Chapter Text
"Enough!"
Jason fired one more bullet before turning on the guy. "You rape and kill four girls and you're talking to me about the word enough? Dude," he scoffed, shooting the guy in the crotch.
The wail of pain was worth it, even if it drew the attention of an unwanted shadow. Before he could even chirp a good evening his gun was confiscated and Jason was being dragged off like an errant child to the Batmobile.
"Stay,"Bruce barked, no doubt going to 'clean up' Jason's mess.
"They deserved it," Jason said when Bruce came back. "You can call me wrong all you like but until you know what sick bastards like that do to people personally you haven't got a leg to stand on." And neither does that other guy. Both of them really if Jason was counting that second guys third leg.
"Wipe that smirk off your face," Batman snapped, Bruce poking through afterwards to add, "They're both going to live. And when you get home you're going to act sorry about running off or I'm telling Alfred."
That did wipe the smirk off his face.
Living under the same roof once again,even if under duress in Jason's case, Bruce had to figure out how to parent him once more. It didn't help that Jason was an adult and basically did what he liked anyway. If anything it gave Bruce more incentive to keep an eye on him. As a result, and because Jason couldn't exactly hide in that castle Bruce called a home, he'd learned one or two tricks for at least getting Jason to look like he was behaving. For the kids sake.
Ergo, Alfred.
"They deserved it," Jason said again as they pulled into the cave.
"Maybe," Bruce agreed. "But if I let you kill everyone who did something wrong in Gotham there wouldn't be a Gotham Jay."
He felt a pout work itself unbidden onto his face. "I hate when you agree with me."
"I can't agree with you, I can't disagree with you. What can I do Jay?"
Oh, Jason got it. Tough talk in front of the kiddies and jokes in private. The only one who was going to believe Bruce was even capable of the sarcastic tone Jason had just witnessed was...
"You know, I think I like you better with the cowl. That smile B," he shook his head, climbing out of the car, "It's about as mad as I am."
He started off to the showers, Bruce, with his long strides, having no trouble keeping up. He muttered as he passed, much too quiet for Damian drying his tiny feet to hear, "So then it's a charming snarky smile then."
"I hate you."
"No you don't," Alfred snapped, handing him a towel. "Now change and off to bed. You have a big day tomorrow."
He went without complaint, suffering through Bruce's horrible rendition of 'Dancing Queen' since it was just the two of them once more. He considered installing a camera, maybe catching Bruce in the act and playing it for the younger two to see what they've blessedly missed out on. But the thought was swiftly erased as he remembered that Bruce was Bruce. Somehow, some way, even if Jason managed to install a camera it would inevitably get damaged, and lo and behold, it would be a happy 'accident' when it did.
So he suffered through three more of ABBA's classic hits being destroyed, grabbed his cookie that Alfred had so lovingly left out for him, and journeyed up to his room with one last glare Bruce's way. He typed up his report when he was there on his laptop, knowing for a fact it would end up in the Batcomputer anyway. But, it was his small sign of rebellion to do it here instead of the cave where Bruce could watch over his typo's so Jason counted it as a win.
All in all, he got an early night all things considered. There were no fights keeping him awake between Damian and Tim. Nor any fires started by any of the many pyromaniacs that lived in this house. There wasn't even an annoying sibling knocking on his door for some semblance of sanctuary from the mayhem that was the manor. So Jason dropped off fairly quickly, wishing when he woke that he hadn't.
The sun was out, like it was purposefully taunting him that today was supposed to be a good, big day. It made the gardens shine as the rain from yesterday lingered on the dewy leaves. A beautiful image to wake up to. Also a sickening one since it meant it was morning and he had to go down for breakfast.
His suit was already hanging on his doorknob when he checked, and Jason didn't really see a point in letting it linger there as he changed into the stifling three piece and went to join the rest of the brood. Tim gave him a wolf whistle as he slid into his seat, and not even a kick under the table could wipe the smirk off his face.
"It's not even eight, why are you awake?" Jason griped, snatching his pancakes as any good big brother should do. It wasn't like he was going to eat them anyway. Tim lived on a diet of air and coffee on the best of days.
"I couldn't exactly miss this now could I?" Tim said. "What are you going to say to the press?"
Jason pretended to think about it, "Fuck you, it's none of your business."
"I was only asking," Tim's grin still didn't waver.
"No that's literally what I'm going to say," Jason said.
"I'm not surprised," Bruce said, striding his way into the kitchen. He, like Tim, was looking too awake for this time in the morning. Especially since this was his hibernation period. "You said the same thing to the press the day I introduced you to them."
"Really?" Tim asked.
Bruce nodded, "They had to censor it, obviously, but I can still recall the look on Vicki Vale's face when Jason started cussing her out." He didn't grin, not like he had last night, nor did he give any sign of mirth other than the warmness in his tone as he said, "You have to understand, they were used to Dick at this point. From day one he was trying to charm his way into the paper's good columns."
Growing up in the circus meant Dick was used to bad press. Even after the tragedy of his parents deaths he was able to keep his head when invasive questions were asked. If not, a lot worse things could have been said than Wayne adopting a gypsy.
The table fell silent anyway at the mention of Dick, breakfast seeming much too important to ignore in favour of talk. Even Bruce dug into his pancakes, sniffing around for more once he was done since one didn't get to that bulk on one pancake alone.
Eventually however, not even breakfast could stop the passage of time and before Jason knew it he was being bundled into one of Bruce's expensive cars, Tim too since he somehow persuaded Bruce to bring him and they were driving into town.
"Remember, just let me talk, they're going to be ravenous for a story. Anything you say will be used against you." It was like Bruce had forgotten Jason did know how to talk to reporters. Yes he had gotten off to a bumpy start, but by the time he was fifteen he was giving Dick a run for his money in the charm department.
"If you get really frustrated you could always just zombie out," Tim piped up. "Give them a few moans and 'brains'," he mimed, "They'll probably be so scared they'll run for cover."
