Several days have passed since Spider-Man and Jackpot encountered Black Cat in the west side alley. Mary Jane stands in line in a coffee shop. Felicia walks in and queues behind her wearing a big black fur coat with a white trim and big sunglasses. She cuts an elegant figure even with her large clothing. Mary Jane notices her in a reflection ahead of her and turns around.
MARY JANE
Oh, hi.
...How are you?
FELICIA
I'm always fine, Mary Jane, you know that. How
are you today?
MARY JANE
I've been better.
FELICIA
Late nights?
MARY JANE
Just a lot on my mind.
FELICIA
I'm sure.
Mary Jane collects her coffee and leaves the shop. She waits near the door. Felicia picks up her coffee and is approached by Mary Jane as she steps out onto the street.
MARY JANE
Since you're here I was wondering if we could
talk about the other night and—uh—I need some
advice and you're the best person to speak to.
FELICIA
…This is about him, isn't it?
MARY JANE
It's about a lot of things. I really need someone
to listen. And you're the only person who knows
all the background well enough for me to know
that I won't sound crazy trying to convey it all. I
feel like I've been suffocating for four years just
trying to do the right thing.
Felicia takes off her glasses to reveal an expression of genuine concern.
FELICIA
Oh god, sure. I had no idea. Yeah, let's grab a
seat.
MARY JANE
Thanks.
The two cross the street into Washington Square Park and sit at a bench. Felicia leans one elbow on the back of the bench and crosses one leg high over the other, a vision of feminine confidence. Mary Jane cradles her coffee cup with both hands in her lap, her feet splayed out with her knees together. Felicia doesn't look at Mary Jane as she begins to speak in an aloof tone.
FELICIA
I'm going to go first. I'm not happy about the other
night. I'm used to getting my way, and I'm pretty
jealous of other people having nice things that I
might want. But over the past few days I've realised
I don't want to lose either you or Peter as friends,
especially on those terms.
MARY JANE
Are you—is that an apol—
FELICIA
Oh god no. Your turn.
Mary Jane sighs.
MARY JANE
I'm still in love with Peter.
FELICIA
That's elementary, Watson.
MARY JANE
That's not… that's not how the saying goes.
FELICIA
It is in the original manuscript. You can come
around to my place and read it if you'd like.
MARY JANE
You're kidding.
FELICIA
No. Why do you want my advice on any of this?
I have no experience with what you're going through.
MARY JANE
Because this is about my feelings for Peter, and
you understand what it means to be in love with him.
FELICIA
And you're looking for advice on how to fall out
of love with him?
MARY JANE
...You did that?
FELICIA
I do it all the time. It's easy. He's an idiot so, ya
know, it's easy.
MARY JANE
Is that why you're always off and on?
Felicia side-eyes Mary Jane while sipping her coffee.
FELICIA
…That comment is the richest thing about you.
So is that the help you're looking for?
MARY JANE
…That's not what I want.
FELICIA
Ok. So I take it you're going to end it with Paul?
MARY JANE
I don't know.
FELICIA
God, you two deserve each other. How hard is it
to throw a guy out and tell the one you want that
you love him?
MARY JANE
I don't know how to do it.
FELICIA
Why? You've got a job, you've got a place, you've
got friends. You're not trapped in there like an
1800s housewife. What do you need advice for?
Tell him it's over and you don't want it anymore.
What's so hard about that?
MARY JANE
He hasn't done anything wrong.
FELICIA
...Ha! …HAHAHA! Are you serious!? THAT'S why
you're struggling to cut him from the team?
MARY JANE
He has no one here. He's done nothing to deserve
being thrown out.
FELICIA
Wrong perspective, MJ. If you're going to do this
you have to be cruel to be kind. Normalise saying
'He's done nothing to deserve ME'.
MARY JANE
But he kind of has. He was kind to me. And he
was a good father. He's a good man.
FELICIA
See that guy over there eating that donut? Looks
like Beaker from the Muppets? I'm sure he'd be
kind to you.
MARY JANE
Felicia…
FELICIA
He can't be that perfect.
MARY JANE
No. He has secrets.
