Thanks to everyone already reading and following. It really makes me smile to see someone has read this, now please just review :D

(BTW) This is my favorite character in the series so please enjoy

9:37 am

Late again, I think to myself as I'm running down the hallway. Can't get caught, can't get caught. Another tardy and I'll be expelled, besides I NEED this extra credit. My grades have been trash since I got caught letting Tommy do my homework last year. I'm not even sure how I got into 10th grade. For the past month I've been playing the sympathy card 'my dad just died' but I don't think that's gonna fly today.

I can't afford anymore bad grades and expulsion?! That would kill ma! She doesn't need that, not now. She's barely making it out of bed these days as is. She took it so hard. I round the corner and see the class, they've all stopped over some sort of accident. I see Tommy's sister Jessamine in the back. She sure looks cute today. Her dark red hair curled and interlaced with yellow flowers matching her sundress, no shoes as usual. I think back to the first time I kissed her, those pheromone filled lips were something else.

Shame that relationship didn't work out, I just can't eat salad and talk to plants all day.

Next to her is my most recent ex, Helena. Man did we have fun! Late nights, pranks, throwing bottles off the top of Wayne Industries. But it just didn't last, especially after she saw me out with Alexia. Girls, they just don't understand. But Helena, she was not the type to take getting dumped so easy. Avoiding her is the reason I'm late in the first place.

I'm part of the Metropolis School for Student Excellence Outreach Program. Its where they let kids who are "less fortunate" and in "bad situations" into the school. Full ride. Supposed to give us kids who are worse off a better chance at the future. Being in this program means we have our own bus, takes us to school and back plus field trips. Unfortunately for me, Helena my crazy-out-to-get-me ex, also rides this bus. So for the protection of my pretty face I got a ride with my best friend. Even still, I'm late.

Happily our teacher, Mrs. Reynolds is so busy with the accident that she doesn't seem to notice my slipping in the back of the group. Helena & Jessamine are absorbed in laughing. The girl who fell, the very beautiful Briana Wayne, is up and the tour continues. Alexia up in front looks back, I catch her eye and give a little wink making her blush. Her cheeks turn bright as her hair, gorgeous.

Suddenly there's a firm hand on my shoulder and my mind flashes back to a memory, a bad one. No, I think, not this time, without looking I swing around determined to land a punch. Just once, one good one to wipe that smile off his painted face. My arm is caught mid swing and I realize its The Red Tornado.

"Young man" he says his mechanical voice firm "have you been with us since this morning?"

Everyone looks at me.

"Yeah man" I say, forcing a laugh and doing my best to play it off. "Just had to hit the john." I run a sweaty, nervous hand through my blonde hair, this moment will determine my possible expulsion.

"Very good then, please try to stay with the group" the robot says before whirling away to the front.

Whew! Dodged the bullet there.

Bullet.

Gun.

The sound of a weapon being loaded and unloaded.

The tour is moving away of me, The Red Tornado is talking about the display of tattered capes on the wall ahead from some epic battle. I should keep up, but I can't, I can't move. I'm frozen, stuck in a memory, flashing back to an awful day.

I'm home and I'm six years old. Playing the drums on moms pots on the kitchen floor. The smell of the mold on the walls and dinner cooking mix together in the air. Mom smiles down at me and I play louder. Too loud.

He wakes up, he works nights so I have to be quiet during the day, I know that. Why wasn't I quiet? Why didn't I remember?

He storms in, he's angry. The paint on his face is smeared and he's not wearing his suit but its him, my terrifying father.

He yells and screams at me. I'm sorry, I didnt mean to wake him, I cry.

She steps in front of me, in between us. Bad idea. One hit, one hit from the back of his hand is all it takes and she's down. She crashes hard on the broken tiled floor. She's bleeding, I can see it start to pool around her but I don't know from where and I'm scared to move.

He walks out the kitchen, I think he's gone so I come over to her. The blood is coming from her head, I touch her face, she's still breathing but she won't open her eyes. I call to her but she won't move.

And then he's back, holding that gun. Loading and unloading it. Taunting me, taunting her. He points it at me, and dares her to get up and stop him. Her eyes shoot open, she can barely move but she manages to crawl in front of me, protect me. Like she always has, like she always will.

"No, not not Spade" she barely manages to say.

He laughs, that awful cackling laugh that I hate. He comes closer, pushes the gun right up against her head.

"Bang" he says. Then more laughter.

He leaves, I hear him in the back, whistling to himself. When he comes back he looks like himself. Makeup, purple pinstripe suit, gun in tow. He doesn't even look at us, at what he did. He walks out the door, gets in that crappy purple and green car and drives away.

When I can no longer hear the sound of the car I grab the phone, at six years old I've learned the routine. I dial the number I know by heart.

"Hello?" she answers before the first ring is over.

"Auntie, its Spade."

"Spade, did it happen again?"

"Yes."

"Is she moving or talking?"

"No auntie, she hasn't moved in a long time" my voice is starting to break.

"I'm on my way."

A few minutes later an all black Mercedes Benz pulls up. Light from the headlights filling into the now dark kitchen. I am lying next to her in the now dry pool of blood. The door opens, auntie has a key. She sees us immediately and calls for her husband.

"Thomas, I see them. Help me get her to the car" she says and turns off the oven where the now charcoal dinner was still cooking.

The rest of the memory is kind of a blur. From my aunt Ivy taking us to her house, to the weeks long sleepover in Tommy's room, while mom recuperates. Auntie makes her herbal teas and remedies to help her heal. Slowly she gets better until shes back on her feet. And then it's time to leave.

"He's sorry" mom is saying to my aunt "it wont happen again, he promised."

On the stairs in Tommy's house I'm spying on them. Their in the giant living room, mom's scar still has a bandage on it but she's ready to leave. I could tell. She was smiling again and had a pathetic little yellow flower in her hand. An apology gift from dad.

"Don't go back there Harl" my aunt is pleading. "Think about Spade, do you really want to take him back there?"

She doesn't listen. We go back, and dad welcomes us. He dotes on her and makes her smile promising that it wont happen again. Until it does and I watch as the cycle continues over and over. But no more, I remind myself. He's gone forever now.

The group is further up ahead now, all gathered around some exhibit. I move to catch up and see what's got all their attention. Its a balloon, with his face on it, and the trigger he used to take out five city blocks last month. Killing hundreds including himself. As I look on a solitary tear falls down my cheek and I wipe it away. Mrs. Reynolds seeing this comes over and puts her hand on my arm.

"Spade, let's move on. This part of the exhibit must be emotional for you" she says and I nod.

She means well but what she doesn't realize is I'm not crying from sadness or grief but from joy and relief. I'm happy he's gone, happy he's dead. I hated him, hated being The Clown Prince of Crime's son.