The leaves danced quietly across Gotham's streets on the surprisingly warm September morning while kids were swarming down the roads in anticipation for the new school year. The quiet buzz of busses running and kids laughing filled the streets. A few kids looked up as the black sedan creped into the poorer parts of the city. Looks of awe on their faces at the shiny black car that rolled soundlessly down the streets. If only they knew who was in the car, they might actually have a heart attack. The car slowly stopped at a small one bedroom house.

Bruce looked at the small green house that they were sitting in front of. He looked at his little brother, who wasn't actually blood but they had been through so much that they only had each other to cling to, and glared at him expectantly. The boy who was too busy texting someone, didn't notice his older brother's glare. Bruce cleared his throat.

"I hope you are texting Jack to tell him we are here, I mean seeing as we have been sitting here for the past five minutes." Bruce glared at the younger teen sitting across from him.

Dick looked up at his brother and stuck his tongue out at him. Bruce growled quietly.

"No, actually I was messaging Miranda about how much she absolutely loves you.." Dick stated in a teasing tone. "Besides Jack couldn't pay his phone bill, some people don't have money to throw around like we do." Bruce winced a bit at that. "So I will have to go get him." Dick said matter-of-factly and quickly got out of the car running to the door.

Bruce watched his smart ass brother bounce on the edge of his toes waiting for Jack at the front door. Bruce sighed loudly sitting alone in the back of the car.

Jack Napier the bane of his existence, not because he absolutely hated the young teen no in fact it was quite the opposite, he wanted to hold the teen and kiss him and do other things that an almost 18 year old shouldn't be thinking about a 15 year old. Especially not a 15 year old who was best friend's with his younger brother.

Bruce had known Jack since he was eight. That was the year Dick came to live with him, after the death of his parents. Dick came home from school going on and on about his new friend Jack and all the jokes he would tell. Dick asked Alfred if they could have Jack over to spend the night, of course Alfred said okay.

Jack had been a skinny lanky kid with curly blond hair. Of course Bruce didn't think of him in any sexual way then Jack was a child, hell he was a child himself. But after the years of knowing Jack and the insane amount of time he spent of at their house he didn't show up around the house the entire summer. Dick would go see him but he never came to the house.

Then one day there was a knock at the door and Bruce for some reason decided to answer it. He raced down the stairs and to the door, behind it was the ever smiling Jack. But it wasn't the kid he knew, this Jack had grown taller and more muscular and if he did say so himself, hot. His hair was still curly but got a bit darker and longer. His blue eyes twinkled at Bruce whom he was about the same height of now, maybe like an inch shorter and Jack still had some growing to do.

Bruce just stared at Jack for a moment and let his eyes rake across the younger's body and back up to his blue eyes. Jack just grinned at Bruce obliviously and went to step around him too close to Bruce because he could smell the scent coming of the younger's teen's warm body. Jack kept walking stating something about Master Bruce answering his own door and heart attacks. Bruce stayed in his room brooding the rest of the day.

Bruce's attention snapped back to the present when he heard the car door opening. He looked up as Jack got in and sat in the middle, smiling at him. Is that all he ever did? Bruce couldn't help but smile back at him staring into his eyes. Did he say how much he loves blue eyes? Because he does. He caught himself staring into them. Jack just looked innocently back at him. Bruce inwardly groaned at the stupid morals that kept him from reaching out for the other teen.

Dick dropped into the car loudly ruining the awkward staring or saving Bruce from doing something stupid. Bruce kind of wanted to reach over and strangle his little brother but thought better of it. The window separating the front of the car and the back rolled down. Alfred poked his head through.

"Are we picking up Master Blake also Master Wayne?" Bruce saw Dick perk up out of the corner of his eye. Bruce rolled his eyes, knowing fully that his brother had a crush on his best friend. He wasn't worried John had a girlfriend, Rachel, it was a little crush that would go away. Dick spoke quickly.

"Yeah, Are we picking up John?" He looked at Bruce expectantly. Bruce glared at him.

"No, We aren't. He got his driver's license…I gave him one of the cars. I think he is picking up Rachel and Barsad. " He saw Dick's eyes darken for a moment then brighten quickly when he realized Bruce was watching him.

