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? They know 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. (Also on AO3)

18. Fear

Some days are harder than others, and there are times like these characters you read, I don't exactly wanna confront the problems or confront the day itself. I don't wanna seize it and just lie on my bed, where it's just me and my thoughts.

But just like these heroes I love, have been inspired by for years, I have to keep going, and I can't give up till I've done everything I set out to do. I hope you all who read this know that your potential to do whatever it is, is only limited by your mind.

Regardless of the circumstance, any of you can do great things so long as you're with it, and enjoy it while trusting the process to get there. On with the story as usual.

---

Chapter 18: Fear

Midnight befallen Gotham city. The power to the city came back on sometime ago that allowed the city to recuperate and go about its busy lives like nothing had happened. Yet stuff had happened in Gotham, involving GCPD to bring back some order in the city.

In the Gotham county side where the Wayne manor once stood tall, it was being taken care of by firefighters and GCPD units going over the many bodies that were found in the front of the burnt mansion. The likes of certain media outlets were covering what went down with the Wayne mansion being crumbling.

But meanwhile, further away from the scene where they have a good look from everything from afar was the redbird. Stephanie was out of the car, taking the scene from afar as her solemn gaze was apparent. She couldn't turn away from seeing the place that was and still is her home being covered in smoke. There was barely anything left that made it look like the Wayne Mansion; everything from the many room's to the many memories were all burnt to the ground.

And the only thing Stephanie could do was look at what was destroyed as she tied her blond hair into a ponytail to keep it from bothering her sight, "Still nothing from the batcave," behind her was Tim using his one hand to try get anything left of the batcave through his phone, "The only thing I can get is Bruce, Selina, and surprisingly Jason's vehicle bu-"

"The batcave is destroyed too," Stephanie said, finishing off her boyfriend's sentence, "Meaning whoever we will be going up against is…Strong and smart to be able to do that," she said with a slight hitch in her voice.

Tim sighed as he kept pacing back and forth behind her, "Maybe Bane told them before Bruce killed him? From the surveillance cameras that were working at one point, the Arkham Knight army came and did this," Tim shook his head, "But Bane was never the type of guy to tell people about Bruce's identity, or any of us."

"That shit is scary though," Stephaine closed her eyes, her heart began pounding at just not only being back in Gotham, but being back to the madness of it all once more, "Knowing Bane and a few others knows our identity," she open her eyes, turning to Tim, "Who's not to say Bane did it Tim?"

"It's just not his MO Steph."

She had her arms crossed, not impressed by his answer, "MO's change Tim," Tim didn't have a good response to that, knowing she was in the right. Their own scars from what Joker did to them was proof enough, "Plus, it probably wasn't just Bane. Maybe Bruce's friend Thomas Elliot? Or is he still…You know."

Since they were now breaking down the list, Tim would gain access to not only the Asylum database and Blackgates debates of the intimates they've dealt with over the years, "Yeah..He's still very much crippled and has no way of talking due to his vocal chord being damage after his and Bruce last altercation with each other about a year ago," Stephanie flinch at reminding another thing going back into her former home, and that was dealing with Bruce, "Riddler won't remember anything after Bruce tormented him to extreme form of hysteria that he can't even remember his own name. Killer moth sadly killed himself instead of having to fight Bruce," Tim both frown and sighed as he lean on his car, finding how Arkham Knight knew of Bruce on that level began growing slimmer and slimmer, "Ra's died before all this, even Hugo Strange seem to not remember anything involving Arkham City."

"So he claims," Stephanie mentions.

"So he claims indeed, but we won't get anything unless we find him…" Tim put his phone away, allowing his one hand to rub his chin. He noticed Stephanie went back to looking at the mansion; its smoke was cleared but now it showed the destruction that these people did to it. Tim would remove himself from the car, walk to her, wrap his one arm around her, and let his chin sit on her shoulder right where her third degree scar was at, "We're here for a reason."

"I know…Doesn't make it easy to be here, to get back into…All this," she took a deep breath in and out, trying to conquer her fear, being unsuccessful, but she won't coward away just because, "We'll need a new place. I know the batcave at the Asylum hasn't been usable in a long time."

"But there's still the belfry. It's a good thing Bruce and Babs planned ahead, allowing Peter and I to set up backup resources if stuff like this had ever happened."

"But the place hasn't been operational since Barbara shut it down due to the birds of prey being defunct, or it at least hasn't been used since Peter…Kind of use that place to take off that black suit he had on"

"Well…We're gonna have to start it up, and Peter mentioned he cleaned up whatever he could if we ever wanted to use it again before we left."

Stephanie looked at Tim, eyebrow raising, "We're not gonna do all that by ourselves right?"

"Of course not. But uh…Gotta reestablish power to our network first, and restore power in that place too," Stephanie silently groaned but nodded, "Ready to go?"

"Just…A Little longer," she leaned her head near Tim. Her gaze was left sadden at the fact of seeing her old home that she had so many memories with everyone not left in ruin. But in between that sadness and fear, was anger.

She was angry to see this happen, and now that Stephanie and Tim are back in Gotham, she won't let anything like this happen again. Not by her own watch, or Tim's of that matter.

---

Bruce never liked being in the hospital. It was never his go to the place where he can recover from the many injuries he sustained when he was Batman. No, that was his cave, and that was gone. His home was gone. It was a hard pill to swallow as he stared at nothing but in front of him, which to him, it was nothing important. Because while he stares at nothing, his mind was going through all that occurred a few hours ago.

The Arkham Knight operated on a level where they were able to bring a whole set of their army into invading his home, hurting the people he cares about, and taking Talia Al Ghul. All in one fell swoop. He knew that they had planned years, years to be able to do this. This isn't just something to be done over one night, week, or even a month. To know who he was, to know where he strategizes, to know how to intrude his home?

That would take years due to the many countermeasures he created, years of making sure he was prepared for the worst. But as time went on, he couldn't plan on everything, and some plans won't work out the way he wanted to, meaning he had to adapt to the situation. Yet now, what was there to adapt? He and his family took a massive hit all because they couldn't let this city lose its power.

Bruce had been through hell before when there was a black out that plagued the city a few times. A particular one involved no man's land incident 7 years ago where an earthquake struck Gotham city badly; homes and workplaces were destroyed, people livelihood crumbled, a huge blackout occurred, and super villains and gangs ran a mock to take over the city. All the while the president black listed Gotham and disconnected it entirely from America itself.

They wanted the city to burn in its own misery, but Bruce and his family didn't let that happen. Other heroes outside of the city did the same wherever they could. That day like any other, the bat family did their part to keep the city alive, to keep the hope of a brighter future alive.

Now it's complicated; forced to let go of a home he couldn't let go of, and also can't afford to let go of the father figure in his life. He still has yet to earn his forgiveness, to wash away the sins he committed when he decided the only way to save Gotham truly was crossing the line. And now, he's not even sure he can do all that.

Not a day goes by where he doesn't, shouldn't remember his first kill. How much it changed him, and like today, he's reminded again and again, if that is the only option to keeping everyone safe.

---

A year ago

"AHHH!"

"HAHAHAHAH! KEEP WATCHING BAT! WE'RE JUST GETTING TO THE GOOD PART!"

The worst part was Bruce couldn't shy away from watching what Joker is forcing him to watch. He had chains that wrapped Bruce from hands to toe's, having him seated on the concrete floor in a kneeling position, another chain wrapping around his throat in angle where he can't move, and worst of all, Joker set up a twisted version of an ophthalmic speculums where it had metal wiring by his eyelids.

If he blinks, it cuts up his eyes, blinding him depending on it.

Bruce's own ice cold eyes were hot red, burning as tears rolled down from not blinking, but also seeing Joker not only toy with him, but hurting another one of his family members in front of him. He had Cassandra on her back, cuffed in a hospital bed where she can't move, as he dug a knife in her back, carving away, making her scream, causing her body to squirm, her hands trying to fight out of the cuff, her legs trying to do something, anything.

But all she felt was pain, pure agonizing pain as blood dripped down from her torn costume, "AHHHHH! AH! AH! AHHHHHHH!"

"Jeez Bat's! I always thought she was the quiet one since she barely talks, BUT SHE'S A SCREAMER FOR SURE! MAYBE THAT'S WHY THE SPIDER GOT HER UNDER HIS WEBS! HAHAHAH!" Joker said, laughing, giggling, having the joy of his life as he not only wears a doctor outfit, wearing a mask and hat on, but kept carving away like he's performed a surgery on her.

"GOD DAMN IT! JOKER! LEAVE HER ALONE!" Bruce begged, pleading as she tried to remove himself from the chains with all his strength, but each time, his hands kept bleeding and bleeding, and it couldn't be help his body was so exhausted from the ordeal he's been through due to Joker's ambitious attack on him and his family, "HURT ME! KILL ME! STOP!"

Joker stopped, frowning as he turned to Bruce, the man who's now broken just like his own Bat suit was torn, burnt to shreds, revealing part of his scarred body from head to toe, "Kill you? Why would I do that?" Joker kept the knife implemented in Cassandra, letting her breath through the pain, but still moaned in the pain she was feeling from her back, "You give me joy, life even!" He said when walking up to Bruce, "If I kill you now, then my life would have no meaning. I mean come on bats! I'M DYING FOR GOD SAKES! CANCER ACTUALLY GOT THE PRINCE OF CRIME!" Joker lashed out surprisingly in anger as he lifted Bruce briefly off his knees with his cape, "WHY WOULD I KILL YOU WHEN I'M ALREADY DEAD!" Joker scoffed, looking disappointed at him for thinking such a term, to perceive himself such low and broken that it bother him as he let him go and turn away, "To think…This is all I had to do to break you, and it doesn't even give me as much pleasure as I thought it would… You know it's funny how easy all this was because your favorite arachnid isn't around. That guy always made planning and scheming such a hard time! I swear, if he was around I couldn't do half of the stuff I'm doing to you. Then again, there was always a way to break you just as much as there was always a way for you to permanently stop me," he turns his neck to Bruce, "Isn't that right, Bruce?"

If his eyes could, Bruce would've let it widen at the sheer notion of now learning because Joker was able to not only cripple him, but hurt everyone he cares about while managing to kill people like Lucius Fox and his son, "You…Knew…?" If his eyes could, it would then squint as he scoffed at the irony from his greatest adversary, "Of course you did…"

Joker smirks, "I mean don't get down Brucie boy! It was always fun and games when you were your true self, and not the playboy you always put on a face for people that never really know you as much as I," Joker added, gesturing to himself as well, "Plus come on! Fancy toy's? Fancy suit? Able to adopt kids left and right? Kind of written on the wall you know? And if Bane knew, then crikey on a stick! I should know too. And all I had to do was do what Bane did, sit back, and watch," Bruce didn't answer back, trying to still to pull him out as Joker turn his back and walk towards Cassandra, "Gotta say though, everyone of your family put up a hell of a fuss, especially your first robin. Too bad I had to put him in a coma."

