Chapter 15

Half a year being Spider-Man didn't leave me unharmed. There were still people who were lucky to stab, shoot, or bat me in the head. All those experiences gave me relatively enough data to estimate how fast my healing factor would get me on my feet. Or at least enough so I don't look like a wreck by the time I get home.

I can't stop Aunt May's worrying but I can at least lessen it.

So recently I made it a bad habit to sneak into Gwen's room when I needed a place to recuperate, and Gwen has a bad habit of indulging my bad habit by equipping first aid in her room. It's a vicious cycle.

"So Connors is planning to… what? Infect the whole world with a Lizard Mutation so that everyone can look like him?" She said between stitching my cheek.

"Sounds ridiculous, huh?"

"It does when Lizard Pandemic sounds like a bad sci-fi movie instead of a bio-weapon that can go off anytime soon."

"Not 'anytime'. Connors said he needed time to set up, so he's not gonna pop it on us in the immediate future. I don't know how many of those he's gonna make. He could have even altered it to be contagious. Maybe aiming to contaminate the water supply, or… or… "

"Peter, PETER! You're rambling. Breathe and tell me what you see in my room. Come on, Pete, breathe."

I did as follows and listed all the things in her rooms; the desk lamp, the half-opened window, the pink cover bed, and the small row of books on her bookshelves over it. It managed to not get me overwhelmed by all the what-ifs and worst scenarios.

"Good. Now we're going to think this through together so work with me here. What are the chances that he'll go to the water supply?"

"...small. The canister was designed to release the bio-agent airborne."

"Can you estimate how many he made when you confronted him?"

"Urgh… considering he has 8 lizards in his beck and call, at least he has that much if he wanted them to spread throughout NYC."

"Did he say anything that clued in when he'll start his plan?"

I tried recalling the conversation we had in earnest, "He… he said it'd be too late to do anything even if I had the authority involved… so probably tomorrow is the least time we have."

Gwen sunken in a nervous breath and I knew she was trying to keep calm herself, "Then if his virus was as contagious as you say, what would you have done in his shoes?"

"I, I don't know? I mean, if this was something like Plague Inc. then I would have released it discreetly in a very populated low-income neighborhood. More likely to spread and less likely to get diagnosed in hospitals."

"Okay… ignoring that deviously evil scheme of yours, that's a good way to start." Gwen opened up Google Maps through her tablet.

"If we take it into account the 8 lizards will spread out to enact his plan..." She began marking areas like Hell's Kitchen, Bronx, Harlem, Brooklyn as well as landmarks around the most populated places in New York. All the while, I was just… staring at her… seeing Gwen working so earnestly and brilliantly while tucked by my side.

I buried my face in her hair and breathed in her presence. Everything becomes less overwhelming while I have her to focus on, all the stress and worries melting off.

"Peter?"

"Just… can we just stay like this for a while? I know we have doomsday to prepare ourselves, but…"

Gwen seemed to contemplate my unfinished answer before agreeing. Her eyes softened, shut her tablet, and offered her hand to hold and I took it. It was times like these that I missed the times before the spider bite. Times where I don't have to second-guess the strength needed to touch someone or expressing unabashed affection with all my strength without hurting my loved ones.

Gwen squeezed my hand, and I smiled at the small gesture.

"How did you know how to calm me down anyway?"

"You learn a trick or two when you go to therapy."

My eyes were blown away by the revelation, "You go to therapy? You?!"

She knocked my arm for that, "Don't be so surprised, it was a long time ago. But yeah, I did."

"When was this?" I turned my whole body over to face her. My attention was rapt to her unsaid story.

"Well, it kind of started during my second year in middle school. My parents were on the verge of divorce, then it wasn't long before my dad got shot."

"Oh."

"Yeah, he was hospitalized and I was having a hard time… adjusting… to all these changes and acting out the way I know how… like getting my nose pierced."

"What?"

"Then shaved the side of my head, colored my hair, bought a leather jacket from stealing my mom's credit card, and all that jazz."

