Nobody moved.

Here Jack was, wounded and docile, giving us the chance to do whatever we wanted to him.

And no one was able to move a muscle.

"Tsk. I thought you were all eager to see the last of me." The previous Jack of the Hill sighed at the lack of reaction, letting his head fall back against the wall. "Didn't think you'd need warming up to the idea...Let's see, what old wounds should I pick at..."

That was all the provocation Vain needed.

"Trust me, the reason I haven't shot you yet isn't from a lack of want." His arm raised to aim the gun once more, red eyes completely calm. "I just know better than to burn bridges before I get everything I want from the other side."

I sent Vain a despairing look, heart twisting at the pure fury in his expression.

Jack didn't seem phased by the merciless words though, staring at the ceiling with a peaceful smile.

"Hmm, I doubt you would see me as a bargaining chip, so it must be information you want."

He sent a wink towards one of the corners of the room, presumably at Cassandra's hidden camera.

"You want to know her secrets? Her weaknesses. Far as I know, she hasn't got any. My creator is driven by curiosity alone. Willing to do anything for anyone, so long as they provide the means to feed her addiction to knowledge. She doesn't care about anything but the next discovery."

He shrugged "But Alexander could have told you that."

He tilted his head to the side questioningly, his eyes wide and vacant of emotion.

"Maybe you just what to know what makes me tick? I do like talking about myself, so why not indulge in morbid curiosity."

Vain shook his head.

"It's a waste of what little time you have left, trying to give your insanity meaning. You don't have a personality or a past Jack, just a mess of memories that don't belong to you."

Jack actually flinched, purple eyes closing with a grimace of pain.

"You're wrong. There were things that belonged to me." His eyes opened, and he sent a glare in Alex direction.

"Memories I made for myself. Distant and unsure as they may be. I haven't forgotten what you let her do to me."

Alex back away, pale with guilt.

"It wasn't you." The small boy's voice trembled, and Jack stared at him with more anger than I had ever seen from the insane boy l before.

"You're right." Jack slumped back, gaze returning to the ceiling. "The original Jack is dead, isn't he? All the Jack's of the past, they're all dead. And soon, I will be dead too, and the next Jack will get what left of me."

His lips twisted in a bitter smile. "Sometimes I wonder why she is so insistent on carrying on the memories."

Vain sighed.

"There isn't going to be another Jack. If you can't tell me anything about Cassandra..."

He shifted the gun, confirming the aim.

"I'll just put you out of your miser- "

He was cut off abruptly, his dragged back down when Alex attached himself to the limb.

"Wait." Alex snapped, meeting Vain's frustrated look with one of his own. "Just think, damn it. Before you do something, you regret."

Vain glared down at the boy clinging to his arm, expression unreadable.

"You can't say he didn't ask for this."

"I don't care if he's begging for it. It's one thing to defend yourself Maziric, but killing someone in cold blood is not something you should have to do."

Alex hunched over, still gripping Vain's arm, but unable to meet his eyes.

"That's what I'm here for. So none of you should have to make that decision."

For a moment no one moved, and I was sure Vain would push the red-head away and shoot Jack anyway.

It was only when the tension eased from his body, and he turned his glare to the side, that I was able to start breathing again.

He did it. Even without my help, he was strong enough to do the right thing.

"Boring." Jack sang out mockingly. "Not that I'm surprised you're going back on your promise to kill me Vain. You always did have a nasty bark, but your bite always left something to be desired."

Vain cringed at the words, his crimson gaze flickering up to glare at the injured monstrosity before him.

"Goading is a cheap tactic."

Jack snickered, his smile turning a little leery at the edges. "I've always found passion to be easily bought."

I grimaced.

Yep, even in the face of death, Jack goes out of his way to be a pervert.

I knew it was a lot to ask for since I had just woken up from my last bout of unconsciousness, but passing out at this point would have been nice.

I was hurting, hungry and traumatised.

So no, I didn't want to deal with Jack at all, let alone with him serving himself up on a silver platter.

I never know what to do when people actually surrender. It kind of takes the wind out of my sails...

Well, since killing Jack has been postponed... Might as well settle for friendly conversation.

"So I guess this answers the question of why you didn't stick around," I muttered, too exhausted to play along with the drama. "She sent you to fight the old men."

Cause, yea, Who else could have put him in this state, if not Lark Linquesta?

"You lost, and now that you're already half-dead, she's letting us finish you off for free?"

Jack just smiled, feeling no need to confirm or deny the theory.

I glared back, unamused.

"What does she get out of throwing you to the wolves? What do you?"

Lavender eyes studied me with soft wonder.

