Dick's 20, Jason's 16, Tim's 11, and Damian's almost 8 in this chapter. Takes place during Damian's first couple of weeks at the manor.

Chapter 120: Shark Bait

Jason's POV

Tim and I peered around the corner at the tiny assassin currently being forced to watch Disney movies with Dick. The brat couldn't seem to decide between watching Finding Nemo or glaring at Dick, who was stuffing his face with popcorn.

"I still don't like him," Tim whispered.

"Me either," I huffed before we retreated.

********Break********

"Jason, you should spend some time with Damian," Dick said as I stared at him in shock.

"He tried to kill me and Tim!"

"Dami didn't mean it. He's only seven. He's practically a baby."

"He tried to kill us! Multiple times!"

"Come on, Jay. He's our baby brother."

Dick crossed his arms as I hissed, "I don't want anything to do with that demon!"

"Damian's been here for almost three weeks and you or Tim have yet to speak to him. You're older, Jay. You have to be the bigger person and set an example for your little brother."

"No!"

"Damian's sweet and innocent and-"

"He's an assassin! He tried to kill me and Tim!"

"We all make mistakes. I'm sure he's learned his lesson."

"You're unbelievable!"

Dick sighed and ran his fingers through his hair before saying, "You didn't like Tim either at first."

"That's different. He didn't try to kill me," I replied.

Dick brought out his greatest weapon; his puppy eyes. He stuck out his bottom lip and whined, "Just give Damian a chance. For me… Please, Little Wing."

"I don't know-"

"Well, you kinda don't have a choice. Alfred and Leslie are gone. Bruce is with Tim at regionals for his science fair project and I have something planned for the weekend."

"What! You're leaving me home alone with a demon for a weekend!"

********Break*******

I stared at the seven year old demon awkwardly as Dick bent down and gave him a hug. Surprisingly, Dick didn't die. The brat merely scowled at the idiot's affections.

"Dami, I want you to be good for Jason and do what he says, okay? Remember, he's your big brother too," Dick said as the demon gave me a death glare.

"I refuse to follow orders given to me by someone not worthy of-"

"Damian! That's enough! You will do as you're told. Bruce told you that I was in charge when he isn't here. He told that you had to listen to me and I'm telling you to listen to Jason, understand?"

The kid looked as if he was two seconds away from murdering someone, but he actually nodded in agreement. I merely stared at them as Dick hugged him again. How is Dick not dead yet?

"I'll be back Sunday… Actually, Leslie, Alfred, Bruce, and Tim will be back by then as well. Be good Dami and listen to Jason… And Jason, be responsible. Don't leave the manor unless you have to or do anything stupid," he warned as I rolled my eyes.

"Dick, I'm fine. I can handle myself."

"I know, but you're not-" he began before breaking off.

"I'm not what?" I growled as he shook his head while Damian seemed to study me.

"Nothing… I'll see you in a couple of days. Don't kill each other."

A few seconds later, Dick was gone and the brat and I stared at each other.

"So… Whatcha wanna do?" I asked as the demon glared at me.

"For the next two days, I shall pretend you do not exist. Do not disturb me and I shall not decapitate you," he hissed before turning his heel and leaving me standing there alone.

********Break********

As Dick answered his phone, I heard the sound of a woman laughing in the background. Of freaking course! He would leave me at home with an assassin so he could screw someone!

"Hey Jay. What's up?" he asked over the giggling in the background.

"She'd better be worth it," I hissed.

He asked innocently, "What are you talking about?"

"I know you left me with the brat so you could fu-"

"Language!" he snapped.

"Oh screw you!"

"Jason… Did you need something? I'm in the middle of something."

"Don't you mean in the middle of someone? And yeah, I want you to come get your brat! All he does is sit in his room and probably think of ways to get rid of me!"

"I thought you two were going to bond," Dick stated disappointingly.

"I hate the demon brat and he hates me!"

"Jason, hate is a strong word and don't call him a demon."

"It's true!" I snapped.

"Calm down… Look, in my room are two tickets for the Gotham Aquarium on my nightstand. I was going to take Damian when I got back, but you should try to spend some time with him. He'll love it."

"I don't know-"

He singsonged, "You never know until you try."

"Fine, but if he just happens to fall in the shark tank, I swear I didn't push him."

********Break********

Damian's POV

I crossed my arms and glared over at Todd as he pulled into a parking space. I briefly glanced away to look at the entrance to the aquarium.

I inquired, "Why are we here?"

"Because neither of our parents understood the concept of condoms."

"Not that, you fool! Why have you brought me here!"

He rolled his eyes before responding, "We're bonding."

"I thought we agreed upon ignoring each other's presence."

"Yeah, well, I promised Dick I would try to tolerate your annoying and bitchy presence. So we're going to at least try to get along for the rest of the day because everyone will be back tomorrow."

"Fine," I grumbled before pushing the door open.

I slid out of Todd's giant Hummer and fell into step beside Todd. He moved to take my hand and I nearly snapped his wrist.

"Okay. Okay. No holding hands. You just better stick to me or else," he threatened.

I merely scoffed at his remark. As if he could actually do anything to me.

