Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Jason was exhausted.

Physically, mentally... he wished he could afford the time to crash. Let sleep take over for a time, the nightmares be damned, just to give himself a systemic reset. As the chopper droned on towards the docks, he was quite honestly not looking forward to the long frantic get-away at hand. It was a lot to take in, suddenly being free. Random people out to get him, using Scarlet as bait- leverage, Dick briefly willing to humor and assist him for her sake. Which he appreciated, but still... working with him to any extent, especially whilst he wore the cowl and had the little demon spawn at his side, made his stomach sour.

Regardless, it was good to be out of prison- away from Arkham, and as odd as it really felt to admit it, he was damn glad to see Sasha. He had gotten attached... and after being captured he had been so sure that he would never see her again. So here he was, unprepared, and overwhelmingly fond.

He gently tugged off his helmet with one hand, let it drop to the cockpit floor with a dull thunk, and pushed his too-long strands away from his eyes. The sweat plastered his hair to his head, and he would have given anything to have a bottle of water on hand because he was far past parched. He hadn't exerted himself to this extent while dehydrated in a long time.

But he had to roll with what he had oh so gratefully been given.

He glanced over to the girl at his right and managed a small smile when he saw how utterly unperturbed she looked. Content... relaxed, seemingly just basking in being in his presence despite the situation. He supposed the fondness went both ways. He wasn’t experienced with unconditional love, but it had always seemed very real from her end, and that was something he would always be grateful for. Because he sure as hell didn’t deserve it.

She looked good. Pyg's mask gone. All thing considered, she had done well taking care of herself during his incarceration. The young and reckless bounced back relatively fast he supposed. He always had as Robin. He would ask what she had been up to once they were safe, all he knew was that she hadn't been in Gotham. She had bolted. Good for her. That was more than he could say of most people broken by this city, himself included.

“We’re going to ditch this hunk of metal on the North Point docks.” He started, briefly meeting her gaze. “Fuel levels we're working with here won’t last long enough to make it more than twenty minutes outside of city limits, and we’re much too large of a target up in the air. Once on the ground we run, fast as we can, just follow my lead. We are not going to have much leeway. If Dick’s not already on our tail he probably has the PD trailing us, or worse, has one of his damn friends waiting to take us down. Can’t be too sure at this point. Need to purge his tracker once we land...” he muttered.

The girl nodded briskly and adjusted herself in the seat.

“And then?”

“I have a safe house just outside the warehouse boundaries. Should have remained untouched in my absence as I don’t slack in security. Reliable inconspicuous vehicle in a tamper proof garage, already crammed full of gear and supplies, and a fridge stocked with a case of water we’ll toss in the backseat. Should be more than enough to get us out of the city, and once we can be sure that no one’s on our trail we can think about where to set up shop for the time being, but no sooner.” He frowned, clenching the controls tightly.

“Mmm.” Sasha clenched her jaw but nodded in agreement all the same.

There would be no time for rest. She looked like she needed it too. But at least she could sleep while he drove he supposed. He had no way of knowing how long she had been in custody, what she was doing beforehand, or where she had been when they had grabbed her. But at least she was safe now.

Sasha was half out of her seat already when they touched down and Jason wasted no time. His feet hit the ground helmet in hand, and with no hesitation rammed two fingers down his throat, until he was lurched over vomiting onto the ground. He winced as Sasha squeaked and sputtered behind him, but wiped his mouth and gave her a cheeky grin in response before grabbing her by the arm and diving into a run across the lot. They left the rotor's running. He hoped the added noise served as a distraction.

They took off across the pavement, sped through row after row of steel buildings, and even though her lungs felt ready to burst she kept trekking on.

They never looked back.

Jason learned rapidly that Arkham, then prison, had been pretty detrimental to his abilities. He had bulked up far too much, his stamina was shot, and his legs were screaming in protest as his boots slammed into the pavement with each step. They hadn’t exactly let him out much- for obvious reasons, and even when they had the track had rarely been open to him. Running such a distance after all that time, with all the added weight, was murder.

