Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A giant screen filled the wall of the dark room showing off the SONY logo. “This thing takes forever to turn on.” The voice of Miguel O’Hara apologized to those around him. Finally, when it did turn on, it went to the slide show he wanted. “You would think in the year 2099 they would make this stuff faster…” He laughed awkwardly, yet nobody else was impressed.

Finally, the picture of nonother than Miles Morales appeared on the screen. “Okay.. Let’s do this one last time.” Miguel said before clearing his throat. “His name is Miles Morales, he was bitten by a radioactive spider which gave him extraordinary abilities, but with those came paramount responsibilities which– he has now chosen to ignore.”

The next slide was pictures of the others. “The spider that bit him was not from his world, and neither were the people he met.” He started to go down the list. “Gwen Stacy, Peter B. Parker, Peni Parker, Peter Parker but black and white, and Peter Porker.” He rolled his eyes at how ridiculous the last name was.

“Now all of these people have a few things in common–” “They all have spider powers!” Ben Reily quickly interrupted; the entire room looked at him as Miguel sighs resting his palm on his face. “Yes. Very good Ben.” He replied sarcastically. “But they also all care for the kid–” “The kid that whooped your ass?” Jessica Drew replied this time, making a few around the room laugh.

Miguel glared at Jessica and retorted “The kid that was here because of your kid but whatever…” He said, referring to Gwen. “No more commentary until after the presentation, it is important you all know what you are going up against.” he added before going on. “They all care for the kid and they will do anything for him. They are all not only a danger to the structure of the Arachnohumanpolymultiverse, but also everyone who resides within. Your families.. Your families to be…” He said, shooting a serious look at an obviously pregnant Jessica.

A picture of Jefferson Morales appeared on the screen. “The father of Miles Morales… The man he is trying to save. Morales is already the first anomaly; he will destroy everything if his dad does not die. It’s one life or trillions, the answer to that is obvious.” He looked around the room, most spiders hanging their heads in begrudging agreement. Superior Spider-Man nodded in excitement.

“We must let this canon happen. The fate of our multiverse depends on it.” He said looking across the room to make sure every spider-person was focused on him. “We are tracking Peni Parker based on a tracker in her robot-companion-whatever and we'll wait until tomorrow to strike when they will most likely have Morales. Go… and get some rest.” He said, ending the presentation as he walked out of the room and onto a pillar as the rest of the society conversed.

“That sure was motivating. I almost shed a tear!” Lyla said, standing on his shoulder. “Oh, shut it… It wasn’t supposed to motivate, it’s supposed to prepare them.” Miguel said, walking into his lab. “So, while they rest what exactly are you going to do?” Lyla asked as a hologram blueprint for a shock resistant suit appeared on the wall, Miguel looked at her and then back at the hologram. “Prepare for war…”

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Gwen Stacy could call herself a lot of words right now, the A word, the B word, the C word, hell even the D word. However, no amount of self-abuse would undo what she had done, she had betrayed her friend. Her only friend.

She was in Peter’s apartment as she stared with arms crossed, staring at the hologram of Miles that Peni’s robot projected as Peter went over the plan. She was lost in the moment, completely forgetting about what was going around her, so many thoughts were going through her head… She was overwhelmed.

“Gwen?”

How could she be so selfish?

“Uh- Gwen?”

What if he didn't forgive her?

“Gwen!”

What if he was hurt or worse? It would all be her fault!

“Gwen!” Peter shouted, gripping her shoulder.

She jolted, immediately tightening her fist as she turned towards him sharply.

“Oh…” she let her hand hang loose. “Sorry…”

“I–I was just asking how we should conduct the search on Earth-42…”

They had put it together that Miles had been sent there due to the spider that bit him, plus the number Margo had seen before he flitted.

“Uhm… I need a minute.” she said, forcing back tears as she quickly walked out of the home and up the stairs to the roof. She shot two webs at a water tower, pulling herself to the wall below it before climbing up and standing under it, leaning against the railing.

Tears began falling down her face as she looked down, watching them drop downward to the busy street below.

Standing there, she was reminded by what had transpired before all of this, just something so simple. She had been eating with Miles. Sure, it did not seem like a big deal at the time, but that would be the last time they were together…

The last time she felt genuine joy…

Why had she acted like such an ass about the bracelet?

He didn’t know…

Maybe if he did– if she had just told him the fucking truth– none of this would have happened.

This is why she didn’t do friends. She hurt them.

She is the reason her Peter is dead.

She is the reason Miles is alone.

She thought back to what Jessica told her “Use your head.” Look at where that got her.

She should have trusted her gut, she should have gone against society, she should have helped her friend…

All of it was for nothing.

She changed the canon, and nothing happened.

Her father was going to live. Why shouldn’t his?

Now his dad was going to die because of her actions, because she was too scared to just be honest and tell the truth, because she was too cowardly to go against Miguel…. Because she was a shitty friend…

Her thoughts began to spiral out of control as she kept blaming herself.

“Gwen.” She heard and recognized the warm voice, turning around to find Peter.

“Hey!” she said, her voice noticeably choking up as she turned and wiped her eyes again before turning to face him with an obviously forced smile. “Sorry– It was warm in there. What temperature do you keep it at? You may want to get the heating looked at.” she said, trying to change the subject before their conversation could even begin.

“It’s not good to be alone, even if that’s what you’re used to.” Peter said with a soft chuckle, climbing the wall and joining her under the water tower. He leaned his back against the railing, holding Mayday as Gwen kept looking down.

“Yeah well…” She couldn't even think of a witty comeback to that, he was right.

“Well… You wanna talk about it?” He asked to which she shook her head as she sniffled.

“You wouldn’t understand…”

“Gwen, I have been through this before with MJ. I am one of the few people who understands.”

“Why are you comparing me and Miles to you and–” she connected the dots, making her cheeks turn the same color as her highlights. “No! It’s not like– He is just a friend!” She quickly said, fumbling over her words as her voice took a high pitch.

Peter laughed, holding Mayday closer. “Yeah, whatever you say kiddo.”

“He is!” She exasperated; a look of embarrassment combined with annoyance plastered on her face.

“I know, I agree with you!” he said with a smirk, holding back more laughter.

Gwen shook her head as she sighed, staring out at the darkening sky as she wiped her eyes again.

“So… how did you fix it?” she dared to ask.

“My diet or with MJ?” he quipped.

She turned and gave him a look, his face immediately softening as he nodded.

“She wanted kids, and I didn’t… until I met Miles.” he paused and smiled “He changed everything for me. He showed me anything was possible, that it was just a leap of faith.”

Gwen chuckled, “You’re not the only one…”

“When I got back… Everything was different. The stupid city full of amazing people seemed bright for the first time in a while. My world was bright… I went to apologize aaand… She slammed the door on my face.”

Gwen gave him a look of confusion “Then how…?”

“Because I didn’t give up. No matter how many doors were slammed on my face, no matter how many no's I got, no matter how many times I fell, I got right back up… and every fall was worth it.” He said with a smile, looking down at Mayday as she looked up at him and giggled.

“So, you are basically saying I just need to not give up on Miles…?”

“Yeah, pretty much.” he shrugged as Mayday burped.

“He is probably going to be pissed to see us.”

“Oh–” he chuckled. “He most definitely will! That kid is as stubborn as hell.”

Gwen smiled and looked up into the sky “and that’s what makes him so amazing… He never gives up. He fights for what and who he believes in… Even if they don’t deserve it…”

Peter smirked at her discreet daydreaming before patting her on the back “Alright uhm.. Good talk!” He began walking away before turning back “That was good right? Any pointers? Trying to practice my dad talks.”

“That was perfect.” Gwen said with a grin as she followed him, giving him a pat on the back herself before flipping down to the roof entrance in an unnecessary badass way.

Peter rolled his eyes at this and mumbled “Teenagers..” with a huff

Soon, the team was assembled. They all stood atop a rooftop as Gwen opened the portal, staring into the bright colors with an equally hopeful look in her eyes. “Spider-team.. Assemble?”

“Not sure if you are allowed to say that.” Ham said with a big cartoonish shrug.

“Let’s do this one more time?”

“Too repetitive.” Noir responded.

“Okay… Let’s go save our fucking friend.”

“There’s a quote!” Peter said before jumping in.

The rest followed suit, leaving Gwen standing there as the portal slowly started closing.

Miles had followed her across the Spider-Verse and now, it was her turn. Gwen was going to save him no matter what it took. The next time they saw, she would finally take his hand whether he was still moving it towards her or not. “I’m coming Miles… and I am never leaving you again..” She turned back to the dark world behind her before looking at the closing portal, a confident smile spreading across her face before jumping in without hesitation.

[End song: Hold On, I'm Comin' - Sam and Dave]

Chapter Text

It was like looking into a mirror.. Even in his worst nightmare he couldn’t imagine this.

Miles stared at Miles.

Spider-Man stared at the Prowler.

The Prowler pressed his glove more into the punching bag, repeating his question.

“I am not going to ask again. Why would I let you go?”

Miles took deep breaths, trying to compose himself. “to save our da–”

“Your dad.” Prowler reminded him, looking at the scratches Miguel had left and running his claws down them.

Miles grunted in pain, looking at the Prowler. “I know he isn’t alive here… but you have a chance to save him this time.”

Prowler looked into Miles’s eyes, as if judging his soul. “I don’t care what happens to your father. You clearly are not from here, which means you have nothing to do with me. I have no reason to help you.”

He turned away from Miles and looked out the window. “I have more to do with you than you think!” Miles responded, struggling in his chains.

Bingo.

Prowler turned towards him again, a smug smirk plastered on his face this time. “So, you do know something, huh..” He stepped closer to Miles than before, getting in his face as his glove gripped his head, forcing him to look at him. “Then you are going to tell me everything or… I will kill you in cold blood, you will never go home, and your dad will die what I assume, a death as brutal and painful as the one he suffered here.”

Miles tried to use his finger to break the chain again, sparks slowly flying until he heard a snap. His now free hand had his palm pressed against it just how Hobie taught him. “Nah… nobody is dying. I’m going to save him and I’m going to kick your ass.” He shot back, his eyes full of fear, yet determination sparked right behind it.

Prowler saw sparks slowly rise up the punching bag as he stepped back, looking at that and then to his uncle. He couldn’t kill the kid. Not yet… He needed answers.

He ran towards his uncle, tackling him to the ground mere seconds before hearing a loud– BOOM!

Miles was shot out the window directly above the two, the chain whipping him in the back from behind as he cried out in visible pain while falling off the side of the building.

He shot a web onto the building across the way and began swinging towards it. Once he got to it, using his feet to land on, he let go of the web and began to run up the wall. However, Miles glitched, causing him to fall back, barely having time to shoot a web and catch himself. He sucked in a sharp painful breath before continuing, fueled by his will.

Prowler looked down at Aaron, who was covered in class, internally glad he was okay. His uncle glared up at him, spitting his words with venom “Stop him.” Miles nodded and his helmet immediately came on before leaping out the window.

The chase was on.

Miles ran up the building, shooting webs and propelling himself up. He could hear the Prowler’s claws digging into the brick under him. Miles ran across the rooftop before jumping across to another, rolling and continuing on.

So much was going through his mind.

This was his fault.

An entire world now suffered because of him.

He was an anomaly… a mistake, the voice of Miguel resounded in his head.

He was alone.

He jumped into an alleyway, grabbing a clothesline and using it to swing on before shooting webs on either side of the alley and propelling himself towards the entrance.

Just then, Prowler jumped off the top of the building, barreling down towards him in what seemed like slow motion. He barely missed him, the tips of his claws touching his hair as he grabbed onto the wall across, quickly sliding down. Miles was slung across the road, landing on the hood of a taxi and making eye contact with the man as he stared up at him in confusion. Just then, he saw the Prowler vault towards him, flipping back onto the roof as the other landed on the hood.

The driver jumped out of the vehicle. “Hell nah! I’m out!” He said before running across the road. Horns honked behind them as Miles was lunged at, flipping back onto the car behind as it drove around the now parked Taxi and then off to the races.

Prowler leapt off the roof of the Taxi, chasing after the car, running around, car after car, even jumping onto hoods of a few. Miles saw him coming in close and jumped onto the top of a bus only to see Prowler immediately climb up the side to face him. “Miles stop!” He shouted before the Prowler sprinted towards him and tackled him through the rooftop emergency exit and into the bus.

The two fell into the bus with a thud, hearing screaming around them as people ran to the front. Miles looked to the other with genuine sympathy. “You don’t have to listen to your uncle… There is a different path.”

The Prowler’s helmet now glitched as he got up, grabbing it and throwing it off as he breathed heavily. “The hell?” a kid in the front exclaimed at seeing the same person twice, yet still completely opposite from the other. “And what path is that?” the other replied in false amusement masking his genuine interest.

It was Miles’s turn to stare at him this time, seeing the pain and suffering in those eyes, seeing the broken and lost soul that resided in. He wasn’t staring at a villain; he was staring at a kid led astray. He could have easily gone down the same path…

Miles smiled a bit for the first time in hours despite the mental and physical pain he was going through. “Make your own.” The Prowler looked at him, getting tears in his eyes as he opened his mouth to say something, but the sound of his voice was quickly overpowered by approaching police sirens.

People began leaving the bus, not wanting to stay for another second, the voice of Uncle Aaron came over the prowler's comms. “Kid! Kid did you find him!?” Miles stared at him hopelessly, mirroring the same exact situation with Margo. The Prowler narrowed his eyes and hesitated before pressing his earpiece.

“No… He got away.”

“You useless piece of shit! What the fuck happened to our hours of training?” They heard before hearing something loud being thrown. "Get back here now!” The Prowler picked up his mask and looked at Miles with a look of hopelessness in his eyes, the look of someone who was trapped. He lept through the hole they had come in through, leaving Miles standing there.

Miles shot a web through the hole, hearing the few police officers near the bus before letting it take him away, he swung for a few minutes gripping his side before landing on what seemed like the safest alley in the minacious city. He sat down in the corner, shaking from pain and fear as he stared out into the darkness that swallowed him.

He felt cold.

Looking around, to make sure he was safe one last time, hugging his arms against his chest while shaking, this time from anguish.

He finally let it out.

The fear.

The suffering.

The pain.

The betrayal.

The loneliness.

He began sobbing, letting his tears roll down his cheeks. Due to the rain having stopped hours ago, they simply stuck to his skin. He choked up and looked down at the gray cement. In his mind, he questioned who he even had left… Peter had betrayed him, Gwen had rejected him, his parents would never understand who he really was…

He began thinking about everything that was said.

“Everywhere you go you’re an anomaly!”

Would he ever fit in…? Was Miguel right after all?

“You’re the original anomaly!”

Did his Peter really die because of him?

“You don’t belong here… You never did.”

And he never will…

Everyone had lied to him. Everyone had disregarded him. He was just a kid as much as he tried to deny it.

Just a lost boy.

He had no way of getting home. No way to save his dad.

This was his purgatory.

As he gave up hope and stared down at the wet concrete, he noticed a reflection of someone standing there and looked up immediately, webbing her foot where she stood.

An angel from the night.

A sunflower in a dirt field.

"Gwen?..."

[End song: Alone - Marshmellow]

Chapter Text

One became Spider-man.


One became the Prowler.


One had love.


One had abuse.


This was the reality that Miles Morales of earth 42 was trying to accept.


As he climbed up buildings and lept through the night, he thought back to his past.


He thought back to the night his dad had died.


Jefferson Davis was what the city called a clean cop. He did not take bribes; he did not abuse his power. He was the type of cop to go the speed limit even if his equals speed right by. This did not sit well with Wilson Fisk.


Fisk had ordered Davis dead. And with no hero around, who was to save him? His father had just been made captain of the police force. They had a fun rooftop party despite the crime happening around them. Miles even wore pants with zippers so that nobody could pickpocket him– his dad’s advice.


Little did he know that this would be the last night with his dad, little did he know that Fisk would not have his father be captain, little did he know that his life was about to change forever.


Miles stood with his dad as people left, looking at the crime ridden city below. “You know…” Jefferson said “This place, it may look bad, it may sound bad, hell– it even smells bad! However, what keeps me here is the heart, the people. The fact that no matter how many bad people there are, there are 100 more good ones.”


Miles looked up at him, processing his words full of wisdom. “So… is that based on a statistic of good and bad people or…?” Jefferson laughed “No. Take our neighborhood for example, you know the Parker’s, the Watson’s, your friend Ganke. Sure, there are some thieves, but if there is a thief, there is someone good to steal from. That’s what drives me day in and day out.”


Miles nodded as he heard sirens in the distance. “That… makes sense. Why exactly are you telling me this?” Jefferson sighed as he took a sip of his beer. “Because I am explaining to you why I took the captain job and why it is worth the risk.”

That night, Miles had been lying in bed when he heard screaming, he sat upright in an instant, that wasn’t the usual scream from the street… That was coming from inside his apartment. He leapt up and ran out of his room to see his parent’s room door wide open, his father laying on the ground, he turned to see Kraven the Hunter walking out the door, holding a bloody knife.


Miles ran to his dad’s side, holding him in his arms. “No no no no… Dad!” He began crying as his mother tried to explain to 911 what just had happened, his father was dead before they even came…


Usually that would be the call to action… The beginning of the story of Spider-Man. However, there was no spider in his universe, there was no spider to grant him such a title. He wanted revenge and someone close to him could offer just that.


Miles ate the forbidden fruit, and the presence of evil was there to force it down and swallow his once pure heart.


As the police questioned his mother, he sat on the couch glaring down at the floor, trying to process what had just happened… That’s when he walked in. “Hey.”


Miles looked up to see his uncle Aaron walk in, taking a seat right next, he wore a dark purple hoodie and looked like he had just gotten up. “I heard about what happened… I am so sorry.”


Aaron hugged Miles as the boy began to cry in his arms. He felt the warmth he needed, he felt love again… but that did not last for long…


Miles ran faster through the night, trying to block out the memories of what came next.


“Harder! What the fuck is wrong with you!?” Aaron yelled as Miles punched the bag “I–I’m trying…” he said, stepping back, yet Aaron shoved him to the ground, getting on top of him and pinning him down. “If you can’t stop me from doing this… You will never kill Kraven. Fucking pathetic” he spat “No wonder your father died.” Aaron got up and turned around, in a fit of rage, Miles got up and charged him. Bad choice. Aaron turned around and punched him straight on the face, knocking a tooth out as the boy fell to the floor, crying in pain. “Miles..” He sighed, kneeling with him and brushing tears off his cheeks.

Miles shook his head as he leaped over to an alley, getting tears in his eyes. That would be far from the last time he killed and soon… he lost himself in it. In the rush it gave him, in the praise that his uncle would give.


He knew his uncle had simply done this to him just so if something happened on a job… Aaron would not be the one getting hurt. Miles did not even know if he cared about that truth anymore, but seeing that other version of him today… It shook him up. It reminded him of what he used to be, it snapped him out of the cycle.


He didn’t know what to do now.


He had to make his own path.

[End song: Pain - Three Days Grace]

Chapter Text

A colorful portal opened, illuminating the dark smoke-filled sky as the Spider-Band stepped through, led by Gwen. The portal closed behind them, leaving her watercolor eyes as the brightest thing in sight. “Alright, so like we talked about, we need teams.” Peter said as Gwen walked to the edge of the roof and looked out into the city.

“This place.. It’s broken.” Gwen whispered, a look of horror on her face as she stared out at the city full of pain and suffering. “This is what happens when there is no Spider-Man..” Noir replied.

“Or woman.” Margo added.

“Man or woman.”

“Or pig.” Ham added with a look of hurt. 

Noir sighed. “Or animal.”

“Who are you calling an animal!?” Ham shot back, putting his fists up in a cartoon fashion.

Gwen quickly turned around. “Okay let's not right now. For Miles? Please?”

The crowd went silent, begrudgingly agreeing as they waited for their next set of directions. “Alright so.. We agreed to split up. We will cover more ground that way.” Gwen said, crossing her arms as she thought. 

“Okay I will split you all into teams. Pavitr and Hobie. Peter and Peni. Noir and Ham-” The two of them groaned at that grouping. “And I will take Margo.” She added. Gwen wanted to keep her eye on her. She saw the immediate chemistry Margo and Miles had. No way she was letting them- God the thought already made her clench her fist in anger. 

“Alright.” She said, quickly collecting herself. “Group one, you cover the streets of Brooklyn. Group two, you cover his apartment. Group three, you cover Visions Academy.” She said as she turned her back away from them. “And where will we cover?” Margo asked. Gwen closed her eyes, focusing on her heartbeat to help her think, reminding her of the thump of a drum bass. “I’ll figure it out.” she leaped off the roof, leaving the rest standing there. 

“I think that means go.” Peter said, slightly confused. “Wait, where are we covering again?” Peni sighed, “Just follow me old man.” “Who are you calling old?” The two jumped off. Margo quickly followed Gwen, trying to keep up with her. “After you.” Pavitr spoke to Hobie, letting him lead the way before the two jumped off, leaving only Noir and Ham standing there. “Why am I even here…” Noir sighed. “Because our friend needs our help!” Ham proclaimed, grabbing out a huge mallet and swinging it, knocking Noir off the roof before jumping down after him.

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Peter and Peni watched Miles’ apartment from across the street, sitting on a building. Peter held Mayday while Peni was out of her suit, holding her phone. Peter sighed as he bounced his daughter in his lap while she giggled. “I hope to god we find him..” Peni looked up from her phone, seeing the distress in his eyes for the first time. “We will. Don’t worry. God knows Gwen will spend the rest of her life trying if she has to.” Peter let out a soft chuckle. “Yeah.. That girl is in love- or at least will be.” Peni giggled, replying “everytime his name comes up she swoons!-”

“You know this is an open line, right?” Gwen's voice cut across their comms coldly. A blush bright enough to light up the sky appeared on the two’s faces. “Uhm- we were just kidding around Gwen. Sorry.” Peter quickly tried to recover, knowing how sensitive and closed off she was about the topic. “It’s alright. Let’s just mute ourselves in case there is an actual emergency. No time for jokes.” Peter nodded, putting his head up to his earpiece. “Copy that.” He couldn’t have turned his comms off fast enough. 

“Told ya. She is in denial.” Peter said with a shrug to which Peni lightly slapped his arm. The two sat in silence, watching the apartment before Peter would look over at the girl with a look of guilt on his face. “Do you think he will forgive me?.. I kinda screwed him over.”

Peni put down her phone and looked over at him. “I do. It will take time, but I am definitely optimistic. I betrayed him too, you know. He has every right to be upset with us. Gwen has more to worry about anyways.” Peter looked at the girl confused. “What do you mean?” A small smirk crossed Peni’s face. “Like you said, their relationship is different. At least your reasoning was less complicated. If I were in his shoes her betrayal would sting above all others- by far.” 

Peter slowly nodded in agreement as he listened. “So, the fire is not focused on me. Wonderful. Awesome for her.” Peni shrugged. “Never said it was awesome, but it is what it is. He will have an easier time forgiving you naturally, so don’t worry. You talked to her right? What advice did you give her?”

“The same advice Miles gave me that I gave him- it's been passed around.”

“Which is?”

“It’s just a leap of faith.”

“Then take it.”

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Gwen swung through the rain as it hit her hood, falling down both sides like tears on a face. As glad as she was to have it, she could only focus on one thing. 

Miles.

Despite the world around her literally on fire, she could only think of him. She looked back at Margo to see her desperately trying to keep up. Her swinging style was very unique from the other spider people. 

The webs would come out in straight lines like lasers before lazily pulling her towards wherever they had been fired at. It was like some prototype VR game. She turned her head back to see the Williamsburg Bank Building quickly approaching. 

She shot two webs towards the building, using them to pull her up towards the top of it before climbing onto the ledge. She turned her head to the side to see where she and Miles had stood just a day earlier. God- how could so much change in just a day?

She walked over to the end of the ledge as Margo climbed up behind her. “What are we doing he-” Gwen raised her hand, not even looking back before taking a deep breath and sitting down before climbing down, holding onto the ledge with one hand to where she and Miles had sat upside down, only to see nobody there. Her heart sank as she climbed back up and looked down. 

She thought he would be there.. She thought his heart would be aching just as much as hers and would maybe- just maybe, go back to where they had flirted earlier. Where they had felt the happiest, they had in an entire year.. She looked up at Margo seeing a hint of concern in her eyes as she walked past the living hologram. She took a deep breath before letting out a scream and punching into the side of the building, pieces of brick flying off as the entire building shook, the bell inside letting out a depressing cry. “Are you okay?..” Margo asked softly. 

Gwen turned back towards the other girl. “Do I look okay?...” Margo shrugged as she looked down. “It’ll be okay Gwen. We will find him-” “You don’t fucking know that!” She shouted. “It's different for you! You didn’t betray the man you- you..” She took a deep breath. “The person I care about more than anyone is suffering right now and it’s my fault! He is in a living hell hole of a universe all alone with tons of injuries and blaming himself for all of this! On top of that, he probably feels more alone than ever. It’s all because of me! So, you keep your optimism because if we do even find him, I’m sure he won’t share it. Even though they were joking, Peter was right about one thing. I will NEVER stop looking for him no matter how long it takes.”

Margo looked down now, a bit taken aback by Gwen’s outburst as the bell sounds died down with Gwen’s anger. Damn. That woman could be scary when she wanted to be. If anyone so much as touched Miles- she wouldn’t even want to be around to witness his or her fate. “You’re right.. I don’t know. I can only have my optimism, Gwen. I don’t know what it is like for you and I’m sorry. But you do care. That much is obvious. None of us would be here right now if it weren’t for you. If or when Miles forgives you.. He will be the luckiest man in the multiverse.”

Gwen’s posture softened as she looked at Margo. “I’m… sorry. Thank you. That means a lot.” Even though the girl was obviously sweet, she was still going to watch her around Miles. No way in hell she was going to let that happen. “Why are you even helping? Most of us screwed him over, a few of us just don’t agree with Miguel. But I don’t know your reason.”

Margo looked out at the burning city before looking back to Gwen with a sigh. “I.. Haven’t experienced my canon event yet. And I- I don’t want to. I’m scared. So, if Miles can disrupt them.. Then I’m all for it. Fuck fate.”

Gwen smiled and walked over, patting her on the shoulder. “Thanks for sharing.. I appreciate it. You’re right. Fuck fate.”

Margo grinned back brightly as she looked into the blonde's watercolor eyes. “Of course, team leader. Plus, I like Miles. He seems like a genuinely good guy. He is kind and quick on his feet and smart and-”

“I get it, he is amazing.” Gwen said keeping a forced smile before turning away and mumbling “don’t go liking him too much..”

“Hey uh team- we found him.” Hobie’s voice said over their comms, listing out a street name. Margo got ready to go, turning around to see where Gwen was standing already completely empty. “Alright then…” she mumbled before leaping off after her.

[End song: On My Way- Jennifer Lopez]

Chapter Text

Gwen swung through the city, now somewhat dry due to the rain having stopped. She swung faster than she ever had in her entire life, dodging pipes, buildings and even clotheslines as she zipped through alleys. She had never been so in tune with her swinging before. 

She flew out of the alley, shooting a web across the street onto the building in front of her, pulling herself onto it and running across the side, ignoring the taxi driver being questioned by the police.

Everything was dialed up to 11 as she raced to get to the others. She could hear cars honking from miles away, people arguing in the apartments that surrounded her, and even a drug deal gone wrong. She swung around the corner, her feet hitting another building as she pushed away from it, flying up to the roof where Hobie and Pavitr were. “Where!? Where is he!?” She shouted desperately as Hobie looked down. 

“Hobie I’m not fucking around right now. Where is he?” She demanded, taking a threatening step towards him. “Okay okay Gwen.” Pavitr said, getting in between them. “I’m not sure if you would really like to see him right now. It’s- painful to watch.” 

She pulled her mask off, glaring daggers at him. “Alright then..” he said with a sigh. “So much drama.” He led her over to the edge of the roof and jumped across the top of the alley to another before walking to the edge of that roof, pointing across the surprisingly desolate street towards another alley. 

Gwen walked up to the edge and looked across only for her heart to shatter as she witnessed the scene in front of her. Miles was sitting there- sobbing… And he was alone and obviously injured. Her mouth opened in shock as she dropped her mask, not even to hold onto anything as she stood there staring, feeling everything go numb.

Her spider-sense quietly went off again as she stared at him. “He- he’s hurting…” she whispered as her voice faltered.

Pavitr could not say anything in return, knowing the heart sick girl was right. He turned and walked back to Hobie to discuss the situation as Gwen continued to stand there. What the hell was she going to say? How would anything she say make him feel better? There was no way he was forgiving her easily.. She knew that much. 

The others slowly showed up, talking with Hobie and Pavitr as they glanced over at her before Peter walked over to her. “Kid are you okay?” Tears filled Gwens eyes as she nodded, taking a deep breath and collecting herself. “I will be.. Eventually. I can do this, Peter. I can talk to him.” 

Peter looked at her speculatively before he looked down at Miles and back at her. “Gwen… you may be too emotional-” “I can do it. You told me not to give up and I am not planning on it. All I need is some privacy.” Peter looked back at the others hesitantly. “Okay. I believe in you.”

He went back and talked to the others before they all agreed to let her talk to him, swinging away one by one until it was just Gwen standing there, looking down at him. She hesitated to jump down, not even knowing what to say. “Let’s just wing it..” she mumbled before ignoring her legs and lightly jumping down. 

---------------------------------------

“Gwen?...”

She watched him look up, his eyes full of hope, his body begging for warmth before he closed his eyes tightly, all of it going away. Nothing but a cold body was left behind as the light in his eyes now dimmed. 

Gwen began running over to hug him, but he quickly got up, despite the obvious expression of pain on his face and letting out a grunt. He held his shaking hand out as she stopped in her tracks. “Don’t… Don’t come closer.” 

A look of anguish washed over her face as she opened her mouth in shock, her eyes feeling wet as she looked down immediately. Great. She had been with him for 20 seconds and she had already hurt him. “It’s okay…” She whispered as she looked up into his eyes, wanting to do nothing but wrap her arms around him.

“Don’t! Don’t do that. I’m not letting my guard down. I bet Miguel is right around that corner. Let’s fucking go man! Come at me!” he yelled past her only for nothing to happen. 

“I’m alone.” She said softly taking a step towards him

“Why should I believe you?” He demanded. “Why should I believe you after all of the fucking lies you have told? After… after hurting me?”

“Miles…” She began, trying to find the right words. “I’m so sorry for what I did.. I’m sorry for everything. I have been such a shitty friend because I was trying to protect you and I really screwed things up.”

“How the hell is lying and betraying me trying to protect me? How is that what was best for me?” He demanded.

She took a deep breath as she tried her best to open up. Not telling the truth is what got her into this situation. She was done lying. 

“I- I lost Peter.. As you know. Then- I lost my dad. When I got back to my universe… Things were different. He was hell bent on doing it. He wanted to ‘avenge’ Peter. He was trying to do it for me. One night a few months ago, he was going to shoot me and I.. I removed my mask. But still wanted to arrest Spider-Woman. He still wanted to arrest his daughter..” She took a deep breath as she tried to repress the bad memories.

“At the same time Miguel and Jess were there and they took me in. They told me about it well.. You and why you could not be a part of the society because I really wanted you to join and to go see you and I believed them. I believed it was necessary. I felt accepted for once! I didn’t want to lose that. I didn’t want to lose you too. I didn’t want to see that amazing light in your eyes disappear. I didn’t know how to tell you because I didn't want to hurt you. I was wrong when I said it was for your own good.. It was for mine.”

Miles sighed as he listened to her story. He really did understand her and where she was coming from and what she had been through. But that did not change what she did.

“You know I like making art right? Drawing and graffiti?”

“Of- of course! Yeah! And you’re good at it! Why?..”

“I wanted to go to art school.. I wanted to explore my passion.”

“Right..” She nodded her head slowly, following along as she tried to figure out what this had to do with the situation at hand.

“But then I met you and my passion changed.. You became my passion, Gwen. I thought of you when I woke up, I thought of you when fighting crime, I thought of you when going to sleep- sorry if that’s creepy by the way.”

“No! No not at all, it’s… sweet.” She crossed her arms, blushing.

“Ever heard of Princeton?”

“Yeah! Of course!” She replied 

“I wanted to go there… I wanted to study physics. I wanted to build a machine to go and see you. I was ready to spend my entire life searching for you. I- I missed all of you! I missed you! I was so alone!” He choked up as he covered his eyes and more tears came, his legs giving out as he sat back down.

Gwen tried not to tear up herself as a look of guilt crossed her face, looking away from the heartbreaking scene in front of her. She didn’t know he needed her that badly. If she did.. She probably would have ended up breaking the rules far earlier. The fact that he would do something like that for someone as shitty as herself made her all but swoon. “I- I had no idea.. I knew you were probably lonely but.. I’m so sorry..” Her voice cracked as she quickly wiped the few tears out of her eyes. 

“You could have seen me the whole time! I was going to spend my whole life trying.. God why did I ever like you?...”

Gwen’s entire world secretly crashed down hearing this. “Did?...”

“Gwen, you were right. Gwen Stacy and Spider-Man always end in tragedy. Look at us! I’m on the ground crying like a pathetic idiot.” 

“You’re not pathetic..” she mumbled before clearing her throat. “I’m here for a reason though.. You were right, Miles. Miguel was wrong. I saved my dad!”

His head shot up with a look of confusion. “Wait what?”

“He quit the force. He isn’t dying. You can avoid a canon event! If that’s possible.. I’m sure as hell ready to help to save your dad. Together. Fuck fate, fuck the canon. And especially fuck Miguel.”

Miles listened closely as she could swear the smallest of smiles creased his lips before disappearing into his void of despair once again. “I’m happy your dad is okay Gwen.. But there is no together. That has come and passed.”

Gwen shook her head. She couldn’t believe that. She refused to believe that. “Just trust me! Please! Let me help you! Let me make this up to you.”

Miles sighed “That’s the problem, Gwen. I can’t trust and you can’t be trusted.”

She stood there dumbfounded, not thinking of anything to plead or say back. He was completely right. She had broken whatever foundation of trust they had. Now, she had to rebuild it. Whether he was going to let her or not- that was his choice. 

“I’m not going to stop helping you. You can push me out all you want.”

“Gwen just- just leave me alone. Please. I want to do this alone.”

He slowly got up, crying out in pain as he grabbed his side. “Be careful..” she whispered while watching him. “I don’t care. I’m going to help you.”

“You will just make things worse!” He snapped. The word ‘help’ pissed him off. “Why didn’t you help before? When you were busy trying to stop me from stopping my dad from dying and not doing a damn thing to stop Miguel? How about when I got fucking bodyslammed? You were right there to stab me in the back while Miguel attacked me! You know- It’s so sad that in a room full of spider-people, the only person who was willing to help me was an anarchist tea loving stranger while my friend who obviously didn’t feel the same way I did stood idly by!”

“I- I did help you! After you left though. I defended you. I offered to go talk to you-”

“To manipulate me? Is this what this is!?”

Gwen took a step back, shaken by his yelling. “No! I got kicked out! I would never- I betrayed you but I never stopped caring for you! I still have a fucking heart.”

“If you have a heart then it sure as hell is broken.”

“Maybe it is!!” She yelled emotionally “And maybe you were the only one who could fix it!” 

Tears finally began to fall down her face as her hands shook. What did she mean by fix it? As a friend or more? As angry as he was, Miles wanted to hold her hands and calm her down, though the cold air blowing into the alley was a rude reawakening to why they were there.  

Uncomfortable silence filled the air as they stared at each other. Both of them were angry- at her. Both were heartbroken. Both felt utter despair and guilt. She had just lost her best friend.

“Could…” He finally replied with a soft, yet hurt chuckle. “Just fuck off, Gwen.”

“I’m doing this on my own!” He shouted as he began walking away before feeling a web to his back. He turned around to see her weakly holding onto it, still crying. “What are you doing?” He questioned. 

She was so choked up she couldn’t say anything as she kept her light grip on the web. He scoffed. “Broken..” He pulled the web, accidentally pulling her off her feet and onto her knees as one of her hands held itself out to brace her fall.

Her eyes stayed trained on him as he climbed the alley wall one before looking back at her- until his spider sense went off. He felt his cuts to feel blood running down them again, probably from the physical movement he was performing again. 

As he stared down in a mix of confusion and shock- he glitched. 

Gwen saw him glitching on the wall and suddenly jumped up as if a switch had been turned on in her. “Miles…”

She watched his eyes roll back before falling down, shooting a web at him and pulling him towards her as she leaped into the air, catching him in her arms and landing on the ground safely. She checked for a pulse, thankfully still feeling a heartbeat- but it was weak. 

She stared up at the cloudy sky, tears still staining her cheeks as she yelled.

“WHY DO YOU FUCKING DO THIS TO ME?”

She took deep breaths as she quickly strategized and lept into action. Shooting a web at a building above and swinging off with Miles swung over her shoulder, going towards the nearest hospital.

She wasn’t going to lose another friend.

Not again.

[End song: Daylight - David Kushner]

Chapter Text

After getting an urgent call from Gwen, the Spider-Band quickly swung to the hospital the two teenagers were at. It was looking like it was to storm again as they climbed up the wall to the room the two were in. There, Miles laid in the depressing room with a red bag, presumably blood running into his arm, sleeping soundly.

Peter looked at Gwen who was sitting next to Miles in a cheap plastic chair, holding his hand as she stared at the resting boy. Peter smirked as he tapped on the window, making Gwen jump and immediately let go. The girl glared at his obvious smirk, flipping him off before standing up and coming to the window and opening it. “Not a word.” she mumbled as he climbed in, followed by the other spiders. 

The band made itself at home, Peni parking her Sp//der outside the window before climbing in last. “I’m going to go get some coffee.” was all she said before walking out. “I am in the mood for some chai.” Pavitr said, getting up to follow. “Oh, chai tea actually sounds good right now!” Hobie commented as he went to follow but watched the boy stop in his tracks.

“Chai- Oh my god how many times do I have to explain this?!” Hobie stepped back, looking confused. “Huh?” “You- You are literally British! How do you not know the correct pronunciation!?” Gwen couldn’t help but smirk. The whole interaction definitely had helped her mood. 

“Just because I’m British does not mean I drink tea!” he said, raising his hands. “What do you drink then?” Pavitr demanded. “Dr. Pepper?” Hobie shrugged. Pavitr sighed. “Chai means tea. You are an insult to your culture.” He turned and walked out, Hobie still following him. “I’m still confused!”

Peter chuckled as he looked down at Mayday. “Kids.. I hope you are more patient with me!” He tickled her as she giggled, taking a seat next to Noir in the corner. “And what are you doing?” he asked.

Noir examined the colored buttons on the wall by the door. He looked at Peter before looking back at the buttons. “Trying to figure out which color is which. Is this red?” He asked, pointing to the yellow.

Peter sighed. “You got it.” He picked up a magazine and went through it. “Everything is shitty here. Might as well be in black and white.”

Noir looked over at him. “I take offense to that.”

“Sorry.” He replied before handing Mayday to him to make him feel better. Gwen sat back next to Miles, noticeably not taking his hand this time- probably since others were around and she was far too embarrassed to.

All of a sudden, the remaining spider’s spider-sense rang. Margo and Ham backed towards Peter and Noir. Gwen’s head turned towards the door to see it fly open and Rio Morales walked in. “Mijo..” She kneeled next to the bed as she stared at Miles in utter shock. “What- what happened?” 

Suddenly, Miles glitched, making Rio fall down flat on her butt. Gwen winced as she felt his pain rush through her. She turned her head towards Gwen, who had fire in her eyes. “What did you do!?” She stood up. “What did you do to him!?” Gwen stood up, backing away. She was barely able to respond. The words kept replaying in her mind. “What did you do to him?” Rio demanded again. “I already lost my husband. You are not taking my son away from me!”

Tears formed in Gwen’s eyes as she tried to speak. “I- I- So sorry..” Her left hand covered her eyes as she took deep breaths, trying to collect herself. What did she do to Miles? She betrayed him. She lied to him. She hurt him again and again. She avoided coming to see him. She was the reason this was happening. “It’s my fault.. I’m sorry.” She breathed.

“Okaayyy this is where I step in.” Peter jumped up, walking in between them. “First off, hi other Rio. Peter Parker, medical extraordinaire.” He said, quickly shaking her hand. “Second off, she is full of shit. Not her fault. Your son is in stable condition. He received a blood transfusion- right?” He asked looking back at Gwen, who weakly nodded as she sniffled.

“Right.” He said again with a charming smile. “Why the hell does my son need a blood transfusion?” the woman growled. Peter walked past her and opened the door. “What’s behind this door? A hallway! Perfect place to talk away from the sleeping kid!” Peter hurried Rio out of the room and webbed the door closed behind him. 

Gwen simply stood there shaking before she grabbed a tissue and blew her nose, looking back at the boy with a look of guilt in her eyes. “Don’t stop trying..” she mumbled, reminding herself of why she was still there.

The others sat down, not wanting to disturb their thoughts as they did their own things. All a sudden, they heard a jolt as they watched Miles suddenly wake up as he struggled against his tubes. Gwen stood there in shock, a smile quickly eclipsing her face before disappearing just as fast as she realized how scared he was. 

Noir was the first to spring into action as he jumped up, handing Mayday to Margo and grabbing his arms. “Kid no!” Miles glared at him as the two essentially arm wrestled. Miles had to escape. He had to save his dad. He had to stop the Spot. He didn’t know what to do but he couldn’t do anything from a hospital room. Miles’s anxiety increased twice fold when he heard Gwen’s voice. “Miles.. I- It’s okay you’re safe. It’s going to be alright!”

He shook his head, electricity charging up his arms as he wrestled Noir. “Noir, let go!” Gwen yelled. He was happy to oblige, pushing Miles back and backing away, looking at Gwen to only look back a second after and see nobody in the bed. The door opened by itself and slammed shut just as fast. “Shit! He’s invisible!” Gwen said, being the first to run after him. 

Soon, the other 3 joined the chase, soon joined by Peter, Pavitr, Peni, and Hobie as papers flew off desks by themselves and a mop resting against the wall was knocked over. They all soon ran into the cafeteria, getting weird looks from those that were in there. “Oh- bagels!” Peter said happily as he walked over “selecting a bagel.. Perfect.” He bit into it. “This is so good! Blueberry!”

“Oh I love blueberry!” Pavitr said, walking over to join him. “GUYS!” Gwen shouted. “Not the time.” They snapped back into reality, nodding in agreement and running again, Peter shooting a web behind him and grabbing a bagel, handing it to Pavitr anyways. They finally got to a corridor that led into 3 different halls that could lead to god knows where. 

Gwen groaned, looking down all of them. She knew Miles was freaked out. “Okay uh..” Suddenly, her spider sense went off as she looked to the left. “This one.” The group looked at her confused. “How do you?-” Pavitr began to ask only for Hobie to smirk behind him. Gwen glared at Hobie, the smirk suddenly turning to a smile of innocence. “I just do.” 

The others made their way down the hallway, going from room to room only to have awkward interactions with patients. “Spread out. Go to different floors. I’ll keep searching here.” Gwen said as she began walking down the hall again, the others nodding and turning around, arguing amongst themselves on who would go where.

As Gwen walked past a closet door, her spider sense went off and she stepped back towards it only to feel it go away as a smirk of her own eclipsed her face. 

---------------------------------------

Miles ran into the closet, closing the door shut behind him before turning back visible and dropping to the ground, still in his gown he had been put in. He sighed as he looked at his shaking hands, resting back against the wall. 

“I can do both!”

“Not always.”

“You can’t have it all kid.”

“You’re a mistake!”

“You’re just a kid who has no idea what he’s doing!”

“It’s for your own good!”

His hands shook more as he felt his heartbeat increase and tried to breath, however nothing happened. He kept trying to breath, gasping for air as he clutched his chest, tears filling his eyes-

The door swung open as Ham looked into the room, seeing nothing there before shutting it again. 

Tears rolled down Miles’ cheeks as he felt chills go up his back until they reached his head. He began to feel dizzy as he closed his eyes, trying to shake off the feeling. “What the fuck is happening to me what the fuck is happ-”

The door slowly opened again, this time Gwen standing there. She looked down at the floor before sighing and walking in and closing the door behind her, sitting down right across from where he was. “I know you’re there.”

Miles, still invisible, wiped his eyes and cheeks as he looked at her, feeling dread now. “How?” He whispered in surprise and denial she was even there in the first place. “I- I just had a feeling.” She said quietly, shrugging. “I’m not going to ask if you’re okay because.. I have a feeling about that too.”

Miles didn’t respond, still feeling way too vulnerable to become visible again. “Miles..” She said worriedly. “Just.. show me. I’m here for you.” There was a moment of silence and uncertainty before he reappeared, wiping his eyes again. Gwen tilted her head and pressed her knees against his as a frown filled her face. “We aren’t with Miguel.. We’re with you and we want to help you.. You don’t have to forgive me, and I don’t expect you to but just please.. Let us help you. It’ll give your dad a better chance anyways… You don’t have to do this alone.” She added, not only talking about saving his dad but also his evident inner turmoil.

Miles quietly nodded, continuing to look down and not meet her eyes. She opened her arms in case he wanted a hug, though he didn’t budge as he kept trying to recover from his panic attack. ‘At least our knees are touching’ she thought. Finally, he responded, “Why did you not help me earlier? Why were you so willing to leave me? Why were you so willing to hurt me?”

Gwen took a sharp breath, quickly trying to think of the right words this time. “Because.. I was being selfish. I never wanted to hurt you. I was afraid to hurt you. I really did think what I was doing was for your own good and it wasn’t until you beat everyone that I realized I was wrong. Miles, maybe you are an anomaly but you sure as hell aren’t a mistake.”

“But that’s the problem!” He yelled; his voice heavy. “You didn’t believe in me until I showed you what I was capable of. You kept trying to protect me. I’m not the same kid you left at the collider! I grew like you, Gwen! Hell- I even hit puberty… Maybe you saw I was amazing, but you never saw what made me amazing. You should have believed in me from the start.. Like how I believed in you. That’s what friends do!”

“Well..” She hesitated, wincing especially at that last part. “I’m a bit rusty on my friendship skills. I’m trying though. I was just afraid, Miles. I was afraid of what you would do if you found out and I was afraid of what would happen to me if you did. Why do you think I’m here right now? I can’t lose another friend-”

"Friends… Do you know how much it hurt to hear that you went on all of these- adventures? I sat in my room literally dreaming about going on them with you and you- you actually did it. You made the friends I wanted to make. You valued them above me when it mattered most. I understand why you did but.. How do I know you won’t do it again? I don’t think we will be friends again, but I at least need to know we can work together.”

Gwen’s mind was preoccupied on what he first said, feeling like a piece of shit for practically bragging to him when she had first shown up randomly until she suddenly felt a sharp pain go through her as he said they could not be friends again. She couldn’t accept that. Like she said, she couldn’t lose one more friend. Her best friend. “Maybe I am not your friend but you’re mine and I will never stop trying to redeem myself. Never. You were going to dedicate your life to finding me. I was going to dedicate mine to finding you and now helping you. That’s what friends do… right?”

Miles slowly nodded, beginning to come around on the idea of letting the band help him. “I’m not forgiving you but let’s say I do let you help me, how do you know this will work? How do you know we can do this? How do you know everything will be okay? I said I can do both, but I don’t know how.”

“We will find a way.” She responded determinedly.

“But how do you know?” He cried desperately, trying to hold back more tears as his shaking hands got worse. His vision got blurry, though her watercolor blue eyes that were brighter than the dim light above them brought it back.

Gwen smiled sadly. “Because you showed me it’s all possible..”

She stood up slowly, holding out her hand to him that held his daypass in it. “Let me remind you..” Miles looked up at her, staring at her hand surprised. "How?.." "Grabbed it off a car during the chase." Miles shook his head in disbelief before looking down and huffing. He reached his shaking hand up and took hers. His hand suddenly stopped shaking as she pulled him up.

She stared into his eyes, smiling wide as he returned a small smile back, the two continuing to hold hands for a minute. They both looked down and quickly pulled both of their hands away awkwardly, Miles scratching his head and Gwen rubbing her arm. He looked down to the daypass that was held in his hand before slipping it on his wrist, looking down satisfied.

“I still don’t forgive you.” He cautiously reminded her. “Yeah. I can work with that... Wanna go save your dad, Spider-Man?” Gwen said, crossing her arms, her confident smirk returning for the first time since she watched Miles beat Miguel. His hopeful smile returned once again, stepping aside as he wiped his eyes one last time. “Lead the way, Gwanda.” Gwen playfully hit his arm before opening the door and walking out, Miles following before the door shut behind them. 

[End song: love. - Kid Cudi]

Chapter Text

After he had finally finished processing everything that had led to this moment, he knew what he had to do. He had to make his own path. The broken glass window of his uncle’s apartment neared as Miles-42 leaped over rooftops. He was so lost in his thoughts that he nearly tried to jump an obviously too wide gap, waving his hands to stop his fall. 

He sighed, using a grappling hook, and shooting it at a water tower before swinging across the busy street and climbing up the building. Miles finally stood on the roof in front of his uncle's apartment. He took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to get into the moment. Yet, his thoughts were scattered. He didn’t know what to do, so he did the one thing that calmed him down.

“Lookin’ at you sideways, party on tilt. Ooh-ooh-ooh..”

He began to climb up the wall towards the window, gripping each brick with increasing confidence as he kept singing.

“Some things you just can’t refuse.. She wanna ride me mm mm mm and I’m not mm-mm mm mm.”

He neared the window, taking deep breaths as he relaxed, finally centering his thoughts. 

“Then you’re left in the dust unless I stuck by ya. You’re the sunflowerrrr.”

He climbed in, seeing his uncle standing against the wall, listening to the police radio, though it was just talk about the Cartel. Aaron took a step towards him, his arms still crossed. “What happened?” 

Miles tried to think of an excuse as he stuttered only to come out with something ridiculous. “He turned invisible.” He had never even seen the other version of him turn invisible. To him, it was as ridiculous as meeting another version of him to begin with. 

“He turned invisible..” Aaron repeated with a dry chuckle before kicking what was left of the punching bag towards Miles. “Yeah..” Miles said, crossing his arms as he glared at the man. Aaron walked over to the closet before pulling out his old Prowler gloves and beginning to put them on. “Bullshit.” He breathed, turning back towards Miles as he straightened out his sweatshirt.

“It’s not-” “BULLSHIT!” Aaron yelled again. “You had your comms on the entire time, Prowler. I heard everything you said to fucking- night monkey!” He said, rapidly approaching as Miles backed up, trying not to laugh. “Night Monkey?” “Well yeah we found him at night, and he climbs stuff like a- Don’t change the subject on me!” He cornered Miles to the broken window, powering up his gloves. 

“I thought we were a team.. What happened to everything we built together?” He glared, staring down in disappointment. Miles glared right back up at him with fury in his eyes. “We were never a team. You tried to be my father and.. You’re not half of what dad was.” Aaron lifted up Miles by the jacket before throwing him across the room to his side, slowly approaching him again. “I never tried to be your father. I just tried to make you stronger and I sure as hell succeeded.” Miles groaned as he got up. “You didn’t make me stronger.. You made me angrier.” Miles clenched his fist. 

“You turned me into a killer-” “I turned you into a vigilante! This city is safer because of you! Because of me…” Aaron exclaimed. Miles’ eyes narrowed. “A long time ago.. When I asked about who was giving you jobs, you said to not ask questions I didn’t want the answer to… Now’s the time to answer.” He took a step forward. “Kingpin. Every job we have done has been from him- and the city is a hell of a lot safer because of it!” Aaron reasoned quickly.

Miles stumbled back, breathing quickly and his eyes widening for a second before they quickly narrowed as he began to charge up his gauntlets. “Y-... You… You had me working for my father’s killer?..”

The older man looked down and sighed, showing genuine guilt. “I didn’t… want to. But it kept you safer. You were able to help people without getting in the way of someone more dangerous. You got paid. You were able to support your mother. Everything I have done has been for yo-” 

Miles lunged at him, throwing him to the floor. “Now that’s bullshit.” he said, now on top of him. “Come on Prowler.. Don’t throw this all away. Don’t throw this perfect life away..” Aaron warned. “My name isn’t Prowler.. It’s Miles Morales.” He shoved him down again. His uncle got annoyed, charging up his gauntlets before blasting Miles upwards into the ceiling before the boy fell down next to him, crying out in pain. 

Aaron got up, shaking his head as he looked down at Miles. “I can’t let you throw everything away! If you really want to do this, you either kill me or you keep going down this path I’ve made for you! Nothing like the loss of an uncle to motivate the hero, right? A bit of trauma won’t hurt.” 

The kid stared at him shocked, beginning to get up, despite wincing. “Nah.. I’ve already gotten plenty of trauma from you.” He lunged at Aaron, the two going through the floor and into the apartment below. Ignoring the screams that surrounded the two, Miles began to punch his uncle despite his uncle blocking each shot. Miles leaped back and stood up, getting into a boxing position as Aaron did the same. 

A window broke as Miles flew out of it, landing on a building and hiding behind an air conditioning unit as Aaron landed on the roof, looking around for him. “Miles, come on brother. Show me what you’re made of. Show me who’s really the Prowler!” He grabbed the unit, swiping it clean off the roof despite its weight and size as Miles jumped up and blocked a blow with both hands before flying back, right onto his butt. “Why.. Are you doing this?” 

“I’m trying to be the best teacher I can be- “I didn't want a teacher! I wanted an uncle!” Miles cried out as he dodged a blow. “I don’t want to do this, Miles. But you are going to bring down everything. You will be all on your own! How is that worth living?” Miles looked down, hitting his fist into the ground before slowly getting up, feeling the cool night breeze hit his face. “I’d finally be myself. Is that so bad?...” He began blocking all of Aaron's blows, ignoring the blood running down his arms and legs. 

“Miles, you finally have everything set up for you! A job, money, your mom is okay, hell even that girl- what’s her name?” “Her name is Gwen (Earth-42) and you better keep that name out of your fucking mouth!” He yelled, landing a shot in Aaron’s face. Aaron’s eyes widened before he fell back, feeling his jaw. 

“Hell.. Miles, I can’t let you do this to yourself! You are throwing everything away! Everything I set up for you! That suit- what the hell are you without it?”

“Yeah, everything YOU set up for me. It’s time I make my own path. You don’t need a suit or powers to be a hero.” Miles said, approaching his uncle. His uncle got up and exchanged blows before falling down again. “Shit man..” he chuckled hoarsely. “You finally beat me.. I’m so damn proud of you.” Miles took a step towards him before removing his uncle’s gauntlets. “I wish I could say the same..” 

Aaron cringed, staring at him in disgust. “Kill me. Come on, Prowler.” 

“I ain’t killin shit. Those days are over. You’re goin to jail.”

Aaron shook his head. “You can keep putting me away but they will just keep letting me out. Same with every other criminal. The only one who’s going to be in a prison is you.. An endless cycle of pain and despair. If you keep doin’ this you can do anything and go anywhere! This is your last chance. Don’t throw this away. It isn’t worth it.”

Miles smirked as he looked up at the sky, imagining his father watching over him. He finally understood what he said on the roof, turning to look down at his uncle and quoting his father perfectly.

“This place, it may look bad, it may sound bad, hell– it even smells bad.. However, what keeps me here is the heart, the people. The fact that no matter how many bad people there are, there are 100 more good ones. That’s why it’s worth it and that’s why I will continue to defend them from people like you.”

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The police had finally shown up on the rooftop after the numerous noise complaints and the report of a fight in someone’s living room. They shined a flashlight on a figure tied to a water tower by a rope with a note next to him. The man surprisingly held a proud smirk as he looked at the note that read: Found Dangerous Guy- The Prowler. 

An officer shined his flashlight into Aaron’s face. “Sir, do you have any clue who did this? The city does not take kindly to vigilantes.” “I tried to tell him..” Aaron mumbled before shrugging. “No clue.”

On the roof of his uncle's apartment building, Miles watched as the police cuffed Aaron, leaning back using his hand as he looked down proudly. Sure, he was going to suffer- more than he already has, but he was going to make his father proud, and he was going to become the hero he was meant to be. “Now where to start..” Miles mumbled, staring out at the skyline before seeing the lights go out at the hospital. 

