Consider this Part II of Interacting With Family Members.
I Do Not Own DC or It's Characters
Sing Little Nightingale
Lilith was the most held baby in the history of babies, everyone held her, all the time. Jason was pretty sure his daughter had spent a grand total of five minutes set down. Even Damian, DAMIAN!, would hold Lilith.
Hell, the little demon spawn had smuggled Lilith to his school when Lilith was three months old. Jason, after waking to not have his daughter in her drawer on his bed, had freaked out, only to receive a call from Damian's school saying Damian had brought Lilith there for reasons still unknown. The entire drive to the school Jason cursed his littlest brother and got there, when he got to the office to see the teen holding his daughter, Jason avowed hideous revenge on the gremlin his Lilith was sick and if Damian ever took her again and didn't tell him. Lilith just giggled and sucked on his finger as he left the school.
When Lilith was six months old Jason picked up being Red Hood again, and moved him and Lilith to his and Raven's apartment. Lilith did not like the move, but Jason was feeling antsy staying at the Manor with everyone for so long. Artemis moved in with him for a bit to help him with Lilith and his night activities, to his neighbors she was Raven's much older half-sister.
Mar'i was often over with Dick on weekends to play with Lilith and Jason found himself reluctantly agreeing to Sunday dinners with the Batfamily. Alfred insisted on loading him up with every leftover possible and was over just about every other day after Jason and Lilith had moved out.
It took about a year for them to confirm Lilith's powers were in, and it was an accident really. She was a quiet baby, had handled teething with minimal fuss, didn't cry or giggle really, just wanted to be held. Well, naturally Dick head found out the hard way that his daughter's powers had come in full bloom.
Jason had come to pick Lilith up after having had to deal with Queen Hippolyta. He was trying to be a responsible father and have a plan in place for training Lilith and her extraordinary abilities before they got out of hand. Needless to say, it was not a fun trip because he had to negotiate him coming with his daughter. But he was finally back, at Dick's apartment to get her and Dick accidently tripped over Lilith getting to the door. The hell unleashed in that apartment as Lilith cried, Lian and Mar'i hid, and everything shattered in the building (EVERYTHING!), Lilith had shattered every neighbor's valuables, and every window in the building with her pain, she'd also knocked Dick out and given Jason the mother of all headaches because of her empathy. Jason managed to settle Lilith down though before she unleashed more than just the empathy, cutlery had started rattling as she had screamed before he scooped her up and started calming her down.
Needless to say, he and Dick were miffed, but Jason anonymously paid to have the apartment complex fixed and people compensated for their things. It was just chalked up to one of those 'Only in Blüdhaven' things. Jason honestly didn't care as he took Lilith home.
Lilith spoke her first word at a year and a half old; funny for a little girl who ran around and flew all the time; and her happiness constantly blowing out the lights in his place and breaking glass, she didn't talk (at all). He'd had her perched on the counter; she was watching an old rerun of Law & Order as he worked on fixing his sink. He hit his head and released a string of curses which would have criminals blushing when he heard a light, little voice say 'fuck' and giggle. He'd paled as he slid out from under the sink to stare at his daughter who was grinning and giggling on the kitchen island.
"Lilith?" he said.
"Shit, fuck, damn, bitch hell, fuck, fuck, fuck!" she laughed. Oh he was so dead, Raven would come back from the grave to kill him, and Alfred… SHIT! Alfred was going to murder him! For about the next hour he tried to coax her into saying 'dada' or anything but that! Artemis came over that evening and of course Lilith shouted bitch as loud as she could. Artemis had punched him.
Bruce came over later that week and Lilith had promptly blurted fucker, which had Bruce just staring at Lilith as Jason tried to smother himself with a pillow. He'd never be able to take his daughter out in public again! Bruce had smirked as only Bruce could as Jason recieved the 'I told you this would bite you in the ass one day' look. However, Jason had the last laugh when Dick came over that weekend with Mar'i and Lian and Lilith had promptly called Dick 'Dickhead', Jason fell off his barstool laughing. Dick just gaped at her, Mar'i had promptly asked what a dickhead was, which had the older girl, Lian, promptly attempting to explain what a dick was when Dick put a hand over her mouth.
Of course, Lilith started saying non-curse words when it was just him, or just Alfred, so no one believed him when he said she knew more than the curses. It was like she was the singing frog from Looney Tunes in that regard. Though he had to admit, he had not fucking clue where she picked up chowderhead, flipperhead, and schmuck (okay, he might have known where schmuck came from but not the other two as those were distinctly Boston insults). There were a few others in her vocabulary he knew were from him, but those two; no clue.
Lilith was two when the Joker took her, Jason had been investigating a smuggling ring and Lilith was with Victor at his place. Joker managed to snatch Lilith, and nearly killed Victor, Jason received the video of his daughter's kidnapping, drugging, and her whereabouts; along with every other schmuck in Gotham.
Of course, Joker had done this to him when Dick and Bruce were off on League business, Tim was on a Wayne Enterprise conference, Duke and Cass were in Hong Kong, the Birds of Prey were running around the city on a wild goose chase from Joker for bombs, and the demon spawn was babysitting Lian and Mar'i in San Francisco with the Titans. Jason called Alfred, and thus began the longest night of his life as he systematically ripped apart every villain who threatened his daughter. All of Gotham got a kick out of the Big Bad Red Hood being a Daddy, and his enemies wanted to hurt him with Lilith, Jason was unamused and he was highly trained, highly motivated, and exceedingly pissed/terrified.
Help came from the most unexpected of places when the League of Assassins appeared that night with Talia leading the charge to help him retrieve Lilith. Artemis and Bizarro also showed up, and as they dealt with the rest of Gotham's crime he beelined his way through the mess and carnage to Joker and Lilith. Lilith was drugged, and suspended over a vat of acid, Joker was manically laughing, and Jason saw red.
