Hello everyone! This time my answers to anonymous review were getting really long so I put them at the end of the chapter instead than at the beginning :)

Let's go straight to business!

Chapter 10

Barbara was panicking. Her brain informed her of that fact, which did nothing to calm her down. Jason had left his flat, leaving both his com link and all the bugs she'd managed to hide on his suit – apparently not so well – behind. Even the gun and other equipment he had taken along were clean. And she had no idea where he was going. Eighty-six possibilities and only the one of her.

She already had her hands in her wardrobe to pick up the suit she'd sworn never to put on again when the idea of contacting Bruce came to her. She had to be out of her mind. Bruce? As if he of all people would solve any of this mess!

Yet she had to face the hard truth: she couldn't do this alone. She doubted the suit even fit her still.

She closed her wardrobe and walked back to her desk. She didn't remember last time she'd voluntarily called Bruce. Apparently, it had been long enough for him to take her call seriously.

"What happened?" he asked right away.

"Jason knows where he is. I think. He had a list of places and a good instinct."

"You gave him a list?"

"I tried to convince him not to go…"

"I'll take care of it. Send me the list. And don't get out!"

She bit her lip, hard, not to start shouting at him. Jason was in danger. Jason was in danger. She was very proud to manage a composed tone when she answered:

"Fuck yourself, Batman. I'm sending you the list and you're keeping me updated."

"Deal."

He agreeing so quickly reminded her of the emergency of the situation. She provided him with the list, along with a quick summary on how they'd gotten there. He didn't make any caustic comment during her explanation which meant he couldn't find any fault in their logic.

Which meant Jason was probably heading for the Joker's hideout, right now. Fuck. She couldn't, she just couldn't let him do this. He felt the need to kill people fine, it was wrong and against the law and against Bruce's rules, but fine. But going after the Joker? She felt, in her gut, that this would just break something, that this would be the point of no return. She. Couldn't. Let him.

And if he was hurt…

The panic came back in a wave, invading her thoughts so thoroughly she couldn't form any coherent thought for a second, unable to speak or even move. Jason couldn't face the Joker; he couldn't die, not again, she couldn't lose him!

Oh.

Talk about a slap in the face. The positive side effect of that realization was to bring her back to herself. She was in her room again, with her computer in front of her and Bruce not-talking in the com. She managed to suck a breath in.

All was fine. Bruce was there. Hell, she was, and she kicked ass. And Jason was a big boy, strong, smart, not as easy to kill as he'd been at 15. No one would lose anyone.

Besides, he wasn't hers to start with.

Yet… 'Hello gorgeous', he said to her all the time.

No. He flirted with everyone! Well, not since he'd come back, but he'd always been flirty and it never meant anyth…

The roar of the Batmobile engine echoed in the com. Damn. She was supposed to be better than that! How long had she been distracted by her worries?

"Did you find something?" she asked.

"Yes."

She waited. She didn't punch the screen, which she counted as an accomplishment.

"What did you find, Bruce?"

"There's a playing card factory right next to Ace Chemicals. It's called…"

"Monarch playing Card co.", Barbara whispered, paling. "I'm coming. And don't tell me I'd better stay in my room."

"Call Nightwing", he asked. "Tell him to keep an eye on Robin."

It was an easy way to keep him out of harm's way, considering the Joker didn't seem to go after their little bird this time. Still, she had to agree with Bruce's reasoning: they didn't need more of them around while they definitively needed to be certain that Tim was alright.

"I'll do that."

It was the matter of ten solid minutes, because Dick could see through Bruce's ploy like through colored glass – that's to say, mostly well, despite a bias.

"He needs me on the field! Why am I even arguing with you?" the first Robin cursed.

"Because you know I know better", Barbara answered, finishing to prepare herself by clipping her utility belt around her waist. Damn. The thing had gotten smaller. Totally.

"You're biased!"

She rolled her eyes.

"Because obviously you're the most objective guy concerning Bruce. Or Jason, for that matter."

"I have a PhD in Bruce's handling, which is something only one other person can claim, and it's Clark. You, on the other hand, had kept Jason being alive from us for weeks."

"I didn't hear you tell anyone else after you heard the truth", she pointed out, before putting an end to the conversation. "Do whatever you want. I don't have any more time to waste."

