This... This isn't happening...Spider-Man stood, bloody, bruised, but... Victorious... If you could call what he saw a victory. Green Goblin's purple tunic quickly turning red as the blood poured from the blades piercing his body, he let out a laugh as he looked into Spider-Man's eyes. He then collapsed, falling backwards and landing with a loud thud on the metal on the stone atop one of the pillons of the Brooklyn Bridge. His Spider-Senses weren't flaring, this wasn't a trick, this wasn't a joke, this was... Real... He slowly stumbled over to Goblin's body.
"N... Norman..." He called. "Norman, speak to me..." He pulled his mask from his face, no quips, no energenic calls, no words of annoyance, Peter was as serious as anyone had ever heard him. "Norm... Don't..." He quickly rushed over and felt the pulse. He was Super-Powered, this might not kill him. "Norm, stay with me." He pulled the Goblins mask from his face and saw the Osborn family red and black striped hair... No... That hair wasn't red... And the face. "HARRY!!!!" Peter screamed. "HARRY WHY- WHAT- I DON'T- WHAT?!" Harry reached to a button on his wrist and pushed it, the gliders blades retreating and the glider fell atop him, the fins preventing it from crushing him at all, but now the blood flowed unimpeded "NO, HARRY, STOP, YOU'RE GONNA DIE!!!" He quickly pressed his hands across Harry's chest, but with 4 blades and only 2 hands, there was nothing he could do. "WHY!?!?!?!" He cried as tears streamed down his face. "HOW COULD YOU!?!?!"
"How could i not?" Harry smiled as he coughed up a tremendous amount of blood. "The goblin... I could feel it... It was taking over..."
"HOW COULD YOU? THINK OF NORMIE! THINK OF LIZ! THINK OF-" Harry grabbed Peter's collar with one hand and tried to push Peter's hands away, but he was so weak that he was completely unable to do so.
"Liz is gone... Cancer... Normie... Deserves better..."
"BUT WHY THIS? WHY THE GOBLIN, WHY THE-"
"I couldn't save her, Pete... I couldn't save anyone... Anyone but..."
"Norman..." Peter came to the sudden realization. "This... ALL OF THIS... Was to save Norman?" He asked.
"Dad... Dad isn't evil... The Goblin is... But dad isn't... With this... The goblin dies... And i can be with Liz again..." At this point, he coughed hard as Peter punched his chest.
"SELFISH BASTARD!!! WHAT ABOUT NORMIE! HE'S ALL ALONE NOW! HE'S..." It was happening again. This was the third person he loved that was dying in his arms... And the second that was taken directly because of Norman Osborn. "You're leaving me and MJ..." He then laughed "Who's gonna be our Queen of Spain now?"
"Pete... I've only got minutes... Listen carefully..." He coughed as Peter crawled closer.
****
2 Days Later, Oscorp HQ, New York****
The door opened to Normans office as Peter slowly walked in. The door closed behind him. Peter took out a small keyfob and pressed a button on it. "Don't worry, Gobby... This is a little mic scrambler. Means that nothing we say can leave this room." Norman didn't say anything, he simply stared daggers at Peter. "Norman, i know we have been at each others throats for 20 years now... But the one thing we both shared was that we loved Harry. You as a son and me as a Brother... And neither of us wanted it to end like this..." Norman continued to say nothing. Peters Spider-Senses were slowly ticking over. Norman was a snake that could strike at any second, but he wanted to believe he wouldn't. "Norman... Say something..."
"You killed my boy you wall crawling son of a bitch..." Norman spat.
"And you killed my first love you pumpkin slinging piece of trash-" Pete managed to squeeze between Normans words.
"And i will make you rue the day you did it."
"Harry killed himself... For you. That Goblin in his head was starting to take over. He didn't trust himself around Normie anymore. He couldn't save Liz, but he saw a way to save you. The cops have always been looking around you. You being the Goblin was the worst kept secret in the world. But Harry has given you an out. He has taken the full rap of everything the Goblin has ever done. He gave his life to save your soul."
