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violetsmoak · 5 years ago

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Appetence [3/?]

AO3 Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/20251420/chapters/47997634

Blanket Disclaimer

Summary: Red Robin is investigating the disappearance of a friend and stumbles into a spot of supernatural trouble. He doesn’t expect to be saved by Jason Todd, miraculously alive five years after his death and now with the inexplicable ability to commune with the dead. Meanwhile, when Jason returned to Gotham he meant to maintain a low profile and not get involved with Bat business. That was before he found out how hot his Replacement is.

Rating: PG-13 (rating may change later)

JayTimBingo Prompts This Chapter: #incubus (sort of) #paranormal investigator

Canon-Compliance: Alternate Universe; Jason still died but was not found by Talia when he was resurrected. All other events mostly follow the same chronology as New Earth continuity, with mentions made to events in New 52

First Chapter

Author's Note(s): Bit of a shorter chapter today because I have stuff to do later so I'm updating early.

Beta Reader: I’ll get back to you on that.

________________________________________________________________

It’s another two hours before Jason returns to the East End. It had taken all of his concentration to keep Cole’s ghost focussed on him and his stories, instead of whatever unnamed force might tempt him back to gravesite. After the boy vanishes in the gradual, whispering way spirits do when their unfinished business if met, Jason doubled over at the sudden migraine.

He much prefers when unfinished business can be completed in one place instead of having to carry a phantom passenger with him.

Being tired—and now that he thinks about it, hungry—does not help his bad mood.

Another kid. Another victim of the fucking Joker.

Just how many more kids was the nutcase going to take out? How many more Robins? Because Jason’s seen pictures of the new kid—blurry and imprecise as anything to be found in a Gotham tabloid, but enough for someone with an eye for it to judge some facts—and he’s fucking tiny. It doesn’t matter that the girls in the Bowery where Jason lives say he’s meaner and more dangerous than any of the others. He’s smaller than Jason’s replacement—smaller than that girl even. What the hell is Bruce thinking?

Again, the temptation rises within him to hightail it over to the manor without warning and rip Bruce a series of new ones while he’s too busy gaping in shock to defend himself.

He doesn’t, though.

Knowing Bruce, he’d think it was a trick and beat the snot out of Jason, then stick him in a cell somewhere until he could confirm his identity. Jason’s been behind the door of enough cells to last him a lifetime, and that alone holds him back.

And who’s to say he doesn’t blame me for getting myself killed in the first place?

He knows that’s not likely, somewhere deeply buried inside, but it’s hard to shake the idea. Old insecurities return in full, memories of pity and concern and frustration, and his final moment waiting for his dad to save him and being disappointed.

And then being disappointed again when his wits returned to him and he discovered the Joker was still breathing. That Bruce didn’t deal with it—didn’t kill the fucker that killed Jason and shot Barbara.

He remembers that horrible week, wondering if she was going to live or die, and then being told she’d never walk again. Vibrant, ass-kicking and beautiful Batgirl with her wings forever clipped. In a way, he thinks he’s angrier about Barbara than himself. As Robin, he was always going to be a direct target of the Joker; Barbara wasn’t shot and tortured because she was Batgirl—she was shot and tortured because she was Commissioner Gordon’s daughter.

And after all that, Bruce just put the bastard back in Arkham, where he could have a taxpayer-paid vacation then break himself out again whenever he felt like it.

Something needs to be done about him, and B’s sure as fuck not going to do it.

With every step, Jason finds himself getting a little angrier. It’s a cool rage, different from the volatile mess of hormones and emotions he was as a kid, but it’s still there. Say what you want for the brain damage, but he was so out of it that it’s probably why John’s meditation techniques took when Bruce’s didn’t, tempering him.

He’s still prone to rash action, of course, but for something like this—something as serious as the Joker—he’s going to have to think it through. Somehow, he doubts it’s just going to be as easy as walking into the asylum and shivving the guy. And Jason’s not exactly keen on getting arrested, not after he worked his ass off to set himself up with an identity and a job and everything here in Gotham.

It bears thinking about, and he can’t do anything immediate about it now, so he’ll sleep on it. Something will come to him.

Jason turns the corner, intending to do just that as he heads for his apartment.

Well, it’s not really an apartment. It’s more office space over a bar on the border of Crime Alley and the Bowery. It’s just cheaper to rent an office than an apartment these days; with housing costs soaring, even property in the worst parts of Gotham are wildly out of his price range.

(He’s not a billionaire’s son anymore.)

Might stay out of my price range for a while. PIs don’t make much, to begin with, and my niche is kind of…specific.

Mediumship isn’t exactly a lucrative business, nor is paranormal investigation. Both jobs attract the crazies, but he knows from experience the ones who are legit will pay good money for his services.

Still, the whole set-up isn’t so bad.

He’s been getting his food from the local bodegas and the bar downstairs, and he’s sure after a bit of saving he’ll even be able to go out to the occasional sit-down restaurant when he gets a craving for something gourmet-ish (He doesn’t think about how Alfred could whip up a do that would put the cordon bleu to shame).

Jason sprung for a decent quality sleeper sofa, so it’s not like he’s kipping on the floor and the office even has a bathroom with a shower, which was a big plus when his landlady, Trista, showed it to him. The ambulance chaser who occupied the space before him said he used to work a lot and needed to be able to shower between jobs. He’d also said if he hadn’t been so keyed into his job, he’d have noticed his life falling apart around him and not shot himself three months ago.

Yeah, that was a fun one…

Since helping the previous owner move on and then taking up residence in the cramped office space, Jason’s made a point of warding the entire office against any other wandering spirits.

I happen to have very strict office hours, ta very much.

He pauses on the street leading to his place, his stomach growling again, and decides he’ll head into the bar for a pick-me-up beforehand. Trista, who also owns that place, doesn’t offer a lot in the way of food, but what she does is pretty good. Hers is the only place he’s been so far that can make decent fish and chips.

As he heads in that direction, he notices a familiar face standing on the corner across the street. He decides to make a quick detour.

“Rhonda,” he says with a grin, “you’re lookin’ especially gorgeous tonight.”

“Boy, I don’t need you to tell me shit I already know,” the woman tells him with a sniff. “And if you’re cruisin’ for a lay, I’ll tell you what I always tell you—you too young.”

“You’ve been tellin’ me that since I was twelve,” he grins.

Rhonda is the only person here in Gotham that knows he’s back, and that’s only because recognized him one night while he was heading back from a job. When he first landed himself on the streets as a kid, Rhonda was one of the girls who looked out for him and whatever other orphan was wandering around here at the time. After he was adopted by Bruce, he made a point of checking up on her as Robin, chasing off johns that tried to get over her time (even though she was already pretty good at managing that herself) and buying her food whenever he could. He never expected her to still be here when he got back, but she’d taken one look at him and cursed.

“I knew that story about you bein’ dead was bullshit,” she informed him as she took a drag of a cigarette. “What you do, run off on the rich man or some shit? He been tellin’ everyone you’re dead for years now.”

“To him, I am dead,” he’d replied, not wanting to go into it. “And everyone else better keep thinkin’ that too.”

“Ain’t gonna hear it from me,” she’d shrugged. “But why the fuck did you come back to this shithole?”

“Home’s home,” he had shrugged, and she’d nodded because she knew exactly what he was talking about.

Now, she sizes him up and considers his face. “Rough night, it looks like. You gettin’ in trouble again?”

“Nah, just exorcisin’ some…personal demons. Quiet night for you?”

“Mostly. There was a cape around couple minutes ago, though, so keep an eye out.”

She knows he tends to avoid them.

Jason raises an eyebrow. “Which one?”

