The ride home was nerve wracking for Peter. An hour after his final treatment, he found himself sitting in the back of a patrol car as a pair of officers drove him back to Queens. He remained on guard, not trusting that he was truly safe after everything he learned about the League's escape. Hell, he almost expected a portal to open up beneath his seat to whisk him away.

The man behind the wheel noticed the pensive nervousness of his passenger. "It's alright son," he said. "There's a black ops team of S.H.I.E.L.D operatives following a few cars back. If some villain is crazy enough to try something, they'll be ready."

Peter looked back out of curiosity. Indeed, he recognized a van not too far off that had been tailing the police vehicle. The tinted windows and nondescript features said it all for him, and he exhaled to steady his nerves.

"Sorry, it's not that I don't trust you guys," the teen said. "I just..."

"Had a rough night?" The man asked gently.

Peter nodded in response, finally taking a moment to get a better look at his driver. He had short white hair. He wore a blue suit with a red tie, and looked to be in his early fifties. An NYPD badge rested atop his left breast pocket.

The woman sitting opposite was in a police officer's uniform. She had wolf-like ears which emerged from a mess of shoulder length brown hair. A matching tail protruded from her lower back.

"It's perfectly natural to feel the way you do right now," the man went on. "Given your ordeal, I wouldn't blame you for jumping at every shadow. I can promise you're in safe hands, however. And we'll be monitoring your home until we're certain the villains have no interest in you."

His words were had the desired effect, and Peter began to settle down a bit more, "Thanks... So, who are you?"

"Captain George Stacy, NYPD," he nodded in the rear view mirror at him. "And this is my partner."

"Detective Jean DeWolff," the wolf woman turned and smiled, offering her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Peter."

The teen shook DeWolff's hand and nodded back to the Captain, "Hello."

"Believe it or not, you're actually classmates with my daughter," Captain Stacy said, eyes back on the road. "Gwendolyn Poole?"

Peter's was taken aback, "Wait... you're Gwen's dad??" He vaguely remember Danny mentioning something to that effect once, but it had slipped his mind until now.

"The one and only," the Captain replied. "Surprised?"

"A-A little," he admitted. "Sorry, I heard her dad was in law enforcement. But with the different last name, I didn't connect the dots..."

"Yes well, she registered for M.A under her mother's maiden name," Stacy explained. "I didn't want her to start her Hero career with my name attached. People make the connection to me, and suddenly there's added pressure which she shouldn't be burdened with."

"I get it," Peter nodded, understanding his reasoning.

"Still, when Gwenny heard you'd been retrieved from the villain's hideout, she begged me to make sure you got home safely," Captain Stacy went on.

"And the Captain can't say 'no' to his little girl," DeWolff lightly teased her partner, who smiled sheepishly. "All we had to do was wait until we got word that you could leave."

"You guys waited for me all that time?" Peter asked, "Sorry, that must've been boring."

"Don't worry about it, Peter," DeWolff assured. "You got me out of doing a mountain of paperwork! Besides, you weren't the only high profile patient we were sent to check on."

"Oh?" Peter looked intrigued.

"One of your instructors from the training camp, Bulldozer, was recovered during a separate raid last night," Stacy said. "Unfortunately the information he had wasn't much. And he's... dealing with some trauma from the night he was taken, so we're going to try again later."

"I see..." The teen leaned back, he vaguely recalled the hero being taken along with him. But he was going in and out of consciousness at the time and wasn't certain if he'd been hallucinating. He felt ashamed of himself for not remembering sooner.

Captain Stacy took note of his reaction in the rear view mirror, "You have nothing to feel guilty about. He did his duty as a hero and has no regrets over his actions. Besides, he had the best medical care available. I understand Night Nurse was brought in from M.A to personally care for you both."

Peter cringed, "I'll bet she wasn't too happy about that." He recalled the last warning Claire had given him about his Quirk. And now I'm dealing with the consequences, he thought glumly, staring at his bandaged wrists.

"She was just relieved that you're safe, I'm sure," the Captain assured him. "I have no doubt she'll say as much the next time you see her."

Peter nodded, "Well I'm kinda hoping it won't be anytime soon, y'know? But with my luck, I'll probably end up in her office next week..."

Detective DeWolff stole a brief glance at her partner, unseen by the Peter. It was an expression of worry, as unbeknownst to the aspiring hero in the back seat, his entire future may have been derailed indefinitely.

After another half hour of driving, the squad car pulled up in front of the Parker residence. While news of Peter's escape from the villains had been mostly eclipsed by Iron Man's last stand, it was still a a surprise to the teen that there were no news crews waiting to swarm him with questions.

"Your Aunt had been chasing off reporters ever since you were taken," Captain Stacy explained, opening the door for him. "One or two of them actually called us when she damaged their equipment. But given the circumstances, I persuaded them to leave her alone."

Peter looked at the man questioningly, "By 'persuade', do you mean-"

"A written order, sent to the major broadcasting companies. Nothing more than that," he replied. "I figured you'd both been through enough and the last thing you needed was them banging on your door."

"Thank you," said the teen as they walked. "Not just for that, but for the ride home. You and Detective DeWolff made me feel a lot better."

"Think nothing of it," the Captain said with a smile, stopping at the front door. "You take care of yourself, young man."

Peter nodded, "I will."

Turning around, he took a deep breath and twisted the handle, walking inside. As he closed the door behind him, Peter couldn't help but notice the deafening silence. Between the Camp, being held prisoner by villains, the fight in Harlem and his time in the hospital, he hadn't a moment's peace in what felt like weeks.

But then, May Parker stepped around the corner from her kitchen. Seeing her nephew finally back home, safe and sound, was more than enough to bring her to tears. She quickly rushed forward, embracing the young man in her arms.

Peter's eyes began to well up as he held tightly to his remaining parental figure. "Hi May," he said quietly.

His Aunt squeezed tighter, as if fearing the teen would suddenly disappear again, "Welcome home, Peter."

"If Iron Man was here, I'd wish to personally thank him," Principal Lee said solemnly. "While it cost him dearly, and his power was finally extinguished in prolonged battle, thousands if not millions of lives were saved in the span of a single night. As citizens, as heroes, I truly hope we can all live up to his example."

"His tenure as an instructor was short," Vision concurred. "But his impact cannot be understated."

"Why are you guys talking like he's dead?" Asked Howard. "I mean, he's going on hiatus to lick his wounds. Not like he's gone forever... is he?"

"To be honest, I've been hearing that most parents are relieved that he's stopped teaching," put in grim Hawkeye.

