Note: I do not own any of the characters included.

Chapter 17

Jason Todd/Robin (#2)

I was starting to realize my plan to run away wasn't as great as I thought. With no computers or technology, how was I supposed to figure out what's going on with batgirl? Maybe Bruce wasn't such a problem after all.

I leaned against an alley wall, trying to think of something that would help me figure out the mystery. But I wasn't only feeling stumped, I was also trying you pretend I didn't miss Bruce. I thought being out here would feel like it did before I met him, but once you have a family, it's hard to go back. I had enjoyed the love and attention he had given me. So how had I repaid him for making my life a thousand times happier? By leaving him and making his life a thousand times sadder.

Tears of guilt rolled down my cheeks. Why am I crying? I thought, Aren't I happy I left him? He was a villain. He was hurting Batgirl! But he loved me so much….and he was technically just giving up on her, it's Deathstroke who's hurting her….

I ran down the streets until I found Crime Alley. I hugged my knees and cried, wishing he would just come down this alley, like when I had first found me.

But he could be anywhere in the whole city. Why would he be here? Why would he think I would want to come here? Why would this be the place to find him? After all, it's also where his parents died. It's probably not his "happy place".

But it was my happy place. It was where my whole life had turned around. It was where I had first felt true happiness since I had first begun being all alone on the streets.

Rocking back and forth, sobbing, I tried to calm myself down by thinking of it. When my life had begun being, well, good.

I had been scouting out my next meal, when I spotted the Batman. At first I started to back away, afraid of the stories I had been told about him. I had been told lots about the prison cells you could end up in if caught by him, and how hard it is to not get caught if you get too near. But I could only imagine how priceless all his possessions were, them being owned by the Batman. My stomach hurt from the little amount of food I had managed to scrape up in the last week. Not having much to lose, I decided it was worth a try.

I made my move while he was chasing another villain, on foot, out of the alley. I ran toward the tires, pulling as hard as I could to get them off. But they weren't very easy to just snatch, so by the time he came back, I had barely managed it. Of course, that also meant I had to fearfully run as fast as I could away the minute I was done. He was stunned that anyone had decided tires were a smart thing to be stealing, but not the entire car. The entire car probably would have been easier. So he angrily searched the alley for the culprit. I, by that time, was simply trying to hide behind a trash can, hoping to go unnoticed. But he heard me rustling in my hiding spot, and instantly tossed the can aside.

My eyes widened in fear as his angry bat-glare turned into a look of concern. Still afraid of him, I threw the tires towards him in a surrender.

"You can have your tires! Just please don't take me to jail!" I squeaked.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you." He assured me, "Where are your parents? Why are you out here alone, when it's so late at night? Are you lost, you poor little thing?" He chuckled, "You know, you don't have to steal anything to ask for directions. What do you need?"

"Nothing," I stammered, "Leave me alone!"

"I can't just leave you out here. Please, why are you out here? Shouldn't you be in bed? If you won't tell me, I'm just taking you to the police station. But I promise, I won't tell them you stole anything." He promised.

"No! Don't take me anywhere near those evil police! Why can't you just let me go?" I asked angrily.

"Because kids your age can't just be alone in the middle of the night. Plus, it looks like you haven't eaten in days. Don't you want some food? I'm only trying to help you." He explained.

"You're lying!"

"I'm not. Where are your parents? Or guardian? Whoever takes care of you, where are they?"

"...In jail" I finally admitted, "Well, one of them, anyway…" At this time, that's what I had thought had happened to my father.

Batman looked astonished to hear that. "Okay…" He said, "Why aren't you at an orphanage or something? Or in the foster system?"

"I…" I felt my anger at him fading, "I don't know. Actually, I'm not sure I know what that is…"

"It's…" He began, "Orphanages are places where you stay if you're, well, an orphan. Or if your parents can't take care of you, like if they're in jail. The foster care system is where people take care of you, in the same scenario as I said before, but instead of it being a place where all the kids go, it's only a few. Or sometimes just you. They're sort of like a temporary parent. But you go from place to place, so they don't usually stay the same, like normal parents. Of course, there's also adoption. Unlike foster care, you just stay with the same parents. I don't know how long your parent will be in jail, so adoption might not be an option."

"I don't know how long he was sentenced for, either. He just didn't come home one day. And soon after, my mom died because of drugs. But I guess going into an orphanage or foster care couldn't hurt…"

He smiled at me, "Well, come on, then. Lets go."

Of course, my dad hadn't been taken to jail. Two Face had killed him. Thinking of all the villains hiding in the darkness made me feel even more lonely. I glanced around me cautiously, wishing I weren't alone.

Please R & R!