The smell of coffee and sugar filled the air. I sat tucked into the corner of a donut shop, a half read book open in front of me.

The bell over the door chimed. I glanced up- and froze.
Then, quickly, I looked back down.

"Doughnut for my fellow Engineer."  MJ said cheerfully.

"Wait- what?" Ned blinked.

"MIT, they're the Engineers. The mascot" MJ explained.

"Oh, right, right, right. I should probably know that. Look at you with the school spirit." Ned said

"Tell anybody I will deny it" MJ said as she walked over to the counter.

I tried not to stare, but my eyes found him anyway. His curls weren't loose anymore- they were slicked back neatly, too neat, like he was trying to hold his life together with gel and quiet smiles.

"Elizabeth" MJ called, holding out my bag of donuts.

I stood and walked to the counter.
"Thank you" I said softly.

"Coffee'll be right out" she replied with a nod.

As she turned away, I caught bits and pieces of her and Ned's conversation about college. Their laughter sounded distant- like an echo of something i used to have.

"What about you?" A voice asked beside me.

"Huh?" I looked up, startled.

He smiled.
"College. Are you going?" He asked.

"Oh, no. College isn't really in the cards for me" I said.
"You?" I asked.

He chuckled.
"Yeah. Me either" he said

A pause. Then-
"What's your name?" He asked.

"Elizabeth" I reached out to shake his hand.
"And you are...?" I asked.

"Peter. Peter Parker" he said with the same shy grin.

MJ appeared just then, handing me my coffee.
"Here you go, ma'am" she said

"Thank you" I smiled.

"It was nice to meet you, Peter Parker" I said with a quiet laugh.

"You too, Elizabeth. Maybe I'll see you around?" He said

"Possibly" I said- and walked out before I could change my mind.

My apartment wasn't much. A few boxes, a couch, a window with a view of the city. But it was mine.

I set the donuts on the counter and started unpacking. Inside one box was my old suit- and Tony's glasses. I held them for a long moment before getting to work.

Rewiring. Adjusting. Adding new protocols.

When I was done, I slipped them on.
"Friday?" I ask

"Running face recognization" came the familiar voice.

Then-
"Welcome back, Elizabeth" Friday said

A smile tugged at my lips.
"Hey, Friday. How've you been?" I asked.

"I've been good. How are you, miss Elizabeth?" Friday asks

"Managing. And just Elizabeth, please- or Liz or Lizzie. Dealers choice" I said

"Understood. Would you like assistance with your suit?" He asked.

"Yeah. Let's get to work" I said

A few hours later, the upgrades were done. Sleeker, stronger, better.

I sighed, then decided I needed air.

I walked through the quiet cemetery until I reached the row of graves near May's. I'd used some of the money Tony left me- money he always overdid- to set these stones in place.

One by one, I placed flowers.
May. Natasha. Vision. Steve. Pietro. Alexander.

Each name carried a piece of me. 

"You all deserved better" i murmured.

Footsteps behind me. I glanced back- and there he was.

"Guess I was going to see you around." Peter said, giving a small, almost nervous smile.
"Wish it wasn't here, though" he said

"Yeah" I sighed.

He looked at the graves.
"Did you know all of them?" He asked.

"Yeah. They all played a pretty big part in my life" I said.

"Even may?" He asked.

"Especially May. She took care of me when I needed it" I said

His eyes softened
"May was my aunt. She probably mentioned you- but she helped so many people, it's hard to keep track" he laughed faintly.

"Yeah, she did mention her nephew- well, you. She loved you a lot" I said

Peter's smile faltered.
"Yeah" he said.

A silence hung between us.

"Well" I said finally.
"I hope you have a good day. I'll probably see you around again" I said

"Yeah, you too" he said

I walked away, unaware of the spark flickering at the back of his mind- a whisper begging him to remember.

Later that night, I stood by the window of my apartment, suit laid out across the bed.

Outside, a red and blue figure swung through the city lights.

I smiled, slipped my suit on, and let my powers flare around me in a soft blue light.

Then I jumped.

The wind rushed past me as I fell, then rose, higher and higher, until all of New York stretched beneath my feet.

The skyline glittered. The city lived.

I thought of Wanda, Billy, Tommy, Tony, Ned, MJ.
And Peter.

Especially Peter.

He brought me out of the dark- made me believe in something again.

I didn't know what came next. Maybe no one ever really does.

But I knew this: when hope dies, you have to breathe it back to life again.
No matter how long it takes. No matter what it costs.

So that's what I'll do.
I'll keep trying. I'll keep believing.

Because maybe, someday-
Somewhere-
We'll all find our way back to each other again.