Back in real time, Paper Doll rips a copy of the DB that features a headline about Bobby Carr having found "the One", which obviously alludes to his mystery girl, Mary Jane Watson. Furious, Paper Doll jumps down from her tree and makes her way toward Carr's stately mansion. Inside, MJ is telling Bobby that she doesn't like to be trapped indoors; she prefers living in the spotlight. She suggests they go out. Carr is strongly opposed to that, fearing that his private life will be invaded by the press. He then persuades MJ to stay with him, using romantic lines from one of his movies in the process. MJ doesn’t fall for it but she isn't angry with him or anything like that. They kiss.
Unbeknownst to either Bobby Carr or Mary Jane, Peter Parker, as Spider-Man is perched on a tree outside the window, trying to adjust his camera lens to focus on the subject at hand. Unfortunately, by the time his camera focuses on Bobby Carr and his mystery girl – Peter doesn't know it's MJ – the two of them have moved and Peter now only sees the back of her head. He continues waiting in the tree for the perfect shot.
Flashing back to earlier that day, Peter arrives at the Daily Bugle and walks in on Dexter Bennett and Joe "Robbie" Robertson arguing over the Bobby Carr / paparazzi nonsense. Robbie is of the opinion that they should stop because every time the DB shows Carr mixing it up with someone, they get targeted by Paper Doll. By printing a picture of Carr's mystery girl – when it becomes available – they might as well be taking out a hit on her. Bennett disagrees and says that sales of the DB are about to hit an all-time high. Fed up with Bennett, Robbie advises him that he's quitting, as there is no way he can continue to work for him under the present circumstances. With that said, he takes his leave. Bennett turns to Peter and asks if he's staying or going with Robbie. Peter, reluctance and hesitation in his voice, agrees to stay. Having settled that, Bennett tells Peter that he has a lead on Carr and his mystery girl's whereabouts and wishes Peter to head over there and try to get a picture of her – a picture worth two million dollars.
Back in the tree outside Bobby Carr's mansion, Spidey is waiting for the perfect opportunity to take a shot of Carr's mystery girlfriend, when he hears a weird noise coming from nearby. Recognizing the noise as being that of Paper Doll when she is compressing her victims, Spidey webs his automatic camera into the tree and takes off after her. Unbeknownst to Spidey, his camera takes a shot of Carr's mystery girl – Mary Jane.
When Spidey reaches the area where the squashing sound came from, he finds two of Carr's bodyguards, completely deflated. Two more guards just happen to show up as he makes the gruesome discovery and assume that Spidey was responsible for their deaths. As Spidey tries to explain what happened, the story switches to inside the mansion where Carr and MJ are discussing having some of MJ's friends over. Carr would like to meet them but MJ appears hesitant and reveals that she hasn't been telling anyone that she's been coming to New York. Carr thinks she's been keeping her visits a secret from her family and friends to help him keep their relationship secret, but it is evident – based on MJ’s expression – that there is another reason why MJ hasn't been telling anybody about visiting. Suddenly, the bed sheets upon which they're laying start moving and Paper Doll begins rising from them.
Outside the mansion, Spidey – and the two bodyguards – hear screaming coming from Carr's room. After quickly webbing the stubborn bodyguards to a tree, Spidey swings toward the house and bursts through the front door. Inside Carr's room, Paper Doll reveals her name to Bobby and creepily tells him that they are meant to be together. Acting quickly, MJ grabs a lamp from the bedside table and smashes it on Paper Doll's head. Upon seeing MJ, Paper Doll freaks out and mentions that MJ is not supposed to be there. Paper Doll knocks the lamp out of MJ's hands and prepares to attack her. MJ starts to run away, while Bobby yells at her to head to the back of the closet and strangely mentions that it is her birthday. As MJ runs into the walk-in closet and pushes a bunch of clothes aside, she realizes why Bobby mentioned something about her birthday. Turns out that there is a panic room at the back of the closet and the password to get inside is the date of her birth. She punches the numbers and enters the room, Paper Doll right behind her. The door starts to shut but not fast enough, as Paper Doll is just about to squeeze inside the panic room as well. Fortunately, Carr has gotten hold of Paper Doll and stops her from getting inside. Paper Doll turns around and instinctively smacks Carr across the face. Inside the panic room, MJ witnesses this scene on one of the surveillance monitors. She screams into the microphone that she’ll open the door really fast so he can get in with her but Carr tells her to stay put. Paper Doll cannot believe she's just hit Carr and bends down to apologize to him. Just then, she is hit by a barrage of web-balls, courtesy of Spider-Man, who reveals he would have been there sooner, had the house been smaller. Furious with Spidey, Paper Doll attacks. Spidey dodges her assault and begins a game of cat and mouse with her, with some help from MJ – mystery lady to Spidey, as he doesn’t know who she is, since he never saw her before she ran into the panic room. As the cat and mouse game continues throughout the mansion, MJ utters a remark that seems to indicate that she and Spidey know each other. When asked if they know each other, MJ cryptically replies that they've met in another life. The battle rages on between Spidey and Paper Doll, causing extensive damage around