The Bat And The Spider

by Nothingspecial43

Time keeps moving, people keep changing for the better or worse. But compare to them, the bat and the spider knows things will never always be easy. And yet they have to keep pushing, keep moving forward, whether together, by themselves, or with the rest of the scattered bat family that is trying to pick up the pieces to be whole once more.

14. Chosen

So far, the longest chapter, so to that one person that had said the chapters are short, well not this time! You'll all see why this is so long, it's gonna have everything that I think yall want, while pushing what part 3 is gonna look like.

Enjoy!

---

Chapter 14: Chose

In a place no one could find them, or more so, no one would think they could find them, the Arkham Knight sat in their station. The shadow obscures them, not their body, but mostly their head along with a welding helmet on. The dramatic blinking red light coming from a mainframe device, mixed in with the blue and green of the computer systems at their disposals was the only source of light they had. And it was enough for them to see when it came to fixing their helmet along with the sparks that radiate whenever their torches come alive, or when they were wiring the inside of their helmet.

They were delicate with their helmet, gazing upon it, lifting it in the air to fix what was broken by the one and only red hood. They should've expected him to come, but oddly enough they didn't. The Knight had been thinking about why, and it didn't take long for them to summarize that red hood must've blended easily within the crowds of Gotham, enough where even their eyes couldn't see.

Or if not that, stick to area's where their cameras could not reach, which was only ever the oceans or some of the sewers systems in Gotham.

If they were fueled by the type of anger he's known for, the desk would've been impacted by their suit metallic hands for not being able to capture Talia again. But the Knight is not angry, no, they're excited by the prospect of going up against the entirety of the bat family. With Carnage and his forces coming alive just as their army was too, it only meant one thing.

War, war was protruding to the surface of Gotham.

And not a soul outside of Gotham would interfere because of what Batman did. They remember that day clearly; how the bat went live on television, holding a broken man of steel, the broken women of Themyscira, by their throat, as he threatened every hero, every justice league member, that if they came to his city, they would do the same as he did to him. The Knight had at times of fantasizing what would've been like if they fought him in that state. Would their training, army, and everything that they learned up to this point, been enough to stop him?

Alas, the daughter of Shiva took him down, and since then, she became the new bat. And thus, a new challenge arises. Cassandra Cain vs the Arkham Knight, her small army, against their big army.

They won't lose, they can't afford to.

A door was heard sliding open automatically, bringing more light to the room, and more noise coming from the working forces of the knight's of the sun, "Knight," a thick russian accent was heard coming from a man that entered.

The Knight, seeing as their helmet was fixed, removing the impacted force from a 300 Winchester Magnum, took off their welding helmet and replace it with their fame put the helmet before turning and talking to a man who was known to be a chameleon when it came to facing his foe's, "How's your wounds Dimitri?" The Knight asked, their voice once again being disguised thanks to the mask.

Dimitri massaged one part of his shoulder where he got shot, even with his whole entire face being covered by a white mask, the expression in his eyes and voice can be told that he didn't like getting shot multiple times, "Your armor dose the job. Legs, shoulders, and even liver were protected," while the armor was similar in design like most, Dimitri added a navy suit and tie to give the illusion that he has no protection.

Which in hindsight, was why redhood focused on the more important parts to kill him and left him to the sea. If it wasn't for him shooting the Knight first, he could've indeed killed him. A wise mistake on his part, since they too was prepare for that possibility, "Good," The knight would get up, move towards a grinder where they grab their sword and begin sharpening it, staying ready, "You found her?"

Dimitri shook his head, "Нет. She uzed a camouflauge devize to escape with the demon head. A custom built tech that we can't zee from the camera's we've hacked acrosz Gotham."

"Smart like her father, deadly as her mother," they mutter to themselves, "And what about Carnage?"

"In hiding, bveen bouncing from plaze to plaze, gathering those who would choose to follow him. But somehow smart, letting his followerz spread the word around, and to those who need a type of god to save them."

Stopping the grinding to a halt, they tilt their head at Dimitri, sensing that he's being tight lipped about something, "Don't be so modest Dimitri, say what you want to say, from the heart," there was again that added playfulness in their voice, even tapping where their own heart was for an added gesture.

"...Loose canon. That Freak should not be trusted."

Laying their chin on the palm of their hands, on top of the mechanical grinder, the Knight's interest was piqued by his statement, "Odd that you call him a freak when you yourself were known to have a psychotic meltdown, involving having suffered from echopraxia. Hell, I knew you once thought you were your own brother at one point, and that mask isn't a mask but your own face in white pigment, yet you made it look like a mask. Or, the fact you confessed your love to spider-man, and afterwords," they then snicker, "You tried to kill yourself when the poor spider laugh at your attempt of profession. It was also a bold movie at the confession happening where he lost his girlfriend. So.. Your telling me your not a freak like everyone in this city?" Dimitri didn't respond, his own brown eyes shifting away from the Knight gaze as he clutched his fist tightly, "Aw, don't look so down," they remove themselves from the posture, proceeding to pat the head of Dimitri, "You'll kill the spider before whatever Carnage will do to them. After all, he killed your brother so I understand. Just remember," They lean close to Dimitri ear's, shorter than him, but not enough that they need to tip toe, "You know your place, you help me with my plan's, and I help with your's. Now do your part and leave me to my own devices."

Again, he didn't respond, and did what he was told, leaving the Arkham Knight alone in their area. The door shut, and the Knight move towards a room where they took off their metallic arms, and used their fingerprints to gain access to the room, "Only youuuuuuuuu…" the door open up, revealing it to be cold, the room having a cyan look to its icy feeling, with only source of light focusing on a refrigerator like unit that stood up, and had a mirror to see through it, "Can make this world seem rightttt…Only you, can make the darkness bright. Only you, and you, alone…Can thrill me like you do…" The Knight's hands wipe away the fogness of the mirror.

Revealing it to be a man who's own skin was similarly white like Dimitri, but had something red related, either lipstick, or blood smear on their grinning lip, green hair that look to be thinning, and their own dead eyes looking down upon the Knight as their neck to seem to be twisted, crushed in a way that indicated how they died.

The Joker, in all of his frozen glory, dead but not forever if the Arkham Knight had anything to say about it, "And fillllll my heart with love, for only youuuuuuuuuuuuu…" They kept their hands on the mirror, staring fondly at the clown they wanted to bring back, "...Don't worry… You'll be back at my side. And we'll be together like we promise. A real dynamic duo. I promise…"

---

"CARNAGE!"

"CARNAGE!"

"CARNAGE!"

It never got old for Cletus to hear his name be shouted amongst the people that love him, love what he's preaching, and love the family he's growing. He was in a church, dressed as a priest in a black robe, but didn't have the lord on his neck.

No, he was the lord, in fact behind him where the lord should've stood on the cross, was only replaced by the actual priest he murdered earlier.

He then proceeded to silence everyone with the shush of fingers, to which they all did as he stood right under the lord himself that he doesn't worship not one bit, "Today is the day of understanding!" His partner, Shriek, started playing the piano nearby as a church pianist. She too wore her own garment similar to Cletus, "Knowing who you are, and what you are all capable of," every word that comes out of him, Shriek evoke instrumental to sing more praise into his words, and the army ate it up, nodding, muttering out yes's, agreeing, "Gotham already had a hand in shaping who you are. Whether you had no home, no family, or had it all, but feel unaccomplished, hell! Maybe you're here because you want to figure out who you are, your true potential," Cletus walks from the left to right when talking, letting his voice echo to either direction, "Well then, brothers, sisters," he stood by in the center, coating himself in his carnage self on one half of his body, "You've come, at the right place!"

Everyone chants, screams his name as shrek intensifies the harmony of his speech. But meanwhile, all the way in the back, with his top hat on and a simple black coat on was Alfred jotting down his notes on a notepad. He pulled out his phone, showing the locations of where Cletus has been going back in forth.

From the likes of area's Otisburg, divinity church where's now at, to places close to the Gazette, to old Gotham. Each places held a certain pattern from what he gather, and while he was at the very least able to find several places that houses this anarchist, it didn't took long for Alfred to truly understand why Cletus was going around these specific areas, and even specific buildings like Divinity church, 'This is all related to Peter. This place was where May frequented after her husband passed. What does he have planned for him?'

"Come all! Prove yourself, to me! To us!"

Once everyone got up, to be accepted into the fold of Cletus. It was time for Alfred to make his runabout escape. He didn't obviously take the entrance that led outside; near to where he sat was a room he went in that held rooms for where people live and sleep in. But now, it holds people who are in endless sleep.

Some had their eyes open, others mouths open, but all the more, Alfred was shocked to find the dead workers of the church laying on their beds. It made him sick to his stomach, but he had to keep going and push forward.

They'll get justice, he knows it.

The next room in front held a back room, one where he could hear Shriek's piano playing more closely, and held stairs that led to the top of the church where the bell hung idly on top.

And the second he made it outside, Alfred thought he could at the very least get away scott free, but then he was almost a sucker punch. If it wasn't for his quick movement to duck from a person's attack, he surely would've had his lights cut out. He made a break for it, seeing as Cletus had man everywhere and watching, and now had him at his sights, "STOP THE TRESPASSER!"

Alfred was in an old age, he knew he didn't have the same lungs as he used to and therefore he wasn't dumb that he could outrun these people, especially if they had symbiotes inside them. One of them managed to tackle him on the ground, picking him up, and threw a good punch to his gut that made Alfred's own air come out from his mouth.

The man must've held back in not killing him, because he could see the glee in their eyes, in wanting to kill him. They weren't done, wanting to have the pleasure to kill for their own lord and savior. But if it wasn't for Alfred having a trick up his sleeve; already having a small device out in his hand, tapped it, letting activate and blinking in blue, he dropped it, and just before the attack could do way more damage, the device in turn created both a concussive blast, but also a loud sonic sound wave.

It did the trick alright, pushing back the attackers, and stopping them from getting up, meanwhile Alfred too took the blast, falling back. The hard ground didn't do wonders for him, but he could still stand and make an escape. At least a minute later, he was able to create some distance from the church, hiding himself in an alleyway.

