CHAPTER 9: SPLIT
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Spectacular Spider-Man Characters or Marvel Characters included in this fanfic, I do this for fun :)
Also, this chapter will be very visceral. There will be blood. (hope yall get that reference)
NOSTALGIA - PARKER RESIDENCE
For a season supposed to spent with family, Peter wondered why the young Harry Osborn didn't spend the winter holiday with his. Apparently, Harry's family sent him to stay with the Parkers because his esteemed father, Norman Osborn, had business overseas, and his wife followed. Didn't seem like his grandparents were available to stay with... which left the young boy bummed.
But it wasn't a bummer for long because the two had immense fun. For the young Peter, usually being the only child in the house, he treasured Harry's company. There's a one-in-a-million chance there was another kid in the Parker house. And there was a one-in-a-million chance there was another kid in the Osborn manor. So they took advantage of every minute of it. Especially during the Parker's Christmas party, where the two boys spent the holiday cooped up in Peter's room, playing plenty of video games on Harry's Xbox 360, like GTA San Andreas, Call of Duty, and Halo.
But their fun could only last so long, till they dropped to the floor, tired and sweaty.
The young Peter confessed, "Jeez, that was fun! Lemme get some food before we start again. You want any?"
His friend didn't respond for a moment, which Peter turned closer to Harry.
Harry muttered, "You sure it won't be a burden for you?"
"Of course, it won't Harry. You're our guest! Plus nothing you do will be a burden for me. Your burdens are my burdens, alright?"
"Really?... You mean that?"
"Yeah!"
"Thanks, Pete, really... It's been really nice with you guys"
"I'm sure its nice at your house... you get plenty of nice toys under that tree"
"Those toys aren't that nice if you got nobody else to play em with. Maybe I can bring them over sometime... especially my newest transformer. It's pretty sick!"
Peter could only smile after he heard that, before leaving the room to get themselves food.
While walking down the stairs, that smile stayed glued onto Peter's face. Picturing themselves laughing, chatting, and screaming for an eternity didn't sound so bad to him. He bet it didn't sound bad to Harry either.
WAKE UP CALL - SOMEWHERE IN MANHATTAN
Things change when boys get older, in this case, in a very destructive way.
Especially down below, where Manhattan sounded and looked like a war-zone. With that trechorous jack-o'-lantern bomb going off, it left a thick orange gas clouding the area. Many people rushed out of the smoky area, covering their mouths. Paramedics tried to help and move as many injured people as they could, while the police officers moved as many people out of that area.
Then there's that tattered web-slinger, limping and bleeding all over the area. Which one web fluid refill covered the bleeding... not the limping though. He disregarded his pain and tried helping anyone that passed by him. For a moment, he glanced at Captain Stacy's blown-up police car and distastefully sighed at the sight of it. Underneath the mask, his breath tremendously shuddered, and his heart... it was like he couldn't feel it. All he heard was this high-pitched ringing. And his mind–oh boy–his mind kept dreadfully envisioning how'd Gwen react to this... travesty of an incident–he grimaced at the thought of it.
'This can't be happening to Gwen now! No-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-'
Then, from above, the nefarious Hobgoblin hovered above with that demonic glider. His blazing red eyes sneered through the smoke and ash in the air. Once Spider-Man caught a glimpse of him, he launched himself at the villainous Goblin.
B-A-M!
Spidey got swatted onto the roof of a nearby building. His body skidded on the rooftop, wincing after every single tumble.
When Hobgoblin hovered above him, he noticed how damaged his cheap spandex red and black suit got. His small spider emblem was completely blown off, like the rest of his suit.
"Love what you did with the new suit, Pete... but you seem a bit torn on it," Hobgoblin taunted, gliding near him.
"You've no idea what you've done, Harry!" Spider-Man muttered.
"Yeah, I do. I got rid of ANOTHER crime-lord for you.You're welcome!" the Hobgoblin spat.
"You got another person killed with him!"
"Just a police officer. And he tried to get away with Tombstone-"
"Just a police officer? Harry, that's Gwen's dad! Captain Stacy. Do you not care what happens to her?!"
"Hold up... really?"
