Chapter 12

Days at school turned into nights in the city for Peter. Two weeks had passed with little to no incident. Peter had run through his list of known Kingpin hideouts twice since he started. Even with his dedication, he had yet to make any further progress since happening upon an ambush Kingpin's men laid. That night, he learned when the tech sale would go down. But finding the location had Peter hitting dead end after dead end. He needed a new approach but would have to wait for his next patrol.

Harry invited Peter out for a bro-day. At least, that's what Harry enthusiastically called it. Really, it was just a chance for the two of them to hang out and destress. Gwen and MJ had been doing something similar for a while. MJ suggested to Harry that he do the same with Peter. This was the second time Harry tried to make plans with Peter for a bro day. Peter had a convincing excuse for last time but couldn't blow Harry off again.

Peter met Harry outside the front gate of his house. A town car pulled around to chauffeur the boys around town that day. Peter wasn't exactly sure what a bro day was. Peter pictured themselves shirtless, hopping around like chimpanzees, flailing on gym equipment, and crushing soda cans on their foreheads. Luckily, the above was off the itinerary for the day.

Harry purchased tickets for the two of them to attend a Knicks game. Peter was excited but primarily indifferent about basketball. He was more of a baseball fan, but the Mets wouldn't start spring training for at least another few weeks. The game ended up being incredibly close. A back-and-forth outing for both teams drove the score into the triple digits. The Knicks pulled the win from the jaws of defeat with a last-second buzzer-beater. Harry and Peter jumped in their seats to celebrate with the New Yorkers around them.

Post-game, the duo had an early dinner at a nearby restaurant. A local burger shop called Gutsy's was a gastropub that had recently won awards for its burgers and burger sauce. As Harry and Peter waited for the orders to arrive, a car chase whizzed past the window. Spider-Man's instincts told him to jump out the window and swing after them, but Peter's sensibilities won that battle. Peter figured the cops could handle it this time. Not dipping out on his friends would go a long way to keep his image rehabilitated.

After dinner, Harry and Peter returned to Harry's house to hang out for a bit before Peter got ready for his nightly patrol. As they made their way inside, a voice called out behind them.

"Harry!" Mary Jane was walking up the sidewalk to Harry's house.

Peter turned to greet MJ as Harry walked up and hugged her. As time progressed, seeing Harry and MJ together became easier to digest. In fact, Peter was actually glad that they found each other. Because of Spider-Man, Peter couldn't give MJ the attention she deserved. But Harry could, and it made MJ happy.

"I didn't know you'd be done this early," Harry said, exiting the bearhug he gave MJ.

"We had issues with the power, so everyone got to leave early today." MJ adjusted her coat after Harry's loving embrace.

Since performing in It's A Wonderful Life, MJ had taken a short break to wait for the spring musical at Mid-Town High. Instead, she started working at a local arts center for children. She taught school-aged kids acting techniques and did fun scenes with them. MJ was always dedicated to her passion.

Harry urged MJ to join him and Peter inside. MJ was hesitant at first. She didn't want to step on Harry and Peter's bro day. But with Harry's insistence and Peter's assurance, she eased up and joined the others inside. The trio gathered in the den and decided to watch a movie. As Harry got Netflix set up, Bernard, the family butler, entered the room.

"Sir, your father is requesting you join him in his office momentarily. He has something to discuss with you." Bernard stood at the doorway, patiently waiting for Harry to join him.

Harry rolled his eyes, "I've got company over. Tell Dad I'll talk to him later."

Harry returned to the smart TV, but Bernard repeated his request. "Unfortunately, sir, your father said you should join him immediately. He's…," Bernard paused, almost biting his tongue. He looked over to Peter and MJ. "He's in one of his work moods. Very focused but a bit agitated. I suggest you join him promptly."

Harry dropped his shoulders and sighed, "Fine, okay." He turned to Peter and MJ, "Sorry, I'll be back shortly."

