Your Legacy ~ An El Hopper and Peter Parker Story (2)

Chapter 22

Peter teared up, not wanting Tony to go a second time. But it was for the best of the world. Tony had to die in order to set things right again. He took off his mask, letting his mentor see his face one last time. Tony and Peter smiled at each other, happy to have some time together before the inevitable.

"Come here, kid," Tony said, giving his Spider-Kid a big hug. Peter gratefully hugged him back, enjoying the moment while it lasted.

That was when Tony whispered something in Peter's ear. "You don't need to live up to my legacy to be a hero. You're doing fine as is."

Peter smiled at those words, feeling much better.

"What's going on?" Everyone heard nearby. Billy was waking up, shaking his head in confusion. "Where am I?"

"Billy!" Max shouted with a sigh of relief.

All of a sudden, something stabbed Billy in the back. Max screamed in fright as blood soaked through Billy's shirt. Venom had stabbed him with a pipe that was left on the ground. Billy collapsed to the ground, bleeding to his ultimate demise.

A laugh could be heard, El turning at the familiar laugh. Brenner had woken up as well, smirking. Lucas had his wrist rocket to his face, but the man didn't seem fazed by it. El walked over to him, tears coming into her eyes.

"You did this," She seethed, angry at what had just happened.

"A small sacrifice for the greater good," Brenner simply said.

El shook her head as she glared at him. Blood started to pour out of Brenner's eyes as she squished his brain very slowly. After a few moments of constant bleeding, Brenner's head fell back, dead. For the first time in her life, El felt nothing but relief to know that her demon was now dead.

She looked back at everyone else and wiped away her nosebleed. "Let's get out of here," she said.

"W-What about Billy?" Max asked, crying at the sight of her dead stepbrother.

El gave her friend an apologetic look as she put a hand on her shoulder. "We'll have to leave the body behind," she said. "We already have to carry my father down from the roof. We can't carry Billy as well. I'm so sorry."

Max took a deep breath and nodded. "I understand," she said, El helping her stand.

El looked over at Peter and MJ. "You two have super strength," she said. "Carry my dad down, please."

Peter and MJ nodded as they picked up Hopper, swinging Hopper down. Mike then walked up to Tony, handing him the detonator. Then he, Josh, Max, Lucas, Ned, Felicia, and Betty climbed down the fire escape ladder. El looked back at Tony, who had walked over to the machine.

"You did a good job, El," Tony said to her. "Peter is lucky to have you."

El smiled at him. "Thank you, Iron Man," she replied. Then she climbed down the ladder, following her friends up another ladder to a nearby rooftop.

Once they were up there, the explosion went off. The machine was destroyed, as were Brenner's body, Billy's body, the symbiote, and Tony Stark. Everyone watched sadly, but also relieved that it was all over. The universe was back to normal.

But at what cost?

"I didn't have a choice in this," someone said behind them. Everyone turned to see Flint Marko standing behind them.

Peter stepped forward, a glare on his face. "We always have a choice," he shot back. "You had a choice when you decided to kill my uncle."

Flint looked down, seemingly haunted by what Peter had said. "Ben Parker, right?" He asked, remembering what Peter had yelled at him in their last encounter. "Before I met Brenner, I was looking for money. That was because... because of my daughter."

Peter softened at the mention of a daughter. "What happened to her?" He asked.

"She's sick," Flint said. "She's dying from her illness. I needed the money to help her. I decided to rob the money from the wrestling place, knowing there would be a lot of money. My partner went in to get it while I had to get a getaway car. The first one I saw had your uncle in it. I walked up to his car and told him that I needed it. But... he wasn't angry or trying to fight back. Instead, he just told me... 'Why don't you just put the gun down and go home?' I realize now that he was only trying to help me."

Peter's eyes welled up at that. He remembered the fight he had with Ben before his death. Ben was only trying to help him there as well. He looked down, feeling ashamed of himself for the fight. He had started it. He made Ben feel awful and then he had run away, leading to Ben to come search for him. But Peter had gone to that wrestling competition for money. After his money was refused, the man that he had believed to be his uncle's killer for so long had run in. Peter had let him go. When he left the place, he saw his uncle dying in the street, right next to his car.

It wasn't Dennis Carradine's fault. It wasn't Flint Marko's fault.

It was Peter's.

"But then my partner had run out with the cash, yelling at me," Flint continued. "That was when the gunshot went off. I tried to help him while my partner abandoned me there. I did a terrible thing to you, and I spent so many nights wishing that I could take it back."

Peter looked up at him, tears streaming down his face. "I've done terrible things too," he told him. "I... I tried to kill you for revenge. I never should've done that."

"I would've done the same if I were in your position," Flint reassured him. "I can tell that you blame yourself. You shouldn't. It was me. I was the one who pulled the trigger."

Peter pressed his lips together, looking away. Flint looked out at where the explosion had gone off. "I never chose to be this," he said. "Brenner offered me money to work for him. He took away my humanity by giving me these powers and hunt you down. I don't want to be that anymore. The only thing left in me now... is my daughter."

Peter looked back at Flint, giving him a small smile. "I forgive you," he told him.

Flint stood there for a few moments in surprise, but then nodded at him. Peter watched as he faded away into sand, flying off into the sky.

Tears continued to fall as Peter choked back a sob. El pulled him in for a hug, MJ joining in as well. After a few moments, everyone else joined in on the hug. No one knew how long they sat on the roof, crying and comforting one another. They mourned for their losses, but were grateful for who had survived.

Just then, everyone heard a cough sound. El immediately recognized it and looked up. Hopper was sitting up, coughing and trying to focus. El gasped and smiled when she saw her father. She ran over to him, giving him a huge hug.

"Hi, Dad," El said as she sobbed into Hopper's shoulder.

"Hey, El," Hopper whispered to her, holding his daughter tight. "I'm so proud of you."

"I missed you so much," El told him, squeezing him. "I thought... I thought you were dead."

"I'm here now," Hopper reassured her. "And I am never leaving you again."

Everyone smiled at the sight, happy that El was able to get her father back. Hopper opened his eyes, seeing them all there. "Okay, you kids can join in," he said. "Even though I have never met a couple of you before.

The party all laughed and joined in on the hug, feeling happy.