Disclaimer: I don't own the She-Hulk… yadda yadda… I don't own Spider-Man. Har har har… Would be nice if I did though. Would be cooler if I could draw them. Now wouldn't that be nice fan art?
Warnings: None, but I'm sure someone will be upset… somewhere. Triggers: None.
Navigating the Curve
By Juliette Lyst
Don't Go Knocking On My Door
Main Universe
Manhattan Valley, New York
Saturday - 1am
A tall, lone figure strolled down the sidewalk along Cathedral Parkway, clad in an oversize gray hoodie, baggy pants and sneakers. Hands stuffed into the pockets and head down, they continued to meander. On occasion, they turned to observe as the occasional car sped past. Fortunately, no one had taken the time to stop. Everyone was in such a rush to get home. Or to get out, if that was what they desired.
Must be nice…
Hunching their shoulders, they continued to walk. Where were they heading? Even they didn't know. All that they knew was that they needed to get out. To escape, but that wasn't entirely possible.
Too bad I can't escape my own skin. Hands clenched tightly in the pockets of the hoodie as the figure stopped walking for a brief moment. They let out a soft groan, the muscles of their jaw clenching. The discomfort was nearly unbearable, but they soon resumed walking. Releasing a shuddering breath, they allowed their gaze to focus on sneaker clad feet. The pain kept coming, at first in small waves… but it was worsening.
Over the last few weeks, their condition progressively deteriorated. At first, it hadn't been that bad. Mild aches here and there. For most people, it was negligible. It was easy to understand that leading such an active life, one couldn't escape unscathed. In this case though… those pains should never have begun. They were accompanied by a curious burst of relentless heat.
Stopping again, they moved over to a wall, leaning against it, muscles in their legs trembling. Sweat was dripping from under their hood. The hoodie was dark in large patches, as if they'd completed a run. Hot… Jaw trembling, they let out a barely perceptible whimper. So hot… A fever was not new to them, but this… it was completely new - and alien and not what they wanted at all. Their head drooped between their shoulders.
"Hey man!" The voice of a person at this time of night was both welcome and unwanted.
I don't want anyone to see me like this. There was nothing they could do. Until they were certain they could stand straight, they couldn't move away from the wall.
"Are you tweaking?" The question came unbidden. Concern flit across the man's face as he observed the taller individual leaning against the wall of one of the shops along the road. When they didn't respond, his concern deepened. Reaching for his walkie-talkie, he pressed the button and spoke. "Hey, I'm gonna need some help. Corner of Cathedral and Amsterdam Ave."
Hearing police chatter made them raise their head, and glance over their shoulder. Police are the last thing I need. With an audible grunt, they pushed away from the wall. Quickly tucking their hands back into their pockets, they resumed walking down the road, deciding at the last minute to walk directly up Amsterdam Ave. There was no way to predict which direction the cruiser was going to come from. Wouldn't I make quite the picture on the front of the paper?
Which was the exact opposite of what they wanted.
"Hey!" The officer called, following them. To his credit though, he kept his distance. A person that size could cause serious damage if he wasn't careful. How big is he? They had to be at least seven feet in height. "You don't need to run." He spoke, keeping his voice even. "If you're sick, we're going to get you some help. Don't worry!"
Why doesn't he just shut up? They rolled green eyes, lightly shaking their head.
"You won't be hauled off to prison. We'll get you some help!"
At that, their lips curled up into a grin. Nothing can help me right now. Their steps were uneven on the sidewalk. At this point, there was an alarming amount of sweat coating their body. Breath uneven, they tucked their head down and continued to walk. It struck them then, how this had to be the slowest police chase they'd ever been involved in.
More police chatter was heard. "Heading up Amsterdam now." Worry was audible in the officer's voice. He wasn't certain what drugs the person was on, but the sheer amount of dampness that was popping up through their clothes…
Whatever they were saying was irrelevant. The focus was to keep walking. And then what? The sidewalk was beginning to look like it was splitting in half. Or was it crawling on top of itself? Blinking hard and shaking their head again, they slowed down even more…
feeling disoriented. "What is this?" They muttered under their breath.
Turning their head, they saw another building and began walking toward it. At least… that was the intention.
Feeling their legs give out, they hit the ground hard but struggled still to crawl to the building. If I can just get there… I can get up. How foolish that thought was.
By then, the officer had caught up to the large figure and was able to see them smack the pavement. When they began to shakily crawl, he jerked in reaction - seeing a large green hand reaching out for the building. I'm not seeing this. He blinked once…. Then twice. Nope, he was really seeing that.
Panting, they had a singular thought before slumping over. Burning… like fire… This was it. They couldn't move, not anymore. Consciousness remained, not that it helped much.
Believing it to be safe, the officer rushed over to the collapsed figure and carefully removed their hood. If he'd been startled at seeing a green hand, he was thrown even more for a loop as long and dark green hair was revealed, along with a very familiar green face. Well… right now, it was a paler version of itself. "You?" he asked, his voice incredulous. He looked over her body. It was the same person. "What happened to you?"
Staring up at him, her lips moved but no sound came out at first.
Realizing that she was aware of his presence, he reached for the walkie-talkie. "… Yeah, we're gonna need some backup," He saw her shudder at his words, alarm visible in her eyes. "Non-hostile!" he added quickly. "We need an ambulance," He frowned. "Make it a bariatric one." A larger ambulance would have what was required to help someone her size.
She visibly relaxed. This time, she was able to speak with visible effort. "Thanks." Her entire face was drenched, as if someone had dumped a bucket of water on her.
"Again, I'll ask. What happened to you?" Not waiting for her response, he sat down next to her.
She twitched, looking away. "It's… a long story."
"We have time before they get here," he replied, smiling faintly. "It's not every day that I get to meet… one of my heroes."
Hearing those words grabbed her attention, and she glanced at him. Up close, she could see how young he really was. Is he new? No… Few years… at least two or three on the force. "You're welcome?" Though she was a bit flattered, this was the last way she wanted to meet an admirer.
He shrugged faintly. "In high school, I used to watch the reports about you in the news. And read the newspaper articles."
"If that's so…" She began. "Why didn't you handcuff me?" Off his incredulous expression, she rolled her eyes. "I'm not the most favorite person, depending on the public opinion - at the time."
"That doesn't matter. You're still a hero, Ms. Walters. Both in and out the courtroom."