FELICIA
Good secrets or bad secrets? Because for all
his idiocy, Peter's secret is a good secret. He's
noble, even if his whole 'power and responsibility'
thing gets a little high concept.
MARY JANE
…Paul's secrets aren't good secrets.
FELICIA
Hmm.
They sip at their coffees in silence for a few moments.
FELICIA
How did it happen?
MARY JANE
How did what happen?
FELICIA
When was the moment you and him were…
'together'?
Mary Jane smiles.
MARY JANE
He was going on a work trip to Europe and we
kissed at the airport.
FELICIA
No I mean—Oh! That's what that was!
MARY JANE
What what was?
FELICIA
Nothing. Just a photo he has.
MARY JANE
The one Robbie took? He still has that?
FELICIA
In his album, yeah. But I was talking about you
and Paul.
MARY JANE
He still has that?
FELICIA
Focus, Jackpot. Eyes up.
MARY JANE
He still has that…
FELICIA
How did it happen?
MARY JANE
Well. It was about a year after Peter had been
gone. It was hell there, and Paul was the last man
on earth. I waited and waited for Peter to return,
but after several months we weren't safe and we
had to move.
FELICIA
That sounds very zombie apocalypse.
MARY JANE
It was. We found Owen and Stephanie and then
we were a gang of four. And slowly we all fell in
love with each other, and we became a family.
There is a long silence.
FELICIA
...Only you, Red.
MARY JANE
What do you mean?
FELICIA
Only you could find beauty in those circumstances,
and then have fate snatch it all away.
MARY JANE
...
FELICIA
Be honest with me. You were with Peter for what?
Four, five, years in Soho? How do the love stories
compare?
MARY JANE
...Peter and I have known each other since we
were 18. We fell in love the way everyone does.
Going on dates, swapping mix tapes, growing
closer together as we grew into adults together.
With Paul—I know that it's an unnatural relationship.
We bonded through shared trauma. And I don't
want that to be my story, but I don't know how to
let go. If I let go of him, it's like I'm rejecting those
four years, and I don't want to reject the memory
of those children.
FELICIA
…I don't like kids, but I can see why some people
do. Peter explained what happened and it sounds
awful. I'm sorry that happened to you.
MARY JANE
Thank you.
FELICIA
And I am sorry about the other night. I see something
I want and I get it. Doesn't work that way in
relationships though.
Felicia sips her coffee while looking across the park. Her tone starts to soften gradually.
FELICIA
Do you love him?
MARY JANE
Paul? It was four years, and we raised kids
together. I care for him. I don't want to hurt him.
FELICIA
That's not a yes.
MARY JANE
It's not a no.
FELICIA
But it's not a yes.
Mary Jane looks down at her coffee as Felicia runs her hand through her hair.
FELICIA
So following all this trauma you want to forget it all.
MARY JANE
It's more than that. Our relationship is built on
shared experiences that I want to forget. And how
can a relationship stand when you want to ignore
the foundations?
FELICIA
Very Oprah.
MARY JANE
But as I said, I don't want to betray the memory
of Owen and Stephanie.
FELICIA
You wouldn't be.
MARY JANE
What makes you say that?
FELICIA
You're not letting them go or rejecting them. You're
moving forward with your life, and they'll be a part
of you as much as you want, no matter who your
lover is.
Mary Jane is silently taken aback by the salience of Felicia's wisdom.
FELICIA
So let's recap. You don't want to spend your life
with someone you can't reasonably introduce to
new friends and acquaintances in perpetuity.
MARY JANE
Fair.
FELICIA
You've spent years in a post-apocalyptic hell hole
and now that you're back…
She gestures to Mary Jane to finish the sentence.
MARY JANE
I realise that Paul doesn't fit into my life.
FELICIA
And therefore…?
MARY JANE
I want my old life back, with my old friends, and
my old lover who knows me better than anyone.
FELICIA
When did you realise you felt this way?
MARY JANE
The moment he reappeared in that dimension.
The second I laid eyes on him—
FELICIA
It all came back?
MARY JANE
It rose to the surface. It never went anywhere.
(It's never gone anywhere.)
