AN: Hey guys, sorry it's been a while! I made sure to make this super long. I've just been busy with college and stuff. I have to update my other fics too. Soon I hope, but I make no promises.

This chapter covers a lot so I hope that's okay. Enjoy!

Chapter 12: Masked Menace

I stood outside the Osborn's double door. It was a certain type of red wood. You had to entire a big lobby and go up some elevator to find that the top floors belong to Norman. Every other floor was just some other wealthy family's penthouse.
I was nervous to knock on the door because of what I recently discovered about Norman Osborn. How he tried to kill my mother. I'm here for Harry though and Harry seems like the spoiled brat that has daddy issues from being alone all the time. Maybe Osborn won't be here. If he is, hopefully he doesn't remember me or what I look like. I just pray OsCorp has gotten busier since I was four.
After knocking on the door, a fancy butler greeted me, "May I help you, Miss?" the guy looked near death, his voice did too.
"Um... I'm here to visit Harry? We have a science project."
"You're Miss Drew. Harry has been expecting to see you," he let me step inside. The floor was made of marble, making every sound echo. A crystal chandelier was above my head, "Whoa, fancy chandelier," I said with honest impressment.
"Madam Osborn had quiet an expensive taste when she lived here. Only the finest things pleased her."
"If it wasn't the floor that gave it away, I'm gonna bet it's the crystal spaceship above our heads," I smiled at him, "Yes, but then she parted away from us some years ago to go live in Paris."
"Well, I'm sure she has a top notch home as well," that explains why I never heard much about Harry's mom. Everyone always talked about his crockpot dad. I looked further ahead of me to see a huge spiral staircase. At the bottom was a white tiger rug, "Is that a real tiger?"
"Well, I do not think Madam would tolerate knock off rugs."
I bent down to pet the head, "Poor guy. I don't think he wanted to be a rug."
"Nor I a butler, but here we both are, in this house," he smiled at me.
I stood up, "I feel for you. So where is Harry?"
"I'm here," he stepped from around the stairs, "I see you've met Bernard."
"You mean the best butler ever?" I walked over to Harry, "So where are we doing this?"
"Follow me," He lead me through an archway to a big dining room. The table was dark, narrow, and long with twelve cushioned chairs around it. At the end of it were many small plastic pieces scattered among it. It was the supplies for the model.
"I don't think you have enough seats for two people," I said placing my backpack on the floor. Harry pulled out a chair for me to sit, "When my mother was here we had a lot of parties."
I sat down, "Yeah, I don't think I've ever had one at my apartment. We always left to go out."
He said nothing to that. He handed my some wire, "Start building a structure."
I rolled up my sleeves to my hoodie to get working. Harry glanced at me for a moment, "You know I can ask Bernard to take your hoodie if it's bugging you."
I shook my head, "I'm fine. Like I tell everyone, 'it's my second skin'."
I think I honestly saw a smirk on Harry's face, "So he does lighten up?" I said attaching a plastic piece to the wire. Harry just raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"
"You get way too serious a lot. I thought I was a brooding, mopey, no fun person. Smile once in a while, Harry."
"I do, when I'm around friends or my mom," I glanced at him, "Aww we're not friends yet?"
"No," he went back to making his part of the structure. I laughed, not in a mocking way, but more genuine. Harry did smirk again, "Come on, Harry. I'm not so bad."
"You can have your moments in class. You don't say much, but I hear you mumbling under your breath about whatever the teacher has to say.."
"Then why did I always get this hostile vibe from you?" Harry shrugged after a long moment, "It's high school, we all got a reputation to keep and clicks to be apart of."
I smirked, "So you're apart of the snobby, rich, douche bag sandwich group?" Harry let out a chuckle, "That's one name, I guess," he looked at me, "What are you even? You always seem like your in the grungy group or a burn out."
"I don't have a group," I put it bluntly.
"You hang out with Gwen and Peter."
"The valedictorian and the boy every one outcast? That's hardly a group. Those are just the two people I actually like talking to in that bullshit school."
Harry stopped building to fully look at me, "You don't want to go into a science career, do you?"
"You could tell?"
"Well I think it was your attitude during biology or how you get into a fight every year that gave it away."
I lifted both hands in the air, "You caught me."
"Let me guess, it's your mom that is making you go?"
"Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!"
He let out a huff, "I only know because I know that look, that attitude, that pressure," he paused. He finally said something, "My father does the same thing. You're mother's a scientist?"
"Was, now she's a doctor."
"What do you want to do though?"
I shrugged, "Be a private investigator. Sounds promising and more me. What about you?"
"I have no clue. It's just expected of me to take over my father's company. To live in his shadow, but I don't want to."
I gave a small frown to that, "You don't have to. You can chose what to do with your life. And there's nothing wrong with that."
"I don't really get a choice like you do. I mean what else what will I do with myself?" This was an honest heart-to-heart I was having with Harry. I was actually seeing the real him for once, "Does your dad tell you this?"
Harry turned to me, "Yeah, he actually does."
I shrugged my shoulder, "Screw him. Do what you want to do with your life. It is your life right?"
We sat there for a moment in silence. Harry was in deep thought about something as was I. You know, Harry is always under a lot of stress. A guy can only take so much until he bursts. Let's just hope he blows up on the right person.
There was a knock on the door. We both stood up to see who it was. Harry walked out by Bernard while I stayed back by the archway. I heard a girl's voice, "Why haven't you called me back?"
"Look, I'm sorry. I've just been busy," Harry apologized. The girl then walked in and I saw it was Liz, "Well, you could have text me," she looked over and saw me. Crap.
She still had a few cuts on her, but she was healing. Liz instantly turned to Harry, "Why is that freak here? I thought I was the special one?"

