Pre-Disclaimer: I wanted to note that while the formatting is terrible, it'll be fixed in time. My primary goal at current is to get all of the chapters up and running again. Apologies for the spots with problems. Hard to track them all.
Why did I make chapters so large…?
Disclaimer: I have no stock, no say in Marvel. I would absolutely back a Peter Parker / Jennifer Walters arc though - as long as neither of them got killed. Such as in the case with Logan and Ororo Monroe… Ugh.
Trigger: Get some tissues ready. You'll need them! Lots of them!
Warning: I have a headache and have been sleep deprived. My apologies for typos.
Navigating the Curve
By Juliette Lyst
Take Me Higher
Parallel Worlds - Parallel Lives (Alternate Universe) Kearney, Nebraska - Hampton Inn
10PM
"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" Morris' eyes were wide. Confused, he pulled the phone away from his ear for a moment and stared at it. Surely, I heard that wrong .
Dad, I already told you - you're invited to our wedding." Jennifer repeated. Her lips pursed, her eyes gleaming.
"Yes, I heard that part. But did you just tell me that it's soon?"
It's tomorrow!" Peter chimed in from somewhere in the background.
"Tomorrow?!" Nearly dropping his phone, Morris inhaled deeply through his nose and stared at the ceiling of the hotel room he was staying in. At this point, he shouldn't have been rattled by anything. Yet… with his only child he was finding surprises around very single corner.
Yes, dad."
"Jennifer…" he paused, pinching his brow. He wasn't certain how to feel. "I really wish I had some advanced notice."
"Same here dad… same here." Jennifer sighed.
"… What?"
LaGuardia Plaza Hotel 11:05PM
"I said… 'Same here dad.' I wish I had been warned ahead of time too."
I don't understand," Morris replied.
Glancing over at her fiancée, who was presently unpacking their bags, Jennifer frowned. The date and time of their wedding should have been a decision that both of them had some say in. While she hadn't complained too much when Peter would charge ahead and do something…
Save when he'd been less than discrete about her condition to his former boss.
The furrow between her brows deepened. He didn't ask for my thoughts before he did that either. Swallowing hard, she tensed her jaw. "Dad…"
Yes, Jennifer?"
"Please come dad, but don't rush. We won't be able to get married tomorrow," she watched Peter's back as he stiffened at her words.
You won't?"
"No, dad. I'll be in touch," Frown in place, Jennifer hung up the phone. Her frown deepened, her bottom lip quivering. She folded her arms, observing Peter's back.
Though he'd been more than a little stunned to hear her words, Peter returned to unpacking their bags after shaking off the shock. Did… He felt himself hesitant - worried and not sure why. Did I do something wrong? The young hero had never taken the time to consider that she would have objected. Wait… Deep furrows appeared between his brows, his features tightening.
Sitting on the floor, he lifted his head, staring at the eggshell-colored ceiling. Maybe she changed her mind? Sighing deeply, he lowered his head.
Misunderstandings.
Enough of them had mingled together and resulted in the catastrophic ending of his last relationship. That was my fault too… he grimaced at the memory. I shouldn't have run away back then. His muscles tensed at the thought. But if I hadn't… where would I be now?
Aggravated by the silence, Jennifer felt her shoulders sag. "… I'll take the chair tonight," she stated.
Peter quickly reacted to that. "No," he replied. "You take the bed."
"There's no need," she retorted. She crossed the room to her toiletries bag, a few feet away from Peter. "It's fine." She kept her gaze averted away from him.
This can't be happening again… can it? "Jen," he spoke, reaching out for her left hand.
Instantly, she flinched away from his touch.
Peter stopped, his features growing downcast.
Jennifer folded her arms again, stubbornly refusing to look at him.
Running his fingers through his hair, Peter gnawed on his bottom lip. There were always problems to be had in any relationship. What happened? he wondered. Had something changed?
What hurt so much was that in love…
There were rarely any winners if it broke down.
When feelings disintegrated and blew off in the wind… Only losers could be found.
Is that what this is? Was that happening to them now? Peter didn't want that to be him… but he wasn't sure what he could do.
After a very miserable few minutes had passed, Jennifer picked up her bag, wiped under her eyes and turned towards the bathroom. "I won't be long," she commented, walking towards it.
Peter rose to his feet, quickly following her. "Wait," he said, wrapping his arms around her.
"Peter," she grumbled, not appreciating him stopping her. Her eyes were stinging.
The weight of unspoken words was heavy and both of them seemed too afraid to address the crux of the problem. Tip-toeing around disputes could only result in them flourishing.
"Please, Jenny," he started, his voice breaking. He didn't want to lose someone else. Not like this. He couldn't do it again; had told her he wasn't leaving. I'm not the same man I was… "Wait, please…"
"Is… Is there something you want to s-"
"I'm sorry, Jen," he replied quickly, cutting her off. He hugged her tightly. "Don't do this." It just didn't feel right. They had been so happy a few hours ago.
Hadn't they?
"Peter… Get off me," Jennifer snapped, her voice elevating slightly. After her words, she moved to get away from him.
"No," Peter replied, stubbornly refusing. Not this time. "We need to talk about this," he added. He felt it when her muscles quivered and then relaxed.
"If you let go of me, I will," she replied, her eyes narrowed to slits.
"Jennifer," he spoke, his voice firm. "I won't hold you tight right now, but I'm never letting you go," he added, kissing the top of her head.
Jennifer's eyes widened a fraction at his words.
"I've made plenty of mistakes, as I said earlier… but I'm trying to be better. I need you to meet me part way there, sweetheart."
"… But I'm always doing that," she replied, her voice soft. Peter squinted, trying to understand.
"I always have to be the one to concede. Is that how it's always going to be, Peter? It's not fair at all!" Jennifer continued.
"Help me understand," he replied.
"With everything, Peter!" she exclaimed, her voice thick with emotion. "I always have to be the one to bend. It's me who always has to give in. I never get a say in anything. Nothing at all, Peter!" Jennifer felt herself sag in his arms, warm, salty tears trickling down her cheeks.
"Jen…" He felt the hot liquid as it landed on his arms.
"You always make decisions without even asking for my input," she continued.
He remained quiet at that. Was she right?
"From deciding to move into my apartment… to telling your coworkers about my child when I never gave you permission for that at all. Not even my boss knew about the baby but you had the nerve to tell your entire crew about it without consulting me one time," she paused a moment, drawing in a few shuddering breaths.
Peter kept his mouth closed, listening.
