Part Five
Ben Parker paced across the cell nervously. Things seemed as if they couldn't get any worse. The trial would be ending in a few days and then it would all be over for him. He could see what was happening. He would lose and be put away for kidnapping.
The ramifications terrified him. He would be away for a long time, possibly the rest of his life. Peter would be alone. The old man's hands trembled slightly. No, Peter wouldn't be alone; he'd be under the watchful eye of that sadistic monster Osborn.
The sound of a door opening and slamming was quickly followed by the appearance of said monster. Norman grinned widely, "Hello, Ben, just thought I'd visit you one last time."
"Well you're here." Ben replied taking a step towards the bars while the guard read a magazine at his post taking no notice of their conversation. "You can leave now."
"It must infuriate you to know that I've won." Norman snickered, "You had chances you know. You could have asked me for help, you could have listened to Peter when he begged to you." He shrugged, "You've made your own grave."
Ben grimaced, "I'd really like to wrap my hands around your neck and squeeze. At this point I don't have much to lose."
Norman raised an eye slyly, "Please, you couldn't kill me if you tried."
"You'd be surprised of what I was capable of when pushed hard enough." Ben said.
"Oh I'm sure of that." Norman remarked, "The more grace we have the harder the fall becomes. This is your fall, you realize that." He sighed, "In the end this will be better for Peter."
Ben's posture grew aggressive, "You stay away from him. I don't want you to twist him into a mirror for yourself."
"I'm not twisting him into anything." Norman stated, "The boy has a natural strength that has been untapped under your parenting. I absolutely despise seeing wasted skill especially when it's becoming such a rare thing these days. This is the best for Peter; I don't understand why you can't see that."
"Tell yourself whatever lie you will but you can't break Peter." Ben breathed in proudly, "He's a Parker and all the money in the world can't change that."
Norman shook his head from side-to-side in a disgusted manner, "You're an old fool, and you haven't seen the change in Peter." He lied, desperate to create some kind of chink in the old man's armor, "He's forgotten about you already, you've lost him and now he's mine."
Spider-Man landed on the roof of the Watson home. He'd been here before, too many times. Under the mask and costume, Peter stared at the contours of the roof and walked to the edge carefully to not make too much noise. Upon reaching the edge he connected to the wall vertically and climbed towards MJ's window. He gazed in and found it vacant.
He reached into the web-pouch he had strapped onto his back and pulled out his camera. Peter continued his journey along the side of the house feeling a little uncomfortable to similarities to one of his earlier trips here.
Peter could here noise coming from the first floor. Looking in through the living-room window he saw Mrs. Watson watching the T.V. while smoking a cigarette. She looked drugged-up and at her feet were empty beer bottles. Peter turned off the flash and took a shot with his camera. That wouldn't be enough.
He decided to move on and with angelic grace reached the kitchen window saw Dennis Watson cleaning the dishes. Peter stared at the oaf with suspicion.
"Why isn't anyone else cleaning up this crap?" Dennis exclaimed angrily throwing a dish to the ground.
Peter grinned and took a shot immediately. He ducked when Mary Jane suddenly entered the kitchen with a dirty plate in her hands. It felt so long since he had last seen her. His heart ached at the sight of her and he resisted the urge to go running in and sweep her up there and then.
"Keep a hold of yourself." Peter whispered to himself, "Don't mess this up."
MJ placed the plate in the sink while obviously trying to avoid her father. Dennis must have noticed her sheepish posture, "What's your problem, bi-?"
Peter clenched his fist and adrenaline began to pump through his veins. He wanted to hurt him.
"Look at me when I'm speaking!" Dennis yelled. Peter took a shot of him in action. "You're lucky I don't leave one day. You'd both starve to death without me, dumb bimbos." He raised his hand. Peter took another shot. Dennis slapped her across the face.
MJ recoiled, "Stop it! I didn't do anything!"
Peter's eyes widened and his face turned red as Dennis raised his fist in preparation for another strike. He slid the window just an inch open.
"Don't act so innocent. I'll teach you!" Dennis tightened his arm and swung it to hit her again. Suddenly, he felt his arm stopped in mid-swing and looked at his hand. "What the hell?" Some strange filament had enveloped his arm and kept it from moving, "What is this stuff?" He tugged on it, but found it to tough to rip, "MJ help me." He ordered.
She only stared at her father and emotionlessly walked away to her room despite her father's protest. She ascended the stairs and entered her room while Dennis called for his wife's aid.
MJ locked her door shut and leaned against the wall. Suddenly, a wide smile spread across her face, "Peter." She found there was a little hope left in her after-all.
Erickson looked at the court reports and took a sip of the beer that he had poured into a small cup. He was tired of losing these cases, he wondered if he should have been a clown like his mother suggested.
It was late, he shouldn't have even been in his office, but that dump that the landlord called an apartment wasn't inviting. Suddenly, a tapping came at the window. Erickson stood up, "Hello?"
He was shocked to see Spider-Man on the other side of the window. Erickson stumbled back terrified, "Oh my God, I don't want to die!"
Spider-Man rocked his head back and forcefully opened the window, "What made you think I was here to kill you?" He asked entering the office.
"The Bugle says you drink blood." Erickson stated nervously.
Peter sighed and placed a series of pictures on the defense attorney's table, "These are for the Ben Parker case, they'll help you prove your claim that he took in Mary Jane Watson in her best interest."
Erickson stood stunned at the unexpected gift, "Why?"
"Let's just say I have a soft spot for the elderly." Peter turned back to the window, "I look forward to the decision on Saturday." He stated firing a web-line, "Good luck." He tugged on the line and swung away.
Erickson gazed at the pictures and smiled, "And to think, my Mom thought I should have been a clown."