A/N: Thank you so, so much to everyone who took the time to review or PM me after the last chapter. I can't tell you how much I appreciated it because I wasn't exaggerating when I said the last chapter drained me. Wine, Disney and your wonderful words helped tremendously. Sorry this chapter took so long to get up, but I literally had to take a break away from the story for a couple of days after the last chapter before I edited this one. Only warning for this chapter is that Jason swears a lot, but, given current circumstances, I forgave him (and hope you will too).

Thank you all again. :)

oOo

Wally's heart was hammering madly against his chest as he ran in the direction of the furniture warehouse. It wasn't speed that caused the adrenaline spike, it was fear. Dick had told him about Jason's death – at least, he had told him that Jason had been murdered by the Joker from his reality and resurrected in the Lazarus Pit, but that he didn't know the details. Jason didn't want to talk about it and Dick didn't like to pry.

Wally hadn't thought about it much either way – being more interested in the science that would deliver Jason back to his world – until the events of this evening.

He knew people thought he was pretty clueless sometimes. He was okay with that, he knew he was too; Wally was designed for speed, he just wasn't built for people watching in the same way that Dick was. But tonight, when he had arrived in the Batcave and taken one look at Jason, he had seen what real terror looked like on a person's face.

And it scared him a little. Jason struck him as a pretty tough guy, but this evening he had looked like he was barely holding it together. It hadn't helped that Batman was looking rattled as well. Add it all together and things were looking pretty grim for his friend. Wally planned on yelling at Robin when he found him for pulling such a dumbass move.

He skidded to a halt outside the old storage facility; a massive concrete structure with raised skylights on a flat roof, a large loading dock that had long since been bricked up, and a small steel door that was padlocked from the front.

There were lights on inside. Wally could see the ugly neon reflecting through the glass panels of the skylight. He debated the merits of smashing through the steel door but decided that one, it would announce his arrival to anyone inside and Robin was always getting on his case about the whole stealth thing, and two, he'd probably only end up with a bloody nose anyway. His eyes went back to the skylight; one or two panels had glass missing. Wally smirked. He could ghost up those walls and drop into that warehouse without breaking a sweat. That would show Rob a thing or two about ninja stealth!

Wally jerked as a scream shattered the silence of the night. Eyes widening, he zoomed over to the warehouse and tore up the walls, sliding neatly through one of the empty frames and down the wall until he landed with a soft whump in the warehouse.

There was junk everywhere, mostly broken, cobwebbed furniture, and Wally could hear noises from the centre of the room; a male voice and the sound of…whimpers? He padded softly in that direction, freezing at the sight that greeted him when he rounded several piles of chairs that had been stacked one on top of the other.

Robin was trapped and squirming under a man in a purple suit that Wally guessed was Jason's Joker. The clown was leaning over him, twisting a knife in the boy's shoulder. There was blood everywhere.

Rage burst out of Wally. "GET THE HELL OFF HIM YOU FREAK!"

Two sets of eyes stared back at him; one furiously astonished, the other in terrified shock. He could see Robin's fingers scrabbling on the ground; a shaking hand reached towards him.

"Wa…lly," the younger boy choked out. Hearing Robin use his civilian name while in uniform frightened Wally even more than the blood. Then Robin's eyes closed and his head slid to the ground.

Something snapped in him and he ran at the clown, crashing into him and knocking him off of his friend. Twisting, Wally ran and launched himself at the pillar, bouncing off it and using the momentum to send the Joker stumbling back several paces. Wally landed in a crouched position beside Robin, eyes narrowed at the Joker.

The clown retreated, watching him warily. "You're fast."

"You're ugly!" It was a childish retort and Wally knew it, but he was angry and scared; never a good combination for his mouth.

"Well, that was rude. I pay you a compliment and you insult me." Joker wagged a finger. "Not very nice."

"Not very nice, are you freaking kidding me?!" Wally gestured angrily at Robin.

