191 I promise you

Jeff rushed to the hospital once he heard the news, once he got there he laid eyes on Gwen's family as well members of the Bat family. Pulling Kate aside Jeff began to question her on what exactly had happened.

"According to her mom, there was a knock at the door. She went to open it and then they heard the gunshot." Kate told Jeff what had happened as the two focused on the the sobbing family before them. "Have you managed to speak to Gwen, any ideas as to who might have done this?"

"No, she's not out of surgery just yet" Kate responded whilst shaking her head. Seeing this Jeff left her side and moved to the Stacy's offering his condolences as well as telling them that al of Gwen's hospital bills would be taken care of by King Industries. The poor woman was quick to thank Jeff after hearing his words.

Their conversation however was cut short with the arrival of the doctor, Gwen's mother quickly left Jeff's side and rushed to the doctor. "Doctor how is my daughter?" She asked the doctor with her tear filled eyes that held equal parts fear and hope.

The members of the bat family however read the Doctor's micro expressions and gained a heavy heart as they realized the news was not going to be good news. "I'm sorry, we managed to get the bullet out and save your daughter life but... the bullet managed to sever the spinal cord."

"What are you saying doctor?" the remaining color simply drained out of Gwen's mothers face once she heard the news, with her legs giving out from under her once the doctor confirmed her fears "Your daughter will not be able to walk again".

Yelena and Harry quickly rushed to her aid, helping the inconsolable woman up. Jeff observed this all with a cold look as his fury threatened to spill out of him right there and then.

---------

"How are you feeling?" Jeff asked Gwen who had finally managed to regain consciousness. His words caused her to focus her eyes on him before flashing him a pained grin, "Oh, I'm alright. With all the morphine they have pumping through me I honestly don't fell anything". 

Her attempts to lighten the mood, did nothing but cause Jeff's expression to fall even further.

"Do you... have they..." Jeff fumbled over his words as he looked for the words to say, how was he to ask a young girl, whether or not she knew she would never stand on her own two feet again. The question however must have been clear on his expression as her next words made her knowledge of her situation all too clear.

"told me that I won't walk again? oh yeah. My mom crying her eyes out did little to hide that little tid bit. I guess this is the end of the Ghost Bat huh." Gwen finished of with a depreciating chuckle, causing Jeff to place a hand on her shoulder in comfort.

"Hey look at me"

"Look at me, I promise you Gwen you will walk again. I give you my word." Jeff made a promise right there and then whilst looking into Gwen's eyes. He didn't care what the doctors said, this was marvel. There were a hundred and one ways to make someone walk again and if they failed he was the Batman. This was the daughter of a friend a girl he thought of as his own daughter, there was no way he wasn't going to help her.

Seeing the look in Jeff's eyes Gwen's eyes began to water, biting her lips she gave him a nod which he returned, a moment passed between the two before Jeff asked the important question.

"Who did this to you?"

"It was him, Norman Osborne. The Green Goblin". The venom in her voice as she spat out the name of the man who had killed her father caused Jeff to recoil back. As questions kept on flooding his mind, key amongst them, how was Osborne alive? What did he want?

-----

Arriving home Jeff intended to head straight to the Bat cave to begin his search for Osborne, but was stopped by Sebastian at the door. "You have guest waiting sir."

Sebastian's words caused Jeff to give him a questioning look as he was certain he was not expecting anyone that day. Not to mention, with Gwen having just been shot Sebastian knew he was in no mood to entertain guests. 

As he followed him to the living room however his budding questions were answered. Seated with a cup of tea at hand, was none other than King T-Chaka, current king of Wakanda and behind him stood two members of the Dora Milage who observed his every move with a wolfish glare once he stepped in.

"Ah Jeffrey my old friend, I was worried for a second I would miss you." King T-Chaka placed the tea cup on a table and rose to his feet to meet Jeff, "King T-Chaka, it has been too long. I had a family emergency which required me to step out for a moment."

"Ah yes, Gwen Stacy if I'm correct."

Jeff paused as he began to train his bat glare at the king after the mention of Gwen, "put that look away, you are the Bat man. You really think we wouldn't monitor the people close to you when we have that knowledge. My condolences by the way, I really hope the girl gets better soon".

"Thank you"

"Good now that, that's out of the way. We need to talk".