"Please take a seat," offered Matt, gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk.
Jessica, Mary Jane, and Peter all made their way into the office and took their seats. Matt Murdock walked around to his side of the desk and sat down as well.
"I've met Mr. Parker," said Matt, "but I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting either of you two."
"I'm Mary Jane Watson," introduced Mary Jane, "I'm Peter's girlfriend."
"And I'm Jessica Jones."
"Jessica Jones?" asked Matt in confusion, "Like the private investigator?"
"You've heard of me."
"I'm sorry," muttered Matt, "Are you here in a professional capacity?"
"He's my friend, asshole."
"Jessica!" whispered Mary Jane
"What?"
"No, no, you're right," nodded Matt, "My apologies. If Mr. Parker is comfortable with you here, you're more than welcome."
Jessica scoffed.
"Let's begin," smiled Matt.
Matthew Murdock was Peter's attorney. After a private investigator named Dakota North tipped off a journalist named Kat Farrell, Peter's identity as Spider-Man was publicly outed. Now he was facing the legal ramifications of his actions as the hero.
"I'll start by saying I don't think we'll have to worry about the criminal charges. Vigilante laws seem to by and large be in your favor. I believe a quick chat with the prosecuting attorney will get the charges dropped."
"Seriously!?" beamed Peter, "Then I'm good?"
"Not exactly," said Matt, "I received notice today that The Daily Bugle is suing you for breach of contract, defamation, and identity fraud."
"...oh," whispered Peter, having completely forgotten about the Bugle.
"Jameson, you piece of shit…" muttered Jessica.
"How serious are these charges?" asked Mary Jane.
"Serious," said Matt, "but we have a good chance. The vigilante laws could work in your favor here too, but the Bugle isn't messing around. Their lawyer hand delivered the notice to my office. You may actually know her, Ms. Jones. She used to work with the Heroes for Hire."
"Jeri Hogarth?" realized Jessica, "I had hoped that after her porn addiction went public she'd finally shut up for good."
"Um, yes," muttered Matt uncomfortably, "As I'm sure you know, she's quite good. This won't be an easy case."
Peter looked sadly down at his lap. Mary Jane placed a hand on his shoulder.
"But I will fight for you," assured Matt, "I promise. Peter, there's a reason I took your case. There's something you and I have in common, you know..."
"Oh my God," groaned Jessica, "We get it! You're Daredevil."
Jessica could swear she saw veins visibly pulse on Matt's head as Mary Jane and Peter both let out gasps of realization.
"I… Um…" muttered Matt, sweating.
"Oh get over yourself," sighed Jessica, "Nelson & Murdock has taken on almost a dozen cases related to Daredevil. It doesn't take a genius to figure it out."
"Uh…" uttered Matt.
"We won't tell anyone," interjected Mary Jane, "We promise!"
"Hm…" grumbled Matt, at a loss for words.
"And the whole blind thing is just an act?" scoffed Jessica, "Classy."
"No," answered Matt quickly, "I really am blind. I just have abilities as well."
"Is it true you can tell if someone's lying?" asked Mary Jane.
"Could we try to stay on topic, please?" requested Matt.
"Right," nodded Peter, "What's our strategy?"
"Jeri's not going to play fair," said Matt, "She'll find an angle for this, one that makes you look bad. If we want to stand a chance against her, we need to establish your moral character. Show off your friendly neighborhood, so to speak."
"Alright," considered Peter.
"So," said Matt, placing a recording device on the table and activating it for his notes, "Let's talk character witnesses."
Jessica, Mary Jane, and Peter's Aunt May arrived in the court, taking their seats right at the bar behind Matt and Peter. Dozens of journalists had crammed in as well, all with their notepads at the ready. Matt and Peter were whispering to one another. Also in the audience were various employees of the Daily Bugle, though Jameson himself wasn't present.
"Mr. Murdock," mused Jeri, approaching their desk.
"Ms. Hogarth," said Matt, standing and offering his hand in her direction.
"I see you brought my underhanded P.I. acquaintance with you," noted Jeri, looking over at Jessica while completely ignoring Matt's offered hand, "I trust you won't stoop to her level. I understand that you're better than that."
"I won't discuss strategy with the opposition," said Matt plainly, lowering his hand.
"All rise!" announced the clerk, "for the Honorable Judge Michelle Deveraux."
The court all rose to their feet and faced the bench as the tired-looking robed woman emerged and took her place on the bench. She was not an old woman, but her hair was bright white. She seemed unhappy to be there.
"Be seated," she said.
Everyone sat. This wasn't their first court date. They had met before for the opening proceedings. Deveraux had shown disinterest then as well. Peter had no idea how he had ended up with the only judge in the world uninterested in the Spider-Man case.
"Ms. Hogarth," said Deveraux, "Are you ready to begin?"
"Yes, Your Honor," said Jeri, standing.
"Begin," she said.
"Ladies, gentlemen, and others," said Jeri, approaching the jury, "You are about to witness the trial of the Spectacular Spider-Man. It will be just that: a spectacle. The defense will draw attention to Spider-Man's popularity and alleged heroics. They will try to make Spider-Man out to be a white knight of justice. Don't be fooled. The criminal charges may have been dropped, but Mr. Parker's actions against his employer cannot be forgiven. The Daily Bugle gave Mr. Parker a steady income and journalistic credibility. In return, he took advantage of their trust. He lied to them about who he was. Now he thinks he can humiliate his employer by making public fools of them. I will demonstrate Mr. Parker's unprofessional and, yes, criminal conduct over the course of this trial. You will see that he is guilty of what he has done to my client."
