I'm on a rampage with Bad Parent Bruce Wayne especially reading fics rather than reading comics as I did a year ago. I'm through reading that trash and will stick to the media material I've grown up with. At least they are better than comics if not all.
Long story short: I read "Too Much Fucking Salt" by Yidkirkin on AO3 and lovingly gift it to them in thanks, and for all looking for cathartic "Jason permanently cuts out Bruce Wayne from his life", and there are certain aspects of the Rebirth RHATO and such that I tweaked to my liking and others. Roy lives, there's just Dick, Damian, and Barbara (because I don't know how to write the other Batkids yet and have grown up with these three and Jason), and Jason killed Joker to save the woman he loves, who is my OC.
Kristine Crane-Todd (yeah, she's Dr. Crane's little girl; for info on her mother, read my other fics if you want) is all mine; everyone else belongs to DC.
Kristine Crane woke up crying this morning. She relived that horrible day when their lives changed forever, and what happened to her drove her and Daddy to leave Gotham forever. Like they should have done a long time ago. They relocated to Star City thanks to Roy's help but found a suburban location as per their comfort zone.
However, nothing was over, because Kristine did the job of delivering her years of photography and collecting evidence to the GCPD - without leaving her fingerprints and all that good stuff thanks to Jason's help - and watching the news blow up the world along with the parades celebrating Joker's demise at the hands of the Red Hood.
Joker knew who Red Hood was, so he targeted HER and thought to add one more loss to Jonathan Crane's life, just as he'd done decades ago in taking away his wife. He would have succeeded if the love of her life had not been there to save her.
He killed Joker, spilling his blood and ending the reign of terror once and for all.
However, did it come as a surprise to anyone that her Jaybird was permanently banned, not as himself but as Red Hood, thus leaving Crime Alley vulnerable? Actually, Catwoman promised she'd help along with Aunt Ivy, Mom's friend. They're gonna wreck the Bat's shit if he goes anywhere near that place he purposely forgets about all because of his boo-hoo memories.
She lost sympathy for Bruce Wayne long ago, beginning when Jason was taken away and he'd acted like HE was the only one to suffer when there were others, then when he chose Joker over his own son he'd just reunited with, and now he beat him to near death, and Jason would have been dead if not for Starfire's alien technology and Roy coming to the rescue as always. From the moment Kristine met those two and having been sucked into their wild adventures a couple of times, she mentally added them to her "for life" list. Even if the alien princess was light-years away back on her home planet.
Her father spoke up at last after many years of suffering in silence and under the threat of his past human fear experiments before her birth being released to the public, and he willingly handed in his resignation and managed to also have help in the proof of his past being destroyed utterly. Thank the Outlaws for that, too.
Becky was in on the Red Hood's identity and kept the secret because they were best friends for life, so that meant they would remain in contact even after the Cranes finally left Gotham.
Speaking of Gotham, the Bat himself was far from happy they were celebrating the death of the greatest mass murderer in its history, but nearly everyone online was blaming him for the maniac continuing to live on and destroy lives in his crusade - BOTH of their crusades? It seemed as if Gotham was giving her blessing to wreak long-overdue retribution against the two residents she hated most, as though she were an entity with thoughts and feelings. Like Jason said.
Back to him. After he was healed and undergoing serious therapy in Star City, Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance - Green Arrow and Black Canary, how amazing! - took him in as though he were family already, didn't judge him, and did the same to Jonathan Crane and his daughter. Dad essentially chose to retire now after giving so much to a city he hated with a true passion, only caring about the people who needed his guidance.
It was so damned good to see little Lian again, who was a darling as always. Oliver and Dinah spoiled her rotten, and called Jason her "Uncle JayJay". She took to calling Kristine her "Auntie Krissy", the endearment bringing tears to the young woman's eyes.
As for Daddy, Jonathan essentially had his retirement saved up but accepted a consultancy whenever he was needed. He just wanted to live the rest of his years in peace and to see his daughter happy after everything and having been there when Jason awoke from his week-long coma to croak the words out to her as an epiphany that was better late than ever.
"You lost your mom and me because of him, and your dad and I almost lost you because of him. This city is everything to me because I understand it better than the old man ever did. He can ban me all he wants, but I will someday return to take it from him. Although, as soon as I'm back on my feet thanks to all of you..."
And that was where he was at now, while she was getting into the dress for their date as soon as he returned - a long-awaited proper one after the fun and danger, which Roy helped her arrange as a surprise - that was where her man was at the moment, and as soon as she was ready, jewelry also in place, she was left in Roy's private computer room with a heart pounding with the passion of the amber gem's fires.
She'd played a major part in the raging inferno still in the early stages of cleaning up Gotham until the Red Hood's dramatic return in the future, so there was no way she'd miss this exquisite moment for the world.
