He had not left Gotham… no, it was impossible to stay away from the dark crime riddled city he had called his home for so very long, the city in which he had made something of himself, flying along rooftops with a cape trailing behind him.
But he had left Bruce, left Dick…he knew well when he was not wanted, having spent years alone in a too big house with nothing but his camera and fantasies to keep him company.
Bruce no longer trusted him…
He did not trust himself.
Dick no longer needed him…
He should have seen that coming.
Should have seen a lot of things coming.
But he had not, and now that was all over and done with. He had moved on. Dick had not called in weeks, and Bruce? He had not seen him since the man left again.
It should hurt more, that he knew, but it didn't.
Red Robin had not been seen in Gotham for well over three months. Tim Drake was still in the public line of sight, despite having handed his rights to the company back to Bruce, and he was still hobbling around on his crutches, covering up an identity he was no longer using. Tam was not speaking to him, and Vicky Vale was having a field day with their cancelled 'engagement'.
He could care less.
He had also handed over ownership of the theatre to Bruce when he had sent the company files over moving into a modest flat within a mostly empty high-rise. It was secluded, private, and within a relatively safe neighborhood as far as Gotham went.
He had immediately put up a false wall, made a command center, set up his computer, security and surveillance systems, for even at the beginning of his seclusion he had had plans.
He had hacked Oracle's feeds. She would never know as he had covered himself so well, Having had a hand in upgrading her systems several times over the years, he had always had a back door to he world. No sense letting it go to waste- letting him go to waste...
He was done. There was no getting around it, not really. He was unwanted within their unhealthy 'family', and his body would not allow him to continue for long. Had he kept it up, it would have surely been a death sentence. His immune system was weakened. His body unable to ward off infection like it had used to. Infection could become life threatening at the blink of an eye… and he was no fool. He body told a story of countless battles, deep, slow healing wounds and the scars left as proof. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He would have been dead within the year had he kept up with that lifestyle.
But… he could not stay away either. Vigilantism had become a part of him. He had given up everything to help the people of Gotham…and everyone. Giving up on the city would be giving up on himself. He might as well just roll over right then and there.
But he wasn't needed.
Not yet.
Barbara was Oracle. The Oracle, the 'Bat-family's' go-to person for information. They would never need his assistance in that way, and it was just as well considering the rift that had come between him and the many members of the Bat-clan through one way or another.
But there were others, always others.
Vigilantes popped out of the woodwork at random, in Gotham, in other cities. It was a never ending vicious cycle, and not everyone had the pleasure of a team of finances, of help.
And help them he could.