Peter stretched, yawned, and picked up his phone. It had been ringing non-stop for nearly five minutes, and he'd been trying to ignore it. Gwen was lying warmly beside him, her hands drifting down as his had moved up. He didn't want to budge; he just wanted to stay in this moment.
But finally, he gave in, as whoever was calling clearly wasn't going to quit. Just as he reached for the phone, it stopped buzzing, and a message alert sounded.
"Peter, pick up your phone; it's Matt, and it's urgent."
Peter groaned and planted a soft kiss on Gwen's cheek.
Leaning in closer, he murmured, "It's my lawyer. I'll need that hand back to get up."
Gwen groaned, letting go and turning over to pull the blanket closer around her.
Peter slid out of bed, moving over to the couch, where he sat and called Matt back.
"Sorry, I was asleep."
"It's fine, Peter, but the school board has already made their decision," Matt replied.
"Wait, what?"
"I know, I know. They called an emergency meeting and spent most of the night handling the mess I dropped on them. I need you to come in."
Peter ran his hand over his face. "I can be there in about an hour. But…?" He let the question hang, bracing for Matt's answer.
Matt laughed. "It's good, Peter—they folded. Come in, and we'll go over the details."
"Alright, an hour." Peter hung up.
He groaned, rubbing his eyes as he returned to the bed. Gently lifting the blanket, he glanced at Gwen's bare shoulder before she groaned and snatched the blanket back.
"Cold," she muttered, then turned over, blinking sleepily. "Come on, Pete, you can admire me naked later, when it's warmer."
"The board ruled, and Matt says it's good news, but I need to head over." He sighed, appreciating her graceful form. "Yeah, I'll, uh, pick up those things you wanted on the way back."
Gwen laughed, tugging the blanket from his grasp. "I have school, remember?"
She stretched, slipped out of bed, and stepped over to kiss him, pressing against his body. "Text me when you're done." She began gathering her clothes.
Everyone at Nelson and Murdock's office seemed to be in a cheerful mood. Even Foggy gave him a smile and a nod before turning back to his work.
Matt had fresh coffee and pastries laid out and was smiling at his desk when Peter arrived.
"Danish? Karen grabs them on her way in. They're really good," Matt offered, motioning toward the box.
"Mr. Murdock, no offense, but can we get to the news first, please?" Peter asked. He could eat later; this was more pressing.
"Of course. My apologies." Matt wiped the sugar from his fingers, cleaned his hands, and opened a file on his desk. "The board held an emergency meeting. If you sign the paperwork, you'll receive a settlement, your record will be wiped clean, and the vice principal has been dismissed."
"So, I won't be allowed back in school?" Peter asked.
Matt shook his head. "No, they weren't willing to compromise on that. Flash has a lot of publicity, and they're framing it as an accident. Your return would complicate things for them." He slid a document over to Peter. "But you'll be able to finish at Brooklyn Technical College. They'll provide study materials and cover your exam fees."
Peter scanned the document. It seemed solid on paper, but he felt there had to be a catch. "But?"
Matt laughed. "Yes, there is a catch. You'll have to sign a waiver: no speaking to the press about this, no suing the district in a civil case, and you'll need to pay for your exams out of the settlement."
Peter sighed and frowned. "How much is the settlement?"
Matt grinned. "Half a million dollars."
Peter stared blankly at Matt. "Uh, what?"
Matt chuckled. "It's not as high as I'd hoped. They want this resolved quickly, but if you pushed, you could likely get double. The history of bullying goes back years, and with Flash being semi-famous and his father's significant donations to the school, it would look really bad if this went public."
Peter leaned back, slumping a little in his chair. "So I could fight this for months, maybe even years, spend a fortune… or take it and move forward?"
Matt shrugged. "Peter, as your lawyer, I can only give legal advice. This is personal, and I'm guessing the board reviewed your finances and thought this amount would be enough to settle things."
Peter scratched his cheek. "It is. I'll take it."
"I'll get the paperwork ready, and you'll need to come back to sign it. Are you certain? Once you sign, this is final, and there's no going back."
Peter nodded. "I'm sure. And, um, you're getting paid, right? I mean, can I share part of the settlement with you?"
Matt frowned, leaning forward. "We're compensated, Peter, and you don't have to. It's our job."
Peter shook his head. "Then take half. I want a fund set up for other kids who need legal support, so you don't have to worry."
Matt smiled, shaking his head. "I can do that, Peter. Thank you."
Peter picked up his bag and stood. "That's everything?"
Matt nodded. "I'll call as soon as the paperwork is done. And, Peter… if you need help with anything else, especially anything from Oscorp… remember, you can call me."
Peter looked at Matt, momentarily confused, then stared.
Does he know? Peter panicked. How could he know?
"I'm fine, Mr. Murdock, but thanks." He quickly left the office.
Peter was over the moon. Not only was he free from school, but also from Flash, and he had a major cash influx. He hurried back to the warehouse with a huge grin, but was slightly disappointed to find Gwen wasn't there. She had left a note:
"At school, doofus. Text me." She'd drawn a little heart at the bottom.
Peter checked his watch—it was a bit past ten. She'd have her mid-morning break soon, so he picked up his phone and sat on the large sofa in the communal area.
"Lawyer was good, not allowed back though."
Gwen replied with a sad face: "That sucks, but I'm still glad."
"Got a settlement, so I can get the warehouse finished. Felicia is still a no, but MJ is on board?"
"Fel says her dad needs her to house-sit, and MJ is still herself—I'll check in with her."
Peter went home right after. He knew Aunt May had been anxious about everything, and now that it was settled, they could both put it behind them.
