A dark day for Robin

"We just want to help," said Nightwing as he followed Robin to his crotch rocket. "I don't think you can," said Robin as he revved the engine, and sped away.

"Just leave him," said Bruce as he walked up next to Nightwing, "He just needs a little time alone. We'll talk when he comes back."

"How do you know he's coming back, Bruce? He witnessed the murder of 14 of his class mates, and 60 other civilians, including his teacher," said Nightwing.

"He usually does come back. After the death of his father and mother, he did the same thing. Left, and came back 24 hours later," Bruce explained, "What I'm saying is, give him a day, and then go hunt for him. If and when he comes back, we'll talk."

"I just worry for him," said Nightwing.

[A few hours earlier]

"Everyone ready to go?" asked Gotham Academy 9th grade teacher, Ms. Torris.

"Yes…" everyone said unexcitedly. "Oh, come on, the museum will be fun!" said the young teacher. "What's all going to be there?" asked Tim Drake acting interested. "Well, there is a new art department opening. There will be several pieces of art from around the world," explained Torris. Tim just turned back around and looked out the window of the bus.

Once they arrived at the museum, where there were hundreds of people crowded by the entrance, many from different countries. All the artists of the pieces in the exhibit were standing in front of the entrance with a big blue ribbon across the doors. There was a lady speaking into a microphone at a podium. "Now, I would like to introduce the man who made this all possible, Bruce Wayne." The lady said. Wayne had made a huge donation to the museum to be able to buy and display the art. Wayne then started speaking, "I'd like to thank you all for coming…"

Tim stood with 14 of his classmates who were all selected to visit the museum out of the whole school. As he was listening to his mentor speak, he looked over and saw a man in a trench coat and glasses push his way to the front. Tim squinted, as he knew the man was up to something.

As the museum opened, people started pouring into the building. Tim never took his eyes off the man. The display was in a big room. Tim lost sight of the man for a few minutes while looking at the various works of art. He spotted the man walking into another part of the museum that wasn't open at the time due to the new exhibit.

"May I run to the bathroom quickly?" asked Tim to his teacher. "Sure, but be quick. You don't want to miss too much," said Ms. Torris with a smile. "Of course," Tim smiled back, and then quickly walked out of the room, where the man had left.

He looked around, and couldn't see him. Tim walked around for about a minute, until, an alarm went off and the whole exhibit went on lock down. The entryways to the room blocked off with bulletproof glass that came down from the ceilings of the entryways. Everyone inside was locked in, his classmates and 60 others, including his teacher.

Tim ran up to the glass and started pounding on it. "No, no, NO!" Tim said out loud to himself. Then, some sort of gas started pouring into the room through the air vents. Joker gas. Everyone started panicking, knowing they couldn't get out of the room. Tim then saw the man in the trench coat walking towards a back exit of the building. "HEY!" Tim yelled as he ran towards him, "STOP!" The man looked back and fired a gun at Tim, missing. Tim was about to run after him, until he remembered he wasn't robin. Right now, he needed to be Tim Drake.

Tim ran back to the room, which was still sealed off by the glass. Looking into the room, Tim noticed, the gas had taken its effect. Everyone was dropped on the ground with huge grins on their faces. "NO! DAMMIT!" Tim yelled pounding on the glass. Then over the loud speaker, a creepy, demented laugh came on. "Joker." Tim said under his breath. "WHY DON'T YOU COME ON OUT YOU COWARD!" he screamed.

Tim fell onto his knees and put his forehead to the glass. "I should've done something. I knew that guy was up to no good. UGH!" he slammed his fist into the glass. Tim's best friend, Chase was in there in the exhibit. As Tim looked through the remaining joker gas clearing, he saw Chase's body. Once the gas was all cleared out, the glass lifted to the ceiling. Tim ran in to see his classmates on the ground, dead, all with giant grins on their faces. Tim dropped to his knees.

A hand then gently grabbed Tim's shoulder. Tim turned around to see Bruce. Bruce helped Tim up. He then looked Tim in the eyes and wrapped his arms around him. "Let's get out of here," whispered Bruce. Tears streamed down Tim's face as he tried to forget what he just saw.

As they walked out of the museum, Bruce kept one arm around Tim. Reporters crowded them, but Bruce just waved them off. They got into a limo that Alfred was driving. As they got in, Alfred sighed. "Home, Alfred," said Bruce in a soft voice. "I would assume nothing else," he responded.

When they got home Bruce headed for the Bat-cave, and Tim followed. Bruce stopped before the Bat-cave entrance, "Maybe you should sit this one out," said Bruce. "Not a chance," Tim said as he walked pass Bruce into the cave. When they got down into the bat-cave, Nightwing was down there.

"Heard the news, are you guys ok?" asked Nightwing. "WE'RE FINE." Tim said sternly as he walked over to suit up. "Were you guys inside?" Nightwing asked. Bruce took a deep breath. "I wasn't, but Tim was. After the incident happened, I rushed inside to see if Tim was ok," explained Bruce, "He was, but everyone else wasn't." "By the way he's acting, was his class victim?" asked Nightwing.

Bruce slowly nodded his head.

Tim marched out in uniform, and instantly went to the bat computer. "I will search all of Jokers past hide outs and see if there's a trend or pattern," said Tim as he sat down in a chair and started going through files on the bat computer, "I'll also hack cell phones to see if I get any other responses as to where the Joker is."

Nightwing walked up behind Tim, who was typing away at the computer. "Dude, maybe you should rest. You're probably not thinking straight," Nightwing said calmly. "I'm fine," Tim snapped.

Bruce walk up to the chair Tim was sitting in, and spun it around so that Tim was facing him. Then, Bruce kneeled down to get to Tim's level. "Tim, you're hurting. You want to help with the case? Fine. But right now, you're too emotionally unstable. We just don't want you doing anything you'll regret," said Bruce.

"I just watched my best friend, and our classmates die with 60 other people," Tim snapped, "I saw the guy who planted the gas in the air vents, but I did nothing but watch him get away." Tim got up from the chair. "It should've been me," he said softly as he walked over to his motorcycle.

"We just want to help," said Nightwing as he followed Robin to his crotch rocket. "I don't think you can," said Robin as he revved the engine, and sped away. "Just leave him," said Bruce as he walked up next to Nightwing, "He just needs a little time alone. We'll talk when he comes back." "How do you know he's coming back, Bruce? He witnessed the murder of 14 of his class mates, and 60 other civilians, including his teacher," said Nightwing "He usually does. After the death of his father and mother, he did the same thing. Left, and came back 24 hours later," Bruce explained, "What I'm saying is, give him a day, and then go hunt for him. If and when he comes back, we'll talk."

"I just worry for him," said Nightwing. "We all do, Master Dick," said Alfred walking into the cave. "Nice to see you, Alfred." Nightwing said. "As I, you, Master Dick, just not under these given circumstances," Nightwing turned to Bruce. "I'll go and follow Tim, just in case," Nightwing said as he was getting in his car. "Keep in touch, I'll track you guys from here," said Bruce as he suited up. Nightwing gave a thumbs up as he started to race down and out of the cave.

"Let me in, Rob."