'If the family were a boat, it would be a canoe that makes no progress unless everyone paddles.'

— Letty Cottin Pogrebin

Having to attend a court hearing over shared custody of one's daughter was a headache inducing. Since a women Dr. Webb hadn't seen since she dropped their daughter off. Clearly angry with losing a case to him with the snare she was giving him.

"I said it once, and say it again," An older woman dressed in black with a neat gray man bun. Ruby spider brooch and webbing accessories throughout her attire stepped up. Opening her purse to pull out her coin pouch and fish out quarters for Gabriella, "I never liked her even when you were seduced by her."

"Mamá." Dr. Webb disliked when she voiced her two sence.

"Here dear," Gabriella was sent off with change, "I am glad she didn't kill you like most female spiders do after mating."

"I can feel a headache coming on." Dr. Webb was getting annoyed.

Clasp of a purse being closed made him sigh in a calming manner when he looked toward his mother. He was glad she lived long enough to support him throughout her life. Being there to look after her granddaughter when he became a doctor.

"Would you have wanted me to have slept with someone else to give your ángel?" He asked her about Gabriella.

"At the moment," She straightened her posture, "Maybe since I always knew you could do better."

He ended up holding his tongue knowing she was talking about one other girl he knew as a teen. When up to them a woman with a slitted pencil skirt- business suit and four inch heels. She wore her hair to one side with a Jeweled wasp barrette newts in place. Sent chill down his spine followed by flashes of visions through his cortex.

"Casandra. Maynard," Her voice was laced with a sickly sweetness, "Glad to know you were too prepared for today. Which completely blew my mind with what you showed up."

"It's Mrs. Web to you," Older women corrected her, "I'll not have my granddaughter be handed over to the likes of you."

"Overstepping the bonds just a tad." Zarina reminds Mrs. Webb.

"She is her legal guardian," Dr. Webb spoke up, "If anything happens to me."

Gabriella was then greeted by her father when he stepped away already done with Zarina. Knowing his mother could handle her until she was done and ready to leave the court house. Until then he was given one of the free sodas she got out of the machine.

"Thought this could make up for you missing work," She sounded quite said, "Since you don't like being here."

"If it means," He tossed the can into the air, "Fighting for you, so be it."

He was pulled into a hug by her before she let him go and walked past him toward the two women. She stopped right next to her grandmother with balled fists when she looked at Zarina.

"Stop bothering us," She addressed the women before her, "I am happy with mi abuela y mi papa."

"Sweetheart." Zarina tried to reason with her.

"You had your chance," Gabriella took her grandmother's hand, "Now I got a cool abuela and her cool stories."

Dr. Webb stayed in the back with a smile on his face at the way his daughter was defending them. Made him glad he took the day off for his hearing then took a lunch break. Not caring if his new delivery system for Miguel's blood serum was being used today. Being that dual injection system in the shape of frontal dentures. Gave a brief stinging sensation when it inserted his blood serum. Right into his submental artery within seconds of being placed on his fangs. Which left Miguel to remove the device from his upper teeth, and fell on to his chair. A moment that happens after he blood serum entered his system. Took place a lot faster than the old way he injected himself. He removed and placed it near the rack where he kept his veils.

"LAYLA?" Miguel called to her.

"How are we doing after using Dr. Webb's new device?" She asked, appearing above his console, "We want to know the progress of his custody hearing?"

"Dr. Webb's status?" He asked.

"Still absent," She pulled the request off form, "His ex filed for shared custody of their daughter."

Further information was pulled up on this day from video from city cameras and paperwork filed. Visual clips that showed them all entering the Family Court building. Dressed in their finest and box being carried by someone that looked like Dr. Webb. What Miguel zoomed in on in most of the photos was Gabriella beside an older woman.

"This is Madam Webb of this world?" He asked LAYLA.

"Now we know where the doc got his good looks," LAYLA took a photo side by side, "How about it?"

Her answer never came when he ended up picking grinning May off at the console where she appeared. She is happy cooed at the images of Gabriella and Dr. Webb before Miguel. Reaching her tiny hands out toward moving faces on the screens. Had her becoming cradled in his arms then handled like she was a bomb.

"There she is," Peter apologetically approached, "You look away for one minute and off she wanders."

"Her company is welcomed." Miguel strangely mumbled.

"Wait!" Peter didn't understand Miguel, "Where is the 'unsafe environment for her? I need to keep a better look out of the dangers that lurk around EVERY corner' lecture."

"Sorry to burst your bubble," LAYLA broke the news, "This isn't one of those days."

Peter didn't need to be told about the images before him when he took in smaller details. He saw a courthouse in the background and holding a box. They were dressed up and conflict was taking place. Told him what was going on was a personal manner involving family. One that had him taking a seat next to Miguel to block May's view.