Harry followed Bernard out of the room to see what Norman wanted. This left two-thirds of the party sitting in awkward silence. Peter was alone with MJ. She sat across from him with her legs crossed. Peter never stopped admiring her. He just couldn't do anything about it now. Still, that didn't mean he couldn't be friends with her. He tried breaking the silence with a joke.

"So, uh, I heard a new show about vocabulary was premiering soon." Peter looked at MJ as a smile curled his lips.

MJ furrowed her brow in confusion and turned to Peter, "What?"

Peter's smile grew wider, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was a play on words."

MJ stared at Peter blankly and blinked slowly. Peter's face was frozen in place as he quickly died inside. Add that to the pile of failed jokes on his part. Peter really needed to get better material. A moment lingered between them before MJ finally spoke.

"You know, I didn't get you Peter."

Peter snapped back to life. He chuckled nervously while rubbing his hands. "Um, uh, what do you mean?"

MJ shifted in her seat, fixing her posture. "We've been neighbors since we were kids. We ran in different circles, but I always thought you were kind and respectful. I watched the way you would help out your aunt and uncle. You know, I was always kind of jealous of that. Having people to help raise you the right way."

Peter sat there, failing to pull words from his brain and push them out of his mouth. He awkwardly stared while stammering. MJ continued.

"That's part of why I wanted you to be my tutor. Of course, you were smart; I always knew that. But it was the way you helped people that made me choose you. I knew I would get the help I needed because that's the kind of person you are. But when I started hanging around you, it felt like you had changed. You've been flaky and giving excuses. You show up late to hangouts and study sessions. Sneaking away when you think no one is looking. But I know what's been going on with you."

Peter started to sweat a little bit. MJ was more perceptive than he thought. Maybe a little too perceptive. She had her finger right on Spider-Man's pulse. Did she figure him out? Does she know? Peter thought he was being careful with his identity and was scared he would be found out. Peter tensed up, waiting for what MJ was about to say.

MJ's demeanor relaxed as she leaned forward. She gave Peter a soft smile, "It's because of your uncle."

Peter relaxed his shoulders after MJ's reply. Although he felt bad about using his uncle's death, he couldn't let anyone think there was more to him than that. He sighed hard and started to talk, but MJ spoke first.

"Gwen really helped put you into perspective for me. Honestly, I was pretty miffed by how you treated Gwen and Harry. But Gwen told me you talked and worked things out after the Christmas party. Harry wasn't phased and has been singing your praises, but that's "bro talk." I realized how you have been acting was similar to how I did after my mom divorced my dad. I was younger than you, but it was still the same. Ditching friends, being flaky. I think I get you now, Peter."

Peter was taken aback. MJ was opening up to him for the first time ever. He always wanted to be closer to her and hoped this moment would be a soft reset for them. He needed to reassure her that he was trying to make things better.

"Yeah, you're right, MJ. It's been tough adjusting to life after Ben's death. And I haven't been doing it in the healthiest way. But going through the silent treatment from Gwen opened my eyes to how I was acting. I don't want to be a bad friend to her or Harry. And I want us to have a good friendship, too. Can we, I don't know, start over?"

MJ considered Peter's proposition briefly before giving him a full smile. She shook her head and agreed to Peter's terms. Excitedly, Peter stuck out his hand to officially start things over.

"Perfect. In that case, I'm Peter; nice to meet you!"

MJ snorted with a quick laugh and rubbed her forehead. "Pete, I don't think we need to start over that far in the past. A few weeks is just fine. But I like your enthusiasm."

Peter's face turned red with embarrassment. Still, getting back on MJ's good side was a win in his book. The last thing he wanted to do was push people away. It was already pretty lonely being Spider-Man. Not being able to share all of his exploits with his friends and family depressed him. That meant Peter needed to keep his circle tight. With MJ's official seal of approval, the friend group was back on even footing.

