OK… the next chapter is up, it's a far cry from how I originally imagined it, but my inner Grayson gave me the finger and set me straight… ^^"

To all those that have reviewed so far I thank you kindly! Thank you for the motivation to continue writing this! I hope you like where this story has gone so far and where it will be heading in the next few chapters or so… either way, I'm glad to have you with me. ^^

Let me know what you all think, The next chapter is going to be hectic, but hopefully this will give you a cute moment of relief… We'll see. Thanks for reading! And please review!

It has recently come to my knowledge that I may have screwed up Damian's nickname while I was editing this…. So here's an updated version of Chapter and a promise that as soon as my writer's block clears up there will be a chapter for Tim and then the family will be in crisis…. That ought to be fun… ^^

Chapter 4

The man watched the scenario play out through angry, black eyes. He watched Jake walk to the blindspot, watched him kill the men there. He watched the man carry the kid out of the hole. Their gazes met briefly as Jake glared at each prisoner in the mess hall. The new fish and Barracks came out from different corners and crowded around him. Jake led them up the stairs and to the bunks. The guards turned a blind eye.

"Looks like Jake's making a power play. Even has his own little gang goin'. We're gonna have to take care of him or else…."

Leon Dawson smiled cruelly, ignoring the member's comment. He was a burly man, previously a meta and currently leader of the Bloodhounds. His chestnut hair fell lazily over his forehead, only coming to a stop at his dark eyes. He wore the same as everyone else: blue khakis and a wife-beater. It was ironic really, since about half the inmates here had actually beaten their wives. He didn't let his mind wander.

He turned to the main guard around here: Border. "What would it take to get a certain someone's transfer date moved up?"

Border eyed him up and down, no doubt inspecting his worth to see how much he could get. "How much you got?"

"Could scrape together some money or a few of the younger boys if that's what you're in to." Leon winked, but Border was not amused.

"eight hundred and he'll be gone within the week."

Leon let the wry smile spread across his face as he let loose the command, "Get it done. The money will be in your account by Friday. I want Jake Forrester transferred to the torture camps ASAP."

Border returned the smile before walking away, presumably to get the process started. Leon leaned back in his seat and let the games begin. The next few days were going to be interesting.

…

Jason stared out at the mess hall below with nothing more or less than boredom outwardly. Inwardly he was assessing the movements and interactions between the gang members of the Bloodhounds. That was – until Bruce appeared at his side. The man was overbearing and stole Jason's attention from the actions of the inmates below.

"Who did it?" His voice came out as a growl of outrage, yet it was toned down enough to sound like a hiss.

Jason made no motion to answer verbally, he simply tilted his head to the guards below who were now dragging the bodies of Kyle and his little group. Blood was spattered on their clothing and a few of the on looking inmates regarded Jason in an expression that could only be fear. He answered those looks with a wicked smile that forced them to turn away.

"You do realize that you didn't have to kill them, right?" Bruce said, eyeing the gruesome ways each was killed.

"You do realize that big one down there was going to rape the kid, right?" Jason's answer was full of his outrage and disgust. Bruce actually flinched. He had no response for that. Amazing, the empath that is Bruce Wayne is struck speechless.

"I did what I had to. Besides, Kyle was on my list." Jason smirked at his father.

"I see. So how many others are on this 'list'?" Below the surface, because he had known his mentor for so long, Jason was able to pick out the barely-contained rage boiling at the surface. This attempt at conversation was simply to distract himself from the current predicament. In that moment Jason almost wished he'd spared Kyle long enough for Bruce to go at him. Almost.

"Careful now. A guy might think you actually care." He smiled before continuing, "The list grows and shrinks every day. For now there's about… eighty on the list. But thirty are on the waiting list."

"You have a waiting list to be on the list?" Bruce almost cracked a smile, humor was written on his features. The fury was still there, but it was placed on the backburner.

"A waiting list that has just gotten smaller, yep." Jason found himself flipping his quarter between his fingers again. Since coming here it had been his only real possession in this place. It helped keep him focused as he turned his attention back on the mess hall.

"The other inmates are starting to move. Something big is going to happen in the next few days. Hopefully they're just planning on putting me into an early grave – not like that hasn't happen before." Jason smiled at his father who all of a sudden looked very uncomfortable. The words had affected him more than Bruce would have liked to say. A thought flashed in his mind – an image of a young boy lying motionless, cold, broken… dead.

"You have family now. What you did for him," He gestured to the cell where Damian was sleeping, "I won't ever forget it." Just like I've never forgotten you, Bruce finished in his mind.

Jason let his gaze lazily fall to Bruce. The expression there was familiar. "Thanks, but I didn't do it for you. No kid deserves that."

Bruce nodded. He hesitantly laid his hand on Jason's shoulder, lightly squeezing it before walking into the cell he shared with his two sons. It was all the contact Bruce could afford his wayward bird, but it was enough to offer Jason a spark of emotion.