"I mean they're not completely wrong..." Deadpool noted, taking a sip of his coffee through his half raised mask. "Let's face it; having the Number One Hero around paints a big target on this place and everyone in it. If he's not hanging around the kids anymore, the villains have less motive to attack, right?"

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm in agreement with Deadpool," said Emma Frost. "We've already had many students withdraw from the Academy after Parker's abduction. Even if he was rescued, the entirety of the Hero Course faced traumatic experiences the night of the attack that cannot be simply overlooked. It raises legitimate concern that we cannot protect them anymore."

"It is a delicate situation," nodded Professor Foster.

"Nevertheless, I believe I know what we need to do to ease the concerns the public has expressed," Principal Lee said. "We must strengthen the faith people have in the heroes we have left. It's true, the threat we face is still troubling. But we will protect and train with more focus and diligence than ever before."

He pressed a button at his seat, and a hologram of a building emerged from the center of the table. "That's why we're going to implement a plan I've had in mind for a while," he continued. "I'm counting on you to convince the students' families."

Daredevil tilted his head toward the head of the M.A staff, "What about Parker? Given his situation, I doubt any of us would be able to impact a change what's already in motion. Nobody except Parker himself."

Principal Lee nodded, "Indeed. All we can do is offer a potential solution. What happens next will ultimately be up to him..."

Two days later, Peter sat with his Aunt at their modest kitchen table. Joining them once again was Captain Stacy, who'd come to discuss something important. Taking a sip from the mug of coffee May had given him, he began to speak.

"As you may have heard, Marvel Academy is implementing a new policy for its students," he began. "Following the most recent attack against its students, the faculty has created a series of on campus dormitories. A means of protecting the Hero Classes and allowing the teachers to keep close surveillance on the students."

The teen nodded, letters had already been emailed to the parents of every Hero Course student explaining the very subject. In fact, he'd read in the class's group chat that several of Pro Heroes employed at the school had gone to their houses to go into greater detail. This not only showed the parents how dedicated they were to their student's welfare, but also reinforced their unwavering belief in the potential already demonstrated by their children.

"Yes, about that. I read the letter..." May said hesitantly, "...And I can't allow it."

Peter gasped in surprise, "Wait, what? But yesterday you said-"

"I've thought about it since then, and I've changed my mind," May went on, looking at the Police Captain, as if she couldn't bear to look into her nephew's heartbroken expression. "Peter has admired heroes for so long, even though he never developed a Quirk as a kid. And then, miraculously, one suddenly appeared. But ever since enrolling at M.A, he keeps getting hurt."

She gestured to the bandages around Peter's wrists, "Just look at his arms! He's already suffered permanent damage under the school's watch! He can't keep this up. One fight, one villain, and he might never be able to use them again."

May settled herself before continuing, "I watched Iron Man fight on TV, and I saw what that man did to him. As a regular citizen, I'm so thankful for his bravery. But, as a mother, I was terrified. Peter wants to be just like him. But if he follows that path, his future will be filled with blood!"

"May..." Peter was floored by his Aunt's outburst. Clearly, this had been building up for a while.

The older woman looked at her nephew, a sad look in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said. "Back when you were Quirkless and tinkering with gadgets, I know you weren't happy but there was nothing I could do to change that... And those moments when you watched the Heroes doing their jobs, I could see how much you admired them. But this is your life we're talking about, and I can't let you just throw it away by following that path anymore."

"Which brings me to your second option," Captain Stacy put in, folding his hands in front on the table. "During the time you were held prisoner, it's conceivable that someone did their research and discovered who you are. And with the rest of the League still at large, you and your Aunt will not be safe here. Relocation would be your best option, but you would have to live under the radar for the foreseeable future."

"Wait... Are you talking Witness Protection??" Peter couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Like new identities and stuff?"

"Nothing that extreme, at least not yet," the Captain raised his hands in a placating manner. "But if you won't be returning to M.A. then it's something you should consider."

"There's nothing to consider!" The teen retorted angrily, "My whole life is here! My friends!! Everything I-"

"As I said, it's an option," the Captain interrupted, rising from the table. He reached into his pocket and brought out a faded card with his name and phone number inscribed. "I'll give you a day to talk it over. Here's my card, please let me know by tomorrow evening what you've decided..." With that, George Stacy excused himself and left through the front door.

"Aunt May-" Peter immediately began to speak but his guardian interrupted him.

"Honey, I told you I'd support you, but that I wouldn't stop worrying," May said. "Do you remember that? And I know all you want is to keep going to M.A, but... I can't take it anymore."

I shouldn't be surprised, the teen thought. What sane person would just overlook everything that's happened? I've been ignoring her feelings for too long. But still...

"It doesn't matter what wonderful heroes work there," she went on. "When the villains attacked, they couldn't stop their students from getting seriously injured, almost killed even. You were abducted under their watch, and I won't let you be in that kind of danger again. It's my duty as your guardian to keep you safe."

"It's not like that, May!" Peter replied. "It's my own fault that I was taken."

"I understand why you did what you did," said May. "But the fact that you were put in that situation to begin with speaks volumes about their negligence."

Peter knew he was losing this argument. Nothing could dissuade May Parker when she had so firmly dug her heels in on this.

"Fine," he acquiesced. "Then I'll transfer out to another school. M.A's not the only one with a Hero Course!"

"You're missing the point entirely, Peter!" May rose from her seat, "It doesn't matter what school you go to!! If you continue down this path, it will bring nothing but even more pain and suffering!! So why? Why are you so dead set on being a hero after everything you've been put through!?"

"Because 'with great power, comes great responsibility'," Peter said firmly, standing up to meet her gaze. May froze in place, and her expression immediately softened.

"What did you say?" She asked.

"'With great power, comes great responsibility'," he repeated.

May was at a loss for words, "...Ben used to say that."

"I know... He said those words to me the night he died..." Peter replied. The boy's head lowered in shame, and his hands began shaking. "It's my fault he's gone..."

His Aunt's eyes widened, "W-What?"

"The guy who killed him-" Peter hesitantly continued. "I saw the same guy that night robbing a bodega... And I didn't stop him. I could have, he was right there! But I let him go."

May was silent, her hand covering her mouth as Peter continued, "I was so wrapped up in my own crap, that I didn't care. And then the next thing he does is kill Uncle Ben... He shot him. I-I could've stopped him so easily."

Tears began to stream down Peter's face as he relived the worst night of his life. May lowered her hand, staring at her nephew, "So that's why you want to be a hero so badly? Because-"

The teen began to cut her off, "Because 'with great power'-"

Only for his Aunt to interrupt him, "-Because you think it's your fault Ben was shot and killed?"

