Grown Up: Peter Parker's Adulthood

Do I?

MJ paced the floor, trying not to pull her hair out. "Peter, you scared me. You can't just do things like that! You could have died!"

Her boyfriend sat on the couch, a guilty expression on his features. "M, I'm sorry-"

She exhaled heavily, trying not to cry. "Look... I-I can't- I can't do this if you're not going to think about what your doing. I'm sorry."

Peter looked up from his hands. "MJ, please, I didn't mean to. It's just... I had to."

"I know, it's just-" she collapsed on the couch, staring at the ceiling. "I think I need a break."

He didn't respond.

"I just... need some time. Sorry..." The young woman pulled herself off the couch and moved to the door.

Peter opened his mouth, her name already forming in his mouth to try and convince her otherwise, but something stopped him. "Okay."

MJ turned around, in slight shock.

"I understand. Take all the time you need." He opened the door for her. "Have a good evening."

"You too." She left, letting the tears roll down her cheeks as she stepped into the cool October air. They had been dating for 4 years and she had gone and blown it. But she had been scared. She didn't know how she could handle worrying constantly about whether or not her boyfrie- Peter was alive or not. He had been out of contact for an entire 30 hours and nobody had heard from him. She couldn't handle the stress.

Warm air greeted MJ as she stepped in the doors, swiping her card on the scanner.

"Welcome back, New Boss. I hope you had a good evening?"

"Hey FRIDAY. I've had... better evenings. Is Nat in the training rooms?"

"Yes she is. And I hope your night improves."

"Thanks FRI." MJ stepped out of the elevator, nodding as people greeted the future CEO of Stark Industries. Well, joint CEO.

She opened the door to the training room where Nat looked up from a bourre on pointe.

"MJ! How are you?"

"Good."

Nat smirked. "What's up?"

"Nothing. What are we working on tonight?"

"We are working on you telling me how you feel."

MJ finally turned around, tears burning in her eyes. "I broke up."

"What?" Nat scooped her trainee into a hug. "What happened?"

"I br-broke up with Peter because-" she hiccuped slightly- "I was scared and-and I didn- I didn't know what had happened and-"

Nat stroked her hair gently. "Its okay. No one blames you. Just take some time to breathe, okay?"

MJ nodded, sniffling slightly. "Gosh I look so pathetic right now," she laughed softly. "Nothing like Black Widow should be."

After careful consideration, Natasha had decided that as she got older, she wouldn't be able to do as much as she used to, so she nominsted MJ as the heir to the nect Black Widow. They had begun training nearly a year ago and MJ was was learning quickly.

They sat down on the steps. "I've had my emotional breakdowns too," Nat comforted. "You're allowed to let it out. Lay it all on me. Mama Spider is here."

MJ chuckled slightly. "It's just a little stressful, that's all."

The assassin nodded, picking at the ends of her fingernails. "Well, why don't I call Pepper and Wanda and we can have a girls night out?"