Web of Lies

EVER feel like the universe has a twisted sense of humor?

Yeah, that's pretty much my life.

I'm Peter Parker. Six months ago, a radioactive spider decided to make me its personal science experiment. Overnight, I went from awkward teen to... well, awkward teen with superpowers.

At first, I thought that bite was the moment everything changed.

I was wrong.

See, that spider gave me strength, speed, and sixth sense that puts seeing dead people to shame—it's a movie reference—Anyways, I used them to make money, thought I was helping out at home. Thought that was the reason I got these powers.

Wrong again.

The real moment that changed my life was the day I lost Uncle Ben. That's when I realized something he used to always tell me, something I didn't quite get until it was too late...

With great power comes great responsibility.

So now, I'm the "Amazing Spider-Man." Okay, amazing might be pushing it. How about the "Spectacular Spider-Man"? ...No? Alright, we'll stick with Spider-Man for now.

And what does that job entail? Usually keeping the city safe from your everyday criminals like...

"The Easter Bunny?" I mutter, swinging onto the scene. A girl in a rabbit suit is sprinting out of a bank with a bag of cash.

No way. The Easter Bunny robs banks?

I fire a web at the money bag, stopping her in her tracks. "What's up, doc?"

She turns to me, unimpressed. "Wrong rabbit, genius." Then she yanks me in by my own web and clocks me across the face.

I just got punched by a rabbit.

Awesome.

I flip backwards, dodging her next swing, and start webbing her up from all angles. She's fast, but I'm faster. Before she can finish her next insult, I have her cocooned in webbing. "Hey, what are you mmmrrfffff—"

"Silly rabbit," I grin, pulling out a scrap of paper from my backpack, "bank robberies are for felons." I say with a smile, scribbling "busted" on the scrap of paper, slapping it on her forehead, and taking out my phone for a quick selfie. "Look, I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm late for class. Say cheese!"

She glares through the webbing, muttering angrily.

"Good enough," I say, snapping the picture just as the cops roll up. "Finally! This Spider's got a tight schedule, y'know?"

Captain Stacy steps out of his squad car. He looks at me, hand hovering near his gun. Used to be friends with his daughter, Gwen, back when things were simpler. But these days, we're not exactly in the same circles.

"You know we're going to have to bring you in for—"

"Yeah, yeah, paperwork's not really my thing," I say, firing a webline to the nearest rooftop. "You guys got this, right? Cool! See ya!"

I swing off, bouncing between rooftops.

Losing Uncle Ben taught me something I'll never forget. I hung up the wrestling suit and built myself these web-shooters. I promised to never let these powers go to waste again.

Because now, I know better.

I've got a responsibility.

And right now, that's making it to school.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Peter? Peter, are you listening?"

I look up from my desk still. "Yeah. Yeah, you were talking about Lizards right?"

"Lizar—What?" Harry asks. "No, man. I was asking you if I should ask out Felicia. Is it a good idea or no? And honestly even if you say no, I'm just gonna do it."

I shrug. "I don't know. She's...Strange."

"By strange do you mean really hot? Because in that case she's really strange." Harry turns in her direction. "Super strange. Mega strange."

I look over at her sitting by herself in the back, she never really spoke much. She always kept to herself mostly. "No, I don't mean it in that way. I mean the normal strange. I mean why is she always wearing black? Why does she hide cats in her locker? Where did she even come from?"

"Don't know don't care." He says standing up. "I'm gonna go talk to her."

I chuckle lightly. "Go for it. But don't say I didn't warn you."

"You didn't."

"Oh."

We both stare at each other for a few seconds.

"Harry, don't do it."

Harry shakes his head. "Whatever. Just watch and learn Parker."

He walks over to her and places a hand on her desk, I can immediately see her face go from bored to disgusted. I can't bare to see what happens next so I turn away and try and think back to last nights fight with the lizard.

He got away. Again.

I've only been doing this Spider-Man gig for half a year now and it hasn't gotten any easier. Most of the time I'm lucky to even make it back alive, let alone on time for Aunt May's curfew. It'd make things a lot easier if the bad guys learned to stay down after the first punch. I mean, I don't think I have any more ribs left to break.

"Hey, Peter. I got someone I'd like to introduce you too." I hear from behind me.

I turn to see Harry with the girl Felicia on his side holding him with her head placed on his shoulder. "I think we've met." I say trying to avoid eye contact with her.

"Well, let me reintroduced you to my new girlfriend." He says with a smile.

"Nice to meet you." She says. "I hope we can get along." She reaches a hand out for me to shake which I take hesitantly.

