I woke up early the next day and walked downstairs to find Peter and MJ already sitting at the dining table. MJ was fixing up a plate of pancakes while Peter read the newspaper.
I chuckled aloud, gaining their attention. Peter raised an eyebrow, "what's so funny?"
"I never imagined I could ever do the whole perfect family thing," I smiled, "mom cooks breakfast while the dad reads the newspaper. Looks so perfect."
MJ smiled, "yeah, this is what your life's going to be like one day."
"No offence, but no way," I shivered, "there's no way I would ever have that ugly goatee."
"What? You don't like the goatee?" Peter asked, shocked.
"No, who are you trying to be? Tony Stark?" I scoffed, "now a full beard, that would be badass. Can you imagine it? Chicks would dig the beard!"
MJ chuckled as she leaned down and kissed Peter's cheek, "I prefer the goatee — that way I don't feel like I'm kissing a porcupine." Peter smiled, winking at me.
I threw my hands up, "whatever. As far as I'm concerned this is a version of my life that might not even happen."
"Why do you think that?" Peter asked.
"I've been thinking a lot about what you said last night. A greater responsibility. So, if I'm not going to be Spider-man, I honestly don't know what I should do," I replied, sitting down.
Peter raised an eyebrow as he sighed and put his paper away. "Let me give you some ideas, Pete. The future isn't set in stone, it never is. The world needs people like you in it, so, whatever you do, remember — with great power comes great responsibility."
I snorted, "when did I get so sagely?"
Peter smiled, holding MJ's hand, "I think it was a few weeks after I met her."
MJ chuckled, "so are you saying all he needs is a good woman to set him straight?"
Peter chuckled, "maybe," he turned to me, "do you, Peter?"
I looked away, a memory of Felicia in my head, "yeah, I did. Felicia Hardy."
MJ hummed, "were you close?"
I shrugged. I took out my phone and showed the picture I'd taken on our first date, "we were. She was actually my best friend. We fought crime together, took classes together...I'm guessing you don't have the same relationship?"
Peter and MJ looked at the picture as the former shook his head, "no. I didn't meet her until I finished college and was a few years into my superhero career. I stopped her trying to rob a jewellery store."
I chuckled, "same. And then when Felicia Hardy walked into my classroom the next day I knew she was the Black Cat. And then things happened, blah blah blah...what happened to your Felicia?"
Peter passed me the phone, "she married Flash and had a kid. But she—"
"—She what?!" I cried out, completely shocked. I did love May's stories, but I had never read them all. Obviously I missed a few critical issues, "she married Flash Thompson?!"
MJ blinked, "yes?"
I gaped, "how?! She married that moron?! That bullying piece of shit?!"
Peter chuckled, "oh, right, I forgot — he still bullies you, doesn't he?"
I scoffed, "he tries. I use big words to confuse him, so he kind of just stays away."
"Well, Flash eventually becomes a very good friend," Peter explained as he sipped his coffee.
I blinked, "you're joking."
"No," MJ smiled, "they actually go out for drinks once in a while." She placed three plates filled with pancakes on the table, "I swear, you spiders and your appetite."
I grumbled, "that's it, this reality is messed up. I have a goatee, end up with MJ, Felicia married a moron and apparently he and I become best friends."
Peter chuckled, "don't worry, you'll get used to it."
"No way, man. Flash is nothing more than a bully — there's no way I'm ever going to be his friend!"
MJ laughed, "give it time, Tiger." I grumbled.
Just then May came down and stopped, staring at me and blinking, "oh, right, damn — I was hoping yesterday was a really messed-up dream."
"Sorry, kiddo," Peter chuckled.
I smiled, turning to Peter and MJ, "hey, since I'm technically her dad, can I, like, ground her?"
"No," May said.
"Yes," MJ smiled.
"Mom!"
"What? He's technically your dad," she chuckled.
