Jason's shallow breathing whistled between his gritted teeth. His hands were fists, shaking with emotion, down by his sides. The only thing that kept him from fleeing or attacking was the trust he now had for his brothers. They had protected him, had given him what he wanted, even though they knew what it would make him. He could admit to himself that they did not deserve what would happen to them if they came any closer.
"I. . ." he began, before shaking his head violently to clear it of its thoughts. They could see how desperately he was trying to hold himself together. "I don't want to hurt you guys. I don't."
"We know," Dick managed to say softly. "That's why we're staying right here until you think it's okay for us to move. Because, to be honest with you, I kinda want a hug after this ordeal."
Jason snorted, a small smile playing at his lips, but then the smile died and he closed his eyes and tensed, focusing on reigning in the Pit madness that was coursing through him.
"They're okay," he whispered, relaxing minutely. "They're okay." He worked his tense jaw and took a calmer breath.
Of course, when he opened his eyes, Batman and the Outlaws had just made their way into the building, and that's when everything went to Hell.
It was like he was no longer in control of his own mind or body. He had been separated somehow, and he wasn't sure how to stop himself.
"No," he heard himself yell, lunging towards the new arrivals. "No, no, no, no, no!" Dick tried to hold Jason back, but he easily wormed his way out of the grasp. Starfire and Arsenal instinctively took a step away from Batman. He stood alone when Jason reached him and held a forearm to his neck. Bruce did nothing. The rest of the room took his cue and waited to see what would happen.
"I hate you!" he yelled, and Bruce was still silent. "Everything in my head is because of you! I can't sleep, I can barely eat, I couldn't even think for weeks because of you!"
"Jason," Roy started, but when Jason's wild eyes were trained on him he was stunned into silence. The arm was pushed further into Batman's throat, uncomfortable but not life-threatening.
"I know why you're here, Bruce," he said lowly, dangerously. "You wanted to stop me. You'd rather have me out of my mind or not at all, right? I came back 'evil' and, since you won't kill, you want me catatonic." He sneered, eyes still crazed but voice calm.
Bruce whispered to his son, "That's not true."
"No?" Jason laughed frantically. "You should have buried me, Bats. What I'm gonna do to you? You should have buried me when you had the chance."
Jason put his hands on Batman's shoulders and slammed the older man into the wall behind him. "Bury me!" he screamed. There were tears in his eyes, and every breath he took was a ragged near-sob. "Bury me!"