“Lucius I want everything that bastard posted removed,” Bruce growled into his phone. “Whatever you can find I want it erased.”

“Mr. Wayne I strongly…”

“Now Lucius!” Bruce snapped, he hung up his phone.

“Master Wayne, please calm down and look at the facts,” Alfred said.

“What did I say, Alfred?” Bruce said. “I don’t want to hear anything from you.”

“You’re acting like a child,” Alfred said. “Averring your eyes from the truth because you don’t want to hear it.”

“Not now,” Bruce said. “Computer trace that radio signal, tell me where it’s coming from.”

“Confirmed.”

Bruce’s heavy footsteps echoed through the walkways, the metal almost deforming under his feet.

“Master Wayne you need to breath,” Alfred said. “You’ve been acting too much on emotion. It’s clouding your judgement.”

“Signal found,” the Batcomputer droned.

The Batcomputer screen flashed into a map of Gotham Sewers, a red dot pulsing in the middle of the twisting labyrinth.

“Master Bruce,” Alfred said firmly.

“Freeze that location and send it to the GPS in the Batmobile,” Bruce said, ignoring him. “Send a message to Peter, tell him I’ll need him tonight.”

“Any specific message?” asked the Batcomputer.

“Tell him it’s urgent.”

“You’re going to drag Master Parker into this?” Alfred asked. “Do you have any idea what you’re throwing yourself into that you want to drag that boy into it?”

Bruce made his way into the gym he installed in the Batcave and started pounding against the punching bag, his movements still deliberate but lacking the efficiency he usually put behind them. It was the equivalent of a train puffing out hot smoke.

“Look at yourself Master Bruce,” Alfred said. “You’re becoming the very thing you despise…”

“Alfred please just leave me alone,” Bruce grumbled.

“A bully, a coward,” Alfred said. “And I for one won’t stand for this behaviour. Face your problems head on lest they overwhelm you and you lose yourself.”

…

Today, Peter was surprisingly early. The irony of him resigning and Peter coming into work was not lost on Curt. What was even more ironic was that Wayne Corp was in disarray thanks to the latest report by the Master Planner.

“Sorry I’m late,” Peter said, shuffling to the side and placing his school bag in the corner of the lab. “I just…”

“No, you’re surprisingly early,” Curt said. “It’s kind of funny, all things considered.”

“I tendered my resignation,” Curt said. “We’re shutting down this project.”

At that, Peter suddenly perked up. “What? You can’t…”

“Don’t worry,” Curt said. “Despite your tardiness, I’ve put in a good word for you. You’ll be reassigned to Warren or someone else…”

“No,” Peter said. “It’s not that. I believed in what we were doing here. My girlfriend, she…”

“Peter I understand,” Curt said. “I understand that you believe in what we were doing here but you’ve got to understand, I didn’t.”

The confusion was written all over Peter’s face. “W-What?” he croaked.

“I did what I did because I was selfish,” Curt said. “There was a piece missing and I thought my arm was that missing piece. I did whatever I could to get it back, horrible things. But it wasn’t my arm.”

Curt sighed. “It was just me. I was the problem. I figure it’s time to bury this whole project in the sand and move on with my life. I understand that this project meant a lot to you but I don’t think I have it in me to continue.”

Curt could see the turmoil in Peter’s face. It went through five different expressions before settling on one. Peter sighed. “Fine if this is what you think is best.”

Curt smiled. “I’m glad you understand, Peter.”

“The boss man won’t mind if I get off early,” Peter said. “With what’s happening around…”

“Yeah,” Curt said. “I only left the lab open because of you.”

Peter left. Curt started stowing away all the equipment that he had in a huge duffle bag he brought. Soon, the lab was almost empty barring the equipment that was handed over and funded by Wayne Inc. The formula was scrawled on the whiteboard, plain for everybody to see.

