Hello people! I have returned from the dead with a new chapter! Someone a while back asked for a summary of the previous chapter since mine were so far apart. I am very sorry that I am really bad at summaries, but I guess it is important to remind you that in the last chapter Dick invited Jason to attend his birthday event before grappling away.

Anyway, thanks for coming back. Enjoy!

Chapter 5:

Cat and Mouse

It should be easy.

Jason let out an exasperated sigh. It couldn't be so bad if he broke it down. All he had to do was walk up to the manor, go inside, make an appearance, then leave. There, simple. He slumped his shoulders. If only it was that simple.

His eyes drifted up to the black iron bars that loomed high above him. Even open, the manor gates were far from welcoming. Jason traced the pathway leading up to the manor. One foot in front of the other and he'd be at the entrance. He only had to take the first step.

Jason's feet didn't budge.

He didn't have to go in.

Jason rested his eyes on the invitation in his hand.

It's not as if he'd told Dick that he would come.

Jason sighed unable to stop the manor from drawing his gaze once more.

As they roamed over the grounds, his eyes softened. The lawn always did have a way of pulling him in. Jason had never experienced the luxury of a front lawn before he had met Bruce. Many nights had been spent with Jason exploring routes through the cover of the trees and the shrubbery. All these years later, Jason still knew every inch of this lawn. The shrubbery was as well-groomed as it always was. Trees he had climbed in his childhood still stood tall around the manor grounds. A small smile slipped through Jason's features. Even the flower bed he had helped Alfred plant was still there. Bruce had never been fond of change.

Jason ripped his eyes away, stopping the wave of memories threatening to overflow. There may have been a time when he would have woven seamlessly into the scene before him. He shut his eyes, pushing the thoughts back. That was before he had been murdered. He opened his eyes to glare down at the invitation in his hand. It was that Jason they all wanted back. Not him.

Jason turned his back to the manor, facing the road stretched out before him. Again, Jason found his eyes lingering on the invitation. Part of him had the urge to crumple the infuriating thing. Instead he carefully tucked it back into his suit pocket.

"Shit!"

Jason snapped out of his thoughts, whipping his head in the direction of the whispered curse. How had he not realised someone else was here? He squinted his eyes, trying to see better in the dark. Everyone should have been long inside the party by now.

Once his eyes adjusted, Jason could make out the form of a woman a little further down. Jason shrugged to himself. Maybe she couldn't find the open gate. He shook his head to himself, dismissing the thought. It was a pretty hard thing to miss.

Jason trained his eyes straight ahead of him. Nope, he wasn't investigating. He was going home. As if operating with a mind separate of his own, his eyes crept back the side. Alfred had once told him it was healthy to indulge his curiosity. Sure, he had been talking about Jason's more academic pursuits back then. But still, it could apply to this too couldn't it?

Jason turned toward the direction of the woman. Yes, it could.

He wasn't coming.

Dick scanned the room for what may have been the fiftieth time that night. His shoulders fell. Perhaps It was time to take the hint. Jason had no desire to be involved with the family. Or maybe… he just wasn't ready yet. Either way, Dick couldn't force him to come back. It had to be a decision that Jason made on his own.

"Brooding does not become you, Master Dick."

Dick brought his eyes to Alfred. Tray of refreshments in hand, Alfred's demeanour was proper as ever. To most, this would have appeared as a natural stop in the Butler's rounds of the party. However, the niggling concern that Dick caught in his gaze betrayed him. Dick gave Alfred a wide grin to put him at ease.

"Should leave it to Bruce huh? Wouldn't want to steal his thunder."

Alfred arched a brow. Without doubt, he would have recognised Dick's attempt to divert the conversation from himself. Thankfully, he did not comment. Alfred always did have a gift for knowing when to speak his piece. Instead, the Butler nodded over to the other side of the room.

"Apparently, he is stealing yours."

