Chapter Eleven
“What the hell is this exactly?”
“Atom stabilizer.” Gwen answered. The teen had forgone a suit for the time being. Frank thought it odd, seeing the vigilante he scorned so much as a young girl, not even in high school yet. “It’ll keep me from dying when I jump dimensions.”
“Wait a minute.” Frank grabbed her arm before she could make a move. “You can die from this?”
“If I go in bare, yes. After being out of your dimension long enough you get...glitchy. For a lack of a better word.” She motioned to the metal circle around her wrist, right under her web shooters. “Which is why I have this. But she doesn't.”
The cop paled. “So you mean-”
“If we don’t find her soon, she’ll die Frank.” A silence settled over the two.
Gwen remembered what it felt like to travel through. It was confusing and intimidating, but even then she had people there with her. Miles and the others who were going through exactly what she was. She found solace in them all, for the first time in two years, she had friends again.
But Jitterbug had nobody.
At least that’s what Gwen assumed.
“Where exactly did you get this?”
“A guy named Miguel.” She responded. Frank pinched the bridge of his nose. The thought of yet another spiderhero made him nauseous. He could barely deal with two, god knows how many there are out in the multiverse.
“Jesus christ there’s more of you?”
Gwen rolled her eyes and blew her hair out of her face. “Relax captain tight-ass, he’s from another dimension, so you don’t have to worry about him doing your job for you.”
“Hey-”
“Plus, it helps me keep in contact with the others.” And Miles.
Miles, maybe she should get his help on this?
No. She didn’t need to get him involved, Gwen didn’t want to put her only friend in harm’s way. She could handle this, she’s traveled before. It was no biggie.
She looked down at her trembling hands.
So then why can’t she do it again?
“You alright kid?”
“Yeah.” She sniffed. “I’m fine I just uh, I just need a second ya know?” Gwen bounced on her heels and shook her arms, trying desperately to rid herself of the nerves in her mind and tremors in her hands. “Need to brace myself.” Frank laid a hand on her shoulder, stopping her movements completely.
She didn’t want to look at him, she didn’t want to see the disappointment in his face, the anger of not being able to save her dear friend.
But when she did, she saw the face of a father. A face painted with concern and sympathy. “It’s okay sweetheart. We can find another way.”
She didn’t know why tears streamed down her face or why her body trembled with fear.
“I can do it.” She promised him. “I've done it before I can do it-”
He pulled her into a stiff hug. She may be a hero, but first she was a child. A terrified, crying child. “It’s okay spider-kid. It’s okay.”
She remembered traveling again to visit Miles, she felt no fear doing so, but this? Now she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. She needed to dive headfirst, jump again and again until she found her partner and prayed to God she wasn’t already dead. She didn’t know where she was, if she was in mortal danger or already gone.
“I can do it.” She whimpered against his chest. “I can, I promise!”
“Sorry to tell you this short stack but if I let you jump like this? Bug would kick my ass.” Gwen sniffled and giggled at the weak excuse to cheer her up.
“She would totally win too.”
“Well I don’t know about that, I think I have a pretty good chance.”
Gwen laughed this time, an honest to god laugh that caused the officer himself to crack a smile and chuckle.
“Dude, she would destroy you.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
Gwen looked toward the ground. She felt weak and childish. Why can’t she just jump? Jitterbug needed her and she was being a little coward. How selfish and immature was-
“Hey, look at me kid.” Gwen looked up at him and saw no anger or regret, only determination. “We’ll find another way. I’m not losing you both in this. New York would miss you too much.”
She bumped his shoulder with a grin. “Just New York?” Frank rolled his eyes and ruffled her hair.
“Oh don’t get cocky with me.”
“Yes sir.”