Alright, this one's a little short, but so is Damian and it's about him so… there's your explanation 8D

I plan on having small moments take place between each of the brothers that start mending all the broken… stuff…. Between the brothers and then lastly Bruce… We'll see how it works out. If you care about what's going to happen or want to see something in particular take place, don't hesitate to throw it out there in a review… 8) Thanks guys!

Warning this chapter will include some suggestive themes, but just to be clear there is no slash between the brothers (like anywhere in my story)… just a very unfortunate moment for Dami.

ONWARD!

Chapter 3

In his opinion they were all idiots. Father was trying too hard to keep him on a short leash, and Grayson and Drake kept watching him like bumbling overprotective hens. Todd was the only one bearable to be around. At least he did not baby him. Todd simply hinted about things, but never pushed, leaving the final decision up to him. For that Damian was grateful – though he would never, ever, admit that.

It had been about a week since the first argument between Todd and Father. Subsequently the two had argued and bickered four times, now they were in a period of awkward silence and ignoring the existence of one another.

Todd had explained his plan in detail, but only with his brothers and Father. Why hadn't they explained it to him? The annoyance of the whole matter was overwhelming. Damian found himself wandering farther and farther from the table, still within good distance to his family. There were boards that displayed times and names. When Damian had asked his brother about it, Todd had told him that the times represent the dates of transfer.

Every prisoner was given a certain allotment of time at any given prison and transfer dates were posted here. According to Todd, they did this to incite violence. The closer the transfer dates, the more chance an inmate had of being transferred to a torture facility – meaning the prisoner had nothing to lose by instigating riot. The more dead bodies in the ditch, the fewer inmates the guards had to worry about. The family had just over three months left. Todd had fewer than two…

He wasn't sure how to feel about that, or if he should feel anything at all.

Damian could feel the eye on him; he could hear the snickers and cat-calls from the others. He chose to ignore them, his eyes still planted on "Jake Forrester's" numbers.

That's why he never noticed the guard stalking behind him with several other inmates at his heels.

"It will work. I've run the numbers. This is the only way we'll be getting out of this hell hole." Jason said in a hushed tone.

Dick had been silent for the entire conversation of his plan; he spoke softly now, "Do you think we'll be able to gather the things we need?"

Jason let his gaze drift to his brother, "With Jack out of the way? Absolutely. He was the only speed bump in my plan. You four offered me the opportunity to be rid of him." He smirked deviously.

"Oh, so what does that make us to you now? How do we know you won't just betray us at the final hour?" Tim asked crossly.

Jason's teal eyes met Tim's steely blue directly, "You don't. You'll just have to…" He paused, looking genuinely thoughtful, "Have a little faith." Tim looked doubtful, but to his surprise, Dick looked genuinely hopeful.

"Where's Daren?" Bruce's question abruptly cut in, setting them all on edge. Damian was nowhere to be found. Jason stood abruptly.

"When did he..?" Dick started.

"One of the guards is gone. There are always twelve on duty. I only see eleven," Jason said flatly.

"What does that mean?" Tim asked.

Jason sighed heavily, still scanning the mess hall. When he finally turned his gaze back to Tim there was something foreign there that had never been present before. "It means our little friend has stumbled into a very bad situation."

Damian was disoriented. He'd been expecting the beating from the inmates, but not the numbing shocks from the guard's prod. He didn't want to admit it, but… Todd had been right, he couldn't fight off the effects of that damn electrified cattle prod. If he made it out of this, Damian would be sure to use it on the guard himself. Didn't they realize who he was?

There were five of them. Four were beating the hell out of him. The fifth, an overweight man in his late thirties, was watching with a sort of manic glee. That list Todd had mentioned was starting to make sense now…

Blood flowed into his eye from a gash on his forehead. Damian winced as he heard the audible crack of his ribs. He flinched away from the foot that came stomping into his stomach. He released a muffled cry when a makeshift blade was placed against his throat and the blows slowed, then stopped. The fifth man stepped forward, hands fumbling with his belt.

Damian wasn't sure if he'd ever felt disgust so close to boiling over, and he definitely had never felt fear this real. He couldn't feel his limbs as the residual effects of the electricity wore off, the new-formed bruises replacing the numbness. He swore his heart had jumped into his throat because despite all the curses forming on his tongue... he couldn't bring himself to speak. The smile that formed on the man's face made him want to hurl. The sheer vulnerability he felt made him sick with himself as well…

Damian closed his eyes, trying to block the situation out completely. All he heard were grunts of pain, no one touched him. The blade cutting his throat was dropped, the man holding him up dropped him. His head slammed into the concrete below him, but all he registered was the relief.

Damian let the curses that had been resting on his tongue loose.

When the boy opened his eyes the men were on the ground, the crooked guardsman was gone, and Tod- Jason was crouched over him.

Damian had never been so happy to see the wayward gunslinger.

Jason had barked commands to the rest of the family about where to search before moving off towards the transfer board. There were five men up there that were being transferred tomorrow. All members of the same gang, led exclusively by Kyle Skully (number eighteen on the list). If that man had taken Damian then Jason knew where he'd be.

There was only one place in the entire prison that the cameras could not cover. The blind spot was the perfect place for the only crime that they would want Damian for. He turned the corner and slipped out of the mess hall heading for the "alley" – where most of the crimes in this place took place.

What he came upon the gang cornering his little brother Jason was overcome with an obliterating rage.

"Step away, or I swear I will castrate all of you." They stared at him dumbly, afraid for their lives. Ahh well, Jason thought.

In seconds the man holding the blade to Dami's throat was on the floor with a slit throat. The 'knife' was in his possession now. He gutted the second man, one that had been beating the kid moments before. Jason grabbed the final two and rammed their heads together with an distinct snap. Jason took a breath and looked around at the blood staining the ground. Finally (it had only been about thirty seconds) it was just Jason and Kyle.

"Congratulations. You've just moved up the list. Say hello to your god, asshole." Jason was on him in moments, he grabbed the belt the man had discarded and wrapped it around his throat. He watched as the color and life drained from Kyle's beefy face. It was over in moments.

Jason turned to Damian. The boy was disoriented beyond belief mumbling incoherently. What words Jason could make out would make the impassive Alfred go beet red.

"Look, all I wanted was a 'thank you', but you have been raised by Bruce so I assume that's the best I'm gonna get, huh?" Jason smiled, pushing the boy into a sitting position. The kid was practically limp in his arms. Jason let out a sigh of frustration before lifting the kid off the floor.

"What the hell were you thinking, wandering off on your own?"

"You did it the other day," he said groggily.

"Mimicking me now, huh? Bad idea, Little D. The big man would not approve."

"-Tt-, like I would ever mimic you. And what makes you think I care what he says?" But it was a half-hearted disagreement that made Jason smile. The boy clicked his tongue and Jason only just held back a chuckle.

Why didn't I tell you all the direct specifics about "the plan"? Don't worry, there's a specific reason I didn't, all leading to the main event…. ^^

Please Review! Let me know what you think, if there's anything you'd like to see done, or just overall opinions of the piece! Thanks!