Off to the reviewers' box!

To moonjava: Thanks.

To psychospiff: Sorry for sounding sarcastic, but well duh. Don't worry, I still have a few surprises up my sleeve. They don't call me the Trickster for compliment's sake. So, keep reading, please. I appreciate your input.

Now, read and review! Please, give me something substantial. Tell me what you like and what you don't like. If you have a question, I'll answer it. If you have a compliment, I'llthank you for it. If you have constructive criticism, I'll appreciate it. If you have a flame, I'll give you a sarcastic answer. Now get to it.

Chapter 4: What Dreams May Come

"…To sleep: perchance to dream: aye, there's the rub

For in that sleep of death what dreams may come

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,

Must give us pause."

--Hamlet

Austin Smith slept fitfully, as he always did these days. May lay awake, staring at him. She pulled up her blankets, and within a few minutes, a tentacle reared up, stared at her as if rebuking her, and tugged the covers back onto Austin. The damned arms always did steal the blankets.

He was sleeping with his back turned to her. May looked at her husband, who looked much younger than his years, and even in early middle age was strikingly handsome. May knew that although she was (like her father) cute in a geeky sort of way, and still had all of her spidey-powers, she wasn't exactly in superhero shape after bearing twins. Unbidden, her thoughts turned to her former friend Noreen Osborn, now her greatest enemy. The last time they fought, the Girl Goblin had injured her so badly she was forced to retire. The twins were barely two years old then. As a final taunt, Noreen had told May that Austin cheated on her—with the Goblin. And worse, she was pregnant with Austin's child.

May wondered whether this was true, although her husband vehemently denied it. But there was no denying that Noreen was infinitely smarter, more wealthy, more beautiful, and more powerful than her. Was her husband really that shallow? May had heard from Rachelle Laufey that her infamous father-in-law's last girlfriend was some kind of Stepford Wife virtual reality concoction called Stunner. Now that was shallow.

May then began to wonder if marrying Austin was really a good idea after all. Their fathers were after all mortal enemies. They'd actually beat each other up during their wedding reception, you know. What May didn't remember was that Peter had actually started it.

For that nagging feeling that the marriage would never work always spoke in her father's voice.

(don't you know who his father is?)

(of course I do, but that doesn't mean I don't love him)

(his father kidnapped your mom, may, and tied her to a rusty pipe don't you know how much he's stolen and how many he's killed? you know austin might turn out the same)

(no no of course he isn't he was a superhero once he was my partner)

(you know he's going to those things are taking over his mind you know)

(of course not daddy that's silly)

(why does he disappear half the night? why doesn't he sleep? why does he get headaches all the time? why do they hiss and attack you now?)

(no that can't be)

(and he may even be cheating with noreen)

(and you're going to believe her lies? you know she's trying to break us up just as much as you are)

(I'm not breaking you up you're my daughter and I'm trying to protect you now noreen's a girl better suited toward him anyway)

(daddy stop it)

The alarm rang six-thirty a.m. May climbed out of bed and prepared to commute to her first job. Her husband was no stranger to losing jobs. On two separate occasions, his boss had got wind of the secret of his paternity and decided he was a liability. May knew what her husband wanted. Austin wanted to be recognized on his own achievements. Even after winning the Nobel Prize, people couldn't quit calling him "Octopus Junior." Why couldn't they take him seriously?

(well they just might if he didn't have those four freaky metal arms sprouting out his back)

(please shut up)

May returned from the bathroom after showering and dressing. She began to poke her husband. The tentacles began to hiss at her. "Make sure the twins have a healthy breakfast and make sure they get to school and back, okay?"

Austin mumbled a reply.

"Oh yeah…after I get back from work my parents are coming over."

The reply was more recognizable this time. "Just what we need. Wish we'd gone to California."

Next...Chapter 5, The Friends Thou Hast. Harry Octavian is introduced.