Secretly he was relieved when they made it to the safe house with no interference, and as welcoming as the well-worn couch looked, he didn’t dare risk it. He tossed a too-large hoodie into Sasha’s arms, and promptly discarded his one-piece suit of recent in exchange for jeans that no longer fit in all the worst places, and a long sleeve shirt that protested at the broadness of his shoulders. He wrenched the leather jacket over his back and rummaged through the closet, jamming random civies into a duffle. With time constraints he couldn’t be picky, and he settled for pulling his hair back with the nearest rubber band, and tossing a baseball cap over the rest. Sasha simply pulled the hoodie over her head, and flipped the hood on. Disguises they were not but the change of wardrobe would serve its purpose. He didn't have anything that would remotely fit her from the waist down, but from the safety of the car no one would be able to see her thigh highs.

Jason removed the case of water from the fridge, tossed a bottle to the teen, and set off into the musty garage. He downed one himself, and pitched the rest into the backseat of the car, motioning for Sasha to follow suit, much to her displeasure. He saw the complaints coming before she opened her mouth and he sighed.

“Look, it will be safer. If someone goes for me you won’t be caught in the crossfire and you’ll have an escape path.”

To give the girl credit, she didn’t argue. It gave him a flutter of pride.

He started the car and it purred to life much to his satisfaction. He had no guarantees that after sitting untouched for so long that the vehicle would hold out particularly long, but if they had to they could ditch it later and appropriate another pretty quickly. Knowing the long trip ahead, he spared the few minutes to let the engine warm up, and spent the time disarming their exit. When he slipped the old LeSabre into drive and pressed that button for the garage door to open, he put one hand on the wheel, the other on his gun, and floored it.

The alarms and locks would re-engage in thirty seconds. If anyone ended up coming to poke around, then just like the bridge tracks, the safe house would blow.

Admittedly, while he had not expected things to go so smoothly with a half-assed last second plan, he also hadn’t expected what was to come...

He was half way down the driveway when he was forced turn, riding the brake, and skid abruptly to avoid slamming head on into an unforeseen obstacle.

Because Red Robin stood dead center of the drive, and Jason had to resist the urge to bust the window out and open fire. Had he not been so damn tired, and so determined to get out of dodge encountering as few Bats as possible, he might have chosen differently. But before he could get his door open, and get the inevitable fist fight underway, he ended up all the more... surprised.

Tim- Red Robin rushed the vehicle, and instead of going for him, he bee-lined to the opposite side of the car, and wrenched the passenger side door open. Leaving him gaping with the door cracked and his hand on the handle, alarm bells ringing. But as he sat their blinking his confusion, rage lost on the tip of his tongue, Tim slid into the seat and slammed the door behind him. The teen ripped the earless cowl from his head, ran a hand through his mussed hair, and turned to him with wild eyes.

“Drive.”

Despite his better judgment, the questions, he complied and floored it.

Only after they had made their way out of crime alley, onto the highway where they could blend into normal traffic and speeds, and they crossed the first bridge did he take the time to truly register what had just happened. Jason watched Tim out of the corner of his eye and couldn’t help but not understand in the slightest. The teen stared ahead, rigid as he gazed out the front window, and it unnerved him just how pale he was at present. How dark the rings around his eyes were. Sasha was less discreet in her worry, and he could see the confusion and fear on her face through the rearview mirror, his composure clearly the only thing keeping her from starting something- and honestly? He couldn’t blame her, as he should have opened fire the moment he had seen the cape.

Before he could open his mouth, ask what the fuck was going on, and why the replacement had demanded to come along for the ride without any sign of backup tailing them, Tim was the one that broke the silence.

“I... did you- did you mean it?”

His voice was quiet, hoarse, and truthfully Jason hadn’t the slightest clue what he was talking about.

He snorted.

“Mean what exactly? Because I’ve said a lot of shit since coming back, so you’re gonna have to be more specific than that...”

Much to his annoyance, Tim took his time answering, and for several long moments he did nothing but worry his bottom lip as he stared unblinking out the windshield.

“When you... asked me to be your Robin. Did you mean it, or was it just some head game of yours? Because honestly-“ He gave a sullen laugh, hunching in on himself, “no one has asked me to be with them in a long time- not ever really I guess. I’m always just... there, or forced upon them, and then- they’re gone.” He muttered, swallowing thickly, and Jason stiffened.

“What have you been dosed with?” He prompted, eyes flicking back and forth between the younger man and the road. “You’re jittery as fuck, white as a sheet, and sweating bullets. I’m not crashing because you go nuts, nor am I in the mood for secondhand contact, so give me a reason to not open up the damn door right this second and boot you out.” he hissed.