"Yes-"
"No, I meant... really?-Now you want me to care about Gwen?! After you tried getting with Gwen last year... while I still dated her! You scumbag!"
"What?"
"You thought I didn't know that little scheme you two were planning? Some friends you both are!"
"You weren't supposed to hear that..."
"Well, I heard it loud and clear! You two made it obvious, with your googly eyes at each other"
"What do you want me to say? I'm sorry that what—your girlfriend loved me more than she ever loved you... and now you got her father killed," Peter fumed.
"SHUT UP!" he screamed.
But Peter continued on his tirade, "And now you're getting other people killed because you can't accept the fact that your father was a monster by his own hand!"
"SHUT UP!"
"And you're becoming just like him!"
"NO-NO-NO! JUST SHUT UP–SHUT UP–SHUT UP!"
The Hobgoblin violently launched himself at Spider-Man with this killer gaze painted on his flaming red eyes.
"You should be grateful, Pete. I haven't done a thing to your precious little life... but maybe to teach you a lesson... I'll go after Liz... Gwen, your Aunt. I can string them ALL TOGETHER... in one panicked bow!"
"Do you even hear yourself right now?!"
"Loud and clear"
Instantly the Goblin doused Peter with his sleeping gas, nearly drowning him in it. Peter tried his best to avoid it... but after a few moments of twisting and tumbling, Spidey grew sluggish. Which Gobby relished in swatting him to the floor.
"There it is," the Goblin deviously smiled from ear to ear. "Maybe that lesson STARTS RIGHT NOW!" he announced, turning away from him.
'Such a disappointment'
'Thwiiippp!'
Suddenly, he felt a web attach to him, instantly shooting forward to Spider-Man. Instantly the fuming Spidey shot up, before brutally tackling him down.
B-A-M!
Once in close distance, the wall-crawler pummeled his face straight into the ground.
Loud hysterical laughter came from the hooded menace, coughing up blood. Then he strutted to his body and powerfully wailed onto the Hobgoblin.
And the enraged Peter couldn't hear those meaty and heavy punches he unleased onto him...
He just kept going... and going... and going.
Blood spewed all over his already red gloves, which left Peter in a haze. He felt disoriented, so he stepped away from the body and saw more blood oozing out of the shattered goblin mask.
'What am I doing?'
At that moment, he realized he was more like Harry–more like Norman–more like his father than he wished. He despised that dirty feeling. He ripped off the Hobgoblin mask to find the terribly damaged, and swollen face of Harry.
This isn't helping anything or anyone, so why is he doing it?
The sight of it terrified him. His heart sank into deep depths at the sight of it.
"I'm sorry–I'm so sorry Har," the hero backed away with his hands up. He finally came to his senses.
"C'mon... finish what you started," Harry spat.
"FINISH IT"
"No Harry, I-I won't"
"Don't be soft! DO IT!"
"I won't," Spider-Man's voice crumbed.
The fuming Harry sprung up off the floor, stomping toward Spidey like the boogeyman, and viciously tackled him to the floor. He ruthlessly wailed onto him like a barbaric madman, wearing himself out with every single meaty punch thrown.
So he stopped for a moment to breathe and... contemplate once he caught a glimpse of what he'd done.
'Finish him! C'mon, do it!' the voice viciously urged.
He thought he was hallucinating when he saw a familiar little boy's face. A face that he'd remember seeing every day when he played video games with him. Harry teared up at the thought of it, but he tried to shake them away.
'Don't be a coward, Harry! C'mon... DO IT! ONE MORE PUNCH! FINISH HIM!'
"NOOO!!!" he screamed before he threw his final punch into the floor.
Once this devious voice kept yelling at him. It kept insisting. And it grew to sound less familiar to his voice... and more like his father's.
'DON'T BE SOFT! YOU'RE WEAK! YOU'LL ALWAYS BE A DISAPPOINTMENT TO ME!'
"FUUUCCCKKK!" he thunderously cried.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Peter's blood on his hands, dripping down to the ends of his elbows. His eyes reluctantly wandered at Peter's bloodied and broken body... especially his face, which looked like it was puffing up around the eye area. Harry was disgusted.
He cried out his name, "PETE!"
