The Batman family unfortunately belongs to DC Comics. Maybe someday I'll be rich enough to purchase them and fix the current mess that is the Bat-family.

PART ONE: JASON

Chapter one

They moved in tandem without speaking, back to back as they punched, kicked, leapt and danced around the thugs who were daring to fight back. Batman and Robin. Partners. Dark capes that added to their mystique flew and fluttered with their graceful, powerful movements. One by one the goons fell before the Batman's fist, or the Robin's boot.

It took only a few minutes and then they were binding the hands of the eleven men they had just taken down in preparation to deliver them to the coming police. Robin tightened the zip tie on the last man and turned to his mentor in wordless observation. Batman was studying the phone he had lifted off one of the men, leaving his young squire to begin the careful analyzing of the crates around them.

Tim Drake had been Robin for almost a year now. He knew what his mentor wanted and began to take pictures of the evidence that would help them trace the source of the weapons dealing. As always he kept an ear and an eye on Batman, watching for any sign or command from the man. They never spoke much when on patrol, except for the terse commands that Batman would issue and expect to be instantly obeyed.

Bruce glanced up to make sure his wishes were being followed, since this Robin would disobey if he thought it was in Batman's best interest. Tim didn't mind the anger from his mentor. He had become Robin to save Batman, because Batman needed to be saved. But he had not anticipated the fondness he would come to have for Bruce, Dick and Alfred. Nor had he expected to have them like him.

However, both events had happened. He loved his mentor and the others who helped Batman in his war. And they, they had accepted the awkward boy with the intelligent mind and the will to become a hero, to save them. This precious acceptance to a boy whose closest friend was a stray cat that hung around his parents yard had, though they did not know it, made him utterly loyal to them.

Robin had finished his photos and had carefully took a few samples of the dirt on the nearby van. He returned to his mentor's side as the police swarmed into the building. Detective Montoya took one look at the warehouse and immediately lowered her gun. She scowled at the heroes, but had learned to accept their presence.

"There are two crates missing." Robin spoke first. "The manifest showed ten and there are only eight here."

"So some of these are going to make it onto the street." Montoya sighed, looking down at the automatic guns that lay in the nearest crate.

"They're not on the streets yet." Batman answered. "The Iceberg Lounge is the meeting point. One of the numbers in this phone belong to a long time employee there." He tossed the phone, now in an evidence bag Robin had lifted from one of the police, to Montoya.

"We'll never tie Cobblepot to it." Montoya said. "But it will break the arms dealing up and no doubt you'll lean on him again." She turned to yell for one of the CSI people to take the phone. When she turned to ask what the Batman and his sidekick meant to do they were gone.

"Well done." Batman said to Robin as they slipped into the waiting car. Tim smiled and nodded. As he buckled up he glanced back at the store where they had busted the arms dealer. A dark figure stood at the corner of the building, facing them. Robin could not make any of his features out. He blinked as the car started forward.

The figure disappeared.

This puzzled Robin and he set his mind to unravel the mystery as Batman raced through the alleys towards the Iceberg Lounge. Clearly the person had been watching them. Batman gave no indication that he had seen the person in shadow. There was no noticeable threat. The shadow seemed to be at guard, rather than at attack. But not a policeman. That, Robin was sure of.

It was not uncommon for people to try to get pictures or videos of Batman, but the only person besides an occasional intrepid reporter who had ever done so was Tim himself. And Tim had managed it only because he hadn't been a threat and so Batman's subconscious had never alerted him as it did for a reporter. (Unless Batman wanted to remind Gotham of his presence the reporters would lose their video or photos.)

But this figure had his hands down, his silhouette had been of someone standing in military precision attention.

A soldier. But not a policeman, not one of the thugs, not a fan, not a reporter… something else. Something closer. Something darker. Something that made Tim's heart ache.

Batman had not seen it and showed no inclination that he felt in any danger. This was not reassuring, because Tim know Bruce could hide his concerns. He also knew that sometimes Bruce ignored dangers to himself. That was why Tim was Robin. To keep Bruce safe.

Because Gotham needed Batman and Batman needed Robin.

LINE BREAK BRINGING MY BROTHER HOME LINE BREAK

"You know I'm under age." Robin quipped as he got out of the car and headed for the back door of the Iceberg Lounge. His mentor snorted. This supposed concern for the legality of a minor entering the adult bar did not seem to stop the youth from hacking his way into the keypad and getting the door to unlock. The two shadows entered into the well-lit back room. However no one was watching the door. Quickly Robin scrambled up into the ware house's metal ceiling beams.