…

"The guards are planning a lockdown." The words were slow coming out of Barracks' mouth, but each syllable struck a chord.

Jason looked at his friend disinterestedly. "when?"

Barracks moved to stand beside Jason. It had been a couple of days since the attack against Damian. The boy was having trouble sleeping, but other than that was showing no signs of being affected by his trauma. The boy had not approached nor thanked him once; he simply avoided Jason… well, as much as he could, considering they shared a cell. This lockup business was probably the most interesting thing to cross through the prison since the new fish had arrived.

"I think it will be going down Friday. 'm not sure." He said quietly.

"That leaves us two days," Jason paused to scan his surroundings before he continued. "So far we've collected the rope, the beater, the clothes, and the acids. That only leaves a few more ingredients and our little recipe will be complete." He let himself smile, "We sure are ahead of schedule. I keep expecting the bottom to drop out leaving me on my ass and without a way out."

Jason turned determined eyes on Barracks once again. "You think we can do it, B?"

The muscular man seemed to consider for a few moments before turning back to Jason. "I don't like being dropped on my ass, Jay. Plan will work."

Jason let himself snicker at that as Dick approached. "Hey."

"Yeah," Jason acknowledged his brother with a flippant hand gesture.

"I may have overheard some interesting information in the yard," He said. Great, this is already sounding like an argument, Jason thought wearily.

He sighed heavily. "Yeah, what is it?"

"I've heard rumors that you… You killed a human guard. What happened?"

Jason's eyes widened, but when he answered his voice displayed deadly calm. "Drop it, Bird boy."

"No, Jay, don't do that. Please, just answer me. Why did you kill a guard?"

"Do you know what it means to be locked in the SHU, Dean?" Dick didn't respond, but he stared at Jason expectantly.

He sighed again, irritation leaking into his voice. "Nevermind. And just forget whatever it is you heard. It was nothing. Besides, we have bigger problems. It seems there's word a lockdown is being instigated this Friday."

Dick glared at the obvious change of subject, but obliged his brother nonetheless. "So? Why is that so important."

"Lockdowns here happen for one of two reasons. One: there's a riot started by the inmates and the guards lock the place down to lower the total prison population… or… two:" Jason paused to take in a shaky breath, "The guards plan on transferring some inmates out under the guise of said prisoners having 'too-violent' tendencies displayed during the lockdown…"

"So, they are planning on transferring some inmates or ditching some bodies?" His brother looked taken aback as he phrased the question. Jason merely nodded.

"Yep, and with the recent activity, I'm willing to bet they'll be targeting a member of our 'family' during this little charade." Dick glanced at his brother crossly, taking a deep breath.

"Little D wants to switch cells with me. It's not much distance…"

The words stung, and Jason cut him off. "Fine, you and Damian can switch. I don't care. It's a free... well, it used to be a free country."

Dick nodded. Jason turned to walk away but the older man was firmly cemented directly in his way. Guess their "talk" wasn't done yet.

"Look, Jay, I just wanted to –"

Jason held up a hand to stop him, "Look, I don't want any chick-flick moments here, so whatever you gotta say… take out all the gooey stuff now."

He blinked, the fidgeted gracelessly before finally straightening to his full height (a full hand shorter than Jason). "Thank you." It was simple, just two words. It didn't mean much, but it was a start.

The younger man could only nod stiffly, not fully sure how to react. The last time Dick had… hell, had his brother ever said those two small words to him? Jason found he couldn't recall.

"I may not agree with your methods, but I still appreciate what you did for Little D…"

"The hell did I just say about the cutesy crap?" Jason growled.

Dick just smiled and shook his head, "You're unbelievable."

"You're welcome." Jason said. And Dick couldn't be sure if that comment was intended as a snarky comeback or a genuine display of acceptance. He supposed in the end, it really made no difference.

…

The darkness surrounded him as completely as it had when Jason had woken in his own coffin. Too dark… not enough space… not enough air. Panic rising, but there was no light…

He would never admit it, but he was scared out of his mind. Time didn't seem to exist in this hell-hole. Flashes came to him. waking up, feeling enclosed and claustrophobic. Felling the skin on his fingers tear away, the blood falling back to him, and oh god, the pain…

The images just kept berating him, tearing at the wall in his head as vigorously as he had clawed at the roof of his casket.

