A letter was mailed by hand addressed to the Stacy family containing a cheque for $20,000, along with a bag of gifts.
Dear Helen,
I know the holiday season isn’t easy for you or the boys, but I wanted you to know you’re not alone. Gwen meant a lot to all of us, she still means a lot to all of us, and not a day goes by where we don’t miss her, or think of you. I can only hope you can find the strength to celebrate today the way she would want you to.
I’m sorry I haven’t visited yet. I’m in New York, and I’ll come by before I go back to Star City - but I wanted Christmas to be for you to spend with your family. I know how important that is. The presents are for all three of you, to make the day a little brighter for all of you. I hope it brings a smile to your faces at least.
In this envelope you’ll find a cheque, and a letter from the bank with details about college funds for the boys, funded by Oscorp. You shouldn’t have to worry about their futures, Helen, though I know you want them to be good. The cheque is for all of you, to spend however you’d like. Please don’t send it back. It’s my gift to you this Christmas, and I can spare it. I know money doesn’t make any of this right, but I hope it helps anyway.
I know none of this is easy, but she loved you. All of you, more than anything in the world. Make the most of this day for her, okay? I know she’s with you.
You didn’t have to do this, but I know you’re not going to accept that as a reason for us to send the check back, so just. Thanks. Mom’s not feeling too up to writing you back, but know that she’s really thankful. Christmas was tight this year. Mom hasn’t gone back to work yet. We didn’t even have it in us to put up the tree this year—it was always Gwen and Dad’s job.
You’re right. Things aren’t easy, but they’re getting better, I think. At least, I have to hope that’s true if we’re ever going to move on. We’ve started slowly getting rid of some of Dad and Gwen’s stuff that we don’t have space for, so let the others know if they want anything of hers that they should come by and help us sort through it. Mom pretends that it’s not a big deal, but it is. Garrick refuses to touch the boxes. Me, well—it just hurts. I miss Dad. I miss her.
She used to take care of us, you know? We never noticed that Mom wasn’t doing well because she didn’t let us. She took care of everything. She was our mom when Mom couldn’t do it. She was our dad when he wasn’t around anymore. Now she’s gone, and it’s kind of like we’re all spinning in different directions. Mom stays in bed most days. Garrick is usually too busy getting high to notice me.
He doesn’t think I know this, but sometimes, when everyone else should be asleep, he watches the news footage of her over and over. I tried talking to him about it once, but he just punched me. I don’t know how to get through to him anymore. We used to be so close, you know? And now, everything’s gone to shit. Fuck. I miss her.
Why did all the shit get piled on our family? Were we too good, did the universe decide that we weren’t allowed to have that anymore? Did my Dad have to pay for some 30 year old sin? What did Gwen do to deserve this?
Fuck that. People always pity the dead, but I pity the living. Dead people don’t have to deal with the aftermath, but I’m here still and I have to pick up the pieces. I’m still so damn angry. Why did Dad have to go on that raid? The whole point of being commissioner is that you stay in your office, but instead, he had to go out there, and they shot him. And Gwen wasn’t even a cop, she wasn’t even a hero, so why the hell was she out on that bridge? Why did she taunt that maniac? She had to have known that it would end up this way. She abandoned us, Harry. She abandoned me. They both did.
I’m sorry for unloading on you. I know you just wanted to do something nice for us, and I’m sure you didn’t expect a fucking novel in return. You don’t have to reply. In fact, it’s probably better if you don’t. I just needed to tell someone.
Garrick doesn’t talk to me anymore. Mom’s usually sleeping. My friends never know what to say. I used to talk to Gwen, but you know she’s not around. I keep thinking that I need my dad, but he’s not here either.
Garrick misses you, though he’ll never admit it. I do, too. Come visit us soon, okay?
I know Gwen loved you. So much, Harry. I don’t think she’d mind me saying that.
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[The news flickers on to chaos on Star Bridge. People are running every which way, there’s the sound of screaming in the background, and a man on a green glider flies over head, dropping bombs as he pleases. The camera focuses on the newscaster.]