MJ shook Peter's hand anyway, solidifying their "start-over." At that moment, Harry rejoined them in the den. He stopped in the doorway and looked at MJ. Then over to Peter. And finally, in between them at their clasped hands.

"What'd I miss?" He said, scratching his head in confusion.

MJ and Peter looked at each other and burst out laughing. There was hope for them after all.

-That Night, Across Town-

The New York criminal underground had been experiencing tremors lately. Everything had been falling apart since the monkey wrench known as Spider-Man was thrown into Kingpin's well-oiled machine. Kingpin lost two of his top lieutenants, a cadre of assassins, and dozens of goons in nearly six months. His firm grasp on crime was starting to loosen. The big tech sale he had been managing with Mr. NO was on the horizon. He wasn't going to let everything fall apart at the eleventh hour. Kingpin needed to take drastic steps due to drastic circumstances.

Kingpin sat in the back corner booth of a dimly lit steakhouse in the heart of Manhattan. A lone gentleman sat across from him. He was tall and young with dirty blonde hair. They spoke in hushed voices during their meal. Kingpin stayed serious the entire time. As they finished their plates and the waiters bussed the table, the blonde gentleman stood up and placed a toothpick in his mouth. He shook Kingpin's hand and walked toward the back entrance. Kingpin sat alone at his table, contemplating the meeting that took place.

As he silently meditated on the evening's discussion, a bald man in a suit approached Kingpin. The man was bald and tall, at least 6'2", with broad shoulders. He stood before Kingpin with his hands clasped in front of him. At first, Kingpin paid him no mind, but the man didn't move from his spot. As Kingpin finally looked up at the visitor, he started to speak.

"Hello, Mr. Fisk."

Kingpin stared at him with contempt for a few seconds. The bald man stared back like he accepted a challenge for a staring contest. Kingpin broke his gaze and waved him off.

"Sorry, I don't do interviews without a resume. Mail it to my secretary, and we'll be in touch."

The bald man didn't move or break eye contact. This did not amuse Kingpin. He turned back to the visitor and gave him a warning.

"I'm not in the mood to be trifled with. You'll keep walking if you know what's good for you."

Kingpin grabbed his drink, but the bald man stood firm. He downed the glass and slammed it on the table. He pointed to the visitor and raised his voice.

"I won't tell you again. Get out of my sight, or I'll kill you in this restaurant."

Again, the bald man didn't budge. This enraged Kingpin, who started to rise from his seat. He was two seconds away from ending his visitor's life when someone called out to him from the front of the restaurant.

"Always with the attitude, Fisk. After all these years, you still don't know how to manage yourself properly."

Kingpin spun around to find his next victim but was greeted with an unexpected sight. His face dropped as his eyes grew wider.

"Silvermane." He grumbled through clenched teeth.

Silvio Manfredi, AKA Silvermane, was a geriatric crime boss who once ruled New York with a heavy fist. He ran the Maggia, New York's collection of crime families for years. As the head of the organization, he and his people handled the shaky truces that held the different families together. He was ruthless but fair. He took what was his, and the rest split between the other heads. Eventually, a young upstart, Wilson Fisk, broke free from the Maggia system. He started a relentless attack on each family. Thus began the family wars, culminating in a bloody battle between Silvermane's remaining Maggia forces and Fisk's amalgamation of conquered goons.

At the end of Kingpin's war, Silvermane was ousted. A botched assassination attempt left Silvermane crippled, which, although not the outcome he preferred, gave Kingpin the outcome he wanted. Silvermane's Maggia empire was crushed, and he was driven out of New York. It had been six years since Kingpin became the top crime boss in the city. He never thought he'd see Silvermane again. But Mr. NO apparently had other plans.

Silvermane was being pushed by another member of his security detail. Kingpin sat back in his seat as Silvermane approached him. As his old nemesis crossed the room, Kingpin noticed more of Silvermane's security entering the restaurant. The numbers game was growing out of his favor. Whatever Silvermane wanted, Kingpin would have to grin and bear.