When the tone of his voice caused Tim to flinch and curl in on himself even further, he decided to take the chance, and pulled over onto the shoulder of the road.

Tim didn’t have chance to react before Jason was atop him and had him pinned to the door with a fistful of his cape.

“You better talk now Drake, or so help me...” He growled, and he honestly could care less at this point about how the teen’s pupil’s contracted in terror, because they were not in the position to mess around.

Tim opened his mouth to respond, paused, and seemed to really consider his response before attempting again. It was a slight comfort to the Hood, because at least it meant the teen was still trying to use his brain.

“I'm not... drugged. Wherever you’re going, take me with you.” He pled. “I-I’ll be your Robin. If you still want me. So long as you... so long as you won’t leave me. I’m not asking much, I just- you won’t leave, right?”

He froze.

That...that was not where he had thought this conversation was going. Seriously, what the fuck? What was happening?

Sasha shifted in the backseat. Jason needn’t look back to know she had pulled one of the guns out. He only frowned and braced himself.

“The fuck is this about?”

Tim stayed limp in his grasp refusing to meet his eyes.

“I... messed up. I've been having a hard time of things for a while. Bruce was gone. Dick pushed me out of his life and wouldn't believe me when I figured out Bruce wasn't really dead. Ra’s tried to recruit me when I took things into my own hands, my father’s murderer came back to life, and and then Bruce returned... only for nothing to change.” he paused, and gave a small despondent laugh as he ran a hand through his bangs. “And now I- I’m damaged in so many ways, and I just... I wanted him to go away. Back where he came from, because he didn’t have the right to come back, him of all people, and I...I...” Tim stammered, and hung his head.

Jason swallowed tightly, slackened his grip.

“So you...?” he prompted.

“Bruce caught me. I didn't even realize he was there until afterwards, and he had apparently been tailing me since I had started enacting my plan. I was... careless, unfocused. Too hurt and angry. In the end I didn’t even actually do it, but he still- and I couldn’t say I would make the same choice to spare him again if there were a next time.” he wheezed, and to Jason's horror his eyes grew glassy. “The joke is...I didn't stop because I thought Harkness deserved to be spared, or that I came out of some trauma haze. I only stopped because I realized that if I followed through? That would be it with Bruce, and I'd just gotten him back. But I lost him anyway, and Harkness went right back to Iron Heights- alive. Bruce- he's made it very clear that he doesn’t want me anymore. Never... never asked for me in the first place. But you? You asked, and I-“

“Shut up.” Jason muttered, and with a huff, he released his grip and returned to his seat.

Tim's mouth snapped shut.

He turned to face Sasha in the back and even despite her alarm and confusion she was promptly at attention.

“Grab me the duffle, please.” he huffed, stretching his hand back between the seats.

Within seconds it was open in his hands, and he was rummaging through it while both occupants stared at him. He pulled a couple things from the bag, and passed it back to the girl

“Change.” He tossed a t-shirt and some sweats at him. “Can’t be seen with you wearing that. Pisses me off anyway...” He muttered, turning the ignition.

“I...I can stay?” Tim's eyes were wide now, and Sasha canted her head at him.

Jason leaned back in his seat and let out a ragged sigh.

“Yeah, you can stay. I still... want you. Even if you are in the middle of a meltdown and weird as fuck. But if you come along, the only way you’re leaving is if you’re dead, and even then you’re mine. Ra's won't be getting his grubby hands on you. Got it?” he challenged.

But Tim looked like he'd had a massive weight lifted off his shoulders as he nodded.

Jason turned back to the girl, motioned for her to ease up, and pulled out of park. She resumed her curled up position, but cracked open her water, and kept her eyes focused forward.

Everyone was silent thereafter, even though Jason’s own thoughts were screaming in his head, and the traffic made for perfect consistent background noise.

As the sun set and they drove off into the distance further and further away from Gotham, Jason was surprisingly content with Sasha curled up in the backseat breathing softly, and Tim to his right just seconds away from tilting over onto him, already snoring away. Once that confrontation had ended, the younger man had shimmied out of the Red Robin suit and into the clothes Jason had thrust at him, and had almost immediately passed out.

He felt like he had stepped out of that Arkham transport truck straight into the twilight zone. Never in a million years would he have thought he would have two tagalongs, not after so many years of being alone, let alone one being Tim Drake after he had turned down his (crazed) offering the year before during his own psychotic break.