Jason bit down his own smile, "Er, I'll have you know that's zombiest. As a zombie, I'm offended. You've offended me with your stereotype. Bruce, punish the boy."
Bruce didn't, just looked down on Tim muttering, "Why did I bring you," in that sorrowful tone all parents used when they realised they had made a bad decision.
"Because you love me," Tim tried, and it looked like the two of them really were in a good mood this morning since the pair of them burst out laughing.
It was just wrong. So wrong, and Jason told them so as they stepped out to where a whole host of reporters were already waiting for them.
The press conference, at the time, felt like it went on for an age. In reality, it was probably one of the fastest ones Jason had ever attended, and he'd assassinated people at these things before, it could get long up there just waiting for the perfect shot. The reporters, naturally, had questions, all of them ranging from just why Jason wanted to open this charity, to which Bruce answered, to his return from the dead, which Bruce also answered. Without his own input, the reporters had nothing to fish for, and could only nod along at Bruce's words, knowing they were going to get grilled later for not getting a primary source for their article.
It went better than his last one anyway. The one where Bruce declared him alive again. That one had been a doozy. From the moment he'd woke to see Bruce's name in the paper, the journalists speculating as to why Bruce was going to court, to having to give an 'I'm alive' speech near nightfall he'd never wished for death more. Unfortunately, Bruce wasn't having any of that. Apparently since Jason was back under his roof, and they were supposedly 'on the mend' Alfred lay down the law and ordered Bruce to the courthouse so he could get his favourite Robin back- Jason's words for which there was an altercation afterwards as Tim and Damian fought tooth and nail for that title themselves. Therefore, since anything Alfred says goes, Jason could no longer hide the fact that he was alive and kicking.
If he was honest with himself, it was kind of nice being alive again. He could go out with Bruce and Alfred in public now. A feat he was definitely enjoying as every time a reporter cornered them Jason said Bruce was making up for lost birthday presents. Last time Jason got himself a nice new jacket. One he was sure Damian had stolen.
There were also other perks like getting his actual drivers licence and being able to drive Bruce's fancy cars. He could vote too. He could also enrol in college, something Alfred was pressing him to do and Jason was actually considering. But, most importantly, he was in that stupid family portrait now.
He'd waited an age to get himself in there. Ever since he saw Tim's smug face smirking out at him from that oily canvas Jason had promised all the Gods listening old and new he was going to find a way to get himself in there too. Which he did. As soon as the paperwork had been completed he took that stupid portrait, gave it to Damian and bribed the kid with a trip to the pet shop. He also stopped by another artist's studio and got a rather large portrait of himself commissioned. Alfred loved it. The other's, not so much. Mainly because it hung right outside Tim's door and covered floor to ceiling with his beautiful face. Watching the brat, always.
See how he liked having a big brother now. Dick had been going too easy on them all these years.
So being alive was okay, but it meant he had to do stupid things like this. His charity had been Bruce's idea, a way for Jason to help outside of his costume as well as in it. That video had hit close to home for Bruce, probably because he hadn't known just what he'd taken in when he picked Jason up off the streets. Regardless, when the opportunity presented itself Bruce hinted rather strongly that perhaps Jason should start a charity to help rape victims, a one that didn't discriminate between high society hiding a dark secret and the prostitutes that lined the sidewalk.
Maybe if something like this had been around when he was a kid... nah, who was he kidding, his mom hadn't been standing on street corners. These were her drug dealers, her husband's friends, no amount of charity would have gotten her away from that life, and therefore wouldn't have made a lick of difference in Jason's life. Still, it would help someone, so Jason wasn't too opposed to taking it on.
After the press conference was, finally, done, they went to lunch. A nice greasy joint that made them stand out like peacocks in their fancy suits.
Bruce was near demolishing his burger when it came to him. Tim, not so much. This was his grazing hour, he would start picking up an appetite around four, maybe eat half a cupboard and then have a nice big meal with the family. Weirdo.
"It's not that bad," Jason chuckled, enjoying the red meat on his own tongue regardless. "Besides, you're the one who agreed to go Vegetarian in the manor."
"I'm supporting Damian," Bruce chewed out, his manners all but forgotten. "But that doesn't mean I don't miss meat."
"You're such a liar," Jason grinned. "The only reason you're not having meat at home is because Damian dared you couldn't make it a month. That and I know about your disagreement with the butchers."
"Watch your mouth," Bruce warned, turning Tim's curious face down to his burger.
They got a doggy bag, Bruce ordering another burger to sneak into the manor for later.
Ace was there to greet them when they got back, barrelling the waif that was Tim over now the dog reached his midsection on all fours. Jason stopped to admire it, pointedly ignoring Bruce handing off Tim's leftover burger to Alfred. Damian, naturally, sniffed out the meat regardless, and Jason was treated to that little spectacle as the day dwindled and the excitement died down to normal everyday bat stuff.
"It's your night off," Tim told him before he ventured down to the cave. "Read a book or something."
"I might," Jason sighed, glancing longingly towards the cave and his lovely bike. He perked right up before Tim could comment on it, "Maybe I'll even call around for another painter. Get another portrait commissioned. What do you say Tim? Fancy looking at this the rest of your existence. I'll put it right above your bed, on the ceiling even. Maybe I'll even loose the shirt."
Tim gave him a dark look before slipping off into the shadows.
With one last chuckle Jason went to hunt down Alfred, doing whatever task would alleviate Alfred's workload for the night before finally faced with the inevitability of his life. Grabbing the doggy bag Alfred had put in the fridge, he heated the burger back up, even put it on a fancy plate complete with beverage, before trailing the stairs to Dick's room.
He knocked with his foot, "It's me." There was a strong temptation to leave the food and go. One Jason fought with every fibre of his being.
This was Dick. His brother. Dick.
He knocked again, "You awake?"
"Yeah," came the eventual reply. The door opened, Dick's dishevelled head appearing through the crack. "I thought Damian had banned meat for a month."
