Chapter 32: You Found Me

Jason's POV

I heard sniffling as my door squeaked slightly. A tiny shadow fell across my room. The shadow grew smaller as the door began to close.

"Tim, you can come in." I called out gently.

The shadow froze for a few seconds before moving forward and shutting the door softly behind. Tim softly padded over to my bed and crawled in beside me.

"What's wrong, Babybird?" I asked, while drawing him close.

"I… I had a bad dream." He whimpered.

"What was it about?" I asked.

"You. It was about what happened a couple of years ago, when you…" he dropped off abruptly. "I just wanted to see if you were okay." he whispered quietly.

"I'm fine. I'm not going anywhere." I replied reassuringly. "Now go to sleep. It's late."

"But-"

"Babybird, I promise I'm not going anywhere."

I waited for Tim's breathing to slow and his eyes to close, before allowing a few tears to escape my eyes. I shuddered at the memory of what had happened almost sixteen months and thirteen days ago...

I was almost two months away from turning seventeen when I became a murderer. I never meant to kill him. I killed him out of rage and anger. I had come across a drug lord who had just slaughtered an eleven year old. Tim was eleven at the time and I… I don't know what I was thinking. I just lost it; just looking at the mangled body of the little boy and at the bloodied hands of the killer. I lost it. I killed the psychopath. I couldn't stop myself.

When I realized what I had done… I ran. I was scared. I couldn't face him. I couldn't go home. I couldn't face the man who had taken me in and drilled one law into my head. We don't kill. But, I did kill and I couldn't stand before him.

So, I ran away for three months. I hid from him. I survived without him. I was smart. After all, I was raised by Batman. I dug his tracking device out of my arm and destroyed it. I moved every two to three days. I used cash only. I dyed my hair red. I stayed in plain sight. I avoided him. I avoided all of them. But, one night I was forced to kill again. I was seventeen now.

While walking back to the apartment, I had rented for a few days; I was jumped by three thugs. They were going to kill me or worse; I did what I had to. I killed them first. But, not before taking a bullet in the leg and in the chest.

I was literally bleeding out in an alley; crying from the pain. I was hurt, scared, and alone. That's when he came. I should have known that he would find me sooner or later.

I woke up in a safe house with him standing over me, changing my bandages. He didn't say anything. I was afraid that he didn't want me anymore. I begged him to leave me there. I begged him not to take me home. Facing Batman was scary. Having to face my father would be even worse. Yet, he only allowed me to cry onto his shoulder as he held me. He wasn't going to take no for an answer; I was going home.

Waiting in my old room was horrible. I sat alone for a few minutes before the door was thrown open by my older brother. For a second, I was afraid of him. I didn't know what he'd say to me. But, he only embraced me and kept saying how glad he was that I was home and that the red hair dye had to go and how dare I miss my own birthday. Then Tim and Damian soon ran into the room and threw themselves onto the bed and wrapped their arms around me, refusing to let go. Then Alfred came in and whispered something in Dick's ear, before moving to sit beside me and taking my hand.

Tim's and Damian's grip seemed to tighten. Alfred's face turned grim. Dick moved in front of my bed, attempting to shield me, before they entered. The entire Justice League had come for me. They wanted to take me. My father was with them. They said I was a killer who was out of control. I watched as my father left them and moved to stand beside my big brother.

I watched as my father fell to his knees before Superman. He begged them to spare me. I watched the shocked looks cross all of their faces. Batman doesn't plead. Ever. He doesn't get on his knees and grovel. Ever. But, that wasn't Batman; that was my father.

I watched as he accepted full responsibility for my actions. I watched as he promised to reform me. I watched as he begged them to give me second chance. I watched as they left. I watched as my father left behind them. He didn't even give me a second glance.

Later, I left the safety of Dick's arms, and the warmth and comfort of Damian and Tim curled up beside me in my bed and practically dragged myself to his bedroom. I found him sitting up in his bed, reading, as if he were waiting on me. He offered me no assistance as I fell on my knees in front of him to beg for his forgiveness. Knowing that deep down, he never was going to forgive me. And I was so afraid that he didn't love me anymore.

Yet, he picked me off of the floor and leaned against his headboard, while cradling me. He promised to always protect me and that he will always love me. Because, he is my father and I am his son. And I can always come home.

And he has kept his promise. Since that day, I have taken fourteen more lives. And somehow, my murders always show up as an accident in Batman's records. Superman stops by to check on my progress. He never questions Batman's reports. The Commissioner never questions Batman's reports. But, deep down, they know it wasn't an accident. Yet, no one has ever tried to take me from my father and no one ever will...

I suppressed a laugh as Tim shifted in his sleep and started nuzzling and pawing at my chest. He was probably looking for something. I scooted his stupid monkey back into his outstretched palm, only to have him ignore it and latch onto my undershirt. He smiled contently as I brought my hand up and brushed his dark bangs aside. Yeah, there's no place like home. I'm glad that my father found me in time.

I've gotten a lot of requests for more of Franklin, so I'll be working on another turkey chapter next! And I'll do a chapter about Jason's experience with trying to get rid of Franklin, since ya'll (yes, I'm from the south) are asking for it.