Joker shrugged. "What? We had fun." He paused. "Well, maybe I had more fun than he did."

Wally gave a strangled snarl and his hands clenched into fists. Despite being a crime fighter, he was not a violent person, but he was feeling some pretty savage intentions towards the man in front of him right now.

Joker hooted. "What is it with you baby heroes and hot tempers? Look at you! You just want to tear me apart, don't you?" He gave Wally a slow smile and gestured towards himself in a come hither fashion. "Come on, Kid, I dare you!"

Wally longed to do it. Every fibre of his being twitched with the effort of restraining himself from throwing himself at the clown and kicking his ass. But the rational voice in his head – the one that sounded like Robin – was telling him to play it cool. Much as Wally wanted to break this guy's face in, his priority was his best friend. The younger boy was in dire need of medical attention and Wally couldn't afford to let this freak take any pot shots at him before that happened.

Joker cocked his head to one side. "What's the matter, Zippy? Scared?"

He snorted. "Right, because a dude in make up is so terrifying!" Wally would never admit to it, but he actually was a little scared of this clown; he could literally smell the crazy.

Joker stopped smiling. "Well, we can fix that." A crowbar slid from his sleeve into his hand and he ran at Wally.

But the speedster was faster. He was on his feet before Joker could blink and he rushed forward, smashing a fist into the man's jaw. The crack that echoed was very satisfying to Wally's ears.

Something silver flashed through the air and Wally felt a sharp pain just above his knee. He tumbled backwards, leg stinging and glared at the clown who was hooting and chuckling as he slapped the crowbar off his thigh.

Not taking his eyes from the Joker, Wally massaged his throbbing knee. C'mon, Batman, where the hell are you? He couldn't afford to get injured; he needed to get Robin out of here, but he also couldn't move him without being sure it was safe to do so first.

Joker was sensing his reluctance to engage. The crowbar now bouncing off the palm of his hand, he drew closer to the boy. "You're pretty fast, Pumpkin, I'll give you that. Not too bright though, making the man with the crowbar mad. Shouldn't you be running your little butt out of here?"

"I'm not going anywhere without Rob!"

"Really? He doesn't look like he's going anywhere anytime soon…so what is it you're really waiting for?"

There was a loud crash; Batman and Jason smashed through the skylight, landing just a few feet away from them.

"Ah," said Joker, nodding his head wisely and backing away. "That." He turned towards Batman and Jason and threw his arms open in greeting. "Well, looky here! Party crashers! I wish you boys had told me you were coming, I don't know if I have enough drinks for everyone."

Wally was done listening to this psycho; let Batman and Jason worry about him now. Quickly, he ran back to Robin and dropped to his knees beside his friend, holding two shaking fingers to the younger boy's throat. There was a pulse, but it was feeble. Wally's eyes travelled to the mutilated arms. "Oh man, Bro," he said softly. "He really did a number on you."

And then Batman was beside him, sucking in a breath. Wally could hear Jason behind them screaming at the Joker but he didn't much care; they could barbecue the freak for all he cared. Right now, all Wally cared about was that his best friend would be okay.

"Kid, help me move him," said Batman in a low voice, uncharacteristically filled with emotion. "He can't breathe like this."

It was then Wally noticed how laboured Robin's breathing was, like every breath was a struggle. He swallowed the lump in his throat, helping Batman to gently roll Robin onto his side. Batman slid an arm under the boy's shoulders and carefully elevated him to a sitting position. Wally was surprised when he chose to lean Robin against him rather than his own chest, but wrapped his arms around the younger boy to support him without a word. He tried hard not to think about how horribly light Robin felt, like there was nothing left in him and it would only take a small breeze to blow away what was there.

Batman was examining Robin's injuries, his large hands ghosting over the skinny arms. His teeth were gritted so tightly that Wally thought he could hear them cracking. Abruptly, he stilled, and reached for something on the floor beside them. Wally could see him staring at the paper that he had retrieved from the floor.

