Chapter 5
"Were Peter and Mary Jane having any problems, Mrs. Parker?" the police officer asked the grey-haired woman sitting on the couch, obviously shaken by the news they had given her. Blinking back a tear or two, she maintained her composure somehow.
"It's Miss Parker.", the woman said, smiling wistfully for a moment before directing her attention back to the matter at hand, "And no. Mary Jane and Peter weren't having any problems that I'm aware of."
The police officer scribbled this down into a notebook, peering over his glasses at her. He was a tall man, muscular with short blonde hair buzzed on top. His name badge read Ackerman and he sat down in a seat across from her.
"No problems at all, ma'am?" Ackerman queried, "Are you sure?"
"Well, of course they were having problems." Aunt May responded calmly, "All married couples have problems, but just normal things. Nothing that would ever lead to this."
"Of course ma'am", Ackerman replied, a response which led to further scribbling in the notebook, "So, in your opinion, is Peter capable of murder?"
"You just told Mary Jane isn't dead. She's still alive, isn't she?" Aunt May asked, eyes narrowing as she turned the questions around on the officer now.
"Mary Jane's condition is stable for now." Ackerman answered calmly, nodding "But, could you just please answer the question – is he capable of murder?"
"I doubt it." Aunt May scoffed, "Peter couldn't hurt a fly. He's been in a fight or two over the years, but murder?" In her heart, she knew that Peter would never murder and never would have harmed Mary Jane.
"So, it's your belief that Peter and Mary Jane Watson have a healthy relationship?" the officer asked, eyes focused back on Aunt May rather than his notebook.
"Very much so." Aunt May answered emphatically, eyes fixing the officers with a steely gaze, "They are a happily married couple and their relationship is as strong as any relationship I know. They remind me of Ben and I at that age." Smiling as she leaned back in her rocking chair, folding her hands across her lap as she awaited the officer's next question.
But the next question never came as his partner entered the room , gazing at him, appearing unsettled and upset.
Immediately his partner, Frampton, setated, "There's been a situation."
Ackerman rose to his feet, facing the officer as he flipped shut his notebook, eyes narrowing as he nodded, "What situation?"
"The Joker just appeared at the Bank of America." Frampton said in a rush, "He killed 19 of our officers – including Captain Harris."
"What?" Ackerman said with a shout, obviously agitated as he stepped forward, "We need to get over there immediately."
Turning to face Aunt May he said, "We'll call you if we have any more questions." as he headed out the door."
"There's more." Frampton said, following his partner as he attempted to match his stride, "Peter Parker escaped during the bank robbery. He's missing."
This stopped Ackerman in his tracks at the doorway – almost out of the living room as silence reigned for a moment before both Ackerman and Aunt May shouted, "What?"
The question was rhetorical though as Ackerman turned to face Aunt May, eyes narrowed, obviously upset over the senseless deaths of his fellow officers and now added to it was the escape of a suspect. So, the next words probably spilled over from that fountain of anger.
"Still think he's innocent then?" and without waiting for an answer, Ackerman spun on his heels, storming out towards the squad car. With an apologetic nod, Frampton followed. Aunt May could only gasp, slumping further into the rocking chair as she finally had a chance to sit back and contemplate this sudden turn of events. Grabbing a tissue, clutching it in her wrinkled fist, dabbing at her eyes, listening to the tires of the squad car squealing on the pavement below. As the tears began to flow, she was suddenly startled by a knock on the window.
Giving a startled squeal, Aunt May turned to face the window and there was Spiderman.
For several minutes after his liberation from the back of the squad car, Spiderman had swung high over the rooftops of New York City in search of the Joker, but the Joker had effectively disappeared – for now. While normally he would still be out searching, he found other things more pressing at the moment. It took only a second of pondering and a few minutes of web slinging to reach his next destination. He need answers and not too many people would be forthcoming with answers at the moment. But, he was certain there would be one person that would help him out. That was how Spiderman found himself knocking insistently and hopefully on the window of Aunt May's apartment.
The window immediately opened as Spiderman slipped inside the apartment, immediately greeted by the familiar scent of vanilla as he faced Aunt May. Stepping away from the window, the mask came off as he stared into Aunt May's questioning eyes.
Her voice quavering as she stared right back, trembling slightly, "I have to ask, Peter – did you do it?"
"Of course not!" Peter responded indignantly, although he really couldn't blame her for asking, "Please just listen to me."
Breathing a sigh of relief, Aunt May lunged forward to give Peter a surprisly strong hug, gripping him tightly as he hugged her just as tightly back. If Peter had been able to look into her eyes, he would've seen vindication in them and on her face, a weak smile that she barely managed.
"What's going on, Peter?" Aunt May asked before Peter even had a chance to speak. Peter smiled, looking at this woman fondly – the woman who raised him.
Peter was glad she knew he was Spiderman now – as much as he knew it was necessary, he hated lying to those he loved. Even though Aunt May and Peter didn't always agree with regards to Spiderman, Peter only knew it was a relief that the lies didn't have to continue anymore and there weren't any copies of the Daily Bugle lying around.
"I don't know, Aunt May." Peter answered, making sure he stood clear of the window as he steered Aunt May onto a nearby couch, sitting down beside her, "But I'm going to find out. I need to know some things so I can though"
"I know you didn't kill her," Aunt May pronounced triumpantly, gazing at Peter, "What do you want to know?"
"Well, first of all, you've heard MJ is ok – do you know where they took her?" Peter asked, anxious to see his wife, even if she was in a coma.
"I know they took her to Bellevue." Aunt May said, her trembling slowling down now and the tears drying on her cheeks as Peter had a comforting arm around her, "But I don't know what room."
"That's ok, Aunt May. I'll find out." Peter said, sitting there for a moment as he imagined going to visit Mary Jane at Bellevue Hospital.
"Well, why did you run?" Aunt May asked sharply, "The police are all going to think that you're guilty."
"They already think that I'm guilty." Peter responded quickly, "Because they said they had a witness. Who?"
"Anna Watson, Peter." Aunt May stated, "According to her, she was meeting Mary Jane for lunch and maybe some Christmas shopping. She said she saw you there leaving the apartment and when she went in, that's when she found Mary Jane."
"Well, that wouldn't leave many options, " Peter mused aloud, "But it couldn't have been me. I was actually out Christmas shopping."
"Well, if it wasn't you," Aunt May wondered, then continued, "Then who?"
Peter rose from the couch, donning his Spiderman mask once again as he spoke with complete conviction and a hard edge tohis voice, "That's something I intend to find out. I'll find out who set me up and hurt Mary Jane." as he strode towards the window, opening it once again as cold air shot into the apartment.
"Be careful, dear." Aunt May said worriedly, gazing at Peter as she stepped forward.
Underneath the mask, Peter gave a smile, stepping outside the window onto the ledge, "It's going to be ok, Aunt May. Don't worry." and with that, the window shut and Spiderman swung out into the city.
"I will." Aunt May said softly, breathing in deeply as she stared at the window, eyes watching her nephew as he webbed his way over towards Bellevue. Lord, would she ever worry.