With Mig down Jess was running HQ again and assigning people off to clean up messes and all that good stuff. Balanced between caring for him.

"How are we feeling?" She walked in, "Hobie asked about you. I mean," she rolled her eyes some and shrugged, "everyone asked about you, but he's especially been pestering me."

"I'm ok," he toyed with his Llama's hat, coughing into his elbow, "I don't feel as tired." More or less bored by this point.

"Good," she put the thermometer to his forehead. Took her a couple days but they finally were able to break that fever, "Looks like we're slowly coming back to normal."

"Will I still be able to go on the field trip?" At this point he had semi lost track of time and wasn't even sure when they were supposed to go again.

"High chance," Jess opened the bottle of medicine, "Open for me," he swallowed the disgusting elixir, "That's my good boy. At this rate you should be back to 100% by tomorrow."

"Then can I go back?"

"We'll see," she began unfastening the tape, having opted for disposable while he was under.

"Is there something I can do?"

"Like?"

"Walk around. I just really don't want to be in bed all day now that some of my energy is back."

Jess contemplated, "How about you go downstairs and get one of your coloring books and bring it back up here. That will let you stretch your legs and still get back to this bed to rest. Because I want you primarily resting."

"Sí mami," he hurried from the bed when she was done and made his way to the first floor. Once there he took his time fingering through the books, had to pick the best one of course.

"Get you a book," Jess reminded, "I'm about to head back and see what's up. Pick out your book, get your crayons or what have you and go back to resting."

"Yes mami," he nodded, "Tell everyone I said hello."

"Will do," she pulled her jacket on, going out to her motorcycle to head back to the society.

Mig watched her leave out the window. She was always the most competent person he could depend on. Good decision making her his second in command.

After selecting an intricate fantasy coloring book, Miguel made his way back to his room. Three steps towards the second floor he decided to go back to the first floor and made a turn down the hall.

X

Virgil hummed to himself as he tapped away on the computer. A client was bugging him about the website so he had to communicate and confirm the launch date of it.

Tap tap tap.

"Yes?"

Mig creaked the door open, "Are you on a call?" He whispered.

"I will be soon, but not yet," Virgil responded, "What's up Bubs?"

"May I come in here with you? Mami told me to color and rest, but I don't want to be in my room any more. I'll keep silent."

"Ok, you can bring your blanket and sit on the couch," he agreed.

Mig quickly grabbed his items and slipped in, sitting quietly in the office. He preferred the floor to the couch and kept his word about keeping silent, except for the occasional cough.

"Yeah, I know. Well this is a big thing for him, what do you expect?" Virgil twirled in his seat, "I know. I know," he paused to type away on his computer, pulling up a few things on one of his three monitors, "Yep…Why would I tell him that? I need some form of peace."

More typing, "Yeah, I can't wait to get my taxes taken care of, probably this weekend. Ok, you have a good one. Don't forget to email me some pics of the fishing trip. Alright, bye," he hung up with a stretch, "Busy busy."

He turned, now face to neck with his child, "Hello there, aren't you supposed to be resting?"

"I was, I just brought you water," he muttered, handing him the cup.

"Thank you, very much," he plucked it from his hand, "Go on and sit back down. No you cannot help me with work, as you are supposed to be resting."

Miguel glanced to the wall before slinking back to the floor. Virgil could see through him like a window.

"I'll be 100% by tomorrow. I feel 100% today."

"That's good. You'll be back in working order in time for the fishies," he checked his emails and rolled his eyes at another client's mewling over something nonsensical.

"Yea, I really want to get back to HQ. And Gabri and I are supposed to spend a day together soon. We'll probably just see a movie or something."

"Movie sounds fun," he nodded, sending a correspondence email, "Why don't you have him come over here one day for a meal?"

"I…I don't want to," he whispered.

"You don't want him to know about your regression? Or family?"

Mig bit his thumb, "My regression…"

Virgil shrugged, "That's reasonable. Don't have to share everything with everyone. You should still invite him over and we can figure something out for it."

The man nodded, twiddling his crayon in silence for a while, "Am I bothering you?"

"No, honey, you're not bothering me. Daddy is just working, and I have to make a call, so I need you to be," he put his finger to his lips.

Mig put his finger to his lip, nodding as the man made the call.