To the day he died, he didn't know exactly what happened, all he knew was he woke, Lilith in his arms, his helmet broken, his toddler sobbing, and Joker a bloody, mangled, unidentifiable mess of what had once been a human being. Joker's head was impaled on a spike by the time Gordon and his men broke in to raid the warehouse. Lilith's empathy knocked most of the men back and down, but she was familiar enough with Gordon that Gordon got too close to them for Jason's comfort.
"Get out of here son," Gordon ordered. Jason didn't need to be told twice.
Alfred called and said Victor was at S.T.A.R. Labs, he'd be alright, and Talia said she was finished with the rest of the villains. Jason just thanked them both. He and Lilith made it home, Lilith didn't want to let him go and they ended up showering together as he gingerly washed the Joker's blood off his daughter and checked her over. Artemis and Bizarro both stayed the night to his relief. All three of them ended up in front of his TV watching Beauty and the Beast because 'Lenny from Law & Order' (Jerry Orbach), was the candlestick and Lilith's favorite. Jason fell asleep with Lilith on his chest and against Artemis' shoulder.
The moment Hippolyta heard about the incident she welcomed Jason with Lilith to Thymescria. Of course, Jason assured her he had about as much interest in dating right then as he did attending the Joker's funeral. Also, after Raven had died, he didn't see much point in dating when he had his hands full with Lilith and he still wore his wedding ring. Raven was it for him, and he knew it, so he was just going to focus on his daughter and breathing. Some days it was just a matter of breathing.
Jason was unsurprised when he discovered Lilith had a love of books (not children's books, books). However, he was surprised Lilith had his knack for languages. She picked up everything, Greek, Egyptian, Latin, Arabic, Russian, Spanish, French, German, English (that was a given since it was his primary language), Azarathian (what of it he knew from Raven), Tamaranian, Swahili, Hebrew, Pashto, Indian, Navajo, Chinese, and Japanese, and a lot of others. By the time Lilith was five she spoke ten languages fluently and could learn the rest, Artemis, Hippolyta, Diana, Bruce and Alfred were all impress, Jason just smirked.
After the Joker, Jason was very hesitant to let Lilith out of his sight, and this had him shirking off duties as Red Hood (also, he was living on Thymescira, it wasn't like he could really be Red Hood, now could he?). Still he ran missions with Artemis, and popped into Gotham often enough to let it be known Joker hadn't scared him off. And after the hell he had wrought upon Gotham both intentionally and unintentionally when Lilith had been taken no one dared to fuck with him.
Lilith was seven when they moved back to Gotham officially, he felt it was for the best, she'd been on Thymescira for five years. Still, he made another deal with Artemis and Hippolyta, Artemis would take over Lilith's training, but also, Lilith would be spending every summer, spring and fall break with the Amazons, but Jason got her for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. A fair deal since his daughter had her mother's powers.
Now came a unique brand of hell he hadn't ever anticipated: first day of school.
Lilith was going to Gotham Academy, Bruce had gotten her in because Lilith was his granddaughter. Also, Mar'i and Lian went there, Lian was in eighth grade while Mar'i was in the sixth grade, Lilith would be in first. Lilith was happy about that. At least she was that morning as she paraded around in her new uniform, her calm personality was from her mother, but she was bouncing in glee.
"Now Lilith, remember: No eyes, no powers, no empathy influencing, no cussing unless it's in languages they don't know, and no matter what, you cannot lose your temper," Jason said as he did the final check over Lilith's backpack and supplies, he also took away the case file she's smuggled in her back pack (Lilith had a morbid fascination with his cases, he hid the gruesome ones, but she usually got her sticky little fingers on his quieter ones), and he slipped in Swiss Family Robinson, the original not the unabridged version, for her to read when she was bored. He also pulled three of her tactical knives out of hiding and one from her jacket, he replaced it with the socially acceptable mace though he'd rather she'd have the knives.
"I got it daddy, I'll be good," she smiled.
Oh he was sure she'd be good, Lilith was like her mother that way. Except she had his mouth and, his temper, and about his level of control on her emotions when she was mad. Also, she had all four of her mother's eyes when she was pissed or exceedingly happy.
Jason took a moment to take a photo of Lilith:
Seven years old, black hair, a white streak, green-blue-purple eye, ivory skin, freckles, his mouth and cheek bones, Raven's nose, eyes, chin, and build; wearing her first mini-bomber leather jacket (a gift from Alfred she adored) and prep-school uniform. She was perfect, she was his, and he was trying to figure out when she went from being five pounds and three ounces to seven years old with an angel's smile in a blink. He helped Lilith with her hair, clumsily pulling it into a ponytail like Artemis had taught him before they were out of his apartment, Lilith was sitting shotgun in his black 67 Corvette singing along with the radio. They pulled up to the school, he got out of the car, and went to get Lilith.
"You made it," Dick and Roy grinned, Jason chuckled.
"Lilith wouldn't let us be late for today," Jason said as he got his daughter's door and she shyly came out, all earlier glee was gone as she stared around with an indifferent expression and wide eyes. Instantly she grabbed his hand as they walked over to her uncle Dick and uncle Roy.
"Man, she's gotten big," Roy said. Lilith was still on the small side for a child, but healthy and that was all that mattered to Jason.
"Lilith! Are you excited for school!?" Mar'i appeared smiling, and Lian was a step behind her.
Slowly Lilith nodded.
"We got her Jaybird," Lian smiled.
"Come on Lil, it'll be an adventure!" Mar'i announced. Suddenly Lilith was pressed into his leg, and hugging it.
"Maybe tomorrow, I think today I'll take her," Jason decided.