"Yeah. Same." I say awkwardly.

"You got any plans tonight, Pete?" He asks me.

He knows that I don't. Well, that Peter doesn't. But Spider-Man is all booked up, and I'll give you one guess why. First name 'the' last name 'Lizard'.

Can't let him keep wondering around in the sewers aimlessly. He'll either end up hurting himself or someone else if this continues on any longer.

"Actually, I have thi—"

"Perfect! You can come by my place at nine, I wanna show Felicia that new thing we've been working on." He says holding her tighter.

"Well, like I was saying I'm actu—"

"I don't know, Harry. He seems like a busy man, probably doing someone's homework or something." She says with a sly smile.

I grit my teeth.

"No way. Peter only does my homework." He says obliviously.

Felicia purrs. "Come on, Harry. I thought it would be just you and me tonight."

"Yeah...but...Pete's my best friend. He's gotta go. Right Pete?" He asks.

How can I say no to that? He seems so—

"And also he makes a mean lasagna. So I was hoping he would cook some for our first official couple meal." He continues.

I smile defeatedly. "Yeah sure. But just for tonight."

Looks like Spider-Man has the night off.

But...is this really the right thing to do?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Peter, good to you see you. How's your aunt?"

Mr. Osborn greets us at the door, he's always so nice to me. I would kill for him as a father, he seems so genuine and caring. The money wouldn't hurt either.

"I'm good, Sir. And she's just as vibrant as ever. She's actually working on starting up her own restaurant right now." I say.

He smiles. "That's good to hear. And who may I ask is this?" He says his eyes turning towards Felicia.

Harry gently pushes her forward. "She...Dad. Is my new girlfriend."

"Hello, Sir. It's a pleasure." She says, that same sly smirk on her face.

Mr. Osborn smiles back. "The pleasures all mine. Please, come in, I was just about to get dinner started. Harry, any requests for tonight?"

"Actually, Peter is going to be making dinner for us tonight Dad, so don't even worry yourself." Harry says nudging my back.

"Uh. Yes, Sir. Harry wanted me to make my Aunt's lasagna recipe. It's pretty popular in our neighborhood." I say sheepishly.

"Well then. Shall we—"

His phone goes off.

"Excuse me for a moment." He then moves past us and down the large parking lot that he owned in front of the mansion. Harry looks back at his father with a sense of longing, I'm sure he wants his father to spend time with him.

Honestly, I can't blame him. The guy is always busy, if he isn't at work he's in his office at home. I'm sure Harry would appreciate some father-son time.

"L-Let's get inside." Harry leads us both in and I expected to see Felicia go, 'ooo!' or 'ahh!' but she just kept that same smirk. "This is the inside. It's a lot smaller than it looks."

"It's plenty big." She says.

The door opens behind us and I see that it's Harry's father. "Son, somethings come up so I can't stay for dinner unfortunately. I hope you enjoy yourselves while you're here, if there's anything you need Harry will make sure it's provided. That goes for both of you." He says to Felicia and I.

"Thank you, Sir." I say.

"Have a good night." Felicia says.

"Y-Yeah. See you later, Dad."

Mr. Osborn nods then is out the door as quickly as he came in. Harry takes a few moments before speaking again. "Okay, we got the house to ourselves. Isn't that great?" But it seems like he was just trying to force himself to believe that. I've known Harry since we were five. I can tell when somethings bothering him.

"Pete, why don't we get started on dinner?" He says looking over at me with a smile.

"Sur-"

I get a notification on my phone. It's a police report about the Lizard, apparently he's being cornered by the police in an abandoned zoo. But...can I trust that they'll be fine?

No. No, this isn't right. He isn't as mindless as the police think. If they found him then it must've been...because he wanted them too.

"Harry, somethings come up. I've gott—"

"No way, man! You're always leaving last minute. Can't you just stick around for once? I mean my Dad already left, you can't go too." He pleads. "Come on. Please?"

This is the part of the job I hate the most.

"I'm...sorry. I'll make it up to you."

"Pete!" He yells after me, but I'm already out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There's something about swinging two-hundred feet in the air that makes you really think. Maybe it's the New-York streets below, or the roar of planes above. But it gives me this sense of calming, like this is what I'm meant to be doing. But who really believes in destiny?

That doesn't matter right now, because currently I'm about to make my way towards the Seneca Park Zoo.

Where the Lizard a.k.a Doctor. Conners currently is. He was a professor at the university I was interning at. He was the nicest man, he and his wife. They also had a daughter around my age, she never really seemed interested in their work though.