But nothing had ever really been normal, had it?

All he knew was, by the time he was through whipping the kid back into shape and he was acting a bit more stable, Dick would have another thing coming to him.

Him and Bruce.

Chapter Text

Jason drove four and a half hours east at relatively legal speeds before deciding to call it a night. He was running on fumes, and both his...companions had already spent most of the drive out cold, dead to the world, and he couldn't afford to fall asleep behind the wheel. Clearfield, Pennsylvania was at least quiet, and far enough away from both Gotham and Metropolis to ease his nerves some.

It was a testament to just how tired Sasha and Tim both were that neither awoke even as he parked the car at the first cheap drive-up motel advertising a vacancy he found. They were still passed out even as he returned to the vehicle with the key. He rapped on the window, startling both, and both sets of eyes locked onto his form standing outside the car. He waved the key-card in front of the window.

The girl grinned, and flung her door open.

“Bed, bed, bed, bed, bed...” she chanted, scrambling to grab the duffle bag and swing her feet to the ground.

Tim was slower to wake mentally, and looked around in confusion before cracking his door open hesitantly.

“Don't get too excited, Sash.” he chuckled. “All they had open was a king. Be cramped, but at least we'll be able to stretch out and all get showers in, which is more than I can say about sleeping in the car.”

“...where?” Tim mumbled, swaying on his feet.

Jason rolled his eyes, and grabbed his shoulders, steering him towards the building.

“Mid-Pennsylvania. Went more north than I had to, but I wasn't risking getting too close to Met. I'd have gone farther, but I was already ready to keel over back at the safe house... was getting to the point I was seeing triple the amount of lane lines. Thought it best we stop.”

“Mmm...” He hummed, shuffling his feet.

The room was musty, but at least to the naked eye it was clean enough, and was stocked with enough mini soaps and towels to go around. Sasha promptly ripped the thigh-high boots off and chucked them in the corner, rubbing at her feet. Tim stood frozen beside the door watching, uncertain. Jason threw the duffle onto the desk, and tossed his jacket over the back of the chair, before heading towards the bathroom.

“I'm going to be selfish and call dibs on first shower. Haven't had a proper one since Grayson tossed me in Arkham. Even the cheap motel soaps are fancier than the shit they had, and with communal showers you didn't want to stick around long, been dying for an actual scrub down...” he sighed.

Sasha grinned.

“Have fun. Try not to use all the hot water, 'kay?” She chirped, and he shook his head as he grinned.

“No promises!” he laughed, and disappeared behind the door.

It was quiet for a while, sans the muffled sound of the running water. Sasha lay starfished on her back across the bed, eyes lidded, but watching the older teen across the room. Tim sat on the floor with his back pressed against the front door, knees drawn to his chest, cheek resting against them. Awake, but only just. She frowned, considering.

“So...you never popped up around town while Jason and I were raising hell. Just the Bat and the brat. I heard about you though.” she started. “He thought you were intentionally avoiding him, but after a while he hadn't seen any sign that you were even in Gotham at all, like you'd up and vanished completely.”

Tim stared at the girl, then managed a small sad smile.

“I was... out of the country for a while. No one else was planning to try and get Bruce back, so it was up to me to figure things out. I was off-grid most of it.” He yawned, and let his knees drop, now cross-legged. “By the time I was back, Jason was already in Arkham, and I had a lot more pressing things to deal with by then. While Dick was off handling Batman, I was doing my own thing while also having to be Bruce and handle company things. Dick isn't exactly CEO material...” he murmured.

She rubbed her eyes, then rolled onto her side to face him.

“It was my fault...” she sniffed. “He ended up locked away, because of me. Because he got hurt and surrounded trying to make sure I got away safely instead of trying to get himself out of there. Flamingo would have killed me, but I got away, because Jason and the boy threw themselves at him. They both got really hurt...and I just... ran. It's been months, and I was never able to forgive myself. But I didn't know how to fix anything. I was too green, I had only been with Jason for a few months. Not like I'd ever be able to get him out of Arkham myself. I just felt...stuck.” Sasha swallowed roughly, and curled up tighter.

Tim sucked in a sharp breath, closed his eyes, and bumped his head back against the door with a thunk.