"Kay, later Jaybird!" an inside joke of the Wayne family was what they called everyone, him and all his brothers were 'something'bird instead of Uncle. Dick was Bigbird, he was Jaybird, Tim was Redbird, and Damian was Babybird (even to his nieces called him babybird).
"I'll meet you guys for breakfast," Jason said to his brother and friend.
"Alright," Dick waved and Roy nodded as they both loaded into their cars. Since Kori's death and Jade's disappearance Dick and Roy had gotten to be like brothers. Both had had young daughters to raise and needed help, Bruce offered help, but Jason got it. Being a single dad was the hardest fucking thing, Roy was kind of Dick's version of what Artemis was for him.
"Kay, come on squirt," he offered her his hand, and he didn't feel weird as he saw other parents (or servants, you never knew with Gotham Academy) walking their kids into the building.
"What if they don't like me, daddy?" Lilith asked in that soft, monotone her mother had had, Jason stopped and knelt in front of her.
"Then they're idiots, and you can do better," Jason said. "The world doesn't need to like you Lilith, only you need to lie you and everything else works out on it's own; trust me. Besides, I love you, Mommy loves you, your family loves you, and Artemis and Bizarro love you. who cares about these losers?"
"Kay," Lilith nodded as she squared her shoulders and looked suspiciously like him about to do something insane or stupid, he just tried not to smile as he walked her to her classroom. She hugged him, he watched her disappear in when her teacher, a Miss O'Malley pulled him aside to talk.
"Mr. Todd-Wayne, we do not normally allow parents to accompany their children," she started.
"We just moved back from Europe, first day, new school I'm sure she'll handle it on her own from now on. She's an independent girl," Jason stated as he left then. Getting scolded for being an involved parent…
He needed a drink because it was too early to deal with this shit.
Instead he met up with Dick, Roy, and Bruce at a diner as they ordered breakfast. Alfred was in England with family, Damian was attending Berkeley, and everyone else had lives to live.
"Here's to the first day of school and days without kids," Roy grinned. Jason chuckled, he knew that they all loved their kids but it was exhausting always parenting and watching over the kids.
Jason was tinkering on the Batwing in the Batcave when he received the call, it was a little past noon when he received the call and he found himself heading for Lilith's school. He found himself sitting in a familiar office, and Lilith's wide eyes looking at him over the back of the chair before she spun around and was sitting there.
"Lilith Catherine Todd-Wayne," he sighed as he sat with her. His daughter now really looked ashamed, all her names used was a fast way to get through to her she was in trouble.
-Lilith, depending on tone was just a scolding.
-Lilith Catherine just meant she was in trouble.
-Lilith Catherine Todd meant she was grounded.
-Lilith Catherine Todd-Wayne had her just asking for the shovel for her to dig her grave (being a smart ass was a trait she got from him and she'd actually asked for a shovel at this point on her name list).
"I'll take the shovel now daddy," she muttered.
"Jason Todd?" he turned and looked at an old classmate, Michelle or something, staring at him. "When I saw a Todd-Wayne on the roster I didn't think she was actually your daughter."
"Uh… yeah," he said dumbly which had Lilith glaring at the principle.
"You might not remember me, Rochelle Hemings, we were in class together," she smiled.
"Right," he replied.
"I'm surprised to see you back in Gotham, after everything that you lived through, it's horrible, I see life is treating you alright though," she said as she walked to her desk.
"Sorry I don't like dwelling on the past, or talking about it, and I didn't come here for small talk, I came here because I got a call about my daughter, Lilith, can you fill me in on what she did?" Jason asked as he gently ran a few fingers through Lilith's tangled hair to reassure her he wasn't made. Lilith bit her lip as she peeked at him and he smiled slightly. Nothing she ever did would earn his wrath upon her, however, until he knew what happened he couldn't be proud or disappointed.
"Lilith appears to truly be your daughter, she got in a fight today with a group of fifth graders.
"And why would she do that?" Jason asked as he looked at Lilith who was now clumping up her skirt and muttering her mother's mantra under her breath to keep calm, but she wouldn't look at him.
"Lilith hasn't said," Rochelle said. "Regardless, the school has a zero tolerance policy and she is suspended for the week."
"Now hold on," Jason started.
"I didn't start it!" Lilith protested.
"It does not matter who started it, the point is, you have sent three fifth graders to the nurses office, the boys will also be receiving a suspension and the school's insurance will cover the medical cost so Thomas Demmings can have his nose set, properly. Your daughter broke his nose."
"Really?" he asked with a bit of pride.
"He pulled my hair," Lilith whispered.
"Mr. Todd! I understand that you were a hoodlum when you went here but that does not mean your daughter is allowed to be one also! You should not be encouraging your hoodlum behavior in your daughter, and you should not be praising her for breaking a child's nose!" Rochelle started.
"Now hold up. First off, my daughter is not a hoodlum or delinquent, as both would require a skillset she does not possess. Second, just because I was a hoodlum at twelve does not make my daughter one, I grew up, and third, if she was defending herself in a fight I'm going to be proud of her and not scold her," Jason snapped.
"What would her mother say!?" Rochelle squawked, and Jason saw Lilith's eyes filling with tears then.
"Her mother would have praised her, and I would advise you not to bring my wife in this," Jason warned. "We'll get Lilith's school assignments and be on our way to suspension," Jason growled.
"Mr. Todd…"
"You said she's suspended and as her dad I refuse to have her fall behind on her education," Jason snapped. Besides, he also had a feeling Lilith was too smart for this school but wanted to prove it. Lilith was up, she grabbed his hand, but he picked her up.
"We'll be in the front office, get the assignments," Jason growled as he walked out of the principle's office. "Kay, demon, what'd you do, who's ass do I need to kick and what was this about?" he asked.