"I never did like playing with you Maddison. You're easy to wind up, but never go the way I want you to. Sometimes I wonder why I bother."

He tapped a finger to his lip in thought.

"Though if memory serves me correctly, the noises you made were just adorable. "

Vain seemed to change his mind about the whole shooting him dead thing, trying to wrestle his arm free l. Alex swore, struggling to keep ahold of the limb until the wave of insanity passed.

Jack sighed, unafraid of the prospect of being shot.

"I've run out of usefulness, it would seem." Jack shifted slightly, adjusting his wings as if they hurt. "I'm sure she just wants to see if he will do it. If there is any hope left for Vain Maziric. So I suggest making up your mind before she makes it up for you. "

Vain stilled, eyes narrowing. "You almost sound eager."

"To the contrary." Jack closed his eyes. "I couldn't care less."

More than Vain's anger, or the logic saying the monster had to be killed, Jack's despair sealed his fate for me.

After everything... He didn't even have the will to live.

With one last look at his peaceful smile, I buried my head in my raised knees. Listening but refusing to watch.

Maybe him killing me... Had hurt more than I thought. If even I couldn't find the will to fight for him.

"If you don't kill me here, I will pursue the issue. I will do what she wants because the only sure thing in my life is that I was created for that purpose." He huffed a laugh. "What other motivation could I possibly have? "

Damn it. Why did it have to end like this? Why couldn't he have just buggered off to some tropical island somewhere I wouldn't have to deal with him for the rest of my life?

I didn't want him dead.

I didn't want Vain to be the one to kill him.

No one spoke.

It was a painful silence, where Jack admitted he had no reason to live, and no one was able to tell him he was wrong.

To even to lie to him.

"We're going to stop her. "

I looked up in time to see Vain suddenly wrenched his arm out of Alex's hold, causing the small child to fall with a sharp curse.

Vain aimed the gun, expression cold.

But his hand was shaking.

Because the person who had spoken, the person who had closed the gap between Jack and us was standing unafraid within reach of the deadly creature.

Jack stared, expression completely blank as Robin knelt down before him.

"Wait... " I sat up, suddenly terrified. "Don't trust Him, Robin! "

"When we do, you will be free."

The unassuming Ace of the Hill, who seemed to wander aimlessly through life, reached out to Jack.

The shock faded from Jack's expression, and he gave Robin a grateful smile.

"So what?"

He struck, leaping forward to pin the small girl to the floor.

Vain shot him, causing blood to fly and Jack to fall backwards.

"Back off." The albino snarled, aiming his gun unflinchingly. "I won't spare you again."

In the same instant, Vain had shot Jack, Nigel had leapt forward and scooped Alex up. With both of us in tow, the tall blond started backing up, putting as much distance between us and the violence unfolding.

Despite just being shot, Jack held his perch on top of Robin, giggling to himself as he dragged a claw through the bloody wound in his shoulder.

"What will it matter when I'm free. I have nothing. No personality, no conscience, no past, not even a name! What could the world have to offer to someone who doesn't exist!"

Vain swore, seconds away from putting a bullet in Jack's head.

"Hold her. " Nigel said urgently, setting Alex down and passing my cage into his shaking hands.

I wanted to say let me out of this cage, let me do something... But everything was happening too fast, and neither Alex nor I in any state to deal with it.

The Joker was just straightening up when Robin finally spoke.

"Experiment 3181523."

Jack's mad laughter cut off.

In the silence, I turned to see Jack staring down at the quiet girl beneath him like she had just told him the truth of the universe.

"What did you say?"

Calm as can be, Robin raised a hand, sliding her fingers through his blood damp curls.

"You already know the answer."

Jack shook his head in disbelief.

"It's not real. You can't know it because it never happened." He grabbed the former Ace by her shoulders, sinking his claws into her jacket. "This isn't real."

"You have a name." As always, Robin's words were spoken slow, without any urgency or fear. "A cruel name, but one all the same. No matter how many times you die, what memories you lose, that name will always belong to you, so long as I am here to call it. "

"No." Jack hissed, teeth clenched as he desperately shook his head. "It didn't happen! She isn't real!"

"Even if you do not remember. I can never forget." Robin sat up, and Jack didn't stop her.

In fact, he shied away, huddling against the wall with his arms covering his head.

Whatever she was saying that made him react like this, one thing was obvious. Robin was breaking him.

She reached a hand forward, settling it on his shaking curls.

"It's okay. Even though you never recognised me, I knew you still remembered."

Robin smiled gently. The expression was kind, full of warmth and kindness.

She rarely smiled, but seeing it now, it was a wonder I had never recognised expression before.

It was the smile Jack wore all the time.

"You never forgot how to smile."