The Red Hood & The Red Head

Ch 14

That Night

I was in the Batcave standing before my old Robin suit, my eyes trailing over it.

Flashback

I was leaning back against the Batmobile in the Batcave with my arms crossed over my chest, my father furious as we just came back from patrol and it didn't end so well apparently.

"I had to take him down." I break the silence.

"You shattered his collarbone!" He roars.

"He's a drug dealing pimp! I didn't think I had to prop up some pillows before I took him out!" I retort.

"We needed him. He would've talked but you put him into shock." He tells me seriously and my face softens a bit averting my eyes down briefly.

"I'm sorry- That was dumb. But he deserved it." I say before walking away, leaving the cave.

-

(Another Flashback, After Bosnia)

It's been a week since I've been..reawakened. I've recovered pretty well and was walking through the Manor looking for my father.

I was nearing my fathers study quietly as I over hear him talking to Alfred. Listening intently, I figure out he's talking about his last moments with my grandparents and how my grandfather said that he thought a masked vigilante like Zorro wouldn't be welcomed in Gotham, probably locking them up in Arkham.

"And those were his last words to me." I hear my dad tell Alfred.

"Lately I've been wondering if he was right. I had years and you, Alfred. To help me come to terms with the murder of my parents. But I must've been crazy to drag Jackie into all of this. Being raised by Talia and Ra's into the League of Assassins, to become a merciless killer. She was brought to me for protection but instead I've put her in the same danger in the name of justice. She's already died once...Her actions as Robin are guided by unresolved pain and anger. She's a danger to herself. A danger to our mission, I have no choice. Jackie is off active duty immediately...and I've arranged for her to go to a boarding school overseas." He says.

"Fine by me." I spit making my presence known and my dad turns to me but I quickly run off before he can say another word.

"Jackie! Jackie!"

"You okay?" I hear making me turn to see Luke looking up at me curiously from below as he approaches.

"Yeah- Just- closing up shop." I say with a small smile stepping down to the main floor of the cave.

"Oh you were serious?" He asks, making me playfully roll my eyes before getting a bit more serious, the small smile returning to my lips.

I then make my way to where the Red Hood helmet laid on a desk. I pick it up, holding it in my hands while looking down at it.

"Yeah...I guess my dad was right about me." I say softly.

"Also it'll give Akins a wake up call that he sucks as a commissioner." I add louder turning to Luke.

"You can take nights off from now on." I tell him.

"Jacki-

"Starting tonight. Come on." I motion for him to walk towards the elevator as I follow close behind him.

He steps in first, I look back and around one last time before shutting off the circuit breaker, shutting the cave down. I step into the elevator and the doors close.