It was 11:00 sharp when they drove up to the subway station. The scene was psychotic.

Red and blue alarms and lights blared as people ran screaming and running out of the station. Some were shoved and fell onto the ground. Others were dialing 911.

Red Hood and Bats narrowed their eyes at each other before jumping out and running down the stairs leading into the station.

…The lights were out.

Both men slowed their pace as Batman automatically took the lead. Red didn't object this time.

But just then, a light flickered on.

It was a singular bulb, held just over the head of a blood-stained body. The body lay sprawled on the floor, some 50 feet away from both men and slightly lower than where they were too.

It was on the subway tracks.

And Batman knew who it was instantly.

A laugh cut through the air, so unmistakable it was sickening. "Good Evening Bats," The Joker greeted as all the lights in the deserted station screeched to life.

He stood nearby the body of Nightwing.

"And may I just say…" he continued, "What a nice suit! I know I'm not one to talk but is that real leather? Why of course it is, you are the Batman." He grinned.

He seemed to just notice the Red Hood. He gave a half wave and smiled, "How ya doing?"

Batman clenched his teeth, "What do you want, Joker," He took an aggressive stance.

"What do I want? I'm surprised at you! Here I thought we had this stunning connection-this lovely game, if you may," he walked back while he spoke, "-For years, yet you mean to tell me after all this time you don't know what I want?" He feigned disappointment.

"Just give us what we want and we'll be on our way," Red Hood spoke gruffly.

"Oh," Joker said. "I see."

He walked with character over to the body. His face dropped, "It's about him, isn't it?"

The two remained silent.

"I see, I see…" Joker muttered. "Alright," he said louder, "I understand," he crouched low to the body and tussled Nightwing's hair. With a mischievous grin he continued, "Children are our finest treasure…isn't that right boy?" He directed the affront at Red Hood.

Red whipped out a gun. "That's it…"

"Don't!" Batman warned, but Red was already running forward.

Joker saw this coming and grinned as he pressed a button on the wall.

A glass case raced down from the arched tunnel and trapped Red on the tracks.

"You're slow to learn, my boy," Joker grinned maliciously, "Someone didn't bring you up right."

Batman clenched his fists.

Red shouted and beat on the glass, "Let me out and face me, you freak! You coward! You sick son of a…"

"Batman," Joker cut in, turning toward him, "Your hour of reckoning has arrived, my friend!"

He walked forward pausing to say "Excuse me" to the unconscious Dick before picking his way over him and back onto the raised platform.

"At exactly 11:15 a train will be arriving that I'm afraid one of them will just have to catch. The fun part for you will be deciding which one." He clasped both hands together, "What do you say?"

Batman reached for his belt.

"Nuh-uh-uh!" Joker pulled out a switch. "You should know how the game's played; one false move and I'll detonate both."

Red had grown quieter from behind the glass, listening in on the psychopath's plan.

Suddenly Nightwing awakened with a moan "Batman…"

Batman looked up, his eyes slightly widening, "Nightwing."

"Batman, I'm so sorr-…" Nightwing spoke.

"Can it kid, your hero's got less than 5 minutes to decide," Joker cut in, looking back to the Caped Crusader with a finger pointing to the watch on his wrist.

He stood just four feet away from the railroad switch and grinned wickedly.

Nightwing lifted his head and Batman took in his former apprentice, his bleeding wounds and broken body. He saw the 9 year old boy who once asked him who Joker was.

"Go ahead and pick your favorite Bats!" Red scorned from behind his imprisonment. "You always liked him better than me," his voice cracked.

Batman looked back to Nightwing. One blue eye was visible behind the mask.

"Time is ticking," Joker reminded gleefully.

"He was always the good kid, right? He did everything perfect, tried hard to be like you…" Red continued.

The sound of a train approached.

"The kid's got a point; this one was your best," Joker jabbed a thumb back toward Dick. "He even tried to call you before I came."

"I'm so sorry Batman, I'm really sorry…" Nightwing groaned.

The sound grew louder.

"Well?" Red Hood cried, "Admit it! Admit you want to save him instead of me!"

"And repeat, Batman, your greatest failure yet," Joker added in.

The sound was deafening.

"Admit it!" Shouted Red.

Just then, Nightwing forced his legs to kick himself forward.

He fell on the track switch, falling down on his side.

"Sorry Batman, but I can't let you make this decision." He looked up just before the train hit. Batman saw in his eyes pain, fear, and affection. "It's his turn to be saved."

Then, the train flew by.

It was debilitating.

Car after car raced by Batman. Tinted windows and ghostly profiles reflected back the silouwhette of his lonely figure.

Dick had sacrificed to save Batman's image.

Red Hood watched with equal shock as the train's thunderous sound sharply contrasted the engulfing silence.

"That's depressing," Joker commented after a bit. He put a hand on Batman's shoulder as if they were good friends, "You know, you really should've thought of a plan."

Rage flared in the Dark Knight as he spun around and gripped Joker by the throat. He held him high above the floor. "You're going to pay," he growled menacingly through clenched teeth.

"That sounds a bit dark," Joker choked out, as his feet tried in vain to reach the floor, "Even for you."

Batman tightened his grip and narrowed his eyes. Joker began to turn blue.

Red scrambled to the front of the glass to get a better look.

But then Bats let go.

Joker tumbled to the floor coughing.

The Dark Knight turned away, watching the cars as they finished racing along the tracks. The people looked wide-eyed out the windows, obviously unaware of the event which trigged such emotion from Batman.

But as soon as it left, the station became quiet again.

Joker had recovered and brushed himself off from a standing position. He took a look at the tracks. Seeing that there was no sign of Dick, he looked back at Batman and Red Hood.

