There was a dark and tall shadow on top of the balcony. Matt couldn't tell who it was, but he suspected it was Batman. He couldn't believe he was about to face his demons. He growls as the shadow appears to be bigger. Batman...! He was alive and well. The kids gasp. Nightwing smiles at his master. Joker smirks and laughs.
"I thought I've gotten rid of you."
"You did. But what you didn't know what was underneath me."
Batman reveals a black vest underneath his suit.
"A bulletproof suit...", Matt whispers to no one in particular.
"Why can't you die, Batman?!", yells Joker.
"Because I have a duty to fulfill...not only to me, but for my family."
"Yeah, the family you tore apart!", yells Matthew.
Batman turns around to his son.
"Son...I-"
"Don't even try to make up for your mistakes! You're nothing but a screw-up! Thanks to you, Mom's back in jail! She couldn't cope with your death, so she went into alcohol and back into villainy."
Batman looks at his son.
"Do you hear me? Do you even have any remorse?! If you did, you'd say something!", says Matt.
"Son...I'm...I can't fix what happened to your mother. Lemme.."
"What, Dad? What?!"
"You stay here and I fight Joker."
"It's my fight! Not yours."
"Matthew-"
Too late. Matthew was already to aim for Joker's throat. Joker grabs his arm and swings him around. Matt crashes into a wall. Nightwing aims for Joker with his batarangs. Missing, he snaps his fingers in disgust. Maia sucks in a breath.
Dad...be careful.
Orla runs to Matthew, holding on to him. Matt looks at her.
Orla...
"Don't hurt yourself, puddin'...I mean...Matthew."
"Orla."
He gets up slowly and smirks at her. She looks at him and slowly smiles. Matt uppercuts Joker by his jawline. Falling backwards, he tastes blood in his mouth and grins. He grabs one of his prank-Taser and hits Matt's chest. Stumbling to the ground, he falls backward after being caught in the arms of Orla. Laying his body down, she grabs her Joker Hammer and hits her father in the gut with it. Falling backwards, he glares at his daughter. Scared, she decides to run, only to get caught by one of the henchmen. Wrapping his arms around Trickster's body, she tries to squirm out of his grasp but fails. Joker comes towards his daughter and laughs in her face.
"You're so pathetic like your mother."
"Mommy was not pathetic! I'm surprised she'd ever love a monstrosity like you!"
"I'll drug you like your mother! Keep it up!"
"So, you DO admit it! You DID kill Mom!"
"Maybe I did. Maybe I didn't."
"Admit your sins, Dad."
"I just did!"
"Why...?"
"Because I'm a bad guy, you dumb ass..."
Something was brewing inside of Matthew that he didn't understand. He couldn't take Joker treating his own daughter like trash. Sure, she was annoying. Sure, she's evil. Sure, she's the Joker's kid. But...she's just looking for that love. That certain bond from her father. Just like him. But it's killing him to see Orla cry. Matt was crying as well. Orla was hurting. She needed help. The last straw was Joker spitting in her face. Matt punches Joker square in the jaw.
"Joker, you ass! I'll kill you!"
Joker kicks him in the gut and pulls a gun out of his pocket. A real one. Matt's eye widen.
He wouldn't fuckin' dare.
"Stop what you're doing. Surrender. Or else."
"Or else what, Joker...?"
"I'll kill you...and her..."
Matt knew who "her" was. He was that damn desperate to kill him...and Orla...