A short while later, Peter arrived at Felicia's apartment.
Inside the messy living room, Felicia was curled up on the sofa. The glow of her phone screen illuminated her lost and hollow expression; clearly, she had been waiting for news.
When Peter appeared, her emerald eyes suddenly flared with light, the anxiety and dread melting into overwhelming affection.
"Peter!"
With her bare, pale feet padding across the floor, she rushed forward and clung to his arm. "Is it... is it all over?"
"Need you even ask?" Peter stroked her fluffy silver hair, his voice carrying the calm certainty of a storm that had passed. "As of today, there is no more Hydra in this country."
Felicia let out a long breath of relief, but then, a flicker of nervous hesitation crossed her face. "Then, what about us... next?"
"Exactly." Peter took her cold hand and spoke firmly. "It's time we went to Gwen and made things clear."
To make the bitter truth easier for Gwen to swallow, Felicia deliberately dressed herself to look haggard and pitiful.
Peter decided to call Gwen before they met. He felt it was necessary to tear a small opening first to give her time to prepare her heart, rather than tearing down her world all at once.
The phone rang twice before being picked up. "Peter? Did you find Felicia? Is she okay?"
Gwen's voice was thick with urgency. That genuine concern made Peter feel a surge of guilt. But there was no turning back now.
"I found her, Gwen. But some... accidents happened along the way."
"Accidents?" Gwen's voice rose. "Are you hurt? Is she?"
"Neither of us is physically hurt. It's hard to explain over the phone. I'm bringing her to you. Can you meet us on the roof of the Empire State Building?"
Peter chose a spot where they wouldn't be disturbed. If George Stacy or Grandma Pauline found out, this "Schrödinger's Cat" situation would escalate into a hurricane that would rip Peter to shreds.
Even in her innocence, Gwen sensed the ominous tone in his voice. "Okay... I'm going now."
Half an hour later, atop the Empire State Building. The night wind howled, matching the turbulent emotions of the three people gathered there.
"Peter, Felicia! Thank God you're both safe!" Seeing them unharmed, the tension in Gwen's face softened into a genuine smile. She hurried toward them, her pure concern making Felicia's guilt swell like a tide.
Felicia's lips trembled, but she finally summoned her courage. "I'm sorry, Gwen..."
The vague apology caused Gwen's smile to freeze. Her blue eyes filled with confusion. "Sorry? Why are you saying that?"
Taking a deep breath, Peter stepped forward. "The reason Felicia was kidnapped... is me. My becoming Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. provoked Hydra. They kidnapped her and brainwashed her."
"They used her to seduce me, hoping to use our... proximity... to assassinate me when I was most vulnerable."
On the way over, Peter and Felicia had agreed to use the "brainwashing" narrative. Compared to telling Gwen, "I've been eyeing your man for a long time," this version was significantly less damaging.
Gwen's face paled. She covered her mouth, her eyes turning red. "But Peter... you're immune to toxins. You could have saved her... unless..."
She couldn't finish. It felt like something was blocking her throat, making it hard to breathe. She remembered the graduation prom—the way they looked together on the dance floor. She had thought Felicia was just helping a friend. She had been so naive.
"I'm sorry, Gwen," Felicia said, finally letting her emotions for Peter pour out. "I didn't know he was the Arbiter at first! When I realized, I tried to stay away.
But it was torture. Seeing you two happy at school while I watched from the sidelines... it was driving me insane."
She looked at Gwen with pleading eyes. "That night, when the radiation was killing me, Peter appeared. From that moment on, I knew I couldn't hide it anymore.
I didn't want to interfere with your relationship. I know he loves you. But when Hydra gave me that 'chance,' and the Symbiote told me I couldn't escape my heart... I was like dry wood soaked in oil, ignited by a spark."
Gwen was stunned by the raw, desperate confession. She was an empathetic person; hearing Felicia's pain, she couldn't help but think of herself. What had pushed her and Peter together? It was the realization that Peter, as the Arbiter, had always been protecting her.
Gwen understood the source of Felicia's madness. If she were in Felicia's shoes, she probably would have fallen for Peter all over again, too.
But understanding didn't mean acceptance. How could she sacrifice her own happiness? Should she scream? Call him a liar? Slap Felicia? She wasn't that kind of person. But accepting this ridiculous reality? That wasn't easy either.
Seeing her turmoil, Peter spoke softly. "Gwen, I know I've hurt you. But I have to tell you how I feel. I've fallen for Felicia. I won't lie about that. But in my heart, you are, and always will be, number one."
"I want both of you. I know it sounds shameless, but I don't want my life to be missing either one of you. You know my character—I won't give up on one for the other.
I won't use your kindness to say, 'If you don't like it, I'll leave her,' just to force you to accept her. Even if you leave me a hundred times, I will try a hundred and one times to win you back."
"I know I sound like an irredeemable egomaniac, but that is my final decision."
Gwen remained silent for a long time. She knew he meant every word. And she knew, deep down, she had no choice—she had already decided on Peter for life.
But the pain was real. And if she forgave him now, wouldn't she seem too spineless?
Finally, her voice trembling, she said, "Peter... Felicia... give me some time, okay? My head is a mess. I need to be alone to think..."
It was the only choice she could make.
However, just as the words left her lips...
Vroom!
An intense, brain-splitting sense of danger exploded in her mind! Spider-Sense! And the warning was more frantic than anything she had ever felt!
"Watch out!"
Peter was even faster.
Soru!
Before Gwen could react, he had flickered to her side, grabbed her waist, and pulled her and Felicia behind him.
Just as they moved, a spatial vortex tore open in the air in front of them. Three figures stepped out.
The trio's pupils contracted. The three figures were all wearing suits—suits that were strikingly similar to Gwen's Ghost-Spider suit. Large webs, spider insignias on the chests... but these three were in classic red and blue!
The three newcomers landed in a crouch—the iconic Spider-Man landing.
Four people stared at each other in total confusion. Peter, however, let out a strange, knowing smile. Three "Peter Parkers" had appeared.
It seems the "Spider-Verse" response to the web-event has finally begun.
Peter glanced at Gwen, who was so shocked she had momentarily forgotten her grief. He started calculating. Sometimes, happiness is relative.
Maybe... letting Gwen see the tragic fates of "Gwen Stacy" and "Felicia Hardy" in other universes would help her realize that their "Stable Triangle" was actually a pretty good deal.
As Peter plotted, the youngest, skinniest Spider-Man broke the silence.
"What the fuck..."
He stared at Gwen's symbiote-enhanced suit. "Bro, why is your suit black and white?"
(Gwen wasn't wearing her suit, but her symbiote had automatically covered her upon sensing danger. Felicia's "Tide" had done the same, though she didn't look like a Spider-hero.)
"Never mind that," the second Spider-Man said, sounding uncertain. "I want to know why you have... breasts?!"
The third, more muscular Spider-Man slapped his forehead. "You idiots. Is it possible that in this universe, 'we' are a woman?"
"What the fuck!" the first one repeated.
"Cool!" Spider-Man #2 whistled. "Sist—uh, brother? Sister? Can I see what a gender-swapped me looks like?"
Then his eyes drifted to Peter standing next to her.
"Wait. If she is the gender-swapped version... then who the hell is he?!"
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