TITLE: The Halloween Unmasking.

FANDOM: Spider-Man

KEYWORDS: Romance, Spider-Man Movie, Peter/ MJ pairing

SUMMARY: Following the movie, Mary Jane asks Peter to come to a costume party

DISCLAIMER: Spider-Man belongs to Stan Lee, Marvel Comics, Sony Pictures, Sam Raimi and others. I'm making no money off of this. This story is copywrited Oct 2002 and may not be altered in any way without the express permission of the author.

By Cheri.

Part One

Mary Jane sighed as she stepped out of the shower. It was nearing Halloween and her mood was as cold and dark as the night outside. It had been a few weeks since the funeral and she felt as though her life had come to an end. She sat on the bed and ran a brush through her hair as she stared at the autumn moon outside. She wondered if Peter was out tonight swinging through the city saving people who needed to be rescued. She only wished he was able to rescue her from the misery that now engulfed her.

She had not wanted to believe that Peter was Spider-Man. She wanted to believe that the kiss he had given her was not the same kiss that Spider-Man had given her in the alley. She remembered watching him walk away from her with tears in his eyes. She could tell from the stiffness of his body that he was willing himself to go away. That what he really wanted was to turn and run back to her. But he kept on going despite her silent pleas for him to turn around. It was only after he had walked away from her, did she realize that the kiss he had given her was the same she had received in the alley. She remembered touching her lips and her breath shuddering as she realized. But it was almost immediately after that, that she began to rationalize everything away. That she was confusing her love for Peter with her school girlish crush on Spider-Man. That the shy, bookworm could never be the bold, brave, web slinger.

She remembered turning and seeing Harry staring at her with a mixture of concern and envy. She had smiled at him and then in imitation of Peter, she simply turned away from the mourners and walked back to her car, her brain swirling with confusion as she was at once trying to confirm and deny that Peter Parker was Spider-Man.

It was only when she got home and played the message on her answering machine that she could deny the truth no longer. On it, she could hear Peter's voice. His soft concerned voice telling her not to walk down any dark alleys. Her eyes had widened at that wondering, yet knowing at the same time why he would say something like that to her. Then she heard the phone click and the voice of the Goblin taunting Peter when he was in her apartment.

"Can Spider-Man come out to play?"

"Where is she?" Peter had said and she could tell he was fighting to keep his voice under control.

"On top of the Queensboro Bridge. Come and get her, Lover boy!"

An evil cackle and then a click.

And Mary Jane knew. She remembered the Goblin saying "Let die the woman you love" when they were on top of the bridge. And there was only one man who truly loved her in all the world.

Since then, she had debated whether to call Peter and confront him with the truth. She had spent many a sleepless night lying away and wondering why he had walked away from her at that moment. She knew now he wanted to tell her. From the way he had said "I can't" to her, it meant that he couldn't bring himself to tell her he was Spider-Man. Mary Jane thought and though and figured the only reason was he was afraid someone like the Goblin would kidnap her again. But, if it meant being with Peter, she would brave a thousand dangers and face a thousand madman. Anything was better than being condemned to a lifetime of heartache. But each time, she would place the receiver back after picking it up, not really knowing what to say or how to say it to avoid scaring Peter away even more.

Mary Jane sighed and put the hair brush back on her night stand. She slipped into the purple silk gown that was lying at the foot of the bed and walked into the kitchen for some warm milk before she went to sleep. She poured the milk in the glass and sat it in the microwave. As the milk was warming, she walked over to the counter where her copy of the Daily Bugle was. She had been working all day and had not gotten a chance to read it. She scowled at the headline. SPIDER-MAN CAUSES SUBWAY DERAILMENT. She hated the hateful things they were always saying about Peter. She usually ripped away the picture of Spider-Man that usually accompanied the headline and took it into her bedroom. There she would trace the outlines of Spider-Man's body and fantasize about Peter before falling to sleep.

