#amnesiac bruce wayne

[komero-otus]

amnesia arc brainrot (PLAYLIST LINK)

[shewhowillwrite]

Dead on Main AU Prompt Fic

Edit: i use @shewhowillrise

The Justice League was choosing their head engineer. They had a few contenders. One being the top student in engineering at Gotham University, even has a scholarship through Jason Wayne’s Scholarship for Underperforming Students. Bruce Wayne has started it after adopting Jason and seeing how smart he was but also how much he struggled in school.

Daniel Fenton lived on the same street as the Monarch Theatre, the same street he found Jason.

Batman couldn’t help but think Daniel was what Jason could have been if he was able to finish school and head off too college.

Batman knocked on the apartment door, not at all surprised at how fast it opened. When setting up the meeting, he could hear the excitement over the phone.

“Hello Batman Sir!” Daniel greeted, holding out a hand. He had a strong firm grip, reminded him of Clark’s. Possibly a meta, which is a plus. With what the kid might encounter while building or making repairs, a meta gene would be good to have, especially strength.

And over the meeting Batman fell more and more in love with the kid’s enthusiasm. Without the guarantee of the job, the kid was ready to give some ideas (that would amazing) incase the League would need them.

The meeting was supposed to be an hour but soon he noticed that the sun was low.

Batman sat up straighter upon hearing a key turn in the lock.

“Oh that’s my partner, sorry, I would I have warned you but I didn’t realize the meeting was going to be this long,” Danny (only creepy billionaires call me Daniel) said, which Batman also noted that he tried his best not to blame Batman for going over the allotted time. Kid’s respectful too.

“Hey Stardust how’d the meeting I’m not supposed to know about go? I’m sure whatever words you stumbled over the Bat didn’t hold it against you for being nerv-” the disembodied voice walks into the dining room, and freezes in surprise before collecting himself, an easy smile going on his face while wiping grease stained hands on his grease stained jeans and stuck one out to shake.

“Hi, I’m Jaylad Peters,” he says but Batman doesn’t take the hand offered. He doesn’t react at all.

In front of him is his baby boy, the one that died in his arms, the one he buried in Gotham Cemetery, near Thomas and Martha. His Jason.

[fancyfade]

ugggg in the bruce wayne amnesia era and its such a shame damian doesn't interact with him (or with alfred) about it because alfred is convinced bruce has to be free of all his traces of his past life as batman to be happy but most of bruce's kids (all of them really) only are his kids because of bruce's life as batman. their connection to him is via batman.

and most of them are adults, but Damian's not. he's eleven. got to come home and find out that you can't tell your dad anything about you because it's viewed as something that would inherently ruin his happiness.

[kindlingkeen]

Yo as the resident Jason Todd fan, maybe you can answer this for me because I haven’t been able to find the answer anywhere else.

At some point in RHATO, Jason gives up his most cherished memory. The one where he’s sick & Bruce stayed home with him.

He was offered it back, and told them to keep it. He refused the offer. I’ve heard that the memory gets mentioned again later but I don’t know if he ever actually really takes it back.

Do you know if he ever gets it back? It’s both sad and not if he doesn’t, because on one hand he’s losing a good memory, but on the other I think it helps cut him off from Batman. Which really might be good for him (looks at all the other comic issues w how Bruce has treated Jason)

Hey, anon. Thanks for the ask! 💙

I’m by no means an expert on the comics, but I did have a bit of a comic-buying hissy fit a bunch of months ago trying to answer this exact question for myself. Here’s what I concluded (complete with pretty pictures because I’m a firm believer in citing your sources):

So in the new 52 rhato #3 (written by Scott Lobdell), Jay, Roy and Kori each give up their most cherished memory to gain entrance to the Chamber of All. The memories are held by Sa’ru (an all powerful being is also apparently a bratty child?).

Sa’ru gives Roy and Kori their memories back when they exit the chamber, but Jay refuses his.

Skip forward a bunch of issues to rhato #19 and Jason actually has Sa’ru take all his memories after a thing with the Joker (that’s a whole different blog post) and he ends up with complete amnesia. The series is being written by James Tynion at this point, not Scott Lobdell.

But Jason eventually gets all of his memories back in rhato #26.

I think you can make a reasonable argument that Tynion intended this to include his most cherished memory, as Jason talks about remembering his finest moments, his lowest moments, etc. Note, the series is still being written by Tynion.

But now skip way way ahead to rhato rebirth #34, and we get this exchange. 

So, no, I guess he didn’t get it back? Note, that the series is back to being written by Lobdell at this point.

Honestly, I think this is just another stellar example of dc saying, continuity, consistency? What are these strange and foreign concepts? And thus authors doing whatever they want, to hell with any prior storylines. Tynion was clearing going for an arc where Jason reclaimed his memories. Lobdell had a different idea in mind.

I don’t know that it really matters either way. I mean it’s one memory, right? So even if it’s gone, Jason’s second most cherished memory just moves up into spot numero uno. Based on how much Bruce clearly meant to Jason, and that Bruce was actually a good Dad in most of the comics featuring Robin!Jason, I’m guessing that that memory is of the two of them together, too.

I’d say go with whatever makes you happy and fits your own head canons for Jason. I hate the whole storyline and pretend it doesn’t exist while I stick my tongue out at dc and tell them liberally to fuck right off.

Hopefully that was helpful/informative, or at least worth a merit badge toward my resident Jason Todd fan status (I’m expecting my vest in the mail any day now).

[laufire]

I got tagged in a "line for each letter" game by @redhoodinternaldialectical a while ago (ty!). He gave me the word ENOCH, and I went around different WIPs to find lines I wanted to share here ^-^

E - Every turner, every bend, every hidden corner... with effort, he can match them all to an old memory. Some from his time tagging along Bruce on rooftops; others, now dimmer, from even earlier on, squatting with Dani. Jason's been called nostalgic before, and it's no surprise a return to Park Row proves those voices right.

But it's a place in which he never liked to find himself alone.

(young justice WIP)

N - "Noticing her discomfort, Bruce stood up and offered her a pillow. She repositioned herself, grimacing when the movement pulled at one of her injuries, and went back to staring at Jason's comatose body.

Bruce could read her thoughts, behind her flat and calm expression, all too easily. Doctor Sheila Haywood would, doubtlessly, come to the conclusion that the life Bruce had carelessly pulled her only son in was too risky. That there was no other choice, in order to protect the boy, than taking him with her when she left.

(no death in the family, part I)

O - Oliver, Mia thought, exasperated. Just a little bit touched, but mostly exasperated. Of course he'd follow up on her case, relapsing in the old helicopter-not-quite-parent ways. Who else would leave her those clues?

(thee jaymia story)

C - Carrie hadn't even reacted to his bruises when he arrived, yet now she looked all together unsettled. "That was freaky," she said. "You method acting now? You got really into your part today."

Jason couldn't quite just come out and say, well, Kelley, I finally remember exactly who I was drawing inspiration from all along. My own Professor Higgins; my own sculptor, if you will; in more ways than I could've suspected.

"I've had a rough weekend," he deadpanned.