The teary-eyed Harry crumbled to his feet next to his battered 'friend,' who struggled to breathe, coughing out blood. His eyes laid open and locked onto his friend.
"I-I am so-so-so-sorry, Pete! Oh-my-god-Oh-my-god-Oh-my-god!"
He tried to turn his head toward Harry but struggled. Harry silently observed him from the side, trapped in his wave of guilt and disarray.
"I'm sorry, Harry," he mouthed.
He reached out his hand to him, which Harry could only admire. It was too bright and glorious that it'd blind him.
Harry couldn't believe it, even after all of this damage, all the recent atrocities committed by his own hand and...
Peter freaking apologized!
Harry dropped his head down, fighting back his tears with all his strength. It strained him of what his father would think if he saw him like this... but now he couldn't give a care in the world what that monster thought. The tears overpower him, flowing down through his face. He ripped off sections of his cape and wrapped it around Peter's open wounds to stop the immense bleeding. Looking at all of this, Harry knew what he needed to do.
Through his tears, he glanced at Peter one last time... painfully gulping at the sight of it. EMTs could do more for him than he could've. But he couldn't bear to see or hold him again. So he fled to find an EMT or officers that could help with his damaged friend.
Yet, from above, Harry hauntingly observed the debris on the street below, the blown-up car, with Captain Stacy's burnt body inside it. He never thought he had it in him—but he did. So he flew down to the large police force, who pointed their guns directly at him, with his hands raised. Once, as he set foot on the street, officers powerfully restrained him, throwing his face into the pavement.
Harry pleaded while being arrested, "please–please–PLEASE HELP MY FRIEND! HE'S REALLY HURT"
"We're not falling for no traps!"
"It's not... He's still up there!" he frantically pointed his head at the roof. "PLEASE!" He pleaded with them.
It took a while for the officers and the medics to mull their options... but they took the leap, and got up that rooftop, armed and ready for anything to go down. But to their surprise, there was nobody there.
"There's no one here, sir, Just a blood trail... and a tattered mask," the officer reported on their comms.
...
ALLAN RESIDENCE
Rushing home from her minimum day at Midtown Magnet, Liz tried to avoid the inevitable chaos occurring in Downtown Manhattan
'Please tell me Petey's alive... Please!'
She also needed to study for Finals... and hopefully take her mind off her Petey. But its hard to do that given his web-slinging job. She kept calling him, hoping that he'd give an indication of life, and answer.
Liz genuinely adored Petey, with all of her heart because he genuinely believed in her, seeing her potential, past 'peaking in high school.'
Yet she finally understood what she needed. Even though she wished she didn't. She even prayed she didn't have to and wasn't even the religious type.
She understood and even loved the noble reasons Peter can't be there at all times, but still... she couldn't shake off his absence. And the dread that his absence brought.
Yet, that idea couldn't last forever in her head, because once she entered her room, she felt the cool breeze flowing through the window.
'Jeez, did I forget to close the window before I left?'
Then the closer she got to the window, her eyes witnessed the battered and bloodied Peter, who was tirelessly wheezing by the open window.
She sprung into action, frantically shutting that window, and rushed to his side.
She frantically exclaimed, "Oh-my-god, Petey!"
She noticed all of his wounds were covered in a coat of webbing... but it still didn't stop the bleeding.
He lowly mumbled, "The Bugle wished they could see me right now, huh..."
"Petey, you need to stop talking, and rest," she calmly recommended.
She tried her best to be calm, but he kept dejectedly spewing.
"This would be quite the story for Ol' Jolly Jameson... he'd want some pics of this–"
"Petey, please!"
Suddenly Peter's once joking expression transformed into somberness, with tears coming out of his eyes.
"I-I couldn't save him, Liz..."
"Who?"
"Cap–Captain Stacy..." his voice croaked.
"What?! Gwen's dad!–"
"Yeah... I-I couldn't save anybody, Liz... not Captain Stacy, Billy, not Mrs. Connors, not Sally... not even Tombstone or Hammerhead..."
The instant she heard Sally's name uttered out of his mouth, Liz remained quiet.
"I keep imagining Gwen... in my head. How she'll take it! Her mom already walked outta her, and now her dad... FUCK-"
Liz tearfully urged, softly placing her hand over his, "Petey, you need to calm down and rest... please... I can't stitch this up properly."