Harry turned back at me and I raised my eyebrows and shrugged. He looked back at Liz, "This is not what it looks like at all. We are doing a project for bio," he lifted her chin up, "You've got nothing to worry about. I'll see you tomorrow?"

Liz gave him a hard face. She glanced back at me one last time and then smiled at Harry, "You bet."

Liz took a side step from Harry so she could pressed her finger and thumb on her forehead making an 'L', "Later, Loser."

I rolled my eyes, "Bye Liz. Try not blow anyone on the way home," Liz quickly flashed an angry look at me. I waved good-bye. Harry quickly shut the door and glared at me, "What is your problem?"

Baffled, I pointed to myself, "Me? She's the one that started it. I finished it. Why are you pissed off at me?"

"You couldn't just not say anything?" Harry walked passed me. Without thinking too much on it I said, "No. Why should I have to not say a word when I'm insulted? Why is it okay for her to say rude things to me, but not the other way around?"

Harry stopped walking, "I don't know it's just a thing."

"Well, it's a shitty thing. Wouldn't you say?"

"Look, I like her, a lot. And you being here isn't really helping me score points with her," Harry admitted.

"So your embarrassment of me isn't helping the school bicycle like you?"

Harry's face turned frustrated, "She's not a whore! Why do you keep saying that? Judging someone by their appearance isn't a nice thing either. Yet both of you do it to each other every day."

I stayed silent for a moment. Harry started to head back over to the dining room, "You coming or not?" I nodded, still thinking of what he said.

A little later when we were building the model, I was gluing pieces together, "So why her?" I asked Harry after a while of silence. He rolled his eyes, "Finish the model."

I looked over at him and set the glue down, "Tell me why and I'll keep working."

Harry was burning a hole in my head, "I just do. She's pretty, confident, and smart."

I motioned my head back and Harry noticed, "She acts dizzy, but she is smart. Liz knows a lot when it comes to music. Her parents often scold her for that since she goes to a school for science. She gets the pressure of having to satisfy parents."

I tilted my head to the side, understanding. I wanted to change the subject and lifted the model up right, "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm satisfied with this model," it must have been two feet high. Harry stood up to grab it, "It seems light enough to carry. Let's go set it down on the floor," he walked back into the lobby. I followed after him. It stood just fine on the marble floor.

"Do you think we should add anything?" I asked. Harry looked over it once more, "No, I think it's just fine. Probably a little delicate, but it's good enough."

