Chapter Text
When the light faded from my eyes, I was standing in the middle of the alleyway that I’d left. I’d been here only a few days ago, standing in the alley and waiting for something to happen, something to summon Spider-Man into the city. I looked around now. I was definitely back in my own world. There wasn’t any graffiti talking about that other guy, Iron Man, or that one Peter 1 had talked about. Mysterio. It was strange to think that I now knew about my doppelgängers from other Universes. Well at least two of them.
I walked out of the alleyway, grabbing my backpack, which I was pleased to find still shoved under a dumpster. It was the easiest way for me to carry my clothes to change into when I was out on the streets as Spider-Man. I quickly shot a web into the sky and latched on to the top of a building. I couldn’t go out on the streets now. I was too tired to fight crime. And a superhero about to crash from exhaustion was no good to anyone.
I swung through the city, taking in the sights that were unique to my universe. The Oscorp building, the memorial to Captain Stacy, and all of the places I could spot, that had a mark from someone that I knew. Some lasting damage from the attacks of the Lizard and Electro. I shuddered to think about that now. Maybe Captain Stacy would still be alive if I could have helped Dr. Connors sooner. Maybe Gwen would be too…
"Stop it!" I scolded myself. I couldn’t think like that. Gwen died ten years ago. And I was still blaming myself for it.
I felt a little better now, after I’d saved Peter 1’s MJ. She’d fallen off of that tower like Gwen. And I’d been able to save her. But that didn’t mean that I could forgive myself for not doing the same ten years ago.
I arrived at my apartment and slipped the window open. Once I was inside, I pulled the window shut and changed out of my suit. I sighed and took a seat on my bed, before falling backward and staring at the ceiling.
Ten years. It didn’t feel real. In that time, I’d finally moved out of Aunt May’s and into my own apartment, about a year after Gwen had died. It was small, and cramped, with barely enough room for the bed, small kitchen, and desk I had crammed in there. It was always freezing in the winter, and barely cool in the summer. But it was home. At least, it had been.
I sighed, as I rolled onto my side to glance at the clock. Shit. When did it hit midnight? I checked my phone. Three voicemails, all from May. Shit, I should probably call her back. I’ll do that in the morning. No need to scare her to death with a phone call at midnight.
I switched on my police scanner, and opened my computer, setting up the program that I’d created to wake me up if there was a huge emergency. It set off my alarm, if there was an incident like a bridge collaspsing or something that the police simply couldn’t handle on their own. It’s how Spider-Man was able to reach crime scenes in the middle of the night while still getting some sleep. I changed into my pajamas and shut my eyes. Time to rest.
I woke up to my alarm going off. The volume on the police scanner had increased to catch my attention.
“It was spotted at the Empire State Building,” a voice said over the radio. “Some sort of yellow light. It looked like an explosion.”
An explosion? Now that’s something that needed my attention. I checked my clock. 6 a.m. What the hell? Alright, at least I’d gotten some sleep.
I quickly pulled on my suit and opened the window, jumping out and swinging my way through the city. I could swing all the way to the Empire State Building with my eyes closed, as I came here a lot to think. Once I arrived at the building, I looked around, hiding behind the spire.
The cops were milling around, but there didn’t seem to be any damage. That was strange, especially since they thought it was an explosion. I listened for what the cops were saying, but they seemed to be just as stumped as I was.
“I don’t know,” One of the cops said. “It must have been some kids pulling a prank or something.”
I was inclined to agree with them, when I heard something. A sharp gasp next to me. My spider sense was set off, as I sense someone beside me. I looked to my right.
There was someone perched on the spire of the building, peering at me. It was someone in a spider suit like mine, but their’s was white, pink, and black. There was a hood on top of their head, and they peered at me through white eyes outlined in pink. When I looked them up and down, it became obvious that it was a girl. And she was like me.
We stared at each other, both clinging to the building. But the girl then leaned off the side of the building and jumped, swinging through the city.
“Hey!” I called out. “Wait!” I chased after her as she swung throughout the city, always a little behind her. Until I spotted the crane coming off the of Daily Bugle building. They were renovating, after an attack last month by the Rhino. I was still searching to find out who had let him out of jail. I shot a web at the crane and managed to swing in an arch, catching the girl off guard. I wrapped my legs around her torso to hold her in place, and swung us to the top of a nearby skyscraper.
We tumbled and rolled over each other, until we slid to a stop. We both jumped into a crouch, facing each other. I could hear her breathing in short and rapid gasps. I held out my hands, in a show of peace.
“I’m not trying to hurt you,” I said. She froze when she heard my voice. She stared at me, hardly even breathing.
“How is this possible?” She asked, in almost a whisper. I recognized her voice, but it couldn’t be. There was no way. It was impossible.
“Who are you?!” She cried out. The next thing I knew, there was a web flying at my head. She was fighting me, and I was terrified. She was firing webs at me, and I returned the shots, but we both managed to duck and dodge the other. Each time, she was backing up, trying to get away from me. She got to the edge of the roof, and I knew my chances were running out. I shot a web at her, and it caught on her hood, as she turned to face the city. When I pulled, her mask was ripped from her head and fell to the ground. In shock, she spun around, trying to catch it, but the mask was already in my hand. I looked down at it and then back at her.
There was no mistaking it now. I was staring into a face that I hadn’t seen in ten years. It was the face that haunted my nightmares, and lived in my dreams. A person I thought that I’d never see again. A ghost.
Staring back at me was the face of Gwen Stacy.