We all chuckled. May just grumbled, rolling her eyes at me. We sat down for breakfast and May turned to me, "so what are you going to do today?"
I blinked, "what do you mean?"
May shrugged, "I mean, what are you going to do? You can't just sit here all day, can you?"
I hummed, "I guess...well, I honestly don't know."
"You should go to school," Peter suggested with a smile.
"What?!" May and I cried out at once.
"It doesn't matter if you are in another world — school is good for you, it's important."
I scoffed, "I don't know about you, future me, but I work with Reed Richards and Susan Storm in the Baxter Building for a living. I doubt school can teach me things I don't already know."
Peter raised an eyebrow, "you work at the Baxter Building?"
"Yup! Even have a few patents under my name!"
"Oh...do you have a degree?"
I blinked, "no..."
"Then you need to go to school."
"Dad, are you crazy?! Can you imagine what happens to the social life of the kids at school when a sixteen-year-old version of their friend's dad joins up?!" May yelled before groaning, "my life doesn't make any sense."
Peter chuckled, "sorry, May, but trust me, you'll get used to it. Now," he turned to me, "you need something to do, yes? I don't think Ben would approve of you just sitting here lazing around."
"Hey! Why don't I follow you around? I mean we may end up with the same job, so why shouldn't I shadow you? What do you say?"
Peter sighed, "you can, but you need an education, Peter — no matter what you think otherwise."
I grumbled, "you sound just like Richard."
Peter raised an eyebrow, "really? Smart man. Now, give me a few days and I'll set it up — won't be too much of a hassle."
"B-but...please! Anything but school! Come on, man! Be cool!" I begged.
Peter winked, "sorry, Pete. You know what we say: with great power—"
"—Comes great responsibility," MJ, May and I all groaned.
"Exactly. Now, do you have a name you go by? Something other than Peter Parker?"
I groaned, "yeah...Bruce. Bruce Wayne."
"Good. It'll be done in a few days."
May banged her head against the table, "this is a living nightmare."
I did the same, "with any luck, my time will run out and I won't have to deal with this nightmare again."
Two days later:
I'll give Peter this — it took him two days to fabricate an identity for me. Working for the police must have its perks. Plus being a genius probably helped too.
"I hate this," May grumbled.
I sighed, "I'm not a fan of it either. I hate high school!"
May blinked, "dude! Watch your mouth! I'm your daughter!"
I rolled my eyes, "put a sock in it. Besides, I have every right to complain!"
"Why? I'm the one who has to go to school with my dad!" she hissed as we came up to the school.
"Yeah? Well, I'm the one who crossed a dimensional barrier and still ended up having to go to the same boring school, which I already hate! Can you imagine? It's like you finally defeat a game boss only to realise you have to start all over again!"
May shrugged, "don't know anything about that," she sighed as we walked through the oh-so-familiar double doors, "listen...don't cause any trouble, okay? Please, just...keep a low profile."
I smirked, "well, I was planning on embarrassing you in front of your friends, but...fine, I'll be good. Promise."
May smiled, "thanks...Bruce."
I smiled. Yup, I love the sound of that.
"May! Girl, over here!" a young Black teenager with a short pixie cut waved at May, a bright smile on her face as she approached us, "hey, running kind of late, huh? I've been looking everywhere for you! What's the deal?"
"Hey, Dani," May smiled, "I was just showing my cousin around," she turned and motioned at me, "this is Bruce Wayne — he's my uncle's kid."
"I didn't know you had a cousin, May!" Dani smiled at me, extending her hand, "hey, I'm Danida Kirby, but everyone calls me Dani!"
I smirked, "Bruce Wayne. So, what dirt can I get on my dear cousin?"
"Bruce! You promised!" May hissed.
I blinked, "oh, right, almost forgot! Sorry, forget I said anything."
Dani chuckled, "funny. So how long are you going to be in town, Bruce?"
