Spider-Bat: New Way Home

Chapter 12: I Want to Hold Your Hand

It has been nearly six years since the night that Peter warned his parents not to cut through Crime Alley due to the fact that he was afraid something bad was going to happen… AND HE WAS RIGHT! Someone was waiting for them. Someone hungry. Someone who wanted to score big so they wouldn't have to worry about where their next meal was coming from. Thomas and Martha would have died that night if it wasn't for Peter's premonition. That means Thomas and Martha have lived SIX YEARS LONGER than they would have lived in any other universe. This changes everything…

After that fateful night, and after seeing how frightened Peter had become, Thomas entered Bruce and Peter into private martial arts training lessons, so that they could learn to protect themselves. But… It wasn't just any martial artist who would be training the boys, it was one of the best. Because the Waynes had so much money, they were able to hire Henri Ducard, a French instructor and world renown martial artist.

In fact, the money was so good that Henri moved his wife and son to Gotham City, where he would start his own martial arts dojo. He could instantly tell that the youth in Gotham needed discipline in their lives, and he was hoping to make a difference the same way he did in his home country. However, after only living there for a couple of years, and seeing all of its corruption, he came to the realization that Gotham wasn't worth saving. Therefore, he chose to move his family back to France. This affected Bruce the most because Thomas was always busy, dealing with work related assignments, and he had grown an attachment to Henri and his son, Morgan. Plus, he had really grown to love martial arts. It was there that he learned how quick and nimble he truly was.

Bruce would soon find something else that interested him after being introduced to a local circus called Haley's Big Top. There he would meet a young couple by the name of John and Mary Grayson, who just so happened to be looking for an agile youngster to help them with their newest flying trapeze act. His mother thought it was too dangerous, but his father believed it would help him feel better after Henri's sudden departure. Bruce soon began training with them, and before long, he was soaring high above the stadium. However, after just a couple years of performing, Mary found out she was pregnant and the flying trio would have to shut it down for a while. It seemed like every time Bruce found something that interested him, something would happen to cause him to have to stop.

Although Bruce was out of an act for the moment, he would still find ways to help out with other acts. Every-now-and-then he would perform on a tight-rope-walking routine, but mostly he would just help the acts with their setups before they performed and the cleanups afterwards.

It was during the cleanups when he would have his first run-in with a teenager named Flash Thompson. Flash was doing community service after getting caught vandalizing the local Gotham Mall. He was pretty big for an eighth grader, but that was due to the fact that he had been held back twice.

Bruce was walking past the bleachers where Flash was assigned to pick up trash, when he was suddenly hit by a wadded up bag of popcorn.

"Nice tights! Ha ha ha! You look goofy as hell!" Flash blurted, standing near the top of the bleachers as if he were the king of something. "I bet those get tighter every time you wash them, huh, girly-man?"

Bruce didn't take kindly to that. He leapt up onto the first row of seats, and then quickly ascended to the top of the bleachers within seconds. Flash was amazed at his agility. Bruce then punched Flash in his stomach, causing Flash to cringe over in pain.

"Maybe you should watch who you are throwing your trash at!" Bruce hollered in his ear.

Flash acted as if he was giving up, but then he came up with an uppercut, hitting Bruce directly in his jaw, causing Bruce to fall backwards onto the row of bleachers just below him.

Bruce quickly jumped back up and performed a sweep-kick, taking out Flash's legs, also causing Flash to fall flat on his back.

The two of them began to tussle a bit longer before being broken up by Alfred Pennyworth, who had just gotten there to pick up Bruce. "Cut it out, you two," he scolded.

"He hit me first," Flash bellowed.

"He threw popcorn at me and tried talking crap," Bruce snapped back.

"Now-now, you two! I want you both to shake hands and apologize to each other," Alfred demanded.

"Forget it! I'm not apologizing to a wannabe bully!" Bruce exclaimed.

"Then perhaps I will just have to tell your parents about this little scrum as soon as we get back home, Master Bruce."

"Ha!" Flash laughed. "Did he just call you Master Bruce?"

Alfred forcefully pressed his finger on Flash's lips. "Quiet, Pipsqueak, or I will have to let the GCPD know you aren't doing a very good job at serving the community," he warned. "Now… What will it be?… apologizing to each other, or facing more trouble?"

The two of them were slow to come around, but eventually they both shook hands and apologized to each other. Bruce didn't want to get in trouble at home and Flash didn't want to serve any more time picking up garbage.

As Bruce and Alfred were walking away, Flash yelled out, "Yo! Master Bruce! You should teach me that sweep-kick some day!"

Bruce just rolled his eyes and continued walking.

