Ugh -_-' …you guys no I hate doing things halfway, right? I mean, I try and put a lot of time and thought and effort into every chapter of every story I write. But sometimes… sometimes writers block just likes to screw with me.

Needless to say, the writing powers from above have deemed it time to dry up ideas. Or at least for this particular plot thread, as I did get the inspiration to write – and finished – another one-shot. However, I felt I'd be exploiting you guys and your patience (cough, reviews, cough) if I had posted that this weekend rather than the next installment of This Sucks.

So, because I do love you guys and I felt like I owed you something, I'm giving you this. True, it's about half the length I wanted this segment to be – not even sure it accomplishes anything – but it's all I've got. Ain't much, I know. I just hope some of you like it enough to give me feedback so I can get another segment out next weekend that will be better. *sigh* Hopefully.

What a Web We Weave

This Sucks – Part Four

"Progress report," Batman ordered, stepping into the main room where Black Canary and Beast were still working with the computer.

"The good news is, the system is up and fully functional once more," Black Canary began, still typing. "Bad news is that Spiderman and Arachnid have been delayed in New York. Sandman, Vulture and Rhino are on a crime spree."

"What about Heather's mother and sister?" Batman asked after watching a brief news clip showing Spiderman and his son tag teaming against the three villains.

"Fortunately, Mary Jane and Audrey were both home. They're on their way to the nearest zeta location now," Beast reported.

"There's no need for them to come at this point," Batman refuted, shaking his head. "Heather's illness is still for the most part a mystery. She's somewhat stable currently, but it will be quite some time before we can send her home. All they'll be able to do is sit and wait with the rest of us."

"You don't think I tried to tell her that?" Beast looked both amused and slightly exasperated. "Heather may have gotten her powers from her father – however, her one-track mind is distinctly from MJ. There is no arguing with that woman when she decides something."

Batman sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "True."

"What I can't understand," Canary turned away from the computer and crossed her arms. "Is why – whatever this is – has chosen now to occur? What triggered it? Why didn't it go off earlier?"

"It must have something to do with when a similar phenomenon affected Peter. Sharing the same spider genes, this mutation is most likely taking place at roughly the same time as it did for him," Beast hypothesized.

"It would fit," Batman admitted. "She had her powers manifest around the same age as Peter's did."

"I just wish he was here. He experienced this first-hand, making his input invaluable at the moment," Black Canary rubbed the back of her neck wearily. "Surely he could ask the Fantastic Four or someone else to handle Sandman, Vulture and the Rhino today? His daughter's life is at stake."

"Spiderman has a strong sense of duty towards his city. Leaving in its time of need – even if he were putting it in good hands – would be like admitting defeat in his mind. To him, it would be selfish," Beast said quietly.

Canary was about to retort when Batman beat her to it.

"There have been times when Gotham was on the verge of collapse, and I worked day and night to save it. I didn't sleep, I hardly ate. Everything else became unimportant… However," he added, tone steely, "If anything had happened to Robin during one of those crises, I would have dropped everything, let the city burn to the ground if need be, until I was sure he was safe."

Neither Beast nor Black Canary was sure how to respond to such a frank statement. It was rare for the Dark Knight to openly acknowledge how much he cared for Robin. They were fortunately saved from having to answer when the zeta tube lit up.

Recognized. Mary Jane Parker. A20. Audrey Gwen Parker. B18.

Mother and daughter walked into Mount Justice together, hands clasped tight. Both looked extremely worn out with Audrey's cheeks visibly wet with old tears. As soon as the little girl spotted Batman, she broke free of her mother's hold and ran to him, wrapping her small arms around his legs.

"Where's Heather?" She asked looking up at him and sniffling slightly. "Is she okay?"

Batman bent down and gathered the six year old into his arms as MJ walked up to the trio of superheroes. He pulled his cape up and wrapped it around her, like he used to do for Dick when he was small. Audrey snuggled closer into his hold, comforted by the strength she felt in his muscled arms.

"She's here. She's very sick right now, but we're trying to make her better," the Dark Knight murmured to the child, making sure his lips moved clearly.

Audrey nodded slowly, her gaze intent on his mouth. "When will that be?"

"We're not sure," Batman admitted. "But it should be soon."

Black Canary and Beast exchanged subtle looks. It was one thing for Batman to act gentle around others, it was quite another for a child to openly approach him for comfort.

Audrey must have visited with Heather a few times to the batcave, Dinah pondered silently. That's probably why Batman doesn't scare her. She knows he only puts on the cowl to scare the bad guys, not the good ones. Well, usually anyway. I think he still scares Barry and Oliver. She held in a smirk.

"How soon is soon?" MJ asked her arms folded tightly, brow pinched.

"That is a matter of opinion," Beast replied gravely, placing a gentle, if large, hand on her shoulder. "The Professor is confident he can come up with an antidote, but it will take time, particularly as we are in the dark about the specifics of this… sickness," he carefully avoided words like 'disease' and 'condition'. They sounded far too final.

"Do you have any idea what could be wrong?" MJ questioned, glancing at Audrey whispering something to the Dark Knight, who nodded in response.

"We know that it has to do with her DNA structure. We think it's, well, changing. Mutating," Black Canary explained quietly.

"Mutating?" MJ exclaimed. "Why? And what exactly is it mutating into?"

"That we don't know," Beast admitted, shaking his head. "But rest assured that Professor X, myself, and the Justice League will not rest until we find the answers."

