AN: This chapter contains language and disturbing content. Viewer discretion advised.
The Bus was parked at Denver international airport while the S.H.I.E.L.D Team was getting supplies and fuel before setting off on their next mission.
"Manhunter." Jason said.
"Yes? What is it?"
"I need your help."
"You sound desperate. Is the problem you require my help for that important?"
"Yes. I've been having nightmares and flashbacks of things that happened five years ago. I'm not sure what it means or why I'm having them, but I need to find out."
"Do you want your teammates to know also?"
"They have to know. They need to understand why I've been acting the way I've been acting. Do I like it? No. I wouldn't be doing this if it didn't directly involve Skye. The last thing I want to have happen is hurt Skye because of this."
"You care for your sister very much."
"I fought through five years of hell to get back to her, of course I care about her."
"I did not mean to stir up any negative emotions."
"It's not your fault."
"Shall we gather your teammates?"
"Yeah."
The two went and gathered the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D team and met in the den area.
"I am going to take you all into Jason's mind. The memories you see will not be able to hurt you... physically, but they might linger on in the recesses of your mind. Jason. Is there anything they need to know before we go in?"
"My mind is... complicated. I have been trained to protect my mind from mental attacks. If you trigger my mental defenses tell him 08/16/2005. If it doesn't work say August 16th, 2005."
"What's so significant about that day?" Phil asked.
"It's the day I found Skye."
Skye blushed a little. She didn't remember when Jason had found her, but he remembered as if it was yesterday.
"You all might want to sit down." Manhunter said.
Everyone sat down in the chairs and relaxed as best they could.
"Is everyone ready?"
Everyone nodded, and Manhunter telepathically linked everyone before heading into Jason's mind.
Jason's mind.
Skye looked around at the dark surroundings. Everything looked blood red.
"Stick close." She heard Jason say. She turned around and saw Jason, Phil, May, Ward, and FitzSimmons standing in a group with Martian Manhunter in front.
"This is your mind Jason." Manhunter said. "Lead the way."
Jason held out his hand for Skye to take hold of.
Skye took Jason's hand and they were off.
Jason walked through a hallway for what seemed like hours. The Hallway was pristine. There wasn't any dust, anywhere. When he finally stopped, they were standing in front of a door.
"Normally people would have a choice about continuing or not." Jason said. "Especially with what you're about to see, but I'm afraid that you need to see what's behind this door. If I'm going to be a member of the team long term."
Everyone nodded, and Jason opened the door.
"Sheila. I want you to take full custody of Jason."
"Why?"
"My job. It just got a lot more dangerous. I can't lose you or Jason. I have a friend. Her name is Catherine Johnson. Her and her Brother and his wife will be able to protect you."
"Willis. I don't understand. My job is dangerous..."
"You've worked for S.H.I.E.L.D for years. Why can't they..."
"Sheila. I went undercover, and they found me out. I have to go underground, and I can't take you and Jason with me. Now go."
Sheila Todd grabbed a suitcase for her and Jason before picking him up and getting into the car and leaving.
Jason kept walking. The others followed without saying a word.
Sheila led Jason into the diner. They were just about to leave Gotham, but they needed something to eat first.
They were just about done when the door to the diner was kicked open.
"Nobody move and you all get to go home tonight." Two face said coming into the diner.
Sheila covered Jason with her body.
"Sheila Todd." Two face said. "Come out and tell me where your husband is so I can talk to him face, to face, to face."
Sheila made herself smaller as she hid Jason.
"You leave me no choice. Come out or I'll kill every man, woman, and child in this diner."
Sheila jumped up and held her hands up. "I'm Sheila Todd, but I don't know where my Husband is."
"Are you telling me the truth?"
"Yes."
"I'll let the coin decide." Two face said flipping a coin in the air. He caught it and put it on the top of his hand. "I believe ya."
"Boss." One guy asked. "Can we... ya know."
Two face flipped the coin again. "Knock yourselves out boys, just clean up your mess afterwards."
Skye covered her ears and hid behind Jason, but she could still hear what happened.
FitzSimmons looked like they were going to be sick, and Simmons hid her face in Fitz's chest.
May looked shocked, and Ward turned away.
Phil covered his eyes with his hand.
Jason watched the whole thing with tears in his eyes, and rage in his heart.
After the memory ended everyone looked at Jason.
