Disclaimer: I do not own Batman or anything else you may recognize

Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.

Chaos Sorcerer: Thanks for the review. Yes, his soul is hurt. And Evil Bat did. There is something he will do. Agreed. Just wait and watch. Oh no kidding, it is sad and horrifying and these cyber bullies need to be dealt with. RIP Hana Kimura. He has donned it for over 20 years and I will to an extent. Oh if Punisher is in Gotham, he would kill the bad guys. Yes, they both would find out his stuff. Just wait and watch. And I also have a one-shot called 'A three-way surprise for Iris West' and I think you'll love it. Feel free to check it out and enjoy the chapter.

Agent N: Thanks for the review. Yes poor Batman. Wait and watch. I love Season 1 but after that it went downhill, and just wait and watch.

Guest 1: Thanks for the review and totally agreed.

Guest 2: Thanks for the review and glad you enjoyed. Same here on the debate. Oliver's kill count by the end of Season 1 was about 26, confirmed by Quentin, who hated him back then so he could be exaggerating too.

Guest 3: Thanks for the review and he won't give up. Wait and watch on the rest.

Guest 4: Thanks for the review. I see your points.

Chapter 7- Recklessness

Earth-38, Gotham City, Batcave

Batman had bandages on his wounds and was buttoning his shirt.

"What happened, Batman?" Selina asked.

"What did you tell them?" Kory asked.

"What they wanted to hear", Batman said. "He was right when he said I infect the lives of everyone I touch. But it doesn't matter."

"Yes, you're right", Bruce said. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that you need to be checked by an actual doctor."

"The only thing that matters is that you all should go", Batman said.

"What are you talking about, man?" Dick asked, concerned over his behavior.

"Batman, we're not going anywhere", Catwoman said.

"Not a suggestion, people", Batman said.

"Batman", Connor said as he walked to him. "I can't imagine what you've been put through but you must know that they are both wrong."

"I don't think they are", Batman said. "Would you all please just go?"

All but Detective walked away.

"It's just us now", Detective said. "Please just tell me what happened. I have felt the same way you do myself. But it's fine if you don't want to talk. I just think you shouldn't be alone."

"I think I should", Batman said. "Bruce, please leave."

Detective walked away, angry at the two villains for whatever they had done to Batman. And he knew the others were pissed too.

Later, Batcave

"Thank you for coming on such short notice", Batman said on hearing footsteps behind him. "I understand that I should not ask favors from you but this is an impossible situation. And I think you're my only option. I will do whatever you want."

Batman turned around to face a tall, Arabian man with a well-kempt beard. He looked imposing and powerful and his very presence made it clear he wasn't someone to be messed with.

"Obviously. Because last time you made it very clear you did not want the League of Assassins in Gotham City, Bruce", Ra's al Ghul, The Demon's Head, said with a smirk, enjoying that Batman needed his help.

"Yes but circumstances have changed", Batman said. "I need you to kill The Batman Who Laughs and my doppelganger."

"You know what I will want in return, right?" Ra's asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"I do, and I am ready", Batman said, though deep down a voice, that sounded suspiciously like Alfred, was telling him that he wasn't the kind of person to do this.

Later

Both the men sat together as Ra's said. "I never thought you would actually ask me for help."

"Well, you were the one who told me that I could use my darkness to take down crime in a city like this by myself", Batman reminded. "And you were right."

"What you are doing is useless and isn't going to make a difference", Ra's told him. "We, on the other hand, shape the future of the entire world."

"I should have listened to you back then", Batman said.

"At least now you see sense, Bruce", Ra's told him. "A man must know who he is in order to decide what he should do. And now I know what I will do."

"You do?" Batman asked.

"Of course, you are finally seeing sense now, so I know I am right in doing what I will do", Ra's said as he got up. "Me and my men will be on it very soon."

"Thank you", Batman said as Ra's got up and walked out.

