A lot of things had changed in Gotham too ever since Talia's last visit. Just like a lot had changed in her life by Damian's addition, similarly a lot had changed for the Dark Knight and his sons.

Richard had taken up the identity of Nightwing while Jason still operated as Robin. The young Robin was now seventeen years old and unaware of what the future held for him, going about his life as a city savior and Batman's prodigy.

While Richard at twenty-two was soaring the skies independently as the vigilante Nightwing. He operated in the neighboring city of Bludhaven as he had been transferred to the BCPD after serving for a year at Gotham's police department.

He would come back to the Manor for Christmas dinners, Thanksgiving, and birthdays. But other than that he was crafting a life for himself out on his own, finally stepping out of Batman's shadow.

For Jason, the Manor felt a lot lonelier without his elder brother around. He missed Richard and wanted him to come back but didn't say that because he didn't want to be the one to hold him back from his dreams. 

Richard was happy to be working in Bludhaven so Jason had decided to put up with that loneliness until he too graduated from Gotham Academy and then could decide what to do with his future.

He could apply to Hudson University for a law degree like Bruce had advised him to or he could pursue his own talents in literature and linguistics. There was a lot he could do with his future or so he thought.

However, with Richard no longer staying at the Manor, the distance started to grow between Bruce and Jason. Alfred tried to make sure they didn't get into arguments too often but without Richard there to act as mediator, their arguments became more frequent.

Bruce felt as if Jason was getting more and more aggressive on patrol and he didn't want him to continue being Robin if he couldn't follow orders and be brash and reckless. However, he couldn't fire him either because he knew that decision would make Jay erupt more at him.

Since both of them were not good at expressing exactly how they felt and the one person who knew very well how to keep them glued together was in Bludhaven, things were getting strained between the father and son. 

Jay was starting to think Bruce didn't actually care for him and was only keeping him around as a soldier. Bruce felt that Jason didn't respect him anymore as he continuously disobeyed orders.

But they had to look past their differences because as Batman and Robin, they had to work together to ensure justice. And with the Joker escaping Arkham again to cause havoc, the dynamic duo was needed more than ever.

They were not aware that the League of Assassins was also involved in Joker's escape. Ra's Al Ghul wanted to use Joker as a distraction to keep Batman and Robin busy while he would destroy Europe's financial districts to gain more power.

Little did they know that alliance would have grave consequences for them.

Joker had been causing chaos in Bosnia and as he was unable to be tackled by any other means, Batman had to capture him and stop his mad plans.

So Bruce and Jason had to leave for Bosnia on short notice.

Alfred told Richard that they were leaving so he came to visit the day before. Jason was delighted to see him and Richard too hugged his brother tightly, ruffling his head just like he used to.

"Look at you, Jay, you've reached my height."

"Told ya I will get taller," Jason laughed, flinging his arm around his brother's shoulders, "it's a good thing you came, Dickie, I felt I was losing my mind staying cooped in with the old man. And then there's this mission to tackle as well... If you weren't here, I would have lost it."

"Oh come on, Bruce isn't that bad of a company," Richard remarked, laughing to see him roll his eyes.

"Tell me about it," he frowned, "he almost made me sit this mission out."

"Oh... Why?"

"Some repetitive nonsense about me being unable to listen to his orders but let's not talk about that right now," the boy shrugged nonchalantly but Richard felt he should talk to him about it.

Perhaps not immediately because Jason was too happy to see him and he didn't want to ruin his mood. But before the two left for Bosnia he would take him aside and make him promise not to endanger himself by being too reckless.

***

TW: The text below includes mention of physical torture, violence and death. Read at your own discretion.

***

Jason should have listened to Batman.

Richard had been right in telling him that Bruce would often lecture him and order him to stay out of stuff because he wanted him to be safe. And now that he hadn't listened and gone after Joker, he was stuck with no way out.

The clamor in his head was drowned by the sickening clashes of the crowbar colliding hard upon his body, breaking the bones underneath his skin. He had squeezed his eyes shut, and his hands were clenched into fists held behind him though unable to break free due to the handcuffs. Blood trickled down his back that was reduced to nothing but a crumble of broken bones and joints.

And yet it was all his fault.

He should have known that even heroes have to draw the line somewhere and not every time the odds could be in his favor.

He had become unresponsive, the cries of pain drowned in his own throat as his body started to go numb. But still, the blows from the crowbar went on, and only when his eyes closed from exhaustion and his whole body went limp that the Joker stopped, throwing the crowbar aside.

The clash it made upon falling to the ground resonated in his head but he made no sign of acknowledging it as he lay lifeless on the bloodied floor.

Joker's hands wrenched at his hair pulling his head up as if to check whether he was alive or not but Jason did not move so he dropped him and kicked him to the side still receiving no response.

Assuming that he was either dead or unconscious, Joker finally stepped out of the warehouse, closing the door behind him with a loud bang. And it was then Jason's senses kicked in with full force.

His eyes fluttered open and he struggled to see through the heavy eyelids, one of which was badly bruised, and looked around to see that he was alone at last. Despite all the broken bones he rolled over managing to get his hands that were handcuffed at the back up front.

With tremendous effort he stood up, the survivor inside his heart urging him that he could still make it and even if he couldn't, he had to try at least. He was not going to give up without putting up a decent fight.

He had to save himself.

But the injuries were too much for him to handle as he collapsed face first on the ground once again but he had not given up yet. His eyes were fixed determinedly on the warehouse's exit and thus he dragged himself across mustering all his remaining strength to somehow reach the door.

A trail of blood followed him as he dragged his broken body towards the door, hands finally reaching out to grip the handle as he hauled himself up. But it was locked from the outside and even though he tugged hard at it, the door didn't budge.

He let go of the handle and made himself lean against the door for support, his back resting against the steel panel of the door but aching agonizingly due to all the harsh beating he had sustained.

But then a ticking sound began to resonate in his head and his eyes darted round the empty warehouse, landing upon a bomb and a set of explosives in the corner.

His steel blue eyes dimmed as he took in his fate. He had done his best but he knew well that it was impossible to survive then. He could have made it through the beating but he could not make it through an explosion.

The faces he had seen throughout his life; loved, valued, and even those who he had hated all began to swim in front of his eyes. Bruce, Alfred, Dick, Barbara, and everyone else who he would never lay eyes on again.

And then the warehouse went up in flames, orange lighting up the otherwise white snowy terrain and the tumultuous echo of the blast could be heard for miles. And though the fire erupted intensely from the warehouse enveloping the surroundings, the faint flame of his life had been extinguished.

***