"Thank you, Ms. Hogarth," said Deveraux, "Mr. Murdock."
"Hello everyone," said Matt casually, guiding himself to the front of the jury box with his cane, "I hope you're doing well today. My client stands accused of maliciously manipulating his employer for his own selfish gain. My client. Spider-Man. The Amazing Spider-Man. The Spectacular Spider-Man. The Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man stands accused of maliciously manipulating his employer. This is a man who, for nothing in return, regularly risks his life to save others. Whether or not you agree with his methods, his intentions are clear. I will demonstrate that Mr. Parker's actions were not done out of negligence or malice. Rather, they were done to protect others, like he always does. Thank you."
Deveraux wrapped up the proceeding, setting their next court date and adjourning. Everyone began to gather their things to leave. Peter was on his way to thank Jessica, Mary Jane, and Aunt May for coming out to support him. He found himself cut off by Melita Garner and Irene Merryweather, two of his coworkers from the Daily Bugle. They were quickly in his face.
"How could you?!" demanded Irene, "Lying to us and using us all this time!"
"I-"
"Do you know why Jameson isn't here?!" demanded Melita, "His doctor ordered him to stay home. She said that his blood pressure put his health at risk from all the emotional stress he was under. You did that to him!"
"Melita-"
Both women walked away before he could say anything else. Betty Brant was standing behind them, looking at her feet. When Peter tried to look her in the eye she glared up at him, eyes filled with tears.
"Betty," whispered Peter, "I'm sorry. I had to-"
SMACK!
Betty had slapped Peter across the face, leaving a large red mark on his cheek. A few onlookers gasped. The reporters furiously took notes on what they were seeing. Both Mary Jane and Jessica rushed in and got between Peter and Betty. Betty went to say something to Peter, but couldn't open her mouth without sobbing. Peter touched his burning cheek and looked sadly back at her. Betty had known both Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Peter imagined she felt twice as lied to as the others.
Betty rushed out of the room, hiding her face as much as possible. Peter frowned in shame as he saw everyone in the room looking at him, including his loved ones. They had all seen that. Now he practically felt like he deserved to lose this.
"Come on, Peter," whispered Matt as he walked up from behind, "Let's go."
"Don't worry, Peter," assured Malcolm, "It'll be alright."
"If you say so," sighed Peter.
Malcolm frowned. So did the others. Peter, Mary Jane, Jessica, Bobbi, Malcolm, and Cindy had gathered in Jessica and Bobbi's apartment. They figured Peter could use the support and company. Peter had to admit that they were right.
"Come on," urged Cindy, "Let's not think about it tonight. Let's just relax and enjoy ourselves."
"Easy for you to say," muttered Peter.
"Hey," offered Bobbi, "Steve's testifying for you, right? You literally have Captain America testifying to your character. You'll be fine, Peter."
"I guess."
"...speaking of Steve," said Mary Jane, "Jessica, do you still have that Captain America movie Peter got you for Christmas last year?"
"You know it!" grinned Jessica, "Bobbi, could you dig out the DVD player?"
"Yup!"
"I'm sorry," said Cindy, "I'm a bit out of the loop. What are we talking about here?"
Mary Jane was referring to none other than Captain America, a Dulph Lundgren film from the late 80s supposedly inspired by the actions of the real Steve Rogers. The film was notorious for not only its gross inaccuracy, but for its unconditional patriotism, over the top violence, and general disrespect to the real Captain America. It was truly a horrendous movie. Jessica grabbed the DVD case from the entertainment center and handed it to Cindy.
"Oh my God," whispered Cindy, looking at the boxart.
"Yup," grinned Peter, "It's as bad as it looks. Obviously it came out before anyone knew Steve survived World War II, so the whole thing is a cold war spy thriller. The director had never even heard of Steve when he got the job. The acting is horrendous and the plot makes absolutely no sense. The only saving grace is the two original songs by John Mellencamp, who was very public about how much he hated this movie."
"You know a lot about this," noted Cindy.
"Peter's a big fan of all things Captain America," smiled Mary Jane, causing Peter to blush.
"Yeah," chuckled Jessica, "He even went as him for Halloween a year or two back."
Peter blushed more.
"There's only a few copies of this thing in existence," added Jessica, "I'd have never even seen it if Peter hadn't shown me. And trust me, it's a treat."
"Alright," smiled Cindy, "Let's see it!"
So they did. It was every bit as absurd as Peter and Jessica had promised. The story had absolutely no relation to any actual people or events. While Dolph Lundgren did portray a character named Steve Rogers, he bore no resemblance and he never once wore the iconic costume. He was only referred to as "Captain America" once and only in a throwaway line.
That was only the beginning. The late 80s had hit the film hard, with an asinine plot involving the U.S.S.R. launching a military strike on a fictional 3rd world country. The character of Steve Rogers was insulting to his namesake. He was chauvinistic, overly macho, and delighted in the murder of anyone who opposed American values. He used just about every kind of military weapon the movie could get a hold of, repeatedly mowing down fictional Soviets with machine guns and weaponized humvees.
The movie also had one liners and oh did it have one liners. It seemed like every time Steve killed someone he had to make some sort of pun, snide remark, or thinly veiled political commentary. Favorites from the night's viewing included "Pour that into your vodka and drink it!", "Stick to Tetris!", and the winner: "Do you think the 'A' in America stands for 'atheism'!?"
All in all, it was a delight. They ordered snacks and enjoyed themselves as they relentlessly hounded the movie, rewinding it to rewatch their favorite parts. Mary Jane smiled at Peter. She had succeeded in taking his mind off the trial.