"Aunt May, I'm back."
She was sitting at the kitchen table, holding a letter and sighing. "Peter, we just received a letter from the school. You're officially expelled."
Peter laughed, much to her annoyance. "I talked to Matt. He got them to settle, so that's…" He took the letter, crumpled it, and tossed it into the trash. "Garbage."
"They settled? Are you sure that's wise? Matt warned me about—" But Peter smiled, placing a hand over hers.
"Aunt May, Mr. Murdock advised me to take it. My record is clean, my exams will be at college, and I don't even have to go back. Plus, I, uh…" He sat down beside her. "I gave half to Nelson and Murdock to help cover legal fees for other kids."
Aunt May's eyes teared up, and she pulled him into a hug. "Your uncle would be so proud of you, Peter."
Felicia watched Gwen walking toward the school gate, wearing a smug smile. Even from a distance, Felicia could sense the afterglow on Gwen and knew she had spent the night at the warehouse.
"So?" she asked, working hard to keep her voice neutral, not wanting Gwen to notice the sting of betrayal she felt.
"Uh, yeah. Pete and I…" Gwen trailed off, her cheeks turning pink.
Damn, she's so beautiful, Felicia thought. No, focus, I'm mad.
"So… I guess no prom, huh?" she added, sounding disappointed.
Gwen paused, glanced around, and took Felicia by the shoulders. "Fel, please, stop. I just had my first night with my first boyfriend, okay? I don't need this from you right now."
Felicia sighed. "Sorry," she said, her voice tinged with guilt.
Gwen sighed as well, scanning the area. It was nearly time for homeroom, and the gates were empty.
"Once. But Pete gets to know first, okay?"
Felicia tilted her head, puzzled by Gwen's words. Before she could react, Gwen leaned forward and kissed her.
It was a light, soft kiss on the lips, her hands settling around Felicia's waist. "One kiss, but if Pete says no, it's a no."
Felicia's mind blanked, and she nodded numbly, lifting a hand to touch her lips. Gwen just laughed. "Yeah, I'm that good." Then she took Felicia by the arm, and they walked to class together.
"What?" Flash yelled. He was still on crutches, and after the surgery had been told he needed full rest to recover. The good news was that his ankle would heal properly without nerve or muscle damage.
What wasn't good was the expression MJ wore as she dropped a bombshell during their lunch together.
"I haven't agreed yet, but Pete has offered nice places for cheap. I need a place to stay, Flash, and I can't afford one on my own," she explained, trying to get through to him. But he was always like this. He never listened.
"You could move in with me. My dad's renting me a condo in Manhattan," he suggested, stretching his hand across the table to hold hers.
"I can't. I don't want to be a trophy wife; I need to stand on my own, Flash. Please, don't turn this into something it's not. It's just rent."
Flash scowled and withdrew his hand. His father had taught him that women needed a strong hand to know their place and respect it, even hinting that a firm slap sometimes did the job, though Flash hadn't gone that far.
"Parker cost my dad a lot. He broke my leg, and now he's focused on you. Don't think I don't see what's happening."
MJ flinched. Flash never listened. He never accepted that there was no connection left between her and Peter. Not anymore.
"I… I can't, Flash. What do I need to do to make you believe me?"
"Prom. We'll go to prom. I'll get a limo, a corsage for you, and a hotel room afterward," he said, glaring at her.
"Flash, I… I don't know if I'm ready for that."
"We'll go to prom, I'll get a limo, and then we'll go to a hotel room after," he repeated firmly. He picked up his lunch tray. "You're my girlfriend, MJ, not his. So you do what I say. If you need a place, I'll handle it—not Parker."
Before she could respond, he hobbled away. She watched him toss his tray onto the pile with one hand while he balanced himself on his crutch.
It was always the same. He never listened and didn't care.
Flash was in a foul mood as he tried to navigate his way to his locker.
Idiots, he thought. Total idiots.
The moment he was sidelined for the season, his friends had mysteriously disappeared. He'd only learned of his replacement on the team through an announcement. Even the coach had given him excuses and brushed him off.
His temper flared when he saw the new team captain standing with his girlfriend.
Scott freaking Summers, he thought. Another jerk with an attitude.
He'd once tried to talk to Jean, but Scott had simply shaken his head, and that was the end of it.
Of course, they'd make that weird-eyed freak the captain. "Hey, Summers, you stole my spot," Flash yelled.
Even though he'd missed tryouts, he thought his spot should have been kept open. But Scott not only took his place—he'd been made team captain too.
Scott chuckled. "Yeah," he said with a shrug, "the best man got the spot." He looked at the cast on Flash's leg. "But you know, with the way you play, I'd have won it on one leg."
"What the hell did you just say?" Flash tried to storm closer, but his crutch slipped on a wet patch. He yelled in pain as he hit the floor, reaching for something to steady himself.
That something was Scott.
They fell in a tangled mess of limbs, and as Flash struggled to get up, he angrily smacked Scott in the face.
Scott's red-lensed glasses flew off, sliding across the floor. As he lay there, helpless, his optics blasted a hole through the wall and into the science lab.
The glasses floated back—Jean, holding a finger to her temple, had them in the air and back on his face, even as he kept his eyes shut tight.
"Scott!" she yelled, quickly grabbing her phone. "Professor, it's an emergency. Scott's glasses got knocked off."
"Midtown High School suffered a tragedy today as a faulty gas line burst, igniting a massive fire.
Thankfully, all students were evacuated safely, and no injuries were reported.
While the fire was contained, the older building suffered significant damage in the blaze.
We reached out to Principal Henderson for comments on the school's future."