Since her son's departure, Rio Morales spent the longest hours of her life glued to her little device that monitored his heart rate, the one given by their doctors, to make sure it didn't flatline or go into overdrive. Every second was torturous to the poor woman. She hardly ate or drank, but even when she did, she could barely taste anything. Every minute was spent in tearful prayer for her family to return in one piece.
The one instance that turned her insides out was when his heart spiked above one hundred beats per minute near dark, which was most recently. Her joints froze, waiting for the worst while hoping for the best... it felt like her building was about to come down on her... but even when his heart settled after about a minute, it did very little to stoke her dwindling sanity, for this had happened more than a few times throughout the day already.
When her phone rang, she held her breath hesitantly before picking it up.
"Hey, honey!" spoke Jeff through the phone; his tone was spirited.
"Mi amor?" she answered, her voice cracking.
"We're on our way home! Miles is with me... he's okay!"
"Hi, mom!"
"Oh, ¡gracias a Dios!" As soon as she heard her baby's voice, Rio collapsed to her knees sobbing, relief washing over like a warm shower. "You're alive!"
"Si, ma!" Even through the phone, Miles sounded hurt and fatigued.
"Are you okay, baby?"
"Yeah..."
There was a pause before her husband took back over. "We'll see you home, okay?"
"Okay." she nodded, clutching her phone with both hands, before he hung up.
Getting up off the floor, Rio took her first real breath that night, as if she had been underwater for all that time. The knot in her chest and stomach loosened, her lungs freed from their iron entrapment at last.
*****
Soon enough, Jefferson arrived home with Peter B. Parker, who had changed out of his costume to avoid drawing suspicion from the neighbors. Embracing her husband, she checked past him with a raised eyebrow, wondering why she couldn't see her son anywhere, until he and his Earth 42 counterpart uncloaked in the middle of her living room, one supporting the other on his shoulder.
"Thanks... other me... but you didn't have to carry me all this way."
"I'm fine, hermano. I'm not gonna die from a broken arm."
Miles smirked at his Prowler variant. "I don't know as much Spanish as you... but I think you just called me brother."
"Si."
With one hand, Miles G. Morales lowered his Spider twin onto the couch where he slumped against the cushion, exhausted beyond belief. Rio came around, intending to treat their injuries, when she recoiled at the sight of the former's broken arm, her hands muffling her gasp.
G could only chuckle at her reaction, which she didn't appreciate at all. "It... doesn't feel as bad as it looks..." he commented, waving the detached limb, and then wincing. "... unless I do that."
"Then don't do that, idiota!" She held her hips with a bold-lined scowl, then motioned him to come over. "Come, let me put that in a cast." Grabbing his good hand, she dragged him off like a naughty child. Miles pointed and laughed until his mother shot him a warning finger. "Don't make me use the chancla!"
That shut him up right away.
Shortly after, his dad treated his son's facial injuries before taking him into his room, Peter in tow, to help him out of his sticky spandex suit, which would have otherwise taken longer to do on his own for obvious reasons.
"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.
They carried her all the way upstairs where she found Gwen resting in Hobie's lap on a bench and hopped down to check on them; the blonde was peacefully asleep, having succumbed to her mental exhaustion.
"How is she doing?" she whispered to Hobie, not wanting to wake her.
"Better." he said, smiling down.
"We can go home now."
He put a finger over his mouth. "In a jiffy."
Right now, the Punk Spider just wanted his little drummer to get some dearly needed rest after the deteriorating stress she had to endure last night.
"That kid, I swear..." he shook in amazement, thinking over the whole event, "... just like his heart, those balls are too massive for him. If he gets through that illness, I'm adopting him." He thought more about what he said. "Bugger it, I'll adopt him anyway."
"Not hard to see why she fell for him." Peni laughed, pointing to Gwen. "Miguel can stick it."
"Speak of the fucking devil."
Looking past the Japanese American, he saw the blue-suited Spider-Man marching their way with Jessica Drew at his shoulder and his squad tailing closely behind. He could hear their conversation, something to do about wanting to retrieve the recently deceased Goblin.
"What's your hurry?" Hobie asked the 2099 Spider as soon as he was in earshot.
"None of your business."
"Why's your mask still on?" he prodded further.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
To this, Hobie sneered. "I heard G socked you in the face."
"Why?" Miguel paused in his tracks, turning to him with clenched fists; his voice was venomously calm. "You wanna have a go as well?"
The Punk Spider stared him down, flexing his neck and clicking his own knuckles.
Jess stepped in between them in annoyance. "We can do this later, boys."
Calming their leader down, she ushered him away, shaking at Hobie in disapproval.
"Yeah..." Hobie glared after the head honcho, "... why don't we?"
