Slamming through the wall, Peter crashed onto the floor, rolling around a few times before finally coming to a stop. Knowing his opponent was coming, he tried to force himself up, but every part of his body practically screamed at him from the pain, preventing him from doing so. He then heard his enemy come into the room, so he tried again.

"At last, I will FINALLY be rid of you, Spider!" Rhino shouted.

Gritting his teeth, Peter finally stood to his feet.

"Come on, Rhino," he said. "I obviously have you... right where I want you."

"Ha, I don't think so!" Rhino retorted. "Now I will crush your skull!"

Peter's opponent then charged him. Summoning what strength he had left, he flipped out of the way, landing just to the side of his opponent, who ended up going straight through the wall, dropping immediately. Peter poked his head through the hole to the outside and, finally seeing his chance, made his move before his body could resist, leaping down in front of a large container in the shipyard. With most opponents, he wouldn't try the exact same move twice, but this was Rhino after all...

"Is that seriously all you got?" Peter teased, getting his opponent's attention.

"Oh, we have so much more than that!" Rhino shouted. Timing his move just right, Peter once more flipped out of the way, allowing Rhino to zoom straight into the container. Working quickly, Peter shut the doors, webbing them as tightly as he could. Naturally, his opponent attempted to escape, but fortunately the container's hard metal combined with his webbing to the door proved sturdy enough, rendering the man's efforts futile.

"Yeah, that's right!" Peter said, already starting to feel the toll this fight had taken on his body. "Just... stay right there."

He then made his way back to the front of the building, where this had all started. As expected, Peter found multiple ambulances there, and he landed near one of the paramedics.

"Is everyone alright?" he asked.

"Most of them," the man replied. "We did lose one though; his heart gave out, and we couldn't revive him."

Peter shut his eyes behind the mask, his left hand clenching into a fist even as his right hand moved to his tender ribs.

"I'm sorry," the paramedic said. "Maybe we should check you out before you go."

"No," Peter objected. "I mean, thanks, but..."

He glanced around at the scene before him, with several individuals still being treated or helped into vehicles.

"...I'm sure someone else needs your help a lot more than I do."

As he stepped up to the doorway of his Queens home, Peter took a moment to steel himself, daring to remove the arm supporting his still very tender midsection and standing up straight. The rest of his body seemed to tell him that was a bad idea, but he stood firm. He braced himself to face May as well, who still pretty much always waited up for him even though he was of legal drinking age now. His brain scrambled to think of the best excuse this time as he inserted his key into the doorknob, turning and opening it.

When he did, he found maybe the one person who he'd wanted to see as little as May right now: Gwen. His girlfriend's eyes lit up when she saw him, immediately getting up from her spot on the couch and running over to him.

"You're okay!"

She then crashed into him in a hug, throwing her arms around him. Peter tried, but he was unable to avoid letting out a groan upon the collision.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Peter assured her, though it probably sounded about as convincing as he felt.

"It's just that, you usually answer when I call, even when you're at work."

"Oh man, I'm so sorry," Peter apologized. "I... my battery died. I'm sorry."

He couldn't let on that his phone had been destroyed in battle; really, he was surprised that it hadn't happened more.

"I'm just glad you're okay," she said.

"Yeah," Peter replied, already moving past her. "Listen, Gwen, I'm really..."

Suddenly, Peter's legs gave out, and he dropped to the ground.

"Peter!" Gwen shouted, immediately rushing to his side.

"It's fine!" he tried to reassure her. "I'm alright."

"Are you kidding me?" Gwen questioned. "Your legs just completely gave out!"

"It's nothing," Peter insisted as she helped him to his feet.

"Nothing?" Gwen challenged. "What really happened to you, anyway?"

"I just... I just fell, okay?" he tried to explain. "It's a little embarrassing."

"No one just 'falls' as much as you claim to," Gwen insisted. "You're not that clumsy of a person."

Peter really didn't need this right now.

"Gwen..."

"No, Peter," the woman replied, standing her ground. "You always do this; every time that you get hurt or something bad happens, you always just brush it off, you never let me help, and you won't even talk about what happened. Why don't you let me help you?"

"I... I can't," Peter stammered out.

He was so tired, his body growing weaker by the second.

"Why not?" Gwen asked, irritation growing in her tone.

