Jason shoved the guns behind him and stuffed his jacket with ninja stars and other things to prepare. This was it; this was the night, when shit hit the fan, when everything came out. He knew Joker was out, it was all over the news; it was everywhere, the streets seemed so cautious as if the manic was walking down the street at that very moment.

He pulled out a small eye mask; it looked just like the one from when he was younger, when he was Robin. He put it on and then swallowed the lump in this throat, before putting on his helmet and walking over to the other side of the room planting the bomb.

"Jason?" Said a familiar voice as the window opened. Jason stood up and Roy looked down at the bomb and the detonator in he shoved into his pants pocket. Roy looked back up at him, but Jason cut him off before he could say anything, "I thought you were going back to Starcity."

He walked over to the duffle bag and made sure everything was there, the rope, the duct tape, the crowbar. The nightmare would never end.

"I had to come back real quick," Roy said, taking one step towards him, "Jason, you don't need to do this alone, if you want I could come with you and make sure it didn't end like how you pla-,"

"No," Jason growled standing up and facing Roy, "This is between me, Batman and that maniac, I can bring anyone else into it, and it ends…tonight."

Roy frowned, "Are you sure?"

Jason nodded, "Positive, I have to be alone on this, like always."

Roy took a deep breath, "I`m sorry you feel that way, I wish things could have been different." The clasped hands in a low hand shake and then Roy backed away and Jason blinked, "Same here."

"Gotham police set all routes to the Gotham bridge, the Joker has just been sighted holding an armored truck hostage, we don't know how many are inside but we do know , despite the chaos that Crime lord Black mask in inside that truck being held hostage, proceed with caution."

Jason and Roy shared a look, "I have to go." Jason said, Roy nodded, "Bye Jason."

XXXXX

"You're not going without me!" Tim snapped at Bruce pushing Alfred away as the butler tried to switch the younger boy`s bandages.

"I`m sorry Tim, you're in no condition to handle this mission." Bruce said pulling his cowl down.

"Mission my ass!" Tim snapped, "This is personal!"

"Yes it is, witch only makes it more dangerous, look at your-self then tell me you're ready to fight again." Bruce growled. It was true. He and Alfred had freaked when Dick and Barbara had brought Tim back a mess.

The wounds were healing nicely but Tim still had a fractured nose, a black eye, a swollen lip not to mention multiple bruises along the boy`s shoulders and side and a small yellow on forming on his forehead from one to many head butts.

"What about Dick and Babs?" Tim asked frustrated letting Alfred patch the small slit on his throat back up.

"I ordered them back to the Team, they have more responsibilities, and I have to take care of this on my own." Bruce said.

Tim narrowed his eyes, "You mean they don't know you're going after Jason today."

"No, they don't know," Bruce sighted when he saw the anger and sadness in Tim`s blue eyes and he walked over to the boy who sat on the examination table, he put a hand on his shoulder, "Tim don't worry, I`ll bring him back."

Tim blinked back watery eyes but held a hard stare, "I`ll be waiting."

"Good boy," Bruce smiled, he hesitated before kissing Tim on the head, "Please keep to that, don't follow me, I can't lose you to."

Tim hugged him resting his head on Bruce`s chest and Bruce wrapped his arms around his son, "I promise I won't leave." Tears leaked from Tim`s eyes freely at the thought at what could happen to Bruce, Jason wasn't mad at him but what about Bruce?

Bruce walked away and Alfred hurried up beside him, "Sir, Young Jason won't come back willingly. You know this."

"I do, but I have to fix this Alfred, it`s my fault, I can't just leave him not again." Bruce said jumping into the plane and taking off.

XXXXXX

Jason looked down at the lunatic. Joker, here in the flesh. He was surprised he was able to stand still and not go down and kill him right now. He watched with cold eyes as Joker sang and poured the gasoline into the truck.

Joker pulled out a lighter and joker huffed a small laugh, no bombs? Pity, no matter he had one at home.

"Who`s that?!" Yelled an officer below, "Get a light on him!"

"Up there!" Gordon yelled in to the speaker pointing up at him. Jason walked closer to the edge and looked down at the Joker who smiled up at him as if they were old friends.

"Hey! Look at you!" Joker announced smiling even wider as he spoke, Jason narrowed his eyes, and he wanted to hear every word after all they would be his last. "Mister Hood! Or do you prefer Red?" Joker pointed up at him blinking, "You know I used to wear and outfit quite like that mine was more flashy maddened then motorcycle fetish, you kids today!"

