[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/552210662391021574/552663742244978689/spider2_edit.jpg[/img][/center] [indent][b][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cno20onK9dY]SPIDER-MAN: THE DISTANCE[/url][/b][/indent] [indent][b]Issue 1[/b][/indent] [hr] [indent][b]New York City, NY --- Thompson Memorial Hospital[/b][/indent] [hr] Ben’s room at the Thompson Memorial was smaller than it had any right to be, jammed into the corner of the Eastern wing, a room as far away from the bustle of personnel and people with [i]quality[/i] medical insurance as they could find. A bundled mass of machines, all constantly blinking and churning out reports, lay in a mess around the room, jammed wherever they could fit to keep Ben Parker alive just a few minutes longer. The two seats in the room were awkwardly together against the back wall, chair legs competing for each other’s space. Peter in one, May in the other. They’d been told a while ago that the worst of it was over, for now. Nerve damage to the spine, probably permanent, unless Stark came out with some new “revolutionizing gizmo” again. Peter never laughed at their jokes. May always looked up at them with those big, sad eyes of hers whenever they did it, trying to cling on to the hope in their jargon. Not understanding. May’s hand was around his now, white knuckled and bony as always. She stared at the rise and fall of Ben’s chest, but her eyes were glazed over, her mind somewhere else. When Peter looked at her he could only see the age in her face. Past the grief and the tracks of tears, all that was left was her years spent with Ben; walks through Central Park, long swims down at Coney Island beach. Now the wonder was how Ben could get up the stairs to his own bedroom. If he woke up, anyhow. [i]When[/i] he woke up. Peter shifted in his chair and the noise cut through the whir of medical machinery, hard scrape of plastic against cheap linoleum. May started in her seat and Peter gave her hand a squeeze. [color=#77ffff]“I-I'm sorry Peter dear, I…”[/color] May shook her head. [color=#507de5]“S’okay, Aunt May. My fault. Sorry.”[/color] Peter’s thumb circled the back of her hand. [color=#507de5]”Listen, I uh… I think I’m just gonna go outside and catch some air, okay? I’ll be right back.”[/color] May nodded slowly and turned back to her husband, clasping her hands together and receding even further into herself, if that were even possible. Peter stood and winced as he unclenched his hands. He didn’t realize he’d been doing it that hard. Still, to think that some sonofabitch had [i]shot[/i] his Uncle and was now doing [i]this[/i] to his Aunt, and was… Peter’s fingers dug back into the bruise on his hand and he swore under his breath. The room’s door closed behind him and he sucked in the stale, reprocessed Hospital air. It wasn’t much better than the stuffed up room, but it was something. The hall was silent, spare for the echoed clack of the receptionist’s mechanical keyboard and the steady hum of the white fluorescent lights. Peter dropped into one of the felt chairs outside and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. How long had it been, now? Three, four days? They weren’t expecting him in school for a while at least, but every day he couldn’t get away from the hospital was another day the shooter had to hide himself from Peter. From the police. From [i]Spider-Man[/i]. He grabbed the arms of the chair and squeezed. [i]Useless[/i] just sitting here and... And [i]watching[/i] him. Peter needed to be out there, doing something, finding the bastard that… Three sets of shoes coming down the hallway. Peter tensed. Already he was up on his haunches in the chair, and he could feel the suit gurgling below the surface, waiting to spring across his body in an instant. What was it? The killer coming to finish the job? Their steps didn’t have the cadence of the Doctors, and he and May were the only family Ben had. They were nearly to the bend now, Peter’s biceps swelled underneath his shirt and he pointed his hands forward. He reached out for his Spider-Sense and felt nothing, no chill across his mind. Suit on the fritz? Maybe. Either way, just a second now, and… [color=#507de5]”Gwen?”[/color] Peter realized his mistake and all the fight went out of him. His balance gave and he dropped forward. His chin cracked against the linoleum. [color=#507de5]”Ow.”[/color] Through the haze of the vague pain travelling up through his chin, he could make out the three of them; Gwen, Harry, and MJ. [color=#4fdb48]“Geez, Pete! Over excited to see us?”