"Well, then I believe I should be going. If there's nothing else to do, is there?"

"No, I'll bring this to school tomorrow. That fine?"

"Perfect. I take the subway so it would have been difficult to bring this."

"See you then," Harry picked it up, "Bernard has your bag," I turned around to see Bernard holding my backpack. I grabbed it, "Thanks."

"My pleasure Miss," he walked off to go into another room. Harry pointed to the door, "You know where to exit."

"Bye then," I reached for the door knob. I suddenly got the feeling I was being watched upon. I slowly turned to see someone in a door way upstairs. Just staring down at me. A chill ran up my spine from the shadowed figure. They only thing I could see was it's eyes. I quickly opened the door to leave this place.

All night I've been thinking about nothing but that shadowy figure in the doorway. A part of knew who it was. Who he was, but I just hoped he didn't recognize me. Who are you kidding Jessica? You know he did and any minute now he will send someone to come collect me. They will probably wait until I'm asleep or just barge right into my life.

Norman Osborn will send some hit man or skilled thug to come into my house, point a gun at my mom, tell me if I don't go with him he will kill her or he probably will just shoot her in front of me. Then I will go with him and for the rest of my life I will be stuck in some cage waiting to die. No one will notice, no one will mourn, and no one will care.

When I woke up this morning I was surprised to see that I was still in my own bed. I was safe in my house. My mom was dressed and getting ready for work, I must have woken early. I heard her walk out and lock the door. She was oblivious, good. That makes her safe.

When I got to school I realized I still have in-house suspension, at least I would be in one room all day under supervision. Osborn wouldn't try anything on school grounds and risk a law suit, would he? I'd like to think he wouldn't, he's much smarter than that. Looks like I have to try to be as well. That means staying around government owned places at all times.

I was walking to Carol's office when I heard people gasping in a crowd. I squeezed through to see Peter holding Flash against the lockers. He started to let go of him and was slightly shaking. Flash didn't looked pissed off like he normally would, he just seemed saddened. What happened here? Yesterday Peter was smiling, today his eyes are glued to the floor.

I approached him when his back was to me, "Peter?" I gently touched his shoulder. He quickly turned to me with teary eyes. What ever happened wasn't good, "Peter, what's wrong?"

He tried speaking, but no words came out, just breaths. I took him by his hand and led him to the library. I went to the back corner where we were alone. He covered his face and started to shake again, "Peter what's wrong? You're actually starting to scare me."

"My uncle…" he sighed. My mouth slightly dropped, "Your uncle? What happened to him?"

"He died-last night," he managed to say with hesitation. My heart sunk for him. I met him just that one time and he was really sweet. Peter began to cry again. I put my arms around him pulling him in for a hug, "I'm sorry. I know what it's like to lose someone you love."

He held me tight as he fell to the floor, bringing me down. I still held him as he just leaned on me. I could feel my shoulder getting wet, but I didn't care about that. Normally, people don't find me compassionate or "a shoulder to cry on" because, well I've never had my shoulder cried on. I've never had to be put in a place to comfort someone or have them let out their feelings. I tried to think of what a normal person would do, or what at least Gwen would do.

I placed my hand on his head, petting his hair, "It's going to be okay, Peter. Your uncle was one of the nicest man I've ever known and he loved you."

I felt him shaking again, "I'm sorry," I heard him whisper. My shoulder was soaked. I nodded, "It's okay, Peter. Just let it out. I'm here for you, understand. I get it." I was starting to get flashes of Jonathan dying that night. My eyes began to water up, "It's okay. It's going to be okay," my voice broke.

"Don't you have detention?" he sniffed. I just nodded, "I don't care right now. Carol will have to understand."

He looked at me for a moment, "Thank you."

"You don't have to," I shook my head.

"Yeah I do. You've been a great friend to me. You're one of my only friends," he buried his head back into my shoulder and hugged me tighter.

"If I wasn't your friend then I wouldn't be here now would I?" We were quiet for a while until I spoke, "What are you doing here today? You should be home."

"I didn't want to miss a test I had," my voice went into a loud laugh, "Peter! A test can wait."

