One day, Michelle was asked by her older sister to babysit all three of her kids.

"Why?" She asked. Genevieve crossed her arms.

"I'm gonna have dinner with mom and dad and introduce them to Andrew."

"Who's that? Your 5th boyfriend this month?"

"Hell no! He's my 3rd!" Michelle put her hand on her forehead and shook her head. "I haven't found the right dad for the little ones." She said.

"You've been married and divorced twice this year! Gen, maybe this means you don't need a man to raise Ben, Freddie and Angela. I believe you can do it."

"Yeah, I know you do. But I want the kids to grow up in a.. complete household. I want them to have a mom and a dad, yknow? And I really think Andrew's the guy. He's so... different from everyone else I dated."

"You say that for every guy." Genevieve sighed.

"Just, babysit them for tonight, please?"

"Okay. Fine."

"Great! Thanks, MJ. I love you so much." She hugged her.

"I love you too, Gen."

She texted Peter and Ned and told them that she was gonna cancel plans with them this weekend.

Why? What happened?, said Ned's text.

Nothing. My sister just asked me to babysit my nephews and niece for the night. And I plan to hang around with them for the rest of the weekend., she texted back.

Oh. Okay then., Peter sent.

My parents and I actually have plans to visit my grandma this weekend, so I'm cancelling too, Pete.

Okay, Ned.

Thanks so much for understanding, guys. I promise next time I'll make it up to you., was Michelle's text.

I'm so sorry too, Peter. I'll make it up to you., was Ned's and the last text in their group chat.

Peter Parker continued building the rest of the 3,803-pieced Lego Death Star he had at home. A few minutes later, his phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey Peter! Listen, I need you and Ned to come over quickly."

"Ned's not here. He just left. I think they're packing for tomorrow."

"Oh. Well, just you, then." She said, making him blush. "Please, I need help with these three."

"On my way."

When he arrived, piles of toys and pieces of food were scattered everywhere. MJ was chasing the three kids.

"Come back here!" She shouted at the three.

"What happened?" He asked.

"A lot. Just help me clean it all up before my parents get home, please."

"Yeah of course." They went to work. Peter put the toys back in the toybox while Michelle tried to feed the kids. As Peter cleaned up the rest of the mess, MJ prepared the three for bedtime until eventually they were tucked in bed. She went back downstairs and helped clean.

"That was a serious mess." said Peter.

"Yeah. I know. I can't believe my sister puts up with this kind of thing every single day."

"Kudos to her." They sat on the couch. Michelle turned on the remote-controlled fireplace in front of them.

"That was exhausting." said Peter.

"It just makes us appreciate our parents even more, doesn't it?" She tipped her head back and leaned on the couch.

"My aunt and uncle, most especially."

"Right." She nodded, then faced him. "Peter," Michelle put her elbow on the couch and rested her head on it. "Thanks, by the way. For taking care of them with me. They were such a pain in the ass before you got here." She exasperatedly said.

"Well I'm... glad to be of help." He gave an innocent smile. After a while, none of them spoke a word. They just peacefully looked at the steady fire.

"Have you ever thought about what if we were raised by a different family? Do you think you would've been a different person? With different morals?" She asked.

"Yeah, I think so. I mean, if I wasn't raised by my aunt and uncle, I think I'd have a much more different personality. I don't know. It depends, really. On what kind of family and environment you're gonna grow up in." MJ nodded at this. "What about you?"

"Yeah, I guess pretty much the same. I don't know, I'm just... very thankful that I was raised by my family and I know I wouldn't have it any other way."

"I agree." There was a moment's pause.

"Have you ever thought of your future? Y'know, college, life after college, having a real job... getting in a serious relationship and settling down.." Michelle asked. The last part made Peter face her and give her a look.

"Well I... sure, yeah, I guess you could say I've.. planned some parts of it but, that's it, I guess."

"Really? You've got it all planned out?"

"I.. well, yeah... sure."

"Huh." There was, yet again, another moment's pause.

"Well, how about you? Have you planned anything?"

"To be completely honest, no."

"Really? You don't strike me as the type to be unprepared. You always seem to be a few steps ahead of everyone else."

"Yeah well, I guess I'm not always like that."

"Then why haven't you been able to plan it all out?"

"I don't know. I've been trying to focus on the present first instead of the damn future. It sounds so cliche and it is, I know that. But, people are right. Time really is ticking and it's ticking pretty damn quickly. Why not enjoy the things that are happening right now instead of worrying what's gonna happen to you in the future?"

"So... what you're saying is that we should appreciate what is happening because little things like that matters?"

"Exactly."

"No time to waste, then." He said almost to himself as he leaned in and kissed her. To his surprise, she immediately kissed back.

"Enjoy the present as it lasts, Parker." She pushed him down on the couch and sooner or later, everything that was happening on it was as hot and aggressive like the fire in the fireplace in front of them.