" What?! No— unbelieva— Gwen Stacy. THE perfect, honorable call Gwen Stacy went punk in middle school and I didn't know about this?!"

"Oh, shut up!" But she laughed alongside me.

"You can't just drop a bomb this big and not be shocked! Pictures or it didn't happen!"

"Do you want to hear my story or not?"

I shut my lip and miming a lock to my mouth before throwing away the imaginary key.

"Thank you… now reasonably my parents sent me to a therapist where I learned to examine my feelings and handle my anxiety because of the divorce and my dad's job."

My smile fell and suddenly felt unsure, "Do… do I make you anxious? With me being… this?" I gestured to my blood-riddled costume.

"...I'm not gonna lie, it does. To have both you and my dad go out and fight crimes without knowing you'll ever come back. It scares me." The words hurt, but I couldn't blame her for it. I leaned back to give her some distance but she squeezed my hand and pulled me back. "BUT, and this is big but, I've handled it before and I can handle it still. Besides, you're worth it, Peter Parker."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. So now that you know you have an angel of a girlfriend who puts up with your 11 P.M. Nurse Call. You're gonna leave an empty schedule next Saturday for us, no Spider-Manning unless it's an emergency."

"Spider-Manning?"

"Superheroing, vigilanting, whatever you want to call it."

"Those aren't words, Gwendy."

"Says you, we literally make words by making them up."

I opened my mouth, closed them, and suffered a stroke of mind blown. I groaned into the palm of my hand, "Why… why would you do that to me?" Gwen just laughed at my plight, which I felt personally slighted.

"What? Did it just occur to you that English is just the bastard language of the world?"

"That's it, I'm out. Goodbyeeeeeeee ~"

"No, no, wait! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Peter," she said even as she snorted and pulled my costume, keeping me in place.

"You're not convincing. I'm going to be up all night because of you. Go get a new human heater!"

There were scuffles and laughter as the world felt it was fading away. There are groups of human lizards and Connors plan to worry about. But for now? For now, there's just us two.

. . .

The next day left me in a bundle of nerves as the last bell of school sounded. I went to find the nearest alleyway to climb up rooftops before beginning to change out of the privy of the public eye. Honestly, I should have done this from the start. Last time I webbed my bag, I forgot it could only stay for 2 hours before it was stolen again.

I fished out my phone then, about to text May but was called by her instead. There was a moment I had a mini heart attack from hearing the alert, a bit wary of answering since a call without a text notice usually meant bad.

Bracing myself, I accepted the call, "Hey Aunt May, I was just about to call you."

"Oh, Peter, I'm taking a sudden night shift today so I won't be home until midnight."

"Huh, what a coincidence I was about to say the same thing. Is there anything else you want to say?"

"Oh, no, it's nothing, Peter, I just want to hear your voice today, that's all."

"Now, I know my Aunt May better than to fall for her susceptible voice like everyone else. Something's got to be on your mind."

May was silent for a while from the other line, and I got all the more worried at the uncharacteristic of it all.

"I… I missed him, Peter."

Her words were like a cold bucket of ice. The shadow of Uncle Ben had always been in the back of my mind, but it was times like these that made me feel his absence. It was maybe why Aunt May rarely said his name unless it was to comfort me. As if she was a medium who's giving me his words from the other side. It made the ache lessen for a bit, pretending he was still around to give me that advice himself just from the other room.

May chuckled, but there was a crack in her tone, "It's, it's so silly. I woke up like any other day, went to work, and then I noticed the date and… it's our anniversary today, Peter."

I dragged in a breath as the date finally registered in my head and felt like cursing myself for forgetting it and what it might mean for Aunt May.

"I remember when you were younger, we waited until you were in bed before Ben would arrange the most romantic dinner date. Always with the same mixtape, the same food, and the same dance routine, but it never stops taking my breath away when he told me he was lucky to be with the most beautiful girl."

"Uncle Ben had always been a sappy man," I chuckled even as I tried to keep my tears in.

"So… so when I realized the date, I remember he wasn't there with me to make ends meet, discuss your future with him, or reminding me not to overwork, and everything just became… too much and all I wanted was to… was to…"

"You want to see him again," I finished for her sympathetically. "I understand, Aunt May. I do."

