wassup y'all! Here is the next update in Jason's quest! This is as far as I've written, so from here on out, i'm pretty much making it up as I go. Please leave a review!

Ch. 8

Alfred made three batches of cookies that day. I ate at least two of said batches. I had to fight off four eager men to get to them, but I got them, and I hoarded them on my little corner of the table with my huge glass of milk. It was the greatest moment of my life.

Well, right next to beating Bruce in a dual of strength.

We were all sitting around the table, devouring the cookies as fast as Alfred put them on the table. The others made small talk about school or something.

I looked up at Bruce as a sudden thought popped into my head. I don't know where it came from or why I all of a sudden wanted it, but I did…

"Hey, Bruce?" I asked.

"Hm?" he said around a cookie as it slid down his throat.

"Can I see my autopsy report?"

He choked on his cookie before washing down the crumbs with milk.

After a moment he looked at me seriously.

"Why do you want to see that?" he asked.

I shrugged. I really didn't know…I just did.

"It's mine…It's my death. I have a right to know what was on it." I said.

"You already know how you died, Jason." He said off handedly.

"Yeah, I do. But I want to see it anyway."

"Why?"

"Did it have a collapsed lung?" I asked suddenly, remembering what the Joker had said about it impeding the oratory…

He didn't respond for a long moment.

"I'll be right back." He said as he stood from the table. Not a word was breathed while we waited for him to return. When he did, he was carrying a beige folder. He slid it across the table to me. The tab read the following:

Wayne, Jason Todd

Autopsy report Oct 23, 2010

I opened the folder and looked over the records and pictures. I looked terrible. My flesh all mangled and bruised. There was blood all over me, in my hair, in my mouth…everywhere. My left arm was absolutely mutilated. My leg was broken with the bone protruding through my skin. It looked like I had a few broken ribs.

I read over a list of every injury I had, starting at my head.

Major brain trauma

Cracked skull

Bleeding on the brain

Swollen left eye

Broken teeth lodged in trachea

Broken mandible

6 inch cut on left side of skull

2 dislocated spinal disks

Major burns across left arm and torso

Crushed larynx

Broken collar bone

Dislocated shoulder

6 broken ribs

Cracked sternum

Collapsed lung

Ruptured kidney

Major internal bleeding of the stomach

Torn colon

Multiple flesh wounds caused by unknown objects

Left arm disfigured

Broken femur

Cause of Death: Major Blood Loss

I shuddered as I read down the list. Batman found me like that…

"How did you say I died?" I asked quietly.

"Car wreck." He said simply. I nodded grimly as I looked over the rest of the reports. It was pretty gruesome…

Apparently, I drowned in my own blood.

"Did you know the Joker beat him like that? With a crow bar?" Tim asked quietly.

Bruce nodded. "I did when I saw the cuts and wounds."

I shrugged. "It wasn't so bad…" I mumbled. That was a lie. It was the absolute worst thing ever. The pain that consumed my entire being alone was enough to kill me…

"Don't fool yourself, Jason." Bruce said. I didn't respond as I continued to look over the files.

I snapped it closed when I was done and slid it back to him.

"Thanks." Was all I said. I downed the remainder of my cookie crumb filled milk and slid my chair back. I placed the glass in the sink and walked out. No one followed me as I made my way back down to the cave. I had to find the Joker. I pulled up every single file we had on him. It was all basically police records and prison information. Apparently, when he first started out as a criminal, he was known as the Red Hood.

Catchy…

He fell into a vat of toxic waste after being pursued by Batman. When he came out, he was crazy. His hair turned green, his face ghostly white with a wicked smile that stretched from ear to ear…The Red Hood died that night and emerged as the Joker.

I couldn't believe what I was reading…Batman had created the Joker. Sure, it was an accident, but nonetheless, Batman made him. If it weren't for that, I probably wouldn't have died…

But I did…

It was such a twisted story…

Dick, Tim, and Damian came down to join me after a few hours. They looked over my shoulder at the screen at the files.

"What are you doing?" Dick asked cautiously.

"I told you. I'm done training. I have work to do." I said matter of factly.

If I was going to find the Joker and get rid of him, I had to take out the immediate threat. If Deathstroke was going to kill me, he had to go before I could hunt down the Joker and start cleaning up the city the right way. Batman wasn't going to approve. But I didn't care. I still wanted to be known as part of the Bat Family, but I wanted it to be clear that I wasn't really a part of it anymore.

"You're going to need armor." Damian said bluntly. I turned in my chair and looked at him.

"Tim, Damian, and I have been working on it for you…" Dick said.

"What are you talking about?"