She looked up as the microwave buzzer went off. She went over and gingerly grabbed her milk wincing at the hotness of the glass. She took it and the paper and sat down at her kitchen table. She smiled at the picture of Spider-Man saving a couple of terrified children from the burning wreckage of the subway car. Below him, other spectators were standing in awe and pointing up at him. She began to touch the picture, sighing to herself.

"Oh Peter, why can't the Bugle see that you are only trying to protect people...like me." She said.

She sat for awhile staring at the picture and sipping her milk. Finally, she decided to tear herself away and take a quick look at the want ads in case there was any auditions coming up. With one last touch of the picture, she turned the page to the classified section.

She ran her finger down through the ads frowning as she noticed no audition notices. She sighed deeply as she made a move to shut the paper and go to bed. And then she paused....

She noticed a small ad near the bottom advertising a haunted house and a costume party. The proceeds from it were to benefit the victims of 9/11. she sat and though and then, it suddenly dawned on her how she might be able to get Peter to reveal he was Spider-Man to her. She decided that in the morning, she was finally going to pick up the phone and call that superhero stalker of hers.

*-----------------------------*-----------------------------*-----------------------------*

Part Two

Peter gasped as he woke from another restless night. Since the battle with the Goblin, his dreams had been horrifying. He just kept seeing himself misjudging his leap and Mary Jane's terrified face as she plunged to her death. He always woke up the same way too. Drenched in a pool of sweat, his breathing shallow. Peter sighed. He figured it would be this way for the rest of his life. Peaceful sleep was a thing of the past, but if it meant Mary Jane was safe. It was a price he was willing to pay.

He jumped as the phone suddenly rang. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he glanced over at the clock and saw it was 6 in the morning. Groaning, he pulled himself from his bed and trudged over to the phone on his computer desk. He cleared his throat before he picked it up, wondering who would be calling him this early. Aunt May?, Harry?...

"Hello?" he said in a slurred voice.

"Um...Peter?"

Peter's eyes snapped open and he felt a lump forming in his throat. Of all the people to be calling...

"Pete, you there?" Mary Jane asked, after a long pause.

Peter swallowed hard.

"Um...yeah, I'm here." He said, in a neutral tone.

He paused. He was so afraid of betraying his true feelings that he simply stopped at that. Another long silence followed before Mary Jane cleared her throat nervously.

"So...how are you doing, Tiger?" she asked softly.

"Fine, I'm fine." Peter said, tersely. "Look, um, MJ. Is there a reason you're calling me this early."

He hated sounding so rude, but he felt the quicker the conversation was done, the better. He gulped as he heard a small sigh on the other end.

"Um...I'm sorry, MJ." He said, gently. "I didn't mean for it to sound so mean. It's just that no one really calls at this hour unless it's an emergency."

His eyes widened.

"It isn't an emergency, is it, MJ?" he said, suddenly anxious.

Mary Jane smiled to herself. Despite everything he had said, she knew he still loved her. She could tell just now by the way the tone of his voice had changed when he thought something might be wrong.

"Um, I'm sorry I called so early, Pete. I just wanted to catch you before you head off to "work" "

She put emphasis on the word work, hoping the Peter would catch it, but either he chose to ignore it or he was still not awake enough to catch it.

"Oh okay, yeah I was just about to get up and head out for the day."

Mary Jane smiled at that.

"I was wanting to know if you would want to go to this benefit haunted house and costume party with me tomorrow night? It sounds like fun."

Peter gulped.

"A date?" he said.

"Well, if you want, we can just say it'd be something fun for a couple of "friends" to go to." Mary Jane said, emphasizing the word "friends"

"Well....I don't know...."

"And it's to benefit the victims of 9/11 and their families." Mary Jane said, quickly.

