No, I'm not dead, just had a combination of work and writer's block, so it is a miracle that I was able to get this uploaded. Anyway, the last chapter may have been called 'Calm before the storm' but this one truly is the last one before such crazy shit happens, plus we get to see Aunt May which I think she's been needing to make at least an appearance in my stories. Anyway, this chapter is sort similar to SM3 with a few changes, mostly that we get to see Felicia and May interact which, come on, you know that'll happen eventually one way or another. Another thing to mention that writing this chapter was quite a pain, it seems the more action oriented it is then I write better...I'm weird I know. So sorry if the chapter seems rotten as I pretty much grind this one out. But without further ado, let's begin!

Chapter 6

Goblin Reborn

There was a sense of irony in hindsight for Peter. When he decided to abandon the idea of a relationship with Mary Jane Watson and go for one with Felicia Hardy, he had also done this to live out his hero life more often than that of his civilian life. At first it seemed to go rather well as with spending a life with Felicia as the only two friends he had, Mary Jane and Harry Osborn, had both drifted out of his life with the latter being the more heartbreaking for the web vigilante. The only one that Peter still have was that of his dear Aunt May, who was oblivious to Peter's secret life and the irony was that noticeable for Peter, he had started to become more civilian and less hero as time went on.

Nonetheless, despite living the hero life, he was wise not to forget his precious aunt in any shape or form. Today would be one of these days he would be visiting aunt May along with Felicia, although the visit had a duel purpose for laying low for a while after his encounter with Harry and, more importantly, and announcement for May.

Though May's apartment was quite a fair distance from their penthouse, the couple had just arrived at the apartment and was now waiting for May to answer the door. Peter looked over to Felicia and could see her expression was a mix of cautious optimism and worry, he wasn't surprised by this as he could remember when Felicia first met May, it hadn't exactly gotten off on the right foot. His dear aunt had always hoped that Peter would end up with Mary Jane, as she was an innocent yet determined woman, never mind her being the classic 'girl-next-door', Felicia was anything but.

Aunt May was at first shocked by Felicia's way of doing things and how blundering overconfident she was, Peter didn't even dare bring up the fact that she was a former cat burglar, never mind the fact that they were New York's two vigilantes. May had to wonder just how Peter had ended up with a girl like Felicia, things had admittedly gotten off on the wrong foot.

Nonetheless as time went on both women eventually warmed up to each other, though Felicia was the more cautions one whenever she was with Peter's aunt. After waiting briefly, the door opened and May's expression turned to delight as she quickly recognized the couple and instantly embraced them.

"Oh, I'm so glad to see you two again!" May greeted them happily.

"Yeah," Peter replied equally as happy. "It's always great to see you."

"Come on in!" May said as she motioned them into her apartment. "Don't want you stay out there, please come in."

As they entered May's rather cozy apartment, Peter noticed that the TV was playing, in which his aunt had been watching a game show and then looked over to seeing May express fond words for Felicia asking her many questions such as how was her day to the likes of what she and Peter had been doing of late. In that moment, any fears that Felicia felt that May might still have against Felicia were quickly dissipated.

Peter couldn't help but smile as he watched them interact; however Peter had to interrupt the scene as he leaned in close to whisper to his aunt. "Um, Aunt May, may I speak to you about something…in private."

May gave her nephew a puzzled look at what he was planning before looking back at Felicia. "Please Felicia, make yourself at home, just need to pop round the kitchen for a moment with Peter."

"Oh, um…no problem," Felicia replied as she cast Peter a look of suspicion before sitting down on the couch and started watching the TV.

With her distracted, both May and Peter headed round to the kitchen, which was quite a fair bit away from Felicia and thus wouldn't be able to hear them. "It feels like ages since we last met," Aunt May expressed with some sadness.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Peter sighed. "Just that things have rather…hectic of late." The brunette felt a sense of irony; the term 'hectic' was probably one of the understatements of the year regarding Harry.

Then, almost as if she could read could read his mind, May then asked, "Have you met up with Harry again?"

Peter wasn't expecting her to ask this. "Um, yeah…I met him at the Bugle, he's now sponsoring them…" He didn't dare breath a word to her about him following in his father's footsteps.

"Sponsoring them?" May inquired. "Why would he be doing that?"

"It's about Spider-Man," Peter replied. "He…he hates him."

"…What?" May asked while looking stunned at why he'd do this. "Harry hates Spider-Man? But he's a hero!"

For a brief moment, Peter smiled a little bit at the fact that in his dear aunt, that there was a fan for Spider-Man, though he quickly frowned as he couldn't tell her the truth of why Harry had this grudge on New York's hero, Peter was only thankful that May was completely oblivious about the turn of events that had led to Norman Osborn's death, let only her knowing about her nephew's secret identity.

"I don't know," Peter lied sadly. "He's changed a lot since he came back to New York." Once again, it was yet another understatement. For a while both were silent, with only the sound the TV in the other room along with the sound of Felicia laughing at something that was being shown. It was then Peter remembered why he had asked his aunt to talk with him in private.

