I screwed everything up, with Peter, letting MJ and Harry get captured.
It was all my fault.
I messed things up with Peter, and instead of apologising properly like I should have in the first place, I made things worse. And then, to top it all off, I let myself get distracted. At least I'd resolved things with Peter.
I could barely hold onto the bridge on my own, I was exhausted from the fight with the Goblin, and the cord holding me and MJ hundreds of feet in the air had been damaged. I could feel my hand starting to slip, and the cord starting to break.
Whatever happened first would kill us both, and I couldn't let that happen.
Using the rest of my strength, I pulled MJ up and closed her hand around the cord holding us both up.
"You need to hold on okay?" MJ nodded frantically. "I can't hold on much longer so you need to hold on for me okay?"
"Wait, where are you going?" she yelped, though she hung on like I asked. "Hey, where are you going!?"
Giving her a strained smile, I answered: "Everything's gonna be okay, just hold on." And then I let go. Pushing away from the edge so I wouldn't hit the concrete barriers, I fell. The wind rushed through my hair whipping it into my face, and then
Peter was there.
I could hear him saying my name, and I turned to look at him.
"Peter, wait." Peter turned, the eyes of his suit narrowing. "I'm sorry, I messed up, and I'm really, really sorry. You, Peter Parker, are one of my best friends, and I would never regret starting that friendship with you, no matter what I said."
"Gwen,"
"I was frustrated, and I lashed out at you,"
"Gwen."
"You are always there for me, even when we were just getting to know each other and I didn't necessarily want you there." I was almost rambling, and I clearly hadn't noticed Peter trying to talk to me until he pulled off his mask.
"Gwen." I blinked, stopping my long rant of an apology. "It's fine," he smiled. "I said some pretty rude things to you as well, and I really regret them, and I know you regretted what you said but I needed some time to think, y'know?" Peter said, smiling his signature Peter smile, and I rushed forward to hug him.
"Thank you for forgiving me." I beamed, and then, growing serious: "Now let's go get our friends back."
We swung off together, and after a few moments in tense silence Peter spoke. "Was there more? To that apology?" he asked, and I sighed.
"Yes, there was, why?" I asked carefully; the bridge was drawing nearer.
"Can I hear it?" he asked, and then went on. "I mean later, of course, we have to rescue our friends right now, but yeah later."
I sighed, a long sigh that required an equally long inhalation of air, before answering. "It's the least I could do for you."
When we landed, for a few short seconds we thought the Goblin wasn't there, and then, on the bridge below us, everyone started screaming.
"We have to get down there!" I exclaimed, and Peter nodded.
We swung into action at the same time, leaping over the edge and anchoring ourselves with a web and a wire reinforced cord, respectively.
We were barely ten feet from the top, where we'd just been, when the Green Goblin, alone on his glider, flew just over our heads. I didn't understand what he'd done until I felt the cord drop a little. Next to me, Peter fell about two feet before he managed to pull himself to the wall and stick to it.
I made a mental note to find a way to enable my suit to do the same.
Pulling myself back up to the top, I scanned the bridge below us, wondering why no one had bothered to evacuate the people in danger.
There was no one that looked particularly distressed, and nothing that seemed too out of place or damaged, but a school bus stopped near the edge of the bridge did worry me.
"Ah, Spider-Man and his feline sidekick. You messed with the wrong Goblin this time!"
Peter and I turned, each preparing a snappy quip, but Peter got to it first.
"Actually, you messed with us first, by threatening the people of New York, so technically, you messed with the wrong people."
"Funny you should say so, Spider-Man," the Goblin said. "I have a little gift for you, and the people you've self-sworn to protect!" he declared dramatically, and the eyes on Peter's suit narrowed. "A choice really,"
I realised what he was planning as soon as he said that, and I turned to Peter, frantic.
"He's going to make us choose between those Midtown students and someone else!"
"Correction, I'm going to make him choose between those Midtown students, and a school bus full of children."
Dread filled me from head to toe. Maybe if Peter chose to save our friends and I went down to get the children out we could save them both.
"Oh, and if you try to tell him what to do or go off and save whoever he chooses to die, I'll kill them all."
Peter was silent, no doubt also thinking of ways we could save both groups, and now that no one else was talking, the only sounds were that of several approaching helicopters, police or not I couldn't tell.
"Don't forget dear little Spider there is a time limit."