Christ, I hope it wasn’t Batman or Robin. Don’t think I could take seeing either of them tonight.

“It was Red. Came through to ask some questions.”

It takes him a moment to connect the name to the roster of vigilante’s he made himself memorize before coming back here. Red Robin is the one he suspects used to be his replacement, probably got graduated or replaced himself when the newest brat was put in the boots.

“He came here?” Jason asks. “Why?”

“Usual mask thing, comin’ down here to talk to the little people who might’ve seen somethin’.”

Jason makes a thoughtful noise, a bit impressed. He was always the only one who bothered coming down here; even Bruce avoided the minor crooks of the Alley after he started getting more invested in Gotham’s rogues.

“Red’s good people,” Rhonda says then, looking like she’s considering something. “He’s the only one that tries with us. Pays good money, buys food—sorta like Robin used to. And you know he’s doin’ it on purpose, ‘cause when he’s around the city, he usually sticks to Chinatown or Tricorner. That’s what the news say, anyway.”

Jason is again surprised. “Definitely goin’ out of his way then.”

“Hm.”

He thinks about it a further minute and then shrugs. “Anything else interesting happening tonight? You need anything?”

“Yeah, for you to get off my corner so I can get to work,” Rhonda retorts. “Unlike you, I don’t like livin’ off bar food. Gotta be careful what you put in the temple, you know?”

“I dunno, give me a chili dog any day…”

Jason chuckles as she shoes him away, and then continues on his way to the bar. Maybe he’ll pick up something to go—

Just as he’s about to step into Trista’s bar, the hair on the back of his neck stands on end, and he feels a minor flicker of vertigo.

Something’s off.

Turning back to the street, he casts his eyes about, looking for anything out of ordinary to explain the sudden unease. Something nags at him, something that feels…hungry almost.

Since his senses are only attuned to the spirit of the dead, a hungry presence is never a good sign. Ghosts can sometimes become so enraged over their deaths, so tied to the mortal realm, that they become psychic vampires, attaching themselves to the living and feeding off of them like a parasite until they drop from exhaustion.

Fuck. Can’t leave one of those wandering around, if that’s what this is.

He gives an irritated groan and walks away from the bar, turning his focus on tracking the sensation. It’s not exactly calling out to him personally, but it’s still present enough for him to notice.

Jason digs into his pocket, winding his prayer beads around his wrist and checking if he’s still got any iron on him. Nothing big enough to make much difference, but for distraction if it comes to it.

As he reaches the end of the block, Jason catches sight of the cape first.

Damn, I don’t miss the days of having to wear gear like that.

Because that cowl thing the vigilante is sporting is almost as much a tragedy as the green leotard Jason used to sport (they weren’t panties, fuck you very much, they just looked that way—as if Alfred would allow someone to go outside the house in just their underwear). And the cape is so thick it gives him no idea as to the stature or body behind it.

At least this Red Robin guy is smart enough to have a full body-armor suit instead of pixie-boots and a t-shirt.

Might be the only thing he’s smart about, judging by his company.

The too-perfect-looking young man that beckons the vigilante to follow him into the alleyway is all cold blue eyes, sharp smile, and sleek movement. And even if Jason couldn’t read the malevolent aura emanating from the direction of the two men (and that’s a doozy, especially if it’s coming from only one individual), he’s seen that look before in eyes just as cold.

He knows the tactics of an incubus seeking its next meal, and this one seems to have decided it has a taste for vigilante tonight.

This isn’t really Jason’s thing—incubi are low-level demons, more John’s area of expertise than his. Getting involved would mean willingly crossing paths with one of Gotham’s masks, which he’s been taking pains not to do since returning.

But he’s also not allowing any kind of unrestrained feeding and killing to happen on his turf. And these darkest, dingiest parts of Gotham have always been his. Even when he was trailing after the big Bat.

Plus, this guy is Red Robin.

Jason hasn’t had any particular interest in the growing number of masks cropping up in Gotham over the years, but this guy’s obviously a bird. Which means Jason has a kind of personal connection to him. Call it brothers-in-arms or something poetic like that, even if they’ve never met.

Also, the way incubi feed…no one deserves to have that happen to them, especially in a filthy alley like this one. Jason’s always had concern over consent issues, and with incubi, the way they get that consent literally straddles the line far too closely for his taste. This Red Robin might be Bat-trained, but unless he’s taken a master class in the occult (doubtful, considering Bruce’s distrust of anything resembling magic), he’s being led away like a lamb to the slaughter.

Probably he’s already been ensnared by the thing’s powers and doesn’t even realize it. Like a baby bird in front of a snake.

Jason sighs in defeat and rolls his shoulders in preparation for what he knows is going to be an unpleasant interlude.

“Time to be a hero,” he mutters to himself and stalks toward the shadowy alley where the two figures have disappeared.

⁂

Next Chapter

#jaytimweek2019 #jaytimweek #jaytimbingo2019 #JayTim #fanfic #jaytim fic #jason todd #tim drake #original characters #prompt: supernatural #drama #mystery #angst #incubus #paranormal investigator

8 notes · View notes

bluboothalassophile · 7 years ago

Note

Hey Blu! Could you do a fic where the batclan finds out that Jason slept with Talia and all their reactions to it. Thanks in advance.

Hello,

I’m so sorry that this took so long, I’ve approached it and written it many different ways and I honestly don’t know how to approach it. I kind of feel like this is a box of dynamite, and I was playing with matches around it. I hope that I have pulled it off to your satisfaction, but it was a true challenge no matter how I did it.

I was not sure of what the middle ground was and I spoke to other people in the fandom, and even tried to find other stories covering this topic and did not find many. I will probably offend other readers, and I apologize for that now, but honestly, there are many other opinions on this topic. However, this story is not my personal opinion on the matter, just the solid middle ground I could find.

K, now before others start reading:

-Yes, I know men can be raped

-Yes, I know men can be sexual assaulted

-Yes, I know that Jason consented

As I said, this is not my personal views on the topic, or even sure how these characters would react if they found out. But this was the middle ground.

Thank you for your patience in waiting.

DefineIt

Jason had never really been concerned about his past, or hissex life coming to light as that would require his family actually giving adamn. Not that they ever had before, and it wasn’t like he had much of a sexlife to begin with (he was too fucked up in the head and did not need to addsex to his list of problems or distractions). As to his past remaining asecret, that was by his choice, and Bruce had no fucking right to his missingyears or his missing time. A lot of shit had gone down in his missing time andthere were things he was very proud of, things he was not proud of, and shitthat just wasn’t their fucking business.

Like who his first kill was, or the child smugglingoperation he’d blown to hell, or the Russian mafia’s attempt to create a terrorpanic in London, or any of the other crazy shit he’d done, learnt or the people(both good and bad) he’d met, or the shit he’d thwarted. No, all of it was his.

Including one detail he would have happily kept to himselfand gone to his grave with:

He’d fucked Talia al Ghul.

Lost his virginity to her, had learned all the tricks topleasing a woman from her, and learned how to use sex as a tool for exploitingother. Of course, he’d only been sixteen or seventeen at the time (Jason was abit muddled on what his actual and technical age were so he wasn’t ever surewhich age he really was), and he’d really rather have not alerted his fatherfigure and Talia’s son of their brief intercourse. On the plus side, he hadknown from the get-go he hadn’t loved her, so he hadn’t been an idiot teenseeking her love. No, he’d just been an idiot teen who had briefly been ruledby his hormones and desperate for something that he had let her use him as shelet him use her. It was nothing more, and since then had sorted itself out soshe was more of a ‘motherly’ figure towards him. Jason used the term motherlightly, however she still funded him, provided him with connections, andaliases that the Bats didn’t know about, and they talked about once a week. Hekept her in the loop about Damian and himself, and she would… well, mother him.

