"Misery, misery, misery - that's what you've chosen. I offered you friendship, and you spat in my face." Punch after punch landed on Spiderman. The Green Goblin beat him down, but Spidey? He just kept getting back up. The Green Goblin cackled ferociously.

"You've spun your last web, Spiderman. Had you not been so selfish, your little girlfriend's death would've been quick and painless, but now that you've really pissed me off, I'm gonna finish her nice... and slow. MJ and I... we're gonna have a hell of a time!"

The Green Goblin lunged forward. Spider-Man blocked his attack, and pushed him into a nearby brick wall with no small amount of force. It even seemed the force knocked something out of him.

"Peter, stop! Stop! It's me!" The Green Goblin took off his mask, revealing Norman Osborne. He looked frightened to Peter, and Peter himself was uneasy.

"Mr. Osborn…" he trailed off, unsure of what to say. His opponent seemed to have changed tactics on a dime.

" Oh, Peter, thank God for you…" Norman Osborne smiled warmly.

"You killed those people on that balcony!"

"The Goblin killed, I had nothing to do with it! Don't, don't let him take me again! I beg you, protect me!"

"You tried to kill Aunt May, you tried to kill Mary Jane…"

"But not you. I tried to stop it, but I couldn't stop it. I would never hurt you."

Norman discreetly pushed a button on his suit and the glider rose, ready to move at the command of its owner. "I knew from the beginning. If anything happened to me, it, it was you I could count on. You, Peter Parker, would save me, and so you have. Thank God for you." Mr. Osborne smiled weakly, reaching out towards Peter. "Give me your hand. Believe in me, as I believed in you. I've been like a father to you... be a son to me now." Norman outstretched his hand, hoping that Peter would take it, despite him refusing all of the other offers to join him. Unfortunately, however, Peter grew angry.

"I have a father. His name was Ben Parker." Peter deadpanned. The light in Mr. Osborne's eyes changed, became manic in appearance. Norman Osborne was gone.

"Godspeed, Spiderman!" The Green Goblin cackled. Something's off, Peter thought. He's planning something. Just then, Peter's Spidey Sense went off, telling him to jump. He sprung upward in just the nick of time.

"Oh." Norman said softly. With a sound like a sheathing sword, the blades of the glider pierced the former Goblin's stomach. He looked down, almost confused, then looked at Peter. He slumped. Peter raced over and pulled the glider out, slick with Mr. Osborne's blood. Without the glider holding him to the wall, he fell to the ground. Mr. Osborne motioned for Peter to come closer, weak. "Peter... don't tell Harry."
" I won't." Peter said, holding Norman as he died. Somehow, he didn't feel he could keep that promise. It felt wrong, like he was lying to the dead man.

He took Mr. Osborne's body back to the Osborne mansion. Harry was waiting there. "What have you done? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Harry screamed. Peter whipped around and faced him. When he saw that Harry had a gun, he threw his hands up in surrender.

"Harry! Don't shoot! It's me, Peter!" He blurted, removing his mask out of fear-fueled instinct. Well, there goes my secret identity, his harried brain mused.

"Peter? But...why? Why did you kill him? He was like a dad to you! How could you murder him in cold blood?" Harry shook, lowering the gun and eventually setting it on the side table. Peter knew now that he could not keep the promise he had made a short time earlier.

"Harry, I know you won't believe me, but I didn't kill your father. He died trying to kill me with his glider. He made me promise that I wouldn't tell you, out of a need to not tarnish your view of him, but I can't let you kill your best friend. I'm sorry." Peter took a deep breath, anxious about how Harry would take the news. It appeared he would not take it well at all, if Harry's fiery red face meant anything.

"Liar! My father would never try to kill anyone, let alone you. You're not my best friend, you're not even my friend. I never want to see your face again. Now, go." Harry fumed, pointing at the door. Peter left, but not before giving Harry a tearful glance. He didn't want any of this, especially not losing his best friend. Harry glared back, but as the door clicked shut, he burst into tears. He went to his father's body, and smoothed back his dad's hair. "You weren't really trying to kill him, right Dad? You wouldn't hurt my friends, would you?" Suddenly doubtful, he sent for his father's butler, Bernard Houseman.

"Houseman, prepare my father for burial, please. And when you do, can you check his wounds for the cause of his death?" Harry motioned to the body.

"Certainly, Master Harold." Houseman bowed, then promptly made his way over to the body, which he then took to the medical wing. He cleaned up his former master's wounds, then sent the swabs off for forensic testing. An hour later, which Harry passed by drinking nearly a whole decanter of his father's private whisky collection, (after all, he wouldn't be needing it anymore) the test results came back. Houseman looked through the packet of paperwork. "Well, Master Harry, I've got good news and bad news."