They showed me all sorts of research projects that they were currently working on, It always seemed so controlled. They always told me they had everything under control. They'd work on researching how to use animal DNA to improve human life, and I always found it so fascinating.

Then one day Doctor. Connors showed me that he was working on a serum laced with Lizard DNA to regrow lost limbs. You see, the Doc had an incident a few years back and the result was a lost arm and a broken marriage, and well...the explosion that took his arm...also took his daughter.

He lost his job at Oscorp and his wife never forgave him. I don't think he ever forgave himself either. It was devastating news to hear, and I remember seeing his face the last time we'd officially spoken. It didn't seem like he was the same nice and generous man anymore.

Though how can I really blame him? He lost everything. He continued his experiments, until one day...well...you know the rest.

I finally arrive at the empty abandoned zoo, where obviously there isn't a single person. Which is good because now I won't have to worry about someone getting hurt.

Except for me.

I swing around looking for any sign of Doc Conners or the police officers. But I see none, until I happen upon a lions den where people could go to get a look at the king of the jungle. But now it's an empty cage with the metal bars ripped apart like something broke out of it, or maybe...broken into.

I swing towards the top of a lions den and a hole leading somewhere underground is on the inside. "That doesn't look menacing at all. But that's gotta be where Conners is. And hopefully the officers as well."

I make my way down the tunnel of doom until I can finally see a light of some kind. Once I get there I can see four bodies on the ground, they're the police officers. Their bodies are being...eaten by a multitude of small lizards.

"B-Back off!" I yell, stomping around the lizards in puddles of what I can only assume is sewer water. "Get away from them!" The lizards scamper off leaving me with the corpses of the officers.

Their bodies unrecognizable. I lift up my mask puking on the ground, it's one of the worst sights I've ever seen. It's the reality of fighting against these kinds of people, I want to save everyone...but sometimes...you can't.

"I should've...I should've gotten here sooner."

I kneel down closing the eyes of the officers...well the ones that still have some to close.

I grab the flashlight that was still on and continue down the dark tunnel. My heart was racing, I wanted to run away and go hang with Harry.

But I know that if I did more people would end up hurt or even worse dead. There's scratch marks all along the sides of the tunnel wall, and chunks of meat and bones which I can only hope aren't people.

It doesn't take long for me to reach the end of the tunnel and enter some sort of work space, there's an old desk with a computer and vials of god knows what just sitting in the middle of a pitch black room. There are papers littered everywhere.

I wonder what they're for.

I check the paper seeing exactly what's written on it, some sort of formula, a formula I'm guessing that's to perfect the lizard transformation. But there are also photos of the inside of people. More specifically their organs, why would these types of photos be lying around? A menu? It makes me sick just thinking about it.

That's when I feel something slimy begin to wrap itself around my neck. I try to move but then the slimy thing tightens it's grip around me and squeezes my neck choking me.

I grab the slimy thing using all my strength to pull it down from wherever it came from slamming it hard on the ground. The grip of it loosens as the main body comes crashing down to the concrete, and I can see that when it begins to stand up...It's the lizard.

He towers above me his teeth foaming with blood, and his eyes glowing an intense yellow. His torn lab coat still on his body and his pants in the same condition.

"Not...yet...." He says. "Not....done...yet."

"Doctor Conners? Wh-What have you done? Do you realize how many people you've killed?!" I scream. "You have to turn yourself in! Think about Vanessa...what would she..."

He charges at me slamming me into a wall before slicing at my chest with his razor like finger nails. I could feel the blood begin to trickle from my suit and onto the ground beneath. "That's gonna sting for a while." I say painfully.

He tries to swing at me again but I shoot a web into his eyes blocking his eyesight, I use this opportunity to slide through his legs webbing his back and pulling him down hard on the floor. He stands up quickly hissing at me, then charging once more.

I charge right back at him jumping right before we collide landing my foot in his face using the momentum to bounce back from him a bit then webbing him and launching myself right towards his chest this time with a double kick in the gut. I hit him with an uppercut breaking a few of his fangs in the process.

"I won't let you hurt anyone else!" I say as he leans against the wall for support after that last punch.

"How...about....you?" He growls.

"Uhm." I say but he's already charging at me, I move to evade but he's got my leg and bites down onto it causing me to scream in pain.

I use my other foot to crack his jaw which releases his grip on me and I put a few feet of distance between us. But he closes them in seconds and tackled me through the concrete wall and into another part of the tunnel.