And no one in the Bats had known, and that was the way Jasonwas keeping it.

Well, they hadn’t known until now, and Jason was sitting inthe cave, staring at all their faces; they all had different expressions andJason was just itching to escape.

How did they find out?

Well, that was a funny story, that involved Lex Luthor withan experimental truth serum on Talia and Talia had come to Gotham for help andvery, very, very complicatedly long story short:

She was babbling in the Batcave and that had slipped out.

Actually, what had actually slipped out from her lips was‘I’m sorry for having sex with you Jason, I was just using you’ or something tothat affect. He had kind of froze hearing her say his name, with the word‘sorry’ and ‘sex’.

Everyone’s eyes were on him, he twitched under theattention; any sharp or witty come back he had was gone from his mind as hebolted before the questions could start. Leaping on a bike he tore out of thecave as he made mental notes about the farthest safe house he could get to onthis bike, then how far out of Gotham he could go before collecting the neededfunds and getting off continent or world (he wasn’t sure which would get himfarther from the Bats at the moment). He’d have to ditch all his gear, Babsmight have laced it with trackers, but that was alright, where he was going hedidn’t want all his gear because he’d stand out.

But No Matter What HeWAS NOT Sticking Around For TheComing Interrogation.

Nope!

Zinging around the corner he booked it to his Crime Alleyapartment, leaping off the bike as he scaled the building and slipped into hisapartment. Kicking up the floorboards as he stripped he pulled his emergencybag; a bag he swept once a day for trackers and shit as he changed, once hisgear was discarded he pulled a clean ID as he kicked the floor boards back intoplace and ran out of it. Hoping onto a clean bike; one he had hidden out of theBats knowledge he roared the engine to life as he rode out of Gotham like a Batout of Hell which had him laughing as he pushed the neck breaking speeds forNYC. Then he’d head upstate.

Jason relaxed about an hour on his drive as he continuedriding the freeway for the city, the further from Gotham he got the calmer hefelt as he continued riding. He’d plan his next moves in the cabin he hadupstate New York, and from there he’d leave the Bats for a bit. At least untilthey got the message that he WAS NOT talkingabout anything that had happened between his resurrection until the Bats hadwelcomed him home. Nope.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Dick was just baffled, Bruce had barely managed to sedateTalia when she had blurted that out, and then Jason was gone, and Dick feltlike he’d been creamed by lightning. Damian looked like he’d just eaten a vatof acid, Tim looked completely and utterly confused, Bruce and Alfred lookedhorrified, Stephanie was just gaping, Duke looked baffled, and Barbara lookeddisgusted.

And Jason…

Dick didn’t think he’d ever seen his little brother move so fastand now he was gone.

“What the hell just happened?” Dick managed looking at Brucefor help, but his adoptive father looked just as much at a loss as Dick felt.

Dick had never been fond of Talia, not when he’d firstencountered her as a kid, and certainly not since discovering she had keptJason away from them and she had manipulated Damian to the point where his babybrother was never going to be straightened out. Now he was hearing this! Dickglowered at the unconscious woman, God he hated her so much! If he was guessingright he would have to guess that she had had sex with Jason during Jason’smissing time because since Jason’s return he had: wreaked vengeance on them,run off with the outlaws, formed a tentative truce with them, helped with theRobin Wars, and everything else since Jason hadn’t had much time around Talia.

And if she had slept with Jason during his missing time thatwould make him…

Dick snarled as he turned on the unconscious woman.

“She slept with Todd!?” Damian muttered in disgust.

“No, she raped Jason!” Dick spat out venomously.

“We don’t know that,” Bruce started.

“The only time she’d have had him was when he was missingBruce! He NEVER Talks About It! But he was a kid if she had sex with him!”

“If Dick! We don’t know if she did or didn’t!” Brucecountered.

“I don’t think Jason would have run like that if therewasn’t something there,” Tim piped up.

“Someone should go check up on Master Jason, this might haveupset him,” Alfred said.

“I’ll go,” he and Tim said in unison as they ran for thebikes to track Jason.

“His tracker is reading him at his apartment,” Barbaraannounced as he and Tim rode into the city on the tail of Jason. No doubt Jasonthought they were disgusted with him or they were going to cast him our orsomething like that and he was running; again, before they could. All Dickwanted to do was hug his baby brother and tell him it wasn’t his fault. Godhelp them because if Jason was thinking they hated him again they were nevergetting him back.

They stopped at Jay’s apartment and Dick carefully scaledup, Tim rattled the window open. Dick and he both walked in.

“Little wing?” Dick called out as he flicked on the lightsand quietly moved through the safehouse. He stopped when he nearly tripped overone of Jason’s boots.

“Oh no,” he muttered. There was another boot, there was asock, another sock, Jason’s holsters and weapons, the pants, his boxers, then hisjacket, more weapons, his body armor, the undershirt, more weapons, and thenthere were his gloves, and Dick stopped at the haphazardly settled floor boardsby the bed; he’d never noticed this. Pulling them aside he reached in andpulled out a small metal box, opening it he started going through it; Jason’sIDs.

Shit.

“O, he’s gone,” Dick said into his coms.

“What? But all his trackers… shit,” Barbara muttered.

“We’re coming in then start from there,” Dick sighedtiredly.

“I’ve got nothing,” Tim said. “Which is surprising.”

“He’s not stupid, if Jason disappears I don’t think evenBruce will find him,” Dick sighed.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Tim was probably the closest to Jason of all their family;and for some odd reason that’s just how it was. Jason was also Tim’s favorite brother.However, it was times when Jason ran that he realized just how little he knewabout his elder brother past his love of literature, explosions, and vehicles. Timhad NO idea where Jason would run to, or about where his brother would have nodoubt hidden stashes of money and supplies, or what Jason was going to do nowthat he was running.

Jason had safehouses all over the world.

Also, the other think he was trying to comprehend was Taliaal Ghul having slept with Jason, it wasn’t that he didn’t see it, but he just…

EW! She was Bruce’s age! It was disturbing, it wasdisgusting! And it was kind of understandable.

Talia was a very attractive woman, even for as old as shewas. And if Jason had been a teenager well… Tim might not always get thehormones, but he didn’t think Jason had done anything wrong. If anyone was tobe ashamed of what had happened between Talia and Jason it should be Talia,seeing as how Jason did not have many people he trusted and he’d obviouslytrusted Talia at one point.

“He’s cleared out, his things, I think he’s got an identitywe don’t know about, probably a cash and weapons stash, but he’s cleared out,”Dick said when they walked into the Cave.

Where was the least likely place Jason would go for refuge,that was where Tim would start. He also opened all the frequencies; from theLeagues, the Outlaws, the Titans, the Assassins, Talon’s, and everything hecould think of in between as he started in on his man hunt for his big brother.

“I’ve got all the cameras in and out of Gotham looking forhim,” Barbara announced.

“I’m scanning all frequencies, and dumping all his knownaliases, and bank accounts,” Tim answered; though that meant shit if Jason hadgrabbed cash and knowing Jason that was very likely. Jason always had obsceneamounts of cash on hand and stored.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Damian was disturbed by his mother and the mere thought ofTodd and his mother having…

He could not even dare to think it. No, he did not want thatimage in his head, it was bad enough to think of his father and mother thatway, but Todd and his Mother!? EW! He kind of wanted to strangle Todd forhaving slept with his mother; their mother! Yes, he had heard many times fromhis mother that Todd was like her son as well, and Damian had accepted that asa fact; much sooner than he had accepted Todd as father’s son as well. Still itwas disgusting! And Todd’s fault! It had to be Todd’s fault! There was no wayhis mother would ever… fornicate, he shivered at the thought there, with anidiot like Todd.