“Shit.. My mom’s there.” He said standing up. He turned up the police radio he snagged to listen. “All unit’s report to Horizon Hospital! A physical fight has broken out between two seemingly super powered beings. A feminine looking individual in a white and black.. costume, and a man in a white and red costume. Stay on the lookout and consider both to be armed and dangerous.”

Miles smirked, pulling a red mask over his mouth, and jumping down the side of the building, shooting his grappling hook and headed towards the scene of the apparent fight. 

[End song: My Time - Fabolous Jeremih]

Chapter Text

Miguel O’Hara had finally finished his new suit, stripping shirtless before putting it on piece by piece. It began glitching around him as it settled, so he grabbed his injector gun and injected himself, the glitching soon subsiding. 

He turned around to see Jessica Drew standing there, jumping back a bit. “Jesus, can’t you knock?” he snarled, putting his gun down. Jessica smirked at his reaction. The fact he had no Spider-Sense made for some good jokes- usually at his expense. “And interrupt your brooding? No way.” She said, leaning against the wall. 

Miguel turned around, holding his arms out to show her his new suit. “Well?” She tilted her head in a way similar to how Gwen usually did when Miguel tried to ask the team for advice opposed to the other way around. “It looks the exact same as before. You need less blue. Each time you fight a villain they must think that they are being attacked by Cookie Monster.” He glared at her before turning away and beginning to clean up his station.

“I’m not a monster. I’m just the only one who has the will to do what must be done.” Jess sighed, crossing her arms. “That’s what I came to talk about. What has to be done, Miguel? When will this end? With the kid dying? I know you saw a world get destroyed but.. You do know for sure why it did, right?” He quickly turned around, walking towards her with a stone-cold glare. “Remember what happened the last time someone questioned me about what I saw?...” His claws came out. “I know what I saw, and I know why it happened. That’s why I’m doing this. I’m not just-..” He sighed, shaking his head. “Forget it.”

“You’re not just what?” she prodded. “I’m not just projecting my trauma on everyone else. This is for a reason.” Jess nodded, knowing exactly what he would say anyway. She just wanted to hear him say it. “There are inconsistencies though. What about earth-8?”

Miguel glared back at her. “I thought we agreed we would never discuss that again. That was experimental.” “Well, it obviously worked because it didn’t collapse-” She pointed out. “Listen! Maybe that whole world in itself is an anomaly. I don’t know. What I do know is I watched a world collapse because of something I DID. I lost my daughter.. again. Look at me in the eyes and tell me that wasn’t real. Tell me that world is still out there, and my daughter is okay.”

Jessica didn’t say anything as she slowly nodded. “You know what.. You’re right. I’m sorry. I was just.. Speculating.” Miguel huffed. “We don’t have time for speculation. We need to get to 42 and get the kid.”

She turned away, before sighing and looking back towards him. “Just… Just promise me they won’t get hurt. The kids.”

Miguel looked back at her, for once a vulnerable look in his eyes. “I don’t want to hurt anybody. I hurt people because I have to. I promise I will do everything in my power to avoid hurting them.”

Jessica let out the smallest of smiles, yet deep down still unconvinced. Though for right now, it was enough for her. “I will go wake the others.” She began walking away. “Wait.” he said to which she turned back. “Reilly is incompetent. I’m putting Spider-Man-12131 on the job.” She turned back hesitantly. “Are you sure that’s a good ide-” “Yes. Just do it.” Miguel turned back, walking to his station as Jessica frowned and turned back, walking away from him.

Miguel leaned over his station, wiping a few tears that had sneaked out his eyes as he looked down at a picture of his daughter. “I’m doing this because.. I would love you on any world and I will do anything to keep you safe.” His fist hit the table. “You aren’t dying.. Not again.” He turned around and injected himself one more time, the blue on his suit mostly turning to white as his blood red logo stayed the same. 

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The Spider-Band gathered in Miles’ hospital room with him sitting in his bed again. This time, he wasn’t going to try to run away. “But how are we going to do this? We need a plan.” Peni spoke up after Gwen had rounded them all up in a circle that also included Miles. “Well Miguel is coming. That much is obvious. We have home field advantage.” The blonde responded before leaning over to Peter. “I said that right.. Right?” to which he would simply nod in response with a smile. 

“How do we get the jump on Dracula?” Ham asked curiously, having never even seen Miguel before. The group pondered in silence before Miles spoke up, slicing through the unspoken tension that surrounded him with a knife. “His spider-sense.”

The group turned towards him, though Gwen was the only one brave enough to engage. “You’re right.. As always.” She said with a soft smile. “He’s right. Miguel doesn’t have spider-sense which means he can easily be surprised so-” “We need to all take him at once. We need to overwhelm him.” Miles finished, the two seemingly in sync again- if only for a millisecond.

Gwen nodded encouragingly, though Peter did not look so sure. He spoke up hesitantly “Miles.. Y- you’re still in a hospital gown. You need to recover. I’m not sure-”

“Oh shut up, Peter. When are you sure? Not before the collider. Not at the HQ. Not on the train. You wanna finish that sentence, Spider-Man?” Miles spat with venom. “Miles, I’m sorry-” he began. “For what? What the hell are you sorry for now? The list is so long I- I can’t even fathom! When are you going to start believing in me!?” he cried desperately.

Gwen immediately got in between them and put her hand on his shoulder as Peter backed up in surprise. “Hey..” Was all she whispered, the action immediately calming Miles down as a look of disappointment still filled his face. The room turned to an awkward and shocked silence as his words settled over the group. “Hell yeah..” Hobie whispered only to have his chest slapped by Pavitr and receive a ‘not helping’ glare from Gwen.

“Do you both need a minute?..” Peni asked Miles and Peter with a rare look of sympathy only to get two completely different responses at the same time.

Peter: “Yeah”

Miles “No.”

The room stayed in place, unsure of what to do. “No.” Miles spoke again, keeping his glare on Peter, who looked down to his baby for comfort. A few began to move to leave, but to everyone's surprise, Gwen stopped them, crossing her arms impatiently. 

“Guys.. He said no.”

Miles looked at her a bit surprised, not expecting her to defend him so easily after what she had done. He cleared his throat before speaking. “Sorry.. Everyone. Anyways, I do have a plan. I’m going to be the bait. He is going to be so focused on me that all of you will have time to surprise the society.” 

Everyone looked around, unsure of his words. “Miles.. It’s a good idea but regrettably, Peter has got a point. How will you make sure you’re okay? Your suit is ruined. Your web shooters are low. Like I said, it’s a good plan but what about you? You do need to get home to save your father.” Gwen spoke softly, afraid of being shouted at too. 

Miles learned his lesson from the first time, deciding to be patient with her despite his annoyance. “Just get me in something else other than this gown and I will be good to go. Web shooters aren’t what makes me Spider-Man. It’s my strength and will to do both. That’s going to go much farther in helping me than any suit will… Even if they look badass.”

The group all smiled, happy to see some glimpse at the Miles they all know and love. “That.. Sounds enough like a plan. We all jump on him at once and take away his suit.” Noir was the first to speak up. “And his watch.” Margo added. “Most importantly his watch.” The band all nodded in agreement as a gameplan came to fruition.

 “Guys. If it comes to it and the rest of us are tied down for whatever reason… Someone grab Miles and jump to a universe that the society won’t follow you to. One on the restricted list. It's our priority he gets home.” Peter spoke up, reminding the room of the harsh truth of the dire situation. “That’s my one request.” 

Wanting Peter to go along with the plan and to get over the drama, Miles hesitantly nodded his head. “Fine. That I can agree to.” “Alright! Then we have a plan!” Peter grasped his hands together, his fun old self returning once again. “I’m starving. Is anyone else wanting anything?” Hungry self. 

After getting a collective number of shrugs and nods, he began walking out of the room. “Cheeseburgers. Who doesn’t love cheeseburgers? I’m getting cheeseburgers.” He closed the door behind him as Ham raised his hand. “I’m lactose intoler- shoot.”

Miles looked at him incredulously. “You’re a pig and you’re lactose intolerant?” Ham glared at him. “I wasn’t always a pig..” The room went silent as the rest debated whether to push him on the subject or not. “Hey Miles, you said you wanted some clothes, right? Wanna go shopping?” Margo spoke up. Miles nodded quickly, hopping out of his bed. “Yeah that sounds good.” “I’ll go too!” Gwen quickly said- maybe too quickly as the room looked at her. “I.. want to see what they have.” She said, crossing her arms with a shrug, trying to move past her stumble. 

“Alright then.. That works.” Margo said as she opened the window and hopped out. Miles made his way to the window and Gwen helped him over the ledge. “Thanks.” He said in a monotone voice, slightly embarrassed over the help. He hopped down, leaving Gwen there as she pulled on her mask and looked back at the group. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Who would do something stupid?” Hobie asked as Pavitr nodded, putting his hand on his chest and acting offended. Gwen’s lenses narrowed as she looked at them and jumped out the window after the other two. 

‘Alright. Let’s get stupid!” Hobie said with a mischievous smirk. 

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The trio of Miles, Margo, and Gwen walked down the streets of New York-42, ignoring the weird looks they got. Miles was still in his hospital gown and the other two were in their costumes. “We look like we just got done shooting a porno where you two come to surprise a cancer patient.” He spoke up, noticeably blushing. 

The comment made Gwen blush so much that even her mask turned a light shade of pink. “I’d hope not..” She remarked. “I wouldn’t mind,” Margo said with a smirk as she kept walking. Gwen stopped in her tracks and glared at her from behind before running and catching up with the other two.

 The group turned right and walked into the open SEARS. “Didn’t this place close?” Miles asked as they looked around. “You know this place is a hellhole if Sears is still survivin’.” Margo answered as she began to look through sweatshirts for Miles. 

“Yeah and it probably has McDonalds.” Gwen spoke up as the two stopped and looked at her shocked. “What?!” Miles shouted, though with an obvious smile. Margo began giggling. “What the hell is wrong with McDonalds?” Gwen tried not to laugh herself as she removed her mask. “It sucks! They are shutting down left and right in my universe!” Miles and Margo looked at each other before looking back at her smiling. “Then what does not suck?” Miles inquired. 

Gwen rubbed her arm awkwardly. “White Castle.” Margo audibly gasped. “White Castle!? This basic bitch said White Castle!” Miles began cracking up as he doubled over. “What is wrong with White Castle!?” Gwen protested. “That is SO mid! Gwen, come on I had higher hopes for you than that!” Miles exasperated, continuing to laugh. 

“Then what is the best fast food burger to you!?” She cried in false desperation. “Okay..” Miles said, walking over to the mens section before clasping his hands together. “You get a burger from burger king and then fries from McDonalds…” The other two went silent before speaking at the same time.

Gwen: “That is the smartest I’ve ever heard.”

Margo: “That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

The two women looked at each other before bursting out laughing. “It’s so clever though!” Gwen tried reasoning. “But you don’t need the extra trip! Just pick one!” Margo argued. “Okay- The only person who can settle this is Peter. Let’s wait until we see him.” Miles said, wanting to just pick out an outfit. 

“You know what.. That’s fair.” Gwen said, wagging her finger at him before watching him go through the clothes. She was definitely happy to have some friendly interaction again. Margo being there definitely helped things a lot. She was like a needle that would pop the balloon whenever it began to fill with tension. 

Gwen spotted a red Nike shirt and pulled it out to show him. “This is cute!” She said encouragingly, the pink in her hair all but glowing. Miles gave her a deadpan look. “I don’t wanna go into battle looking cute.” She shrugged. “You’d look cute in anything.. At least to me.” She mumbled as she put the shirt back. Miles blushed, obviously hearing this and turning around immediately to hide the slightest of smiles that made its way onto his face as he looked through the pants. 

Margo put his hand on his shoulder. “Oh look at this. This would look cool.” She pulled out a pair of thick baggy pants. “You’re a large right?” Miles shrugged. “Usually between medium and large.” Gwen saw her hand on his shoulder and immediately tried to hide her jealousy as she got between them, almost forcefully. “Oh those do look good! You should try those on Miles!” She encouraged, smiling awkwardly. 

He nodded in agreement and grabbed the pants before walking back and looked over the shirts before quickly grabbing the one Gwen had pointed out. He began making his way to the dressing room before stopping in his tracks and looking over a black jacket. “I thought you didn’t like hoods..” Gwen spoke with uncertainty. Miles shrugged, not looking at her as he grabbed it. “I’m willing to try them out again…” 

He went into the dressing room and closed the door behind him as the two women sat down together, waiting for him. “I don’t like him.” Margo said quietly, making Gwen whip her head and look at her, trying to keep a look of confusion on her face to mask her relief. “Huh?” The girl rolled her eyes. “There’s no need to get territorial. You aren’t an actual spider.” Gwen began blushing as she leaned back. “What? Since when have I been territorial? Over what?” “Over who.” Margo answered back with a smirk only for Gwen’s face to practically turn the same color as her pink tips. “I’m not- I don’t-” 

Margo shook her head. “Deny it all you want, but you have nothing to worry about. He’s in your web.” The two went silent again as Gwen stared ahead at the other people shopping, trying to get the embarrassing interaction out of her head. Territorial?... 

“Thank you.” Was all she managed to whisper before Miles came out. “Ready to go?” He was in his new outfit. “Feels good not to be so.. Exposed.” Gwen smirked at the thought, getting up and motioning him to follow. “Come on. Peter’s buns are going to get cold.” Miles chuckled, shaking his head. “Gross.”

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The band returned to the room, climbing in to see inflated gloves all over the room and paper towels hanging from the ceiling like decorations as Hobie played his guitar and the others were eating. They all froze as they turned to her. “You know what.. I’m not even going to ask.” She said with a soft smile, not letting it bother her. 

The trio sat down as Miles' outfit received compliments. “So Peter, where did you get the burgers from?” he inquired. Peter shot a web at a few burgers and pulled them towards Miles, Gwen, and Margo. “White Castle, the best burger in town.” Peter responded. Gwen smirked, looking down and unwrapping her burger as Miles and Margo both opened their mouths in disbelief and got ready to protest. 

“Maybe you aren’t always right.” She spoke to Miles, with her mouth full. She could swear he flashed her the slightest of smiles before forcing a bite. 

Maybe she did have a chance.

Maybe he was in her web after all.

[End song: Everyone Adores You (at least I do) - Matt Maltese]

Chapter Text

A group carefully selected by Miguel O’Hara and Jessica Drew lined up in formation, waiting for the two. This group included some of the best Spider-People in the multiverse.

Obviously, it included Miguel and Jessica. However, due to the failed attempts of the society last time Miguel brought in a completely different group of people to hopefully capture Miles, but any other spider who went rogue. After much consideration, these were the final selectees: 

Superior Spider-Man

Spider-Man 1994

Japanese Spider-Man

Six-Armed Spider-Man

Spider-Ramen 

And most importantly of all, Lego Spider-Man.

These eight were handpicked to equally number the society and put up a civilized fight, a different approach from sending every Spider-Person in existence after Miles and causing chaos and confusion. Miguel had learned his lesson. He wasn’t going to fail again. He couldn’t.

“Alright.” They all heard a commanding voice, standing up straight. “I picked you all for a reason. You are some of the best Spider-People in the multiverse.” Miguel said walking in, closely followed by a seemingly reluctant Jessica Drew. A line of orange light was the only thing illuminating the room other than Miguel’s suit, making his presence even more threatening. 

Miguel continued “We obviously screwed up last time.. But that won’t happen again. No big chases. No last minute surprises. We are prepared this time. We won’t underestimate the kid again. Did you all review the case file of the episode we had a few hours ago?” He asked to which they all nodded. “Good. Thank Spider-Ma’am for making those so fast. Now I have assigned each of you a person to capture. Please don’t screw this up.”

He began listing out each matchup:

“Otto-Peter, whichever you prefer.” He said, waving his hand. “You are taking on Gwen Stacy. She is going to be especially hard to capture but I know you get intense. Have fun with that.”

“Peter 94’ you take on Pavitr Prabhakar. He’s inexperienced and you have like 29 years of experience.”

“Spider-Man Japan, yeah you are taking on Peni Parker. Robot versus robot.”

“Six arms-”

“I find that offensive” Six-armed Spider-Man interrupted.

Miguel sighed, deciding to dismiss it. “You get black and white Spider-Man.”

“Spider-Ramen, you get Peter B. Parker. He is experienced so he will be a challenge. But, you are one of the best so I trust you to get the job done.”

“Jessica, you fight Hobie. You have gone on missions together before, so you know him best.” The woman sighed in relief; happy she didn’t have to face Gwen.

“Lego Spider-Man, my best friend and the best of us..” Jessica rolled her eyes. 

“You get the Pig. I have complete faith in you to do this. You got this buddy.” He looked around, not able to see him. “Where- is he? I can’t even see him! Llya turn up the brightness on the lights!” He stepped on something, immediately wincing. 

“Shockin’ hell!” He stumbled back, trying to get the pain to go away as the orange LEDs brightened to see Lego Spider-Man lying on the floor. “Peter! Are you okay?” He called, a look of worry beginning to overpower the seriousness on his face.

“I’m fine!” Miguel heard from the floor as Peter got up. “Oh good..” He sighed in relief. “Okay other than that, are you all ready?” He began tapping his watch. “Ready as I can be..” Jessica said, standing next to him. 

The portal opened to earth 42 as the team stood behind him, but all over the place being messy and uncoordinated opposed to the Spider-Band’s obvious chemistry. “Let’s go.” He said, his now white mask appearing on his face. “You took my advice.” Jessica said with a soft smile. She swore she saw the corner of his jaw twitch in what was most likely some form of a smile before he walked into the portal with his back to it, the others beginning to jump in. 

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Another hexagon shaped portal opened as the strike force emerged onto a roof nearby the Hospital. “Okay good.. Right universe this time. The tracker we have on Peni’s robot points there. More specifically, the fifth-floor east window.” He said looking up from his watch at the group, pointing to the hospital. “Vamanos!” He jumped off the roof and used his glowing red webs to begin swinging through the darkness. They were noticeably redder than before, mirroring his darkening desperation to stop the Band. 

Miguel made it to the window, soon joined by the others. He peered in to see it was dark and nobody was inside. However, the rest of the group's spider-sense went off. “They are close.” Jessica warned, to which he would nod in acknowledgement. He slowly opened the window before climbing in, walking over to the empty bed. “He isn’t- he can turn invisible right?” He asked to which the group all nodded.

Miguel glared around the room, letting out an animalistic growl before his claws came out. He stood in the darkness that surrounded him, keeping his head down as he listened for any movement. His eyes narrowed as he sniffed the air. “He’s in here..” Miguel began slashing thin air, rapidly moving from around the room. He stopped once he had reached everywhere that his own team was not crowding. 

“Hey! Skeletor!” He looked up to see Miles become visible, stuck to the ceiling on all fours, facing down. His legs let go as his hands continued to stick, coming down and kicking Miguel so hard that he flew through the door and into the hallway falling flat on his butt as he slid against the wall as the door fell onto the ground in front of him. 

He growled before smelling something and looking up to see the Spider-Band looking right back down at him. “Shock me.” 

The Strike Force began running towards the doorway only for it to be webbed by Miles, blocking their exit. “Now hold on! You’re here for me after all, right?” Miguel jumped up to claw at the web but was tackled to the ground by Peter. “Come on Peter. You know better.” He growled. “You’re right. That’s why I’m on Miles’ side.” The father would reply. He had put Mayday in the playroom so she would not get hurt during the fight. He was glad he had thought of it.

Jessica webbed Miles, pulling him down from the ceiling as Spider-Ramen shot a noodle around him to hold him still. “Wait- is that a noodle? Ew it’s slimy!” Miles said, breaking free. Spider-Man 94’ leapt at him but he dodged it. “What was your canon event? Spilling the tea?” He shouted at the giant ramen before shooting a web and kicking him. He landed on the floor only to be held back by Six-Armed Spider-Man.

Miguel struggled as he was backed down the hall, each Spider-Person taking turns punching him. All a sudden as it was Gwen’s turn, she faltered as her senses went off.. “Shit. It’s Miles. I need to go help him!” she shouted. “How do you even know this!?” Pavitr cried out before she began running back towards the room. She ignored the question, deciding now wasn’t the time to bring up a secret embarrassing Spider-Sense love connection not even Miles knew about yet. 

Gwen stopped at the webbing covering the doorway to see the Strike Force standing there with Miles trapped in Six Arm’s grip. “Hey! We got your guy; you need to let ours go!” Jessica shouted at Gwen as the teenager hesitated. “Gwen don’t!” Miles yelled. “I’m sorry Miles.. I can’t lose you again.” She said softly before turning down the hall to see Miguel being held against the wall by Peter and Noir as Peni’s robot kept punching him again and again. 

“Guys stop! They got Miles!” Every head whipped around to look at her as they walked Miguel over to the doorway. “Okay.. We will make a trade. We both release our people at the same time.” Gwen said calmly as Peni used her Sp//der’s blades to cut through webbing on the door. “No!” Miles and Miguel shouted simultaneously before each group shoved them back through the doorway towards their own. 

Gwen caught Miles in her arms as Six Arm’s caught Miguel in his. “I said don’t..” Miles said emotionally, sadness evidently in his eyes. Gwen shook her head and helped him stand up, returning a sorry look within her own. “I can’t lose you.. I’m sorry.” “You just compromised the whole plan..” Miles said frustratedly, looking down. 

“Strike Force.. Attack.” Miguel said with a growl as his claws came out yet again. He leapt at Miles, but his hands surprisingly found Gwen’s shoulders as she had pushed the boy out of the way. The two went through the floor as Miguel tackled her with all his strength intended for Miles. 

“Okay, guess we are switching. I have no problem with that.” Superior Spider-Man said in a sinister tone as the fight began, grabbing Miles and throwing him through the wall before leaping through the hole. 

Jessica and Hobie began fighting on the ceiling as the fight spread on the floor under them, trading blows half-heartedly. “I know you want to do the right thing!” Hobie yelled as Jessica kicked him back, down the hall as the lights turned red and began flashing, signaling an evacuation. “Hobie, the right thing is stopping Miles!” She shouted as he got out his guitar, making her stop in her tracks. “Do you really believe that?..” He let one riff play, sending shockwaves down the hallway. Jess held on to the wall so she would not be blown away as the rest of the fighting began to move around the building to avoid Hobie’s blasts. “You let Gwen down. Now's the chance to make that up!” 

The two stopped momentarily as Jessica looked down, crossing her arms. “I.. Know. The further I go down this rabbit hole the less right it seems. How do I even begin to make things up to her?” Hobie smirked, grabbing his mask, and pulling it on. “Just be the Spider-Woman she thought you were.”

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Gwen and Miguel fell through the ceiling into a hallway, making the nurses and doctors walking through stop and scatter screaming. “Call 911!” Someone yelled. Her spider-sense went off again. Miles.

She shot a web through the ceiling and got ready to climb back up, only to be grabbed by Miguel and thrown through an open door into a one-person unit, only illuminated by the red flashing lights due to it being pitch black outside. Despite the fear she had, only one word was still going through her mind. Only one thing was keeping her going. Miles.

“No more running Gwen.” He hissed. She shot a web at a chair and swung it towards him only for him to break it into pieces with his fist before he advanced towards her as she backed up. “You ran from your dad. You ran from your responsibility. You ran from Miles. You are running from us. Coward.” He said with venom. “Miles!” she cried out in fear, backing up.

However, just like on the train when Miles had called for Peter… Nobody was going to help her. At least in her situation they would if they could. “Nobody is coming, Gwen. Time to face the consequences for your shockin’ mistakes.” His fangs unsheathed as she shook her head. “The only mistake I made was betraying my friend. I don’t regret another fucking thing!” She launched towards him as Miguel did the same, meeting him midair. 

Due to Miguel's much larger size and stature, the two fell back on the floor with him on top. “This is all your fault! If you had just listened!” She tried fighting back only to be shoved down on the floor again. “Miles isn’t going home, and he is most definitely never seeing you again. As if he would want to.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Don't say that..” she breathed. 

Miguel didn’t enjoy this. In fact, he disliked it. However, getting in his opponent’s head was something he was good at. It’s how he always won- well until Miles. If villains he captured didn’t suffer in prison, they sure did beforehand. 

“Say what? That you lied to him? Led him into a trap? Tried to stop him from saving his own FATHER!” He yelled, practically clawing into her obvious insecurities. He grabbed her and threw her into the wall as she grunted, falling down onto her side as she struggled to get up. “Stop..” She groaned. 

Miguel shook his head. “Or maybe I should talk about how you told him how you should have never seen him. Tell me, how much do you think you broke him?” He said with spite as Gwen slowly got up, not able to speak a single word back.  “You.. hurt someone you care about, and you can never undo what you did.” Miguel added more emotionally, perhaps not just talking about her. 

Gwen glared up at him. “You’re right… But I can sure as hell make up for it!” She shot two webs and launched herself towards him, spinning in the air before kicking him in the face and knocking him back. He stumbled back before remembering his mission, making a beeline for the door to find Miles only to be shoved aside by Gwen, who wanted to do the exact same thing. 

She ran into the hall, looking down each end trying to figure out where the hole in the ceiling was. She saw it down the hall to her left and began running only to feel a violent red web wrap around her as she tripped and fell to the floor. Miguel began pulling back as Gwen’s nails dug into the floor as she tried to stop herself. “No..” She grunted as she tried to ignore the pain she felt from a mixture of Miguel’s words and her fingernails. “You really think he will forgive you? What’s your plan here, Gwen? You couldn’t help Peter; do you really think you can help Miles?”

Gwen couldn’t say anything in response as her self doubt took over, her desperate and feeble attempts to get away slowly failing as Miguel kept pulling. “Rubble fell on Peter. Rubble fell on Miles. And I will be damned if the multiverse crumbles instead of debris falling onto his father as well.” He lifted the teenager into the air by the throat as she struggled against his grip. 

Suddenly, something seemed off. Things turned from tense to violent and unhinged. His pupils suddenly dilated as mouth slowly opened to reveal his sharp fangs as he slowly brought Gwen’s neck closer to them. Gwen looked at him in confusion. He seemed different now. He seemed.. Animalistic. As if his urges suddenly took over.

Her lenses widened comically as she shook her head. “Wait- What the fuck? No! No! No!” Her much smaller frame started trying to kick Miguel as she struggled to no effect, feeling him pull her mask off forcefully and throw it to the ground beside them with a growl. Gwen tried leaning away as she tried speaking between sobs. “I’m not- Wait- Please!” Tears began pouring down her cheeks. She wanted help. She wanted to scream for help, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t find her own voice. She was petrified. So, Gwen screamed the one constant that had been in her mind the whole time. “MILES!”

“GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER!” She heard a higher pitch voice scream, immediately knocking Miguel out of his trance as he realized what he was doing and let Gwen fall to the ground as she gasped for air, holding her own hands around her neck to protect it as she began crawling backwards. She felt too exposed. Even in her outfit. She felt… Violated.

She and Miguel both looked behind him to see Jessica Drew standing there. “You said you wouldn’t lose control again..” She whispered. 

For Miguel, the hallway could not be long enough between them as he stood there awkwardly, the red flashing lights suddenly seeming to brighten. “I’m sorry.. Thank you for stopping me. I- don’t know what I would’ve..” his voice trailed off as he looked down at Gwen with guilt and fear in his eyes. 

He couldn’t accept what just happened.. ‘He couldn’t. He was fine. He had to be fine. He was Spider-Man, right? He was in control, that was just some scare tactic’ He tried internally reasoning. ‘Yeah- that was it. He had to focus on the mission.’

“I’m fine. Let’s just go capture the kid.” He said quickly trying to dismiss it as he walked towards the hole in the ceiling only for Jessica to shoot a web in front of his feet, narrowly missing him. “Hold up.” She said, walking towards him. “You’ve gone too far. You said you had this under control. You said you wouldn’t hurt them. Those goddamn injections you are taking are doing something to you!” 

Miguel looked down before glaring up at her. “I said I’m FINE! I won’t let you get in my way. Move aside.” Jessica looked behind him, suddenly smirking. “With pleasure.” She stepped aside and put her hand on the wall. Miguel looked at her confused before looking behind him. “Why was that so e-” He stopped talking as his blood ran cold, seeing Hobie standing there with an amp, guitar, and a sudden thirst for vengeance.

“Hobie wai-” “Nah mate. Nobody hurts my drummer.” He played on riff, the electricity shooting out from the end of his guitar and shooting towards Miguel, sending him flying down the hallway and through the wall, falling below. 

Jessica breathed a sigh of relief and ran to Gwen and hugged her. Gwen was obviously shaken up. She was barely able to register who was grabbing her despite staring at Jessica, beginning to fight back. “It’s me! It’s me! It’s me!” Jessica quickly yelled, calming her down. Gwen immediately wrapped her arms around her as tears kept rolling down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry.. I’m so sorry, Gwen..” she whispered as she rubbed her back.

Despite how broken Gwen looked, Jessica handed her mask back and helped her up knowing the fight had to go on. ‘Poor girl’ she thought. “Where is Miles?..” Gwen finally spoke, just wanting to be with him, just wanting to be in his embrace, just wanting her equally as broken other half. Jessica pointed up as Gwen nodded. “Right.” she was definitely a bit disoriented from everything that just happened. She began to climb up the wall only to be stopped by Jessica.

“Gwen.. I may know someone who knows something that can help you. It’s another theory than Miguel’s Canon Event’s” She spoke up, the younger girl stopping in intrigue as she pulled her mask down. “Is it one you believe?” Jessica hesitantly nodded. 

“Okay well where are they? Who is it?” She questioned, noticing Jessica visibly looking down awkwardly. “If I tell you who they are you’d never go.” Gwen scoffed. “That’s reassuring.” She quickly shook her head. “They are no danger to you, trust me. If anything, they will love you and even Miles.” She took a deep breath as she looked at Gwen. 

“If you want answers… Go to Earth-8.”

Gwen nodded slowly “Earth-8… Thanks.” She climbed through the hole and went to go find Miles. They had to get out here before more reinforcements arrived, which she was all but certain Miguel had called for by now with Jessica’s betrayal. “No more running away..” she whispered, beginning to run down the hallway towards Miles. Towards her other half.

Chapter Text

In the meanwhile,…

The Spider-Band had been struggling against the Strike Force for a minute now. When the leaders of both teams went through the floor and Miles was somewhere else in the building, they had lost their leaders and they had lost coordination. The Band didn’t really have a plan other than keep the others distracted so Miguel could potentially be defeated. 

The Strike Force on the other hand had been focusing on their targets and sticking to the plan they had, which was to keep the Band distracted while Miguel brought Miles in. Their carefully picked targets were serving them well. Even Lego Spider-Man had an advantage against Ham, continually tricking him into stepping on him.

“Guys!” Peter yelled as the fight moved to the cafeteria, making for a much more open space. Spider-Ramen wrapped a noodle around him, pulling him towards him and punching him in the face. Peter fell down groaning. His spider-sense went off as he was getting up, dropping to the floor again as Pavitr went flying over his head and into a table, followed by Spider-Man 94’. 

“We need to switch up! Someone take someone different!” He yelled, noticing the persistence of the other team to stick to the person they were fighting. Peter jumped up and tackled Spider-Man 94’ to the ground as he was getting up as well. “Who are you supposed to be?” Peter questioned. 94’ shot two webs at the tables beside them and pulled. “I’m you but better!” Peter B.’s sense went off and flipped back as the tables collided over 94’ and he scooted back. 

Ramen began to shoot a noodle at Peter only for Noir to grab it and pull, swinging him against the wall. Everything turned into slow motion as every mask lens in the room widened watching Peter Potnoodle fly towards the wall, the bowl that was his body shattering into pieces and falling onto the floor as his noodle guts spilled out like a dropped school lunch.

“NO! PETER POTNOODLE!” They heard Japanese Spider-Man yell, sprinting over to Spider-Ramen’s side and gripping a noodle as he looked down at what remained of his friend. “You were such a good friend.. And so delicious..” “Oh my god.” Peter said, covering his mouth. Noir stood there dumbfounded with his lenses as wide as they could possibly go. 

“Well… Not my first time putting down some good food.” He joked weakly. The room all glared at him. “Or killing..” Japanese Spider-Man glared back at him before rushing towards him and tackling him to the floor. “Okay they are distracted. Let’s capture and web them up- and no more killing from going forward!” Peter proclaimed.

Ham stomped his foot onto Lego Spider-Man harder and harder, trying to incapacitate him when suddenly, Lego Spidey broke apart as coins went everywhere. He winced, looking towards Peter, who facepalmed. Ham rushed to grab the pieces of Lego Spider-Man and hastily rebuilt him. “Good as new!” He said, chuckling awkwardly. Lego Spidey moved around. “Guys… something seems off.” He announced, only to look down and see his legs facing backwards. His lenses widened in shock before passing out. 

“Well.. There’s one.” Ham said with a shrug, switching his legs back into place and handing him to Peter, who put him in his pocket before swinging after Japanese Spider-Man and Noir.

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Miles flew through the wall as the debris traveled with him, flying across an office area as his back hit chairs and lamps “Ouch ouch ouch”  and onto a desk before rolling over and falling behind it. He gripped his side as he slowly got up and looked across the room, seeing a dark hand appear from behind a desk and grip it. Four pincers soon followed before the mask of Superior Spider-Man appeared behind them, slowly getting up. 

“Leave me be or.. I’ll beat you!” Miles said, standing on the desk. “Funny.. I’m the Superior Spider-Man while you weren’t even meant to be a Spider-Man. You really think that? You’re alone with no help coming. I’ve got the whole multiverse on my side.” the other hissed before leaping at Miles. 

“Who said I was alone?” Miles asked as he leapt back and shot one of his few webs, pulling a desk towards Superior. However, his pincers caught it and broke it in half as he crossed his arms. “You look alone to me.” he said before throwing both halves at him.

Miles flipped over one half before the other hit him, knocking him back. “There is a difference between alone and lonely! Help is coming, don't worry.” Miles said, holding out hope. He jumped up and landed back in front of Superior Spider-Man, who scoffed and punched Miles. He fell back and grabbed a lamp, jumping up smashing it on Superior Spider-Man’s head, barely phasing him. “What the hell is that suit made out of?” 

He crawled back. “A mix of metal and spandex.” He said with a shrug before grabbing Miles by the hoodie, holding him up. Miles quickly used a small venom shock, making Superior drop him and stumble back. “Intriguing..” Miles used a fluorescent light to swing over and kick him, dropping on top of him. “Why are you even doing this!? Why help Miguel?” Superior’s pincers grabbed Miles from behind and threw him off, allowing him to stand up. “You and your little friends have the power of the multiverse in the palm of your hand, and you are using it recklessly- like children!” 

“That’s the thing nobody seems to get.. I’m not a child.” Miles leapt at him only for Superior to grab him by the throat and slam him down against a desk. “Last time I checked you were under 18, frontal lobe not fully developed, and constantly thinking about that girl. Just.. Selfish.” Miles struggled against his grip as his pincers lowered into different parts of his torso and began pressing, making Miles wince. “I’m selfless. I’m Spider-Man. I’m trying to save my father.” Superior Spider-Man chuckled. “And destroy everything else. No father can be worth that. Especially one that raised a little brat.”

Miles glared up at him. “Why are you talking so.. Coldly? Can’t you relate? What about your father? Wouldn’t you do anything to save him?” Superior’s pincers began pressing through his skin, making Miles cry out in pain and stop fighting back. He couldn’t afford to lose more blood.

“My father beat me with a belt. My father told me I wasn’t worth a neutron. I am colder. I’m not Peter Parker. I’m Otto Octavius. I took his body, and I made it better. Superior!” Miles stared up at his letting out a dry laugh. “So, you weren’t even supposed to be Spider-Man? You stole it from someone who already was and then tried to take their place before making your own brand? Sound familiar?” Superior’s lenses narrowed before pressing one of his pincers violently into Miles' leg, making him scream as blood began coming out. “That was canon. That was supposed to happen. This is bigger than you and me. This was never your story, Morales.”

Miles’ Spider-Sense went off as he smirked up at Superior Spider-Man. “You’re right. I guess I just gotta make up my own. Right?” He asked, looking past Otto. Suddenly, Otto felt himself get kicked as he fell to the ground only to see the Prowler standing where he was. “Took yo ass long enough!” Miles said with a smirk, being helped up by the Prowler. “I took long enough? You took a few years too many to show up.” He said, the two variants turning towards Otto as he got up slowly.

“You know what, I’m not even going to ask.” Superior Spider-Man said with a sigh before leaping at the two variants as they jumped out of the way, only for his face to come in contact with none other than the fist of Gwen Stacy. [POW!] “Gwen!” Miles said happily as Otto was knocked down once again. “Miles!” she replied beaming, landing on her feet. Every bit of self-doubt, guilt, and despair momentarily vanished as she saw the warm and comforting smile on his face. 

“Hey- Are you okay?” he asked worried, seeing the bruises on her face as he took a few steps closer. “Yeah, I am now..” she said, quickly noticing the cuts from Otto’s pincers. “Are you okay?” Miles shrugged, his smile softening. “I am now..”

“Hey! I hate to break up your lover's embrace, but we are still in the middle of a fight!” The Prowler yelled, leaping at Superior and clawing all over him as the two fell back to the ground. “We aren’t lovers!” the two shouted back simultaneously with blushes.  “Uhm.. Who is that?” Gwen asked, crossing her arms as she took a step back. 

“You know what… It’s better if I explain later.” Miles said before shooting a web and pulling, flying through the air before kicking Superior Spider-Man in the face. [KICK!] he stumbled back before getting swung at by Gwen’s fist. [PUNCH!] He stumbled back once again only to feel Prowler’s claws, this time slicing through the fabric of his suit in a similar way Miguel did to Miles. He groaned from the pain as he held up his fists weakly only to see two more coming in his direction, one from Gwen and one from Miles. [KNOCKOUT!] His lenses closed before he fell over, seemingly getting knocked out. 

Miles and Gwen both took turns webbing him to the floor before they both turned towards the Prowler. “Thank you..” Miles said, gripping his leg. Gwen wrapped her left arm around him and leaned him onto her to support him and ease the pain. “That’s what hero does, right?” Prowler responded before the two smiled at each other. 

“So.. who are you?” Gwen asked, pulling off her mask. The Prowler paused as his eyes widened before pulling his face covering down. “Gwen..” Gwen’s arm slowly unwrapped itself from Miles’ shoulder and back and slowly pointed at the Prowler in shock. “I’m Gwen. You’re… Miles?” Her Miles shrugged with a smile. “Miles.” ‘Wait- her Miles?’ So many things were going through her mind she decided to ignore that thought for the time being. “Yeah, you’re Gwen. I’m Miles.” The Prowler said awkwardly, tapping his hands against his thighs. “He’s the me from this earth.” Miles quickly explained away. 

“Oh, so it was you who didn’t get bitten.. Oh.” Was all she said, lost in thought as she studied his face. ‘He looks.. Cute? No, that was weird. He looks like the Miles I know, which is cute, right? No! Stop it, Gwen! He is someone else. Though Miles is cute too- that’s even weirder!’ she thought to herself before chuckling awkwardly. 

She turned towards Miles- the one that was her best friend. “Alright we need to get out of here. I’m sure Miguel has already called backup. Plus, I’ve got a lead. Somewhere we can go to get answers- actual answers about canon events and shit.” Miles looked at her curiously. “Where?” “Earth-8” She responded. “Yeah, I have no clue where or what that is.” He said with a shrug. “Well, we are about to find out!” Gwen said as both of their Spider-Senses went off the charts. Backup had arrived. 

“I’ll help you two get out of here.” The Prowler said as he pulled his mask back up. The two nodded and Miles stood up on his own, looking away as he winced, not wanting to alarm her. She grabbed Miles’ hand and pulled him out of the room as the two began making their way down the hall. “Hey Spider-Band. Meet me on the roof. We’re getting out of here. I got Miles.” She said into her watch as she watched orange lights illuminate the windows as portals opened. The windows began breaking as Spider-People jumped into the hallways. Gwen turned left and pulled him into the staircase. 

The two, followed by Prowler, ran up the stairs until they reached the roof access door, Gwen pushing through despite the alarm warning label. “Okay Okay Okay.” she said, trying to reassure herself as she looked through her watch only to find the screen cracked and broken from her fight with Miguel. “FUCK!” She said, desperately trying to tap on Earth-8, yet it selected some random world. Miles and Prowler held the door shut, preparing for some ‘friends’ to come up. “What’s wrong?” They asked at the exact same time and in the same tone. 

“I guess we are going to have a detour!” Gwen replied angrily, hastily beginning to open a portal to a restricted dimension. Suddenly, all 3 heard banging against the door. “It’s us! Quick!” They heard Peter B.’s voice and opened the door to see the band run through. They heard hundreds of voices behind the group, climbing the stairs. “Quick, it worked before!” Miles said, beginning to web the door. 

Peter and Noir rushed over to join him, webbing the doorway closed. Suddenly, the group heard something that sent chills down each of their spines. BANG! BANG! BANG! All of their Spider-Sense’s went off, turning to see a giant robot coming over the side of the building as everything shook. Standing on top was Japanese Spider-Man. “We aren’t done!” He shouted, pointing at Noir. “What the hell did you do to piss him off!?” Gwen shouted as Miles looked at him angrily. 

“I KILLED HIS NOODLES!” he replied frustratedly. “What!?” Miles and Gwen shouted in confusion at the same time. He shook his head before running at the robot, shooting a web, and climbing on top to fight him. Peni’s Sp//der and Margo sprinted over to help. “MORALES!” They all heard, turning to see Miguel slowly clawing through the webbing that was blocking the doorway. 

The portal was now open behind them as they had to decide what to do. Peter gave Gwen a heartfelt look and nodded before sprinting to the door and holding Miguel’s hands as the two wrestled through the webbing. Ham, Pavitr, Hobie, and Prowler joined Peter in holding Miguel and the hundreds of Spider’s back through the doorway as they began to get slowly overrun. 

“Miles.. It’s now or never.” Gwen said, her look hardening and taking his hand as she pulled him towards the portal. “Wait! What about them!? What about our friends!?” He shouted back as tears filled his eyes. “What good will you be to them if you get captured alongside them?” she reasoned. “I’ve escaped, I've done it before!” Miles tried convincing her. “Will you do it in time to save your father though? Do you really want to take that chance!?” She cried out desperately. Miles went silent as he looked at the Spider-Band. One group was fighting on the robot as the other held the group back, making eye contact with Peter. The two shared a look of sorrow. 

He then looked back at Gwen and the colorful portal in front of them that slowly began to close. He knew he had to make a choice. For once, he couldn’t do both. “We will come back for them.” She said determinedly. Miles looked back at the group one more time before beginning to walk towards the portal with Gwen, hand in hand.

“NO!” Miguel shouted before letting out an animalistic growl, knocking down Peter and sprinting towards the two and the portal on all fours. The two smirked back at him determinedly before smiling sincerely at each other, walking into the closing portal and letting themselves be swallowed whole. Miguel yelled, leaping at the portal only for it to close a millisecond before he got to it, landing on the ground where it once was. 

Miguel, on his hands and knees stared at the ground as he breathed. All of the chaos around them suddenly stopped, an eerie silence overtaking the roof. Peter, who was also on the ground, looked over at Miguel as a hopeful smile made its way across his face. Despite knowing he and most of the band were about to be imprisoned, he took all the satisfaction in knowing he had won. The Spider-Band had won. 

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A portal opened as Miles and Gwen were shot through, falling through Times Square. Gwen shot a web as she gripped onto the side of a building, catching Miles with it as he fell to the side with a thud below her. Now that they were both sticking to the wall, Gwen leapt down to be next to Miles. 

The two looked around at whatever dimension was in front of them. Everything looked so… real? That didn’t make sense though. They were real, right? Miles looked at a screen at an advertisement. ‘ROGERS: THE MUSICAL’ “Where the hell are we?..” Miles asked as Gwen shrugged, looking at her watch to check.

All of a sudden, they heard the familiar voice of J. Jonah Jameson. “Why does the web shooting wall crawling criminal that calls himself Spider-Man hide his identity? Subscribe to Daily+ to find out!” The advertisement ended as the screen showed the Daily Bugle logo. Miles and Gwen looked at each other in confusion. “I thought you picked a restricted earth!” Miles worried out loud. “I did!” She responded, trying to calm him down. “And it still has Spider-Man!?” He hissed. “Apparently so!” Gwen chided him for pointing out the obvious, looking down at her watch before it short circuited from the damage. “Shit!” 

Miles sighed, seeing what had just happened. “It’s going to be okay. We are going to figure this out, together. Right?” Gwen slowly nodded in agreement, reminded of his forgiveness as a small smile creased her lips. Miles put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly, just like how they had first met. “Together…” she said softly. Finally, Miles asked the obvious. “What earth did it even say we are on?”

[EARTH-199999]

[End song: TOGETHER - King & Country, Kirk Franklin, and Tori Kelly

Chapter Text

Miles and Gwen stood in an alley several blocks away from Times Square as they tried to figure out the next best course of action. “Okay so, we need a gameplan.” Miles said, leaning against the wall. Gwen ran her hand through her hair. “Give me a minute..” She replied trying to think, though nothing came. 

Everything that had just happened to her earlier was still clouding her judgment. Sure, she had gotten them out of Earth-42, but what now? Everything Miguel said to her still pierced her thoughts. “We don’t have a minute!” Miles shouted impatiently. “I’m doing my fucking best!” she snapped, immediately shutting Miles up. 

“I’m sorry I- just want to figure everything out and get back to my dad and I’m- just worried. I’m sorry, Gwen.” He quickly said, stumbling over his words as he looked down guiltily. She let out a soft sigh, feeling like a piece of shit now. She understood where he was coming from. She would be worried too. “Just- I’m dealing with a lot right now.” Miles sat against the dumpster. “Wanna.. Talk about it? You don’t have to, of course!” He rushed to say.

Gwen looked down at him for a minute, struggling on whether to tell him or not. She hadn’t opened up to anyone since Peter died.. Not really. The whole time she has known Miles, he has only known a side of her. Sure, she could not just come right out and say she might like him more than friends- she didn’t even know herself. What she did know was that she cared for him more than anyone else she knew and couldn’t push him away.. Not again.

She sat down next to him and sighed. “Ever since Peter.. I haven’t opened up to anyone. Not my dad. Not my friends.. Not even you. And.. I’m sorry. Miguel said a lot of things to me.. And one thing he said was that this is all my fault. He’s right.” She sighed, throwing a rock at the wall in front of them before getting up and pacing back and forth. “I’m scared, Miles. My fear of hurting others is what pushes them away.” She crossed her arms. “I pushed away any friends I had after Peter died. I didn’t…” She stifled back a sob. “I didn’t want them to get hurt either..” Miles got up and nodded, leaning against the wall so she didn’t have to look down.

“Then I joined the society, and I was told the truth about you and- I- I couldn’t. How could you tell your friend they are a mistake when you don’t even believe it yourself!?” She flailed her arms in the air before resting them on her side. “Over time I accepted my father would die and I accepted yours would too.. I bottled up my emotions, as per usual. That was until I got a mission on your world..”

Miles crossed his arms and nodded her on, getting a bit tense of where this explanation was leading. To be honest, he was still a bit hurt over her visit. “I had always thought about you, Miles. I never stopped. When I said I missed you too I meant it. So, when I got the opportunity to do so, I visited you despite numerous warnings from Miguel and Jessica..”

She wiped a tear out of her eyes. “I tried to lie and act like everything was okay at the same time. I tried to do both.. Alone. And as you know I failed. Miserably at that.” She shivered from a breeze of cold wind. “Here.” Miles said, taking off his jacket and handing it to her. She smiled despite the soft blush that appeared on her face. “Thank you..” Gwen whispered before sliding it on, comforted by the warmth and his familiar scent.

“I didn’t open up when I should and- it screwed everything up. Everything that has happened is my fault.” She took his hands in hers, making him look at her. “But.. I would do it all over again if it meant I could be standing here, finally opening up to you.” She chuckled awkwardly, looking down at his hands. “Those moments we spent together were the happiest I have been in over a year and- I can’t lose another friend. I can’t lose you. If I did..” She shook her head, not wanting to think those thoughts. “I tried to protect you instead of letting you do what was best for you and at times I still do because I can’t bear the thought of losing you.. I’m so sorry..” 

Tears began running down her cheeks- That was until Miles slid his hand under her chin and made her look up into his own watery eyes, smiling softly. “I forgive you..” Gwen smiled wide and pushed into him, making him step back with an awkward chuckle as she hugged him, burying her face in his chest. Her hair was so pink it all but glowed, made everything around them light up in a similar tint.  “Friends again?” he asked softly. 

“Best friends.” Gwen finally corrected with a smile, looking up at him. Despite her smile, the words friends made her internally cringe. As if it wasn’t enough. Wait- did she- No- There was no way their feelings from the clock tower have completely switched places, right? She really did like him before. But after everything.. She could settle for just friends. As long as he was happy.

Miles, on the other hand, truthfully still did like her. But, he wasn’t ready for that conversation yet. They definitely still had trust to build back. Friends would do just fine for now. 

“I’ve never seen your hair so pink before.” He said with a chuckle. Still hugging him, Gwen punched his arm. “Hey, don’t ruin the moment.” she said as she kept resting against his chest. “I’ve also never heard you open up so much..” He said with a shrug. “I’ve known more about Spider-Woman than Gwen Stacy.”  

Gwen looked up at him with a shrug, pulling her head back a little. “And what do you think about Gwen Stacy?” Miles shrugged back. “She’s kind, loyal, and selfless. Needs to keep opening up but that’s a work in progress. She also has a cute smile. She definitely needs to smile more, though luckily, I’m around. Also.. she’s my best friend.”

Gwen’s face turned almost the same color as her hair and the environment around them as she pulled away. “Okay, the moment is officially ruined.” She slowly got up. “Was it because I said you have a cute smile?” He jokingly protested. She shook her head, reaching down to help him up. “It’s because I’m thirsty. I need something to drink.” 

Miles took her hand and got up. “I could drink something too. Let’s find a McDonalds or something. But we sure as hell ain’t havin’ White Castle.” They began walking, hand in hand. “You aren’t going to let that go, are you?” she asked. “Nope.”

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Despite getting extremely weird looks while ordering, Miles and Gwen sat in a In and Out (Neutral ground) and were splitting French fries while sipping their drinks. “So.. How’s your band going? Music band?” Miles asked as they drank. The question caught Gwen off guard, causing her to almost choke. “Oh uh- I quit a while back..” “Oh.” was all Miles said before eating another fry. She was thankful he did not push too much about why she did. “If you ever want to start a new one, I have mad pencil scribbling skills.” 

Gwen scoffed before taking a sip of her drink. “Pencil scribbling skills? The audience would not even be able to hear you over my ‘mad’ drum skills.” Miles chuckled. “I was thinking of taking up the saxophone. I always thought it would be fun to be in a band with you to be honest.. After you told me you were in one, I always thought that was cool.” Gwen nodded, taking another sip. “As sweet as that is.. I can’t imagine you playing a saxophone.” Miles looked at her sideways. “I will have you know Captain Jefferson Morales was an amazing saxophone player.” 

It was Gwen’s turn to look at him sideways before bursting out laughing. “HIM?” Miles nodded as he laughed right along with her. “Yeah, that’s how my parents met!” Gwen shook her head, trying to recover. “Okay, that’s actually pretty romantic.” Miles nodded in agreement. “Did your dad play anything?” Gwen hesitantly nodded. “But you can’t make fun of it!” Miles put on his best straight face. “Okay.. Go for it.” She sighed, hiding her face in her hands. “My dad played clarinet.” Miles slowly nodded, trying to keep a straight face as snickers escaped his lips. “Okay I know that’s worse than a sax-” “Are you kidding me? That’s catastrophic!” Miles said, beginning to laugh.

Gwen began laughing again as well. “Okay fine you’re right that is terrible.” “I’m guessing he didn’t pick up very many ladies doing that.” Gwen shook her head smiling. “Not many.” “Is that how your parents met?” Miles asked. Suddenly, he knew he pushed too far as Gwen’s smile disappeared and she shook her head. “Uhm no, actually..” He slowly nodded, feeling bad about killing the mood. “Right. Sorry..” he replied, though Gwen was quick to stop him.

“Oh no don’t be sorry! You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just a touchy subject I guess.. I don’t really tell anyone about my mom. Not even Hobie.” Miles rolled his eyes. “Oh no, not Hobie.” Sensing his jealousy improved her mood drastically, though she didn’t even know why. “I know, right?” she said playing along with him to defuse things even though deep down, she enjoyed seeing him jealous of.. Her.

“Alright we need to gameplan anyways. First off, how do we fix this thing anyways?” Gwen asked, holding up her broken watch. Miles thought for a minute. “This earth has a Spider-Man right, why just not get ahold of him? I’m sure he will help us fix your goober.” Gwen hesitated. “How do we know it’s not an evil Spider-Man or a dick Spider-Man?” Miles rolled his eyes. “Those are obviously all a part of the society.” Gwen mockingly scoffed, putting her hand on her chest. “Ouch!” 

He rolled his eyes. “You aren’t even a part of the society anymore. Goes to show you aren’t a dick.” She giggled and shrugged. “Good point.” The two looked down at the last french fry and glared at each other before Gwen tried to grab it but Miles used the tiny bit of webbing he had left to grab it before her. “Oh come on, that's cheating.” She said as he ate it. “No, it's being resourceful.” he replied as he chewed. 

Gwen rolled her eyes. “Anyways. How do we get a hold of this Spider-Man? Not like there is a phone book with Spider-Man in it.” Miles shrugged. “Peter Parker?” Gwen’s eyes widened. “You’re a genius!” 

Before they knew it, they were in a library, both looking through a list of Peter Parker’s in a phone book, yet none lived in Queens. “Peter would never leave Queens..” Gwen said softly. “Maybe this wall crawler isn’t a Peter.” Miles sighed, putting the phone book down and walking out of the library, Gwen quickly following. “How are we going to find him now..” Miles asked defeatedly, leaning against the building. 

Gwen smirked. “I do have one last idea.” 

“And what’s tha-” He began to ask, only for her to sprint into the nearby alley and begin climbing up the wall. “Hey! Wait up!” He shouted up in confusion, following her up the wall before the two stood on the roof. “Get ready to swing!” She shouted back as she ran to the edge and leapt off with a flip, letting herself fall towards the ground backwards before shooting a web and swinging towards Manhattan. 

Miles ran to the edge, watching her swing away. “The audacity of that woman..” He shook his head, smiling. He looked down at the drop below him and sighed, doing the exact same. 

He eventually found her swinging through the city and managed to catch up right behind her. “Where are we going!?” He called over. “Empire State!” She replied, pointing up at the building. She swung up and stuck to the side of the building, waiting for Miles to do the same. 

He swung towards the building, shooting one last web to get to it- or at least he tried. He looked down at his hand as nothing came out, beginning to cry out in fear as he fell. He felt a web to his chest and looked up as he swung into the side of the building, seeing Gwen use her other hand to pull her mask off as she leaned against the building, smiling down at him. 

Unlike during their chase on Nueva York, he returned the smile this time before climbing up and joining her at the top. “So what now?” Miles asked, plopping down on the edge. “Now, we wait.” Gwen replied as she sat down next to him. “For?..” She shrugged. “Anything big to go down. It’s a Saturday so as long as this Spidey isn’t super old he doesn’t have much going on.”

Miles held out his fist. “Good plan. Better than mine.” Gwen chuckled, fist bumping him. “You didn’t even have a plan.” Miles shrugged, looking away bashfully. “I would have come up with one eventually.” “Yeah? Well, come up with a new one. How we plan on explaining our.. Situation to this earth’s Spidey.” Miles looked over at her. “Which situation, exactly?” 

Gwen knew exactly what situation he meant, but decided to ignore it as a soft blush spread over her cheeks. She supposed saying ‘our situation’ was confusing. “The Spot? The society? Why we have a trans-dimensional traveling watch that needs fixing? Why it is broken? Shall I go on?”  Miles shook his head with a small smile. “That situation. Got it.”

Miles covered his arms as the wind blew. He was obviously cold, being in just his t-shirt. Gwen, noticing this, took off his hoodie with a huff and handed it back to him. “Thanks..” He said softly, putting it on before noticing her folding her arms in a weak effort to keep herself warm. “Oh don’t do that..” he mumbled, trying not to smile. “Do what?” she asked, flashing her puppy eyes. “That.” He responded, trying not to laugh.

