Author's Note: I apologize for who I am fundamentally as a person because of the lack of updates. Here's the latest update finally and I'll try to be more on top of it. It takes place the morning while Melody is talking with Tina if you're wondering what the timeline is like.


Falcone had suggested looking at non-crime family suspects who would have the kind of cash to hire a hit like that. Jason had sat down at the bat computer in the Cave before heading out for the night to do some research. He didn't want to be in the Cave, but the secure network and the computer's strength suited his purposes, so he sucked it up and got to work. He was pouring through a list of known associates of hers, doctors, friends, and the like, when he heard footsteps behind him.

"Trying to figure out who shot your girlfriend?" Tim asked, leaning against the massive monitor and sipping a cup of coffee.

Jason ground his teeth in irritation. "I was doing just fine without your annoying presence, replacement."

"You're never going to figure it out like that," Tim said, ignoring the jibe and pushing himself in front of the main monitor. He started typing something into the screen, pulling up Chad Hart's information. "If you want to know who he got the money from, you just have to hack into his bank accounts like this." Tim started running a bunch of code through the computer, files popping up so rapidly that Jason couldn't read a word on any of them. Somehow, Tim's eyes managed to scan each one in two seconds and retain all the information as he worked. Jason watched him cautiously, not sure of the younger ex-Robin's intentions. "Aha. Here we go," Tim mumbled, more to himself than to Jason. "Your serial-rapist slash murderer just received a $20,000 check that went through on November 5th from a Mr. David Elliot. Name ring a bell?"

It did. Melody's ex-boyfriend who Jason had a run-in with all those months ago. It figured. He should've thought of the ex-boyfriend sooner. "Yeah, I know him. Why are you helping me anyway?"

Tim shrugged his shoulders, not taking his eyes off the screen. "Because your girlfriend deserves the same justice any of us do."

"Well, thanks, Timbo Neutron, boy genius, but I'll take it from here," Jason said, rising to his feet and clapping the smaller man on the back.

"What are you going to do?" Tim asked suspiciously.

"Nothing, until it gets dark," Jason replied. Tim stood in front of him, barely reaching his chin, and glared.

"You're not going to do something stupid, are you?"

"Everything I do is stupid, kid." Jason turned to leave, paused, then turned back to face the younger man. "Thanks for the help, Tim."

Tim seemed surprised by the appreciation. "You can thank me by letting me come with you."

Jason toyed with the idea of spending a consolidated amount of time with the Robin he's tried to murder on several occasions. But Tim had changed since Jason had last seen him, and so had Jason. Arkham had broken him down, but he'd built himself back up since his release. Part of healing might mean trying to make amends with Tim. "Fine, kid, you can tag along so long as you don't cramp my style."

Tim flashed him one of those heart-stopping smiles he was known for. Tim rarely smiled, but when he did it was hard not to notice how much light came from him. Everything about Tim was good, and that was part of what made Jason hate him, but strangely enough it was what he loved about Melody. He might learn to love it in Tim too, with time. "Like you have any style with those cargo pants," Tim teased cautiously.

"And just for that, Timbo, you can do the grunt work and get me an address where I can find this fucker. I'm going to go see my girl."

Red Hood wasn't sure how he felt about leaving Damian behind to watch over Melody, but he knew the little freak would fight with everything he's got to keep her safe. He met Red Robin on a rooftop near the finance district of Gotham. Red Robin was positioned on the rooftop, surveying the neighboring penthouse with his night vision goggles. Red Hood stood over him, with the smaller man between his legs, and rested his chin on the top of his head and his elbows on the smaller man's shoulders. "Whatcha doing, Timmy?"

"Spying on your millionaire who paid for a hit on your girlfriend," Red Robin replied, never taking his eyes off the building. Red Hood shifted his weight off of Red Robin and crouched down beside him.

"Why is it that rich people always like to live on the top floor and have a bunch of fucking windows?" Red Hood mused, holding his hand out for the goggles. Red Robin handed them over and Red Hood zoomed in. There was a man in a tuxedo pouring a glass of champagne for a blonde woman in a long black dress. They must've just returned home from a gathering of some kind.

"I tailed him all the way back here from the gala at Gotham Museum," Red Robin said, confirming Red Hood's thoughts. "He's been putting the move on that girl the whole time since."

"It sucks that we'll have to interrupt," Red Hood said, handing the binoculars over to Red Robin. Red Hood stood up and Red Robin stood with him.

"So what's your plan?"

"I never have a plan, Timmy. I just like to wing it. And I'm too pissed to even think of something rational right now," Red Hood admitted. Before he could receive a protocol lecture from the third Robin, he launched a grapple over to the other roof and leapt over the edge. Red Hood had never been the most graceful Robin, but his specialties were in brute force and he sure liked to make an entrance. Mid-swing, Red Hood took out his gun and shot at the glass window to weaken it. He broke through the rest of it with the steel in his boots and landed in a controlled roll into the center of the room. The woman was screaming, reasonably so, as Red Hood rose to his full height and aimed his gun at the terrified face of David Elliot. "Hey there, Davey."

"W-What do you want!? Just take my money and go! Please don't hurt me!" David pleaded, tossing his wallet in Red Hood's direction as he backed himself into a corner. Red Hood took a moment to crouch down and grab the wallet, his gun still trained on David. He stood up and looked through it. David had numerous credit cards and $500 in cash along with his I.D. and a Gotham Country Club membership card. What a tool. Red Hood took out $100 and waved it in front of the cowering blonde who was clinging to David as if the bastard could even spare a thought of protecting her.

