Summary: "Peter's head tilts upwards, and there he is- the masked, green glad man, standing on one of the uppermost pillars, a heavy cable in one hand, Mary Jane dangling in the other." Peter is forced to choose between saving Mary Jane and a tram car full of children. He isn't strong enough to save both. And, unfortunately, the answer is obvious. One-shot. AU.
A/N: Written for school.
A Hero's Reward
In the aftermath of the explosion alongside the river, Peter swings up to a perch on the Queensboro Bridge, landing with practiced grace on a top of one of the lower pillars. He pushes away the chill of the night as it returns in full force now that he's stopped moving.
"Spider-Man!" The Green Goblin calls down to him in greeting.
Peter's head tilts upwards, and there he is- the masked, green glad man, standing on one of the uppermost pillars, a heavy cable in one hand, Mary Jane dangling in the other. Peter's blood goes cold at the sight of her helpless struggling.
"This is why only fools are heroes." The Goblin mocks. MJ screams. "Because you never know when some lunatic will come along with a sadistic choice:
"Let die the woman you love,"He lifts MJ even higher, her shrieks grow even louder, and the heels she wears on her feet fall into the abyss,"Or suffer the little children."
Peter forces himself to follow the Goblin's gaze down the cable he holds, and there it is- a swaying red tram car, full of children. Full of terrified children calling out the name of his vigilante alias, screaming and pleading for his help.
He freezes up. He feels a cold sense of dread burrow itself into his chest.
There's no way he can save Mary Jane and the children. He can't carry that weight, and he can't swing with both arms full either. They'd fall. They'd die. Them and him.
"Make your choice, Spider-Man, and see how a hero is rewarded."
Peter finally finds his voice. But he knows it's futile. "Don't do it, Goblin!"
"We are who we choose to be." Green-armored arms raise a dramatic touch higher as the Goblin ignores him. "Now, choose!"
And, then, the Goblin drops them.
"No!" Peter shouts.
But he can only hear the screams.
MJ is falling, reaching upwards, reaching for him.
The tram car is falling faster, heavier. Children scratch at the windows.
For a moment, a long moment, Peter can't move. Because, what is he supposed to do? He loves Mary Jane. He can't let her die. But, the children…Spider-Man can't let them die. They're kids, innocent, and have completely no involvement in any of this. They have long lives ahead of them. They have families, parents and brothers and sisters that love them.
What is he to do? Play hero and snatch the love of his life from the sky, watch as the children sink beneath the water's surface and drown?
He can't do that.
Forgive me, Mary Jane. I am so sorry.
Peter finally snaps into action, racing across the beam he stands on, and letting his strength pool in his hips and legs. When he reaches the end of the joist, he thrusts off in a swan dive, plummeting down after the children, arms outstretched and reaching for the cable.
The bridge flashes past, and, for a moment, he doesn't think he's going to manage it.
But, then, a hand snares itself around the flapping metal cable, and his other wrist is reaching upwards, firing a web towards the bottom of the bridge out of pure instinct alone. Everything jerks to a stop, and the weight of the tram car rips his breath right out of his lungs.
He hears a splash, maybe half the original distance below. Mary Jane's scream cuts short. Peter feels sick. He almost releases the cable before he realizes what he's doing, his grip tightening again in a quick, wild panic.
No!
This won't be for nothing!
He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and listens. He hears the Goblin's glider taking off. He hears the children in the tram car, speaking to one another.
He can hear them calling him a hero.
Staring down at the body in the water, Peter doesn't feel like one.
