Archive of Our Own ^beta

Dick stared at his laptop as he sat on his couch. Code Black, He really didn’t want to decode it. But he did anyway. Bruce appeared on the Screen “If you’re seeing this it means I’m dead.” Dick glared at the screen as he paused. But if he got it, then everyone got it and he couldn’t force them to bear it themselves. So he watched and when it was done he slammed it shut and walked straight to his punching bag. He started punching.

Wham! How could Bruce just go and get himself killed!

Wham! It wasn’t his fault!

Wham! But he left everyone alone!

Wham! He didn’t mean to!

Wham! He never means to!

Wham! Dick had so many people to watch over

Wham! He had a job to do

Wham! Gotham needed it’s White Knight

Wham! Gotham needed it’s Prince

Wham! It didn’t matter what he thought it happened and people need help

The bat symbol on his phone lit up bright yellow. It meant that everyone had seen the message. He clicked the symbol and turned it gold. Code Gold meant for all bat’s to report to Gotham. They needed a meeting, tomorrow.

He put on his suit and beta’d to Gotham. His communicator went off. Barbara and Jason. He stared down off of the building as he turned it on. “You guy’s got the message?” He said. “Yep,” “I did,” He smirked a fake one but still a smirk as Jason landed next to him and both of their suits' symbols glowed red for Jason and Blue for Dick. “Let’s do our job,” Barbara said as she appeared in her suit. Dick raised an eyebrow and she shrugged. He smiled and the trio leapt off to other buildings. Gotham needed it’s Prince Of Light.

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Barbara 's eyes blurred as the video finished. She didn’t think she would get a Code Black from Bruce. Her father came over as she turned the screen off. He looked at her and she looked up. “Go, be a hero,” He said. Her eyes widened and he smiled. “We can talk about it later,” He said and she nodded. She wheeled off towards her room where a bag was still. Inside was a box full of liquids and shots. Wally West aka The Flash and the rest of the bat’s including her worked on it. It would let her be able to walk again for 48 hours straight. 

  They couldn’t make it longer. She wasn’t fixed but why would that matter if she wasn’t her handicap. The only reason she even got it made was because she knew better. Gotham while it isn’t purely bad it definitely is very good. You could get killed because you had the wrong color hair. The Bat’s were disappearing into other continents and countries. Gotham still needs full-time heroes. So she spent months and months on this. Because she puts her city above herself. It was a habit she got from Bruce. All of them got from Bruce.

  She grabbed the first liquid vile and a shot. She poured the liquid in it and stabbed herself with it. Slowly she took it out and waited for a minute. She got up and hid the box under her boxes of files and changed into her suit. It was a mix of Dick, Kate, and Bette’s. It looked like Bette’s old Flamebird outfit but with green. She put it on and ran outside. The bat symbol on her phone lit up bright yellow. It meant that everyone had seen the message. Then it turned gold. Dick’s doing.

  Her comms turn on as Dick and Jason put theirs in. “You guy’s got the message?” Dick asked. “I did” She said as Jason said “Yep.” She turned on the full features of Dick and Jason's suits.  She then appeared next to the duo. “Let’s go do our job,” She said and Dick raised his eyebrow. She shrugged. He smiled and three of them went their separate ways. Gotham needs their Princess Of Peace.

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Jason had been shocked that he had gotten a Code Black from Bruce. He knew who it was from. He didn’t want to uncode it but he did. He stared at the screen. He frowned as he got up. His eyes flashed green.  This shouldn’t have happened this soon. Most of the bats weren’t in Gotham. The Justice League most likely doesn’t know or they would have appeared at the manor right after the battle. The video wasn’t faked. He could tell. The bat symbol on his phone lit up bright yellow. It meant that everyone had seen the message. Then his phone lit up gold. Barbara or Dick probably did it. Most likely Dick.

