Part 1 for my series: Hopes for a Bastard!

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Deal With the Devil('s Daughter)…

"Blackmail? I thought Titans weren't supposed to used underhanded, sneaky, dirty, villainous techniques like that," he chuckled as he pulled a cigarette.

"They don't, demons do," she stated. He then noticed the blood sliding down her leg and dripping onto the ally pavement.

"Ah, so you're a demon, good to have that confirmed; Dr. Light mentioned that," he chuckled and lit his cigarette then. Inhaling the sweet toxin of the nicotine he looked at Raven then and noticed she had four, narrowed, angry, glowing red eyes as her energy swirled about her.

"I Want The Book Back," she growled, he felt like he was being hit by three forces simultaneously when she snarled that.

"I'm getting it back," he dismissed and Raven instantly settled. He watched as her four eyes disappeared then and he found himself looking into dark, lavender eyes which narrowed on him.

"I'm sorry, it's very important that I get the book back," she said flatly which had him sighing.

"I don't work for double crossers, so, even if you weren't blackmailing me, Sunshine, I'd be getting the fucking book back just to piss of the fucking double-crossing bitch," he growled. Jason hated double crossers, set ups, and traps; he'd died because of all that, and he sure as hell wasn't going to Hell again; yet.

"And then what would you do, if I weren't blackmailing you, with my book?" she challenged.

He shrugged then, he hadn't planned that far. More than likely his sorcerer friend would have gotten it, and in time it'd be returned to Raven. Probably. He wasn't too certain that Raven would actually get her book back, not that it really mattered. But now it mattered enough that he was willing to retrieve her book for her.

"I hadn't really planned that far ahead," he admitted.

"You would probably try to sell it to the highest bidder," she monotonously stated. He smirked, not willing to agree or disagree with that assessment; for it was an option. Raven's hand was glowing and he noticed her pressing it to her thigh as she kept her eyes trained on him. Getting up he moved her hand and looked at the wound. "What are you doing?"

"Your pain is distracting," he threw back at her. She frowned and he looked at the wound carefully, it wasn't deep, just a bleeder, and going to be a nasty bruise.

"What's in that fucking book that you're willing to blackmail me to get it?" he asked as he moved her floating form so he could work, Raven didn't swat him away surprisingly.

"I can't tell you," she monotonously stated which had him lifting a brow as he looked up at her eyes. Confliction, distrust, fury, and control all warred in eyes; he knew the look well enough from his own reflection.

"Can't or won't?" he challenged.

"Can't because it's personal; won't because I trust you about as much as I trust Robin not to kill Red Robin," she snapped. He chuckled as he bandaged her thigh.

"Fair enough," he said.

"Who hired you to get that book?" she asked, her expression blank as she unfolded her legs and stood, he was startled then at her actual size. Raven was small; not tiny or fragile or anything weak like that, but her commanding presence had made him miss how small she truly was. She came up to his chest, barely, and was slight of figure rather like a ballerina, it was startling as he stared down at her; Raven was always this imposing, terrifying force, she wasn't small, however she was now. No less imposing or threatening, but now he was kind of enjoying that she wasn't so intimidating; she wasn't larger than life now.

"A League member," he admitted. Her stomach snarled and Raven frowned as her cheeks turned red. "I didn't get lunch either, come on, temporary truce, after I get that fucking book back we'll go back to hating one another."

"Truce," she muttered.

"Yeah, come on Sunshine," he zipped up his pack and shoved it at her, she yanked it on and he knew they had a pact then as he straddled his bike.

"I still don't trust you," she warned.

"I don't expect you too," he admitted as he revved the engine and Raven's arms wrapped around him as he slowly pulled his bike into traffic and rode down the street looking for a place to eat and park.

Jason was trying to figure out who had been sent to kill him as he navigated New York and pulled up to a pizza joint. Parking Raven slid off as she muttered something then pulled off her helmet, she looked human now, midnight hair, ivory skin, dark eyes. She looked odd, but he wasn't going to bring it up.