Hearing him talk about what he did to Dick only added more fuel into Bruce to get out.

"Then there was the hot headed robin, coming back from the dead and all I had to do was drive words into his head then beat the life out of him again," Joker would again, go back to carving away Cassandra back, almost forming the bat symbol on her back, "I mean, the psychological beating worked! Just as he watched Nightwing, your butler, the commissioner, and your wife took a hell of a beating! Though…The cat always did had nine lives to escape. But anyhow! Hell! That hot head let those two other people die..Hm.. what was their name again..?" Joker, with the tap of his chin, let his tongue click when he remembered, "Ah! Lucius and the other was his son."

"AHHH! GAH….AHH!" Cassandra yelled out once more in pain, only serving to Bruce groan, slowly bleeding himself dry to pull him out of the chains.

"Honestly! This bat was just everywhere! She, the other robin, his girl that was another batgirl, and of course! Commissioner Gordon's daughter too! They all made sure to protect everyone as you tried to track me down. But, they all fell to my trap, and have you right here where I want you. I couldn't burn that batgirl in hot, smelly, acid, or fully chop up and serve the third robin on a platter, and I couldn't even maybe do more stuff with Barbara, nor even your butler! Besides cutting his hand off that is."

Bruce felt his hands coming out, but then his eyes had to blink. For a second, he was somehow able to slow the muscle enough that it still cut, skinning the eyelids, but not taking away his vision, "AHHHH!" Bruce felt blood drip among his own eyelids, making it harder to see, but he can still see what Joker wanted to present to him.

"But it doesn't matter! Now that I want to give you a final present to you," Joker stopped his cutting, lift the bed where it stood, and showcased Bruce Cassandra's back carved into a bat symbol, but a bat symbol that had a smile on its face, "A final present for not only you, but for her to remember me bye.."

It was then Joker pulled something out of his pocket, and pressed a button that let the chane's and the machinery on Bruce go. With nothing holding him back, Bruce roared and ran at Joker, letting him smile and laugh, "THAT'S IT! COME TO ME! YOUR ONE AND ONLY FRIEND!" Bruce grabs Joker by his waist, hating his laughter, hating everything he's done, and plunges the both of them through the glass window and into the Gotham river. They splash into the river together, and Joker felt Bruce punch him, choke, just as Joker did so back.

To the bitter end, he laughed, he fought, but all the more, he didn't care. This was his last gift to the only friend that can understand him. Bruce hated it, hated seeing this person cause him so much pain, laughing and fought back.

'All this…Could've been prevented, if I went for the proper solution, if I didn't hold back, if I just listened to Jason, to Ra's and Talia, if I just let Peter did what he had to do years ago…' Bruce thought to himself, as he took the punches but went for a clean head butt, one, twice, and three times to concussed him, and then he continued putting pressure on his throat, 'If I just…Simply…'

Then as they plunge deeper into the sea. Bruce snapped his neck, not hearing it, but feeling his hands tore his neck with ease. Bruce was in shock, startled by his actions as he let go of the now dead Joker. His body plunged deeper into the Gotham river whereas Bruce was only looking at his hands, looking at what he did, looking at the bloody hands that felt numb to him.

He killed him, Bruce had finally crossed the line. And while he could've let himself wither away in Gotham river, so that way this can be his own fate, someone had other ideas instead.

A web grabbed him from behind, pulled him back to the surface and onto the bay area of Gotham. Bruce can briefly recognize the person who saved him, telling him not to die, that he couldn't die. All he could remember is that he resembles Peter.

But he didn't look like him as he wore a more black, menacing costume. Yet, Bruce couldn't focus on that, as his mind put him into unconsciousness, before he spat out water from his lungs.

Alive, but now having to live with what he had done.

---

Present

Bruce's own mind was taken away from that day when the news on the tv got his attention about the Wayne mansion. Or more precisely, someone who's doing the reporting; a familiar raven-haired woman that always likes to look presentable in a business suit, but respectable person from the daily planet, "So far there aren't any reports of casualties during what seems like an unfortunate play of events. Officers and firefighters have deducted that this was no accident. While some can say Mr. Wayne simply had too much to drink and with the help of others, caused his own mansion to burn up, there were also signs of more that came to be. Officers found dead bodies lying around the entirety of the Wayne mansion, bodies belonging to the Knights of the sun led by the recently known terrorist, the Arkham Knight. It's also been reported that Mr Wayne, his wife, and Alfred are in hospital care at the moment. Hopefully, we'll have updated news on their health. Back to you Jimmy."

Bruce frown, 'With Lois here, it wouldn't be surprised if-' the door opens up to find not the doctor's, but a man that Bruce had always called a boy scout since they're first one to one meeting. He wore an amber and peach button up suit while wearing a brown top hat on his head, he pushed up his circular glasses as his padded shoes made all the noise in the world, just like him closing the door behind him, careful not to break it like everything he touches. Bruce couldn't help but both eyeroll and groan at his small touches of being clumsy while making his own posture as bad as possible.

Just seeing him like that always makes it look ridiculous, knowing it's just for show, but an added touch to hide who he really is. He cleared his throat, "I uh…Just came back from-"

"Space, yeah, I know Clark," Bruce found himself looking away from Clark, who himself couldn't help but had a sad expression on his face as soon as their interactions began, "You know you're not supposed to be here."

"Me? Yeah I can," he walked closer to Bruce's bed head as he put the bag around his waist on a nearby desk, "But the other guy? He can also be here too."

"You don't know what they have planned, or how many people are held hostage."

"I could figure out," Clark then took a seat, "A lot is happening and I ca-"

"Clark…"

Clark stopped what he was gonna say, and found himself sighing, "What happen between us doesn't change our friendshi-"

"I almost killed you," Bruce turned to Clark, now having the look of shamefulness feeling his eyelids, "Threaten your wife, your own son, and the rest of the leagues so they wouldn't stop me from doing what I had to do… Hell Clark, I'm the one responsible for weakening you! You shouldn't be around me Clark, you shouldn't be in Gotham city knowing you're needed elsewhere," Bruce said, turning back away from him.

Clark hated seeing Bruce like this, but what hurt's even more is that while he has not only moved on, and forgave Bruce for what he had done a year ago to him, he still can't do that for himself. And he's not sure if he ever could. This is also what Clark hates about his own self; no matter how strong, fast, or how smart he is, there are just things that someone of his stature can't fix.

That superman can't fix, "...Not at the moment. I'm here because I'm worried about my friend. Superman and Batman aren't who they used to be, but that doesn't mean Clark and Bruce have to change."

"...Have they found a cure yet?"

"No, not sure if they'll ever find a cure for my disease Bruce," Clark then oddly chuckle, "It's funny, I should be angry that you did this to me, that there will be a time that I'll die and my own 4 year old son will not see his dad again, or the wife I loved for so many years, will spent even more years crying because I'm not by her side. But.. I'm not angry, maybe sad, but no…I'm kind of grateful even. At first I was angry like the rest of the leagues at what you did to us, to me. I know it was a bold move to have you able to walk free and not face justice for the crimes you committed. I had to put my foot down and reassure everyone you'll never be Batman just as you promise, and that you'll seek whatever therapy or counseling that will make you stronger than before," Clark paused, he then removed his top hat of him, letting a bit of black hair curled on his forehead that he had to smoothed it out, "I'm…Honestly rambling right now because its been…A while since we talk. I guess I want to say is…You gave me something that makes me more human, a way to know that I don't have forever on this earth, and I have to keep doing what I can by making sure…This world, and other worlds, are to be protected and preserve to years to come when I'm not around. And by having you not be Batman, someone else could replace your footsteps, and find their way in the justice league whenever she feels she's ready."

Bruce was quiet, not sure what to say to his friend, his best friend he hurt, his best friend he made sick, and worst of all, making his time on earth shorter than it is supposed to be. Bruce wasn't sure what he could say, or what he wanted to say. That he was happy for him? That he's sorry? He doesn't know which words are right for these situations, and he should know. He should know.

But what makes it so much harder is that Bruce is reminded today of the damage he's caused, the people he's hurt, and now karma is now catching up to him, "I…Had a look at Alfred before coming in," Clark mentioned, "He…Doesn't look to be in a great shape. His brain is still very much active, but due to his cardiac arrest he's in a deep state where he can't wake up anytime soon."

"...Is he..?" Bruce didn't have the power to ask what he wanted to ask. He couldn't accept that fate to a person that meant so much for him.

Clark put his hands on Bruce's shoulder, trying to in some form comfort him, "He's not dead, but the chances of him coming out of this aren't looking too good. Whatever damage he put himself through before and after the attack on the mansion did a lot on his brain and body."

Bruce felt them, felt the liquidness coming from his eyes. He tightened his hands to hold it back, to hold them back because he can't cry, he shouldn't cry, and he won't cry, "...Damn."

Clark lifted his head, squinting then sighing, "John needs help on mars. I really do want to stay and..Help however way I can," Clark put on his hat again, "But I know this isn't my city to save even if I wanted to and I have to respect that. But know this Bruce, if you ever need help I-"

"You're a call away," Bruce turned to Clark, seeing a small smile become present on his lip, "I know. But this is our city, our problem. It would be better if your publicity doesn't get affected by us."

"I'm not too sure, since people love Peter and all that he's done. I made sure to seal up your cave so that it wouldn't damage the environment, or have people knowing who you are. Give everyone my blessons," Clark opened the door and left Bruce alone to his own thoughts once more.

But he wouldn't be for long since Selina came in with crutches, along with a Barbara wheeling herself in as she threw a pair of clothes at Bruce while being on the phone with someone, "Yeah no I'm fine… Fine as I can be. Thanks for checking on us Ted. I'l make sure to call you back soon..OK…Bye," call ended as Barbara put her focus on Bruce, "Time to strategize, we're going on top of the roof where the others are at."

"Was that Clark that we just saw?" Selina asked, briefly looking out to see she can catch him

"Yes," Bruce shortly said when putting on some clothes that replaced his hospital gown.

"Guy looks like he's packing more guns on him."

"Selina not now."

"Whattt?! I'm just pointing out what Lois has. I mean I got this gremlin over here anyhow and I'm happy for it. Who knows how Lois can handle his super d-"

Barbara raised her hands to her lips and shut Selina's mouth up.