"I'm...not really sure," I sighed, "life's a mess, so I'm just here until everything sorts itself out, you know?"
Dani nodded, "I can understand that. So, since May already showed you around, you know everything, yeah?"
I nodded, "yup!"
"So what's your first period?"
"AP chemistry," I smiled.
"Cool! I'll walk you to class — mine's just a few doors down anyway," Dani smiled. May suddenly pulled her aside and hissed in her ear.
"Your class is in another building!" She was quiet, but my enhanced hearing picked it up.
Dani smiled and whispered back, "I know," she winked at May before pulling me by the arm, "now come on, Bruce, you can tell me all about May growing up."
I chuckled, "there isn't really much to say..."
I spent the entire day avoiding people. I wasn't going to be here for long, so as far as I was concerned I was surrounded by ghosts.
I met more of May's friends at lunch. The two blondes with crushes on her seemed hostile, obviously. There was an Asian kid who was clearly a nerd, a strong lug, a scruffy-looking girl, Dani, and an Asian girl named Nancy — though she seemed to hate my guts the moment she saw me.
"So, you're the famous Bruce Wayne," Nancy said, narrowing her eyes at me.
I blinked, "famous? How? I only just got here!"
"Yeah, but May's pretty well-known around here," Dani said with a wink, "she's the star of the basketball team and...well, hot."
"You can say that again," Brad chuckled.
Immediately Nancy shot a glare at the boy. He saw it and immediately looked away, ashamed. Nancy turned to me, "she never mentioned you."
I shrugged, "she never mentioned you either."
Nancy growled, "what's that supposed to mean?"
"It means we don't talk," I smiled, "her dad and mine didn't really get along. You could even say they came from different worlds," cue an epic eye roll from May, "so May and I never got together for chats all that often."
"Hm, so, Peter, are you interested in sports?" Brad asked.
I shook my head, "nah, sports are boring. I'm more of a man of science myself."
"So...you're a nerd," Yama, the Asian kid, said with a snort.
I nodded, "yup. I'm a huge nerd. Got a problem with that?"
"No," he replied quickly.
I smiled, "good. Now, why don't you guys tell me a little about yourselves?"
The conversations were so boring — typical teenage drama. May participated actively. I was honestly surprised she hadn't moved past this stage of her life yet. But then again, she wasn't my kid. It must be the MJ in her.
The end of school couldn't come fast enough. May and her friends invited me to hang out after school, and since I really didn't have anything better to do, I accepted.
A few hours later:
I groaned, "why did I agree to this?"
"Oh, shut it, Bruce," May said with a chuckle, throwing a top onto the ever-growing pile of clothes on my arms, "you get to spend time with three beautiful women! You should be happy!"
Nancy grunted as she walked away while Dani smiled, winking at me. I smiled at the girl, "well, maybe you're not wrong...but do you have to get so much?!"
"Yeah, we're girls," Nancy snorted, throwing a shirt on my head, "we tend to wear more than just a pair of jeans and a crappy retro superhero shirt."
I glared at the girl, "hey! They ran out of Spider-man shirts, okay!"
"Oh, you a Spidey fan, Bruce?" Dani asked.
I smirked, "I am...I mean, I was," I shrugged, "but now I think he's kind of overrated."
"Damn straight! Because now there's Spider-girl in the house!" Dani cheered, much to May's quiet satisfaction.
We took over an hour to finish shopping, and by then it was nearing nine in the evening. We walked out of the store just as they were shutting down. And as the only guy in the group I was elected to carry all the shopping bags. Yay, feminism.
I grumbled as we walked down the road to the train station, "why can't we just take a cab?"
"I live in the Bronx," Dani shrugged, "it's safer for me to take the train."
"Wait, if you live in the Bronx, why do you come to school in Queens?" I asked.
Dani smiled, "Midtown High has the best basketball team and the best science department in the city, so the fifteen-minute journey is totally worth it."