He felt his chest tighten, his heart racing, Alfred growling at the pain he felt, and from the inside of his coat, he grabbed a capsule of pills and popped one in his mouth, calming him, 'I know… Not as young as I used to be…' His hand touched his forehead, feeling it open up a cut, and luckily, he came prepared as he ended up rolling a bandage on his forehead to stop the bleeding, 'But god is on my side, just like you are May.'

He hoped she was looking down on him, and somehow, he believes that she would be pissed that he did something as stupid as this and keep it from his family. But they wouldn't have him out there, not at his age, and he has to do his part instead of being in front of a computer.

In some cases, he now understands how Barbara feels that she can't do as much as she used too. So he has to take advantage of what he can do, right here and right now.

Seeing he was done patching up, Alfred took a heavy stop forward back to the mansion as the sun was just starting to rise over Gotham.

---

Peter was surrounded by the people he loves; the woman he loves being Gwen Stacy sitting right beside him along with her father across the table who bears a striking resemblance to his daughter, yet like the blond hair instead of gray hair, that being George Stacy. Mary Jane sitting across the table while a joyish young adult, with brown waves of hair, and trying to grow a mustache who pours each and everyone a bottle of whine, "This all looks fantastic Misses Parker!"

"Uhh, I think you mean amazing Harry!" Peter corrected just as he took a piece of chicken and stuffed it right into his mouth.

His own aunt ended up slapping his hands before he could take another as she set down more plates of food, "I thought I taught you manners Peter!"

Peter's eyes rolled and had his arms crossed, "Yesss aunt May…" It didn't help that Gwen too took a small bit of ham by her side, "AUNT MAY!"

Gwen's father, who at first looked to be too busy looking over something on his phone, looked up to find her own daughter mimicking Peter, "Gwen…"

Unlike Peter, Gwen ducked her head in shame, "Sorry dad, it was just so tempting!"

"You know," Harry took a seat near Mary Jane, "It's crazy that out of almost everyone here that is as young as me, I have the most manners."

Mary Jane would scoff at his comment of mannerism, "Unlike those two love birds, you're forgetting me here? The redhead who develops her own mannerism?"

"Hey!/Excuse me?" Peter and Gwen said at the same time, cutting off whatever cheeky comment Harry would've made.

This gotta round about giggles and chuckles from the table, "See now that's just sweet and funny y'all both still try to hide it," in this in case, got both of them to blush lightly. Even as adults, Peter and Gwen still had the tendency to hide a lot, not just relationship wise, but also spider wise, "Especially when he does a bit of," Mary Jane gestures to Peter's iconic hand movement when spinning out of his web.

"No work talk on the table Ms Watson," May said as she took her seat near George, "That goes for you too captain," she took his phone, put it on silent, and put it in the middle of the table, "It's thanksgiving, and we should be free from distractions. Now, let me start by saying grace," everyone held their hands together to say their own grace, and held their eyes shut, "So as to start it off, I'm thankful to have such wonderful people here, both new and old, and I can't wait what next year holds for all of us. For example, George here becoming newly commissioner," George lightly grumble, but stopped it with her May hitting his legs with hers, "Gwen successfully able to become an intern in forensic science, Peter and Harry starting up a business..Of sorts, and Ms Watson lighting up Broadway," May felt a relief to get all that out of her chest, "Ok, George?"

"If I must… Well, I'm thankful for getting through another year of being a cop in Gotham. Somehow, someway, I am also thankful to have been able to work with some people, but also able to finally meet certain people who tend to hide who they are whenever they do help me."

"Keep your eyes closed, you two!" May said, catching a glimpse of Gwen and Peter eyes George before she went back to closing her eyes. It only served to have Mary Jane and Harry hold their laughter.

"I think more importantly is that I'm grateful that my daughter is able to find more people in her life. She…Never exactly got along with alot of people, either because she was the smartest in the room, toughest in the room, and harnessed the energy of being a punk rock while going behind my back and getting herself a tattoo, just to spite me."

"Dad!"

"George…"

George grumbled on his breath even when he kept his eyes closed, "I'm not good at this May you know that!"

May groaned at how badly this was going, "Just finish before you embarrass your daughter more."

George cleared his throat, "Anywho… I'm happy my daughter is becoming a fine woman in this harsh world we live in, and I'm also glad she's doing her part to make it less harsh for others," George sighed, his eyes might've been closed but Gwen and just about everyone was smiling at George's grace, "Terrible I know, which is why I skip Thanksgiving alot."

"You were wonderful ok," May acknowledge, "Now who-"

"ME!" Mary Jane shouted, "Oh..Sorry. Um me. If you don't mind?" She asked, while still holding her hands to both Harry and May.

May giggled at Mary Jane's enthusiasm, "You may."

"Ok! Well, this is my first thanksgiving in a long time. Last one was…Well not good. Life hasn't been great for me but I can safely say it had change. Thanks to meeting everyone here. I mean through Harry I met two wonderful couples, and then I met the people who raised them. Hell, that couple saved my life, Harry and Peter ended up beating the jerks that sell me the dope, and Gwen?" Mary Jane's own dimple lit up like a Christmas tree, "She put into perspective what I need to do to be better. And so, I'm grateful for spending a more positive thanksgiving with good people for once, amazing people."

Mary Jane let out her own huge sigh of relief as she felt she'd been holding on to all that had happened within her for so long. To let out the bad, but the good that has happened to her. She felt May's squeeze, reassuring her that she was in a good home to speak about her feelings, her emotions, and anything and everything.

She felt at peace because of that.

"I think it should be me going next before the last two. It's fitting because their speeches will have more weight I presume. But for me? I'll keep it simple and just say… I'm thankful to know what a family is like. It's been… Mostly me? My dad wasn't around even before he went mad and green. But here I learn thanks to all of you what a proper family can look like, and I have to thank god that I met Peter to be able to meet every single one of you all. And also, thank myself for not going to college till another year cause then I wouldn't room with the genius," Harry's grin widened at the prospect of who would be next, "And now, the main event!"

"Pressure much Harry?"

"Hey, it's not that much MJ."

May would shush them as she waited to see who would talk first. Peter tapped his hands together, seeming like he was still prodding what he wanted to say. And the small groan of Gwen meant she was becoming impatient, and her throat being cleared meant she'll take the first step, like always, "There's…A Lot that I'm graceful of… Like being alive since I put myself in danger a lot of times," George's grumble was loud and cleared, but also a goran of pain with May hitting his legs again, "Sorry dad if I worry, and sorry May if I scared you half to death with unknown injuries I had when I was younger. Too busy helping this guy right here with his battles… Man… I guess, I'm mostly grateful for that. Being alive and being here with everyone. I could've died so many times but somehow I didn't. Somehow I'm still here helping others, but mostly Peter. I can't stop helping him, can't stop making sure he's alright, and I guess you can say… I can't stop loving him.." Harry wanted to record this, but felt Mary Jane kicked his shins, and saw May was giving a stink eye. Making sure he got back to closing his eyes and holding his hands with Peter properly.

He of all people had a smirk, making it known he was aware of what he was doing even with his eyes closed, "And because I've been helping him since we were 15, it means I want to help others however way I can. Somehow… I found something that I'm passionate about and I can care about. Took me 5 years, but..I've found it. I wish my friend Jason was here to see it, but I know he's watching from above. Now I hope I can pay for it with the bare money I'm making."

"Welcome to being an adult pumpkin," Gwen scoffed at her father's statement. Now, Peter was the center of the table, with everyone's eyes open and patiently waiting for his grace.

The 20 year old that has been through a lot in the 5 years he's been spider-man. One where he's lost battles, not being able to save people, get run over by the media, but somehow able to have this. People, and more than just two people, but few others close to him that really knows who is. And then there's the battles he has won, the people he has saved, the heroes he's earned their respect, but above all else.

The fact that things have been looking up for him, compared to a year ago, he hopes he can keep it that way, "I'm thankful that I have each and everyone one of you to give me the strength to keep going. I don't know if I could if it wasn't for any of you. But I'm still here, trying to do good, trying to be better, but also trying to make my uncle proud, trying to do better in honor of a friend who I lost last year, simply by being responsible with the gift I have."

Everyone's eyes opened, having various glances to Peter's thanks; For May and George, both were proud of the man he was becoming. With how much he's been through, he still wears his heart on his sleeve, and keeps striving to help anyone he can as spider-man.

Mary Jane was fond of his speech, and couldn't help but see how amazing Peter was as a person, and even felt just a bit envious that she couldn't be something more than just a friend. Harry too felt proud to be a friend, maybe even a brother to Peter. Not only that, he felt honored to be in his life, surrounded by other good people, and most of all, he felt honored to know a side of Peter that most doesn't know. The kind of side that in some ways, is better than himself. And he himself wishes he can be like Peter, someday that is.

Gwen was different as she couldn't take her eyes off him, couldn't stray away from him, and not even for a second, could she stand the idea of not being with him. With all that he's been through for the past 5 years of being who he is, she stood by him no matter what. And she won't leave no matter how tough it gets, because she loves him.

Peter let go of his hands, opened his eyes, and the first thing he did was hold onto Gwen's hands, both of them as he looked deeply into her celeste eyes, "I also love you too, and… I know I have my ups and downs… But I'm glad you're still with me after all we've been through."

Gwen quickly kissed him, loving him, embracing him, but also surprising him with how bold she was to do this in front of her dad and his aunt, "WHOOP WHOOP!"

"SO CUTE!"

"CUT IT OUT YOU TWO BEFORE I START SHOOTING!"

"NOT IN MY HOUSE GEORGE."

Then, everything went still.

The teenage Parker was and has enjoyed this moment, just as the older Parker sat in the living room watching this. He wasn't shocked from the sort of out of body experience that just happened; that for a second, he was experiencing the love of this almost 7 year old memory, and now he was simply watching the moment from afar, but now frozen in time.

Almost like how he is right now.

Someone sat by him, her blond hair was the most prominent thing about her due to how long and big it was. Then they added red shades, wearing a green leather coat with a fishnet as leggings, and black boots. Peter didn't have to look to see who it was that entered his subconscious, but he was somewhat surprised to find her here in the first place, "I guess you're here to wake me CW?"

