I do not own batman. Characters maybe ooc, and the time line is undetermined.

Introspective

A crash resounded to his far right as Damien lashed out again at Jason. It was a testament to how tired he was that he couldn't remember what handle Jason was currently using. He should probably intervene but as far as he could see, Jason was playing with the boy. In fact, he had probably come closest of all his adopted children and allies to accepting the younger boy.

Was that laughter? Yes, Jason was laughing as he pulled Robin's caped over his head and gave him a mock spanking. Damien was clearly not amused but he did not call for help.

He seemed to believe he had to defeat each of the former Robins. Nightwing had simply evaded him, and to add injury to insult patted him on the head as he stumbled. After that first disastrous meeting Red Robin regarded the boy with nothing short of on alert paranoia. He never got the drop on him again. He's not sure why the boy attacked Cassandra, but she was probably the kindest, disabling him and gently knocking him out. It made Damien feel better than just being ignored.

Jason had officially started tickling the boy, it didn't seem to have an effect.

He was half-amused and half disappointed when Damien had gone after Stephanie. The battle had seemed one-sided in Damien's favor until a callous comment about Stephanie's third tier father made the girl lash out and fight a little dirtier. The boy at least showed some respect in not attacking Barbara even after his mouth forced her to discipline "the little demon" as the red-head called him.

It wasn't that Damien lacked potential, it was that he lacked drive. All he could see in himself was being batman's son. His training had not been wrought with suffering that most league assassin trainees was. He wasn't like Cassandra, Mad Dog, or any of David Cain's other trainees. He lacked the humanism the others had, the determination to help people, not to prove a point. Even Jason at his core wanted to help the innocent, to help the children on the street from going through what he did at their age. His methods were abominable, flawed but ultimately he should have seen it coming.

Jason had never healed his hurt. He still believed that by killing the problem it would go away. He believed killing the Joker could save all of humanity from ever being hurt again.

Damien saw the cape and cowl as his birthright. His skills, though exceptional for his age, were nowhere near the level he thought of them at. He had no idea what Batman stood for, what he was trying to do, and why. This was not a game, this was a fulfillment of a need. Gotham and her people's need for a protector.

Maybe in a few years Damien could be ready to be Robin, but he wasn't now. However taking it away from him, while it was so firmly intertwined with Damien's belief of his father's acceptance would just send him running back to Talia.

White-hot anger went through him at the thought of her. He no longer could feel the temptation, the passion for her he once did. She had been easy to love in spite of her father, or maybe because of him.

It no longer mattered. Talia had never been the greatest of his loves. It was astonishing how many woman had manage to grip some part of his heart, despite his reservation towards relationships. However only one had ever been considered his other half. So perfect for him that it would never work out.

Selina.

Just thinking her name brought a roll of affection, a wave of regret, surge of protectiveness, all flooded over by love.

She had a child now too. A baby girl.

He couldn't help but wish…

He snapped his head up at a loud clang of metal on metal. Jason was seemingly down his pole clattering down loudly. Had he even taught Jason to use a quarterstaff or had the boy picked it up somewhere else?

Damien bent down to remove Jason's mask, only to be flipped over Jason's prone body while Jason himself rolled into a squat. Jason stood up bent over in laughter.

Wasn't he supposed to be capturing Jason for something. Oh, yes theft. He robbed multiple mobs and given the money to many legitimate charities supporting children, anti-gang programs, and schools. He even made a bad joke about it being a natural extension of his two most iconic handles. Robin and Red Hood, Robin Hood. It backfired a little as that was now what Nightwing was calling him, though he was actually going by something else.

Well the Maroni's were Jason's next target and the Wayne foundation did receive such a generous anonymous donation. He could put off catching him for another night.

Oh, look he'd already gotten away. He couldn't possibly chase him, he had to untie Damien from these excellent knots, the one's he'd specifically used to tie up Catwoman herself. Hmm, maybe it was time to look into those rumors of those two having tea together. It be just like Selina to make his life more difficult, actually Jason's whole scheme screamed of her influence.

Yes, it was definitely time to pay her a visit but not in the cowl. He'd clean up and bring something nice for Helena.