---

Peter Parker strolled down the large, and very crowded sidewalk outside the Daily Bugle. He smiled down at his faithful camera, which not only served him as Peter Parker, but as Spider-Man as well.

He entered the massive building as usual and nodded at a few of his colleagues. Disturbing his routine was an ecstatic Betty Brant, who ran up to him. "Peter!" she shrieked.

"Hey Betty.. Something wrong?" he replied, raising an eyebrow.

"It's Flash," A few tears sprang from her face. "He's been in an accident."

"What? Is he.. Is he all right? What happened?!"

Sniffing, she furthered her explanation. "A car accident, Peter. He was drinking." She tried forcing back tears, but had no luck.

"Is he all right?!"

"He's hurt pretty bad." She wiped her face. "But we can see him in Yale Hospital.. not far from here."

"I'll call Mary Jane."

---

Not long after, at Empire State University, or ESU...

A professor looked up from his desk, raising an eyebrow, "Yes?"

A scrawny man looked down at him and whispered, "There's a call for a Mary Jane Parker."

"She's taking a test, boy. Can't it wait?"

"It's urgent."

"Mary Jane, come up here," the professor bellowed.

The woman stepped around a few things, and climbed down some steps, finally reaching the Professor's desk, "Yes Professor?"

"There's a call for you in the Dean's office."

"The Dean's office? But--"

"--It's urgent," the scrawny man interrupted.

"All right."

She went back to her seat, to get something. Walking the same path she had come from, she and the attendant left through the door.

Once in the office, the Dean smiled up at Mary Jane. "You have a phone call, Mrs. Parker."

"Thank you, Dean," Mary Jane took the phone from his hands, growing more nervous.

"Hello?"

"MJ, it's me, Peter."

"Hey Tiger! Listen, not to be rude.. But I'm in the middle of a test! The one you should be taking!" she tried keeping her voice low, turning away from the Dean.

"I know, I know," he pleaded. "But.. It's Flash. He's been hospitalized. I need you to meet Betty and me at Yale Hospital."

"Consider it done, Tiger," Mary Jane sighed, putting the phone down.

"Something the matter?" the Dean curiously asked.

"A friend of ours has been hospitalized, Dean. I need to go there," she frowned.

"Very well, I suppose. I'll inform Professor Beck."

---

Yale Hospital.

Mary Jane ran to her husband and Betty Brant. "I got here as fast as I could!" she explained.

"It's all right, MJ.. Let's go see Flash." Peter said, smiling weakly at her.

The three entered the enormous hospital through the large doors. Not long after they entered, were they instructed to Flash's whereabouts. Walking out in front of the three, Betty Brant nervously pressed the up button on the nearest elevator. After a wait that took too long, the doors finally opened, and they all walked in.

"I hope he's all right," Betty winced.

"We all do," MJ assured her.

Peter looked up, noting they were now on the fourth floor. Only one more to go.

"We're almost there. But be ready for anything, Girls."

They both nodded grimly, as the loud beep indicated they were there. Each of them stepped out and went directly to room 504. Betty walked in first, and paused, not allowing Peter or Mary Jane to enter. "Oh my god!" she seemed to scream in one word.

"Betty? What is it?!" Peter nudged her to one side to get a look. 'NO! It can't be!' he thought in rage.

"Parker!" Norman Osborn said cheerfully. "If it isn't my old buddy himself! How are you?!"

Mary Jane's eyes widened, as she gripped Peter's arm.

"I.. I thought you were dead?!" Betty said in disbelief.

"I get that a lot," grinned Osborn.

"You can't be alive!" Peter's rage and hate of Osborn reached a new level. "Why won't you die?!"

"Peter.." Betty said in surprise.

"Back off, Tiger," Mary Jane gripped Peter's arm tighter. "We really don't need any trouble right now."

"MJ.. Take Betty and get out of here."

"Tiger, No.."

"Do it."

"I'm not going anywhere, Peter." Betty stood her ground.

"Go!" Peter turned at them in rage.

MJ sighed, pulling Betty out, and closing the door.

"Impressive . . . " was Norman's only response.

"You monster.. What are you doing here?!"

"Norman Osborn has lived in fear of his oppressor Spider-Man, you know, Parker.. He even had to go as far as to fake his death to get away from him."

"Don't make me laugh, you maniac!"

"Come now, Parker.. Name calling? That's below you. Well, perhaps not.

"Flash Thompson.. It's quite sad, isn't it, Parker?"

Peter didn't reply, instead only standing there, considering his alternatives, and trying to conquer his inner demons.

