Spider-Man: Nobody Home (18+)

Chapter 33: Where Is My Mind?

Batman drove the Batmobile through the waterfall into the Bat Cave, where Superman and Spider-Man waited for him. They both watched as he climbed out of the vehicle. However, Peter quickly looked away, hanging his head with a pensive sigh, his black mask clutched in his hand. His typically tidy hair, now ruffled and unkempt, as if he could care less about his appearance.

"I was wondering if you had gotten side tracked." Superman joked to the caped crusader as he met the Bat beside the car. "You okay?" He asked in a hushed tone.

"I'm fine... But you already knew that." Bruce replied in a cold manner.

Clark shrugged at that with his arms folded. "Just figured I'd check anyway. If not for that suit of yours, you'd be dealing with more than a few broken bones."

Batman peered back at him. "I know..." Then they both glanced over at Peter who silently sat across the cave in front of the monitor with his head hung low. "Has he given you any trouble?"

"I think he knows better." Clark replied as they walked toward the wall crawler, then the Kryptonian stopped him before they got too close. "Hey... What do you know about that suit of his?" He asked in a hushed tone.

Batman looked back at him in confusion. "Not much... Why do you ask?"

"Well..." Clark began, before pausing with a puzzled look. "It's just... I used my X-Ray vision to check for any injuries, and... It looks... Strange."

"Strange how?"

"Like it's made of some sort of goo... Not cloth." Superman replied. "I know the kid's a genius, but I just figured you'd know something about it too."

Batman looked to Peter with a suspicious peer, then back at his team mate.

"No..." Batman replied.

"So the kid knows something that YOU don't." Clark joked. "Scary." Batman didn't respond after that and Superman laid a hand on his shoulder with a worried gaze. "You aren't SERIOUSLY gonna bring him in, are you?"

"He's given me no choice." He replied. "He already made his choice."

"Come on, Bruce." Clark replied. "He's just acting out of fear... Like most humans."

"That's NO excuse." He argued.

"I know." Clark nodded. "But we NEED him if we're gonna figure this out."

They both looked across the cave at Peter after that and still the young hero hung his head in defeat. His knees bounced frantically, anxiety practically radiating from him all the while.

"Well then let's hope we can bring him back into the light..." Bruce replied, before the two of them continued over to him.

Peter shut his eyes tightly and kept his gaze at the floor, only able to see the black boots of Batman and the red ones of Superman.

"A little unorthodox for a trip to prison, don't you think?" Peter asked begrudgingly.

Batman grimaced at the young hero at the comment, but Clark's face was only one of worry.

"Peter..." Clark said as he knelt down in front of him trying to catch his gaze. "Peter, look at me." Still he looked at the floor. "Look at me, Peter."

Finally, the young hero looked at the Kryptonian and was surprised to not see an angry look from him.

"Wanna tell us what's been going through your mind?" He asked.

Peter grimaced and looked away after that. "Nothing."

"It's a little too late for denial, don't you think?" Bruce grimaced at him.