Bout time I wrote about superheroes like the superhero fanfic this is.

I do not own Batman.

Nascent

Chapter Twenty One:

Happiness

"I'll be the one who stays till the end,

And I'll be the one needs you again,

And I'll be the one that proposes,

In a garden of roses."

"I knew I shouldn't have brought you."

"Yeah, well, it's a little late for regrets, don't you think?"

The loud echo of a bullet pinged off the wall beside her and Pandora flinched. She let out a choked squawk when Jason roughly shoved her head down, dropping an empty cartridge and shoving a new one into his gun. Several men in tight suits—mobsters, Jason had spat with amusement—were tucked into corners across the building they'd slipped into. The large, deserted rooms and dusty chandeliers promised the possibility of an old ballroom, perhaps a convention center of sorts.

Dust assaulted Pandora's nose and she held back a sneeze, slapping a hand over her mouth as she pressed herself to the wall and made herself as small of a target as possible. Jason still had one gloved hand on top of her head, ready to shove her in whichever direction at a moment's notice. Even though he can just tell me to move like a normal person.

It wasn't their fault, really. Jason had been humoring Pandora as he had been as of late—even though she liked to think it was more out of fondness than boredom—and the two of them were supposed to check out this cool spot some old friends from elementary school had showed her the other day off by the docks. Rocks were etched in spray painted murals of heroes and villains and she figured Jason might like catching a glimpse of something like that. And there was supposed to be a killer taco stand so how could anyone refuse?

Of course, maybe it was less Pandora's fault and more the fact that she needed to remember just who Jason Todd was and the life he lived outside her glimpses of a rugged man living his life the way he felt pleased him.

Or, in other words, a group of mobsters had been hiding out around the corner trying to complete a drug dealing by the bayside where the abandoned convention center they were currently holed up in was and Jason had watched it for a while before casually pulling out gun from the waistband of his pants—"Do you always have that on you when we hang out?" Jason had shoved her into a corner. "You want to have your head blown off without a chance to fight back?"—and saying he'd be right back while tugging on his mask.

This is the first time. Pandora realized quietly, peeking up through dust on her eyelashes and Jason's heavy hand. The sleek curve of metal on the red mask shielded his face from view, the skin-tight black turtleneck he'd been wearing tugging up above his Adam's apple. His leather jacket was pulled taught over his shoulders, as he waited, Pandora unable to follow where his eyes were looking as the gunshots quieted for a moment. I've ever seen him in action.

"Jay's not really... one of us." Dick had said once when Pandora had asked, swinging around in the large chair at the center of the Bat Cave while Damian had been looking for his sparring gear. "He's... He's just different."

Not a hero. Damian had sneered, but there wasn't any malice in his voice and instead something akin to grudging respect—a feat in itself considering it was Damian Wayne of all people.

A mobster darted out and Jason cocked his gun, pulling the trigger without even a second glance her way.

They hadn't said not a villain.

The man went down with a garbled cry, clutching his now bleeding shoulder as his gun clattered to the floor. Another man lunged toward a corner stop and Jason took careful aim, waiting a second before he fired off and Pandora flinched when the body hit the ground and she found herself unable to move until she saw his arm move in an attempt to stand.

We need to get out of here. Pandora quickly scanned the broken down room before her, eyes searching wildly while Jason kept his shoot off with the remaining mobsters.

The drugs they'd been trying to transport were now halfway toward the bottom of the dark river that ran along Gotham's bayside. The black suits didn't give away who they could've been working for, but it didn't seem to bother Jason in the slightest.

Pandora's eyes settled on a crooked door, hanging off rusted hinges and she followed the broken wall—there. "Jason."

"Busy, sweetheart," Jason responded flatly, chuckling when a bullet struck a particular spot and a mobster fell to the floor in tears, clutching his now bleeding groin. "Give me about ten minutes to clean this up—"

"We're sitting ducks here," Pandora whispered back furiously, tugging at his pant leg and Jason spared her a glance—well, she thought he did but she couldn't tell with that mask of his. "They can circle around the corner over there and aim. If we follow the wall we can make it past that door and they can either follow or run."

Jason paused in the middle of reloading his gun, cocking his head before he pointed the barrel at her as casually as pointing his own finger. "Well, would you look at that? Someone's thinking like a hero."

Pandora carefully pushed the barrel of his gun away with a finger. She trusted him but it didn't mean the sight of it didn't freak her out. "Helps when you've got someone like Dam training you."

"You aiming to be his little assassin queen?" Jason snickered, firing off a few more rounds and before Pandora could reply he was hauling her up onto her feet, shoving her in front of him. "Let's move—and for fuck's sake keep your head down. Last thing I need is Baby Bats on a war path because I got you killed."