   He grabbed his guns and put on his suit. He put on his mask and the helmet. He used his grappling hook to get onto the building next to his safe house. His comms made a sharp crack. Dick and Barbara were online. “You guy’s got the message?” Dick asked. “Yep,” I said as Barbara’s “I did” was heard. Barbara turned on the full features of their suits. He smirked but then Barbara grappled onto the roof herself. “Let’s go do our job,” She said. Dick and him turned to her. She shrugged. He smirked and all three of them went their separate ways. Gotham needed it’s Harbinger of Justice.

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Cassandra stared at her computer. The lights of the city of Hong Kong flashes and the sounds come from all over. ‘If you're seeing this it means I’m Dead’ repeats in her mind as she gets up. Her face is blank. She stares as her phone shines gold. She opened up her computer and got her the fastest ticket to Gotham. In 12 hours. Gotham can last 12 hours without her.

She stares at the wall before she hacks into Gotham’s security cams. Dick, Barbara, and Jason were running around beating up criminals. She nodded when she heard a ping. She looked and it was Alfred. She told him she had already got a ticket. 

She puts on her Black Bat suit and storms out towards the skyline. Her eyes narrow on a group of Triad Lackeys and she jumps down. For now she will save Hong Kong. They need The Mistress Of Shadows.

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Tim stared at the batcomputer. Bruce’s face fading from the screen. The words ‘Code Black’ taunt him. He didn’t know how long he sat there but Stephanie walked in, shocking him out of his thoughts. As she walked, she said  “Babs, Dick, and Jay are watching over Gotham. Huntress, Catwoman, Harper, and I are going out too. If you need to go to your team, go. Just be back by tomorrow morning for breakfast. We all are probably going to be there,”. Then, she left to the changing room with her suit.

He frowned before looking at his motorcycle and Robin suit. He nodded slowly and quickly put on his Robin suit. He beta’d to the Young Justice headquarters. The whole Justice League turned around. “Why are you here, Robin? You normally don’t come unless we have a mission,” Superman asked. Tim sighed and stared Clark straight in the eyes. Slowly, they all looked at him. Bart stopped himself from running over, Cassie tilted her head, and Conner looked confused. 

  “Batman’s dead. All of us Bat’s are coming back to Gotham,” Tim said as his eyes flicked to the ground and back to them. “What?” Diana asked airly. 

  “Batman. My father. All the bat’s father. Justice League founder. Is Dead. Gone. No longer breathing. How many different ways do you want me to tell you?” Tim said as he walked towards them. Diana opened her mouth before looking at his hands. His hands were shaking fast. 

    Conner instantly walked over to him. Tim glared at him through the mask, but Conner kept walking towards him. Clark opened his mouth but Conner raised an eyebrow as he kept walking. He pulled Tim into a hug. Tim tried to push him off, but as soon as the arms were wrapped around him, he went limp. Conner put his chin on his head and Tim cracked. 

“I can’t keep doing this,” Tim whispered. A couple tears escaped his mask. Gotham can last a day without it’s Robin. He’ll be back tomorrow and he’ll fight. But not today. Gotham needs it’s Robin, healthy. 

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Stephanie looked at her phone, behind her college. The black symbol mocking her. A single tear fell. She wiped it off. Her relationship with Bruce wasn’t great. She didn’t know why she was crying. She stared at the ground. Her phone rang. ‘Selina’ it said. She picked up. 

“Dick, Barbara, and Jason are patrolling Gotham. Want to meet up with Huntress and beat up some criminals? Harper is also coming.” Selina asked. “Yeah, let’s do that,” Stephanie replied. “Meet at the Clocktower in half an hour,” Selina said. “Got it,” Stephanie said. 

She ran to her car and got in. She drove as fast as she could. Breaking a couple speeding rules. But no one needed to know that. She stormed into the Batcave. Tim was sitting there looking conflicted. She frowned as she walked to where her suit was. “Babs, Dick, and Jay are watching over Gotham. Huntress, Catwoman, Harper, and I are going out too. If you need to go to your team, go. Just be back by tomorrow morning for breakfast. We all are probably going to be there,” She said before leaving to put on her suit. When she came back Tim was gone and his suit was out of the box.

