Spider-Man: Home Is Where The Heart Is

A/N: Sorry it's taken so long to update! I'm gonna try to do better!
This is kind of a filler chapter, it's pretty much all fluff. I hope you like it and I'm gonna try to update more often. I also want to give a shoutout to the amazing Sinalpha, an author on Ao3 who beta'd this chapter for me and made it so much better with all her suggestions!
Please comment and let me know what you all think of this chapter.

Waking up to MJ laying in his arms was one of Peter's favourite things in the whole world.

It was almost every morning now, as they slept in the same bed together almost every night. He didn't think he would ever get tired of waking up to her snuggled into him, laying peacefully with his arms around her. She was usually awake before him but always waited until he woke up as well, usually because of his alarm. She'd always tell him, she would wait for him to wake up because she was a great girlfriend and wanted to let him sleep after he'd been out late on patrol and gotten himself injured like the idiot he was.

While Peter had no doubt that was true, he knew her well enough to know she liked waking up with him in the morning and laying comfortably under the covers, him holding her to his body. MJ would never admit to him that she loved laying in with him in the mornings, she once slipped out that his arms being around at night made her feel warm and safe. She'd shot him down really quickly when he tried to tease her for being so cheesy.

Yes, Peter Parker woke up almost every morning, holding Michelle Jones in his arms. This morning though, was very special, for two reasons:

One, he'd woken up before MJ did, which never happened. Like ever.

Two, this is the first morning waking up with MJ after finally telling her that he loved her.

MJ was sleeping peacefully against him, her head on his chest, his left arm holding her close to him and he felt no desire to move, to disturb her sleep, no this moment was far too perfect to ruin. He they would have to get up soon, the morning sun was shining through the curtains but he was determined to enjoy having her in his arms for as long as he could.

Peter looked down at MJ, listening to her soft breathing as she slept. He smiled, thinking of her reaction last night, to what he had told her and how it led to them learning more about what they were ready for in their relationship.

MJ was staring at him with a completely stunned expression, he'd definitely taken her off guard. He began to panic, as he could feel the weight of his words crushing the air out of his was so happy, he'd finally worked up the courage to tell her how he felt about her, that he loved her and he definitely didn't regret it. But MJ was looking at him like he'd grown a second head and wasn't reacting to his words.

"Um, MJ," Peter began, uncomfortably, "could you just say something, please? You don't have to say it back but I'm kind of panicking here…."

"Shut up," MJ said, firmly, putting a finger to his mouth, effectively shutting him up herself. She closed her eyes, "Just give me a second."

Glad that she wasn't staring straight through him anymore, he was happy to wait patiently for a moment, for however long she needed to figure out how she felt about the fact that he loves her.

It still felt like an eternity before she finally opened her eyes and looked back up at him. He looked back down at her, nervous but was relieved when she smiled lightly up at him.

"You love me?"

She was smiling at him, the genuine smile that he loved to see on her face but he could also see something else in her eyes, something he didn't like.

Uncertainty.

"Yes." He said, quickly, "I love you. I've wanted to tell you for a while now."

MJ looked straight at him, almost like she was trying to read him. After a moment, she asked, "You're not just saying that because of earlier right? Like when Morgan put me on the spot or because of what you were saying out on the balcony…."

"What? No!"

Peter pulled away from laying over MJ, sitting upon the bed and grabbing her hand to pull her up with him. She was still smiling sweetly at him but he could still see the questioning in her eyes.

"No, MJ, I didn't say that because Morgan put you on the spot." He told her, clasping her hand in his own, "Or because I'm worried about whatever might come in the future. I told you I love you because that is how I feel."

He took a breath, before reaching up to cup her cheek in his palm before continuing.

"I've wanted to tell you for a long time now. I've been waiting for the right time to tell you. But tonight, I spoke to Pepper about my feelings for you and I realised the perfect moment wasn't going to come. And I didn't want to keep it in anymore."

Peter sighed, looking directly into the dark brown eyes he loved so much, giving him the courage to get these words out.

"I love you. I'm in love with you. And it's ok that you don't say it back, you're not ready to say it back and that's ok. I'll wait."

