Cas was back at the manor. Dick had asked for her and Damian to go upstairs, they both refused to be excluded from the shit that was going on.
They each took their seats, Cas next to Jason, and Damian next to Dick.
"Jason you have to stop killing people," once again Bruce was back to no nonsense.
"Yeah, yeah. So you've fucking said. What are you gonna do take me to Black Gate?" Yeah ok, he probably shouldn't have baited him. But he was fucking pissed.
"Arkham"
The world stopped moving. The air was sucked out of him like a punch to the stomach. Or a crowbar.
"I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?" Cas asked in a small voice.
"Jason isn't in control of himself. He'd be sent to Arkham."
"Arkham?" Cas questioned again. Jason could feel the anger rising in Cas, but he couldn't bring himself to move.
"You wanna send Jason to…. Arkham?" Cas was still speaking quietly.
"I don't want to, but it's what must be done." Bruce replied evenly. Cas was going to explode and there was nothing Jason could do. He was frozen.
"Are you a FUCKING IDIOT?!"
"Excuse me."
"You do know that… Jason cover your ears" he didn't, "You do know that the person who fucking tortured then fucking KILLED JASON IS IN ARKHAM. YOU CRAZY PIECE OF SHIT. You wanna send Jason to the fucking place where his murderer is!? Maybe you're the one who should be send to Arkham cause you're crazy as fuck!" Jason felt like he was falling. Falling slowly down a hole.
Bruce's eyes darkened. "We want to help him get better. He's… crazy"
"OOOOOO" Cas said mockingly, "I seeee so now Jay is crazy because he wants to help the place where he grew up instead of going to live in some rich ass house with a fucking furry who goes around beating the shit out of criminals at night." Bruce was about to reply but Dick interrupted him.
"Okay let's all calm down here." Dick reached out between the two of them. "Listen, we just want to help him-"
"You know what." Cas' voice was at a reasonable level and she looked Dick right in the eye. "I get that. He's your brother, you want to help him. But I think you need to understand that even if Jason was crazy, which he is not, sending him to Arkham would be 10/10 be the stupidest shit in the world." She took a breath. "You would be sending your brother to be with his murderer. Do you realize how fucking shitty that sounds?"
Dick was silent for a moment. "You're right." Wait what?
"And- wait what?" Cas blinked.
"You're right. That actually is a really bad idea. I swear I won't let that happen" Dick said earnestly. "I failed at being a brother to Jason before, and I very well might be now… But you're right, sending Jason to be with his murderer would not only be irresponsible, but probably really inhumane…"
"Dick…" Bruce began.
"Bruce listen. She's right. We can't do that shit." He turned back to Jason, including him in the conversation. "And Jason listen, I don't agree with you killing people, but I've been thinking about what you said before. About how we don't help the little guy. And you know what maybe you're right. Maybe we've been failing at our job. But…" but… what is it? "But… listen, maybe we can make a compromise."
Jason spoke for the first time in a while. "What kind of compromise?"
"You stop killing people."
"That seems awfully one-sided." Jason responded in an even tone.
"It does. You stop killing people, but you keep taking care of the people in Crime Alley. And if you ever need it we'll be here to back you up." He looked around at his siblings. Cass (Cain) nodded an immediate affirmative. Damian did as well. Steph and Tim looked at each other before both agreeing.
Bruce was outnumbered. He didn't like it, being on the outside of an agreement. He agreed begrudgingly.
"But if you kill again, we will be having a talk." There it was.
"Well I think that's a deal." Jason nodded.
Dicks eyes widened in surprise that Jason had agreed so easily.
Then Jason frowned. He opened his mouth to say something but Cas beat him to it. "Rubber bullets." Cas grinned.
"No."
"Yes."
"Fine but you're doing the laundry."
"Deal." She paused, "but I hope you're aware that I suck at doing the laundry and that all you're white clothes will no longer be white." Jason just rolled his eyes.
"Ooo also, Damian, if you ever want, I'm sure Petunia wouldn't mind you stopping by." Cas nodded earnestly. Jason just furrowed his eyebrows in thought trying to remember which cat was named Petunia.
Damian simply nodded in response. Dick just looked between the two in amazement. Tim and Jason looked on with terror as they realized that there were two of them.
Jason and Cas were back home.
"So… Dick seems nice…" Cas paused, "or at least the most logical."
"Yeah… I guess." Jason picked up his bag, "I was kind of surprised."
Cas hummed in agreement. She looked back at the apartment they were leaving with sadness.
"Hey on the bright side, maybe we won't have rats." Cas just laughed.
They were leaving their old apartment. It had been compromised because of the bats. Where they were going, Jason didn't know. The future seemed unclear, but interesting at the same time.
"As long as it has stair for me to go sledding, I'm fine."
So umm. It seems like I can't ever end a chapter normally. Also I would like to apologize for any fluff that went down… Yeah… Um so let me know what y'all think. I think I'm in a place where I could continue this story and show like some of the adjustments and stuff.
So let me know if y'all want to see this story continue because if y'all want that is a possibility.