Joker lifted the lighter close to his face and tried to light it, "I`m sorry could you hold on I was just in the middle of setting fire to your gang."

Jason smiled behind the mask, "Go ahead, you think I care if that scum dies?"

Joker shrugged but kept his eyes on the lighter that wouldn't light, "I don't know," The man looked back up to him still flicking the lighter, "I just wanted to get your attention."

Jason smiled darkly behind the mask, "You`ve always had my attention, but what I really wanted was an audience," Joker just continued to look from him and the lighter as the helicopter roared overhead flashing a light on him.

"I`m sorry," Joker grinned dangerously, "That seems to imply you ordered this little clam bake."

Jason narrowed his eyes, "I did, sure I had lots of plans but the end game was getting Black mask so desperate that he`d cut a deal, and he was the only one with connection to get into Arkham and get you out."

Joker gave a large half smile, "So I`ve been bamboozled, Oh my." Joker dropped his hands at the realization letting it all sink in.

Jason chuckled quietly, "I wouldn't under sell it, it took a lot of effort to bring about our reunion." As if in reply, his arm stung where the girl from the fearsome hand of four had cut him.

Joker sent another questioning half smiled at him, "Reunion, have we met before?" Joker put finger to his mouth in thought. His large eyes staring questioningly at Jason.

Jason clenched his teeth and his hands balled into tight fist at his sides, "Yes. We have." If only he knew.

"Well!" Joker smiled brightly opening his arms. "Here`s to warm memories!" Joker lit the lighter.

Jason narrowed his, memories, those were his real problem. The dreams everything.

"Lesson`s need to be taught bird boy, especially how to play nicely." Joker picked up and crow bar and smiled a demonic smile.

"Let me tell you this from the start," He said walking closer, "This is going to hurt you a lot more than it does me." He laughed.

"Do your worst." Jason spat. Joker laughed hysterically and brought the bar on him

Jason shook his head back to real life trying to come to grips with his own mind as he saw Joker drop the lighter and the insides of the truck light up. Joker smiled and spread his hand as if asking for a applause. Jason`s eyes snapped to the sky`s as the Batplane roared overhead pouring foam on the fire and Joker, extinguishing it completely.

The plane came back around and Batman let out a line catching Joker, and hoisting him into the air. Jason ran along the bridge top and jumped for the rope cutting it. He and Joker fell into the dirty water with a large splash and the plane flew past.

Jason grabbed onto Joker as the lunatic tried swim away and began to swim to the sore. He pulled Joker up and held his gloved hand over his mouth as he interrupted the radio transmission.

"You want him," Jason growled, "Met me in crime ally."

XXXXX

Jason threw Joker, who was tied and duct taped into the dingy apartment. He walked in and slammed the door behind him. Joker coughed wildly but it ended up turning into a laugh that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

Joker smiled sitting up, "Okay, so what's the plan? Slumber party? Charades? a little true or dare!" Joker grinned out of breath from when Jason hauled him up here. "Yes, I`ll start with Dare!"

Jason leaned down and pulled out the wrench glaring up at Joker to shut up, but the man didn't, "Or maybe I'll just go with truth." Jason got up and walked over to Joker. And suddenly the memories came flooding back as he brought to crow bar onto Joker.

"You can take a hit bird boy, I`ll give you that." Joker chuckled hitting him in the side of the face.

"Oh, hang on that looked like it hurt a look more!" Joker walked over to his side as Jason struggled to breath, "So, let's try and clear this up okay pumpkin. What hurts more, A," gasp gasped at the metal tore into his leg. "or B."

"I suppose I`m going to have to teach you a lesson so you can better follow in his footsteps." Joker mulled this over, "Na! I`m just going to keep beating you with this crow bar."

"Tell me, "Jason growled, "How does that feel?"

Joker coughed and chuckled lightly, "eh you know, it only hurts when I laugh," Joker looked at him wide eyed, "But hey I gotta know, who are you, you said you knew one another, and you do seem really familiar, we double at the prom? Or blow up a school bus together?"

Jason narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath, "No, I`m just something you helped create."

Joker smiled questioningly, "That`s pretty cryptic, but interesting! Tell me more."

Jason sneered under his hood, "Sure," He leaned over and grabbed the front of Joker`s shirt and pulled him closer, "Listen up."

XXXXXXXX

Jason leapt down landing in the alley way entrance, Batman spun around his jaw clenched tightly. Jason smiled, "So glad you could make it."

"This ends tonight. All of it." Bruce growled, Jason took a deep breath, "Nobody knows that better than me."

