Chapter 10

It doesn't take long to get to the top of Titan's Tower, when he steps out into the crisp night air the Replacement is waiting for him. His bo staff extended ready for action. Jason smiles, it looks like he won't have to spend all night playing cat and mouse. Venom is practically purring and Jason can feel his excitement as his heart pumps.

"So who are you supposed to be bucket head? I have to say Deathstroke probably isn't going to be happy when he finds someone stealing his aesthetic," The Replacement smirks and dips his head towards Jason's thigh holsters.

It's a classic Robin stalling tactic. Keep the villain talking until help comes. It hadn't helped Jason in the end and it wouldn't help the Replacement now.

"Cute, but last time I checked Slade didn't have a patent on guns or masks. He certainly didn't seem to have a problem with it when he was teaching me how to use them."

Drake freezes. It's barely perceptible but between his helmet's night vision and Venom heightening his senses all of San Francisco is lit up like the fourth of July, "You're Deathstroke's protege? What does he want with the Titans?"

He's fishing for information now. Jason ignores him and lunges forward going for Drake's throat. Drake takes a half step back avoiding the hit and swinging his staff up. Jason dodges kicking his leg out only for the Replacement to sidestep it and bring the staff back towards his body as he widens his stance. The Replacement is clearly classically trained, the same training the Bat gives to all of his little birds. That only gets you so far.

Jason goes low throwing a tight punch as a feint. The Replacement goes to block leaving his left side open. Jason twists and slams his knee into Drake's ribs. Drake flies back, but not before he cracks his staff against Jason's shoulder. Jason hisses and the pit sings in his veins, calling sweetly for him to rip, tear, destroy .

Drake lands in a heap near the far side of the roof. It would be so easy to go over there and push him off, too easy. Drake groans as he straightens and pulls himself up, raising his staff up and coming back to a defensive position.

"So, I guess you aren't all talk," the Replacement says, waiting for him to make a move.

Jason would hate to leave the brat waiting, he swings his leg forward. The Replacement flips to and swipes at Jason's balancing leg. Jason takes a step back focusing on making sure he's rooted. He doesn't notice he hasn't left the range of the staff. The staff cracks against the side of his helmet. It doesn't hurt but the sudden noise has him hissing out a curse as he's momentarily distracted. The Replacement wastes no time, he smacks his stick on the ground and Jason doesn't have time to register what that odd buzzing sound is before he feels 50,000 volts pass through him.

The world goes white for a moment as all his muscles lock. He lands in a heap on the tower's roof. His lungs trying to remember how to take in air.

Ow, dead meat. Stop being pathetic, this one was supposed to be pathetic and easy prey, save your masochism for the bedroom. Venom snipes clearly displeased, Jason can already feel the warm sensation of Venom recovering his muscles from their jello-like state. Jason tries to move his lips to tell Venom to fuck off but sensation hadn't returned to his mouth yet and his tongue merely lolls at the attempt. No doubt that was intentional from Venom's stupid fucking chortle.

Of course, there's a taser in the fucking staff Jason growls. That shitty stick is fucking annoying.

The Pretender is panting as he leans over Jason. Jason can't turn his head but he can practically feel the smugness radiating off of Drake, "Now, I think I'm going to ask some questions and you're going to take this time to think carefully about your answers while I call the Justice League. Who sent you? What does Slade want with the Titans? What did you put into the air system?"

Jason is far from amused. He'd come to make a point, to show the Replacement how weak he was, to teach Bruce a lesson about having a Robin, to end the whole futile cycle of vigilantes and sidekicks with no teeth. Okay, he could also admit he came because it was going to be so satisfying to wipe that cocky act off this fake rich boy who didn't deserve the colors.

He hears the snap of a cell phone opening. They didn't have much time. If Drake made contact with anyone the game was over.

Venom, Jason thinks loudly, hurry up!

Venom, do this. Do that! Don't eat that guy.! Stop licking blood off the pavement. You are so fucking bossy Jason. Jason starts to snark something back when the warm sensation of Venom speeds up and suddenly he can feel again. Jason twitches his fingers. That was going to have to be good enough.

Jason springs to his knees. Drake in his surprise drops his phone. Jason dives forwards and stomps his foot down as hard as he can. The phone and the concrete under it shatters, leaving a small crater around the smashed plastic.

"This shouldn't be possible. You should be out for twenty more minutes!" The Replacement mutters. He has his stick up again crackling with electricity. He brings it forward aiming for Jason's chest.

