{A Week Later}
You are at your apartment in Astoria, Queens. You're in your living room going through photos for the Bugle. You continue sorting them.
You hear a knock on your door. You open it, and see Clementine on the other side.
Clementine: Heya.
You: Hey, didn't think you'd come over today.
You both kiss and she enters. You close the door.
Clementine: What? Am I a sight for sore eyes?
You chuckle and get close to her, giving her another kiss.
You: Never.
The two of you continue kissing. It felt nice being back with Clementine. It's been over a year since the two of you resumed your relationship. You think soon you both can take the next step.
Clementine pulls back and takes a breath.
Clementine: Okay, Romeo. You do still love me.
You laugh and walk back over to your coffee table. Clementine follows and places her bag on the couch.
Clementine: Sorting things for Jameson, I see.
You: Yup. I have the photos from the gala, of the Mets players at Citi Field, and JJ's favorite: Spider-Man.
Clementine responds sarcastically.
Clementine: I wonder which one he's putting on page 1?
You: Maybe he's feeling sporty and chooses one of the Mets pics.
Clementine laughs.
Clementine: Hey, how's it going with AJ?
Clementine knows about AJ being Kid Arachnid, and he was okay with that. AJ patted himself on the back for being right about her being Spider-Man's girlfriend.
You: Everything is going great. He's getting the hang of it.
Clementine: Well, you are a great teacher.
You: Who knows, maybe in a few years...he can take up the mantle and we can settle down.
Clementine: Settle down, you say?
You smirk and grab her hand.
You: You know...maybe we can get a place like this, or you could move in. We can talk about starting a family.
Clementine gives you a look.
You: Or we can wait it out too. Get settled for real before we start talking about juniors.
Clementine chuckles.
Clementine: Look at you acting all responsible and planning things out.
You: Responsibility is part of my motto.
Clementine: We can talk about it over dinner. Tonight?
You are about to agree, but then you remember you have to be somewhere for the Bugle.
You: Oh, sorry. I can't. I have to be at awards ceremony in Hell's Kitchen tonight to take photos.
Clementine: It's fine, I understand.
You: Rain check?
Clementine: I'll hold you to that.
You smile, and kiss her again.
• •
{Later That Night}
You are wearing a button up shirt with a suit jacket. You snap photos of the decor at the venue in Hell's Kitchen.
It is a culinary awards ceremony. You've never been to one, but it looked as nice as some other ceremonies you've been too.
The awards were given out, and now people began to dine. You're at a beverage table when somebody familiar approaches.
Omar: Y/N! Buddy!
You turn around and face your friend.
You: Omar! Good to see you.
Omar: Enjoying the ceremony?
You: It's been great so far. Hey, I saw you get an award.
Omar shows the trophy in his hand.
Omar: Even the great Gordon Ramsay's jealous. Trust me.
You both laugh.
Omar: Where's Clementine?
You: Not here. I was sent to take pictures for the Bugle. But, she gives her congratulations.
Omar nods. You look behind him and see Sophie talking with a couple other guests.
You: I see Sophie's your plus one.
Omar and Sophie have been together for several months now.
Omar: Yup. Feels nice having her here to see this.
You nod, and finish the drink in your cup.
Omar: Anyways, nice to see you Y/N. Enjoy the rest of the event.
You: You too, Omar.
He walks away.
You walk down to another part of the table to refill your cup. Suddenly, your spider sense goes off. You lift up the table cover, and see an explosive. The countdown has only three seconds left. You quickly push away a nearby party-goer and yell out.
You: Everybody down!
BOOM!
The bomb goes off, launching you forward.
• •
You open your eyes, and slowly get up. Your suit is torn and scorched from the explosion. You look around, seeing smoke and glass everywhere. Mostly everybody was gone, but you see some people helping out those who were injured.
You go over and help one man out from underneath a collapsed table. He walks off, and then you help somebody off the floor.
Suddenly, your spider sense goes off again. You dodge the gunfire and leap away. You look up, and see a figure appear through the smoke.
HYDRA's asset, the Winter Soldier, arrives. He raises his assault rifle and fires again.
You dive behind a dilapidated table and avoid more of his gunfire. You then kick the table at him, but he simply breaks it in half by punching it with his metal arm.
Still in your civilian attire, you activate your web shooters and shoot a web line at him. He grabs the web and pull your towards him. You front flip and engage in hand to hand combat with the Winter Soldier.
You try to land two punches but he parrys them and tries to punch you back. You block them as well. The Asset then quickly unsheathes a knife and tries to stab you.
You block each quick attack, but he ultimately stabs your side.
You: Argh!
You grab his left arm holding the knife and twist it, making him drop the knife. You then kick him back, where he rolls over but recovers quickly.
You: What the hell are you?
The Winter Solider takes out a handgun and begins firing. You quickly dodge each shot and dive towards him, rolling back onto your feet in front of him. He drops his gun and throws a punch, but you grab his metal fist and stop him.
You: You have a metal arm? That's some tough shit.
You kick him back again, but he simply does a kip up and lands back onto his feet.
As you're facing him, you hear somebody cough behind you. You look back, and see Omar coming out from under a dilapidated table. He pulls out an unconscious Sophie too.
The Winter Soldier quickly devises a plan. He knows you put the lives of others before yourself, so he pulls out his Scorpion sub-machine gun and aims at Omar.
Your eyes widen. You leap in front of of your friends as he fires. You block his burst with your body, and take a few hits in your side. You land near them.
You: Argh!
Omar: Y/N?! What the fuck!
You muster up the strength to get back up and ignore the pain.
You: Go! Get Sophie out of here!
The Winter Solider aims again, but you shoot an electric web at his metal arm and disable it for a bit. You then leap up and do a flying kick at him. Omar notices this, but still begins carrying Sophie out.
You hold your side, and start webbing up your bullet wounds. The Winter Soldier takes this time to charge at you and shove you into a column with his shoulder.
He then grabs you by the collar and punches you twice in the face with his metal arm. He then slams you into the floor, where he punches you again.
You want to fight back, but your injuries from before are starting to have an effect on you. In your weakened state, The Asset throws you into another column by the destroyed dance floor. You crash into it, and land on your side. You open your eyes, and see the Winter Soldier bring out another rifle. He aims up, shooting projectiles near the ceiling. He then starts walking out.
You try to get up, but then your spider sense blares. You hear faint beeping above.
Outside, The Winter Soldier walks away from the venue. He presses a button on the side of his rifle, detonating the explosives he shot onto the ceiling. The roof of the venue begins to collapse, with most of the building coming down as well.
The Winter Soldier doesn't look back. His work is done.