ENOUGH FOR YOU « PETER PARKER

0. prologue

—BLEAK FUTURE

               LIFE GOES ON. That was the only thought that circled around in Juliette Jones's mind as she stared down at the bustling streets of New York City. The city was alive, even more so now that the sun had disappeared to make way for the night sky. The streets were lit as if they'd never needed the sun's light in the first place.

Juliette shivered against the brutally cold wind, tugging her jacket closer to her chest, knowing that it was a wasted effort.

"I shouldn't have called," a voice came from behind her. She didn't turn at first, allowing his words to float through the air, above the noise of the city, and into her practically frozen ears. She hadn't heard that voice in so long, and she tried to lock the sound of it in the pits of her memory for future reference, but it seemed to escape her.

Juliette found herself wanting to hear his voice again even though she knew his words would only continue to break her heart.

Those words were all they had for one another now.

She turned then, facing the darkness of the roof—facing him. "Maybe you shouldn't have." She tilted her head, but no smile came to her lips. She was less than proud of herself as she realized the truth of her next words. "But you're clearly not the only one at fault here because I'm still so quick to drop everything for you."

He was dressed casually and his messy brown hair was trapped beneath a knit cap. His brown eyes studied her, and then he frowned, shoving his hands into his old gray coat. "I'd do the same...if you ever called."

She wouldn't call. "Why did you call?" She asked after a pause, watching her breath, along with her words, disappear into the chilly air.

He shook his head a few times, stepping up to the rooftop's ledge, where she too stood. He was so close that she could feel his warmth in the air, and she resisted the urge to draw closer to him. "You know why, Letty."

There was something in his voice, a strain, that told her yes, she did know why.

"Who told you?" She asked, resting her gloved hands on the ledge.

"Who else?"

Right. "I didn't think you cared enough to know." That was partially a lie because she knew he still loved her, but she also knew that that was not enough.

He lowered his head for a second then looked at her with glassy eyes. "You're moving, Letty, of course I—"

She swallowed hard, interrupting him. "Please, stop calling me that." Juliette could feel the tears gathering behind her eyes now. "I don't wanna hear that name anymore from anyone, least of all you."

"I'm—I'm sorry." His voice held an edge of surprise, but it was mostly hidden by guilt.

"And I don't know what you want from me," she let out exasperatedly, briefly throwing her hands up at her sides. She'd disregarded his apology. "You're hardly apart of my life anymore, but I'm supposed to tell you what goes on it?"

He watched her in disbelief now, his mouth parting slightly. "I'm still protecting you. Every single day, and I can't do that if you live eight states away."

"Protecting me from what?"

"He's gonna come for you, and I refuse to let you end up like—"

She gritted her teeth in frustration. "If you say her name, I'm walking away right now, and we're done for good."

They stared at each other for one tense moment.

"I don't want you to go."

She laughed softly, but humorlessly at that. "I remember a time when you were begging me to leave."

"I had to," he stressed, his hands leaving his pockets to release his own frustration, "and you know that as well as I do."

She scoffed. "You know what your problem is?"

"I bet you're gonna tell me," he murmured.

"You're too complicated."

"That's my problem? That's my problem? That's my problem?" He'd said it three different ways and disbelief colored his voice each time.

"Yes, that's your problem," she let out, angry now.

"Well you wanna know what your problem is?" He asked, his brown eyes wide. She tilted her head in question, an invitation for him to continue. "You're just as complicated as me."

She threw her hands up and turned away from him. "I'm leaving."

He caught her arm, backtracking. "I just want to be with you again, Juliette. I just want to protect you."

"And you've made it very clear that you can't do both, Peter Parker," she whispered, and then she walked away because life goes on, and hers would just have to go on without him.

hey! i hope you guys liked it. thanks for reading.
-syd