Behind the Mask

EIGHTEEN: Stay With Me

.:::.

We couldn't have slept long at all. The sky was still dimly lit by the sun, breaking through the thick clouds from the storm overnight. I felt Peter roll out of bed, the warm bubble around us breaking and sending chills up the back of my neck. He thought he was being sneaky.

I kept my eyes closed and reached my arm behind me to catch his shoulder before he was out of reach. "No," I whined, upset by the sudden loss of comfort.

I heard him sigh and lean back over me, kissing my temple and petting my hair. "I won't be long this time, I promise." He murmured, as if it gave him permission to leave me.

My muscles felt like wet noodles. "Don't go." I pleaded.

He stayed for a few moments, long enough for me to start drifting back to sleep. He kissed my head again and I knew what would follow.

"No." I tried to be more firm, clawing my fingers into his shoulder. "Stay with me."

He pried my fingers away with ease. "Olivia..."

I was still exhausted, but in a good way. I could hardly keep my eyes open. "Don't leave me, Peter."

He sighed again. I wasn't being fair at all, but justice was the last thing on my mind. I couldn't let him out of my sight, not after the hell he put me through the night before.

Then, a brilliant idea.

I gathered some strength and dragged his head down into a good kiss. I used my grip on him to my advantage, molding our bodies together. I lost my fingers in his hair, tugging at it just enough to keep him interested. It was all executed perfectly, and he almost fell for it. Almost.

Again, he brushed my limbs away and managed to completely escape. "I'm sorry, but I have to go. Close your eyes, go back to sleep. You won't even know I'm gone."

It was no use. I dropped my arms limply to my sides and watched him walk around the room, preparing himself for a day in Spiderman's shoes. He glanced at me again before he left for good.

He seemed so conflicted, guilty, and responsible all at the same time.

I took advantage of this situation as well, pouting with my bottom lip stuck out. "Please?"

"Don't do this to me."

I rubbed my eyes with my knuckles. "Will you at least promise to swing by later?" I didn't feel like laughing at my own joke.

"Absolutely."

And then he was gone, and I was left with the same awful feeling of uncertainty. I would have to get used to it eventually.

. . . . . . . .

I wanted no part in falling back to sleep, so after a while I hauled my restless body out of the bed and decided to go home.

On the walk back to my apartment, I found that I couldn't stop smiling. For some reason, I was embarrassed. I partially covered my mouth with my fingers to hide the smile, but who was I hiding it from? Myself? I deserved to be happy.

"Well, aren't you just a little ray of sunshine this morning?"

I expected the smile to disappear at the sound of his voice, but may have grown bigger. Truthfully, I felt exactly like a ray of sunshine. "Oh, hello."

Chase was blocking my doorway, his shoulders nearly as wide as the frame. "Out and about so early?"

It was easier for the smile to fade now, imagining his reaction if he discovered I'd spent the night with Peter. "I've been restless, waking up earlier, you know." I muttered, trying to reach for the door knob.

Chase caught my wrist and held it securely in his hand. "You scared the hell out of me. I thought you were out getting involved with that murder."

I swallowed roughly. "It's already been handled, but thank you for your concern. Now if you'll excuse me,"

He stood up straighter, business-like. "No, Liv. We need to talk."

"About what?" I folded my arms across my chest. It didn't matter what he wanted to talk about; I didn't have the patience.

He was conscious of anyone that may somehow hear him speaking, and his eyes peered down into mine. "I wouldn't bother you unless it was important."

That sounded so reassuring. "What is it?"

"They're coming after you now."

"Who?"

"You know who."

I shook my head at his poor attempt to scare me and tried to force myself past him. Chase stood as sturdy as stone, blocking the doorknob.

"What is your problem?" I demanded.

Chase was trying hard to tame my temper. "It's not my problem, it's yours. Can we talk inside?"

"No, we can talk right here."

"Fine." He gave in to my stubborn attitude. "Remember those creeps that hit you in the alley? And the guy from that building fire, with the red knit hat? They remember who you are, Liv. They've figured out that you are somehow tied to Spiderman, and now they're targeting you in order to get to him."

"How do you know that?"

"You've noticed how things have been relatively calm lately. It's easier for them to take you quietly than make a scene and take the Spider. They've been trying to figure you out instead of wasting time chasing a bug."

I started shaking my head again, refusing to believe it. "Are you sure that's -"

"I wouldn't tell you if it wasn't."

I chewed my lip. "They don't know about Peter, do they?"

"It isn't likely, not if they're pursuing you instead. They've hit a wall, and you are the only way they can get through."

I let the information sink in. "Okay, so now I'm the target. What does that mean?"

It was one of those rare occasions where Chase was speechless. He just silently shrugged his shoulders.

I thought out loud, talking it through. "Well, the last thing Peter needs is to worry about me. If I act like something is wrong, he'll be suspicious and blame himself when everything spins out of control. So that's not an option."

Chase was just as stubborn as I was. "Why don't I hang around, then? Just to be safe."

"Please, don't do that." I begged. He had reduced me to begging. "I can handle myself."

"If you haven't noticed, I don't give a damn about the Spider. I'm only worried about you. I told you before, you shouldn't mess around with these guys. They're dangerous."

"Yes, and so is crossing the street and swimming after a meal. I just won't let them find me, that's all. No big deal."

"You don't know who you're hiding from. I can take you to the station, show you some of what we found."

It was after he made that offer that I noticed something a bit off about him. Something in the way he carried himself, or something in the tone of his voice...

"Will you come?" He persisted.

I didn't have anything else to do except rot in my apartment waiting for Peter's return. "Fine, just let me get dressed first."

I heard his very subtle sigh of relief.

. . . . . . . .

I stared absently out the window of his police cruiser as we sat helplessly in traffic. Chase's patience was being tested, as was mine. I didn't want to spend any amount of time with him that wasn't necessary or regarding my safety.

We crawled up another block and I was blinded by a sun glare I wasn't expecting.

I shielded my eyes and looked at the bizarre new skyscraper. It came to a slanted point and had the word STARK advertised on the face of it.

Chase saw me staring. "That's Tony Stark's new building."

The name sounded familiar. "Isn't he-"

"Iron Man." Chase nodded. "The one and only."

I found myself unimpressed. "He just comes here and builds another skyscraper?"

"Wouldn't you, if you had the cash and the brains to do it?"

I watched the building again, the sun now at a different angle as we pulled forward. "It just seems...arrogant."

Chase scoffed. "You're just jealous."

"I'm not." The building slowly creeped out of sight. "I'm just assuming Peter will get a healthy dose of competition with the likes of that moving into the neighborhood."

The traffic suddenly dispersed, and we were free from waiting any longer to go forward. Chase traveled straight for a few more blocks before he turned left in the wrong direction.

I pointed it out to him. "Um, you missed the -"

"We're not going to the station." His business face returned, only this time it was truly meant to threaten me.

I could already feel myself shrinking. "Where are we going?"

He didn't answer me, he just continued gripping the wheel with his white knuckles and drove forward.

"Chase, where are we going?" I asked again.

"Liv, you really shouldn't talk anymore." He warned me through his teeth. "Just be quiet so we can get this over with."

Mean cliffhanger, yes. It's even meaner because my updates are going to become slower and slower until school gets out in June. But I have taken your advice and thrown in a little Iron Man in preparation for the new movie! I've also come up with the crazy idea of making a sort of sequel-ish thing for this story featuring the Avengers recruiting Spidey to join? Would anyone be interested? I may end up writing an Avengers story either way, but if you'd like to see these characters continue let me know!