"I don't want my soul, i want my SON!" He roared.
"AND I WANT HIM TOO!!!" Peter bit back. "But... We find ourselves in this situation... One where our wants and needs are not what we can get. Harry has made a sacrifice and I will NOT let it be in vain. The Goblin is dead... Let your sons last act on this planet be of your redemption. My uncle once said to me that with great power comes great responsibility. You have been given the greatest of powers. The power of a second chance and you have the responsibility to see that you use it to its fullest extent." The room sat quiet for a few minutes. Norman sniffed loudly, before getting up and looking out of his large window.
"Then the Goblin is dead... I will have to rededicate my life to... Raising my grandson." Peter slowly got up.
"That's not going to happen either..." Norman slowly turned to Peter and Peter could swear his Spider-Senses were trying to leap out through his skull and run away from just the sheer entropic power of Normans Glare. Peter reached into his suits breast pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. "A copy of Harry's Last Will and Testiment. Signed and recognized by his lawyer the day before... It gives me custody of Normie."
"What could you possibly offer Normie? I have a 100 BILLION dollar company! I have summer homes in the Algarve, i can pay for his medical bills, his education and still not even remotely make a DENT in my ability to support him. You can barely make ends meet with your daughter. How can you even HOPE to support Normie, no i'm going to fight this, i'm going to hire the BEST lawyers in the land and when i'm done with you, you'll be lucky to have your web spinners-" Peter put his hand up to motion silence.
"Harry also left some things for us to take care of Normie with. Most notably... A controlling stake in Oscorp..." He put a piece of paper on the desk and slid it over. "Now, Oscorp is a publicly traded company and i can sell these shares to whoever i want, but i know you love Oscorp and i know Harry would never want me to jeopardize your company. As such, i'm offering the shares to you first. At current market value, his shares are equal to 34.82 Billion Dollars. That amount of clout guarantees you will control Oscorp for the rest of your natural life." Norman sneered with every word from Peter's lips
"And you'll... What, frittle it away on some-" Peter interrupted him.
"I plan to invest in a company of my own. And when Normie turns 18, he will be given an amount in that company equivalent to that. In shares or Money, whichever he requests. I will stay out of Oscorps way, no weapons or military contracts. No Pharmaceuticals in the same fields that Oscorp is working in. I would like very much to draw a line under our relationship and move forwards from here. In Harry's memory and for Normie's sake." Norman continued to stare daggers at him. But slowly reached over to his intercomm. "Felicia, I need the legal team to draft some papers on a stock purchase." He ordered.
****
8 Days Later, The Raft, New York****
"It is good to see you, my dear boy." Otto said, greeting his old student in his strong German accent. "Allow me to once again give my condolences on Harry's passing, you and him were always so close."
"Thanks Otto." Peter replied, before patting him on the shoulder. Otto's 4 tentacles were completely inactive and dragging along the floor behind him as he walked over to the visitation desk. "Look, Otto, i have... Well, i have some clout now. A few friends in S.H.I.E.L.D. and some moolah to throw around in the pursuit of a dream i have."
"Money and a dream? Now that is a VERY dangerous combination for a young genius such as yourself." Otto laughed. "Tell me all about it."
"I can get you out of here and into the ground level of a project i am working on. With the right words here and there i can get your sentence commuted to Community Service in the most high-tech lab you have ever seen." Peter smiled.
"Say no more. The Doctor is in!" Otto laughed as he shook hands with Peter.
"
Cue the montage" Peter smiled.
****
1 hour later, The Raft, New York****
"And give me one good reason i should take you up on this, Parker? Maybe if you give me your buddy Spider-Man, i'll consider it." Toomes replied to Peter's offer.
"What is even your problem with him? It's not like you were innocent in the matter." Peter replied.
"Even so, i hold grudges." Toomes smiled.
"Well, is a grudge worth more to you than a leadership position with a brand new Aeronautics division at a multi-billion dollar conglomerate?" Pete snikered.
"Keep talkin'..." Toomes replied.
