Chapter 4: Uncertain Path
" Parker!"
" Yes Jonah?" Peter Parker called out as he approached, the so-called raging bull.
" Where are those pictures?" Jameson bellowed.
" Um. I just sent then to the developers, Dan's his name."
" I know who Dan is and what he does, I hired him!" Jameson yelled.
" Right .well um Dan said as soon as there done he will give them to you personally." Peter was hoping JJ will walk away, but he knew better then that.
" Why aren't you developing them?"
" Because I was closer to the bugle then I was to my apartment." Peter replied quickly. Jonah stared at him for a bit, then turned and marched off to his office.
" Well that went well." Peter stated quietly.
" You ok Pete?" Betty Brant asked, as she walked up behind him.
" Yeah I'm fine" Peter said reassuringly, " I'm kind of use to him yelling at me!" Peter then turned around and smiled at Betty. Betty was one of the new reporters for the Daily Bugle, Peter and Betty had teamed up this morning to take pictures and get information on the recent Green Goblin scare at the Brooklyn bridge, that happened several days ago, which of course peter remember very vividly.
" Peter, I been meaning to ask you today, if you wanted to go and have supper tonight, so we can get to know each other and stuff. Since Mr. Robertson told me were going to be teaming up a lot, and I thought it wou -" but before Betty could say anything else, Peter already gave his answer.
" Sure betty I would love to."
* * * * * * * * *
20 min later outside of the Daily Bugle
" So where are we going Betty?" Peter asked, as they started to walk away from the Daily Bugle.
" Well, my sister, said there's this great burger place down the road from here, you wanna go there? Betty looked at Peter and waited for his reply
" Sure, I'm not fussy about food joints." Peter answered.
" Good, cause this one doesn't look that great, but it has great burgers, well that's what my sister said to me." Betty reassured him.
Soon both were walking to the restaurant that Betty had suggested, and before Peter knew it, he was in the area where Mj worked, 'oh no please say were not going to the moondance diner, I can't face Mj after what I said at the cemetery yesterday.' "Um Betty what's the restaurant called?"
" Um I'm not so sure but it's right at the corner of 46th street." She paused for a moment then pointed out the restaurant, that had just came into view. Peter's heart wanted to jump out of his body, when he saw what restaurant Betty was pointing at.
* * * * * * * * *
Moondance diner 20min later.
'Oh god, why here of all places in New York, why did we have to come here?' Peter looked around franticly, checking to see if Mj wasn't working this evening, and so far there was no sign of her.
" You ok Pete?" Betty asked, "You been edgy ever since we got here?"
' Am I ok? No I'm not betty, the women I love works here, and I just turned away from her yesterday.' " Yeah I'm fine." Peter answered
Betty stared at him for a while then turned her eyes back on the paper she was reading. Once again Peter took a quick glance around the diner to make sure Mj wasn't anywhere, and she wasn't.
"Do you think Spider-man did it?" Betty suddenly asked Peter.
" Did what?" Peter turned to her, curious of the fact of what HE did or what the Bugle put in.
" Killed Norman Osborne, haven't you been reading the paper this morning?
Peter stared at her for a moment before asking, " Who said Spider-man killed Norman Osborne?"
" Harry Osborne, his son" Betty replied in disbelief of the fact that Peter didn't know what was going on in New York. " He said he saw Spider- man in his fathers bedroom." Betty finished.
Peter looked at her in disbelief, ' Great, just bloody great, now it's for certain my best friend thinks I killed his father ' Peter thought before stating his answer to Betty, " No, not a chance, Spider-man wouldn't do that, he's a hero."
" Why do you think that Peter?"
Peter suddenly heard the doors burst open, while he gave some reasons of why Spider-man wasn't guilty. After the doors burst opened yelling from the owner followed it and then it was drowned out by Peter's voice and then by the unexpected voice of Mr. Robertson.
" Well, well what do we have hear the Famous photographer Peter Parker, and the new reporter Betty Brant, both in a crapy food joint. Not the most romantic place don't you think Parker?
" Mr. Robertson," Betty cried out in surprise, then started to laugh as the last sentence sank in, " No, no I asked peter if he would like to come and have dinner with me, so we can get to know each other, since were going to be working together, so there for were only having dinner as friends."
