The Unknowing

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or anything dealing with DCU

Chapter One: Just One Favor

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Third Point of View

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Everything feels different now. His life has changed more than he was accustomed to over the last couple of years and while a part of him was growing used to that idea, there was still a small part that screamed at him to run away again. That small voice would linger in his deepest shadows, waiting to strike at his weakest point until finally it overtook him and he was left in a red haze. Perks of being revived from the Lazarus pit.

Jason sat up before swinging his feet over the side of the bed and making his way to the bathroom off of his bedroom. He was lost in his own thoughts as he jumped into the shower and let the hot water burn its way down his scarred body. The only thing bringing him back to reality was the sudden feel of cold water splashing against his face. Growling, he quickly made his way out of the bathroom and began getting dressed. It was just then he heard a knock on his front door. Just peachy.

The knocking didn't let up as he made his way to his front door. "This better be an emergency."

Opening the door, he saw his older brother smiling back at him. Nope, just a pain in his ass. His lucky day.

"Hey, Jay."

Jason couldn't help the eye roll as he turned towards his bedroom to grab a black tank top from his closest. He was never the biggest fan of people showing up unannounced as his apartment but that didn't seem to matter to his family. They didn't seem to mind one bit. That's why they'd never find out where any of his safe houses are. Lesson learned.

"What do you want, Grayson," he grumbled.

"Can't a brother just stop in for a friendly visit without being accused of wanting something?" As if to emphasize his words, he throws his arms up in a "I'm totally innocent" kind of way. Classic Dickhead.

"Pfft. If you wanted to hang out then you'd text me. You wouldn't just show up. You want something so you came to my place when you knew I'd be here." Jason crossed his arms as he came out to lean against his bedroom door, skeptically eyeing Dick.

"It hurts me to hear that, Jason," Dick replied as he frowned in a mock attempt to fool his younger brother. "It really does."

"Cut the crap already, Grayson. What do you want?" Jason had been more than patient.

"Okay, fine." Dick leaned on the kitchen table as he sighed and dropped the false pretenses. His light energy suddenly shifted into something more serious. "I've actually got some news. I have good reason to believe the Joker is planning something and I was hoping you could help me stop whatever plan he is scheming. I know it's a very personal topic for you but I also know that if anyone can help me find out what he's up to and stop him, it's you."

Well fuck. The hairs on the back of his neck started standing up the moment he heard his name. The person he hated and feared the most. The person to blame for killing him with that wretched crowbar. Granted, he shouldn't have gone out half cocked but he didn't deserve the cards handed to him. He was just a kid.

His eyes never left Dick as he watched him very intently. The elder was slightly slumped in the shoulders, the first bad sign as Dick never slouches. The bags under his eyes and facial hair was the second bad sign, meaning that he wasn't sleeping well and probably obsessing over the Joker and who knows what else.

He knew Dick well enough to know he wouldn't ask for help unless he really needed it. It's not that Jason doesn't want to help his brother but wherever the Joker goes, chaos follows. Chaos is not something you can easily prepare for. And Joker is not someone he wanted to really deal with anymore or ever. Memories flood his head as he remembers the night he blew up the building with Joker, Batman and himself were standing in. He shuddered at the thought.

"You're right, this one hits a little too close to home. Why do you need me anyway? Isn't this why you have your Titans?"

"The Titans aren't going after the Joker on my watch." Dick said without missing a beat, almost as if he was waiting for Jason to mention them. It's not that he doubts them, especially not Kory, but that didn't mean he didn't want them ever going toe to toe with the crazy man. San Francisco and Gotham have a very didn't definition when it comes to villains.

"Fair enough, they wouldn't stand a chance against him anyway and we both know it." The two men shared a look with one another, understanding the full extent at how far the madman will go to play his game and the people he'll kill along the way.

"That's why I need you, Jason. You understand how his mind works more than I do. We need to find out what he's scheming and stop him."

"Does Bruce know?" Jason watched his older brother sheepishly rub the back of his neck as he looks away. "Hey, I'm all for keeping secrets from the old man but I assumed you would fill him in considering it is the Joker. Hell, he probably already knows and we just don't know it yet."