“Where is Todd?” Damian growled when Dick walked into thecave again.

“Gone,” Dick answered.

“I will find him!” Damian snapped and was ready to go on themanhunt for Jason Peter Todd so he could gut him like the pathetic monster hewas. A hand caught his hood. “Release me Grayson! Todd Will Pay For This!”

“Why!? It’s not his fault!” Dick snapped.

“The Hell It Isn’t!” Damian shouted back.

“You Will Not Touch Him Damian!” Dick growled, and Damianpaused as he looked over at Dick. “Jason was in your mother’s care, if anyoneis to blame for anything it will be Talia, Jason was a kid and she should nothave touched him; in ANY WAY! Teenager or Not! He was a kid, and he should havebeen safe and protected; especially with someone who was taking care of him.Whatever happened between them, it’s her fault! And she raped him!”

“Men cannot be raped!” Damian spat, and he had never seenDick look so livid as he did then.

“You’re going to go over there Damian, and you’re going tothink really hard about what you just said and if you still think that we’rehaving a long chat about rape, and its definition, when I get back after I findJason,” Dick grounded out and Damian glared at him.

“Or what?”

“Or I’ll kick your ass,” Dick snapped and Damian blinked atthe threat as Dick released him and walked over to Gordon and Drake. Damian lookedup to his father who was working at his own set up, and he scowled.

He hadn’t said anything wrong so he didn’t understand whyDick was so furious with him. The one they should be furious with was Todd,he’d violated his mother! Damian still huffed as he sat in a chair and glaredat the wall. Damian had merely stated a truth:

Men could not be raped.

He was sure of that, which was why he did not understandDick’s fury or why that fury was directed at him. The one who they should bemad at was Todd. It was always Todd’s fault.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Jason pulled up to the cabin he’d bought upstate under hisclean identity as he swung off his bike; which he tucked in the shed, before hedisarmed the security and walked into the cabin. Once in the cabin he turned onthe security again, arming the property and its traps as he released ashuddering breath before falling on his back across the couch to stare at theceiling.

The things he didn’t want his family knowing about him wereprobably going to come to light if Talia was still babbling. After all, she wasin on some of his dirtier secrets (pun intended). Which meant he was going tohave to sever all contact with Artemis, Kori, and Roy, figure out how to getoff world and start over; again. He didn’t think he could handle the Bats ifthey knew about his dirty laundry; even if he didn’t want to run.

He really was tired; exhausted really; running from them.All he wanted was to go home, to have Bruce say he was proud of him, to haveDick like him, Tim’s friendship, and Damian to tolerate him. Not to mention hethoroughly enjoyed the movie nights he had with Steph and Cass, he fuckingloved those girls, they were his favorite members of that family. Duke wascool, new and still an unknown, but Jason liked the teen. He also wanted tohave his literature talks with Alfred, because God only knew how much he hadmissed them when he’d been running from the Bats. He also… He also just wantedto go home.

But now that Talia was no doubt spilling the beans oneverything he’d ever done, between the murders, his training, the… fuck, she’dtell the Bats everything! They’d never look at him again, they’d hate him,they’d be disgusted, he’d be kicked out before there was three ways about it!

And just when he had started to think that he may have hisfamily back.

Just when he started to think he might be able to have hishome back.

Jason ground his teeth as he threw an arm over his eyes.Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! He Hated His Life!

Because, as always, just when things started to turn in hisfavor, just when life started to not look as hellish as it usually did,something reared its ugly head to bite him in the ass to remind him; again; hedidn’t belong there. Perhaps this was just yet another sign that he did notbelong with them, that they weren’t his family.

Suddenly his phone buzzed, the burner he reserved foremergencies. Which had him reluctantly opening it; making a mental note toditch it.

