The usual sounds of the city faded all around Peter as he swung, the hard almost drum-like beat rhythm of his heart echoing in his ears. He checked his watch again, still in disbelief.

  I’m back. ; )

  I’d call but stol can’t speajk.

  I’m at Mum’s hosptal. come visit if can. dad pissed towrs burning, and Suse annoying. viktor not picking up.

  He ok. I think. just declined call. Probably laughing about dad.

  Anway, need sane perosjn to talk to. if suse keep showing me pictures of cats, may fall asleep again.

  c you soon.

  He grinned to himself again, shaking his head. He almost didn’t want to believe, maybe because some part of him deep down didn’t think this would ever happen. But it was happening. The excitement, the relief, it was real.

  He’s awake, he thought. I can’t believe it. Harry’s finally awake.

  And he really couldn’t believe it. He'd been so caught up with Liz, Jess, Aunt May, his research with Ned, trying to keep up with MJ, Grady, Sajani, Bella and all his Spider-Man stuff he’d forgotten about the false alarm a few months back. But it hadn’t been a false alarm. When the doctors had said it’d been nothing more than a random muscle response, that Harry probably wasn’t waking up anytime soon, he’d just accepted it. Knowing his luck of course the universe would’ve given him hope at a time like that just to rip it away.

  But it hadn’t been random. Because Harry was awake. No not just awake. He was alive. Awake and alive. He was ok.

  Peter let loose a laugh, the first proper one he’d released in a while.

  In all the fuss of the tower, as he’d been rushing over with Jess afraid of what might happen to Miles, Yu and Lucas, the idea that Harry or someone else in his family had been hurt had been hanging in the back of his mind.

  As he’d watched the flames, seen the smoke and heard the distant screams, he’d felt that rising panic returning again. The one that’d been starting to seriously bother him for months now.

  But it was ok. They were all ok. Not only that, Harry was awake. Peter’s laughter grew.

  What an incredible coincidence. It was almost too good to be true. From a subconscious fear to this. It was amazing. He hadn't been expected to be reminded of Harry right now in such a sudden and incredible way.

  He slowed, turning the corner as the hospital came into view just a few blocks over. But as he neared the building, his mind went to relief to the all too familiar anxiety.

  What do I say? Will he even remember everything?

  What if he can’t make a full recovery? Has he seen how badly he’s burned? Does he know his mum didn’t visit?

  Does he even want to see me? What if he doesn't? Did he send the text cause he feels he had too?

  No.

  But what if he did?

  He pushed the thoughts out of his mind, quickly landing down in an alley as he hopped around, quickly trying to take of his mask as he scrambled for the clothes in bag. He fell to the floor cursing as his aches made themselves known as he struggled to desperately pull on his trousers, then his shirt.

  I mean, this is amazing, but will it really be ok? It’s been two years. Will Harry still be Harry?

  He stood quickly, then grabbed his jacket pulling it on as webbed the fallen sheets of paper, and dropped suit pieces towards himself, stuffing them in his bag.

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  Even if he isn’t, isn’t that ok? Even if he’s different he’ll still be Harry. I’ll still finally have my best friend back.

  He paused, then finished stuffing the last of his things into his bag, before zipping it shut.

  “That’s not fair to Liz” he mumbled. “Or Ned.”

  He knew it wasn’t. But there was a part of him that still considered Harry that. His best friend. Liz was an amazing partner, and it was great working with Ned, but Harry was… Harry.

  The same Harry who'd made fun of him for getting decked at football try-outs only to immediately get demolished too. The same Harry who he’d hung out with basically every day. The same one who could probably still remember all there stupid inside jokes.

  He stepped out of the alley, and paused, glancing back at the smoke in the distance. He watched it for a moment, watching as Miles and Lucas swung into view, webbing up the open sides of the building. With a proud smile he turned away and started towards the hospital’s entrance.

  His thoughts slowed as he made his way inside, looking to the reception desk, then to the rest of the lobby where most sat watching the news feed of the Oscorp Tower attack. He watched a recording of the earlier fight, Lucas and the goblin guy wrestling atop the glider before crashing against through the glass in a mess of fire and debris. It was a miracle he hadn’t gotten hurt. He’d need to talk to him about that later.