"You're in town early. I didn't think you'd arrive until the day before." Kingpin pulled a cigar from his pocket and lit it up. Regardless of his fury, he had to play it cool before the old bastard.

Silvermane rolled to a stop next to the table, "Nostalgia got the better of me. I wanted to see the sights. So much has changed since I left. Mind you, not for the better, but changed nonetheless."

Silvermane's security stood by observing their boss's interaction. The bald guard never took his eyes off of Kingpin. The tension was thick.

Kingpin ashed his cigar and leaned back in his seat. "You brought a lot of muscle with you. Are you anxious? Or are you trying to intimidate me? Frankly, Silvio, I'm hurt. Did you think I would let anything happen to someone I work with?" Kingpin was dripping with sarcasm.

Silvermane flashed a smile and chuckled. "Of course not, Wilson. An old cripple like me just needs a few extra hands. But Mr. Potter here," he pointed to the bald goon still staring at Kingpin, "he's the one you should worry about. As I said, the city is different from what it used to be under my tutelage. Mr. Potter is here to keep me safe from what you've fostered."

Kingpin puffed his cigar and locked eyes with Mr. Potter, who smiled briefly. He was clearly enjoying how uncomfortable Kingpin was in Silvermane's presence. Kingpin rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Silvermane.

"This is the best you got? Honestly, he's just not very intimidating. But what do you expect when you have nothing but mediocre options at your disposal. After all, nothing compares to the talent New York has to offer. Especially under my leadership." Kingpin tilted his head back with a loud cackle.

Silvermane remained unphased by Kingpin's comments. He motioned toward Mr. Potter, "Oh, I think you'll find Mr. Potter is perfectly capable. He is quite the gladiator." Silvermane nodded his head at his associate.

With Silvermane and Kingpin looking on, Mr. Potter turned and stepped toward an adjacent table. He stood in a fighting stance and swung his right arm out to the side. A spinning saw blade ripped through his suit sleeve when his arm reached his side. He raised his fist and slammed the spinning blade into the table, splintering and splitting it in half. He raised the blade to his face and shook his fist, causing the blade to fold back into his sleeve. Silvermane laughed loudly and clapped his hands.

"Like I said, Mr. Potter is very capable. And that's just scratching the surface. There's a whole world of interest outside of New York. You should start looking in those directions. Just in case," Silvermane smugly smirked at Kingpin. He was worming his way into Kingpin's skin.

Kingpin sat silently, looking at the table in front of him. Silvermane was edging on his last nerve, but he had to keep his composure. The last thing he wanted to do was seem weak to the foe he already vanquished. A moment passed, and Kingpin started smiling. He slowly looked back at Silvermane.

"So impressive. You may be right about prospects beyond my horizon. But if things are much greener on the other side, why return to New York? You've had nothing here for years, yet here you are, crawling back and needing me to prop you up. Keep in mind I'm the one who holds all the cards. I have the tech, and you aren't the only one interested."

Kingpin stood from his seat and started putting his long coat on, "Don't get it twisted, Silvio. You need me. I'm still the boss in this town. And nothing happens unless I say it does. If I find out you're moving back in, I'll ensure the bullet does its job this time."

Kingpin stood face to face with Mr. Potter and stared through him. To Mr. Potter's credit, he didn't back down. Kingpin snarled and grabbed his hat and cane. He looked back at Silvermane one last time.

"Enjoy your stay in the city while you can," Kingpin tossed a few twenties on the table, "Because once this is over, I won't have any leniency toward you. Two weeks, then get out of my city."

Kingpin walked toward the back entrance. He pushed on the door, but Silvermane called out to him. Kingpin stopped and tilted his head toward his shoulder. With a chuckle, Silvermane wished Kingpin goodbye.

"Another nostalgic moment, Wilson. Give Mr. NO my regards."