Peter took a deep breath, closing his eyes. Saying all of this finally after months of waiting felt amazing but it still took all of his courage to get it out.

He meant it, and even if MJ didn't say any of this back to him, even if she's not ready to put that on their relationship, it was fine. It was fine because he would wait for her. He would always wait for her.

Peter opened his eyes when he felt MJ's hand on his the back of his neck, her fingers threading themselves into his locks. She moved forward and softly brushed her lips on his, not quite kissing him the way he wanted her to but after his confession, he let her lead.

The ball was in her court now.

She leant her forehead on his and he closed his eyes at the contact and fully giving himself over to the intimacy of the moment. She moved onto his lap and he wrapped his arms around her waist. He loved having her in his arms. It was where she belonged.

"Guess you really got your sappy display tonight after all," MJ whispered, running her fingers through his locks slowly.

"Even after your depressing one outside."

"MJ…" Peter began, in a whisper not opening his eyes, "I'm kind of pouring out my heart here….."

Then he was cut off by her, she was kissing him, fully and in earnest, her soft lips moving against his, her hands now holding him fully against her. He opened his eyes in surprise but responded quickly, kissing her back back, putting all the love that he hadn't spoken in words in the past months, into it.

MJ pulled back, moving to lay down on her back on the bed where she had been and she pulled him with her, not speaking or giving him the chance to say anything, not that Peter was complaining, as she quickly pulled his lips back to hers.

He laid back over her, his arms either side of her body, holding his weight off her. Peter was really enjoying this kiss they were having, he ran his tongue again her bottom lip and immediately granted him access, letting out a deep moan as he rubbed his tongue against hers.

"Mmmm…." MJ moaned, reaching down to the bottom of his shirt and beginning to lift it up.

"I need to feel you."

Peter was never going to deny her what she wanted, leaning back to let her pull his black t-shirt up and over his head. She threw it to the side before pulling him back down to her.

He kissed her again, passionately, enjoying the amazing feeling of MJ running her hands all over his upper body, as she kissed him back, more passionately perhaps, than she'd ever kissed him before.

He pulled his lips from her and moved to the spot below, her ear, kissing it and nuzzling her neck the way he knew she liked. She moaned again, loudly near his ear before beginning pepper kisses along his bare shoulder and side of his neck.

"I love you too." She moaned, in his ear and he froze, though she kept up with her kisses all over the upper right side, before he regathered his mind and pulled back to look at her.

MJ leaned up to keep kissing him, but Peter pulled further back.

"What? He asked, breathlessly. He had to make sure he heard her right.

MJ looked back at him, sighing deeply, and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I love you too, loser." She told him, rubbing him softly, "So much. I've been struggling with this for weeks and I didn't actually label it, until last night."

"But I love you. I'm in love with you too. I wanted to tell you earlier but I was too surprised when Morgan brought it up as she did. And you've totally stolen my thunder saying it first you dork, but I love you dweeb."

Peter couldn't believe what he was hearing. He didn't think he had ever felt as happy as he did right now. This awesome, amazing and beautiful girl that he was looking at, that he was completely in love with was telling him that she felt the same about him. That she loved him too. He couldn't contain himself, his entire body wanted to explode with how happy he was right now.

"I love you." He couldn't help himself.

He liked the way it felt on his lips. The sound of it as he spoke.

"I love you." He repeated, leaning down and capturing MJ's lips, once again, kissing her as if his life depended on it.

"I love you," MJ replied, moaning against his lips, sliding her tongue past his lips to gently massage his again. She pulled him down, trying to get as close as possible, moaning as bucked his hips against hers.

MJ was driving Peter crazy. They'd had many intense make outs before, which had resulted in both Peter and MJ's shirts being tossed aside before but they'd never been fuelled by this level of passion and intimacy. MJ was moaning loudly, as she pulled him closer and he pushed his hips into hers.

Motivated by the sounds she was making, he pulled away and returned his lips to her neck, kissing and sucking on the spots on her neck, the way she knew she liked. She brought her hands up to cradle his head as he began to kiss down her neck, pushing the material of the loose sweatshirt out of the way as he kissed slowly down closer to her breasts.

