Deadpool Syndrome - Spider Soulmates

Chapter 17 - Music Kept On Playing From Your Pen

***GWEN***

"I know that name," Sam breathes. "She's a SHIELD agent. Or she used to be. I think she was a CIA plant or something? Like how Hydra had its plants, but less evil."

"Maybe not 'less evil,'" I point out as Steve mechanically cycles through more of the slideshow. One of the pictures is of an article announcing the arrest of Cap's killer, who remains unnamed in the article proper. "Is that her?" I ask, speaking more to Sam because he's not lost in a flood of restored memories. "Is that Sharon Carter?"

"I..." Sam falters. "I don't really remember her face. She's not as pretty as her aunt, that's for damn sure."

"Nobody's as pretty as Carter," Peter says. "Present female company excluded."

I smile at him and mouth, "Nice save." Then I return my attention to Steve. He's still looking through pictures related to his murder. "Steve?" I whisper, laying my hand on his shoulder. "Steve, you shouldn't keep looking. You'll just find yourself stuck in your own memories. Chasing the rabbit," I add, remembering the term Peter used to describe that mental phenomenon. At first, I'd thought it was an Alice in Wonderland reference, but Peter says he got it from the movie Pacific Rim instead.

Snapping out of it, Steve looks up at me, a stricken expression on his face. "Here, get up," I say, grabbing his wrists and tugging him to his feet. I wouldn't have been able to do it this time two weeks ago, but now I can. Thank God for my spider-powers, huh? "You need a hug, don't you?" I don't even wait for an answer before wrapping my arms around him.

He tries to hold back the tears as long as he can, but I encourage him to do the opposite. "Don't be a guy," I laugh. "That's Peter's biggest problem, I find. That, and the fact that he's got too big a heart by half."

"She's not wrong," Peter says, joining us in our hug. Sort of - he's hugging me more than he is Steve. But he's got his arms around both of us at once. Which I'm glad to see, because as much as Steve needs it, I'm finding myself in need of some love as well. Because this level of closeness reminds me all too strongly of the people to whom I'm close and yet so far - my family. Who, as far as I know, are still in the alternate universe.

I miss my parents. How brave Dad was, and how he always had the right witty remark for every occasion. How much of a good cook Mom was. How much they both comforted me after my first boyfriend cheated on me back in junior year. (And I'm pretty sure Dad did something to put the fear of God into James Norris after that. I think he even transferred to another school rather than risk incurring further wrath from Dad.)

I miss my brothers just as much. Was it only three weeks ago that Simon brought me his English homework to correct, and I saw that when he was told to write a sentence using the word "backpack," he'd written, "I use my backpack to take my broken bone to school?" I'd gotten such a kick out of that - as did Peter when I told him about it earlier this week.

That same day, he told me how much he'd been missing his own family. He's dying to contact them in some way, let them know he's okay. I need to do the same for my family. There's just one problem - nobody seems to want to help us get through to the other side of the portal by phone from the Avengers facility. Between the two of us, we've asked Ultron, Doctor Strange, Fury, even Loki. Nothing.

Peter did, however, say he'd been considering asking Deadpool. At that point, we both lost it, dissolving into peals of laughter.

Today, though, the situation is a hell of a lot less funny. Steve finally breaks down, and I hear his breath shuddering as he cries in my arms.

"Hey, it's all right," I say as his tears fall on top of my head. "You're taking it so much better than I did when I found about my death."

"Thanks for trying to make me feel better."