Jason Todd

A/N: This is, obviously, an AU, as not only is Jason alive, but he's quitting as Robin.

It's the hardest thing Jason's ever done. He gulps, and tries again. This time his voice doesn't crack, but it's quiet enough that Bruce leans in to hear what he has to say.

"I don't think I can do this anymore," he forces out. It's what he wants to do, what he feels he was born to do, but… "I don't think I can go up against any of them again and not kill them."

Bruce nods in understanding and accepts the costume Jason hands back, only holding on a little too long. "This isn't your fault," he says in that awkward Bruce way, understanding but not sounding it. He never knows what to say to people when they aren't working. And of course that makes it worse, because of course Bruce has been through this before, and pulled back from the edge. But Jason knows that if he ever encounters the Joker again he won't be able to stop himself.

But the Manor is just a reminder of what he's given up now. A few days later he takes one of the cars and leaves.

***

Jason travels for a while, seeing the sights he never got to see as either a street kid or as Robin. He doesn't know what he wants to do with his life, and he knows he doesn't have to do anything if he doesn't want to (Bruce would support him if he decided to go that route), but he doesn't know how to just relax and enjoy himself without busting a few heads. He enters a few no-holds-barred underground prizefights, but there's no challenge in it and he quickly loses interest.

One day he sees Selina Kyle and, bored, shadows her when she breaks into a penthouse and steals some very expensive jewelry. He only reveals himself to her once they've left. They become partners in crime whenever she's outside of Gotham. He donates most of his portion of the takes to various inner-city charities.

By the time Tim comes along, he's mostly over not being Robin any more.