With a growl, Jason dodges and slams his palm into the Replacement's arm breaking the trajectory of the attack. He uses his other hand to grab the center of the bo staff. His fingers curl around the carbon fiber stick. Drake tries to yank it back but he's weak. Jason places his other hand farther along the staff before he applies pressure. The staff breaks like a twig. Venom is more than happy to provide the extra strength so the carbon fiber snaps like it's nothing more than plastic. They're operating on one wavelength the way they only seem to achieve when they're fighting. A single predator focused on taking down the prey.

The Replacement lets out a little shocked gasp and lets go of the pieces of his still sparking staff, trying to dive around Jason and rush towards the elevator. He seems to have realized he's out of his league now. Jason brings his knee up, driving it into Drake's stomach. Jason follows with his weight and the Replacement is pinned under him, struggling feebly.

"It's not about the Titans, Replacement," Jason hisses out, leaning down a rush of satisfaction flowing through his veins as he sees the pinch of worry in Drake's face, "They were just an annoyance. This is about you."

He follows with a punch that lands squarely on the Replacement's cheekbone. There's a satisfying crunch and the Replacement screams. His body bucks uselessly trying to throw Jason off; it gets him nowhere.

"I've been waiting a long time to teach the Bat this lesson. Seems once isn't enough to make it stick. Maybe two dead robins will get the message across better. What do you think, Pretender?" Jason asks. The Replacement squirms as Jason reaches up and peels his mask off revealing stupidly blue eyes, disapproving blue eyes just like Bruce's. Jason growls and slaps Drake's injured side. He doesn't need any of their judgment.

"I brought something I thought might make you understand what it means to be a real Robin." Jason reached under his jacket and pulled out the crowbar, enjoying the fear that widens the Replacement's eyes.

"I am the real Robin," Drake says, sticking his chin out in defiance. Jason has to say that the bastard doesn't know when to quit. He can't tell if that's bravery or stupidity.

"I guess we'll see," Jason says, using his unoccupied hand to slap the stubborn look off of Drake's face, replacing it with a gasp of pain. Jason raises his hand. The crowbar glints in the moonlight.

The green haze filters across his vision, his lips twist into a feral grin. He can already see how the Replacement will look painted in red. He shifts his grip and slams his arm down. Or tries to. His arm wouldn't descend. He couldn't force it down. The imposter blinked up at him with uncertainty in his eyes. He looked so small, so weak. It pissed Jason off. His eyes were too damn blue! What right did the little bastard have looking up at him like that? Jason growled, low and animalistic

We don't attack kids Jason, you said we don't attack kids. Venom speaks up, his voice is oddly flat, devoid of his typical dark amusement.

"He's not a kid, he's a replacement." Jason hissed. Trying to force the crowbar down. He wanted the satisfaction. Jason had been in hell. Hell! While Bruce didn't even wait six months before shipping the suit off to someone else. Some rich brat that probably looked at Bruce with those same stupid blue eyes after all anyone would be better than a street rat as long as they followed orders!

Look, Venom hissed forcing his neck muscles to turn and look down.

"Yeah, I see!" Jason snarled, "I see the little bitch masquerading in tights like they were made for him!"

No, look. Venom demanded with more force. The green haze lifted somewhat and Jason could see the boy's wild-eyed desperation and his shaking as he looked up at them. Looked up at them like they were a monster. Like they were the Joker.

The crowbar clattered out of his hand. Jason felt his stomach twist. He was going to be sick

Jason fell to his knees, as his fingers fumbled for the clasp under his helmet. He managed to get his hood off, dropping it to the rooftop just in time. He retched. Stomach acid and remnants of something white splattered onto the ground. He dry heaved for a few minutes longer. The Joker, he was acting like the fucking psychopathic clown! Some kid he'd- Jason felt another wave of nausea threaten to overtake him

"Ven- V make yourself useful and make this fucking stop!" Jason hissed under his breath. He felt Venom move under his skin and twist something and his stomach righted itself. Thank fuck. Jason thought, as he wiped the bile off the side of his mouth and shakily stood.

Meanwhile, the Pretender sat there in his heap and looked owlishly at him, watching the whole scene. His eyebrows were arched in something akin to surprise. But who knew what the Bruce clone was thinking.

We won't eat them. Venom said, determination filling his mind.

"Oh, I'm so glad Venom! So fucking happy that of all the times for you to get a conscience you chose now. It's real fucking peachy!"

