chapter twenty-eight:
❛ they know ❜

PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER!!!!
COMMENT AND VOTE! IT HELPS US WRITERS STAY MOTIVATED:)

✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸

Gwen hauled herself through her bedroom window, the cool night air brushing against her face as she landed lightly on the carpet. The Spider-Woman suit clung to her like a second skin, and for a moment, she stood there, staring at the mess of her room-her backpack tossed on the floor, posters of her favorite bands half peeling off the walls, and her unmade bed. She yanked off her mask, her face red and blotchy from the tears she'd fought to keep at bay. Peter's words on the rooftop echoed in her head like a cruel refrain.

She took a shaky breath, running a hand through her sweat-damp hair. Her chest ached, a hollow, gnawing pain that made her want to scream, cry, or punch something-anything. Instead, she tossed the mask onto her bed and turned toward her desk, intent on collapsing into her chair.

But then she froze.

Her mom, Linda, was sitting on her bed, her arms crossed tightly across her chest. Enzo leaned against her desk, his police badge glinting faintly under the dim glow of her bedside lamp. His expression was unreadable, but the tension in his posture spoke volumes.

"Gwendolyn Marcy Stacy," Linda said, her voice ice-cold and cutting through the silence like a blade.

Gwen's blood ran cold. She opened her mouth, searching for a lie, an excuse, anything, but her mind was a complete blank.

"Wanna explain what this is?" Enzo asked, gesturing to her suit. His voice was low and calm, but there was an edge to it-a quiet fury that made Gwen's stomach twist.

"I-I can explain," Gwen stammered, stepping back instinctively, her heels bumping against the bedframe.

Linda shot to her feet, her face pale with anger. "Explain? Explain how you've been lying to us for months? Sneaking out at all hours? Risking your life fighting-what? Bank robbers? Murderers?"

"It's not like that-"

"It's exactly like that!" Linda snapped. "You've been running around this city in that suit, throwing yourself into danger, and lying to us this entire time!"

Gwen's lips parted, but no sound came out. She tried to look at Enzo for support, but his expression was just as hard.

"How long has this been going on?" Enzo asked. His voice was calm, measured, but the weight of his words was crushing.

"Enzo, I-"

"Don't 'Enzo' me," he interrupted, pushing off the desk and taking a step closer. "How long?"

Gwen swallowed hard, looking at the floor. "A little over a year," she muttered.

"A year?" Linda exploded, her voice rising. "You've been doing this for a year? Do you have any idea how dangerous this is? Do you know how many nights I've stayed up wondering if something had happened to you when you weren't answering your phone?"

"I'm careful," Gwen argued weakly.

"Careful?" Linda threw her hands up, incredulous. "You're seventeen years old! You could've been killed! Do you know what that would do to us? To Max?"

As if summoned by his name, the door creaked open, and Max peeked inside. His wide eyes flicked between his mom, Enzo, and Gwen. Then they landed on the suit, and his jaw dropped.

"No way," he breathed, stepping fully into the room. "You're Spider-Woman? That's so cool!"

"Max," Linda said sharply, spinning toward him. "Did you know about this?"

Max hesitated, glancing nervously at Gwen.

"Max," Enzo repeated, his tone dangerously calm. "Did you know?"

Max straightened his shoulders, his face resolute. "Yeah, I knew."

"And you didn't think to tell us?" Linda's voice climbed higher, her face flushing with anger.

"I didn't want to snitch on her!" Max argued. "She's a hero, Mom! She saves people!"

"She's risking her life, Max! This isn't some game!" Linda shot back.

"And she's doing it because she's good at it!" Max countered, his voice rising to match hers. "She's better than half the cops out there!"

"Watch it," Enzo warned, stepping forward, his eyes narrowing.

"It's true!" Max yelled, his fists clenched at his sides. "She's saving people and doing good, and all you guys care about is that she didn't tell you!"

"Enough!" Linda barked, her voice cutting through the argument like a whip. "This is not up for debate. Gwen, this stops now. No more sneaking out. No more Spider-Woman. You're grounded."

"You can't do that!" Gwen protested, her voice cracking.

"Yes, I can," Linda said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "You're under my roof, and you'll follow my rules. You're grounded, and that's final."

"And to make sure of it," Enzo added, his voice steely, "you're on house arrest. No leaving without our permission, no sneaking out, no patrols. If I catch you so much as looking out your window in that suit, it's done."

Gwen stared at him, her jaw tight and her hands shaking with barely contained anger. "You don't get it. I have to do this. It's who I am."

"You're my daughter," Linda said, her voice softening but still firm. "That's who you are. And I'm not going to let you throw your life away for this."

Before Gwen could respond, another voice piped up from the hallway.

"I knew it!"

Everyone turned to see Enzo's daughter, Gwen's stepsister, standing in the doorway with a grin so wide it looked like her face might split in half.