"Bruce got us some today. He figured the ban only meant for in the manor. Besides, this was Tim's so..." Everyone knew Tim wasn't going to be obeying Damian's demands, bet or not, for a month. A week, maybe. But Tim was picky, he didn't want to think about limiting the poor kids diet further by removing meat. "I can leave it," Jason offered when the door didn't open any further, moving to place the plate on the floor.
"No," Dick grabbed it.
He was... looking okay. Especially because the last time they had seen each other face to face it had been just after the exorcism. Jason had needed to make sure Dick was still alive which, considering he hadn't been breathing when they picked the lock, was a pretty indefinite thing. Since then Jason had done his utmost to remain off the night off rota and when he was, their interactions were done through the door.
Tonight had been the first night Jason had the courage to even wait for a reply never mind see him in person. It was, oddly comforting.
"How are you feeling?" Jason asked.
The big bite into the burger answered the hungry part, the lingering eyes staring guiltily back at Jason answered the rest. "I'm okay," he said regardless. "Just tired." He kicked his foot into the carpet, taking another bite, "How's the outside world? It's hard to tell since I only get biased news stories."
"In that case you'll be happy to know it's as shitty as ever."
Dick choked on his burger stifling a laugh.
"No, in all seriousness, it's okay. No major crimes, no alien attacks, Bruce thinks something big is coming because of that, but he always thinks that so, I don't know. In other news the press is still as awful as I remember, no doubt you've been reading up on that. Tim's horrible, Damian's okay, Bruce has started thinking he's funny again so I would watch out the next time he comes to visit you and... I think that's it."
"How funny?" Dick latched onto.
Jason stifled a grin, glad to know he wasn't the only one enjoying this little reunion. "He was singing ABBA in the showers last night."
"No," Dick gasped.
"Three songs. The brats are lucky they don't have to put up with this stuff."
"You know," Dick thought, leaning against his door frame, "I do remember him making a joke the other night. I was a bit out of it though so I thought I was hallucinating. It was about Superman's undies."
It was Jason's turn to gasp, Dick nodding like a gossiping old woman. They shared a laugh, Dick polishing off the rest of his burger. "I've missed you," Jason blurted out. "Don't tell anyone," he hissed when Dick did nothing but stare at him. "But, I have." Usually, before all of this, whenever Jason would come to the manor Dick would be there. He acted as a buffer between Jason and Bruce, seeming to just sense when Jason needed to come home for a few hours. He was always the one to drag Jason from whatever room he'd holed himself up in and force him to do something 'fun'. It was weird, now that he was living here, that Dick wasn't to be seen.
He understood why. God knows he did. But it was still weird.
"I've missed you too," Dick said. "You're finally integrating with the family and I'm missing it."
"You're not missing much," Jason promised. "The most I've come to bonding with our so called siblings is driving Damian to his drama class."
"Damian's in a drama class?" Dick asked.
Jason shushed him, nodding, "Don't tell Bruce. He wants it to be kept a secret. Especially now he's got the lead in Much Ado."
Dick's grin slipped, leaving him more falling onto the door than leaning, "I'm going to miss it, aren't I? You know he usually would have told me that stuff and now... I'm barely awake when he does come visit." Damian always opted for the afternoon to visit Dick. He didn't seem to grasp that morning was when Dick was most active, trying to do his daily routine, venturing outside his room if he could and taking a walk around the gardens with Alfred. By afternoon, Dick was ready to nap. Unless Damian had the night off Dick was usually always asleep when he came to visit. It had led to a few tantrums around the manor.
"It's not like he wanted to tell me," Jason soothed. "He had no choice. I followed him in one day when his bogus excuse of botany wore thin. Besides, you're getting there. Damian's play isn't for another few weeks. I bet, if you time it right, you could make it."
"Maybe." Some spark was back in Dick's eyes, the one that spoke of detailed planning.
"Cass would probably be up to helping you too. She should be coming home tomorrow. I think her and Alfred are the only ones Damian voluntarily told." Probably because Cass had also followed him into a class and Alfred had been helping Damian rehearse.
"Lucky," Dick sighed. He chanced a glance up at Jason, "How are you?"
Jason shrugged, "As I said before, not bad. Things could be better."
"Really?" Dick shook his head, "I swear I wish I had your resolve."
The air shifted, the easy back and forth leaving in place an uneasy silence. They were really venturing there. Here Jason had hoped they could leave that for another day. "I-" he tried again. "I'm not okay Dick. I never will be. But worse things have happened than a demon trying to get a leg over. I mean I died, so, my tolerance for this crap is pretty high. But you, I mean, this thing took months of your life. It's messed up your life. You're allowed to take your time."
Dick gave him a tight smile, "Thanks."
He waited a beat longer before saying, "Yeah," Motioning backwards. "I think I'm gonna find a book."
"And I have housewives to catch up with," Dick latched on, the two of them saying awkward goodbyes.
Jason cursed himself all the way to the library. What had he been expecting? A long, drawn out conversation about feelings? He didn't like that on the best of days yet he'd been eager to have one there. Maybe it was the fact that the demon had been so forthcoming with himself. He'd had no problem manipulating Jason through little heart to hearts, giving up his own supposed weaknesses to listen to Jason's. To expect the same from Dick was idiotic.
Dick was as tight lipped as Bruce when he wanted to be. Yes, he was good with feelings, he liked that emotional stuff, but only with others. If it comes down to himself and what he's going through, well, Jason just got the bare 'okay'. Nothing else.
He should have just left the plate.
But then, Jason figured, he wouldn't have known whether he was ever able to look at Dick again.
For months he'd feared he would revert back to shaking in fright at Dick's form. This time it had been much worse after all. This time the demon had been Dick. He'd been in Dick's body, and Jason had thought he would be questioning everything whenever he so much as heard his brother's voice. Yet, standing there, in front of Dick, he couldn't believe he'd been so stupid for so long. That was Dick, the one complaining in his doorway, the one so eager to talk about anything but himself. That was him, and Jason was able to stand near him. He was able to look and talk with him.
It was better than anything he could have hoped for.