“Hey, I’m not doing anything..” She overdramatically shivered. “You know you would make a terrible actress.” He said, shaking his head. She faked looking hurt by the comment, looking down as she kept shivering. He sighed, rolling his eyes. “Gwen.. Do you want to share the hoodie?”

She looked over at him and chuckled. “Yes, Miles Morales. I would like to share your hoodie.” Miles unzipped it and spread it open, covering their backs like a blanket as Gwen leaned into him. “Thanks.”

“Of course. Anything for a friend.” He replied as the two sat together on the Empire State building, overlooking the foreign skyline. Despite the unfamiliarity that surrounded them, they found comfort within each other. 

[End song: Forgive You - Leon Bridges]

Chapter Text

Gwen and Miles felt a shift in the wind that blew through their hair. Something was off. Suddenly, their Spider-Sense went off, confirming their suspicions. They turned to their right and looked below, seeing a flying.. Bug?

“Okay.. what the hell is that?” Miles asked, snatching away his hoodie to Gwen’s dismay and putting it on. “That..” She began, standing up alongside him. “Is our ticket to 199999’s Spider-Man.” 

She took off one of her web shooters before tossing it to him. “So you don’t fall this time..” Miles smirked, rolling his eyes despite still being slightly embarrassed over the moment. “Thanks.” Gwen pulled down her mask before pulling her hood back up. “Of course. That’s what friends are for!”

Miles’ right eyebrow suddenly raised, seeing her hood being pulled up. “Wait a second if you had a hood why did we need to share mine-” “Alright let’s go!” Gwen quickly cut in before hastily jumping off the roof and swinging down below.

Miles chuckled, watching her. “Not again..” He ran off the edge before shooting a web onto a building and letting himself fall down to catch up with her, moving towards his right shoulder as they turned a corner. “Alright, so we just follow this guy?” Miles asked.

“Yeah! And just hope he leads him to the guy we are looking for!” Gwen called back as she messily swung in front of him due to only having one web shooter. Suddenly, their Spider-Sense went off yet again, only to see a flash of red and blue swing across the intersection up in front of them, kicking the flying man out of sight to the right and following after. 

“We got our guy!” Gwen called back as she began swinging quicker, trying to catch up. The two swung right again, the fight coming into view as they came around the corner of a building.

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[MCU Spider-Man theme begins]

Peter shot a web at the Beetle, meeting him in midair as his red and blue clashed with his green and purple armor in a mix of colors. “Jenkins! Nice to see they let you out of prison! How was your stay?” Peter quipped, leaping away from him, and using his web to pull the Beetle down with him as they fell.  

“Better than listening to your voice!” The Beetle shouted back, using a blade from his utility belt to cut the web. Peter began falling only to shoot a web to the side of a building and fall to the side with a thud as the Beatle hovered in front of him. 

“What brings you to the big apple? Statue of Liberty? Empire State Building?” He asked, shooting a web into his face. “Looking for you!” Beetle replied in his usual deep tone, holding up an iron man like repulsor. “Ah, I’m flattered! But I’d rather you not bug me!” Peter remarked, leaping at him, and tackling him through the air. The Beetle’s flapping wings were the only thing keeping the two flying. 

“What is that? Stark Tech?” Spidey noticed as he shot a web over his palm to stop him from using it. “Technology is from the Baxter building, actually.” The Beetle corrected, grabbing his knife and slashing at him only for Peter to jump back and shoot a web nearby, swinging under him and shooting another web at him to pull him with him. 

Despite his efforts, the Beetle’s wings held them both back, Peter now holding onto a web that held the Beetle and another that was attached to a building. “So, you got an upgraded suit from a place that no one can supposedly break into, and you are looking for me. My two guesses are that A. Reed Richards’ is going through a midlife crisis and is giving villains tech, or B. Someone else has someone who is skilled enough to break in and retrieve the tech and now they want you to use it to.. What? Kill me?”

“You’re a fast learner!” The Beetle dove down at him, using his other hand to shoot repulsor beams. Peter let go of both webs and went into freefall. “I did beat Doctor Strange with math!” Suddenly, as he was about to shoot a web, he felt another web fire onto his chest and looked up to see two other… Spider-Men?

Gwen’s web was attached to him as her other hand gripped Miles’ as he used his other hand to swing. “Hey!” She called down with an awkward chuckle, the three landing on the side of a building and standing sideways. Peter looked at them bewildered, taking a step back and waving his hand around as he spoke “I’m sorry, but who the hell are you two?” 

“We are Spider-Man and Spider-Woman!” Miles responded, holding out his hand. “Yeah, I can.. See that much- Wait did the spell not work? Oh no oh no- wait but it did? Then why-” Peter began talking to himself, looking into their reflection at his feet as he was deep in thought. 

As he looked down, he saw the Beetle flying straight at them in their reflection. “Okay! Fighting time! Help me take down this villain and then we can talk!” Peter jumped up- or sideways, over the Beetle’s head and shot a web, hanging on as he fell below him. “Come fight me ladybug!” As the villain turned his head down to deal with Peter, Miles shot another web, pulling him towards himself to get his attention.

The Beetle’s attention suddenly turned towards Miles. “Wait- why are there two of you?” “Three!” Gwen corrected, falling down on top of him as Miles pulled, Peter being propelled up to the side and shooting another web, pulling himself onto the Beatles side as he, the villain, and Gwen all went tumbling towards the ground.

Miles ran down the side of the building and shot a web as Gwen did at the same time, gripping the villains’ antennas. The duo’s webs met in midair, pulling Gwen and the Beatle into the side of the building. Peter leapt off the villain, doing a backflip midair before shooting both webs on either side of the Beetle at the building and propelling himself towards his enemy feet first, kicking the villain through the window as the villain fell back into an office area, knocking him out.

Peter stood on top of him before removing his helmet. He looked at the inside and sighed. “Definitely from the Baxter building..” Gwen and Miles crawled in on the ceiling before standing upside down. “So can we talk now, please?” Gwen asked softly, the voice making Peter jump anyways as he stared down at the helmet, dropping it. 

“Right.” He replied, turning back to look at the two. “Are.. Are you cartoons?” Miles titled his head “Scuse me?” Gwen shook her head. “This is how Ham must’ve felt..” “Ham?” Peter questioned, crossing his arms quizzically. 

“He’s a Spider-Man who’s a pig.” Miles quickly explained away like it was nothing. “Right..” Peter shrugged off quickly. “How do our.. Appearances not freak you out?” Gwen asked. “In a universe that has magic, aliens, gods, and many near world ending events, this hardly surprises me. Besides, this is not my first time meeting other Spider-People.”

“Wait.. Have you met others before?” Miles questioned, surprised. Gwen chimed in. “I heard something about some huge event that happened here that nearly destroyed the Multiverse from Miguel.” Peter chuckled sadly. “Yeah.. Me and this magician named Doctor Strange messed up this spell- anyways everyone who knew my secret identity began to get pulled here from every universe including two other Spider-Men and their villains. But they all got sent home. When did you get here?”

“Today and it wasn’t because of some spell. We need your help.” Gwen replied. “Okay well can I at least know what I’m helping with?” Peter asked with an awkward shrug. She nodded reluctantly. “Can you at least tell us your secret identity first?” Peter shook his head. “Can.. Can you tell me yours first? Please? I haven’t really told anyone in over a year..”

Gwen pulled off her mask. “I’m Gwen Stacy.” Miles pulled his hood down, showing his obviously exposed face. “Miles Morales.” Peter’s lenses widened. “You’re.. Gwen. The one Peter-3 told me about.. Huh.” Gwen scoffed “He probably didn’t tell you about me but I’m guessing long story short his version of me died?” Peter silently nodded before removing his mask, revealing his secret identity for the first time in a while. 

“Alright.. Let’s do this one last time. My name is Peter Parker. I was bitten by a radioactive spider and for four years- I have been the one and only Spider-Man. Well- it should have been nine but this big purple grimace like Alien snapped away half of the universe for five years. Then, I came back and I saved the world. However, in the process my mentor Mr. Stark died and I lost yet another father figure. But, I managed to get back on track. I defeated some villains, did some charity work, and even got my own Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor. Spider-Strawberry is the bomb by the way. I broke the multiverse and I ended up helping every villain that was brought here and defying fate, because that’s what Spider-Man does, right?”

“My Aunt May died. I met other Spider-Men, and I sent everyone home at the cost of everyone I know and love forgiving me. I lost any chance at a good college.. I lost my friends and any family I had left.. I lost any evidence of my existence and.. Meaning something. Anything. But hey, I’m holding my head high with a smile! Peter Parker may be gone, but Spider-Man still lives on!”

Miles and Gwen stood there, staring at each other. “That’s.. Depressing.” Miles finally spoke. Gwen smacked him in the chest, motioning for him to keep his thoughts to himself. “Sorry.” He added.

“No.. You’re right. It is depressing.” He said with a dry laugh. “So.. Why exactly do you need your watch fixed? What does it do?” Miles smiled. “More like what does it not do.” Gwen crossed her arms, pacing back and forth. “You may want to sit-” All of their Spider-Senses went off as the Beetle began moving around, the three all shooting their webs to keep him down. 

“Maybe we should do this somewhere else.” Miles suggested. The police would arrive at their location in any minute. “Yeah.. Right- Okay. I have an apartment a few blocks away. Let’s head there.” Peter said before pulling his mask back on, walking backwards towards the window. “Just follow me there.” He shot a web behind him and walked off the edge before swinging. “Alright, let’s go I guess. Progress!” Miles said optimistically, he and Gwen jumping out the window to follow. 

---------------------------------------

“Wow…” 

Peter sat on his bed, still in costume as Miles and Gwen stood in front of him, just having told him everything. “And I thought my life was crazy..” He scoffed, shaking his head. “So yeah, sounds like this Miguel guy is completely in the wrong.” The other two nodded in agreement. 

Peter sighed. “Why do we need to suffer to be a hero? Trauma isn’t what makes us Spider-Man. It’s our perseverance. It’s our will to do what’s right. It’s our need to help others. It’s choosing to use our great power with great responsibility. Miles, one thing my Aunt May told me is if you help someone, you help everyone. You have done that. By being.. yourself, you not only are helping your father but also the people around you become the best versions of themselves.” He nodded to Gwen. “I will help fix your watch.”

Miles and Gwen both grinned ear to ear. “Thank you, Peter. Truly.” Peter nodded, getting up. “Just do me a favor man. Don’t change.” He patted his shoulder and took the watch Gwen was holding out, looking down at it. 

“I’m going to need some more advanced technology to fix this.” He commented as he studied the device. Suddenly, he thought back to what the Beetle said earlier. He could get some more advanced technology. “Do you two have the Baxter Building in your universes?” 

The two shook their heads. Peter ran over to a box before finding his old web shooters and handing them to Miles. “These should do for now.” “Wow- Peter.. Thank you so much.” Miles said, putting them on. “Of course. That’s what Spider-Man does right? Help people.” The two smiled at each other.

“Okay I hate to interrupt your bromance but what’s at the Baxter Building?” Gwen asked. Peter pulled his mask back on. “Technology we need. The Fantastic 4 are on some mission anyways so we don’t have to answer a couple dozen questions from Reed Richards.”

“Who’s Reed Richards?” Miles asked. “Think of a mix of Albert Einstein and Elastic Girl.” Miles snorted. “I’m not sure if I wanna think that.” 

“Anyways- That’s where we need to go if you want to get home.” Gwen nodded. “That sounds good to me.” Peter walked over to his window, opening it before looking back at the duo with a rarely confident smile. “Let’s go fix your watch.”

[End song: Help! - The Beatles ;) ]

Chapter Text

A red spandex hand slowly opened a window into the Baxter Building before Spider-Man crawled through- the Spider-Man of Earth-199999. “Alright guys it’s safe!” Peter called back behind him before Miles and Gwen crawled through and onto the wall as Peter stood still, looking down the hallway in front of them. 

“Uhm why wouldn’t it be safe?” Gwen asked hesitantly. “Well, I’m not exactly allowed to be here. I didn’t say I was swinging by.” Miles’ and Gwen’s lenses both widened. “So, we are breaking and entering?” Miles asked. Peter looked back at them. “Sorry, my dad’s a cop.” Miles quickly explained away. “Our dad’s.” Gwen affirmed.

“Oh, wait so you’re adopted siblings who have.. Two dads?” Peter asked curiously. “No! I don’t have two dads!” Miles exclaimed. “Oh so you have two dads!” Peter pointed to Gwen. She raised both of her hands up. “Nobody has two dads!”

“Then..” Peter looked at them confused as he tried to make sense of their explanation. “Just forget it. Let’s just get the parts we need to fix the watch.” Gwen was fast to shut down that conversation. Peter nodded in agreement. “Just be careful.”

The two dropped down from the wall. “Why do we need to be careful?” Miles asked as he looked back and forth at the doorways they passed to make sure they didn’t have company. “Well considering this building houses some of the most advanced tech on the planet, even surpassing Stark Tech at this point, it has an advanced security system. People have died breaking in.”

Miles grabbed his shoulder and stopped him. “You took us to some place where people die?!” Peter shrugged. “I didn’t have much of a choice! Besides, if you just trust your tingle you will stay safe.. Probably.” Gwen snickered as the other two looked over at her. “Tingle?” Peter crossed his arms as his face turned as red as the mask that was covering it. “Yeah. What do you call it?” Miles began to laugh alongside her. “Spider-Sense!” 

“That… Honestly, it sounds better.” Peter shrugged and kept walking. Making their way down the hall, Peter held his hand up as they reached the entrance of the lab. “Alright this is where the traps would be. Like I said, trust your Spider-Sense.” The others nodded and slowly followed Peter in. “Why.. Isn’t anything happening?” Miles asked as they looked around in confusion. 

Suddenly, a sharp pain went through all three of their heads as the wall to their right opened to reveal three robots coming online. “Okay- What the hell are those?” Miles backed up a bit into Gwen who shoved him forward. “Sentinels.” Peter responded darkly.

Three pairs of eyes glowed as the Sentinels glared down at them. “Why do I feel like we’re starring in terminator seven!” Miles yelled, leaping out of the way to the left while Peter and Gwen leapt to the right as lasers came out of the Sentinel’s eyes, aimed where they had stood. “You’re lucky we aren’t!” Gwen shouted back. “Alright uh- Each of us take a robot. Try to web it up.” Peter instructed before swinging across the lab at one of the Sentinels. 

Miles swung towards one and launched a kick, sending it to the ground. He began whistling as he shot webs all over it, Gwen flying across the room behind him, followed by a Sentinel. Suddenly, the Sentinel broke out of the webbing and grabbed Miles, starting to squeeze tighter and tighter. 

Miles cried out in pain as he tried to fight back to no avail. Suddenly without thought, he instinctively used his venom blast, overloading the robot and making it shut down before it and Miles both fell to the ground. “I found a way to shut them down!” He shouted at Peter who was getting swung into the floor and walls as he held onto his web that was attached to a Sentinels hand. “Please just do whatever that is!” Peter shouted back before being swung into the wall again. 

Miles leapt on the back of the Sentinel and used his Venom Blast before it began to fall down back first. He backflipped off the robot and onto the ground as it fell. Peter groaned as he got up. “Dude, what is wrong with your universe?!” Miles exclaimed. Before Peter could answer, Gwen was flung onto the ground in between them. “A little help!?” 

“Oh- Right! Are you okay?” Miles asked as he quickly helped her up. “I will be if you can venom blast the last one!” She replied with an irritated tone. The three of them jumped up into the air and used their webs to pull each other across the room. Peter delivered a kick to the face, followed by Gwen, and finally Miles, who stuck to the face and began to shock it as its eyes turned red.

Gwen took a step forward, but Peter grabbed her arm. “He’s got this.” Suddenly, the robot short circuited and fell down to reveal Miles standing behind it. “What do you think?-” He barely had time to ask before Gwen all but tackled him to the ground, wrapping her arms around him. “You’re Spider-Man.” She said with a soft smile under her mask. 

Peter looked at the two, smiling sadly. Wanting to not think about her anymore, he turned his attention down to the watch. “Alright.. Let’s fix your goober.” 

---------------------------------------

Peter wore a lab coat and goggles similar to what Peter-3 wore as he leaned over the watch, replacing the circuit board. Miles and Gwen stood on both sides of him, watching. “So.. This will work, right?” Miles confirmed. “Probably.” Peter replied as he tried to focus on the task at hand. An uncomfortable silence filled the room after, the other two backing away with their hands behind their backs to give him some space.

“So what do you think is on Earth-8?” Miles asked Gwen as he took a seat on an office chair. She sat down across from him. “Huh.. That’s a good question. Kind of a mystery.” Peter looked back. “It’s the multiverse. The possibilities are literally endless. It’s actually really cool.” Miles nodded in agreement. “Yeah.. but also slightly terrifying.” 

Peter shrugged. “That too.” Gwen sighed as she looked down, deep in thought. ‘Why would Jess say I would not go there if I knew what was there? What the hell is there?’ “Jess did say that it wasn’t dangerous so that’s a bit of a relief.” She audibly tried to calm herself. Sensing her anxiety over the topic, Miles grabbed her hand and squeezed it, taking off his mask. “Hey.. It’ll be okay. We’re in this together now.” Gwen smiled as she squeezed his hand back, removing her mask to look at him. “Together.” ‘God he’s amazing.’

They heard a click come from the table Peter was working at and he stood up, inspecting the watch. “Alright. New screen and new circuit board. It should work now.” He handed it to Gwen, who powered it on. “Thank you, Peter!” She said happily, giving him a slightly awkward half hug. “It’s what we do.” He replied with a small smile. 

As Gwen began to open a portal to earth eight, Miles looked back at him. “Hey.. You’re kinda alone right now- no offense. But.. Do you want to come with us? I know it can be hard hearing about this amazing Spider Society of people who understand us and not being allowed to join it for no good reason.” As he said that he felt.. Guilt. He looked over at Gwen, who had a noticeable frown on her face as she looked down at her watch. ‘Did I just feel her emotions?!’

Peter chuckled as he looked down at his mask in his hand before looking back at them. “Miles, I need to write my own story before being a part of someone else’s… Besides, this city needs its friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.” Peter held out his hand. “I have a feeling this won’t be the last time we see each other.” Miles shook his hand, smiling. “How so?” Peter smirked. “Just a tingle.”

The portal opened behind them now as Miles walked to be with Gwen. The two turned around and looked at Peter one last time before turning towards the portal and jumping in together. Every piece of lab equipment that had been floating in the air suddenly dropped as the portal closed, making crashing sounds all around Peter.

He continued to stand there with a smile, deep in thought until the familiar voice of Reed Richards walking in broke his train of thought as his eyes widened. “Spider-Man!?” 

---------------------------------------

Miles and Gwen traveled across the Spider-Verse as they made their way towards a specific portal at the other end of their gateway. They kept their eyes on each other before going in. 

Once they came through onto Earth-8, the two slid across a roof before coming to a stop. “This place looks… Interesting.” Miles said, standing up and grabbing Gwen’s hand to help her up. “Yeah..” She responded as she walked to the edge and looked out at the surprisingly bright skyline. “I wonder what information is here.. Or who is.” He said as he looked up at a billboard. “Oh..”

Gwen felt his entire mood shift through their connection. She could not even pinpoint what emotions he was feeling. There were- so many. She had never felt anything like this from him before. Turning to look at where he was looking, her mask lenses widened farther than they ever had. 

The billboard was a bright blue with what looked like her and Miles together in their suits and she was in a.. Wedding dress!? The caption said:

“With great power comes great responsibility… and now great love! Witness the documentary of the biggest wedding of the century!”

Gwen’s mouth widened. “WHAT THE FU-”

Chapter Text

“-CK!?”

Pigeons flew by them as the sounds of Gwen’s echo were carried through the wind. Gwen turned back, looking at Miles before looking back at the billboard, then back at him, then back at the billboard. An indescribable feeling overtook her as she stood there rooted to the spot. It was as if Miles was reading through her personal diary and learning every intimate thought she had of him.

“Damn..” Was all he said as he nodded, continuing to stare at the two of them. On the billboard, Miles’ arm was around her as he swung. Gwen’s fictional wedding dress was seemingly flying in the wind as she held on. 

“Why the fuck would Jessica tell us to come here?” Gwen spat angrily, quickly beginning to look at other worlds in her watch. “Hell, even earth-2149 would be better than being here. Any earth would.”

Miles looked at her, hurt obviously showing through the cracks as he stood there with his arms to his side. “What’s so bad about this place?..” Gwen did a double take, looking at Miles before looking down at her watch and finally back at him again as she noticed the look on his face, quickly moving to do damage control.

“Oh no- Miles… No. I didn’t mean it like that.” She moved towards him and awkwardly put her hand on his arm, the both of them jumping a bit. “I’m sorry.. I didn’t mean it like that..” Miles nodded and forced a smile despite Gwen seeing directly through it. “It’s okay I’m just messing with you!” He gave her a pat on the arm and walked towards the edge of the roof and overlooked the city as Gwen stared at his back guiltily from behind.

“Uhm Gwen..” Miles pointed at the skyline, drawing Gwen’s attention to two twin towers that shockingly still stood. “What year is it?” She was quick to ask. 

The two now stood in front of a grocery store as Miles held up one of the last newspapers they could find. “August 10th, 1993.” he spoke flatly as he looked through the paper. The headline was ‘Ruth Bader Ginsburg Sworn In To Supreme Court’.

“Isn’t she like 90-something? In our timelines?” Gwen pointed out. Miles took a minute to respond. “She’s dead.” He threw the paper in the trash before he and Gwen began to walk down the street. Earth-8 definitely looked different than any other universe they had been to. 

The world around them looked half like Earth-199999 and half like Miles’. Everyone seemed to look as if someone had taken a pencil and traced over a live action video before adding in their own color. It looked cool but it also looked.. Off. “This place kinda looks like that one amazon show my dad loves.. Oh! ‘Undone’!” Miles pointed out as the two walked, getting many looks of confusion.

Gwen looked at him before letting out a single laugh. She hugged her arms to her chest, looking around as they walked. “Holy shit you’re right.. Though it does look a bit better, less blocky.”

As they talked about their surroundings, Gwen tried to ignore the old looking theaters they passed that were proudly advertising their love documentary. God- even thinking that grossed her out, made her heart skip a beat, and made her swoon all at the same time. ‘What the hell is wrong with me? I either like him or don’t.. How don’t I know!?’

“Gwen?” Miles’ voice snapped her into reality. “Sorry just.. Deep in thought.” She took a deep breath and let out a sigh as they walked. “Anyways, I was asking you if Jessica gave you any leads.” Gwen shook her head. “No, but I think our only lead is the one that is surrounding us.” She said with a shrug, nodding to a pink poster on a comic bookstore window that had the two of them posing together with a heart around it. 

“So then the plan is to find.. Us.” He confirmed as he kept his head down, continuing to walk. “That is correct.” Gwen kept her head down as well, wanting to stare nonstop at the posters of them, but also not being able to bear them. “So.. I guess we are celebrities.” He chuckled awkwardly. 

“Yeah. Yeah we are. What kind of weirdos spend so much time obsessing over two other people's relationship?” Miles chuckled “I know, right?” The two looked to the road as 90’s style cars passed by. “The question is where are said celebrities?” Gwen stopped in her tracks. The answer was surrounding them!

Miles stopped a few feet ahead of her and looked back in confusion. “They’re at the same place that their creepy love cult is!” She pointed to yet another poster that was promoting the movie/documentary that mainly featured her on it- clearly aimed at a female crowd with the caption: ‘Come Witness Gwenergy at Comic Con Hall H!’ 

He was baffled by the sudden discovery. “The premiere! Holy shit Gwen, you’re amazing!” he yelled in excitement. Miles advanced towards her and pulled her into a hug, lifting her up off the ground and spinning her around as they laughed in pure joy, only for Miles to quickly set her down. The two blushed furiously as she adjusted her suit. “So.. Premiere?” Miles asked, clearing his throat. 

Gwen nodded and the two quickly began walking. “Wait.. Why just not swing?” Miles realized. Gwen had been so caught up in their relationship cult following that she hadn’t even thought of that. ‘Goddamnit the embarrassment I could have saved by just swinging!’ she facepalmed and sighed before letting out a forced chuckle.

“Yeah.. I have no clue why I didn’t think of that.” She quickly moved forward and got ready to swing before looking back at Miles to double check. “We.. are?” She stuck out her thumb behind her. “Yeah.. Yeah!” Miles responded, regaining his posture. 

Gwen shot a web and began swinging through the old city. Miles looked down at Peter-199999’s web shooters. “Please work..” He ran down the street for half a minute, his eyes following Gwen before shooting a web of his own and swinging up to join her. “Took ya long enough!” She said, jokingly impatient with a chuckle.

“Einstein did say time was relative. Maybe you’re just early.” He responded, calling back to their first interaction and making Gwen laugh. “Real smooth, Einstein.” As they swung through the city, a question that had long been on Miles’ mind finally surfaced. “What’s Comic Con?”

“Oh!” Gwen realized she had never told him- even back when he asked over a year ago. “It’s kinda like this event for superhero fans, Star Wars fans, Harry Potter fans, and really just nerds in general- not in a bad way!”

“So, what exactly do you do there?” He rushed to get in front of her as she thought, however she quickly regained the lead regardless. “You can.. Dress up as your favorite characters? You can get autographs, usually they have panels there and sometimes even show movies like in this case. It’s just a fun thing. Kinda like the nerd’s version of the super bowl.”

The two landed on a semi-truck, standing across from each other as it went through traffic, taking them closer to where they needed to be. “And how do you know we are getting close to the nerd bowl?” Gwen pointed at the address on all of the signs. “You may go to a universe where everything looks different, but the addresses are always the same.”

Miles nodded awkwardly, clearly not being able to relate. Gwen picked up on that fact and quickly shut up about it, not wanting to repeat her past mistake of bragging. As the truck turned left, the two of them jumped up and swung right. “I know my way around!” Miles commented as they swung next to each other, even boosting each other through the air around another corner. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from a Brooklyn native!” “And where are you from?” “I thought I told you! Also Brooklyn!”

Miles’ lenses softened. “I guess we really are the same.” Gwen’s did the same as they exchanged a look, not even bothering to look in front of them as if nothing else mattered except what their eyes were trained on.  

Suddenly, both of their Spider-Sense’s went off as Gwen swung towards a flagpole. Miles shot a web and pulled her out of the way and into him, wrapping his arm around her back as she held on with a blush so bright, she swore her white suit was tinted pink too. “Thanks.” He nodded. “Of course. Any time, any day, anywhere.”

Landing a block away from Comic Con, the two began walking. “So, how are we going to sneak in?” Miles thought out loud. “I don’t think it’s going to be too hard.” Gwen said with a small laugh, pointing at the many people in costumes walking towards the entrance. “Maybe just don’t take our masks off.” 

“Wait.” Miles said, the two stopping in their tracks. “Do you have money?” Gwen tilted her head. “I.. don’t? Why?” He rolled his eyes “Because we need to get in!” “Oh-” She looked around at the badges around people’s necks. “Shit.”

“But.. Since I’m such a good planner I have a plan-” “Well I wouldn’t say you’re that good of a planner.” she responded. “Hey, I come up with amazing plans! How about my one escaping the society?” Gwen cracked a smile under her mask. “One good plan! You’re an improviser.”

“Like Patrick Mahomes.” Gwen looked to be deep in thought for a split second. “He plays for the Brave’s, right?” Miles rolled his eyes. “First off, that’s the wrong team. Second off, that’s the wrong sport.”

“I try.” She said with a shrug as the two approached the VIP entrance to Javits Center. Attempting to walk past security did not go according to plan as they were stopped almost immediately. “I need an ID. This is a restricted entrance.” The guard spoke. Gwen quickly pulled off her mask with a look of anger on her face to Miles’ surprise.

“Do you know who I am? I agree to host MY movie at this convention center, and you immediately harass me and my husband? We are already running late, my legs are cramping, and now you’re telling us what to do!” She shouted in a hysterical voice much to both men’s surprise.

The guard raised his hands and took a step back. “Ma’am- I’m so sorry. I didn’t expect you to look so.. Young in person. I’m sorry. Go right ahead.” The man stepped aside and let Miles and Gwen in. “Holy shit..” Miles mumbled as they walked in, making Gwen beam. “Good acting?”

“Great acting! Goddamn.” He said, beginning to laugh and making Gwen chuckle as well. He watched her pull her mask back on as he held up his fist and she would fist bump it before the two walked through the backstage, avoiding what seemed like a sea of workers and equipment that was swallowing them whole. 

Suddenly, they were stopped by a redhead woman wearing a business suit and holding a clipboard- It was MJ. “What are you two doing out of your dressing room? Come on, your costumes are iconic but you need some sense of fashion.” Gwen opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out as she stared at the older Mary Jane in shock.

“She looked up from her clipboard at them. “Uhm hi?” Seeing Gwen wasn’t in the mindset to talk, Miles jumped in, purposefully lowering his voice. “Hi. Where is our dressing room?” MJ tilted her head. “Down the left hall and to the right at the end.. Are you feeling okay? Your voice?” 

“Yeah, I went through puberty… Again.” She would give the duo a strange look before moving past them without a word. “That was your excuse?” Gwen finally asked. “At least I talked at all!” Gwen couldn’t defend herself as he was right, electing to follow Miles instead. 

The two finally made their way to the door at the end of the hall that had the star logo on it. “That’s no cliche at all..” Gwen mumbled. “I guarantee you didn’t pick it out.” He said, reaching for the doorknob. “It was probably you.” She responded. “I am a star after all.”

Miles opened the door slowly, only to see nobody in there. The two crept their way into the room before letting the door close behind them. Miles walked over to a mirror that was his and sat down at his chair, looking at 50 different types of hair spray. “I didn’t think I was that obsessed…”

Gwen walked over to her mirror and her eyes immediately went to the picture tucked into the corner. Grabbing it, she looked down at it as her eyes widened. It was a picture of an obviously older Earth-8 Miles and Gwen posing on the empire state building with the city in the background. “Who are these people?..” 

“You know it’s not nice to steal, right?” They heard a female voice behind them and turned around. A web shot to the picture in Gwen’s hand and was pulled back right into the hands of Gwen Stacy of Earth-8 with her Miles Morales standing next to her. 

Suddenly, all four of their spider senses went off before they all spoke at the same time. “You’re me.”

Chapter Text

Gwen quickly tried to quickly recover like a ballerina tripping over herself. “I wasn’t stealing, just looking- I’m sorry who are you?” She shot right back. “I think that should be obvious, shouldn’t it?" Her older variant responded confidently. “Hey, good looking.” The older Miles responded, fist bumping his younger self. “Damn! nice hair.” Miles responded as he studied his older self. “Nice nose! I wish mine hadn’t gotten bigger.” the older of the two replied as he felt his own. “Thanks man but yours is awesome!” The older variant chuckled. “Thanks man!”

Their complimenting was interrupted by the older Gwen, who cleared her throat as both versions had their hands on their hips, staring at the two Miles’ and waiting for them to stop. “Right. Sorry.” Young Miles said as the two both improved their posture and stood silently. Gwen looked at the older Miles’ hand to see- 

“Wait. Is that a Spider-Society watch!?”

The variant chuckled and looked past his shoulder at her older self. “I guess you being observant is a constant in every universe.” She grinned looking at young Miles, “So is you being good looking.” Gwen took a step in front of her Miles protectively- as if the older variant would even do anything. Still, it was more for her own peace of mind than anything. “Okay- before things get confusing.” Miles said from behind her, clearing his throat.

He pointed to his older variant. “For today you go by Kilo.” He pointed to older Gwen. “And you-” “Sunflower.” She cut in with a smirk. Miles and Gwen both began blushing as they tried to discreetly hide it. “Alright.. Sunflower. So, what’s the deal with the watch?”

Kilo let out a heavy sigh. “That.. My friend is a long ass story. I think the better question is why are you here? This world is off limits, you know.” Gwen crossed her arms. “That’s also a long ass story. We are here for answers. You go first.” The variants looked at each out before Kilo would let out a single laugh, crossing his arms as well. “Okay.”

Kilo began “My name is Miles Morales.”

“And My name is Gwen Stacy,” She chimed in.

“And we are both from earth’s 1610-C and 65-C.”

“Wait-” Miles interrupted him. “C!?” 

Kilo nodded. “Part of our theory about timelines is that multiple versions- or branches can exist off one main branch. A new branch is formed when someone from outside that timeline interferes with it, causing a split in the story- canon, whatever you want to call it. We believe the timeline where you- we send Gwen and the others home at the collider is timeline A. One where that’s the end of the multiversal shenanigans for 1610. She returns home and that’s that. Never seeing each other again.”

Sunflower continued where Kilo left off. “We are from timeline B. One where Miguel O’Hara interferes with our fight with Kingpin during first multiversal traveling with his watch. However, doing this destroys 1610-C, 65-C, and every other timeline for a Spider-Person that was present. He recruits Miles and I to the Spider-Society you both must know of today. We were co-founders.”

“Wait- You said the canon event theory is bullshit. So how does Miguel end up destroying your world?” Miles asks Kilo. The variant sighed and shared a.. careful look with Gwen before turning back to Miles. As he opened his mouth to speak, the door opened, and MJ popped her head in. Both sets Miles’ and Gwen’s turned to look at her.

“You know what.. I don’t even want to know.” She said, rolling her eyes. “Are you guys still doing the show?” Kilo winced as Sunflower rubbed her arm awkwardly. “I’m sorry..” MJ would continue to smile. “It’s okay rockstar. You’re obviously.. Tied up.” She closed the door. “Webbed up!” Kilo called after her. “That’s a good pun I need to write that down..”

Miles cleared his throat and Gwen stood there awkwardly. “So, are we staying here or going elsewhere? We ain’t got a lot of time. Just like a day.” Kilo put his hand to his chin, deep in thought as Miles stood next to him. “Got it! Gwen, is our apartment clean?”

“That’s Sunflower to you and of course it is. I would know because I cleaned it!” She replied, her eyes narrowing. “Right..” Kilo said with an uncomfortable chuckle, patting her shoulder. “My bad. Come on kiddos!” He opened the door and herded the group out before heading to their apartment. 

---------------------------------------

The four now sat at Gwiles’ kitchen table, all having mugs full of tea. “Nothing like a good cup of chai tea!” Kilo said, sipping his cup. Miles raised an eyebrow. “Chai means tea. Instead of saying tea tea just say Chai… Learned it from a friend.” He added, smiling awkwardly at the skeptical looks coming from the Gwiles duo as Gwen would pat his back supportively. 

“Alright so where were we- Oh yeah I was about to tell you some really important information!” Kilo remembered, taking another long awkward sip of Chai. “And may you please tell us?” Gwen nudged him on as her older variant could only smile at Kilo’s silliness. Kilo nodded, putting down his mug before clearing his mug. “Right.. Sorry.” He hesitated before continuing.

“What do you know about the Incursions?..”

A look of confusion appeared on the faces of Gwen and Miles as they sat there, trying to put a definition on the foreign word in their minds. The way Kilo said it made the word sound.. Horrifying. Dreadful. Taboo. “Well… Nothing I guess.” Miles finally spoke. 

“An incursion is when two worlds collide, destroying one or both entirely. They usually happen when someone is on the wrong earth. Because they can’t be pulled to the universe, the universe is pulled to them. Imagine you are a dog on a leash going for a walk with your owner. If you pull forward hard enough, whoever is holding onto that leash will be pulled forward as well. I call it the leash theory.”

“Us being the dog and the earth being the owner..” Gwen confirmed only for the other duo to nod. “We almost caused an incursion at the collider. Remember when we saw our world coming to us?” Older Gwen reminded her. “It was literally coming to us. If we hadn’t shut it down.. Six different timelines would have been destroyed. Trillions upon trillions dead.”

“That didn’t happen to you… But it happened to us.” Kilo confirmed, his voice taking on a dark tone as he looked down at his tea. “When Miguel O’Hara arrived, he completely distracted us during a vital moment of our fight. This created a branch- timeline C. However, Peter lost the hard drive used to shut down the Collider due to being distracted. Without it, we were fucked. The Incursion took place and we escaped with Miguel. Creating a new branched timeline isn’t what destroyed our worlds, it wasn’t breaking the canon, it was the Incursions.”

“After doing so, the three of us formed the Spider-Society so it would never happen again.” Gwen continued. “We made the Society not to stop Canon Events, but to stop the Incursions. We despised Miguel for what he did but we thought teaming up was the only way to stop them.”

“We built more watches to prevent that leash tug from happening. So, our atoms would adjust to the universe we were in.” Sunflower continued. “Wait- Holy shit!” Miles shouted, turning to Gwen who unanticipatedly flinched. “When you came to visit me, you had your watch on! You never took it off. That means our timelines are B’s. That’s why we are still here!” 

Kilo held his hand out. “Well, there you go! Anyways- back to our shocking backstory.” He said, waving his hand around. “To test out our new line of mass-produced Multiverse-traveling atom-stabilizing watches, we let Miguel go live in a world where his living daughter did. Things seemed to be going well, but after a while, we got a distress call from Miguel. His world was being destroyed. We sent a team of new recruits to help him out and.. They couldn’t. It was gone. That world and another had been destroyed by an incursion just like ours…”

As Kilo looked down at his hands, Sunflower continued sensing his pain. “When Miguel returned, he was.. Different. He seemed scared. Something was off. Finally, after a few days of isolation he told us about this new theory he had. Canon Events. He said that was why his world was destroyed.”

“But it wasn’t. When we looked at his watch it was perfectly fine. Which means he got sloppy, too comfortable, and took it off for some reason. He caused that Incursion. That was his fault. But no matter how many times we argued, he kept insisting it was the Canon Events- that Incursions were not real.”

“Nothing could change his mind. And when he told the society about his theory, they were on his side. They didn’t even know Miles and I existed. We had been working secretly, not wanting the attention or burden of leadership. Only Miguel and later Jessica knew, so we couldn’t just tell everyone Miguel was wrong with credibility.”

Kilo took a deep breath, picking up where Sunflower left off. “Miguel gave us two options. Stay willingly and never talk about Incursions again or stay forcefully in whatever stupid sex dungeon he has.” Sunflower hit his chest. “We obviously chose neither. We chose to run.” He continued. “We escaped to earth-8 and Miguel shut down our access to the multiverse… There is no threat of an incursion on this world due to our worlds not even existing. Nothing for it to collide with. We still wear our watches to keep our atoms bonded to this dimension though."

“But Miguel, going by his logic, was willing to let a canon event be disrupted in this world and let it die with us on it. He wanted us gone and kept quiet so badly for some reason that he was willing to let that happen.. But I don’t even think that’s true. He knows he is lying and we don’t even know why. Whatever he saw on that collapsing world changed him forever.”

Gwen shook her head. “So, this is all Miguel’s fault…” Miles looked at Gwen before looking at the Gwiles duo, a fierce look of determination in his eyes. “We will find Miguel and we will find out the truth. You have our word. We will stop him, and we will stop the society from playing the role of God. It’s nobody’s job to decide who lives.. And who dies.”

Kilo tilted his head. “Who were they trying to have die?” Miles crossed his arms as Gwen shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “My father..” The mouths of their older variants both dropped. Kilo scoffed, shaking his head as Sunflower fumed. “What is his fucking problem? Who does he think he is!?”

“Spider-Man.. But I’m not even sure if even I know what that means anymore..” Miles replied, looking into Gwen’s ocean blue eyes for comfort. Kilo had a look of familiarity on his face before speaking up.

“That’s okay. You just need to define that for yourself. You don’t need to figure out what being a hero means. You need to figure out what it means to you.”

Miles smiled, grabbing Gwen’s hand under the table before looking over to Kilo. “You’re right.. Thanks.” Kilo nodded, “Anytime kid. Just know.. This job isn’t going to get any easier. You just need to keep getting back up no matter how much it hurts and no matter how many times you’re shoved down. You’re a hero and nobody can take that away from you except yourself. Don’t let that happen.”

Before Miles could respond, Gwen did for him. “He won’t. He’s amazing. He’s a hero… The ultimate Spider-Man.” She squeezed his hand as the two looked into each other's eyes, smiling at each other. “You’re pretty spectacular yourself Ms. Stacy.” Miles said with a small smirk.

“Okay I need to say it.. You two are adorable together!” Sunflower practically squealed. Miles and Gwen immediately let go of each other’s hands as bright blushes crossed both of their faces. The glowing pink in Gwen’s hair paled in color. “We aren’t- like you guys. Just best friends.” 

“Sure, keep tellin’ yourself that.” Kilo mumbled with a smirk, looking down at the fabric of his suit as if it had suddenly become interesting. “What was that?” Gwen inquired. “Oh nothing!” Sunflower rolled her eyes with a smirk and stood up, leaning down and kissing Kilo on the cheek. The action made Gwen and Miles both physically recoil for each other's sake, but also watch with intrigue. 

“I think what Miles- Kilo here was asking is if you two are planning on spending the night.. I make a damn good lasagna.” Sunflower spoke up. “I second that!” Kilo held up two fingers, leaning back in his chair. “Oh- Well we need to be going! We need to save the band and make it to 1610-B To fight the Spot.” Gwen replied.

“Yeah tomorrow..” Miles replied. “Besides, we can use this time to gameplan.”

Gwen and Miles both looked at each other as a smile crossed both of their lips before Gwen finally spoke.

“Okay then… Why not?”

Chapter Text

Peter B. Parker sat in an orange cage, leaned against the barrier as he stared at the ground. He and the rest of the Band had been imprisoned by the Spider-Society for a few hours and it was already feeling like a living hell. “I didn’t realize how cruel this was..” He said to Ham, who sat next to him in the same box. “You’re right. I can’t begin to think of what it would be like to be kept in a cage, being treated like livestock. Being resigned to inhumane conditions.”

Peter rolled his eyes and looked away from Ham, staring at the ground again. “You never told me why you didn’t join the society..” Ham shook his head, a long silence passing before he finally spoke. “Why do you think… Look at me, Peter.”

Peter B. turned and looked Ham over. “And? Your mask nostrils move with your eyes. Is that what I was supposed to notice?” Ham would scoff, “I guess that’s a part of the problem.. I’m a pig.”

“Really? I didn’t notice.” Peter replied with flattone sarcasm. “That’s the problem. Everybody notices. I’m a cartoon. A living joke. Nobody takes me seriously. I would just be the jester of this place. Sure, I’m a joke but that doesn’t mean I can’t be serious.. I have feelings too.”

Peter looked at Ham with a look of sympathy. Ham held his legs to his chest as Peter could swear a few cartoony tears fell from his lenses. “I’m sorry, Porker… You aren’t a joke. You’re unique. Nobody should treat you like you’re less just because you’re different… You’re a good friend.” 

Peter held out his balled fist as Ham would turn to look at it before fist bumping him with a BOP! Peter leaned against the cage again, looking down at the ground depressed. As he stared, he saw two red and white feet step into his view. He sighed, immediately knowing who it was. “What do you want, Miguel?” 

He looked up to see Miguel holding Mayday in his arms awkwardly. “Okay are you trying to be villainous?” Miguel tilted his head. “What?” Peter began laughing. “You stroll on over here in your imposing new suit, step in front of me without a word, and hold my baby as if you’re about to threaten her.” 

“What?- No! I’m showing you she’s okay. I’m not cruel… I don’t want to do this.” He said looking away as Mayday reached out for Peter. “Then why are you doing this?” Peter asked, placing his palm on the energy field. Miguel closed his eyes painfully before setting Mayday down in front of the cage. “Because I have to. Because if I don’t..” He shook his head.

“Why don’t you just give us the opportunity to show you canon events aren’t real? You can come with us. Monitor everything like the pervert you are!” Miguel didn’t say anything as he watched Mayday with a look Peter could not quite pick out. Perhaps reminiscent. 

“Because you know they are fake..” He finally said as he glared up at Miguel, who promptly walked away. “Wha- Did he get that emotional!?” He asked Ham who simply shrugged, not really paying attention. Miguel returned with noodles, sliding them through the barrier as if it wasn’t even there. “Eat. You’ve had a long day, Peter.” 

Peter shook his head with a sigh before beginning to slurp on the noodles awkwardly. “When do we get to leave?” Miguel shrugged, crossing his arms. “When the canon event comes to pass.” “Hey Bruce Wayne! I would actually like to know too!” a voice of a villain called out. Miguel turned to see a man in a pure dark red suit, black and white lenses, and carrying two swords on his back hunched over in his cell a few feet away.

“Who are you again?” Miguel asked, evidently confused. The figure shrugged. “Some call me Wade, Mr. Pool, or Deathstroke. I do have a pretty deadly stroke.” Miguel pulled up the file number of the cage on his watch. “Variant-TRN414 you are being held for the foreseeable future for reckless timeline traveling, nearly disrupting several canon events.”

“How long is the foreseeable future, Apocalypse? I have to get to a team up with a certain six-clawed disgusting, yet profitable character played by Hugh Jackman, which will make Marvel a shit ton of cash!” Peter turned to Miguel “What is he talking about?” Miguel shrugged as he messed with his watch. “Honest to the canon, I have no idea but he’s driving me shocking crazy. I’m muting his cell.”

“Hey! What the shit!? The contract I signed for this movie guaranteed me five minutes of screen time so I’m going to make the most of it and list every cuss word I know! Ass Bitch Co-” His cell went silent as Peter stared at the man bewildered. “As if you aren’t crazy already..” Peter mumbled. “What was that?” Miguel demanded. “I said how can a human being be so obnoxious?” Peter quickly recovered.

Miguel shrugged as he looked up from his watch. “I thought the same thing when I met you.” Peter glared up at him. “I’m not that obnoxious! Just.. witty.” “If you have wits, I would eat that ramen before it gets cold.” Miguel replied, placing his hands on his hips. 

“Oh speaking of Spider-Ramen, what did you guys ever end up doing with him? Did you hold a service?” Miguel nodded. “We did, but we didn’t bury the body. It was his wish it would be used to help feed those who need it.” Peter nearly choked as he looked down at the bowl of ramen, back up at Miguel, and back at the bowl as a noodle halfway in his mouth slid out. “Am I?..” Miguel slowly nodded, the smallest smile present on his face. “You are.”

Peter shook as he groaned, setting the bowl down next to him. Ham had not been paying any attention and playing rock paper scissors with Noir, who was in the cell next to theirs with Peni. He turned to see the bowl on the ground between him and Peter. “Oooo Ramen!” He said excitedly, picking up the bowl only for Peter to slap it out of his hand. “What the heck!?”

Peter looked up at Miguel. “Okay, that was terrible. You know what? Gwen and Miles are going to come here and try to break us out of here. I’m going to put you in one of these cages and you will see how this feels!” Miguel sighed, picking up Mayday who had been pressing her palms against the cage and turning around, beginning to walk away. “I know they are.. I’m counting on it.” 

---------------------------------------

Back on Earth-8, Sunflower and Gwen fussed around together in the kitchen as Gwen learned how to make the lasagna that Kilo loved so much- hoping Miles may just like it too. Kilo and Miles sat in the living room, staring at the TV as it played a Brooklyn Nets game. The announcer had just declared three points for the Celtics after a basket by Lebron James. As big of fans as the two were, neither could become fully engrossed as the match was rather a distraction from the awkward tension that filled the room. Finally, after five minutes of listening to the announcer's booming voice, Kilo turned to Miles. “So.. Are they good in your world?”

Miles had been deep in thought, thinking about everything that surrounded him except for the game that was on. His mind was focused on Kilo and Sunflower. Seeing them together made his heart race in a good and bad way. There was no doubt in his mind he liked Gwen, but he was still learning to trust her again. He felt like in every interaction, she was still holding something back. Still keeping something from him.  “Nah.. They somehow always manage to stay mediocre.”

“I guess in a multiverse full of endless opportunities, the Nets can still never win it all.” Kilo said with a small smile. He turned towards Miles, who looked visibly upset as he stared at the screen. "Okay, is something wrong? Is it too hot in here? Miles turned towards him and flashed a smile. “I’m good.” He replied, looking past Kilo at the abundance of greenery that hung off hooks from the ceiling and was potted on the floor- persumably by Sunflower.

“You know I’m you.. Right?” Kilo pushed. Miles groaned, rolling his eyes before looking back into the kitchen to see the girls paying them no attention. He leaned from his armchair towards the couch while Kilo sat. “What? Are you about to tell me about fight club? Just sit next to me.” Kilo said with a chuckle, shaking his head. Miles got up and discreetly moved next to him. 

“Just seeing you and Gwen together.. This whole world.. It’s all I’ve thought of for a year only to find out she could have seen me the whole time. I know why she didn’t, and I’ve forgiven her for that… It doesn’t make it hurt any less though.” Kilo looked back into the kitchen. “So much for being just friends, huh?” 

“But that’s what we are!” He said, raising his voice. This combined with feeling Miles’ strong emotions caused Gwen to peek her head in from the side of the doorframe, obviously standing on the wall. “You good?” She asked her Miles softly. The two whipped their heads back as if they had been caught doing something bad. “Yeah! Nets just suck!”

“Fucking awful!” Kilo reinforced. “The score says they’re winning..” Gwen said, tilting her head. Kilo looked back at the TV. “That it does… But it won’t be that way for long if they keep this shit play up!” Gwen narrowed her eyes skeptically before pulling her head away and back into the kitchen. Miles turned his head back towards Kilo. “That’s what we are and I’m not sure if we'll ever be more…”

“She’s here now, isn’t she?” Kilo said with a shrug. “She made a mistake and now she is risking everything to correct it, Miles. She is risking everything for you. Do you not see the way you look at each other? You guys haven’t spent a ton of time around each other and if you have a connection that strong.. It’s meant to be.”

“If that connection is so strong, how do I know she won’t hurt me again?” Miles asked, his voice thick with emotion. Unbeknownst to him, on the other side of the wall Gwen crouched against the wall facing down, frowning as she listened. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn’t help herself. Listening to the person she cared about more than anything feeling so uncertain because of her actions- her mistakes.. Maybe they were better apart. Where she couldn’t hurt him.

“I never said that.” Kilo responded, surprising both of them. Miles asked exactly what Gwen thought in her mind. “What do you mean?” Kilo grabbed his can of coke and took a sip. “I never said she wouldn’t hurt you again. You’ll probably end up hurting her too. Mistakes will be made. There will be conflict. But at the end of the day, that connection you both have will be the thing that brings you back together. It’ll be the thing that keeps both of you moving forward one step at a time. Hand in hand.”

Miles slowly grinned, shaking his head. “You’re really good at that.” Kilo let out a soft chuckle. “All I did was grow into the suit. Just like how I know you will.. Just give her time to open up. After living with a Gwen for years, there are two things you should know. First off, she snores and drools in her sleep. Wear earmuffs if you have them but even then, it won’t help much.” Gwen gasped silently from around the corner out of sight, trying to fight a small smile making its way across her lips. 

“Second.. She’s been through a lot. She’s hurt people. People have hurt her. She’s not exactly the most straightforward person.. She cares about the people close to her more than you and I could possibly imagine. Trying to keep them safe, that’s what keeps her going. Let her open up and just give her the chance to do so when she does.”

“Thanks, old Miles..” the younger variant replied with a soft smile. “Anytime bud.. Y’know it would be nice if you got me another Coke.. Life coach payment.” Miles began laughing, standing up. “Life coach payment?” He shook his head as he continued to smile, making his way towards the kitchen. Gwen, who had heard the exchange, quickly walked across the wall, and flipped in front of the oven. She opened it as her hood fell down on her head, checking it out as Miles walked in.

“Hey.” He said softly, opening the fridge and peering inside before grabbing two cokes. “Hey.” She responded even more faintly, whipping around and leaning against the oven as she pulled down her hood. Unlike Miles, she still was wearing her costume. As if it had become a shield to hide her emotions behind. She avoided his eyes, unable to look into them out of guilt. He turned around to leave but saw the look in her eyes. “You okay?” She quickly nodded. “Heat from the oven just got in my face.. Hurt.” She said, forcing an awkward chuckle. 

“Oh here, let me see.” Miles said, putting the cokes down and walking over directly in front of her. “Miles it’s oka-..” Her voice suddenly disappeared as if a switch had been turned off in her head. Miles rested his hand on her cheek, pushing her face around gently. “Don’t see any burns..” Gwen finally looked into his mesmerizing soft doe eyes, blinking once. “That’s good..” She whispered as she ran a hand through her hair bashfully, now unable to look away.

Miles stared into her sad ocean blue eyes that somehow still radiated hope and determination. There was something about them that made him unable to look away. Perhaps the way they looked at him with admiration, ginger care, and something else he couldn’t quite put his finger on. It felt as if they were negative and positive ions being pulled together to hold a bond that would never let go.

Gwen’s heart began racing as he moved his face closer. Each beat soon filled her ears as the heart beats turned into a beat of a drum, growing louder and louder until- the two heard a door open. Miles quickly stepped back as Gwen turned slightly away, looking at the fridge with sudden interest. Sunflower walked in, wearing a plain long sleeve white shirt that was mostly covered by black denim overalls that resembled the makings of her suit. “God, I needed that shower.” She said, stopping in her tracks to see Gwen and Miles standing there suspiciously. 

“Is everything okay?” She asked curiously, noticing the thick tension in the air. “Yeah! Yeah, I was just uh- getting coke!” Miles said, pointing to the two cokes for he and Kilo. He quickly walked out before doing a double take back, realizing he didn’t even grab the cokes. He walked back through the doorway in the corner of the kitchen before shooting a web at one of the cokes and taking it back with him, still forgetting the other. 

Sunflower turned to Gwen, who kept staring at the fridge with her arms crossed. “And are you okay?” Gwen turned to her with a scowl. “I don’t know.” She replied in an annoyed tone. Sunflower looked at her fading blush and back into the living room where Miles was sitting down. A knowing grin filled her face, the colors in the room around her becoming more vibrant as she remembered the first time she and her Miles had kissed. She walked towards the sliding glass door to the balcony, gripping the handle before turning back towards Gwen.

“Let’s talk.”

Chapter Text

As Gwen followed her older self onto the balcony, the semi-realisticness of the 90’s skyline popped out before her very eyes. The billboards promoting Coca Cola and a PS5 looked traced over from the real thing she would see in her world. The colors chosen were much brighter and cartoony than she could ever imagine. The shadows the large buildings in the distance presented looked so realistic yet scribbled in at the same time. Everything was uncanny. The vibrant pinks and oranges of the sunset painted her face with warmth as she watched her older variant lean against the railing, facing away from the bright sun behind her. “So.. what’s the matter?” Sunflower asked as Gwen slid the glass door shut behind her.

“Just.. Miles.” Gwen replied, taking a seat on a tan lawn chair that matched the greenery around it well. Her hair paled as she leaned her head against the bright red brick wall. “Boy problems.. I’ve only ever dated one boy and he brought along plenty of those.” Sunflower said with a soft chuckle, brushing the hair out of her face. “You guys somehow seemed so close, yet… so far apart. What happened there?” Gwen smiled to herself as she played back the memory in her head. His soft brown eyes. God, the way those eyes had looked at her. “What didn’t happen there?”

Sunflower smirked, raising an eyebrow as Gwen quickly snapped out of her trance. “I- mean- Well we almost kissed.” She sucked in a breath. “There’s that.” Sunflower’s smirk broke out into a wild smile. “Oh my god! That’s so cute! I bet that was nerve wracking.” Gwen chuckled to herself. “That’s one way to put it.” Sunflower quickly put two and two together. “Oh… Gwen, I’m so sorry. I’m not great at reading social situations- well we aren’t.”

“It’s in the past now.” Gwen replied, waving her hand dismissively even though the same thought kept replaying in her head constantly. Trying to ignore her inner thoughts of turmoil, she tried changing the subject. “Why is that? Why are we so bad at… well, life?” Sunflower rolled her eyes as her hands gripped the metal railing tighter. “Why would we be good at it? We lost our mom when we were 10. We have been fighting super villains in spandex since age 14, watched our best friend die, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve been hurt and betrayed more than once. We close ourselves off from the world so much that when we open ourselves back up.. We don’t know how.”