Dick followed Alfred's eyes to find Bruce surrounded by a small group of people laughing at some story he was telling. Dick shook his head. If only the Justice League could see the big broody bat actually being social. It still amazed him sometimes – the way Bruce could play the role of carefree billionaire so perfectly. Bruce met his gaze and Dick caught the hint of irritation seeping into in his eyes. Dick grinned. Well, almost perfectly.

"Even young Master Damian appears to be more social than you are tonight."

Dick snapped his eyes back to Alfred. A social Damian? That was an event worth celebrating in itself. Alfred smiled, the barest upturn of his lips. He nodded over to Damian's position surrounded by a few women. Dick smiled. Alfred's description had been a bit generous. They watched as Damian attempted a polite exit from the group of ladies doting on him. Until one of them decided to pinch his cheek. Dick winced. That was not going to go down well. Damian glowered at the lady with a ferocity only the direct decedent of the Bat would be able to manage. It had its intended effect. She recoiled from him, and the little group dispersed.

Dick stifled his smile. Despite how it appeared, that was an improvement. Upon his initial arrival, Damian might well have responded by fetching his katana. When Damian caught Dick's eye, he didn't bother to hide the smile anymore. Damian threw him a look suggesting he was more than happy to reuse the glare on him. Dick shrugged it off, beckoning his little brother over. Damian rolled his eyes but made to move toward his end of the room anyway. Dick turned back to Alfred plucking a treat from the tray of assorted biscuits.

"They are doing pretty well." Dick agreed. His smile turned mischievous as he added. "Makes me wonder if I could slip out early? As a birthday gift?"

"Certainly not, Master Dick!"

Dick grinned. "Somehow, I figured you would say that."

Tim joined the two by whisking away two of the biscuits from Alfred's tray. Dick shook his head. How was it possible for him to have such a large appetite? And Alfred said he was bad.

"Since it's not my birthday," Tim began though a mouthful, "no one will miss me if I leave, right?"

Alfred shook his head, his eyes flickering to the ceiling.

"Hermits, the lot of you," Alfred muttered, as he moved away from the boys to return to his rounds of the party.

Dick chuckled, turning to Tim. "Nice try - if I'm trapped here, so are you."

"You're just as bad as Alfred," Tim complained.

The teen caught movement on the other side of the room. His eyes narrowed.

"Apparently, "Tim said, nodding his head to where he was looking, "the little demon child can storm out whenever he wants."

Dick's brows furrowed together, confused. What was he talking about?

Dick followed Tim's eyes to see that Damian was no longer making his way to join Dick. The young boy instead had made a complete course correction in the direction of one of the room's exits. Dick frowned. Despite the neutral expression that Damian had plastered on his face, it was difficult to miss the urgency in his steps. A few people hastened out of Damian's path as his movements toward the exit increased in their aggression. Dick cocked his head. Sure, Damian wasn't very fond of social occasions, but something had to have happened to have brought on a reaction like that. Apparently, Tim came to the same conclusion.

"What do you think has gotten into him?"

Dick's eyes were still trailing Damian's steps. "I don't know."

But he was about to go find out.

Jason kept silent as he observed the woman's rather poor attempt of climbing the fence.

He cocked his head. Thief? Perhaps an assassin. No. He shook his head at himself. Definitely not the last one. An assassin would have noticed him standing there. He brought his eyes back up to the woman. That didn't rule out thief though.

Jason cast a critical eye on the woman's movements. Her arms strained with effort as she placed one above the other on the bars. The woman's slow ascent lacked the practiced skill one would expect of a thief. It was kind of amusing really. Her legs were quite active though. The slits in her dress allowed her to wrap them around the bars to aid her climb. It didn't help much. She clearly was unused to the art of breaking and entering.

Not a thief then. A tension Jason hadn't noticed building up, melted from his shoulders. She was harmless - not that it should have concerned him. Jason didn't take it upon himself to protect anything Bruce owned. With this assessment, he should have been content to leave well enough alone. Jason chose instead to remain in his spot, watching the scene unfold before him.

