Author's Note:

I originally named my story 'What lies underneath' but then I thought of a cooler name: 'The Secret Underneath'. So don't get mad :D

Spiderman: The Secret Underneath

CHAPTER IV

10:30 am The next morning:

Mary Jane Watson's life-long dream was to be a famous supermodel. And here she was waiting tables at a measly grill in Manhattan.

"Yo! You guys serve here or what?" yelled one of the customers.

"Told ya this place stinks!" Squealed another.

"Hey! Watson! What're ya doin' standin' around fer? Get OUT dere an' serve them tables!" Ordered the owner of the grill, Jack Hunter. Particularly screaming.

"I was doing the floors Jack." Informed MJ in a low calm voice. "And besides, Your NEPHEW was supposed to 'DO' the TABLES now!" Said MJ but this time her voice was a bit up too.

". . . Are you challenging me?" Dared The owner, he was shocked. That girl can NEVER stand up to him!

MJ nodded hysterically and said ". . . Yeah. . . you know what? I think I AM challenging you! I think I'm SICK! SICK of you ! In fact I'm SO sick . . ." MJ pulled her batch out and slammed it in Jack's face.

"I quit!" she yelled.

Jack was looking at MJ as if she just revealed she was from another planet.

Mary Jane herself was a bit surprised.

She took her coat from the hanger and began to run out the back door.

Jack began saying names.

*Censored for young readers . . . and y'know I don't know that much 'names'! ;)*

By the time Jack was at the door still yelling, MJ was on the streets.

"Yeah RUN! 'cause thas whaccha are! A stinkin' low life!" He screamed.

MJ turned around and looked at him in the 'what a shame' look and said:

"And do know what YOU are Jack? You are nothing but a big fat BUM!"

The owner wide opened his eyes. NO ONE stood up to him in his entire life!

"Yo! Let's ditch this joint! Only thing you gonna find here are big fat bums!" Mocked and laughed the customer from before.

Mary Jane shoved her hands in her pockets and began to walk home . . . her apartment anyway.

'Life sucks'.

~

Peter's eyes shot opened. For a second he didn't know where he was except that he was lying inside a sewer in dirty, stinky, shivery water!

All of the sudden everything flashed in his mind. The lab, Dr. Connors,

'LIZARD', the blood and gory from last night, all of them.

Peter struggled to get on his knee . . . Bad move.

As he did, Peter felt as if his ribs were jumping out of their position. Lungs burning. His spine felt as if it was powdered.

He could barely see with his left eye, bruises.

His legs were wobbly and all out of strength.

The last thing he needed was his left-hand webbing-nerve screaming in pain, and it was!

Peter shakily sat . . . it was half lying but still, in a sitting position.

He leaned on the wall behind him.

All he could do was just sit there and squeeze his stomach.

All of the attacks from the night before had severe affects.

The head butts, the stomping, the walls, and specially the scratches.

Peter could feel his eyeballs as it rolled to the back of his head.

But then, they re-appeared.

Between all the blurry visions, Peter had gotten a glimpse of another closed sewer valve in the ceiling.

Slowly, Peter moved his shaking right hand up . . . he crunched his fingers in a shooting position, the 'spidey' shooting position that is, and shot a strand of webbing towards the valve.

The webbing did its job sticking tightly just under the valve.

Now all Pete needed to do was yank the web so that it would pop-open the valve and he could easily swing out of there . . . but that only stood a 40% chance.

'C'mon Spidey! You've been through much worse than this! Yank it off! On 3'

Peter slowly took the other arm off from his stomach and held the rope of webbing.

'2'

He gripped the rope tightly with both hands.

'1!'

Pete pulled the rope with all of his strength . . .

Nothing happened.

The valve only budged a bit.

Peter closed his eyes and puffed out a deep a breath and stopped.

All that effort, all that strength, and nothing is what he got.

He released the breath.

'C'mon Parker! Try again! Remember who you are! You are Spiderman! If you don't cure Dr Connor he might go out on the streets! INOCENT PEOPLE would die then! Think of what will happen! This is your responsibility!'

Peter sighed again and glared at the valve with determined eyes.

'C'mon Spidey! This is one of those 'hero' things'

Once again, Peter pulled with all the strength that was left in him.

He particularly screamed to gain the appropriate strength to pull out the valve.

At last, a 'cling' sound appeared. And all that effort with the broken body actually paid off.

The valve stormed opened, but it also headed towards Spidey!

"Oh oh" was all that he could say, voice not even audible.

At the very last second, Peter hurriedly moved out of the way. Overhead the valve went past him.

Slam!

The 15pound metal hit the wall.

He lay on the water again . . . just underneath the open hole.

