Wayne Manor had become popular again with the return of Jason Todd. The news of Harvey Dents death had spread everywhere including Blüdhaven. Tim wasn't happy about Jason's choice of killing Harvey as much as Dick was. Tim was there and saw that they had Harvey ready to be taken to GCPD but Jason still killed him without hesitation. None of them were taught that way but majority of the time they overlooked Jason's choices since he seemed to be the black sheep of the family. Now they were all in the Batcave having the discussion that Jason had called for. They all weren't here because of Jason's action; they were here because Jason had something to say.
The Red Hood mask was sitting on the table of the computer and Jason was standing against the edge of the table. His brown jacket was hung over the back of the chair. Jason was just as good looking as the other two Robins but he hardly ever changed his cold expression. His hair was still short and spikey but longer than Tim's. The others were standing across from him except for Damien who was sitting on a chair. Dick was staring right at Jason with his arms crossed over his chest While Tim seemed to look awkward with the entire situation. He stood next to Damien while Barbara and Alfred were standing beside Dick.
"So I'm betting you guys have a lot to say to me right about now," said Jason.
"Master Todd," started Alfred, "although your methods are a bit unorthodox we are all very proud that you saved Master Drake and Master Damien. Without you to help them they surely would have perished."
"He's right," said Dick. "Without you they probably would have died," Jason raised his brow knowing there was more he wanted to say, "but it still doesn't justify what you did to Harvey."
"There it is," smirked Jason.
"You know how we work Jason and-"
"Yeah and look where it's gotten you and your little team. It's no wonder these two almost died." The two glared at one another.
"What the hell do you want Jason?"
"I actually came here for something." He pointed to the Batsuit in the glass case.
"The Batsuit? Why do you want that?" They all looked at him in disbelief.
"Isn't it obvious? This city needs Batman and I'm gonna be that for it." Dick uncrossed his arms and walked over to Jason.
"No."
"I can't be the only one who's noticed it. The city's crime rates have gone through the roof. Two-Face almost killed these two for Christ's sake with his small army. You ever wonder how Two-Face can get away with arranging an army like that. They figure now that Batman is gone they can do whatever the hell they want. Do you really think her dad is gonna put away every single criminal that's out there?" he asked as he pointed to Barbara. "This city needs a Batman and I'm gonna give those criminals a Batman that everyone will fear."
"By killing," said Dick. "You do realize that makes you no better than any of those criminals running around out there."
"Spare me the lecture. You and Tim may have fallen for Bruce's old code but I never did. The scum out there deserve much worse than being tossed into a jail they'll break out if in the next week."
"This city doesn't need someone like you, Jason. It's already got dozens just like you running around in the streets." Jason, clearly irritated, walked up to Dick with his face mere inches from his.
"So are you going to be Batman? Bruce's golden boy," he smiled tauntingly. "You were always his favorite. You think that means you deserve the cowl? You could never be like him, Dick." Now it was Dick who smirked.
"That's the difference between you and me, Jason. I never wanted to be like him but you always wanted to be better than him. You lost that the day you picked up those little guns of yours." Now Jason pulled one of his handguns out and was about to bring it to Dick's face but Barbara stopped him.
"Enough!" she yelled as she pushed them away from each other. "Fighting isn't going to get us anywhere. As much as I hate to say it Jason is right." Dick turned to her quickly in offense. "About the crime," she said and immediately calmed him down. "Maybe it'd be best if we all just stick together here in Gotham. Damien and Tim can't bring all the crime down by themselves so we should help them clean up the city." Dick nodded but Jason merely stared at her thinking about what he should do.
"Fine," he said finally, "I'll stay here with you guys."
"The Batsuit is off the table, Jason," said Barbara sternly. "We've all earned our own title and we don't need Batman to clean the streets." Tim turned away from the group and saw that Damien was already gone. He walked away from the others to go and find him. "It's been a long night so why don't we all go to bed." She took Dick's hand and the two of them walked back into the mansion. Jason was left in the cave with Alfred.
"Would you like me to fix you something to eat before you go to bed, Master Todd?" For the first time in a long time he smiled genuinely. He always had a soft spot for Alfred.
"Sure," he said.
"Let's go then." The two of them walked up the stairs and headed to the kitchen.
"I've missed you Alfred," said Jason.
"And I've missed you, Master Todd."
Tim knocked on Damien's door only for it to slowly open. Inside the room was the young Boy Wonder doing push-ups on the floor. He couldn't help but think how serious this kid took everything.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey," he breathed through the push-ups.
"You alright?" Now the boy stopped exercising and looked up at Tim.
"How do you think I am? We almost died, Tim. I don't deserve to be Robin. I felt so stupid when we were out there. You almost died. I should've trained harder. I should still be training."
"You can't think that way, Damien."
"That's easy for you to say!" he snapped. "You're not the son of Batman; the grandson of R'as Al Ghul, the leader of the league of assassins. In one night I managed to prove I wasn't worthy of either of those. I'm a disgrace to both sides of my family." Tim walked over to him and sat on the edge of the bed while Damien stayed on the ground breathing heavily.
"First of all, it wasn't easy for me to say that to you." Now the boy looked up to him. "I felt like a failure too. You're not the only one who has stuff left to prove. Look at who is my competition, Damien. There's Dick who I've looked up to since I first met him. Then there's Jason who came back from death and is able to call himself more than just Robin. That night I felt like I failed Bruce and you too. I was so close to dying and I felt like such a failure too." The two were quiet for a while and Damien raised his eyebrow.
