So I woke up the other morning and wondered: What if Willis Todd wasn't actually a scumbag? He's always depicted as a terrible person and a terrible father but that view of people who commit crimes is so antiquated. I think this was inspired by the one page in Red Hood and the Outlaws Rebirth #15 when Ma Gunn opens up an old letter for Jason sent by his father. I honestly have no idea what the story will do with Willis Todd but this idea wouldn't leave me alone so I took a few hours that I really shouldn't have spared to write this out in between essays for school. I've tagged Jason as a character but he doesn't appear, he is however the topic of interest for both characters in this one-shot.
The buzzer was the only warning before the barred door clanged shut, trapping ten men of various ages, ethnicities, and skin colours in the cramped checkpoint room. Willis amused himself by observing the newbie who jumped at the sound of the buzzer and glanced nervously over at the prison guards. He couldn't be older than twenty. Still a boy and already in state prison for who-knows-what offence. If he wasn't already preoccupied with his own case, Willis would have thought that it was a terrible situation for the young man and his family.
As it was, Willis had no room for pity. He was stuck in prison for the next ten years before he could be eligible for parole. Trapped in purgatory for more than a decade all because he got desperate and messed up.
He waited as the prison guards firmly and efficiently checked each prisoner for illegal objects hidden on their person. Hands swept down his orange-jumpsuit clad body and Willis held his breath when they lingered too long for comfort in certain places. Prisons were full of perverts on both sides of the bars.
Finally, the security check was finished and the steel door opened into the visitor meeting room. Willis shuffled slowly with the line and watched as the men in front of him got their table assignment. He could see the way their faces lit up to know that most of the men didn't need a number to know where to go. Lucky bastards.
Willis had no idea who he was supposed to meet. All he got was a guard banging on his room door telling him to get ready cause he had a visitor today. No one ever visited him. He understood why Catherine didn't come. Money was too tight to pay for a bus all the way across the state. Of course, she'd never bring Jason even if she could make it. Maybe when he's older but for now Willis didn't want his son to see him like this. It hurt to consider what Jason thought of him so it was easier to avoid the situation entirely. He didn't have any friends close enough to visit and no other family left either. So the possible visitor's name was drawing up blank in his mind.
"Todd, you're at four."
Willis observed the man as he approached the table. He had once owned a second-hand jacket and two decent button down shirts that he used for job interviews then later for his court appearances. He couldn't find a pair of slacks second-hand and normally was forced to wear the only pair of black pants he owned that weren't worn thin. But this guy, whoever he was, had some really expensive threads. Everything on him looked tailored from the collar of his suit jacket right down to his shiny leather shoes. The man's dark hair was perfectly cut and styled with not a hint of a 5 o'clock shadow, nothing like Willis's own scraggly hair that was growing past his scruffy chin.
Wearing his orange prison jumpsuit was a daily walk of shame. But seeing this man dressed like he could walk the red carpet made Willis want to crawl in a hole and hide.
Willis was a lot of things, but he wasn't a coward. So he checked the table was actually number four and slid on the cold metal bench across from the movie star wannabe.
He blinked and waited. The man stared back, his eyes searching from Willis's hair to his eyes then down along his nose. What the man was looking for, Willis couldn't answer.
"So … I'm Willis. And you are …?" He raised his eyebrows at the man.
The man blinked and smiled. His teeth were white and shiny. They sparkled in the artificial light. It was kind of disgusting. "I apologize for my rudeness. My name's Bruce Wayne."
"Wayne?" Willis frowned at the unexpected name. He knew the Waynes. All of Gotham and half the world knew of the Waynes. Bruce Wayne was one of the richest guys on the planet. He had enough money to throw around that he opened a community center near Park Row that Jason used to hang out in and was the only place Willis could send letters to Cathy and Jason as part of the community mailbox effort. So why would Richie Rich be visiting a scumbag like Willis Todd in state prison? "What brings you here?"
"I'm actually here about your son." Wayne pulled out a folder with neatly printed documents and fancy handwritten sticky notes.
"Jason? What about him? Did he try to pick your pocket or something? Look, he's a good kid who's made a few mistakes. Don't hold that against him. He doesn't need that on his record."
Wayne smiled and held up a hand to stop the word vomit. The man didn't seem angry so Willis took a breath and calmed down.
"I would certainly say that our meeting was … unorthodox. However, Jason isn't at all in trouble." Wayne's smile faded into something a little more serious. He leaned forward on his elbows and steepled his fingers. "I've been fostering Jason in my home for almost a year -"
"He's with you? What about Cathy?" Willis's heart beat heavy and hard in his chest.
