They were at the club. Picture whatever generic club that comes to your mind first because it doesn't matter. It was a place with low lights, high patrons. It was a place with loud music that could go appreciated if you cared and not if you didn't. Either way, it wasn't important. Most details in any given scene go unnoticed by us, not unless you're looking for them.

Gwen wasn't interested in the scene, but she might have been earlier in life if she had been given the chance to. Right here and now Gwen was just interested in being a good friend; being her best friend's friend. Her best friend is the lovely perfection of a woman known as Mary Jane. Mary Jane with her long auburn hair; Mary Jane with her slender physique. Mary Jane who is her best friend. Mary Jane who is depressed. Mary Jane who tried to kill herself because she didn't think she was good enough for this world anymore.

Gwen wanted to tell MJ what happened, but she would never add to MJ's personal burdens. She had been through so much already. And now, here she was trying to have a good time again. MJ was putting in a decent effort to make the best of her life which understandably is very difficult for the woman. Gwen, on the other hand, was holding as tightly as she could onto the single thread that held her together.

She saw him approach her from the corner of her eye. Gwen was the type of person to never let a single detail in life go unnoticed. Gwen was continuously and constantly aware of her surroundings. Her father had brought up this personal trait not too long ago. He had mentioned that she would make an amazing detective. She would argue that that was exactly why she was going into digital forensic science, but that answer never placated him. Not to say that he wasn't proud of his daughter. In fact, after all she had been through, she could never disappoint him.

Let's go back to the man who slowly approached her. You could argue that all he was actually doing was approaching the bar itself, but Gwen saw him pass her a few looks earlier. She had noticed that he was with a group of professionally dressed men; wealthy looking men. She made a few assumptions about them based off of their simple behaviors. They had been standing in a small circle next to the dance floor examining their targets. Once their targets had been picked, they set out to make the kill. For some reason or another, this man decided that Gwen would be his target for the night. Maybe he thought she was easy or maybe he thought she was desperate.

Gwen had been facing the dance floor from where she was sitting with her elbows propped on the bar behind her. She was diligently watching over her friend Mary Jane making sure that all was well. The two of them always had a plan of escape just in case MJ got harassed by an unwanted suitor. Mary Jane would wave Gwen over when the time came. If MJ approved of her suitor she would start with the line, "Hey Gwen, meet my new friend so and so," and if she didn't approve MJ would say, "How are you doing Gwen?". Mary Jane didn't always get the wording right especially when she was intoxicated, but Gwen always knew if the guy was a hit or a miss.

"Can I get you a drink?" he intentionally stepped in Gwen's line of sight. He was a tall and handsome man, to say the least. Maybe he wouldn't have been considered traditional or classically handsome, but he had a posture which demanded confidence. Without a doubt in her mind, he was a man with an oversized ego. She wasn't expecting much.

Gwen was never one to ignore a person, so she gave him the time of day, "I already have a drink."

"I can see that." He smiled at her. "How about I buy you your next drink?"

Gwen shrugged and looked in his direction while holding up her glass, "I don't know. This one still looks pretty full to me."

"I'll take that as a no then?" He continued to smile charmingly at her.

"It's hard to say no to a free drink." She craned her head to stare over at the bar. "Usually I just get the cheapest item on the menu. I'm a poor, struggling student, in case you were wondering."

"You don't look it."

"Really?" She laughed a bit. "I thought that's exactly what I looked like."

"Can I offer to get you something besides the cheapest swill on the menu?" He still pulled his charming smile on her.

Gwen slowing took stock of her surroundings. Mary Jane came here specifically because it wasn't a high-class bar. It wasn't trashy; you want to stay away from trashy, but it didn't seem like the place for men like him or for nice drinks at that.

"I think the only cocktail this place knows how to make is a Jager Bomb. That or something with vodka."

"I'm guessing neither of those beverages are to your taste?"

"Actually, I'll drink anything." Gwen saw MJ chatting with one of the man's friends. "I'm probably an alcoholic, or at least, that's what my dad thinks."

He gave Gwen a quizzical expression that held a smirk within, "So… I shouldn't get you another drink?"

"My question is: Why are you even talking to me?" She sighed at him.

The smirk left his quizzical face. "Is that not exactly the reason people come to places like these? To talk to someone?"

"If by talking you mean have sex, then yeah, that's why people come here."

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you aren't interested in either." He said this, but he didn't seem annoyed or bothered. It wasn't exactly the reaction she was anticipating.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why? Is that what you're looking for?"

"I was curious about you." He examined her closely. Gwen wasn't a lavish person and he would never have described her as a stunning woman. She was wearing a lot less make-up then half of the woman there and a lot more clothing than most. She didn't seem like she belonged. "I get the impression you don't want to be here." He finally added.