NEWSCASTER: As you can see behind me, Star Bridge has been dropped into utter turmoil. The GREEN GOBLIN, who has recently become active in Star City, is terrorizing civilians on the bridge. The police have no—
[She’s cut off by the sound of the glider zooming overhead, and a scream. The newscaster’s eyes widen as she realizes the Goblin is carrying a girl up to the top of the bridge. The camera tries to zoom in as close as possible.]
NEWSCASTER: Oh my—Oh my God, this just—The GREEN GOBLIN has taken a hostage up to the highest platform of the bridge!
Gwen: The chaos wasn’t exactly what Gwen had experienced before, but she couldn’t say that she was surprised. She had been through plenty with Peter, especially back when they were in New York, but there was something about this that was different. Regardless, people around her were scared, more scared than she was used to see them, and her selfless nature had her shuttling people off the bridge as quickly and quietly as she could. Cars sat, abandoned on the street. Above her, a man in green flew around, terrorizing the crowd. She didn’t have powers, there was nothing she could really do, but she wanted to help as best she could. Gwen was scared out of her mind—but her selfless nature stopped her from running away.
Goblin: It’s good to hear the SCREAMS again, the cries and the fear in the air, and Goblin can’t help but grin at the sight of people scurrying away beneath him. He swoops down to elicit more FEAR, draw more cries from them at the thought of him coming closer, only to glide easily back up in the air with a CACKLE at their reactions. It’s not until he scans the crowd when he sees a GIRL - somewhat familiar, something in his mind recognising her and after moment he can place her face. The BOY knows her - she’s the Spider-Brat’s GIRL. He frowns at the sight of her, unruly frustration building up as she stands there, not scared, not FLEEING like the rest. “What’s your PLAN, girl??” He snarls, drifting through the air above her on his glider, tossing a bomb in his hand as he watches her.
Gwen: There’s a sort of fear that gripped at her chest before she could even realize it—almost like a sixth sense, the knowledge that something bad was going to happen soon. She pressed her lips into a thin line, breathing out slowly through her nose to try and stop her own nerves from sending her into a panic. Looking around, there was something familiar about this place. It was too familiar. Oh, God. Valentina had shown her this place, all those months ago. She had shown her what was going to happen here. This is where I die. The knowledge should have sent Gwen running, but somehow, it froze her in place. She should never have known where she was going to die. She should never have known how. This couldn’t be happening, this wasn’t happening. It was too soon. Looking up at the sound of the voice, she backed up slightly, almost tripping on the curb to the wide walkway on the side of the bridge. “I’m not—” She paused, squinting slightly before her eyes widened. This couldn’t be right. It couldn’t. “Harry? Is that you?”
Goblin: As she faces him, Goblin can’t help but SNEER. Why the boy is her FRIEND is beyond him, she cares for the one who would’ve let him DIE, let him rot away in pain and AGONY. What kind of FRIENDS are these? “HARRY can’t come out right now.” He snarls, drifting closer to her. He can HEAR the boy’s voice, like an old out-of-tune RADIO in the back of his mind, trying to fight back but he doesn’t have the STRENGTH - he never did once Goblin had hold. “Not that he’s YOUR concern, is he.” He flicks the BOMB in her direction, careful to ensure it will land far away enough to hit a CAR a few yards away from her, far enough not to cause her damage but enough to replace her familiarity with FEAR. “You should have RUN when you had the chance, girl.”
Gwen: She backed up a little more, stepping onto the curb of the wide sidewalk. Gwen had to be able to reason with him, right? There had to be a way to change this. Fate wasn’t set in stone. It couldn’t be. And this was Harry, he had to be in there somewhere. He could fight this. “Harry, please—please, if you can hear me, you have to fight this. You don’t have to do this.” She tried to keep the tremor out of her voice, but it was impossible with how badly she was shaking. Gwen tried not to flinch at the bomb exploding, but she couldn’t stop it. It was a reflex. Waving a hand at civilians who were nearby, she instructed them to go, to get out of there while they still could, while his attention was on her. “Please listen to me, Harry, you don’t have to do this. It’s me, Gwen. I’m your friend, Harry, please.”
