Name: What He Couldn't Do
Author Wannabequeenbe
Rating: PG
Author Notes: I tweaked it, I know, if took on its own life, I couldn't kill it, and I haven't written Jay/Tim in so long.
16. Bruce has been avoiding Jason out of guilt for slitting his throat. Whenever he hears about the Red Hood he ignores the information and broods. While checking up on Tim he accidently stumbled upon their information exchange. He felt betrayed but was too stunned to move. Seeing the boys banter stopped him from charging in, seeing a real smile on Jason's face is what affected him the most. Bruce still pretends not to know. But he's relieved that Jason's better off and proud of Tim for doing what he didn't.
Bruce was ready to turn in, it was late even for him but the blue spandex Boy Scout had needed the help of the bat clan and they had obliged. He had sent Damian and Dick to the hotel about two hours before and as he drove through the lightening streets movement on a roof caught his attention. Jason Todd, his wayward son, who Bruce noted was moving quickly towards Luther Towers. Bruce had not heard anything on his scanner and that meant either Jason knew something no one else knew, or he was up to something. Either way, Bruce had to find out. Bruce parked the Bat mobile and moved quickly to the roof spotting Jason crossing a roof and heading up to a balcony in Luther Towers. Bruce braced himself for the sound of gunfire or an exposition but after several minutes neither came. Could Jason be making a buy or some other illegal activity, Bruce had to know. He moved to the roof across from Luther Towers pulling his binoculars out and activating his long distance radio. Jason sat relaxed on the balcony and breakfast spread in front of him. He looked very relaxed as if he had been there several times. This could possible one of his safe house; it would be the perfect place. Bruce never would have thought to look at Luther Towers for his son. Brue saw a second body move onto the balcony, one that's body language did not show surprise that Jason sat there. The face was obscured by the newspaper he had open. Closing the paper the body leaned over kissing Jason's mouth and then moved across the table. If he was not the Batman, Bruce would have dropped his binoculars. There sitting across from Jason was his son Tim Drake-Wayne, Bruce could see Jason reach across and take Tim's hand. Bruce began listening carefully.
"Good night," Tim asked his guest. He and Jason had not defined what they were, it had started out as simply a business arrangement but at some point had morphed into, well, this: breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner when Jason was in Metropolis. Tim knew he was usually Jason's second stop depending on when he got in after making sure Roy and Kori were settled where ever they were staying. When Jason could he'd come back at night and they would spend the night together, sometimes it was passionate sex, and sometimes it was just laying with each other enjoying the peace and company. Tim never asked for more, neither did Jason, they both knew the other wasn't ready for more. Jason nodded, "Thanks to your Intel there are 15 child predators off the street and 3 more about to be buried." Tim raised his eyebrow; he still didn't agree with killing but knew that Jason had no problem doing it if it came down between a dirt bag and someone Jason cared about. "One had a gun to a kid's head, I took the shot, two were dead before we got there," Jason explained with a shrug. Tim nodded, "And the kids," Tim asked. "Did just as you instructed, they're in the process of being cleaned up and taken care of," Jason said with a smile. "Good, I'll make a donation in the Drake Corporations name tomorrow," Tim said with a smile. Jason laughed, "Keep missions like that up and you're going to need to buy them a mansion all their own." "How many kids were there," Tim asked. "I think Roy counted 35, two of the girls were pregnant," Jason said quietly and then continued, "most of them were hooked on something." Tim moved from where he was sitting to be next to Jason, he obscured Bruce's view but Bruce knew that the boys were holding hands and from the looks of the motion Tim's arm was making he was stroking Jason's hair, "I'll make sure they're all taken care of and the girls know all their options." Bruce could see the back of Jason's head move in a nod, "Thanks baby bird," Jason whispered, "Wish there was more that I could do." "You saved them from a fate where they're lives would be cut short, their babies would've been taken and sold if not worse, Jason, you saved them from hell. You did the most important part," said in earnest. Jason let out a bone weary sigh, "Can we lie down? Just for a bit," Jason asked hesitantly, "We'll lay there as long as you need," Tim said as Jason stood pulling Tim into his arms. Bruce observed the two boys holding each other and then moving into the apartment.
Bruce stood in his hotel suite ready to march over to Luther Towers and demand answers. He wasn't sure what he was the most upset about. Jason and Tim were having a relationship of some kind, Tim helping a known criminal who confessed to him that he had shot a guy, Tim hiding out in Luther Towers, or the fact that Tim had come to rely on Jason and not Bruce. When had Bruce become the enemy? Bruce sat down and thought over what he had witnessed. When was the last time he had seen Jason smile or laugh like he had with Tim? Long before his death Bruce had to admit, the last month or so of Jason's life with Bruce as his ward had been rough to say the least. As for being brothers, they hadn't grown up together, well not really knowing each other, Tim had known Jason due to his extracurricular activities in stalking as a child but Jason had been unaware of Tim. Honestly, the boys weren't really brothers beyond the paperwork that said they both belonged to Bruce. And Bruce couldn't throw stones for not turning Jason in. One more than one occasion Bruce had known where to find Jason and had not arrested him. As for the hiding, Tim was most likely hiding from Dick more than he was Bruce, despite the argument Tim and Bruce had, had the last time they had seen each other. Bruce knew there were still hard feelings, at least Tim's side, about Dick choosing Damian over him.
Bruce sighed sitting on the couch, which left the last one. At some point his baby birds had grown up. They had begun relying on each other more than Bruce and it was Bruce's fault. He had focused so much on Damian, Dick, and Batman Incorporated that he had let his two middle children to fend for themselves, and their needs fall to the waste side. But instead of throwing a fit or wallowing in self-doubt, the two had found each other, built something that was built on mutual respect, caring, and trust. Something that made them both happy, and that was saddest part to Bruce, Tim and Jason had done what Bruce had failed to do. They had accepted each other. They're flaws, they're pains, they're joys; they accepted each other and had found a peace that eludes Bruce. Thinking back to the smile on Jason's face, Bruce couldn't help but smile; Tim had given Jason that back, that smile that was infectious to everyone who saw it. That had been something Bruce had never done, and probably would never have been able to do and for that Bruce was very proud.