A Ghost Girl and a Zombie Boy A Red Hood re-telling.

Chapter 32 The jokes on you.

Three days later they where rested and ready to put their plan in motion.
Lyla had set a rumor to motion that Batman was going to lure the Joker to the carnival to finally confront him. Apparently they'd been distant since Batman arrested him three years ago, only two of those years had been spent in Arkham.
Gossip flew through the streets like it did among middle-aged women in a hair salon so she had no doubt it would find its target.

The sun was beginning to set on that Friday night as they stood at the end of the pier.

        " Are you ready?" She asked quietly.

        " Are you?"

        " I'll never be ready."

        " We're going to be okay." He assured her turning to face her and hold both of  her shoulders.

        " I know." Lyle reached down to her belt and freed the dagger against her back.

        " Here," she said handing it to him. " just in case."

Jason tucked it into his belt

        " Poetic justice and shit." He repeated, kissing her forehead.

It was completely dark now and they both knew what that meant.

        " It's time." Jason told her pulling his helmet over his face.

        " Be careful my love." She said setting of the her place atop the building at the front of the pier.

        " I always am." He said back.

The memory echoed in her ears and an ache settled in her chest.

    The rumors had found their target and the Joker showed just after 10 P.M.
He spun around the carnival, seemingly alone, and calling out for Batman.

        " Oh Batsy!" He called. " I heard you wanted to have a chat! We'll luck for you we need to talk. Your little Bird Bitch killed my best girl. Though I guess it's only fair after what I did to his baby bro." Joker rounded the corner and looked down the pier where Jason stood, consumed by shadows. " That you Bat Brains? Come on out and play."

        " I'm not here to play." Jason growled.

        " Hmm you're not the Bat. What do you want?" Joker snapped back.

        " I want revenge!" Jason boomed before lunging at the Joker.

A crunch sounded behind Lyla, her insides knotted and she was reminded why she was there.

        " Batman." She called firmly. " I know you're here. You can't hide from me." The Jokers laughter echoed through the air.

        " Phantom. Why are you here?" A voice called from the shadows.

        " To make sure fate can run its course." The laughing behind her began
to muffle, and Batman's figure appeared in front of her.

" Who is that?"

" He's..... new."

"New?"

"Look Batman, he's doing what I wish I had done years ago, what you should have done years before that."

"Killing him is not the answer."

" It is this time." As if she had commanded it, the laughing stoped and a wet slashing filled the air.

" No!" Batman shouted.

Jason pushed the body into the river and placed the blade back under his belt. Batman charged at him silently had Jason wasn't noticing.

        " Shit." Lyla thought.

She leapt from the building tackling Batman from behind. She knocked him flat on his front and used her knee to pin him down. Her eyes shot to Jason.

        " Get out of here!" She yelled at him.

        " Phan...."

        " Go Now!" She shouted. " I'll catch up!"

He hesitated again but took of running after a moment. Only after she heard the rumble of his bike did she climb off of Batman's back.

        " How could you possibly be a part of this?" He asked as he found his feet.

        " How could I not? That monster took everything from me!"

        " You're not a murderer Phantom."

        " I am. I was long before tonight. I became a killer the day you told me I was wrong to              look for him."

        " He's not coming back. But you can still come home. We can fix this."

        " That manor was never my home, Jason was." She said turning to walk away.

        " Phantom..."

        " Don't follow me Bruce." He stepped after her anyway.

        " I said don't fucking follow me!" She yelled spinning around and pointing the hand gun             she had pulled from her belt at his head. She turned to leave again and Bruce                 whispered,
" Goodbye Lyla."