"We're almost entering nine months since the accelerator incident." The Watcher proclaimed. "Peter Allen has met his father and knows at least what his brother looks like. STAR Labs didn't allow him to visit while treating his brother. But it won't matter...not for much longer..."
At the school dance, Bobby was just going through the floor and taking a cup of punch off the table. Even Flash came over and patted Bobby on the shoulder to his surprise.
"Hey, how's it going?" Flash asks him as he took some food.
"Just waiting for Parker to show up," Bobby said with a sigh. "His aunt talked me into it."
"Oh, trust me, she's a scary lady," Flash commented as he looked to the doorway. "I wouldn't want to get on her bad...side."
"What?" Bobby asked, noticing that Flash was looking at something and almost dropped his drink at the moment. "What...the...?"
They couldn't believe that they were seeing Peter Parker walking into the dance with a woman that Bobby had only seen once, and she looked amazing. She probably looked like the best person in the dance right now.
"Did Parker get himself a date?" Flash asked in shock as Peter started introducing his date to some teachers nearby.
"Forget that. Does she have a sister?" Bobby wonders.
"How did he get her to agree to come?" Flash had a million questions.
"She must've lost a bet or something." Bobby tried to come up with some sense of what he was seeing right now.
Peter however didn't hear a word and was walking toward them. "MJ, these are my friends, Bobby Drake and Flash Thompson. Guys, this is Mary Jane Watson."
But the two of them still couldn't say anything and were still struck with awe at what they were looking at.
Mary Jane couldn't help but laugh as she looked at their expressions. "Something tells me your friends are surprised to see me."
"A lot surprised." Bobby couldn't stop himself from saying.
"Well, what do you say we head to the dance floor?" Mary Jane asked as she pulled Peter to the dance floor.
"We're in the Twilight Zone, right?" Bobby asked Flash.
"This...is weird." Flash couldn't help but say.
"Extremely," Bobby agreed.
At the CCPD prescient, Jameson was going after the Captain and trying to get a quote about Spider-Man.
"Captain, what is your plan regarding the wall-crawling masked menace known as Spider-Man?" Jameson asked as he followed the Captain around the room.
"Jameson, the prescient doesn't see the purpose of going after Spider-Man after the fight with the Lizard and saving the city from the dangerous criminals appearing," Singh commented as he tried to get this man away from him. "Spider-Man is not on CCPD's most wanted as of now. We have bigger actual criminals that it needs to worry about."
While they were speaking, a certain criminal was flying up and smashed a window to then reveal the Green Goblin flying around the room. "Hello, good evening, officers!" He then bowed as he looked down at them and knew his glider would deflect the bullets. "I thought it would be time to introduce myself to you all. I am the Green Goblin!"
Some of them opened fire on him, but the glider seems to have a magnet attached for the bullets to be drawn to it.
"Did you really think that would work?" Goblin asked in surprise.
Some of the officers on the upper floor shot tasers at him, only for the Goblin to grab the lines and sent a spark of electricity from himself. The electricity went back and shocked the officers back and into the wall. Those who hang on, Goblin flew and tossed them over the railing, and they fell onto the desks or floor depending on where they were.
"Anyone else feeling brave tonight?" Goblin asked them and pulled out a goblin bomb. "Because I have the fireworks planned for later, but I can speed up the schedule. I'm a flexible guy."
Jameson then got an idea and tapped his earpiece to call the Daily Bugle. "Robert? I'm at the CCPD and I'm held hostage by a Goblin. A Green Goblin. I'll cover the story myself and save a few bucks. While you're at it, get me Parker. This stuff is the kid's alley. Oh, and maybe call for help."
Back at the dance, Peter and MJ were taking a small break after the dancing while Bobby and Flash finally got over the shock and were starting to get to know MJ with Peter.
"So... MJ, where did the name come from?" Bobby asked MJ.
"Just felt better than saying Mary Jane a lot of the time." Mary Jane tells him. "And after a while, it felt like a pretty good nickname."