Peter thought. He wasn't too sure about going somewhere with Mary Jane, not after everything that had happened in the past month. But, it was for a good cause and he truthfully thought a haunted house sounded fun. He never got to go to many when he was little on account of Aunt May thinking that it might scare her sensitive nephew too much. Besides, facing the artificial scares were a lot better than facing real ones any day. He cleared his throat.

"Okay, I'll go, MJ. But just as friends, you understand?"

"Sure Peter, I understand." Mary Jane said, innocently.

She gave him the details and the address from the ad.

"Do you want me to come to your apartment and pick you up?" she said, after finishing.

"No, I'll just swing by your apartment instead."

Mary Jane could barely suppress a giggle at Peter's choice of words.

"Fine, Tiger. I'll see you tomorrow night then." She said.

Peter hung up the phone and stared at it.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Parker." He said to himself.

With a sigh, he went into the bathroom and grabbed his Spider-Man costume as he prepared to venture out for a day of crime fighting.

*-----------------------------*-----------------------------*-----------------------------*

Part Three

Mary Jane could barely contain her excitement. As she worked at the Moondance Café, she thought of Peter and their night together. She even ignored Enrique when he started yelling at her for being too slow on the job.

"You might not want to call it a date. But that's what it is, like it or not."

She hoped her hunch would be right too and he would be wearing a certain costume to the costume party.

"MISS WATSON, QUIT DAYDREAMING AND GET THAT FOOD TO TABLE FIVE BEFORE IT GETS COLD!" Enrique screamed in her ear.

Mary Jane snorted.

*Hot food in here, that'll be the day!* she thought to herself as she grabbed the plate and put it on the tray.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mary Jane straightened her wings as she heard the door knock. She opened it and grinned when she saw her hunch was right. In front of her was Peter wearing his Spider-Man costume. He removed the mask and said...

"Well, what do you think? Think I'll win first prize?"

Mary Jane suppressed her laughter.

"A Spider-Man costume? How original, Tiger. It shows off your bod nicely too." She said.

She snickered as she saw Peter blush and shift his feet. Her smile spread even more as she noticed he was taking in the angel costume she was wearing.

"You look beautiful, MJ." He said, breathlessly.

Mary Jane smiled. She had chosen her costume because she figured it would get that kind of reaction from Peter. She beckoned him inside.

"Would you like something to drink before we head out?" she asked.

Peter nodded.

"Coke'll be fine, MJ." He said.

As she went into the kitchen, Peter sat down and breathed a sigh of relief. He was worried about choosing his own Spider-Man costume as his costume. But he really didn't have a choice. He had just gotten finished paying the high priced rent on the apartment that he had had to take up since Norman was dead and Harry no longer lived there. What little money he had left had to go for necessities. He couldn't afford any costume, so he figured it would be okay to wear his Spider-Man outfit. After all, who would suspect he was really Spider-Man anyway?

He smiled at Mary Jane as she returned holding two cokes. He swore no real angel in heaven could compare with the vision before him. He took the coke and smiled his thanks, partly to conceal his feelings and partly because he really was at a loss for words anyway. Mary Jane sat down on the couch and began to sip her coke taking in Peter's muscles underneath the spandex. She wondered if he had always been that built. She really couldn't remember him having any muscles like the ones she was seeing now, but then he usually wore sweaters anyway. She cleared her throat. Let the games begin...

"You know Peter, That is a realistic Spider-Man costume you have there. It looks almost exactly like the original. Must have cost you a fortune." She said, innocently.

Peter cleared his throat.

"Not too much." Peter said, hoping he sounded convincing. "You'd be amazed how many Spider-Man costumes there were. I guess he isn't that popular."

*And you only need look at the Bugle to confirm that.* he thought to himself.

"Really? I thought after all Spider-Man did for this city, everyone would just want to get their hands on Spider-Man." She said with a sly grin.

Peter coughed nervously.

"Um...yeah, go figure..." he said, weakly.

His eyes widened as Mary Jane got up and walked over to him. She leaned down close and stared at his body starting from his chest and working her way down.