"That was something very private, Peter," she continued. "Not even my best friend at the restaurant knew about the baby. The only
person I'd told was Reed!" She lowered her head. "I don't know where you ever got it into your head that my life was fodder for the public to know! That was exactly why I ran away from California. For privacy!" That… and to keep herself and the baby safe.
His hold on her was supportive now, not restrictive.
"I know you said that we didn't conceive her, and it's the truth," she added, lowering her head. "She was made in private between Peter and I and it's just…" Blinking back more tears and failing, Jennifer lifted her head. "As much as I don't like how he was and what he did, you can't ignore the fact… that man is the reason the baby is even here."
"I'm," he began, remorse in his voice. "An idiot, Jennifer. You know that I am."
"Yes… I do," she replied.
Thankfully, Jen wasn't able to see Peter flinch at that.
"You do so many things without thinking. You're so spontaneous that it makes me feel as if I'm at sea in the midst of a storm. And yet…"
Jennifer turned around in his arms and stared up at him. Peter's eyes widened.
"It was that same impulsivity that led you to taking care of me. It's why you took that job, even though you weren't earning money legally. For me."
Peter lowered his head, touching noses with her. "For both of you."
"You would get up early to make sure that I ate, helped me when I was sick. You visited me at work and would pick up things that I had cravings for."
"Which," he replied, finally having an opportunity. "… Is how they found out."
Jennifer's brows furrowed in question.
"When you s-sent that page about sardines… Harold saw it. When he met you, he kind of put one and one together. It… got around work pretty quick after that. Even to my boss. I just… never quite said anything to disagree." He still remembered how he felt having to 'tell' his boss - when the man already knew about the baby.
Jennifer's mouth dropped open.
"I know I was wrong for 'playing along' with it, but I figured a little lie would be better than the bald painful truth."
"Peter," she replied, struggling to regain her wits. "There are no little lies. You should know that by now, Mister Parker."
He nodded, sighing. "That was… my mistake. I should have been honest."
"Yes, you should have," she replied, resting her head against his chest. Her eyes began to drift closed as she inhaled deeply, enjoying his unique scent. "Mmm," she murmured, relaxing further.
"Are… are we okay?" he asked, wary.
"Hmm?" she asked, one brow raising.
"With my being umm… less patient with certain -"
"Pete… You have put your life on the line to keep me safe. So… I can let some of it slide."
"That's good to he-"
"I wasn't done yet!" she retorted. "There's still the matter of you impulsively announcing we were getting married. In an expensive restaurant. In front of my colleague and the entire staff there."
"Jen, I-"
"Without telling me first," she continued. "Oh… for that, you are going to have to pay Mister Parker."
Swallowing hard, Peter nodded. "I… I understand."
"You better make sure you rest well in the next few days," Jennifer added as an afterthought, opening her eyes.
"Jen?" Peter asked, lifting a brow curiously.
"If you don't survive our wedding night, I'll never forgive you," she added, smirking.
Peter's mouth hung open. Did she just…
"Be careful," Jennifer added, gently extracting herself from his arms. "Don't want to catch any flies." Lightly patting his chest, she resumed her trek to the bathroom. "I won't be long, webhead!"
Shaking himself seemingly from a stupor, Peter coughed and cleared his throat. "Umm," He blinked and elevated his voice. "Does that mean we're still getting married?!"
He had to be sure.
"Sure are, Pete!" she called back. "We need a twenty-four hour clearance for the license though!"
"License?" he asked, bewildered. He was still thinking about what she'd said. Their wedding night… First, his ears began to turn red, then it spread to the rest of his face. That is going to pose another challenge… He was about to step into unchartered territory.
Sort of.
The Next Day - August 31 st
Officenize Enician - 9am
Peter stood quietly at the front door of the building. Now that they had found the place, he was beginning to feel nervous. He stared at his and Jen's intertwined fingers.
"Yeah," Jennifer spoke softly into her phone. She was a bit distracted with a call. "Just make sure that he doesn't eat everything when he gets here."
Peter swallowed hard, staring at the doors. His hands began to grow sweaty, and he was trembling just a bit.
"Understood. See you soon," she said, in reply to something said on the phone. After hanging up the call, she glanced to the door and then Peter. "Problem?" she asked.
Jumping slightly, Peter lowered his head and shook it. "N-No," he replied, straightening up. He was doing this.
Jennifer swallowed down a laugh. "Then let's get our license-"
"Yay license!" he replied, walking through the doors with her.
Now, she wasn't able to contain the laughter. He was so excited, sounded so giddy that she was bubbling over with elation too.
The feeling lingered during their entire time there.
While normally levelheaded and focused on legal matters, Jennifer found herself floundering just a little. No doubt, the gravity of what they were about to do was sinking in.
Peter was barely able to keep a smile off his face, even when listening to the required waiting time and need for witnesses. These were all things he had been informed of ahead of time. Courtesy of being engaged to an attorney. The waiting time was a cinch. As for the witnesses… He knew that Morris and Bruce were on their way. Even though the young hero disliked the other man, he and Jennifer were family.
While Peter didn't know much about Bruce, he knew that there had to be more to the scientist than what he'd seen. He and Jennifer seemed worlds apart though.
After we're married… he realized. I'll be family with Bruce too. The idea wasn't as… unappealing as it had been a few weeks ago.
Once they left an hour later, marriage license sealed up carefully in an envelope, they boarded a bus headed back to the hotel. Sitting near the back, Jennifer relaxed in her seat, munching on fruit and nut bar. She took the window, as was their habit now, and Peter sat with his back to her on the outer seat. The move made her feel very safe.
"… I can't believe this is happening," he said aloud, his voice soft. "Believe it, Pete," Jennifer replied, stuffing another bite from the bar
into her mouth.
"Are you nervous?" Peter asked. That was how he felt. There was the weight of responsibility he could feel settling right between his shoulders.
"Of course," she replied, a smile flitting across her lips. "I am. I've filled many roles in a few short years. It's strange how they pale in comparison to what's coming."
Peter grinned, reaching back and clasped her hand. "Yeah. We can take them on together though."
Scooting a little closer, Jennifer moved their joined hands onto her belly. "Sure can, papa."
Peter's eyes widened at her words, feeling a bloom of warmth that spread across his chest. Papa… He was unable to restrain the beaming smile that crossed his lips then.
Los Angeles, California - Undisclosed Location 9am
A man, clad in a gray suit, let out a sigh… looking out the large windows of his office. His dark hair was slicked back and styled just like before. After a long moment, he folded his arms.