Peter looked up, slightly confused, "But it was my fault. I could have stopped him."

May wrapped her arms around her nephew. "Oh, you poor boy..." She whispered, tears running down her face. "Have you been carrying it around all this time?"

Peter's silence spoke volumes, and May didn't need to see his face to know what expression he currently wore.

May leaned back lightly caressed her nephew's cheek, "Peter, a man killed your Uncle. He pulled the trigger. Not you, not me. A man."

"I know but... I can't help how I feel..." Peter replied quietly. "I think he would get a kick out of what I can do though."

The older woman's lip twitched into a light smile, "He really would..."

"Actually, that reminds me. There's something I wanted to show you," Peter suddenly remembered something and rushed to his bedroom to get it. He returned to the kitchen with a folded piece of paper, handing it to his Aunt. Skeptically, she looked it over.

It was a crudely made card, with the words Get Well written at the top in blue crayon. There was a black spider drawn over a background made with red crayon. Within was a short letter;

'To Peter,

Sorry I was mean to you when we first met. Thank you for saving me. Please get well soon, I want to hear more of your jokes.

-Ricky.'

"What is this?" May asked.

"It came in the mail yesterday," Peter explained. "The kid who made it's related to one of the Wrecking Crew, and I rescued him during the initial fracas at Camp. Believe it or not, he hated Heroes. Well, he hated Quirks, but he still took the time to make this for me. I guess we sort of connected."

The teen looked into his Aunt's eyes, "Look, I know what I'm choosing to do is dangerous. And who knows if I'll ever be as big as someone like Iron Man. But that honestly doesn't matter to me. As long as I can keep making a difference to someone like Ricky, that's good enough."

May examined her nephew's face. His eyes were still filled with determination. For better or worse, Peter clearly had his heart set on staying at M.A in spite of the danger. Sure, she could force him to move away, but that wouldn't stop him from following the path set before him.

It also didn't help matters that attached to the letter she'd received regarding the dorms, was a second letter. It was written by the Principal; a formal guarantee that Peter would be safe under their direct protection And each member of the teaching staff had signed it.

She never told this to Peter, because at the time May didn't think it would make a difference once she'd decided to keep Peter away from there. But now...

With a heavy sigh, May Parker came to a decision. "I don't like this Peter, I really don't," she began. "But I can see how much this means to you... So in spite of my better judgement, I'll agree to you attending M.A."

Peter was overjoyed, and leapt toward his Aunt, giving her a big hug. "Thank you, May!!!" He exclaimed happily.

"Hey, hey!! Not all of us have super strength!!" May patted Peter's back, as if tapping out.

"Whoops! Sorry," the teen immediately let go and stepped back.

"Now, all of that being said, there will be stipulations," May warned. "Like I said, if something like this happens again, I don't care if you're involved or not, I'm pulling you out of that school. I'll expect phone calls, once a week at minimum!!"

Peter chuckled, "I think I can live with that."

"And just one last thing," she said, her expression soften again with a gentle smile. "Don't let anything change who you are. I love you Peter, like you were my son. In my wildest dreams, I never could've imagined you'd grow into such an amazing person. You're the best parts of your father, your mother, and my Ben all rolled into one..."

The teen's eyes began to fill with tears, "I'm part of you too, May. And I'll do my best to make you proud."

"You already do," May's eyes began to tear up as well. "Now come here."

The two came together for another hug, a much gentler experience this time. "Make sure you stay safe," she said. "I don't want to miss a second of seeing you become the hero I know you already are..."

- On the edge of M.A's campus, about a three-minute walk from the main school, they built a student dorm for classes. Since there were five in total, we collectively referred to them as The Burroughs. Despite being constructed in less than a week, they were remarkably well made and us students would be provided with all the essentials.

This was my- No... This was OUR new home. -

Several students noticed Peter walking up the toward the Class A dorm. Some stared while others whispered to one another. Peter did his best to ignore it, not an easy task with so many talking about him.

"Peter!!"

The teen in question turned toward the voice, recognizing it as one of his classmate's. And indeed, a small group of them were hurrying down the sidewalk toward him.

Tandy and Tyrone were the first to reach him. The Lightforce user wore a big, toothy grin while her gloomy best friend's features were hidden under his jacket's hood. Following close behind were Azari, Laura, and Ava.

"I know we all talked in the group chat, but it's really good to see you're ok," said Tandy, giving him a hug in greeting.

"Thanks Tandy," replied Peter. "I'm glad to see you're alright too, Ty. That gas really did a number on you, huh?"

The Darkforce user nodded, "They had me on a ventilator for several days to clear out my lungs. I had no idea what happened until after I woke up. I wish I could've done more to help..."

"Hey, don't beat yourself up," Peter said to his friend. "There's plenty of villains who'll do that for you. Let's not give them a freebie, yeah?"

Tyrone smiled lightly beneath his hood, "Always with the jokes..."

"Indeed! I am pleased to see your ordeal did not dampen your sense of humor," Azari said, walking up with Laura and Ava. "But alas, we must shelve these frivolities for the moment. Mr. Murdock is waiting for us and we cannot be late!"

"Well then lead the way, Prez!" Peter cheerfully replied.

The group made its way to the very front of the dormitory momentarily, where the rest of Class 1-A was waiting to hear from their instructor. He quickly took note of the new arrivals.

"Ah good, that's the everyone," Murdock nodded, his hands resting atop his cane. "First off, I'd like to welcome you all to your new dormitory. Given everything that has happened, I'm glad we were able to bring Class A back together."

Wanda sighed, "It took a lot of convincing for my mom to agree. I was pretty concerned about Pietro and I not being allowed back."

"It makes sense," Nico sympathized. "She has two kids to worry about instead of just one."

"We're glad to see the teachers here as well," Azari spoke up to his instructor. "I was worried you would not be allowed back."

"Yeah, those reporters at the press conference seemed pretty upset with you guys," put in Sam.

"I was surprised, as well," Murdock nodded. "But circumstances have changed, and I suspect it was easier for administration to let the teachers return instead of revamping the entire faculty. Now, then, I'll explain how your dorm assignments will work shortly. Before that, however..."

Although the man was blind, his gaze seemed to almost fix on the students he called out with a stern voice.

"Thompson. Cho. Maximoff. Reyes. Ayala. Rand. You six are the ones who broke the rules and went to rescue Parker that night."