(amnesiac jason WIP)

H - He was nice. A weirdo, no doubt, but Mia had only herself to blame for throwing her lot with people who thought moonlighting in tights was the best way to stop criminal organisations. Red Robin was also pretty full of himself, on top of just pretty, and had crappy taste in both names and headwear.

But he was nice. Kind, which was more important. Mia decided it was worth to chase some kindness when it was thrown her way.

It was probably worth to just chase, instead of being chased. Genuinely, of her own volition, with no programming turning her into a nasty fucker's Manic Prixie Dream Girl this time.

(jaytimia dollhouse not-an-AU)

tagging @bombshellsandbluebells @nightingalesighs @blairwaldcrf @mockerd3light

@finnicks @lichfucker @grapecaseschoices @missbrunettebarbie and whoever else feels up to it. your word is LYRIC.

[littlefankingdom]

~ Red Hood & Arsenal

So, when Bruce loses his memories, he goes to work for the community center Jason would go to when he was homeless. The same center he poured money into after he got Jason, to help other street kids. He doesn’t remember Jason btw. Jason takes it as a sign that whatever Bruce is going through, that means he loves and cares for him. And so, Jason is being open about his own love for Bruce ("You're a good man." "Thank you for everything"), even as he acts as if he doesn't know him.

[chesspens]

Art dump? Yes dump Art

[bluejaysandblackbats]

A Stone's Throw

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: The night Jason wakes up in the convalescent home, he's accompanied by his favorite nurse (Nurse Kathy). Nurse Kathy follows her instincts and decides to foster him in the nearby city of Blüdhaven. Soon, her partner and roommates become Jason's new family despite hopes that he'll regain his memories.

Chapters: 2/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Original Characters, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Barbara Gordon

Additional Tags: Disabled Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne Doesn't Know Jason Todd is Alive, Angst, Fluff, Found Family, Jason Todd Has a Foster Family AU, Jason Todd Moves to Blüdhaven, Original Asexual Characters, Original Lesbian Characters, Amnesiac Jason Todd, "Missed Him By That Much" Trope, Hurt/Comfort, Resurrected Jason Todd

Chapter Two: To Blüdhaven

Boxes piled high by the front door of Kathy’s apartment usually would’ve made her sad, but these boxes signaled a warmer beginning and not an end. She tightened her scarf as she dusted the mantle and ceiling fan, standing on a stepping stool to complete her task. “You’re in good spirits this morning,” her male roommate smiled. He kissed her cheek and sat at the piano, warming up before playing Raindrops by Clifford Borg. “Moving day is upon us!”

Kathy grinned and stepped down. “Daniel, I made lunch for the movers… Do you think that’s a bit much?” Kathy questioned. 

“Oh no… Everyone makes paper bag lunches for movers,” Daniel teased her. She stuck her tongue out at him. “You’re a doll, Katherine. They’ll love it. You make the most beautiful lunches. If only you’d do it for yourself. What’s on your mind, Mummy?” 

“I won’t be his mother… He probably has a mother out there somewhere,” Kathy mumbled. Daniel walked over and wrapped his arms around her. 

“You’ll be his mother in the meantime… And who knows? He might choose you even after he remembers,” Daniel smiled, “How’s he been?” 

Kathy frowned, freeing herself from his comforting embrace to move boxes from the bedroom to the living room. “He’s always crying when I see him… And my supervisor isn’t there all the time to look out for him. I didn’t want to say anything because—.” 

“You didn’t want to think about it because we can’t speed up the moving date… Katherine… I’m sorry—.” 

“You didn’t know. The move to Blüdhaven should be a good thing, though. Shouldn’t it?” Kathy questioned. 

“You worry too much—.” 

“No, but what if he’s from Gotham and—. Maybe I’ll drive him out every weekend to take him on walks through the city,” said Kathy. Daniel took a large box from her, setting it aside. 

“The house in Blüdhaven is more accessible and much larger than anything we’d get here,” Daniel replied, “And Gotham isn’t the safest place for a kid like him. Blüdhaven isn’t much safer, but hey… Maybe the schools are better.” 

“School! Oh, god, Daniel… I have a meeting with his school tomorrow—.” 

“You rescheduled for Monday… Remember?” Daniel whispered. Kathy relaxed, pressing her forehead into Daniel’s shoulder. 

“Daniel, has anyone ever told you how important you are?” Kathy asked.

“Only from you, which means Lover and I have to talk,” Daniel half-joked. Kathy’s nose crinkled as she closed-eye smiled at him. Daniel kissed her cheek. They lugged the remaining boxes to the truck, and Daniel opened the car door for her. 

“I’m so nervous. Are you nervous?” Kathy questioned. 

Daniel gestured for Kathy to calm down, taking two hands with his palms facing down the length of his chest. “Breathe, Katherine. It’ll be alright soon. Once he’s with us, you’ll be fine. You’ve been that way since we were children,” Daniel questioned. The sun peeked through the clouds as a gust of wind blew past, rustling through the trees. The sky looked yellowish grey, painted by the smoke of the nearby factory. 

“I won’t miss the sulfur smell. I know that,” Daniel whispered. Kathy chuckled and nodded, trying to mask the persisting anxiety that buzzed beneath her skin. She slipped her shaking hands under her legs. “It’ll be nice to have a little fellow around.”

“He’s not so little anymore. I don’t think he’s realized that yet. A lot of time passed while he was comatose. He’s getting his balance back. His glasses have helped a lot,” Kathy replied. 

Daniel glanced at her as he followed the moving truck. Daniel popped a CD in and drummed on the dashboard. “Dodie called last night. I think he’s ready to talk about everything,” Daniel whispered. Kathy tensed. 

“Did we mess up, Daniel?” Kathy asked. 

“No, I think we were good parents… But—. I think it’ll take a while for it to sink in that we lied to protect him. This is a long drive, Katherine… You should call him. Let’s talk to him,” Daniel replied. Kathy nodded and frowned. “Together.” 

Kathy dialed the number, and let it ring twice before Dodie answered. “Hi, Ma,” Dodie mumbled. 

“Are you busy Dodie? I—. Dodie, I’m sorry, honey,” Kathy apologized. 

“Ma, I was mad at both of—. Is Dad there?” Dodie questioned. 

“I’m here, Dodie. Hi, Kiddo,” Daniel answered. 

“Good… Because I kinda owe you guys an apology. I know coming out to me was a big deal. I just—. No matter what was going on, you guys always put me first. I can’t begin to imagine what it was like for either of you. I guess I was upset because I felt like I never got the real Mom and Dad. I don’t know. I—. We all would’ve been different if you guys told me earlier. 

“Maybe—. I—. There’s so much I don’t know. How did I even—? I don’t—. Do I even want to know?” Dodie asked. 

“We were young, and we were curious. We realized almost immediately afterward that we’d mistaken our friendship for romance. We tried to move on, and we decided to keep pretending to be a couple. It seemed easier than coming out… And—.” 

“I told Daniel I was pregnant. We knew what we wanted to do. There was no question. We knew we’d love you… And to this day, you’re a testament to our friendship and how much we do love each other. Nothing has to change, Dodie,” Kathy added. 

