Part One
At the End of the Knight

Set a few years down the road, but only a few. Tim Drake is 19, Spoiler is 18 (right?).
Bruce Wayne is 55. The story detail are at the beginning of the story, told from Tim
Drake's point of view. An important thing to remember here is Tim Drake IS NOT Robin
and doesn't even consider himself Robin anymore.
Sequels and Prequel on Request.



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How did it all start?

I can't really remember too well. It was gradual, just enough where I could overlook it.
Bruce used to always be able to tell my limits. I know where the turning point was though.
It was Steph. My girlfriend at the time. I'll always remember when she first called me
Tim. Any other circumstance would have put me on Cloud 9. On some level, of course, I had
badly wanted her to know. But it had to be right, Batman had to approve. I guess he didn't
think I had to approve. I can imagine the stupid look that must have been on my face.
After that big speech to her and Spoiler she had still not understood why I had been so
upset, so angry, so betrayed so...

That was years ago. I've been around the globe, trained with some of Bruce's old mentors.
Some new one's he didn't know. I had the tricks of the trade and then some. Now, after
three years, I was back. I didn't know what was going to happen. I knew something was
wrong with Bruce, and I wasn't about to be one of those kids who never got to say goodbye
to their parents who died on bad terms. I don't actually think Bruce is dying, but it was
time to be home.

'Chuka-Doom!!!!!'

An explosion ripped the Gotham Skyline. One of the higher floors of an office building had
just erupted into a mushroom cloud, an urban volcano left ash and cinders floating in the
night air. Somehow, Tim wasn't surprised. He felt strangely at home as he leapt from roof
to roof. His jumping range had almost tripled since he left Gotham. But he never used his
full abilities unless the were all completely called for, a little effort for a little task.
Tim wasn't Robin anymore, that title had undoubtedly been given to Stephanie the Spoiler.
He was Tim Drake that and that only. He dressed in dark sweats. These sweats concealed
a few extras which he liked to carry with for doing battle and solving crimes, but he was
just a guy in a hood and some miraculous sunglasses of his own design which improved his
night vision.

A swift majestic flip landed Tim on top of a Gargoyle across the street from the damaged
building. Tim slid under the wing of the Gargoyle and looked around. He saw the hoods,
descending on a window cleaner's ledge, hop off and jump into their get away car.

"4... 3... two..." Tim stopped counting, but where he would've said 'zero' or 'now' a Black car sped by. Not just any car-THE Car. The Batmobile had just flew by, but at this point assuming Batman was driving it would be too presuming. Tim heard someone sneaking up on him. They were using Batman's techniques… actually they used Master Tsung's techniques. He knew who it was, that's why he was so surprised when they spoke to him, from the others side of gargoyle.

"Tim... Robin..."

The voice was beautiful.... soft, luscious, layed with hesitation and a strange need to
hold back, as if letting her voice come out would shatter every bit of glass for miles
around. She moved around the massive wings which hid Tim Drake, who moved darkly and
completely noiselessly around the other side and stood up on top of the gargoyle as
Batgirl looked it.

"Tim is fine."

Startled she looked up. "You... you... you look different."

Tim smiled, the first time in a while as he pulled back her mask, which now was solid
black without so much stitching and stuff. "As do you."

She smiled a bit, pulling on her mask again. "Why are you back?"

He knew she knew why, so he ignored the question. "How is the old Bat?"

Silence hit with a devastating awkwardness.

"I have to handle this." She motioned toward the ceiling where she would scavenge for
clues to see who might have done this. As she turned back towards Tim she didn't see him,
he was already skipping from roof to roof. Headed in the path that the Batmobile had
taken. He hadn't clocked himself in months. He was satisfied to know that he impressed
his own self with his running speed. Outside of his bi-daily running routine he rarely
broke a sweat... that was bad, it meant he needed more strenuous workouts.

Tim vaulted off the edge of a building where he saw water from a knocked away hydrant spray
in the air. He landed against the opposite wall and flipped forward, landing squarely on
the stream of water until it slowed his descent, he flipped off and landed softly in the
shadows of a closed electronics store. A car had been plowed through a storefront and out
hopped two thugs. They were boloed down easily. But even in that short time span I knew
they were only decoys who had done their job. Out of the glass of another window leapt
the real threat. He was big, ugly, mean, and no one would have thought to make him boss
over anyone, even thugs. Which means he wasn't alone.