She slipped out of the window. It had been two years, now, yet, clothing trouble aside, it felt like she'd never stopped. She had kept herself in shape. Still, she hadn't expected this to feel so easy, like slipping back in an old sweater found at the bottom of a closet. It was comfortable.

Which wasn't to say it felt right, though. This was a one-time come back. It wasn't a decision she made consciously, she just knew – she had to be in the field and couldn't go as a civilian, but she wouldn't go back to Batgirl.

How that would reconcile what her brain had just casually pointed out about her feelings for Jason – well, that was another story.

She fired her grapple. This was a challenge for another day.

sososo

Jason had only had to glance at the list to known which place the Joker would use as his hideout. The man might not be predictable, but he always went for the theatrics when he could. And after all, his point had been to lure Batman there all along – so the place couldn't be too hard to find.

It certainly was trapped. Not that Jason cared: he well intended to measure up to anything the Joker would throw at him this time.

He didn't get in from the front door, of course. He started up by taking a look around, finishing by the roof. He hadn't Babs as backup this time and was very aware she would likely help Bruce finding the spot by now, so he had little time. There were however steps one couldn't avoid if one wanted to stay alive.

Such as 'not going after the Joker', admittedly, Jason thought when he found a black hat stuck on a metallic pike at the very top of the building. What the hell was the clown up to?

Entering by the front door wouldn't help, so he still broke in through one of the windows. He avoided the one where a red sheet was hanging. Not that it would help; there were no good answers to the Joker's jokes. It was always on you.

Music echoed in the corridors inside, too faint for him to make out the lyrics or even recognize the rhythm. Jason stuck to the ceilings, because it was Batman's more likely route hence the one that would be the less trapped. The Joker wanted to challenge him – but he also wanted him to reach his main scene, otherwise, what would be the fun?

The music kept going, probably running on repeat. The rhythm accelerated at the end of the intro and finally Jason recognized it – King of Pain, from the Police. Still in theme, then.

As he got closer, his ears got another sound. Water. Like in, a lot of. Somehow, the Joker managed to make him even more aggravated than he was angry.

His eyes caught a reflection on a metallic wire right in time for him not to trigger the mechanism. There were dozens of them, though, all around the place he was in, leaving only one way forward. Was he supposed to be the 'butterfly trapped in a spider's web'?

Well, fuck him.

Slowly, carefully, Jason tied a string to the wire and retreated back to the window, ready to jump if the detonation was bigger than anticipated. Then he pulled

Instead of a blast, he heard a soft snap! He didn't have much time left now: not only Batman was going to arrive soon but he'd just made the Joker aware someone had stepped in his little game.

He avoided the next trap, and barely dodged in time the one after that. The spears aiming at eye level might have been stopped by his helmet but he didn't like to take chances.

Then he finally arrived in the main room. How the Joker had managed to create a fucking waterfall inside a building, he didn't want to know. Considering how nostalgic this game felt, there were good chances he'd actually redirected Gotham's water system directly in the factory – which was slowly but surely filling with water.

Damn. He should have checked the door just in case. They had to be sealed shut for the water to be retained so well inside the building.

The Joker was standing on a purple painted stage in the middle of it all, right next to the waterfall. A throne had been prepared on it. Ready with restrains for arms and legs and barbed wire.

"Batsy, Batsy!" he singsonged. "I know you're there, hiding somewhere!"

He thought he'd caught a bat. This was so cute.

"I'm so very sorry for the poor welcome", the madman kept going, waving at something hanging in the middle of the water, too blurry for anything but a small shape to be discernable. "I know, it's an actual salmon. I couldn't get Shark out of Arkham. He flat out refused to follow. I think he doesn't like me."

From where he was, Jason was able to aim at the clown's head. He'd be dead in a second.

Not satisfying enough, though. No. Some forms were to be respected. At least, the Joker had to know who was there.

Jason still fired, as introduction, missing the fool's head by an inch. The Joker straightened, losing his smile at once – and, yeah, that was satisfying.

"You're not the Bat!" he squealed.

"Someone give a cookie to the king of obviousness."

The Joker made an annoyed face.

"Oh, you're him. I like to be a source of inspiration but I feel cheated. A villain considering me as an example should at least be imaginative enough to find himself an original name."

