Power to Protect, Power to Destroy

Next chapter of my crossover, enjoy.

Reviews:

Wolfgirl2013: Thanks :)
Boris Yeltsin: Thanks, and yes indeed, still, it is pretty fun to write him :)

Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Spider-Man or its characters.

Chapter 4

Will let out a soft sigh of relief. He was back in his street clothes, schoolbag slung over his shoulder and walking through the front door of his family residence, as if he hadn't been web swinging the whole way. He smiled lightly as he noted his mother in the kitchen. Joyce Byers was of medium height, shoulder length brown hair, not yet beginning to grey, brown eyes and fair skin. She looked over as he approached and smiled widely.

"Ah Will, good, you're home." She said happily. "Dinner will be a little while yet."

Will nodded. "That's fine mom, I can go shower and maybe get a start on my homework."

Joyce nodded and Will went to do just that, reflecting on his family in the process.

It had only been his mother and himself for a couple of years now, ever since his older brother Jonathan had got his own place and moved in with his now fiancée, Nancy Wheeler. Of course thinking about that immediately got Will to thinking about Mike.

'I...I saved him, I never thought I would ever get to...I just wish he knew it was me.' Will reflected before catching himself. 'No, no that's not right. He can't know, nobody can know. Not Mike, not the Party, not mom...if the wrong person figured it out, they'd be in danger.'

He sighed sadly, letting the water from the shower cascade over his head. His mind went to something else regarding Mike.

Namely, his crush on the curly haired boy whom he had known for so many years, a crush that started when they were just barely old enough to know such things and had grown since then.

'I should...I wish I could tell him, but, no. He can't feel the same way, he's probably not even into boys.' Will told himself firmly. 'You'd just be opening yourself to hurt, to see him disgusted with you.'

He tried to drag his thoughts back to his family, but that didn't help his mood. Getting out the shower, dried and changed he ruefully noted his only other family member was his father, Lonnie Byers. Not that Will ever called him father, or dad or any term of paternal affection since, after one too many arguments with Joyce, Lonnie had walked out on the family when Will was ten. Truthfully that suited Will just fine and he couldn't care less where his father was now or what he was up to. Finally dried and dressed Will decided it would be best to distract himself from these gloomy thoughts by simply doing his homework until dinner. There was also the following day to look forward to, with the class field trip to the Oscorp Labs.

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Arriving home at last Mike turned and waved to Nancy before she drove away to her and Jonathan's apartment. With a heavy sigh, he then entered his home.

"Michael, welcome home."

He put on his best smile upon seeing his mother.

"Hi mom."

Karen stepped up to her son before noticing. "Michael, what is that, what happened?" She asked frantically.

Mike realised right away what she was talking about. The man who had grabbed him had been wearing a ring, which had cut his lip slightly.

"It's, it's nothing mom, really, I'm fine." He insisted, but seeing her expression he knew he had no choice but to elaborate. "Some guys tried to jump me, but..."

Karen looked horrified but then confused by Mike's smile.

"But then Spider-Man saved me." Mike finished explaining.

Karen gasped at that, but looked relieved.

"How convenient that he just happened to be there, huh." Came the voice from the chair in front of the TV.

Mike shot a glare at his father Ted, who as usual, didn't seem the least bit perturbed that his only son had been attacked, on his way to the job Ted had insisted he get. Not only that but Mike knew his father believed all those lies Jonah told about Spider-Man too. Not that they'd ever had a great relationship but it had become even worse since Nancy moved out.

Especially since Mike had sided with Nancy over both the moving out and her getting engaged to Jonathan. It seemed that along with Will being friends with Mike, that was one of the few things Ted reacted to and negatively at that., as if he had some aversion to the Byers. Ted had practically destroyed his relationship with his eldest daughter and now the one he had with Mike was dangerously frayed. Knowing it would infuriate his father more, being treated as an afterthought and not in any way important, Mike turned back to his mother, who now looked quietly dismayed.

"So, more importantly, where's Holly?"

He got the reaction he wanted, Ted glowered and grumbled, but Karen was already answering before he could say anything.

"Oh she's having a sleepover at a friend's house." She explained. "Oh and dinner will be ready soon."

Mike nodded and headed to his room. He reflected sadly on the mess that defined his home life. He knew he just had to tough it out a few more years then he could be free, move out like Nancy had, although he felt ashamed thinking that, knowing he'd be leaving his mother and Holly behind.

With a tired sigh he sat down at his desk and turned his mind instead to the one bright spot. The Oscorp field trip for the following day.

End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.