"I want to be here because my friend is here." She pointed her eyes in MJ's direction. "Wouldn't be here otherwise."

The man nodded in response. "So I am annoying you, then?"

"No," Gwen paused to think about whether or not this was the truth, "You're not annoying me at all. I just think that maybe, if you're looking for somebody, I'm not who you're looking for."

"Tell me then," his grin broadened, "What am I looking for?"

Gwen raised a single brow at him. "Maybe if I was a telepath I could tell you, but I'm not. So really, that's your problem, isn't it?"

"I've found, in my experience, that looking produces disappointment. Therefore, I never look." He spoke to her as if it was matter-of-fact. "In my life's experience anytime I've looked for a woman, well… They are never who they say they are."

"Let me tell you something then. As a matter-of-fact, no one ever is. I, myself, probably more than most."

"As in, you're guilty of not being who you say you are?" He questioned.

"Often it's what we don't say, not what we do say that becomes our downfall." Gwen's mind reached out in blankness. "And when we're found out, that's when everything falls apart."

"Okay." He figured he would entertain her theory. "So what is it that you won't say which will make everything fall apart?"

She gave him a crooked glance. "If I told you, everything would fall apart now, wouldn't it?"

"How can you even know if you don't tell me? We're strangers. We never have to see each other again; what do you have to lose?"

"You don't think that there's a secret out there that's so dangerous that telling it to a stranger could still destroy your life?" She shifted her eyes back to him. What a strange man, she thought.

"How about, I go first?" He stopped to rub his chin. "It'll be a secret between us."

"You would so willingly tell me something that could destroy all that is good in your life?"

"Sure." He shrugged at her. "Maybe you could go tell my friends here and that would make my life difficult, but I don't think you will."

"Alright." She just couldn't understand what exactly he was getting at. "Tell me then."

"I don't believe I am capable of loving anyone who isn't myself." He sounded almost prideful when he spoke. "On the scale of what matters in the world, I am more competent than everyone I know and I've never met a person I haven't deeply criticized."

Gwen wasn't impressed. "Honestly, that doesn't sound like much of a secret. Your friends probably know that about you, if you have any."

"I've destroyed people's lives to get where I am today. I've gone so far as to betray my own friends. I've spent little to no time caring about what anyone else wants."

"Buddy," Gwen lifted an open palm at him. "This isn't Dr. Phil, alright? You're just dumping your shit on me; these aren't secrets."

"I don't tell people this when I meet them. They discover it and then… Leave."

"Wait," Gwen rolled her eyes, "wasn't this about how people disappoint you? How they aren't what they seem to you."

"That, too." He agreed. "But usually it's a me problem."

Now his words and tone were confusing Gwen. "You don't seem upset about it… You seem- You seem pretty okay with yourself."

"The problem is, is that I wish I was a different person, but I'm not."

"People can always change." She wondered if she could change; if she would change. "You can always try to be something else."

He observed her sad eyes but decided against any further comment on the matter. "What about you? What is it that you don't tell anyone?"

Gwen finished off her warm drink and slapped the empty glass down on the bar. "I was in love with my best friend's boyfriend and then I accidentally killed him. And my best friend doesn't know either of these things."

"Well, uh," the stranger scratched at the top of his head. "That would ruin one's life, wouldn't it?"

"Probably one of the reasons I'm a depressed alcoholic." She feigned a smile at him.

He appeared a bit stunned to Gwen. "One of the reasons? Like you have additional reasons for that?"

"Look… Mister," she raised a finger at him, "I have so many more reasons you'll wonder why I haven't ended it all already."

"That's dark. I think I was right about you." He shook his head knowingly.

She gave him a short glare. "That makes two of us. But what is it about me specifically that you were right about?"

"I was right when I thought to myself that you're the kind of woman who doesn't want to be here." He took a moment to stare into her pale eyes. "You're the kind of woman who doesn't want to be here, on Earth."

What he said to Gwen, it unsettled her. It was a particularly poignant observation that he cast on her. Was she so completely obvious? She never thought that her dissatisfaction and resentment towards life was painted clearly on her face. Did MJ see this in her? Did she know?

"But I'm still here." Gwen finally spoke up after a few moments of silence. "And I'll be here until I'm no longer needed."

He shook his head at her in disagreement. "What exactly is that supposed to even mean?"

"Maybe because you don't understand what it's like to devote your life to something besides yourself, it doesn't make a lot of sense."

"You might be wrong there." He argued. "I'm a doctor; my entire life's purpose is saving people."

