Rebirth Of the Phantom Web

The morning started quietly, the kind of silence that made Peter uneasy. He sat at the small kitchen table, chewing on a piece of toast that tasted more like cardboard, trying to suppress the heavy feeling in his chest. Aunt May hummed softly to herself as she folded laundry, her movements slow but deliberate.

Peter watched her out of the corner of his eye, the sharp contrast between her warm smile and the faint lines of exhaustion etched into her face. Her kindness was endless, but Artur could see through it now—every word, every action was her way of hiding just how much she was struggling.

The guilt weighed on him. This wasn't just Peter's problem anymore—it was his.

"Peter, sweetie," Aunt May said, her voice breaking the silence. "Could you help me later? I'm going to take a few extra shifts at the diner this week, and the garden's a bit of a mess."

Peter 's hand tightened around the glass of orange juice he was holding. She shouldn't have to work extra shifts. She was already doing too much.

"Of course, Aunt May," he said, forcing a smile. "I'll handle it. Don't worry."

She smiled warmly, but her tired eyes betrayed her gratitude. "Thank you, Peter."

New Neighbors Move In

Later that day, the sound of moving trucks caught Peter's attention. From his perch on the roof, where he had been doing pull-ups on a steel beam he had webbed into place, he could see the commotion across the street. A truck was parked in front of the empty house that had been for sale for months.

"New neighbors?" Peter muttered, dropping to the rooftop and crouching to get a better look.

He spotted a teenage girl climbing out of the passenger side of the truck. She was striking—red hair that seemed to catch the sunlight, her confident posture standing out against the backdrop of cardboard boxes and furniture being carried inside. Peter blinked in recognition. Mary Jane Watson.

Peter's breath hitched. In Peter Parker's life, Mary Jane was a complicated figure—friend, love interest, and the person who could simultaneously bring light and chaos into Peter's world. But this wasn't just Peter's life anymore, and Peter had no idea how things would play out.

"Great," he muttered, watching as she helped carry a box toward the house. "This is going to be… interesting."

Meeting Mary Jane

That afternoon, Aunt May sent Peter to introduce himself to the new neighbors. He walked across the street, his hands stuffed in his pockets, trying to suppress the nervous energy building in his chest. He had faced down criminals and supervillains, but somehow, knocking on the Watsons' door felt infinitely more terrifying.

The door opened before he could even knock, and there she was—Mary Jane Watson, standing in the doorway with a curious smile.

"Hi," she said, tilting her head slightly. "Can I help you?"

Peter froze for a moment, his thoughts tangling together. "Uh… I'm Peter. Peter Parker. I live across the street."

Her smile widened. "Oh, right! You're the kid Aunt Anna was talking about. Nice to meet you, Peter. I'm MJ."

MJ. Hearing her call herself that made something in Peter's chest tighten. He had read and watched countless stories about her, but meeting her in person felt surreal.

"Nice to meet you, too," Peter said, clearing his throat. "Um, if you guys need help with anything, just let me know. My aunt and I are right over there."

MJ glanced over his shoulder at the small, aging house across the street. "That's really sweet of you. Thanks. You're probably the first friendly face I've seen since we got here."

Before Peter could respond, an older woman appeared behind her—Aunt Anna Watson, wearing an apron dusted with flour. "MJ, who's at the door?"

MJ stepped aside, gesturing to Artur. "This is Peter. He lives across the street."

Aunt Anna's face lit up. "Oh, May's boy! I've heard so much about you." She opened the door wider, ushering him inside. "Come in, come in."

A Glimpse of MJ's World

Inside, the Watsons' house was a mix of chaos and charm. Boxes were stacked in every corner, and furniture was still being arranged. Aunt Anna bustled around the kitchen, offering cookies and lemonade while MJ leaned casually against the counter, watching Artur with amusement.

"So, Peter," MJ said, her tone teasing. "What's your deal? You some kind of genius or something? Aunt Anna said you're a science whiz."

Artur scratched the back of his neck, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Uh, I like science, yeah. I guess you could say that."

MJ smirked. "Well, if I need help with my homework, I know where to go."

They spent the next hour talking, and Peter found himself relaxing in MJ's presence. She was funny, sharp, and unafraid to speak her mind—a whirlwind of energy that made the room feel brighter. For the first time in weeks, Peter felt like a regular teenager.

But as he walked home, the weight of reality returned.

Aunt May's Financial Struggles

That evening, Peter sat at the kitchen table, sorting through the pile of bills Aunt May had left there. He had offered to help her organize them, but the truth was, he wanted to see just how bad things were.

The numbers were grim. Overdue notices, utility bills, medical expenses—it was all piling up. Peter felt his stomach twist as he flipped through the papers. Aunt May had been trying to shield him from the worst of it, but it was clear she was barely holding things together.

He stared at the final notice on a utility bill, his jaw tightening. This wasn't fair. Aunt May had already lost so much—Uncle Ben, her sense of security—and now she was drowning in debt. Peter felt a surge of anger, not at her, but at himself. He was Peter Parker now. This was his responsibility, and he couldn't just sit by and watch her struggle.

"I have to do something," he muttered, his hands clenching into fists. "I can't let her go through this alone."

A Desperate Plan

That night, as Petr swung through the city as Spider-Man, his mind raced with ideas. He could use his powers to help people, to make a difference—but how could he help Aunt May without revealing the truth about who he was?

He spotted a group of men robbing a corner store and leaped into action, taking them down with swift precision. As he webbed them up for the police, he glanced at the cash register. The temptation was there, a flicker of desperation urging him to take what he needed for Aunt May.

But he shook the thought away, disgusted with himself. "No," he whispered. "That's not how this works."

He couldn't betray the responsibility that came with his powers. But as he swung away, the question remained: How could he protect the people he loved when the world was stacked against them?

(End of Chapter 4)