Chapter 15: Healing
---
That night, Betty was tired and fell asleep satisfied. Leo lay beside her, feeling comfortable and content.
A new day arrived, bringing new tasks to handle.
---
Early in the morning, Leo and Betty went to the hospital to complete the discharge procedures for Betty's mother, Bella.
They brought her home, and Leo prepared to treat her. He knew he couldn't reveal his true abilities too openly, so he pretended to give her colorful water in the name of medicine.
Before administering the treatment, Leo used his spiritual sense to check Bella's condition thoroughly. He could see the illness spreading through her body — cancer cells multiplying in her lungs, weakening her organs, draining her life force.
Leo closed his eyes and focused. He activated his time ability, carefully targeting only Bella's body. Time began to reverse around her (time power is focused on her illness), slowly rolling back the progression of her illness. The cancer cells shrank and disappeared. Her damaged organs regenerated. Her weakened immune system strengthened as her prime age.
It took immense concentration to control the reversal so precisely, but Leo managed it. Within minutes, Bella's body had returned to the state it had been in years ago — before the illness had ever taken hold.
To cover his actions, Leo handed her a small bottle of the colorful juice. "Drink this. It's special medicine that will help you recover."
Bella, who had been on the verge of death, began to improve visibly. Her face gained color and vitality. Energy returned to her eyes. She slowly woke from her coma.
Only a little over five minutes had passed, and her originally frail, sickly appearance completely changed. Her entire body returned to normal — healthy, strong, and full of life.
Betty cried tears of joy when she saw her mother's condition improve so dramatically.
"Thank you, Leo."
Leo gently stroked Betty's face. "I don't like seeing you cry. I hope you'll be happy every day from now on."
Bella woke up fully and looked around, surprised to find herself at home with her daughter Betty by her side.
"Betty," she said softly.
"Mom, do you feel better?" Betty asked, her voice trembling with emotion.
"I feel much better. I'm just a little hungry."
"I'll go prepare some food right away," Betty said, jumping up eagerly.
Betty rushed to the kitchen, leaving Leo alone with Bella.
Bella had recovered significantly, but she was still a little weak. She looked at Leo carefully. "Who are you? What is your relationship with Betty?"
"I am Betty's boyfriend. My name is Leo Azmith. You can call me Leo."
"You cured me?" Bella asked, her eyes filled with gratitude and wonder.
"You could say that. I used a special medicine."
Bella had been so worried about leaving Betty alone after her own death. Now it seemed Betty had found someone who truly cared for her. That was a good thing.
"Thank you," Bella said sincerely.
"You're welcome. Betty is my girlfriend, and I want her to be happy and joyful."
Bella smiled warmly. "Me too."
---
Later, Leo found an opportunity to help Betty in another way. He quietly pulled out an envelope containing $100,000 in cash and handed it to her.
"Betty," Leo said softly, appearing behind her and embracing her gently.
"Leo," she said, leaning back into him.
"Here's $100,000 in cash. Take it for now."
Betty turned around, her eyes wide. "Leo, I can't accept this money. I like you for you, not for money."
"I know," Leo said gently. "You can think of it as a gift."
"A gift?"
"Yes. And I also want a gift from you."
Betty looked into Leo's eyes, feeling a bit flustered. "I... I need to prepare the food first."
Leo smiled. "It's alright. I can wait for you."
---
After a busy morning, Betty's situation was finally taken care of. Bella was recovering quickly and would probably be able to take care of herself soon.
Betty was incredibly happy, staying by her mother's side.
Leo still had things to do and didn't stay too long. Tonight, he was going to Gwen's house as a guest, so he naturally had to prepare.
After making all his preparations, Leo drove to Gwen's house. He arrived even a little earlier than the agreed time.
He parked outside and rang the doorbell.
Soon, a serious-looking middle-aged man opened the door.
Leo had seen him from a distance when he'd saved Gwen before. This was Gwen's father, George Stacy.
"Hello, I am Gwen's boyfriend, Leo," Leo said politely.
Although George had no specific prejudice, he didn't have much affection for the person who had "stolen" his daughter.
