Picking up the Pieces. (Joshua Parker and Joyce Delaney)

[John Kilroy]

Spider-Man looked as he saw Gwen Stacy collapsed on the bridge. She looked like she she was in and out of consciousness. He could here the Green Goblin laughing as he tried staggering back to his feet. Peter waisin’t worried about Goblin at the moment. His concern was his beloved.

“Gwen!” Spider-Man shouted there was no response.

“She looks like she’s in Shock. I need to get her to a hospital, they can give her a sedative..”

As Spider-Man went to grab Gwen he heard the roar of a glider engine. Everything else seemsed like both a blur and slow motion at the same time. Gwen falls, Spider-Man grabs her with his web. Then he hears the deafening snap. But something doesin’t feel right.

He pulled her back up only to see her body is limp almost like she’s…no no Please. God please tell me she’s not…

“Gwen…Hey kid, what’s wrong? D-Don’t you understand I saved you…you can’t be…”

He shook her and it was at this point the truth became undeniable. “No, oh no no no no. Don’t be dead Gwen, I don’t want you to be dead. I saved you honey Don’t you see I saved you…”

Goblin started to cackle madly as Hail to the chief started playing in all directions. The sound of the crowd could be heard cheering as Osborn gave the oath of office. Spider-man gripped Gwen’s body as tears leaked through his mask.

“Why? Why?!?”

“Josh…”

Spider-man looked down to see Gwen stir, why was she calling him Josh?

“Gwen, Gwen Hang in there I can save you…I can…”

“You…ruined…my…life.” She muttered. Her skin started to bubble as boils burst. Spider-Man’s blood ran cold. He knew all to well what this was. This was Clone Degeneration. She was literally falling apart.

“Gwen….Gwen!!!”

Gwen’s voice became more distorted until she literally dissolved into a pile of goop

“You…ruined…My…Life...”

“Gwen, noooo!”
___________

“AHHHHHH!”

Josh looked around the room of his home as his heart felt like it was trying to burst out of his chest. He was surrounded by a puddle of sweat and tears. The tears would not stop. He couldn't control it. Frankly reaching for the night stand he grabbed a phone.

Joyce sat at the computer just getting some work don and the sad part was it was during her mandatory vacation. Normal people would be sleeping this time a night, maybe painting the red, but no ever since becoming a cop, Joyce had become a workaholic surviving off of coffee and chocolate. Her mind was zeroed in until suddenly her phone started to ring. The caller ID read “Josh Parker.” Immediately the work stopped and she picked up the phone.

“Josh?”

“Gwen!” Josh’s voice sound like had had been sobbing.

“Tell me you’re ok! Say something, anything! I just…I just need to know your ok.”

Joyce was taken aback. He sounded so helpless and scared, and all he wanted was to hear her voice. “Hey I’m ok, I’m fine I’m in the office just working on some last minute work before my va…”

She sighed, it hit her as to what was going on. “You had another nightmare didn’t you?”

“Y-Yeah.”

And just like that, work was done. At least as done as it was going to be until she got back. Something imortant had just came up.

"I'm coming over ok? just stay there I'll be there as soon as I can."

"I-I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Gwen...I..."

Pete....Josh, it's going to be ok. I'm on my way."

[John Kilroy]

Josh sat on the bed when he suddenly heard a knock on the door. He opemed it and was releaved to see Joyce.



"Hey." She said softly giving him a warm smile. Josh smiled back and gave her a huge hug, tears again started to flow.



"Hey hey it's ok, I'm here. Just focus on me.



Josh could not help but shake his head as she came inside.



"Look, I'm sorry. I feel so stupid. I'm probably come across as really pathetic.



"Josh stop it. You are not pathetic, ok? You're not pathetic."



Joyce then reached into her purse, pulled out a nice thick bar of chocolate and handed it to him. "Here Eat this. Trust me it helps."

Josh looked down at the bar “Feastables huh?” He read the ingredients on the wrapper. “Some kind of organic kick.”



“Nope.I just legitimately think they taste the best.”



Joshua took a bite. ”mmm. That is good.”



“Yeah pretty much since the start of my career I've developed quite the sweet tooth. One of these days it's going to catch up to my figure…but not today!”



Joyce snicked at her own joke. Before her face once grew Solemn. Josh looked haggard. It was clear that he wasn't getting any sleep and he was constantly being tormented. It wasn't hard to figure out what exactly was tormenting him as it was something she understood all to well.



“Are you doing ok?” She asked. That was all she could ask.



Josh nodded. “Doing better now that you're here. Look Gwen…Joyce, I'm sorry. I know I probably seem like a total child…crying for you like your my mother…”



Joyce stroke his cheek smiling slightly. “Josh, you're not a child. I know what you are going through better than most can, and you can call me Gwen if you want when it's just us…I don't mind. I almost called you Peter over the phone."