"I've got no beef with you, blondie, so take the cash and scram," Red Hood warned. The woman snagged the money and her sparkly purse and bolted. Red Robin tumbled into the room just as the woman left.

"Oh thank God, Robin, this maniac is trying to kill me!" David exclaimed, too frozen with fear to move from the corner.

"Unfortunately for you, Mr. Elliot, this maniac is with me," Red Robin replied, dusting himself off. Red Hood smirked behind his mask as he watched David's expression turn from relieved to horrified at the realization that Red Robin was not going to stop him. Red Hood moved in closer, pressing his gun right in the center of David's forehead. He watched David tremble and shake, whimpering and mumbling unintelligible pleas of mercy.

"I'm not here to rob you, David, but because you essentially threw your wallet at me, I'm feeling inclined to keep it," Red Hood began, stuffing the wallet into his jacket pocket. "What I really want to know is what your ex-girlfriend did to you that made you give $20,000 to a hitman?"

Red Hood watched David's eyes as he processed the question. "Melody . . . is she . . . oh god, I had no idea, honestly—" He made a gurgling sound when Red Hood punched him in the jaw.

"You better start talking," Red Robin warned, "My friend here has a short temper and I don't know if I'd be able to stop him before he does something stupid."

So they were playing good cop, bad cop. That was fine. Red Hood loved being the bad cop. "He's right," Red Hood purred, moving his gun from David's temple to his mouth. "Start talking before I knock your fucking teeth out."

David whimpered again, tears, snot, and blood leaking down his face, "I-I is she okay? I-I didn't mean for . . . oh god."

Red Hood hit him again. "You don't get to ask about her!"

"Please! Please! I didn't know what he was going to do! I met him in a bar months ago!" David yelped, holding his hands up to save himself from any further blows. "He asked me if I knew who she was and when I told him . . . he-he told me if I gave him money he would scare her for me, make sure she regretted fucking another guy just after our break up. I was drunk, he w-wasn't supposed to hurt her."

Red Robin made a noise of disgust behind him. "You really thought he was just going to scare her? You're a bigger idiot than I thought," the younger man scoffed.

"And you seriously pissed off the guy she was fucking," Red Hood growled, kneeing David in the gut. He collapsed on his hands and knees, wheezing.

"You—?"

"Yeah, me, motherfucker." Red Hood kicked him and he rolled over in pain.

"Hood," Red Robin warned, cautiously staying out of the altercation.

Red Hood ignored him and grabbed David by the front of his jacket, lifting him up and off his feet. He slammed him back against the wall. "Listen here, you son of a bitch, I want you to tell me where Chad Hart is so I can start kicking the shit out of him instead of you."

"I don't know, I swear, I don't know!"

"Stop lying to me, David!"

"I'm not I swear I only met him once! I gave him the check that night but I never expected him to do anything! I was drunk and figured it was a scam!"

Red Hood hit him again. And again. And again. But David kept mumbling over and over that he didn't know where Hart was. Red Hood's fist was stopped by Red Robin catching it before it made contact with David's face. "He's had enough," Red Robin warned.

Red Hood let David slip from his grip and crumple onto the ground as he sobbed. Red Hood looked over at Red Robin and shrugged, reining in his rage as he looked at Red Robin's fearless expression. Not too many people had the balls to step in between him and the target of his rage. "I don't know, birdie, do you think he's telling the truth?"

"I think he is, Hood."

Fuck. This left him at a dead end again. Red Hood crouched down next to where David was whimpering on the ground, putting pressure on his broken, bloody nose. "Listen here, David, because I'm only going to stay this once. If you go anywhere near my girl ever again, I will come for you, and Red over here won't be there to stop me. You got that?" David nodded his head in agreement. "Good, now you better send her the biggest fucking bouquet of flowers that your piece of shit self can afford to make up for all the pain and suffering you put her through, comp render?" David nodded his head again, eager to comply.

"You speak Spanish?" Red Robin asked.

"Un poco. Ya no practico mucho más."

"Interesting."

"Thank you, Tim." Red Hood moved over to the glassless opening and shot out a grapple. He swung out of the penthouse just as the police were starting to arrive. He had one more chance to find out more about Hart, one last dead end he needed to run down. He went back to the morgue to check out another corpse, with a less malicious purpose. He opened the drawer for Gibbs, Joseph and pulled a few hairs from the unfamiliar man's head. He placed them in a test tube and put the tube in his utility belt. He would have need for it later. Right now, he wanted to see his girl.

This time, Red Hood used the door. With his head snuggled in the crook of her good arm, Robin lay curled in the hospital bed right next to Melody, the two of them fast asleep with discarded puzzle books strewn amongst them. Red Hood grinned at the sight and felt his heart swell. This must be what functional family life is like. Red Hood would never admit it out loud, but he kinda liked it.

"If you're thinking about carrying me, I'd advise against it," Robin mumbled sleepily.

"Some guard you are."

"I assure you, I've been aware of your presence the entire time," Robin replied, opening one tired eye.

"Stop macking on my woman, kid," Red Hood chuckled.

"Tt." Robin grunted, sliding out of the bed carefully. "Let's go, there's still time to patrol."