29. Up All Night

"It has to be me, Jason. I want to take his life. I want to kill Black Mask myself."

Dora wiped her hot tears away. Grief overwhelmed her, but that sadness had transformed into anger. "Jay, I understand how you feel. You wanted payback from the people that made your life hell. I want it too. I want Black Mask to pay. I want him dead, and I want to be the one that kills him."

Jason backed away, surprise in his eyes. "You want revenge." He shook his head, trying to dispel his disbelief. "I—I … didn't think you had it in you."

Dora's heart sank.

This was it. She had gone too far, opened up too much. Who says things like that? Was she insane for even entertaining the thought?

But then Jason pulled her back and kissed her, hard.

There was an intense passion, a yearning for connection in his kiss. It left Dora stunned, but she recovered as something passed between them. It took Dora a few moments to realize it wasn't love… but a connection. She massaged his lips with hers, answered his tongue with her own. They were stoking each other's flames, forging a bond, and the fuel was exactly the same in each of their hearts.

Loss.

Pain.

Hatred.

Vengeance.

Finally, Jason broke the kiss. Dora's lips and jaw, and everything else, hummed for a second afterward. They had just had sex a few hours ago, none of those kisses were as… loaded as this one.

She had just admitted that she wanted to murder a man in cold blood—and that did not scare Jason off. It turned him on.

"Dora," he said. "I get it. You have no idea how much, but… Black Mask is dangerous."

"I don't care. I'll find a way."

"He's not your typical mob boss. He got to the top of Gotham's criminal world not just by sheer cunning and tenacity, but by doing his own fucking wet work, by personally killing everyone that got in his way. He dominates his subordinates with through pure power and fear. He's not just bark, he's not just bite. He's a fucking dragon with fire and teeth and claws and a god damn lair."

"Don't you think I know that?" Dora snapped. "Why do you think I want him dead so bad? It wasn't Black Mask's goons that killed my dad, remember? If it were, this vendetta would have been settled the night you killed them all and saved me."

Jason's eyes wavered. He seemed to be recalling the event.

"I told you. It was Black Mask himself that killed my father," Dora seethed. "I watched him do it. He beat my dad into the ground until he could not move. Kicked his ribs in, then left him to die—just to make an example for everyone on the block. My dad died on the street before the ambulance even arrived." Dora grabbed Jason's hand and gripped it hard. "I watched the life disappear from his eyes, and nothing I did could stop it."

Jason pried Dora's hand from his and kissed it. He massaged her palm. "Dora, I get it, but I can't just serve Black Mask to you on a silver platter, as much as I want to. And I really fucking want to. But he's too well protected to capture and too dangerous to hold. Believe me, I've tried. He's got bodyguards, decoys, and an actual freaking fortress."

Dora nodded. "That explosion in his penthouse a few weeks ago. That was you, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. One of my many attempts to fucking off the guy. The dude's a fucking cockroach hiding in a lead box. His death needs to be face to face, up close and personal—"

"That's the way I want it—" Dora cut in.

"when he's off his guard and least expecting it," Jason continued. "Dora, even assuming I could somehow get you close enough to put him in your crosshairs, there's no way you can kill him by yourself and walk away alive."

"Then show me."

"Show you?"

"Train me."

Jason eyed her for a long moment. "Don't you understand? I was trained by the League of Assassins, and I still can't touch the guy. Why do you think I'm playing the long game, huh? Dismantling his criminal empire one branch at a time? It's a fucking siege. I'm trying to starve him out of his hole. Make him desperate enough to make a mistake I can capitalize on."

Dora's resolve was set. "It still can't hurt to train me. Look, Jason, my dad taught me how to shoot, and I've been going to jiu-jitsu classes for a few weeks now, but… I know that's not enough. I don't want to become a vigilante like you or anything, but…" She groaned and sat back. "If I can't avenge my dad, then at least… I want to be able to take care of the people I love and keep myself safe." Dora inhaled deeply, staring at the roof of the car, trying rein in her emotions. "What happened to my dad… I will not let it happen again, to anyone I love. Never again. Do you understand? Never fucking again. I will not be powerless."

