Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Batman or any DC comics characters

A/N: This story takes place while Tim Drake is still Robin and references The Killing Joke. If you haven't read it I suggest you do. Just a little play on names from the DC mulitverse. Enjoy!

Chapter 1

Most of the lights are off in the Wayne Enterprises building. That's the way it is most nights at 11 PM. Some workaholics remain to meet some deadline set forth by Lucius Fox or even Mr. Wayne. The ones that do remain do not notice the two figures crouched upon the lower roof. They may not notice them but they know that they are out there, watching over Gotham City. They know that they can work a little easier without worry of some lunatic storming the building, although that doesn't seem to be a problem tonight.

Robin shifts in his crouching position to relieve the pressure on his feet. "Quiet tonight, huh?"

Batman, still unmoved from his original crouch, replies in his usual short to-the-point manner. "Very."

"That's good though isn't it?"

"Yes it is, especially since you have that chemistry test tomorrow."

Robin rolls his eyes under his mask. "Yeah but I've got that down."

He briefly glances at his partner. "You may but you still need rest before a test."

"I'll be fine."

"I want you home by midnight, twelve-thirty at the latest."

Robin's face contorts into a grimace. "Aww, come on."

Batman glances at Robin again letting him know the subject was closed. Behind them on the upper roof another figure descends down. Slowly scaling down the building landing on the lower roof without making a noise. He begins slowly stalking the dynamic duo. Just before he reaches them, Batman speaks. "Hello Nightwing."

"Dammit!" He exclaims. "I'm I ever gonna be able to sneak up on you?"

"No." Batman answers coldly. "Bludhaven must be quiet tonight."

Nightwing takes a seat on the roof ledge next to his former partner. "Yeah just like here. I was hoping for some action tonight."

"Bad day?" Batman asks.

Nightwing shakes his head. "Women trouble."

Batman grunts slightly as he says. "I don't wanna hear about it." He stands from his crouch. "Since you're so eager I'll let you have the city tonight. I have a few things to work on back in the cave." He glances at Robin. "You coming?"

Robin shakes his head. "No way. I've still got an hour and a half."

"One hour, twenty minutes." Batman corrects him as he pulls his grappler gun from under his cape.

Robin lifts the hidden panel on his left glove and glances down at it. "Oh yeah," he says nervously.

Batman aims his grappler at a nearby building. "Twelve-thirty, no later. Dick take care of my city."

Nightwing smiles at his mentor. "You know I will." Batman fires his gun and swings out of site. Nightwing scoots closer to Robin. "Well there he goes, chasing his obsession."

Robin looks puzzled. "Huh? I thought crime fighting was his obsession."

"Well I guess it's more like a hobby."

"Batman has a hobby? No way."

Nightwing chuckles. "Well it's something he's been working on since I was Robin."

Robin looks more puzzled. "What?"

"Haven't you ever gone through his personal files?"

"I tried once but he almost caught me."

Nightwing laughed. "I gotta teach you the finer points of being Robin."

He groaned. "Will you tell me what it is already, my time is running short."

"He's trying to figure out Joker's real name."

Robin shakes his head. "I always thought he was Jack Napier."

"Urban myth." Nightwing says as he chuckled. "Napier was Carl Grissom's lieutenant. When Rupert Thorne moved in and had Grissom killed, Napier retired and lived just outside of Gotham until he disappeared two years later."

"What happened to him?"

"No one knows for sure. But the Joker had already been operating about eight months before the disappearance. Bruce has a theory that Joker killed Napier and hid the body to perpetuate the myth."

Robin shook his head. "Yeah but that's not Joker's m.o."

Nightwing shrugged. "Like I said, it's just a theory. Lets get on patrol. If something happens I don't wanna miss it." Robin stands from his crouch and almost falls backward because his leg was asleep. Nightwing laughed. "That's why I always sit on the ledge."

Robin was shaking his leg as he asked, "Another finer point of being Robin?"

Nightwing nodded as he and Robin launched their grapplers at a nearby building and swung away.