Sometimes I find those rare modern Dc or Marvel comics that are a good read. But oftentimes, I back track to the days where both had more consistently good comic books that put focus on the characters and stories first before anything else.

Tis why I'm still writing here. In a way, writing stories that respects where these characters are from, and how to push them in direction that develops them into what they want to be or have to be by the end of the story.

Chapter 4: It'll get better, it has to

Cassandra was on the roof that had a good view of the fundraiser. This specific roof had one of Peter's many bags when it came to patrol. For this one particular, held her primary suit in it. Off was the old and in came with the one she grew accustomed to wear.

First was the chest. It fitted perfectly without any problems, sprawling with metallic armor, covering her upper and lower body, to her arms and hand with the gauntlets necessary to do damage without breaking her knuckles. It also stopped right at her waist thanks to the yellow utility belt encircling her waist. She also felt the bat suit from the shoulder part let her cape out from its material.

Then came the legs that she put her feet in the slim armor leggings, both locking in and raising up to attach to the utility belt.

Finally, was the helmet that slid easily on her head. She would give Selina this; she braided her hair properly better then she ever could. The helmet sank itself in, using the mechanism to form into her proper bat cowl, bat ears piercing right out of the helmet, and then it closed off the mouth area, truly embodying the knight she is.

Emphasize the fear with her dark eyes, pointy ears, the sign of no human can be in this form. And that the bat on her chest represents what she needs to do.

Not a moment to waste, she tapped the side of her ear, "Ready," she spoke out loud as the communication in her cowl turned on.

"Read you loud and clear. I made sure to remotely hack into the camera's here," with Peter confirming the information, Cassandra took out a small device from her belt. Once rotating the device in both different directions, a small video hud was showcased that Cassandra could easily move left and right to scroll through the many camera's Bruce had put up. The videos had eyes from higher levels where certain rich people snuck in for small talks or casual sexual interaction, lower levels that had people go in and out, serving drinks and food, and of course the main level that housed everyone; ranging from the rich, political, and powerful people. The hud may have each section designated for the areas, but there were multiple cameras to capture many sections of the levels, "It did help that Bruce tends to leave a trail for me to get in and out."

"Always a step ahead," Cassandra mentions, "Nothing changes."

"Well, that's been his thing for years. How do you drop something instinctual for something else? Give it time, it's only been a year since he retired."

It bothers her though, eyeing the main area, she still kept her eyes on him, watching him in his every movement both with Selina and without her. It still bothers her to know he's still putting up an act of what everyone is so used to seeing, "...Still hard to be around him."

"I know. But it'll get better, it has to eventually," he said with hopefulness on the comms.

With the conversation dying down, Cassandra made sure to keep tabs on multiple cameras. What caught the interest was Bruce talking to a bald headed man who wore white suit with purple inside of his clothing and had the body of a sumo wrestler, "Fisk is here."

"I see him. Let's make sure we can get him on the record."

"Mhm," Cassandra zoomed in on Bruce and Wilson Fisk talking, pressing a button to properly hear them talking while reducing the background noise.

"Why must you reject the offer Mr Wayne?"

"Not interested in what you're offering."

"Be reasonable here. Ms Al Ghuel could also benefit from the both of us if we all work together. In Fact, Gotham would prosper with the three of us wanting to better this city. After all, she's more independent without her father around."

They heard Bruce laugh, almost out of mockery then anything else. Cassandra saw Fisk becoming flabbergasted by the laughter, and like flip of a switch, Bruce cut his laughter short, "Talia is neither interested or would even care what you have to offer to her that she doesn't have," Cassandra saw Bruce move closer to Fisk, wanting to keep his voice low enough for only him to hear, "Are you truly willing to sacrifice anything to a demon again?""...Yes, just like before with Ra's, I'm willing to do so again."

Bruce backed off, sighing at Fisk stubbornness to not heed his warning, "You're playing a dangerous game here Mr Fisk. I suggest you back off while you can, and in any case if you'll excuse me. I have a speech to present."