"You're not going to get me killed," Pandora quipped back, running in front of him and being mindful to keep her face hidden in the shadows.

Jason's steps didn't falter behind her, but for a moment he was silent. Pandora was tempted to sneak a glance back to see his expression—but he's got that damn mask on. Footsteps thundered after them and she imagined a wolfish grin curling over Jason's lips. "Not bad, sweetheart."

Pandora quickly scanned the empty hallway in front of them. Pieces of the ceiling above them were missing, revealing vats of what looked to be months old rain water and muck hanging precariously above their heads. Her eyes landed on an empty ballroom and she tugged Jason's sleeve. He shoved her back, his signal to go ahead and she quickly skirted along the wall, ducking inside.

Metal beams hung across rusted wires. Large, shattered windows lined the wall along the far corners and allowed the low moonlight to trickle through. A dusty, beaten piano sat pressed to one corner and a broken podium stood against the side of the wall. Pandora's foot nearly caught on something and she held back a squeak of surprise, glancing down to the metal pipe at her feet and she took a step back.

"There he is! Go for the legs!" Someone snarled, gunshots firing off like sharp cracks in the air. Pandora flinched at the sound, fear coursing through her veins for a brief moment before calmer shots pounded out after them. "If we can take Red Hood down, we're getting a raise boys!"

"Wow, haven't heard people like that in a while," Jason mused, voice echoing down the hallway and Pandora pressed herself to the wall beside the door she'd slipped through.

There was a jagged crack a few feet from her that opened up to the hallway, broken wooden boards and dry wall chipping off the corners. "You guys just regular thugs or you guys grande thugs?"

"Fuck you!" Another snapped. "Bastard—you're dead meat! No one's going to recognize you when they find what's left."

There was a bout of silence and then a strangled scream. Pandora froze, blood turning to ice in her veins as she swallowed. The rough shlick of a knife being pulled free and the soft drip drip of liquid hitting the floor.

"Oh, don't worry," Jason began darkly, voice teasing and taunting but there was a weight to his words that made Pandora shudder. "I know exactly what that looks like."

Someone screamed in pain and another man shouted. A sharp crack filled the air and Pandora pressed a hand to her mouth, feeling bile rise in the back of her throat. "And you can't do it with guns."

Her heart pounded pitifully against her chest, loud in her ears and she forced it to still because Pandora, freaking out will do nothing for you right now you need to calm down.

Pandora thought about the hundreds of people who were victims at the hands of villains every day and how they got up every morning. She pictured that night in the alleyway and grimy hands digging into hair. The fear that had coursed through her veins and the difference between that moment and now.

She thought about Damian's back, broad and heavy and the scars that lined his skin. She thought about each one in detail and how he kept putting that cape back on because it was what he was meant to do. Save lives.

Pandora thought about the blue that swirled in Jason's eyes behind that blood red mask and crumbs on the corner of his mouth.

"He's just different."

Glass crunched under someone's foot and Pandora froze, eyes flickering to the side where one mobster was creeping by the gaping hole in the wall, hidden by an array of beams as Jason strode down the opposite hall. The familiar click of him reloading his gun and Pandora stilled as the mobster creeping along the wall took aim.

Pandora felt cool metal touch her fingertips.

"Get out of here."

In a series of clicks in her mind she imagined Damian's arms, firm and reliable as they flexed and swung the heavy katana in an arch. The mobster's eyes met her for the briefest of seconds as she swung the metal pipe around in a similar swing, foot sliding along the dusty floor from the weight of it but all that mattered was—

Thud.

Eyes rolled into the back of his head and the mobster slumped against the wall, gun slipping from his grasp. Pandora panted, eyes dizzy with disbelief and common sense slapped her across the face as she hurriedly kicked his gun into the far corner of the room. Pandora backpedaled, fumbling along the wall for a grip when she snatched fabric and her heart lurched, whirling around with the metal pipe tight in her grasp.

"Easy there, sweetheart," Jason's voice flooded her mind and Pandora stiffened, chest heaving and shoulders rising as a blood red mask met her gaze. "You wouldn't want to bash the brains out of your ride home."

"Jason," Pandora stumbled over his name, letting it tether her to the ground. "Jason."

"That's me, you've got it," Jason agreed slowly. His gloved fingers calmly inched their way along the metal pipe until they closed over her hand. "Just me."

"I-I hit him." Pandora whispered.

"Nice hit too," Jason mused idly, his fingers gently wrapping over hers and slowly prying the metal pipe from her grip. "It's going to bruise real pretty, that one."