She frowned at his sly joke, "You're not funny Peter."

He let himself chuckle as he kept his eyes glued to the memory in front of him before it disappeared, withering away as the whole space around them became gray with Peter and the women that sat together, letting webs spin and connect one another.

Letting them be in the center of a web that held onto memories, moments of Peter's triumph and failures. Each web showcases those memories that if Peter wanted to, he could explore. Again, Peter was already used to this type of mind bending moment that is playing out in his subconscious, thanks to both himself and the women sitting beside him, "But seriously Charlotte, you're here to wake me up because if I don't I disrupt the balance of the web? Or some mambo jumbo stuff?"

"Tsk, even with all the stuff you face involving magic, you still don't believe that at the center of the web of destiny, you're the person that started all this?" She questioned.

"Well that's because I find it hard to believe in faith, in destiny, because nothing is ever preordain."

"Yet, some things do happen for a reason Peter. For example me," Charlotte pointed to herself, "In most other realities, I don't take after my grandmother instead someone else does, someone far better," her tone became self deprived, "But in this reality, I'm Madame Webb, and it's my duty to keep everything at a balance in this reality we live in."

"And me being in a coma messes that up?" Peter then stood up, "I'll wake up anyhow, I always do anyways…"

"But you don't want to," Peter kept his back in front of Charlotte, not turning to face her when she's talking, "Deep down, you wanna stay in the times when you had everyone by your side before you let yourself be a part of Cassandra's family. Almost like that's what you want more then ever."

Peter scratched his head, looking up the many tangled, tied, connected webs showcasing all that he is, "...And what if it is?"

"Then you know why i'm here," Charlotte stood up to be near him, having her hands in her pocket, "You should've woken up a while ago but you're not. You're allowing yourself to be stuck in the past just like how you always want it to be."

"Almost like I've been waiting for this moment again?" Peter both asked and guessed. Charlotte could only shrug since it was up to Peter to answer his own question, getting him to sigh in the process, "Maybe I am, so I can spend more time with them," remembering the memory again brought it up in front of them, the web of around them forming, turning, and wrapping itself to form the memory Peter wants at the surface. Replicating just a bit of the environment and people he wants to see.

Till he can fully see the thanksgiving table again, with his younger self and everyone around him as he kisses Gwen back, "Just a bit more…"

"You were young here," Charlotte noted, "I think by this time we already had fought if i'm not mistaken?"

"Yeah we did, it would be another few months till you would go after Mattie and your grandmother having me chase after you once more."

"And then I lost my powers because of that girl and went bat shit insane."

"But, you had your grandmother to help you out where you earned your powers back."

"Still don't feel like I deserve her role."

Peter shrugs as he now faces her, and she resembles her grandmother so much with the blindfold wrapped around her blind eyes, "You're doing great as is, couldn't think of anyone better than you. But I know you probably have far more people than yourself so don't go to their CW."

A small smirk raised from her lips, "Look at you, suffering yet still find the time to help me," she looked up to him, "Now it's your turn to help yourself."

Peter would let go of the memory in front of him as he turned to look at Charlotte, "How..?"

"Trauma's, the very things you haven't moved on from."

---

Alfred came back to the mansion. The first person to notice his appearance was Cassandra; her eyes widened and she quickly went to get some first aid pack to take care of the small wounds placed around his face. The minutes that passed by as they both were in the living room, quiet, but also contended with each other, had also had some tenacity to it too. Cassandra told him of what he missed, that Trigate Bridge was under siege to capture Talia and in the process if it wasn't for Jason pulling through.

Then everything would've been on her. The police would likely fought more against commissioner Dewolff's choice of working with her, and certain media like the Gazette were already having a field day. In hindsight, Cassandra is experiencing more and more of what Peter felt in his career of being spider-man. Sure, the likes didn't trust Bruce or anyone related to him, but they had it out for Peter seeing as he was always involved when it came to the super villains type.

Something that Jason often brought up was that he tends to bring the more big bad's then they already needed. But Cassandra often thought that if he weren't around then there would be a lot of situations they couldn't pull through without him. Which is why she needs him, they need him.

Everyone needs Peter Parker, and everyone needs spider-man just as so.

Alfred noticed the far away gaze in Cassandra's eyes as she was almost done taking care of him, "I'm sorry I worried you."

"You did."

Alfred frowned, "Only because you and everyone would tell me to stay put. I had to do something instead of nothing," Cassandra sighed, understanding the core of not wanting to be useless when things are going south in Gotham. She took a moment to examine what else needing cleaning, what else needed stitching, "How is Peter? I assume Barbara is monitoring him?" He asked.

Cassandra nodded, "Still in coma. No change."

Alfred can see it was just that eating her up but likely what went down on the Triagte bridge, "You took action. Even when it was…Hazardous, you did what you felt was right."

"People die. My fault. My responsibility," her eyes looked away from Alfred, again sighing before returning his gaze, "Have to be better."

"True, but for starters, listen to Master Bruce. There's a time and place to take action, but also a time and place to wait."

"..I know."

"And well while Talia has a sound idea into taking charge, doesn't mean you should follow the vindictiveness of that woman," he advises, "Hear what she says, but don't act till you know when it's right."

"What if I thought was..Right?" Alfred took a moment to process her meaning, same time letting her continue her thought process, "At the moment…Thought was right. Bait. Pawn forward. Yet didn't account…to the speed of it. Didn't know…What to do… New batpod isn't stable…Had to make it look like…I wasn't with her."

He can tell she thought of every avenue to get the edge on the Knight, but what she might've missed out was the fact the Knight had an army behind their back while she only had herself and Barbara to a point. Cassandra was only one person at the moment against a person who likely trained their whole life for this, having eyes and ears everywhere more than she has, "One person Cassandra," he said with raising one finger, "You are but one person. So even though you thought it was right to use Talia as bait, you didn't have others to help you, even the odds in your favor."

"So I'm supposed to wait?" Cassandra's voice trickled out with annoyance, "Wait till he recovers? Or wait for Dick?" Her eyebrows shrewd as she stood and created some distance from Alfred as she felt her anger overtaking her. Her back was turned, as she had her hand by her waist, and one ruffling her hair, "...Can't. City burning. Need to help. Need to be there," she turned to Alfred, "I'm the bat. My city. My responsibility."

Alfred nodded, wanting to stand but finding it difficult due to stressing out his body and so kept himself seated, "Just remember this city and its people aren't all helpless. We'll be fine so long as you take care of yourself Cassandra."

That was something that rang in Cassandra's ears time and time again. After all that has happened, even before the Knight or Carnage show up in this city, she hasn't really been taking care of herself. She doesn't need to question herself, she knows it's true. A key factor with the argument she had with Peter.

Him wanting to balance his life, and asking for her to do the same like she used too. But in all honesty, she's scared to have a normal life, and at the same time, craves to just be the bat because she truly believes that's all she is, all she can be. It still hurts her that that's the truth, and the truth hurts knowing that in a twisted sense, she shares this common trait with her mother.

She wonders what would she say to her if she knew what her thoughts were? Or what was her opinion on taking the mantle being passed from Bruce to her? She hasn't seen her mother in years; the last time involving another one of those fights to the death they she had every now and again with her. Now, she wonders if this is her doing with the Arkham Knight.

Those moves she saw, the way she counter, strike, all related to her mother. Cassandra wonders if her mother, Shiva, had trained them to see if she's capable enough to be the bat. Because Cassandra knows her mother is well informed about the world around her, so in theory, she should know she's been the bat for a year now.

Speaking of the bat, Cassandra saw through the window Bruce driving up to the mansion, with Selina and him marching straight into the mansion and right into the living room, "Are you ok?" Bruce asked with concern, layering out in his voice and body language.

For a split second, Cassandra's body tensed up, expecting Bruce to yell at her for making that decision to use Talia as bait.

More so a ptsdof the last time he came walking to her like this was to stand down or stand by his side when killing people, or twisting their mind in a way that makes them less than human. There even was another split second of Bruce wanting to offer some sort of comfort to Cassandra by way of touch, but Cassandra quickly took a few steps back from him.

She wasn't and not sure if she'll ever let him that near again, "Fine," she said, arms crossed and looking away from Bruce and Selina.

Selina gasps at seeing Alfred in the state he was in, "My god Alfred! What happened to you?!" She closes the distance and crouches, taking a look at him.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," shoeing away Selina's touches, "Just got into trouble getting intel on Kasady is all."

"Intel?" Bruce's eyes slightly widened, "Alfred, you can't be going out there looking for trouble such as them."

Alfred turns his direction towards Bruce, scowling at him, "Because I'm old?" He then scoffed, "I may be old but i'm not useless not to do my part in helping. Sure, I lost both of my hands to that clown, had concussions at ages I shouldn't even have, but I'm still here Master Wayne. So if I must do my part I will, even if it's to go against everyone's wishes."

"We're not saying no Al, but as you said, you've taken beaten that no older people should have in the past," Selina pointed out, "We just…Don't want to see that happen again."

Alfred again sighs, knowing everyone means well at the end of the day, but still feels like he's in the right when it comes to doing her part. Bruce, on the other hand, steel blue eyes drifted back to Cassandra, "What happened out there?"

Cassandra knew this conversation would've come, and she wasn't gonna avoid it, "I act," her basil eyes looking upon the taller former bat, "Tried to prevent casualties. Didn't. Paid for the consequence."

"You know better than to act on impulses Cassandra. Doing so only would likely give the GCPD more ammo to take down Dewolff's order of working with you."

"I'm the bat. Have to decide. Can't wait," she shook her head, "Must fight back."

Bruce's face softened, part of him wanted to step closer to her, give her the emotional support she needed. But seeing as how she reacted not moments ago when he tried that, he kept himself still, "And there's a time and place for all that. Just not now. Not alone, and not against an army."

She nodded, "I know. But I have to lead," she frown, stopping herself from arguing with Bruce before it becomes worse, before it becomes like last year. She turned away from him, from them, "I''l be better," Cassandra moved the time on the clock to open the entrance of the batcave. Without any more words to say, she left the older bat family members.