He took a small step back and pulled out the ninja stars sending them at Batman and running behind them. Bruce jumped over the sharp projectiles and landed behind the dumpster placing two lifts. The giant metal dumpster shot out at him and Jason easily jumped over it, but was to late when batman threw a grapple around his ankles and pulled.

Jason hit the floor but he wasn't going to get beaten that easily. He sat up and laughed pulling out his knife and Taser, "Ah you and your gadgets." He cut the wire and then connected the cord to the Taser, shocking Bruce before he shot up and ran at his old mentor, "You're not the only one with toys."

Bruce threw a few bomb pellets and Jason stopped in his tracks, "Crap." The blew and sent him into the side of the building, he dug his knife into the material and then jumped off landing on the fire escape on the opposite side.

He started to climb to the top, rain poured down on him and Batman with each step to the top they took, funny, another cat and mouse game, lucky him. Jason jumped up onto the roof and landed with a small thud he continued to run when Bruce leapt at him from behind, They rolled and Jason shoved the knife into Batman`s cape. Bruce was stuck while he rolled back to his feet and punched him twice before Bats pulled out a batarang and cut his cape free.

Bruce dodged his next punch and clipped him in the side of the face before Jason staggered back getting two more punches to the face. Bruce tried to knock out his knees but Jason leapt away grabbing him knife in a roll and making it back to his feet sliding on the slick roof then charging back at Batman.

Their knifes collided and Jason flipped over Bruce`s back blocking him, and landing beside him, he pushed Bruce`s Batarang back only for a second before he cut the belt around Batman`s waist.

Jason pulled back dodging a swipe from Bruce and he brought his knife up making a slit on the side of Bruce`s neck. Jason took a step back and threw the knife to his other hand before Bruce charged at him and sent both of them flying onto the church next door.

The two broke apart and Jason landed on his front, he tried to pick himself up when he saw Bruce coming up behind him. He spun around and got his target, Jason pulled on Bruce`s mask and flipped away quickly grabbing his knife and laughed cynically at Bruce.

They stood at least a few feet apart, the rain poured even harder onto them as they stared. ,"Look at you," Jason smiled darkly throwing Bruce his mask back, Bruce caught it in one hand but never lost eye contact. Jason flipped the knife in his hand and pulled his hands behind his head, "I guess we should keep it even."

He pull off his mask and the hood dropped at his feet. "Jason." Bruce sighed.

"Yes." He smiled feeling the cold rain roll down his hair and face.

"I don't want to fight you," Bruce said, frowning at him. Jason sneered, "All evidence to the contrary."

"Please I can help you, I know what happened," Bruce pleaded to him, Jason chuckle, "Oh you got to talking with Ra`s Hu? Does it make it easier to think that my little dip in his fountain of youth turned me rabid, or is this just the real me?"

Bruce`s jaw clenched and he knew that's exactly what Bruce had thought, fool. Jason kicked the red hood over to him and Bruce stopped it with his foot, when Bruce looked back up Jason held a small detonator in his hand and smiled pressing it.

Bruce jumped away as the helmet blew, one of the statues started to fall as Jason ran at Bruce who had gotten his mask on. Batman kick out keeping him at a distance before he jumped up and threw a jab at Jason`s side witch he dodged and punched Batman in the face, Bruce sent a jab at his upper side catching him off guard.

Behind them the statue hit the roof and the pressure sent them forwards, Jason kicked Bruce and leapt behind him holding the knife to his old mentor`s throat. "What bothers you more? That your greatest failure has returned from the grave or that I`ve become a better Batman than you?"

Bruce grabbed his arms and threw Jason over his shoulders, he twisted in the air landing on his feet and meeting Bruce head on.

"Your ruling through intimidation and murder, your just another criminal!" Bruce insisted.

"I`m what this city needs!" Jason spat back. Bruce finally managed the shove the knife into the roof and Jason pulled away grapping out his grapple gun`s wire and clipping it around Bruce before letting Batman be forced to the top and hit his back against the ledge.

Jason climbed to the top to meet Bruce who had gotten free and pinned him to the ground, Bruce tried to push back against him but Jason just laughed. Jason held Bruce`s hands down sending a series of punches at Bruce`s face, Bruce caught the next one an again tried to push him back. He managed to get one hand free and hit Jason between the eyes making him lose his grip and Bruce was able to force him into the wall and pin him there.

Batman reached into his own glove, "Hidden goodies all over Hu? Were just a couple of walking armories!"

"Maybe so but let's see how you do without your toys." Bruce dropped the tiny light onto his jacket and Jason cursed and struggled as the front of his jacket started to catch fire, Jason punched Bruce away and the man fell over edge only hanging on barley as Jason quickly discarded the flaming piece cloth.