"They were shooting at us."

"That's what murders do," Jason shrugged. "You ain't one, so don't worry your pretty little head."

"I-I thought he might get you."

"Might've nicked me but wouldn't have killed me. I had my eye on him too." Jason's free hand pocketed his gun back into the waistband of his pants and he reached over, gripping her elbow to lower her other arm to her side. "You hurt anywhere?"

"No—no. I'm okay."

"Good."

The loud clang of the pipe against the floor caused Pandora to jump, hands quickly latching onto his arms and Jason hummed, low and muffled behind his mask but the familiar tune whispered by her ears and she focused on breathing. "There you go, that's it. A little rough around the edges but maybe you could make something out of this, yeah?"

Pandora felt a shaky laugh bubble past her lips, disbelieving and a little frantic and Jason's rough hum still filled the room when he wasn't talking, one hand still steadying her arm while the other searched through a pocket. "No, I'm—I'm not cut out for this stuff. Can't—Jason I think I'm going to be sick."

"No, you're not," Jason said as easily as though he had told her to breathe. "You're going to be just fine."

His fingers were rubbing soothing circles along her arm—distracting circles, Pandora realized grimly. He clicked a bright red button and tossed it to the floor at the feet of the unconscious mobster. Pandora's eyes flickered to it for a second and then Jason was carefully tugging her along, leading her through the wreckage and toward one of the broken windows to make their escape. "That'll get the cops here to clean this mess up. Time to book it, sweetheart."

"If Dam ever finds out he's going to kill me."

Jason snorted at that, carefully keeping a tight grip on her elbow and pushing her along ahead of him. "Not till he gets my head first."

Pandora's brows furrowed. "He wouldn't kill you."

"He can't kill me," Jason corrected with a touch of a sneer. The warmth of his chest at her back reminded her where she was and Pandora's eyes strayed to the side, settling on the broken piano in the corner and a thought suddenly struck her frenzied mind.

"You've never heard me before."

"What?" Jason questioned gruffly, herding her along ahead of him. "Don't start getting loopy on me now—"

"Piano." Pandora said softly and Jason paused for a brief moment behind her. "You've never heard me play before, have you?"

He made a thoughtful noise and then carefully guided her past the rubble and wreckage, over broken glass shards and toward one of the gaping windows. "Guess not."

Pandora stopped for a second before the window. Jason grunted behind her and she glanced back to gaze quietly at his mask. "Would you like to?"

A firm hand, warm and real at her back nudged her forward. "Better make it worth my time."

A wide smile split Pandora's face despite herself and Jason clicked his tongue.

And the vat of rain water and muck above them decided that moment to finally teeter over from all the excitement and come crashing down in a dark, muddled wave on top of them.

"There's three more to the west building—"

Heavy combat boots slammed into the side of one shadowed man's head. The other two quickly drew their weapons and before they could strike, the blunt end of a katana crashed into the stomachs, a rough grunt from the caped teen before them sending them backwards over the railing and they fell down upon the cargo crates below. Wood splintering and crashing with a resounding echo.

"Or not," Garfield shapeshifted into his human form, peeking over the edge of the rooftop before glancing back to a huffing Damian.

Robin's head was swinging around, surveying the loading docks for any other sign of the masked criminals they'd been up against as of late. Garfield switched into a hawk and coasted down, snatching one of the sleek masks curved over the goon's face and bringing it back up to drop before his teammates. "Same creepy cult guys."

"This time it's drugs," Kori rubbed smooth fingers through her hair with a sigh. "We keep getting leads and the next thing we know it's for another business—how many hands do they have?"

"More than us," Jaime grumbled, crossing his arms over his armor. "We're spread thin enough as it is. It's just one bust after the next."

"There's clearly something that we're missing," Damian said flatly. He stalked up to the mask and swiped it from Garfield's outstretched hand. "I've already looked over all your previously gathered data. You had believed this had been the work of the Brotherhood of Evil—"

"And it still might," Kori added.

"But these goons," Damian tossed the mask aside and Gar swiped it from hitting the floor. "Are clearly trained. Well. If their range is shifting from drug dealings to kidnappings and the like, then that clearly means we have multiple players on the board."

Damian scowled, roughly sheathing his katana. Raven appeared over the side of the building, several unconscious thugs in a shadowy grip as she deposited them on the floor.

"You seem moodier than usual," Raven calmly summed up, pulling back her hood as she settled onto her feet like the rest of them.

Garfield kept his mouth shut, glancing slyly away while Jaime grimaced. Damian sneered, shooting Raven an unimpressed look. "That's rich coming from you."

