Peter shuffled down to the kitchen yawning.

"Hey Peter, want me to cook something up for you?"

"Nah I'm good with cereal, thanks pops." Peter waved off Steve and grabbed a box of cocoa crispies.

The TV was on to the local news channel as it was every morning and Tony was pouting. "We were there too, but all the media cares about anymore is Spiderman."

"I thought you liked him?" Bruce wondered.

"I do."

"He's just jealous he's not in the limelight anymore." Clint grinned

"Spiderman isn't either, he's not exactly getting good press," Steve said turning up the volume so they could listen as Captain Stacey talked about the incident.

"I'm issuing an arrest warrant for the masked vigilante known as Spiderman."

Peter whom had been reveling in the fact that his dad liked his alter ego froze at the new announcement.

"Harsh." Clint winced.

"Good, he's an amateur and better arrested and dealt with than getting himself killed." Steve frowned at the screen

"He saved those people on the bridge. He's trying to do some good, I think arresting him is a bit much." Bruce couldn't help it, he had not had the best time with the government, granted he and Spiderman were vastly different but he could never condone a manhunt like this.

"It doesn't matter what we think, it's out of our hands." Tony shrugged.

Peter stood up grabbing his backpack and with a muttered "bye" he was out the door.

Both Steve and Tony watched him go both looking uncertain.

"I thought we were finally getting somewhere." Steve sighed sadly.

"Don't worry Cap, it's just a little teenage angst. Maybe his dinner date went wrong last night or something." Clint said trying to cheer the two up.

"Date?" Tony looked intrigued "He didn't say it was a date." he looked over at Steve "You didn't say he was going on a date. With whom, why haven't I heard about this."

Steve laughed "He didn't tell me it was a date specifically but I bet it was with Gwen, she seemed nice when I met her at Peter's school the other day."

"Why am I the last to know!"

"Peter doesn't go to his parents about girls, no teenage guy does, that's why he has me. I'm the cool uncle." Clint grinned and Tony pouted. Steve just shook his head and smiled at the two. He really hoped that Peter would cheer up soon, he missed seeing the boy smile.

Peter met Gwen on the bleachers and handed her a small glass vial.

She held it up examining the spider encased inside. "It's so beautiful."

"It knows how to bite, though," Peter told her. He didn't think she'd be able to find anything, but he humored her anyway, there was no one else he could show, and they were… dating? He hadn't actually asked her yet.

"Who else knows about this?"

"Just you."

"Really?" she looked excited and he nodded a small smile on his face and a blush on his cheeks.

"Hey.. umm… you don't believe what the police are saying do you?" He knew her father was the captain so he couldn't blame her if she did but he hoped that she didn't

"Of course not." Relief coursed through him "Does it scare you?" He looked at her questioningly "What you can do?"

Peter thought about it smiling. "No" He shook his head grinning "No." If anything it was exciting. He'd always dreamed of having powers being able to be like his dads.

Gwen didn't smile back, she just looked worried "What was that thing on the bridge?"

"It was real big, too big to be human."

"You gotta lay low." She urged him but Peter was already shaking his head.

"I can't do that."

"You've got to." he shook his head again "Why?"

"Because of last night." Peter tried tot hink about how to explain. "Those people on the bridge, whatever was attacking them, it would have killed them. So I- I've got to go after it."

"That's not your job."

"Maybe it is." Peter knew Gwen didn't agree, but he just knew that he was right, whatever this thing was he had to stop it. "I really liked kissing you. You're an amazing kisser." He changed the subject and Gwen laughed shyly.

"Well, you know, it was...it was good for me too."

"Yeah?"

"Mmhmm." He leaned in to kiss her again when he felt his spidey sense go off. He didn't even have to look to catch the incoming football. Peter tossed it back haphazardly denting the goal post, but he hardly noticed to preoccupied with the pretty blonde in front of him.

Natasha was having a hell of a time getting into Oscorp. Norman was nothing if not cautious, and extremely paranoid. But that just meant that he had something to hide.

She smiled at all the right people and shook their hands, but in the end, they told her a full background check would be required before they even considered her for the job.

