Jason led Tim and Danny out of the warehouse. Tim could feel the apprehension and fear all over the ghost's emotions. He didn't trust Hood. But he was going with him anyway. Tim didn't know why. He would have expected the ghost to try and run like he had at the manor, not go towards a man who had just clearly shot and probably killed a bunch of people.

Phantom's panic had been so potent when they got shot, it practically suffocated Tim. Tim had no idea what to do. He assumed that the ghost must have been terrified of dying again. That maybe he died by being shot, and he had PTSD about guns? But there was no way he would go with Hood if that were true.

He tried to reassure Phantom that he wouldn't die again, but it seemed to do nothing for his panicked state. But then… one of the first things he asked Jason was if Tim was going to be okay, not himself. That was strange. And the first thing that happened when they did get hurt was Danny apologizing constantly for getting him hurt.

Maybe Phantom wasn't worried about himself… He was worried about Tim. Was that why he was going with Hood? Tim was sure he would be able to talk Danny through fixing up the wound. There was no real reason to go with him. But Danny didn't know that, did he?

Tim was still a little off around Jason. He came over sometimes but overall avoided the bat fam and threatened them if they entered his territory. But things were slowly getting better. And Tim was sure that Jason wouldn't just lure Phantom with him to kill him, even if he was in Tim's body. Especially after Danny said that he was only sixteen, just a kid.

And sixteen… That was surprising in of itself. Was Phantom that old when he died? Was he really Tim's age? Or is that how long he had been dead? Wait… Earlier he made a joke about being fourteen when he died and picking his name or something. So he has been dead for two years, then, and is now sixteen?

Tim's mind was running away with itself when Phantom froze, snapping Tim back to attention. It was easy to get lost in your head when you didn't even have to focus on controlling your own body. Danny was staring at a dark alley in between two other warehouses that Hood just walked into, obviously expecting him to follow. Phantom hesitated, biting his lip before stepping a bit further. Carefully putting one foot in front of the other as he walked.

That was when Tim also noticed that their vision was a bit better with Phantom's ghostly influence. It only took him a few seconds to spot Jason's motorbike hidden against the wall of one of the warehouses once they got closer. Phantom slowly continued on, their heart rate spiking.

Hood pulled out his bike and kicked up the stand before he wheeled it a little closer to them. Jason swung one leg over the seat and sat down. He winced in pain as he did so. He must have been injured too. Tim didn't look for it before and they definitely weren't close enough to see what was hurt.

They still didn't move. Phantom just stared at Jason as he sat on the bike, one arm still putting pressure on his side where they were shot.

"Come on kid. I ain't got all night." Hood called out.

Phantom jumped slightly and his eyes flickered up to the eye lenses on Hood's helmet. Apprehension was building again. "It's fine, Phantom. Don't worry. He wants to help." Tim wasn't sure if he was even confident in those words, since Tim was still terrified of the Red Hood sometimes. Especially after Jason tried to murder him in Titans Tower last year. But the words must have helped a little at least, because the ghost sighed deeply and pushed himself forward and up to the side of the bike.

)-(

The kid followed behind Jason silently as they walked away from the warehouse Tim was being held in. He stayed at least out of grabbing distance of Jason at all times, which was normal after just being kidnapped and grabbed multiple times.

The kid was tense, Jason could feel the apprehension and fear all over him as he walked freakishly silently behind him. The kid could honestly almost rival the bat. Jason clenched his jaw. He wasn't sure he trusted this. This whole thing was off, the kid was radiating the same energy as the pit. The same toxic substance that was flowing through his veins. The same thing that had almost caused him to murder Tim in the first place. The same thing that dragged up so many nightmares.

Someone shouldn't be radiating that much of the Pit. Whatever was possessing his brother at the moment could very clearly be dangerous, and unstable if Jason's experiences with the pit meant anything. Even if he is just a kid. Something could happen. Jason was nineteen and he couldn't control it. How is a sixteen-year-old with at least triple the dose supposed to?

Jason's mind wandered back to the times he had seen Ra's, he could feel the pit on him, as well. But it was nowhere as strong as what was radiating off of Tim right now. And Jason definitely couldn't feel the Demon Head's emotions. But he could feel the kid's… Could the kid feel his?

