Gwen Stark (First POV)

Hello, I'm Gwen.

It's hard to explain how I got here, at least it's hard to explain it in a short story, but I'll do my best!

Hello, I'm Gwen, Gwen Stark. I was an orphan who lived in the streets of New York City, at least up until I was 10. That's when Tony Stark found me digging through the scraps in the trash bin behind his company building.

I mean, what else was I supposed to do? I was a young girl living on her own, eating leftovers from the MoonDance diner, with no home, family, or protection. I needed a weapon or something in case creeps decide to make moves. So yes, he found me at my lowest, and then he took me in.

I wasn't adopted, I just wasn't alone anymore. I had been found and taken in by the one and only Tony Stark. And I know that sounds weird, could be mistaken for kidnapping even, but it's Iron Man himself for crying out loud!

He raised me to work with him on his many inventions. I became a big part of Stark Industry. He had me learn Self defense, and even let me sneak a look at the avengers while training. It was a dream come true. Everything was looking up for me. I was beginning to feel like part of a bigger family. He was the closest thing I had to a father.

And then he took in another kid, bug boy. Well, not really. The Spider-Man whose identity is only revealed to a few, family, Avengers, and me. Tony didn't, per se raise him, more like he trained him, gave him equipment to be a full-on Avenger.

Yes, I did complain to him on why he wouldn't make me an Avenger, I guess jealousy could be the word used. I was a fast learner, but after a conversation with Pepper Potts, I came to learn that I actually meant something to the man. He didn't want me in danger. At least that's what I chose to believe because I'd like to think that apart from the actual human being he had created with his gorgeous wife, I was his daughter too.

Anyway, back to bug boy, I mean, Spider-Man. We were the same age, and me spending a lot of time training with the Avengers gave me time to spend with him. So we got close, very close.

What can I say? Geeky boys are my weakness. So yes, I guess we were dating. And it was great. Was... until Thanos.

I was gone, for 5 years. And coming back, my old man had an actual daughter. She's the cutest of course because she's his. She is what I am not, his actual daughter. And then he was gone. I came back and he was gone just as fast. I had no time to process what had happened, no time to process the 5 years I had lost with him. Iron Man, Tony Stark, the closest thing to a father in my life. Gone.

At the Funeral, I and Spider-Man decided we both weren't ready, we couldn't be emotionally available for a relationship. He lost a mentor, I lost a father. So that was that.