Behind the Mask

Chase looked so different hunched over the laptop with a determined line creasing his forehead. I made Peter initiate this little meeting of ours, and he stood near Chase while he waited for some answers. I just seated myself at the other end of the small table, arms folded and face flat.

"You said there were two that night, right?" Chase asked in his interrogating tone of voice.

"Yes." I answered for the seventh time. "But I have no idea what they looked like. I can't remember anything."

"Only one of them came after me," Peter added. "I didn't see both."

"Do you remember what he looked like?" Chase asked over his shoulder.

Peter thought to himself. "He had a rose tattooed on his neck."

Chase nodded. "There's a group of them that has been seen on several occasions...one of them is identified as John Reynolds." He pointed to the screen. "Rose tattooed under his ear."

Peter leaned down to see the screen. "Yeah, that's him."

"Let me see," My curiosity got the best of me. I stood beside Peter, and he held me by the small of my back. 

"These are the others," Chase clicked on a link and a series of mug shots and security footage popped up.

All of the men looked exactly the same to me : dark clothes, hidden facial features. "It could be any of them."

"Or none." Peter admitted. "Just because Reynolds is part of a group doesn't mean his partner is too."

"But it's likely." Chase countered. "He would probably choose someone he knows to act as an accomplice."

"He could have also chosen someone that no one would suspect." 

Chase eyed Peter, smelling a new competition. "You think so?"

Peter nodded. "These guys are experienced. They won't do anything predictable."

"But there's a clear pattern here. Reynolds probably didn't realize we were on to it."

"Or he used it as a distraction to keep you from finding out the real pattern."

Chase rose from his chair. "I'm sorry, are you a cop?"

Peter held his ground. "No, of course not. I've just dealt with most of these guys first hand, and they aren't as predictable as you think."

"It doesn't matter." I didn't feel like hearing Chase whine. "Even if we found the other guy, it wouldn't make a difference. There are too many of them. To take them all down, we need to find the leader."

"She's right." Chase agreed immediately, smiling at me. "Always a step ahead."

"But where do we start? It could be anyone, maybe someone we aren't expecting." Peter scratched the side of his neck. "Someone completely off the radar."

"I don't know, Parker. You're supposed to know that kind of stuff." Chase was whining despite my efforts.

"Chase, please." I chided. "I'm tired. We have two days until the toy drive, and I'm sure they won't plan anything since Spiderman isn't showing."

Both Chase and Peter started to comment on my statement, and stared at each other at the coincidence. "Either way you'll be safe with me, babe." Chase finished.

Peter slightly took offense to Chase's pet name for me. "I don't think you should risk it."

"I can't bail on Daniel. He's flustered enough as it is." I couldn't run out on such short notice, anyway.

"Right, and I'll hang around all day and make sure those creeps don't get near you." Chase touched his thumb to my chin.

"I guess it's your choice." Peter said quietly. I tried not to look so nervous but his jaw was set and I could tell he knew I secretly agreed with him. I didn't want to leave his side. There was strength in numbers...even though our number was only two.

I started helping Chase pack his things. "Thank you for coming."

"Anytime." There was that heart-breaker smile. Too bad it didn't work on me anymore. Chase bid Peter a quick goodbye before he left the apartment.

Peter stared at me worriedly.

"I have to go on Saturday." I said.

"You don't have to do anything."

I released my hair from the bun it was twisted into. "Even if they did show up, it would look strange if we both were missing. They need to see we aren't hiding."

"So then you stay, and I'll go. I can take pictures for you."

"You already told Daniel you'd be out of town."

"I can make something up."

"You mean lie again?" I pressed my palm to my forehead, feeling a headache drumming inside. 

"I'm sorry." Peter almost kissed my headache away. "We don't have to talk about it now."

"Good." I sighed, finding comfort in the warmth of his chest. A yawn escaped before I could catch it.

"Somebody's sleepy." He yawned as well.

"Carry me," I ordered, waiting for him to scoop me up and take me to his bed. I had already thrown on some sweat pants and a tank top before Chase arrived, prepared to pass out as soon as he was gone.

"You should carry me more often." I said with half-lid eyes as he placed me in the bed like a baby.

"That can be arranged." He kissed me again in the delicate and tender way that made me smile afterwards. "Goodnight, my love."

I would have rolled my eyes at his cheesy line but I was half asleep already. "Goodnight."

. . . . . . . .

The first time I woke up, I didn't need to reach across the mattress to know Peter was still there beside me.

His arm was wrapped securely around my middle, pulling me close into his chest. I rubbed my hand over his and he sighed in his sleep, tickling my skin with his breath.

After another minute his phone started to ring. I wondered if he was awake to answer it. "Hey," I rubbed his hand again.

He groaned, digging his nose into the back of my neck and pulling me even closer to him. I smiled to myself. When it stopped ringing, I fell back to sleep.

The second time I opened my eyes, the bed was empty. I could smell a fresh brew of coffee in the kitchen and felt rested enough to roll right out of bed.

"Good morning, Spidey." I swung around the corner on the wall and froze when I noticed the woman on the sofa. 

She was an older woman, her hair more white than gray. She smiled politely and looked for Peter to explain.

Peter turned from the coffee pot and widened his eyes as if he had forgotten I was sleeping there. "Oh, good morning."

I rubbed my nose with my hand. "Um, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were expecting someone."

"It's okay, I didn't tell you." He poured some coffee into a mug and gave it to the woman. "This is my Aunt May."

She brightened with the introduction. "Thank you, Peter. What's your name, dear?"

"Olivia." I played with the ends of my hair nervously, then realized I was being rude. I reached for her hand, and she tugged me down on the sofa beside her. 

"Nice to meet you." She still smiled. "Don't mind me, I was just looking for a chance to spend time with my nephew. He's been so busy lately."

Peter grunted from in the kitchen.

"I live in the building, but I slept here last night. Obviously." I looked down at my sweatpants and tanktop and guessed a trace of mascara was smudged under my eyes.

I saw Peter tilt his head a bit. Maybe I shouldn't have said so much.

"I see," She murmured, still being polite. "I recognize you from that award-winning photo Peter showed me the other day."

"The only reason I won was because of you." Peter added as he came to join us.

I waved them both off. "Just a lucky shot, I guess."

"No, you're very photogenic." Aunt May tapped my knee with her delicate fingers. "I can only wonder why Peter didn't mention you before." She eyed him as she spoke.

Peter shrugged. "I have to stay humble, Aunt May." He winked at me when she wasn't looking.

After she visited for a while longer, Aunt May tucked her scarf around her neck and insisted on allowing us to get on with our day. I felt guilty for making her feel like she couldn't stay longer.

"She's so sweet." I said after she was gone. "You didn't tell her about me?"

"You didn't tell your family about me." He retorted.

"Well yeah, because they don't exactly know..." I bit my lip. "They don't exactly know I'm not with Chase anymore."

Peter didn't react at all.

"It's not like I can just tell them I changed boyfriends overnight."

"But isn't that how it happened?"

I hesitated. "No,"

"No?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"Why are we talking about this?" I whined. "We have more important things to worry about."

"Like Chase?" 

I squinted my eyes and looked over Peter closely. He wasn't trying to pick a fight, and he wasn't angry. He didn't show any emotion, actually. I guessed that he was testing me, or painfully teasing me.

"Like you and me." I decided, kissing his cheek as he smiled. I would have to deal with Chase some other time.