“Really? I didn't notice. I guess I was too shaken up."


Joyce went out to the car and unloaded a suitcase from the trunk and carried it inside.



“Well in that case, I guess you're going to need me to keep an eye on you for a few days.” Joyce grinned. “Somehow I doubt that's going to hurt your feelings”



To say Josh was confused was a gross understatement. Maybe it was due to the fact that it was currently 3:00 A.M. and sleep had eluded him like a rabbit eluded a wolf but he just wasn't getting it. “Not sure I foll…” his eyes then widened with hopefully excitement as he finally caught on to what Joyce was getting at.



“Wait, are you moving in with me?”



“Easy there big boy.” Joyce said with a chuckle. “it's just for the week. I'm on mandatory vacation and it was either hang out with you or Duffy. Hopefully you don't mind…do you mind?”



“No, no of course not.” Josh got real nervous and started to rub his hair. “Sorry, the place is such a mess though.”



Joyce went from giggling to just straight up laughing. “Josh, you ought to see what MY living space looks like. Do you mind if I use your bathroom and change clothes?”



“No not at all,”



"Good, I have something that might cheer you up. I’ll be right back."


Josh wasn't sure what Joyce was planning but just the fact that he was here provided a comforting presence. For the first time all night, he felt calm...and the4n Joyce came out with her "Suprise." She was dressed in a pair of red undergarments.

"Well? how do I look?

[John Kilroy]

“Woah.” was all josh could say as he looked at Joyce dressed in the lingerie. He couldn't help but blush as the corners of his mouth stretched into a slight smile. Joyce snickered.

“I'll take that stunned silence, combined with that look on your face, as a positive. Now scoot over."

Josh found himself indistinctly doing so not realizing fully what was going on until Joyce laid next to him on the bed and snuggled in close.

“Hey hey,” Josh was blushing redder than a cherry tomato. “Not that I'm complaining, but last I checked we weren't even at first base yet let alone third. What happens if the people find out what if JJ gets wind of that…”

Joyce put a finger to Josh's lips and gave him a warm smile. “Just shut up and enjoy the moment."

Josh simply nodded as he was simply too dumbstruck to say anything. Ever since he and Joyce met, Josh dreamed something like this would come, but he never dreamed it would happen not this soon.

Joyce, whether she wanted to admit it or not, was also enjoying this moment. Just as it was when Josh and Joyce embraced each other when they first met, something about this felt…right.

She turned to the side and began to stroke Josh's cheek, she felt the stubble on his cheek. She looked into his eyes and it brought the memories back, as if this was a moment ripped out of a better time.

“Alright,” she said softly. “Now what was the nightmare this time?”

“The night you died. Sigh it’s always the same stuff. If it’s not the death of Uncle Ben, it’s the death of George Stacy, if it’s not the Death of George Stacy it’s the death of…”

“...Gwen Stacy.” Joyce finished.

Joyce looked aimlessly at the ceiling.

“Do you ever miss John Diaz?”

Josh bit his lip as flashbacks of his time as the “First Date Killer” came rushing back to him. He could hear the screams of the victims as he absorbed them, he imagined theier thoughts as they were trapped inside of his flesh. He shook his head.

“Yeah, tell an NYPD detective if I miss having a serial killer as an alter ego. Great idea."

“I’m not asking as a cop Josh, I’m asking as a friend,” Joyce reassured.

Realizing she was being serious, Josh let out a sigh.

“Sometimes yeah, yeah I do. When I was John Diaz, I was at least able to separate myself from parker, I wasn't a clone. I wasn't haunted by the memories of Peter Parker, I was something else. The Original had MJ, Ben Riely had Felicia, Kaine had the blessing of being his own person, and I…I had John Diaz, then after my last encounter with Ben I was forced to confront what it meant to be a human…to be a hero, and I let Diaz go. But with him gone, all that was left WAS Peter Parker, and unlike him I don’t have an MJ or an Aunt May to support me. While he gets his happy ending I’m left with the memories of all his failures I’m…"

"…You’re left picking up the pieces.” Joyce finished.

Josh nodded. “Peter can call me Pinocchio all he wants, he can shout at me till the cows come home about how my memories aren’t mine, they aren’t real, but they are REAL TO ME.”

“You can’t let it go?” Joyce asked.

Josh nodded.

Now it was Joyce’s turn to sigh. “I could not let go either.”

[John Kilroy]

"What?" Josh asked.

"I couldn't let it go. I tried. I really did. I was right there ready to board the plane to London and leave Gwen Stacy behind completely, but I... I just couldn't. Maybe those memories were not mine originally, but her memories, her experiences, the education she had, and all the friends she made, those experiences are mine also! No matter how many times I tried to I couldn't just forget that and leave it behind...so I stayed, I went to school accelerated my way through criminal justice school, and eventually became a police detective. I thought maybe even living in New York I could forge my own way…then our mutual friend in the pink and white outfit came along and not only did she give me yet another origin story for who and what I am…and then she introduced you to me and…”

Again she shook her head. “Maybe Gwenpool was right. Maybe deep down I really do think that I'm Gwen Stacy brought back from the dead, why else would I go into George Stacy's profession?”

