Am I Peter Parker?

Chapter 10: Gwen...

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Earth-65

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The noise of New York's night traffic seemed muffled from the top of the building where I stood. The cool wind caressed my face as I looked out at the horizon, trying to gather my thoughts. The strange, sticky feeling of the black substance was still there, clinging to me like a second skin, but for now, I pushed it aside. My thoughts were elsewhere. They were with Gwen.

It had been weeks since I last saw her, since everything started to spiral out of control. Since Oscorp and their experiments became a real threat. Since Black Cat broke into the complex, and Connors, started acting erratically. But in the midst of all that, Gwen was still the constant that kept me anchored. The only one who made me remember why I was fighting, why I wanted to be in this world.

The weight of everything that had happened since that fateful day at Oscorp was piling on my shoulders. I was exhausted, mentally and physically. The Lizard serum had amplified my abilities, but it had also brought with it a host of side effects that I didn't fully understand. My body was no longer the same. Wounds that once healed in seconds now took longer. There was a nagging pain in my joints, a constant feeling of discomfort, as if my own body was fighting something that shouldn't be there. And on top of all that, the black substance.

I tried to ignore it, but I knew I couldn't. That slimy thing that had attached itself to me during the fight with Black Cat wasn't just a blob. It had a life of its own, and while it hadn't shown any signs of hostility so far, I knew it wasn't something to be underestimated. It moved subtly, as if it were breathing. Deep down, something in me was screaming that there was more to it than what I could see with the naked eye.

Then, my cell phone vibrated in my pocket. I looked at the screen, knowing who the message was from. Gwen. I always knew when I needed to hear from her, like she had a sixth sense for finding me when I needed her most.

"Peter, are you okay? I haven't heard from you in days. I need to see you."

I felt a pang in my chest. Peter Parker. This was the life I was slowly leaving behind, consumed by the chaos I'd caused by getting involved in something I didn't even fully understand. My life as Peter was falling apart, and I was scared to drag Gwen down with me into this dark pit.

Guilt washed over me. Ever since the accident at Oscorp, everything I'd promised, all the times I'd said I'd protect her, seemed empty. The danger was getting closer and closer to her, and even though there was no way I could know it, the protective instinct inside me screamed at me to get her away from all of this, no matter how painful it was.

I put the phone away without answering, unable to face her. My body still ached from the fight with Black Cat, and the black substance on my skin reminded me that something else was wrong. Oscorp, Connors, Warren... it was all related, and somehow, Black Cat was involved. And now, Gwen.

Gwen, always so brave, didn't quite understand what I was getting myself into. The last time we spoke, I promised her that I would keep her away from all of this. That I wouldn't let her near this dark world of failed experiments, ruthless criminals, and uncontrollable mutations. But how could I do that when she was an essential part of my life? How could I protect her if, at the same time, I couldn't keep her away from the storm that was coming?

I had to see her. No matter what was happening in my world, I couldn't continue to ignore her. Gwen was the only thing that reminded me that there was still something beyond Oscorp, beyond the battles, beyond the mutation that was slowly taking over my body. I needed to see her, even if I didn't know what to say to her. I needed to remind myself that, in the midst of this chaos, there was still something pure and real in my life.

I jumped off the edge of the building, launching myself into the void, and glided between the skyscrapers, letting the wind carry me towards her. Towards Gwen.

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Gwen's small apartment was dimly lit by the light from her desk. I knew her well, I knew that at this hour she would probably be working on some report or studying for one of her classes. The glow from her laptop screen illuminated her face, her blonde hair falling in soft waves that caught the light in an almost ethereal way. The image was so familiar, so normal, that for a moment, I forgot everything else. I forgot the black substance. I forgot the lingering pain in my joints. I forgot Oscorp, Connors, Black Cat, and Warren.

Landing softly on her balcony, I approached slowly, without making a sound. I knocked on the glass softly, and she turned her head, surprised at first, but then smiling at me. That smile that always managed to calm the storm inside me.

"Peter…" she murmured, opening the door and running towards me, hugging me without hesitation.

Feeling her arms around me was like coming home after a long, dark battle. It was like all the pain and confusion I had been carrying around disappeared for an instant. But I also knew I couldn't lie to her anymore. I knew I had to tell her everything, even if I didn't want to.

"I'm sorry," I said, my words almost a whisper. "I'm sorry I didn't answer. I'm sorry I left you alone."

"I know," she replied softly. "But here you are, and that's all that matters now."

We stayed silent for a moment, just enjoying each other's presence. But I knew this wasn't the end of the conversation. I knew she had questions, and I would have to face what was coming. But for now, that moment of peace with Gwen was enough to quell, even if temporarily, the chaos around me.

What I didn't know, what neither of us could foresee, was that danger was closer than we thought. And that tonight would be the last time we'd have a moment of calm before the storm really hit.

Because Oscorp, Black Cat, Connors, and Warren weren't going to wait. The world kept spinning, and the pieces on the board of this dark game were moving quickly.

And Gwen... Gwen was in danger.

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End of Chapter 10.