"Jason..." Simmons said. "There are no words that we can use to describe how sorry we are."
"I should have done something." Jason said in a low voice.
"What?" Ward asked.
"I should have done something, but instead I hid like a coward."
"You were a child." Phil said in shock. "You were what. Six? Seven?"
"I was six."
"You weren't a coward." May said. "You were a scared child. No one can blame you for that."
Jason began moving again.
The others followed.
"Lookie what we have here. Boys." A man said. "We have ourselves a new recruit. What's your name son?"
"Jason." A six-year-old Jason said to the man.
"Well Jason. Me and the boys are going to take real good care of you. We are going to teach you how to survive out here on the streets, and in return. You will work for me. Do you understand?"
"I guess so."
"Good. First lesson." The man kicked Jason in the face. "Have at him boys."
Everyone watched in horror as the seven men beat Jason to a bloody pulp.
Jason was crying in a pile on the ground.
"Now listen here Jason." The man said. "I am your new boss. You work for me now. So, when I says 'jump'. You says, 'how high.' Understood?"
Jason stayed silent for a long time.
"I said." The man said kicking Jason into a wall. "Do you understand?"
"Yes." Jason cried.
"Stop crying boy."
Jason kept crying.
"I said." The man back handed Jason. "Stop crying!"
Jason stopped crying.
"That's better. Here's the rules of the street. You bring me stuff to sell, and I'll make sure you have food and shelter. If you don't..." the man pointed at one of his guys.
The man held up his left hand and his shirt to show three of his fingers missing and scars all over his chest and stomach.
"If you do good, you can be one of my top members one day. Now. My boys here will teach you how to fight. Scavenge, and survive. Listen to what they say, and you will go far."
With that, the man walked one way, and they walked another.
Over the next three years, Jason became one of the best scavengers for the man, his name was. Allen Shaw. He was a real piece of work. He was a pedophile who specifically liked his victims to feel helpless. He got off on their discomfort and unease.
Everyone looked at Jason.
Phil looked pissed.
May's expression was neutral, but her body language said that she was furious.
Ward looked shocked. Probably that a six-year-old was able to take that kind of abuse.
FitzSimmons and Skye looked like they were going to be sick.
And Martian Manhunter looked worried. "Are we going to continue?"
"Yeah." Jason said and kept going.
They watched as Batman caught Jason trying to take the wheels off the Bat mobile. Batman grabbed Jason's arm.
"Where are your parents?" Batman asked.
"Don't know." Jason said defiantly.
"Why are you trying to steal my wheels?"
"Need to."
"Why?"
"I need to sell them for food."
"Why?"
"Allen says that I need to bring him things to sell so I get fed."
Batman took Jason to Madam Gunn's Reform school for troubled boys.
"Why did you bring me here?"
"Madam Gunn helps people get back on their feet."
Batman walked Jason to the front door and knocked.
A woman opened the door. "Batman." The woman said in a kind voice. "What can I do for you?"
"This young man is homeless."
"Oh no." The woman said. "What happened to your family?"
"They were killed."
"Oh no." The woman said. "Come in, come in. Let's get you taken care of."
Batman left Jason with Madam Gunn.
As soon as Madam Gunn was sure Batman was gone her entire demeanor changed. "Stand up straight boy!" She yelled. "Here are the rules of the Reform School. You will be taught to steal, pickpocket, hack, and fight! If you do well you will be fed, clothed, and given adequate shelter. If you don't you will be given scraps, you will wear a sack, and you will sleep out back! Am I understood?"
Jason stood still.
"Did you hear me? Am I understood?"
Jason stayed silent.
"You little bastard!" Madam Gunn yelled hitting him with her cane. "Am!" She hit him again. "I!" She hit him again. "Understood!" She hit him again.
This time Jason fell to his knees.
"Now! What do you say?"
"I'd tell you where you can shove the cane, but you might like it too much." Jason snarked.
Madam Gunn hit Jason with her cane until he passed out. "No food, no clothes, no shelter. One month."
The next six months were difficult. Jason was taught how to fight, not that he needed to be taught. He was trained how to pickpocket, not that he needed trained how to pick pockets. He was taught how to hack safes and basic alarms, and computers.
Once he had been trained, he was sent on missions, if he returned empty handed, he was denied food, clothing, and shelter.
If he got into fights he would be hit with the cane.
