Hello and welcome to my story. I've had this swimming in my head for a long time so I just had to write it. I hope you enjoy it and please remember to review. Constructive criticism is welcome and flaming shall be met with the fire extinguisher of retrbution.

You're probably wondering who I am. Well I'm Spiderman. No not the original but the successor to him. Spiderman had died over a decade ago and its been seventy years since the first appearance of the wallcrawler. Nobody lives forever afterall, I know this more than anyone.

I didn't choose to become Spiderman it was more a matter of circumstance. Many people believe in fate but frankly I think it's a load of bull. What happened didn't happen because of fate it was all just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Do I regret it? Sometimes. Then I remember what a friend once told me. With great power comes great responsibility. I have the power to make things right. To defend those that need defending. I will take responsibility for those who misuse the power they have and stop them. If I don't who will?

My name is James Branagh. I'm your new friendly neighbourhood Spiderman and this is my story.

Night time. When all the monsters come out to play with the long arm of the law while everyone else hides from it or ignores it. Now, a game of cops and robbers would be fun but tonight it would be best to stay away from the cities finest. Too much was riding on this. If the job was botched there would be another chalk line on the concrete by morning.

Ok enough of the doom and gloom. There's a job that needs to be done and I want to eat tomorrow. Now do I have everything? Lock picks? Check. Glass cutter? Check. Hoodie? Check. Gloves? Check. Boxers...check. Have you ever felt like you were walking around without boxers on before? It's a very disturbing feeling when you don't think you have anything under your jeans. No? Just me?

Now that I know I have everything, tighty wighties and all, I can get back to business. It was just your usual little pawn shop full of knick knacks people didn't want or couldn't afford to keep. It should be simple right? It should be. My reliable informant told me that the only security it had was a camera that had no tape to record what I'm about to do. The place is just asking to be robbed. Who am I to say no to such an invitation? It would be like taking candy from a baby but only a lot easier. Taking candy from a kid is dangerous. Firstly did you know babies scream just as loudly as a foghorn? Add in the fact that every mother carries pepper spray with them and you get a very dangerous combination. I swear my eyesight got worse after that. Luckily a policeman was kind enough to offer me a ride to the station to get my eyes washed and have a nice chat. At the age of ten I spent my first day in a jail cell and it wasn't my last. Everyone gets caught at some point, whether it's because of bad luck or blind stupidity everybody goes to have a chat with the law.

I move to the back door that's hidden in the alley on the right hand side away from the streetlights that would light me up like a christmas tree. Looking at the steel door the only thing I see stopping me from getting in is a heavy padlock. That what the lockpicks were for. Sliding the pick in to the keyhole I feel for the telltale catch of a spring. Depending on who made the lock there's no telling how many springs there are inside but after years of being in this sort of business you sort of get a sixth sense on how many there will be. Four springs and the lock clicks open. Perfect.

I walk and close the door behind me before I walk in to the store itself. Stood behind the counter I look through the glass it's made of at the second hand trinkets inside. I wasn't here for them though. No I was here for what was beneath them. Pulling out the glass cutter from my pocket I get to work praying that lady luck will still be on my side this night.

Ten minutes later I'm able to reach inside and lift the top tray up. Oh ho! Now would you look at this. Lying under the tray were three velvet bags no bigger than my hand and inside was my ticket to a paycheck. Diamonds. Now, as much as I would like to keep them to myself I value my life more.

I smile, stashing away the bags on my person before putting the tray back as it should be. I'm about to walk out and make like a banana and split when I hear the sounds of sirens and screeching tires outside. Cursing to myself as I think of how they knew I was here I make for the back door. Only to come face to face with two cops. "Uh hey fella's. Lovely night for a walk isn't it?"

They say nothing and one of them pulls out a pair of cuffs. Sighing I wonder why I never meet any cops with a sense of humor. I'd run but I don't feel like getting tasered or worse a bullet in my back. I'll have to go with them and hope I'll run into an old friend of mine and by friend I mean a guy who's going to save my skin.

After a lovely drive in the police car and then an hour in a jail cell I was finally out in an interrogation room. The walls were lime green and the single light in the room glowed a dirty yellow. I had to keep my eyes on the table or I was going to have a blinder of a headache. And they say they abolished torture?

