It has occurred to me just now that I never uploaded the last chapter. I am SO sorry! This wraps it up in a neat little bow, all the present references here LOL (You'll see!) We're at the present time for our friendly neighborhood couple. I hope you all enjoy this little ending. I have nothing in the works at the moment but that never means its the end of the line. I'd love to hear your suggestions, feedback and REVIEWS. :)
One last time! Here we go!
Chapter 23: The Present
Song: I'll Stand By You, The Pretenders
Oh, why you look so sad?
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don't be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
'Cause I've seen the dark side too
When the night falls on you
You don't know what to do
Nothing you confess
Could make me love you less
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
So if you're mad, get mad
Don't hold it all inside
Come on and talk to me now
Hey, what you got to hide?
I get angry too
Well I'm a lot like you
When you're standing at the crossroads
And don't know which path to choose
Let me come along
'Cause even if you're wrong
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
And when
When the night falls on you, baby
You're feeling all alone
You won't be on your own
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
4 Months Later
MJ scurried around Peter's apartment, working quickly. She checked her watch to confirm she still had time.
There were nights she wasn't sure when he'd be home, mostly when some questionably dressed villain was on the loose. Tonight, she had a feeling he'd be home around his usual time. Perhaps it was because it was too cold for villains to be bothered. Or perhaps even villains had holiday spirit and were laying low until the New Year. That didn't stop Pete from patrolling or verifying the streets were safe.
They hadn't had much time together after Mysterio had been safely put behind bars. Between going back to San Francisco to pack and looking for an affordable apartment back here, and Spider-Man patrolling and Peter doing Bugle and class work, they'd spent more time trying to track the other down than together.
Finding a place when she was technically jobless was not an easy feat. Luckily, Zoe was able to get her a short-term contract with a make-up line for modeling. It wasn't acting, but it paid the bills.
Willy had called her in early October and the studio was willing to finish the final scenes of Fatal Action, but it would go direct to video. So, her first real movie wasn't a blockbuster, at least it would be finished. Who knows, maybe it would break the internet with streaming services…
MJ snorted. She'd had enough action for awhile anyway. Modeling would be just fine until the right opportunity presented itself again. Besides, being the girlfriend of Spider-Man was action packed enough to keep her adrenalin junkie side sated.
She adjusted a strand of colorful lights that she'd draped around the living room before returning to the small tree she picked up for him. She was determined he had a real one this time, giving a glare to the box containing the fake tree she'd help him set up years ago in his old apartment. None of that!
She fluffed some of the branches and beamed brightly at the ornament she'd placed front and center. She let out a small sigh of contentment, wrapping her chest with her arms comfortably.
She let out a gasp of surprise but instantly sunk back when she felt his arms come around her. She grinned and leaned back into his chest. "You're freezing."
"Still haven't figured out how to fully winterproof the costume," Pete replied. He nuzzled her hair, sucking up her warmth. "But I can always count on you to warm me up, Red."
She smirked turning her cheek so he could kiss her there. She closed her eyes for a moment, taking in the feeling of pure happiness she felt. Then she popped around, still in his hold. "Surprised?!"
He gave her his best smile, genuinely touched by her decorating his apartment. "Love it."
She returned his smile, pleased. "Good." His eyes were on her intensely and she increased her smile, seeing the love he had for her in his navy eyes, Christmas lights twinkling in them. "You kinda have to look at it to appreciate it, Tiger."
His lips quirked into a corner smile. "Already got the best view…"
She rolled her eyes at him playfully but rewarded him with a short kiss. Then she stepped back and took his hands in hers. "C'mon, see what I did!"
Her enthusiasm was catching, and he could never deny her. He allowed her to tour around the living room of the apartment, showing off her work.
"And a real tree!" she led him back to the small, 3ft tree. "Finally."
He chuckled as he inspected her work. His memory of their decorating years ago came to mind and it made his smile increase. "No need for instructions."
"Damn right," MJ giggled.
"It looks amazing, MJ. Thank you," he kissed her temple in appreciation.
She lingered by the tree, hoping he'd find the ornament on his own. But his eyes were on her. Something she typically appreciated but she wanted him to see, to know… that all these years later, she still had it. She nudged him with her hand. "Look."
He furrowed his brow a bit, wondering what she specifically wanted him to see. He inspected the tree closer, searching in the lights wrapped around it since the room was darkened. He saw his parent's ornament placed purposefully centered and he went to comment his appreciation for her placing it prominently but then he noticed another one more front and centered. It was white and looked so very familiar. He focused on it, seeing the sprigs of mistletoe, gold bells, silver angels and strands of pearls that spelled MJ's name in scripted letters. His jaw dropped and his heart rate increased with surprise. He reached out to touch it, make sure it was real. It spun a bit and while he couldn't read the inscription on the back, he knew quite well what it said since it was his own words.
He finally tore his eyes from it to look at her. She was giving him that million-watt smile and if he wasn't quite sure he already loved her more than anything in this world, he would love her even more. He looked back once more at the ornament, then to her. "Y-you… kept it? All this time…"
Her own heart was pacing like a runaway horse from his reaction, better than she'd hoped for. She closed the short distance between them instantly, placing her palms on his chest as she leaned into him. "I told you I never gave up on you, Peter. I love you, have always loved you. There was no way I'd get rid of your gift to me. Not when I still had hope."
"MJ…" he wasn't sure what he could verbalize. What words would convey how truly loved he felt by her. He wondered for the billionth time what he did to deserve her.