"Not bad, not bad at all." She murmured.

She looked up into Peter's blue eyes.

"No rips, no tears. It's a well made costume." She said.

Peter nodded mutely. He inadvertently let out a soft moan as Mary Jane touched the spider emblem on his chest. He hoped that Mary Jane hadn't heard it. He looked at her face but saw no expression other than interest.

"It's pretty durable looking, Peter. You sure did get your money's worth." She said.

She stood up and as she neared Peter's cheek, she breathed on his face. She grinned to herself as she noticed Peter's body stiffen and his hand grip the armrest.

*What's wrong, Peter? Is your little friend turning you on?* she thought to herself.

She glanced over at the clock figuring that was enough for now. She needed to be careful not to make him so nervous and uncomfortable that he would clam up the rest of the night. No, there were two certain things Mary Jane wanted him to admit...

"I love you."

And

"I'm Spider-Man."

*-----------------------------*-----------------------------*-----------------------------*

Part Four

(A/N: The song "Don't Answer Me" is by The Alan Parson's Project. The song just fits perfectly for Peter and Mary Jane. Especially the funeral scene!)

Mary Jane looked over at Peter as he drove the car. For the past 15 minutes that they had been on the road, Peter had not spoken a word. He had merely nodded absentmindedly whenever Mary Jane tried to begin a conversation with him. Finally tired of the silence, she cleared her throat.

"Do you mind if I turn the radio on?" she asked.

Peter nodded and she flipped on the radio. She sat back and listened as a commercial finished playing.

"Welcome back to K-NYC, hits from the 80's, 90's and today." The disc jockey boomed out " And now here's one from The Alan Parson's Project."

The song began to play and Mary Jane closed her eyes as she listened to the tune.

If you believe in the power of magic I can change your mind And if you need to believe in someone Turn and look behind

Well, we were living in a dream world Till clouds got in the way We gave it up in a moment of madness And threw it all away

Don't answer me

Don't break the silence

Don't let me win

Don' answer me

Stay on your island

Don't let me in

Run away and hide from everyone.

Can you change the things we've said and done?

Mary Jane's eye flitted open. As she listened to the song, the memory of that day at the funeral came flooding back to her. She felt the tears running down her face as the song continued.

If you believe in the power of magic

It's all a fantasy

So if you need to believe in someone

Just pretend it's me

It ain't enough that we meet as strangers

I can set you free

So will you turn your back forever on what you mean to me.

Mary Jane blinked as Peter suddenly switched off the radio. She looked over and noticed his eyes were red as he was trying to hold back tears. She reached out and touched his hand to comfort him. She sighed as she felt his hand stiffen at her touch.

"Peter, please stop doing that." She said.

"Stop doing what?"

"Stiffening up whenever I touch you."

"Oh, was I?" Peter said softly.

Mary Jane thought for a moment he was lying but as she studied his face, she could see he really hadn't realized he had been doing that.

"Yes, you were." She said, gently.

She cleared her throat.

"Peter...I...I know what you said to me at the funeral, but I would really like to be more than just friends."

"I can't" Peter said, quickly.

"Why can't you?" Mary Jane prodded gently.

"I just don't want that kind of relationship, MJ. I'd rather be friends." Peter said, keeping his eyes fixed on the road.

"I don't believe that, Peter. Especially after seeing your reaction to that song."

Peter looked at her for the first time.

"It was a sad song, Mary Jane. Can't I get a little misty eyed over a sad song?"

"A little misty eyed? Peter, you have tear streaks coming down your cheeks, I can see them. And why did you turn the song off if it didn't upset you that much."

Peter sighed and turned his eyes back to the road.

"I just got depressed MJ and I really don't want to go to the haunted house in a foul mood, okay?"

"Sure, Pete...whatever." Mary Jane said, growing more frustrated by the moment.