Goblin: He laughs, a loud, harsh cackle at her PLEA, begging with the boy. As though he has a CHOICE in this - he has as much of a choice as GOBLIN has, watching him traipse around the city as though his life is NORMAL. With his friends who would’ve seen him DEAD, all except one. “I TOLD you, Harry’s not here.” He snaps at her harshly, taking another BOMB out and tossing it between his hands. The glider is drifting around slowly, letting him circle her, watching her - even from HERE he can see her trembling, her voice is shaking and Goblin feels a rush of GLEE, knowing she’s scared. He feeds of that fear in ANYONE, but this girl… this is a whole other opportunity. A chance to give the SPIDER-BRAT a slice of the revenge he’s been waiting for. “You thought he was SICK, those two years? No no - he was fighting ME, girl.”
Gwen: She turned in place, whipping her head around to keep her eyes on him. In some part of her mind, she was hoping that seeing her face would help him, that it would remind him of who she was to him and hopefully stop this before it went too far. Gwen knew what was supposed to happen from here, but she didn’t want to admit that it was a real possibility. She could still change things, she could still turn things around. “And he won, didn’t he?” she said, her voice carrying a bite to it, though the tremors were still visible in her hands. “He’s been keeping you locked up for this long, he can do it again.” Her voice broke slightly, and she clenched her jaw. Now wasn’t the time for fear—though the fear was bad enough that it felt like a bottomless pit had opened up in her stomach, leaving her with nothing but a sinking feeling in her chest. “Harry,” she said quietly. Her eyes started to burn with tears, and she blinked them back. “Please, Harry, if you can hear me—please don’t do this.
Goblin: “HE won?” Goblin snarls, his frustration at her ignorance growing by the second. The boy was SMART, he wanted to stop the experiments - maybe he never REALISED, but Goblin wasn’t fond of them himself. Remaining DORMANT long enough allowed their release - after that GOBLIN was free. “Girl, every few days I WIN again, and again. I’ve been roaming the streets ever since he GOT HERE. The boy doesn’t win ANYTHING. He’s only HERE because of me.” He can see her trying to force out the FEAR, work through it, but it’s NEVER enough. People will never LEARN how to be free of it. “ENOUGH -” Goblin practically growls in anger at her desperate begging for the boy, swooping down quickly to grab her by the arm before he lifts her up with ease. The GLIDER takes them up higher and higher, high above the bridge for a few moments before he dives down again, pulling up JUST in time to be able to drop her at the highest service platform on the bridge. “You and that BOY of yours - you would’ve let him DIE. And NEITHER of them are here to protect you, now, girl.”
Gwen: As he spoke, she tried to find the words to say something back, to fight, to do something, anything to stop this from happening, but she couldn’t. It was like all of the things she could have said, everything that she left unsaid was all bottled up just in the back of her throat, but her mouth wasn’t able to form the words, her voice was gone. As he grabbed her arm, that was when she found her voice again, and she screamed, her voice carrying out over the bridge the higher they went. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. She had seen this happen already. He wasn’t just going to drop her. But isn’t a change to that vision what you’ve been fighting for this whole time? Maybe she had made it worse. Maybe this was it. As they started to sink, she felt the fear only grow in her chest, and her heart was pounding in her throat. Dropping onto the platform was a slight relief, but she was definitely worse off here than she had been when they were down below. “Harry,” she pleaded. “Harry, please. Don’t do this.” Her voice broke, and she didn’t even realize that there were tears on her face. She remembered this platform. This was where it happened. “You don’t have to do this.”
