InsaneJournal

Who: MJ, Peter, Dr. Strange
What: MJ arrives
When: afternoon
Rating/Warnings: Green/spoilers for Far From Home


One moment, MJ was standing on a busy New York street, staring in shock at a large screen playing a video that outed her boyfriend as Spiderman and accused him of being some kind of terrorist. The next, she was… standing on a busy New York street. A different busy New York street and there was no video playing about Peter. If it hadn’t been for the slight dizzy feeling and the fact that she was looking at a completely different building, MJ wouldn’t have even realized that something weird happened.

She could handle weird. Especially if it didn’t involve killer drones.

Her immediate instinct was to find Peter. If there was something Avengers level weird going on, he would be her best source of information. She didn’t need his protection or anything since she was perfectly capable of protecting herself. But the media and the government would try to cover up whatever it was and she wanted the truth.

So MJ started walking towards Peter’s apartment, pulling out her phone to text him as she did.

*

Thanks to the spell net, Dr. Strange knew there was a new arrival and he showed up in an instant, a portal opening off to one side so he could walk alongside, keeping in step with MJ. He was wearing his cape and dressed in his usual attire that Christine would likely dub yoga circus cult escapee. Masters of the Mystic Arts weren't known for fashion sense.

They met once before, about a year ago. Strange actually found the acerbic teenager to be as dry and sarcastic as he was when he was younger. But as it was with all returnees, each case was different and a first time. He reminded himself of that, as he spoke to her.

"Hello, MJ. I'm Doctor Stephen Strange," he said while keeping his voice low. "I'm a friend of Peter's. He's...loaned me some comics." Dr. Strange ahemed, because that was the ultimate in geekiness. "I believe you've just had an experience that you can't explain. I'm here to help you with the transference process into a new universe."

*

MJ looked at the man, studying his cape silently for a long moment. There was no way this guy was a friend of Peter’s. Especially not one that would borrow comics from him. His name was vaguely familiar, though she couldn’t place where she’d heard it before.

“Right,” she said, her tone dry as always. “I’m assuming you’re actually associated with the Avengers and work with Spiderman.” At least she hoped that was the case and he wasn’t a bad guy like Mysterio. There didn’t appear to be any handy maces lying around. “I’m sure you won’t mind if I confirm that with Peter though.”

*

"Yes, I do. I work closely with Tony Stark," he replied without hesitation. He could understand the wariness when someone dressed like him popped up and talked about universal transference. There was also no telling what happened in that other universe. Anything was possible. "I don't believe his number has changed from what you last knew it to be. Once you confirm it with a call or text, I'll open a portal outside his apartment door."

He looked thoughtful for a second. Then he grumbled under his breath in the way most belatedly remember they have an overdue library book, "I need to return those comics, actually."

*

“Portals, huh?” MJ said, trying not to let it show how interested she was in that. It would ruin the whole disaffected vibe she usually portrayed.

She still didn’t believe he actually borrowed comics from Peter, but that didn’t matter as much right now. She shot him a quick text that said Dr. Strange - good guy or do I need to find a mace? and waited for a response.

*

In the Parker apartment, Peter had to blink a few times to make sure he was reading the text right. It was from MJ’s number, but it wasn’t exactly the kind of message he expected from the MJ in this universe.

???, Peter quickly sent back. Good guy! Definitely a good guy. Don’t hit him with a mace. Where are you??

*

MJ looked up from her phone when she got Peter’s response. “Okay, Peter vouched for you. Do your portal thing.” She waited expectantly for him to get her to Peter’s apartment so she could make sure he was okay and find out what this whole thing was all about.

*

"Great." Dr. Strange was still wearing his sling ring, so he stopped walking and held that hand out, making a circular motion until a circle of embers turned into a portal big enough for them to walk through, side by side. On the other side of that portal was a hallway, the likes of which could be found in many apartment buildings in Queens.

He stepped through first and waited by the Parkers' apartment door, as a way to show MJ that it was safe.

"Oh, before he opens the door and starts talking...." He opened two much smaller portals, reaching in to grab a very plain dark blue gift bag, and two comic books in protective plastic sleeves. Those portal quickly closed as he slipped the comics into the bag, and Dr. Strange held it out for when she walked through.

