Disclaimer: I don't own Spider-Man nor any other Marvel characters that appear in this fic. All of them belong to the great Stan Lee and other various Marvel writers, who are creative enough to give us these amazing heroes who inspire millions of people worldwide. Thank you, Marvel, for giving us these incredible heroes to look up to.

Author's Note: This…this will be one of my most ambitious stories that I've ever written and will ever write. Spider-Man is my favorite superhero and always will be, because of the example that he sets for others. He teaches us responsibility, and to never give up no matter the odds. He's been handled amazingly by different writers that have had the privilege of writing him and giving him their own different interpretations. And now, here's my chance to give my version of a Spider-Man. I'm going to make some changes to a lot of things starting right from the start, so be prepared.

And now…here comes the Sensational Spider-Man!

4/15/2023 Edit: Hey everyone, it's been quite a while since I've last worked on this story. I've been very busy with college for a few years, life, and other things, and I moved away from this fanfic and others I was working on as a result. But lately, my passion for Spider-Man has been reawakened with hearing about the reception of the current run, as well as the PS5 game and the new Spider-Verse game coming out this year. It made me want to come back to this fic to work on my own vision of Spider-Man. Right now, I'll be updating old chapters for grammar and reworking certain story elements for potential future chapters. I can't promise that I'll consistently work on this going forward, but I do want to work on this for the time being. Hope you look forward to it!

A man walked across the field, passing several gravestones as he went. He wore a hat on his head, obscuring his face from view. He wore a large trench coat that surrounded his body, and in his hands were flowers, held protectively in his arms. Rain crashed down from the heavens, forming massive puddles on the ground and soaking the man's clothes. Lightning flared in the grey skies, and the boom of thunder exploded across the field. He continued walking forward, ignoring the weather entirely.

Eventually, he reached his destination, where he knelt to the ground and placed flowers in front of a marble gravestone. He took off his hat, revealing messy brown hair and somber hazel eyes that stared at the name of the gravestone.

"Hello, son." The man's voice spoke into the cold afternoon air. "I'm sorry that Mom couldn't make it. She's so amazing. You would've loved her if you-" He swallowed and shook his head. "I-I know I shouldn't really be talking as if you were dead, but…seeing this gravestone, it's hard to remind myself that you're still alive. Don't worry, son. Mommy and I are coming to find you and save you, no matter what. We'll be a family together, and we can…we'll live happily ever after."

He looked up at the sky, letting the rain wash his face as he closed his eyes. Water fell down his cheeks as he spoke. "We've given your uncle and aunt your little brothers. Thank God for them. Dropping two babies on a couple would create so many complications, but they accepted them without a second thought. May has such a kind soul, she was already doting over them both. And Ben, he's always been such a good brother. Always responsible, but…he always wanted us to be honest with each other. If these were normal circumstances, I would gladly tell him everything, but this is so much bigger than anything Ben could dream of."

He returned his gaze to the tombstone, his eyes hardening as they opened. "I know you're probably scared, and you don't know where you are or why they've taken you, but you can trust me on this, son. We will save you. And we will make those bastards pay for what they've done to my-to our family."

Richard Parker stood, looking down at the marble stone with sadness and determination in his eyes. "I miss you, son." He promised, placing his hat onto his head. Then he turned and walked away, tears falling from his eyes as the words of the tombstone pierced his mind:

PETER BENJAMIN PARKER

BORN

AUGUST 15, 1996

DIED

MARCH 5, 1997

"Gone too soon."

"Pete. Peter! Petey-boy, get up!"

A light turned on above him, and Peter Parker jerked himself awake. "What?" He said blearily, fumbling around for his glasses. Eventually his hands grasped the frames, and he shoved them onto his face, blinking as everything came into focus. "What's going on at-" He checked the time. "-four o'clock in the morning?!"

Ben Reilly Parker grinned at him from Peter's desk, tossing an apple into the air idly. "Nothing." He replied. "Just wanted to say hi to my twin brother."

Peter blinked. "You-?" Then he registered Ben's words, and he tried lunging at Ben from his bed, succeeding in only landing in a heap on the floor. "You woke me up at four o'clock in the morning just to say hi to me?"

"Yep." Ben took a bite out of the apple, chewing with his mouth open. "Because I really have nothing better to do."