"Well, bye!" He said before making a quick exit.

The two men remained.

Batman walked stiffly and slowly to the wall.

He pressed the button disengaging Red Hood's constraints. The case cracked, and then shattered as it fell apart around the young man.

Red walked out, glass crunching under his boots.

Batman turned away.

"Hey," he stopped him softly. "Not even Arkham this time?"

"It wouldn't have mattered." Batman kept walking.

"And this did? Bruce, he's just going to hurt more people-"

Batman whipped around, "God damn it Jason, I can't kill him, what do you want me to do?"

Jason was stunned into silence.

Batman eyed him, "He's had his fill of blood for one night. He'll leave the rest of Gotham alone."

"I'm sorry Bruce I didn't mean-"Jason took off his hood.

Batman walked over to the tracks, where Dick had lay before the train came.

"His death would have been for nothing if I had..." He didn't finish the sentence, only clenched his fist and looked down at the track in overwhelming miserable grief.

…His eyes suddenly widened.

There was no blood. Not enough for someone hit by a train, at least. Just a few marks from cuts and bleeding.

He looked up in startled confusion and down both passageways.

To his right came two figures.

Batman stood, the sudden movement catching the eye of Jason.

The figures came closer. As they did, Batman could see who they really were.

One was clad in red and boasted the symbol of the lightning bolt. He supported his friend by propping the young man's arm around his neck and providing the mass majority of his body weight. The other wore torn and bloodied black and blue cloth; his head was bent low and his step pained.

"Dick," Batman breathed.

He first walked, then jogged, and then ran to meet the two young supers.

Jason ran after him.

At first it was as if the tunnel stretched further and further away from the two; like the first night Dick had been shot.

But at last they arrived.

"I know we've got some explaining," Flash said, joking in his usual way once they caught up. "It was a close call."

Batman fixed his eyes on Nightwing who just now slowly lifted his head up. He grinned in a pained sort of way, "I called for help."

"Let's stop here," Flash decided, helping Dick down gently.

They were at the station again in the dimly lit light. Flash propped Dick up on a rusted blue bench with hesitant assistance from Batman and Jason.

When he was done, Flash stood back.

"So how exactly did you guys-"Jason began.

"Oh that was easy," Flash said, immediately cutting in. "Well sort of. You see Rob signaled me with our emergency number."

"Your emergency number…" Jason trailed off.

"Yeah, that's right." Flash stood with his hands on his hips, "It signals the other when one of us is in danger. Like a gun to head or getting eaten by piranhas…" He paused and shrugged, "Or something like that. When we both went solo Rob here came up with the idea."

Jason turned to Dick. "So you signaled Flash ten minutes ago?"

"Ten hours ago," Dick corrected.

Flash cut in, "Yeah, sorry about that. I was getting ready to leave when Captain Boomerang and Cold Doofus attacked the city. Took longer than I thought," he rubbed the back of his head apologetically.

"It's okay," Dick forgave him. He smiled, "I'm feeling the aster now."

Flash smirked, "Glad to hear it."

"West."

Flash turned.

"Your back," Batman commented. Up until now he had remained quiet.

Flash spun around and looked over his shoulder at his back.

Jason put a hand up to shield his eyes.

Dick grimaced.

Scoring the backside of the young super were several rough horizontal wounds. Some looked jagged and a bit deep.

"Would you look at that…"Flash commented.

"I think you'll need a hospital stay as much as Grayson," Jason still didn't look.

"God Wally, I am so sorry," Dick exclaimed.

Flash turned back. "Naw, it's okay. All in a day's work." He put his hands on his hips and winced.

Dick remembered how Wally had pushed him against the wall and put himself between him and the train. The way he brushed aside the heroic deed made him sound like his uncle for a moment.

"I should probably get going," said Jason abruptly, already putting his hood back on his head. He began to walk out, "I have some real work to catch up on after this wild goose chase."

"Thanks," Dick said sincerely.

Red Hood put a hand up to show he had heard. He stole a quick glance back at Batman before walking out.

"Nice guy," Flash commented after he was gone.

Batman watched him go before asking, "Do you need a ride?"

"Nah, I'll meet you guys there," Flash said. He smirked, "Make sure we get some decent seating."

He gave a half wave before racing out.

When he was gone Dick put his head back again.

A little worried, Batman turned to him. "Can you stand?"

Dick paused, "Yeah, I think so…"

He stood and then faltered, but Batman was there to help support him.

Dick looked up at him after a moment. "Sorry if I scared you."

"It's fine," Batman replied shortly as the two began to forge their way slowly together.

But he paused and glanced at Dick. "Are you ok?"

Dick continued walking, "Yeah."

A moment of silence passed between the two.

"You know," Dick said as they began to climb the stairs. "We should really pay Wally a visit. He'll be in town for a few days."

Batman didn't say anything, just continued helping him up the stairs. Because of the effort, Dick didn't continue on until a few moments later.

"Yeah, we could even…throw a party and…invite all our old friends," he said in between steps and panting.

When Batman still didn't reply, he threw him an anxious glance.

Hidden by the cowl, he seemed solemn; but years of apprenticeship told Dick there was the faint outline of a smirk behind that face.

Dick smirked too, and fell silent until they reached the Batmobile.

Batman helped him into the passenger seat, and then shut the door behind him. He walked around the hood and got in from the left.

"I haven't been in here for ages," Dick sighed painfully but happily. The tone in his voice sounded exhausted.

Batman shifted the vehicle in gear as he started the engine.

Dick yawned and slid back in his seat. "So we'll make the visit?"

Batman pulled out of the deserted alleyway and onto the midnight black road.

By the time he began to reply, Dick had fallen asleep in the seat next to him.

Bruce smiled to himself,

"I promise."