"Did you hear? New evidence was presented in the case," Norman snickered and continued, "A bomb.. While Thompson was driving drunk, I admit I helped the matter. Ah.. Faithful pumpkin bombs."

Peter's teeth gritted together

"Really though.. Poor Thompson.. He's a fine young man. He has strength.. He has character! He even has the will to face his devils.. And win.. Or should I say.. did was a fine young man.. Had character.. Had the will to face his devils and win?"

"What're you getting at, Goblin?!"

"Peter, please! It's Norman for now. I must admit, I enjoy killing. Sometimes. I don't take much fun in this kill, however."

Osborn pulled a needle from Thompson's skin, the IV which helped him now gone.

"No! Stop it!" Parker rushed forward.

Osborn stepped aside, "Ha."

"I'll be watching you!" Peter sneered, looking up from Flash.

Walking out and closing the door behind him, Osborn snickered.

BOOM! The loud noise would ring in Peter's ears for quite awhile. "No! Flash!" he yelled, staggering back towards where Flash's bed was, trying to see through the thick smoke. Falling short, Parker collapsed.

The bomb's main damage had been done in just that room. While it was felt all over the hospital. Mary Jane and Betty Brant looked up from the sinks of a restroom, a floor below the room. The two women rushed out to see paramedics, police, and firefighters running through the hall.

---

Upstairs, in Flash's now destroyed room, the smoke had cleared. Peter looked up, slowly regaining consciousness. Looking to his left as he stood up, there was nothing but a massive hole where the wall had been, looking out on the multi-cultured city.

"Flash!" he screamed, noticing the bed was even gone. He then noticed the suit he had been wearing was torn, revealing his Spider-Man costume. Without any choice, he shed it, and pulled on his mask.

A floor below, Mary Jane looked on in horror at a television. On it, Spider-Man leapt from the massive hole which used to be a wall of Yale Hospital and out into the city. A reporter's voice was heard, "These scenes are being brought to you live from Yale Hospital, where it's reported a bomb has gone off in former football star Flash Thompson's room. Spider-Man was just seen at the scene. Thompson's body was not found, no more is being released at this time." The picture switched back to a news anchorman.

---

Later that night.

A mask-less Spider-Man collapsed onto his bed from the window. "Aunt Anna must be at bingo," he told himself.

"But I'm not, Tiger," Mary Jane said, entering the room and closing it. "Things don't look good, Honey. They think you set off a bomb in Flash's room.. No traces of Flash have even been found.."

Peter climbed further up in the bed, frowning. "It all happened so fast.. It was Osborn!" He jumped up.

"What're you gonna do, Tiger?! The whole city wants your blood..."

"What else is new?!" Parker screamed at his wife, pulling his mask over his face. "I'm going after Osborn!" He leapt from the window.

---

Elsewhere..

Liz Osborn knocked on the screen door of a house not her own, ready to pick up her small son, Heir to the Goblin Empire, as Norman would say. As she got no reply, frustration kicked in, and she pounded louder. Without fail, she was soon knocking on the door itself. She stopped knocking, and walked down a few wooden steps, which looked as if they were ready to cave in. She looked through some trees which surround the yard, noting the car of her child's baby-sitter was here.

Shaking her head in disgust, she put her briefcase in the opposite hand, trying to balance its weight. Her high heels dug into the dirt of the side of the house, as she walked along it, finally reaching the back of the house. She pounded on the door, at the same time, nearly screaming, "Hello?!"

This time, she received a different reply, as the door swung open. Barely believing her eyes, or not wanting to, the widow of Harry Osborn shrieked in terror. Without thinking, she rushed into the house, trying to overlook the several dead bodies lying in the entrance. "Norman?!" She screamed for her son.

Running into a living room, the terror worsened. A battered baby-sitter lay against a wall, barely hanging onto consciousness. "Oh my god, Where's Norman?!" she asked the bruised woman.

"He t-t-took him," she spat out.

"Who?!"

"..Told me.. to give you.. this message," the baby-sitter said, between coughs and wheezes. "..The Goblin is back."

At that exact moment, Liz Osborn knew.. terror would strike her at her very soul once more.. That moment.. she knew The Green Goblin, the man who destroyed her beloved Harry, her one-time father-in-law, was alive.

And all Goblins need an heir.

---

Next Issue: Spider-Man meets up with Norman Osborn...Or does he meet up with the Green Goblin? Either way, it's gonna be one heck of a brawl! Police reports of Spider-Man's murder of Flash Thompson race through the media, turning even the most common person against the web-slinger! Same old same old.. Right? A startling revelation in Astonishing Spider-Man #2!

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