-Jason's POV-

The plan. It was happening. It was moving.

I had sent my little present to Bruce hours ago. Alfred was probably analyzing it at that exact moment. I had sent old Bats a message; the lock of Joker's hair was enough to draw his attention. I had extracted it myself.

As for Black Mask, Athena and I had talked to him days ago. I had made a fake agreement with him. I was watching live video feed of him safely inside my warehouse at that exact moment.

His comrades surrounded him. They all were confused, talking and mumbling quietly. Mask silenced them. "All my operations are a mess. I've had my offices blown up by a rocket, three metal pygmy meta humans wasted my time...because...well...look...You folks are my right arm. My second in commands. The 'go to' guys, and you are all great earners..."

I was surprised how hard this was for him. Almost made me feel bad for him. Almost. "But you've been under performing of late. I am...to say the least...disappointed," Black Mask glared at his best workers.

"It ain't for lack of trying," one spoke up.

"Hey! Yeah! I could not agree more. You kids have been nailing all the cliches. 'Nose to the grindstone,' 'hitting on all cylinders,' 'working your fingers to the bone.'"

Another one turned towards Mask. A familiar frown on his face. "It's this damned Red Hood."

"He hits us hard. He hits us dirty. How are we supposed to deal with a guy who won't deal?"

"He's gotta die!"

"Yeah. But that's the thing. Hes a damn cockroach, man. Fucker just won't die."

"Right. I think we gotta find a way to...to reach some middle ground. Some way that he will take a deal with us."

Black Mask lowered his head, finally speaking up over his men again. "I have."

They all started talking again, hopeful. "Yeah!? What is it? Money or territory? It better be money because it ain't gonna be territory..."

"Not really your problem anymore." Black Mask pulled out an Uzi. His eyes went wide as he fired off bullets, killing every unsuspecting person in the room. Once everyone was in a peaceful permanent sleep, he dropped the gun and turned towards the door. "Happy?"

My body double stepped out. I smirked. "Getting there..." I said through my microphone that I embedded inside my helmet.

"What the hell do you mean 'getting there'!? I just signed a contract by wasting all my second in commands!"

"And I appreciate that."

"I don't want your damned appreciation! I expect your obedience!" He was fired up now, "This is called detente, you sick, demented moron!"

I almost laughed out loud. I wish Athena was there to watch everything unfold with me, but she still hadn't shown up at the meeting point. I tried not to think about it. "I think you may have misunderstood the terms of our--"

"Are you completely off your bullet-headed nut!? You came to me -- TO ME -- wanting to put an end to this! 'Really Mask' You said, 'I'm all done with the whacked out mad bomber routine. I want a seat at the table.'

"'Go to hell,' I say, 'despite the fact that I'd rather take all my capos, set them on fire and pitch them off an airplane -- I need them. And if I brought you in, I'd lose trust. And I'd never get another honest day out them again' such as it is," Black Mask ranted, shoving his finger into my double's face.

I wasn't fazed whatsoever. "But you had a way around it."

"Yeah! Gutting every one of 'em and promoting new ones. Ones who are still green enough to be loyal despite me getting in bed with your twisted, grenade throwing ass!" He stormed across the room, looking over his shoulder, "Now...my gut is telling me that you have had a change in attitude."

He got up in my double's face. "AM I WRONG!?"

I stayed stoic. "Probably not."

"SONOFA---" He smashed a chair across "my" face and pulled out a pistol, "Should have done this myself a long time ag--"

Red Hood went forward, kicking Mask in the face. "Why didn't you?" I replied.

"I made a mistake-- oof!" The fight started, "I thought you were just a blood stain that didn't need my attention!"

"Ha! You were afraid to get your hands dirty! You wanted to sit on your ass and let your worker bees do the real labor! You tried to run Gotham through fear! Take a look around! That plan's been failing for a long time. And believe me," I said, letting my double convey my emotions through his actions, "I'm not scared!" My double tossed Black Mask through the window. "You can call yourself whatever you like...You can play dress up...You can surround yourself with any myth you like...But at the end of the day...You're just another gangster."

Black Mask crouched on the ground, glaring daggers at me. He was really angry. Like, really. "Look who's talking abut hiding...About making myths...about dress up!? LOOK AT YOU!" He charged forward, "Tarted up like some gladiator biker! Covered in body armor! You see what I'm wearing boy!? Do you feel what you're hitting when you hit me!? Skin! And daddy's not afraid of losing some!" He pointed at his bald, burnt face.

"Good to know," I replied, my double slashing him across the chest. He kicked Mask across the room and prepared to stab, but Mask used a chair leg to knock him off guard. My double placed an explosive on his jacket, lighting it ablaze.

