Disclaimer: don't own + not making money equals do not sue please

Author's Note: Wow…the reviews are just astounding! I really am blown away by the response! You all are just wonderful and your words give me so much encouragement! I hope to continue to meet your expectations.

Free Fall

Chapter 4: A Fresh Start

Kenzie had made it home from her treatment around dinner time. She still had a smile on her face from Penny's reaction to the coloring books and crayons. The little girl had gotten so excited, Doris had a hard time getting her sit still in the chair for her chemo. Even Emma had given her a slight smile.

The red light on her answering machine was blinking. Figuring it was just telemarketers, she threw a frozen dinner into the microwave before pressing play. The machine beeped and the mechanical voice started it's monologue.

You have four messages. Message one: Hi Kenzie, it's Peter. I know this is kind of short notice but if you're not doing anything tonight, say around 10 or so, MJ and I can come over. Does your building have a rooftop that you can access? Give me a call back at 555-6793. It's a pay phone so if a woman answers, it'll be Ursula. She'll get the message to me. Bye.

Message two: Hi! You've been pre-selected- Kenzie hit the delete button.

Message three: Kenzie, it's your Daddy. Just checkin' in with ya, pumpkin. Give me a call when you can. Love ya.

Message four: Hey, Kenzie, it's Harry. I know there's suppose to be some rule that says I'm not to call you for two days but the weekend is here and I was hoping you had some free time. We can catch a game or a movie, maybe dinner, whatever you want. I'll give you my cell phone number, that's the best way to reach me without wading through secretaries and butlers. 501-555-2354. Hope to hear from you soon.

Peter's call she had expected and as long as they didn't go straight into the swinging aspect, she might be alright. The nausea always hit her the next morning but with swinging around buildings and climbing walls, it might hit her sooner. Her Dad called from time to time, checking in on her, so it was just a slight surprise to hear from him. She'd call him tomorrow.

Harry, on the other hand, had been a complete surprise. She didn't really expect him to call. The thought had crossed her mind that he might just want to slum it. A rich, young man like him interested in a girl from the Bronx just didn't make sense. Despite the word "equality" being thrown around so much, there were still classes and social circles that one tended to stay in when they were looking for a suitable partner. Usually you only dated beneath your social circle to infuriate a parent or just make a splash on the front page of a tabloid. If Harry was in charge of Oscorp that meant his father had passed away. Maybe his mother was still alive and he was doing this to spite her. Surely he wouldn't want to get into the tabloids again, not with his company already getting a media pounding.

Negative voices whispering in your ear. Her own words came to mind and she grimaced. She had to take him at face value. She couldn't sit there and try to come up with ulterior motives for his wanting to see her. Who knew, maybe he would turn out to be a decent guy. She picked up the phone and dialed Peter's number first. On the fourth ring, a timid feminine voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Is this Ursula?"

"Yes, it is."

"This is Kenzie, is Peter there?"

"Sure, just-"

"You can just give him a message for me."

"Oh, okay."

"Just tell him ten o'clock is fine."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"Okay, I'll tell him."

"Thank you, have a good night."

"You too."

Kenzie punched the off button and went to retrieve her macaroni and cheese dinner. On her way back, she dialed the phone number Harry had given her. Curling up in her favorite chair with her mac and cheese, she planned out the message she was going to leave. Unfortunately, he picked up after the first ring.

"Hello."

Kenzie stumbled for words, her original plan shot now. "Uh, hi. It's Kenzie."

"Hi. How was your, um, treatment?"

"It went as well as can be expected."

"Does it, you know, make you sick afterwards?"

Kenzie tried to disguise her laugh as a cough. He was just like Peter asking her questions about the illness, hesitant and careful. "Usually, but it doesn't happen till the next day."

"So I guess boats are out of the question."

She didn't hide her laugh that time. "Yes, I'm afraid so. Merry-Go-Rounds, roller coasters and those spinning tea cups are unacceptable as well."

He sighed dramatically. "There goes my great idea of taking you to Disney World."

"Perhaps something a little more local would be best."

"So you will go out with me then?"

She was startled at the surprise in his voice. "That's why I'm calling."

"Well, you could have been letting me down easy."

Kenzie was happy she had stopped listening to those nagging little voices. He seemed to be genuinely nice guy. She hadn't had a date since her high school prom so what did she have to lose. "But I'm not. So, where would you like to meet?"

"She was expecting us, right?"