"Liz, I can't-"
"Please-"
Peter ragefully threw off her hand, and ranted, "I CAN'T REST! Don't you see... Captain Stacy is DEAD, HARRY IS A MESS... AND GWEN—WHAT'S SHE GONNA THINK WHEN SHE FINDS OUT HER FATHER IS DEAD! SO NO, I CAN'T REST–I WON'T!"
Liz stood there, with her jaw to the floor, frightened by how infuriated he was...
Peter immediately noticed this and dropped his head into his hands.
His voice muffled through his fingers, "I'm so-so-so-sorry–I shouldn't have yelled. Especially at you..."
Liz could tell that was a voice of sincere regret, so she slowly inched back to him.
"I keep saying that more and more these days," he softly admitted.
"You've had a terrible day," she acknowledged as her fingers gently combed his hair.
"Yeah, but you didn't deserve that... you never did. You've had it rough too, and you managed"
The moment he said that she stepped away to gather her supplies to cover up his wounds. She even grabbed an ice pack for his bruised face.
'Was this the right time? There's no better time than the present... right?'
She smoothly massaged his bruised face with the icepack, wiping the tears at the same time. She spouted, "What if I said I've been hiding it really well?"
"Hiding what?"
He could tell she was hesitant to say anything more than that... but it just left him more curious.
"C'mon Liz, you can tell me," Peter insisted.
She gulped before elaborating. 'Here it goes.'
"I'm just crumbling out here, Petey... I've been crumbling ever since Sally's death. She's the one person I vented to constantly... It was great. Sure, it could be toxic, especially when she assumed the worst of you... but she was there, listening. It was a safe space between her and me. And that's all I can ask for"
She multitasked, trying to wipe off the blood from his wounds.
"But now I have all of this baggage that keeps eating at me... it's suffocating... I don't wanna keep dumping it on others, but it feels like I need to. Especially when you're not here–and I get why you're not. But still... it hurts. Specially if... I'm scared you won't come back in one piece next time..."
Peter sat there and listened to every word she said, but couldn't get through what she's saying. Probably was the multiple head wounds.
"But I don't want you to take a break from being Spidey... again... cause you're needed out there and you know-"
"What are you trying to get at, Liz?" Peter wanted some clarification amid this rambling.
"I-I just want you here... with me. And listen and be honest with each other. That's all I want. But it feels like I'm at the bottom of your list, recently... and it's lonely down there"
"You really feel that way?"
"Yeah... and the worst part is that it's not all your fault. You've tried your best to be here but... You can't control what's out there. What new psycho roams the streets? Or the constant crime at night. That's why you're gone most of the time... it's a never-ending cycle we keep trying to work on... but nothing happens," she expressed, with tears rolling down her cheek.
"I wished... it wasn't that way," Peter softly uttered before sniffling.
He reached out for her hand and admitted, "I want us to work, Liz. I really do."
"I do too. But we keep going in circles, Petey... going absolutely nowhere, and eventually... it'll hurt us more than ever"
"Then... you know what the next step is, Liz. It's what best... for both of us," he sniffled.
"Yeah... I know," she sighed.
There it was. The final nail to the coffin, to their second go-around of this relationship. Yet a part of them knew this would never work out... no matter how hard they tried to convince themselves. At that moment, both of their hearts shattered, plummeting down the Mariana Trench.
"Don't think I can go home anytime soon. So, can I stay the night... one last time?" he proposed.
"Let's do that," she grinned, with a little tear trickling down her cheek.
She sniffled as she continued to clean up and stitch his wounds.
'Jeez Parker, to think Harry would be the least of my problems–loss is just my second nature... I guess'
"So... can you... text my aunt, and tell her I'm staying at your place, please," he kindly requested.
She instantly nodded, reaching for her phone and quickly typed away.
"You know, it would be alot easier for you if you were honest with her as well," she pointed out.
once she wiped the rest of wounds on his chest.
"Don't know how it makes things easier"
"Maybe easier isn't the right term, but it does put you two on the same page... for once"
'I know-I know. Don't have to remind me!'