He could feel the sunlight torching up his skin. He saw the cars driving by . . . people walking up and down the streets. And targets everywhere. Just one good shot was all he needed to get out of this smelly icky place.

Peter targeted a flagpole.

thiwpp

The web flew through the sky.

People were pointing at it.

The strand of webbing hit a flagpole, Spiderman stretched his body upwards. Seconds away from freedom.

Suddenly the stretch did its damage. Peter used too much acrobatic-performance out of his injured body. He fainted once again and fell into the dirty water.

~

Mary Jane walked angrily, looking down in the ground.

'Oh great! First I quit my job and now I missed my bus!'

She thought, yelling inside her mind.

'. . . hmm. . . I never thought I could do what I just did! The old freak must be screaming his guts off!'

She smiled a bit.

"Whoa!"

MJ almost fell into a manhole.

She examined it again, why was the valve left carelessly open?

MJ gasped in fear as she saw Peter lying inside the sewer . . . not moving!

"SOMEBODY HELP!"

She screamed.

3:30 PM

Hospital

Dr. Scott Warren has worked in this hospital for about 15 years now. He had bonded a great relationship amongst his patients.

Most recently, he had been seeing the Parker's for a while now. First Mrs. Parker . . . after her big scare about "Big Yellow Eyes".

And now her nephew Peter!

Dr. Warren came out of Peter's room highlighting a checklist of tests he needed Peter to do.

"How is my Peter?" asked Aunt May in tears.

Dr. Warren took out a big sigh, "Peter is fine Mrs. Parker" he informed.

MJ sighed in relief while Aunt May sat down in a chair, saying a prayer under her breath.

"But there is one thing I don't understand; how on earth did Peter get these cuts and bruises?" asked the doctor.

"I don't know" this time MJ spoke up "I was walking to my apartment when I saw . . . " she closed her eyes for a moment "I saw . . . Peter lying inside a sewer unconscious".

"These cuts are made from a sharp object. And by the looks of things, from a gigantic animal or bear."

Said Dr. Warren.

"Though I'm not sure which one, it COULD be a sword or knife. But . . . I know this sounds strange but . . . could you tell me why Peter was wearing a 'SPIDERMAN' costume?"

~

Sometime later:

It had been almost a week since Peter had been in this hospital. He was now conscious and sitting in his bed. There were bandages in most parts of his body, especially in his head. Doctor Warren had told him that he had a head injury and needed to wear the bandage for at least a couple of days. Harry came down to New York after hearing about his friend's state. The morning sunlight shone in Peter's face, the warm heat made him feel . . . safe.

Doctor Warren gently knocked at the door and after Peter permitted him to 'come in' he entered.

"Good news son" The doctor started.

"You can soon go home"

"Really? When?"

"Oh maybe tomorrow?"

"Thanks doc"

"Ah, Peter, would you mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"Sure, go ahead"

"Could you tell me how did you get this injury?"

Peter let out a deep breath,

C'mon Spidey think!

"I . . . I was walking home from a costume party . . . when I saw these punks trying to mug another boy . . ."

"And?"

"And I . . . well I thought 'Hey! I'm wearing the Spiderman costume so why not help the guy?' and I sorta kicked in the fight"

"What happened there?"

"I . . . I tried to stop them . . . but they were too strong. Beat the hell out me" Peter smiled. "The next thing I knew, I was here"

"Ah . . . I see. And can you tell anything about those goons? I mean this sort of thing should be reported to the police!"

"No no, doctor Warren. Don't do that"

"Why?"

"Because, . . . they were just kids and well . . . I thing the real Spiderman can handle it"

"Your gonna trust a man with a mask?"

"No, I know him a bit. I take his pictures y'know." Another smile

Dr. Warren smiled too "Well . . . I guess so. You take some rest and I'll get back to you in a while okay?"

"Okay and doc . . . "

"Yes?"

"Thanks again"

Doctor Warren smiled back and left Peter alone in the room.

Wherever you are Dr. Connors, someday, somewhere, I will find you. You will be cured . . . this is my RESPONSIBILITY.

END

Epilogue:

With great powers comes great responsibility, this is my gift. It's my curse. Who am I? I am Spiderman!

- Peter Parker.

Author's note2:

Sorry for the short and incomplete ending . . . I was planning on writing more of the story. Was thinking about throwing The Punisher in . . . but due to lack of Reviews it all flushed down the toilet: D

I know that my story wasn't as good as other stories but it was ATLEAST worth more reviews right?

I was only a first time writer! Ya didn't have to be mean!

Any ways, I am now currently working on a new project: its entitled Crow: It's a legend hope you guys like that one! Expecting reviews!