Wayne's eyes widened in surprise and he frowned. The man seemed unsure of how to move forward but Willis wasn't feeling very patient. All the worries and fears he had accumulated since being thrown in prison crawled to the front of his mind.
"I was certain you knew. I can't understand why they wouldn't tell you. Unfortunately … your wife died over 16 months ago. I'm very sorry for your loss."
Later on Willis would tell his counsellor that he felt his heart break sitting on that cold metal chair facing a rich stranger. He remembered burying his face in his hands. He remembered tears. He wouldn't be able to say how long it was before he pulled himself together with only one subject to hang onto in desperation of something to ground him.
"Jason," Willis croaked. His throat hurt and his eyes burned but he needed to know. "What happened to Jason?"
Wayne swallowed thickly and looked down at the papers on the table. "He ran away from his first foster home within a week of placement. I met him while he was living on the street. He attempted to steal the tires off my car."
Willis took a deep, shuddering breath. "Did he get 'em?"
"I caught him before he got the third one off." Wayne's smile was soft and amused. "He's quite talented at mechanics."
"I used to bring him to the garage with me," Willis fiddled with the frayed edge of his jumpsuit pulled tight by his handcuffs. "We couldn't afford daycare but my boss let him stay as long as he was quiet. He was my shadow, always watching and learning. He'd hand me the tools."
Wayne didn't say anything. He waited patiently while Willis found the words.
"Then my boss died. Murdered by some muggers. The garage closed and the best I could get was a part-time janitor gig and a few hours at a convenience store. When you've got a criminal record, no one wants to hire you so then you end up with minimum wage and terrible hours. Ca-Cathy worked at the diner and she'd come back in tears cause some jerks felt her up and she couldn't say anything or she wouldn't get the tips."
Willis swallowed and smothered another wave of sobs.
"I can't imagine the struggle you went through," Wayne voice was soft and soothing.
"I don't expect a guy like you to understand." It was easy to get the story out. He told the lawyer, the judge, the counsellor, his cell mates. The more times he told it, the easier it got. "Then Cathy relapsed. The assholes she used to run with my first time in the slammer visited her multiple times at the diner and she caved. All our money was gone. I couldn't buy Jason any new school supplies, all we had in the cupboards were some canned goods from the food bank, and the landlord was harassing me for rent. So when Two-Face's guys came knocking, I was desperate enough to say yes. One more job just to get us back on track."
"You got caught."
"They snitched on me!" Willis snarled. He remembered the fear on Jason's face when the cops showed up at their door and his pleas not to take his dad. He still heard Jason's cries in his nightmares. "The only thing I got out of the job was the money I was promised. I had given it to Jason and he stashed it where Cathy couldn't find it. I love - I loved that woman but she would've blown all the money on drugs."
"Addiction is a terrible illness," Wayne sighed.
"She overdosed … didn't she?"
"Yes."
They were quiet. Willis struggled to find the words he should say. "How's Jason?"
"He's good. Eats like a horse and grows twice as fast." Wayne chuckled and Willis looked up from his hands to see the man smile. "He's got quite the sharp tongue and always has to argue. One of the smartest boys I've ever met."
"Of course he is," Willis wiped at his face and felt himself smiling despite the pain in his heart. "Smarter than me, that's for sure. He's a much better reader than I ever will be."
"He spends most of his free time in my library. I do believe he's trying to be the first to read all my books."
"You have a library in your house? He must be over the moon."
"It's his favourite place to be."
Willis tried to relax. Talking about his son was easy. "Is he in school?"
"Yes. He's enrolled at Gotham Academy and is currently excelling in English, History, French, and Chemistry. All his other marks are above average but he's clearly driven to improve."
"He always loved school. Would come to the garage babbling about everything he learned," Willis smiled at the memories and rubbed his hand over his mouth. "He'd talk a mile a minute and drive us nuts. The customers loved him."
Wayne shared his smile and nodded. "He's doing quite well at school and has really settled into the Manor. There have been a few hiccups along the way but nothing completely unexpected. All-in-all, I believe Jason has really started to feel at home and I very much enjoy his presence and feel that he should truly feel at home. This is why I'm here."
The man hesitated before sliding the thick stack of papers across the table. The paper was full of legal jargon and colourful sticky notes with loopy cursive writing which added an extra quarter inch. Willis wasn't very well read but he could understand enough in the first few sentences to grasp what Wayne wanted.
