The mansion was pale, pearly white under the light of the crescent moon. It was set against an immaculate lawn with an ornate fence surrounding it... it hadn't changed one bit. The windows were all pitch black like the sky, dark and gleaming and quite honestly threatening to Jason. He tried to fight the instinct to immediately turn and run. He didn't want to be here, this was the last place he wanted to be. It was like seeing a ghost...it haunted him just the same.

He almost wanted the psycho bats to be here. To see their confused or angry faces when security sensors caught him, or at least to see him pulling into the drive with his motorcycle...not to mention with a meta and an arrow (both which were banned from Gotham unless they had Bruce's explicit permission) with him. They would be so furious. But...that's the problem. If they were here, they would have been ambushed the moment they crossed into Gotham, let alone approaching the gate.

Jason sucked in a deep, shaky breath and swallowed his pride as he swung himself off the bike, Roy following suit cautiously and Kori landing lightly behind them. For a moment, none of them said a word, they just stared listlessly up at the forbidding manor.

Finally, Roy nudged Jason's shoulder almost nervously and cleared his throat. "S-...so how do we get in?" his voice was small. And it should be. It wasn't very often an outsider got this far...and they were about to get a lot closer. An arrow in the cave? As well as an unauhorized alien and the family reject. History was about to be made. It was terrifying as it was exhilarating and unbelievable.

Bruce definitely couldn't be here. Not if they had gotten this far.

Now they just had to get past the security of the house.

"There's no way we could get in through the Cave itself, we'd die trying," Jason replied lowly. "We'll have to get into the house itself. I wouldn't count on the front door in a million years...and I'd rather not go down the chimney," Jason would've laughed at his own joke if his throat weren't so dry. "Maybe... most of the windows are safe gaurded. There might be one," he cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I'm not sure, they probably fixed it after I cam back..." But shit, they might not even have known about it, he thought to himself. Jason sighed in resignation and squared his shoulders.

"Come on...we're going around back," he informed warily.

"Why?" Roy tilted his head. "What's in back? A secret tunnel or a terrace to climb?" he smiled wryly.

"Stop talking, it's annoying," Jason muttered at the absurdity as he led the party forward.

Roy and Kori exchanged a quick, concerned look and Kori reached out to touch Jason's shoulder softly. "You are...very tense," she noted hesitantly. "Jason...Would you like us to wait out here if you are uncomfortable?"

"No," he answered too quickly before clearing his throat and trying to cover up his anxiety. "I mean...no. I-" he cut off and made a face at himself before finally admitting "I...can't be in this house alone."

Something in Roy's face softened in understanding and Kori nodded with a sad smile.

"Stop it, I don't need your mushy shit," Jason muttered, casting his eyes away and failing to hide a light blush before he turned around and treaded forward once more.

Given just how huge the manor was, it took a good five minutes before Jason saw the familiar tree. He stopped just before it and stared up. It had grown in the years he'd been gone. The branch no longer stretched beside the old window, but a few feet above it. No matter... if the window still opened from where Jason had rigged it almost ten years ago, then he could easily jump down from the branch. If not... well, the chimney was the next option, unfortunately. Jason steeled himself and pulled himself up on the nearest branch and began to climb.

"You coming or what?" His voice did not just crack. It didn't. Roy tried and failed to hide a nervous smile as he once again followed suit. Kori simply floated up and waited as the boys climbed higher and higher. Finally, Jason reached the top branch next to the third story and bent to stretch his arm to grab a hold onto the edge of the window.

Please let it still be open, please...

But...

It it were still open, that meant they left his room untouched.

That meant that maybe-

No. He couldn't take this shit now. He couldn't take how his heart slammed against his chest in anxiety, threatening to rip open again if he thought about it too much.

He let out a grunt of surprise when the window actually lifted (not without some difficulty, of course) and dust went flying. For a moment, he did absolutely nothing, not even dared to stare into the dark room. But when Kori coughed awkwardly behind him, he grit his teeth and swung inside at last, landing with a loud, low thud.

Then his heart stopped.

Everything was in exactly the same place as he left it.

His posters of Metallica, Nirvana Avenged Sevenfold, and Black Sabbath were still hanging on the wall with the same, dulled scotch tape; his CD's were still spilled messily over his old desk; his backpack slouched underneath a closet full of out of date clothing and even his god damn converse were in the same position he threw them in on the floor by the bed. Nothing had changed. A choked noise escaped his lips before he clamped them down again instantly.

"So...this was your room?" Roy asked from behind him. Jason jumped and pivoted around instantly, having forgotten that the other two were even there.

"I- yeah," he managed to reply. "It is- was," he corrected himself, turning away with an unreadable look. Kori nodded in acknowledgment as she looked around to observe it.

"You miss this room?" she asked gently. Jason's jaw tightened and he didn't respond. Roy nudged her warningly and shook his head at her. She elbowed him back before returning her attention to Jay. "Please...let us leave it...this place is sad and I don't want to be here longer than we have to."

Jason looked up at her with something very suspiciously like relief before dead panning once more and nodding as he opened the door quietly and led them out of the room and down the empty hall. As he passed each room, wave after wave of nostalgia washed over him. So many memories here... He still knew this place like the back of his hand.

They knew they were being ridiculous as they tiptoed through the dark manor, trying hard not to make a sound or disturb the manor. It's not like they would get caught. For a split moment, it even brought Jason back to sneaking out all those years ago, but he firmly shook his head. God, he had to get out of here, he was going to lose his nerve.

Finally, when they reached the ground floor, Jason was trembling from head to foot. They actually had to get into the Cave now. Jason almost collapsed at the thought...if he was reacting like this to the manor, how the hell was he supposed to handle the cave? He might have a nervous breakdown, he might lose his mind again and do psychotic shit just to be spiteful.