The message was from Dick, Jason just sighed as he shut offhis phone, not willing to read whatever the perfect golden child had to saybecause Jason didn’t want to hear it.Dick-Fucking-Grayson-Who-Could-Do-No-Wrong was the last person Jason wanted totalk to right now. For the moment, Jason was just going to rest then figure outhow to get off this planet.

~~~*~*~*~~~

“I got a ping, upstate New York, but the it’s a fifteen-mileradius, and I think he’s pulled the phone apart; I can’t turn it on right now,”Barbara said.

“We’ll start there,” Bruce said. As he walked for the jet,Dick a step behind him, they were going as civilians because Bruce had afeeling they were about to be a lot of door to door knocking and while theycould hide the Jet, it wouldn’t do to have Batman and Nightwing looking for theRed Hood when mostly likely Jason was a civilian at the moment.

No, it was easier to dress down as civilians, a father and ason looking for Jason rather than Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson looking for thedead Jason Todd. Better to be anonymous at this moment.

“You know if he’s still in the area he’s not going to wantto talk, right?” Dick asked.

“He’s coming home,” Bruce stated. He had mixed feelingsabout Talia blurting out she’d slept with Jason and apologizing for it.

On one hand, he had felt jealous and furious, because Taliawas a woman he had loved, a woman he had a child with, a woman he had beeninvolved with.

But on the other hand, he was horrified, and furious on adifferent level because she had molested his son! After everything Jason hadbeen through in life, after all the hells Jason had gone through, he just… henever seemed to get a break. Also, there was the disgust which he felt at theknowledge that Talia had claimed Jason to be her child but she had dared tobetray him that way. An abuse Jason had managed to avoid all his life, and shehad inflicted it on him. He wanted to hate that woman so much right now, butfirst they had to find Jason who was probably thinking all these emotions weredirected at him and not Talia.

God, Jason was only nineteen, which would make him a childwhen Talia had seduced him, the thought horrified Bruce to his core.

Bruce knew Jason was not virgin when they had startedreconnecting. But it was just as Bruce was aware that Dick had lost hisvirginity at seventeen to Barbara in the front of the ‘68 Corvette (Dick hadblabbed it happily), and Tim had lost his to Stephanie (the blushing hadn’tstopped). Also, Bruce was a father, and he was not stupid, and though Jason didnot talk about it, Bruce knew. He hadn’t known with whom, and he could not evenhazard a guess as to who his son had trusted enough to try sex, but he hadknown from the moment he had started reconnecting with Jason. The main reasonhe had never pried with Jason was because their relationship was strained as itwas, and prying at this point would have Jason bolting.

But apparently, Jason would also start running if hismissing years were brought to light, and that scared Bruce. What had his sonduring those years that had him ready to bolt at the mention on one aspect.True they had figured out Jason’s connection to the League of Assassins, it wasnot new news when Talia openly funded him. But other than that, he had notpried in fear of Jason bolting.

Apparently, he should have pried more.

Now he was on a manhunt for his one child, who, unlike theothers, could and would drop off the face of the earth and not be found.

This was not to say that Dick, Tim, Damian, Cass, or Dukecouldn’t drop off the grid, but with Jason it was different. Jason was a streetkid, pure street, and if he were to ever fully disappear; unlike his otherchildren, Jason could ditch everything, his identity included and walk away, hewould know all the best ways around the law, and the criminals, he’d know hisway out of the country and off the world before they caught up to him, and he’dleave. He’d sever all ties and walk away without hesitation, and that was whyhe’d disappear.

Dick, Tim, Duke, Cass, and not even Damian, could sever tieslike that anymore and walk away anymore, they were family, a unit. But Jasoncould, and he would, because Jason was on the outskirts of the family, even ifthe family was slowly pulling him. Jason also, no doubt, had stashed theresources he would need to vanish, and could forge his own papers perfectly ifhe had to, which would cut out the middle men of fences, and suppliers. Jasonwould just steal what he’d need, and it’d be in so small of supplies it wouldnot be reported. And then he’d be gone, like the wind. Which was why the windowto find him, to track him down and drag him home was narrowing. Jason waslikely already plotting where he was going to go, and how to get there, andwhat he needed from point A to B.

“I will never understand what you saw in that vial woman,”Dick hissed venomously.

Bruce didn’t respond.

“I can’t believe she raped my baby brother,” Dick growledand Bruce agreed with Dick.

“We will deal with Talia when she wakes up,” Bruce saidevenly.

“Keep her away from me, I might not hold back,” Dick warned.

Bruce nodded as they used the reflection panels to fly lowand be invisible as they headed for upstate New York. Why Jason was coming uphere he didn’t know, but he and Dick would be finding his wayward son anddragging him home. Also, possibly calling Black Canary for a therapist forJason because it was time for them to pry to help him. The boy could notcontinue fighting all his demons alone, no matter how gruesome. Though Brucehad a feeling some of Jason’s demons were far more gruesome than they couldever know.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Jason had woken up at evening, which had him groaning as herolled into the back of the couch as he internally debated turning on the runto town to pick up a meal and tea. He was inclined not to go, but he was alsohungry and he wouldn’t be running on an empty stomach. In any case he wasn’tsure he wanted to tempt fates or just wait until he was in Canada beforeeating. He could get over the boarder tonight, and from there he’d get on thetrains and take one to his safe house in Quebec City, from there he’d sort outwhat he needed to do.

Reluctantly he sat up on his couch, before pulling out thesecure laptop which he had; it wasn’t something Babs knew about so he didn’tthink she’d be hacking it. Still, it had the Assassin’s network on it, so hedidn’t think she’d trace it even if she hacked it. Opening he sat on the couch,propping his feet up as he started looking over the chatter, and theinformation, as he started planning how he was getting out of here.

Since the cabin didn’t have a lot of power, and itsgenerator was powering his laptop he got up to light an old fashion oil lanternhe kept here for emergencies before sitting down and starting with his workagain.

His stomach growled but he ignored it; escaping thedisappointment and horror of the Bats was his priority, he had just… he had toget away from them. Jason couldn’t stand the thought of them giving him theboot now that they’d no doubt know just how truly fucking evil he was, howfucked up he was, how he didn’t even fit in their family. It was important hejust scram before they kicked him to the curb. This way he couldn’t let themdown again.

Also, he didn’t even want to think about how Bruce wouldfeel about him having sex with the mother of his only blood child. It was acringing thought now that Jason looked back on it, but at the time of himsleeping with Talia it was kind of a ‘Fuck You!’ to Bruce behind his back.Afterwards it… it just was.

Jason stiffened when one of his perimeter alarms went off,and he looked up from his work and pulled up his security screens.

He felt his heart tighten in his chest at the sight of Dickand Bruce there, but he didn’t stop as he blew out the light, turned off hisgenerator, and darkened the screen as he moved to an area of the cabin no lightwould be seen as he watched. A part of him screamed to run, but he couldn’t. Hewanted to, but he was just…

Stuck!

Biting his lip, he pressed himself into the corner as smallas he could go, which was probably not that small since that fucking growthspurt he’d had when he was sixteen. And he tried to disappear as he staredhopelessly at the screen.

“Come on, this is the last cabin Barbara had on the thermalreading, he could be here,” Jason heard Dick’s tired voice. Jason shut thelaptop as he focused on being invisible when he heard feet on his porch. Jasongripped his .45, one he hadn’t drawn from his holster since he had startedrunning, and he shook as he heard them.

“Look Jay, we just want to talk,” Dick’s voice again. Jasonfelt an anger well up in him, this was going to be a righteous moral momentfrom Dick-Fucking-Perfect-Grayson! No thank you, he was staying here and quietuntil they were gone.

“Jase, we’re not mad at you,” Bruce’s voice, which had Jasonbiting his lip to keep his breathing even and quiet, his back pressed firmer inthe corner as he tried to will them away. Not that it was going to work, but fuck!,it was worth a shot.

“We know what Talia did, little wing, we’re not mad at you,”Dick’s voice again, level over the curtained window near him which had himtrying harder to disappear. He didn’t want to talk about Talia, or the missingyears, or anything with them. No doubt Talia had blabbed it all with that drugin her system and now Bruce and Dick were coming here to play the part ofconcerned father and brother before the ripped his ass anew about the shit hehad done, and had to live with, before they kicked him to the curb.

“Come on Jay,” Dick said, sounding exasperated.

