Take Care of My Heart

Chapter 19 - Heartstopper

"Been awhile since I had to do this with you." Jeff snickered.

Miles stared blankly ahead; his weak smile was devoid of any humor. With the adrenaline wearing off, everything that transpired was now sinking in... the Goblin was no more... but so was his new heart... fate was indeed cruel.

His veiled sadness didn't go unnoticed by Peter, who stepped in through the doorway. "Hey, kid..." he cleared his throat, "... I'm really sorry that you lost your heart."

"It's okay..." Miles waved off, "... shit happens."

"Language." warned his dad, who was still tugging his suit. "How the hell do you breathe in this thing?"

"Language, dad." teased his son, though it came out dry.

When they finally got his suit off, Miles stood oily in his drawers. The two men stared hauntingly at the boy's chest... it had ballooned into a crimson lump with bluish yellowish bruising, and his skin looked so thin in that area that it could rip open at a moment's notice like the Alien movie.

For a moment, the room was silent until Peter spoke again. "I can't... say that I'm proud of what you did, Miles..." Jeff eyed the old Spider incredulously, "... but what you did was selfless, so... I can commend you for your bravery." Peter cringed at his poorly chosen words. "Nothing else to add."

"You were his mentor?" Jeff crossed his arms, frowning.

The 616B Spider-Man could only look away while rubbing his brown hair nervously.

"Would you have done anything different?" Miles asked, raising his eyebrows.

Peter bounced his eyes between the boy and his father, inhaling, before he shook timidly.

Instead of getting angry, the tired cop sighed with discontent. "You two are gonna be the death of me, one of these days."

"You almost were, remember?" Miles pointed out.

It didn't take long for some laughter to flood his bedroom after he said that. For now, everyone was just happy to be back alive, and all needed a good night's rest... if that was even possible anymore.

When Rio walked in with her son's carriable NC, she too darkened at the gruesome sight of his physical condition, which Miles pretended not to notice, as she secured the apparatus back around his face, enabling him to breathe a little better again... but only a little.

"Thanks, mom." He smiled gratefully before hugging her.

She wrapped her arms around him tighter, but just enough not to hurt him, and started to weep. "I really thought I was going to lose you tonight."

"I'm sorry, mom." Resting his chin on her shoulder, the heartbroken teen rubbed her gently. "But I did promise to come back home, didn't I?"

They pulled apart, arms still joined, as Rio held his face with a wet smile. "Yes, you did."

Miles hated seeing his mother sad, so his mind raced for the best words he could use to comfort her. "We'll keep looking... okay, ma? I'm sure there's another heart for me."

Her eyes fell as she nodded curtly.

*****

The restless hours that Peni Parker, the Spider of Earth 14512, spent working with her fellow engineers and scientists to get the HQ's main generator functioning again ultimately paid off in the late morning. Once it was fixed, everyone in the complex rejoiced while the young girl was hoisted up on their shoulders, hailed as a hero.