Gwen perked up, looking toward the students in question in shock. Murdock, meanwhile, wasn't finished. His enhanced senses could detect the sudden increase of heartbeat, perspiration, and breathing; telltale signs that the students

"Based on your reactions, I can assume the rest of you were at least aware of their plan..." He paused, "I'm going to set aside a number of issues and just say this. If it weren't for Iron Man's retirement from the Hero scene, this entire class would've been expelled from M.A. by the administration. With the exception of Parker, who was abducted. And Johnson, who was unconscious and had no idea what was happening."

The singled out students looked around at their peers, each one looked pale and nervous.

"Even if it was to keep your friends from getting into trouble, you betrayed our trust," Murdock summarized. "In order to regain our confidence, you'll need to obey every rule to the letter, and live as model students."

He sighed, not particularly enjoying having to play the role a hardass. But still, it needed to be done. "That's all I have to say on the subject," the teacher concluded. "Now go inside, get settled in your new home."

Murdock turned and walked toward the doors, leaving his entire class stunned and dejected as they began to slowly follow him inside.

"Uh, we're supposed to be excited after that speech?" Muttered Sam.

Before going inside, Peter singled out one of his classmates; Flash Thompson. He walked over and got his attention, "Hey, can we talk?"

The blonde teen tensed slightly at hearing his former childhood friend's request, but he followed Peter away from the other students. Whatever he had to say, he didn't want the others hearing.

"Guess we're still classmates, huh?" Peter asked, trying to be casual. "I didn't see you respond to the group chat, so I wasn't sure what the deal was."

Flash said nothing, knowing this wasn't what the teen really wanted to talk about. Peter seemed to get that, and after taking a breath, got to the point.

"Listen, I heard about what you said at the hospital," he went on. "And that you pretty much spearheaded the group that found me-"

"I don't like being in debt, Parker," Flash declared, turning away as if attempting to maintain his usual airs. "Whether I like it or not, you kept me from being taken by those bastards. This was just me paying you back, so now we're even!!"

"Sure, sure. I get it," Peter replied, recognizing that his former bully's cocky attitude seemed a bit more forced than usual. "But still, Aunt May told me you went to check her while I was missing. That really means a lot. So... Thank you."

Flash paused, and in a rare moment, turned back to give a genuine smile. "Don't mention it," he said.

Glancing up, he noticed some of the students making their way over. "I mean to anyone," the blonde growled, tiny tendrils wiggling on his shoulders as if to emphasize his point. With that, he sped up to avoid hanging around any longer.

Huh, wonder if I'm growing on him? Peter thought as he soon found himself joined by several of his classmates.

"Hey Pete, you doing ok?" Asked Pietro. "I know you went through a lot, so don't feel like you've gotta push yourself right away."

"I'm alright, Pietro," Peter replied. "I mean, I didn't get out of that whole thing unscathed. But I like to think I have as good as I got." He gingerly rubbed his bandaged wrist on reflex. This action didn't escape the eye of the speedster's redheaded sister.

"Still, I made you guys worried," he went on. "Sorry about that."

"It's cool," replied Luke. "We all got tossed into the fire that night. Heard you held your own against a few villains yourself though, I definitely wanna hear about that."

"Yeah dude, I heard you took on the freakin' Juggernaut!!" Amadeus put in. "Even I had trouble against him, how'd you do it!?"

"I... trapped him in a tank full of wet cement," Peter scratched the back of his head, grinning sheepishly.

The students collectively stared, dumbfounded upon hearing the simple explanation. Before suddenly, Laura did a spit take and everyone began to laugh uproariously.

"Seriously!? You dropped him in cement!?" She cackled, nearly falling over in the process.

"Well no, I covered his eyes and he walked into it," Peter elaborated.

But the mental image Laura conjured just made her laugh even harder, "Aw man!! How is he that stupid!?"

"I dunno, maybe he took some brain damage after I head butted him last year?" Cho put in, grinning over the absurdity of his skinny classmate tricking the supposedly unstoppable supervillain.

Murdock waited at the top of the steps leading into the dormitory, listening to his students laugh and regain a bit of cheerfulness now that they were reunited.

Things are going to get more complicated for these kids soon, he thought. But for now, at least they can just be teenagers for a little while longer.

Once everyone entered, Mr. Murdock gave a rundown of their new home.

"Each student dormitory holds one class," he said. "Girls are on the right side and boys are on the left. The entire first floor is a common area. That's where you'll find your kitchen, baths, and laundry rooms."

"Wow!! There's even a courtyard!!" Nico exclaimed. "It's so spacious and new!"

Wanda was quickly becoming overwhelmed by her new surroundings. "Pietro, it's like we're living in a mansion!" She said, shaking her brother's torso. He too was in awe of the facility, albeit a bit more reserved over it.

"Living quarters start on the next floor," Murdock went on, showing off one of the bedrooms. "A few boys and girls on each level. Everyone gets their own room. You should be comfortable. You've got your own AC, toilets, fridges, and closets."

"We have balconies?! Wow, check out that view!!" Kei jumped up for a better look, before realizing who he was standing next to. "Um, sorry teach..."

"This room's about the same size as my closet back home, but I'll make the most of this space," Ava muttered to herself. But that didn't stop others from overhearing.

"How rich are you??" Asked Seol. "We talking Danny rich? Or Azari rich?"

"It's the size of our apartment!!" Wanda nearly fainted from the shock.

"Wanda!!" Pietro sped over to catch her.

"Your dorm assignments have been sent to your email," Murdock concluded. "The belongings you sent ahead have already been placed in your new rooms, so spend the day getting settled in. I'll tell you more about your next few lessons tomorrow. For now, get to it."

"Yes, Mr. Murdock!" Class 1-A replied in unison.

"Ugh, I'm so beat!!" Amadeus groaned, collapsing onto the couch. It was evening now, and the class spent the rest of the day unpacking.

"You and me both," Peter sighed. "You guys done unpacking?"

"I think so," said Luke, with Tyrone nodding in agreement.

"Feels good, right?" Asked Sam. "I mean, I know we could've died. But it's kind of exciting to be living here."

"A unified class. It's the perfect way to increase our cooperation and discipline," Azari nodded approvingly. "Once again, Marvel Academy astounds me with its ingenuity!"

"You never relax, do you?" Peter asked rhetorically.

Just then, Tandy and Wanda entered the room, with Ava and Laura in tow. Hiya boys," said the Lightforce user. "All done with your rooms?"

"Yup, we're just unwinding now," replied Tyrone, sinking into his chair.

"It's been a long one, I think I'm gonna hit the sack," Peter added, standing up and stretching his arms over his head.

"Well before you do, the girls and I have been talking..." said Wanda mischievously.

"And we have a great idea!" Tandy put in, "Let's go around and see who has the coolest room!!"

The quintet of boys went pale at the sudden prospect.