“Well… Everything is a little different. Aren’t you guys dating people now?” Dodie questioned. 

“Well… Yes,” Daniel answered. 

“I want to meet them,” Dodie sternly replied. 

“Okay… Well, Walter’s in Blüdhaven. We won’t be there for a few hours but the house is pretty close to yours,” Daniel announced, “If you stop by and tell him who you are, he’ll let you in. I don’t when Sibyl—. Katherine, honey, when is Sibyl coming?”

“Oh… Um, she’s coming tonight. She’s done all the grocery shopping, so I’ll be able to make dinner. Oh! Dodie, sweetheart, can you stay for dinner?” Kathy replied. Dodie made a soft noise. “Dinner. Let’s do dinner. It’ll be good. We can all—. We can talk. You know about the little guy from the hospital? He’s coming home soon.”

“I’ll stay for dinner, Ma. I can’t stay over because I have work tomorrow morning, but I’d—. I’d like that… And I can take the day off with you to pick up the kid if you want me to,” Dodie offered. 

Daniel tapped her arm and nodded. “Oh, Dodie, that’s so sweet. I’d love that. I’m picking him up on Sunday. Can you do Sunday?” Kathy asked. 

“I can do Sunday. And Ma? Dad? I love you no matter what. You’re my parents, and I can’t stay mad at either of you. I want you to be happy if that counts for anything. I’m sorry I blew up when you guys came out,” Dodie apologized. 

“We—.”

“We—.” Kathy laughed and touched Daniel’s arm. 

“We love you, Dodie,” Daniel grinned. Kathy made a soft noise. She unwrapped a sandwich in her lunch box and held it up to Daniel’s mouth. He took a bite. Their intimacies outlasted their sham relationship. Things that were once pretend persisted as a declaration of love transcendent of romance while devoid of attraction. Their intimacy was platonic and unending.

[castrianamore]

You Can’t Teach an Old God New Tricks

DC x DP crossover

Danny didn’t have a lot to his name. He arrived in Gotham 2 years ago lost and confused. He knew he was a king. He knew he was a half a, and he knew that he ruled all of the infinite realms. But the harsh realities of Gotham also kept him on his toes as he tries to ignore his past. Nothing from before the age of 14 but electricity down his spine, A sister whom he loved, and an apparent complaint of his newfound lack of Empathy because of it.

Danny had avoided the infamous Bats for too long but as the ghosts start to delve into the world once more moaning for the Phantom, and a family edging on being a gang. He finds himself far too close to the vigillante’s and Batman than he really wants to find himself.

And as his world collapses in on itself, maybe he needs someone to catch him for once. Someone he never expected.

*My second official Batfam fic!!! Link for ao3 below and first chapter

[ayamari-no-goshi]

Don’t Forget to Write

AO3 -> next

Fandoms: DC (Batman comics

Summary: From Dick’s POV. Damian happened to win a contest to illustrate a new book by an up and coming author. Being the good brother he is, Dick decided to check the book.He quickly realized he was reading a very first hand account of one of Jason's old cases, and deciding to act like a normal person would, he decided to read some of the author's other works. What he found shook the very foundation of what he thought was true?  

Warnings: rated T - mostly for swearing and questionable mental health. Amnesia

Parings: none

Notes: originally uploaded to AO3. Cross-posted to tumblr

Dick took a few quick breaths and double checked he was still holding the book he had swiped from Damian before he knocked on the door frame of Bruce’s office. It wasn’t like Bruce wouldn’t appreciate the distraction from whatever paperwork built up, but the situation he wanted to bring up sounded insane, even to him.

“Hey, Chum, what’s wrong?” Bruce gave him a tired smile. From what Dick had heard from Tim and Damian, he’d been working on dismantling a massive arms smuggling ring recently. Word on the street suggested it was connected to Black Mask, but there was currently no concrete evidence to support it.

“You know how Damian recently won that contest?” he asked, deciding that was the easiest way to start.

Bruce nodded and his tired smile was briefly replaced with something warmer. While he had a hard time expressing his feelings, the man was genuinely happy for their accomplishments. The congratulations letter that Damian received which let him know he won an art contest had been placed on the fridge so anyone who would walk in could see it.

“Since the prize is the chance to illustrate an upcoming book, Damian decided to read some of the author’s other works to get an idea of the style.” Dick paused for a moment. “He said something that struck me as weird. I guess this author tends to write detective stories, but after criticizing how the cases were solved, he mentioned they sounded similar to a lot of our cases. I got curious and decided to read a few too…” He shifted his weight as Bruce’s eyes narrowed. “It’s unsettling.”

“How so?”

Dick fidgeted a moment. “This is going to sound crazy, but I wouldn’t bring this up to you if it wasn’t this weird. Bruce, these stories are nearly identical to the cases we worked on with… with Jason.”

When Bruce’s expression hardened, Dick made sure not to say anything. His brother’s name was still something everyone tried not to bring up in front of him unless absolutely necessary. It has been six years since Jason’s death at the hands of the Joker, and Bruce had never forgiven himself for it. While he had long since moved past the self-destructive phase of his grief, largely in part to Tim taking the lead on keeping him in check, it still lingered below the surface.

“Are you certain?” The intensity of the man’s voice almost made Dick shiver.

“Bruce,” he kept his voice even as he handed him the book, “I’m certain enough to bring it up to you. Take a look and let me know what you think. Maybe I am just misremembering, but there are details about characters who seemed to be thinly veiled versions of us and our rogues that only we know. The one in your hand talks about what happened when he ran The Gauntlet. It’s too spot on.”

“I will take a look.”

Dick nodded. “Let me know what you decide. Even if you don’t decide to act, I’m going to look into it. I just have a gut feeling.”

…

“I know that name,” Stephanie mentioned later that evening as Bruce began explaining why they were looking into the author, who went by the pen name ‘John Doe’. “He’s really popular with a lot of high school students.”

“Bernard really likes his books,” Tim added. A slight blush appeared on his cheeks which he stubbornly ignored. “One of the things a lot of people talk about is how it feels like they’re reading a more personal account of what it’s like to be Robin. It’s why it’s so popular. He started writing in online forums before being picked up by Gotham Publishing.”

“That’s what brought him to our attention,” Dick explained. “His books match a little too closely with some of ours, especially from…” He glanced over at Bruce.

“From when Jason was Robin,” he finished as he pressed a button on the Batcomputer. Behind him, a comparison between one of John Doe’s books and one of their cases. Several highlighted areas could be seen.

Steph, Tim, and Cass shared looks. Even Damian seemed moderately surprised. Bruce almost never brought up Jason, unless it was to remind them what they were risking if they went out unprepared. The fact that he was willing to say his name made it much more serious, especially because all of them could hear the note of pain obvious in his voice.

“I can verify our systems weren’t hacked,” Barbara’s voice drifted over from her comm line. She’d been helping Dick after he messaged her with his original suspicions. “Since that’s not the problem, I’ve been helping Dick research him. John Doe, also known as Jay Peters, doesn’t legally exist.”

“So, he forged a new identity? Or is he an illegal immigrant or trafficking victim?” Steph questioned.