He supposed looking at the world like this again… he might start to forget what it's like to be one of them. One of the faceless out of thousands on the ground below.
So far down that they looked like actual insects. Like ants.
And he was in a position to crush all of them if it was what he so desired. The power was there. The fingers of his left hand stretched and flexed. He felt so close again that he could simply reach out and grab it.
It was heady and potent. It was all his .
But…
"This doesn't seem like the right idea," he murmured softly, feeling warm sunlight as it bathed his face. Before he could ruminate on his present circumstances, he heard the door behind him open. He didn't turn to greet his guest, knowing that very few were allowed access to him at all.
"Hope I'm not interrupting," the taller man spoke, his gray hair in disarray. He was dressed in a sharp gray suit as well.
"Not at all, Jovanny," As the man at the window turned, he made sure to look directly at his subordinate with his lone good eye. Nick still wore the same old eyepatch on the left side. "Just thinking."
"Are there any problems, boss?" he asked. "Nessy said the shipment should arrive shortly."
Hearing that, Nicholas allowed a faint smile to cross his lips. "Good work. Pass Nes my regards," His features became pensive and as he approached his desk, he picked up the phone. "Time to 'check in'."
Jovanny allowed a wide smile to form on his face. "When are we movin' in, boss?"
Holding a finger to his lips in response, Nick shook his head and began dialing. There would be time for all of that to be revealed soon. His smile broadened as well.
Soon… he thought, remembering the last time he'd seen Morris Walters. You and I are going to become the best of friends… Sheriff.
He wondered if the older man would feel the same. New York, New York - Jackson Hole Burgers 2pm
Seated quietly across from Jen, Peter waited patiently… as his fiancée was once again deeply enthralled by a menu. Her face was
pretty animated right now.
Licking her lips and grunting, Jennifer frowned. Once again, she was in a bit of a tight spot. She knew what she wanted before they entered the burger place, but now… She had no idea. Everything on the menu looked so good, the words and smells in the building proving to be a potent combination. Her stomach growled, and she sighed.
Resting a hand on her belly, she gently rubbed, trying to think about what on the menu would be really good.
Resting his elbows on the table, Peter leaned forward a little and watched her twitching features.
Feeling eyes on her after a few more minutes, Jen looked up. Her cheeks reddened, noticing Peter's expression. "Umm," she started, her stomach growling again interrupted her. Looking down, she pursed her lips and pushed the menu over to him.
"Jen?" he asked. While he'd been amused at how embarrassed she looked initially, he took pity on her. "Want me to order for you?" he asked.
Nodding, Jennifer rested both hands on her belly. "It might be best," she replied.
"Of course," he responded. He looked through the menu options. He was very careful while deliberating knowing what might not agree with her. By the time they were able to order, he was ready. He placed an order for one of their "Texan" burgers, along with a stuffed baked potato and a combination of curly fries and onion rings.
For her.
For himself, he ordered a plate of chicken fajitas and some guacamole dip.
Both of them had water to drink.
Observing him and gently rubbing her belly, Jennifer was so distracted that the she nearly missed the sound of her phone ringing. Reaching out to pick it up, she looked at the screen. Adopting a neutral expression, she picked up. "Jen here,"
Peter found it fascinating to analyze how quickly she could adjust her expressions - all based on the circumstances. When they made eye contact, he grinned and winked at her.
Cheeks reddening again, Jennifer grinned. "..ood to hear that both of you are making good time getting here," she added, becoming engrossed in the conversation.
I'm glad for the both of us," Morris replied. He glanced to Bruce - his nephew - clad for once in regular clothing. There was no hint of that trench coat anywhere.
"You both staying out of trouble?" Jennifer asked. She lowered her gaze. She didn't enjoy asking that question, but it was pretty important… especially if the both of them were in an area with lots of travelers.
Sure are," he replied. "Jennifer… you can't let past mistake influence how you feel about those you're around." After speaking, he glanced to Bruce. Even though his nephew was pretty hard- headed and stubborn, there were many redeeming qualities that he had.
"I'll keep that under advisement, dad," she replied. Looking to Peter, she moved to speak and paused. She hadn't quite addressed the elephant in the room… how her beloved felt about her cousin. Peter was aware that Bruce was on the way, but he hadn't brought it up after his initial grunt of acknowledgement.
Peter noticed how her features suddenly looked distressed and went to speak.
"Dad, be careful out there and we'll see you soon."
Will do," he replied before ending the call.
"Jen?" Peter asked, brows wrinkling.
"Pete… you know my dad and cousin are on their way here, right?" Scooting up to the table more, she reached across and took his hands.
"Yes, I do," he replied.
"Is it really fine, Pete?" Her brows drew down. "I know you and Bruce didn't get off on the right foot."
A bitter grin appeared in response before he spoke. "That," he paused, lightly licking his bottom lip. "Is a mild way of putting it." The young hero remembered clearly how he ended up with damage to
both his face and his back. Bruce had never expressed remorse for what he did.
To be fair, Peter never gave him a chance - cutting off all contact with the other man.
Jennifer lightly squeezed his hand. "Please, for me, Pete. Just try to get along with him for a few hours."
Peter nearly pouted in response.
"Peter-" Anything else she would have said was interrupted by their food arriving. Her eyes widened at the sheer size of her burger. "Wha?" She slowly turned the plate around after it was set in front of her, not sure what she was seeing.
Keeping a straight face, Peter dug into his guacamole with the provided sour cream and tortilla chips with glee. He'd been alarmed at the size of Jen's meal too… and not all the food was there.
"The rest of your orders will be out shortly," Their waiter informed them.
"Thank you," Peter replied, dipping another chip. He held back a laugh at seeing how Jen finally found the correct angle to attack the burger from.
"Mmff," she managed through a mouthful. Her eyes faintly rolled in delight at the taste on her tongue. She hadn't known what to expect with Peter ordering for her, but she was very pleased with his choice. She was struggling to properly hold the burger with both hands, it was so thick.
"I'll try," Peter spoke eating more of the guacamole.
Jennifer lifted both brows in question, but her mouth was far too full for her to say anything.
"With Bruce," he elaborated. Seeing her attempt to smile made him do the same in response. "After all… he's really not that bad…"
Jennifer nodded, still chewing her mouthful. She had barely swallowed before she was stuffing her mouth again.
"Glad to see you like that, Jenny." To his amusement, his fiancée was again unable to contribute to the conversation. "I know it was a bit umm… odd, with Mallory yesterday."