"Alright," grunted Jessica after they were done, "I'm going to put this away before I forget…"
Jessica got off the couch and knelt down in front of the table, ejecting the disc from the DVD player and carefully placing it back in the case. As Jessica did this, the back of her shirt rode up and Mary Jane could see a black and purple fabric sticking out of the back of her jeans. She smiled deviously at Peter. Peter nervously shook his head as a warning. Mary Jane went in anyway.
Jessica didn't make a noise when Mary Jane pulled. Peter, Malcolm, and Cindy gasped while Bobbi let out a chirp of amusement. Jessica simply looked forward in irritation, pissed off at the sensation of cotton in her asscrack. Without saying a word, Jessica stood up and shoved the bunched up briefs back into her jeans. She could hear the others chuckling, even Peter. The laughter ended when she turned around.
"Okay then," said Jessica coldly, cracking her knuckles, "You wanna play like that?"
"Wait, Jessica!" exclaimed Peter, jumping between her and Mary Jane.
Jessica took her opportunity by forcing Peter into a headlock. If he was going to stick his neck out for his girlfriend, he was going to have to face the consequences. Jessica reached down Peter's back, grabbed the waistband of his white compression shorts, and jerked them up with such force that everyone winced at the ripping sound and Peter's squeal.
There was a knock at the door. Everyone stopped what they were doing in confusion. Jessica playfully shoved Peter away and went to the door. Peter set about fixing his underpants. Jessica looked through the peephole and saw it was Matt Murdock standing outside. She opened the door.
"Murdock," she said, "Something wrong?"
"No," he said, "I was just in the neighborhood and I heard your voices from the street. I thought now might be as good a time as ever to- Ooh…"
Matt wrinkled his nose.
"Peter, are you alright?" he asked.
"Yeah," squeaked Peter, before clearing his throat and lowering his voice, "Yeah. Why do you ask?"
"Your adrenaline is much higher than normal," said Matt contemplatively, "and the usual pheromones- Well, let's just say there's a particular kind of injury that causes that sensation and I want to make sure you're okay."
"A particular kind of injury?" wondered Cindy aloud.
"Oh my God, Jessica," realized Bobbi with a mix of amusement and pity, "You crushed poor Peter's…"
Peter blushed.
"You did what!?" Matt asked Jessica.
"Relax," she scoffed, "It was only a wedgie."
"Ah," realized Matt, "That would explain why the body heat around that part of his body is off too. I think you pulled enough to cut off his circulation."
"Um…" muttered Peter bashfully.
"It also explains the fabric and skin follicles I'm smelling in the air," continued Matt, "Ms. Jones, you really shouldn't pull that hard. You could cause some real damage."
"See!?" exclaimed Bobbi to Jessica, "I told you! You're going to castrate the poor guy!"
"I can also feel the heat generated by the friction," added Matt, "It's... more distinct that most rope burns."
"Can we change the subject?" asked Peter meekly, now bright red.
"Yes," realized Matt, "Sorry to interrupt and get off topic. Is this a bad time?"
"No," sighed Peter, "No, it's not. Let's talk."
People bustled in and out of the courtroom as time for the trial arrived. Peter's loved ones were again seated directly behind him and Matt. The Bugle employees were back as well with Jameson again absent.
Peter's understanding was that they'd be hearing from two of the plaintiff's witnesses today: Kat Farrell and Captain Jean DeWolff. Peter was not looking forward to it. Kat's opinion of him was certainly low and DeWolff… Spider-Man had worked with her so many times; he didn't want to hear her tear him down now.
"All rise."
"Plaintiff, call your first witness," said Deveraux without pause as she assumed her seat, "Be seated."
"Your Honor," said Jeri, "The plaintiff calls Captain Jean DeWolff to the stand."
DeWolff, dressed in a gray pair of slacks and matching suit jacket, quietly got up from her seat in the back and approached the witness box, swore herself in and took her seat.
"Captain DeWolff," began Jeri, "Can you please introduce yourself to the court?"
"I am Captain Jean DeWolff of the New York City Police Department."
"You were the officer who arrested Spider-Man, correct?"
"Yes."
"Can you identify him in this courtroom?"
"Yes," nodded DeWolff, "He is Peter Parker, the defendant."
"Could you explain how you came to the conclusion that Peter Parker and Spider-Man were one in the same?"
"We didn't initially," explained DeWolff, "but we had a lead. A journalist named Kat Farrell wrote an article presenting evidence that Peter Parker was Spider-Man. We wanted to bring him in for questioning. He confessed that he was Spider-Man immediately."
"You didn't charge him for his crimes as Spider-Man?"
"No," said DeWolff, "It was determined that most, if not all, of his actions would be considered legal under the various vigilante laws."
"What sorts of actions would those be?"
"Charges of trespassing, assault, battery, and vandalism were all considered before being dismissed."
"So under existing vigilante laws, those actions can be considered legal?"
"Objection!" shouted Matt, "You Honor, the plaintiff's issues with vigilante laws should be brought up with their legislators, not at the expense of my client."
"Sustained."
"When you say those charges were dismissed," said Jeri, "Are you suggesting that the crimes did not occur?"
"No," said DeWolff, "They simply were not considered crimes."
"I see," mused Jeri, "No further questions."
"Mr. Murdock," said Deveraux.
"Thank you, Your Honor. Good afternoon, Captain DeWolff."
DeWolff let a long breath out through her nose.
"To clarify a point," said Matt, "My client was never officially charged with any crimes, is that correct?"
"Yes," said DeWolff.
"Captain DeWolff," continued Matt, "Were you present for the arrest of Norman Osborn?"