---

Cassandra sat on the edge of the roof where Peter slept on her legs. She was out of her bat costume, it being folded into a bag she got, along with clothing she gave not only to herself, but the rest of her family. It was quite an awkward thing when she, a beaten up Peter, Dick, and Jason walked into a drift store to buy clothing.

Say at least, the store owner was taken aback at Gotham's vigilante's coming in to buy clothing.

She watches over the street of Gotham, while her hand gently passes over Peter's long brunette hair. It still needed cutting with how fluffy and big it was, but it was a step up from the fact that he didn't have his beard anymore. At some point, she needs to take care of it just so she can get back at him for cutting her hair.

Not that she minds, it no longer gets in a way or gets so ruffled up when she puts on her cowl. Yet Peter has to suffer whenever he puts on and takes off his mask. These little things allowed her to take her mind off everything that happened and just focus on that he's here with her.

Sleeping, fidgeting because he's not relaxed, but by holding him near her, gently letting her hand brush his hair, or taking a hold of his hands, that sort of comfort keeps him from waking up. Because she knows if she wasn't around right now, Peter wouldn't dare to sleep, wouldn't dare to rest till he finds the Arkham Knight and make them pay for what they did.

And of course, find Cletus Kasady so he can save Mary Jane Watson and Felicia Hardy.

Cassandra found herself frowning knowing those two people that Peter has close ties with are now in the palm of a maniac's hands, 'If I hadn't made sure to keep him…Here…Then he would've…Push too much….Hurt himself…Just to save them…' As much as she loves his courageous side, the kind that was brave to put himself through hell, Cassandra also hates that capacity brings about a toxic behavior of not taking care of one self in the process.

She doesn't like to admit it, but she too has that problem, one of the many problems she and Peter have in common with one another. And it's how those problems, those flaws, help them to connect one another, ground each other, but also make sure neither of them falls back on those toxic behaviors and learn to be better, stronger than that.

She can't say the same for the other two people near her. Jason sat near her, drinking a bottle of alcohol while still wearing his red hood outfit but had his helmet off say the least. And Dick stood with arms crossed, as he too still wore his Nightwing outfit. Dick saw how Jason casually drank like it was nothing, the smell was burning his nostrils indicating it was vodka he was drinking.

How in the world Jason could operate how he was while being drunk was beyond him. But Dick wanted something to calm his nerves, the added juice he took from venom seemed to still rub him the wrong way. He felt himself staring into nothingness, thinking of nothing, but feeling angry and wanting to take out on those who were causing it.

The people that want to burn this city, that want to hurt the good people of the city, and the people that are bringing nothing but pain to his family. Dick tapped Jason by the arm, making him spill a little liquid to his throat, "Pass me some," he asked without any manners.

Jason glared at him, "Hell no. Not your style birdy."

"You know I could just swipe it from you."

"Heh, like to see you try."

The two stared at each other, ready to throw down if necessary just for a pint of alcohol. They were interrupted with a batarang being thrown between their faces that made them jerk their head away from getting hit. Cassandra would catch it without looking as she put it back into her utility belt. She might not be wearing her upper bat suit, but she kept on the lower part just in case, "No fight," she simply said, going back to keeping Peter in a comfortable state of rest.

The hothead with guns and the drug out flying Grayson scoffed at one another. Jason inevitably let him had a sip of his vodka before he pass it back, "So, on a scale of 1 to 10, how fuck are we?" Jason threw out. He looked at both Cassandra and Dick who neither gave him the time of day to answer, "In my opinion, I say a solid 10. They got Talia and they can do whatever the hell they want with her, Alfred is probably dying, and oh! Peter's exes are now a damsel in distress once more!"

"Jason."

"Yeah?"

"Quiet."

"I hate it, little bat. Wake up Peter so I can bother him."

"No."

"Tsk," finishes up his vodka, throwing the bottle off the roof as he watches it fall down to the ground and breaking, "Party pooper."

Between the four heroes, it went quite rather fast with the only sound coming from Jason playing with guns, or sharpening the two swords he has on him. It was then behind them, Dick and Jason quickly react by pulling out their weapons, to only find Bruce helping Selina walk through the elevator along with Barabra wheeling herself to them, "I know how to use a crutch Bruce! Stop!"

"Hm."

"How is Alfred?" Dick asked, putting away his weapon.

"Not good..He's… in a coma," Bruce spoke, his words coming out more soft and low pitch as he couldn't accept the circumstance of what happened to Alfred.

Each of the bat family had various looks; Dick clenched his jaw, tightened his fist in his arms as he hated what happened to Alfred. Jason looked away, sucking his teeth as he felt the old butler shouldn't have been put in a position where he fought some of the bats in the sun. Cassandra felt a gasp left her lip, her basil eyes slightly widened, and then her eyebrow shrewd as she was trying to process this. That the fact Alfred was in a coma, that he may not wake up.

And that he could very much die if not checked on. Her head bowed low, "...We have to strike back."

"And how the fuck are we suppose to do that?!" Jason responded to Cassandra, "They've got an army, just as much weapons and security as the batcave! I'm not saying its impossible here, but how in the fuck are we gonna hit them hard when we're not equip to punch back hard?!"

"As abrasive his comment is," Barbara spoke, as she adjusted her now cracked glasses due to the aftermath of the invasion, "Jason has a point."

"Aw that warms my cold heart Babs!" Jason sarcastically said while touching where his cold heart is at.

Barbara eyerolled, "We lost the cave, the resources needing to find a way to push against the Arkham Knight, we're mostly on our wits end here."

"We're not completely at lost here," Dick said, bringing his own opinion on that matter, "We're all here, every single one of us. We can do something once we recover and find a way to stop Arkham Knight and Carnage along with their separate armies."

"Heh, now that's the more reasonable Dick I know. I wonder where he's been?" Dick response was to stare down Jason with a glare, while Jason simply had a small smirk not backing down from the older robin, "Even though technically, we're down like 6 members, two dead a year ago, two not even in Gotham, and one in a coma."

Bruce cleared his throat, getting the attention of almost everyone. He locked onto Dick as just as he did, "How long Dick?" Dick didn't answer, only looked away. Bruce let go of his wife letting her stand on her own as Bruce strode to Dick slowly. He grabbed his chin to make him face him, "How long were you taking venom Dick? A year? Several months?" Dick didn't answer Bruce while it left Barbara, Cassandra, and Selina in shock to hear Bruce's accusations. And the worst part was Dick wasn't opposed as Bruce brought him closer, "ANSWER US RICHARD! YOU KNOW THE EFFECTS OF VENOM! YOU SEEING THE EFFECTS IT HAD ON BANE BEFORE I KILLED HIM! WHY?! WHY DI-"

"BECAUSE I WANTED TO FEEL LIKE MYSELF AGAIN!" Bruce recoiled back from Dick's own shout, "IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR?" Dick noticed some of the shock expression from finding out he was on Venom, mostly Selina and Cassandra while Barbara was disappointed just as Bruce was, "IS THAT WHAT YOU ALL WANT TO HEAR? THAT I SIMPLY WANTED TO BE MY GREATEST SELF SO I CAN BE OF USE TO ALL OF YOU! SO THAT I CAN BE THE PERFECT HUSBAND FOR KORIAND'R! I JUST WANTED TO BE ME AGAIN AND NOT SOME COUCH POTATO THAT THE JOKER TOOK PLEASURE INTO MAKING A REALITY!"

At first, no one had an answer to that, an answer to Dick selfish need to be what he feels is his greatest asset, and that's being Nightwing. But how could anyone fault him? He did so much good when he found an identity that meshes with who he wanted to be, and he strived to take the lessons he learned from his parents, from Bruce, from everyone, and apply to that specific identity.

And to not be able to do it, was something Dick couldn't stand. Being Nightwing, is who he is, is who Richard Grayson is, and without it, who is Richard Grayson in the end?

Jason would find himself laughing, "Looks like that cat's out of the bag!" Cassandra had her own glare at Jason that he noticed, "What? It's funny that everyone here didn't wanna to believe the flying Grayson, leader of titans, one of the justice league members, is now a drug addict."

"...SHUT UP! YOU ASSHOLE!" Cassandra yelled with anger and disdain of Jason's overall attitude that got everyone's attention, "I DON'T KNOW WHY PETER….WHY EVERYONE FEELS SORRY FOR YOU WHEN YOUR….AN ASS HOLE!"

"AND I WONDER TOO!" Jason shouted back, not backing down from Cassandra, "I DIDN'T ASK FOR PITY! NOR DID I ASK FOR EVERYONE TRYING TO BRING BACK THE PERSON I WAS BEFORE I WAS BEATEN AND EXPLODED TO DEATH!"

"EVERYONE! CHILL! THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR ARGUING AGAINST EACH OTHER!" Selina too shouted.

"Seems like the perfect time," Barbara muttered, "If we're all being honest, this is why we all separate right? Because of how much the Joker scared us? Revealing more of our unspoken flaws, and reaping new one's? How can we protect Gotham when this happens? When we all still have problems to deal with one another? I mean, I know none of us has forgiven what Bruce did have we?"

"I'm still trying to…Change Barbara," Bruce tried to reassure, but the pause and the lack of confidence in his wording didn't help.

"I know, but what you did? How you also hurt us too? I can't, and am not sure I'll ever forgive that."

"Barbara, stop that. The past is-"

"Selina please," Barbara interjected, "I know you love him, but let me have this moment to share what I still feel and not sure I can ever get over. Because with everything that's happening now, I just need…To get this off my chest…This is the only time I can ever admit that I'm scared that Bruce will wage war on everyone he deems a threat again if the circumstances arises."

"I won't Barbara!" Bruce said with a plea as he turned to the red-haired woman, "All I ever have done is try to stay away from that man I became because of the Joker! I'm trying! I'm trying my best to entrust this to everyone here!"

"But you have no faith," Bruce turned to Cassandra. She was frowning as she searched her mind to say what she wanted to say, "...Just like I fear…The worst for me," she gestures to herself, "...You fear that it won't be enough with…Just Us."

"I-" Bruce felt his mouth open then close. Just like with Clark, the words he wanted to say, wanting everyone to believe that isn't the case, didn't come out. Because if he were being honest, it's not that he didn't trust his family to protect Gotham. His hands passed over jawline, "...I trust in…All of you, regardless of what's going on with everything.. But I won't lie, if I could be what I want to be, then I'll feel more comfortable knowing that I'm of use then watching every single one of you out there fighting without me.."