Goblin: He LAUGHS, a harsh, echoing cackle that surrounds them as he edges the glider CLOSER, her words barely even registering to him. “Your SPIDER-BRAT, he would’ve let the boy die, did he tell you?” He drifts closer, urging her closer to the edge of the platform - she has no-where to go, and she certainly isn’t fast enough to OUTRUN him. Her fate is in his HANDS. “His blood could have SAVED your precious Harry, but no - he refused. He would’ve killed his BEST FRIEND.” His face contorts into one of disgust, utter HATRED for Parker and all he stands for. He can practically feel the boy trying to CLAW his way back to control but Goblin will not pass up this chance, not again. He’s been itching for REVENGE for so long and now that it’s so close - he will not let the boy RUIN it. He forces her back, right to the edge of the platform and holds her there, taking in the FEAR on her face, letting it sink in for her that she is going to PAY for Parker’s mistake. SOMEONE has to. “You’re RIGHT - Harry doesn’t have to do this. But Harry’s not HERE.”
Gwen: “No. No, that’s not—that’s not what—” She was stammering now, stuttering as she backed up towards the edge of the platform, glancing behind her nervously while also trying to keep her eyes on the man in front of her. This wasn’t Harry, she knew that—the Green Goblin had been notorious in New York—but Harry had to be in there somewhere. She could fix this. She could change her fate. She had to be able to change her fate. “It was an impossible choice. There was no right choice.” A gasp left her throat as he grabbed her, her hand going up to where his fingers closed around her throat and gripping onto it, wanting him to let go but also wanting him to keep holding on, just so she could keep talking, maybe fix this before it was too late. “Please. Don’t do this. I can—I can talk to him. Peter listens to me, we can work this out, please. I can still help you.” Her foot slipped from the edge of the platform, and she suddenly got the urge to call out for Peter—but he wasn’t here. She had to do this on her own. “Don’t do this. Harry, you’re still in there, please don’t do this.” Tears streamed down her face, her voice breaking as she gasped for breath. This was it. This was—the end.
Goblin: He can see her, HEAR her becoming more desperate, her words less controlled, less thought out, but the message is clear. “OF COURSE you would say that. Protect your dear PETER.” Goblin practically spits as his hand closes around her throat, his elongated nails digging into her skin - not enough to break it, but certainly enough that the THREAT of it is very real. It AMAZES him, the way people will justify their choices, their REASONING always so well thought-out in their minds - but REALITY is not the same. “I want NOTHING from Parker, girl.” He leans in closer, drinking in her FEAR, uncontrollable now that she knows there’s NOTHING she can do. “Nothing but to see him SUFFER as we suffered.” His rage is strong - stronger than the BOY, and while he is trying to fight, trying SO HARD to save a friend who would’ve seen him DIE, Goblin is not going to let this go. He WON’T. His hand tightens around her THROAT as he lifts her off the edge of the platform and for a moment considers breaking her NECK, but he would be deprived of her screams, of the pure TERROR in that sound. Grinning viciously at the sight of her, Goblin tosses her away, letting her body FALL to the bridge below. Normally he would leave, the SOUND of her screams enough but - he stays, he WATCHES the light leave her eyes as she falls, wanting to SEE this for himself, this one time.
“I guess we do.” Monica agreed with a small chuckle, tying her little apron around her waist and double checking her pockets for her notepad and pen. “Singing definitely helps, and it’s a bonus if it’s nice to listen to.” Monica admitted with a slight blush. “Some people sing to pass the time and you just kind of wish they didn’t, but it’d be rude to say something.”
“Hey, thanks for saying that it’s nice.” Gwen laughed, tilting her head back slightly. “Yeah, you’re telling me. There’s this one guy who’s always singing in the lab, and it’s godawful. I don’t know how no one has told him yet.” She paused. “Then again, they could just all be polite, like me, and not want to bring it up at all.”
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“Maybe sell it on eBay.” Rosemary teased with a small grin. “Maybe we can buy something, hmm?” She wrinkled her nose playfully before sighing.”We were all a little spooked. It was a spooky situation. But it’s over now. Now we eat pancakes and move on, which is exactly why I called you here.”