"I knew you were Spider-Woman!" she squealed. "This is so awesome!"

"This is not awesome!" Linda snapped.

"I mean, it's kind of awesome," Max muttered, earning a glare from both parents.

"Out. Both of you," Linda ordered, pointing at Max and Gwen's stepsister.

"But-" Max started.

"Out!"

Max gave Gwen an apologetic look before retreating, dragging his stepsister with him.

Once the door shut, Enzo turned back to Gwen. "We're not telling anyone about this," he said, his voice firm. "Not my department, not your friends, no one. But you're done. If I even think you're sneaking out, it's over."

Gwen's throat tightened as tears welled in her eyes. "You don't understand. I can't just stop. This is bigger than me."

"And so are the consequences," Enzo said firmly. "And I'm not going to let you get yourself killed."

Gwen turned away, swallowing the lump in her throat. She felt trapped, like a caged animal, her world closing in around her. For the first time in a long time, she didn't feel like a hero. She just felt helpless.

The morning sunlight stabbed through Gwen's blinds, uninvited and unrelenting. She groaned, burying her face into her pillow, trying to drown out the world. But it wasn't just the light that made her chest feel heavy-it was Peter's voice, replaying over and over in her head.

She sat up abruptly, throwing her pillow aside. Her room was quiet, too quiet, except for the occasional muffled sound of her family moving around in the apartment. It used to feel like a sanctuary. Now, it felt more like a prison. Her Spider-Woman suit lay discarded in the closet, buried under yesterday's hoodie and some crumpled jeans. She hadn't even wanted to look at it.

But she couldn't stay cooped up in here, not with her thoughts circling like vultures. She needed air, space, something to shake this aching, hollow feeling.

Dragging herself out of bed, Gwen shuffled toward her dresser. She threw on a hoodie and a pair of ripped jeans, not caring about matching or looking presentable. Her hair was a mess, but she left it, shoving it into a messy ponytail with trembling hands. She shoved her phone and wallet into her hoodie pocket, pausing just long enough to glance at herself in the mirror.

"Let's just survive today," she muttered to her reflection before cracking her door open.

The hallway was quiet. She stepped out, her socked feet barely making a sound on the wooden floor. The muffled hum of the morning news echoed from the living room. Gwen crept toward the front door, hoping her family was too distracted to notice.

Her hand brushed the doorknob when something in the corner of her vision stopped her cold. Mounted high above the door, where the wall met the ceiling, was a small black device.

A camera.

Gwen's stomach dropped. She blinked in disbelief, her heart thudding loudly in her ears.

"Good morning, Gwendolyne," Enzo's voice rang out from behind her, laced with smugness.

Gwen spun around, her jaw tightening as she faced her stepfather. He was leaning casually against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, his police badge clipped to his belt like he was about to make an arrest. Linda was standing beside him, cradling a mug of coffee, her expression somewhere between exasperation and concern.

"You've got to be kidding me," Gwen said, her voice sharp and incredulous. "You put cameras in the apartment?"

"Damn right, we did," Enzo replied, his tone calm but firm.

"For your safety," Linda added quickly, as though that would soften the blow.

"For my safety?" Gwen snapped, her voice rising. "You're acting like I'm some kind of criminal!"

"No, we're acting like parents who don't want to lose their daughter to her own recklessness," Enzo shot back, his dark eyes narrowing.

Gwen let out a bitter laugh, throwing her arms up. "This is insane. You're insane. Both of you!"

"We're not the ones sneaking out at all hours and risking our lives," Linda said, her voice clipped.

"Whatever," Gwen muttered, turning back to the door. Her hand was on the knob when Linda's voice stopped her again.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Gwen turned slowly, her patience threadbare. "To visit Dad," she said flatly, the words slipping out before she could think them through.

Linda blinked, surprised by the answer. Her shoulders softened, and she took a step closer to Gwen. "You're going to see your dad?"

"Yes," Gwen said, crossing her arms. "I haven't visited him in a while. Is that some kind of problem now too?"

Linda studied her, her brow furrowing in a mix of suspicion and concern. "You haven't mentioned visiting him in weeks," she said softly. "Are you lying to me, Gwen?"

Gwen rolled her eyes, frustration bubbling to the surface. "No, Mom, I'm not lying. I just want to see him. Is that so hard to believe?"

Linda hesitated, her eyes searching Gwen's face for the truth. Finally, she sighed, stepping aside. "Fine," she said, her voice heavy. "But you're coming straight home afterward. Do you hear me?"

"Yeah, sure. Whatever," Gwen muttered, yanking the door open and stepping into the hallway.

As the door clicked shut behind her, Gwen leaned against the wall for a moment, letting out a shaky breath. She wasn't lying-she really was going to see her dad. But the truth felt like an afterthought compared to the pressing need to just get out. She needed space to think, to breathe, to feel like herself again. But even as she walked toward the elevator, she couldn't shake the feeling that she'd left a storm brewing behind her.