She visibly grimaced. Her currently halted career was a sore point.
"Hate to break it to you, kid…" she replied. "But I'm not in court." Feeling as if her body was sweltering, she grimaced again and tried to physically turn away from him. The effort resulted in her being stuck on her back.
Both of them heard the tell-tale jingle of one of the businesses' opening their doors. Quickly, he pulled off his jacket and held it up to block her from view as much as possible. "Don't worry," he spoke softly, grateful that they were ignored. They probably think I'm covering a dead body… "Help is on the way."
Soon, both of them heard the sound of sirens.
"T-Thanks kid…" she muttered, feeling her grip on consciousness slipping.
"Oh! No probl-" Looking back to her as he spoke, he was alarmed to see her eyes roll back in her head. "Hey! Wake up!" Dropping his jacket, he moved close to hear if she was still breathing. Thankfully she was.
"We're here!" One of the EMTs announced as the ambulance parked abruptly, both doors flying open.
A second police car parked behind them.
As the middle-aged man approached, his gray eyes grew wide. "Is… that…"
Looking up, the officer nodded, his expression grim. "We're going to need all available bodies to get her up.
"What happened?" he asked, but opened up the back of the ambulance to get out the stretcher and lower the lift. A third EMT was inside, getting supplies ready.
"No clue."
That was as far as conversation went. Thankfully, two officers were in the second car. Between the six of them, they were able to lift the unconscious form of the She-Hulk onto a stretcher… with help from four bystanders who were out for a night of fun. Once she was secured in place, the four friends bid the EMTs and police officers well and went on their way.
Standing outside the doors of the ambulance as they closed, the young officer fidgeted, jumping slightly as a hand clapped on his shoulder.
"Good job," the older man stated, his female partner nodding in agreement.
"I… It doesn't feel like it." He felt sick watching the ambulance pulling off, sirens at full blast. What was wrong with her? It bothered him… because he didn't know if it would be the last time he'd see her.
The female officer stepped over and opened her mouth to speak. She knew he was still a bit new, but he'd worked quickly and efficiently.
"Look, Darryl…"
At her words, he lifted his head.
"You -"
Parallel Worlds - Parallel Lives (Alternate Universe) Saturday - 3pm
Smiling at the clerk behind the counter, Peter shoved his receipt and change into a pocket and reached out for the two orange sorbet cones being offered to him. They'd been out most of the day, handling errands, when Jen requested they take a break. Knowing she had a penchant for sweets, he'd led her to the ice cream shop.
Lately, her tastes were beginning to shift more and more towards fruit, something he was immensely grateful for.
"Thanks!" she pipped up before Peter could and happily accepted her cone from him. "Mmm!" she mumbled, taking a bite.
The pair quickly found a table and sat down. Peter carefully moved his chair around the table so he was next to her.
"Today's a scorcher," he remarked. The summer had been unseasonably warm, but it was a bit cooler in the mornings. Still, he'd come well-prepared for a heat wave. The wheeled cooler he'd dragged with him was loaded with ice to keep their beverages cold. He'd even been able to use a bit of the ice and a paper towel to help her when the heat started to bother her earlier.
Smiling around her cone, Jen didn't say anything. Switching hands, she reached out for him.
Peter interlaced their fingers. "How many more stores will we look at?" This was a serious question. So far all they'd done was window- shop at far too many stores.
Swallowing her mouthful, Jennifer offered a slight shrug. "I'm not sure. Until we know…"
"Know what?" se asked.
Snorting softly, she lightly squeezed his fingers. "What we'll get for Chip. It has to be just right."
A quizzical brow rose, but Peter hesitated. He still remembered clearly what the tech had told them the previous day.
Well… it looks like you're having a -"
No! Wait!" Jennifer interrupted. Both the tech and Peter were startled.
The tech closed her mouth quickly.
Are you -" Peter spoke, confused.
I think I'd prefer to be surprised." Jen explained. Angling her head, she stared up Peter, making her brown eyes appear wider, pouting. "If you think about everything else that's been happening, that'll be a wonderful treat for us."
He caved in immediately, unable to resist when she did that. "Uhh… sure." Looking to the tech, he laughed weakly. "We'll wait."
Not missing a beat, the tech nodded in acknowledgement. "Of course." Smiling up at the couple, she moved the wand slightly, making sure to get different parts of the baby's structure. "You guys want pictures, right?"
This time, Peter exclaimed with excitement. "Yes! Yes, please!" To their delight, they were given three copies of the pictures. "You're right," he responded, eyes twinkling.
"The only problem is figuring out a color scheme." Jennifer noted. "That can be easily rectified though." She resumed eating her treat.
While she was distracted, Peter returned to his snack as well. What she voiced was a serious decision. They weren't sure what they were having, but he was very certain that Chip was a girl. What if the baby's a boy though? He tried to imagine what it would be like to have a son… and he felt his heart melt from the thought. A son… Staring their joined hands, he felt his features warming up.
"You okay, Pete?" Jennifer asked, studying his face carefully.
Not missing a beat, his lips quirked up in a grin, and he lightly squeezed her fingers. "Sure am, Jenny." He leaned close to her. "Where next?"
Worries allayed by his words; Jennifer smiled. "There was a place that dad told me about." She slurped up more of her sorbet. It was hard for her to not give voice to her feelings when she was eating. They were in a public place though, which helped keep her quieter than normal.
"Your dad?" That surprised him, but he had noticed the two of them were slowly getting closer. He had to admit, to his displeasure, that he still didn't know much about the older man. What kind of place would he suggest? Peter knew that somewhere, somewhen… the easy rapport that should have existed between Jen and her father had unraveled.
"Mng." Jennifer replied, crunching down on the cone. Her eyes lit up when the telltale taste of chocolate hit her tongue. Peter hadn't told her he'd had fudge in the bottom part of the cone. "Hmn."
Although amused and knowing she'd discovered his 'surprise', Peter lowered his eyes in thought. "As for the colors… we can just pick between our favorites."
Finishing her mouthful and licking her lips. The petite brunette spoke up, quickly. "Well… I know what yours are," Jen remarked. "They're in your costume… red and blue. Right?" They certainly were the colors he wore prominently.
"Well… there's green too." He added with a straight face.
Now, Jennifer knew her cheeks were growing pink. "Oh… Uhh…" Words escaping her, she closed her mouth. Green. He likes green? What he'd said was so simple, but with Jen, it reached a deeper part of her… to a place she wasn't sure was safe to venture in long.
