When Jason answered the door, he wasn't really sure what to expect, but it sure wasn't the thirteen year old boy who stared up at him. "Are you Jason Todd?"

Jason frowned, seeing several scars and burns littering the boys arms, and frowned, "You must be the kid Talia sent, right?"

"Yeah, and if you care, my name is Jay."

He was going to have a long talk with Talia later. Kim walked up beside him, holding Justine, "Oh, hi. Are you hungry?"

Jay's eyes scanned over her, then to the baby in her arms. "That is the ugliest baby I have ever seen in my entire life."

No one spoke, Jason was fuming, but Kim was a bit amused. Justine looked this new boy over, before a grin spread across her lips. "Gimme! Gimme!" She commanded, trying to reach for the boy. She wanted him to hold her.

Jay looked at Kim, "What is she doing?"

Kim smiled, "She likes you, come on in."

Jay walked in after Kim, still staring at Justine. While Kim talked to him, Justine got bored of trying to get her mother to hand her to Jay. She wiggled in her mothers arms, until Kim put her down. Justine made a mad grab for Jay's leg, but Jason's arms shot out and grabbed her, scooping her up with a smirk on his face, "Say Justy, how's about me and you go spit at Mrs. Russell's cats?"

Justin gave this some thought, before shaking her head. "No." She turned around in her father's arms, looking at Jay. She reached out towards him, "Gimme!"

Kim rolled her eyes, "Oh, just let the boy hold her Jason."

Kim took Justine from Jason, holding her out to Jay. Jay paused for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't know how."

Kim just smiled, showing Jay how to position his arms, before placing Justine in them. Jay and Justin looked at each other for a moment, before Justin wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning her head on his shoulder. Jason gritted his looked up at Kim, "What is she doing?"

Kim just laughed, "She's hugging you."

"Why?" Jay asked, completely out of his comfort zone.

Kim shrugged, "She likes you."

Justin suddenly shot straight up in Jay's arms, throwing her hands into the air, "JAY!"

"She likes your name too." Kim added.

Justin pulled back from Jay, smiling at him. Jay was at a complete loss. Is this just how kids act? He never really got a chance to do that…

Justin wiggled in his arms, and Jay carefully set her down. Justin immediately grabbed a hold of his finger, trying to pull him to the back door, "Come outside!"

Kim smiled as Jay slowly followed Justin, a bit amused and a bit concerned at how timid the boy was, "Well he seems nice."

Jason rolled his eyes, "Kim, he's a trained killer, and for some reason I can't fathom, he's outside, alone, with my daughter."

Kim frowned, "I could have thought the same thing about you when you came back Jason."

Jason frowned right back, "You did."

"And I was wrong, and right now, you are too."

Jason grunted, "I'll believe that, probably never."

OUTSIDE WITH JUSTIN AND JAY:

Justin was happy to lead Jay all around the yard, and show him something she had never shown anybody before. In her special corner of the yard, behind her tree, wedged in-between the planks of wood was this weird hole in the ground, that had just showed up last week. She knew if she showed her mom or her dad then they would bury the hole, so she never told them.

She pointed down at the hole, and Jay looked at her, "You dug a hole?"

She shook her head, "Not me. Somebody else."

"Who?"

"I dunno." She said, shrugging.

Jay frowned, and Justin picked up a rock, aiming at the hole, "Watch this!"

She tossed the rock down into the hole, and there was a small rattle sound. Before Justin could ask what it was, Jay stuck his arm out in front of her, and a snake leapt out of the hole, locking it's jaws right onto Jay's arm. Jay grabbed it's neck, yanking it off. Blood trickled down his arm, dripping onto Justin's neck.

Justin freaked out, screaming, running away towards the house, "DADDY!"

Jason and Kim immediately dashed outside for Justin. Jason reached her first, scooping her up, and saw the blood. He immediately handed her to Kim, dashing for Jay. He grabbed the boy by his shirt collar, and saw the snake in his hand. He made a snake bite my daughter!?

Jason drove his fist into the boy's stomach several times, "YOU DON'T TOUCH HER!"

Jay didn't even move. Years of experience had taught him that if it's punishment, you don't hit back. You take it, and hope it's over soon.

"JASON!" Kim screamed, "IT WASN'T HER BLOOD, STOP IT!"

Jason paused, looking over his shoulder at Kim, seeing Justin's neck. Kim had wiped the blood away, there was no mark underneath. Jason's gaze drifted to the boy's arm, there was a snake bite that had been ripped open. Jay had gotten bit by the snake, and ripped it out. The blood had somehow gotten onto Justine.

Jay trembled, holding his gut, Jason had hit him to hard.

"I'm sorry." Jason mumbled. Jay hadn't done anything wrong.

After Kim had rushed to Jay's side and made sure nothing was broken, she smacked Jason right across his face, "JASON PETER TODD, YOU DON'T EVER HIT HIM AGAIN!"

Jason just nodded, feeling the guilt sink in.

Justin grabbed onto Jay's leg, sobbing into his knee cap, she didn't know what was going on, or why every was yelling, she just knew that Mommy and Daddy weren't happy, and Jay wasn't yelling like they were.

Jay carefully picked her up, walking with her into the house while Kim really let Jason have it.

He sat on the floor in her room with her until she calmed down, wondering how such a little person could scream so loud, or cling onto him so tight. Jay didn't know whether it was a weak moment, or the fact that this little girl being so distraught brought out this protective feeling in him, but either way, he decided to open his mouth and say, "Don't worry, I'll make sure nothing bad happens to you."

She looked up at him, and her tears stopped. She tried to smile at him, and he smiled right back. If his father were here… he'd be in deep trouble for that display of emotion.