Geez, so sorry I haven't updated in forever, like a month! I've been so busy with school starting. I have a new school so I've been caught up making new friends and such. Also I have a whole lot of ideas for the next few chapters and this one was kind of like a filler chapters. So sort chapter but its gonna get good, get ready. WARNING: there is implications.

Five years, five damn years he had manage to evade the light. He stepped up the plate in protecting civilians when the so called "League" chickened out. He checked in with the Arrow family that had made camp around Starr City and even looked after Chris freaking Kent for Lois after Supes up and left.

He had made the choice to avoid his "family" after not hearing from Bruce for four years. He didn't want bad news. He couldn't find out that someone close to him died and then just move on. Yes, badass Jason Todd had a heart. He had always had a soft spot for kids and Dick so he had decided long ago Johnny and Cara would be his undoing.

Finally after five years the light finally caught him. He had made a sluggish mistake. For a moment Red Hood thought he was in the clear because it had been months since the Light made a grab for the rogue hero. They stole him away.

Now he was walking down the hall in the Reach's maximum security prison, that he heard was more like lab than anything else. He walked past cells upon cells. Some held minor villain that were more like a thorn in the side of the Light, others unfamiliar street heroes, but most, he was surprised to recall, held the Leaguers that had supposedly dropped off the face of the Earth, some literally, after Allen's death.

Superman looked up at him as he passed in shock. Captain Marvel, in his Billy Batson persona came the door and goggled at him. The most surprising of all was Zatara, who's always present helmet of fate was absent. He was seated on the floor stared at him with bloodshot, puffy eyes. Jason looked at magician in shock. He had never met the real man, but if the helmet was in the hands of Klarion it was really, really bad.

His guards pushed him into a room called "Lab 2". Lex Luthor stood at a control table in front of a group of pods. Out of them all two were occupied. On had his old acquaintance Aqualad, not surprising, he had seen Aquaman sitting quietly in his cell before. The Atlantian's arms and legs were tense with stress and his face was contorted with pain.

Luthor pulled out a stick and shocked him hard in the back.

Next to Kaldur…was…no…it wasn't…he…dead…eyes…Irey….

And that was Jason Todd's last thought before he blacked out completely.

:::

"I think the best thing to do right now is get a message to the station." Barbra reasoned. They had been discussing ways to tell everyone that the Flashes were alive for nearly an hour and getting nowhere.

"What's that?" Bart asked. That had basically been his contribution to the conversion so far.

She sighed again, "A couple of people set up a radio system. They announce any deaths or disappearances. Last we heard they were holed up in `Metropolis."

"Anyone we know?"

"Actually yeah, the hosts change every broadcast. Some of the regulars are Rocket and Blue Beetle, but like everyone we know has been on heroes mostly." Barbra smiled.

"So I guess we head to Metropolis." Virgil said.

Tim shook his head. "The power sources are still out in our bikes and the Zetas have been offline for years. The only way to get there would be walking or flying."

"I could carry one other there. And Virgil had himself. We would need you to take the last one." Cassie explained.

"Seeing as I've been running for five years straight I doubt I could carry myself that distance, let alone someone else as well." He shrugged. "Maybe a good nights sleep and some protein would help."

Robin nodded, "Good, because that's all we have."

::::

After a night of talking and hugging and catching up Dick and Zatanna, who seemed to act sort of like the leaders, finally decided it was it time for the kids to go to bed. Dawn and Don slept in a large tent with a furnace. A curtain separated Iris and Barry's bed from the twins'. The tent was small, but cozy.

"Daddy, you are going to stay, aren't you?" Dawn asked innocently when her father tucked her in for the first time in five years.

He looked down at his little girl and boy that he barely even knew anymore. Barry sadly understood their doubt. When they were younger he sometimes was in the infirmary or on off planet missions for days at a time, but he always came home. He couldn't begin to imagine the pain his then almost five-year-old had felt when there was one mission he didn't stagger in after. "Dawn I'm never leaving again, ever."He kissed her nose and pulled up the covers further.

They smiled their toothy grins. "Good night." He looked sadly at them and stayed with them until they fell asleep.

He pushed open the curtain to reveal his wife.

"Hi." She was seated on the bed in just white bra and underwear. "How was it?"

He looked at her incredulously, "You realized our kids are just behind the door, right?" he mouthed.

"They're heavy sleepers." She said simply. "Five years is too long to wait."

"Well, then."

Jason Todd!

Next Chapter: Reunions of All Kinds