3 weeks later

Tim was sat in front of the bat computer in the cave. He was wearing a superboy t-shirt 3 sizes too big, likely to be one of Conner's actual shirts. It fell off one shoulder revealing a pale bandaged collar bone. His shoulder was bandaged after a stray shot ricocheted off Hoods helmet only to embed its self in Red Robin. Meaning Tim was done for the next few nights if he was lucky. Alfred was more likely to extend that time for healing doubling as a punishment. He'd ignored the injury and stayed out only to return to his apartment with an ambush. Dragged back to the manor for feeding and rest, only agreed to if he had access to the cave. Not his worst punishment but still inconvenient.

Red Hood was pacing the cave behind his chair spitefully muttering growing increasingly disgruntled. He didn't appreciate being benched for no good reason. Only the birds were out tonight. Hood was present because Alfred had decided to make it an obligatory night off for the bats. Since it was only Jason who was uninjured or not grounded, the night was ideal. Putting them all in the manor allowed for maximum control by the omnipresent Alfred. Even Dick had been commanded home, though he came easily with a promise of being close to the family with his octopus limbs. Damian being his main target for cuddles. However, it would only be a, matter of time before it hunted down his other two little brothers. Damian was still grounded and such banished from the cave, making it a safe haven for Tim.

This obviously pissed of the boy. Savouring his small victory over the demon Brat Tim was monitoring multiple screens at once covering multiple cases. one screen showing a live feed of Spider-man's safe house, the one wired by Tim and Jason. It was still had alerts set up for movement but those can be disabled if you know what you're doing. Another ongoing case was Peter Parker. His apartment was likewise on display. Neither residences had been touched in 3 weeks, Spider's even longer. It meant that on a 3rd monitor had Tim writing up reports of Spider-man sightings and the lack of such sightings in Gotham.

Jason grounded his teeth, done pacing, turning to Tim.

Jason POV

"Three weeks. Three fucking weeks and nothing."

"Calm down hood, as annoying as your slip up is-"

"Fuck you Replacement, you sound like the demon brat."

"Annoying as it is, we've got bigger things to worry about. Such as our elusive spider… I sound nothing like the demon spawn."

Tim glared at Hood, much to Hoods glee he remained unaffected by the scowl, and grinned.

"He still hasn't returned to his web. Where'd he go?"

Tim looking put out huffed

"I don't know but he's only been sighted returning to Gotham. It seems he's been avoiding us in favour of fighting in his home city."

"Guess he thinks if he's only sleeping here we'd leave him alone."

"I should be out there searching. Sitting arounds ain't achieving anything."

"If your unhappy bring it up with Alfred."

He pulled a face in response. 'Yeah confronting Alfred ain't on the to do list.' Tim smirked

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

He pulled himself up ready to retort and wipe off the replacements smug look.

An alert flashed on one of the screens.

The motion camera in Spider-man's apartment was tripped. The screen showed a male figure covered in red stumble into the room. His mask was still intact, but his suit was in tatters loosely hung around his frame. The blue almost unrecognisable under the shire volume of blood. Spidey collapsed onto the mattress which quickly become drenched in blood.

Hood bolted to his bike, the wheels screeching out of the cave. Tim already updating Bruce and Damian barely had time to open the exit before he crashed into the blockade.

"Hood- "

Hood pulled the plug on Tim. Tossing the communicator. Half way between Gotham and Queens a line connected to his helmet setting up communication.

"Hood, Nightwing and Robin will meet you at the location."

"O! don't send em. I can do this alone."

"negative Hood, spider is an unknown possibly hostile, Boss wanted backup."

"Fine! They can try and make it but not before I get there first."

"Hood- "

Hood ripped the wires out of his helmet destroying all chances of communication. The bike weaved through the city less manic now in Queens, unfamiliar territory slowing his progress.

Once again, his hood crackled with life, somehow the stalker had patched in through his bike.

"You've gotta be kindin me replacement. You'd desecrate a man's bike. Have you no shame?"

"Shut up Hood, it's not like you left me any options. Something happened at the location. The cameras were taken out by a red blur. The heat signatures show two people there but there on the move."

"Shit how long I got?"

"Not long enough, looks like it's going to be a chase."

Jason crashes into the room to find it empty.

"Fuck"

Blood was left at the scene leaving a trail out onto the roof, but none could be seen surrounding the building.

"Hood!"

Nightwing rushed over in a slight panic.

"I saw blood and- "

"I'm fine Wing, not mine."

"Where's Spider-man? Was it his blood?"

"Dunno and yeah. Blood trail ends here."

