Chapter 5: Justice
Peter hadn't said a word in the drive to the hospital and neither had his Uncle Ben, they both sat there in silence not saying a word to each other. But Peter knew this wouldn't last forever and as soon as he pulled up to the hospital he turned to look at Peter.
"You got lucky Peter, Miss Jones agreed to testify that Flash assaulted Gwen in the girl's bathroom, so his family agreed not to press charges as long as they didn't" Uncle Ben stated.
Peter felt a bit of relief and quite a lot of gratitude towards Jessica, She didn't need to back him up but she did it anyway 'I'll need to thank her somehow' he thought to himself.
"I'm disappointed in you Peter" Uncle Ben said as he looked towards his nephew.
"I know things haven't always been easy and that you're in a time in your life where things are constantly changing, but hurting that boy as badly as you did, that's not how I and your Aunt May raised you," He said with a stern look on his face.
"He hurt Gwen! And he would've gotten away with it, they would've swept it under the rug like they always do!" Peter shouted
"And so you decided to take this matter into your own hands?" His uncle asked.
"Damn right! I won't let Flash get away with it anymore, this is justice!" Peter replied.
"Justice? That boy's injuries weren't the result of justice Peter, that was vengeance" his uncle said.
"I know you have a good heart, Peter, You have the best traits of your parents, but you have to understand the difference between the two" Uncle Ben said as he put his hand on Peter's shoulder.
"These are the years that will shape you from the boy you are to the man you're going to be for the rest of your life, I want you to think about who you want to be" He continued.
"What is this about? You think I'm going to turn into a criminal?" Peter asks incredulously.
"No no no, Peter this is about responsibility, now That boy you hurt will probably never play football again he'll he will probably never be able to hold a pen in that arm, now I want you to think to yourself whether you should use whatever gifts you have in such a way" Uncle Ben stated as he leaned closer.
"Great power comes great-"
"Look, Uncle Ben! I don't need you to lecture me, now thanks for the ride but I'm gonna go see Gwen" Peter said as he opened the door to the car before slamming it, leaving Uncle Ben there who sighed and put his head on the steering wheel.
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Peter walked through the hospital corridors looking for Gwen's room, he was pissed off that his uncle wouldn't take his side in this, wouldn't he do the same if it happened to Aunt May? He shook thoughts of that away and focused on finding her room.
"204," he said to himself as he approached the door the nurse directed him to. He opened it and was greeted with the sight of Gwen who was in the hospital bed along with George and Helen Stacy, her parents.
Peter felt relief rush through his body and found himself unconsciously walking towards Gwen and wrapping her in his arms "I'm so glad you're okay" he whispered to her, She hugged him back just as tightly, though he was careful not to crush her with his superhuman grip. He heard Mr Stacy clear his throat and he quickly untangled himself from Gwen's grasp "It's good to see you Mr and Mrs Stacy" Peter said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head.
"It's so good to see you too Peter, It's been so long since you came over, please do come over soon," Mrs Stacy said with a smile as she gave Peter a quick hug.
"Thanks, Mrs Stacy I'll be sure to make some time, just been pretty busy the last few months," Peter said with a smile.
"You're lucky Peter, I got a call from Flash Thompson's parents while I was at work, they wanted me to put you in jail by the end of the day," Mr Stacy said making Peter wince slightly.
"Peter Benjamin Parker! You didn't" Gwen said from next to him with an angry look on her face.
Peter smiled nervously as he rubbed the back of his head again "I-I just got mad when I heard he'd assaulted you"
"You idiot! You could've gotten expelled!" She said as she slapped his arm after each word.
"I only got a two-week suspension," Peter said though it was clearly the wrong thing to say as she slapped him even harder.
Mrs. Stacy looked on at the two of them with a smile "Come on hun let's go get some coffee and a drink for the kids" she said as she hooked her arm in her husband and led him out of the room.
Gwen stopped slapping Peter laying back down on the bed from her seated position "Thank you for teaching him a lesson... but don't do it again, If it means you get in trouble I'd rather we do things the right way" Gwen said as she looked at Peter with slightly teary eyes.
