The Family of Bats (DRABBLES)

Joke's On You V. 1

WARNINGS: Killing, Torture (Mentions), Blood 

Inspired by "From Eden" by Hoizer! 

An angry scream tore from Nightwing's throat as he punched his enemy in the face. 

A hideous laugh echoed throughout the rooftops of Gotham. 

"He screamed so prettily, Boy Wonder." Joker smiled, blood dripping from his mouth.

Nightwing saw red. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Nightwing! stop!" Batman grabbed Nightwing's fist once he finally got to the rooftop. 

It was too late. 

Blood dripped from Nightwing's fist. Blood was splattered all over his costume and all over the rooftop under Joker's body.

Batman roughly threw Nightwing off of Joker's bloodied body and quickly checked for a pulse.

There was none. 

"Nightwing. What happened?" Batman asked in a harsh, emotionless voice.

"I...I don't... uhm, he was just laughing. He said that J-Jason screamed prettily. And he wouldn't stop laughing, B. He just wouldn't stop." Nightwing mumbled through.  

"Nightwing, what did you do?" Bruce asked, looking up from Joker's body.

"I hit him and he kept laughing. So I hit him again. Then he said that and... I... I don't remember after that." Nightwing said.

"Dick, go to the Cave. Go home." Batman said. 

Nightwing, pale as a ghost, nodded and left.

Bruce turned back to Joker's body and started to try CPR.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as Richard got back to the cave, he tore off his motorcycle helmet and headed straight to the showers. 

It took a while for the water to stop turning pink from the amount of blood that soaked through his suit.

As he  started dressing himself, he heard hushed whispers.

Richard stepped out of the changing rooms to find Bruce and Alfred talking, both looking upset. Bruce more mad, but Alfred more distresses.

"What's up? How... How is Joker?" Nightwing asked.

Bruce's lips thinned even more. 

"He's dead." 

Nightwing grew paler-if that was possible. 

"I... I... I didn't mean to." Richard said.

"I know. I found the footage and watched it. Why didn't you call when he started messing with you?" Bruce asked.

"I called and told you where he was before I even started to talk to him!" Dick said.

"Dick, you just killed him." Bruce said. 

Richard noticed that his hand was slipping closer to his utility belt.

"I didn't go in with the intention to kill him. I went in trying to find him! I didn't mean to kill him!" Richard said, eyeing Bruce.

Bruce took a step forward.

"That doesn't matter. You killed him, Dick." Bruce said, pulling out a pair of handcuffs from his belt.

"There's only two ways this is going to go, Dick." Bruce said. "Peacefully or forcefully." 

"I'm not one of the criminals we put in Arkham, Bruce! I didn't mean to!" Dick said, taking a step back, knowing full well what Bruce was trying.

"I'm sorry. You know what we stand for. What I stand for." Bruce said emotionlessly, having made up his mind.

Dick nodded, "You've made up your mind. I'm sorry too."

Richard bolted for an exit. 

Bruce quickly flung a baterang at him which Dick easily slid under.

The fight was quickly over as Richard got through the door and quickly made his way out of the Manor to one of his motorcycles. 

Guess he was on the run now.

Dick sped down the main drag of Gotham until he heard a familiar vehicle following him, the Batmobile.

'That's fine! I can go places the Batmobile can't.' Richard sped up even more, taking an alley and finding something to ramp off of and get on another road. 

He kept going diagonally down alleys to get to different roads until he was finally in the clear heading northwest out of Gotham. 

'Just keep moving.' Richard tried to keep cool under his panic. 

As soon as he felt safe enough to stop, he did to pull the tracker off of his motorcycle and the jacket he was wearing. 

He crushed them beneath his foot.

'Think Grayson, were are you going to go? Where can you hide? Who can I go to?' Dick got back on his motorcycle and started it up. 

'Any of the League cities are off-limits. Bruce will tell them that he's trying to get to me, but maybe not why. He probably wouldn't tell them. Or I could just listen in.' Richard pulled out the gloves to his extra suit he kept under his motorcycle seat. 

He started hacking into his comm so that he could easily listen to the League comms. 

"Why are we looking for Nightwing?" Superman sounded confused.

"He's been gone for a while and he isn't answering his comms. Just keep eyes out and let me know anything." Batman said, an audible click told everyone that he shut his comm off.

"Bats can't find Nightwing? What has Nightwing gotten into?" Flash asked, concerned.

'Leave it to good old Bruce to not tell them. So they won't necessarily turn me in right away. Just tell Bats where I am.' Dick nodded, thinking out a plan. 

'If I ever really need help, I can always go to Clark and Barry. But I should still stay away just in case. Try to lay low and disappear. Well, guess that means saying bye to Nightwing. And Dick Grayson.' Dick sighed. 

Well, guess he had to become a new civilian. And a new hero if he dared. 

Who was he kidding, of course he dared! People still needed help. That's what he was trained for. Not being a hero for a few months would be okay, but Dick knew he was going to start craving the thrill of flying and helping people again. 

He had a few months to think of a new hero. 

There's 3 versions of this story! I hope you enjoyed the one of Dick on the run!