Later, Warehouse

Joker Bat, Evil Bat and Slade were sitting together, with Joker Bat telling them the next phase of the plan when the roof and part of the wall were blown away.

They looked around as several League members descended and one of them fired at Slade though he deflected the arrow with his sword.

Joker Bat laughed. "HAHAHAHAHAHA! He has finally realized how worthless he is! HAHAHA!"

He took out his card and deflected two arrows from League members before hitting them hard with it, its power killing them both as Evil Bat narrowly avoided an assassin's sword and elbowed him, staggering him back. He then got behind him and grabbing him in a chokehold, snapped his neck.

Slade cut two League members down before he faced Ra's himself.

"Impressive swordsmanship", Ra's complimented. "But I am the Demon's Head."

"I don't care", Slade snarled as he struck but Ra's blocked and ducked to avoid another strike and rammed into Slade, sending him staggering back before Slade flipped to avoid another swing and flip-kicked Ra's on the face, sending him back too as he grunted.

While Ra's was the more skilled and experienced one, Slade was no slouch in skills and he was enhanced too.

Ra's side-stepped to avoid another strike and struck again as Slade blocked.

That was when part of the wall disintegrated and all the Batmen except Batman, the Catwomen, the Deathstrokes, Robin and the Titans were there.

Their eyes widened at seeing the League battling the three villains before Detective said. "Let's take them all down."

He leapt up and kicked one League member away before kicking another away in a rotatory motion.

Bruce leapt at one and pinned him down as he punched him to knock him out.

Wayne backed to avoid a flip-kick from one and ducked to avoid another punch before smacking him, slightly staggering him, though he wasn't knocked out.

The assassins smirked but Wayne smirked back. Then the assassin heard beeping and looked down to see a small flashbang beeping, and it exploded, knocking him out.

Bats ran as a League member ran after him with sword raised, only for another assassin to appear in his way.

Bats ran towards him and as he and the one behind tried to strike simultaneously, he ran past the assassin, effectively dodging his strike as they hit each other and grunted in pain.

Catwoman flipped to avoid an assassin's strike and tripped him with her whip.

Selina backed to avoid an assassin's blade and hit him many times with her claws, weakening him as he was taken down.

Deathstroke fought two assassins simultaneously and cut them down.

Wilson kicked one assassin away by many feet and sliced another one before swiftly shooting a third one dead.

Robin ran into an assassin when he wasn't looking, knocking him down.

Dick flipped behind an assassin and knocked him out with a strike.

Donna wrapped one in her lasso and tossed him into two others before kicking another away.

Dawn avoided one and in a spin motion, knocked him out while her wings sliced two others, taking them down too.

Gar turned into a tiger and lunged at one of them, taking him down as well.

Rose stabbed one in the gut and pushing her foot back, kicked another away before retracting her blade and turning around, cut him down too.

Kory used her powers to block attacks and with a powerful blast, sent many assassins flying back before she blasted two more down simultaneously and then ducked and backed to avoid another's strike before she punched him and then punched him with her powers in the gut, sending him flying off.

Rachel simply used her powers to disintegrate the weapons of any assassins attacking her and sent them flying off and also tried to attack Joker Bat but he used his card to deflect her powers.

Connor sped around, knocking assassins out before he sped at Joker Bat but he tapped his card and Connor was sent flying back, groaning in pain.

Then Rabid Robins descended and Ra's yelled. "RETREAT!"

He and his assassins slowly retreated and so did the good guys, as this was a losing battle.

Later, Batcave

Batman was sitting quietly when Detective, Bruce, Wayne, Catwoman and Dick walked in, looking furious.

"You brought Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins into Gotham City?" Detective demanded, outraged. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Yes I hired them", Batman said. "And Ra's just informed me that you all interfered in his mission."

"He is going to try to make you his heir!" Catwoman told him. "Are you really going to do it?"

"He is going to kill The Batman Who Laughs, my doppelganger and Slade too", Batman said.

