Joey sat hidden in the front seat of an old junked car sitting in the alley. He wished that he was only playing hide and seek. But instead the terrified 8 year old was trying to keep out of sight of his older brother, Vinny, actually his half brother. Joey's mom had Vincent with her first husband, a firefighter who had died in the big warehouse fire years ago. She remarried much later and had Joseph. She died of cancer just two years ago and his father remarried. Joey still had his real father, but Vinny had nothing but stepparents.

Joey didn't understand his sibling's anger, though. He thought both his dad and new wife were good to him. They didn't send him away to an orphanage or anything like that. His dad wasn't a drunk and he didn't beat his kids except a good spanking when they really deserved it. He was actually a pretty good dad.

But lately, it seemed that Vinny deserved it a lot. And he would always end up taking it out on Joey later. The 16 year old was hanging with a bad bunch that encouraged him to play the game of 'get the little brother'. The more Joey got beat up, the more he ran to his dad for help. The more his dad punished the older boy the more Joey got beat up. So now he took to hiding instead.

It was getting late but the boy knew his brother was still out there looking for him. There was a pattern to his stalking and even when Vin tried to fake the youngster out, Joey could still figure it out. This was one of the better hiding places that the teen hadn't found out about yet, and Joey had every intention of keeping that way. Curled up on the front seat, he just laid there as the sun disappeared.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Joey awoke with a start. When he saw how dark it was, and how empty the streets were, he became frightened. He had no idea what time it was, but he was going to be in big trouble back home. He knew it was way past his curfew. He carefully crawled out the hole where the front windshield used to be and slid off the hood. He was just about to run home when he heard a strange but soft sound overhead. He looked up just in time to see Spider-man enter a building.

His eyes grew as wide as saucers. He was torn between running home as fast as he could because it was so late or hanging around to watch Spider-man kick some serious butt. He fidgeted waiting for some sort of indication that the super-hero was catching some bad guys in the middle of committing a crime. But nothing happened. Getting more worried about his lateness, he succumbed to the fear and left for home at a run.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Peter landed softly in his room after a busy night. There were no supervillains, no deadly crime spree, just a bunch of small petty misdeeds. But they were scattered about the city far enough away to keep him swinging all night. His arms actually felt tired tonight. If he weren't so exhausted he would be depressed looking at his grim, one room apartment. How he wished he could afford just slightly better accommodations. At least one where he could have his own private bath and kitchen.

Without even turning on the lights, he peeled off his spidey outfit, slipped into pajama bottoms and fell onto his bed. He was asleep before he could crawl under the covers.

Pete flew out of bed when he realized he had once again forgotten to set his alarm and he was late for class. He ignored the cries of "rent!" coming from the next apartment as he flew down the stairs. As quickly as he could, he fumbled with the lock on his moped, pay attention to the lock he thought to himself as his gaze drifted to the abandoned auto across the street that he saw everyday. Such an eyesore, I wish someone would take it away. He felt the lock open and he hastily slid the chain from the wheel spokes. Already forgetting the auto carcass he sped out into traffic.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Joey didn't make it to safety today. Vinny's hoodlum buddies found him, gave chase and caught him. Now cradling his hurt arm, he lumbered upstairs to his home. He had since decided against telling his dad about the fights. It only caused Vinny to get meaner. When his father confronted him about his arm, he said it wasn't Vinny, he simply fell while chasing down a basketball during a street game.

Hours later, he sported a cast around his lower arm, a hairline fracture on the ulna. He knew his father doubted the excuse, but he had never given his dad reason before to not believe him.

He laid there on his bed just staring up at the ceiling when he heard his brother cry out in anger and pain on the other side of the closed door. Cringing he knew that his father believed Vinny to have broken his arm. The truth be told however, Vinny wasn't with his cronies today. A tear streamed down his face as he knew that his brother was really going to be mad tomorrow. He might as well just commit suicide now and get it over with. Thinking that it might be safer outside than in, he dressed quickly, grabbed the few dollars that he had horded and fled down the fire escape. His first thought was the car. He had been safe there many times already, he should be fine tonight.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Joey was huddled in the front seat wishing he had brought a blanket with him. His shivering kept him awake. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, he thought. He looked up through the windshield at the window that he watched Spider-man go through the other night and wondered if he got the bad guy. Of course he got the bad guy, he always gets the bad guy! He continued to watch the window daydreaming of what his superhero might have done two nights ago.

His eyes were half closed and he was falling asleep when he heard that sound again. He opened them and in disbelief saw Spider-man entering the same window. There couldn't be another bad guy in there, could it? This time he was going to stay awake and wait to see if his hero left. He had been planning on spending the night anyway, so why not awake?