With Bruce moving to the stage to give out his speech to the wealthy people of Gotham, Cassandra saw Fisk dialing a number she was able to take a screenshot of just before he went on call, "He's calling someone."

"Adjust the frequency so we can hear who's behind the call," Peter advised.

She did so. She noticed from the footage that Fisk looked stressed, scowling hard at the predicament he's in. He is and was becoming desperate as her partner mentioned, "He's not budging, and won't give us a meeting with Talia."

"As expected," the voice that was heard piqued Cassandra and Peter's interest. It was a distorted kind of voice that pitched their voice lower than normal, and booming enough that neither could recognize on the spot, "Wayne wants to stay far away from the woman who has a number of assassins for her beck and call."

"How could he stay away from her when his company is linked to her to begin with?""It's a front to make everyone happy. In reality, Wayne only makes sure they work on healthier options while he stays away from the unhealthy option. Still, we have other ways to get the pit from Talia."

"We'll be crossing her and the league."

"The great kingpin backing down? I thought you were willing to do anything for your dying wife… After all, she doesn't have much time does she?"A sniveling crackle can be heard over the phone, one that infuriated Fisk, "YOU….!" Fisk wanted to scream, scream loud and threaten the person on the phone. But he held back his anger, controlled his outburst due to being in public, and kept himself just a bit calm before he could talk again, "You hold no true power here. Yes, I will do what I must for her, but mark my words, you use those words again then I'll make sure you don't get to see the man you're inspired by alive."

"...Deal."

The pair heard the phone disconnected. During the conversation Cassandra was trying to get a bead of the location from the caller, seeing that whoever they were, were the one's puppeteering everything involving Fisk move, "Pit..?So he's now trying to get to the Al Ghuel's Lazarus pit, along with whoever else is joining in the frame?" Peter noted so far as to what they have on the situation, "I should be able to crack that voice synthesizer later to see who it was on the other line."

"Damn."

"What happened?"

Cassandra sighed in frustration as on screen, she was unsuccessful in retrieving the location of the unknown caller, "Couldn't get location. Call bounces. But was using… a burner," she mentioned.

"Meaning she got some outside help. Probably the calculator's work maybe?"

"Maybe," no longer focusing on kingpin but again the entirety of the fundraiser as a whole with multiple cameras on screen for her, it was becoming one of those slow nights in Gotham, "Gotham is quiet," Cassandra acknowledged the slow night that she and Peter was having. No random crime or random villains were attacking the night of all nights that she could be doing anything else.

How odd, "Never a good sign. Keep your pointy ears high and I'll keep my spider sense on its tippy toe here."

Cassandra hummed in affirmation. Even with how slow it was, the underworld was still twisting and turning, up to no good like always.

"And thank you all for coming and contributing today with your spectacular Halloween costumes!" Bruce spoke, taking the center room where everyone listened to his speech, "I would've done the same, but I'm not one to wear a get up as easily as my wife can," the crowd took in his humor, and Selina simply raised her glass from the side, "On this day, I would like to extend my gratitude to selling items that I have no use for, and by doing so, using the money to help make Gotham better. Much of it is going for reconstruction of buildings in both North and South Gotham so we can give better homes and businesses to you, the people of Gotham. A surprise to be had is Mr Fisk, a person who is more of a neighbor to Gotham and contributed a lot towards the fundraiser. Though I think he's mostly doing it because he wants to include more unique items in his home," again, the richest of Gotham shared a laugh, "Please, round of applause for Fisk, and to good health and all."

An applause went for Fisk, who seemingly gave a smile when taking a sip of wine instead of champagne.

Near Peter would just about film a lot going on was tug on the shoulder by his news reporter partner, "Hey think we can nab an interview with Fisk?" She asked curiously.

"You forgot how much he hates Ben Urch? And therefore look down on the gazette?"

"Damn… Almost forgot," she added a little stomp in her feet when she remembered that the gazette didn't have a great track record for people like Fisk.

In the middle of his conversation with Vickie, Peter made sure to nab some pictures of Fisk and who he talks to, "Not like we have anything to go on involving questions about his side job."

