For the next three years, Peter and Barbara would always write to each other. Peter would write to Barbara and tell her how he was doing, the problems he was going through, and ask how she was doing. Barbara would also tell Peter how she was doing, what she was up to, and some of the problems she was going through. Peter would often leave out the part that he was Spider-Man. He didn't want Barbara to know his secret because he wanted her and the ones he cared about to be safe. With all the villains he was dealing with, he was afraid if someone knew he was Spider-Man, said villain could use that to their advantage. Barbara would also leave out the fact that she was Batgirl. She swore an oath of secrecy to her mentor, Batman. And as much as she trusted Peter, she didn't want to reveal this secret to her closest friend to ensure his safety.

But one day, everything changed for both of them. Peter was out on a mission with The Avengers. A month prior, his girlfriend Gwen Stacy had died, and he did write about this to Barbara. He hid all his grief from his teammates. But a mysterious alien known as The Symbiote bonded onto Peter, thus resulting in his Spider-Man suit becoming black, and he became faster and stronger. The Symbiote fed on Peter's grief. Coincidentally, on that day, Barbara was spending time with her father at home. On that particular day, Joker had escaped Arkham Asylum. At the Gordon household, Jim and Barbara were spending time, when suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Barbara opened the door, and...

The Joker shot her, right in the hip! The shot paralyzed her from the waist down. And as Joker's cronies kidnapped her father to who knows where, Joker took photos of the bleeding Barbara in order to drive her father mad. After she was given the medical attention she needed, she was informed that her paralysis was permanent, and that meant she would never walk again, which meant she would have to retire as Batgirl forever. But, all this shock led her to a coma. These events would impact both Peter and Barbara forever.