"How about sleep?" Peter grumbled as he returned to his bed. "Or, better yet, homework?"

"Eh, sleep's overrated." Ben shrugged. "And besides, you already help me with my homework."

"And by 'help', you mean 'do it for you'." Peter muttered under his breath, though Ben heard him.

"Oh, come on Pete. You know I'm smart enough to do the stuff. I'm just too busy with sports and stuff to get around to it."

"Plus you're just lazy." Pete pointed out.

Ben opened his mouth to argue, but didn't get the chance, as the door suddenly flew open, and an elderly lady in her nightgown glared at them. "It is four o'clock. In the morning." The woman growled at Ben, who cowered before her, despite him being six inches taller than her. "Go to bed. Now."

Ben knew better than to argue with an annoyed Aunt May, and quickly slunk out of Peter's room, giving Peter a wink before disappearing. Aunt May rolled her eyes after he left before turning to Peter. "He's so uncontrollable." She sighed. "Maybe if he learned to be a bit more like you, he'd do better at school."

Peter chuckled slightly. "Eh, then he'd be just like me. I don't think I'd like the competition."

Aunt May smiled at him. "Well, get to bed now. You have a big day of school in front of you tomorrow. And you!" She suddenly shouted into the hallway. "Stop nicking the cookies!"

"I'm 'ot!" Ben's voice replied from the hallway. "I 'as just 'aving a snack!"

"I swear, he'll be the death of me." Aunt May shook her head before leaving. "Good night, sweetheart." She whispered as she closed the door.

"G'night." Peter called back quietly. He sighed and turned off the lamp, laying back on the covers in the darkness. He took his glasses off and set them next to his clock. He stared up at the ceiling, and came to the realization that he wouldn't be going to sleep anytime soon. So he glanced at his clock, realizing that today was March 5. His dead brother's anniversary.

Peter didn't remember ever meeting his brother. He could only recall his parents' faces - albeit very faintly - and after that there were memories of Uncle Ben and Aunt May raising him and Ben. Uncle Ben had always said that he had been too young to have any memory of his dead brother. But sometimes, in the dark of night as he thought about his brother, he felt like he had had some kind of special connection to his brother.

Peter had tried talking about what he felt to his family, but Aunt May and Uncle Ben couldn't really understand it. And whenever he tried to talk to Ben about it, his brother would just brush it off, saying "Look, I know he was our brother, but we never really knew him. It just feels weird thinking about a dead relative you barely knew."

Peter had a feeling that it had to do with him having the same name as his dead brother. When his parents had given Ben and Peter to Uncle Ben and Aunt May, they had requested to name one of them after their first son. They had agreed. Peter still felt a little weird that he was named after his dead brother. It felt like he was a replacement for the lost son, a copy.

He yawned widely and realized how tired he was. Thinking about his dead brother wouldn't help him get to sleep any faster. He closed his eyes, buried his head into his pillow and soon fell asleep.

The morning sun rose in a few hours, and with it rose the Parker household. Peter's morning schedule was tidy and efficient. At 6:30, his alarm went off and he got out of bed, quickly walking down the stairs and relishing in his Uncle Ben's famously homemade pancakes. He then took a ten-minute shower, always timing himself with a waterproof watch he had gotten for his last birthday. Once he had finished showering, he then dried himself off and carefully picked out the clothes he was going to wear for the day. By 7:00, he was completely ready for the day.

Ben's schedule, on the other hand, was complete anarchy. He only woke up at 7:30 when Aunt May barged into his room yelling at him to get up. He took a two-minute shower, threw on whatever clothes were on top in his drawer, and then rushed out of the house after Peter with a piece of buttered toast shoved hastily into his mouth at 7:40.

Once they were out of sight of the house, Ben stopped walking and stretched his legs for a bit. Peter stared at him. "You seriously need to start waking up earlier."

"Why?" Ben argued, looking up at his brother.

"Because we can't always afford to catch the last bus every day to school." Peter replied. "What do you do to make you sleep in so late?"

"Studying." Ben grinned slightly at Peter as he stood back up and started walking to the bus stop. "Because I'm a good student."

Peter raised an eyebrow. "You studying? That's a surprise. I thought you were too busy texting that Carlie Cooper girl."

