A/N: Two years, everyone. I am literal trash.

He opened his eyes wearily, focusing them on his surroundings. The room was dark, but he was used to that. The only light came from a desk, where the Red Hood was sitting at a swivel chair.

"Let me guess," croaked Jester. "You've been expecting me."

The Hood was silent. Jester tried to shrug off the pain of sitting up. He saw that he was in a sleeping bag rather than a bed. As he looked around, he realized the room had a concrete floor and a pile of stuff was in the other corner. A storage garage.

Jester looked back at the Hood. "Y'know, technically, that's my property, but I think it looks better on you."

The Hood refused to speak. Jester wondered if he was even alive under there. "Okay, okay. Clearly you're the strong and silent type so I'm just going to ask yes or no questions, capiche?"

The figure hesitated, and then nodded.

"Are you an animal?"

The Hood nodded his head. Yes.

"Are you a man?"

Yes.

"Am I here for any kind of revenge scheme?"

Yes.

"Alright; did you bring me here because I killed someone you knew?"

No.

"Am I here because I seriously maimed someone you knew?"

No.

Jester paused. "Am I here because of my… biological father?"

Yes.

Jester chuckled under his breath. "I just can't get away, can I?" Shakily, he stood up. "Look, I'm sorry about this, but I can't help you. Besides, using me as bait is just going to get both of us killed."

"You're not bait."

He was surprised at the voice. The mask muffled it a bit, but it sounded familiar, like a voice from a dream. "So I'm a bloodhound, then? I don't know where he is, and frankly I don't want to know."

"I know you can help me. You're the only one who can."

"Take it up with the Bat crew."

"I… can't."

"Why not?" He knew why before he finished the question. "Oh… You're going to kill him, huh? Well, get in line." Jester leaned against the wall. "What'd he ever do to you, huh? Kill someone you love?"

"Sort of."

"Yeah…" He looked down. "Me too. Unfortunately, Pops has a bad habit of staying alive."

"He's not the only one."

Jester glanced at him quizzically. "Whatever you say, killer, but I repeat: I can't help you. Look, I'm sorry he killed your girlfriend or your mother or whoever, but you're just another vengeful nightmare kid who can't comprehend what he could do to you if you get in his way."

"Oh I can comprehend it quite clearly."

Jester paused, and then lunged. The Hood was taken by surprise; he fell forward from the chair, but Jester wasn't aiming for his throat. His pale hands lodged around the base of the helmet and pulled it off. The Hood turned, green eyes boring into Jester's. The helmet clattered to the floor with a metallic clang.

Jester stared, too shocked to move. Jason stood up, locking his jaw defiantly. "Now you know. You don't have to stay here, Jest, but don't tell Bats, or Dick or Barb, or whoever they hired to replace me. I'm not going back. I'm better off dead to them. But I need to kill him. I need to make him pay for everything he's done to me, to everyone I know, to Gotham. I need-"

To Jason's astounding alarm, Jester lunged again, wrapping his arms around him in a steely hug. He buried his head in Jason's shoulder, struggling to keep his composure. "You're alive… You're alive… I'm so sorry, Red, I should have...It's all my fault…"

Jason tried not to react, but he couldn't help but feel bad. "Jest, it's okay. It's not your fault. There was nothing you could do."

Jester finally pulled away, watching him. "I won't tell on you, Red, but… They're going to find out eventually."

"They don't have to know, no one does except you. They would just try to stop me."

"I know, Red. It's just… they're your family."

Jason sighed, leaning down and picking up the helmet placing it on the desk. "I'm just a dead son to them. They tried to contain me, to trap me-"

Jester grabbed him suddenly. "You don't know what you had! I do, I saw them, I was there at your funeral." His shoulders relaxed and he bowed his head. "I thought you were just his minions, his sidekicks but you're not. You're his children and I… I would kill to have a father like that, Red…"

Jason watched him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Jester, but I have to do this. I can't let them stop me, not this time. You're the only one I can trust right now." He met his eyes. "I'll go back, once it's done."

Jester paused; he let himself imagine then. Joker, gone, with no heir, no replacement. Everyone in the city going to bed feeling safe at night. Children growing up and never knowing what fear is. And for one brief, blinding moment, he pictured himself with the Bats, but the vision was gone as soon as it had arrived. He took a deep breath, smirking.

"I know where to start."