"Mmmm, that feels good!" She hummed, running her fingers, through his hair encouragingly.

He looked up and saw her looking back down at him, loving the lust in her eyes, which gave him the courage to move down to the waist of her shirt, lifting it up and placing soft kisses to her skin, a over her waist slowly moving upward as he raised her shirt higher.

MJ moaned at the soft sensation of his lips, tenderly kissing up her stomach. She loved this boy and what he was doing to her but she knew she had to stop him, right now.

"Pete, Pete…." She whispered, looking down at him, seeing his light up, almost in alarm as she called to him.

Before he could panic, she pulled him back up to her and kissed him again, passionately but slowing the pace of their actions.

Peter was slightly confused, he thought MJ was encouraging his touches on her body, but she'd stopped him and pulled him back up to her. He thought he may have overestimated what she wanted but she was still kissing him, so he hoped she didn't feel pressured by him. He'd never, ever do that.

MJ moved her hand to his chest and pushed him away from her, separating their lips from each other. She took a deep breath, pulling the grey t-shirt back down to her waist, regaining her composure, before speaking.

"Sorry," MJ said, breathing heavily, "I had to stop you there, before…."

"MJ you don't need to apologise!" Peter cut her off, exclaiming, "I didn't mean to do anything you didn't want, I just thought, since we'd gone that far before…. I thought you were telling me to…."

"Peter shut up for a second!" MJ interjected, "You didn't do anything wrong!"

MJ grabbed him and rolled him over, which he allowed her to do as he saw that's what she wanted. She laid on top him, leaning down close to him, not making eye contact but looking down at her own hand which she was softly rubbing against his chest.

"I had to stop you…" She whispered, softly, "Because, if we went any further tonight, I wouldn't have wanted to stop."

"I didn't want to stop." She said, looking back into his eyes.

Peter's eyes lit up as he realised what she was saying. "MJ, are you su…." He began, before she cut him off, again.

"Pete, I'm ready." MJ declared, resting her chin on his chest, maintain eye contact with him, "I'm ready for that, with you. I want to be with you, completely. I just don't want our first time to be here."

"This place is cold," MJ said, looking around the room they are in, illuminated only by the lamp on the bedside table of the perfectly white-sheeted bed, in the bright white and silver bedroom.

"I don't mean cold, literally, loser," She rolled her eyes, seeing the look on his face, "This place is just so blank. It's a compound, not a home. And everything, that happened at this place…." She trailed off, seeing the look in Peter's eyes, knowing he understood what she was trying to say.

"Don't tell anyone I said this." MJ warned, "It's so sappy, and I have a repution to I want our first time…. To be special…."

Peter grinned, looking up at his girlfriend, who was giving him a look of warning, one that said he would be dead and single if he repeated her words to anyone, ever.

God, he loved this girl.

"I thought I was the hopeless, cheesy romantic in this relationship?"

MJ raised her eyebrows, "I just told you I want to have sex with you and you want to tease me? Do you want me to change my mind?"

"You'd change it back again, cause you loooove meeeee." Peter drew out the words, enjoying teasing her, "I know how you feel now."

"I swear to God, loser…."

Peter leaned up and kissed his girlfriend again, this one a lot slower and softer than their earlier ones but just as passionate and intimate.

They kissed softly for a moment before Peter pulled back.

"So if, we can't go any further tonight, does that mean we have to go to sleep now?"

"No, not yet loser." MJ replied, quickly, "I want you to kiss me again."

Peter couldn't stop smiling, softly kissing MJ's curls, as she slept, her head on his chest, being careful not to wake her up.

He needn't have worried, as she spoke letting him know that she was awake.

"Morning loser." MJ groaned, pecking his chest and pulling the blanket up to her neck, snuggling into him.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

"I've been awake for a few minutes, I just didn't wanna get up," MJ replied, opening her eyes, looking up at Peter. "You're awake early."

"I slept good last night."

"Mmmm, me too." MJ whispered, "I'd really love to just stay here for a while but we should probably get up. Pepper said last night that Morgan was an early riser, we should get up and have breakfast before we go into the city."