"Today we were asked what our parents did, I said mommy was an angel and she was watching over me in heaven, Trevor and Trevor's older brother's friends said heaven wasn't real and mommy just left. They pushed me, and you said to never start the fights but always finish them so I finished it," she whispered.
"Good," Jason smirked and kissed her temple. "You did good little bird."
"But… are they right?" Lilith whispered.
"About what?" he asked.
"Mommy not being in heaven, I know she was a demon, so what if…" Lilith started quietly and tears welled in her eye.
"Lilith, your mom was complicated, exceedingly complicated, but she died saving you, and if that doesn't get her to heaven then God's an idiot," Jason murmured. He'd never lied to Lilith about her mother's death or why her mother was gone. "Your mom was a queen, if nothing else remember that," he said.
"Do you miss her?" Lilith asked innocently.
"Every day, but I got you, and she's looking out for us," he promised.
"Do you still love her?"
"Yes Lilith," he nodded slowly.
"Good."
"Here's her stuff and her assignments Mr. Todd," a woman said.
"Thanks," he took the bag and folder as Lilith just hugged his neck and they walked to the car. Once he had her set up in her seat they went and got ice-cream. And thus, started the nightmares of school. Lilith was not a bad student, far from it, but the ensuing battles to get her to want to go to school would be epic, and would ruin his apartment and take lots of bribery in the coming years. But it was a worry for a different day.
For today he just sat in Gotham Park with Lilith, and ice-cream and told her stories about her mother.
That night he went out as Red Hood as Lilith did homework with Mar'i at the Manor, and ran into a crying Floyd Lawton. It was a dad thing as they both sat on that roof laughing and crying, and bonded over horrible first days of school their daughters had had. Lawton did him a solid then and said there was a hit out on him and Jason just let the hit man be that night. Jason spent the next morning with Lilith doing the week's assignments, and then he took her to the zoo, that night he systematically tore apart an up and coming gang after him, a cult really, call the Jokers.
The years blurred a bit, but Lilith was ten when she first snuck out with Mar'i (Nightfire) and Lian (Arrow) on a patrol with the Titans. Jason found out when he was with Artemis and Bizarro in the Middle East from Talia who appeared and said she was 'Proud Her 'Granddaughter' Was Following In His Steps' with a smile. He'd turned on the news and seen Lilith in one of her mother's cloaks in a fight against a giant of a thug with Kid Flash II, Shifter, Supergirl, Blue Beetle, Aqualad Nightfire and Arrow. Jason promptly flipped out when the news dubbed his daughter Nightingale, he stole a jet and aborted his mission to go retrieve his daughter.
Artemis and Bizarro chased after him, but Jason was not stopping until he was one hundred percent certain his daughter was safe, and sound, and grounded. Then he'd train her for real beyond the teachings of the Amazons.
Mar'i Grayson, Lian Harper, Thomas Logan, Diego Reyes, Wally Allen, Alura Malverne, Jackson Hyde Jr. and Lilith Todd were all shocked to arrive at the Titan's Tower with him standing there in his Red Hood get up and armed.
"Dad!" Lilith squeaked.
"DAD!?" everyone but Lian and Mar'i shouted at the youngest tag along.
"Uh-huh," he grounded out.
"We can explain!" the three girls shouted in unison.
"Oh No, Don't Even Try It. I will be talking with your fathers," he jabbed his finger at Lian and Mar'i, both girls cringed. "And you are coming with me little demon," he growled as he grabbed the cloak; relieved to feel it was Kevlar; at least Lilith wasn't completely idiotic.
"When you said her dad was a Bat you forgot to mention he's the most terrifying Bat…" Shifter, Thomas Logan whispered.
"Zip it green bean I can and will kick your ass," Jason snapped.
"Dad!" Lilith protested.
"You are not sweet talking your way out of this twerp, come on, Artemis and Bizarro will be here soon enough," he growled. Lilith sighed but walked with him, they made it to the San Francisco safe-house where Artemis and Bizarro were both waiting for them.
"I commend you for your first battle," Artemis stated.
"Thank you," Lilith looked a bit smug as she dropped her hood.
"But that was idiotic, stupid, and reckless, I expect such idiocy from your father, and we will begin your proper training immediately. When more than dumb luck is on your side then you may join the Titans!" Artemis snapped.
"What!?" Lilith balked.
"Oh no, not just Amazon training, Lilith, you're going to learn from me too," Jason warned his daughter.
"This is unfair!" Lilith protested.
"We're not fair, I'm your dad, and she's your aunt, and if something happens to you I won't live with myself, did you think of that!?" he spat out.
"Mom was handling grandfather when she was nine!" Lilith shouted. And That began the first full out war he had with his daughter which had him sleeping restless in his room after Lilith had slammed the door of her room shut. It was around noon when he woke the following day with Lilith sleeping in his bed, stubbornly hugging his arm and drooling on it.
He took a moment just to stare at her, and then pulled her close as he kissed her head.
Fuck! When the hell had she started growing up!? He was so fucking terrified of this day, but there was no stopping it, no avoiding it, she was a Bat and too much like Raven to not join the 'family business'. However, there was no fucking way he was letting her die in this work. If he couldn't stop her, he could prepare and arm her for the real fights, because they would come. And with Lilith's powers he needed her to be prepared. Slowly he released his daughter and pried her off him as he got out of his bed and found Artemis sleeping in the guest room and Bizarro had claimed the couch, a Minion's blanket was draped over him.
He was leaning on the door arch of Artemis' room when the Amazon looked at him.
"When she'd start growing up? Yesterday she was a baby, and now…" he dragged his hand through his hair.
"She is like her mother, but she is a lot like you," Artemis said.
"Nightingale," he muttered.
