A/N: This is my first Batman Beyond fanfic, inspired by Return of the Joker. I hope that I've kept Bruce in character and that you enjoy the story. 

Disclaimer: Batman and all related characters are property of AOL Time Warner.

Failure

By Frozen Phoenix

Whenever I think about that night, I still can hear him laughing. Laughing like the depraved psychopath that he was, as he showed me images of him breaking Tim's mind. I've known him for years; we've faced each other on so many occasions that I believed that there was nothing he could do to surprise me. I'd seen every trick, heard every inane joke and punch line, I knew what he was capable of. But I was wrong.

I trained Tim, Barbara and Dick to be the best. Making sure they followed my rules, the rules that managed to keep us all alive every night. And though Dick viewed me as manipulative, I was doing what was necessary. But none of my training could have prepared any of us for what happened that night.

These events have led me to wonder, to question everything. As he taunted me, and I threatened to break him in two, he said that if I had the guts to do that, I would have done so years ago. Years ago. If I had killed him when I had the chance, he wouldn't have been able to hurt Tim. His sadistic brand of psychotics that made him so infamous would have been put to rest. Permanently.

But I've always walked a thin line, doing whatever was necessary to protect Gotham and those who worked beside me. I have no qualms about using violence as my means and even that isn't enough to get through to the insane, both criminally and mentally that we face every night.

And if I had killed him, I would have become him. Or more precisely, become worse than him. Hiding behind a mask and using those I protected as an excuse, a reason to behave like those I fought against.

So where does that leave me? Tim will never be the same, not after the torture that the Joker put him through and the mental anguish he's facing about killing him. I'm grateful that Jim was able to keep things discreet, for Tim's sake and ashamed. Partly because I had brought him into this, and with him being so young he still couldn't help thinking of it as a type of game. A game where no one really got hurt. And if things became too rough, Batman would be there to save him.

Except that I wasn't. He was in danger and I couldn't protect him. And there is nothing that can be done to change that.

The Joker has seen to that. He's lucky. Lucky that Tim finished him before I was able to get my hands on him again. For what he did, I would have made an exception. I would have made what he did to Tim seem slight in comparison to what I would have done to him.

I've come to a decision. Whether or not Tim recovers, he won't be donning the Robin costume ever again. He may never wish to do so and even if he does, it's for the best. I don't want him traumatized any more than he already is by trying to pretend that things will go back to the way they were. They won't and more importantly, I won't allow them to. 

From this point on, it will only be me. And Barbara, if she wishes to continue. I refuse to put someone else in such a dangerous position. After pushing Dick away and allowing Tim to take his place, I've lost two people who were of importance to me. I won't lose another.

Robin will never fly again.

~The End~