X

"Just a slip up in 90214," Jess recounted, since Miguel needed a recap or his head would explode, "That local spider wasn't sure if he appreciated the help or not. Pretty sure he didn't want to admit he needed it. Typical."

He read through the paperwork, "I have two more spiders to speak to, see about bringing into the society. I'm feeling much better and I have rested, can I go back to work tomorrow please?"

"Yes," she responded exasperated, "if you're still feeling fine after breakfast you can go."

Mig sighed in relief. The boredom was almost as bad as the sickness.

"Now then," Jess started, "You remember what I said was gonna happen as soon as you were better, right?"

A realization washed over 2099, "Yes…"

"So, you have two options. You can get spanked before bed or before we go to HQ. Which will it be?"

He shifted uncomfortably on the couch, "Can I just get it now?"

"You want it now? Ok, let's go," she waited for him to stop leaning against her and stand, "To your room."

Mig bit the inside of his lip, doing the walk of shame with her following close behind. He resigned himself to his fate as Jess had him sit on the bed.

"You know why you're in trouble?"

"I was at HQ while sick," he shuffled uncomfortably.

"Look at me," she took his wrist, pulling him closer.

He quickly met her gaze, not realizing he had been staring at the wall.

"And why was that bad?"

"Because…"

"Look at me," she reminded. No roaming eyes when she was having a serious discussion.

Mig forced himself to focus up at her, "I wasn't paying attention to my health like you and Peter keep telling me."

"Exactly," she pulled him from the bed, setting both his pillows closer to the edge before she pulled at the elastic waistband of his lounge pants, tugging them to his knees, "Alright, bend."

He didn't know how, after all this time, baths and all, an action like that, a command, left his face with a red hue.

With him obediently bent over the side of the bed with hips raised, she pushed the nappy down to leave his bottom fully exposed. And since he was well aware of what he had done all that was left was to get down to business.

Mig winced, stifling a yelp from the first several swats. It sucks how he would be able to avoid this for so long that he would almost forget that it actually hurt. Not that he wanted to be in this position more frequently, but the first strike always took him off guard.

"When you don't feel well you need to tell me or daddy, not go off and do work," she scolded, "And if you're out and you start to feel unwell you need to find Peter or call me."

"Yes, sorry," he winced, attempting to squirm away from her strikes.

"Do you want another anxiety attack?"

"No," 2099 squeaked when she snapped her palm against the undercurve of his rump, "S-sorry."

"Stop biting your thumb, baby," she scolded, continuing to aim at his sitspots.

He whined, pushing at the floor.

"What did I just say, Miguel?"

2099 gripped his hair roughly, "I'm trying, it hurts."

"I know it hurts," she nodded, never wavering in her resolve, "That should help you remember."

"I'm s-sorry, I'll be more attentive of how I'm feeling."

"I would hope so, you're not going to like the escalation I take if this happens again."

The brunette pushed at her waist, attempting to turn away from the strikes, "Sorry mami! I'll be better next time!"

"I don't want false promises, you hear me?" Jess scolded, pulling his hip closer, "I want you to think about why you're getting your bottom spanked and if you want it to happen again. Do you understand?"

Miguel's shoulders slumped in defeat, "Sí mami."

"Thank you," with that said she continued on with her current task of leaving his sitspots a lovely rogue hue.

After several more minutes of quiet pained whimpers and half-hearted squirming, the mother figured the lesson stuck.

"Ok, pumpkin, we're done," she fixed his clothes and sat next to him, rubbing his back, "I know."

Mig grit his teeth, aggressively rubbing his behind as he leaned into her, "Sorry, sorry, sorry!"

"I know, I know," spider-mom shushed him, dotting his head with kisses, "You know mommy loves you, but you have to remember to focus on your wellbeing. There is plenty of help."

He nodded, still wincing as he hugged her, "Are you still mad at me?"

"Of course not, pumpkin," Jess smoothed his hair back with a smile, enjoying his tight embrace.

X

"Don't laugh at me!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, honest," Virgil helped his adopted son undress, "It just looks like it hurts."

"It does hurt," Miguel sulked, enjoying his bath much less than normal. Not aided by the other man scrutinizing the angry red splotches and palm prints that were still very much present hours after the event.