After finishing up his cone, Peter cleared his throat. "We could of course, combine them all."
Managing to partially calm down, she quirked a brow… waiting for him to continue.
Unclasping their hands, Peter lightly poked her on the nose. "Instead of Red, blue and green… why don't we go for purple and green?"
Blushing harder, Jennifer momentarily crossed her eyes to look at Peter's finger. "Are… Are you sure?" She began, hesitance in her voice. "B-Because those are the colors of -" My costume… And my body.
"I know they're your colors… but really, they're also us. " He moved his hand down, resting it on her belly and rubbing gently. "Red and blue produce purple," Peter commented, his voice softening so only she could hear him. "Just like how Chip is a combination of you and I. So in a way, you and I really are linked in more than a few ways, Miss Walters."
Jen was certain her body's ability to blush was near its critical point. She felt almost overwhelmed at what he was saying, had never thought that closely of their clothing choices. After all, she never wore a giant black spider on her chest. He was certainly not going to be wearing a tight, purple leotard.
"Too bad I can't fit my costume right now, Pete." She knew the outfit would adjust to fit… but she didn't feel that her body was right for it.
Peter frowned at her words, but wisely remained silent. The two of them left the shop shortly after.
Main Universe Alchemax Sunday - 1:04am
The lights were low in the main office. That view that Liz had so often taken in was now the privilege of another. It didn't matter. There was no time to enjoy the view… when the near future looked bleak.
The lone figure seated at the desk, burning the midnight oil was none other than that of Jonah Jameson. His presence in the building wasn't exactly of his own design. As one of the shareholders in the company, he'd been the first one alerted to a problem. What he'd learned had resulted in his hospitalization.
While still recovering, he'd received the news that the CEO of the company had flown the coop. He knew this was a terrible decision he was making. His doctor had insisted that he reduce his stress level - not pile more on. However, his newspaper was at risk. He would let himself go down before the Bugle. Though he was known to be taciturn with his staff at times, he admired and had respect for all of them.
They wouldn't have remained working for him if he found them lacking.
Now, he was busy reviewing the financial records of the company. Access to key points in the building was restricted now, under orders from the CDC. So while he very well could have remained in the upper floors… he was here for a short visit.
He had dug through a few of the drawers in the desk, looking for envelopes… notes… anything that would demonstrate to him the severity of what had occurred. He had stuffed as much as he could in a briefcase and backpack.
"… Time's up," a voice outside the open office door announced. While the tone was not immediately threatening, there was a hint of warning.
Lifting his head, Jameson nodded and stood. This might very well be his last visit to this building. "Understood." He pulled the backpack on and clicked the briefcase closed. After stepping out of the office, he nodded to the suited man standing outside.
Under brighter lights, the mask Jameson wore was visible. He could have worn one of the protective suits, but was grateful that he was cleared to just wear a mask.
The infection hadn't reached this level… not yet at least.
"Has there been any change in the search for Miss Allen?" he asked casually as his lone 'guard' escorted him to the front doors. The scene in the reception area was so strange. Desks were cleared, computers and lights were off… save a singular one near the front entrance.
"Negative," was the succinct reply.
Sighing, his head shaking in disappointment, he posed another question. "What about Norman and the staff?" He wasn't privy to the most of the information, but he knew that there was certainly a quarantine in the lower levels.
"That's nothing to be concerned about," his escort replied. "Containment is still in progress."
Jonah knew that that meant. He was already arranging for his immediate family to leave New York and move further down south. They all were leaving in the morning. He dared not mention that to anyone in the building. What of his staff? I need to arrange a few more affairs… The Bugle was his, and he wanted to protect it. That meant he had to protect the staff, so he was putting plans into effect to move the company to a different state, further out west.
He was uncertain if his staff could afford to completely move to another part of the country, but he sincerely hoped they would. His hands were tied. He certainly couldn't spare much more in terms of time and resources. It was enough that he was changing venues so suddenly.
Again, something he wasn't going to explain to his escort. Gotham Health - 9am
The situation should have struck her as funny, but she wasn't able to laugh. How could she - Jennifer Walters - The She-Hulk… laugh at this? Dark brows pinched together tightly as she struggled to keep the lower half of her body on the hospital bed. She was hooked up to an IV, the staff having to scramble to obtain an adamantium needle capable of piercing her skin.
Her paperwork stated that she was sick with fever. Why, she wasn't certain. She was resistant to most of the ailments she'd encountered. On this planet at least. For several weeks however, her symptoms had progressively gotten worse. Jen was aware that something was wrong, but wanted to keep it to herself. She hoped that eventually she would recover.
That hadn't been the case. Finding soon that she was suffering from irregular delusions and gaps in her perception of time… knowing how dangerous she was when not in control, Jen had to withdraw from her work in the courtroom for the safety of those in the building.
Yet she didn't tell all of this to the team, jumping at the chance to get out and do something to get her mind off her problem.
But that led to her late-night escapade. She'd been completely unconscious for twenty-four hours.
Once one of the nurses realized she was awake, he immediately hurried into the room to check how coherent she was and went to find the doctor on duty that night.
Now she was facing another challenge - coming clean to her friends.
News of the She-Hulk being lifted onto a stretcher and swiftly taken to a hospital had taken over the airwaves.
Currently, only Reed and Susan were in her room visiting, seated in the provided chairs. She knew that Johnny was uncomfortable with the idea of coming there, but Ben… Jennifer lightly chewed her bottom lip. She had been honest that she was dealing with some problems and had taken a leave of office in court. Those problems weren't going to fix themselves.
"I just don't understand!" Susan stated, breaking through Jen's train of thought. "How could it get this bad? Why didn't you tell us you were sick?" The blonde was upset, because she saw Jennifer's silence as a sign that she didn't trust them. The stillness in the room made it worse. "Why won't you speak up?!"
Jennifer felt her friend's words like a blow. She lightly grit her teeth, averting her eyes.
"You have no problem opening your mouth during trials… even your own, but with us - your friends - you completely clammed up! Why? Why did you do that? Didn't you understand how finding out you were sick on the news would feel to us?!"
Jennifer lowered her head, one of her hands clenching part of the sheet covering her legs. Susan's words began to slowly swirl around in her head. Twisting them inside and out, her own self-doubts began rearing their ugly heads again.
