Title: Ignition

Pairing: Jason Todd/Cassie Sandsmark

Rating: K+

Genre: Romance/Angst

Summary: She ignited something inside of him, and it frightened him.

Date: 7/28/15

Edited : 9/24/16

Author's Note: I don't know what this is, to be honest

Ever since he was revived he was angry. Ever since he was thrown into the Lazarus Pit and his mind was in shambles he was angry. He was angry at everybody. Bruce, Dick, his replacement, Ra's, and especially at that piece of garbage that killed him. He held so much hatred he couldn't breathe sometimes. When he became the Red Hood it was so he could do what Bruce couldn't or wouldn't do, eradicate every last piece of scum on this earth.

(Or at least every piece of scum that resided in Gotham)

"You can't stop crime. That's what you've never understood. I'm controlling it. You wanna rule them by fear, but what do you do with the ones who aren't afraid?"

When he was revealed to be the red hood, they tried to reform him; obviously, it didn't help that before that Bruce chose his code of honor over him.

(He chose the Joker over him)

"Why? I'm not talking about killing penguin, scarecrow, or Dent. I'm talking about him. Just Him. And doing it because… He took me away from you."

They let him join the team again. As expected he was being watched by everybody, you would think that they'll be happy, that he's alive. And maybe they are, but him being one of the most renowned vigilantes in the world, didn't get him a free pass. Most of the faces were the same, Dick, Connor, M'gann. Supposedly Kaldur switched sides, and Wally and Artemis left to have a normal life. There were the newbies, Blue Beetle, Lagoon Boy, and him. His replacement. The new Robin. The new brat the Bruce decided to bring into this life. He knew the boy wasn't to blame. But, he still held him in contempt.

(For taking his place, for taking his mantle, for becoming the better Robin)

"I heard you brought another poor kid in this life."

"Jason."

"Tell me, Bruce. Was my death not enough? Or did you want to see where you went wrong? Did you want to see if I was just some dumb kid from the street, who couldn't handle being the good soldier?"

He was in the training room when he first met her; everybody else was either on a mission or out trying to live their somewhat mundane lives. He was taking his anger out on some poor boxing bag when felt a pair of eyes on him, he turned around to meet said eyes. She stood out like a deer in headlights. When she realized that he noticed she was staring she widened her eyes.

(Her big blue eyes, that seemed to look right through his hatred.)

"Um, sorry for disturbing you."

"It's alright. I was done anyway."

"I was just curio-I wasn't try-"

"It's okay."

"I'm Cassie."

"Jason."

"I know."

Her name was Cassie Sandsmark and she was Wondergirl. From afar she seemed like the stereotypical California blonde. But in reality, she was far from that. She was outgoing and bubbly and kind and optimistic. She had this spunk to her, that made any doubt that she could live this life disappear. She was strong and she had a lot of potential. He couldn't help but chuckle when she caught Connor off guard during sparring practice; a lucky shot considering Connor was too busy watching Lagoon Boy and M'gann eat their faces off. She lacked skill, but with a little more training she could be unstoppable.

(But he thought he was unstoppable once, and then he got blown up)

"Did you see that? I totally got him!"

"Yeah, considering he wasn't even paying attention."

"Hey! Don't rain on my parade."

"Sorry, sorry. Continue on your parading."

"You're welcome to join me if you like."

Soon she became a constant in his life. She made her way into his everyday routine. He would give her a few pointers and she'll make fun of his moodiness. Of course, people were suspicious. They were suspicious of his sudden liking to the young girl. He understood, but he was still angry. He didn't ask to be forced back into this. He didn't ask to be given a second chance. It didn't matter, it didn't matter how much Bruce cared for him because he would always be a threat to the League. If they didn't want him making friends, why take him back? Why didn't they just throw him in Arkham and throw away the key? Between the suspicious stares and Dick's lecturing, he was ready to just give them a reason to be suspect him.

(A reason for them to finally realize that he wasn't the same, and never will be.)

"So you and Wondergirl have gotten close."

"Yeah."

"Are you guys, you know-"

"I'm not dating her. I'm not a dog like you, Dick."

"Ouch. Just make sure you're careful. A broken heart could do a lot of things."

"Don't worry about me."

"It's not you I'm worried about."

Either she didn't notice the looks or she didn't care. Either way, when he was with Cass, he didn't feel like he was under constant surveillance. He didn't feel like a ticking time bomb. She made that all go away. Maybe it was her smile or her laugh, or maybe it was just her personality. But she made him feel good. She made him feel like he was worth the trouble.

(Or maybe she made him feel alive. Something he hasn't felt since he was killed.)

"Jason."

"Yeah."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Wh-What does dying feel like?"

"Like your whole life, suddenly meaning nothing."

Tim. That was his name. Tim. He was good. He would watch him train. He was a little too hesitant with his moves, but he was skilled. He thought before he took action, he wasn't rash; he was level-headed and thoughtful. The total opposite of Jason. Dick and Bruce made sure that the Jason Todd tragedy would never repeat again. They trained him so that he was nothing like Jason.

(So he wasn't another hologram to mourn over.)

"You don't like Robin, do you?"

"Why do you say that?"

"I see the way you look at him."

"Oh."

"Maybe you should go talk to him. He would really like that. He used to admire you and visit your memorial. I think he wanted to be like you."

"…really?"

"Yeah, it's not easy trying to live up to not only one, but two others before you."

It was during a dinner at Wayne Manor when he realized he loved Cassie. They were sitting around at the table and awkwardly eating dinner. Bruce was trying to start a normal conversation and Dick was trying to flirt with Barbara across the table. He spaced out and focused on his vegetables instead of the bat family drama. That was when he realized that he loved Cass. Maybe not in the way Wally loved Artemis or how Bruce secretly loved Hal. But he loved her.

(He loved her in the way you love living.)

"I love you."

"…seriously?"

"Yeah."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry if I ruined this thing we had going on. And if y-"

"It's okay."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Give me your hand."

"Okay."

"I-I like you."

She ignited something inside of him, and it frightened him. His whole life, even when Bruce took him in, he had this darkness inside him. This hatred for the world. And maybe that's why he was never cut out to be Robin; maybe he was too rotten to be the good guy. But he was fine with that. He was fine with being the bad guy. Until he met her, because she ignited that darkness and it scared him, because, for the first time in a long time, he wasn't content with his path, and he suddenly knew that if she asked, he would drop everything. But she never would, she wasn't like that.

(But even if she was, he wouldn't mind, because either way, she was Cassie.)

"Jason."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think one day, I'll be as strong as Diana?"

"No. You'll be stronger."

He didn't mind it anymore. The suspicion. He understood he did a lot of things; things that certain people like the Justice League wouldn't take kindly. But he didn't care about the suspicion, because Cassie didn't, so why should he care? If Cassie could go against the advice and warning from Diana to stay away from him, then he could keep his anger in check. Maybe he won't ever be the same Jason Todd again, and maybe he wasn't truly that Jason Todd to begin with, but Cassie saw something in this Jason and that was good enough for him.

(The old Jason Todd died in that warehouse, in that explosion. And that was a tragedy, but this Jason didn't want to dwell on the past, because he had something the old Jason didn't.)

"Cass."

"Yeah?"

"Can I kiss you?"

"Sure."

I don't really know what this is, just something I thought of at the moment.

Review, Please

- Tatiana