Marvel: The Enlightened One#65+66: Gwen: We Go to Hell Together! Saint vs. Hulk, The Show is About to Begin!

Hawk had never intended to hide things from Gwen.

At least, not since they had made their relationship official. He had never concealed his true strength or anything else from her.

There should be no secrets between lovers.

That was his own belief, reinforced by the hard-learned lessons from countless movie characters whose lives were ruined by the misunderstandings and irreversible consequences born from concealment.

Just as he'd said.

If you ask, I'll tell you.

And so, he told her—

"Killing someone."

"..."

The smile on Gwen's face froze.

See? I told you. You're not happy.

Hawk thought to himself, a wry, internal smile touching his lips. But he felt no disappointment, no sense of loss.

Gwen, at her core, was a good person.

If she had heard him say he was going to kill someone and had reacted with anything other than shock—with excitement, even—then he would have been the one to worry.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, Gwen seemed to recover from the initial shock.

Her response was just as direct.

"Who?"

"The Hulk."

"Bruce Banner is back in New York?"

"No."

"Then..."

"I have intel that he'll be spending the Christmas holiday in New Jersey."

Hawk held nothing back, laying the entire plan out for her.

Gwen was silent for a moment, then a look of realization dawned on her face. "So, those weekends you spent in New Jersey... you were..."

Hawk gave a slight, grim smile. "Reconnaissance. Pre-battle preparations."

Failing to plan is planning to fail. He had gone to the location, studied the layout, and run through a dozen different combat scenarios in his head.

He had already mapped out several escape routes the Hulk might take if he tried to run.

In a word:

This Christmas, the Hulk had to die.

His sister, Anya, was waiting in Hell for him to avenge her, and he would not make her wait any longer for her vengeance.

After the Hulk, it would be the Abomination's turn.

Hawk wasn't as rushed about the Abomination. He wasn't going anywhere. Since that night, he had been locked away and controlled by the military.

Hawk even knew where he was being held—right there at the Quantico military base. He hadn't gone after him that night because some things have to be done in order.

First the Hulk, then the Abomination.

As the final piece of his plan settled in his mind, Gwen's voice cut through his thoughts, firm and resolute. "I'm going with you!"

"..."

Hawk snapped back to reality, his eyes locking with hers. He thought he must have misheard.

"What??"

"I said, I'm going with you." Gwen's gaze was unwavering, her voice firm and absolute.

Hawk almost laughed. He shook his head, a sense of absurdity washing over him.

"Gwen, I'm going to kill someone."

"I know. And I'm going with you."

"..."

Hawk stared at her, at the absolute conviction in her eyes. He tried to reason with her, a tired, pleading smile on his face. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm serious. I'm going with you."

"Why?"

"If you're going to Hell, I'm going with you."

"..."

Hawk fell silent. He looked at Gwen.

She looked right back at him...

After a long moment, Hawk let out a short, humorless laugh. "Are you worried I'm going to die?"

Gwen shook her head, her eyes never leaving his. "I don't know. But I know I'm not going to sit here in New York and just wait."

That was so Gwen.

Hawk was silent for another moment, then shook his head again.

"No."

"This isn't a discussion, Hawk. You know me. If I want to find you, I will." Her voice was calm. "If you win, we come back together. If you die, I go to Hell with you."

She paused, a faint, bittersweet smile touching her lips. "Besides, from the moment I ran off to Maryland and found you in that waterfall... I think maybe we were damned to go to Hell together anyway."

Go to Hell together?

Hawk looked at her, at the way she spoke of damnation as if it were a casual afternoon plan, and he couldn't help but smile. "You think Hell is a place you can just decide to visit? I haven't even—"

Gwen's brow furrowed, thinking he was trying to change the subject. "Hawk, I'm being serious."

"So am I." Hawk sighed, seeing the stern look on her face. He stood up from the bed and walked over to her, looking down at her as she sat in the desk chair.

He took a deep breath.

"Alright," he said, his voice soft but clear. "We'll go to Hell together."

Gwen stood up and wrapped her arms around him, the tension in her face melting away into a radiant smile. She held him tight, their faces close.

"Okay. Then you have to hold my hand. I don't want to get lost."

"I won't let go."

"Promise me. Swear on Anya's name."

"..."

The sudden, intimate gravity of her demand shattered the mood. Hawk looked down at her, a wry, almost pained smile on his face. "You really know how to play dirty, don't you?"

Gwen gave a slight, knowing shrug, her hands linked around his waist. She tilted her head back to look up at him. "Hawk, it's clear I know exactly how to handle you, isn't it?"

Hawk looked at her upturned, smiling face and sighed in defeat. "Yes. You absolutely do."

"Then swear, Hawk."

"Do I have to?"

"Of course."

Gwen said with a smile. "Don't think I haven't seen the movies. You'll agree to anything now, and then the moment my back is turned, you'll knock me out and leave me behind."

Damn it.

Never date a girl who's smarter than you are.

Hawk looked at his girlfriend's smiling, expectant eyes, sighed one more time, and met her gaze with a serious expression.

"We go to Hell together?"

"Together."

"Alright."

Hawk took a final, deep breath. With Gwen watching him intently, he swore on his sister Anya's name. He shook his head, a resigned look on his face.

"You happy now?"

"Almost. If you'll agree to one more thing."

"What?" Gwen's smile faded, her expression becoming completely serious. "I know you don't want to be a hero. I'm not asking you to be. But Hawk, please, don't be a villain. Try to be a decent man."