Intervening, Reed placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Sue…" he spoke softly. When he had her attention, he shook his head. "Now is not the time." He understood better than most the price for maintaining silence when certain predicaments cropped up. It was mostly pride, a desire to prove that no help was needed… that led to events like this.
"And just when did I need to ask for your permission…" Jennifer began, beginning to feel upset. "Or to divulge anything at all about my life?" At that, she lifted her eyes only. The green gaze she leveled on both of them was piercing. Just who do they think they are? As if I need to ask 'mommy and daddy' for anything…
Susan felt a dull thud in her chest, swallowing hard.
The monitors attached to Jennifer began to whine, as her blood pressure began to rise, along with her heart rate. Her eyes narrowed.
"Jen…." Reed addressed her, feeling wary and concerned. "Please, try to understand." Though he felt as if he was grasping for straws, he was still trying to diffuse what was proving to be an unexpectedly volatile situation.
Muscles around her mouth visibly were rippling as she ground her teeth together, she nevertheless waited for what he was going to say.
"We don't mean you any harm. We were just… alarmed to see you on the early six-o'clock news. With…" Reed hesitated, seeing a familiar curl to her upper lip. "… Without warning…" he finished.
The beeps emitting from the monitors didn't slow. In fact, the screens all revealed what Reed could easily read on her face. They began to scream.
Jennifer was about to completely blow her top. We need to get out of here. "Sue!" he said, abruptly standing. Not waiting for his wife to respond, he pulled her up with him and rushed both of them out the door.
They'd only made it a few feet from the room when they could hear the sounds of metal being forcefully bent, in harmony with a primal scream that made Reed's nape rise. He pulled both himself and his wife further away - wondering if their green friend was about to emerge through the open doors.
"Sue?" Reed asked, turning his attention to the door again. This wouldn't do. This hospital isn't equipped to handle someone like Jennifer. They needed to move her.
"Darling?" Sue asked, her eyes wide.
"Call Ben…" He looked to her. "And Johnny. We need all hands on deck for this."
"Do… do you think she's dangerous?"
The question was simple enough, but made the scientist freeze briefly. How should he answer?
"I… I'm not sure." He swallowed. "It's never good when she can't control herself. We should be safe, but there are civilians… This place… is not enough to contain her."
As both nursing staff and security guards began running toward the room, he followed suit. What do these people think they can do? He wasn't even able to hear his own footfalls over the sounds of breaking glass. "Jen!" he called. The sight he beheld sent chills up his spine.
Having bent and broken the frame of the bed and ripped out her IV line, Jennifer had also violently separated herself from the leads. Some of the machines were spitting out sparks from the damage. Now, she was working to escape through a window that was far too small. She'd smashed the window, but seemed to be unaware as to how to fit her body through an opening half her size.
Instead of anything resembling logic, she began punching the wall randomly. It was as if… something or someone else was there. "N- No!" she cried; her anger taking shape. "MOVE!"
Why can't she…? Reed's eyes rounded, as he came to a conclusion similar to the staffers - most of whom had spun around and began running away from the room. "Get out!" he yelled at the few who lingered. "Don't you understand? Can't you see…"
Sue was outside the room, frantically begging Ben to hurry through the communicator.
"- The She-Hulk has completely lost control!" Reed's voice was clearly heard from inside the room.
There was a scrambling of bodies exiting the room and a piercing, monstrous roar.
Then… much to Sue's horror… a clinging quiet.
"… Reed?"
Parallel Worlds - Parallel Lives (Alternate Universe) Jennifer's Apartment
Sunday - Noon
Peter felt as if his eyes were going to meld into one… the muscles so tired. Would Jen still love me if I only have one eye? In the middle of his forehead… That would be preferrable to this. At his insistence to 'help' Jen with their cases, Jen had given him a task… to arrange all of the numerous pages and cases that she'd compiled… and put them in order of date and topic.
It seemed like an easy task.
Why did I agree to do this? Peter found himself perched on the couch, pouring over three envelopes bulging with paperwork. All of it printouts and references from prior trials… and her own handwritten notes.
Even though she'd known he would likely suffer, Jen had wanted to keep him company. And she was… laying on her side, head in his lap and snoring up a storm.
At least Jenny is getting some rest from this. It was difficult to sift through all of the papers and not dislodge Jen from her sleeping spot. He knew that she was there to lend silent support, but her very presence there was proving to be a distraction.
Giving up after a few more minutes, Peter neatly straightened out the paperwork and set it on the other side of the couch. Done with that, he began a much more enjoyable activity. One of his fingers lightly traced the line of Jen's jawline. He studied the shell of her ear before pulling back a little. Observing her as she slept, his hand moved to her belly… gently rubbing the soft mound. Which one of us will Chip take after?
He hoped their child was a little clone of Jen. He wasn't certain how much he would contribute to their child's appearance. The baby didn't have his genes, but maybe he and the Peter here were close enough…
Deeply asleep, Jennifer had a faint smile cross her lips as she dreamed.
Will Chip have that smile? Mine? Both of ours? The webcrawler had so many questions. Leaning down, Peter studied her features closer. "Mmnn…" Jen murmured in her sleep… "Bring back… the salsa," A low rumbling moan escaped her. "… and my chips… Yes…" Now, she was beginning to drool.
Brows rising, Peter laughed softly. Even unaware, Jenny was focused on food.
Speaking of…. Peter carefully eased himself from under Jen, tucking a cushion under her head. He was sure that she'd be awake soon enough, demanding lunch. Not that he minded. Fishing a few cans out of the cabinets and locating a packet of rice, he grinned. There was no problem with him whipping up a quick bowl of chili for the both of them to enjoy. I'm sure I have enough meat in the fridge for this…
He was prepping bell peppers when he heard a knock at the door. Hurrying to it so Jennifer wasn't woken, Peter yanked the door open.
"Oh." He stated, looking directly at Jen's father.
"Oh?" Morris asked, one brow rising. "Came to bring lunch for the three of us."
"Ah, I see." Peter stepped aside to allow the older man in the apartment. "I was in the middle of cooking, but please come in."
Despite the awkwardness that both men felt toward each other, Morris allowed himself to relax as soon as Peter closed the door behind him. He noticed Jen asleep on the couch and a mass of paperwork near her. "Hard to get her to slow down?" he asked quietly.
His gaze on Jen as well, he was a little confused at the question. "… What?"