I opened my mouth to protest, and he held up an orange pumpkin with a glowing green button on top.
I snapped my jaw shut and turned to Peter, staring holes in the side of his head.
'You go for the remote.
I go for our friends.
Then we go for the bus together.'
I could only hope Peter got the message as I flicked my eyes back and forth rapidly.
He was only sort of looking at me which made the whole ordeal harder.
"Tick tock." the Goblin said menacingly, as I searched the bridge for any sign of MJ or Harry.
The helicopters were growing louder, and the searchlights found the bridge, illuminating everything, and, for a few brief seconds, projecting the shadows of two people across the cement.
I turned to Peter, giving the smallest nod of my head, and he brought his hand up as casually as possible.
Slowly lowering three of his fingers so only the pointer and pinky remained, Peter counted us down.
Three...
Two...
One...
Throwing his arm out in front of him, Peter shot a web at the Green Goblin, attempting to get the remote from him.
It worked, for two seconds it worked, and then the Goblin lunged forward, cutting the web, and the remote skidded across the cement.
I lunged for it as it skittered past me, but the Goblin jumped off his glider, kicking it toward Peter and tackling me to the ground.
I kicked him off, jumping to my feet and chasing after the remote. Behind me, the Green Goblin caught my arm, yanking me back, and I felt my arm pop. He threw a punch that I narrowly blocked, and kicked me in the stomach sending me reeling backwards.
I fell onto my arm, and felt rather than heard it pop. Yelping, I stumbled to my feet again, searching around for the remote.
Peter pulled the Goblin away, and punched him, almost dislodging his mask.
With a growl, he grabbed Peter's arm and twisted it away, punching him down and turned to me.
I ducked under his first punch, elbowing him harshly in the stomach and then popping up behind him. Peter stood up in front of him, shaking his head lightly and putting up his fists.
For a few minutes we simply traded punches, ducking under and dodging what we could from the crazed Goblin man.
He swung his arm at me, and I blocked it. Peter webbed the Goblin's other arm, pulling it back and I kicked him in the chest.
The Goblin fell toward Peter, trying to turn, but Peter punched him in the face, spinning him back to me. He came back toward me and swung a punch.
I dodged, but not far enough and his fist caught my arm.
I ignored it, bringing my knee up into his mask and ducking under another punch, putting my arm beneath me and going into a stage roll.
Sweeping my leg out and knocking the Goblin over, I came up beside Peter, limbs starting to feel heavy.
"Go save the kids I got this." I said, motioning Peter away, and he nodded running toward the edge and diving off.
I turned, jogging over to where I had seen the shadows of my friends, rounding a metal structure just taller than me.
And then there they were.
Sitting on a small metal platform looking slightly dazed and pretty worried, Harry and MJ were tied to each other crudely, and I rushed over.
"Are you two okay?" I asked, drawing their attention as I rushed over.
"There's a bomb!! It's under the bus down on the bridge and there's one under us, please you have to hurry!" MJ yelled, and I hurried over, kneeling down to untie her.
"Get my friend first he- he's hurt and you have to help him, he got hurt when that Psycho attacked!" MJ said and I nodded.
She was right, Harry did look hurt, and I started untying him, fumbling with the knots as fast as I could. I untied him from MJ, lifting him off the platform and practically dragging him off the platform.
Harry groaned, coming too, and I glanced over my shoulder at MJ.
"I'm gonna make sure he's alright then I'll get you okay?" I reassured, and MJ nodded, staring anxiously at Harry. "What's his name?" I asked, feigning not to know.
"Harry, Harry Osborn." she said, and I nodded.
"Harry? Can you hear me?" I murmured, leaning over him, and his eyes fluttered open.
"Who are you? Get back! Stay... away..." he groaned, voice hoarse, trying weakly to push me away.
"Harry, please calm down, I'm here to help you." I said, and he glared up at me.
"You're not, you're with him! The crazy goblin guy!" Harry said, voice wavering, putting his hands up again.
I glanced again at MJ, who was still watching nervously, and then back at Harry. Trapping his hands under one of mine, I brushed my hair in front of my face to shield it from MJ, reaching up with the other hand to pull off my mask.