"What the fuck is that!" Jason exploded from behind them suddenly.

Wally hadn't heard him join them and jerked his head upwards. Jason stood just behind Batman, staring down at the paper. He had a gun pointing towards the centre of the room. Wally glanced over and saw the Joker standing there, both hands in the air while he whistled to himself and rocked on his heels. He looked too damn calm for Wally's liking, but Jason didn't seem to care. His gaze was riveted on the paper in Batman's hands.

"We did a little painting for you, Batsy!" Joker called to them. "Do you like it?"

Batman responded by closing his eyes and crushing the paper in his hand. Half his face was hidden by a mask, but Wally could still clearly see pain there.

Jason had turned back to face the Joker again, both hands on the gun now aiming directly at Joker's head. "You son-of-a-bitch!" he growled. "I will END you!"

"Woah, now hang on!" Joker held a hand up and Wally could see some kind of remote there. The clown smiled as Jason froze. "What's the matter, Hoodie? Bad case of déjà vu?"

Jason muttered something unintelligible behind the mask.

"Sorry, didn't catch that, Pumpkin," said Joker innocently, cupping a hand behind one ear. "You might want to get that mask checked; sounds like there might be a little problem with the acoustics." He tapped his watch. "Anyway, much as I hate to leave in the middle of a party–"

"You're going nowhere you freak!"

"Oh, I think I am, Hoodie. Unless you actually want me to blow this place up? I don't know – all these explosions you keep surviving…maybe you've developed a taste for it?"

Wally could see Jason's hands shaking from where they held the gun.

"See, the thing is, Hoodie, you might be pretty good at surviving the big boom, even Batsy and Zippy over there might make it out without too many limbs missing, but…" the smile that oozed across Joker's face made Wally's skin crawl, "…do you really think the little bird will survive?"

Wally glanced down at the unconscious Robin in his arms. His face was chalk white and there was a horrible, low rattling sound with each ragged inhalation and exhalation of breath. Joker had them right where he wanted.

Wally wasn't sure what happened next but he knew he had missed something crucial because suddenly, Jason was screaming at him. "WALLY! GET HIM OUT OF HERE!"

He didn't need to be told twice. In a split second, he was on his feet and racing for the wall, an unconscious Robin clutched tightly in his arms. He flew up it and had just jumped through the shattered frame of the skylight when the heat hit him. The blast propelled him forwards, sending him sailing through the air instead of sliding neatly down the side of the building like he had planned.

Wally had to twist in midair, still keeping a tight hold of Robin, as he aimed himself at the nearest building. If he could hit it at just the right angle, he might be able to regain momentum and get them to the ground safely.

Wally gritted his teeth and braced himself. Hang on, Rob, I'll get you out of this, I promise!

oOo

Jason was beyond rational thought as they crashed through the skylight into the warehouse below. Every violent intention he had ever felt towards the Joker burned through him as they landed and he caught sight of Robin. His gun was out and pointing before Batman could stop him.

Joker opened his arms in greeting. "Well, looky here! Party crashers! I wish you boys had told me you were coming, I don't know if I have enough drinks for everyone."

His grip on the gun was so tight that it hurt. Rage, violence and murder were screaming in his ears. "Into the centre, now!" he ordered, jerking the weapon. He didn't even recognise his own voice through the fury.

Joker complied, smiling infuriatingly.

Batman was gone, joining Wally beside Robin. Jason could see them carefully rolling the boy onto his side and somewhere within the murderous rage flickered a brief pang of relief; Dick was alive. He caught a glimpse of the boy's arms and his heart stopped.

"YOU MOTHER-FUCKING-SON-OF-A-BITCH!" he roared at Joker. "I'M GOING TO RIP YOU APART!"

Jason meant every word. He was going to kill the clown, tear him apart limb from limb with his bare hands, but not before he made him live through every single agonizing torture he had put Dick through. Jason didn't care if it damned him to hell.