Jason gripped the steering wheel, staring at the water ahead. The sun was finally peaking over the horizon.

"Jason, you're not Superman," Dora said. "You can't always be there to protect me, especially if you want to succeed in your mission."

He snarled, trying to resist her reasoning, but Dora knew she had him.

"Every single time you've saved my life, Jason, if you had arrived even a minute later, I would be dead." It was a dreadful fact to admit, but it was one she had come to terms with weeks ago.

Jason sat there for several moments, chewing on his lip, his jaw clenched. His eyes darted around, as if he was reading a map. His feet tapped the pedals as his fingers drummed on the steering wheel.

Dora's heart welled, realizing what he was doing.

He was planning.

She had asked for the something, and he was trying his damnedest to figure out the details of how to give it to her.

Finally, he turned his gaze back on Dora. "Fine. I'll do it. I'll train you."

She wrapped her arms around him. He squeezed her back.

"Just because your wish is next to impossible, doesn't mean I won't go to hell and back to make it happen. If the stars align and I can figure out how to get you safely to Black Mask, I'll do it. If not that, I'll bring him to you. And hey, if my girlfriend wants to learn how defend herself and beat up bad guys in the mean time, what kind of vigilante boyfriend would I be if I didn't help her?"

Dora blinked. "Wait, I'm your girlfriend?"

Something sparkled behind Jason's eyes. "Am I your boyfriend?"

Dora stared and didn't say anything.

Jason growled, part in frustration, part in amusement. "You're so fucking hard to get, you know that? The last time we got back together, took you weeks to make it official too. I mean, we just had sex. I don't have eyes for anyone else but you, and I'm sure as hell not planning to look around."

What kind of relationship could they even have, Dora asked herself. She couldn't tell anyone about Jason or be seen with him. Too many people already knew or suspected that Red Hood had a crush on her.

The cops were watching her, and if they could entice any one of her friends to turn on her, she would be screwed.

Not to mention Ma Gunn had threatened to kill her if she hurt Jason.

Then there was Batman.

The fucking Batman. What would he do to her if he found out?

She and Jason could call each other boyfriend and girlfriend, but the truth was they were having an affair and it had to stay a secret as long as possible.

A glare hit Dora's eyes. The sky behind the warehouse was orange, red, and yellow. The sun was low in the sky. They'd been up all night.

They could finish this conversation later, when she wasn't so worked up and thinking with an exhausted brain.

Dora sighed, exasperated. "Never mind all that." She pulled away from Jason, sat back in her seat, took off her glasses, and rubbed her eyes. "I need to get back and catch some sleep before my next shift."

"Why don't you crash at my place?"

Dora smiled. "Where do you even live?"

"I have safehouses all over the city." He nodded towards the building in front of them. "But I've mostly been staying here with the Street Demonz the past few weeks."

"You've been squatting in a garage?" Dora asked skeptically. A man of his means could undoubtedly afford an apartment, if not a penthouse.

"There's a loft. Bed, bath, kitchen everything. Pretty cozy, if you ask me."

That sounded cool, but Dora smirked and looked at him. "If I come up with you, you're not going to let me sleep, are you?"

Jason's lips broke into a devilish grin. "Oh, don't worry, I will." His hand caressed her neck and tipped her chin up, angling her mouth to meet his. As he spoke, his lips brushed against hers.

Dora's lips and tongue tingled, wanting to taste him again.

"Let me kiss you good night first," Jason breathed.

"Well, you know, that Plan B pill I took still hasn't kicked in… so, we could still…"

At that, Jason growled, kicked the car door open and dragged her out. Dora squealed in delight. She didn't feel so exhausted anymore.

#

Dora woke later that day to the sound of metal clanging and Jason grunting.

She was buried deep under a heavy comforter, laying on top of fluffy pillows and a cloud-like mattress. The soft fabrics felt exquisite against her naked skin.

She hadn't felt so rested and satisfied in years. The previous night and the past few days had been so eventful, and her sleep had been fractured by hangovers and nightmares. She had gone to bed with Jason last night (or rather this morning) completely and utterly exhausted, and well… there was nothing quite like a full night's sleep in a comfy bed after really good sex.