"But you and your kick ass friend want to know why Fisk is doing all this don't you?"

"Trust me Vickie, we got that cover. You don't have to put yourself in danger for us."

She frowns with the way Peter voices his comment to herself, "Hey I'm not a damsel in distress like Lois Lane. Always needing a cape saving hero to save her because of her poking and prodding in place that can get her killed."

"But you do sometimes get yourself in those positions," Peter said.

"Fine! I do sometimes, but it's to help you and your friends," she scoffed, seeing as how Peter was not only paying her no mind, but also rather talk about anything else, "You know I'm here if you need me right? We're basically the reverse of Bonnie and Clyde, one that searches for the truth of things and exposes the lies of the corrupt. We've been like that for 12 years since you first put on your pajamas," Peter glares at her, and she couldn't help but smile lightly at the very least getting a small enough of reaction for Peter to pay attention to her, "Look all i'm asking is that you hail me out once and awhile for help," the frown was gone, and now a more sorrowful like expression replaced her irritation, "You don't need to keep putting me off for another year Peter."

Peter sighed, letting go of his glare when hearing out one of his oldest friends that helped shape him to what he is today, "..I know, you're right. I just," his free hand rub against the top of his head, trying to find the words to describe more of why he doesn't want Vickie to keep looking for trouble like that, "I just don't want to see you getting hurt."

"I've been through worse."

"You know what I mean Vickie," his eyes glanced at Bruce, talking to Selina and a few others in the crowd, "No one has been the same since what Joker did to them. And I still feel like it's my responsibility to make sure that never happens again."

She nodded, understanding him completely, but at the same time, it won't always stop from things to come, "Peter you know bad things will always happen right? Even when you're here and watching over everyone 24 hours of the day."

"I know," he turned to Vickie, hazel eyes just as resolved as his tone of voice, "But I still have to try to keep everyone safe. The justice league doesn't need me as much as this city does. Now more than ever, now when things are changing for the better."

"Is it though?" She asked with her eyebrow cocked, "Sure Bruce is trying to make North and South Gotham better like here in Miagani. But some of those places he's trying to build, means replacing one's that at least used to house people. When those new buildings go up, you think those people who used to live there will be able to live there again with rent skyrocketing?"

"I.." Peter shy away from a moment, knowing the truth behind it is harsh, "But it has to mean something right? I know what it's like to be on the receiving end with losing a home from things beyond my control. I know Bruce has something in mind for people who need those kinds of help, like feast for example."

"But not everybody wants to be in a shelter home with others Peter. That's why I bring up the question; is Gotham getting better or is it getting harsher to live in beyond the crime and corruption. Take away those two things; crime and corruption, it still protrudes into a different form, causing newer problems to form."

"Yet like a virus, it can be cured," he placed his hand on the slightly shorter woman's shoulder, "As I tell my girlfriend each day I can, it has to get better. Our efforts for a better tomorrow can't be for nothing."

The older red-haired woman couldn't help but simply smile at his optimism at the end of the day. Even when things seem just a bit dark, she can always count on Peter to focus on the positive side to anything.

Suddenly, Vickie caught the way his eye squinted, both quickly looking both ways from his direction before his hands went by where his ears were at. Vickie knew from the simple facial expression she can see that he sensed a threat nearby, "Something is about to go down bat's."

"I know. Moving!"

Before Vickie could question what's gonna happen, or do anything at all, the lights in the place went off, making it dark just like outside was. The only source of light came from the mobile phone's that were on but that didn't do much to help see. Then gun fires rang out in the dark, "DOWN!" Peter quickly maneuvers Vickie to the floor to avoid any bullets coming her way.

She can hear the cries of fear, pain, and bullets hitting their targets. Even when Peter covered her body was his, she can see bodies starting to drop, "Peter..!"

"I know," Peter looked up and around, he then saw people throwing molotovs that were lit up just enough to cause fire in the area. It was sent from the windows, hitting people, burning objects small and large, creating a ring of fire in the area. With fire basking in the main level on their own, it allowed Peter to see the arm gun man, lunatics that took pleasure in hurting and killing people,

Innocent or not, they're people at the end of the day, and Peter knew he had to do something, "Stay low till I clear them out," he said while dropping his camera in Vickie's hand.

