Injustice: Broken Family

Don't Fall Into The Abyss

It had been almost a year since Kevin and Barbara had joined Batman's resistance. And during that time, Zeus the king of the Greek Gods, tried to capture Superman and force everyone to worship him. The battle escalated to great proportions, and Kevin joined the fight as well. After that, Zeus ended his fight against Superman, and Clark wound up overthrowing the government when they attempted to destroy Themyscira, replacing it with a "One Earth Regime." Every now and then, Kevin would clash with Hal Jordan and Sinestro, and Kevin would fight the good fight against the Yellow Lantern duo. And now Damian took the identity of Nightwing, which was what Dick actually wanted for Damian. Kevin was willing to accept that. What Kevin didn't know was that Superman made allies with Charity's wicked mother, Queen Ruby Tafita, and this made the Regime a much more powerful force as Clark had Themyscira and Crystalia at his disposal.

It was another dark and stormy night in Gotham. Alfred Pennyworth was murdered by Victor Zsasz. Kevin and Barbara were devastated by this. Kevin was hugging Barbara as they both cried, mourning the loss of Alfred, who was practically like a grandfather figure to them. "I can't believe he's gone..." cried Kevin as he wiped Barbara's tears, "murdered by Zsasz... Where do you think Dad is?"

"He's off the grid," said a sad Barbara, "I can only assume that he's going after Zsasz... We need to find him first..." Kevin calm down and said, "I agree... I really do want to hope that Dad won't resort to murder. But I know if he won't, either Damian or Andrea will. I can't let it happen. We better split up and find him." Barbara put on her mask and said, "agreed. Be safe out there. I love you, Kevin."

"I love you too, Barbara," said Kevin as he then suited up and flew off, looking for his father. It wasn't hard to find Bruce. He cornered Zsasz in an ally, interrogating the killer. Victor Zsasz was one of the few serial killers that ever made Kevin's blood run cold because of what he did. Zsasz would kill his victims and then cut himself leaving a mark on the many people he had killed. One of the most fucked up villains in Kevin's opinion. As Batman was interrogating Zsasz, Damian stepped in and growled, "Kill him. Or I will." Kevin then flew right in, standing in between his father and half brother and said, "not if I have anything to say about it." Damian looked at Kevin and said, "this isn't your fight, Kevin." Of course Damian knew Kevin was a Green Lantern. "I'm not going to let either of you kill Zsasz," said Kevin, "vengeance isn't the option, no matter how justified it might be. It blackens the soul."

"Who said I was going to kill Zsasz?" Batman rhetorically asked, temporarily relieving Kevin. "The real question is, why don't you?" Damian asked. "Wanting something and doing it are two different things," said Batman. "Get out of my way, the both of you!" Damian warned, glaring at his father and brother. "Alfred wouldn't want this," said Batman. "He's right," said Kevin, "like I said before, vengeance blackens the soul. Alfred was always afraid Dad would become what he fought against. In fact, the both of you walked along the edge of that abyss every night. Dad has never fallen in, but my mother did. Dad and I couldn't pull her back from that pit. Please, don't fall into this abyss, Damian..."

"Shut up!" Damian snapped, punching Kevin in the cheek with his escerma stick, "I want this!" Before he could strike again, Kevin willed up a green shield to defend himself. "I don't want to fight you, Damian," said Kevin. "Neither of us do," said Batman as he got into a fighting stance. "Then back off!" Damian warned, and he attacked him. "You leave us no choice," said Kevin as he and Batman fought the new Nightwing, Kevin using every fighting move he'd learned from his father. Kevin then snatched Damian's weapons, putting the three of them in a fighting stance. "Don't you get it? The others are going to be here any second..." Damian said, "we need to do it NOW!!!"