We made our way inside the aquarium. I was instantly captivated by the colorful displays of fish and sea creatures. But, why were they in captivity? They deserve to be free. And free they shall be.

"Todd, I require the proper amount of nutrition in order to sustain my being."

"What?" he asked in confusion.

Resisting the urge to smite his simple mind from existence, I merely replied, "I am voracious."

He merely blinked at me. I groaned before explaining that voracious means hungry.

"We just got here."

I hissed, "I am aware of that. Go forth and fetch me something appealing to consume."

He snorted before shoving me in-between him and the tank of the first exhibit. I knocked his hand off my shoulder and narrowed my eyes at him. He merely rolled his eyes before saying, "Look, we'll eat later, but right now we're going to stare at fish, got it?"

"Or I could smite you from your wretched existence."

"You could try, Pipsqueak. Now, I suggest you lose the attitude before I feed you to the sharks in the nicest brotherly way possible."

I opened my mouth to retort but paused when some girl in uniform approached Todd. She introduced herself as an employee and asked if everything was okay. Todd turned his attention to her. Seizing the opportunity, I slipped away from them and silently disappeared through a door marked "employees only."

I rapidly hurried down the metal staircase and ended up in a hallway. I slipped into a room marked for sick bay. I paused when I heard voices.

"They're finny and funny, and also delish. They're joyful and jolly Joker fish!" a high pitched voice singsonged.

Turning the corner past some fish tanks, I came to find a woman in a red and black skintight suit next to a green haired clown in purple wearing a yellow rain coat. Two overly large men stood behind them as they filmed a video. A man wearing an employee uniform lay dead on the floor with a smile on his face. A growl came from behind me as I turned to see two hyenas snarling at me.

"And just what do we have here?"

********Break********

Jason's POV

"As I was saying, my little brother and I are trying to bond," I calmly explained as the woman continued to glare at me.

"Sir, you're making a lot of noise and disturbing the other visitors who came to see the aquatic wildlife. And for anything… Wait. Where did your little brother go?"

Oh shit.

"Um… Bathroom," I mumbled before excusing myself.

That little shit better be here somewhere. If he got himself kidnapped or murdered or something, I'll kill him myself.

********Break********

Damian's POV

I demanded, "Who the hell are you?"

"Harley Quinn, nice ta meetcha."

I merely glared at the outstretched hand belonging to the clown. She frowned and retracted her hand before looking to the male. The grin from his face never vanished as he looked me over.

The clown stated, "You know, you remind me of someone… Someone who never seems to smile… Someone who always gets in my way… Someone who likes little boys with black hair and blue eyes."

I replied, "I don't know who you are and I have no desire to pursue this conversation any longer. I suggest you leave now or else you will suffer the consequences."

The one in the raincoat cackled wildly as the two hyenas and the two brutes moved closer to me. I stood my ground and got ready for an attack before I heard the sound of cracking glass.

Everyone looked over as a fish tank nearby exploded. Water and fish went everyone as an arm suddenly wrapped itself around my waist as a hand covered my mouth. I reached for my knife as I was dragged towards the door. I merely decapitated him before the voice hissed, "Don't even think about it, demon. It's me."

"What do you think you're-"

"Don't even go there! I told you to stay with me and instead I find you arguing with the Joker!"

I replied, "I do not know who that is."

"The maniac that almost killed me… Come on, we're getting out of here."

I pulled my arm out of his grip and hissed, "No! Not until we free the fish!"

Todd merely stared at me for a moment before dragging me over to the emergency exit. We almost made it before the two hyenas jumped in our path with bared teeth. Todd's arm shot out in front of me as he shoved me behind himself. Too preoccupied with the hyenas, we didn't even notice the thugs behind us. One of them pulled me away from Todd.

"Release me at once!"

"Let him go, bastards! Ah!" Todd screamed as the hyenas leapt up and sank their teeth into his arm pulling him down to the water covered floor.

"Good job, babies!" Quinn praised as she and her boyfriend appeared.

She immediately patted my cheek. She took a step back and shrieked when I bit her. Her boyfriend didn't even notice. He was too busy rubbing his grubby palms together as he smiled down at where his pets had Todd pinned.

I paused when I noticed the fear in his eyes. Todd was practically paralyzed with fear.

"Didn't I already kill you?"

********Break********

Todd's poker face was completely gone when he found himself dangling over the shark tank by his bound wrists. He swallowed nervously as he tugged at the cuffs around his wrists and kept eye contact with the Great White circling him from below.

Joker shouted, "Make sure you're filming! I want the feeding time captured on film! If Francis doesn't want to sign about the Joker fish, he'll meet the same fate."

"Who the hell is Francis? What the hell are Joker fish?"

He smiled and replied, "I'm so glad you asked! They're fish injected with my toxin! I'll corner the entire seafood market with my signature face!"

That sounds like something off a cheesy cartoon that Grayson would watch.

I glanced up at the two of Jokers men holding me from either side before looking back at Todd. Joker dug his nails into Todd's face and whispered something to him. Todd tried to glare him down but I could see the same look of fear still on his features. Quinn was at the controls for the crane keeping Todd in the air and more importantly not in the water.

