The second time I had the pleasure of web swinging with Peter, I decided to leave my eyes open. Amazingly, the ride seemed slower that before; was I enjoying it? Anyway, when we finally stopped moving, we were at Peter's house. This time, I jumped out of his arms (he was probably off-guard; I'm no match for his strength) and turned to face him.

            "What are you going to tell Aunt May?"

            "How do you know about . . . oh, right, have to get used to that. Um, you're a long lost relative I found on the Internet and you have no where to stay?"

            I looked at him skeptically.

            "She'll believe that? Oh, right," I said, sounding sickly sweet. "She believes everything you say because you're honest. I had forgotten how lame this comic/show actually is."

            "Hey, you're talking about my life here. Show some respect."

            "Forgive me, oh mighty web-swinger. By the way, before I settle in to your 'pad'," he rolled his eyes, "can you take me to the store?"

            "Why?" he asked, appearing confused that I would need something he didn't already have.

            "I need to buy some Raid and spray my room. Wouldn't want any spiders in there while I was sleeping. Spiders are gross, yucky, can't stand 'em. Arachnophobia, you know."

            "Right, that's it. Tonight, you sleep on the couch."

            "Oh, c'mon, it wasn't even gonna be full strength!"

            I assume Peter was going to reply, but at that exact moment, his aunt came out to see who was holding a conversation on her front lawn. (A/N: At this time, Peter is still in high school, thus, he still lives with his aunt.)

            "Peter, who is this?"

            "He gave me a look that seemed to say, 'you'd better have a story, because I sure don't'. I rolled my eyes and turned to Aunt May.

            "Oh, didn't he tell you last night? I'm Peter's pen pal from school, in, uh, Europe! I got the money to come over, and I guess we found each other! Is it okay if I stay here?"

            She looked overjoyed.

            "Of course it's okay, dear! We need another female around this house! What did you say your name was?"

            "I'm Daxa Hoffkan. Can I call you Aunt May? Peter has told me so much about you I feel as if I know you personally now."

            "Sure Daxa, honey, it's fine. Oh, now we'll have some use for that guest room. Peter, you'll have to clean it our. But where ever is your luggage?"

            Peter looked worried, but I had it.

            "I decided that I was going to rough it, only bringing money with me, but unfortunately I spent it all yesterday. I didn't know things would be so expensive. I guess I'll have to Peter's, right Pete?"  I nudged him in the side, starting to walk towards the house.

            He smiled at me and shook his head, walking inside as well.

            "Right, Daxa."

~*~

            That night (I count midnight as night, wouldn't you?), I plopped down on my bed (actually it was the gust room, but it was gonna be mine anyway) face up, staring at the ceiling. Is this where I was supposed to end up? I mused. Good thing I ended up here though. I don't think Mr. Matt Murdock would have taken kindly to some sixteen-year-old traipsing around Hell's Kitchen with the knowledge of his evening plan. Not a pleasant sight when you think about it. I chuckled at my own joke, shaking my head and sitting up. What am I doing up not? I wondered, gazing around the darkened bedroom. Trying to go through all the reasons I was off and on sleeping since ten o'clock, it suddenly hit me. Peter.

            Since I knew that Peter went 'out on the town, I wanted to make sure he was alright when he came back. I scrambled out of my bed, bolting out the door and down the hallway. Rushing to Pete's room, I stopped only when I was directly in front of the door. I heard snores, and my heart beat slowed a bit. But only a bit, because there was something odd about those snores. They seemed to be . . . repeating?

            My mind took a while to catch up, but I figured it out. A tape recorder with a loop. With Aunt May's hearing, she wouldn't notice, but I could distinctly hear the snores repeating every few seconds. My heart sped back up again; a race car driver on the final lap. I pushed open the door, quickly but carefully so as not to wake May, and glanced around the room.

            First I saw that there was a lump in the bed to represent Peter if his Aunt May came in. I however, could clearly see that it wasn't moving. Then my eyes landed on the open window; I groaned. So he has gone out tonight. What am I supposed to do now? Somehow, I just followed the directions my subconscious gave me.

            I went back to my room and fluffed up my bed so it would look like there was someone in it, in case May came into my room as well. Then I went back to Peter's room closed the door, and climbed out the window onto the roof, being careful to sit on the level part. Not like anyone's going to see me up here, 'cept Pete. I lay down and stargazed, picking out some well known constellations (hey, I'm no astronomer), eventually falling asleep waiting up.

~*~

            Peter Parker (or Spider-Man, as select few know both identities are one in the same) had just finished his patrol of the city, and was returning home. It hadn't been a tough night; a couple of muggings, a drive-by in which, thankfully, no one was killed, just injured, and an attempted back robbery. He smiled thinking about the last event. Peter had unarmed the two thugs (carrying Uzis is not an example of being a good citizen) before they got within fifty feet of the bank, and then proceeded to tie them, hanging, upside down, from a streetlight. When police got there (just in time; the webbing was about to snap) tipped by an unnamed source, (yeah, right), all the officers found were the crooks and a note saying (what do you think it's gonna say?) 'Courtesy of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man'.

            Peter gave up swinging as he got closer to home, not wanting to see him going in. He simply jumped from building, and, if it was close enough, he ran across the tops.

            As he drew nearer, Pete could determine that there was a figure on the roof, stretched out. Immediately, he went into defense mode, trying to discern if the person was a threat or not. He went forward little by little, inch by inch, until he was almost directly above them. They hadn't moved yet. Peter peeked his head out from the building ledge he was currently perched on, but he still couldn't see who it was. The shadows cloaked them completely, giving him a vague outline. While he was stuck on deciding what to do, he didn't hear the landing of someone else behind him. His spider sense went off, but he ignored it, thinking it was because of him leaning off the edge; the height factor.

            "She is not an enemy."

            Peter shot up like a spring and spun around. He faced Daredevil, the red shrouded vigilante, one of the only beings to know the man behind the mask.

            "What?"

            "You look hesitant to go down, as if the girl will attack you, when in fact she has already been in your home."

            "She has? But . . . but . . . you're absolutely sure she's not an enemy? This isn't some sort of bizarre test you give to aspiring web-swingers, is it?"

            Daredevil simply stared, his silent answer explaining everything.

            "Okay, but if there's splattered spider over that roof, I'll know who to come back and haunt."

            Suddenly the blind hero jerked; hit by an invisible slap.

            "She's awake; was sleeping before. She knows we are here. I must leave. Farewell, Spider-Man. Until we meet again."  And he was gone, vanished into the night.

            "Man, I know I creep people out with the whole 'hanging upside down behind you' thing, but he just creeps people out period!" Peter continued to mumble to himself as he landed softly on his roof, taking small steps toward the now conscious female.

~*~