Peter and Gwen

Even after Peter walked out of Osborn Tower, he could not forget what he had just seen.

His hands and feet felt cold, and his mind was completely blank.

"Dr. Connors is the Lizard Man? How could I have had a dream like that?"

But he knew perfectly well that it had not been a dream.

Although Connors had seemed like himself just now, his personality was completely different from before.

More importantly, Peter had seen the mouse they had used for research together a week ago—it had completely mutated, growing larger than a dog and viciously devouring the other small animals in the laboratory.

At that moment, Peter understood where the Lizard Man that had appeared on the Williamsburg Bridge last night had come from.

"It was my fault!" He fell into intense self-blame.

"If I hadn't told the doctor my father's formula, he wouldn't have used his own body for the experiment, and he never would have become like that!"

He felt that he had messed everything up again.

He always messed everything up.

He was utterly discouraged and suddenly lost all fighting spirit.

He had originally thought that gaining superpowers might let him change the failed life he had lived before, but now it seemed that he was still a failure.

Peter blamed himself for everything.

Yet he had not considered why Dr. Connors, who had been perfectly fine, had suddenly decided to experiment on himself.

He only knew that no matter what Connors was planning now, he had to save him.

"I... I should tell the police..."

At that moment, the first thought that flashed through Peter's mind was to call the police.

And he did exactly that.

But when he arrived at the Police Station, he realized how naive he had been.

Who would believe the wild ramblings of a student?

"Everything I said is true, Chief!"

Peter spoke anxiously. He could not understand why no one was willing to believe him.

"That's enough, Mr. Parker." George Stacy forcefully cut Peter off.

"Mr. Curt Connors is a renowned scientist and a doctor, not some Godzilla like you claim."

As he spoke, he took off his police uniform and changed into a suit.

Compared to discussing such incomprehensible nonsense with a boy suffering from delusions, he had more important things to do.

Namely, picking up his daughter, going home, and enjoying the Lemon Perch he had missed last night with his family.

"What I'm saying is true!"

Peter anxiously stepped in front of him.

"Dr. Connors has been researching Cross-Species Genetics, but his experiment failed, and he turned into the Lizard Man! Spider-Man stopped him last night—"

Hearing that, Stacy stopped walking.

"Spider-Man stopped him?" He looked at Peter. "Or I have another explanation."

"That masked Spider-Man and the Lizard Man were in it together from the start!"

The mention of Spider-Man made George Stacy angry.

Last night, the entrance to the Police Station had been covered in gang members, all thanks to Spider-Man.

Was that not a provocation against the New York Police Station?

Who did he think he was?!

"What? How could you say that?" Peter stared at him in disbelief. Just as he was about to argue, a pleasant voice sounded behind him.

"Peter Parker?"

Peter turned around and saw a blonde girl standing behind him.

"You're... Gwen Stacy?"

Peter was somewhat surprised.

Of course, he knew Gwen. Compared to Liz, whom he had always liked, Gwen Stacy was even more dazzling. He had never expected to see her here, much less for her to know his name and greet him.

"Y-you, why are you here?" he asked with a stammer.

Gwen tilted her head and looked at George over Peter's shoulder. The Chief suddenly realized something. He had thought Peter was merely an ordinary student with delusions, but now it seemed this kid was trying to steal his daughter!

Fine, fine. The punk had even brought his flashy bike to the entrance of the Police Station. Did he really think George was some old fool?

George Stacy's gaze toward Peter turned hostile.

He reached out and rather roughly pushed Peter aside. "She came to see her father. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Dad!" Gwen called out to George unhappily, and George immediately surrendered.

But he still did not give Peter a friendly look. "All right, Parker. I have to go."

George pulled Gwen away. As she was dragged along, Gwen waved goodbye to Peter.

Normally, Peter would have been floating with delight if a pretty girl treated him like that. But things were different now. Thoughts of Connors weighed on his heart like a pile of stones.

After leaving the Police Station, Peter still felt unable to shake off the gloom in his heart.

"If the police won't believe me, then I can only find Dr. Connors myself," he thought.

Connors was dangerous now. Peter did not know what changes the Lizard Serum had brought him, but the mutated mouse in the laboratory had clearly become extremely aggressive.

"Damn it, where should I look for him?"

"If only Benny could act with me. Otherwise, I might still mess all of this up."

In his eyes, Ben was practically synonymous with being capable of anything.

No matter what he did, Peter would make a complete mess of it, but Ben could handle it well. Whenever Flash bullied him before, Ben had always stood up for him too.

Peter sighed and finally decided to go back and ask Ben for help.

Meanwhile, George and his daughter got into a police car.

"Talk." As a father, Stacy was not in a good mood right now.

"Talk about what?"

"You and that boy. Are you dating?" George asked sternly. "Don't try to fool me. I could tell at a glance that there was something unusual between you."

"What?" Gwen screamed. "What are you talking about, Dad? I barely know him! We aren't even in the same class!"

Gwen defended herself with some panic.

Actually, she was telling the truth. Although Peter was not her classmate, she had noticed him long ago.

He had excellent grades, was a nerdy, unnoticed kid, looked frail, yet possessed a strong sense of justice.

Gwen had seen Peter stand up several times for other students bullied by Flash Thompson.

Once or twice, Flash could restrain himself out of respect for Ben, but after it happened too many times, he would lay hands on Peter as well. Yet Peter had never become a cowardly turtle just because he might be beaten up and embarrassed.

"Dad, what did Peter want with you?"

"Peter?" George repeated in a strange tone, thinking that once a daughter grew up, she could not be kept around anymore.

She called him so intimately, yet claimed there was nothing between them?

But what could he do?

Then he gripped the steering wheel, started the car, and answered helplessly, "He said your teacher, Dr. Connors, was the Lizard Man who appeared on the Williamsburg Bridge last night."

"He's insane!" George was still angry when he mentioned it.

When Gwen had interned at Osborn, she had been Connors's assistant. Connors had even generously offered to write Gwen a college recommendation letter.

Yet Peter Parker claimed he was the Lizard Man. It was utterly absurd!

Since it involved her teacher, Gwen was also very surprised.

Still, she said, "Dad, Peter almost never lies. Maybe he really discovered something. And—"

"Something seems to have happened at Osborn. This morning, the doctor sent a message giving all of us time off."

Gwen's face was full of worry.

George's hand froze in place, and the engine suddenly stalled.

He picked up the radio.

"All departments, be advised. Immediately investigate all information on Curt Connors."

Gwen in this universe would be left to Peter. Garfield and Stone's Gwen had always been heartbreaking, so Gwen from other universes could wait. The female leads would be included, but the romance would not be the core.