Author's Notes:  Ok, real quick. This is the last chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. For the newer reviewers, thanks! I enjoyed reading each one of them. However, I totally left Dick out of the picture after his death. His appearance in this story was just a little taste of what might have happened to him. Sorry if that disappoints anyone. Enjoy your final chapter.

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"GAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" yelled the Joker.

Both the Joker and Batman looked down towards his stomach. There was a piece of jagged metal sticking out of him. Blood had splattered all over the table. The Joker's body froze. He was in a state of total shock. His hands were still locked around Batman's neck in a death grip. He looked back to Batman.

"I can't believe your luck, kid."

Then his body gave up. He slumped over the table, letting gravity take a hold on him. His hands finally let go. After a couple of minutes had passed, Batman finally got enough strength to push the bloody table and the dead body off of him. When he stood to his full height, he saw the tainted piece of metal. It was the sickle that belonged to the Phantasm.

"Why. Why did you kill him?"

"Why not? He deserves to be dead. He also deserves to stay dead. That won't happen though, will it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I heard everything."

"So, what will you do now?"

"I suppose I should let you live. I think you've suffered enough. However, if your brother actually does live up to what the Joker said he would, I'll kill him. You had better hope that you get to him first."

He began to turn, but stopped mid-way.

"It's funny how much alike you two are. You can save the city and the world a hundred times over, but when it comes to your loved ones you always seem to fail them miserably."

Once again, the smoke began to rise from the ground. It enveloped the Phantasm, leaving nothing behind. Batman just stood there. He couldn't think, couldn't say anything, he couldn't even walk out the door. He snapped back to attention when he heard Wayne's voice over the receiver.

"Terry? Terry, are you alright?"

"No."

"What happened out there?"

"I'll give you a full report when I get back. In the meantime, send the police over here. They have a lot of cleaning up to do. How's my mom?"

"She was doing better, so I sent her back home. In case the worst happened, I didn't think it would have been best for her to be around."

"The worst has happened."

Batman flew away. He wanted to be alone.


:: at Nana Harley's House::


"Hey, Nana! We're home!!!" Yelled Dee #1.

She was still carrying her sister along, even though she had woken up. Nana walked out of the kitchen. She had been trying to keep herself busy. She looked worried.

"Girls, I don't like this one bit. The boy seems strange to me. He hasn't moved from where he was when you left. He's just been standing there in the living room," said Nana Harley.

Suddenly, they heard the unmistakable voice of the Joker.

"Deedee! Get your butts in here now!"

All three of them raced into the living room. There was no one there, except the little boy. He turned to them and smiled.

"Just practicing," said Matt.


::across town::


Batman was a little surprised that he was there. He found comfort here though. He arrived at the playground next to his apartment. He and Matt both enjoyed the times they spent there.
He sat down on the swing and began to rock himself back and forth slowly. He was thinking of how his life had turned out.

"Room for one more?" asked his mother.

"Sure," Batman said trying to smile.

"I'm guessing that you don't have any good news?" his mother said weakly.

"No, I don't. We....I....He's....he's gone mom. Matt's gone."

Tears streamed down Mary's face.

"I couldn't save him. All of the power I had, and I couldn't save him."

"At....at least you tried....."

"It wasn't good enough."

Batman stood up and flew away, leaving Mary behind. She began to cry uncontrollably, for losing one of her sons was her greatest fear. Sadly, it had finally come true.


::Wayne Manor::


"So, that's what happened," said Terry now out of the Batman costume.

Bruce was silent. A tear began to form in his eye. He sat down, unable to take the news standing up. He finally spoke.

"You do realize now that you have a brother to save."

"I know. As long as I live, I'll never give up the search. I'll find him Bruce. I owe it to my mother and myself that much. I just have one request."

"Yes?"

"It's Dana. I think she needs to know. She has the right to know what's going on now. She has been kept in the dark for too long. I don't want her to suffer the same way that my family has."

"Alright. If you feel that it's important then tell her."

Terry smiled. He began to walk out of the cave when Bruce called him again.

"Terry! Just remember, if you do decide to tell her, you run the risk of becoming an easier target!"

"I'll keep that in mind!"

As he straddled his motorcycle, he thought long and hard about telling Dana. After all, if she knew, that would put her at an even greater risk. He put on his helmet and dialed the number. He waited.

"Hey, Dana? Yeah, it's me......I need to talk to you alone. How soon can you meet me?"



::Across Town::


Meanwhile, deep within the heart of the city, there is a house. Inside the house is that boy. His face carries a grin. He is smiling because he knows. He's waiting for his time to come.








THE LEGACY OF VENGANCE IS CARRIED ON BY THE NEW PHANTASM.


THE LEGACY OF MADNESS IS CARRIED ON BY THE NEW JOKER.


THE LEGACY OF JUSTICE IS CARRIED ON BY THE NEW BATMAN.


The End