"Try to be a man who can live with himself, no matter what."

"Can you do that?"

"..."

<><><><><><><><>

In the small but cozy bedroom, Hawk and Gwen held each other in a quiet embrace.

don't be a villain. Try to be a decent man...

Gwen's words echoed in his mind like an angelic whisper.

Hawk pressed his lips together.

"I've never wanted to be a villain."

"I know." Gwen's reply was immediate and certain. She tightened her arms around him, her gaze never leaving his. "So please, keep being one of the good guys, Hawk."

The definitions of "Good" and "Evil" were often decided by public perception.

Spider-Man, for instance, was a good guy because most people loved him.

Hydra, on the other hand, was the definition of evil because most people hated them.

But perception was fickle. For everyone who loved Spider-Man, there was someone like the NYPD who despised the vigilante. And for all the hatred directed at Hydra, there were always those who secretly admired them.

But being a decent person... that didn't require a consensus. It was about being true to yourself, about being able to sleep at night without being haunted by your past.

Hawk met Gwen's gaze and gave a firm nod.

"I promise."

"Thank you." A smile bloomed on Gwen's face, radiant and pure. She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest...

Just then, the bedroom door, which had been left ajar, was pushed open from the outside.

"Gwen, dinner is—"

"Oh."

Helen stood in the doorway, seeing the two teenagers locked in an embrace. She blinked, and a smile spread across her face as she watched Gwen spring from Hawk's arms like a startled deer. "Sorry, carry on. But Gwen, honey, you really should put a 'Do not Disturb' sign on your door."

With a chuckle, Helen started to close the door.

Gwen's ears turned a shade of pink.

"Mom!" she groaned, chasing after her.

Hawk couldn't help but laugh at Helen's teasing. He followed Gwen out of the bedroom.

Tonight's dinner was a celebration for Hawk and Gwen finishing their semester, and an official congratulations for both of them receiving acceptance letters from their top-choice universities.

But unlike the first time Hawk had eaten here, things were different.

That first dinner had been formal, with separate plates and a tense atmosphere. Tonight was a relaxed, family-style meal.

The mood was cheerful and lively, mostly thanks to Gwen's two younger brothers, with Helen and Gwen adding to the chatter.

As the head of the family, George maintained his usual stern, serious expression, upholding his fatherly authority.

The two youngest, nine-year-old Howard and eight-year-old Simon, were excitedly discussing where they wanted to go for their winter vacation.

As the captain of the 19th Precinct, George's salary was enough to support his large family and still afford a couple of nice vacations each year.

Helen rested her chin on her hand, a warm smile on her face as she listened to her sons' chatter. Then, a thought occurred to her. She looked over at Hawk. "Hawk, do you have any plans for the holidays? If not, you’re welcome to join us. Right, George?"

George met his wife's gaze, then glanced at Hawk, his expression unreadable. "I have no objection."

His reservations about Hawk were born from the primal instinct to protect his daughter from the 'animal' who had captured her heart.

But setting that aside, Hawk was a good kid.

That wasn't just idle praise.

Being an orphan might have been a disadvantage before, but after securing a full scholarship to NYU, it was no longer a factor.

He was the classic rags-to-riches story: a kid with a hellish start who had, through sheer force of will, carved out a promising future for himself.

A full scholarship meant he wouldn't have to worry about the crushing debt of law school. Once he graduated and passed the bar, a bright future was all but guaranteed.

Of course, that was unless he had a crisis of conscience and decided to become some pro-bono crusader for the little guy. Otherwise, with the connections from NYU Law, he'd be able to afford a new car in six months, a house in a year, and achieve financial freedom in three. It wasn't just a dream.

Hawk was about to politely decline Helen's invitation when Gwen cut in. "Mom, I don't think Hawk or I will have time."

"Why not?"

"MJ invited us to go on a trip with her over the break. We just haven't decided on a time or place yet."

"Mary Jane..."

"She's dating Peter now."

"Peter? Oh, I know him. Isn't he..."

Helen's eyes widened. She remembered that Peter was Mary Jane's neighbor. The topic was successfully derailed, and Gwen and her mother were soon deep in a gossip session about MJ and Peter's new relationship.

Apparently, gossip was a timeless, ageless pastime for women.

Helen and Gwen chatted excitedly.

...

Soon, Dinner was over. Just as before, Gwen drove him home, since he had to catch the subway.

"I thought you were going to get your driver's license. Still haven't done it?"

"I'll do it after I get back." Hawk said with a smile. The Hulk was the main event of this Christmas break.

Gwen nodded. "Okay. When are you planning on going to New Jersey?"

Hawk shook his head. "I don't know yet. I'm waiting for a call."

Anna was keeping an eye on the situation for him. The fact that she hadn't called yet meant that Bruce Banner and Betty Ross were still on schedule.

In a way, no news was good news.

He hoped the Hulk would show up at Culver University as planned. The scenery was nice. It was a good place for an eternal rest. And more importantly, it was remote. The risk of civilian casualties was low.

His own sister had been killed in the collateral damage of the fight between the Hulk and the Abomination.

He knew the pain of losing someone that way.

He refused to inflict that same pain on another family.

Just then, his phone rang.

It was Anna.

Hawk raised an eyebrow, gave Gwen a quick look, and answered the call. "Hello."

"It's time? Understood. Where?"

"I'll be there."

"See you then."

"..."