"You think Clark would stop you?" Bruce asked, "or your brother, or me? Don't be so naive. This is what he wants." Damian snapped, "because justice needs to be done?" Kevin asked incredulously, "killing Zsasz is justice? What you're wanting is no better than what Andrea wanted when she became The Phantasm." Damian pointed at Kevin, "your mother was right! And she made the right decision joining Clark!" Batman shook his head and said, "but it's Kevin who's right. You want revenge. And that is never what we stood for." Suddenly, Superman said from above, "stop lying to yourself, Bruce." He flew down and hovered to the ground and continued, "you and Kevin want revenge just as much as Damian. And that's okay... I won't judge either of you for it..." Kevin shook his head and said, "you don't know me at all, Clark..."

"You're wrong about one other thing," said Batman, "Alfred would judge me. And you just want Zsasz dead to cover your tracks." Kevin was able to deduce that it was Clark who enabled Zsasz to kill Alfred, knowing it would get a reaction out of Damian and Bruce. "You're audacity has no limits, does it Bruce...?" Superman asked rhetorically, "oh and Kevin, I'll tell your mother you said hello." Kevin glared at Superman and said, "oh why don't you stick that red jockstrap up your-" Superman ignored Kevin and continued with Bruce, "even after all we've gone through... You have the arrogance to accuse me of murder and assume what I want." Batman glared and replied, "only because your motives are so transparent." Clark replied, "Diana, Hal, Barry, Victor, Andrea, and Damian... The entire Justice League is on my side. The right side. Look in the mirror... You brainwashed your son into joining your foolish cause. You're the aberration."

"I volunteered!" Kevin corrected, "and you gave me plenty of justified reasons!" Batman glared at Superman and said, "complicity doesn't wash away the stink of your treachery." Superman glared at Batman and Kevin and said, "you and Kevin should step aside, Bruce." Kevin shook his head and defiantly said, "never." Superman's eyes started to glow with heat as he threatened, "there are six ways I could end you right now, Grayson." Kevin stood defiantly and said, "I'm not afraid of you." Batman suddenly punched Superman in the face, hard. So hard, he crash-landed into a wall. Kevin and Damian looked at each other, a little bit surprised that Kevin unwittingly distracted Superman. "Green pill?" Superman asked. Batman smirked and said, "saved one for a rainy day." And so Batman and Superman fought each other, their hits heavy. As the two former friends duked it out, Batman said, "I know it was you. You put Zsasz up to it. You had him do your dirty work." He kneed Superman in the gut and the Man of Steel landed smack on his back, bleeding from the nose. "You're a coward," growled Batman. Kevin was starting to grow concerned as Batman lifted Superman up and locked him in a chokehold. "Is this what you want, Damian?" Batman asked, "I can snap his neck and end five years of fighting. You want me to kill?!?!?!"

"Dad, no!!!" Kevin shouted, "there's been enough bloodshed." Damian looked at his half brother and asked, "you would betray your father just to spare Superman's life?" Kevin shook his head and said, "no you dummy. I want our Dad to not kill Superman because I'm trying to save him. I lost one parent to vengeance. I won't lose another. Dad, please don't fall into that abyss that is vengeance..." Suddenly, Flash ran in. "Stop this," he calmly said, "there's been enough fighting today." Kevin nodded and said, "Barry's right. Flash, you'll take Zsasz back into custody, right?" As Batman let Superman go, Flash nodded and said, "I will. Go while you both still can." Kevin took Batman's arm and then flew away from the alley as Damian asked incredulously, "You're seriously going to let them go?!?!" Kevin and Batman then flew all the way to Gotham Park, and Kevin could tell the coast was clear once he let Bruce down. "I think we're safe," sighed Kevin, "are you okay Dad?"

"Physically, I'll recover," said Batman, "but mentally, it's a different story. Kevin, thank you for saving me, both from getting killed and from myself. I could have crossed the line and thankfully you prevented me from doing something I would regret for the rest of my life." Kevin hugged his father and replied, "of course. We're family, and we gotta have each other's back." Once the hugging stopped, Batman said, "one more thing, Kevin. It isn't being Green Lantern or any super suit that makes a man worthwhile. It's the man that makes being Green Lantern worthwhile. Remember that." Kevin gave a sad smile and said, "come on, let's go home. I'll make funeral arrangements." Bruce took off his mask and said, "you go on ahead without me for now, I'll catch up. I need to talk to Barry about something."