He uses his tail to hold me by my neck, I try and pry it off but he begins throwing punches into my chest which causes blood to erupt from my mouth and all over my mask.

"Doctor...Connors..." I say weakly. "You have...to stop..."

He releases me from his tail grabbing me by the throat with his hands. I try to fight back but at this point all my strength has left me. He peels back my mask and takes a look at my face. His reptilian eyes widen as he realizes who I am.

"Pe...ter...." He says. "Pet...er..."

He drops me to the ground.

"Peter...Peter..." He says his hands clutching the top of his head. "Can't...kill...should...kill..." He looks up at me roaring with the might of ten lions before running back through the hole he smashed me through and out of sight.

I just lay on the ground in a pool of my own blood. "Yeah..." I cough. "You better run..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night, after scraping myself off the ground, I stumbled back into the alley where I'd stashed my school bag. The alley was just north of the dilapidated building I called home, and my bag had some clothes that weren't blood-soaked or torn. I needed them. But the whole time, blood dripped from my bruised, swollen body. My legs wobbled as if each step might be my last. The fresh black eye I'd be sporting the next morning would just be the icing on the cake. School had become a parade of injuries lately.

Walking through the streets of New York at night, covered in blood, was like strolling through a freak show. People didn't see a kid in trouble—they saw a sideshow act. I could feel their eyes on me. A few looked like they wanted to call someone—maybe the cops, maybe an ambulance—but I threw on my best smile and muttered the same line, "Method actor, folks! Just method acting."

Some laughed it off, some didn't. Didn't matter. I kept moving, each step harder than the last, until I spotted her: Felicia. Brown-haired, sharp-eyed Felicia, standing on the corner. There was something new in her eyes when she caught sight of me. Concern, maybe. She rushed over, a crease forming between her brows.

"Peter? What the hell happened to you?"

I tried to smile again, but this time it came out more like a grimace. "I-I'm a method actor?" My voice sounded weak, even to me.

She didn't buy it, of course. "You need to get to a hospital," she said, looking me up and down. "You're bleeding all over the place."

Before I could protest, she was already moving toward me, slipping her arm around my shoulders. The contact hurt, but I didn't pull away.

"No," I coughed, wincing at the sharp pain it sent through my ribs. "No hospital."

Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, no hospital? You could—"

"No hospitals," I repeated, trying to sound firm, though my voice was more a hoarse whisper than anything.

Felicia wasn't one to back down easily, though. She gave me a long, concerned look, then sighed. "I can't just leave you bleeding out on the sidewalk, Peter. You're coming with me."

I tried to argue, though every breath felt like I was inhaling fire. "I can't. I have a curfew."

Felicia raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "At 2:00 in the morning?" She started dragging me along with her, her grip surprisingly strong for someone who looked like she hadn't seen a gym in years.

"My Aunt May's gonna freak out," I muttered, but the fight was leaving me fast.

"Yeah, well, that's a risk I'm willing to take," she said with a small, determined smile. "You can't exactly stop me, can you?"

The streets grew quieter as we made our way through a more deserted part of town. Felicia hadn't said much after that, but I could feel her glancing over at me every few minutes, like she was dying to ask what really happened. I finally broke the silence with the lamest excuse I could come up with. "I... I fell."

She snorted. "Yeah? Down a flight of stairs? Or was it an entire skyscraper? Come on, Peter, no one gets injuries like these from just falling. What really happened?"

I couldn't tell her. Not about the fight in the sewers. Not about the Lizard. And definitely not about the fact that I was Spider-Man. So, I swallowed hard and tried to sound casual. "It's... it's complicated."

Felicia stopped walking for a second, staring at me, then sighed. "Of course it is." She seemed to be weighing her options, then said, "I've got a first aid kit at home, but I don't know if it'll be enough. You should really see a doctor, Peter."

I could hear the frustration in her voice, but I was too tired, too sore, to care. "Noted," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

Felicia's expression hardened. "I'm just trying to help, you know."

I winced, realizing how I sounded. "Yeah, well, nobody asked you to."

Her face softened, but she didn't back down. "It doesn't matter, Peter. When someone's in trouble, you help. That's how it works. You don't just walk away."

Her words hit me harder than I expected. They echoed the very reason I put on the Spider-Man mask in the first place. She was right, and the realization made me feel like an even bigger jerk. "I'm sorry," I said quietly. "Thank you, Felicia. I mean it."

She nodded, accepting the apology without a word, though I could see her shoulders relax a little.

"Felicia! Hey, Felicia, over here!" a voice called from behind us, breaking the moment.