“Bruce, I got him, he’s here,” Dick shouted. Jason pressedhis face into his knees as he dragged his hands through his hair, never daringto release the familiar, comforting weight and feeling of his .45.

“Jason, we’re coming in, okay, we’re just going to talk,nothing else,” Dick said through the window. Jason growled a bit; silence wasfucked now so what was the point in staying quiet.

About ten minutes later, after many muffled curses his doorwas opened, and Jason cocked the gun as he held it in their direction; no, hewasn’t going to shoot them. At least not lethally. Dick appeared first, handsheld up nonthreateningly.

“Stay away,” he hissed as he pressed his back firmer againstthe wall, if he needed to use it as a push he could, and the door was opened.It would take him twenty seconds to get to the bikes and be gone. He’d evenditch the pack again, he had other identities he could use.

“Okay, okay, I’m just, I’m going to sit right here, okay?”Dick asked as he slowly sat on the back of the couch. Bruce was in the door,and Jason growled a bit seeing Bruce looking at him with that expression. Theone filled with guilt and pity; not that either were for him, no, that wasBruce’s ‘It’s My Fault’ face, and nothing about the missing years had a fuckingthing to do with Bruce. Not a single thing! Aside from maybe motivation, thedemand, he destroy Bruce, surpass his mentors and teachers to do that even, butthat was all Bruce had to do with that time.

“What do you want?” he growled out, he really wanted toshoot them and run, because he didn’t want to do with their moral high ground,he didn’t want to deal with their disappointment, and he really didn’t want todeal with their final blow to him which would have them washing their hands ofhim. After getting so close, and having a taste of family again, to lose itnow… well that was a blow Jason didn’t know if he could handle right now.

Damn Talia to Hell! And Luthor! They were taking everythinghe wanted away from him before he had even fully appreciated it.

Not that it was new, and he supposed he really only hadhimself to blame, but he still didn’t want to deal with the pain of losing itso he was going to run before the crippling blow could be delivered. Just kneecap Dickhead and Bruce and run, it sounded like a solid plan since he was theonly one with a weapon in hand. And he was fast. Faster than Bruce or Dickwould be expecting because he rarely pushed his limits as hard as he could, butthis time he’d make an exception.

“Just to bring you home,” Dick answered.

Jason let out a bitter laugh at that, but he didn’t lowerhis weapon, Bruce moved and he glared at the older man. “Back off!”

Bruce didn’t move then.

“We’re only here to bring you home, Jase,” Bruce saidevenly, he kept his posture relaxed but Jason knew Bruce was looking him overfor weak points and calculating how to take him out. But Jason had the gun, andJason would use it, and Bruce was probably forgetting that in his mentalcalculations because they’d been on good(ish) terms.

“Yeah right,” he growled. “Talia blabbed it all, no doubtyou’re rather I was dead again.”

“Yeah, she talked about the rape,” Dick said.

“I didn’t rape her!” he spat out, his hackles rising at theuse of that word for what had happened. No, Jason could never rape a woman, heremembered to vividly what his mom had gone through. His mom, not Shelia, hismom, the one who had loved him, had nearly been raped, and she had beenbrutally beaten, and shit… Jason couldn’t ever do that to a woman! Especiallynot to Talia or someone! Besides, they had consensual sex, and it was more offucking than anything else, just another lesson and an outlet.

“I never said that,” Dick said quickly.

“And she started it!” Jason venomously spat out to try toget it through their heads. Jason hadn’t done anything wrong there. Nothing andhe stood by that.

“My point,” Dick said.

“She was looking out for you Jason, she should not have donethat,” was Bruce’s strained reply. Jason glared suspiciously at the two ofthem. Oh, he wanted to believe them, to believe that they were going to tearhim a new one, but Jason didn’t. He no more believed them than he believed thatthe Joker would stay in Arkham for a change. No, he didn’t believe them.

But another thought clicked into his head then which had himgaping at them.

“Wait? You think she raped me?” Jason stammered out.

“You were a kid in her care Jason, yeah, any sex between youtwo was rape,” Dick said and Jason laughed bitterly as he shook his head.

“I wasn’t raped,” he said coldly. Underage he might havebeen, but he was perfectly aware of what he’d been doing and he wouldn’t havelet her near him if he didn’t want it. Jason wasn’t a victim anymore, he hadsurvived the worst there was, he just wasn’t a fucking victim anymore.

“Jason, you were a kid,” Dick repeated.

“I was a teenager, I was curious, she offered, I said sure, Ididn’t get raped,” he spat out. Jason knew what rape was, and he would haveknown if he were raped.

“It’s okay Jason,” Dick said so soothingly Jason wanted toshoot the fucker on principle.

“Fuck, are you deaf? She didn’t rape me!” he snapped, andthat had him on his feet as he glowered at Bruce and Dick.

“Jason, we aren’t judging,” Bruce started.

“All you do is judge! Talia al Ghul, bitch she may be, didnot rape me, I’m pretty sure I was at the legal consenting age at that point ifthat helps ease your conscious about who the hell I had sex with and when!”Jason spat out. “And since that tumble in the sack she’s never touched me! So,you two can quit talking to me like I’m some poor fucking victim! It was justsex!”

“Jason, you ran,” Dick sighed tiredly.

“Because she was blabbing!” He shouted, dragging his handsand the gun through his hair he saw Bruce flinch at his action but he was sofucking frustrated with them. “There’s shit I’ve done that is not any of yourfucking business, it’s not her fucking business either and she was blabbingabout it!”

“We wouldn’t have been mad Jason,” Bruce said.

Now Jason shook with bitter laughter, oh, they’d have beenmad, and he could not bear the thought of the disgust and horror they wouldlook at him with if they knew about just what he had done, what he was trulycapable of. Because if they knew that, there would be no way they’d stand inthe same room as him. There was movement again which had him glaring at the twoof them.

“I’ve been through a lot of shit, but rape wasn’t one ofthem,” he firmly stated.

“Then why run Jason, because we weren’t mad at you,” Dicksaid.

“Because it’s not any of your fucking business and she wasblabbing!” he shouted. That should be enough of a reason! “And If You Knew Half The Shit IDid You’d Hate ME!”

Jason could feel the tears in his eyes, but it was thetruth. If they knew, they’d hate him. And he was trying, trying so fuckinghard, to get back in their good graces again, to have Bruce trust him, but ifthey knew everything they’d hate him! And Jason could not stand that thought.Not when he was so close. So, it was best to run before he got the boot;staying a step ahead of the boot was his goal right now and so far, he wasfailing miserably. He wiped the tears away as he glared at them, his hand kepta firm grip on his .45 because he could still knee cap them and run. Less thantwenty seconds, he’d be gone; that’s all he needed.

“We’d never hate you, little wing,” Dick was on his feet andJason aimed the weapon at him which had Dick staying back, Bruce just blinked,like Jason had hit him over the head with a hammer.

“Really, you tossed me in Arkham,” Jason snapped. “And hepicked the Joker!”

Both of them looked taken aback at his words.

“So, I don’t really believe you, especially not aftereverything I’ve done, but I also know you’d hate me if you knew everything,” hestated, he felt his voice waver as the tears blurred his eyes. There was anache in his chest, but he did not truce Bruce, or Dick, with information abouthimself. Not when he was working so fucking hard to earn their trust back;however, they were the people who judged people off past actions, and whilethey had some of Jason’s actions, and they had the basics of Jason’s backgroundthey had no fucking clue what he could really do. Confirming that to them… itwould be a way for them to either pitch him in Arkham with his killer, or tocast him aside and have him pinned up on the League’s wall as one of their mostwanted.

And the Only Person, besides himself, to know the full ofwhat he’d done was Talia al Ghul and she’d been high on a truth serum!

He was so fucked!

Having sex with Talia was the tamest of his sins. And hecouldn’t seem to get them to understand that. Besides, it was just sex, justanother one of Talia’s lessons, it had not meant anything. It was nothing else,even if it had hurt just a little bit to know she’d just leave. But Jason wasvery used to people just leaving.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Bruce just stared at his son, partially in pain but alsoshock. Jason hadn’t lowered his weapon, not once, and the way his son looked.Jason looked like the scared nineteen-year-old he was. Jason never looked hisage, always looking older, tougher, and meaner than everyone, he’d never lookedlike a boy, he’d never looked like a young teen, and upon his return; Jasonlooked older than Dick most the time. But right now, right now he was lookingevery bit the part of a scared nineteen-year-old, and a feral animal. Like he’dbeen cornered and was assessing the fastest way out of his corner with the mostdistraction or pain so he could get away. The son who normally leapt head firstinto danger, heedless of the possibility of harm or death, looked terrified andabout to fly now. Jason was going to run, Bruce couldn’t have that happenbecause Jason would be gone the first chance he had.