"Yeah," Nancy huffed, "I'm from Northern Queens, so Penbrooke would be easier for me, but Midtown has the best basketball team, so here I am."
I whistled, "I didn't realise Midtown High's sports teams were that good."
"Yeah, they are," Dani nodded, "in fact it's thanks to Coach Flash that it happened. His first year he managed to take everyone to the finals! He's been knocking it out of the park ever since."
I grumbled, "Flash, huh. How nice."
"You have a problem with Coach Flash?" Nancy raised an eyebrow.
I grumbled, "no...well, it's complicated. I—"
"—Stop," came a dead cold voice. Suddenly a white man dressed in a black hoodie stepped out of a shadowy alley holding a knife, "give me all your cash and you won't get hurt."
"Kya!" Nancy shrieked as she stepped back in fear. I dropped the bags immediately and stepped forward, May grabbing her friends and pulling them behind her for safety.
"Hey, now, man — you don't have to do anything risky, okay," I said slowly, holding up my hands.
"Give me your fucking wallet!" he cried out.
"Alright," I said, "I'm just going to reach into my jeans and take it out, okay," he looked jumpy, scared, nervous — a first-timer. Figures.
I looked back, "May, keep them safe," she nodded, not questioning my orders. I slowly reached into my pocket and took out my wallet, displaying it, "here, see — wallet. Just take it, we don't want any trouble."
The man looked at the wallet. He reached forward. I tossed it, he moved to grab it, and I was about to leap-kick his jaw off when suddenly, "oh no you don't!"
We all turned and looked up to see a figure in red and blue come swinging down on a line, double-kicking the crook in the gut and sending him flying into a building's wall, knocked unconscious.
"Yeah! Scarlet Spider for the win!" she cheered, landing before us and doing a little dance, "that's why you don't mess with the Spider! Yeah!" she paused, slowly turning around and realising we were all staring at her, "ah...you all right, citizens?"
I looked her over. She was clearly a woman — that body gave it away. She was dressed in a skin-tight red costume with a blue hoodie bearing a spider stitched on the front.
I blinked in surprise. 'Isn't that Ben Reilly's Scarlet Spider costume? What the hell?!' "Ah, who are you supposed to be?"
She struck a superhero pose, "I'm the Scarlet Spider!"
I looked her over. I groaned — I realised I had forgotten a large part of May Parker's story in the comics. It had been over a year since I last read one, and obviously some things had become foggy. But I knew this woman before me was important in some way.
I blinked, "how many spider-themed heroes exist in this town?"
"Ah, two, I think," Scarlet chuckled, rubbing her neck, looking over my shoulder to notice May and the others, "are you guys okay?"
"Y-yeah, thank you," Dani nodded.
"No problem!" she said enthusiastically before looking around and picking up my wallet, which the criminal had dropped when she double-kicked him. "Here, I think this belongs to you, cutie," she said, handing the wallet over to me.
I blinked, taking it from her, "ah...thanks, I guess."
"Right," she said nervously, "so...bye, I guess!" She turned around and leaped onto the fire escape, climbing up to the roof before leaping away.
I turned to May and the others, "who the hell was that?"
"The Scarlet Spider," May grumbled, visibly annoyed. "She's ah...she's new."
I nodded, "no kidding." I could see her jumping away — she wasn't very fast, meaning she wasn't superhuman. "Does she have any relation to Spider-girl?"
May snorted, "she wishes. She just kind of showed up one day. Nobody knows who she is though."
I blinked, "is that so." My interest was piqued. I needed to find out about this girl — who was she? I turned to May and the others. The non-powered girls looked scared, kept glancing at the unconscious mugger in fear.
I sighed, "May, get Dani and Nancy out of here. I'll call the cops and wait for them to arrive, okay?"
"Are you sure, Bruce?" May asked, "if you want—"
"—No, it's best if you three go," I motioned her over, "I'll be fine. Trust me."