Jennifer's left brow quirked.
Peter could almost imagine what she'd say to that one. "Okay, off- putting. It didn't feel right being there."
Stopping a moment to catch her breath after finishing her mouthful, Jen cleared her throat. "Yes," she agreed. "It's Mal though." At this, she shrugged. "With her, I wouldn't expect much less."
"Would she ever eat in a place like this one?" he asked, curious.
Jennifer shook her head. Mallory Book lived exactly the way she portrayed herself in public, poised and refined. Biting down into the burger again, Jennifer moaned. This is far too good. And it was. It was fine if her colleague didn't eat in places like this. It was her loss after all.
Fifty Minutes Later…
Jennifer sat back in her seat, so relaxed that she was half asleep. She'd managed to stomach all of her burger and stuffed baked potato, along with the fries and onion rings. She'd even managed to swipe some of Peter's guacamole and chips. Now she was just waiting for their server to come back with the receipt so they could leave.
It was a bit embarrassing how much she ate in front of him, but he never voiced complaint.
She wasn't aware of much, not Peter helping her out of her seat or the return trip to their hotel room. Her entire mind was focused on her digestive exploits. She had never had something so dense before. Certainly not in the quantity that was provided.
In fact, Jennifer was so out of it that she was unaware of Peter even leaving their hotel room at all. She was left to recover in their room while he made a quick trip to Fabric City.
After he entered the front doors, he began searching for supplies he would need.
"Can I help you sir?" A young man asked. When Peter turned to him, he offered a smile.
"Well… Yes," Pausing a moment to check off the mental list in his head, Peter looked around in the shop. "I'm looking for spandex and polyester thread," he replied.
"I'll lead you to that section and you can choose from our selection. We have spandex in a variety of colors," the young man replied. He
led Peter to another subsection of the store.
"I need some size twelve to fourteen sewing needles as well," Peter added.
"Of course," the young man replied, leading Peter first to the spandex selections they had. "The needles are the next aisle over."
"Thank you!" he replied. After Peter was left to his shopping, he ran into another problem. There really were so many options for him to choose from in colors. Narrowing his eyes, he leaned forward and eyed three of the options in there.
While it was true that he was looking for material to use to repair his costume… that wasn't all he could use it for, right? His eyes drifted until he found himself staring at different selections in purple. A faint smile crossed his lips.
Just like Jen's costume.
Maybe I can use some for Chip? The question came to him unbidden. Now that the opportunity was there, he wondered if he would be able to turn it aside. While making an outfit for a newborn sounded wonderful, he had to be practical. The baby wouldn't stay that small forever. "Hmm…" Still… the idea was a tempting one.
"Oh, here they are. Thank goodness!" a feminine voice spoke up then. Whoever it was, they were close to where Peter was standing. In fact, she nearly bumped into him, she was in such a rush.
Stepping out of the way, he turned to say something and drew up short.
From the long red locks to the unusually familiar face staring at him with incredulity, it wasn't hard to recognize this new person at all.
The woman was just as equally struck at seeing him. How is it-?
"Mary Jane?" he asked, eyes widening in shock.
"Tiger?" she replied, mirroring his expression.
JFK International
10:56pm
Two men quietly made their way out of the airport. Both of them had drawn faces, the older of them looking bone weary. They'd been flying for far too long - so much to the extent that they had both bonded, grown tired of each other's company and bonded again.
"Ugh," the older man croaked, dragging his feet just a little. He'd thought picking the earliest flight would be the best idea. How was he supposed to know they would end up having prolonged layovers - in two different states. "Why did we end up in Florida?" he asked to no one in particular.
The nearly four-hour layover at Denver International had been grating on his nerves… but the additional three and a half hour wait at Hollywood International nearly broke him.
The younger man frowned, not speaking.
"Who ever said I wanted to be in Fort Lauderdale?" the older man continued to grumble.
After that question, both of them continued in silence. They were able to collect their rental for this brief trip.
"This is getting expensive," the older man muttered.
Sighing, the younger man buckled himself in and placed his head in his hands. So far, they had flown across the country now… twice for his cousin. The latest trip had not been the best for either one of them.
"… I mean do they think I'm just made of money?" he continued speaking, putting the car into gear and heading to the hotel they'd rented. They had a last-minute reservation at the Quality Inn.
The younger man frowned, thinking about where they were going. They had been moving from pillar to post for weeks now, and it bothered him. What else can happen? Really? Not that he wasn't happy to attend his cousin's wedding, but he had hoped they would have more time to actually prepare for it.
"… thing in life shouldn't involve us being in the air!" the older man continued.
"Uncle Morris," the younger man interrupted him. "At least we had advance notification this time."
Pausing in his tirade, the older man sighed heavily. "That's true, Bruce." It would have worse had Jennifer not informed them. Now that he thought on it, he wondered if she would have ever told him about his grandchild.
Possibly not.
"I'm going to send them a text to let them know we're here," Bruce commented after a few minutes.
"No," Morris replied, raising one hand from the steering wheel and lightly waving it. "Not a good idea," he added.
Pausing in the middle of typing, Bruce looked at his uncle.
"It's late at night Bruce," Morris continued, struggling to stifle a yawn. "They're both probably asleep right now. We have plenty of time to reach out in the morning."
"Oh," he replied, closing the messaging window. "Right."
"Then, we can finally get on the road to California!" At long last! he thought with glee. Even though none of them were there physically, Peter and Jennifer's belongings had been completely packed up now and shipped out. Four of his officers pledged assurances that everything would be taken care of when they all finally got back.
"It would be nice to be out there again," Bruce remarked. There was only but so much running and hiding he could do until he needed just a sliver of normalcy. His uncle's offer had been a boon - an easy ticket away from his current problems.
Unbeknownst to anyone else, Bruce was on the run… yet again. However, he hadn't been stopped at the airport both times he'd been in the air. Either it was a fortunate occurrence for him or the TSA agents were so lazy that they never fully looked up his information.
Either way, it was time to go home… finally. I need a vacation from this vacation, he internally griped.
"It'll be nice to be back behind my desk," Morris replied. Not only did he miss being at his post, but he was already hurting… thinking about the credit card bills that would be coming in very soon. Bringing his daughter home was proving to be far more costly than he could have ever anticipated.