There was a sharp hitch from the line and I imagined she was nodding even while keeping her own tears in. It's a bit funny.

What a pair we are .

"So I called you. I just… I just needed to hear your voice. I'm sorry."

I shook my head even if she can't tell, "Don't be. You've been there when it was hard for me too. You always said he loved me as much as I loved him. Let me do the same."

"Thank you, Peter," she sighed, "What would I do without you?"

"Having less stress lines?" I quipped and successfully made her laugh.

"Funny, young man. But remember, just because I'll be late tonight doesn't mean I want you out too late by yourself."

"Alright, alright. In fact, to prove my word, It'll be my turn to wait for you to get home, and I'll prepare you eggs for a midnight snack, what do you say?"

" Urgh , forget about the eggs already, Peter. Didn't I say I'm over it?"

"Nope, I promised you eggs and you'll get your eggs. I'll even make your signature wheat cakes tonight. And since tomorrow's a weekend, we're going to watch rom-coms and sleep through it after the first 5 minutes of the film."

May breathed out a laughter so light and happy, it made me warm all over. "I'll hold on to that, mister… You know your uncle is proud of you, right? I… I know I've said some things before, but know that Ben always had faith in the man you were becoming. That you were meant for great things. We both do."

"I try, Aunt May." My eyes flickered down to the mask in my hand, the bug-eye lenses reflecting my reddened eyes and nose, and thought how un-hero-like I am. "I try."

"I may not understand exactly what you're going through, but I'm here for you."

"I know."

"I love you, Peter."

"Love you too, Aunt May."

The call ended. Mask worn. And I stood watching the New York horizon before Spider-Man leaped to his calling.

. . .

Swinging all around Manhattan didn't help finding the mutant lizards even if it is the most likeliest place I'd find Connors. It didn't help that New York was mostly peaceful today, kind of like the calm before the storm.

[Incoming call—]

I groaned, "Lyla, this is so not the time—"

[—from Doctor Connors; would you like to accept or reject it?]

I was so shocked, my hand slipped from the webline and had to shoot a mistimed web that promptly had me skidding the glass office building. I ignored the astonished eyes that would testify more of my fails and found a rooftop to perch on.

"Lyla, accept the call!"

The call connected and from the other side, I recognized the tired tinged voice saying, "Peter."

"Connors," I mimicked his tone, "By any chance, would you make this easier for us and tell me where you are?"

He sighed, the same sound he made whenever we hit a snag in our research. "I told you not to get in my way, but that was my mistake. I should have known. You are your father's son after all."

"Connors, please . You're not thinking straight, you need help. Let me help you."

"No, Peter. Humanity needs my help. Which is why I'm going to force you out of the way."

Alarm bells rang deep in my chest, "What did you do?"

"Nothing yet, if you don't go to Mercy's Hospital soon. It would be heartbreaking to know something happened to your Aunt."

" Connors !" something dark and anguish crawled to my throat in a growl, "If you hurt her, I swear— you will wish you crawled back to the sewer where you never left."

"Then best hurry, Peter." The line cut from his side and if I had a phone in my hand, I would have chucked it right to the ground. There was no time to lose as I swung my way to May's Hospital where she worked. Praying that I wouldn't be too late. Not again. Not again. I can't lose her. I can't lose her too.

. . .

Say what you will of Harry Osborn, but he would be the first to acknowledge he is more alike with his father but the last to ever admit it. Like he can be as stubborn as a rock, have an easily fused temper, and a sucker to his mom's Bambi eyes when she pleads for burritos knowing her stomach can't handle it.

"If coming home was too much for you, I would have postponed the date."

Harry broke out of his reverie and immediately denied his mother's silly accusation.

She chuckled from her place in the wheelchair, "Well, how was I supposed to take it when my son looked all sour on the day of my discharge?"

Harry sighed, not hiding his frustration. "You know why… Peter's supposed to be here."

"I thought you said he had to run a sudden errand?"