"Why have you looked up to Grayson? He's such a tool." Tim couldn't help but smile.
"He's not the tool you think he is. He's a cool guy, Damien. I look up to him because he managed to escape Bruce's shadow and make a real name for himself. Up until the other night I never understood what he would often tell me but now I do. It's something you and I both have to realize."
"Oh yeah?" he asked sarcastically. "What's that?"
"We can't spend our lives trying to live up to a standard. We have to make our own standard and succeed on our own. You can't try to be your father or your grandfather. You have to be Damien Wayne and create your own future instead of trying to live someone else's." Damien looked down and let the words sink in. His whole life was spent preparing to succeed his grandfather and then after that it was his father. It as if he latched himself onto another's title in order to find a place in life.
"Grayson told you this?" he asked skeptically. Tim smirked and nodded. "I never thought something so profound could come from such an idiot." Tim chuckled.
"I told you he's not that bad once you get to know him. Just because you're the son of Bruce Wayne doesn't mean you have to be him." Damien seemed to actually being smiling but it looked very odd on the kid who spent his life so serious. "I got you something. I ordered it a few weeks ago. I'll be right back." Damien fixed himself to sit with his legs crisscrossed. Tim returned with a big brown box and placed it in front of the boy. "Go on open it." Damien pulled out a sharp Batarang from his pant pocket. "You always keep one of those with you?"
"Yeah. You don't?"
"Just open the box," he laughed. Damien cut off the taped edges and slid out the box of a PlayStation 4.
"You got me a game system?"
"I told you, you don't have to grow up so fast. Enjoy being a kid while it lasts. People like us don't usually get a normal childhood but that doesn't mean we gotta be miserable all the time you know?" Damien held the system in his hands and couldn't believe Tim went to such lengths.
"No one's ever done something like this for me, except maybe the time my mother gave me my first sword."
"There are no formalities here, Damien. I'd like to think we're friends so you don't have to hold back anything from me and if you can't talk to Alfred or Dick you know you can always come to me." Damien extended his hand out to him.
"Thanks, Tim." Tim gladly shook the kids hand and smiled.
"No problem."
Barbara woke up once she didn't feel Dick's presence next to her. She looked up to see Dick standing outside looking over the balcony at the garden. The cold air had been let in and hit her warm soft skin underneath the thin night gown she wore. The cold air didn't bother Dick who stood outside shirtless and in shorts. Seeing him outside made her remember of all the times she would think of him before they were together. For years she had a crush on this gorgeous man but due to her condition she always felt he would never give it a chance. Being in a wheelchair for so long really impacted her self-esteem but she couldn't hold back her feelings any longer. To her surprise he felt the same about her and finally her crush had become her boyfriend.
They were finally able to give her mobility over her legs again and with a few surgeries she was back to her normal self. She could never stay out of the world Bruce showed her, even when she was in the chair, so when her legs returned she once again donned the mask of Batgirl. She joined Nightwing in Blüdhaven and the two fought side by side against all crime that entered their city.
However now she knew something was wrong with Dick. Since Jason talked of Gotham needing Batman he had changed and grew a bit distant. He stood outside pondering and she couldn't help but feel worried. She softly caressed his muscular back and instead of a saddened or distracted expression, he greeted her with a smile.
"What?" she smiled.
"How did I end up with an amazing woman like you?"
"Says the man who could get out of paying for dinner by showing off those pearly whites."
"Hey you know how corrupt this city is," he chuckled.
"We were in Metropolis," she grinned.
"Well then I guess Superman isn't doing a good job then." He leaned down and kissed her soft lips.
"What's wrong, Dick?"
"When did I say something was wrong?"
"You know I can see right through you. You can fool a lot of people but I'm not one of them." He sighed and turned back to the garden. He couldn't help but think that this was why Bruce never got close to women or anyone for that matter.
"Do you really believe what you said down there? That we don't need Batman to clean up this city." She sighed.
"I really don't know. When I said it I did but criminals are a cowardly and superstitious lot you know. I don't know if they will ever fear us as much as they feared him." He bowed his head and sighed. "You're not thinking about putting on the suit are you?"
"All my life I looked up to Bruce. He saved me from a terrible childhood and gave me courage to make sure what happened to my family wouldn't happen to anyone else. As I got older though I started to realize that despite living with him and training with him I still did not know him. I never felt more alone than when I realized that. I knew right then and there that I never wanted to be like him."
"Then why are you even worrying about it?"
"I know what he stands for, Barb. It's why I did this in the first place. He passed on his code and ways down to me and to see it tarnished by Jason or forgotten by the criminals is why I'm thinking about it. Tim and Damien are still too young and Jason taking on the cowl will ruin everything that it's stood for." She held his arm and leaned her head against it.
"What would he do?" Dick looked up at the large garden of Wayne Manor. In the distance he could see the lights of Gotham City. It was then that he knew what he must do.
"Bruce loved his city more than anything. He put Gotham before any of us so that she could thrive. Batman is above all the criminals in this city because he doesn't take the easy way out. He has always been here and that is why the criminals fear; because he will never die. Criminals need to be reminded that there will always be a Batman in Gotham City."