It was only then that he had registered who the good guy was here. Robin. Not just any
Robin, but a young female with blonde hair. She cut her hair! Robin had loved that hair,
now it was spiked in a short but cutting edge style. He looked back and forth. No Batman.
No Nightwing. No Azrael. Just Steph as Robin. Tim felt like running to her side, to
rescue her instantly, to take on the whole world by her side, but Tim wasn't Robin anymore.
Steph wasn't Spoiler. Things were different, he could already sense how THEY were
different as Robin unleashed some Batarangs on her sudden attacker.

Killer Croc had laughed as the 'rangs scratched him. He swiped at her. Whew, she was fast.

Robin backflipped, bouncing off of the Batmobile she had driven here. Croc crashed into
it, but he wasn't slowed at all. The mist in the air from the broken hydrant invigorated
him. Croc felt like he was in his own element. Robin landed and threw a sweep kick at
the big man-thing. It was right in his weak spot and he stumbled, but facts were facts.
Robin was a little over 100 pounds. Croc was a little over 500. Even as he dropped to
one knee he grabbed her, wrapping his fingers around her abdomen he lifted her into the
air, holding her high in the half moon's light. Cackling...

Tim wasn't sure whether to act or not. Croc was crazy, he was killer and he had been
attacked, but Robin had presented herself as a minor threat-even after three years of
being Robin she was acting like a novice. Croc saw this, but didn't care as he prepared
to slam the teenage girl into concrete.

Tim slowly removed a smoke bomb from his pouch. On the count of three... one... two...

"Croc-y!" A young girl's voice broke through the night air. It was Baby Doll, a midget
first class with a sick crush on the jolly green joke. "Croooooooc-y!" She screeched,
annoying but you could tell she was just excited, not alarmed or anything. "Put that
little biwdy down! She's not going to huwt you?"

Croc could care less. "But I'm gonna hurt her!" He grunted. 'oooh, good one croc' Tim
felt his old sarcasm come back to him. He also noticed as Robin pulling something out
of her pack. A trick of Batman's which had worked on the croc before. Tim knew his
lenses were polarized and watches as Croc slammed the girl towards the concrete. In the
same instant She threw something at his face. Not a smoke bomb, but a flash bomb.
Hundreds of thousands of lumen exploded in the night, blinding Croc and Doll. The
street looked brighter than noonday for several seconds after. Tim heard the sirens and
hoped that The police could take down a blinded croc. Quickly he cuffed Baby Doll to a
curb grating, to make sure she didn't slink away and appeared as a silhouette over the
beaten and possibly broken Robin.

"Who?" was all she could get out before she passed out. Tim checked her wounds: a broken
arm and a broken rib, so he shouldered her very very carefully and put her in the Batmobile
passenger seat. He hopped in and drove away as the flash's effects turned the instant
dawn into darkness which swallowed up the legendary car.

PART 2


The Batcave. A dark and mysterious place. Even more of an Urban Legend than Batman
himself. The home of Gotham's Demon. But even demons grow old. This is not to say that
in a few years' time Bruce Wayne, who could kick anyone's butt at 50, became a decrepit
old man. But the fact remains that he began to pay his dues of the tortures he put
himself through as a young man. But regardless of his physical condition... regardless of
his mental condition, he was still Batman... wasn't he?

Tim parked the Batmobile in his usual spot. Alfred strolled up to the car, even showed
just a hint of slowing. "Miss Stephanie, I..." Alfred's jaw dropped as Tim stepped out
of the car.

"Alfred, nice to see you again, please attend to Robin's wounds for me." He walked by
naturally. He headed straight for the Batcomputer, where he knew beyond knowing that
Bruce Wayne would be sitting there, both hands together in the air forming an isosceles
triangle as the old man considered his next move.

As Tim entered the area, approaching Bruce from behind the old man spoke first.

"What took you so long, Drake?" He spun in his chair. Behind him scenes of Gotham flashed. The police department. Bullock in his office, Robin's life signs, Oracle's place.