"It appears appropriate, her mother was Raven and her father was Robin, and a nightingale is a relative to the robin, I think," Artemis said.
"Fuck, we gotta train her," Jason muttered.
"Yes, perhaps we should also speak to the little bird's grandmother about training her."
"One, Talia is not my mom, in anyway, and two, fuck no! I'd sooner lock her up in a tower for all the good that'd do," Jason snapped.
"Very well, then we shall speak to sorcerer friends who can teach her about magic, I will teach her combat, as will you," Artemis decided.
"Great." He muttered as he heard Bizarro and Lilith up and about.
"Red Baby and Bizarro hungry," Bizarro smiled.
"I got it," Jason smiled. Lilith was no longer glaring at him as she sat on the counter.
"I'm sorry daddy, Arty said I really scared you," Lilith muttered as he opened the fridge. He turned around and looked at his daughter, her white streak falling in her face as her eyes looked anywhere but him.
"You did, but I'm proud of you too," he carefully explained. "You're my baby, Lilith, no parent wants to see their baby in danger."
"But Gramps let you all be Robin, and Mar'i's Nightfire…" she started.
"Yeah, I know, but Dick was trained before he started patrolling, I grew up on the streets and was trained, Tim was trained, and you know all about demon spawn's training. And Mar'i didn't start Nightfire until she was thirteen and we were all sure she could handle bad guys, she may have inherited all of her mom's powers, but that doesn't make her invincible. And you might also possess all your mom's powers, but Lilith, Raven worked really hard never to lose control of her powers. I'm not mad because I don't believe in you, I'm mad because I don't think you're fully prepared for this, but we're going to train if you really want to do this," Jason promised and ruffled his daughter's hair.
"We will train you to be smarter than your father," Artemis smiled.
"Now you're just being mean," he muttered and started on making waffles, but Lilith smiled. He hoped Raven was alright with him training their daughter.
Training started on Thymiscira, for real, it wasn't just learning to control her emotions, it was keeping those in check as she fought. Artemis was a ruthless teacher, but Lilith was enough like him that she learned best on the go rather than from demonstration. Jason taught her extensive close quarters combat, he was relentless about it and Lilith picked it up like it was breathing, he also made her a marksman, even if she never used a gun she'd sure as fuck know how to use it. Dr. Fate, Constantine, and Constantine's grandson; Gabriel Michel Constantine (a.k.a. the nutter, idiot, bastard, asshole, fucker, wanker, and many other names from Lilith depending on how Gabriel irritated her), were called in to teach Lilith magic. Bruce had also gotten involved, as did the rest of his siblings and Mar'i (who started training with the Amazons also). Dick taught Lilith to be acrobatic, flight was good, but true acrobatics would be useful. Tim taught Lilith to be precise in her fighting, and to be ahead of everyone. Damian had taken to teaching Lilith the sword, she picked that up quick too. And Bruce was her mentor in being a detective and criminology.
Jason watched her closely through her training, Lilith became more like her mother as she learned. Lilith was calm, she was centered, she was distant, she was friendly, and she was powerful. The full extent of her powers was unknown, but she was powerful.
Jason was called off on a mission when Lilith was about fourteen, he kissed her brow as she promised she could handle a weekend home alone without trouble. He trusted her, but just in case he called Dick's fiancé, Barbara and asked her to keep tabs on Lilith and possibly Nightingale, he'd also arranged Dick to come by in the morning one day, and Alfred the evening another. He wasn't an idiot, he was her father, and he'd pulled the same shit at her age. His only goal was for her not to die like he had.
What he never expected was on this job for Rose Wilson to have the same job he had.
Yeah, that was a real kick to the balls, especially with her knife to his throat and his gun to her head. Yup, that was their relationship, even before he'd been married to Raven. And the kiss was what had complicated said relationship. Which was why Rose and he had ended up in a room in some ratty hotel in Marrakesh, clothes scattered and afternoon raging strongly when he finally got up and started getting dressed. Rose stirred behind him, he rubbed his ring lightly and closed his eyes.
"Hey, you weren't leaving," she murmured as she slid up behind him and kissed his shoulder.
"Yeah, I've got to call Lilith," he said glancing at the time and noting it was time for the morning call, it was a thing with them, a call in the morning and one in the evening; and Lilith had started it when she was a toddler, she also was the one to continue it.
"Lilith?"
"My daughter, Rose," he said dryly as he pulled on his pants and looped his belt again.
"I didn't know you had a daughter," she smiled.
"Yeah, she's fourteen," Jason smiled a bit, and looked at his wedding ring.
"So is the ring just for show or is there really a Mrs. Todd?" Rose asked warily.
"There was, once, she… she died," he replied as he felt the bitter pain of losing Raven slice through him again. "I married Raven," he chuckled.
"Really?" she smiled slightly but then looked forlornly at him. "I heard about her death, I wasn't aware you two had…" she started and trailed off.
"She died when Lilith was born," he said calmly. "And we were quiet about our marriage, Raven was never showy and I don't know, it was just, natural, quiet but natural."
"I'm sorry for your loss Jason," Rose murmured.
"Thanks," he yanked his shirt over his head when his phone rang.
"And you'd be doing me a favor if you stayed out of sight," Jason said honestly as he walked out on the balcony and answered the facetime.
"Hey little bird, how goes it?" he smiled.
"Bigbird can't cook waffles!" Lilith announced as she pulled a face, and he laughed. "He follows Kori's recipe…"
"Well, your aunt Kori was never a cook," he laughed.
"Right, how goes the job daddy?" Lilith asked.
"It's going, how goes training?" he asked.
"I have training with Fate, Constantine, and the nutter, Arty also is taking me flying and Mar'i and I are going to the movies to see that new Marvel thing with Lian, Uncle Red's bringing her this afternoon," Lilith giggled.