"Because I can take care of myself," Peter insisted. He could feel his energy fading fast; he didn't know how much longer he could keep this up.

Gwen came over to him, gently touching his shoulder.

"Peter, please..."

He didn't dare look into her surely pleading eyes.

"Gwen, please," he said. "Go home."

The hand slipping off his side, his girlfriend slowly walked towards the door, but spoke up one more time before leaving.

"By the way, you're lucky I was able to convince your aunt to try and get some sleep. She was worried sick about you; we both were. But if you're not willing to open up to me, her, or anyone else, you're only hurting yourself."

No sooner had Gwen left the group than Flash spoke up.

"So, what happened?"

"What?" Peter asked.

"Dude, you and Gwen haven't said a word to each other all day!" Flash proclaimed. "You haven't even smiled, so, what happened?"

"Nothing," Peter replied.

"Nothing?" Harry challenged. "Dude, at least try and be a convincing liar!"

"Guys, I really don't have time for this," Peter said, packing up his books and throwing his backpack over his shoulder. He was stopped by Flash, who ran in front of him, putting his hand against Peter's chest.

"Woah, so that's it?" Flash questioned. "You're just giving up on her or something?"

"It's not your business, Flash," Peter retorted.

"Well then, excuse me for trying to help a friend," Flash replied. "Last time I checked that's what friends do for each other: they help each other when things aren't going well."

"Unfortunately, this is one thing you can't help me with," Peter said, glancing over to Harry. "Neither of you can."

"That's because you don't let us," Harry pointed out. "When it's your aunt, sure, you'll accept it, but as soon as Peter Parker experiences any real problems, he decides to go at it solo. Honestly, it's a miracle you've held onto Gwen this long."

"That's enough, Harry!" Peter shouted. "Just back off, okay? Both of you!"

Peter then pushed past Flash, storming away.

Gwen continued reading through her book, ignoring the knock on her bedroom door.

"Gwen, honey, you can't just keep hiding in here," her father said, apparently letting himself in anyway.

"I'm not hiding," Gwen insisted, still focusing on her reading. "I'm studying."

"Which is what you've always done when you were hiding," her father pointed out. Finally giving into his persistence, Gwen let out a sigh, rotating her desk chair so she could face him properly.

"I'm guessing you two still haven't talked?"

Gwen shook her head.

"It's been three days," she said. "I just can't believe that we haven't fixed this by now; we've disagreed on things before, but we usually resolve it the same day. This thing though, whatever he's dealing with... it feels different."

"Or maybe it's something that has been building up for a while?" her dad suggested. "You've always said Peter was very secretive."

"Yeah, but... I don't know," Gwen replied, standing up. "Some days, I feel like I know him completely, but others, it's like I don't know him at all. I never really questioned it much until now, I guess because it's never turned into something this big before, but now... did you and mom ever fight like this?"

"A few times," the man acknowledged.

"How did you figure it out?" Gwen asked.

"Well, we couldn't work it out until both sides were ready to come together and hash it out," her father replied. "Sometimes it takes longer than others."

Gwen let out a light sigh.

"I've texted him a couple times saying I want to talk about this, but he hasn't even responded."

"Honey," her father said, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. "I don't know what's going to happen with that you and Peter. I hope it works out; I hope he realizes how foolish he'd be to push you away. But if he doesn't, you'll need to be ready to accept that."

Gwen nodded, fighting back tears. She wrapped her arms around her father, who drew her into a gentle, soothing hug.

What was she going to do? She couldn't bear the thought of not being with Peter, but if he was always going to hide a part of himself from her, if he wasn't willing to let her in... just a few months ago, they'd talked about so many wonderful things they hoped to have in their future together, but now...

... was this the beginning of the end?

Peter finally stopped, arriving at the site of a familiar headstone.

"Ben Parker: Beloved Husband and Uncle."

"Hey, Uncle Ben," he spoke up, ignoring the rain that was beginning to come down. "I... I don't really have anyone else to talk to about this. I really messed up. I hurt the girl that I care about, and I don't know how to fix it, or even if I should try to fix it."

He paused for a moment, searching for the right words to continue.