"I offered to help her," Morris supplied in response. "She in no uncertain terms told me to butt out… which I wouldn't have minded. Except she asked me to help in the first place!"
Ah… that explains a few things. "I have no problem accepting your help." Noting the older man's confused stare, Peter shrugged. "She asked me to help too, but it's… a bit much for me to take in."
Morris offered a tiny smile. "She's stubborn," he warned. "Jennifer might not like you taking help from me."
Peter waved the older man's concern away. "Her field is… not what I have any expertise in. It's too much for her though."
Guiding Morris to the kitchen, Peter continued to speak softly. "She's handling two different cases. Between our cases, Chip and the stress of losing her job… I…" Peter shook his head and sighed. "I wanted to help shoulder some of the burden, but I'm out of my depth." He swallowed hard. "Aren't there any other lawyers that she used to work with that can help her?"
Morris studied Peter soundlessly. It was a very tall order, because when Jen left, she had severed all ties with her professional
contacts. There might still be a chance for someone to be willing to lend a hand. "I…. There is someone I know of." His voice trailed off.
"… There's something wrong, isn't there?" Peter asked, needlessly. Since first meeting him in this universe, he hadn't seen Morris look uncomfortable much at all.
Readjusting his tie and swallowing hard, Morris nodded. "An old colleague from when she worked at GLK … Well, it was GLK the last time I saw them." Setting the take-out containers on the kitchen table, Morris reached into his pocket to pull out his phone. Flipping it open, he pulled up the contacts.
"Again, I'll ask," Peter warily looked down as Morris scrolled through his contacts. "Is there any risk to Jenny by doing this? What's wrong with this particular contact?"
Morris lifted his eyes. "It's… a part of her past. Before here," he added. "I'm uncertain what terms they were on when they
separated."
"Separated?" Peter asked.
"When she left," The fatigue and stress of the past few months was visible on Morris' face. "She left a lot of loose ends. Ms. Book was one of them."
"Ms. Book?"
"What are the two of you talking about out here?" Jennifer asked, interrupting both men.
"Jenni -"
"Jenny, you're up!" Peter quickly got her seated at the dining table. "Umm… Yeah." She struggled a failed to contain a yawn.
"Sorry if we woke you up." Morris added.
"No… It wasn't you." Jen responded, resting her elbows on the table, then her head in her upraised hands. "Mmmf… Tired." She seemed to be arguing with herself. Her stomach chose that moment to let out a distinctive growl. Her mouth moved for a moment, but she wasn't able to say anything.
"Don't worry Jenny!" Peter rested a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get lunch ready."
"We'll get lunch ready!"
Both men looked at each other.
Jennifer did not respond to either one of them, moving one hand down to rest on her belly.
Food was served up in short order and ten minutes later, all three adults were seated at the table. Not wanting to draw her ire, Peter had simple given one of the containers of Chinese food to Jen so she could serve herself.
She ended up eating out of the container, but that was something both of them expected. Grumbling innards settled for the time being, Jennifer leveled a stare on both men. "… Now then, what were you two talking about earlier?"
Peter looked at Morris for help, but the older man shrugged. "At what point, Jen?"
Squinting at Peter, Jennifer leveled a stare at her father. "You two can tell me. If… If it's bad news, I can handle it."
Raising a hand, Morris shook his head in denial. "First off, it's not bad news. It's just… we or rather I am not sure how to deliver it. Secondly, why would you assume that I had bad news?"
Jennifer lightly ground her teeth. "It's not as if you didn't bring some bad news with you, dad."
Her father straightened up in his seat, displeasure evident on his features.
"So how much worse can it be?" she asked, rhetorically. Jennifer never expected what her father would say next.
"Your absence… left quite a big mark and a hole… That some unscrupulous individuals were all clamoring to fill." Morris pursed his lips faintly. "Your cousin… I sent him out here to find you. You left without any warning, Jennifer."
Looking away from his accusatory eyes, Jen swallowed hard.
"Do you think I've been delaying going home for my health alone?" Morris shook his head. "To even go back fully, you have to have help." He looked at Peter, who seemed uncomfortable with the suddenly seriousness of the discussion. "Both of you need help. And Jennifer, there's only one person who you know can do it quickly…"
Grimacing, she nodded quietly.
"I have Ms. Book's number in my phone, Jen." Morris added. He saw how she flinched in reaction. "While I'm uncertain as to how you two parted ways, it might still be best -"
"Dad…" Jen's voice sounded defeated in a way Peter never remembered hearing. "I already understand what you're saying…" She lowered her gaze. "For me to return to Mallory like this…" Sitting back in her seat, Jennifer crossed her arms. "I…"
"You won't be alone Jenny!" Peter got out of his seat and walked behind Jennifer's… firmly rubbing her shoulders. "I'll be there and pops will be too." At that, Peter pointed at Morris.
Bushy brows raised in surprise, the older man bristled slightly at being called 'pops', but tried to keep that reaction under wraps.
"And maybe… even um… Bruce." Peter sounded like he was spitting the man's name out.
Jennifer glanced up at Peter. It seemed that the animosity on Peter's end was still going strong. Her gaze slowly tracked over to her father.
It was quiet in there for some time. 9pm
Propped up on pillows and feeling more stuffed than a turkey, Jennifer stared at the ceiling, debating her life choices. Was it a good idea to run? She'd often reviewed the decision in her head. When she fled, she had abandoned not only her own responsibilities, but she'd lost a support system that could have backed her choices. I ran away from steady work… She thought, her eyes half closed. But I ran from the 'bad guys' too . Was it fair for her to leave no notice? Not even Reed knew where she was. At least… she didn't think so. She questioned that suddenly. If Bruce was able to find her, he wouldn't be the only one.
No mattered what she wanted, it seemed like she was still going to have to return to her previous life. For it to be done successfully, she needed to reach out to very old contacts. Mallory Book was the first and main one.
Feeling the bed dip, she looked to the left as Peter climbed up beside her.
"How you feeling, Jenny?" he asked. Rising up on one shoulder, he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Huh… Replete." She offered a slight smile.
"Resting his hand on her side, he glanced down. "Is Chip awake?" He asked softly.
Darker thoughts redirected momentarily; she rested a hand on the back of his. "Ohh yeah," she laughed softly. "Feels like she's trying to swim."
"Swimming?" He grinned at that. "I think she likes Chinese, Jenny."
