Hi Everyone!

I have a soft spot for Jason so this chapter is focused on his return to the batclan- hope you enjoy it!

Jason's Return

She could not believe he was here, right where he belonged. After Bruce showed Diana the test confirming that Jason was indeed alive and the Red Hood she couldn't believe it. They had mourned for so long and now he was alive and going against all they had taught him. He attacked Bruce, but he managed to pull him from the explosion. Alfred cared for him and Jason was now resting. Diana sat beside him watching him sleep; she gently brushed his hair out of his face.

"Oh my sun and stars, what have you been through?" Just then there was a light knock. Dick stood in the threshold of Jason's room (a room that had been unused for years) looking on at his brother.

"Wow, it's really him. He's here." Dick said with disbelief. Diana nodded.

"Do the girls know?"

"Lydia is asleep. Elena and Tim were at Mount Justice, they should be back any moment."

"Where's Bruce?" Dick asked the

"Dick, you know him. He is processing. He will come back." Before Dick can respond there are loud footsteps ascending the stairs.

"Mom?" Elena stopped next to Dick in the doorway.

"Oh my… Jason." She walks into the room to get a better at the brother that died. Dick glances back a Tim. He is standing awkwardly in the hallway.

"Tim?"

"I didn't mean to stare. I'm going to go to bed." Tim turned and moved quickly to his room. Before Dick can go after his brother the bedroom door to his left opens and the youngest Wayne emerges.

"What is going on?"

"Lydi, come here." The six year old climbs into her oldest brothers arms. Dick hesitates trying to think of how to begin, but Lydia beats him to it.

"That door… Why is someone in there?" She pointed to the doorway that had been closed for most of her life.

"Lydi you were pretty little. You probably don't remember whose room that was."

"I do… Jay… ."

"We found Jason. He's hurt right now, but he's here." Lydia squirmed out of Dick's arms and went to the doorway. Spotting her mother and sister beside the bed she moved quickly to her mother's lap to get a better look at Jason. Dick took in the scene before him for a moment before making his way down the hallway.

Dick knocked softly and received a small murmur in response. When he opened the door Tim was laying on his bed staring up at the ceiling, his eyes were glassy.

"Tim?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I don't belong here."

"What do you mean?"

"I wormed my way in here and Bruce only agreed because he needed a Robin. He only took me in out of sympathy, but now you have your Robin back and I don't belong." Tears were now falling freely down his face.

"Whoa, Tim," Dick said as he sat down beside him. "Just because Jason is alive doesn't mean your spot in this family is erased, there is no way. You mean too much to us."

" I wish I could believe that, but I basically blackmailed Bruce into making me Robin, God only knows why he took me in after my parents…"

"Bruce wouldn't have taken you in as Robin or otherwise if he didn't truly want to. He saw what he saw in Jason and me- lost scared boys in need of a path. He saw redemption for himself in you. He considered Jason's death his biggest failure. You were his change to change that. You helped him move on in a way that none of us could. You have a special place here, don't forget that." With that he pulled his little brother into a hug.

Diana sat with her girls watching Jason sleep. As he started to stir she had the girls leave not wanting to overwhelm him.

Jason's turquoise eyes fluttered open and as they took in his surroundings he could not trust them. According to them he was in his room and Diana was hovering next to him. He knew this must be a cruel dream, but then she spoke.

"Oh, Jason I am so glad you are awake." She stroked his hair. Her touch made him freeze-this couldn't be a dream.

"Di?"

"Yes, Jason."

"What… How?"

"Bruce brought you home after the explosion."

"Why bring me here? I'm a criminal now- an enemy even."

"Jason I watched you grow and I grieved when we lost you. I always saw you as a son, you could never be an enemy. "

"How can you say that, besides what I've done since I've been back, how I talked to you before it happened …" Jason voiced cracked and he stopped.

Diana remembered their last conversation. Jason had been angry and desperate to find himself and he was attempting to do it by finding his biological mother. He lashed out at Diana telling her she didn't understand and that she wasn't his mother. During his time at the Manor he had been particularly close to Diana and his last comment to her was meant to hurt her. It had stayed with her, but he was now in front of her and she was not going to lose him again.

"Jason that was the past, we just want you back."

"You don't get it, I'm not that person anymore. That Jason Todd is dead and he is never coming back. What came back is no good.

"Jason…"

"No! You don't get it – I died. I was dead. I don't know how I came back, but what came back was tainted. I'm so angry."

"We can help you Jason. I don't know what you've been through, but I'll do anything I can to help you. You did die, but somehow you came back. You have a decision to make; you can see your resurrection as a curse or a chance. Think about what you want it to be and what you want your life to be. You should rest now." She gingerly kissed his forehead and left him to think. He didn't know what he wanted, but he knew one thing: it wouldn't be easy.

We Had a Secret

Jason was resting in the dark. He had talked with Diana, Elena and Dick. Talking with them almost made him want to stay. Bruce still hadn't come to see him yet, and that was why he wanted to leave. If Bruce didn't want him here, he sure as hell wouldn't hang around. A crack of light entered his room and quickly disappeared as the door closed. Jason clicked on the nightstand lamp and was greeted with a small blonde. God, she was bigger; definitely not the toddler he knew.

"I remember you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, everyone talks like I don't remember, but I do. " She got closer to him and whispered. "I never told our secret, not to anyone." Jason's chest tightened instantly. He had a lot of emotion since he came back to life and most of it was anger, but now he felt like crying.

"You remember that?" Jason's voice cracked. She nodded and climbed up into the bed.

"When I couldn't sleep I would come in here and you would read to me, but you said that tough guys don't read kiddy stories so it was our secret. " Jason chuckled at her explanation because it was dead on. As a teenager he had a reputation to uphold and he didn't need his little sister ruining it. Now he couldn't even believe she remembered. He pulled her closer to him and noticed the book in her hand. Yeah, this was going to make a lot harder to leave this life behind.

We're not the same

It took a week. Bruce couldn't make himself open this door knowing full well what was behind it. He was being a coward. He took a breath as he turned the doorknob. He stood in the threshold just staring. He stared at the sleeping form in the bed. Of all the things he had seen in this life this was possibly the most amazing. He was so confused, but grateful. He was also terrified. His son was so angry (at him), what if, despite this second chance, he would lose him again? He couldn't bear it! He slowly approached the bed. The light whimpering and tossing started then. Jason was having a nightmare and for a second he froze. The hesitation lasted only a moment. He reaches Jason and grabs his hand.

"You're safe now Jason." Bruce continued to comfort his son.

"Bruce?" Jason's groggy voice inquired.

"Yes, Jason."

"I didn't think you'd want to see me. Why'd you bring me here?"

"I brought you home."

"But we both know it's too different now."

"Jason…"

"No! There's no way to pretend that I didn't die. You pretend just because you brought me here you did what was right. He is still ALIVE! He killed me but he's still alive. Nothing can be okay until he's DEAD!

"Fine! Believe that he is still alive because I was okay with letting him live. Believe that it was easy for me! He killed my son and I wanted him dead more than anything, but I knew what it would cause. It would change me, this family and it wouldn't bring you back." Jason is stunned by this confession. It was so unlike Bruce.

"But here I am ." Jason replied almost sadly.

"Yes."

"So what does that mean?"

"It means a second chance Jason. It doesn't change what happened, it can't, but you are here now. Your family doesn't want to lose you again. I can't lose you again"

"I'm not the same…"

"None of us are." Jason nods and doesn't resist when Bruce seizes his shoulder and pulls him in. It wouldn't be easy, but they had to try.

PLEASE REVIEW!