Hi! Who ordered a fresh longer chapter with a side dish of fluff and drama? Coming up! Lol, sorry, I'm in a weird mood. Again. Sims 2! Yay!
Thanks for the reviews! And YES! I succeeded in making the twist work! Lol, there's gonna be a big surprise for you all in the next few chapters! And it WORKED! My plot actually WORKED! Lol, sorry, I'm just really happy that I managed to pull it off! :D
Please read and review!
Surprise, Surprise!
Part 6
"Peter!" Aunt May greeted him with a hug and a smile on her lined face before ushering him through the door.
"Hi Aunt May." Peter smiled brightly, trying desperately to stifle a yawn. That would only get her started on her 'You do too much!' rant, and he really wasn't in the mood.
"Come in dear, you'll catch you'll death of cold outside wearing only that in this weather!" She scolded, and Peter looked sceptically at the thick long sleeved shirt and jacket he was wearing and jeans, but he didn't say anything.
"Wow, nice place." He commented politely as he stepped into the small but pretty hallway. Sure, it was old and cramped and musty, but the place had a nice homey feel to it. His Aunt had repapered the walls and hung up many photos, most of them depicting a skinny little boy with glasses too big for him and a dopey smile. Peter smiled fondly at the pictures of him, his Aunt and Uncle all at the beach together. He remembered he'd spilt ice cream down his t-shirt but Uncle Ben had mopped him up and sent him back out to the rock pools and sandcastles. His smile turned rather sad and wistful.
"Oh this small place?" Aunt May snorted doubtfully. "Honestly Peter, sometimes you can surprise me," she said and went into the kitchen. "Would you like a cup of tea?" She called, bustling about happily in the cupboards.
"No, thanks." Peter replied and leaned in the doorway. "And what do you mean, 'I surprise you sometimes'?" He asked quizzically.
"Well," she stood up and looked at him. "All I'm saying is that sometimes you can be a little unpredictable. You know what I mean?" She tilted her head and he nodded, dropping his gaze.
"Yeah, I guess I do." He said sadly, knowing she was referring to the fact he hadn't found the time to visit her since she'd moved out, hadn't seen MJ in over a week and don't even get started on the situation with Harry, Peter thought grimly to himself.
She turned back to fishing pots and pans out the cupboard, changing the subject as she did so.
"I heard that Spider-man came back." She said in a would be casual, off-hand manner. Peter tensed.
"Uh... yeah, I heard about that too." He said and swallowed nervously.
"Who hasn't?" She laughed a little. "Splashed across the front page of the papers for a week. I also noticed you haven't taken any more pictures of him," she glanced back at him over her shoulder. "Now would there be a reason for that?"
"No, I actually have taken a few shots, just haven't had the time to drop them in at the Bugle." He explained uneasily. Since when did Aunt May monitor the papers?
"Ah, time. A precious few have it." She said philosophically, and Peter stared at her. She was acting oddly again.
"Are you ok, Aunt May?"
"Oh, I'm fine Peter. Just realising I'm getting old and one day I won't be there for you." She looked sadly at him.
"Aunt May, don't talk like that." Peter shook his head.
"Oh I know I shouldn't, I've just had a lot on my mind recently. What with moving out, and you and Spider-man," she waved a hand in the air. "You should treasure the time you have left. Live each day as if it's your last, for you never know what will happen tomorrow. Always remember that, Peter."
"What do you mean by that?" Peter asked.
"Oh, nothing dear. Are you sure you wouldn't like a cup of tea?"
"Um, no, thanks. I just remembered, I gotta go... take some photos to the Bugle." He finished lamely, feeling his spider sense buzz.
"Oh right." She said, a little disappointed, but trying to hide it. She'd been hoping he'd stay for dinner.
"I'm sorry Aunt May," he hurriedly kissed her on the cheek then dashed out the door. "I'll call you!"
Aunt May sighed as she paused in the doorway, watching her nephew run down the street then duck into the nearest alleyway. She shook her head sadly when a few seconds later a blue and red flashed by overhead.
"Honestly! That boy, it'll be the death of him!" She muttered.
She shut the door.
---
'BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP!'
A hand slammed down on the alarm clock, instantly silencing it's incessant ringing. The hand pulled away to reveal a very mangled alarm and several screws and pieces of plastic rolling off the small nightstand.
Peter groaned then rolled out of bed, throwing on some clothes, and not bothering with breakfast he headed out the door, just remembering to snatch the photos from the counter on his way out. He walked the 27 blocks to the Bugle, too tired to web swing and too spent up to take a taxi.
He checked his reflection from the glass double doors of the Bugle, and groaned again as he saw he looked a mess. Shaking his head and yawning widely, he pushed the doors open and began the long haul up the stairs to Jameson's office.
The elevator had broken several years ago.