Peter moved from Vickie's body, going on all fours, and then sprinting like a mad man straight into the danger. Peter moved fast, fast enough to swipe away enough guns to take away the power they had over the unarmed civilians

Oddly enough, some tank the damage that Peter ended up thrusting. It made him have a full on double take before striking, and kicking them just a bit harder so they can go unconscious, 'Odd.. Meta's attacking a ballroom?' Peter can't question besides keep moving as fast as he can to take out the groups of gun men before they can either hurt or kill more people, "Bats! There may be meta's here!"

"I… Know!" The grunts over comms let Peter know she had to deal with them aswell.

Before anyone more can bring down the place in a blaze, Peter would toss small objects such as bottles of whine and champagne to stop certain people from throwing more Molotov, "EVERYONE! GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN!" Peter shouted as he had the majority of the supposed meta's on his sight.

They train their guns on him, trying to shoot him, but they couldn't shoot a man that was only just a blur in their eyes, even if they were supposedly meta's.

Peter could careless of showcasing his own abilities, too much was going on for people to even recognize him, 'Head down, and keep moving faster so no one knows it's you,' Peter reminded himself as he use, not only whatever shadows he can take advantage of, but sticking to all fours when combating the rest of the group of anarchist.

He knocks each of them out with one or the other by throwing them with his spider strength, or outright bashing them to a wall or ceiling for an added effect to know them unconscious.

Soon enough, Peter did his job, saving enough people as he can when taking down these supposed meta's. But it also prompts him noticing that they were likely other people the maybe after, "Bats, find Wilson Fisk. I'm gonna search for Bruce and Selina while I make everyone escapes"

"Know where he is. Moving!"

He can hear grunts, some gunshots, and in the back of his head he wants to go to her, but he trusts her to be safe. His priority was to protect those that needed protecting.

Peter scope out the main level, finding more people hiding in corners and behind statues from the violence occurred. Some also played dead when the guns and fires came blasting. He also took note briefly of Vickie vale doing her part and making sure everyone was alright.

A glance at each other and a nod, they both have their own respective jobs to do and it seems Vickie helps out the portion that needs done. Peter had to find Bruce and Selina, these weren't normal people they could fight their way out without some help.

Peter again was on the move, moving fast, passing by some bodies that were lying dead on the floor, but all the more moving forward having no time to worry about the bodies he kept seeing. Leaping up the stairs with ease, he burst past through a door to see Selina and Bruce duking it out with more of the gangs. Bruce, noticing Peter, simply swept one of the guy's legs before kicking him right to Peter, where he then used his own shin to impact the person right by the ear, sending him hurling to a nearby floor.

And Selina hopped over him, allowing Peter to jump and smash the other person right on the floor of the canvas. He turned to the two, "You guys ok?"

Selina groaned as she massaged her knuckles, "Whatever they are, they sure almost broke my hands a few times," Peter also took notice that the pair wore a glove of sorts as they took them off, "Good thing you made these just in case we fight people like these. Can't say for some of the other people here."

From her glancing, Peter would see more bodies on the floor; some were half naked while others still had close on, "Damn it.." He clenched his fist, before sighing and letting that brief anger go.

Today was another reminder that he can't save everyone even if he took the precaution necessary to do something. Cassandra and himself weren't prepared for this type of assault. He felt someone tap his shoulder, and he saw it was Bruce, "No time to be in your head."

Peter would slowly nod, "Yeah… Let's check these guys real quick, maybe we can get something on them.

Bruce and Selina would follow Peter's lead. Each checking them before they stood up with a fixed expression, "Not much to go on," Bruce commented, "Normal everyday people."

"They do reek, like they live off the streets," Selina acknowledged.