We both turned to see a group of four guys approaching. One of them, a tall guy with a backward red cap and a white shirt emblazoned with "Playboy," swaggered toward us like he owned the street. I didn't have to guess; this was most likely one of Felicia's "friends." The kind of guy who probably lived for getting in trouble.

Felicia turned toward him, her lips curving into a smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Roman, what are you doing out here?" she called back, a little too casual.

Roman's gaze locked onto me as Felicia half-carried me down the street. His backward cap and cocky grin screamed trouble, and I already knew this wasn't going to be a friendly chat. "Who's this guy?" he asked, nodding at me, his cigarette dangling from his lips before he flicked it to the ground.

Felicia hesitated, glancing my way. "He's... my cousin," she lied, trying to keep her voice steady. I could hear the faint waver.

Roman smirked, stepping closer, his eyes roaming over my torn-up clothes and the blood that probably made me look like I'd just walked out of a horror flick. "Looks like he had a rough night."

I scoffed, still leaning on Felicia. "What gave you that impression?"

Roman's smile faltered, the playful glint in his eye fading. He didn't like being challenged.

Felicia shot me a sharp look. "Yeah, he got beat because he doesn't know when to shut his mouth," she said pointedly, like a scolding parent. Her words were a signal: shut up before you make this worse.

Roman's eyes flickered between us. "I can see that." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small plastic bag filled with little green pills, shaking it slightly. "Hey, you two should crash with me tonight. We got some new stuff. You'll like it."

Felicia's expression tightened. "What is that?"

Roman's grin widened, proud of his find. "Don't know exactly, but I heard this stuff's crazy. Everyone's losing their minds over it." He tossed the bag lightly in the air, catching it in a way that made me uneasy.

"That's great," Felicia said, brushing him off. "But he's hurt bad. I need to get him home." She didn't wait for him to argue, turning us back toward her place.

I glanced over my shoulder at Roman, and the look he gave me... it sent a shiver down my spine. It was the same look Flash gave me before he shoved me into a locker, the same look my enemies threw my way just before a fight. Roman might've been smiling, but his eyes promised trouble. I'd have to watch my back around him.

Felicia fumbled with her keys as we reached her apartment, finally unlocking the door and pushing it open. The place was dark, and when she flipped the switch, the light flickered weakly before casting a dull glow over the room. It wasn't much—an old, torn couch with stuffing poking out, cans and bottles littering the floor. The place looked like it had seen better days, probably before I was even born. The whole scene reminded me how different Felicia's life was compared to someone like Harry, whose penthouse was like a palace in the clouds.

"Sit," she said, nodding toward the couch. "I'll get some gauze for those wounds."

I limped over and collapsed onto the couch, trying not to think about the stains on the carpet or what might've caused them. My head spun, and my vision blurred, but I still noticed the cat—a sleek black feline that padded out from the shadows. It purred softly as it rubbed against my leg, and for a brief moment, I forgot about the pain.

But then it all came crashing back. My chest felt like it was on fire, and my leg wasn't doing much better. I pressed my hand against my soaked shirt, the blood sticky and warm against my skin. It was bad. Real bad.

Felicia returned, her arms full of medical supplies. She sat next to me on the couch and gave me a look, half-joking, half-serious. "You still alive?"

I winced, trying to smile through the pain. "Ask me again in ten minutes."

She pulled up my shirt, her face going pale when she saw the three jagged claw marks that raked across my chest. "What... did this to you?"

I didn't answer.

Felicia sighed, grabbing a tube of ointment. "Fine. Be mysterious." She spread the ointment on the wounds, and it burned like hell. "Ow!" I hissed, clenching my fists.

"Don't be such a baby," she muttered, smirking a little as she worked. Her eyes flicked over the other scars that decorated my chest—reminders of the life I couldn't tell her about. Her fingers hesitated over one of the older marks, and she looked at me, a frown forming. "Who are you, Peter Parker?"

I met her gaze, trying to play it cool. "You just said it, didn't you?"

Felicia shook her head, exasperated but didn't push further. She wrapped my chest in bandages as gently as she could, but it still hurt like hell. Her eyes moved lower, toward the dark stain on my jeans near my knee. "Is that also injured?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

I nodded, biting back a groan as the pain flared again.

"Take off your pants," she said, her tone casual.

My cheeks flushed. "W-What?"

Felicia rolled her eyes. "Don't be a child about this. Just hurry up."

I reluctantly unzipped my jeans, sliding them off to reveal the deep bite mark on my calf. Felicia's eyes widened, and she shook her head in disbelief. "You seriously expect me to believe you just 'fell'? Looks like you got mauled by a bear."