"You know I figured you were stupid thinking you could break into Titan's tower, but insane fits so much better. I mean you'd have to be to pick a fight with the Titans and the Justice League." The kid had the gall to give him a cocky smirk as he spat blood out of the side of his mouth.

Jason scoffed, "Yeah, I'm the crazy one. Newsflash I'm not the one beat within an inch of my life like you and your friends, running my mouth while I wait for a rescue that won't be coming."

Venom hummed his agreement adding: At least he has a backbone Jay. I like prey with a backbone.

"You just like the crunch spines make when you bite into them," Jason mutters.

We are not eating him. Venom says again firmly.

The kid's eyes widened at the comment but he quickly schooled his expression into something neutral. Jason shivered, it really reminded him of Bruce.

"You know you sound about as crazy as the rest of the rogues. I think you'll fit right in at Arkham. Maybe they'll give you a cell next to the Joker. He has a weird crowbar fetish too. Of course, that's after Batman and Nightwing kick your ass."

Jason saw green. His fist came down again, meeting flesh. There was a satisfying crack. It wasn't enough! Jason swung his fist back and let it loose. The skin on his knuckles broke, blood dripped down his hands. He barely felt it. Venom was roaring something in the back of his mind, he couldn't make it out through the haze.

"Bruce isn't coming!" He yelled, the Replacement froze, "He's not coming! I could kill you right now and that would be it! That would be the end for poor Timmy Drake! He wouldn't come for you just like he didn't come for me! So stop fucking pretending like everything's alright you Replacement."

Drake's mouth opened into a small oh. It was only then that Jason realized his mistake and snapped his mouth shut with an audible click. He froze, panic filling his mind. This was- Oh shit- oh shit! That, that wasn't- if the Replacement knew then- that was- Bruce would- and the clown- ohgodohgod-

His lungs tightened in his chest. He couldn't breathe!

Jason. Venom cut through, It will be alright. His black tendrils slipped under his coat, giving his neck a reassuring squeeze. Breathe as we count, your blood-pumping organ is going too fast.

One.

Jason closed his eyes.

Two.

He held his breath.

Three.

He let it out slowly.

Four.

The pounding in his head lessened.

Good, Venom purred, running a black tendril under his hood through the back of his hair in soothing circular motions.

"Ja-son?" the boy whispered out, awe in his voice. And Jason couldn't.

He didn't think as his hand reached out and slapped him hard across the mouth. Venom didn't stop him. In fact, the bodysharing entity seemed just as surprised at the motion as himself.

The boy rolled over and spat out blood, "Is that you?" The boy- no- Timothy Drake's eyebrows knit themselves together trying to puzzle out what was going on. This wasn't good. His Replacement might have been a lying, stealing bastard, but none of his research showed he was stupid. This wasn't good at all.

Jason. Venom cocked his half-formed head to the side. The Kryptonian spawn is waking up.

Jason turned away, assessing his way off the building. Could the Kryptonian fly? He couldn't remember. He needed a getaway, fast.

"No Jason wait-" Drake called his unbroken arm reaching out towards them. Jeez, he'd beaten the kid into a bloody pulp and he was still trying to talk. He thought Bruce would have given the kid some more training on self-preservation. Jason ran his eyes over the kid thinking fast he couldn't leave yet. If the kid ratted him out to Bruce before his plan with Black Mask went off it was over. It was over before it even began and he showed Bruce how wrong he was. He couldn't let the kid talk.

Jason covered the top of the roof in two steps as he approached the crumpled mess, "Look, kid, it's nothing personal-," He glanced down at his battered form, reassessing, "Okay maybe it's a little personal."

Then he reached into his jacket and pulled out a syringe of clear liquid. The Replacement's eyes widened as he realized what was going to happen.

"Ja-" The kid started but Jason jabbed the syringe into his neck and pressed down. Timothy Drake slumped to the side, losing consciousness. If everything worked out fine the kid would wake up in a couple of days with a killer migraine and feeling no worse for wear. With one last glance at the tattered bloody form of Robin. Jason stepped off the roof and let Venom find their way home. This is not the way he wanted this to go. This wasn't the way any of this was supposed to go. He couldn't get those terrified blue eyes out of his head!

They soared over the rooftops, Venom coating them and leading their body as they went. He wanted to get out of this goddamn city that was too clean and too sunny. Jason felt untethered. He couldn't- no he didn't want to process what just happened. He let himself float like a foreigner in his own body.

