Ever since he died

Crime has risen

The death tolls have dramatically increased

Not anymore

BATMAN BEYOND REVISITED

EPISODE

TEN YEARS LATER

Rain.

I always hated rain.

Reminds me of the day my father died.

Ten years have already passed.

Unbelievable how time flies, isn't it?

I can't remember much of it.

After all, I was eight at the time.

But what I will always remember?

The sound of that psychopath's laugh.

The laugh he made when he stabbed him in the heart.

My mom wouldn't tell me who he was.

But, of course, she couldn't keep me in the dark about someone so notorious for long. But we'll get back to him later.

After dad died, mom became abusive.

She'd throw bottles of alcohol at me.

Yell at me all the time.

She'd say how it's my fault.

That if I hadn't opened the door, he'd be alive.

I thought it was one of his coworkers.

He was wearing a suit and a fedora blocked his face.

Why he spared Mom and I, I still don't know.

After a year of mental and physical abuse, I ran away.

I saw a mansion up near a cliff, close by our house.

I knew it was Wayne Manor.

So what better place to run to?

Who would expect a kid to sneak past Wayne security?

I knew how to be quiet on my feet, though.

I know how to keep my guard up.

I know how to mind my surroundings.

I needed to so I could avoid my mother.

I got to the mansion without issue.

And when I got inside...

Empty.

I explored all over the mansion, but saw no one.

I wasn't too surprised.

It was all over the news Bruce Wayne went missing.

He was presumed to have been killed by the man who killed Batman and my dad.

But did he leave the manor to no one?

No, certainly he didn't. He had to leave it to someone.

It was on the news that he left it to his adopted son, Dick Grayson.

So why couldn't I find anyone?

Something was up.

I had to be careful.

So for the next nine years, I kept my head down in the house.

I heard the occasional footstep.

But I never saw anyone.

Until today.

"Hey!"

I jumped up off the couch.

"What are you doing still laying about?"

I looked to where the voice was coming from.

It was Grayson.

I got up and tried to run, but he intercepted me. "Usually you're sneaking around by now."

"You knew I was here?"

"I'm old, not stupid."

I gulped.

"Relax, he won't hurt you."

I turned around and saw an old woman in a wheelchair.

"Barbara Gordon." I guessed.

She nodded.

"He seems mad, but he won't harm you, I promise. If he wanted to, he would have on the day you arrived."

I looked between the two, afraid they'd call the cops.

But then I heard Dick chuckle.

"Relax, kid."

I looked at him, confused.

"I just have something I want to talk to you about."

And that was the day my life truly changed forever.