Chapter Forty-Three

The Scarlet Spider was carrying a large firefighter who had passed out in the middle of rescuing a little girl. When they had found the pair, the firefighter was trapped under a burning beam while the child was crying beside him totally freaked out from the whole ordeal. Quickly Ben extracted the 'would-be' savior while Gwen picked up the child just as the floor started to give way. Shooting a web-line out of the closest window they just barely managed an escape as it crumbled beneath them. Spider-woman who was carrying the kid in her arms landed behind him she coughed for a few moments attempting to catch her breath.

Walking on the now-empty curbside Gwen put down the soot-covered child wobbling as she did. Spotting her weeping mother, the little girl ran into her arms, "Thank you! Thank you so much, Spider-woman." the woman said as she desperately clutched onto the little girl.

Waving her off Gwen pushed her mask above her nose to catch her breath. While a few firefighters came and picked up the man Ben had saved, offering fresh oxygen to Gwen and Ben as well. Taking a few hits until they heard police sirens sounding in the distance, giving them little choice but to leave the scene. Luckily for everyone, the building was already people free and the spiders would soon recover on their own given enough time.

The Fire Chief patted both their backs as he told the pair, "I'll stall em best I can, you two are heroes in my book." he said with a firm smile

Looking at each other they nodded, then took to the sky's shooting webbing from their wrists.

"YAHOO!" Ben cried as he flew from line to line.

Gwen smiled enjoying his optimism. The longer she watched the more she felt the hole inside disappear, it was odd, to say the least. She had met many Peter Parker's... but none had made the ache inside ease. Shaking her head she put the thought out of her mind.

Landing on a familiar building, Ben stopped and looked at the gargoyles strangely.

Gwen puzzledly watched his reaction, "What?"

"For everything that's different, there is so much the same." Ben pointed at the gargoyles reminiscent of Peter's favorite perch.

He stopped, "Wait is your dad alive and the Captain of the police?"

"Yes he's alive and he's a cop. Just not the Captain..." Frowning she whispered, "he also hates I'm spider woman..."

Gaining a harder look on her face she finishes by saying, "Frank Castle is the Captain."

"Whoa, the Punisher is a police Captain? Dang." Ben half-joked rubbing his head in exasperation.

Looking down at his suit; the fire had singed his hoodie and tore a few holes periodically. "We'll that makes clothes my next priority. Then a job and a place to stay."

"I've got a couch till we figure how to get the watch back. It's nothing big, small studio. With all the reality jumping lately it's nice to be home and settled."

Ben couldn't help but smile at her offer. He wanted to know more about how she lost the watch but after such a long and hard rescue he didn't really have the energy. Besides the fact, he had fought a long battle before getting here a burning building has a way of taking it out of you.

Motioning for him to follow; they swung by Queens first, to a house next door to the Parker's.

Gwen came out with some clothes in a duffle bag, "Borrowing from my dad till we can get you your own."

"Thanks," Ben said taking the duffle from her arms as they set off for her studio apartment.

As they reached her apartment Ben noticed it was indeed small just like she had told him. Entering from the fire escape Ben looked around spotting Top Ramen packs near the stove, and pizza boxes piled next to the trash can. Cheap Wal-Mart brand soda in the fridge.

Panicking Gwen spotted her underwear laying on the couch yelling, "Don't look, I wasn't expecting visitors."

At least it had been a clean pair she wasn't an actual pig... To spite the obvious evidence to the contrary. She had been doing laundry before patrol today and hadn't expected to bring back a guest. Yeah, she skipped a few days of picking up the place. 'Damn, why did I have to be such a slob?!'

Jumping she used her agility and began to clean up quickly.

Ben tried not to look, but it was Gwen! His heart kept pulling him back to her slender form. He tried to remind himself 'She's not your Gwen!' not that she would be his in the first place. He's was a clone. 'She's not Peter's Gwen.' He corrected himself depressingly.

But he couldn't suppress that undying hope that she could be his Gwen. Jean had made it clear where they stood and here was another woman that made his heart stop.

"What's wrong? I don't need spider-sense to tell me something's off." Gwen said getting closer after finishing with her quick cleaning job.

Ben pulled his mask away from his face, "Hard to talk about, it's the kind of things that go through the mind of a clone."

Gwen slipping her mask off as well, "I know how you're feeling, it was the same way I felt around the other Peters... just make me a deal. When or if this" motioning her hand between them. "finally does happen, make sure it's me you're kissing and not her and I'll do the same."

Ben just smiled at her straight forward words nodding he replied, "Deal".

It was late already, so after some ramen and some bad late-night TV Ben passed out on the couch.

Gwen covered him with a blanket, "With everything going wrong, finally something went right." She whispered and kissed his blonde head and went to bed.

