ELEVEN
I close my eyes
See you again
I know I've held you
But I can't remember where or when
*Etienne by Tori Amos*
There was a commotion in the Daily Bugle office. Peter arrived just in time to see Jonah Jameson pound his fist on the desk. Everyone in his office cringed.
"Monday morning blues." Peter muttered.
"I told you! Spiderman is evil! He is involved with every single villain in NYC and yet he gets away scot-free!" Jonah Jameson was bellowing.
"What's the matter?" Peter asked his colleague.
"A parcel just arrived this morning. It contained a video cassette with a villain calling himself Black Sting. He challenged Spiderman to a one-on-one duel at the place where they first met. Spiderman must answer to this challenge or there will be hell to pay."
Peter looked up at the screen just in time to see Mary Jane's face. Black Sting's voice reverberated through the entire office. "And she will be the ONE to pay!"
And the nightmare begins…
Mary Jane stirred and her eyelids fluttered open. She shook her head to clear away the fog in her mind. She can't remember where she was or where she had been. She looked up and found that she out in the open atop one of the highest buildings in NYC. She wriggled her limbs only to find them tightly bound behind her. A duct tape sealed her mouth. As she was struggling to free herself, she saw a tall black figure approached her. The figure was clad in a tight black suit and a coiled black whip hung on one side of the hip. She began to panic.
"Don't worry, MJ! Your little hero spider will be here any minute now. First, you'll watch him die and then, you can join him." Black Sting said.
As if on cue, a red-n-blue spandex-clad figure swoop down on the villian. They wrestled on the ground for a moment before Spiderman managed to wriggle away.
"Came for your little girlfriend, I see."
"Let her go! All you want is me!"
"Correction, I want both of you-dead!" Black Sting screamed, uncoiling the whip.
The whip lashed through the air and caught Spiderman at the side of his shoulders. He winced at the stinging pain. The whip tore into the material, leaving a deep gash filled with blood. Moving with the lightning agility of a scorpion, Black Sting leapt forward and delivered another lash, this time to Spiderman's legs. The superhero fell to his knees. In a fury, these lashes rained on Spiderman.
"Looks like our hero has turned to zero." Black Sting laughed, "I've still got a surprise in store for you, little Spider-creep. Lookee! My new toy. I'm sure you're dying to know how it works." Five pincer-like blades protracted out from the gloves.
With a flex of the wrist, one of the blades propelled out and hit Spiderman in his right arm. As soon as the blades entered the flesh, it flicked open, creating an even more devastating wound. Spiderman gripped his arm and gritted his teeth in pain.
"I will now release you from your burden of having to rescue this pathetic girlfriend of yours forever. Spiderman, your damsel-saving days are over!" Black Sting said, pointing the blade in the direction of the corner where Mary Jane was cowering.
"Nnnpphhh! Nnnpphh!" Mary Jane tried to scream through the duct tape. Her eyes wide and frozen with fear.
Spiderman didn't know what gave him back his superhuman strength in that last split second. Perhaps it was the terror in Mary Jane's eyes that made him do it. Gathering the last ounce of the strength left in him, he lunged forward at the villian, grabbing the feet just a second before the blade left the glove.
Everything after that happened in a sickening slow motion. The blade flew from Black Sting's glove in the direction of Mary Jane but it missed her. Instead it ricochet off the metal door behind Mary Jane and hit its target…
Spiderman felt Black Sting's legs gave way. He glanced up and saw the blade had buried itself deep into the villian's chest. Blood poured out from the wound in a steady stream.
When Spiderman removed the mask, he was sick with shock to find out who the villian was. It was the last person he'd ever imagine would hold a grudge against Spiderman. Blood poured out in a litle rivulets from the corner of her mouth.
With a last gasp of breath, she whispered to Spiderman, "Don't tell Harry."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Emily?" Harry called, as he walked into her bedroom. The window was open and the curtains fluttered in the wind but the girl was not around. He sat on her bed, wondering where she could be. At that moment, her cat came in through the door and proceed to rub its body against Harry's leg. Being allergic to cats, Harry kicked it away. It glared at Harry with disdain and sauntered over to a drawer and started scratching the knob.
*The stupid cat probably wants a treat.* Harry thought, as he got up to open the drawer.
Inside he found an opened packet of KittyTreatz. He threw one treat at the cat and was about to put back the packet into the drawer when he noticed a pair of black leather gloves with some strange blades on them. Hidden below the gloves was a little journal. Harry picked it up and against his instincts, he opened it.
It worked! Finally, my little scorpion neurotoxin formula is a success! Thanks to Harry, my love. Without the antidote from his serum, I wouldn't be able to carry out that little experiment. Oh, Daddy! I knew you would be so proud of me. I extracted the antidote and injected it into myself, rendering my body immunity towards the poison. Now, I am the invincible Black Sting! How I wish you were here to share with me this joy! Nevertheless revenge will be ours and I know just exactly how to exact them. Elmer Caldwell will be the first to pay! And then for Harry, Spiderman will pay too! And for myself, that little bitch Mary Jane Watson will pay as well! Perhaps when she's dead, Harry will truly love me and me alone.
Emily
Harry shut the book with a dull thud. He felt his head spinning and he felt the thick bile rise in his throat. He had to find her and find her fast. He got up to leave just as Spiderman swung into the bedroom. In his arms was the lifeless body of Emily Wakelin/Black Sting. Harry turned around and everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Emily's pale hand dangling down and the blood from her lips seem to take forever to drop onto the ground.