"Not today," He didn't want his daughter to figure out what was happening, "I promise we'll get to see Mr. Webb later."

Peter had to take his daughter from Miguel's arms when his attention was changing. Placing her back into her carrier without looking at the screens. Not wanting her to grow upset at the sight of losing a friend like Gabriella.

8*8

That one corner in the cafeteria of the Spider Society, where someone likes to sit and not be disturbed. Is where Dr. Webb likes to be seated when he catches up on work. Between filling his case notes and second checking medical records. Quiet of empty space was welcoming in an odd way for him. Not the usual chaos that happens in the daytime was entertaining. He was always the one treating the broken noses and sprains brought on by those daily fights. Hearing about what started it from one of the people he treated was a mood maker for him.

Just not not now, when he seemed to be the only one that occupied that space. Screens from the cases he worked up til his day off were displayed. Each one filled with images or a video clip, he replayed or reviewed without LAYLA's help. Sometimes touching the meal he got himself when he remembered to eat. Half eaten burger and almost cup of green tea. Laid out on a napkin away from the tablet and electric pen he used. Not looking up or paying much attention to echoes of doors opening and closing.

"LAYLA," He knew she was listening, "I thought I told you I didn't want to be disturbed when catching up on work."

"Your staff gave you away," Miguel's video startled him, "You have a habit of not wearing your Dimensional Travel Watch."

"I also should be taking antipsychotics to suppress my visions," He breathed to calm down, "Didn't I tell you to sleep regularly since you're still recovering?"

"How can I," Miguel asked looking at Mr. Webb's meal, "When you don't seem to be doing that."

"You know about the mutation in the gene DEC2?" Dr. Webb asked Miguel.

"Allows for some people to be natural short sleepers." Miguel was amused with Dr. Webb's question.

Got him a bingo from the doctor when screens were dismissed and tablet turned off. Electric pen slid into place when he turned his eyes to Miguel.

"What else am I to do with my time after four hours of sleep?" He asked Miguel, "I'm kinda not a superhero type and I'm not in the mood to be home."

Miguel took a chair opposite Dr. Webb from that table and pulled. Sudden impact of legs landing on the floor didn't rattle Dr. Webb. As Miguel took a seat with his eyes fixed on the doctor the whole time.

"Omg! Doc, I am sorry…" LAYA popped in too late, "Oh boy."

"You are dismissed for the night." Miguel didn't need her assistance that night.

"Make sure you backup the files," Dr. Webb reminded her, "Review them and put them into my drive."

"Night." She was out.

Awkwardly leaving them those two alone wasn't an action she wanted to happen. Since someone shared that same lingering fear with her as being stumbling into the cafeteria. Giggling May has them not happy about him instantly showing up

"Shouldn't you be putting her to sleep?" Dr. Webb and Miguel asked about May's bed time.

How the both got annoyed when Peter jynx them for talking at the same time. Before turning his eyes to half eaten burger beside Dr. Webb's tea cup.

"Are you going to eat that?" He asked.

"Yes," He saw a gleam in Peter's eyes, "Since it's the only meal I've had since I was in court all day."

"Gabriella?" Miguel asked slightly concerned for her.

"Her mother actually," Dr. Webb figured LAYLA gave him away, "She's trying to get shared custody while proving I am an unfit parent."

Peter threw his arms into the air out of disbelief from what Dr. Webb said. Ready to defend him while disagreeing with whoever his ex had on him.

"Calm down," Miguel thought Peter was being too loud, "Take a seat."

"What are we talking about?" Peter took one on the table's end between Miguel and Dr. Webb.

May yawned once her father was settled and mildly closed her eyes. Which had her father taking a photo of her and then showing to Miguel and Dr. Webb. Most of the new ones was her asleep in her carrier or crawling all over the nearest wall. He added with some type of story or caption about how cute she was. Become much needed break for Dr. Webb that he noticed he needed when he came in. Being that he worked non stop to make up for lost hours from when he wasn't in.

"Has she started to show any other abilities beside wall climbing and usage of a web shooter?" Dr. Webb asked, "Gabriella started having visions and signs of psychic skills when she turned five. Her abuela has been helping her channeling her gift since then."

"She may have started developing her spidery sense?" Peter recalled when she pointed Gwen to him.

"I am assuming this line of questioning has to do with a theory of her inheriting those genetics from being conceived," Miguel started to piece Dr. Webb's thought process, "Then from a traditional bite?"

"You scare me sometimes when you catch on quickly." Dr. Webb addressed Miguel's intellect.

"A lot about me you still don't know," Peter spotted Miguel's eyes diluting and way his eyebrows rose, "As I am still figuring out about you."