  He continued onwards to the desk where a receptionist sat still staring at the screen behind them.

  “Uh… hello?”

  “Wuh?” the guy said turning around.

  “Hi”

  “Oh, sorry I just- crazy right?” he said, pointing to TV.

  “Huh? Oh, yeah.”

  “I mean it’s usually a lab or some random building. Not the big towers. I mean even the bad villains know to stay away from the big towers. But this is the second time in what? Two years? Oscorp tower must have some kind of supervillain curse. Maybe my cousin was right joining that construction company. I thought since it was New York and not like Chicago with Terror, or Detroit with the Goremeister Gang and those vampire guys that it wouldn't be worth it. But maybe you know? This jobs kind of boring, and- well I don't know, I guess it pays decent-ish, but….” the guy trailed off before looking back to Peter. “Oh sorry. What’re you here for again?”

  “Did a Harrison Osborne get moved here?”

  “I- yeah?” the guy said looking at him dumbfounded.

  “Oh. Great. I’m a friend, what room is he in?”

  “It’s a private room. Uh… top floor. It’s a special room thing. Mum owns the place.”

  “Right. So just get the lift to the top floor?”

  “There’s a list… uh… are you… Missus- no. Uh... Ned Leeds?”

  “No. Peter.”

  “Parker?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Uh… can I have some ID or something? I think I’m supposed to check for that.”

  He fished out his drivers license, and in return got a special pass.

  “Just take the lift up, I don’t know from there. But you should be able to find it. There’s only like three rooms up there.”

  “Thanks” Peter said, making for the lift as he glanced back to the TV, a group of Bugle anchors talking amongst themselves.

  The doors closed behind him, and he stood in the lift silent, his breaths so shallow it felt as if he were holding them. He couldn’t shake the nervousness. He supposed that was only natural in this situation, but it’d be nice not to have to stress.

  He let loose a sigh, shaking his hands as he leant back his head. The elevator slowed and he stepped out, glancing both ways down the corridor, before spotting a door with Harry’s initials and the Oscorp logo beside it. He started towards it then hesitated, thumbing the lip of his jacket pocket.

  It’s going to be fine, he thought. It’s Harry.

  The same Harry who he'd graduated with. The same Harry he'd gone to college with. The same Harry who he had done tutoring with. The same Harry who’d been with him every step of the way practically his entire life.

  He'd missed so much time with him after college, they'd barely hung out, barely talked until Gwen had died. And even after that it'd basically all been about the Stacey-Parker Fund.

  He’d get the chance to talk to him about the past, to reminisce about the good old days when they’d been stupid highschoolers and college kids. Before they’d lost Gwen, before he’d lost him, before the miscarriage, and everything. He’d get to remember, really remember what life was like before everything that’d happened to him since that damned explosion.

  But he’d also get to talk about after. He couldn’t remember the finer details of the Scorpion attacks, didn’t know what Harry would know or remember either. But it didn’t matter. He’d tell him about all this. Ever since he’d told Liz, it’d been something he’d wanted to do. He’d already told Ned and the others, and everyone else in his family. Now he’d finally get to tell Harry.

  He knocked on the door, and after half a moment, it opened, Susanna poking her head out of the door.

  “Pete” she said, grinning. “You got here fast.”

  “I- sorry. I just saw the message and I was nearby”

  “No, it’s good, it’s good. Even better now Dad just left. Come in” she said, stepping out of the way as she held the door open for him. He stepped inside, nodded awkwardly to Susanna’s girlfriend whose name he couldn’t quite remember, then turned to the hospital bed.

  Almost all at once, his anxiety left him.

  Harry sat in the bed, connected to a series of IV’s. He lay against the raised headboard, his arms thin, and his skin pale, the burns on the right hand side of his face clear. But despite all that he looked far healthier than Pete had thought possible, the clear glint of strength in his eyes.

  Peter was silent for a moment, before stepping forwards, grinning stupidly.

  “You’re really awake” he muttered, his eyes already wet. Harry grinned too, the burn scars warping.

  “Miss me?” he croaked.