“No, amnesia.” Babs paused as she brought up a contract with a couple signatures on it. “Here’s our writer’s contract with Gotham Publishing. You can see the name of Maria Valencia, one of the leading victim’s rights advocates in the city, vouching for him. So, I checked her records and found a very interesting medical file.”

“John Doe forty-seven was brought to Gotham General approximately five and a half years ago after being found dazed and severely injured in the middle of the night,” Dick spoke up as the medical file and related police report appeared on the computer screen. “Even after several surgeries, he spent a year in a coma before waking up without an idea of who he is or what happened to him. Babs, can you bring up the images?”

Dick shifted uncomfortably as he waited for Bruce’s response. At first, he thought they were dealing with a new Rogue, someone too skilled at hacking for their own good, or even a meta with an ability that allowed them to tap into thoughts or computer records. But after seeing the images, Dick was presented with a possibility he wasn’t emotionally prepared to handle. He should have waited until he finished his own investigation before he brought it up to Bruce.

“These images… are from the police reports?” Bruce questioned, emotion breaking through his normal façade. He noticed the similarities that had unsettled Dick when he first reviewed them.

“Yes,” Babs confirmed. “The GCPD were unable to find any missing persons cases that matched his description. Looks like they tried to get fingerprints, but his hands were too mangled at the time for anything useable.”

“I used the Batcomputer to see if we could get a hit. Bruce,” Dick made sure to look him in the eyes as the results were shown on the screen, “they’re a partial match to Jason. And it’s not just the fingerprints. With the exception of the injuries on his fingers, all of his other ones match his autopsy report. I know it sounds crazy, especially because these photos were taken six months after his death.”

“His hands…” Tim murmured as he reviewed the images. “It looks like he had been digging.”

“That appears to be the case.” A slight frown appeared on Bruce’s face. Dick had known him long enough to know he was trying to consider other possibilities. There had been too many tragedies in their lives for him to immediately jump to the idea the person in those images was his son miraculously returned from the dead. “Barbara, do you have any recent images of him?”

“Just one. Give me a sec.”

An image of a young man standing near Valencia, caught off guard by something, possibly the camera, appeared on the screen. Even though he appeared older, the facial structure was the same as Jason’s, even down to the slightly crooked position of his nose, something that occurred after a nasty fight with one of Two-Face’s goons. And then there were the scars. There was a particularly noticeable one over his left eye that occurred sometime before Jason came to the Manor.

Dick glanced at Bruce to see if he had the same sort of recognition he had when he first saw it, but he instantly regretted it. There was pain and an aching longing he’d rarely seen in Bruce’s expression. While he wouldn’t be convinced until he ran his own tests, he couldn’t deny the similarities.

“I’m going to double check the prints,” Bruce’s voice was thick with emotion, “and run a facial recognition.”

“Father, are you really entertaining the idea that this person…” Damian didn’t have a chance to finish his thought when Cass placed a hand on his shoulder.

“He fought to bring you back,” she reminded him as Bruce began a fingerprint and facial analysis of the author against Jason. “Let him hope he can bring another son home.” Damian didn’t have a response to that.

A few moments later, the computer showed a ninety three percent match against Jason regarding appearance. The difference in age and some newer scars, including the one that was just visible under his hairline, could be enough for why it wasn’t a complete match. The print match finished a few moments later and confirmed the partial match Dick had gotten.

“Is there a chance this Jason look alike is a clone?” When Steph caught Bruce’s glare, she held her hands up. “What? It’s a valid question.”

“It’s a possibility,” Dick stated slowly. With how delicate the situation was, he needed to make sure he properly explained his thoughts. None of them needed Bruce spiraling again. “But it doesn’t feel right. If he is, whoever made him went through a lot of work to match the injuries on his body. They wouldn’t just let him go after all of that. But instead of some diabolical plot, he’s just writing mystery novels and keeping to himself.”

“There’s something else weird,” Tim spoke up. “Look at the date he was admitted to the hospital. It matches up with when the Superboy Prime incident occurred. He was also found along the road that leads from the cemetery.”

Dick tried to forget about that. Superboy Prime, a teenaged version of Superman from another universe who got trapped in theirs. His ill-fated attempts to return home combined with his insane plans to attempt to rewrite their reality to make it closer to the one he knew had far reaching effects that they were still discovering several years later.

Bruce turned and pin one of the most intense stares Dick had ever seen on the teen. “What are you suggesting?”

“B, no one has touched his… Jason’s grave, right?”

Bruce’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Oh, Tim was treading a minefield. “That is correct.”

“Hypothetically, if someone broke out of it, would it have set off any alarms?”

“No, but the likelihood…”

“B, that was a reality shattering event. With everything else we’ve seen over the years, is It really so strange that he came back?” Tim pointed to the computer screen where the injuries on the author’s fingers were still visible. “Whoever this is, he dug himself out of something. Even if that’s not what happened, we should at least rule it out.”

As a Bruce took a moment to process the idea, Dick decided to speak up. “Maybe I’m misremembering, but I seem to recall a report talking about how a couple members of the Doom Patrol came back to life after everything was said and done. And I’m pretty sure there were rumors of that happening to civilians too.”

“There were,” Tim stated as he stepped forward so he could bring up some files on the Batcomputer. “Five confirmed cases in Gotham and three in Bludhaven.”

Dick felt his eyebrows raise. He hadn’t known that, and neither did the others, judging by their equally surprised expressions.

“B, I’d say that’s enough to warrant considering it. Tim and I can check the grave.” Dick sighed. “We’ll also have to rule out he’s an alternative version of Jason too. But, if I’m honest, I hope this is real.”

“I know you’re gonna want a DNA sample from him,” Steph mentioned as she glanced at the photo again. “Babs, you didn’t happen to figure out where this guy lives, did you?”

“Not yet,” she admitted.

“I did.” Everyone turned to look at Tim. “I got curious why an author would go by the name ‘John Doe’ and investigated his forum posts a while back. He hasn’t provided a lot about himself other than some of the books he likes to read. Thought it was weird, so I tried hacking his account. Most of the original posts were made from the library at the corner of Park Row, and the later ones are all from a computer owned by the publishing company. So, I hacked the publishing company instead, and it appears they’re paying for him to stay in a small apartment.”

Sighing, Dick glanced at his younger brother. “Let me guess. You already staked out the property.”

“Yeah. There’s not much in it, just basic furniture and some books. He keeps it tidy. Both times I’ve stopped by during a patrol, he’s been asleep.”

“That saves me some work, but I might have something better. What if I told you the perfect time to break into that apartment to get some evidence would be between 8am and 9am tomorrow?” Amusement crept into Babs’ voice. “Turns out he’s doing an interview with Vicki Vale. And if anyone would like to go view it in person, I have no doubt the producers would gladly welcome and save some seats for one Bruce Wayne and at least one of his children.”

…

The next morning, Dick found himself waiting with Tim, Cass, and Damian in front of the TV station while Bruce pulled some strings. While they were there, Stephanie worked on getting into the author’s apartment to attempt to get some DNA evidence for Bruce. She kept sending occasional updates. With how controlling Bruce could be when it came to things involving their family, Dick was surprised he was willing to let her do it.