Raven didn't look the least bit bothered, merely raising her shoulders in a casual shrug. "I'm just calling it as I see it."

"Well," Bart began cheerfully, practically vibrating on spot. "We passed by a delicious looking ice cream parlor earlier and I think this early mission calls for a celebration!"

"Down," Cyborg called as he hauled himself over the rooftop. "I'm always down for ice cream."

"After we bring back the data on this mission," Kori added mindfully. "Then I don't see why not."

Gar let out a hoot, shifting into an owl as he flapped his green wings beside a grinning Bart. Raven was silent and Damian scowled, crossing his arms over his chest. "I will be headed back to the tower. No wonder this mission hasn't been wrapped up at that pace you lot are going."

"Oh, come on," Garfield protested. "You've been here for a few weeks now too—it's obvious that there just isn't enough information for us to do anything about it right now but beat the bad guys up!"

Raven's quiet eyes slid over to where Damian's scowl deepened. A thoughtful look flickered over her face. "Is something bothering you?"

"What are you talking about?" Damian said coldly, arching a brow above his mask and Raven blinked slowly.

"The air around you seems irritated," Raven said simply. "But I feel like you don't know why."

"I don't," Damian snapped, but Raven arched a brow in turn and the rest of his teammates shot him startled glances at his surprising honesty. "Something is annoying me and I'm willing to bet it's this fool hardy mission."

Raven looked thoughtful. "Perhaps."

"Well, I know what can cure that," Bart chirped. "Ice cream!"

Damian scoffed, remaining in place for a moment before he shuffled through one of his belt pockets. His team watched in silence as he pulled out a sleek black communicator, his own standard edition that resembled Red Robin's. His gloved fingers shifted deftly over a holographic screen, pausing briefly. When it seemed he didn't find what he wanted his scowl deepened and he shoved the communicator back in.

Damian paused, glancing up to the rest of his team. "What?"

"Just..." Jaime shrugged. "Think you can use some ice cream, hermano."

Damian turned roughly on his heel and Kori deflated slightly. Raven didn't look bothered, gathering up the rest of the goons with Cyborg's help.

"Did they have chocolate?"

"Let me check," Bart disappeared and then reappeared. "Best double chocolate chunk ice cream in town!"

"We'll see about that," Damian said curtly and Gar grinned.

Pandora sneezed.

Water dribbled down the side of her neck from her dripping locks. Pandora absently toweled them off, staring hard at the bundle of clothes that had been left for her outside the door to the restroom.

After a soaking, curse filled ride back to Jason's apartment—since it was closer and he refused to go out of his way to drop her off when they were dripping in "shit water"—she was to spend the night at his place. Pandora pushed her dripping hair back and curved a towel around it, stepping into the smallest pair of boxers Jason had, which weren't very small at all, and tugging a loose t-shirt over her head. Of course, he'd called his own shower first and left her to her own devices in his apartment—Pandora had spent most of that time just sitting crouched by the front door because she didn't want to make a mess, before he'd stepped out in nothing but sweatpants and steam rolling off his skin, tossing a towel in her face and stalking off.

She could her the quiet murmur of the television from his living room. Pandora absently played with the too large shirt and brought the collar up to her face, the faint smell of cigarettes and cologne.

Well, mobsters and shit water aside. Pandora folded her dirty clothes and bundled them up in her used towel, tucking it under her arm as she padded out of the bathroom. This isn't the worst night.

She chided her heart to be still and glanced around the hallway, all the lights dimmed down and only the multicolored glow of the television lighting her way.

It seems lonelier at night. Pandora drifted a hand along the wall, coming to a halt at the entrance of the living room.

Jason had his head propped up on the armrest of the sofa, his body spread out haphazardly along the rest of it with his feet propped up on a pillow. His arms were crossed over his chest, eyes screwed shut as his chest rose and fell softly. Still slightly damp black locks were plastered to the sides of his face, white tuft sticking out stubbornly amidst it all.

I guess I should be honored that he can fall asleep with me here. Pandora took soft steps closer toward him, unable to resist getting a closer look. Must have left the bed for me.

You softie. She didn't want to be a bother, but with all they'd been through tonight it only seemed fair that he should sleep in his own bed. Pandora set down the bundle of clothes and leaned over, fingers hesitating above his head before it reached toward his shoulder.

"Jason—"

A hand shot out and Pandora felt her heart lurch into her throat. A choked gasp left her lips and suddenly large fingers were closing tight around her throat, shoving her backwards and the back of her knees hit the coffee table. Pandora hacked, struggling to breathe as Jason's eyes flashed vibrant in the darkness and snapped around his apartment wildly. "J-J-Jason."

