Chapter one: Nightmare

Jason Todd wakes up to a distress call from the Batcave, but when he arrives at the manor, his brothers are acting like a real family and the Batcave is missing?


There aren't many days in my life that I wake up to the sunshine and twittering birds, but today seems to be an exception to that rule. The tattered curtains flutter in the sharp morning breeze, and for once I seem to have slept the whole night through without waking to nightmares or my hijacked police radio. It's like a dream. I roll off my mattress and shrug on a leather jacket, leaving my mask discarded on the floor. After sniffing some milk and pouring some cereal, I check my cell. No messages, no calls. I didn't expect anything, still, I kinda want to talk to someone. Not that there are many people who would talk to me. Tim hates me, same goes for Damien and Bruce. Oracle only calls me to tell me to stop beating up Dick. Nightwing'd probably talk to me if I called him, but that idiot's got more numbers than a Chinese phone book. He has to change cell every time he pisses off one of his girlfriends, to stop them from calling, or finding out where he lives, depending on what girl it is.

I feel stupid for even thinking of calling someone.

I'm meant to be Red Hood, the badass vigilante who doesn't even listen to Bats. My phone buzzes in my hand, making me drop my spoon into my bowl. I flip it open and check my messages. It's not a message, it's an automated warning directly from the Batcomputer. I've never seen one like it. It doesn't specify anything, it simply says that something is wrong. I slip my phone into my pocket and jump up, leaving my cereal half eaten. I don't even collect my mask on the way out, I just start up my motorcycle and tear down the street, on my way to the manor.

Thinking about it, the warning was probably not anything to worry about. Maybe the Batcomputer got a virus... is that even possible? Or perhaps one of Bruce's brats got sick and he's overreacting. That wouldn't surprise me.

I ponder about what could have happened for the entirety of the half hour journey to the manor, but I decide that I don't care what it is. I shouldn't. Not after the way they all treat me. I pull up next to the gate, and I'm not surprised that it's open. Pity the criminals don't know Batman's true identity. They'd be beating down his door. Now that would be fun to watch. Stowing my bike in a nearby hedge, I jog up to the front door. I reach for the handle, but the door is opened by Alfred. Nothing's wrong. I can't believe it. "Welcome home, master Jason." I'm halfway down the steps when I hear those words meet my ears. I don't know how to react. I really don't. I should be offended, I should turn and bite back viciously, and slam doors, but I don't.

I'm welcome and I'm home, and that's all I've ever wanted.

Still, I frown at the butler as I step through the threshold. He doesn't smile, but he is warm. "So, about the Batcomputer sending me a warning message...?" I ask him nonchalantly.

He chuckles. "Whatever game you are playing, don't think you can fool me. I may be old..."

"What? I'm not trying to fool anybody."

"Then I assume the 'Batcomputer' is a commodity of your own creation? Aren't you a little old to play make-believe?" Alfred wanders into the kitchen to make tea, presumably to satisfy his masters addiction.

"What the hell are you on about? Bruce created the Batcomputer. And I'm not playing 'make-believe'." I follow him closely, watching him drain the tea from the leaves.

"Then you should know that there is no such thing as a 'Batcomputer' I hope." He places the china onto a tray and fills a cup with tea.

"Right." I reply. Something definitely isn't right. Either this is all a prank executed by the whole family, which is unlikely that they could refrain from killing each other long enough to set this up, or something is wrong.

If Alfred doesn't believe there is a Batcomputer, then could it be... I find myself in the main study, ignoring Alfred's questions as he follows me. I set the time on the old granfather clock to be 10:47. Bruce created this entrance to the Batcave, and the passcode is the exact time when his parents were murdered. I wait for the panel to slide back. It doesn't. I slam the clock, but only succeed in cracking the glass slightly.

"What the..."

"Is everything okay, master Jason?" Alfred asks distantly, not wanting to get involved.

"Yeah..." I back up, hitting the desk. "Everything is fine." I take it back. Something isn't wrong. Everything is wrong.

Alfred picks up his tea tray and heads out, presumably to deliver it to Bruce. I follow him. I need to talk to Bruce. Surely the guy knows something about what's going on. The old butler arrives in a lounge near the back of the manor, in a pleasantly warm conservatory. He places the tray down and hands the tea over to Bruce. Surprisingly, all the bat brats are here, even Dick. Damian and Tim sit on the floor, their eyes glued to a video game, their hands busy tapping away at controllers. Damian would never play video games, especially not with Tim, whom he considered a peasant. They seemed to be getting along swimmingly. More weird.

Bruce and Dick were sitting across from each other, deep in civilized conversation. I won't even bother pointing out what's wrong with that scene.

"Hello, Jason." Bruce smiles at me.

I smile back, playing along. "And how are you all enjoying your time off work?" Bruce doesn't get the hint.

"It's great, I haven't had to go to board meetings all week."

"Yes, but what about your other work. You know, your night occupation?"

He just looks at me, bewildered. "What are you talking about?"

