Mercuria: Hihi! Wow, you readers are pretty darn special. I'm actually updating within a week ... month ... year.
Actually, this chapter is being posted about five minutes after its predecessor. Do you realize that this is a highly unusual thing for me? Sure ya do.
By the way, thank you Snorks for the great advice regarding Norman/GG conversations and the division of chapters and ... lots of things, actually. I owe you majorly!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Spider-Man. Duh.
FURTHER NOTES: I acknowledge that I probably missed the line "No one says no to me!" Therefore, I am putting it in elsewhere, where (hopefully) it'll sound good.
Naturally, I'm skipping over scenes that bore me or I don't want to go to the trouble of writing. Ooh, am I a bitch or what?
*****
Harry entered the house, and was immediately met by an onslaught of hideous laughter.
"Dad?" he said, a little bit tremulously.
The laughter continued.
"Is that you?" Harry asked, starting up the stairs.
Silence.
Almost instantly after the laughter ceased, Norman appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Harry?" he said. "What's the matter?"
Harry sighed.
"It's Mary Jane," he said, continuing to climb the stairs. "You never seemed to think much of her ... and you were right. You were right about everything. She doesn't love me ... she loves Peter."
"Peter?"
If Harry noticed his father's tone of alarm, he didn't think it was anything to worry about.
"Yeah, Peter," he continued in an almost wistful voice. "And he loves her back. He tries to hide it, but there's really no one he cares for more."
'No one he cares for more ...' Norman thought. 'Spider-Man ...'
He walked down the stairs, wrapping Harry in a hug.
"I'm sorry son," he said, stepping away. "I know I haven't really been there for you ... but from now on, things are going to be different. Somehow, I'm going to make it up to you."
He continued, almost as if talking to himself.
"I am going to rectify certain iniquities ..."
Harry smiled weakly.
'Mary Jane Watson is going to pay,' Norman thought.
*******
In the safety of his room, Norman began to feel the presence of what he had come to know as his other side. The Green Goblin.
"So now I've got competition," he snarled.
"She's just a girl," Norman protested.
"She's a girl who's in the way of what I want," he snapped.
"What DO you want?" Norman asked, although he already knew the answer.
"Spider-Man," the Green Goblin answered with quiet fervor. His tone changed, becoming mocking. "And you want him too, you know it."
Norman did not reply. The Green Goblin laughed.
"I know you so well, Osborn," he said. "Now, here's what's going to happen to that little brat Mary Jane ..."
******
Peter looked around.
Everything was black. No matter which way he turned, all he could see was an oppressive wall of darkness. Then out of the void stepped a figure.
A figure dressed in green.
"Wha-" Peter began.
The Green Goblin grinned.
"Little spider ..." he said. "So glad you could come."
"Where am I?" Peter asked in alarm.
"Why should we confine ourselves to the pesky limitations of time and space?" the Green Goblin replied.
He stepped closer to Peter, who found himself unable to move.
"Together," the Green Goblin said, his hand trailing down Peter's torso. "We can do anything. You'd realize that if you would just wake up. Wake up, little spider ..."
"Peter, wake up!"
Peter jumped up with a start to find himself sitting beside Aunt May in the hospital.
'Just a dream,' he thought, sighing in relief.
He'd had several dreams like that one since the night on the rooftop. Dreams that frightened him ... and after Aunt May had been attacked by the Green Goblin, they'd become more frequent.
"Go home!" his Aunt May was saying kindly. "Get some rest."
No. He couldn't do that. The Green Goblin came for him in his sleep.
"No, Aunt May," said Peter quickly. "I'm fine."
Aunt May shook her head.
"You go back home," she said. "Harry and Mary Jane are going to start worrying about you. They both care about you very much."
'Yes, they do,' Peter thought. 'And I really care about them ... Harry's like my brother. And Mary Jane ...'
A thought hit him; he froze.
'If he knows who I am,' thought Peter. 'He knows about Harry and MJ, and-'
"Peter?" Aunt May said concernedly. "Are you all right?"
Peter stood up and grabbed his jacket.
"You know what, Aunt May? You're right; I'll go home now," said Peter. "Good night."
"Good night, Peter," Aunt May replied. But Peter was already gone.
******
The Green Goblin relaxed on a couch in Mary Jane's apartment. The little tramp hadn't been any trouble at all. Now all he had to do was wait for Spider-Man.
"Hello, this is Mary Jane-"
'Here's the spider now,' the Green Goblin thought. 'Perfect.'
"-I'm not at home right now, so sing your song at the beep!"
The tone sounded.
"MJ," came Spider-Man's voice. It was strained with worry, but still sounded beautiful to the Green Goblin's ears. "Hi, it's me, Peter. I'm just checking to make sure that you're all right."
'A bit too late for that,' the Green Goblin thought in amusement.
"Call me as soon as you get back, and ... don't go up any dark alleys."
'How cute.' The Green Goblin walked to the phone. 'Actually, it's kind of funny ...'
He began to laugh. Loud, uncontrollable laughter that lasted for several seconds after he picked up the receiver.
"Can the spider come out to play?" he said, barely managing to contain his mirth.
"Where is she, Goblin?" Spider-Man demanded, his voice cold and harsh. The difference in his tone now infuriated the Green Goblin, effectively killing his good mood.
'Why should he care so much about that snot-nosed little twit?' he asked himself. 'I'm offering him power, I'm offering him EVERYTHING ...'
"Meet me by the bridge, little spider," he said angrily. "If you want to save her life."
With that, he slammed the phone down and swept out of the apartment.
******
Mercuria: Well, you know what they say: Hell hath no fury like a goblin scorned!
NEXT: Everything comes together ... or falls apart ...

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