Nightwing got a call at around 3 PM, which was unsettling because the caller ID said Bruce Wayne. He sat down and steeled himself for whatever was on the other line. "Hey, Bruce," he said cheerily.

"Hello, Dick."

The awkward pause and gruff voice told him this wasn't a tapped call, so he asked what was wrong and waited for his old mentor to continue.

"It's the Red Hood." Dick took notice of the choice of name. "He is currently driving through Gotham. It looks like he's on his way to see you."

"But he's not trying to fight us anymore. That doesn't make sense. Where has he been all this time?"

Another pause. Obviously, Bruce knew and didn't want to discuss it. "Just be on your toes. He's not loyal to us, or to anyone else."

"Okay, okay, I got it. Anything else?"

"Let me know why he's here."

Dick rolled his eyes. "Yes, sir," he said, then heard the click of Bruce hanging up. He was only mildly annoyed; Jason set everyone on edge just a bit.

At around 4 PM, the knock on the door came and, even though he knew who it was, Dick decided to look through the peep-hole, just to make sure a gun wasn't being pointed his direction. As soon as he saw Jason's queasy face and his hunched posture, he flung the door open. Jason barely looked up; he had worsened on the trip over. "Jason!" Dick exclaimed. "Are you alright?"

Jason waved his hand instead of shaking his head. "Don't worry. Have to talk about something."

Of course, immediately after saying this, Jason Todd vomited in the hallway. Dick grimaced and pulled him inside to the bathroom. "Yeah, sure, we'll talk. What's wrong with you? Poison?"

"Concussion," he mumbled softly. "Sorry, Bruce."

"Bruce?"

"Nightwing. I mean Nightwing." Jason slid his eyes closed.

"Oh, no you don't. You're staying awake and I'm calling Alfred."

"Don't call Alfie. 'm fine. Don't call."

"Jay," Dick said, putting a cool hand on Jason's forehead, trying to wake him up a little more, "you really need help. Like, hospital help. So, I'm going to call Alfred."

Jason's head lolled back a bit. "Okay," he said.

Alfred got there in record time, but there wasn't much to do except keep Jason awake and monitor him. Nightwing left for patrol around 9 while the two made themselves comfortable in his apartment. The winter air in Gotham, though, had halted most crime, so he was back by 11. Jason looked at least somewhat better, what with his eyes no longer glazed over. He was at least aware enough to be uncomfortable. "How's the patient, Alfred?" he asked, attempting to rile his kind of-brother up, but to no avail.

"Better, now that his brain has stopped rattling," Alfred replied. "Since it seems the immediate danger has passed, I'll leave you two to catching up."

"Bye, Alfred," Dick said, and Alfred closed the door quietly behind him. Dick stood by Jason's place on the couch. Jason looked up at him, and the dark circles under his eyes caught Dick by surprise. Then, something else caught his attention. He grinned. "Are you wearing my prototype suit?"

Jason looked down to his chest underneath the jacket. "So what if I am?" he said, but it wasn't as menacing as he had wanted it to be.

"Don't get me wrong," Dick laughed, "my hand-me-downs are still awesome. I'm just surprised considering what's front and center."

"If you want me to take it off, I'll take it off," the younger growled, trying not to sound like he wouldn't, or couldn't.

"No, no. I like it." Dick smiled warmly when Jason looked at him, skepticism clearly written on his face. "I like that you're wearing something with the symbol, Jason. That's a step in the right direction."

Jason shifted uncomfortably and looked down. As much as he wanted this reboot of a relationship between them, it wouldn't last. Not after he said what he came here to say. "If you think so," he mumbled.

"Here's my question, though. Where'd you get it? I mean I haven't seen that suit since-" Dick stopped.

Jason look up again, apprehensive, scared even. Soon, he would piece it all together, and the few minutes Jason had as part of the family would be forever broken beyond repair.

"Did you," Dick paused, his mouth suddenly dry. "Did you get that from Kori?"

Jason stood up and grabbed Dick by the arm. "You should sit down, Grayson." Dick, dazed and confused, did as he was told.