Kingpin gritted his teeth and pushed past the door into the alley outside. Rain started falling across the city. Kingpin clenched his fist and punched a dumpster with all of his strength. The dumpster dented deeply and slid across the littered alley. Kingpin flexed his hand and cracked his knuckles. He wouldn't show Silvermane his frustration but had to let off some of the steam. The biggest deal of his life hinged on working with his ex-nemesis.

-The Next Night-

New York City's rooftops remained moist and slick after the stormfront moved over the Atlantic. Peter did his best to dodge puddles and deceptive stains as he traveled from building to building. His nightly patrol was going smoothly but was torturously unexciting. He was starting to get desperate for information. Less than two weeks remained before the tech sale, and Kingpin's goons had gone into hiding. A new gang was starting to gain power, but was mostly a nuisance. Luckily, the NYPD swiftly struck out against the new rabble-rousers. This allowed Peter to focus his attention on his grand mystery.

Unfortunately, Peter was still hitting dead ends. He couldn't keep beating his head against the proverbial wall. So, he decided to take a "mini-break," as he called it. For one night, he'd focus his attention on other things. Purse snatchers, carjackers, bodega burglars, cats stuck in trees, anything he could get his webs on. A night simply being the friendly neighborhood hero would lift his spirits and give him the boost he needed to continue his mission.

Peter anticipated anything but spent most of the night quietly swinging through the city. For once, New York was taking it easy. Although it started to bore Peter, he persevered to accomplish his goals. Since things were quiet, Peter grabbed a slice of pizza from one of his favorite street vendors. Peter webbed a piece to him on the roof and sent a web ball filled with cash back to the vendor. The money was a little sticky but was still legal tender.

Peter webbed a block away and perched on a roof to enjoy dinner. As he gnawed on the slice, he noticed Mary Jane exiting the building across from him. Peter wondered what she was doing on this side of town but realized he was at the East Side Arts Center, where MJ had been working. He observed her saying goodbye to the kids and talking with a few parents.

Getting to talk to MJ and clear the air was refreshing to Peter. It was like a weight had lifted off his shoulders. He never realized how complicated it would get trying to navigate life as Peter and as Spider-Man. Thankfully, things had been smoothed out between him and everyone else. Still, trying to keep Spider-Man from interfering in Peter's social life would be an uphill battle.

Peter finished the last bite of pizza, pulled his mask back down, and stood up to hit a few quick stretches. He looked back at MJ and saw her wave goodbye to the last set of students and parents. With everyone gone, MJ went back inside to lock up. As the last light in the building switched off, MJ dipped out the side exit into the dark alley. She had to slam the door shut due to a faulty latch. Unfortunately, slamming the door attracted the attention of a group of goons waiting at the other end of the alley. The group approached her with ill intent. Peter was bent in half, touching his toes.

MJ noticed the five men walking her way but had nowhere to go. Her bus stop was a block away on the other side of the goons. Going out the other side of the alley would add another fifteen minutes to her commute, but she only had ten minutes before the bus arrived. She hoped the gang of men would leave her be, but as one of them called out to her, she realized she wouldn't be that lucky.

"Hey girl, where ya goin?" One of the goons sauntered up to her. The five men were dressed in black jumpsuits, the identical jumpsuits one of the new gangs was known for wearing.

MJ froze in place. She tried giving a response but could only muster a stutter. Getting nervous, MJ slowly started backing away. The second and third goons took quick strides to stand behind her. Another goon walked up and put his arm around the first goon.

"Wassamatter?" The fourth goon said, slurring his words. "You donwanna party with us? We'll showya good time, girly."

The fifth goon walked up and completed the circle around MJ. She was nervous and scared. Her flight or fight response kicked in quickly. MJ clutched her purse, spun around, and swung it at the second goon behind her. The bag bounced off his head, knocking him into the third goon. MJ cut out into a run but was stopped by the fifth goon, who grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the group. The group of goons laughed as the first goon spoke again.

