Chapter 2

Robin rode around for an hour until he stopped on a hill 3 mile outside Gotham. It was dark, but he could see the whole city from out there. Robin got off his crotch rocket, looking for radio signals on his tablet that could possibly lead to the Joker. "Come on. You have to be out there somewhere," Tim said quietly to himself.

He searched for a few more minutes for signs of the Joker. Nothing. Tim went over to the edge of the small cliff he stood on. He sat on the edge. "Why did this have to happen to me?" he thought as he covered his face with his hands. Tim looked down at his dangling feet. "Bruce is right. I am hurting. I can't think straight. What will I do once I catch the Joker? Why am I doing this?" He said holding a corner of his cape. "When will it end?" Tim asked himself again. "What if…" Tim looked down at the deep drop to the bottom of the small cliff. "No!" He yelled out loud as he pushed himself back from the edge of the cliff.

Suddenly, a bright headlight came on him. "Dammit. Not now," Tim thought. "Rob!" Nightwing yelled. "What are you doing here? I told you I don't need help," Nightwing took off his helmet and started walking towards Robin. "You said I couldn't help you. I beg to differ," Nightwing said as he walked closer to Robin. "I don't need your help," said Robin, tearing up. "That's a lie…" Robin said *in his head* as he took a deep breath. Nightwing squinted at him. "You look like a wreck," Nightwing said.

"I can't rest with that psycho still out there," Robin explained, "I know, vengeance isn't the way to go, but he needs to go down, somehow." An image of the 74 bodies flashed in his head. Robin grabbed his head as he fell to his knees, in tears. Nightwing walk up, and kneeled right next to him, putting his arm around him.

"You're starting to isolate yourself and soon you'll try to block everyone out of your life… Rob, let me in. Let someone in," said Nightwing, "I know how it feels. It's as if your mind is attacking you. The images just keep coming, and there's nothing you can do."

Robin looked up, "You would know, wouldn't you… That feeling you could've… should've done something." Nightwing looked Robin in the eyes. "You are doing something," Nightwing said, "How many 15 year old kids do you know, dress up in a costume and go out to fight crime every night? You are getting vengeance by making sure this kind of stuff doesn't happen, so that no other kid has to grow up parentless. So that innocent people don't have to give up their lives for the plot of some Psycho's enjoyment. Sure, some criminals will creep under the radar and do some horrible things, but think of how many people you alone have saved. How many people would die if we weren't here."

Robin looked at Nightwing. "We've saved a lot of people, but also at the coast of others. Some of these criminals even became criminals because of us," said Robin as he got up and walked towards the cliff and glanced down. He then turned back around facing Nightwing, "This hurts, Dick. I've been hurting for years, and now this? It's to the point where I can't live with myself anymore. Now even my real identity life is being effected. I'm just done," Robin stared at Nightwing for a second, then turned around and looked to the bottom of the cliff.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this, Tim." Nightwing said as he grabbed out a dart from his belt, and threw it at Robin. It injected into his skin. "What did you… just…?" Robin said as he collapsed onto the ground. Nightwing walked over to Robin and picked him up.

"Lets go home," Nightwing said softly as he carried Robin to his bike.