Power to Protect, Power to Destroy

Chapter 24 of my crossover story, enjoy.

Reviews:

Boris Yeltsin: Yes indeed and thank, yeah, things are still tricky, and only going to get worse.
Wolfgirl2013: Thanks and yeah, I see :)

Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Stranger Things, Spider-Man or their characters.

Chapter 24

What Mike had not expected when he got home was to almost immediately be called through into the living room.

"Mike, get in here!"

He stopped, startled. "Dad?"

He cautiously entered the living room to find his father not lounging about in his usual chair, instead standing, looking furious.

"Dad, what's…?"

His heart clench and he froze as Ted held out something that Mike recognized, his journal, the one that Troy had found. It now all made a horrible amount of sense. Troy had used the journal to out him to his dad, fully knowing his dad's views on such things.

"I cannot believe this, my own son, being such a disgusting, obscene-!" Ted thundered.

"Ted-!" Karen tried to cut in.

Ted cut her off however. "It's alright Karen, I'm dealing with this. I am not going to let any son of mine disgrace this family by being something so disgusting."

Mike could feel the tears pricking his eyes, but he kept himself firm. "Dad, this isn't, that's not-!"

"So you don't even deny it!?" Ted growled.

"No, I don't." Mike said, making his decision.

It did not lead to what he expected however.

"Get out!"

"Wh-what?" Mike gasped.

Karen was horrified. "Ted…"

But Ted was not listening or caring, he simply grabbed Mike roughly and dragged him right out the house and threw him to the ground.

"I said get out!" He roared. "I won't have your kind polluting my home!"

The last thing Mike heard before the door slammed shut was the dismayed wail of Holly and that broke him, his own tears fell at that and then the heavens opened and the rain fell hard.

XXXXX

Mike breathed heavily as he walked, trying to blink his vision clear, tears streamed down his face, hidden by the rain that fell in sheets, soaking him through but he didn't care. He was lost, just walking and unable to even focus properly.

'This, this can't be happening, I...Dad just, what…?' His mind raced in horror.

But it was unavoidable, it was all there, the proof of what happened. His upper arm throbbed from where Ted had grabbed him, he was out on the street, thrown out of his own home by his own father, trapped in a rain storm and all due to his crush, worst of all, because of who his crush was on, another male.

That was enough to send his mind racing even more. 'This is, I know dad was ranting about those work colleagues of his, but I had no idea he was so...how could he do this to me, where am I, where am I supposed to go now?'

He was desperate, dismayed and stopped to wipe his eyes and look around, trying to find any sign of anything to help him in his situation. That was when he recognized his current location and briefly allowed himself to feel some hope.

'This is near...I could go to Nancy, her and Jonathan's apartment is near here…' He thought, but then hesitated. 'Would I...I'd have to tell her why, that would lead her to learn about, about what happened to me and...Could I do that to her?'

He bit his lip, but the rain was leaving him almost alone, only a handful of people were out and about and they all had protection from the rain, while he didn't. So he began to walk to the apartment.

However upon arriving at the apartment block where his sister lived, Mike stopped and knew right away that he wasn't going to go any further. Looking up he could see that only one apartment had its lights on, Nancy and Jonathan's and he could see them hugging in view of the window, something about how they looked gave him pause and he bit his lip.

'They're...they've got something planned, some sort of, romantic meal or moment or...I can't interrupt that.'

So, feeling dejected, he turned away and walked down the street once more. He was stuck once more trudging through the soaking rain, looking for somewhere to stay the night before figuring out what to do the following day. All the while the whole scene at his home played again and again in his mind, deepening his dismay and feelings of betrayal and loss.

"Mike."

He started and turned to see he had actually been walking past the F.E.A.S.T. Shelter. Joyce Byers stood there, under an umbrella, hurrying over to him.

"M-Ms. Byers, I…" He stammered.

Soon Joyce was right next to him, holding the umbrella over him too, finally ending his drenching.

"Karen called and told me. I was just about to go out and start driving around looking for you." Joyce told him.

Mike was startled by that. "Mom did…?"

Joyce nodded. "Yes, c'mon...let's get you inside out the rain, you can stay here tonight."

That jolted Mike out of his shock and shook his head.

"What, no, I can't." He blurted. "I can't take those resources away from people who really need them."

Joyce sighed, that was just like Mike.

But she had to help him see that his situation was just as important.

"Mike." She said softly. "Right now, you're one of those people who really need them."

Mike's shoulders slumped at that and he lowered his head.

"We can at least get you some dry clothes...and if you're that worried about it, you can use the couch in my office." She continued.

Mike finally nodded in acceptance and followed Joyce inside, despite everything there was some relief, he still had some hope and there were still people who could and would help him. He knew then, despite how he felt right now, he would get through this.

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