"I was."
"How many were injured in the Osborn's bombing sprees?" asked Matt.
"15."
"Do you believe there would have been more if he had not been stopped?"
"Yes."
"Who was the arresting officer?"
"Officer Roy O'Malley."
"Norman Osborn is strong enough to lift cars," noted Matt, "Did O'Malley overpower him?"
"No."
"Did he find him already defeated and restrained?"
"Yes."
"And who was responsible for this?"
"Spider-Man."
"My client? Peter Parker?"
"Yes."
There was a wave of murmuring in the courtroom. Deveraux silenced it with several bangs of her gavel.
"So is it reasonable to presume," said Matt, "that without my client's help, Osborn would have hurt more people?"
"Objection," interjected Jeri, "Conjecture."
"Captain DeWolff is an experienced law officer," explained Matt, "I believe she is professionally qualified to assess the possible outcomes of such a scenario."
"I agree. Overruled."
"Yes," said DeWolff, "It is reasonable to assume that without Spider-Man, others would have been hurt."
"Is the only case where, in your professional opinion, my client's actions prevented injury or death?"
"It is not."
"Would you say that the same is true with Morris Bench's attack as well?"
"Yes."
"And Frances Barrison?" continued Matt, "And Callie Ryan?"
"Yes."
"I see," nodded Matt, "No further questions."
Matt remained calm as he returned to the desk. When he sat down, he flashed Peter a quick grin. That had gone extremely well. Jeri must not have known how much DeWolff and Spider-Man had worked together. She had left that wide open. They really had a shot at this.
"Is the plaintiff ready with their next witness?" asked Deveraux.
"We are, Your Honor," said Jeri, "The plaintiff calls Katherine Farrell to the stand."
Kat got up from the other Bugle employees and made her way to the witness box. She was sworn in and stepped into the box.
"Could you please introduce yourself for the court?"
"My name is Kat Farrell. I'm a journalist employed by The Daily Bugle."
"According to Captain DeWolff, it was your article that first tipped her off as to Spider-Man's identity," said Jeri, "Is that correct?"
"Yes it is."
"I have here a printed copy of the article," said Jeri, walking over to her desk and grabbing a stapled packet of papers, "Would you please read the highlighted section?"
"Yes," nodded Kat, "In the footage of Spider-Man's fight with Morris Bench, one can clearly see a pattern of distinct red marks on his torso. In the footage of Peter Parker receiving a wedgie from a pulley system, the same red marks can be seen on him as well."
Several jurors and audience members chuckled. Deveraux banged her gavel for silence. Peter sank into his chair as he blushed.
"Your Honor," said Jeri, "The plaintiff requests to show the footage mentioned in Kat's article."
"Objection!" shouted Matt, "This is entirely unnecessary. Ms. Hogarth is clearly trying to humiliate my client!"
Peter sank further into his chair.
"Both Ms. Farrell and Captain DeWolff have testified to the importance of this footage," argued Jeri, "It's relevance to the case is clear. It seems irresponsible to keep it from the court simply because Mr. Parker is embarrassed."
"Agreed," nodded Deveraux, "Overruled. Proceed, Ms. Hogarth."
A monitor was wheeled into the courtroom. Jeri took a moment to set it up and then played the first clip of footage. It showed Spider-Man's fight with the escaped Bench, also known as Hydro-Man. One of Bench's blows nearly washed Spider-Man's shirt off. Jeri paused the video. Several red scars could be seen on Spider-Man's upper torso.
"Ms. Farrell," she said, "Are these the markings you previously mentioned?"
"Yes."
Jeri nodded and prepared the next video. This time the monitor played footage of Flash Thompson forcibly grabbing Peter and dragging him over to a flagpole. In the courtroom, Peter began to shift around uncomfortably. In the footage, Flash hooked Peter's underwear to the flagpole cable before yanking down on the cable. The dejected Peter was hoisted higher and higher up the pole, his hoodie rolling up and revealing the same scars in the process.
The courtroom began to chuckle again. This time Deveraux didn't silence them. In fact, she seemed amused by the footage herself. Peter lay his head down on the desk and pulled at his hair to ease the shame.
"Your Honor," said Matt, standing up, "Is this really necessary? I think the court has a more than adequate understanding of the footage now."
"Indeed," said Deveraux, a slight smile on her lips, "That's enough of that, Ms. Hogarth."
Jeri paused the video and had the monitor wheeled out.
"Ms. Farrell," continued Jeri, "You said you were employed by The Daily Bugle. Did you publish this article through them?"
"No," said Kat, "I published it on my personal news blog."
"Why?"
"Mr. Jameson said that my theory regarding Spider-Man's identity was preposterous."
"Mr. Jameson being John Jonah Jameson Jr.," said Jeri, "The owner and President of The Daily Bugle."
"Correct."
"Why did he say that your theory was preposterous?"
"He said that Peter Parker had been employed by the Bugle for years," said Kat, "that if he were Spider-Man, we'd all have to be idiots not to have figured it out by now."
"And yet Mr. Parker confessed?"
"Yes."
"How did those at The Daily Bugle react to the news?"
"Most of my coworkers were devastated," said Kat, "They felt lied to by Mr. Parker, like he had made fools of all of us by selling photos of himself to us while pretending it wasn't him. Jameson was the most upset. He had to see his doctor to treat his increased blood pressure."
"Mr. Parker took photos of himself?"
"He was the only journalist to ever get decent pictures of Spider-Man."
"Would you say that this gave him a monopoly on such photographs?"
"Yes."
"Would you say that he lied to his employer regarding his identity?"
"Yes."