She admired Peter for wanting to protect her from more danger, if that was the reason he was being so cold and lying to her like this. But on the other hand, she resented being treated like a little fragile egg that Peter had to shelter like a mother bird.

They finally pulled up to the haunted house. Mary Jane and Peter both stared at the decrepit building. Peter let out a low whistle.

"Man, the place even looks haunted. I wonder if it is?"

"Well, if it is, I'll have Spider-Man here to protect me." Mary Jane said, with a grin.

"Um...Yeah." Peter mumbled.

Mary Jane rolled her eyes as she and Peter got out of the car. Mary Jane adjusted her wings and Peter pulled on his mask. As they walked up to the admissions booth, a few people near it giggled and pointed.

"Hey, look Bob. It's Spider-Man!" One of them said.

Bob snickered and elbowed his friend.

"Wonder if the angel beside him is supposed to be one of his dead victims or something."

Mary Jane saw Peter stiffen and she fought back the urge to beat the crap out of the two men who were now bent over laughing.

"Don't listen to them, Peter. They're just jerks." Mary Jane mumbled.

Peter nodded and as they walked past they could hear Bob calling out to Peter...

"You better watch it pal, you're liable to get arrested by the cops wearing a costume like that."

"I'll be the one who gets arrested after I ram a pumpkin up your ass." Mary Jane muttered.

Peter looked over at her and smiled under his mask. At least someone could see Spidey wasn't evil.

They paid their admission and were told to go through the haunted house first and then after they were to meet in the barn behind for the costume party. Peter and Mary Jane nodded and then got into the line leading up to the front door. As Bob and his friend continued to giggle and point, Mary Jane came up beside Peter and took his hand. She smiled as this time he did not flinch or stiffen but instead gave Mary Jane's hand an affectionate squeeze and then held it.

Finally, after about 20 minutes of hearing Bob and his friend's laughter and getting ready to go over there and put her fist down their throats, the door finally opened and a hooded figure beckoned them in. As Peter and Mary Jane followed the group, they heard Bob call out...

"Hey honey, better watch Spidey there. We don't want him unintentionally scaring anyone and giving them heart attacks."

"At least some people have hearts in the first place." Mary Jane yelled over.

As she heard Bob mutter "Bitch.", she grabbed on Peter's hand as she noticed he was about to race over there and beat the crap out of him.

"Come on, Tiger. He isn't worth the effort." She said.

Peter nodded and they entered into the house.

*-----------------------------*-----------------------------*-----------------------------*

Part Five

Peter and Mary Jane followed the group as they walked through the house. They started up on the top floor and making their way down the hallway as various people in makeup and costumes jumped out at them from the open doors of the rooms.

"Not all that scary, really." Peter commented.

After battling the Green Goblin, a man dressed up like Ghost face from the Scream movies waving a fake knife with fake blood on it didn't faze him like it used to. Occasionally, Mary Jane would be startled, but he could tell she wasn't really all that impressed either.

Suddenly as they passed by a bedroom, a man dressed as the Green Goblin jumped out and roared at them. Peter's eyes widened as Mary Jane in front of him gave out a terrified scream and staggered back against the wall. As Peter ran over to her, the man in the Green Goblin costume stared at them.

"Geez, talk about easily frightened." He muttered.

Peter grabbed Mary Jane's shoulders as she began to hyperventilate.

"Oh God, MJ." Peter said, as her breathing became ragged. "MJ, it's okay. I'm here."

Mary Jane looked at Peter in confusion as people filed past them and gave them odd stares. Peter suddenly winced as Mary Jane threw herself around his body and held him with an iron grip.

"Oh God, the Goblin is coming back." She rambled. "He's coming back and we're gonna die here under this bridge and those kids too!"

"MJ! You're not under the bridge. That wasn't the real Goblin. You're safe, MJ!" Peter said softly, trying to get her calmed down as he felt people snicker behind him.