Peter got closer to the bed pulling a seat next to it and sitting down "Flash deserved everything he got, I won't let him hurt us anymore, me you or Ned"
"You have to be careful Pete, With your abilities you have to be more responsible, there are consequences to your actions," Gwen said with a distraught look on her face.
Peter chuckled "You sound just like my uncle"
"And maybe he is right, you have these powers for a reason Pete and it isn't for beating up assholes like Flash" Gwen replied.
Peter sighed "Let's not talk about it, I'm just glad you're okay, You have no idea how worried I was about you," he said as he held her hand
She smiled and nodded he head "I'm okay Pete, just a nasty fall, it isn't enough to put me down," she said as she flexed her skinny arms making Peter laugh.
Peter leaned closer and pecked her on the lips "I'm glad, can't lose my first girlfriend a day after getting her"
Gwen snorted "Don't try to kill me off yet Parker, I'll be sticking around for a while" she said as she booped him on the nose.
"I wonder where Ned is? I would've thought he'd be here by now" Peter said as he looked at his watch, visiting hours were nearly over and he still hadn't come.
"Oh he came earlier, probably while you were still meeting the principal, but had to leave quickly as he forgot to tape the season finale of some show he watches" Gwen explained.
Peter nodded his head in understanding "How long do you think you'll be in here" Peter asked
Gwen shrugged "They said in a few days I can leave as long as my condition doesn't change"
"Guess that means I'll be able to visit you quite a bit with all this free time I have," Peter said with a smirk as he leaned in closer.
"Oh and maybe I shouldn't let you as punishment for getting into trouble," Gwen said with a teasing smile.
Peter leaned in for another kiss but quickly moved back as he heard footsteps approaching the door. Mr. and Mrs Stacy walked back in with coffee and some juice for Gwen "Peter I'm sure Gwen appreciates the visit but I think you should head back home, visiting hours are nearly over and we'd like some time with our daughter" Mr Stacy said and Peter stood up nodding his head.
"No problem Mr Stacy, Gwen I'll see you tomorrow," he said as he smiled at Gwen.
"I'll see you later Pete," she said with a soft smile.
"Please make sure to come over soon Peter" Mrs Stacy said as he headed outside of the room.
Peter felt his heart clench at the thought of leaving Gwen but knew that she needed some time alone with her parents, plus he could always see her tomorrow.
As Peter walked out of the hospital he breathed hot air onto his hands, The sun had set early and it was a cold night, Peter brought his phone out and texted Uncle Ben that he didn't need to be picked up and that he'd make his way home on his own.
Putting his hands in his pockets he walked down the steps of the hospital and down the streets of Queens. He turns into an alley and turns his head checking it empty before crouching and jumping launching himself up into the air, he pushes himself off the side of the wall launching himself higher and over the edge of the building flipping onto the roof 'That will never not be cool' he thought to himself as he started running across the building sliding under a vent and back flipping off the building onto another one.
However, as he's free running across the buildings making his way back to his house he hears a scream come from a nearby alley breaking his concentration, he nearly trips and falls off a building but manages to balance himself by making his feet stick to the edge. He looks down below and sees that a couple of guys are cornering a girl 'MJ?' He would recognise her anywhere, though what she was doing around these parts so late when she lived next door to him was anyone's guess.
Mary Jane was panicking, she was being followed by a guy she didn't know while she was on her way home from the hospital and so she turned into an alleyway in hopes of losing them but it seemed she walked right into their trap "Damn... I haven't seen a girl so hot in years, They sure do make em differently nowadays right Bink?"
"For damn sure Cal, not even my sidepiece has a body like that and she damn near twice her age" Bink said as he licked his lips.
"P-Please leave me alone, I promise I won't say anything if you stop now," MJ said as she backed up from them however she ended up hitting a wall and couldn't move any further.
Cal looked at MJ with lust in his eyes, he adjusted his crouch as he smiled viciously at her "You assumin' that you'll be able to say anythin' after we done with you"
MJ starts to tremble in fear, and her eyes start to water as she can't control the tears flowing down her face, She knows what they have in store for her and she's terrified by it "P-Please" she whispered weakly not knowing what else to do but beg, they had her cornered and she wasn't fast enough to escape them, especially the one called Bink as he was around 6,4ft of pure muscle.