“I was surprised to hear that he had been working with a young girl... We all sort of have our sets of issues regarding kids in suits. Historically it's not gone well- most of the time. I'm sure he's said plenty about that. You're older than I thought though.” he chuckled. “But... it's not on you. Inexperienced or not, he made the choice to bring you in, and saw enough that made him think you needed it enough for him do something he'd very much disagreed with in recent years- and Jason... he's not the type to let someone innocent get hurt. He might have put you in risky situations via nature of the job, but he is always going to be the sort of person that would do anything to make sure you got out- even if he didn't. With zero regrets. He's different than he was when younger, but even way back in the beginning he was like that. Always helping kids, defending the helpless out on the streets, he even used to slip away from patrol to blow his allowance money on bags of takeout for the working girls down in crime alley. That sort of stuff didn't stop when he came back as Red Hood. As angry as he was with all of us, as much as he tore through Gotham's underworld, he was still the same at the core. That's why it's always been impossible to truly hate him. Even with everything he's done to me personally- and it's been a lot. I've got the scars to show for it.”

“If it helps... I don't think it was you he was really angry with?” She smiled crookedly. “Of all the Bats, you're probably the one he has the least issue with. Even the issues he has are result of Wayne and Grayson's decisions moreso than your own- though I'd say avoid kicking below the belt again. I also don't think he knows you secretly sing his praise.” She laughed as he grimaced.

“I haven't exactly had the balls to say it out loud in years. First rule about Bat-Club, don't talk about Jay in front of Bat-Club members.” he snorted. “That was before he came back even, let alone after...and I tried to be a good soldier and not rock the boat when I could avoid it. With everything that's happened over the years though, I wish I hadn't followed everything so blindly. Wish I had spoken up more. Because look where it's gotten me anyway. Maybe I could have changed some of the things that have happened to people we cared about if I'd tried.”

Sasha grinned, swung her legs over the side of the bed, and bounced down. He watched as she padded over, and rose a brow as she stretched, then suddenly dropped down beside him.

“Could'a, should'a, would'a, right?” she sighed.

He smiled.

“...Yeah.”

x

Twenty minutes.

He'd been in the shower for twenty minutes, and somehow both teens were now pals. Huddling against each other, half asleep, with smiles on their faces.

He stared, dressed down into a t-shirt and pair of sweats toweling at his ridiculous hair, and resigned himself to the fact that he understood nothing anymore.

“So, uh... we're bonding now I see?”

Sasha's grin was all teeth.

“Yup!” she chirped, popping the 'p'. “Bird-Boy and I have more in common than I thought we would. We'll get along fine.”

Tim stiffened, and glanced warily at her.

“Huh...alright then.” Jason however narrowed his eyes, but more confused than suspicious. “Ganging up on me already. Fun.” he huffed, dropping down onto the edge of the bed.

“Someone needs to keep you on your toes.” she laughed, then poked Tim in the side- startling him. “You can shower next. You were kinda melting when you first got into the car. I'm good with a speed run after you. I was tied up most of the time they had me anyway, doing nothing.”

“Oh, I-okay...” Tim stumbled over his words, but rose to his feet all the same. “I'll try to be quick...”

And with that, Red Hood and Scarlet- although temporarily, were alone.

Jason scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“So, real time... how are you feeling about this? Because I kinda just short-circuited when he climbed into the car instead of starting shit. Then he was rambling-”

“And you got pissed off on his behalf? Yeah, I caught that.” Sasha laughed. “He freaked me out at first for the same reasons. But we've come to an understanding. We're cool.”

“Alright then...” he still seemed skeptical, but shrugged. “How 'bout you lay it on me then? What happened after Flamingo? Grayson was preoccupied with the kid being shot-up, but it sounded like Gordon was going to put out an APB you. Dick was in a charitable enough mood to let me know later on that you'd gotten away though. Can't say I expected us to meet up again, but it's damn good to see you Sash.” He grinned, and shimmed up the bed to lean back against the center of the headboard.

She smiled softly, and crawled up to perch on the corner of the bed.

“I drove fast as I could until the cops were out of sight... I was crying, laughing. Just completely overwhelmed. Then that face...it just fell right off. I was free. Got out of Gotham, kept going til the truck ran outta gas... picked some pockets for the cash. I thought I could forget it all, try and start over. Let Scarlet go along with the mask...” she choked out, wiping her eyes as they started watering.

“But it didn't last...did it.” he murmured.

He sighed and reached forward, tugging on her arm until she scooched closer, and he was able to wrap an arm around her.