If Dick had to guess, the reason dealt with what they discovered. Jason’s grave was indeed empty. The lid had been broken from the inside, giving credence to Tim’s theory. Afterwards, they headed to the apartment where the author lived. The man had been sleeping in his bed when they took their places on the building across the street, but he must have felt their eyes on him seeing as he woke up just long enough to get up and close the curtains. If Dick wasn’t mistaken, Jason had briefly glanced at them.

Even though they had to continue their patrols, Bruce kept going back to the vantage point. Seeing as he was more non-verbal than usual when he returned to the Cave, Dick doubted he got another glance at the author.

After checking another update from Stephanie, Dick mulled over the fact he wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about possibly seeing Jason again after so many years. The wary optimism from the previous night had changed into a nervous discomfort.

Jason, and Dick was pretty sure it was their Jason, had been alone for over five years. He didn’t know who he was or what happened to him. He likely didn’t even remember them. It hurt in a way Dick wasn’t familiar with. He was used to the sharp pain of loss that slowly dulled over the years, but this was a gnawing pain that seemed similar to guilt or longing. Maybe it was a combination of both. Dick didn’t want to have to treat his brother like a stranger after all this time.

There was also the possibility that by simply approaching him, they risked pulling him back into the vigilante world. He’d been out of the game for years. None of them knew how much of his training he may or may not remember. Would he want to come back to it? If he was honest, he didn’t want Jason to deal with the dangers and trauma of the job ever again, even if he wanted to once again fly across the rooftops of Gotham with his brother.

“Are you ready?” Bruce was back. He looked worn out in a way Dick had rarely seen. The combination of grief and guilt must have been taking a toll on him. The man was also trying to fight against hope because if this was just a doppelgänger or clone, it might break him all over again.

About ten minutes later, they were shown to their seats in the studio. Several members of the audience noticed their presence and began whispering. Didn’t they have anything better to do than gossip about them? Probably not. Keeping up with their family was a pastime of the city after all.

As the show started, Dick had to do has best to keep from fidgeting. He wasn’t interested in the stories or gossip of the first half of the show. Sure, sometimes that information was useful to their main job, but everything presented that particular day was old news to him.

Then the second half of the show started, and Dick’s breath hitched as he saw his brother walk on to the set. Although he’d seen a slightly out of focus image of his brother the previous night, this was different. Jason was tall and broad and looked as if he’d never been dead. But he didn’t look completely healthy. There was an unnatural leanness about him, much like he was when he was first brought to the Manor. Had he been eating properly? Or was it an unfortunate result of the recovery process? His coma had been long enough to cause muscle atrophy.

Then there were the scars. In the fluorescent studio lights, they could easily see the slight discoloration of the scars that littered his face and bare forearms. It made him look dangerous, and Dick could almost feel the rest of the audience recoil. In Gotham, scars like that tended to suggest involvement with criminals.

Interestingly, when Vicki caught sight of Jason for the first time, her eyes briefly widened in recognition. She’d interviewed their family enough over the years to be familiar with their appearances, and Dick could still remember the debate over whether or not she ever figured out their identities.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Doe, or do you prefer Mr. Peters?” she asked in a friendly but professional voice as Jason sat across from her after a handshake.

He chuckled. It was a hoarse but pleasant sound. “Jay’s fine, but I should probably explain my pen name. I’m considered a ‘John Doe’, an unidentified person. I have no idea who I was before waking up in that hospital, and no one else seems to either. When I started using the writing forums, I used ‘John Doe’ as a joke, and it’s kind of stuck.” His posture was open and appeared relaxed, but his eyes hardened slightly. So he wasn’t as unbothered by the situation as he appeared.

“I had been wondering about that.” Vicki was all smiles. “Is that why you’ve remained out of the spotlight?”

“You could say that.” He flashed her a crooked smile Dick recognized as the same one Jason used to try to charm people.

“What changed? I’m surprised you were willing to come on the show.”

He seemed to look past her for a moment. “Part of it was the contest. I’ll be working with the winner, and since it looks like I got into a fight with a blender and lost,” he traced some of the scars on his left arm, “the publishing team thought it was a good idea to prove I’m not secretly a Family enforcer or associated with any of the Rogues. But if you want me to be honest, I’m just tired of not having a provable identity. I want to be able to buy my own damn cigarettes.”

That statement caught Vicki and most of the audience off guard, but Dick had to stifle a laugh. Of all the things he could have said, he brought up his addiction to nicotine. He had thought Jason had quit by the time he died, but maybe it was a piece of his old life he somewhat remembered. They had theorized he started regularly smoking to help stave off hunger. Maybe that’s why he picked it up again. But since Jason was smirking, he said it to at least partially throw Vicki off.

“Of all things, cigarettes?”

Jason shrugged as he shifted positions. “Why not? That’s one of those rite of passage things, and I’m getting tired of having to bum them off of everyone. I’m old enough to make my own bad decisions… I think.”

She gave him a polite smile. “Let’s move on to your books. They’ve become extremely popular among the teens and young adults of Gotham. Why do you think that is?”

“Just like any writer, I’d like to think it’s my skills on telling an engaging story. But if I’ve learned anything from Internet forums, the real answer lies in how connected the readers feel to the main characters and how easily they can make fan fiction out of it.”

While Jason’s smile remained pleasant, Vicki’s became forced at the mention of fan fiction. She probably found the very explicit fics between her and other prominent figures of Gotham, including Bruce. Dick was still mad at Stephanie for making everyone aware of the fiction that existed about their hero personas. He could have lived without knowing.

“I think it’s a little more than that,” Vicki compromised as her expression returned to a more natural one. “How about taking us through your writing process. I’m sure the viewers would like to get a glimpse of the process.”

Jason didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he tilted his head and bit his lip, something he used to do all the time when he first came to the Manor when he wasn’t sure how to phrase something. It was one of the few hints of insecurity he’d let them see. “There isn’t really a process. A lot of my books started off as me writing random phrases. Like ‘the button to open the door was under the name plate on the desk’. Or ‘the only way to disarm the explosive was hitting the blue marker on the other side of the room’. There are days when I’ll spend hours doing it because I need them out of my head, but…” He lifted his hands and flexed them a few times. His fingers looked stiff. “I can’t physically write for long periods. Too much damage.”

He shifted again. “So, I started putting them in a computer document since it was easier to handle and organize. Some phrases just went better with others. Eventually, I realized I had these summaries of fictional events written like a police report. But it didn’t feel right to leave them like that, so I started adding more details that just seemed right. Then the next thing I knew, I had a bunch of stories. I still write like that.”

Dick found himself shaking his head. “He died, came back, doesn’t remember anything, and still writes reports? I don’t know if I should be in awe or concerned,” he whispered to himself which made Cass and Tim chuckle.

“Are you sure they’re fictional?” Vicki questioned. “I’m sure it’s been pointed out to you that your works almost feel like they’re written from the point of view of one of Gotham’s vigilantes. Perhaps someone in your family worked for the police, a stenographer, or even one of the city’s newspapers.”

