5/28/23-
Peter was at home having breakfast with the others.
It had been a month since Peter became Spider-Man and they all had been noticing him.
"Fury wants us to try and find this Spider-Kid and have him join us." Steve said and Peter froze.
"You're kidding right?" Clint said. "He's a rookie!"
"I know. He's good but still." Natasha said.
"He would make a good teammate though. I mean think about it, he's got just about the same strength as me and Steve. He might even match Peter!" Bucky said and saw Peter tighten a little.
'Hmm.' he thought.
"Bucky's right. It would help a lot to have someone like us." Steve said.
Ever since they became friends again they had stuck together like when they were kids.
Peter doesn't call Steve dad but Steve understood that and after a while had grown to love him.
"Peter, Happy is here to get you for school." FRIDAY said and Peter jumped.
"Uh, thanks FRI, tell him I'll be there in a minute." Peter said.
"Happy has been notified."
Then he got up and felt his hand stuck for a second and pulled.
"You OK bud?" Bucky asked.
"Yeah, just got some syrup on my hand." Peter said, grabbed his backpack and gave Bucky a hug.
"Have a good day."
"You too." Peter said. "By guys!" he said and left.
Bucky watched and knew something wasn't right.
"What's on your mind Buck?" Steve asked.
"Something's wrong with him." Bucky said shaking his head. "Since that field trip last month he hasn't been himself." he said and looked at the others. "I know when something's wrong after working for HYDRA for so long."
They looked at him and saw him worried.
"I'm sure he's fine Bucky." Natasha said. "If something's wrong he'll come to us when he's ready."
He sighed but nodded.
Later Peter was on his way home after patrol when he bumped into MJ.
"Hey!" Peter said smiling.
"Buzz off." MJ said.
"MJ, it's me, Peter."
"Hi! What are you doing around here?"
"I'm on my way home. How about you?"
"I just got off a job."
"That's great MJ."
"Hey glamour girl! Your drawer was short six dollars! Next time that happens, I'm gonna take it outta your cheque! Excuse me, Miss Watson? I'm talking to you! Hey!" Enrique said.
"Yes, Enrique! Okay? I get you." MJ said.
"It better not happen no more, hear me? Don't roll your eyes at me."
"Don't tell Harry."
"Don't tell Harry?" Peter said.
"Aren't you best friends?" she asked. "We're going out. Didn't he tell you?"
"Oh, yeah. Right."
"I think he'd hate the idea of my waiting tables. - He'd think it was low or something."
"It's not low. You have a job. You know, Harry doesn't live on a little place I like to call Earth."
"No, I guess not. Thanks, Pete. We should catch up sometime."
"Let's get some lunch some evening. I'll come by and have some of your Moondance coffee someday." he said. "And I won't tell Harry."
"No, don't tell Harry."
"I won't. I won't tell Harry."
When he got home he saw Bucky making cookies, Sam playing a game with Clint and Steve, Natasha and Rhodey watching.
"Hi dad." Peter said and Bucky smiled.
"Hey Pete. How was school?" Bucky said and gave him a kiss.
"Not bad. Stuff is too easy." Peter said and Bucky chuckled.
"Tony offered to get you to MIT, but you said no." Bucky said and gave him the spoon.
"I know, I know." Peter said and licked it. "I wanted to go to MIT, but I don't wanna leaved Harry."
Bucky smiled.
"And that's one of the things I'm proud of you for." he said and kissed Peter again. "Now go get your homework done and then we can go train." he said and Peter smiled.
"OK."
A few hours later they were having dinner.
"So what's going on kiddo? I heard Harry's dad is having trouble with something." Tony said.
"Tony." Pepper said.
"What? His best friend is the son of one of my rivals!" he said and she sighed.
"Norman's just having trouble with a contract he made with a general. Harry hasn't exactly been telling me much because he thinks I work here." Peter said.
"You do work here."
"In your lab for fun yes. But he thinks I intern here."
"What do you wanna do?" Clint asked.
Then Peter saw an add on the paper.
"I was thinking of something in photography for starters and then when I graduate high school go to MIT." Peter said and Bucky smiled.
"You do love taking pictures. And it looks like Dailey Bugle is looking for someone to take pictures of Spider-Man." Bucky said.
"Maybe I'll see if I can get it."
Bucky looked at the others and saw Tony surprised.
"If you want a job, you could just ask me and I'll get you one with the interns." Tony said.
"I just wanna start out small for now."