"Oh God, Peter and I are gonna die here and I never got the chance to tell him I love him!"

Peter drew a sharp breath. She knew? He looked around to make sure no one had heard her, but by that time the rest of the group they had been with had gone down the hallway and the man had retreated back into the bedroom, apparently not wanting to hang around and witness a hysterical female.

"MJ! Wake up!" Peter said as he gave her a light slap on the cheek.

The slap jolted her out of her hysteria and she blinked a moment in confusion. Then, she suddenly remembered what she had said.

"I'm sorry, Peter. The guy in the Goblin costume, it just triggered that memory of that night on the bridge. I'm sorry I lost control of my emotions. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

She stared at Peter who was completely silent.

"I..uh...guess you're wondering about the last thing I said too." She said softly. "How long I've known?"

Peter opened his mouth to deny that he was Spider-Man, to tell Mary Jane that in her hysterics she had seen the costume and confused him with Spider-Man, But, all that came out was...

"Yes."

He blinked in surprise. He hadn't meant to say that. But, a part of him was telling him he had. Mary Jane seemed shocked for a moment that he had not denied it. Then, a smile spread over her face.

"Finally, I get the truth from you." She said.

She noticed Peter's chin move under the mask.

"You are admitting it, aren't you?" she whispered. "You aren't opening your mouth right now to tell me I'm imagining things?"

"No," Peter said softly. "I can tell it wouldn't do any good anyway."

Mary Jane nodded.

"I really am sorry, Tiger. It's just that it's not been that long since it happened and I still have flashbacks and nightmares from it. I guess the guy in the Goblin costume jumping out just was too much for me."

Peter nodded.

"I understand, MJ. I still get nightmares too." He said.

He looked back at the bedroom door.

"Listen, we better get moving before someone comes and finds us." He said. "There may be a time limit in here."

He put his hand around Mary Jane's shoulders and they began to walk down the hallway. As they walked, they talked to one another in hushed voices ignoring the rest of the people in costumes who were jumping out at them.

"So...how long have you known, really?" Peter whispered.

"Well, I guess I kinda suspected it since the funeral when you kissed me. It was the same feeling I got from the kiss in the alley, but, it was when I listened to the answering maching message that you left for me that I realized you were Spider-Man."

Peter looked at her.

"You figured it out just from the message?" Peter said, trying to replay exactly what he had said in his mind.

"Well, yeah, the bit about not going up any dark alleys. That was the first clue. But, when the Goblin picked up the phone, the tape kept playing and I heard the whole conversation between you and him."

Peter nodded. He hadn't thought about the Goblin not shutting off the machine when he was talking to him.

"I didn't really know it was you then, under the bridge. I guess I just said your name because I've been thinking about you being Spider-Man ever since I heard the message and it just automatically came out."

They headed downstairs and followed the arrows. Again, people in different costumes jumped out and yelled at them, but they were so caught up in their conversation, they barely acknowledged any of them. Finally, they reached another set of stairs and headed down to a pitch black room. They stood in the blackness trying to get their bearings. "Okay, where's the exit?" Peter muttered.

He started to reach out with his spider sense to try to locate where it was when he suddenly felt it kick in. Just then, he heard a chainsaw start up. He blinked as the room was flooded with lights and two men dressed up as Leatherface and Jason ran around them waving chainsaws at them.

"Wow, really terrifying." Peter said, dryly.

He noticed the exit on the other side of the room. As he and Mary Jane walked to it, the man dressed as Jason jumped in front of them. Blocking the exit, he waved the chainsaw around in front of their faces. Peter and Mary Jane stood calmly and stared at him.

"Okay, buddy. We've seen enough. Could we go now?" Peter said, impatiently.

Suddenly, he jerked his head around as Leatherface lay his chainsaw directly on Peter's arm. The chainsaw had no chain around it, so all it did was cause the spot where he had laid it to feel hot from the friction, but it annoyed Peter. He looked Leatherface in the eyes.

