Hurt

Summary: On the anniversary of his parents' death, Robin received something in the mail. What is it? Justice for his parents' killer, from an unexpected source.

Author's Note: Inspired by "The Devil's Share" episode of Person of Interest, and there's a shoutout to it in here. Also, play "Hurt" Johnny Cash's version. You can pull it upon YouTube.

What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

"Hurt" –Johnny Cash cover, originally by Nine Inch Nails

Robin was busy looking through his files in the evidence room. Suddenly, Starfire walked into the room.

"Robin, there is a package for you; I know that today is a very difficult day for you, but this is addressed to you."

"Thanks Star," he took the package from her and examined the outside. He put it under a scanner and checked it for anything dangerous. All he saw in the x-ray was a DVD. It wasn't a movie so it wasn't one of the many fan packages the Titans got.

He opened it carefully, removing the DVD. He made his way into the living room.

Rob, what's that?" Cyborg asked.

"I'm not sure, but Beast Boy, if you could put this in the DVD player," he handed it to Beast Boy, who was closest to the TV.

"Sure thing, Robin," Beast Boy inserted the DVD.

An image popped up on screen. A young man the other Titans hadn't seen before. But Robin had, he was about his own age, but he hadn't seen him in years.

"Hello Dick, I know I haven't seen you in years and all, but you may remember me, CJ Maroni, well, you know who my father is."

"Maroni, as in the mobster Sal Maroni?" Raven raised an eyebrow.

"How did you meet someone like him?" Starfire asked, surprised.

"He saved my life in a movie theater, a long time ago," Robin replied. He was stunned that Maroni knew his secret identity. Still, it didn't surprise him; CJ had seen his acrobatics a lot when they'd known each other.

Still, Robin wondered why he'd sent him this video; he could tell that CJ was in some sort of warehouse.

"Well, I suppose I should catch you up on what I've been doing. My father was murdered by the Holiday Killer, but you remember that because of the papers. I made my decision to get out of this crapsack city, you'd be disappointed though, I still run the family business, but not around Batman, I stay far, far away from Gotham City. Don't worry, I don't intend to come to Jump, the last thing I want is you chasing me, I know how determined you are, wouldn't want to get on your bad side."

CJ shrugged his shoulders, Robin noted he was wearing simple clothes and that he was sitting in a chair.

"Bring him in boys," he called out to some people off screen. Robin heard the sound of someone being dragged into the room.

"I never forgot that you saved my life from Amygdala, and I remember how I'd always visit you guys when you were in town. Holidays, Christmas, you guys treated me like family; most kids were scared of me, because of my dad."

CJ sighed, "I was there when your parents died, I wanted to go after Zucco so bad, but dad said we shouldn't get involved, said it wasn't our business and he didn't want to start a mob war, then he died, but they wouldn't let me have his empire yet, and now that I have it, I can do something I've always wanted."

Robin saw the camera pan over to a man in the chair, hands tied behind his back. He saw the other mobsters rip the sack off his head.

"Zucco!" he exclaimed, he knew the face of his parents' killer, but what did CJ want with him?

"Dude is that the guy who—" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Yes, Beast Boy, that's him," Robin's eyes narrowed, what was going on?

"What is he doing?" Starfire gazed at the screen nervously.

"You thought you were such a big shot, Tony, that you could do whatever you wanted, but the Maroni family, we have standards, if we're going to kill people because they won't give us what we want we kill them, and just them, we spare the rest of the family. We don't attack people who have nothing to do with this, you ignored that, and ever since then, you've had Batman and Robin chasing you."

"You're not their family, if anyone's gonna kill me, it's their brat!" Tony Zucco spat on him.

"That's true, Dick Grayson would have first dibs killing you, but he's too good for that, me? I'm not. And they were my friends. John and Mary were good people, and you don't get a lot of good people in a place like Gotham City."

"What do you owe that brat?" Zucco screamed. "What?!"

"He saved my life once. Well, there remains a debt. Civilization rests on the principle that we treat our criminals better than they treated their victims, that we not stoop to their level. But you and I are outliers; we're not really a part of civilization. We're something...older. Which means, of course, that we can do the things that civilized people can't. I offered to kill you for Dick Grayson many times, and he always said no. he is civilized, even now, he's probably freaking out over this video. I don't think he likes me. But I liked him very much. You killed John and Mary Grayson. So now I consider it my responsibility to fix the particular problem that is you, Boss Zucco."

"You really think you're gonna be the one to kill me?" Zucco asked in disbelief.

CJ Maroni began to laugh, "No, no, Grayson's arch nemesis is going to kill you. I'm just gonna watch."

"You think you're some sort of crime boss? You're too damn sentimental!" Zucco snarled.

"I am the evolution of organized crime; you're just a point I have to prove to all the other bosses. That people with standards are far scarier than people without them."

"You don't have the balls to kill me!"

"Like I said, Zucco, Grayson's nemesis is going to kill you."

"So Mr. Maroni, how do you want him to die?" a cold, emotionless voice asked.