Abruptly the images stopped, giving him a moment of peaceful silence. Then a new one came; this time the blood had dried under his nails, instead it was all around him. The sickening glint of metal swinging down, the horrific laughter of a maniac, no, The Maniac whom he was at the mercy of. For the first time, Jason remembered, he had a taste of the insanity that flowed from the cruel creature in waves. Jason recalled this was the moment when he wanted nothing more than to put a bullet into his own brain. It was in this warehouse, while feeling each blow, that Jason dreamed of all the ways he could just kill himself. He thought about how maybe, if he could just maneuver himself to the right angle before the next blow – it would all end. Maybe if he could get to the loose pipes at the edge of the room he could slit his wrists. Maybe if he could slam his head down on the concrete below him at just the right angle. Maybe, maybe, maybe… but there he didn't have the strength. He was cursed to die a slow and deliberately despicable death on the floor of the warehouse with his 'mother' standing by and with his father nowhere to be found. He remembered – in a flash of hate and anger and agony – He remembered…

NO!

Jason was used to hearing the screams at night, he was used to the constant struggles between the other prisoners, and he was used to a few random cell checks and the beatings that came with it. What he wasn't used to was waking up in a cold sweat and realizing those cries were coming from him. He wasn't used to seeing Bruce and Dick in front of him with fear and apprehension etched into their faces. His body felt too heavy, the sweat covering him making him too cold, and the pounding in his head was just too loud and painful for Jason to think clearly. He didn't like the nightmarish situation much better than the one he had just awoken from.

…

When Dick opened his eyes in the middle of the night, he expected to hear the screaming of other inmates. Instead, he woke to broken whimpering. At first his mind jumped to Damian, but they had switched cells yesterday. This was Jason.

The thought tumbled around in his head, but seemed too foreign. He turned and hopped off the bunk bed, landing silently before Jason. Bruce was already standing over the younger man.

"He's sick. Probably drugged," He whispered. Bruce laid his hand on Jason's forehead, "He's burning up." His voice was heavy with some unread emotion.

Jason rocked from side to side, seemingly fighting off his own personal demons. It looked as though he was avoiding the blow of something. Dick was absolutely sure he knew what 'something' that was too. The thought sickened him.

When his brother opened his eyes, his breathing was labored and painful. If possible, Jason's face contorted in a mixture of anger, fear, and a sickened haze of delirium. When he spoke his words were slurred and hard to understand, but Dick made out "The hell you doin?"

"Sit still. We think you've been drugged."

"No… no, lockdown 'morrow." Jason attempted to sit up, but Dick pushed him back onto the bed.

"We'll keep you safe, Little brother. Don't worry, just try to fight the effects of this thing." He offered his brother a weak smile.

Jason blinked, gaining some clarity with each flutter of his black lashes. "Don't understand… If 'm not out there at first call, they will take me away." His eyes were lit with an immovable panic and he reached out, gripping Bruce's forearm in a powerful hold. "They will take me away…" He repeated, this time staring with complete lucidity at his father.

"do you honestly believe I would let that happen?" Bruce asked incredulously.

"I think… you won't have a choice." Dick could almost cry out at the desperation that leaked into Jason's raspy voice.

"Your brothers won't let that happened." Dick glanced at Bruce before continuing. "Your family won't abandon you. If it's a fight they're looking for then we'll give them one."

"goin' down swingin'? That not like you Dickie-bird."

"Yeah, well… desperate times, right?" He smiled at the wayward bird.

Bruce stood abruptly, "I'm going to get you some water." He turned to the metal sink in their cell and started to soak a rag he'd snatched.

Dick stood to get another blanket for Jason, but his brother's hand latched onto his arm and pulled him back down.

"You asked me… what happened with that guard…" Jason took in an unsteady breath before continuing. "When you're locked up… In the SHU… It's all dark, like…" His eyes grew focused, "Like waking up in your own casket." Bruce visibly flinched.

"The only way to tell time in a place like that is… when the guards bring you your meals…" The pauses now were more for dramatic effect than real need, "There was this one that would screw up the times… He'd bring the food either early or later than he was supposed to… You have to understand, the time was the only thing keeping me sane. I just… I snapped…I didn't realize what I was doing until it was too late." Jason searched his brother's face for any sign of disgust. He found none.

"Oh Jason…" Dick gathered the younger man into his arms and held on tightly. Jason stiffened at the physical contact, but soon relaxed and awkwardly returned the gesture.

Bruce, ever the opportunist, sat on the bed and pulled both his boys into a fierce embrace. "It's going to be all right."

The wounded bird clenched his fist into his father's shirt. "If I'm taken away tomorrow I want you to know that… I'm not crazy…" His shoulders shook with emotion and tears stained his cheeks at the last words. "I made it through with my sanity…" He choked out, and there was something definitely broken about his voice. It was something Jason would no doubt blame entirely on the delirium later.

"You did, Jaybird, we would all swear by it." Dick promised, and for once, he meant every word sincerely. Whatever the next day would bring, Dick was fully prepared to die for this; his brother. The one he hadn't given the time of day to before. The one he had sworn an enemy. The one he had failed so utterly just as his father had.

He wouldn't be caught making the same mistake twice.

All right, it was admittedly a little sappy at the end, but that's just to soften you all up. 8D

Anyways, Thanks for reading and please leave a review.