"Harry please, it's me! It's Gwen!" I whispered frantically, and he frowned up at me. "Please," I begged, and he relaxed his arms.
see"Gwen?" he whispered, and I nodded, putting the mask back on. I didn't have to say anything to him, a look was all, and he barely nodded. "I won't say anything." he whispered, and I smiled, standing up.
I could just barely see out to where I left the Goblin, and what I could see made my stomach drop.
As I watched, he closed his hand around the pumpkin detonator, and pressed the button.
I turned and charged toward the edge of the bridge, where MJ was just standing up, ropes lying next to her.
I had been so busy fighting the Goblin I'd forgotten about the detonator, the reason we'd been fighting in the first place.
The platform didn't explode, per say, but there was a bang, and a puff of smoke, and then MJ disappeared.
Hooking the cord over the edge I jumped after MJ, hooking an arm around her waist.
I almost lost my grip, and she fell a little further.
I screwed everything up, with Peter, letting MJ and Harry get captured.
It was all my fault.
I messed things up with Peter, and instead of apologising properly like I should have in the first place, I made things worse. And then, to top it all off, I let myself get distracted. At least I'd resolved things with Peter.
I could barely hold onto the bridge on my own, I was exhausted from the fight with the Goblin, and the cord holding me and MJ hundreds of feet in the air had been damaged. I could feel my hand starting to slip, and the cord starting to break.
Whatever happened first would kill us both, and I couldn't let that happen.
Using the rest of my strength, I pulled MJ up and closed her hand around the cord holding us both up.
"You need to hold on okay?" MJ nodded frantically. "I can't hold on much longer so you need to hold on for me okay?"
"Wait, where are you going?" she yelped, though she hung on like I asked. "Hey, where are you going!?"
Giving her a strained smile, I answered: "Everything's gonna be okay, just hold on." And then I let go. Pushing away from the edge so I wouldn't hit the concrete barriers, I fell. The wind rushed through my hair, whipping it into my face, and then finally I hit the water.
The breath left my body and I felt water rush my lungs. I kicked, struggling, hopefully up, for what felt like eternity.
And then finally I broke the surface, staring up at the darkening sky above. I could barely see the top of the bridge, and my arms were aching.
I could feel myself slipping under as I stared up at the bridge, I hoped I could make it to shore before my arms gave out, but most importantly, I hoped Peter and the others would be alright.
000
I swung down to the bridge below, heading for the school bus.
I had no clue how much time I had so I needed to go fast. Dropping down next to the bus I tried the door. It wouldn't budge. Pouring all my strength into opening the door, I got it a few inches open before it stopped.
"Are any of the emergency exits working?" I yelled and several of the kids by the windows shook their heads.
They looked frantic, the bus driver too, and her hand was wrapped in a jacket.
"Does anybody have a jacket?" I yelled, and at least four kids forced their jackets out the opening in the door, and I took the nearest one.
Throwing the jacket over my shoulder I started punching the door, until finally it started to crack. This bus had clearly been planted.
Wrapping the jacket around my fist I punched the glass in, clearing out a panel on the door.
"Okay everybody line up and get out!!" I yelled, and the kids started to file out in a rush, and several of them almost tripped.
Finally, everyone but the bus driver was out, and I was panicking.
"Ma'am stay there I'm gonna head to the back of the bus, don't move!!" I yelled, and took off.
Without really thinking about it I webbed the back door of the bus to the car behind it, and ran behind that. Webbing the back, I ran toward the edge of the bridge and jumped over, throwing all my weight into the jump.
I felt the car slide a few feet, pause, and then there was a horrible screech of metal and I dropped even further. Swinging myself onto the support beam I climbed up onto the bridge as fast as I could.
The bus driver was just barely climbing out the back when my spidey sense went off. Webbing the bus driver's arm I pulled her to me, turning so when the bus exploded - and it did - I took most of the blast.
"Get down!!" I bellowed as loud as I possibly could, and then the bus exploded.
Waves of heat poured off the flaming carcass, and I stood, helping the bus driver up. She was shaken, but mostly unharmed - she injured her hand trying to punch out the window.
I walked with her back to the kids and waited while she did a headcount confirming they were all there.
About halfway through the headcount I saw something fall past, just missing the cement barriers and splashing into the water.
The Green Goblin, now back on his glider, appeared over the edge of the bridge, holding a pumpkin bomb in each hand.
"You may have saved them both with the help of your friend, but can you save them all alone?" he taunted, and I got ready to fight again.
