"You know, this wasn't what I had in mind." Keira said, pursing her lips as she read the paper a couple weeks later. She set it down and leaned back in her chair, the wheels squeaking as it rolled back away from the table littered with tools, wires, and other machine parts.

"I said that we would attack his heart, I'm doing exactly that." Goblin replied. Well, the mask sitting next to her on it's stand.

"It's much too obvious. Now Peter knows that we know because you bombed his aunt's house."

"He knows that I know. Not you. Besides, he doesn't know who I am and I'd like to keep it that way until he's gone."

"And what happens after? Anyone could seek revenge. Hell, if Harry swears vengeance, we both know how messy that could get. Besides, we can't pull off a decent cover up; we have no power over the press."

"For the right price, Jameson will do anything. He has no backbone."

"He's always been suspicious of us since even before this whole mess started. I would bet everything we owned that he would take any money we gave over, still pin it on us, say he rejected the bribe we gave him, and that's it for us. He looks like the hero and we'd lose everything. You've put out a very thin tightrope we have to walk."

"Eventually one of us is going to kill the other, sweetheart. People will just say 'that's how it goes' when it's Peter who falls. We can figure out what happens after that. We've covered it up this far. You spent six months pretenting like you had no idea and Norman believed it. You're a good liar because you're so unassuming."

"I hate lying though." Keira defended half-heartedly, twirling a Phillips Head screwdriver on her finger.

"Do you really?" She could almost hear the smirk. Keira tossed the tool onto the metal table with a muted clang before standing up from the chair. She let out an exhasperated sigh before twirling to face the mask again.

"No! Is that what you want to hear? No, I don't hate lying. I've spent years lying to people to get what I want or avoid things. I lied to my best friend about being in love with Norman, I lied to my father about who I was dating, I lied to the police about Stromm's murder, I lied to the public about knowing what's been going on, I lied to Norman about knowing who he was, and countless others! I've told lie after lie to protect us and God only knows it's going to blow up in my face! I'm going to lose everything because karma is going to bite me in the ass and I'm not going to be able to do anything about it. My dad's watching all of this happen and is probably condemning me for being so goddamn spineless."

Keira let out a frustrated scream and banged her fists onto the table. The tools and parts jumped, a few wires and metal covers sliding onto the floor. The Goblin stayed silent, the yellow eyes boring into her as if studying her. The mask always held the same expression, but Keira couldn't tell if he was scoffing at her or sympathizing. She let out an exhale and walked over to a rack of green vials, picking one up from in front of her.

"We should never have run those tests. We should have burnt the whole line and let the company die with it. We could have had a peaceful life wherever we chose. Leave the city, leave the state, leave the country... we could have traveled with the kid, let Harry graduate and make his own way. I could have taken up book fore-edge painting, Norman could be a writer. Our child could live a normal life with their parents helping with homework, playing games in a yard that opens up to a forest by our fixer-upper home on a hilltop. Instead we're stuck here with a technological empire bearing our name supported by murders you committed. Everything was fine before you came along and I hate it!"

Keira smashed the vial onto the ground, the translucent green liquid spreading around and seeping into the cracks of the metal floor. She stared at it before almost collapsing to the ground in a fit of sobs.

"I hate it, I hate it, I hate it." She repeated through the tears. Her conscience was wrestling with itself, her morality making her feel guilty and her darker half preventing her from fixing it. "How can I be a mother when I can't even support myself?"

When Keira finally hiccuped and took a breath, she was still met with no response. She wiped her eyes and glared at the mask, almost mocking her.

"What? Nothing to say? For once you're deciding to stay quiet?"

Finally, the Goblin spoke. Keira sensed it's tender tone, mirroring Thanksgiving night's talk.

"What could I say? 'It's not your fault,' 'stop being so hard on yourself,' 'be grateful it's not worse?' Nothing I say will make things right." He said.

"You could try."

"Alright. Do you want soft spousal support or tough love?"

"Could I have both?" Keira sniffed and stood up, moving back to the chair. "Don't finish on tough, though."

"Okay. You're not spineless and you're not weak, but you're too soft. In this world, you can't go through life trying to be the mediator all the time. It doesn't work like that. People hurt you and you just want to let it happen, even apologize yourself just to make it easier. You can't do that. You have to be willing to stand up for yourself and make people regret hurting you so they don't do it again. Let yourself be angry and take action. Sometimes that means doing bad things." Goblin started. Keira blew a piece of hair away from her eyes.

"You mean become the villain?" She said flatly. "I would never. It seems like that's your job."

"You're on that track already."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I know you better than anyone else, sweetheart. You admitted it yourself, you lie to get what you want. You haven't packed up your things to escape the situation. This you won't admit, but you're glad for some of the things I did. Bombing Quest, attacking the Unity festitval. In fact, part of you wishes you could have done it yourself. You want revenge and you want to take it yourself. Instead, I'm the one who does it. You fear karma for what you've let happen, but I am karma. I'm karma for those who did bad things against us."

"And what about Aunt May, huh? What did she ever do besides lose her husband to street violence and care for Peter?" Keira folded her arms.

