Peter anxiously waited at the front door and glanced at the clock that hung on the wall.
8:40.
He was apprehensive about if Mary Jane got in the play or not. He hoped he'd be holding her tonight while she smiled instead of holding her as she cried.
The world was a much better place when Mary Jane Watson smiled.
Uncle Ben passed by and saw Peter glaring ferociously at the door, willing it to open.
"Peter, she told you she'd be here at nine right?" Peter nodded, still squinting at the door.
"Well then lighten up a little! You still have 21 minutes until she's officially late and then you can give her 10 minute break right?"
Peter reluctantly pulled his eyes from the door and gave his uncle a smile.
"I guess you're right Uncle Ben, I just... something feels wrong." There was a low buzzing in the back of his head and he gradually was beginning to call it his "spider-sense." It hadn't lied before... It had definitely saved his butt fighting Kevin Hayes.
He shivered a little.
Kevin Hayes was bad news and Peter decided that as soon as MJ got home he would ask her to try and steer away from him.
Peter tried to sit and watch TV with his aunt and uncle but couldn't seem to keep his mind on Alex Trebek and Jeopardy.
Finally he stood up and looked at the clock. It was 9:10.
"I'm gonna go meet MJ, maybe she had car trouble or something."
"Alright dear, we'll see you two in a little bit."
"Right." Peter was about to head out the door when Aunt May called out sharply.
"Are you going like that? Peter Parker you'll freeze! Go put something warmer on right now young man."
Peter inwardly groaned and dashed to the stairs, skipping four at a time. He ran into his room and threw open his closet, looking for something to put over the gym shorts and t-shirt he had been lounging in.
Something just feels wrong. Jeez I wish I could think straight, if it weren't for this stupid buzzing!
He was about to grab his jeans when his eyes fell on his "Spider-Man" costume he had made as a joke before.
He shrugged and grabbed the blue sweatpants and red shirt.
I'm gonna need to be superhuman to overcome this. God my nerves are a wreck.
His hand hesitated as he looked at the mask he had fashioned. It was stupid, yes, but somehow he was drawn to it.
Aw hell just go already Peter! Mary Jane could be at the mercy of a robber right now while you debate whether to bring a stupid mask!
Without hesitation Peter slipped it into his pocket and dashed out the door, yelling good bye to his uncle and aunt. He was pulling out his keys when he remembered that MJ had taken the car.
Dangit.
Oh well, he had gotten all these new muscles right? He could certainly jog. He took off at top speed, faster than he had seen anybody run in his life and he wasn't even breathing hard.
That's pretty cool.
But then he shook his mind of it and just pushed himself harder. His spider-sense was buzzing even more insistently.
Faster, Parker, faster! Something's definitely wrong.
Finally two minutes later he appeared at the place where MJ had told him the audition was earlier.
He groaned out loud.
There wasn't anybody in sight.
Shrugging he noticed one car still in the lot and a light on inside.
He hastened to the door almost colliding with a mousy woman with stringy brown hair.
"Oh sorry," He breathed out and picked up the papers she had dropped. "Listen, did a Mary Jane Watson audition tonight?"
The girl thought for a moment and took in Peter's disheveled appearance.
"Yes... yes she did, can I help you?"
"Did she get the part?"
The girl opened her mouth to speak, but Peter cut her off.
"-No, no that's not important, listen, did you see where she went?"
The girl shook her head. Peter waited for a moment to see if she would say anything else helpful and almost screamed when she just stood there.
Didn't she talk?!?
He was about to turn around and continue his mad search when the girl finally spoke.
"I looked out the window earlier and I saw she was speaking with a man."
Peter's eyes widened.
"A man?! Who- nevermind can you tell me what he looked like??"
"Tall... kinda muscular looking, spiky brown hair..." She thought for a minute.
"Oh yeah he had an earring."
Peter's worst fears were confirmed.
That would be Kevin.
