This is the first fic in a LONG time that I am honestly going to try to finish. I'm a little daunted because it is really getting away from me. It started as a one-shot because I can't trust myself to finish ANYTHING, and has now morphed into something else. I am currently working on chapter 3. I hope it figures out how to settle itself.

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to DC in any way and make no money from their characters, stories, etc.

Rating: T (for now. It will change) for violence, cursing, and adult themes

Summary: Bruce misinterprets a message and lands himself in hot water.

Chapter 1: I'm the One that you Need and Fear

Bruce could not believe the sight before him. Cold fear washed over the philanthropist, rooting him to the threshold of his adopted son's bedroom. He stared in sharp, piercing horror at the message scribbled in bright red lipstick upon Dick's wall mirror.

YOU KNOW WHERE TO GO. XOX

The meaning of these simple words settled like a knife within Bruce's heart.

The Joker knew.

Bruce's family was no longer safe.

The billionaire thought about Alfred, his oldest friend, the closest thing he had to a father for most of his life. His butler was so much more than just a butler. Alfred, who had raised him, taught him to rely on his strict morals, accepted him when he hadn't even accepted himself, his closest family. Alfred was no longer safe. And it was Bruce's fault.

He thought of young Jason, the newest addition to his dysfunctional, but loving, family. The boy had a troubled past, but the billionaire couldn't help but see so much of his first stepson in him that he had to give the young redhead a chance. Everyone deserved a chance. Now would the young boy ever get one?

Not to mention the young man in whose room he was currently standing.

Dark, crippling guilt nearly overcame the man just then. Dick was done. He had agreed to stick around for a couple more months before he finally started college so that his stepfather could train 'the newest recruit', as the young man sarcastically put it. The pair had been clashing steadily more as Dick grew up. He was no longer the eager, quick lipped boy he had been when Bruce had first taken him in. He was maturing, becoming more of an independent, self-reliant man, very much like the man that had raised him. Though Bruce and his stepson constantly clashed and argued, he was very proud of the man that Dick had become.

And now he was gone, with only the red, smeared message left behind to indicate that anything was amiss at all. Dick was often gone from the house. How long would it have taken Bruce to figure out that his oldest protégé was taken if the message had not been left? Despite his fear and rage a hint of gratitude touched his inner turmoil. Thank God the Joker so eagerly played these games instead of simply murdering his stepson and dumping his body on the steps.

How had he figured it out? When? Batman had battled his arch nemesis just two nights ago, and nothing in the Joker's demeanor or mannerisms, not to mention the insane dribble he constantly spouted, had led to indicate he knew Batman's true identity.

The logical, methodical concentration served as an anchor to steady the detective's mind. Paralyzing fear was not going to bring his eldest back safely home. With a quick rap to the door frame with his knuckle to regain a hold in reality, Bruce turned and strode quickly to the large kitchen where he knew he could find the old butler and his newest ward, fixing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches after school like they had done every afternoon upon Jason's arrival.

"Alfred," the detective heard his voice call woodenly, as if coming from some other person, "could you please take Jason to Wayne Enterprises to meet Lucius Fox this afternoon? He might find some of the old Fox's hobbies interesting."

The old butler nodded curtly, instantly recognizing the coded message in the request. The two had created the code upon taking in young Master Richard some years ago, and it had up until this point never been used. Indeed, the butler had hoped would never be needed. But it had been a safety mechanism to ensure the young boys would never be confronted with the unknown dangers that were possible in Bruce's line of work. Especially in a circumstance such as this, when a newcomer was just being welcomed into the home.

"Yes. I quite agree, sir. Might old Fox entertain Master Jason with Jules Vern?" he asked to clarify.

"Yes," came the clipped reply as Bruce spun from the entryway. "I will meet you there with Dick...when I find him," he called over his shoulder. He ignored the worried sigh he heard from the old man and quickly made his way to the study.

He was taking action. Alfred and Jason would be safe with Lucius in the bunker under his family's headquarters while he searched for his oldest stepson. And found him. Alive.

Or else.

The dark man shook the unsettling feeling from the pit of his stomach as he shot smoothly into the hidden elevator.

No time to lose.

It had just passed sunset before the Clown Prince of Crime made his arrival in the lower East End, just outside an old, abandoned factory that the red hood was known to haunt. What little patience Batman had entertained when he had arrived three hours ago had fizzled out, died, and erupted into a living creature of hardened contempt and rage. The Joker was toying with him again.

Joker smiled broadly as he strolled into the empty loading dock in which the Dark Knight prowled, hands in pockets and quite at his ease. "Bats, darling! Fancy meeting a boy like you in a place like thi..."