Alfred just nodded closing the window and started driving. I wonder if I just moved my leg slightly to left, just enough to…NO he thought to himself No touching, you can look but no touching Bruce stared out the window trying to keep his knee from bumping against Jack's. Not looking forward to the rest of the year that'd he would have to spend with seeing Jack in the hallways and then whenever he came home with Dick, which knowing those two would be quite frequently. He sighed quietly staring out the window as they rolled down the kid crowded streets.

###

John stared at his new Audi that Bruce had given him, swinging the keys around in his finger. Barsad came up behind him poking him smiling.

"It's pays off to have friends in high places doesn't it Blake?" Barsad says jokingly throwing his arm around the shorter teen. John smiles and pushes his friend's arm of his shoulders.

"Do you want a ride to school or not Barsad?" John says playfully glaring at his friend.

"Of course I do!"

'Then get in the fucking car…" Barsad reaches for the front door smirking. " No, backseat bitch…Rachel is coming." Barsad laughed.

" Of course she is. You know, Father Reilly wouldn't appreciate you cussing at me like this, calling me names, it hurts my self esteem. I mean I have major self esteem issues seeing as my dad beat me before he murdered himself and my entire family." Barsad feigns sadness. He doesn't understand the older teens humor, to him it wasn't ver funny. John gives him a serious look he knows John hates when he talks like that. Barsad just laughs

"Why am I friends with you?"

"Because Blake you love me too much not to be."

"Oh, shut up."

John pushes Barsad into the back seat. John ran over to get to the other side of the car jumping into the driver's seat. He starts the car and pulls away from the curb turning on some music so he wouldn't have to listen to Barsad's talking in the back of the car. Most of the time when they were around others Barsad was quiet and broody. He reminded him of Bruce in that aspect. It just so happens seeing as Barsad and John grew up together he wouldn't shut up around him.

Truthfully John loved his friends antics, it just showed the trust they had with each other. John could only rely on two people in his life Bruce and Barsad. (Funny how things would work out later in life.) He really didn't have anyone else to trust. Sure he was dating Rachel but its only been a month and it seemed easy. High school romance, mediocre sex. He doesn't trust Rachel enough to actually tell her his secrets. He feels a bit guilty about thinking like that. Rachel was a really sweet girl. He liked hanging out with her and hell he likes the sex they have. He was only 17 and definitely not ready to give up his heart that easily not to anyone.

He'd been friends with the guys for years and it took forever for them to get that close. The perks of being a screwed up kid, not trusting anyone. Not to mention the attachment issues. He slowly pulls out of his own head and finds himself pulling up beside Rachel who is waiting on the curb. She smiles brightly through the window and gets in.

"Hey Barsad, How are you?" Barsad slithers into his shell.

"Fine." he doesn't ask how she is back. John gives him a look and then turns to kiss Rachel not really putting any emotion into it. She pulls back and gives him a weird look and smiles at him shyly. He grins at her and kisses her more deeply. He sometimes forgets that he has to put emotions into what he does.

He moves back and stares at her face again. She smiles full heartedly at him. He grins and turns to drive the car away from the curb and onto the street. He really did like Rachel.

He pulled into the school parking lot to find himself arriving a few seconds in front of Bruce. The second the car stopped Barsad rushed out to go hang with his friend's Selina and Jonathan they hung out with different people at school. Rachel gave him a smile and ran over to her best friend Miranda. John stood by his new Audi awaiting the awe inspiring arrival of Mr. Wayne. He scoffed at that. He never could think of Wayne as a famous millionaire like the world saw him. He was just John's best friend.

The black car rolled up to sit in front of the school. Bruce stepped out seeing John and smiled at him, he moved over to let other people get out. John watched as Jack got out of the car slightly yelling and grinning at his best friend behind him. It dawned on John that the boys would be starting high school this year. It also dawned on him that Dick had gotten taller. Had he really not been paying attention to his best friend's brother that much?

He also might have noticed that Dick wasn't really the pudgy acrobatic kid he grew up around, not that he was fat then just had a little extra weight, but now a lot more lean. And gorgeous a voice whispered in his head. John shook that miniscule thought out of his head.

