Disclaimers:

All Spider-Man and all its related characters belongs to Marvel Entertainment, which is owned by Walt Disney Company, and the Sam Raimi Original Trilogy belongs to Sony Pictures Entertainment. No infringement of these copyrights are intended, and not authorized by copyright holders.

Mary Jane slowly opened her eyes when she felt the morning sun shining on her face. When she fully regained consciousness, she realized she was on Peter's bed by herself and her fully exposed skin was covered by a considerably warm blanket. Then, the memories of what happened last night came back to her.

Letting herself feel a little relaxed after letting the recollection came back in full, MJ turned her body to look around her surroundings, seeing Peter, who was already fully clothed, leaning his head against his balcony doors, as if he was contemplating to himself... again.

"Am I not supposed to have what I want? What I need?" Peter muttered to himself, still feeling conflicted and guilty about last night's event. "What am I supposed to do?"

Sensing his inner self-conflict, MJ got up from the bed as she held on to the bed sheets, wrapping it around to cover her naked skin. She slowly walked to his side on her bare feet to try offer some comfort to the conflicted Peter.

Peter flinched a little when he felt her touch on his shoulder. "Oh, MJ. How long you been awake?"

"Just now," MJ said in her quiet, reassuring tone.

Thinking he was probably been going a bit too rough during last night's rest, Peter couldn't help but be worried about what she might think. "I didn't go hard on you, did I?"

Taken aback by such a question, MJ shook her head with a genuine smile. A smile without regrets. "No, it was just about right. Besides, it's something you needed."

Peter nodded, feeling thankful for the redhead's still being there for him.

MJ rubbed his shoulder smoothly, silently telling him it's okay. "You'll figure it out, Peter," She said, referring to his muttering comments she overheard.

Peter turned to her with a solemn look. "You're still very sure?"

"I know you will," MJ reassured her troubled boyfriend.

Peter smiled a little, grateful for her encouraging words.

Suddenly, when they heard the door was being opened, the couple turned around. It was the landlord's daughter, Ursula.

"Oh... " Ursula realized she walked in on their moment rudely. "Oh my goodness," She then quickly concealed her eyes and turned her head away, her face flushed red in embarrassment when she saw MJ's not fully clothed. "I shouldn't have without... nothing," She walked out of the room and closed the door. She tried knocking on the door respectfully this time.

MJ turned to Peter with a look to say I need to get my clothes.

Peter understood what she was saying. He then turned his attention back to his door. "We'll be right with you in a minute."

MJ walked to Peter's wardrobe, where she discarded her clothes last night, including her Spinneret suit. After a few quick minutes, she came back out with her clothes on as she was doing her hair neatly a bit before buttoning up her collar to conceal her costume.

"You can come in," Peter permitted his landlord's daughter.

Ursula opened the door again, standing shyly as she was greeting the couple. "Hi."

"Hi," Peter and MJ greeted back in unison.

"Do you two like to have some chocolate cake?" Ursula asked considerately.

Peter and MJ looked at each other before turning to her with a smile.

"Yes, that would be very kind of you," MJ said.

"And some glass of milk?" Ursula added.

Peter nodded. "That'll be nice."

Ursula smiled. "Okay," She walked out of Peter's apartment to prepare the desserts for the couple.

Just several minutes later, after Ursula came back in with a pair of chocolate cake and two glasses of milk, Peter and Mary Jane each took their own share of bites of the desserts they were so graciously offered.

To their delight and gratitude to the landlord's daughter, the dessert was very appetizing.

"That is very delicious," MJ complimented Ursula's baking, still taking in at how good the cake was.

"Thank you," Peter said, as he and her girlfriend kindly offered back the empty plates and glasses back to the landlord's daughter.

Ursula nodded in appreciation to the couple's kindful words. With that, she held on to the plates, stood up from the bed and walked out to the door.

But before she did, she stopped in her tracks and turned back, remembering the reason why she entered the room to begin with. "Oh, you have a message," Ursula picked out a small piece of paper from her pants pocket and handed to Peter. "It's your Aunt."

"Thanks."

After Ursula left, MJ looked over Peter's shoulder at the message he was holding. "What is it?" She asked.

"It was from Aunt May: saying she wanted me to see me home."

"Does she say why?"

"I don't know," Peter said unsurely. "Maybe she was still unhappy about my... confession."

Knowing how the circumstances of his Uncle Ben's death was still sensitive to the Parkers, it was figured it's for the best to not try press more on the matter, MJ thought. To her luck, when she heard a ringtone message from her mobile phone inside her handbag. Thinking she got a perfect distraction from the matter, MJ took it out to see who's messaging her.

"Who was it?" Peter asked.

"Oh, Gayle just texted me," MJ replied. "She said she wants to meet me for lunch."

Peter nodded in understanding. "I guess I'll see you later?"

MJ smiled, then gave him a lovely kiss on his cheek. With that, she walked out of Peter's apartment.

Some time later, after giving his girlfriend a nice farewell for the day, Peter was walking to his old home, as told by Aunt May's message that Ursula forwarded to him.

The moment he looked around at the backyard, Peter was confused when he was met with a good number of boxes stacked, some of which left unopened, as their old house belongings were just lying about as Aunt May was going through them. "What's going on?"

"Oh, they gave me another few weeks, but I decided 'the hell with it'. I'm moving on," Aunt May said casually. "I found a small, decent apartment not too far from here.