Gwen nodded as she listened, giving her variant a shrug. “That’s.. Shockingly accurate. You really are me.” Sunflower let out a soft giggle. “So.. Speaking about opening back up.. How’s that going with Miles?” Gwen couldn’t help but give another shrug as she blew a raspberry, leaning back and groaning. “I don’t know.. It’s- It’s weird.” Sunflower tilted her head. “Weird how?” “Well.. We are friends again.. Good progress. That’s progress, right?” Gwen inquired, leaning forward to look at the older variant who would nod encouragingly. “Well.. I want to be more than friends. I think he does too.. He just isn’t saying anything about it.” Sunflower gave her a weird look. “Then why don’t you?” Gwen looked down at her lap for a few seconds before looking up at Sunflower with a look of genuine worry in her eyes. “To be completely honest.. I’m scared.” 

“Hun, it’s Miles. There is absolutely nothing to fear. It’s not like he’s going to say no. Besides, who could say no to a body like this?” She replied with a smirk, holding out her hands and bringing them down the sides of her body as if she was showing it off. “I’m not scared of what he could do to me.. I’m scared of what I could do to him.” Gwen replied darkly, quickly standing up and walking over to the railing Sunflower was sitting on, leaning forward against it as she looked down at the civilians below. Most of them probably had family to go back to. A significant other to love. Why couldn’t she be like them? ‘It’s not fair..’ she thought privately to herself.

“You know, we told you about Earth-1610-A. The timeline where you never return to Miles.. I don’t know what’s there and I don’t want to know. I guarantee that version of Miles is hurting without you. Hurting more than you could ever hurt him. He’s happier with you.” Gwen shook her head frustratedly. “You don’t know that!” She shouted. “You even said you don’t know what’s there. Let’s say that version is happy. Let’s say he even has kids of his own. A wife he deserves. What if by going to see him, I took that away from him?”

“Gwen, we can go through hypotheticals until the sun finishes setting but you’re right. We don’t know.. What I do know is that the way he looks at you is a look little girls everywhere dream of. One we dreamed of. So, what if you hurt him? Can’t you make up for it?” Gwen shook her head. “I love it and hate it at the same time.. The way he looks at me makes my heart skip a beat! But it also reminds me that I can shatter that look in his eyes at any moment. I was eavesdropping on their conversation and even Kilo said that I will! That he will hurt me too..” Her voice trailed off as she thought about what he had said next.

“What did he say next?” Sunflower asked as if she had just read Gwen’s inner thoughts. It made sense. They were the same person after all. “That our connection will always bring us back together.” Sunflower smirked. “Exactly. What’s the point of falling in love if you can’t fear it? I won’t deny it.. You did hurt him. Badly” Gwen glared at her. “Not helping.” Sunflower rolled her eyes. “But you’re here now.. Making up for it.”

Tears filled Gwen’s eyes as she shoved herself away from the railing, facing away from Sunflower and crossing her arms. “What can I possibly do to make up for that? He’s worried about it too! He’s scared to be hurt again. How do I show him that I won’t hurt him again? How do I show him that no matter who or what is thrown at us, I will always stick by his side? I don’t know how to make up for what I’ve done! I don’t know how to open up! All I know is that I can’t cut off another person I love!”

Sunflower looked through the glass at Kilo, who was smiling and joking around with Miles inside. Her source of joy. Her crutch to lean on. Her partner in heroics. And her man to love. “Actions speak louder than words.” She simply said with a melancholy look. Gwen wiped her eyes before turning her head towards her, a look of confusion on her face. “Huh?” Sunflower couldn’t help but smile. “I’m saying to kiss him, you dolt.” Shock quickly formed on Gwen’s face. “I- I can’t kiss him! I- can’t..” Sunflower groaned, hopping off the railing and walking in front of her, crossing her arms as well. “And why not? It’s a simple action. Do I need to get Kilo out here to demonstrate?” 

“No! No, you don’t need to bring anyone else out here!” Gwen snapped before looking down. “Okay, then why can’t you?” Sunflower demanded. “I can’t because.. Well, uhm-” Gwen’s shoulders loosened as her arms fell to her side in defeat, trying to come up with an excuse. “You’re overthinking it.” Sunflower said with a shrug, beginning to walk towards the door. “How am I overthinking the biggest moment of my life!? My head-”

“Listen to your gut.” Sunflower replied with a small smile, opening the glass sliding door. “It’s getting dark. Besides, the mosquitoes are going to eat you alive. Come on, I know something that’ll cheer you up.” Gwen began to follow Sunflower, but paused as she looked back at the sun setting with the smallest of smiles. “Trust my gut..” She whispered to herself before turning around and stepping back into the apartment, closing the door behind her. 

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Ten minutes later, Miles and Kilo sat together still watching the Nets Game as the Heat were now pulling away. “Eh, it was bound to happen.” Miles said in a monotone voice as he took a sip of his coke, his mind still being on how he had almost kissed Gwen. Kilo shrugged with a look of disappointment on his face. “I wouldn’t expect any less.” Suddenly, the two heard a scream from Kilo and Sunflower’s room making them both jump. Kilo began to drop his coke but shot a web and pulled it right back to his hand before looking at Miles. “Gw- Sunflower would kill me if I spilled anything on her white rug.” Miles looked back at the room. “We should probably go check on that. She needs to be alive to kill you!” 

Kilo shrugged it off. “Nah she’s fine. Happy actually. I can feel it.” Miles titled his head. “Feel it?” Kilo looked at him like he was stupid and the answer was obvious. “Our connection? Do you guys not have one too?” Miles paused as he thought about it. “Wait, that's what that is? We have been able to feel each other in danger or each others emotions- but never figured it out.” Kilo looked back at the TV dismissively despite Miles now clearly being interested in pursuing the topic and getting to the bottom of the mystery. “I don’t know jack shit about it. Neither does Gwen. All it does is help each other make sure we are safe- which is actually comforting. We call it our love buzz.” Miles couldn’t help but snort as he began to laugh.

“Love buzz!?”

Kilo began to blush, obviously embarrassed by Miles’ reaction. He was probably revealing just a bit too much. “Shut up.” He replied only for the two to hear Sunflower yell “Kilo, why are you so embarrassed!?” Followed by Gwen calling out “Miles, what’s so damn funny!?” Kilo sighed, turning up the volume. “Why don’t you go check on them about how you wanted? Besides, Gwen seems just as intrigued to hear about our love buzz.” 

Miles kept laughing as he got up from his chair. “Motherfucking love buzz..” He walked away from Kilo, who began to smile to himself once alone. Miles walked into the bedroom only to immediately be assaulted by Gwen, who grabbed his hands and shoved him onto the bed. “Miles! Look at all of these jumpers!” she said excitedly, holding one up and nodding to the closet completely full of them. “Good God..” Miles mumbled as he stared at the closet. “So, this is why you live in a small apartment..” 

Sunflower laughed, “No! We can afford fifty times this amount. We just like the coziness of it. A big penthouse would feel too.. Open. Also, it’s a plus to be constantly close to Kilo. Speaking of which, why is he so embarrassed?” She asked as Gwen stood in front of her with her back to the older variant as Sunflower took her jumper off just so she could try on another one. “He told me about your.. Love buzz.” Miles said stifling a laugh, trying his best to keep his most serious face. Gwen’s head whipped around from the closet to look at the two of them with a huge grin on her face. “LOVE BUZZ?” 

Sunflower’s face turned as pink as the highlights of her hair as she shook her head. “Goddamnit Kilo, he talks too much. He’s a nervous talker… KILO, COME ON! WHY?” She yelled at the living room in embarrassment only for the volume of the TV to turn up. “Coward..” She mumbled with an evident grin. To Miles’ shock, Gwen began to die of laughter as she held out her hand to his shoulder, leaning onto him. “What type of name is love buzz!?” “A private one..” Sunflower mumbled grumpily. “It’s the name of our connection. The one that lets us feel each other’s emotions and if we are in danger. It’s like our own spider-sense frequency reserved just for us.” 

“That’s what that is..” Gwen mumbled, continuing to lean on Miles as Sunflower shrugged. “That’s what I said!” He replied, looking up at her as the two shared a grin. “You should smile more.. It’s cute.” He finally said, causing Gwen’s eyes to widen and face to turn the same shade Sunflower’s had a minute ago. “Thanks..” She replied, looking away bashfully as she ran her hand through her hair, trying to hide the fact she was smiling even wider.

The two looked at Sunflower, who was standing there smirking at them with a knowing look on her face.  “What!?” “What!?” they both demanded defensively at the same time. Before Sunflower could say anything, the timer in the kitchen went off. “Miles, can you go get Kilo to help you out with that? Gwen and I will put the hundreds of jumpers away.” Miles quickly nodded, getting up and running out into the kitchen to help Kilo. 

“You know, your love language is definitely touch.” Sunflower pointed out as Gwen handed her jumpers for her to put on hangers. “What do you mean by love language?” She asked curiously. “Some people like to write poems and stuff, some people like to talk, some people like to draw art like Miles and some people like you just like to touch. Holding hands. Putting your hands on his shoulder.” Gwen began to blush yet again. “That is so not true!” Sunflower stopped where she stood and gave her a ‘look’. “Gwen, you touch him every chance you get. Even while swinging here, you were tapping him and pointing stuff out or brushing against him. It’s a comfort thing. I’m not saying it’s bad.”

Gwen sighed, deciding to cave in. “Okay.. I like touch. Happy?..” Sunflower nodded happily as Gwen handed her the last jumper. “What’s your love language?” Her older variant would smirk again as she put the final jumper away. “I like to do a different form of touch..” Gwen stood there for a minute, dumbfounded before finally putting two and two together. “Oh- OH. EW!” She gasped and rolled her eyes, immediately walking out of the room and into the kitchen. 

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The four Gwiles variants all sat at the round dining table in the corner of the traditional 90’s kitchen as they all enjoyed their food. Dimmed lights shone on the polished oak cabinets and cupboards, setting the calm atmosphere as they all looked at each other, too busy enjoying their food to even talk. Under the table, Gwen’s feet rested against Miles’ who didn’t seem to mind. “I gotta say..” Miles finally spoke with his mouth full. “This is amazing!” He exclaimed, spitting food all over his plate. “Miles, chew with your mouth closed..” Gwen lightly corrected him, trying to hide her small smile of amusement at the gross, but sincere gesture. 

Sunflower couldn’t help but chuckle at Miles’ attempt at being polite. “That’s sweet of you Miles, but Gwen did most of the work. She has the recipe now too, so she can make it for you after your little adventure is done with.” Miles turned to Gwen with a look of astonishment. “Okay dude, it’s official. You’re amazing!” He and Gwen fistbumped at the same time from across the table as if they both knew to do it- oddly enough. “And what do you think, Kilo?” Sunflower asked with an amused smile. Kilo had to have been wearing half of his food on his face, the area around his lips being all but coated in sauce. 

“Huh?” He asked, looking up from the food he was engrossed in. “She said she likes the makeup.” Miles said, gesturing over his own face with his hand. Kilo quickly caught on and grabbed the paper towel from the table, wiping his face off sheepishly. “Sorry guys.. It’s just really good food.” “And there’s my answer.” Sunflower said, smiling even wider before taking another bite.

“Gwen. Miles.” Kilo said, clearing his throat before taking a sip of his water, leaving the two on the edge of their seats. He set down his water before letting out a content sigh. “What’s your plan for the Society.. What? Prison break?” The two looked deep in thought before they both shrugged at the same time. “No clue.” Gwen replied. “Okay well.. You will probably need a distraction to escape.. Got any ideas?” Kilo pushed.

The two looked down, trying to think of an idea when suddenly, they both looked up at the same time. “It wouldn’t work well. Could be messy.” Gwen said to Miles, assuming he thought of the same thing. “But messy is what we need, isn’t it?” He reasoned. “I mean.. You aren’t wrong.” Gwen responded. Kilo and Sunflower looked at each other in confusion. “Okay guys are you going to keep speaking in morse code or clue us in here?” Kilo asked.

“We free the villains along with the band.” Gwen quickly explained away as if it had been obvious the entire time. “That’s not the worst idea.. Having the society take care of them while you guys confront Miguel and escape.” Miles nodded in agreement. “Okay, that’s the plan. We sneak in, release the villains, release our friends, find Miguel and imprison him so he can’t stop us, and leave. Sound like a plan?” He looked at Gwen, deciding to give her the final say. “It’s your band.” Gwen nodded her head with a small smile as she held eye contact, her foot hitting his playfully before resting against it again. “Our band.”

“Our band.” Miles agreed. “Alright. We got a plan.” “You got a plan!” Kilo agreed, giving Miles and Gwen hi-fives. “Alright, well we don’t have any dessert I’m afraid. My dessert is Gwen. You guys can go out and grab some if you want to. Kilo said, grabbing his wallet out of his pocket and handing them a twenty-dollar-bill. “Okay Kilo, we really don’t need to know that. Like at all. But thanks for the cash.” Miles responded, putting it in his hoodie. 

“Of course, man. Anytime.” He got up and began taking everyones plates as Sunflower followed suit, putting the cheese away before turning to the younger variants. “Alright, follow me to your bedroom for the night.” Sunflower said, leading the two down the hall and to the left. Walking in, Miles and Gwen saw a big oak dresser, two bedside tables with retro lamps, and a king-sized bed. “Oh wow..” Miles said softly as Gwen’s mouth fell open, not even able to speak as the two walked across the wood flooring. “We’re sharing a bed?” Gwen hissed back at Sunflower, who only gave her a wink. Gwen quickly shook her head before turning back to Miles with a smile. “Looks good!” she lied through the gap in her teeth.

“Gwen Hun, I put some pajamas on the bed for you.” Sunflower said, nodding to the outfit laying there. “Go put them on. I’m washing your suit.” Gwen opened her mouth to protest taking off what was essentially her safety blanket, but accidentally brushing Miles’ hand changed her entire demeanor. “Okay.” She went to the bathroom as Miles looked out at the now dark sky before laying down with a groan, completely exhausted. 

Gwen opened the bathroom door, now wearing a white shirt and white pajama bottoms, handing the suit to Sunflower, who smiled softly at her. “Sorry if the bed was a bit much.. Should’ve warned you beforehand. I just want you to succeed, Gwen. You’re- such a good person. You deserve happiness.. You both do.” She looked down guilty. “No- Sunflower I understand.. You’ve been amazing.. Kind of reminded me of Mom..” Gwen replied, patting Sunflower’s arm as she held eye contact. Sunflower shrugged, still gripping the suit in her arms. “Then I did my job.. Good practice.” 

Gwen’s eyes widened. “Wait are you-” Sunflower smirked, deciding to not confirm, nor deny this question. “Goodnight, Hun.” “Wait!” Gwen hissed. “Are you actually pregnant or fucking with me?” Sunflower didn’t say another word as she went into the laundry room. Gwen sighed, walking into the bedroom and closing the door behind her to see Miles’ back turned to her, the only thing illuminating the dark room being the New York light coming through the window. She made her way to the bed and laid down quietly on her side as well, not wanting to disturb him.

Gwen pulled her half of the covers over herself with a lonely frown as the two faced away from each other, a small gap between them. Suddenly, to her surprise, she felt the space filled as Miles purposefully moved towards her, putting his back against hers. Beginning to smile, Gwen closed her eyes, now at peace.

“Goodnight, Gwen.”

“Goodnight, Miles.”

Chapter Text

Destruction.

All Miles Morales saw was earth after earth- world after world- universe after universe shattering like glass. The bright lights and sonic booms of massive explosions he could not even comprehend filled his view as he passed by each world. Finally, he arrived at two earth’s that sat together. He stared at them curiously before they finally began to move towards the other. Miles screamed, but nothing came out. He tried sticking out his arms, to push them away from each other, but he didn’t have arms. He was just a viewer. A watcher watching the end of trillions of lives.

The two worlds collided, a massive bright light being seen between them as it slowly spread across both spheres. Worlds on fire. Miles screamed again, but this time it wasn’t his own voice that he heard. It was theirs. The inhabitants of the worlds that were being destroyed.

Billions of fearful screams filled his ears as he watched both worlds be turned to rubble. Finally when there was nothing left, something happened. It was as if a clock was being turned back.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The worlds slowly came back together again, the debris reforming itself into the worlds that stood before, but different. Now they had a distinct purple hue to them. They seemed.. Off. As he moved back through the way he came, he watched the explosions cave in on themselves. He watched worlds return back to the way they were- mostly.

Tick. Tick. Tick. 

The ticking of a clock slowly filled his ears as he watched the multiverse rebuild itself up from nothing. The shards of glass that made up realities quickly floated back into place like repairing fine china. As he moved through the infinite worlds, he felt the pace quicken. And quicken. And quicken.

“Time’s running out.” A deep and pronounced foreign- yet somehow familiar voice spoke.

“Who the hell are you?” He heard the familiar, yet bitter voice of Gwen.

Finally, he arrived at two earths that stood together at the other end of these rows. He could somehow tell- despite no indication, he knew which worlds these were. Earth-1610 and Earth-65. Miles watched as these two worlds began inching towards each other. The ticks of the clock suddenly returned now also accompanied by a distinct ringing- tingling- warning, hastily growing louder and louder and faster and faster. The screams also came back. The screams of his parents. His family. His friends. Everyone he loved and cared for were dying a brutal death.

He finally found his voice. “STOP!”

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Miles shot up in the bed, trying to breathe as tears filled his eyes. He patted himself over to make sure he was actually there- that it was actually real. He stared down at his shaking hands as his tears fell down onto them. ‘What the hell was that?..’ he thought to himself as he began quietly sobbing. He kept trying to breathe- but nothing happened. He couldn’t breathe. Miles began panicking, only making his ability to breath even worse. Feeling a familiar warmth, he turned his head to see Gwen sitting there, staring at him as if she had been up for a while. 

Without saying as much as a word, the look in Gwen’s eyes told her everything she needed to know. She threw her arms around Miles and pulled him in for a hug, holding him close as his shaking slowly began to settle. “I- I can’t..” He croaked out. “I know..” She replied warmly, rubbing his back. “I know..”

As Miles kept trying to breathe, Gwen pulled back a bit. She rested her forehead against hers as she gripped his hands before speaking. “Do what I do.. Just breathe in.. and breathe out..” Gwen said, demonstrated before watching his breathing slowly return. Gwen held both of his hands in her own. “Deep breaths..” Miles’ breathing slowly returned as he squeezed her hands. “You got this..” She whispered. Smiling again, Gwen gave him a quick friendly kiss on the cheek.

Miles’ face turned red as he began to smile himself, his breathing now normal. Gwen’s comforting smile, the gap in her teeth, her ocean blue eyes he could get lost in forever, and the freckles that peppered her face brought him great comfort. “There’s that goofy smile I love..” She whispered, resting her hand on his right cheek and rubbing her thumb lightly. “Are you okay now?” Miles nodded slowly. “I’m okay now..” As Gwen rubbed her thumb on his cheek, she also stared at his lips, internally debating on whether to kiss him. However, seeing as he had just had a panic attack she decided now wasn’t the most appropriate time. 

“So.. Intense nightmare.. Huh?” Gwen looked down, cringing at her own words. ‘Nightmare!? He isn’t five! He isn’t even a kid anymore!’ Miles slowly nodded, his smile disappearing. Not even Gwen’s warmth could make him forget about the horrors he just saw. “I think I just witnessed what Kilo and Sunflower were talking about.. Incursions..”

Gwen tilted her head as she took her hand off his cheek and rested it on his leg. “Were you like, on the world when it happened?” Miles shook his head. “Worlds. So many worlds.. I saw only a few timelines actually collide. Two earth’s I did not recognize and the other two… I- I don’t know” he lied, not wanting to panic her. He also decided to leave out the voices for her sake. Gwen sighed, shaking her head. “I’m sorry Miles.. It’s just a bad dream.. Not like it’s real. Probably just means you're afraid.. To be honest, I am too.” “Is that why you were up?” He questioned, remembering back to Gwen simply sitting and staring intently at him. “Well uh- No.” Gwen managed back with a small blush. “I had a love buzz.” 

Miles began smirking as he shook his head. “Don’t tell me that’s what you're calling this now.” Gwen shrugged, not being able to help herself as she chuckled. “It’s cute.. Unless you don’t like it.” She replied cautiously, her smile disappearing again. Miles sat there in deep thought for a moment before shrugging. “I like it.” He said with a soft fondness, checking the time. “Damn.. Five in the morning. At least we got some sleep..”

A light bulb practically brightened in Gwen’s head as her hair pinkened. “Would five be too late for ice cream?” Miles quickly shook his head. “It’s never too late for ice cream! But I don’t know where we would get it from..” He looked up at Gwen, who was sitting across from him giving him an obvious look. “What?” He asked, beginning to blush self consciously. “Miles, we’re in New York. No matter what universe we’re in, it's always the city that doesn’t sleep. If we travel the spider-verse and band together to save your dad, I think we can find ice cream.”

Gwen got up from the bed, slowly opening the creaking door. “What are you doing?” Miles hissed, fearful of getting caught as Gwen smirked back at him. “Getting my suit. Plus, I’m bringing something back for you.” Miles watched her walk out, sighing as he hugged his knees to his chest as he waited. Truthfully, he just didn’t want to be alone. He was hoping she wouldn’t take too long. However, after a minute, Gwen returned, throwing a red outfit at Miles. “Put it on..” Miles pulled the outfit off his face and looked it over. “It’s.. Kilo’s old outfit. Gwen, I’m not sure I should be doing this. Wha- Where did you even get this?” He questioned nervously. 

“In the hall closet. Put it on; it looks cute.. As if you need to look cuter to begin with.” Gwen flirted with a smirk that quickly disappeared as she turned around. Her straight forwardness had surprised even herself. Still focusing on Gwen’s words, he got up as she patted his back. “Brb.” He said, beginning to tiptoe out the door. “Did you just say the letters brb?” Gwen asked, stifling a laugh. “Shut up.” Miles hissed as he put a finger to his lips defensively before moving out of view of the doorway. “How can he get any cuter?..” Gwen whispered to herself.

She walked to the bedroom window and opened it, looking down at the table by her and grabbing her web shooters, latching them onto her wrists. “Listen to your gut..” She reaffirmed quietly as she leaned on the window seal, overlooking the slowly brightening skyline. Miles walked back into the room, now in Kilo’s old suit. His old suit was mostly red with a black spider logo and a red hood that went over Miles’ usual mask. Other than his mask, the only other black parts that still remained was the black that covered the outside of his arms and wrapped around his now red fingers with no web pattern. (Crimson Cowl PS5 Suit)

“Well… What do you think?” he asked anxiously, pecking at the extra leather that wrinkled out from his sleeves due to being slightly too long. “Oh my god!” Gwen said excitedly as she turned around from the window, approaching him and wrapping her arms around his neck as she felt his hood. “The suit looks slightly too big, but we both have hoods now!” Miles chuckled as she looked at his hood in what was practically awe. “One could say we’re hood homies.” Gwen unwrapped her arms from around his neck as she looked up at him. 

“Hey, Miles?” 

“Yeah?”

“Please never say that again.”

Miles began laughing as he shook his head. “I like saying hood homies! Okay how about this? If I can’t say hood homies, you can’t say love buzz.” Gwen tilted her head as she walked backwards towards the window. “You like love buzz!” “I also like hood homies! It’s only fair. Deal or no deal?” Gwen sat back on the ledge as she looked at him, pulling her mask down. She fell backwards out the window, causing Miles to rush over and see her standing on the wall and crossing her arms, looking up at him.

“No deal.” 

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The glass door to Maguire’s ice cream shop shoved open harshly as Miles stood there, still holding out his hand. “Oops..” Gwen facepalmed, stepping past him and into the cold environment. “Why are these places always so cold?..” She mumbled, pulling her mask off before hugging her arms to her chest. “You’re always cold.” Miles responded, walking in behind her after lightly closing the door. He put his arm around her and turned his head to look at her. “Better?”

“Better.” She agreed with a smirk. The two stepped up to the window and looked at every flavor they could possibly imagine. Miles pulled his mask off so he could see the creamy heaven with his own two eyes. “Wow.. That’s a lot.. But I already know what you’re getting.” He said softly as he stared down. “And what am I getting?” Gwen asked, looking up to him skeptically. “Strawberry.” He replied, almost immediately. 

Gwen glared at him for what seemed like a solid minute before turning to the kid working there who seemed half asleep from the night shift- or just being a teenager. “I’ll do a scoop of strawberry please.” She said begrudgingly as Miles pumped his fist in victory. She turned her head back to him and stuck her tongue out. “I know which flavor you’re getting.” 

“And what’s that?” He asked, not being able to help the smile that filled his face. “Chocolate.” She said confidently. Miles moved his head back in mock shock. “Because I’m black?” Gwen’s eyes widened as she quickly shook her head. “No no no- That’s- not what I meant!” The scooper who was holding out her cone tilted his head. “Spider-Woman, why are you being racist?” Gwen held up both of her hands in the air. “I’m not being racist! That’s his favorite flavor- It has to be! I- I had a buzz..” 

The tense situation suddenly dissolved within seconds as Miles began dying laughing. “Gwen, I’m fucking with you! Yes. My favorite flavor is chocolate.” He confirmed between his laughter as Gwen’s cheeks turned red as she huffed, looking away from him. “Oh come on, it’s just a joke.. I had a love buzz too. That’s how I knew. I don’t doubt you did! Come on.. Have your ice cream..” He said as he began to feel bad, grabbing the cone that the scooper was still holding out. “One scoop of chocolate please.” He held out the cone to Gwen himself now. 

Gwen glanced over her shoulder at the cone and bit her lip before grabbing it out of his hand, immediately gripping the cone and licking her cold treat. “There you go!” Miles said beaming, grabbing the cone out of the guy's hand. “Come on, let’s go swing somewhere to sit.” Gwen kept licking her ice cream and swatted his chest. “Ow! What was that for!?” He demanded. Gwen smirked back at him. “Payback.” She pushed her back to the door and walked out, pulling her mask down halfway. 

Miles shook his head, still smiling as he followed her out. “Hey! You gotta pay-” The worker began to say, only to have the 20 dollar bill webbed to his chest. “How am I going to get this off?..” He mumbled helplessly as he stared down at his chest. 

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Miles followed Gwen as they both landed on the Williamsburgh Bank building. “Is this place okay?..” She asked softly as she turned back to him, finishing her cone. “Yeah, it's good. Nice memories..” He admitted as he watched her jump down to the main ledge, wiping her hands off each other of any crumbs from the cone. “Really? I would’ve thought the opposite.” She replied back as she pulled down her hood, and then her mask, throwing it away from the edge and by the bell. Miles jumped down as well, doing the same thing. “Why would you think that?”

“Just.. This is the area where I rejected and lied to you..” She said quietly with a shrug, putting her hair into a ponytail and walking over the edge and under it. Miles stopped in his tracks and sighed, putting his hands on his thighs as he looked down with a sad- yet hopeful smile. “And it’s the place where I said there’s a first time for everything, isn’t it?” He walked over the ledge to see Gwen sitting down, shooting two webs himself and sitting down behind her. 

She looked back at him with a soft smile of her own. She remembered back to what Sunflower had told her. ‘Listen to your gut.’ So, Gwen Stacy stopped thinking and just spoke. “You’re right.. It is… Did I ever tell you just what exactly this place is? What it really represents?” Miles shook his head as he scooted next to her, looking her over and noticing her closed fist. Gwen sighed, looking at the sunrise unfolding in front of them. Just like the sunset the night before, the pitch black sky turned to a dark blue as a hopeful orange and pink glow eclipsed the horizon- perhaps hope at a better future.

“This is the place where Gwen Stacy usually falls for Spider-Man.. Literally falls, Miles.. During a fight with the Green Goblin, Gwen is usually pushed over the edge by something inside of the clock tower.. Spider-Man dives to save her but..”

“He doesn’t.” Miles finished, a grim frown creasing his lips as he also looked ahead. “Maybe Gwen Stacy falls for Peter Parker and it doesn’t end well.. But what about Miles Morales?” She turned towards him with one of her classic shy smiles. “That’s the question.. Isn’t it?” 

Miles looked back out at the horizon, picking at the fabric of his suit. “Then what is there for you to be afraid of?” He asked hesitantly. Gwen sighed, closing her eyes before opening them, looking at the slowly brightening sky. “Miles.. I’m not used to opening up.. I don’t feel.. comfortable, sharing things with people. I don’t feel comfortable being myself. I close myself off from everyone and everything because I’m scared, because I’m afraid if I let someone close to me again, something bad will happen to them just like Peter..”

She continued, “everyone except you.. People like me have one person they’re able to share with, that they're genuinely happy around, that they open up to.. You’re that one person, Miles. I feel like a complete outsider around everyone else. I felt like an outsider in a society full of people that are supposed to be just like me. They don’t get it.. Nobody else does. When I told you that you were different from Hobie, I was telling the truth. You got me out of that bad place I was in and ever since.. You were the only thing on my mind.”

She took his hand in hers as he looked at her, seeing her eyes watering as tears fell up- or down in reality. “When I joined the society, you were still the only thing on my mind. I couldn’t stand to watch you get hurt. I couldn’t stand to watch history repeat itself. That’s why I lied.. That’s why I didn’t come to see you.. For my own sake and for yours. So in my mind, you could live out your life and I wouldn’t show up to ruin it- to take it from you like I have from others..” He shrugged, “but something changed.. That’s why you came to visit me, right?” Miles asked with a small smile, looking down at their hands as she rubbed her thumb on top of his.

“God I’m bad at this..” She mumbled, shaking her head as she let out an emotional laugh. “You’re doing good.” He reassured Gwen before she continued, now knowing exactly what to say. “Sometimes, the stress of life gets too much to bear alone.. So when I came to see you, I vented. Of course now, I see how that could’ve made you feel.. Going on and on about the Society and Hobie.. But I did it because you weren’t the society nor Hobie.. You’re my one person.. You’re the sun in my sky. You’re the sunflower in my garden. You’re the petal to my metal. You’re the only thing still keeping me going. You taught me the impossible is possible.. You were right, Miles.. We’re the same..”

Gwen cupped Miles’ cheeks with her hands, both of their eyes now full of tears. “Gwen Stacy falls for Spider-Man in almost every universe.. But not in this one.” Everything was finally clear- for once in her life. Gwen finally knew what she had to do if she wanted to be with the man she loved. Without another word, Gwen leaned forward and pressed her lips against his as the two shared a passionate and loving kiss. Her hair now turned 90% pink as they embraced. The warm sun rose between and behind them, not only representing a new day, but a new chapter in both of their lives.

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On the table already covered in the other comics, a new comic was thrown on top of all the others: Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy #1: Finally Together! The comic had the two of them sitting the exact way they just had been, embracing each other as they kissed. The only difference was that instead of the clocktower that stood behind them, it was now replaced by one huge heart that was painted with the multiple colors of the sunrise, still not able to do justice for their feelings for one another. 

[End Song: Am I Dreaming - Metro Boomin]

Chapter Text

The window to the room Miles and Gwen shared the previous night slowly opened, being pushed by a hand with a black palm and red fingers. Finally, Miles’ masked head peeked over the windowsill, his big mask lenses scanning the room for any sign of movement. “Alright, it’s safe.” He hissed down before reaching over the edge of the window and climbing his way in, falling through and landing on a floor with a thud as he laid there to his back to the ground, covering the area over his mouth as he laughed.

The bright white hand of Gwen’s suit appeared over the edge next, pulling herself over as she looked down at him snickering. Despite the smile that was likely hiding beneath the shield she called a mask; Gwen held her finger to the fabric over her mouth to remind him to be quiet. Gwen let herself slide off the window edge and right on top of Mile. Looking down at him, she couldn’t help but smirk at the suggestive position they were in as she sat on him. “Like the view?” She asked half-jokingly and half-seriously, pulling off her mask as a light blush was evident on her face.

“I don’t mind it.” Miles responded with a smirk of his own, pulling his mask off too as the duo made eye contact. Gwen couldn’t remember the last time she had been so happy- so carefree. She felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders… Or perhaps she was now sharing it with someone else. Unable to help herself, Gwen began to lean down to kiss him again before the door whipped open. Miles and Gwen turned their heads just as violently to see Sunflower standing there, hands up in a fist as if she had been expecting some dangerous threat. 

However, her position quickly changed to one of embarrassment as she quickly covered her eyes at the sight of the guilty looking teens. “Oh my god, Gwen! All I said to do was kiss him- I didn’t see anything!” Miles' head then turned to Gwen. “You told her about this!?” Gwen began blushing even harder, not sure if she could live with much more embarrassment before dying. “First off!” She turned towards Sunflower. “I kissed him! This is not what it looks like! Secondly,” She continued, turning back to Miles. “Yes, I did talk to her. I needed advice because I care about you and wanted to make things right.”

Before the three knew it, Kilo stumbled in half asleep to join the humiliation, still in his Spider-Man web themed pajamas that even had his own logo. “What the-” He looked around at everyone, who all seemed to be avoiding eye contact with each other. Being too sleepy to read the room, he gave Miles a thumbs up. “Glad my advice worked kid!” He said with a yawn. This time, Gwen turned towards Miles. “You talked to him.” Miles raised his hands in the air. “Yes, I talked to him!” “Why did you talk to him!?” She demanded. “Because you’re beautiful but also very scary!” he reasoned. Gwen glared down at him for being a hypocrite. “Did I mention you’re beautiful?...” Miles chuckled nervously. 

Gwen continued to glare down at him before grabbing the neck of his suit and pulling him up for a quick kiss before getting up. “Wait- You just-” Kilo started. If he wasn’t awake, he sure as hell was now. Sunflower couldn’t help but grin at the sight, shaking her head as she looked at Kilo, mouthing “teenagers.” Sunflower then turned to the two as Miles jumped up off the floor to stand next to Gwen. “Well, I made breakfast if you two would be interested.” She began walking out, turning back in the doorway. “That’s code for get your ass in the kitchen and eat since you have a heck of a journey ahead of you.” 

Gwen quickly followed her out, wanting to leave the situation in the room behind her. However, all she left were Kilo and Miles standing there as the older variant kept smirking at his younger counterpart. “What!?” Miles demanded, trying to get rid of his humiliation to no avail. Taking a minute to respond, Kilo looked Miles down. 

“Are you wearing my old suit?” 

“Are you wearing your own merch?”

An awkward silence passed.

“Let’s agree to not discuss this again.”

“Do I get to keep the suit?”

“Yes.”

“Deal.”

Kilo walked out to his bedroom before Miles turned left, walking down the hallway and out into the kitchen to see the complete feast Sunflower had prepped. There had to be pounds of eggs and bacon on that table. Literal pounds. He looked in the corner to see Gwen whispering about something indistinctly with a look of excitement on her face to Sunflower, who was holding a cup of coffee with a look of pride on her own. Spying Miles standing there, the two immediately stopped as Gwen smiled nervously, the gap in her teeth as present as ever. Miles let out a single laugh, sitting at the table.

Gwen looked back at Sunflower, who nodded her on before turning back to the oven to pull out some hash browns. Gwen hesitantly walked over to Miles. She was definitely happy about what happened. She thought Miles was happy about what happened. But her own self-doubt in her head still plagued her as she sat down. “Is everything okay?..” She asked with her same nervous smile. Miles looked down at her rarely shaking hands, grabbing them, and squeezing them with his own as he looked into her eyes. 

He knew she was happy, that she was excited. However, he also knew that she was scared. It had taken a lot of guts to open up and kiss him the way she did. He was sure her stupid head had her more worried about the whole situation than he was. With a reassuring smile, Miles nodded before softly saying “I think it will be now..” Nothing could compare to the way Gwen’s sudden bright smile made his heart skip a beat. She really did need to smile more often.

Miles nor Gwen could believe their eyes as what were basically two tubs of hash browns were placed on either end of the table. “Will this be enough?” Sunflower asked innocently, smiling down at them. Miles could barely form a response as he nodded, Gwen’s shoulder around him as they both stared. “Yeah.. Yeah, I think that’ll be enough.” Miles spoke. “Oh good! Kilo just eats so goddamn much.. Bless his sexy heart. BREAKFAST!” Sunflower proceeded to scream down the hall, only for Kilo to come running, still putting on his pants and now wearing a normal black shirt. Sitting down, Kilo happily and hungrily announced “Let’s eat!” 

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Miles stabbed away at his plate before taking too big of a bite. As good as that meal was, Sunflower was right. He looked down next to him at Kilo, who had bits of egg around his mouth before quickly wiping it away. It had to be the sixteenth time Kilo had to wipe his mouth that meal. He kept watching in half amusement and half intrigue as the older variant dived right back into the food.

“So.. What’s your plan to break in?” Sunflower asked lightly, trying to make what would probably be one of the final pieces of conversation the four of them would ever have again. “We still have to figure that out.” Gwen replied, looking down at her essentially spotless plate embarrassingly. “We haven’t figured that out?” Miles asked, looking away from Kilo like a zoo animal he had gotten bored of watching. “No, we haven’t. We’ve been too busy with.. Other stuff.” She explained quietly before looking back at Sunflower. “Any ideas?”

“Oh plenty.. Since we’re so awesome.” She said with a smirk. Kilo smirked as the Miles and Gwen looked back at him and back at Sunflower. “As you know, we used to work at the Spider-Society as founders.. And we had the rule of no dimension hopping outside of missions or home for obvious reasons. Well, we broke our own rule. We would sneak out.”

Gwen tilted her head, giving her a disapproving look. “Like teenagers?” Kilo and Sunflower both laughed. “We were teenagers.” He responded. “How did Miguel not track you two on your watches?” Gwen prodded. “Well, we were founders too. We had the ability to erase history on our watches, which you sadly didn’t. So even if you had found our little secret date passageway, it’s not like you could’ve used it.” Sunflower said, giving Miles a pat on the back to which he would notice Gwen’s fist slightly tighten. ‘Damn! She’s territorial!’ Miles thought to himself.

“Anyways.” Sunflower continued, “Miles and I would go on so many dates together outside of Miguel’s world. I think that’s how we really bonded. Earth-96283 gave us some sense of normalcy. Earth-838 was just beautiful. God, all of those flowers. That’s actually where Miles gave me the name, Sunflower. He played me this song he loved and gave me this sunflower as a gift- God it was so romantic!”

Kilo cleared his throat, reminding her to get back on track as he looked clearly embarrassed. Sunflower cleared her throat. “Anyways, while the Society facility was being built, we had an open ventilation route established that leads directly to the outside of the main building.” Sunflower told them. “It’s on the east side. The vent cover will be hard to miss. Just rip it off and crawl in there. The vent leads directly to the lobby.”

“And how do you suppose we get through there without getting caught?” Miles asked. “Oh well that’s simple.” Kilo confirmed. They all looked at him, watching him turn invisible before reappearing. “You just need to let all of the villains out while Gwen distracts the Spider’s. They don’t sound that bright.. Probably why Miguel recruited them!” He and Sunflower began laughing, high fiving each other as the teens only shook their heads and rolled their eyes.

“Well, thank you two for your help. We couldn’t have done this without you.. Truly..” Miles spoke sincerely. “Yeah, and not just with the mission..” Gwen took Miles’ hand in hers and looked at him with an emotional smile before looking back at Sunflower. “Thanks for showing me that Gwen Stacy doesn’t always fall for Spider-Man.” Sunflower got up, picking up her plate. “And thank you for giving me an attempt at being a good mom before the real deal.”

“Wait are you-” Sunflower nodded happily. “One month in, but we’re excited.” Kilo stood up with his plate. “Also, as nervous as hell.” She would chuckle, walking over and grabbing his plate. “That too.” She walked into the kitchen as Gwen and Miles followed with theirs, setting them on the counter. “Oh shit!” Everyone heard Kilo shout as they turned to look at him. “I’ll go get it!” He said, running back to his room. “What’s that about?” Miles asked Sunflower as she rinsed their plates. “He has a surprise for you- well we do.”

Kilo returned with a box, holding it out to the boy. Miles looked up at him skeptically before reaching over and pulling off the top, looking inside with a gasp. “What is it?..” Gwen asked curiously. Miles pulled out a brand new suit that looked somewhat similar to his old one. However, the spray paint logo was now more 3D looking with the Spider being much bigger. “Wanted to give you something that was a bit more durable.” Kilo explained away as Miles took the suit out of the box. “Sunflower did most of the work. I just did design inputs.” 

Miles turned to Sunflower and then Kilo as he beamed. “I can’t put into words how thankful I am.. Thank you..” Gwen walked over, holding up a sleeve. “It’s not bleeding from the armpits. But really, I love it.” Miles quickly kissed her before rushing to the bathroom to change, leaving her standing there smiling as she felt her lips unconsciously. Kilo and Sunflower smiled at each other as the young girl turned away and began to open a portal to Earth-928. 

Miles quickly came back in, wearing his new suit and Peter-199999’s old web shooters which surprisingly matched well. “This is amazing.” He said through his mask as he turned to Gwen, who had her mask on too. “It suits you.” She spoke proudly, patting him on the back as a portal opened behind her. Miles and Gwen turned to the portal before looking back at Kilo and Sunflower, who stood there hugging each other as they watched the teenagers. “Look, I- Well uh- I-” Gwen began, trying to find the right words to thank them but- she couldn’t.

So, Gwen let out a tense breath and raced forward, hugging Kilo and Sunflower. She shot a web behind her and pulled Miles into the hug, who happily obliged. As the four of them stood in their embrace, Kilo began to chuckle to himself. “Gwen, we know. It’s okay…” “It’s what we do.” Sunflower finished, smiling down at her as she and Miles pulled back. Gwen wiped the few tears out of her eyes as she nodded, looking to Miles who gripped her hand. “Just wish we could repay you for all you have done to help our mission and.. Other things.” 

Sunflower crossed her arms with a smirk as she watched the two inch towards the portal that cast their shadows across the room. “If you want to repay us, Kick Miguel’s ass and get him to tell the actual truth.” Gwen smiled back at her as she and Miles walked towards the portal, hand in hand, and looking back at Kilo and Sunflower one last time. “You got it.” Was all she said before leaping into the portal and pulling Miles along with her. 

The punk themed portal slowly shut down behind them, leaving Kilo and Sunflower standing there as dishes, silverware, and potted plants that were floating through the air crashed down around them. “You think we’ll be good parents?” Sunflower asked, looking slightly up at her other half. “I know we will be.” Kilo responded before cupping her face and leaning down, kissing her. 

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Miles and Gwen flew through the bright orange hexagon portals with confidence as they made their way towards Earth-928. Looking around them, they watched the stable spider-verse as they passed through. Turning their heads straight ahead, they looked at the swiftly approaching end of the route as everything began to brighten around them. 

Suddenly, the blinding light was replaced by the blinding glare of the sun off the side of the Spider-Society HQ as Miles and Gwen began sliding downward. However, Miles caught his balance and grabbed Gwen’s hand, pulling her upright with him. The two looked up just in time to watch the portal close where they had begun their fall. There was no going back now.

“Glad to be back here.” Gwen mumbled sarcastically, looking around the side of the building before spotting the vent Kilo and Sunflower had been talking about. “Come on.” She said, nodding her head to her left before walking sideways across the large building. As she walked, Miles jumped to his feet behind her, momentarily falling before catching himself and sprinting across the building to catch up with her. “At least this time we’re together.” He spoke softly. As they made their way to the vent, Gwen kneeled and pulled off the cover with ease, letting it drop far below. 

She turned to look at Miles, who was leaning against the building next to her looking out towards the sun. She couldn’t tell if he or the sun provided more brightness in her life- probably him. “And that’s not changing ever again.” She agreed, leaning against the side with him. Turning towards him, she held out her hand. “Deal?” Miles grinned, turning towards her as he clasped his hand in hers. “Deal.” The two shook on it before continuing to hold each other's hands. “Cool.” Gwen said, turning to look at the now open vent. “Cool.” Miles agreed, chuckling nervously as he also looked towards the awaiting entrance. “Well.. ladies first!” He said with an awkward smile. 

Gwen turned towards him, rolling her eyes before hitting his chest playfully. “Coward.” Miles raised his hands in the air, leaning his back towards the building to keep himself sticking. “It’s just manners! Mami would reach across the multiverse and strangle me if I were to go first!” Gwen began laughing, climbing in first. “She sounds intense.” “She’s Hispanic.” Miles responded, looking back at the futuristic cityscape around them before climbing into the vent behind her. 

Miles watched Gwen’s ass move in front of him with sharp focus. However, he must’ve been too focused as after a few minutes of movement, she stopped suddenly in front of him, causing his face to run straight into her culata. Gwen’s head whipped around as he quickly backed up, trying to look anywhere but forward as an innocent blush formed beneath his mask. “Miles, what were you doing?” She slowly asked, not sounding mad but amused. “Nothing! What are you doing?” He shot back, immediately trying to change the subject. “I’m stopping because we’ve reached the end of the vent. Why didn’t you stop?” 

“Well, uh- it’s dark in here.”

“I can see just fine.”

“Y- You’re in front of me!”

“Uh huh.”

Gwen smiled to herself as she stared through the vent at what seemed like endless pillars full of limitless spiders. “Okay, we need a plan.” Miles said, squeezing in under her. “Ouch! Miles, that's my foot!” She hissed, being pushed up against the ceiling of the vent. “Sorry.” He whispered before looking out the vent as well. “Wow.. This goes straight into the lobby. The minute we get out someone has got to see us.” Gwen tried to shake her head, but quickly gave up due to the lack of room. “See me. Remember what Kilo said?” Miles shrugged. “Kilo said a lot of things. Some wise and some stupid.” Gwen rolled her eyes. “I wonder who that reminds me of..” She mumbled. 

“Hm?”

“Nothing!”

“Uh huh.”

“Anyways-” She continued. “He said I’ll be the distraction and you will turn invisible.” Truthfully, Miles had remembered this plan. He was just more afraid for her than anything. “Maybe we can come up with a better idea.” He suggested. “Why would we need a better idea?” She asked, her lenses narrowing as she tried to look in his direction. “Well.. I don’t want you to get hurt.” He admittedly shyly. Gwen felt her heart pound as she tilted her head. ‘He is SO SWEET!’ she thought to herself. “Miles… I’ll be fine. I promise.” She managed to move her arms to lift up his mask halfway before taking hers all the way off, throwing it on the vent floor. Gwen pressed her lips against his as Miles turned invisible. “Go get 'em, Tiger.” Gwen said before punching the vent cover out, shooting a web to a pillar, and pulling herself out of the vent.

Gwen swung through the lobby, feeling her spider-sense go off as more and more people looked in her direction. ‘Everything is fine. Everything is fine.’ she reassured herself- that was until everything was no longer fine. As she swung from pillar to pillar waiting for someone to finally notice her, the alarm began to sound off. As the blinking red lights blared around them, the hologram of Miguel O’Hara appeared on every watch in the society (excluding her own or Miles’ day pass he had gotten back). 

“ALL STATIONS, STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING AND STOP SPIDER-WOMAN!”

All of the Peter Parker variants looked around in confusion, pointing at different variants of Spider-Woman who all raised their hands in the air as they tried to reason their innocence. 

“Wha- No you imbeciles! GWEN STACY! She’s in the lobby!” 

If she didn’t have their attention before, she did now. Gwen landed on a pillar in the middle of the lobby as she felt hundreds of pairs of eyes on her. Chuckling nervously, she looked around as people began quietly crawling towards her or slowly walking. “Listen uh- I forgot a few things in my room. Is it okay if I just grab them?” Hearing a roar, Gwen turned her head to see Spider-Hulk coming towards her through the air, hands up as he got ready to smash them down on her. “Guess not!” She shouted, jumping up in the air with the grace of a ballerina as Spider-Hulk nearly missed her, falling into the platform which crumbled beneath him, causing a chain reaction as he disappeared into the void below. 

Gwen shot a web to the walkway above her, holding on as she watched other Spider-People leap off the affected platforms and begin swinging towards her. “Okay.. Thread the needle.” She whispered letting go of her web and shooting two more at the pillar above, slingshotting herself across the lobby. Still holding onto the two webs, Gwen flew past other Spider-Men as they leapt up to grab her. She swung over and under the pillar in a loop, causing confusion as the other Spider-People ran into each other trying to figure out where she was amongst the crowd. 

“Over here!” She shouted, beginning to leap from pillar to pillar as her blonde and strawberry hair flowed behind her. The Insomniac Spider-Man jumped up only to get kicked in the face by one of her chucks. Gwen decided to stay on one walkway, running down it as spider-people swung and ran behind her. Peter Ross AKA Spider-Boy, shot a web at her leg, making her stumble back only for Gwen to rip the web off and throw it back into his face as he cried out. 

“HALT!” She heard just in time to turn her head to see Spider-Man UK swinging his legs into her chest, knocking her off the pillar. Gwen barely had time to shoot another web as she was tackled through the air by Kaine Parker AKA Scarlet Spider. “Get. Off. Me!” She shouted, throwing him off midway through their fall before quickly recovering like a dancer on stage. Shooting another web, Gwen began to swing towards the area that housed the cells, Go Home Machine, Miguel O’Hara’s lab, and currently her friends. ‘Not for long.’ she thought.

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Minutes earlier, Miles Morales walked underneath a pillar, still invisible as other Spider-People walked above him mere feet away. ‘This is so cool. None of them can sense me.’ he thought as he moved throughout the lobby. Seeing Silk walking towards him, being engrossed in her watch, Miles planned on switching to walking down the side of the pillar when suddenly, an alarm went off. 

Out of instinct, he shot a web at the ground, just in front of Silk’s feet. Happening to be looking down at her watch, she looked up as her eyes narrowed, slowly approaching the area that Miles stood still- scared shitless. “Mmmm..” Was all he heard as she took in the seemingly aromatic air around her. Miles didn’t know whether she was about to attack him, rip his pants off, or both. Luckily, her watch displayed the image of Miguel, breaking her out of her trance as she looked down at the small figure on her wrist. 

Miles was relieved, but pissed to see the man who had lied and caused him and the woman he cared about so much pain for what seemed like no good reason. The two stood there listening to Miguel’s message as chills went down Miles’ spine. ‘This feels familiar.’ he thought before turning to the side and moving past Silk, still invisible before continuing on his way to the cell blocks. 

As Miles reached the end of his pathway, his spider-sense went off again, causing him to stop in his tracks mere feet away from other Spider-People swinging through right where he would have been walking. “She’s over there!” He heard a voice yell as they hurried towards the direction he had come. In the distance, he could see what seemed like an army of spider’s all converging around their prey. ‘I need to release the villains before Gwen gets here. She’s in danger.’ He thought, running into the cell blocks. 

Surrounded by glowing orange luminescence, Miles began searching cage to cage, top to bottom, and side to side, still invisible as he only found villain after villain through the seemingly endless rows. Each cage was labeled in the bottom, so he could tell what exactly he was looking at. ‘Kraven-616, Green Goblin-96283… Where the hell are they?’ he mused. Miles backflipped off the fourth highest cage and landed on the ground in a stupid pose, jumping up and looking around just to remember he was still invisible. ‘That was cool.’ he thought discreetly before running down the aisle. 

Finally as he neared the end, Miles saw his friends. Unlike the other neat stacks of cages piled against each other, they had been hastily thrown together in groups of two in standalone cells all by each other. Looking past the cages, Miles’ excitement quickly diminished as he saw two things he dreaded. The Go Home Machine and the Superior Spider-Man.

“You know I can see you, right?” The Superior Spider-Man said with amusement, tapping the area near his seemingly advanced lenses. He leaned against the control panel that was used to start the Go Home Machine. His friends all stared at the empty spot Miles stood in, evidently confused. “This place really is a nuthouse..” Noir muttered. Suddenly, the fog that covered the floor parted as Miles Morales appeared.

“Miles!” Peni and Margo yelled simultaneously. 

The others cheered him on, all except Peter B, who looked away unable to meet Miles’ gaze. Miles looked at the cells that housed Peter, Noir, Ham, Margo, Hobie, Peni, Pavitr, and Jessica with newfound confidence. “What do you think you’re doing kid? Do you really think you’re going to defeat me, free your friends, and what? Save the day?” Superior asked, standing on his own accord and taking a few threatening steps towards him.

Miles shrugged, “Pretty much.”

“Miguel was right.. You really are blinded by your loyalty to your relationships.” Superior said with a hint of intrigue, beginning to circle the boy who turned to keep his front half facing him. “That’s where you’re wrong. My relationships, my family, my friends.. Gwen.. That’s what makes me stronger.”

“And that’s what people can use to make you weaker. They’re liabilities. They are being put in harm's way for your own selfish interests. You’ll end up getting them hurt or worse.” Miles tilted his head. “Is that a threat?”

“A promise. If not me, someone else.” 

“And what if the ones I care about can protect themselves?”

“Do you really think that can go on forever? That there won’t be a threat too great- too powerful to stop without sacrifice? You can try to do both, but you won’t always succeed.”

Miles paused, stopping in his tracks as he stared through his mask lenses at the cage that housed Peter B, who still refused to meet his gaze. He didn't know how to answer that- and he didn't want to know how. He could do both... “You can still make things right..” Superior offered, standing behind Miles as his four metal pincers slowly came out of his back, their points aimed straight at the boy. “Nobody has to get hurt.”

Miles looked over his shoulder, glaring at the man through his mask. “The only one getting hurt today is you.” He heard the creepy distinct laughter of a mix of Peter Parker and Doc Ock before the man pounced at him. His spider-sense going off, Miles dropped to the ground as the Superior Spider-Man dove directly over his head, one of his pincers barely grazing his shoulder, creating a small tear in the fabric.

As Superior slid to the ground behind him, Miles ran to the machine and began to press the same buttons to turn it on as he had days before. Suddenly, he felt an arm reach over his back and pull him back only for another hand to meet his cheek. Miles stumbled back as the Go Home Machine began to turn on behind him and Otto/Peter.

Miles shot a web directly into the other man, pulling him towards him as Otto jumped up and raised his fist in the air with clear intent, taking advantage of the move. However, Miles flipped out of the way at the last second, causing the Superior Spider-Man to land directly in front of the camera, which scanned his eyes through his lenses. Suddenly, the machine rang out the listing,

“Earth-12131”

“That’s your plan? To send me home!?” Superior Spider-Man asked incredulously, whipping his head towards him. “Pretty much!” Miles repeated again, only this time with more annoyance in his tone. Miles leapt onto him and crawled all over him, beginning to web him up into a cocoon as Superior stumbled around, attempting to shake the boy off before all four of his mechanical arms threw themselves out, breaking all webbing, and sending Miles tumbling to the ground. Miles got up with grace, brushing himself off as the Superior Spider-Man stayed on calculated defense, waiting for the next attack.

Miles shot two webs at two of his pincers, which spread apart and shot him forward into Superior, the two falling on the ground together as his two other pincers tried to pierce his legs only for Miles to dodge the attempts. Still holding into the mechanical legs, Miles flipped over Superior and onto his feet, throwing him forward as the two pincers ripped off, still in Miles' hands as Superior fell to the ground at his feet. 

Miles jumped up into the air, both pincers in hand as he tried to scare Superior with the threat of stabbing. However, the Superior Spider-Man laid still as Miles landed directly in front of him, holding the two pincers to his throat as his other two began to short out under him. “Is that supposed to scare me?” The man jeered at the boy leaned over him. “Nah man, just distract you.” Miles said, pulling the sharp points away from his neck and throwing them across the room. “Wait what do you mea-” Suddenly, Otto felt a mechanical claw grab him from behind and begin to pull him back.

“Wait- No!” He shouted, beginning to struggle and break free as he fell, only for another claw to grab his leg and still pull him into the Go Home Machine, dropping him headfirst onto the platform. “You can’t do this to me!” He shouted with disbelief and arrogance in his voice, lunging forward only to be held back. “You can’t beat me!” He continued, still not able to accept the fact he just lost to a teenager. Miles tore off his mask as he glared at the cocoon forming around the other man. “I’m the Superior Spider-Man!” He shouted, all sorts of colors filling the room as Otto was lifted upward, disappearing within an instant. Suddenly, the room turned back to normal as a red hue filled the darkness again, fog moving around Miles’ shoes as he stood there, facing the portal and gripping his mask in his right hand as the trapped others watched him from behind with pride.

“And I’m the Ultimate Spider-Man.”