Somehow Gwen didn't find that fact to be much of a surprise. "And you also said you don't care about anyone but yourself, so it kinda makes sense."

"How so?" He wondered, but he was sure he already knew the answer.

"Because it really does make you better than everyone else, doesn't it?"

"Exactly." He wouldn't argue with her logic.

Gwen caught MJ waving at her from a distance. "As enlightening as this conversation has been, duty calls." She pointed in MJ's direction.

The strange man glanced over to the dance floor. "I am assuming that's the friend you spoke of earlier. Your best friend?"

"Bingo." She hopped off of the tall barstool.

"I don't think I caught your name." He stopped her.

"I didn't tell you what my name was."

He rolled his eyes ever so slightly. "My name is Stephen."

"Gwen." She turned her head away. "But, I mean, we probably won't ever see each other again, so I'm not sure how much that matters."

"Well, despite your attitude I enjoyed talking to you."

"Oh, go fuck yourself." Gwen laughed at him as she walked away.

MJ was in the middle of the dance floor. She would always migrate towards large crowds of people. It was a place where she could drown herself; where she could become lost and insignificant. The problem was, people always noticed Mary Jane. There were days she loved it and embraced it and then there were the other days. There were days she wished she was a troll living under a bridge that everyone avoided. Today she wanted to get lost, but like most days, Mary Jane often felt she didn't get her way.

There was Gwen, presently in front of her. "Hello MJ."

"How are you doing, Gwen?" MJ shouted this over the crowd and music.

Gwen scrutinized the man she was with. "We should probably go now."

He heard this and placed a wobbling hand on Gwen's shoulder. "Oh, come on. We were- we were having fun. We can all have fun together, ya know?"

MJ wanted to leave. Tonight wasn't her night. Tonight wasn't one of those nights where she thought she could have a good time. Tonight became one of those nights where she just needed to be left alone.

"Here's the thing, bud," Gwen yelled into his ear. "My friend and I are done with this place. We both just want to get home and get some rest."

"Pfft." He spat in response. "She ain't say no such thing. Right, MJ?"

MJ considered her options. She didn't like to offend people or hurt their feelings and he seemed like an okay enough guy, but she just wasn't into it.

"I think we are just going to leave." Gwen reiterated.

He offered Gwen a wavering squint. "I know exactly what this is about."

"Yeah, it's about us wanting to go the fuck home."

"No, no," he shook his pointer finger at her, "I know what this is about. You see some fine man getting up in your friend's business and you must be thinking- you must be jealous, 'cause you could only wish for a man like me."

"Maybe if I pray enough Santa will bring me one for Christmas." Gwen scoffed back. "Until that day arrives, we're going to leave."

He wrapped his fingers around MJ's left bicep. "Naw, we're gonna stay right here and have a good time."

Gwen grabbed his free hand and slowly began squeezing it. "Naw, I think we're going to go."

A puzzled look crept onto the man's face then slowly it became an expression of pain. "You fuckin' let go of me!"

Until now, MJ had been completely silent. "You fucking let go of me!" She shouted.

And he did exactly that. "Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ!" He screamed at Gwen.

She let go of the man's hand.

"Holy fuck!" He shouted again. "You broke my hand, you psycho bitch!" And he ran off to the bar where Gwen could see Stephen was still sitting at.

"Let's uh-" Gwen quickly looked around the neon bar, "-go out the back, kay?"

Mary Jane nodded in agreement.

As they exited out of the dark club and into a dark alley Mary Jane spoke, "Did you really hurt that guy?"

"MJ," Gwen chuckled, "The guy was being a wuss. I didn't break his hand. Do you honestly believe I could break someone's hand just like that?"

MJ grabbed onto Gwen's shoulders from the side and smiled at her. "You are like a freak of nature. You're weirdly strong. I wouldn't mess with you and I took Krav Maga lessons."

"MJ, you took two lessons and gave up. That doesn't count."

"That's two more lessons than you." MJ retorted.

Gwen ignored this joking jab. "Should we get you home? I'll hail you a cab, okay?"

"Cab?" MJ snorted in response. "What year is this? 1990? Uber's are waaay cheaper, Gwen."

"And way creepier."

"You really think cab drivers are better than Uber drivers?" MJ questioned Gwen's rationale. "Like, cab drivers rape and kill people, too."

"Are you trying to make me feel better?" Gwen lifted her palms to the sky. "I'd walk you home, but you're wearing heels and it'll take 30 minutes at best."

"Carry me." MJ laughed as she draped her body over Gwen's torso.

Gwen grunted and pushed the woman off of her. "I'm not carrying you home, MJ."

"But I know you could, since you're like, freakishly strong. We were literally just talking about this."