Best of all, she hadn't dreamed. No dreams, no nightmares. Just… rest.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Dora rolled out of bed, and slipped on her shirt, underwear, and glasses. She padded to the bathroom and washed up as best she could. Her hair was a mess—Jason loved to play with it while… Dora shivered pleasantly, remembering last night. She tamed her wavy tresses with some water and a towel, and swished some toothpaste around in her mouth.

Jason's loft was situated in the same warehouse that housed his personal garage. It was wide and open with high ceilings, exposed electrical and duct work, a skylight, and giant windows that looked up at the Sprang Bridge and down at the Gotham River. Red brick, gray steel, and dark wood were the main textures in the space. The concrete floor was covered in a motley assortment of rugs and torn carpet. His furniture was thrifty, worn, and mismatched, but otherwise clean and inviting. In lieu of an entertainment center or living area, there was a nook with a stack books and car manuals surrounding an antique leather armchair. An electric guitar leaned against an amplifier nearby, with a turntable stereo and a crate of vinyl records.

A table with an impressive multi-screen computer rig sat in one corner, while one wall featured a pegboard and workbench with a whole arsenal's worth of weapons and military equipment. Dora walked up to a heavy plastic crate, lying open in front the arsenal. Inside was Jason's Red Hood gear. She was reluctant to call it a costume, because the only thing flashy and vigilante-esque about it was the signature red helmet. To her surprise, there were a couple red helmets in the crate, all resembling each other, but with subtle differences.

Dora's attention was drawn to one in particular. On close inspection, she saw it wasn't a helmet like the others, but a sleek paintball mask. The lower half looked like a low-profile respirator without the filters, and the top half was a small pair of googles that looked like a domino mask. It couldn't protect the skull, but would certainly do a good job of concealing one's identity. Dora thought it looked cool.

Turning back around, Dora saw that near the descending stairs to the garage was a compact workout area, featuring a floor mat, punching bag, and wooden sparing dummy. Oddly enough, there were no weights. That's where she found Jason.

Dora pushed her glasses back up her nose and licked her lips.

He was hanging from a bar suspended between two steel beams. He was shirtless, beads of sweat trickling down his torso as the muscles of his arms, chest, and stomach bulged and tightened.

Then in a sudden jerking motion, Jason hauled himself up. The bar he was holding onto was a loose steel rod, and the beams had notches on them. He was suspended in the air for a split second, then he caught the set of notches above his head with the steel rod.

Dora remembered what it was called… a salmon ladder.

The upper body strength someone needed to do a handful of standard pull-ups was impressive enough, but having the strength, stamina, and coordination to climb a salmon ladder was another thing entirely.

She suddenly felt very self-conscious.

Holly insisted Dora wasn't fat, and when she was feeling confident, Dora sometimes agreed with her. She did not eat much, quite frankly because she would forget to, but she had inherited her mother's thick hips, which no amount of diet and exercise could get rid of. While Jason seemed to enjoy her curves, so did a bunch of other men whose attention she didn't want. Dora wasn't thin either, she just wasn't fit. For a long time, lugging bottles and kegs up from and down to the cellar was the only exercise she got. Lilith's jiu-jitsu classes was the only other thing that made her sweat lately.

Jason finally reached the top of the ladder, a good 15 feet off the floor. He swung his legs a bit, unlatched the bar, and curled in the air, flipping like a gymnast as he descended. He landed a few feet in front of her, twirling the bar with flourish.

"Show off," Dora said, but this close she couldn't help but ogle his honed physique as he stood up. Yeah, she thought, she was punching a bit above her class with Jason.

"You want some breakfast?" Jason asked, then checked his watch. "Or lunch, I mean."

She grabbed his wrist and checked for herself. "Fuck! You mean an early dinner. It's three in the afternoon. I can't. I have to go to work."

"No… stay with me." He draped a towel across his shoulders and stepped closer. "Let's have a day together."

He was sweaty and musky… which, to Dora's own surprise, was enticing. She had the brief but intense urge to lick the sweat off his neck.

