Chapter 33: Aftermath Again

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TelePro was sentenced to a life in prison for terrorism and the deaths of those shot at the Harrington building. After almost two months of constant stress and turmoil, you could breathe again.

The paramedics had arrived quickly, and at Peters direction, had taken you, Laurie and Theo to the hospital quickly. He had stayed at the house with TelePro until the police had arrived to collect him.

And then as Peter (not Spider-Man), he'd rushed to the hospital as fast as he could.

Uncle Tommy and your mother had gotten there as soon as you arrived. Of course they were both extremely distraught, and as soon as they had taken the bullet out of your foot, your mother chewed your ear off for running out.

And then she had chewed your ear off for getting involved with Laurie's dumb revenge plan.

And then she chewed your ear off for getting shot (as if it was your fault).

Not a word of acknowledgement to how you'd brought a terrorist to justice.

But you knew it was only because she cared.

The bullet Laurie had taken in her arm had fractured the bone, and would take a while to heal. She couldn't play guitar with her cast, but she could still sing, and the show went on.

Lee spent a whole hour and a half sobbing into her lap after the surgery, blubbering about how she'd literally taken a bullet for him.

Uncle Tommy was just happy she wasn't dead. And rightfully so.

"We're bullet buddies now." He said. "Your mom would be jealous, we've got matching scars."

The stab wound in Theo's thigh was going to heal fine. Laurie still wouldn't be in the same room with him (understandably, you supposed) and Theo hadn't said anything about who stabbed him. They authorities just chalked it up to TelePro and believed he was uninvolved.

He would be going home to Montana in a few weeks.

You were also going to have a lengthy healing process. The bullet in your foot had damaged some of the bones and muscles, but thankfully your nerve endings were okay. The doctors had strapped you into cast and a wheelchair for the time being, though they said you could graduate to crutches in a few weeks.

Of course, you would be back in Colorado then.

True to your prediction, your mother was putting you both on the next flight home. After running away, going after a terrorist and getting shot, there was no way you were finishing the summer in New York. No matter how much you wanted to.

It was a real shame. Especially since Peter has officially asked you out.

"Oh Peter." You said, graciously accepting the bouquet of flowers. "I would love to. But I'm going home in a few days."

He scratched at the back of his neck. "Yeah I know... but I really do like you. And I wanted to at least ask before you leave."

You wheeled over to the table in your room, placing the flowers down. "I appreciate the gesture. And I would have normally said yes."

Peter grinned. "I figured you would."

——

The airport was crowded, people coming and going, like airports should be. You looked at the place with a sense of nostalgia, thinking about when you'd landed here at the beginning of the summer. How Uncle Tommy and Laurie has greeted you so enthusiastically. How you had been so excited.

Your mother had packed all of yours and her things up last night, and sort of made up with Uncle Tommy. Sort of... as in kind of apologized but also thrown some other insults in there. Some things wouldn't change though.

You had said your goodbyes to Laurie and Lee last night.

"I'm going to miss you." Laurie said, scooting her chair next to you.

"Yeah me too." You said, getting a good look at her. She seemed different than she had at the beginning of the summer. Harder, almost.

She tilted her head, smiling. "Hopefully she'll let you back next summer, yeah?"

You snorted. "I doubt that."

Laurie smiled sadly. "Well... we'll come down for Christmas again maybe."

You exhaled. "Yeah maybe."

Laurie leaned against you. "You can always text me. Or call. And I'll be sure to film all the gigs we get so you can watch."

"And I'll keep you up to date with all of moms antics." You said.

There was a pause.

"I really wish I could stay." You said.

"Yeah..." Laurie said. "I bet Peter does too."

You playfully hit her. "Stop."

Laurie snickered. "You know it's true."

You wished you could stay. But they were calling your gate number, and your mother was wheeling you through the airport.

This had definitely been the most interesting summer of your life.

And the most painful.

But betrayals and bullet wounds aside, there had been so much good that came of this summer. New friends, in Peter and Lee, and a newer side of Laurie.

And the Stark internship, while that had lasted. You had learned so much from Melanie.

And, how many high school students could say they'd help brought in a terrorist?

Not that you were getting any recognition for that. All the media would only cover Spider-Man. But Peter deserved it.

Peter.

God, you wished you could stay.

It really wasn't fair. You'd only just kissed him in Lee's car. And you were going to miss him so much.

——

Getting into a plane in a wheelchair was a predicament, but manageable with enough effort from your mother and patient flight attendants.

You weren't quite sure how you were going to get to the bathroom though.

Your mother had taken the aisle seat and was scrolling through her phone as the rest of the passengers boarded.

"Have you seen this?" She asked, showing you the screen.

Spider-Man Takes Up Graffiti: Large Sections of the City Under Webs

The article showed a picture of a large patchwork of webs so thick you could barely see the sky, stretched between two buildings.

What was Peter doing?

"Weird." You stated simply.

The intercom system dinged, and your mother turned her phone off. The stewardess began the spiel about plane safety, and soon enough you were lifting into the air.

This was your favorite part of the flight, when you could see the whole city spread out before you-

A heart.

Peter had made a heart. Big enough for you to see it from the plane window. He must have spent the entirety of last night working on it.

You smiled.

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