AU where Bruce Wayne never became Batman after his parents death's. Instead, he became an alcoholic. He had an affair with Talia, a criminal and assasin, and didn't know that they had a son together. Talia hid their son, Damian, well until she was arrested for murder. He was sent to live with his father, Bruce Wayne.

I smelled the alcohol coming off my father and he smacked me across the face. It hurt, a lot, but I'd gotten used to the abuse. Not even Alfred knew about it. He wasn't dumb and probably had a good guess what father did to me in the middle of the night in my room. Whenever he was feeling like punching something, he'd drink himself senseless then take his anger out on me. It wasn't rare but not routinly. It was somewhere in between. Tonight, I would get it worse. Today was the day of their deaths. The deaths of my late grandparents that I never met.

Bruce grabbed me by the hair and smashed my face into the wall, giving me a bloody nose and possibly breaking it. I let out a small whimper, backing into a corner and fists being thrust into my stomach repeatedly. I tried to block the blows, but only halfheartedly. What was the point? I had no friends. My mother was in prison for first degree murder. My father hated me. And, worst of all, I hated myself. I knew that what my father did was wrong, but I never told anyone, not even Alfred, who would stick up for me, even if it meant getting hurt in the process. Besides, if I told, I'd be put in an orphanage. I hated orphanages. I had been in one for three days before my father had gotten all the papers signed for legal guardianship of me and I never wanted to go back.

Father twisted me around, holding my hands behind my back and pressing his knee against my back. I was afraid he was going to break it when he suddenly let me go, grabbing me by the collar and going over to my window, opening it. He held me out the window. I knew I'd have to act fast if he dropped me. If I fell from this hight, I could break my neck. "Please...father," I croaked out of my sore throat since he had almost strangled me earlier.

He held me out, anger evident in his eyes, but he brought me back inside and threw me down. I tumbled a few feet until me back hit the wall and I gasped in pain.

Father growled at me, turned, and walked out of my room. I regained my breath and stumbled to my feet, staggering to my bathroom. I clutched the sink like a lifeline. I glanced at my reflection with a wince. I had a giant purple bruise on my right eye that I couldn't see out of, a split and swollen lip, and a hand-shaped red mark on my cheek. My nose was definatly broken. I stuck a cloth in my mouth and set it again with a muffled scream of pain. I cleaned the blood off my face and dressed my wounds. I filled up a cup of water drank it, then spit it out again. A tooth came along with it. Thankfully, it was a baby tooth, so it would grow back.

I moved onto the ugly bruising on my neck. There was nothing I could do about it now. I glanced down at my wrists. They were also bruised. I sighed and downed a cup of water before making my way to bed. It took a while to find a comfortable position, but I was exausted and fell asleep right after I did, pulling the covers over my head.

~

"Master Damian," came a voice from the door. I grunted in response. "It's time to get ready for school."

"'kay," I answered sleepily. The door closed and I got out of bed. I walked into the bathroom to check myself. The brusing had gone down, but not all the way. I glanced outside. It was raining. I sighed and decided sunglasses would be a very bad idea. I went to my closet and pulled on my school uniform. It's Friday, I though. You can make it.

I brushed my hair back and smeared make-up over my eye. As much as I hated it, I wasn't gonna have Alfred asking questions. I'd gotten pretty good at it, sadly. God forbid if I ever start dating and have to do a girl's make up.

I put a hat on and went downstairs, grabbing my bag on the way.

Alfred had breakfast ready, but I usually skipped breakfast. I simply wasn't hungry. Alfred did, however, force me to take a lunch to school. I usually just sat outside by myself as I ate, throwing half my sandwhich at the pigeons, seeing it I could hit them. Totally not feeding them...

I stuffed the lunch in my bad before going to the door. Alfred was already there. "And where do you think you're going, young man?" He asked, his arms crossed in front of him.

"School," I answered.

"Not in this whether. I'll drive you." He left no room for argument. I sighed and followed him, saying goodbye to my dog, Titus on the way.

I looked out the window, watching the water run down it. Neither me nor Alfred started a conversation. He knew I didn't like talking much. He didn't want to force me to do anything I didn't want to. No one seemed to be able to penetrate my walls. And that was the way I liked it.