One night he got bold and ran away. Where he ran into Batman. He told Batman what was going on, and Madam Gunn was arrested, and the boys at her reform school was sent into the system.
Jason was adopted by Bruce Wayne. He was trained in three martial arts. Jiu Jitsu, Krav Maga, and Aikido.
"That must have been terrible." Simmons said.
"I can take a beating." Was the only thing Jason said before moving on.
The others followed him.
Jason was Bruce Wayne's second son. His oldest, Dick Grayson, was eight years older than Jason. Jason went to live with Bruce when he was ten years old, which made Dick 18 going on 19.
One day, when Jason was 13 or 14 and Dick was 21 or 22. Dick came home pissed off.
"Dick?" Jason asked. "What's going on?"
"I can't stay here any longer. He's just so... so... what's the word I'm looking for?"
"Arrogant?"
"Yeah. He thinks that I have to listen to every damn thing he says."
"He took us in when no one else would."
"Look... we didn't get to choose our lots in life. We had our parents ripped away from us, and there wasn't a damn thing we could do about it. Then Bruce comes swings in to save the day, and we are just supposed to give him everything."
"I had nothing to give him."
"You had your skills. You could fight, pickpocket, hack..."
"So, can you."
"Yeah. I don't know. I just can't live this way anymore. The wealth is awesome, but I have to wear the guise of Dick Grayson, I want to be me."
"I don't get it."
"Maybe you will someday."
"Will I ever see you and Barbara again?"
"Yeah. As soon as Bruce and I take a much-needed break from each other."
"What did he mean?" Fitz asked.
"The family business. It got to Dick, and he left. He came back a few years later.
The next memory showed a much older Jason at 16 or 17. Dick walked in and saw Jason and Alfred standing in the front room.
"Am I welcome?" Dick asked.
"You will always be welcome Master Dick." Alfred said.
"Jason?" Dick asked.
"Come on in." Jason motioned.
"Where's Bruce?"
"He had a meeting."
"How long is that going to take?"
"Don't know. It's with a usual client."
"Don't tell me."
"Yup."
"Is there any reason why you're not with him?"
"Bruce doesn't want anyone near this particular client."
"That bad Huh?"
"No. I'm joking." Jason said emphasizing the joking part.
The way Jason said that word was strange.
"Why did you say joking that way?" Ward asked.
"I was young. I was being a smart ass."
Skye knew the truth. Bruce was Batman, Dick was Nightwing, Barbara was Batgirl, and Jason was Robin, but now he was the Red Hood.
Jason started moving again.
It was Jason's 21st birthday. He woke up around noon. He called Wayne Enterprises to see how everything was doing.
"Hey Charlotte?"
"Hello Jason."
"How is Wayne enterprises best receptionist doing today."
"If I didn't know better, I'd say that you were flirting with me."
"What if I were?"
"My fiancée would be very upset."
"I like living dangerously."
"To bad I love my fiancée too much to leave him for you."
"Your words cut me like a knife Charlotte."
"Does Jason need me to call the waa-waa-waambulance for him?"
"That's what I like about you Charlotte. You give as good as you take. Any calls?"
"No."
"Messages?"
"No."
"E-mails?"
"No."
"Any paperwork for me to sign?"
"Nope. You are free to enjoy your birthday."
"Aww. You remembered. We're destined to be together."
"My ring finger says no." With that Charlotte hung up.
"Feisty that one." Jason said. He turned around and made breakfast. Two slices of bacon on white bread with a fried egg, a sausage patty, a slice of cheese, a second sausage patty, and a slice of toast. He had chocolate milk, orange juice, and a bottle of beer.
Alfred would be pissed because it wasn't healthy by any means, but it was his birthday and Bruce and Alfred weren't home. So, he was going to enjoy the hell out of his birthday.
He was getting ready to leave when there was a knock at the door. He opened the door and didn't see anyone. He looked down and saw a box. He picked it up and walked it to the kitchen where he opened it and saw his twin M1911's. He closed the box and put them in his room before heading out.
He explored Gotham for most of the day. Then when it turned Night he stuck to the shadows and walked down an empty alleyway.
"Help!" Seven-year-old Skye yelled. "He's trying to hurt me."
Jason turned to Skye and saw the man. Jason picked the man up and threw him into oncoming traffic where he was turned into red paste in an instant.
