Disclaimer: All characters belong to DC Comics

Rated M for Jason Todd (you never know what that motherfucker is up to)

Prologue

A light drizzle of rain cascaded around the dimly lit architecture that was known as Wayne Manor. The sweet scent of spring rain flowed through the trees as an unidentified figure stalked awkwardly up towards the exit of the forest he'd been scavenging through for the past three hours, steadily keeping his gaze at the gaudy infrastructure. Home. This place was my home once.

Keeping a trained eye focused straight ahead, he surveyed periodically making sure he was truly alone. No cameras, no yard hands, just me and the other wet animals, he mused while leaning back on a dampened tree trunk. His mouth instinctively ached for a cigarette, but he knew better than to even attempt to light the damned thing in the rain. It wasn't like he was addicted to the small hits of nicotine, oh no, he's always made sure he could control these types of habits, but the warm and moist air that was blanketing him made him all warm and goddamn fuzzy.

Fuck. I'm supposed to be bathing in my emotional wallow, not be all tingly and shit. It feels like I just had the greatest fuck of my life. Hard and callused hands moved behind him to gently stroke the large tree he was using for support, gently tracing his fingertips through the broken bark. Taking in a grand inhale, he held it in and refocused on his mission and purpose for making the unnecessarily long journey up to see the fortress. There were many other different routes that would have taken considerably less time to travel, but this was the only secure path he knew to directly view the manor without being detected. As a Robin he made many unsupervised trips to the inner city, and was promptly punished for every time. Being stubborn to regain some sense of the freedom he once had when living on the streets, he quickly made it his primary goal to find an escape route that wouldn't end with a giant bat being furious or looking disappointed. Disappointment. Something he was a master of even before stepping foot in the manor.

A long exhale sent a flicker of peace through his body, relaxation soon taking hold. With years of perfecting his low-bit mediation attempts, it always drew a sense of accomplishment when he could actually feel his body submitting to a moment of emptiness. It would only last for that mere moment, anything longer would be a waste of time, but he did keep up with the method if he felt his body needed something new to focus on. And at this moment, he was trying to ignore the warm rain that was continuing to plummet his body and instead send a glare towards the faint light that was indicating some form of residence.

Why didn't you avenge me Bruce? Was I truly that much of a disappointment for a partner that you chose to ignore your unspoken "parental" duties and end the life that took me away from you? On top of that, you turned right the hell around and picked up some other brat to take my place? A sickened sneer grew while fingers quickly dug into the bark that a moment ago was giving him comfort. Small droplets of blood from the numerous splinters that were being etched in his hand washed away with the rain as he continued to press his whitening hand against the wood. I gave you 200% of my dedication. You were my teacher, my advisor, my fucking guardian. Sure I pressed my limits and all that shit teenagers do, but that doesn't mean I should get carted off and forgotten. I was your fucking soldier, and when your fucking soldier dies you avenge him.

It took all his inner willpower to keep from screaming into the growing darkness, knowing that unneeded attention to the woods that edged around the manor would be quite unwelcome. A slew of silent curses passed through the young man's lips as he bent forward away from the tree, not wanting the sturdy support anymore. Taking one last look before heading back to his current dwelling, he whispered a very silent but still audible promise.

"I'm going to destroy you Bruce Wayne. You, and everyone affiliated with you guise of justice. See you in Hell, Batman."