Peter was beginning to doubt Ursula's message that a 10:00 meeting time that night was alright. "I thought she was." He was just about to turn around to go home (the Bronx made him a little nervous, especially having MJ with him) when he heard the chain on the door rattle. A second later, a very sleepy looking Kenzie opened the door. Her hair had been pulled back into a ponytail but now loose ends were hanging around her washed out face.

"Sorry guys," she said through a yawn. "I fell asleep."

"We can do this later," Peter offered.

Kenzie shook her head and tucked the flyaway hairs behind her ears. "No, it's fine. Come in."

MJ stepped into the apartment first, a slightly surprised look on her face. Then Peter realized why. The apartment was larger than he expected for the Bronx, especially for a student. It was simple but spacious. The furniture helped the look as well. It wasn't second hand stuff from the looks of it. There was a couch and matching loveseat with a old fashioned rocker in the corner next to a bay window. There were a couple of bookcases filled with books. It looked so…cozy.

"This is a really nice place," MJ said, still taking everything thing. Both of them lived in a one bedroom dump, though Mary Jane's apartment was in slightly better condition that his.

"Thanks," Kenzie said. "I really like it. Would you guys like anything to drink? Coffee, tea, hot chocolate. I have some of that powder chai tea but it's been in the cabinet for a while. You'll have to drink that at your own risk."

"Tea's fine," MJ said and Peter nodded as well. While they waited, Peter and MJ looked at the pictures that Kenzie had painstakingly hung on the wall over the couch. She had mostly 5x7 with a few 8x10 photos of family, judging by the similarities in facial structure. There had to have been ten pictures, some in black and white while others were in color. There was one of a young woman that looked to be Kenzie but style of the dress was from the fifties. The picture was black and white with the woman standing in front of the sign for Coney Island, the wind whipping at her hair and dress. It could have been cut out from a magazine.

"That's my mom when she was sixteen," Kenzie said, passing out the mugs of tea. "Everywhere she went someone wanted to take a picture. She was so beautiful."

"You look a lot like her," MJ said.

Kenzie laughed. "Thank you. You're too kind."

"How long as she been gone?" Peter asked.

"This Halloween will be four years."

"Does it get easier?"

Kenzie turned to look at Peter, who had asked the question. She opened her mouth to give the honest response but saw he was looking for hope. Hope that if she died from this cancer that her loss would be able to be overcome. He hadn't known her for a full day yet and already he had allied himself to her. She glanced over at Mary Jane and saw a similar look on her face as well. So, she lied. "Yeah, it does get easier."

It had been a terrible mistake. Kenzie had watched Peter swing easily from the rooftop of her building to the slightly taller building next to it. It look like a lot of fun and she just couldn't wait to try it out herself. Throwing caution to the wind, she followed his example: find a strong anchor point, aim, shoot the webbing out and grab a hold before taking a running leap off a multi-story building. The feeling was exhilarating. The aftermath was less than enjoyable.

She had made it to the building opposite hers with less awkwardness then she expected. Just as the thrill of the maiden voyage had hit her, so did the nausea. She had barely stumbled behind the generator before dinner made it's reappearance. So much for common sense. She wiped her mouth with the sleeve of the sweatshirt she was wearing and wobbled out on shaky legs to where Peter was standing on the edge of the building.

"You alright?"

She shrugged. The sweat she had broken out in was making her cold.

"I guess I shouldn't have pushed you."

"No," Kenzie waved a hand dismissively. "I should have known my limits. I'm alright."

He looked down at his watch. "It's almost two. I think that's enough for tonight."

Kenzie nodded, unable to disagree with him.

"Do you need some help getting back?"

She was about to say no but her vision went blurry and a wave of dizziness came over her. Something was steadying her on the ledge of the building and she came to realize it was Peter.

"I think you might need some help," he said, his hand tightening around her upper arm.

"If I throw up on you, don't say I didn't warn you."

He laughed and secured an arm around her waist. "I'll consider myself warned then. Hang on."

It wasn't long before she felt the solid roof top under her feet. Another bout of nausea assaulted her but she was able to hold it in check. "Thanks for showing me the ropes. Or, uh, webs as it is."

"You're welcome. If you want to practice just swinging around town anytime just give me a call. You still to need to work on the wall crawling a little bit."

Kenzie rubbed her face with her hands. "Next time I'll try taking a Dramamine."

"So, how'd it go?" MJ walked across the roof towards them. It looked like she had fallen asleep.

"Great," Peter answered enthusiastically. "She's a natural."

