The Tangled Webs We Weave
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Chapter 4- Deadlines to Meet
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It was around four AM when the cops departed and Peter was finally able to drive MJ to his and Harry's place. Harry was away on business as far as Peter was aware and he explained this to MJ who was relieved at the news.
"Uh MJ, you…take my room and I'll take the couch until I can set up the foldaway bed tomorrow okay?"
"Are you sure Peter? I don't wanna cause you any inconvenience here."
"It's no trouble MJ, as long as you're safe. If anyone wants to get to you, they'll have to go through me. You've had a long day so go get some rest, I just changed the sheets this morning, fresh as a daisy."
Mary Jane smiled gratefully and hefted her bag onto her shoulder before trudging heavily up the stairs, waving away Peters offers of help.
First Spiderman gets outmatched and shot down with de-powering goo, then MJ gets her own little stalker, also involving Spiderman, all in one night. What a busy day. But who would know about where MJ lives, and about her and Spiderman, though I guess it has been spread over the tabloids since the bridge incident. It's all a little too close to home for me this was exactly why I didn't want to get involved with MJ, she's always in danger whether I'm Peter or Spidey, I can't keep her safe. The odds are always against me.
Peter flopped wearily down on the couch, pulling the blanket he'd retrieved out of the closet loosely around himself, only bothering to remove his sneakers.
Before he knew it he was in a deep sleep.
*
The smell of cooking and the sound of rattling pans greeted Peter when he woke. He turned to look over the back of the sofa where Mary Jane was pottering around in the kitchen dishing out something onto two plates.
"Hey tiger, finally awake huh?" She greeted him and Peter grinned, pulling a hand through his unkempt bed hair.
"Wow, I see benefits of our little slumber party arrangement already." He pulled himself up and shuffled to the table where MJ placed a steaming plate of bacon, fried eggs, a fried tomato, hash browns and some baked beans, together with a cup of piping hot coffee just how he liked it.
"Whoa, I never knew we had these things in our refrigerator!" Peter commented in surprise, before shovelling the food into his mouth with super speed.
Mary Jane regarded him in mild amusement before sitting down and tucking into her own breakfast.
"Think you oughta get dressed sometime tiger, wouldn't do for you to go in to Jameson in your PJ's now would it?"
"You're right! What time is it?"
"Ten thirty"
"Oh god, I haven't got long, noon deadline usually." Peter gulped down the rest of his breakfast then dashed off to shower.
"It's like we're a married couple." Mary Jane sighed wistfully scanning the front page of the Bugle absently.
"Bug Botched Burglary Bust." She murmured at the subtitle under the headline and picture of Spiderman on his back. The picture wasn't nearly as good as Peters were and it was taken quite some distance away, she was disappointed it wasn't Peter's work on the front page like usual.
"I gotta go develop my films. Bye MJ." Peter dashed past her like a speeding bullet.
"Dya need a ride?" Peter called from the door as an afterthought.
"No, my shift's not until later, I'll probably just walk into town, pick up a few things in a while though. I'll be fine here."
"Okay I'll see you a little later then."
Peter headed out on to the bustling New York street, almost immediately his Spider sense began tingling and he looked across to see a little girl standing in the middle of the road, about to get an introduction to a speeding car in the worst kind of way. He flung himself out and pushed the little girl-who looked all of six- out of harms way.
"Oh thank you sir! My poor little baby." the plump but kindly looking mother hugged her daughter close to her and then smiled gratefully at Peter. "You could be Spiderman, the heroics you just pulled off."
"Haha, thanks but I don't think the superhero life's for me, it was no problem, just try and keep her away from the road next time." Peter nodded at the couple then hurried on his way.
Deadlines to meet and here I am letting work and play get mixed, tut, tut. I hope MJ's okay on her own, I shouldn't have really left her, but she seemed better this morning. I'll investigate this stalker as soon as I've checked in at the Bugle I hope Jameson isn't mad at me for being a little late… okay a lot, hurry Peter hurry!
*
"Where is that Parker?! Does he think this entire paper will come to a standstill for him? Kids these days, where do I get these guys. If he isn't here in five minutes, then he's bumped!" Jameson strode round his office angrily. In truth he didn't need the photos until much later, but he liked to let the staff know who was boss, and keep them all on edge.
There was the sound of a crash from the hallway outside his office, then Peter skidded round the door and screeched to a halt beside Jameson as he turned round.
"Whoa! Parker, you're late. I was just about to bump you, whaddaya got?" Peter handed him a file solemnly and waited as J.J scrutinized the contents carefully.
"Crap, crap, hm, that'll do I guess. Next time try and get here on time Parker, can't have people in the office think I'm going soft on you. Now go. Get me some better photos, stuff I can use. Go on, scram!" and Peter was dismissed, feeling a little dazed at the encounter he has just had.
Wandering out on to the crowded sidewalk Peter considered going back to check on MJ but decided he should do some Spidey recon before anything else happened. He ducked into a darkened alleyway and ripped his shirt off, soon in his Spiderman costume he shot a strand of webbing to the roof and clambered up onto the roof, opening up numerous possibilities for web slinging.
Where to go. I have no leads, for now I'll treat the stalker and the goo thugs as separate until proved otherwise. But which is more dangerous. I'm sure the stalker won't know where I live unless…what if it's been following her?! Then she wouldn't be safe anywhere. Man I should go and check on her!
Spiderman shot out a sliver of web fluid and swung the quickest route he could think of to his apartment, staying high and weaving up in the higher echelons of the towering NY skyscrapers. He jumped through his window, dismissing the idea of getting changed, Spiderman could still check up in someone's apartment, right?
He ran downstairs into the main apartment, scanning the place with his eyes.
"MJ?" He called into every room, then found something rather disturbing near the door.
The coat rack was on the floor and a bowl and presumably its contents- chips- were scattered over the floor in pieces. That looked like signs of a scuffle to Spiderman.
"OH NO! MJ!" Spiderman searched around the area for any note but having found none, only heightened his panic.
They could've taken her and want me to stew for a while before getting in contact. Or maybe they don't want me to know where she is, maybe they just want her!
"DAMN IT!" Spiderman cried in frustration, slamming his hand against a wall, for once not knowing what to do in the situation.
The only thing I can do now is confront all the criminal gangs and lowlifes I can, see if any of them know anything. And let my frustration out on something! Please be okay MJ, please!
*
Sorry for the short ending, but its 3.06 AM and I need my beddybyes, hope you don't mind, seemed like an okay place to stop. Thank you all for the amazing reviews and support, hope you liked the chap. Thanks for reading this far, review please, all comments welcome, apart from flames obviously!
Thanks again.
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