“Jase,” Bruce spoke, Jason’s gun was on him, Bruce kept hishands up and shook his head when Dick looked ready to spring for Jason. Morethan likely Dick could beat Jason in a fight, however, if Jason was aided withhis flight or fight instincts it would be brutal and he’d rip Dick apart. Therewas a time when one had to appreciate the sheer ferocity Jason had in skill;Bruce had a feeling he held himself back but if pushed Jason was not afraid oflethal force And Bruce did not want either of his sons hurt. “We would neverhate you.”

“Bullshit!” he hissed and Bruce saw the tears rolling downhis face. How had they gotten here? They’d been good, Jason had reigned in hiskilling instinct, and he was… he was coming home. Now they were here again, andJason was ready to bolt. How was it that Talia’s simple apology (whichinfuriated him because she had unforgivably abused his son and would not beaccepted by anyone in his family, and was reason enough to have him severingall ties with her and threatening her with harm if she ever came near any ofhis children ever again, especially Damian or Jason), had done all this.

“Jason, we’re not kicking you out, nor would we for whateveryou did in your missing years,” Bruce said evenly. And he believed that, he hadto. It was not like Jason’s missing years could be worse than his revengerampage on Gotham. The family had forgiven him for that even, and Bruce… Bruceknew Jason had stepped up when he couldn’t remember his sons, and Jason wasTim’s main partner, and how Jason was changing. Bruce knew all of that; he alsovividly remembered the hug he and Jason had shared when he did not rememberJason, and since Bruce’s return home he had tentatively started to hope thatperhaps things could change between himself and Jason as well; not now, but intime. However, all that progress seemed to have disappeared as he stared at hissecond son who looked like the scared kid he’d never been.

“We’re not losing you Jason, we’re trying here, can youplease put the gun down?” Dick asked.

“I don’t believe you,” Jason grounded out, aiming the weaponat Dick who had shifted slightly. Bruce tensed, he didn’t like this, and Jasonseemed to only be growing more agitated. No doubt his son would leap out thewindow if he was provoked, for his escape.

“Jason, Talia didn’t say anything besides her apology,”Bruce said, cutting off whatever Dick had to say. Bruce had used his cold,detached voice to get through to him, knowing that it would be the fastest wayto Jason’s head. Facts, and if he said a fact it could not have an ounce ofemotion else Jason would not believe it. But Jason had come to believe facts.

“She didn’t,” Dick quickly agreed.

Jason trembled for a moment before sagging on the wall,Bruce moved faster than Dick pulling the gun from Jason’s firm grasp as hehanded it to Dick. Dick took the weapon, and Bruce pulled Jason close notknowing what else he should say or do for Jason. Jason was never the been thechild to seek comfort, or help. However, his son was sobbing, in fear or reliefBruce didn’t know, and Dick joined the hug.

How could Talia do this to his child? Why would she havedone this to his son? Bruce could never fathom harming any of his children insuch a vial manor. And when he was done dealing with the hurricane that wasJason Todd he would be tearing into Talia for having dared to touch his child.It was revolting, it was very sickening, and despite whatever Jason said, itprobably had messed him up. How, Bruce wasn’t sure, but there was no way Jasongot out of this undamaged.

“You’re alright Jason,” Dick muttered.

The younger man didn’t respond to that, but Bruce sensed thelad was emotionally drained at this moment, which was likely for the best. Theymight get Jason home and into Alfred’s expert care without him fighting themevery step of the way. Because if there was one thing Jason could and would doit was fight until his last breath and Bruce was tired of fighting.

“Come on, Jase, let’s get you home,” Bruce said sternly, theyounger man made no response, but there was a tremble in his form. Bruceworried about what Jason was keeping to himself, but for now he would get Jasonhome and deal with Talia.

“Hey, Jay, where’s your bike?” Dick asked.

“You’re not touching any of my bikes,” Jason’s muffled replydid not have its usual bite.

“Then how am I getting home?” Dick asked.

“Walk,” Jason snapped.

“You’ll both fit in the jet,” Bruce sighed tiredly; grantedit would be a tight fit but Bruce wanted all his kids home.

“I’ll take my bike,” Jason muttered.

“You’re not taking a bike anywhere Jaybird!” Dick snapped.Bruce saw the needle in Dick’s hand before he could protest. Jason didn’t evensee it coming.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Jason didn’t know how, when, or why he woke in the Manor,which had him tensing. Especially when he noticed his jacket and boots weremissing. Bolting up he quietly started to move to leave. He didn’t want to behere, he didn’t want to deal with them or whatever they were thinking abouthim.

And he did not want to deal with Dick and his ‘Talia rapedyou’ talk.

Not that he didn’t believe guys could be raped; but shit,whatever the hell had happened between him and Talia; aside from being yearsago, was not rape, just confusing. Jason would admit he didn’t want to think aboutit or that time ever again.

He was about to get to the door when it opened.

“Master Jason,” Alfred greeted, looking stoic and British,and disapproving. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Away?” Jason answered with a nervous grin.

“Get back in that bed, Master Jason, you are not goinganywhere,” Alfred said. “Not until you and I have spoken about your rashattempt at running off.”

“Uh…” he backed up quickly from Alfred. If it were anyoneelse he’d have told them to ‘Fuck off’ and shoved his way past them. But thiswas Alfred, and Alfred was futile to resist or fight.

“I am not angry with you Jason, but you will explain whythat vial woman’s words had you running,” Alfred said sternly.

Jason pursed his lips to keep himself from defending Talia.Except, there was no defense for what had happened. Jason knew that, he was toblame just as much as Talia, but he didn’t know what to tell Alfred. What didone say to their grandfather figure about something like this!?

‘I was not thinking with the right head’ or ‘I was curious, hormonal,and stupid’ or ‘I regret it, but it’s a giant ‘fuck you’ to Bruce at the time’or ‘I have no idea what I was thinking but she came onto me and it went fromthere’. Jason did not see any of those reasons (which were really the onlyreasons that it had even happened), flying with Alfred Pennyworth, or Bruce, oranyone in the family. However, he would not stand there and let Dick callwhatever the hell that had been, rape! Jason had to put up with a lot of shitbecause of his background, and he could proudly state no one had raped him (notthat it was something he should have to be proud of, but he was from CrimeAlley, and he’d been a ‘pretty one’ so he was pretty fucking lucky to haveevaded that hell!).

“What do you want me to say?” Jason asked hesitantly. He didnot dare to look at Alfred. “It was stupid, it was brief, I Was Not Raped. I consented. And it never happened again and it’snever going to happen again.”

“Master Jason, no one is mad at you about that,” Alfredsaid, which had Jason biting his lip. On that he called Major League Bullshit.“I am concerned that you ran.”

“She was blabbing!” Jason hissed as he glared at Alfredthen. Damn! Did no one get that he did not want them to know the shit he’ddone!? The shit they knew about was bad enough, but if they knew everything…Jason would be in Arkham right by the Joker. And Jason didn’t want to go toArkham, not when he was so close to having his family back. It might not be asit was before, but Jason didn’t think anything was ever going to be as it wasbefore.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Damian was sitting in his mother’s room just wondering whyDick was about at her but not Todd. Obviously, whatever had happened was Todd’sfault; it usually was. But this time he did not want to think about it. It washorrifying to think that Todd and his mother had been involved at one point. Hehated the thought and it had him shuddering in revolt.

“Father,” he greeted when his father walked in.

“Damian, go help Dick with his case,” his father said.

“I presume Todd will be properly punished for this grievanceas well,” Damian said firmly. For he had to believe that it was going tohappen. There was no way Todd was not at fault here.

“Damian, it is complicated, and the only guilty party hereis Talia as she was the adult and knew exactly what she was doing, now go toDick.” His father’s tone was so hard, Damian blinked in shock at it beingdirected at him when normally Todd was the one receiving end of that tone, andit was usually when father and Todd were engaged in one of their yellingmatches.

Damian huffed as he stalked off, not willing to be on thereceiving end of his father’s temper as he walked for the Batcave.

Stupid Todd was to blame, Damian was sure of that.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Tim was now avoiding the Manor, hiding out at his apartment.After the immediate return of a drugged Jason (Dick was to blame for thatapparently), and Tim was not hanging around for the blow out of when Jasonwould wake up and find out he’d been drugged. Not that Tim blamed Dick forthat; more than likely it was the only way they’d have gotten Jason homewithout a lot of injuries, kicking and screaming.