WHAM

Two of Joker's teeth flew from his mouth as Batman's fist made contact with his jaw. The villain reeled back, losing his footing and flailing backwards with a winded fwoomp on his backside and the crack of his head meeting pavement. The clown felt, rather than saw, the dark figure standing above him as he writhed on the ground, adjusting to the sudden pain coursing through his entire head.

The Dark Knight barely kept his anger in check as he glared at the sniveling, giggling fool writhing around at his feet. With one gloved and armored arm, he picked the lanky man up by the collar of his purple jacket and dragged him roughly to his feet, forcing the injured and bleeding madman to breath his own air as he rumbled, "Where is he?!"

Through the blood stuffing his nose, running down his face and dribbling down his chin, and dripping into his eyes from the laceration the pavement gave him, the Joker gazed up at him in wild-eyed confusion. "...Who?" his high nasally voice asked, spitting flecks of blood onto his nemesis' chin.

A rough shake loosened another tooth and flung more blood onto the Dark Knight. The detective was starting to become desperate. He could see the grin on the green haired man's face starting to take on the hazy smile of unconsciousness. He couldn't let the madman have his stepson in God knows where going through God knows what all night. He shook the man again, more to keep him looking at his face. "Dick. Where's Dick, goddammit!" he bellowed into the pale face.

The Joker's pale complexion tinted slightly, and he looked at the cowled face with slightly narrowed, suspicious eyes. "Is...is fis suppows' ah be a...twick quession?" he gurgled, nearly laughing despite the situation. He must have misinterpreted the game's batty rules because the glare just darkened, sweat shining above the Batman's serious lip even more.

"No, you psycho! Show me where Dick is or I'll make sure you lose the rest of your teeth!" the dark figure bellowed with all of his rage, spit flying across the Joker's maimed face.

The clown was slightly disappointed in himself. He took great pride in knowing his Batman down to the very core. And he had never expected a game like this. Not from the bat. True, he had toyed with ideas of this nature before, but in his mind, he had always set the standards and made the demands. Hesitantly, the clown lifted one of his previously limp arms and guided it between the two.

Before Batman could even begin to fathom what his nemesis could be thinking or planning, long, cool fingers cupped and squeezed his armored groin. He was glad that his enemy's eyes were fluttering closed into unconsciousness. He knew, even in the shock, horror, and anger of his situation that his expression would have been the butt of many jokes in the future had the Joker witnessed it.

Instead, pale eyelids met his own wide, incredulous glare before he shoved the limp body off him, letting it crumple before his feet once again.

A crackle signaled a connection on his built in headset. "Sir," a calm, prim English voice pronounced, "I have just been in contact with Master Dick, and there seems to be some confusion as to our current crisis situation."

Something in the detective's heart froze and slid down into his stomach. "Nightwing," he murmured, using his stepson's new alias for security, "is he alright?"

A click. "Yes sir. He seems to have returned from an, erm, rendezvous with a young lady. He apparently gave her leave to wait for him in his room earlier today. Mine and Master Jason's return home from the young master's school frightened her out of the house. She apparently left him a message that he unsuccessfully tried to hurriedly wipe clean before also leaving the house undetected."

A short pause left Batman gazing down, unseeing at the mutilated man at his feet.

"Master Dick does send his deepest apology. He did not think you would encounter the message at all, much less interpret it into the current situation. He has informed me that he will accept any punishment that you see fit to administer…even if he must leave the house."

Breathing was becoming labored due to the icy stone in the Dark Knight's stomach. He kneeled down to the man lying next to him.

"Please sir, don't be too harsh with young master Richard. Boys will be boys, you know. Young, foolish, and in love...with one part or another."

"Don't worry, Alfred. I'll deal with Nightwing tomorrow, but I need you to keep the boys away from the lair tonight...I've made more than one mistake tonight, Alfred, and I need to fix this one," Batman huffed into his microphone. He waited for the affirmation before switching off his headset completely and hefting the lithe form of his arch nemesis onto his shoulder and dragging him over to the batmobile parked an alley around the corner.

He wasn't sure what he was going to do about Dick. He felt foolish and irrational for jumping to the conclusions that he had. Now Dick expected to be kicked out and Joker had earned unwarranted abuse. He felt sick inside for administering needless violence. Acting as he had made him no better than the man he was hauling into his car.

He didn't know what he was going to do to make this right, but he was going to try, nonetheless.

That's it for now. Hope to post more until the story is finished. Wish me luck!

Song: Whore by In the Moment - Great Joker song in my mind. :)