"Ugh, nothing. Sorry." I find myself sitting heavily next to Bruce. He's just the same as Alfred. I'm stuck in a world where Batman doesn't exist. Brilliant!

"We were about to discuss what you're going to do about your education. You're almost eighteen now. Why don't you try university, I know it's a bit late, but they'll be sure to let you in with your grades." Bruce looks over at Dick briefly. "Just don't join the police force, in Blüdhaven of all places, like your brother did."

Dick doesn't even bite back at his comment, and I'm still reveling over the fact that in this world, I can go to university. I can be normal.

Tim and Damian chose this moment to pause their game and sit with us, Damian sitting in between me and Bruce, and Tim sprawling next to Dick, kicking his brother over to make more room for himself. The eldest scooted over with no complaint.

"Was that good grades and Jason in the same sentence?" Damian asked sarcastically.

"Believe it, kid. Jason's got awesome grades. Not as good as me, of course. Or Dick." Tim mutters.

"I have awesome grades..." I test the notion out loud. I hadn't gone to school for that long, and I didn't go to class most of the time anyway. I didn't even go to my finals.

"No need to blow your own trumpet, Jay." Dick chuckles, his eyes shining with unrestrained pride. I can't even remember a time when me and Dick got along. We had fights, we almost killed each other, then we didn't see each other for months after. That's how it always had been.

Damian scowls up at me, punching me on the arm."Yeah, Todd, don't think you are superior to me because you're not. I will always be the perfection of this family, even if it means getting better grades than the likes of you."

Dick jumps up suddenly. "Right, that's it!"

Here we go. Here are the true colors of Dick Grayson.

Instead of beating up his younger brother, Dick picks Damian up and flips him upside down, holding him by an ankle.

Shrieks of laughter fill the room. "Grayson!" Damian yells between gasps. "Let me down!"

"Not until you admit you are just the same as the rest of us." Dick taunts, holding his little brother further off the floor. Bruce looks on in embarrassment, sipping his tea and looking the other way. Tim cheers Dick on, and I sit there, stunned.

I slip out of my leather jacket and join in. "Grayson, if you don't put down the innocent child, I will have no choice but to restrain you!" I say, and I immediately feel wrong for joining in. This isn't me.

"Never!" Dick holds Damian away from me, the kid gasping from too much upside down laughter. I tumble into Dick, falling to the floor. Dick laughs, shocked, and I rescue Damian from his clutches. I push Dick over and sit on his hands to stop him from moving.

I lean my face on my hand, and rest my elbow on my knee, trying to look casual as Dick tries to get up. "I'm twenty three, way too old to be putting up with you lot!" He yells jokingly.

"I am wise beyond my years, you may as well be five compared to my intellect." Damian comments, after regaining his dignity.

"Sure." He agrees, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Alfred reenters the room and gives me a sidelong look. "If you ever chose to get off your brother, dinner is ready."

"Thanks Alfred. Let's continue that University talk after dinner." Bruce says, getting up and leading everyone into the dining room.

I sit next to Dick on one side, while we face Tim and Damian on the other. Bruce sits at the head of the table as he always does. After that, everything became a blur. We ate, and talked, and when the moon appeared we went to bed. I discover my old room is just as I had left it, and I get changed into nightclothes and sit on my bed. It's been such a long time since I've felt this fulfilled. I don't even care that no one remembers Batman, or Robin or Nightwing. I'm glad, even.

"Goodnight, Jason." I look up and see Bruce standing in the doorway.

"Sorry?"

"I said goodnight." He repeats, sounding slightly annoyed, but not unkind.

"Oh. Night." I reply, still shocked at everything that has happened today. To think, I came here on a whim, and I was welcomed back with open arms. Bruce smiles and closes the door, and I hear his footsteps up the hall, presumably stopping at the next door to say goodnight.

I settle into bed, and stretch out comfortably. Even If I can't kill another evil person, even if I have to go to university, I can live with it all as payment for this. My eyes slide shut and I fall into dreamless sleep.

"Infamous serial killer by the name of Adam Andrews has been spotted by Gotham's amusement mile. Extremely dangerous. Apprehend suspect ASAP." The crackling voice comes over on the police radio, rousing me from a deep sleep. It is still night time outside. There is a cool breeze. I'm not in my room at Wayne Manor. My heart drops n my stomach.

It cant've all been... I jump up and grab my phone, dialing Bruce's number that I stole from Dick's hijacked tech.

The conversation went as follows:

"Yes?"

"Bruce?"

"Jason?"

"Did I visit you yesterday?"

"Visit?" he scoffs.

"Yes, visit."

"I don't know where you are, Jason, but when I find you, I am turning you into the GCPD. You belong in Arkham for what you've done."

Then the line went dead. My whole brilliant day of being happy, and belonging to a family was all a lie. It was all something made in my head to pass the time while I slept. Dangled in front of me was the life I could have lead, and my waking up snatched it away. It was all just a dream. No. Not a dream.

A nightmare.