Rolling her eyes, Jennifer cleared her throat. "She likes everything… so far." But… She had to admit to herself. Chip likes sugar the most. The baby always felt extra active after she ate sweets.
"Glad to hear it." Peter replied, eyes twinkling. "Tomorrow night is Italian."
Predictably, Jennifer groaned softly. "Pete, you're going to kill me." Licking her lips, she felt her eyelids droop.
"Nah, Jen." Peter gently pat the rounded surface under his hand. "You need to rest and eat to heal." Right now, he knew Jen had been pushing herself too hard. Today was the first one that she'd stopped to really rest in a long time.
"As long as I don't explode, Pete." She muttered. It hadn't escaped her notice that Peter was still loading her down with huge meals.
"You'll be fine." Closing his eyes, he smiled faintly. "Maybe Italian the entire day is a better idea…" His words began to drift off.
Brown eyes widening, Jennifer glanced to Peter. His eyes were closed, breathing even. She followed him soon afterward.
Main Universe Parker Residence Tuesday - 9am
No matter how much things change… The redhead thought while lacing up a stylish white boot. "They stay the same… isn't that right?" After knotting the laces, she stood up in one boot, testing the feel. Features contorting, she quickly sat down and worked to unlace the boot. Who thought wearing these was a good idea?
She was very happy to not have any assignments for the next two days. While off, she wasn't exactly free from work. At any time, she could be called back for a fill-in. MJ also had to get the boots in decent working order.
Things had also remained strained between her and Sami. She blamed herself for that. She never should have put pressure on him. Feet freed, MJ sauntered out the bedroom and down the hall towards the kitchen. Her phone remained conspicuously quiet.
Her relationship with Marilyn had also become frosty. Frowning, MJ ran her fingers through her hair. Nothing seemed to be going her way lately. No… that's not true. As she mechanically moved about the kitchen to set up the coffeemaker, she sunk deeper in thought. The problems have been going on for a lot longer.
Ever since she decided to move into this house again, her life had begun to go downhill. Only working kept her motivated most of the time. For a long time, she'd truly loved being a model. The chance to travel and visit other countries was appealing. But…
She had Peter. She loved him so much… couldn't bear the idea of leaving him behind.
MJ had pushed aside her desires and wants… for him. And how did he repay me?
It wasn't fair for her to blame her ex-fiancée for the breakdown of their relationship. The man wasn't there anymore to defend himself. Still… the anger she thought she should feel over their dissolution - it wasn't there.
Why?
Why couldn't she be angry with Peter anymore? Did I ever condemn him for this? Without words, the redhead had allowed resentment and hopelessness to reign supreme while she was with him. Nothing much had been needed near the end. The tiniest things had led to her revealing her umbrage over it all.
Time apart was what they needed. At least… for her. Had he felt the same? Mary Jane was certain that till the day she breathed her last, she would mourn the loss of a burgeoning love she hadn't allowed to fully bloom. I guess I'll never know.
Once her coffee was done, she added sugar only to the mug she'd poured for herself and moved over to the window sill in the living room. Having the place cleaned had livened it up. It no longer… looked quite so empty. Resting a hand on the window, MJ's brows creased… distress visible on her face. Oh Tiger… I'm so sorry for all of this. She swallowed hard, feeling her eyes mist over. If only I had another chance… I would never leave you again.
Parallel Worlds - Parallel Lives (Alternate Universe) Jennifer's Apartment
Tuesday - 9am
Standing at the window in the living room, Peter pressed a hand to the glass, lowering his head. He was holding a mug of green tea in his left hand, waiting for it to steep just a little longer. Can I do this? Lifting his eyes to stare out the window, he swallowed, his tongue feeling thick. I wonder… He felt his thoughts drifting back. How is MJ doing? He hoped that his ex was happy… wherever she was.
What if I had a chance to do this all over again? He wondered what he would do… but second chances like that weren't possible.
Turning around, he stepped over to his jacket, setting the tea on the coffee table with a coaster under it. Digging through the pocket, he extracted a small white box. Briefly staring at it, he nodded faintly and tucked it away again. He'd needed a lot of time to look and decide on the perfect ring for her.
And after quite a bit of searching, he found it. The ring was silver, with braiding from the middle to the top, where the material was shaped like a heart. The gem sitting proudly at the front of the ring was not diamond… but instead a beautiful amethyst, the semi- precious stone reminding him vividly of them together. Below the section shaped like a heart was a small… slightly separated
segment in the ring where seven small yet shining emeralds twinkled up at him.
That was the only part that concerned him. Would she get angry over emeralds? They remind me so much of Chip! Knowing their baby was going to have green clothing had really grown on him. Scooping his mug up again, he quietly padded back into the bedroom.
Jennifer was up, which surprised him. She had taken the time to make a phone call and was deeply engaged in it. At present, she was silent, but glanced up when he came back in.
The silence was short lived. "Did…. you actually understand any of what I just told you?" Holding a finger to her lips, she put the call on speaker.
"- hat because of this, you are calling me of all people? How did you even get pregnant? I thought that wasn't possible for you!"
One of Jennifer's eyes twitched, and she bit her bottom lip. What was she supposed to say to that exactly? Then, the words she'd just heard sunk in fully. "What do you mean not possible?! I'm still a woman, Mallory!"
Yes, you are. Last I checked, you were walking around and stacked to the hilt with gamma radiation."
"Ar-Yes, that's true."
And correct me if I'm wrong, but you're also bulletproof!"
Blushing, Jennifer offered Peter a slight smile. "Yes, Mal. That's right."
So how did any of Parker's soldiers even manage to storm the fort?! Got a crack in that wall?"
The flush spreading, Jennifer's smile dropped, and she rubbed her forehead. "Mal!" She felt more than a little insulted. This was not a conversation she ever thought she'd have with her former coworker. "My body is impervious to bullets!"
Your eggs certainly were not!" Mallory retorted.
Jennifer was certain that her face resembled a tomato now. Between her and Peter though… she wondered which one of them was the most mortified.
Peter was frozen in place, his mug hovering right below his mouth. This is a strange beginning to the day…
Inhaling deeply and swallowing down a wisecrack that would be so easy to use, Jennifer worked to get the other woman back on track. "My reproductive abilities aside, Mallory… I really need your help. Both of us do."
"… I take by saying 'us'; you mean yourself and the baby? Have you already had it?"