Gwen hated the sterile silence of the prison's visitation room. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a harsh glare on the scuffed tables and plastic chairs. Her sneakers squeaked against the polished floor as she walked toward the far corner, where her dad was waiting.

Jamie Stacy sat with his hands cuffed in front of him, a weary smile pulling at his lips when he saw her. He looked older than the last time she'd visited, the lines around his eyes deeper, his hair more peppered with gray. But his presence still carried that same steady, grounding energy it always had.

"Hey, kid," he said, his voice warm despite the dreariness of their surroundings.

"Hey, Dad," Gwen murmured, sliding into the seat across from him. She forced a smile, but her heart wasn't in it.

Jamie tilted his head, studying her. "You look like you've had a rough week."

Gwen snorted, resting her elbows on the table. "That obvious, huh?"

"Yeah, well, I've got a sixth sense for when my daughter's about to unload something big on me," Jamie said, leaning forward. "Spill it."

Gwen hesitated, chewing on the inside of her cheek. She couldn't tell him the whole truth-not here, not when there were guards watching and cameras recording.

"I got caught sneaking out last night," she said finally, her voice low.

Jamie raised an eyebrow. "Sneaking out to where?"

"To see my boyfriend," Gwen admitted, her cheeks flushing.

Jamie's eyebrow arched even higher, and a faint smirk tugged at his lips. "Boyfriend, huh? Let me guess. That Spider-Man guy?"

Gwen froze, her breath hitching. "You... you saw the news?"

"Hard to miss it," Jamie said, leaning back in his chair. "Pretty big deal when Spider-Man's identity gets blown, and then your name's plastered all over it as his girlfriend. They're talking about it in here like it's the hottest soap opera on TV."

Gwen groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Great. That's just what I needed."

Jamie's smirk softened into something more empathetic. "So... you and Spider-Man, huh? You always did have a thing for the dramatic."

"Well, had is the key word," Gwen muttered, dropping her hands to the table. "We broke up."

Jamie frowned. "Why?"

"He wants to protect me," Gwen said, her voice tight. "He doesn't want the news getting out about me. And... he doesn't want me getting hurt because of him."

Jamie's expression softened further, and he reached across the table, the cuffs clinking softly against the surface. "Kid, I'm sorry. That sucks. But, hey... sounds like he really cares about you if he's willing to make that kind of call."

"Yeah, well, it doesn't make it hurt any less," Gwen said, her voice cracking slightly.

Jamie nodded, his thumb absently tapping the table. "You're tougher than you think, Gwen. You'll get through this. I know you will."

Gwen swallowed hard, looking away. She didn't want to cry, not here, not in front of him.

"And as if that wasn't bad enough," she continued, eager to shift the focus, "Mom and Enzo are losing their minds. They put cameras all over the apartment."

Jamie's eyes widened. "Cameras?"

"Yeah," Gwen said, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "They think it's for my safety or whatever. It's insane. I can't even breathe in my own home without feeling like I'm being watched."

Jamie let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "That does sound like a lot."

"A lot? It's ridiculous," Gwen snapped. "I mean, who does that?"

"Parents who are scared, I guess," Jamie said, his tone thoughtful. "Look, I know your mom and Enzo can be... overbearing. But they're just trying to keep you safe in the only way they know how. Doesn't mean they're right, but it doesn't mean they're crazy either."

Gwen crossed her arms, slumping back in her chair. "You're supposed to be on my side, Dad."

"I am on your side," Jamie said, his voice firm. "But part of being on your side means telling you the truth, even when you don't want to hear it."

Gwen sighed, staring down at her hands. "I just wish things could go back to normal."

Jamie chuckled softly. "Gwen, when has your life ever been normal?"

That got a small, reluctant smile out of her. "Fair point."

Jamie leaned forward again, his expression serious. "You've got a lot on your plate, kid. But you're strong, and you're smart. You'll figure it out. Just don't shut people out, okay? Even the ones driving you crazy."

Gwen nodded, her throat tightening with emotion. "Thanks, Dad."

"Anytime," Jamie said, his smile returning. "Now, tell me more about this Spider-Man guy. Does he at least treat you right?"

Gwen laughed softly, shaking her head. "You'd like him. He's a nerd."

"Sounds like my kind of guy," Jamie said, winking. "Maybe one day I'll get to meet him."

Gwen's smile faltered slightly, but she nodded. "Yeah. Maybe."

As the guard called for the end of visitation, Gwen stood, her heart feeling just a little lighter. She didn't have all the answers, but for now, her dad's belief in her was enough.

ASH SPEAKS!!!

no peter this chapter but we'll see them together next chapter!!! trying to fit gwen into this movie is hard cause of my ideas i have😭😭

PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER!!!!
COMMENT AND VOTE! IT HELPS US WRITERS STAY MOTIVATED:)