Author's Note (AN): This is my first fan fic so I hope you like it! I'm gonna be adding a character from Imaginationgonewild92 called Blade; I love her work (at least I think she's a her), read her story "New Beginnings" to see her back story, along with a few other tweaks. But don't worry they'll be rather obvious. Enjoy!

It was dark. It had just started raining so the smell of mold permeated the air. There was blood everywhere. I put my hands on his neck in attempt to stop the bleeding, but his blood was already spreading. I pulled off my shirt and balled it by his wound.

"Hold on dad," I said, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. "Somebody help me!" I shouted again out of desperation. But no one would come. We were in Gotham, a cesspit so disgusting and crime filled that someone getting shot was just as normal as rain. "Help please!" I yelled. I had made three mistakes that day.

"T...Tommy?" Dad's voice was barely a whisper as he said my name. "I'm here Dad." I replied. "Just hold on, and don't talk." I forced a smile, "Save your energy for the game." Our baseball gloves were by my leg. We were finally gonna see a professional game! And then a bunch of goons had to go and ruin it. Three mistakes.

"To...mmy... I... need to... to ugh... tell you... about your... mother..." My eyes widened. Dad never talks about my mom, not since she died when I was two. All I knew about her was that she was a cop and that I apparently look a heck of a lot like her with my blonde hair and blue-grey eyes. Three damned mistakes. "Your mother... she's... she's not..." and with that his eyes went dark.

"Dad? DAD?! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" I made three mistakes and now my dad is dead.

11 HOURS AGO:

BEEP BEEP BEEP! My alarm buzzed making that sound that instantly makes you despise it, well waking me up doesn't put you on my "friends list" very quickly either. I rolled onto my side to turn off my alarm and was greeted by a blinding flash.

"Happy birthday kiddo!"

I rubbed my eyes and looked up to see my dad in the most ridiculous get up ever. He had on a big pink party hat with a yellow puff ball on top and a sweater so horrendous it'd make you think it was Christmas time except for the fact that it said "happy birthday" on it. I laughed, I wouldn't be caught dead in it so he wore it every year.

"I've got breakfast a'waitin' in the kitchen," he said with a little too much enthusiasm, "a full pancake buffet!" He rushed out of the room.

I chuckled to myself. He was a dork but he was all I had and I loved him. I looked around my room. It was caked in clothing. I smiled at the thought of all of the times Dad asked me to clean. But not today, he never asked me to do chores on my birthday.

I Got out of bed and trudged out into the hall way and looked into our small apartment. It wasn't much but it was home. I looked and saw Dad at the small table in the kitchenette stuffing pancakes in his mouth. I looked around the room, it was small with only a table, a futon; where dad slept, and a TV on a stand. The TV was on and showing some news report about a fire at someplace called "Cadmus", what ever that was, but it seems that the Justice League had taken care of it.

I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. The water was cold but I didn't mind, I never complain. After a while the water git hotter and I relaxed a little. I stepped out of the shower and quickly brushed my teeth and changed into my usual outfit, a blue t-shirt with a black vest and a pair of blue-grey jeans along with black glasses and sneakers. "Tommy c'mon and eat."

I walked out and the news had changed, now it was talking about how there was an armored car heading for the Gotham bank to "replenish it's supply of dollar bills after on Bruce Wayne made a substantial withdrawal". I furrowed my brow. An armored car? In Gotham? Yeah that's going to go along swimmingly. I sat down by Dad and started dishing my self up some pancakes. I was about to pour the syrup on them when my dad stuck a lit candle in the center.

"What's this?" I asked skeptically.

"Make a wish!" He replied with a smile. "Dad, I'm just turning nine," I said with a huff, "it's not that important."

My dad gave me a serious look, "All birthdays are important." He said, "and besides, I cant make a cake so I made PAN-cakes." He had a huge smile on his face, "Now make a wish." I closed my eyes and blew. When I opened my eyes my dad held up two Yankees tickets.

"DAD!" I said wide eyed, "are those...?

"Yep." He said with a devilish smile playing across his lips. "They're for tonight, I bought them in advance to surprise you! I was thinking that after you're done with school you could go to the library and I'll pick you up after I finish some... business." He said the last word so forlornly, like it hurt to say. I knew what business he had. He was going to see grandma's grave. I didn't know her well but she and Dad were very close. He always visited her on Saturdays.

Just then I heard the bus honk from outside. "Gotta go! Don't wanna be late!" I said grabbing my bag.

"Tommy wait!" Dad called as I walked out the door. I turned and he tousled my hair and kissed my forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too."