"For some reason, they're bodies could tank alot more from the smaller percentage of my strength," Peter felt his hand cup his chin, thinking more of these people and how they moved, "Can't tell if they're enhanced on some drug like venom, or they're augmented. Either way, I couldn't save some people due to me being slow."

Selina frowns just when Bruce's expression softens, "You did what you can," Bruce again consoled him, "Focus on the now, where's batwoman?"

"Bat? You've found Fisk?"

"Yes..Need help. Basement."

Peter was on the move the second she said that, "Coast is clear for you two downstairs!" He brought out a different phone, a flip one where he messaged captain Dewolff of a shoot out here in the place where the fundraiser was held.

Pocketing it as he leapt back down, to then find a nearby doorway that led to a kitchen, and then a basement that once held simple stuff for drinks and food. Now the hallway was litter out goons that were knocked out in a variety ways.

Shoved right to the wall, catering it.

An equipment that netted a few in a taser-like trap.

And especially the old fashion way, fist and legs meeting the body.

Zipping to the corner, he found Cassandra closing the wound with the heat in her gauntlet before checking his pulse. Yet the situation itself was not what bothered Peter.

People who worked here, the bodies lying dead on the floor and including some Fisk men, all their blood was written on the wall in front of Cassandra with the only light coming from a nearby fire from a nearby gas panel.

The blood was written as is.

THERE WILL BE CARNAGE!

November 2nd

A person was thrown to a glass window, not cracking it because it was strong enough to take those blows from a high level human strength. A man stumbles on to his knees as the batwoman stalks over him to pull him up by his hair. His gaze met her endless abyss of pure darkness, not able to see her eyes.

But he knew one thing, she was angry, "Answer. Me," She quickly picked him up to his feet, and shoved his face into the glass window, "NOW!"

Through the mirror, Captain Dewolff and Peter stood near one another, observing Cassandra's integration on one of the men that caused a major shootout in Bruce's fundraiser, "We're running out of time spider. He's not talking just like the others."

"He will," from his angle, he glances at the captain, "You called us here for this reason."

"Only because all the people we tried to interrogate ended up dying before they said anything," She mentioned with a frustrated sigh, "And even then, it's hard to make sure security doesn't know you're here."

In those two days it hasn't been easy on either two hero's and the police captain of the GCPD. Dewolf had been trying and trying to get to the bottom of the now killer who seemed to be building a small army for the possibility of a gang warfare or something worse. Peter has been going around, high and low, morning and night to make sure no well else gets hurt.

Cassandra on the other hand was taking out her anger, anger on the fact that people like these men would do something as bad as cause carnage to innocent, or not so innocent people. She drove her hand to his stomach repeatedly before tossing him to the table. The way they're body and head slammed on the table made Dewolff wince, "She's more aggressive than usual."

"Yeah.. They shot up, killed people, and tried burning down the place that had injured people. Of course she would be pissed," Peter said with an arm cross, bringing attention to why Cassandra was this brutal.

It didn't help that they could take it. Peter still hadn't found out how they take the shots he can throw at and not suffer injuries that would put a normal person in a coma, "How's it going with the autopsy? Any findings the forensics found?"

Dewolff sadly shook her head, "They can't make heads or tails with what kills them. All they got was something that caused a huge sudden stroke, as if the brain was attacked from the inside and then nothing else."

"Like a parasite of some sort?" Peter hypothesized.

"Possibly. Look, this is all I can do for the time. I can't have you or batwoman sneak into GCPD for that autopsy," a small frown was presented on her face, "I'll have to treat you as a potential threat if either you choose to go behind my back."

Peter couldn't argue back, nor could he argue for Cassandra. If they absolutely must get some sort of information that can link to what this killer can really do, then they'll have to mark themselves as enemy to the only friend they have in the GCPD.

And they need allies wherever they are, because each day it's becoming just a bit more scarce.

The man found himself thrown onto the chair, again, batwoman prowled before him, "Answer me. Pain will stop."

He raised up his hands, his eyes pleading to her to stop for a moment, but all she did was grab him by his collar to pull him close, "Can't…" he said before spitting some blood out on the floor, "...We swore not to say anything."

