GREY

Prologue

Bruce had been stranded in a almost post apocalyptic dimension that clearly wasn't his. Well not stranded the Batman had found a way to return safely back to his own dimension but had decided to stay for a little bit.

For research purposes.

Bruce dug around and found that his counter part, the Batman of this dimension had been killed by bane, the villain had destroyed his back and then his neck. Gotham didn't have a Batman, and as a guaranteed result the city was in chaos, the level of crime had reached New heights.

Bruce's research on this universe had made him aware of many new faces that weren't in his world, at least not yet, one being a boy that was also this universe's third Robin, Tim drake. Bruce learned that Jason had died by the hands of joker in this world. The very same Jason that was currently Fourteen and very much alive and healthy back home in his own dimension, his research led him to discover that Richard along with Timothy had parished in an explosion that also happened to destroy a chunk of keystone, during a mission That came to Bruce as a shock, he didn't know the Richard or this world, and didn't know Tim at all, but just the thought of these brave and very young boys dying was painful.

It got worse when he found out that Jason even after his painful death didn't get peace, that Ras's had stolen Jason's corpse and thrown him in the Lazarus pit, reviving Jason who had been then trained and manipulateed by Talia and her father into hating batman and the family. Bruce thought about the possibility of this happening to Jason in his own dimension, he would look into it as soon as he got back home. He will make sure that Jason will stay safe no matter what, he would also actively search for Timothy and provide him with any and all support in life.

Bruce had came to the sad conclusion that all the bat's and birds of this universe were gone, died in different and heroic ways but still died. All except one. Jasper. Or better yet Jasper Wayne.

Bruce dug up some more research on him and found that the Batman of this universe had come across Jasper when he newly started going by the name Batman, Jasper was a young, silent but violent, trained assassin, Jasper had been trained by his alternate counterpart and lived with him, Jasper was also trained by this dimensions Ra's al Ghul, who had found the boy and groomed him to become the best, even if it meant forcing him to take a swan dive in the Lazarus pit. Multiple times.

Bruce during his research from the bat computer of this world had found many pictures of the family members he'd learned the names of those who he hadn't met yet in his own world. Names like Tim, Duke, Kate, Stephanie, Cassandra, Damian and Jasper himself.
There were videos of the big family, that he saw. The smiles and laughter, hundreds of candid pictures under the folder of RedRobin, Timothy.

Bruce found files of activity levels and performance and skill on all of the members including the kid, Jasper was extremely lethal and skilled, he could read body language that made him dangerous and unpredictable much like another member, Cassandra. He was also so young at the age of twenty five but looked younger around seventeen or sixteen due to the side effects of the Lazarus pit in order to survive Ras's brutal training methods. Jasper was older then his Richard back home, who was currently eighteen. Jasper was the first child this dimensions Bruce had taken under his wing, quite literally.

Jasper, who now was alone in a world riddled with hungery opportunity seeking horrid people. The kid though being a skilled vigilante, was emotionally compromised with the loss of his family. He could easily been taken advantage of.

Bruce was currently in one of Tim's safe house one that he usually used, where currently Jasper was hidden. Very poorly hidden. Given that Bruce had found his way in so easily.

Jasper had been curled into a ball on a thin overused mattress with a blanket wrapped around him tightly, near the far end corner of the room.

“Are you hurt?” Bruce asked quitly. He was sure that Jasper would jump up and demand or threatened to know who he was since this universe's Batman was no longer alive. But to his surprise and worry he didn't.

"You're not real" Bruce froze when he heard a low painful mumble. It broke Bruce's heart to see this child in so much pain. This was his son. In an different dimension but still his. Jasper's curled up form reminded him of Jason in a way.

"I'm not your Batman" Bruce spoke softly.

"I can tell"

"How?" Bruce asked hoping to engage in a conversation with him, make him know he wasn't a threat.

"You're not as old, you don't limp... voice different too" Jasper said weakly, words barely above a whisper but Bruce heard it clearly in the big empty room.

"... I'm sorry that you had to go through that" Bruce quitly moved closer to Jaspers figure.

“I'm fine..”

“... You're not. Jasper... I want to help you"

"You don't know me" the words weren't above a whisper.

"I know you enough to know you need help. I want to help you"

Bruce was at the foot of the mattress, he saw Jasper head and face, the boy was very pale, with freckles dusting his sharp jawed face, he was thin weak possibly due to starvation, his hair was long and wavy knotty tangles probably reaching his collarbone, Jasper shifts slightly to look at Bruce, dark blue eyes meet sterling grey ones.

“How?"

"I can take you with me" Bruce waited for a reply but didn't get any. Jaspers grey eyes were glossy and a far away look was in them.

"Okay" Bruce said.

It was the needle pricing into his neck that made Jasper realize that he had nodded.