Tim had no answer. He had gotten here when he felt like it. He wasn't going to let the old
man make him feel inadequate. Bruce would probably want nothing more than to make Tim's
training seem inferior to his own.

"I've been around. " He stood there deadpan.

No words, just silence. What words could express the emotions here? The Bat family wasn't
known for a lot of gushing. And when the lines of communication stopped, one was sure that
the topic would come up later, but until then it was down to business.

Bruce initiated this. "Croc escaped the cops but Azrael was able to catch him..."

"What the hell do you think you're doing sending Stephanie out on her own?" He couldn't let
Bruce think he was over emotional, so he stopped his raving there.

"She's handled things like that on her own before." Bruce was so deadpan and emotionless it
was scary.

"Yeah, right, the day Spoiler takes out Killer Croc and Baby Doll on her own is the day..."
Tim smiled a bit. She wasn't Spoiler anymore, was she?

"She must have been distracted, something was on her mind."

"I don't care, it doesn't matter." Tim folded his arms, almost condescendingly. "Why
weren't you out there? I remember Batman and Robin being a partner ship." Tim decided not
to bring up Batman's betrayal before Tim left, lets go one issue at a time.

"I'm an old man Tim."
"So is Jay Garrick, and the Sentinel, and Wildcat... and Ra's Alghoul."
"I'm dying Tim..."
"So am I and every other human, I just have longer to go than you."
There was a dead silence.
"Of Cancer."
Bruce nodded slowly. Solemnly. But he was always solemn. Bruce was letting it sink in
to Tim.

Tim's brain began to run through the same trials that Bruce's had a couple years earlier.
"I figured, you, being a marvel of modern fitness could handle it. People have overcome
cancer before, if anyone can do it its you." Tim knew what Bruce would say, but he
couldn't say it himself, there had to be SOME conversation.

Bruce nodded, as if he knew all this. "I could do either one of two things. Dedicate
my life to fighting it. That would take lots of sleep, a proper regiment, staying up
during the day and sleeping at night. Lessened exercise, laughing a lot-things that
would eliminate my life as Batman. The second is chemotherapy along with a smaller
lifestyle change. Its made me too weak to fight. Everyday I fight hard to keep my mind
working like it needs to. Like it HAS to."

Tim laughed, but darkly, evilly. "You'd rather DIE than take a break from being Batman?
You're a fool, Wayne."

Bruce nodded, "And I have a family of fools following in my footsteps, including you."
"I don't follow you anymore."
"I didn't say follow me, but you can't deny you long to walk the same path I walk, just
better."

Tim was silent.

Alfred piped up. "I have to take this opportunity to welcome Master Tim home, will you
be staying."

Tim laughed. "Maybe, but keep in mind that I faked my death, Tim Drake is dead to the
world. With a little creative programming however Alvin Draper could be created, but I
doubt he would live here at the Manor."

A lot of ifs Tim suddenly thought. Was he really back to become a crimefighter? He wasn't
going to put on a costume and just start fighting again. He couldn't be just another
Nightwing. He had come back to iron things over with Bruce, and so he decided to handle it
right now.

"Bruce..." he skipped any melodrama. "You betrayed me years ago. I still hate you for it,
and your motivation was weak. What was it that really let you tell her who I am?"

Bruce almost laughed, he stood up, but slowly. His tiredness, his weakness was evident.
Tim noticed that the hair on his head was a toupee, that Bruce had blotches on his skin.
He looked more wrinkled and messed up than ever before. "I knew that I was going to get
old. Just not this soon. I wanted to test you, to see if you were loyal to me
unconditionally. I knew that the girl was gullible to a certain degree, I could capture
her mind and seal anyone else out..." Bruce paused, he knew how cold he sounded, but Tim
understood, in this business you were used. You used yourself and those around you,
whether you loved them or not. Tim knew that Bruce had loved Steph as his own daughter,
but he couldn't do a thing about it, the mission couldn't stop. "You understand too much
psychology, you know, more or less, exactly WHY I do what I do. Even Nightwing can't
grasp that, he has his own reasons. Alfred gets it, but doesn't like it. You understand
and embrace the logic of Batman. I couldn't have my partner be my rival, so I tested you. You proved that Robin was independent of Batman, but you and I know that that is not possible, so you left."

