"After that, it ends the same as usual. They go to jail." Paul said as he finished telling a story. Paul and Jean met with Jessica and Harris for some lunch, a little double date.

"You think these guys would learn their lesson." Jessica said.

"Please. They never learn because they love their little revenge fantasies and feel it's too late for them." Harris said. "I'm glad that I'm not their lawyer. I probably be too scared to even defend them, afraid they might kill me."

"What about you, Jean?" Jessica asked. "How's being an assistant for a scientist? Making any great breakthroughs or anything?"

"We're still working on a few things." Jean said. "If I'm perfectly honest, I'm thinking of changing careers around. Maybe I could try teaching just like you."

"You are?" Paul questioned. "This is the first I'm hearing about it. Where did this come from?"

"It's just…something I've been thinking about." Jean said. "I love helping out, but sometimes a change can be nice. Sometimes it might be needed. I'm not saying I'm going to do anything right away. I'm just saying it's something I've been thinking about." Jessica noticed something strange with how Jean was talking, but she figured talking about it around the boys was a good idea.

"Well, I've got to get going." Harris said. "I've got some projects to work on. Becoming a lawyer isn't easy. Not to mention I'll be needed back at work soon."

"Yeah. I need to get going myself." Paul said. "I need to make sure no one is up to anything. I'll see you later?"

"Sure." Jean said as Paul gave her a quick kiss. "I love you." Paul just walked out with Harris and the others noticed that. Jessica could tell something was bothering Jean and decided to talk about it.

"Okay. What's going on?" Jessica questioned.

"What do you mean?" Jean asked.

"You weren't talking about your job, were you?" Jessica asked. "Were you really talking about Paul? You said you love him and he didn't even respond."

"No…" Jean said, but Jessica wasn't really buying it. "I was talking about my job…but most of it was a metaphor for Paul. I really do love him. I don't want things to change between us."

"So what's the problem?" Jessica asked. Jean wasn't comfortable talking about this with Jessica for a certain reason, but she needed to talk to someone about this.

…

Paul and Harris

"Paul, can I talk to you about something?" Harris asked. He wanted to talk to him before those two parted ways.

"What is it? I thought you needed to go." Paul said.

"I know, but I think we should talk about this. Do you still like Jean?" Harris asked, but Paul didn't really understand.

"Of course I do. What are you talking about?" Paul asked.

"Well, she said she loved you before we left and you didn't really respond." Harris said. "That's not really something you should do with someone you're dating."

"Well, Jean and I have talked about that when we started dating." Paul said. "She said that it's okay. She doesn't expect me to say it back, but she wants me to know how she feels. Heck, she even found the ring I wanted to give to Monica and was glad it wasn't for her."

"Yeah, but that's when you started dating." Harris said. "That was a few months ago. Things should have changed. Don't you like Jean? Don't you have strong feelings for her?" Paul looked at how he actually felt about her.

"Yeah." Paul said. "I really do. Jean's great and everything and I enjoy being around her. I know she feels the same. She's wanted this since high school."

"So how come you haven't told Jean you love her?" Harris said. That had Paul stumped. "Look, you and Jean started dating about a month after you had to break up with Monica. I'm sorry, but that tells people that what you're having is a rebound."

"Maybe it is, but Jean doesn't care. All she wants is to be with me and we're both trying." Paul said. "We're trying to have a real relationship."

"That's fine." Harris said. "Sometimes you can make a rebound into a real relationship. I can see you two really are trying to do just that. All I'm saying is that there's something in the way. I'm sorry, but it appears to be on your side."

"What are you talking about?" Paul asked.

"Jean really is in love with you." Harris said. "She wants to be with you and she's been great. However, you haven't done anything that says that you love her really. Paul, I'm sorry, but if you don't want to lose Jean, you need to figure out what's holding you back. Jean deserves more than what you're giving." Paul never even saw that before. Clearly, there are some problems when it comes to him and women. Heck, it took him almost a year before he finally chose that Monica was the one he wanted to go out with. He didn't see that he and she were drifting apart and now something might happen with him and Jean.

…..

Alleyway

"Here's the goods." An illegal deal was going on. They were selling some nifty little weapons as well as some drugs. "Do you have the cash?"

"It's all right here." One guy placed a briefcase full of cash. One thug reached out for it, but a web came down on his hand and pulled him out of the way.

"How do you know things are bad? It's when idiots start selling things they shouldn't." They all looked up and spotted Venom. "Okay that sounded bad. I'm not good with the quips. How do you get the right quip?"

"It's the second spider! Waste him!"

"Let's see what these bad boys can really do." One guy reached for two guns and started shooting at him. Thomas jumped around and avoided the bullets. He came down and slammed his foot down on one. He jumped off him and tackled another to the ground with him beating against it. Two came at him with crowbars, but tendrils shot out from Thomas' back and knocked against the two of them and had them stick to the wall.

"This guy is a bigger freak than the first spider."

"Why do people keep saying I'm the second?" Thomas said. "Just because I came after he did, it doesn't mean I'm second best."

"Let's see how you handle some bullets." The guy with guns aimed at him, but Thomas jumped up and he lost him. "Where did he go?"

"He's got to be around here somewhere." The guy who said that ended up getting knocked in the back of the head by Thomas. The guy with the guns aimed at him, but Thomas shot the webs and clogged them.

"Hey!"

"That's the thing with products that work perfectly." Thomas said. "One little problem and they breakdown." Thomas gave the guy one good punch in the jaw and sent him flying as he hit the wall and was knocked out.

"Are you trying to break his skull?"

"They're dense idiots. It should take more than that." Thomas said as he turned around to see Spider-Man. "You're late. I already took care of everything."