"Who ever said you inspired me?" Jason asked, firing two more shots from a few feet to the left, moving around not to let the Joker pinpoint his position.

"Well, obviously…"

"Ah-ha! Apparently, you're not even the king of that. It's never been about you, Joker. Someone else has been chosen as protagonist. You're only bothering us."

The Joker's face twisted in rage. He started firing his own gun all around, wasting bullets and energy, as Jason let his laugh echo in the ceiling. He still used some of his old Robin's tricks.

"Get down you coward!" the clown shrieked. "Or shall I get up?"

It was time to raise the stakes. Jason removed his helmet – and threw it to the Joker, aiming at his head. The clown dodged easily, catching it with his foot before it rolled over the edge of the platform he was standing on. He had made his stage intelligently; it was floating on the raising water.

The Joker frowned at the helmet.

"Mine was much more…"

Jason activated the detonation. Fragment of purple wood flew in all directions, a literal wave pushing against the walls. The Joker disappeared from view.

Which never was a good thing, ever after such a blow. Jason stayed on guard.

A white hand grabbed the beam he was standing on. Jason aimed his guns, waiting for the Joker to emerge. So he did – and the leg which had been closer to the helmet was in tatter, horribly so.

Jason smirked.

"Oooh, this smile… I know you!" the Joker realized, no pain distinguishable in his voice or general behavior. Then his eyes widened. "You're the one I killed!" Then he laughed. "The useless one."

As if Jason would fall for such a blatant provocation. In the past, he might have. Would have. But not anymore. Who cared what the clown ranted about? The only important thing was to put him down so he wouldn't kill or cripple anyone else.

Then the Joker opened his arms wide, cackling.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Isn't this why you came all the way back to the grave?"

"Once again, not the protagonist, Jack."

"Yet it looks like I am! Look at you, all ready to pull the trigger. I'm so proud."

Jason gritted his teeth, yet didn't shot. Something was off. Not the clown's ranting – once again, who cared? – but… his satisfaction seemed genuine. He looked glad, jubilant even.

"I've created you", the Joker kept going. "Made you anew, better than before! You're kind of our kid, mine and the Bat's. Do I get to be the mom?" He giggled some more.

He wasn't coming closer. He stood there, an easy target, making himself more and more irritating.

He wanted Jason to shot him. Wanted to be killed.

Wanted to be found by Batman later on, for him to realize his son had killed his nemesis. Something that would never be undone, never forgotten.

Fuck. Fuck.

This was the Joker's whole point. He lived to taint people around him, to twist them at his image. How many times hadn't Jason heard him tease Batman into doing something unforgivable? And now he was doing the same with him. He wanted to push them over the edge.

If they listened to him, they'd lose the game. Not that it was a game – contrarily to what Bruce might think, Jason was very aware of that.

If Jason did his bidding, he'd become like him.

And if Bruce had, when the Joker had provoked him by killing his own child, he would have been the one becoming a monster.

Jason shuddered. Then he lowered his guns.

And punched the Joker in the face.

sososo

When Barbara arrived at the scene, everything was done. She found Bruce at the top of the building, staring at what she first thought to be a corpse tied to a metallic pike at the top of the building, a black hat on its head. But no – the Joker was breathing. He was alive.

The wave of relief hit her so hard she felt her knees give way for half a second. She pulled herself together quickly enough. With some luck, Bruce hadn't noticed.

"Are you alright?"

Damn him.

"Fine", she snapped. "When did you arrive? Did you see anything?"

"No."

This, this was why she hated working with him. She stared at him pointedly. He ignored her. She counted to forty-seven, backwards, then put a hand on his shoulder. That caught him by surprise. Good.

"He didn't kill him."

"He didn't", Bruce confirmed, solemn.

She smiled. After a second of hesitation, so did he.

Situation defused. Now, it was time for her to head back, because right now she wasn't at the place she should be. She glanced at the unconscious form of the Joker. Pity. She wished she'd had the opportunity to punch him in the face at least once in her last day as Batgirl. He looked pretty battered already, though, his face barely recognizable among the contusions and the cuts. Jason had done a good job of it.

"I'll let you handle this", she said, "and warn Nightwing the alert has been cleared."