"That's good, you being good for Gramps and everyone?" he asked. Lilith might be her mother's daughter, however it appeared she had his affinity for trouble, both creating it and finding it.
"Yeah, oh! Al's gonna teach me that recipe tonight, you know the was with sauce and the peppers!?" she asked eagerly. He chuckled.
"The white sauce?" he asked.
"Yeah! And the chicken, with a side dish, he says I must have gotten cooking from you because Mom couldn't cook," she chuckled.
"No one said your mom was perfect," he mused.
"Where are you?" Lilith asked.
"Marrakesh," he answered.
"I'm looking it up," Lilith said, Jason looked over at Rose who was getting up and gestured to the phone and her stomach, he shrugged and she nodded as she picked up the line.
"Got it, oh, it's pretty," Lilith said.
"And old," he said.
"What sort of magic is there? Oh wow!"
"What do you want me to bring back for you?" he asked.
"Um… can I tell you tonight?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'll call you before I leave, be good sunshine."
"I'm always good daddy," she smiled.
"You're my kid, you're trouble," he laughed. She balked then giggled.
"Love you daddy, see you when you come back," she said.
"Love you too, sunshine," he ended the call as room service was delivered. Rose sat on the bed in a robe and smiled.
"She sounds like a good kid," Rose said.
"Uh-huh," he nodded as he looked over what Rose had ordered before sitting with her.
"What does she look like?" Rose asked.
"Well…" he pulled a photo he'd gotten of his photo shy daughter wearing her latest leather jacket, combat boots, jeans and a Red Hood t-shirt Damian had gotten her. Her hair was still inky black, her white streak a fashion statement, and her face was looking like her mother's she definitely had his mouth and cheekbones though. Her eyes had defined more, there was a ring of green in them but they were prominently blue and purple. He handed the phone to Rose who stared at the photo long and hard and smiled.
"She's gorgeous Jay, she looks like Raven," Rose chuckled. "She has your mouth though."
"Oh, you have no idea," he groaned in exasperation. He'd managed to curb most his swearing around Lilith as a baby but it seemed too late, Lilith had his mouth and had made even Constantine and his grandson blush with one of her swearing rants.
"What's that mean?"
"Her first word was fuck," he laughed. Rose laughed too, and Jason found himself regaling an old friend with tales of his daughter's antics. It was nice, but Jason couldn't shake the weighing guilt about having actually slept with Rose. Good Fucking God Did He Miss His Wife!
By the evening Rose was geared up, as was he, he called Lilith again, learned she wanted a magic book, he promised to find it then he went off to work.
He came home a week later, book in hand and a daughter smiling as she opened the door and announced she was a perfect angel while he was gone. That evening he learned from Artemis she'd blasted Gabriel for a prank he had pulled on her and landed the poor kid in Gotham River with Lilith walking away. Jason was just glad dating was not on the list of things he had to worry about yet, because Lilith had also had the same thrilled response to being asked out by one Jackson Hyde Jr. last month. She'd also blasted Alura when Alura had tried to ask her out.
Lilith was fifteen when she made an official debute in the hero world as Nightingale, and it was unintentional. A daughter of Joker's attacked him, Lu-Lu-Lucy wanted revenge for the death of her father. Apparently she'd spent years plotting her revenge, Jason just laughed as he swung chained and upside down and promised Lucy that the Joker didn't give a fuck about her.
Jason had expected Bruce to coordinate his rescue with Damian or Tim, he did not expect his daughter to materialize from the shadows, looking like her mother, her eyes glowing bright and all her contained emotions boiling. The battle was not something Gotham would ever forget, especially the post on YouTube of Nightingale standing over a writhing, screaming Lucy in Gotham Park.
"If You Ever Come After My Dad Again I Will Kill You," Nightingale stated monotonously.
That video went viral as the world confirmed that Red Hood did have a daughter, and she was 'Just As Dangerous As Her Dad'. The world also dubbed her the next Raven, however, Lilith didn't care as she sat with him in the Batcave.
"You're losing a step, old man, if a Looney Lucy could catch you," she muttered when he came to. Jason just sighed, pulled her close as he kissed her head and told her she could join the Titans. She said she was staying a Bat, and working with him until he was better. He just wondered how it was that he had a daughter like her, what the hell had he ever done right to get her?
It was a thought he had as he watched her playing with Mar'i and Lian on the Wayne property.
"You and Master Dick have blessed me," Alfred said.
"Huh?" he turned to Alfred.
"You gave me a sight I never thought I would see," Alfred admitted. "Great grandchildren."
"Thanks Al," he smiled.
"She is a strong girl, Master Jason, you must be proud.
"I have no fucking clue what I did to get her," Jason admitted. He'd felt the same way about Raven when Raven and he had become an official couple. He'd felt really confounded when Raven had said yes to marrying him, and he had only felt determined when Raven had appeared in white the day they had gotten married.
"She is a little angel," Alfred agreed.
Jason let out a laugh and sighed.
"Just call her what she is, a demon, Al," he laughed. "She's hell on wheels, God help the villains of this world should she ever be pissed."
"Agreed, she is her father's daughter with her mother's attitude," Alfred wisely stated as they both looked at Lilith settle in the sun and grass and start reading a book.
He enjoyed his time at the Manor again, even when Artemis showed up and scolded him ruthlessly for letting his guard down, Bizarro just gave him the big puppy eyes which had Jason feeling guilty. Lilith stated he should feel guilty, he'd scared them all. Jason just surrendered and avowed he'd never be that stupid again.
It was maybe a month after he'd healed and was living alone in his apartment while Lilith lived with the Titans for a bit that he got a call from Dick who was panicking. Which lead to Jason, Roy, Tim and Damian being dragged to San Francisco and staking out the Titans.