While they were talking, Peter's phone went off and he saw it came from the Bugle. "I gotta take this. Be right back."
"Sure, go ahead," MJ told him and Peter backed away to take the call. Looking back at his friends, she immediately noticed the confused looks have returned and decided to clear the air. "Okay, he's gone, you have questions. Take it away."
"Are you here of your own free will?" Flash went with his first question.
Mary Jane chuckled and knew this was going to be a fun group of people to be around. "Yes, I willingly came with Peter to the dance."
"Why?" Bobby asked.
Mary Jane sighed and knew that question was coming up. "Yeah, I get it. It's weird. Seeing me with a nerd, isn't it?"
"Yes." Both of them replied.
"I see you with the captain of the football team," Bobby said when he then noticed he was sitting next to the football captain. "Oh, wait."
"I would usually go after the type of guys you're thinking of." Mary Jane assured them as she laid back when Peter approached them, and she went silent as she didn't want to have him hear.
"Sorry, but that was my boss at the Bugle, he said there's a maniac at the police precinct and he wants me to take pictures," Peter said to them, addressing MJ more than them. "I would tell him no and take the night off, but he's known to fire people for less."
"Hey, I get it." Mary Jane assured him as she got up and fixed his coat. "But hurry back. You owe me one more dance before the night is over."
"It's a date," Peter said when he noticed what he said. "Wait, unless it's not."
"It's a date." Mary Jane said as she got up and pecked his cheek. "You have a job to do, right? Go get em', Tiger."
"Right," Peter said as he started to walk backward. "I won't be gone long!"
Mary Jane smiled and looked back over at them. "As I was saying, Pete's a nice change of pace. He's sweet, caring, and a little nervous."
"Those are three words to describe Parker," Flash commented.
"And I think that's the kind of guy I should be hound for, not the bad boys," Mary Jane explained as she looked to Peter. "But that doesn't mean I can't live with a little danger..."
Back at the prescient, Goblin was going over the room on his glider. Humming to himself while the just tossed the bomb around in his hands.
"What exactly are you thinking of accomplishing here?" Joe West asked as he aimed his gun as did everyone else.
"So, the part of blowing you all up went over your heads?" Goblin asked them. "Well, darn."
"Uh, hello?" Someone said, getting their attention to the window and they saw Spider-Man was hanging off the window Goblin broke. "Can I come in this way, or do I need to break my own window?"
"Spider-Man!" Joe, Goblin, Jameson, and Yuri cried as they looked at the hero.
"So... who's this guy?" Peter asked as he came leaping in and landed on the railing, looking at the officers who were down and others being held hostage.
"Never seen him before," Singh told the hero. "Said he was here to kill us."
"Okay. So that's a first. A villain that actually had a bright idea." Peter commented on the ingenious idea. "Not to worry, I'll have him tied and have a sticky note attached to him in the next five minutes."
"Hello! I am in the room!" Goblin commented with a giant happy grin as they seemed to ignore his existence in the room. "You're all too rude."
"Sorry, I'm usually more polite but then the Lizard avoided conversations, Shocker landed a building on me, then there was Electro and Molten Man," Peter commented as he looked around. "And then there was you holding these officers hostage."
"Hm. Yes." Goblin said as he flew up and faced Spider-Man. "I can see what you're saying. But I have a solution." He then raised his hands like a visionary. "You and I join forces! Consider what we could accomplish. With our powers combined, we could rule Central City!"
"Really? All of Central City?" Peter asked as he acted like he was considering it. "Nah. Sorry, I make it a rule not to partner with anyone who's...you know, psychotic."
"Oh, well. Your loss." Goblin commented. "Of life!"
Peter then sensed right before the Goblin shot out blasts from his fingers, shocking Peter in the process of dodging his attacks. While he was swinging around, Peter landed on the glider and tried to fight the Goblin but was hit by one of his bombs and sent flying out the window, shattering another window.