This is why he stayed away from this place, this is why he stayed away from the bats in general, he knew how angry it made him, he knew how painful it was, he knew that this was the only thing in the world to make him come unglued. He forgot what insanity felt like until now.

"Jason," Roy reached out to set a hand on his arm carefully. "Jason, please...let's just get out of here, you're-"

"No! No...I can do this. I-" but he cut off the second that he saw the portrait. Bruce sat stoically in a velvet chair, dressed in a black silk tuxedo. Beside him to his right stood Dick (of course, he thought bitterly, Golden boy was always the right hand man) with that stupid cheesy smile on his face. To his left stood his own stony Replacement, Tim Drake. In front of Drake, two girls knelt gracefully beside him; one blonde and one black haired. In the exact center in front of Bruce, Babs posed happily in her wheel chair. And to the right center in front of Dick stood a young boy, dark eyed and dark haired who looked almost exactly like-

Bruce had a son. The name on the title plate below it read Damian Wayne. But that's not what shocked him most. The title of the painting read The Wayne Family.

Family.

All of those people Bruce considered his family. Jason shouldn't have been surprised when he realized he wasn't in it.

He stared, unable to breathe or bear the pain in his chest before ripping it off the wall with a scream and smashing it hard against the ground. Kori and Roy cried out his name and tried to stop him, but Jason lashed out and shoved their sympathetic arms away. He flipped the pristine glass covered coffee table and watched it shatter carelessly before throwing the chairs across the room and punching a hole clear through the wall.

Kori and Roy could only watch helplessly. Kori covered her eyes and turned her head away sadly. Roy stared on but didn't dare try to stop Jay again. He couldn't exactly blame him, to be honest.

When Jason finally collapsed against a wall and buried his face into his arm with a howl, they both stepped forward cautiously. Jason didn't lash out at them this time, so they dared to cross all the way to him and kneel beside him and place soothing arms around him.

Jason would never, ever admit to the tears everyone knew were streaming down his face, and everyone would would pretend that they never saw them. For the moment, Jason would allow this; the affection that he wasn't used to, that he swore he would never need. For a moment he'd let it comfort him, because deep down he knew he'd never truly get over this shit no matter how many times he told himself he was already past it. Just for a moment. Then he'd go back to being himself, the Jason who didn't need anybody.

Just as Jason reached up to dry his cheeks, he heard a weary sigh that didn't come from the two people beside him. His head snapped up instantly and his breath caught in his throat.

"Master Jason... I never thought I'd see you again," the voice was so endearing that it ached.

"Alfred," Jason laughed out in shock and relief before standing up and striding slowly towards the old butler. "God, Alfred." His arms were tight around the old man before he realized what he was doing. Even then, he didn't care that he was hugging him again. Out of everyone, if anyone...he missed Alfred. He was older than Jason remembered... eyes more lined than they used to be, and what was left of his hair was now completely gray where it used to be lined with black.

Alfred smiled and patted him on the back, eyes red with tears.

"Master Jason," he repeated. "As happy as I am to see you, why have you wrecked all the furniture?"

Jason shrunk in on himself and made a face as he turned to see the whole mess he made. One look at his face and Alfred softened with understanding.

"Nevermind, nevermind," Alfred waved dismissively before pulling him back into a tight hug. "I would ask you how you've been and what brings you here for our reunion, but... I am no fool. You must have heard about the kidnappings, then?" Alfred's face fell grave.

Jason pulled back and frowned. "So it's true then," he murmured. "Not just in Gotham?"

"No, I'm afraid," Alfred confirmed sadly. "It has been occuring everywhere. It started with Arkham and Blackgate disappearances. At first we thought they were more escaped convicts, but then... heroes started going missing as well," Alfred informed thoughtfully. "Then, regretfully...Master Bruce and the rest of the family were taken as well," he concluded, voice tight and brow creased with worry.

"Do you know what took them?" Roy's voice suddenly cut into the conversation. Alfred turned to look at him as though only just noticing him for the first time. For a moment he just stared curiously and gave Jason a you-would-be-in-so-much-trouble-if-Bruce-were-actually-here look before turning back and replying politely. "No... if Master Bruce knew at all, he did not tell me. Any information he has is locked away on the-"

"Cave computer," Jason muttered.

"Precisely," Alfred nodded.

"We need to see it if we're going to get them back," Roy chimed eagerly, stepping forward. Alfred arched a brow and gave him a look. Roy shrunk away immediately and muttered an apology and Kori giggled under her breath.

"Alfred, please...he's right," Jason sighed. Alfred cocked his head to the side with a frown as Jason began to explain the ultimatum the creature had given them not even a day ago. Fight for their lives and risk the universe or let them die and live in peace. Alfred's face darkened more and more with every word.

"I...cannot tell you to choose either way," he forced out begrudgingly. Even so, Jason had a feeling he knew what Alfred's choice would be right off the bat. "But...since the situation is so dire...you could use all the enlightening you could get. I will permit you into the cave," he agreed, pulling himself to his full height. The Outlaws sighed in relief.

"Before you go down, however," he added solomnely. "I beg of you...choose wisely," he advised before leading them quietly across to the library and showing them the secret passage. Kori and Roy immediately set down the railing in excitement to see the cave, but Alfred pulled Jason back at the last second and squeezed his shoulder with a pained look that surprised Jason.

"Master Jason," he voiced almost pleadingly. It was a moment before the old man could continue. "Please...whatever happens, whatever you choose... don't wait so long to come back home next time," he begged softly before releasing him and, after one last, long look, turning and treading quietly out of the room.