My day went along as usual, I went to school then to my karate class, Dad wanted me to be able to defend myself, and then to the library. I stopped outside the library and looked over at the bank next door. The armored car was just leaving. My eyebrows came together in a moment of confusion. It was leaving, unharmed. In Gotham! You would think that it would be as tempting as an alcoholic in a liquor store that's giving out free samples to the freaks in this town. But hey, I'm not complaining. It's just I had taken the long way to get here in hopes of avoiding and attempt at robbery of the truck. That was my first mistake.

I walked into the library and waved to the librarian behind the front desk, "Hey Molly." I called. Now I know all those stereotypes about old ladies who run libraries like it's their own personal boot camp but Molly was different. She was tall and had long beautiful bleach blonde hair and stunning blue eyes. She was a bit like my tutor, not that I needed it... I may have only been nine, but I was a smart nine. My dad worked tirelessly in order to put me through school so I cherished learning. If I wanted to I could've been in high school if I wanted to. But in all honesty I kinda had a crush on Molly.

She smiled at me, "Hey Tommy, how are you?"

"I'm good," I said as I pulled out my books from the previous week. "How are you?"

"I'm doing OK, you returning these?"

"All except this one," I said pulling one from the pile, "I'd like to renew this one."

"'The Story of the Justice League'," she said reading the cover, "Again? That's the third time? You have to have read it by now!"

"I've read it like twelve times!" I said excitedly.

"OK well hey wait! Isn't today you're birthday?"

"Yeah, it is" I said, delighted that she remembered. "I love it!"

"I'll tell you what, I'll give you this book as a birthday gift!" She offered.

"Really?"

"Yeah. In fact..." She typed something into the computer. "There! It has officially been 'lost'." She put air quotes around the last word.

"Thanks!" I almost yelled.

"Anything for you champ," she said as she tousled my hair. She treated me like a kid but I didn't care.

I was paroozing the fiction section when I saw a shadow pass by my shoulder. I turned and saw two men in the corner wearing big dark coats. And by the looks of things, they were up to no good, they were trying to make some trouble in my neighborhood (sorry I had to). They were whispering to each other so I couldn't actually hear what they were saying. Suddenly one of them walked over to the wall opposite me and put something on the wall. My curiosity peaked and I walked over to it.

I only had enough time to think "OH SHI-" before the C-4 on the wall exploded sending me flying. I might've died right there if the library had gone for the wooden chairs other than the mercifully soft bean-bag chairs. But soft as it is, the bag still burst sending plastic pellets everywhere. I got up slowly, my head was spinning. I saw the two men throw off their coats, revealing a couple of nasty looking guns, and rushed out the newly formed exit.

I fallowed them. I don't know why I did but I did. Weather it was out of curiosity, or maybe a strange longing for adventure that I didn't even know I had, or even a desire to serve justice like my mother did before me. But for whatever reason I fallowed them. And that was my second mistake.

It was getting dark already, with it almost being winter the days were getting shorter, and it seemed like it was going to rain soon. The two goons with guns joined five other people in the alleyway. I quickly hid behind a dumpster and peered around the back to see who the new guys were. Three of the new five were just more thugs but the other two- No! There's no way my luck was this bad!

"Welcome to the party!" The Joker said with a wicked grin on his face.

"Actually puddin the party's inside!" Harley Quinn said gesturing to the wall.

"Oh, well then let's get inside!" Joker started padding his purple and green suit and checking his pockets. "Oh dear," he said, "I seem to have miss placed my key. Would one of you not-so-gentlemen min?" He pointed to the wall like a magician revealing his assistant that appeared out of nowhere.

One of the henchmen sighed and walked to put another bomb on the wall but before he could Joker stopped him.

"You don't like my jokes?" He asked.

"Sir," the man responded, "I'd just like to got the job over and done with." 'Oh no' I thought. I could see the veins in Joker's neck, he was so mad. The Joker frowned. 'Holy god'. He turned away for a moment then in one fluid motion reached inside his coat, pulled out a pistol and shot the man in the chest. I couldn't breathe. I may have lived in Gotham my whole life but I had never actually seen someone get shot.

"I hate people with no sense of humor." He said while rubbing his eyes. He knelt down and smiled at the poor man. "Hey don't look so sad buddy. Look I got something for ya." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a capsule and dropped it by the bleeding man's head. The capsule started spouting a green gas. The man started coughing and crying. Wait, he wasn't crying... The smoke cleared and the man had a huge grin splayed across his lips. He was laughing. He just got shot and he was laughing! He was probably going to die AND HE WAS LAUGHING!

"There you go!" Joker said taking the bomb from the dying man. "Daddy always said if you want something done right," he placed the bomb on the wall and stepped back, "then hire better help!"

There was a deafening boom as the wall blew.