"He should stay with Robin a bit longer. Just in case."

This time, he sounded like a worrying dad. He had to be exhausted for emotion to be so obvious in his voice. Maybe she'd been a bit too hard on him lately.

She turned, ready to go, when he stopped her.

"Please take care of him."

She blinked, then blushed, then cursed herself because, damn, not in front of Batman! He gave her some time to compose herself.

"I will."

He nodded. She climbed down the building, wishing she still had the bike she'd used back in the times. Red Hood's current hideout was not exactly next door and her arms were starting to hurt from grappling. She was a bit out of shape, in the end.

She didn't intend to make the whole trip for nothing, so she activated her com link.

"Red? You there?"

"Hello, gorgeous." His voice was rougher than usual. It had been a difficult day for everyone. "Didn't you find my wrapped gift?"

"I did. B. is taking care of it."

"Yeah, good."

Maybe this wasn't a good time. Maybe she should head back home instead. It had been a difficult day. Jason's triggers had certainly been pulled on. He needed quiet, time to rest, to go back to himself.

She needed to see him.

"Where are you?"

"Don't you have eyes on me?" he asked. "Wait. I'm hearing wind. You're not at your desk. Don't tell me…"

"You worried me sick, you idiot! Where are you?"

"Went back to the safe house. Do you want me to meet you half way?"

"Did you just call me a damsel in distress?"

He laughed, a bit tiredly, but still. Perhaps he was getting over it. God, please, make it that he was getting over all this.

"I would never dare", he said.

The rest of the journey felt like nothing at all. It still took her half an hour to reach his place. He had deactivated the security, allowing her to slip in through the opened window. When he saw her, he froze. Then blushed.

She couldn't help but to grin. Apparently, she still wore the suit well.

"I didn't expect", he started, before clearing his throat, "I mean. Hi, Batgirl."

"Don't get your hopes up, this was a one-time thing. Someone was in big trouble and I didn't want to come around in civilian clothes."

He shamelessly stared at her legs, then waist, then quickly back to her face before she could scold him. She still frowned. He cast her his most seductive grin which was – seductive alright. That jaw, damnit.

"Close your mouth, you're drooling", she commented. "And if you ever look at me like that again, well, I hope you aren't too attached to that nose?"

"Why, wanna bite it off?"

She glared.

"If you keep going I just might, birdboy."

He grinned again, this time casually handsome. She cursed internally. This was unfair. But she wasn't one to avoid challenges. She raised her eyebrow.

"So. How are you feeling?"

He breathed out, nervousness bubbling up on the surface of his control.

"Weird."

She rolled her eyes. Batboys.

"Define 'weird'."

"You were right, okay?" He said, starting to pace. "It wouldn't have helped to end him. So I didn't. Aren't you happy?"

"Yes. I am", she whispered.

He looked back at her, deflating. He seemed lost again, without his anger, all his self-assurance gone. He had been a man on a mission – and now he realized it had been a dead end.

"This doesn't mean it's true for all of them, you know", he tried, his jaw set. "Some of them deserve to die."

"More than the Joker does?"

He closed his eyes, painfully.

"No one deserves it more than he does."

She nodded. Then, out of the blue, declared:

"I'm going to become a cop."

His eyes opened wide.

"What?"

"You made me realize something." She smiled. "Twice, I guess. I stopped being Batgirl also because of what happened to you, you know? Not just because of my father. And now, I think even Oracle isn't enough. We need people on the side of the law as well."

"'Helping one specific person'. Is that it?"

She shrugged.

"Not just that. We need structural change, and that cannot happen if we all stuck to the shadows. How much being adopted by Bruce changed your life, Jason? And I don't mean because he was Batman."

His lips twitched, forming a bitter smirk.

"You know what I mean", she pushed. "The Martha Wayne Foundation gets kids out of the streets every year. Helps them to get over their issues. Finds them real homes."

"I know. They do a great job", he admitted.

"A crucial one."

He shook his head. She crossed the few feet between them to put a hand on his shoulder.

"Just think about it. And it doesn't mean you have to stop being the Red Hood."

"The Red Hood works for the mob and runs his own side of things", Jason protested. "A guy like that has nothing to do around kids."

"Well then maybe it's time to stop being anything else but the Red Hood then. That you start being Jason again."

