Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Peter? Peter Parker?"

Peter jumps slightly. He has been sitting with Gwen under a tree in Central Park for a few hours now. She dozes lightly in his lap now, not awakened by his movements or the woman who is speaking to him. "Who are you?" He asks warily.

"Jemma Simmons, PhD."

He smirks slightly. "Do you always give out your degrees when you greet people?"

"No because that would involve talking about both of my doctorates." She replies with a smile.

"Ok, now you're just bragging."

She grins. "Maybe a little. I'm here to make offer--"

"One I can't refuse?" He asks with a laugh but it slides off at the look on her face.

She sighs and picks a new tactic. "I know what it's like, being rediculously smart, having all this brain power and nowhere to use it. I was 17 when I graduated with my PhDs and I had all this will and no place to apply it."

If Peter wasn't so freaked out, he would have made a joke about how she was still bragging. "What do you want? Who do you work for?"

She passes him a business card and his hand tightens around Gwen's shoulder protectively. "Hydra? Are you kidding me?"

"We're no longer affiliated with anti-Semitism, if that's what you're worried about."

"Oh that's great. World domination aside, I'm glad you've gone into indescriminately killing instead."

"We want to achieve what's best for the world, Mr. Parker, and your work with Dr. Connors was very impressive, especially for a 16 year old."

"You're kidding right? That work turned him part lizard."

"And with the right tools, the right team, the right--"

"I'm gonna stop you right there," he interrupts angrily. "There is no right with genetic experimentation. I don't know if you know this, but all of Manhattan was almost Sleestaks."

"With a little--"

"No, the answer is no!" His voice is getting louder and people are starting to look at them but Gwen still hasn't stirred.

The woman, Simmons, sighs. "It's a shame. I'll give you a week to rethink your answer," and Peter can only think of how bizarre it is that this woman who is basically a real life Disney princess can be so unhinged. She nods to Gwen. "She'll be awake within the hour," and he feels his stomach plummet to somewhere near his shoes. "I really would reconsider, Mr. Parker. We have ways of making you comply." She says in a sickeningly sweet way.

She starts to walk away and he surprises even himself when calls out to her. "Simmons," he says darkly even as he cradles the unconscious Gwen to his chest. "If I ever see you again, it won't end well."

He doesn't bother to watch her leave or try to go after her because he doesn't want to leave Gwen alone and he doesn't need Hydra knowing that he is Spider-Man on top of every thing else. All he does is remove the dart from her neck and whisper into her ear as she wakes.

Chapter Text

Peter can't bare to look at Gwen, not while she's crying like this. If he does, he just may renege on his promise to Captain Stacy again.

"Peter," she begins shakily and he wants to hug her, comfort her, tell her everything's gonna be ok but he can't because he needs someone to tell that to him first. "I should be able to make this decision, too."

"This isn't like the Other Dude!" He snaps, not saying his alter ego's name just in case Hydra still has a tail on him. "With the Other Dude, I can just not be him if it comes to that. I can throw away my suit and become an investment banker. They don't want me because of the Other Dude. They want Peter Parker. I can't stop being him as easily."

Gwen sobs a bit harder and she goes to hug him. The strentgh it takes to duck out of the way of her arms is astounding and leaves him feeling physically ill.

The look on her face hurts him just as much as the break up. Her face and eyes are red which is extremely pronounced against her blonde hair and her mouth is slightly parted as she looks up at him through damp lashes.

"I don't want to look at you," she finally manages, and though this is along the lines of what he was hoping for, it doesn't hurt any less.

-

When Jemma returns to her apartment, she is greeted by the sound of sizzling butter and smooth Jazz.

"Director?" She calls out tentatively. He always makes sure she eats well when he visits, but the music is new.

"In here, Agent Simmons."

Director Coulson is halfway through cooking a full English breakfast and Jemma can't help but smile. It's nice to come home to something so domestic after being threatened by 16 year old scientist.

"How'd it go today," he ask as if wondering if she got that promotion she was gunning for.

She sighs. "Well I think he is appropriately freaked out by Hydra. He has a good head on his shoulders. I think he knew not to trust them from the get go."

Coulson rest a hand on her shoulder sympathetically. "Yeah, but if it was someone else, they would have killed his girlfriend and anyone in a fifty foot radius. You did what was best for him, even if he doesn't know it."

Simmons nods. "What now? This'll all be for naught if we don't get him safe before his week is up."

"Now, I have to make a call to a friend. One who sympathizes with teenage orphan scientists. One who thinks I'm still dead."