Spiderdad

44

The next few weeks flew by for Peter. Stopping crime, forcing himself through sobriety, making money off the Dailey Bugle (which was depressingly desperate for high-quality photos), and taking care of MJ were all muddled up events that clouded his sense of time. MJ was so incredibly close to her due date creating discomfort that was more and more constant to the point she rarely wanted to leave her bed. As far as names went, Adrian had come up with four new names that the couple was rather attached to: Natalie, Natalia, Deja (technically Nora came up with this one), and Bree. 

Still, they had to meet the baby before they named the baby. 

Aside from that, Peter and Black Cat had grown quite close. How close? Enough for each to be comfortable with calling the other their friend. They even had a rendezvous roof for the nights where Peter provided her with dinner. Even if they refused to remove their masks, they still held hands when they walked together, talked as if they had known each other all their lives, and occasionally bickered like an old married couple. 

Speaking if which, marriage was no longer a word that could be said around Peter without him breaking into a giddy grin. Just thinking of the future he and his fiancé (damn, did he love calling MJ that) made his heart bubble with excitement and anxiety. Luckily, marriage wasn't a common topic with any of his audiences, so he didn't have to worry about excusing himself tp cry happy tears into his pillow every time someone said something relating to marriage. 

As far as their plans to elope went, mum's the word. No one knew except for Peter, MJ, and Baby. They wanted to keep it that way too: a secret from their dearest friends and loving families. Even the people they would usually trust with a secret like this— Adrian, Ned, probably not but maybe Tony— had been kept oblivious from the plans. That was half the point in eloping after all. 

Now, on April 14, Peter found himself fighting off seven thieves instead of holding MJ's hand as she lay panicked on her hospital bed. 

"You must really be idiots if you think you can steal from Stark Industries in broad daylight," Peter observed as he backflipped over the head of one of the darkly dressed figures, "I don't even know of we have anything worth stealing in this warehouse."

That much was true, the warehouse the thieves had selected contained old bits and pieces of failed projects that had been forgotten or were left to be scrapped for later. Peter shot a web at one man's feet then swept him off the ground and flung him into his female companion who cursed bitterly. 

"Watch your lan- fuck!" he cried as a bullet grazed his arm.

Peter whirled around and snatched a gun out of his opponent's hand with a web. Then, he shot a web into their face and roundhouse kicked them to the ground. A bullet zipped past his ear like a hyperactive bee, making him spin around once more and snatch his opponent's gun from his hands.

"How did you miss that?" Peter laughed.

Not waiting for a response, he attempted to kick the man in the side, only for him to grab the spider's ankle and toss him onto the ground. Peter grunted in pain and tried to stand back up, yet the man wrapped his hand firmly around the boy's throat. Peter gasped and clutched the thief's wrist desperately.

"Kinky," he joked in an attempt to ease his anxiety. 

"Quiet, Bug," the man hissed. 

Peter choked and coughed, air escaping his lungs as his throat began to close. I can't die! I gotta meet Baby! I gotta take care of MJ! His mind screamed as he thrashed and struggled against the villain. 

The man smirked and opened his mouth to make a smart remark. Before the words could leave his lips, a bullet flew straight through his head and his corpse came tumbling down on top of Peter. The boy lay in shock, trembling and panting as oxygen gratefully returned to his lungs. 

"Kid, you okay?" Bucky called as he rushed to Peter's side and dragged the body off of him. 

"You fucking killed him!" Peter cried. 

"He was about to kill you!" Bucky justified sharply.

"I don't have time for this!" Peter jumped up, "I gotta run!"

"Then stop yelling at me," Bucky waved him off.

Peter rolled his eyes and sprinted away. He escaped into the nearest alleyway and rapidly changed into a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Not giving himself a second to catch his breath (and pretending that the bruising on his neck didn't exist), he raced down the street to the hospital. The second he was given MJ's room number, he hurried through the structure until he skidded to a halt at the entrance of the hall where his girlfriend was located. A brief wave of panic and hesitation crashed into him as his brain rattled off every possible thing that could go wrong. 

"Peter," Hello Nurse rested her hand on his shoulder the moment she saw him, "her water just broke. Please, go in. She's terrified."

His face drained of color, Peter shakily nodded then paced down to the room and entered. MJ lay in her hospital gown, surrounded by nurses and doctors that moved aside the moment they saw the girl's fiancé. Her entire body was trembling as nervous tears dripped down her cheeks and cold sweat beaded at her forehead.

"Peter, it hurts," MJ managed, her voice strained as he clasped her hands in both of his.

"It's going to be alright, Em," Peter promised, keeping his tone even and strong, "I'm right here."

"Ma'am," a doctor called, making MJ snap to attention, "we're going to need you to stay calm, alright?"

MJ nodded rapidly and Peter gave her hand a little squeeze. 

"Sir, can you-" The doctor gestured for him to stand up.

Peter obeyed then kissed MJ's forehead, "you'll be alright, baby."