She could always sneak in, but Fury had told her thet they needed this handled with extreme caution even if it took time. So she thanked them for their time and headed toward the entrance just as one Peter Parker was heading in. He was in such a rush that he didn't even see her. Natasha kept her cool but inside she was raging.

Steve had told him it was dangerous, what the hell was that boy doing!?

Peter ran up the steps to Curt Connor's lab, he knew what his pops had said, but he couldn't just abandon the project, not when they were so close, if the test on fred the mouse worked than it could be a huge scientific breakthrough, plus he'd wanted to talk to Dr. Connor's about lizards, maybe get some insight on how to fight the giant beast terrorizing the city.

The lab was abandoned. "Hello?" Nothing. He meandered around eyes catching sight of an injector on Connor's desk. He picked it up looking closely.

"It's not nice to snoop." Peter fumbled with the injector for a minute and quickly set it down turning to greet the doctor, though the man looked less than pleased. I gave everyone the week off."

"Yeah." Peter sighed he was hoping for some science, but alas. At least Connor's was here he could still ask his questions.

"Shouldn't you be at school?"

"No, I got a...I got a free track. I wanted...I wanted to ask you a question. How would a predator track a reptile?"

"Oh, they don't. Most reptiles are at the top of their respective food chain, kings of their domain."

"But they gotta have vulnerabilities, right?"

"Why the sudden interest in the cold-blooded?"

Peter was a bit taken back by the man's cold attitude but he decided it was best not to comment and stumbled over his answer "Just asking a question. I got...I got...I got school stuff, biology profiles to do. So, because of the cold blood, would they react to sudden changes in temperature?"

"You'd have to catch one first. Did you know there's a rumor of a new species in New York? Beautiful and quite large."

"What do you know about it? Have you seen it?"

"Well, it's not yet classified. But it can be aggressive if threatened."

"Doc, are you alright?" Peter didn't know him very well, but he just seemed off.

"Never been better, Peter. Never been better. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to leave. I have a new project I'm working on and I need to be alone. Don't worry, Mr. Parker. I'll be back. Wonderful things are coming. Wonderful things." The doctor left the lab and Peter watched him go, he was about to leave himself when he heard what sounded like a growl. He looked at the door once more before he headed toward the noise.

"Fred?" Peter looked at the once little white lab mouse that was now a not so little lizard mutant creature and was currently snacking on poor Wilma. Peter looked back toward the door where Curt Connors had disappeared.

Peter wanted to bash his brains in. This was all his fault. He'd helped create the algorithm. He slammed his fist into his wall and winced when he punched through the drywall. Peter paced for a moment more. He had to do something or the doctor was going to kill someone.

He thought about telling one fo the avengers. Maybe Bruce, he was the man to go to for genetic mutations. but no. He quickly pushed that idea away. It was too suspicious. He'd have to admit what he had done and why and then they'd figure it out, they'd find out he was Spiderman and Peter just couldn't let that happen. He looked at his TV that was currently playing a rerun of this mornings press confrence. Captain Stacey. Peter rushed out of his room.

"Peter!" Peter stopped when he heard her. Crap. He knew that voice, that was Natasha's you're dead' voice.

"Yes, Aunt Nat."

Natasha gave him a look that clearly said to shut up and so Peter snapped his mouth shut.

"I didn't tell you're parents." And that was not a good way for the conversation to start. Double crap! Did she know? He waited completely on edge. "I saw you at Oscorp." She continued on "Damn it, Peter, you're father told you about this, he warned you and you directly disobeyed him."

Peter searched for an answer breifly wondering why she was there but knowing better than to ask. "I was… I was just going to tell them that I wouldn't be coming back that's all."

"You couldn't call or email?"

"I just thought it would be better to do it in person." He said quickly. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"You put yourself in danger Peter." She looked at him for another moment before shaking her head "If I see you there again, I will tell you're parents and there will be consequences. Understand?" Peter nodded gulping "Do you understand?"

"Yes." He squeaked.

"Now get to school"

"I have a free track." She glared at him and he nodded "Ok, I'm… I'll just head back to school early." He reasoned.