He found one of his favourites books to set him over until morning, dozing in a light dream as Damian ran past the door for breakfast. He considered following, stopping after a moment to turn back and trudge to Dick's room once more.
It was no less hard to knock as it had been before, nor did he loose the feeling to run as fast as he could before Dick reached the door, but when Dick answered it, that same sickening fear fled once more. "Thought you might like to venture to the kitchen this morning."
Dick blearily smiled, holding out his arms like the princess he was.
Jason carried him easily down, sneaking glances here and there to the dark circles under Dick's eyes. Despite the demon having been long gone for months now Dick wasn't fully recovered. It was like his body wasn't used to being able to hold onto all the energy it now had and left Dick in phantom aches that wracked his sleep just as much as his waking hours. That wasn't even counting the nightmares. If Dick had bad ones before he had much worse ones now. He'd been a prisoner in his own body for who knew how long, and Dick prided himself on full control. To have it taken away, to be paralysed as he was, his trauma didn't exactly leave him able to function as he once did.
Bruce had talked about a therapist, but the mere mention had Dick shutting down. Jason didn't know why. Maybe the idea that the demon had given in and it was too close a reminder had him shying away from the idea. Or, and the option here Jason hadn't really wanted to look too much into, the therapist before had been a cover for something much more illicit. If so, Dick probably would want to steer clear of any reminders.
This morning, unlike yesterday, saw normality restored to the manor. Tim was still abed, as was Bruce, which meant Jason only had Damian to nudge into his cereal as he set Dick in his chair.
Whatever glare Damian had for Jason for that stunt quickly faded as he spotted Dick. "Grayson," he greeted timidly, pouring Dick his own bowl of sugary goodness without being asked.
"When's Cass home?" Jason asked Alfred, giving the two their weirdly awkward space.
"This afternoon. Master Bruce has already sent a car to go wait for her."
"I'll make dinner then," Jason said, since if Alfred himself wasn't picking Cass up he must have a million and one things to do. At Alfred's rebuff Jason argued, "It's fine, I have this new dish I want to try out anyway." He left no room for complaint, already checking the cupboards to see what they had in. "Dickie, fancy a trip to the city?"
"I'll fall asleep," Dick said. "If you want company I would ask Tim. It's Saturday right? He should have the day off."
"Yeah but Tim sleeps until noon." He couldn't ask Damian. As soon as breakfast was done the kid was off to Jon's house with Ace. Some kind of puppy party with Krypto Jason hadn't been invited to. "Come on, it'll be fun. And much better than looking at the manor's dusty walls another day."
A pointed huff Alfred's way had Jason amending the dusty statement.
Dick look tempted, more than tempted since he'd been cooped up in the Wayne estate for months. But still, "I won't be much fun."
"Don't need you to be." He jotted down what he needed. "I just need your beautiful face to charm the paparazzi should we bump into them."
"Fine."
Maybe they were moving too fast. Maybe they weren't. All Jason knew was that he needed to test this out, see if it was certain that he wasn't going to freak out. That and Dick really needed a day outside. Just looking at his pasty skin was painful. So, slapping on some sunscreen and making sure sunglasses covered Dick's tired eyes, they stole one of Bruce's more overpriced cars and zoomed their way into the city.
Like Dick said he fell asleep. As soon as his head hit the head rest Dick was snoring, and while it did drown out the music Jason was trying to listen to it also helped remind him that Dick was alive. In sleep he looked just as still as he had the day of the exorcism, and while Jason may have once wished for Dick to take his place underground, actually seeing his brother unmoving put all thoughts of that away for good.
They made it to the grocers in record time thanks to Bruce's flash car. With a little nudge he managed to haul Dick out and into a shopping cart where he could sleep around the aisles. It was pretty easy going all things considered. Even when they got out they were only accosted by one reporter, and Dick was thankfully awake enough to ward them off with a charming smile and a line about reconnecting with his previously deceased brother.
A good trip all things considered. Until they were on the way back to the manor.
Somehow, and Jason was thinking muscle memory more than anything, they veered off the motorway that would lead them to the edge of Gotham and further downtown. Jason himself didn't see anything wrong with it until they took a turn that didn't lead him back to his old apartment, then he woke Dick up and considered whether it was wise to continue their course of action.
"What?" Dick mumbled. "Where are we?"
"Downtown," Jason said, lowering the music. "I think Father Todd took over for a moment."
"Father..." Dick looked out the window, seeing for himself the streets that would lead Jason to the little church he'd woken up in last year. "Did you black out?"
"No," Jason said slowly. "It was more like muscle memory. But," here was where he stopped the car, "I don't know, it was like I was me but my brain was remembering things differently."
Dick stayed silent for a moment, considering the teens that were stopping to take a look at Jason's car. "You think it's just habit or something more." Like a message remained unsaid. Like Father Todd was trying to break through and tell Jason something.
"I don't know."
They shared a look, twin smirks creeping onto their faces, "Guess we're going to find out."
Call it luck or whatever, but Jason was riding on a high these days and wasn't about to let it go to waste. Whatever was waiting for them at the church, whether it just be a confused priest or something more, Jason trusted that the universe wasn't so abhorrent that it would let him suffer. Not today at least. It had screwed him over so much he deserved a one off curiosity trip.
He let memory take him over once more, his hands turning when they wanted to until they were parked outside of a rather run down looking building claiming to be a church. It looked distinctly less terrifying in daylight, not the subject of Jason's nightmare anyway. The roof was almost collapsed all the way through, and from the condemned sign hanging off the doorknob the church had finally given up on repairing it. No doubt whoever was in there last was sitting comfortably in a nice new building free from rats and damp.
"It looks... nice," Dick tried.
"It looks like hell." He got out anyway, helping Dick when his door opened too.
"We should have brought a torch," Dick said before they even got to the front door. "The electric's probably been cut off, and places like this aren't exactly full of light."
Jason pulled his phone out, Dick's too before carefully handing one over to a frankly more awake Dick. "We'll make do."
Jason was the one to bully his way through the door, his feet stepping around phantom objects, wondering what they would have been in the other world. "Toys," Dick said suddenly, eyes fixed on Jason's feet. "There were usually toys on the floor."