"Sorry to say Goblin Man but he's not alone!" Aura yelled, swinging in and pulling his glider down to shake his balance.
"Weaver! What took you so long?" I asked jokingly, and she laughed, tying her hair up into a bun.
"What took you so ugly?" she asked jokingly. "Let's finish this guy, eh?"
I nodded, and we swung up toward the Goblin, hurling pieces of bus debris at him, and carefully avoiding the fleeing students.
We finally got him close enough to the ground that Aura could tackle him off the glider so we could fight hand to hand.
And then we were back to trading punches.
Aura was doing a lot more acrobatics, flipping over the Goblin to avoid punches and trying to web him down whenever she could.
I ducked under a punch from the Goblin, webbing the eyes of his suit and kicking him over.
"Web him down!" Aura yelled, perching on the wall, and I nodded.
"Karen, activate endless webs!" I yelled, and the A.I responded right away.
"Activating endless webs."
Aura and I did the same thing, webbing the dazed Goblin onto the bridge.
Stepping back, I let my shoulders droop. This had been a long fight.
Blinding spotlights focused on us and I finally noticed the police helicopters hovering around the bridge.
"Please step away from the Goblin- man... thing." It had been a while since I heard any New York cop sound unsure, but this one did.
Aura and I stepped away, hands raised, and just then, in a cloud of smoke, several pumpkin bombs went off, and then when the smoke cleared, the Green Goblin had vanished from the bridge.
A quick search of the sky placed the Green Goblin flying back toward Manhattan.
We swung off, making chase.
000
I felt fear seize me as I slipped under again, losing sight of the dock for just a moment.
It was now fully dark out and I could kind of see the stars glimmering dimly above me. the city lights blotted them out for the most part, but I could see some.
Mustering the last of my strength I summoned a burst of energy and kicked myself toward the dock, hooking one arm onto the ladder when I finally got there.
The waves lapsed gently at my back as I heaved myself onto the dock.
I had needed to fight the current to get here, as it was the closest dock to the bridge.
My arms hurt, my lungs hurt, everything hurt.
Groaning, I forced myself to stand, and immediately collapsed, spewing water onto the dock.
I dry heaved for a moment and then, as carefully as I could, avoided stepping in the vomit water as I stumbled up the stairs.
How was I going to get home like this?
"Gwen!!" I turned, almost falling in my haste to see who it was. I couldn't quite see who, but they were coming closer, and they knew who I was. "There you are! Oh thank- I didn't know if you were alive! MJ told me about what happened!" Harry got to me and engulfed me in a bear hug, almost lifting me off the ground.
"Harry-!" I sobbed, breaking down, and he sat down with me on the steps of the wooden dock. "I was so scared I would d-drown and I kept thinking about the Astro Tower accident and I- I couldn't stop swimming... How did you find me?" I blubbered, as Harry rubbed soothing circles on my back.
"I was determined to find you after what MJ said, so I was gonna check every dock but you found your way to this one so I didn't need to go far." Harry said, and I nodded.
"Did they get him?" I asked, looking up at Harry, and he shook his head grimly.
"Peter and Aura went after him. But they didn't get him." he said, and I nodded. "We should get you to the ambulance so they can check up on you." Harry declared, and paused.
"What?" I asked, and he frowned suddenly.
"How can we make sure they don't find out about you?" he pondered. "Oh! I know, we say you fell off the bridge during the fight, and- here give me your mask and I can give you my jacket..." he trailed off. "What?"
"Nothing, you just... I..."
"What's the matter?" Harry teased. "Cat got your tongue?"
I could only stare.
This boy, this extremely sweet, dashing, chivalrous, sometimes arrogant, very handsome boy, had planned to search dock after dock for me. And then when he did find me he wanted to make sure there was no way anyone could find out my identity - even though it wasn't really possible - without me having to ask.
"Can I kiss you?"
It was sudden, and I could tell it caught Harry off guard.
"Can you wha-?"
I laughed. "Wow, I caught the Harry Osborn off guard. It is okay, right? I'm not getting my signals crossed?" I had started to ramble.
Harry cut me off, smiling softly. "No, you're fine, Gwen, you're not getting the signals crossed. And, yes, we can kiss, if you want to."
"I asked, didn't I?" I said dumbly, and then I kissed Harry Osborn.
And he kissed me back.