He snorted. “The GCPD couldn’t identify me, so I doubt I had family there. Unless whoever it was happened to be that corrupt, and when it comes to the GCPD, that’s a possibility.” When Vicki’s eyebrows rose in surprise, Jason gave her a wry smile. “Just because I don’t remember my past doesn’t mean I’m stupid. I know the Commissioner has done a lot to help, but things still aren’t great. As for the others, that’s a possibility, but they don’t feel right.”

“And today on what you don’t say on live TV in Gotham,” Tim murmured, stunned. Almost everyone in Gotham knew there was corruption in most levels of office, including the police, but there was a real danger in acknowledging it publicly. Jason hadn’t said anything that pointed fingers at anyone, yet, but he might not realize some of the knowledge he had wasn’t public knowledge.

Vicki also knew it was a dangerous topic and quickly shifted the conversation. “Let’s talk about the contest itself. There have been a lot of criticism about how the winner of the contest is Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne’s youngest son.”

Dick could feel how Damian tensed so he put a hand on his shoulder. “This isn’t the time,” he whispered to him. “Wait until after the show.”

“I haven’t heard anything like that. How about you enlighten me.” Jason’s voice sounded light, but there was an edge to it. He also shifted forward so his forearms were resting on his thighs. He absolutely knew what these criticisms were, and he wasn’t happy about it.

The reporter caught it too. “People believe he should have been disqualified because of his status in Gotham,” she explained with an apologetic smile, suggesting she didn’t agree.

“And if I happened to choose someone from the Bowery or Crime Alley, there would be complaints about the person being a charity case.” All previous humor had vanished from Jason’s expression and voice. “I specifically requested two things from Gotham Publishing when they brought up the contest: that all Gotham middle and high schools would be allowed to participate and that I wouldn’t be allowed to see any names. Money and home life had nothing to do with my choice. Everything was based on talent alone.”

He shifted so he was sitting up straight which allowed the fluorescent lights to highlight the scars on his face. “The winner has a rich dad, so what? Just like anyone else, he should be recognized for his own talent instead of being forced to walk in his parents’ shadow all the time. The only way I’d find issue with my choice is if we found out the kid’s dad was the one who actually drew it.”

During Jason’s explanation, Dick kept an eye on Damian. His youngest brother’s eyes had widened slightly in surprise followed by a slight smile. While he was sure Damian would never outright admit it, he was pleased by Jason’s response.

Though Damian was surprised by the defense, Dick wasn’t. Whether it was when he was acting as Robin or just being himself, Jason dealt with a lot of people judging him and their family. Although he wasn’t supposed to admit it, one of his favorite memories of Jason was finding out he got into a fight on his behalf. It wasn’t often his brother got into trouble at school, but he was being teased by boys who didn’t appreciate his former status as a street kid. It hadn’t been until they insulted Dick that he leapt to action. Alfred had personally called him to relay the story. Feeling oddly touched, Dick then liberated his brother from his room and treated him to ice cream. Even though he knew otherwise, he liked to believe Bruce never found out.

“Out of curiosity, do you think the Bruce Wayne would have done that? What?” Vicki genuinely looked puzzled when Jason snorted.

“I’m absolutely positive Bruce Wayne didn’t sketch a scene from my book. It’s not his style.” Confusion briefly crossed his face as he finished his statement. He clearly wasn’t sure why he knew that.

Vicki noticed it too. “You sound pretty certain of that. Have you met him before?”

“Since I woke up after whatever happened, no. Before that… I’m not sure.” He leaned back and briefly closed his eyes. “There are places and names that are familiar to me, but I haven’t been able to figure out why.” A sigh escaped him as he shifted again. “No one knows if I’ll ever get my memories back, not all amnesiacs do, and looking at the remnants of what happened to me, I’m not sure I want to. But at the same time, if someone’s missing me, they at least should know I’m here even if I don’t know who they are.” A sardonic smile crossed his face. “But seeing as I didn’t match any missing persons cases, I was probably never missed.”

His brother’s words felt like a slap in the face. Jason thought he’d never been missed, but that was so far from the truth. His death nearly destroyed their family. Bruce spiraled into a self-destructive depression, and Dick… The guilt had eaten at him to the point it manifested as nightmares and hallucinations. While they did lessen over the years, they never entirely vanished.

“On a lighter note, do you think you could give us a quick preview of your next book?”

Jason gave a mischievous grin. “Where’s the fun in that? But I will give you this hint: sometimes a mask is more than a mask to those who wear it.”

“That’s not ominous at all. But that’s it for time! Thank you so much for coming on the show.”

“It was my pleasure.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Notes:

depending on which version you’re reading, either Dick had an extremely antagonist relationship with Jason during the latter’s years as Robin, or it was good but distant. I prefer the good but distant..

In a mostly a Nightwing centered comic during the Discowing era, which I think is Nightwing: Year One, we learn that Bruce has a test to see if his Robins are ready for being in the field. It’s called “the Gauntlet”, and it’s a mock situation. Dick happened to be in town when Jason was running his, and of course, it went from a mock situation to a real one.

John Doe 47 – I’m not sure how many people are aware of this, but John and Jane Does sometimes get numbered if there are a lot of unidentified people discovered in a specific geographic range.

Damian did die, and Bruce literally went to Hell and back to bring him home.

In case the events of Infinite Crisis weren’t well known, Superboy Prime didn’t start off as evil. In his world, superheroes were comic book characters, but a chance encounter with the main universe’s Superman caused his own powers to manifest and then he ended up following Superman back to the main universe. He got super homesick and somewhat manipulated, and then went off the deep end. Due to plot, he ended up punching the “Source Wall” a couple times which caused ripples in reality which caused things to change across the universes. You’ll also hear it phrased as “punching the timetime.”

Jason’s resurrection is probably the best-known change that occurred outside of the creation and destruction of some of the alternative universes. But the Doom Patrol was very effected by it too – Elasti-Girl and Negative Man came back to life, and Chief was returned to his original body. A lot of back stories were also re-written. Do we know if civilians were affected? Not really. Am I going say they were? Yes

I am making a nod towards Arkham Knight and how Vicki Vale had her own talk show. This is my AU, and I conduct things as I want. I know she’s mostly a photojournalist in the comics. She can do both.

Nicotine does suppress appetite as well as increasing the rate of metabolism. It’s part of the reason a lot of people who stop smoking tend to gain a little bit of weight in the months that follow.

It’s also well known that muscle often atrophies if you’re in a coma for long periods. Jason was in one for several months after his resurrection per Red Hood: the Lost Days. Realistically, he’d be thin afterwards.

As a fan fic writer, I know that we sometimes do God’s work. I also know we sometimes make crimes against humanity.  You also can’t tell me that Stephanie wouldn’t go searching for hero-related fanfiction to use as a weapon against the family.

[blughxreader]

Seeing you post about taking beginner Chinese lessons made me think of how so many members of the Batfam are just crazy levels of intelligent and they could probably have secret conversations around you all the time in languages and they could be saying the most sinister shit right next to you and you'd never even know

Bruce, in Greek: --- which is why, since y/n can't remember anything from the amnesia caused by their injuries, I told them that they lost their entire family and that's why we took them in

Dick, in Romani: and you made sure to tell their parents the exact opposite right? That y/n died in the accident and you couldn't find the body?