*This isn't happening again!* Harry thought, his mind flashing back to the day when he walked in to discover Spiderman bringing in his dad's body.
Spiderman laid her body on the bed and moved away. He was ready to take any blows from Harry. Somehow he felt responsible for taking away both Harry's loved ones. Harry didn't punch him, though. He felt all his energy drained from him. He just dropped down beside Emily and held her cold hands. His manly frame shook with great sobs.
"I'm sorry." Spiderman uttered.
"Just leave. Take your bloodied hands away." Harry said, in a harsh whisper, "My father's death and Emily's death will torment your very sanity every night you shut your eyes. Every night."
As Spiderman swung out from Emily's apartment, he winced when he heard a nerve-wracking scream...
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Peter rested his chin on the hospital bed where Mary Jane laid. She looked so serene when she was asleep. After all that has happened, he has finally made up his mind to accept what he was feeling for her.
*Even if it's only for a day, I'd take it. I'd take her love. I am not afraid anymore too, MJ.* Peter thought.
He gently rubbed her hands and slowly, she stirred. She smiled when she saw Peter.
"Hi, MJ." Peter greeted her.
Mary Jane smiled back and then, she asked, "Who are you?"
Peter frowned, "Don't you remember me? I am Peter. Peter Parker?"
Mary Jane's brows were drawn together as she tried to recall certain things but finally, she shook her head. "I'm sorry but I don't seem to be able to remember anything. Are we friends?"
*More than that.* Peter thought. "Yes, I am your friend." He replied.
Mary Jane's parents and Aunt May arrived shortly after that. The doctor had told them that Mary Jane had been poisoned with the same neurotoxin as the one they found in Mr. Elmer Caldwell. She was lucky because the toxin had not spread to major parts of the brain or else she would have succumbed into a coma like Mr. Caldwell.
"She's sufferring from what is likely to be temporary amnesia, although we cannot be very certain because we have not encountered this toxin before." The doctor told them.
When Peter went into the room to check on her, Mary Jane was silently sobbing. Her uneaten dinner was left on the tray. He felt a gut-wrenching spasm coursed through his body seeing her like that. He approached her slowly and sat down beside her on the bed.
"I just can't recall anything. Everything comes back in short snatches and they don't make any sense at all. Will I never be able to recall anything at all?" Mary Jane asked, in exasperation.
"Everything in due time, MJ." Peter said, cradling her.
"I can't remember the things I want to and I can't forget the things I need to. Every time I close my eyes, the shock of my near-death experience with Black Sting sweep over me like a tidal wave." Mary Jane sobbed.
"Some experiences are too bitter to forget." Peter said. *Or too sweet* He thought and the idea just popped into his head.
"MJ, do you trust me?" Peter asked her.
"What?"
"I can make you remember again but first you have to trust me." Peter said.
"O.K."
"Come, let's go…I'll take you to a place."
"Where are we going? We can just leave like that?" Mary Jane asked, incredulously.
"Just for a while." Peter replied, as he handed her his jacket, "Here put this on."
He carefully smuggled her out of the hospital. He knew it was wrong but if his idea works, Mary Jane would regain her memory back. They got into a cab and headed into the busy streets of NYC. It had started to drizzle when the two of them alighted from the cab. Holding her hand tightly, he led her into an alleyway. Peter could feel all the muscles in her hand tensed up.
"I don't want to go in there." Mary Jane whispered.
"I'm here. You don't have to be afraid." Peter told her.
*O.K. She's probably going to scream when I do this. God, please help me make her remember.* Peter thought, as he let go of her hand. In a flash, before Mary Jane could react, Peter disappeared into the shadow.
"Peter!!! Peter, where are you?!" Mary Jane screamed, "This isn't funny! Please! Please come out!"
"I'm here, MJ." Peter said, quietly.
Mary Jane turned around and her mouth hung slack when she saw the red-n-blue figure hanging upside down. His face inches from hers, covered by a mask.
"Spiderman?" She gasped.
"Do you remember this?" He asked.
"I-"
"Come here, remove my mask."
"Are you sure?"
Spiderman nodded his head.
Carefully, Mary Jane pulled down the mask and when she was halfway through, Spiderman stopped her and pulled her close to him. Gently, he kissed her like he had before. The moment their lips met, the memories came back in bright flashes to Mary Jane. She remembered this kiss. She remembered him. She remembered who he was…
"Oh my God! I remember now! Peter, it's you! You are Spiderman!" Mary Jane exclaimed.
"That's right, MJ." Peter said, as he did a back flip and landed on solid ground again. He removed his mask and for the first time, he revealed himself to her.
"It's all coming back to me now. I was leaving from your place. I pretended I had to leave because I found out who you really were. I was walking all by myself and then, I feel a sharp pain behind my neck and I lost consciousness."
Mary Jane said.
"Yes, and it was Black Sting who abducted you. I came after you when you left but I couldn't find you. I guess I was too late."
"No, you were right on time. You saved my life." Mary Jane said, gently caressing his cheek.
"And you saved me from myself. I was afraid all along to tell you who I really am. I wanted to protect you and I thought the only way to do it was to keep this identity a secret. I have been such a fool."
"But I am not afraid. Are you?"
"No, not anymore." Peter replied.
