Prompt:
"Right now, I don't know if I want to kiss you or shove you off a bridge."
"Can I pick?"
Batman had warned me not to face the Arkham Knight, especially after he had targeted Barbara. In my defence I had not sought out the Arkham Knight I was helping in the search for Barbara, I just happened to find her 'too soon'. Scarecrow and Arkham Knight didn't appreciate my interference.
I was holding my own but this Arkham guy seemed to know my fighting style as well as he knew Batman's. That alongside a nasty dose of Scarecrows fear toxin meant I was down for the count. The toxin made me see things I would rather forget, Joker's video of Jason replayed over and over in my mind, except the toxin made it so Jason blamed me.
Finally I woke from the nightmare, I had been crying in my sleep. The memory of him still too much for me after all these years. Damn Scarecrow, I thought I was getting better at handling my grief. The toxin had also brought on a horrific headache.
I had no idea where I was, unfortunately they had attacked me before I could tell Batman that I had found her. As the Knight knew batman so well I could assume that he also knew of the trackers in our suits, and probably had turned mine off.
They had bound my hands and thrown me into a cell, similar to the one they had kept Ivy in. There were some of the militia outside of my cell watching my every move as I slowly pushed myself off of the mattress.
"She's awake, I'll go get the boss."
One of them left to get either Scarecrow or the Arkham Knight, honestly after that awful nightmare I'm hoping its the latter that will be coming in here. A physical beating is easier to endure than a mental one.
As if on cue the Arkham Knight burst through the door. His visor facing me and only me, not looking away even when addressing his men.
"Leave us."
The two militia eyed each other for a moment before silently obeying the command, now it was just myself and this mysterious man. He said nothing, neither did I both of us examining the other. I could tell he could read me like a book, he already knew so much about all of us, it made me wonder if he knew who we really are. If he knew who Barbara was then perhaps he knows our identities too?
Slowly he placed all his weapons on a table before entering the cell. He stopped in the doorway for a moment before shutting the door behind him. I wanted to shrink away from his intense stare, clearly he could tell that was the case, but he kept his distance.
"You have nothing to fear from me."
"Oh yeah? Somehow I find that hard to believe."
It was impossible to tell what he was thinking, but he looked down for a moment, again saying nothing. He did nothing, as still as a statue for what felt like forever. When he finally moved it made me jump slightly. Slowly he took a few steps closer making me shuffle back in an attempt to distance myself from him. His arms moved to his helmet, I thought I imagined them shaking with anxiety. His face was still directed at the floor as his helmet flipped open. Dipping my head down to try and see who it was who was my captor, who wanted Batman dead so badly, I didn't realise I was holding my breath, the only sound was the increase of my beating heart, deafening me to all other sounds.
Finally he looked up, I barely heard the sob that left my mouth, the strong features stronger on his now matured face. The nasty scar of the letter J on his cheek, under those wonderful eyes that I have missed looking into each and every day he was gone. But these eyes weren't the same ones that were full of hope and happiness, these ones were full of pain and rage, the eyes that we would see whenever he would have his explosive rages, it was now all that was held within him.
I couldn't function, was this even real? Was this just another nasty trick from Scarecrows vile toxin? He looked at me inquisitively, did he think I had failed him? That I should have found him? That must be why he desperately wants Batman dead, he blames him. He didn't have to say it, I knew that was the case.
"Right now, I don't know if I want to kiss you or shove you off a bridge."
The ghost of a smile threatened to break through but he quickly shook that away, while coming closer and kneeling before me.
"Can I pick?"
That line alone proved that my Jason was still in there, buried deep down beneath everything Joker had done to him. I could still save him, this time from himself. My hands being bound did not stop my hands from grabbing the front of his armour, pulling him close, lips meeting again after so many years apart.
It took him a few seconds to respond, soon enough his arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer. He used to be gentle, now he was rougher, after being deprived of affection for so long he was now hungry for it. The only thing breaking us apart was the need for air, looking into those eyes I saw a glimmer of the same Jason from those years ago, not the Arkham Knight but Jason Todd, my Jason Todd.
He didn't dare let go of me, nor did he pull away as my hand gently brushed over his scarred face.
"I'm sorry Jason."
"It's not you that has to be sorry."
"You blame Bruce..."
"He left me, replaced me!"
The new Jason was returning, I could see the internal struggle between my Jason and this new broken version of himself that he had created to cope with the pain.
"We thought he killed you, he sent us a tape..."
He was shaking his head frantically, not wanting to believe that was the case, that we believed Joker's video. I didn't want him to remember that time, I didn't want to talk about that moment, instead I quickly placed my arms over his head to pull him into a hug. His grip tightened as his face buried into my neck, he was shaking, trying not to cry.
I wasn't sure how long we stayed there, honestly I didn't much care that he was working with Scarecrow, that he had taken over Gotham city, that he wanted Batman dead. I was just happy he was alive.
A sharp knock on the door made Jason stiffen, pulling my hands up over his head to free him from my bound hands he swiftly shut his mask just as the door opened. Four Militia walked in eyeing each other, clearly wanting to know what they had barged into. Jason was once again the Arkham Knight as he rose to a standing position.
"Anything happens to her and I will not hesitate to kill each and every one of you."
They nodded in understanding as Jason looked at me one more time before turning to leave. In a desperate attempt to stop him I called out before he reached the door.
"Please don't do this, this isn't who you are."
He froze for a moment, the Jason I remember struggling with his new identity. He looked back at me one last time. The disguised voice still filled with such rage.
"Batman will die tonight."
Without another word he left, but despite the artificial voice I could still hear my Jason fighting to get through.
