This story started out as a next-gen fic for Young Justice involving Wally's son and Artemis's daughter. It mutated into a completely different category (Batman Beyond) with a completely different plot and feel. It went from hopeful and romantic to…morbid and harsh despite it's hopeful ending. In the end, my imagination is the only thing to blame.

And that also means that I may continue this. It's a one-shot for now though.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the ideas. Batman Beyond goes to Bruce Timm and Paul Dini. Carrie Kelley goes to Frank Miller.

"Terry, wake up."

Groans. Shots being fired. Blood. Loss. Stupidity.

"I'm not going to ask again. Wake up."

Betrayal.

"McGinnis!"

Batman returned from the blackness of unconsciousness to look into the face of his Robin. She was looming over him with her arm cannon and the machine was humming in the back of the room.

"Good, you're awake," Carrie stated, backing away from Terry. He struggled to stand but found that he was chained to the warehouse's piping. And, of course, the chains were just durable enough that the enhanced strength of the suit was unable to break through.

God, he hated betrayals from the Batclan.

"Caroline Keene Kelley, there's better be a good reason why I'm chained and that machine is on," Terry growled. He didn't have time to deal with this. He needed to go home, look over the million little things that are required for running a company. He also needed to keep his very pregnant wife from chasing their son (and uncle) lest something bad happened. The Wayne Manor, despite all of its upkeep, was still a very old home.

"He's breaking out the full name. Oh God, what should I do?" she snarked in fake horror.

"Carrie, this isn't anything to joke about. That machine can change everything that we know about our reality," he pleaded, quickly changing tactics.

"And that's what I'm going to do," the Girl Wonder answered.

"What?"

Why did she have to reduce him to a rookie? He could hear the Old Man now.

"McGinnis, think."

"Terry, none of this was supposed to happen," Carrie began, leaving no room for interruptions.

"No one talks to each other. It's so bad that Cadmus had to step in and make you so that the legacy of Batman could continue. Slag, that's not right."

"It isn't just that," Terry gathered. A beat of silence and then a nod. "Goddamn it Carrie, don't tell me that this about those dreams!"

"I can still hear him screaming," she whispered. She quickly rubbed at her eyes, making the bags under them more pronounced. "God, that just makes me want to cry."

"You told me that you had it under control. You wouldn't have become Robin if I knew that you still had them," he growled. Carrie just shrugged in nonchalance.

"You do whatever you have to," she answered. She walked away and began to set up the machine. Terry struggled harshly against the chains but it was little to no use. Bat-training can do anything, even tie up Batman.

"I'm gonna miss ya Terry."

And with that she was gone, taking the shapes and the color of reality with her.

It was Tim's first patrol alone as Robin. To say that he was excited would be an understatement. Bruce finally trusted him to do more than to be a sidekick! And maybe, just maybe, he could go join the Titans!

But just a blonde woman was screaming for help, Robin was knocked out by a precisely aimed rock from slingshot. And the future changed.