"Get that off of my costume, now!" he said, angrily.

Leatherface stepped back.

"Come on Joe. They aren't gonna get scared. Let em go." He said to the man dressed as Jason.

Grumbling, Joe stepped back from the exit.

"Thank you." Peter and Mary Jane said in unison.

Peter pulled on his Spider-Man mask as they walked out a door and up some steps to ground level.

"Hey look, Bob. There's Spider-Man."

Peter and Mary Jane sighed as they noticed Bob and his friend were now over by the barn.

Bob laughed.

"What took ya so long, Spidey? Did you get scared and wet your tights?" he called out.

"Peter, we don't have to go to the dance if you don't want to." Mary Jane said.

Peter shook his head.

"No, MJ. I'm not gonna turn and run like I did in high school. We paid our admission and we have just as much right to be at this dance as anyone else." He said. "As long as I'm with you, I can ignore them."

Mary Jane smiled.

"And here's something to help you." She said.

She kissed Peter on the cheek as Bob and his friend gave them wolf whistles and "Oooooooo's". Then they turned and walked towards the barn, ignoring them both as they snickered and taunted them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The rest of the evening, they avoided Bob and his friend as much as they could, although, it wasn't easy as they kept trying to get close and listen in to their conversation. They tried to ignore them as they pointed and whistled.

"Except for those two jerks, I'm really enjoying this evening." Peter whispered.

"So am I, Tiger."

"I'm not sure if I really should do this, though. I would rather have you a friend, MJ. I don't want you getting too close and getting hurt if someone figures out you are my girl."

Mary Jane sighed.

"Peter, I thought maybe that was why you were being so cold to me. I appreciate it, Pete. I really do. But, I want to be with you. I know that you are always going to be there for me when it counts, Peter. God knows, you've saved me enough times to convince me of that."

"But, what if one time I'm not there, MJ. What if one time I miss."

Mary Jane shrugged.

"Then, I die, I guess."

She noticed the pain in Peter's eyes and kissed his lips tenderly.

"Tiger, I'm not immortal. I'm gonna die someday just like you are. I know you want to protect me and keep me from all harm, but you know, if it's my time, there's nothing you can do to stop it. Wouldn't you prefer just having me by your side for as long as I'm here on earth rather than spend your whole life trying to protect me by pushing me away and denying your feelings and regretting that you never got to love me after I died?"

Peter swallowed a lump in his throat.

"I never thought of it that way, MJ. I guess you're right. I'd rather love you and take the risk than spend my life depressed because I'm too scared of the future.""

Mary Jane stroked his hair.

"Good Answer, Tiger." She said.

She and Peter kissed deeply. Suddenly, Peter felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see Bob and his friend leering at them.

"So, Spidey, are you like a black widow? Are you gonna mate and kill your little girlfriend?" he said.

Peter fought to control himself. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed both men had Styrofoam cups filled with apple cider. As Bob and his friend were laughing, Peter quickly raised his arm and with precision accuracy, shot a thin circle of webbing around each of the cup's rims. He winked at Mary Jane who was stifling a giggle.

"Come on, MJ. Let's go." Peter said, trying to keep his voice from breaking with laughter.

As he and Mary Jane walked away, Bob nudged his friend.

"I guess Spidey couldn't take a joke." He said.

They raised the cups to their lips and took a huge sip of apple cider. As they tried to lower them, their eyes widened as they found the cup sticking to their face. They looked at each other, panicked as they fought to get them off. As Peter walked away, he nudged Mary Jane.

"I guess they couldn't take a joke either." He said with a grin. "That's okay though, in the hour it'll take for that webbing to dissolve, maybe they'll learn a lesson from all of this."

"Yeah, never piss off Spider-Man." Mary Jane said.

Mary Jane and Peter laughed loudly, as they walked towards the car.

End