As he was sent falling down the dozens of stories, Peter shot two strands and used them to catapult upward and back through the window. "Okay, now I'm a little irritated. Where's that flying Green Elf?"
Peter's senses then went off before any of the officers could answer and jump out of the way just before the bomb could hit the floor. The bomb exploded and sent pieces of desks flying everywhere.
"Present and accounted for!" Goblin called as he tossed another bomb and the officers all ducked for cover. "This is going to be fun."
"If this is your definition of fun, then I am glad I turned down your partnership," Peter commented as Goblin then started tossing Razor Bats at him. He then quickly ducked and covered before they could reach him, and they embedded themselves into a piece of board. "You know, if Batman hears about this, he can sue you!"
Peter then went back to chasing the Goblin around the room before tackling the Goblin again and this time holding onto him. The Green man took the hero on a flight out through the city.
"Going for a ride, are we? You could have just asked!" Goblin said and flew him around the city.
"Seriously, Goblin! Do you have a license for this board?" Peter asked when Goblin elbowed him, knocking the wind out of Peter and causing him to fall.
Peter quickly started to change his web canisters, happy that Gwen added a belt to place them on before he started to swing around. Wondering where Goblin went, his senses went off just as the glider came in and smacked him into a wall.
"You know the old saying. If you don't join them, blow them!" Goblin said as he tossed more Razor Bats at Peter.
Peter just jumped out of the way and tried not to damage this new suit too much already after everything. "Took the words out of my mouth. Is that a felony?"
"I hope so." Goblin commented as he kept that creepy grin on his face he had on all night. He then warmed up and tossed the bomb over to Peter. "This Goblin wouldn't be caught dead with a misdemeanor."
"Ooh, nice banter." Peter complimented as he swung and shot the bomb before tossing it. "Aim needs work."
"Well, practice makes perfect!" Goblin cried as he tossed more Razors and bombs.
"Keep telling yourself that," Peter said as he then turned around and shot a web and sent his own Razors back at him.
Goblin went and shielded himself from the bombs just as Peter came in and kicked him in the face. "That's for making me protect Jameson!"
Peter and Goblin then sent punch after punch at one another. Peter then saw where the glider was heading and then abandoned the ship. When the Goblin noticed where he was heading, he leaped and went over through the office while the glider went through.
"Wow," Peter had no idea what to say. "Just...wow."
Goblin then revealed the glider had blades and was going to attack Peter. He then started to crawl upside the building to dodge the attack. When the Goblin got close, Peter leaped and rolled away from the man.
Peter then shot webs and attached them to the glider, causing the madman to go flying. Meanwhile, Peter webbed him up and finally trapped him. But even though he won, the Goblin kept laughing.
"What's so funny?" Peter asks him.
"Oh, nothing. Except I left a little firework I left behind for our officers!" Goblin cried out. "In five minutes, the city's finest are going to paint the town red!"
Peter realized that his plan was to get him out of the way and himself at a far enough distance. This whole fight was just a distraction. With that in mind, he was swinging off to the prescient to save the officers from the bomb.
Just as the officers thought it was safe, Yuri heard beeping and looked under some debris to find a bomb that looked like a pumpkin.
"Everyone, get out!" Yuri cried as they all ran from the bomb.
But before anyone could react, Peter came swinging in and saw they discovered the bomb. "Get back!" He cried as he shot a web to the bomb, pulling it towards him before shooting a catapult and slingshot the bomb before even touching the floor.
Peter landed on the floor just as the bomb exploded and lit up the night sky. "Okay...that was lucky."
"Thanks for the help, Spider-Man." Captain Singh congratulated the hero. "Had a feeling we would need you around."
"Yeah, thanks. I guess." Peter said when he noticed the time. "Oh, shoot! I gotta go!"
"Robberson, remind me to fire Parker the next time I see him! The kid never showed up!" Jameson cried as Spider-Man had already left. "What? What do you mean he just emailed his photos?!"
