Saving Grace

Sixty Eight

Peter came home that afternoon to find the Spider-Man suit on his bed (the one he got in Berlin) — and how Mr. Stark managed that Peter will never know.

And, well, May may have seen him in the suit, and he may have had some explaining to do, and Grace and Ned may have laughed at him when he told one about it over the phone and the other in person. He still isn't sure which was more humiliating.

Once that situation was calmed, though, a new, better one arose: Mr. Stark and Miss Pott's birthday present to Grace — well, the biggest one of them.

Peter retrieved his tux, found a new tie (having lost the other one, though it wasn't Ben's anyway, nor was it the right color), bought a corsage, and then picked out Grace's birthday present after much deliberation.

The day of the important event, Ned is already aware and freaking out at home, Peter's hair is gelled and combed, his tie is tied, the present is wrapped, and the corsage is in his hand.

And still, he isn't ready.

"Why am I nervous?" Peter asks as he and May climb into the back of Happy's car.

May smiles as they buckle their seatbelts. "Because she's your girlfriend, and you're about to go on a real date with her."

"Sort of."

"Yeah, sort of," May replies, "but it'll be all the more special this way." She looks out the window at the passing buildings and cars. "It's just first date jitters, that's all."

"Hey," Happy says from the driver's seat, "Grace is probably just as nervous as you are. I wouldn't sweat it all that much."

"Yeah..." Peter trails off, wiping his hands on his pants.

May puts her arm around him. "It's gonna be great, Peter. You have no reason to be nervous."

"I know," Peter says. "You're right."

He calms more on the drive to the compound, but his nerves spike when it comes into view. May squeezes his hand to reassure him before they get out of the car and enter the compound behind Happy. Mr. Stark and Miss Potts are waiting at the door.

Mr. Stark smiles when he sees Peter. "Hey, Spider-Man — and, yes, I know that I can say that in front of your aunt now; Grace told me."

Peter sighs, shaking Mr. Stark's hand in greeting. "Yeah, I figured."

He says hello to Miss Potts as Mr. Stark greets May. Then, Miss Potts and May are introduced. Meanwhile, Peter is wiping his hands on his pants again, wondering where Grace is.

Mr. Stark checks his watch. "Grace should be down any minute now."

"She might be touching up her make up," Miss Potts says. "I'll go and get her." She elegantly but quickly makes her way up the stairs while Mr. Stark, Happy, and May make small talk that Peter doesn't hear. He just waits for Miss Potts to come back with Grace.

Miss Potts does come back in about a minute or so, though Grace isn't with her. "She's almost ready," she explains.

Then, finally, a few minutes later, Peter hears the click of heels on the stairs, a sound which drew everyone's attention to its source, though Peter himself was already looking — waiting.

And, boy, was it worth it.

Her dress is purple, frilly in the skirt but still understated and mature, if it does make her look like a princess. It nearly brushes the floor, but her silver heels peek out. The top of the dress, divided from the bottom by a thin belt of silver jewels, is the same two light and dark shades of purple as the skirt, and the sleeves slightly off her shoulders, which are half-covered by her loose, wavy hair. Two strands on either side are pinned back with silver clasps, and her bangs are neatly trimmed and straightened. Her make up is also artfully done, a darker purple on the outer corners of her eyes, a lighter one blended to the inner corners. Highlight dusts the length of her cheek bones and down her nose, contour opposite it, and her lips are also a dark purple. When she gets closer, Peter sees that her nails are painted purple too, and she has a silver bracelet on, right next to her Savior bracelet, that matches her belt, as well as a necklace. She smiles brightly, her blue eyes somehow standing out more with the eyeliner and mascara.