Damian, in Sanskrit: or we could just kill their parents to avoid the risk of them coming to look for their adult child

You, literally sitting at the dining room table with them with a mouthful of some of Alfred's delectable pancakes and assuming they're just talking about hero stuff: 😊😋���� this family is so nice, I'm so lucky to have met them

I eat this shit up with the same ferocity as Ras al ghul slurping pit water

I don't think they'd touch your family as long as you remain an amnesiac! Vacations would be held on a different continent because 1.) Gotham is too dangerous, honey :( 2.) The Waynes are famous so lets go someplace where no one will recognize us! <33

Day-to-day life would be annoying.

Tim's been a tick on your side the whole day and your patience is gone.

Dick comes in and Tim says in French, "They're in an prickly mood. Tread lightly."

Dick coos and plops down next to you on the couch, jostling you as he wraps an arm around your back. He replies to Tim in Portuguese, "Do they need a calming pill?"

You shove Dicks arm off and stand up, then re-situate yourself on another couch. The boys make eye-contact before Tim sends a text on his phone. In Greek, he says, "Not a whole one. 70%?"

Dick frowns at you, sad to see your back facing him. In Japanese, Dick says, "But I still wanna talk to them. Make it 45%, just to take the edge off."

Tim's head dips down to his phone again, and Dick says to you, "Want some tea? Alf's got some fresh chamomile."

[shewhowillrise]

I wrote a whole fic but tumblr deleted it so here’s bare bones bc I’m on verge of break down

Amnesiac Mechanic Jason Todd goes by Jaylad Peters (doesn’t have a SSN so has to do under the table paycheck) is dating engineer degree Danny Fenton who’s at the top of his class at Gotham U (on the Jason Wayne’s Scholarship for Underperforming Students - a scholarship started when Bruce say how smart his son was but struggled in school. Low high school grades doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be college eligible)

Batman meets Danny because he’s top of his class to possibly be part of the team to build the watch tower.

Near the end of the meeting Jaylad walks in.

EDIT

I POST IT TO THE WRONG FUCKING BLOG

[laufire]

what’s the amnesia Jason fic about?

oh, that's a fun one.

(just to get this out of the way: I came up with this idea BEFORE gotham war even started ñlkasjdfasf)

the premise is that, at some point previous to the story, jason was in a fic with some supervillain that utterly broke his psyche, to the point where it needed someone to go into his mind to heal him. and bruce, aided by the justice leaguer who did it, took some... creative licenses along the way.

cue the present. jason last-name-not-todd goes to gotham university on a wayne scholarship. he's looking into biochemistry. he's in a theatre group (they're doing pygmalion). he works (suicide prevention hotline). things seem fine.

things seem fine but some weird shit is going on. with him. with the weird dreams he has. with the weird people sometimes popping in and out of his life.

at one point jason gets some help from an unexpected source, and recovers his memories. then all bets are off.

(timeline-wise I've been thinking of setting this before damian's appearance. that's a little tricky because I want steph to appear -some of what I first wrote from this fic were amnesiac!jason-steph interactions-, but talia has her own part to play and in this story she has an obvious, really good reason to NOT want to take damian to bruce, so all of that can be delayed)

also featuring: vicki vale.

ask me about my wips!

[brucewaynehater101]

do NOT kill Tim

stop being mean to tim in your fics when Bruce is right there to be mean to

let Tim run off and get into shenanigans with his friends while Gotham burns

maybe give tim amnesia and somehow gets reported as dead on a yj mission and his friends help him recover and accidentally on purpose don't mention anything about Gotham except Cass who is his sister and their friend so she's allowed and she sees Tim happy for the first time in so long that she goes along with letting Tim remember, or not, in his own time

and maybe he does remember, when they're in space and too far from Gotham for Tim to immediately rush back and try to fix things because fixing things, trying to help, has always been his first impulse, and he's convinced to wait, to see if anyone tries reaching out to him instead

and he becomes resigned as only cass reaches out, as the rest of the bats just accept that he's dead, without even a body, with just one line in a mission report, a mission report that they didn't even read, the bat computer just noted key words and updated red robin's profile accordingly in its system and no one noticed until someone mentioned that red robin had no patrol routes assigned for awhile and then the profile is brought up

and in the meantime space shenanigans for yj, including the retired ones, and cass who wants her brother to be happy

I mean... you're 100% fair in that I should emotionally beat up Bruce instead in my fics. I do have one where Tim leaves the Bats/Gotham. He has a goodbye conversation with Dick, Jason, and Damian, tries to have one with Bruce, and leaves a video/note for Alfred and Babs. I'd love to chat more about what he does afterwards if anyone wants to know more.

So... I have one fic where he leaves the Bats. There :)

As far as the rest of your ask, I'm so vibing with the amnesia. Let Tim get into wild adventures with his friends (family) and have Cass stop by to say hello. Maybe Tim goes to see her a bunch since he's no longer stuck in Gotham (if Cass is still based in Hong Kong).

I also absolutely love the idea where he gets his memories back in space and spends the entire trip back to Earth processing his thoughts. Should he go back? It's all he's known, but should he try to help out the Waynes some more? Tim is still doing good. He's still helping people. He's just no longer helping specifically Gotham and the Bats.

The part where the Bats don't notice he's dead is cruel and so delicious. Very tasty angst.

I'd also kill for Cass's POV in this (maybe a few chapters), where she discovers Tim is amnesiac, starts to realize the other Bats don't notice or seem to care about Tim (it's hard to understand the way you or a family member is being treated is wrong if that's "normal"), has her own growth and realizations about the Bats, and has complicated feelings about loving the people who are usually good to her but usually bad to Tim (in this AU).

I don't know as much about Cass's canon, but I would be interested to hear more about how her canon could or could not apply to this.

Then let the Bats have a meltdown that Tim is "dead" including their own warped perceptions of how they DO care/love Tim. Maybe they blame Tim for being distant, blame themselves, and try to hunt down who killed Tim. Let them remember certain interactions with Tim that RR remembers differently. Let the Bats be grey in their relationship with Tim because they never did mean to hurt him [they never realized that they did].

Just fun complexities of dysfunctional families :)

Moving on, let Tim be free from the Bats as they all collapse and chat about him. He can have his space adventures far from the chaos as they implode (perhaps the Bats try to take Gotham with them, and the JL has to get involved).

[chesspens]

Gordon gave them a new office.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

A Stone's Throw

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: The night Jason wakes up in the convalescent home, he's accompanied by his favorite nurse (Nurse Kathy). Nurse Kathy follows her instincts and decides to foster him in the nearby city of Blüdhaven. Soon, her partner and roommates become Jason's new family despite hopes that he'll regain his memories.

