Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Spiderman, Marvel, or Columbia Pictures. I am not making money off of this story.
Peace
Peter swung down the construction site to where Mary Jane and Harry were. The panic at seeing Harry lying on the floor near death registered on his face as he approached the two of them. Kneeling down to them, Peter said "How you doing?" But he knew it was a rhetorical question.
Harry managed to smile through the pain. "I've been better," he almost chuckled.
Peter took Harry's hand and replied "We're going to get you help."
Harry shook his head. "It's…too late for that." His breathing was becoming more labored.
More panic crept onto Peter's face. And sadness. Even though he saw first hand the injuries Harry sustained saving him from Venom, there was a part of him that hadn't wanted to believe that his best friend was dying. Now, he couldn't deny it anymore. His best friend was dying because he saved him and they could not make up for lost time and all the things they did to each other.
All the things…Peter's thoughts trailed off, remembering the last fight he had with Harry in which he burned his face and said his father hated him. He wished he could take it all back…wished he had never put on the Symbiote – or whatever it was called – suit for the second time.
He finally managed to speak. "I'm sorry," his voice quivered. "I shouldn't have hurt you like that…or said those things."
Much to his amazement, Harry didn't seem the least bit angry. "It doesn't matter now," he replied softly.
That stunned Peter, who along with Mary Jane realized that these were Harry's last moments. Peter tried to think of something to say, some way to thank him for saving his life, some way to express how much he valued their friendship all of these years, but couldn't find the words. But the lump that was forming in his throat would have prevented him from speaking anyway.
Harry got the message nonetheless. The pain he was feeling couldn't erase how happy he was that he had saved his two best friends. "You're my friend," he breathed, squeezing Peter's hand. "My best friend."
After a few more shallow breaths, Mary Jane and Peter felt Harry go limp in their hands. Harry was dead.
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No pain. That was the first thing Harry noticed. The pain he had been feeling only a second before was strangely gone. He took a deep breath. Indeed, there was no pain. He realized he was still lying on the floor with Peter and Mary Jane holding his hands. He called out their names, but they didn't reply, didn't even notice he was there. Instead they were crying.
That's when Harry understood that he was dead. He'd been expecting to die since being pierced by Venom, but he hadn't expected what Death itself would be like. After being momentarily stunned, he managed to sit up. Or rather, his spirit sat up; his body remained lying on the floor.
Harry turned his head toward a crying Peter, who leaned closer to his body. Harry tried touching his shoulder but his hand phased through Peter. Not surprisingly, Peter didn't notice. Harry turned the other direction to Mary Jane and tried touching her shoulder as well. The result was the same.
Harry sighed, standing up. He walked over to a corner of the construction floor and stared out at the city, the daylight just breaking. He had never had any idea of what Death would be like. He was glad that he died peacefully with his friends by his side, but he wondered if this was it. Death sure was lonely. Was this his punishment for everything he did to Peter and Mary Jane? How could it be, if they had forgiven him? Was he being punished for helping Doc Ock nearly destroy half the city years ago? That made sense. But he wasn't successful, and he was sorry for his part in it. Didn't that count for something? Or was this wandering lonely existence the fate of all souls?
So deep was Harry mulling over his existence, he didn't hear another person come up behind him. Someone he longed to see all these years.
"Harry!" the man called.
Harry froze, recognizing the man's voice. It can't be, he thought, turning around. There, approaching from the distance, was his father, Norman Osborn.
Harry took a few steps closer to his father but stopped suddenly. He could barely comprehend what was happening. His father was here…with him. The father he had feared he would disappoint and spent his life trying to please and who he longed for all of these years was coming closer. He was here with him.
The look on his father's face was one of complete pride and love. "Son…" he began, arms outstretched, trying to keep his emotions in check.
Harry's face welled up. "Dad…" he collapsed into his father's arms, sobbing. They held each other tightly for what seemed like forever, crying as they clung to each other. After all the years of tension and pressure between the two, there was only love. After all the years apart, they were finally together. In Harry's mind, the afterlife was wonderful after all.
Finally, they separated and wiped their eyes. Norman gently held his son's head and Harry wasn't able to look up at his father he was too overwhelmed. Norman kissed him on the forehead and pulled him into another hug.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, voice still very choked with emotion.
"It's alright," Harry responded, his face buried in his father's shoulder. "It doesn't matter now."
Norman wasn't listening. "I put too much pressure on you. I told Peter not to tell you I was the Green Goblin. If I hadn't…you wouldn't have spent these last years on revenge…"
"I made my own choices, Dad. I know now you were just trying to protect me."
Norman sighed, accepting that all of the mistakes they made didn't matter anymore. "I love you, son."
Harry hugged his father tighter, having heard the words he yearned so long to hear. "I love you too, Dad."
After a little while, they separated from their embrace, looked into each other's still tear-filled eyes and smiled. Norman looked at him closely. "Harry, your face…" he began, gently touching his son's cheek.
Harry was confused for a second until he lifted his hand and rubbed the side of his face. It was completely healed, no burn scars at all. He smiled. "One of the perks of being dead, I guess," he cracked, "but it doesn't top being with you, Dad."
His father remained serious. "If it were up to me, you'd still be alive. You're young. You had you're whole life ahead of you."
"Can't go back and undo things," Harry simply replied. Sighing, he stepped to the side of his father and both of them watched Peter and Mary Jane crying over Harry's body. Norman held his son's shoulder the whole time. "At least I gave my life for them. I couldn't have asked for a better way to go."
A few seconds later, Harry thought about what he did to Peter an MJ, and as a result they were grieving separately and not as a couple. "They should be together," he said sadly. "It's my fault they're not."
"Not entirely," Norman replied, looking over at his son and giving him a smile. "It wasn't just you. But they'll work it out. I promise."
Harry stared back at his father, than looked back at his best friends, hoping his father was right. "Good."
They stayed like that for a few more minutes. Finally, Harry asked, "Is this it? I mean, is this the afterlife?"
Norman smiled. "No. There's more."
Harry couldn't help but give a sigh of relief, although even if there wasn't anything else, he would have been content to just be with his father. "What's it like?"
The smile disappeared from Norman's face. "I don't know. I haven't been there yet."
Harry was stunned. After a few seconds it dawned on him that his father hadn't been at peace all of these years. He tried to think of something to say but he was at a loss for words.
Norman broke the silence. "I guess I just…made too many mistakes. I've been waiting to ask you to forgive me…"
"Like I said, Dad, it doesn't matter. I forgive you. And I love you."
"I love you too. I'd been waiting to tell you that also." Norman sighed. "And also to tell you that I'm so proud of you, son." He squeezed Harry's shoulder, once again trying to get a hold of his emotions.
Another smile formed on Harry's face. He'd longed to hear that from his father also. Embracing him once again, he said "Thanks, Dad. I'm proud of you too."
Neither of them said anything for a moment as they stayed locked in another embrace. Both of them simply took in the peace they'd finally found after all these years of waiting. Finally, Norman said "It's time to move on."
"Move on?" Harry asked, looking up at his father.
Norman smiled at him. "I told you there was more to the afterlife."
In the distance appeared a bright pure white…Harry hesitated to use the word portal, but that was the only word that seemed to qualify. "Is that like the doorway to Heaven, or something?"
Norman chuckled. "Something like that." He grasped his son's shoulder tightly. "Let's go see what it's like."
Smiling at each other, they both walked to the portal. Harry turned one last time to look at his two best friends and the empty shell that had been his body. He made a vow to himself to watch over Peter and Mary Jane. Facing the portal again, he wrapped his arm around his father and together they both stepped through the portal into Eternity; and into Peace.