A New Beginning

Epilogue: The End of the Beginning

3 months later...

In the end, Norman Osborn had been charged with 2 counts of arson, and 13 counts of first-degree murder for the bombings. Captain Stacy had been as good as his word, and had not charged Octavius for what had transpired. Of course, no one really brought up the fact that Octavius had broken into Osborn's home in order to get the schematics and had assaulted him without reason only 3 days later... they considered it the act of a man desperate to prove himself innocent.

Since Osborn had destroyed Rosie's apartment (Octavius still hadn't figured to call it 'their' apartment), they took up residence in the building in the East Village that had been where Octavius had hidden during the whole ordeal. He had turned the ground floor into his own personal laboratory, as he'd rather work from home, rather than for someone else. Considering the damage Osborn had done to his life, and the fact that he had no living relatives, Osborn's fortune had been turned over to Octavius. With the money, Octavius had been able to rebuild the reactor, this time with a little hired help... this time, he was running things, but he had preferred to do most of the work himself, as it was his passion in life... but he still couldn't figure out how to get the tentacles off. After a while, he just stopped caring that they were there. He had gotten used to them. The rest of the world was another story. They couldn't quite comprehend what had happened to him. He didn't care about that, either. Everything was as it should be.

There was one matter, however, that was still incomplete...

Curt walked up to the front door of Otto Octavius, Inc. He knocked on the front door, then heard a distracted-sounding, "Come in." Curt entered the building to find Octavius sitting at his desk, fiddling with a piece of circuitry.

"Hey, Otto, whatcha up to?" Curt said, an impish grin on his face.

Octavius didn't look up from the circuit as he said, "Just modifying the controls for the reactor..."

Curt said, "You can do that later. You promised me that one day you and Rosie would come over for dinner..."

Octavius finally looked over at Curt and said, "I did, didn't I? You mean right now?"

Curt nodded and said, "Yeah, I got reservations at a restaurant. We need to be there soon."

Octavius got out of his chair and said, "Alright, alright..."

Curt took a look at him and said, "You might want to change into something a little more formal..." A smirk crossed his face as he said, "I don't think they'll let you in like that."

Octavius looked down at the dark red sweater and khaki slacks he had been wearing and said, "Why wouldn't they?"

Curt shook his head and said, in an amused tone, "You are hopeless. Come on, I know you've got something formal around here..."

Octavius shook his head and walked into the upper level of the building, where his bedroom was located. He came back 5 minutes later dressed in a white Armani that Curt had never seen him wear.

"Do I seriously have to wear a suit?" Octavius said, in a low growl.

"Yes, or they'll never let you in." Curt said, that same smirk on his face. "Let's go."

--

15 minutes later...

When Curt and Octavius had entered the restaurant, Rosie was already waiting for them.

"Well, hello, you two." Rosie said, sitting there in a red dress and smiling.

Octavius took a seat and looked over at Curt, who was still standing. "Aren't you going to take a seat?"

Curt said, "Oh, right..." and sat down as a waiter walked over to the table.

"What would you like tonight?" the waiter said.

Curt looked up at the waiter and said, "I'll take a steak, medium rare, and..." he looked over at Octavius and Rosie and said, "What would you two like?"

"Whatever sounds good," they said in near-perfect unison.

Curt laughed and said, "So I'm assuming steak for you two as well?" He nodded and gave the waiter the orders, then watched him walk away.

Rosie was silent a moment before saying, "Well, I'm taking a walk out to the balcony." She stood up and said, "Care to join me, you two?"

Curt said, "No, I'm fine. I'll sit here and save this table. What about you, Otto?"

Octavius thought on it and said, "Sure, why not?"

He walked towards the balcony with Rosie behind him. It was a starry night, and they both looked up at the night sky.

They stood there in silence before Rosie said, "It's a beautiful night out tonight..."

Octavius did not respond.

Rosie looked over at him and said, "Almost makes you wish you could fly..."

Octavius only nodded as he looked up.

Rosie said, "You know, 3 months ago... I truly thought either you or I was going to die... I didn't expect it was going to end well... and well, it got me thinking... you were willing to sacrifice your life to save mine... it makes me think that maybe you're the one I'd like to spend the rest of my life with..."

Octavius looked over at her, wide-eyed, and said, "D-Do you mean..."

Rosie smiled and said, "I know it's usually the man that's supposed to do this, but I figured it would be easier on both if us this way..."

Octavius was still looking at her, now unable to form a rational sentence.

Rosie walked over to him, took his hands in hers, was silent a moment, and finally said, "Will you marry me?"

Octavius looked at her a moment, extremely lightheaded. He gripped the handrail of the balcony to avoid blacking out and said, "Wow... this was unexpected... of course I will... the answer is yes."

Rosie smiled and said, "That's all I ask." With that, she turned him around so he was facing her, threw her arms around him and pressed her lips to his. This time, he didn't pull away, and the moment seemed to last an eternity.

Finally she released him and said, still high off the moment, "I think we'd better get back to Curt before he thinks we disappeared off the face of the planet."

Octavius did not respond as he nodded in agreement, and they walked back into the restaurant, her knowing she'd made the right choice to ask him, and him knowing that this, and not the day he came to America, was truly the first day of the rest of his life...

-Finis

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(A/N: WOOOOOOOOOO! The first multi-chapter fanfic I've actually completed!! Holy crap, this is a milestone for me. Expect a sequel, because this story shall continue!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! victory dance)