"Ever since that day, I've tried my best to do the right thing, to measure up to the responsibility that comes with this great power that I of all people ended up with. I've tried to help the most people possible as Spider-Man, but I've also tried to do right by May, Gwen and everyone else in my life too. I thought that keeping this from them, that keeping the circle of those who know to just me was what was best for everyone. I tell myself that, that way, they won't get hurt, that May won't have another heart attack because she realizes her crazy nephew is out there fighting against even crazier nutcases every day, or Gwen wouldn't realize she fell in love with someone who risks his life just as much as her father does and have twice the people to worry about not coming home to."

He swallowed as he once more paused briefly before continuing.

"But lately, all it seems I've done is hurt the people in my life with this secret, especially Gwen. I was just so tired, so angry that night that I couldn't save everyone there. I felt like I'd failed, Uncle Ben, and I... would it have been fair for me to burden her with that? I've always hated feeling that way; you and May have always taken such good care of me, but I know that taking me in made things tighter and more stressful for you two. You did your best to never let it on, but I could tell. I don't want to put a burden like that, like my crazy life, on someone else."

Peter could feel the tears start to well up, the dam inside him threatening to burst.

"But I love her, Uncle Ben. I love her like I've never loved anyone before. My time with Betty was great while it lasted, but it's different with Gwen. We have so much more in common, and we both want so badly to make a difference in the world. She's sweet, she's kind, and she never thinks of herself, no matter what. Honestly, she's about as close to perfect as it gets. We've talked about our future too, about the kind of life we want to live together, and I don't want to give that up. Does that make me selfish? Does it make me a terrible person that part of me actually WANTS to bring her into my crazy existence? Or am I doing something even worse by hurting her like this?"

Peter collapsed to his knees, bracing himself against the headstone now. The rain had picked up, but he hardly registered it as he leaned his head against the stone, shutting his eyes.

"Tell me what to do, Uncle Ben. I don't know what to do."

"Peter!" his aunt greeted him. "Have you been out in this rain the whole time?"

"Yeah," he replied as he took off his wet jacket. "Sorry for worrying you, Aunt May."

"I just hope you don't catch a cold or something," the woman replied. "Where have you been?"

"Well, I wish I could say I was just out jumping in the puddles," Peter joked before his tone turned somber, "but I... I went to see Ben."

"Oh," May replied.

Peter took his seat at the kitchen table alongside his aunt.

"I just needed to talk to him about something," he clarified.

"Did it help?" his aunt inquired.

"Kind of," he replied. "It helped to get it out, but... I just wish he was here to talk. He always knew what to say."

"Ben was good at giving advice," May reminisced. "I think it was because he knew how to listen. I'm guessing this was about Gwen?"

Peter hesitated, eventually burying his head in his arms momentarily.

"I don't know what to do, May," he said.

"Peter," May said. "I know you've been scared of letting people in, especially after we lost your uncle. It's hard for me sometimes too, even now, but if we're going to go on living, we have to have courage and go on anyway."

"I know, May," Peter said. "It's just..." He trailed off.

"Let me asking you something: do you love that girl?"

Peter glanced up at his aunt.

"Of course I do."

"Does she love you?" his aunt asked.

"I mean, I'm pretty sure, yes," he affirmed.

"Then that's all you need to know," May said.

"It's not that simple, May," Peter attested.

"Do you want to be with her?" his aunt asked.

Peter didn't have to think about that one.

"Absolutely," he said. "I want us to be together for the rest of our lives."

"Well, if that what she seems to want too, then you owe her the chance to really get to know the real you," May assured him. "I know it's not easy, but being known by someone else like that... there's not a better feeling in the world. Because no matter how hard life gets for either of you, you know that, when you come home, you'll be with someone who's always there for you, who will never leave you, no matter what happens. That's what your uncle and I shared, and even though he's gone now, I wouldn't change a thing about it, even knowing how it all ended."

"Really?" Peter asked.

"Really," May replied with a nod.

Peter glanced away, allowing his aunt's words to sink in.

"Thanks, May," he said. "If you don't mind, I think I'll take a hot shower now."

"Good idea dear," she said. "And I hope I helped. I know I was never as good with words as your uncle."

"You did just fine," he assured her, giving her a gentle kiss on the head before turning and heading upstairs. As he marched up there and headed into his room to get a change of clothes, his mind continued to grapple with his current dilemma.

One thing was certain in all this: he was going to have to make a choice very soon.

Hope you're still enjoying it!

Continuing to pray for you all; stay safe and healthy!

"The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy." Proverbs 12:22