"This is your Welcome to the Universe starter kit," he explained. "The one before looked...too festive.". So much so, that other SHIELD agent he took to Fury seemed like he might pass it off to a kid at some random birthday party. That would have been bad.

*

The comment about Peter talking actually made MJ crack something resembling a smile as she quickly tapped out a response to his text. Outside your door, nerd. Open up.

“Uh, thanks,” she said, taking the package and eyeing it with some suspicion. What could possibly necessitate her needing a welcome package? This was going to be interesting. Somehow, she was going to blame it on Peter. “So… is my place here? Or where am I supposed to live?”

Maybe those questions were answered in the bag, but she figured it was important enough to ask.

*

These were questions the doctor was there to answer. So before the door opened, he closed the larger portal and began to do just that.

"Everything here should be a nearly exact copy," Strange told her. "The only difference, is any parent or guardian won't realize they're in an alternate unvierse. So yes, you still have a home to go to. But if you try talking to anyone else who hasn't been 'awakened' to this fact, they might take it as evidence of mental instability and react accordingly. It's safe to talk about with people on the network. Stark's supplied everyone with laptops and phones for that purpose."

He nodded down at the gift bag, to indicate the contents.

"I can be reached on the network," he finished. "If you have further questions, my address is on the business card and the pamphlet. I don't want to interrupt your reunion with Peter, so I'll excuse myself unless either of you have further questions."

No doubt, it would be a lot of questions. He might end up taking them out for pizza. Which didn't sound bad actually...but he was already feeding Wong, who was a massive freeloader.

*

Peter was already pulling on his shoes and planning to stumble out the door to find MJ - wherever she was - when his phone dinged with another text. The mace comment, the mention of Dr. Strange…he was trying not to place too much hope that she remembered everything, but when he opened the door all of his restraint went out the window.

“Hey,” Peter said, and he couldn’t stop himself from throwing his arms around MJ in a hug. If this wasn’t the MJ from the last boatload of memories received, he’d have a lot of explaining to do. That was a risk he was willing to take. “You okay? Everything okay?”

He pulled back a little, his focus scaling back to notice that Strange was there, too. “Oh. Hey sir! Good to see you.” Peter looked between them, his attention catching on the gift bag he’d been given once before months ago. “...Is the multiverse acting up again?”

*

"Good to see you, Peter. Even if our corner of the Multiverse is becoming more active." Dr. Strange smirked in a way that was almost painful looking. "New arrivals are incoming, but every bit of help or support is welcome."

He looked at the two teens and didn't like feeling like one of those chaperones that might be mistaken for someone's dad. He would be the worst father in every known universe, so it was best not to go there. The internal cringing at that thought was rising.

"Comics are in the bag, thanks for loaning them to me." He pointed to the end of the hallway. "I'm going to go back to the Sanctum. Let me know if there's anything you need. MJ, it was a pleasure meeting you again."

One corner of the cape raised up to twiddle in a waving motion, before he smacked it down and turned to depart. He would find a safe place to portal out, that wouldn't raise a fuss with Peter's neighbors.

*

“That guy is weird,” MJ said, watching as he walked away. She didn’t make any effort to modulate her voice and didn’t particularly care if he heard her. He had to know he was weird, right?

Once he was out of sight, she turned back to Peter and hugged him again. “I’m fine. I mean, I think. Are you okay? Did that stupid video get played here?” She was more worried about his safety than the fact that she’d apparently hopped to a new dimension somehow.

*

Peter waved to the cape before Strange turned the corner. He’d have to thank the sorcerer later, but for now he let MJ fully into the apartment and shut the door, hugging her tightly right back.

“No, no, that didn’t happen here,” he assured her. “I’m okay - and this is going to sound crazy, but the school trip, Beck, being unmasked…” And the London Bridge and other things that would make his face turn pink if he thought about it too long - “I only had dreams about all that, I didn’t fully live it. If that makes sense? I’m kind of the Peter you knew, but not completely, and-”

He stopped himself before he rambled on even more. “Hey, do you want some water or anything? Food? I can explain everything. It’s a lot to take in.”

*

MJ pulled back and looked him over with a critical eye. “If you’re not really the Peter I know, how do I know I can trust you not to poison something before I consume it?” The delivery was deadpan, though she was mostly kidding.