LaGuardia Plaza Hotel 11:34pm
It was a strange quandary that the young webslinger found himself in. Sitting up in bed, he observed Jennifer at rest. The blanket wall was between them again, but she hadn't made any moves past it. As he watched her just sleep, he felt so energized. He was so happy that they were at this point, had desired and yearned for it for weeks.
He loved everything about her. Even how much noise she made while asleep.
Jennifer suddenly began snoring a little louder, indicating she was sinking into a deeper stage of sleep. The snoring was something he was noticing more and more of as the pregnancy continued to progress. It wasn't possible for her to stop doing it, he knew, and he only poked lightly at her about it.
Smiling, he gently rubbed her back and rose to his feet. Pursing his lips lightly, he returned to the bag of supplies he'd picked up to fix his costume. Stopping a moment, he glanced over his shoulder,
watching her half curled up on her side.
This is… very strange, he thought, opening his purchases. He knew the reason why he had traveled to that shop, but he had never expected to meet anyone else from his past. Or rather anyone from his alternative self's past.
A Few Hours Ago…
There weren't words to explain what he felt. He knew what it felt like to fall, had been terrified when he suddenly found himself in this new world - with none of the familiar surroundings he'd grown accustomed to. He easily understood the unease, had felt it when he thought his life was coming to a violent end.
Even when he woke up, having found out that the helmet had exploded from the sudden impact and he was on fire, he had been scared. Fear was something he was used to. Feeling anxiety of the unknown was nothing new.
While he had encountered many things in life that made him second guess his decisions, he had never quite come face to face with the consequences of someone else. Someone who's sins were piled up against him.
He had been right to call the Alternate Peter Parker a slug. That was one of the more polite terms he could use for this man.
If the light of recognition hadn't been startling enough, the sudden shuttering of the face in front of him was equally jarring.
This woman… his universe's version of Mary Jane, behaved very different than the woman he'd known for so many years.
Her blue eyes had been wide at first, but had grown heavily lidded. So much pain was visible on her features. Muscles worked in her jaw, but she wasn't able to speak. Not yet.
The entire encounter was unwelcomed by both parties, but neither of them could pull away.
Peter wondered what if anything could possibly free him from this. In his dreams, he had at times reunited with Mary Jane… but it was never the same as it had been before. There was an unspoken line - an invisible barrier between them that had never been there until now. Gradually… over time… what Peter viewed as his future and family rested solely with Jennifer.
Still… Both of them didn't move for far longer than what was appropriate. Then Peter inhaled, half closed his eyes and stepped back.
Those crystal blue eyes that faced him, the color so alien, but seemingly so familiar - narrowed in response.
The face and body certainly belonged to Mary Jane - yet not.
You've… changed," she remarked, still gazing at him. Even her voice was the same.
"… I'm not sure what you mean," he responded, straightening up from the display he was browsing.
You know who I am," she responded, her tone revealing hints of disappointment. "Yet you keep pretending as if you don't."
One of Peter's brows rose at that. He folded his arms, willing to engage with this part of his counterpart's past. If anything, he would end up with a better understanding as to how this world's Peter Parker behaved. "I don't have any idea what you're referring to," he replied after a moment.
Really?" she asked, the disappointment revealing itself to be barely restrained resentment. "It's funny you should say that," she added, crossing her own arms in turn.
Peter's eyes narrowed.
After all this time, all of a sudden you decide to show your sorry self out here again," she continued. "What will today's lie be today, Peter?"
Before Peter could even respond, she continued.
Oh! Let me guess!" Pausing a moment, Mary Jane appeared to study the ceiling intensely for a moment. "Hmmm," Blue eyes returned to his face. "Bump on the head… and now you have amnesia. I'm right, aren't I?"
Peter didn't respond, growing steadily more frustrated with the 'persona' he was now stuck with.
No, wait… That was the excuse you used last time when I found you in bed with some girl you met at the club," she pursed her lips, glancing up again and lightly moving her head from side to side. "Let me guess again! You wanted to head out to go buy some of that terrible Lucky Charms cereal again and got lost… right?"
Now , Peter felt his hackles rise. He wondered what his alternative self had gotten up to. He was beginning to regret wanting to find out.
Strange… you don't have your latest 'friend' with you today," she continued, not caring that he wasn't speaking. Her eyes dropped down to his crossed arms for a moment. Her features tightened even further.
Again, I don't know what you're talking about," he responded at last.
Six years, Peter. Six!" Unfolding her arms and forcefully dropping them to her sides, she grimaced as she continued to look at him. "While you may have tried to forget or lie your way out of it, I have never forgotten!" With that, Mary Jane lifted her left hand for him to see. "You kept lying and pretending… all this time. All those years!"
Peter felt a chill race down his spine. He could quite easily see that the ring on her left hand was a wedding band.
You didn't even get buried with the ring on your hand!" she exclaimed, pulling back to draw in a shuddering breath, tears welling in her eyes. "The only time you wore it was the day we were married, and you looked me in my eyes and conned me into believing that you weren't wearing your ring again to keep me safe. All of it, your words, your love - all just a fabrication because your fragile ego wanted to be in control."
Excuse me!" the young salesman interjected, having heard the disturbance from across the store. "Is there a problem here?" he asked.
Fuming now, Mary Jane nodded. "Yes!" she replied. "This man here," At that, she pointed at Peter. "Is a bald-faced phony and a cheat!"
Enough was enough. "I found the items I wanted to purchase," Peter spoke to the salesman, tuning out the angry woman's words. As if nothing had happened, Peter picked up the fabric and needles and stepped around Mary Jane.
You want to keep playing with me, don't you?" she hollered, before pulling off her ring and hurling it at him.
He felt the impact of the small object as it hit him in the back, and paused a moment in thought. Knowing that trying to explain anything would fall on deaf ears, he looked over his shoulder at her.
Mary Jane's blue eyes were wide and bloodshot from tears, her red hair in disarray.
I'm sorry for what happened to you," Peter spoke softly, his gaze softening. His eyes implored her to understand. "I hope you can find a way to move on from your loss." Glancing down momentarily, he stepped around the ring - which had landed near his foot - and continued walking to the register to pay for his materials.
Present Time…
The memory of that encounter was still fresh in his mind. As upset as he'd been to learn how easily his counterpart had walked away from his child, he was even more unsettled to learn that the deceased man had been married. It bothered him that almost no one knew. He shook his head, having settled down in a nicely cushioned chair. Expecting a baby with one and married to another.
Biting his bottom lip as he continued to stitch fresh material onto the damaged half of his mask, he lifted his head when he heard Jennifer shifting in bed. Once he was certain that she wasn't waking up, he returned to the task at hand.
