Part Two

Harry Osborn entered the penthouse still a little shaken from the night's events. He was quiet for a moment afraid to move on any further for fear of finding his father.

Unfortunately, for him, he had no other choice. Harry walked into the study to find his father, Norman Osborn, staring at the fireplace. "Dad?"

Norman turned around and gazed at his son, "Harry... I heard there was an incident at your school, some people were killed." He had a newspaper in his hands but he quickly put it down on the couch and approached his son.

"I'm fine, dad. It was some kind of creature, but Spider-Man showed up." Harry replied.

Norman's eyes closed to slits, "That insect." For an instant he seemed lost in thought but quickly refocused on Harry, "Its good to know you're alright." It was an unusual moment between the two, where Norman showed genuine concern for his son's safety. "How was your date?"

Harry remembered the long night with Mary Jane and smiled, "I'm in love."

"Love?" Norman grimaced, "You just met the girl, what was her name?"

"Mary Jane Watson." Harry responded, "She really is an amazing person. I wish you could have met her."

Norman sighed, "He's in love with somebody after one day." He scoffed at his son, "Where's her family live?"

"Queens." Harry replied. His father shook his head for a moment to which Harry asked somewhat angrily, "What?"

The tycoon and father shrugged his shoulders, "I fear for the day when you take control of the family business. You fall in love weekly and the girls always seem to be trash. It'll only be a matter of time before some woman robs you blind." Norman turned away from his son out of disgust and grabbed his newspaper.

Harry was silent for a moment but slowly built up resolve was within him, "One day I'm going to leave and you're not going to have me to kick around anymore."

"Yep." Norman replied sardonically, "When your eighteen." He smirked and opened up his paper, "Until then shut up and get out of my sight."

The young Osborn wanted to lash out. He held the anger within allowing it to simmer and with a dejected expression left his father alone.

Peter was standing outside the school on this Friday morning. A large crowd of students in fact stood with him. The principle had allowed the students to come to school as they always did, but the recent damage forced them to stand outside and wait for the faculty to reach their decision.

It was a fairly large crowd, but on first glance, it became obvious that many students decided not to show up at all. Most were anxious for the week to be done with, as it would be the last one before their summer vacations started and their junior year ended. He turned around to gaze at the numerous faces and smiled when he spotted one, "Hey Gwen."

The blond smiled at him, her bright red lipstick shone in the sunlight, "Pete." She said jovially and draped her arm around his torso, "How are you?"

"I've had better days." He replied still feeling some of the blows that he had suffered the night before.

"Are we doing anything this week?" Gwen asked cuddling up against Peter's chest and realizing how muscular he really was.

"I wasn't planning on doing much." He responded. "I heard that NYU was about to unveil their new electron microscope." Peter took a moment to realize how that sounded, "But I wasn't going to see that anyway."

Gwen smiled, "So let's do something."

"Like what?" Peter inquired.

"Well, me and a couple of other people are heading to Florida for the entire week. If you can come we'll cover the costs."

Peter's eyes raised, "Florida?" He said somewhat shocked at the offer, "An entire week." He then winced at another sting of pain.

"Come on." Gwen insisted eagerly, "It'll be fun, besides you look like you could use the rest."

Peter nodded, "Yeah I guess I could." He sighed for a moment and realized that he had never even been out of New York State before. "I'll come." He said proudly, knowing uncle Ben would embrace the idea.

"Great, be ready around Sunday. We'll come back that Friday, so bring enough clothes to last you." She gave Peter a hug, "I can't wait."

Peter suddenly scratched the back of his head, "Neither can I." He wondered for a moment which one of them she truly loved: the man or the mask?

"A week!" Mr. Jameson said, "How am I going to go a week without Spider-Man pictures!" He was sitting behind his desk. The sounds of frantic work all throughout the Bugle could be heard.

Peter nodded, "I'll be in a Florida for a week." He said, "I've given you plenty of pictures, you should be able to use those."

"Can't do that. I used them up in the special I did two weeks ago. That sold papers like hotcakes!" Jameson rubbed his mustache slowly and puffed his cigar, "No, I'll just have to figure out a way to utilize your services."

One of the reporters, Ned Leeds, entered the office through the open door interrupting their conversation, "Mr. Jameson, I've got word about a possible Bruce Banner sighting in Utah. Hey, Parker."

Peter made a brief waving gesture with his hand.

"Well get on it!" Jameson barked.

"Already am!" Ned said before bolting out the door.

"Robby!" Jameson called.

Immediately, the editor appeared in the surly Jameson's doorway, "What is it JJ?"

Jameson put down his cigar, "Do we have anything in Florida?"

"I was just talking to Ben Urich about some recent break-in's at zoos across the state." Robertson replied. "Apparently, somebody's gotten the bright idea to free gators and crocodiles."

"Great." Jameson responded, "Parker get over there and get some shots."

Peter grimaced, "Sir, I'm going on vacation."

Jameson smiled, "What sort of vacation to Florida would be complete without a trip to those particular zoos?"

"I don't have a choice in this, do I?" Peter said defeated.

"Not if you want to keep your job."

Peter nodded reluctantly, "Fine, you win. Which zoos?"