Disclaimer: I do not own any DC Characters including Batman, Superman or anyone else. They all belong to their respected authors. As for Haley Brown, He's my original Character.

Hoody Boy: Elseworld Stories
The Adventures of Haley Brown
Arc One, Part Five: The Hell of That which Follows

Haley clutched the box against his chest, he couldn't cry anymore. He wanted to, he felt the situation deserved it. James left, and Amy was destroyed. The pain from love loss was lethal in large doses. Haley clutched the box harder as the memories rolled back on him for the 9th time this night.

"NO! You're lying!" Amy cried out, she grabbed Haley shook him, "You're lying!" Tears fell from her face.

Alice sat in the corner curled up, the thought that she had come between a friendship had also devastated her. Haley could see the tears on her face from where he stood. Amy let go of him and wrapped herself around him tightly. Tears dampened his shirt and soaked it.

"No..." Amy whimpered, "James... why'd he do it. Why..." She asked.

Haley patted her on the back as she sniffed and bawled. To her James was the world. He was he role model in a sense of his nerve and will to stand up to the masses. He was gone now and that dream which she so strongly loved and believed in was dead with it.

Haley looked up at the ceiling, he chewed his lower lip for a moment and picked up the phone. He punched the number in and sat down.

"Hello?" A weary voice asked.

"Uncle Jim." Haley replied.

"Haley? Is everything alright, you sound terrible."

"James is gone." Haley said, "He left just about an hour ago. Said it was time for him to settle down." His voice crackled.

"Oh... alright, I'll be right over." Uncle Jim said.

Haley hung up the phone and wiped away the tears with his forearm. James to him was a friend, some one he could trust. He'd never had that since he left Evan City. All through High School it was great for two years then the last, when he dawned the Hoody and fought crime and corruption, his friends started betraying him and even his first girl friend, the first person he ever saved jabbed a knife into his heart and left him to die. The first person to show up with a helping hand was James. With him, Haley got his revenge, he learned his fighting styles, his gun play and his targeting from James and he was happy to call him a friend. But now like Amy's dream, his too was gone.

A hour passed and Haley made his way up to the roof and sat down on the gravel. In one week he'd lost his headquarters, his best friend and gotten his Hoody cut open. Not to mention the Trident too. Haley shook his head and laid down on the roof and looked at the partially cloudy night sky.

"Haley." Uncle Jim answered.

Haley looked up and smiled, "Hey Uncle Jim."

"I saw Amy downstairs. The poor girl. She looked horrible and Alice was asleep on the couch. She doesn't look good either." Uncle Jim smiled.

"Women are drama." Haley remarked.

Uncle Jim huffed at the jest, "Yep. Anyway, I got the results back from the fire department."

"Oh? And what's it say?" Haley asked.

"It wasn't a a natural Blaze. Someone set it." Uncle Jim replied, "Someone has it out for you Haley."

"That could be a long list." Haley answered.

"So far nothing on a suspect so I guess you're on your own for finding out anything." Uncle Jim said looking around.

"Nice night isn't it?" Haley asked.

"Yeah it is actually." Uncle Jim smiled.

"Thanks a lot Uncle Jim." Haley answered, "This means a lot. Leave the file in my room, I'll pick it up and read it later."

"Don't do anything stupid Haley. I know about the Iceberg Lounge." Uncle Jim said before walking away.

Haley stood alone on the roof, he looked to the Moon hanging over the city of Gotham. As busted and beaten as it is, the city still gave off the tone of life. The clouds rolled in front and blocked the silver disk.

"I've gotta finish this. Alone and with out help. For my sake and everyone else's as well." Haley thought.

Haley opened his eyes, his chest still hurt and his eyes were heavy. He set the box down and reached over and grabbed the file. He read the report fully. From what it said, the fire was started on the outside, chemical burns. It got to the window sills and made its way inside burning and destroying everything it touched. he evidence they found little more then a boot print and that didn't help a damn thing. So it could've been anyone who hated the law and loved to burn things. That left Firebug, Firefly, and numerous others in this city who'd enjoy a good barbecue especially if it was against The Extras.

Haley tossed the report away and leaned back in his chair, the package stared back at him. Haley grabbed it and removed a combat knife from his Hoody pocket. He drew it across the tap keeping the flaps together and opened it up. right on the top lay a note. Haley pulled it out and a hunk of something dropped to his lap. He shot a gaze down at it and then read the note.

"Haley,

I know you and Amy and the rest are all rather upset by my leaving but I figured it was my time to go. I'm giving you my cross that my parents gave me 500 years ago when I was first born. It's brought me luck, at least I think it has. As for Amy, tell her to be at 12th and Main tomorrow at 7:00 A.M. I want to see her one last time.

Signed, James F. Sims.

P.S. If you ever fall from grave and lose your way, just turn around and I'll be right behind you ready to help you."

Haley smiled as he folded the note and set it back on the table. He reached down and picked up the cross lying on his lap. I wasn't very big and it looked worn and old. Haley put it around his neck and tucked it under his shirt. As he lay back in his chair he felt a giant burden was lifted off of his shoulders.
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GCPD, The Roof
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James Gordon stood with his hands in the pockets of his trench coat. The sound of a flap and the crunch of gravel signaled the other one was here.

"Jim." Batman said.

"Hello." Gordon answered.

"I hear the kid lost his headquarters and a friend today." Batman started.

"Shut up." Gordon answered, "He didn't lose a friend, he lost a family member in his eyes."

"Don't take this personal Jim. I didn't like the fact that you let him start this storm up in the first place. For almost a year now your Nephew has been running around doing what he thinks is right. He is upsetting the balance of this city. Criminals are beginning to get more and more violent because of him. You need to make him leave. Tell him to go live with his real parents."

"He shot his own mother, you and I both know that." Gordon answered, "He hates his family because they don't understand him. He's an outcast to normal people."

Batman crossed his arms, "He could live a normal life instead of devoting himself."

"You mean turn into you?" Gordon answered, "Haley isn't like you Batman, he doesn't go out every night stopping trouble. He manages to enjoy his life as best he can when he can."

"You're wrong Jim. Haley and Me are very much the same." Batman answered, "but he's put too much at stake and he's about to lose it all."

Jim shot him a glance half filled with curiosity and half filled with spite, "What are you getting at?"

"I'm saying that Haley has bitten off more then he can chew and if he doesn't leave, I'll make him." Batman answered.

Jim Gordon narrowed his eyes, a grin of anger crossed his face,"You wouldn't dare."

"I go as far as I have to Jim." Batman answered and with that he disappeared into the night like a ghost.

Jim stood on the rooftop alone again, no one by his side by the cold night air. He had to tell Haley, he had to warn him or do something. Batman was readying to push Haley to leaving or worse. Gordon bit his upper and turned toward the stairs.