"Yeah, he kept saying that… like the time he couldn't make it for the movies… or the time I was left hanging at Shake Shack… but I thought he'd at least make it for today," he grumbled. Harry would love nothing more than to blame his new girlfriend for taking his best friend's time away, but he knew that even Gwen fell victim to Peter's recent tardiness and absence.

"Harry, you know why you can't blame him for being different."

That's the other problem, Harry knows why. "Of course I know mom… it's just… I want my best friend back."

His uncle's death left Peter shattered and Harry didn't know what to do to fix him. It took a while for him to even start making all his corny science jokes and stupid quips again, but Harry felt he only had partially gotten his best friend back. It's not like he could just tell him to 'get over it!' He knows better than most that that's not how it works.

If it was any other person, Harry would have shrugged and moved on. People don't stay. Whether those who got close to him for being a trust fund kid, or genuinely wanting to be friends with him. He knew first hand how easy it was for people to drift off once apart.

But that's the thing… Those people aren't Peter. None of them gets Harry like he does; knows how to hide insecurity behind a smile, who knows the fear of losing a parent the first time his mom got into the ICU, listened to his business ideas and not think them stupid or pretend to care like certain someone.

Harry has many friends, but Peter is family.

"Being ghosted would have been better than whatever the hell he's doing," he said under his breath.

A knock on the door and the Doctor came alongside the nurse. He was pleasantly surprised to find Aunt May to help send them off for today. "Mrs. Parker! It's so good to see you, it's been a while."

"It's good to see you too, Harry. Is Peter with you?"

" 'Errand from home' my arse!" He smiled even when he was gritting his teeth underneath. "No, Mrs. Parker. Peter told me he had a prior engagement so he couldn't make it." Harry ignored the pointed look his mother gave to the back of his head.

"That's unfortunate, he's been so excited being there for you for today." May's words mollified Harry's anger that whatever the truth was, they still mattered to Peter. Just a tiny bit though.

Harry pushed his mother outside the damn patient room, hopefully for the last time.

That's when the screaming starts.

It was muffled since it was coming from downstairs, but the fact they could hear it at all raised an alarming concern. The resident patients and nurses paused or came out of their room as if they could find out what was beyond the walls. His mom's doctor was quick to assuage the floor to keep calm.

And then a giant green lizard burst through the stairs. Blood trailing from his clawed hands.

Harry was ashamed to say he was stuck a second or two ogling the thing as if it was an impressive costume. Until he remembered the news about a rampaging lizard monster and then proceeded to think, " Oh shit, this is real." Which was the moment he started screaming like a girl as it started striding toward them.

"This way, Harry!" He didn't know who ordered it, but Harry didn't care. He turned his mom's wheelchair and began to sprint, but the corridor was filled with other bystanders in a frantic run that jammed the place. The fire alarm rang insistently to the point of deafening.

He then felt May tugging him toward an empty hallway, but he knew by heart it would lead to a dead end. "What are you doing?!"

"There's a utility lift we can take." She opened a door that led to a lab, going straight past the desk to a door he would normally avoid because it had a certain 'employee only' vibe. Harry looked down at his mother, her pale face ashen further as she kept a hard enough grip on his wrist that he worried his hand might fall off.

"Don't worry, Mom. We'll get you out of here."

"I would hope so!" She exclaimed with haggard breath. The lift was already in sight, but they weren't the only ones who had the same idea as the lift's number was counting down to the first level. "Because it's either the lizard or my heart that's going to kill me first."

" Mom! Not the time for death jokes right now—" There was a sound of walls crashing and Harry turned around to find the reason. The Lizard had come stomping at their tail, Harry didn't question why it was following them, too busy keeping himself from emptying his lunch.

"Come on, come on, come on!" May repeatedly push the down button. The numbers felt it was ticking slower than it should as the Lizard long stride was starting to be too close for comfort.

The lift's door finally opened and the three of them went in. Harry pushed the closing button, and he felt everything was going right.

Until inhuman claws jammed it before it closed shut.