Even though he disliked the situation, he still let Leo in.
"You're a bit early. Come in," George said stiffly.
"I don't like being late," Leo replied.
"My name is George. Gwen's mother is Helen."
Leo greeted them both politely. A moment later, Gwen came down the stairs and was very happy to see Leo.
"Daddy, I'm taking Leo to see my bedroom. We'll be down soon."
George had originally wanted to keep Leo downstairs to get to know his future son-in-law better. But Leo was taken away by Gwen before he could object, and George couldn't do anything about it.
---
Leo was led to Gwen's bedroom. The room looked neat and tidy, probably freshly cleaned that day.
"Is this your room? It looks really nice," Leo said.
"Leo, I want to show you something," Gwen said excitedly.
"What is it?"
Gwen took out a painting she'd been working on. "This is what I painted. What do you think?"
Leo looked at the painting, which depicted him wearing his superhero suit.
"Was this painted that night?" Leo asked.
"Yes. What do you think of my painting?"
"I think you painted it wonderfully. It perfectly captured my handsomeness."
Gwen didn't argue. "I also think you're very handsome."
The two grew closer, chatting idly in the bedroom. After a while, they were called downstairs by Gwen's father.
Seeing that Leo and Gwen hadn't done anything inappropriate, George finally relaxed a little.
---
The two came to the dining room, and Gwen sat next to Leo.
Dinner began, and inevitably, Leo had to face questioning from his future in-laws.
George, perhaps due to his profession as a police officer, asked more directly. "Why did you transfer to this school? Even if you were studying somewhere else, you should have waited until university."
Leo didn't hide anything. "Because my parents had an accident. I had to come here to this city to live with my grandfather. Unfortunately, not long after I arrived, my grandfather also passed away due to illness."
Helen's expression softened with sympathy. "Oh, how unfortunate. George, your tone should be softer. You're not interrogating a criminal. Leo is Gwen's boyfriend. He's our guest."
Leo smiled slightly. "It's alright. I prefer an honest approach."
Helen's questions were clearly gentler. "Leo, how did you fall in love with Gwen?"
"Gwen is a very kind and righteous person," Leo said sincerely. "I was deeply attracted to her and couldn't help myself."
Helen was very happy. "That's a good start. Much like how George and I began."
The family atmosphere was happy and harmonious, and Leo relaxed. It seemed this meeting with the parents was half-successful.
---
After dinner, Leo hadn't left yet and was still chatting with Gwen's family.
At that moment, George received a phone call. After a brief conversation, he returned in a very bad mood.
Helen immediately noticed. "My dear, what's wrong?"
"That Daredevil has appeared again, causing disturbances," George said irritably.
"Are you going to deal with it? I can entertain Leo at home."
"No need. It's just a small matter. They can handle it."
George was very annoyed by Daredevil. The vigilante had only appeared a few days ago, but every night he was causing trouble.
In contrast, the mysterious superhero who had saved Gwen was much more low-key.
"We will catch Daredevil sooner or later," George said firmly.
Leo knew that George was a conscientious person who disliked these superheroes very much. In The Amazing Spider-Man, Peter and George had debated about Spider-Man.
Leo had no intention of arguing with George, but Gwen, having gained superpowers, was ready to become a superhero herself. Discovering her father's strong aversion to Daredevil, Gwen chose to defend him proactively.
"Daddy, I don't quite understand," Gwen said. "I think Daredevil is a good person. Why do you want to catch him?"
Since Gwen was his daughter, George's attitude was relatively gentle. "He's not some superhero. He's just an anarchist."
"I admit, he saved a small number of people. But he has no law enforcement power and doesn't follow procedures at all. His actions are bound to cause bigger problems."
Gwen retorted, "He's just helping people. Is that wrong? If it weren't for him, many people would suffer."
"Just like that superhero who saved me. If it weren't for him, I can't imagine what would have happened."
George was momentarily speechless. "Yeah, maybe he's doing good deeds. But that's not what he should be doing."
Gwen was a little angry, and Leo comforted her from the side, which calmed her down.