"And that he did so to get more money from his employer?"
"Objection!" shouted Matt, "Ms. Farrell can't speak to my client's motivations."
"Withdrawn," said Jeri, satisfied with having put the thought in the juror's minds, "Ms. Farrell, have you ever personally worked with Mr. Parker?"
"Yes."
"In your professional opinion as his peer and coworker," said Jeri, "How would you judge Mr. Parker's performance in his position at The Daily Bugle?"
"His photographs were always excellent," acknowledged Kat, "but his professional conduct was lacking."
"Could you elaborate?"
"He would routinely arrive late," said Farrell, "Whenever he contributed photos to accompany an article on a controversial topic, he would argue with Jameson regarding the contents of the article."
"Was Spider-Man one such controversial topic?"
"Yes," nodded Kat, "Mr. Parker would routinely argue with Jameson over how the Bugle reported on Spider-Man."
"So Mr. Parker would make sure he was the only one to get photos of himself in costume," said Jeri, "then upon submitting them he would try to manipulate his employer into portraying him the way he wanted?"
"Objection!"
"Withdrawn."
Again, Jeri was satisfied having just put the thought in the jury's minds.
"Since you have worked with Mr. Parker on a regular basis," continued Jeri, "Would you consider him a personal acquaintance?"
"I would."
"What is your opinion of him?"
"Objection!" shouted Matt, "Relevance, Your Honor."
"It goes to Mr. Parker's character," said Jeri, turning back to Matt, "You were intending to have character witnesses yourself, yes?"
"...yes," muttered Matt, sitting back down.
"Continue," said Deveraux.
"He's a decent photographer," said Kat, "but beyond that not I can't say much. When he's not wearing the mask, he's nothing. A nobody. A loser."
The audience murmured as Peter sank sadly down into his seat.
"No further questions," smiled Jeri, returning to her desk.
Matt cleared his throat and began his cross examination. Nothing came from it. Peter and his friends left the courthouse that day with grim prospects for the trial.
Peter looked sadly at the monitor in the corner of the office. It was showing the headline news, all of which was about the trial. Sketches of him looking nervous and ashamed circulated in place of any actual footage or audio. Commentators were beginning to suspect that Spider-Man wasn't as brave as everyone thought, that his heroism may have been blown out of proportion.
Peter moaned as he buried his face in his hands. Mary Jane gently rubbed his back.
"It's okay, Tiger," assured Mary Jane, "Soon this will all be over. They'll move onto their next scandal."
"That's assuming we win," sighed Peter."
"We're going to win, Tiger."
"You don't know that," said Peter curtly.
"You've got Captain America testifying on your behalf, Peter!" exclaimed Mary Jane quietly.
"Speaking of which."
Peter and Mary Jane turned around to see a smiling chubby man in a brown suit.
"Speaking of testifying," he clarified, "Not speaking of Captain America. I imagine I'd be quite the disappointment in that case."
Peter and Mary Jane chuckled. Then Foggy did too. Franklin Nelson, better known as 'Foggy,' was Matt's law partner. He had been involved in back office stuff up until now, but he had started coaching witnesses.
"You ready?" asked Foggy.
He had a gentle smile that put the two at ease.
"Yeah," said Mary Jane, "Yeah, I'm ready."
Foggy and Mary Jane went into one of the side rooms. Mary Jane was testifying as a character witness at the upcoming adjournment. Many of Peter's friends were. He hoped that would be enough. Matt walked calmly up beside him.
"It's okay to be nervous," assured Matt.
"How do you know I'm nervous?"
"Have you ever had a cat or a dog that acts differently when you're sad?" posed Matt, "Humans give off different pheromones depending on what's going on."
"Does it ever freak you out?" asked Peter, "The things you can do?"
"You tell me, wall crawler."
Peter and Matt shared a chuckle as well. There was a lot of joking these days.
"We're going to be okay," said Matt after a moment, "Jeri's good but she can't beat the truth. The jury will see that."
"She was good enough to give us a beating last time," mentioned Peter suddenly.
"She threw me," acknowledged Matt, "I was cocky and foolish. Her slip up with DeWolff was intentional. She wanted to boost my confidence and make me complacent. It worked. I won't let it happen again."
"If you say so," said Peter.
"A fine young man," said Steve, "One of the bravest fighters I've ever met."
Matt had just finished his examination of Steve Rogers. He had testified to Peter Parker's character for his acts of heroism. It was a great testimony. So was Mary Jane's. They really were going to win this.
"Captain Rogers," said Jeri, facing the man with a calm intensity, "Is it at all possible that your personal affection for Mr. Parker has painted your opinion of him?"
"No more so than any other Avenger."
Peter blushed. Captain America called him an Avenger.
"Tell me," said Jeri, "How many of the other Avengers send you fanmail?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Or collect your comic books?" continued Jeri, "Or dress up like you on Halloween?"
"I don't see how that's relevant."
Now Peter was blushing for different reasons. Peter remembered being caught with both his Captain America costume and comics at work on separate occasions. One of his coworkers must have told Jeri.
"He worshipped you, didn't he?" continued Jeri.
"I wouldn't say worship."
"He purchased and wore a replica of your costume to pretend to be you, Captain," said Jeri, "What do you call that?"
"He's a fan, that's all," said Steve uncomfortably.
"I'd say he's a rather big fan, wouldn't you?"
"Yes."
"Did you like having a huge fan of yours on your team, Captain?"
"I suppose I did," admitted Steve, "Yes."
"He'd follow your every word, wouldn't he?"
"I didn't say that."
"But he would, wouldn't he?"
"He might."
