Under the Mask

Family

"because you'd... win."

"I love that one wooh right, because I'd win, no see this, this is how I win Bats... by living. By keep on keeping on. What you just said that you don't do it because I'd win, that what you tell yourself, that's what you tell them because you don't want to admit the truth, the bad news of your own soul. That and the slippery slope, you kill me then snap and what's to keep you from killing all us baddies and going on a downright spree??!" He pauses and gets closer to Bruce,

"Hehe but then answer me this, how did I know? How did I know that you'd never tell them about this, about how I'd been in your little HQ? Because we have an understanding, because the truth of it Batsss is that you love me more than them, you want me to kill them, like I did the last little birdie, they're ungrateful anyways, always leaving you, or maybe that's just the first one, oh where is he? Did he loose his invite? Oh wooh hoo! Circus boy! Oh poo I'd really hate for him to miss this, because you see Bats I'm going to carry out your wish, I'm going to set you free!" Joker laughs and holds up a lighter, bringing the stinging smell of gasoline and the flint walls of the cave I had forgotten about back to the front of my mind.

Since they're not in the cave like I had originally thought they'd be we can't expect any help right now from Artemis, Miss M and Superboy, I'm thankful Miss M is clear though.

'Okay Aqualad he's going to set the place on fire, but we're underneath a large reservoir of water, I'm going to blow up a part of the ceiling, you use the water to put out the fire, KF get everyone out, I'll handle the joker.'

Without waiting for a response I run into the cave just as he drops the match and hurl an explosive at a part of the cave wall I know will have the best effect. Water pours down into the cave and I see Aqualad directing it to extinguish the flames in the most effective way and Kid Flash rushing a struggling Alfred out of the cave,

"Restrain him!" I yell as I make my way towards the Joker, "He's been brainwashed."

I think I hear Kid Flash grunt in acquiescence but I'm to busy punching the Joker in what's left of his face.

"You bastard." I growl picking him up by his shirt and shoving him into the wall.

He just smiles, "Oh so you did get my invite after all bird boy! I'm so happy you could make it!"

I slam his head against the wall, "you sick son if a bitch, you're going to pay for this!"

"Oooh goody are you gonna do what your dear old dad can't do? The son surpassing the father, oh what a happy moment, I'm honored to be responsible for it, you can name your first born after me in gratitude! Little Joker Junior hahah, because I know your name but you don't know mine, ha ha ha ah ha!"

I shoved him again and was about to knock his lights out when Batman grabbed my arm.

"This is my fight Dick, go check on them Tim and Barbara, I don't believe he actually cut their faces off, it was all a big Joke, a plan to break me without actually harming them. I also imagine you have some things to talk about with your friends, go, I'll handle him."

"Oh how sweet bats wants to be alone with me, if that's what you wanted all you had to do you ask! It was my whole plan anyway you know, get rid of the brats so it could just be the two of us." Joker cooed in a sing song voice, how I wanted to bash his face in again.

"Go Dick, we'll talk later." Batman ordered, not taking his eyes off the scum bag I had pinned to the wall.

I sighed and let go, taking satisfaction in watching him crumble to the ground, and turned to leave, as I was walking out I heard Batman use a tone that made his usual bat grow seem like child splay.

"Enough. "

I heard the Joker scramble up off the ground, "ah I see, a dance then!"

"No more dances."

I stopped and turned watching as the Joker backed up slowly, towards the water.

"Haha then just the quarrel then!"

"No more quarreling." Batman advanced slowly, letting him gain some distance, but not too much.

"What...What do you mean? Heh." Joker had made it to the last wall still standing before the cave ended in a cliff where the water flows into the darkness.

"No more of any of it... not this time."

"Is this because I tried to kill your precious little family? They're dragging you down bats, they're killing you, I was trying to do you a favor! They make you-" Batman cut him off,

"They make me stronger."

"Haha, Liar they don't make you anything but... you know what maybe I was wrong, maybe your true face has changed, lets see!" I'm too far away to do anything as the Joker sprays Batman with acid from the flower on his lapel. While Batman is impaired he makes a run for it. I honestly can't say if he knew the cliff was there or not but I watch as he goes over the edge, Bruce, who I didn't even see move is suddenly there and grabs his hand,

"Not that way Joker, not by accident." " So how about it , how about tonight I go farther with you than I've ever gone, how about I stop the game once and for all?"

"You love it! Deny it all you want but you love-"

Batman cuts him off, "I did it Joker, this year when you were gone I finally deduced who you were... before."

"You're lying!" The joker shrieks, "you're playing my own game!"

"Your name, your history, your family, all of it. Here I'll whisper it to you." Bruce pulls him up so his face is inches from the Joker's, "whisper it right into your little ear... Darling."

After all this, after everything he's done, every time Batman has beat him to a pulp he always had a smile on his face, always had a laugh. For the first time since he lost his mind the Joker finally looks scared.

"No.." He chokes out.

"Who you are underneath the grin," Batman continues, "who you really are under there."

The Joker begins to struggle, fighting against the iron grip Batman has on him,

"Stop it! I'm not listening!"

"Your name Joker, your real name is..."

The Joker gets his hand free and shocks Batman in the face with his buzzer ring,

"SHUT UP!" He screams as the shock causes Batman to release him and he once more falls over the edge, this time Batman isn't fast enough to save him, his hand reaching out into the abyss, coming up just a hair to short to catch him again.

"No!" Bruce yelled as his personal demon fell into the darkness.

Not like this I think to myself as a finally turn to go, leaving him staring after his greatest foe probably wondering what now?

I'm wondering the same thing as I go to face my own demons, only mine are of my own making.

...

A/N Wow that was a long one, I kinda got carried away with the whole death of the Family storyline, if you haven't read those comics you should, it's a tie in of new 52 Nightwing, Batman, Robin and Redhood, Red Robin's there too but he didn't have his own comic at the time (rude). So this is going to be one of the last chapters, I'll probably do like two or three more, it's bittersweet ending it but the time had to come eventually. I did just start another fic, its called Second Time Around and it's about Wally West not actually dying at the end of invasion but instead getting his soul transported through the speed force back in time and ending up as a girl and her whole journey of getting her powers, joining the team and slowly getting her memories back while battling feelings for Dick who has recently rejoined the team. I'm super excited about it and promise I'll update more regularly than I did with this one.

-Little Red