After Christmas Eve comes Christmas.
Early the next morning.
Hawk and Gwen were preparing to return to New York City.
Only...
Hawk looked at his sister Anya, who planned to stay here for a few days, and frowned.
"Are you sure you want to stay here?"
"Yes."
Anya nodded, glanced at the house diagonally across, and said to Hawk, "I want to see my nephews and nieces."
Hawk heard this, chuckled, and nodded.
"Alright, then stay here for a while, and come back after the holidays are over."
"Thanks, big brother."
"You're my sister."
Hawk smiled slightly, hugged Anya, kissed her forehead, and then said nothing more, turning to open the door of the Audi A8.
Gwen also hugged Amy and then opened the car door, sitting in the passenger seat.
The next moment.
The engine of the Audi A8 roared to life.
"Let's go to the Twenty-First District first."
Sitting in the passenger seat, Gwen fastened her seatbelt and said to Hawk, "Dad said he has something to discuss with us."
Hawk nodded, feeling a bit curious.
"Is George planning to surprise Helen and wants to discuss gifts with us?"
"Dad didn't say."
Gwen shook her head, "But it's unlikely. Dad isn't the surprise type. Once, Mom tried to surprise Dad, and after the fireworks went off, Dad already had his gun drawn."
Hawk, hearing this, instinctively looked at Gwen.
As if to say.
"Really?"
"Really."
Gwen nodded, her expression serious, "Ever since I can remember, the word 'surprise' hasn't existed in our house."
Hawk was curious.
"So what's George asking us over for?"
"I don't know."
Gwen shrugged.
"It's probably not a surprise."
"I'm planning to take the Vampire Antidote."
"..."
In the sheriff's office of the Twenty-First District.
After Gwen and her soon-to-be brother-in-law Hawk arrived, George spoke with a serious expression, stating the reason he called them over.
Gwen's jaw dropped.
Hawk was also slightly taken aback, then seemingly thought of something, looked at the somewhat stunned Gwen beside him, and smiled.
"This should count as a surprise."
"Get lost."
Gwen came to her senses, glanced at the smiling Hawk, rolled her eyes at him, then looked at George, her expression full of confusion.
"Why, Dad?"
"Because there's an antidote. Dr. Vanessa Brooks said that with Whistler's blood samples, the Vampire Antidote can turn me back into a human."
Vanessa Brooks was the African-American female doctor Blade Warrior saved from the hospital back then.
Though called a doctor, Vanessa Brooks was actually a medical PhD.
Ever since Deacon Frost was killed by Hawk, Vanessa Brooks joined S.H.I.E.L.D. and has been conducting research related to the Vampire Antidote.
The antidote used the last time Whistler was rescued by Blade was actually a prototype.
But Whistler was lucky and turned back into a human.
And having Whistler's successful blood sample beforehand, Vanessa Brooks finally managed to develop the Vampire Antidote after a period of research.
Originally, George didn't know about the existence of the Vampire Antidote.
But ever since Gwen took George to New York S.H.I.E.L.D. Central, George knew about the existence of the Vampire Antidote.
So.
After serious consideration over these days, George called Hawk and Gwen to consult.
But to say it was consultation, it would be better to say George had already made up his mind and called them over just to inform them.
But!
Facing George's already determined expression, Gwen slammed the table and stood up.
"No, I don't agree!"
"Why not?"
George looked at his opposing daughter.
Hawk sat quietly on the side, watching.
Gwen said, "Dad, even if you don't take the Vampire Antidote now, it won't affect your life at all. Most importantly, since you're a vampire, Mom and I no longer have to worry about the day a cop might knock on our door."
If George was like other sheriffs, just sitting in an office, Gwen would be very happy, whether or not her dad was a vampire.
But George particularly loves being on the scene, which makes Gwen very unhappy, because being a vampire ensures George's safety.
Frankly speaking.
Ever since Dad George became a vampire, Gwen hasn't worried about George's safety.
After all, vampires, even if they're the weakest of Extraordinary Creatures, still overwhelmingly surpass ordinary criminal activities.
And now she heard something unbelievable.
George actually wants to become an ordinary human again.
Gwen didn't understand.
"Dad, do you really want Mom and me to worry about you every time you go on a mission?"
"Your mom supports my decision."
"...What?"
Gwen was slightly stunned, her eyes widening as she looked at George.
"Mom, she..."
"Yes, there are no secrets between your mom and me."