"Anyone would testify on behalf of such an obedient soldier."
"Your Honor!" shouted Matt.
"Withdrawn. No further questions."
"Ms. Hogarth," said Deveraux impatiently, "Is your next witness ready?"
"She is, Your Honor. We call Elizabeth Brant to the stand."
Jeri proceeded to ask Betty a series of questions similar to the ones she had asked Kat, but focused more on Peter's betrayal. Betty testified that she felt lied to and manipulated by Peter and taunted by Spider-Man.
Matt listened carefully to Betty's heartbeat. She seemed to be telling the truth, but it was beating significantly faster than she was displaying outwardly. She clearly felt very strongly about whatever she was talking about. She really wanted to say it.
"No further questions," concluded Jeri, walking off.
"Ms. Brant," said Matt, rising to his feet, "How did you first meet Peter Parker?"
"Objection," said Jeri impatiently, "Relevance."
"I believe the witness's relationship to my client will inform the nature of her testimony."
Betty raised her eyebrows. She didn't like the implication of that.
"Overruled."
"We met working at the Bugle," said Betty, "I was already a journalist there and he was coming on as a part-time photographer. He asked me where his desk was."
"You seem to remember that pretty clearly," said Matt, "Those were some specific details. Does that memory have some significance to you?"
"No."
Matt decided to try a different angle.
"How did you meet Spider-Man?"
"I just told you."
"When was the first time you encountered my client while he was wearing the Spider-Man suit?"
"Back when I…" began Betty, shaking her head, "When I interviewed him for the arrest of a few arms dealers."
"What did you begin to say earlier?" asked Matt.
"I was just trying to remember when that was."
"When was it?"
"A little over a year ago."
"How can you be sure?"
"Because it's when I broke up with my ex."
Matt withheld a smile. That was an angle.
"Who was that?"
Betty let out a long sigh.
"Maxwell Dillon."
"Your Honor," said Jeri, "Betty's ex-boyfriend isn't the defendant here!"
"No but he was," said Matt firmly, "back when he was charged for attacking The Daily Bugle."
Betty shifted in her seat. Matt allowed himself a small smile this time. This was exactly where he wanted her.
"I still don't see what this has to do with-" began Jeri.
"Yes," said Betty anyway, "When he fought Spider-Man."
The room began to murmur in confusion.
"The Bugle reported that my client and Dillon were both spotted at the same time," said Matt, "and suggested that they may have even been working together, isn't that true?"
"Your Honor," said Jeri, nervous, "This witness is not qualified to-"
"She is a senior journalist at the very news outlet we're discussing," said Matt, "She is more than qualified to testify on their content."
Jeri took her seat. She knew she had lost that round.
"Yes," said Betty, "The Bugle did suggest that Spider-Man may have been a part of the attack."
"Was he?"
"No."
More murmurs.
"What was he doing there, Ms. Brant?"
"He was saving people," said Betty quietly, "Oh God, he was saving people… Saving me…"
It had worked. Matt had known that Betty was feeling conflicted. All he had to do was get her to realize that for herself. Now she seemed to have resolved it. Matt decided to take a risk on the next question.
"What is your opinion of Peter Parker?"
"He's a horrible, wretched friend..." said Betty, tearing up, "...but he is a good man. The world is a better place for having him in it."
Peter frowned. He didn't know what to make of that.
"No further questions."
Matt walked confidently back to his desk. That was it. All he had to do was establish that Peter cared about the well-being of the Bugle. Remind everyone that he was a hero and that heroes helped people. Now the case was as good as-
"The plaintiff calls Victoria Hand to the stand!" shouted Jeri suddenly.
Peter looked around in bewilderment. He thought that was all the testimony for the day. He hadn't heard anything about this Victoria Hand person. Based on the look on Matt's face, neither did he.
The witness in question, a dark-haired woman with a sleek pair of glasses, rose from the audience and approached the stand. Bobbi looked more concerned than the rest of them, having had an experience with Victoria in the past. As Victoria was being sworn in, Peter leaned over to ask Matt about it.
"Do you have any idea who this is?" asked Peter quietly.
"No," said Matt, "After Jeri's examination we'll call for-"
"Order in the court!" shouted Deveraux, banging the gavel and silencing the room.
"Thank you for joining us, Ms. Hand," said Jeri.
"Of course."
"Could you introduce yourself to the court please?"
"My name is Victoria Hand. I am an intelligence analyst for the CIA."
"What was your job before that?"
"I was an intelligence analyst at S.H.I.E.L.D."
Peter felt his stomach lurch a bit. This couldn't be good. He had not had a good relationship with S.H.I.E.L.D. when it was active. He doubted one of their former employees would have anything good to say.
"Are you personally familiar with the defendant?"
"No."
"Are you professionally familiar with him?"
"Yes."
How? thought Peter, I don't even know who she is.
"Could you elaborate?" asked Jeri.
"I worked directly under Maria Hill during her tenure as Secretary of Intelligence," explained Victoria, "I went over all the information gathered on Mr. Parker."
Oh no… realized Peter.
"Why was there information being gathered on Mr. Parker?"
"Two years ago, S.H.I.E.L.D. had already figured out Peter Parker was Spider-Man," said Victoria, "He was one of the candidates for the Initiative, which later became the Avengers."
There was quite a bit of talking going on in the court now. The general public hadn't known that S.H.I.E.L.D. knew Spider-Man's identity this entire time.
"Objection!" shouted Matt, "Your Honor, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s methods of gathering intelligence violated countless civil rights! Surely anything they have on my client would be inadmissible-"
"The witness won't testify to any intelligence that was gathered illegally," assured Jeri, "nor any that came as a direct result of those rights violations."