I groaned. "Please... just stop asking."

Felicia huffed but didn't press the issue. She treated my leg the same way she had my chest, her touch surprisingly gentle despite the sting of the ointment. "This should stop the bleeding and prevent infection," she said, her voice softer now. "But you should really go to a hospital."

I stood up slowly, testing the bandages. "Thanks, but I'll be fine. Just... please don't mention this to anyone, especially Harry."

Felicia narrowed her eyes, her arms crossed. "You can't go home like this. You can barely stand, let alone walk home."

"I can't impose on you anymore. I'll just—"

"Jesus, Peter, sit down," she said, cutting me off. "You're staying here tonight. I'll get you some blankets, and you can crash on the couch. I've got some clothes that'll fit you, but they're my dad's."

"It's fin—"

"Peter," she said, giving me a look that told me arguing wasn't an option. "Just... let me help you."

I slumped back onto the couch, exhausted and grateful despite myself. "Thanks," I muttered.

Felicia gave a small nod and headed off to find the blankets, leaving me alone with my thoughts—and the lingering pain of secrets I couldn't afford to share. She comes back handing me a a blanket that felt as cheap as it looked, "thanks," I say.

Then she grabs a remote from off the floor and starts playing something on the television. I sit still, thinking back to the sight of all the dead police officers, wondering if maybe I had left Harry's house just a bit sooner...could I have saved them? It's my responsibility to take care of him now, and make it so he can't hurt anyone ever again. Hopefully that includes myself.

The room was dark except for the flicker of the TV, casting long shadows across Felicia's small, cluttered apartment. She sat on the couch, her hand propping up her face, her eyes half-focused on the screen. Despite her casual posture, I could feel the tension between us, heavy and awkward.

"You wouldn't happen to have a phone charger?" I asked, breaking the silence, my voice hoarse from exhaustion.

"Nope," she said, barely glancing my way.

I let out a frustrated sigh. Without my phone, Aunt May was going to lose her mind. She was already protective—this would only make things worse.

"So, where's your dad?" I asked, grasping for anything to fill the silence. "Work?"

Felicia's gaze didn't shift. "Yeah."

"What does he do?" I added, trying to keep the conversation alive, despite the obvious friction.

"I don't know," she said, her voice sharp now, like I was getting too close to something she didn't want to talk about.

I swallowed hard and decided to take the hint. Shutting up wasn't something I was great at, but now felt like the right time. The room fell back into its uncomfortable quiet. Felicia stayed on the couch, her eyes glued to whatever was on TV, and I just sat there, my body aching, my mind racing. I could almost hear Aunt May's worried voice in my head, demanding to know where I was, why I wasn't answering my phone.

After a while, Felicia's breathing slowed, her head tilting slightly to the side—she'd finally fallen asleep. I shifted in my seat, my body screaming in protest, and reached for the remote. The news flicked on, and instantly my heart dropped into my stomach.

A live report. Oscorp. The Lizard.

The reporter's voice was tense, describing how the police were surrounding the building, prepping for a raid. I didn't need her to spell it out for me—Mr. Osborn, had been working late tonight. If the Lizard was there, it wasn't just a random attack. There was something more going on.

My chest tightened, It was like a twisted déjà vu, but this time it wasn't some random attack—it was more personal. Harry's dad worked there, and if I didn't go... who knows what could happen.

I look at Felicia's sleeping form, her head resting on the back of the couch, her breathing steady. The room was dim, illuminated only by the flickering light from the old TV. She looked peaceful, completely unaware of the chaos that had just erupted. I bit my lip, torn between staying put, recovering, and doing the smart thing—or running headfirst into what could be the most reckless decision of my life.

I let out a quiet sigh, knowing there was only one option. There was always only one option.

Still, I couldn't just disappear without a word. That wouldn't be right, especially after everything she'd done for me. I scribbled a quick note on a scrap of paper:

***Thanks for everything. Decided to head to the hospital. Take care of yourself.***

I placed the note on the arm of the couch where she'd be sure to find it, and bent down to give the black cat one last scratch behind the ears. It purred softly, completely oblivious to the fact that I was heading out to face a potential death sentence.

As I crept out of the apartment, I opened my bag and stared at the torn-up suit inside. The sight of it brought back flashes of the earlier fight—fangs, claws, and sewer water. It was in rough shape, just like me, but it was all I had. I pulled it on slowly, gritting my teeth with every movement. The fabric clung to my wounds, and I winced as it pressed against the bandages Felicia had wrapped around me. I felt every bruise, every cut, but there was no time to rest. I had a responsibility.