When two people walked in I was relieved to see a friendly face. The first person was a tall well built black man in a white shirt and black trousers. The other was a woman in a policemans uniform with dark brown hair and blue eyes. She was also easy on the eyes too which was nice. Seeing a good looking woman in a uniform who really is a policewoman was hard to come by. Turning my head to the black man I smiled. "Hey Gabe how's the family?"

Gabe sat down across from him his hands resting on the table. "They're fine but what I'm more worried about is you".

Gabriel Maxwell but people call him Gabe. The only person to ever watch out for me and try to keep me out of trouble. Especially after I tried to steal his wallet eight years ago. And I would of gotten away with it too if he hadn't had a vice like grip on my arm when I put my hand in his pocket. "I'm touched but there's no need to worry about me I'm a big boy now remember?"

Gabe sighed and rubbed a hand over his bald head. "I know you are kid I just don't want you to wind up like some of the people I lock up everyday. Can't you try and find some more legal work? Even it's just selling pizzas, just something that will keep you out of trouble".

It was the same conversation we had everytime we met. "You know I can't just stop what I'm doing, besides selling pizzas is just as illegal. Have you seen the prices? That's practically extortion right there" I say trying to lighten the mood. I look to the right to see the girl smirking while Gabe doesn't even twitch. At least someone appreciated my humor. "Anyway, can we move on to something else? Because this conversation is getting as old as you". Hah! Talking about his age always gets a reaction out of him. "How about that lovely officer behind you. I don't remember seeing her around here before".

Still glaring at me for making fun of his age he replies "She's been transferred from another precinct because we need the staff".

I lean back on the chair grinning. "So is going to be your carer now? Finally too old to look after yourself?".

Gabe just looked at me with a straight face, "James".

Oh no. He called me by James. Somethig tells me I'm not going to like this.

"Me and the station can't protect you no more. We're grateful for everything you've done. If you hadn't helped is with that drugs bust a few years back there would of been a lot of dead officers. Unfortunately word is getting around that we're just letting people go instead of locking them up".

I was too shocked to speak. This was it. The next time I'm caught I won't just get a slap on the wrist and a lecture from Gabe. My luck just went from bad to worse. "So what happens now?" I'm barely able to get the words out.

Gabes sorrowful expression stares right back at me. "This is the last time I can help you James. When you leave here you're on your own".

I say nothing as I stand up not daring to look in to Gabes eyes. "I guess I better go then". Once I'm cuffed I'm lead to the door and taken out. I couldn't even manage a goodbye.

Gabe just sat in the interrogation room with his face in his hands. When the officer comes back he turns his head towards her. "I'd like you to keep what happened in here a secret".

"Of course sir...Could I ask something if that's alright?"

"Go ahead"

"Why do you protect him?"

Gabe looks up at the dirty yellow bulb hanging overhead getting caught up in memories. "A few years back the station got some information that a large stash of drugs was being kept in a warehouse. We were about to go to the warehouse in question when James waltzed in to the station asking for me, wanting to repay the favor he owed".

"Favor?"

Gabe smiled. "When he was younger he tried stealing my wallet. He didn't get too far though and when I caught him we made a deal. I'd let him go if he owed me a favor. Back then I didn't think he would but he proved me wrong. So I meet him and he starts talking about how the drug smugglers knew we were coming and that I should be careful".

"And you believed him straight away?" she said surprised.

Shaking his head he replied "No not at first but then he starts pulling pictures out of the warehouse interior full of thugs armed to the teeth. If it wasn't for James there would of been a massacre but he kept us all alive. That's why me and the others here watch out for him. He's a good kid...a bit of a smartass but still a good kid".

So there us honor among theives. However it still didn't change the fact he was a criminal. She had read his file when she had overheard some of the older officers talking about him. His name was James Branagh. Twenty years old. His parents died when he was six and he has no known living relatives. Has been caught for theft, fencing, forgery and of course breaking and entering. He had been in an orphanage until age ten until until he ran away and started living on the streets. No one knows how to contact him or where he lives.

Gabe stood up and patted her on the shoulder. "Come on we've got a job to do. Think you can handle it Officer Mulligan?"

"I think I can manage" she smiled.