"Let him go Tony. He's a kid." Steve said.
"Fine."
"Hello." Spider-Man said.
"Let's go! Move it! Watch the street!"
"Cheese!"
"They're crap. Crap, crap. Megacrap. - I'll give you $200." Jameson said.
"That seems a little low." Peter said.
'Even though I live at the Avengers Tower.' he thought.
"Take them somewhere else then."
"Sir your wife said that tile you want in the foyer is out of stock." Betty said.
"Tell her we'll just put a rug there. Sit down. Give me that. I'll give you 300. That's a standard freelance fee. - Tear up page one. Run that photo instead. - Headline? "Spider-Man, Hero or Menace? Exclusive Daily Bugle Photos.""
"Menace? He was protecting that..." Peter said hurt.
"Tell you what, Atticus you take the pictures I'll make up the headlines, ok? all right? That ok with you."
"Yes, sir."
"Goody. Give this to the girl up front. She'll see you get paid."
"I'd like a job, sir."
"No jobs. Freelance. Best thing in the world for a kid your age. Bring me some more shots of that newspaper selling clown, maybe I'll take 'em off your hands. But I never said you have a job. Meat. I'll send you a box of Christmas meat. Best I can do. Get outta here. Bring me more photos."
"Hi." Peter said.
"Hi." Betty said.
"Mr. Jameson told me to give that to you."
"Welcome to the Daily Bugle."
"Thank you. I'm Peter Parker. I'm a photographer."
"Yes. I can see that."
"Right, sorry. Have a nice day." he said and left.
When he got home he came smiling and the others saw him.
"What's got you so happy sport?" Clint asked.
"I got it! I got the job of taking pictures of Spider-Man for the Daile Bugle!" Peter said wide.
"That's great!"
"Congrats bud." Bucky said smiling and ruffled his hair.
"Thanks dad." Peter said smiling.
"You'll do great." Sam said.
"Why are you taking pictures of Spider-Man?" Natasha asked.
"No one can do it and after who I'm being raised with it's easier for me to do it." Peter said.
Bucky noticed how he felt a little uncomfortable but let it slide.
"MJ, why didn't you wear the black dress? Just, I wanted to impress my father. He loves black." Harry said.
"Well, maybe he'll be impressed no matter what. You think I'm pretty." MJ said.
"I think you're beautiful." he said. "MJ would you do me a favor? I forgot my drink inside." he said. "Oh, hi, Mr. Fargas."
"Oh, Harry." Maximilian said.
"Have you seen my father around?"
"Well, I'm not sure if he's coming today."
"What is that?" Henry asked.
"Must be new this year."
"What is that?" a girl asked.
"That's our glider!" Henry said.
"What the hell was that?" Harry asked.
"Code three! Code three!" Cop 1 said.
"Oh, my God! Harry!" MJ said.
"MJ!" Harry said.
"Harry! Help me! Harry!"
"Out, am I?" Green Goblin said.
"Mary Jane!" Harry said.
"Harry!" MJ said.
"Hello, my dear." Green Goblin said.
"It's Spider-Man!" a woman said.
"Come on. Move, kid." Spider-Man said.
"Billy! Somebody help him!" Billy's mom said. "No!"
"Mommy!" Billy said.
"Hold it right there!" Cop 2 said.
"I surrender." Green Goblin said.
"Oh, boy." Spider-Man said.
"Impressive."
"Mary Jane!"
"Help! Someone please help me!" MJ said.
"Hold on!"
"Watch out!"
"We'll meet again, Spider-Man!" Green Goblin said.
"Hold on Mary Jane!" Spider-Man said. "Well, beats taking the subway. Don't mind us. She just needs to use the elevator."
"Wait. Who are you?" MJ asked.
"You know who I am."
"I do?"
"Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man."
"Incredible? What do you mean he's incredible?" Harry asked. "No. All right, wait. Stay there. I'm going to come over. No, I'm gonna come... All right. Fine. Will you call me in the morning? And we'll go and have breakfast and I want to buy you something." he said. "Because I want to. It'll make you feel better. Okay. And what do you mean, incredible? All right. I'm sorry. Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs..." he said then hung up and looked at Peter. "She's all right. She's just a little rattled." he said. "Look, Pete, I should have told you about us. But you should know I'm crazy about her. It's just, you know, you never made a move."
"You're right. I didn't." Peter said.
"I'm gonna get some rest."
"OK. I'm gonna head home."
"What was that thing?"