Chapter Text

“MILES! MY MAN!” Hobie Brown’s fierce British accent sounded out across the room. Now that his moment had ended, Miles looked over his shoulder at the imprisoned band behind him. Days ago, he would have wanted nothing more than to see the very people who tried to trap him be caged themselves. However, everything has changed. He didn’t care who was behind his back as long as Miguel was stopped, and he got to save his dad. As he looked over the familiar faces, he was relieved to see the friendly smiles of Hobie, Margo, and he guessed that even Noir had at least a grin under his mask. On the other hand, there was an uneasy look on Peter B.’s face from either seeing him, the lack of Mayday, or both. Miles pulled his mask over his face again as if it were a shield to hide his conflicting emotions as he made his way towards the glowing orange cages. 

Looking over the crowd, he decided to start with Margo and Hobie’s cell. Walking up to the box, he held his hands up. “Use the palms, not the fingers. Right?” Hobie simply let out a giddy chuckle as Margo backed away from the energy field holding them hostage. “Uhm, this isn’t going to hurt us, right?” Hobie shrugged. “Don’t worry luv, probably not.” Margo’s head sharply turned in his direction. “Probably not?” She asked with a distinct hint of sass. Hobie chuckled again as the energy began being absorbed into Miles’ palms as he held them against the glowing orange field. The illuminescents slowly faded before Miles redirected the energy in a similar manner to how he had broken out himself or how he had blasted away Miguel. The energy field around the two shattered as what remained of the cage was blown back into the cell behind them that held Pavitr, who was knocked against the side of the cage headfirst with a groan. “Ouch!”

Peter rolled his eyes. “Ever hit your head against a bell?” Pavitr tilted his head as he rubbed it. “I don’t think so, why?” Peter chuckled. “Because you haven’t felt true pain yet my friend.” Hobie and Margo both sat up, having taken a small tumble from the force of the mini explosion. “That. Was. AWESOME!” Hobie said excitedly, hopping on his feet and giving Miles a pat on the back before turning around and helping Margo up. Miles then turned towards Pavitr’s cage, beginning to do the same thing. “Ey mate, where’s Gwendy?” He asked, looking around the room to see no sign of her. Pavitr’s cage too exploded as Miles turned his head in Hobie’s direction. “She’s on the way.. And bringing some guests. Where’s Jess?” He asked, noticing the woman's absence.

Miles walked towards Peter and Ham’s cage, bending down to share a look with Peter before the older man turned his head away shyly, not being able to meet Miles’ eyes. “Miguel imprisoned her somewhere else. We don’t know where. Are these guests we should be worried about?” Margo inquired, seeing no other spider-person in their vicinity- something that was rare in Miguel’s vast society. Miles winced as he too split his eyes away from him and Peter’s look, feeling an uneasy feeling in his stomach he couldn’t quite explain before answering. “Uhm.. maybe.. Kinda... Yes?” 

He pressed his palms against the cage as his eyes narrowed. This venom blast felt more.. Aggressive than the others. It was as if he was letting out his sudden anger on the cage itself. Sometimes, hitting things or people was much easier than talking about his feelings. The cage exploded in front of him before he quickly moved on to Peni and Noir’s completing the same process as before but only this time with more ease as the others wandered around behind him, looking at the stacked rows of caged villains. It felt like they were shopping in some twisted grocery store. It looked like the people and sometimes animals the cages housed weren’t even beings- just products to look at to pick and choose. Maybe that was an intimidating factor that Miguel chose purposefully. “So.. What’s the plan?” Peter asked softly, a major difference from his usual outgoing mood. 

“You askin’ me?” Miles asked with a hint of surprise present in his voice, turning around in the other’s direction as Peni and Noir stood behind him. “You’re the leader!” Ham spoke, crossing his arms to further cement his proclamation. “Well, I guess that depends on if you are all going to try to trap me again.” Miles replied with an amused smile. Peter quickly stumbled over his words. “Look- We- aren’t doing that again.. We aren’t ever doubting you again.. I’m not.. It’s your time to shine, Miles.” He looked back at Peter, giving him a grateful look. Not knowing when they would have the chance to talk again, Miles decided that he wanted to clear things up before turning back towards the team. “Alright… I need you to cause some chaos.” Nobody smiled bigger than Hobie. “I fuckin’ love chaos.” Miles scoffed, taking a step next to him as the two looked at the large, towering rows of inhumane prison cells in front of them. “Then you’re just the man for the job. You see these villains.. Go ahead and release them.” 

“Bloody hell.. Gwen WAS right about you.” Hobie said confidently before walking into the aisle. Miles chuckled before his smile quickly disappeared. “Wait, what was she right about!?” Margo and the others followed behind Hobie, giving Miles a pat on the back. Finally, Miles and Peter B. were the only two left standing there as the younger of the two turned towards the adult. “So.. I notice Mayday isn’t with you..” He walked past Peter, looking over the control console of the Go Home Machine. He wasn’t even interested in it. If anything, it was more of a nervous distraction. “Yeah.. Miguel has her. That’s a problem.. But not the only problem right now. We need to talk, ki-“ he caught his tongue. “Man.” Miles turned towards Peter, kicking his foot through the fog as he took a step towards him. “Yeah?” Peter shook his head, letting out a soft groan before leaning against the console as he stood next to Miles, watching the others figure out which villains they wanted to let out. Suddenly, there seemed to be a flurry of interest around five certain villains.

Peni Parker walked up to a cage that had a man in light green armor leaned against the side. His slicked back hair looked like it hadn’t been washed in months. The bags under his heavy eyes hinted at the possibility of little to no sleep. “Who are you?” Peni softly asked the former villain, sensing his distress. The older man turned to look at the girl in front of him, a look of evident shock on his face at the fact that someone would notice him- let alone talk to him. “Oh uh hello- My name is Norman Osborn.. I’m the CEO of Oscorp.. Or I was. Now I’m just a father who wants to go home. I shouldn’t be here...” Peni tilted her head. “And why aren’t you home right now? You seem nice enough.” Norman looked up at the confining ceiling above him as he could see much further past it. “I was pulled to some other.. Timeline. Peter Parker- not my Peter Parker, messed up some spell with a wizard.. At least I think that’s how it went.” 

Margo whipped around. “Wait, you were present for the near collapse of 199999? Like the event that led to the expansion of the Spider-Society?” Norman shrugged. “I honestly have no clue what you’re talking about, young lady. All I know is that I wasn’t supposed to be cured. Something with interfering with a canon event.” Margo took a step towards Norman. “The Spider-Man of 199999 cured you, right?” “He cured most of us.” A new voice spoke. Both Peni and Margo’s heads whipped around to the cell next to Norman as Otto Octavius took a step forward. One of his metal tentacles was noticeably missing a claw. “We weren’t supposed to be cured.. And because of what happened we were not supposed to go home. We are meant to rot here until the day we die.” 

Peni shook her head, looking back at Margo. “Not on my watch..” She turned back towards the villains. “You’re going home. You have my word.” She noticed a new figure joining the others on the right of Osborn, wearing what seemed like a construction vest. “And what did you do? Forget to get a permit?” Max Dillion looked down at his jacket. “What?- Oh. No, I was Electro. I was also cured by Peter- well actually I was cured by my Peter. Shit- there were a ton of Peters!” Dillion then looked Margo down as his eyes widened. “Oh my god- You’re black! Hey Doctor Conners, there’s a black Spider-.. Woman.” Margo and Peni heard a scoff from the cell more to the right. “Congratulations, Max. What an achievement.” A scientist with one arm replied, staring hopelessly at the wall in front of him as if he was waiting for something to magically happen to it. “Okay then, we will get you four out-”

“Five.” Yet another voice spoke. Rolling her eyes, Peni looked to the far left of Octavius to see a man in a green striped shirt walk to the front of his small, cramped cell. “Okay, five.” Margo replied, looking at the five former villains who all had uneasy looks of uncertainty on their faces. For the first time since fighting the three Peter’s, someone actually wanted to help them. “Don’t worry guys.. You’re going home and you’re getting a second chance.”

Miles and Peter watched the whole exchange, smiling to themselves as Peni ran to grab Hobie who could use his own electricity powers to help the five escape. “If he’s excited about Margo, just wait till he sees my black ass.” Miles remarked, causing Peter to begin quietly laughing before his laughter grew louder. Pulling off his mask, Miles and Peter B. exchanged a look before immediately looking ahead again, the laughter having died with the tense mood that was reborn. Miles knew something had to be said. He didn’t want this tension to last forever. “Speaking of second chances.. I may just have one more of those to give out.” Miles turned his head towards Peter in a Gwen-esque way. The two of them really were rubbing off on each other. 

Peter gave him a small awkward smile. “But do I really deserve one?” Even he didn’t know the answer to that question. That was up to his friend to answer. Miles looked forward again with a shrug. “I know you’re sorry for what you did. You should be by the way..“ Miles looked at him again before clearing his throat and looking down at his empty baby Björn. “But being sorry doesn’t make it hurt any less. It doesn’t undo the action.. However, you can still make up for it and I think you have. You don’t erase the past, Peter. You make a better future.. Gwen taught me that. You’re here now and that’s what matters. So I’d say you do.”

Peter felt that harrowing feeling in the pit of his stomach quickly subside only to be replaced by a familiar warmth that spread through his body- carefree happiness. “You’re a good kid, Miles. You bring out the best in all of us. You brought out the best in me. I wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for you. Neither would Mayday.. I owe everything to you. We all do. We’ve got your back.. I love you, man.” Peter held out his fist for a fistbump, continuing to smile brightly as Miles turned towards him. The room didn’t seem as dark anymore. Seeing Peter continue to hold out his fist, Miles slowly chuckled and shook his head, shooting a web and pulling Peter into his arms, hugging him as the warmth in Peter spread to him. 

The two stood still for a few seconds, enjoying their parental embrace as relief washed over the both of them. Then, Miles pulled back as Peter B. continued to smile, the fire in his eyes renewed. “Mig-” Every color imaginable flashed in front of Miles’ eyes as Peter B. and the rest of the band began glitching, falling onto the ground as they writhed in pain. However, Margo continued to stand there, simply being an avatar and not being able to glitch since she wasn’t even really there. Miles, who still had his old day pass continued to stand there, looking away as he winced painfully. It was like going to Kingpin’s collider all over again. 

He hesitantly began to take off his day pass to give to someone- anyone when Peter’s hand reached up and grasped his arm. “Miles, keep it on.” Miles glared down defiantly at him. “But-” “Miles, you’ve gone through enough pain. Keep it on.” Peter B. repeated, standing up as he gripped his stomach. Now that Miles knew what glitching felt like, he could sympathize with the others much more easily than before. Nothing could compare to the pain of feeling yourself be torn apart and put back together at the same time at a subatomic level. If Miles had to compare it to something somewhat realistic, it felt like being pricked by thousands of needles while being kicked in the stomach by a horse. “Those cells were keeping you stabilized- Peter, I’m sorry.” He whispered, watching the others get up ahead of them. “Don’t be. Glitching and being free is better than being in that cell. At least I have a chance of going home.” A terrifying realization dawned on Miles as eyes widened in pure fear. He felt chills go down his spine as he remembered the vivid details of his dream from the night before. The utter destruction he witnessed and the screams of billions he heard still haunted his thoughts. 

“MARGO!” Miles screamed, shooting a web and swinging in her direction. She turned as Miles landed in front of her, still gripping his mask in his hand. “Do you know where the watches are kept? The ones that keep you from glitching?” She slowly nodded; a look of confusion clearly evident on her face. “Yeah, I do?” Peter swung over behind Miles. “Kid, what’s wrong?” Miles whipped back to face him, still deep in thought as he tried to piece everything together. Finally, he looked up into Peter’s eyes with deathly seriousness. The look in Miles’ eyes immediately let Peter know something was terribly wrong. “If we don’t get you guys those watches, you’re going to cause an incursion.”

The taboo word rang through the air, a dreadful quiet following soon after as every member of the band sat on the terrifying word. Finally, after a minute of intense silence, Ham spoke up. “What does that mean?” The band gave him a look of collective shrugs. Miles groaned “then why did you- it doesn’t matter. Look, an incursion is when one or two worlds collide because someone is on the wrong earth or timelines have gotten too close to each other. If you don’t have a watch to stop glitching, your earth will be pulled towards you and will eventually collide with the world you are on. We need to find the watches.” With no time to waste, Miles ignored the horrified looks and turned to Margo. “Where are the watches?” She suddenly shrunk down into herself, her confident demeanor deflating with Miles’ words. “In Miguel’s bunker.. Where he is.”

“Mierda.” Miles whispered, turning away from Margo as he was deep in thought. “As I was going to say earlier, Mayday is there too.” Peter spoke up. “And probably Jessica Drew.” Peni guessed. Miles nodded, pacing back and forth in front of the band. As a plan rapidly formed in his head, he stopped in front of them and turned to face them, first looking at Peter. “Peter.. You said that you all got my back. Now’s the time to prove it. Do you trust me?” Every member of the band instantly nodded. Maybe they didn’t trust Miles before, but they sure as hell did now. “Okay, here’s the plan. I need you guys to release some villains. You and them will team up to hold off the society and buy Gwen and I time. Margo can send the fearsome five over there back where they came from before she joins you.” Miles said, nodding his head towards the No Way Home villains. “I’m going to go after Miguel in his bunker, take him down, save Mayday, rescue Jess, and get you all some watches. We’re going to stop the incursion and we’re going to save my dad. We have one shot. Every person across the spider-verse is depending on us. We need to deliver. You get out there and you do what you do best. Use your great power with great responsibility.” 

Silence fell over everyone as they took in Miles’ words before surprisingly, it was Noir who finally spoke. “Damn.. That was a good speech.” Miles smirked, secretly proud of himself as he turned and began walking away towards the Go Home Machine. He turned it on and began preparing it for Margo to use and the villain's departure. He was still in disbelief that only days ago he had used this thing to run and now here he was, right back where he started. Only this time, he was done running. “Miles!” He heard Peter B.’s voice call out. Powering up the machine, Miles turned around to face Peter as the older of the two swung over to meet him. “Hey, you said you wanted chaos, right?” Miles slowly nodded. “Yeah?” Peter looked over at an isolated cell, sitting by itself on the floor a dozen or so feet away from the two. “I think I know someone who can help with that.” Miles and Peter both took a few steps towards the cell, stopping in front of it to see Deadpool sat against the wall. Several old cut off fingers laid on the bloody cell floor. Wade had most likely cut them off out of pure boredom. “What’s he like?” Miles asked, turning his head from Deadpool to look up at Peter. “You don’t even want to know..” Peter said, beginning to chuckle. “Just trust me. He’ll be helpful.” 

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Gwen Stacy punched her way out of the grip of the Bombastic Bag Man as the two were tumbling through the air. This had to be at least the tenth time Gwen had been tackled now. Her spider-sense once again went off midair as she fell, now out of Bag Man’s arms. She shot a web at something or probably someone to turn around and kick her leg out, hitting Spider-Man LOTUS in the chest and sending him flying back behind her. Feeling the crowd behind her gain ground like a wave overcoming her with the kick she made, Gwen shot a web at a walkway and pulled herself towards it, beginning to sprint towards the Strength and Conditioning training area. God, the memories she had over exhausting herself here, fueled by the pure anger of not being able to see Miles. Suddenly, an idea formed in her head. ‘Miles! That’s it! I can take the same route he did.’

Instead of going under the giant block like how Miles had, she went around it twice, kicking Spider-People in the back and throwing them out of their swing and to the ground before hurrying onwards. She easily dodged the villain pop-ups including the voice of the Doc Ock that the Band was ironically with at that very moment. Coming up to the station where people had to use their webs to hold two large orange pillars together, Gwen had an idea to take out most of the people behind her. Seeing Ben Riley working out, she jumped down into the artificial chasm below, shooting a web and pulling Ben Riley’s Scarlet Spider down with her, who had been wearing his mask and a hospital gown. Most likely, he had been trying to get back into fighting shape after Gwen stranded him wherever she did. 

“Hey! It’s you! Do you know the traumatic events you put me through!? Ugh! I’m so triggered right now! Oh god! Flashbacks!” He screamed down at her somehow quietly. Gwen shrugged at him and gave her best attempt at an apologetic look with her lenses. Ben suddenly felt another Spider-Man woosh past him, then another, and then another. Soon, Spider-People rained around them as Gwen watched the two giant orange pillars carefully as they slowly began to break off their hinges and move closer and closer to coming down on top of them. Electricity began sparking out of the mechanisms as she felt other Spider-People gripping her legs, only pulling them down further. “Come on..” she mumbled as the exercise equipment began to give way. “Come on!” Suddenly, she heard the unmistakable snap of the machine breaking as both orange pillars began to fall down upon her and the other spider-people down there with she and Ben. 

“Sorry!” She shouted up at Ben, feeling a bit bad she was about to send him to the hospital again. Gwen let go of the web she had been holding onto, falling down towards the darkness below before shooting two webs at the giant falling machine, slingshotting herself upwards and past the chaos under her as the couple spider’s who had been holding onto her were also thrown up into the air in confusion. Everything moved in slow motion for Gwen as chaos unfolded around her. Spider-People flew upwards and downwards, every lens widened except for hers. Her eyes were closed as she rolled sideways and let her Spider-Sense take her wherever she needed to go. Suddenly, everything went back to normal as the screams of the people below her returned and Gwen flew onto the other side of the large room, sliding across the floor with her right leg stuck out before standing, her arms at her sides. “That was easy. Just like squashing a spider.” She grinned under her mask before letting out a single laugh, thankful Miles wasn’t there to hear that cringy quip. 

Seeing a tunnel leading upwards, Gwen shot multiple webs to climb up it before jumping out and coming face to face with the Spider-Verse, only this time being completely surrounded including from behind. “Okay, NOW there is nowhere to run!” Metro Boomin’s Spider-Man confidently proclaimed, looking around at the extra security measures he took. Gwen looked around at the Spider’s that surrounded her before looking down to see other’s webbing their way up the tunnel she had just come through. “Alright, nowhere to go but forward..” Gwen mumbled, beginning to sprint towards the Spider-People in front of her. Miles had run from his supposed fate days ago. Now, she was running towards it. “Okay- you're not stopping. This is concerning. This is very concerning!” Metro yelped. Gwen leapt up through the air and grabbed onto Metro, using him like a gymnastic bar to swing herself over the Spider-People and past them as Metro fell back onto the ground behind her. “How do they keep finding somewhere to run?!” He wondered aloud, sitting up. Gwen flew through the air only to see the tail of Spider-Rex barreling towards her. So, she shot a web at the walkway under her and instantly pulled herself down before continuing to run through sector four. 

Finally she saw the large letters that spelled out ‘HOLDING CELLS + GO HOME MACHINE’ above a large entrance. “Finally!” She shouted, clearly out of breath as she ran down the walkway. ‘Can’t keep distracting them, here I come!’ She screamed urgently into her and Miles’ love buzz, hoping that he could somehow hear her. As Gwen reached the rows of cells, the Spider-Verse closed in behind her. With the Insomniac Spider-Man swinging in the lead, Spider-People swung behind him, coming towards the single point that was Gwen in all directions. People landed on the pillar she ran on, chasing after her. Webs shot at her from all directions, desperately trying to pull her back. Yet, she dodged them and shot a web at the top of the entrance, swinging in right to where the Band was standing. 

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Moments prior to this, Miles watched many villains being released. “That one!” Deadpool said commandingly, pointing to the cell that contained the Insomniac Scorpion. He turned back to Miles as Hobie began to rapidly play his guitar behind him, shooting volts of electricity at the cell. “Hey, thanks for giving me my five minutes of screentime.. It means a lot.” Miles titled his head, looking quite confused to what he even meant. He glanced back at Peter B. who simply gave him an equally as confused shrug. “You’re.. Welcome, I guess.”

Deadpool looked over Miles’ shoulder, watching the Green Goblin be sent back to his earth. Norman looked at Margo with a thankful smile and eyes that expressed more than could possibly be said. “Thank you.. All of you. I couldn’t go home without you.” Margo smiled to herself, glancing down at the console. This was why she was a part of the society. This was the rewarding part of the job. “It’s what we do.” She quietly said before looking back up, watching the barrier made up of space and time itself begin to be formed around him. Norman’s eyes teared up as he looked at increasingly powerful colors around him. “I’m going to go see my son..”

With that, the Go Home Machine instantly turned off as all color in the room disappeared, being replaced by the dull blues and the red fog that covered the floor. “Alrighty on that note, I must be going! I have to get to that crossover!” Deadpool said, turning his back to Miles and beginning to walk towards the Go Home Machine. “Wait- I thought you were going to stay and help! Why can’t you?” Miles asked incredulously. Wade turned around as he kept walking backwards towards the machine. “I gotta go see Wolverine!”

“Who!?” Miles exclaimed, getting quite impatient with the man’s meaningless references. 

“Don’t worry, you’ll meet him in the future!” 

Deadpool covered his mouth. “Oops! Spoilers!” He turned back around to see the mechanical eye come down from the ceiling to scan him. “Why, hello sexy.” He said as it scanned him. “Earth-TRN414!” the monotone robotic voice announced. Wade stepped on the platform, turning back to look at Miles and the rest of the band who had gathered behind him. “Word of advice- When you fight Logan, don’t turn invisible. He can still smell you!” Unlike the emotional Norman Osborn, Wade Wilson looked around at the colors surrounding him with amusement. It was as if nothing was a big deal to him. Finally, as he began to lift up in the air, he looked directly at Miles before saying goodbye.

“I’ll see you and Gwen again, Spider-Man.” 

Deadpool lifted up into the air, flipping them all off for no apparent reason. Finally, as he was gone, the entire band stood there with a look of shock on their faces, Miles in particular. “Well that wasn’t ominous at all.” Noir finally broke the ice. “How did he even know about Gwen!?” Miles scoffed, turning around and beginning to walk towards the entrance. Suddenly, every band member’s Spider-Sense went off. Miles clutched his mask in his hand as he stood dead still. He heard a thought in his head, but it wasn’t his. ‘Can’t keep distracting them, here I come!’ 

It was Gwen’s.

“Holy shit..”

Every band member turned towards him as Miles looked like he was staring into space, clearly deep in thought. “What? Do you know what that was?” Peni inquired. Not wanting to confess Gwen had somehow just talked to him through what was a seemingly magic mind connection, he was quick on his feet to come up with a different response. “She’s on her way and there are a lot of-” They all heard a faint yelling in the distance that only intensified as they saw the entire Spider-Society swinging towards them in a grand fashion. Red and blue suits took up as far as they could see. “A lot of that. Are the villains in position?” Miles asked, turning towards Margo who nodded. Suddenly, Margo’s eyes widened and Miles turned back in the direction to see a streak of white and black fly into him, almost knocking him to the ground as he stumbled back, holding Gwen in his arms. 

Breathing heavily, Gwen looked into his eyes with her arms and legs wrapped around his torso in an intimate manner. 

“Hey.”

Miles began to chuckle as he shook his head, staring into her ocean blue eyes. 

“Hey.”

Everyone else stood there dumbfounded, their arms at their sides as even a literal question mark appeared over Ham’s head. Peter was the first to speak, deciding to momentarily ignore the increasingly loud war cries of the other Spider-People. “I’m sorry, are we missing something here?” Gwen looked at him and back to Miles before quickly pecking him on the lips and turning back to Peter with a smile so big she looked like a puppy showing her owner something she caught, practically saying ‘look what I found!’

“I knew it..” Margo mumbled with a smirk. “FINALLY!” Pavitr broke out, walking up to the two as Miles set Gwen down much to her dismay. “Gosh, it took long enough! You were both circling the drain! Will they? Won’t they? You wouldn’t make up your damn mind!” Gwen gave Pavitr an emotionless look that said, ‘shut up or I will kill you later.’ Suddenly, Pavitr decided being quiet would be the best course of action, giving Miles an awkward pat on the back and stepping back. The other’s continued to look at him before Hobie was next to step up. “Congratulations Gwendy!” He held out both hands, giving her a double high five. “Peter Pan strikes again!” He said with a laugh, pulling Miles into a hug despite his surprise. “You know, Gwendy liked you for the longest time! She would not shut up about you some days. Oh my god! You’re going to have an anarchist baby!” Miles chuckled, pulling back forcefully. Gwen rested her hand on his shoulder, rolling her eyes as her cheeks flushed. “Hobie!” She tilted her head back in surprise. She rarely saw her friend so- energetic. 

“My friend Hobie here is just excited.” Peter B. said with a chuckle, patting him on the shoulder. “Don’t touch me.” Hobie mumbled. “Alrighty!” Peter quickly pushed things forward, walking past the anarchist and pulling Miles and Gwen into a hug. “I am… SO HAPPY! It’s like watching my babies grow up! And then dating each other!” He pulled out his phone from his robe and took a selfie with them despite the two not being ready. “Ew..” Peni mumbled. The three heard several wooshes fly past them, causing them all to be pulled out of their moment. The Spider-Band surrounded them defensively, looking up around them as a bunch of people began landing on overhanging lights, the ceiling, and the ground that surrounded them. The amount of Spider-People seemed to increase nonstop before the Insomniac Spider-Man finally swung in at the end. The giant eye of Spider-Rex peeked in behind him, obviously not being able to fit into the room. 

“Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy, Peter B. Parker- okay I’m not going to name all of you. You’re all under arrest!” The Insomniac Spider-Man announced, his echo going around the vast room they stood in. Gwen scoffed. “For what?” The man didn’t seem to be expecting this question, looking around the room for an answer. “For breaking the rules?” Hobie shook his head, holding his guitar at the ready. “That sounds like a healthy non-corrupt system. Changing the laws whenever they benefit you.”

Insomniac Spider-Man sighed, throwing his arms out before letting them rest at his side. “Okay, I don’t know.. How about breaking the canon? Attacking the Spider-Society?” Miles took a step forward. “Attacking!? I was running away!” Insomniac Peter glared at Gwen. “She tried to strand Ben Reily in another dimension.” The husk of a man limped forward in crutches, wearing a hospital gown and his beat-up mask. “It’s true!” Ben croaked, lifting a crutch in her direction. “I didn’t have access to protein bars for 4 HOURS!” 

Insomniac Peter facepalmed, shaking his head. “Why don’t you go lay down, Ben?” The Scarlet-Spider shook his head. “Absolutely not! I need to act on my intrusive thoughts!” 

“And what are those? Missing leg day?” Miles quipped.

“Pulverizing you! Then her! Then… You!” Reily exclaimed, pointing to Noir. “I’m sorry, who’re you?” Noir questioned. “Come meet my beautiful beastly biceps and find out who I am!” Reily screamed. “Oookay, let’s calm down.” Insomniac Peter spoke, stepping between them and gripping Ben by the shoulders, handing him over to the Spectacular Spider-Man and a green and purple themed Spider-Man. “Look, you all either come willingly or you come forcefully. I don’t wanna hurt you, but it’s your choice. Just give up while you still have your dignity.. Please.” 

Miles grinned, shaking his head. “If you think we’re going to give up and stay down, you don’t know the first thing about being Spider-Man. There comes a moment where we have to choose to rise up to the occasion or.. I.. am running out of things to say. Are you all ready?” Insomniac Spider-Man looked around in confusion before his spider-sense went off. The Scorpion jumped out of the darkness and threw his tail in his direction, which the experienced Spider nearly missed, webbing it to the ground. “Seriously? That was your backup?” He asked Miles, looking down at the Scorpion who struggled to get away from the web.

“Nah.. This is our backup.” Gwen and the others looked behind them at the Go Home Machine as Miles put on his mask and crossed his arms confidently, not even looking back. Villains began pouring out from both left and right from hiding behind the cell blocks. Rhino’s, Kraven’s, Mysterio’s, and more. “Oh… that’s good backup.” The MCU Prowler walked to the front, nodding his head at the others. Gwen awkwardly returned the gesture before looking back at Miles. “Alright everyone… Go make some chaos.” All the villains laughed maniacally, charging the Society alongside most of the Spider-Band. Even though she was confused, Gwen began charging forward only for Miles to grab her by the hood and yank her back, pulling her over behind a block of cells. “Sorry, was I the one who missed out on something?!” Miles looked over her shoulder to make sure nobody was following or listening. He watched Spider-Man Unlimited get launched across the room by an explosion, most likely a pumpkin bomb. 

“Uh yeah, so basically none of them have watches.” He said with a flat face. The pink in Gwen’s hair disappeared as she glanced back over her shoulder worriedly before looking back at Miles. “So.. Incursions.” Miles nodded in corroboration. “But we can get them watches and prevent the incursions. Said watches happen to be in Miguel’s bunker… With Mayday and Jessica.” Gwen cursed under her breath. “Shit… And I’m guessing the spineless coward is down there too? Just.. watching?” Miles sighed, crossing his arms. 

“Waiting.”

Gwen groaned, punching the cell barrier next to them, making the black symbiote inside lunge at the barrier only for the electricity to shock it back into submission. “So, it’s a trap..” 

“Yep.. But I don’t really care. Do you?” 

“Not particularly.. We just have to be smart about it.”

“Since when have we ever done that?” Miles asked, beginning to laugh as another explosion rocked the room next to them. Gwen smirked. “Never. Let’s do this Kilometer.” Miles pulled up his mask halfway before kissing her gingerly. He pulled back, keeping their faces inches apart as he whispered “take the lead, Gwanda.”

Gwen lightly slapped his shoulder before taking his hand, pulling him through the chaos right next to them. They suddenly stopped in place as the Spider-Horse ran past them, quite scared by the chaos as the Spectacular variant of the Green Goblin flew behind him. Gwen shot a web, pulling the Goblin off his slider with a distinct forceful disgust before continuing to pull Miles through the crowd. They both ducked as Spider-Ham was thrown over their backs, followed by Malala Windsor. The Prowler noticed the two, tackling Spider-Man UK out of the way. Miles ran by, giving him a quick fist bump before Spider-Man UK pulled the Prowler onto the ground with him. 

The Insomniac Spider-Man shot a web at Miles’ back, pulling him backwards as Gwen’s head sharply turned back, her lenses widening as she grabbed onto Miles, pulling him forward towards her. The two of them struggled against his strength as the web stood straight, a few feet apart. Spider-Man Noir stumbled backwards, tripping back over the web, followed by a Spider-Man in a jester costume. “Sorry!” Miles called out. Gwen was too busy trying to wrestle him away from the other Spider-Man to care. Suddenly, Peter B. Parker swung into the Insomniac Spider-Man, kicking him out of the way and releasing Miles from the grip of his web. “You gotta get out of here man.” He said before the tentacle of a Doc Ock version of Spider-Man pulled him away. Miles and Gwen grasped hands as they made their way out of the fight, running into a dark hallway as the electricity of Hobie’s guitar illuminated it briefly from a distance.

“You okay?” Gwen stopped and asked, checking Miles’ face by pulling up his mask and checking for bruises. “Gw- I’m fine, baby!” He said, prying her hands away by gripping her wrists as she held them still in the air. “Sorry.. I just-” Miles shook his head. “It’s okay.. I get it.. You aren’t losing me..” The two looked into each other’s eyes lovingly, feeling both of their hearts practically pound out of their chests in excitement. Gwen could swear she swooned. If this wasn’t love, she didn’t know what was. ‘Wait, I just said love!’ She thought to herself, taking a step forward to kiss him. However, she was interrupted by the piercing pain of their Spider-Sense only amplified by their connection. The two of them gripped their heads, groaning in pain as they looked down the hallway at the slowly opening large metal door. 

As the door raised, they heard an inhuman scream through the darkness. It sounded full of pain, anguish, and hunger. Finally, as the door went up into the ceiling, Miles and Gwen could make out the shadow in the darkness. “Uhm.. Miguel?” Miles called out hesitantly, hopeful that it was just his old foe. However deep down, he knew this was someone completely different and someone who was much more dangerous. They heard a mournful, depressed groan before nothing filled the hall but the beings heavy breathing. Finally, red lights turned on, illuminating the hallway as Miles and Gwen stared ahead in horror, unable to speak. 

In the dark red light, a figure hunched over with the tattered remnants of a Spider-Man costume, emerged from the shadows. The figure's movements were disjointed and unnatural, and a faint, guttural growl emanated from it. The Zombie Spider-Man gave the duo a hollow, lifeless stare as his flesh peeled off his face. A spider crawled out of his empty eye socket and around the back of his head. His rib cage was ever present through his broken red stained suit. Miles quickly realized the suit wasn’t so red because it was new, but because it was covered in blood. 

The zombie Peter Parker of Earth-2149 gave the two a deranged hungry grin before letting out a horrifying and tortured scream that seemed to originate from its endless pit of self-hate and endless despair.

Chapter Text

A horrifying screech echoed through the dark hall illuminated by the dark bloody red lights as the zombie Spider-Man stood in front of Miles and Gwen, looking down its prey with glee. “Okay, Gwen what’s the plan?” Miles quickly asked, his voice full of fear. “Why am I the one who has to come up with the plan!? You have great plans!” She insisted. “I don’t have a plan to deal with a whole ass zombie!” He cried out as the figure screeched again, making them both take a step back. 

Both of their Spider-Sense’s went off as the zombie lunged at them. Miles dove to the right and shot a web at Gwen’s arm, pulling her on top of him and out of the way as Peter bit into thin air. Their faces inches apart as they laid on the ground, Gwen looked down at him as Miles smiled awkwardly. “Hey.”

“Miles, not the time.” Gwen spoke as their spider-sense went off again. Seeing the zombie lunge towards Gwen, Miles shot a web from the floor and stuck Peter’s foot to the ground. Gwen quickly jumped up and shot two webs down at Miles’ chest, pulling him up and positioning his face close to hers. “Hey.” She whispered with a small smirk before backing up, pulling on the webs as Miles was forced to come along with her. “Okay, so how do you defeat a zombie?” She asked as she watched Peter pull his foot out from the web with ease. 

“Have you not watched any zombie shows?” Miles asked as his jaw dropped. Gwen shrugged. “Walking dead!?” She tilted her head. “Do you mean Running Life?” 

“Wha- No!” Miles slapped his forehead. “The point is, if there is one thing I have learned from watching too much TV, it’s that you go for the zombie’s brain. That’s how you kill it.” Gwen’s eyes widened as she raised her hands in the air. “Woah! I don’t want to kill anyone!” Miles’ eyes narrowed as he stared at Gwen like she was an idiot. “He’s already dead.”

“Well- Maybe we could give him a second chance! Like those villains!” She protested. “A second chance doing what!? Working at Baskin Robbins!?” Both of their spider-sense’s went off again as Miles ducked out of the way, however Gwen was not as lucky. Zombie Peter grabbed her by the shoulders and tackled her to the ground as she cried out and struggled, trying her best to get out of his grip to no avail. Miles, whose Gwen’s webs were still attached to was also pulled to the ground. 

Putting his arms out behind him and sitting up, Miles turned his head to see the zombie over Gwen, getting ready to bite her. Gwen whimpered as she struggled, tears forming in her eyes. Her mind kept going back to when Miguel had held her so close, fangs out and ready to bite her neck and mark her as his prey. Now, Peter was about to do the same. Sensing Gwen’s utter fear through their connection, Miles jumped up and shot two webs at the zombie’s arms from behind, using all of his strength to hold him back. ‘Don’t worry I’m not letting anything happen to you, sunflower.’ He assured her through their shared connection.

Hearing Miles’ reassuring, comforting, voice in her head, Gwen’s eyes narrowed as she got a leg free from under Peter, pulling it back towards her chest before kicking him with all of her will. Due to the sheer strength of her kick and Miles pulling Peter back, the zombie went flying through the air and over Miles’ head before landing on the ground with a wet thud, sliding back as he left a trail of blood behind him. “Do you still not want to kill him!?” Miles shouted as Gwen got up quietly, nodding her head. “He isn’t in control.. What’s our next best option?”

Miles sighed, shaking his head in frustration yet admiration at Gwen’s kindness. “We need to web him up! You go over and I go under!” Miles began sprinting towards the zombie as it got up, glaring at him with a hungry fury. Miles suddenly dropped to the ground and slid between his legs, managing in a small wave as the zombie glared down. Miles turned around, still on the floor and shot two webs at the zombie’s legs, pulling him to the floor before standing up and moving him upside down, skinless legs in the air. 

Gwen, who was on the ceiling, shot a web down at the legs and pulled Zombie Peter into the air. Peter thrashed and screamed as Miles stepped back so he wouldn’t get bitten. Miles shot webs all around the zombie, forming a sort of webbing cocoon around him as Gwen finished hanging him upside down. Jumping down next to Miles, she watched her now boyfriend boop the zombie’s nose with a giggle. BOOP!

Gwen slapped his hand down. “Don’t! That’s dangerous!” Miles rolled his eyes, looking at her. “Lighten up, Gwanda.” She began to speak but gasped in frustration at the name. “That’s so danger- Don’t call me that! -ous. I’m not letting you turn into a zombie because you booped someone’s nose!” Miles began to speak but was interrupted by the zombie’s defeated groan. 

Turning towards him, Miles saw a look in the man’s eyes that could not even be described. Peter stared at Miles with a gaze filled with profound sorrow, as if the last bit of purpose he had left had just been ripped away. In his eyes, Miles saw pain. Miles saw grief. “Help.. Me..” He hissed out in barely intelligible words. Turning back towards Gwen with heavy eyes, Miles closed them and took a deep breath before opening them once again. “You were right.. I promise we’ll get him help.. But right now, we need to go. This world and many others could die if we don’t get those watches.” Gwen stood there, making eye contact with the zombie as they shared the familiar look of self-loathing. A look that Gwen was all too familiar with. “Alright..” She whispered, walking past Peter and walking down the hall with Miles to the elevator that sat alone at the end. 

There was only a down arrow button next to the doors, so Miles pressed that and crossed his arms as he listened to a distant hum grow louder as the elevator grew closer. “Since when do you want to help a zombie?” He asked, watching a thin line of light paint the hall between them as the elevator arrived. “Since you taught me that you can do both.” Gwen answered with a melancholy look, turning to Miles and smiling softly. 

The doors opened in front of them to reveal a barely lit dark wood panel interior with dark leather wrapped around the bottom part of the wall just under the railing. The whole thing looked almost abandoned and hardly used. “Ladies first..” Miles attempted, holding out his hand. Gwen’s eyes narrowed as she turned and looked at him. “Fuck ladies first, I’m not going in there first! That’s some elevator out of The Conjuring!”

Miles looked in there before looking back at her. “It doesn’t look that bad..” Gwen scoffed. “Then by all means, head right in!” Miles raised his arms in the air, shaking his head. “I am just.. Very insistent on manners!” Gwen continued to glare at him. “Miles, if you don’t go into the elevator first, we’re going to have a much bigger problem than your manners.” Miles looked at Gwen before looking back at the elevator. “On second thought it looks kinda homey.” He quickly replied, stepping in and leaning against the silver railing, looking back at Gwen.

Miles watched Gwen smirk and rolled his eyes, unable to help but smile himself. He shot a web at her chest before pulling her into the elevator and into his arms. “My hero..” She whispered as she rested her forehead against his, staring into his comforting soft eyes. Miles pressed his lips against Gwen’s as the elevator doors closed, giving them much needed privacy.

Once the doors reopened, the two adjusted their suits before looking forward. “Great.. Another dark hallway.” Miles mumbled, stepping out into the hallway. It would have been pitch black if it weren’t for an orange light coming out of the room at the other end and to the right. Other than that, there were no other doorways. “Something is up with Miguel and picking the creepiest interior in the multiverse.” Gwen mumbled, making the two smirk. The two walked down the bare and dark hallway as they made their way towards the enlightening orange glow coming from the one and only doorway that was to their right. 

“I would say ladies first but that didn’t go over too well last time..” Miles said with a small smile, scratching the back of his head. Gwen rolled her eyes and held out her hand. “Come on, goofball.” Miles took her hand in his. “I’m your goofball.” Gwen squeezed his hand. “No question..” She mumbled before she and Miles walked into the room, hand in hand.

Miguel O’Hara hunched over his desk, clearly overcome with exhaustion. His bloodshot eyes stared at the orange screens in front of him, possibly having done so for awhile by now. The large screen in front of him showed a text that simply read: DELETING ALL FILES 84%. Behind him to his right sat a lone cell that contained Jessica Drew, who nervously held Mayday close to her chest as the baby slept against it. Behind him to his left sat a large rack full of stabilizing watches just waiting to be used.

“Deleting our search history, are we?” Gwen’s voice rang out through the large dark room. Miguel continued to stand in his hunched position, not even flinching. He had clearly been expecting the two. He had even sent the zombie to slow them down and buy himself some time. An electronic beep sounded as the screen now showed 85%.

“I see you got past Peter..” He said quietly, pushing back from his desk and turning around to face the two, still wearing the white and red suit from their last fight. He had been so busy he didn’t even have time to change. “Man, you gotta be more specific.” Miles said, taking a small step forward, glancing over at Jessica who stared at the duo helplessly. “The zombie one.” Miguel replied, taking a few steps forward. Gwen and Miles both instinctively raised their fists, trying to get in front of one another only to bump into each other. 

Miguel chuckled quietly at the reaction, placing his hands on his hips as he looked down. “I’m not going to hurt you.. At least not yet.” Gwen scoffed. “Yet?” Miguel looked back at the screen behind him. “That depends on how this conversation goes.” 86%

“We aren’t conversing about shit until you let Jessica and Mayday go!” Miles shouted a little too aggressively. He hadn’t anticipated the fact that seeing Miguel alone would make him more agitated than usual. “Oh-” Miguel turned towards the cell as if he was seeing it for the first time. “Right, of course.” He took his hands off his hips and punched something into his watch. Soon, the orange cube shaped barrier around Jessica and Mayday disappeared. Jessica put an arm out as she held Mayday in the other, slowly standing up. 

Miles and Gwen both stared at the action in utter disbelief. They couldn’t even begin to understand how Miguel was keeping his cool and being so cooperative. “Just like that?..” Miles asked, lowering his fists slightly. Miguel’s arms laid at his sides calmly as he spoke. “Just like that.” Jessica looked over at Miles and Gwen. “Do you want me to stay?” Gwen shook her head, waving her former protege on. “Get Mayday to Peter. We’ve got this.” Jess nodded and slowly backed up towards the entrance Miles and Gwen had come in through, giving Miguel one last look that didn’t even need words to convey. Betrayal. 

Once she had left, Miguel crossed his arms, looking down painfully with a sigh. “Okay, Miguel, what the hell are you playing at?” Gwen demanded. Unlike Miles, her fists stayed as raised as they had been a minute earlier. “I just want to talk. All of this.. Trapping the others, keeping the watches here, and waiting for you have all been for a reason. I just wanted to talk to you two. Alone.” Miles rolled his eyes. “That’s not creepy at all.” 

Miguel waved his hand at the open door before turning back around to face the screen. “You’re always free to go.. But you went to Earth-8. And you want to know why I did what I did.. Right?” Deducing he had gotten that information from Jessica, Gwen decided against pursuing that question and simply nodded. Miguel turned towards them again, placing his hands back on his hips. “What do you know about the old multiverse?” Both Miles and Gwen stood there dumbfounded. The question seemed so unrelated to the situation at hand that it caught them both off guard. “Nada.. As I expected.” Miguel mumbled before continuing on. 

“Before the Spider-Verse, before us, and before everything you know as your reality, there existed an old multiverse. One from which this multiverse was built up from its ashes.” 

“Okay.. What does that have to do with this?” Miles asked slowly. 

“Everything.” Miguel snapped. “Maybe you would find out if you shut up.” He stared down at the ground, seemingly losing his train of thought before his head suddenly raised and he continued. “Do you know what happened to that old multiverse?” 

Silence filled the room before Miles finally whispered, “I thought you told us to shut up.” Miguel growled, raising his right hand to his forehead as he whispered in Spanish under his breath, his patience clearly being tested. “War. It was destroyed by a devastating war that caused incursion after incursion until there was nothing left… That is what I fear will happen to this multiverse. To our Spider-Verse.” Miles tilted his head, now suddenly engrossed in Miguel’s story. “What caused the war?”

Miguel looked back at the screen that now read 88%. “Lyla.” His virtual assistant appeared on his shoulder, looking just as overworked as he did. “Yes?” He stood, clearly deep in thought for a second before carefully speaking. “Load file FF19.” Lyla hesitated. “Are you sure? You scheduled that for deletio-” “Yes! I’m sure!” Miguel snapped. Lyla disappeared before the room around them began to glow. 

“I wasn’t honest about the world I had called home for so long..” Miguel began. The same simulation Miles had been shown by Miguel of the planet he had tried to live on dying appeared, only this time something was different. Miguel was still carrying his daughter. There were still other spider-people running alongside him. Only the key difference was the sky. There in the sky sat an ominous large flat… Sword. It cast a large shadow across all of Manhattan. Below it was a blue dot, barely able to be made out in the distance. “I was following all standard protocols; I had not removed my watch. I was doing everything right. I- I was happy.” He sucked in a sharp painful breath. “And as you must know now, the Canon es una mamada. Something else caused the incursion.”

Miguel’s fingers curled around the blue dot before zooming in on it. Finally, an imposing figure stood in front of Miles and Gwen, both hands held out as blue energy came out of them. He was dressed in green and purple prowler-like armor, a blue face shield surrounded by his purple helmet, and a glorious purple cape. He stood on some sort of round blue platform that was in the process of carrying him to the ground. “Who is that?” Miles asked. The man looked somehow so.. Familiar. Miguel’s hands rested on his sides as he spoke. “That…” he sighed.

“Is the Conqueror.” 

“The Conqueror..” Miles whispered, staring at the… “He’s just a man.” He said quietly before turning to Miguel. “You’re telling me- telling us that a man could cause the end of the multiverse?” He turned to Gwen and laughed nervously. “This has to be a joke.. Right?” Gwen however, continued to stare at the hologram of a man with an expressionless look on her face. “Not just a man. Many men. An infinite number of variants who are all hellbent on war, hellbent on power, on conquering.” Miguel spoke, taking a few steps towards Miles, hands on hips. 

“Okay..” Miles said quietly. “What do we do to stop them?” Miguel stopped in his tracks, looking down as even he struggled to speak the hard truth. “You don’t. You can’t… You can only delay the inevitable, which I have done.” He spoke, raising his arms out as if he was spreading his wings. “I learned throughout traveling the multiverse of the Conqueror's existence, and I didn’t believe it until I saw him before my very eyes.. Before I watched him murder billions..”

The simulation unpaused, showing the Conqueror continuing to lower towards the ground. People screamed and ran away as fire rained down from his ship. Landing on the ground, the man raised his hands and shot electric blue volts at people, vaporizing multiple at a time as blood rained everywhere. As he walked down the street, the Empire State Building behind him gave out from the heavy gunfire from above, falling down onto the street with a deafening crash. A large explosion raised in the air behind him only to be glitched out of reality. A brave citizen ran towards the Conqueror with a pipe, swinging it at him only for the Conqueror to hold out his hand, stopping the man's arms midair. 

The Conqueror tilted his head in pure curiosity before moving his own arm back and suddenly plunging it forward into the man's chest. Blood stained his green suit as his arm suddenly yanked back, the man’s heart now in his hand. Looking down at the heart, the man in front of him fell to the ground as the pipe in his hand clattered next to him. Hearing sirens approaching, the Conqueror simply raised his other hand, making the police cars fly back in the air and crash upside down in front of him. He let the heart drop to the ground by his feet before continuing forward.

“OKAY, STOP!” Gwen shouted. Tears lined her eyes as her hands covered her mouth. Miles immediately rushed over and hugged her close, rubbing her back. Even though he wanted to throw up, he wanted to stay strong for Gwen. “It’s okay.. It’ll be okay.. I’m here.” Miguel watched the two with a sympathetic look in his eyes. Gwen looked over Miles’ shoulder at Miguel. “How. Do. You. Stop. Him?”

“That’s the problem, as I said you can’t stop him. So, you delay him. The formation of the Spider-Society has delayed him. You see, the Conqueror and his Council are weak right now. We’ve shortened their numbers. A new variant is made with a new timeline being created- a new branch. If no new branches are created, then no new variants are made.” Miles finally pulled away from Gwen’s clutches as he looked back at Miguel. The simulation around them finally disappeared, leaving the three in the room together. 

“How do you stop branches from being crea-” He suddenly stopped speaking, a horrific realization coming over him. “The Canon.” Miguel nodded, crossing his arms. “That’s correct. If people don’t interfere with what is Canon, no new timelines will be created and with that, no new variants of the Conqueror will be created. I said breaking a Canon Event would destroy your world, I just never explained how.” The percentage now showed 94%.

Miles’ arms laid at his sides as he desperately tried to think of another option. “What- What about we go fight him? All of us! Spider-Man doesn’t give up! We don’t stop fighting just because it’s too hard! We always get up!” Miguel quickly pointed at him. “That mindset is exactly why I came up with the canon event idea. If I were to tell everyone the truth, you would all go run blindly into battle and you. Would. All. Die. Worlds would be left without their defenders and the multiverse would be wide open to be conquered and therefore, destroyed. What you just saw was one variant. Imagine an infinite number of them! You can’t fight that, Miles… You can’t always win.”

Gwen finally managed to find her voice. “So.. what’s the point in this then? In telling us all of this?” Miguel sighed, not being able to meet the duo's eyes as he looked down at his suit. “This is all falling apart.. I need you to continue the lie. I need you to help keep the peace. If you tell them they can save everyone, utter chaos will erupt. Hundreds of timeline branches being created and hundreds of Conqueror variants arriving to raze everything we hold dear to the ground. I want Miles to go home for good and let his Canon Event play out. I want you to let him and let go. I understand you both like each other. I understand how you feel. I used to be in love myself. However, if you want to keep everything you hold dear from collapsing, you need to make the hard choice. You aren’t prepared for what’s beyond the Spider-Verse.” 

“And what is beyond the Spider-Verse?” Miles asked. His hands clenched into fists as Gwen’s did the same. Miguel looked up at the both of them with a look of sorrow on his face.

“Chaos.”

A deafening silence overtook the room as Miles and Gwen looked at each other worriedly. Gwen couldn’t lose him, and he couldn’t lose her. Not again. “So, because of that.. You want me to give up on being with Gwen and let my father die?” Miles confirmed. “Damnit, Miles!” Miguel snapped, making the both of them step back. “You don’t get the big picture! Sometimes, you need to make a sacrifice. Sometimes, you can’t save one person. Sometimes, you need to save an entire world. In this case, every world… You really are just a kid. You were never ready for this. Neither of you. Nobody is. That’s why I erased Peter’s memories of what happened.. That’s why this was my burden to carry alone.” The two quickly looked at each other before Gwen spoke, her voice slowly rising. “You… Erased Peter’s memories!? What the hell is wrong with you!?”

“What’s wrong with me is that I am carrying the burden of keeping the multiverse from dying, hiding the existence of the conqueror, running an advanced society, and now babysitting alone!” He hissed. “I haven’t even had time to process the loss of my daughter because I’ve been so busy trying to keep all of this together! Without the lie, there’s nothing. Without it, we’re all dead. This is all I can do to honor her memory and so help me God I won’t stop doing it. That’s why I’ve explained this all to you because I need you to understand, because I can’t do this alone anymore!”

Gwen stared at Miles arguing with Miguel as her mind began to run astray in multiple different directions. First, the thought of losing Miles was too much to bear. Being alone again wasn’t an option. Second, the fact that she broke the canon by having her dad quit still sat uncomfortably in the back of her head. The fear of potentially witnessing what she just saw happen to her world as well terrified her. It was too much to handle. She couldn’t handle it. It had to be impossible- That’s it… It had to be impossible. Suddenly, Gwen’s mind made sense of everything.

“You’re lying.” 

Miguel and Miles both looked at her. “Gwen, what do you mean?” Her lover asked. “He’s lying. You know what I think?” Gwen whispered. Miguel rolled his eyes, deciding to entertain her cute little theory. “What?” He asked promptly. “I think you’re a lonely grieving man in denial that you were the reason your fake daughter died. I think all of this is just a power play to give yourself purpose. To give yourself a sense of control over something. Hell, you probably even made that fake simulation! Your twisted mind could probably do that.. Painting yourself as the misunderstood hero. But as long as you’re honoring your daughter’s memory, right? 

Silence overtook the room once again before Miguel opened his mouth, barely able to form words. “Y- you’re in denial.” 

“NO! YOU’RE IN DENIAL! YOU KILLED YOUR DAUGHTER!” She screamed. 

Tears filled Miguel’s eyes as he looked away. “I- didn’t. It was the Conqueror- How don’t you believe me?” Gwen’s fists tightened as she stepped up to the man, getting in his face. “You’re jealous that it could be possible for Miles and I to find happiness in each other across an entire multiverse. You’re jealous we are doing something you could never do. This whole thing-” She stepped back, turning towards Miles. “This is the lie! This is meant to confuse us! It’s meant to make us second guess what we’re doing. To second guess us! We’re stronger than this. Right?” She cried out to him. “Right?...” 

Miles looked into her teary eyes, barely able to speak himself. Miguel’s presentation had seemed so… real. But maybe it was meant to scare them. Maybe it was meant to be imposing like every large room, rows of cells, Go Home Machine, and even the people here. Maybe Gwen was right. Maybe this was one last desperate play for control. He had come so far.. Gwen had saved her father already.. Why couldn’t he? Why couldn’t Spider-Man have a happy ending? Miguel definitely seemed unstable. He had to be unstable. Gwen had to be right. 

“Right.” 

Miguel’s hands fell back to his hips as he scoffed. “This isn’t a lie! If you do this.. You two are about to open the gates to hell and unleash the Devil upon us all.” Miles crossed his arms. “Even if this Conqueror is real, we’re going to defeat Spot! We can defeat any villain of the week.”

“He isn’t the villain of the week! He’s the villain of the century.” He affirmed, tightening his fists. “He isn’t real!” Gwen cried out with a small laugh. Miles shook his head with a small smile. “So that’s it.. After all of this, you both are going to tell everyone the Canon is fake? Despite the consequences? Are you even going to mention the Conqueror? Or do I have to?” 

“You aren’t mentioning anything. Your lies are over. You’re going to be imprisoned. Justice will be served one way or another.” Miles held Gwen’s hand in his. “Please.. Just- Think about this before you do anything.. If you get this wrong, you could doom us all. Your dad would just.. die either way. Please, Miles. Gwen.” He pleaded desperately. “I’m sorry, Miguel..” Gwen whispered. “You can come willingly, or you can come forcefully.” Miguel shook his head aggressively, turning away with his back to them. “I can’t let you do this.” He spoke as his fangs slowly unsheathed themselves. Gwen squeezed Miles’ hand tighter. “Funny, I was going to say the same thing.” 

Miguel suddenly spun around to his right and slightly jumped up, slashing his claws at Miles only for Gwen to shoot a web and pull her Miles back. “Thanks.” He mumbled before turning to face Miguel with her. Gwen shot a web at Miguel’s right hand as Miles charged up with electricity and leapt up into the air. However, Miguel pulled on Gwen’s web, causing the girl to fly into him, being gripped by the throat. Miles found Miguel’s hand gripped on his throat as well, interrupting his electricity blast. 

The two struggled in his grip, trying to force him to let go as they began choking. Miles got the bright idea to charge up again, electricity running through his body as he held onto Miguel’s hand with both of his. Seeing this, Miguel threw Gwen back into the wall and continued to grip Miles by the throat, holding him a little higher into the air. Once Miles had charged up, his lenses narrowed with a newfound determination. He was going to beat Miguel and he was going to go home. Right here. Right now. With a small cry, he sent wave after wave of electricity into Miguel’s suit only- for nothing to happen.

Miguel’s new suit absorbed his energy. 

“You’re going to kill us all.” Miguel hissed before letting the very same volts of electricity Miles had shot at him begin to go into his hand. Miles couldn’t even process what had happened as he felt himself blasted by electricity, sending him flying back through the exit and into the dark hallway he and Gwen had just walked through.

Miles slid back into the shiny white wall, causing the metal to indent behind him from the pure force of the redirection of his electricity. He sat there with his arms at his sides and his legs out, trying to shake the cobwebs off as Miguel walked through the entrance and approached him. “You made the wrong choice.” He lowly said as he approached. 

Due to Miguel not having Spider-Sense, he didn’t anticipate Gwen running from behind, shooting two webs and pulling herself onto his back, riding him like a wild bull as he stumbled around, trying to shake her off. “What the hell are you doing!?” Gwen yelled before Miguel gripped her shoulder and threw her off of him and down the hall past Miles. “Just knocking some sense into him.” 