Dick was on a bike trip, because Jason was going to kick hisass for 1) drugging him, 2) taking his bike, 3) on principle. Even Tim knewthis which was probably why Dick was procrastinating on coming homeimmediately. A furious Jason was something which required both an arsenal and aplan against if one intended to get out of his wrath alive.

Trust them, they’d been here, done that.

Then there was the other touchy topic of Talia admittingshe’d slept with Jason. Tim didn’t see what the big deal was there, Talia was abitch and more than likely she’d done it with a purpose. Besides, it wasn’tlike any of them; aside from the little troglodyte; hadn’t slept with someonethey regretted. And trust him, this family had had enough questionable bedmatesfor them to leave Jason’s alone.

Which was exactly what Tim was texting Jason, right at thisvery moment. Leverage on Dick and Bruce should they come at him for sleepingwith Talia. Tim felt no shame about this as he worked and continued consideringthe drug ring operating on the west side.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Alfred just stared at his grandson and he sighed. Havingnever been fond of Talia al Ghul to begin with he was thoroughly infuriatedthat she had dared to molest one of his grandchildren in such a manner. Butworse, it was the thought that Jason did not define it as abuse, merely anotherof many mistakes he’d made when the only person at fault here was Talia al Ghulherself.

“My dear lad, you’ve done nothing wrong,” Alfred assured himas he stepped forward. “That is no reason for you to run away because of thatwoman’s words.”

“She knows shit Alfie, and she was blabbing!” Jasonrepeated.

Alfred shook his head. No doubt Jason had done many thingsbefore his return to Gotham, and before his real return to them, but Alfredcould not find it in him to be angered over just what Jason might have done.And Alfred was no fool, he had a good idea of what his grandson might have beenup to in those missing years. It was not hard to guess at, but it was all justspeculation on the family’s part because Jason would never confirm, or deny, orspeak of his missing years. Alfred would be remedying that as soon as Jason wasnot likely to bolt. The lad was a skittish soul when it came down to it. Jasonmight have been brash, loud, surly, temperamental, and angry, but beneath allof that, the lad was skittish and ready to bolt.

“Master Jason, there is nothing you could have done whichwould ever have us casting you aside, or have you needing to flee,” Alfred saidthat firmly as he caught Jason’s wrist before the lad could back away further.Jason flinched. “Your spot is right here in this family. No matter what mayhave happened between you and Miss al Ghul. And whatever it is you are afraidof her saying, rest assured we would never cast you aside so there is no reasonfor you to run.”

“Really, because you all looked pretty obvious when shestarted blabbing,” Jason muttered sourly.

“All feelings about Miss al Ghul’s apology are for herdaring to use you in such a manner, Master Jason, not for you.”

Jason looked up to him hesitantly then. “You’re not…?”

“I am furious, disgusted, and horrified, Master Jason, butnot with you,” Alfred stated. For that was how the entire family was feeling;aside from perhaps Master Damian, but there would be talks with the young boyabout this later.

“Really?” Jason asked so softly Alfred might have missed ithad he not been watching the lad’s face so intently.

“She was your care taker, she is to blame for whateverhappened,” Alfred firmly repeated before he pulled the lad into a needed, rarehug. Jason wrapped his arms around him, and just shook. Alfred was againbaffled at how large Jason was and how terrifyingly small at this moment.Nineteen he may be, but he was still that scared boy from Crime Alley at times.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Bruce was waiting for Talia to wake as he sat there fuming.He was disgusted with the woman; disgusted with himself, and the situation, andyet another thing to add to the list for things Bruce should have protectedJason from. Bright, lively, wild Jason, who had believed in the Magic of beingRobin once. However, that was gone, and Bruce now had to handle the surly,angry, and wilder Jason who Jason had grown up to be.

Talia had taken his son from him.

True, she had saved Jason, and she had resurrected him.However, she had not brought him home, immediately so his family could help himprocess being alive again, she had not told any of them about Jason beingalive, she had manipulated and wound Jason up, and now, as Bruce had come tolearn, she had molested his son.

If Jason said he had not been raped then Bruce believedthat, however, it was molestation no doubt.

Talia roused slowly, and Bruce’s eyes narrowed on her pronefigure in the bed. Oh, how he loathed the woman he had once loved. But therewere some things which were unforgiveable, and she had crossed too many linesto be forgiven now. Between what she had done to Damian, and now what he’ddiscovered she’d done to Jason, he wanted to break every bone in her body. Buthe would not, as he leaned back in his seat and glared at her as she slowlyrose.

Her green eyes met his, widening a bit then.

“Beloved,” she started.

“You sexually abused my son,” he grounded out.

She snorted. “I do not believe that it was abuse if he wasmore than a willing participant.”

“He was a boy,” Bruce snapped.

“Yes, and a quick study,” she countered.

“Talia, he was a child, a child in your care, no doubt notin the right state of mind because of the Lazarus Pit and your manipulation,and you took advantage of him.”

“I’d hardly call it taking advantage of him when he was morethan eager to participate,” she stated coldly.

Bruce lowered his clasped hands then. as he stood up,keeping his glare on Talia. “I do not particularly care about how you look atthe situation, or how Jason looks at it, the matter here is you were the adult,and you were his care taker Talia. It’s abuse. So, if you should ever come nearany of my sons, particularly Jason or Damian, I will ruin you.”

“You cannot deny me my children! And Jason is just as muchmine, as he is yours, perhaps even more so,” she snapped as she surged to herfeet.

“You abused them Talia! Do you not understand the damageyou’ve inflicted on them!?” he demanded coldly and levelly. It would not do tolose his temper now.

“I never harmed them!” She shrieked.

“All you’ve done is manipulate them, harm them, and usethem, and apparently you see nothing wrong with what you’ve done to Jason!”Bruce stated evenly.

“I did nothing he did not want!” she defended.

“He was the child, you were the caretaker, you should nothave ever touched him, and you should have returned him to me immediately,”Bruce repeated the argument he’d had a thousand times already. “He was neveryours Talia, you kept him, manipulated him, and abused him, you neglectedDamian, manipulated him, and abused him. Do you not see what you’ve done tothem?”

“I have never harmed them, beloved,” Talia started.

“Do not call me that.” Bruce grounded out through his teethbecause he could barely contain his rage at her term of endearment at thismoment. “And You’ve Done More Than Enough Harm Talia. Leave, Now. And Do NotEver Come Near My Sons Or Family Ever Again.”

She opened her mouth to no doubt argue this but Bruce wasdone as he walked out of the room. She would leave, she always did, but thistime Bruce intended to see to it that she hurt if she ever came near any of hischildren again.

Now there was going to be the emotional wreckage of Jason tohandle and Bruce did not know where to even begin with repairing that damage.Jason would have to talk to someone, and Bruce sighed. He’d call Dinah tomorrowto talk to her about one of the in-League shrinks speaking to Jason. It wasgoing to be important that Jason talk to someone, enough was enough, it wastime Jason’s issues were sorted out. And if that meant the whole family went tocounselling then so be it. But this would be straightened out; for the better.

Bruce paused in front of Jason’s room, seeing the door ajar,and he softened. Leave it to Alfred to comfort Jason. The only man who couldsay the right thing to Jason, when everyone else seemed to say the wrong thing.Sighing he shut the door and left them. He would speak with Jason later; forthis would be straightened out.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Jason couldn’t seem to stop the shakes as he hung ontoAlfred.

“You’re not going anywhere, Master Jason,” Alfred assuredhim. And a part of Jason full heartedly believed that, for Alfred was never theone to lie.

But there was that small part of him which held out on thatstatement.

“You are home, we’re not send you away,” Alfred said, andJason stiffened feeling fingers in his hair but he didn’t leave the embrace hehad on Alfred.

“Bruce and Damian will hate me again,” he muttered.

“Nonsense, the only one at fault is Talia,” Alfred stated.

And Jason wanted to believe that. But he’d didn’t know howto define whatever had happened, and he didn’t remember ever saying no to her.

He did not think he was blameless.

But for now, he was going to be quiet as he held onto Alfredas he tried not to worry about this newest impending disaster.

“Did Dick drug me?” he asked hoarsely, remembering thecabin. Bruce had been hugging him, and Dick had been there, and he did not thinkBruce had released him, but he was pretty sure Dick had moved behind his back.

“I am not aware of that,” Alfred answered.

That meant yes.

“I’m going to kill him.”

#bluboothalassophile #fanfic #dc comics #one shot #bafamily #jason todd #bruce wayne #richard grayson #timothy drake #damian wayne #talia al ghul #read at your own risk

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