"I don't know. Whatever it is, somebody has to stop it."
'Maybe I should ask dad for help.' Peter thought.
Later Peter was at home and squished by a hug from Bucky.
"Dad!" Peter said.
"You OK?" Bucky asked looking at him.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Besides, you, Steve, auntie Tasha, uncle Clint and uncle Sam have been training me to look after myself since I was a kid." Peter said and Bucky nodded and gave him a kiss.
"I know."
"Spider-Man. And the Green Goblin. The Green Goblin. You like that? Made it up myself. These weirdo's all gotta have a name now." Jameson said.
"Mr. Jameson Spider-Man..." Peter said.
"Hoffman!"
"Yeah?" Ted said.
"Call the patent office, copyright the name Green Goblin, I want a quarter every time somebody says it."
"How about "Green Meanie"?"
"Spider-Man wasn't attacking the city he was trying to save it. That's slander." Peter said.
"It is not. I resent that. Slander is spoken. In print, it's libel." Jameson said.
"You don't trust anybody, that's your problem." Green Goblin said.
"I trust my barber. What are you his lawyer? Get out of here! Let him sue. Get rich like a normal person. That's what made this country."
"Jameson, you slime. Who's the photographer who takes the pictures of Spider-Man?"
"I don't know who he is. His stuff comes in the mail."
"Liar!"
"I swear. He's the one who can bring me to him. I don't know who he is."
"You are useless."
"Set him down, tough guy." Peter said.
"Speak of the devil."
"Spider-Man! I knew you two were in this together." Jameson said.
"Hey, kiddo, let Mom and Dad talk for a minute, will you?" Peter asked.
"Sleep." Green Goblin said.
"Wake up, little spider. Wake up. No, you're not dead yet. Just paralyzed, temporarily." Green Goblin said. "You're an amazing creature, Spider-Man. You and I are not so different.
"I'm not like you. You're a murderer." Spider-Man said.
"Well, to each his own. I chose my path, you chose the way of the hero. And they found you amusing for a while, the people of this city. But the one thing they love more than a hero is to see a hero fail, fall, die trying. In spite of everything you've done for them, eventually, they will hate you. Why bother?"
"Because it's right."
"Here's the real truth. There are eight million people in this city. And those teeming masses exist for the sole purpose of lifting the few exceptional people onto their shoulders. You, me we're exceptional. I could squash you like a bug right now. But I'm offering you a choice. Join me. Imagine what we could accomplish together. What we could create. Or we could destroy. Cause the deaths of countless innocents in selfish battle again and again and again until we're both dead. Is that what you want? Think about it, hero." Green Goblin said. "In spite of everything you've done for them, eventually, they will hate you."
"It's me again. How was your audition?" Peter asked.
"How'd you know?"
"The hot line. Your mom told my aunt, told me."
"So you just came by? I was in the neighborhood. Needed to see a friendly face."
"I took two buses and a cab to get in the neighborhood, but... So how'd it go?"
"They said I needed acting lessons. A soap opera told me I needed acting lessons."
"Let me buy you a cheeseburger. The sky's the limit, up to $7.84."
"I'd like a cheeseburger. Oh, but I'm going out to dinner with Harry. Come with us."
"No, thanks. How's it going with...? Never mind. That's none of my business."
"It's not? Why so interested?"
"I'm not."
"You're not?"
"Well, why would I be?"
"I don't know. Why would you be?"
"I, that's a... I don't know."
"Sorry you won't come with us. I'd better run, tiger."
"Hey, check it out, man. Come on, man." someone said.
"Hey, where you going, baby?"
"Come on! Get off me! Wait!" MJ said.
Then Peter as Spider-Man came and got her free.
"You have a knack for getting in trouble." Spider-Man said.
"You have a knack for saving my life. I think I have a superhero stalker." MJ said.
"I was in the neighborhood."
"You are amazing. Some people don't think so."
"But you are."
"Nice to have a fan."
"Do I get to say thank you this time?"
"Wait. I have to get in there! My baby's in there! My baby's in there! Let me go!" a woman said.
"I can't let you in there, the roof's about to collapse."
"Somebody save my baby!"
"The roof's about to collapse!"
"Look! Up there!"
"Save my baby, please! No!"
"It's okay. Your baby's fine."
"Oh, my baby! God bless you, Spider-Man. Bless you."
"Don't let him get away! Hold it right there! You're under arrest. I'm taking you in. Oh, my God, there's somebody still up there! I'm going."