She shook her head, coming back to her senses. Unprotected sex twice in less than 24 hours… with a wanted vigilante. She had already made enough bad decisions. "I really can't, Jason. I need to work my own shift today. I left everyone hanging the day before yesterday, and I can't do it again. Rochelle can open up, but once happy hour starts, she's going to need help."

"Hmmm, I hear you." Jason nodded and dried off as he walked over to the kitchen. He picked up a cell phone from the counter and dialed.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Dora asked.

Jason shushed her.

"Yeah, boss?" a young feminine voice chirped up from the speaker.

"Hey, Cali, can you do me a huge favor?"

"Sure thing, big guy, just ask."

Dora felt a twinge of something. Cali was the bartender she had met a few nights ago at the Street Demonz' clubhouse. Cali was young, nubile, attractive, and sounded all too eager to do whatever Jason asked her to do.

"You know the Alibi down on Park Row?"

"Ol' Monty's dive? Yeah."

"They're part of the family. I need you to cover for someone named Dora and help the swing shift there. Tell them she's out sick."

"Playing hooky with the new gal, sir?"

"Opsec," Jason said. "I mean it."

"Sorry, boss. You got it." She hung up.

"There, your day is free," Jason said, putting the phone down on the kitchen counter. "You might want to text your friends a heads up."

Dora just stood there, staring at Jason, brows knit. She didn't know whether to feel offended that he imposed on her business or impressed that he could snap his fingers and people would immediately obey.

"Cancel that, please," she said, a little irritated. "I can't pay her for those hours."

"Don't worry, I'm paying her."

The fact that Jason paid Cali to do whatever he wanted, a girl with morals questionable enough to hang out with a gun-running, car-boosting biker gang, did not make Dora feel better.

Jason walked over and rubbed her neck and shoulders. "Relax, please. I'm just trying to give you what you wanted."

Dora tried to find his touch soothing. "Yeah, and what's that?"

Jason smiled. "Training."

Notes

If you couldn't tell, I'm an Arrowverse fan. I had to put the salmon ladder in, I had to. Arrow's darker take on Oliver Queen is certainly an influence on this fic. And how do you guys feel about Dora training to kick some ass of her own? Do you want her to take down Black Mask even though it doesn't fit the canon?

Also, this is the most you guys have seen of me portraying Jason on the page. How am I doing? Tell me what you think, please! What kind of stuff do you want to see Jason doing? Mask on or off? Do you like all this fluffy romantic relationship stuff between him and Dora?

Heads up, the next few chapters focus more on Dora again. I want you guys to remember that a character (or any woman for that matter) is not defined by her relationship. One of my biggest goals in writing this fanfic is that my OC could stand alone without her pairing to a canon character. Those of you that have stuck around this long have shown me that this can work, so I thank you and I love you. I hope to finish this story soon and give you something great to remember.

Now back to fancasting!

Firstly, Dora's best friend Rochelle. She's based on my real life friend and beta reader Rhelna! But you guys have no idea what she looks like, so picture that it's Alanah Pearce who plays Rochelle on this imaginary screen. Alanah Pearce is one of my favorite game journalists and YouTubers. She's done a bunch of stuff on her own and for IGN, but works mostly for Rooster Teeth now. She's Australian and tough and snarky, just like Rochelle. You'll notice the similarities immediately if you watch her videos.

Next, is Dora's other best friend Holly. Some of my readers tend to forget that Holly Robinson is a canon character owned by DC—she's Selina Kyle's best friend (and maid of honor during the botched Wedding arc). I'll be honest, Holly had no particular actress playing her in my head until I sat down to consciously fancast her, but after scouring the internet and my influences, I landed on Katherine McNamara who plays Mia Smoak (Queen) in the Arrowverse. The casting was sealed after I watched Kate interview with Kevin Smith about the Crisis crossover. She's a wise-cracking tough-as-nails bony blonde beauty. That's Holly in a nutshell. (Runner-up was Brie Larson, but it wasn't even close.)

Comments and feedback welcome! It's summer now, which means I'll be posting more! (I'm a teacher.) Hopefully I can get at least one chapter posted each week until August.

Song Reference: "Up All Night" by Volumes

Version 41.2