Joker released Todd and gave the order for Quinn to drop him. I shoved my knife deep into the man's stomach on my right before dislocating the man's hand on my left. I dodged the hyenas just as Todd hit the water. Oh well. I never liked him anyway.

I went straight for the clown, only to be kicked by Quinn. I fell backwards into the water as the two of them slowly waved at me. I tried to come up for air but stopped when a dome covered the top of the water. We're sealed inside with the shark!

I looked over to see the beast swimming straight for me with its jaws wide open. Todd appeared out of nowhere and straddled the beast's back. The chain connecting the cuffs around Todd's wrists was placed in the shark's mouth. He pulled hard and diverted the shark away from my and straight into the wall of the tank. A crack slowly traveled up the wall of the tank before it suddenly burst from another direct hit from the shark.

We were swept out by the strength of the water. My eyes widened as I collided with the wall. Darkness clouded my vision when the back of my head hit the wall.

********Break********

Jason's POV

I ripped my T-shirt and used the fabric to bandage the cut on Damian's head. We were both freezing from the coldness from the water. I could see that his lips were blue. For someone with tanned skin, he was extremely pale. At least he's still breathing.

By this point, the water was up to my waist. I had to hold him to keep him from drowning. I gazed around at the dilapidated janitor's closet we'd been swept into. The door was completely blocked off by debris. There was no way we were going anywhere.

I looked down at Damian as a small groan escaped his lips.

"That's it, demon. Open your eyes."

"T-todd?"

"Yeah. You okay? You remember what happened?"

"Where are we?" he asked.

I told him what happened and tried to keep him from moving around so much. Damian actually did as he was told for once. The water level continued to slowly rise as he asked, "Why are you afraid of the clown?"

"It's a long story… Look, there's a small hole, if you fit through it, we can get out."

Damian just looked at the small hole in the pile of debris before looking back up at me. He gave a small nod before asking, "Do you think the shark's still out there?"

"I don't know… But you have to try," I replied as I tried to ignore the fact that the water was all the way up to my chest.

I pulled some of the debris away as Damian somehow managed to squeeze through the hole. He left me alone with the water up to my neck. For once, I hope he'll be alright. More importantly, that little shit had better come back for me.

********Break********

I practically yanked the wires out of my arms before someone yelled, "Don't!"

I looked over to see Damian seated in the chair beside the hospital bed I was in. A fresh, white bandage covered his head.

Damian said, "They had to resuscitate you. You were basically dead when I brought help back… I don't know what happened to the clowns… Father's already on his way."

"You saved me?"

"No. I came back for you… You saved me three times yesterday. I owe you two more."

I just sat there too surprised to say anything.

Damian asked, "Why did the Joker ask if he'd already killed you? What did he whisper to you?"

"Like I said, it's a long story."

"We have time."

********Break*******

Damian's POV

"Grayson, I request an audience with you," I stated as he smiled at me as if I was an insolent child.

"What is it, Dami?"

"Do not address me as that. Nicknames are for children."

"You are a child… What's wrong? Is everything okay?" he asked.

"I… I feel something is wrong inside of me when I reflect upon recent events regarding what happened at the aquarium."

He smiled and replied, "You're feeling guilty that Jason nearly died because of your actions. He almost drowned trying to save you… He's still weak from what happened a year ago. He still suffers from horrible nightmares and yesterday's events haven't helped him much."

"How so?"

"Think about it, Dami. Jay spent six months on a hospital bed. He spent another six months in recovery… He's a year behind in school. He's still a little weak from the incident. Jay had to give up being Robin. He's still unable to go out on patrol with us. Maybe in a few months, he can go again… But, he's not ready."

"What should I do?"

"Well… a thank you and a hug is a start."

********Break********

Jason's POV

"Try to get some rest, Bluejay… I'm here if you need me," Bruce said as I leaned back in the hospital bed.

"Father, Drake is crying over something pathetic," Damian appeared out of nowhere and stated as Bruce sighed.

"I'll be right back," he mumbled before getting up and leaving the cave.

The demon stared at me for a moment before I noticed he was concealing something behind his back… Oh God. He's going to try and kill me again and the only witness has just left. My eyes widened in surprise as he pulled out a cat plushy.

"This is Cuddles… Grayson presented him as a gift to me… He said it would help keep my nightmares at bay… You may sleep with him at your side for tonight and tonight only," Damian said as he placed the toy cat beside me.

"Uh… thanks? But, it's not necessary to-"

"I'm not finished!" he snapped before hoisting himself onto the bed.

My eyes widened as he crawled over to me, looked me dead in the eye before slowly wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his head on my chest… If he's trying to strangle me, he's doing it wrong.

"I wish to show my appreciativeness for you offering your miserable and wretched life in place of my own."

"You're welcome?"

"I owe you a debt of gratitude."

"That's really not necessary."

Damian yelled, "Yes it is!"

"Fine… You stop trying to kill me and Tim and we'll call it even. Deal?"

"No! That would count as two debts of gratitude!" he growled, glaring at me before adding, "I shall not kill you… However, Drake is fair game."

Yes, I totally stole this from Batman the Animated Series :)