"Now I sit on the rooftop's edge. . .Trying to forget you, But we've never met." -Glory, Radical Face

Arsenal and Starfire were in the ship, but they weren't flying so much as hovering in place over Star City.

This made Starfire angry and even more impatient. "What are we waiting for? We must find Jason!"

"I know," Roy said slowly. "And I could trace Nightwing's call, but he said something that stuck with me."

"Was it that Jason is missing and unable to defend himself?"

"Oh, he can defend himself alright," Arsenal mumbled, fiddling with the controls of the ship.

The hand Starfire put on Arsenal's shoulder was warmer than usual. He shifted uncomfortably. "Listen, Starfire. We're going to find him, but we need to make a stop first. Dick said that he was with Tim, not Bruce. We need to pick up Batman."

Starfire scoffed. "We do not have to do anything. I am a princess of Tamaran and a feared commander. On principle alone I could kick you out and take this ship."

Arsenal turned to face her, taking off his hat to better see her eyes. "Koriand'r, we have no idea what condition Jason is going to be in. Last time Batman wasn't there to find him he became. . .well, you know." Kori crossed her arms and averted her gaze.

"His mentor had nothing to do with that. The Pit changed his mind into what we know now."

"To an extent, yeah. But he came out of that Pit alone. And became a sociopath because the man he thought of as a father didn't love him. What happens when, for a second time, Bruce doesn't know or care enough to show up?"

Starfire glared at Arsenal. "I am sure it has been more than twice that Batman has not cared for his children."

Arsenal nodded, then turned back to the controls. "Which is why we're going to Gotham."

"Do not assume that you lead me anywhere, Roy. I am not your cow."

"No, you're much too scary and pretty for that, princess. But you care about Jay. So do I. And, as much as I think Mr. Tall, Dark, and Broody is beyond redemption, I thought the same thing about Ollie. If Green Arrow can be a good father-figure, so can Daddy Bats."

Kori huffed and sat next to Roy. He took that as an agreement and set a course for Gotham.

()()()()()()()

"Tell me about Todd," Damian demanded, after hours of awkward airplane silence.

"Don't talk about him like he's dead," Tim warned.

"Drake, you have to know that chances are slim we'll get to him before he uses the Pit, and there's an even lesser chance his psyche won't be completely destroyed afterwards."

"Shut up, Damian! That's why we're intercepting Talia."

"Guys-" Dick tried to interject, but they spoke over him.

"My grandfather might kill him before he even gets to the Pit," Damian said coolly.

Tim fumed. "Stop talking."

"Stop acting like a child."

"Guys!" Dick yelled. Their attention snapped to him. "We don't know what we'll find once we get there, okay? But chances are, if Talia is with Jason, they'll get through her father. And, if Jason does make it to the Pit, I'm not so sure we should stop him."

"What?" both younger brothers asked.

"Well, it's his decision, and we haven't really been helping him out."

"His decision?" Damian practically yelled. "He doesn't have the ability to make decisions!"

"Dick, the Lazarus Pit turns you insane," Tim said slowly. "Maybe the effects weren't permanent the first time around, but there's no way of gauging his reaction now. Besides, if you didn't want to stop him, why show up?"

"Because, who can be sure it was the Pit?" Dick looked away, gathering his thoughts. "What if- What if it was just us?"

"I rescind my earlier comment towards you, Drake. Grayson is most certainly the child."

"Nope, little D, that would still be you. Hear me out. People have gone crazy from stress and trauma alone, they don't need the Pit to do it. What if taking a dip in the Pit was just a fraction of the problem? What if all the trauma coupled with nonstop training coupled with the coldest homecoming in existence turned him into what he is now?"

"No, we can't think like that," Tim said firmly.

"Why not? Why does it just have to be the Lazarus Pit?"

"Because if it wasn't just the Pit-"

"That opens up the possibility that it was just Todd all along," Damian finished for Tim. They looked at each other, agreeing for once.

"We are going to support whatever decision Jason makes." Dick didn't touch that last statement, didn't want to entertain the idea that maybe all the Pit did was strip away the façade of Jason's youth.

Damian leaned back in the chair, brooding for a bit. "I still want to know about him."

"Wouldn't we all," Dick snapped.

()()()()()()()()

Outside his complex, Ra's waited for his daughter, his coal eyes blazing with dark fury. He would not kill her, as his love was much too strong for that, but the boy no longer had Ducra's guidance, and so he was open season.

The plague unleashed years ago by his traitorous daughter would end, and he would see to it personally.