Disclaimer: Batman does not belong to me. It belongs to DC Comics.

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Chapter Five (Struggling Emotions):

Batman stood in the place he knew too well. Not only had he taken his parents' life, but he took Jason Todd's as well. "Jason." He muttered. He stared at the spot that had haunted his dreams as much as the alley where his parents had died. He pictured Jason's anguished face moments before the shot. Moments before everything was in place. Moments when the second Robin still existed.

"Having fun, Bruce?" Shadow came in through a roof panel. "I guess it's my fault. You'd probably guess that I'd come back here."

"Yes." Batman said hoarsely. He cleared his throat. "Why didn't you tell me you were alive, Jason?"

Shadow's nerve exploded. "What?" He said voice slightly rising, all sarcasm gone. "You left me to die! I'm supposed to come back to you with open arms? Sorry old man but it doesn't work that way! We were partners! Like you and Dick! You betrayed me!" Batman flinched.

"You couldn't have survived that shot. And if you did, you should've been crippled. How did you live?" Batman asked curiously.

"I don't owe you any answers, but in any case, you're right. I should've died, but that wasn't me, you were fooled." His eyebrows settled, but his eyes still full of anger. "The Joker came to me one night while I was on patrol. He said he had the answers to all my questions. The ones you wouldn't give me. The ones I needed."

"What?" Batman was taken aback.

"That's right, Bruce. It was all a dud, you were fooled, you're the fool. The Joker told me so, and I believe him. Look at you, crying over your dead folks like a traumatized little wimp. Well, don't cry over spilled milk. They were too weak against the Joker. We faked the whole thing and switched me and a kid that Joker gassed. All I had to do was get him some money, which I did under your nose. Shouldn't have tried so hard to ignore my faults, huh, Bruce?"

"You helped murder someone." Batman said desperately.

"Hey! It wasn't me who pulled the trigger. As I recall, if it was me, you'd have left me to die." Shadow screamed. "I wanted answers and it was your worst enemy who gave them. What does that tell you?"

"You weren't ready for them." Batman argued.

"Let me decide if I'm ready for it or not, Bruce. I've been training since then, like you did. Thanks to some money I snagged under your nose, I was able to get around. There was only one thing in my mind. Getting back at you."

"I'm sorry." Batman said grimly.

"You're sorry?" Shadow said incredulously. "I hate you, Bruce. I would be more than happy to kill you. You never did trust me as a friend. I like it much better as your enemy. I'm in control, Bruce. I can take you down. I will take you down."

"I can't let you do that." Batman said.

"Watch me!" Shadow pulled back and punched Batman clear in the face. He landed hard on the ground, but got up immediately. Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to punch back. "What's the matter, Bruce?" Shadow taunted. "Am I still the little fighter you remember? Bet you wish you told me more now." He kicked Batman square in the chest and sent him flying backwards into a wall. Batman lay for a second and got back up. Shadow ran at him, but Batman seemed to wake up. He leaped up, evading Shadow and fired his grapple at the roof panel. He climbed quickly and got out of the building. Behind him, he could still hear Shadow. "That's right, you coward. Run like the animal you are!"

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Batman pulled off his cowl. He had locked the Batcave down, since Shadow would most likely be coming for him. He did not want another confrontation. He had a feeling that maybe he could make everything right. They could be a team again. No, a little voice said in the back of his head, Jason's a criminal now. But hadn't Cassandra been one, too? No, he told himself, Jason knew better. He changed quickly, wanting to get the costume off him. His chest hurt so much, not from the bruise Shadow gave him, but from his words. Just how hurt was Jason Todd? Was he that terrible of a surrogate father and partner? The hurt reminded him of something. Dick. Only Nightwing would understand completely what Jason went through. He would understand more than anyone. After all, he was the first Robin and went through a lot of the things Jason did. He stared at the phone debating to himself. Yes, he would call Dick. He simply owed it to Jason to try and help him.