Severing Ties

Summary: Things are looking up for Peter. It had been a few months since Doctor Octavius passed away, and Peter was getting his life on track except for a few things that wouldn't let him be. That's all about to change as someone, somewhere, needs Peter, and he's going to be in for a wild ride.

Chapter 16: Continuing the Wild Goose Chase

(A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Mary Jane Watson-Parker, who has won the position of a plot point (more than a walk-on role) for the sequel. Congrats, MJ!)

Jackie and Inigo teleported to where Jackie thought Donna was. They found her in one of the labs.

"Donna! It's Jackie and Inigo!" Jackie whispered loudly. When she saw no one else was there, she became visible. So did Inigo.

"You shouldn't be here. Dr. Connors will be back soon," Donna responded. She was calm and resolved, and was looking through Connors' files.

"Be worried that he's going to see you," Inigo remarked.

"I'm his assistant, now. The Brotherhood wants me here when Connors tests his work."

"His work?"

"He's trying to make a liquid of some sort that can enable humans to regrow limbs like lizards. He's about ready to test it on himself," Donna explained. "The Brotherhood wanted someone on their side who could observe his test. If it works, Magneto is going to buy all Connors' research."

"But why?"

"Because it's pretty obvious that Connors' work is going to mutate his DNA. Magneto just needs to know if it'll kill someone, and he's willing to wait to see if Connors kills himself."

This is completely morbid, Jackie thought.

"So, do you need us to leave you here?" Inigo asked.

Donna nodded. "I may need to be here in case something happens. I would suggest Spider-Man being on hand, too. Some of the things Dr. Connors is working with could cause a lot of trouble."

"Right."

"What a waste of time," Inigo commented. He shook his head dismissively. "Now what, Oh-Mighty-Jack-of-all-Trades?"

"Now we get back to the school," Jackie responded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Jackie Salvani?" a voice called.

"Shit!" Inigo muttered, as he turned invisible.

"Hello, Dr. Connors," Jackie greeted bashfully.

"What are you doing here, Miss Salvani?"

"I came to…er…speak to my old friend, Donna Wakanda…Which I have…so I'll just be leaving now…" Her face almost the color of a beat, Jackie quickly made her way around the corner before turning invisible. Envisioning having sonar, she found Inigo waiting right outside.

"Smooth," he snapped.

"Like you were smooth getting out of there. It felt like a window was open. Except, wait, there were no windows in that room," Jackie replied sarcastically.

"Shut up, Salvani."

"Only if you do, Short."

"Bite me."

"Refraining comment from that utterly childish taunt…" Jackie grabbed Inigo, none too nicely, and teleported to the school.

Peter was on his way back when he got a call on the phone. "Peter Parker."

"Hey, this is Ororo."

"Hi." He kept his grief in check.

"Stay in New York. We discovered why Magneto needed to have a registered mutant."

Damn! And just when he needed to get away from the place that held all the memories. He was going to resign himself to the life of the X-Men, never come back, and pretend his life before he met Jackie simply hadn't happened. "Why does he?"

"There's a man by the name of Curt Connors who's working on something to do with lizard DNA, and will most likely test it on himself. If it's successful, Magneto's gonna want the formula. So he's made Donna Connors' lab assistant," she explained.

"But why do I need to stay?" Peter asked, suspecting that he sounded very childish.

"This test Dr. Connors wants to do may go horribly wrong. Donna's the most powerful mutant there at the moment, and if she's taken down, you need to be there to take care of things."

"Whatever. I'll do it." He could say nothing else. Ororo said her goodbyes, and Peter just hung up. He couldn't believe them. His love had just been killed, how could they expect him to stay around here, where the very buildings haunt him? He called Aunt May and asked if he could stay with her. Having consented, she wished Peter the best of luck.