It would be helpful if he had access to a sewing machine… but this would have to do for the time being. He had to recreate the top half of his costume at some point. Even though he wasn't splitting wood for a living anymore, he'd built up even more muscle from working as a painter.
He knew spandex was stretchy, but there were limits as to how far the fabric could go before tearing. His body had been near that point before his ill-fated fight with Octavius. Bending his head over this undertaking, he kept an eye on the bedside clock.
They had things to do in the morning, and he needed to be well rested. His lips curved up at the corners.
Los Angeles, California - Undisclosed Location
6:12am
"It's been a long time," the tall strawberry blonde woman remarked, looking at the backs of her hands and turning them palms up. She was currently clad in a baggy t-shirt and baggy orange pants.
"So I've heard," Nicholas replied, sitting on a corner of his desk. His current 'guest' was exactly what he needed for the next task at hand.
Blue eyes narrowed at his words, but the blonde nodded. "You have no idea how strange it is to have bugs as your arresting officers."
Dark brows squeezing together. "Please… spare me any more mention of Pym and his machinations," Here, he hopped off his desk and stepped behind it, pulling out a drawer and extracting a long manilla envelope.
"I didn't mention him," she replied, frowning. "Just the ants."
"Nevertheless," he replied, handing the envelope to her. "I have a task for you, and it pays well."
Brows furrowing, she began to open the envelope. "Yeah, I get that part," she fired back at him. "But why me?"
"It's simple, Miss MacPherran," Nicholas began. "I need the best."
"… And you thought of me ?" she asked sarcastically, pulling out a few pages to read. "Why would…" her words trailed off.
He knew he had her, saw how her eyes sharply narrowed to slits. Her expression told him all that he needed to know. It was more than worth the money he'd used to smuggle her out of her 'prison'. "I take it…" he began, noting how she seemed to be furiously reading the pages. "That you can take on the job?"
She inhaled deeply, glancing over to him after a very long moment. "I have no problem with this," she replied, smiling far too widely. "Ah… how much payment are we talking here?"
Nicholas grinned.
Everything was falling neatly into place. Queens, New York - Officenize Enician 9:30am
"Are you ready?" Peter asked.
Swallowing hard and looking up at him, Jennifer nodded. She looked behind them. Her father, Mallory and Bruce were all seated there. Though her father looked utterly exhausted, he had made the entire trip just to be there for her.
"Are we ready to begin?" Their officiant asked, stepping into position. He offered them a smile.
Both of them turned to him then.
Were she to look back, Jennifer could never claim to remember what was said. She didn't remember all of the words they repeated, or even the spontaneous speech Peter had made during their ceremony. Most of what she remembered was the heady euphoric feeling she had when they exchanged rings.
In a pinch, her father had offered up his own wedding band, along with the ring he carried on a thin chain around his neck. The moment was painful, a reminder of what they'd lost… but that was overshadowed by the joy that filled both of them.
Peter's face displayed awe and his overflowing love for Jen as he slid the ring on her finger. "A perfect fit," he murmured.
Sadness melded into something else entirely different. The yawning expanse Morris had once felt between himself and Jennifer was slowly shrinking.
Peter felt his excitement grow, seeing Jennifer's features softening, looking at their joined hands. Even though he couldn't tell the future - knew that he was taking on so much more by marrying her, he was so happy it was finally happening.
"… now present you to Mister and Missus Parker." The officiant announced.
Jennifer's eyes widened, a tremulous smile on her lips. Tears trickled down her cheeks.
Hazel eyes darkening, Peter lowered his head to meet Jennifer in a kiss.
Reaching up, Jennifer encircled his shoulders, pulling herself closer to him.
Loud applause caused them to break apart. Both of them had rosy cheeks.
Looking to find the source of the sound, Jennifer laughed loudly seeing Mallory - her normally demure and dignified colleague - close to falling from her chair loudly clapping and whistling.
Hands clasped; the newly joined couple walked over to the few guests they had.
Bruce rose to his feet then, offering his hand to shake. "Welcome to the family," he said.
Though he was hesitant, Peter accepted the handshake. "Thank you for having me."
Bruce smiled. Contentment. Family. A sense of belonging. These were all things he cherished so much.
They were worth all of the heartache and pain that came with them.
"Let's go get breakfast now," Peter stated. He knew Jennifer had been too nervous to eat earlier. Hugging his wife close, he rested a hand on her side. "We can't be starving Baby Parker."
Jennifer grinned up at him "Pete," she began. "Are you going to start calling her Chip Parker now?"
"Well," Peter began, smirking. "She would be a chip off the old block!" he continued, letting out a short squeal when Jennifer pinched him in the side.
"I had to walk into that, didn't I?" she asked as they all exited the building.
Later
The foursome found a nice quiet café to have breakfast at.
While they sat waiting for their food, Jennifer looked at her left hand, at the ring there. She had missed her mother so much, so for her to have part of her so close - Sniffing lightly, she brushed tears from her eyes. Peter's face immediately filled her field of vision.
"Is everything alright?" he asked, reaching for her hand.
Smiling back at him, Jennifer nodded. She studied their hands together. Her new husband was wearing her father's old wedding ring… and she had on her mother's…
And there was nothing wrong with that.
Breakfast ended far too soon for them, but they ended up spending most of the day together. Jennifer and her father competed against each other at a local arcade.
Though he'd had an advantage at first in the racing game, Morris eventually lost.
Crowing and holding up handfuls of tickets, Jennifer laughed loudly.
As night began to fall, Peter and Jen parted ways with her father and cousin.
She was hugging a fuzzy, gray, toy cat to her chest, the only prize she had wanted, but one she didn't have enough tickets for. Peter had spent far too much time and far too many coins to make up the difference.
As they walked the last block back to their hotel, Peter glanced to Jen briefly. "We have a lot of packing to do," he said. They also had to order their tickets for the flight. There was so much to do.
"I know," Jen replied. "Dad told me he and Bruce will be leaving in two days. They needed time to recuperate from the flight here."
Peter nodded. "Yeah. I heard… did he say they were in the air sixteen hours?"
Rolling her eyes, Jennifer snorted. "He apparently let Bruce order their tickets, and my cousin didn't scroll down far enough."
"That…" Peter's voice trailed off in thought as they entered the hotel building and headed for the elevator. "I'm glad that didn't happen with us."
He was trying to be delicate and polite about it. Jennifer loved that about him.