"You know she seems awfully young for you don't you think? I mean you're practically a few years away from retirement" Both men turned to see a slender figure who had suddenly appeared behind them. He wore a coat and jeans with something that looked like a t-shirt covering his face.
"Fuck off kid, unless you want Cal here to take a piece out of you" Bink said dismissively as he turned back to his prey.
"I guess it could be because you have a tiny dick, would make sense why you'd want a smaller girl, I bet most normal women don't even know you're there" Peter said with a mocking laugh.
MJ saw Bink's face turn from neutral to enraged in only a matter of seconds, he turned around and marched straight towards Peter, he threw his large meaty fist intent on smashing the arrogant brat.
Peter while initially nervous at confronting the two men relaxed when he saw how slow his fist was travelling, he moved his head slightly and the fist travelled straight past him and collided with the wall, With his enhanced hearing Peter heard the bones of his knuckles crack and break "Ouch! I hope you have insurance for that, though I hear there aren't many health benefits to being a thug" Peter mocked with amusement in his eyes.
Bink growled and held his hand in pain it took a lot of will to not scream out when his hand broke against the wall but he managed it "I'm going to beat you to a bloody pulp and let Cal fuck your broken body" he growled out.
"Woah starting to think I should've just let you punch me," Peter said as he jumped over Bink flipping over him and avoiding a punch from his other hand. Bink turns around trying to launch a backwards fist at him but Peter holds his arm out and catches it, he then spins around throwing Bink at the wall so hard that it cracks the brick. Bink sputters and then falls unconscious on the floor.
Cal just saw a man over half a foot shorter and 100 pounds lighter just casually toss Bink who was the toughest guy he knew against the wall, needless to say, it made him nervous and he quickly took out his knife and grabbed MJ who screamed at his touch "You better stay the Fuck back! I'll cut this bitch!" He shouted at Peter who turned to face him narrowing his eyes.
'Shit' Peter thought to himself, he hadn't been paying attention to the other guy, he had a knife close to MJ's throat "No need for that pal" Peter said as he started walking backwards until he was against the opposite wall.
"What are you doing? Stop moving!" Cal said in a panic as his heart was beating incredibly fast.
Peter reached behind him and pushed against the wall applying enough pressure to crack the wall, he grabbed a small piece of the wall and held it in his hand. "Now I'm gonna tell you what's gonna happen! You'll sit there and watch as I have my way with this fine piece of ass, you move at all and I'll give her a nice red smile" Cal said with vicious laughter, Peter just looked at him with disgust.
MJ trembled with fear completely unable to move as she could only focus on the large knife pressed against her throat.
Peter closed one eye and held up his arm before flicking the rock with as much strength as he could, it was risky but not as risky as trying to disarm him while he had MJ held hostage. The rock rocketed toward the man and hit his shoulder full force which had the effect of moving his arm away from MJ's neck and by extension the knife, Peter pushed himself from the wall and dashed forward before Cal could even react Peter was already there and grabbed the arm with the knife crushing his wrist. Cal screamed out in pain "Time to go night night" Peter said before grabbing his head and knocking it against the wall, he fell to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.
Peter crouched down and searched the man just in case he had something else dangerous on him like a gun or another knife, he didn't want to drop the ball like that again. However what he finds is a large wad of cash, he pauses 'I shouldn't take this... but it could help out at home' Peter thinks to himself, he thinks of Aunt May and Uncle Ben and how it might make things easier if they had some extra money 'I could just pass it off as a job' he thinks to himself before pocketing the money.
He stands up and sees that MJ is still frozen in fear and not really with it, he walks to her carefully putting his arm on her shoulder "NO! NO! Get off me! Leave me alone!" She starts to freak out as soon as he touches her, she shakes and flails her arms trying to get away.
"MJ calm down!" Peter shouts as he holds her shoulders steady, however, she still doesn't calm down and tries to fight him having completely lost it.
