Gemini raised her hand at the curb, and a yellow taxi squealed to a stop before her with the characteristic urgency of New York traffic.
"Hey there, sweetheart," the driver called through his rolled-down window. He was a middle-aged man with kind eyes and work-weathered hands gripping the steering wheel. "You need a ride? Where are your folks?"
The genuine concern in his voice made Gemini pause. In her world of magical politics and ancient bloodlines, such straightforward kindness was refreshingly rare.
"I can manage on my own," she said, sliding into the backseat with practiced ease. "I need to get here—do you know the area?" She handed him a slip of paper bearing an address in neat handwriting.
The driver glanced at the address and nodded confidently. "Brooklyn? Sure thing. Been driving these streets for fifteen years—I'll get you there safe and sound." He pulled into traffic with the fluid expertise of someone who'd navigated Manhattan through every conceivable crisis. "That's near a little bakery, if I remember right. Meeting friends?"
"Something like that," Gemini replied diplomatically. "I heard they make exceptional bread."
The driver's expression shifted to gentle disapproval. "Look, kid, I don't mean to pry, but that's a long way from where I picked you up. You sure your parents know where you are? New York can be... unpredictable."
Gemini found herself unexpectedly touched by his protective instincts. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm not traveling alone. My... security detail is just less visible than most."
The driver's eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, scanning for the bodyguards he assumed were following discreetly. Rich kid, he decided. Probably had a whole team of professionals keeping her safe from a distance.
"Well, that's a relief," he said, relaxing slightly. "Speaking of that bakery—is it really worth the trip? My wife loves trying new recipes, but..." He chuckled self-consciously. "Let's just say her enthusiasm exceeds her talent. I might grab something to surprise her."
"You sound like a devoted husband," Gemini observed, settling in for the conversation. The man's warmth was oddly comforting.
Ben's face lit up with genuine affection. "May's the best thing that ever happened to me. We don't have kids of our own, but we're raising my nephew—Peter. He's eight now. Lost his parents in an accident a few years back." His voice grew quieter. "May and I decided we'd rather give him everything we can than stretch ourselves too thin with more children."
Gemini studied his profile, recognizing something profound in his matter-of-fact sacrifice. How many people would reshape their entire future for a child not their own? The casual nobility of it left her momentarily speechless.
Ben noticed her silence and tactfully switched on the radio, filling the car with soft jazz that complemented the rhythm of city traffic.
Gemini watched Manhattan blur past the window, lost in thoughts of family and responsibility, when Ben's sharp warning shattered the peaceful moment.
"HOLD ON!"
Gemini snapped to attention just as a massive delivery truck careened across the center line, its driver slumped unconsciously over the wheel. They were trapped on the Manhattan Bridge—cars hemmed them in on all sides, and the truck was bearing down with unstoppable momentum.
"Coby!" Gemini shouted desperately. "Get us out of here!"
The world dissolved into swirling magic and displaced air. When reality reasserted itself, they sat in perfect silence on the riverbank below, the taxi's engine ticking as it cooled. Above them, the sounds of chaos echoed from the bridge—screaming, sirens, the crunch of twisted metal.
Ben gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles, his breathing ragged. "What... how did we...?" He turned to stare at Gemini, his eyes wide with wonder rather than fear. "That was magic, wasn't it? Real, honest-to-God magic?"
Gemini felt the familiar weight of exposure settling on her shoulders. She'd violated the Statute of Secrecy to save a stranger's life—a choice that felt both inevitable and terrifying.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "You weren't supposed to see that."
Ben shook his head emphatically. "Don't apologize—you saved my life! My wife, my nephew... you gave me back my family. Your secret's safe with me, I swear."
Before Gemini could respond, the distinctive sound of wings cut through the air. She opened the window as a magnificent screech owl landed on the door frame, extending one leg bearing an official MACUSA seal.
Ben watched in fascination as Gemini untied the letter, his expression one of childlike wonder rather than fear.
The message was brief and bureaucratic:
Dear Miss Black: Magical signature detected during life-threatening incident involving No-Maj rescue. If rescued individual is deemed trustworthy, report to Woolworth Building within 72 hours for registration. If subject poses security risk, destroy this correspondence—Memory Modification team will respond accordingly. —MACUSA Department of Secrecy
Ben had clearly grasped the implications. "They're going to do something to me, aren't they? Will I... will I still remember my family?"
The quiet dignity of his question—his concern for others even in his own moment of uncertainty—sealed Gemini's decision.
"JARVIS," she said, activating her phone's interface. "Full background check on our passenger."
Ben watched in amazement as his entire life history populated the screen—employment records, financial status, even May's disastrous attempts at neighborhood potluck contributions.
"Benjamin Franklin Parker," Gemini read aloud. "Married to May Reilly Parker. Guardian to Peter Benjamin Parker, age eight. Employed by Brooklyn Transit Authority for twelve years. No criminal record, outstanding community service record, and..." She looked up with a slight smile. "Apparently your wife's cooking really is as bad as you suggested."
Ben managed a nervous laugh. "She means well."
Gemini closed the file, her decision made. "Mr. Parker, you have two options. I can arrange for your memory of this incident to be erased—you'll remember getting in an accident, surviving, and nothing more. Or you can sign a confidentiality agreement and keep the knowledge of what you've seen today."
Ben considered this for a long moment, then shook his head with characteristic selflessness. "Better erase it," he said quietly. "I'd hate to accidentally put you or your people at risk. Some secrets are too important to trust to good intentions alone."
Gemini felt a profound respect for this ordinary man who'd just chosen wisdom over wonder. Peter Parker was lucky to have such a guardian—someone who understood that with great power came great responsibility, even when that power was simply the power to keep silent.
"You're a good man, Mr. Parker," she said softly. "Your nephew is fortunate to have you."
Ben smiled, the expression tinged with melancholy for memories he was about to lose. "I hope I'm raising him right. The world needs more people willing to help strangers, don't you think?"
Gemini nodded, already reaching for her wand. In a few minutes, Ben Parker would remember only a near-miss accident and a generous tip from a grateful passenger. But she would remember his kindness, his sacrifice, and his quiet heroism.
Some people, she realized, were born to be heroes—magic or no magic.
"JARVIS," she said quietly, "make a note. The Parker family is under our protection. Indefinitely."
"Noted, Miss Black. Shall I establish monitoring protocols?"
"Discreet ones," Gemini confirmed, watching Ben's peaceful face as the Memory Charm took hold. "Some people deserve guardian angels, even if they never know it."
The taxi's radio played softly as they sat by the river, and Gemini found herself hoping that somewhere in Ben Parker's subconscious, he would always remember that magic was real—and that it sometimes wore the face of kindness.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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