"Harry."
Gwen looked at the defeated Green Goblin, then at Harry, who stood there crying, his head hung low. She couldn't help but call out to him.
Slowly, Harry lifted his head.
Peter's mask also faded, revealing his face to Harry.
"Peter, Gwen, why?" Harry's voice broke, his eyes full of tears.
Gwen lowered her gaze, clenching her fists. She didn't know how to respond.
"I..."
She stammered, but the words never came.
Before she could say anything more, Harry collapsed, falling unconscious to the ground.
"Cough... cough..."
The Green Goblin, his body bruised and bloodied, struggled to straighten himself. The madness in his eyes faded as his true self, Norman Osborn, returned. His voice was weak, almost apologetic, as he looked at his son, who was unconscious on the floor.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry for everything, Peter... Gwen..." Norman said, blood dripping from his mouth as his guilt consumed him. "That wasn't me... it wasn't my intention."
Gwen, still holding the unconscious Harry, was taken aback by Norman's words. She carefully laid Harry on the sofa, supporting his head, before quickly moving to Norman's side, wanting to tend to his wounds.
Despite the hatred she had once harbored for the Green Goblin, it seemed to vanish in light of what had transpired. Her feelings now were filled with sorrow, not vengeance.
But Norman stopped her from bandaging his wound, his eyes focused on Peter, who had remained silent throughout.
"Peter, Gwen, I've become a monster. A man who has done terrible things," Norman said, his voice breaking. "But... I'm not that person anymore."
Peter looked down at Norman, who was on the brink of death, and shook his head. "No, I won't believe you."
Peter knew Norman had been host to a demon soul, and he wouldn't allow himself to be swayed by his remorseful words. He also knew Norman might revert to the Green Goblin at any moment. He couldn't afford to let his guard down.
"I'm proud of you, Harry," Norman continued, his voice weakening with each word. "You have good friends... I hope they can help you forget what happened here. I don't want you to live with regret."
Gwen wasn't sure how to help Harry forget the truth. She stood silently as Norman spoke, her heart heavy with his plea.
Norman's voice grew quieter, and with his final breath, he spoke the last words he could muster.
"The keyword... is 'herbivore'. Please... make him forget... everything."
His final plea hung in the air as his eyes closed, and he passed away.
Gwen was left standing there, her hands shaking as she gently lowered Norman's body to the floor. The man who had been both a villain and a victim in his own right had finally succumbed to the weight of his actions.
Her eyes were red from crying, but there was no joy in the victory. This was the first villain she had defeated, but the victory felt empty, hollow even.
Peter moved over to Harry, still unconscious, and whispered the word "herbivore" to him.
"Harry," Peter called softly.
In a faint voice, Harry responded, "Yes?"
"You're Harry Osborn, right?" Peter asked, his voice gentle.
"Yes."
Peter continued, using his knowledge of psychological suggestion to help Harry forget the events of that night. "You've been in your room all night. You never left. You don't know what happened here."
Harry mumbled in agreement. "Yes, I've been in my room."
Once Peter finished with the suggestion, he helped Harry to his feet and guided him to his bed. After settling Harry down, Peter returned to the scene. As he did, he heard the sound of helicopter blades approaching.
Gwen was already by his side when he returned, her hand gripping his arm.
"We need to leave now, Peter."
The helicopter's lights flashed through the broken windows, casting eerie shadows in the room. As the helicopter crew entered, they saw only a fleeting flash of black and white as Gwen disappeared into the night.
Up on the clock tower, Gwen couldn't calm the storm inside her. As the rain fell, she looked up at the sky, sighing in frustration.
"Did I mess up, Peter?"
Peter looked at the raindrops falling on his face, then turned to Gwen. He slowly removed his mask, allowing the cool rain to touch his skin as he answered her.
"No, Gwen. You didn't mess up. You're not a god. You can't predict everything, especially not the way things turned out tonight."
Gwen's blue eyes, filled with confusion and sorrow, locked onto Peter. "I always thought... as long as I was the messenger of justice, I would instinctively know what was right. I didn't expect it to go like this."
She turned away, her voice growing softer. "Now, without the mask, I don't even know how to face Harry anymore."
Peter stepped closer, offering comfort. "It's not your fault, Gwen."
"But it is. It feels like it is."
Gwen's mind raced, remembering the words she had heard earlier about death and loss.
"This... this shouldn't have happened. We're supposed to be warriors. We should've won. Yes, there would have been a cost, but this... this price is too much. Everything's broken now."
Peter watched her, his expression serious. After a long pause, he said softly, "You can never truly measure the cost of justice, Gwen. When you stand up for what's right, you can't expect it to come easy. The price of justice is pain."
Gwen looked up at him, her face conflicted. "But how did you know it was Norman? How did you figure it out?"
Peter hesitated for a moment before explaining. "I knew someone was following us, so I tracked them. I also remembered the robots I saw at Osborn Manor, which made me suspect that the Green Goblin who attacked us had to be Norman."
Gwen seemed to understand, but her thoughts were still clouded with regret.
"I should have realized sooner," she admitted, shaking her head. "I thought the traffic accident was just that—an accident. But now... it should've been obvious. I should have known it was Norman's people."
Gwen's words were heavy with regret, and Peter stayed quiet beside her, offering no response except his presence. He didn't need to say anything—he simply sat with her, understanding her pain.
After a long moment, Gwen suddenly looked up, breaking the silence.
"Peter... can I have a hug?"
Peter nodded quietly. He crouched down, and Gwen immediately wrapped her arms around him.
"Even though hugging is not the theme of tonight, thank you, Peter," she said softly.
As they stood there, the rain falling around them, Gwen felt a little warmth seep through the coldness of the night. Her uniform, now stained with blood and dirt, clung to her, while Peter's suit was pristine, not a mark on it. A faint, pleasant scent lingered around him—one that she couldn't shake, no matter how hard she tried.
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