"How do you know?" He fixed his torch down just in case he'd missed something.
"He was in my body," Dick answered easily, his jovial tone not letting up for a moment as he too stepped around the toys that weren't there. "While he had control that wasn't to say I was completely immobile. I made myself a as much of a nuisance as I could. One such way was prying into his head."
"Does Bruce know?" If he did he would have a file. It would be much easier breaking into that than asking Dick about what he'd seen.
Dick shrugged, "Bits. There were some parts I didn't even want to look into." He pointed his torch to the back where the altar stood. "There should be a door along here somewhere that leads to the apartment."
They could have turned back, they knew that. It would be wise for their mental health to turn back. Too bad they had never been too concerned with that.
Ambling through the pews Jason found himself skipping faster than usual along a few, stopping when he'd reached the other side to look back and wonder why. "This is so weird."
"I know." But for a completely different reason for Dick.
The door lay behind a fallen stand, Jason again having to interfere since Dick was still too weak to even walk around the grocers without a nap. He didn't mind, especially since it meant he was the first one up the familiar stairs he'd trod up once before. He found himself stopping once more, feeling Dick catch up to him as he looked at the empty plaster.
"There was a mirror here. The priest must have took it." He felt his hair new, curling one strand until he could see it and making sure it was still dark.
"If it was ever there at all." An ominous thought. "I mean, you came here sleepwalking, hyped up on a blip that had you in two minds. That mirror might not have been there."
"You're just a barrel of laughs," Jason huffed, biting down his fear. He hated hallucinations.
"Better than being a sourpuss like Bruce," Dick shot back, grinning as he shoving his way forward and into the priest's private apartment. "You kept it much nicer than this."
It was empty, as it should be for someone moving out of a condemned building. The furniture was nonexistent, the cupboards empty and the drain hiding something Jason definitely didn't need to see again. He shone his light over the living room walls, searching for something that wasn't there, then shaking himself out of it when he realised he'd lost Dick.
"Dick?"
"In here." The torch shone out of one of the rooms. "I think I found something."
He definitely had. Jason didn't even need his torch to see the carnage Dick had uncovered.
Along one wall there was a splatter of red, Jason's name written again and again along with 'I'm here'. It was dry, old, days, maybe weeks from the discolouration. In parts it looked like it had been wiped away and repainted once more. But mostly, there was a giant hole right in the middle of it, so big that Jason could climb into the bathroom the next door over.
"I think we might have uncovered a murder scene," Dick said.
"Yeah."
They bundled themselves back into the car after a thorough examination of the joint. No body had been found, nor any remains that would suggest a body had once been there. Jason only distantly remembered the priest that had helped him, not enough so that he would be able to spot him on the street. But, thankfully, that was why Bruce had the big batcomputer, so Jason didn't have to always rely on his memory to get along in life.
Naturally, they were accosted when they got in. While being gone as long as they had wasn't suspicious, Jason may have gotten into the habit of buying his little brothers a few treats when he went shopping so, naturally, he had to give those out. When he was done, and made sure Dick wasn't going to faint on him, he sent his brother off to bed and retreated to the cave where, of course, Bruce was.
"What's for dinner?" Bruce asked.
"Vegetarian." He hopped himself on the console, digging around before Bruce could ward him off. He pulled up the priest's medical file, his picture included and sent it into the GCPD's database.
"What's going on?" All business now.
"I had a strange encounter on the ride back."
A dark look came over Bruce, "The demon?"
Jason shook his head, breathing himself through the panic that came when thinking of it. "At least, not completely. Other me, he kind of influenced my driving. We went downtown instead of onto the motorway."
Bruce pushed himself forward, starting his own search. A low hum came from his throat. "This is worrying."
"I know." As far as they were concerned the worlds had merged. Jason shouldn't even be having these blips. He was the dominant one, the one that was in the right time stream. The other him should have been wiped from existence. Yet, there Jason had been, stepping around toys and driving without thinking to a church. "I know it could just be residual memories, we did crossover quite a bit before the merge, but, this didn't feel like that. It was like he was whispering at the back of my mind."
Bruce hummed again, "It could be nothing," he agreed, but Bruce didn't deal with just nothing, he liked to exhaust every possible answer. Sure enough, he pointed to where Jason had been earlier, "There was a bit of an energy spike. Did you take any of these roads." He pulled up a map, Jason pointing out the one that was supposed to take him to the motorway. It was in the zone, which meant that Jason was influenced by whatever spike had occurred. "This is troubling."
"Not as much as the priest. You haven't heard anything about him have you? The place is condemned." If it had been condemned there would have been a thorough search before hand to even get it declared as such. Therefore, they would have found a body had there have been one.
"Nothing is coming up." The search was ran again, this time in multiple databases, all across the country. "What did you find. You said it wasn't completely the demon."
"Writing. You're going to have to see it for yourself though." Especially since Jason needed to go back himself, and he was sure Bruce wasn't going to let him go alone. Whenever the demon was concerned, they had a system in place that Jason wasn't to be left unattended. Even if it was just Damian, Jason wasn't to be alone.
They watched the search for a while longer, Jason's dim hope of finding the guy fading the longer the search went on.
"How was Dick? I heard he went with you." Aka, did anything unusual happen with him.
"He's fine. Annoyed more than anything about being cooped up."
Bruce hummed again in agreement. He was just about as upset as Dick about having to keep him in the manor. Probably because he was the one that spent the most time with him. Dick would always be Bruce's baby, and if there was one thing Bruce hated it was seeing his baby upset or hurt. Namely because Dick was whiny enough that he could make Bruce regret every decision he'd ever made. "It's good to see you two talking again."
"I guess." He kicked Bruce's chair, "You should take him out for. Just because he can't walk far doesn't mean he can't go out. Let him sleep in the car and take him for a walk in an actual park. Hell, take him to the zoo with Damian. He'd probably love that."
"Maybe. We do need to get him up and about more. Especially if he's going to make Damian's play."