"Are you trying to get a rise out of me MJ?" Gwen crossed her arms over her chest.

MJ poked at Gwen and looked her directly in her eyes. "Just seeing if you can. I can't remember the last time I saw you get upset about anything. Even when Peter died you were like weird and cold and-"

Gwen cupped a hand over MJ's mouth. "MJ, I don't want to talk about Peter, I don't want to talk about anything. This isn't the moment for that, okay?"

MJ took a step back and studied Gwen. "I saw you-" she stuttered, "I saw you talking to that nice looking man at the bar. Usually you tell them to fuck of right away, but you didn't to him."

"I eventually told him to fuck off if that makes you feel any better."

"What was so special about him?" MJ asked.

"He wasn't. He was an asshole, a douchebag." Gwen didn't actually believe that, at least not entirely. "I'm never going to see him again, so what does it matter?"

"Gwen, in the years I've known you, you've never had a boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever. Like, I never got why you were like that. I never got why you were always like, so against being with anyone. Don't you want to be happy?"

"Because that's it, isn't it MJ?" Gwen scowled at MJ. She hated it; she hated that she was getting angry at MJ. "Because being in a romantic relationship should be the most important aspect of my life? Have you ever stopped to think that it's just not what I want with my life?"

"Finally!" A huge grin crossed MJ's face. "I finally get something out of you for once, Gwen. Sometimes it seems like you're dead inside and I only wish I could feel that way."

Gwen quickly shook her head in disagreement. "Have you ever thought that you're not the only person in the world who knows what it's like to suffer? Have you ever thought that other people go through shit, MJ? And instead of crying for attention, they just fucking deal with it?"

MJ was crushed by Gwen's words. "Is that what you think? Gwen, I know how pathetic I am, I don't need you to remind me of that!"

Gwen immediately realized that a mistake had been made. "I shouldn't have said all of that."

"No, you're right." MJ bowed her head. "You know I try to deal with it. I try to deal with everything, but then I think, I remember… I miss Peter every day, Gwen. And I wish I could forget everything. I wish I didn't have to think about it. I know you and Peter were close-"

"MJ," Gwen gasped for air, "I told you I don't want to talk about Peter."

"But I want to talk about Peter!" MJ screamed back. "I love him and I miss him all the time. I just want him back!"

Gwen wrapped her fingers into tight fists. "I know what that's like. I miss Peter, too. I miss my mom and my brother and the life I could have had. I miss all of those things, but you move on. You gotta move on with your life MJ; you got to let it go."

"Peter was my life." Silent tears trickled down MJ's face. "He was my meaning in life."

Gwen heard a bolt of thunder and blankly stared down the half lit florescent alley. Small drops of rain popped off the dusty ground as the two friends stood in silence. Gwen could tell it was going to be a bad storm. She had a certain sense for doom and demise.

"I want to go home now." MJ murmured through the pattering rain.

Gwen placed a firm hand on MJ's back. "Come on, let's go out front, I'll hail you a cab."

The two walked down the alley to where they could be seen on New York's vibrant city nights. The city that never sleeps which was convenient for Gwen since she never did either. It was only a few moments before Gwen hailed down a cab and pushed MJ off into it. All she could hope for was that MJ would make it through the night; that the woman would sleep it off. Even more rain started to fall.

Through the thick of the rain, Gwen heard someone chuckle behind her from the curb. As she turned around to step off the street, she saw exactly the person she thought she would. Stephen.

She rolled her eyes and he caught on to her expression. "I thought you left a while ago?" He questioned her.

"Your friend is a fucking asshole." Gwen smiled.

He shook his head up and down knowingly. "That he is. Groom to be, too."

Gwen raised a brow in response.

"This was his bachelor party." He gave her a small yet sly grin. "He's in the emergency room now though. Said, and I quote him exactly, 'Some crazy bitch broke my hand'. You wouldn't happen to know who that was?"

"If you want to charge me for assault or something, feel free. However, it was entirely self-defense."

"Oh, I don't doubt that." He was satisfied with her response; it was exactly what he wanted to hear. "Let's be honest, he got exactly what he deserved. He probably deserved more."

"You hang out with dirt bags."

"I thought we had already established that I am one."

"You established that. You directly said that, although with more words." The rain had been pouring down for a few minutes now and they were both soaked to the bone.

"You got me there." But he still just smiled at her.

She frowned back. "I'm going home now. Enjoy the rest of your night, if there is one."

"Will do." He sternly nodded at her.

Gwen knew, and she had the sense for these sort of things, that she was going to see him again. She wasn't one to believe in fate, but she knew that the future was already set in stone.