Just as he stepping through the doorway to the main newsroom, he saw Eddy Brock heading in a beeline towards him. "Hi Eddy." He said tiredly, but the other man didn't reply, just smirked unpleasantly at him.
"What are you doing here so early?" Peter asked casually, sensing the beginnings of an uncomfortable silence.
"Oh, just dropping some photos off," he smirked again, then pushed past Peter to the door. "I'll be seeing you around Parker. And don't forget to read the Bugle tomorrow, it's gonna be amazing!" He called over his shoulder. Peter frowned after him. What was all that about? He shrugged and headed for Jameson's office.
He met Robbie on the way in and smiled at him.
"Hey Robbie."
"Hey, Peter..." Robbie frowned intensely, not paying full attention to his colleague.
"What's up?" Peter asked, concerned.
"It's just... weird. I've never seen Jonah in such a good mood. I wonder what he's so happy about?" Robbie said after a pause. "Ah well," he shrugged and smiled at Peter. "How are you holding up?"
"Ok, I guess," Peter replied and covered a yawn. Robbie gave him a 'who do you think you're kidding' look, and Peter relented.
"I'm just a little tired," he admitted, and Robbie coughed slightly. "Ok, I'm a lot tired. I'll be fine. Don't worry." Peter reassured him, and Robbie nodded reluctantly.
"Alright, Peter. I better get back to work or Jonah will have my head." Robbie said, and turned back to his desk.
"Sure," Peter smiled. "See ya".
Robbie returned to his work and Peter hesitantly pushed open the big wooden door, feeling strangely apprehensive.
Jameson was talking on the phone, with his back to Peter, but oddly enough it wasn't on speaker phone as it usually was, he was holding the receiver close to his ear and speaking furtively.
"I don't care! I want it tomorrow with or without the proper checks and that's that!"
Peter waited a moment then cleared his throat. Jameson spun round so fast he cricked his neck.
"Good!" He exclaimed triumphantly to the person on the other end of the phone and slammed it back down in it's cradle without so much as a goodbye.
"Ah, Parker." He said politely, and then he actually smiled! And it wasn't forced or polite, it was a genuine smile from J Jonah Jameson! Peter felt his jaw drop and quickly shutting it, handed him the portfolio.
Jameson leaned back in his chair and took a puff on his cigar, casually flicking through the pictures, smiling all the while. Then he put the folder down and leant forward on his desk, still smiling pleasantly.
"Parker?" He said.
"Yes sir?" Peter replied, feeling sure he was going to get a raise or a permanent job.
Jameson paused for a long moment then yelled, "You're fired!" Then he leant casually back in his chair and lit a fresh cigar, savouring the moment. Peter blinked.
"Wha-why?" He stuttered, shocked.
"We are no longer in need of your services, Parker," Jameson said calmly, and smirked. "Just read the paper tomorrow, you'll see what I mean." He said then ushered a stunned Peter out the door, flapping his hands impatiently.
---
Peter trudged home with his hands shoved in his pockets, head down, his heavy backpack bouncing on his shoulders with every step he took. He had tried to fix his bike and failed. Sure, he could stop trains and save the city from being boiled alive, but he couldn't fix his moped. How pathetic is that? He thought to himself. He sighed and looked up at the grey sky as it started to rain, but he didn't quicken his pace.
He just walked.
A newspaper vendor shouted out the headline, 'Spider-Menace Threatens City', and waved the front page irritatingly close to his face, but he didn't react.
He just walked.
A man jostled him as he ran past, and called him some rather obscene names, but he ignored him.
He just walked.
He finally looked up when he realised he'd walked a block too far past his apartment, and started trudging in the direction he'd just come from.
He kept his head down all the way to his front door, then gasped and looked up in surprise as he saw a beautiful pair of legs. He swivelled his eyes up the body of the woman sitting on his doorstep, a woman who happened to be...
"Mary Jane." He breathed, and she stood up.
"Hey tiger," she smiled, and came closer, putting her hands on his chest. "Where ya been?" She whispered in his ear, and he shivered from her proximity.
"Um... been kinda-"
"-busy," she finished for him. "I know." She put a hand on his face then kissed his lips tenderly. "Got a little leftover time for me?"
"Definitely" he whispered, still reeling from the kiss.
End of Part 6
Sorry if 27 blocks is like halfway across NYC or something, I'm not sure how far a block is but I wanted to give the idea that Peter had to walk a fairly long way to get to the Bugle. Quite like this chapter, especially the Peter/MJ scene, there'll be more fluff next chapter!
PS: Emily M. Hanson: Ursula is a minor character from Spider-man 2, Peter's landlord's daughter, the skinny blonde who asks if he wants some cake.
Diablodude1: Ok, thanks for telling me. Hope to talk to you soon! :)
Thanks to diggerthedirtyhorse for helping me with the last part! :D
Don't forget to review! ;)