The cool night air hit my face as I stepped out onto the empty street. New York seemed eerily quiet, as if the city itself was holding its breath, waiting for something terrible to happen. The Lizard was loose, and if I didn't stop him... well, I couldn't let myself think about that.

I looked down at my hands, still trembling slightly from the pain, and clenched them into fists. No matter what, I had to fight. I had to be Spider-Man. Even if this was my last night.

With one final glance back at Felicia's apartment, I shot a web to the nearest building and swung into the night, hoping I had enough left in me to make a difference.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Osborn's voice trembles, but he raises his arms, stepping in front of the trembling employees huddled behind him. His usual bravado is nowhere to be found, just raw panic now.

"What do you want? Money? I can give you anything!" he screams, his eyes locked on the monstrous figure looming over him. "Just leave these people alone!"

The Lizard's breath is a wet rasp, its sharp, predatory gaze cutting through Osborn like he is nothing. Saliva drips from its jagged teeth as it leans in close, so close Osborn can feel the heat radiating from the creature's body.

"For...mula..." the creature hisses, the words dragging from its throat like it is choking on them. "For...mula..."

Osborn's face blanches, his voice faltering. "F-F-Formula? Yes, okay... whatever formula you want, take it! Just—just don't hurt them, please!"

The Lizard's clawed hand lashes out, clamping around Osborn's throat with brutal force. He yelps, feet kicking helplessly as he is lifted off the ground, his vision swimming.

"You...did...thisss..." the Lizard snarls, its grip tightening, its jaws hanging open in a grotesque grin. Behind Osborn, a woman shrieks, her voice breaking as she sees her boss dangling in the monster's claws.

"M-Me?!" Osborn gasps, his face turning red as he claws at the scaly hand around his neck. "I—I had nothing to do with this! Unhand me! Get off me!"

But the Lizard doesn't care. It rears its other arm back, claws glinting in the dim light, prepared to tear into Osborn's chest like tissue paper.

"You...die..."

Then comes the crash of shattering glass.

Before the Lizard can react, something hits it with the force of a wrecking ball—a foot slamming into the side of its head. The beast is hurled across the room, crashing through desks and cubicles like a cannonball, finally slamming into the far wall with a bone-rattling thud.

Spider-Man lands hard on the floor, stumbling as the impact sends a wave of pain through his body. His ribs scream in protest, bruises throbbing under his torn suit. Every breath feels like fire in his chest, and his limbs feel heavier than ever. But he forces himself upright, shaking the dizziness from his head.

"You forgot to sign in!" Peter quips, his voice strained.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Lizard crashes into the ground with a thunderous impact, smashing desks and sending debris flying as his back collides with the wall, cracking it on impact. I watch him groan, dazed for a moment.

"You forgot to sign in?" I mutter under my breath. "I really gotta work on these one-liners."

A computer flies straight at my head, and I barely have time to flip out of the way, latching onto the ceiling above. The Lizard lets out an enraged roar below, tearing through what is left of the room.

"You know," I call down, webbing my hands to the ceiling for stability, "I really hope you can afford all the stuff you're smashing."

The Lizard isn't having it. "Sssstay...away!" he snarls, launching a desk toward me. I dodge again, my body groaning under the effort. With a quick flick of my wrist, I web his feet, pulling with all the strength I can muster, and slam him into the opposite wall, shattering it. Dust and debris fall around us.

"Well, to be fair," I pant, struggling to catch my breath, "I don't think I could afford to pay for any of this either."

Turning to Osborn and the terrified staff huddled behind him, I manage a nod. "Now's your chance to run! Get out of here before the big guy decides to make a comeback!"

Osborn, his face as pale as a ghost, nods quickly. "Thank you... young man." He ushers his staff out of the room, their footsteps fading into the hallway.

I wince, feeling the bandages around my midsection pull tight as I clutch my side. Every movement feels like my ribs are on fire. I am barely holding myself together, and I know a prolonged fight isn't an option.

But then I see the Lizard pushing himself up from the rubble, claws digging into the cracked wall as he steadies himself. His yellow eyes glare into mine, full of anger and pain. The police are on their way, probably just waiting for the employees to get out before raiding the place. I can't be here when they show up—and neither can he.

"Look, Doc, I know you're still in there," I say, trying to keep my voice steady despite the pain. "Whatever this is, I can help. You know me. Don't make me hurt you."