"Tell me, so we can protect," she then pointed to him, emphasizing the protection he'll have if he simply snitches, "Or," she clutched her hand, flexing it just a bit as she still had enough ways to break him.

After all, he is durable enough to withstand her blows, "I…I.." stuttering came, before the sound of him gasping for air, "I…..!"

"Shit!" Dewolff moved inside with Peter quickly falling in. Cassandra let him go on the chair, seeing his eye roll back as she can only see the one thing that took a step back.

He was dying, and she saw it all once again. Behind those dark eyes it widens in shock of seeing this person die by cause beyond their own action.

"This is it, this is what happened to the rest!" Dewolff mentioned just as Peter tried to go to work onto doing something, anything to save this man's life.

"Damn! He's going into shock!" He tried to keep his head level so he could potentially withhold the damage to the brain.

"We won't have time to call an ambulance."

"I know! Stay with me!" Peter told the man that was slowly but surely dying. Peter couldn't do a damn thing to stop the aneurysm from. He had no tools or anything of nature to at the very least, stop the brain from bleeding to death.

Like Cassandra, all he and anyone could do was stare and watch as this person's life was being taken away by someone else, "DAMN IT! JUST STAY WITH ME! WE'LL GET HELP! ANYONE JUST HOLD ON!"

Peter knew his desperate speech was just desperate, desperate for this man to fight for his life. But there wasn't any point to it, he made his choice, made this decision to associate with a devil who gave him power, and now was taking it away just as with his life, "Z..Z..Zsasz…"

In seconds, the man was gasping for air, to only have his head slunk back on Peter's hand. The man that ended up carving out carnage with the rest of his now dead group, was now paying for the sins he committed. Yet it made none of them feel better about the situation, "FUCK!" Dewolff shouted as she stood up.

Peter momentarily looked at Cassandra; he was more worried about her from the way she simply stood there, watching the man dying by her own eyes. He would need to absolutely make sure where her headspace is once they get some fresh air, but they for now need to focus on this situation, "He said the name Zsasz, most likely as in Victor Zsasz."

Dewolff took a few more seconds to recuperate, moving left and right with her hand by her side before she turned to the pair of costume heroes, "...Can't be the leader, he doesn't work with much of anyone."

"And he likes to do the killing for himself," Peter shut the man's eye before standing up to get something done out of this situation, "For the time being we got something to go off."

"Yeah…I'll leave that to you two. I need to explain this to the higher ups."

"Will you be alright?"

"Who knows, but as your partner said, ego be damned. We stick together as a team then work alone."

Cassandra was riding a bat mobile; a heavy sport car that was reinforced with armor and basking in a dark chrome with a bat emerald on the middle and fixture-like wings on the horizontal sides by the back of its afterburner.

She was speeding through the Gotham roads, bridges, soon making her way to a location that housed the insane in the rain that was slowly picking up as time passed, "Hey," Peter's voice came through, seeing as he sat behind her, "Everything alright in there?"

"Fine," she said automatically.

"No you're not. Come on, talk to me. Don't leave me stranded in the dark," he said when removing his seat belt and letting his chin sit behind her shoulders.

She did not want him to worry about how she's feeling, how she's been feeling since the Halloween shootout, or how she's been feeling from seeing a man's life taken away by someone else's hand. Someone who had that power to simply destroy the main function of a human cortex, it was unspeakable in Cassandra's eyes, "There.. Was nothing to be done… Watching him die. I couldn't…" her voice kept going lower and lower, not out of desolation purpose, but getting lost in the image of watching another person dying.

"You didn't kill him Cassandra."

"I might've caused it."

"Dewolff mentioned every time they've gotten closer to at least a squeal, they ended up suffering the same fate as this one."

"Still…"

"Hey," he wrapped his arms around her neck, not even the turn in high speed was able to move Peter, "None of that ok? I should be the one guilty enough that I couldn't do anything to save him, just like some of the people in the fundraiser"

"But you're not."

"Because sometimes there isn't anything we can do. We both know that we can't save everyone, even if those people deserve it. And either way, no one deserves death like that."

