Trigger warning: has mention of death, overdose, and murder

November 5; 11:48pm

Dixie sat on her bed in the manor, staring at her phone in her hand. She flips the phone over and over in one of her hands, contemplating something since the moment she came back home. There's a knock on her door and without even waiting for a reply, the person opens the door.

"Hey, mind if I join you?" Jason asked. Dixie gives him a curt nod and he enters, closing the door behind him before walking up to her, sitting beside her on the bed. "Thinking about Zatar?"

"Yeah," Dixie answered. "But pretty sure everyone is, he just lost his father."

Jason hummed, "Heard he's going to move to the Mountain."

"Yeah, Bruce and Dinah are going to help him pack his things tomorrow to move it to his room in the Mountain," Dixie looked at her phone. "Are Damian and Tim back yet?"

"Nope, still helping clear up and help the children at the refuge centers return to their rightful parents and hopefully not some whackjob," Jason answered before smirking. "Besides, once they get back, I'm pretty sure we'll know when they get back anyways, enjoy your last few moments of freedom."

Dixie chuckled before her hand spasmed and she dropped her phone on the floor, she leaned forward to pick it up but Jason beat her to it, picking up the phone before handing it back to her, his face scrunched up in concern. "I know Bruce said you were hurt during your fight with Witch Boy but what exactly happens?"

"Artemis and I were just hit by one of his spells," Dixie tried to wave off. "

"Your ribs are bruised and broken and you dislocated your shoulder," Jason said exasperatedly. "I ain't no magician but even I can tell that was a strong spell."

"I just landed wrong, it wasn't because of the spell," the younger corrected causing her brother to sigh.

"I should have come when you invited me to join," Jason groaned. "I absolutely hate it when you lie when you get hurt."

"Let's focus on the grieving friend, alright?" Dixie rolled her eyes. "Besides, my shoulder is perfectly fine now, Dinah even said I only need to wear it in a sling for at least a week."

Jason pursed his lips but didn't say anything, knowing that Dixie would just try changing the subject like what she's been doing for the past minutes. "Bruce didn't tell me much before he left to help the Demon Spawn and Drake but he said you kinda talked about your family… do you want to talk about it?"

Dixie sighed, leaning over to Jason and resting her head on his shoulder. She stared at her phone, "I- I know it's not good to give him hope that… that he could still save his father… but he just lost the only person in his life. He's been secluded and sheltered his whole life, being homeschooled and protected by Zatara, we're his first friends and we've only known him for a month."

"A little bit of hope would get him to get back up on his legs but Dixie, what you said, about him still being able to save Zatara… it might consume him," Jason said, making Dixie look up at him. "I haven't met him but if he hopes too much… you shouldn't let it consume him, who knows how far he's going to go to remove that Helmet off just to get his father back."

Dixie nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I know. Besides, Dinah would be there for him but he…"

"Just needs space," Jason said, grabbing the phone out of her hands, placing it on the bedside table. "Maybe try talking to him tomorrow, not now."

"But everyone has their family back now, all at the expense of his own," Dixie frowned, reaching for the phone. "I'll just send him a message, he doesn't need to reply."

Jason sighed but didn't stop her, knowing that there was nothing wrong with that and that Dixie wouldn't stop thinking about it until the next time she sees the magician. He watches her as she sends Zatar a short message, only using one hand to type. When she sees her send the message, he quickly takes the phone away once more, this time keeping it in his pockets.

"Hey!" Dixie yelled.

"You sent the message, you don't need to think about it anymore, out of sight out of mind," Jason smirked before remembering something, the smile dies out and is replaced with a frown, his eyes sad and downcast. "When Bruce told me you talked about how you said that you know the feeling of losing your family… I came to realize, we never truly talked to one another about…"

Jason trailed off, eyes trained on the ground. "Five years and we never once talked about our own trauma about family, only talking about it when one of us has a nightmare… I think it's about time we start talking more about it, it's obvious we carry a big burden already by being teenage heroes, you being the youngest to even start but the burden of having to watch your family die… it's different."

"My father was a dead-beat thug who worked for Two-Face," Jason spat, the hatred of his father ever to present. "Fits that his own boss was the one who killed him, the psycho sticking to his name… My mother… being raised by a drug-addict, it messes you up."

Dixie kept quiet, knowing that they both needed this. She grabs her brother's hand and squeezes, snuggling her head into the crook of his neck, wanting to show that they were both here and that she was listening.

This seemed to be the right move since Jason started to continue, finding strength. "But… but I remember thinking- still thinking that what if… what if I could have stopped her? I could have saved her, make her stop by being there for her… I question what would have happened if she didn't die from an overdose."

"I question what would have happened if I told my parents or Uncle Haly about seeing… leaving the tent," Dixie closes her eyes, her grip on her brother's hand tightens but she feels him squeeze right back, urging her to continue. "I… I still find it hard to say his name when I'm not mad…"

Dixie opens her eyes, feeling tears prick her eyes but she tries her best to hold them in, she didn't want to cry, she was supposed to be happy that they defeated Klarion, that they fixed the two worlds situation, she had her father and brothers back. But there's a part of her that whispers that why does she get to be happy when one of her teammates is grieving over the loss of his father.

"Sometimes… There are times I would wish that if I can, I would give up everything I have right now just to see my family one last time."

Jason squeezes her hand but the two of them kept quiet, knowing that they didn't have to comfort one another, their presence was enough. Jason chuckles, eyes downcast. "Here we are having a deep brother-sister bonding while the Demon Spawn and Drake aren't here."

Dixie chuckles, elbowing him with her good arm. "Well unlike you, the two of them won't throw a tantrum or complain about it… Plus, they know we'll have this kind of conversation again when we're ready to talk with them."

"I know," Jason smiled. "Let's go clean up a bit, not sure what to say when they see us looking like we just had a breakdown."

Dixie wanted to say that they did in fact have a breakdown, not a big one but can still be counted as one. "Okay," she said, getting up but she smiles, turning back to her brother playfully. "Do you also want me to pretend like I didn't have my shoulder dislocated and that my ribs are bruised and broken?"

"Dixie!" Jason yelled causing her to laugh.