Spider-Man: Nobody Home (18+)

Chapter 25: Far From The Shallow Now

Peter swung through the darkened city, his heart racing and aching as he travelled faster and faster. Doing everything he usually would to take his mind off things.

However, such things offered no help in this instant.

Finally, he gave up and landed himself on the side of a church tower right above the church bell. He slipped his mask off, his chest tight as ever, like an elephant was sitting on his chest. He panted away, trying to catch his breath, but to no avail.

Peter sniffled as his mind went over the encounter with Raven over and over again in his head.

"What have I done?" He whispered to himself.

'What HAD to be done.' the voice in his head said to him again. 'She does not understand, but when this is all over... she will...'

"Somehow I don't believe that." Peter shook his head, then let out a depressed sigh. "I can't believe I said those things." He said as he ran his fingers through his hair. "What is WRONG with me?!"

The voice in his head did not answer after that and Peter was left alone with the sounds of the city at night. After a while a news chopper flew overhead and shined its light toward him. Peter shielded his face from the light, before dropping off the side of the church, into the bell tower below.

'I ruined everything.' he said to himself in his head. 'Just like Jameson said I do.'

'The mission you are on is far greater than anyone's feelings.' the voice in his head replied with a deep growl.

'That doesn't change the fact that I DO destroy everything I touch.' he replied as he looked out across the city with the silent bell hanging behind himself. 'I never asked to be Spider-Man.' he hung his head with a sigh. 'I never knew it would mean losing everything I love... a nonexistent sleep schedule, and friends who all think I'm scum...' he turned around toward the bell tower and threw his mask aside. 'Maybe it's all just a twist of fate... Bad luck... A random bug bite.' he shook his head.

'We both know you are not one to give up.' the voice replied to him.

Peter looked back and saw that his mask had disappeared. When he turned around he caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror and saw that the mask had faithfully returned to his face.

'Yeah, well, maybe THAT'S the problem.' Peter replied. 'Maybe I SHOULD'VE given up a long time ago. Maybe May and Tony would still be alive... Maybe I wouldn't have... Broken Raven's heart.'

'So you ARE giving up...'

'Easiest decision I've ever made.' Peter replied. 'Sorry, Symbiote. You're gonna want a new host.'

'NO!' the voice replied hastily. 'It is like you said... It is all about... Getting back up.'

'How can I go back from this?' Peter replied. 'How can I even show my face at that tower again?!'

'We do not NEED them right now.' the voice replied. 'What we NEED is money... And LOTS of it.' suddenly his mind was filled with the image of Bruce Wayne. 'You know EXACTLY where to start... And AFTER we are finished... Then we can clean up this mess.'

Peter hung his head at that. 'I am NOT in the mood for ANY more hero work.'

'Then think of it more as... Taking care of vermin.' the voice replied, changing the image in his mind to that of Trigon's glowing red eyes. 'What do you say?'

Peter paused at that, staring at his black suit in the reflection. He didn't want to say yes. He wanted to leave the suit behind and go off on his own. Find some dead end job that'll take him no where.

At least then nobody would get hurt.

'I love you, Peter.' Raven's voice echoed in his mind as the symbiote changed the image in his mind to her smiling back at him

Peter felt a tear roll down his cheek and he quickly wiped it away. 'Fine... But don't expect me to NOT complain the entire time.'

'So... Wayne?'

Peter nodded as he looked off across the city. "Wayne." He growled.

The voice chuckled in his head. "Yesssss!"