9
Peter wondered if it was wrong. To sleep with Mary Jane just after his best friend, who happened to have a little thing for Miss Watson also, was shot in the head? It sounded like some soap opera but that's what his life was becoming now but didn't Harry always say that Peter should go for it? That he should talk to MJ, make the first move? Harry was always there for Peter, as were Uncle Ben and his parents. It sounded twisted at first but it made more sense as he went over it again and again. Harry was meant to die that day, in some weird celestial intervention, to be a spiritual guide. To make him show how lucky he was to have MJ and Aunt May and to be given this messiah-like task of saving these people from the powers of darkness, the worst things to walk the earth since his third grade art teacher, Mrs Fratherton.

He lay there with MJ sleeping peacefully at his side. He stroked her hair and kissed her cheek. It would have been amazing anyway, but it being the first time, possibly for both of them, made it special. No matter what came down their paths, Peter would always love her. Even if they got into the worst fight and vowed never to speak to eachother again, he would call her two minutes later.

"One minute." MJ said sleepily.

"Hmm?" Peter snuggled under the covers to face her closed eyes.

"I would call you after the first minute." She kissed his forehead. Peter rolled on his other side and the most truly pleasant thought he'd had since before the spider bite came into his mind. He and Mary Jane Watson, yes, he, 'Puny Parker', were soul mates. His spider-sense blurred his vision and he reluctantly got out of bed.

"I've got to go."

"Where?"

"Downtown. It's six thirty. You'd better get up too. Rehearsals, remember?"

"Just gimme a minute to fix my make-up." she drifted off to sleep again. Placing the alarm clock, set for another five minutes, next to her head, Peter shot a web outside of the window.

It had been a fire that early morning. It had been easily sorted out but Peter had found something unusual. Made on the floor in ashes, was the signal of a spider with a bow on top of its head. That had been the only difference, apart from the colour, between his and Spider-Woman's uniforms. MJ had made it to rehearsals and called Peter on his cell phone, yelling, quite sexily, what he was playing at.

"But you didn't miss it, did you?" MJ laughed, said 'I love you,' Peter the same, and they hung up at the same time.

Now he was on his way to a drink with Liz Allen. Just friends, thought Peter, now that MJ is now 'my girl'. It sounded good, Mary Jane Parker. In the cab, Peter got out his cell.

"Aunt May?"

"Peter! How are you dear?"

"Over the moon. I told her."

"You did? Oh, Peter I'm so happy for you! Same back?"

"Yes. And a lot more." She laughed but then her voice turned serious.

"I heard about Harry." Peter, trying hard not to cry, told Aunt May everything, apart from him causing his death. "Oh Peter, I'm so sorry. Poor you. You do sound better though now. I'm here for you, okay?"

"I know Aunt May, I'm here for you too."

"Thank you, Peter." I have to go now, but have a nice time with this person from work. Look after yourself and Mary Jane, you know I'm praying for you. Remember that Harry is in a better place, he's with God now. Love to you both, bye!"

"Bye Aunt May." The cab driver had almost missed the bar. Dionysius. Name of a god of wine, thought Peter, I hope she doesn't go too far. Greeting Liz with a polite peck on the cheek, they sat down on stools in the smoky bar. Liz was wearing a very short red cocktail dress and she had to position herself carefully so not to be indecent.

"How are you coping?" said Peter, politely kissing Liz on the cheek.

"Coping?" Peter wondered if she hadn't heard. Impossible, it had been everywhere.

"With Harry's death?" Duh! Peter thought angrily.

"Oh. Pretty well." They sipped on their drinks slowly, their conversation varied from college to childhood and music to gardening and then the subject of Spider-Man came up.

"I don't know. If he's such a good superhero, why didn't he save Harry Osborn?" Liz had touched a tender area and Peter answered haughtily.

"He may have been late but he tried."

"But why was he late?"

"Being his personal photographer, Liz, he told me he has a gift called spider-sense. A bit like a warning system triggered off by an accident about to happen. Sometimes it delays a little."

"Oh." There was silence. "Did you hear about the fire this morning?"

"Yes. He saved them, Liz, give him some slack."

"I know but did you hear about what the police found?" Peter shook his head truthfully.

"In ashes was a spider symbol." Liz traced the outline with her fingers.

"Oh." Peter nodded at the familiarity. "With a bow on its head?"

"Yes."

"How do you know about it?"

"I was reporting. How do you know about it?"

"I.. er.. I was on the phone with Jonah and he mentioned it."

"Oh. I don't remember telling him."

"It was down a hotline. His secretary, her friend was in the fire." Peter wasn't used to lying but he needed to protect his identity even more now MJ knew. Not that he didn't trust her but it would be awkward in conversations. 'Yeah, my girlfriend and me were talking about kinky ways to do it too. I tied her up with my web fluid and, well, one thing led to another!'

"Liz, it's been great catching up but I have to get back. Mary Jane will be worried about me." Her smile turned sour.

"Mary Jane?"

"My girlfriend." He smiled. Liz looked disgusted.

"You've been leading me on, Parker! Trotting around, sexy questions about my private life! You have some nerve!" and then she slapped him. Picking up her fur stole, she flounced out of Dionysius. She got the wrong idea, thought Peter. He walked home. The puzzling jigsaw didn't quite fit together. But he'd work it out. Soon.