****
6 hours later, Hells Kitchen, New York.****
"Neogenics is VERY dangerous." Morbius shook his head. "Look what it did to me."
Peter looked Michael up and down. "It saved your life, if nothing else. And i believe it can be used to save other lives too. We might be able to even change you back."
"A way out of the blood dependence... And a guarantee that my research will go EXACTLY where it needs to?" He asked.
"I mean, i'm not running a charity, but so long as we are saving lives and keeping our bottom line good, complete and total autonomy. So, is it Morbin' time?"
"I ALWAYS hated when you said that." Michael scowled, before grabbing Peter's hand and shaking it.
****
3 days later, Favela, Brazil****
Peter slowly walked through a rudimentary hospital in the shanty town as people waited in line. "I have an appointment with Dr Smythe" He said to the receptionist, who showed him through to the office where the 6'7 spike-covered man stood inspecting a small child.
"-looking good, the swelling has gone down, just keep him on the antibiotics and i'll see him in a week." Alistair looked up and saw Peter walk in. "Excuse me, but you are?" Of course, Peter and Smythe had not really talked, he was more familiar with Spider-Man.
"Peter Parker, i'm friends with Spider-Man, i used to take pictures of him." Smythe seemed to pretend to recognize him, but Peter could tell otherwise.
"Ah yes, for the Bugle, well, what brings you to my part of the world?" He asked. Peter smiled, before handing him a business card.
"I represent Parker Industries and i need a Neogenics expert." Smythe looked at it.
"No thanks, i am wanted by FAR too many agencies in the US." He handed Peter back the card. Peter presented the card again.
"I have some clout and so long as you are willing to work on the level and maybe play give some super-powered help to the Feds and we can definitely get you back into the country as a free man. I can even provide money to hire on some more doctors for this little clinic of yours?" Peter threw in. Smythe looked at the rusted walls of the shanty hospital, before reaching a hand over to Peter. Peter shook it.
****
1 day later, Brooklyn, New York****
"So what you're saying is that if i give myself up to the cops, then you'll pay for me a load of money?" Electro asked. Peter sighed with a palm on his face.
"I will give you the opportunity to redeem yourself in the eyes of the public. To make Electro not just some two-bit criminal with a penchant for stealing, but a respected member of the New York elite." He watched Electro think for a second.
"Yeah, that's nice and all, but there is money in it?" Electro reiterated. Peter handed him a piece of paper. Electro's eyes widened as his pupils started to glow with electricity "Is... Is that after Tax?" Peter laughed. This is why he knew that Max was definitely not beyond redemption. A simple man motivated by simple means such as large piles of cash.
"Sure, buddy. But you gotta stay on the level." Peter slapped him on the back.
"Oh definitely, you've got absolutely NOTHING to worry about." Peter felt a twinge from his Spider-Senses. Mex was lying... Maybe it was a mistake, but was it better to leave him as a definite threat, or maybe he could sway him over to the good side.
****
1 year later, Brooklyn, New York****
"When i was young, my uncle Ben used to tell me that with great power comes great responsibility. Well, i say that with great power comes a greater speed, storage and battery life." Peter smiled to the press circus in front of him. "Parker Industries is proud to announce the new Spyder Phone. Unbeatable performance, a crisp and clear display and all at a price that leaves some of our..." He laughed a little "Competitors... in the dust." He then picked up a small wrist-mounted device and attached it. "It also comes with something very near and dear to my heart. You see, my Aunt May suffered from a Heart Attack which killed her. If emergency services were able to get to her, she could have been saved. As such, this vitals monitor will come as standard with every device. You can set it to monitor vitals and it will automatically call emergency services in case it picks up irregularities. So far, it recognizes Heart Attacks, Strokes and Aerythmia's with regular updates that will add more monitors. And of course, if you're the picture of perfect health and don't want it? Simply bring it to your local Spyder provider to trade in for store credit. Parker Industries has come onto the scene for one reason and one reason alone. To provide quality products and life-changing technologies at a competative price. With this being the first in our Spyder products, we hope to provide you with more as we go forward."