She had class the next day so what little sleep that was left she wanted to try to get.

There was a pounding at the door and Gwen shot up awake. Before she realized it she was hanging from the ceiling.

Laughing at her reaction, she jumped down and saw Ben still snoring on the couch. Shaking her head she headed towards the door she didn't know how he slept through the noise. Peering through the peephole and spotted her bandmate, Gloria.

Checking the time and opened the door partially, "it's only seven AM, the class isn't till ten."

"Yeah well we need to talk; I can't keep bailing you out with Em. You disappeared after that spider guy showed up. I swear they are multiplying!" she said with a scowl. "But seriously when did Gwen Stacy panic and run." Gloria looked at her with a concerned look in her eyes.

Ben decided that was the time to let out a loud snore from behind Gwen. Caught completely off guard Gloria pushed the door open wider to see a half-naked man on the couch covered in blankets and Gwen wearing only a long shirt.

"Girl never mind the show, I'm proud of you for getting on with your life. So who's that?" Gloria said with a smile while hugging Gwen.

"Um...my boyfriend. He just moved in." Gwen panicked trying to find answers that didn't scream, 'Grown-up clone of a dead man from an alternate dimension with powers like mine.'

"Boyfriend is obvious, but his name." Gloria gushed.

"Ben Reilly, he's a photographer... Freelancer just moved back to town."

Surprised she quickly asked, "Girl do you think he would do some professional shots for us?" Gloria's' mind was working.

Spotting Ben's face slightly grin as he played being asleep. 'Prick!' Gwen thought with an amused frown.

Turning to Gloria, "I'll ask him. Now shoo I gotta get dressed so does he." Gloria left with a knowing smile.

"That's it you're going home." She went to swing her fist down at him in a playful manner, he dodged easily as they rolled on the floor tangled in blankets.

"I have school." She said smiling.

"Now I guess I'll have to get a job and find a Camera," Ben replied laughing.

Dressing quickly they had some cold pizza for breakfast, "I love the spider metabolism, not an ounce of fat." Gwen said as she grabbed another slice.

Eyeing Gwen's posterior Ben had to agree.

They headed out the door when Gwen stopped, "Here's my number." She said handed him a slip of paper. Pausing a moment longer she quickly pressed a kiss on his cheek and she ran down the hallway in embarrassment.

Putting a hand to his cheek Ben smiled. It was the second time he had a girl give him a kiss like that and it made him feel good. With a little pep in his step, he walked out of the building thinking about how he would find some work in this town.

---

Peter was frustrated. Why was it every time he turned around someone was holding their hand out for money? The money he didn't have!

MJ had been in a coma for the past few weeks with no sign of recovering any time soon. It was all his fault! He should have never allowed her to come. If she wasn't there Kaine might have kidnapped her, yes. But it was better than her being in a coma... it was better than losing Ben. The second Ben in his life he lost.

Peter reached up and grabbed MJ's tiny white hand and felt the warmness that had always been there for him. "I'm sorry..." He whispered.

"Peter dear, there is a man in the waiting room requesting to speak with you." May's voice said from the doorway. Her voice carried a sympathetic tone that only she was able to achieve.

"Alright Aunt May, do you mind keeping an eye on her?" Peter asked putting down her hand.

She nodded and took his place in the chair.

Walking down the hallway he was so tired. The hospital staff had been asking him how he intended to take care of the bill. They had made it clear if payment wasn't forthcoming soon they would release MJ to her family... The family that had wanted to pull the plug on her the instant they found out about the bill she was racking up.

Thank the heavens Aunt May was long time friends with MJ's aunt Anna which still held legal guardian status over her. Peter wasn't sure what he would have done to keep her alive, but robbing the hospital equipment and taking her away from this place by force was definitely on the list of possibilities.

The financial coordinator had been pulling him aside often trying to get payment out of him, which by now was starting to piss him off. If this was that guy again he might accidentally throw the bastard out the window!

Rounding the corner Peter came up short at the unexpected man standing in the waiting room.

"Nick Fury?!" Peter said making a few people in the room pay attention to the pair.

"Quiet kid, do you want the world to know I'm here?" He said not at all worried about the notion.

"Why are you here?"

"Well, I figured. A friend is what you need right now. Something you are in short supply of currently."

Frowning Peter guessed his identity as Spider-Man had already been exposed. He was too tired to play The fool and just wanted to get to the point.

"And what exactly do you want in exchange for our friendship?" He asked aloud.

"Not pulling your punches I see... I have a few tasks I need the Spider's assistance with. One, in particular, is helping the friends your 'brother' made a few weeks back."

Shocked at his revelation Peter asked, "What happened to the X-Men?"

"Nothing yet, but if they don't get help soon... lives will be lost."