"No, I can't go home. I need to do something to distract me," I slightly nodded, "Well, if you want later we could just get out of here. I don't know where, but it doesn't have to be here."

"Thanks, I'll think about it," We spent all of first period in this library. Peter managed to calm down enough to go to his next class. When I finally got to Carol's office she nearly chewed me out until I explained to her I was with Peter and his loss. She said she would look the other way this time.

I told Doc that I didn't feel like playing patient today, not after this morning. He understood surprisingly. He didn't pull the "talking it out will help" card. Doc just told me to make sure Peter will be okay and if he needs it, recommend him. Yeah, right. I don't think Peter is the type to go to a shrink, willingly.

I found out from Gwen that Peter's Uncle was shot by some robber and Uncle Ben was just trying to stop him. Peter ran out of the house and he was out looking for him, that's why he was out there. It was just a wrong place and time scenario. It doesn't make anything better, the robber is still on the loose.

One Week Later

"Have you heard about the guy that's running around in a mask catching criminals?" Flash said to me out of nowhere in English. I looked at him confused, "No?" Why was he talking to me? He only talks to me when he insults me, let alone ask a bizarre question like that.

He took out his phone and started to text something, "You got to see the video. It's crazy," he turned his phone toward me and pressed play. The video was of someone recording a guy drop down from a building and grabbed some person. Then he jumped up high and swung away on some weird kind of rope. The video was a minute long.

When it was finished I had to blink my eyes to understand what I just saw. I looked at Flash and he had this huge smile on his face, "It's crazy, huh!"

"That's a word for it. Sure it's not just some hoax?" I asked.

"No way, man! That is real. It's been all over the news. Do you live under a rock?"

Yes. I've just been laying low for a week so Osborn doesn't find me. I've been spending more time at school and going home later than usual. I take a different route home every day in case he sent anyone to follow me.

I have run into more muggers, but it's never stopped me before. Hell, last night on my way home I found a gang of people cornering some girl scouts. I threw my hood up and fought them. When I used my pheromones, they reacted violently. Those men lashed out in fear. I left that fight with a bunch of bruises and a black eye, but not without stopping those thugs. The girls got away safe and thanked me; who knows what would have happened if I wasn't there. When they asked for my name I just ran off. I will admit, it felt good and righteous to help out these people. If there was some way I could do this all the time, I would. I just can't risk my identity being known for all of Osborn to see.

"No," I told Flash, "I've just been busy with stuff."

"Well, when you get the chance, look him up on YouTube. There are a shit load of videos of him from different people all over the city. You could probably Google him if you wanted."

I gave Flash a thumbs up, "Thanks for the tip," I had a weird fake smirk on my face. A paper was placed on my desk.

Norse God Biography

"What the Hell is this?" I picked the paper up, "It's our next project, genius," Liz said to me in a sour yet sarcastic tone. I scowled at her for a moment before looking back at the paper, "Let's see, 'You will be given a God or Goddess in Norse mythology and you have to do a biography on them?' But biographies are on real people," I told Ms. Wright. She was by my desk holding a black top hat.

"Just look them up and tell me everything about them, like a biography. Here, pick one," Why do we even have to learn Norse mythology? We aren't Swedish or Norwegian or Finnish? Is that what you call people from Finland? Well, I am certainly FINNISH with this school and its useless education plan.

"Come on Jessica, it will be fun. Trust me," I looked up at her with a bored look. I reached my hand in the hat and pulled out a small, folded piece of paper. Ms. Wright moved on to the student behind me. I hope I at least get someone cool, like Thor. Everyone knows who that is, even if you don't know anything about Norse mythology.

"Alright, I got Thor!" Flash cheered in front of me. I tapped my fingers on my desk. Well, throw that out the window. I unfolded the paper and it said, "Loki".

"Loki? Who's Loki?" Flash turned around again, "He's Thor's adopted brother," I sat there, actually shocked that Flash knew something other than football. I looked at the name again, "Loki."

