For Those Who Wait

Batman slipped out the window with Blaze at his heels not caring to listen to Rahul anymore. He landed the batplane on a rooftop near the edge of Gotham, letting out the women, ready to tell her to let him handle it from here. But Blaze burst out laughing, surprising him. Almost that whole story wanted to make her die laughing. Batman gave her a look as the giggles started to disappear, and she took a couple breath, wiping away the tears as well.

"Sorry, its just all so sad really." she breathed out, lifting her head to meet his eyes.

"What is?" Batman asked.

"Rahul says Jason returned to this world damaged?"

Blaze let out more laughter, "Tell me Bats do you actually believe that?"

"What are you getting at?" Batman growled.

"You knew Jason... as much as I hate to admit it, you knew more about him then I did. Met him when he was still a child trying to steal from anyone he came across to help his sorry excuse of a father. He was even willing to steal from you. The great Cape Crusader, leaving his car unattended to be broke down by a brave and clever child."

Batman cut her off for a moment, "You said I knew more, but then how did you learn all this?"

"I told you in prison, we talked. Sometimes all night, neither of us wanting to go home. After time he put his guard down, and I learned more then I ever expected to, as did he. How else do you think we learned eachother's identities? How simple did you think our relationship was? You might not want to believe it, but Jason and I became as close as you and Catwomen... I know you know what I mean."

She smirked when she thought she caught a glimpse of his true emotions.

"We were in love, and even though he wouldn't say it out loud, you replaced his father. Gave him purpose. He still held vengeance for Two-face, but your ways began to seep into him. The urge for justice, to hold in that anger and do what was right. He began to hate his father as well and respect you. All the while that revenge bubbly inside him. I'm sure you knew this, but you weren't completely there, were you. You... My point is do you honestly believe the Jason now is the not the same as the Jason back then? This darker side, killing others, it was always inside him. He's not damaged, he's free."

"You can stop now... I understand."

"Do you? Then answer my question."

"Jason had a dark heart but I gave him a different outlook on life. Yet I knew from the beginning he was dangerous. If I hadn't made him into Robin he would have grown to do wrong. Your influence was worse on him then mine though, it made me worry."

"Did it now?" Blaze glared sarcastically. "And did you talk to Jason about your worries? About anything?"

Batman kept silent, he had warned Jason about her and that only made him go after her more. As for the second question, he wasn't about to egg her on.

Blaze let out another breath, trying best to keep civil, "Well I did make him start smoking, said it helped him feel like I was kissing him when I was gone for long. I guess my tongue tasted like smoke..in a good way. I reveal I smoked more as well when we were apart to fill the same void. Of course I stopped cold turkey after he died."

That information wasn't necessary to share and at first Blaze felt awkward after speaking about it. She was rambling. But as she did, she enjoyed the way Batman seem to shift and become uncomfortable. She got under his skin by getting inside Jason's. She had to make Bruce understand the truth. She had tried to push the boy to do what he had wanted to do for so long, but couldn't, for he was taught it was wrong, he believed it was wrong. In the end though she truly believed that his rebirth just gave life to another demeanor, he was still Jason. No more lectures, or values. He could do things his own way, and he had the skills to make it perfect. To Batman though it was all wrong, chaos, a hell of his own making.

"So you know the destruction that boy could... no that man can cause."

"What he could of caused. I said if I hadn't taken him in he wouldn't of changed."

"So you agree with that mad scientist?! Then you're a fool!" Blaze screamed. "No you must understand. You must see that he always felt this way. You lost your parents to, he told me. I don't how or when, but you were young just like he was. He had lost his mother, his father abandoned him every night for gambling with a crime boss who would kill him if he didn't pay up his debts. He traded away everything they owned to save his own hide, taking away everything Jason owned, until his father was all that was left. And still that man gambled. His life hung in the balance each time, making Jason have to go out to steal, and take down men twice his size to save that sad man's ass. Then you caught Jason red handed, ripped him away, and tried to teach him what was right."

"In time he learned to trust and care for you, praise you. But he was still a child , you can't push a new view on someone's life and expect them to accept it so easily. His past still gnawed at him and I know you saw that whenever you fought. When your parents died, you still had someone. You had friends and you were able to push back that urge to take revenge, to kill. You fought crime to help others, so that no one would have to go through what you did. But I believe by the time you took Jason in, you were to late. Your morals didn't stick, at least not entirely. There was still a part of him that wanted revenge, and you wouldn't relate. The pressure made him stronger, the struggle made him hunger, but the hard lessons made the difference."

Batman said nothing still, making Blaze's passion grow and keep going. She had dropped her guard and didn't care what she said even if it concerned her own life.

"When I lost my mother I had to basically raise myself as my father ran off, committing crime after crime. That's what we talked about. That's how we connected. I shared my pain, cried in his arms many times as I told him how I had gotten beaten to a bloody pulp before my begging mother, then the monsters made me watch as they brutally murdered her. I was surprised to find myself still alive in the morning. I was barley a teenager."

"At times it seemed he couldn't completely understand why it was wrong, he was a rebellious teenager as well with no one left but a lawful hero. He was still angry, sad... and scared. He tired to talk but you wouldn't listen, not really anyway. Never consoling in him. You might not have thought it, but it pained him that you didn't show your true self. Your true feelings, the same feelings that were shattering his body."

"I met you and it disappoints me that after everything, all those years, and you still have that wall guarding your heart. I doubt you even talk to your butler. Didn't anyone ever tell you it helps to let it out. I've seen you get angry, but you still shoulder everything on your own. No one should carry on alone...I wasn't the only one whose body was shaking with tears."

"There were some nights Jason helped me escape from other villains and I could see his emotions ran high well he fought. You had to see it too, I know you got into fights about him being to... What do they call it? Headstrong? I do agree for sometimes when he would try to arrest me I even had to stop myself from holding back with my power, he would lose control. But he had no other way to vent. You think showing emotions are your weakness, they will hurt you, but holding it all in can be even more harmful."

Blaze stopped her rant and took many deep breaths, waiting for the dark knight to say something, to do something. Even lashing out at her would suffice, but he just stared at her. He didn't look confused, or hurt or anything. He just stood there with that solid mask she always saw him hold whenever feeling were brought up, whenever the truth was spat in his face. She looked back noting that the whole time he held the same emotionless look when Rahul told his story. Blaze was good at hiding her emotions, but not that good. Her head hung low trying to hide the sorrow that filled her as she basically relived Jason's death. O how this whole situation angered her even more, but she was done yelling and getting no reaction. She stood up tall and shook her head.

"Not even a move to slap me or sign of regret. How pitiful. You've gotten quite good at hiding how you feel from your enemies that you forgot to turn it off when you're in the company of friends. Ya I'm a friend. I would never truly hurt or expose you Bruce. I love Jason and he loved you, but you are still a fool."

After a moment the Dark Knight finally opened his mouth, but it only made things worse. "You have to let me handle this. Your letting yourself get in to deep" He stepped forward, ready to take Blaze down, but the thief was to fast.

She shook her head again, this time in disappointment as a couple stray tears came down her checks then she stepped backwards off the roof, telporting in mid-air. Batman ran to the edge, watching the lighting flash then walking back to his ride. He tapped into his computer and contacted the batcave.

"Alfred I need you to look up a couple things for me, I think I may have just gotten some information on Blaze's real identity."

~No hesitation~ Blaze thought as she concealed herself in the shadows below, listening to him. ~Guess I'm done with this mask.~