Chapters: 1/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Original Characters, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Barbara Gordon

Additional Tags: Disabled Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne Doesn't Know Jason Todd is Alive, Angst, Fluff, Found Family, Jason Todd Has a Foster Family AU, Jason Todd Moves to Blüdhaven, Original Asexual Characters, Original Lesbian Characters, Amnesiac Jason Todd, "Missed Him By That Much" Trope, Hurt/Comfort, Resurrected Jason Todd

Chapter One: The First Week of His Life

Save for the rhythmic beeping of monitors and Nurse Kathy’s hard plastic fork scraping against her Tupperware. The gentle brushing noise of her white tennis shoes dragging against the faded, scuffed blue algae tiles interrupted the predictable symphony of nighttime sounds. She always sat at Jason’s bedside to eat lunch during her shift, especially at night. The nurses whispered about the strange goings-on in John Doe number two-sixty-five’s room. They complained about an ominous feeling they got being around him at nighttime, but Nurse Kathy was not a superstitious woman. Actually… Nurse Kathy had a motherly fondness for him. 

Sometimes, she’d come in on her off days and read books to him, stopping to discuss themes and talk about movie adaptations. She spoke softly about the world outside, carefully mentioning pleasant things and never upsetting news. Doctors doubted he would wake, but her supervisor encouraged Nurse Kathy’s attentive nature, believing it would improve Jason’s condition. 

A police helicopter flew over the hospital, disturbing the quiet of Huntington Convalescent Hospital. Jason’s nose wrinkled, and his hand twitched as he stirred. Nurse Kathy quickly set her Tupperware aside and stroked his cheek with her finger. The gentle contact he would’ve received from a family member. “It’s alright, sweetheart… It’s okay,” Nurse Kathy replied. 

Jason’s body relaxed, but his tightly shut eyes stayed that way until Nurse Kathy sang a song. Whenever Jason seemed agitated, Nurse Kathy sang a song that trapped itself in her mind. She wondered if it was her voice or the pacing of the lyrics, but it soothed him without fail. He opened his eyes, staring at Nurse Kathy, and she smiled.

The gentle stroking of a single finger against Jason’s cheek turned to four fingers down the side of his face. The line of his jaw felt familiar to her. Nurse Kathy felt naturally inclined toward Jason, like a mother and son. She’d fostered her share of children, but Jason was a different case. She expressed interest in taking him in as a foster child once his condition improved, but his improvement wasn’t promised. But tonight felt different. Jason sat up and removed the monitor on his finger. “Wait, no. Sweetheart,” Nurse Kathy pleaded. Jason leaned forward, and Nurse Kathy tensed. He stared close to her chest. It startled her until she realized he wanted to read her badge. She held it close to his face. “My name is Katherine. Everyone calls me Nurse Kathy,” she whispered. She smoothed his hair down on the right side of his head, and he craned into her touch. Jason’s face remained expressionless as he stared at her. “It’s bedtime… Okay?” She tenderly nudged him backward. He wrapped his arms around her, and she tensed up. “Ohhh… Sweetheart, it’s okay. Let’s tuck you in. Alright, hon.” A light in the hallway flickered, making the same fluorescent buzzing noise. Nurse Kathy tucked him into bed. “Stay put—.” Jason reached past her, narrowly grasping and missing something the first time before grabbing her Tupperware. She reached for it before watching him eat the rest of her pasta with his hands. Nurse Kathy giggled, stepping backward to crack the door. “John Doe number two-sixty-five is awake,” she whispered to a male nurse passing by. He entered the room, watching Jason scarf down Nurse Kathy’s pasta. 

**

DAY 2

Nurse Kathy clocked in the following afternoon to hear the sound of a violent struggle down the hall in Jason’s room. She rushed to him, wincing at the bruises on Jason’s arms. The restraints irritated the skin on his wrists as he struggled. The monitor beeped as his oxygen level dropped, and Nurse Kathy adjusted his cannula and turned the oxygen up. Jason wriggled and wrestled as he tried to free himself. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he gave in to fatigue. “Has anyone tried to talk to him?” Nurse Kathy asked. Jason’s unemotional expression was interrupted by a subtle change in his eyes as he stared at Nurse Kathy. The other nurse didn’t answer. Nurse Kathy ran a gentle hand down Jason’s forearm. “Let me see… Shhh… It’s alright now. Let me help.” He stopped struggling and allowed her to release his right hand from bondage. The edges of the restraints left a ring-shaped cut around his wrist. 

She cleaned and bandaged his cuts one arm at a time before pulling him into a comforting hug. “Poor baby… It’s alright,” Nurse Kathy whispered. The other nurse tried to explain herself, and Nurse Kathy shook her head. “Don’t speak to me right now. Please don’t.” Jason’s chest rose and fell as he watched her. Only her.

Nurse Kathy wiped his tears and pouted. “I am so sorry. I’m sorry,” Nurse Kathy whispered. He shut his eyes and dozed off. Nurse Kathy rushed to her supervisor’s office and pounded on the door until the man answered. 

“Katherine—.” 

“They’re torturing him. Whoever has him during the day is hurting him. He’s a little boy. Just a little—.” 

“Katherine, slow down. What’s the patient’s name and where is his chart?” her supervisor asked. 

“John Doe two-sixty-five. Here’s his chart,”  Nurse Kathy replied. 

Her supervisor read the chart, asked Nurse Kathy to stay put, and left the room. Nurse Kathy bounced her leg, waiting for the supervisor to return. The supervisor took so long to return that Nurse Kathy fell asleep in her chair. She awakened to the sound of the door opening. “Do you mind waiting with him while I fill in a report?” her supervisor questioned. “We can fill out the report together there. You have a soothing effect on him.” Nurse Kathy went ahead of him while he made a few phone calls before meeting with her in Jason’s room. 

“Did the police ever find out who he is?” Nurse Kathy questioned. Her supervisor shook his head. “I want to speak to the social worker when they arrive.”

“You’re still interested in taking him on?” he asked in reply. 

“I am… I don’t know… I feel—. I think I could help him progress if he’s in a more natural environment. And I—. I feel connected to him. I can’t explain it, but I feel like I was meant to take care of him. I talked it over with my girlfriend, and she agreed,” Nurse Kathy replied, “What do you—? Do you think I shouldn’t?” 

“I can’t say what you should or shouldn’t do… He seems to respond to you,” he answered. Jason turned on his side, curling up in the fetal position. “Katherine, I’ve known you for a long time… You’re a good nurse and an even better parent, but this might be a lifelong commitment. He may never speak or remember his identity.” 

“That’s alright. He deserves a home even if he doesn’t remember where his family was,” Nurse Kathy whispered. “What are you going to do about Izzy?” 

“Terminated… I gave her name to the police. What would you do if you were able to bring him home?” he questioned. 

“George, I’ll be honest with you. I might quit to take care of him at home… I’ve been thinking about retiring for a while now. You know that,” Nurse Kathy confessed, “I’ve had a strange feeling about this kid ever since he arrived. He’s special. I think he’s going to surprise everyone.” 

“I’d hate to see you go. You’re one of my best nurses,” said George as he filled in the incident report. Nurse Kathy held Jason’s hand. Jason’s fingers twitched and shut around hers. She didn’t hear a word George said after that. Her fate was tied to Jason’s from that moment on.