At the computer lab, instead of doing my homework I looked up this "masked man" Flash is in love with. He already has his own wiki page and he just appeared less than a week ago. Let me click this news website. It says here that he is a vigilante in New York City that wears a mask. He has been known to stop blond haired, two bit criminals. He is a menace to be stopped! This was written by J. Jonah Jameson of the Daily Bugle.

If he stops criminals how does that make him a criminal? He's been saving lives while wearing a mask. Wait a minute. He figured it out, he is wearing a mask to cover up who he is. Why didn't I think of that? It is so easy, simple even. Think of all the people I could help if I put on a mask, if I was careful. I stood up quickly, grabbed my things, and ran out of the computer lab.

I walked into a fabric store to see if I could make my own mask, maybe a costume. I looked around to seeing so many kinds of colors and shades. An assistant walked up to me with a smile, "Can I help you find something?"

I didn't say anything at first, but then I finally asked, "What would be the best material to use when making a…uh."

"Making what?" she asked.

I had to think of a quick lie, "Gymnastics…suit…" Really? That was the best you could do? The woman seemed to believe me, "Oh, well you would use spandex to be more flexible," she led the way to an aisle, "You may want thin material so it feels—," I stopped her, "No, I think thicker would be alright."

The assistant nodded, "Alright then. I hope you don't mind the color red then. It's the only color that comes with a thicker type of spandex."

I nodded, "Red is fine."

"Word of advice though," the assistant said, "You may need to have some type of 'support system' if you know what I mean," she glanced down at my chest. I got what she meant and started to nod, "Yeah. Thank you for that," Jessica grabbed a bunch of the material to go buy it.

On the way home I checked out a few sewing books from the library. I did also grab a book on Norse Mythology for English too, but I can look at that later. All afternoon, I spent my time cutting and sewing and pricking my fingers with needles. I hope I'm doing this right, otherwise I'm going to look dumb instead of intimidating. When I got the basic suit done, it seemed so red and boring. It was just a one piece with long sleeves for the arms and legs.

This needs color or something. I had to think really hard for a moment, so I shut my eyes. What would look perfect? Jessica, you are part spider, but not just any spider. My eyes opened up. Wundagore Widow, my other half or what I really am. I went to go get Connor's file he gave me to look at a picture. There was a close up picture of the widow; the spider was red, but on her back was a yellow pattern. It's like you merged a long, pointy pentagon to a long, upside down triangle.

I went into my closet to fish out an old, yellow, one-piece bathing suit I had from a few years ago. This could work, the trim was black, but it can work since it was stretchy. I cut out some red material on the lower torso part of the suit and added this pattern. It looked better, but I think more yellow wouldn't hurt. I cut out an upside down triangle on the upper chest of the red suit then replaced it with yellow fabric. The trim of yellow was black. I also made yellow gloves that would go half way up to my elbows. A thick black line went up my arms and connected to the triangle on my chest. I cut an opening on the back So I could get, I may add a zipper later.

I made the costume part. Now I just have to make a mask. I used whatever red and yellow material was left. I really liked the triangle on my chest so much I mad another for the forehead part of my mask. It looked identical with the black outlining, but smaller. The mask would cover all of my face. I cut out holes for the eyes. I didn't like how they would just be exposed like that, this mask will cover my entire head. Time to see how this looks on me.

After putting it on I couldn't stand how my hair was in the mask with me. Everything looks great, could be a tad better, but this will have to do. I took off my mask and cut the top open. When I put it back on my hair was free. I couldn't really breath that much. I decided to trim off whatever was below the bridge of my nose. This felt so much better.

I need something to cover my eyes up though. Maybe I could go get a pair of sunglasses that would work. I heard my mother open the door to the apartment. I quickly took everything off and hid it. I cleaned up my work area so she wouldn't see what I'm up to. I threw on my regular clothes when she knocked on my door.

"Yeah, come in," I pulled out the Norse mythology book and opened it to a random page. My mom came in, "Hey, how was school?"

"Fine, we got this project in English. Do a biography on a Norse god. Pointless in my opinion. How was your day?"

If I could keep this up, she'll never even know that I've secretly decided to become a red and yellow crime fighter.

AN: Okay! Hope you liked it, let me know your thoughts.