Peter was asleep when the phone rang again. Grumpily, he picked it up and answered with a slightly annoyed tone.

"Peter's speaking!"

"Peter? You're awake! Great! I was so worried about you last night. Busting back into the house then fainted just like that. I was..."

"M.J?" Peter asked making sure it was who he thought it'd be.

"Yeah, well I'm sorry I couldn't stay home with you. But well maybe this piece of news will cheer you up. Guess what!"

"Uh..." Peter's brain wasn't in the mood for this guessing game but he played along anyway, and gave up when the headache increased in magnitude, "I give up. What?"

"I nailed it! I got the job!" Peter could almost feel the happy vibe she was sending through the phone; he hoped it wasn't a 2-way transmitter.

Peter's brain seemed to have stopped functioning for a few seconds because he couldn't seem to grasp what she was trying to say. So he didn't say anything.

"Peter! I got the role for that Broadway show!!!" M.J cried on the other end, "I can't believe that this moment has come!"

"Wow!" Peter used his best I-am-happy-for-you voice, which seemed appropriate right now, "You're finally living your dream M.J! I'm really happy for you!"

He added as an afterthought, "Who knows! I might be sent to take some pictures of you soon. I can almost see the headline already, 'Bright Star shines on Broadway!'"

M.J did not answer right away. Peter almost hang up the phone thinking she had ran out of cash or something when she said, in a slightly hurt tone,

"You know Peter...You're the only one who can make me feel this way..."

"I'm sorry M.J, I don't have a choice!" Peter said knowing that once again, his wounds were open.

"The choice is always yours to make Pete!" Mary Jane took a deep breath and said cheerfully, "Well, we'll have to celebrate my victory tonight! I'll buy some stuff before I go home ok? Have a rest 'til then. Bye!"

Before he could have said anything else, she hung up. Peter carefully placed the phone down and tried to stand up and walk around a bit.

The doorbell rang.

"Oh, boy!" Peter thought as he slowly but steadily walked across the room, down the stairs (the doorbell was still ringing). Cross the living room and to the front door.

As he opened it, the first thing he saw was a face that he'd never wanted to see again, not after his uncle's death. It was Aunt May. He had promised himself never to make Aunt May to worry again, and somehow he had failed.

"Peter!! I'm so glad that you're ok. Mary Jane called me this morning. I was so worried about you that I had to come here as soon as possible. Are you sure you ok?"

Under this intense pressure and questions, all Peter could do was nod.

"Well, come on in aunt May," he said as he opened the door widely to let her through.

As soon as they sat down on the comfy sofa, before he could offer her something to drink, Aunt May said to Peter, "Please don't go out tonight Peter!"

"Why?" Peter was puzzled, "What made you think I'd go out in this condition?"

"Well, I know, I know," she answered, "But it's just...Well forget it. If you're not going out then that's fine."

"If you say so," Peter was even more puzzled, "But well, if you happen to feel like letting me know why before I die, please do so!"

"NOW! None of your bad jokes, young man! You know I'm worried about you!" she seemed a little annoyed.

"Then tell me why you don't want me to go out tonight! I need reasons!"

She didn't answer him. She just sat there, lost in her own thoughts. Peter wasn't planning on interrupting her, she seemed happy somehow.

At last, she returned to reality and said to him, "If you want to know, fine, but don't ask me any question or laugh!" And she was ready to defend herself if he laughed.

"You might think of this as strange but just before that accident," she paused, thinking about what had happened again, and continued, "I had a bad feeling. It wasn't like a premonition or anything. Just a feeling, that something terrible was going to happen. And something did. Too terrible..."

Peter put his arm around her, soothing her while knowing that the pain was still there. It'd never go away.

She looked up and smiled at him; and just for a brief moment, Peter thought he had seen something in her eyes, or maybe it was just a look of recognition.

Aunt May continued, "And today, before I left the house, I had had the same feeling all over again. It was terrible. I just know something would happen to the ones I love, and you Peter, are the only family I have now. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Peter was speechless; he didn't know what to say to comfort his loving aunt besides, "It's ok! I'll stay home tonight and the night after and all the nights after that if it'll make you feel better."

Peter had no clue that this was another promise he was going to break.

**************************************

"Can't you stay for dinner? MJ is coming back soon!" Peter was worried about Aunt May getting home safely.

"Don't worry dear, I have my escort."

"You do? You sure you're not just making this up so I won't have to worry about you? Cause if you are then I'll..."

 

"Yes, so don't let this old lady ruin your romantic dinner for two," she laughed heartily as she walked off the steps and into the night.

Peter stood leaning against the front door and watched until he could see her no more. He turned around and opened the door. He was just thinking about how this night could not get any better, with MJ cooking and all.

It happened then.

Peter ducked down then spun around as fast as he could. He knew something had just flew past him, and if he was any slower, it'd have done him fatal damage. But no one was there. Or at least, no one seemed to be. Peter quickly opened the door trying to run into the house and change into his Spider-man costume.

It happened again, this time he could see it more clearly, or not. His spider-sense could make out what seemed to be invisible blades coming straight at him.

"No, they're made out of thin air!"  The thought ran through his mind.

Peter dodged them again; then using his web he swung toward where what his Spider-sense was telling him to go to. Even though Peter was sick, he was fast; everything was swirling past him. He was there just in time to see a shadow wavered and disappeared.

"Ok, there's no such thing as ghosts!" Peter reassured himself, "Now, this seems spooky but those blades weren't just my imagination!"

Again, his spider-sense told him something was coming his way. Peter shot his web at the light pole and zapped away from where he was standing. Peter was getting both tired and annoyed. He wanted to get this over with so he could spend the rest of the evening with Mary Jane.

Suddenly, he was struck. His chest felt like it'd been hit with a demolisher. He could feel the bones cracking under the pressure. And it didn't stop, it didn't. The pressure continued to increase, but he could see nothing. Except this time, out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a girl. Peter saw a very young girl with long hair that flowed in the wind.  She was standing just across the street. It was a wonder he didn't see her before.

Peter turned his head despite the pain to get a better look at her but he could only catch the surprised look on her face before she was gone.

"Gone with the wind..."

Peter suddenly felt light-headed. The pressure had vaporized somehow. He was able to stand up straight. He took a deep breath and let it out. Peter raises his arm to fix hair.

His mouth dropped open. It wasn't his arm. It must be somebody else. What he saw was not what he had expected. It wasn't his arm. His arm wasn't some black thingy, was it? Peter touched his face with his new arm and he was once again startled. He had somehow changed into his Spider-man suit, but only this time it wasn't his suit. Making sure nobody else was looking; Peter rushed into the room ("I don't feel sick anymore! Weird!") and looked into the nearest mirror.

After he'd snapped back up his jaw, Peter just stood there wondering what had just happened to him. He looked at the mirror again and a man in a black version of his Spiderman suit, albeit the spider logo was looking back at him. Peter turned sideways to get a good look at this new 'costume' that he had no idea where it had come from.

"Hmmm, it looks pretty cool. Besides, it's time I get a new look. Wait 'til Jamieson get a hold of this!" Peter chuckled.

He shrugged, "Well I should admire myself for being so calm and cool when something weird has obviously taken over my body. And besides, I have more things to worry about for tonight than dealing with this."

Peter fidgeted with the new 'costume', "Now if only I can get this thing off me!"

The front door clicked. Moments later, Mary Jane walked through holding a brown paper bag with both her arms.

At the same time, another disturbing thought that had never occurred to him came.

"How was I dress when I came home last night!