I LOVE YOU

GWEN

I am the last person to evacuate the bus. As I step out, Peter is there to greet me. I slowly approach him, he is still dressed as his alter ego, Spiderman. I'm a few feet away when I stop and keep my gaze down, not daring to meet his eyes. I'm ashamed of what I have out him through. "Gwen?" He asks, his voice soft and sincere. I look up, meeting his masked face. "I-I'm sorry. I woke up and was looking over the balcony at-at the sunset when he grabbed me. I couldn't call for help." I stutter, trying desperately to explain so that he will understand and not be mad. "Gwen. Can we go somewhere else where I may discuss this with you in private?" "Oh. Yeah, of course. Good idea." With that we swing back to my room. I sit on my bed and Peter goes across the hall to change back to his street clothes. When he returns, he stands with his back against the door and facing me. "So..." He starts awkwardly. "Uh, I'm-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so careless! I put you in danger, Peter I'm so sorry!" I exclaim frantically, toying with my hair in my panic. "Gwen..." He says in a soft and low voice as he crosses the room to me. He crouches in front if me and looks me in the eyes. "Gwen, it's not your fault, it's mine. I should have been more careful. I'm thankful I got to you when I did." "Yeah. Thanks." I thank him. "No need for that. I'm sorry. It's just...." He begins, but I know what he's going to say. I know before he even has to say it. "Peter, don't." I plead. "No. Gwen, hear me out. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you, I could not do it. I couldn't bear to see you--hurt or worse. What if you died! I-I just..." He trails off, eyes watering and he wont meet my eyes. "Peter. We've talked about this. Don't you understand? I LOVE YOU. Isn't that enough? I don't care about dad's promise, it wasn't his to give. I will not push you away." I tell him softly but firmly. He looks into my eyes with a doubtful, sad look. He steels himself and says "Gwen. You're right. I love you, and your love is more than enough. I would be lost without you, I was lost. We were living like we were dead. I ruined you just being without you. I made a new promise. I MADE A PROMISE. Every moment my mind changes, that I know and that I'm sorry for. My brain is trying to overrule my heart. Gwen, what would I do without you?" He finishes in an optimistic, more positive tone. "I don't know. But you wouldn't accomplish anything, I can assure you that!" I playfully dig at him. He laughs, his laugh catching in his throat and causing a deep, throaty laughter that is contagious and soon I begin to laugh as well. "Should we watch a movie?" I ask Peter, I would love to do something normal for a change. "Sure! You pick." He tells me enthusiastically. "Hmmmm. How about finding nemo?" I reply, hope in my voice, who would reject finding nemo? "You mean Finding Emo? Jeez I didn't know you were into stories about depressed fish!" He teases, and I frown in fake mockery. "C'mon Pete, please? Wanna be the best boyfriend ever?" I bribe him. "Hmm, being Spiderman isn't enough for you? I see how it is." He mocks betrayal and turns his back to me. I wrap my arms around his waist from behind and lean up to whisper in his ear "please?" He embraces my arms from the front. "Gwen, how could I ever say no?" He says and turns with a delighted smile on his face. "Yay!" I exclaim with glee and jump up and down. Peter gives me a weird look and picks me up. He carries me to the bed and places me down. He arranges the pillow and blankets for maximum comfort before moving to put the movie into the DVD player. He then returns and slides in next to me to watch the movie. "Hey Peter?" I whisper. "Yeah?" He whispers back. "I think you forgot something." I tell him. "Oh yeah? What?" He asks me. "Popcorn. You're just like Dory!" "What! Fineeee I'll get popcorn. But I can promise you, I am NOT lethargic!" He tells me in a joking tone as he goes to make popcorn. He comes back 5 minutes later and slides in the bed again. We then start the movie. 10 minutes through he wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me close. I end up resting my head on his shoulders as we finish the movie.