A/N: I guess I finished the editing sooner than I expected x3 . Anywho, there have been some slight changes to the story (changes to character plots, etc.) If you have been following through with the story, it's fine that you don't read all over although I may suggest it. Just skip to chapter 13. But if you're just visiting, pretend this message doesn't exist. Anyway, happy reading!

~ilovejasontodd

Gotham City

Crime Alley

October, 2010

Jason Todd shivered in response to the heavy, freezing rain that pattered on the broken areas in his Robin uniform. It seeped into the interior, irritating his untreated, bruised skin-bloodied and broken, courtesy of the ruthless beating delivered to him by the Joker. Not to mention the branded J on his left cheek still had an annoying afterburn.

It had been a few hours since he escaped Arkham Island. He'd managed to break free once the Joker decided to lockdown the mental facility and have his goons take out half of the security within minutes of the hostile takeover-leaving virtually eighty percent of the patients unattended.

He happened to be in that lucky category. A guy who went by the name of Frank Boles had been ordered by the big man to keep a hawk's eye over the former Robin during his stay in the abandoned wing and possibly paid extra to keep his mouth shut while the then seventeen year old was being tortured and held against his will. Word got around that he'd been murdered during the massacre so he found his opportunity right then and there.

Getting out wasn't hard. The place'd already been vacant and there was no longer that scum-wad to keep tabs on him. He was able to hijack a parked GCPD jetboat by the shore and get the hell out of there.

Did he know what was going on?

No.

Did he care?

No.

All that mattered was that he was out.

He ran the tip of his finger against his mark and automatically winced. The sting brought back the memories. The torture. The pain. He closed his eyes.

No, Jason. Don't go back. Don't. Stay in the present. Stay where you are. You're in Crime Alley, by a staircase at an abandoned apartment complex...

He ran a hand through his dripping wet silk black hair that drooped down to his forehead, just above his lifeless blue eyes that were reddened by stress, environmental agitation and tears.

They seldom came. The tears. Only deciding to seep its way out involuntarily whenever ruminating the darkest thoughts that came to mind. Thoughts he tried to block out because he knew he would cry...silently, pitifully. He hated being in that state. His father always told him that he was a man-men don't cry. It's a signification that you're weak, powerless, helpless.

That was a week before he left abandoned him and his mother, never to be heard of again.

He knew he was all but that. He was trained to be better than some sissy that would cuddle up in a corner and bawl his worries away.

But right now, he felt lost, confused, abject.

Bruce Wayne. A man he had faith in, a man he saw as a role model, a mentor, a guardian, a father…

Left him to die.

Replaced him.

He'd betrayed him.

And he didn't care.

It caused his guts to twist, to tangle into a complex knot. A stone migrated to his stomach as he could feel the anger and anxious energy rally up in the pit of his soul.

He couldn't fight it and he didn't want to. He wanted to remove all empathy he had for the man. All of the memories, the good, the bad…

His idle walk proved to be even more torture. He still remembered. The laughs. His laughs. The mental, physical, and spiritual degradation. Turning him into nothing more than a pumping sack of flesh, with no insight to the needs and aspirations that gives a normal homo sapien a raison d' etre.

He wondered if his mind too, gave up on him. If he were already insane, or if he was soon to be there. Bruce had moved on so was his anger really justifiable? No. That was the problem with him. He based his decisions off of what Batman would deem right "rightful" for his sake. His deception, his lies, all ways to manipulate his vulnerable mind-turning him into nothing more than a minion-a blind soldier that would follow his rules no matter how fatuous and crazy.

He glanced above him towards the grandfather clock that stood superior above the remaining skyscrapers and buildings that constituted Gotham City. To Gothamites, the large imitation gave easy access to the time.

But Jason knew better.

It was the secondary headquarters for Batman's operations.

The Clock Tower.

A spectacular flash of blue and white striped the foreboding dark sky as the eighteen year old saw in just that millisecond, a figure soar through landing gracefully above the rooftop. Jason cringed. It wasn't Batman. It wasn't Batgirl.

It was the Replacement.

The third Robin was engulfed into the secret trapdoor, disappearing out of conspicuous sight.

His heart clenched as he watched the spectacle then suffered the minor delusion that Tim knew he was there and was just showing off. Bragging that he'd surpassed him, that he'd taken his suit and spat on his corpse.

Focus, Jason. It's 10:51 and I'm still out in this damned rain, freezing my ass off. Todd took a mental note. Not long before I turn into the talking icebox himself…

Jason took notice of the graffiti and garbage that vandalized the pathway. It stank of vomit, spoiled food and piss as the alleyway consisted thereof. As he continued, he heard faint voices grow louder. They seemed to be coming from the end.

He looked ahead. He was right. A streetlight made out silhouettes of three figures. Two men. One woman. Already, Jason knew what was going down.