May looked like she wanted to argue, but one look at how frightened Nancy and Dani were made her decide against it. The girls quickly left. May whispered a word of warning in my ear before she did — 'be careful'.
I called the police, told them exactly where to find the unconscious crook, and then hung up. I turned towards the rooftops. It was time to find out who this Scarlet Spider really was.
I climbed onto the roof easily enough, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. I spotted the Scarlet Spider off in the distance, leaping through the air as if she was born to do it.
She had gymnastics training — I could tell as much. Maybe better than Felicia, but she was still raw, inexperienced. I could see it in her stance. She knew what to do, but not how. Her movements were too mechanical.
I followed her, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, using all the parkour skills Natasha had drilled into my head to free-run the rooftops. And then, for a moment, I lost her.
I spotted her doubling back, coming up behind me, trying to sneak up on me. She was almost there when at the last moment I moved, grabbed her by the arms and pinned her to a rooftop door.
"Damn, you're good," she replied, already struggling to break free.
I smiled, "thanks, I took a few self-defence classes."
"A few, huh?" she smiled before sweeping my legs and pushing me to the ground, getting on top of me, pinning my arms down and straddling my waist, "but not good enough."
I was immediately hit with a strange sense of déjà vu...wait, wasn't this the same way I met Felicia?
"So then, why exactly are you following me?" Scarlet asked.
I looked at her, "I...I wanted to know who you are."
"Isn't that the point of a mask?" she chuckled.
I blinked, "I guess...who are you?"
She chuckled, "well...if you must know," she brought a hand up and slowly began to pull her mask up. I was eagerly watching — I didn't even realise she had released my right arm. Her mask was halfway up her face when she brought her hand back down, pinning me to the ground before pressing her lips to mine.
"Mph!" I cried out in shock as I felt her kiss me hard. Her fingers pulled me up into her as her tongue entered my mouth. She moaned into the kiss before suddenly pulling back, leaving my shocked face staring up at her.
"That's who I am," she leaped off me and landed on the roof's edge, "see you later, alligator!" She jumped away.
I got to my feet and watched her use a grappling hook to swing around a building. I blinked. 'Did that really just happen?' Now I had to find out who she was.
I stuck to the shadows and followed her. This time she didn't see me — I didn't let her see me. I followed her from a distance, watching her move towards the Upper East Side. Rich people. I hate those fancy apartments — such a waste of money.
I watched her swing around for a bit, dealing with street crime. Nothing so dangerous that I had to step in. I'll say this for her: she knew how to handle herself.
It was half an hour later when she finally went home. A very nice apartment on the Upper East Side. I watched her from across the road — kind of creepy, I know, but hey, she decided to wear my symbol. I needed to know who she was.
I watched as she drew the curtains, cutting my line of sight. I cursed, "damn it!...wait," I took out my red tablet and transformed it into the helmet, putting it on, "Sexy, find out who lives in that apartment. I'm looking for a woman, around five feet nine inches, maybe taller. Gymnastics background."
"Searching, hacking into government database and...one result found matching description. The apartment is registered to one Felicia Hardy," Sexy replied.
I felt my heart catch — it leaped into my throat. "Felicia?" I asked in disbelief. That was her? This world's version of Kitten was right there, and I couldn't even see it? She had kissed me and I didn't know?!
I hated myself. But then I slowly began to think it over. Felicia Hardy in this world was probably well over forty, and I didn't care how much she trained — she couldn't remain that flexible without some metahuman ability. That couldn't possibly be her.
No, something else was going on. "Sexy, access Felicia's records. Is she living with any other women?"
"Felicia Hardy is registered to share the apartment with her partner Diana Sun along with her daughter Felicity Hardy," Sexy explained.
"Partner?! Daughter?!" I asked in shock. "Wait...holy shit! I just kissed Felicity! I kissed my girlfriend's daughter! ...Wait. Does that mean I also kissed Flash's daughter?!"
