By Sunlight (P.P + M.J)

8. Panic! at the Everywhere

*MJ pov*

MJ bustled after Jack, who had run away in such a hurry that it was hard to keep track of where he was going. She should have thought it was inconvenient, but since Jack wasn't one to freak out like that, it made her care just a bit more than average. She followed him down an empty hall where Damage Control had just finished renovating the bathroom the Lizard had torn through months ago. She was subtly pissed at him for making her walk so far, but her irritation disappeared when she saw him collapsed against a wall of lockers, hyperventilating and hugging his backpack to his chest.

"Jack?" She called, walking slowly toward him. He didn't acknowledge her, just stared at the opposing wall. He must have tried to make it to the bathroom but had fallen before he could. MJ's heart swelled with pity for her friend. She may not understand what he was going through, but damn it she would be there for him.

She knelt down a ways from him, since she didn't know how much contact he wanted. She leaned back against the lockers, looking at him, waiting for him to say something. Something that told her he was okay.

"How did you know he would be here?" Jack then asked, his voice cracking.

"It was posted on the school's website, that he would be coming back," MJ replied with a shrug, "I'm not surprised Peter didn't know. He never checks it."

"Why did you?"

"I'm kinda obligated to. You know, being the decathlon leader means I always gotta be checking announcements from Mr.Harrington and schedule meetings. Sucks, but I have to do it."

"And why would-?" He took a steadying breath, "why would he have told Peter? Like you said?"

"They used to be best friends, back in the day."

"Friggin' perfect," Jack groaned, falling onto his side while still clutching his backpack, "my best friend is best friends with my worst enemy's son. Fan-friggin-tastic."

"Hey hey hey White Fang, talk to me," MJ said, getting up and kneeling closer to his head, "you can't just collapse in school, okay? I know you're having a rough moment, but if someone walks by right now, it'll raise alarm. Do you need me to get the nurse?"

"No, I'm fine, I swear. I just need a second," he said, pushing himself to a sitting position, taking deep breaths, "you don't have to get anyone."

"Then tell me what's going on," she prompted him, standing up and offering her hand. He took it and she pulled him to his feet, "I knew there was something off with you at Parker's the other day, so don't even think about lying."

"You are observant," he mused, showing a part of his normal smirking self as the color started to return to his face, "Well, to be honest, I never even saw the guy. It was just the name "Osborn" that... triggered me, I guess."

"So, what? You had a flashback or something? Like PTSD?"

"Yeah, sort of. Just a lot of memories of being violently brainwashed and seeing myself try to kill Peter all over again. The usual."

"That's usual for you?"

Jack pursed his lips, like he regretted saying so much. He leaned back against the lockers, sighing heavily with a sag of his shoulders. He ran his hand through his dark red hair, suddenly unsure about how to proceed.

He can be as apprehensive as he wants, MJ thought to herself, tossing her bangs out of her eyes, doesn't mean I'm letting him off easy.

"Okay, so this kind of thing happens a lot, but they're usually not as... violent," he finally admitted, lowering his head.

"Does Peter know?"

"God no, he would go full-mom on me and never leave me alone," he countered, "it's better this way."

"Better for who?" MJ retorted, getting annoyed, "Jack, you can't just ignore this. At least talk about it with me, now that I know."

"Michelle, you don't have-," Jack began, but MJ cut him off by grabbing the collar of his shirt.

"Screw you Red, I'm a part of this now and you can't stop me," MJ practically growled at him, getting dangerously close to his face. He looked down at her with an expression that seemed to carry both fear and fondness. "I can understand you not telling Peter, but you're not going to hide it from me anymore, got that?"

"Okay Dr.Jones," he gave her a conceding nod. "Have fun being my therapist. It's gonna be a lot of talking about nightmares and horrible experiences that are bound to unsettle you."

"Bring it on, Russell," she challenged him with a smirk.

"Hey, does anyone know where the bathrooms are?" A new voice called, and MJ immediately pushed away from Jack as a boy in a black sport suit rounded the corner, with dark hair that was slicked back and brown eyes. He stopped in his tracks upon seeing the two. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

"Oh no pal, you're fine," Jack explained, his usual cheerful attitude returning in full. He pointed his thumb at the restroom, "nothing was happening. Bathrooms are right there."

The boy nodded appreciatively. "thanks dude. It's just been so long since I've been here, you know? Don't know where anything is anymore."

"Ha, yeah man. No problem," Jack said as he disappeared into the boys' bathroom.

"News flash, that was Harry," MJ informed him, and Jack frowned slightly, looking over her shoulder. MJ had known who the Osborn was from the picture they put up of him and his father on the school website.

"Weird," he breathed. He then gave MJ an amused look, "you were standing unusually close to me."

MJ rolled her eyes, walking away from him. "God, don't you ever shut up?"

"Oh cool, you guys are still here," Harry then popped out of the men's room and back into the hall. "there's a party going down at my house tonight. I know it's a school night, but it's a come-if-you-want, everyone's-invited type of thing."

"That sounds interesting," Jack replied, and MJ turned around, already glaring at Jack because she knew what he was going to say. But there seemed to be some hesitation in Jack's blue gaze as he looked at her, and she knew what he must be thinking. She hoped he would say no, but the lycan was too polite for his own damn good. "Let's go, MJ. How 'bout it?"

She gave a begrudging nod of her head, and Harry smiled wildly. "Awesome. It'll be like a date. For you guys. Not for me. I'm just facilitating. You know what I mean. See you there!" Harry then went back into the bathroom before he could say any more embarrassing things.

My God, he's a dork, MJ realized, seeing how much like Peter Harry was. It took another second for her to actually understand what he said, and Jack was giving her the cheekiest look.

"Don't you say a word," she ordered him, turning and walking down the hall.

"A date?" Jack mimicked teasingly, walking after her. MJ bit back a laugh, trying hard not to smile.

"Shut up."

"I hope Peter doesn't get jealous."

"Shut up."

"Don't worry. I'll be the one to break it to him."

"Stop."

MJ rolled her eyes, giving him a playful punch to the arm. If joking about it made him feel better, then she'd let him. At least he wasn't going through his inner turmoil alone anymore.

Wrote this super quick, bc MJ and Jack are my brotp and they're so fun to write. But yeah, here's chapter 8! Leave a vote or a comment if you liked it!

~Fargone5