* * * * POV CHANGE MJ* * * *
" Where have you been?" Enrique called out, to a very frustrated Mary Jane Watson, which had just burst open, the doors like a raging bull.
" I'm sorry, all right? I came here as quick as I could!" Mary Jane looked at her boss with pleading eyes, she didn't want to make a seen and embarrass her self like she did last time.
" I don't want to hear it, just get to work glamour girl, the customers aren't going to feed them selves." Enrique barked and then retreated in to the kitchen.
Mj rolled her eyes and headed towards the back to hang her coat and bag, 'one of these days I'm going to yell in his face,' Mj thought as she hanged her coat and bag, ' and then tell him that this " Glamour Girl " has a job in acting and then POW! I'm going to hit him, ok maybe not exactly hit him, but a girl can dream.' Mj smiled at the thought of hitting her boss, as she walked out of the back and headed to a table where customers were seated. But Suddenly stopped as; she heard the all to familiar name, " Peter Parker and the new reporter Betty Brant, both in a crapy food joint, not the most romantic place don't you think parker?"
Mj at first wanted to hit the guy that was badmouthing her job, (cause she didn't need to be remind about how crapy it was) But then the last part of the sentence wanted to make her cry all over again, " Romantic place, don't you think parker?"
' Oh god, Peter please say it isn't so, not after all I said to you - '
" Glamour girl!"
Mj's head snapped up and looked to where the voice came from, and coming directly at her was her boss.
" What the hell do you think your doing?!" Everyone in the diner became dead silent and looked at the red head waitress that was getting yelled at.
" First your 30 min's late for your shift, again as always and then you just stand there and stare off in dume ass land, while I'm waiting for orders!"
" I'm sorry Enrique, it's just -
" It's just what Mj?" Enrique started to yell again, embarrassing himself and Mj at the same time. " I swear, if you don't start serving these customers right now, I'll - Enrique lifted up his hand and was about to bring it down, in till a very strong hand grabbed his wrist, " You will do nothing to her!" Peter yelled as his hand griped Enrique wrist, his eyes blazing with anger, then suddenly to everyone's surprise, peter pushed Enrique into the counter of the dinner, barley using any force.
" Peter" Mj whispered in surprise, Peter looked at her from the corner of his eye and then back at Enrique and began to yell again, " If you ever touch her or yell at her again, you'll live to regret it, I promise you that, now get back into that slob of a kitchen!"
And to even Peter's surprise he did go back into that kitchen, and to top it all off there was a mass of hollering and clapping.
* * * * POV CHANGE PETER* * * *
As soon as the racquet of the customers had died down, and conversations were back to normal, Peter turned to Mj's scared and tearful face.
"Oh Mj." Peter grabbed her shoulders and brought her to him, and rapped his strong arms around her letting her sob quietly in his shoulder. Peter softly undid her uniform apron, Mj looked at him with tearful eyes, " I think it's time you quit this job Mj." She nodded her head and took off the apron and let it drop to her feet. " Good girl, now let me go get your stuff and then we will get out of here, ok?" Mj nodded and wrapped her arms around peter and squeezed him tightly.
* * * * * * * * * *
After saying a quick sorry to Betty and then Followed by a Quick Good bye to both Mr. Robertson and Betty, Peter was out the door in less then a minute, with Mj in one arm and her duffle bag in the next, 'what the hell am I doing?' Peter thought as he started to walk down the streets of New York, 'your saving her from the pit of hell, that's what your doing.' Mj suddenly griped onto Peter's side a little tighter, followed by her head pressing against the side of his chest.
" Um do you want me to take you home Mj?" Peter whispered as he tighten his grip on her, 'what the hell am I doing?' Peter thought again.
" No"
"Ok, then where do you want to go?"
"Anywhere with you is fine." She answered simply.
" Then do you want to go to my place?" Peter asked, once again he asked himself the same question with out any answer ' what the hell am I doing?'
" Yes, please can we go to your place?" she asked almost in a begging tone.
" Of course." He replied, and with that he gave Mj a reassuring squeeze and then singled over a taxi.
Authors note: So what yeah think? Please Rate and Review!!! Thanks BK
" Parker!"