Bruce had summed it up so coldly that anyone else's feelings would have been hurt. Tim
cackled. A thought flashed before his mind. He felt the thought before, but had easily
shoved it aside. Now it pressed his brain painfully, but he couldn't let it out now.

"If you don't mind, Bruce I'll stay here for a few days, get information on my old
contacts and move off on my own." Tim nodded. Bruce nodded back. Tim headed towards the
infirmary.


PART 3

Tim ran his hand over Steph's short hair. Her main armor had been taken off, so she was
down to basics, she had her side wrapped and set. Her arm as well was prepared to be
casted. She moaned as Tim ran his hand over her forehead while gently touching her side.
He could have prevented this, but did he not want to? Did he want her to get hurt? Of
course not, but he HAD to know if she could hold her own. He had made a mistake, she was
probably concerned about Bruce, which meant that Bruce was a little sicker than he had let
on.

Steph eyes opened slowly. "Oh... Tim..." She was dizzy, she probably thought she was
dreaming. "Tim, I want to tell you everying..."
"Sssshhh..." Tim put a finger over her lips.
"Things are going to be different aren't they?"
Tim smiled and looked down at her lovingly... was she still the same person?
"I tried hard to be a good Robin, Tim... I really did..."
Tim nodded as he placed a hand on her forehead and slid it softly over her eyes. "Good
job, girl, just rest, okay?"
By the time he removed his hand, the tired weak girl had fallen back unconscious.

Tim walked back out, he headed up towards the stairs. The night was still somewhat young,
but Tim could work during the day just as easily, its not like he needed to rush.

"Tim..." Bruce called as Tim headed upstairs.
Drake knew that Bruce wanted him to come, but the fact that he was not Robin must be
enforced.

Silence hung as Tim stood still and waited.
"I need your help, come here." Bruce gave in easily.
Tim satisfied approached the Bat computer.

The main screen was filled with the awful visage of the Clown Prince of Crime. The Joker
was in full effect in Gotham. It seemed a lot of evil menaces were all hyped up now that
Batman was slowing down.
"Helloooooooooooooo Gotham!!!" The white faced murderer cooed. "And Hellooooooooo Batman!"
Tim always kinda like the way Batman rolled off the nutcase's tounge. "This is your
friendly neighborhood Joker here, bringing mirth and laughter and the best of punchlines
to Gotham LIVE and in person, for NO CHARGE!" Cackling ensued. "Except for a small expense
which I will withdraw myself from the main branch of First Gotham Bank!" More cackling as
Bruce's brow furrowed. Tim was on the verge of thinking it funny, having been so far
removed from the game. "Now..." Joker became marginally more coherent. "At 3 this morning,
I'm going to have to kill three security guards, but, trust me, they'll be a lot happier
than those poor folks who live within five blocks of the bank. Y'see I've got the ultimate
punch-line with me and I'm looking for someone to share the joke with. See ya there,
pointy-ears!"

The screen went static and turned back to channel 3 news, featuring some startled reporters,
commenting stupidly about the green haired man's ego.

Bruce stood up and walked towards the armory. "It's 1:45, correct?" Tim shook his head.
"I don't care who you are or how long you've been fighting crime, you're not going
anywhere..."
"You think you can stop me, little man?" Bruce was becoming very confident, despite
his disability.

Tim became frustrated and looked about for Alfred, who was somewhere upstairs. Tim paged
him and then punched some buttons on the computer.

"Hey Barbara."

"Oh, my God! Tim!" She was so shocked, she didn't know what to do with herself.

Tim nodded. "Thanks, but I need you to talk to Bruce... he's..."

Batman emerged from the armory in full costume.

Barbara was just as shocked at this. "Bruce, you CAN'T! I'm calling Nightwing, Azrael's
already out!"

Bruce just stared at her, then at Tim. They both knew that Joker would settle for no one
but Batman and a replacement might make things much worse.

Tim folded his arms. "Batman... you have got to get real... Joker will kill you if he
can!" Tim suddenly realized that he was asking Batman to give up the game forever. If
Bruce didn't go out now, tonight, why would he ever go out again? Tim looked at Barbara,
then at Batman.

