The Equivalents

47. Back to the compound.

A/N: just got back from watching Elvis be abused for two hours. How are you today?

Peter fell. He screamed all the way down. He wanted to do what Clint suggested. To stop Goblin and give Gwen justice. But now he couldn't.

He was just about to hit the ground, tears falling from his eyes, when out of nowhere, a red and gold blob flew over to him and caught him just in time.

"Relax. I've got you, kid." Tony stated. (How many of you thought Peter was gonna die?) 

Peter was heavily relieved to know he was ok. That he would live another day. Another day to take down Goblin.

Steve came in over Tony's comm.

"I got Bucky. We're ok." Cap said.

"I've got Jason. His breathing isn't where it should be, but he'll be alright." Batman added.

"I've got Parker. Let's get 'em home." Tony replied. "F.R.I.D.A.Y. call Banner."

"Calling Jolly Green Giant." F.R.I.D.A.Y. answered.

"Hello?" Bruce B picked up. "Tony? What happened?"

Everyone else had left the mental hospital after taking care of the lackies and collecting evidence. They were all back at the compound waiting to hear what happened to Steve, Tony, Bruce W, and Clint.

"We found our guys. All three of them. We're bringing them home." Tony replied. "We're gonna need three spots open in the med bay." Tony then hung up.

"So?" Clark asked Bruce B.

"They got Peter, Bucky, and Jason. They're bringing him back." Bruce smiled.

Everyone in the compound started celebrating as Bruce went to the med bay.

It was only a few minutes later that Batman brought Jason back. The cemetery was pretty close to the compound, so he arrived first. He carried an unconscious Jason into the med bay and laid him down on one of the beds Bruce B had prepared. Bruce B immediately got him on a ventilator to make it easier for Jason to breathe. He then tended to the rest of his wounds. He tried to hide his reaction to the J on Jason's cheek from Batman.
But the other Bruce noticed anyway.

"The Joker is going to pay for this." Batman stated. "I won't let him get off easy."

"You don't mean... killing him, right?" Banner asked.

"No. But he'll wish he was dead." Batman growled. "He won't be able to escape it either. I'll make sure of that."

Bruce B didn't argue. He saw what the Joker had done. He wouldn't want this to happen to anyone else.

A few minutes later, Steve came back with Bucky. Steve was supporting Bucky's right side and had Bucky's arm over his shoulder. Steve helped Bucky over to a bed and Bucky laid down. Bruce B came over and assisted him.

Steve looked over at Jason. He looked awful. Steve knew that what the villains had done to them was bad when he saw Bucky. But Jason had the letter J branded on his cheek. Like an animal. The sight effected him. He didn't know if he wanted to know what had happened to them.

Steve did walk over to Batman and gave him a reassuring smile. Letting Bruce W know he did a good job, and his son would be ok.

Not too long later, Tony and Clint came back with Peter. Peter didn't say anything, so no one else did either. He just went in and laid down. Bruce B came over and tended to him.

Bruce W, Tony, and Steve had all left the room to discuss something.

"Did either of you find information as to where the Joker could've gone?" Batman asked before pulling back his cowl. Steve and Tony could see rage in his eyes.

"No. Bucky was the only person there." Steve answered.

"I tried to follow Goblin, but I lost him." Tony explained. "I just barely made it back to Peter in time."

Bruce W turned to walk away, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, Jason's ok. He's alive, and he's safe. Let's just take some time to catch our breaths and relax. Our guys need it." Steve suggested.

Bruce just stared at him.

"I wanna catch the bad guys just as much as you do. But we shouldn't question Peter, Jason, or Bucky right now. We don't know what they did to them. Let's give them some time to heal, ok?" Steve said again. 

Bruce kept staring at him. "Fine. But I will get Joker eventually."

Steve smiled at him. "I'm counting on it."