STACY'S RESIDENCE
The most important person to Captain Stacy, his daughter, Gwendolyn, still hadn't gotten the dreadful news. Not the news on the TV, cause she doesn't watch the news. Not from any friends, cause her phone was on airplane mode. Just radio silence.
She was glued to her laptop all day, doing research on the five colleges that she's genuinely interested in. She was making great progress till–
Ding–Dong–
The doorbell rang, which Gwen caught her attention. She tippy-toed and peeped through the peephole to see her closest friend, Mary Jane... and the three familiar NYPD officers behind her: Officer Dewolff, Officer Carter, and Officer Davis.
Once she opened the door, Mary Jane instantly embraced her. Gwen was never the type to turn down a nice hug... but there was a hint of sorrow behind it. Especially when she pulled away from Mary Jane, to see stream of tears on her face.
'What's the matter Mary Jane?'
Then she gazed at the officers, they seemed off to her. Officers Dewolff and Carter kept their composure, albeit, had wetness around the corners of their eyes, but the composure of Officer Jefferson Davis... triggered her worries. His forehead got sweaty. Tears collected at the bottom lid of his eye. And his mouth trembled when he tried to speak... so close to tears raining down from his face.
Gwen froze in place... till reality finally hit her like a bullet train.
'Oh goodness... Oh goodness–oh goodness–oh goodness! No-no-no-no! Please–please–please... I beg to you Dad this better be some sick prank, cause I'm not buying it!'
'Please...'
'Daddy... please!'
Chills sent up to her face, and down her spine.
Her breathing was short and stunted.
Her eyes immensely watered up.
Her hands shook and twitched.
Her entire body stiffened up.
As her chest felt like it was about to explode, with her heart was the ticking time bomb.
That's when her world crumbled, as eventually she did.
And her legs felt weak and crumbled before Mary Jane and the three officers.
The concerned officers quickly crouched down and embraced her, and they finally let out their tears in front of her.
...
PARKER LUCK - MIDTOWN'S FOOTBALL STADIUM
Two momentous weeks later, it was finally Graduation Day. Thankfully, on a nice Friday afternoon.
A day filled with celebration for most of the well-dressed senior class.
A day that many seniors expected and dreaded.
Of course, there's that small portion who don't even walk... because of 'senioritis.' It happened to the several who don't even care about school in their senior year, and dropped the ball.
Anyway, that day wasn't for them. It was for those who actually did the work and got the job done. Some excelled more than others, and some were just on the top of the class. The valedictorian, Gwen Stacy and the salutatorian, and the student who had his speech ready, was...
"For this senior class's salutatorian, please welcome PETER PARKER!"
A small amount of applause and cheers came from the audience in the bleachers, but a large amount of senior crowd erupted once Peter slowly and nervously stepped on to the stage.
'Woo, here we go!'
Peter nervously gulped once he reached for the mic.
"Ahem, hi everyone... It's a nice afternoon here. And look, to get straight to the point, it's crazy to be up here at this moment. After everything we've been through... it's, um- it's been pretty crazy!"
Peter takes a second to clear his throat as he gazed upon what felt like millions of eyes staring at him. Yet his eyes solely focused on his blonde friend, Gwen. Every second he blinked, he remembered a moment from her father's funeral. From the whole police force being at the funeral to the lowering of the casket into the ground, every other moment felt like a blur... except for this one.
The moment when Peter tried to use his words to help Gwen through this feeling he's familiar with, but the right words couldn't come out. So without saying a word, he opened his arms, and allowed the grieving Gwen to break down into his arms, as she shed pounds of her tears. Those feelings of vulnerability and loss filled his heartache.
At that moment, his eyes became watery at the thought of it, but he quickly wiped them away, and gulped.
"But we fortunately made it through this crazy year," Peter continued.
He was reading through his written speech on the podium, but it didn't sound right in his head. So it was time to improvise...
"Obviously those moments... they don't last forever. Just like our years in high school, and like everything else, everything ends. Don't wanna seem like a debby downer on our last day.... But it's a fact: no matter how high up you are... you could even be on cloud nine, but you will always fall back down. That part feels inevitable. You expect it, yet it still hits you like a high-speed train. I-I struggled with this myself. Constantly depressed, overwhelmed, and lost, cause I could never get what I truly wanted..." his voice cracked. Peter gulped for a moment, holding back his emotions, and continued the speech.
