By Moonlight (P.P + M.J)

43. Not Everyone

As promised, a driver came in a black limousine and picked Peter up. He sat in the backseat and told the driver to take him to the outskirts of Manhattan. He'd swing into Soho himself. He thought people might find it weird if Spiderman got out of a limo in the middle of downtown. After a short drive, Peter was dropped off and the driver drove away without a word.

Peter put on his mask and webbed up into the city. Now that there was no big villain to fight, Peter felt more at ease, and he could actually enjoy swinging through the buildings. He headed down toward Soho, and he still wasn't very sure about what he wanted to say. But maybe just seeing MJ would steer him in the right direction. He hadn't seen her in what felt like forever, and he was almost looking forward to it.

People on the streets cheered when they saw him, clapping and calling his name. He waved to them, performing flips and other tricks. He liked that they acknowledged his feats from the previous night, but would they do the same for Jack?

It took him a while to reach the Broadway Cafe, but when he did, he found MJ waiting inside. He landed on the building the other side of the street and didn't know what to do from there. He stared at her through the window for a while, speechless. His brain had frozen over, refusing to concoct any words for him to speak. It's like his heart knew what he might say and wasn't going to let him risk ending things with MJ. She looked so pretty, just sitting in her chair with a single white mug, which probably had hot chocolate in it. She wore all dark clothes, which was normal for her, and her bangs hung over her eyes. She was reading a paper, most likely looking to see if more of her pictures got in the news. He hung his head as he leaned over the edge of the building, his mind alive with debating choices.

Peter had once heard the saying "if you love something, let it go". But in this particular situation, Peter didn't want to do that. He wanted to hold onto MJ, forever if he could. But both Mr.Stark's and Jack's words were echoing in his ears. She was his risk, and he didn't know what he wanted to do with her. Maybe after they had talked, she'd help him figure it out.

Then, a hard thud sounded from behind him, followed by a voice saying, "you should really just say something."

Peter quickly turned around. It was Jack, in all his werewolf glory, his fur a light cinnamon brown. He must've followed Peter shortly after he had left. His black backpack around his shoulders, Peter could see the glint of his new golden fang. Jack looked around Peter and down across the street, his blue gaze aimed at the Cafe.

"Michelle down there?" He asked, and Peter nodded, folding his arms across his chest.

"Yeah, waiting for me," Peter replied, looking over his shoulder to follow Jack's eyes.

"Still not sure, huh?" Jack asked, his tone sympathetic.

"Not at all."

"Why don't you ask her what she wants to do?" Jack suggested, tipping his head at him.

"Never thought of that."

"You don't think of a lot of things."

Peter laughed dryly, "just because we're partners now doesn't mean you can just come at me like that."

"Well, make up your mind and I won't," Jack retorted with a playful smile.

Suddenly, a shiver ran through him, giving him goosebumps. He instinctively looked down the street, and his stomach dropped. A kid, a young girl, was running out into the street, chasing a ball. Her mother was screaming out for her to come back, but gosh darn it, she was gonna get that ball. But it was rolling fast into the middle of the street.

Right into the path of a garbage truck.

Jack noticed it too, and his ears flicked forward in attention. His backpack dropped to the ground and he glanced at Peter.

"Dibs," he called, springing from roof and landing hard onto the street, taking off in a dead sprint toward the truck and the kid.

Peter rolled his eyes and followed after him, jumping off the roof and swinging over the lycan's head. He heard the truck's horn blare, and Jack put on a burst of speed. He leapt high over the kid's head and stood up straight. Peter saw him brace, holding his hands out to take on the full weight of the lumbering vehicle, which was struggling to screech to a halt.

The garbage truck slammed into him but stopped abruptly, its back wheels lifting into the air. Jack gripping its front lift, his entire body shaking as he halted the heavy vehicle. His feet dug into the cement, but he kept straight, refusing to be tipped over as he was forced to his knees. Peter noticed that its back end was still rising into the air. In an effort to stop it, Peter swung and kicked its tail end, dropping its rear wheels back to the road.

When it landed on the ground, Jack retained a kneeling position, letting go of the lift that was now indented with his handprints from his solid hold. Peter landed beside him, and noticed that the lycan was looking around him at the line of pedestrians that crowded the sidewalks, all gazing at him. Peter put a steadying hand on Jack's shoulder, which was very tense to the touch. The web-slinger figured he must be nervous about having so many eyes on him.

Clearly, no one knew how to react. People were getting out of their cars just to look. No one even moved to take a picture. It was like they were waiting for Jack to do something, waiting for him to reveal what he truly was. Was he still the bad guy that had gone on the rampage just a week ago? Was he the hero that had saved the city last night? Nobody seemed to have an answer, and nobody seemed to want to find out.

All except the little girl, who walked up from behind Jack. She approached him, and everyone's attention seemed to snap to her. They watched with bated breath, and Jack tipped his head, still remaining in his kneeling position so that the two were eye-level. He looked around and picked up her ball. Being careful not to puncture it with his claws, he held it out for her to take. The kid stared at it, then back at him, and did the most unexpected thing.

She hugged him.

She put her arms around his thick-furred neck and actually hugged him. Jack was startled by the action, and frankly, so was everyone else. He gave Peter a confused look, and the web-slinger nodded to him. This was Jack's moment, just the thing he needed to win people over. As Jack hugged her back, an audible "aww" went up from the crowd.

"Let's hear it for Werewolf!" MJ suddenly shouted from amidst the crowd, and people actually started to clap. They cheered him on, and he stared at MJ as she left the masses of people and walked up to him.

"See?" MJ said as she walked up to Jack's and Peter , "not everyone hates you."

"So it would seem," Jack replied as he gave the girl back her ball. The kid smiled and ran back to her mother, who embraced her while staring at Jack in wonder. He stood up straight and rolled back his shoulders, taking in the applause.

Jack grinned down at MJ, saying, "I guess my life doesn't suck that much after all, eh Michelle?"

"Please, call me MJ," she said, and they fist-bumped. Jack pulled his backpack over his shoulders and gave them an affectionate nod before leaping away. He gave aimed a hard, calculating look at Peter, narrowing his eyes. The Boy knew what he was saying, and nodded as he sprang away, climbing up the  nearest building, everyone's eyes following after him. While their attention was aimed at the lycan, Peter pulled MJ to him. She was confused at first, but she wrapped her arms around Peter's neck as he swept her up into the buildings.

Peter couldn't help but feel a certain joy for Jack. He had gotten his moment, the chance to prove that he was good, with a little help from a fearless little girl. Now everyone knew that Jack was a hero after all.

And as he held MJ against him, he decided something, then and there. Peter decided that he was going to be her hero, or at least be one worthy of her. He just hoped that she would think the same thing.

The pic isn't mine. I found it and got inspired. But we're so close now guys, this is getting so tough for me! Ugh, I wish I could drag it out, but all good things must come to an end.

~Fargone5