~o~
James Gordon himself had been visibly mortified as he made his statement to the public on television, his composure faltering as he announced his decision to terminate his longtime partnership with the Batman, citing that once upon a time, the Caped Crusader was needed when Gotham was under mob rule, but ever since his emergence, things were worse instead of better.
He condemned the actions against Red Hood, who had rescued Kristine Crane on broadcast - courtesy of the Clown Prince of Crime - and blew the clown's brains out while telling everyone watching that their suffering was over, as was his and the Crane girl's. He didn't need to mention her father, because he was mostly known. "As a father myself and as one of many, along with my daughter who is now in a wheelchair, I safely say that we do have an honorary champion for the real people who were forgotten. As I say this, I announce my imminent retirement and will give forth a successor in due time. There are no words to excuse allowing one man to run free and do what he wants all these years. It ends today, and I'll forever be ashamed but will one day make peace and make up for everything."
The Batman's crimes were now exposed like a rotting wound that bled pus and infection, in dire need of a serious amputation or surgery: the snapped necks of a few men he'd often land on, a female crook who lost her unborn child as she tried to protect her partner who was also the father, one time where a man was used as a human shield, and so much more.
The Red Hood was the latest because he couldn't stand seeing his favorite playmate taken out.
Online users cursed Batman and called him a fraud, a killer, and solidifying cynics who doubted the man in black ever since his debut, the line of Robins, and his repeated violations of due process. They said he was the real monster while the Red Hood was a justified killer, as he took care of the worst of the lot who were the few major exceptions. Things improved under him than the Dark Knight in years, so countless called for his return whether Batman and his brood liked it or not.
The one who had sent forth the photographs and medical reports was anonymous and would remain so; it was a shame because he or she deserved to be praised for opening their eyes and coming forth. Better late than never.
The Justice League got wind in no time at all, faced with an ultimatum from all fronts by the people they were supposed to protect: either side with the exposed abuser and face the same backlash, or save face and get rid of him, thus learning their mistakes in the end. In the end, they would gather and vote one of their founding members out, also denying the funding of Wayne Enterprises which was one of the major donators to keep them moving. There was plenty to step into that role.
The other Batkids - Nightwing and Robin - were unavailable to comment.
~o~
"Hood."
The collective acknowledgment spoke as soon as he was inside the Batcave, the place he was no longer welcome in on his part and the man who called himself his father. He was in full gear and prepared up till now. He knew all their tricks and moves, intending to counterattack to the fullest. Jason snickered under his helmet as the ringleader himself moved forward, cape swishing out behind him and flanked by Nightwing and Robin.
"I thought I explicitly told you Red Hood was never to come back," Batman growled.
"Oh, that shit won't work on me anymore, old man. Armageddon has arrived to judge you, O Merciful Bat God." Gloved hands flew right to the holsters on his thighs, the others readying. A batarang in one hand, both electrical batons, and a katana. Jason was hardly surprised that those two - his so-called "big brother" and the little shit - would side with their father even after the evidence was revealed, and he wasn't going to waste his breath on them. "I told you that I'd be back and take everything from you. What did you expect, Brucie? You allow the bad guys more leniency than you do so-called family and allies. I tried telling you everything all this time, but I'm finished. You don't get to ban me from the home that needs me more than it needs you, before now. This city is a place for all people, and you are not its king.
"You take all my safehouses and strip them of everything to add your name and ensure it was permanent? You leave Crime Alley to its fate, keep up the lie that you are its protector when you never once go near it? Not even any of your little birds?" Dick flinched while holding his stance, Damian's lip curling. "You then tell me I am still your son and welcome to visit for the holidays as long as Red Hood is dead, on the probation condition that Barbara keeps watch on me to make sure?! SCREW YOU!" His voice rang to the ceiling to cause the bats to shriek and take flight, showing their fear.
"Yeah, Bruce, screw you."
All heads jerked behind them towards the computer screen; none of them had paid attention and automatically assumed Oracle would be there as their backup. "You don't get the luxury to expect the cycle of gaslighting and abuse to continue, bastard," Kristine snarled, her beautiful face on fire along with her hair on the great computer screen. The sight of her curls alight with two crystal teardrops and her sumptuous chest covered with a bejeweled bust roused him, along with her coming to his aid. "The whole world knows what you really are, not what you used to be. You've been compromised for a long time that even the Justice League might sever ties with you based on the evidence. No one views you as a symbol of hope, but a mark of prolonged suffering. If the one you claim is your son is just a rebel soldier you'd rather silence forever, then you're the one not allowed to be in this city. The Joker would really say he'd be proud of you."
Batman snarled at her and turned to stalk her away only to hear the click of guns, and in perfect timing with the cape swishing out to expose the backs of his legs, showing the vulnerable separations behind the knees, which was exactly what Jason was looking for.
~o~
If this unrepentant son of a bitch wanted to continue fighting them, then he would get one, too.