"Miss Gordon, get Nightwing to First Gotham five minutes ago. Contact Batgirl and tell
her to meet us there." Batman smiled a bit.

"Master Tim..." Alfred interrupted. "I urge you to reconsider. Master Bruce cannot
survive a confrontation with the Joker."

Tim was serious. He knew that, sort of. He looked to Batman, who was emotionless as
well. He had always been prepared to die. He was going to do so soon, he would love
nothing than to go down fighting the Joker. Tim turned back to Alfred, about to say
something. Barbara interrupted and both looked at the batcomputer.

"Gentlemen." She began. "No one, save Jason Todd, has lost as much as me to this game,
physically." She let her sentence hang. "Losing yourself to this mission is scary, but
it is all engulfing. In the same position I think all of us would do the same thing as
Bruce, but... I think on this one, on this level, we are wrong. Bruce still has a chance of
recovering and eventually even becoming a fully functioning Batman again. Bruce, you..."

The group looked toward where Bruce had stood. He was gone. So was one of the Batcycles.

"Shit." Tim punched his hands together as his brain went into overdrive. "Azrael and
Nightwing are outclassed by Joker, he's too damn smart, and he knows enough about their
backgrounds to get into their heads. Barbara, where's the girl at?"

"Batgirl is enroute, she'll arive, on foot, about the same time as Batman. Azrael is
already there, Nightwing is close behind, turns out Joker had some activity going in
Bludhaven.

Tim nods, looks to Alfred, then to the Armory.

"Will you be wearing your red and green this evening, Master Tim?"

Tim shakes his head. "I'm not Robin... not by a long shot. Tonight I am nobody. No name,
no reputation, no nothing. Just a guy in black." Tim hopped on a bat-cycle. He looked
over his shoulder at Alfred. The old man was so dedicated, so passionate, so supportive
of this madness. How could the man do such a thing? Robin started the cycle but saw
someone standing in front of it!

PART 4

"Good evening, young detective."
Out of the shadow lurked the man truly called a demon. A man of great age, experience,
wealth and power. On his right walked a large bodyguard named Ubu. On his left stood a
beautiful young woman named Talia. He was the one and only Ra's Alghoul. He commanded a
powerful presence. His entrance itself set Tim in awe. He slowly backed away, still on
the cycle.

"Ra's Alghoul I presume."

The old man nodded. "Young detective, I am here to proposition."

"I know your game old man, Bruce didn't take your offer, I guess I'm the most convenient
option right now. I trust you've already deduced that I could care less."

The old old man was silent for a moment. Talia spoke now. "My father is not a hard man.
His aging has softened his heart. He still understands that he needs a replacement and
has learned of my lover's sickness. He offers new life to Bruce."

Tim revved the engine of his bike. "Well... you can take that up with him when he gets
back."

"What if he doesn't get back?" Ubu chimed in grimly.

Tim almost flinched, but was able to let the statement roll off as if it hadn't affected
him. Tim put the visor on his helmet down. "Then you three a just a bit jacked aren't
ya?" With a wheelie and a wave to alfred, Tim sped away.

Blazing through the streets of Gotham memories started coming back. Tim remembered riding
through here on his cycle, then in his car, the Redbird. Tim used to swing these skies
every night. He still remembered his patrols like the back of his hands. Batman. Young
Justice. Spoiler.

Tim got angry. Everything had changed. Everything was falling apart. He could feel it
in Barabara's voice. If Bruce knew he was coming, why hadn't she? Bruce himself was
losing it. He said himself his mind was faltering. And guess what happens to Batman when
his mind falters? Tim wasn't sure but he knew it would involve pain and death. Even Ra's
Alghoul knew things were screwy, and he didn't look to good himself.

MEANWHILE

Nightwing was fast and furious. He knocked around the Joker's goons like paper dolls.
Having Azrael backing him up didn't make the job any more difficult. The two valiant men
strolled through double doors into a nightmare of broken dolls dented toys.

"Oooh, Mistah J! It's tall dark and greusome and the prodigal bat boy!" Harley Quinn
turned, placing her hands on her face in surprise. It was always hard to tell if she were
sarcastic or crazy. In putting her hands on her face however she had dropped leashes of
two hyenas. Immediately the blazing blades of Azrael extended and ignited.