"It should have been expected that your incompetence would result with the enemy's escape."

"Well hello to you too Demon brat. Who let you out of your cage."

Robin growled stepping forward to attack Hood. Nightwing stepped between the two tackling Robin in a hug.

"Play nice you two."

Robin struggled preparing a nerve strike to free himself. Hood laughed at his misfortune keeping a healthy distance between himself and the octopus monster. Robin finally released stepped away from Nightwing, puffing up like a spited cat.

"-TT- "

"If you done- "

"Perfect, now all we need is Fatgirl and the useless club is complete."

"That's not very nice Lil D."

Tim replied, "no one asked you Demon."

Hood chucked, Wing frowned and Damian all but exploded.

"Red Robin is there a reason your antagonising Robin"

Bruce had intercepted the comm line catching the argument. Tim huffed, fuming in his chair.

"Hood report"

Red hood turned to the side staying silent. Nightwing answered at his brother's apparent refusal.

"Spiders gone B. not on his own either. Way too much blood, even for a meta. Someone else carried him out. Blood trail ends on the roof."

"Spread out and search."

The Bats dispersed each taking a different direction, searching for any sign of the missing Spider.

'where'd the Fuck he go?'

That morning

Peter POV

'The world sucked, worked sucked, everything sucked.' Jamerson called him, ranting in his usual too loud voice, about him being late and ungrateful. 'He must have forgotten he fired me again.' He sat in an office chair fixing the bugle website after it had crashed. Peter sighed before stretching out his limbs. 'If there was one silver lining to his boss's obliviousness it was that he'd had no idea of the 15 years olds situation. Betty seemed suspicious, but it's not like Jameson would do anything. She could call the cops or worse the child services. It'd be best to keep an eye on her.'

It was mid-day by the time he'd finished fixing the website then editing his photographs. He'd managed to catch some interesting shots of Gotham's Bats along with his usual roster of superheroes. Selling them had gained him a nice amount of money. Nowhere near what their worth, but still enough to last him for the time being. Ditching the apartment had been bad for finances, but necessary. There was no telling what Jason knew about him. Going back was way too risky.

For the last three weeks Peter had been living in abandoned buildings throughout Gotham. Nowhere as nice as the flat, but dry and relatively warm. The first night he'd slept under a bridge in a web hammock. No one had disturbed him, but a phone camera image had made it online. Making it a too dangerous act to repeat, not if he wanted to remain unanimous. Next time it could lead him to waking up with Iron man in his face.

A loud ringing reached his ears from a few blocks away. He dashed into an empty alleyway clear of cameras. He changed into his suit, webbing his backpack safely to the wall at a height unreached able by the general public but still hidden from sight.

A new villain or one from the other world was robbing the banks. The man's mask was split in two one side orange the other black. He carried a sword on his back with guns strapped to his sides. The man reached the bank roof and started to parkour away. Spidey sprung after him. not before being caught on the security camera.

He learnt that the man's name was Deathstroke. 'reminds me of one psychotic mercenary I know.' During the battle he found out a hit had been put on his head, by his government no less. More than likely this is shield further complicating things for the young vigilante.

The encounter had left Spider-man exhausted and bleeding. His opponent was skilled with a sword, even with his Spidey sense he was overwhelmed. It's one thing knowing a hit is coming but the speed this guy moved at meant multiple hits came at once. He couldn't always avoid a hit. He was able weaken the hits and limit the damage. Towards the end of the fight he started to slip up. Leaving many gashes across his body. The most prominent reaching from his right shoulder down to his left hip. It was bleeding excessively leaving a trail behind him. With no energy to swing he was left to jump across the roof tops, only barely escaping. He'd gotten his butt kicked plain and simple.

Stopping at a safe distance he sat on a cooling unit on a random apartment block, overshadowed by a roof entrance. Hidden from sight he checked his wounds, webbing up the worst gashes only to find a new one splitting his calf. Exploring the bruising across his chest he felt fractures in two of his ribs. 'hopefully there's no internal bleeding, ribs need to be bound too. Won't take too long to heal, still any amount of time is too long on the streets. I can't afford to deep sleep and have my identity revealed.'

His spider sense flared up suddenly and on instinct he leapt up in the air twist his body to avoid unknown projectiles. Landing back on solid ground he took cover behind the cooling unit peering around the edge. On the roof across the street the light glinted against a figure in purple. 'Hawkeye. The Avenger have found me.' Calming his heart, he planned a route out. 'If I could get to the end of the street there's enough construction work that I can swing off to escape anyone on foot. Hopefully it's not the whole team.'