Selina, moving to Bruce with her crutch. She let her free hand grab his hand, "...Trust in them Bruce. Let go of that…Fear you have."

Bruce couldn't look into the eyes of his wife when she ask him to do something impossible. It was odd, he used to inspire fear, yet now fear of himself controls him and he doesn't know how to let that go, "...I don't know how too Selina…"

It was then each of their phone blares. In the process, Peter woke straight up from Cassandra, it would've been fun for the fact that all the screaming didn't wake him up, but their phones did, yet it wasn't the time for that, "Huh?! Ugh!" He felt his body ache from the simple movement that he groaned. He may have a healing factor of sorts, but compared to other super heroes it wasn't the type of healing factor that can heal in 1 2 3. Whatever bruises and cuts that either weren't bandaged or covered up by the clothing Cassandra got him were healing say the least. He was also wrapped around Cassandra, she kept him steady as she checked her phone while Peter looked around curiously, noticing the angst and sorrow roaming between the group, "W..What did I miss?"

"Dick is on drugs and we were having a family bonding session without you," Jason commented without holding anything back.

Peter's eyes widened at Dick, who didn't bother looking at him. A Lot of things began running through his head; like when did this happen? Why in the world would he use venom knowing the consequences? How did he miss that? Why did he miss that? Why didn't he poke and prod as he was supposed to? But the only answer that he saw right in front of him was literally him.

Peter idolizes Dick, from how he steps out of the shadow from Bruce to becoming his own hero, he idolizes his strong desire to be his own man then keep being a sidekick. And it helps that when Peter met Dick, he was far apart from who Jason is and they clicked on the fly like they were long lost brothers. From understanding each other's quips, training against someone who is so fluid in his acrobats without having powers, Peter always views Dick as an older brother that he wished he had when growing up.

And that's why he couldn't see, or actually, he couldn't believe Dick would be the person to succumb to drugs to have his body be what it used to be. It might've been right there in front of him the whole time, but Peter didn't want to dig, prod, for Dick sake.

Besides all that he's thinking of, Peter got a look at what was blaring from their phone's by looking at Cassandra's own, "..Someone's entered in the belfry."

"It was supposed to be shut down," Barbara mentioned, "Any access was cut off entirely to anyone who wanted to enter. Only few people, other than all of us here, can have access to that place, meaning-"

"Tim and Stephanie.." was all Bruce said for everyone to get their attention.

"Wait..Wait, wait, everything is happening left and right," Peter said, groaning as he shuffled in Cassandra's arm who kept him there and didn't let him go. He wanted to get out, but she didn't haven't it at this time so Peter let her be, "Alfred? What's going on with him?"

"He's in a coma," Selina was the one to speak on this part, "No one knows when he'll wake up."

Not everyone can see due to his position besides Cassandra, but Peter was frowning along with sighing of what happened to Alfred, that he couldn't have been there to prevent him from getting hurt. He shouldn't have been in the crossfire, but like always, Alfred was willing to do what's necessary to protect everyone, "And there's nothing we can do..Right?"

"You the science wiz Parker. Maybe think-"

"Stop it, now!" Cassandra slightly shouted, still irritated by Jason's sly remarks.

"Or what?"

"Both of you…!" Again, Peter groans. Even raising his voice hurts just a little, "Please. Let's not bicker right now. We gotta head over to Belfry," this time Peter let himself go out of Cassandra arms, taking a stand on his own two feet that Cassandra couldn't help but support him since he's still wobbly, "...Need to rebuild, find a way to stop the Arkham Knight with whatever they have plans for Talia, and as well addressing Carnage….Can't let him kill these two people because their close to me."

"...Sentimental is the same Peter," Selina acknowledged the fact one of those hostages was an apprentice at one point of her life, "Can't let him kill Felicia."

"Or MJ," Cassandra added. Even before having their talk that helped shape up their relationship with each other, Cassandra wasn't gonna let anything happen to the red hair that is important to Peter.

"Then we go. Now," Dick said, "Also need to avoid the streets, seems reporters are here for what happened to Mister Wayne's mansion," Dick noted when looking down the streets to see a crowd of reporters and news anchors doing their job to report news in the city, one involving Bruce Wayne of all people

All were in agreement now, even if tensions are high between everyone.

---

Tim and Stephanie were in the belfry tower located in North Gotham. It was once an old Wayne tower that Bruce's forefathers had built in the late 19 centuries using newer materials in its construction while also being a landmark, a symbol that welcomes anyone to Gotham City. What made its building unique was the 12 gargoyles it displayed from lower to top; they were represented as guardians that looked over each passageway into the city. A few would look over the bridges and tunnels, and others would look over subway stations running nearby. The top tower where Tim and Stephanie was at was once a place where everyone can come and see no matter the day.

But as time went on, technology grew, and how North Gotham changed over the years, so was the building itself. There were those that tarnished the place, tried burning it down, especially when Bruce's parents were gun down in crime alley's. Just like everywhere else, the once upon time beacon of the city was no longer a beacon, and eventually it became abandoned.

It wasn't until about three years ago when an unknown group, almost similar to the Arkham Knight, took over the building as its own operation. They were once known as the court of owls, and while most wouldn't care or know what they were to Gotham, they like any other groups of adversaries taking care of the bat family.

And it's why Tim wanted to use this place as a sort of redemption path. That no matter what, i was a place where no one can be pushed aside, working together to keep everyone safe in Gotham. Funny enough, just like this place was supposed to be a beacon of hope for Gotham once more, it didn't turn out that way.

Barbara's team, birds of prey, shut down after a mission went wrong. With that trauma, she removed herself from the Belfry, and for a bit, away from Gotham.

Tim wanted to make use of the place more, after all it was his idea to make this place as important as the batcave. He was able to move software's, equipment, beds, couches to make the place feel at home for the bat family, or any other heroes that wanted to use the place. But at some point, Tim found himself too busy with both college and life as a red robin to put in the work. Same with Stephanie, but she was never the person who knew technology or engineering to keep the place running.

Peter used it from time to time as his own base of operation, even his own place to sleep when he was too tired to swing to his and Cassandra's own apartment. But after the events that occurred about a year ago with the Joker, and his moment of going down another dark path with a black symbiote, he long stopped using it as he made himself feel at home with Bruce's mansion and cave. In fact, Peter was the one to shut down everything since there wasn't a point in using it when no one was gonna use it.

It didn't help that some of the place had cracks on the walls, floors, and even the huge bell in front of the window loosely hung as in itself was cracked, almost looking like it could rip apart any second.

However, Peter made sure to move whatever equipment to the place so that way, if anything happens to Bruce's cave, they can always rely on the Belfry as a backup.

Cassandra was in the same boat with Peter, once using it, but for her, it didn't have what the cave had so she never bothered to keep using it at that point.

Not even Dick and Jason ever use it as much since they were always away from Gotham. Bruce only contributed the same as Peter went moving equipment to the place, but when he retired the cowl, he all but left it behind. Selina didn't contribute much to Belfry, since at that point, she all but preferred to live a more normal life caring for those that needed caring.

Now as Tim and Stephanie return to Gotham, they were beginning to bring up everything they can into the building that Tim dubbed as the Gotham Knight's HQ, "Gonna try turning on the power again Steph!"

"Got it!" her voice echoed from the floor above him.

Tim rolled down the power generator, sparks lighted that made him cover his face and as the power went on, it soon turned off, "Damn it!" Tim would open up the circuit box, rerouting the wire chords once more so the place can have power running, "Come on, come on. Just work for me. I know how old you are, but please," Tim sighed, stopping for a moment as he stared at the color wires in his hand that he wrap to one another, "...Please, we need this," Tim would get back to what he needs to do, and he close the box, "I'm doing it again Steph!"

"Fingers cross babe!"

"Fingers crossed indeed," Tim muttered to himself, he grabbed onto the red handle, and pressed it down. It didn't spark, Tim saw the place light up, and he had an astonishing grin on his face, "YES!"

Tim would run back up to the upper levels, passing by a few of Bruce's old bat's vehicle he had that was sitting near a railroad. Belfry had access to an abandoned underground subway station that still needed to power on if it was gonna be used to navigate the city easier. Reaching the higher level, Tim saw the computers up and running where Stephanie was at. The station that was meant for both engineering and scientific lit up like it was Christmas on the right hand side of the room, and the left hand side held a station for training and sparring; it had its heavy bags, but no AI generator field for in depth training.

Yet it did have old manikins if anything.

Tim saw Stephanie booting up the computer, spawning, analyzing the city for any crime activity, and even tracking their bat family. It had its shares of fragmented tears due to Peter's own fault, but it was still functional, "Ok, we're a go then," Tim said.

Stephanie took note of some of the crimes that were being reported, not a whole lot, but enough not to go unnoticed. To her luck, the GCPD were handling those situations while she noticed the bat family was coming their way through the abandoned subway, "Here they come, gonna make sure each route is open for them to come here."

"One at a time, software here is not up to date at the moment and we can't have it crashing," Stephanie scoffed and flipped her hair when looking at her boyfriend, who too looked back at her with a perplex look on his face, "What?"

"I know how to work a computer, Tim, including the bat computer."

"I do remember someone who almost caused a self-destruct to happen in the bat cave when she started goofing around."

"UGH! IT WAS ONE TIME!"

"Thank god for Pete."

"Ignoring you now!"

Tim chuckled as Stephanie made sure to open up the specific routes for the rest of the bat family to come to the belfry tower. Eventually, it didn't take them long to enter, letting an elevator bring them up to the observation deck, and hearing the engine, sparks from the railroad, coming through as they parked their vehicle.

Stephanie, hearing them come, would run to the balcony. While she was happy to see them, she didn't like to see each and everyone of them in the beaten, depressed state they were in.

She noticed Peter first; his bruises made her look at him first as he was bandage up and having clothes there hiding more injuries that she can somewhat see as he took off his jacket. The suit he was wearing was holding together by its metallic fragments, armor parts were shown, as well as certain places being torn enough to leave cuts and bruises around his body.

Then there was her best friend, Cassandra, she smiled, wave, but Stephanie could see she was hiding more. Her hair was all over the place, the clothes she wore didn't really fit her making her look impractical then anything. While she was the least bruised out of all, Stephanie didn't like the fact that she was easily hiding more of what she was feeling than anything right out of the gate.

Bruce was more focused on wheeling Barbara, both had a miniature grim look. It didn't help that Bruce walked slowly, like every moment hurt just a little. And Stephanie didn't like how Selina was walking with the cast to support her legging as one of them had a cast on.