"Anyway, it feels like I'm rambling on... but the whole point of life... or what makes life so valuable, is the small moments. The small choices you make can change the trajectory of our lives. It's not like you can go back in time and change them. And if I could... I would change a lot of things. Honestly, wouldn't we all?" he smiled.
The audience shared a little chuckle with him, which built Peter's confidence further.
"Sadly, we... can't. The funny thing is... if we could, each choice would be less valuable... so scratch that. Especially a choice to do the right thing. That it wasn't just a choice, but a duty for all to do that... even if the right thing isn't the thing we want... that we still do it, anyway. That's the true beauty about life. To do right by each other. And doing the right thing will inspire others to do the same thing. It's leaving something worth leaving behind. This is IMPORTANT, today of all days, to remind us we have so much time in our hands, cause once we get out of here, we're officially young adults lost in this big crazy world."
Peter noticed some folks near him grew impatient, which was definitely a sign to conclude.
"What I finally understand from my highschool experience... is that we must leave behind something good for others to look up to, because, yes, we won't last forever... what we leave behind on this earth will. And it's our choice to do that! Congratulations to this enduring class of spectacular young men and women, and hope nothing but the best from all of you!"
Once Peter's speech ended, a much louder and prouder applause emerged from the crowd, both from the bleachers and the senior class. Peter's smile grew as he stepped down from the stage, with that relief off his shoulders. He gazed across the hundred people in the stands, searching for his aunt. His eyes finally pinpointed Aunt May, who cried and immediately stole more tissues from Anna Watson, and wiped them away. But her smile cemented into his heart.
Mere moments later, they finally moved their tassel from the left to the right. And the graduating class felt butterflies fluttering inside them, ready to the big moment. Then they officially and cheerfully threw their cap up in the air, with huge smiles on each of their faces. THEY DID IT... FINALLY!
So many warm hugs, especially toward Peter. Even Flash Thompson, Kenny Kong, and Rand Robertson gave him a tight farewell hug.
"Gonna miss you, Parker! Good luck at ESU!"
There was a time in his life when Peter wished he had never seen those guys again in his life... but now, it was bittersweet to let them go. Also, from the corner of Peter's eye, he could see so many tearful goodbyes, from MJ, Gwen, Liz, and Glory. As the celebrations went on, he just wished Hobie Brown, Harry Osborn, and Sally Avril were here with them.
After many more moments of celebrating and bittersweet farewells, Peter got a text from none other than Liz.
'Meet me at the back of the cafeteria,' - Liz
'Heading over there now'
So he did what he was told and snuck over to the empty cafeteria... which was bittersweet to see. From the rusted benches to the peeling paint on the table, the tiniest detail hit home. He sat down, admiring the little stains on the lunch table, with a smirk on his face. He chipped away at the old paint till from the corner of his eye; he saw her.
"Hey, where are your parents, young lady? Y'know you shouldn't be walking alone in this big place," Peter asked humorously. She smiled as she strolled toward him.
"Chatting with the other parents. Think they're talking to your aunt now," she replied.
"So, how'd you like my speech?"
"It was kinda... on the nose"
"On the nose?" Peter asked.
"Yeah, but don't worry, it was good overall. Had me even shed a tear... So, good job, Spider-Man," she playfully nudged.
Right away, Peter's eyes curiously wandered to the brown bag that hung from her forearm.
"What's with the bag?"
Her attention sprung into action, and she handed it off to him.
"I wanted to give you this"
Once Peter peeped into the bag, it brought a large grin on his face. This gift was certainly a useful one, being a new red and black spandex costume.
"Awe Liz, this is great... thank you, thank you! This gotta be the best graduation present ever"
"It's the least I could do since your suit was pretty trashed, so..."
"You don't have to remind me. But thank you... thank you so much..." he reached out to her and patted her shoulder. "I'm sorry that I don't have a gift for you," he added.
"No worries"
She nodded along to his praises, but she still had something left in her mind and wanted to put it out there, so there were no regrets.
"Gotta ask, Petey... I know it's really late for this question... but... was there a part of you that... ever l-loved me?"
