A/N: I've only just gotten recently into Batman more, but here yah go! My first none Harry Potter story and first since 2011. Boom.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot and my original characters :)

The Longest Road from Ruin.

One

It was an eerily calm night in Gotham as the streets were bare and quiet. A solitary figure slipped in between the shadows and down an alley towards what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse.

He had overheard "leaked" information about his assailants. He knew it was probably a trap, but hell that was the fun in it. He had chased the shady scientists who worked for a new pharmaceutical called Brask after blowing up one of their labs in his territory. And now they led him here of all places.

He was glad it seemed to be a quiet night, it would mean no Dick to intervene. The figure stopped and leaped up the fire escape onto the roof top. The ware house was U shaped, with a court yard like center and as he lightly followed the roof he heard voices from the middle.

There were at least six goons, although two of them meant business, dressed far to well in sleek armored skin suits. The other three were the run of the mill losers with guns. Then there was a third separate figure, a woman with a lab coat. the white glowed in the moonlight. And beside her were three children.

The Red Hood swore under his breath, involving children was their first mistake, apparently setting fire to their previous lab didn't sink it in how wrong they were.

He measures his opposition carefully. He could easily take the first three out as they seemed to be the perimeter guards, but he couldn't trust the other two to not hurt the children. He pulled out a smoke bomb and released to the ground. The clatter made heads turn but it was too late. The fumes erupted and he was gone leaping into the cloud. He took out the first three goons with his knife easily. The woman and children moved further away as it began to clear and suddenly he felt a slice of pain ripple his arm as a blade cut through his jacket. He swung at the goon, who easily dodged. The other joined in and it became a game of movements. Suddenly one at his left got him in the wrist with a blade and he dropped his own, the one behind him quickly pulled out a gun and pointed it to the back of his head.

Well this isn't going to go swell.

The Red Hood merely raised his arms in surrender. As the first goon went to take his own gun from him, he swung his leg and tripped him, and as quick as a flash pulled his gun out and bent downward as the other fired. He was about to shoot when another gun shot fired and he hit the ground his ankle bursting with pain. The scientist held her gun steadily at him.

'Take his weapon. For this plan to go ahead we will need it.' she ordered.

Hood snorted as his gun was taken from him, then one of the goons swiftly booted him in the head. He cried out and a steel toe struck his helmet and he could feel a crack, whether bone or metal he wasn't sure. He hit the ground and a foot stomped his face into the pavement. His vision faded and it all went black.

The night was too calm for nothing to be happening Dick knew. With Damian healing from a previous encounter Dick decided to change it up, he slipped into his all too familiar suit and black mask. He slipped out the window like old times sake. Not that Bruce was there to see anyways. Bruce was gone.

As Nightwing he swept the city easily. It was indeed a calm night, hardly a peep from anybody. Not even a speeding driver. But somehow he just knew. He ended up nearing a more abandoned part of town where street kids hung out. He knew it would be pointless but he decided to trek that way anyhow.

Sometimes you get that gut feeling and you got to follow it.

Suddenly he heard three shots from an empty warehouse and took off.

They had waited until Red Hood regained himself. They had bound his hands and removed his helmet. Luckily his mask underneath was still intact. His head was hammering with what he knew was going to be a concussion but that did not matter. His ankle was bleeding profoundly and he didn't care. His arm was painfully numb and he definitely had a few broken ribs but all that matter. He regained his focus and watched as the scientist put her own gun away.

'You see, when they stumbled upon your "territory" you could say it was meant to be.' she said.

'They hired us three with an easy task, to clean up the failed experiments and get rid of the pesky Red Hood. Who would have thought you would have fallen for it so easily.' she said laughing softly. She picked up his own gun.

'Honestly I thought you would have known better.' She said and pointed the gun at him.

'Go ahead.' He snarled, 'Try it.'

She smirked, 'There's more ways to skin a cat.' and with that she spun around and fired at the first bound child.

'NO!' Hood shouted. He tried to break free but he was struck by the other who held him in place. The woman then merely turned her head, gun now pointing at the next child and said,

'Well if only you had Batman.' She then pulled the trigger twice more.

I never had a batman.

'Now it's your turn.' She said turning to him, 'If you live, don't worry, the police would love to know you killed the children. And if you die well, it's a win-win for us.'

Suddenly as she is about to fire a bata rang flies out of nowhere and lands neatly into her hand. She shrieks and a figure swoops in and kicks her in the face. He hit's the ground and a blue stripped arm easily punches her directly in the face.

The other two pull out their guns but the figure easily leaps away from the fray of bullets. He kicks one swiftly in the hand and a baton strikes the other.

'Time to go Jay.' Nightwing whispers in his ears he shoots upward with his grappling hook and leaps upward. Bullets fire and luckily only one grazed Nightwing's shoulder.

They hit the roof and suddenly sirens call out. Flashes of the lights for the police cars swarm in Hood's eye sight. Then in a swirl of white, red and blue everything fades into black.

Jim Gordon is the first to arrive to the scene. The goons had split leaving the bodies behind. It's a gruesome scene with the ground painted red.

Bullets scattered everywhere, his eyes scan the area, avoiding the children, as he hears other cars pull up. Suddenly that's where he notices two things. A red helmet, dented and cracked, and one gun that doesn't match.

He picks both up and spots another familiar sight; a silver batarang. Sighing he snags that as well. He could only imagine what occurred. But he knew enough to know leaving those bits behind would bring the rest of his force to the wrong conclusion. He stored the items in his care's trunk and awaited for the back up to arrive.

So much for his quiet night.

Alfred was used to Dick occasionally going off on his own, but Damian however was not so easily silence. The sight of Dick entering the cave in his Nightwing attire drew the boy to throw as many curses that way, but he was quickly silenced as they caught sight of the bloodied and battered Jason.

'You brought Todd here?' the boy snarled.

'Dami shut up for once.' Dick snapped, shocking both the butler and the boy. Alfred need not hear nor ask more and he quickly aided Dick to lower the second Robin onto a bed that was always prepared for such events. Alfred quickly observed which wound to work on first.

'Master Damian please fetch me the medical supply case over there.' He said. The boy grunted but did as he was told. Alfred began to work on his ankle. The bullet had no exit wound which worried the butler. Dick meanwhile worked on Jason's head injuries and shoulder.

'You're hurt as well.' Damian observed. Dick merely shrugged and winced as his shoulder stung from the motion.

'Just a graze…' he muttered. The boy merely narrowed his eyes and fetched further supplies needed muttering angrily to himself.

'Tt. Only Jason Todd would make such a mess…'

Dick merely smiled sadly, the youngest brother wasn't wrong.