Do you think it's possible that... our presence, Batman and Robin respectively, could just be making Gotham become the very mess we've been trying to fix?

( it's a loaded question, but it's one he'd posed to his own father shortly before coming back here, too. one bruce had promptly ignored without even considering, stating they had a duty to gotham. and while damian understands the sentiment, he can't quite agree that - their presence has been good. they break everything they touch. criminals in gotham have just gotten worse with every addition to their family. the crimes have escalated. they aren't fixing anything, they can - they can throw everyone in arkham, dominate their enemies, destroy any opposition, but even when damian had tried erasing the minds of criminals in order to reform them, it hadn't fixed anything. hadn't healed anyone.

it's a concern that's been on his mind since emma. damian went for the greatest threat first, the biggest, and managed to fail at saving a little girl. a little girl he had been cruel to just moments prior, because he - he doesn't know how to help, only how to fight. )