"I'll allow it, Ms. Hogarth," said Deveraux, "but if you step even a toe out of line with this one, you'll regret it."
"Thank you, Your Honor."
"Proceed."
"You said Mr. Parker was under consideration for the Avengers," said Jeri, "Why was he not on the team?"
Peter's heart sank. Now he realized why Victoria was testifying. Jeri wanted to air all of Peter's dirty laundry. The humiliating experience of how he was expelled from the team would paint him in a horrible light. It was bad enough that Hill had done that to him in front of the Avengers. Now Victoria would do it in a public court of law.
"NO!"
Everyone in the court turned to Jessica, who was furiously glaring at both Victoria and Jeri.
"What is this!?" demanded Deveraux, banging her gavel once.
"Jessica!" whispered Bobbi fearfully.
"NO!" repeated Jessica, "YOU DON'T GET TO DO THIS TO HIM! NOT AGAIN!"
"Whoever you are," shouted Deveraux, "You are way out of-!"
"FUCK YOU!"
"You're in contempt!" shouted Deveraux, repeatedly banging the gavel, "Officers!"
"FUCK OFF!" roared Jessica, shoving both of the officers away as they got close.
The audience gasped. None of them were sure if this would break out into a full brawl.
"Jessica, please!" begged Peter, "This won't make it better!"
Jessica let out a primal scream. Everyone went dead silent. Jessica looked to Peter for a second. Then she gave one last hateful look around the court before storming out. The officers nervously got up to follow her.
"Stop," said Deveraux to the officers, "Let's not draw this circus out any longer than it has to be. Ms. Hogarth, please finish your line of questioning so that we can move on."
Peter sank nervously into his seat. This part was going to be miserable.
"The question was," said Jeri, "why was Spider-Man ultimately not recruited to the Avengers?"
"He was deemed unfit to serve."
"Could you elaborate?"
"Yes," said Victoria, "There was a hearing to determine whether or not Mr. Parker would be fit to serve. During that hearing, Mr. Parker testified that his sexual inexperience and loneliness compromised his decision-making abilities in the past."
"Objection!" shouted Matt.
"I have the transcripts ready to submit to evidence, Your Honor," said Jeri.
"Let it go, Mr. Murdock," sighed Deveraux, "We've had enough nonsense around this testimony as it is. This court won't benefit from additional interjections unless there is a serious offense."
"Yes, Your Honor," nodded Matt meekly.
"What sort of decision-making abilities?"
"It allowed him to be seduced and manipulated by the criminal Felicia Hardy," explained Victoria, "He was unable to prevent a burglary she committed."
"Why was he unable?"
"Mr. Parker testified that he was electrified by a taser until he collapsed in paralysis and soiled himself."
Peter bit his lip as his face turned bright red. The entire court began to murmur and giggle. He couldn't believe this was being brought up again. What could this possibly have to do with the Bugle? Was it all just to tarnish his character?
"Was that the only reason he was denied membership?"
"No," said Victoria, "Mr. Parker also suffered a complete sobbing breakdown in response to a line of questioning."
"I see," said Jeri, "No further questions."
"Your Honor!" requested Matt, standing abruptly, "motion to adjourn. The defense was not given proper notice of this witness. I would like a chance to at least confer with my client on the matter before my cross examination."
"Very well," said Deveraux, "We'll adjourn. But no more ridiculous surprises with this trial, understood? From either of you."
Deveraux banged her gavel, ending the session. Peter looked straight at the ground. He couldn't stand to look anyone in the eye. All of the journalists would go on to report on what Victoria had said. Soon the whole world would know. Peter sighed to himself. In a weird way, he was getting used to this kind of thing.
"I'm sorry, Peter," whispered Matt.
"This is such fucking bullshit!" screamed Jessica, throwing her fist clean through the wall in rage.
"Could you please stop doing that?" asked Foggy politely.
There were now three holes the size of Jessica's fist in the Nelson & Murdock office.
"Bill me," she grumbled.
"We intend to," said Foggy, "but I still don't love having swiss cheese for walls in the meantime."
"This isn't as bad as it looks," assured Matt.
"Oh really!?" demanded Jessica, "How about you go out there and admit to pissing yourself and being a sexual fail-"
Jessica cut herself off and looked away. Peter frowned up at her. She knew he wouldn't care for the details of his humiliation to be repeated unnecessarily.
"I meant the case," said Matt, "Victory is all but assured now."
"How do you figure?" asked Mary Jane.
"That testimony may have supposedly been to establish your poor moral character," said Matt, "but none of the character established is relevant to the Bugle. It won't hurt your chances. If anything it'll endear the jury with pity."
"Great," scoffed Peter.
"Then why'd she even call that woman to the stand?" asked Mary Jane, "Wouldn't Jeri know that?"
"Yes," said Matt, "She knows she's lost too. That's why she did that."
"What?" asked Jessica.
"Jeri is a bitter, vindictive woman," said Matt, "She saw that she might lose, so she decided to hurt you as much as possible."
"Wow…" whispered Mary Jane.
Jessica punched the wall again.
"Come on!" groaned Foggy.
"So you think we're going to win?" asked Peter hopefully.
"...nothing is certain," said Matt solemnly.
"I can't believe it," sighed Mary Jane, "Jameson should be grateful. The Spider-Man articles are the best part of the Bugle."
"Wait," said Foggy suddenly, "Say that again."
"The Spider-Man articles are the best part of the Bugle," repeated Mary Jane.
Foggy looked excitedly over to Matt. Matt smiled.
