The timer glared 00:39.

Jason had both hands inside the machine. “It’s vibrating. That’s bomb behavior.”

Tim, dark circles carved deep under his eyes, squinted at the schematics. “It’s vibrating because you’re shaking it. Jason, please stop.”

Dick leaned against a crate. “B’s right there. Maybe let him—”

“This device isn’t an explosive,” Bruce said, stepping closer. “It’s a transmitter.”

“A what?” Damian snapped.

“Universal,” Tim said, suddenly very awake. “It connects realities.”

The machine whined louder.

Jason slapped the biggest glowing panel. “Cool. Turning it off.”

“JASON—”

Light tore the room apart.

Jason hit the floor. Silence followed.

“No explosion,” he muttered. “You’re welcome.”

Tim stared. “Bruce?”

The Dark Knight was gone.

In his place stood a man in red and blue, crouched instinctively, eyes wide behind a spider-mask.

“…Okay,” You said. “This is not New York.”

Damian blinked. “Why is Father colorful?”

Tim’s breath caught. You, Spider-Man, straightened, gesturing wildly. “Hi! Friendly neighborhood Spider-Man! I think I just got—wow, you guys look intense.”

Damian drew his sword. “Return my father.”

“Working on it, angry child,” You laughed nervously.

Jason glanced at Tim. “You good, Replacement?”

Tim hadn’t moved. He was staring.

“So,” Tim blurted, rubbing his eyes, “you have proportional strength of a spider, right? That’s—uh—cool. Very… efficient biology.”

Everyone turned to him.

Richard grinned. “Oh no.”

Jason tilted his head. “Was that… flirting?”

Tim flushed. “What? No. I’m just—objectively impressed. By his… abilities. And his suit. It’s very… aerodynamic.”

Jason snorted. “Tim’s into spiders.”

“I am sleep-deprived,” Tim snapped. “And he saved a bus full of people once! I read about it!”

You laughed, not nervously this time. “Wow! Usually I get punched, not complimented.”

Damian scowled. “This is embarrassing.”

——

Somewhere else, Bruce Wayne stood on a rooftop beneath a strange skyline, jaw tight.

“…I’m confiscating all their equipment.”

——

The machine flickered back on.

Tim refocused instantly. “I can fix this. We can bring Bruce back.”

Jason smirked. “And send your crush home.”

Tim groaned. “Don’t call him that.”

Dick slung an arm around Tim’s shoulders, wiping a fake tear from his eye. “Multiversal crushes. Classic.”