Alive

A/N: I totally nicked the finale of Cowboy Bebop for the gun battle idea in this.

Edgewood had only recently set up shop in Gotham, but he'd quickly made a name for himself as he took over turf from other gangsters. Word had it that Edgewood was planning something big. Bigger than any of the other schemes the gangster had attempted before. When the dust cleared, the rumours claimed, Gotham would never know what hit it. Hell, the world would stare in horrified awe. Bruce Wayne planned on stopping it before it happened. He had his operatives positioned on rooftops surrounding Edgewood's headquarters and when the moment was right, he would give the signal and they would swarm the place.

"Door," Cassandra Cain stated suddenly over the net. Those with a view of the front door to the building looked and saw him. Jason Todd was walking with a purpose towards the mouth of hell, and he was armed to the teeth. Then the explosions began.

"Red Robin with me, the rest of you stand by," Batman ordered.

Bruce and Tim swung down towards the street and had to alter their course, when Edgewood's men began firing at them. The two of them found cover in an alley and raced back towards the roof access they'd been on just moments before. On the nearby rooftops, the remaining members of the Bat clan took cover as they too were fired upon. Dick wrapped Damian in his arms and protected the boy with his body. Shattered bits of concrete rained down on the two through the bullet storm. Cass and Stephanie had both dived for cover behind the roof access. Stephanie shouted over the net to Oracle to provide them with any intel about what was happening below. Oracle did the best she could as she high jacked security feeds from surrounding buildings.

Inside the building, Jason could see that some of the gunmen were focused on targets outside. "I don't fucking think so," he muttered, spraying the men with bullets from his MP5. "I might need them later," he smirked beneath his mask. He was running for the elevator and could hear the running footsteps of a dozen men. Stopping long enough to plant a C-4 charge on the wall, he took off again and took cover near the elevator bank. He glanced from his hiding spot long enough to see that the men coming after him were in range of the C-4 and detonated it. The elevator opened and he dived in, taking cover as bullets rained on his position.

"Blackbat, Batgirl, your side is clear," Oracle called over the net. "Jason took out your shooters." Cass and Stephanie took advantage of their reprieve and swung towards Edgewood's penthouse.

Inside another round of gunfire erupted when Jason got out of the elevator one floor below the penthouse. He grunted as a bullet bit into his left arm and staggered momentarily. Taking aim he fired in the direction the bullet had come from and heard a grunt as his victim hit the floor with a wet splat. He spied the fire stairs and dashed for those. Inside the door to the penthouse, Jason took a deep breath and then kicked the door out. He was firing before the door swung fully open and gunfire was being returned in his direction.

On a neighbouring rooftop, Bruce watched through binoculars in horror. There were half a dozen men protecting Edgewood and they were falling fast. He noticed that the shooters that had been aiming at him and his operatives had moved and were converging on the penthouse. "Move now," he barked and shot out a line. Tim was right behind him.

"Follow me," Dick ordered Damian and the two raced across the roof. No shots were fired at them so they both launched into the air and swung towards their target.

"I've taken out…" Jason paused as he tried to think of a number. "A shit load of your guys," he snorted finally. "You're as good as fucking dead."

"You first," Edgewood bellowed and shot at Jason with two glocks. Jason dived out of the way but was hit in the leg. As he dived he shot back at Edgewood and smirked when he saw the blood erupt from between his eyeballs.

"Like I said," Jason wheezed, lurching to his feet. "You're late," he muttered after a moment as Bruce and the others converged on the penthouse balcony.

"Jason!" Bruce exclaimed as the former Robin fell forward. Racing forward he rolled Jason over and cradled him in his arms. "Why?" he murmured, removing Jason's hood. Cass alerted the others to the sounds of footsteps racing towards them from the fire stairs and they took positions of defence. Two dozen henchmen stood little chance against the five bats they squared off against. Bruce placed two fingers at Jason's throat and felt a thready pulse. Satisfied that the others would cover him, he lifted Jason over his shoulder and left to get him medical attention.

Jason Todd would wake up a week later in a private ward at Gotham General. Doctor Tompkins, satisfied that he wouldn't lash out at the prospect of visitors, allowed Bruce a few minutes with him.

"So I can feel alive," Jason murmured when he saw Bruce.

"Excuse me?"

Jason smirked softly. "You asked, why? In the penthouse," he replied. "I risk it all so I can feel alive."