She was gonna enjoy a nice glass of wine after seeing Jason blow out the knees from behind, semi-paralyzing the man for life. "You deserve Arkham more than Jason has," Kristine told him, "because the help needed factor for my man is a goddamned joke. You should have done that without assaulting and nearly killing him every time you encountered each other. Father and son, my red rosy ass. And Blue Bitch -" Dick's eyes behind his domino bulged comically wide as he sputtered in shock. "- you should equally be ashamed of yourself for using the 'brothers' card to guilt him time and time again; Demon Shit -" Because the kid acted like an adult, she'd talk to him like one. "- if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were afraid that you'll one day end up just like Jason."
She was playing dirty here, using their bad cards against them, but it was one of the perks of being the daughter of a respected psychologist. "Everything with you Bats is a double standard. The stuff you see on the streets in which families abuse each other, you'd arrest and taken into custody, but I guess it don't apply to you people. Either that or you're in such denial you don't know it. Talk about brainwashing and conditioning." That did earn flinches and snarls from the wounded Dark Knight as he struggled to stand only to fail, and no one was coming to his aid. It felt good to have all the power with words alone.
Dad might have been bound by blackmail, but she wasn't tied to those standards.
"You birds have one shot to stand up to the tyrant himself, because if you really see what we all have, then you got one opportunity to make things right. Red Hood is back to rain fire and brimstone as he said, and I will happily stand by as his own Oracle. And one more thing, bitches: that man is someday going to be my husband, and my heart knows it. When the time comes and when we have a baby someday, none of you will have the right to be in our lives, if you side with an abuser. You'll never deserve to call yourselves uncles or be called such." Because if anyone deserves to be called honorary, it would be Roy and Becky.
And that shattered the heart of the one who preached the importance of family only to stand by the side of their manipulator in the end. The little demon himself turned his face off to the side to try and hide whatever emotions he couldn't control.
There was no surprise to receive no emotions from the wounded Bruce other than a bow of his cowled head to touch the floor of the cave.
Jason reached and took off his helmet, after putting his pistols back where they were, and showed her his warm and loving smile.
She shut off the computer, knowing Jason could take care of himself, and Roy would be there as his backup, the badass he was with the arrows. The earth had been scorched enough, and she and her man could use the hot date when he got back.
~o~
The concept of justice was to bring peace and balance, not to be used to excuse your sins against both your enemies and the innocent people you were supposed to protect. That concept began to be abused by its very enforcer, and as a result, he was run out of the JL. Not like he could ever return after having his knees blown out. Bruce Wayne was done for, living a fate worse than death in that he was forcibly retired. He could only hatefully watch from his tomb of a mansion.
All said and done, Jason went back to Kristine for their date, and some time passed after that until they moved back to Gotham for the real work to begin.
Jason, wearing his Red Hood helmet, broadcasted his message across all news stations, announcing his return and his intentions.
"Batman has abused his power no differently than career politicians in office who never truly understood people like us. I never pretended to be like him in the first place, but everything I say is a fact: there's no such thing as a perfect world, but I won't stop saving the ones unable to protect themselves. I look forward to some new plans to set in motion, and that's GCPD starting to clean itself up. I will work with Nightwing, Robin, and the Justice League to turn dissonance back to amity."
Dick and Damian, it turned out, had noticed Batman had become a monster and bid their time; coincidentally, Jason showing up out of the blue was their time, and Kristine on the Batcomputer she'd had help hacking into was the cherry atop the icing for them. Even Barbara from the Clocktower was sold.
The R&D department of Wayne Enterprises all but vanished, thanks to Oracle's doing.
Alfred had not been there when the confrontation took place, but the word did get back to him. However, Jason struggled to forgive him in the end. He loved the old man dearly, as did Dick and Damian, but no matter how much the butler cared for them in return, he'd stood by Bruce's side and enabled everything. Hence the three Robins left him in the end and joined together, with Barbara and Kristine.
Bruce was going to die alone and broken. He had Alfred in the end, or the old man would resign out of guilt and move back to England.
Next thing Jason Todd did was legally resurrect himself from the dead, not relying on Bruce in the slightest, with Kristine - wearing her late mother's ring on that finger - by his side, along with his brothers. The ones that mattered. Both Jason Todd and Red Hood would one day be hailed as true heroes and erected with statues in their honor, but in years to come.
In time, Batman was obsolete.
Jason saves Kristine from the Joker, but I have chosen to not go the route of explicitly stating what he does to her exactly, what shits and giggles he pulls off this time, only that it happened. For more on her and her father, my other works with them have more input.
Other AO3 fics which inspired this, too, are "In the Days After" by DragonflyxParodies, "Moral Inferiority" by KNMI, "gotham's children" by hxuse_xf_black, and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by EagleInFlight. :D Special thanks to everyone.
Becky, by the way, is Rebecca Langstrom, daughter of Dr. Kirk Langstrom (Man-Bat). She and Kristine are childhood besties since elementary and a few years longer than Kristine had known Jason.
REVIEW IN LOVING DETAIL! :3 But no flames, please.