An unexpected laugh filled the hallway, making both Gwen and Miguel turn to where Miles sat, watching the boy slowly get up. “Was.. That a quip?” Miguel shrugged; his concentrated anger suddenly broken. “Did you like it? I have been- Wait, no!” He quickly shook his head, internally reminding himself to stay on mission. Gwen going astray from her mission was the reason they were here. Miguel going astray could cause him to lose this fight. He wasn’t going to underestimate Miles. Not again. 

Gwen began running forward towards him only for Miles to shoot a web into her chest, pulling him past him and through the air, straight into Miguel’s chest as she kicked the large man back. Miguel slid back with a knee on the floor, glaring up at the two. “Do you really believe I am lying? Or are you just too scared to find out?” 

“You’re trying to mess with our heads!” Miles yelled, shooting a web at Miguel’s chest. “And you’re lying to yourself!” Miguel shouted back, ripping the web off his chest and yanking on it, pulling Miles down to the ground as he stood up. “You have a choice between choosing each other or choosing everyone else. Everything else. The answer to that should be obvious.”

“Yeah, I agree.” Gwen said as her lenses narrowed, sprinting towards him. She jumped onto Miles’ back, who crouched down on all fours for her, and flew through the air with her fist raised, bringing it down on Miguel’s head. He stumbled back into the dead end of the hallway, gripping his head. Miles stood up and shot a web at his hands, sticking them to his head before both he and Gwen shot two webs at Miguel, pulling him down face first onto the ground. 

The two of them stood there with their fists raised, ready to knock Miguel down again. Only, the man stayed laying face down as he began to laugh. Miles and Gwen exchanged an uneasy look before looking back down at him once again. “What’s so goddamn funny?” Gwen snapped. The situation they were in seemed anything but. “I’m just trying to imagine.. What the others are going to say when they find out you two doomed the multiverse in the name of love.” He sneered mockingly, beginning to laugh louder. Hearing Miguel laugh sounded so.. Unnatural. It was almost more intimidating than when he was bloodthirsty. 

“We’re not dooming anything!” Miles shouted, his echo going down the hall. “We’re writing our own story! We’re challenging the impossible! Our fate can’t be decided already!” 

“But you are deciding it right now.. Want to know how it ends?” Miguel whispered. The two stood in silence, giving him the opportunity to continue on. “In tragedy.” Miles and Gwen looked at each other, both equally worried for each other's safety. “Your devotion to each other will be your undoing. Your connection will be what destroys the multiverse. Because you can’t make the hard choice. Because you can’t let go.” 

“I’m not letting go of anyone.. Not again.” Gwen whispered, glaring down at the man as her fist tightened. “In every other universe Gwen Stacy always falls for Spider-Man..” Miguel quoted her, sending chills down both Miles’ and Gwen’s spines. “And in every other universe, it doesn’t end well.. Do you really think it’s going to go any differently this time?” Miguel asked, trying to look up despite his hands being webbed to his face. Gwen quickly walked up to him, raising her foot before letting it stomp down on Miguel’s head, knocking him out. The screen inside the bunker beeped as it now showed 100%.

“I know it will.” 

Gwen looked back at Miles, immediately shrinking down into herself as she stepped away from Miguel, crossing her arms. “He was lying.. He had to be lying. There is no conqueror. There is no canon. But.. There’s us.. I’m not letting some empty threat from a madman be the reason I fall.” She looked into Miles’ soft doe eyes as her heartbeat increased. “I can’t lose you again.”

Miles shot a web, pulling Gwen into his chest and wrapping his arms around her waist. “You won’t have to. We’ve got each other.. Forever. No matter what comes our way.” Miles pressed his lips against Gwen’s as electricity ran between. Tears of fear and sorrow filled Gwen’s eyes, running down her cheeks as she rested both of her gloved hands on Miles’ cheeks, only deepening their kiss further. She stood tall and blossomed like a flower, being fed the solace, and support she had desperately needed for so long. Pulling back, their hearts beat in connected unison as they rested their foreheads against each other’s. In that moment, Miles and Gwen both felt the warm comfort of love that transcended words. In the dark and uncertain hallway, they stood in, the two of them lit the world around them. Whether it was with hope or fire, they had yet to find out.

Chapter Text

A pair of reinforced steel power-dampening handcuffs were slapped on Miguel O’Hara’s wrists as he held his arms out. “Is this really necessary?” He asked, glaring down at them. 

“Do I really need to answer that question?” Gwen Stacy shot back, holding Miguel’s right wrist, and inspecting them to make sure they were on properly. Once she was sure they were locked, Gwen stepped away and gripped Miguel’s arm, leading him from the dark hallway and into the bunker room. “Miles you got everything?”

Miles Morales stumbled over from the corner, holding a ton of watches in his arms. “I should!” 

Gwen scoffed, stepping away from Miguel for a second before quickly glaring back at him, wagging her finger in his direction. “Stay there.”

Miguel shook his head and looked around the room, holding his arms out. “Where would I even go?”

“Why would you try to kill my father? Life is full of mysteries.” Miles replied as Gwen rushed over and reached for some of the watches, carrying them over to Miguel’s desk before setting them down gently. 

“I JUST told you, idiota!” Miguel hissed in frustration.

“You just told me lies!” Miles shouted back.

“They aren’t lies!” Miguel desperately cried out. “You’re about to be in danger! We’re all in danger!”

“Then bring it on!” Miles looked around as if the Conqueror was going to jump out from the darkness to attack. “What’s up, danger!?”

“Both of you, for God's sake shut up!” Gwen shouted back, barely able to focus with the twos bickering. Seeing a grocery sack on the desk, Gwen reached for it before her intent was interrupted by a wood and metal stick laying on the desk. “What’s this?" she asked, picking it up. It was a long round stick with a pointed end and what looked like a lantern on the top. Gwen ran her fingers up and down it, trying to figure out what it was before twisting it, causing the top to begin glowing.

“That’s something I found- Hey don’t touch that!” Miguel’s eyes widened. 

“What does it do?” She asked, waving it around like a lightsaber. 

Miguel began to answer “It-”

Gwen touched the tip of the stick to an orange monitor, causing it to slowly disappear before her eyes as rainbow-colored sparks flew everywhere as if it were being erased from existence. She immediately dropped the stick and stepped back. 

“Does that.” Miguel finished, shaking his head at the meer child’s arrogance. 

Gwen stared at where the screen once stood, slowly approaching the stick and crouching down, picking it up. She stared at it before twisting it again, watching the light disappear along with her curiosity. “Where did it go?” She asked softly. Miles watched her with concern.

“I don’t know. That’s why it was down here. I’ve been trying to figure that out myself.” Miguel replied in an irritated tone.

Gwen shrugged, standing up. “I’m taking it as a souvenir.” Gwen walked back over to the desk and lifted the empty sack, revealing a closed file that was labeled: AVENGERS.

“What are the Avengers?” Gwen asked, not bothering to look back at Miguel as Miles rushed over with his arms still full of watches, emptying them into the bag that Gwen held out for them.

“I’ve only ever heard of them. From what I can gather… Un sueño muerto hace mucho tiempo.” 

Gwen turned towards Miles in confusion, who simply shrugged. “I have no clue what he said.”

“That’s the problem..” Miguel said as the two approached him. “Your arrogance.. Your belief that you can do both will be your undoing. If not by me, If not by the Spot, then by the Conqueror. You both won’t survive what’s coming. Not like that.”

“Have any more fortune cookies to read aloud, tío?” Miles asked as he and Gwen stepped on either side of him, gripping his arms as they walked him out of the bunker and began to escort him down the hallway.

Walking through the doorway, the orange light that illuminated Miguel’s face dimmed as his face darkened. Staring straight ahead with dull, dead eyes, he whispered “You’ll understand someday…. And I’m truly sorry you will.”

---------------------------------------

Miguel stood in the old looking elevator with Miles and Gwen at either side, still gripping his arms as it slowly rose. The only noises that filled the awkwardly quiet elevator was the beeping as it passed each floor and the rustling of Miles’ bag.

Miles coughed.

Gwen looked around, holding her stick in her other hand.

“I’ve been meaning to ask..” Miles began, glancing up at Miguel. “What’s up with the creepy aethstetic?”

Miguel turned in his direction with a confused look on his face. “Huh?”

“Y’know, like the dark hallways, barely lit rooms, a bunker where you go to be alone and sulk. Silent, yet somehow badass entrances. I mean who do you think you are, Darth Vader?”

“Who?” Gwen asked.

Miles shook his head dismissively. 

“I.. Don’t know.” Miguel responded unsurely. “It’s just a personal preference.”

“Okay.. What’s the reason behind that preference?” Miles urged.

“It’s just what I like!” Miguel said defensively.

After that, nothing was said as a minute of silence passed as the trio all watched the numbers on the elevator rise excruciatingly slow. 

“Do you have a butler named Alfred?” Gwen asked.

“No!”

This time, it was Miles’ turn to look confused. 

Miguel O’Hara let out a heavy sigh, looking directly upwards as his vision honed in on the buzzing fluorescent light that shined brightly upon them. As he stared upwards, his vision became filled with the bright light.

---------------------------------------

BOOM!

The bright light quickly turned into a mix of oranges and vibrant yellows as Peter B. Parker was blinded and thrown back by an explosion through a row of towering orange cells, flying away from the war mongering crowd backfirst and falling onto the ground. He slid across the reflective white floor painted with an orange glow with a distinct thud. Listening to the battle around him, Peter B. sat up and squinted forward as his vision returned. 

“Ow.. My back..” 

He felt his back as he cracked his neck and began to stand on his shaking legs, laboring in breath. Suddenly, his spider-sense went off as he turned his head, seeing the Insomniac Spider-Man leap through the air towards him with his fist raised. Peter B. quickly threw himself out of the way, balancing himself to not touch a cell wall as the other spidey landed right where he had stood and slid behind him. Peter B. whipped around as the other Peter did the same, the two variants facing each other in a silent standoff surrounded by the tight towering corridor of cells waiting to electrocute them at the touch.

Suddenly, the Insomniac Spider-Man lunged at Peter, who ducked out of the way to the right and threw his back into the Spider’s chest, knocking him into the side of an orange cell and listening to a familiar buzz of electricity as the other Spidey yelped in pain. Smelling something burnt, Peter turned around with a smirk to watch Spider-Man raise his hand and try to use his web shooter only for smoke to rise out of it. The Insomniac Spider-Man groaned in frustration, swinging at Peter B. only for the variant to duck once again and back up through the alley-like passageway, letting the other slowly follow. 

Suddenly without warning, Peter B. shot a web at the other Spider’s chest and pulled his arm down, yanking him to the ground. Insomniac Peter fell down face first, putting out his arms. As Peter B. tried to kick him, the other Peter slowly looked up as his mask lenses narrowed. “Seriously? You’re wearing slippers?” 

Peter B. shrugged, looking down. “They’re comfortable. I’m not trying to make a fashion statement.”

“Comfort is key- Y’know I’ve really had an issue with my suit riding up on my.. Lower area for the longest time! I can’t figure out how to fix it.” Insomniac Spider-Man expressed, looking up at Peter B. 

“Are you kidding me? I had that issue too! The chaffing gets so painful! It’s a simple fix, you won’t believe it- Baby powder!”

“Wait- that’s it!?”

“That’s what I said! Trust me- it does wonders!”

“Thank you so much, man!”

“Of course, anytime.”

“Now, where were we?” Insomniac Spider-Man’s lenses narrowed. “Oh, right.” He pushed his arms up and flipped back with his legs towards Peter, kicking him and sending him sliding across the floor yet again. 

Peter groaned yet again, feeling his back in worse shape than before as he gripped the ground. “I’ve really got to retire..” Turning his head across his shoulder, he watched the other Spider-Man grip his hand as his suit spoke ‘BACK ONLINE.’ Then, 4 long metal pincers slowly unravel and extend from Insomniac Spider-Man’s back. “Okay Superior Spider-Man..” He mocked softly, scrambling to his feet.

Insomniac Peter stood menacingly, his metal pincers digging into the electric force fields he couldn’t even touch before using all of their collective strength to begin to pull both walls of cells towards each other, narrowing the divide in which they stood. Peter B. looked back around him at the walls that were closing in, trying to internally debate whether he should run or climb. With seconds to choose, he immediately looked upwards before making the wise decision to go up. Peter B. shot webs above, pulling himself up as he used them to climb like monkey bars so he wouldn’t have to touch the cell barriers.

Reaching the top of the seemingly endless lofty stacked cells, Peter B. climbed over the edge and kneeled down on his hands and knees as he panted, using his robe sleeve to wipe the sweat off of his forehead. As he stayed bowed, the cells suddenly began to sway and tremble as he watched the Insomniac Spider-Man’s pincers carry him over the edge and right in front of him. 

Looking over his shoulder and down at least a hundred feet below at the ongoing battle, Peter B. quickly turned his attention back to the Insomniac Spider-Man and got up once again, crying out in audible pain. Insomniac Peter’s pincers retracted back into his suit as he stood still, holding up his arms as he switched to the defensive. Peter B. glared at him as he moved his hands back and let his pink robe blow off him.

“Oh now things are getting serious.” The other Peter mocked. “Wait- where’s that wind even coming from!?” 

“Noir must be nearby.”

“Who?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Peter B. responded, glaring at the Insomniac Spider-Man before charging him. Peter ran down the top of the row in just a suit and slippers, looking as if he was ready to take on the world- every world. Still simply standing there, the other variant decided to take advantage of the opportunity and shot a web at Peter B. 's slipper, causing his foot to slip out and cause him to trip forward, landing face first right in front of him with a groan. 

Insomniac Peter lifted his leg and pressed his foot into his variant's back, keeping him on the ground. “Stay down, Peter.” He cautiously warned, not wanting to hurt the elder Spider.

“No..” Peter B. whispered. “NO! Spider-Man always gets up. I always get up.. I’m going to get up.” He pressed his hands against the ground and pushed upwards with all of his might only to feel the resistance of the variant’s foot on his back, forcing him right back down with an uncharacteristic sob. 

“I’m sorry, Peter.. Truly.” Insomniac Peter choked out, looking away from the pitiful sight below him.

“Why are you doing this?” Peter B. asked flatly, staring down at the ground.

“Because it’s what’s right!” the other shouted. “If you don’t understand sacrifice, then you don’t understand the first thing about being Spider-Man!”

“Is that what you told your Miles?”

Silence.

Peter B. continued. “Yeah.. I read through your file. I’m not the only one who has had the goddamn honor of training that kid.”

“He’s a good kid..” Insomniac Peter whispered. “They both are.”

“Then why are you siding against us? Why are you really siding against us?” Peter B. asked with his face continuing to be facing towards the ground.

“Because I- I-” The other Peter choked up, releasing his foothold on Peter B. and stepping back as he tore off his mask, facing away from him as tears filled his eyes. “I can’t be the reason someone else dies.”

Peter B. paused, turning his head upwards to face the other Spider’s back. “Aunt May?”

His variant nodded, using his arm to wipe the tears away from his eyes. “I had to choose between saving one person or saving the entire world.. Sound familiar?”

“And let’s say you could’ve found a way to save everyone. Let’s say there was a way to do both..”

“I couldn’t.”

“Does that mean Miles can’t?”

Silence followed once again.

Peter B. sighed as he got up on one knee and continued to kneel as he stared at the back of his variant. “Look, Peter.. Miguel got something wrong. Our struggle, our loss, our moments of weakness are not what defines us. It's how we face it. It’s how we rise above it and be the best person we can. That’s canon.”

“But our story-”

“Isn’t his. Miles Morales isn’t Peter Parker.. And that’s a good thing.”

The Insomniac Spider-Man turned around to face Peter, his mask still clutched in his hands. “Maybe I’ve been approaching this whole mentor thing the wrong way.. He wants to be the best Spider-Man he can be. He wants to be like me.” He spoke, speaking of his own Miles variant. “I don’t think he realizes his own potential.” 

Peter B. chuckled before letting out a cough. “Did we?”

A sly smile crossed Insomniac Peter’s lips. “I guess not.”

“Just give him some time alone. My Miles had a year to himself and look at what he did! I can’t express how proud I am. He’s..”

“He’s special.” 

The older variant couldn’t help but grin.

Insomniac Peter awkwardly continued. “Well I mean- MJ is reporting in Symkaria right now.. She’s told me I can come see her anytime.”

“There you go! Give him some time to himself. Let him find out who we know he is. He can’t be told and he can’t be shown. Nobody can. He has to find out for himself. Let him make his own story.” 

“And what about the multiverse collapsing?”

Peter B. smirked. “That’s just another chapter.”

The Insomniac Spider-Man continued to stare down at him, still unconvinced.

“Oh come on! The Spot himself is just as much of a threat as the multiverse collapsing. Besides, the Canon isn’t even real! It’s not real, Peter! Miguel made it up. It’s Incursions. Worlds colliding into each other! That’s what’s destroying the multiverse. If we take the proper steps to prevent them, everyone can win. We can all control our own fate. We can all do the impossible. We can all have a happy ending!” 

“And how do we prevent incursions?”

Peter pointed to Insomniac’s watch. “Wearing the goobers.”

Insomniac Peter scoffed. “So what? You just want to trust everyone to wear their ‘goober’ 24/7 when they're in a different universe? Not everyone can be trusted with that. Not everyone is mature enough for that, Peter B. Literal worlds- trillions of living beings could be destroyed just because of one person's negligence. That’s all it takes. Don’t you see how that’s a slippery slope?”

Peter B. sighed, knowing deep down that his variant was right. “It’s not a long term solution.”

“So what is your long term solution?”

“I.. Don’t have one off the top of my head.”

“So you want me to gamble the fate of the multiverse, all of reality, an infinite number of lives, and everyone and everything I’ve ever cared about on a fifteen year old kid with half of a plan?”

He shrugged with an awkward smile. “He’s gotten this far.”

Insomniac Peter turned around again, deep in thought. “This whole thing.. This society. If what you’ve told me is true, it’s flawed from the start. It’s always been broken. If worlds are destroyed by incursions and not the canon, what are we defending the multiverse from?..” 

Peter B. couldn’t give him a clear answer as he simply shrugged. 

“We created the Spot. We created the greatest threat to the multiverse.. What if we do more bad than good? What if the multiverse is better off without us? We’re too much of a risk..” He shook his head. “We’re supposed to defend, not destroy.”

As the Insomniac Spider-Man spoke, a sinking feeling of dread began to settle in Peter B. “What are you saying?”

“If I rally the Spider-Verse behind you- behind Miles and Gwen,” Insomniac Peter began, his voice filled with a mixture of determination and trepidation, “I need you to promise me that this is it. This is the final mission. That after, you will help me shut down the Society, Spider-Verse network, and all cross-dimensional travel.” The weight of the request hung heavy in the air thick with tension, a moment- a decision that would shape the fate of the Spider-Verse and beyond.

Peter’s eyes widened in shock as he felt chills run down his spine. In that moment, a startling realization began to take shape within his mind. “But that means-”

The Insomniac Spider-Man donned his iconic mask, extending a gloved hand towards Peter, who remained on the ground. “Do we have a deal?”

After a moment of heavy silence and internal deliberation, Peter B. Parker cautiously spoke “I’ll agree to your terms..” He reached up and grasped the variant’s hand, feeling himself hoisted back up to his feet. “But I need one exception. Well- technically two.”

---------------------------------------

Spider-Man Noir quickly ducked just in time for Spider-Ham to be thrown just over his head. As he went to stand up, he felt something press in his back, shoving him back down as he barely had time to glance up, seeing Lady Spider in her steampunk themed outfit step on his back, advancing towards the pig. Landing in front of him, she attempted to stab at him with one of the 4 gold pincers held together by gears protruding from her back. However, Ham leapt out of the way.

“Noir, I need some help!” He shouted

“Noir, Peter B. needs some help!” Peni Parker’s voice squeaked through their comms. 

The man sighed, adjusting his fedora and putting his finger to his ear as if he were a caveman using fire for the first time. “Can- Can you hear me?”

“Yes Noir, we can hear- You don’t need to put your finger to your earpiece!” Margo shouted, noticing the peculiar action from across the battlefield.

“This is just new to me, I’m sorry.” He replied bashfully

“Everything is new to you!” Pavitr said

“I’M FROM THE 1930’S GIVE ME A BREAK!” Noir yelled before taking a deep breath and composing himself. “And why can’t you help Peter?” He asked calmly. Noir looked up at the top of the aisle of cells to see Peter B. and the Insomniac Spider-Man engaging each other.

“Me?” Margo asked

“No, her. Christ, I need a bourbon.”

“I’m trying to get my Sp//der back online.” Peni replied from the inside of her robot, wearing goggles and trying to hotwire the thing as she had a notepad out next to her listing out all of her trials and errors. A few sparks flew as she pushed two wires together before a wisp of smoke rose only for nothing to happen. “But it’s going to take a minute.” 

“Do you need help?” Noir asked

“Noir, respectfully if you can’t operate an earpiece then I don’t need you near a robot. If you want to help me, help Peter.”

Shaking his head, Noir sighed before speaking. “Done.” 

Noir began to sprint towards the aisles of prison cells Peter and Insomniac Spider-Man were fighting atop of before he suddenly felt a gut-wrenching piercing sting of pain fill his body as he began to glitch. He felt his legs give out from under him as he stopped sprinting and kneeled on the ground. Quickly feeling across his body, Noir deduced that he was stable again before taking a deep breath. 

As he got ready to stand, Noir’s spider-sense began to SCREAM at him. Still kneeled, Noir turned his head across his right shoulder, looking across the battlefield to see Supaidaman standing dead still, glaring directly back at him with a look of hatred that not even his lenses could hide. 

“あなた...”

(You…)

Noir groaned, standing back up with ease now that the glitching had passed. “You’ve got to be kidding me..” 

Supaida-Man began walking through the battlefield, ignoring any web or pumpkin bomb thrown in his direction. His sights were set on Noir. Seeing the man slowly approach and assessing him like he was prey, Noir began to cautiously walk to his right as the two began to circle each other. 

“復讐の時が来た、フェドーラ男。”

(It’s time for revenge, Fedora Man.)

“I- don’t understand you.” Noir replied in confusion.

“Then perhaps you’ll understand the excruciating pain of death.” Supaida-Man hissed as his fists tightened. 

“Look, I’m sorry I killed your friend. It was an accident..”

“Sorry won’t bring him back!”

“Neither will killing me!”

Supaidaman paused, glancing downward as flames razed behind him- the aftermath of a pumpkin bomb. “You’re right.. But it’ll make me feel better.” Without warning, he shot a web at Noir’s chest. “Spider String!” 

He yanked on the web with both hands, pulling Noir towards him only for his fist to meet the other’s face, knocking him down. Now on his back, Noir began crawling away in a panic. Seeing Green Goblin-92131 flying above, Noir shot two webs at his glider and pulled it out from under his feet, causing the Goblin variant to fall as the glider flew out of control and directly towards the back of Supaida-Man.

However, the Japanese Spider did an unnecessary backflip to move out of the way, causing the Glider to continue towards Noir, who shot a web towards the ceiling and pulled himself up and out of the Glider’s path. 

Holding onto the web with both hands, Noir was suspended in the air as he heard- and saw a fiery explosion under him, causing him to sway back and forth and smoke to rise up, obstructing his view. As he squinted downward towards the small orange light that was the aftermath of the collusion, his spider-sense went off again as Supaida-Man shot two webs upwards, letting go and flying up towards Noir with his fist raised directly at him. 

Supiada’s fist collided with the top of Noir’s head, resulting in his fedora flying off and causing him to momentarily lose his grip on the string he had been holding onto and beginning to fall. As he fell, he shot a web up at the fedora floating towards the ground and pulled it back into his hands. 

Gripping the brim of his fedora in hand, Noir shot another web at the ceiling far above, putting back on his fedora. He proceeded to grip the web string with both hands as he swung directly upwards towards an air vent and held his legs out. Noir kicked in the vent cover, floating upwards before flipping down onto his two feet. Noir looked back and forth in what seemed to be a small narrow maintenance corridor lined with pipes on either side of the wall, lit up with small red lights attached to the wall. 

Noir felt a woosh of air rise behind him as his spider-sense went off, causing him to whip around to see nobody there. His lenses narrowed as he listened to the eerie silence, slowly backing up as he crouched and held his hands out in a fighting position. 

“SPIDER NET!” 

He felt a web shot at his chest, immediately wrapping around him and holding his hands against his torso in some sort of mesh. Stumbling back a bit, Noir glared at the dark ceiling just beyond the reach of the small dim lights where the web had originated. “Are you seriously narrating your actions? 

Supaidaman swung down from above with his legs out and aimed at Noir, who broke out of the webs just in time to grab his legs and throw him forcefully back, causing the man to take a chunk out of the brick wall in the process. 

Taking off his hat and fidgeting with the brim using both hands, Noir slowly began approaching the other who lay still on the ground. “This isn’t achieving anything-”

Supaidaman leapt up only for Noir to place his fedora over his face and punch into it, causing the other to stumble back. In a daze, Supaidaman swung at Noir who simply stepped back. His fist collided with one of the pipes on the wall, causing hot steam to spray out, fogging his lenses. He quickly turned away and ripped his mask off, letting it fall to the ground as he held his hands to his face. 

“Is this really making you feel better?” 

“SHUT UP!” Supaida yelled, lunging at Noir only to fall to his knees with a pathetic sob. “You.. You took my best friend from me.. My only true friend.”

“Your only friend was a pot of noodles?”

Supaidaman glared up at him through his tear filled eyes.

“Okay, I’ll shut up.”

“Of course he was. He-.. He was a joke. So am I. At least we could be joke’s together.”

“Supaida.. You aren’t a joke..”

“You just made fun of me for narrating my actions and for being friends with- with noodles!”

Noir sighed, reaching into his pocket. Supaida scrambled to his feet and backed up. Noir held up a hand. “Relax.” His hand slowly emerged from his trench coat pocket, holding a rubix cube. 

“I.. can’t see color. I’ve sat around for hours at a time before trying to solve this thing and well.. I can’t. But, the way I see the world is just as beautiful as you do.. It’s just different. Being different doesn’t make you less than anyone else.. It makes you special. My name may be Peter Parker, but I’m just as unique of a Spider-Man as you are.”

Wiping tears out of his eyes, Supiada shook his head as he looked down at his feet. “It still doesn’t make the pain hurt any less.”

“I know. I understand-”

“No you don’t! You can’t understand!”

“I’m one of the only people who does understand!.. I- I lost my uncle Ben. He was murdered.” He closed his eyes painfully as he pocketed his rubix cube, hiding away the only color in his life as _.

“And the man responsible?..”

Noir paused before taking a sharp breath. “I killed him.”

The red lights around the room shined brighter as Supaidaman’s murderous intent grew stronger. His fists clenched as he looked down Noir.

“B- But!” Noir shouted, holding his hands out cautiously. “It didn’t make it hurt any less. There’s no way to make it hurt any less.”

“Tell me、ノワール” (Noir) He began. “If you could go back and do it all again.. Would you kill the man responsible?”

Noir hesitated before hanging his head in shame. “I would.. Because he hurt people.”

Supaidaman bent over, grabbing his mask off the ground and wiping off his fogged lenses before pulling it back over his face. However, the look of hatred in his eyes stayed just as strong, not damped in the slightest. 

“So did you.”

“It was an accident- Supaida, please.”

With his mask lit up red by the lights above, Supiada’s head lowered slightly as he stared at Noir.  “人を殺すスパイダーマンはあなただけではありません。”

(You’re not the only Spider-Man who kills…)

Without missing a beat, Supaidaman took a deep breath and screamed “LEOPARDON! AUTONOMOUS MODE!”

The floor under Noir began to shake violently with the force of an earthquake. The lights around him began to shut off one by one before the glass covering each of them all shattered simultaneously. Noir’s spider-sense began going off once again, but this time with more urgency. Something even more dangerous than Supaidaman was coming. Something much bigger.

BANG!

Just as Noir raised his hand to shoot a web at Supaida, the floor under him ripped open, sending debris and dust flying at his face and bursting the pipes around him. Noir began to struggle as he felt something giant coil around him, cold metal being pushed against him. It was as if he were being grabbed by a giant hand. 

Noir felt himself begin to lower as he looked down, making out two giant glowing yellow eyes staring directly back at him through the cloud of steam. Coming out of the dust and steam, Noir looked down to see the giant mech robot from when he had gotten captured standing in the vast lobby, lowering its arm and gripping him in its hand. 

Leopardon began moving its arm up and down, shaking Noir to the point of nausea. “I. Could. Use. Some. Help!” He spat out while trying to hold something else in.

Back in her Sp//der, Peni Parker held in her breath, looking down at a giant red button before pounding her fist on it. Suddenly, the dark pod she sat in came to life as screens powered on and a comforting electric hum was heard starting up. “Yes!!” She shouted in excitement. Peni began to hold up her finger to her ear. “On my-” She cringed, quickly pulling her hand down, relieved nobody was there to see the blunder. “On my way.” 

Peni couldn’t help but smirk daringly as she cracked her knuckles. “It’s good to have you back.” Her hands gripped a giant joystick, urging the SP//DER forward to her glee. “It’s working! I did it!” 

“Kid, that's fantastic but I’m in a bit of a- Situation!” Noir yelled, being thrown across the lobby by Leopardon, flying back and shooting two webs at a pillar on either side of him, slingshotting himself back across and directly at the giant Mech, punching it in the face with such force that it had to step back to keep its balance. Noir swung around its side before sticking to the back of its leg, looking up (or forward) to see Peni’s own robot sprinting straight at Leopardon. 

However, as the SP//DER leapt into the air and shot a web, it was immediately tackled to the side by a blur of brown and gold. Rolling across the reflective white floor and creating an opening in the battlefield, Peni’s Sp//der slowly got up, turning to see Lady Spider get up as well. 

As Noir watched, his spider sense went off, looking forward just in time to see Supaidaman diving down at him and tackling him down the back of Leopardon’s leg. Noir shot a web upwards, falling back to the side with a thud as Supaidaman fell under him, but stuck to the side. Looking down at the man, Noir shook his head. “I really need that bourbon.”

Noir shot two webs on either side of Supaidaman and jumped off the back of Leopardon’s leg, pulling with all of his might. Flying downwards, Noir kicked Supaida off the Mech. The two began exchanging punches in a chaotic descent as they held onto each other and plummeted towards the dark bottom of the lobby, the light around them beginning to dim.

“JUST! DIE! ALREADY!” Supaidaman screamed, punching Noir in the face with each word. However, as he went to punch Noir again, the spider caught his fist within his hand. Noir gave Supaida a quizzical look, holding up their clasped hands as if to suggest something.

Suddenly, their free fall came to an abrupt end as the two hit the ground with an impact that made dust and debris erupt around them. Both Supaida and Noir were thrown apart before the former laid on the cement ground facing upwards with his arms and legs sprawled out, laboring in breath. 

Turning his head, Noir saw piles of trash strewn around him. He lifted an expired package of ramen that said DOC OCK’S on the side. Throwing the ramen, Noir shot a web at the ground and pulled himself to sit up, looking around to see even more trash. “Matter of time before this place reared its ugly underbelly.. Just like Communism. Or Nazism. I hate both.” 

Noir groaned as he got to his feet, looking down at a large crack in the concrete that must’ve come from their fall. Cracking his neck, Noir began to limp towards the crack only for his spider-sense to go off. Looking ahead, Noir watched Supaidaman kneel as he tried to stand up, holding a fragment of one of the walkways before throwing it to the side.

Seeing Noir approaching, Supaidaman immediately got up to face him. The air was thick with tension as the two looked each other down, waiting for the other to make a move. A gust of wind blew trash to the side, leaving a perfectly flat plain between them. Nothing was in the way. It was just Noir and Supiada. No words had to be said. They both knew only one of them was walking away whether Noir liked it or not. Then, without warning, Supaidaman let out a primal roar, a manifestation of his seething rage at Noir, at the society, and at himself, before charging directly at Noir and tackling him to the ground.

Supaidaman pressed his knee into Noir’s chest as he gripped Noir’s neck with one hand. The other began repeatedly punching him in the face with such force that it cracked both of his goggle lenses. Under him, Noir struggled to breath and now see- desperately reaching up and grabbing both of his hands, slowly pulling them away and up in the air before smashing his own head against Supaidaman’s, causing the Japanese Spider to quickly get up and stumble back as he gripped his head. 

Getting up, Noir threw his fedora to the ground before ripping off his mask so he could see. As he did so, his pale white as paper skin was revealed. His eyes with pupils that looked like they were printed with black ink glared directly at Supaida. Another gust of wind blew through the dark space, causing Noir’s hair that looked as if it were being hand drawn in real time to blow to the side. Noir cracked his knuckles, holding up both of his hands in a boxing position. 

Tilting his head, Supaidaman steadied his legs and held up both of his hands in a karate-style stance. Without warning, Supaidaman sprinted towards Noir, chopping his hands in his direction. However, Noir used his held-up arms to block the attack. However, with his arms guarding his face, Supaidaman kicked him in the stomach, causing him to let out a quick groan as he slid back across the smooth concrete. 

Supaida kept approaching, beginning to chop his hands again as Noir tried to punch. But in the midst of trying to launch an offensive of his own, Supaida’s flat hands quickly grabbed Noir’s, allowing for Supaidaman to smash his head against Noir’s twice before the one in black was forced to yank his hands out of Supiada’s grip and move back yet again. 

As Supaidaman moved forward again, Noir quickly took the opportunity to take the offensive. When Supaida sprinted at him, ready to deliver a quick punch to the face, Noir rolled to the right and quickly punched him twice in the side before jumping back, still holding his fists up. “Let’s dance.”

“死の舞踏は軽視できるものではない、黒蜘蛛。” (The dance of death is not one to be taken lightly, black spider) Supaidaman spoke cautiously. Seeing a quick opening, Supaida raised his leg to kick. But, Noir was ready, punching him in the abdomen and causing him to quickly lower his leg, backing up a little as he gripped his side. 

Noir jumped towards Supaida and got ready to jab him in the jaw. Seeing where his opponents eyes were looking, Supaidaman was quick to anticipate the attack. As Noir threw his arm forward, Supaida quickly chopped it down before leaping up and kicking Noir in the face, causing him to fall back. 

Spotting a pipe laying on the ground behind Supaida, Noir shot a web at it and yanked on it. Supaidaman’s spider-sense went off, causing him to duck as the pipe flew into Noir’s hand. Noir then proceeded to sprint at Supaida and swing the pipe in his direction multiple times, causing the other to flip dramatically out of the way with each swipe. 

When Noir went to swing again, Supaida shot a web at the pipe and yanked it to the ground before kicking Noir in the chest with such force that it sent him flying through the air and rolling onto the ground. Picking up the pipe, Supaida slowly began to limp towards Noir. Each footstep grew deliberately louder as he dragged the pipe across the cement, causing it to scrape and echoing a menacing rhythm. No matter how much Noir crawled back, his fate only drew closer. 

Now directly in front of him, Supaidaman raised his pipe over his head. “死ぬ時が来たよ、スパイダーマン。” (It’s time to fucking die, Spider-Man). As Supaida went to swing the metal pipe down on Noir’s head and deliver a definitive and final blow, the colossal boot of Leopardon came crashing down on top of him from above, unleashing a violent spray of blood and killing Supaidaman instantly.

Breathing heavily, Noir tried to process what had just happened as he held his shaking hand in front of him, staring at the specks of blood that stained it. For the first time in his life, Noir saw red. 

Standing up, Noir limped over to where his fedora lay, not even bothering to get his battered and broken mask. In stoic silence, Spider-Man Noir picked up his fedora and placed it on his head, adjusting it as he stared with a steely gaze at the spot Supaidaman had stood in front of him mere seconds before, the fire within him being smothered by a being of his own creation.

---------------------------------------

As Lady Spider approached Peni, she stopped in her tracks and struggled to move forward to her’s and Peni’s utter confusion. Looking over her shoulder, Lady Spider looked at her four pincers to see a web connected to each one and tugging her back. Not able to resist any longer, Lady Spider yelped as she was yanked back and fell to the ground, being webbed stuck to it. In her place was Miles and Gwen, lowering their arms as Gwen grabbed the stick that had been held in her armpit while she had helped take down Peni’s adversary.

Despite how happy she was to see them, Peni’s attention quickly turned to the towering unit of a man that stood between them. “Uhm..” Her SP///DER began backing up. However, Miguel held up his cuffed hands with a straight face, easing her tension almost immediately. “Wow.. You guys actually caught him!” She said happily.

“What? You didn’t expect us to?” Miles teased, bending down and picking up the plastic bag full of the watches he had dropped. 

“What? No! Of course I did!” Peni was quick to defend. Luckily, the metal of her robot shielded her flustered look.

“She definitely didn’t expect us to.” Gwen joined in, poking the stick into Miguel’s back, who turned to look at her and let out a feral snarl. 

“And Peter said he didn’t bite..” Miles mumbled, shaking his head as he took a watch out of the bag and threw it to the spider. “Here!”

The robot caught the watch with one of its mechanical hands before bringing its arm in as the hatch to Peni’s suit opened and she took it, putting it on. “Thanks! So this is going to stop the incursion?”

“Sure is!” Gwen replied, beaming.

“Isn’t going to stop the Conqueror..” Miguel mumbled loathingly only for Gwen to poke him again.

Peni looked down confused. “Huh?”

“It’s nothing.” Miles was quick to say before Miguel could get anything out. 

Suddenly, the ground shook harshly, causing Miles and Gwen to turn to see the giant Mech that was aiding Supaidaman in his attack on Noir. “This thing again?” Miles exasperated in pure annoyance.

“Supaida and his goddamn theatrics..” Miguel mumbled, shaking his head in not disbelief, but disappointment. “My lobby..” he whispered, seeing it take a step back and crash into many walkways, causing them to break apart and fall below. 

Leopardon stood still as it began to compute that its master was dead. Suddenly it announced ‘Self Destruct initiated in T-Minus 2 minutes!’ 

Gwen gasped as the group listened to him begin to count down. “That blast could destroy the entire society! We don't have time to evacuate. We need to stop it!”

The hatch around Peni closed as Miles turned to Miguel. “How do we stop it?” 

“Why would I help you?” He spat at the teen.

“Because..” Miles took a step towards Miguel, getting in his face before talking in a low and intimidating tone. “You may be an asshole but you’re still a hero. Like me, you have morals. So, if you don’t tell me how to take down that mech, lots of innocent people are going to die and once again.. It’s going to be your fault. All of your hard work.. It’s going to be for nothing. Clock’s ticking.” 

 Miguel stared at the young spider with a startled and aghast look before looking down, mumbling “We’re all going to die anyway..” 

“Miguel!” Gwen shouted angrily.

Turning back towards the battlefield, Miguel watched as people struggled to escape the reach of Leopardon’s incoming blast. Heroes and villains alike picked up their fallen and injured, desperately dragging them as far as they could. One variant of the Vulture tried to turn on the home machine to no avail.

Witnessing the chaos beginning to unfold, Miguel sighed. “I helped him build that mech myself. It’s more advanced than the first one. It’s hard to put down.. But.. It’s even harder to keep down. You got a good grade in science, right Amigo?” He asked Miles.

Miles nodded.

“Then tell me, how do you neutralize an electric charge?”

Miles didn’t miss a beat as he answered, “You need a conductor.”

“Then there’s your answer.”

“Wait.” Gwen spoke, walking next to Miles. “How are we going to find a conductor powerful enough to absorb all- all of that energy!?” She motioned to the giant mech.

A moment of silence set in as Miles made uneasy eye contact with Miguel. “We already have one.”

Gwen whipped her head towards Miles in confusion before a look of realization dawned on her face, quickly turning to panic. “Miles, NO.”

“It’s going to kill people if I don’t do anything!” He shouted back. 

“And it could kill you if you do do something!” Gwen threw her arms out in exasperation. 

“I need to do this!”

“I NEED YOU!”  

The air hung heavy with an unspoken silence. In the background, Leopardon counted down towards their impending doom and their fate. 

“You saved me… Let me save you.” He whispered, looking down at her as she stepped close, their face’s inches apart. “Miles… You already have..” Gwen whispered. Without another though, she grabbed the collar of his suit and yanked him down, smashing her lips against his. The kiss held a delicate balance of passion and tenderness, a silent promise being exchanged between the two young hearts.

Pulling herself back forcefully, Gwen’s ocean blue eyes stared into his like a sunflower facing the sun for warmth and comfort. “Come back.”

Miles smiled confidently. “I always find a way.”

Gwen couldn’t help but smirk, staring longingly at the man she loved. “I know, Spider-Man.” 

Chapter Text

The back of someone lying in bed was shown facing away, barely visible as the light of the rising sun snuck through the curtains of the bedroom window. Jefferson Morales rolled over, squinting at the digital alarm clock next to him. However, all he could see was a blurry green light imitating from the incomprehensible numbers in front of him. Reaching for his glasses, he rubbed his eyes before putting them on, finally able to see that it was 7:24. Sitting up in bed wearing a t-shirt that had the Vision’s Academy logo on it, he looked over to see his wife, Rio laying still and staring up at the ceiling with a look of worry within her eyes. 

“Couldn’t sleep either?”

Rio shook her head. 

“Why don’t I put on a pot of coffee?”

Rio nodded her head.

---------------------------------------

The dark kitchen was suddenly illuminated by an almost blinding light as Jeff flipped a switch before slowly stalking in, yawning and shaking his head to wear off the fatigue of the restless night of sleep he and Rio both had. Grabbing the coffee grounds from on top of the refrigerator, his gaze softened as his eyes landed on a photo of him, Rio, and Miles stuck to the fridge by a Spider-Man magnet. 

Shaking his head, he proceeded to grab a coffee filter before pouring the grounds in. Once he started the coffee maker, he walked into the living room, reaching down for the remote and turning on the TV. The first thing that came on was the Daily Bugle hosted by J. Jonah Jameson. The headline of the current report was: ‘Where is Spider-Man?’ 

“I’ll tell you why the war waging wonderous wallcrawler hasn’t been seen! Unlike the other Spider-Man, he knows when to quit. While Peter Parker did go down as undoubtedly the greatest hero of all time, there were moments he did go too far and unfortunately, his untimely demise proved as such. You know what’s different now from then? The city doesn’t need saving! Therefore, this city no longer needs Spider-Man!” Jonah pronounced with surprising confidence.

“That’s… Interesting.” Jeff said, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“What is?” Rio asked, coming up behind him wearing a white robe. Seeing the headline, her eyes immediately widened. “Oh.” 

Jeff turned back towards her, seeing a fearful look in her eyes. “What?” He asked suspiciously.

“Well.. What if Spider-Man is saving Miles? What if that’s why they are both missing? What if he’s in danger?” She looked up at Jeff innocently.

“Well, you’re the one who told me to not call the station. You’re the one who said that his ‘friend’ (air quotes) Gwanda will find him. Are you still so sure?” 

Rio glared up at him, not saying a word. 

Sighing, Jeff shook his head again as he pulled his wife in for a hug. “I’m sorry.. I’m just worried. The last time he went missing like this the city almost- to be honest I still don’t know what happened that day… Was I too hard on him?”

“No!” Rio pulled back, making him look down at her. “This isn’t because of you. We can’t force Miles to talk to us.. He needs to figure out some things on his own. It’s apart of growing up and I know he’s going to grow up to be such an amazing person and meet people and see places we can only dream of. He’ll be brilliant. We just need to be there for him and support him every step of the way. That’s how you can be the best father you can..”

“I try..”

“I know.”

Rio leaned up and pressed her lips against Jeff’s only for his walkie talkie to begin talking, immediately interrupting the intimate moment. 

“Captain? Are you there? It’s urgent.” A deep voice called out

Rio pulled back and smiled up at him, shaking her head. 

Jeff mouthed ‘sorry’ before turning and walking into the kitchen, grabbing the walkie. “This is Morales. Over.”

“There’s some kind of- of storm brewing over the city.” 

Jeff stood there for a second with a look of confusion on his face before holding the walkie back up to his mouth. “You know you’re talking to a police captain, right? What do you want me to do? Arrest a cloud?”

“The- the rain is black?”

Jeff scoffed, nodding for Rio to go look out the window. “Probably just pollution or something. Otherwise there’s not much we can do. This doesn’t seem urgent enough to radio in to me before my shift has even begun.” 

“Jeff, come here!” Rio said, worry evident in her voice.

With his walkie in hand, Jeff ran over to the window where Rio stood, watching inky black rain begin to increase in intensity. Looking up above the city, his eyes laid upon an angry swirling cloud that looked like some kind of hurricane. In the middle was- was-

“The Spot.” Jeff hissed. 

“Huh?” Rio looked back over at him, clearly not picking up on what he meant.

“That’s the villain Spider-Man was fighting two days ago- when I left the visit with Miles’ counselor? Shit- Miles!” He sprinted down the hall and into the bedroom. 

Rio looked out the window again before running after Jeff, reaching the doorway to see him getting dressed in his uniform. 

“Can you put a bagel in the toaster? I feel like it’s going to be a long day.” He said, struggling to get his pants up as he bounced up and down with one leg before falling over. “AH!”

Shaking her head, Rio hurried into the kitchen and grabbed the bagels. She stood there, momentarily closing her eyes as she groaned. “Are you going to go to work or look for Miles?” She put them in the toaster.

“I can do both!” Jeff called out, hurrying into the kitchen now in his uniform. He grabbed his hat off a hook on the wall and picked up his Walkie from the counter. As he did, the bagels popped out of the toaster. Rio took a paper towel and grabbed the bagel up in it, handing it to him.

“Promise me you’ll be safe.” 

Taking the bagel, Jeff gave her a confident smile. “I promise.”

“If you find Gwanda.. Do us both a favor and don’t shoot her.”

Jeff scoffed. “I’m not going to shoot her! As long as she isn’t doing it with our son..” he mumbled.

“Jeff!”

“Sorry.” He chuckled. “I won’t shoot her.”

“And if you find Miles.. Give him a hug. He needs one.”

“I will..” He hugged his wife. “I love you..”

“I love you too, mi esposo.”

Jeff and Rio kissed softly before he would pull back, looking at her.

“What are you doing?” Rio slowly asked.

“Just.. thinking how grateful I am to have you.”

“You absolutely are, now go find our son!” Rio softly hit his chest, trying to hide her blush as she grinned. 

Jeff grabbed his jacket and went towards the door. “Over and out.”

---------------------------------------

Sitting on thin air in the middle of the swirling cloud, the Spot was completely engulfed in black negative energy as he relived the moment of watching pure fear spread across Spider-Man’s face. He had been in the sky for two days, gaining strength and waiting. A few extra hours weren’t going to stop him now. Nothing would. He was about to fulfill his destiny. He was about to be the arch nemesis of not just his Spider-Man, but every Spider-Man. Nobody could stop him now. 

He was going to win.

The spot began to chuckle, thinking about what was to come. Soon, his chuckling turned into hearty laughter and from there, his laughter turned into an evil cackle. As he cackled, his laughter became more and more warped as the clouds that surrounded him swallowed him whole. All that was now seen was bright blue lightning flashed throughout the clouds. 

---------------------------------------

(Spider Society Siren)

https://youtu.be/msX8iULEQgA?si=KtRmQhSEaaK3xTEs

The Spot’s laughter continued getting deeper and deeper until the sound of sirens began to be heard. The clouds now flashed red as the sound of the siren got louder. The clouds turned into fog that pulled back to reveal the Spider-Society in lockdown mode. 

Spider-People and villains alike were gathered in a big crowd that were all talking over each other in a mass hysteria. “I- I can’t open a portal!” the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man yelled.

“The go home machine isn’t working either!” Spectacular Spider-Man shouted. “We’re trapped!” 

Past the mob of heroes and villains stood Gwen, Miguel, and Peni, intently watching Miles slowly approach the giant mech that was counting down to their demise. “What’s going on!?” A familiar voice shouted over the sirens, running up behind Gwen. Turning around, she saw Jessica standing there, out of breath and still holding Mayday. 

“That thing is going to explode if Miles can’t shut it down!” Peni shouted back. Not being able to look back, Gwen’s eyes remained locked forward, solely focused on Miles. 

“That could kill him!” Jess shouted.

Staring ahead and crossing her arms, Gwen whispered, “I know..”

Turning towards Miguel, Jess shouted, “the society is locked down! Nobody can leave!”

“I know. I turned it on the second Bonnie and Clyde arrived.” He nodded his head in Gwen’s and Miles’ direction. 

“Wha-” she scoffed. “Then turn it off!”

“I can’t.” Miguel responded gravely.

“What do you mean you can’t?” Peni asked, glaring at him.

“I deleted Lyla along with a few other files just as they got to me. The only way to turn it off is to hack into the mainframe manually and that will take at least an hour. We’re trapped. As much as I hate to say it, Miles is our only hope.” 

“YOU ASSHOLE! YOU KILLED US!” Jessica used her free arm to shove him back. “And if you didn’t kill us, you killed him.”

Miguel looked down regretfully. “I’m sorry..”

Miles now stood at the edge of the entrance to the cell block, looking over the edge and down into the dark abyss. Looking forward, he took a deep breath before shooting two webs onto the mech and pulled himself across. Once he flew onto it, Miles looked up and began to climb upwards towards its chest.

Walking up to where he stood and standing alone, Gwen continued to cross her arms as she watched him anxiously. Through their ‘love buzz’ she could feel his indescribable fear. But she felt something else rise above all. A warm feeling that kept Miles going past what even he knew were his limits. Love. 

Miles climbed up the giant mech as he felt for where the electric current was strongest. Going further upwards, Miles came to an abrupt stop in the very center of Leopardon’s chest. Closing his eyes and listening to its countdown, his focus honed in on the electricity. “40, 39, 38” Miles took a deep breath and pressed both of his palms against the cold metal, wincing in anticipation.

Using all of the strength in his body, he began to absorb the Mech’s electricity. “AAAH!” He screamed in agony, collapsing against the mech. 

“Miles!” Gwen shouted worriedly. Suddenly, an intense sensation began to course through her entire body, overwhelming her and causing her to fall to the ground. A searing pain overwhelmed her muscles, causing her to lock up and paralyze.

Seeing this take place, Jessica sprinted over, followed by the others. “Gwen! What’s going on!?” She asked, getting on her knees next to the girl and trying to hold her upwards. 

“I- can feel his pain.” She seethed. 

“What!? How?” Jess inquired, looking over the girl to not see even as little as a scratch.

Peni’s Sp//der turned around to check on Miguel, only to see him starting to slowly slip away. “Hey!” She shouted sternly, one of her robotic spider legs grabbing onto the pruning stick Gwen had dropped and holding it in his direction. “Stay where you are.”

“We-” Gwen hesitated, internally debating whether it was more painful to be electrocuted or admit to having a mind connection with her boyfriend. “We’re connected… Please don’t tell anyone.” She whispered as she writhed in Jessica’s arms. 

“Is she alright!?” Peni called over from her Sp//der, still holding the stick threateningly in Miguel’s direction. “Yeah! I think a Scorpion variant accidentally nicked her! She’ll be fine!” She quickly came up with on the spot. Despite her pain and the increasingly large crowd around her, Gwen could only focus only one thing. She painfully held up her shaking hand in his direction.

“Miles..”

“I’m okay!” He shouted reassuringly despite the indescribable pain; his echo being carried across the lobby and directly to Gwen. Hearing his warm voice, she couldn’t help but smile. If he was going to be okay, so would she.

Turning back to the Leopardon mech, Miles pressed his palms into the metal even harder, creating two hand shaped indents. However, this action only got him closer to the power source. In seemingly slow motion, electricity danced up Miles’ arms and through his veins as he absorbed it- absorbed all of it. 

“10, 9, 8, 7.” Leopardon counted down.

The electricity continuing to move up his body, the veins of his neck glowed as it made its way up into his head. Electricity began to dance through his once calm eyes, a flicker that turned into a fire. The irises transformed into swirling storms of bright blue. Just in that moment, the world went quiet as all of his bravery, strength, and determination manifested within his fiery gaze before letting out a primal scream that filled the society and struck fear into every hero and villain around him.

As Miles’ eyes burned with electric passion, the yellow light in Leopardon’s began to flicker before going out as its life was drained from it completely. Its robotic voice began to glitch out before the countdown ceased entirely with only two seconds to spare. Its movements came to a stop as its hum of internal mechanisms diminished, leaving a large, metal, empty, corpse behind.

Miles stayed stuck to the side of the mech, catching his breath as he felt himself engulfed in a surge of extraordinary power. Bolts of lightning erupted from every inch of his body. Zig zagging arcs of energy crackled and extended from his form, shocking everything around him as if he were a living battery desperate for something to charge.

Suddenly, Miles heard a loud stomach-churning lurch as the metal itself groaned. Looking upwards, he saw the giant mech begin to lean forward without its own hydraulics to keep it upright. Despite the pain, he knew he had to move. Using his hands and feet to push him forward, Miles began running up the falling mech that was practically the side of a skyscraper. Looking up, it looked like a giant wave entrapping him. 

Bolts of lightning trailing behind, Miles grinded his teeth together as he sprinted, slowly going from running upwards to an upside-down angle. Miles felt the entire thing shake as its robotic feet gave out from under it. It was now or never. Running upside down across its now dead looking face, Miles used all of his energy to leap off, screaming as bolts of lightning shot out from behind him, propelling him forward by even more. 

Miles flipped through the air as the giant mech fell just behind him, causing the society to shake as a large boom was heard throughout. A large cloud of dust rose as Miles landed in front of the stunned crowd of Spider-People and villains with his back turned to them and striking a pose with an arm raised back as he kneeled. 

With the alarm stopped, silence enveloped the room as everyone stared at Miles, too shocked to say a word. The only sound that was heart was the soft buzzing of the electricity that radiated off the Ultimate Spider-Man. 

As Miles caught his breath, he tried to stand up. However, his legs shook as he clutched his stomach, crying out in pain as he fell down face-first. Everything went dark. 

---------------------------------------

“Where am I?..”

Groaning, Miles laid on the ground opening his eyes, squinting upwards into an endless dark void, lit up by intertwining glowing green vines that looked like the roots of a tree scattering across infinity.  Holding his hand upwards to shield his eyes from the blinding light, Miles sat up to take in his surroundings. Other than the green vines, Miles appeared to be laying on some sort of rock- asteroid? He had no clue. Looking down at the dull black rock, he noticed it appeared to be filled with bright gold-colored cracks. However, these cracks were anything but natural as they seemed to move with his feet as if it were a living organism within itself. 

“I am Iron Man..” A voice spoke.

Miles’ attention turned to where the voice originated from, finding a waving green rope glowing in the air mere feet away. His eyes narrowed as he began to approach cautiously. With each step he took, the voices only multiplied and grew louder.

“WAKANDA FOREVER!”

“Higher, further, faster, baby.”

The way the voices sounded made Miles think they weren’t being spoken to him. They sounded like faint distant memories being recollected, trying to remind whoever was listening why they were still important. They were stories trying to be told. An old-timey tune led by a saxophone began playing as he stepped even closer. 

(It’s Been a Long, Long Time begins playing)

https://youtu.be/Chs2bmqzyUs?si=vd1Z9B1C2bU4FXbn

“There’s so much I feel I should say.” A feminine voice sang. As Miles listened, he was filled with a familiar warmth he didn’t know he could feel. Hearing the words roll of the tongue of the women reminded him of the angelic voice of Gwen-

He suddenly remembered everything. “GWEN!” He whipped around, searching for her- for anyone, only to find he was completely and utterly alone, cursed to see other’s stories, yet unable to take part within them. “Where am I?..” His repeated question came to fruition again, this time with further desperation. Not knowing what to do, Miles turned back towards the vine, listening to the music. Realizing the severity of his situation had taken away all of its warmth, only leaving an eerie reminder of human connection that didn’t seem to be fully fulfilled. With nothing else in mind, Miles began to reach out to grab the lively vine.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” 

Miles’ hand stopped just mere inches from the vine before he slowly pulled it away. The voice sounded like it had originated from within his own mind, but it wasn’t his. It had an English eccentric accent he couldn’t quite place. 

“Am I dead?” Miles asked, remembering passing out before arriving at wherever he was.

“No, but close.” The voice replied.

“..Are you God?”

“I am. Just not the one you’re thinking of.” 

Miles didn’t say anything as he tried to piece together what the voice had said. 

“Go up the staircase.” It continued. 

Turning to his left, Miles finally noticed a set of black stone stairs that went upwards, leading to somewhere just out of sight. Miles could see wherever it led to, it was the same place where the hundreds- thousands- millions? Of vines were originating. 