Jason turned to Skye and held out his hand. Skye took it and they went home.
The next day Jason woke up and sat next to Skye so she wouldn't wake up in a big new place all alone. When she woke up Jason made her breakfast.
"Aw." Simmons said. "How sweet."
"Wait for it." Skye said.
The front door to the mansion was forced open and the silent alarms went off.
Jason directed Skye to the cupboard, grabbed the knives and went to work. When he came back, he took Skye upstairs, ran the bath, got her some new clothes and went back to the bathroom.
There was a gunshot from behind. Jason dropped Skye, who landed on her arm funny, and broke it. He spun around punching the gunman in the ribs, hard. Then he turned the gunman around and yelled. "Skye! Close your eyes and cover your ears!"
Skye closed her eyes, but with a broken arm she covered her ears as best she could. She still heard Jason Break the man's neck.
Jason called the police, and they went to the hospital.
Once they got to the hospital Jason was led to a room where his head was shaved, and he had twelve stitches put in. He made his way to Skye. When he found her, she was scared.
He was given a gown and gold to change Skye into it. They walked to the changing room and Jason handed Skye the gown.
"Did you really think she would have been able to do that herself?" Fitz asked.
"I had never done anything like this." Jason defended himself. "I had no idea what I was doing."
"She has a broken arm."
"I've had broken arms before too. Thing is. I didn't have a doctor to patch me up at the time."
The group got quiet.
"That's what I thought."
"Why are we watching this exactly?" Ward asked. "I don't see what this has to do with us finding out why you are a constant threat to the team."
"You have to watch everything to understand. At the end everything should make sense."
"It had better. Otherwise we are just watching your memories like a movie night."
"There is much ahead that is very dark and disturbing." Manhunter said. "You will wish we were back here in a few hours." Manhunter's eyes flickered. "Excuse me. I will be right back."
"So." May said. "That's why you guys were in the hospital that night."
"Yup." Skye said. "All because my brother is a kick ass fighting machine."
"You do realize that he broke a guy's neck in front of you?" Ward asked. "Right?"
"He did it because the bastards put a tracking chip in my neck so they could find me like their lost dog. He found it and cut it out after my second kidnapping."
Everyone looked at Jason.
"We will get there in a bit."
Manhunter came back. "Shall we continue?"
Jason kept walking.
A nurse looked at Jason and asked. "Do you really think she can change into that with a broken arm?"
"I'm new at this." Jason said sheepishly. I was going to pick up the adoption paperwork today."
"Oh. Here. Let me help you Hun." The nurse took the gown from Jason and walked Skye inside.
A few seconds later the nurse said. "Oh no. Who would do something like this?"
Jason ran into the changing room and saw Skye with her back towards him. She had scars from cuts and burns all over her back.
Everyone looked shocked.
"Who did that to her?" Phil asked.
"I don't know. Jason said. "But when I find out. I'm going to end them."
Jason ran from the changing room and into commissioner Gordon. He was vibrating with rage.
"Whoa kid." Gordon said. "Where's the fire?"
"I don't know what to be."
"What?"
"Someone hurt Skye, the girl I'm trying to adopt, and I'm not sure whether I should be angry, mad, pissed, or sad."
"Listen. That little girl in there needs her big brother. So. Do three things for me." Gordon held up three fingers. "First. You go in there and be the damn best big brother you can be." He put a finger down. "Two. Keep her out of the family business." He put down a second finger. "And three. If you find the people who did that to her..." his voice got quiet. "...don't let me find out about it."
Jason nodded and headed back to the changing room.
"What did he mean?" Phil asked. "Wayne enterprises has done a lot of good. Why wouldn't he want her to be a part of it."
"He wasn't talking about Wayne enterprises." Jason said. "We have a second job."
"Oh yeah." Ward said. "And what's that?"
"Security." Skye piped up. "Why do you think Jason is so good at fighting? He moonlights as a security officer."
"Really?"
"Yeah." Jason said. "We run security for people who pay top dollar to keep their things safe. And before you ask Stark if we have ever run security for him... please. We have self-respect, and Stark would have blabbed about us all over the place. You can't have security if everyone knows you're the security."
"So... what. You guys were top of the line security if something?"
"Or something."
They watched as Skye went through the X-Rays, how she crushed Jason's hand with all the strength her seven-year-old body could muster, how excited she got at the idea of a glow in the dark cast.