Hearing him, feeling his arm, letting her cowl gently lay just a bit by his arm, it was enough for Cassandra to not think about the worst outcome today and focus on what needs to be done now, "We have to stop carnage."

"That who we're calling him?" she felt her shoulder shrugs, "Well, better than calling him holiday man, or zodiac killer."

A snort came out of her lip. Leave it to Peter to make light on a situation involving a killer on the loose, "Kingpin? Word on him?"

"Still in iso, hasn't awakened since he got stabbed," they then saw the middle of the batmobile that had a holographic look of Gotham city, getting a call from Batman himself, name also on print. Cassandra quickly ignored his call, "You know he'll eventually call back right?"

"Need him away from this," they were passing along another bridge, with the sight of cars becoming less and less, and now the sky started bathing in more and more rain, "Remember?"

She didn't need to look at him so he could understand. She knew he knew, she knew he remembered. The promise she made not only to batman's mortality, but also to each other that day.

A year ago

Cassandra and Peter stood in the batcave, in a section that had glass chambers broken and costumes burning. This was once a chamber that held costumes for not only batman, but others who either used to work with batman, or were working for batman before his change.

But now they stood in front of mirrors that were broken, costumes burning more and more into cinders, and both didn't know how to react to the situation at hand. For one, Peter stood silently, his expression hidden behind a pure black costume, but the huge white lenses can at least be seen shifted slightly that look like he held a scowl upon seeing the damaged costumes. Cassandra held herself, shuddering at what had happened, shuddering of the fact he would go as far to wipe away the memories involving his many adventures with his friends.

Not only wiping away the good parts, but the trauma behind them, the pain that at the very least was supposed to remind him to keep going, "He's gone too far…" Peter moved away from the glass chambers, fist clenching as he was ready to stop the madness. But Cassandra quickly stood in front of him, the white eyes now squinting with a glare of death, "Out of my way Cassandra! Bruce needs to be stop!"

"Not by you!"

"Well then who else will take him on?! You?! YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH AND I'-"

Cassandra punched him, right on the nose. She winced, holding her hand that shook from hitting his hard skin. She knew for a fact she might've broken her middle knuckle from that punch, yet it did the job. It shut him up, "My fight! Not your's! I'm the… Only one!" Because of how emotionally frustrating she has been as of late, she simply gestures to herself and the bat costume.

Her bat costume being the only one that was burned.

Peter's eyes softened, his glare still there, but not as fierce as it was, "But..We just want you to be safe," he placed both of his hands on the palm of her splintered knuckles. She can feel the suit he wore let part of itself on the place that needs healing, quickly patching it up and slipping right back on to him, "..We don't want you to get hurt."

"STOP! NO WE!" she shook her head, and then her fingers pointed to the chest that held his white spider icon in the center, "JUST.. You.. Need… You.."

"I…Can't.. Don't want to get rid of this," he turned away from her, the feeling of regret burning inside him. He knew what this was, an alien symbiote that needs a host, it's telling him to do things, say things, to erase the pain, his pain, and her pain, "It wants to help. I can.. Feel it."

"You're not you! You're like Batman!"

"But I don't kill!"

"You hurt!""Gotham needs us!"

"Not this!" She spoke desperately, "When it's over. When I face him. We will make…Him stay…Away.. All this.. But, you… Free yourself. I need you," she again poke, but this time leaving her hand on the spider, "Not this. Promise me. I need you… Just you.."

"We...No, I promise."

Current time

Bruce sat in the kitchen, the kitchen that he familiarized himself with when he moved in with Selina that almost feels like more than a year ago. His phone was in hand, tempting to press the call button again.

Tempting to know more about what's going on in his city. Or at the least, wants to know more about what's going on.

His thumb drifted on to the call button, but then he let his other hand stop him. He felt his eyes closed just as he let out a sigh, 'No… She and Peter can handle it,' he told himself, trying to please that part of himself that isn't pleased to sit where he's at.