"How?" Jason breathed.
Bruce quirked an eyebrow at him, "I have eyes everywhere Jason."
He scrutinised Bruce for a moment. "His drama teacher told you didn't she?"
"Yep."
Jason sighed, going to rejoin the rest of the family to await Cass' return.
She came just as Tim started his daily binge, silently creeping up on the teen until the plate he was holding clattered to the ground in fright. Jason had a good laugh over that as he dolled out dinner.
Talk, thankfully, wasn't on the demon, and instead centred around Cass' adventure in London. While her base was in Japan, she'd taken time away to explore Alfred's homeland, her and Steph both, and had a few stories to tell that got a few raised eyebrows from Alfred. The best part, however, had to be the gifts. Naturally, since she'd been in England almost all of them had begged for their usual treats they got from Alfred. Cass had delivered too, Jason's mouth watering as soon as she pulled out that delicious treat.
"I also have this for you," she handed over, the wrapped package bearing Constantine's scrawl. "He said it might help you find the demon."
"Thanks." It might come in more handy than she knew.
Since Cass needed time to recover from her jet lag she was the one with the night off, which meant Jason was able to suit up with the rest of the family. He hopped in the batmobile, scaring Damian off when he tried to steal the front seat and strapped in for a long night tracking down a priest.
The church was back to its nightmare state now darkness had fallen. It was made worse by the fact Jason knew his name was plastered around the bedroom like a freaky love letter.
Damian was made to wait in the car, putting up a fight until he learned it was demon related, then he just sat his butt right down and kept quiet. "Call the Justice League if you hear screaming," Jason joked, the atmosphere changing back to serious when Bruce said the same thing, only meant it.
"We can't take any chances," Bruce said, considering the building.
They didn't take the windows, there was really no point since there was no one in to creep up on. Bruce took his time anyway starting through the building, that cowl pointed Jason's way more than once as, even if he didn't have the same instinct to step over absent toys his foot hesitated anyway in memory. They started up the stairs, the stand still upright which was a good sign Jason thought. It meant the place had remained undisturbed.
Bruce stopped before finishing his way up, his gloved hand tapping the wall, "There was a mirror here."
"That's what I thought. Dick said I might have been seeing the other worlds mirror though." He breathed a bit easier anyway knowing that it had once been there.
Bruce quickened his steps the rest of the way.
"It's through there," Jason pointed, Bruce nodding as he went to a different part of the apartment.
He let the guy be, no doubt Bruce searching for something significant. Jason on the other hand, went straight into the bedroom, eyeing up the hole and the words once more. He waited for Bruce before taking a sample, knowing Batman would want to see this for his own eyes untampered first.
He came in after a while, Jason having taken a seat on the bed. He let Bruce do his thing, just look at the wall for a moment, then the rest of the room, moving when he was bid, before he got to work in taking samples. It took an hour, all in all, to end up back with Damian in the batmobile, and in that time Jason could just sense that Bruce wasn't happy with what he'd seen.
"What do you think then?" Jason asked.
"A lot of things are off with that place. You would do well to avoid it Jason." the batmobile backed up, starting on its usual course through Gotham. "The priest is definitely missing. Tomorrow we should put in a tip for a missing persons. I may speak with Clark too to get the word out."
"You think he's killed the priest or keeping him to feed off?" Since there was no other use Jason could think as to why the demon would take the priest.
"Right now? I would think the priest is most likely dead. The cupboards show signs of mould, the bathroom looks unused. The demon looks like he was invading the apartment for a few weeks anonymously before confronting the priest." The wiped words on the wall were beginning to make more sense now if the priest was unaware of the person writing them.
"We should ask the nuns," Damian piped up, Jason forgetting he was even there.
"The nuns?" Jason repeated.
Damian rolled his eyes, "I may have a contact that could get us in conference with one. If anyone should know if the priest is missing or dead for certain it would be the nuns. The religious community is tighter than the GCPD database. They tend to keep scandals like this close to home. We could be looking at a cover up."
Jason huffed out a laugh, "Look at you Dami. I'm actually impressed."
"Shut up!"
They went with Damian's plan despite the bickering. He pulled out his cell and within the hour they were pulling up to an orphanage where a little red haired boy was waiting. The kid had the gall to hug Damian when they stepped out, Jason turning to Bruce to see he wasn't the only one in disbelief.
"This is Colin," Damian introduced, Jason distantly remembering hearing that name thrown around. Still, hearing and seeing were two vastly different things. Especially since Colin was real and not imaginary.
"Nice to meet you kid," Jason remembered to say.
Colin shied away a little but led them to where one of the sisters was waiting for them. Damian had been right about the religious community keeping things under wraps. Within moments they had more information about Father White than they got from their research. They learned that he'd been plagued with 'hooligans' for months now. At first, he would come complaining to the sisters, telling them to keep their children under control. Then, as the visits grew worse, he started coming to them for other reasons.
"He had a bit of a breakdown," she said. "Saying he wasn't sure about his faith anymore or his place in the world. Then-" she lowered her voice, as if afraid someone was listening, "Well, he was seen quite frequently with a young boy. We think the two might have been involved."
"How young?" Jason demanded.
"Oh not too young," she hurried, "About your age I would say," She said to Jason, "Maybe a bit older. He was lovely too, always polite." Colin whispered something to Damian that had the kid straightening up. "He used to come around here looking for Colin. I didn't let him see him, I wouldn't do that without your permission." Colin whispered something else, not seeming to hear the sister talking. "If you ask me I think the young man was good for Father White. He seemed happier."
Then he just disappeared. He came around to the orphanage one last time, raving about letting him in, letting him protect the children. After that they got nothing. It was like he'd just up and left. Something the sister found quite worrying.
"You have to check in you see," She explained, "If you're taking time off you have to make sure the higher ups know about it. Yet when I asked they hadn't heard anything. It's strange."
Very, and very helpful too.