Batman, Robin and Batgirl dashed across the rooftops of Gotham, on patrol for any criminal activity, when Robin stopped suddenly.

"What's up Dick?" Batgirl asked.

Robin pulled up the holographic screen for the computer on his arm. "Looks like Joker's hit the bank, probably after the new bills from the armored car delivery earlier today." He said.

"Alright, let's-" Batman was interrupted by his own com buzzing. "The Riddler is attacking the mall." He said.

"That's on the other side of town from the bank! And in the other direction!" Batgirl pointed out.

"I'll take the Riddler," Batman said, "You two get the Joker."

"Right," both Robin and Batgirl said at the same time.

I turned and tucked into a ball, shielding myself behind the dumpster. But even still I was knocked forward by the shock wave. I stood up and shook the rubble off of me. When I turned to look at the group they had already gone inside.

I creeped along the wall and peered in the hole. Joker had blown into a small room that looked to be an office. The Joker, Harley and their four remaining goons stood in the center of a room, all wearing gas masks. There were five other people in the room, one was a man in a suit who lay under a pile of rubble, the others all looked like guards. Joker dropped a smoke grenade which started filling the room with more f that "laughing gas."

"Now," Joker spoke up, "which way to the present room?" they headed off down the hall.

The gas was almost spilling out of the room by now. I looked at the man Joker had shot. He had a gas mask on him. I crawled over to him. The mask was on his belt. I stared at it for a moment. If I waited any longer I might loose them, but I had never touched a dead body before. I swallowed my fear and disgust and just grabbed it. Before I had the chance to think about what I was doing I slipped on the mask and hurried down the hall after Joker.

At the end of the hallway was a large metal door to a safe. The eight guards who would be protecting the safe had already been dispatched, either by gas or gunfire, and the goons were attaching some device to the door. I hid behind a filing cabinet on the left of the hallway and peeked over, still not sure about what I was doing or why I was there.

Somebody had to stop them... But I couldn't, I was only nine! But I was the only one here! I looked to my right. There was a guard who had been hit by the gas. His face was blue from lack of breath. His pistol was still in his hand. I had never shot someone before. I'd held a gun. My dad had three and we had gone camping last year and he had let me fire one at some cans. And I was good too. But this was different. I would be trying to shoot these people. But someone had to stop them. And no one else was here.

I tentatively reached for the pistol and pried it from the poor man's fingers. His hand was warm and sweaty. He held on to it with a firm grip, I had to fight him in order to get it but after a while I had it. I looked at everyone. All four of them were staring at the safe. I lifted the gun and aimed at Joker. I took a breath and...

CLICK! I turned and stared straight down the barrel of an Uzi. 'Six!' I thought, 'There were six guys!' "Drop it kid." The goon said. He knocked the mask from my face with a strong punch, knocking me on my butt at the same time.

"Oh!" The Joker complained, "I wanted to see if he'd do it!" He turned and looked at me with eyes so cold that they'd make a penguin swim north for the winter. He looked at me and saw my bag. He walked over and grabbed it, I was too stunned to fight. He pulled out my book and said, "So you were in the library huh? Well, I see you like the Justice League! I prefer something funnier, like a horror or murder mystery." He looked at me, I just stared back dumbfounded at how stupid I was. "Huh, just kill him I guess." He walked back over to stand by Harley,throwing the book over his shoulder as he did so.

He turned and smiled at me, "Let's see if the Justice League can save you now!" He threw his head back and cackled.

Just then I heard someone laughing. It sounded like a kid. A little boy not much older than me. Something with a rope attached to it stuck into the wall by the safe. I looked to the source of the rope and saw the small frame of a girl shooting towards the guy aiming a gun at my head. She kicked him tot the ground and threw something at another of the thugs. Electricity arched from a little spot on his chest where it hit and he collapsed next to the other two guards who were dispatched by a boy who looked to be about thirteen. I hadn't even seen him come in. I recognized the two as Batgirl and Robin. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Oh, it's the bat-brats." Joker said. "Harley dear would you mind?"

"Neva' mind puddin'" she responded rushing Batgirl.

Batgirl pulled out two long sticks and took down Harley in one move. "Run kid!" She shouted. I stared at her in wonder. "GO!" she said pointing back to the alley.

I realized she was talking to me, "Oh. Oh right!" I said taking off down the hall. "And don't call me kid!" I yelled over my shoulder.

"You're welcome." She replied under her breath.

I got out into the alley and heard someone yell behind me, "Get back here kid!" I turned and saw the guy who had almost killed me running after me, aiming his gun.

"Tommy!" I heard my dad call my name. I looked over and saw him crossing the police line and run over to me.