Peter hummed, into her messy locks, agreeing with her, that they should get up and also that he didn't want too, he was perfectly content to stay right there with her.

MJ wanted to stay there too but knew from the morning sun that it was time to get up and start the new day. She rolled over away, from Peter, missing his warmth as she stood up and turned back to him.

MJ rolled her eyes, as he was staring at her with what she described as his 'puppy dog eyes', almost pleading with her to lay back down with him.

"Get up, loser." MJ told him, shaking her head, "Go have a shower and brush your teeth. You didn't do that last night."

"I did! Before you Happy picked us up last night!"

"You didn't brush your teeth again, after dinner!"

"Well, you kind of distracted me before I got the chance to, MJ!"

"It's not my fault you had to tell me you loved me last night loser!" MJ replied, frowning at the cute goofy smile this elicited from her boyfriend.

"Yeah, yeah, you're all happy we're in love and all that sappy shit." MJ said, before he could say anything, "Now get up and jump in the shower or I swear to God, I'm not going to kiss you at all today."

"Why punish yourself like that?" Peter asked, rhetorically, jumping up and rushing to the bathroom, as if he truly believed her threat but not believing it all.

MJ shook her head. How the hell did she fall so hard for this loser?

Michelle heard the sound of the shower running in the ensuite bathroom of what was now Peter's bedroom in the Avengers compound. She couldn't get over how he could make her feel, just by doing something as cute as wanting to lay in bed with her in the morning. Honestly, she had a reputation to maintain.

Shaking herself out of her Peter induced fantasy, Michelle moved to the large slide open closet, along the wall of the room, opening it find the robe she had seen in there last night, when she grabbed the sweatpants and shirt she was wearing right now.

Michelle had to hand it to Pepper and Stark Industries, they literally provided everything for the Avengers or whoever else who was ever to stay in the rooms of this building. Sets of clothes of all sizes, shoes, towels everything that a person would need was provided in this building.

Michelle was grateful as she pulled on the robe, wrapping it around herself, enjoying the warmth it provided. Michelle always felt the cold of the morning, as soon Peter let go of her, every morning.

MJ decided not to wait for Peter to get off the shower and walked out of the room and moved towards the living area of the compound, which was close to where Pepper and Morgan's rooms were. (Happy had kept his promise to keep Peter and MJ's room away from Morgan's, to Pepper's amusement and Peters embarrassment.)

MJ entered the kitchen they had been in the night before and was warmed by the sight she saw.

Pepper and Morgan were on opposite sides of the kitchen bench, Pepper standing and Morgan sitting on a bar stool, a bowl of cereal sitting on the bench between them, both of them taking turns at grabbing a spoonful, laughing with each other as they ate. It was truly amazing to MJ and she was struck again by a surge of admiration for the Pepper Potts-Stark.

Michelle had always admired Pepper, the woman was inspiring in how she was so hardworking, compassionate, genuine and successful. Pepper fought for what she believed in, wasn't intimidated by anyone and genuinely cared for people, using all the resources she had to improve the world, fighting for the rights of women and those oppressed all over the world.

Pepper Potts-Stark was always portrayed in the media as a kind and successful woman but it was another thing entirely for Michelle to actually meet and see how this woman actually was. She was truly so compassionate and kind, being so friendly, it was so obvious to Michelle how much Pepper truly cared for Peter (something they definitely had in common) and watching the red-haired woman right now, it was clear to Michelle that Pepper Potts-Stark loved and cared for her daughter more than anything in the world.

The common cliché that wealthy corporate parents didn't show care or genuine love and affection to their children, didn't apply to Pepper Pitts's Stark. Michelle was watching her right now, doing something as simple as eating cereal and laughing with her daughter, and Michelle couldn't help but think this small moment she was witnessing had more love in it, than Michelle's parents had shown her, her whole life.

Michelle knew that some people would think that would make her sad but she had long since moved on from her own parents lack of affection and complete apathy for her or anything that happened in her life. They'd fed her and provided a roof over her head but Michelle couldn't remember a single time her mother or father had ever told her they loved her.

She no longer waited for them too.