He looked away. She squeezed his shoulder. His eyes came back to hers. They were greener than before, she noted scientifically. She would have to update his file.

He wasn't turning away. She suddenly became very aware of his body next to hers. He looked transfixed, maybe hoping for this to be real, hoping for something to drag him away from the mission, hoping for life. She put her other hand on his arm – and stopped him.

"I'm sorry. I don't do that on the first date."

He flinched, trying to step away. She didn't let him. She smiled.

"But second date can be tomorrow. If you're interested."

"Who wouldn't be?" he gasped, staring at her.

She waited. Waited some more. Then nudged at him.

"Am I supposed to take that as a yes, birdboy? If so, you'll have to learn how to say nice words to your girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" he squealed.

She crossed her arms, staring. He swallowed.

"Girlfriend. Christ."

"You're not accepting only not to contradict me, are you?" she joked.

"Of course not!"

"Nor to annoy Dick?"

He paused thoughtfully. She slapped his arm. He smiled.

"Not even for that. Though it's a good argument in favor."

"Moron."

"If you didn't love dicks, you wouldn't be around."

She whacked him.

"No. Dick. Jokes. That's a rule. I'll add more as we go."

"Yes ma'am."

She turned away, heading back to the window. Both of them had had much than enough emotions for the day. She felt like she would burst from joy or start shaking with worry any minute now. Better get some air.

She still tilted her head at him while striding over the window border.

"And yes. Of course I do love you. Moron."

She had left for almost two minutes when she heard his answer in the com'.

"Yeah… me too."

sososo

Note: Alright so, that was the last chapter! Just the epilogue left.

I hope you enjoyed the story! It turned out more Jason-centric and less of a romance than I first intended, but well, I still like the feeling of it :)

I hope Jason's evolution in this last chapter is believable. I feel strongly that he does care about his family (despite all his problems with Bruce), but that, exactly like Bruce, for him the mission comes first. And his mission involves killing people because he thinks that's how things will work. He wouldn't abandon his mission for the sake of his family - so he had to have a reason to change his mind about killing.

Anyway, thanks for reading! XD

sososo

Answers to anonymous reviews on the previous chapter! :)

Nightwingsass: yay! Story still good at second reading is always a success ;) The evolution between Jason and Babs was pretty hard to write, but it was also fun, all the banter. Dick and Bruce scene were awfully hard to because Jason and them just don't manage to communicate.

As for Tim, Jason doesn't hate him – just the idea of him. So once he actually meets him, well… It's alright, in the end. (He still did try to kill him earlier XD)

Of course Jim knows about Babs. And Dick. And Bruce; I mean, he's a good detective.

Glad you liked the clues! I was all like "alright, now, the Joker. What the hell is he going to do? T_T", so… XD

Hope you'll like the new chapter and happy new year! :)

smileymaniac: Each time. Each time, you're making my day and I have to fight back a grin at the office while reading your reviews XD so many feels. Thank you.

Thank you also for your correction – I had actually never realized I had the word wrong v_v It's really aggravating; I hate to misspell and I'm bitch about spelling mistakes in my native language so I hate leaving those around in English too.

Tim is a precious stalker child and we love him. And Jason loves in too now, no doubt here. I also have to point out that the skateboard thing is absolutely canon.

Barbara… She was broken by what happened to her father. Much more so than when it happened to her, in the comics timeline, because I feel she would have broken more with Jim, Jim who was always so strong, always her hero, down. But she's a good person at heart. She just needed to remember that :)

I just love Jim Gordon, as you might have noticed :D

And Jason (as well as Dick by the way) are very good detectives. They just happen to live next to Bruce, Barbara and Tim who are even better. But it's like saying "Jupiter is bigger than the Earth". The Earth is still pretty bigger than Belgium. I don't know if I make sense XD

Glad you liked the chapter, and the whole thing with the Joker… Which obviously I had to cut down in two, because, cliffhangers are a writer's life. (We're like cat, we own several, because, heart attack and feels)

And Jason definitively has too many feels. If he didn't care about the victims so much, he would have the same cold logic as Bruce and wouldn't feel the need to kill.

Or maybe that's just me who see him that way :)

Once again, thank you for the reviews! :D