Chapter 6 – Stop!

12/18/2020

"I can't believe it!" Ned said. Voice full of excitement but face devoid of any actual emotion. Peter's live was soooo much more exciting than his pathetic, nerdy, one. Silently he was jealous, wanting to be more than that.

"I'm going to be a big brother!" Peter practically squealed his voice clear thanks to the new phone Tony had bought the two of them. Ned smiled, he was really thankful for his friends almost father.

"That's really good, Peter" Ned said forcing excitement into his voice as he often did. Mentally he wished everything would just stop, to let him process the new life that he was been thrusted in to. 5 years. A new reality, a new world.

"Thanks, oh I got to go, we're going out for a family dinner to celebrate" peter exclaimed suddenly saying a quick by before hanging up. Ned flopped down onto his bed thoughts running through his head. How did Peter get so lucky? How did he end up with this? Tears filled his eyes as he thought of his father sick with Covid-19 at the hospital. Ned had been dying-impatiently-waiting to tell his friend, and to have a shoulder to lean on, but it wasn't a good time.

"Ned!" It was his mother calling him to the kitchen. Reluctantly Ned got up trudging to the kitchen. His mother was frazzled hair falling down onto her shoulders, frizzy and uncontrolled.

"Yeah mom?" Ned asked leaning his shoulder on the door frame. Her eyes were red and puffy with tears.

"I'm going to visit your dad, will you be all right by yourself?" She asked. Ned longed to go, to be able to be there for his dad, incase this was one of the last times he'd ever see him, but he also knew that only one family member was allowed, and there was no way he'd get to be that one.

"Of course mom, tell dad hi, and that I love him" Ned said forcing a smile. Everything felt so forced, nothing was natural not like before Covid, before the blip, before the world came crashing down, before his best friend turned out to be the Spiderman.

"Ok, honey" She said hurrying to over to plant a sloppy kiss on his head before hurrying out the door. Ned watched her leave, waiting for her to get into her car and drive away before sliding to the floor bringing his knees up to his chest and resting his head on them. Everything seemed to be falling apart, he just wanted it to stop.

New feelings flooded him them. The feeling of everything stopping, coming to halt. Christmas flew out of his head in an instant. His father could die. Even though his mom tried to hide it, he could hear the worried phone calls to relatives, the condition of Mr. Leeds was deteriorating and there was nothing anyone could do. Suddenly the idea of stopping felt like a break.

He took a deep breath. He wasn't seriously thinking about- no. Maybe he just needed to take a walk. Ned grabbed his snowman mask and heavy coat arms wrapped around his torso before braving the cold air. Immediately the coldness bit into his cheeks. It was almost refreshing in a way. Even after 5 years the weather in New York City hadn't changed.

Out of no where arms grabbed him covering his mouth and dragging him into an alleyway before Ned could fully process what was happening. The only sound he made were sounds of refusal, begging to be let free. It immediately ceased when he heard a gun click. It was pointed at his head.

"Hands up!" The criminal commanded. Slowly Ned raised his arms, before considering this. Maybe this was his calling, his escape, his way to stop. NO! What would his mother think? Losing two people in one fell swoop. Besides he couldn't do this. Not when the most wonderful time of the year was right around the corner.

"Ok" Ned said quietly. Arms still raised, eyes locked on the gun. Then something happened the gun went off, but he didn't feel pain, didn't feel anything really because when he opened his eyes, which he had subconsciously closed he saw Peter laying beside him hands reached towards his calf where blood poured out. The criminals eyes grew behind his mask and made his quick escape.

"Peter?" Ned asked shaking his friend close to unconscious. The boy wasn't in his spiderman suit, and from around the corner Tony and Pepper came running. "I don't-" Tears were pouring from Ned's eyes now, "He was-"

Comforting arms ran circles across his back. "It's ok" Pepper Potts soothed eyes full of concern for the teen in front of her. Ned blushed sad to be acting like this in in front of the Stark Industries CEO.

"I'm sorry" Ned sniffled, and despite his regret for this he clung to the feeling of someone caring. Of for once feeling the relief of being held, and maybe later he could feel sad, and angry, and jealous but for now he let himself be cared for.

"There's no need to apologize sweety" Pepper's motherly voice piped in, full of love. "It wasn't your fault."

With Tony gone, having called the ironman suit to him and carrying Peter to the medbay Pepper and Ned filed into the black sedan. In the back Ned sat leaning away from the strawberry blonde lady whose eyes were also wet.

"Are you okay?" He asked timidly hand grabbing hers. She glanced at it hesitantly and then gracefully.

"Yeah, you seem tense Ned. Peter's been worried about you," She admitted voice low despite Happy being the only other person in the car.

"He has?" Confusion swept Ned up in a blanket of wonder, that spiderman was worried about him personally, and a feeling of something other than loneliness. That maybe all this time he could have talked to Peter. After all, when had not. Peter had always been there for him. His mind drifted back to the day they first met.

It was the first day of high school. Peter was a transfer, and Ned was 'fatso.' When the other boy arrived scrawny and nerdy Flash was immediately intrigued with another boy to tease. Unexpectedly at lunch when Flash went up to Ned to torment him, Peter was in front of Ned.

"Stop" The new kid said determined a clear look in his eyes. One full of protectiveness and purity.

"What are you doing, Parker" Flash said crossing his arms, pronouncing the last name with distain. Peter copied the movement.

"Stopping a dick like you" Peter said knowing full well that it wouldn't work out, yet doing it anyway, and maybe this was when Ned knew he'd made a friend, because it was that day the thoughts of doubt, and self consciousness left his mind.

"Ned, honey?" It was Pepper, she was tapping him on the shoulder, his eyes met hers, "Are you okay?"

"I'm great" He said giving her a smile, and for the first time the thoughts stopped, but the world kept turning as it should, and the smile, he realized, wasn't forced, because Peter taught him that he had people. He had family, and friends. Even when bad things happen you just need to fix yourself up because every action has an opposite or equal reaction, and bad things get better.