Desperate, Harry picked up his screaming mother. When the metal creaked from the Lizard forcefully pushing it open, Harry kicked the wheelchair at the monster at the same time May had shot a stun gun. Giving them enough leeway for the lift's door to close.

It was silence aside from their rushed breathing. Harry turned to Peter's aunt, "You have a stun gun?"

"Ben insisted I always have one at hand."

"Saved by the dead, may he rest in peace," said Emily.

"Amen."

She may have said too soon because the lift then shook violently. "What was that?" Emily cried in fear. Her answer came when the lift's escape hatch was pried open, revealing the Lizard glaring down at them. It roared and tried to shove its big body down through the opening.

Harry didn't want this to be the end of him, stuck in a metal box waiting to be eaten by a giant reptile. He had the lift stopped at the nearest floor and escaped from the death trap. That doesn't seem to stop the Lizard as it finally slipped out and started chasing after them.

"Why the hell does it even follow us?!"

The lizard was closing in, their speed was laughable compared to the mutant monster. That was further evident when it leaped to the ceilings, crawled over them and blocked their only way out. Its claw hand reached out possibly to snatch one of them until the sound of glass breaking and a red blur came pushing the giant reptile down the corridor.

"Did someone order a hot, steaming spider bun? Because you just got served."

The first thing that came to Harry's mind was, 'Oh wow, that quip was worse than Peter's. '

The second thing that comes to mind was that they could continue running for their lives.

"Now's our chance— Go— GO!" He yelled, keeping a tight hold of his mother. Harry didn't dare to look at her other than the clear path they needed to take to be home free, relying only on her sharp, shallow breathing and erratic beating of her pulse to know she's still with him.

"Harry—"

'Uh-oh, that's not a good tone. That's her "Harry, I love you, but—" tone. Whatever she has in mind, I'm not having it.'

"Don't worry, mom. It'll be okay. We'll get out of here. I promise," he said. But even he didn't sound convincing with the sound of a roaring lizard and broken concrete from the battle behind.

" Harry— "

"We're getting out of here!" He insisted stubbornly even as his legs began to strain, his arms wobbling, and his lungs demanding him to stop and properly breathe.

A shadow came over them. Spider-Man sailed over their heads, crashing right toward the door to the operating room, which left the Lizard on its own behind them.

"This way!" Shouted May as she led them to a patient ward, "There's a fire escape through this room."

Harry took her word for it and followed behind, closing the door and blocking it with the chair. May had opened the window that led to the stairs and ushered them quickly but the door burst open with barely any time to stall.

"SURPRISE, LIZARD!" That was the only warning before Spider-Man came literally barrelling down the halls on… something… and crashed the Lizard out of sight.

"Hurry, Harry!" May pulled him back. There was the joking sound of "Clear!" and the crackle of electricity before he went through the window.

Harry had never cared for Spider-Man. Honestly, he thinks he's a weirdo. Who would get Spider-Power and decide wearing a mask and fighting crimes is their calling? People with issues, that's who. But if they survive this, Harry swore he'll fight Flash for the Number One Fan spot.

They started rushing down the stairs, but they barely got a floor down before he felt something was wrong. Harry looked down to find his mother unconscious with half-lidded eyes, head lolling back, mouth agape.

"Mom? Mom?! Damn it, not again."

"Oh, Emily. Of all times to get a blackout."

The window broke apart from above them and showered them with glass shrapnel. The group took cover as best as they could while bracing themselves as the masked vigilante hit the stairs.

"That's argh — that's gonna leave a mark." The hero's remark did not speak of confidence to Harry.

The Lizard peeked out from the window. Took one look at us and decided the best way to mess with it is to rip out the fire staircase off the building. Harry heard himself screaming with everyone as gravity tipped the stairways to the side, risking them from falling from several storeys high.

Spider-Man was already on his feet, strands of webbing attaching the staircase to the building. Harry and May kept a tight hold on the railings, but that left Mrs. Osborn slid dangerously off. "MOM! You have to wake up! Mom!"

Then he felt a weight around his shoulder and Aunt May was there to help hold on to her with one hand around Harry's. The teen's relief was palpable and he prayed all the blessings of God would be upon this angel of a woman.