"We'll discuss a truce over a nice slice of za," he mused as he walked with her.

"I can agree to that," she said.

"None of the weird West Coast shit on the za though," he warned her. God, he was finally back east for an authentic slice; he was nearly in heaven with the notion.

"If you put anchovies on it I will send you to another dimension," she warned.

"Glad we agree on some things," he muttered. Getting their slices they took a corner seat, and he waited for Raven to start the negotiations for their truce. Until she started, he was going to enjoy the slice of pizza he had in hand and just savor the moment of being so close to home.

Yet so far, he bitterly remembered.

If Bruce knew he was still alive; and that was an if; then he wouldn't go home despite what he wanted. No, Bruce would pitch his ass in Arkham; infuriating as that fact was.

"You said a League member hired you; who?" Raven finally asked.

"Zatanna Zatara," he answered and he watched as Raven froze then. The shadows danced a bit and the air started to thin or chill. "Raven!"


The name of Zatanna being the one to steal her last relic of home, her last piece of her culture which she could access had her world narrowing. Drastically. Raven could only feel her mind, her psyche, and every emotion she usually kept securely locked away and under control, clawing to be released as her rage boiled.

"Raven!"

Her head snapped to the aquamarine eyes of Jason Todd and she took a steadying breath as her powers were reigned in. the white streak in his hair stubbornly flopped in his eyes and she focused on him for a moment as she found her center again.

"Zatanna Zatara hired you?" she murmured.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Made a big stint about it too, said you were a demon, couldn't be trusted, I had to steal that book, even had a photo of it, said it was important, balance of the world, ectara."

"And it was that book?"

"Yes," he grumbled as he continued eating. Raven suddenly found her appetite to be gone but she forced herself to eat a good slice of pizza. It'd be sacrilege in Cyborg's eyes if she didn't try to eat it.

"W-Who gave you the charm to get around my wards?" Raven murmured.

"You know a guy named John Constantine?" he asked.

"That Bastard! He Gave You The Charm To Get Into My Room!?" she hissed. She was now surprised that they hadn't been blown up or something! Azar! Could this get any worse!? Was Dr. Fate after her? Or worse… Klarion!? Had the magic community just decided that it was time to off her because she was a demon?

"He owes me a few favors, I accidentally saved his ass in England," he shrugged.

"I really hate you right now," Raven warned him.

"Truce."

"I know, but I might kill you when this is all over."

"Titans don't kill."

"You're pissing off my inner demon; which is difficult to do."

"I know an exorcist should it need to be removed," he smirked. "Or do you need a demonologist?"

"Constantine is not coming near me, or I will blast you and him into other dimensions."

"Good to know."

"If you were hired by Zatanna to get the book why is she trying to kill you; that's not the League's style," Raven pointed out as she forced herself to eat. She didn't think Zatanna could actually handle blood on her hands, Zatanna was one of those 'pure' souls. And every time Raven ran into Zatanna she didn't sense much violence or bloodlust from her; a lot of power, but not much in the dark edge department. Whereas Jason here was just oozing the very dark edge it would take to be the monster. Raven didn't mind the darkness, she was a part of it after all, but she knew when people had it and when they didn't. Zatanna didn't. Jason did, and Raven did, which was why Raven was confused.

"I don't know, but it wouldn't be the first time a League member got their hands dirty," Jason bit out bitterly. "Wouldn't be the first time they'd turn a blind eye to one going dark."

"We all have darkness in us," Raven defended. "Some know it, and live with it and try to be better. Others know it and thrive in the darkness. And others have it but they can't utilize it. Having the darkness is a fact of life, live with it, work with it, or ignore it but it's there. The League members are no different, and neither is Batman or the Batkids."

"Whatever you say Sunshine."

"Stop calling me that. Are you certain it was Zatanna who hired you?"

"I have no reason to disbelieve it was her, but I wasn't entirely certain it was her," Jason shrugged as he finished his slice and cleaned his fingers of the grease.