" Yes Jonah?" Peter Parker called out as he approached, the so-called raging bull.
" Where are those pictures?" Jameson bellowed.
" Um. I just sent then to the developers, Dan's his name."
" I know who Dan is and what he does, I hired him!" Jameson yelled.
" Right .well um Dan said as soon as there done he will give them to you personally." Peter was hoping JJ will walk away, but he knew better then that.
" Why aren't you developing them?"
" Because I was closer to the bugle then I was to my apartment." Peter replied quickly. Jonah stared at him for a bit, then turned and marched off to his office.
" Well that went well." Peter stated quietly.
" You ok Pete?" Betty Brant asked, as she walked up behind him.
" Yeah I'm fine" Peter said reassuringly, " I'm kind of use to him yelling at me!" Peter then turned around and smiled at Betty. Betty was one of the new reporters for the Daily Bugle, Peter and Betty had teamed up this morning to take pictures and get information on the recent Green Goblin scare at the Brooklyn bridge, that happened several days ago, which of course peter remember very vividly.
" Peter, I been meaning to ask you today, if you wanted to go and have supper tonight, so we can get to know each other and stuff. Since Mr. Robertson told me were going to be teaming up a lot, and I thought it wou -" but before Betty could say anything else, Peter already gave his answer.
" Sure betty I would love to."
* * * * * * * * *
20 min later outside of the Daily Bugle
" So where are we going Betty?" Peter asked, as they started to walk away from the Daily Bugle.
" Well, my sister, said there's this great burger place down the road from here, you wanna go there? Betty looked at Peter and waited for his reply
" Sure, I'm not fussy about food joints." Peter answered.
" Good, cause this one doesn't look that great, but it has great burgers, well that's what my sister said to me." Betty reassured him.
Soon both were walking to the restaurant that Betty had suggested, and before Peter knew it, he was in the area where Mj worked, 'oh no please say were not going to the moondance diner, I can't face Mj after what I said at the cemetery yesterday.' "Um Betty what's the restaurant called?"
" Um I'm not so sure but it's right at the corner of 46th street." She paused for a moment then pointed out the restaurant, that had just came into view. Peter's heart wanted to jump out of his body, when he saw what restaurant Betty was pointing at.
* * * * * * * * *
Moondance diner 20min later.
'Oh god, why here of all places in New York, why did we have to come here?' Peter looked around franticly, checking to see if Mj wasn't working this evening, and so far there was no sign of her.
" You ok Pete?" Betty asked, "You been edgy ever since we got here?"
' Am I ok? No I'm not betty, the women I love works here, and I just turned away from her yesterday.' " Yeah I'm fine." Peter answered
Betty stared at him for a while then turned her eyes back on the paper she was reading. Once again Peter took a quick glance around the diner to make sure Mj wasn't anywhere, and she wasn't.
"Do you think Spider-man did it?" Betty suddenly asked Peter.
" Did what?" Peter turned to her, curious of the fact of what HE did or what the Bugle put in.
" Killed Norman Osborne, haven't you been reading the paper this morning?
Peter stared at her for a moment before asking, " Who said Spider-man killed Norman Osborne?"
" Harry Osborne, his son" Betty replied in disbelief of the fact that Peter didn't know what was going on in New York. " He said he saw Spider- man in his fathers bedroom." Betty finished.
Peter looked at her in disbelief, ' Great, just bloody great, now it's for certain my best friend thinks I killed his father ' Peter thought before stating his answer to Betty, " No, not a chance, Spider-man wouldn't do that, he's a hero."
" Why do you think that Peter?"
Peter suddenly heard the doors burst open, while he gave some reasons of why Spider-man wasn't guilty. After the doors burst opened yelling from the owner followed it and then it was drowned out by Peter's voice and then by the unexpected voice of Mr. Robertson.
" Well, well what do we have hear the Famous photographer Peter Parker, and the new reporter Betty Brant, both in a crapy food joint. Not the most romantic place don't you think Parker?
" Mr. Robertson," Betty cried out in surprise, then started to laugh as the last sentence sank in, " No, no I asked peter if he would like to come and have dinner with me, so we can get to know each other, since were going to be working together, so there for were only having dinner as friends."