them. When a picture of Carr's grandfather is accidentally broken in the fight, Carr becomes infuriated that his privacy is again being invaded. Spidey turns to him and suggests he high-tails out of there right away. This tiny distraction provides Paper Doll with an opportunity to wrap herself around Spidey's arm and using her powers to deflate his arm. In unbearable pain, Spidey falls to the ground, barely able to move any muscles. Seemingly out of options, Spidey suddenly remembers something forensic specialist Carlie Cooper told him when she was performing an autopsy on one of Paper Doll's victims; something about the victim's lung capacity having been so greatly diminished that it was pretty much impossible for her to survive because of the lack of oxygen. Realizing what must be done, Spidey closes his (good) hand over Paper Doll's mouth and nose, obstructing her airways. Unable to breath, Paper Doll starts freaking out. As Spidey kicks her off him, he asks Carr – who stayed around to help – if the mansion has a pool. Carr replies that he does and points Spidey in the right direction. Spidey proceeds to tackle Paper Doll through a wall and straight into the pool. Spidey holds on to Paper Doll, keeping her underwater long enough that she is forced to return to her 3-D self, as she's unable to breathe in 2-D. Paper Doll surfaces and sees Bobby Carr waiting at the poolside. She swims his way and asks if he came back for her (referencing one of his movies). He replies that he had to come back, as he knew she'd be there. She tells Bobby that he completes her and approaches the edge of the pool. Before she knows it, however, Bobby knocks her out with a punch to the jaw.
A few minutes later, Spidey has the unconscious Paper Doll all webbed up, ready to be picked up by the police. Spidey asks Bobby Carr why he didn't duck into the panic room with his mystery girl when he had the chance. Carr replies that it wasn't his house Paper Doll was invading; it was his life. Bobby Carr is a mask he wears and this particular mansion is one of the only places where he gets to be the real him – the thought of losing that or what it would feel like to have that part of himself exposed to the rest of the world was what pushed him to help Spidey. Spidey tells Bobby that he understands and apologizes to him – even if it doesn't mean anything to him. Just then, mystery girl MJ tells Spidey, from the panic room, that the police are pulling up to the gates – he should therefore probably go. Spidey thanks her for her help and, as he swings away, tells her that they made a pretty good team. She replies that maybe they did (make a pretty good team, that is) in another life.
Later, at the Daily Bugle, Peter lays it straight to Dexter Bennett. He's got shots of Spider-Man taking down the Paper Doll killer on his memory card and he's pretty sure he's got shots of Carr's mystery girl on there as well. He is, however, only prepare to hand over the pictures of the Spidey-Paper Doll battle. He will not give up the photos of Carr’s mystery girl, as they are part of Carr's private life and he feels that he should respect that. Bennett freaks out and tells Peter that he doesn't give a damn about Spider-Man; he wants those pictures of Carr's secret girlfriend. Peter refuses and breaks his memory stick in half right in front of him. Furious, Bennett points toward the door and fires Peter. When Peter comments that Bennett finally got his name right, Bennett replies that he never gets someone's name wrong once they're on his list. Having said that, Bennett says Peter’s full name, as well as his parent's full names and other information about him that are not readily available.
It's moving day for Peter Parker, as he moves in with Officer Vin Gonzales, with the help of some of friends, including Betty Brant, Carlie Cooper, Lily Hollister and Robbie Robertson, and Aunt May. Peter apologizes to Robbie for not locking arms with him when he quit the Daily Bugle earlier; Robbie accepts his apology. Nearby, Carlie Cooper thanks Vin for letter Peter move in with him. Vin, who has – unbeknownst to Carlie – a huge crush on her, is about to say that he'd do anything for her when Peter shows up and kisses her on the cheek, thanking her for something she said to him, which helped him out when he was in a jam earlier. It is evident from the look on Vin's face that he's extremely jealous. Just then, who but Harry Osborn appears at the apartment. Peter apologizes to Harry for the whole paparazzo deal to which Harry replies that he’s made his share of mistakes and Peter has always forgiven him, so he knows what it's all about. He then tells Peter that if he still wants to pay off his debt, then he promises not to be a jerk about it. Having told Harry he would pay him back, Peter empties his wallet and hands over all his cash. As Harry joins the others, Peter looks around the apartment and realizes that, though he just handed over his last dollars to Harry, he is rich with friends, his life is pretty good, and he's got everything he needs right there.
MJ is at the airport, waiting for her plane, hesitating about calling Peter Parker, when she is accosted by Sarah Ehret, last seen in Amazing Spider-Man #551. Sarah asks MJ for an autograph and MJ obliges. Sara tells MJ she used to watch her all the time when she was on "Secret Hospital". She asks MJ if she would write that famous line she said on her first episode: "Face it Tiger, you've just hit the jackpot". MJ mentions that the line wasn’t in the original script and that it was something she threw in there during taping. Sara asks MJ if she'll ever be back in New York again. MJ replies that she doesn't know and takes her leave.
The end...for now.
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