"Great," Raven muttered as she leant back in her seat.

"Look, I'll get the damn book back," he hugged.

"I'm going to be helping," she snapped. He frowned at her. But Raven wasn't going to waver in this. She was going to help him get her mind back, even if it killed her; which while not a pleasant thought was a reality she needed to accept. If somehow Zatanna or whoever opened the Nevermore there was a chance that they could unleash her inner demons and give her father access to this world again. A terrifying thought, but it was one which highly motivated her to just get the Nevermore back, and hide it better.

"Thanks, but no thanks, I work alone, as both Reds," he said firmly.

"I will bring you to Batman," she stated. "And if you escape me now, know I'll just bring Batman to you. I'm sure the entire family is going to love this family reunion."

"Fine! Evil witch," he growled.

"Demon," she corrected. She wasn't really a witch, Jinx was a witch, but Raven was a bit more complicated than simple sorcery. If she did practice just simple sorcery she wouldn't be in this mess, she thought begrudgingly.

"Doesn't matter," he grounded out.

"It does, to me," she clarified. She had been embracing her demon heritage as of late because if she was going to teach the younger kids to accept themselves for themselves, she needed to accept herself. And while she had never rejected her heritage, she hadn't outright embraced it either; and she didn't fully embrace her demon heritage.

"Whatever," Jason dismissed. "Look, with or without your help I'm getting that double crossing bitch and teaching her a lesson she won't ever forget, taking that book back and leaving."

"I'm helping, I need the book back," Raven snapped.

"So we're still a team?" he muttered.

"Not really, we're two individuals working together in the interest of different goals, but a similar outcome. You get your revenge and rep, I get my book back," she clarified.

"Deal," he held out his hand and she tentatively looked between it and him. "Shake on it or I walk and do this on my own."

"Fine," she grumbled and took his hand as she muttered a binding spell. "Now neither of us can back out of the arrangement until we've completed our goals."

Jason just glared at her as they pulled their hands apart.


Damian had never been so relieved to see another person as he was when Raven walked out of her shadows and everything calmed. For the past two hours the Titans had been deal with a raging Superboy, and even the other Supers had had trouble with them. Now everyone stopped.

"What is going on?" Raven demanded once everyone was calm and Superboy collapsed.

"Raven! Where have you been!?" Dick gasped.

"I was handling something, who is this?" Raven asked.

"The Superboy," Damian filled in, he clutched his ribs; they were singing something fierce from when Starfire had tackled him.

"Alright, everyone will resume training, those in need of medical go to the infirmary, I will handle Superboy," Raven said as she stood and levitated the unconscious teen with her before she left. Damian glance between his teammates who were assessing damage and the Raven before he darted into the elevator with Raven.

"You should go to the infirmary," Raven said after a long moment in silence.

"My ribs are fine, just bruised," Damian snapped.

"You should still go to the infirmary."

"Where were you?" Damian demanded, he wanted to trust Raven; he did trust her, but at times it was difficult to trust anyone who kept everyone in the dark.

"Brokering a deal," Raven answered.

"With who?"

"Damian," her tone was flat but there was an edge in it.

"I will find out!" he persisted.

"If I tell you, you cannot tell Dick or anyone else, I will speak to Victor about it, but only him," Raven said.

"Why?"

"Because you Bats have obsession tendency which border on insanity and I need my deal to remain in place for the time being," she stated as they walked out of the elevator, Raven motioned for the Superboy to follow; his body still encased in her black energy.

"Fine!" he promised; his curiosity truly getting the best of him as he ignored his ribs.

"Then we will discuss this in my room with Victor after I handle Superboy, and you go to the infirmary," Raven stated. He frowned but he knew that he wasn't going to win this fight, but she was willing to let him in on whatever was going on. Which was why he hurried for the infirmary then. He liked Raven, but her secretiveness bugged him and he wanted to know more.

Damian walked into the infirmary to see everyone on beds as Cyborg looked them over.