Kenzie ducked her head. She was far from being a natural. It would take months before she could swing from one building to another without looking comical. "It's really late and I really appreciate you two coming by for this."

They both smiled and Kenzie was hit with just how perfect they looked standing side by side.

"Maybe we could all get together on Sunday afternoon," Peter suggested. "MJ and I going out to my Aunt's place for Sunday dinner but I'm sure she wouldn't mind an extra person."

Sunday dinner. Kenzie couldn't remember the last time she had had a real, home cooked Sunday dinner. "If you're sure she won't mind, I would love to come. Is Harry going to be there too?"

Peter looked slightly surprised at her question but shrugged. "If he wants to come, he's more than welcome."

"I'll ask him tomorrow. So give me a call tomorrow night and let me know if I can bring anything."

MJ looked delighted. "You're seeing him tomorrow?"

"Uh, yeah."

"As in a date?" Peter asked.

"I guess so. We're meeting in Central Park."

They both turned to each other with wide smiles before trying to ineffectually hide them. Kenzie put her hands on her hips, trying to look her most intimidating.

"What?"

Mary Jane was the one who answered. "It's just, well, he doesn't get out a lot."

"He's not one of those recluses, is he?"

"No," Peter answered. "He's just been busy with his father's business. He's a really nice guy. And if you can talk him into Sunday dinner, he'll be more than welcome."

"I'll do my best then," Kenzie said. "Do you need to call a cab?"

"Actually," MJ said with a grin, "we came by Spiderman express."

Kenzie stood on her rooftop till Peter and Mary Jane were out of sight, swinging through New York City in the pre-dawn hours of the morning.

Harry Osborn tried desperately to concentrate on his work but he couldn't. The clock had ticked by most of the night and the black sky was starting to lighten. He had told Kenzie to meet him at Central Park around noon and he would be useless if he didn't get any sleep. Figuring there was no more use in attempting to do work, he closed the files on his desk and shut down the computer.

You're pathetic.

Harry tried to ignore his father's voice and did everything he could to keep from looking at the mirror.

Don't you realize by now that women come and go. They should never, ever interfere with the business of OsCorp.

He was tired, that had to be it. He kept his back to the mirror and straightened up the desk.

And are you really that desperate to pursue a girl from the Bronx who's dying?

"She could get better." He hadn't intended to respond. In fact, the words surprised even him. He barely knew this woman and already he was defending her.

Harry, can you honestly believe that? The voice turned placating but Harry could hear the underlying patronizing tone beneath the words. Son, I just don't want to see you hurt yourself.

"Really?" He turned and faced the mirror, the reflection of his father staring at him instead of his own reflection. "You want me to kill my best friend and you're standing there telling me you don't me to hurt myself."

I thought you understood that blood is thicker than water. He murdered me! Stole me from you just when we getting our lives back together and you still stand there defending him! What kind of son are you?

Harry said the first thing that came to his mind. "A fed up son." And he turned on his heel and walked towards the door. He tried to block out the indignant yells that were coming from behind him but the words still reached him. First anger prevailed, then threats. Then a sad, almost begging statement that caused Harry pause at the door.

I'm so alone, Harry. Surely you understand that now, having lived in this house now. All by yourself, you know what it's like. The loneliness can be…overwhelming. Don't leave me alone, Harry, not your own father.

Harry's hand was on the door knob. The words rang true. He did know the loneliness that this house seemed to carry within itself. It was stifling at times, when he actually longed to hear his father's voice just to drive away the nerve-wracking quiet. But he wouldn't lose his sanity over it. That was a path he refused to follow his father down. Straightening his shoulders, he turned his head and glanced over his shoulder at the cursed mirror. "I'm sorry, Dad." He opened the door to the study and started to step across the threshold when his father's voice practically vibrated the door knob in his hand.

DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!

He quickly passed through the door and slammed it shut. He half expected to continue to hear the outraged voice of his father. He was certain someone had to have heard that scream, that heart rending plea. He rested his forehead against the polished wood of the door and could hear the tear drops hitting the hard wood floor under his feet. He couldn't allow his father to control him anymore. He didn't want to fight his father's war, especially not when the people he cared for were involved.

He pulled the brass key from his pocket and slipped it into the lock. He could have Bernard remove the computer and files into another room that would be just as suitable as a home office for him. There was a room on the floor above that caught all the morning light. With another whispered apology, not only to his father but to Peter and MJ, he turned the key and took comfort in the quiet click at the lock snapped into place.