Spider-Gwen 3 || The Fall

It Hurts || Gwen Stacy

"And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love"

-Pompeii, Bastille

"No, no, turn around! Turn around! Please turn around, MJ! PLEASE!!"

Gwen's sob-laden shouting went unanswered as the motorcycle raced away, tears flowing like rivers down her face as the flames grew more and more distant.

Moments ago, she'd just watched her best friend-whom Gwen had finally reconnected with-vanish in the flames as a last-ditch-effort to buy Gwen and MJ some time to escape. Even though the blonde had understood what was happening in her head, her heart refused to fully process the fact that Felicia was gone.

Her left hand was cradled to her chest, still throbbing in pain after Otto had pushed her onto it earlier. Gwen hadn't known what it was like to break a bone in quite some time due to her powers, and now the pain was making the rest of her body numb as it focused on the consuming, aching sensation that was swallowing up her forearm.

But while her body was locking down due to the physical pain, her heart was being ripped to shreds by the pain of what she'd just seen.

Gwen held onto MJ as the burning block of the city turned into a distant glow, still blurting out nearly incomprehensible pleas to go back. The last sight of Felicia Hardy-backing into the fire while playing her guitar to bait Otto into following her-was on repeat in her head, an image that the blonde was certain had been burned into her memory forever.

"Go back!! We've got to get her, please!! Turn around-"

Her cries were still not answered as MJ turned a corner, continuing to speed away from the scene. Gwen's throat was hoarse now, and her only option was to let her head fall to MJ's back and release any tears she had left.

Soon, the roar of the motorcycle engine lessened to a low purr, and then got cut off as MJ turned the key. "Gwen, come on-" She croaked, kicking down the stand for the motorcycle and moving to get off.

Gwen shook her head, shaking as she stayed put. She didn't want move, she wasn't sure if she could...

"-Gwen!!"

MJ's uptick in tone made Gwen's head snap up. The redhead's eyes were glassy and red, and her face had tear tracks racing down them from silent tears she'd shed while getting her friend to safety.

Upon realizing how loud she'd just been, MJ grimaced and covered her mouth. "I'm sorry-"

Gwen used her good arm to pull MJ close as they cried together, breaking down as the reality of today's events settled in: the Mary-Janes, the three-piece band that had just rekindled their friendship, was down to two.

Without Felicia, the world already felt lonelier.

As the two held onto each other and wept, the front door of the apartment complex creaked open. Gwen looked over MJ's shoulder to see Rio stepping out, with Ganke not far behind her. Their footsteps made MJ look over as well, and the redhead immediately moved towards Rio's waiting arms. Miles's mother hugged the younger woman, her eyes flicking to Gwen immediately and silently welcoming her to join the hug if needed.

Gwen didn't hesitate. She walked over, feeling like she was collapsing into Rio's embrace as she clung to the older woman, feeling like a sponge that was being wrung out as more tears fell down her face.

"I saw it on the news..." Rio whispered gently, her hand affectionately patting Gwen's back. "...I'm so sorry." She added, her voice little more than a hoarse whisper as she did everything she could to comfort these two young women that had suddenly become so prominent in her life.