His fingers closed tighter and Pandora wheezed, legs kicking uselessly at his abdomen as he shoved her into the coffee table. His eyes were wild, frenzied and glazed over as his other hand shoved her head into the table. Pandora beat at his arms, trying to catch his eyes as she felt air slip from her lungs and her vision grow hazy. "J-Jason..."

Pandora froze, stilling all her motions when she saw the fierce trembling of his shoulders, The desperate way he gripped her throat so that it wouldn't be his own instead—the wild look in his eyes, burning and violent and desperate because—

I don't know.

Weak, trembling fingers gently rubbed at his arms. Tears gathered in Pandora's eyes and she sucked in a ragged breath, Jason stilling above her as she croaked out a soft, "'s okay... Jay... you're... okay."

The grip around her throat slowly started to loosen and Pandora made a small noise. "You're... here... you're not... there."

It'd all happened in a span of minutes—each precious second ticking by like endless hours and then suddenly just like that, Jason's eyes were clearing. Sharp sea glass no longer muddled and frenzied. His fingers released her throat and Pandora sucked in a fierce breath, rolling over onto her side and coughing roughly as she wheezed.

Jason staggered back, eyes darting from side to side before they settled on her and he froze. "Pan—"

Sweet air filled her lungs and Pandora blinked aside tears, chest heaving as she sucked in greedy gulps of air and wearily turned over her shoulder to look at him.

Jason was frozen in place, sweat dribbling down the side of his brow and his chest rose and fell as roughly as hers did. His hands shook for a moment and then he clutched them tight into fists, eyes lowering to the floor as his shoulders went rigid and he turned on his heel.

No. "Sorry," Pandora whispered weakly and Jason stilled. "Sorry... Jay..."

I'm sorry I don't know you. I'm sorry I don't know your past. I'm sorry you're not able to tell me yet.

I'm sorry I couldn't help you.

Jason collapsed back into his couch, hanging his head and Pandora let herself relax against the coffee table, focusing on calming her racing heart and her spinning head.

"Sorry," Jason rasped, pressing a hand to his head and she couldn't see his expression.

Pandora hesitated before propping herself up on one arm, reaching out with tentative fingers and setting them on his knee.

"...You're okay." Pandora said softly.

The kind of life you've lived all this time. Pandora shut her eyes and breathed, in and out, in and out. Everything you've been through.

Her eyes opened slowly, taking in the sight of the hunched over man in front of her and her fingers twitched. I know so little about you.

Her heart suddenly hurt so much more than the angry red marks bruising around her neck.

"You sure you're gonna be okay meeting him on your own?"

Pandora smiled absently at the text message, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she waited at one of the tables stationed outside the café. A steaming cup of tea wafted in front of her and she tugged the collar of her turtleneck up a little higher.

"I'll be fine." She typed back, sending Colin a smiling emoji for good measure. "Sorry I had to blow you off today tho. It was the only time he was free."

"All good in the hood." Colin responded. "Make it up to me with ice cream."

"Deal."

She'd been meeting to catch up with the flaming haired teen. With Damian away for a while, they'd both decided it didn't mean they couldn't hang out in the meantime. Colin had said there was someone she'd probably be interested in meeting that Damian had failed to introduce her too, which usually meant it was another teenaged superhero she didn't know about. Well, or maybe she did know but not know-know.

"He's not secretly out to get your or something, right?" Colin added. "Not trying to be the sole heir to this huge fortune."

"He's not like that." Pandora responded easily, believing it from the very bottom of her heart. "He takes after our dad."

"I hope so."

Pandora pulled up the meme she'd saved of duck with its bills wide open and snapping at nothing, sending it to him. A laughing emoji was sent back and Pandora smiled. "I'll let you know how it goes."

"You bettah!"

Pandora set her phone down and brought the cup of tea to her lips, blowing softly as her eyes idly scanned the crowd for any sign of her half-brother. He'd finally gotten back to her after a week and after apologizing, said they could meet in front of the café a little ways down from their neighborhood to catch up. There's so much to talk about, I don't even know where to begin.

The tea burned a little at her lips and she swallowed, throat still a little raw. It'd been a rough week and the only highlights were her catch up with Colin coming up, her meeting with her brother, and the fact that despite the events of what happened several nights ago, Jason wasn't avoiding her.

That'd been Pandora's biggest fear. She didn't know what she'd do if he decided that after what had transpired he shouldn't see her again. But they did. Despite the tired look to his eyes and the rougher way he carried himself, careful and unsettled.