"Aw c'mon, why do we have to start with me!?" Peter complained, as the girls rushed toward his bedroom. "I'm barely settled in!!" But his protests were to no avail as Tandy swung the door open. The boys followed close behind, watching the proceedings with amused curiosity.

The most polite word to describe Peter's room was 'messy'. While it looked like he tried to be neat and tidy, he seemed to give up halfway through, as tools and a laptop lay strewn out across his desk. Several hand drawn blueprints and mathematical formulas were haphazardly stacked to the far side, held in place by a vintage Iron Man figurine acting as a paperweight. A box of scrap electronics sat on the floor next to the desk.

An old camera sat atop a shelf along with a row of notebooks from his time documenting heroes and their Quirks. A framed photo of his Aunt and Uncle sat at the other end. His bed was covered in new sheets, but they weren't tucked in and it appeared as though someone had already taken a nap in them.

"Wow, I guess cleanliness isn't your strong suit, huh Peter?" Tandy giggled.

"Oooh, it's like a mini laboratory!!" Wanda gazed around, her interest piqued.

"Ever the science nerd, our Peter!" Teased Laura, lightly smacking the teen's shoulder.

"Oh knock it off," Peter scolded, becoming slightly embarrassed. "Why don't you go flirt with- I mean, 'pick on' Flash?"

It was Laura's turn to turn bright red, "S-Shut up! I'm not flirting with him!" She looked away, muttering off to the side, "Besides, he already went to bed..."

Luke eyed the action figure sitting atop the papers. "Never took you for a collector, Pete," he said, lifting it up to examine.

"Wait, don't!!" Peter warned, but it was too late. The light breeze which had been circulating via the open window blew the papers off his desk and onto the floor. The teen could do nothing but watch as they fell.

"I had them organized just how I wanted..." He lamented.

"'Organized'?" Tandy snorted, glancing at the rest of the room.

"Out," Peter ordered, pointing at the door, which the Lightforce user cheekily exited.

"Um, sorry man," Luke apologized, setting the figurine down and bending over to pick up the papers. "If it helps, you can see my room next."

And so it was, as the students entered the room next to Peter's. The first thing they saw was a big football poster, along with a baseball bat mounted on the wall. A basket filled with various balls sat by a set of dumbbells.

"I feel like I'm at one of those restaurants with all the TVs!" Ava stared at some of the mementos.

"You're into sports, huh?" Peter nodded his approval, before getting a better look at a photo of a soccer team. "Hey wait, are these-"

"Yeah, they're all Quirkless teams," Luke replied. "Sure, they don't get as high profile as what we've got now, but I've always been a big believer in fair play. And for an athlete like that to work their way up to the top on their own merit, I respect that."

"Huh. You ever compete?" Asked Cho, inspecting a football.

"Back when I was a kid," said the bulletproof teen. "Before other aspects of my Quirk kicked in and I almost hurt another player. The way I figured, if I'm gonna put the hurt on somebody, I want it to be for the right reasons."

Ava smiled at Luke, admiring his philosophy.

"I'm next!" Sam declared, leading the now growing crowd of students into his room. It was exactly to be expected from a guy like him; space themed and flashy. The ceiling even had glow in the dark stars stuck to it. There was even a big mirror next to the dresser, with a mannequin head that his helmet rested on.

"Sooo? Not bad, right?" Asked a grinning Sam, spreading his arms wide in a show-offy manner. "Totally the best room so far!"

But the others had left already, having seen enough, much to his displeasure.

"Ok, my turn!" Kei said, opening the door to his room. Within was an artist's studio, with a large desk and poseable models of both male and female bodies to use for reference. There was also a small tv with a cheesy monster movie playing.

"Gotta say, I'm impressed!" Commented Laura, "With some of the stuff I've seen you draw, I half expected this to be a total smut dreamland!"

"Excuse me??" Kei turned, offended. "I will have you know that I am and always have been a serious artist! Any abstract forms of the human body you may have seen me sketch in my spare time are simply exercises to keep my mind fresh!"

He thumped his chest with his right hand, "Whist I do admittedly have my muses, I'd like to think that I keep it outside the purview of my work." An almost holy aura glowed around his head upon the declaration.

It quickly vanished, however, when Ava discovered an opened box of manga next to the bed. Most of the cover images featured scantily clad women in various states of euphoria.

"Right... emphasis on 'perv'," she said dryly, holding up one of the books.

"Yaaaaahhhh!!!! Next room! Next room! Next room!" Kei yelled frantically, snatching the book away and covering the box with his small frame.

The first room Class 1-A viewed on the second floor was Pietro's. It was extremely modest, with a beat up looking treadmill and ping pong table he'd likely swiped from the dump. Additionally, there was an old keyboard sitting on his desk with a pair of headphones.

"You play?" Seol asked, intrigued by the discovery.

"I've been teaching myself some of the classics," the speedster replied. "Bach, Beethoven, Mozart. I can't read the notes, so I've been learning by ear."

"Huh, well if you'd like to learn, I'd be happy to teach you," offered Seol. "I know a bit about music, after all. And I'm curious to see what you know."

"Sure, I'd like that," Pietro said with a smile.

Up next, Azari stepped aside to allow his classmates to see his own slice of home. The sheets of the young Prince's bed had African patterns, as did the drapes on his window and the rug on his floor. The walls were a tanned color, with the words "Wakanda Forever" written in his native script above a rather intricate painting of a panther.

"Whoa..." Peter took in the room, fascinated. "This place is amazing! It feels like another part of the world's been dropped into this room."

"You are too kind with your words, Parker," Azari bowed humbly. "In truth, I'd been missing my homeland for some time now. Having all of this will help to maintain my spiritual connection to my family."

"Hey, is this Storm? From the X-Men??" Tandy picked up a framed photo of the heroine in question, standing alongside a man who was unmistakably Azari's father, King T'Challa.

"Ah, yes. She is my mother," Azari replied nonchalantly.

"STORM IS YOUR MOM!?!?" Most of the class asked in unison.

"I mean, it's kind of obvious," Ava noted. "Azari might have his father's abilities, but he can also harness lightning like Storm does."

"Huh," Nico said. "Now that you mention it..."

"Guess I never really thought about that," put in Amadeus. "Still, this is huge!! How come nobody else knows??"

"Wakanda, while open to the world in some respects, still values its privacy when the Royal Family is involved," said Azari. "Their marriage was kept secret, thus allowing mother to continue her work at the Xavier Institute without becoming a political target."

He eyed his classmates with a scrutinizing gaze, "I trust you will all keep the same level of discretion?" The rest of the class quickly nodded furiously in response.