“Yeah, let’s try and get Batman’s cape. I’ve always wanted a cape of my own, and that one seems rad as all hell.” Gwen nodded. “Pancakes and moving on sounds like the perfect plan to me.”
Barry cleared his throat awkwardly, feeling like he’d walked in on something private. “Sorry,” he said. “My friend wanted to meet me here, but I guess they must be late.” He definitely wasn’t early, that just didn’t happen.
Gwen looked up and gave him a warm smile. “Hey, it’s no big. I know this sounds very cliche and Disney of me, but I’m just singing to pass the time when there isn’t anyone in here. Grab a seat wherever you want.”
Pepper hesitated on the threshold, not wanting to bother the girl. “Excuse me?” she said. “I’m sorry, I just left my jacket in here earlier.” She smiled at her. “You have a wonderful voice, by the way.”
“A jacket?” She paused, tilting her head. “You know, I’m not sure we found a jacket in here. What’s it look like?” Gwen gestured at the counter. “You can feel free to take a seat, and I can check in the back for you.” She waved a hand, laughing lightly. “Oh, I’m no singer. But thanks.”
PETER HAD FINALLY COME UP WITH ENOUGH cash to actually get something to eat that didn’t involve him cooking it. It had been a hot minute since he has set foot in a diner. When he did it was quite empty, but the waitress had been singing. “You got a good voice there.” He complimented as he pointed towards her after she stopped. “Go ahead, keep going, don’t let me stop you.”
“Nah, I’m not a singer,” she replied, waving a hand. “Feel free to take a seat anywhere, Peter, I’ll be right over,” she added, tucking the rag into her apron and walking behind the counter to grab a menu. At least when a customer came in, it broke up the monotony—Gwen was starting to feel like her brain cells were dying due to sheer boredom.
“Hopefully just putting it in a display case and treating it like history.” Rosemary huffed. “I get that. It was a traumatic time for all of us.” Rosemary reached over, catching Gwen’s hand in hers and giving it a gentle squeeze. “It’s over now anyway.”
“Hopefully. Who knows what people want with this stuff?” She sighed, squeezing Rosemary’s hand back. “Yeah, it’s over now. And I’m not—totally freaked, you know? Just a little spooked, is all. I just can’t wait for it to all be said and done with.”
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Monica sighed as she walked into the diner, not looking forward to her shift in the slightest. She really needed to get a new job, but they were just so hard to find these days. She glanced up at the sound of singing, spotting the new girl singing to herself as she wiped down tables. Monica smiled a little, trying to stay quiet so she didn’t disturb her, making her way towards the back counter to drop off her bag and her sweatshirt. “You have a really nice voice.” She told the girl as she pulled her curls up into a ponytail.
After working at the diner for months now, the monotony had started to get to her. She had to do something to get her mind working while she was doing what could possibly be the most boring job on the planet, and so, she had taken to singing while she worked. The cliche was not lost on her—she certainly felt like a Disney princess, in a sense, far too saccharine for her liking, but it was better than nothing. Looking up, she grinned. “Hey, thanks,” she said, waving with the rag in her hand. “Gotta pass the time somehow, right?”
“Hey—– he looked serious, I really thought he was going to take me to jail for bringing you back a minute late. Plus, you didn’t make it any easier! Always stalling, it was harder to rush you back here when you didn’t know.” Commissioner Stacy and him were off to a rocky start, after all he was boy dating his only daughter, it was natural for him to be protective. Despite their differences, he respected the older man—- it hurt to say goodbye as well.
They walked out of the apartment complex, linked in arms and a sheepish grin on his face. It was as if life was hitting him in the face, the future awaited despite him not knowing what to do in life. The only thing that was certain was her, he could not lose her no matter what. As soon as they reached the limousine he reached forward and opened the door for her, “See— I can be a gentleman.”