Jason bent down and grabbed the old grapple wire and threw it across from them latching onto a ledge. Jason swung over, gaping when Bruce grabbed his leg. They hit a wall and before Bruce could regain his balance he took of around the corner and pushed off the wall.

Jason curled up as he crashed through the window and landed into his apartment bathroom. Jason turned around in time to see Bruce crash in and kick him into the tub breaking the side of it.

"Enough, It`s over!" Batman snapped. Jason growled and leapt at Bruce, but he should have known Bruce would have the upper hand in tight spaces. He grabbed Jason`s arm and crashed him into the wall, he bounced back into a hard punch in the gut before having his face shoved into the other wall.

Jason grabbed one of the tiles and swiped it at Bruce who leaned back quickly to dodge it. Jason stabbed him gain and Bruce caught it in his hands and pulled the tile away punching Jason who fell onto his back, he pushed back up and brought his fist at Bruce who side stepped him making Jason hit the wall.

Bruce punched Jason in the side before he was put in a head lock and shoved into the sink and hit the side of the toilet as he fell down. Jason got back up just in time to block Bruce`s head smash. He didn't, however catch the punch Bruce sent to his abdomen and then pulled his head onto his knee.

Jason took a steep back but Bruce grabbed his shirt pulled him into a head butt and pushed him against the wall, "You said you want to be better than me, well you won't, Not like this!" He sent Jason threw the wall and Bruce watched in dismay as he saw his son tumble into the wall and hit the floor again.

Bruce walked over to Jason, "I know I failed you, but I tried to save you Jason. I-I`m trying to save you now."

Jason sat up and pulled out his gun that rested behind him and pointed it at Bruce, "Is that what you think this is about? That you let me die?" Jason stood up at full height and took a few steps back till he was standing next to the closet door, "I don't know what clouded your judgment more, your guilt or your antiquated sense of reality." Bruce narrowed and Jason swallowed the lump in his throat, "Bruce, I forgive you for not saving me, but why, why on God`s earth," He kicked the closet door open to show the Joker, "Is he still alive!"

Joker started to laugh his creepy homicidal laugh and used the chair to hop beside Jason. "You gotta give the boy points; he came back from the dead to make this shindig happen!" Joker looked up at Jason a deranged look in his eyes, "So, who's got a camera? Oh, Oh, Get one of me and the kid first, then you and me, and the three of us, then one with the crowbar-,"

Jason brought his foot cruelly over the Joker`s head and the maniac slid on the floor. He walked over to him and kneeled down, "You be as quiet as possible or I`ll put one in your lap first."

Joker pursed his lips, "Party pooper no cake for you." Jason stood up and glared at Bruce, "ignoring what he`s done in the past blindly, stupidly disregarding the entire grave yards he`s fill, the thousands who have suffered!" Jason narrowed his eyes, "You know I thought I would be the last one you let him hurt, if he had beat you to a bloody pulp, if he had taken you from this world, I would have done nothing but search the planet for this evil, pathetic, death wore-shipping garbage, and send him off to hell!"

"You don't understand, I don't think you ever understood." Bruce said calmly. He pointed the gun at Bruce, "What your moral code just won't allow, it`s too hard to cross that line?"

"No," Batman snapped, "God almighty, no, I`d be too damned easy, all I ever think about is subduing him to all the hordes torcher he`s dealt out to others and then, end him."

Joker smiled down at Jason's feet, looking up at Batman, "Aw, so you do think about me."

"But if I do that, if I allow myself to go down into that place, I`ll never come back." Bruce said frowning deeply.

"Why? I`m not talking about killing scarecrow or penguin or Dent, just him, just him, and doing it because," Jason looked up at Bruce, "Because he took me away from you."

Batman blinked slowly, "I can't. I`m sorry."

Joker looked back between the two grinning, "That is so sweet."

"Well you won't have a choice." Jason loaded the chamber to the gun in his hand and threw the last gun he had at Batman`s chest, it fell loosely into his hands.

"I won't-," Bruce was about to say before Jason interrupted him.

"This is what it`s all been about, this, you and me and him! Now is the time you decide!" Jason stopped on the wooden chair breaking the rope and lifting Joker in front of him, "If you won't kill this psychotic piece of fill then I will, if you want to stop me then you're going to have to kill me!"

Bruce growled, "You know I won't-,"

"I`m gonna blow his deranged brains out! And if you want to stop it you're going to have to shot me, right in my face!"