Bruce would see Flash at the circus for several more nights, and despite their first encounter being a rough one, the two of them started to become friends. Flash would even invite Bruce over to hang out at his place. They would mostly have competitions to see who was the strongest or fastest.

It was about a month after they had become friends when Bruce was finally introduced to Flash's girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson. She was the most beautiful girl Bruce had ever laid his eyes on, even prettier than Rachel Dawes, the only girl he ever had a crush on.

The three of them met up at the Gotham Mall, the same mall Flash was caught vandalizing. Flash was supposed to be staying off of the property, but he knew the place was big enough and crowded enough that the likelihood of someone spotting him was slim to none.

As they walked around, Mary Jane told Bruce about how she wanted to become an actress and that she performed in school plays. She also mentioned her acting studio she attended in New York City, and also that she hoped to get into Juilliard School someday.

Bruce told her all about how he started doing a trapeze act with the Graysons, and how he was on hiatus for about a year or so because Mary was pregnant. Mary Jane already knew about Bruce being a part of the trapeze act because she remembered seeing him when her parents took her to the circus. Though she didn't reveal the fact that she already knew because she didn't want to say anything in front of Flash and make him jealous. In fact, she had a bit of a crush on Bruce after watching him swing through the air like he did.

"Do you guys want to see something cool?" Bruce asked as they entered one of the clothing stores.

"Like what?" Mary Jane asked, following Bruce towards the back of the store.

Bruce led them to the stock room door. He took a quick look around to make sure none of the employees were watching, and when the coast was clear, he opened it. "Hurry. Get in," he urged quietly.

The other two snuck in behind him and shut the door.

"Why did you bring us back here?" Flash asked, looking confused.

Bruce began walking to the back corner of the stock room. "This room isn't what I wanted to show you," he replied, pushing in on part of the wall.

Suddenly, another passageway opened up. "This is what I wanted to show you."

After the three of them entered, they noticed there was a hallway that went about two-hundred feet long. Bruce then began leading them through it.

"What is this place?" Mary Jane asked.

After walking a few more feet, Bruce stopped and slid back a small panel on the wall, revealing a secret looking spot into the store behind it.

"My father bought this entire block of the mall for his own stores. He installed these panels so that security could keep an eye on all of them. Every store has them. Not many people know about this secret passageway."

"I know you said your dad bought these stores, but couldn't we still get into trouble if we get caught back here?" Mary Jane asked, worried about Flash getting into more trouble.

Sure enough, just as she said that-

"WHAT ARE YOU THREE DOING BACK HERE!?" A security guard hollered.

Bruce stepped forward. He was about to let the security guard know that his father owned the stores, but before he could, Flash suddenly ran towards the security guard-

"You guys get out of here! I'll keep him busy!" He blurted, tackling the guard to the ground.

"Shit!" Bruce exclaimed, grabbing Mary Jane by the arm, escorting her through another hidden panel, which led into the stock room of a shoe store.

"We can't just leave Flash back there. He will have to do major time at the Juvenile Corrections Facility if he gets busted again, especially if he gets caught at this mall!"

"Shhh… Someone might hear us." Bruce warned, attempting to peek out of the stock room door, and into the shoe store, to see if the coast was clear. "Flash was bigger than the guard. He probably ran off in another direction as soon as he tackled the guy." Bruce tried easing her mind.

"What do we do now?" Mary Jane asked, frightened that she could somehow get in trouble.

Bruce thought for a split second, looking down to check his watch. He then took Mary Jane by the hand once again. "I know where we can go." He informed her as the two of them made their way through the shoe store as casually as they could appear to be. "My butler should be waiting for me out in the parking lot. We will make it to the car, then I will have Alfred drive around to look for Flash."

After making it out of the mall, Bruce spotted Alfred. "Quick, get in the car."

"Which one?" Mary Jane asked, slowing down just a bit to take a look around at the parking lot.

Bruce pointed at the car. "That one."

"A limousine?" Mary Jane asked rhetorically.

As the two of them quickly made their way into the car, "I wasn't aware we would be having extra passengers, Master Bruce," Alfred said, gazing into the rearview mirror, watching the two of them scrunch down as if they were trying to stay hidden. "Is something the matter?" he asked.

"Nothing wrong," Bruce fibbed. "Could you drive around to the other side of the building to see if my friend has come out yet?"

Alfred didn't believe him, but he did what he was asked. "As you wish, sir," he responded reluctantly.

As Alfred drove around to the other side, Bruce and Mary Jane peeked their heads out the windows. They both ducked back down when they noticed a couple security guards looking for them in the parking lot area.

"Are you sure something isn't wrong?" Alfred asked again. "Does any of this have to do with the boy they have pinned down on the ground?"