*****
Eventually, Miguel arrived with his group at the scene of the crime in Earth 1610. The warehouse was polluted with odor thanks to their dead subject, who was stapled to the floor by his glider; by now, the blood pool had dried into a sticky jam-like substance.
"I guess there was no other way." stated Jessica, crinkling her nose.
"Run a scan." he ordered, cutting to the chase.
Using their gizmos, the Spiders summoned their holodrones to recreate the scene, and what they saw next floored them.
From the beginning, everyone watched in stunned silence as Miles Morales, the supposed anomaly that never should have been Spider-Man, fought the Green Goblin near his last breath. The sheer brutality was frighteningly unpleasant. Jess held her mouth for the whole period, shrieking each time the boy took a hard hit to his swollen heart and having to look away. Miguel, on the other hand, tried to keep his stoicism, but his micro expressions betrayed him; even he was finding this difficult to stomach, for it was another example of his incompetence thrown in his face.
For the other Spiders, they were more amazed and deeply moved by this boy's courage and perseverance. This Miles Morales had every right to flee and save himself. Instead, he chose to fight... he was willing to die for the sake of others like a true hero... a true Spider-Man.
Miguel sat on the floor, mulling. At this point, he no longer cared about forensics; he was watching this scene like a movie now, invested more in its story than the logistics. It was more apparent now than ever how horribly he judged this kid... no, this young man. Being a Spider wasn't just about saving lives or fighting for the greater good, it was also about taking chances and never giving up, no matter how impossible the odds seemed... he had forgotten.
The part that had Jessica fighting tears was when she saw Miles sprawled on the floor with Gwen's voice from his goober begging him to stay alive; her heart broke for them. Had she not known the outcome beforehand, she would have believed that this was the end for him.
Eventually, the scene culminated with Peter's timely rescue, followed by his uncharacteristically vicious beatdown of the Goblin, which resulted in the latter's self-inflicted demise. Very few people had ever seen this side of the usually laidback Spider-Man, but it was clearer to everyone now that this man's kindness was not to be taken for weakness, ever.
Ben Reilly, the Spider-Man of Earth 94, was the first to step forward. "That kid... is a goddamn hero!" He stood firm with his opinion.
Another Spider concurred, his hands on his hips. "Miles stood up to the Goblin, even when he likely had no chance of winning... with that illness." It was Peter Parker from Earth 26496, known to many as the Spectacular Spider-Man. "I've never seen such bravery before."
"I have to agree with them." said Jessica, putting a hand on Miguel's shoulder. "I just hope he pulls through, because that punishment he took... that's long-term damage."
"That's why he should have stayed put." There was no censure in his statement, just dejection. "I can feel his blood on my hands thickening now."
"It might be in bad taste," Ben added, "but I think everyone needs to see this so they can know how badass he is."
Ignoring his suggestion, Jess pulled Miguel to his feet. "Come on, let's just get the body and go. I heard they found Jonathan Onn too... what's left of him."
*****
Back on Earth 65B, George Stacy was once again alone in his apartment without the faintest idea where his daughter was. He tried calling her to no avail. He also tried contacting anyone who might have seen her, apart from her school. Gwen was often gone for long periods of time, but she always left a message. From yesterday afternoon until this morning, all he got was radio silence, and he lost a good night's sleep as a result.
It wasn't until near midday when a familiar portal made a mess of his living room again that he could heave a sigh of relief. There was his daughter, who looked like a zombified mess, accompanied by that punk-rocker with the frizzy hair. As always, she leapt into his arms, her strength and speed nearly knocking him off his feet.
"I'm so sorry for making you worry!" she cried, strangling his waist.
"Oh, baby..." he hugged back, patting her head, "... what happened?"
"I'll explain it to him." said Hobie, moving to sit on their couch without asking. "You just sit back and veg-out, Gwendy."
Nodding, she saw the clock and flinched at the time. "Shit, I'm late for school!"
"Relax," her dad said, stopping her panic, "I called the school and told them you were sick, so you can take it easy today."
She looked down ashamed. "I'm sorry you had to do that."
"It's okay."
All sitting down now, Hobie explained to the man everything that transpired while doing his best not to confuse him with all his British slangs, which earned a few giggles from the girl. By the time he was done, the former police captain wore a dumbfounded expression.
"Wow..." was all he could say, shaking his head, "... that must have been rough on you guys."
Hobie cocked his head. "Especially for Gwendy here." He got up from the sofa. "You two need to chat, so I'll bugger off now." Ruffling through his pockets, he tossed George a goober. "That's for you."
"Why do I need it?" he asked, holding it like a misplaced gift.
The punk Spider only shrugged as he waved to them, before vanishing into his portal.