To her surprise, Peter answered no long after.
"Yeah. I loved you, Liz. And I won't stop... even if we're not dating. Cuz you helped me through all of this. I'm sorry if I never could say it out loud... but I did"
Liz stood there, zoning out. Peter glanced down at his feet. There was one more thing he wanted to know the answer to. He didn't need the answer, but he couldn't help himself.
"Um, what about you? Did... did you ever-"
"Yes," she instantly responded.
Both of the young adults shared a laugh till Liz gently wrapped her arms around his neck. Her hand softly caressed his cheek for what felt like a lifetime. Liz gingerly pulled his face toward hers, and their lips tenderly met. They lingered with each other's lips, unwilling to let go, till... they pulled away once they needed air. Then they rested their foreheads on each other, panting.
Peter gazed at her soft hazel-tinted eyes one last time before pulling her back in for an affectionate embrace.
"Take care of yourself, Liz. And I know you'll be great"
She tearfully uttered, "I know you will too. And just stay safe, Petey... and if you ever need anything-"
"I'll just sneak through your window, beaten half to death-" he chuckled.
"Exactly," she lightly giggled.
They pulled away from each other's embrace, with a bittersweet smile on their face.
They slowly stepped away from each other and with each longing gaze shortening till they were out of sight.
...
NEW YORK CITY
"Good morning New York!"
"Morning to you Spidey! Where ya off to this early?" the citizen asked.
"To visit a friend of mine"
"But keep the ground clear for me, alright? You're my eyes and ears down here!"
"Will do Spidey! Good luck up there... we need you!"
"And I need you too, man! Stay safe down here, alright?"
"Yes sir, Spidey!"
'New yorkers... gotta love em. Especially the one's from Queens! Eat your heart out Cap!'
The webhead gazed along that infamous facility that was the Ravencroft institute.
"Good morning Harry... I've been saying that for the last few weeks, and no response huh," Peter chuckled to himself.
"Don't think you know this, but Gwen's leaving today. I remember when you first met her, you hadn't warmed up to her yet. But then you did, and we had the best trio for all of freshman year, and nobody can take that away from us"
"A part of me thinks it's my fault any of this happened. Then there's this other part of me that thinks there's this curse in the Osborn family. I know its sounds crazy... but it doesn't. Not to me"
"Anyways, I just hope everything gets better Har. I hope they're treating you better in there. And I hope you and Eddie aren't trying to learn how to play squash the Spider, cuz that'd be a huge bummer. But overall, there's still hope for you"
JFK AIRPORT
It wasn't a long drive, from Forest Hills, Queens to John F. Kennedy International Airport, but it certainly was a quiet afternoon drive. Especially with Peter appreciating every single moment he had left with his best friend, Gwen.
He still remembered when he first got the news that she'll go to Oxford and made his heart drop. Obviously he'd wished she'd stay, especially since so many people are popping out of his life every second, but he got why she wanted to leave New York.
He still remembered when the two first met in middle school. While the other girls in their grade strolled around the field, and talked about God-knows what... a soft-spoken blonde girl sat by herself, studying the next chapter in her science book. Most of the people knew her as Captain Stacy's daughter, but she was much more than that, at that young age. And a shy Peter would find that out himself, when he struck up a conversation with her. It was the first time he interacted with a girl since... God-knows how long. Most girls strayed away from him because he was a so-called geek. But it was nice that they got along right away once they started talking about science. It was a nice change of pace, since the young Harry loved to talk about video games... but he couldn't complain, since he loved video games too. And he wouldn't have made it through middle school without those two, especially with Flash becoming more of a jerk every second, and girls growing in disliking of Peter's 'geekiness.' But not those two... Gwen and Harry. Their friendship was going to last forever... or till they're dead. Man, they should've made a pact.
It's inevitable to be naïve as Peter was. Yet who could blame him? Life loved to shake things up when it felt like it... for better or for worse. And life was taking another person he cared about to a place he had no care for. Of course, he cared for the people in London, like he cared for the rest of the world... but he wished someone would stay in his world.
"Here we are," Mary Jane pointed out, once she parked the car.