They thanked the sister, Damian keeping his little friend close the two of them in cahoots until the very last moment. It seemed it was worth it however since, as soon as the door closed, Damian was leaning forward saying, "It was Dick. The demon Dick, Richard. Colin said he saw him hanging off the priest. That he was confused why Richard was coming to see him without me. You don't think he's going to come for Colin next do you?"
Bruce said nothing, no doubt as curious as Jason as to why the demon wanted Colin. Also how he'd managed to lay as low as he had without them knowing. But, Damian needed soothing so Jason said, "Look, if we find anything more worrying out then you can invite Colin for a sleepover." He backtracked, "Wait a minute. Does this kid know your identity?"
"He's part of the superhero community," Damian shot back. "I can trust him."
"Did you know about this?" Jason demanded.
"Vaguely," Bruce admitted.
"I see, so I couldn't even tell Superman my identity when I was Robin and yet Damian can tell the kid next door anything he likes."
"Colin is trustworthy. Besides, without Colin's contact you wouldn't have a lead. So shut up."
They went back to the church, this time Damian coming with them as they looked it over once more, this time going along the streets that ran alongside it for anything they might find helpful. Jason found a few CCTV camera's he was already reporting back to the cave for Cass or whoever was in to look over. There were other things, people that Jason kept a close eye on, more so for their safety than his own. He considered going door to door, but Jason wasn't sure the Red Hood knocking would do anything other than have these people clamping up. He knew he would.
When he met back up with Bruce they went straight to the cave, the three of them splitting off to focus on one task or another. Before he thought better of it Jason dragged Dick from his movie marathon, giving him the book Cass had gifted him and asking him to look through it for anything they might find useful. It ended up with Dick in the cave when curiosity got the better of him. He was sifting through the book in between watching the footage on the big screen.
"You know about Colin?" Jason asked.
"Dami's little friend? Yeah. He's a good kid," Dick said.
"How come we never hear about him then? I mean, it's all Jon this Jon that, I think I've only heard Colin being mentioned once." And even then Jason wasn't paying attention enough to remember now what it was about. An unbidden thought came to him, "The kid's not ashamed of him is he?"
Dick snorted, "No." he flipped a few pages, "But Colin and him, they have a somewhat unusual relationship. Damian can't boss Colin around like he does Jon. It's sweet, I think he fancies him."
"Dami? You sure?" He knew the kid wasn't exactly straight but he thought that in the sense that he would fancy Dick, like everyone else in the world, not actually like another male person out of something other than hero worship.
"You not see how he looked at Colin? That's definitely more than friendship. He probably didn't want to tell anyone in case he got teased. You know Dami is with feelings."
Yeah, only slightly better than Bruce, which wasn't much. It was cute anyway, and Jason promised himself he wasn't going to bring it up. He knew how hard it was to even think about someone romantically never mind being raised in a loveless home like Damian had.
They scrolled through days and days of CCTV before they came across the last sighting of the priest and the demon. It brought back a spark of fear seeing that picture perfect visage of his brother on screen. His eyes glowed on screen, blinking out most of his face, but the rest of him was just as interesting to look at. The man, the priest, beside the demon, seemed besotted. He was trailing after Dick like a lost soul, probably because Dick had ate it.
They were walking towards the church, Dick not seeming too happy with his companion. Jason scrolled back further until he found them once more, watching the gradual change as Dick went from dopey romantic to the uncaring demon at the end.
"I don't suppose there's any way to kill a demon?" Jason asked.
"No," Dick said. "Believe me, I looked inside his head for one. The best we could do would be to send him back to hell. But, if he broke out once."
"He'll just do it again," Jason sighed. "Wait, what do you mean broke out? He escaped hell?"
Dick squinted in remembrance. "He definitely wasn't supposed to be on Earth."
That was all Jason got out of him, making him all the more determined to find that file Bruce had on Dick's memories.
They combed through the CCTV until they found no more footage of Dick and Father White. The footage they did have, Jason saved onto the computer, starting through it again and grabbing his notebook. The one thing he hated but found very useful doing was reading lips on CCTV. Usually he would do it when he was trying to catch times or places where mob bosses were unloading their shipments or having meetings Jason was planning on crashing. Never did he think he would be sitting here now making out Father White telling Dick his grocery list.
"Dick, go see how Bruce is getting on, I want to know whose blood that is."
"Okay," Dick sighed, "But Bruce isn't going to be happy, usually he's the one giving the orders."
"Yeah, well, this is my case, he can deal with it." If Bruce even tried to tell Jason to take a backseat in this he was going solo.
He had three days transcribed when Dick came back with Bruce's usual patience speech, Jason stopping himself rolling his eyes as he caught something interesting in his notes. He kept it for himself as he pressed play, getting more pages to compare it to before he started putting together a real case file for Father White.
They were there hours. Well into the next morning since Cass came down to tell them breakfast was ready. Jason took his notes up with him, ready for his scolding from Alfred so long as he could just have a few more minutes to look at them. When his notes were finally confiscated, Dick being plopped down next to him at the table, he had a pretty good idea at what he was dealing with.
"I think the demon was trying to get help," he said, those gathered at the table falling silent.
"What sort of help?" Tim asked, the only one of them to actually finish patrol and get their usual nights sleep. Naturally, he was awake because his super was coming over today, Jon too, and had even picked at his breakfast so he wouldn't be yelled at for starving himself.
"The demon's lips are usually covered by the glare, but when the Father speaks he's going on about normal day to day stuff, like, charities or fundraising. You know, church things. Even sermons. I thought, maybe it was just the priest trying to reform the demon but he wouldn't be hanging around if that were the case." If Jason were in his shoes he'd be flying out the door saying to hell with trying to change.
"Let me guess," Dick snarled, "He's letting the demon stay there in the hopes he'll abstain and reach heaven again."
"No," Jason said, wondering where Dick got an idea like that from. "Can demons even do that?"
Dick shrugged, and from the looks on everyone else's faces they didn't know either.
"Anyway, my name kept cropping up." Enough that Jason was sure he wasn't going to be getting any sleep today. "The priest kept saying stuff like 'maybe he'll make contact tonight.'"