Michelle stood in the living area doorway, watching the mother and daughter eat, debating with herself on whether to join them. She didn't want to intrude on their breakfast together.

As she decided to turn around and return to the bedroom, the little girl noticed her standing there.

"Hey MJ!"

Pepper turned to look at her, making Michelle feel stupid, just standing there. "Good morning." She eventually greeted them.

Pepper smiled at her, "Good morning, MJ. Come sit with us."

Feeling awkward, Michelle took the invitation, moving to sit next to sit on the vacant barstool next to Morgan.

"Do you want anything for breakfast?" Pepper asked, and Michelle could tell the woman was a morning person, "We got heaps of cereals or we've got some bacon and eggs in the fridge I can cook up if you'd like?"

Michelle shook her head, smiling at this woman's generosity, "That's okay, I'm more of cereal person, thank you."

"You're like me and Morgan." Pepper smiled, turning around, opening a cupboard and grabbing a bowl out for the young girl, "Me and Morgan both like cereal, that's our kind of breakfast."

"Daddy liked Omelettes!" Morgan quipped, cheerfully, scooping more breakfast from the bowl in front of her.

"Yes, he did." Pepper agreed, with a smile and Michelle observed while there was a sad undertone to it, it was genuine.

"I'm done, Mum." Morgan said, leaving her spoon in the bowl between her and her mother, "Can I go into the theatre room now?

"Sure baby. We have a little while before we go out?"

"Wanna come watch cartoons MJ?" The little girl asked, excitedly jumping off her barstool. Pepper spoke before Michelle could answer.

"MJ can have breakfast first Morgan. She'll come to sit with you soon."

"Ok!"

Morgan ran away, down the hall Michelle had just come from, running towards the theatre room they had been watching moving last night.

"She's attached to you now, you know."

"She's adorable," Michelle said, smiling, pouring the Coco Pops on the bench into her bowl and adding milk. It was true. Michelle wasn't really a kid person, probably because she was an only child and had always been a loner. But after one night, Michelle definitely had a soft spot for Morgan Stark.

"She uses it, too. Trust me." Pepper rolled her eyes, making Michelle laugh.

"I want to take Morgan to the zoo today." Pepper said, leaning on the bench, "Do you want to come with us?"

Michelle felt confused. Her and Peter talked yesterday, that they were going to spend the day with Pepper and Morgan and she was all for it but Michelle didn't think Pepper was going to ask her personally right now. The way she was asking, it was like she didn't already know they were going to spend the day with them.

"Yeah, of course. I'd love to." Michelle replied, "Is that ok?"

"Of course, we'd love to have you with us." Pepper answered, kindly, "I just wanted to ask you, because Peter's gonna have to meet up with us later. I just got off the phone with Steve a minute ago, he wants to talk with Peter alone, then they'll meet up with us later."

Michelle frowned, confused before realisation hit her. Peter hadn't told her what he and Pepper Stark had talked about while she was in the theatre room with Morgan last night but she guessed this had something to do with it.

Since the beginning of their relationship in London, as the both realised how they felt about each other and with those feelings continuing to grow stronger every day, their relationship grew strong and matured over the months they'd been together.

But in the early days after London, as they were getting used to being together, Peter had tried to keep her away from the dangerous part of his life. He wouldn't tell her how he got his injuries during his patrols or about the horrors that he'd been through as Spider-Man, before or after the blip or about what that asshole wearing a fishbowl helmet had down to him in Prague.

After a couple weeks, Michelle's frustration with Peter's determination to keep her away from Spiderman and keep all the troubles he experienced in part of his life, reached a breaking point. She'd taken a first aid course, to be able to help her boyfriend at night, after he'd gotten himself injured being the hero he is and he'd been angry about her trying to involve herself with Spiderman. He even tried to break up with her, telling her that being with him, with Spiderman was too much for her. That made Michelle angry and hurt and she'd told him if he was breaking up with her because of Spiderman, it meant that she'd meant nothing to him.

Of course he'd shown up at her window that night, apologising profusely and holding her to him like she was the most precious thing in the world to him. That night showed her that Peter truly did care for her and Michelle thought that was the moment their relationship truly matured.

