The Amazing Spider-Man: Path to Redemption (MCU)

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***

Peter landed softly on the rooftop of his house, his knees bending to absorb the impact. He glanced around, making sure no one was watching before climbing down the side and slipping into his room through the window.

As soon as he stepped inside, his ears caught the familiar sound of May in the kitchen. 'Huh, she's up early today.'

He hurried to strip off the Spider-Man suit and threw on casual clothes. Running a hand through his hair to tame the mess caused by the mask, he stepped out of his room.

The smell of fresh coffee and buttered toast filled the air as he walked into the kitchen. May stood with her back to him, stirring something on the stove. Her apron already had small flour stains, a sign that she was making something more elaborate than usual.

"Morning, May," he said, stretching.

She turned slightly, glancing at him from the corner of her eye while stirring the pancake batter. "Good morning, Peter. Sleep well?"

He pulled out a chair and sat at the table, grabbing a mug and pouring himself some coffee. "Had a... restless sleep."

May turned off the stove and walked over to him. Before Peter could react, he felt her arms wrap around him in a tight hug.

"I figured," she said softly. "I heard you screaming."

Peter froze for a second. "Oh…"

May pulled back just enough to look him in the eyes. "Nightmares again?"

He hesitated, shifting his gaze to the dark surface of his coffee. "Just a bad dream, May. Nothing serious."

She sighed, running a gentle hand through his hair. "You always say that."

Peter gave her a small, lopsided smile. "Because it always is."

May didn't seem convinced, but she chose not to push further. Instead, she let out a light sigh and returned to the stove.

"Well, you know you can always talk to me. About anything." She placed the pancake onto the stack with the others. "Now, eat up. You're starting to look thin."

He eyed the pile of pancakes she set in front of him and let out a chuckle. "I'm definitely not going to argue with you about that."

***

"Heading out already?" Leaning against the wall, Peter watched as May struggled to organize her bag while holding her keys in the other hand.

"Yeah, I need to work overtime today," she replied, adjusting the strap on her shoulder.

Peter bit his tongue, guilt settling heavily in his chest. 'Because of me…'

"May, I—"

She raised a hand, stopping him before he could finish. "Peter, can we talk about this later? I'm running late."

He opened his mouth, then closed it again, forcing a small smile. "Okay…"

May paused for a moment and, before leaving, gently placed a hand on his face—a brief but deeply affectionate gesture. "Take care, okay?"

Peter nodded. "You too."

She walked out, closing the door behind her, leaving the house in heavy silence.

Peter stood there for a few seconds, staring at the door. He knew how hard his aunt had been working over the past two years to save money so he could go to college. Part of him wanted to honor that, but another part just wished she would use that money to pay off the overdue bills and lighten the burden she carried alone, even if just a little.

Since Gwen's death, any dreams or plans for the future felt distant, almost irrelevant. College? A job? Adulthood? None of it mattered.

Life had become a colorless, purposeless blur. Five months had passed, and he couldn't remember a single day when he had felt anything other than guilt and the emptiness in his chest. Eating, sleeping, breathing—those were just automatic reflexes, a body moving forward because that's what bodies did. But his mind? His heart? They had been left behind.

Shaking his head, Peter walked back into the kitchen and went to the fridge. Reaching up to the top, he pushed a container aside and pulled out a small stack of papers hidden underneath.

These were the overdue bills May insisted on keeping from him, as if she could shield him from that weight. 'You're too good to me, May'. Peter scanned the papers in his hands, taking in the red numbers.

'Yeah, this has officially gone from bad to terrible.' Folding the papers back and placing them in the same spot, Peter left the kitchen and headed to his room.

'She deserves better than this...', he thought, stepping inside and going straight to his laptop. 'And I… I need to try. At least try.'

Peter opened the laptop. The screen's glow reflected on his face as he moved the cursor to his browser and pulled up Gmail. 'Would it be too much to ask for a reply?'

His inbox loaded, and he scrolled through the screen. No new messages. No response.

"Great," he muttered, closing his eyes for a moment.

He should've known that after five months without sending anything to the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson would just ignore ignore the photos he sent two days ago. That man wasn't exactly the patient type, and Peter had been out of the game for too long.

"At least it's not a definite 'no'... I guess." He tried to sound optimistic, but even his own voice lacked conviction.

Peter closed the laptop and got up. Sitting around waiting wasn't going to do anything. If Jameson didn't want to respond, then he'd have to go there himself. Maybe, with a little luck, he could at least get a "come back tomorrow" from the secretary before being kicked out.

***

[Good morning, New York! This is Clara Mendes, broadcasting live from the heart of the city that never sleeps.

Today, we have a gray morning, with rain expected throughout the day, which will drastically drop the temperature—so don't forget to bring your umbrellas and coats! Unfortunately, what doesn't seem to be decreasing is the wave of crime sweeping through our neighborhoods. Robberies, muggings, and gang confrontations continue to challenge the authorities, demanding more from the police than their staff can handle, making the city go through one of its most turbulent periods in years.

However, amid the bad news, a familiar figure has returned to patrol the streets. After five months of disappearance, Spider-Man has been spotted for the third consecutive day, and all signs suggest that his absence has come to an end.

Yet, it seems that the vigilante has changed his way of operating.

The reports circulating on social media depict a more aggressive Spider-Man, whose actions are being described as brutal. Witnesses claim that, in one of the confrontations, he threw a man accused of rape against a wall with enough force to leave him paraplegic. In another incident, he immobilized a robber with his webs, but not before delivering a punch so strong that several teeth were broken. There are also reports that, during a confrontation with a gang in Queens, he acted with relentless fury, leaving several criminals in serious condition.

All of this raises the question: What happened to Spider-Man?

Always known for his sense of justice and his care in avoiding excessive force, he now seems driven by something uncontrollable. Experts suggest that his prolonged absence may be linked to personal trauma and that this change in behavior is a reflection of it.

Meanwhile, public opinion is divided. Some residents see this new approach as necessary, especially in such violent times. Others fear he is crossing a dangerous line, becoming as threatening as those he fights against.

The police, for their part, maintain their stance: any action by Spider-Man remains unauthorized by the state, and his arrest warrant is still in effect.

One thing is certain: Spider-Man is back. But how far is he willing to go? And what impact will this new stance have on the city he protects?

Clara Mendes, WNY News, wishing everyone a safe and dry day under the approaching rain. We'll be back with more updates throughout the day.]

***

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.