He stopped in front of Gotham Acadamy. I muttered a thank you and got out. He drove off and I walked to the building, not caring that I was being drenched.

I walked up to my locker and put my stuff away. I took out my books for my first class and glanced at my watch. 8:16. Ralph was running late...

My books were suddenly smacked to the ground. I kept my eyes trained on the floor. Ralph had hit me enough for me to learn that. "Your coming over to my house tonight," the demented older boy said. He had a sick and twisted mind, thinking he could make me do anything. He had forced me to do whatever he wanted. I was his "friend". I do what he wants and no one gets hurt.

I gulped. "I-I can't," I whispered.

The older boy grabbed me by the hair, making me look up. "What was that?"

"I..." I swollowed the fear that clouded my throat. "I have a-a test t-to st-st-study for."

The boy raised his hand, causing me to wince. He spit in my face, putting his hand down. "That's what I thought." He dropped my hair, my head automatically bowed again. "Be there, or I'll hurt you. Got it?"

I nodded, having no intention of going. I went, only once, and he had almost forced me to drink and sleep with him. I had only been eleven and it had scarred me. I was thirteen now. He had beat me up worse than father before. Just for fun, he gave me a punch in the gut, laughing as he walked off. Gotham did this to people. I hated it.

~

Later that night, I was on top of a building, looking through a pair of binoculars. I had made myself a costume and called myself Robin. It had started about a year ago to get away from father and Ralph and everyone else. No one knew about it. I would have told Alfred, but he would object to it.

I didn't have any powers, but I had collected diffrent assortments of weapons like a grapling hook, an extendable dog leash I used as a rope, a pair of handcuffs, smoke pellets, and throwing knives. I never killed. I couldn't bring myself too. If I did...I would lose myself.

I kept a radio on me, listening for break ins and kidnappings. Every once in a while, I would solve a murder, but I usually couldn't handle the blood. The worse cases were probably with the Joker. He had almost killed me plenty of times. He was insane and unpredictable. And worst of all, he wanted to kill me.

My radio was announcing a robbery. I took my grapling hook out of my utility belts and swung through Gotham towards the bank. I always got there before the police, so I did my part to help.

I landed on the top of a building, ready to make my last swing to the bank, when someone grabbed me from behind, placing a hand over my mouth. My eyes widened and I struggled to get loose of the man's grip.

"So your the new hero in Gotham," the man purred. I gritted my teeth and struggled to get loose. I grabbed a knife out of my utility belt and stabbed it into the man's abdomen, wincing at the pain I had caused. I didn't want to hurt him, but I also didn't want to be killed.

The man's grip loosened and I slipped from it. When I turned to face him, I saw that he was a taller man in an orange and black mask and matching suit. He hand swords on his back and several guns. I got in a fighting position, but he looked relaxed, pulling the knife out. "Your the one they call Robin. Honestly, it doesn't suit you. A bird flies away when it's scared. A boy like you looks like he would flee, hm?"

I didn't like the way he was talking to me like a little kid who he didn't take seriously. I kicked out, but he grabbed my foot, twisting it. I twisted my body with it so he wouldn't break it, but I ended up falling on my face. "You need a trainer," the man said, placing his foot on my back. "I've been looking for an apprentice." He pressed his foot farther onto my back. I gritted my teeth in pain.

"Can you speak, boy?" The man asked. I wasn't going to. I made sure no one would recognize me by me voice, so I stayed silent. "A mute, hm? Not totally useless. You could never give away information..."

He grabbed me by the cape and took his foot off my back. He shot something in my neck, forcing me to go limp, before slumping me over his shoulder. I couldn't even scream for help since my mouth wouldn't open.

Suddenly, someone grabbed my cape and the man in orange and black was slammed into. I was lightly dropped, but I couldn't move my neck to see what was going on. I heard the man yell, "I'll be back for you, boy!"

Another face went over mine. The boy looked about my age and was wearing a Flash-inspired costume. "Hey. You okay?"

