A New Day Dawns

Serena sighed when her mother brought up how quickly she left Gambit when Peter came back. "I never intended for that to happen. I just hadn't seen Peter in a long time and seeing him again made me realize how much I loved him. I did love Gambit...just not the same way I love Peter. Wouldn't it have been wrong for me to remain with Gambit knowing that?"

She was quiet a moment before looking down. "I'll be fine."

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The next day Isabella decided to pay Peter a visit. She was let in by Aunt May and the two women chatted for a few minutes before Isabella walked down to Peter's room. She knocked and waited for him to tell her it was alright for her to enter. When she walked in she saw the surprised look on his face at seeing her. Clearly he had expected Aunt May to walk in. She closed the door behind her and put down her purse. Happy was waiting in the car. "Peter before you say anything I just want you to know that I'm only here because I want to be sure that you're alright after whatever happened yesterday. Serena didn't give me any details but I gather that there was an argument. I'm not here as Serena's mother. I'm here instead as a woman hopefully that you trust and feel you can talk to honestly. If you don't want to talk though I completely understand and I will leave without another word about it. I just care about you Peter."

If Peter didn’t look completely surprised and taken aback when he saw Isabella he certainly felt it inside. At first he felt as if he were in trouble. But then, remembering that he ‘wasn’t in high school anymore, that what happened between Serena and he was their business. Still he really liked Isabella. She was like the mother he never had. He was about to ask her to leave but the words just didn’t come out and he sighed disgustedly at himself.

“I think I messed things up pretty badly...again Mrs. Stark. I can’t get the image of her and Gambit out of my head and how quickly she dumped him for...us,” he said awkwardly. “I want to trust her, I really do but I’m not certain just because she loves me, that she’ll want to stay with me,” he said then buried his face into his hands as he looked at the floor. “She has a big heart but she has impulses to, and she acts on them, sometimes without really thinking,” he said. “I was going to ask her to marry me, not just because I love her but because she takes responsibility seriously. I’m not certain just being in love would be enough,” he said not certain if he was making any sense or not.


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Steve looked at Kate. “Well friday night sounds good to me...Kate?” Steve asked and she’d see a small smirk at the corner of his mouth.

Isabella pulled out Peter's desk chair and she moved it over so she could sit in front of him. She sat down and listened to what Peter said. She was rather surprised to learn that Peter had been planning to ask her to marry him. However, she wasn't certain that he had wanted to do it for the right reasons. She waited for him to finish and then was quiet a moment before speaking gently to him.

"Can I tell you something Peter? When you and Serena broke up three years ago it was extremely hard on her. She became depressed and unhappy and didn't act like herself and that didn't go away. If she didn't truly love you then eventually she would have gotten over you and moved on. She never did. I think with Gambit she fooled herself into believing she was happy...and perhaps she was on some level, but when you walked back into her life all of those feelings for you just rushed back to the surface from where she had tried to bury them deep inside of herself. Her eyes suddenly had that sparkle again and that was because of you. Now I can understand where some of your insecurities about the relationship might come from, but let me tell you something. When Tony and I first met I didn't trust him as far as I could throw him. Tony had a lot of labels attached to him that I didn't want to get involved with. Somehow he managed to convince me to go out with him. I never saw it lasting beyond us sleeping together but it did and I finally had to just trust him and trust in our love. Developing that trust was so...liberating. I felt such a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders and we were so much happier as a couple. Tony has never given me a reason, in all the years we have been together, not to trust him. But at the same time he and I are constantly working at our relationship. Nothing is easy in a relationship Peter. Since you two have been back together has Serena given you a reason not to trust her?"

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Kate looked at Steve and gave him a little smile. "Friday night sounds perfect. Oh! We could go to dinner and then finally see that show that we've been wanting to see. You know...the one that is three and a half hours long."

Logan continued to grin at everyone but it was clear that it was a fake grin. His eyes flickered toward Natalya. ‘Oh, this ain’t over woman!’ He seemed to say with his look toward her.

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“Well...no but in a few weeks we go back to school. I have no doubts about Serena’s love for me Mrs. Stark. But I’m willing to Bet Gambit felt the same way. He was here and I wasn’t. What is to say that some other guy won’t be ‘there’ where I’m not?” he said. “I know what you’re going to say. That I need to trust her. But when her and Harry...” he began then stopped abruptly. That was none of her business either. “I just wanted the commitment Mrs. Stark. Its what I think I needed, doesn’t what I need matter to?” he asked her.