"SLADE?!" the Titans exclaimed in horror. Robin was nervous, that meant that Slade knew his secret identity, but he supposed he kept it to himself for his own reasons.

"Zucco, there's a picture of the Flying Graysons that was made for Dick so he wouldn't forget them. I had a replica made, just so you could look at it while you're dying. Seemed appropriate that you should see the people you killed and all."

CJ walked over to him. He plunged a knife into the man's leg.

"How much did you demand from Mr. Haly, huh?" CJ demanded.

"$15—15,000!" Zucco exclaimed.

"So Mr. Maroni, how much for this job?" Slade asked.

"$30,000 is my offer."

"Done. How do you want him to die?"

"Strangle him with a garrote. Just make sure he's looking at them when he dies."

CJ reached over and used a small remote to push a button. A song came on. Johnny Cash's cover of "Hurt".

"Why the song, Maroni?" Slade asked.

"It was one of John Grayson's favorites."

"He had good taste in music," Slade observed.

Slade stood behind Zucco, Robin saw the garrote come out and he swallowed.

"Wait, wait! You're his arch nemesis; you should be helping me, not him! CJ Maroni is a nobody! I'm somebody in this town!"

"You couldn't afford me Zucco, and if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have the problems I have now."

Slade wrapped the garrote around Zucco's throat and started strangling him.

Robin recognizes the gasps and wheezing, being Batman's partner he has witnessed death too often, and he knows there's nothing he can do to stop what has already happened, but he knows the dramatic irony of knowing one man he hates is murdering the other man he hates.

Robin watches Zucco's face as he tries to turn away; Slade forced him to look at the picture of the Flying Graysons. His eyes bug out and roll back into his head.

Robin heard the song lyrics in the background.

And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

The other Titans are stunned and justifiably horrified by what they're witnessing. Cyborg finds the trashcan to vomit. Starfire holds her hands over her mouth. Raven's face is still, her expression is still filled with dread, and Beast Boy is visibly shaking.

Robin watches the body of the monster slump over. Tony Zucco is dead. He's still stunned, of all the things expected when it came to Zucco, he always thought he'd be the one to catch him and put him in a jail cell.

The song had stopped and there was silence.

"Boss Maroni, where do you want the body?" one of his underlings asked.

"Put him in the abandoned circus in Amusement Mile, hang him from the trapeze."

CJ looked at the camera.

"Dick, I know you'll turn this off, but I do have to tell you, I'm not sorry! You'll probably hate me, but what would Zucco have gotten if he was arrested, a slap on the wrist, a few years in jail? He'd bribe his way out, you and I both know that."

Robin was about to push the eject button when CJ spoke again.

"If you ever need me Robin, I'm always able to help."

Robin ejects the disc and took it out. He snaps it in half. He turned and left.

Robin stood in a café in Jump City, buying himself a cup of coffee.

"Hey, Boy Wonder, how'd you know I'd be here?" CJ Maroni asked, not looking at him.

"I know you'd never mail me something like that, and I remember you're very fond of coffee."

"I knew you'd come looking for me," CJ smiled, "Morality isn't so cut and dry Robin, you of all people know that. But what I did was for you, and for me."

"CJ, what you did is still wrong, you know that."

"Yes, and I don't expect you to thank me," CJ smiled. "I always wanted to be a hero, but I'm not civilized, you know that. It's in my blood, this role I play, it's still important. Without me, there wouldn't be people like you."

"CJ, I—" Robin began to speak, he'd turned his head to look out the window, only to turn back and find the seat across from him is empty.

"I can't believe he pulled one of those on me!" Robin exclaimed.

He looks down and sees a note.

"My condolences. –CJ Maroni."

Robin sighs. It's wrong to be relieved, he knows that, but Tony Zucco is dead, he'll never hurt another family again.

Robin returned to the Tower, finding Starfire waiting for him.

"Robin, will you be all right?" she asked.

"I think so Starfire, I think so." Robin gives her a hug. She smiled.

He enters the evidence room, suddenly, the old communicator rings, the one he wore when he was Slade's apprentice. Robin picks it up.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Robin, you got Maroni's video?"

Robin stills, it's Slade.

"Yes, why were you there?" he demanded.

"Maroni hired me for a job, you saw. It was a job, nothing more. I didn't do it for you."

"This changes nothing between us," Robin warned him. "Next time I see you, I'll stop you."

"Of course, I expect no less from you. And Robin, Maroni sends his condolences."

Robin hung up on him. This wasn't his day at all.

He stares at his parents' picture. "Well Mom, happy birthday. I guess CJ's present to you, is that Tony Zucco's dead."

There is only silence.

"It may not be the justice I wanted, but he did get what he deserved. But it would have been nicer for him to rot in jail."

Robin gazed at the circus bill.

"At least you both can rest in peace now, I'll see you tomorrow."

Robin turned and left the room. The door slipped shut behind him. He would keep moving forward, it was what his parents would have wanted.