"Shadows and Light"
by
Marcie Ann Gore
Rated PG or PG-13
Beth has questions about a family member she's never met; set roughly a year after "Lilo and Stitch's Halloween Hula Fest."
It's been a year since I saw that case with the Robin costume in Grandpa's cave, and I still don't have the answers I want. All I know is, his name was Jason Todd and "A good boy" or was it soldier ,oh yeah, soldier. When I ask Grandpa Bruce, he just looks sad. I've tried asking dad, but I always pick bad times; he's going to work or patrol.
I'm spending the night Friday with my grandpa (well, probably mostly great grandpa Al, once Grandpa leaves for his rounds). Lian might come over if her dad can get away.
The next day I race to the car .Grandpa Bruce is driving not great grandpa Alfred. "HI Ladybug!' he says to me as he opens the passenger door and lets me in. Alfred is at home cooking a nice meal for us. I'm not going on patrol till about 8:00 pm, so I'll have time spend with you" he says.
When we get there, granddad says, "OK, put your overnight bag in your room and meet me in the gym if you're going to work out."
I take my gymnastics clothes out of my bag and change for the workout; I also put my hair into a smooth ponytail. Some girls my age wouldn't go in the Batcave if you paid them, but I love it there. The equipment is the best, don't tell dad though. I love spending time with Granddad alone; he's not grumpy, no matter what mom and dad say. I'm not even scared of the bats anymore. The only thing I don't like is Grandpa won't let me near the computers.
"Let's see what you can do," Grandpa says
"I go though my gymnastics warm up then start on the rings.
"Good," Grandpa says.
When I am finished with balance beam, Grandpa says, "I have to make a phone call up stairs. You stay here."
"YES SIR," Beth says.
I continue my work out for a few minutes, when I hear the deafening sounds of heavy metal I nearly fall off the parallel bars; I can't concentrate with the noise, so I start playing detective.
I trace the sound to the trophy room; there I see an old CD player somehow perched on a giant penny. I see two CD cases: "Pantera and Mega Death. I I've never heard of those I'm more an A teen, Jonas Brothers girl. When I look at the case with the Robin suit, I see the image of a kid a few years older than me, maybe 12, in a Robin suit like daddy used to wear.
"Miss Beth, dinner," Great grandpa Alfred says. "Master Bruce had to leave; there was an emergency." He adds, "I made a fresh beef vegetable stew with brown rice."
I make my way to the dining room by way of the stairs.
"My favorite on cold days," I say. "Great grandpa, who was Jason Todd?" I ask.
Uh, well," Great Grandpa says
"Just like I thought."
"I'm very sorry. It's not my place, young miss," he says.
"I'm going back down stairs and work out," I say'
When I get back to the cave, I see the boy whose reflection I saw earlier in the display case; this time, he's more than a reflection but not quite solid.
"YOU like Nine Inch Nails?" the ghostly figure asks.
I haven't heard of them, 'I say.
"Figures you look more NKOTB," he says.
"I gotta get out more," the guy says.
"Who are you," I ask.
"I guess you could say I'm your Uncle," he says. "The one they don't talk about," he adds.
"Uncle?"I ask, confused. "I thought I knew all of my uncles."
"I'm the guy who you've been wondering about," he says.
The guy whose suit is in the case?" I ask.
"The very same," he says.
"Why are you 'see-through'," I ask.
Simple. I'm a ghost," he says.
"Ghosts aren't real," I say.
"If you think they aren't, try to touch me, kid," he says
I touch him on the shoulder, and my hand goes right through.
"You ARE a ghost!" I say.
"She's slow, folks, but can be taught," he says. "Seriously, I don't blame you for not believing. Brucie probably taught you ghosts don't exist. He says he believes in aliens, but not ghosts. Go figure."
"What happened to you, Uncle Jason," I ask.
"You don't wanta know; you're just a kid, "he says. "Grandpa talked you into the family business yet?" he asks.
"I may have to talk him into letting me be Batgirl," I tell him.
"I know there's a 3rd Robin, but he seems to have gotten smarter,"Jason says.
"How did you die," I ask my uncle.
"Trust me you don't wanta know, kid," he says.
"Why doesn't Grandpa like to talk about you?" I ask.
"He'll probably tell you when you're older," he says. "So, kid, you wanta know how this ghost thing works?" Jason asks, changing the subject.
"Might help," I say.
"OK. I mostly hang around the cave and my old room, but I can go anywhere in the house, "he says. I have followed the old man on cases, especially after the quake."
"Was that what killed you?" I ask.
"No, kid, you're too young to know," he says.
"What do you do all day," Beth asks.
"I hang around here and my old neighborhood; steal cookies from Al," he says.
I just giggle.
"I get in trouble for calling him Al," I say.
Your dad and granddad are so uptight sometimes," he says.
"Do you think they see you?" I ask.
"Your dad might, if I showed myself. But the old man sees me in his dreams, I think. He does have a lot of guilt. The new kid did, one Christmas."
"Did you do that," I ask.
Sort've, but the Scarecrow started it," he says.
"That's the kind of thing you'll deal with if you become Bat Chick," he says. "Not so pretty is it?" he adds. Ever ask your mom why she's in that chair?"
"She told me she was shot," I tell him. "Mom 's honest with me."
"Is she?" Jason asks. "I remember it was pretty gross; Bats wouldn't let me see the photo. See for yourself; they're in the computer. The password is Bmgsfe1," he says. "Come on Princess."
Miss Beth, it's almost bedtime," Alfred says.
"Well, I think you should know the truth," he says after Alfred leaves. "I was trailing the Joker, like the hero I was, when I saw that the clown had my real mom. The other reason I was in Africa, I found out my real mom was alive. I saw her talking to the Joker. I couldn't let him hurt her. I found out dear old mum was working with him, but it was too late. She turned me over to that thug. He beat me bloody, both with his fists and a crowbar; that's not a great way for a career to end."
"So, that's how you died?" I ask nervously.
"No, There's more, Batgirl,' he says. "The Joker set a bomb with a timer and tied "Mom" up, and bolted us in. When I woke up, I tried to defuse the bomb but that didn't work, so we tried to get out. That's when we realized the door was locked. Despite the fact that she betrayed me, I jumped on top of her to protect her. If you're going to be a Bat, you got to be prepared to do that. From outside my body, I could see she lived long enough to tell the Bat what happened. There, you wanted to know," he says. "Happy?"
I get ready for bed and hug Great grandpa good night. When I get under the covers, I can't sleep. I keep thinking about what Uncle Jason's ghost said. Was he just trying to scare me? Should I ask mom and dad? If I did, they'd have to find out that I saw him. What if they don't believe me? I'll ask them later, if I can sleep tonight.