Joker pretended to look shocked. "Such language in front of the kiddies." Then he gave an evil smile. "Fond of the little bird, were we?"

"You stay there!" Jason snarled in response, moving towards the others without taking his eyes from the Joker.

He reached them and looked down at Robin. His attention was immediately captured by the paper in Batman's hands. "What the fuck is that!"

Jason couldn't take his eyes from the paper; two bloody handprints with the words 'To Batman' written over them while under them said, 'From Robin.' Jason knew every bit of the horrible image had been created using Dick's blood. It was one of the cruellest, most sadistic things he'd ever seen; it physically hurt him to think of Dick being forced into making it.

"We did a little painting for you, Batsy!" Joker called out. "Do you like it?"

Batman crushed the paper in his hand, but didn't speak or move. Pain rolled off him in waves.

Jason turned back to the Joker, his voice low and thick as he ground out his words, "You son-of-a-bitch! I will END you!"

"Woah, now hang on!" Joker held a hand up and Jason froze when he spotted the remote detonator. "What's the matter, Hoodie? Bad case of déjà vu?"

Jason gave a strangled response, unable to form words. He should have known the psycho had a backup plan!

"Sorry, didn't catch that, Pumpkin," said Joker, cupping a hand behind one ear. "You might want to get that mask checked; sounds like there might be a little problem with the acoustics." He tapped his watch. "Anyway, much as I hate to leave in the middle of a party–"

"You're going nowhere you freak!"

"Oh, I think I am, Hoodie. Unless you actually want me to blow this place up? I don't know – all these explosions you keep surviving…maybe you've developed a taste for it?"

The gun shook in his hands.

"See, the thing is, Hoodie, you might be pretty good at surviving the big boom, even Batsy and Zippy over there might make it out without too many limbs missing, but…" an evil smile crawled across his face, "…do you really think the little bird will survive?"

Jason knew he wouldn't. Panic gripped him. In the end, that was what this was all about; the best way to hurt Batman, to hurt him. The clown didn't much care about getting caught in his own explosions; like the parasite that he was, he always seemed to survive. Jason realized with sudden clarity, that Joker had no intention of letting Robin leave here alive. "WALLY! GET HIM OUT OF HERE!"

The kid was smart enough not to question the order. Before Jason could blink or Batman could react, he was on his feet with Robin and racing for the wall, a blur of colour.

Jason's heartbeat sped up as time slowed down. He watched, mesmerised, as Joker's smile widened and he held his hand up, thumb pressing down on the detonator. Jason found that he didn't care about survival this time. He wanted the clown to burn. No. He wanted to watch the clown burn.

Something slammed into him and Jason was forced to the ground. Batman was on him as a massive explosion rocked the floor. Bits of furniture and rubble clattered down around them. He glanced quickly to the last place he had seen the Joker but the clown was gone. "DAMMIT!" he yelled.

Batman was on his feet now, shouting at him, but Jason couldn't hear what over the ringing in his ears. Before he realized what was happening, the older man had seized the back of his jacket and dragged him to his feet. He heard a clang overhead and looked up; Batman had discharged his line gun.

Before Jason could object, they were flying upwards towards the skylight. A second explosion shook the building as they reached the roof and they were flung violently forward. Jason twisted in midair – aware of Batman doing the same beside him – and they hit the ground hard, the momentum sending them tumbling roughly backwards.

Batman wasted no time in getting to his feet and throwing his gaze around. His eyes narrowed. Wally was sitting propped against the nearest building several feet away. His arms were still around Robin and his eyes were wide as he watched the fire.

"Robin!" Batman hissed and ran, Jason right behind him.

Batman was first to reach them and he crouched down quickly, placing two fingers to Robin's throat. "Kid Flash, are you alright?"

It was then Jason noticed that Wally's arms and legs were skinned and bleeding. Jason guessed he had used himself as a shield to protect Robin from the worst of the blast.

"Fine," said Wally, a little dazed. He looked down at Robin. His voice was very small when he spoke. "Will he be alright?"

