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It was Monday morning, Phoenix sat up in bed as her phone went off. She rolled her eyes at the caller ID and answered it.
"Jason I thought we discussed boundaries. It's three in the morning." Phoenix snapped in a whisper.
"I need you to come to my apartment," Jason said in a shaky voice. Phoenix was suddenly alert.
"What's wrong?" she asked instantly.
"I think I screwed up," Jason said.
"Be more specific," Phoenix said.
"Just get here." he said. She hung up and grabbed her coat slipping out of the room. Phoenix was so absorbed with what she was doing that she didn't notice Robin following her out of curiosity. Phoenix mounted her bike and rode out into the Jump City night. The air was clear and rushed past her, calming her nerves. Robin followed closely behind and watched with confusion as Phoenix rushed to the run down part of Jump. She quickly made her way up the fire escape and too one of the windows. Phoenix lightly tapped and was pulled in within seconds. Jason stood out of costume and pacing.
"What happened?" she asked.
"I miss it," Jason said.
"What?" Phoenix asked.
"I miss everything. I am losing all reason to why I am doing this," he said.
"This couldn't wait until noon?" she asked.
"Why am I doing this?" Jason asked.
"Because you are a klepto street rat at heart." Phoenix reminded him.
"No, I mean lying." he said.
"Same reason." she said.
"Every time I fight Dick I just want to pull off my mask and get it over with," Jason said.
"Then get it over with. The longer you wait, the worse it's going to be." Phoenix said.
"He is just so perfect, he can do no wrong and I can never do anything as good as him." he said.
"You can be angry at someone and still love them, he's our brother." she said.
"I know, I just. What's the point?" Jason asked.
"What do you mean?" Phoenix asked.
"I just keep trying to be like him and finally he messes up and I just had to make it so that no one forgot that. I am a horrible person," he said.
"Bad maybe but horrible is taking it a little too far." she said.
"What am I gonna say?" Jason asked.
"Tell him the truth. You were and angry and you made a mistake. He will forgive you." Phoenix said.
"Why haven't you told him?" he asked.
"It's not my place." she answered with a shrug
"I don't think I can tell him." Jason said.
"Look, Jay, you gotta tell him because if he finds out on his own, it will hurt both of you more than necessary." Phoenix said. Jason sighed.
"Okay." he said nodding.
"Good." she said, "Now I have a baby doctor appointment in a few hours, so I need to go."
"Stay the night here, I can go with you," Jason offered.
"I don't know," Phoenix said.
"Come on I'm your slightly younger brother." he said giving her a pleading look.
"Fine." she caved getting out her phone.
Phoenix
I'm going to be with a friend of mine that lives in Jump, don't worry about me.
Big Brother
Cool was up when you left, you were in quite the hurry. Love you, sis, see you after your appointment.
Phoenix
Love you too.
Dick stared at the building, not being able to see anything. A sinking feeling present in his chest as he drove back to the tower.
Phoenix woke up on a stiff bed and walked out to see Jason passed out on the couch. She went to the kitchen and looked through the cupboards.
"Jason!" she said in a scolding voice as she sternly looked at the sleeping boy.
"Yes mom." he said after hearing her tone.
"There isn't even a nibble of food in this entire apartment," Phoenix said. Jason sighed.
"You are going to make me go out and buy food aren't you?" he asked.
"For starters." she said glancing around his crummy apartment.
"Okay fine. Are we telling Dick today?" Jason asked.
"He has been in a very good mood lately. To get the full effect rob a bank or something and then just talk to him. Try and get him alone first, if it is possible." Phoenix said.
"Okay, but I would actually be fine with an audience." he said.
"Of course, because you are so over dramatic." she said.
"I need a scene." Jason said.
"Oh boy." Phoenix laughed shaking her head.
M'gann and Garfield were sitting outside on the rocks.
"I'm glad you keep coming for visits, you should bring Kon and the twins sometime," Garfield said.
"Of course. We can do Thanksgiving. Not Christmas though, Connor, Uncle J'onn, and I are showing the twins Mars this year." M'gann said.
"Sounds fun." he said.
"You can come if you want." she said.
"I think I'm gonna stay on Earth this year," Garfield said.
"Alright, maybe another time," M'gann said. Robin walked outside and over to them.
"M'gann did you know that Phoenix knew someone else in Jump?" Robin asked.
"I did not." she said.
"Gar?" he asked.
"Sorry, she didn't mention it to me," Garfield said.
"Okay just checking," Robin said.
"Hey, Rob did Zee talk to you about Christmas yet?" M'gann asked.
"Yes. I get John on Christmas Eve same with Kid Flash and Nancy," he said.
"Okay sounds good," M'gann said.
"Tell Kon and the twins I said hi," Robin said walking back to the tower.
"Will do!" M'gann yelled after him.
A few months later it was Christmas Eve and Phoenix was nine months pregnant. Zatanna had already dropped John off and left. Artemis was there dropping off Nancy.
"So what exactly is the plan?" Kid flash asked Artemis.
"Well Zatanna is going to the cave today and I'm going to join her after I'm done here," Artemis said.
"It's really coming down out there," Robin remarked.
"I should go soon then," Artemis said.
"Why don't you stay today?" Kid Flash asked.
"Um, okay." she agreed. Phoenix's phone went off and she walked out of the room. She answered after checking to see if anyone was around.
"I'm going to do it soon," Jason said.
"You've been saying that for months," Phoenix said.
"I know but I freaked out." he said.
"Look it's Christmas. Come home for Christmas," she said.
"I can't just-" Jason started.