A little voice in his head whispered that he shouldn't have done that, any of that. It sounded like Robin. But Jason had had enough of anything resembling Robin for one night. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd just done something he could never step away from.

His hands shook. What was wrong with him?

He knew he'd come back wrong, that he was off since long before Venom. He didn't remember much from before the pit and after there was a blank space that even Talia wouldn't tell him about.

Hush Jason. You are thinking too loudly.

"Venom," He said softly, "What if the kid's right? What if I really am crazy? Hell, I don't know why I did that. I shouldn't have done that. I- I'm losing control. I didn't even mean to rough him up that bad. It was just the clown and then I- I couldn't fucking think!"

V we liked when you called us V. You won't get out of control. I will keep you from it, Jason. We are going to kill the clown. We'll bite the throat and laugh as the Joker bleeds out in terror and then we will feast on his bones. Then we will take all of Gotham and make it the way it should be.

"Yeah, but what if you can't stop if V?" Jason's voice sounds weak, faded like someone had taken a wire brush to his voice box.

Hah, in your dreams dead meat. Venom finally found an ally dark enough to his liking and slunk down, using the brick walls to slow their descent. Jason felt Venom sink back under his skin, he seemed uncomfortable, somehow more defensive here than he was in Gotham. Jason poked at the feeling as he straightened, preparing to slink back out onto the streets in his civies and make his way back to Gotham.

When I first landed on this planet it was this city. I hate it. Glimpses of a burning ship of fear and then darkness flashed in his mind. Then the sensation of being squeezed tightly, hungry, and alone.

Jason had questions. Venom was more than happy to expand on what he thought Jason should know, but he was always rather tight-lipped about how he ended up on Earth, "How did you end up in Gotham then?"

There were three of us. Three Klyntar are what are sent to conquer planets so that the host may devour them.

"Devour-" He started, but Venom was already pushing a sense of calm into their mind.

Relax, I'm nearly as invested in this planet as your meatsack species. I cannot go back. It is taboo to bond with a host like this. I would be eaten for being so weak as to get trapped inside a meatsack.

"Sounds like a swell home you come from V. And hey if it bothers you so much after we take care of the clown I'll use some League contacts and see about getting you free." The thought was strange even now. A few weeks ago he would have been happy to toss Venom out into the streets or blow him to hell. Hell, even yesterday he had considered it. But something unnamable had shifted between them. He didn't want to be alone. He couldn't quite imagine going back to face the demons in his mind by himself. He shivered. Who knew what he would do? Venom certainly wasn't good by any stretch, and cannibalism was pretty bad by any measure. But, Jason knows there used to be blank spaces in his memory long before Venom. Times where he remembers getting angry and then waking up to a massacre. They've become less frequent, but it was simple Jason couldn't trust himself.

Idiot. Why would I want to go back out there when I can stay warm in here and you can make us waffles?

Jason snorted as he veered along the brightly lit streets, "Glad to see for once it's my cooking that defeats evil. Pretty sure that only works on a fatass like you." Venom twitches Jason's internal organs just to annoy him, "So what happened to the other two?"

One died as we crashed on your planet. Riot and me were found by some fucking whitecoats and stuck in a lab. They ran the tests and then one day I'm moving and Riot's not. Then I'm in that fucking warehouse.

Great, Jason thought so there was another Venom out there potentially creating problems somewhere out in the world. He ran a hand through his hair that would have to go on his after the Joker list of things to do. Not to mention whichever tech company thought it was a stellar idea to not report aliens to any body of government or even give them the basic rights they were afforded on this planet. Hell, world-conquering intent or not this was America.

Jason, the alien whined, completely bored by his planning as per usual, You promised McDonalds.

He huffs, letting out a small broken laugh. He swears if he ever pulls a Bruce and adopts any brats they're gonna be a walk in the fuckin' park compared to Venom.

Venom purred, and Jason could feel his warm body nuzzling him under his shirt. I'm sure our spawn will be well taken care of.

And okay Jason really didn't want to touch that with a ten-foot pole so he headed straight for the nearest sign with golden arches he could find.

Author's Note: Apparently, in a shocking turn of events this chapter is coming up before Venom let there be Carnage does! I know I'm surprised too. I'm really not great at writing action scenes and this is the first time I'm writing anything with Tim Drake so I really hope the characterization isn't too muddled. Anyways as always hope you enjoyed and feel free to let me know what you thought!