I do not own Spider-Man or any of the characters in the Marvel franchise… If I did, I think wanting Harry and Loki as my boyfriends would be a dangerous love triangle! I only own my OC.
The Goblin's eyes flashed darkly at her requested topic of conversation. Hayley knew she was treading on thin ice particularly since his trust in her was constantly being tested. However, she had long suspected that at the root of his issues was a boy trying to win his father's approval. It was almost a textbook case minus the whole Goblin transformation. She'd done some research before their session in preparation; his previous medical records indicated alcoholism and an addiction to Oxycodone. With his party heavy lifestyle splashed over the papers, a new model girlfriend every month and constant trips abroad, it was like Harry was trying to avoid revisiting his childhood home.
"He's dead," the Goblin stated shortly, clearly annoyed at the serious turn in their session.
After a few minutes of heavy silence, it was obvious to Hayley that he wasn't about to elaborate. She would have to be clever in her approach, clever enough to make the Goblin reveal information without realising, without admitting he was weak.
"It says in your file that Norman Osborn died of symptoms and health issues related to his illness Retroviral Hyperplasia," Hayley stated, casually tapping her pen on her notepad.
Having never officially discussed his past, Hayley did not know what to expect from the Goblin during this session. He was always so guarded and closed off, never revealing much of himself, except when he felt vulnerable or emotionally strained. She was going to use a reverse psychology method with him. By seemingly acting like she thought there was good in Norman Osborn, Hayley hoped that would further piss the Goblin off to make him reveal his inner feelings. It was a gamble, probably a stupid one, but having no parents through her childhood as well, Hayley understood why Harry would be closed off about the subject. She just hoped he wouldn't try and attack her.
"Does his death upset you?
"And why would it upset me?"
"Because without family, we are all truly alone."
"Does my file say that the bastard passed the disease on to me? Of all the things he gave me; his money, his name, fame, OsCorp, and now the Osborn curse," the Goblin spoke bitterly, clearly unimpressed by his father's audacity at giving him a disease that was hereditary.
Hayley started to write down her observations in the notebook on her lap;
'Materialistic, possessions seem to be worth more, can hide behind them. Osborn curse - fantasizing condition? Believes father chose to give him the disease, final act before death – past rejection due to illness?'
"On his deathbed, he told me to just deal with it," he muttered angrily.
Having worked with many of Ravencroft's inmates, nothing seemed to shock Hayley anymore; the world was a bad place full of darkness and destruction. Other than her own past and now Harry's Goblin transformation, the things she had heard and seen from her patients had never haunted her. But for a father to show no sign of love or recognition of a family bond always tugged on Hayley's heartstrings. The things she remembered about her own father were not particularly pleasant.
"Freud and Jung argue that a father is very important to a boy's development of identity; would you agree with this statement?"
"He shipped me off to boarding school when I was eleven so he didn't have to look at me."
"I'll take that as a yes."
According to Freud, sons feel competitive with their father due to dominance and society's view that men are to be the head of the family.
With Norman Osborn being the CEO and founder of such a large enterprise, how could Harry ever compete with that amount of success? Hayley thought.
In her studies, Hayley had read that Freudian psychologists believed that in some cases, it was worse for the son to win a battle against the father than to lose; Harry had lost any chance of winning a battle, winning his father's approval and affection when Norman died. However, the one battle Harry could win, would be to succeed were his father had failed – he could stop the disease from killing him. This conflict inside of Harry, to be everything his father was and more, that was what Hayley suspected was fueling the Goblin's anger.
'Internal battle to best Norman, to be recognised as better – anger manifestation rooted deeply, no normal father figure. Rash and abrasive personality, no guidance in normal behavior…'
"Did your father show you any affection? Is there a memory of him that makes you smile?" Hayley asked already knowing the answer was most likely to be no.
"I received a bottle of Scotch for my 16th birthday…"
"A 'welcome to manhood' gift?"
The presence of a strong father figure during childhood is integral for a son to develop a positive sense of self-masculinity; Hayley hastily scribbled down;
'Start of alcoholism? Sense of masculinity through drink reinforced by father at crucial developmental stage. Reminder of self worth, well lack off…'
"It was sent by one of his assistants at OsCorp. Even had a typed card that read 'with compliments' and a photocopied signature. Such a caring father, Ginge," smiled the Goblin bleakly.
"What about your mother, Emily? She died when you were seven – did her death not bring you and your father closer together?"
"HA! Listen to yourself Ginge, what are you trying to prove? That Norman Osborn was a good businessman, a loving father?"
As much as it felt horrible to do, Hayley internally smiled at the success of the reverse psychology method she was using on Harry. He was revealing a lot more than she thought he would. Sure he wasn't going into details or explaining his feelings, but nonetheless he was conversing with Hayley.
"The first time he hit me was the day my mother died. He kept shouting how it was all my fault, that if I had never been born then she would have lived!" The Goblin stood from his chair, his voice growing louder and more heated as he began to uncover more and more. "He never loved me. Life is not a fairytale, there is no happy ending, no love, no happiness…"
"But…"
"Did you know that my father spent more time following Peter than having a relationship with me?"
"Parker?"
"You know him?"
"Of course! What's this got to do with Peter?"