The woman slipped down the bars a little before reaching a shaky hand to stop herself. A small grin pulled at the corners of his mouth. Maybe it was a little sadistic, but the woman's attempt to scale the fence was rather entertaining. His eyes moved lower. Especially with that long emerald dress.

Jason took in her appearance properly. Unfortunately, he couldn't see her face from where he was standing. This made is a little difficult to determine her age. Although, anyone trying to climb the manor fence couldn't be very old. What Jason did get to see however, were the long bronze legs showcased by the high riding slits in her dress. Clearly, she valued movement in her clothing. His eyes trailed up the expanse of skin. Or perhaps, she just liked showing off her legs – he certainly wouldn't have blamed her. Jason dismissed the thought. Considering the nature of her current activity, it was more likely that ease of movement had been the deciding factor in dress choice. Now that he thought about it…

His eyes drifted up. Even her hair was done up to service practicality. She had styled it in a winding bun. The silver pins that adorned it added an extravagance to the updo. They had a particularly striking effect when they caught the light of the moon and glistened in the deep brown of her hair. Fancy yes, yet it was still functional. Not even a strand threatened to fall into her face and obscure her vision.

The Woman's attire was a combination of style and practicality that she wore well. Very well in fact. She would have looked perfectly well placed inside the manor doors. So, what was she doing climbing the fence?

He watched as she made another awkward arm movement. An amateur … trying to sneak into a party.

Of Course. A slow smile split his face as he shook his head at himself. All his training had led him to automatically assume the worst when there was a much simpler answer in front of him. She was a gate-crasher. Jason should have figured it out earlier – he'd done it himself enough times. With Wayne events as popular as they were, it was not an unusual occurrence.

The woman's frustrated curse interrupted his thoughts as her hand slipped again. Unable to regain her hold this time, she was sent sliding down the bars. She landed on the ground with a satisfying thump. Jason failed to hold in the small chuckle that escaped him.

The woman jolted at the sound. Her head snapped back too look at him, unmindful of her undignified position on the ground. With her widened eyes she bore a distinct resemblance to a deer caught in headlights. Jason found himself laughing harder. Her eyes promptly narrowed to a glare. He probably deserved that.

Jason recovered himself, hiding any last dregs of laughter with a cough. Alfred would probably have a few choice words to say to him right now. It was best not to think of how close the butler would come to a heart attack if he witnessed Jason's less than gentlemanly behaviour. If it was possible, Jason was sure he felt the woman's glare intensify further. Okay he probably shouldn't have laughed – or at least tried harder to hold it in. He cleared his throat, drawing closer to her.

"Not invited huh?" he asked her, holding out his hand in an offer of peace.

The woman cast a dubious look at it, before lifting her eyes to read his face. He could see now that she was very young - probably not much older than he was. Jason thought she might refuse his hand completely. To his surprise, she took it.

While getting up, she used a little more force than Jason had been expecting. This caused him to stumble a bit, but he managed to catch himself. She probably hadn't noticed. Jason looked up to find her smirking at him. Oh, she'd noticed alright. In fact, it was entirely plausible that she had caused that on purpose. Fine, he'd let her have her small revenge.

The Woman let go of his had before smoothing over her dress. She performed the movement leisurely, in no hurry to give him any response. Finally, she looked up at him, a relaxed smile on her lips.

"That's an interesting assumption to make."

Jason raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"Invited guests normally use a more conventional form of entry."

She merely shrugged, admitting to nothing. The way she brushed off the subtle accusation was almost admirable. How often did she get herself into situations like this?

"I expect they might." She responded, her eyes making a miniscule movement that allowed her gaze to sweep over him.

"So…" The woman started, surprisingly at ease for a person caught in the act of breaking and entering. "What kind of a person turns down an invitation to a Wayne event?"

Jason's eyebrows almost flew up. She couldn't possibly know he was invited. The event was scheduled to have started at least two hours ago. For all she knew, he could have been another gate crasher. Something in his expression must have given him away because she grinned. He needed to stop relying so much on that damn helmet.