Curt was about to start wiping it away before something shot through his mind. Just because he moved on, didn’t mean he didn’t have to stop working on it. Sure, funding would be tough but that didn’t mean Curt couldn’t attempt to regain his arm. Curt shuffled through for a piece of paper and started copying down what was on the board. When he was sure he got it down to a T, Curt scrubbed the formula out of the board, the only proof of its existence in the duffle bag he carried home.

…

“You’re home early,” Aunt May said.

“Work finished early,” Peter said. “You see what’s been happening on the news with the Waynes? Also, I’ve been transferred to a new department.”

“What?” Aunt May asked, surprised. “Why?”

“Mr. Connors apparently doesn’t want to continue with the project anymore,” Peter said. “Says he’s been doing it ‘for the wrong reasons’. Whatever that means. Either way that means I’ll be starting afresh in a new department starting tomorrow.”

“Do you want to talk?” Aunt May asked. “Grab a cup of tea and vent out your frustrations?”

Peter smiled. He’d love nothing more than to do that but…

“I’m sorry, May,” Peter said, dashing into his room. “I have work to do. Barbara and I promised to get some studying done tonight. Might be all-nighter.”

“Hope it’s not that kind of all-nighter.”

Peter was as red as his suit. “May,” Peter exclaimed.

Aunt May walked into Peter’s room, leaning on his doorframe. “I was really hoping we’d be able to talk. About work and about the man I’m seeing.”

At that, Peter’s body stiffened.

Aunt May sensing the tension in the room was about to say something but Peter interrupted her.

“I get I’m acting a little immature about it…”

Aunt May raised her hands up. “No, no you’re not…”

“I am,” Peter said. “It just it’s not been that long since Ben died and…”

“Peter I wouldn’t be so sure of this if he wasn’t good for me,” Aunt May said. “Good for us.”

“It’s just I need time,” Peter said, almost pleading. “Please May, just give me some time.”

May sighed. “I understand Peter, I’m sorry. Sorry for pushing this on you.”

“I uh,” Peter said. “I need to go.”

May cleared the way for Peter to leave.

“It’s just, Peter,” May said. “If there’s one thing this city taught me, Ben taught me. Time is a privilege. Especially in a city like this.”

Peter didn’t know how to respond to that. Was she pressuring him? Was she giving him advice? With a dry throat, Peter left the apartment and headed to the usual spot where he’d be picked up by Alfred and dropped off at Wayne Manor.

…

The sleek doors of the Batcave opened and Barbara and Peter rolled into the central dock where Bruce awaited. Barbara and Peter had to use one of the entrances located around the city in order to avoid the paparazzi. They walked in smelling like sewage.

“Peter, make sure you’re prepared,” Bruce said. “Make sure you have enough web fluid and your web shooters are in top condition. This is going to be a dangerous mission.”

“Oh gee, I’m great,” Peter said. “Thanks for asking.”

“Can’t believe I have to go through sewage again, tonight,” Peter grumbled.

“Bruce,” Barbara said gently. She rolled her wheelchair over to him but Bruce stormed away.

“Barbara you’ll be in charge of navigations,” Bruce said. “I’ve uploaded any and all maps of the Gotham Sewer System I could find to the Batcomputer. When we get in, the signal to the Batcomputer will be scrambled. You’ll be our eyes and ears.”

“Where’s Jason?” Peter asked. “Is he coming with us?”

“Jason quit,” Bruce said curtly.

Peter took a moment to register that. “Quit? You can quit being a Robin?”

“Bruce,” Barbara said. “Talk to us. What’s going with you? You’ve been pushing us all away lately.”

“You act like that’s something new,” Peter said.

“Peter,” Barbara said with what felt like a dagger in her voice. A dagger that pointed at him.

“Why did Jason leave?” Barbara asked.

“If it’ll help you focus on the mission,” Bruce said. “He left because he wanted to. Good riddance, I say. Could barely even follow basic instructions.”

“Bruce,” Barbara interjected. “Are you hearing yourself? This is exactly why Dick left. Jason is a boy, not a soldier. What the hell is going on in your head?”

“I think that’s good for Jason,” Peter said. “If I spent even an hour with Bruce, I’d go insane.”