"He's going to barbeque the babies!!!" Harley leapt towards the man but Nightwing
intercepted her midair with a kick to her gut. Harley hit the ground crumpled. The hyenas
took to the air and a ruthless avenging angel turned the two dogs into buffalo wings. It
was pretty dang nasty, seeing bloodied animal parts hit the ground. Harley screamed, a
high shrieking sound which she didn't stop for the next few minutes.

"Baaaaad kids!" Joker, in a big throne-like swivel chair-he held a bazooka.

"The Baaaaaaaaaaabieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesss!! Baaaaaa..." Harley screamed as Nightwing
yanked her up and ran sidwards, toward cover. Azrael on the other and ran forward as
Joker fired the Bazooka, The man who used Jean Paul Valley's body slid around the shell
and lunged at joker with bloody blazing blades attatched to his arms. Joker laughed as
his entire throne was suddenly engulfed in greenish smog. Nightwing slammed Harley Quinn
in the back of the head, instead of knocking her out, she came to her senses and started
beating the snot out of him with her pumped up powers. She was incredibly powerful and
dangerously aggressive. It was all Nightwing could do to stay a few steps ahead of her
attacks, occasinally he was able to trip her up and get a good lick in.

Out of the green cloud flew backwards a laughing Azrael, he slammed into the wall, dazed
and the cloud dissipated. "Oh well, looks like I have an appointment to get to, wouldn't
want to keep ol batsy waiting."

In the main doorway stood Batman and Batgirl.

"You know, this side kick thing is really bothering me, you're not allowed to change until
I KILL them!"

No laughs.

"Heh. Oh, well, Batman, I guess you want to stop me from my big punchline! That's okay...
Harley!"

Nightwing flew into a wall and slumped, right next to Azrael. Harley Quinn popped up, as
hyper as ever, she skipped over to her puddin, giggling as she hung on him.

"Joker. The game is over."

Joker just laughed and laughed, but Bruce continued.

"Tonight one of us dies..."

Joker stopped laughing. "Aww... Batman... do we HAVE to have all the melodrama?" Batman
was unchanging as always.

Joker jumped up on his throne and spun, thinking deeply. He stopped, his cold white face
on his gloved hand. That ridiculous pin-stripe purple suit screamed insantiy. "Okay." He
simply chimed, then burst into laughter as he pulled out his bazooka! "Good night Batman." Batman moved to dodge but Joker suddenly aimed at the downed Azrael and Nightwing, who were getting up slowly.

Azrael acted first, grabbing Nightwing they flung themselves through the window. By the
time Joker was about to fire again, Batman had picked him up and tossed him across the
room. Harely attacked bats suddenly without warning, Bruce knew he wasn't strong enough to
fight her, Batgirl had snared one of Harley's legs though and yanked her away. The two
women went into an amazing battle, kicks too fast for a camera to catch flung back and
forth as the girls' best training was put to the test. An even match.

Batman descended on Joker who rolled away, squirting something which Batman dodged,
throwing two batarangs, one cut off the flower, the other knocked a gun out Joker's hand
before he could fully draw it, Batman picked up the clown and slammed him against the wall.
"It's over for you Joker."

Joker laughed. He couldn't believe it, he wouldn't dare. Joker expected Batman to want a
punch line. Batman knew that he couldn't kill the man in cold blood, but if he didn't, who
would? Joker shrugged and backflipped, kicking Batman in his jaw. Batman stumbled
backwards. Joker continued his onslaught, launching punches at the bat. Two connected.
Batman caught the third one by the fist. He crunched Joker's knuckles together, the clown
kneeled in pain. Even as he struggled though, the madman of Gotham drew out a small
electronic device, like a remote control. A push and a beep followed by a maniacal laugh
signaled to Batman that something very bad had just taken place.

With a deliberate effort Batman tossed the Joker aside and ran to a curtain, pushing it
aside he found a control panel. Across this board was a monitor... it was a device, some
sort of military weapon with the
Power to level city blocks by supersonic or subsonic bursts. Joker lifted a pipe high to
smash Batman in the head as he messed with some controls. Batman reached up and back,
catching the pipe on the fly, he spun, twisting it, and backhanded Joker in the face.