I tried to answer him, but couldn't nod my head. I was still paralized. "Something wrong?" The boy asked. He noticed the needle-shaped wound on the side of my neck. "Hm..." he put a finger to my wound, making me inwardly wince, and took a closer look at the liquid. "Paralizis serum. I know how to fix this!" He zoomed off, leaving me behind. I was starting to worry he forgot about me when I was suddenly doused with water. I shot up in shock with a gasp. The boy smirked at me and held out his hand. "The name's Impulse. Who are you?"

I was about to answer, but I remembered that I was suppose to be mute. I pointed to my throat and shook my head. "What? Can't you talk?" Another head shake. "Oh...okay. Let's see if I can guess. Give me a hint." I thought about it for a second and put my hands together and waved my hands like the flapping of wings. "Uh...a bird?" I nodded and pointed to the R on my chest. "Um, R...bird?" I shook my head. "R-r-r-Raven?" I shook my head. "Um...what other birds-oh, how about Robin?"

I nodded. He smiled and helped me up. "Nice to meet you, Robin. I'm guessing your new." I nodded. "Well, that was Deathstroke. I guess you've caught his eye. I'd avoid him if I were you. He's an assasin who wants someone to do his bidding and to expand his legacy. He hasn't gone for me because I have powers. I guess he just wants a normal human like himself."

I wanted to ask something, but decided not to blow my cover. I looked down at the dust covering the building top. I crouched down and wrote 'Are you a hero here in Gotham?'

He read it and shook his head. "I was just here to...uh...nothing...it doesn't matter." He cleared his throat. "I think that your Gotham's only hero. I'm not saying you need to join Deathstroke, but you do need to train more. Gotham's pretty dangerous. I would say it's a lost cause, but whatever floats your boat."

I cleared the dust. 'Thanks, Impulse'

"Any time!" He held out his hand and I shook it. "And thanks for not calling me Kid Flash." He ran off before I asked what he meant by that. I wonder what he was doing in Gotham...

~

I was punched. Hard. In the face. I was sent stumbling back into the wall, trying to protect myself. What better training is being beat up by your worst enemy?

Ralph hit me harder. "You should have done what I told you to. I hate to f*** up that pretty little face of yours."

It was after school and Ralph was giving me the worst beating yet. I swollowed the mixture of blood and spit in my mouth. I was going to finally stand up for myself. "I would do the same to you, but I think God beat me to it."

Ralph's face flushed. He grabbed me by the front of the shirt. "What did you say ya little punk?"

I swollowed again. My face was also burning, but for a whole diffrent reason. Before I could answer, he swung at me. I blocked it. He was shocked for a moment and I used it to my advantage. I swept his feet out from under him and he fell to the ground with a crash. I put all my weight onto his stomach and punched him in the face as hard as I could. Blood out of his nose. He looked surprised and terrified at what I could do. "I swear," I growled. "If you ever touch a kid like you touched me, I'll give you much worse than a broken nose, you here me?"

He nodded swollowing hard. "Y-Y-Yes, Damian."

I was temped to undo his belt and beat him with it like he used to do to me, but I didn't. I wouldn't become like him. I got off him and walked away, wiping the blood off that dribbled down my chin from by bleeding nose. I heard Ralph sniffling in the background and I couldn't help but smile. The chicken, taking advantage of me, a metally disturbed boy, sexually abusing me. I didn't understand how someone like that could live with themselves. Nobody knew about my father beating me, but they all knew I had no friends, that I was shy, that I was 'accident prone'. I kept the important things to myself. I may have gotten rid of one problem in my life, but I still needed to get rid of father.

Run away, a voice said in my head.

It wasn't the first time that thought had occured. If I reported my father, I would get put in an orphanage. If I stayed, he'd eventually end up killing me if Alfred never got the proof he needed. If I ran away, sure, Alfred might miss me, but it'd be better for everyone. I set my jaw. Okay, I told myself. Become Robin full time. Hopefully father never finds me and hurts me again. I'll just have to avoid-

I was pulled out of my thoughts when someone suddenly grabbed me. "Your secret identity's a good one, but you shouldn't have lied to me when you implied you were mute." The voice sent shivers down my spine and I fought to get free. "Don't worry, you won't need your Robin costume any longer. You'll be working for me now." I was injected with something again, but this time, everything went black.

I might make a part two to this story...

And I might have messed up Damian's character a little, but oh well