The two of them peeked out the windows again, trying to see what Alfred was referring to. When they did-

"Oh no… They caught him." Mary Jane sighed.

"It's going to be okay," Bruce tried assuring her. "I will talk to my father, and he will straighten it all out."

"Should I make arrangements for the young lady to get home?" Alfred asked.

"No. It's okay, sir. I have my cell phone. I will see if my friend Harry can find a way to come get me." She replied, opening up the door and getting out.

"Wait!" Bruce pleaded. "You can ride with us. I will have Alfred take you home."

"I'm fine." Mary Jane replied. "I told you we shouldn't have left him behind," she said in a frustrating tone, just before walking off.

"Would you like to tell me what is going on now, Master Bruce?"

"Just get me home, please Alfred. I'll tell you on the way."

Thomas and Martha weren't happy to hear about what happened at the mall. Thomas had a long talk with Bruce about being more responsible. Telling him that having money doesn't mean he should be going around breaking laws. Despite his frustration, Thomas made the arrangements to have all the charges dropped to keep Flash out of trouble.

The next day, Bruce met Flash as he was walking out of the Juvenile Corrections Facility.

Flash walked up to Bruce. "I couldn't believe they told me I was free to go! How did your father do it?" he asked, showing a big smile on his face as if Bruce was his hero.

"I believe he paid the security guard a nice bonus to drop the charges. Plus… I'm not completely sure… but I think he might have bought the entire mall," Bruce chuckled.

After leaving the Juvenile Corrections Facility, Flash and Bruce met up with Mary Jane just as she was getting out of school. She was standing with her two friends, Harry Osborn and Liz Allan.

Flash walked up and lightly shoved Harry on the back of his shoulder. "Yo! Harry! What did I tell you about talking to my woman!?"

Harry turned towards Flash, giving him a mean glare. Just as he was about to say something-

"-Leave Harry alone, Flash!" Mary Jane demanded. "How many times have I told you, Harry and I are just friends! We've been friends since kindergarten for God's sake!"

Flash threw his hands in the air, showing her he wasn't going to do anything else. "I just like reminding him that you're my girl, that's all."

"What's he doing here?" Mary Jane asked, referring to Bruce.

"He got me out of Juvie." Flash replied. "He's a hero."

"Heroes wouldn't have left their friends behind." Mary Jane retorted.

Bruce wasn't quite sure what to say. Instead, he stayed quiet, hoping she would lighten up a little.

"Excuse us for a second." Flash spoke up, insisting that he and Mary Jane were going to go for a walk by themselves. "I'll cheer her up."

As the two of them walked off, Harry muttered to Bruce, "Why do you hang out with that guy?"

"I know, I know… He can be a bit of a pain in the ass, but he isn't so bad once you get to know him." Bruce proclaimed.

"My name is Harry Osborn, and this is my friend Liz Allan. We are in the same grade as Mary Jane."

"Hi," Bruce nodded in Liz's direction. Then he looked back towards Harry. "Did you say your name is Harry Osborn?"

"That is correct," Harry replied.

"I believe your father and mine are in competition with each other," Bruce made mention.

"What did you say your name was?" Harry asked.

"Bruce… Bruce Wayne."

"Bruce Wayne… As I live and breathe. This is the Flying Prince of Gotham." Harry said to Liz.

"What do you mean by that?" Bruce asked, confused at the title.

"I read about you in Forbes Magazine." Harry replied. "It said, Billionaire son flies high above Gotham City while performing his death-defying trapeze act."

"Oh. That's what you meant by that." Bruce responded. "Well, I won't be doing any more of that for a while since one of the main performers became pregnant."

"Isn't your brother's name Peter Wayne?" Harry asked.

"Yeah… Do you know him, or something?"

"I've never met him in person, but I've seen the first place awards he has received for his science fair projects." Harry replied. "His gadgets won't come in handy for anything useful, but they do make neat toys."

"Yeah. My brother is quite the science nerd." Bruce rolled his eyes.

"I'm quite the science nerd as well." Harry informed. "You should both come by and check out some of my projects at Oscorp. I'm working on some really cool stuff."

"Sure," Bruce scoffed.

"So… What do you plan on doing now that you aren't performing for the circus?" Liz asked, secretly crushing on Bruce.

"I don't know. I was thinking about taking up some acting lessons at the studio here in New York… Maybe get into a drama class at school."

"The acting studio must be at least an hour away from Gotham City," Liz made mention.

"Ha!" Harry laughed. "Someone's got a crush on Mary Jane," he quipped.

"No I don't," Bruce retorted.

"You better be careful. Flash won't like you honing in on his girlfriend." Harry warned.

Liz elbowed Harry. "He said he doesn't like her," she piped up, smiling in Bruce's direction.