GOTHAM CITY
OCTOBER 2ND 2010 9: 45 EST
Betty pulled her cardigan tighter around herself, the fall breeze sending a slight chill up her spine. The weatherman on the news report had said that a cold front should be coming in within the next few days, which seemed a little early to Betty, but she wasn't a meteorologist so what did she know? Autumn leaves were beginning to gather on the ground in the colors of dark reds and soft browns, creating trails to follow along the Gotham sidewalk. The few trees littered through Gotham blew softly in the wind, creating a soft rustling sound for Betty to listen to while she walked to Jason's apartment.
The destruction from the plant creatures were also present. Bits of buildings and cars dented beyond repair lined the streets along with the leaves, and people were out salvaging what they could from buildings that were ruined. Betty had been extremely lucky in that her street had been spared by the attack by the Injustice League, but she knew that many others had not been so lucky.
One family was surveying their ruined pawn shop as she passed, and she dimly remembered that was the pawn shop she and Robin had been involved with before he recruited her to the Team. Betty stopped, hands in her pockets, twinges of guilt and sadness pulling at her. If only she and the others had been faster, maybe their shop would have been saved. Or less damaged, at least. Theoretically, she understood that not everyone and everything could be saved. But it was different in practice, to see the damage caused in this never-ending crusade against crime. It made Betty question everything that she had done, if she had made the right choices. If the whole Team had.
Betty shook her head and kept walking. She couldn't think like that. It was just as never-ending as the battles she fought. She could only do so much, only do so much to help. Besides, she had her own people to worry about.
Betty finally made her way to Jason's apartment and she knocked on the door. Nothing happened and Betty frowned with a furrowed brow. She tried knocking again, and she finally heard a crashing sound coming from the other side of the door and a "Damnit Christopher!".
And then the door was swinging open, revealing the haggard form of Catherine Todd. Her hair was up in a messy bun, strands falling loosely over her tired face. Her shirt had at least three fresh stains on them, and her pants had a rip in the knee. Her face was in an exhausted position, bags under her eyes and thin lines along her cheeks.
"Betty," she greeted, emotionless.
"Mrs. Todd," Betty said in turn. "Did you guys make it through the Injustice League attack alright?"
"Yeah, sure," Catherine breezed. Betty shifted on her heels awkwardly, biting her lip.
"So, uh, is Jason here?" Betty asked. Catherine shook her head.
"No," she said simply. Betty's brows shot to her hairline.
"Well…where he is?" Betty said. "I just want to make sure he's alright."
Catherine sighed heavily and leaned on the door. A rotten feeling knotted in Betty's stomach.
"He's been at a friend's house the past couple of days," Catherine said. "I don't know when he'll be back."
Betty's heart lurched. This wasn't right. Something was wrong here.
"Well, have you heard from him?" Betty inquired. "Since the attack?"
Catherine sighed again and stepped towards Betty, her eyes flashing frighteningly.
"Look, I'm sure he's fine," Catherine said. "Jason used to disappear all the time, I'm sure he'll be home in a couple of days."
No. This was not right at all. Nothing could possibly be right about this. Why wasn't Catherine more concerned? Jason had been gone for days, and she was his mother. Shouldn't she care? Just a little? Especially after what happened yesterday.
"Catherine," Betty hissed. "Do you not know where Jason is?"
Catherine scoffed. "He's my son, of course I know."
"Then tell me where he is," Betty said. Catherine narrowed her eyes.
"He's my son, Elizabeth," Catherine seethed. "Not yours, and I don't have to tell you where he is."
So, she didn't know. Betty's heart raced furiously. No. She just got her friend back. She was not about to lose him again. He was only ten years old, and he was God knows where doing God knows what. He could be injured from the Injustice League's plants. Or worse. And Catherine…Catherine didn't care.
Betty took a serious step back. Betty cared. Betty was going to find him.
"Do you have any idea where he could be?" Betty tired. Catherine wasn't letting the jig up.
"With his friend. Like I said," Catherine said. Betty griped Catherine's arm tightly and pulled the older woman closer, the years of beating up guys bigger than her making this easy. She had done persuasion before, both Batman and regular style before.
"Enough with the friend talk!" Betty yelled. "Where is my little brother?!"
It was a Freudian slip, one of the most masterful. Betty could hardly say if she really actually considered him like a little brother, all she knew was that it came out. And it turned out to be the worst things she could have said to Catherine Todd that day.
Catherine pulled herself out of Betty's grasp and scrunched her face up dangerously in a way that told Betty she had said the wrong thing.
"He's not your brother," Catherine said. "Never has been. But he is my son. And he's fine. Now goodbye, Elizabeth."
And then the door slammed in her face.
Feet in the swing over the creek
I was too scared to jump in
But I, I was high in the sky
With Pennsylvania under me
Are there still beautiful things?
MOUNT JUSTICE
SEPTEMBER 2ND 2010 10:05 EST
Conner was awoken by his phone ringing on his bedside table. Normally he wouldn't sleep this late, but after yesterday's mission, he believed he was entitled to a little bit of sleeping in on a Saturday. Their was no training today, and it was unlikely that Batman would send them on another mission so soon after the monster of one they just went on.
Conner blinked blearily and could just barely make out HB. He furrowed his brow and sat up. Hon—Betty never called him, he called her. Betty preferred text over phone calls any day of the week so if she wanted to get in touch, a text was sent to his phone. Conner was the one who liked phone calls as he found texting to be too tedious. Why write out what you want to say when you can just say it?
"Hello?" he yawned into the phone.
"Conner! Thank goodness!" Betty sounded frantic on her end of the line. "I need your help!"
Conner shot out of bed, his bare feet cold on the floor of the mountain. Alarm bells were going off in his head. Betty did not ask for help. Betty was a solitary person, like him. If she was asking for help, it must be for something serious.
