Chapter 5:Escape At All Loss

A/N: Hey people! I can write stories on my new, and first, phone now, so I can write more! But, I also have a new laptop since my birthday was on Saturday, February 15th. So updates will be a little slower because it's Windows 8 and I'm trying to figure it out. Sorry. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, please read and review!

^Bruce^

There was no point in avoiding this, in making a plan or trying to be stealthy. The Joker knew he was coming, had his son, and there could be no dogging because the Joker wouldn't hesitate to kill Dick in the worst way possible.

Bruce had, of course, put on an outfit that had black pants and sleeves, full armor underneath, and a few dozen pallets if gas, Baterangs, explosives, and anything else he thought to bring. He wasn't going in unprepared, not for a mission this important.

He stepped out of the elevator doors and down the hall. He didn't hesitate for a second at the door, but stormed straight in. His eyes automatically went to Dick, who had the rest of the team behind him. His eyes didn't stay there long because there was a large threat in the room. Bruce positioned himself in front of his son, ready to die in order to protect him. The team looked just about ready to do the same.
Dick couldn't help but think about how much he hated this. Dick would rather die by Joker's hand then see his family slaughtered on his Birthday, or any day, for that matter. As soon as the fighting began Dick would launch himself forward, no one would be able to hold him back.
The Joker began to laugh, all of the heroes in the room tensed.

"You all seem ready to fight," Joker snickered.

"We've learnt by now, why fight when you can torture?" Zucco said, tormenting them.

A gas began to fill the room and Dick realized in panic that they had already snatched his belt away. He didn't have it. And his belt held his re-breather. Bruce could hear Dick stop breathing, the boy was going to hold out as long as he could. But Bruce had come prepared and handed his son an extra re-breather.

M'gann, Artemis, and Zatanna were unconscious. In another few moments Superboy collapsed. Kaldur had the ability to hold his breath for several long minutes, though he would still have to breathe and he wasn't a seal.

Joker glared at the Bat angrily, then turned his gaze on the little bird behind him. As he looked at the boy he smiled sickly. Bruce wanted nothing more than to punch that ugly smirk right off of Joker's face, but right now, he stood in front of Dick, his whole being focused on protecting him.

"What's the matter Batsy? Don't trust us with your little bird?"

Bruce's eyes darted to Zucco, who was slowly making his way around and forward. He stopped as Bruce's eyes fell upon him. Dick shivered at the smile Zucco gave in response.

Things were becoming very clear now. Zucco gets the Bat, and Joker plays with the Bird. A dangerous alliance that couldn't end well.
"So how did you find out?" Dick asked with force in his voice. He knew that since Batman didn't talk much it was his job to ask the questions.
Zucco laughed. "I've had, you could say, a fascination with you Boy Wonder. You put me in jail for the murder of the Graysons and you honestly didn't think I could figure it out? How many small, dark-haired boys would be interested in that case? And for two of them to be little acrobats? Not likely." What he was saying made sense...

Dick glanced back as Kaldur collapsed on the ground...

'Now it's just Bruce and I.'

Dick eyed Zucco nervously as he continued to step around them. Dick panicked as the man drew alarmingly close to Artemis's still form.
"That's far enough Zucco," Bruce threatened, knowing that if anything happened to Artemis, or any of the team, Dick would put himself in danger to save.

But Zucco didn't stop, he continued to creep towards her. Dick's glance fell on the butt of a gun in Zucco's jacket, and he was reaching for the hilt. He was going to kill her...

Without hesitation Dick sprung... He wasn't going to be too late this time. Zucco pulled the gun and aimed, but Dick caught his arm. As soon as Dick was in front of him, Zucco dropped the gun and grabbed for both of the boy's wrists. Robin prepared to fight but stopped as all of the guns in the room trained in on Bruce. Even Batman couldn't dodge twenty guns without room to move.

Dick didn't speak as Zucco roughly and quickly cuffed the boy's hands and slapped him across the face. Dick didn't stumble or cry out, but remained silent.

"Dick, don't," Bruce said quietly and darkly. But Dick could hear the pain in the man's voice. He knew what was happening, of course.
Zucco went to pick up his gun when Joule lashed out at him. She had been almost completely forgotten, but now she kicked her father's hand and threw a flash bomb. Batman had given it to her and the intentions were clear. She was to use the flash bomb, grab Dick, and run.

So that's exactly what she did.

She slid her arms under the boy and lifted him from his position on the ground. Dragging him along, she ran for the door. There were three guards there, but she made it past them with ease. She kicked one in the face, making him fall into the other and then slammed the third with her full bodyweight. She re-grabbed Dick's arm and pulled him out the doors.

Zucco made an effort to chase them, but Joker held a hand up, signaling him not to, and began to laugh.
"Don't bother, our little Birdie will fly back to us. He always comes for the Bat."

Bruce wasn't going to allow that, he kicked the guard closest to him and rendered three others unconscious. The guns had yet to be fired, probably because they wanted him alive.

Batman fell as Harley Quinn removed his mask and he breathed in the toxic fumes. Unconsciousness greeted him, along with his last thoughts of his son.

*Joule's POV*

Some people stared as I dragged a hand-cuffed Dick Grayson through back alleyways. But that didn't matter right now, I can apologize for the publicity it will bring later.

We ran, or in Dick's case, stumbled for several miles. We finally stopped by a Walmart five miles away. I snuck into the gardening section and borrowed a pair of cutters for Dick's wrists, but by the time I got back the handcuffs were already on the ground. Dick rubbed his wrists a little and looked at me.

"Why weren't you effected by the gas?" He asked, finally having slipped off the mask he had worn.
I thought back to when my father had captured me. While he had me I vaguely remembered him injecting me with something after he was done beating me. I remember seeing Harley be injected as well.

"I think it was the injection they gave me," I said lamely. He nodded.

"And the flash bomb, where'd you get it?" I knew he was going to ask that, but I didn't want to answer him. He would be angry.
But I had to answer anyways... "Batman, he wanted me to make you safe." He nodded calmly, a surprise for me. I expected him to be mad.
"Well then, we better go back." I knew I couldn't let him do that. I caught his hand.

"Please, you can't! At least... Not yet. We have to have a plan." He starred at me sadly.

"I can't loose them."

"You won't," he didn't look convinced. "I promise." It's going to be a hard promise to keep, but I have every intention of making it work out... Somehow. He nodes slowly, I'm sure he knows that going up against my father and Joker without a plan guarantees everyone's deaths. He needs that to happen least of all.

"Then where are we going?" He asked. I'm blushing, I'm sure, because I honestly have no idea. I've never had a home, so wherever usually worked. In this case, it wouldn't.

He laughed a little, sounding actually happy. "We'll go to my place. Alfred will help us." I followed him, wondering how he could be so happy. Was he happy? Or was he just good at hiding his true emotions? Questions like these make me wish I knew him better.

It only took thirty minutes while taking the bus to make it to his home. We both stared in horror at large, angry flames.

"No," he whispered. Without another word he ran towards the flames. There was nothing I could do but follow him into the fire.

A/N: I don't actually like OC's, but I have two stories now that have at least one OC. Funny.
Well, hope you guys like this story, please review!