Brows furrowing, Jen was about to respond when Peter stepped in for her.
"She's referring to me. Chip is the third person who would need your help as well."
Who is that with you, Jennifer?" Hearing a male voice on the other end of the line was alarming for Mallory. Fingers running through her neatly coiffed red hair, for just a moment… she wished she felt free enough to have her hair in disarray. That was not her way though.
"Oh… Well, you'd have to see it to believe me, Mal." Jennifer awkwardly laughed. The sudden dial tone was not expected at all. "Umm…"
"Jen-"
Before Peter could get out much, Jennifer was on the receiving end of a video call. From Mallory. She turned wide eyes to Peter, looking for his help.
Sighing softly, he reached over and accepted the video call. There was, after all, no time like the present.
Okay… now show me!" Mallory ordered. It was rare for her to be patient or relax with anything. That was what made her such a successful attorney.
It was annoying to Jen regardless. "Come here, Pete." Jennifer rearranged where she was sitting in bed and motioned for him to sit next to her.
Instead, he came up behind her, looking over her shoulder at Mallory on the screen. He barely held back a laugh at the alarm visible in her green eyes.
Jennifer Walters!" The attorney gasped, shocked. She recognized his face very well. It was impossible. They all had seen him be buried. Mallory seemed unable to speak… or close her mouth.
Amused at the redhead's expression, Jennifer responded. "Mallory Book!"
"I think you broke her, Jenny." Peter commented after another long stretch of silence.
"No… M-Maybe my phone froze?" Jen lightly tapped the screen and tilted the phone. The app seemed to be working fine.
I'm just trying to digest this…" the attorney responded, sucking in a deep breath. She glanced away briefly. "Wait, you said that the baby needed my help too?"
"Technically, helping us is helping her." Peter divulged.
That strange silence returned, after which Mallory spoke again. "… Can I see her?"
Uncertainty flickered in Jen's eyes.
"I can do it, Jenny." Peter reached out for her phone and carefully reversed the view after Jen smoothed down the shirt over her belly.
He knew she was timid over her changing shape.
A low whistle came through the speakers. "My my!" Mallory commented, seeing the distinctive curve Jen had under her clothing. "Well, that explains why he doesn't have a shirt on."
Jen's cheeks remained red. "Umm… He lets me wear them. They don't feel as restrictive as my pajama shirts do right now."
I also noticed that you're not wearing any pants." Mallory continued, rubbing her chin. She wasn't disappointed when she saw Jen reaching for her phone and the camera. For a brief moment, she saw a bit too much of Jennifer's right leg and then both of their faces filled the screen.
"Okay, jests aside… can you help us, Mal?"
Appearing to think it over, Mallory nodded before she spoke. "I take it, that he has some identity issue, yes?"
Jennifer nodded.
A credit lawyer would be best for that. I know just the man. All I have to do is set a fire under him to move faster than normal." She laughed faintly. "As for your case Jennifer…"
Here, both of them waited with baited breath. Even though the options were fairly limited… they both hoped that the red-haired attorney agreed.
I'd love to take on your case, Jennifer." Mallory's smile was softer than normal. "It might not be the first time he's done this. I hate employers that do sneaky things like that."
"Y… Yes." Jennifer agreed. Exhaling heavily, she looked at her lap. She should feel relieved. The two of them had great chances of success on both ends. After all, Mallory wasn't called "The face that never lost a case." for nothing. Even if she had technically lost a
case before. No doubt Mallory had pull that extended farther than anything Jennifer could have hoped for. She's helped me before… Feeling her eyes welling up, Jennifer looked away from the phone. Why does it feel like I still lost before I've begun?
"Jenny?" Peter asked, looking at her.
Everything okay over there?" Mallory asked. She waited quietly as her view suddenly moved to the ceiling.
"Jen, what's wrong?" Peter asked. Gently shushing her, he pulled her into his arms. "Don't be upset Jenny."
"I… I'm not!" Jennifer cried, louder than she had intended. Her voice broke as she continued speaking. "I'm very happy!" Sobbing, tears ran down her cheeks.
"…" Mallory remained silent, wondering when they would remember she was on the line.
"You don't sound very happy Jenny." Peter added softly. He rubbed Jen's back slowly, hoping to calm her down.
"I am!" Jennifer choked out, still in tears.
Sighing, Peter thought of what could calm her down. "Jenny… how about we make a deal?" He had completely forgotten Mallory was listening in.
"… Deal?" she asked, sniffling.
"Yeah. I'm going to make up a box of pancakes." He held back a smile, feeling Jennifer relaxing as he held her.
"Pancakes…?" she questioned, to ensure she was hearing him right. "What's the deal…?" Sniffing loudly, she melted in his arms.
"Well Jenny," Peter began, hoping he wouldn't regret his next words. Food always works! "Whichever one of us eats the most, gets to
order whatever they want to eat for the next two days." Jennifer perked up at that.
"Within reason." Peter added quickly.
"You're on webhead!" Jen remarked, getting out of bed carefully, cradling her belly. "Soon as I empty my bladder, I'll be right with you!"
Relief flooding him, Peter exhaled in a rush. "Whew…" "… Never seen that side of her before."
Hearing the voice startled Peter. She was still connected?
No worries. It's between us. Have a good breakfast, Peter. You'll be Mr. Parker legally as soon as possible."
"Th… Thanks Mallory." He smiled at her image on the screen before she hung up. Hearing the toilet flush, Peter bounded out of bed and hurried to the kitchen. Why did I ever suggest such a thing? He wondered, collecting four cast iron pans and prepping them. They normally ordered what Jen wanted anyway.
If it made her and Chip happy, it was fine in his book. Except sushi. He put his foot down for that one.
As eager as his fiancée was about having breakfast, he was surprised to see her twenty minutes later. Her wet hair was pinned back and she was wearing a pair of his sweatpants along with an old tank. "Ready?" He asked.
Looking up at him, Jennifer grinned widely. "You're on, Mr. Parker!" Winking impishly, she mouthed a few more words to him. "You better watch out… I have the home advantage."
Main Universe
Baxter Building Tuesday - 4pm
"-nd I say no! It's too risky!" Ben was unhappy with the decision their team leader was making.
Looking up from the tablet he was working on, Reed only yawned in response.
"… What is that?" Ben inquired.