"What did Raven do to him?" Supergirl; Kara, asked.

"Raven's got abilities, she used them to save our butts," Garfield stated. Damian didn't know why they didn't just state she was an empath.


Raven looked down on the boy when he started stirring, and she stuffed her hands in the jacket Jason had shoved on her in their escape. The young man's eyes groggily settled on her and she softened slightly, even as she felt his conflicting emotions bombard her.

"Hello, my name is Raven," she said calmly as she sat beside him, the boy shifted away from her.

"W-Where am I?" he asked as he stared at her.

"You are Titan's Tower," she stated. "My friends seemed to have rescued you; I don't know all the details, but when you woke you attacked them."

"They… They're your friends?" He asked.

"Yes, you are at the Titan's headquarters, we're smaller than the Justice League, but similar purpose," Raven said as she looked him over. His emotions were everywhere, aggression, fear, anger, rage, and pain; so much pain. "Do you have a name?"

"I am the Superboy, Superman's clone to replace him should he perish, a weapon if he turns from the light," the boy stated.

"I see, Superboy," she nodded. "Superman is an admirable man, you must look up to him."

"I do," he nodded.

"Raven!" A voice on the other side of the locked door called out which had Superboy glaring, she held up her hand as she rose to open the door.

"Nightwing, this is Superboy, Superboy, this is my dear friend, the Titan's leader, Nightwing," Raven gestured to Dick who was wearing his uniform and domino mask. "He's not here to harm or hurt you. You can trust him."

"I helped pull you out of Cadmus," Dick grinned.

"I see," Superboy hesitated.

"We only want to help you, Superboy, if you let us. We can even help you meet Superman," Nightwing started. The boy looked interested in that and Raven softened before she waved to Dick and walked out of the room as they talked. Raven found her communicator as she sent a message to Damian and Victor to meet her in her room in an hour. She pulled out a duffle bag then and started packing it, she'd put in her notice of undetermined leave in with Barbara before she left and leave her communicator behind.

She was going to simply state to Dick that this was an undercover mission, something in the Magical World, and he'd leave what she was doing alone. Jason didn't know how long or where they'd be going, just that he had to work on tracking people down, and he'd have a lead for them to follow when he picked her up at the park in two hours. Picking up everything she felt she needed but wouldn't be able to get her hands on she shoved it into her bag before she went through her closet.

"Hey Rae, got your message," Victor said as he walked into her room. Raven didn't look at him as she thumbed through a book of dark spells. "What's… What are you doing?"

"Now will you speak of what is bothering you?" Damian demanded as he walked in.

"I have made a deal with Red X to retrieve a book he stole from me," Raven stated as she picked up at least nine books she knew she would need, then started looking through her supplies. The ingredients she wouldn't get on the road were the first she collected and started putting in her bag. She didn't know what magic she'd be up against to get her mind back, but she was willing to bet she'd need everything in her arsenal not to fail. If Zatanna was the one who truly had her book then there was no way the sorceress would let it go without a fight.

"What kind of a deal and who is Red X and why must I tell no one about this deal?" Damian fired off.

"Rae! Have you lost your mind!?" Victor shouted and she lifted her brows at him. He rolled his eye before he looked down on Damian. "Red X is the best thief in the world, nearly five years running, he's even been rumored to have broken into the Watch Tower of the JL. He's a contractor, and no one knows his civilian identity."

"I do now," Raven muttered.

"Rae, you need to tell Dick," Victor started.

"No, the last thing I need is Dick getting involved and then I lose the book because he locks X up; X is the only one who knows who has that book and I have brokered a deal with X for the book," Raven stated flatly. It wasn't a perfect deal, but then no deal was ever perfect, and Raven considered this one to be of the utmost importance. She didn't have time to figure out how to explain to Dick that Jason was alive, he was Red X, and Red Hood, and that he was now a world class, feared criminal who had been trained by the League of Assassins. No, there wasn't time to try to explain that.