Groot's room was even messier than Peter's, with roots and vines crossing over the floor. Instead of a bed, a large hammock hung from the ceiling. Atop the desk sat a big screen tv, with a game system plugged in underneath. A cabinet with a selection of titles stood against the wall.

"Wow Groot, I knew you were a gamer, but this is nuts!" Sam exclaimed, staring in awe as he read the various games on the selves. "Did you beat all of these?"

"I am Groot!" The trenant teen replied proudly, hands on his hips.

"Another messy room," Laura commented. "Don't any of you boys know how to keep a room clean?"

"Oh like you're one to talk!" Peter interjected, his arms folded. "It's not like any of us planned to show off our rooms tonight!"

"I'm feeling very judged tonight," Sam agreed.

"Exactly! There's a complete double standard in play here!" Kei put in, still upset over Laura going through his 'private stash'. "I say if you're gonna barge in and criticize our dwellings, then you should be held to the same standards! We wanna see your rooms too!!"

With that, the competitive fuse had been lit in the other students, particularly in Laura with whom the mutual grudge was still going strong.

"Okay, so, like, what're the rules?" Asked Tandy. "Are we figuring out who has the best taste in the class, or just the overall coolest setup?"

"Wait, we're doing this?" Danny poked his head in, "This doesn't have to be a contest."

"Oh, yes it does!" Laura declared, marching over. "You wanna see my room, Tiny!? I'll show you my room!!" She bent down so that her forehead was touching the smaller boy's as they glared into each other's eyes. "But you'd better get a good look, because that's the only way you'll ever see the inside of a woman's bedroom."

"Calling yourself a 'woman'?" Kei's eyes narrowed, "And here I thought you were some wild animal the class adopted as their pet!"

After the two feuding students had been separated from each other, the rest of the class moved on to Danny's room. "I'm not one to show off," he noted, placing a hand on his door knob. "But with the raised tempers, hopefully my room will help soothe your troubled spirits."

Within the room was what appeared to be a Chinese zen garden. There was a small sand box with a wooden rake, a futon in place of a full sized bed, there was even a little bonsai tree sitting on the desk by the window.

"So peaceful..." Wanda and Tandy said in calm unison.

"This place reminds me of Stick's dojo," Peter said, looking at the flooring. It consisted of wooden tiles separated by thin strips of what almost looked like grass. "Wait, is this grass or carpeting here?" He asked.

"Carpet. I was unable to bring in actual grass," Danny lamented. "But this makes for a decent substitute and captures the aesthetic."

Up next was Tyrone's room. It was brighter than one would've expected, with white painted walls and a matching carpet. A poster for New Orleans hung next to his bed, and a couple of speech impediment books sat on his desk.

"I thought it'd be pitch black in here," Luke noted, looking inside.

"I get enough of that everyday," replied Tyrone. "We all need a little light here and there."

"I think Flash's room is next, right?" Asked Ava. "If he went to be, it'd probably be for the best that we don't bother him right now."

"Won't hear me arguing," Kamala agreed. "He'd probably say 'no' anyways."

"Then that just leaves Amadeus and Roberto's rooms as the last of the boy's rooms!" Said Wanda, pumping her fist in the air. "Up first is Roberto!!"

The most capable student in our class, pondered Ava.

The most handsome boy in school!! Tandy internalized.

Alright, you've got me curious, Laura thought. Let's see what you're like behind closed doors...

"Let's get this over with," Roberto sighed, opening his door. "It's getting late and I'm tired."

It was as if one stepped into an auto shop. There were magazines on cars and repairs. There were parts and tools organized on his desk. A heavy bag stood in the middle of the room with a pair of boxing gloves ready for use. An old fight poster hung on the wall.

"Now this is a bedroom!" Laura praised, nodding her approval. "And it definitely belongs to a gear-head!" She added, picking up a socket wrench before putting it back down.

"Eh, it's ok I guess," Sam shrugged.

"Hey, I recognize that poster!" Luke said, looking at the poster. "It was for the middleweight title a few months back! Man, what a brawl!!"

"Huh, that's interesting..." Peter muttered to himself.

"What is?" Asked Roberto, stepping next to him.

"Oh! Um..." The teen was caught off guard by someone hearing him, "That, I mean." He nodded to an object hanging on the wall just above Roberto's bed. It was a wooden crucifix.

"Is it a problem?" Reyes asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not at all! I just..." Peter struggled to find the right words. "I guess I didn't take you for the religious type considering... Y'know..."

"Your Quirk turns you into a fire demon?" Kei put in bluntly, earning him a smack upside the head from Nico's staff.

"My faith is... complicated to say the least," Robbie acquiesced. "But I like to think it helps."

Kamala nodded in agreement, having dealt with similar feelings of her own.

"And for the last of the boys, Cho!" Tandy cheered, once the class was outside in the hallway again.

"Come on in," the Asian teen opened his door. "But I'll warn you it's a bit messy." Indeed, his living quarters weren't the cleanest. But that was mostly due to recent activity. In addition to beaker and cups, various powders and liquids could be seen on his desk.

"You working on some kinda science experiment, Cho?" Asked Laura.

"Not exactly," replied Amadeus. "I'm baking."

"Really? I didn't know you were a foodie," added Tandy.

"When I'm in Hulk-mode, I burn a ton of calories," he explained. "Gotta keep my energy up, or get it back once I'm back in my normal form."

Just then, a beeping went off which caught Cho's attention, "Oh right, speaking of which..." He walked over to a microwave oven and pulled out a pan filled with a freshly made chocolate chip cookie cake. "I just made a bit of desert. You guys want any?" The teen offered.

"Absolutely!!!" The girls cheered, rushing over to grab a slice.

"Hey, that's cheating!!" Sam complained. "No bribing the judges!!"

"He offered it to us too, y'know," Luke said, walking by to grab a piece for himself.

"...Good point," the hot headed teen acquiesced and joined his friend for a snack.

Once the confectionery had vanished, Class 1-A moved on to the girls rooms, starting with their current floor and working their way back down to the bottom. Up first was Seol Hee's room, which seemed to double as a mini-recording studio. The walls had soundproofing foam attached, a microphone sat on the desk, and several instruments sat ready for use along the opposite wall.

"Yeah, it's a bit obvious, I guess," Seol shrugged, "But I love what I do and I'm certainly not ashamed of it. I mostly perform back in my home country. But one day, I wanna get on the biggest stages and perform for the whole world to see."

"Can you play all these instruments?" Asked Pietro, suitably impressed by his classmate's talent.

"Most of them. I mostly just sing and dance while I'm on stage," the Korean girl admitted, a slight blush on her face.

