Hello (Once Upon A Time/Marvel Fanfic)

31. Jemma

I knew that I was comfortable around Peter when I was wearing pajamas, no bra, with hair and teeth unbrushed, and I did not feel self-conscious at all. Beatrix and I were finishing the more than perfect breakfast that Bonnie made us before Peter waltzed into the house without even knocking.

"May and Tony are no longer a going concern," he announced solemnly.

"Why are you so sad about this?" I chuckled.

"I'm not. Well, I'm a little sad because May's sad, but she'll get over it while I'm gone," Peter sighed. "I came to say goodbye. My flight leaves in three hours."

I was stunned. "I- uh- Peter? You didn't say that you were leaving so soon."

"I know, I'm sorry. Bea, can I steal her for a minute?" he asked. Beatrix nodded, and Peter pulled me over to the couch. I sat in his lap, laying my head on his chest. The steady beating of his heart was soothing, but it hurt knowing I wouldn't be with him for who knew how long.

"I'm gonna miss you," I finally said after a moment of silence.

"I'm gonna miss you, too. I'll try to call everyday, but with the mission..."

"Yeah, I get it. Be safe, okay?"

"I promise. Now come here," he said, wrapping his arms around my waist. His muscles flexed from holding me too tightly.

"You should stop being strong because I can't breathe," I gasped.

Laughing, Peter loosened his grip a bit, but he still hugged me for as long as he could. Unfortunately, he did have to leave. He kissed me goodbye, then went over to Beatrix.

"You know, Thor's my quote/unquote chaperone for this mission. You might wanna talk to your mom while we're gone," Peter said.

"Thanks, Petey," Beatrix joked.

"No one has called me that since I was three, Beezy" Peter laughed.

"Oh, its on Spider Boy."

They play fought for a moment before hugging. Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones, but Beatrix wiped a few tears from her eyes.

"Bye, Peter."

"Goodbye."

~.~.~

I knew I should not have been worried. Every ounce of logic in my head told me that Peter was fully capable of protecting himself, and Thor was with him just in case. Steve told me he was fine. Tasha assured me that he was fine. Beatrix even promised me that not only was he fine, but he was gonna kick the bad guy's ass. Yet my heart grew anxious. Worry dissolved into my mind. My brain said to hell with logic and evicted it. I watched as it got on the train to Kansas.

However, I refused to let the worry take over. I never moped around in my jammies. In many ways, the worry fueled me the same way spite fueled Beatrix. Everyday, I made sure that I looked my best, worked ten times harder to convince Steve to check Time's Square for Lilith, and constantly took pictures. It would help me remember the amazing times I had while Peter was being a superhero.

Then one day I got a surprise.

A little white envelope with a little black box sat on the white desk in the corner of my room. My laptop had apparently vanished into thin air, but the gesture was nice. I opened the letter. Two tickets to She Loves Me and two more tickets to Hamilton. I smiled before opening the box. It was a necklace. Specifically, a heart shaped locket with a four leaf clover on it. It wasn't the one that I lost, but it was nearly identical. Teary eyed, I opened the locket to find a picture of Beatrix with seventeen chins and crazy eyes.

"I wanted to give this to you for Christmas, but I kept forgetting it," she chuckled.

I turned around to find Beatrix leaning in the doorway. Her baby bump was quite visible, especially in the grey sweater she wore that day.

"Beatrix," I smiled. I ran over to her and gave her a hug. She was tiny enough that her face got buried in my lack of boobs.

"Can't breathe," she joked.

"Beatrix, I love this all. Its amazing. The necklace, the tickets. Did you sell your kidneys to get those Hamilton tickets?" I joked.

"No, but She Loves Me is for tonight. You can take whoever you want. Probably Henry-"

"No. You're coming with me," I decided without a doubt.

"But I don't have anything nice to wear," she protested. "And I have to pee like every five minutes."

"Don't even try to pull that with me. You and I know full well that Bonnie literally has a dress in every shape and size imaginable," I sassed.

"Fine."

I was right. I simply asked Bonnie if she had something, and she quickly went home, bringing back this skater type, maternity dress. It was black with pastel flowers.

"Alright, I'll wear it," Bea reluctantly sighed, "but only because its cute."

We went to my room. She changed, and I held up two outfits. One striped crop top/peach skirt combo and one slim navy blue dress.

"Which one?"

"The skirt and your heels with the bows that I like. Zip me up?"

I did, then I changed.

"Jemma, will you do my hair? Just know that I haven't brushed it in about a week because I don't care."

I laughed, "Sure."

Beatrix's hair was fine enough that it took a while to brush it. You could see her milk chocolate roots clashing with the rest of her black hair as I twisted her hair into a Dutch crown braid.

"Thanks, Jemma, I love it."

"I love you, too."