"You said you know who Red X is? Why not just arrest him?" Damian asked.

"That's actually more complicated, no I cannot tell you who he is, just that he's now helping me," Raven said.

"Why not?" victor demanded.

"One, it's part of our deal, two, it's my leverage over him, and three, I need him to help me get that book back," Raven stated.

"What about after the deal you brokered is up?" Damian asked.

"Then I can only say who he is if he's ever caught," Raven stated.

"Rae, I don't like it."

"I don't either.

"How do you know he won't double cross you?" Cyborg asked. "He's already stolen the book, so why is he so willing to help you steal it back?"

"Because the leverage I hold over him is too big for him to be willing to double cross me, and he's helping me because the buyer double crossed him and he's out for revenge," Raven shrugged and tossed Mumbo's hat out of her closet before she found what she was looking for; another backpack for her clothes and she tossed it onto her bed as she pulled garments from her closet.

"So what's the plan here? Run off with the guy who ranks number two on Dick's shit list and most wanted list? Hope to get the book back?" Cyborg asked.

"I don't have a lot of options at this point, so yes," Raven stated.

"I'm coming then!" Damian spoke up.

"This might be either really easy or stupid dangerous, are you certain you want to leap in without thinking this through?" Raven asked. She knew that Damian didn't know Jason, and even if he had seen photos of Jason it was doubtful that he'd make a connection between Jason and dead Jason. Jason didn't look the same as the boy he had been at his death.

"Yes."

"Take the kid Rae, I don't like you traveling with Red X and no back up and the kid here is great backup," Victor stated.

"I am not a child," Damian hissed.

"Dude, you're ten, you're a kid," Victor argued.

"I don't care," Raven snapped. "I'm not taking anyone with me, I'm telling you," she looked at Victor then, "what I'm doing because I'm leaving my communicator behind so Oracle can't track me around. And I'm telling you," she gave a pointed look to Damian then, "what I'm doing so you don't try to break into my room or do something equally stupid."

"I don't like this Rae," Cyborg stated.

"I agree, you do not have sufficient backup. What if this Red X decides to double cross you or kill you? Will you defend yourself?" Damian snapped.

"You don't have to like it, I've brokered the deal and he can't back out or double cross me," Raven stated to Cyborg before turning her attention onto Damian. "I am a demon, daughter of Trigon, the Gem of Scath, I do not require back up. And if X decides to double cross me, I'm sticking him in Hell, and should he attack I have no doubts I cannot stop him; but I can hurt him more than anyone knows. I am not defenseless, Damian, I am the last line of defense."

"I'm still coming," Damian stated.

"And I'm not letting you leave the Tower without back up and communication," Cyborg stated.

Raven internally groaned but surrendered. At least Damian wouldn't be able to blow Jason's cover, that was a plus in her mind as she finished her packing.

"Fine, but you don't tell Oracle about the communicator you give me, and you will tell Dick and Bruce you're coming training with me so we can calm your anger," Raven snapped. "And the entire trip you will do exactly what you're told or I will send you back here and disappear with X until I have my book back, understood?"

They both nodded before they hurried out of her room.

Raven groaned as she fell onto her bed and then sighed before going to her lock box and pulling out the money she had stored there in case of emergencies. Shoving it into her pack she went to fill out her leave reports for Dick, and Damian.

It was a good cover using Damian's explosive rage to leave.


Jason sat in his shot up safe house; his favorite one in this city and merely sighed. Great, now he was going to have to move, and his other safe houses weren't as nice as this one had been. At least the ones in this city weren't that nice, he had others across the globe far nicer than this place.

In twenty minutes he had the place cleared out as he moved all his gear to the other safe house, and dropped it all on his bed before he started sorting through the gear here and the gear he had brought for what he would need. Once he was sure of what he had and what he'd need he put the other gear away, locked up, set his traps and surveillance before he left. As tempting as it was to take a bike he settled for the car he had bought instead.

