Spider-Man: Homeless

Peter One

The moment he'd swung away, he'd felt terrible about leaving them there, especially with the uncertainty they all felt.

He'd felt even worse when he'd realized that the sky wasn't only darkening- there were patterns and what looked like cracks, or golden threads, forming in it.

It was obvious evidence that the barrier protecting their universe was starting to dissipate- and he was already seeing things start to enter.

Right now, like he thought, it was smaller things. He'd see a ripple in the air, and something would disappear or appear. Smaller objects, and sometimes people.

It was disorienting, and sometimes terrifying. But he knew that those were things that could get set right as soon as Strange fixed everything.

For now, only universes that he'd started to mentally call 'parallel universes' were entering. Universes that ran very similarly to their own, with only a few variations. Universes, that on the massive scale of the entire multiverse, were branches that existed very close to theirs.

That could be fixed. Hopefully. But when what Strange had said started happening, when people in other universes with magic started to sense that there was a vulnerable universe out there, free to be conquered.

Whatever Doctor Strange that Peter had run into was still out there. And even though they'd told people to take shelter, which would hopefully protect them from a massive battle, he couldn't protect them from being slipped in between universes.

The anxiety pounding inside of him forced him to swing faster, until he jumped through an open window high up in an apartment building.

Ned's window.

He found his best friend in his bedroom, appearing almost exactly the way Peter had when his Spider-Senses had been driving him insane.

He was wearing robes similar to the ones he'd seen Wong and Strange wear, and he was lying on his floor. He looked prepared, ready to fight, but... lost.

And then Peter realized that it was because he'd just gotten his memories back.

Not only was his magic warning him of the danger ahead, he was also in more shock than he'd probably ever experienced.

But as much as he wished he did, Peter didn't have time to wait. So he quietly stepped through Ned's window and crouched in front of his almost lifeless body.

"Ned. Hey, Ned," he said, not really sure how to wake him up.

Ned's gaze shifted to Peter. "Peter?" he asked, his eyes widening.

"I'm here, Ned."

<><><><><><><>

As much as he'd hated to waste time, he'd taken a few minutes to explain the situation to Ned. Thankfully, he'd understood, and with his knowledge of magic being far stronger than Peter's, he'd probably understood more than Peter had.

He'd also been willing to fight, and while Peter hadn't wanted to put him in danger, he'd understood that Ned was well-suited to help, and that if he was willing to help... they needed him. They needed everyone they could get.

He'd had Ned open a portal to Central Park and meet the other Peters there, and he'd said that when he got there in a few minutes, they'd figure out their next step.

He didn't have time to stop at his apartment, so he'd thought he'd have Ned open a portal there when he got to Central Park so that he could bring in some of his own suits. They would remember him again.

So the only thing he had to do on his own was make sure MJ was okay.

He knew that some people would call it a waste of time. They'd think he was abandoning his place, and honestly, the entire universe. If something came up while he was with her... if people got hurt, it would be on him for not having been there.

But he had to check on her. Had to make sure that after everything he'd put her through, she was safe. He had to explain a few things, and then from there... he'd just put her somewhere safe, so that when everything was fixed, they could finally get back to where they'd been before.

He just had to make sure that she was okay first.

He got to her coffee shop as fast as he could, knowing that she'd still be at work. Which was perfect, except that if she'd gone somewhere to take shelter, like she should've, she could be anywhere in this area of the city or even heading back to her apartment.

But when he walked in, panting and sweating, his suit clinging to him even more than it usually did, he found her at the counter, wiping it off with a wet rag. The place was empty, just like most of the city, but she was still there.

And she was crying.

Peter didn't think she'd ever let him, or anyone see her cry before, at least not like this.

She wasn't full-out sobbing. But there were tears slipping down her cheeks and falling onto the counter as her hair kept her face covered.

Peter didn't know if she was crying because she was afraid of what she remembered, afraid of what she felt going on around her, or simply because of the shock of getting her memories back. It was probably a combination of the three, but whatever it was, it didn't matter.

Peter swung himself over the counter and before MJ even had time to look up, he'd wrapped his arms around her.

She hugged him back, so tightly that for a moment he couldn't breathe. Then she released him, and keeping one of her arms wrapped around his waist, brushed some of the sweaty hair out of his eyes and whispered, "Peter."

The tears in her eyes shifted to joy, and he watched her as a fresh wave of them sent her head falling on his chest, where she silently rested for a few moments.

And then she stepped away from him and gave him a serious, and genuinely upset look. "You promised me you'd come back. Why didn't you come back?"

He had thought that when she accused him of that, he'd be able to laugh. That he'd simply be happy to see her again, even if she was angry. Because hey, everything was going to be just fine.

But now that he was truly in the moment, looking at MJ, he realized just how much he'd hurt her.

And he realized just how much he loved her.

"I didn't want to hurt you," he admitted. "Ned said the same thing, and I... I just didn't want to force you to try and remember things you never would. I wanted you to live your life, MJ."

"I don't want to live without you."

Of everything he'd ever been through- even the current and possibly universe-shattering situation he was facing, he'd never been more afraid than he was in that moment.

Because MJ wasn't lying.

He realized that she was absolutely and totally willing to commit her life to him.

He realized that he would do the same for her.

"I don't deserve it," he told her. "I couldn't bear it if something happened to you, not again."

"I've made my choice, Peter," she told him, her voice taking on a fiercer tone.

Part of him wanted to push her away again. But he knew that he couldn't bear it, either.

Even if it was hard, he was going to protect her.

"I'll never leave you again," he promised.

He thought that maybe he'd hesitate before he'd say the words that followed. He was afraid that he wouldn't be ready.

But... he'd been ready for a very long time.

"I love you, MJ."