"I can see that. I would have been here sooner, but something held me up." Paul said.

"Something wrong?" Thomas asked.

"Just got a lot on my mind." Paul said. He figured Thomas might be the best person to talk to about this. "Hey, you dated Jean."

"Yeah. Years ago. Why?" Thomas said.

"How were things between the two of you back then?" Paul asked.

"Well, that was a long time ago. I barely remember it." Thomas said. "It's just like Jean said. We just got together because of that whole high school thing were jocks should date cheerleaders. I thought things were great and everything between us. That was until she dumped me because she fell for you. Is everything okay between the two of you?"

"I'm not really sure myself." Paul said as he shot a line and swung off.

…

Paul

Paul laid on a roof and took off his mask. He looked into the sky and he just couldn't figure things out. When he's feeling lost, confused, or down, he often thinks back to Peter.

"Peter, it's times like this I wish you were still around." Paul said. "You always seem to have the answers. You always had a way of figuring things out." When Paul starts thinking like that, it causes him to doubt if he's really worthy of being Spider-Man. "Damn it. You never would have taken Monica into danger when Iguana returned. You probably use that big science brain of yours and you would know what to do. That's what made you a great Spider-Man. I don't have that big brain of yours. So what does that make me now?" Paul sat up and placed his mask on sat on the edge roof. "What is wrong with me? Jean and I get along great. I'm really happy with her. I know how she feels about me. So why can't I say that I love her?" Paul didn't know what to do. Harris was right. Something was in the way, but he didn't know what. Paul heard his phone go off and saw it was Jean. He wasn't sure he was prepared, but he couldn't ignore her. "Hey. What's up?"

"Hey…. Can you meet me in the park? There's something I think we should talk about." Jean said.

"Yeah. I'm close by. I'll see you there." Paul said. Whatever the problem is, he wants it out of the way.

…..

The Park

Paul made it to the park and changed into his regular clothes. He looked around for Jean and spotted her on a bridge, looking down at the water. Paul walked over and braced himself for whatever will happen here.

"Hey." Paul said.

"Hey. Thanks for seeing me here." Jean said.

"No problem. So what did you want to talk to me about?" Paul said. Jean took a deep breath as she seemed anxious.

"Oh boy. This isn't exactly easy to say." Jean said.

"Oh no. I don't like the sound of that." Paul said.

"Paul, you're a great guy, but I think it's time we face the truth." Jean said. "I don't think this is really working. This, what we have."

"I knew it." Paul said. He had a feeling this might come, but he didn't want to admit it, just like Jean.

"I'm sorry, Paul. I think it's time we both admit that what we have is really nothing more than a rebound." Jean said.

"But I really have tried to make it work." Paul said.

"I know. So have I." Jean said. "I really wanted this to work, but it can't and I know why." Paul was all ears when he said that. "I think you're still in love with Monica."

"What?" Paul said as he didn't even think of that.

"You're still in love with Monica and that's fine." Jean said. "You two have been together for years. What you two had couldn't just disappear. We started dating around a month after you two broke up. You two have been together for years. It's only natural that you would still hold some feelings for her."

"But I've been trying to move on." Paul said.

"I know, but you still have feelings for her." Jean said. "I think that's why you still have that ring you were going to propose to her with. I've also seen how you two are around each other. There still seems to be something between the two of you. It's time we realize the truth. I really do love you, Paul. I wanted this to work, but it's not fair to me and it's not fair to you. I think it's time we end this before one of us really does get hurt." Paul understood what she was saying and could see she's made up her mind. "It will be okay. Maybe, after some time has passed, you really have moved on, and we're both still single, we could try this again."

"I like that." Paul said. Jean gave Paul one last kiss before the two of them part ways.

"I'll always love you, Paul." Jean said and walked away and did her best not to let him see her tears. It was at that moment that Paul knew he could say he loved her and get her to stay, but he still couldn't. He still couldn't say he loved her. There really was something in the way and he couldn't move it.

…

Paul

"And that was it." Paul said as he hit a bar with Harris. He told her what happened at the park and he needed a friend to help him. Harris patted his back and acted like the friend he needed.

"I'm really sorry, Paul." Harris said.

"You were right. Something was in the way." Paul said. "She thinks I'm still in love with Monica and that's what was in the way. I just didn't see it."

"Well, she was right. It is understandable that you still would." Harris said.

"What's wrong with me, Harris?" Paul asked. "Why can't I see these problems and do something about it?"

"Nothing's wrong with you, Paul." Harris said. "Some people think the relationship is going great while others think it isn't. That's some breakups are ugly. Just be glad I pointed out there was a problem or maybe that breakup could have gotten bad."

"I guess." Paul said as he had some of his beer. "We did agree that after some time has passed and we're not seeing anyone, we could try again. You and Jessica broke up before and got back together. So maybe we will too."

"That's the spirit. Try looking at the bright side. So what next?" Harris asked. "Jean broke up with you because she thinks you're still in love with Monica. You and Monica broke up because she was leaving for L.A. Now that she's staying, are you going to try and get back together with her?"

"No." Paul said. "What happened between me and Jean has nothing to do with what happened between me and Monica. It doesn't fix the problems me and Monica had. I guess there is a bright side to this breakup. It showed that I'm able to get back in the dating game. It's just going to take some time."

"You're right." Harris said. "Somewhere out there is the woman for you and you'll find her. She's out there and is trying to get to you as fast as she can. You'll be fine." Paul really appreciated having Harris to help him out in this. Breakups are hard, but it gets easier in time. Paul will find the right girl for her eventually and maybe it is someone he already dated. There's just a bunch of obstacles in the way, but they'll soon be cleared. Only time will tell.