Once these go away, I'm sure it'll be better. Pandora rubbed at her neck gingerly, fingering the dark bruises she knew were tucked beneath her turtleneck. One step at a time.

She glanced to the side where the sun was high in the sky and a small smile tugged at her lips. Things will get better.

"It's always the worst before it gets better." Her mother always said. Pandora wanted to hope this was the worst of it.

"I knew it."

Pandora froze.

Every atom, every bit of her being slowed to a screeching, frigid halt. Her eyes were wide, staring shakily at the mug on the table in front of her. Pandora's chest hammered in her heart, rapid and threatening to burst as her pulse pounded in her ears and she heard nothing else but that voice. That voice. That familiar, cold, chilling voice that—

Pandora didn't even realize how badly her entire body had been shaking until a bit of her tea spilled over onto the table in front of her. Pandora went still, unable to control the ferocity of trembling as she shakily turned her eyes upwards, ice in her veins and everything inside her screaming to leave.

Wispy blonde hair, near white in color was pinned back into a professional bun. Her clothes were impeccable as always, finely tailored and fitting her slender frame like a second skin. Pandora's mouth went dry and she moved past the pale skin and the glittering diamond necklace and met the cold, searing gaze of bright blue irises a shade deeper than her own.

Damian.

A careful, tight lipped sneer tugged down on her lips and Pandora felt her heart stutter weakly in her chest.

Mama.

"I read his messages," she hissed, poison in every syllable and Pandora couldn't do anything else but tremble because she was weak, weak, weak. Why am I so weak? "You really believed I wouldn't know if I ever caught a whiff of you two coming back?"

"W-W-Wrong," Pandora stuttered, words barely tumbling past her lips. "I-I-I just, just w-wanted to—"

"Stay," she breathed and Pandora's eyes went wide, her face turning a deathly shade of pale as the woman in front of her carefully lifted Pandora's mug of tea. "Away."

Run.

Run. Run. Run.

JUST RUN.

"From."

"That woman isn't sane! Look what she did to our daughter!"

A porcelain vase flashed in Pandora's mind and her scar burned.

"Papa?"

"Get out of my house."

"Are you an idiot?" she heard Damian's quiet voice by her ear. "Why aren't you doing anything?"

Because I'm weak, Dam. Pandora thought hopelessly. I'm so, so weak.

"My family."

Scalding liquid and the scent of apple green tea washed over her.

"Something's bothering you again."

Damian scowled, looking from where he'd been watching his phone screen and turning his sharp eyes toward the left side of the hall.

Raven was fixing him with a contemplative look, relaxed and perfectly at ease standing halfway through her doorway. Damian regarded her for a moment, turned back to his screen and scoffed. "I didn't realize you could read minds as well."

"Just a hunch," Raven said instead, slipping back into her room with a sweep of her cloak. "Let me know if you need anything."

Damian opened his mouth to fix her with a curt response, but the door to her room slid shut and his scowl deepened. I don't need your help over something like this. Damian shoved his phone into his pocket and sighed, proceeding down the hallway toward the training deck. That's what he needed. Living with this lot would dull his senses, he needed to stay sharp and on his toes so he could finish whatever it was they started.

There was a gnawing sense of unease brushing at his mind, but Damian kept it carefully filed away. He doubted the people he had in mind were really pulling the strings behind this whole thing. It was someone else. Someone who clearly knew he was going to be present here and wanted to make a point by sending assassins who fought with such clear tact.

Perhaps I can have Batcow and Titus flown over. Damian idly considered the possibility, the doors to his room swooshing open as he stepped inside. He figured Logan would have a field day getting along with them. And of course—

Damian halted his train of thought, refusing to reach for his phone and instead calmly smoothing his fingers over his black training pants.

Pandora hadn't contacted him since two days ago—which was two days too many. They'd made it a habit to update each other on the happenings of each day, even if they weren't able to call then they'd send a message. No matter how short or cryptic, something so that there was that lingering brush of presence. He'd understand if she got busy or if there was something she needed to do, but despite how mindless Pandora could be, he knew she would send a message that something had come up.

Damian had already checked her location and vitals—which she didn't need to know about—and had been satisfied to find that she was safe. He was aware it wasn't any ruse as well since he'd phoned Grayson and he'd responded amiably that Pandora had been over a few days ago to check up on Titus and chat with Alfred about something.

So why, Damian thought with a touch of bitterness. Haven't you contacted me?

At this rate, if she didn't say anything within the next few days he'd be forced to do recon in the form of Colin or someone else at his disposal. Damian smoothly reached for one of the katanas propped up along a board and froze when a soft vibration filled his pocket.