He walked over to the car that the guys just got out of and smiled into the window that was now down.

"Hello Alfred, How are you doing today?" The gray haired butler looked at him and smiled kindly.

"Master Blake it is kind of you to say hi. I am doing well, How are you?

"Oh, I have been better. Its just John, Alfred" he stated reminding the butler again.

"Okay Master Blake."

John laughed and backed away from the window. Alfred nodded a goodbye and drove away. He turned around to find Bruce staring at him smiling.

"Well that was nice of you Blake."

"Well, I am a nice guy Wayne." John smirked at him. He turned his attention to the younger teens. Who were standing together, heads close, whispering to each other and looking at Dick's phone. John decided to start his favorite past time. Playing with the younger teens. Smiling he reached over and grabbed Dick's phone.

"Pornography at school fellas? That's even low for freshmeat. Can we not keep our hormones in check?" Dick went to grab the phone but John was still a bit taller then him so he held it just out of the younger teen's reach.

Jack took a step forward to help his best friend. Jack smiled down at the older teen - speaking of tall, when the hell did Jack get that much taller then him?- while Dick was still trying to grab the phone from John getting closer each time he reached for it. Jack went to grab the phone but Blake tossed it to his best friend. Bruce caught it easily smirking and holding it above his head when Dick turned his attention to his brother.

"Well you know how it was when we were their age, all those emotions riled up.' Bruce said joining in on the fun.

"But, porn…in school is unheard of." John stuttered jokingly out.

"It wasn't porn….I was talking to Miranda." Dick growled out still reaching for his phone.

"That's what they all say Dick, I mean I am your brother, I know how you are. Remember this summer when…." Bruce voice got cut off by Dick punching him in the chest. Bruce feigned hurt and gave Dick his phone. John laughed. Dick glared over at him, Jack smirked and looked at John knowing he was about to say something stupid.

" I would shut up if I were you Blake." John laughed at his younger friend's warning. Jack was grinning at him.

" Eh, Not talking isn't my strong point."

"Dude, John I don't think you have any strong points." Bruce laughed out.

"Oh, shut the fuck up!" He pushed Bruce backwards. Dick and Jack both laughing at him. John started walking towards the doors hoping maybe his final year would go by quickly and he'd leave this place behind. He turned around to find Bruce and Dick arguing and Jack staring at them obviously amused.

"Hey, you idiots coming or are we going to sit in the parking lot all day."

Dick grinned widely over at John forgetting the fight and ran over to him. The taller teens following him. John put his arm around the shorter teen ignoring the warmth he felt. The other two caught up quickly and they walked into the school laughing.

Maybe he doesn't actually want out of here….he smiled at his friends.

###

Dick glanced around the lunch table where he was sitting across from Jack. He looked over at the table across the cafeteria where his brother was sitting laughing with John and John's stupid girlfriend and Miranda. They looked like the perfect group. Dick sneered at them silently. He wanted to be the one making John smile like that not fucking Rachel Dawes. Dick turned his attention back to his best friend.

Jack was intently listening to the conversation that was being held at the table across from theirs. Barsad was smiling at his boyfriend Jonathan Crane. Crane was quite the interesting person. He seemed nice enough but there was an underlining weirdness. It sort of came with the territory though seeing as Crane's grandmother used to lock him up in a old church and scare the shit out of him. Was their school just filled with all the kids with issues?

Sitting across from the two were Selina Kyle, if Dick didn't have this weird obsession with John he would probably have a major crush on her. She was gorgeous. Dick glanced over at Jack who was now intently listening to what Jonathan was saying. He looked over at the blue eyed, lanky teen listening in.

"..well I think it's so interesting. What scares people enough to make them snap. Like what is bad enough in someone's childhood to make him go fucking crazy and murder. How far do they go till they get help from a Psychologist. " Then he laughed., creepy, Jack laughed along with Barsad and Crane. They looked at Jack across the table and Barsad smirked at him. Jack looked as if he was going to respond but was cut of by the biggest prick (no pun intended) of the school.