When Peter made it back to the Goblin, there wasn't anything but torn webbing left behind from his makeshift prison. "Great, now that guy's gonna be a problem to deal with."
Peter raced back to the dance as fast as he could only to see everyone has already left. That sadly seemed to include Bobby and Flash. It was official, nothing went right with him tonight. He could barely protect the police, Goblin got away, and he missed his chance with Mary Jane.
"Guess it's over." Peter sighed in defeat. "You blew it, Parker. Again."
"I wouldn't say that, Tiger," Mary Jane said, getting Peter to turn and see she was still there.
"MJ? You're still here?" Peter was shocked to see.
"I said you still owed me a dance, and the night isn't over yet," Mary Jane said as she dragged Peter back onto the dance floor for the last dance of the night.
The Watcher eyed the two as they danced for a while longer. "Love. A precious thing. Some people go on for years searching for their match. These two...they just needed the right push in a direction."
As the two were then asked to leave by officials, Peter started to walk Mary Jane home. The two of them do of course technically live next to each other, but MJ loved the attempt. "The universe works in mysterious ways, but will always work in actions and reactions..."
"I had a good time," MJ admitted as she and Peter made it home. "So... what do you think?"
"I...I think it went well." Peter agreed with her. "So...where do we go now?"
Mary Jane smiled as she leaned in and pecked his mouth, causing Peter to freeze. "You tell me."
With that, MJ made her way inside, glanced over to Peter, and offered a smile before vanishing behind the door.
Peter was making his way back to his home when he heard some police sirens going off and knew what he needed to do. He ran down the alley between his and MJ's home and quickly got changed, tossing his bag against the wall and shooting it with a web.
He quickly started to swing away and follow the police to see the cars they were chasing. As he did that, Mary Jane watched the hero make his way off.
"Meh, he can tell me when he's ready." Mary Jane shrugged and got ready for bed.
"My name is Peter Parker, and I am not your average teenager from the suburbs. When I was fourteen, my uncle was shot by a criminal known as Flint Marko. Just a few weeks after that, I was bitten by a radioactive spider, and it gave me spider-like powers that I thought were scientifically impossible. To the outside world, I'm an ordinary high schooler and part-time photographer for the Daily Bugle. But secretly, with the help of my friend Bobby Drake, I use my powers to help protect Central City and those I love from threats, anything from bank robbers to giant Lizards. I am your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!"
"Yes...Yes, you are." The Watcher agreed with the inner monologue of the hero. "And the time had finally come..."
The next morning in STAR Labs, the song Poker Face was playing over the speakers while Caitlin Snow and Cisco Ramon were looking over Barry Allen.
"What are you doing, Cisco?" Caitlin asked her coworker and friend.
"He likes this song," Cisco explained.
"How could you possibly know that?" Caitlin asked him.
"I checked his Facebook page," Cisco answered. "He can hear everything, right?"
The Watcher appeared in the middle of STAR Labs as he eyed the sleeping brother.
"Auditory functions are the last sensory senses to degenerate." Caitlin had to agree.
"So, how's it been? Getting back out there?" Cisco asked Caitlin as they made their way over to their desk and he took a bite of a Twizzler.
"It's been a little hard with Bobby, but it's a little extra difficult after being out of the game for so long," Caitlin told him, referring to her going back into dating after getting over Ronnie over the past year of grief and with Bobby's help.
"Instead of taking nine years to get over Ronnie Raymond, Caitlin Snow - with the acceptation of a few flings - was able to let him go much sooner. Thanks to the intervention known as Bobby Drake, helping her through the pain and always there to comfort her." The Watcher said as he eyed the scientist before turning over to look towards Barry. "But that story will be explained further later. Right now...time to wake up, Barry Allen."
Barry then gasped as he woke up and jumped to sit up straight. Setting the two of them off to a shock to see he was awake.
J.K. Simonsas J. Jonah Jameson