Ben shrugged. "Eh, I'm not that into her anymore. She's…well, let's just say my friends think she isn't good for me, and leave it at that. Going back to studying, how do you get all your studying done? You do my homework, your homework, and you help me get ready for tests. I don't get how you can do all this and still have a functioning brain."

Peter smirked. "Well, I do have the highest I.Q. in the student body." He replied smartly, standing a little straighter as he spoke.

"I'm as smart as you." Ben pointed out. "I just got a bunch of stuff going on that keeps me busy. Otherwise, I'd be giving you a run for your money."

Peter laughed. "Really? Who's the one who helps our chemistry teacher with experiments?"

Ben groaned. "Dude, no offense, but you really need a life. Outside of sticking your nose in books and solving chemistry equations." He added as Peter opened his mouth to protest.

"What's wrong with what I'm doing?" Peter questioned, adjusting his glasses. "I do all my homework. I'm on the honor roll. And I'm not doing stupid crap like other people in our grade are. So why am I the one without a life?"

"Pete, I can count how many friends you have with less than one finger." Ben raised a finger to emphasize his point. "And before you say anything, no, I don't count, since I'm your brother. Without me, you really don't have anyone to talk to."

"I do too!" Peter said furiously. They were now standing at the bus stop. Peter wondered how they managed to get so far without even noticing.

"Name one person you talk to on a daily basis that isn't a part of your family."

"Charlie Weiderman." Peter said triumphantly.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Ben shook his head. "You serious?"

"Yep. He's my lab partner in science. Why?" A bus appeared at the end of the street and drove toward the stop, slowing as it came closer and closer.

"And you guys talk to each other?"

"Of course we do!"

"Do you talk about life?" Ben asked. "Do you talk about how your day's going? Or do you talk about science stuff like microscopes or endoplasmic reticulum?"

"I-he-we just-" Peter glared at Ben. "Shut up."

Ben sighed. "Pete, you gotta learn to talk to people. Loosen up, live a little!" The bus pulled up to the stop and opened its door.

"I'm living fine the way I am, thanks." Peter scoffed.

Ben rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Pete." He said, boarding the bus. "Just don't expect to live like this your entire life."

Peter snorted as he followed Ben. There wasn't anything wrong with how he lived. He'd have plenty of time for friends after he graduated. It wasn't as if he would grow up alone just because he didn't socialize in high school. That notion was ridiculous.

Even though Peter and Ben were twins, everyone at school could easily tell the two apart, considering how different they were. Their personalities, while similar, had different aspects; their interactions with people varied; even the way they looked were different.

For instance, Peter often wore out-of-date dress clothes, usually gifted to him by Aunt May. His brown hair was always combed and kept neat. His round-frame glasses seemed to be a magnet for bullies and tormentors, and it reflected that with his slightly melancholic expression on his face. It didn't help that he was painfully shy and usually went out of his way to avoid people, not even noticing that he did so. His shyness even affects his physical traits: he walks with his head lowered, not meeting anyone's eyes, his shoulders usually drooped down slightly, and his arms held close to his sides, trying to make himself as unnoticeable as possible. He wasn't very athletic, either, as both Ben and Uncle Ben could testify after years of trying to get Peter to play sports.

Ben, on the other hand, wore more sensible clothing, often sporting a blue sleeveless sweatshirt and jeans. His blond-dyed hair was almost always messy and disheveled, though to some it made him look better that way. He always seemed to have a grin on his face, always had a joke ready to tell, and an air of confidence that seemed to exude from him. He was incredibly popular with most of the grade, especially with the athletes and girls, though his teachers often disapproved of his study habits, which were practically nonexistent without Peter helping him. Even though he was quite intelligent, he didn't get very good grades, due to never focusing on his schoolwork.

And their interactions with their peers…Well, let's just say Peter had it much worse than Ben did.

Peter's face collided with the hard metal of the locker door and slid down to the floor, where he lay, cradling his nose and moaning in pain.

"Come on, Puny Parker!" Kenny 'Kong' McFarlane yelled above him, his hands balled into fists. He was the size of a sumo wrestler, with a bald head that reflected enough sunlight to hurt. "Get up so I can knock you back down again!" A couple of students looked over their shoulders as they walked through the hallway but didn't stop to intervene.

"How about not?" Peter muttered under his breath. "That way, I don't get hurt, and you don't have to keep proving that the jerk jock stereotype is true."