"Cass!" Selina tried calling her back, but the entrance closed, leaving her to sigh and frown at the prospect of seeing what's going on with her, and not being able to do much.

"Let her go Miss Kyle," Alfred spoke, "It seems the bridge and so far everything that's been transpiring in a month's time is getting to her. The fact that she doesn't have Peter right now doesn't help at all."

Selina moves herself to sit by Alfred, "I get it. But it's almost like she's been…Kind of distant with everyone ever since she became Batwoman. I mean, you all remember at one point where she used to be more open to us? That she can rely on us, that we didn't need to check on her, or that she would come to us if she needed anything, not just for specific things in those specific times?" Bruce and Alfred can hear the disappointment, the frustration of the fact of how much Cassandra had changed compared to who she used to be.

And, this all goes back to Bruce, as he feels shameful that he brought upon this kind of change in Cassandra. He wanted to blame himself, take full responsibility, but what good would that do? He's been blaming himself for everything after Joker death, that maybe if he didn't kill him things would be different.

He'll be Batman and not letting the mantle take hold of her. Because now? He doesn't know how to approach Cassandra like he used to, to comfort her, and tell her that all she needs is to be herself, not him. He's see's it, now more than ever, that she's slowly becoming what he once was.

Before he befriended Gordan and Captain Stacy.

Met Clark.

Diana.

Dick

Justice league.

Barbara.

Jason.

Peter.

Captain Stacy's daughter.

Tim.

Stephanie.

And then Cassandra.

The only thing she has so close to her is Peter, and not even Barbara is close to her as Peter is. Bruce couldn't help but feel useless on this front, and he hopes that Peter can pull through to help steer Cassandra in a better direction.

Cause god, he can't do as much as he used to.

Bruce and the two others heard the marching heels coming from the kitchen made him quiet and turn to see Talia coming in the living room with a brew tea cup in one hand, "You all forgot one thing about the little bat," she sips her team, slowly and taking in how good she made it, "She was an assassin before being a bat. And therefore, she grew soft and forgot how to lead and decide what's the right move when cornered by a pack of ruthless animals. Something I had to remind her, and push to do what's necessary "

Selina scoffed and eye roll, "No way Cassandra would believe a word you say. After all, you helped her own mother try to kill her!" Talia simply held her smirk and drank her tea. She wouldn't need to say much as she saw how Bruce looked at Selina, in turn, changing her frowning expression to a scowl and anger, "...YOU BITCH!" Selina got up straight from the couch, even when Bruce went to hold her back, she was quick enough to still smack her hard on the cheeks. Alfred again would try to stand to help, but again he couldn't and so had to let Bruce hold Selina back as she try escaping from his grasp, "THIS IS YOUR FAULT BITCH! SHE DIDN'T NEED TO BE PUSH OR PRODDED! NOW LOOK AT HER, AND WE CAN'T DO A DAMN THING!"

Talia remarkably held her stance firmly from being smack, not even the tea was knocked from the slap. She move her head right back to looking at Selina, adjusted her hair, kept her smug expression while now giggling at Selina's outburst, "Always have problem keeping yourself in check when it comes to everyone here," quick as it was, Talia let go of her smile, replacing it with a thin straight line and her eyebrows knitting together, "You and everyone here still don't get it. She's still relying on you all for guidance! Because over the years, she got used to everyone here, to call it a family. A family that can keep up with her, hold her tight, drive away the madness, and work together for a common goal! She hasn't become the woman she must be because of that! Because she's too busy fighting with herself then to fight her battles…Hate me, fight me, do whatever it is that makes you feel better," she address that not only to Selina, but to Bruce and Alfred, who all frown in her direction, "But regardless of what happened at Trigate bridge, it was her decision and no one else's. I pushed her, but she chose, not me, her. This, is war as you say Bruce, and in war, casualties will happen."

"...Even if you have a point Ms Al Ghul," Alfred spoke up, "Was Jason part of this plan from the beginning? Did Cassandra have a say in that?"

"He was an insurance in case her plan didn't go through," she admitted.

Selina's eyes widened, looking to both Bruce and Alfred who weren't surprised by his appearance, "Wait, he's back? And..You still have him on a leash?!"

"Not really, Jason always chooses to work with me," Talia said, with an offended tone that was clearly fake.

"Talia, we all know the reason why he would work with you is because you brought him back. He owes you a debt that he will likely never make up for," Bruce stone cold voice said in response to Talia.

For once, Talia now was pissed off by Bruce's statement, "Are we going to forget that I, a demon head, brought him back for you?!" she put aside her tea on a nearby desk, "I remember how broken you were because of his death, even the spider was so hell bent on hurting everyone afterwards! I brought him back to help you, and your family heal!" She then pointed at him, "And yet?! I still get treated badly for something I did, only because I loved you…" Now her tone switched to somberness, regret, as if she shouldn't have done that.

"He didn't ask for that!" Selina brushes off Bruce to step closer to Talia, "You even went behind your father's back before you replaced him! No one asked for Jason to come back the way he did, and the way he is now!"

She scoffed, "So what I'm hearing is, you never approved of Jason's resurrection? I wonder if he knew that," Selina flinched, cursing to herself for a speech she should've kept to herself and not give away. It only serves to bring a smile back on Talia's lips, "Is that why you kept her out of the loop Bruce?" Bruce didn't answer, only giving Talia more fuel to the fire, "I wonder what else you kept from her."

"I know just about everything bitch! So don't try to fucking gage us. You're under our protection, remember?"

Again, Talia scoffed, "I feel sooooo protected."

Selina sucked her teeth, all this was bullshit, all this was so tiresome and she can't stand the bitch in front of her that it made Selina walk away, "I need some air."

"Selina!"

Bruce went to grab her hands, but she easily deflected away. It did stop her for a moment, "I need time alone, gotta fix up the orphanage. Just… Leave me be for the time being ok?" Bruce wanted to say no, something, anything.

But he had nothing, for some reason, he had nothing. Why was this so hard? Why is being a normal person harder than being batman? Was it always this hard? Or does it have to do after what happened to Joker? And how he went on a murder spree.

He couldn't get an answer for himself as Selina left the mansion, passing Dick who was dumbfounded by how she left without saying hi, "..I missed a lot haven't I?"

"Where were you?" Bruce asked, straight to the point.

"Getting more research about ravencroft with the help of Vic. I think I'll get Koriand'r to help out when she's able to come back on earth. Which is soon, actually," Bruce could only nod, but he still stood by the doorway blocking his path, "So uh…Can I come in?"

Bruce's answer was one of his famous grunts he does when things don't go his way.

---

"SHIT!"

"WE NE-"

"Stay calm! Hold the line for the knight!"

"Right brother!"

In the midst of shooting, various howls of pain of members of the knight of the sun getting hurt, or the bodies that drop from everywhere; whether it be the ground, top of an old subway cart, ledges, railings, Jason was taking care of his own business that involve the Arkham Knight.

Right now he was hiding behind a cover from the Knight's army, "I got eyes on red hood!" Jason heard a grenade being used to get him out of cover. A well sound idea to make him move out of his position, but Jason is no noob when it came to the art of his own type of warfare. The second he saw the grenade came to view, he would kick right it back them, "FU-"

"Kaboom loser!" Jason shouted just as soon as the grenade exploded, catching the person in the blast. His visor was signaling him the small army under Gotham was trying to circle him in the train cart he was in. He crouched, and moved silently, nimble like for a guy as tall as him. Nearby was a grate he can use, going under it so he can have time to reload and reposition himself.

"Where'd he go? He just vanished!"

"Stay sharp and focus sister."

"Look at us, he's picking us off easily. Our brothers and sisters have fallen easily to his tactics."

As Jason was moving to another location, someone broke through the grate and grabbed him behind his neck, "Shit!" He was picked up and quickly tossed into a wooden wall, breaking it and pushed into an enclosed room with no ounce of space to move.

Besides a rather large man, hooded, mask, armor like every knight of the sun member, but had gauntlets with blades on them "Red Hood corner…" He told his comrades.

Jason shook off the impact, the rather large man went to stab his forehead with his blade, but Jason's head moved out the way, and rolled to another wall behind him, "Blades huh?" Jason quickly puts away his guns, knowing he could end this easily if he shoots the weak spots he can see, but he likes a challenge.

Especially when he isn't sober.

Just enough time to pull out a blade behind his back, he parries the larger man's attack so he can swing another sword out to his direction. The taller, heavy man was able to block it, but didn't expect the shoulder bash to push him right back to where his comrades tried to surround Jason.

But Jason with his two bleeding, red swords in hand, didn't fear them, not their guns, not how many were left standing, no, he doesn't fear any of them. If anything, he probably fears only one person, but he doesn't have to worry about him for the time being.

Before any of them could start shooting, Jason moved with swiftness none had dared to go up against. Quickly faking a slice for the giant man so he can leap over him, he quickly spun his way to slice two of the Knight forces arms off, shocking them of their brutality. Running from bullets or arrows coming his way, he stumbles on his footing, "Oh crap!" he rolled, recovered and kept moving, "Good ole alcohol, making my fights a lot more interesting," he muttered to himself as he used two sides of the train cars to flip himself on top of the cart.

He stabs a person in their chest, sword being strong enough to penetrate their armor. He would then use that body as a shield, letting his partners shoot and maim him. Aware of his surroundings, Jason plops his sword right into the person's jaw line when they try to strike from above. Taking out his sword, and again moving with both the effects of alcohol and yet his own swiftness, he killed more and more Knights of the sun.

Up above, down below, all while trying his damnedest to keep his balance. He didn't even notice the amount of arrows sticking behind him, or the blood from the countless soldiers he's killed. The drunkenness, armor, and adrenaline made him unaware of anything so long as he could move and kill.

The giant man would again have his moment to fight him, seeing as now, he was the only one left, he tried tackling him, but Jason was elusive, maneuvering his legs and body quickly to be on top of him, before crashing his two swords on top of his head.