"I don't know," said Batman, pain evident in his voice. He reached for Robin, but Wally tightened his grip.

"What if he's not?"

Fear was written all over his face as he looked up. Jason understood why; Wally was terrified that if he let his friend go, he'd never see him alive again.

He dropped to his haunches and put a hand on the teenager's shoulder. "Wally, you were amazing tonight, but Robin needs different help now." There was no response. Jason swallowed the very large, very hard lump in his throat. "Wally, you have to let him go."

Wally's grip loosened, allowing Batman to take the injured boy from him. Jason could see the reluctance with which Wally let go and despite everything, smiled sadly; this kid was a hell of a friend.

Batman got to his feet, gently cradling Robin to him. His pain seemed beyond words at this point and he just looked at Jason.

"I'll drive," said Jason quietly, helping Wally to his feet. "Wally, can you make it to Leslie's?" Those scrapes looked painful but there wasn't enough room for them all in the Batmobile.

Wally nodded, his eyes on his best friend. "I'll let them know you're coming," he whispered, then he was gone.

They moved swiftly to the car and Jason helped Batman ease into the passenger seat, being careful to jostle Dick as little as possible. Then he sat into the unfamiliar driver's seat. During all his years as Robin, he had never once driven the Batmobile.

He started up the car and pulled out, driving as fast as he dared; the horrible rattle of Dick's breathing was getting worse and he could tell it was a struggle to breathe. Jason didn't dare add to whatever internal damage there was by bumping and jerking the car or worse, wrapping it around a pole.

He chanced a quick glance at Batman. The Dark Knight had Robin held tightly to him and one cheek was resting against Dick's dark hair. The grief almost took Jason's breath away.

He wondered again about the pain his Bruce had experienced the night of his death and, for the first time, felt sorrow for his mentor. As long as Dick was alive, they had hope. His Bruce had never had that hope and Jason wondered how he had been able to stand it.

The pain in his own heart was practically crippling him.

oOo

It took less than fifteen minutes to get to Leslie's. When they pulled up, Leslie and Alfred were framed in the doorway. Jason could see them hurrying down the steps as he jumped out and ran to the passenger door, once more aiding Batman with Robin.

Jason ignored Leslie's gasp of horror and the hand that went to her mouth as she drew level with them. His heart was pounding frantically; Dick barely seemed to be breathing at this point.

"Get him inside," she whispered, her hand sliding down to clutch at the chain around her neck. Batman didn't need to be told, he was already moving towards the clinic.

Leslie hurried after him, but Alfred was rooted to the spot, his expression shocked. Jason could tell he had been badly shaken by what he had seen, and put a hand on his shoulder. "She needs your help, Alfred," he reminded the Butler softly.

The old man swallowed. "Of course, Sir." The stiff upper lip that defined Alfred in times of crisis returned. "At once." He turned swiftly and dashed up the steps.

Jason followed him slowly. His heart was hammering painfully as he climbed the steps and he had to pause at the door to draw breath. The adrenaline was wearing off and fear was kicking in. He couldn't remember ever feeling as terrified as right in this moment.

He had only known Dick for just over a week, hardly enough time to get to know the boy at all, but the relationship that had developed was the nearest Jason had ever come to understanding what a real family felt like. Not a mentor training him to fight crime, or the older boy who'd been Robin before him and understood better than anyone how hard it was to please Bruce. Not the drug addled mother who'd OD'ed before his eighth birthday…not even the kindly old Butler who cared for him and made sure he was fed and clothed. None of that even came close to the feeling of warmth that a skinny little teenager who looked up to him had given him, or the sense of belonging inspired by the protectiveness he felt for the boy. Like a real live kid brother. Family.

Jason knew this was one death he wouldn't come back from. If Dick didn't make it, Red Hood would take over and Jason would be gone for ever. With his head bowed, shoulders hunched and fists clenched, Jason tried to get a handle on his grief.

He needed Dick to be okay.