"He's talking about the other you," that tone was still in Dick's voice, like everything the demon did was abhorrent. Not that Jason blamed him.
"Yeah I gathered. But, what I don't get is what the priest means by contact. I mean, obviously the play on normality, helping the priest with his duties, is to get free lodging, but why? And why take the priest now when he'd suffered through six months living with him?" He wondered, not for the first time, just what hold the other him had on the demon. It had to be something. Maybe other Jason had like a summoning stone or some kind of demon killing sword. Dick said he wasn't supposed to be on earth. A guy being somewhere he shouldn't was bound to have enemies, and what better way to kill an enemy than with a weapon.
"I can answer that last question, the priest is dead anyway," Dick said. "It's this thing the demon does. He stays with them for a while and then gets bored with them. It usually only lasts six months. You should start looking in cemeteries tonight. Crypts if you can find them. There's no better place to hide a body after all than a place full of dead people."
Jason kind of wished Dick wasn't out of commission. On a mission like this he was more use than ever, yet there he was, housebound and bitter. Maybe Jason could find a way to sneak him out tonight. He would have to make sure Dick got a good nap today, ate something, maybe showered...
"Why six months?" Tim asked.
A bit of colour came to Dick's cheeks, "He er, likes to work himself up an appetite. He thinks its better when the priest willingly hands himself over."
Jason caught the tag, "Priest? He's done this to more than one?" Well, of course since other Jason was one too, but, he'd thought maybe this time had been because Father White had been in the same place Father Todd was supposed to be. Like a pity meal.
"He has a bit of a fixation," Dick mumbled, stuffing his mouth with food before any more questions could be asked.
"Unsurprising," Cass said, getting more than one incredulous look as a result. She just waved her fork at Dick, "He has a type."
Which, he did, and just the fact everyone knew such a thing had Dick's cheeks turning as red as the redheads he liked to sleep with.
A cough stopped any attempt at teasing, or even comparing the two which would have been vastly uncomfortable for all involved. Bruce tapped his newspaper once before saying, "I think I might have an idea what the priest meant by contact."
After breakfast, Bruce led them back into the batcave where he pulled up photo's he'd taken with his cowl of the church. Jason saw himself in a few shots, looking amazing as always no matter what Damian said. Bruce stopped when it came to one with a plain wall, the only object in it the Batman's gloved hand. "There was a mirror there," he said, skipping the photo's ahead until they came to the bathroom, "There too, and I'm guessing one in the bedroom." He looked to Jason like he could confirm such a thing.
"I don't remember."
Bruce skipped the photo's back to the first one. "I looked all over but there were no mirror's in the apartment. They'd all been taken."
"And?" Tim had the guts to ask while the rest of them were pretending to know.
"And," Bruce said, "Sometimes mirrors can be a bridge between worlds. I'm betting the demon saw something one night while he was visiting the priest."
"That's..." Tim struggled, settling on, "Interesting. But the other timeline is gone. How could he have made contact? Bearing in mind as well that Jason's notes go as far back as six months ago."
"Barry would know," Dick suggested. "If not him then maybe Mirror Master. Either way we're going to have to talk with him."
Bruce hummed, flicking through the photo's until he came to the one with the hole in the wall. "I just don't know what was here."
"The blood at least?" Jason asked.
"Yours," Bruce said.
"Not worrying at all," Jason muttered, leaving Bruce to call Barry.
Naturally, with Bruce's very persuasive attitude, he had a meeting set up between the two of them for that evening. It would mean a missed patrol, but when Jason said he could always go on his own Bruce argued that some things were worth more than Gotham. Jason was touched, if a little apprehensive as they stepped into the teleporter. The Watchtower materialised into place, the community of superhero's stopping what they were doing to part like the red sea to let Batman through.
Barry was in the cafeteria, a nice soothing, if somewhat hopeful, coffee acting as a peace offering on Bruce's side. "Just how you like it," Barry tried.
"Cut the crap," Jason snapped, trying his bad cop on for size and receiving nothing but a raised eyebrow in response. "Dammit." He sat down.
"I've seen you in short shorts Jason, don't even try to intimidate me. Now tell me what's going on."
"Flashpoint still exists." It was good to know that Barry was at least afraid of Bruce. Or at least what Bruce was saying.
"I know," he mumbled out.
"What do you mean you know?" Jason exclaimed.
Barry twiddled with his fingers a moment before deciding on, "Well, there was this button-"
"Oh no," Bruce sighed.
This really couldn't be good if Bruce was looking like that. "So, the button," Barry continued, "It er, had a weird energy signature. I thought it was a bomb, but, when I tried to find its signature I couldn't. So I hooked it up to the treadmill and, well, yeah."
"You have gone way down on my list of favourite superhero's, I want you to know that," Jason said.
"I get it," Barry nodded. "I'm not really my favourite right now either."
Bruce spent a while with his face in his hands, straightening up when he finally had something useful to say. "Okay."
"Okay... what?" Jason asked.
"Okay we can work with this." He got up, leaving Jason there surrounded by superheros to no doubt start plotting this elaborate plan he had mulling around in that brain of his.
Jason got himself a brownie, seating himself with Superman when Barry was carted off by Hal for some boy talk or another. He felt all of thirteen years old again sitting there. He named the superhero's he knew in his head, pretty proud of himself when he knew most of them. Superman, naturally, tried to make conversation, asking after how Jason was and whether he knew what it was Damian got up to when he kidnapped Jon. He was okay, and since he was still reeling at the idea Damian might have a crush of all things he didn't really want to think about nefarious things Damian did unsupervised.
He was in the Watchtower for a good three hours before Tim strolled through looking right at home. He had the gall to wave at Jason. Also steal half of Jason's brownie for which he was even more sore about. He couldn't even yell at the kid because Dick stumbled through moments later, full Nightwing regalia in place and slotted himself almost on top of Tim in an exhausted slump.
Bruce called them over after a minute or so, Jason leaving Tim to steer Dick as he came into Bruce's little workstation.