"Is the defense ready for cross examination?" asked Deveraux as the court was seated.
"We are, Your Honor."
"Proceed."
"Ms. Hand," began Matt, slowly approaching the witness box, "Are you by any chance a subscriber to The Daily Bugle?"
"I am," said Victoria.
"How long have you had your subscription?"
"Maybe four years?" estimated Victoria.
"What happened that convinced you to sign up?" asked Matt.
"They must have written an article I wanted to read."
"You don't remember what that article was?"
"I do not."
"I might be able to help jog your memory," grinned Matt, "The defense presents Exhibit H, a printout of the issue of The Daily Bugle published on September 26th, 2017."
Jeri was looking over at Matt suspiciously. She wasn't sure where he was going with that.
"Do you recognize this article, Ms. Hand?"
"It's an article about Spider-Man," said Victoria.
"Isn't it the first article about Spider-Man?" asked Matt, "The now famous 'Hero or Menace' story?"
"It is."
"Please read the name of the individual credited with the photographs for that article."
"Peter Parker."
"Your Honor," sighed Jeri, "We've already established that Mr. Parker takes photos of Spider-Man for the Bugle. Must we continue to waste the court's time?"
"All due respect," said Matt, "Less time would be wasted if I were allowed to finish my questioning uninterrupted."
"Overruled," said Deveraux, "Make this quick, Mr. Murdock."
"You said you first subscribed to the Bugle four years ago," continued Matt, "Is it possible you signed up after reading this article?"
"I don't remember."
"That's understandable," acknowledged Matt, "Allow me to provide some more context to help you. The defense presents exhibit I, the subscription figures for The Daily Bugle from 2013 to 2021."
Matt handed Victoria the packet. She began to flip through it and look at it.
"Could you please read the highlighted portion?"
"By the end of 4th quarter 2013, The Daily Bugle's subscriptions fell to 950,000."
"Can you read the total subscriptions for the following 3 years as well?"
"925,000 in 2014, 920,000 in 2015, and 910,000 in 2016."
"So the subscriptions gradually dropped from 2014 to 2016?"
"I guess so."
"This is during the time when you were also not subscribed to the Bugle," continued Matt, "Isn't that correct?"
"It's possible."
"Could you read what the subscription number was in 4th quarter 2017?" asked Matt.
"...2.3 million," said Victoria.
"And remind us," continued Matt, "In what quarter of what year was that first article on Spider-Man published?"
"4th quarter, 2017."
"And read the subscription numbers for 2021, if you would."
"...4.7 million subscribers."
The court and jury began to murmur now. The picture Matt was painting was starting to become clear. Even Deveraux found herself engrossed.
"So," said Matt, "before my client began working for the Bugle, their subscribers were dropping off. After my client began working for them, subscriptions sharply increased. Is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Do you now consider it possible that the Spider-Man articles may have influenced your decision to subscribe as well?"
"I do."
Victoria didn't seem bothered by this cross examination. She must not have had any particular allegiance to Jeri.
"Then does it stand to reason," concluded Matt, "that my client directly contributed to your decision to subscribe to his employer?"
"Yes."
"And the decision of 4.7 million others," said Matt, "No further questions."
Peter beamed. He spun around to smile at his friends and family. They all smiled back.
"Has the jury reached a verdict?"
"We have, Your Honor."
"What is your verdict?"
"We find in favor of the defendant," said the juror.
The court burst into excited exclamations. Peter spun around in his chair and hugged Matt, taking the lawyer by surprise. He adjusted his sunglasses and hugged Peter back. Peter leapt up and ran to his loved ones, hugging them all as they celebrated his freedom. They all hugged and smiled back, happy that Peter was finally free of this.
When they emerged from the courtroom into the hall, Peter saw his old Bugle coworkers on their way out too. Once again, Jameson was mercifully not among them. Betty was though. She saw Peter and stepped away from the group, waiting until Peter approached her.
"Hey," he offered quietly.
"Hey," she offered back.
"I'm sorry," said Peter, "You're right, I'm a terrible friend. I lied to you twice: as Spider-Man and as Peter Parker, but Betty I'd do it again if I had to. I know it's selfish and-"
"It's not that, Peter," said Betty, "This isn't about whether or not you're a good person. I didn't realize it until your lawyer had me on the stand. You're Spider-Man. You save lives. Of course you're a good person. But you still hurt me, Peter."
"I know."
"I don't know if I could ever trust you again."
"I know."
"And it's not your fault."
"I kn- What?"
"You're not a cruel person either, Peter," said Betty, "You're just... not the kind of person I can ever trust or feel close to."
"I… didn't know you wanted to feel close to me," said Peter.
"Of course you didn't," chuckled Betty, "You big doof."
"I'm sorry."
"You keep saying that," said Betty, "Stop. This isn't about culpability. We're just not meant to be. As friends or as anything more."
"I… okay."
"Goodbye, Peter Parker."
Betty gave Peter one last gentle hug before turning and leaving. Peter watched her walk away until he heard his loved ones walking up behind him.
"Sorry, Tiger," said Mary Jane, "I didn't catch any of that, but it couldn't have been pleasant."
"It wasn't," said Peter.
"So tell me," said Foggy, walking up with a grin, "Should we expect to see Spider-Man again or are you hanging up the long johns?"
"One thing's for sure," said Peter, "No matter what, I will make the most of my abilities to be the best that I can be."
"Not really an answer," said Foggy dryly, "You superhero types sure do love your cryptic nonsense."
"Sorry," smiled Peter, "Yes. I am and will always be Spider-Man."
"Couldn't have said it better myself," smiled Matt back.