Always In My Mind

Je te laisserai des mots- Patrick Watson

----

Blood and tears sting Peters eyes as he looks at MJ. He has to do this. It's their only hope. Slowly, Peter and MJ rest their foreheads against one another.

"Promise me. Promise you'll look for me. Tell me everything," MJ sniffles, her eyes welling up with unshed tears. "Of course MJ, I promise." Nodding quickly, Peter smiles shakily.

This is the first time MJ has actually let Peter see her. The real her. Without her guards. Her walls slowly falling down the closer they got. But, the closer they got, the more dangerous it had become for her and Ned. Peter couldn't let them go through that again. "I'm so sorry Ned, MJ. I didn't realize this would happen-"

"Shut up dude. No one cares about the danger. We're worried about you. You better come find us because you still owe me that $20 and if you don't give that back I will kick your ass." Ned smacks his shoulder gently laughing wetly. No one corrects him on the fact that he wouldn't even remember his best friend. 

"I won't forget about you, even when you forget about me. That's a promise," Peter tells them quietly.

"Peter hurry, the spell's almost complete!" Dr Strange calls, panic lacing his tone slightly. 

"I was hoping this part wouldn't come, I'm not too great at goodbyes." Peters voice quivers at the end.

"This isn't goodbye, remember? You'll come back to us, you promised." MJ tells his tears freely falling now that their time has come to an end.

Peter hugs them both tightly, afraid to let go. Kissing MJ on her forehead, he steps back with a shaky breath.

He turns around quickly and shoots out a web, which attaches to the closest building. He soars through the sky, refusing to look back.

If he did, he would have to turn back and he couldn't. 

----

Gasping, Peter bolts upright on his dingy mattress. This dream has haunted him for the week he had spent alone. 

Today is the day Peter has been waiting for; explaning what happened to Ned and MJ. He's been working up the courage for days on end, practicing his script he has perfected in his lonely time. Jumping out of bed, Peter rushes to the bathroom, stripping himself of his clothes and turning on the shower. Stepping in, he hisses at the cold water rushing out. He hasn't had a lot of money to keep the hot water going so this is all he has. Washing himself quickly but thoroughly, he dries off and wears his best shirt and trousers.

Stepping out the door, Peter hesitates. Should he be doing this? Was this best for MJ and Ne-

No.

He promised them he would do this. 

Determindley, Peter marches to the coffee shop MJ works at, he knew that she was working today, she always used to tell him when she was working.

As the small shop gets closer, Peter starts to go over what he's going to say.

"I know this is gonna sound weird but I used to know you..."

He reaches the door.

Breathing deeply, he pulls the door open. 

There stands MJ. With her dark curly hair pulled into a bun, and her customer service smile plastered on as the bell rang on the door. Peter stares owlishly at her.

"... Anything i can help with?" She stares at him, eyes devoid of any sign that she remembers him.

"Yeah. Could you.." Peter trails of as he sees a large bandaid on her forehead.

Seeing his glance, her hand travels towards the bandaid. Touching it, she winces a little, before quickly gaining that polite smile.

"Don't worry, it doesn't hurt anymore," She states. "So, what would you like?"

Peter falls short. That was his fault. He couldn't let her get hurt anymore. 

"Just a black coffee, no sugar please." He smiles, less convincing then before.

Raising her eyebrow she nods, getting to work on the drink. 

Behind him, the bell jingles again. 

"Hey Ned, I'll be with you in a sec." Nodding slightly, Ned takes a seat close to the counter. 

MJ and Ned quickly start chatting. Laughing over somethimg random.

Peter can't do this. This was a bad idea.

Before he leaves, he quickly leaves $20 dollars on the counter.

Breathing heavily, Peter slips out of the door silently. 

Peter walks quickly away from the shop. Why did he think that was a good idea. They deserve better than him, Goddami-

He collides with something heavy. 

Peter quickly reaches out, stopping the other person from falling.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going. Are you OK?" Peter speaks guiltily.

The other man laughs, his red glasses tinkling in the sunlight as is head tilts back ever so slightly. Wow, this man is breathtaking. 

"I'm fine, I think i dropped my cane though. Would you be able to pick it up for me?" He says while waving his hand apologetically, his deep honey like voice making peter go weak at the knees.

"Of Course, I'm so sorry." Peter says again.

Looking on the ground, a blood red cane lies next to Peters feet. 

Grabbing it, he gently guides the mysteriously handsome man's hand onto the cane. Surprise flashes on his face before it's replaced with a soft smile. 

Thanking him the man quickly feels over the can, making sure it's not damaged.

"I'm so sorry again. If your cane is damaged in any way I can give you money to replace it or fix it." Peter says earnestly.

"Don't worry about it, it feels perfectly fine. But thank you for the offer. My name's Matt Murdock and yours is..?"

"Peter. Parker. I'm Peter Parker." It feels weird saying his name outloud, it doesn't feel like his own.

Smiling, Matt quickly holds out his hand, which Peter gladly shakes.

"It was lovely to meet you Peter, but sadly I have to go. Hopefully we bump into each other again." Matt waves in farewell as Peter laughs quietly while shaking his head.

Matt Murdock. His old lawyer, what a surprise.