"You want … Really?"
"I want to adopt Jason." Wayne nodded and sat back. He seemed nervous under Willis's staring. "I've started to see him as a son and the idea came to me to make it official and I just couldn't let the possibility go. I've thought about this long and hard and I don't want to overstep any boundaries but I love Jason as a son and I'd like to make it official."
Willis's hands started shaking.
"However, I understand that this may not be the best time as you must be quite distraught at the moment. I can leave the document with you to look over with your lawyer and - "
"I don't have a lawyer," Willis cut in and frowned at the stack of papers. "I used legal aid."
"Of course … I understand."
"There's a guy I know here who almost finished law school. He owes me a favour." Willis glanced up and met Wayne's dark blue eyes. "You'll pay for all his schooling?"
Wayne's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Absolutely."
"Even if he wants to do a PhD on some weird topic that will take him years to complete?"
The other man's face softened. "If he wants to do three PhD's at Oxford I will pay for everything. I'll probably try to convince him of a school a bit closer like Columbia or Princeton but that would be my own selfish desire to keep him close to home."
Willis swallowed and clenched his fingers so tightly his knuckles turned white. Like any other father, he would brag about how smart his son was, how far Jason could go in life. The most he allowed himself to hope for was scholarships and student loans for community college. In Crime Alley, a parent would be lucky if their kid graduated high school. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect his son to go to an Ivy League school. But Bruce Wayne could make it happen.
"You'll take him travelling, right? He's talked about seeing Italy and France."
"Naturally," Wayne nodded. "I take several trips a year. The first chance I get we'll go to Europe and see all the sites."
"Will you get him a car? I always dreamed about getting him a car - "
"- For his sixteenth birthday? I'm already considering different models. If it will help ease your fears I can promise I'll help him put a downpayment on his first house. But Mr. Todd, beyond what my financial means can provide, I want you to know that I will always be there for him. Through the good days and the bad."
Willis swallowed and looked away. It was promises of the greatest dreams for his boy. Everything a parent dreamed of when they saved every penny that could be spared. But to get his son the dream life he needed to give up his own son.
"It seems our time is almost up so please take some time to consider. The ball is in your court and if you choose not to agree that is fine and I will continue to look after Jason as my ward."
"I'm in here for another ten years and that's only if I get parole. What kind of a father can I be from behind bars? You'll take care of him better than I can so if I agree that will be the first good thing I've done as a father in years. He'll be much happier with you, right?" Willis searched the other man's face for answers but found none.
"I'm afraid I can't answer that but I certainly hope he will be happy and healthy for many years to come."
Willis picked up the heavy stack of papers. There were no paper clips or staples so he had to be careful not to let them get out of order. He needed to be careful with the papers. Everything for Jason. "I failed as a husband and a father."
"I would disagree, Mr. Todd." Wayne shook his head in negation. "I believe you did the best you could in your situation. Yes, you made some mistakes and unfortunately the law wasn't forgiving. However, after speaking with you I see that you truly care for Jason and only want the best for him. Is that not what all fathers want?"
The bell signalled to end visitor's hour and the room was filled with goodbyes and hugs. Wayne stood up and extended his hand. For such a soft, cushy job in business, Wayne had heavily calloused palms and fingers. Willis's chains clanged with each shake of their hands.
"It was a pleasure to meet you Mr. Todd. Please read over the document with your friend and do let me know your answer. Again, I'm very sorry for your loss. I understand what it's like to lose family."
Willis didn't remind Wayne he wanted to take the last important person in his life away from him. He kept his dark thoughts to himself. Everything for Jason. "Thank you, Mr. Wayne. Would you be able to do one small favour for me?"
"I'll do my best."
The guards called the prisoners back through the door. Back into purgatory.
"Would you tell Jason that I'm sorry and that I love him?"
Wayne smiled sadly and nodded his head. "Of course I will."
So Willis walked away from one of the wealthiest people in the world. A man who wanted to adopt his son, the only family he had left. Willis already knew the answer he would give.
He believed Bruce Wayne would give Jason the life his son deserved.
I think we all know what happened two years later. Let's just say that Willis would come to hate Bruce Wayne almost as much as he hated himself for believing the man would give his son a good life.
I don't know how prisons or adoption with parents still living works so I took some liberties.
Hopefully you enjoyed this short little story and please leave a review of your thoughts if you have some time.