Peter and Mary Jane helped move her baggage out of the trunk. She asked when she darted back at the blonde, "You get everything?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I did. Thank you Mary Jane... for everything"
"Oh c'mon over here, you can't leave... especially without a hug goodbye!"
"I'll call you every chance I get, okay?" Gwen assured her.
Mary Jane smiled so hard, she shed a tear while she gave Gwen one last warm hug.
"Yeah... I count on it"
She glared at the redhead one last time, before she moved onto Peter, who seemed like he was breaking into tears at the seams.
"Go enjoy Oxford, alright? But don't... enjoy it too much," Peter tearfully expressed.
"I will, Pete. But what about you? You better not have too much fun without me"
"Trust me, I won't," he assured.
"Hopefully you and your aunt stay safe!"
Peter pulled her into a warm embrace for one last time. But he wished he wouldn't let go... but should let go. Before he did, he kissed her on her blonde locks, which a little smirk grew on Gwen's face.
He gazed at her from afar as she stepped toward the line for her airplane.
And she glanced back at the two waving back at her... and remembered snapshots of her life in New York City. This crazy adventure started when she met her best friend, Peter Parker. Wasn't like life was lifeless without Peter, but dull in comparison. That's where she met Harry Osborn, who's been a blessing and a curse to her life... but someone who she'll always have a soft spot for. Then Dr. Connors and his family came into her life, which was a major mixed bag for her. And that's when she appreciated the father in front of her, yet that moment ended as quickly as it started. By mourning the loss of her heroic father. Which led her to where she stood at that moment, in the airport. A small part of her wished she would stay, but Gwen instantly blocked it out.
Living in New York City was a crazy rollercoaster ride. A rollercoaster ride that she'd rather reflect on than experience ever again.
TRUTH - PARKER RESIDENCE
The physically and emotionally exhausted Peter went straight upstairs, to his room after coming home from the airport. He was still wiping his tears from his eyes as he sat alone on that dreaded twin mattress, with no one to talk to. It's like how it was before senior year.
So what was the point? Back at square one. Life really loved to tear you down to where you started.
And that fact made Peter tear up in his room.
Everything he had was gone... girlfriend, friends, even his newfound popularity at school, having graduated. Now he had to endure, and be the hero this city needed... in a new season of his life.
Wait, no, that's not true... people actually know who he was now.
Liz knew, Harry knew, Nick Fury knew, Captain America knew, Dr. Curt Connors knew... even Captain Stacy knew... maybe? Nevertheless, it was a relief to finally not blatantly lie to someone in the face about where he was going. Yet Liz had to lie for him in certain instances, which wasn't ideal, especially for her... which Peter understood. Plus Liz was gone from that life, and now he needed someone else to confide in, or else this was going to blow up in his face... not like it hadn't already.
Suddenly, his moments of reflection interrupted when his aunt knocked on his door to grab Peter's attention.
"Peter, if you want to talk, I'm right here. I know what you've been going through alot... recently," Aunt May acknowledged.
Peter sat there frozen, unresponsive to what she said. He just gave her a simple nod.
"Can you please close the door on your way out, Aunt May?" he requested.
"I'll be in the kitchen if you want to talk... okay?" she softly voiced, before she stepped downstairs.
'I shut her out again... she's already suspicious. It's still the right thing for her.'
'But what if this isn't the right thing? Lying to her face doesn't sound right... She deserved to know, just as Liz said. But I don't know if her heart can take it... I can't put this on her now. Plus, I can't keep her worried... but she's already worried... I mean, she's always worried. What would change?'
'She would know who I am, and what I do and she can't stop me from doing it... She would nag me to death about it... I can't have that. But she can't have this dishonesty, she doesn't deserve it'
'What to do, Parker... What to do, Parker?'
He forcefully shut his eyes, and heavily gulped, before he slowly got off his sulking and his twin-sized mattress. He crouched down and reached for his clunky web shooters from underneath his bed. Right as he reached for that doorknob, his hands searched through his pockets, where eventually he found his mask.
Peter looked up at his popcorn ceiling, and gulped one last time, before his sweaty hand reached for the doorknob, and opened the door.
'There's no going back, Parker,' Peter Parker concluded, as he momentously stepped out of that door and turned to the stairs.
THE END.