From that night, Peter had told her the stories of what Beck has made him see, told her all about travelling through space before the blip, the fight after they'd come back and how he'd gotten to see his mentor once again before Tony sacrificed himself for them all.

Peter really opened up to her and allowed her to see the dark side of that party of his life and they'd come to the agreement that they didn't keep secrets from each other, especially about Peter's life as a hero. He would tell her about his injuries, his nightmares, the things that continued to torment him and be honest about whatever to do with Spiderman could impact them and she would be honest with him about how she worried for him and whatever scared her from that part of his life.

Peter didn't tell her about whatever he and Pepper talked about last night but he did tell her that there were difficult times ahead of them. Michelle already knew being superheroes girlfriend wouldn't always be a piece of cake like these past months had been, but she meant it when she said she was with him for whatever came for them.

"Michelle?"

Michelle blinked, peppers voice bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Sorry Pepper. Who's Steve?"

Pepper raised her eyes in surprise, "Oh, sorry, I thought Pete would've told you last night."

"He didn't tell me what you guys talked about." Michelle said, curiously, "We had…. Other stuff to say to each other last night."

Pepper smiled at her, knowingly. Being the head of a global-wide, multibillion-dollar company, she knew how to read people and to read between the lines of what they were saying.

"Well, you would've found out today anyway. Cap wants to catch up with Pete today and then he'll catch up with the rest of us. Cap as in Captain America."

Michelle's eyes widened in surprise, and scoffed internally at herself, for not knowing 'Steve' of course as in Steve Rogers, the same guy who did the stupid P.E. and Detention videos they had at school.

Crap, were they embarrassing to watch.

Truthfully, Peter hadn't spoken about Captain America or the other Avengers much at all, in the time they've been together. He'd told her that he hadn't spoken to any of them since Tony Stark's funeral. When he'd told her this, Michelle actually thought it was wrong of them not to be in contact, wrong of the older and more experienced superheroes not be looking out for Peter, especially after he'd lost the superhero who taught him to be a hero himself. But Peter told her that he felt it was for the best, they all had to go their own way, to get past the blip and losing Iron Man themselves.

But hearing Pepper say that Captain America wants to talk to Peter, explained what Peter was telling her last night. She could see how it would unnerve him, Captain America reaching out could mean something bad was about to happen but Michelle noticed Pepper was calm enough, so she was hopeful it didn't mean anything bad.

Or at least nothing Peter couldn't handle.

"Oh, ok." Michelle said, awkwardly, "Is everything ok?"

"There's not another world-ending event happening right now, if that's what you're asking." Pepper said, smiling, "Steve just wants to get on the same page with Pete about the Avengers and how they're going to move forward now. You know about the Sokovia Accords right?"

"Yeah, of course." Michelle knew all about the Accords, she'd studied them very thoroughly when they were first implemented in 2016.

And she wasn't a fan of them.

Michelle was an activist and didn't trust the United States government or any government at all, unlike so many kids her age, her eyes were completely lucid to the corruption in the world. She was grateful to the Avengers for saving her world years ago and the moment she saw the Accords, she felt they were going to be a part of the problem and not the solution.

In Michelle's eyes, the blip was proof that she was right. If the Avengers hadn't been restricted, some of them even declared war criminals, maybe they could've stopped the big purple sociopath before he wiped half the world away and made them miss out on five years.

"Well, there's a lot of talk going around in politics, some people want to reinstate them." Pepper said, seriously, "The world hasn't seen much of the others, since the blip. They want to know the Avengers are still here, to protect them. Steve just wants to see where Peter stands on everything. They're gonna have a lot to deal with together in the future."

Michelle wanted to roll her eyes, at Peppers words about where Peter stands. Everyone who saw Peter's actions yesterday on the news, who saw the viral video of him saving a baby from a burning building would know where Peter stands on the Avengers and being a superhero.

"Peter doesn't want the Accords reinstated," Michelle said, nervously. Pepper Potts-Stark was her inspiration, it was nerve-wracking to be speaking to her about such an important matter of the world. "He won't give up his secret identity. And he definitely won't wait for permission to step in when something bad is happening."

"No, he wouldn't."