They watched Jason pace when Leslie Thompkins kicked him out so she could give Skye a physical, Jason and Skye being taken to a room, Jason ordering Room service, talking to Leslie. How mad he got when he found out about what had happened to Skye, and at such a young age. They watched him take out Phil's attack team, as well as May.
They watched as Jason told Skye the story with the Dino Nuggets, and how Jason told Skye a bedtime story before bed.
"That was very touching." Simmons sniffed. "You two had such a strong connection even after just one day."
"Yeah." Jason said. "We have always been close."
"It's all because Jason threw that ass hole in the front of oncoming traffic." Skye added.
"Come on sis. I wouldn't throw any random guy into oncoming traffic for just anyone." Jason teased ruffling her hair.
"I'm not sure what's more terrifying." Phil said. "The fact that you are so calm when saying that, or the fact that I can actually picture you doing it."
"Let's go." Jason said leading the way.
Jason woke up the next morning to a camera flash. He looked up to see Barbara, Dick, and Gordon.
Barbara and Dick left to get breakfast, and Gordon gave him the adoption papers. Jason went into the hospital bathroom, but Skye yelled for him.
Jason ran out and saw Fury. He lunged at Fury and Fury threw a disk at Jason. Jason fell to the floor.
Barbara came in, put the food on the table and ran to Jason. Dick came in a few seconds later. Skye showed them the disk.
After breakfast Leslie told Jason about Skye being a meta.
Jason nodded and went back inside the room. They went to the parking garage and were attacked by three guys. Jason took them out ruthlessly and they went to the mall.
When they got to the mall Jason grabbed a cart and went to the clothes store. Skye picked out cargo pants and shorts, and dark colored long sleeved, and short sleeved shirts. And Jason picked out socks and Underwear.
They went to the toy store next, and Skye picked out Batman LEGO's, a 1000-piece puzzle, and a coloring set. Jason went to check out, but Skye wasn't with him. He tore through the store till he found her in the stuffed animals looking at a lioness and her cubs stuffed animal. Jason picked her up, and the stuffed animals.
They checked out and went home. Jason put Skye in his room and went about putting her room together. He put her clothes away, spread her toys out, and when he was done, he texted Dick and Barbara.
Dick and Barbara showed up. Jason took Barbara up to Skye's room, and she told him that she was expecting a baby.
"That's great." Jason said hugging Barbara. "You're going to be a great mother. I can't say the same thing about Dick though."
Barbara threw a stuffed animal at him.
Jason went down to the kitchen and picked up a box. "Really? Rich people mac-n-cheese?"
"What?" Dick asked.
"I'm ordering a pizza."
After dinner they went up to Skye's room and made home videos until Skye fell asleep.
The next day they went to IHOP for breakfast. Skye ordered Pancakes with whipped topping and peach syrup with Hot cocoa. Unlike her other food she ate it slowly. "This was the only day that I could eat as slowly as I wanted without being punished." Skye said.
Everyone looked at Skye.
"I was abused before Jason found me." She said. it was a half-truth that she'd been telling people since she was nine years old.
May's hands became white, she was gripping them so hard.
"Don't worry." Jason said. "I took care of them."
Jason took Skye to the defense store and got her knives, pepper spray, brass knuckles, and extendable batons. Then he took her home and started training her.
It was Skye's eighth birthday, and Jason was throwing a party. Allen Thompson walked up. "Hello. Who are you?"
"My name is Skye."
"Who are you here with?"
"My brother."
"Is he a member of the help staff?"
"No." Skye said confused. "My brother is Jason Todd."
"Shut your lying face." Allen said. "There is no way anyone as filthy as you are related to Jason Todd."
"It's true." Skye said.
"I'll teach you to lie." Allen said pulling his hand back to slap her.
Skye closed her eyes, and tears flowed down her cheeks as she waited for a smack that didn't come.
"Why did you try and slap my sister?"
"Who do you..." Allen began, but stopped when he realized who he was talking to.
"Why did you try and slap my sister?" Jason asked again letting steel enter his voice. "I don't Know who you are, and I don't care. Leave and never come back."
Jason took Skye upstairs.
"Why did he try to hit me?" Skye asked with tears in her eyes.
"Because he's a jerk." Jason said hugging Skye. "Don't worry. I'll always be here for you."
The next day Jason started Skye's training.