Next was Nico's room, which looked something out of a gothic vampire movie. Dark curtains covered the window, the walls were painted black, and candles lit up the room. There was even what looked to be a thick book of incantation sitting on the desk with a chain locked around it.

"Spooky..." Several of the students collectively murmured.

"Right? All that's missing is a crow sitting on a perch," added Sam.

"Or a bubbling cauldron!" Put in Kei.

"Don't make me curse you both," threatened Nico, making the pair gulp nervously.

Wanda's room, like her brother's, was very bare and unassuming. With only the essentials and some cheap furniture making up her living space.

"Yeah... not really much to see here," she said, a little embarrassed.

"Don't feel shamed," Danny placed his hand on her shoulder. "True happiness comes not from having much, but in being content with little.

"Hey, you brought the dvd's?" Pietro asked, zipping in to examine the small stack next to the tv and picking up a case. "I didn't know mom gave them to you!"

"She insisted," Wanda replied, snatching the case out of his hand. "So if you wanna watch one, you've gotta be a bit nicer to me!"

Pietro grumbled slightly as a few other students entered.

"'I Love Lucy', 'The Brady Bunch', you even have 'Malcom in the Middle'," Sam read the titles on the boxes, "You guys into retro sitcoms?"

"It's a bit of a long story, but yeah," said Wanda with a smile.

"Next it's me!" Tandy exclaimed.

Her room was reminiscent of a ballet studio. There were white walls, a wide mirror, and even a support rail for a dancer to hold onto. The bed had white sheets with a light pink comforter.

"I knew you used to dance, but wow!" Nico said, impressed by the setup.

"I still practice here and there," replied Tandy. "It helps keep me limber and it's great fitness training for Hero work."

"Alright, onto the last floor!" Sam said, beginning the trek down the stairwell toward the last quartet of rooms. First up was Laura, who was at first hesitant to let anyone into her room. But after seeing a cocky smirk on Kei's face, she grit her teeth and flung the door open.

The first thing apparent was that the room was a direct contrast to Laura's personality. While she could be hot-tempered and occasionally standoffish, the interior of her dwelling was chill, inviting, and had a warmth that emanated the moment anyone stepped inside.

The bed had white sheets with a brown throw blanket laid out across the bottom. A fuzzy carpet covered most of the floor, while hanging lights infused into fake vines hung from the bed, illuminating forest green walls. A small pot and a pair of jars sat on the shelf near the bed.

"So cozy..." Peter and Wanda said together.

"It's like a woodland paradise in here!" Sam couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Danny sniffed the air, "Is that... lavender? Mixed with sandalwood?"

"You've got a good nose," replied Laura, impressed at her classmate's nose. "I've been doing aromatherapy at night to help me settle down before bed. I'm experimenting with a few different oils."

She nodded toward the pot on the shelf, which was emitting a slight vapor. "I always had a heightened sense of smell and it's hard to ignore it sometimes," Laura went on. "This helps me focus and concentrate on something a bit more soothing."

Having seen enough, the students began to leave the room. However, Laura stuck her leg out to prevent Kei from exiting. She looked down at him with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. "So? Not bad, right?" She asked.

The shorter boy stared back with a mix of irritation and resignation on his face, and sighed. "Ok, I'll admit it's pretty cool," he acquiesced. "But you haven't beaten me yet! There's still more rooms to judge!!" He hopped over her leg and hurried after the others.

Laura took that as enough of a win to satisfy her sense of pride and triumphantly strolled out after her shorter classmate.

Kamala's room was a Captain Marvel fangirl's dream room. The walls were painted blue with a red and yellow stripes cutting across the middle. Her shelf was cluttered with figurines of the heroine and her bedspread was emblazoned with her logo.

"I knew you liked Captain Marvel, but wow!" Seol gazed at the memorabilia.

"Right?" Peter agreed. "I thought I was a bit overzealous about Iron Man, but you definitely have me beat!"

"Hehe," Kamala blushed slightly. "Well it's no secret she's my inspiration for wanting to be a hero. I figured the more about her I have around me, maybe I'll figure out what makes her so great! And then I can be just as amazing as she is!"

"Yup, definitely a fangirl," Sam and Kei intoned.

"Well that was fun! I can't wait to see how Gwen's room compares!" Kamala cheered as the class left her living space, "Her room's next to mine after all."

"Wait, where is Gwen?" Asked Laura, "I haven't seen her since dinner."

"Oh, she wasn't feeling well. So she went to her room," replied Danny. He also recalled that she didn't ask him to use his Chi on her, like the last time she was sick. Her recent behavior was stranger than usual, which the boy found quite troubling.

"In that case, we should not bother her," Azari said quietly, as the group walked carefully past her room so as to not disturb the girl.

"Yeah," whispered Seol. "She can always just show us later when she's feeling better."

"Right, then let's move onto Ava's," suggested Tyrone. "Hers is the last one after all."

Ava sighed as she reached for her doorknob, "Alright, but I'm warning you probably not what you'd expect..."

While Ava came from a background with money, one wouldn't have guessed it by her room. Within were stacks of books resting upon shelves, a training dummy, and even a flow chart on her wall with plans to map out her future. Her bed and desk were simple yet elegant in their designs, but the rest of the room was all about business.

"Damn Ava," Luke whistled. "I knew you were serious about school. But isn't this a bit much?"

"Yeah, you're gonna make Azari look positively chill by comparison," put in Kei, causing the young Prince to glance at him in confusion.

"I've got a lot riding on becoming a Pro," Ava said. "I'm taking no chances and I can't afford to make mistakes. So I study hard and I train everyday to achieve perfection. My day starts and ends here, so I want it to reflect my goals."

"Just don't overwork yourself, Tigre," said Roberto. "I know firsthand what can happen when you lose yourself to your goals..."

Ava nodded, "I keep that in mind, and it's part of why I like being here with everyone. With my classmates here to keep me in check, I feel like the road ahead will be much smoother."

"Awww," Seol came over and hugged the Vice President of Class 1-A. "Well you've done a lot to help us get where we are now. It's the least we can do!" Ava smiled at the show of affection.

"Ok, Ava's room brings the viewing to a close!" Wanda declared, "Let's head back to the common room to cast our votes!"

One by one, the students trickled out of the last bedroom and into the hallway. "Just remember, much like the votes in class, you cannot vote for your own room," Azari put in.

"Yeah, yeah. We get it," sighed Sam.

As the class walked toward the common room, Gwen's door opened a crack. She watched as everyone leave, focusing on one student in particular.