The only luck Peter was having lately was bad. In fact, the word luck had begun to pale in comparison to the horrible turns Peter's life was taking. He thought he felt grief when he heard that Jackie had died. That was nothing. Absolutely nothing compared to what he was feeling now. He wanted to find some niche in a building, crawl up there, and die. He thought his feelings had hit the ultimate low before. It seemed to him that every time he hit one of those lows, he just had to wait, and the bottom would collapse, making him hit lower. He felt as if his assaulted heart now had half of its contents ripped out by a rusty hook. He closed his eyes on the road, hoping against hope that his spider-sense wouldn't kick in and direct his driving, and then stop him from riding straight into a semi like a junebug on its grill.

Cursing his senses that worked on their own, he parked the motorcycle in front of Aunt May's apartment building.

"Peter!" she greeted, relieved.

"Hi, Aunt May." He hugged her, and when he took a second look at her, her eyes were red and puffy. "You heard."

She nodded solemnly, and then hugged her nephew again.

Jackie hung her head, acting as though she were ashamed. Logan and Scott were giving it to her from both barrels, but she just soaked it all in.

"Are you even listening to a single word we're saying?!" Scott asked loudly.

"Of course, I'm listening. I know better than that." It was said quietly and without emotion.

"You put both yourself and that mutant who has no idea what he's up against in serious danger!" Scott screamed for the millionth time.

"Not to mention that you two risked exposure!" It was Logan's turn to rant.

Jackie tuned them out like she used to when she was younger. The last time she got this berated was when she was seventeen, she went to a party with normal people, and thought it'd be funny to make all the people think that they're drinks were spiked. All had grand hallucinations with no aftereffects, but Jackie almost got expelled from the school. A small laugh caught in her throat as she remembered that incident, but realized too late that that wasn't the greatest thing to do when she had two, angry, full grown mutant men yelling at her.

"WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?!" Logan exploded.

Jackie winced. "I just recalled the last time I had to be shouted at. I didn't mean to laugh…it just sort of happened…"

"I guess that means that any more yelling is only going to cause us to loose our voices, Logan. She's not listening, anymore," Scott commented in a normal manner. His voice had the hoarse tone that meant that he had started to loose it.

"Right." Logan's voice had the same tone. "Jack, you will not be able to leave the area for the next three weeks."

"WHAT?!" Now it was Jackie's turn to explode. "You can't be joking! I did it for Donna's own good! It's not my fault that I didn't know she needed to stay there!"

"Logan, I like that punishment. I think it works. Yeah. It'll stick," Scott replied.

"You can't do this to me! I'm over the legal age to be controlled by elders! The both of you need to stop acting like you're my parents! You're not!" she raged.

"What's the rule most parents have for their children when they turn eighteen?" Logan asked.

"You live under this roof, you abide by these rules," Scott replied triumphantly.

Jackie deflated like a popped balloon. "Really? All right-y then, that settles it." Her anger was gone; a strange glint in her eyes.

"What does? You're going to comply?" Scott inquired disbelievingly.

"Of course not," Jackie laughed. "I'm simply not going to live under this roof." With that, she was gone.

"That fucking girl," Logan swore.

"You can say that, again."

(A/N: WOOO HOOO !! I'm back and better than ever! WOOOOO HOOO!

Mary Jane Watson-Parker: Peter's grief will be dealt with, and I assure you, I do not make light of it. Glad you think the plot's interesting! Hope you got the email, and here's the next chapter!

Oddball91: There's a reason, I promise you. I know it was shocking. It was supposed to be. Sorry, try again next time. If you the 60th reviewer for something else, I'll give you something. Thanks for reviewing! Here's more!

Sma: I think your review got cut off, so I only got the bit about the Life Support. Sorry but I don't know the first thing about life support, so whatever…I thought it kept your heart beating, not breathed for you. I'm no doctor. Thank you for reviewing. I'm glad you like it. Here's more.

DiabloDude1: Oh yes, I am so in love with you :-p (just kidding). I'm glad you liked it, even though your reasons are somewhat morbid. I agree…Peter is poor :-p. Thanks for reviewing, and here's more.

FieryKitsune: I know…I feel so sad about doing that to her. Even though I don't like her, I don't think she deserved to die. I'm thrilled you like it, and here's another twist. This one might tick you off cuz its another cliffhanger! :-D ;-)

Hope you like this chapter, all. See you later! -silently fades into the shadows-)