And just like that she was gone, like a ghost and Peter sagged leaning against the wall heart pounding.

"Mr. Parker, why are you not in school?" Captain Stacey questioned him.

"Got a free track."

"Okay. Well, I do not have a free track, so make your point quickly."

"Okay, fine. There may not be a dinosaur running around Manhattan, but there is something more dangerous, and I know who it is."

"You know who it is?"

"Dr. Curtis Connors, he's a biochemist…"

"Of OsCorp?"

"That's right."

"Okay. Dr. Curtis Connors who's also my daughter's mentor. Is that who you're talking about?"

"That's the one." Peter knew from the look on his face that this was not going to end well. But he had to try, someone had to know that Connor's was dangerous.

"You know, recently Dr. Connors gave Gwen a glowing college recommendation. It was beautiful, when I read it I cried. But you would have me believe that in his spare time he's running around dressed up like a giant dinosaur."

"Not dressing up and not a dinosaur. He has transformed himself into a giant lizard." Stacy looked at Peter like he was crazy.

"Let me ask you a question. Do I look like the mayor of Tokyo to you?"

"I'm telling you the...I'm telling you the absolute truth. This man has worked his whole life on cross-species genetics. He lost one arm and has been trying to grow it back, but there is something imbalanced by the equation and he has turned into a full lizard. He's using lizard DNA. He is dangerous! And he's planning something horrific. I know! I know!" Peter had to make him understand but even as he spoke he knew that the man wasn't buying it.

"Okay. Alright. I get it. Here's what we're gonna do. You're gonna go back to hanging out with the citizens of Tokyo, and I'm gonna go back to protecting the citizens of this fine and fair city of ours. Sergeant Butler, would you please escort Mr. Parker back to school." Peter struggled, he knew he could easily get away from the sergeant but as his alter ego was a wanted man that would not be a good idea.

"Captain Stacy, I'm not...I'm not messing around. Just bring him in, just call him in! You have to call him in! He is a danger to everybody! Just, please, listen to me!" Peter walked towards school knowing he'd failed and why had he thought the result would be anything different? Screw it, he'd just have to do this by himself and damn the consequences.

Peter stopped his spider sense picking up the danger and he twitched. There was a lizard, it was small, just a normal lizard, except he had no idea what one would be doing by the subway station. He walked around and saw another two lizards dart down into the sewers. Peter grimaced.

Peter lowered himself into the main sewage line trying to ignore the smell. He looked around at all the tunnels. He'd chosen this spot specifically because it was where everything converged into one. And then he began to set his trap, complete with camera. Maybe if he got proof Captain Stacey would believe him or better yet he could send the photo's to the avengers, anonymously of course.

The waiting was the worst, but thank god for Stark phones. His dad had made sure his phone came with all the latest tech and all the latest apps.

One of his webs vibrated and Peter quickly tucked his phone away sitting up and watching waiting. Another string vibrated and another. Peter was surrounded he waited on high alert relying on his spider sense to help him with the areas he couldn't watch.

A small lizard crawled out along his webs followed by another and another. Peter had never seen so many lizards in his life and he watched them flee.

He felt something move behind him and groaned inwardly as he turned glancing upward as a giant lizard pounced on him. The flash on his camera went off once, then twice. Peter struggled under the weight of the lizard as the objects his webs were attached to broke under the strain.

"You stopped me once. You won't stop me again! I'm getting stronger everyday!" Peter choked unable to breathe as the lizard crushed his neck. He was barely holding it other claw back from clawing open his insides. The claws grew and he gasped in pain as they tore into his skin. The claw reached for his head and Peter finally managed to get some leverage. He punched the lizard in the face and they both fell into the sewers.

Peter struggled to kick the man turned monster in the face and using all his strength to swim. He could feel the lizard just behind him but didn't dare look back. He tried to use his webs but the water had damaged the mechanism. His spider sense was going crazy and Peter saw a small sewage pipe. He busted through the bars and barely manged to slip past the beast.

He fought his way out of the water and slumped onto the cement "That sucked" He groaned. He lifted his wrists to look at his web shooters and groaned it would be a pain to fix them. He'd have to figure out a way to make them water proof.