* * * * POV CHANGE MJ* * * *
" Where have you been?" Enrique called out, to a very frustrated Mary Jane Watson, which had just burst open, the doors like a raging bull.
" I'm sorry, all right? I came here as quick as I could!" Mary Jane looked at her boss with pleading eyes, she didn't want to make a seen and embarrass her self like she did last time.
" I don't want to hear it, just get to work glamour girl, the customers aren't going to feed them selves." Enrique barked and then retreated in to the kitchen.
Mj rolled her eyes and headed towards the back to hang her coat and bag, 'one of these days I'm going to yell in his face,' Mj thought as she hanged her coat and bag, ' and then tell him that this " Glamour Girl " has a job in acting and then POW! I'm going to hit him, ok maybe not exactly hit him, but a girl can dream.' Mj smiled at the thought of hitting her boss, as she walked out of the back and headed to a table where customers were seated. But Suddenly stopped as; she heard the all to familiar name, " Peter Parker and the new reporter Betty Brant, both in a crapy food joint, not the most romantic place don't you think parker?"
Mj at first wanted to hit the guy that was badmouthing her job, (cause she didn't need to be remind about how crapy it was) But then the last part of the sentence wanted to make her cry all over again, " Romantic place, don't you think parker?"
' Oh god, Peter please say it isn't so, not after all I said to you - '
" Glamour girl!"
Mj's head snapped up and looked to where the voice came from, and coming directly at her was her boss.
" What the hell do you think your doing?!" Everyone in the diner became dead silent and looked at the red head waitress that was getting yelled at.
" First your 30 min's late for your shift, again as always and then you just stand there and stare off in dume ass land, while I'm waiting for orders!"
" I'm sorry Enrique, it's just -
" It's just what Mj?" Enrique started to yell again, embarrassing himself and Mj at the same time. " I swear, if you don't start serving these customers right now, I'll - Enrique lifted up his hand and was about to bring it down, in till a very strong hand grabbed his wrist, " You will do nothing to her!" Peter yelled as his hand griped Enrique wrist, his eyes blazing with anger, then suddenly to everyone's surprise, peter pushed Enrique into the counter of the dinner, barley using any force.
" Peter" Mj whispered in surprise, Peter looked at her from the corner of his eye and then back at Enrique and began to yell again, " If you ever touch her or yell at her again, you'll live to regret it, I promise you that, now get back into that slob of a kitchen!"
And to even Peter's surprise he did go back into that kitchen, and to top it all off there was a mass of hollering and clapping.
* * * * POV CHANGE PETER* * * *
As soon as the racquet of the customers had died down, and conversations were back to normal, Peter turned to Mj's scared and tearful face.
"Oh Mj." Peter grabbed her shoulders and brought her to him, and rapped his strong arms around her letting her sob quietly in his shoulder. Peter softly undid her uniform apron, Mj looked at him with tearful eyes, " I think it's time you quit this job Mj." She nodded her head and took off the apron and let it drop to her feet. " Good girl, now let me go get your stuff and then we will get out of here, ok?" Mj nodded and wrapped her arms around peter and squeezed him tightly.
* * * * * * * * * *
After saying a quick sorry to Betty and then Followed by a Quick Good bye to both Mr. Robertson and Betty, Peter was out the door in less then a minute, with Mj in one arm and her duffle bag in the next, 'what the hell am I doing?' Peter thought as he started to walk down the streets of New York, 'your saving her from the pit of hell, that's what your doing.' Mj suddenly griped onto Peter's side a little tighter, followed by her head pressing against the side of his chest.
" Um do you want me to take you home Mj?" Peter whispered as he tighten his grip on her, 'what the hell am I doing?' Peter thought again.
" No"
"Ok, then where do you want to go?"
"Anywhere with you is fine." She answered simply.
" Then do you want to go to my place?" Peter asked, once again he asked himself the same question with out any answer ' what the hell am I doing?'
" Yes, please can we go to your place?" she asked almost in a begging tone.
" Of course." He replied, and with that he gave Mj a reassuring squeeze and then singled over a taxi.
Authors note: So what yeah think? Please Rate and Review!!! Thanks BK