About 10 minutes later, Peter walked down the hallway to get ready for bed. The vote had been done quickly, with Amadeus Cho being the winner. This was mostly due to his expert baking influencing some of the voters, much to the irritation of Sam and Kei. They all had a good chuckle about that and promised to have another vote once Flash and Gwen showed off their own rooms.

He entered into his darkened bedroom, stretching his arms and yawning loudly as he took off his shirt. Turning toward his bed, he was about to remove his pants when he caught sight of a figure sitting on his bed.

"Holy crap!!" He stumbled over backwards in surprise. Not feeling his Spider Sense go off meant he wasn't in danger, but it still raised his blood pressure a few levels.

As his eyes focused in the dark, he recognized a familiar face. One of the two who hadn't participated in the room contest.

"Gwen?"

The blonde teen with pink highlights was sitting with her knees drawn up, arms wrapped around her legs. At the sight of Peter's well-toned, half naked body, she hid her flushed face behind her knees. "...Hi Pete," Gwen squeaked out nervously. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you..."

Peter took a deep breath in relief, before realizing the awkward position he was in. "U-um, it's fine," he said, hurriedly putting his shirt back on. "Guess I'm still a bit jumpy after everything that happened."

The blonde looked up, confused. "But I thought your Spider Sense thing would've let you know if someone was in here?"

"Doesn't work like that," Peter replied, shaking his head. "It only alerts me to trouble, like if someone's about to attack me or I'm around someone dangerous."

Gwen pouted slightly, "I can be dangerous..."

"You're a different kind of dangerous," Peter chuckled lightly. But Gwen didn't seem to perk up or have any sort of response. She just continued to stare down, at nothing in particular.

Unsure about what to do, Peter sat down on the other end of the bed, leaving a bit of space between them. For a while, neither of them said anything.

"So..." Gwen spoke up first, "I see dad got you home in one piece."

Peter brightened up at that, "Yeah, he seemed like a great guy. Had nothing but good things to say about you."

The teenage girl nodded at this, "He's the best..."

There was silence again, awkward and uncomfortable. Peter cleared his throat, "So, I didn't hear any rule about boys and girls being in a room together after dark, but I'm pretty sure it was implied. You're here in spite of that, which means... You have something important you wanna talk about?"

Gwen slowly raised her head, turning toward her classmate. "I... I wanted to apologize," she said.

Peter was taken aback, "For what?"

"For not wanting to go save you," Gwen elaborated. "For not being there when you needed help, even after you pulled my butt out of the fire more than once. With my Quirk, I could've made a difference. But my dad..."

The teenage boy sighed, "He raised you to respect the law. No matter how much you may disagree with it, crossing that line is something you just can't do."

Gwen nodded, unable to look her friend in the eye.

"Yeah... But it's not just that," she went on, appearing to sink lower into herself. "The others, I warned them what could happen. Yet in spite of what I said, they didn't just throw caution to the wind, they dropped sail and went out into a hurricane."

Her breathing became shaky as she continued to speak, "I know I'm the wacky comic relief that nobody takes seriously, but it hurts when I can't make a difference even when I'm trying to be real... I should've stepped up when you needed help. Instead I was completely worthless. I'm a failure not just as a classmate, or as a hero in training, but as a friend."

Tears began to stream down the sides of her face, "My heart was hurting. Even if you say it's not true, I know the things I said must've upset you when you heard about it. And now, I have no idea how to be around you, let alone the others who did what I couldn't."

She held her legs tighter against her body, "I didn't think I deserved to joke around and have fun with everyone like usual. But... It made me... So sad to be without you."

Gwen turned her face to see Peter's, "Even if I'm still not sure how I can make it right, I wanted you to know how sorry I am... So we can hang out and talk and have a good time again!"

As she began to sob without restraint, Peter felt an unbelievable pain in his chest. His friend was in mental anguish, and he was ultimately the reason for it. Moving forward, he took Gwen into his arms and pulled her in for a tight hug. She gasped slightly at his sudden action, normally she was the one giving 'hug attacks'.

"Gwen, you have nothing to be sorry for," he said, bringing his hand up and lightly stroking the back of her head. "I was the idiot who let himself get captured. And I'm going to make damn sure that doesn't ever happen again. The last thing I want is to make you cry..."

The blonde wrapped her arms around Peter's torso, allowing herself be completely enveloped by his frame as she sobbed into his shoulder, letting out her

"I'm going to get stronger," she finally said, loosening her arm around the back of the boy's neck. "Not just physically either. I'm going to be someone whose words are taken seriously when it counts."

"I'll get stronger too," Peter replied, leaning away from the hug to look Gwen in the eye. "I won't be put in a position where I make everyone worry about my safety."

"That'll be a bit tricky considering we're training to be Heroes," the blonde put in, finally getting a bit of her normal attitude back as she wiped her eyes.

"Then let's watch each other's backs," said Peter. "We'll train together, be the kind of Heroes that can save the day with a smile and come home safely."

Gwen nodded, "I'd like that." She finally smiled and held up her hand, extending her pinky, "Partners?"

Peter looked at the somewhat childlike gesture, but couldn't help but crack a grin as he held out his own pinky, locking it with hers. "Partners," he said.

.

.

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Barber's Corner

• Hello all! It's been a while since I've dropped a chapter, so I wanted to make sure this was a bit longer so you'd have plenty to read. I admittedly don't have a set schedule for chapter releases at the moment, mostly writing when I'm able to outside of work and other responsibilities. That said, I hope you keep sticking with me, because I've got a LOT in store for the second half of "Season 3."

• We will of course be treading familiar ground with the Provisional License Exam. However, once that's completed, I'll be adding a completely original story to follow it up.

• Glad I could finally bring in Captain Stacy and Detective DeWolff, they'd been in the back of my head for a while and I'm brainstorming ideas on how to use them in my story. Do I stick with their respective comic fates? Or take things in a different direction?

• I really enjoyed writing for Kei and Laura in this chapter. Them constantly being at odds is something that I introduced back in the Expo Arc, and I always have fun writing their banter.

• I also didn't wanna retread old ground with Gwen having the same mindset as Tsu, particularly after she speaks to the rescue group that night. I wanted her to have a more intimate moment with Peter, the very person she wouldn't go after. Her becoming closed off because she felt awkward and ashamed around him I think made a bit more sense for her character. Especially considering her upbringing as a cop's daughter.

• One last note; for the moment I'm not shipping Peter and Gwen. What happened at the end of this chapter was just a bonding moment between friends. My main ship atm is Peter and Wanda, for however long it lasts... If you're familiar with DuckLordEthan's art, you'll know things don't end well for the two of them.