This was Gotham City. Shit happens here.

This was nothing new.

"Hold the fuck still, bitch." A male voice spoke. "Or else I'm actually gonna have to use this knife on ya."

"You heard the man." Guy number two said as he pulled out a gun from his jacket. "It'd be a shame to see a pretty girl like you dead in a place like this…"

"Does it matter?" Number one spoke. "We were going to kill her anyway."

"No, please." She sobbed. "Help. HELP!"

"Do ya have any idea where you are?" He turned her to face him. "You're in Crime Alley. Ain't no one's comin' to save ya."

"Let her go."

The criminals automatically shifted their attention to a well built yet crummy-looking teenage kid dressed in a...Robin costume?

"Halloween ain't 'til a week from now, kid." Knife guy patronizingly stated while giving off a grin. "Now why don't you run back home ta yer mommy and daddy." He smiled this time, exposing yellow, plaque-infested teeth in between his thick lips. "That's unless if you want to join in on the fun…"

"I don't think you understand." Jason stepped closer. "I'm giving you this chance to walk away."

"Oh really?" Knife guy laughed. He motioned the blade to his partner. "Kill him."

Guy number two pointed his firearm to the teen, aiming the nozzle to his forehead. Todd could feel his hesitation as much see it, giving him enough time for his well-trained reflexes to kick in. He snatched his wrist and effortlessly pulled his arm causing the man to stumble towards him. Jason motioned behind him and shoved his military grade footwear into his popliteal fossa then smashed his head with the ten pound object. He was knocked out instantly. Todd let go of his arm allowing the man's lifeless body to fall to the asphalt beneath him.

The boss's eyes opened, his smile faded.

"You-you really are…"

"This is your last chance…"

His smile returned. He swerved the girl and held the knife to her throat. "You're gonna havta break the rules, kid. If ya wanna get outta this situation." He said, aware of Batman's no killing rule.

Jason hesitated as it hit him, the weight of the gun now felt heavy. What was he doing? Was he really going to kill this man? Take a life?

Knife guy laughed. "See? You're not gonna do it. You can't. Now why don't you crawl back into your little cave where Batman fucks you in the ass and forget this ever happened?"

"Good idea but…" He raised the pistol to his head. "I'm no longer under Batman's jurisdiction."

"You ain't gonna do it. You ain't gonna-!"

"Drop. The. Knife."

He ignored Robin's warning. The woman shrieked in pain once he dug the blade in her skin. Warm red fluid oozed from her wound.

"Drop the knife!" Jason screamed as he clocked the gun. "Drop the fucking knife!"

The man didn't listen. He continued cutting the woman over his protest.

He had to do it.

There was no other choice.

Jason closed his eyes and took a breath.

Right then, there was an explosion. She felt the same sensation now on the back of her neck and face. A loud thud followed by a grunt sounded from behind her. She screamed and jumped to face her captor. The man was now lying on the floor, a bullet in between his eyes. They stared blankly heaven bound. His soul ever far from there…

"Oh my God, oh my God." She covered her mouth. "Holy shit!"

She faced the now stone faced Jason. Her heart still pacing. "You-you killed him?"

Todd stared hypnotically at the corpse. His arm still stuck in mid air. The rain chattered to the pavement as the wind rustled his black hair.

What have I done? He asked himself. What am I becoming? Fear overtook him as the thoughts began to intrude his mind. You're a sick, demented monster, a murderer. The thoughts repeated themselves over and over...

But the disturbing thing was...there was no guilt. There was no...guilt.

"Hey, kid." She eased up. "You okay?"

No reply.

She approached him slowly with her hands lifted. "Look, kid everything's okay. It's alright." Her voice was reassuring. He fixed his blue eyes on her. Her hair was short, dyed black. Lipstick was smeared across her face while mascara drooled down her eyes. She frighteningly resembled the Joker.

Jason instinctively backed away. He held up the pistol. "Stay back!"

"I'm not going to hurt you. I promise...My name's Samantha." She spoke gently. She reached out and took the weapon from him.

Up close, anyone could admit he looked like crap. His face was bloodied, bruises lied underneath, a large noticeable J was branded onto his left cheek…

God, what did this kid go through?

"You don't look too good," she stated the obvious just as police sirens started to boom. She glanced behind her to see flashes of blue and red emerge from down the street.

"The police are coming…" She turned back to Jason and clutched his shoulder. "Hey, Robin."

Todd snapped out of it and looked back up, returning to reality. "Oh yeah...right." He took hold of her waist while aiming his grapple gun to the ledge of another rooftop. "Hold tight."

With that, they ascended into the dark skies of Gotham but Jason couldn't help but look back down at the corpse.

He'd-he'd just killed a man.