"You do realize your daughter is twenty, right Nightwing?" Jason asked as he sat overwatch with Dick.
"Yeah, but…"
"Twenty! And Arsenal, you're kid's twenty-two! Aren't you both a bit out of the age range for worrying?" Jason snapped in the comms.
"Nonsense. We're dads, we never cease to worry," Dick counter. Jason rolled his eyes.
"I am now very pleased Spoiler stayed home," Tim muttered.
"Shut up, Spoiler's a pro at this pregnancy, honestly, Star was blasting me every five minutes or crying," Dick snapped.
"Cheshire threw things at me, or cried," Roy pointed out.
"Hood?" everyone prompted.
"Aren't we spying on your two idiots' daughters!?" Jason snapped.
"Actually, just Nightwing's, but now that I see my daughter with Green Arrow's son…" Roy growled. Jason was really glad Lilith had Raven's interest in dating at fifteen (none).
"The kid is nothing like Green Arrow," Dick pointed out.
"NOT THE POINT!" Roy growled.
"Both of you shut up, focus," Jason snapped. Fucking batshit batty dads! If he ever went this crazy Artemis was allowed to punch him around the world. Jason frowned seeing Mar'i walking out on the arm of Clark's third son, Jordan Thomas Kent smiling as they kissed. Dick growled.
"Get over it," Jason snapped.
"I can't wait for Nightingale to start dating and see how you handle it." Dick spat at him.
"See, I don't have to do that, Nightingal is like me and her mother, and isn't boy crazy!" Jason pointed out maliciously. Besides, he doubted Lilith would waste her time on an idiot like Thomas Logan or Jordan. Lilith was smart, and he had confirmed her interested in guys, just not interested in dating.
"Strive to be more like Hood!" Damian's voice snapped over the comms.
"Wow, I never thought I'd hear that from the demon spawn," Jason said.
"Neither did I," Dick omitted. Jason sniggered then, oh boy, Damian was never living this down! EVER!
"I hate you all," the new Batman snapped, Jason laughed all out then, it couldn't be helped. Lilith materialized behind him and hugged him.
"Hey daddy! Who you and bigbird spying on!?" she asked as she looked over her shoulder.
"Dickhead is spying on Nightstar," Jason answered.
"How'd you know we were here!?" Nightwing balked. Lilith and he gave Dick a level blank stare then. "Oh right, empathy, you are too much like your mother for our good."
"I take that as a compliment," Lilith decided.
"On a scale of one to ten how serious is the Nightfire and Superbrat dating?" Nightwing asked.
"About a six and a half right now, steadily moving to seven unless Superidiot does something stupid like his brothers," Lilith answered as she tugged at her cloak.
"Fuck!" Dick hissed.
"Language!" Jason and Lilith sang as they both looked over the city.
"That's rich coming from the two of you," Tim stated in the comms.
"Hey!" they both protested, but Jason had to agree.
"When's Arty coming for training again?" Lilith asked as she floated there in a meditative stated.
"Dunno, Arty has a life outside of us, you know that, right?" he asked his teenager.
"I know, but there's this chick at the Tower Bats I said was okay and she's not as fun to train with as Arty," Lilith said.
"And what's the name of this person who dare to bore my daughter?" he asked dryly as he continued surveilling Mar'i.
"Ravager," she answered and he stiffened slightly. His wedding band now felt heavy and constricting, and he was a bit angry hearing Rose was here without telling him. "She's not bad, but I don't know, I like training with Arty better."
"Huh, we'll haven't you just tried calling Artemis?" he asked.
"No, I was afraid she was busy," Lilith admitted.
"Arty always answers your calls," Jason and Dick said in unison.
"Love you dad, good luck spying on Nightfire, she told me to tell you to knock it off by the way," Lilith said as she stood, and Jason laughed. Dick gawked like a fish out of water and Lilith smiled as she walked into the shadows and disappeared.
"That's cheating," Dick hissed.
"Whatever, you heard the kid, let's move out, and I'm sure Red's anxious to be home with Spoiler," Jason said as he stood up. Stephanie and Tim were engaged, their wedding was coming after the birth of their child, Tim wanted a son, Stephanie wanted a daughter. It'd been an argument since Stephanie had announced she was pregnant in front of the entire family. Jason however was planning to be coming back here for a little heart to heart with Rose and warning Rose off whatever mission she was on.
The chance to talk to Rose presented itself when he got a call about Lilith being in the hospital, she'd been struck by a vehical according to the civilian report. According to her uncle Victor she'd been attacked by what appeared to be Trigon minions. Jason was at the hospital as fast as he could get there and sitting with Victor in Lilith's hospital room when Rose appeared.
Jason dragged Rose away from his comatose daughter and ended up in the cafeteria.
"I don't know what you're up to but if you mess with my daughter Rose there is no measure to the wrath I will rain down upon you," Jason warned coldly.
"I didn't come here for her," Rose snapped. He lifted a brow.
"Alright, completely for her. I was offered a job, a contract, by one Sebastian Blood, he wanted me to kidnap Lilith; specifically he wanted me to kidnap 'Raven's daughter'. I've been trying to figure out how to tell you for a month! In the mean time I thought if I was close to keep an eye on her…" Rose trailed off.
"Sebastian Blood?" Jason growled lowly.
"Yes," Rose nodded.
"The same fucker who tried to marry my wife?" Jason snarled.
"One in the same, he wants to marry Lilith now and use her for the vessel of greatness Trigon promised them," Rose said slowly.
"Oh Fuck No!" Jason roared. "When she's all better Blood is dying! My daughter is off limits!" he snarled as he stalked back to the hospital room where Lilith was healing. The good thing about her being a quarter demon and having her mother's powers was she healed like her mother too. Quickly.