Funny enough, Stephanie wasn't expecting to hear two people arguing in the car, "GET THE FUCK OUT DICK!"

"LEAVE ME BE!"

She thought Jason would never come back to the city, and she still found herself flabbergasted of how Dick is still able to be Nightwing now more then ever. Stephanie then saw Peter eyerolled and help bring Dick out of the car by picking him up with one hand and put him behind his solider "LET GO OF ME!"

"HA! Taking a picture of this," Jason didn't just took a picture, he recorded Dick trying to wiggle out of Peter's arms, but he was unsuccessful with how strong he was even in his tired state.

Peter didn't haven't didn't have the strength to make them stop as is. He would let Dick go, letting him stand on his two feet as the bat family used a nearby elevator to bring them up to the main hub of the building. It's here where Stephanie hugs everyone she can, "You don't know how much I miss you guys!"

"Ease the fuck off blondie!" Jason spoke, not liking hugs from Stephanie of all people.

Stephanie glared at Jason, and stuck her tongue out. Cassandra couldn't help but giggle at once the hugging was done. It was really good to see her best friend back in the city. But suddenly, Cassandra frowns at seeing the third degree scarring she had on the left side of her face. The purple hoodie and pants she had on cover the rest of her body, but she still found herself reminding of the damage she went through last year.

In a sense, as much as she was glad to see her, it still hurts to face her. If it wasn't for Peter holding her hand once more, she would've avoided meeting her eyes. Peter's touch reminded her that the past happened, only the present matter, "It's good seeing you again Steph. Have you put on muscle?" Peter asked while inspecting her body.

Stephanie giggled, "Oh hell yeah! I did!" She rolled up her sleeves and flexed her muscles that were quite similar to Cassandra's own, with it slightly being a bit bigger, "Still trying to look as good as your girl over here!"

"Steph! Honey! You already look good as is!" Selina commented on.

"Coming from you, always mean a lot Cat!" Stephanie said, with an added flush on her cheeks due to the compliment she got from Selina.

"Ooo! Something to punch!" Jason went his way to a heavy bag so he won't have to hear the conversation.

Dick finds a place to lean on a wall, idly keeping himself away from the social talks going on.

Meanwhile Bruce would navigate Barbara to the computer where she met Tim. He grin at seeing her, giving her a hug, "It's good to see you Barbara. I would've come sooner if-"

Barbara shook her head, "You have a life outside of the city, and no one would blame you if you didn't come."

Tim nodded, finding himself looking at Bruce who took a seat by one side of the monitor just as Barbara took up her side to get stuff running. Bruce noticed Tim long gaze at him, but kept his eyes focused on the monitor, "Tim."

"Bruce."

"...Good seeing you and Stephanie again."

"Yeah, thanks," Tim took his own seat, conversation dying as fast as it came about.

As Stephanie was talking to Peter, Cassandra, and Selina, she couldn't help but notice a person missing as she raised her eyebrows, "Wait, where's Alfred?"

Suddenly everyone found themselves either frowning as is, or stopped what they're doing as they were reminded of what became to the butler that is the heart and soul of the bat family, "...Long story, will bring you and Tim up to speed."

And so they did, mostly, Cassandra and Peter were the one's to fill in what Tim and Stephanie had missed as most of them were around each other. Only Jason and Dick were the ones far removed from the group itself. The likes of Barbara, Selina, and Bruce would fill in certain dots in their own end to better explain the sudden conflict that arised in Gotham.

It was a lot to take in. But something that didn't sit well with either of them was Dick taking venom. Tim eyebrows furrowed, his lips became tense, and his glare was focused on Dick, "THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Just like earlier with everyone else, Dick didn't have the guts to look at Tim, "YOU KNOW WHAT THAT DID TO BANE! HELL! WHAT IT ONCE DID TO BRUCE?! WHY-"

"It's obvious boy wonder!" Jason fist planed on the heavy bag, hard enough to send the bag flying, hitting a wall, breaking a few things, and letting out the sand in it, "The guy wanted to relive the glory days," he walked to the group, "Everyone looked up to the man himself," he gesture his hand to Dick, "The one who in every way shape or form, was supposed to be the true successor from Bruce, that he can't do no wrong! But he's just like anyone who has insecurities! Once Joker fucked him up, he couldn't live with the fact that he couldn't be his best self. Especially compared to Koriand'r."

The second he mentioned her, Dick was already moving to him, escrima stick out and all, but Peter moved in front of him using one hand to stop him, and the other hand to hold back Jason who whipped out his guns of all things, "NO! IS THIS HOW WE'RE GONNA ACT RIGHT NOW! OUR CITY IS BURNING, PEOPLE NEED HELP, AND WE'RE FIGHTING AND ARGUING RIGHT NOW OF ALL THINGS?!" Peter didn't care how much his body aches from all these two backs, he had enough of what was brewing between everyone, "STUFF HAPPENED, BUT WE CAN'T FOCUS ON THAT RIGHT NOW!"

And now it was exploding, just how it was always gonna happen when everyone came back together, "COME ON PARKER! YOU WEREN'T THERE WHAT HAPPENED TO US! TOO BUSY TRYING TO SUCK THE LEAGUES DICK THAT YOU COULDN'T EVEN BE THERE FOR US!"

"DON'T BLAST YOUR INSECURITIES ON ME JASON!" Peter shouted right back to Jason, fed up with him already, "IF I COULD! I WOULD'VE STAYED AND HELP! BUT THEY NEEDED ME!"

"AND YET EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US GOT SCREWED BY THAT STUPID FUCKING CLOWN!" Jason pointed his gun towards Bruce, "THAT HE SHOULD'VE PUT DOWN AGES AGO!"

"Jason! Stop!" Stephanie also shouted, "YOUR GONNA SHOOT HIM?!"

"MAYBE I SHOULD SINCE EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING IS HIS DAMN FAULT! EVERYTHING IS HIS FAULT!"

"Are you really gonna be so dumb to shoot the man that took you in from the ghetto streets of Gotham?!" It was Selina turn to get involved, stepping in front of Bruce, "I get that shit fucked you up, BUT ARE YOU REALLY GONNA SHOOT THE MAN THAT BASICALLY WAS YOUR FATHER WHEN YOU HAD NONE?!"

"I WAS FINE WITHOUT HIM! WITHOUT ANY OF YOU!" Jason waved his gun at everyone as he backed away, "LOOK HOW MESSED UP WE ALL ARE! MAYBE IF BRUCE DIDN'T DECIDE TO BECOME BATMAN, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAPPEN, NONE OF THE PEOPLE WE FACE WOULD CAUSE SO MUCH SHIT TO US!"

"GO AHEAD! GO OFF ON YOUR TANTRUM LIKE IT'S GONNA MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER!" Dick shouted, "ALWAYS ANGRY AT EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY! THIS IS WHY YOU GOT KILLED BY JOKER! CAUSE YOU NEVER LISTEN TO ANYONE OTHER THAN YOURSELF!"

"DICK STOP!" Cassandra found her voice in the middle of this chaos.

Jason clocked his gun back at Dick, "SHOOT ME! I DARE YOU! MAYBE IT'LL BE A BLESSING TO DIE SO I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE CONSEQUENCES! I DON'T WANNA STOP! I DON'T EVER WANNA GO BACK! I DON'T CARE HOW EVERYONE HERE FEELS! THE VENOM MADE ME STRONG! THE VENOM GAVE ME BACK EVERYTHING I WAS! SO WHAT IF I HAD EMOTIONAL OUTBURST! SO WHAT IF I SAID STUFF THAT MADE YOU ALL FEEL SMALL! IF I GO BACK…" Dick felt his voice choking, he was holding back it, he was holding back the built up sadness coming out from his aching heart, "...If I go back then I wouldn't be good enough to anyone…Not even Koriand'r…." Dick looked to Peter, without his domino mask, Peter could see the pleading cyan eyes. He dropped his escrima stick on the floor as he grasped his hands on Peter's shoulder, "...Please…Don't make me go back to what I once was… I can't… I can't go back…"

Peter didn't know what to say, didn't know what the answer was, he was lost in all the frustration, the built up angst going on in the room. How was he supposed to tell the person he looked up to that he had to stop? How does he find the strength to tell Jason his anger only is hurting himself? How does he tell Bruce he can't fear what will happen to us, and instead focus on letting everyone handle Gotham. How can he protect the people that Selina herself wants to protect? And how can he have the strength to tell Tim and Stephanie that in reality.

Everyone here is still broken, that the bat family is still broken, nothing has really changed.

Peter asked himself all this, but the only thing he can do was bring Dick into a hug, "...It's not fair…It's not fair…" Dick muttered into Peter's ear.

"I know…I know.."

It was then Cassandra took a step forward to Jason. She didn't do anything but look into his own eyes, and put her hands on the gun that was still trained on Dick, "...Why are we pretending we're fine…?" Jason asked, "Why are we pretending that we have what it takes to save this city? I mean…It's finally drowning us. Bruce did what he swore he wouldn't, Dick became something worse of the man he once was, Tim and his girl are a reminder what will happen if we keep fighting the people we can't put down for good, and don't get me started on you and Parker over there…"

"...No one is pretending Jason."

"...Feels like everyone is… I can't be the only blind one here… We're not fine, we're not even a family…"

Cassandra would then did what Jason didn't expect her to do. She embraced him, hugged his body, "..We are a family…Broken, but can be better…"

Jason was clueless of what to do, besides lowering his gun and putting the safety mechanism back on, "How can we be better when this is what Stephanie and I came back to?" Tim asked, being uncomfortable with the outcome that just happened, "If we can't work as a team, then what purpose is to even use the belfry? A place where…It's supposed to represent… Everyone coming together as one…Yet it feels like everyone is here to tearing one another apart."

"...But isn't that how it's always been in the end?" Barbara said, no longer being the outside that was quiet and watching everything unfold, "We fight, we argue, we hate one another guts, decision, all that…But in the end, don't we all come back to help one another? So that we can help everyone?" Barbara questioned.

"Of course we do," Stephanie answered, she grab Tim hand, "This why we came back too! We know what we were getting into the first place. Right Tim?"

"...Right..It's ju-"

"Oh yeah…This shit is not what I expected."

Selina found herself giggling, getting everyone's attention, "..Sorry…It's just, what did you expect Steph? You expected everyone to be happy and lucky and that we would all simply come together, work together like before?"

"...No, but…" She found herself sighing and shrugging her shoulders, "...I just didn't think Tim and I would be coming back to something more depressing as before."