"Is there anything I can do?" MJ pleaded, eyes shining.

"Not much, no," Black Canary said gently, "the process would go a lot faster if Spiderman were here. We think the illness is connected to an experience he had several years ago. His knowledge could help us a great deal."

"Why isn't he here now, then?" MJ demanded, irritation leaking into her voice.

"There's a situation back in New York," Batman explained, stepping closer to the group, Audrey still tucked in his cape. The little girl yawned and rubbed her eyes as he continued, "Vulture, Sandman and Rhino are at large. Spiderman and Arachnid are working to contain the problem."

MJ's bright blue orbs narrowed. "Do you have a way of contacting him?" she asked, each word annunciated carefully.

"We do," Batman confirmed. "Black Canary?"

Canary nodded and led the other woman over to the computer, bringing up a holo-keypad and monitor. She typed in a few commands and after a moment, Arachnid's green mask appeared on screen, the camera shot shaky as sounds of a battle came from the background.

"Guys, now is not a very good time. We're working as fast as we – Mom?" Harry's surprise was clear even through the full-face mask.

"Harry, put your father on the phone," MJ ordered coolly.

"Uh, Dad's sort of busy right now," Arachnid rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Can I take a –?"

"Now, young man," MJ snapped.

Harry paused for only a second. "Right. Hang on."

The next several seconds of footage consisted of static cut in with splices of disjointed shots of the fight. One second static, the next a shot of Rhino charging up the street, then static, followed by Vulture sneering as he dived from the sky, more static, Sandman forming two large fists, and on it went for a bit. Finally, the static faded out and Spiderman's masked face filled up the screen.

"Sweetheart, can't this wait? Arachnid and I are in the middle of cleaning up the streets of trash," Spiderman said, sounding worn and tense, even with the slight crackle in the audio feed.

"Call up the Fantastic Four or some of the Avengers," MJ told him sternly. "Inform them of the situation, leave it in their hands, and get your ass to the nearest zeta location. You have to get to the cave now."

Spiderman sighed and gripped his head for a second. "Honey, I can't just drop everything. New York needs me right now. I'm sure Heather will be fine."

"No, you don't understand," MJ shook her head, glaring fiercely at the screen like she was trying to burn a hole in her husband's forehead. "Your daughter is seriously sick. She could be dying! They need your help to fix her."

Batman felt Audrey cringe and snuggle closer to him. He honestly couldn't blame her.

There was a pause. "I'm sure the situation isn't that dire," Spiderman shook his head slowly, but his tone was hesitant.

"It is," MJ asserted, her fists tightening along with her crossed arms.

There was another beat of silence. In the background, the fight went on, those participating oblivious to anything outside their own bubble. In the cave, it was quiet too. Beast and Black Canary had thought it best to leave the family to their business, and had gone separate ways. Hank went to find Professor Xavier to check on progress. Dinah decided to look in on the team, see how they were all holding and if they needed anything. Both realized that the complex relationships between Spiderman, his family, his eldest daughter and vice versa, were not their concern, nor was the knowledge for their ears.

Eventually, Spiderman let out a sigh, and he sounded like a man twice his age when he replied, "I'll give Captain America and Iron Man a call. Arachnid and I will be there as soon as we can. Spiderman out." He cut the transmission.

MJ took in a deep cleansing breath. "I know what you're thinking," she said, turning towards Batman and her youngest child. "Why do I stay with him? He's forgetful, his priorities aren't always in the right place, he shunned my daughter for trying to follow his footsteps, yet now he's training Harry. How do I stand it? Why do I bother?"

Batman remained silent.

He felt Audrey shift in his arms, snuggling deeper into the dark folds of his cape. He had an idea what the girl was trying to do. She knew her family was cracked – she'd witnessed it happen three years ago. The details were a bit murky, but she did remember. She knew her parents fought, and that it usually involved her sister. But Audrey didn't let on that she knew, carefully hiding how much she understood. She let her family think she was still innocent and oblivious. It was easier, sometimes, to fake it and hide from problems in a cloak, than to admit you knew and couldn't do anything about it.

"He wasn't always like this," MJ murmured, shaking her head.

"What changed?" Batman questioned.

She a hand through her hair. "Even I don't know all the details. When we got married, I became pregnant right away. Peter was excited, but also worried. He wasn't sure he could protect us both. So he gave up the mask."

She paused and frowned. "Spiderman was still there though. I don't know how he did it, but Peter managed to actually be in two places at once. For almost six years this went on. We were such a happy family, and then I got pregnant with Harry and to begin with it seemed like an even bigger blessing."

"Something happened though. Suddenly, Peter was back on the streets all hours of the night… and he changed. He was moodier, quieter, and hardly around, working almost constantly. So I've done the only thing I can – stay. I keep my family together, give them double my attention and love, guiding them to the best of my ability.

"What else can I do?" she added, looking more tired than ever.

Batman suddenly put a gloved hand on her shoulder. "I may not know much about being a parent – Dick has practically raised himself, and even then, most of the credit goes to Alfred – but I think under the circumstances, you've done a fine job."

Mary Jane smiled tentatively. She looked down at Audrey with gentle eyes filled with love. The six year old grinned and signed, 'I love you, Mom.' Her red haired mother leaned down and kissed the girl's crown of chocolate curls.

'Can we see Heather now?' Audrey signed, looking up at Batman's dark cowl.

"Of course," he replied, nodding.