"What was that, Parker?" Kong grabbed Peter by the collar and lifted him off the ground, staring eye-to-eye with him. "Are you being a smartass with me?"

"No," Peter mumbled, his eyes diverted to the floor.

"Really? Cause it sort of sounded like it from here." Kong scowled, glaring into Peter's face. "And you know what I do with smartasses, Parker?"

"You eat them?" Peter guessed, pointing to Kong's stomach.

He immediately regretted saying that.

The final bell rang, and before anyone could move, Ben was out the door and walking through the hallways. He stretched his arms as he walked, grinning wildly. He had just set up a date with one of the hottest girls in the entire school! He still couldn't believe that he had done it. Man, even Flash Thompson was impressed with me, Ben thought. He might hate my guts right now, but that doesn't change the fact that I just SCORED!

Greeting some of his friends in the hallway, he noticed Peter staring into his locker. Ah jeez, something happened again, Ben sighed. I should probably talk to him. Unfortunately, he was surrounded by his friends gushing over how he had just scored. Apparently, word spread quickly.

"Guys, guys!" He yelled, holding his arms up to ward off his friends. Time to play up Mr. Popular, he thought as he spoke. "I know, I know, you guys are impressed, but let's be honest here. I am a complete stud, and I always score. Now, I'm going to go home and brag about it on Facebook."

His friends all laughed and clapped him on the shoulder as they walked to their lockers. Ben waited until he was sure they weren't going to bug him before walking over to Peter. "Hey, Pete, how's it-whoa, dude!" Ben gaped as Peter looked at him, revealing his black eye. "What happened to your-?! Oh, wait." An exasperated look crossed Ben's face. "It was Kong, wasn't it?"

"No, it was the fairy unicorn that comes here once a month," Peter said sarcastically. "She really likes to stomp on my face and put smelly roses in my locker."

Ben snorted. Peter somehow had the best sense of humor after he got smacked around by one of the bullies. Then he grew serious again. "Dude, I'm sorry about Kong, but he's not really my friend, and you've got to understand that…well, that he's an idiot." Ben shrugged apologetically. "I'll try and get him to stop, but chances are he won't listen to me at all."

"Gee," Peter scowled at Ben, slamming his locker door shut. "Thanks for nothing." He turned to walk away.

"Pete, wait!" Ben called, reaching out and grabbing Peter's shoulder. Peter turned to look at him, glaring, as if daring him to say something. Ben sighed. "Look, Peter." He said, knowing that saying Pete's full name would get his attention. "I'm sorry about you getting bullied, and I know it's rough for you, and I've tried to help as much as I can. But there's gonna be a point where I can't fight your battles for you. You've gotta learn to take care of yourself, man."

"Whatever." Peter shook his head and began walking away again.

"Hey, Pete, come on!" Ben called out. "Where are you going?"

"There's a science exhibit going on after school," Peter replied. "I was invited by Mr. Hollan. It's about-"

"Wait, let me guess," Ben interrupted, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It's going to be very sciency, isn't it?"

"You know, you'd be impressed if you knew what the exhibit was about." Peter stated. "You should come, it'd be good for you to try something different-"

"Look, that sounds cool and all," Ben said, raising his hands. "But I have a hot date tonight, and I can't afford to miss that over some weird science doodoo thing."

Peter stared at Ben for a long moment, and Ben suddenly realized how much that must've hurt Peter's feelings. Peter had always had a passion for science, and Ben had always more or less mocked him for it. It was just that he had never realized how much it hurt his brother. He had to start making up for it.

Ben glanced over his shoulder, where his friends were laughing and shoving each other around. He had two choices: go on a date with the hottest chick in school or go with his brother to a science thingy.

Now that he thought about it, there wasn't really a choice at all.

"Just kidding." Ben said quickly, walking over to Pete. "I can always hook up with her another time. In the meantime-" He grinned, and suddenly locked Peter's head in a headlock and began giving him a noogie. "-let's spend some good ol' brotherly time together."

"AGH, BEN! Stop!" Peter managed to break out of the headlock and tried to glare at Ben, though he had a small smile on his face. "Ugh, I'm already regretting inviting you."

"Oh, come on, Petey-boy," Ben smirked, jostling him with his shoulder. "You know you wouldn't have nearly as much fun without me."

They both walked out of the high school, not realizing that their lives were about to change forever.