"Because you both left because of me," Bruce chimed in. He stood up, grunting from the bullet wound still bothering his body, "...Everyone here has been affected by me…" Bruce moved in the center where everyone was at. Everyone's attention was now on him, with the likes of Peter and Cassandra still holding on to the respective former robins as they looked at Bruce, "I can't do anything about it," he put his hands in his pocket, "I'm scared of what will happen to you all, I'm scared that if I go back to being who I was, then I'll truly would never be stop unless someone stop me…Permanently," Bruce swept the dust off the metallic floor, leaving more room for the huge cracked bat symbol on the floor to be shown clear, "I can't take away none of your pain's, none of your trauma's," he then turn to everyone, with the view of the city in the back and the cracked bell tower that hang near the window, "Because that makes each and everyone of you, who you are. The only thing I can do…Is confront my fear, and hope by god that you will all not only heal from the pain I cause, the pain this city caused on you all, the pain these villains we face cause on you all, and keep fighting together while looking out for another. Cassandra and Barbara told me that they fear what would happen if I do wear the cowl again, and I can't do that. I said to Selina…If we were to…Really start our own family," Bruce let his eyes soften when looking at his wife, the wife that would and will take a bullet for him, "..I have to be a better man for me to do that. And I want to, with everything in my heart, I want to be better. For you all, and to those I hurt… I hope that one day, you all could look upon me as a better man. Not as…Batman, no, as Bruce Wayne."

Everyone listens to him, not Batman, but Bruce Wayne. Everyone listens to the man who all but lost everything the day his parents were murder in an alleyway, everyone listens to the man who has grown since then. Slowly but surely, everyone was now listening to the boy that grew out of that alleyway, who's trying to find a way to walk down on more lighter path.

To walk down as a full fledged, better man, a better human bean even.

Everyone was now listening to a man who is now trying to revive the boy that died in the alleyway with his parents. And the first person to do anything was none other than his wife; she walked without her cast, dragging her feet that were wrapped up in bandages from getting shot, and she would hug him, hug him tightly into his arms. Bruce in response, returned the hug to his wife, letting his cheek rest on her shoulders.

When the hug was done, Selina turned to everyone with a serious look on her face, "Are we all done with our augmenting? Are we all done lashing out with one another? As Peter said, this city needs all of us one way or another and we can't keep arguing amongst one another if we want to do something to help this city."

"...I don't have any problems, do you Steph?"

"No babe. Not at this moment," Stephanie cheekily said, having Tim bum his shoulders with her in response.

"..We need a plan, a good plan into saving Talia," Jason remarked, "That bastard Knight will be expecting any or all of us to come save her."

"I know a guy that can help get this place in better shape. Hopefully he isn't too busy," Barbara said.

"As we're getting this place up and running, we need to figure out how much Kasady has affected people in this city. His army is probably as big or bigger then Arkham Knight, but also scattered around the city. I can call up Dewolff to see if she got a sample that I can burrow into tracking the amount of people he infected," Peter stated, "And we also need to figure out where he's keeping Felicia and MJ, hopefully both are in the same place with one another."

"We will. We'll find them, take down Arkham Knight, save Talia, and make sure Carnage…Is no more," Cassandra added.

"...Even with what I've done…You all will still have me help you all out?" Dick asked, worried if he can still be of some use to everyone in his state.

"Ted can give you a suit that will help deal with the withdrawals, everyone here would want you off the venom Dick," Barbara said.

Dick briefly looked at Barbara, then at everyone else as they all were more contended on the idea of Dick not hurting himself more with venom. Dick sighed, "...It won't be easy."

With Peter still near him, he patted his shoulders, "And that's why we're here. Everyone is here for you Dick."

"Great. With everything hash out and I can't leave, this place is a shit hole and rea-"

"Jason, can you not ruin this touching moment we're having?"

"Steph, I hate touching moments."

---

November 24

Mary Jane felt her consciousness awaken from the darkness that shrouded her from what seemed like forever. The first thing she felt was her cheeks, hands, body laying on some type of thick material. It felt cold though, not even just that, she felt her body shiver from whatever daftness she can feel. Her eyes blink, still dazed as her vision begins to become more clearer, and just when she can start seeing someone looking to be playing a harmonica.

She let her hands sit her up, her face cringing as she felt her body sore, the kind of sore she was familiar when she got her ass handed to her. Then there was a dull headache as she tried remembering what happened and where the hell was she for her to feel this sore, '...Ok, rib hurts, head hurts, but I know nothing is bleeding. A good sign..Shit, the only thing I can remember was going into an uber then everything went dark…' Mary Jane felt herself squinting, focusing more of what she can remember vaguely, 'No…I was trying to fight my way from getting gassed…Whoever kidnap me knew how to do it, and know who I am in the first place to even kidnap me..' she shook her head, seeing as this was the base of what she can remember. Mary Jane started looking around, beyond the person playing harmonica in the dark area. For one, she was caged in a sort of prison containment that was locked by an access fingerprint, then it didn't help that there were also smaller containment cells, lined up separated from one another, broken, had liquid dried up all over the concrete floor.

Whatever this place was, Mary Jane had a feeling it was some psychotic lair for a villain, but not of use as it once was, "HEY!" Mary Jane yelled out to the person who kept casually minding her business while playing the harmonica. She stood up, shaking a little but enough so where she bangs her hands on the cell window to get her attention, "ANY REASON WHY I'M IN A CELL?! DID I PISSED OFF THE WRONG PEOPLE AGAIN?!"

She kept playing the harmonica in the dark area, ignoring Mary Jane's shout of attention. The red hair sucked her teeth and kept looking around her to find a way out, 'Great..A damsel in distress once more by someone who-' her train of thoughts about her own situation was cut short when she saw someone she can easily recognized by their platinum blond hair, "Felicia..?!" Mary Jane said as she gasped at the shock of seeing her of all places here with her. Mary Jane moved to her, trying to shake her awake; she noticed she was beaten badly as the right side of her cheek was swelled a little, one eye was darken in blue, then there was the fact that she had more casual dressing, one that looked to be a simple black dress for a night out, or how Mary Jane may see it.

A stake out to steal. Her black dressing was trashed, cut up left and right showcasing more of her skin, skin from head to toe that was literal in bruises and cuts that were dried, but very open, "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DID TO HER?!" Mary Jane angrily shouted at the person behind her. Again she was ignored, and that frustrated Mary Jane that this punk chick probably has some type of plan for them and she doesn't know what the hell is going on in the first place. Mary Jane went back to trying to wake Felicia, "Felicia.. Felicia..!" When the shaking didn't work, Mary Jane had to do something else.

She smacked her by the cheek that wasn't swollen. Felicia crimson eyes shut open, going to choke Mary Jane, but she loudly groaned when the pain in her shoulders occurred. She focused on her breathing, then focused on her area, then focused on Mary Jane, squinting at first, before scoffing and looking away from the red hair, "...Since when did you have curls red?" Felicia asked.

Mary Jane was taken aback at that question, "You get fucked up, almost tried to attack me, and the thing that is on your mind is my messy curls?" Mary Jane huffed and eyerolled, "Feel that is something someone would say in a dire situation as this."

"..He does have that effect," Felicia tried to move, but it hurt to move just a bit when adjusting herself, "Where the hell are we red? Looks like an abandoned lair by a mad scientist."

"Ask the chick who has a thing for Metallica," Mary Jane said, gesturing her thumb to shriek.

Felicia looked towards Shriek who paid no attention to the two women cage up. Her crimson eyes widened slightly, "Isn't that the bitch Peter fought with that venom wanna be?" Felicia questions in a whisper tone.

Once Felicia mentioned this, Mary Jane felt her own viridescent eyes widen more than Felicia, "Shit it is."

"Then it means…I'm back in Gotham…" Felicia felt her face become grimace as what's being dawn upon her, "..Fucking hell..I can't escape this city can't I? Nor the people in it.." Felicia muttered to herself.

It was too bad for her, that Mary Jane heard this as she turned to look at the cat burglar, "Guess you can say you and I are in the same bracket."

Before Felicia could say anything else, Shriek stopped playing her harmonica, pocketing it behind her, "And so! We have the actress trying to make it big," Shriek slowly walked to cage cell, "And the cat burglar who can't seem to have good luck on her side," Shriek eyes move to Mary Jane, "Big fan by the way, coming from Gotham of all places to where you at now? Impressive feat. Wonder who balls you had to suck to get there though."

Mary Jane felt herself scoffing, "This isn't the 20th century where that was a case by case thing. And who had you design your look? If you're trying to impress Joan Jett then you're doing a terrible job."

Shriek found herself giggling, "Got spunk. I like that," her eyes then turn to Felicia, "You however, were harder to get."

Felicia's eyes narrowed in her direction "..How were you able to find me in the first place?"

"Well seeing that today is the thanks of giving," Felicia again found herself shook at the announcement today was Thanksgiving, 'Have I been held hostage for 2 weeks?' Felicia gritted her teeth as she prodded more in her own thoughts, 'That's why I can't remember being here…They must've kept moving me since I was trying to escape…And it explains why my body is fucked right now.' "It wasn't that hard to figure out where Black cat ended up too after she left Gotham 3 or 4 years ago, give or take. My partner is a fanatic when it comes to knowing who Spider-Man cares and loves, and it doesn't help that you were well known for working with Catwoman years ago, a sort of apprentice of her's."

"Get your facts right because she didn't teach me shit. I learned everything either on my own or from my father."

Shriek shrugs, "That's not what he thinks but whatever floats your boat. You were still connected to her, helped her, and entangled yourself with Spider-Man too. And from what I know from my boyfriend, the guy somehow is able to attract you and find girls that are way out of his league. How does he do it?" Neither Mary Jane or Felicia answer that question, not that it was her business anyhow, "Either way, doesn't matter, the game will start soon anyhow."

"Game?" Felicia scoffed, "Might as well kill us and get it over with."

Shriek holler out a laughter. Meanwhile, Mary Jane hit her shoulder and looked at her as if she lost her mind for saying something like, "You nuts?! I'm not trying to die by this crazy woman!"

"Name's shriek by the way, since I-"

"Nobody cares/I don't give a shit," both Mary Jane and Felicia said.

"Jeez, maybe when I get the chance I'll find my way back into your ex's mind to see more of how he views the both of you," Shriek smirked, a smirk that danced between sadistic and a hint of lust.

It weirded both of them out to see that type of expression on a woman that has the power to do what she wants when it came out to them, "He'll find us! And when he does, he'll knock that stupid shit on your face!"

"On the contrary Ms. Watson, this is a fight that'll make him join us."