Ending his life in an instant, and slowly allowing it to fall, "Oh fuck!" Jason didn't have time to jump off as he crash landed on the edge of metal railing, landing face first on the track. His helmet protected him from the impact, but if he was being honest with himself, the fight took a lot of him. Mostly because, he was still dose in the liquor he drank earlier before he started to fight. It gives him a sort of high; adrenaline pumping from the gunshots and fighting, knowing his life is on the line, that every move must be accurate, and that everything is just a bit harder without a stable equilibrium.

Yet that's how his living has been for a year; drinking, fighting, and getting a high off it. Nothing more and nothing less, because that's who Jason sees himself as. A stark comparison of what he used to be in his teenage years before he was killed.

Jason groan under his mask, sitting up and putting his two swords away, twisting his body left and right to let his joints crack, "Jeez," Jason took a look at of destruction he made when pulling out the few arrows stuck on his back, and surprisingly his shoulder, "One, two, three….10…20…30. Huh," some lay bloody on the floor, some heads were rolled in places that left the rats to munch on them, some hang from railings and train carts, while others are literal around Jason.

In general, Jason showed no mercy to the knight of the sun, "30 people covering an old subway station that's supposed to be a remodel of Jezebel center. Yet somehow, it's left to these people," Jason sighed, pulling a flask from the inside of his white coat, and deactivating part of his helmet with the tap of it on the side of his chin to drink it, "...God I hate this place still. Couldn't have been closed so suddenly, and not without people noticing like the gang. Someone must've bullshit it to make it look like it was being reworked.."

Covering his entire face once more and putting his flask, push himself off the ground to continue his search for the Knight. The locator to the base was shown in his mini map through his helmet, and turning on a particular mode to help him see what he'll miss in the naked eye.

He found a door, hidden by usage of tech that made it invisible, "Bingo," seeing where the circuitry starts from, coming right down to concrete wall, both his hands touch it, push and moved up where it revealed a fingerprint scanner, "Well, got so many bodies to choose from," nearby, he took a former knight in the sun hand lay it on the scanner, "I'll choose this one!" But he then frowned, as the door didn't open.

What happened next was Jason frustratingly repeatedly using each and every part of this person's body as he assumed it wasn't a simple fingerprint, but it wasn't the case. He smashed their other hands, "Come on…" then their heads, "Come on!" shoulder, back, legs, even took off their boots for their feets, "For fuck sakes!" He additionally picks them up over their head, and tosses them at the scanner, nothing works.

Except when the person impacted, blood spilled on the fingerprint scanner, and in doing so slid the door open, "...Probably should've done that from the start," he shook his head and kept moving.

The next area was different then Jason could predict as he had to maneuver floods of water along with broken down old architectures, resembling homes, buildings, and stores that seemed to be lost to both time and civilization, 'Hm… These buildings, places, all seem familiar but unrecognizable at the sam etime,' Jason had to jump, climb, use ledges to cross the paths of these broken down buildings. The grapnel gun he had on his gauntlet also allowed him to swing across large body waters if need be. He could see the building he entered looked to be a library of sorts, filled with books that were old, wooden cabinets that are held for its time, and even the lights in the chamber looked to be built with an old fashion sense.

Just out of curiosity, Jason took one of the books to see if he could do anything, but opening only revealed how yellow it was, noting the fact that this book was made ages ago to the point no words could be seen. But Jason lived in the 21st century where technology can be used to open up the past. Switching visor with a push of a button, he used a unique uv light to broaden up was hidden.

Behind his helmet, Jason eyes widen at the prospect of the book detailing the city that was once called Wonder City, 'What the hell? This was Wonder City…? I remember in his babbling when getting to know him, Tim mentioned that Bruce discovered this when the former Mayor sharp designated Old Gotham as a whole prison, dubbing it Arkham City when he felt the Asylum wasn't enough. Didn't help doing more research, it was sometime after Gotham was able to recover from not only the earthquake, but also the no man's land incident,' Jason closed the book and put back on the shelf, 'And best of all, Ra's made his mark in this area too, and therefore Talia and her league of assassin. Maybe that's where the Knight holds up, in their old lair.'

Jason would keep walking forward, again, switching visor in his helmet to make sure there weren't any traps. While it was clear before proceeding forward, he made sure to pull out his hand gun, equip a silencer, and shoot a circuit for a security protocol that would've likely triggered an alarm.

It also helped that the metallic door opened up easily too.

Entering the new area. He stood in slight shock to find an army, working under Gotham, working in the oldest parts of Gotham, working in Wonder City of all places, to go to war. Jason saw an army that was large, more larger than he thought, working on fighting, weapons, vehicles, all having the space, the laboratory to do what they needed to do, and there were likely more area's that just had more stuff going on then he would find.

He knew he was going into the lion's den, but he didn't think the lion's den was something that can mawl him up since he lacks the kind of power to combat them all at once, "Well fuck me," he muttered to himself. He crouches low, observing everything before him, equipping both hand guns, the end of one gun transformer while the other gun is able to attach onto it, transforming into a sniper that wasn't as powerful as the one in Trigate bridge.

But it would get the job done once he finds the Arkham Knight.

Yet, that wouldn't be the case as a large sound came aloud in the facility, one that got everyone on edge. Jason heard a nearby footstep, and turned to shoot at it, but wasn't sure if he did as he pushed himself off the edge to avoid getting himself killed.

He fell on top of a vehicle, right into the fold of the Knight army. And it didn't help that everyone had their guns quickly aim on him, arrows pointing to him, and hand to hand weapons equip and ready to take him out if necessary, "You wanna kill me, then take your best fucking shot!" Jason shouted, ready to try to disappear out of this fight, but kill as many as he could.

But his reaction time wasn't as great as it should be. A person came running, leaping from a balcony, and drop kicking him to the ground. And then their boots trample on top of his helmet, stopping him from getting up,"Gah…This is why I don't do the bitch dirty work…" Jason again mutters to himself.

But they heard, The Arkham Knight heard his mutter and that got them to snicker as their arms rested on their knees, applying pressure on top of Jason's head, "Shouldn't have taken up her offer Red hood. But! Its an honor to meet your acquaintance."

Jason pushes himself up to get a good look at the Knight, "This is how you greet all your intruders?"

Again, they snickered, letting their feet go off their heads, snapping their fingers that ordered their army to pick him up and hold him on his knees, "Only the one's I'm fascinated in!" They said with a hint of glee in their voice.

"How'd you know who hired me?" Jason asked, not hiding the fact it was Talia that gave him the mission to off the Knight.

"You two have a working history," They said when crouching low on Jason level to talk to them.

Jason growls, struggling in the army grasp, but due to his slight drunkenness, getting drop kick, and a bit of his fight earlier, he won't lie how beat he was at the moment to pull anything out of his ass, "Very few know that."

"When it comes to him, the Batman? I make a note to know every, little, thing about him."

"Huh…Cryptic, but oh so serious. So you're what? Just another person doing a whole motif thing because you hate him or something?"

Again, the Knight snicker, "Not exactly hate, but more so… I feel he," the Knight open their hands for an invisible person, that being Dimitri who tried to kill Jason seconds ago, handed them a knife, "Or the other bat family, just need a wake up call of chaos," they played with knife, spinning it around their fingers, "I mean come on! Ever since Joker died it's been too easy for you people," The Knight then stabbed Jason where his suit was more vulnerable, causing him to groan in pain. For Jason, it was right by his pelvis area, somewhere that most people wouldn't shoot, but somehow the Knight knew, "I mean all of you were scattered, nothing like the family you once were," the Knight twist and twist, making the pain hurt more for Jason as his hand clutched tightly when dealing with the agony of the pain, "Not many know what happen to you all, most don't care, since Gotham had the bat and the spider to protect them. And it all the more may life in Gotham boring. Thankfully, Carnage and I, while not working together, knows Gotham needs a wake up call an-"

Before the Knight can finish what they were saying, Jason slammed their head onto them, but only making the army put him in a choke hold and remove them away from the Knight. The Knight was knocked back, shaking off the head butt, the Knight stood over Jason waiting for his anger to spiral out, "Just…ANOTHER BAT SHIT INSANE MANIAC WHO BELONGS SIX FEET UNDER!" Jason yelled out, his strength being able to remove himself from the choke hold briefly to shout out what he wanted to say.

Doesn't matter if he wasn't close to any of them, no one threatens his family in front of him without getting fucked up.

The Knight snicker strength now, the army released their hold of Jason by their command, and in response, struck Jason with a knee and strangled him themself. All the more giggling in the process of it all, "You can try! You all can try to put me and everyone here away! But you won't!" The Knight pushes themselves closer to Jaosn, "Because in the end, you all need us just as you need us."

Somehow, someway, Jason felt like he heard that song before, the laughter, and the utter fact that they're alive because of them, and that they rise because of them. It almost for a second, felt like Joker was back and taunting him.

But he couldn't say or do nothing with consciousness taking him away due to the Knight strong grasp of their neck

---

Time thick for the young Peter. Clad in his more older spandex costume. He was sitting behind Bruce in his batman costume, who also had a more vintage look that had dark blue on the cowl and cape, while the suit was more gray and his bat symbol on his chest was smaller, yellow and black.

Bruce was racing on his own snowmobile as the time ticked, "GO FASTER!" Peter shouted.

"Calm down Peter! We'll make it!" Even as he tried to sound calm, his voice failed him as he was shaking with the slightness of nervousness in his system.

"I CAN'T STAY CALM! BASTARD SHOT BARBARA IN THE SPINE AND SHE CAN'T WALK! TORTURE HER FATHER WITH FOOTAGES OF WHAT HE DID! AND NOW HE HAS JASON! I SHOULD'VE BEEN THERE TO STOP HIM FROM GOING AFTER HIM!" Peter yelled out, his anger not being quelled as he blamed himself for all that had transpired.

All because he wasn't there when he should be, "It's not your fault that your battle with doctor Octavius had you in Brazil! And its not sim-"

"DOESN'T MATTER BRUCE!" The snow mobile released an after burner that sped past buildings that all looked to be abandoned, smoking, in the coldness of Switzerland, "HE MIGHT'VE WENT HERE FOR HIS MOTHER, BUT THEN HE FOUND OUT THAT CLOWN HAD TIES TO HER! YOU SHOULD'VE KEPT HIM CLOSE TO GOTHAM!"