Within seconds he dropped the blade and reached for his phone, trying and failing to pull up the notification as regally as possible. Damian's eyes locked on the name and he quickly slid the answer button to the side, clearing his throat and straightening his back. "Well. Someone seemed to be preoccupied—"

"Damian."

Damian went rigid, every muscle in his body fine-tuned to his every motion. His grip on his phone stilled and everything went quiet, the only sound the soft, choked breathing on the other side.

"What's wrong?" Damian said quickly, moving swiftly into motion as he surged across his room.

A holographic screen appeared and he quickly typed in coordinates. Pandora's location appeared on the screen before him and he froze, recognizing her home and finding clear vitals despite the increased heartrate. "Pandora. Speak to me at once or—"

"Dam," Pandora sobbed from the other side and Damian's blood turned to ice. The last time he had heard her cry in such a fashion was on her birthday several years ago when—

"Pandora," Damian tried again, voice strained but coaxing. "Pandora. Speak to me. What is wrong?"

"I-I just," Pandora hiccupped, ragged sobs filling the other line and Damian nearly slammed a fist into the wall, chest rising and falling with his growing irritation because why wasn't he there when she needed him. Why did this have to happen now of all times—"God, I'm such an idiot. Dam. I'm so, so stupid. I thought, I thought maybe, it was all going so well—I'm such a coward!"

Damian inhaled and exhaled. "Pandora, while you may be a fool and faint of heart, the manner in which you are speaking of yourself is faulty. What happened—"

"I'm so stupid." Pandora continued to chant, sobbing and choking on the other line and Damian stilled when he heard something fall over. Rough noises were heard and then a tear. "I'm so stupid. I'm so stupid."

"Pandora." Damian's voice cut through like a knife. "Stop."

The other line when silent, nothing but ragged, choked breathing and Damian remained rooted to the spot, as though moving would suddenly send it all crashing down.

"Can you..." Pandora broke off and Damian made a low noise in his throat, encouraging. "D-Dam, can you... can you just... talk to me? I-I just—I need to hear your voice."

Words of such meaning should have warranted a mark in his book. Damian quietly closed his eyes and then slid them open, forcing down all the frustration and misdirected anger, forcing his rapid heart to settle and forcing his mind to focus on nothing else but the voice on the other side of his phone and the precious person waiting for him on the other side.

"I just need you here with me."

Something in the back of Damian's mind clicked.

"Our mission went well today," Damian began evenly. His voice was low, clear and loud enough, but it had the soft lilt to it he liked to use because he knew it always drew her attention back to him when he spoke that way, coaxing almost but barely hidden. "Four men were apprehended, petty jewelry thieves."

Pandora was silent on the other line, her breathing strained and the occasional sob still breaking through. Damian made purposeful strides out of his room and down the hall, taking him to one sole destination.

"They were trying to steal a handful of rubies—a foolish move, if you ask me. There was a beautiful shipment of diamonds scheduled for next week but they got anxious."

Damian didn't even need to knock. The door in front of him slid open, Raven waiting with furrowed brows on the other side, having already sensed his presence determined intent.

"Only you would say that," Pandora whispered weakly and Damian shut his eyes at the sound of her voice. Progress.

Raven arched a brow and Damian met her gaze. "Pandora, where are you right now?"

"M-My room... I'm okay enough, I promise."

That doesn't make me feel better in the slightest you idiot. Damian pressed speaker and Raven's expression went silent. "I just... hearing our voice makes it feel like you're here."

Understanding flickered through her eyes and Raven stepped aside. Damian slid into her room without a moment to waste and Raven drifted toward the center of her room, motioning for him to stay where he was as she rifled through a few things and then a book floated toward her. "I'm here, Pandora."

"I know," Pandora sobbed. "Thank you, Dam."

A strange sensation began to fill every fiber of his being. Damian forced himself to remain still as Raven began to chant in front of him, brows furrowed in deep concentration. He felt something begin to probe along the edges of his mind, a familiar feeling from before when they'd briefly connected—

Damian quickly shoved every memory of Pandora's room to the forefront of his mind. He presented it all in meticulous detail, from every paint stain and scattered music note. He thought about the location, the address, the exact coordinates and he thought about Pandora's face most of all, bright and shining but muddled with tears and nothing but a fierce determination in his chest that he needed to be there with her now.

Raven's eyes slid open, glowing a bright white and Damian felt his world shift into darkness.

Half-done bed sheets.

A bakery below.

The eternal smell of raw vanilla, soft and coaxing.

Music sheets everywhere.

You.