Now this was something Felicia found herself laughing at, "Join? You and your boyfriend must not know him then. If he never wanted to join the justice league then why would he join either of you? Plus, he has people in high places that wouldn't let that slide, trust me, I know one of them would wish you were dead if she got her hands on you."

Shriek smirk didn't waver from either woman's threats as she put her hands on the cage window, "And that's why we'll break him, by slowly taking everything he cares about and when he has no one but us… He'll join, and it's gonna start with the two of you."

Mary Jane and Felicia look at one another, one being filled with fear and the other not sure how the hell they're gonna get out of this situation if Peter doesn't find them.

---

"AHHHH…gAHH..AH…"

Talia vomited blood as she was detained, hanged up by metallic shackles that kept her hands, legs from escaping. Her body was convulsing from the multiple wires connecting to her important veins, enduring immeasurable pain as the Arkham Knight and their army were draining her blood into a machine that held her blood.

Even in the agony state she was in, Talia was familiar with the room she's in; strung up above a pit where it had clear ruby like water in it. Loads of generators, both old and new machines coupled with wiring that would power something beneath. With that, the room gave off a green hue to the area where the Arkham Knight stood before her with their arms crossed. Their modulated voice let out a snicker just when they stop taking the blood from Talia, "That's right, suffer," The Arkham Knight step closer to Talia, grabbing her chin to make sure she was looking directly at them, "Suffer knowing what you have inside yourself would be giving to someone worthy of a second life."

Heavily breathing, trying to control her breathing, ignoring every inch of her body going through higher and higher dosage of torment for whatever the Arkham Knight wants from her, "...All this…Was to…Resurrect someone…At the place…My father built the first Lazarus pit…"

"Yes," The Knight let go of her chin, pushing it away with no utter care for her well being. Their soldiers started strolling in a chamber that was in deep cold temperature, right near Talia and the machine chamber that held the blood they've taken, "The place your father built centuries ago, and was supposed to be destroyed. But thanks to modern technology, anything is possible."

Talia, even with how bleak and dark her vision was from pure exhaustion, got a glimpse of who was in that chamber. She felt her eyes drawn on not only at that chamber, but at the Arkham Knight, "...YOUR MAD!" She shouted, coughing up blood at the same time, "...To bring back that clown.."

The Arkham Knight tilted her head, almost like she found Talia's statement a joke more than anything, "Like father like child as they say! But no. I got enough of a common sense to know why I have to resurrect him," The Arkham Knight would place their hands on the chamber, drifting their direction to the dead clown prince of crime, "...He's the father I always wanted…But time was never with us…I made myself this way because he saved me. When everyone failed me, when the justice system failed me, and when the dark knight didn't even know of my existence to save me…He did, and he saved me…" The Knight spoke in a more somber, soft tone then their usual sarcastic and bold voice they usually had.

Talia suddenly found herself laughing that ended up having her moaning due to the discomfort of what her body has been through for sometime, "...You're no different then, from all…The people they face…Just another damaged person venting their trauma out."

The Arkham Knight went quiet with the only sounds coming from the computer system their army was working on to get the old lazarus pit up and running. They kept their gaze just a little longer on the person they wanted to be with so badly, and knew they would be when everything goes according to plan, "...Sure, I am. But I'm beyond damage," The Knight let their hands go on the chamber, looking back at Talia, "He told me that to be with him…I would have to become what I am now, and so I did, now it's my job to bring him back so we can be a duo we both dreamt of. And I'll do," the Knight tightened their hands into a fist, "Everything in my power to bring him back, by using your methods that has the least consequences compared to the dark magics and devils this world has."

"And what if-"

"IT WILL WORK!" The Arkham Knight ran up to them and shouted, "I will not…Lose my life to bring him back. He will be with me, as I with him. Put her in sedation and prep the pit, let's bring back the man who will save this city."

Everyone agreed, just as Talia's eyes couldn't help but stare into the eyes of the dead clown near her.

---

For almost half of the day, the ba tfamily had been working hard on rebuilding. Some worked on rebuilding the Belfry, retooling it, updating everything as much as they could and as fast as they could. But mostly, each and everyone of them were working on rebuilding the bond they have with each other.

Some were easier then most, but others still had a long way to go. Selina was overseeing Dick, Jason, Cassandra, and Stephanie sparring. All four of them had gloves, shin guards, elbow pads, headgears, mouth guard, and handwraps on to avoid any more unnecessary injuries. Cassandra and Stephanie's sparring were fluid, always moving, changing each strikes and kicks, while always countering and responding immediately regardless if the attack was blocked or landed. Selina noted Cassandra was very much the more experienced fighter, everything came with ease for her; striking, evading, kicking, to taking Stephanie on the ground and using tactics to disarm her easily. But Stephanie was no slouch either; while Cassandra was more experienced in a lot area's, Stephanie can keep up with her cardio, always finding a way to escape in dire situations, get hit, but respond something back.

It also helped that Cassandra was pushing her. She was hitting a little hard in the body and legs teaching Stephanie precisely that coming back to Gotham should not be taken lightly. Yet Stephanie pushed through it, smiling, giggling at being able to train with her friend again, and this in itself, allowed Cassandra to smile and share her own giggle with her friend.

"Keep those hands up Steph, don't let firecracker get her way!"

"She always has a way!"

"Not true!"

"Yes, it's true!" Stephanie went for a headache that Cassandra weaved, and quickly responded with a low kick, along with three more low kicks while changing angles like she was ballerina at the same time. Stephanie ended up eating those kicks, "See what I mean?!"

"No rust. You rust."

Stephanie pouted before throwing two combos and went for a low kick, letting Cassandra go for check, but then Stephanie switched her body motion for a jumping spinning kick, "Whoa!" Cassandra ducks under, and goes for a sweep, causing Stephanie to land on the floor and roll back onto her feet, "Ok. Not so rust."

Stephanie shrugs and smiles before both women pat each other's gloves and go back to back and forth sparing. It in itself made Selina grin heavily at seeing Cassandra have Stephanie back to give her more positivity in her life. And she needs all the help she can right now.

Jason and Dick were different however, something Selina found herself focusing heavily on more, "Dick! Stop trying to strike with strength! Use what you're good at!" Selina advises. Dick and Jason sparring was more like a grudge match than anything, both striking with power then speed. Dick wasn't listening to Selina as he should, not using his own speed to out maneuver Jason.

In hindsight, Dick really just wanted to hit Jason badly, "Yeah birdie! Listen to momma Wayne's there!" Jason antagonizes. This caused Dick to flare up; going in for a strike, slip, strike, enough so he was able to get Jason in clinch. But Jason would easily overpower his clinch, and use wrestling technique; shooting with forward momentum thanks to his legs, Jason grabs the back of Dick legs, seeing this coming, Dick would use his own strength to sprawl Jason on the floor. But once more due to the venom not having the same effect as earlier, Jason strength overpowers Dick, slipping out from his sprawl through the right side of his body, and quickly maneuvering behind Dick to get him in the chokehold. Dick uses his forearms to protect the neck, giving him enough time to rotate his body seeing as Jason didn't use his legs to lock his body, and switching Jason into a full guard where he had to wrap his legs behind Dick's back, "Don't stay in that position Dick!"

"I know!" Dick yelled back as he applied his knee down on the ground where he used his elbows to dig through Jason's thigh. Dick grunted, using the strength of his elbow to move Jason's legs off him.

But Jason chuckle, hitting him clean in the face, dazing him, and allowing his leg to maneuver to a choke position; one leg wrap around the base of his neck, moving his body quickly to the left, and applying the back of his other legs to lock it tight on his shins into a triangle choke, "Tap tap tap, or your going night night night," Dick didn't tap, and what saved him was the buzzer that indicated the round was over, "Fuck!" Jason let go of Dick, hopping onto his feet as he pushed some of his away from his face, "Almost had you," Jason soon found himself frowning at Dick laying on the floor not bothering to get up.

Jason eyerolled, and picked him up to his feet, "Listen to Momma Wayne you Dick!" Jason said as he slap Dick on the cheek, "Otherwise I'll keep fucking you up, which, I don't mind actually!"

"Why the hell are you trying to paint me as some type of mobster queen Jason?" Selina probed, finding the nickname dry then funny.

"Aren't you related to Falcone?"

"The fuck if I know," Selina said by throwing up her hands in the air, "Never found out before he got killed. Not important anyhow."

"Well, Momma Wayne it is!"

"Shut up!"

Cassandra and Stephanie couldn't help but giggle at their interaction. It seems like between Selina and Jason that their annoyance for eachother hadn't been lost at all, "Momma Wayne isn't a bad name Selina," Stephanie said.

"Not a momma yet!"

"You are! Technically," Cassandra added, "To us!"

"...This is absolutely… FUCKING TRUE! But Jason would be the only one that isn't allowed to call me that."

Jason had his mouth open, "BUT I'M THE FUCKING ONE THAT SAID IT FIRST?! I COPY WRITE IT TECHNICALLY!" Jason exclaimed with annoyance.

The bell would soon ring again, and Dick caught Jason off with a swift kick to Jason's body that led him to groan, but not flinch from the attack. Jason's eyes glared at Dick, who now had a small smile on his face, "Keep your eyes on your opponent, angry bird."

"...Oh it's fucking on Grayson!"

"YOU BOTH BETTER CONTROL THE SPARRING THIS TIME! LADIES! PLEASE BE AWARE OF THE TWO MAN GOING AT IT!" Selina sighed when watching a now more motivated Dick sparring with Jason, moving more fluid then before and using his speed to advantage, "Well, at least he's listening."

Peter and Tim were more focused on running the engineering and chemist lab together. On Peter's side, he was configuring a desk machine that was repairing his suit and helped produce more crafted equipment. Tim's side was more focused on helping build Peter's web fluid with the combination of different amounts of elements being mixed together in a bleaker while being heated in a bleaker. Tim had to make sure to use not only safety goggles, but gloves and a white coat when doing the process. Meanwhile, Peter himself simply wore a t-shirt from his old college Gotham university and some short pants when configuring some wiring underneath the desk. He used a few tools to cut wires, a small thermal heater to bind the wirings together, while also using a marker to mark where he needed to cut, "Make sure you use just enough titanium melted into the Ethyl acetate."

"Mhm."

"And don't forget to double the psi!"

"Yeah."

"And al-"

"Peter!"

"Huh?"

Peter, using a skateboard that his back was on, rolled out of the desk to look up at Tim, who had a small frown on his face, "This isn't the first time I made your web fluid."

"Oh..Right," Peter found himself pouting a little when Tim said, "Sorry, sometimes I forget you're not 17 when I first met you."