"I noticed the ring you gave Serena. Not an engagement ring, but a promise ring, right? Well she was wearing it this morning. A promise ring is a commitment Peter. And just because a couple becomes engaged or even married that doesn't mean that it's going to work out. If Serena wasn't ready to be committed to you then she wouldn't have left Gambit. You two have too much holding you both together. That's all I'm going to say on the matter."

Peter said nothing more either and he walked Isabella out. His Aunt May asked him what that was about and he told her it was nothing but she didn’t sound like she believed him.

That evening Peter sent Tony a text.

‘Since there is just a few weeks before school starts, I’ve decided to accompany Harry Osborn on a trip to Arizona before school starts. We’re leaving in a few days. I will not be able to retain my responsibilities as an Avenger until I get back from College for the summer. Thank you for being there for me Mr. Stark’

Tony sighed and texted him back.

‘Peter, being an Avenger is alot like you and Serena. Its just something you know is right. And its always there no matter how much you try and deny it. We are always here for you, remember that’

Naturally he showed the text to Isabella.

“Should I talk to her?” Tony asked isabella. “They are both so stubborn,” he said. “From what you’ve said it sounds like he’s the one with the problem but do you remember what I did to change your mind when you didn’t trust me? “I’m worried that if it ends like this right now that they might never come back together,” he said.

Serena had been standing outside of her parent's office when she heard them talking about Peter's text message. Serena sighed and pulled out her phone. She figured Peter wouldn't come over if she just asked him to so she would need to trick him. She sent a single text that said S.O.S. She then went up to the helipad and waited for Peter to arrive. She saw him off in the distance swinging towards the Tower. When he landed on the helipad she moved up to him as he removed his mask. Before he could even say anything she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. It was probably the most loving and passionate kiss she had never given him.

After a moment or two she pulled back and looked at him. "I love you Peter. Do you remember what you told me the other night on the way to the school? You told me you couldn't lose me again. Well I can't lose you Peter...not again. That was the hardest period of my life. I never want to experience that again. If you absolutely need to be engaged to me in order for you to know that I'm committed to you...and only to you then...fine. I'll do it for you."

At first Peter wanted to pull away. Pangs of unresolved anger and outrage hit him but as he grabbed hold of her arms to pull them off of his neck his lips began to kiss her back. As her kisses became more passionate he had forgotten all about what he had come for and his arms were holding her just as tightly as hers held him.

After they finally broke off, they had to come up for air sometime, they both discovered that they were both breathing hard. That and their hearts were beating furiously against one another. “No...I don’t...want that,” he said in between breaths. When he saw her about to speak he put a finger over her lips.

“I mean, I do just not in this way. I do trust you Serena, I’m just afraid I guess. Afraid that something will get in the way again,” he said as he kissed her again. “I was in love with you before you even knew who I was I think,” Peter admitted. “You’re always in my thoughts Serena, always in my dreams and I feel physical pain in my chest when we’re apart,” he said. He felt for her hand and was relieved to feel the ring on her finger. He took her hand and placed it over his heart that was beating like he had ran several miles. He leaned in and whispered.

“Please forgive me.”

"As long as you forgive me too."

Serena felt tears of happiness and relief come to her eyes when she realized that everything was going to be alright between them. She rested her forehead against his and closed her eyes and just took some time to be in this moment with him. She knew then that things had changed for the better between them. Their relationship would not always be easy, but no relationship was. She wanted to have a marriage like her parents...one that was built on mutual trust and support. Their marriage was an inspiration to her, but she knew that they had to work at it.

"Please don't go to Arizona," she whispered to him. "I want us to spend as much time as possible before the new semester starts."

Peter remembered what he was going to say and he gave her a look of suspicion. “So you tricked me with the ole SOS gag eh?” he said and then smiled at her. “I won't go to Arizona, I’d rather stay here with you,” he said honestly and then kissed her again over and over until he saw some movement inside. When they looked they saw Logan, Natalya, Kate, Isabella and Tony quickly turn away as if they were busy talking amongst themselves.

“Hmm, you’d figure we’d have privacy out here,” he said then grabbed hold of her and webbed them up to the next sub-roof where they could be alone.

Serena smiled when she Peter told her he was going to stay and she kissed him back. However, after a few seconds he pulled back and she followed his gaze over to see everyone else inside looking at them. They all quickly turned away and pretended to be talking amongst themselves. She smiled and laughed when Peter grabbed a hold of her and used his webs to get them up to the next roof where they had some privacy.

"You know...I've never actually swung around with you before."