Jason walked to the door of his penthouse as someone knocked. The penthouse Bruce had given him since he had been reintroduced back into society. He didn't say anything to the person on the other side. He knew who it was and he wasn't exactly excited about meeting them. Jason was more then a little nervous. He didn't know what seeing him again would do to him. He didn't want to have to deal with flashbacks but he would have to make do. He unlocked the door and open it to find Willis Todd standing there. There was a time when Jason never thought he would see him again and he actually hoped he wouldn't but here he was.
"Hi, Jason. I'm glad you agreed to meet with me." Willis said, a small smile on his face. Jason wasn't sure what to say at first.
After a few awkward seconds, Jason stepped aside to let him in.
"I was surprised you emailed me." Jason said, closing the door.
Willis toke a look around the house, noticing how large and nice it was. It was a huge improvement from the place Jason had grown up in. It was mainly used as a safe house.
"I wanted to let you know I'm here. I'm alive and here we are." Willis tuned to look at Jason. Jason's face was emotionless as he walked past Willis.
"What do you want?" The question came off more harsh then he meant but Jason wasn't in the mood to friendly chit chat. Not with this man. The man who had caused him so much pain in his childhood. Willis knew he deserved that and worse.
"I'm here because you asked me to meet you here in the email." Willis said
"Then I guess the real question is why did you contact me?" Jason asked, a serious expression on his face.
"Ok, I get it. You're wondering why I'm here. Why I'm even alive. The thing is, I've been keeping tabs on you. I wanted to see what you were doing with your life. You made a name for yourself. You're more then I could have ever been." Willis said, knowing this could very well blow up in his face.
"That doesn't answer the question." Jason replied, trying to remain calm. He hadn't seen Willis in so many years. He was twelve when Willis was arrested. This was almost like a dream. A dream Jason didn't want to have again.
"I wanted to talk. We haven't exactly kept in touch over the years." Willis said.
"Why would we? Even if I knew you were alive, I wouldn't want to have anything to do with you." Jason replied a little too cold. He couldn't help it. Seeing Willis again brought back all the bad memories.
"Can you just hear me out?" Willis asked and Jason gestured for him to come sit on the leather sofa.
"You know, when I found your grave, I dug it up to find no one there. I realized you have lied to me. You led me to believe you were dead." Jason said, his voice calmer. "You left me with her. I was just a kid and I had to take care of my own mother."
Jason knew where Willis was buried but he never went to visit the grave. He never care to. He wanted nothing to do with him.
"I wish I could have been there. I wrote letters to you while in blackgate and I assumed you would get them. When I was out, I looked for you. I finally found where you were and who you were with. I knew you were better off with him. After all, Bruce Wayne could give you everything I couldn't. Like this place." Willis looked at his surroundings
"So why didn't you just stay dead to me. That would have been better." Jason said. He wondered why he agreed to this.
"Listen, you agreed to meet me here. I just wanted to get to know my son again." Willis defended
"I'm not your son. You lost the right to be a father long time ago." Jason said and Willis couldn't argue.
"I know I made terrible mistakes but what's wrong with wanting to make amends?"
Jason chuckled. "You think you can just show up here and expect me to invite you back into my life after everything you've done to me. After everything you've done to mom?" Jason said, feeling his blood begin to boil. There was always one person who Jason never could forgive and that person was sitting in front of him. He may not have forgiven a lot of other people but he could if he really wanted to. Willis was a different story.
He was suppose to be his dad. He was suppose to protect him but instead he did the exact opposite. He had hurt him and had hurt Jason's mom. Jason cared about his mom but she was too far gone. There was no way she was ever going to accept any help.
"I've done horrible things. Unspeakable things and I don't deserve forgiveness but you deserve to know your father is still alive and wants to be a better man."
This was almost laughable to Jason. Willis wanted to be better? Not likely. He just wasn't that kind of person.
"So you want redemption? Is that it?" Jason asked, wondering why he was still here talking to the man who made his childhood a living hell.
"Don't you? Isn't that what you've been searching for?" Willis's gaze never left Jason and Jason wanted this to be over. Something didn't feel right about this.
"I don't want redemption." Jason said. "I want to make a difference. I want something better for people who don't have much. I don't want any kid to have to go hungry or be abused. That's all I want."
Willis nodded as if he understood. "You've done a great job. You're bigger then Gotham itself."
"Don't do that. Don't try to pretend you care what I'm doing." Jason said, not letting his guard down.
"I do care. I know I don't deserve you or your forgiveness. I was just hoping to rekindle our broken trust." Willis wasn't giving up and Jason became even more irritated.
"If you honestly think that I would give you a second chance, your wrong." There was no way Willis could ever make amends for the things he's done. Not to Jason. Willis will always be a part of his past he wishes he could forget.
