LINES WE CAN'T CROSS

Peter stands infront of the movie theater, he stares at one of the names in the play, Andrea Jane Watson, and sighs.

"We have been neglecting her lately. Wouldn't be surprised if she was upset with us. But why should she be? We're doing something important... Still, maybe I should apologize to her." He thinks to himself.

At that moment, Brock Elliott comes up from behind Peter, putting his arm around him.

"Hey Petey." He says.

"You're late." Peter says with a scowl.

Brock is surprised by the look on Peter's face.

"Woah. No offense, buddy, but you're not looking so good. Have you been sleeping any?"

Peter let's out a chuckle.

"Don't know the meaning of the word." Peter says.

Brock laughs.

"Come on, let's head inside."

As the two walk inside, Peter sees Andrea walking towards the back.

"Hey, I'll meet you at our seats."

Brock nods and walks away.

Peter makes his way to the back and sees Andrea sitting infront of the mirror. Andrea sees him standing behind her through the mirror but keeps her back turned to him.

"You're not supposed to be back here." Andrea says.

"I know. I just... wanted to talk to you."

"You had every opportunity to talk to me before now, and I haven't heard anything from you since you abandoned me three days ago." Andrea says.

Peter starts to get frustrated.

"Look, I had no choice."

"Of course you did. And you chose to run off, without coming back or reaching out to even see if I was ok. Maybe you're not the man I thought you were."

Peter then gets angry.

"You know what? Forget it! I don't know why we even bother."

As Andrea is surprised by Peter's sudden outburst, the play manager approaches Peter.

"Excuse me, sir. None cast members aren't allowed back her, I'll have to ask you to leave."

"Yeah, I'm going." Peter says, storming off while Andrea wipes away a single tear.

Soon the play starts, and Peter sits down next to Brock in a sky box.

"Everything alright, Pete?" Brock asks.

"I'm fine." Peter says, gritting his teeth.

Brock takes the hint and backs off as a fat clown comes on stage with a big drum.

"I didn't know this was apart of the show." Brock says.

Peter notices something off.

"I don't think it is." Peter says.

Andrea and the other cast members look on stage confused.

"Who the hell is that? This isn't apart of the play." Someone says.

At that moment, the clown rips off the disguise to reveal Harleen Quinzel, Now going by Harley Quinn, wearing an orange and blue outfit with white face paint, holding a giant mallet and a gun. A few members of the audience then stand up, revealing themselves to be pumpkin heads and pulling out guns from underneath their chairs.

"Ladies and jerks! I am The Hob Goblin, Harley Quinn, and there's been a slight change in tonight's show. Believe me folks, I've seen the show and I'm doing ya a big favor. Now, I'm looking for Andrea Watson, hand her over and no one gets hurt!" Harley says.

Peter scowls, knowing that The Goblin is behind this. Brock peaks from the balcony in fear.

"Isn't Andrea your friend from your birthday party?" Brock asks but gets no response.

When he turns around, he sees that Peter is gone.

Meanwhile, Harley Quinn is growing impatient.

"What's the hold up? Either ya give up the pretty red head, or we'll start making messes out of your audience."

Andrea clenches her fists as her entire body shakes. She starts to slowly walk towards the stage but the play manager grabs her hand, shaking his head at her.

At that moment Spider-Bat swings in, kicking one of the Pumpkin Heads in the face.

"My big opening night, and look who's trying to upstage me!"

As Peter takes out more Pumpkin Heads with vicious strikes, Harley opens fire on him. Peter easily avoids the bullets while also dropping more Pumpkin Heads with punches and kicks. He then jumps on stage, after Harley ran out of bullets.

"Dang it. Mr. G was right, you really only know how to stick to the script." Harley says, preparing to use her mallet.

Peter scowls at Harley.

"Where's the Goblin?" Peter demands to know.

Harley laughs.

"He's the closing act!"

Harley swings the mallet at Peter, but the hero easily avoids being hit. As they fight, Andrea runs for the exit. He then catches the mallet and flips her, but she cartwheels to her feet. Before she can land a punch, Peter kicks her in the gut, knocking her to the ground and snapping the mallet over his knee. Peter grabs Harley by the shirt, snarling at her.

"No more games! Where is he!?" Peter yells.

At that moment, a gunshot is heard from outside of the theater. Peter throws Harley to the ground and runs towards the exit. When he walks through the doors, his eyes widen as he sees Andrea on the ground clutching her bleeding arm and the Goblin holding a gun.

"Now that's how you make an entrance!" The Goblin says with a big smile.