"Jay, we knew you had your mind set on doing this alone. But we weren't going to let you go unprotected." Dick said. He pulled me out of the chair and to a hidden costume case at the back of the cave. He pushed a button and the cylindrical covering went up, revealing a new armored Kevlar suit. It was a dark grey armored vest with Kevlar linked sleeves. The material was rough and sturdy, and the armor was plated titanium. Underneath were heavy duty black cargo pants made out of rough canvas and layered with the tough Kevlar. The pants had 10 pockets up and down the legs. There was a dull grey utility belt with four heavy duty pockets. They had a traditional Robin mask, but the lining was a deep red. They had metal soled combat boots with steel toes. The gloves had reinforced supports and metal tips on the knuckles. Heavy shoulder pads for protection from a fall, and metal plates over the chest, abdomen, and back. It was incredible.

The bat on the chest was blood red.

"Wow." I said under my breath as I tested the material between my fingers, "You did this for me?"

"Yeah…" Tim said quietly.

"Why?"

"We wanted you to be safe out there…you're stubborn enough to go out there without any protection." Dick said.

"You think you're immortal." Tim said.

"I know better than that." I mumbled, "Does Bruce know about this?"

"Where do you think they got the money to pay for the materials?" came a deep voice from behind us. I spun around and looked up at the expressionless face of my mentor.

We stared at each other for a long time. Bruce reached out and pulled me into a bear hug unexpectedly. I paused before wrapping my arms around his waist.

"Go try it on, Jason." He said as he released me. I nodded and took the suit down from its display. I looked at each of my family members in turn before disappearing into the darkness to change. I pulled off my leather jacket and shirt and replaced it with the armored vest.

The suit was beyond heavy. But it felt good, like it was supposed to. No more cape, thank Jesus. I pulled on the cargo pants and boots. Everything was weighted down nicely. I didn't put on the mask, but I did find the usual bat weapons in the belt. I would have to refine two of the pockets to hold guns, and I'd need to add a place to put the daggers. Other than that, it was perfect. I secured the straps on my boots, pulled on the gloves, and threw my jacket back on over everything.

I walked back out to the cave where Nightwing, Red Robin, Robin, and Batman were waiting. I paused, waiting to see what was going on.

"Batman…" I began.

"How is it?" he asked, cutting me off.

"It's great." I said.

He walked up and circled me, looking at the way the suit fit.

"It looks good. We did good." Nightwing said smoothly.

I looked at myself in the reflection of the display cases. The suit did look good. It looked great, in fact. I felt good in it. It was secure.

"Batman, Nightwing, guys. Thank you. For everything. Honestly, I really appreciate it." I said. "But I need to go it alone from here." I said quietly, knowing full well my statement would be met with rejection.

"I know you think that, Jason. But you're wrong."

"Please. Batman. Just let me go. I'm not going to die."

"I'm not going to let you go like that!" He snapped, "I can't lose you like that again!"

"You aren't fucking going to lose me, Batman! I'll be ok. I was trained by the best the world has to offer. I was trained by Batman, Nightwing, Red Robin, Robin, and even Agent A."

"That's not enough! It's only been ten months!"

"No it hasn't! I trained for years before I died. I haven't forgotten any of it! Now, with ten months of training and conditioning, there's no way I can lose. I have a plan, Batman, and if you try to help, you'll just get in my way. I need to go alone. I will come back. I promise."

"Those criminals aren't afraid to use a gun, Jason."

"Don't you remember who you're talking to? I'm faster than any idiot with a gun. That's a skill you learn quickly when you grow up in a place like crime alley."

"These people will kill you! They don't play around, Jason!" Tim yelled.

"Neither do I." I said darkly.

"Jason, I'm not-"

"It's Hood," I said. "Red Hood."

"What?"

"With a new life and suit comes a new name. I'm Red Hood." I said simply.

"That was the Joker's first alias." Bruce said.

"Irony at its finest."

There was a moment of pause before he continued.

"Red Hood, then…I'm not saying I don't think you can do it. I'm saying I'm not willing to let you try. Either you play by my rules, or you aren't leaving this cave." He warned.

"Don't go there with me, Batman." I spat, "It's either them or us. I'll be fine." I said as I turned and walked to the locker to get the daggers and guns. I was going to win this. I had to.

"This isn't a game!" he shouted.

"All life's a game." I said simply. Bruce's mouth snapped shut as he stared at me wide eyed.

I turned and went to the weapon locker to pick up two guns and the daggers.

Once I had the weapons, I turned to the parking deck and walked to my motorcycle. I picked up the red helmet that was resting on the handlebars and slipped it over my head. I didn't even turn back to look at them. I just sped out of the cave and down the dark road.

"Look out, Gotham," I said to myself, "Red Hood has entered the game."

what do you think? I'm already working on the next chapter, so we'll see. I really need to write another chapter for the Family of Slade Wilson, so that will probably be my next update, and then I'll update Robin and Slade apprentice, then Stygian and back to this. Stay safe in the cold, y'all and please be careful!

I love you all

Please review with comments, concerns, questions, requests...whatever. Where do you want to see the story go? What do you want to happen to Jason? Any encounters you want to see?

Let me know!

And...SMILE AT STRANGERS!

Strangers love smiles.