[/color] Harry Osborn’s smile went from ear to ear as Peter tumbled, awkwardly trying to find his footing and right himself again. His arm was around MJ, she laughed as Peter finally established himself on two wobbly legs. Gwen stood before them, rubbing her hands together. [color=#507de5]”You know me. Excitable is my middle name.”[/color] Peter rubbed his chin as the pain faded into a background throb and his friends reached him. Gwen threw her arms around him and pulled him in close. Her hair smelled like strawberries. [color=#fc05ca]“Hope you’re doing okay, Peter…”[/color] Just as quickly as she’d hugged him Gwen began to pull away from him, blushing. [color=#fc05ca]“Sorry.”[/color] [color=#507de5]“Uh, thanks, Gwen…”[/color] Peter patted her on the back and tried to seperate himself from her arms. [color=#507de5]”It, uh… It means a lot, actually. What brings you guys out all this way?”[/color] [color=#ea7084]“We’re here to see [i]you[/i], tiger.”[/color] MJ said, untangling herself from her boyfriend and going to check on Peter herself. [color=#507de5]“We’re, uh, all fine here now, thanks. How are you?”[/color] Peter crossed his arms and the words tumbled out. Same old stupid Parker with his foot in his mouth, right? MJ and Gwen looked him up and down while Harry shot off a text on his OsPhone, which he deposited in his back pocket before joining the girls. [color=#4fdb48]”Just been missing you in school, bud. Bet even that jackass Flash is, even if he won’t tell anyone.”[/color] Harry didn’t know it but his grin was just like his Dad’s, wide and thin. He always looked like he’d just gained the upper hand. MJ swatted her boyfriend’s shoulder and reached out to take Peter’s hand. [color=#ea7084]”What Harry is [i]trying[/i] to say is that we care about you and just wanted to check up on you.”[/color] MJ squeezed his hand and plunked down into the seat he’d just been occupying. Gwen tentatively touched his arm. [color=#fc05ca]”How’s Ben?”[/color] Peter pulled his arm away and into himself, scratching at the back of his head. [color=#507de5]”He’s uh… He’s hanging in there, yeah. Hanging like Luke in the Wampa den, but… Hanging.”[/color] Peter sighed. He looked at Gwen and she looked right back at him. Her big blues were unblemished by tears or sleepless nights over a hospital bed. No, she was just Gwen Stacy. Peter looked away. His hands were balling again. [color=#507de5]”Have you heard anything from El Capìtan about Ben’s case?”[/color] Gwen smiled but she looked down, shaking her head. [color=#fc05ca]”I’m sorry, they didn’t put Dad on it. Said he was too close to it. They said the department was putting their best people on it, if that means anything to you.”[/color] [color=#507de5]”Okay.”[/color] Peter nodded again and again. [color=#507de5]”Okay.”[/color] [color=#4fdb48]”Pete? You’re shaking.”[/color] Harry started. [color=#507de5]”I’m [i]fine[/i], Har. I’m good.”[/color] Peter jammed his hands in his pockets and looked away. He tried to focus on his breathing, on his heartbeat, anything to calm down, but all he could hear in the back of his mind was the steady gurgle of the suit. Waiting. [i]Wanting[/i]. [color=#fc05ca]”Peter.”[/color] Gwen’s hand on his shoulder. [color=#fc05ca]”I know you want to be strong. For May. But we know… [i]I[/i] know what it’s like to lose someone, okay? You can talk to us.”[/color] Peter bristled, every muscle coiled together and prepared to pounce, but Peter just focused on the cadence of Gwen’s voice. She was right, deep down Peter knew that. They wanted to help. But [i]Spider-Man[/i] wanted something else. [color=#507de5]”I appreciate it guys, really, it’s just, uh…”[/color] [i]C’mon, Parker, think![/i] he was never good with excuses. [color=#4fdb48]”If you want us to go, we’ll go, but…”[/color] Harry scratched at the non-existent stubble on his chin. [color=#4fdb48]”I just… I unno, it might be better for you if we stayed?" [/color] MJ pulled Harry into a sideways hug as he sat and she looked up at Peter. [color=#ea7084]”You don’t need to do it alone, Parker. You’ve got May, and you’ve more than got us. Any way we can take the weight off a little?”[/color] [i]Maybe [b]I[/b] don’t have to do it alone. But [b]Spider-Man[/b] does.[/i] Peter massaged his temples. [color=#507de5]”Look, I can stick around a while longer but, uh… I think I just need to get my mind off things. By myself, that is. Sorry. Maybe I’ll play [i]The Old Scriptures V[/i] again, or something.”[/color] [color=#4fdb48]”That works. They just released Byerim on the Os-Homes.”[/color] Harry said. [color=#fc05ca]”Thanks for staying awhile, Pete.”[/color] Gwen sat and patted the empty seat next to her. [i]I just hope I don’t regret it…[/i]