Just Another Day in the Life of Peter Parker

Home.

The dust began to settle, unveiling the rubble around them. MJ gasped, coughing as the particles went into her lungs. She blinked groggily, wincing as she moved her injured leg. The memories of the past moments shot through her mind and she nearly screamed. "Peter!?" She scanned the area around her, panicked eyes darting around until she spotted a lifeless figure a few feet away. "No. No, no, Peter, Peter!" MJ crawled over, blinking back the tears as she rolled her boyfriend over. "Peter?"

His eyes opened slowly, hazel irises reflecting her panicked expression. "Hey," he said croakily.

"Oh thank goodness you're alive." She pulled him close the her chest, feeling his heart beat faintly.

"MJ."

She pulled back, vision blurring as hot tears began to form. "No. No, come on. Just hold on for a little longer, we'll get someone to-"

"Em."

Michelle stopped, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. the world was spinning slightly, but she couldn't let go. She couldn't let him let go. "Please. I don't want you to go."

He smiled bleakly at her, an echo of his usual beam that lit even the darkest of rooms. He squeezed her hand gently, his strength fading. "It's going to be okay."

"No-" MJ gasped as the sob wrenched free of her throat. She tried to speak, tried to make even one sound, but nothing came out. All she could do was squeeze his fading hand, feeling it grow colder and colder.

Peter gave her one more smile, his breaths coming in short bursts. "Hey."

"Wh-what?"

He tucked her fringe behind her ear, something he had always done, while complimenting how good she looked with her hair out of her face. "I love you. Okay?"

She nodded, letting the tears fall from her cheeks. A single tear rolled down his as his eyes turned to the sky, the light slowly, slowly fading away. His grip loosened, the hand turning pale and cold. Nothing moved. Everything was silent except for MJ's sobs as she gripped his hand, willing it to be warm one last time. All she wanted was to hear him laugh again, to hear his soft voice float through the air as he sang under his breath, for him to collapse into her arms after a rough day, to feel his tears soak her shirt as he held her tight, to feel his hand tracing "I love you" on her back, to smell the faint wisp of rose mingled in with the scent of Italian herbs, just to hear him breathe one last time. "Don't leave me."

A soft laugh echoed around. MJ thought it was just the wind, until she heard a "hey squirt!" next to her. She looked up to where the sunlight scattered amongst the dust particles and rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't dreaming. There, in the golden light, was the translucent figure of a dark-haired man with his red-haired wife, spreading his arms wide to welcome a young boy. She couldn't pinpoint his age: he seemed to be 4, 7 and 12 all at once. Transparent, chestnut curls danced around his forehead as he ran to his father, laughing as he spun him in the air.

"Welcome home, kiddo," the man said, putting his son down so he could say hello to his mother.

"I misses you baby," she whispered.

"I missed you too." The boy turned around as another man appeared and grinned. "Ben!"

Ben gave him a hug, his face lighting up. "Ready to go home?"

"Yup!" The boy took his hand, holding his mother's in his other. They began walking but he stopped and looked up at his mother. "Can I say goodbye?" She nodded and he turned around, his hands slipping free of their grasps. MJ held her breath as he walked over to her. He bent down and took her face in his small hands, sending her shivers down her spine as his transparent skin came in contact with hers.