Pepper smiled at the young girl in front of her. It was obvious how much this seventeen-year-old girl loved Peter Parker and Pepper had been in business and dealt with enough people to be able to read that this girl wanted to make a difference in the world. She wasn't like so many young people today. She wanted to help people.

"How are you doing with all of this? It's not easy being with a superhero. I think I know that better than anyone."

Michelle was caught off guard by the woman's question. Her breakfast sat in front of her forgotten.

"I'm fine." Michelle knew how stupid that sounded as soon as the words left her mouth.

Pepper smiled at her, knowingly, "I would be very worried for both you and Peter if that were true."

Michelle laughed, half-heartedly. She could see Pepper's point. If she was just 'fine' with everything that came with her boyfriend being a superhero, she wouldn't deserve to be with Peter.

"I worry a lot." Michelle admitted, quietly, "I've gotten better at dealing with it. He comes over and spends every night with me after his patrol. That helps. Seeing him safe, with me every night after he's out in the city, helps me believe he's gonna come back to me every night. But I can never get to sleep before he shows up to my apartment." The only person Michelle has confided this to is May because she knows May feels the same way every night Peter is out on patrol. Michelle finds it easy to confide this to Pepper as well. Pepper knows what it's like to love a superhero. Michelle instantly feels bad at this thought.

Pepper knows what it's like to lose the one you love to that life.

Before Michelle could apologise, Pepper speaks, "I know how you feel Michelle. It's completely fine that you feel that way, that you worry about him like that. No sane person wouldn't worry in your position."

Pepper looked down at her left hand, looking at the wedding ring her husband had given her. She never took it off.

Michelle saw Pepper look down at the ring on her left hand, a sad smile on her face but Michelle could feel the strength and the love radiating off the older woman. She could see the determination in her eyes as she looked back to Michelle.

"I always worried about Tony, after he became Iron Man. I thought he was crazy at first, for so long I wanted him to give it up, so I wouldn't have to worry about losing him, wouldn't have to worry about him not coming back from the fight. But eventually, I realised, he was Iron Man. It was part of who he was and he wouldn't be the man I fell in love with if he didn't want to go out and save the world the way he did."

Michelle thought she saw tears welling in the older woman's eyes but Pepper blinked and they were gone before she continued, "I lost him last year because he gave himself up to save us all. To save the world and to save me and Morgan. I hate being without him but I understand why he did it."

"I have my daughter and I have to be thankful for that."

Michelle couldn't believe how strong this woman was. It was unbelievable how someone who lost her husband in the battle for the universe, could still be so hopeful for the future.

"I wish I could tell you it gets easier, Michelle, but it doesn't. The worry never goes away, the fear will always be there. The only advice I can give to you is this: Whenever you feel it's too much, ask yourself, 'will you be happier with or without Peter?' The answer to that question will tell you what to do."

Michelle took in what Pepper was saying. She knew how she felt about Peter, knew she solved him and wanted to be with him, even with all that came with him being Spiderman. But she understood why Pepper was telling her this, she was telling her that there's a lot that going to come in the future and it was going to be hard for her.

It surprised Michelle that Pepper would tell her all this though. She knew her and Peter's relationship was very serious but most adults would say they were stupid and didn't know the first thing about loving someone and being in a serious relationship.

Pepper seemed to believe in them.

As if Pepper could read her mind, the woman said, "I know you two are only in high school but I saw the way you look at each other. You love him and he loves you too."

"I know," Michelle said, quickly. She smiled at the memory of last night, " he told me last night."

Pepper smiles, widely, "Smart kid. I told him he should. I could see it the way you two looked at each other, it was so obvious."

Michelle blushed. Pepper grinned at her embarrassment, "He's a good kid, Michelle. I think you're good for him too."

Michelle smiled, her face still a shade pink, "Thank you. And you can call me MJ. That's what my friends call me."

Pepper took a step back from the kitchen bench, "Well, MJ, I think you and I are going to be good friends."

"I'm gonna go get ready for the day. You should eat your breakfast before Morgan comes in wondering why you're not going in there to watch cartoons with her."

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Iwannabeawriter1996