[A/N]: You madlads smashed the first goal, so here's the SECOND bonus chapters! Next goal is 400 Powerstones for two more bonus chapters. As always, vote, comment, share, and gift stones if you're enjoying the story!
Oh, and before I forget, Happy New Year 2016!!
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Gwen stood. Tears streaming down her face watching Peter break down. Watching someone she cared about, someone she loved, falling apart.
Domino wanted to pull Peter away, but Jay signaled to let it happen and release Peter's bottled-up anger. Gwen saw the signal and understood. Stayed where she was, even though every instinct told her to go to Peter.
Jay waved his hand, and people in the waiting room stopped noticing them. Their attention slid away and focused on magazines, phones, or anywhere else. Giving them privacy in a public space.
Peter kept shouting. Cursing himself. Cursing Jay. Cursing the mugger. Cursing the universe for being so damn cruel. His voice went hoarse and his throat hurt, but he didn't care.
"I'm supposed to be strong! I have powers! I can lift cars! I can dodge bullets! But I can't keep Uncle Ben safe! I can't... I can't...What's the fucking point of these powers if I can't protect the people I love?"
He collapsed as his Knees gave out, but Jay caught him and lowered him gently to the bench.
Peter wept with his face buried in his hands and his shoulders heaving.
Gwen sat beside him, put her arms around him and held him while he broke. Her own tears fell silently as she pressed her face against his shoulder.
Domino watched with her jaw tight. She'd seen breakdowns before. Mercenary life showed you people at their worst. But watching a kid crack like this, watching his girlfriend try to hold him together, it hit different.
Ten minutes passed, maybe fifteen. Eventually, Peter's sobs quieted, became hiccups and then just shaky breathing.
He was exhausted. Mentally, physically and emotionally wrung out. His head lolled against Gwen's shoulder.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean...I didn't mean to lose it like that."
"Shh," Gwen whispered, stroking his hair. "It's okay. You're okay. You're allowed to break down, Peter. You don't have to be strong all the time."
Peter's eyes closed. Just for a moment, he thought. But exhaustion dragged him under as he passed out, slumped against Gwen.
She looked at Jay, panic in her eyes. "Is he..."
"He's fine," Jay said gently. "Just exhausted. Let him rest."
As Jay helped Gwen adjust Peter on the bench, putting his head on her lap properly, May Parker came into the waiting room. Moving fast with panic written across her face.
She saw Peter lying unconscious, and her face went white. "Peter! What happened? Is he hurt, too? Oh God, not Peter too..."
Gwen's voice was steady despite her tears. "He's just resting, Mrs. Parker. He's just tired. He had a panic attack, but he's okay now."
May's hands shook. She looked at Jay, trying to focus on his face and failing. Like looking at someone through frosted glass. She could see him, but couldn't capture details or place him. "And Ben? Have the doctors said anything? I came as fast as I could, but traffic and I couldn't find parking and..."
Jay spoke calmly, saying the doctor's verdict was out and her husband would be absolutely fine. She should calm down and sit for a bit to breathe.
May, confused, asked, not recognizing the face, no matter how much she tried, "Sorry, but you are? I'm just so worried and tired from running. I'm blanking out."
Jay gave a sad smile. He glanced at Peter's neck and saw Domino's quarter hanging there on a chain. Dented as the metal warped where a bullet had hit. Where Domino's luck had changed trajectory and saved Peter's life but nearly killed Ben in the process. Luck was funny that way.
"No worries." Jay said. "I'm Peter's friend of sorts, I guess. Don't worry too much, Mrs. Parker. Both your husband and nephew are resilient and tough. They'll both be alright."
He turned to Gwen. "Keep an eye on him, will you? And no worries. Nobody will bother their peace."
He left with Domino, and just as they turned a corner, they vanished without bringing anyone's notice.
May sat heavily in a chair and stared at Peter sleeping on Gwen's lap. She was too tired, too scared and too relieved to think about what it meant.
Gwen stroked Peter's hair and whispered, "I've got you, Peter."
Peter woke to fluorescent lights and the smell of disinfectant. His head pounded, his throat hurt, and his eyes felt swollen.
Gwen was still there.
"Hey," she said softly. "You're awake."
Peter sat up, and everything crashed back. The phone call, Jay appearing, the surgery, Uncle Ben and his breakdown.
Oh God. His breakdown.
He'd hit Jay, screamed at him and blamed him for everything. Fell apart in a hospital waiting room like...
"Uncle Ben?" His voice came out rough and raw from screaming.
"He's completely fine. The doctors are calling it a miracle. They can't explain it, but he's stable. They're saying he'll be discharged tomorrow."
Peter's relief was so intense it hurt.
"And your..." Gwen hesitated. "How are you feeling? After... everything?"
Peter thought about it. The anger had faded only to be replaced by exhaustion and shame. "Like shit. I shouldn't have hit him like that. I shouldn't have lost control."
"He let you. That guy could've stopped you if he wanted. Pretty sure he's, like, insanely powerful."
"That's what makes it worse." Peter looked down at his hands. The same hands that had punched a man who'd just saved his uncle's life. "I was such an asshole. He saves Uncle Ben's life, and I beat on him like it's his fault."
"Pete, you were having a breakdown. People aren't exactly rational during breakdowns." Gwen squeezed his shoulder. "And from what I saw, he understood. He let you get it out. That's pretty decent of him, actually."
Peter fingered the quarter around his neck. The dent was visible and deep. Proof that Jay's gift had saved his life and had done exactly what it was supposed to do.
But Uncle Ben had still gotten hurt. The bullet that should've killed Peter had hit Ben instead. There was a lesson there about how nothing came free and how even good things had costs.
"He told me family comes first," Peter said quietly. "During that talk. He said I couldn't save everyone, and trying would destroy me."
"Sounds smart."
"But how the hell do I do that? How do I choose?" Peter's voice cracked. "If I'd been patrolling like I wanted, I could've stopped that bastard before he ever got to Uncle Ben. But Jay said I should focus on being a kid first. On living my life. On my family."
Gwen was quiet because she didn't have easy answers. "I think... maybe it's not about choosing. It's about balance. You can be Spider-Man. You can help people. But you can't forget about the people who love you in the process. And Pete... you can't be everywhere at once. You're not God. You're just... you."
"Balance." Peter tested the word. "That's harder than it sounds."
"Everything worth doing is." Gwen smiled. "But you're not doing it alone. You've got me. You've got Harry. And apparently, you've got the Power Broker's phone number, which is absolutely insane, by the way."
Peter huffed a laugh despite everything. "Yeah. That's pretty damn insane."
A nurse appeared in the doorway. "Peter Parker? You can see your uncle now."
Peter stood quickly, Gwen right beside him. They walked down the sterile hallway, following the nurse to Ben's room.
Ben was awake and sitting up in bed with May beside him. He looked tired but healthy and sitting there like nothing had happened.
"Uncle Ben!" Peter rushed forward.
"Easy, tiger." Ben smiled, opening his arms. "I'm still a bit sore."
Peter hugged him carefully, mindful of his power. May joined them, wrapping both her boys in her arms. They stayed like that for a long moment. A family that had almost been broken, now held together.
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