"Aunt May," Peter began as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "You'll be wondering why we're through here for…the reason is that I wanted you to be the first to know something I've gotten planned with Felicia."

May's eyes widened as several scenarios played in her head. Peter then grinned happily at her, "I'm going to ask Felicia to marry me."

"Oh Peter!" May gasped happily as she pulled him in for a loving embrace. "I was beginning to think it would never happen!"

"Well, yeah," Peter chuckled. "Felicia kind of only use to the settling down part just recently. You know what she's like"

"Ah I see," May laughed as she headed over get some mugs near the kettle to and collect some tea bags (the kettle had only just been boiled). "Marriage is always a big step up for any relationship, I can remember the day Uncle Ben asked me to marry him, he was so scarred, excited and very young…and I loved him fiercely."

"Then you said 'yes', right?" Peter asked hopefully.

"No…"

"Huh?"

"I wasn't ready, neither was he," she paused as she started pouring out the hot water into two mugs before she carried on speaking while still making the tea. "So we took our time with it all, I didn't want to run into something with nothing to count on but love. A man has to be understanding and put his wife before himself."

Then she handed Peter over a full mug. "Can you do that for Felicia, Peter? Always be there for her no matter what?"

Peter nodded. "Yeah, I think I can. In fact we're always together as a matter of fact."

"Then you have my blessing," May smiled. "I hope you have a proper proposal planned."

"Yeah…never really thought about that," Peter muttered as he took a sip from the mug. "I'll have to think of something original for her."

"She is deep down a nice girl," May noted. "I know I'll admit that I didn't think she was, you know, the right stuff for you."

Peter knew exactly that his aunt was a clear reference to a certain redhead. "She is different, but that old saying 'opposites attract' is what best describes us. Maybe we need that someone different in our lives that can set us on the right track." He drank more of his tea as he looked back in hindsight that it was Felicia that had helped him during a difficult period of his life, without her and her advice, he didn't know where he'd be at.

"Yes, you're quite right," May admitted to Peter's words. "I guess even an old girl like me can still learn something new." Aunt May then sighed as she reflected on her own life with Uncle Ben. "Oh this makes me think about your dear uncle, we'd be married fifty years come August…if…" She looked like she was about to cry over it but Peter quickly rushed in and held his aunt close.

"Don't worry Aunt May," Peter whispered to her gently, "I'll make it very special for Felicia."

It was a tender moment, a rare moment for Peter in his current life. As much as he had been planning on proposing to Felicia for quite a while now and had hope that this time would've been perfect for him, it was the return of the Green Goblin, and an old friend that put a hold on those plans.

He didn't know if Felicia would actually decide to truly settle down with him and put their crime fighting adventures to one side. All that matter right now, was to stop Goblin.

XXX

The cackling fireplace was the only sound to be heard as Harry sat on the couch, thinking. He had lost track of time with how long he had been sitting there for, but frankly he didn't care. On the mantelpiece above the fireplace, the Green Goblin helmet was mounted up there and although it didn't have it's golden eyes in, Harry couldn't help but think that it had a life of its own and that it was staring back at him.

Then a voice came…"Harry…"

"Who's here?!" Harry shouted as he practically jumped off the couch, grabbed an iron poker near the fireplace and looked round wondering where the voice came from. "I'm warning you, I'm armed!"

"AVENGE ME!"

Harry spun round and faced towards the mirror and there before him, was his father. "Son, do what I ask!" Norman ordered, his dark expression making Harry stumble back and fall on his backside in fear, never mind that he was seeing his own father.

"No! I'm not going to be you!" Harry retorted as he found some confidence.

"Foolish son of mine," Norman snorted in disgust. "You've already set yourself up to be like your own father, have you already forgotten that by drinking yourself like a hapless soul? You never even finished Spider-Man off."

Harry said nothing, his father was right, he had become like his father and, rather painfully obvious, he had become a binge drinker due to him trying to forget about it and fight his inner demons. He looked away shamefully. "I'm not like you—"

"You are."

"No..."

"Please son, do what's right for me...avenge me..."

"...No."

"AVENGE ME!"

"NO!" Harry screamed at the reflection, only to see that he was staring at his own reflection and not of his father. Silence fell upon the mansion and Harry sat there with his head in his hands, looking like a lost and confused child.

"You must complete your task, Harry," Norman's voice rang in his head, the young Osborn didn't know if this was something of the supernatural, or if he was really turning into his father.

He then turned to look back at the mask on top of the fireplace staring back at him. Harry then realized that he did have to complete the task in avenging his father and that sitting there and brooding over Spider-Man would shame Norman. Next time, he wasn't going to let his demon lie for dead, he was going to truly kill him. He didn't now how he was going to murder Spider-Man, no, Peter Parker, but one thing was for certain, the Green Goblin legacy in that moment was truly reborn.

Look out Peter and Felicia, he's coming after you! But yeah, hope you were ok with it and please review and all that if you want more! See you next time for the next update!