She got to the tower, where they were waiting for her. They put on their comms and went back off. In the direction Barbara, Dick, and Jason didn’t. Gotham needs her. Gotham needs Spoiler.

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Duke stared at his phone. “I’m Dead” repeated on his phone. He rewinded it over and over again. He put his phone down as it flashes yellow then gold. He nodded as a flash of green ran past his window. A note fell onto his table ‘Check on any case we have. We need to find out who killed Bruce. If we need help, we’ll call you -O, RH, and NW’ He read it twice before he frowned. 

He shook his head and ran towards the manor. He snuck in and went past Alfred. Who looked up, he looked incredibly sad. Duke showed him the note and he nodded. 

Duke went down to the cave and got on the computer. He started going through the cases. Trying to find if something was opened. He could tell Tim was looking through some things and moved it onto Tim’s Robin Phone. He stayed there all night digging through cases and notes for every criminal. Gotham needs it’s Signal. Even at night. Gotham needs it’s Green Knight.

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Harper stared at her computer. Her electrical engineering book closed and fell. “I’m Dead. And Gotham needs its heroes.” Repeated as the screen turned back to the normal bat screen. It turned yellow then it turned Gold. She frowned. She was surprised she immediately got the video. But whatever. Her phone started ringing and she turned to it. ‘Selina’ it said. She grabbed it and accepted the call. 

“Hello?” She said,

 “Hey, Harper. I know you are retired but Babs, Dick, and Jason aren’t going to be able to keep the peace in Gotham alone. Especially since Batman’s gone and the only members of the Birds Of Prey that are here are Huntress, Steph, Babs, and me. Babs isn’t going to be able to help. So if you can do you think for tonight. to come out of retirement,” Selina asked.

“Just tonight?” I asked as I got up, putting her book on the shelf. “I can’t promise it but just tonight,” Selina said. “Call Stephanie and see if you can get her on the phone. I’ll get my suit. Meet me at the Clock Tower in 35,” She said. Selina hummed and hung up.

She walked towards her closet and went to the very back. She pulled out a cut out piece of the back and grabbed out a box. She unlocked it and pulled out her suit and taser. She put on the suit quickly and put the taser on her belt. She grabbed her rifle and ran out the wind. Gotham needed it’s Electric Defender.

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Bette stared at the screen, tears falling down her face. “I. I am sorry that I’m leaving you with the city by yourself,” The recording said. The video then ended and her screen went back to normal. She immediately grabbed her phone and the bat symbol was shining bright yellow. She nodded slowly. Everyone saw. She placed it down and wiped her tears. 

 Luckily, her old wound had healed. She quickly put on her new Flamebird outfit. It was made just like Dick’s Nightwing outfit. But it had a red bat symbol on it. Her memorial for Kate. Who was murdered about 6 months ago. She put on her mask and climbed her way onto her roof. She was in Bludhaven with Dick. He went to Gotham once he got his message and she stayed here.

  Civilians walked through the streets and when they saw her, they waved and smiled. She put on a bright smile. A fake one but a smile. She then ran off to where she heard a scream. BludHaven needs its Princess Of Prosperity. 

They buried him three days later. Batman was gone with him. The Batfamily came back, storming through Gotham. The Birds Of Prey came with, kicking the villains off their pedestals.

If the Joker was murdered by a sword three days later. No one said anything. Cassandra took over Batman’s place in the Justice League and got hero’s from Hong Kong into the League. 

Dick went back to the Titans and later went back to being leader. He never gave up.

Barbara stayed as Oracle and in her wheelchair. She only went out if the villains' dangerous behavior got to crisis level.

Jason and Stephanie stayed as the main protectors of Gotham.

Duke kept being the only Bat during the day. 

Bette stayed mainly in Bludhaven but at times helped Duke during the day.

Tim stayed as the leader of Young Justice and got even better at fighting.

Harper got her degree and stayed part time. She became one of the best.