Peter was baffled that he wasn't told about this earlier. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm quite able to take care of things myself," Aunt May said assuredly. "And Henry Jackson across the street is giving me a hand, and I'm giving him five dollars."

Peter turned to see a young boy going back and forth with packing up boxes inside the house. "That's Henry Jackson?"

"Yes," Aunt May gave a slight chuckle. "It's funny what happens in two years. Nine years old. Great ambitions."

Peter, not too sure how to start, hoped his next words doesn't bring back the cold shoulders. "Listen, um, about my last visit... "

Aunt May waved it off dismissively, surprising Peter by how nonchalantly she reacted. "Pish-posh, we needn't talk about it. It's water over the dam or under the bridge or wherever you like it."

Her emotions then started to stir up as she walked up to her nephew with a smile. "But you made a brave move in telling me the truth. And I'm proud of you. And I thank you, and I... I love you, Peter," Aunt May said, giving him a heartwarming hug. "So very, very much."

After breaking up the hug, as the elderly Parker went back to packing the rest of the boxes, Peter tried to look through some, only to notice something's missing. "Hey," He called out. "Where are all my comic books?"

"Oh, those dreadful things?" Aunt May said somewhat unapologetically. "I gave those away."

Peter looked almost in disbelief that some of his childhood valuables were given away just like that.

Henry walked out of the house to inform her of his progress. "I put the pans in the boxes, Mrs. Parker."

"Thank you, Henry," Aunt May appreciated the young boy's help.

Henry noticed her nephew was standing with them. "Hi, Peter."

"Hey, Henry," Peter greeted the 9-year-old. He then gave him pat on the head as he was astounded at how much the young boy had grown since he last saw him. "You're getting tall."

"Henry," Aunt May called out. "Why don't you put those cookbooks in with the mixer."

Henry looked behind to see where the books were before turning back with an acknowledging nod. "Okay," He then looked at Peter. "You take Spider-Man and Spinneret's pictures, right?"

"I used to," Peter said unsurely.

"Where are they?" Henry asked.

"Henry and I agree," Aunt May joined in on their conversation. "We don't see their pictures in the paper anymore."

"Actually, Spinneret came back just recently," Peter corrected about one of the Spidey-Couple's whereabouts.

"Really?" Henry's eyes lit up in happiness to learn Spinneret's return.

Peter nodded in confirmation. "Yeah."

"What about him?" Henry asked excited, hoping Spider-Man's back also.

"Oh, well, he's still... away," Peter said vaguely.

"Why?" Henry asked, his excitement suddenly dropped as he's now confused about one of two's New York's heroes was still being absent.

"Wanted to try other things."

"He'll be back, too, right?" Henry asked with a hopeful smile.

Not knowing how to answer that, Peter gave a light shrug. "I don't know."

With that, Henry turned back to help finish packing the rest of the house.

"You'll never guess who he wants to be," Aunt May said with a light pause. "Spider-Man."

"Why?" Peter asked, feeling confused about why anyone would want to become his abandoned alter ego.

"He knows a hero when he sees one," Aunt May said, like as if it was the most obvious answer. "Too few characters out there, flying around like that... saving old girls like me. And Lord knows, kids like Henry need a hero. Courageous, self-sacrificing people... setting examples for all of us."

Aunt May's high praises really confused Peter, making him wondering why would anyone care about his own when all he got in return for helping people was just more ill-opinions towards himself and difficulties on his personal life.

Aunt May continued. "Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them, cheer them, scream their names. And years later, they'll tell how they stood in the rain for hours... just to get a glimpse of the one who taught them to hold on a second longer.

"I believe there's a hero in all of us... that keeps us honest... gives us strength... makes us noble... and finally allows us to die with pride. Even though sometimes we have to be steady and... give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams."

Hearing that speech from his Aunt May in the sincerest way sparked something inside Peter, telling him that maybe his noble efforts, were not for nothing, that their heroic deeds actually meant something to the people.

"Spider-Man and Spinneret did that for Henry, and he always wondered where they were gone," Aunt May said. "He needs them... together."

Catching Peter by surprise the most was by how directed her words were at him, and even Mary Jane by extension, as if she was actually talking to her savior. He thought she somehow knew the truth, but tried to denied it, of course, thinking there's no way she could've known somehow.

Maybe it was just her usual wisdom getting to him, but he couldn't be too sure.

"Do you think you could lift that desk and put it into the garage for me?" Aunt May asked. "But don't strain yourself."

Peter then shook his head out of his thoughts about his aunt's peculiar words, Peter nodded to her request. "Okay," He then turned around to help with what he could to clean up the house.

Words: 1967

A/N: Strangely suspicious with Aunt May's otherwise heartwarming and encouraging words, hmm.

Anyway, next chapter will be that Peter's return moment, only with a little twist that you might find a little unexpected. Also, MJ will finally giving that talk that was long overdue for Gayle.

Anyway, any constructive criticisms and comments would be greatly appreciated. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter.

Reviews:

CT311998: Glad you love it, and don't you worry about that; he'll be back eventually.

Tq3942: Thanks, man.

Cosplayer9615: Hmmmm.

DCDGojira: Cheers for your kind words again.

TW: Appreciated the review.

Batrenz: Yep, just one of the great examples of having a branched reality that works out in the character's favor.