"Regarding this topic, I definitely support Gwen," Leo said.
"I think doing good deeds is not about profession. Anyone can do good deeds, though of course, one must consider one's own abilities."
"With great power comes great responsibility."
"I support these people. When someone falls into the water, people will rescue them. When dangerous situations arise, ordinary people will also do their best to help others."
"Ordinary people can become heroes. People with abilities will become superheroes."
"I believe that if Mr. George encounters such a situation, even if it's not part of his profession, he would still lend a hand, wouldn't he?"
George still agreed with Leo's words to some extent. "But Daredevil doesn't look like he just happened to pass by. He has a purpose, and he uses violent means."
"His actions disrupt our plans. His behavior will invite retaliation and bring greater trouble."
"He is called a hero, while we work overtime and get injured, but no one cares at all. It's as if we only drink coffee, eat donuts, and sit in the sun."
The two argued about this issue for a while longer, and eventually Gwen left, still somewhat annoyed.
"I'll go comfort Gwen," Leo said.
Leo followed Gwen to her room. Gwen was still a bit angry. "Daddy wasn't like this before. I can't quite understand."
"If he knew I was going to be a superhero, he definitely wouldn't support me. Maybe he would even arrest me."
Leo could see that Gwen really wanted to become a superhero and help others. So he comforted her.
"It's okay. We can keep it from him. Besides, you're about to graduate. After college, you'll have your own space and won't be discovered."
"Right," Gwen said, feeling better.
"It's getting late. I'm planning to leave. Are you sure you want to stay in your room and not come out to see me off?"
"Are you leaving already? I really wish you could stay," Gwen said.
Gwen expressed her feelings with a passionate kiss.
Of course, Leo also wanted to stay, but if he were discovered by his future in-laws, that would be a serious problem.
"I want to stay too, but you know, I'm afraid your father will come at me with his gun," Leo joked, gesturing dramatically. "He'll say, 'You brat, you're the one who ran off with my daughter? I'll shoot you!'"
Gwen was amused by Leo. "What? He wouldn't do that. Maybe he'd arrest you though."
"Oh, that might be even worse."
The small joke cheered Gwen up considerably, and the two went downstairs together.
"Mr. George, Mrs. Helen, it was a pleasure having dinner here," Leo said politely. "But it's getting late. I think I should leave."
Leo bid farewell to them, while Gwen took the opportunity to go outside and see Leo off.
The two left the house and strolled along the roadside for a while.
"Leo, good night," Gwen said softly.
"Good night."
After a long while, the two finally prepared to part. "Leo, are you sure superpowers have no side effects? I find myself unable to leave you."
"Maybe this isn't a side effect of your superpowers," Leo said warmly. "Because I don't want to leave you either."
There was always a parting. Leo watched Gwen return home before he felt relieved enough to leave.
"Meeting the parents is really hard work," Leo muttered to himself.
Leo returned home, but he couldn't sleep alone.
He thought of a solution. He instantly opened a magic portal and appeared outside Gwen's bedroom window.
He gently tapped on the window glass, and Gwen immediately reacted.
Looking at Leo outside the window, Gwen was shocked. She immediately opened the window and let Leo into the room.
Her expressions of joy and shock were hard to conceal.
To avoid being discovered, Gwen lowered her voice. "Leo, how did you appear outside the window? I thought you had already left."
"I had already returned home, but I missed you very much. So I came here to secretly see you."
"I miss you too," Gwen whispered.
The long night stretched on, making it hard to sleep alone.
After a brief period of intimacy, Leo regained his composure and stoped. She immediately realized the Leo stoped and quickly pulled back slightly from his embrace.
"Are you sure your room's soundproofing won't get us discovered?" Leo asked nervously.
"Don't worry..., I will try my best to endure it." Gwen asked with heavy breathing.
Leo had originally planned to take Gwen back to his home through a portal, so they wouldn't have to worry about being discovered. Then he would just bring Gwen back later.
But he hadn't expected that Gwen, who usually seemed like a perfect, well-behaved girl, actually had a rebellious, somewhat wild, and adventurous spirit deep down.