Despite all of Jason's weariness all of the emotions he could feel from the kid were all scared and worried! Not like when Jason was influenced by the pit. Jason didn't like the idea of turning his back on the kid, but then again, if the demon, ghost, spirit, thing -he would have to figure out later- had only access to Tim's body, then Hood should be able to take him down pretty easily.

If he was taken down by a bunch of low-level thugs that Red Robin could have taken on his own, then he probably didn't have any fancy powers other than the fact that he had glowing eyes. But then again, this could all have been a trap for Hood, something from Ra's… Why else would the kid be in his territory? And the thugs didn't even send out the ransom video before Hood got there. So he was the most likely one to find him.

Hood couldn't risk leaving the kid here. He had Tim's body and Hood sure as hell wasn't letting him walk away with that. So for now he needs to play nice and find out what is going on, and make sure Tim doesn't get hurt in the process.

They reached the corner where Jason stashed his bike earlier. His helmet had night vision so he could see exactly where to go to get it. When he looked back, he saw that the kid was standing there staring at the general area where Jason was… Oh right, Jason just walked into a dark alley and expected this kid to follow him.

Jason was about to call out for him to follow, but the kid took a deep breath and followed on his own. He spotted the bike and Jason faster than a normal human could after a couple of steps in.

Hood took that as a sign to grab the bike. He pulled it out before climbing on it himself. He winced at the pain his shoulder and now lower calf gave him, but brushed it off anyway. He looked up to find that the kid had frozen again. "Come on kid, I ain't got all night." He called out.

The kid jumped at Hood's words before listening to something and walking over. He climbed ungracefully onto the back of Hood's bike, one hand still holding his side. Tim shouldn't bleed out from it. Not unless it was left untreated for hours, maybe a day. They would be fine. The kid was still radiating wariness and fear, but he also had an underlying tone of protectiveness that Hood hadn't noticed before. Strange.

)-(

It didn't take them long to get to Jason's apartment… well one of his many apartments. This was one of the safe houses he used more frequently anyway. The whole trip Jason kept looking back at the kid who was holding onto his waist with one arm. Jason took the ride home relatively slowly, just to ensure no one got hurt. But the kid didn't try and jump off once. Which was a little concerning to say the least given how apprehensive the kid was about joining him. The threat of it being a trap still rang in Jason's mind.

He didn't even try to run once Jason turned his back as he put his bike away, the kid just stood there. But he could feel the kids growing worry as they walked up the stairs towards his apartment door. He sensed the kid's eyes burning into his shoulder blades. Not taking his eyes off of him. He pretended not to notice.

It took a moment for Hood to find the right key for this safe house. He had a lot of them but this was one of his more frequently used ones. Once the door was unlocked he held it open and reached out to the kid's shoulder to pull him into the room. He was as stiff as a board, and when Jason touched him he felt his emotions flare with protectiveness.

Jason stopped what he was doing and turned to look at the kid. The kid's eyes stared back, still that bright acidic glowing green colour, a colour that Jason recognized well. He sighed. "Look I'm not going to hurt you," Jason started.

But the kid stayed where he was. The protectiveness was still there and strong, maybe stronger. He was protective over something… Or someone. Jason's mind paused. He was being protective over Tim!? "I won't hurt Tim either. We'll fix him, stop him from bleeding out alright?" He tried speaking as calmly as he could. Reassuring the kid was the best bet here.

The kid just looked down at the wound and then back up at Jason. Was the only reason the kid came with him because he was trying to be protective over Tim? Because Hood said he would help fix Tim up?

The kid's face scrunched up. "Tim said you tried to kill him before…"

Jason stumbled back. He was talking with Tim!?


Authors notes

Okay but like a million thanks for my beta reader gamma_radio! I had to rewrite this chapter about three times because the characterization seemed off. They helped me out so much in the planning and fixing it up thank you!

I'm so excited about what is coming next, this is going to be so much fun, I'm telling you. Please tell me what you thought of it in the comments, and if there is anything you really want to see in the future please mention it, lots of my inspiration comes from you guys! :D