FELICIA
Well he always was one to make an entran—
Their conversation is broken by people screaming over the honking of a car horn and the wail of a police siren as a car chase rips around the square. As their heads track the scene, they see Spider-Man burst from around a corner as he joins the chase. People cheer as Spider-Man woops and yells in excitement. He doesn't notice Mary Jane and Felicia sitting at a bench less than 10 metres below him. The two women check him out as zips right over them.
MARY JANE
Are you thinking the same thing as me?
FELICIA
Dat ass.
MARY JANE
Deadass.
The two share a warm laugh. Mary Jane sits back on the bench, unintentionally mimicking Felicia's confident pose.
MARY JANE
So what should I do?
FELICIA
Have him around for dinner. With Paul.
MARY JANE
Hah! Are you serious?
FELICIA
Why not? You're Mary Jane Watson. Let them fight
over you, but don't let them pick for you. Who
knows. It might make things clearer. And if not,
it'll be fun for you.
MARY JANE
I don't know if I'd enjoy that.
FELICIA
Trust me, you will.
MARY JANE
Do you want to come as well?
FELICIA
And make it a double date to avoid suspicion from
Paul? I think Peter would turn me into the cops if
I spoke to him at the moment.
MARY JANE
…What happened after I left the other night?
FELICIA
We're not going to talk about that. But the good
news for you is that he's still madly in love with you.
Mary Jane's eyes fill with sadness.
MARY JANE
I've really hurt him haven't I?
FELICIA
No, you haven't. You can't allow yourself to think
like that. The circumstances have hurt him. They've
hurt both of you. But you were lucky—you found
some goodness in all this. Peter… Peter lost
everything. But he'll bounce back. It's what he does.
Mary Jane spends a few moments internalising Felicia's advice.
MARY JANE
…Thanks, Felicia.
FELICIA
No problem. What are girlfriends for?
Now go call Peter.
Spider-Man lands on a rooftop and lowers himself to the ground to rest. Below him in a nearby alley he has webbed up the bank robbers who were being chased by the police car around Washington Square Park. The car lies hung upside down in a large web spun between lamp posts. Spider-Man lies on his back and catches his breath, taking in the sky.
His phone rings. He sits up and looks at the screen of his phone to see who it is. It's Mary Jane. He hesitates momentarily before answering it with his headset.
SPIDER-MAN
Hey, how's it going?
Yeah, yeah, I'm good. Just hanging around. How are you?
Oh you saw? (Be cool, Peter.) Yeah I got 'em. No biggie. Where were you?
The park… with Felicia? Wait. You met with Felicia?
(Women are so strange.)
Ok. Dinner? You want to go out to dinner?
(Back in the game, Parker.)
No? Stay in for dinner. (Oh my god it's happening.)
Yes, with Paul. (With Paul?) Of course.
That makes sense. (That makes no sense!)
What day? (Don't say tomorrow—I need to prepare emotionally.)
Sure I can do tomorrow. In Alphabet City?
(Quick getaway out the bathroom window if needed.)
In Forest Hills. Ok.
The old neighbourhood, huh? Sure. It'll be good.
(This will not be good.)
What should I bring?
(Don't say drinks or I'll just disappoint everyone.)
…Drinks it is.
Sure I'm looking forward to it. (Kill me.)
This will be great. (Please kill me.)
See you tomorrow night.
(Is this what needing a drink feels like?)
I'm not bringing booze, remember!
Ok, talk later. Bye.
Spider-Man hangs up the phone and returns to lying on his back, staring at the sky.
SPIDER-MAN
Oy vey. This is it, isn't it?
It is the next evening. Peter arrives at Anna Watson's house wearing an open collar dress shirt, pants and dress shoes, with a smart suit coat. He rings the doorbell. Mary Jane comes to the door. She is dressed to the nines, far outshining the modest home of her aunt. He will struggle to take his eyes off her all night.
MARY JANE
Peter, hey!
PETER
H-hey, MJ. You look… amazing.
Mary Jane rushes forward to hug him and kisses him on the cheek. It is the first time they have broken the 'touch barrier' since Peter brought Mary Jane and her family back from TRN1023. Peter feels like his Spider-Sense is going off as her perfume intoxicates him. Mary Jane lets him go and welcomes him inside.