Only mostly.

“Yeah, something to drink would be good,” she said. “And maybe we can sit down?” Standing near the doorway wasn’t the most comfortable place to have a conversation.

*

“Maybe there’s an alternate universe where I’m evil.” It seemed statistically possible, anyway. “But it isn’t this one, I promise.”

Peter led her to the kitchen table, pulling out a chair so she could sit. “May’s gonna be back in an hour or so for dinner - do you…maybe want to eat with us? She doesn’t know about any of this - and neither does Ned.” It’d been hard to hold this back from his family, from his friends. As much as he wanted MJ safe from the dangers this other dimension tended to bring, he was so relieved he could be honest with her now.

“So the last thing you remember-” He set down two glasses of iced tea, sitting next to MJ. “-was right after Beck’s video played? Was there anything past that?”

*
Even a dedicated conspiracy theorist like MJ couldn’t imagine a universe where Peter Parker was evil. It might be statistically possible, but it seemed highly unlikely. Peter radiated goodness.

She followed him to the kitchen and sat down, deciding not to comment on the whole ‘pulling out a chair’ thing. If it was anyone else, that would annoy her. Peter was the exception to a lot of her rules though. “Yeah, if May doesn’t mind, that sounds good,” she said. “Ned doesn’t know?” That had to be hard for Peter.

“No, nothing after Beck’s video. You just dropped me off.”

*

“I almost told him a few times by accident,” Peter admitted, because it was Ned. It was impossible to keep anything from him. “…And you definitely knew something was up. Other-you, I mean.” Knowing MJ, she’d probably already had some theories on the right track, but she was here. Really, actually here. He didn’t have to hide anything anymore.

It was probably for the best that neither of them knew what happened after Beck’s video dropped, because he couldn’t imagine it was anything good.

“If anything like that happens in this place, I’ve got a lot more backup? Mr. Stark and I are trying to think of a backup plan in case-” And speaking of Tony, that was another thing that would be news to MJ. “Oh, he’s - he’s alive and okay. The rest of the Avengers are too.”

*

“You mean like how I knew you were Spider Man before you told me?” MJ teased. She couldn’t help that she was both observant and well educated regarding crimes and conspiracies. At least she knew that Peter would probably never be able to get away with keeping secrets from her.

Hearing that Stark was alive was surprising, though she supposed it made an odd sort of sense given that this was an alternate universe. “Do I get to meet them?” she asked.

*

“Kinda. Kinda like that,” Peter said sheepishly. MJ’s ability to see through bullshit was one of the many reasons why he liked her so much. “So that hasn’t changed. ...And how I feel about you? Um, that’s the same too?”

Admitting as much had him blushing up to his ears. The Avengers. Right. He could focus enough to answer that.

“Yeah, yeah, for sure. You should definitely meet Wanda. Her cookies are the best. And Thor’s all tall and awesome - and Ms. Romanoff’s super cool too. You’d like her.” He gestured to the welcome bag on the table. “There’s a network that’s only for people like us? Everyone says the server can’t be hacked by the government, but...” They could probably come up with a million conspiracy theories there.

*

MJ couldn’t help but smile at the blushing. It was adorable and definitely part of Peter’s charm. She leaned over and pressed a quick kiss against his cheek. “I read all the SHIELD files that were released a couple of years ago,” she said. Reading those was part of how she’d gotten so interested in conspiracy theories in the first place. “She sounds awesome.”

And Thor was hot, though she knew better than to say that to Peter.

“Cool,” she said, reaching to take the welcome bag. “So, were we dating? Or is May going to be confused by me being here?”

*

“We weren't…yet?” If Peter thought his face couldn’t get any redder, it burned when MJ kissed his cheek - but in a good way. A really, really good way. “I had this whole plan to ask you too. I was going to-” He stopped himself, figuring that’d be best kept a secret for now. “-Maybe I could show you instead? Sometime?”

While it wasn't the smoothest proposition, the dream memories had taught him MJ didn’t mind some awkwardness.

“We'll think of something to tell my aunt.” Or May would already know everything just by taking a single look at Peter, which happened way too often. "And I'll catch you up on all of this Twilight Zone-y universe stuff before she gets back. It's a long story…”