Tim lightly chuckled when using a thermometer to check the heat of the beaker, "Even when I'm not, you still have a habit of instructing me on this and that. Just add to us arguing for me to quit being robin then it'll definitely be like old times," he jested.

"Yeah… You surprised me then by wanting to be the next robin you know?" Peter sat himself up on the skateboard, "I mean I never thought I would meet a kid who wanted so badly to help Bruce, help everyone in Gotham."

"Wasn't you the same?"

"Well uh…" Peter chuckled, scratching behind his hair that still needed cutting with how long and big it had gotten for some time, "Not like you, but yeah, technically..Yeah. We're alike in that sense."

Tim would monitor the other elements in the other beaker before mixing it into one. It's then he noticed Peter was looking at him working with one arm, and the prosthetic leg he uses to walk, "It's not your fault, you also know that right?"

Peter nodded as he put the marker on top of his ears, "Yeah…Just wish I could've stopped that from happening. You and Steph didn't deserve what happened to you," Tim was gonna say something back, but Peter raised his hands to stop him from commenting what he believed he would've said, "I know, it's in the past, it happened. I know that, and I'm trying to relearn how to deal with that…Some things are out of my control, and there are just some things I can't stop when I'm not around. Didn't help that people died and got hurt from my last fight with Kasady."

"Yet look at the fact you held up a train, a train dude! And somehow, no one died too!"

"Ah stop, you're making me blush, because that was a lot harder than it seemed. My arms, legs are still very sore from that deadlift."

"Still dude. Your one of the strongest person I know, and you have your flaws yeah, but no matter what's thrown at you, you always get back up and stand your ground on things that are way tougher than you can handle," Tim said humbly, "And that in itself," Tim would use an a syringe to take a material in another beaker, and added to another one, just before using an overhead electric machine that was able to mix up the chemicals in the beaker. Once removing it, Tim saw silk coming out being perfectly made, "Gives everyone here strength to keep fighting, and it's also a reason," Tim looked back at Peter, with a small smile prominent on his face, "Why Steph and I came back, to help everyone, to help this city…And to also close old wounds that needs closing."

Peter listens, listens to the young man that essentially is now an adult. Peter could remember the time when Tim really was like him; balancing school, relationships, work, and being robin. He really didn't want him to be apart of that lifestyle just like him, but there was no stopping him with how much he tried, 'Compare to Mattie…Somehow Tim never hated me for how much I try dissuading him..Heh, he's just too good for me, to us even,' Peter said himself before looking at the women who had fun sparring with Stephanie.

Their eyes locked as she slipped and evaded Stephanie's attack, and somehow, it held. Both held onto their gaze, smiling at one another. Peter can't tell, but neither Cassandra can't tell as well, but their hearts skip a beat when they look upon each other. In all honesty, these little moments, these special moments that they have with one another, it always felt like they were falling in love with one another once more, "How did I get so lucky with her..?" Peter asked himself.

"I don't know, how about you ask her?"

Forgetting Tim was there, Peter looked back at him with embarrassment upon his face, getting the younger men to chuckle, "You weren't supposed to hear that!" he said in an unusually high pitched voice.

"Oh but I did," Tim would turn off the heater and let the beaker with the artificial silk cool down before he put into smaller components for Peter's web shooter, "Say, how did you ever make these web shooters in the past?"

"I broke into ace chemical every now and again to borrow their equipment," Tim eyebrow raised, "They were the closest kind of place where I can work on these ideas on my own time, and it helps that security was low," Tim would then shake his head, "Hey its not until I started working with everyone here that I was able to move location and upgrade my gear. Plus," he put his finger up, "I was above asking for help, unless someone was that stubborn to help in my web slinging pursuit."

"Your um… Ex..Right?" Tim asked carefully, since that was a sensitive topic.

Yet Peter took it in stride as he nodded, "Yep! When she found out that I was Spider-Man, she didn't care if I said no, she was willing to help one way or another. Without her, I would've had a tougher time forming relationships with everyone here, especially angry birds over there," Peter pointed to Jason who ended up getting flipped in a hurricanrana by Dick, "GOOD ONE DICK!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP PAR-" Dick transitioned into a rear naked choke that stopped him from talking.

"HA! CAT GOT YOUR TONGUE?!"

"DON'T PUT ME IN THAT PETER!"

"MY BAD!"

Tim chuckles at the back and forth Peter had with just about everyone. Somehow, a part of Tim wishes that he had that with Peter a bit more. It's not like they don't have good communication with each other since they do, especially when it comes to the brain side of things. But that bond he has with the others was on a level they've never been able to protrude. Maybe it was because again, Peter wasn't always fond of Tim being Robin at 17, or how badly he wanted to be Robin more than anything.

Dick and Jason were trained to be robin, and chose to be robin through Bruce. Yet Tim was able to deduce who Bruce was, found his cave, and expressed his need to be robin after 3 years without a robin to help him out. Tim can only hope this time it was different, that they both can find a ground to better improve their relationship, and him talking about Gwen was a starting point to something. They heard the bell ring, indicating another minute of resting for the 4 people who were sparring.

It was then, Cassandra and Stephanie went over to them. Stephanie had a skip on her feet when going to Tim, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Meanwhile Cassandra blitz's over to Peter, "WHOA I'M ON A SKATEBOARD CASS!" Peter shouted as he put his hands out to stop her.

She was able to slide in front of Peter without either having to move on from the skateboard or cause any sort of damage in the area from her sprint. Through her slide, she quite literally took off her mouth guard and slid her lips into his, getting a slight gasp in response. Cassandra would use her hand to grab his cheeks, deepening the kiss.

Tim found himself looking away from the scene, yet his own girlfriend did neither, "Awwww…They're still so cute to see!" She said clearly when taking off her own mouth guard

Tim would sigh, using his girlfriend's shoulder to help and not look at the scene in front of him, "And I can see Cassandra still hasn't learned public decency."

"WHEN'S THE WEDDING GUYS?!" Stephanie shouted, getting Tim groaned and clutched one part of his ear from her sudden shout.

This had gotten Cassandra and Peter to stop their make out session, and have them full on red in bashfulness, "Steph! That isn't a question you can just throw out!" Peter said.

Cassandra nodded on her end as her hands moved to wrap Peter close to her, "Takes time! Patience!"

"Soooooo, tomorrow then?"

"Ugh," Tim once again shook his head as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Please excuse her, she really hasn't seen you both in so long and this is the consequences of it."

"Don't mind my cute boyfriend here! He's just mad that we won't have time for ourselves anymore."

"STEPH!"

"YOU TWO, STOP MAKING OUT WITH YOUR BOY TOY'S AND GET BACK TO TRAINING!" Selina hollered out from a distance.

Bruce briefly looked around the belfry being light up with the bond everyone shares with one another. There still was a lot to work on, but what he loved seeing was none of the love for either one of each other had gone away. Barbara took note of this, "Nostalgic huh?"

"Yeah," Bruce then turned back to the computer to continue his work with Barbara, "This is what we needed, what everyone needed."

"I can agree to that. Ted was able to update our software to the belfry's system; it's not as fast or strong as the batcomputer, but with time it'll get there," Barbara stated as her end was focus on getting every system in building up to speed, "He also should be here in a days time to give the belfry even more upgrades."

"Then there's also Koriand'r wanting help with everything else," Bruce added, "She knows how this symbiote works so it could help to our advantage. With her going to ravencroft soon with Dick, it should be a good starting off point to figuring more out this new symbiote."

"Still leaves the question on how we're going to save Talia, or where to start looking for Mary Jane Watson and Felicia Hardy. Saving Talia would be hard with how much force and weapon being sent down there."

"Luckily with Ms Watson and Ms Hardy might be a bit easier. Alfred was always one step ahead and documented his physical stuff onto the batcomputer," Bruce said when pulling up notes and sketches of Alfred's detective work involving Kasady, "Here he made note of where Kasady has been, all mostly have to do with Peter. From where he used to live with his aunt and uncle along with Stacey's, a shut down feast shelter that Martin Li once ran, Peter's few apartments he rented, and I believe an Osborn factory that's been deconstructed."

"Must be some lair goblin had which is why Kasady and his partner Frances used," Barbara commented.

Bruce nodded, "My point exactly, gonna need a lot a ground to cover for that operation," Bruce noted from one of the camera footage, someone with a lot of food had just came by at the ground level of the Belfry, "But before we begin our operation, we need to refuel."

Besides Barbara who knew about this, everyone was curious to where Bruce was going, but what was even more astounding was him bring back a bunch of food in his hand, "...Its thanksgiving. We can't make food so I went and or-"

"FOOD!"

"SOMEONE STOP CASS FROM EATING ALL OF IT!" Steph shouted as she chases after Cassandra.

"OH HELL NO! I'M FUCKING STARVING!"

Next thing Bruce knew, all three of them smushed to one another, tumbling right in front of Bruce, "Crap…" He looked to Peter, as he threw the bags of food in the air, trusting in him to save it.

No one was able to save Bruce from getting throttled by Cassandra, Stephanie and Jason, but luckily, Peter made sure to stop any of the food from dropping on the floor, catching them with ease in his hands, "...You ok Bruce?" Peter asked before chuckling.

Bruce blinked as he looked at Peter, "...I think I broke something, or I might be bleeding again…"

Selina sighed, "Kids..I swear."

"Least some of us have grown up," Dick said.

"Who's we?" Barbara question.

"I think he just means the few that basically crushed Bruce's legs," Tim interjected.

For just a second, as the laughter coming from Cassandra and Stephanie, Jason's only mumbling in anger from getting tripped on, and especially the other bat family sharing their own laughter, it really did feel like old times that the bat family had amongst one another.

A moment of peace, in between the constant fear of who they have to face.

---

I tried hard not to overextend in this story, but I can't help but put more to make it feel complete. I really wanted this chapter to finally, finally have the bat family come together. And while there was angst, there's also hope, nostalgia, and familiar connection everyone has with one another. I hope it wasn't rushed since that's not my intention.

My perspective is, no matter how far apart, or torn apart this family was, they are still a family that can come together and fix whatever problems they have amongst one another. There's still a lot needs patching and fixing, but its a good start for them.

Alittle fun fact with Superman, my interpretation of him is base on All star Superman, but don't expect him to be dying fast like in that story, but he won't live forever that's the case. There's still things I have to show due to Bruce's actions he caused a year ago, but also, don't expect any of the justice league to be presented here.

This is a bat family story first and foremost. And whoever else will show up, is either important to the bat family, or important to Peter. See ya whenever guys and gals!