"What the fuck Crane, I think you need a fucking psychologist!" Harvey Dent was standing behind Jonathan clasping his hands around the younger boys shoulders. Barsad went to push Harvey away from his boyfriend but his buddy Edward Nigma laughed and grabbed Barsad. Jack surprisingly got up and walked over to the other table grabbing Harvey's arm off of the lanky teen. Harvey looked at Jack surprised.

"Shut the fuck up Harvey unless you want to get punched." Jack had grown a lot over the summer so he was just about as tall as Harvey. Harvey looked over at his friend and smirked. Dick really didn't want to get involved but he couldn't leave his friend high and dry so he stood up.

"Yeah, so why don't you just keep fucking walking and mind your own business." Dick said darkly. Harvey snorted at the younger teens.

"Seriously you two are sticking up for the scarecrow looking freak?" Edward laughed creepily again. Harvey made a stupid mistake and let go of Crane and grabbed Jacks arms backing him up into the cement wall. Jack's face pained. Dick knew it wasn't because of being pushed against the wall but more because Harvey was pressing into the cuts that lined the younger's arm. Dick went to grab Harvey off of his best friend but Edward grabbed Dick quickly.

Dick had always had good reflexives seeing as he was an acrobat not to mention the rigorous workouts he and Bruce did. Edward was Tall and skinny and not very strong Dick turned out of Edward's grasp. Edward went to punch the smaller teen but someone stopped the fist out of nowhere. He looked over to see John who know had a hold on Edward's wrist and he flipped Edward onto the ground leaning down to talk to him.

"Maybe you should think before you pick on these guys again. I don't like when my friends get messed with." John said angrily.

Dick just stared at John for a moment. John stood up and stared back at him lifting his eyebrow and smirking. Dick never wanted to kiss him more then he did know. Instead he looked down at his feet.

"I could have handled that."

"I know." Dick just looked at him again. His head snapped over to where his best friend was.

Bruce was over by Harvey grabbing his shoulder and he was pissed. Bruce rarely got angry but Dick saw the hatred almost steaming off of him. Dick stared at them and out of the corner of his eye saw John and Barsad grabbing Edward and holding him. Dick turned his attention back to his brother.

"If you don't get your fucking hands off of him, I will break every single one of your fingers." Bruce said in a voice that Dick never heard before and it scared the shit out of him. He wasn't even the one it was aimed for. Harvey sneered at Bruce and backed away.

"Oh come on Wayne, we used to be such good friends. No need to get angry."

"That was before you turned into a two-faced prick you jack ass."

Bruce took a step towards Harvey but Jack grabbed his arm. Bruce's head snapped to look at Jack and his hand on his arm.

"He isn't worth getting in trouble over." Bruce seemed to calm down but looked at Jack for a second and leaned in to whisper into his ear. Jack's face changed to a red color in the matter of seconds. Dick just stared curiously at the pair for a second then it dawned on him. Bruce was totally infatuated with Dick's best friend. The way Bruce stared at him a lot longer then needed. Dick knew that when Bruce wanted something he dived straight for it head first, and he could tell his older brother wanted Jack.

It wouldn't have been a problem if it wasn't for the fact that Jack was one of the most sensitive people he knows and this shit wouldn't end well for anyone. The youngest teen realized another thing that he was madly in love with Blake, but couldn't possibly do anything about it until he looked back at the way John had been staring at him. Maybe, just maybe there was something in John that wanted him also

If only these thoughts had been voiced at that exact moment then they would never have ended up with the messed up lives the have today, but that never once crossed his mind while he was watching John talking quietly with Bruce.

###

He might not be, but you are.

The words that ended Jack's life were spoken by none other then Bruce. Of course Jack didn't know that these words were to send him into a spiraling abyss. Right then those words gave him a flutter in his stomach when Bruce whispered them into his ear. Bruce just smiled shyly down at him and walked over to where John was.

Jack wanted to dwell on what the older teen had said to him but couldn't because the pain searing his arm was too much. Jack quickly left the cafeteria while everyone was coming down from their almost fight high. He made his way to the furthest bathroom from his friends he could find. He quickly walked into the bathroom. He made sure no one was in there. He knew there wouldn't be it was lunch time people were busy eating and talking.