"DAD!" I screamed. That was my third mistake. Why? Because the thug chasing me was just behind me and hearing me yell he looked at my dad, and he thought my dad was a cop. He panicked. Firing blindly in Dad's direction.

I couldn't breathe. 'No' I thought. 'NO!NO!NO!NO!' That's all I could think. I got to him as he collapsed to the ground. I slid in beside him and propped his head up on my lap.

"Dad?" I asked fighting back tears. I put my hand on his neck to feel his pulse and my blood went cold. It came away red.

"Tommy?" He asked. He had dropped our baseball gloves, we were gonna get them signed.

I looked up. Where the thug was, was now Batgirl standing on the now unconscious man.

"Help." I struggled out. She stared at me with obvious sadness in her eyes. "Help me, please!"

Robin ran out of the bank and grabbed her arm. "We gotta go! Batman needs help with the Riddler!"

"But..." She stopped him and pointed at me.

"Huh," Robin sighed, "The Riddler has dozens of hostages. If we don't go now they could all die!" He shot a cord onto the rooftop and zipped away without waiting for her.

She looked right at me and said, "I'm sorry..." and with that she was gone.

"Somebody help me!" I yelled.

It was dark. It had just started raining so the smell of mold permeated the air. There was blood everywhere. I put my hands on his neck in attempt to stop the bleeding, but his blood was already spreading. I pulled off my shirt and balled it by his wound.

"Hold on dad," I said, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. "Somebody help me!" I shouted again out of desperation. But no one would come. We were in Gotham, a cesspit so disgusting and crime filled that someone getting shot was just as normal as rain. "Help please!" I yelled. I had made three mistakes that day.

"T...Tommy?" Dad's voice was barely a whisper as he said my name. "I'm here Dad." I replied. "Just hold on, and don't talk." I forced a smile, "Save your energy for the game." Our baseball gloves were by my leg. We were finally gonna see a professional game! And then a bunch of goons had to go and ruin it. Three mistakes.

"To...mmy... I... need to... to ugh... tell you... about your... mother..." My eyes widened. Dad never talks about my mom, not since she died when I was two. All I knew about her was that she was a cop and that I apparently look a heck of a lot like her with my blonde hair and blue-grey eyes. Three damned mistakes. "Your mother... she's... she's not..." and with that his eyes went dark.

"Dad? DAD?! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" I made three mistakes and now my dad is dead.

I pressed my face into his blood soaked shirt and cried. I punched the ground.

"Damn it!" I yelled, "DAMN IT! Why?" I punched the ground again. "WHY?!" 'Why did he have to die?' He was all I had left!

I pulled away and sat against the wall of the bank, curled up in the fetal position and leaned my head back. I didn't blame Batgirl, or Robin. Heroes had to make calls like that all the time. A sob shook my chest threatening to tear me apart.

I don't know how long I sat there, but it couldn't have been that much time because it was before the cops showed up that I saw the light. It was a bright green light. I didn't think I was dead. And I knew I wasn't asleep. So what was that light. It was so bright, but for some reason I couldn't look away.

Who are you? asked a voice in my head.

"T-Tommy?" I said unsure.

You are uncertain of your own name?! It asked sternly.

I stood up and set my jaw. "I am Thomas Crane!" I said with more confidence.

What do you feel 'Thomas Crane?' It said the last words in my voice like some kind of recording.

I thought for a moment. "Sadness, loneliness,... anger,... rage..." I said.

Do you wish vengeance apon those who made you feel this way?

I thought again... I remember a story my dad once told me about my mom.

"No," I said, "not vengeance. Justice!"

The light grew brighter and brighter until I had to cover my eyes with my right hand. I closed my eyes and turned my head. Something slipped over my right middle finger. A ring...

Suddenly every muscle in my body tensed, my lips pulled apart and my jaw clenched. I tried to scream but all that came out was something in between a grunt and a growl.

"NNNNNNNGGHHHHHAAAAA!"

I opened my eyes, I was enveloped in the green light so much so that my eyes burned. My clothes... changed. My vest and sneakers turned green and my shoes turned into boots. My pants shrunk until they fit snug against my body and extended under the open vest and onto my arms, becoming a full body black suit that ended at my elbows. Gloves appeared on my hands, they were black with white fingers. And finally, a mask spawned on my face covering from my cheek bones to my brow, it was also green (am I the only one seeing a pattern?).

The whole experience was incredibly painful. Once it was done I fell to my knees. I looked at my reflection in a puddle. I noticed something on my chest. It was a symbol of some kind. Two horizontal green bars on top and bottom of a green circle, all in a white filled circle. 'The symbol of-!' I thought.

Welcome, to the Green Lantern Core.

I know, evil cliff hanger on the first one!? "But hey, always leave them wanting more!" I hope you liked it!