"The invitation is poking out of your pocket," She told him, by way of explanation.

Jason looked down to see that it was. He reached up to push it all the way in, ignoring the little smirk the woman sent him. She reminded him of Roy when he got a little too pleased with himself. He brought his eyes back to her, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"What makes you think I was turning it down?"

"Because the entrance is back over there," She nodded to the open gates behind him. "unless you were looking for better way in."

Jason smirked. "Well, you certainly seem to have found one."

She narrowed her eyes but otherwise didn't respond to the thinly veiled jab. Jason found himself a little disappointed by that. He was curious to see how she handled when her calm response failed her. Some slightly twisted part of him rather enjoyed provoking reactions in people. Sometimes, there was a particularly special brand of entertainment to be gained when you could see the agitation on a person. Especially with Bruce.

Jason's eyes drifted to the manor. Attending this thing would be sure to rile the old man up at least a bit. And annoying Bruce was practically his brand, wasn't it? He brought his eyes back to the woman. Maybe he could help her into the party. It could be his good deed for the day – or bad deed rather. It depended on the way you looked at it. Jason let the thought settle for a moment before coming to a decision.

"I can get you in."

Her eyes snapped back to his. She cocked her head to one side, searching his face for something.

"How generous," she drawled. "and how am I expected to repay this gallant act of goodwill?"

Jason grinned. He'd half expected her to refuse. She seemed like she had a bit of an ego.

"One dance should do the trick, Princess."

Her eyes narrowed at the name, but she didn't comment. Jason hid his smug smile. She must have been battling with that fence for some time. Slowly, she nodded.

"One dance it is then."

Jason's eyes slipped back to the manor with some trepidation. So, he was attending after all. He couldn't stick to his resolve for anything. At least yanking Bruce's wings was always a worthy cause. And if he happened to run into Dick in the process – it wouldn't be entirely terrible.

Dick found Damian outside, seated on a bench with his back to the manor. He took a step forward. Damian tensed, sensing he wasn't alone.

"Tim's inside" Damian told him, without turning around.

Dick's brows drew together. Damian's voice sounded odd. It was laden with a tone far too bitter to be used by someone so young. What had brought this on?

"I know kiddo," Dick responded, keeping a close eye on Damian's form, "I was just there."

Damian remained still at his spot on the bench, refusing to face him. Dick was reminded of his last encounter with Jason. With careful steps, Dick moved to take a seat beside his brother.

"What's got you out here little D?"

"I felt like being alone."

Something in Damian's tone convinced Dick that wasn't true. He shook his head. This family would be the death of him. Getting any of them to talk about what was bothering them was harder than convincing the Justice League that Kite Man was a real villain. It usually involved a little bit of deception.

"Hmmm" Dick muttered, "That's a shame – I was hoping we could spend a little time together," he got up to leave, "but if I'm just going to be intruding…"

Damian's head snapped up.

"Wait!"

Dick masked his victorious smile and turned back to face his brother. Damian looked away again as if mentally berating himself for how weak he let himself sound. Something was definitely bothering the kid if Dick's little ploy had worked.

"I mean, "Damian corrected himself, looking up to face Dick. "you are permitted to stay… If that is what you wish."

Dick allowed a soft smile to grace his face. There was a time Damian would never have admitted to wanting his company.

"Well," Dick grinned, returning to his seat once more, "since I have permission."

They sat in silence for a little bit, simply casting their gaze out to the manor grounds. Dick glanced over to Damian. The boy was perfectly still. It had unnerved them all at first when Damian did that – Tim still thought it was weird. Eventually though, Dick had come to realise that it was comfortable for him – in a twisted sort of way. Damian hated to appear unsettled in any situation. Controlling his body helped him to mask his emotions, giving Damian some semblance power in situations he would feel otherwise powerless. Dick's heart fell a little. He hated that Damian felt the need to hide his emotions from him.