"Now... where is this thing?!"
"Downstaaaaaaairs!" Joker cackles... "But, Bat-boob, its 2:58! That means we'll all be
biting the big one together!"
Batman grimaced and narrowed his eyes. As he drew a bolo and wrapped up Joker, hanging the clown
on the wall.
"Batman! you're not dying up to your prooooomise!"

Batgirl and Harley continued exchanging blows at a rapid pace. Batgirl knew, according to
Oracle that Azrael and Nightwing had their hands full downstairs, but Harley wasn't exactly
helping the process, but she couldn't leave the madgirl alone with Batman. Sweeping a
flurry of Batarangs with chords attatched into the air, Batgirl leapt out of the broken
window, wrapping and pulling Harley with her. Harley broke her bonds and managed to land
on the street safely as Batgirl used outcroppings to jump down to the street.

Upstairs Batman ran towards the door, but a switch thrown by Joker shut it, Batman ran
towards the window but Joker had already tackled him. "Noooo!!! You're not dying without
me!!! It's the greatest punch line ever!!!!"

Batman flipped Joker away, leaping upwards and facing the man.
"So who dies tonight?"

Tim Drake had seen the area already. He bounded through the open glass window. He was
nobody, leaping into one of the most meaningful battles of all time.

The two men fought each other boldly. Tim checked the time, he heard police sirens. This
thing was almost over. Batman was weakened though, his chemotherapy had weakened his
endurance to a point where he was in poor form and it was reflected concretely everytime
the Joker landed a punch.

"You're getting old, Bats! Maybe a nice retirement home will do you good?" Batman uppercut
hard... and missed, Joker socked him again. "Tell me about the Bat grandkids!" Batman and
Joker began to wrestle, strength to strength Batman had the upperhand, but barely.

"C'mon." Joker mocked. "The great Batman... reduced to an old bag of rotting flesh? No
great words? No miraculous cure from the Bat-belt? Say SOMEthing Batman! We're about to
die! This is the LAST PUNCHLINE!" His voice was getting high pitched, he began to talk in
laughter.

Tim moved to help but he couldn't. He was frozen in his footsteps by the whole scene.
He ran at the Joker quickly, preparing to attack him. He leapt in the air, some rope
caught his foot and he was yanked backwards toward Harley Quinn, grapple in hand, standing
at the edge of the window. Tim used his momentum in a speedy tumble and flash-kicked that
girl right out the window with him following downwards.

Batman grimaced in the Joker's face as they both leaned forward for leverage. "Batman.
Never. Dies."
Joker was stunned. He couldn't laugh for a second. Then he burst out laughing wildly at
the air.

The device, as Tim would later find out was a Sonic Weapon first class, stolen from Powell
Base three weeks ago by an expert burglar. It was usually impervious to its own attacks
and was simply dug out of the rubble after use. It did this at the Bank. Harley and Joker
were supposed to steal the money and weapon, after they were recovered by the authorities,
supposedly.

It errupted, knocking Azrael and Nightwing into the street with Batgirl, Harley and a just
landed Tim. The building collapsed upon itself. It detonated on several levels, including
the level where Batman and Joker had just been battling. The Knights of Gotham watched the
building fall.

No one moved for a long time. Nothing moved. Harley cried, kneeling on the pavement as
rain began to drizzle. The police blockaded for blocks around. Tim had disappeared.
Those called Dick Grayson, John Valley and Batgirl looked at each other somberly. Azrael
ran to the rubble, digging at the rocks. Nightwing looked at Harley, crumpled and crying
on the ground, then at Batgirl, who moved to get Azrael to leave. Nightwing approached
Commissioner Bullock openly.

"Two explosions in one night? I oughta haul you in for both counts." Nightwing almost
laughed at the thought of being caught by police. Bullock wasn't so amused, he felt
offended by he knew he needed to do some police work. Bullock trusted none of those madmen
but Batman, and that was only marginally "Where's Batman?" Nightwing, emotionless, motioned
toward the rubble.

Bullock just stood there, looking confused as Nightwing, Batgirl and a reluctant Azrael
walked away into the shadows.

END?