Jack sighed thankfully and rolled up the long sleeve shirt he had on. He was glad he decided to wear his black long-sleeve today. His arm was bleeding like hell. The black soaked up the blood and didn't leave a trace of it on his shirt. He quickly ran water over his arm and stared as the blood washed down the draining wanting to follow it down there. He looked at his arm disgusted at himself and angry.

Angry he couldn't control the urge to badly cut something up. That he had to mutilate himself and a few animals just to make sure he and his fucked up mind wouldn't actually follow through with slicing up his stupid drunk father or any other person who half of him thought deserved it. He smiled sadistically at himself, it was funny that people though he was the funny guy, the one to always smile, the joker of the group.

Always smiling when the fucking truth was he wanted to murder them all except for Dick, John, and Bruce. He sighed openly Bruce, How gorgeous could another human get and still have all that pent up anger which made him so much more attractive. He had wanted to watch Bruce break every single bone in that prick's body today but knew he had to stop him from doing so, it'd be bad for his reputation as the teen millionaire heartthrob. It's crazy to think of him that way, Jack thought.

Do you know what else is crazy, Not me. Ha-ha Jack laughed at his own joke. He looked up at the mirror at his ever smiling face and grimaced. He hated his stupid face. He looked back down at the water which know cleared his wounds out nicely. He stopped the water and stared at the thin lines and scars running across his arm.

He turned to get a paper towel and must have not been paying attention to things outside of his head because standing there gawking at him was fucking Jonathan Crane. Jack felt anger well up inside him and hurriedly pulled down his sleeve.

"What the hell Crane! How long have you been standing there?" Jack tried to ask a nonchalantly as possible. Pretending that Crane didn't actually see the secrets all over his arms.

"Long enough."

"That's not creepy, What do you want?"

"I followed to tell you thanks for almost getting your ass kicked for me, but I am beginning to think you didn't do it just for me. I know how you feel." with that the lanky teen pulled up his sleeve and showed Jack the scars layering his skin.

For some reason this made Jack even more mad. He thinks he knows? Just because he happens to mutilate himself! Jack stares daggers at him. Does he think we will become angst ridden teenage cutters, with that together forever bonded by scars shit. Oh he could give him a fucking scar to last a lifetime. Jack laughed at that and snapped into reality still just as pissed.

"You want to share stories? Why don't you sit down let me tell you how I got these scars shit? That we are connected because we happen to have scars." Jack got really close to the teens face and whispered.

"Let me tell you something. You don't want to know how, why or where the hell I got these scars from because -call me cliché if you will- I would have to hurt you if I did tell you, and I might enjoy that too much." Jack laughs maniacally in to Crane's face "Lots of people have scars Crane, you can't save them all with your psychology bullshit. I don't want to trade fucking sob stories with a scarecrow looking piece of shit like you. Understand?" Jack backed up a bit.

Jonathan grimaced at the insult and glared daggers at he younger teen.

"Okay good! Now that we got that cleared up." Jack returned to his old smiley self. "The bell is going to ring and I have to keep my attendance perfect!"

Jack heads for the door but stops when he hears what comes out of the other teens mouth.

"God, you are crazy!" Jonathan sates and is still in shock of what he had witnessed and is frowning at Jack.

"Ha-ha Crazy? I was joking come on Crane! See look at my smile. You know me Jack never serious…always smiling…" His voice trailed off and he glares at the other teen. "If the incident ever leaves this room by the way, you know that frown on your face….well I have got just the thing to turn it upside down. Anyways" He says cheerfully "Better not be seeing you at lunch tomorrow. Adios!" Jack walks out of the bathroom whistling.

He finds the halls filled with teens rumbling around as he heads for his class A.P. Science. He wasn't late enough to be tardy but everyone had already taken the good seats and the only seat left was the one next to a small girl with pigtails and glasses. She looked as if she still belonged in middle school. He lets out a huff and goes to sit next to her. She perks up and smiles at him. He smiles back and she opens her mouth to speak he kind of wants to strangle her.

"Hi I am Harley, Harley Quinn, not that you really need to know my last name ha-ha. Its not like I am James Bond." she gasps irritatingly loud. " Could you imagine me James Bond. How great!"

Except you are a girl so

"Yeah Harley Bond." She giggles happily at that and he slightly winces. Oh, god it's going to be a long first year.