"I'll be here when you get back. - Not coming back chief. Go! Go! Where are you? Where are you? I'm gonna get you out of here! It's okay.
"You're pathetically predictable. Like a moth to the flame. What about my generous proposal? Are you in or are you out?" Green Goblin asked.
"It's you who's out Gobbie. Out of your mind." Peter said.
"Wrong answer. Oh, great. No one says no to me!"
"Come on, pick up. Hey MJ." Peter said.
"Hi. Sing your song at the beep." MJ said.
"MJ, it's Peter. You there? Hello? You there? I'm just calling to check up on you. Will you call me when you get in? All right, well... Don't... Don't go up any dark alleys. Hello?"
"Can Spider-Man come out to play?" Goblin asked.
"Where is she? What is that?" Peter asked.
"That's cool!" MJ said.
"The itsy-bitsy spider went up the water spout down came the goblin and took the spider out." Green Goblin said.
"Goblin, what have you done?" Peter asked.
"Spider-Man! This is why only fools are heroes. Because you never know when some lunatic will come along with a sadistic choice: Let die the woman you love or suffer the little children."
"Spider-Man! Save us! Save us!" kids said.
"Make your choice, Spider-Man. and see how a hero is rewarded."
"Don't do it, Goblin!" Peter said.
"We are who we choose to be. Now, choose!"
"No!"
"Everybody stay still! Ahoy up there! We're gonna bring the barge right under you."
"He's coming back!" MJ said.
"Listen. I need you to climb down." Peter said.
"I can't."
"Yes, you can! MJ, you can do it. You have to. Trust me. Hold on tight and go quickly. Hurry!"
"I can't. I can't do it."
"Hang on, Mary Jane!"
"He's not gonna make it." someone said.
"He's gonna make it! It's time to die. Come on up here dumb guy." someone else said.
"I got a little something for ya. Leave Spider-Man alone. You gonna pick on a guy trying to save a bunch of kids? You mess with Spidey, you mess with New York! You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us!" a citizen said.
"Spider-Man, watch out!" MJ said.
"Misery, misery, misery. That's what you've chosen. I offered you friendship and you spat in my face." Green Goblin said. "You've spun your last web, Spider-Man. Had you not been so selfish, your little girlfriend's death would have been quick and painless. But now that you've really pissed me off l'm gonna finish her nice and slow. MJ and I we're gonna have a hell of a time."
"Peter, stop! Stop! It's me." Norman said.
"Mr. Osborn." Peter said.
"Peter, thank God for you."
"You killed those people on that balcony."
"The Goblin killed! I had nothing to do with it! Don't let him take me again. I beg you. Protect me."
"You tried to kill Mary Jane."
"But not you. I tried to stop it. But I couldn't stop it. I would never hurt you. I knew from the beginning if anything ever happened to me, it was you I could count on. You, Peter Parker, would save me, and so you have. Thank God for you. Give me your hand. Believe in me as I believed in you. I've been like a father to you. Be a son to me now."
"I have a father. His name is James Barnes."
"Godspeed, Spider-Man. Oh." Green Goblin said.
"Peter. Don't tell Harry." Norman said.
"What have you done? What have you done?!" Harry asked.
"I'm so sorry, Harry." Peter said.
"I didn't lose him. He was stolen from me. One day Spider-Man will pay. I swear on my father's grave, Spider-Man will pay. Thank God for you, Peter. You're the only family I have." Harry said.
"No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, the ones I love will always be the ones who pay."
"There's something I've been wanting to tell you. When I was up there and I thought I was gonna die. there was only one person who I was thinking of. And it wasn't who I thought it'd be. It was you, Pete. I kept thinking: "I hope I make it through this so I can see Peter Parker's face one more time." MJ said.
"Really?" Peter said.
"There's only one man who's always been there for me who makes me feel like I'm more than I ever thought I could be. That I'm just me. And that's okay. The truth is. I love you. I love you so much, Peter."
"All I wanted was to tell her how much I loved her."
"I can't." he said.
"You can't what?"
"Tell you... Everything. I mean, there's so much to tell."
"Yeah. There's so much to tell. I want you to know that I will always be there for you."
"I will always be there to take care of you. I promise you that. I will always be your friend."
"Only a friend Peter Parker?"
"That's all I have to give."
"Whatever life holds in store for me... I will never forget these words, "With great power comes great responsibility". This is my gift. My curse. Who am I? I'm Spider-Man."