MARY JANE
Let me get your coat. I'm really glad you came.
We're having wheatcakes.
PETER
Really?
MARY JANE
Haha! Of course not. I've made beef bourguignon
and a gratin.
PETER
Oh awesome, I love beef one pot. Did you use a
slow cooker? I sometimes batch-cook it in mine.
Mary Jane smiles to herself and rolls her eyes as she hangs up Peter's jacket.
MARY JANE
It's made with red wine, but the alcohol is all
cooked out.
PETER
Speaking of red wine, I have brought…
Peter reaches into the paper bag he is holding.
PETER
…Sparkling grape juice.
MARY JANE
That's fine. Paul and I will be drinking tonight.
PETER
Of course. I'll just put this next to my seat.
(And drink straight from the bottle.)
(And again later.)
(But under a bridge.)
Paul appears in the hallway from the living room.
PAUL
Hi Peter, glad you could join us. Welcome to
our home.
Paul extends a hand. Peter smiles knowingly at Paul as they shake, taking Paul's barb on the chin.
PETER
Good to see you, Paul. Have you found Anna's
whiskey stash in the shed cellar?
MARY JANE
No, he hasn't.
PAUL
Seriously? Why didn't you tell me about that?
MARY JANE
Because it's not yours.
PAUL
But we're living here.
MARY JANE
No.
PAUL
Ok.
Peter, why don't you come and sit down?
Mary Jane's just finishing up in the kitchen.
Peter doesn't break eyes with Paul but spots Mary Jane in the corner of her eye looking at Paul with surprise and disapproval.
PETER
It's fine, I'll help MJ in the kitchen. Need a hand, MJ?
MARY JANE
The table's laid but you can help me carry stuff in.
She smirks at Peter.
MARY JANE
Do you know how to open a bottle of wine?
PETER
Of course. Where do you keep your forks?
Mary Jane laughs.
MARY JANE
Through here—I think there are still some
in the dishwasher, pointy-end up.
Paul scowls and walks back into the living room. Peter and Mary Jane carry the meal through to the dining room at the back of the living area of the simple two-up-one-down house. With the table set, the three of them are seated and begin to enjoy the meal. Peter and Paul and sat at opposite ends of the table, with Mary Jane between. The soup is served as a starter dish and the conversation is pleasant. They later begin eating the main course, Mary Jane's bourguignon.
PETER
MJ, this is delicious. This flavour—the wine did this?
Maybe I should start drinking.
MARY JANE
Haha. That'll be the day. I remember trying to get
you to join the fun when we were young.
PETER
You came pretty close at that one party when I
lived with Harry.
MARY JANE
Yeah that was a long time ago.
PAUL
Longer for you, than him, isn't that right, Mary Jane?
Mary Jane is thrown off by Paul's callous and controlling remark.
MARY JANE
Right. Thanks for that, Paul.
PAUL
So Peter, how's your aunt doing?
PETER
She's fine. Speaking of which, MJ, how's Mrs Watson?
MARY JANE
You mean Aunt Anna? Peter, you're 30 years old.
You can call her Anna.
PETER
Yeah but I've known her since I was five. She'll
always be Mrs Watson to me.
PAUL
Really? How so?
PETER
I grew up in the house next door.
PAUL
No kidding.
MARY JANE
Yeah, yaknow it's the funniest thing. Our bedroom
windows used to face each other but we didn't
meet for years. Peter didn't even notice me.
PETER
Bad prescription on the glasses.
Mary Jane laughs.
PETER
Yeah we met for the first time on the porch next door.
MJ came in and started high kicking in the front room.
I thought she was going to put her foot through the TV.
MARY JANE
Haha! Don't even start. You were wearing a suit and tie.
PETER
I was well-mannered.
MARY JANE
Yeah. What happened?
PAUL
When Mary Jane and I first met I saved her life.
And yours.
The jovial conversation is replaced by a deathly awkward silence. Peter miraculously manages to maintain a straight face while Mary Jane looks mortified.
PETER
So how is she?