Dropping his gear in his trunk he put the tech in the back seat before he got in and started up the engine. There was a stubborn rumble from the car before he had it and they pulled out of the parking garage and started down the street.

He smirked, he stood out, he knew that, but he also knew he was invisible at the same time, just another bad boy with a classic muscle car; worth the admiration not worth the notice. Besides, he liked the car, not as much as his bikes, but he liked his 1967 Charger, and had put a lot of work into reviving her. It was beautiful, but he also wasn't willing to risk wrecking her because of a job. This time was the exception because he'd be traveling with Raven, and he didn't see Raven and him surviving a motorcycle trip. Not with all the gear he had, and all the shit she was no doubt bringing.

Pulling up to the curb of the agreed upon meeting place he got out of his car and picked up his laptop as he got to work on a park table.

It was about an hour and a half later Raven appeared, he looked up at her and smirked.

"Hey Sunshine," he caught her attention as her eyes narrowed on him and she stalked over to him before sitting across the table.

"Stop calling me that," Raven warned him again.

"Aw… but you're so bright and happy to see me," he mused as he continued working.

"I'm shadows, and I do not believe happy is the right emotion to describe how I feel at the moment," Raven warned darkly.

"Relax princess, I've almost got what we need to start," he stated.

"You are Red X I presume," a stern voice asked and Jason looked up from his work as he blinked twice to make sure he wasn't going even more insane than he already was.

Before him stood a boy, about Raven's height, with black hair, blue eyes, and Bruce's face. It was unnerving, but as Jason inspected the boy closer he noticed the minute differences between the boy and Bruce; darker skin, sharper features, and the shape of his eyes were wrong.

"And you are?" he asked blandly.

"Jason, meet Damian, we will not have hero identities on this mission, and I have no doubts you're already aware of who the current Robin is," Raven shrugged. Damian balked, and Jason smirked as he glared at her, Raven gave him a challenging look. "Victor doesn't trust you with me alone, and apparently neither does Damian. Frankly I don't see why they think I need help against you, but you're now stuck with Damian and I."

"I see, you're lucky I thought to bring the car instead of the motor cycle then," he muttered and resumed his work. He knew who Damian Wayne was, had even remembered the kid vaguely being at the compound Talia had kept him at before the Pit, but honestly, he hadn't ever really stopped to study the boy. Now it was unnerving to see a replica of Bruce sitting beside Raven glaring at him.

"I can drive!" Damian squawked.

"You're not driving my car, twerp," he warned and found what he was seeking and smirked. "And Raven has shotgun so you'll be sitting in the back."

"Jason, where are we going?"

"According to the League records she has a place in Gotham County, New Jersey, Shadowcrest, we'll start there, she is not in San Francisco, that I can tell you, no records, and no electronic foot print, and according to my magic friend she isn't here, if you'd like to verify what he's said."

"I already know she isn't," Raven muttered.

"So… road trip or the trick again?" Jason asked. He saw Raven rub her brow.

"Road trip, I'll get us to Pittsburg, but I can't get us closer than that at the moment, the first two were exhausting," she yawned.

"I take over in Pittsburg," he admitted as he shut his laptop and tucked it into his case, his eyes narrowing on Damian who was scowling still. "Sure we should bring the kid?"

"I am not a child!" Damian hissed venomously. Jason snorted.

"And I'm not a contractor," he countered.

"Enough! Damian is coming and you're coming, let's go before she tries to use the damn book." Raven stood, picking up a duffel and her backpack. Jason just stood and looked as the kid hefted up his duffle.

"'67 Charger, black," he said and watched Raven closely as the kid walked ahead of them.

"Break our deal already, Sunshine?" he asked her darkly.

"No. He merely thinks you are Jason, nothing more or less, and unless you give it up he's not going to figure it out," Raven warned him as she walked ahead of him to the kid. He frowned, he didn't like the idea of travelling with a spawn of the Bat, it was just inviting catastrophe for him.


That's all for now folks!

Enjoy Give Me Back My Mind! =)