Chapter 9

The doors to Wayne manor swung open the next morning as Bruce Wayne looking better rested and in better health then he had several days earlier and his three wards Cassandra Cain, Tim Drake and Stephanie Brown entered their home followed closely by their butler/friend Alfred. "Welcome home guys" said Dick standing in the main hall under a large banner that read WELCOME HOME. "DICK" screamed Stephanie in glee running towards her long lost brother and wrapped her arms around his waist "I was afraid you'd be gone by the time we got back" she admitted as he gently stroked her hair. "Don't worry I'm thinking about sticking around" he promised before turning his gaze to Bruce. "You know you're going to have to call your mother" Bruce reminded Dick as the teen cast his eyes to the ground. "Yeah I know" said Dick rubbing the back of his head "I just thought nobody would mind if I took a little extended vacation". Bruce stared at his old ward before a small smile developed on his face "well I guess it wouldn't hurt for you to stay over for a bit longer to…rediscover your roots" he said gently grasping Dick's shoulder "after all you are still listed in my will as my heir." Dick looked up at his mentor with his own smile "Nice, so up for 'hitting the town' tonight?" he asked as a smirk crossed Bruce's face. That night Nightwing stood gazed across the rooftops of Gotham and soon felt himself joined by an old friend. "Are you ready?" questioned the Batman turning his cowled gaze to his returned partner. "Born ready" said Nightwing before the two heroes shot their respective grappling hooks to a nearby terrace before swinging forward "Just like old times" Nightwing thought as a tear slowly fell down his face as he and his mentor went out to protect their city.

In a private rooms at St Joseph Hospital in Phoenix Arizona a dark haired young man of about 20 years old lay in a coma with various machines hooked up to him and majority of his body in protective cast. Standing by his bed gazing out at the stormy night was a man with majority of his person cloaked in the shadows of the dark room with the only visible feature being a cold blue eye. "In my life there are only two things I believe "live by the blade and fall by the blade" and "Family is everything" I never thought they would intertwine the way that they have for me at this moment" the man whispered softly gazing at the younger injured man…his son. "You lived your life by the blade buddy; the way any self-respecting man should but you deserved to keep living before you…before he turned it against you" he said as he clenched his fist in anger. "But your my blood, my family…my boy" he whispered as he reached down and gently touched his son's cheek. "So anybody start something with you" he whispered as his eye narrowed "they resign their fate to me" he swore as he pulled his hand back and from behind his back took a mask that was half black ad half silver and placed it on his son's beside table. "Rest peacefully son" said the man as he turned to leave "while I show our old friend why he should have never come back".