While Bruce was far from perfect and had made Jason furious at times, Jason knew he could always go to Bruce for anything and no matter how much they argued or fought, they would always have each other's backs. Jason will always have a place with the family. That was something he cherished.
"Excuse me for being suspicious but why come back into my life when I'm doing just fine. When I have a huge trust fund."
Willis looked taken aback. He wasn't sure how to answer.
"Wanna know why? Cause I thought maybe we could be a family again. I don't care how big your trust fund is."
"A family?" Jason snorted. "I have a family. I don't need you. Never did."
"I know that but that doesn't mean you and I can't be in each other's lives."
"You think I don't remember what you did! You think I don't remember how scared I was. I was too scared to go to sleep cause I was afraid you would snap and kill me and mom. I remember when you broke mom's nose and she refused to go to the hospital cause she was too high and you were too drunk. You think I don't remember that?" Jason shouted. He could no longer hold in his feelings about the man who just happen to share his DNA.
"You made my life and mom's life a living hell. I had to lie to people at school about how I got the bruises." Jason could still recall people asking questions and him trying to avoid them.
Despite his history with the bat family, he knew he still had them. Even though there was a time when he didn't think he did. He may fight with his family but they always had each other's backs. They were always there for each other.
"Don't think I'm not sorry for what I've done. I wish I could take it back but there's nothing I can do." Willis said, desperate for Jason to forgive him.
"I think you should leave." Jason said, not taking his eyes of the floor. He didn't want to look at Willis anymore.
"If that's what you think is best." Willis got up to leave.
"I'm sorry I upset you. I truly meant for this to be pleasant." There was some remorse in Willis' tone as he left the penthouse.
Months later, Jason had send Willis a email saying they needed to talk. Willis met Jason at the same penthouse and he could tell it was going to be a short visit.
"So why am I here?" Willis asked
"I just wanna get something off my chest." Jason replied.
Willis waited for him to continue.
"I know I was a little bitter last time we met." Jason started
"You had every right to be. Sorry I fucked up so bad. You deserve better." Willis said truthfully
"I don't hate you and I don't wish you were dead but that doesn't mean we are family. Sharing the same dna doesn't make us family either. It just makes us related and that's not the same as family." Jason said
"That's fair." Willis knowing that nothing he said can make things between them better. He had already screwed up.
"I feel like I owe you an apology." Willis said
"For trying to come back in my life or for my childhood?"
"Both really but I admit I was wrong to think I could walk back into your life. You are much better without me." Willis admitted
—
Jason sat in the family room at the manor listening to his siblings talk and fight over what movie to watch.
"So, how are things going?" Bruce asked sittings beside Jason
"Same as usual I guess." Jason replied.
"You've been quite this evening. Are you ok?" Bruce asked his son. Bruce noticed Jason take a deep breath.
"I'm fine, old man." Jason said
A few minutes passed before Jason got up and went to the kitchen for some chocolate cake.
"Are you sure you're ok?" He heard Bruce ask.
"Did you follow me in here just to ask if I'm ok? You think I'm not?" Jason said
"I saw him visit you on the security cam." Bruce said
Bruce had seen it in the security cam in Jason's house. He had no idea Willis was even alive but he always wondered if Jason would want to see him again.
"Stalking me, are you?" Jason said, trying to laugh it off but he wasn't sure how to talk about Willis.
"I just want to know you're ok." Bruce said
"I take it it didn't go well. Or did it?" Bruce wondered out loud. A part of him felt a bit worried. What if Jason chose Willis? What if Jason saw Willis as his dad instead of Bruce.
"You're right. It didn't."
"What did he want from you?" Bruce asked suspiciously
"At first I thought he wanted my money. Then I realized he just wanted to be back in my life. Like I was ever going to let that happen." Jason said
"Seeing him again brought back bad memories and I thought I was going to have a flashback or something."
"I'm sorry, Jay." Bruce didn't really know what else to say.
"Why now? Why would he even bother?"
Jason shrugged. "I guess he feels guilty for everything but he can't make up for it. I don't care to ever see him again." Jason said
"I don't hate him anymore. I just can't deal with him." Jason confessed
Bruce placed a hand on Jason's shoulder, letting him know he was there. He knew he wasn't the best dad in the world and he didn't deserve his kids but despite everything they've been through, Bruce loved each and every one of them unconditionally.
"I'm here if you ever need anything. You know that right?" Bruce said and Jason nodded
"Yeah, thanks old man."
"You will always have a family here. Don't ever forget that."
Jason smiled. "I know."
Bruce ended up confronting Willis face to face the next day. He knew where he was living and Willis was a bit surprised when Bruce Wayne showed up at his door.
"I just want you to leave my son alone. Jason is my son and mine alone. If you bother him or upset him again, don't think I won't find you." That was all Bruce had to say. If Jason suspected anything he never mentioned it. Jason would never tell, but he kinda liked when Bruce got protective. He knew it was his way of showing that he loved them.