Left alone with her dad, Gwen looked down at her feet in silence, bouncing her knees and twiddling her fingers. She was only now realizing how humid she felt in her suit after being stranded in Miguel's dimension for all those long and nightmarish hours.
"So..." her dad started, rubbing his palms, "... what do you wanna talk about?"
Sighing, Gwen rolled her eyes to the ceiling, thinking hard on where to start, then found her voice. "Do you... think I should go into therapy?"
George turned his head a little. "Is this about...?"
"My panic attack, yeah." She paused to inhale before continuing. "Do you find that normal, especially for a superhero?"
"Gwen," he pinched his nose, "I don't know much of anything about superheroes, even when I thought I did."
"I know, but..." she danced her hands, trying to form a concept, "... if you had an ideal superhero, do you think they should panic in situation they have no control over?"
"Is this your way of asking me if I think you're still suited to be Spider-Woman?"
Screwing up her face, she nodded while glancing sideways.
"Then yes." he answered confidently.
This surprised the girl... she was expecting at least an 'I don't know'. "Did I just hear that correctly?"
Her dad nodded with a modest smile.
"Are you not just saying that because I'm your daughter?"
He shook. "What you're feeling right now is what makes you special, Gwen."
"How so?"
"You question everything, including yourself, because you care so much."
Gwen was still doubtful. "But my panic attack—"
"Is nothing to be ashamed of." he finished for her. "It also shows how much you love Miles, and I'm sure he'd go into a frenzy if anything happened to you as well... like I almost did."
She paused again, bouncing her eyes as she thought of this. He made a good point, so she couldn't understand why she suddenly broke into giggling fits instead of tears. She hid her face in her hands, turning red as she couldn't stop, until she calmed down.
"What so funny?" asked her dad, who was just as confused as he was curious.
"No, I'm just..." she sucked in her lips, holding back an embarrassed grin, "... I was just thinking of a memory, something I saw that I probably shouldn't have."
The man leaned forward. "Mind sharing?"
"It's silly, but sure." Straightening herself, she cleared her throat. "So, I went to this dimension called Earth 8..."
*****
Back on Earth 1610, Miles G. Morales was about ready to go home, his arm slung in a cast. Since he had nowhere to stay until his goober could work again, Rio and Jefferson allowed him to sleep in their guest room for the night and even fed him breakfast the morning after.
"Thank you, guys, for everything." he said to the family.
"No..." shook the mother, "... thank you."
"You saved my ass." Jeff added, smirking. "It's the least we could so."
G gazed up at this man, and for the first time, he smiled with childlike satisfaction. When he extended his unbroken arm for a handshake, he was met with an unexpected hug from both parents. He stood like a board for a few seconds before melting into their embrace.
The other Miles watched this scene with a cheeky dimpled grin.
Pulling away, he turned to his twin with a fist. Both Miles read each other's minds and did their special handshake, which also ended in a hug.
"¡Buena suerte, hermano."
"You too."
"If you want, I can help you with your Spanish."
The two of them chuckled as they pulled apart. Donning his mask, the Prowler perched on their windowsill. He looked back over his shoulder to the three, nodding once, and dove off.
Jeff stared after him. "I'm glad he didn't exit through a portal inside the house like your mentor."
His wife and son agreed with a synchronized nod, both staring after the vigilante.
Miles began his slow walk to their kitchen; he was hunched while swaying left and right, his steps paced like an old man's now. His parents watched him through the corner of their eyes worriedly; they also couldn't ignore how aggressively shallow his breathing had become since he woke up vomiting in their toilet, full of dizziness. Because of this, they had decided to keep him home for the day; it also would have been difficult to explain his battle injuries otherwise.
The boy could feel their eyes following him, watching his every move to make sure he didn't drop dead in front of them, as he worked his way to their coffee machine with his acquired mug. Filling it up, he took his first bitter sip. As a fifteen-year-old teen, he didn't ever drink coffee, but he really needed something... anything... to rouse him out of his lethargy.
This day so far hadn't been as kind to him at all. It was getting harder to do anything anymore, let alone think. He knew, of course, that it had to do with more than just the injuries he sustained from that so-called Goblin anomaly... his pacemaker had clearly taken damage from his venom powers as well, that much was obvious.
A few times, even when doing mundane activities, he started to feel palpitations, as the doctors called it. His heart would beat rapidly and irregularly for seemingly no reason at all, forcing him to freeze whatever he was doing and hold his chest until it passed. As of today, this had occurred three times now; first was when he woke up, second was while he was brushing his teeth, and the third was when he attempted to do his overdue homework... it was making him paranoid.
"Are you okay, mijo?" came the question.
"Yeah..." his voice came out as a forced grunt, "... just dull."
