box so I can get that anger out constructively, or so he says."

Her Aunt May nodded.

"Well, I want to meet this, Steve. Make sure he's the type of person you should be around."

Gwen blanched at that idea. Was he supposed to be secret? She bit her lower lip.

"Look, he's… uh, part of, a secret organization. Uncle Ben used to… work for."

May nodded.

"I see. He left there for a good reason. What are they dragging you into? If your Uncle Ben were alive…"

Gwen swallowed hard. Her Aunt May knew about Her Uncle Ben's past? Of course, she did they'd been married for forty plus years.

"I didn't know… you knew. I'm sorry."

May nodded and folded her hands in her lap after pushing herself up on the bed.

"I really must meet him, especially with your father gone for so long. Since your father gave me legal custody of you for the time he is away, I feel responsible."

Gwen sighed.

"He's just a really good guy."

Gwen snapped her fingers and pulled out the collector's card of him holding the baby as Captain America. She offered it to her Aunt May who adjusted her glasses to see it.

"This is from the second World War, how could he still be alive."

Gwen shrugged.

"I donno, Auntie May, you know the people he works for. Maybe they froze him or something. Anyway, he is a really good man, look he's holding a baby and the baby looks so happy! I don't really want to trouble him more than I have."

"Pish to that. I want to meet him if he's spending so much time with you alone, a fifteen-year-old girl. What does Adam think of this?"

Gwen blushed.

"He doesn't know, I didn't think it was important."

Her Aunt May frowned again.

"That sounds like you know it's important but have left it out of your conversations because you think he'll be upset."

Gwen shook her head and waved her hand.

"No way, Adam is not like that. He could literally have any girl he wants."

May pulled off her reading glasses and offered the card back to Gwen.

"He chose you, it's up to you to make him feel good about that decision."

Gwen felt her cheeks burning.

"You're right. I'll talk to him, and I'll ask, Steve to stop by."

May put her glasses down and smiled at Gwen. Gwen sighed and nodded.

"Alright, I'll go do it now."

Her Aunt May squeezed her hand.

"I will see you later. Don't you go using me being here to avoid your responsibilities. You have a job after all."

"Yes, Auntie May. I'm sorry I lied."

Gwen said goodbye and gave her Aunt May another hug. She ran into Peter in the hall. MJ was nowhere to be seen. Peter was pacing and fuming. He kept his voice low so their aunt could not hear.

"You were so rude to MJ in there. She was here to support us, where were you? You think just fluttering in here and offering to pay for everything is going to make you not being around to help Aunt May better?"

Gwen shook her head. She was blindsided by his intense anger.

"What is that about? I have a job, so do you. I made a mistake and I have to pay the price for that which is volunteering. Would you rather I go to jail?"

Peter gave her a small shove. She stumbled; She had totally not expected such physicality from him so hadn't been prepared to resist it.

"Maybe you should be, huh? All that money you have? Is it from helping Spider-Woman? After what she did to Uncle Ben?"

He moved to shove Gwen again. She let him. He was angry and she didn't see a reason to resist so she stumbled backwards.

"No, Peter, I earned that working for Stark Industries and developing technologies that got me bonuses. Stop shoving me!"

"So, you do it for free? Help a murderer?"

Peter shoved her again. Gwen was getting to the point where she was going to put a stop to the physical abuse swiftly. Her temper was starting to get the best of her. She pointed at him.

"Touch me again and you will regret it. Last and only warning."

He moved closer to her; He'd grown several inches the last year so was bigger than her now.

"What? You going to get her to beat me up, like she did to that innocent guy?"

Gwen lost it. At least now she understood her heightened emotions were sourced from the super soldier serum. Like Steve had confirmed, it just made you more of what you are, and she was an emotional teenage girl. He went to shove her again and she grabbed him and slammed him into the hospital wall. He struggled against her but was pinned. She kept her voice quiet.

"Listen up, Peter, that innocent man raped and beat my mother to death. It was his thug that shot Uncle Ben. You shouldn't listen to liars on the internet! The same ones who are calling for gay and trans people to be lined up on the street and shot if they won't conform to society. That is Nazi shit! You're fucking gay for God's sake."

MJ had turned the corner at the worst time and must have suspected something already because she just put her hand to her mouth and ran off. Peter watched her go and a new hatred entered his eyes when he looked back at Gwen.

"I'm not! You had no right to say that!"

He struggled to break free. Gwen released him and he ran after MJ. Gwen swore under her breath as once again her emotions got the best of her. She cursed her inability to keep her mouth shut. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before following the pair. They were just in front of the hospital's emergency room access doors. They were arguing, as she approached, she overheard Peter.

"Gwen is just jealous of us, she said that to push you away, she's a bit out of control you saw her in the room with Aunt May."

MJ glared at him.

"Quit lying Peter! Quit lying. I knew it was too good to be true."

Gwen approached them. Peter gave her a withering glare.

"Peter's right. I'm a bitch. I said that to break you up. Blame me. Not him. I knew you were suspicious."

MJ looked pretty hurt by Gwen's words. MJ just stared at Gwen with a look of shock and utter disbelief. Gwen shot Peter a vicious glare of her own then left them to sort out the mess. She had done what she could for Peter even as disgusted as she felt about perpetuating his web of lies.