Lilith woke three days after her attempted murder, not happy, and in pain, after he had managed to calm his daughter down; luckily before her powers and emotions started breaking things he talked to her calmly. Explained why Rose had been there and asked her if she wanted him to read to her. Lilith had nodded and he started reading the book off her nightstand, Emma. Jason had several nurses swooning reading the book to his daughter but he didn't care about them.
When Lilith was moved to the Tower in perfect health (the doctor praising it to be a miracle, Jason just thanking Raven's demon physiology on saving Lilith) he told her he had a job and would be gone for a bit. When he returned though, they were going to the movies and having a father-daughter day.
He found Blood in phoenix hiding in the center of his cult. There was no holding back as Jason tore the cult apart and got to the leader, killing the fucker with the simple warning that his daughter was off limits. Jason returned before the winter solstice, Lilith's birthday was the winter solstice like her mother's had been the summer solstice. They ended up going to three action movies, 5A5 Steak Lounge, and ice cream for her sixteenth birthday.
"Think mom would be proud of me?" Lilith asked as she munch on the cookie-dough Blizzard she'd ordered from Dairy Queen.
"Yeah," he answered as he sipped his milk shake; yeah, it was fucking December, on the docks, by the bay, in freezing weather and he was eating ice cream with his daughter. In-fucking-sanity! He was freezing! But this was worth it.
"I know I never knew her, but I miss her," Lilith said softly. Jason stopped as he stared down at his daughter.
"I do to," he replied.
"You know, when I used to be mad at you I would sit in my room, and pretend I had a mom, pretend she'd have all the right things to say, and she'd do my hair properly, not like you did, and she'd be… my mom," Lilith shrugged.
"She would have adored being your mom," Jason smirked.
"Really?"
"Yeah, but you might have always had short hair, kid, Raven didn't play hair or dress up," he chuckled.
"Rats," Lilith mused. "You're the best dad ever," Lilith decide and he wrapped his arm around her as he pulled her close. This was his kid, his fucking kid, and she was perfect, there was nothing better in his life, Lilith was perfect.
"What brought this on, squirt?" he asked.
"I was just… I met that demon and he said how his father would be most pleased…" Lilith said.
"Uh-huh, pleased about what?" Jason prompted.
"You know how you talk about the Pit being in your head?" she asked uncertainly.
"Yeah."
"Well, it was like that, but this voice… it wasn't a part of me, it was so angry and hateful and demanding I do things that weren't… me," Lilith admitted. "Then there was a calm voice in my head, and I don't… this wave of power?... and it knocked me back, it came from here," she gestured to her chest.
"Your soul form?" he suggested.
"No, mine's a nightingale, hence… Nightingale, but the calm voice… I think it was mom's, I swear I hear 'you'll never touch my daughter' as the blackness emerged when the demon lunged for me, it was a raven," she said.
"A raven?" he asked, his voice tight.
"Yeah, think…"
"Lilith, your mom was… amazing, if you say it was a raven, then I can fully believe that it's Raven looking out for you, your mom was capable of so much…" Jason shook his head. "If she could defend you from beyond the grave, then she'd do it."
"You think?"
"I know," he countered. "She loved you so much, sunshine, so much, just as much as I love you, and she'd have done whatever was needed to keep you safe."
"I miss her dad," Lilith whispered as she hugged his waist.
"Me too, kiddo, me too," he promised.
It was late at night, after Lilith was sound asleep that Jason walked through the Tower. He found Victor's wall of the fallen, stuffing his hands in his pockets he slowly walked down it as he looked for Raven's picture and paused when he reached it.
It was a picture of their wedding day, she was dressed in something simple and white, black pearls from Bruce as his truce were around her neck and she was smiling her ghost smile. Jason had this picture tucked in his jacket, however the other picture he had tucked away for the just him moments was his favorite. Raven straddling his bike wearing jeans, boots, his red t-shirt, and his favorite leather jacket reading The Odyssey.
Jason just stood there for a long time staring at the photo.
"Do you miss me as much as I miss you?" he whispered to her photo. "Sixteen years later and some days I have to remind myself to breath I miss you so fucking much. Why'd you of all the fucking people in this wretched world have to go?
"You should be here, with Lilith and I, you'd probably know what to do, what to say, how to help her, because I have no clue what I'm doing Raven. None," he looked down. "She's all you, she's got my mouth and probably picked up my surly attitude but she's all you. I don't know how I've gotten this far without eternally fucking her up or damning her to hell, but I think that's you.
"I just wish you were here to see her, Raven. She loves cars, motorcycles, planes, she's Artemis' favorite, she's advanced her magic and honed her criminology skills, she's an amazing acrobat, a marksman, and the best fighter I've seen of her generation, and yeah, I'm a bit biased, I'm her dad. She's smart, Raven, really fucking smart, and she's amazing.
"And you should be here with us," he muttered. He felt it then, it felt like something warm and cool wrapping around him and he closed his eyes as he remembered for a moment how it felt to have Raven with him. beside him, around him, near him, where she belonged.
'I'm still with you,' a smoky, flat voice whispered in his heart and his eyes snapped open as he found himself standing alone again. Tiredly he sighed and walked back to room which had once been Raven's, a room he'd used to try to break into. Stripping he fell on her bed in nothing but sweats as he looked at his ring.
"I still love you, Raven," he murmured and let the sleep which normally eluded him drag him under.
Tomorrow he had to get up and make waffles for his daughter.
Tonight he was a tired, broken hearted man who missed his wife.
And Jason found he could live with that. He could continue living like this because Raven would want him to live and be here for their daughter.
So Jason would wake up in the fucking morning after a heavenly dream about having Raven with him again, which would break his heart, again, and he'd smile for Lilith and make her waffles.
That's all for now folks.
Enjoy Something Just Like This.