Once the elevator reached their floor, they got off and walked to their room, fingers interlocked.
After they entered the room and the door closed behind them, Peter felt his pulse quicken suddenly. He moved to turn on more lights and Jennifer reached over to stop him.
"No need, Pete," she spoke up, her eyes glinting merrily at him. Tugging on his hand, she pulled him further into the room with her.
Peter swallowed hard.
"The blanket wall is coming down," Jennifer announced, sitting on the side of the bed and pulling him down next to her. "Tonight."
"Umm… I-I…" Peter stuttered, feeling suddenly jumpy.
"Shh," Jennifer replied, climbing onto his lap and straddling him. "No need to be nervous, Pete," she added.
He offered a wobbly smile. "I know… B-But I don't want to hurt-"
"Believe me, Mister Parker," she interrupted him. "The baby will be fine." Lowering her head, she gently bit his ear.
Peter let out a soft moan.
"Just follow my lead," she spoke softly, guiding his arms around her waist and placing his hands firmly on her hips. "I'll help you while you're navigating the curve ." She pushed him down on the bed, reaching to the lone lamp turned on and seated on the night table.
She flicked the switch, plunging the room into complete darkness. The Next Morning
9:20am
Blinking slowly, Peter yawned and stretched a little. A soft snore reached his ears then, and he glanced down at Jennifer, her head resting on his chest. Part of one bare shoulder was peeking out of the covers. He exchanged a pillow for his chest, making sure she that she was comfortable before he got up. After standing, he lightly grasped his right shoulder, trying to work the joint a little to loosen it.
All through the night, they'd spent time getting to know one another in brand new ways. They laid bare their feelings, neither of them being left wanting. There'd been so much give and take until the sun began to rise. Exhaustion was the reason they finally stopped.
Sleep was pretty important to both of them.
His lips curved up at the corners. While Peter had thought he'd feel somewhat differently after he married, this was on another level entirely. He felt complete and whole… as if part of him had been missing all of his life and he was just now finding it.
Yawning again, he stretched once more before heading into the bathroom for a shower. It was past time they both had something to eat. He made sure to put his ring on the counter, far away from the soap dish or faucet before he climbed in the shower and pulled the curtain closed. After turning on the water and adjusting the temperature, he sighed. Unbidden, memories from the day before came in.
Mary Jane. Her tears and fury. Seeing her display of heartache and pain would linger in his mind.
In a very short span of time, Peter had learned more than he ever wanted to know about the private life of this universe's Spider-Man.
In another life, another time, his counterpart had married his sweetheart - but it hadn't ended well for either of them. I wonder what made him behave like that. He wondered if Peter had always been that way… or if something had influenced him.
She threw her wedding band at me… His brows creased. The fact that the widow of this world's Peter Parker had continued to wear her ring even after his death… He really was a fool. Peter thought, squeezing shampoo into his left hand. As he began slick up his hair and scrubbed, his thoughts turned inward.
I hope I never end up like him… No matter the rage and disgust he felt over how Peter had been - his counterpart was still just a man underneath it all. He kept trying to redirect his focus to other things… not wanting to linger too much wondering what had caused the other man to change. He was so distracted in his own thoughts that he didn't notice the breeze as the door opened.
"My, my, Mister Parker," Jennifer spoke up, standing in the doorway, as bare as the day she'd been born.
Startled, Peter hissed a split second later as suds got in his eyes. "Ah…" Grimacing, he tried to flush out his eyes. "Hey Jen!"
Concern replaced the saucy smile on her face. "Are you okay in there?"
"Umm," he paused to clear his throat. "Sure am. Just having a quick shower."
The shower curtain was pulled back a split second later. "Move over," Jennifer stated.
"Jen?" Peter asked, still trying to sooth his burning eyes.
Jennifer rested both hands on his muscular upper back, studying the landscape in front of her. "Don't worry, Pete," she spoke again, her voice growing husky. "I'll get your back."
"Thanks Je-"
"And your front too," she added, biting into her bottom lip hard. 10:50AM - Hotel Dining Hall
Tapping a few more times on her phone's screen, Jennifer sent off a message. One hand was holding a fork, the half-eaten remains of a breakfast burrito on the plate in front of her.
Peter was sitting next to her, eating the French toast he'd ordered. "Plans with Pops?" he asked, twisting in his seat just a little to face her.
Both of them had just managed to make it to the dining area on the main floor for breakfast.
"Yeah… No," she responded, a little preoccupied. When her phone pinged, she looked at Peter. "They had a change of plans. They're heading back by the end of today," she added, grinning. "Dad wants to meet up with us for lunch before they leave."
Chewing on another bite of the French toast, Peter considered that for a moment. "'Bout what time?" he asked.
Jennifer checked the message carefully, returning to her meal. "He said around 1 or 2 today."
"I see," he replied. "Best finish up breakfast then. We'll have to shower before we meet up with them."
Bewilderment settled in on her features as she continued inhaling her burrito. "We just did though," she responded, still confused.
Leaning close, Peter whispered softly into her ear. "We need to burn off breakfast before we meet them." He was not disappointed to see her ears turn red, along with the rest of her face.
Nearly choking, Jennifer coughed and cleared her throat. Grinning widely, Peter rubbed her back.
7pm
"I'll be back shortly," Peter spoke, kissing his wife lightly. She was seated on the bed packing up her bags.
Earlier, they had decided to travel with her father and cousin back to California. All they needed to do now was check out and head to the airport.
"Mm, no," Jennifer replied, reaching for him again. Tilting her head, she gave Peter a pitiful look.
"I'll be right back, Jenny," Peter responded, taking both of her hands in his own. "You can wait for me, right?"
Jen actually pouted at him. "I had to wait for months, Peter," Shoulders relaxing then, she nodded. "I suppose a few minutes won't hurt."
"I'll bring the luggage cart with me," He paused momentarily, looking at their things. Aside from a few trinkets they hadn't bought much.
"Get going then!" she replied, offering him a soft smile. "And I will see you shortly, Mister Parker."
Rubbing noses with her, Peter smiled. "Sure thing, Missus Parker," His eyes traveled down to her belly and he rested his hand there for a moment. "I'll be right back Chip! Keep Jen company."
Jennifer rolled her eyes. "As if she has a choice, Pete." Rising to her feet, she gave him a light push. "Go ahead. I'll finish up in here."
Nodding and letting out a short laugh, Peter left the hotel room.