Josh nodded. “Well, you I think I've made my opinions pretty clear so I'm not the best person to ask.”

They both started giggling. Then Joyce sighed. “Josh I need to know something. Did Dad know, George Stacy I mean?”

Josh looked over at her. His eyes widened. Joyce could see it in his eyes. He knew the answer but he was afraid to tell her. His face then caved just a little as Peter's memory of George Stacy's death surfaced in his mind.

then he spoke.


“Yeah he knew. I think he always knew he just didn't tell me for my own sake.”

Josh then sighed. “Look I know this probably won't mean anything coming from me because I'm not Peter, but I'm sorry. I should have told you everything from the beginning.”

Joyce shook her head. “First of all I'm just as much a clone as you are. So I'm not sure accepting or rejecting your apology would be any more authentic. Second of all it'd wouldn't have done any good. If anything, it just would have fractured our relationship even.”

She then turned on her side, faced Josh and gave him a bombshell. “I know because Gwen Stacy did know.”

Josh's. Eyes widened “W-What?”

“I…Gwen Stacy was alive after the her neck was snapped, she cursed him and lamented everything that happened to her wondering why she was the one to have to suffer. In a twisted way it’s a good thing she died. Had she lived, like say she had gotten paralyzed from the neck down, she would have despised him. At the very least she would have dumped him, Maybe she would have sworn revenge and became a villain."

Josh’s mouth dropped he couldn't believe what he was hearing Gwen’s last moments were that of suffering. Her last dying thought was cursing Peter Parker. Josh couldn't bear the thought and Joyce seemed to know it, because the next sentence she said after was.

“Please, don’t tell Peter.”

Josh, nodded but a questioned spilled forth. “Then why be with me. If you hated Peter Parker than why be close someone who’s just like him?”

Joyce smirked and shook her

“Well, again, you don’t even know if I’m the real Gwen Stacy you just have a hope based on Gwenpool’s fan theory, but let’s assume I am for a second. In that time I’ve been resurrected via cloning, I’ve been gaslit several times over who I am, and I’ve seen some things. Experiences like that change people, it makes them reset their priorities. Second of all you’re not Peter Parker…not exactly, Yes you have his memories and his experiences so I guess depending on how you are him up to a point, but unlike with me there is no ambiguity regarding who’s the clone and who’s the original, so past a certain point you’re…I guess the question in…who do you want to be?”

She turned over on her side and smiled. Her back faced Josh. “Just don’t make the mistake I made and marry someone you don’t know just to prove you are your own person.”

Josh eyes raised an eyebrow. “You’re married?”

“Was married, to one of Warren’s clones. Not sure it could be called a marriage though. It only lasted a few months. We didn’t even have Sex. Oh we tried but uh let’s just say clone degeneration was already taking his toll on him. In hindsight I…I was just so confused at the time. I had ben told I was a clone, then I had been told I was a woman named Joyce Delaney, Then Warren found me. It just seemed like stability. Then he died, I got my memories as a clone back…”

She chuckled. “Funny isin’t it? Spider-man wanted to keep his double life as a superhero away from me and now we’re discussing superhero stuff like it’s normal bedroom talk. Strange how that works. I guess.”

“Yeah, funny” Josh mumbled. He was silent for a few seconds and then spoke again.

“Well, Peter always pulls a mantra that Uncle Ben told him. I’m going to pull one from Aunt May. “You are who you chose to be.” when I was first created I tried so hard to separate myself from Ben Riley and the rest pf them. Hence how John Diaz came to be before I finally accepted that they were all a part of me. To be frank, Clone or not, I don't mind changing my head but I'm not dying my hair and moving to another country just so Peter can pretend I don't exist/ I'm a Peter clone and I'm ok with it, really. For all his faults there are worse people to model yourself after than Peter Parker, especially when your his identical twin. But I don’t want to fully be like him. I don’t want to be a loner that can’t get his personal life in order. I want to be a team player. Use his experiences as a jumping-off point but not be controlled by him like he is.”

Gwen smiled turning back around.  "Then don't be. Be the person you want to be. it’s your choice to make…but if you don’t mind I choose to go to sleep.”

She kissed Josh on the cheek. “Goodnight.

Joyce snuggled up to Peter and fell asleep. Josh couldn’t help but smile as he felt her head on his chest. He meditated on Aunt May’s words as well as the words of Joyce. “It's my choice to make,” Josh said to himself. "I guess...I chose to be Peter's Identical twin brother. Even if he hates me for it." 

Sleep overtook Joshua and for the rest of that night, nightmares no longer haunted him.



FIN