Bruce began a methodical search of the warehouse for the missing crates as his young sidekick watched for employees, thugs or Cobblepot. Since Cobblepot ran a 'legal' business much of the crates held the items actually required and allowed by the business. But this wasn't the first time Iceberg Lounge had been used in this manner. While there was not positive evidence that would incriminate Cobblepot, this was possibly the closest they had come.

The door from the office opened and the stout figure of Oswald Cobblepot emerged, escorting no less than crime boss White Harry. A dozen body guards from both men followed, armed to the teeth. Robin signaled Batman and watched as Cobblepot spoke of business deals and the like. Then he called for one of his men and told him to show Mr. Blanche the wares, while he returned to his guests.

Although Robin had recorded this conversation it could not be used in court, because he was Robin. However, it would help the police know where to focus their attentions for this particular arms dealing. Batman joined Robin in the ceiling. They watched as the criminals sought out two normal looking crates set among the crates of fancy champagnes.

White Harry took one of the weapons and carefully examined it. There was a tense five minutes while everyone waited for someone else to blow the deal, either with an accusation that would lead to a gun fight, or a simple bullet to start. Neither scene happened, for this was Iceberg Lounge. However illegal the deals were, Cobblepot was a business man. He did not sell bad goods.

Batman tensed and Robin glanced around to be sure no one else had entered the warehouse. He was in time to see the back door open and a person in dark clothes and a ski mask, enter. The figure looked towards the ceiling and Robin went to touch his mentor's arm, to alert him to the presence and their discovery. Bruce glanced towards the figure, but the person was standing by the wall, in that rigid military position that Robin had seen on the mysterious figure across town.

Below the vigilantes the deal was being sealed. It was time to move. Batman leapt down to seize White Harry. Robin called Montoya as the fight began, his eyes on the secret person at the back wall. He grew frustrated as he tried to divide his attention between the mystery person and the fight below him. Bruce was currently fine, but he was dodging bullets, and one misstep could see him injured.

Two hundred and seven seconds into the fight and the misstep came. Robin saw the bullet skim Bruce's arm. It was a straight shot. It had to have cut his mentor. How badly Robin wasn't sure yet. Bruce continued to fight, but his arm was definitely weak.

For a brief, breathless minute Robin perched above the fight, eyes darting between his injured partner and the mysterious figure at the wall. Then he dove into the fight, in time to guard Batman's back.

They fought with the synchronized grace of before. Only this time, they were more tired and Bruce's blood loss was becoming noticeable. The fight turned hand to hand and the synchronization broke. Robin was driven away from his mentor. He was fully capable of keeping himself from harm, but he needed to protect Batman as well.

Batman tripped, fell. Robin lunged forward and scarcely missed a knife in his side. He was not fast enough. One of the thugs raised a weapon. Bruce was unconscious.

Then a figure in dark clothes dove into the fight, knocked the gun out of the Batman's would be murderer's hands. Robin flinched, but took advantage of the shock of the thugs to knock out the two trying to kill him. With the mystery man's help Robin cleaned up the rest of the thugs.

Robin slowly turned to look at the mystery person. Male. 6' 2". White. Large build. Trained. Secretive. Blue-gray eyes. Eyes full of fury.

Not a friend.

"Idiot." The man hissed at Robin. "You are not good enough to be out here."

Robin blinked, surprised by this criticism from someone he'd never seen before. Someone whose words were full of a personal venom. But not uncalled for. The boy behind Robin knew that he wasn't more than a replacement, a body to hold a position that belonged to another. He would never be Bruce Wayne's Son. He would never be more than a soldier to Batman.

"Thank you." Robin replied stiffly. He knelt by his mentor, checking the wound, and angry to see he had missed a second more severe wound that explained Bruce's further blood loss.

A rough hand seized him from behind, and Robin barely had time to duck his head to avoid a blow. The mystery person was more livid than ever. "Why are you out here? Why do you help him?
"He needs someone." Robin snapped back, breaking the hold on his shoulders and backing out of the man's reach. "Do you want to fight? Let me take him to safety and then I will fight."

"You're not good enough to beat me." The mystery man snorted. "Get out of here."

Robin lifted his mentor up. He half carried half dragged Bruce towards the exit, aware that the mystery person was watching him. Under the white lenses of the mask Robin was watching him as well, watching and recording. For there was a mystery here that Robin would figure out.

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