Family Tree ~ An El Hopper and Peter Parker Story

Chapter 5

"So, this van you saw, it's not just a regular van? You're absolutely sure?" Mike asked his girlfriend.

El Hopper nodded in response. "Yes. I'm positive. I know the lab like the back of my hand and everything about it. It was one of their vans and the bad people are trying to find me again," she answered. "And since my dad is out of town, we can't tell him because I'm not allowed to use my phone to call him unless it's emergencies."

Mike gave her a look of protest. "But this is an emergency, El!" He pleaded. "The bad men could find you at any second and Hopper won't be there to help you! I can't believe I'm siding with the adult here, but we have to tell him."

The telekinetic shook her head at her boyfriend. "He's already stressed out enough that he has to protect me," she responded. "Not to mention the fact that he's getting me a brother or sister to hang out with me while he's away and for extra protection. I want to protect myself and I'm able to do that without anyone's help. I want to solve this without any annoying adults, just you."

Mike sighed at what she said, understanding what she was talking about. He couldn't help but worry for her ever since she disappeared in 1983, saving him and their friends. Looking back on what had happened, he wished that he could've done something to spare them both the pain of being apart. El deserved a normal life more than anyone else did, but the only way how she was going to get that was if the bad men weren't after her. Mike wouldn't let her leave him again, not after everything they had been through.

El could sense what he was feeling, so she put a hand on top of his and gave him a small smile. "I know you're scared, but I promise you that I can handle myself," she reassured him. "Friends don't lie, especially boyfriends and girlfriends."

Her words relieved Mike a bit, so he smiled back at her. "I'm sorry. I know you can handle yourself and I have to realize that. It's just my overprotective boyfriend side coming out and I can't help it. But I believe that you can protect yourself. I really do."

El leaned in and gave him a kiss on the lips, smiling into the kiss. Mike kissed her back, smiling and squeezing her hands. The two pulled away after what felt like a lifetime, blushing and chuckling at each other.

"You know I'm not staying with Max while my dad is away, right?" El brought up, looking up at Mike.

Mike chuckled at her and grinned. "Let me guess, you're staying with me for a bit?" He asked rhetorically. "You're welcome to stay as long as you want."

El smiled at him. "Thanks Mike," She said before pecking his cheek. "Should we tell the others about the van or just keep it between us unless it gets more suspicious?"

Mike shrugged in response. "I think they deserve to know because we are all in this together no matter what. But it's up to you," he replied.

The girl sighed and nodded her head. "We'll tell them," she said. "But not Will. Not after what he did."

"El, you know I'm mad at him too, but he deserves to know just as much as Lucas, Dustin, and Max do," Mike said. "He was a part of this before we even were and I'm sure he'd want to help, even though I think he knows how pissed you are at him."

"I'm not telling him a thing," El said, firmly. "I can't trust him after what he did. He was like a brother to me and then he goes and kiss my boyfriend!"

El couldn't help but be angry at Will because of what he did. He had no right to kiss Mike, even if he did like him more than a friend. She and Mike were in a committed relationship, and from what she saw on TV and what she was told from others, it wasn't right for someone to kiss another who's in a relationship. Just thinking about what Will did make her angrier than she already was at him.

Mike gave her a reassuring look and put one hand on her cheek. "I know you're upset. I respect your wishes, so we won't tell Will. I promise," he told her.

"Thanks Mike," El replied with a smile.

...

"Wait what?! What do you mean you might move?!"

MJ's question caused for Peter Parker to sob even more than he already was. He couldn't leave everyone and everything behind because he needed a place to stay. Spider-Man needed to protect the city, and he couldn't do that if Peter wasn't even living there anymore. Ned and MJ would be the only two in their friend group left and the Decathlon Team would be losing him again. He couldn't leave now.

As Peter kept on crying, MJ pulled him into a hug and Ned put his hand on his shoulder. "I can't leave you guys..." Peter sobbed. "I can't leave Queens or Spider-Man behind. I just can't..."

"Pete, we're so sorry," Ned said sympathetically. "I would let you stay at my place, but my mom already said no when I heard about May."

"I would let you stay with me as well if my parents were assholes," MJ added, patting Peter's back. "Maybe this change could be for the good, though? I mean, Queens is shitty."

Ned nodded in agreement. "I agree, this city is full of shit," he added in. "It would be a whole new place and you can start over there. Nothing there to remind you of... well you know. All that stuff."

Peter looked up at them, upset and releasing himself from MJ's arms. "Remind me of that stuff?! I'm reminded everyday about what I've been through! My parents, Uncle Ben, Mr. Stark, Aunt May, and even me dying! You don't know how I feel and you don't know if this will be any better! If anything, I'll feel even more guilty about myself!" He yelled.

"I get that you're upset, but sometimes change can help you, Peter!" MJ said. "You've been through shit, but that's what happens when you become a superhero, loser!"

"I didn't choose the spider life," Peter muttered. "The spider life chose me."

Ned raised an eyebrow at his best friend. "Memes? Really?" He commented.

Peter gave him a look. "Don't judge me. It's how I'm coping," he said.

MJ rolled her eyes at the boys, not understanding why memes had to come into the conversation. "What I'm trying to say is that all superheroes go through shit, but some good change can happen and make things better. I mean, you came into Tony's life and that made his better," she said.

"I ended up getting him killed because I died..." Peter said, looking down at the floor in shame.

"Loser. It's the giant purple grape's fault!" MJ said, starting to sound annoyed. "I'm actually curious on how Thanos died. Did Ant-Man shrink down, go up his anus, and enlarge himself? That would've been epic."

Peter shook his head, although he was giggling at the idea. "No. A new Avenger named Captain Marvel used the stones to reverse the snap and Nebula used the infinity gauntlet to blow up Thanos," he said. "That's what I was told by Black Widow, anyway."

Ned grinned at the thought of what had happened with Thanos. "That sounds like something out of a comic book and I love it," he said.

The bell rang, signaling for everyone to go to class. Ned said goodbye to Peter and MJ and walked off to his class while Peter and MJ walked together to their next class. MJ looked towards the boy and took his hand with a small smile on her face. Peter gave her a grateful smile as they continued down the hallway, hand in hand.

For the rest of the day, Peter didn't focus during class or do his work. He kept on thinking about Aunt May and the fact that he may have to move away. There would be nothing he could do to stop it do to laws, but he wished that there was something he could do. It hurt to think that he would be leaving the only home he ever knew. 

Besides, Peter had homework.