Bruce's teeth grind as he edges closer and closer to Jason's location "I COULDN'T!"

"YOU GODDAMN COULD'VE!" Knowing he was reaching closer, Peter leapt off the bike and started swinging to Jason.

To save him, to save his stubborn friend.

Peter webbing couldn't attach to the building properly, but it didn't stop him, his reflex adapting quickly and still allowing him to swing on the dime, fast as he could.

He saw the warehouse from afar, 'Almost there! Almost there!' He shouted in his own thoughts. He threw the web line out of the web line to propel himself forward enough to land just a bit closer. But he had to use his strength to leap and bound to make it to the top where the warehouse was.

The snow was so deep that it made it hard for Peter to maneuver, but again, he leapt to be in front of the warehouse. With the touch of his hand, his strength removed the door with ease, and behind his own mask, Peter's eyes couldn't help but widen.

Not at the broken, beaten up form that was Jason in his robin suit, or the fact that a woman lay near him, dead, but smiling in death that looks to be Joker's doing, likely Jason's mother. But behind Jason, was a bomb that was only thick for a 1 second before it could blow up. Jason had time to look upon his friend, his annoying friend while Peter had no time to notice the small smile Jason had at seeing his friend in his last moment, "JASON!"

Peter would throw a web, a cling of life to save him, but the time he did, the warehouse blew up, catching Peter in the blast and sending him flying away from the warehouse. Peter grunt, huffed, feeling the explosion not only damaged his suit, but also him as well. Landing hard on the snow took away the burn, and the coldness managed it the burns and scrape he got.

But Peter didn't let himself stay on the ground, rolling, recovering, Peter pounced off the ground all four to reach back to the warehouse once was. He saw Bruce just made it, trying to find Jason from the rumble, "JASON!" Peter shouted out his friend's name. He would help in Bruce's search, ignoring the skin that itches and screams with the third degree burns he suffered, the headache and ringing from the blast itself.

Though, it didn't take long to find him, with Bruce raising a plank of wood off him. His mouth quivered, the cowl didn't hide how his eyebrow lowered, "No…."

Peter turned, hearing that little utter plea from Bruce. He raced over to him to find Jason, dead, eyes open, the small smile still left on his face. Bruce held him in arms, just as Peter fell to his knees, "Jason…J-Jay…? Come on Wake up…" The slightest touch on his shoulder didn't help register the fact that Jason wasn't gonna start breathing, or blink to confirm he was still alive, "God Damn it…. Not you too…. I was right there…"

Bruce looked upon Peter, his gaze was ridden with utter sadness, yet his sadness was more silent compared to Peter, "Peter…"

"Why…Why you dumb bastard," taking off his mask, Peter hazel eyes was ridden with tears strolling down his cheek, "Why didn't you stay home….GOD DAMN IT!"

Peter's howl, howl of not being able to save another person, and this time someone he had gotten close to over the years. The only thing Bruce could do as Peter screamed and cried out his own bleeding hard, was to use one of his arms to hold him close to him, as his other arm held onto his robin.

From afar, older Peter and Charlotte watch this scene continue on. Yet while Charlotte didn't look away, not one bit of all that happened to the young adult, Peter was different as he turned away from that traumatic moment, "I don't want to see this."

"You turn away now, you'll always turn away. You shut yourself off once more, you'll keep doing it again."

Peter closed his eyes, tightening because he truly wanted to escape moments like this, and he has if he were to be honest with himself. He has been running from memories like this because he himself truly believes that if he could've been there, or somehow talked to Jason, or hell, try to stop Joker from hurting Barbara.

Then he wouldn't have died and become who he is today.

Peter took a deep breath in and out, and looked upon the scene once more. Looking upon his younger self crying his heart out for his friend, "These moments keep you here Peter," Charlotte said, "It's why you're still having seizures. While that woman you fought did the damage, you're only letting yourself stay here, not the other way around."

"...It's like you're saying I want to die."

"But you don't want to live either."

"That's not true!" Peter eyes drifted to the granddaughter of Madam Webb

Yet she didn't move her eyes and kept it straight onto the younger Peter, "Is it though? How hypocritical you are for asking the women you love to live, when you yourself haven't lived in sometime."

Peter couldn't answer, couldn't give a response to what she said. Because she was right, something Peter didn't notice till now that he hasn't been living. And more and more, he's been in a limbo just like Cassandra was. Waiting for something extreme to happen to give him life, or, waiting for something like this to relive the past just the way he wanted too. Peter felt himself sighing of understanding himself more, his hand brushing upon what should be his big, long hair, "...And so I have to see the things that hold me back. Like Jason's death that happened a year from the previous memory," Peter concluded.

Charlotte's response was a nod, only a nod.

And Peter stared upon the scene once more, before the web around them started changing the environment. The landscape was changing due to Peter slowly but surely, letting his mind flood with the memories that need focusing, letting Charlotte guide him to what he needs to see, to learn how to live.

Peter felt his body and mind shift, and when he closed eyes briefly, he already knew what was next for him to see once more.

Peter was chasing this mad man. After weeks of hiding, Peter found the son of a bitch that hurt so many people, and now the people close to him. Joker tried running, shooting at Peter, but Peter was faster, his spider sense keeping him on his toe, "Oh! Itsy bitsy spider angry?! No quips?! HA! Nice change of pace if I do say so myself!"

"NOT THIS TIME CLOWN!" Peter tackles him through a window right into the docks of the East end side of Gotham. Joker howled in pain upon landing, while also suffering his hand from being broken that made him drop his gun thanks to Peter. But the pain was transformed into the laughter, the sadistic laughter that pissed Peter off, "You laugh in pain just as you laugh in the pain of others," Peter thrust faced upon his face, "Sicken," He clutched him by the collar of his purple vest, dodging the toxic liquid that squirt from a flower that was knitted on the left of his chest. Peter in response headbutted him, "I bet you laughed when you torture her father," he punches him, "Showing him all the things you did to her after you crippled her," he punches him again, "Hell! I bet you had fun hurting him after he went to try to save his mom," he punches once more, "THE MOTHER YOU KILLED, AND MADE HER DOUBLE CROSS HIS OWN SON! I BET YOU GIGGLE, SNICKERED," Peter's punches weren't stopping, slowly making Joker face more bloody and pummeled, "KNOWING WE COULDN'T SAVE HIM! CAUSE YOU KNEW HE WAS ALWAYS ANGRY, AND ALL YOU NEEDED TO DO WAS SPARK IT BY HURTING THE PEOPLE HE WAS CLOSE TOO! BY GIVING HIM A FALSE PROMISE OF FAMILY! YOU SICK!" His own costume didn't hide his knuckles, ripping upon each punch, "SON OF A BITCH!"

Yet he still finds time to laugh, spit out blood upon Peter's mask, "Ha…Heh!...It was a blast….! And I would do it…Again…To see you like this spider…"

"SHUT IT!" Peter then proceeded to strangle him, "I had enough of you twisted psychos hurting others because you can! It wouldn't matter if you die, at the very least, everyone would praise me for wiping scum like you off the face of the earth! And maybe they'll finally see me as a hero!"

'But I won't' Peter's head lifted up, hearing the comm's in his mask that was supposed to deactivate turn on by none other than Gwen, whose voice trickled in his ears, 'You know killing him wouldn't bring back Jason.'

"It'll stop more people from dying. You know that, he deserves it!" Peter said while still having his grip tighten around Joker's neck. The deeper part of him that was hearing choke, stifle, was satisfied that he was so close, right there, into killing him.

It's a side that Peter had been dealing with ever since his uncle died, and the countless other civilians he could've saved if he was faster, stronger, smarter.

'Then he'll win," Now it was Barbara he heard, 'No matter what, our job gets harder and harder with people like Joker. But we can't let them win, it's what makes us different from them! It's how we know at the end of the day, they won't win so long as we stay true to ourselves!'

Peter's grip lessened just a bit. He knows this, he knows all this, been told this dozen other times from various people, and various heroes. But how long will that last? How long can his mind stay sane on the notion that people like Joker are still alive, walking, and hurting more and more people, "But….BUT HE DESERVES IT…! He's hurt you… That led to robin wanting to haunt him down for it, and it didn't help that his own mother was used as a pawn! Baited him, then double crossed him… HE DESERVES IT!" Peter angrily screamed out, not trying to convince the people close to him, but more so himself that he deserves to die.

Joker's eyes started rolling, soon enough he was unconscious, and Peter could squeeze more to take away his oxygen, or hell, snap his neck completely. But a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Somehow, Bruce had the tendency of concealing himself from someone who should be able to tell where he's at, "Then I'm guessing your uncle's killer deserves to die as well."

That statement Bruce said, shook Peter to his core, just enough for Peter's own hand to still be held around Joker's neck, but not enough to squeeze out the oxygen that keeps him alive, "...Even with all my powers, I should be able to stop them, help everyone at anytime! Yet… People keep dying, and I can't save the people that matters, matters more then me."

"We do what we can," Bruce said, "But we don't let who we are be overtaken by the people who are willing to destroy us. You kill Joker, he wins simple as that. And that's why we have to be better, to show mercy, even when it'll be too damn easy to end them," Bruce then crouch near Peter, leveling with him as he comforted him in his own way, "You and I get that, that if we let ourselves go down that road, we may never come back from it."

"...Fuck…" Peter finally let Joker go, and the only thing he could do was leave Joker to Bruce as he walked away, his head held down in shame, sadness, and disgust at the fact he almost killed, he almost let him win. Not to mention, he only feels weak at the fact that these villains could bury him so easily.

If he didn't have people like Gwen, Bruce, and Barbara, then he'll surely become someone who he would hate for the rest of his life.

The scene paused as older Peter was left to his thoughts, something that piqued Charlotte's interest, "What are you thinking about?" She asked.

Peter's eyebrow raised at the question, "You can read my mind."

"Better you say it since my mind is more focused on all this that's going on."