"Ahh, sweetie, you don't have to fight. We'll be reeeeal gentle with ya, won't we, boys?" The goons all burst into laughter. MJ was in real danger as the goons started dragging her through the alley. One attempted to break into the arts center to give them more room and privacy. MJ thrashed, trying to break free, but was no match for the goons' combined strength. Desperate, MJ let out a blood-curdling scream as a last resort. The goons quickly silenced her, but she only needed one scream.

Peter was in the middle of doing the splits when his attention was snatched toward the dark alley. He perked up quickly, realizing that was where MJ was. His vision was obscured by the dark alley, but as one of the goons broke the door open, the inside light gave Peter the help he needed.

"Mary Jane!" Peter screamed. He planted two webs on the roof and pulled them back, launching himself like a slingshot.

The goon standing in the doorway turned to the others with a grin. They were three steps away from dragging MJ inside when Peter struck the doorway goon with a flying dropkick. The goon flailed through the air, thudding against a dumpster and sliding it several feet. Peter stood with his back to the stunned goons holding MJ. He slowly looked back over his shoulder. His fists were clenched tightly. Fury radiated from every ounce of his being.

"Let her go, now." He said quietly. The goons looked at each other but didn't move. When they didn't obey, Peter spun around, and front kicked one of them into the adjacent wall. His body and head cracked against the bricks as he slid to the ground unconscious.

"I said, LET HER GO!" Peter screamed with anger. He snatched two goons with webs and broke their grasp on MJ. He pulled them to him and unleashed a barrage of strikes. The goons barely had time to protect themselves. Peter dropped one of them with a forearm strike and jumping knee smash. He spun around to the other goon and hit him with a staggering uppercut, knocking him unconscious instantly.

The final two goons released MJ, dropping her to the ground. Peter jumped and kicked one of them, propelling himself onto the last one. Peter tackled him to the ground and pummeled his face with punches.

"Never! Again! I'll never let one of you hurt someone I love!" Peter's anger fueled his strikes. After one final punch, he realized the goon was out cold. He stood over the goon and turned to MJ. She was cowering against the wall next to a trashcan. She covered her face, obscuring the violence before her.

Peter reached out to her and spoke gently. "It's okay, Mar-" he stopped before continuing, "It's okay, ma'am. You're going to be alright."

MJ peered through her fingers and saw Spider-Man standing next to her. The light from the door gave him an angelic aura. Like the heavens sent her a savior. Starstruck, she reached out and grabbed his hand. Peter's strength pulled her immediately to her feet, but MJ tripped and fell into his arms. Peter held her as she looked up at him.

"I have you. I won't let anything happen to you." Peter's heart was racing. Adrenaline was coursing through his body. MJ couldn't speak. The only thing she could do was pull him in for a deep hug. She started sobbing quietly.

Through tears, she looked at Spider-Man and choked out a reply. "Th-thank you, Spider-Man. I'm so glad you were here. I don't know what I would have done." MJ rubbed his arms and slowly looked him up and down.

Peter's breath quickened. "I will always protect you." MJ smiled faintly as her heart rate synced with Spider-Man's. They shared an unspoken connection, touching each other's souls. MJ leaned closer, but a noise on the other end of the alley broke her concentration.

The first goon Peter attacked was being helped to his feet by the only other perpetrator still conscious. The duo fled the scene, dove into a van, and sped down the street. Peter looked at the fleeing goons, but his attention returned to Mary Jane. She pulled him in for a quick hug, then pulled herself away. They stared at each other before MJ smirked.

"Go get'em, tiger."

She pulled Spider-Man back in and gave him a peck on the cheek over his mask. Peter backed away and nodded at MJ. He webbed the roof above him and flung himself into the sky, quickly orienting himself in the same direction the goons went. Peter started streaking through the city with another fast web. He was hot on their trail. Peter's quiet night was only heating up.

End Chapter 12