Before Luke could leave the Bat Cave, Batman entered, and looked down at him.
"What happened to you?" He asked, looking stern.
"Like you'd care," Luke spat, getting up and leaving. He heard Batman call to him, but he ignored him, and continued walking.
He found himself leaving the house. When he reached the end of the street, he paused, and decided to go the warehouse, where the Professor died.
It was all the way on the other side of town, though, and Luke couldn't walk that far. He paused, and fished about in his bag.
Yes, the money Clive gave him was still there. He could go into a shop, get something, and use the change to get the bus across town. Yes, he would do that.
Heading into the nearest news agents, Luke went in and bought a drink. He ignored the shop keepers odd looks at him, and handed him a tenner.
Once outside, he binned the drink, feeling too sick to eat or drink anything. Thankfully, the bus he needed was already the bus stop when Luke reached it.
The bus driver gave him an odd look and asked if he was ok when Luke got on. Raising an eyebrow and replying that he was fine, Luke gave him the money and sat down.
A couple of people on the seats near him glanced over, and shifted further away. A little girl called out,
"Mummy, why is his face all red?" The mother told her to be quite, and glared at Luke. Luke slowly tapped his face.
He'd forgot he was covered in blood. Damn it, he thought.
He kept his face down until he reached his stop, and got off quickly. The warehouse was a few streets away.
The rain tapped on his hat, and fell all around his. Luke raised his head, hoping that the rain would wash off the blood, and the growing darkness would hide any of it that didn't come off.
He stood outside the warehouse. It was a sicking sight. Half the building was burned down, and the rest of it was held up by luck.
Luke stepped forward, the ashes touching the tips of his shoes.
He saw something shining, underneath some rubble. Pushing it away, he found a tiny bronze item of some sort.
Looking closely, Luke saw it was a cog, similar to the ones he and the Professor found in St. Mystere, all those years ago.
Luke stuffed it in his bag and sighed at the memory.
He jumped suddenly, feeling somebodies hand on his shoulders. Rain dripping down his face, Luke looked up.
"Luke?" The man said.
"Clive?" Luke spluttered. Clive nodded.
"Come with me. My house isn't too far, you're soaking,"
"So are you!" Luke said. Clive laughed.
When they reached Clive's house, Clive demanded Luke take a warm baths while he dried Luke's clothes. Agreeing, Luke went upstairs to have a bath.
When he came down, Clive asked about how everything had been. Luke hesitated.
"Fine," He finally said. Clive raised his eyebrow.
He got up and went to the kitchen to make some tea.
"Just because you failed at training doesn't mean you will be bad at the real thing. I mean, anybody would freak out the first time they met the Joker, he's a scary dude,"
"WHAT did you say?" Luke jumped up as Clive returned with some tea.
Clive smiled, and raised his eyebrow, "Don't tell me you haven't figured it out yet!"
Luke studied Clive closely.
"Nightwing…?" He said. Clive nodded. Luke's mouth hung open in surprise, shock, and amazement.
Eventually he said, "Awesome,"
Clive laughed, "We should phone Bruce, tell him were you are,"
"He wouldn't care," Luke grumbled, crossing his arms. Clive sighed,
"We're going to get the Joker tonight. We figured it out, he is in the old toy store, you know the one shut down?"
"How did you figure it out?" Luke asked.
Clive shrugged, "It's the kind of place for him to hang out in,"
"Well…good luck," Luke said.
Clive smiled, "You're coming,"
"What?"
"Bruce wants you to,"
"Why…?"
Clive shrugged, reaching for the phone, "I don't know."
A/N: Clive is NIGHTWING? Who'da thunk it? Me obviously!
