CHAOTIC NEUTRAL ("Stand By You" REMASTERED)

CHAOTIC NEUTRAL

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Jason Todd, or rather, the infamous Red Hood, whips around at the sound of three muffled gunshots. He could recognize that sound anywhere--the sound of a gun with a silencer. He comes face to face with a sight that would make even his blood run cold. Jason drops his weapons and suddenly forgets about everything--the goons, the patrol mission, Oracle screaming on the other end of the comms link, asking what's going on--as he zones in on her. His partner, the one and only Cassandra Cain. Ex-assassin, former Batgirl, currently Black Bat, and of course, the dark-haired girl he's harbored feelings for ever since she walked into the Batcave for the very first time. The sight of her, limp and trapped in the arms of the one and only Joker himself, paralyzes Jason. All he can do is stare while the madman lets out a manic laugh, still holding a gun to her already bleeding waist. Time seems to slow down more as yet another scumbag, the Scarecrow, looms in and jabs four needles into her neck, then walks away. Finally, he is able to comprehend what is happening and reaches for a knife in his belt, preparing to throw it point blank into the Joker's pasty white forehead.

"Nuh uh, birdy. Twitch and I'll send a bullet through her brain." The Joker moves the gun to the disoriented Cassandra's temple, and her eyes roll back. She begins to struggle, but the psychotic just tightens his grip on her. Left with no option, Jason returns his gloved hand to his side.

"Good. Now we can return to business."

"What do you want?" the vigilante growls.

"Five years later and you're still begging for mercy. When will you ever change?" Cassandra is now violently thrashing around, causing the Joker to grow frustrated. Blood continuously drips from her wound as she tries to escape a foe only she can see.

"I swear, if you try to do--"

"You're wasting time, Red. You and I both know she's strong, stronger than all of Batsy's prodigies. C'mon, give me a break. You don't think I haven't been watching her, do you? But always remember, she's one of your replacements. Sorta. So whaddya say, birdbrain? Are you going to save your poor little girlfriend--I mean, at this rate, she'll eventually bleed out--or are you gonna chase after me? What do you think Bats will feel about another death in the family?" He lets Cass go, and she stumbles around. It's the first time Jason has ever seen so much hurt and fear in her eyes, and scares him too. Jason sprints towards her, ignoring the fact that the Joker is skipping away, and picks her up bridal style. He rushes outside to his motorcycle, and safely puts her in front of him on the seat. She inadvertently leans back on him, and she has already begun hyperventilating.

"Babs, Oracle, whoever's there! Black Bat's been shot three times in the waist and been exposed to Scarecrow's new toxin! She's lost a lot of blood and who knows what that shit's doing to her, but I think she can hang on. I'm on my way, just meet me in the Batcave."

He speeds off into the night, only concentrating on getting her help as soon as possible.

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Jason carefully lays Cass onto the makeshift operating table and steps back to give Bruce, Alfred, and Stephanie room to start fixing her up. Bruce hooks her up to a bunch of different machines, while Steph puts an IV into her wrist. Alfred cuts open her suit and works on removing the bullets, which hopefully aren't too deep inside her flesh.

"Aren't you guys going to give her anesthesia?"

Bruce sighs, but continues his job. "Her eyes may be open, but she's stopped moving. Don't worry, she's still alive, just unconscious. Thanks to her physiology, she's granted advanced immunity to the toxin. The antidote is making its way through her blood, so she'll be fine soon. Jason, I think it's best if you come back later. You don't want to watch this."