As if the dam burst, Damian let out a frustrated sigh.

"You left."

Dick started at the outburst.

"Damian?"

"As soon as Father came back." Damian continued. His voice laced with a false calm. "you left me with him."

Dick's face drew into a confused frown. He decided it was best not to interrupt. It had clearly been something Damian had been wanting to say for a while. Forcing himself to remain silent, Dick waited for him to continue.

"You gave me the title of Robin. You put me through the extra training, took me with you on your missions." His eyes hardened "you made me believe that you cared."

Dick cocked his head trying to figure out what Damian was getting at.

"That's because I do care."

Damian sighed then. Turning away so his face was hidden. Dick recognised the motion for what it was. His last line of defence. It was a little difficult to decipher, but Dick was beginning to understand.

"You miss me."

Damian froze.

"Grayson," he warned, keeping his voice low. "I swear if you tell another living soul…"

"Woah!" Dick's arms came up warding off Damian's threats. "Don't worry little D – it'll be our secret."

Although Damian settled back down, he didn't seem entirely placated. He turned away again. Dick frowned. There was something more here.

"Wanna know a secret?" he decided to bait Damian.

For a moment the boy remained still, keeping his eyes well averted from Dick. Then, he carefully turned back to face his older brother.

Dick gave him a little nudge. "I've missed you too."

Damian's eyes widened – a miniscule amount, but Dick caught it. The expression disappeared when the boy's face quickly contorted to that carefully crafted mask of neutrality. Dick's brows drew together. It wasn't a mask he wanted to see worn for him.

"But…you have Drake."

Oh. Dick's face softened. He had been spending more time with Tim lately. It was therein that the problem lay. Dick should have figured it out earlier. Damian had to grow up competing for scraps of attention. The kid had been through so much, sometimes they all forgot how much of a child he still was. One that was healing. Damian had made progress, but some things were harder to undo. Even after all this time, the boy still felt the need to compete for love.

"Damian…"

Damian turned to face him again, some of the defences falling. Dick felt a pang in his gut. Even after all this time, he was still so cautious. Dick took in his brother's vulnerable eyes. No matter how hard Damian fought to hide it, he bled the need for acceptance. He hated the thought, but sometimes Dick wondered how much they could really do to combat Damian's harsh upbringing.

Dick pulled himself away from that dangerous line of thinking. Instead, he reached an arm out and pulled the younger boy closer to him. Damian didn't resist.

"No one out there is a substitute for you." Dick told him firmly, tucking the young boy under his arm.

"-tt-"

If asked Damian would deny it vehemently, but Dick felt his brother pull closer to him. A small smile slipped onto Dick's face as he gripped Damian tighter. He would always be there to reassure Damian. No matter how often the kid needed it.

He probably should have expected that his gate-crashing buddy would wander off. Jason took a sip of his Champagne. Wherever she'd gotten off to, she had to be having a better time than him. So much for company.

It had been Jason's natural inclination to place himself toward the corner of the room. Not exactly the most social of spots – which is probably why his company had wondered off, but it was a good vantage point. Here, he could observe.

Jason cast his eyes about the room. There were quite a few couples moving along the dance floor. He scoffed. Trust the Gotham elite to keep alive dancing styles that were centuries old. How could anyone ever have fun at these things? They did look graceful though, as they glided across the floor. Almost like ethereal beings in their stunning dresses and tailored suits. Watching them one could almost forget the city that rotted beneath their feet.

Bruce was off the floor, engaging one of the older guests in what looked to be a boring conversation. Jason had noticed Bruce sending subtle glances his way since he'd entered the manor. Even when he posed no threat, the old man felt the need to watch him. Bruce sent another glance his way and this time Jason caught his eye. Eyes locked with Bruce, Jason raised his glass in a mock toast. There was a flicker in the old man's eyes. Jason was pretty sure he caught Bruce tense before he ripped his eyes away. He smirked. Bruce was riled up alright.