"Ok…Well, shouldn't we have started with the death of my uncle?" Peter found himself shrugging, "I know it's what drives me to always be good, to always do good," he again saw how Charlotte was eyeing him, the blindfold may hide it, but she likely wore a poker face expression.

She wanted him to dig deep for himself, something that he prodded and got him to frown as he watched his younger self walking away from Joker, "...I did make peace with it in a way. Because I couldn't save him, I tried saving everyone else… Therefore, my trauma comes more from moments like this, instead of my uncle's death."

Charlotte nodded at Peter looking deeper into himself, understanding the flaws of his nature, how his guilt transformed in a way to cause not only unnecessary trauma, but drive a wedge into making trauma more insufferable to handle, "Brace yourself now, your reaching the more hardest part of this journey."

Peter felt it, the memory that was forming, how he vividly felt he was swinging, holding someone in his arms for dear life, emotions high, Charlotte was digging deep into this memory. And part of him wanted to shut it off.

But by the time he wanted to, it was too late.

Peter swung as fast as he could to the nearest hospital in Old Gotham. It was supposed to be a good new year, a hopeful start to the new year, even thanksgiving was for a hopeful beginning to the new year.

But that wasn't the case for Peter, "Hang on Lieutenant Stacy!" In Peter's arm was a badly injured George Stacy as he swung through the snowy blizzard of Gotham, "Hospital is almost there!"

"No…" George groans in pain and coughed up blood from the damage he suffered. Peter might've been a block close to the hospital, but the wound was getting to the older man. He felt it, knew it, that the doctors wouldn't be able to stop the bleeding where his lung was at, "Peter…Stop."

"No! We're almost there" Peter made a sharp turn, eyes in the hospital right in front of him, "We're right here Lieutenant!"

"Please Peter…"

Peter looked upon the older man on his shoulder before adhering his wishes. He swung to a nearby building and rested him by a brick wall, where he coughed up more blood from his punctured lung. He did a quick scan from his eye lens to see if there was anything he could to at least stop the bleeding.

But, it looked grim since his lung was completely punctured, and soon enough, George Stacy would die. Peter felt his heart rate quicken, he felt himself panic, he didn't know what to do, or how to save him. Because he was losing another person close to him, and that it was his fault that he was in this position, "Captain, save your strength!"

George chuckled as his eyes drooped from tiredness and blood loss, "Lieutenant….You mean….You were just," he coughed up more blood, staining his officer clothing even more, "...Getting the hang of it," he joked with his breathing becoming harder and harder to do.

"I was.. Gwen kept hitting me over the head for it," again George chuckled as Peter took off his mask to watch upon the father figure that looked after him when his uncle had passed, "George, the hospital is right there. Gwen would kill me if I don't get you there."

"You know…These wounds won't heal Peter," George spoke, tapping where his lung was at, bleeding through the webbing Peter applied before he swung him here, "Not in time…It's not your fault…" Peter would have objected, if George didn't stop him with his hand raised, "Don't. It's not. I'm a cop, I sign up…To put my life on the line for others…. No matter the time…Or day….And I would do it again to save that kid from getting hurt by Connors… Just… Be good to Gwen… Be…Be good to every…One,"

George coughing got worse, his breathing got worse, and all Peter could do was hold his hand tightly as he watched him slowly fade from this earth, as he tried to hold back the tears from trickling out his eyelids, "George… Y-you…Can't go… Gwen needs you!" George wanted to say more, to tell Peter more, but the second he opened his mouth, it was his last. Peter waited for him to say something, anything. His mouth was left agape, and Peter was trying to be stronger than tears, "Stacy… Lieutenant….Mr Stacy…!" he shook him, trying just like Jason to wake him up, but to no avail, "..George…? God…" Peter rested his head on George's shoulder, "Please… Make it stop…. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Like before, Peter released a howl of sadness that the people of Old Gotham could hear. He was tired, tired of losing people he cared about, and tired of not being strong enough, fast enough, smart enough to save those that matter.

Older Peter was now on the floor, sitting, his arms trying to hide his face, but he could still hear him, his younger self crying and screaming. Saying the exact thing he is saying right now, "Make it stop…Make the pain stop…"

He didn't hear Charlotte voice her opinion, but he felt his mind pulling him to another memory quickly. He was resisting this time, but because Charlotte was stronger in this realm, he couldn't resist the pressure of this memory coming about.

Some months after George's death. Peter was no more, only spider-man lived on constantly. Forgoing college, the people around him, and his job just to make sure no one dies in his sight.

He felt it was better to isolate himself from them, but also be around those that truly understand his world, and can help him where others can't. Which is why Peter swung to the clock tower so he could get some shut eye. After all that he's been through, Barbara was kind enough for him to come as he pleased.

She herself had tried to get Peter out of his spunk, but like others, no one was successful, not even Bruce who only made things worse. It was odd that he was trying to tell him of all people to not be isolated at this time, when he himself was the godfather of loneliness.

Peter drops down from the hatch that slid open, takes off his mask and slump on the couch to sleep for a bit before he goes back to kicking people's asses. But sleep wouldn't happen since he felt the familiar tingling sensation altering him of something coming his way, he caught it before it could hit his own head.

What felt like a notebook, squinting his eyes and sitting up, he then quickly noticed Gwen was sitting by the computer where Oracle would usually be at. She sat forward, hands clutching together, cracking it as she eyed Peter with an expressionless gaze, "Hey."

She eye rolls and let out a chuckle that wasn't sincere, "Hey? That's all I get? After you've been avoiding us?" Peter frowned, not able to answer her because what was there to be said that she already didn't know? Because of his silence she scoffed and got up, having her arms crossed while now scowling at Peter, "Your aunt is worried! Harry is worried! MJ's worry! Hell, what little of the bat and his crew is left is worrying about you!" She then sighed, letting her gaze soften as she stepped closer to Peter, looking down on him, understanding the frown he had on his face before lifting his chin up to make him look directly at her, "...I'm worried about you."

Peter would then look away, letting her hands drift from his chin, "Don't, I'll be fine. Just need some rest if you don't mind."

Gwen's scowl came back on quickly. She would walk to where the elevator was, ending their conversation quickly, but this was Gwen, she couldn't accept the fact of Peter being like this. Because this wasn't the first, and this just kept happening when he felt guilty of not being able to do his job the best he could, "It's always the same damn thing with you!" While Gwen's back was turned, Peter eyebrow raised and looked at Gwen of what she meant by that? "That you feel like your the only one that suffering, that you feel useless, and pathetic of how much you want to help people," Gwen's hand clenched tightly, "But as always," Gwen turned, showcasing tears coming quickly down from her eyelids, ruining the bit of make up she had on her face, "YOUR SELFISH! BECAUSE ALWAYS FORGET THAT OTHERS SUFFER TOO! NOT JUST YOU! YOU MAY HAVE POWERS, YOUR A SUPERHERO, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT GIVES YOU ANY RIGHT TO FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING IS ON YOU! BECAUSE IT'S NOT! I FUCKING HATE WHEN YOU DO THIS!"

Peter stood up, his own gaze became sympathetic like at the fact she was right. In the time's he let his own grief, regret, guiltiness, and failures get the best of them, he forgets those around him can get affected just as much as him. He could've tried to hug her and tell her the things she might've wanted to hear, but he kept himself at a distance and bowed his head in shame again, forgetting about the people close to him becoming affected by loss just as he was.

In the moment of silence, Gwen gathers her breathing before she can talk again, "...I'm here trying to be here for you… When I need it the most. I mean, my father died, my only family member left had died Peter! And what you did afterwards…? You told me it was better we weren't partners anymore," she said, stifling from the tears, but also wiping away them from her eyelids, "...And the worst part is your now buddy buddy with good portion of Bruce and them, at the expense of us, not just me, your friends and your aunt…"

"Gwen it's not…" Peter again wanted to say something different, but his mind pulled back, "...I just want to keep you all safe, and if it means distancing myself then…"

"Why are you listening to Bruce?" She shook her head, couldn't stand the thought of Peter finally sucking up to Batman of all people. She does admire him, but she knows even when they were younger, Peter never wanted to adhere to some of Bruce's advice that correlates to his dual identity. He wanted to be himself above all, and somehow maintain his life outside of spider-man, "You never listen to him unless it was necessary."

"He actually is against it…The isolative thing."

"And why are you still doing this?"

"Because maybe the younger bat had a point in that this world isn't meant for normal people. You all end up getting hurt easily…"

"THAT'S BULLSHIT! LOOK AT THE TONS OF HERO'S OUTSIDE OF GOTHAM WHO HAVE TO SAVE THE PEOPLE THEY LOVE WITHOUT THE VILLAINS KNOWING THEIR IDENTITY! SUPERMAN IS A MAJOR ONE SINCE LOIS LANE ALWAYS TENDS TO GET KIDNAP!"

Now Peter felt his own annoyance coming into the mix as he step closer to Gwen, "That's not fair since-"

"OK THEN WELL TAKE IN THE ACCOUNT OF THIS! ANYONE OF US COULD GET CAPTURE BY A VILLAIN AT ANY GIVING TIME! WE DON'T HAVE TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH YOU PETER! ALL IT TAKES FOR ONE BAD DAY AND POOF! THE VILLAINS HAS US AND IT'S UP TO YOU TO SAVE US! JUST SAY YOUR FUCKING SCARED THAT'LL YOU LOSE US AN-"

"I AM SCARED GWEN! I'M SO FUCKING SCARED I'LL LOSE YOU LIKE YOUR OWN FATHER THAT I FEEL LIKE I'M A CURSE THAT BRINGS MISFORTUNE TO EVERYONE I CARE ABOUT!" He said right into her face, close and personal, "And that's why I can't be near you, or anyone," he then pressed the elevator button for her, "I'm tired of losing everyone, and I have to be better."

Gwen could only stare at the profoundness of Peter's tired expression, the lack of sleep was noticeable, but also the sorrowfulness that poured out of his speech said how much he didn't want this. But he felt it was right, and Gwen could only respect what he thinks is right, even if it's not. Gwen would go into the elevator, letting the gate closed as she had her hands in her hood pocket, "...Just another day for us huh? Peter and Gwen…"

"Yeah…"

"...Just take care of yourself alright? We're not strangers."

