Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, Batman Beyond, DC Comics, or most of the plot of the story.
On a side note, I am sorry that I have left you all hanging for four months. I did not know where to go with this so I am sorry for the long wait.
Enjoy!
Gotham General hospital, psyche ward
9:15 A.M.
The next day
Tim sat on the floor, strapped in straight jacket, rocking back and forth while crackling insanely. On the other side of the two way mirror, Dr. Leslie, Bruce, Dick, Cass, Stephanie, Jack, and Dana watched him with sad eyes.
"How is he, Leslie?" Bruce asked.
"I've never seen anything like this," Leslie admitted, "I'm not quite sure if I can help him Bruce."
"But you have to!" Stephanie said frantically.
"I will do everything I can Stephanie." She promised the younger woman before walking away.
Bruce sighed and walked farther away from the group, putting a hand to his chin. Dick walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Bruce, this isn't your fault." Dick insisted.
"Yes it is, I made him Robin, I trained him. He was my responsibility and I let him down." Bruce said.
"Bruce, you couldn't have known this would have happened. Besides, Tim came to you not the other way around. You didn't force him into anything. " Dick told him.
"That may be, but I allowed it to go on. If he comes out of this, thing are going to change." Bruce said ominously.
"Bruce, what are trying to say?" Dick asked nervously as the others looked on curiously.
"Tim Drake may live again one day, but as far as I'm concerned, Robin is dead." Bruce said as he walked away from a shocked Dick.
Young Justice HQ
10:11 A.M.
Super Boy was punching a punching bag repeatedly, imagining that it was the Joker. Over on the couch, Impulse was staring unseeing at the TV with three bowls of uneaten chips in front of him. On the other end of the couch, Wonder Girl sat as if in a daze.
After a few minutes, Super Boy walked over to the wall and punched his hand through it, startling Impulse and Wonder Girl out of there musings.
"Conner, calm down." Wonder Girl said softly.
"How can I calm down when my best friend is stuck as some Mini-Joker, possibly for the rest of his life?!" Super Boy shouted.
"Conner, I'm upset to, we all are! But you going ballistic and shouting at us isn't helping!" Impulse shouted back at him.
Super Boy stared at them long and hard before giving a guilty sigh.
"I'm sorry." He apologized.
"Its okay man, we're all upset." Impulse assured him.
"I knew Gotham villains were messed up, but this…" Super Boy shook his head angrily
"I never imagined that the Joker was capable of something like this." Wonder girl said softly.
"I don't think anyone saw this coming." Super Boy said as he placed his hand on his shoulder.
Gotham City
1:25 A.M.
A 10 year old girl of about 11 was shoved to the ground in an ally. She glanced up fearfully at her masked attacker as he pulled out a knife and smiled maliciously at her. As he approached her, a whip seemingly came out of nowhere and wrapped itself around his knife hand. Both attacker and victim looked to the left to see Catwoman holding her whip.
Catwoman glanced down at the girl and took her in. She had shoulder length black hair, bright blue eyes, and an innocent like air around her. She reminded Catwoman of Tim a little bit, or at least how Tim used to be.
"Go on, get out of here!" Catwoman ordered.
The girl didn't need to be told twice and ran as fast as she could in the other direction.
"Listen witch, why don't you go mind you're ow-" the would-be-attacker said before he was cut off when Catwoman kneed him in the gut, causing him to drop his knife.
Catwoman then proceeded to Slam his head against the alley wall, toss him to the ground, then punch him in the face, breaking his nose. She grabbed him by his shirt and stared him in the eyes.
"Listen to me dirt bag," she growled, "I'm gonna say this once, so listen good. If I ever see you go near a child again, I won't kill you, but you'll all but beg me to. Understand!?"
Clearly terrified, the man nodded.
"Good, now get out of here!" She shouted as let him go.
The man quickly got up and ran for his life. Catwoman stood up and looked down at her gloves. Blood. There was blood on her hands.
Her mind flashed back to last night. Arkham. Tim's insane laughter. Harley screaming as she fell to her death. Burying the Joker beneath Arkham. Tim's insane laughter turning to uncontrollable sobs.
Catwoman sunk to her knees and did something she hadn't done in years. She cried.
Brown's apartment
3: 15 P.M.
Stephanie sat on her bed, her legs pulled up to her chest. Tear lines ran from her bloodshot eyes to past her cheeks. In her hand was a picture of her and Tim.
She couldn't quite understand how someone could turn her sweet, kind, smart boyfriend into that insane, laughing mess. What kind of monster would do that to someone?
"The Joker." A voice in her head the sounded a lot like Batman growled.
A knock on her door startled her out of her thoughts.
"Stephanie," her mom said softly, "it's time for dinner."
Stephanie wiped her tears from her face and tried to put on her brave face for her mom, though she doubted she'd be able to eat anything tonight.
"I'm coming mom." She said in what she hoped was her usual peppy voice.
Wayne Manor
5: 11P.M.
Bruce sat in his chair in his study, his hands over his ears. The voices in his head continued to torment him, no matter how much he wished they would go away.
"…so disappointed that you let this happen."
"…ashamed to call you my son."
"You let him down, Master Bruce."
"This is your fault!"
"Look what you did to my son!"
"How could you let this happen to me Bruce?"
A knock on his door knocked out of his internal torment.
"Come in." he called.
Alfred came in, with the phone in his hand.
"Dr. Tompkins on the phone for you, Master Bruce." He said softly.
Bruce stood up and took the phone from Alfred.
"What is it Leslie," He questioned, "Has there been any change?"
"No, but I think you should come down here," Leslie said softly, "I've discovered something that I think you should see for yourself."