"You fucking little girl!" He shouted, tearing off his jacket, "Toys! All you costumed rent-a-cops and your toys! You can't fight like men! You never -- ever -- put your hide on the line!"

My double slashed him across the shoulders. "No. That's all I do. Because I guess that's what it comes down to...sacrifice. You just want to run Gotham, just keep Gotham, but you never will. You don't understand her," I paused, staring at Black Mask through the camera feed I was being fed, "You've got to be willing to destroy this place to make her yours."

That pissed him off.

He rushed forward, overpowering my double. "Brother, I am ready to torch this hell hole into ash, to kill every sad mouth breather who was ever dumb enough to live here...and I'm ready to go down with the ship," the two fought over control over the dagger in my double's hands, "And between the two of us, little man, we both know I'm the one who's not afraid to die."

It was nearly impossible to contain my laughter. "I wouldn't bet on that."

From the corner of my feed, I saw Batman pull up. Just on time.

Black Mask quickly took control of the knife, plunging it into "Red Hood's" chest. Bruce watched from outside as Mask stood over the bleeding body. Bruce rushed forward as Black Mask removed my helmet.

"Damn it! When did you get--?"

"Oh I invited him," I said, smirking, "I figured you two needed some catching up." I walked over to Joker, pressing my dagger into his fleshy, white throat, "The night's just filled with reunions."

Joker's was still bleeding from the punches I laid on him. "Didn't I kill you?"

"We've been over this," I growled.

"I know, but I like talking about it."

-

I texted Athena. I don't know where our relationship was anymore -- if it was even existent at all anymore -- but she deserved to know that the plan was going down. The worry that she wouldn't show was hanging over me, but I tried to bury it down. Tonight was too important to get distracted.

I just hoped she would show up.

I really needed her.

Eventually, Bruce showed up where I needed him to.

"Only seemed fitting, huh?" I walked out of the shadows, "The place of your birth. The place of our first meeting," I looked at Bruce. I didn't know what it was, but seeing him in Crime Alley like that, it gave me the weirdest feeling. "And now...where it ends."

"Where is he?" Bruce growled, ignoring me. I shouldn't of been surprised.

"Inside this building. Don't bother trying to ditch me to go and find him, I've wired the whole building. I can blow it up any time," I smirked, pulling out the detonator, "that would seem fitting -- payback wise."

Bruce looked at me desperately. "I'm not going to let you kill him."

"You can try to stop me." We both rushed forward.

I looked to my right. I looked to my left. Athena still hadn't shown up. Time slowed down, in fact, it seemed to stop. I guess that's what happens when you have to make a big decision. Something inside me snapped. She was with Dick. She had abandoned me.

What had I expected, her to be loyal? No one ever was. Bruce wasn't. Dick wasn't. And not even Athena was. Even when we had both shared so much with each other, she still didn't choose me.

Everyone left eventually. I don't know why I had allowed myself to think differently.

This was the end. Ever since I died, this had been the end goal. Athena wasn't part of the beginning and now she wasn't going to be part of the end.

SKABOOM!

Bruce whipped around to turn towards the source of the boom. I didn't turn. I knew what it was. Athena had made her choice, Bruce had made his choice, so I made mine.

"That's Bludhaven," I said.

Bruce gasped. "Dick...?"

"My god," I chuckled sarcastically, "Is Nightwing there? Imagine that. One son returns from the dead as another enters it...what a fitting ending this has become."

Bruce didn't say anything. He just stood there, his mouth open, staring at the green smoke cloud over Bludhaven. I was too angry to stay quiet. I was so mad, I was almost outside of my own body.

"Good God, the ironies abound. Here we are and you have to run to the site of an explosion to dig through the wreckage and find the body of your Boy Sidekick," I smirked, "If he's there, Bruce...you're too late," I frowned, feeling a cloud of depression cross my heart, "Again."

Bruce rushed forward towards Bludhaven, but I set off a small explosion as soon as he moved. "No! You're not leaving! Not now! Not this time!"

"Jason, please, I--"

"What? You have to be sure? Getting out of that alive would be one neat trick! It'd take a hell of a lot more than batarangs and a few escrima sticks to survive!" I shouted, my voice sounding crazier and wilder each time I spoke, "If 'ol Dickie is there, he's dead. And if you leave...someone else is gonna die tonight."

Deep down inside myself, I was screaming at myself. I had set off the bomb with Dick in Bludhaven because of my own jealously. But in that moment, I was only consumed by my own fiery rage. Everyone always chose Dick. He was Bruce's favorite. Bruce would do anything for him. He was Athena's first choice. She had rushed to him when I truly needed her at my side. So, I detonated that bomb. I refused to let myself think that Athena might've been in Gotham at that moment. I was just glad to know that I eliminated my competition.