Fire filled Peter's blue eyes, he had had a suspicion that Kevin was trouble and he hadn't acted upon it.
He gritted his teeth. If he had confronted him earlier Mary Jane would be here with him right now.
Peter thanked the girl hurriedly and stopped to think.
There was no way he'd find her by running. Kevin wouldn't take Mary Jane to his house would he?
No, he wouldn't. He was dumb, but not that dumb. He would take her somewhere else.
He would have to talk with some of Kevin's friends. They might know where he was...
He knew a bar in the seedier part of town where Kevin frequented; maybe he would run into someone helpful there.
He was about to start running again when he realized time was of the essence and it was quickly slipping away from him.
He despaired about what to do for a quick moment before looking up, a glint of determination in his eyes. He ran towards the side of the building and climbed to the top easily.
He looked around at all the tall buildings. His webs would stick to them. He could do it. He would. For MJ.
Before he was about to sling out the first web he pulled the mask over his face.
No use in being committed to an insane asylum by having someone recognize him swinging Tarzan-like through the metal jungle of New York.
He tried to swallow his fear and thwipped out a webline, making sure it fastened before he finally jumped.
He screamed in nervous exhilaration and then shakily let out another line as the building the last one was attached to loomed closer. He started to slowly get the hang of it and soon everything was a blur as he traveled across town.
He dropped himself gently in front of a seedy bar called Rick's and took off his mask and shoved it into his pocket. He ran in and looked around, finally spotting a group of Kevin's friends in the corner, drinking and laughing.
He strode up to them, praying they would help him.
"Do you know where Kevin is?"
They leered at him and laughed.
So much for the polite attempt.
"Listen, I have to know where he is,"
A guy in the back stared him down, blowing out smoke from his cigarette.
"Yeah I know where he is."
"Tell me!"
"Why?"
"Because!" He yelled. He was getting impatient. Every moment spent with these druggies was one moment Mary Jane spent with a psycho.
A lean, muscular man in his early twenties stepped in front of the man who knew where MJ was.
He laughed drunkenly and stared him down.
"How about this bud? If you can take down me and my friends," he gestured to the seven similarly built thug wannabes beside him, "Then we'll let Dawson tell you everything he knows."
Apparently Dawson was the stupid one in the back who knew where Kevin was.
"Alright." Peter shrugged. He just wanted to get it over with and he was more than sure of his abilities to cope with these freaks.
Quicker than they expected and before they could react Peter grabbed two and quickly shoved them on the floor, he moved to the side as someone came from behind and crashed into another one.
Four down.
Four to go.
He dodged a punch and brought the man's hand behind his back, kicking him to the ground.
He punched one with a glancing blow to the stomach and then flipped over to swing his leg across the next attacker's knees. There would no lasting damage to any of them, but at least he got them out of the way.
"Now," Peter said, stepping over the bodies one by one until he was face to face with the kid. "Tell me where Kevin Hayes is."
The kid, no older than Peter, gulped and nodded.
"I'll tell ya, I will, I will."
Peter stared him down; cursing the time he was losing.
"I lent him my Pa's old shack. Abandoned, listen it's across town, near Ramen St. You know it?"
Peter thought for a moment and then nodded.
"Okay good, follow that street down about half a mile from the Kennedy Turnpike then turn onto a wooded street called Trail Bird Ln. Finally make a left on a wooded path. It's hard to see, especially in the dark, but it's there. The shack's at the end."
Peter glared at him to make sure he wasn't lying then warily stepped back.
"Thanks."
With that he was gone, already swinging across town, his mask firmly in place, determination in his eyes.
........
Sorry the chapter's a bit boring, but had to get it out of the way, can't have Peter automatically knowing a secret hideaway, hehe gotta try and keep this reasonably... reasonable.
The next chapter will be with MJ, taking place the same time Peter's fighting these guys and looking for her.
Hope you guys enjoyed, see ya then!