Joker chuckled in Jason`s death grip, "This is turning out better that I hoped!"

Jason clenched his teeth together waiting, watching, and hoping. The Batman dropped the gun and he gaped, once the father had lost the son, and now…the son had lost the father. Jason pointed the gun at Batman`s back.

"IT`s him or me, you have to decide," Jason blinked as Bruce continued to walk away, "Decide now, do it, him or me, Decide!" Jason narrowed his eyes and everything came rushing forward, every heart breaking, jaw dropping, life ending thing he had shoved to the back of his mind came forward as he pulled the trigger. Everything went by in a blur, Batman sidestepped the bullet and spun around, by the time Jason had fired again a batarang had been lodged into the gun and it exploded in his hand.

"Ack!" Jason growled letting go of Joker and grabbing his hand, he took a few steps back, Joker was talking but the words seemed like a blur, unreal in the moment as he glared up at Bruce and pulled out the detonator and pressed the button.

Jason heard the beeping of the bomb and Joker and Batman fighting, he didn't care. He leaned up against the wall. Because that's how things were with those two unresolved, complicated. Deadly.

Jason blinked past his own grief and angry to see the timer, seven seconds. He up to see Bruce grab his shoulder, but something else grabbed his other arm and pulled him threw the front door and down the hall as the apartment blew, Jason and his savior tumbled down the stairs in a bruised mess landing at the bottom.

Jason gasped harshly as his lungs struggled to get past everything that had just occurred.

"Come on!" the other person helped Jason up and suddenly he realized how slow they were going, he was being dead weight, he was never dead weight. He had to get it together! He fought to regain his broken mind and was about to run beside the one person he was most glad to see.

"I told you not to come." Jason said.

Roy glared at him, "Well, you should know you're not my boss, and Red,"

"What?" Jason growled as Roy ran down the street and jumped on his bike, Jason sat just behind him. The bike started with a sharp roar and they took off.

"Roy?" Jason asked looking over the other boy`s shoulder.

"Jason you said you wanted to do this alone, like always but I have to tell you, I couldn't let you die, that's not who I am and one more thing, you're not alone." Roy, said dodging cars and red lights.

Jason smiled halfheartedly and patted Roy on the shoulder, "I`m glad you changed your mind cause I wanted to ask you, what was it you called it a team?"

"Partnership." Roy smiled knowingly.

"I`m in." Jason nodded and Roy grinned, "Good, because we outlaws have to stick together."

XXXXXX

"He needs you to talk to him," Alfred said to Dick who looked over at the Bat computer, Bruce had never left it, not after he got back two days ago.

"I don't know what to say to him Alfie," Dick sighed, "Were all still pretty torn over Jason, and I don't think I`m the best one to tell him to over on."

"But you must." Alfred pleaded, Dick took another deep breath, "Fine, I-I`ll try, but then if it doesn`t work I don't know what to do."

Dick walked down the steps and over to the computer meeting Bruce there who started angrily at the screen, "We have to bring him home Dick, he`s…not right, he need us. I have to find him, I`m not losing him again."

Dick rested firm hand on Bruce`s shoulder, "Bruce, I`m sorry but Jason Todd is gone, he`s who he wants to be and he`s where he wants to be, and you have to have faith that we`ll see him again."

Bruce blinked looking at the pictures of Red hood and Jason, "Your right."

"What?" Dick asked surprised. Bruce got up, "Jason will come back because this city is where he belongs, but this doesn't change anything." Bruce growled deleting Jason`s pictures from the computer, "This doesn't change anything at all."

Dick watched Bruce walked away and shook his head, Dick looked to Ace who blinked happily at him, "What the hell am I supposed to do." Dick asked Ace. The dog tilted his head and rolled out a long pink tough.

"MY thoughts exactly." Dick nodded walking after Bruce leaving before the last picture of his brother was deleted.

A/N: I had to end it somewhere :( But no fear for those who liked the story, I`m doing a sequel! Yay! I can't tell you how much fun I`ve had writing this story and I thank you all for the great reviews. A special shout out to: SIMON270, spencerlonewolf, GlOmP3R, A-Bookworm-Named-Steph, ChildishDemon, KatsaysGirlsruleYJ, Retainer, cerealkiller78, Guest, Skedaddle-San, READINGhearts17, colerfulldarkness666, 5-STAR, Mikeyf1115, YJFangirl, Dextra2. WOW lots of names! I love it! I`m feeling the aster! Anyways I hope to see you guys when I put up the next story, Too Tired to Stand. I hope you guys like the story, see you soon.