"Oh, look at that," I said, condescendingly as Bruce scowled, "He's accessing the situation. And trying to throw off that terrifying vibe. Do I look scared, Bruce?"

Suddenly, he threw two batarangs at me. I dodged, but barely. "Almost had me! You went for my shoulder and head! Made me choose my wound! Knowing all the tricks only helps a bit, right!?" I knew Bruce's every move. He had taught me them all. "But I've got tricks too! New ones!" I threw some puddy at Bruce's back as he attempted to escape, then shot a grapple at him, tugging him back.

I dropped down on him, knife raised. "I went for the cape! Surprised!?" I landed on top of him. "You shouldn't be! You wear all your weaknesses out in the open! Capes! Body armor! Weapons!" I tried to cut off his utility belt again, but ended up just grazing off of it.

"Ha! You reinforced the belt so my blade couldn't cut it! Not going to make the same mistakes twice and be left without your toys!?" I hissed in his face.

"No, never twice." Sneakily, Bruce put an explosive on my shoulder, "And let's see how you do without your toys."

My jacket burned, falling to the ground as Bruce shoved me off of him. Before I fell right after my jacket, I crashed through the window of my safe house. He followed after me. "Enough! All of it ends tonight!" He kicked me hard in the chest as I slumped against the wall. "You say you want to save Gotham!" He cracked me against the face, breaking my nose, "To kill a part of it so it can survive!" He headbutted me in the lip, making it gush blood. "You say you want to be better than me!" He kicked me in the jaw, sending me flying across the room. "But it won't happen!"

I fell to the ground, inching my way to the corner. Bruce stood over me like an angry, predatory tiger. "I know I failed you. But...I tried to save you, Jason," the ferociousness vanished from his voice, leaving only a soft, caring tone, "I'm...I'm trying to save you now."

I grabbed my pistol off the ground and aimed it at his chest as I slumped on the ground. "Is that what you think this is about!? You letting me die!?" I screamed, my hand shaking, "I don't know what clouds your judgment worse. Your guilt or your antiquated sense of morality." The anger seemed to leave me for a split second as I stared up into the pained face of the man I once considered my best friend. My father.

"Bruce, I forgive you for not saving me," I said gently. Just as soon as the attitude had appeared, it vanished. I remembered what I was fighting for, why I was here. "But why...why on God's Earth--" I stood up, punching the wooden closet door open, "Is he still alive!?"

Tied to a chair, Joker was screeching with laughter. It was like the pits of hell were being heard through his chuckles. "Now we've got ourselves a party! One big happy -- All together again! Who's got a camera? Dracula, you must have a digital picy-poo on that hardware store around your waist!" Joker cackled, "Get one of me and the kid, first. Then, you and me. Then the three of us. Then one with the crowbar."

I punched him as hard as I could without killing him. Raising my gun, I pressed the barrel to his temple. "You'll be as quiet as possible or I'll put a bullet in your lap first."

"Party pooper. No cake for you!" He finally shut up, but an obnoxious smile still stained his ugly face.

I turned back towards Bruce, kneeling beside Joker, who I had knocked over onto the floor. Half of my domino mask had been torn off, so I was looking through a white lens in one eye and the other was completely blind. "Ignoring what he's done in the past. Blindly, stupidly, disregarding the entire graveyards he's filled. The thousands who have suffered..." I howled, "...the friends he's crippled..." Barbara's kind face flashed in both of our heads, I could tell.

"...I thought...I thought killing me--" My voice hitched as I tried to keep my emotions and hurt in control, "--that I'd be the last person you'd let him hurt." I met Bruce's eyes. He stayed silent, his face stone.

"If it had been you that he beat to a bloody mass...If it had been you that he left in agony...If he had taken you from this world..." I raised my gun back to Bruce, lowering my gaze, "...I would have done nothing but search the planet for this pathetic pile of evil, death-worshiping garbage...and sent him off to hell."

Bruce finally said something. "You don't understand. I don't think you've ever understood."

"What? Your moral code just won't allow for that? Its too hard to 'cross that line'?"

"No. God almighty...No." Bruce looked down, pain flashing across his face. He raised his gaze back to me, his tone desperate. "It'd be too damned easy."

I looked back. I didn't have a response.

He continued. "All I have ever wanted to do is kill him. For years, a day hasn't gone by where I haven't envisioned taking him...taking him and spending an entire month putting him through the most horrendous, mind boggling forms of torture. All of it building to an end with him broken, butchered and maimed...pleading...screaming...in the worse kind of agony as he careens into a monstrous death."

"Aw! Y'see I've thought about that too!" Joker interrupted. I was too enticed by Bruce's shocking confession to even listen to him.