"I'm sorry, Ben. I'm just tired and trying to figure out how to combat this disease that was let loose outside!" The news that morning… had not been good. How long have they known?
The CDC was just announcing on the airwaves - that a mutated form of the Goblin virus was loose and slowly spreading through the city. Those affected could expect above normal strength and aggression… along with a terrible fever that could prove fatal.
With fingers pointing to Alchemax as ground zero for the infection, the value of its shares fell sharply in the market. It seemed that all of the shareholders were trying to disengage themselves before they were swept up in the ensuing chaos as well.
"We're all this city has for the time being." Reed continued. "We have her here, she's under control. It would be foolish to not use her services."
Ben Grimm was not in agreement with Reed. For days, he'd begged for them to call in anyone, be it the Avengers or the Defenders… even the X-Men if that were possible. At this point, he wouldn't mind them being occupied with S.H.I.E.L.D. officers. "An' how do you know she'll keep under control?"
"It's best not to question him, ya big lug." Jennifer retorted, strolling boldly into the room with both men. Turning her emerald green gaze to Reed, she held out both of her hands, palms up. "Here for my reading… sir."
Starting a bit at hearing Jen's voice, Reed looked up. They were the same eyes he'd seen countless times over the last few years. As he reached for the thermal scanner, he sighed. Lately, he wondered just how well he knew her even with their history. Her illness wasn't all that she was hiding, and he knew it. Aside from regular temperature checks, she refused to consent to any additional examinations.
Blood tests were explicitly shot down. He wasn't able to override her wishes.
Fortunately, Jennifer had snapped out of… her lapse of coherence… shortly after reaching the building. Things had been touch-and-go for the majority of their trip. She was resistant to being restrained, but thankfully they were using a metal bed and cuffs composed of adamantium.
"Reed isn't the one who's the problem," the orange man snapped in response. "There's one loose cannon that should stay in place."
Turning to face him, Jennifer allowed her upper lip to curl into a snarl. "Then maybe you should sit back while your friends and teammates try to take care of New York?" Punctuating her point, Jennifer jabbed a finger into Ben's chest. "So big, bad and tough when your opponent is smaller than you." As she spoke, Jennifer visibly ground her teeth together, straightening up to her full height.
There was no question that she was taller than Ben, using her size to prove a point. "If you know what's good for you Mr. Grimm, you'll avoid putting too much powder in the chamber," that said, she planted a single hand on his chest and shoved him away from her. Thankfully, she didn't send him flying, but oh how she wanted to just hurl him away from her.
Planting her hands on her hips, she spun away from the concerned eyes of her friends. Breathing heavily as she stared down at her boots, she stubbornly tensed the muscles in her legs so as to not fall over. Not this time.
Concern written across his face; Reed carefully placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Jen… maybe you might want to visit…" As she turned her piercing gaze to him, he cleared his throat. "The cold chamber again?" With just a simple touch of her skin, he could easily feel just how - "Boiling a little?" he asked.
Looking away from him momentarily and pursing her lips, she nodded. She knew that she'd felt fine before the confrontation with Ben. Now… she could feel the sweat running down her face. "That might be best." Her somewhat glazed stare turned to her other teammates. "Unless anyone else has something to say to me?"
Both blondes shook their heads.
Stepping forward, Jonny offered a very cheesy grin. "Let me go with you." Off her confused look, he laughed lightly. "It's not fair only you get to visit the chamber."
Calming down already, Jennifer arched one brow. "I thought you didn't like the cold." In spite of her words, she began walking with him.
"Well… I've always wondered," he replied. "Is there ice in there… or?"
Jennifer snorted, folding her arms as they neared the chamber. "Dweeb." She replied.
Then… they opened the door, and she needed to climb the stairs to enter.
"Wow!" The frigid temperature inside hit him like a smack in the face. What have I done? He was beginning to rethink his decision to join her in there. How can she stand that? It was far too col-
"Come on, fire-butt," Jennifer called, reaching out for him.
Oh well… Reaching up, he let her pull him in, then he listened as the door hissed closed. At least - it wasn't completely dark in there. But the availability of light revealed… "There's nothing in here." He couldn't believe it. The entire enclosure was metal, but there was no furniture or anything to distract them. There was frost visible on the walls and a light layer of what looked like snow at their feet.
It was then that Jennifer sat down right in the midst of all the frost. "How…"
She gestured to a spot next to her. "Might as well get settled in. We're going to be here a while."
Shivering already, Johnny sat down and wrapped his arms around himself. "How… H-How long do you normally stay in here?"
At that question, she paused. "Mm… probably an hour or two? However long it takes for me to 'cool off' ." Here, she made finger quotes around the words "cool off."
"Two…. hours?" His teeth clattered together. This is a nightmare.
Looking to Johnny, Jennifer offered him a smile, green eyes dancing. "Don't worry, hotshot." Her smile widened. "If you get too cold, I can keep you warm."
Unease began creeping up Johnny's spine and he got up, hurrying over to the opposite wall. Sitting again, he shook his head. "No need, Jen!" He pulled up invisible sleeves. "I can take the cold!"
Taking that as a challenge, Jen lowered her head. "We'll see how long that lasts."
To Be Continued…
Author's Note: Thanks again for tuning in! I nearly keeled over from fright by accidentally deleting all of the text in this document. Fortunately, I was able to retrieve all of it . With nary a peep.
Apologies in advance for any misspellings or typos. I'm my own editor and my iPad has told me to learn how to spell. Cheeky thing. - _-;;
I'm very excited to see where this story will go, and I hope you all are too. Thank you for the continued support. It makes me happy to see someone actually enjoy something I've written.
That hasn't… always been the case, you see. Till Next Time
J. Lyst XXO
Additional Author's Note: AHHHH! More editing here than I expected. Removed extra words, attempted to fix sentence and dialogue structures. Embarrassed because my computer spells "embarrassed" for me to have it penned properly.
Been jamming to vintage Toni Braxton and Mariah Carey for hours now. And you know what? I love the triangle in "Breathe Again." At least, I think that's a triangle… I've played one in the past on stage. I hate being on stage FYI. The triangle is the main instrument that you can hear over everything else. I kid you not. The loudest instruments out there will still have the sound of a triangle soar right over them. But… Never heard an instrument like that be used to maintain the beat of the entire song. Usually, the drums do that.
Mind, I grew up listening to music like this, but can really appreciate it as an adult.
The date of this revision is December 11, 2023.