"We can't kill Slade!" Dick snapped. "Not until Jericho is out of him. And don't say you don't care! You can be obsessive at times, a jerk even, but you do care! All right?"

"They need to be taken down, and then I will be Ra's heir, and I will reform the League and never kill again", Batman said.

"Much easier said than done, Bruce", Bruce told him. "You know what you're going to do?"

"I know. They are going to die, and that is what needs to be done", Batman said.

"And what next?" Detective asked.

"It always starts with one", Bruce said.

"You think you can take out one and stop", Wayne said. "But the urge will remain. So you will take another life. Then another. Then another."

"It never stops, it is a never ending cycle", Detective told him. "I became a killer during my time."

They all looked at him, stunned, as he continued. "I started killing, torturing and branding criminals in my later years. And it is not easy to go back from it. It took the death of my Clark to bring me back from the abyss. But I got lucky. If you do this, you won't be able to come back, Bruce."

"But they escape, and people die", Batman said guiltily. "It is my fault."

"That is as ridiculous as claiming that cops are responsible for crooks that get away in courts", Catwoman scoffed.

"Look, Bruce", Dick said, keeping a hand on his shoulder. "After we parted on my Earth, I hated you, I said 'fuck you!' But later I realized I was the one going off the deep end, and I was blaming you for my own issues. When I had nothing, you pulled me back from the edge. Not in the way I thought, but you did. So please, don't do this."

"Do you ever regret coming into my life?" Batman asked him.

"No", Dick said. "I do wish we had some things differently, but I am glad I met you, you gave me a path, a purpose, and my life was better because you were in it. And ask anyone else, they will say the same thing. I assure you."

Batman was in deep consideration.

Later

Batman made a call and the one he called picked up.

"Hello?" Barbara said from the other end.

"Hey Babs, are you all right?" Batman asked her.

"I am shaken up, but I'll be good", Barbara assured him. "Thank you for checking up on me."

"Barbara", Batman asked her. "If there was a chance you could somehow go back and not become a vigilante, would you take it?"

"Hell no!" She immediately said. "Sure, I wish some things had gone differently, and you know what I'm talking about, but being Batgirl, and now Oracle, and helping people, made me feel happy and alive. And whatever happened to me, I never blamed you. And I never will."

"Thank you", Batman said to her almost hoarsely with a lump in his throat. "Thank you."

Later, rooftop

"Thank you for coming", Batman said as Ra's walked next to him.

"Why did they interfere?" Ra's demanded.

"Because they don't give up", Batman said. "And I don't either."

Ra's glared at him as he said. "I am sorry for wasting your time, but our deal's off. Take your men and go back to Nanda Parbat."

"So you want your enemies to be alive?" Ra's asked coldly.

"Our deal is off", Batman said firmly. "And I won't be your heir."

"So stupid, as always", Ra's smirked as he walked past him. "I will go away. But you are going to regret this, and I will come back, Bruce, and it is going to be much worse than ever before."

"Do your best", Batman smirked and Ra's smirked back ominously before walking away.

Later, Batcave

Batman said to everyone. "I am sorry for my recent behavior. I have realized I let our enemies get to my head. And because of it, I made a terrible choice. But you all have made me remember who I really am, and I why I am this. And together, we will take our enemies down."

"How though?" Dick wondered.

"We do the one thing he'll never expect", Bruce said, exchanging a look with the others.

"What do you mean?" Batman asked. "He's us, he'll know whatever we plan. He'll see any move we have coming."

"No. He won't see this. What's the one thing no Batman would ever do?" Wayne asked.

"...No. No!"

"Yes. Team up with the Jokers."

"Holy dark alliances!"

I wanted to get this one over with in time and hope I did well enough, even if it was rushed.

And that ending is something, isn't it?

Earth-38 Ra's was played by Oded Fehr and thanks to Bl4ckHunter for the casting as well as help with the chapter along with adam199118.

Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.