Looking at Gwen's gentle yet passionate eyes, Leo was already captivated and utterly unable to refuse.
"You know I can never refuse you," Leo said.
Gwen broke into a happy smile and actively moved closer to Leo.
---
Leo quietly left in the early morning.
After returning home, he ate breakfast and went to school, attending classes as normal.
A lot had happened this weekend.
After arriving in the classroom, Leo felt incredibly relaxed.
Peter, wearing a hooded jacket with his hands in his pockets, walked into the classroom.
"Has Peter not mastered his superpowers yet?" Leo wondered.
"Under my guidance, Gwen basically mastered her superpowers in about half an hour. After exploring and practicing on her own, she was already able to use them quite well when I visited her house yesterday."
"Peter Parker also had a full day to adapt. He shouldn't still be unable to control them, right?"
Peter Parker had actually initially mastered his abilities. He had also visited Professor Connors's house yesterday and agreed to be Professor Connors's assistant.
"Peter, are you alright?" Leo asked.
"Yeah, Leo, I'm fine. What's wrong?" Peter replied.
"You just seem distracted."
"Nothing. I'm just thinking."
Because of Mary Jane, Peter hadn't easily let go of his feelings, and his impression of Leo was not good at the moment.
Leo didn't pursue it. He just thought about how to move forward with his plans.
After relaxing for a moment, Leo thought of another question: When Gwen arrived, would their Spider-Sense be able to detect each other?
"Hmm? Why isn't Gwen here yet? Logically, she should be here by now. Could she be too tired and didn't rest well?"
As Leo was wondering, Gwen appeared in the classroom.
The moment Gwen entered, Peter's Spider-Sense activated, detecting Gwen as a potential... something. Not a threat exactly, but someone like him.
Gwen also sensed Peter, but she had known all along, so she remained calm.
"They did sense each other, as expected," Leo thought.
Peter was very curious. "Why do I get this feeling from Gwen? Could it be that Gwen is also like me?"
"No, I have to find an opportunity to ask Gwen properly."
Gwen came into the classroom and immediately greeted Leo.
"Leo, good morning," she said warmly.
"You seem to be a bit later than usual," Leo observed.
"Perhaps it's because I had a good dream and didn't want to wake up too early," Gwen said with a slight smile.
Both of them understood each other perfectly. Then they returned to their respective seats.
Betty arrived shortly after. "Oh, Betty, you look very happy," Gwen observed.
Betty naturally wouldn't reveal the full truth. "Perhaps my mother's condition has improved, and I'm in a better mood."
"Really? That's wonderful. I hope your mother recovers soon."
The three of them had their own explanations, and no one suspected anything unusual.
---
Finally, class ended, and they had some free time.
Peter eagerly found Gwen. "Gwen, I have something I want to talk to you about. Can I take a moment of your time?"
Gwen didn't refuse. "Yes."
"Can we go to the outdoor field?"
The two left, and Leo did not follow. It wasn't his time to intervene yet.
The two walked on the field. The morning sun was gentle.
Peter and Gwen walked side by side, but Peter was still a bit reserved.
"Gwen, did you gain superpowers?" Peter asked directly.
"Are you talking about abilities similar to a spider? I think so. It was when I visited Oscorp Tower that day and was bitten by a spider."
Peter finally confirmed the source of the superpowers. "Then did anything unexpected happen to you? I mean, these abilities don't seem that easy to control."
"It was alright. With Leo's help, I mastered them in about half an hour."
"Leo?" Peter was surprised.
Peter was a bit shocked, but Gwen didn't reveal more about Leo's identity.
"Yes. He told me to calm down and try slowly."
Peter confirmed these things, but he also had a bigger question in his mind — one about Leo.
"There's one more thing... about you and Leo, and Mary Jane," Peter said carefully.
"Mary Jane and I both like him," Gwen said simply.
Peter was somewhat shocked, but more than that, he was sad. Because Peter knew he would never have a chance with Mary Jane again.
---
The two gained superpowers and knew each other had them, but it didn't have much immediate impact on their daily lives.
The only change was that Peter became Professor Connors's assistant and began helping with research.