For a second, Connors hesitates. His clawed hands go to his head, gripping it as if he is fighting something inside. His whole body trembles.

"That's right, fight it! Don't let this thing take over!" I take a step closer, my hands raised in a gesture of peace. "We can fix this."

"For...mula..." Connors rasps. His voice is broken, weak, but I hear it. "Osborn... did...this...to me..."

"Osborn? What do you mean? What formula?!" I take another step forward, but it is too late. The Lizard snaps back, the human side vanishing as he roars and charges at me, his rage unleashed.

I try to leap back, but his tail whips out, slamming into my legs and knocking me off my feet. The next thing I know, I am hurled into the ground with bone-rattling force. Pain explodes through my body, my back and arms searing as glass from a shattered light above pierces my skin. I barely have time to gasp before he swings me upward, slamming me into the ceiling, then throws me like a ragdoll into a nearby wall.

I collapse to the floor, struggling to breathe. My vision blurs, and I feel the warmth of blood soaking through my suit, seeping from the wounds the bandages can't hold back anymore. Tears sting at my eyes, the pain almost unbearable.

"D-Doctor Connors..." I whisper, struggling to stand, my whole body shaking.

I feel the tingling in the back of my skull—my Spider-Sense going off just in time. I look up to see the Lizard charging again, his claws extended. With what little strength I have left, I shoot a web to the ceiling, yanking myself out of the way just as he smashes through the wall where I had been seconds ago.

There isn't much time left. My body is giving out, and I have no idea how to stop Connors. I should run, should let the authorities handle the rest.

But I can't. That isn't who I am.

I smile weakly through the pain. I have a responsibility. I can't give up.

The Lizard turns, preparing to charge once more. I can't hold back this time.

I web the wall behind him, gripping the web tight and using all the strength I have left to launch myself forward, both legs outstretched. I slam into his chest with a powerful kick, sending him flying backward. My calf feels like it is being torn apart, but I can't stop. Not now.

"Sorry, Doc," I mutter through gritted teeth, firing another web at his chest, pulling him back toward me with all my might. As he flies toward me, I wind up and deliver a devastating punch to his jaw, sending him crashing into the ground with a thunderous boom.

The floor gives way beneath us, and we both plummet to the story below, debris raining down around us.

I gasp for air, my body barely able to move, but somehow, I manage to lift myself up, looking over at the motionless figure of the Lizard. His teeth are shattered, his chest heaving with shallow breaths.

"Sorry again, Doc," I mutter, feeling the blood trickle down my arms. "Might wanna see a dentist after this."

Then, something strange happens. The hulking beast begins to shrink. His scaly skin softens, his jagged teeth shrink, and before long, Dr. Curt Connors lies there in the wreckage, his human form restored.

"You're back," I whisper, my voice thick with relief.

But the sound of heavy footsteps fills the air—the SWAT team is finally here.

"About time..." I groan, looking down at Connors' unconscious body. I can't leave him like this, but in my current state, there is nothing I can do.

"I'll fix this, Doc," I promise, staggering toward the shattered window. "I'll find a way to make it right."

The cool night air hits my face as I smash the glass, breathing in the fresh air. Clutching my side, I take one last look at the dark city below.

Then, with a deep breath, I jump into the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I swing to the top of the home beside mine, knowing that there was no way I could explain any of this to Aunt May, and that there was no way I would ever be ungrounded for this. I crawl to my window opening it slowly, praying that this wasn't the scene in the movies where the character turns on the light revealing they were in the room the entire time. I take off my mask, groaning as my bandages were completely covered with blood, my arms had dried blood all over it.

Aunt May is going to freak out.

I place my phone on the charger, waiting a few moments expecting to see all the hundreds of missed calls and texts from Aunt May. But when it finally turned on, there was, only a couple of messages. Two from Harry, then one from Aunt May.

*Hey, Peter! I'll be out of town for the next couple of weeks! So make sure you make yourself dinner tonight! Don't order pizza! That can wait until I come home!! ;)*

I lay back in my bed, a sigh of relief escaping from my mouth. "I got extremely lucky tonight. But, there are a lot of others who didn't." I say to myself, thinking back to all of the dead police officers, then to Doctor Conners himself. I couldn't help him in the end, but, that doesn't mean I've given up yet.

I hope Felicia isn't too upset about me leaving tonight, and that she doesn't say anything to Harry. If he were to find out I was Spider-Man, if anyone did, then they would be in danger. I can't let that happen. I turn over in my bed, groaning in pain.

I think...I might just skip school tomorrow.