Glancing over again the figure gone goading him into action. He sprinted across the roof top, gliding over the gap to continue his mad dash to freedom. He was bombarded with projectiles again slowing his escape from all the dodging. He twisted to avoid a hit, turning his head, he yelled across.

"Nice shot Merida, that one almost touched me"

Gloating seemed unwise in hindsight as the barrage or arrows became more sporadic and intense making the teen concentrate on his avoidance more than his surroundings. It was becoming apparent he was being herded towards a trap probably Cap or Thor. Making the leap closing the distance of another gap Cap's shield invaded his space. He'd barley been able to drop down before it would have knocked in his head. Jumping up to avoid the archer's attacks.

"What! No, surrender and no one has to get hurt?" Spidey puffed up his chest and mimicked a self-righteous Captain America voice.

Caps shield bounced off a wall allowing the man to catch it bring it back to his side.

"Peaceful surrender has passed Spider-man. You're now a wanted criminal and where taking you in. One way or another."

"Welllll with that ominous threat, I'm gunna go now. Bye!"

Spider-man's bolt away followed with Cap throwing a punch combined with a kick designed to knock him back down again. He manged to avoid a full-on collision just glancing the kick. This game of avoidance continued intercepted by the odd exchange of buildings. All Spider-man did was avoid attacks not deliver any. The odd attack that did land was only worsening his chances. New injuries turned up along with more bruising. He wouldn't be surprised if his right shoulder was dislocated from a nasty jarring with Caps shield. The result was his tiring and opening of wounds causing blood to trickle from his gashes again.

"Damn those just started to heal. Couldn't give a guy a break Cap"

"That's not how this works"

Spidey dramatically sighed, placing his hand on his good right hip, suddenly he webbed caps shield ripping it from his grip to toss it between himself and cupid. It gave him brief protection from Hawkeye but was costly, as Cap took the opportunity to catch his extended arm folding it back until a loud snap emanated. Spider yelp out in pain using the position to spin and throw Cap into a wall cracking the bricks. It gave him a few second retrieval before Clint attacked in full force. Only dealing with the one avenger he threw debris in Clint's direction whilst sprinting towards the last building.

His right arm now broken, bleeding and dislocated made dodging all the more difficult and gave Cap time to catch up to his short lead, but even with all that escape was in sight. 'I'm going to make it, I'm actually going to make it.' Cap caught his foot making the teen trip, flailing his arms. He caught himself but not before three darts made contact. One in his neck, another lower back and the last on his already wounded arm. Normally this wouldn't be an issue for his healing factor but combined with his already severe injuries and now the fresh ones it was starting to blur his vision. Cap eased up and Clint has ceased fire. Stumbling backwards disorientated. 'Not again, seriously twice in one month. How come people keep knocking me out?'

"Well it makes you shut up for one" Clint drawled at the teen.

"I said that out loud. Huh."

With his last bit of energy, he tossed himself off the roof free falling. The two flightless Avenger would be unable to follow allowing him to web swing to safety. Gotham's too far and he can't risk the Bat. 'I'm bleeding out and need supplies. My old safe house is the best bet.' The world started to warp, reached into his pocket he pulled out his phone calling a contact. The line was picked up on the third ring.

"Spider-man- "

His head still buzzed if from the drugs, injuries, or a new threat he couldn't be sure. He yanked open his window pulling out the frame with a sizable chunk of brick work, yet he was too exhausted to care. He collapsed on the mattress groaning at the ringing in his skull, screaming no somethings wrong. Not relaxed he left his mask on. 'Along the way home I thinks I called Daredevil, but it's all in a daze.'

He didn't know how long he'd been there till a shadow cast over his face. Daredevil swung at the walls randomly causing destruction. He slurred

"Whaa youu?"

"Cameras"

"ohhhhhh that's da Buzzin bout."

Daredevil fireman's lifted Spidey, carrying him out the building heading towards the kitchen.

"Wheere we going?"

"My place"

"Okey. I'm gunna sleep now." Spidey passed out still leaking blood down dare devils suit. From a distance frustrated yells could be head from three boys and another two voices from comm's.

Authors comment:

3 weeks more like 3 months, sorry guys. I started out think I'd update once a week. Ha Ha ha ha ha, Week. I have no excuse, my bad. Hope you like this chapter. Thanks for the comments guys. Dragon river 40, I like the idea but I kinda want bats in the dark for a bit longer. I want Tim and Jason to handle it. Gotta have some family drama over a case ya know. I've started writing chapter 13 and I give my word as a comic book geek to update sooner this time. Thanks for reading.