“You know that he wasn’t even a little serious,” she reminded him, a grin on her face. “Yeah, full confession: I stalled mostly because it freaked you out so much,” she said, her teeth sinking into her lip slightly as she grinned at him. “Come on, you have to admit that it’s just a little bit funny that you got so flustered over an empty threat from my dad.” Gwen knew that her dad could be intimidating—but he’d never hurt a fly, let alone someone Gwen cared about. He just liked to have fun now and then.
Her eyebrows raised as she saw the limousine, crinkling her nose slightly as he opened the door. “You really thought of everything, didn’t you?” she asked, laughing lightly as she picked up her dress so that she could carefully get into the back seat, sliding over and looking around with an incredulous smile on her features. “You know, Peter, you really didn’t have to do all of this. Honestly.”
It’d been a habit of his, he wasn’t the best at hiding his emotions especially when it involved Gwen. It brought back memories of easier times, when all he had to worry about was missed assignments—- and the occasional terror that fell upon New York but Gwen didn’t always know. He opened his mouth to continue to speak but Gwen always knew how to quiet him. Instead he resorted to smiling with a small nod.
He had a clear view of the boys, he nodded along to Gwen’s words. He loved those boys, he’d seen them grow up— at least reach puberty, it was astonishing. He let out a small chuckle as the boys said how gross they were— they were getting to that stage where they were annoyingly sweet to each other and it disgusted everyone around them. He couldn’t help it, she was the love of his life. He closed the door behind her, holding out his arm towards her. “Never been more ready. I promise to have you back in time.”
Gwen reached her hand out to carefully hook into the crook of his elbow with a smile on her features, a soft chuckle leaving her lips. “You don’t need to be afraid of the NYPD coming after you this time,” she reminded him, thinking of the threat that her dad had jokingly said to Peter. Of course, it had gotten Peter more flustered than her dad had expected—he really wasn’t all that bad—but that just made him want to continue the prank even more.
It was strange to think about how long ago that was. Literal years had passed since they had gone to prom, and there was something ultimately crazy in that—in how quickly the time had passed. He was graduating in two days. In a year, she’d be doing the same. They were moving ahead far more quickly than she had ever imagined they would, those years ago. It wasn’t to say that she didn’t want them to be forever—she just didn’t expect how deeply they would love each other. It had been high school, after all. But the feelings didn’t fade—they only grew stronger.
He hoped this night would be different, but not in the back way. They were different people now, Peter was graduating in a couple of days and Gwen was almost finished and starting on her career. He did not know what he wanted to do with his degree, it was a scary thought so when they offered him a grant he took it. He figured another two years would help him, he couldn’t take any longer on his PH.D and Masters– a year for each, he could do it.
His expression immediately softened as he saw her, feeling the nerves subside. “Wow—,” he let out breathlessly. Peter’s cheeks turned felt hot as the crimson color began to wash over. “God, I feel 15 again.” He nodded his head, “We’re crashing a prom— might as well,” his eyes focused on the box as he opened it up. “I got us a car, but I only got him for an hour so half here half there.” He walked towards her with a smile, “Your brothers all good?” He tended to ramble when he was nervous, this was no different.
Gwen grinned at him, at the way he got flustered so easily. She shook her head fondly, stepping forward and stretching upwards just a little bit—the heels helped close the gap in their heights, thankfully—and kissing the words from his lips, effectively quieting him. “Let me get my purse, okay?” she said, her crooked smile still on her features. Taking a few steps back into the apartment, she grabbed her purse from the coffee table, pointing at George and Garrick with a stern finger.
“You two better behave. I’ll have my phone with me, and I’ll be home late, so you guys should already be in bed by the time I get back. Don’t open the door for anyone, and I’ve left dinner in the oven for you guys, it should be done in fifteen minutes. Please use the oven mitts to take it out, I don’t want to have to go down to the hospital because you guys got burned.” She paused before stepping closer to them, kissing both of them on top of their heads. “Be good. Love you guys.” They, of course, made disgusted noises at her. Going back to Peter, purse in one hand and boutonniere in the other, she sighed. “You ready?”
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