MARY JANE
She's not great. Hopefully there's a solution to this
soon. Ravencroft are taking good care of her but
it seems that there's no clear answers or solution yet.
PAUL
I'm telling you, Mary Jane, there's something in
those pills. It's the mutants.
Mary Jane looks away as she drinks from her wine glass while staring at the ceiling. Peter looks over at Paul.
PETER
Do you know any mutants?
PAUL
Do you?
PETER
Yeah some of them are my closest friends.
PAUL
Which ones?
PETER
Logan and Wade.
PAUL
Who are they?
PETER
Wolverine and Deadpool.
PAUL
And you trust mutants?
PETER
The trustworthy ones, yeah. But there's a lot of
them. It may be some of the bad actors but there's
not enough evid—
PAUL
Exactly, all it takes is one. That's all I'm saying,
Mary Jane. We can't rule it out.
MARY JANE
Paul, please. Let's change the subject.
There is a long silence, only filled with the sound of the service gently tapping and the fizz of Peter opening the screw cap on his sparkling grape juice as the three eat their meal. After a short time Peter speaks.
PETER
Can I ask you something? About the device you
made that brought me back here?
Paul pauses momentarily without looking up. He continues with his meal.
PAUL
Sure.
PETER
When you found us and took us to your den…
PAUL
You mean my lab?
PETER
…I found that multiversal travel device on your
table and looked it over.
PAUL
Right.
PETER
That device was one crossed wire away from working.
You were right there and could have solved it
with a bit of time. Why didn't you make another one?
Mary Jane freezes, clenching her silverware with eyes locked onto her plate.
PAUL
I–I don't understand.
PETER
That device was 99% complete. Why didn't you
make another one and finish it?
Paul glares at Peter through his glasses, which appear opaque to Peter from the angle of the light.
Mary Jane turns to Peter and addresses him cautiously.
MARY JANE
Peter?
PETER
Why did you spend so much time making that watch?
PAUL
It didn't work well, remember?
PETER
Sure, but you put effort into fixing it and making it
better. Four years, was it?
Mary Jane becomes distressed, not wanting the conversation to go further.
MARY JANE
Let's just enjoy dinner. These potatoes came out
better than I expected.
PAUL
Not now, Mary Jane.
PETER
Don't talk to her that way.
Peter doesn't break his perfectly poker-faced gaze from Paul. Paul grows tense and looks down at his plate of food.
PAUL
I was trying to keep us both alive. Weapons
development seemed more pressing at the time.
PETER
You had plenty of weapons. And when I turned up
the watch didn't work in the end anyway. So I'll ask
again. Why didn't you make another travel device?
MARY JANE
…
PAUL
I didn't have the materials.
PETER
But you had the materials to make that watch?
It's pretty simple, Paul…
Peter produces the red, spider-shaped device from his pocket and places it on the table. Mary Jane's nervous eyes grow wide as saucers at the sight of something she hasn't seen in years.
MARY JANE
Oh my god…
PETER
There's nothing in this device that could be called
rare. It's just copper and lithium. The rarest part of
it is some cobalt. There would have been plenty of
that in the circuits in your fancy den.
PAUL
What are you accusing me of?
PETER
You know.
MARY JANE
Peter, please.
PAUL
I'm going to need you to be specific so I know
which conversation we're having.
MARY JANE
Both of you, stop this. Please.
PETER
Can't figure it out?
PAUL
Say it.
PETER
Why didn't you bring Mary Jane home?
Mary Jane closes her eyes as her face fills with sadness, finally accepting a truth she has shut out for nearly five years. There is a prolonged silence. Peter and Paul don't move. Eventually Paul breaks his gaze and blinks. Peter's poker face shifts to suspicion as Paul again looks at Peter.
PAUL
Are you sure that's the right question?
Mary Jane opens her eyes and looks at Paul nervously.
MARY JANE
Paul, no.
Peter glances at Mary Jane then back at Paul.
PETER
What question should I be asking?
PAUL
How about, 'Why did you only make one of those weapons?'
Peter's spider sense rings in the hollows of his mind as a bolt of energy flies out of Paul's glasses straight into Peter's chest. He flies back from the table and through the window at the back of Anna Watson's house.