“Peter,” Barbara said. “You’re not helping.”

“No, you’re not seeing the big picture,” Peter said. “Bruce is an adult. He made his choice, whether its good for him or not is his problem, not ours.”

“Bruce is my friend,” Barbara said, pulling up his wheelchair and blocking Peter’s path. “He’s family.”

“Well excuse me for not feeling the same way for someone who kidnapped, tortured and manipulated me,” Peter snapped. And then he sighed. “Look I’m sorry, I don’t want to fight. Just let’s forget about it.”

“You’re ungrateful.”

Peter almost choked. “Ungrateful? Barbara did you even…?”

“Enough fighting,” Bruce growled. “I was tired of the bickering when Dick was around and I’m tired of it now. Focus on your mission, we’ll deal with this later.”

“Fine,” Peter said, throwing his hands up in the air and crossing them. “I’ll be in the manor, getting some air. Leave you two to brood in silence.”

Peter left the cave to the Wayne library (one of the few rooms in the manor to not have windows) only to be greeted by Alfred at the door to the cave holding a tray with three steaming cups of tea.

“Oh, sorry Alfred.”

“Oh no problem,” Alfred said. “Just thought I’d bring some drinks.”

“I’ll take some tea, thanks.” Peter grabbed a glass and slumped on one of the sofas. It was surprisingly comfortable. Alfred sat across him, putting the tray on a table.

“I take it what happened in the cave didn’t go well,” Alfred said.

Peter scoffed. “Understatement of the century. Barbara called me ungrateful. Can you believe that? Like sorry I’m not grateful for being tortured and kidnapped and having my close friends be used as watchdogs.”

“Something else is eating you up,” Alfred said. “You usually don’t get this worked up.”

Peter was surprised. “Are you a mutant? Are there some mind reading powers of yours I don’t know about?”

“Professional secret.”

“There is some home drama,” Peter said. “But you know, after being Spider-Man for a year I’ve learned to keep some work-life balance. Badly. But I’ve learned.”

“Just like you, Master Bruce and Barbara have some frustrations of their own.”

“Bruce is always frustrated,” Peter said. “But I know Barbara’s keeping something from me. But she’s just not telling me and that…”

“Frustrates you?”

Peter sagged. “It does.”

“Give Barbara some space,” Alfred said. “She’ll come around. As for Master Bruce…”

Peter was surprised, that was the first time he heard anything remotely sounding like exasperation in Alfred’s voice.

“He’ll have to beaten over the head repeatedly before anything gets through that head of his.”

Peter laughed so hard tears started falling down his eyes. Alfred chuckled alongside him. It was a nice moment.

“What really happened to Jason?” Peter said, placing his empty teacup on the tray. “Bruce told me he left.”

“He left,” Alfred said. “Tendered his resignation this morning.”

“I feel as if that’s good for him but…”

Alfred sighed. “Jason is a good boy, but his goodness is buried underneath a lot of anger. His father was one of Two-Face’s goons and his mother died of an overdose. His childhood is best described as tumultuous. He needs guidance not this life of violence and Master Bruce in his current state can’t provide any of that.”

Peter sighed. “Let’s hope it’s for the best.”

Alfred nodded. “We can only hope.”

Suddenly, Peter’s phone rang. “That’s my cue.”

Peter dialled a number on the phone in the centre of the library. One of the shelves shifted, revealing a pole that led to the bottomless caverns.

“I’ve always liked this pole.” Peter smiled. He grabbed the pole.

“Master Parker,” Alfred said suddenly. Peter looked up. “Just be careful. Master Bruce wasn’t in his right mind when it came to this mission.”

Peter shrugged. He hung on the pole. “I’ll be fine. It’s just beating up some crazy.”

“See you Alfreeeeddddd,” Peter said, sliding into the dark depths. Alfred’s name echoing through the tunnels.

Alfred straightened the glass on the tray. He noticed that the tea he had prepared for Miss Gordon and Master Bruce had gone cold.