George smiled slightly: "Your mom has known for a long time, but I told her it was you who asked me not to tell her first, to spare her from worrying. So all this time, your mom has been pretending not to know about this affair."
Gwen opened her mouth.
Sitting silently beside them, pretending he didn't exist, Hawk listened to George's words, his mouth faintly twitching: "Hey, this has nothing to do with me. I don't care if you tell Helen or not."
George looked at Hawk: "Yes, I've told Helen too, so listen to Gwen."
Hawk let out a sigh of relief, looking at George gratefully.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Hey!"
Beside them, Gwen looked at her fiancé who was saying thank you and at her dad who was saying you're welcome, suddenly feeling unhappy: "So, my mom thinks I'm the only one who's kept this from her?"
George smiled at Gwen: "You did say not to tell your mom at first, so she wouldn't worry."
Sitting next to them, Hawk also spoke in a low voice.
"You did say that."
"Oh, God, shut up."
Gwen extended her small pink fist and gave her fiancé, who had a gloating expression on his face, a punch. Then, looking somewhat tense, she asked George: "Dad, did mom say anything?"
George shrugged.
"You'll know when you get home tonight."
"Hawk!"
Gwen's expression turned serious as she looked at Hawk: "We're on a flight this afternoon, right?"
Hawk was stunned.
"Flight?"
"Hmm?"
Gwen raised her eyebrows.
"Yes, flight."
Hawk quickly reacted, nodded, and looked at George: "Our flight is this afternoon."
However...
Their flight this afternoon, where does it fly?
It doesn't fly anywhere.
The plane didn't even take off, it crashed directly.
Because Helen came.
After all, George calling them over was not to discuss with them, but to inform them.
The antidote injection was at ten o'clock in the morning, and as the one true love, of course Helen would be present.
No.
Outside the medical room at the New York S.H.I.E.L.D. Central.
Hawk approached his prospective mother-in-law, Helen, and lowered his voice: "Helen, you know me, I listen to Gwen."
Prospective mother-in-law Helen gave Hawk a gentle look, then glared at Gwen standing nearby.
"Your dad is right, a leaky cotton jacket."
"Mom..."
"Don't call me mom."
Helen rolled her eyes, then looked at Gwen with some curiosity: "I'm very curious, if I really didn't know, when were you planning to tell me, the daughter I always saw as my pride?"
Gwen had a serious expression: "I was planning to tell you tonight, mom."
Helen laughed.
"When I walked into the office, weren't you already looking at this afternoon's plane tickets?"
"It's Hawk who wants to go out and play, right? Hawk."
"...Yes."
Hawk nodded, looking at Helen: "Yes, Helen, I was planning to take Gwen out to have fun."
Helen watched her daughter spread her hands, then shook her head and looked at Hawk.
"Hawk."
"Yes?"
"Thank you for your hard work."
"It's not hard."
"Mom..."
"Shut up."
Helen rolled her eyes again at Gwen, sighed at Hawk: "George and I have discussed it. After the festival, when the city hall opens, take Gwen back with you; we don't want this daughter anymore."
Hawk raised an eyebrow, exchanged a look with Gwen, then couldn't contain his joy.
"Thank you, mom."
Just like proposing requires George and Helen's agreement, marriage also needs the approval and blessing of both George and Helen.
Even though registering at the city hall doesn't require a household registration book or anything.
But without the approval and blessing from the bride's parents, it is still considered elopement in Western society.
After all, the wedding costs need to be covered by George and Helen.
"Mom."
Gwen now also realized, and hugged Helen tightly.
The conversation was merely to lighten the sentiment of really sending off the daughter.
Helen looked at Gwen hugging her tightly, gently smiled and said: "Your dad and I have already booked Trinity Church, but you need to quickly organize the guest list."
New York City has countless churches.
But among these numerous wedding churches, Trinity Church, located on Manhattan Island, is undoubtedly the most famous.
Helen, while embracing Gwen, also looked at her husband George, who was receiving the antidote injection while lying on a hospital bed inside the medical room, then looked at Gwen.
"Because at that time, your dad will hold your hand and place it in Hawk's."
"So..."
"Your dad says he hopes to give you away as George Stacy, Gwen Stacy's father."
"And not as Vampire George Stacy."
"..."
Gwen's heart was moved; she turned her head to look inside the medical room, at George who was enduring the antidote injection, lips pursed but eyebrows furrowed, seemingly enduring some pain.
"...Dad."
"..."