Fun as it was to set Bruce's panties in a bunch, Dick was the person he would much rather see. God, he had to make sure the circus boy never found that out. Jason scanned the room. Where was he? There was no way Alfred would let someone weasel out of their own birthday event. Jason had endured enough events of his own when he had lived in the manor to know that.

His eyes halted on Tim. He looked different in the suit. Less like an awkward kid and more like the young adult he was growing into. Tim met his gaze. To Jason's surprise he couldn't detect any hostility in those eyes. He seemed more… curious? Tim gave him the barest hint of a nod before returning to his conversation. Jason blinked. Well, that was uncomfortable.

Bruce must have finished his conversation because he was moving now – to Jason's side of the room. Shit.

Jason focused on keeping his hand steady as he took a calming sip of the Champagne. Maybe Bruce was going to talk to someone else. Slipping his eyes back to the other side of the room, Jason saw the man turn yet another guest away. He was making a beeline straight to Jason's position. Damn. Jason's eyes darted around the room in search of an escape. Yanking Bruce's wings was fun and all – but not if he had to talk to him.

At that moment, Jason's eyes landed on the sight of a familiar emerald dress. There she was. He chugged back the rest of his Champagne. She was his ticket out of this confrontation – for now anyway.

Placing the empty glass on a passing tray, Jason made his way to his gate-crashing companion. Avoiding Bruce's eyes, Jason weaved through the throng of people to approach her. He knew that he was moving faster than what was strictly necessary. An imminent confrontation – with the father figure he had a lot of complications with, could be one hell of a motivator.

"How about that dance?" Jason asked as soon as he had approached her. He was acutely aware of Bruce's eyes on him.

The Brunette raised a questioning eyebrow before looking down to his outstretched hand. Her gaze flickered behind him momentarily. Slowly, she brought her eyes back to his and took his hand.

"Of course,"

Jason continued to avoid letting his eyes wander anywhere near Bruce's side of the room as he led his partner out onto the dance floor. Instead, Jason focused on positioning himself as the next song began. The music began in a softer melody to the last. Jason led the two through a leisurely swaying motion. It wasn't too fancy. He wasn't about to utilise the full force of the dance lessons he had received in his youth. Another guest approached Bruce. Jason watched as Bruce, reluctantly let himself get pulled into the conversation. His shoulders relaxed, and Jason was able to sway to the music more freely.

"I'll try to not to feel offended about being your escape attempt."

His eyes snapped to his dance partner. Had Jason really been that obvious? She gave him a playful smile.

"What has you avoiding the Bruce Wayne I wonder?"

Jason's eyebrows flew up. He really did need that helmet. How could he have been so revealing? Or perhaps, his dance partner was more perceptive than he had given her credit for. Jason led her through a series of intricate twirls before spinning her out. It wasn't a move strictly required as part of the dance, but it allowed him a little time to compose himself before thinking of a response.

"You know," Jason started, deciding to avoid her question completely as he spun her back into him. "It occurs to me that you never gave out your name."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. Jason had not been subtle in his change of topic. He wasn't trying to be. It was a chance for her to drop her line of questioning. She must have seen the look in his eyes because she decided to go along with this new line of conversation – for the time being.

"Figured you'd ask if you wanted to know,"

"Fair point," Jason shrugged. Letting himself relax further into the dance, Jason rested his eyes on hers. "I am asking now though."

"I suppose you are," she smirked. "Annoying when your questions are brushed off huh?"

Jason let out a sigh, shaking his head at her. "Is it always like this with you?"

"No," she chuckled, amused by his frustration. "Only when I'm talking to difficult people."

He raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"I'm the difficult one?" Jason spun them around, so he didn't have to catch the look Bruce sent him. "You are the one who thinks it's so fun to keep their name such a mysterious secret."

"Oh, and yours is all out in the open?"

Jason had been able to have smoother conversations with a pot plant. He held back the urge to groan.

"Alright," Jason relented. "Hello, Miss gate crasher – I'm Jason. Nice to meet you." He gestured to her. "Now, your turn."