Bruce stared down in shame, his face contorting into one of true suffering. "I want him dead -- maybe more than I've ever wanted anything. But if I do that, if I allow myself to go down into that place...that state of mind...I'll never come back."

"Why?"

"What?" Bruce seemed generally thrown off by my question.

"Why do all the cub scouts in spandex always say that? 'If I cross that line, there's no coming back'," I kept my gun aimed at Bruce, rolling my eyes, "I'm not talking about killing Cobblepot and Scarecrow or Clayface. Not Riddler or Dent...

"...I'm talking about him. Just him...

"...And doing it because....

"...Because he took me away from you."

I peered through Bruce. Suddenly I was thirteen again. All the hard times I had been put through were being laid out bare in front of Bruce. Why couldn't he understand?

Bruce looked away. "I can't. I'm sorry. I just can't."

"That is so sweet," Joker added.

I snapped. I really did. The tiny grasp I had on my emotions had slipped. I was acting completely on impulse. I wasn't in control anymore. Bruce had broken me. Destroyed me.

I slid my gun over to Bruce's feet, hitting them. "Well, you don't have a choice."

He picked it up, holding it like it was foreign. "I won't--"

"This is it. This is the time you decide." I pulled out another gun, slicing Joker's ropes with my other hand. I wrapped my arm tightly around his neck, squeezing tightly. "If you don't kill this psychotic piece of shit...

"...I will." I drilled my gun into the side of Joker's head. A sadistic smile was still painted on his face. He was enjoying this. It was making me even more furious. I was almost numb with anger. "You want to stop me? You're going to have to kill me."

I looked at Bruce with one eye, the rest of my face hidden behind Joker's head. "Stop this. Enough. You know I won't--" His voice was so desperate, so pleading.

"All you've got is a head-shot. I'm going to blow his addled, deranged brains out -- and if you want to stop it..." One fat, wet tear streaked down my cheek as I stared at the man I had once trusted my entire life with, "...you're going to have to shoot me. Right in my face. And kill me."

"This is turning out so much better than I thought!" Joker grinned.

Bruce grit his teeth. "Stop this."

"Its him or me. You have to decide."

"Please, don't..."

"I'll count to three."

"Put the gun down."

"One." A tear dripped from my left eye, sliding down my bruised face.

"Don't," Bruce hissed.

"Two." Another one, from my right, carried my will to live with it away from my soul.

"NO!" Bruce shrieked.

"Thr--" A batarang came towards me. It pierced me in the shoulder before I had time to react, forcing me to release Joker. I shouted out in pain.

I fell to my knees as blood began to gush out of my open wound at a fast rate.

"You got him! You expert, rooting-tooting, eagle-eyed, goth marksman son of a bitch! Ya banked that bata-thingie off the pipe!!!" Joker yelped in delight, practically clapping. Bruce paused to look over at me. I crashed to the floor, my face pressed against the cold concrete. A pool of velvety blood surrounded me. The pain was starting to go away as more and more blood left me. I was starting to feel as cold and numb on the outside as I felt on the inside.

"Oh God! I love it! You managed to find a way to win!!! And everybody still loses!! Except me, my little dark pumpkin pies! I'm the one who's gonna get what he wants tonight! Badda bing. Badda boom!" Joker continued to yell.

"NO!" Bruce shouted back.

I had no motivation whatsoever to get up and patch myself up. I just wanted to lay there, on the ground, and await my death. Bruce had failed me. Again. If I died, I wouldn't want to come back. My whole reason for being brought back from the dead -- the plan I had started since then -- had ended with me losing. Just like Joker said.

I was alone. Utterly and completely. Everyone had failed me. Abandoned me. The only place I belonged was six feet underground.

So, I stayed lying there, waiting for my body to drain completely and for all the life to finally leave me for good. Hopefully I wouldn't be brought back this time.

"Yes! Doncha' just loooove how its all ending!?" Joker grabbed my gun, putting the barrel against the bomb I had rigged to him. The one that Bruce was supposed to help me set off. "Toodles."

The last thing I remembered was seeing my bleeding body reflected in Bruce's eyes before flames consumed the three of us.

~~~~~~~~Wow. Such a long chapter. I know I didn't update last week, but I hope this makes up for it. This one was really emotional for me to write. A lot of the things Jason thinks is stuff I have felt personally, so I really connected to this chapter. I really hope you guys appreciate it. If you really want to connect to this chapter (and make yourselves even more depressed) I would listen to the songs I suggest. Songs: Sometime - Conan Gray. Nobody Knows You - Leslie Odom Jr. Lost Stars - Adam Levine. The Funeral - Band of Horses. ~~~~~~~~~