Miles went towards the stairs and began cautiously walking up them. With each step he took, he felt the air grow thicker and lighter. It was as if he were climbing thousands of feet of elevation within seconds. As Miles crested the peak of the staircase, his eyes laid upon a truly glorious, yet disheartening sight. 

There Loki, the god of stories, sat on his throne, confined to an eternity of solitude, a prison of his own selfless creation. Miles walked up to him before coming to a stop, staring the man down. The throne he sat on was more like an inconspicuous chair, its only redeeming detail being the gold that lined it. Even then, it didn’t look comfortable to sit on. It looked more burden than glory.

 “Who are you?” Miles asked, looking down at the man. He appeared to be wearing dark green robes that matched the color of the vines surrounding them. On his head, he wore long horns like a crown. Behind the man, he noticed where the vines originated. Wherever he was sitting, whatever he was doing, he seemed to be responsible. 

“I am Loki, the god of stories. It’s nice to finally meet you, Miles.” He said sincerely.

Miles scoffed. “Loki? Aren’t you supposed to be the god of mischief?”

Loki smiled with a faraway look in his eyes as if he were seeing a place- or time much further than where Miles was currently standing. “I was. Anyone can change, Miles. Even if it seems impossible.. Though I think you’ve proven nothing is impossible by this point.”

“Loki..” Miles smirked, shaking his head in disbelief.

“What?” the man asked, a look of confusion dawning on his face. 

“Just.. You’re mythology. I’ve never thought of you as real. It’s kinda hard to believe.”

“In the last 48 hours you’ve fought a cat, a dinosaur, hundreds of different variants of the same hero, met your married alternate self, battled against a living portal, and traveled the multiverse. Yet, you can’t believe the fact that I’m real?”

Miles shrugged “Touche… And here I was thinking this day couldn’t get any damn weirder..”

Loki smirked mischievously. Despite being a changed man, he still had the same mannerisms as he did once before. “Trust me Miles, it will always get weirder. You just have to go along with it.”

Miles around them. “Speaking of weirder.. What is this place? Are we in space? Wait, if we're in space how am I breathing?”

Loki looked at him dumbfounded. “I never said we were in space.”

“Oh okay, good..”

“This.. Is the center of all of creation.. Everything you know. The realities you call the Spider-Verse. Many timelines beyond that too. This is where every rope meets, intertwining in cosmic harmony for all time, always.”

Miles couldn’t help but smile, looking back at Loki. “How long did you practice that for?”

Loki glanced at Miles with a cheeky grin. “I’ve got the time.”

“Well, here’s the thing- I don’t.. I’m sorry but I really need to be getting back.” Miles said, taking a few steps back towards the man. “The Spot is going to attack my dimension. He’s going to kill my dad. I need to stop him.”

“I know.”

Miles looked confused. “Okay? Then why am I here?”

“Miles.. You’re a part of a much bigger multiverse. You just don’t know it yet.” Suddenly, Loki multiplied into two, his old self sitting on the throne as the other got up and walked past Miles, pausing and looking at the cosmos. 

“Woah- WOAH! What was that?” Miles asked, jumping back.

Loki smirked back at him, clearly amused. “I may no longer be the god of mischief, but I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

Miles shook his head, looking back at the man on the throne. However, the Loki on the throne pointed at what seemed to be his clone who stood in front of Miles facing away. “Don’t look at me, look at him.”

“Are you even the same person?” Miles looked back at the astral projection of Loki that waved his hand, beckoning him forward. 

Miles walked next to Loki, looking up where he was. High above them were millions of branched timelines. It looked like they were staring up into a giant glowing green vortex that was made up of time itself. It was made up of timelines that looked like the lines inside a trunk of a tree. Each line was seemingly a different universe.  “Look there.” Loki pointed to a certain rope.

Miles’ eyes trained on the timeline Loki was pointing to, only to watch it stop glowing green before taking on a dead gray color. Suddenly, another glowing and lively timeline bordering the outside of the now-dead-timeline pushed into it, destroying it entirely and taking its place in the wall of the vortex. As this happened, the vortex seemed to shrink ever so slightly. A loud bang was heard that radiated throughout the void in which they stood.

“What was that?” asked Miles, still trying to search for the timeline he had been focused on. It was gone. It had disappeared entirely. 

“That’s why you’re here.” Loki spoke, turning to look at Miles. “That was an incursion. The war that nobody knows is beginning.”

Miles looked at Loki. “The Secret Wars..”

Loki shrugged. “That’s- A stupid name.. But then again, the Multiversal War is a mouthful..”

Wait so-”

“So, we just watched billions of people die in an instant.”

Miles’ eyes widened as he turned back to look at the time vortex that made up the trunk of yggdrasil and then back at Loki. “What the Hell..”

“That’s a fate far worse than Hel.” Loki’s arms folded behind his back as he looked down turned away from the Vortex, walking back across the stone platform.

“Okay.. What do you want me to do about it?” Miles asked, following him.

“Miles, I’ve sat on this throne for millenniums. Time works differently here. I watch universes birth and die simultaneously. I see the birth of life and it’s end within seconds of each other only to see it be born yet again. I watch every person and every person has a story to tell. You may think you know how yours is going to go…” Loki turns towards Miles.

“You don’t.”

“Then tell me, how does it go?” Miles shot back, getting emotional. “I write my own story!”

“Yes.. You do.” Loki agreed with a proud smile on his face before turning away once again. “I can’t tell you how it goes- or how it ends. If I do, it won’t happen. I will tell you this. The multiversal war IS coming. The end of everything is coming. I need your help, Miles. We all need your help.”

“I asked you how I can help! Tell me! How do I help!?” 

“Sitting on my throne, I’ve seen this war take place billions of times. I’ve seen infinite outcomes to infinite scenarios. In almost everyone we lose… Except one. The multiverse needs defenders between it and utter destruction. I need you to form and lead a team.”

“A team?” Miles questioned.

"Out of every infinite scenario to this war, the only one where we win is the one where you lead the multiverse into battle against its greatest threat. The one where you truly become the.. Ultimate Spider-Man.”

“Wait.” Miles held up his hand before continuing. 

“You mean to tell me that you want me to abandon my family, my girlfriend, and everyone I care about to lead a stupid super-team for you? I haven’t even defeated the Spot yet! Let alone save the goddamn multiverse! I need to tell my parents I’m Spider-Man. I need to have time with Gwen..”

“The only way you can truly protect the people you love is if you never see them again. I know it, Miles. I’ve lived it. I begin every day questioning my lifeless existence, but then I see the smile on her face, and I remember why I’m here. Why it’s worth it. This isn’t the life I wanted, it's the life I was given. It’s a hero's sacrifice. You wanted to be a hero? This is what it means.”

“Nah..” Miles whispered, glaring at Loki. “I can do both. I’ve done it before I can do it again.”

“No, you can’t.”

“YOU DON’T KNOW THAT!”

“I do.”

Tears formed in Miles’ eyes. “You wanna save the multiverse so bad? Why don’t you do it yourself?”

“I’m stuck here, Miles. Without me here, the multiverse would immediately come to an end. I’m holding everything together- literally! I’ve simply held off the inevitable. It’s collapsing as we speak. All I’ve done is buy us time. Buy you time to save us.”

“Yeah? You’ve bought me time. Just find a different variant whose life isn’t as fucked up at the moment! Find another me.”

“It’s not that simple. There isn’t another you.”

“Huh?” Miles tilted his head.

“Trust me, I’ve looked. This plea is a desperate last resort. You’re.. Not like the rest. You’re different. You’re special..” Loki looked down. “You’re like me..”

There was a long pause before Loki continued.

“It’s more than just leading a team.. The only way the multiverse can be safe is if Miles Morales is there to watch over it. That’s how your story goes. A life of selfless sacrificial solitude so that others can live their best lives. There’s no other way. Someday, it’ll be you in this chair to start the cycle all over again.”

“I refuse to believe that.” Miles whispered, looking away and wiping his eyes. “I can’t believe that. After so much.. Don’t I finally deserve to be happy?” 

“Miles.. As you’ll come to find out.. Most people don’t get what they deserve. Life is cruel. I’m sorry but you need to choose between Gwen and everything else.”

Miles shook his head, turning back to Loki. There was no way he would never see Gwen again. There is no way he would throw away his life for this. He could do both. He knew he could.

“I choose Gwen. Send me back.”

Loki sighed, extending his hand in Miles’ direction. “You and Gwen..” He scoffed. “If your love for each other isn’t what saves the multiverse.. It’ll be what destroys it. You’ll have to make this choice again, Miles. Next time, it’ll be much, much harder. And next time, I won’t be able to interfere. In advance, I’m so sorry. Truly.”

A dark green cloud-like portal opened up behind Miles. “No matter where you go, no matter how fast you run, you can’t escape the inevitable. The war will eventually catch up.” Loki warned.

Miles walked towards the portal before looking back at Loki. 

“We’ll be ready.”

He sprinted towards the portal and jumped in. 

Towards his life. 

Towards Gwen.

---------------------------------------

“MILES!” Gwen shouted, wrestling out of Jessica’s grip and falling on her knees. Despite the pain that continued to plague her, Gwen crawled forward towards her other half as everyone watched. “No.. Please..” She whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Tears filled her eyes as she reached Miles, seeing him unresponsive as lightning flowed throughout him. She reached out to touch him, but the lightning shocked her hand away. “Eek!” she gripped her arm, facing away from Miles and trying to avoid the empathetic gazes she was getting as her face turned from one of devastation to determination. 

Turning back towards Miles, she grabbed him despite the lightning that entangled itself around her arm. “Hey, I’m here. Look at me. I’m here.” She grabbed him and turned him over to face upwards. He was barely breathing with his eyes closed. “No.. Not again..” She whispered, grabbing Miles and pulling him into her chest as she looked down at him. 

“Please come back to me.. Please! I- I’ll never leave you again! We’re here because of me and I’m so sorry. All I ever wanted was to see you- to be with you! I wanted to be happy… WHY CAN’T I BE HAPPY? Please be okay.. Please come back.. Please..” Tears dripped out of her eyes and onto his cheeks. 

As Gwen tearfully embraced him, the tendrils of lightning entwining her arms took on a life of their own, coursing them as if drawn to her very existence. Her expression turned to one of bewilderment as her eyes widened, her gaze shifting to Miles to her arms. She- she was absorbing his energy. She didn’t know how, but she was. Gwen watched her veins glow bright blue as the lightning dancing around Miles’ limp body ceased. Every Spider-Person gathered around them gasped as they watched the Ultimate Spider-Man return to the land of the living. 

Coughing violently, Miles shot up, his eyes full of tears. “Gwen? Gwen!” He turned just in time to see Gwen nearly tackle him to the ground. “Oh, thank God.. Thank God you’re okay…” She buried her head in his shoulder, starting to sob. “You came back..”

As Miles looked down at Gwen with a warm smile, it quickly disappeared as he thought back to what Loki had said. ‘If your love for each other isn’t what saves the multiverse.. It’ll be what destroys it.’

“I told you I always find a way.”

Gwen pulled back, smiling at him, shaking her head in utter disbelief. She sniffled and wiped her nose before her smile quickly vanished and she slapped him.

“Ow!”

“Don’t you ever do that to me again. You hear me?” 

“I hear you.” Miles hugged her, his smile returning as he embraced her familiar warmth. 

“For now, on, wherever you go, I follow. Deal?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Nope.”

“Sounds good to me.”

With Gwen practically in his lap, Miles pulled back, gazing into her eyes only to get lost in her azure depths. Looking into them, he felt as if he were lost and adrift in an ocean where her emotions swirled like gentle waves. Miles closed the gap between their faces before their lips met in a tender kiss. However, as time passed their kiss turned more and more intense as Gwen slipped her tongue into his mouth-

“Ahem”

Miles’ head shot back, turning to see a large crowd gathered beside them, full of Spider-People and villains. No matter what their morality was or who their loyalty was to, most were cringing. 

“Oh shit- Hey guys.” He said, his face turning a bright red he didn’t even know was possible. Looking at Gwen, he saw she was equally as flustered as she struggled to get up. Miles helped her to her feet while simultaneously using her for support.

“Miles, welcome back to the land of the living.” Peni responded in turn for the silent crowd, her arms crossed, and a shit eating grin spread across her face.

Beside Peni, Miguel O’Hara could only shake his head in disbelief, already trying to make sense of what had just happened in his head.

“Glad to be back.” Miles stumbled a bit only for Gwen to catch him. “I’m good.” He whispered, looking at her.

“You sure?” She asked, her eyes full of worry.

“I’m sure, Gwanda.”

She slapped him.

“Stop slapping me.” he hissed, turning to face her.

“Then stop being adorable.” She hissed back.

“I can’t help it.” He whispered.

“You know what- You’re right.” Gwen agreed.

“Guys?”

(‘Only One Spider-Man’ begins)

https://youtu.be/aKY_0QrPaO8?si=meAIVXghBirMZm4V

He cleared his throat and turned back to see the voice had originated from Jessica Drew, still holding Mayday in her arms. “Right, sorry,” he spoke.

As Miles thought of what to say, he watched Spider-People begin to look between him and Miguel, unsure of what to do. With Insomniac Peter gone and Miguel being handcuffed, Miles knew he had to act fast if he was to gain their trust. However, there was one major problem. He didn’t have a clue as to what to say. But, with all eyes on him, he knew this was his moment to shine. It was time to prove he really was Spider-Man

Suddenly, something caught Miles’ attention. Laying on the ground, seemingly abandoned, was a classic looking Spider-Man mask. The symbol for his weakness, for his insecurity, but also for his strength. At that moment, he knew exactly what he needed to say.

“This mask..” Miles leaned down, picking up the red mask and shaking it in the air to get everyone’s attention. “This Mask! This means something different to each and every one of us. Whether it’s a call to action, badge of honor, or shoes to fill…” He paused, looking down. “But, no matter what the mask means to you or how you choose to wear it, you’re Spider-Man. Nobody can take that away from you. Just like how none of y’all can take that away from me. If there’s one thing I learned wearing this mask.. It’s that the bravest thing you can do is to be yourself.”

Miles glared at the crowd before continuing. “Time and time again, we overcome the odds. We do the impossible. Whether it's taking a punch from the Green Goblin, our friends, or ourselves, we always get back up. Today, I ask you to fight one more time. My world is in danger. Your world is in danger. Every world is in danger. If we don’t come together to stop the Spot, there is nothing that stands between them and oblivion. Fight for the people you love. Fight for yourself. Fight for the Spider-Verse!”

“For the Spider-Verse!” Gwen repeated.

“For the Spider-Verse!” Jessica shouted

“FOR THE SPIDER-VERSE!” The crowd boomed with determination.

Miles heard a familiar warm chuckle. “For the Spider-Verse.” 

Turning, he saw Insomniac Spider-Man helping Peter B. over with his arm slung around him. “Peter!” He shouted, sprinting over and practically throwing himself into him. “Miles!” Insomniac Spider-Man let go of Peter, letting him hold onto Miles for support before making his way towards Jessica Drew.

“I am so proud of you, Miles.” Peter said, embracing Miles in a tight hug. 

“We are so proud of you.” Gwen corrected, walking over to the two and throwing her arms around Miles’ back, joining in on the hug. For the first time in forever, the trio was back together and stronger than ever.

“I really missed you guys..” Miles whispered with a broken chuckle, unable to help the tears of joy that escaped down his cheeks. 

Suddenly the trio heard a loud noise followed by a groan, breaking their hug and ending their fond moment. Peter supported himself on Miles’ shoulder as Gwen gripped Miles’ hand.

They watched as a black gloved hand gripped the edge that led to the dark void below, only for a messed up and bloody Spider-Man Noir to pull himself over and roll onto the floor and on his back, gasping for air.

All three of their jaws dropped. “Noir?..” Gwen whispered.

Noir glanced in their direction, his cold demeanor suddenly turning warm and friendly. “Oh hey guys! What’d I miss?”

—---------

Insomniac Spider-Man walked over to Jessica Drew, who held Mayday in her arms “What’s the situation?”

“Other than this little bundle of joy!” She cooed, making Mayday giggle before looking up at Insomniac, who couldn’t help but grin under his mask. “We’re in lockdown. Nobody can come or go. On top of that, most of our villains have been let out of their cells and we have a date with a multiversal threat. So, the situation is great.”

“Well, I may be able to make it a little better.” He replied, smirking under his mask. Jessica’s eyes widened in intrigue, turning her attention from Mayday and up to Peter. “I’m listening.”

Insomniac Peter began walking and waved for Jessica to follow him. He turned back towards the Spectacular Spider-Man. “Get the villains back in their cells.” Jessica tried to keep up close behind as they walked out of the cell block and Go Home Machine area and out into the wide-open expanse that was the society.

“We’ve reached a deal. With Peter B.” Insomniac Spidey said, walking upside down on a walkway before crossing rightside up and leaping up into another pillar. Jessica struggled to keep up with the balancing act of climbing and holding Mayday in her other arm, but she managed.

“Pertaining to?...” The two walked down a walkway near the very top of the Society building. Jessica looked over the edge, barely able to see the pitch-dark void that she knew was the bottom level. 

“The Spider-Verse network. We’re shutting it down.. Mostly.” Peter held his thumb to a scanner next to a metal blast-proof door. The door opened, letting Peter and Jessica in. 

Walking into the room, Jessica recognized it was the control room. Every operation of the Society was manually operated from the very space they stood in. “Oh.. Based on what I’ve heard, that's for the best.. Wait- Mostly?” 

“Mostly.” he agreed, walking over to some kind of circular scanner with a large hole in the middle. “What are you going to scan now? Your-” Jessica began to ask but immediately shut up seeing Peter lean down and stick his head into the machine. 

“Uhm is that safe?” She asked.

“Should be.” Peter grabbed a metal rod with a button on top that was connected to the machine by a thick wire before pressing the button. The inside of the machine flashed around his face before they heard a ‘ding.’

“Welcome, Peter Parker!” A robotic voice announced. Peter took his head out of the machine and walked over to the control panel, watching a holographic keyboard come up from the middle before typing into it. The window somehow transformed into a screen as well, displaying what Peter wanted. 

“What are you doing?” Jessica asked. 

“I am.. Turning off the lockdown.” Peter replied matter-of-factly, typing away before the holographic keyboard disappeared and he pressed a large button on the console. They heard an alarm go off three times before it ceased and shut off. “Alright, we’re good.” 

“Not yet. Tell me the deal you and Peter B. made.” Jessica said, standing in the doorway and blocking his exit. 

Peter sighed, pulling his mask off and leaning against the wall. “I’ll tell you.. But you can’t say anything. Not until Peter B. does.”

---------------------------------------

“Ouch!” 

Miles sat on a bed in the Spider-Society hospital ward with his legs hanging off the side as Gwen sat next to him in a chair. A Spider-Nurse was standing next to him, holding his arm as she injected a needle into it, drawing a bit of blood. In the beds on both sides of him, Peter B. laid to his right while Noir was to his left, also getting treatment on his extraneous list of injuries. 

Gwen had been the only one who didn’t need treatment allowed inside the ward since she had listed herself as Miles’ emergency contact (he wondered how long ago she did that). Unfortunately, the others had to wait in the waiting room just outside. 

“You, okay?” Gwen asked, watching the nurse pull the needle out and walk away with the sample.

“I will be once we get going..” Miles mumbled. “I’m not injured.”

“Miles, you literally died. If it hadn’t been for me…” Her voice trailed off as she looked away.

“Yeah, well I didn’t. I’m fine!” He insisted.

“Miles. Sometimes, you push yourself past your limits.” Gwen replied calmly, taking a deep breath to regulate her emotions. She never wanted to think about that moment again.

“Oh, and I’m the only one?” He shot back, his tone lowering in frustration. However, his glare quickly wavered as Gwen looked back at him with a hurt expression. It had hurt, but they both knew he wasn’t wrong.

 “Sorry.. I’m sorry. I’m just on edge about my parents.. Once they're fine, I’ll be too.”

They both looked at each other with the exact same expression- one of comfort. No matter where Miles would be in the Spider-Verse, as long as Gwen was there, he would be okay. 

“Oh lord, just kiss already!” Peter B. groaned. 

Miles and Gwen smirked at each other before doing just that, giving each other a quick peck on the lips.

“Not literally! God!” He shook his head, chuckling. Suddenly, Peter’s attention was drawn away from the duo and towards the opening door. He watched as Jessica Drew carried in Mayday, whose face lit up once she saw the familiar face of her father.

“Mayday!” He sat up in his bed, nearly jumping out of it if it weren’t for Jessica quickly making her way over to him, handing the baby over to him. Mayday looked up at him with wide eyes and a big smile. 

“Da!” she babbled.

“I missed you so much!” He hugged her against his chest, looking over her shoulder at Jessica. “I can’t thank you enough! I hope she wasn’t a pain.”

Jessica shrugged with a sly smile. “She can be a bit- energetic, but I think she gets that from her dad.”

“You’re dang right she does!” He said proudly before cooing towards Mayday, causing the baby to giggle. “Yes, she is!” 

Gwen couldn’t help but grin. “If she gets to be a bit much, let us know. Miles and I would be happy to babysit after all of this is over!”

“We would?” Miles noticed Gwen’s stink eye. “I- I mean we would!”

As Peter B. looked at Mayday, his smile quickly disappeared, leaving a painful expression. The once playful mood of the room had shifted entirely within seconds. Jess slightly opened her mouth giving Peter a slightly hesitant look. Noir continued to keep to himself, playing with his rubix cube without a care in the world.

“About that..” Peter B. regretfully sighed

“What?” Gwen’s smile slowly faded. “What?...”

Miles cocked his head as his eyes narrowed. “Peter.. What did you do?”

“I’m so sorry..” He whispered. 

“What. Did. You. Do?” Gwen clenched her jaw and tightened her fist.

“We needed Peter-1048’s help to deactivate the lockdown and help us defeat the Spot.. He pointed out some serious dangers about traveling with the risk of incursions.. And I think he’s right.” He tried to calmly explain.

“So what? You’re going to.. Regulate traveling more closely?” Gwen asked, in denial about what Peter was truly saying.

“No.” Miles answered for him, glaring daggers in his direction. “After we defeat the Spot, there won’t be any cross-dimensional travel.. Will there?”

Peter looked away, holding Mayday close, unable to bear seeing the look of disappointment in Miles’ eyes yet again. He hated letting him down. He hated it. “There was no other way..”

“Bullshit!” Gwen yelled, standing up, causing Peter to cover Mayday’s ears.

“Where have I heard that before?” Miles rhetorically asked, pretending to think. “Oh! I know! How about ‘you have to let your dad die or the Spider-Verse will explode!’” He spoke in a low tone, mocking Miguel.

“Unlike canon events, the incursions are actually real!” Peter shouted in defense. “Or were you lying?”

“Am I lying? Let’s see, who’s the one here that’s most likely to lie?” Miles shot back.

“Oh, real mature! What happened to not being a kid?” 

“I’m not!”

“THEN ACT LIKE IT!” Peter exploded, shocking even Miles and Gwen. Jessica’s eyes widened. Noir stopped twisting his rubix cube and turned his head towards his friend with a look of concern.

“I just don’t want to lose you guys..” Gwen’s voice squeaked as tears filled her eyes. “I don’t want this all to be for- for nothing!”

Peter looked down with a guilty look on his face, not being able to bare watching Gwen cry as Miles hugged her. 

“I can’t lose him.. I can’t.” Gwen kept sobbing into Miles’ shoulder as he hugged her, unable to help the tears that rolled down his cheeks today.

“I’m sorry.. Look, sure you could lose your friends, but people could lose their lives. Gwen, Miles, you two are some of the kindest and selfless people I’ve ever met. I’m honored to be a part of your journey. But what makes the journey special is that it doesn’t last forever. As long as you honor those memories, they’ll always be alive right alongside you..”

After a moment of silence, Peter continued. “You aren’t losing Miles.. I was able to get one exception- well technically two.”

Gwen looked up at him from Miles’ shoulder, her eyes red from crying. “What?..”

“They’re going to keep the gateway between your two dimensions open.”

“But.. Why?” Miles asked with a perplexed expression.

Peter shrugged. “It’s all I could think to do to make up for what I did.. Plus, I’m probably the only person who knows what you two really mean to each other. I know you can’t lose him, Gwen. That’s why I did this.” 

“Peter.. I know I just said some shitty things to you but.. Thank you.” Miles got up, dragging Gwen with him before throwing his arms around the injured Spider. “I owe you.”

Peter chuckled, unable to stop the tears that came to his eyes as well. “Just be the best you that you can be, promise?”

“I promise.” Miles pulled back from their hug alongside Gwen, who looked at Peter with a cheeky grin as she wiped her eyes. “Will we at least get the prestigious honor of battling alongside the oldest Spider-Man in the multiverse one last time?”

“Hey this old Spider-Man can put on some moves that you can’t!” He defended.

“Yeah, putting the moves on the buffet..” Miles mumbled. 

Peter playfully shoved him. “But, to answer your question, yes. I’ll be by your side as long as I can.”

“Me too! When do we leave?” Noir asked, sitting up in his bed.

“WE?” Miles, Gwen, Jessica, and Peter all replied simultaneously. 

“Oh, I’m fine! I’ve danced with the devil himself! A few scratches can’t stop me.”

“Noir, you have a hell of a lot more than a few scratches.” Jessica said, walking over to his bed and picking up his chart that rested on the end. “Five broken bones, one fracture, and lots of bruising.”

“You should see the other guy- Actually you probably don’t want to.” Noir responded.

“Uh- Why’s that?” Miles asked.

“Flatter than a souffle pancake.”

“Okay well Noir- we don’t want you to end up like a- whatever you just said.” Peter B. spoke up.

“I won’t. I know my limits. Like Miles!”

“That’s a terrible comparison.” Miles cut in.

“So you admit it!” Gwen swatted his arm

“Sh.”

“Noir, we need to be worrying about the civilians. Not about our own. You’d be a liability.” Peter B. carefully spoke, not wanting to aggravate his friend.

“I’m not a liability! I’d be fine! Let me decide whether I’m ready or not, okay?” Noir sat up in his bed.

Peter’s brows narrowed as he sat still, thinking deeply about the situation as Mayday kept slapping his face and tugging on his suit. “.. Okay. But you need to be honest. If you can’t go, you can’t go. Deal?” 

“Deal.” Noir said with a worrying amount of confidence.

“Alright, while you two get ready, Gwen and I need to talk to the others about the situation.” Miles said, beginning to walk out of the room and nodding for Gwen to follow. 

“Good luck with that!” Peter called out from his bed.

“Uhm- Gwen shot a web at Miles’ back, stopping him from walking out the door and turning to face Peter. “Why good luck?”

“Well, if you two took the news the way you did, I can’t imagine they would either.” 

“Oh, I’m sure they’ll be fine!” Miles replied.

—---

“NO!” Pavitr shouted

Miles and Gwen stood together, leaning against the wall in a private meeting room as their friends sat before them at a table. To the left were Hobie, Pavitr, and Ham while Peni and Margo sat across from them to the couples’ right. 

“Look, I know this is a lot. I know none of you want this- we don’t either. But we need the Society’s help on this. Most already support Miles after his amazing speech.” Gwen punched his arm, causing the boy to blush. “And the more skeptical ones will be convinced by this deal. Besides, it’s the right thing to do anyway. Dimensions could be at risk just because we want to have a sleepover. Hell, Miles and I are lucky that we’re being allowed to keep traveling to each other’s worlds. I’m sure there will be restrictions on the watches, so we don’t go anywhere else.”

“I know, Gwendy. It’s just that.. This is more than sleepovers. At least to me it is..” Hobie said. “I never really had anyone in my life. I grew up on the streets of London. Sure, I had friends, but I never had family. You lot are the family I never had.. And I wouldn’t trade it for any world.”

“Hobie..” Gwen whispered, moving away from the wall and walking over to the rockstar, bending down and hugging him. “We’ll always be your family. That’ll never change.” 

Hobie began tearing up. “I love y’all.”

People got up from their chairs and gathered around all hugging him. 

“I just met this man.. But I love him too!” Ham cried out, dramatic tears pouring down his cheeks.

“Whaddya all say?” Miles asked, pulling out of the hug. The group turned to face him. His hand clenched into a fist before holding it out. “Let’s do this one more time.” 

Hundreds of small orange portals, all leading to Earth-1610B illuminated an army of Spider-People, Miles and Gwen standing front and center and facing the light. The couple turned to face each other, sharing a determined nod. 

Gwen held her fist near Miles’ and soon their friends began to follow suit until they were all standing in a circle of unity, of friendship, and of family. A bond so strong that transcended time and space and went beyond the Spider-Verse.

“After you, Spider-Man.” Gwen said with a smirk. The Comic glow intensified, casting an epic light on Miles Morales as he stepped forward and got ready to jump into the unknown, ready to fight with his friends one more time. For his dad. For his world. For everything. 

“For the Spider-Verse.”

“For the Spider-Verse!”

Chapter Text

As the black rain poured outside, a police car would pull up in front of the bustling Vision’s Academy. Jefferson Morales watched as students hurried off of buses and ran inside, not caring to stand out in the rain. A soft smile would eclipse Jeff’s face as he thought back to the fond memory of embarrassing Miles in front of the school on his first day. 

He could still see his boy turning around to face him, wincing as he felt everybody’s eyes on him. Miles had never liked being the center of attention- especially when that attention was utterly humiliating.

Jeff could still hear his boy’s sarcastic, yet loveable voice.

“I love you, dad.” 

HONK!

The loud noise startled Jeff, snapping him out of his trance and out of his memory. He looked back to the empty staircase, a painful reminder that the days of Miles’ childhood were nearing its end, that his boy wasn’t a boy anymore. 

He was becoming a man.

Jeff looked behind him, seeing a school bus waiting for him to move. He would wave before pulling forward and finding a spot to park. There were only a few places Miles could be. What better place to start than the place he should be?

---------------------------------------

The halls of Vision’s Academy were near silent as the students of the school looked up at Captain Morales with wide eyes and hushed whispers. Jeff would stalk through the middle of the halls, hands in his coat pockets and staring at the ground as he made his way towards Miles’ dorm. 

Is this really what his son had to go through? 

Finally, finding his son’s dorm, Jeff would clear his throat and take a hopeful breath before trying the doorknob, which didn’t budge. He would let all of the air in his lungs out in one deep sigh before knocking on the door.

Knock Knock

“Miles, you there? It’s Dad..”

No response.

Jeff took a step back, looking under the door to see a shadow scurrying throughout the room. His eyes narrowed as he looked back at the door and knocked on it again, only this time harder.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Miles! Just please open the door! I’m not going to arrest anybody… Yet.”

Suddenly, he heard the door unlock, causing him to take a step back. He watched the door open to see Ganke, wearing old or wrinkled clothes, and standing there out of breath.

“Oh, Ganke. Hey.” He’d awkwardly clear his throat. “Sorry, thought you were-...” His voice trailed off.

“It’s okay, Captain Morales. I was just asleep when you knocked.” He responded with a wide smile. Jeff’s vision honed in on Ganke’s hands, which seemed to be shaking. 

“Oh okay well uh do you know where Miles is?” Jeff cut straight to the chase. He didn’t have time for small talk. He had another place to check and on top of that, the Spot to deal with. 

“No, actually- Last time I saw him he was leaving to go back to your place. Why?”

“It’s been two days since anybody has last seen him. His mother and I are worried sick.” He would reach into his coat and pull out a notepad. “Did Miles say anything to you about any plans he had?”

Ganke looked away and hesitated before taking a deep breath. “Nope.”

“Really, so nothing with Gwanda?” Jeff pushed.

“Gwanda?” Ganke looked as if he had just seen a ghost. But, he quickly recovered. “Ohhhh, Gwanda! She uh- moved away.”

“If that’s so, then why was she with Miles right before he disappeared?”

“She was with Miles?! Here?” Ganke couldn’t help but begin to smirk. 

“Yes, she was with Miles. What’s so funny about that?”

“Just that Miles is down bad for her.”

“Down bad?”

“He likes her. A lot.”

Jeff would pause with his pen in his hand, looking down at his empty notepad. “Okay, I don’t really know what to do with that information..” He closed his notepad and put it in his pocket. “Thanks for the help.”

“Anytime, Captain Morales.”

Jeff turned around and began to walk away before pausing. “Oh and one last thing.” He turned around and held out his hand. “Gimme.”

“I- I beg your pardon?” Ganke asked with a nervous chuckle.

“Ganke, I’m a cop with a teenage son. You can either give it to me and your folks don’t find out or you can give it to administration.”

The boy would sigh before reaching into his pocket with a shaking hand and pulling out a vape, handing it to Captain Morales. “Miles doesn’t do this just so you know..”

“Oh I know.” Jeff took the vape and put it in his coat pocket alongside the notepad.

“You do?”

Jeff turned back around and walked down the hall. “Yeah, because if he did I’d be the reason he’d be missing.”

---------------------------------------

The door of Jeff’s police car slammed shut behind him as he stepped out. Jeff would point his umbrella forward and open it up before holding it over his head. Umbrella in hand, the police captain would begin walking forward and past a sign that read: 

‘Green-Wood Cemetery’

  Rain would softly patter against the top of Jeff’s umbrella as he walked through the cemetery and towards one particular gravestone, hoping to find Miles there. However, when he arrived, he found nobody but himself- and one other familiar name.

‘Aaron Davis’

Jeff would let out a broken sigh as he looked down at his brother’s gravestone. Suddenly, a realization hit him. This was his first time visiting his brother’s grave since the funeral.

Staring down at the gave, his voice broke as he tried to speak. “Hey..” He chuckled, quickly followed by a sob. He’d use his free hand to remove his glasses and wipe his eyes with his already damp coat sleeve. 

“It’s been awhile.. I’m sorry I didn’t visit sooner.. Life has just been hectic to say the least. Miles- he’s… I don’t know what’s going on with him. He won’t tell me anything . Every time I see him, he looks less and less like the kid I raised. He’s embarrassed to be around his old man.. I miss the days when we’d go driving around in my cruiser.. He’d look at me like I was some sort of superhero, man. When your kid looks at you like that, it’s the best feeling in the world. I was his hero. Later in life, that’s the same look he gave you. He- He looked up to you!... And you threw that away. I just wish you had appreciated it the same way I did.”

Jeff choked up, wiping his eyes again before continuing. 

“I’m sorry we never reconciled. I’m sorry.. Every day I think about what I could have done differently, what I could have said. I could have said anything . Maybe you wouldn’t be here right now. Maybe you wouldn’t have worked for..” He couldn’t even say Fisk’s name. “Just.. That goddamn Davis stubbornness wouldn’t let me do it. And I wonder where Miles gets his stubbornness from.” He chuckled before taking a long pause.

“I hope you're still with me, Aaron. I need your strength now. More than ever.”

Jeff sucked in a long breath of air and held it until he felt his lungs about to burst, letting it all out at once.

He let out his pain.

He let out his fear.

He let out his grief.

All that was left was determination. To save Miles, to save who he still could. It was time to move on.

“I miss you, man… Like you always said, time to just keep going.”

---------------------------------------

The door to Jeff’s police cruiser swung open as the man ducked inside and closed his umbrella, watching the black liquid that had fallen from the clouds fall off. “The hell.. Is that?... Ink?” With a glare on his face, Jeff slowly tilted his head upwards to look into the angry black clouds above only for a single black raindrop to land on his glasses. 

He closed the door and removed his glasses, reaching for his lens cleaning cloth. He rubbed it over the right frame of his glasses, but the ink was only smudged in. “UGH!” He groaned with a look of clear annoyance. He quickly looked around the car before seeing one of Miles’ stainless steel water bottles covered in stickers. He quickly grabbed it and twisted open the top, pouring a little onto his lens and successfully using the cloth to clean it off. 

He’d put his glasses back on and reached for the water bottle lid, beginning to twist it back on. As he twisted, he immediately stopped in his tracks as his eyes rested on one sticker in particular. 

As Jeff stared at the sticker, his eyes began to narrow as he thought back to what he had said at Aaron’s grave.

“When your kid looks at you like that, it’s the best feeling in the world. I was his hero. Later in life, that’s the same look he gave you. He- He looked up to you!... And you threw that away.”

What if Miles was at a place he used to go to with Aaron? One that Jeff had not thought to check. Jeff knew that Miles and Aaron would go down into the subway system to tag. He also knew that Aaron wouldn’t have gone too far from Kingpin when he needed him most. 

The night Peter Parker died.

Miles was at the place he had gone to with Aaron the night that one Spider-Man fell while another one had risen.

Jeff immediately grabbed his radio and talked into it. “Hey, this is Captain Morales. Over.”

“Oh my god, Captain Morales! We’ve been wondering-” A younger woman’s excited, but relieved voice began speaking.

“I’m fine, officer Watanabe. But, I do need something. Are you at the station? Over.”

“Uhm yeah, why? Over.”

“Tell me, do any subway system’s run near Kingpin’s old collider? Over.”

“I believe so.. Over.”

“Great, I’m stopping by the station. When I get there, I need a map of every subway line in Brooklyn.”

“Yes captain, but how does this help stop the Spot? Over.”

“It doesn’t. Over.”

There was an awkward silence.

“Okay, I’m on it. Over.”

“Fantastic! I’m on my way. Over and out.”

Jeff turned on his police lights, blue and red painting the street around him with light before sounding off his siren and slamming down on the breaks without hesitation. Tire tracks were left in the road as he sped off towards the police station, and then the subway. 

For the first time in years..

Jefferson Morales was going to break the law.

“For Miles..” He mumbled comfortingly to himself.

---------------------------------------

Now parked outside the subway station in the fire engine lane, Jeff held up a map of the lonesome underground subway system hidden beneath the lively shell of the city. Wearing his glasses and squinting, he traced his finger down the map before it arrived where he was. “Okay, gotcha..” He mumbled. He held the map, showing where Fisk Tower should’ve been, only to lower it to see the ruins of the collider glaring back at him through his windshield being increasingly enveloped by drops of ink. 

“Clearly outdated..” He mumbled, holding back up the map.

“So.. There is one subway tunnel that runs by Fisk tower. If Aaron was close enough to Kingpin to be there the night that Spider-Man died, and if he was tagging with Miles, this has to be it. It’s right next to the tower. Forget about captain, what about detective!?” He began laughing and looked around to see he was alone, his face quickly falling.

“Someday somebody will appreciate my jokes..” Jeff grabbed his flashlight that sat in the unoccupied seat next to him, and folded the map in his hand before pushing the car door open and getting out, making his way towards the subway entrance. 

Jeff bumped into people moving in and out of the underground station, making his way down the stairs. He noticed as he passed by others, many people saw his badge and avoided his gaze.

‘Since when are people afraid of cops?..’ He thought to himself.

Jeff would make his way down to the station before going to the left. Suddenly, he’d stop. Wanting to make sure he was right, he pulled out the large map before walking to the right. Then, he’d stop again and walk back to the left, putting his map away. “If Miles is anywhere, it’s here..” He mumbled, walking to the edge of the subway station and looking down at the track. 

Putting the map in his pocket, Jeff would close his eyes and get ready to jump down onto the track in front of him a few feet below.

He could do this. 

HE WAS JEFFERSON MORALES.

And he was going to save-

Jeff was sat down as he scooted to the end of the platform and kicked his legs out, feeling for the metal track. Once he felt the tips of his shoes touch it, he slid off and onto his feet. 

The entire station gasped and people began yelling as they saw him on the track. “Calm down!” He shouted, pulling out his flashlight. “This is official police business.”

“How is getting hit by a train official police business?” A bystander yelled out.

“I’m saving my son!” Jeff shouted back before turning around and switching on his flashlight, walking into the tunnel as he left the bystanders behind him puzzled and confused. 

“Still don’t get how getting hit by a train is going to save his son..” The bystander wondered aloud. 

---------------------------------------

As a beam of a flashlight shined down the dark and hollow subway tunnel, a rat was caught in the light, causing it to scurry into the walls and out of sight just as Jeff walked past. 

Jeff would cautiously walk down the subway tunnel, keeping up the tedious balancing act of watching out for any trains and trying to find any openings in the wall that could lead him to Miles. The beam of light would move unsteadily as the hand wrapped around it shook in fear. 

Suddenly, Jeff’s heart stopped as the dark and once lifeless subway tunnel was filled with the sound of a train horn honking. 

Mere seconds ago, one could have heard a pin drop. Now, dust began to fall from the ceiling as the entire subway tunnel shook. The sounds of heavy wheels against the metal wheels grew closer and closer.

Jeff stood in the middle of the tracks, narrowing his eyes and staring up the subway tunnel in anticipation, waiting to move to the side. But, as he did so, the light in the tunnel expanded far beyond his flashlight. Soon, the entire tunnel was painted with light, but he saw no train.

Then, he heard the train horn again. It sounded like it was right behind him-

Jeff looked over his shoulder to see the coming up on him, only feet away from striking him dead. He acted fast, throwing himself against the wall and shrugging over to where his back was against it. The train rode through where he had been just seconds ago, wind being thrown in his face from the sear velocity. His police hat even blew off to god knows where. Jeff closed his eyes and turned his head to the right, praying for the train to pass.

When it did, Jeff slowly opened his eyes to see he was alone, and in the dark once again. A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he held out his flashlight, attempting to find his hat. He hadn’t felt so much relief since when he got that call from Miles-

Miles.

He had to focus on Miles.

Jeff quickly decided to ditch his police hat, hurrying down the tunnel and picking up the pace as he moved into a light jog. “Come on, Miles..” He whispered. 

After a few minutes of walking, Jeff stopped in his tracks and shined the flashlight to his left to find he was walking by an abandoned subway station. 

Jeff smirked.

“Bingo.”

Deciding he didn’t want to stick around to wait for another train, Jeff clambered up onto the platform and rolled onto his back before catching his breath. As he stared up at the ceiling, he saw a giant spider web strewn from the support beam behind him to the corner of the room with a black spider resting on it. 

Eyes widening at the sight, Jeff rolled out of the way and stood up, holding out his flashlight as he continued his journey into the seemingly endless and forever winding subway system.

Seeing that the stairs leading upwards were filled with gravel to keep anyone from even attempting to be where he was in the first place, Jeff turned to the right, beginning to walk down a surprisingly dimly lit hallway. However, he quickly encountered a problem as he came upon a metal fence, also designed to keep people from continuing their journey.

Jeff was about to turn back, but his eyes narrowed, noticing the wear and tear on the chain link as if someone had used them as stepping stones to vault over. 

“I’m too damn old to be doing this shit..” He said to himself, throwing the flashlight over the fence.

The first note of the prowler theme plays as Jeff attempts to scale the fence.

Halfway up the fence, Jeff stopped and took a deep breath, feeling the cold metal dig into his skin. Sighing, he continued upwards before reaching the peak and falling over to the other side flat on his face. 

Sighing, Jeff slowly stood up and bent down, grabbing his flashlight.

“I still got it in me.”

Continuing down the hallway, the overhead lights would flicker as if they had been waiting specifically for him all this time, just to light his path. Now, they were ready to finally give out. As Jeff reached the end of the hallway, he saw that it expanded into a large expansive room. Entering the room and shining his flashlight upwards, he could barely even make out the ceiling. 

Then, as Jeff would shine his flashlight at the wall directly in front of him, what he saw would leave him speechless. 

A mural. 

In front and center was a dark figure with the word EXPECTATIONS painted behind it. Just above that were the spider-people Jeff had seen during the collider event, almost all unmasked. But, that wasn’t what shocked him the most.

Just above the word EXPECTATIONS was the person that was in the center of everything. Jeff immediately recognized who Spider-Woman was with her mask off. 

“Gwanda..”

His eyes narrowed as he scanned the mural once again. 

One Spider-Man was missing. 

HIS Spider-Man.

Jeff’s gaze landed back on the figure just in front of expectations. His narrowed eyes immediately widened as he came to a shocking conclusion. He couldn’t even bring himself to say it. He felt his heart begin to pound rapidly as he opened his mouth. 

“Miles… You’re- You’re… Spider-Man-”

BOOM!

The entire room violently shook, sending Jeff falling to the floor. Dust fell from the ceiling and onto his uniform. Jeff, whose mind was still preoccupied by his discovery, scrambled to his feet and stumbled forward as he stared at the mural in front of him. 

Jeff had never been so scared in his entire life.

But, he had also never been so proud. 

His son was a hero.

Jeff reached for his walkie talkie and spoke into it as he kept staring at the mural.

“Dispatch? Over.”

No response.

“Dispatch!? Over!”

He groaned, shoving his walkie talkie into his belt.

“Goddamnit. What the hell is going on up there!?”

---------------------------------------

Chaos.

Utter horrific chaos began to fill the skies above the New York City of Earth-1610. 

Dark clouds of fury cried black inky tears upon the civilians below. All around the city, giant black spots began to open on the side of buildings and in the street, sucking debris, people, and even a construction crane into them. Average people on their daily morning commute were faced with a terrifying reality. Their city and very livelihood was under attack. At the center of all of it in the eye of the hurricane-like storm, was the Spot.

“How’s this for villain of the week..” His warped voice spoke, gazing gleefully down at the destruction and panic below as he floated midair. As his villainous assault on the city began, so did the battle for City’s and the Spider-Verse’s soul. Several hundred feet in front of him, the Spot watched a single portal open just in front of the cloud wall. 

But, it wasn’t the portal opening that agitated the Spot. It was the light it cast into the stormy sky and the hope that would ignite the fiery resolve of the city. 

Suddenly, he would watch as a few more portals would begin to appear around the first one and more would appear around those. Soon, Spot couldn’t believe his eyes as hundreds of small, orange, hexagon-shaped portals dotted the skyline in front of him.

‘What’s Up Danger’ begins to play

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y88LVU7MAe4

“What the-” Spot mumbled.

All at once, webs of destiny shot out of the portals in front of him and intertwined on the Spot’s location, followed by hundreds of Spider-People swinging out and towards the Spot through the thundering heavens. In the lead, was none other than his Spider-Man.

It was Miles Morales.

“YOU WANT TO SAVE THE DAY? THEN SAVE IT!” Spot screamed, raising both of his arms above his head. Just behind him, a giant black portal opened up that Miles could’ve mistaken as the void of the Spider-Verse itself. The Spot would throw his right hand forward, throwing out chunks of concrete, cars, and civilians at the Spider-Army. 

“Everyone, do what you can and save the people who are falling and the ones on the city streets! I’ll take care of the Spot!” Miles shouted, continuing to swing towards the villain. 

“How do you plan to do that!?” Gwen yelled out, staying with him as the other behind the two broke off and dove down through the sky, trying to grab the civilians who were falling just below them.

“I’ll figure out a way! I always do!” He shouted back as the two neared the Spot. Out of the bottom half of the giant portal, the Spot summoned the front of a long, orange construction crane, throwing it towards the duo. But, Miles and Gwen would take advantage of the opportunity and land on the top of the crane, sprinting towards the Spot across it. They’d both shoot webs at the Spot and pull him down onto the crane to face him. 

“Spot! You need to stop! People are getting hurt!” Miles shouted over the wind, stopping in front of the villain. 

“Stop?..” The Spot’s low, warped voice repeated. He stood to his feet, facing down the Spider-Couple. “I’m not going to stop until EVERYTHING is an abyss and everyone finally knows the pain I feel! THE PAIN YOU GAVE ME, SPIDER-MAN!”

In other world’s across the multiverse, giant black spots that mirrored the one in Pavitr’s world began to open up, swallowing cars, people, and even their pets. The portal in Pavitr’s world suddenly broke past its Spider-Society built confines and continued its spread. If Miles didn’t move quickly, not just his world, not just his story, but every story would cease to exist.

The Spot threw two portals at Miles and Gwen, which they both flipped and dodged. “Gwen, find my dad! Keep him safe!” Miles spoke to her. Then, Spider-Man would shoot two webs behind the Spot and pull back, jumping up and kicking him back, sending the both of them through the portal and leaving Gwen standing alone. 

“Wonder how I’ll do that..” She mumbled to herself, looking down at the city far below and feeling a sickness in the pit of her stomach. She had to be suspended at least a couple hundred feet above the skyscrapers. She even struggled to breath, being this high. “Or how I’ll get down..” She added.

---------------------------------------

Miles and the Spot would come tumbling out the other side of the portal, and onto the other half of the crane. Spot would be on top of Miles, trying to hold him down onto the crane. But, Miles would spot a piece of concrete flying past them and into the portal. So, he shot a web at it and yanked it towards them and into the Spot’s head, causing the villain to let go of Miles and stumble forward, gripping his head.

“Ouch! That really hurt!”

“Wha- What do you expect? We’re in a fight!” Miles replied, standing back up uneasily in front of the Spot. “This is what you wanted.”

“No..” The Spot would reply, shaking his head as he recovered from the blow. “I never wanted any of this. All I wanted was some- some fucking respect for once in my life! Everyone has always walked over me, dismissed me, never taken me seriously. I’ve always been a freak and now I look like it. LOOK AT ME!” His voice screamed, warping all the more, causing Miles to flinch. 

“But now, I’ve found my purpose. It’s not science. It’s not helping others. And it’s not being your arch nemesis.. It’s being EVERY Spider-Person’s arch nemesis. Soon, everyone will know what it's like to be swallowed by a black void, to never be able to escape your own suffering, to be powerless, to be a NOBODY!” 

“Please, Spot.. Let me help you. I can find you a cure.. It doesn’t have to go like this.”

“Oh, Spider-Man..” the Spot shook his head. “Of course it has to go like this. That’s how the story goes.” 

This time, it was the Spot’s turn to charge Miles. 

Screaming, the monstrous villain would throw his arms around the hero and tackle him downwards, opening a portal just below them, which they would fall into and disappear. 

---------------------------------------

EARTH- UU101

“Starlight.” Homelander began, looking out the window of Vought tower at the city below. “You don’t want to be late to your first official meeting.” Hands clasped behind his cape, a mockery of the American flag, the ‘hero’ turned around to face her with a smile that was simply too charming.

“I had a whole welcome speech planned.”

“Sorry, sir.” Starlight softly responded, feeling her heart pounding to even be in the hero’s presence.

“Please.” Homelander waved his hand, taking a few steps towards his chair at the end of the 7 meeting table. “Homelander’s fine.”

“Beginning to wonder if you’d even show up.” the Deep said, leaning to the side in his chair with his hand to his cheek, clearly bored. Next to him, Black Noir was hunched over a piece of paper he was silently coloring on. “I mean all of that pressure, it’s a lot for anyone to swallow.” the Deep would continue with a cheeky grin.

Starlight made her way to her chair and sat down across from him. Her body language was casual, but her stone cold eyes full of fierce determination told a completely different story. “Yeah, don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere.”

Suddenly, a black spot would appear on the ceiling, causing the entire team to look up in confusion. Then, Miles and the Spot would come falling through and crash into their table, breaking it in half. The Spot sat on Miles' chest, punching him continually as the hero struggled to get up.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!? WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!?” Homelander screamed, pointing at the Spot and jumping up from his seat, his calm, confident composure immediately shattered.

The rest of the team sprang to their feet and backed up, looking at the being that was the Spot in horror. Hearing Homelander’s cries, the villain would turn to look at him, his fist still raised in the air. He would slowly stand up and stare him down, though Homelander couldn’t see that.

“Say that again.” The Spot growled. 

Homelander would look the Spot over before looking at the other members of the Seven. He instantly reverted back to his usual, confident, self, beginning to laugh as he looked back at the Spot. “Is- Is this a joke?”

“I’m a joke to you?..” Spot asked, his fist balling as he tilted his head. Behind him, the other members of the Seven got in a fighting stance. 

“Yeah, I mean who the fuck are you? Polka-Dot Man?” Homelander began dying laughing. The other members of the Seven stayed dead silent as they cautiously waited for the villain's next move. 

“No.. I’m your worst fucking nightmare.” The Spot would respond before taking a Swing at Homelander’s cheek. To everyone’s complete and utter shock, the caped hero would stumble back, gripping his cheek as a look of shock dawned across his face. He- He felt pain.

The Spot would laugh softly, looking down at his fist. “That felt GOOD.” He looked back at Homelander, who began to shake with rage. 

“Leave us.” He spoke to the others.

“But-” Starlight began.

“NOW.” Homelander commanded, beginning to circle around the Spot. Homelander would reach under what was left of the table and press a button, sealing the entrance to the room. “Tell me..” He began, wiping any dust off his super suit. “What kind of freak are you?”

“Sorry- What?” The Spot inquired, not even knowing how to begin to respond to that question. 

“Are you someone who I’m just going to plunge my hand through? Get some good press out of it?” He patted the Spot’s chest, making the villain flinch. “Or someone I beat the shit out of and stick in a.. Hospital?”

“A prison.” Spot deduced.

“Call it what you want. But, it’s better you’re there than out here where anyone can see.. This.” He waved his hand towards Spot, softly chuckling. Suddenly, Homelander’s smile vanished in an instant as his eyes began to glow red.

The Spot got ready for whatever attack was coming, holding up each hand with a portal in each palm. 

Homelander would use his laser vision to shoot into one palm. However, the laser would come out the other and hit him straight back in the eyes. 

“OW! FUCK!” He screamed, stumbling back, kneeling down, and covering his eyes. The Spot looked down at his hands. “Wow, that actually worked.” A web would be shot at one of his hands, causing him to look up just in time to see Miles’ fist colliding with his face, causing the villain to stumble back himself. 

Opening his bloodshot eyes, Homelander looked at Miles in utter confusion. “And who are you?”

“Spider-Man! You’ve never heard of me?” Miles responded, looking back at the other.

Homelander shook his head, still bent down, a look of perplexion on his face.

The Spot would grab Miles and throw him across the room and into a television screen that hung on the wall, cracking it upon contact. “Wanna work together to defeat this guy?” Miles would shout over at Homelander.

“I don’t work with your kind.” Homelander spoke back, standing up to face the Spot once again.

“Excuse me?” Miles asked, his fist balling.

“Oh he did not just go there!” The Spot would butt in, his hand covering the hole on his face.

Miles shook his head, looking in between the Spot and the Homelander as he decided who he wanted to fight more. Regretfully, he chose to sprint at the Spot, knowing he was much more of a priority to defeat. He couldn’t let his emotions get the best of him. 

Jumping over the Spot’s head, Miles would shoot two webs on either side of him before kicking him through the floor and onto the next floor just below. They would come falling into what seemed to be a Vought newsroom. Behind the desk next to them was a large screen that displayed the U.S capital. 

“Huh.” Miles gasped, looking around them. Turning towards the Spot, he got punched in the face, causing him to jump to his feet and back up with his fists raised. The Spot would come around to Miles’ left, making the hero back up and turn to face him. To Spot’s right, he saw what seemed to be a pen laying on the desk. Grabbing it, he shoved it into his face hole and held his palm out, shooting it towards Miles, who nearly avoided it. Looking behind, Miles saw the point of the pen sticking in the wall.

To their right, Homelander would slowly lower through the hole, his cape blowing behind him. Landing softly on his feet, he would glare at Miles before slowly walking towards him. He’d raise his fist and take a swift swing towards Miles, but watched Miles catch his fist in the palm of his hand. 

Miles would punch him in the face with only half of his strength, causing Homelander to step back as he gripped his broken nose. As he did, Miles would watch the Spot sprint in from the right and tackle Homelander through a glass door, sending the two to the ground. 

Following from behind, Miles would grab Spot's shoulder as the villain got on top of Homelander and turn the man to face him, punching him in the face and falling on top of Homelander. Miles would stand over the two, breathing heavily. But, his victory would be short lived as Homelander pushed the Spot off of him and glared up at Miles.

Thanks to his spider-sense, Miles would stumble back, just in time for Homelander to shoot a laser out of his eyes towards right where Miles had been standing. Deciding he had enough of the other hero, Miles charged towards him and as Homelander sat up, Miles jumped up and kicked him in the face, knocking Homelander out. 

Running forward into what looked like a NASA computer room, Miles turned to his right to see the Spot slowly approaching. “Oh come on..” He groaned. The Spot’s slow walk would turn into a sprint as he swung at Miles, which the spider would duck and dodge.

“Spot, come on man-” The Spot would throw a portal at him, causing Miles to cover his face and close his eyes as the darkness overtook him once again as he was taken to another dimension.