Peter can't stop staring at Andrea bleeding on the ground, anger building up inside of him. He then remembers everything that Norman has done, he's killed innocent people, dropped an entire building on his head, killed Gwen Stacy, the first woman he ever loved, shot Jill at point blank range and left her for dead, kidnapped and tortured George Stacy, dangled Andrea and a cable car full of kids off a bridge, and now has shot Andrea.

"No... NO!" Peter yells as The Goblins laughter echo through his mind.

"We must punish him." A thought enters Peter's mind.

At that moment, Peter charges at The Goblin with speed and aggression, grabbing Norman by the throat.

"Stop!" The Goblin yells

Peter doesn't listen and punches him in the face, hitting him harder than he's ever had before. He keeps punching Norman over and over again, each time harder than the last, blood and teeth flying, with Norman telling him to stop after each devastating blow. He then grabs him by the shirt, anger fueling his every move.

"We should have killed you a long time ago." Peter says.

A slight chuckle leaves The Goblins bloody mouth.

"Spider-Bat... Stop... me... if you heard this one before... I'm innocent. Ya see... I didn't shoot your girl friend."

This only angers Peter even more, causing his grip to tighten. Meanwhile, Harley slowly tries to sneak up on Peter while he is distracted. As she throws a kick, Peter's Spider-Sense goes off and he moves out of the way, causing her to kick Norman in the gut.

"Oopsie! Sorry Puddin, he moved." She says.

Harley then gets mad at Peter.

"Leave him alone ya big galoot! If my guy says he's innocent then-"

Peter cuts her off with a kick that sends her flying into trash cans nearby. He won't let anyone defend The Goblin, or his actions. Peter grabs him by the throat again, pinning him to the wall.

"I'm... not joking, Batboob. Check... check my gun... Nothing but blanks."

He throws another punch that The Goblin somehow ducks, shattering the wall and causing him to run away.

"He dies tonight... By our hands." Peter thinks to himself.

The Goblin runs through the alley, afraid of Spider-Bat.

"Help! Help! Wildman! Madman!" The Goblin screams.

Lighting is seen through the sky, while Peter is the air, ready to pounce on Norman. He wraps his hands around his throat again, slowly squeezing the life out of him. At that very moment, a warning shot is fired, scraping Peter's arm, but Peter ignores it and keeps choking the life out of Norman. Commissioner Stacy slowly approaches, aiming the gun at the back of Peter's head.

"Stand up and put your hands in the air." Commissioner Stacy says.

Peter doesn't comply and keeps strangling The Goblin. Stacy then let's out another warning shot near Peter's head.

"The next shot, will drop you." Stacy says.

Peter still doesn't let go, he just thinks of all the ways he could kill Norman at that moment.

"You have to think about what you are doing. Who and what made you who you are. Your role models. The beliefs they instilled in you. And think of how the Goblin could never understand that. It's what makes him who he is. Think."

As Peter still keeps his grip on Norman's throat, Commissioner Stacy moves the gun away from his head, making a realization.

"... God help me... You have thought this through." Stacy says.

"It's what should have been done a long time ago." Peter replies.

Stacy stands there in silence for a moment.

"I believe in the policemans oath to protect and serve. All I can do is appeal to you through our friendship. You wouldn't let me do this when he killed my daughter... I wouldn't let you do this when he shot my niece. I don't know how I could stop you, but I won't let you throw your life away." Stacy says.

At that moment Peter closes his eyes, thinking about everyone he's ever cared about, who made him a better person, everyone he'd be letting down if he goes through with this. He then looks over and sees Andrea watching him from the side, still bleeding but still alive too. At that moment, Peter finally let's go, giving The Goblin a chance to breathe.

"George..." Peter says.

"You and I have seen more than our fair share of tragedies and thirsted for revenge. If Spider-Bat wanted to be a killer, he could have started a long time ago. But it's a line. On one side we believe in the law. On the other... Sometimes, the law fails us. Maybe that's why I've understood you... Allowed you to help protect this city. Spider-Bat, if you cross that line- If you kill the Goblin tonight. I will lead the hunt to bring you to justice... In the eyes of the law- in my eyes, you'll be no different from him."

Peter looks at the blood on his hands and on his chest, trembling by the thought of what he almost did, him being conflicted by it.

"How many more lives are we going to let him ruin?" Peter asks.

"I don't care. I won't let him ruin yours." Stacy replies.

George then puts his gun away and goes to help Andrea. When they turn around, Spider-Bat is gone, with a barely conscious Goblin on the ground.

"I'm- innocent." Goblin says.

Meanwhile, Hush is watching from a distance, holding a smoking gun.

"He is innocent. Get the joke?" He says.