"What's wrong?" Conner asked.
"My-my friend. I think – think he's missing," Betty said. Conner could hear her struggling to breath on the other end of the line.
"Look, Betty, I need you to calm down," Conner said. "Just breathe in and out, okay? Listen to my voice. Just breathe."
He heard Betty take several deep breaths, and Conner could hear with his super senses her breathing rhythm return to normal. Or semi-normal, her heart was still racing, and her breath was coming out just a bit unevenly.
"Now, tell me what's wrong," Conner said. "What do you mean your friend might be missing?"
"Hi-his mom won't tell me where he is," Betty stammered. "And it's-it's not like him to take off and not tell – not tell me where he's going." She took a large gulp of breath. "I need your help to find him. Me and Robin are already looking."
Robin? Robin must know her secret identity. That selfish part of him that hated being second to him with Betty reared its ugly head and he pushed deep down inside. Now was not the time to worry about where he stood versus Robin. Betty was in crisis, and she needed help.
"You're in Gotham, right?" Conner asked. He pulled out one of black t-shirts and began to put in on, putting the phone down on speaker. "Do-do you want me to bring M'gann? She might be—she might be able to help."
Betty was silent for a long moment, and then she spoke again.
"Yes. Please. If she wants to."
Betty had to know that meant revealing her secret identity, a secret she kept guarded above all else. She must really care about this friend if she's willing to reveal her secret.
Conner nodded though Betty couldn't see. "If you're sure."
"I'm sure."
Conner hoped she really was sure. Once she told her secret, their was no going back.
"What's their name?"
"Jason. Jason Todd. He's ten years old, and he's the closest thing I have to a brother. Call me when you get here, we'll regroup."
Sweet tea in the summer
Cross your heart won't tell no other
And though I can't recall your face
I still got love for you
Your braids like a pattern
Love you to the Moon and to Saturn
Passed down like folk songs
The love lasts so long
GOTHAM CITY
SEPTEMBER 2ND 2010 14:15 EST
Jason would like it stated he did not run away. He just saw an opportunity and he took it. When he saw the man with the bags and money show up at the apartment, he knew it would be easy to get lost in the chaos and it would probably take a week for his mom to get worried. Most likely two. And if it meant he did not have to go back to that stupid apartment where there was almost no food and a loud Christopher and Mom that was never there, he was going to take that opportunity.
He had thought vaguely about trying to hide at Betty's, but Betty and Miss Melody were barely scrapping by themselves. He didn't want to be a burden on them. Betty wouldn't say anything, but Jason would know. Jason would be able to see what another mouth to feed would do to them. Miss Melody may have a fancy new job, but he wanted them to succeed. Not worry about him too.
So, the streets it was. At least out here he wouldn't be a burden and he wouldn't have to count on people that were never there.
He had been gone for maybe two days when the Injustice League did their thing, and Jason had rode it out inside the library, huddled between book shelves and flipping through the pages in an attempt to distract himself. He liked books. Books were nice. They helped distract him from things that were going wrong.
Even vicious plants attacking his city.
But he did not run away, he told himself as he stood on the street corner, pulling his old jacket around himself as a slight breeze blew. It was mid-afternoon, and it was going to get steadily chillier as the days passed. He didn't look forward to that. Maybe by then he would have a semi-permanent place to stay. A thrift store surely would have a jacket for cheap. How he was going to get money for it was another story entirely, but he would cross that bridge when he got there.
Jason looked at the street for a moment more, and then turned into his alleyway. He had made it his makeshift home following his not-running away. He had made a bed out of an old cardboard box he had found, and the top managed to keep the rain off of him from when it had rained the night before last.
A part of him liked it more than his apartment with Mom. It was his, and he was in charge of it. He provided for himself now, instead of waiting on someone who was not going to deliver.
And that was much better to him.
And I've been meaning to tell you
I think your house is haunted
Your dad is always mad and that must be why
And I think you should come live with me
And we can be pirates
Then you won't have to cry
Or hide in the closet
And just like a folk song
Our love will be passed on
Chapter Bible Verse:
"For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." - Hosea 6:6
I have realized I wrote Jason having his birthday pre-August 16th, his DC comics canon birthday. I wrote the line and didn't even think about it way back when I wrote it. So, I'm just going to roll with it, as I don't think it's a big deal.
And this will lead into next chapter, instead of jumping straight to "Humanity", as it's too big to be kept in the in-between missions.
I hope y'all enjoyed!
Review Replies:
MsRosePetal: I thought about maybe having Betty making a joke along that line, but it just didn't fit the mood of the scene I was going for. But Betty will be teasing Conner over the relationship throughout the rest of the season! Because what else are best friends for? And I'm glad you like the Wally moments. He's so much fun to write because he has no filter and a unique personality that is just so fun from a writing perspective. Thank you so much for leaving a review and have a blessed day!
Guest: I never understood why he is painted emotionlessly when he is perhaps the most emotional member of the Team, hands down. He feels very deeply, so when he's angry he's very angry and when he's happy, he's very happy. I relate to him in that way, so it's fun to write that. It just felt so natural for him to vulnerable in that moment, and I wish we got more of it in the series, as he's so new to the world and doesn't quite understand things in practice v. theory. We get some in Season 2 and 3, but not really in Season 1. I've tried to find a good balance in this chapter with the said and other words, as I don't want it to become overbearing in either direction. Poison Ivy and Betty was so fun to write! Ivy is a fun villain as she is cunning but also emotional, so writing the fight scene was a treat. Thank you so much for leaving a review! Have a blessed day!
Questions, comments, or concerns? Let me know! Have a blessed day!
-PrincessChess