Their work on gene therapy technology advanced significantly.
However, Norman Osborn was pressing them hard, and the two had to work overtime frequently.
Aunt May had no objections to the overtime. Peter could not only earn money to help the family but also benefit his future.
However, that fateful night still came.
---
After school, Peter went to Professor Connors's lab as usual to conduct research.
The difference was that today, Aunt May sent Peter a message.
Peter saw the message before arriving at the lab.
"Come home as early as possible tonight. When you come back, remember to buy some medicine for me."
Peter saw the message and immediately replied, "I know."
However, once he entered the lab and began the experiment with Dr. Connors, Peter completely forgot about it.
The two continuously ran simulations and finally succeeded.
Next was the time to create the serum and experiment with it on lab mice.
Peter carefully injected the serum into a lab mouse, observing its changes closely.
Watching Peter's nervous demeanor, Connors was actually incredibly nervous as well. If the serum succeeded, his severed arm could regenerate.
However, Connors was, after all, an experienced person, and still appeared relatively calm.
"Peter, don't be too nervous. It will probably take some time to take effect. We'll observe it tomorrow."
Peter was about to leave when he suddenly remembered that he had promised Aunt May to go home early and buy medicine for her.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Dr. Connors. I have to go home," Peter said urgently.
"You can go."
Peter rushed home impatiently, hoping everything would still be in time.
---
It was another night in New York, and evil slowly spread in the darkness.
After Peter got off the subway, he rushed home as quickly as he could.
However, Peter had wasted a lot of time doing experiments in the lab.
Running all the way, Peter was not far from home now — he would arrive in one or two more blocks.
Suddenly, Peter stopped, realizing he had just passed a pharmacy.
"Oh, right. I forgot I needed to buy medicine for Aunt May."
Peter could only turn back, preparing to buy the medicine from the pharmacy he had just passed.
As Peter was about to enter the pharmacy, he noticed that in a small shop next door, a man seemed to be engaged in robbery — a "zero-dollar purchase," as they were sometimes called sarcastically.
Such scenes were not uncommon in this city.
Peter hesitated. Normally, he would definitely try to stop something like this.
However, because he had lost track of time, Aunt May was still waiting for him — waiting for her medicine.
"Such things are not uncommon, and I can't stop everything from happening," Peter rationalized. "Perhaps the shop owner can handle it."
While Peter was momentarily stunned, the robber had already completed his theft and rushed out of the shop.
Peter stood there, staring blankly at the scene.
The shop owner rushed out. "Hey, stop him!"
While Peter was frozen, the robber had already changed direction, ran across the street, and gone to the other side.
"Hey, what the hell? Why didn't you stop him?" the shop owner yelled at Peter.
Peter couldn't be bothered to respond and turned to go into the pharmacy to buy medicine.
The shop owner had no choice but to continue his pursuit on his own.
---
The robber reached the other side of the street, preparing to escape.
While the robber was fleeing in a panic, he didn't notice Aunt May walking on the sidewalk and crashed directly into her.
Aunt May was knocked to the ground, and the robber fell as well. His stolen money and items scattered everywhere. Even a handgun fell out of his jacket.
Aunt May had already guessed what had happened. This person must have committed robbery.
"You can't do this," Aunt May said, trying to get up.
The robber got to his feet, muttering curses as he picked up his things. "Damn it. You're blocking my way, you know that?"
The shop owner caught up but panicked when he saw the robber pick up the handgun.
Could he still pursue?
Was his life more important, or the money?
The shop owner could only back down and retreat.
But Aunt May had no intention of backing down.
"If you have difficulties, there are other ways. Doing this is wrong," she said firmly.
The robber, blocked by Aunt May, was instantly enraged. He pointed the gun at her.
Aunt May still wanted to persuade him, but the robber was already out of patience.
He fired.
A gunshot pierced the quiet night sky.
The shop owner couldn't help but look back, but he was too afraid of the robber to do anything.
Others heard the commotion but dared not move.
---
Peter had just entered the pharmacy, preparing to buy medicine, when he heard a gunshot nearby.