His entire form flickered. He couldn't feel the cool wooden floors beneath his feet but he knew they were there. Everything from his memories came to life in front of his eyes, minor details askew from things that had changed during his absence. Damian didn't even take a second to marvel at the strength of such magic and instead whirled around, eyes snapping to the hunched over figure on the floor in front of him.

Broken glass was shattered at her feet. Ripped up music notes and papers scattered across the room where things had been knocked over and shoved aside. Her entire body was shaking, shaking, shaking. Her hands clutched the phone in her hands as though it were the only thing keeping her rooted to the earth—a lifeline.

Tears streamed profusely down her cheeks, dripping down her chin and splattering along the floor. Her arms trembled and Pandora pressed the phone to her head, using her other hand to wipe roughly at her face as she choked on another sob, pure agony and pain on a face that never deserved to feel such emotions—that he never wanted to see on her.

There was a bandage on her forehead, another taped across the bridge of her nose and Damian went rigid at the slightly pink skin, mind surging into overdrive and he took a staggering step forward.

"Pandora."

Pandora froze in front of him. Her entire body went still and then her eyes shot up, red and puffy and swimming with tears and the phone in her hands clattered to the floor.

"...Dam?"

Without another word he was urging the projection of his form across her room. Pandora's eyes were blown as wide as her swollen eyelids would allow and in the corner of his vision he saw Raven moving aside, lips moving in a continued chant for him.

"Pandora—"

Before he needed to take another step she was surging toward him. Pandora's arms wrapped loosely around his form, nearly slipping through the projection until his form steadied and her fingers clutched desperately at his shirt. Pandora's sobs started anew, tears streaking down her face and Damian wrapped his arms as tightly as possible around her.

"You're here," Pandora sobbed, entire body shaking and Damian gripped her so hard he figured it would bruise later. "You're here. You're here. H-How? H-H-How—oh, Dam."

Damian shut his eyes, pressing his face into the crown of her hair and he held her tighter than he'd ever held anything before.

"I'm here."

So I know it's a really big cliff/crater/hole/bottomless pit we've got here with Jason, but on a happier note, I'm completely floored that you guys are over the moon with his characterization and character because I LOVE JASON TODD SO MUCH SO KNOWING THAT I'M DOING HIM JUSTICE AS A CHARACTER LITERALLY MAKES ME WANT TO SMASH MY HEAD INTO HIS COMICS MEANT IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE BECAUSE AH I LOVE YOU ALL.

On a side note to that note, the times to come regarding his place in this story are going to be turbulent from here on out, so brace yourselves. I'm purposely being cryptic because if I say anymore it'll give away some things, but Dam shippers and newly turned Jason lovers alike, just hold on. :)

ON ANOTHER NOTE, NEXT CHAPTER IS THE LONG AWAITED BACKGROUND CHAPTER. QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED. THE TOUCHING SCENE I HAD TO CUT OFF AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER WILL BE COTNINUED. HEARTS MAY BE BROKEN. AND POOR COLIN WILL HOPEFULLY GET HIS ICE CREAM SOON ENOUGH.

I've been asked if any other superheroes will be slipped in and I promise they will! Next chapter will get a few cameos and the rest will make their presence soon enough. Love Cassandra so... ;)

Repeatedly, over and over again, a thousand times over, thank you all so much for this endless and continuous support. I look back through each review to see how much of questions I can answer and I'm sorry I don't take the time to respond to each one, but I hope you all know I take my time reading each one and each of your reviews and notifications have me smiling for days because the love for this story, its characters, and just everything is amazing and it almost matches how much I love all of you because you're ALL AMAZING AND I LOVE YA, MWAH.

Writing Jason in here makes me want to write a fic for him too but I've got a mess of things going on, so if that ever clears up, I'll let you guys know ;)

ON ANOTHER ANOTHER SIDE NOTE—I FINALLY CLEANED UP MY TUMBLR AND IT IS NOW ACTIVE AND READY TO ROLL BABY.

Used to have one for misc. things but I've finally cleaned up and gotten it up and running, so feel free to pop over and check it out! Follow me, send me a notification, or just anything! I'll answer questions, take requests for headcanons and various one-shots, or just talk nerd and all things glorious about these fandoms with y'all. I'm hoping to use it as a better form of communication with you guys and getting out snippets or notifications on when the next update for a story might be coming. It's pretty empty right now so go nuts ;)

You can find me under the username alkhale! If you see the Hinata profile pic you're at the right place.

To the guest review Glow: I would love to help out with any questions you have! Shoot me a message on tumblr or on here and I'll do my best to help you out :)

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR READING AND MUCHH LOVE FOR ALL OF YOU.

Marshmellow-

-OUT!