"It's not because she did anything, it's because of what Parker has done or could do. His karma. A means to an end."

"'A means to an end, a means to an end,' that's still hurting May."

"We're not talking about May, we're talking about you."

"Fine, please, continue illustrating my villain arc."

"You're a pathological liar who wants vengeance, all for her own personal gain. You hide it all under this mask of being the soft, remorseful woman holding a position of power with her husband, the ruthless and intelligent business man. That mask is what's keeping you from just being happy with all the good things happening to you. Yes, at the cost of people's lives, but you would be hurt otherwise. You have to learn to let go and just embrace that other side of you. No one is perfect, humans aren't black and white. You're trying too hard to be something you're not and that's what's making you convulse and feel guilty. You're a strong woman who chases what she wants and you shouldn't let anything stand in your way.

"After all, that's how you got Norman in the first place."

Keira pondered the words for a moment, chewing the inside of her lower lip in thought.

"You're right." She relented. "You're right and I hate that you're right. I shouldn't just sit there like an idiot when I or someone I love gets hurt."

"You have a big heart, you're just spreading it too thin and guarding it in the wrong ways. You love Norman and I, you love Harry, you love the other kid, and that's important. Admirable. You love more things than I could ever hope to. I'm lucky to have you, more than you can realize. You protect those you care for, which is why we've been able to keep this up for so long. That's one of the reasons you are and will be a good mother. You're kind, beautiful, and wonderful, you just need to be more open to who you are."

Keira pursed her lips and sighed again, staring at the table. She grabbed two wires and started absently twisting them together until they were fully wrapped into each other. She let out a sad smile before turning to face the mask again, her eyes misting over as if on the verge of another bout of tears.

"I just want this to be over with. I want my child in my arms, I want my husband next to me on the sofa, I want to live in certainty again." She said.

"It will be, sweetheart. I promise." Goblin said softly. "Everything will go back to normal and we can all live happily together. Trust me."

Keira's smile grew slightly larger as she slid out of the chair. She put the wires down and left the room, shutting the secret door disguised as a full length mirror behind her.

***

Keira had flowers sent to Aunt May's hospital room, but she spent most of the rest of that day in the house by herself. She rarely got time alone. She loved spending time with Norman or her friends, sure, but even as a kid she loved just being by herself. She put on the record player, read a book on the sofa, and just let her worried thoughts melt away for the time being.

Once Norman got home, Keira let him enjoy her quiet evening with her. For once, she wasn't focused on which one of him was sitting next to her, just that he was with her.

The sun fell and it became even more comfortable. The fire burned coupled with the blankets Keira and Norman had to fend of the early December air. Keira would have fallen asleep if she hadn't heard something from downstairs.

"Dad? Mom? Are you here?" Harry's voice called from the foyer. Norman looked at Keira and they both stood up to meet him, unsure of why he was back home and not at his and Peter's.

"What is it?" Norman asked from the top of the stairs.

"Well, you were right about MJ. You were right about everything." Harry said, shrugging. Keira went down the stairs at this, shocked.

"What happened?" She asked.

"She's in love with Peter."

"Parker?" Norman asked quickly.

"Yeah."

Keira looked at Norman, mostly upset for their son. But they were both likely thinking the same thing.

"And how does he feel about her?"

"Well, he's loved her since the fourth grade. He pretends like he doesn't but there's no one Peter cares for more."

"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry." Keira embraced him, Harry returning the hug instantly. Now she knew for a fact she and Norman had the same idea. Keira had liked Mary Jane and she couldn't blame the girl for trying to find the one for her, but... Keira's loyalty to Harry was greater than that of Mary Jane. She had hurt Harry... and she was a way to get to Peter.

"I... haven't always been there for you, have I?" Norman asked, coming down the stairs. Keira separated from Harry so he could see his father better.

"Well, you're busy. You're an important man. I understand." Harry replied genuinely. Keira's lips thinned, Harry's words just further emphasizing her point: He was a sweet kid who deserved better. She and Norman didn't even have to say a word to each other to come to a consensus.

Mary Jane was next.

"That's no excuse. I'm... we're proud of you, and I've lost sight of that somewhere, but I'm gonna make it up to you, Harry. I'm going to rectify certain inequities."

Okay, so that was a little on the nose.

Norman was the one who embraced Harry this time. At first heasitant, Harry eventually hugged back. Norman extended a hand for Keira so she could join in as well. She couldn't remember the last time they had all been so close. It put her at ease, both physically and mentally.

No heasitating, nothing to stop them.

"We have the fireplace going on upstairs if you want to come in. Warm you up." Keira offered. Harry just nodded as they all pulled away. Norman took Harry upstairs first.

"Your mother and I might have something we need to do later, but you're more than welcome to stay here." Norman said. Keira suddenly felt like something was off. She stood still for a moment, trying to figure out what it was. Then she realized. "We can have a nice night and make you forget your troubles with the girl. Maybe--"

"Norman, honey? We might need to postpone our... plans for tonight." Keira said, grabbing the bannister with a wry smile. Both Norman and Harry paused to look at her, confused, until they spotted it.

Her water had just broken.