"Did you get that uniform from Starfire?" he repeated, and Jason sat down again next to him.

"Listen. Some things happened after I left Gotham. Yeah, I met up with Starfire, but it was complicated. I know I should have brought her to you, or to the League, or someone, but there were certain circumstances and I-" he left out the fact that Roy also came to this decision- "thought it would be best if she had some new people around her. I didn't want her swallowed up by the past."

Dick was angry; it could be seen in the deep blue of his eyes. Still, he attempted to hold back. "Okay, fine. You kept her away because you didn't want her to be you. I get that. So, is that why you're here now? She got sick of you and wanted back with us?"

Jason swallowed his own anger. He couldn't go about this like himself. He had to be comforting. He had to be like her. "No, Dick," he said slowly. "She and I ran into a problem. It was Deathstroke."

Dick's eyes widened. He could feel in his soul what was coming next.

"I'm not sure how he did it, Dick. But, he hurt her. Bad. I tried to save her, but-"

"No!" Dick yelled, standing up and towering over Jason. "If you would have stopped being selfish, you would have brought her here, and then she would be alive! This is all on you! This is your fault!"

Jason stood up quickly, taller than Dick, then fought through his somewhat spinning head, yelling at him that this was the first time his failure got someone killed. "You're right, Dick. I should have protected her. But Deathstroke killed her. Do you understand? He was sending a message to you. You need to be more careful."

"Are you saying that her death is because of me?" Dick yelled, tears and rage blinding him.

"No! No," Jason said. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. God, you have no idea how sorry I am. But you need to listen. Deathstroke could be coming here."

"No, you listen to me!" Dick shoved Jason back on the couch. Jason blinked a couple of times, pushing back his again rattling brain. "You knew where she was, all this time, and you did nothing! How could you do that? How could you-" Dick stopped and took a half-hearted swing, but Jason spun him and sat him back down next to him, gripping Dick's bicep as he cried.

"It's okay," Jason said, but he could only manage to whisper it. He couldn't even look Dick in the eye.

"Get out! I don't want you here! You need to go," Dick sobbed.

"No can do, Dickie-bird," he said back. Remember what Kori would do, he reminded himself. "You're not in a good spot, and you need someone with you. And since I'm never in a good spot, I'm the one you should want around."

Dick stopped breathing heavily and struggling, and leaned a bit on Jason's shoulder. Jason willed himself to not screw it up.

They stayed like that, brothers sitting together in silence, for two hours, with Dick sniffling once in a while, and Jason wondering if Dick ever had this strong of a reaction towards his death.

"So," Dick started. "Deathstroke."

Jason sighed, unconsciously leaning on Dick as well. "Deathstroke," he repeated.

"I should call Bruce."

Jason tensed. "Are you cool if I leave?" He grimaced. It didn't sound that childish in his head, but hearing it out loud made him realize how much he needed this, regardless of why it came about.

"If you want to leave." Dick stood and moved towards the kitchen. Jason could hear his heart saying no, telling him to stay until Dick realized they weren't really brothers, were never close or happy together.

His brain remembered Roy, and he stood to leave. "Tell Batman-" again Dick noticed the way neither of them would use real names when they were talking of the other. The way they could make it personal- "that he was last spotted 54 miles east of Gotham, in this tiny ass little town. He mentioned to motive was to get to you. At least," Jason paused, remembering maniacal laughter after being told to tell the "big man" hello and before being blown up. "At least, that's what he suggested."

"He was trying to get to me," Dick repeated, leaning on the kitchen counter.

"If I find him, Grayson," Jason called, hand on the doorknob, "I'll call you. But, you know my way of doing things."

Dick didn't even try replying as he heard the door open and click closed once again. It was 1:30 in the morning and snowing outside, but Dick knew Jason would get wherever he needed to be. A few more tears escaped as he dialed Bruce's number.

"Hey," he said, and his voice cracked. "Can I come by the manor?"

Jason leaned again Dick's door, eyes shut, trying to stop the few tears that wormed their way to the surface. Once he gained control, he took the elevator down to his car.