Shaking her head at his antics, Jennifer lightly stretched her back. "Might as well get one last trip in," she murmured, a large smile in place. Remembering to be careful, she removed her rings, placing them right on top of her bag. Grimacing faintly as her bladder screamed, she rested a hand on her belly and hurried to the bathroom. "I was already heading in this direction, Chip!"
A few minutes later, she was drying her hands and came out of the bathroom, looking to see if Peter had somehow snuck back in the room without saying anything. "Mm…" She returned to the bed, sitting down and picked up her phone to send him a quick text. Her fingers froze. "Wait… what am I doing?" I need to just wait, she thought. When did I get to be so impatient?
There was no warning, none… before a long body hurtled through the large window at her back.
Hearing the glass shatter, Jennifer rose to her feet carefully, only to come face to face with a person she never thought she'd see again. Rising off the floor and brushing away bits and shards of glass as if they were nothing, the tall statuesque strawberry blonde rose to her full height. Her head came very close to the ceiling. Seeing her target, she grinned far too widely.
"M…" Blood drained from Jennifer's face. "Mary?" Internally, she began to shiver. Peter… she mentally begged. Please come back!
As if hearing her name was the same as a command, the blonde sprung forward - using powerful muscles - and reached out for Jen. "That's Titania to you, pipsqueak!"
"Peter!" Jennifer screamed at the top of her lungs, the terror ratcheting up several levels.
Three Minutes Later…
Muttering under his breath, frustrated at the delay, Peter lightly pushed the luggage cart through the elevator doors and walked toward their room. He had finished their check-out, but there had been an issue where the system stalled. So, he'd needed to wait to confirm that they were actually out of the room in the computer.
"Sorry for the delay, sweetheart," he said, using the keycard to unlock the door. "There was a bit of a…" His voice trailed off, seeing the devastation in the room. There was glass all over the carpet, the curtains moving gently in the breeze.
Their bags were sitting in the same place, undisturbed.
"Jennifer?" he spoke, his voice small as he checked the bathroom first, then slowly approached the bed. Her rings were sitting securely on top of her bag. Creases formed between his brows, his features growing taut. A piece of paper was sitting behind her bag.
He struggled to swallow as he reached for the paper and began to read.
It read:
Noon tomorrow. Call 7xx-xxx.0xx for her. Don't be late. The note was unsigned.
Seemingly paralyzed for several minutes, Peter felt the paper slip between his fingers. Pupils constricting, he forced himself to glance at the window and ran to it, trying to find if there was anything… some hint. Discouragement settled in as he realized he had nothing to indicate what had happened. Who took her? And why?
"Jennifer!" he yelled out the window, feeling his heart being rent in two. The emotional pain he felt became physical, searing agony spreading across his chest, threatening to cut off his breath. Jenny! Where is she?! Whereisshewhere?! He'd only been gone for a few minutes… Why did I leave? Why? Whywhywhy? Only a few minutes… His next guttural cry wasn't even intelligible. I never should have left.
A few pigeons nearby fluttered away, frightened at the sound.
Unnoticed for the time being, her phone began ringing on the bed, a picture of her father popping up on the screen.
Traveling On the Road - Location Undisclosed
Jennifer shivered where she sat, her arms bound behind her back. Some cloth was tied around her eyes, and she was gagged. A tattered, smelly blanket had been tossed on her for warmth. The air conditioning was blasting in there. The smells and sounds around her were wholly unfamiliar. Her head was still ringing, having sustained a blow from Titania that rendered her unconscious. Unable to help herself, she groaned audibly, not feeling good at all.
"Aww, I think she woke up," the tall blonde spoke to the two other dark-haired men in the van with her. Scooting over to where her captive sat, she reached out and lightly slapped Jennifer's left cheek.
Jennifer's words were muffled by the gag.
"Wakey, wakey!" Titania sung, her voice light and gleeful. Jennifer recoiled from the touch.
"Why's he paying so much for her?" one of the men asked, in a thick cockney accent.
"Never you two mind," the blonde replied. "It's just so good we got her!"
"How long we keeping her? We don' have to feed her do we?" the other man asked.
Titania frowned, her back to both of them. question…
"She's fat. We shouldn't have to feed her
What a completely inane ." the first man argued.
"Fat?" The blonde asked, looking away from Jennifer temporarily to eye both of them.
Sensing the scrutiny, Jennifer squirmed.
Unfortunately, the movement drew Titania's attention. "Fat, you both say?" she asked again lightly, crowding even closer in on Jennifer. "She doesn't look fat at all."
The brunette tried to pull away. Her words continued to be muffled by the gag. As uncomfortable as she was, it became worse when the blanket was pulled away from her.
"Huh. How curious," the blonde stated.
Jennifer flinched when the other woman began to feel her belly. Chip! She screamed in her mind.
A low whistle emitted from Titania's lips as she lightened her touch almost immediately. She didn't miss the movement under her hands at all. "You boys know what I think?"
"What?" one queried.
Glancing over her shoulder, Titania's face lit up and she showed all of her teeth when she smiled this time. "I think we need to call the boss," Redirecting her attention to Jennifer, she lightly caressed the smaller woman's belly, patting the rounded surface. "We have some extra cargo right here."
Jennifer whimpered, tears squeezing out of her eyes.
"I think our payment just went up."
She laughed, much longer than would be considered normal.
The two men looked at each other… nervousness displayed on their faces.
To Be Continued…
Author's Note: They there! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I've been battling a persistent headache and chronic fatigue for the last four days. I think my schedule needs a bit more space for naps.
Or just sleep in general.
As such, I've decided to take a miniature break. That doesn't mean I'll be gone for another year. (At least I hope not!) But I just need some time… to rest.
I'll try to update this fic again before September. One of my friend's suggested I take off until October, but I figure that's quite excessive, no?
If you're looking to see how I am in the meanwhile, feel free to look me up on WordPress. My name is "MissLyst".
I'm grateful for all of the websites that I had to struggle through to comprise enough information for these places and the travel times.
Jackson Hole Burgers and the LaGuardia Plaza Hotel are real places.
Be well, y'all… and I'll see you around!
J. Lyst
Author's Note Addition: This is funny. This revision involved me adding five words. FIVE of them. That's all. The date for this revision is December 11, 2023.
There's an ongoing theme with this.
I'm so confused. Am I on page 800 already? No clue… I once tried to make a document with several chapters in it… the thing was over 400 pages. Not sure which chapter I was up to back then. But the story itself was just massive…
I think I'm gonna be a zombie today…