Peter could only nod as Gwen would soon leave the clock tower, leaving Peter to sit back on the couch, and clutched his brown hair as he let the tears he held back flourish.

In the same manner as his younger self, older Peter tried to hide the grief that was coming on the surface, coming hard and fast that he couldn't stop it, "I should've stopped her…I should've been there for her… I shouldn't have rejected her." The brief of memories almost came to the surface, one that involved Gwen getting thrown off the George Washington bridge. The screaming of Peter, the screaming of the goblin, the pain, the suffering.

He felt it coming on the surface because of that rejection, "IT'S MY FAULT! I SHOULD'VE SPENT MORE TIME WITH HER! I SHOULD'VE STOPPED HER! ANYTHING SO THAT SHE WOULDN'T HAVE DIED THE NEXT DAY!"

The memory was stopped thanks to Charlotte, and she sat near Peter as she brought him into an embrace, easing his pain and suffering, "It's not your fault. You didn't know Norman Osborn was planning to hurt you days after."

"If I knew…" Peter sulked in his own distress, the tears and redness of his eyes was adamant, "I would've saved her… She would be here…"

"I know, but you can't change the past to gain happiness."

"...I know…." he said in his stifles, "...I only really moved on because I found someone else…"

More positive memories then flood out on the surface that Charlotte could see and witness as Peter's head was buried in the crone of her neck. The many memories involved Peter's current lover being Cassandra Cain. From the moment they lie to each other, to them constantly working together, to more quiet moments of Peter helping her read, write, spell, understanding science and math, and especially moments that involve them becoming romantically involved.

It was enough that Peter was able to let go of Charlotte embrace, and watch as well of the webbing that connected his memories, his fondness for Cassandra Cain, "...It…took awhile…Few relationships I've been in that weren't a good fit for me…But I found her… In the most oddity of times, I found her."

Now in control, Peter wanted to feel her embrace, wanting to relish the moment, the very first moment they got involved, and so he showcased this to Charlotte.

The 25 year old Peter was celebrating Cassandra's 23 year old birthday, or more so, enjoying the after party as they spent time drinking on top of Bruce mansion, "Slow down Cass!" Peter chuckled as he and her were drinking a lot of alcohol.

Strong alcohol, "ITS GOOOOOOD!"

Peter again chuckled as she did, both were flushed, drunk, as Peter had to drink a lot of alcohol to feel like this. Meanwhile, Cassandra only had to drink one whole vodka to get her drunk, "Shhhhhuuu… You'll disturb Alfred, or maybe Selina and Bruce who are having…Round 10?" His laughing hollered out, "Who knew they would last this long as a couple! 3 years and going! And getting married?! Whhhoooeee!" Peter took a shot of his own vodka, "Proud of the bat!"

"HERE HERE!" Cassandra drank some more vodka before Peter took away the glass bottle and drank it all, "HEY! MINE!"

Peter shakes his head, "You're good for the night! Your way too wasted right now and you have ballet practice in the morning," Cassandra answered with an arm cross and puffed her flushed cheeks, causing Peter to stifle in a chuckle, "Too cute!"

In response, it got Cassandra to blush, feeling her heart skip a beat as she looked away to the half moon above them. It was nice to spend time with her family, but also Peter. It seemed he had become a lot happier overtime; not being with those women Felicia or Koriand'r sister helped a bit too. But she also got worried when he was brooding over his recent failure of his relationship with that hero Stargirl.

He mentioned it didn't work out because he saw too much of his former girlfriend that he couldn't be around her like that for long.

Yet even so, he was happy now, getting a glimpse of him as she let her long hair blocked her glance indicated that his body and expression exemplified an elated feeling then the reverse. It could be because he's drunk, but she knew he was so drunk because of his powers coming to an effect to lessen the effect.

Unlike her, that is as she found her gaze where Peter was. She then stood up, stood on the ledge and took a deep breath in and out, "I LOVE MY FAMILY! I LOVE EVERYTHING! EVERYONE! AND I WANT LOVE TOO!"

Peter had his head tilt at the curious words Cassandra just said. He was also surprised by the lack of stutters and made a mental note that drunk Cassandra means talking Cassandra. She would bounce right to Peter, letting him catch her and have her back leaning against his as she snuggled into him. Peter wouldn't lie how awkward but good he felt that Cassandra was doing this, "Interesting choice of words."

"Love them all. You love them?" She asked in return.

Peter found himself itching his cheek before he answered, "I would say nowadays things have become different, to the point you could say so. It wasn't always like that though, but I guess you can say…" He let his fingers play with her hair, "After losing some good people, with some coming back, some coming back in ways that aren't the same people, or having newer people, spider related to, would that help me if anything happened? I guess you can say my relationship with Bruce and everyone would've evolved to what it is now. Comfortable, happy, and respectable too. My uh… Former girlfriend Gwen, would've loved that change of pace. That I can find balance in my life, get myself in order to do better, and also have an improved relationship with the bat family. She always wanted me to get along with them, but not throw away who I am in the process. And I wish she was here to see that."

Peter felt Cassandra hands wrap around with her's, as sat up to sit on top of his folded legs. She wanted to look him directly in the eye when she wanted to say what she wanted to say, "She would be. Proud of who you are. But she wouldn't like you having sex with a lot of women!"

Peter cringes at the mention of his sex life, "It was only two toxic women!"

"Weren't good for you. Stargirl was better," she frowned, "But you saw too much of Gwen."

Peter himself frowned at the mention of Stargirl, "Yeah… I know. So what? You wanna be my dating manager or something?" He added a touch to a smile so he wouldn't be depressed at remembering how badly those relationships went down.

Felicia only loved the spider, not the man in the mask.

Komanid'r loved the idea of someone close to Dick, but not himself.

Courtney, Stargirl, loved him, and he did too. But he treated her too much like Gwen instead of separating the two.

And there was Mary Jane, but she isn't around right now to solidify their relationship. He is always busy, she's always busy, he's the heroine, while she's acting far away. As much as he wanted to be with her and she does too, how could they when they can't find the time for each other.

Their lives had been slowly drifting apart after everything that happened with Gwen and Harry. It's not a bad thing, as they helped each other out through the sorrow and grief. But to be in love? To be in a relationship? Their life kept getting in the way of that.

Cassandra Cain shook her head again, "Not that."

She was scared to make the first move, for the first time, Cassandra was scared of something. But she shouldn't be as she was in a relationship with a man that was related to superman. But this was different, this was Peter Parker.

Spider-man.

A man who was always interesting to observe, interesting to look at, to hear, to speak, everything about him was fascinating. From the people he saves, to the people he has fought, to the many he wishes he could've saved, and to the many times he was so close to taking a life.

Peter Parker was a man of many things, but he was the beacon of hope that not everyone can see. He was good, truly good. And she has never seen, or been with someone as good as he was.

Yet somehow, Peter let go of her hands, cupped her cheeks, and pulled her close to him as he let his lips touch her. They gently press on to hers, as a way of asking for permission, and Cassandra lets him in.

She let all of him in.

Soon their kissing became more, added with moans, pleasure.

Soon their clothes were off.

Soon Cassandra felt him inside of him.

And soon Peter, for once in a long time, felt lost in a woman who left him speechless and breathless.

Who would've thought that the bat and spider could end up like this?

And the older Peter held on to that, along with many others that the web showcase of his relationship with Cassandra. It was enough for him to remind him of the one thing he was being selfish of, that he was hurting as he was stuck in the past.

He was again being selfish to Cassandra, and not only her, but everyone that still cares about him. Peter would then get up, took a deep breath in, and let all those memories embrace inside of him. Sure, there might've been some memories, traumatic kind he had to learn to move on from, and he will.

But the more positive memories that surrounded him in a web that showcase a good portion of all he's been through; whether it was with the bat family, by himself, with Gwen, her father, Dewolff, commissioner Gordan, or various heroes from various teams. He let them in to remind himself.

He can't die yet, he still has people that need him.

Charlotte couldn't help but smirk as she stood near Peter as he now felt, calm, relaxed, "There you are. Now you're ready to go back."

Peter chuckles as he turns to Charlotte, "Thanks, but I feel like we need another session of this."

"Oh, finally asking for help?"

"No, I just noticed that spider therapy is actually relaxing," he gestured as he stretched his body, "Better than normal therapy."

"Then I'll start charging if that's the case."

"Soooo not fair if you're not charging the other spider people!"

Her eyebrow raised, "Who says I'm not?" Peter was left dumbfounded, but she soon let out a laugh at his reaction, "Kidding, I'm here for all of you. It's part of being madam web."

Peter dumbfoundness quickly left, leaving a smile present on his face, "Well, your grandmother would be proud of you."

"I sure hope so," Charlotte then gave a wave to Peter as she slowly disappear from Peter's consciousness, seeing her work here was done for the time being, "You take care Peter, and remember, you're not alone anymore."

He nodded, "I know."

---

Peter would finally awake back into reality, gasping for breath, sitting up straight as fast he did, shocking Cassandra.

He needed a moment to catch his breath, but he couldn't when Cassandra quickly hugged him and then kissed him with force that no normal person could withstand, "Can't…Breath…" Cassandra giggled as he again was still gathering his breath, and can see Barbara was now staring at them, being happy that Peter was finally awake and Cassandra was happy to have him by her side, "H-how was long I was out for?"

"A week and a half."

"WHAT!"

End of II

---

Sheesh, and there you have it. Part 2 done, and onto part 3

I could've broken this up into two chapters, but I decided against it because the final part of an act in my personal opinion should be long and conclude what that act had to focus on. This meant showcasing and having Peter confront some of the stuff he needed to move on from. It is hinted he still has some loose ends to wrap up, but now he's gonna be stronger mentally against the villains and how he approaches when handling the relationship with the bat family.

Not only that, Cassandra too is now put in a different place, one that is gonna have her planning, making the first step, being more conscious of her decision to be a better bat in a way.

And most importantly, we see now what Arkham Knight wants and why they want Talia of all people. Now yall just have to wait and see what happens next in part 3. Till then, see ya whenever!