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[cat_13145]

Title: What if, Chapter 2
Author: Cat_13145
Characters: Jason Todd, Dick Grayson, Roy Harper, Titans, Baraba Gordon
Warnings: references to child pornography, child abuse,. Sorry, but Jason's early life isn't a happy place.
Summary: What if he had known/acted when he had the chance?

 

 

Chapter 2

Dick had no idea what Jason was doing here.

All he knew was that he had got a phone call from Alfred, informing him that Jason would be staying with him for a few days. Babs had called him to tell him that she’d be coming to New York for a couple of days.

When he’d asked why, she’d shrugged.

“Alfred just said that things were going to get rough in Gotham for a bit, and it wasn’t fair to subject innocents to Master’s Bruce’s anger.” She finished an imitation of the British Butler’s accent, and that was probably the most explanation that Dick was going to get.

He couldn’t really complain, he supposed. Jason kept to himself, hardly speaking, or giving any sign of what he was thinking.

He had considered approaching him more than once, but had given up before he started. Jason and he tended to end up arguing.

The other Titans had tired, but with little success.

Raven had warned him that there was something wrong, that she sensed a whirl wind of emotions bubbling below the surface, writhe with Anger, Pain and fear.

Unfortunately Jason had overheard her, and warned her to “Stay the Fuck out of my head.”

Ironically, it was the nearest thing to a conversation any of them had had with him.

Babs had tried too, and while Jason hadn’t flung her out, she admitted she got no where.

Which was why he was here.

“He’s hurting Roy.” He said, slowly sipping the soda. For the conversation he was having, he’d have preferred something stronger, but patrol was tonight.

“So why are you talking to me?” Roy Harper asked, sitting down opposite him. “To play devil’s advocate, he’s your brother and Bats are clannish.”

Dick shook his head. “Not me and Jason.” He admitted. He sighed. “Look, I know the problems between me and Bruce are nothing to do with him, and that I’m been a crap brother at the moment, but,” He shook his head. “I don’t’ know how, but every time we try talking, we end up fighting. You guys got on pretty well, he knows you better than most of the Titans, I was thinking, maybe you could give it a go?”

Roy raised an eyebrow. “Let me get this straight. You’re asking for help?”
Dick fixed him, with his best impression of his mentor’s glare. “That should tell you how serious it is.”

***

He had decided on the park for Lian, who after three days of straight rain was just about climbing the walls. However, almost as soon as he arrived at the Tower, he decided it was a good idea for Jason too, as the kid looked about ready to bolt.

It was a warm day, and as soon as they arrived, Lian took off, with Jason not far behind.

Roy stood, watching.

“You’re good with little kids.” He said, when both had come back, and they were watching Lian playing in the sandbox. He paused, wandering how to phrase the next part. “You have younger brothers, or sisters?”

Jason shook his head. “No.”
He paused, apparently debating how much to tell Roy. “There were some little kids in the neighborhood where I used to live. I’d keep an eye on them. Make sure they didn’t get in anybody’s way.”

Roy nodded. “That was nice of you guys.” He said

Jason shrugged. “Not nice, just sensible”

"If you say so, kiddo.” Roy said, with a shrug. “But I still say it was nice.”

. It was only when he turned around; that he realized that Jason was looking…Roy hated to say it but familiar. He knew that look, the way Jason was standing, but he didn’t know where from.

They sat back down on the bench, with Jason looking at Roy slightly strangely.

“So...” Roy began, but Jason interrupted him.

“Look you don’t’ have to be nice to me, just ‘cos you want into Dick’s pants.”

Roy blinked. “That’s why you think I’m being nice to you?” He asked incredulously. “What makes you think I feel that way about Dick?”

Jason shrugged. “Way you act. Way he looks at you.”

 “Well, there’s nothing stronger than friendship between Dick and me.” Roy said firmly. O.K., he’d thought, he’d hoped there might be, but after what had happened with Brother Blood, Dick was wary of any contact. The shared past with Starfire, Roy prayed would help his friend heal. “And even if there was, I’m being nice to you, kiddo cos you’re alright.” At the scoff from Jason he continued. “Seriously, you helped us against Brother Blood, you’ve rescued superman. You were there when I needed help to get Lian, you’re Robin.”