But nothing forces sleep upon a child faster than trying to stay awake. And Joey was asleep before the lights went on in the window where Spider-man disappeared into.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Joey rubbed the sandman out of his eyes and realized he had fallen fast sleep in the car. He peeked out of the windshield to see a young man removing the chain from a scooter. He ducked back slightly when the man looked over in his direction. After that quick glance, he then simply got on his motorbike and rode away.

Waiting another minute, making sure the coast was all clear he snuck out of his hiding place and went to the corner grocery store. With half of his money, he bought a single serving carton of orange juice and Twinkies. Deciding to not go back to his best hiding place immediately, he headed for one of his other secret places. Except this one was wet and sometimes inhabited by other intransients. The huge pipe with a grate in front of it was a storm drain that filled up quickly when it rained and Joey knew better than to come here in bad weather. But it had been dry for a couple of days now, so he knew it was safe. Although the grate looked locked and immobile from a distance, it opened just enough for small humans to squeeze through. Sitting on the curved wall, the young boy took out his breakfast and started to nibble on the sweet filled sponge cake.

After spending the day wandering around the city and staying away from his brother's hangouts, Joey decided to head back to his car. He vowed he would try to stay awake this time. Maybe he will get to see Spider-man again. He entered the windshield as the sun was setting and didn't wait long until he saw activity. But his heart sank, all he saw was the same moped man from the morning. When the man started to undress, Joey averted his eyes realizing that he was being a peeping tom. But a blur of red and blue cause the boy to look back. However the man had moved away from the window. When the lights went out, he just figured that the guy got into pajamas and went to bed.

Then he saw it. Saw HIM! Spider-man appeared in the window. Joey stood up on the seat half out of the front window, mouth agape. He knew it! He just knew it! He had found Spider-man's lair.

Oops! Too late!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Peter's mind was preoccupied with a fight he had with MJ earlier. He was on automatic pilot as he went about his normal routine of getting ready for his nightly patrol. He even got a little sloppy about showing up half dressed in front of his window but quickly moved away out of habit. As he turned out his lights he thought that he had better snap out of it or he was going to get hurt if he remained inattentive from the love spat. As he opened his French windows movement below caught his eye. In the alley across from him, in that decrepit shell of an automobile was a person. He threw his head back and cussed softly. He knew he was in front of the window with half his outfit on just a minute ago. Now he needed to confront that person to see what they knew.

Thwipping a webline to the building the car nestled against, Spider-man floated down landing in front of the car. To his surprise he saw a very young boy.

"Hi" he said.

The boy just stood half in, half out of the car's front window.

"What's your name?"

"Um, Joey."

"What are you doing here this late at night, Joey?"

"Um, nuthin'"

"You know you can blink now. I'm not going to bite."

A smile broke across Joey's face as he suddenly broke through the spell of meeting Spider-man. THE Spider-man.

Pete saw that the young boy finally relaxed and continued asking him questions.

"Do your parents know you are out this late, Joey?"

"Probly" he answered as he lowered his eyes for a moment.

Sensing that there is something wrong, Spider-man went over and sat on the hood of the car just inches away from the star-struck kid.

"You know, if there is a problem I can probably help you with it. Is there a reason you don't want to go home?"

Joey slid out of the car and sat on the hood next to Spider-man. He nodded. Pete waited a moment sensing that the boy was gathering his thoughts to talk to him. He was right, after just a few minutes Joey spoke up.

"It's my older brother. Actually my half brother. He's gonna kill me. See this?" and he showed his casted arm. "His buddies caught me yesterday and broke my arm. Vinny wasn't with them, but dad still punished him. So now he's gonna be madder than ever."

"Why does he beat you up?"

"I dunno. I think my dad and his wife are pretty good to him."

Pete listened as Joey went through the family ties and deducted for himself the reason for the older boy's hostility. After getting details of how Vinny stalks the kid, Spider-man said, "Why don't we get you home now? We can handle Vinny tomorrow. Your dad is almost certainly very worried for you and I think you will be safe with him tonight. You think?"

Joey's eyes just widened when his hero said he was going to take him home. He just nodded 'yes' to his question.

"You ever fly?" Spider-man asked.

Joey shook his head.

"Wanna go for a ride?"

Joey just nodded.

Spider-man picked up Joey and asked, "So where do you live?"

After giving directions Joey was lifted skyward. He held on tight has his hero swung through the streets of the city with the ease of Tarzan. He felt like he was on a roller coaster, the ride was so fluid. Just up and down and up and down. Half way home he asked his hero, "Do you like to do this?"

"Do I? Man, I love it. What about you? Having fun?"

"I'll say!" Joey said enthusiastically.

But all too soon the ride was over. Spider-man deposited the boy on the landing of the fire escape, next to his bedroom window. "You all set for tomorrow?"

Joey nodded 'yes' and Spider-man left. But there was still a little fear and trepidation in his eyes. Suppose Spider-man fails to show up? Or not on time or in the right place? Supposed Vinny doesn't wait until tomorrow?