He carried his mug to sit at their kitchen table. Walking now felt like wading through a strong water current. It also took great effort just to lower his butt into his seat without dropping; it was like squatting with a barbell on his shoulders.
His parents joined him soon after, batting their eyes to each other anxiously.
Their son's demeanor had changed too. Gone was his positive attitude, his fighting spirit... all that was left was this neutral resignation on his paling dry face, his eyes staring far away from this room. Maybe, they hoped, that this was just morning blues.
"Are you sure?" his mother asked again, angling her head.
Miles forced a meek smile. "I just gotta... catch up on my homework."
"Maybe, you should leave it for today and get some rest."
The boy cocked his head with a ho hum.
"And to make sure you stay put," his dad chimed in, "we're confiscating your suit."
Miles simply nodded to this, deadpanned; he was too fatigued to complain or argue. "I'm just happy... that everyone's safe, so... I can rest easy now." he concluded, drinking his coffee.
His dad tensed his throat, not at all liking the way those last words left his mouth. Bouncing his gaze to his wife, he got up from his chair and fumbled through his phone with more haste than he intended to show. "I'm just gonna... phone some other donor centers. If we're lucky, we should be able to find another heart for you."
Miles barely heard what his father was saying. His hand flew up to his chest, which was suddenly throbbing again, and as it did, a doorbell brought their attention to their front door... something was wrong... and it spread through his body like a forest fire.
When Jeff answered the door, he found Gwen, who had cleaned up and was now dressed casually; she had this weird haunting look on her face like she was seeing a dead spirit.
"Hi, Gwen." he greeted her awkwardly.
"Hi, Mr. Morales." She mirrored him, bouncing on her toes. "Is this a b-bad time?"
"Not at all. Come in." He motioned her through the doorway then called out to his son. "Hey, son... your wife's here!" he joked, which turned the girl's face into a tomato.
Miles was overcome with dizziness now. He stood up from his chair, almost toppling over, as he banked to see his Gwen... two... no, three... entering their home, all wearing the same clothes and moving identically... and somehow spiraling into each other.
This is too good to be true...
Everyone else... including the apartment itself... started cloning funnily. The boy, still clutching his burning chest, started hearing these monstrous gurgling sounds... but there was no monster in sight... he was the one making those sounds, he realized. He also could hardly feel his hands and feet anymore as he stumbled towards the blonde girl, whose eyes were bulging at him in terror now.
No... don't look like that... please, Gwen.
He tried to say this, but his mouth couldn't form words anymore... all he could do was mumble.
His surroundings became white noise. He could hardly feel his mother's hands trying to balance him or hear her panicked voice crying at him to sit back down. All he wanted was to be in Gwen's arms... he wouldn't ask for more after that.
And just like that... the pain was gone... and all he felt was cold numbness when his legs gave way, all semblance of strength leaving his body, as he collapsed to the floor... but instead of hitting his head on the hard wood, he was cushioned by a pair of small hands... Gwen's hands... and finally, he could rest.
"MILES!?"
"MIJO!?"
"SON!"
The screams of the other three occupants filled the interior, all overlapping each other, as they laid him flat on the floor, his arms spread evenly. Rio's medical training kicked in as she checked for her son's pulse, then pressed her ear into his chest... and her soul imploded.
"No..." she gasped. "... no, no, no, no, no! Don't you dare!"
Gwen could swear that her body crystalized as Rio lifted her son's shirt to begin chest compressions on that grotesque bump... there was no other choice. Even before she rang their doorbell, she had already sensed trouble from inside. She had only stopped by to check on her favorite man... only to stumble upon this.
Why...?
Why is this happening...?
Why him...?
Why now...?
The distressed mother breathed into his lungs, screaming each time, as he laid lifelessly.
Jeff tried his hardest not to panic as he gripped Gwen's shoulder, almost as a lifeline. Gwen stroked his hand, trying her best to comfort him, even when she knew it was in vain... every claustrophobic sensation she experienced the other day in HQ had returned with a vengeance.
This went on for minutes without any success. His mother wouldn't... couldn't... relent, not after everything, not after the Goblin or the Spot.
"Don't go... please!" she sobbed, doubling-down her efforts. "My baby!"
Just then, something lit up in his chest with a beeping sound... it came from his pacemaker's alarm system, and it was at that moment she remembered what the doctor told her long ago; its failsafe was activating.
Next, an orange static energy of light encased them in a sphere, veiling their surrounding view of the apartment... they were about to be transported.
"Mija!" She reached out to Gwen. "Take my hand!"
The girl did as she was told. She grabbed the woman's wrist as the orange light brightened some more, coloring them all in its hue. They held each other tightly, all in this together... and then they were gone.
*****
A/N: Only five chapters left... we're in the endgame now.