She shook her head but gave in anyway.

"Thyma."

"See, that wasn't so hard was it?"

Thyma rolled her eyes. Jason saw her grinning though.

Feeling a chill go down his spine, Jason stiffened. He could feel eyes on him. Bruce.

Thyma's eyes snapped up. She must have felt the change. Her eyes searched behind him before returning to his.

"He's watching you, you know."

So, he hadn't been just imagining it. He slipped on an easy grin to mask his face.

"Maybe he's watching you," Jason leaned in to whisper to her. "You're the gate crasher after all."

"Yeah, but you're my accomplice," she scoffed, pushing him back lightly. "There's no two ways about it. Those eyes are definitely on you, Jason."

Oh, he knew. It was impossible not to feel them bore into the back of his skull. Like a snake lying in wait of its prey.

As the song came to a close, Jason led their swaying to a stop. Taking a step back from him, Thyma gave him a sympathetic smile before turning away.

"Good luck with that conversation you're not trying to avoid." She called out behind her, before disappearing into the confusion of people entering and leaving the dance floor.

Jason took a breath to steel himself. Yeah, he'd need it. He turned around to make his way to the drinks again. A miracle would be preferable to luck. The universe didn't offer them to people like Jason very often. Just this once would be nice though.

He could see Bruce approaching him in his peripheral vision. With each step Jason's dread grew. He felt like the little kid in the ally all those years ago. Jason braced himself for the inevitable.

To his surprise, Bruce never reached him. Tim had decided at that moment to drag a reluctant Bruce into yet another conversation with a group of old men. That had to hold him for a while. Jason's heart calmed down. He looked back toward the group conversing. As unlikely as it seemed, his miracle had come in the form of Tim Drake.

An arm wrapped around Jason steering him away from the drinks. Conveniently enough, they were leading him away from Bruce too.

"Glad you could make it," Dick told him.

The cogs turned in Jason's head. Dick's timing – even Tim's, had been too perfect to be a coincidence. He had half a mind to thank Dick for the rescue – but then that would mean having to admit that he needed it.

"Well," Jason replied, "I happened to be in the neighbourhood…"

Dick chuckled lightly. He dropped his arm and turned to face Jason. There was a smile on Dick's face that Jason hadn't quite seen before. It reminded him of the overenthusiastic grin that his dog used to give him when he came home. Right before she would race over to give him a big lick. Jason wished Dick would wipe it off.

"Whatever the reason," Dick told him. "I'm glad you're here."

Dick's eyes moved beyond Jason's shoulder. He winced.

"Guess I should have thought through the Bruce situation." Dick muttered.

"Ahh," Jason shrugged, pretending he hadn't been in a panic only a few moments ago. "Didn't even notice that the old man was here."

Dick raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it.

Jason coughed, turning away. "But… I really should be on my way."

Jason pretended not to notice the amused smile on Dick's face at that comment. Instead he turned toward the exit. He was probably best to leave now unless he wanted to spend the rest of his night actively avoiding Bruce. Dick's arm reached out to stop him. Jason halted, turning back to face him. The arm dropped quickly, though Dick's eyes still held an earnest warmth.

"I really meant it Jason," Dick said, with that infuriating smile Jason didn't deserve. "I'm glad you came."

Despite everything, Jason was alarmed to find that he might have shared the sentiment. Unsure of how to respond, Jason merely nodded before turning away again.

Jason could have saved himself a whole lot of trouble if he'd just stayed home tonight. He sighed to himself as he made his way toward an exit. despite the fact that he detested events like these, Jason knew that he wouldn't be able to consider this occasion a complete waste of time. He shook his head at himself. He really was turning soft.

Woah that was a pretty long chapter for me - I didn't think that it would turn out this long. Thanks for reading the whole thing! As always feedback is appreciated - it lets me know what I need to improve. But anyway, thank you again for trying this story! Hope it added something to your day :)