"No, you listen to me. Any other day of the year you can go around pretending to be dead. You can be an idiot about everything else but it's Christmas darn it and I want my little brother here." Phoenix whisper yelled.
"What are you talking about?" Robin asked from behind her. She turned around.
"I'm gonna call you back." Phoenix said hanging up the phone, "We need to talk." Suddenly all of the lights in the house powered down.
"Blackout?" Phoenix asked.
"Looks like it," Artemis said walking out.
"You were explaining," Dick said.
"Everyone needs to hear this," Phoenix said. Everyone gathered in the big area after lighting candles and Phoenix stood in front of them.
"First of all, I didn't tell you guys sooner because it really isn't my place," Phoenix said.
"What isn't?" Dick asked.
"Telling you, especially you." she said, "Red-x is Jason."
"That's not possible," Dick said.
"Lazarus pit." Phoenix said, "Look he didn't go into details he just showed up asking for help a few weeks after he died. I didn't know what to do so I improvised."
"Did you steal the suit?" he asked.
"No. That was all him. I told him to talk to you because you might know how to help him, but when he got to Jump he heard about Red-x. And..." she said.
"So he took it." Dick said, "Why?"
"It was powerful and he's a kleptomaniac. Jason just came back from the dead and convinced himself that you never gave a damn about him and he thought that it might..." Phoenix trailed off.
"Hurt me." Dick finished.
"The kid has been compared to you for years. He thinks that this is the only mistake you have ever made. He feels kind of bad about it." she said.
"Where is he?" Dick asked.
"Here," Jason said walking in out of costume.
"Uncle Jay!" John squealed and ran into his arms.
"Hey, buddy," Jason said.
"Can Uncle Jay stay with us?" John asked.
"I don't think-" Jason started.
"If he wants to." Robin agreed cutting him off.
"What?" the Titans asked.
"Why are you being nice to me?" he asked.
"Because you're my brother and we will talk about this. You're not off the hook but it's Christmas." Dick said.
"I think the zeta tubes are off now Artie," Jason said.
"No problem I was staying here anyway," Artemis said.
"Who else knew that you weren't dead?" Robin asked.
"Only Phoenix, Roy...and Jade," Jason said.
"Jade!" Artemis screamed.
"Well she was there when I was talking to Roy." he said.
"You told Roy and not me?" Robin asked.
"Who are Roy and Jade?" Starfire asked.
"Roy is Speedy and Jade is Cheshire," Artemis explained.
"I still can't believe he went back to Speedy," Phoenix said.
"He wanted to feel like he actually was a part of the hero community," Artemis said.
"Why wouldn't he be?" Cyborg asked.
"Not important it's in the past." Kid Flash said.
"He was a clone sent to infiltrate the Justice League. He didn't know that, though." Phoenix said. Everyone stared at her.
"What?" she asked.
A few hours later Phoenix walked into the room.
"So looks like we're all stuck here. Including John." Phoenix said.
"How long are we gonna be snowed in?" Robin asked.
"A week tops so you better get the generator working," Phoenix said.
"I'll get it," Cyborg said leaving.
"Will Santa be able to find us?" Nancy asked.
"Of course he will," Wally said picking his daughter up.
"What about mommy?" John asked.
"She won't be here this year but I'm sure she'll figure some way to make up for it," Dick said.
"Alright," John said.
"Oh no," Phoenix said.
"Why is there a puddle under you...oh no!" Jason said as the lights came on.
"Can we get to the hospital?" Jason asked.
"Not in this weather," Dick said.
"I can teleport her," Raven said. Phoenix screamed as a contraction started.
"Too risky at this point. Let's get her into the med bay." Dick said they helped her into the med bay and put her on the table.
"Does anybody know how to deliver a baby?" Jason asked.
"I had to deliver John, long story," Artemis said. Everyone but Artemis, Wally, Jason, Dick, and Raven left.
At one in the morning on Christmas day Zachary John Grayson was born. Phoenix took her son in her arms after he had been checked out and made presentable. She smiled at him.
"This is your family." she whispered to him looking at the small group.
"He is very healthy," Raven said. Phoenix gave a teary smile. Everyone soon filed in the room.
"This is Zachary." she told them.
"He's so cute!" John said.
"Can I hold him?" Nancy asked.
"Maybe when he's a little older." Artemis chuckled.
"Okay," Nancy said sounding disappointed.
"It's way past time for bed munchkins," Wally said.
"Why don't you and Artemis get them to bed?" Dick suggested. They both nodded and left.
"Merry Christmas," Dick said kissing his sister's forehead.
"Merry Christmas," Phoenix said. Raven took Zachary to put him in a little bed while Phoenix got some sleep.
Later that day everyone gathered in the living room. The kids got their stockings and everyone opened their presents. Wally and Artemis were by the window.
"So how are things with you and Jinx?" she asked.
"We broke up. She's still going to be a hero, just not with me." Wally said.
"Why?" Artemis asked.
"I am in love with someone else," he said.
"Oh," Artemis said with a hint of a smile on her face.
"Breaking up with you was the biggest mistake of my life." he told her, "And I want this so bad. Don't you?"
"Yeah, of course, I want it." she said.
"Then why not?" he asked. Artemis smiled and pulled him into a kiss.
"Yay!" Nancy said. They both chuckled.
"Come here you." Wally laughed as Nancy ran over to them. Robin smiled at Starfire and John who were playing trucks. He kissed her cheek and she smiled at him.
"See, life's good," Garfield said. Robin's phone started ringing and he left the room.
"Wait what happened?" he asked in a panic.