"I hung it on my tree every Christmas in San Francisco," she revealed. Her eyes darkened a bit with remembrance of how sad it made her without him in her life to look at the ornament. But it was different now. They were together. She brightened up, not wanting to spoil the moment with any bad feelings. She turned her eyes to his and gave him a warm smile, pressing on his sweatshirt with her palms for emphasis. "Now, I want you to have it on your tree."
"I love you, Mary Jane. I love you so much," he dipped his head down the scant inches between them to rest his forehead against hers. "Sometimes I feel like those words just aren't enough to express to you what you mean to me."
She closed her eyes, sinking into him and the warmth he gave despite his chilled body. "I feel it." She whispered with a deep inhale.
He kissed the tip of her nose before nudging her chin up with a hooked finger so he could kiss her lips. No matter how many times he got to do this in the last four or so months, he never tired of it- never got use to how good it felt. If he had to bet, that feeling would never go away. Kissing her was the purest joy he'd found in life thus far.
When the kiss ended breathlessly, MJ turned her head, resting her cheek against his neck to stare at her ornament. She felt a smile pull on her lips as she observed it. "It's my favorite ornament ever, you know…"
Peter let out a low hum. "Mmm, I guess I can't outdo myself then. And here I was thinking I had the best surprise gift planned." He untangled himself from her hold to retrieve a wrapped box he'd hidden behind his textbooks on the bookcase before presenting it to her.
MJ's eyes lit up as they widened at the festively wrapped box he held now. "Peter?!"
"It's more of an anniversary gift…" he muttered with some shyness. "Happy four months."
MJ's heart skipped around, and she felt light-headed from happiness. She grinned so wide her lips hurt. She didn't know it was possible to feel this much joy. "Four months. Are we doing a monthly thing? I didn't know we were. Not that it matters. I mean, not that the four months doesn't mean something, just that it doesn't matter that it's a thing you wanted to do…" she stopped rambling and rolled her eyes at his smirk. She'd inherited his stumbling, rambling tendency at times, mostly when he doted on her so much. Despite his inability to always be around and keeping her up worried some nights, he always managed to do something loving to make up for it. She took a breath and simply said, "That's so sweet."
"I got your point, Red," he winked at her, pleased with her reaction. He tended to enjoy watching her squirm as she always made him do as much. "Open your 'congratulations on putting up with Spider-Man and Peter Parker for four months and not running the other way' prize."
She shook her head at him, whacking him playfully in the arm. "You are the prize, Tiger." Then she took the gift from him. "But a gal does like pretty wrapped boxes."
He chuckled as she tore away the paper.
MJ enthusiastically removed the Christmas paper from the box, wondering what kind of ornament he got her now. She paused before removing the top of the white box. She quirked a brow at him and smirked. "It's not an ornament that says, 'stubborn red head' is it?"
He laughed richly. "No, I think the fridge magnet was reminder enough for you." He drawled.
She laughed along before removing the lid. Then she gasped and her humorous smile turned to one of appreciation and affection.
Inside the rectangular box was a colorful new ornament. A blown glass carousel horse in bright and cheerful colors adorning the white horse. "Peter!" she hesitated to touch it, afraid to break it. She scooped it out of the box cautiously, letting it dangle from the gold cord so she could appreciate it more. Her eyes welled with tears, her throat catching with a myriad of emotions. Her brain took her back to their first date and kissing him on the carousel. The joy of that special moment was still etched in her heart and would be for a lifetime. And now, they had another special ornament to add to his tree. She placed it next to her white ball and inspected it again.
"Looks great," he remarked.
"I'm putting that on my tree in my apartment tomorrow so don't get used to it," she poked his chest with a finger while she smirked.
He winced playfully at her finger jab. Hopefully, someday soon they'd have their own tree in their own, shared place. Until then, he was happy to have it on loan. "Yes ma'am." He agreed to her terms.
She set down the box on the coffee table and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you for the beautiful ornament. I love how sentimental you are."
"It's a flaw," he joked.
"It's one of the many, many reasons I love you," she gave him a shake with her arms.
"What are all the other ones?" he teased.
She smirked at him. "We don't have that kind of time right now, Tiger."
"Well, why not? I'm not going anywhere…" he chuckled playfully.
"I want to unwrap my other prize," her voice was deep, husky.
He felt his body tingle with warmth at her tone. He cocked his head at her words while feeling sorrowful he didn't have another gift for her. "I didn't get you another gift…"
She reached out to grasp his chin with her fingers to direct his eyes to hers. This way there would be no mistaking her insinuation. She cocked her head to match his and locked eyes with him. Her fingers left his chin, and she ran them down his neck and along his chest.
His heart was pounding rapidly at the heated look in her eyes. And he suddenly understood what she wanted. Nervous, anxious waves tumbled over him as realization took hold. Then she smiled and her dark teal eyes reflected the sparkling lights in the room as she looked at him with deep affection and love. And desire. The same desire he had for her, too. He reached out to grasp her gently around the neck, pulling her into him while his other hand pressed into the curve of her back to bring her into him. He felt emboldened by the way she easily gave in to him, closing her eyes and tightening her arms around his neck. He met her lips with his as he'd done so many times before. But this time, he could sense the urgency and increased passion in the way she returned the kiss, practically melting into him. With precise and swift motion, he scooped her up in his arms to carry her away.
MJ managed to grin between his powerful kisses, amused with thoughts of shy, nerdy Peter Parker who loved her since before boys even liked girls, who stuttered and stumbled every time he tried to profess his love to her… who was now sweeping her off her feet quite literally.
Boy, she hit the jackpot!