The reptile-man was crawling the walls down at them with sadistic gleam in its inhuman eyes. It jumped onto the old staircase, adding force to rattle the whole thing. The strain made it lean further.

" Stay away from them!" Spider-Man threw his whole body at the Lizard, pushing them off the stairs and stuck to the adjacent building to square off side-to-side. It would have made a dizzying battle if it were anyone but those animal-like creatures. Harry hoped they just stayed that way long enough for them to get the hell away.

But Harry only had one hand to keep both the women from falling. His hand was sweating and he could feel her slipping away while crying out for his mom, over and over like a child desperate for her presence.

But it was no use, her hand slipped. Harry watched as both Aunt May and his mom were falling down to the harsh ground below.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Harry cried but it sounded as if his voice was overlapping. Like he wasn't the only one yelling out desperately. The young teen did nothing as he witnessed Spider-Man leaping back to the hospital building with inhuman speed and web lining on the two women.

The vigilante had an iron grip on Aunt May and Emily. His knees buckled with his feet firmly planted on the brick wall. Spider-Man turned between the hung women and the Lizard acrossed him, smiling mercilessly that showed its jagged teeth.

Harry was too busy worrying his mom to notice anything else, trying to climb down the tilted stairs. He stopped right next to her, just in time to see her eyes fleeting open. Harry felt like crying again.

"Harry?"

"Mom!"

"Harry!"

"Don't worry, I got you, Mom." Harry pulled his mother into his arms, and pulled the Swiss knife he always keeps in his pocket — One of the few rare gifts he cherished from his dad — and attempted to free her.

"No! Don't– Don't cut the webbing!"

Too late. Harry was too concern in making sure his mom stayed out of the freaking battle. He didn't witness the Lizard having jumped back as well, landing between the women. Aunt May was pulled up, away from the reptilian monster. But Harry was just a kid, being face so close with slit predatory eyes and the vicious growl that made the whole body shuddered, Harry froze.

He did nothing as the Lizard lunge his mouth, not caring who it attacked anymore.

He did nothing as Emily pushed Harry away, out of his grip.

He did nothing as his only mother fell out of sight, his name the last thing she said.

And just like that, she was gone.

Everything was a blur afterward. There was ringing in his ears that failed to capture any other sound. The green being seemed to be gone. He thinks the red guy had kicked him off. Harry didn't know how long he stood there – was he even standing? Harry couldn't tell.

All he felt was the chilling code from inside him. Unable to process the speeding scene that went past him. He kept himself from looking down. If he avoid looking down, then his mother might still be alive.

I could have pulled her. I had her in my arms. I should have pulled her away. She was right there if I hadn't been—

Harry was numbed as he watched with barely any thought as the world kept turning around him. At some point he was on his feet was back on the pavement. Aunt May was beside him — how long had she been here? — and she held him tightly in a comforting embrace even though the old woman was hurt and was in shock herself, but that barely mattered to him.

Paramedics that were already stationed because of the uproar as they brought out stretches. Red and blue lights shone in the background and suddenly, Harry knew why everything had gone wrong.

Spider-Man was there… wrapping up the Lizard and saying something about making sure it's kept secured and safe from everyone else and Harry saw red as he made his way to him.

He should have saved her. He's a hero. It's his job to save her! Why didn't he save her?!

"You…" Harry took deep steps at the masked man and pushed him with all his might, "This is you… this is all your fault! You brought her into your fight and now she's hurt"

There was no telling how the man behind the mask must have felt, "I'm sorry…"

"Sorry doesn't fix what you've done!" He snarled before punching the stupid mask of his. Spider-Man didn't react and took the punch like it was nothing, somehow that made Harry more furious as he pointed his finger at him, "Mark my words; someday, somehow, I'll make you pay ."

The infamous wise-cracking vigilante didn't say anything, just nodded as if he took the word to heart before he turned away and shot a web line string before jumping away out of sight. Harry watched the spider symbol with venom and tears in his eyes. He swore to give Spider-Man hell to pay for this.

That's a promise.