Love Finds A Spider

Chapter 24 Crossroads

Chapter 24          Crossroads

A few weeks later brought much cooler temperatures to the city...

May Parker had taken a couple of days off and had invited Peter and Natasha to spend some time with her. It was also a chance to show off her newly redecorated apartment, courtesy of Tony Stark. While Tony wrote the checks for the work, May, with some help from Pepper, made the actual decisions. So with new wooden floors, upgraded bathrooms, a totally re-vamped kitchen with new appliances, fresh paint, and some new furniture (including a huge flat screen and sound system), May was slightly less harsh with Tony over luring her nephew to becoming an Avenger.

May was still able to give Tony the occasional side look that kept Tony on edge, which Pepper found hilarious.

And to Peter's surprise, May and Natasha actually hit it off and seemed to like each other. While Peter found that amazing after hearing about their first encounter with each other, once May figured out that Natasha did genuinely love her nephew, a foundation was set for a friendship between the two women based on their both loving Peter in their own ways.

Both women were still talking with each other after having finished breakfast, and Peter started to clear the table so he could let them both continue talking.

"Don't bother sweetie..." May said to Peter.

"Are you sure ... I don't mind" Peter replied.

"Tell you what ..." May began. "Natasha and I will take care of things here, so why don't you go to that coffee shop you, Ned and MJ used to hang out at.

"For Five Coffee...?" Peter replied, surprised that May remembered the place.

"Sure ... " May said. "As a matter of fact, I know both Ned and MJ will be there this morning."

"Really?!" Peter said, caught off guard with this information. "How do you know they'll be there?" he asked.

"Because I told them to be there since you wanted to see them and catch up with them..." May replied with a laugh.

"Oh wow...!" "Really?" Peter said to both an amused May and Natasha.

"Yes ... really!" May replied. "So scoot! We'll be fine here, and Natasha can catch up with you in a while."

Looking at Natasha, May said "There are some other things I want to talk with you about, but I do want you to meet Ned and MJ ... they were Peter's dearest friends in school!" "They were always there to help Peter ..."

Giving a smile to May and then looking at Peter, Natasha said "I would love to meet them Peter, but go on ahead. I'll be along as soon as we're finished here."

"O ... okay ... " Peter said a bit unsure. "If you both think its okay..." but was cut off when both May and Natasha said "Scoot!" and then they both laughed.

"You don't have to tell me a third time ..." Peter said with a smile as he put on his jacket, hat and gloves.

No sooner than Peter had left the apartment, May and Natasha began clearing the table and cleaning up.

"So ..." May began with a smile.

Natasha looked back at May with an expression that more or less asked May to continue.

"So tell me..." May said. "Where do you see yourself and Peter going forward as a couple?"

"And here we go..." Natasha thought ruefully but still keeping a relaxed expression on her face.

Several minutes later...

Peter walked into the coffee shop that was a favorite weekend hangout where he, Ned and MJ could do school work, study, and enjoy a good roasted coffee and each other's company. It was here, outside of school, where they could socially interact with others like them. And by them, it was with kids like them who enjoyed science, sci-fi movies, and being different that way.