“No,” she sobbed, burying her face in his side. “I couldn't stop thinking about it. How they locked you up, that it happened because you wanted me to get away, and there was nothing I could do about it because I'm just me. I couldn't save you back, even after you saved me twice. It was miserable.”

“Sasha...”

“So, I found a place to stay. Where no one would find me. Then I just... I didn't want to be weak? I thought if I maybe got better, then maybe someday I could figure out how to get you out, or you'd find a way yourself, and I could come find you. I watched the Gotham City news, just in case. Went and got one of those cheap gym memberships, so I could use the equipment and hot showers. It was fine, for a while. My face was healing, I was getting stronger- faster, more stamina. I wasn't able to score a whole lot of money, but it was enough to get by. But then...” she swallowed, “a few weeks ago I kept feeling like I was being watched. I could never catch anyone, but it was all the time. I couldn't shake the feeling. I wanted it to be you- but I knew that even if you wanted me to move on you would have said goodbye face to face instead of hiding in the shadows. Then I thought maybe the Bat had found me, and he was spying on me to make sure I wasn't up to nothing. But then... those people cornered me. The lady said she was going to break you out of prison, and I was just so relieved, I went with it. She had me go get my suit, put it on, then the next thing I knew she had me tied up... and suddenly I knew she wasn't someone trying to help you, she just wanted to use you, and I had just given her bait. I'm so sorry Jason...” she murmured.

He ran his hand up through her burgundy spikes and sighed.

“Eh...it all turned out alright in the end. Don't worry about it. Not your fault. I'm free, you're safe and sound, and somehow we've swayed the smart Robin over to our side. Not what those freaks were going for with their bullshit plans, but I think we came out on top alright.”

x

Tim returned from bathroom shortly after Sasha had drifted off to sleep, still curled up against Jason's right side. He paused to stare at the two briefly, and the corner of his mouth ticked up. The other man was still awake, watching him, and when he met his gaze the man smirked.

“She can take hers in the morning. Between everything earlier, and then an overdue chat, she wore herself out.”

“Everything alright?”

“Yeah, just your everyday run of the mill 'kidnap the sidekick for compliance bait' shtick, paired with the 'I should have been better, I'm so sorry' self-guilt train. You know, the usual.” he laughed bitterly. “All things considered, they were pretty gentle with her. Only bruises, and mostly caused by her struggle once I was on scene. Could have been a lot worse. Just gotta make sure it doesn't happen again.”

Tim nodded and yawned, tossing his damp towel onto the sink ledge.

“She's sweet.” he smiled for real now. “She's...lucky to have you.”

Jason snorted.

“Nah, you got that backwards. I'm the one that got lucky. Offered to take her anywhere she wanted to go- set her up nice. She said she wanted to stay with me.” he swallowed. “So...I get it. First time in a long time someone's chose me too.”

Tim flushed.

“...oh.”

With that Jason gave a genuine laugh.

“Yeah, all sorts of crazy shit happening today. Now turn off the lights, and get your scrawny ass in bed. I plan to be comatose for the next twelve hours, at least.” he yawned.

And Tim stared.

But Jason only tilted his head at him, waiting.

An odd day indeed...

Tim hadn't started the day intending to leave Gotham. Had not actually had any solid plans past laying in his bed for the foreseeable future, because he had no idea what to do going forward with Bruce not talking to him, and everything already strained with the rest of the Bat-family since Bruce's death in the first place. But he had seen the news, the Arkham transport being hijacked. Had thrown on his systems to hack into the comms. Hood had blown the tracks, stolen the helicopter, had been on-route to North Point. Then everything had just...clicked. He could just go. It didn't have to be Bruce & Gotham, or Ra's & the League. Jason had asked him once. Maybe with everything going on, after months of incarceration, he'd be open to a belated acceptance? Maybe he'd still want the help? And after the year from hell, he had so much more to offer skills wise than he'd had back then...

Tim had known about that old safe house. Untouched since before Bruce's death. He had made a calculated guess- and had been right. Jason hadn't tried to shoot him. Had let him talk, even when the words just hadn't wanted to come out, and then... he had just rolled with it, barely fazed. Threw clothes at him. Told him he would never let him leave if Tim was serious.

Now he was telling him to shut the lights out and climb into bed like they had all been getting along for years.

He shook his head slightly in disbelief.

Heck...

“Yeah...okay.”