---------------------------------------

Back On Earth-1610B

Jeff hustled down the subway tunnel, one foot rapidly in front of the other and the beam of his flashlight shaking wildly in front of him. Dust fell on top of him as the world itself seemed to shake in fear. “I haven’t run this damn much since the police academy.” He mumbled incoherently, clearly out of breath. He had to get to the surface and assess the situation. He was a fool for assuming the other officers could handle the Spot situation.

Reaching the subway station and climbing off the tracks and onto the platform, Jeff found himself alone, all backpacks, trash bags, and suitcases abandoned. The earth shook again, making Jeff stumble to his right and grab onto a beam for support. He was thankful the beam was holding up as it was the only thing separating him from the layer of dirt and concrete just above. After catching his breath, he would force himself to move forward and towards the stairway even though every muscle in his body begged him not to.

He’d climb up the stairs, hand on his gun as he made his way to the surface. But, the moment Jeff eclipsed the staircase’s peak and reached the city streets, he watched in horror as a crowd of people sprinted down the street directly in front of him, screaming in terror, only to be swallowed by a giant black spot that chased behind them.

“Aw hell no!” Jeff cried out, sprinting to his police car that was still parked on the side of the street. He opened the passenger side door that faced the sidewalk and leaned in, reaching for his comms. “This is Captain Jefferson Morales! Are there any available officers? Over.” 

Nothing followed but seldom silence. Jeff considered two options. First, that the comms were simply down due to whatever disturbance the Spot was causing. Or two, there were no officers alive to respond.. He prayed it was the prior. Throwing the speaker into the car, Jeff leaned out and slammed the door angrily, taking a step back.

“How could this day get any damn worse?..” He mumbled to himself.

Suddenly, a giant chunk of concrete fell onto his police cruiser, smashing the roof in and rendering it completely useless.

Jeff cautiously approached the car, curious as to where the concrete had originated. But then, he watched another chunk fall on the street beside him, leaving a small crater. Looking up, he saw a giant black spot opened up in the middle of the storm. It almost looked like a giant eye, looking down at them, watching their demise with glee. It left an eerie feeling that Jeff couldn’t quite describe. All he knew was he didn’t like it.

Out of the portal in the sky fell other chunks of buildings, glass, cars, and even human beings. Jeff’s arms went to his sides as he stared upwards. He could only watch as his fellow friends, neighbors, coworkers, and acquaintances all plummeted towards the ground.

There was nothing he could do.

But, as he gazed upwards, Jeff thought his eyes deceived him as they caught something else falling towards the ground- Many other things falling through the ground. It was Spider-Man- no Spider-Woman. No. It was a Spider-Army.  

Hundreds of Spider-People fell through the sky, shooting webs and pulling civilians into their arms. “It’s going to be okay..” They’d assure them as they got closer and closer to the ground. Then, as soon as the nearest skyscraper came into web’s reach, each hero would shoot a web and swing into the city with a civilian in their grip. 

Despite standing alone, Jeff couldn’t help but smile as he heard the city around him uproar in cheering. However, as his eyes continued to scan the sky, his grin was quickly diminished as he realized that Miles was not amongst the other Spider-People who had arrived. 

Spider-People swung directly above Jeff and landed on the ground by him, releasing the gracious and hysterical civilians, who were just happy to have their feet back on the ground. An old man with little hair and thick square glasses was swung to the ground and let go of by a Spider-Man wearing red and black before that variant would swing off. 

“Thank you, Spider-Man!” The old man shouted. Just like Spider-Man, his impact on others would be remembered forever.

Still gazing upwards, Jeff was immediately snapped out of his trance as a hooded white and black Spider-Woman would land on the chunk of cement on his car, directly in front of him in a crouched down position. 

“Captain Morales! There you are!” Gwen cried out enthusiastically, letting out a sigh of relief. She had tried to use a deeper tone like Miles did with his dad and like she would have done with hers.

“I’m glad you finally got my name right.. Gwanda.” He replied with a deep tone, eyes narrowing and crossing his arms. 

Gwen felt her heart stop.

“You know?”

“I do.”

“So you also know about..”

“Yes, I know about Miles.”

“H- How?..” Gwen couldn’t even muster to say one complete word. She felt awful for Miles, and worried how this would affect his relationship with his parents. Especially since her dad hadn’t taken the news that well.

“A mural. Of you guys and your friends.”

“Miles made a mural.. Of me?” Gwen felt her face turn red under her mask and a silly smile that wouldn’t leave her face no matter how hard she tried.

“Yes.” Jeff responded seriously.

“Awww…”

“Gwanda!” He snapped.

“Sorry..” She mumbled.

“Where is Miles?”

Gwen took a deep breath, standing to her feet and moving off of the car, leaping down directly in front of him gracefully, and holding out her hand. “Okay, let’s get one thing straight first. My name is Gwen. Gwen Stacy. It’s nice to actually meet you, sir.”

Jeff hesitated, but took her hand in his own, shaking it roughly. He couldn’t have pulled it away fast enough- And he thought that she felt the same. “It’s nice to meet you too, Gwen.”

“As for where Miles is, that’s complicated.”

Jeff groaned, rubbing his palm over his face before crossing his arms again. “Define complicated.”

“I- I think that may be for him to tell you..” She mumbled, not wanting to overstep boundaries or upset Miles by even more.

However, Jeff quickly shattered any defenses the girl had put up. “Gwen, my son is missing. I don’t have a clue as to where he is. I’ve been worried sick. Now, the place I call home is being destroyed in front of my very eyes and on top of that, I just found out my son has been lying to me for a damn long time. If you know something- you need to tell me now.”

“Okay.. What do you already know?” Gwen began, getting ready to explain everything. Well- almost everything. Some things were meant to be just for them.

---------------------------------------

EARTH-96283 (AKA: Rami-Verse)

Miles tumbled out the other side of the portal, feeling himself fall flat on his face and slip back before he’d grab onto the cold metal in front of him. Looking around in confusion, he found himself on an outdated old city train. But, the city itself seemed outdated too. It looked like whatever universe the Spot had sent him to, it was still in the 2000’s. 

Just ahead, a black hole would open only for Spot to step out with ease. Despite having no face, Miles could tell he was at the very least amused. Miles pressed both of his palms against the train and bent his knee as he forced himself to his feet, stumbling forward a little before looking down his foe.

“Spot, you can’t do this forever!” Miles shouted over the wind.

“Yes I can!” the Spot would yell back. He’d extend his hand forward before making several spot’s come spiraling in Miles’ direction. His spider-sense going off, Miles dodged the portals and flipped to the side, shooting a web to keep himself from falling off the train. 

Far in the sky above, a giant, bald, orange skinned figure with glowing blue eyes and blue cloak was seen watching the battle. It was the Watcher. After all, the fifth dimension being had to watch the most exciting chapter of the story.

“Is that all you got!?” Miles yelled, feeling his temper rise.

“Nope.” He’d hear.

His spider-sense would go off again, causing him to look down at a portal that he immediately fell down into. Coming out the other side, Miles found himself inside the train.

“Sorry.” He’d quickly apologize, ignoring the bewildered looks being given in his direction by the people sitting in the subway car. He’d take a few steps forward before a tiny portal would appear just in front of his face and the Spot’s fist came out, punching him. 

Miles felt himself stumble back as he groaned and closed his eyes. He was going to trust his spider-sense.

Sure enough, when a portal opened to his right, Miles reached out and grabbed the Spot’s fist and pulled it forward before bringing his own fist down on the villain’s arm. He’d hear a cry of pain, encouraging him to yank on the arm. But, the portal would widen and allow the Spot to come through, grabbing Miles and tackling him to the ground. Miles used his elbow to deliver a blow to the large hole in Spot’s face, feeling the villain’s grip slacken and for the hero to escape.

Back on his feet, Miles watched as the Spot stood up, growling in anger. Miles would begin to sprint towards the Spot, but jumped up, kicking off the way to his left and grabbing onto the pole to his right, swinging around it and kicking Spot into the window, causing the glass to crack.

The Spot shoved Miles off him and opened a portal behind the hero, causing him to trip back into it. Coming out the other side back-first on the top of the train, Miles watched the portal close to reveal that they were coming upon the subway tunnel. With the train descending on an inclined track, Miles dropped to his stomach just as the train passed into an underground tunnel. 

Feeling the wind flowing through his thin suit, Miles knew they had to have gone underground. Still with his stomach pressed up against the train, Miles began to crawl to his right and down the side of the train, hopefully finding a window to open and get back inside. However, as he got halfway down to the side of the train, Spot's foot crashed through the glass and kicked Miles in the face, which would shove his face back into the subway tunnel wall and shatter his left lens.

Crawling backwards, Miles made his way back to the top of the train, tears in his eyes. He wanted to quit. He wanted to just go home. But, he would think back to Uncle Aaron’s last words and within an instant, he was motivated yet again.

“Just keep going.”

With the left lens of his mask busted, Miles’ eyes visually narrowed, a look of fierce strength and determination taking hold. He had defeated the Spot before, he could defeat him again. Nobody was dying. 

Not now and not ever. 

He could do both.

Thinking quickly, Miles came up with an idea of how to get back into the train and hopefully take down the Spot. Instead of pressing his stomach against the cold metal of the train, he stuck his hands, legs, and back against the roof of the subway tunnel just above him. 

He would wait for the train to pass under him before shooting two webs at either side of the door on the back. Taking a moment and letting his web stretch thin, Miles released his sticky grip against the roof of the tunnel and let the webs attached to the train propel himself forward like a slingshot feet-first. 

Screaming, he kicked in the door of the train, to which Spot smugly opened a portal and sent it elsewhere. However, just a second later when the portal closed, the Spot was surprised to find Miles flying into him.

BAM!

BAM!

BAM!

The two would go flying into train compartment after train compartment as Miles grabbed onto him, punching him repeatedly in the face. “Spot! PEOPLE. ARE. DYING!” He yelled with each blow. Finally, the two slid across the worn carpeting on the train floor and came to a standstill as the train would as well, reaching its destination and letting the terrified bystanders off. 

“Come on, man..” Miles, still on top of him, leaned a bit back and held out his hand. “Let’s figure this out. Don’t make others suffer because of my actions.. If you’re going to hurt someone.. Hurt me.”

The subway doors closed and the train began moving again. 

“You never said sorry..” the Spot would mumble.

“Wh- What?” The statement caught Miles off guard.

“You never apologized for doing this to me. We’re here because of you, Spider-Man. You’re right, if I’m going to hurt anyone, it’s going to be you. And, if I’ve learned one thing from fighting many different Spider-People, it’s that the only way to hurt you .. Is to hurt everyone else..”  

Spot would free his hand from Miles’ grip and raise it in the air. Miles’ spider-sense tingle, causing him to look out the windows as they became overrun by pure black darkness. 

“What are you doing?..” Miles asked, jumping to his feet and backing away, watching the Spot get up in front of him. 

“I’m not going to stop until everything and everyone is absorbed in the darkness that absorbed me.. Until there’s nothing left but the abyss.” Spot hissed. Miles looked out the window again, seeing that the train had entered some pitch void. 

“What the hell is this place?” Miles’ hand clenched as he eyed his adversary cautiously. 

Miles swore that the portal on the Spot’s face momentarily twisted into a grin. 

“The abyss.”

 “The future..” Miles whispered.

“And there’s nothing you can do to stop it. Soon, every universe will be absorbed into my abyss and people will finally understand true suffering.” Spot gloated. 

Out the window, Miles saw vehicles, people, animals, and even entire buildings floating through the cold ever-expanding void. They had no purpose. No future. Nothing left to live for. All they could do was exist. It looked like the embodiment of hell itself. A never ending purgatory. The embodiment of the Spot’s inner self-hatred and rage.

“But, since I’m your arch nemesis, I need to make you feel true pain. So, we’re going back to your world and I’m going to make you watch as my darkness absorbs everyone you love before moving onto every other world. I won’t just be your arch nemesis, Spider-Man. No.. I’ll be every Spider-Man’s arch nemesis! And I’ll defeat THEM ALL! You made fun of my holes before! Now, everyone will be in my holes!”

Spot’s monologue had Miles terrified, until that last part, which would make the hero cringe. “Ew.” He mumbled before his mind would refocus on the ‘End of the Spider-Verse’ part of the Spot’s speech. He knew that he didn’t have much time. If Miles didn’t act fast, every person, every idea, every story to ever exist would be diminished to an endless existence of nothingness. The fate of existence itself rested in his hands. Miles finally had the opportunity to prove to himself and to everyone else that he was Spider-Man. He had to figure out how to beat the Spot. 

Just then, a portal would open up in the middle of the infinite void, swallowing the train whole. Miles felt the entire thing begin to violently shake, causing him to reach for one of the grab bars that stretched from the ceiling to the floor. The Spot stood perfectly still, clearly not phased by what felt like an earthquake around them. After a moment, the shaking would stop and Miles would look out the window to see that Spot had followed through on his promise. He had brought him back home just to watch it be destroyed. 

Earth-1610B

---------------------------------------

“Miles went to a different universe?” Jeff’s voice sounded exasperated as he rubbed his forehead, trying to ease his oncoming headache.

“Several different universes..” Gwen lightly mumbled. She had told Jeff just about the extreme basic details of what had happened. All she told him about was Miles getting bit by a spider, them fighting Kingpin, meeting again, and the situation she had carelessly gotten him involved in. However, she did purposefully leave out just who the Spot would kill. And the part where she and Miles almost kissed. Also the parts where they did kiss. 

“That doesn’t make it any better!” Jeff crossed his arms, silently shaking his head. “So currently, he’s fighting the Spot, God knows where because you got him into this Spider Society mess..”

“I didn’t mean to!” Gwen defended herself. “I was just going to visit him and leave! I never planned on him following me!”

“And you just thought that would work out? That Miles would be okay with never seeing his friend again!”

“I wasn’t thinking!”

“Clearly!”

Jeff groaned, dragging his hand over his face. “God you two are so much alike..” He mumbled in well-masked astonishment. “Look, what matters is that you made things right and that you kept your promise of getting him home.”

“He does have a point.” Hobie’s voice said through their comms.

Gwen’s eyes widened as she put her hand up to the earpiece that Peni had made them. “Have you guys been listening this whole time!?”

“Has who been listening this whole time?” Jeff questioned.

“We couldn’t help it! You're meeting your boyfriend's dad for the first time! It’s a big day for you, Gwen! By the way, you do realize you left out 70% of what happened, right?” Peter B’s voice spoke.

“Mhm, that was very intentional. And yeah, for me.” Gwen hissed back before looking at Jeff with a nervous chuckle. “Just some friends. No biggie.”

“The friends on the mural?” Jeff questioned with a stern look. He seemed to be getting less and less amused.

“Uh, yeah. Some of them.”

“Oooo! Can you ask him if I’m on the mural?” Ham chimed in.

“Will you stop listening to my conversation?” Gwen huffed, reaching for her earpiece and turning it off before turning her attention back to Jeff. “Sorry about that..”

“It’s okay..” Jeff replied quietly, his eyes aimed towards the ground. “It’s nice to see that Miles has so many people that care about him..”

Gwen’s gaze immediately softened. “You know he loves you, right? More than you know.”

“I know. I love him too. I- I just don’t know why he didn’t tell me any of this.. Why he didn’t open up to me..”

“Well.. To be fair there’s a reason why this is a secret identity..” Gwen sighed, reliving the painful memories. “When I told my dad who I really was, he aimed a gun at me. That’s the real reason I went to live at the society.”

“That’s.. Terrible..” Jeff whispered.

“It’s not just the fear of what will happen to our loved ones.. It’s the fear of what they’ll do when they find out.” Gwen finished.

“How do I help him overcome that fear? How do I get him to talk to me? It’s like I don’t even know him anymore. I look at the boy I raised and I see a man. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through. For the first time in my life, I feel like I can’t help him- can’t protect him. I just don’t know what to do..” Tears filled Jeff’s eyes.

A small, comforting smile crept up Gwen’s lips under her mask. “That’s just a part of growing up.. Everyone is bound to change eventually. My advice- Just wait for him to be ready to open up. And when he is, just listen. But most importantly, always be there for him no matter what universe he’s in.” 

Jeff wiped a few tears out of his eyes and held out his hand as he would regain his formality. “Thank you, Gwen.”

“Anytime Captain, sir.” Gwen replied in a deep voice, saluting as she shook his hand.

“... You have got to stop with the saluting.”

“I’m so sorry, I don’t know why I keep doing it.”

Jeff pulled his hand back and cleared his throat. “You do know I’m going to ground him, right?”

“Oh, absolutely.”

“Good, just wanted to get that out of the way.”

Gwen’s spider-sense went off, causing her body to stiffen and stand up straight as she looked around, ready for whatever came their way.

“What is it?” Jeff asked.

Gwen turned around, trying to find the source of the dread and uneasiness that overtook her very being.

“Something’s coming.” She hissed. 

“Something bad?” Jeff clarified, reaching for his gun.

“I don’t- I don’t think so..” Turning around to face him, Gwen looked over her shoulder to see a large crowd of men, women, and children limping down the street, their cheeks stained with tears and eyes heavier than she could comprehend. “Oh.”

Jeff turned around as well. “Oh. It’s not safe for them to be out on the street like this.”

“Well, the buildings are just as dangerous.” Gwen reminded him with a shrug.

“Yeah.. You right. How about…” Jeff turned in a circle scanning their surroundings for any potential safe haven before his eyes would land on the stairs to the subway station he had just come out of himself. “How about the subway? The support beams were holding when I was down there. Plus, there’s a gate they use to lock it up in case of emergency. That can keep anyone out.” 

Gwen’s lenses widened as she stood perfectly still, staring at Jeff. Even though she had a mask on, the look she was giving him still made him feel uneasy. “What?..”

“Oh- It’s nothing.” Gwen was quick to brush it off. “Let’s get them some help.”

“I’ll go grab them, you direct them into the tunnel. Oh and one last thing.” Jeff turned around. “After all of this, we’re going to need to have a serious conversation about you dating my son.”

Gwen’s cheeks became flushed with a shade of bright red as Jeff would turn back around and head towards the crowd, grabbing their attention. 

Over the course of the next few minutes, Gwen and Jeff would help the crowd of people head down the stairs and into the subway station to where they would keep camp. Finally, once the last of the group had gone down, Gwen and Jeff would follow them down to make sure everyone was alright. 

“Alright!” Jeff shouted, getting everyone’s attention as they sat on the ground and held their family close. In his mind, they looked like the citizens of London trying to survive bombings in the second world war. London had come out of the fight stronger than ever before and Jeff was confident they would too. “You will all be safe down here! I will get first responders here as soon as possible! Until then, hold tight! If there are any-”

Jeff’s voice faded, only to be replaced by a ringing sound that filled Gwen’s ears. She watched him continue to speak to the group, but she couldn’t hear it. She was plagued by thoughts of self doubt and inner guilt about what she was about to do. However, she had a promise to keep. She had told Miles she would keep his dad safe and she intended to follow through on it. She had to redeem herself. Even if it would be the last thing she would do. 

So, as Jeff continued speaking, Gwen stood a few unsteady steps back towards the stairs. She would look to her right, spotting a handle sticking out of the well that hid the folded gate behind it. Taking a deep breath, and listening to her own beating heart, Gwen shot a web at the handle and yanked it with all of her might. The metal gate would spring forward and cross just between her and Jeff, locking automatically once it reached the other side.

CRASH! 

Hearing the loud noise behind him, Jeff flinched before whipping around to see a gate separating he and Gwen, who took a step back onto the staircase leading back up towards the surface. 

“GW- SPIDER-WOMAN!” He shouted, sprinting up to the gate and trying to force it open, pulling with all of his might. Alas, he wasn’t enough. It wouldn’t budge. He was trapped. He shoved the gate out of frustration before pressing his palms against it as he stared at Gwen, who stood on the other side. 

Even if he took the subway tunnel, it would be hours before he reached the next station. The nearest one was the one by Kingpin’s old collider that had it’s staircase filled in with dirt and boulders. 

“What are you doing!?” He angrily shouted, watching Gwen flinch herself. 

“I’m sorry..” Gwen whispered. “I promised.”

“What do you-” Jeff automatically pieced it together. “I’m who the Spot’s supposed to kill.. Aren’t I?”

“... I’ll be back to let you out once all of this is over.” She told him, turning around and heading up the stairs despite his desperate pleas.

“Spider-Woman! SPIDER-WOMAN!”  

Reaching halfway up the stairs, Gwen paused as she felt a familiar warmth spread through her aching heart. She felt him. She couldn’t help but smile under her mask. Within an instant, all guilt of trapping Jeff ceased to exist as she remembered why she was doing it. 

Miles was back.

She put her hand up to her comms. “This is Gwen. over.”

“Oop-” She realized she had turned off the futuristic earpiece that Peni had given her. Slowly continuing up the stairs, she fidgeted with the earpiece before turning it on again. “This is Gwen. Over! Does anyone have any visuals on Miles?”

Nothing.

“Great..” She mumbled. “Why is it the one time I want the damn thing to work, it doesn’t?” 

BOOM! 

The earth around her began to shake with unforgiving force, throwing Gwen against the rough brick wall, to which she would press her palm against and stick to, preventing herself from falling backwards. All around her, she heard the structures of buildings groaning as they swayed perilously. Unbeknownst to Gwen, across the city skyline, several buildings collapsed, leaving small clouds of dust in their wake. 

After a minute of what she thought to be an earthquake, it went just as fast as it had come. Standing to her feet, Gwen looked down the stairs behind her, making sure the civilians and Miles’ dad were still safe. After confirming that the underground structure hadn’t succumbed to quake, Gwen hurried up to the surface.

However, reaching the top of the stairs, Gwen looked up into the sky at a horrifying sight. Fear gripped her chest, a sensation that only gripped tighter with every passing second. Her heart raced, pounding in her ears like a relentless drumbeat. She couldn’t believe what she was looking at. 

An Incursion.

The giant black spot in the sky had morphed into something else entirely. The storm had dissipated, leaving a large purple crack in the sky. It looked as if someone had pierced the fabric of 1610B’s reality. Around the large crack, Gwen could barely make it reality around it breaking like shards of glass, allowing for it to grow bigger and bigger by the second. 

Through the purple shaded crack, Gwen could make out a beautiful mix of watercolors painting the sky and cityscape below. Suddenly, she came to an even more terrifying conclusion. 

That was her dimension. 

The Spot was going to cause an incursion between Gwen’s and Miles’ worlds. And in the end, all that would be left would be a broken landscape for him to consume into his forever abyss.

With the world around Gwen already weathering away and glitching, matter turning into negative dark inky energy as it began to be absorbed into the Spotted dimension, the Spot’s meddling had also brought an incursion upon the increasingly broken world’s doorstep. 

With things already bad enough, Gwen’s spider-sense just had to go off. But, it wasn’t the usual kind of warning. This was a painstaking migraine she hadn’t ever felt before. Closing her eyes and gripping her head, Gwen turned to her left, letting her spider-sense guide her attention before she would open her eyes, looking straight ahead at a little girl sitting in the street at least a hundred yards away, crying. To the girl’s right, a building had become split in half by the arrival of the incursion and was now teetering left and right, threatening to spill on top of the girl.

Gwen leapt into action, beginning to sprint towards the girl as fast as her legs would let her. She had a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.

SNAP!

“No no no no no no!” She cried out, shooting a web towards the girl. However, it seemed like it wasn’t going to reach. 

Then, a miracle happened. 

“I’M COMING!” A low voice screamed out.

Looking past the girl, Gwen saw a man of what seemed to be oriental origin with stark hair, wearing a black suit and tie, running towards the girl himself. Selflessly ignoring the collapsing building coming down upon him, the man scooped up the girl like a fumbled football and sprinted forward before leaping into the air as far as he could, and tossing the girl forward directly into the reach of Gwen’s web. 

Gwen pulled the girl into her arms as she gave the man a helpless look. The last image she would see of the man was him crawling towards something on the ground before the debris would fall on top of him, creating a cloud of rubble that would absorb both Gwen in the girl as the hero ducked, shielding the girl in her arms. 

“DAD!” Gwen heard a high pitched voice of a boy scream. As the dust settled and the aftermath of the collapse was evident, Gwen saw a boy that looked to be no older than 11 kneeled down by the pile of debris, right where she had seen the man get crushed. “Dad, please!” He screamed, tears running down his cheeks as he shoved the rubble angrily, not moving it an inch. Gwen audibly gasped as she came to a haunting realization. 

Miles’ wasn’t going to lose his father, but it had cost another boy losing his own. 

---------------------------------------

Coming out the other side of the portal, Miles found the train floating through the sky, traveling above the city streets and just in between the skyscrapers. Looking out the window, he saw the very thing he had been dreading. 

“SPOT! YOU NEED TO STOP NOW!” He screamed urgently, all authority in his voice having given way for helpless mercy. 

“What? Why? I’m just getting started! I may be more powerful than I thought..” The Spot whispered, watching himself warp reality to keep the train traveling through the sky.

“You’re causing an incursion! With all of these world’s being absorbed into the abyss, their being combined together! My world is going to crash into another before you even absorb it! There won’t be darkness! There will be destruction! You’ll die with the rest of us..” 

“I won’t die, Spider-Man.. So be it if your world is destroyed. I’ll still be here to absorb the broken pieces.”

“Spot, who’s going to be around to respect you if everyone is dead!?”

“If everything will be broken.. Maybe I can finally be normal.” He depressingly whispered.

“You aren’t broken! You’re different! It’s okay to be different! What would be the point of living if we were all the same?”

“Oh God…” The Spot whispered, looking out the window of the train as well. “What have I done?”

“Spot, you can undo this. You just need to bring back everything absorbed into the Spot dimension. You can be a good guy!”

“A good guy?” Spot scoffed. “I’ve gotten too far.. I can’t turn back now. I can’t lose.”

“You’re right.. I couldn’t agree more.” Miles hissed. 

He had no choice but to resort to the only option he had left. He couldn’t beat the Spot in combat due to the villain’s superior power. He had to take that power away. Sure, absorbing the power from Leopardon had almost killed him, but this negative energy. Besides, he didn’t have a choice. 

‘Gwen, you there?’ he asked through their connection. 

After a pause, he felt her. ‘I’m here.’

‘I know how to save everyone. But I’m worried I don’t have the strength to do it.. I’m scared.’

‘I told you.. Whatever you do, wherever you go, I’ll follow, Miles. I’ll be right here with you.. I love you. ’

‘... I love you too.’

‘Spider-Man Loves You’ begins to play

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86QODzEDtoE

Miles pressed both of his palms against the villains’ shoulders, using his stickiness to hold on as he thought back to what Hobie told him.

“Use the palm, not just your fingers.”

“Wha- What are you doing!?” The Spot shouted, trying to get away to no avail. 

“I’m giving you what you want..”

A glowing, black electric current began to travel up Miles’ arms, causing the hero to scream as it began to tear away at the fabric of his suit. Black lightning danced all around the hero’s body as he began to absorb it. 

“You wanted to be normal!?” Miles yelled.

“You think you’re a freak? A mistake? That this power isn’t a gift, but a curse?”

Miles cried out in audible pain as his body began to be filled with electric negative dark matter. 

“Then you don’t deserve this power. Especially when you use it to harm others. You see, throughout this entire experience, through every loss I suffered, through every hard fought battle, through every person I saved, through every connection I made, I learned one thing.”

The Spot’s power didn’t go just into Miles, but elsewhere as well. Miles wasn’t the only one absorbing his energy. The black and white on the Spot’s body began to be pulled towards a single portal in his chest just as much as it was pulled towards Miles’ arms. As his energy kept fading, the color of his peach white skin began to return. With his power leaving him, the Spot’s control on the train slipped, causing it to begin to freefall downwards towards the empty street. 

The Spot began shaking in fear. For the first time in a year, he felt normal. And he didn’t like it. With the falling train gaining traction as the street out the window grew closer and closer, What was once the Spot watched Miles’ eyes begin to glow a bright white through his broken left mask lens. It was the power of determination, fueled by resolution, and by love.

“With great power, comes great responsibility.”

As the train made impact with the ground, everything went black.

---------------------------------------

Miles’ woke up, not being able to breathe. He gasped for air, immediately pulling off his mask before coughing. Through the smoke coming from the fiery wreckage around him, he looked up to see the incursion still taking place. 

Sitting up, he felt a sharp pain pierce his very being as he would grip his stomach, seeing black electricity still travel along his body. Looking down at his arms, he realized that most of the fabric covering them had been burnt off. Other than that, the cuts on his torso, and his busted mask lens, his suit was fine. 

Miles looked beside him to see a very naked Jonathan Ohm laying face down on the street. Miles threw himself to the ground and crawled over despite the pain, the fire from the subway cars surrounding them illuminating the way. Getting to the cured villain, he felt his neck to feel his heartbeat stronger than ever. If anything, he was probably just concussed from the impact. 

Miles sat up and coughed up what he thought to be phlegm. However, upon closer inspection, he felt his mouth and looked down at his hand to see dark red blood. 

The abundance of negative energy was killing him. 

“That’s.. Not good..” He croaked. He felt the energy continue to run across his being as he forced himself to his feet, his shaking legs barely being able to support him. His gaze returned to the sky as he cried out in pain, feeling the energy try to escape him. He knew if he let it out here, the city and maybe even the entire world would be all but incinerated in the process. 

He had to direct the electricity elsewhere. 

Staring up at the incursion, one final plan began to hatch in Miles’ mind. Why not knock out two birds with one stone? If he could direct his energy towards the crack in reality, he could more than likely repair it. Besides, if Spot’s power is what broke the multiverse, it could be what fixed it. 

So, Miles would raise his arms towards the darkening sky as he felt the dark lightning travel to his fingertips. “Time to be brave..” He whispered to himself. As if he hadn’t given enough already. Throwing his arms outward, the black lightning left Miles’ entity and flew upwards towards the rift between realities, lighting up the broken New York city of 1610B like a beacon of electrifying hope, signaling that all was not lost. 

Reaching the crack, the lightning branched out in all directions like the branches of a tree, gripping onto the edges of the rift and pulling it back, slowly closing the gateway. Miles’ legs gave out, causing himself to kneel down. Alas, he would keep his eyes trained on the sky, a tear of happiness running down his cheek as he was relieved of the pain.

He was Spider-Man. He had proven himself as the ultimate Spider-Man.

Finally, the last of the negative electric current left Miles and traveled through the sky, finishing its job and closing the fissure once and for all. As it would close and Miles’ view of Earth-65 was now obscured, the clapping of lightning and the booming of thunder was released, traveling through not only his world, but every world across the multiverse. It sent a message of victory, and of immense power. 

Hearing the sound echoing from every timeline branch on his throne, Loki, the god of stories, could only smile before it would quickly fade to be replaced by a look of foreboding fear. 

The incursion had been stopped.

The Spider-Verse was saved.  

Continuing to stare upwards through his teary eyes, Miles watched color return to the once-dark sky and the sun light up the world. They had won. The battle was over. 

“MILES!” Gwen screamed

Miles watched Gwen jump over one of the burning train cars that laid on its side before falling to her knees just in front of him and wrapping him in her arms. “Thank God you’re okay.. Thank God.. Wait- Is that blood?” Gwen tilted her head, seeing the red stain on Miles’ chin. 

“Gwanda, I’m alright.” Miles chuckled, causing him to break out into a coughing fit. “ Is my Dad okay?”

“He’s fine.. I trapped him in a subway station.. You don’t sound alright.” She softly nagged, patting his back as he stopped. 

“Thank god..” He let out a sigh of relief. “Gwen, as long as you’re here, I will always be alright.”

Staring into his eyes, she sighed and reached for the top of her mask, pulling it off and allowing them to come face to face. “You’re on the ground more beat up than I’ve ever seen you before.. How are you still flirting with me?”

“Well, you don’t make it too difficult. I can’t help but admire your unwavering beauty, Spider-Woman.” Miles playfully defended himself.

Gwen shook her head, unable to stop the smile that spread across her concerned face. 

“You’re pretty easy on the eyes yourself, Spider-Man.”  

Gwen smashed her lips against his, causing literal electricity to bounce between their lips as they met in a lingering, loving embrace. As their lips locked and they closed their eyes, tears of pure relief ran down their cheeks. After the collider, after society, and after the Spot, Miles and Gwen could finally have peace, and they could finally be together. Miles didn’t know what had brought them together or what had allowed them to share this private moment, but he knew it was a force more powerful than fate- one that transcended the Spider-Verse itself.

Is this what love felt like? 

No matter how private their moment could be, Miles could always count on their friends to interrupt it. 

“MILES FUCKING MORALES, LADIES AND GENTLEMAN!” Hobie’s approaching voice shouted.

Gwen quickly pulled back, looking at Miles with a mischievous smirk- a look that Miles’ wasn’t used to. However, he was happy to finally see her relaxed. “We’re continuing this later.” she whispered, causing Miles to blush. 

The punk rockstar jumped onto the top of the train car, followed by the rest of their friends. “Oi, we didn’t interrupt yer snogging did we?” 

Gwen rolled her eyes with a grin. “No Hobie, you didn’t interrupt anything.”

“Good! Because we came to see the man of the hour!” Noir chimed in, swinging down in front of Miles and resting his hand on his shoulder. “Good job, kid.”

“Wow Noir, that was really heartwarming. I almost shed a tear. ” Margo sarcastically said, crossing her arms. 

“Thank you, Margo. I almost did as well.” Noir said obliviously, taking a step back. 

Margo was the next to hop down. “Miles, I don’t know what the hell just happened, but that was amazing. If people didn’t think you were Spider-Man before, they’d be stupid not to now.” She held out her hand to dap him up. Miles did so before she would step off to the side. 

“Oh my goodness! That was epic! So much tension! There was so much pressure on you Miles! Everyone was going to die- and you saved us! You saved Gwen too! Wait, were you kissing when we showed up? Oh my god we interrupted it didn’t we?” Pavitr spouted. 

“Pavitr, it’s okay! We aren’t mad!” Miles laughed, wrapping an arm around the young Spider-Man and giving him a pat on the back. 

Next, Miles watched Peter B. Parker crawl down the side- or what was the top of the train car before walking towards him, not saying a word. “Oh, Peter- Are you-”

Peter threw his arms around Miles, embracing him close as tears left his eyes. “I’m so proud of you, Miles.. You’re an inspiration to us all.. Thank you for everything..” 

“Of course, Peter. It’s what we do…” Miles’ voice trailed off as a look of confusion spread over his face. “Why are you talking like that?”

“... We have to go. I’m sorry.”

“Wait- like now? You have to leave now?”

“Miles, most of the Spider-People already left. The Spider-Society needs to be shut down and villains need to be returned home. Besides, I need to see Mayday.” Peter explained. “We stayed because we wanted to congratulate you, and thank you.. And see you once last time before we go. We couldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”

“Oh..” Miles could only whisper. Gwen took her hand in his, squeezing it, trying her best to comfort him. “We’re going to miss you guys..”

“I got a feeling we’ll see each other again.” Hobie said. 

“Really? Why’s that?” Miles asked.

“I dunno.” Hobie shrugged. “Just a feelin’. Let the chaos decide what’s next. Besides, every good band gets back together for another album eventually.” He would walk over and pull Gwen into a hug. “I would say goodbye, but that indicates permanence, which indicates stability, and nothing is ever stable.”

“Okay, Hobie.” Gwen said lightly, patting his back before pulling away. Hobie’s usual quirkiness kept her smiling through her tears, just as it had months ago when she broke down to him about her situation with her dad and Miles. 

Hobie fumbled around with his watch, opening up a portal. He proceeded to take off the watch, and throw it onto the ground before stepping on it, breaking it instantly. “Peace out.” He gave the group the peace sign and walked into the portal before it would close behind him. 

“That.. Was interesting.” Peter mumbled. “Alright, who’s next?” 

“I’ll go.” Margo volunteered, opening a portal of her own. “By the way..” She began to walk through it, but paused, turning back to face them. “You two make the cutest couple.”

“Thanks..” Miles mumbled, looking at the ground as he would blush even brighter than before. 

Chuckling to herself, Margo went through the portal.

“She’s right y’know. I was really rooting for you.” Pavitr said, stepping up to the plate and opening a portal of his own. 

“Oh really?” Gwen sarcastically replied.

“Yeah! I don’t know how you couldn’t tell!” 

“Pavitr, I think she’s being sarcastic.” Noir said, suddenly seeming to understand sarcasm.

Miles scoffed. 

“Oh-” Pavitr laughed. “Well, I’m going to miss you guys. You really taught me how to be a better Spider-Man. If you ever want tips on how to get better hair, you know where to find me.”

“What’s wrong with our hair now?” Miles felt the top of his head.

“Oh- Nothing..” Pavitr replied suspiciously. “Bye!” He opened a portal back to his universe and jumped in. 

“Just the six of us left..” Gwen said, softly smiling as she looked around at everyone.

“Crazy to think how much we have been through together.. I owe everything to you guys..” Miles squeezed Gwen’s hand tighter. 

“You owe everything to us?” Peni asked, her Sp//der jumping off the train and landing in front of Miles. “We owe everything to you! Or at least I do..”

“To me? What did I do for you?” Miles looked more confused than ever. Gwen rolled her eyes, astonished that the boy she loved was simultaneously the smartest and most clueless guy she knew. 

“You gave me hope, Miles. That my life wasn’t destined for darkness. You showed me that their was a light at the end of the tunnel.”

“You showed me that it wasn’t too late to fix things with MJ.. I literally owe my entire life to you, Miles.” Peter added. 

“You helped me see that despite being a cartoon pig.. I’m just as unique and special as the rest of you.. I owe everything to you as well, Miles.” Ham also said. 

“And me..” Gwen whispered, Miles turning towards her. “You showed me that I wasn’t alone.. You taught me how to open up to others again.. Without you I’d be in a much darker place. But most importantly, you were my friend. Everyone needs at least one person in their life to trust, to feel secure with, and you gave that to me. I owe everything to you too, Miles. We all do. You’re not just Spider-Man. You’re hope. You’re an inspiration to us all.. What I feel for you.. I can’t even express it.. Just- I’m beyond happy I’ll still get to see you. I’ll miss you guys though..” Gwen finished, turning to the others.

“I’ll miss you too..” Ham said, opening a portal. “Good luck on your journey, Miles and Gwen. Go make this pig proud..” He stepped back into the portal, letting himself be pulled in before it closed. 

“I’ll miss you as well.. Once again, I can’t thank you enough..” A portal opened behind the SP//DER she sat in. “Bye Miles.. Bye Gwen..” The SP//DER charged forward into the portal, leaving Miles, Gwen, and Peter behind. 

“You know.. I really messed up, Miles. We did.” He nodded to Gwen. “I have so much to thank you for- we’d be here all day. But above anything, I want to thank you for giving us a second chance. I’d say we did pretty well, wouldn’t you?”

“Eh, you did okay.” Miles playfully shrugged.

They all cracked a smile, but felt too emotional to laugh. 

“Miles.. Miguel was wrong.” A portal opened behind Peter B. “You are Spider-Man. You always have been. Sure, we save a lot of people, but the most important thing Spider-Man can do is make a difference in people’s lives.. And I don’t know anyone else who does better than you do.. You did good, Spider-Man.. One last thing.” Peter turned around, facing them. “If you two get married, make sure you send an invitation!” 

“We will.” Gwen said. 

“We promise!” Miles grinned despite the tears in his eyes. He wrapped his arms around Gwen, holding her close. 

Peter B. walked into the portal, closing the chapter on his life in the Spider-Verse. It was time to be more of a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. 

“And now it’s just us..” Gwen whispered.

“I don’t have too much of a problem with that.. Do you?”

“Not in the slightest.” She gazed up into his eyes as he looked down at her. 

“Are you sure this is where you want to be?” Miles asked. Despite the confidence he displayed on the surface, he still had the self doubt he had carried with him all of this time- and Gwen knew that. She felt it. 

“Miles, ever since I left, all I’ve wanted to do was come back.. And now that I’m finally here.. There’s no place in the Spider-Verse I’d rather be than in your arms..”

Miles kissed her forehead. “Good..” 

The two of them heard police sirens beginning to approach the train wreckage. Their spider-senses’ would go off as Jonathan Ohm began to move around on the ground.

“What the-” Gwen looked down. “OH.” She shielded her eyes. 

“Yeah..” Miles let out a heavy sigh. “Well I need to get back to my parents’ apartment.. Can you let out my dad? You can come over after.. If you want of course..”

“Yeah! I’d love to! But- There is something you should know..” Gwen whispered. 

“What?..” Miles’ grin disappeared as he saw the look of regret on Gwen’s face.

“Your dad knows.”

“H- How?” Miles choked on his own words.

“He found your mural while looking for you.. Apparently I was on it? So were the others? So when he found me.. He knew..”

Miles groaned. “How did he even find- It doesn’t matter. How much did you tell him?”

“The bare minimum.. Just about Kingpin’s collider and the situation with the Society. Really nothing else.”

“Okay.. Good. Plenty for me to tell him.. And less for him to ground me for.. Did he mention whether he’d ground me?”

“Oh he’s going to.”

“Figured.. Is he mad?”

“No, surprisingly.. Just hurt you didn’t tell him..”

“Shit..” Miles cursed under his breath. “Okay.. Okay.. I’ve got this.”

“You got this.” She gave him a thumbs up, slipping on her mask. Miles turned and began walking away. 

“Miles!” She called out. He turned around to see her throw him his own mask. “You’ll need this.” 

“Thanks.” He pulled it on. “Oh Gwen- One last thing..” He hesitated, fearing what her response could be. “In the vision the Spot showed me back in Mumbhattan, it showed my dad running to save a girl that had a building falling on top of her.. You saved her, right?”

Gwen cringed under her mask, remembering the father that had given his life to save the girl. How could she tell Miles that another boy had lost his father just so his could live? Especially when Miles was finally happy. She couldn’t do that to him. She had to let him have this victory. She couldn’t stand to watch him break all over again. 

“Mhm. Of course.” She lied through the gap between her teeth. 

“Good.. Just was making sure. I’ll see you back at the apartment!” 

“Alright! I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Don’t rush. I gotta make a stop somewhere anyways.” Miles calmed her.

“Oh- Where at?” 

“I just got one more promise to keep.

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Rio Morales sat, glued to the couch as she stared at the TV. She had been lucky enough to escape the worst of the Spot’s attack, having been in her apartment the entire time. Usually, she would have gone into the hospital, but she was too worried about her son. Somewhere, he and her husband were out in this mess. Tears filled her eyes as she watched the news helicopter fly above the city she had called home for most of her life. Buildings were destroyed. Most infrastructure was unsalvageable. Thousands were dead, and thousands more were displaced. Her worst fear was that her son and husband could be among them. 

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Rio shot up from the couch and hurried over to the door to the Morales family apartment, praying to whatever god looking over them that it was Miles. Opening the door, she felt immediate relief wash over her. 

There stood Miles, wearing the same, now dirty clothes he had on when he left, his face bruised nearly beyond recognition, holding a pink box that housed a perfectly normal, good as new, nice cake.  

“Hi, Mami..” He mumbled, barely able to hold eye contact as both of their eyes welled up with tears. 

“Miles..” She whispered, unable to hold back a sob as she covered her mouth. She led him inside, watching him set the cake down on the coffee table before wrapping her arms around her son, holding him close. “Miles..” She broke out into tears.

Miles hugged his mother as tears ran down his cheeks too. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He didn’t know what to say. What could he say that could make up for him disappearing, for him putting her through hell worrying about him? Apparently, she agreed. Because after a minute of embracing her son, she immediately shoved him back. 

“¿QUÉ DEMONIOS TE PASA?” She screamed.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” 

“Mami, I’m sorry-”

“Miles, I thought you were dead! I had no idea where you went, what happened to you, or if I’d even see you ever again! Then this big crazy battle happened with the Spot and I thought you were caught up in the middle of it! You made me worried sick! Shame on you!” 

“I- I’m sorry-” He began to stammer before his mother would pull him into a hug again. 

“But you’re okay.. And right now, that’s all I care about.”

“I’m really sorry, Mami. I never meant to worry you..”

“I know.. I know..” She whispered, hugging him tighter. 

“Are you okay?..”

“I will be.” She nodded her head. “Just- give it a while. I need time.. By the way, just so you know, you aren’t ever leaving this apartment again.”

“That may be a problem.” A familiar voice spoke. Turning around, Miles saw his father standing in the doorway, Gwen just behind him wearing one of his hoodies over her costume. 

“Dad!” Miles shouted, sprinting into his arms. Jeff was surprised, but graciously accepted the hug as he smiled, patting his son’s back. 

“Hey, son..” 

“You’re okay..” Miles wiped tears out of his eyes, looking up at him. 

“All thanks to Gwen..” 

Miles looked behind his father at Gwen, who supportively smiled at him. “Hi Mrs. Morales!” She called out.

“Hi, Gwanda!” She replied before turning back to Jeff. “So, why exactly would that be a problem?”

“Miles.. Do you have something to tell your mother?” Jeff asked lowly, looking down at the boy as he pulled out of the hug. They shared a knowing look as Miles’ hand’s began to shake nervously. 

“Mami.. I don’t know how to say it..” He turned to face his mother. “Open the box..” 

“The box?” She asked in confusion, having completely forgotten about the cake.

“From the bakery..” Miles dryly replied. 

“Oh!” She turned to the box sitting on the coffee table. Gwen walked in, next to Miles, holding and squeezing his hand. 

As Rio opened the pink bakery box, a cake was revealed to be sitting inside, with icing writing on top that read:

‘I am Spider-Man’

A solid minute would pass as Miles held in his breath, preparing to be screamed at, disowned, or even worse. However, to his utter shock, his mother uttered out two words. 

“I know.”

“Y- You what?” Miles could barely speak. 

“I said.. I know, Miles. I have for a long time now.”

“How long?...”

“I had my suspicions the moment a new Spider-Man arrived on the scene. But, it was all but confirmed when I started seeing the cuts, the bruises on your chest and back you tried to hide, I knew that my son was a hero..”

“Why.. Why didn’t you say anything?” He asked softly. 

“It wasn’t my place to.. It was your place to tell me.. And you did.” She smiled back at him. 

“Wait- You knew and didn’t tell me?” Jeff asked incredulously. 

Rio looked at him with a surprised expression. “You didn’t know?”

“No!”

“I thought you did. It was kind of obvious.”

Miles and Gwen both smirked at his father. 

“Well, I know now! Obviously.” 

Rio walked up to Jeff and kissed him on the lips. “It’s okay, mi esposo. He takes after you, y’know?”

Miles’ dad would smile confident, chuckling to himself. “Well you know what they say. Like father, like son.” 

“Since I’m a hero and saved basically all of reality.. Am I grounded?” Miles tried his luck.

“YES!”

“YES!”

They both glared at him.

“But..” Rio stated, her expression softening. “Now’s the time to celebrate. We’re all here, we’re all safe. Come on, let’s have some cake.” She picked up the box from the coffee table and began to carry it into the kitchen. “Gwen, Querida, would you like to stay for cake?”

“Yeah, Gwen, you don’t have to go do you?” Miles asked with a small smirk.

Gwen looked at him with a wide grin. “Not this time. Not ever again.” 

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As Johnathan Ohm wakes up on the ground, he looks around to see police surrounding him. He raised both of his hands to use his powers, but nothing happened. Looking down at his hands, he realized he was completely normal. Just like he wanted. 

“Get this man in cuffs, and get him some clothes, will you?” A police officer called out in disgust. 

After being cuffed and thrown in a prison jumpsuit, Ohm would be brought to a SWAT van, being shoved in the back. Four officers in SWAT gear got in, two on either side of him. As soon as the back doors to the van closed and the vehicle began to move, one of the SWAT personale pulled out a TVA pruning stick similar to the one Gwen held, activating it and pressing the end to the man across from them, making him disappear in front of everyone’s eyes.

Comotion ensued as one of the men aimed the gun at the person with the pruning stick only to be pruned as well, being reduced to nothing. Only his gun remained. The final man would drop his gun and raise both of his hands in the air. However, the pruning stick would be turned around to reveal a sharp spike that was stabbed into the man’s chest. 

Now that the only other person in the back of the vehicle was Jonathan Ohm, the person took off their helmet to reveal it was Ravonna Renslayer. “You’re the Spot, right?” She questioned, cutting straight to the chase. 

“Uh, I was? Are you breaking me out?” He asked worriedly.

Ravonna smirked. “Something like that.” She grabbed a tempad from her pocket and began fumbling around with it, opening a yellow, transparent time door in the back of the van that led to somewhere else far across the Spider-Verse. “Someone wants to meet you.” She told him. “Go right ahead.”

Jonathan Ohm, now regaining his confidence, smirked and stood up, still in cuffs. “With pleasure!” He went through the time door, followed by Ravonna Renslayer before it would shrink shut behind them.
 

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“Okay, let’s do this for- let’s face it, what will probably not be the last time!”

Back in the Spider-Society HQ, lights across the lobby and interior of the building turn off one by one as the many Spider-People that once resided there leave. All but one. Margo Kess watched the last of the Spider-People leave before turning to Miguel O’Hara who sat in a reinforced cell, a shell of his former self. Beginning to grow a rough beard, a sense of relief washes over his face as he chuckled to himself about something. However, the moment was short lived as his face dropped into a dreadful frown, once again being confronted by the reality of what was coming.

On the other side of the force field, Margo rolled her eyes and walked out of the room, pressing a large red button on the wall from the outside. A long and wide metal door began sliding down from the ceiling, closing off any exit or entry to the room. Margo walked over to a large terminal in what used to be Miguel’s lab. On the giant screen was an orange connected web, showing every universe in the ever-growing Spider-Verse. Margo pressed an orange button on the control console that read: ‘Emergency Shutdown’. The webs between every dot on the screen turned from orange to a dead gray as the Spider-Society network was shut down, separating every universe from interdimensional travel. 

Then, Margo would move the mouse over to two distinct dots on the map that read Earth-65 and Earth-1610B. She typed something into the terminal and suddenly, one singular orange line reappeared between just those two universes, showing that they would remain interconnected. With a smile on her face and her job guarding Miguel’s prison cell just beginning, Margo sat back in the chair and turned off the terminal, finally letting the sleep she had been fighting off overcome her. 

“My name is Miles Morales. I was bitten by a radioactive spider from another dimension, and for over a year I have been my world’s one and only Spider-Man.”

Spider-Punk plays his guitar on a stage in front of hundreds of people as fireworks fly through the air behind him, exploding to reveal a colorful Spider-Man mask.

Pavitr swings through Mumbattan, being cheered on by the citizens of the city as a parade went through the streets, celebrating their city being saved. 

A no longer pregnant Jessica Drew lays in a hospital bed, holding her baby as her husband crouches next to her, admiring the baby boy with a proud smile. 

“I think you know the rest!”

Peni Parker sits on top of her SP//DER that was stuck to the side of a building, eating a churro as she looked out at her New York city, hope in her eyes for the first time since she joined the society. 

“I got grounded.”

Peter Porker held a hotdog, confidently sitting on top of a parade float as eagles flew overhead, noises of animals being heard celebrating all across the city. 

“I got my Spanish grade up to an A.”

Miles sits in class, raising his hand to answer a question before speaking near perfect spanish. 

“I made a new suit- with the help of Gwen.”

Miles and Gwen sit on his bed as he shows Gwen his notebook, full of different suit designs before she points at a design with a large spray paint Spider-Logo and a red hood that would cover his black fabric mask.  

“Saved a bunch more people- Also with Gwen.”

Miles and Gwen both jump out of two third story windows from a burning apartment building, both holding two people in their arms before landing on the ground and helping them stand to their feet. 

“But, most importantly of all, I got the girl. Just like how I’ve always wanted.”

Peter B. Parker stands at the window with MJ and holding Mayday in his arm, pointing out at the dark night sky with his free hand as the reflection of fireworks were seen through the window. 

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Two Weeks Later

As Gwen stuck to the side of a water tower, overlooking the city, Miles leapt over next to her, dawning his new black and red suit. It no longer had bleeding from the armpits. Instead, it had a large spider logo on his chest and back, had a red line going around his waist, and a bright red hood that he had cut off one of his hoodies stuck to the back. 

“I like the hood.” Gwen commented, holding a police scanner in one of her hands. 

“Thanks.. I told you I’d be willing to try hoods.” 

Gwen chuckled as they both looked out at the setting sun. 

“Look, Gwen.. I’ve been thinking” He began, turning to look at her. “I know we said I love you and kissed and all that.. But I never officially asked you to be my girlfriend-”

“YES!” She cried out excitedly. 

Miles rolled his eyes. “You didn’t even let me ask!”

“Oh- Sorry.” She took a deep breath, attempting to dial back her excitement. 

“Gwen Stacy, will you be my girlfriend?”

“Miles Morales, I would like nothing more in the Spider-Verse.”

Miles smirked, leaning over and kissing her through both of their masks before pulling away as he heard the police scanner speak.

“An alarm has been tripped at the Department of Damage Control storage facility. A robbery is suspected to be in progress.”

Gwen recognized Miles smirking at her through his new mask. “Shall we?”

“Lead the way, Spider-Man.”

As Miles and Gwen both leapt off the water tower and began to swing, a news helicopter would follow from behind. The war-torn city around them was damaged, hurt, and broken to the point of near collapse. But, in the end it would preserve and come out stronger and more united than ever before. Just like the two of them. 

So, as a new chapter started throughout Earth-1610B, the rest of the Spider-Verse, and beyond, so did a new chapter in the couple's lives. 

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To Be Continued…

Written by: TheHeadWriter

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Post Credit Scene:

‘Start a Band’ begins to play

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGwW4EHgV6o

As Miles and Gwen swung together, the camera slowly pulled back away from them, passing through an orange barrier to show they were being watched through some kind of holographic screen. As the scene continued to pull back into a dark room, the back of a man wearing purple armor and a green cape with his arms folded behind his back was revealed to be watching the lovers through the orange tinted screen. 

In the dark room around the man, there were multiple other screens. One to the left showed Peter 1, 2, and 3 swinging together to take on the multiversal trespassers during the ‘No Way Home’ event, another showed Doctor Strange standing before the Illuminati, to the far left a screen showed Deadpool and Wolverine fighting Magneto, and finally one off to the far right showed what looked like security camera footage of Mr. Negative struggling in a hospital bed, powering up and screaming as he and the room around him began to glow in a blinding light. 

“Well?” A feminine voice asked.

With what seemed like a stare of longing at the screen of Miles and Gwen, the man didn’t bother to turn around as he kept his commanding stature. “...Everything’s gone according to plan. Everything . The war has begun and I’m going to win.”

“So.. What now, my lord?”  

The man raised his green hand and pressed his fingers covered by a purple gauntlet to the holographic screen and moved it to the side, expanding the video of a struggling Mr. Negative- revealing the man who had saved the girl from the collapsing building, moving it to front and center. With just the bottom of his face showing, a small smirk spread across his lips between two scars that came down from his eyes, barely visible in the dim light. “Him. He’s the key.” 

Kang the Conqueror turned around, looking at Ravonna Renslayer and the light that crept through the open door way behind her into the dark room in which he stood. Next to her on the ground was a sprawled out Doctor Jonathan Ohm laying in his own puddle of blood, still in his bright orange prison jumpsuit, long gone and mutilated to the point of near unrecognition. It was clear that before dying, he had suffered. Kang eyed the body on the ground before looking back up at Renslayer dismissively.

“And what of them?” She asked, referring to the screen that showed the paused picture of Miles and Gwen embracing on the water tower, the sun setting behind them. 

Kang turned back towards the screen as his gaze softened, yet his twisted smirk still remained. “I’m not done with their story yet.”

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Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy will return in:

SPIDER-MAN: END OF THE SPIDER-VERSE 

PART ONE

Witness the beginning of the end, February 25th, 2024!

Catch the trailer on February 11th!

Chapter Text

Sorry if I got anyone too excited for another chapter! I would like to announce that I will be rewriting the first chapter and potentially the first two chapters of this story. The quality of my first two chapters honestly is simply nonexistent as I was just learning to write! In fact, that was my first time truly writing! Over the next few months, when I’m not working on ‘EOTSV’ (which I’m working on rn), I will rewrite the first chapter of this story to make it more engaging, well written, and heartfelt for all to read. Or, if you want me to leave that chapter as is, I could always post another chapter where it’s simply chapter one rewritten. Thanks for reading and I hope y’all are having a good day/night!