Peter pulls his t-shirt off his face and holds her face so she makes eye contact with him "MJ Calm down it's me! You're safe now" he said to her in a calm voice.
MJ finally stopped freaking out though she was still breathing heavily, she finally saw who was standing in front of her "Peter?"
Peter smiled at her "Yeah it's me" he said as he let go of her face.
"H-How did you... I mean when-" MJ didn't know what to say, she'd just seen her old friend appear and beat two men nearly twice his size easily.
"Maybe we should save the questions for later, how about I walk you home? We are going the same way anyway" he asked to which she nodded her head enthusiastically, She didn't want to walk home alone at the moment.
Peter quickly unzipped his jacket and revealed his naked chest, MJ involuntarily gulped as she saw the taut muscles that framed his body, she didn't remember him ever being so fit. Peter quickly put his t-shirt and jacket back on before leading MJ out of the Alley. He quickly called the police before they left and told them the address, he asked MJ if she wanted to stay and give a statement but she declined, she just wanted to go home and forget this ordeal. Though she did kick them in the balls quite aggressively, even Peter winced at the force she used.
They both walked in relative silence though MJ felt a lot better with his presence and walked closer than she would if it were someone else "So how come you're out so late?" Peter asked breaking the silence.
MJ who was lost in her own thoughts looked up "I was at the hospital visiting Flash..." Peter winced slightly at her words.
Another awkward silence fell over them Peter knew that Flash and MJ dated on and off so she'd probably be pretty pissed at what he did to Flash "I was pretty shocked when I saw your fight with Flash, I thought maybe you'd gone crazy or something"
"But then I heard that he'd hurt Gwen and sent her to the hospital, so I came here to break up with him, he was always a bit of an asshole but I never expected him to hurt Gwen," MJ said morosely as she fidgeted with her hands and looked at her feet.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is... he deserved it," She said, Peter looked at her in shock which MJ found amusing.
"I know we haven't been all that close these past few years but I used to be just as close with Gwen as you were, he crossed the line when he hurt her" She explained.
Peter let out a sigh of relief, While he wasn't too worried about what she thought of him, he didn't want her spreading rumours of his abilities though he could explain the strength as just being an application of judo "Thats a relief, to be honest I never understood why you went out with Flash in the first place"
MJ sighed "It's complicated, truth be told we don't actually go out, I needed money and he offered to pay me if he could tell people we were dating"
Peter raised an eyebrow at her "Kinda makes sense now why you never reacted when he fawned over other girls, what do you need money that desperately for anyway?"
"Complicated, but it doesn't matter at this point I called the deal off and told him where to stick it," MJ said making Peter chuckle.
"Listen Peter... thanks for tonight, I don't even want to think about what might of happened if you hadn't shown," MJ said sincerely as they stopped outside of her house. Peter wasn't really focused though as he could hear what sounded like a bottle being thrown inside the house as well as shouting.
"Peter?"
Peter looks back at MJ "I'm glad you're okay MJ, but if you could do me a favour and keep this on the down low, I don't think I need more attention after the flash incident"
MJ nodded her head rapidly "Of course whatever you want" she said with a smile.
They both stood there for a while longer each having things to say that remained unsaid for a long time but eventually MJ broke the silence by moving forward and going on her toes before kissing Peter on the lips "Goodnight" she said with a small smile and then quickly walks back into her house.
Peter stands there in a small daze 'Shit Gwen is gonna kill me' he thought to himself before heading back into his own house just next door. He jumped up to the second floor before opening his window and sneaking into his room. He sits down at his desk thinking about what happened that night 'I nearly screwed up tonight, I need something that'll give me a longer reach...' he thought to himself as he rapidly went through different ideas in his head.
His eyes light up and he grabs his notebook before writing various formulas on it.
'Only suitable for a spider to have webs'
(AN: Damn it's been a while since I've updated this one, tbh I might do it a bit more often now that we are getting to the more interesting bits, I tell ya I love writing but it sure is tiring, especially when ya work 4-5 days a week. However I will endeavour to keep updating my works as often as I can, but be patient since most of my works are 5000+ words a chapter)
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