Peter looked out the door in the direction of the sound.
Peter's heart began to waver. "No way. Could it be that person from the robbery earlier?"
"Because I didn't stop him, he hurt someone?"
Peter had already started to regret it. He didn't stop at the pharmacy entrance. He immediately rushed over, preparing to help whoever had been shot.
When Peter arrived, he saw a familiar figure lying on the ground.
Peter was incredibly familiar with those clothes.
Peter couldn't believe it. "No, no, no."
"Aunt May, it can't be."
Peter rushed to Aunt May like a person possessed, looking at her injuries. Self-reproach flooded his mind.
"If I had come home earlier, Aunt May wouldn't have had to come out to buy medicine herself."
"If I had stopped that robber earlier, Aunt May wouldn't have been shot."
"If..."
Peter frantically contacted emergency services, but the ambulance would still take some time to arrive.
Peter could only scream desperately, asking for help from those around him.
"Help! Help! Someone please help!"
However, the empty street became even quieter after the gunshot. People hid in their homes, unwilling to get involved.
Aunt May saw that it was Peter who had arrived. Holding on to her last breath, she said weakly, "Peter, don't blame yourself."
"Remember, be a good person."
"As your Uncle Ben always said... with great power comes great responsibility."
Peter cried bitterly, but no one could help him.
---
At that moment, Leo arrived outside Mary Jane's house. He had been planning to visit her quietly.
But then, following the sound of the gunshot and Peter's cries, he activated his suit and quickly ran over using his enhanced speed and wall-crawling abilities.
"Damn it," Leo muttered.
"Even though I arrived nearby, I was still too late."
Leo couldn't waste any more time. He landed in front of Peter.
He glanced over and saw Aunt May's injuries.
"Fortunately, it's just the abdomen — not the head or heart. Not immediately fatal."
Peter immediately reacted, looking at the person in a superhero costume standing in front of him. "What are you going to do?"
"I can save her," Leo said calmly.
Peter had no choice but to trust him.
Leo took out a small bottle of colorful juice and let a single drop fall into Aunt May's mouth.
"Is this really Aunt May?"
"She is too young and beautiful, isn't she?"
"Even more stunning than Marvel Universe."
"Sigh..., I am not an aunt lover, so why am I am thinking improper and wild things?"
At the same time, Leo activated his time manipulation ability, carefully reversing the damage to Aunt May's body. The bullet wound began to close. The internal bleeding stopped. The damage to her organs reversed.
Within moments, the wound had completely healed. The bullet itself seemed to vanish, as if it had never existed or maybe back to handgun of robber. Even the blood on her clothes disappeared.
"She'll be fine. The wound has healed completely," Leo said.
"However, it's best not to expose the recovery of her injury publicly, or it will be very troublesome."
Peter stared in astonishment. The wound on Aunt May's body had stopped bleeding and healed entirely. There wasn't even a scar.
"This is too miraculous," Peter whispered.
"I'll come find you tonight," Leo said quietly.
Then Leo disappeared, opening a portal and stepping through before anyone could see him clearly.
---
Peter took Aunt May home before the ambulance arrived. He canceled the emergency call and focused on waiting for Aunt May to wake up.
After about a minute, she regained consciousness.
"Aunt May, are you okay?" Peter asked anxiously.
"What happened? I seemed to hear you talking to someone, and then I just felt very comfortable," Aunt May said, confused.
"How am I at home?"
Peter explained, "Someone saved you. Your wound has already healed. It recovered so quickly."
"I'm sorry, Aunt May. I should have come back earlier. And that robber — I had a chance to stop him, but I didn't."
Aunt May heard Peter's self-reproach and quickly advised, "It's good that you realized your mistake. You can correct it in the future. Don't live in self-blame."
"If you keep living in self-blame, it will ruin your life."
Peter was incredibly grateful to the suddenly appearing superhero. If it weren't for him, Aunt May would surely have died.
---
Meanwhile, Leo quietly entered Mary Jane's room through a portal, secretly expressing his longing for her.
The night was long, and Leo had much to do.
But for now, he was exactly where he wanted to be.
---