"Yes, Felicia Hardy was married to one Eugene Thompson. She had—"
I cut her off, "I know that, Sexy! Argh, tell me something I don't know," I grumbled. Honestly, Flash Thompson? Absolutely crazy.
"She got a divorce after the birth of her daughter Felicity and her son Gene Thompson."
I grumbled, holding my head in my hands, "this reality is something else." I looked back at the apartment. Using the zoom function in my helmet I could see an older blonde woman sitting at dinner with a Black woman — who I assumed was Diana — and another blonde.
The younger blonde looked exactly like my Felicia, like a carbon copy, which was to be expected given her mother's identity. Felicity Hardy...damn, this is so strange. I tried to block all memories of her kissing me. That kind of thing deserved to be burnt and buried.
But the older woman, Felicia...she looked amazing. The way she laughed, the way she smiled. She had lines at the corners of her eyes, but...oh my God, I might fall in love with this one too.
I pulled myself away from her. I forced myself to. I wanted to burst into her apartment, grab her and kiss her with everything I had. I wanted to run away with her, to cry and tell her I forgave her. But...I knew she wasn't my Kitten. She would never be my Felicia Hardy. So it was best if I did nothing.
And now I found myself once more out in the night, moving through the darkness of a city I barely recognised. All of this...it was just too much. Is it really too much to want to live a normal teenage life?! Why do I have to deal with this interdimensional mess?!
I grumbled and took off, making my way back to Queens. It was a long way off, and I spent the time trying to suppress all memories of that kiss. I also had Sexy look up Felicity's file and — surprise, surprise — apparently she also attended Midtown High.
I reached home and walked in, only to find Peter, May and MJ all waiting for me, looking worried.
"Peter!" May cried out, "about time!"
I sighed, closing the door behind me, "sorry I'm late. The cops took much longer to show up."
"Are you okay?" MJ asked.
I shrugged, "please, I faced Magneto and lived — a common crook has nothing on me. Besides, it was the Scarlet Spider who ended up saving the day. May and I didn't even have to lift a finger."
May huffed at my mention of Scarlet. Did she know something?
Peter sighed, "well, I'm just glad you both are safe. Come, let's eat — I for one am starving."
I grumbled, but nodded.
That night, just as I was getting ready for bed, there was a knock on the door and Peter walked in.
"What's up?" I asked him.
"I heard you leaped into action the moment the mugger appeared," Peter said, leaning on the door frame.
"Yeah, I did...and?" I asked.
"You said you wouldn't be a hero," he raised a curious eyebrow.
"I didn't put on a costume, did I? I just did what I had to do to protect my daughter. That's all," I hissed.
"Deny it all you want, Peter, but I know you."
"No, believe me — you really don't," I snorted.
He smiled, "no, I do," he sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to him. I sat down and he continued, "I...I know our lives are different. I was driven by the death of my uncle, the guilt and the pain. It drove me. But...it's not the only reason I did what I did."
I sat down next to him, listening to my hero, "so...what was it?"
Peter smiled, "I did it because I could. Because every time I put on that suit, I knew I was doing good. Listen, I know you and I have different ideals and dreams. But...if you can do something to make the world a better place, shouldn't you at least try?"
I was silent, the words of the real Peter Parker ringing loudly in my head. He smiled before reaching down and taking out the chest where his old costume and tools were stored. He popped the lid and displayed the contents.
"If you ever change your mind," he said, getting up and walking to the door, "don't hesitate to use it."
He walked out, my eyes glued to the costume inside. The original costume. The real costume — not the one I had made. No, this was Peter Parker's costume.
I sighed, 'maybe...maybe I don't need to wear it right now.' I bundled up the costume and put it into my school bag along with the web-shooters.
I shouldn't lie to myself. Being Spider-man...it was fun. And maybe...maybe I should stop pretending I didn't want to be him again. So for now, I'll keep it on me. Just for now.