"EVERYTHING! ARGHH!"
The Goblin grabbed the chair behind him and threw it at Hayley, who dived to the ground to avoid it, though not before the chair leg grazed her cheek. There was a loud clatter behind as it made contact with the cold stonewall. She looked at the Goblin who was breathing heavily staring at the damaged chair; his fists clenched in anger, teeth bared, standing tall, drunk on the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He looked so powerful and Hayley was once again reminded of how deadly her patient could be. In the dim light, it almost seemed like his skin had gone a darker shade of green. The veins on his face and neck were definitely more prominent. She was certain he hadn't been that green a few minutes ago. The Goblin always had splotchy skin and a jaundice glow, but his skin looked more vivid now.
Hayley's bandaged hand quickly went to her face; small spots of fresh blood stained her fingers. She hissed at the pain. It was then that the Goblin's glowing eyes shifted to the nurse on the floor. Concern flashed across his face at the sight of blood running down her face. He shuffled as close to her as his chains would allow, before crouching down, reaching his cuffed hands towards her injured face.
Scaly green finger softly cupped her face, turning her head slightly so that the Goblin could inspect the damage he had caused. Her face felt so small in his hands and her eyes were such a striking shade of emerald that he thought it was ironic how the colour which made him so hideous, made her look beautiful. He was so close that he could feel her shaking; she was frightened. Hayley held her breath. Sighing, the Goblin broke away from her, removing his hands, before sitting backwards onto the ground. Although his face seemed void of emotion, Hayley could clearly see rejection radiating from his eyes.
A noise, knuckles knocking on glass, made Hayley turn sharply; Colin was giving her a concerned look, harshly jabbing his finger at her and then back to him, signalling for her to leave the room. Slowly, gripping her chair for support, Hayley stood from the ground.
Seeing her about to leave, the Goblin put his head in his hands and turned away from her. He looked so helpless like a child who didn't know there own strength. Hayley was about to move towards him when she heard Colin banging impatiently on the door.
"I've got everything under control Colin," Hayley said hotly, slamming the cell door closed behind her.
""'E just threw a chair at ya!"
"He was not trying to hurt me,"
"Are you fuckin' kiddin' me? Hayley, ya face is bleedin'!" Colin looked over her face and tiny frame trying to identify more cuts and bruises. Upon finding none, he focused back to her face, noting that the cut was only shallow and not too severe.
"Colin! I've literally just made a break through here, so will you please let me do my job!"
"Look 'ere, I'm just doin' mine…"
"Exactly! You've chained him to the floor, ok? He cannot get to me!"
"Didn't look that way…" Colin was growing increasingly concerned by the young nurse's behavior with Mr. Osborn; he didn't want his friend to get hurt.
"Colin, you are not a psychiatrist, I am! I do not need to explain my therapy techniques, especially to you!"
"Fine." Seeing he was fighting a loosing battle, Colin gestured towards the cell, reluctantly allowing Hayley to return inside. He didn't like how his friend seemed different around that monster; she seemed more aggressive, more dangerously confident. It was a far cry from the shy mousey kid he met a year ago.
Once back in Room 136, Hayley sat on her own chair, feeling flustered from her spat with Colin. She felt bad for fighting with the guard but everyone seemed to expect her to fail. No one had any confidence in her abilities and she was sick of it. It was like they had all given up on Harry, like they only thought of him as a monster. Maybe OsCorp and Ravencroft wanted to keep Harry Osborn buried. She couldn't let that happen. She knew what it was like for people to only see a monster.
After her parents died, Gwen and Officer Stacy had visited her on the Burns Ward. Hayley was the only child on the ward at that time, surrounded by adult patients with worse burns than her. She was so scared one day that little Hayley ran to the Children's Ward play area and hid in the playhouse to avoid seeing the burn patients. When the other children found her, they screamed and cried, calling her a monster and a freak because of the burns that covered her. They threw toys at her, saying she should have died in the fire with her parents, so they wouldn't have to look at her ugly face.
It was only with the arrival of Gwen, who had perfect blonde hair and a pretty pink dress that Hayley began to feel like a normal child again. Young Gwen had run up to her, jumped on her bed and shoved a My Little Pony toy in her face. Apparently Princess Sherbet Hooves was now Hayley's toy so that when Gwen visited every week they could play Pony Paradise together; Gwen's horse was called Sugar Cube Starlight.
Even as a ten year old, Hayley was amazed at her new friend's ability to ignore the burned monster that all the other children could see her as. Gwen never gave up on her, so Hayley wouldn't give up on Harry Osborn.
"You threw a chair at me," Hayley said to the Goblin's back.
"I did."
"They will stop our sessions if you continue to be violent towards me. I…I cannot help you if you hurt me Harry."
"I'm sorry," came a strange muffled voice.
"Pardon?"
Turning to face her, the Goblin smirked when he saw the dried blood on her face;
"I said, next time I throw a chair, I won't miss."
Pretty heavy chapter on the feels I think! I got a tad emotional when writing Hayley's bullying memory – children can be so cruel. For some people it might seem strange that children so young would tell someone to die, but trust me, even at that age, bullying can be a horrendous experience!
Next chapter will be extra long! Love to everyone who's reading this, you are all so wonderful!