He had touched a nerve. He knew that somehow. Jason stiffened immediately.

“Not for much longer.” He muttered. “Going to get fired. Like Dick.”

Roy ran his eyes over Jason, instinctively looking for signs of injury, but he couldn’t see any.

“What makes you say that?”

He watched as Jason chewed his lip. Slowly something else Dick had said fell into place. J'onn J'onzz had been making a lot more visits to Titan’s Tower than usual.

“Jason what happened? Did someone hurt you?”

He hoped, he prayed that he was reading the situation, wrong, but one look at Jason’s face told him he’d hit the nail.

“He said it’d be O.K. that it was easy money. Just people playing games.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“Couldn’t stop it. Hurt.” without thinking, Roy gathered Jason into his arms. The kid fought for a few seconds, but ultimately started burrowing in to him.

Keeping an eye on Lian, Roy listened to what Jason was saying.

“Alfred found out. Said he had to tell Bruce. Won’t want me. Dirty.”

“No. No, Jason!” Roy forced the blue eyes to focus on him. “The men who did that to you, the men who buy that shit, they’re dirty. The kids like you aren’t.”

Jason snorted. Roy pulled himself back and suddenly realized where he recognized Jason’s look. He’d seen it enough times in the mirror, after…a look of pain and self loathing.

He wanted to tell Jason that it was alright, that Bruce would never get rid of a Robin…only he had with Dick.

“Look, kiddo, I won’t promise things are going to be O.K.” he said, slowly. “Mostly cos I don’t think either of us would believe it.”

Jason gave what might have been a snort, but there was a sob mixed in.

“But I can promise that once a Titan, always a Titan. No matter what!”

He knew he was the wrong person to be having this conversation, that the person who really should be doing this was Dick (if only because Bats were the only people who could understand other Bats), and as Jason talked, slowly, but determinedly about what had happened, he promised him silently that he and Dick would be having a chat that evening.

Suddenly he remembered something Babs had told him.

“Is that why what happened with Garzonas happened?” Jason tensed if possible further.

“He raped a woman. Then kidnapped her and raped her again. She hung herself. But he had diplomatic immunity.”

Roy remembered some of the things Ollie used to say about that.

“They were sending him back to Bogatago. He wasn’t worried about the authorities, not even properly about his father. He was out of Gotham. Bruce couldn’t care.” The blue eyes looked dangerously young. “I just wanted to be like Batman. Scare him like he would.”
Roy can do the math. The guy just sees a kid, tries to tackle him, whether Jason moves out of the way or he throws him off, it’s still self defense. But Roy also knows Bruce.

“He thought it was deliberate.” And Roy knows how that feels. He sees in the other Titans’ eyes, no matter how hard they try to hide it every time they take down drug ring. Like they can’t believe he’s honestly clean.

Or in Jason’s case, he wasn’t a thug.

Not for the first time, he was glad, in spite of everything that he was raised as an Arrow, not a Bat.

“Why didn’t you tell him it wasn’t? Or talk to Dick or Babs?”

Jason snorted, looking down at his hands. “They wouldn’t have believed me.”

Roy wanted to argue that they would have, but he wasn’t completely sure. Instead he said, “I do. And you won’t know about Dick, until you try.”

He was about to say more, when he noticed someone making their way rapidly over to where they were sitting.

It was Dick and his face was as pale as a clown’s.

“Babs just got a call from Gotham.” He said, staring at the pair of them, and yet not really seeing them. “Her mum. The Joker. She’s dead!”

TBC

Comments

[kurenai-tenka.livejournal.com]

I take it at this point that I can safely assume you won't be continuing this?

Either way, just wanted to say that I enjoyed it. :)

[cat-13145.livejournal.com]

I never say never, and I've got another chapter partly written. Just need to persaude my muse to finish it.

[kurenai-tenka.livejournal.com]

Oh, seriously? I really hope you end up finishing it then, in that case. :)

(ps- I friended you so as to see when you post new fics, I hope that's okay!)