He still isn't at peace with the way his life had led. Part of him still feels like Gotham needs him, even if he broke that one rule, even if he knows the possibilities of the body count he'll carve in his path, he still feels like he's needed.

In his inner monologue with himself, in his inner battle he's having, he felt something purr right by his leg. He found a small little black cat right by his leg, rubbing his head and not being bothered how bony and thick his shin was from years of condition like a sword. He let his lip smirk as he picked up the cat to let it sit on his lap, "Checking on me?"

He didn't just ask the cat, one that had a name tag called Kent, but also Selina who was now coming out to check on her husband. Like he who only wore a boxer to cover his private part, Selina simply wore a gown that hid the nipples of her breast and the lower regions of her body, "He hates when you leave bed," she grab to cups, then open the fridge to grab a wine that was light to drink, pour for the both of them, close the fridge just before sitting right near him, "And so do I," she past him his cup, "It's getting cold you know?"

"Hm," he rummaged through the glass of wine, taking a sniff of it just before lightly drinking it, "Couldn't sleep. Again," he said in a monotone manner

"Because of the recent murders that are getting worse?" She asked when sipping her own wine. Bruce didn't answer, staring ideally at his drink, "...How many times have we had to go down this road?" Bruce didn't answer. It only serves to slightly make her eyebrow furrowed from his lack of response, "I'll answer that. Alot," her green eyes turn to him, staring at the side of his face instead of him doing the same for her, "And I can't do a damn thing can I right? But be a supportive wife…" she then turns away from him, looking at her glass of wine before drinking more of it, "...The worst part is knowing that i'm doing this alone. Cassandra can't face you with how much you hurt her, how much you scared her, and she doesn't have the courage enough to at least talk to you. Peter acts more like a robin then he should, he was never that, hated it too, especially when he lost Jason when they were only teenagers becoming adults," Selina poured more wine, feeling she just needed more, more for all this stress that's now leaking out of her.

Like she's been holding it in for a year, or hell, more than a year as it feels like it. Sensing the tension, Kent scurried off Bruce and moved back to their room, "And don't get me started on the rest; Dick tries to talk to you, but you can't bear to hear or see him. Barbara is probably the only person you talk to on the same level as me, but even she doesn't stay around to check on you," she took a gulp of wine before pouring more, "Funny how Jason should've idolized you more when you started murdering criminals after the clown! Yet you somehow made him scared of you that he'll never come back to Gotham. Hell! Tim and Steph won't ever come back because to you since they had enough of this city and how you rule it… EVEN FUCKING ALFRED CAN'T STAND YOU! BECAUSE YOU PUSHED HIM SO FAR AWAY THAT HE WON'T EVER LOOK AT YOU THE SAME WAY AGAIN! AND I'M ALL ALONE TO HANDLE YOU!"

Drinking and drinking, it didn't go unnoticed by Bruce. He finally looked at her, and put his hands on her wrist to stop her from pouring and downing more alcohol, "...I'm sorry I've become a burden to you Selina," a monotone tone was replaced by sorrow. Yet his facial expression was only poker.

An instinct to hide his emotions, like always. Selina gritted her teeth, "Burden…?" tears swelled from the once lively shamrock eyes, "Is that how you see yourself…? Or is that how you've always seen yourself Bruce?" Bruce again didn't have the answer for his wife. He instead let go of her hand, yet she didn't bother drinking more of her wine and let her hands support what felt like a massive amount of weight on top of her head, "...How am I supposed to be a wife to someone who won't let me in? Who day in and day out, still wants to be the batman, but not the batman you once were? How am I supposed to be a wife to a person who can't bury that past behind him."

The shamrock eyes met the steel blue eyes, and even when she can't see how he is, what he is feeling, the slight shift in his eye that tore away from her eyes said one thing.

He's lost, confused, and doesn't know how to stop thinking or let alone being who he's really been since he lost his parents that day in a crime alley, "I don't know Selina."

Radically, this chapter was meant to end differently. But since people may guess who the murderer is now; why not leave it for another chapter and flesh out more of the history and where these characters' headspaces are at? See ya whenever