"That would be a B move but I'm certain he doesn't know anything and I want to keep it that way, for now. Until I know more anyway. He'll say I don't have enough evidence to form a solid opinion on the information I do have."

"And what information do you have, pray tell?"

Dick sighed again before slumping further into his chair. He looked like he hasn't slept this week and he probably hasn't if Jason was to guess. He balled fists on the counter.

"I'll be honest with you, I don't have a lot right now. That's part of the reason why I'm here. You have connections underground. I was hoping you could ask around. Criminals talk, if something big is going down then there'll be word on the streets."

Jason regarded him as he tilted his head in confusion to him. "How did you find out Joker was up to something?"

Dick sheepishly ran a hand through his dark locks. "I've kind of been… having these dreams."

"You gotta be fucking kidding me, Grayson. You're basing this shit off of some nightmares you're having?"

"Look I don't know how to explain it but it's just this strong feeling I have. It's just flashes of him but the feeling I get… it's disturbing, Jason, and I've had it three times this week. It has to mean something. Plus, it's all I have to go off of right now." With everything Dick's seen and experienced over the years, he wouldn't leave anything to fate.

"You probably just have PTSD from dealing with them so much. You grew up around the Joker. I mean you weren't the one he ultimately killed but hey, not everyone has what it takes to cut it in this cruel world, Dick. Maybe it's finally getting to you."

"You talk like you know from experience." Sarcasm falls from his lips.

Jason snorted and walked to the chair across from Dick before taking a seat. "I think we both know I'm not talking about me but hey, that doesn't mean I haven't seen it in others." He leans back in his chair before continuing on, "Okay, say these dreams are something more. What then? Sure, I can lend my ear for leads and see how far that goes but I'm not the crime lord anymore. My reach only goes so far and what happens after that? We still have no idea where they are or if he's already decided to split."

"I have an idea." Dick's sudden change in behavior did not go unnoticed by Jason. He seemed to relax a little, letting some of the heaviness on his shoulders simmer away before flashing a smirk back at his younger brother.

"You going to enlighten the rest of the class, Boy Wonder?" He really didn't have patience for the way the bat family keeps their secrets. He'd be a hypocrite to say he doesn't keep his fair share of secrets too but this was different.

"You'll see but first I need to know you're with me on this. What do you say, Jay? Will you help me?"

He already knew that answer. As soon as Dick brought up this topic, he knew he'd help but that didn't mean he liked the idea of being near the Joker again. What he disliked more, however, is that crazy lunatic is out there, free to do what he wants and hurt countless people. He's lucky he's even breathing and not six feet in the ground like Jason preferred.

Maybe his nightmares would stop if he put a bullet between his eyes. How long would it take for Bruce to find out? Could he kill the Joker without Bruce knowing it was him? As much as he found himself annoyed with his family, they were still his family and they showed they wanted him in their lives. It's taken a long time for him to feel comfortable enough to come back and even longer for him to slowly begin to trust Bruce again.

But as much as Jason loves Bruce, he equally hates him. It didn't matter how much time passed, he still didn't understand why he let the Joker live after everything he's done and will keep doing. How many people have to suffer or die at his hands? Arkham is a joke. Always has been and always will be. Sure, he could lock him up but he always weasels his way out again. Everyone knew they couldn't hold him for long.

Maybe I can finally end his pathetic excuse of a life without anyone finding out it was me. It'd be extremely difficult to pinpoint the killer once enough time has passed. Locking eyes with Dick, he nodded. "I'll go with you but you seriously owe me for this."

"Anything you want." Dick stopped to contemplate his words. "Well, almost anything you want."

"I'll let you know when I need it, Bird Boy." He folded his arms over his chest.

Dick arched an eyebrow at him. "If I'm Bird Boy then that makes you Bird Boy number two. That's not even clever, Jason."

"So? Gets the point across so I'm okay with it."

"And what point is that?"

"The point is to annoy you and from where I'm sitting, it's working." He couldn't help but reminisce to the times when he wore a skull mask to purposely annoy his older brother. Watch as little ole Dick Grayson got red in the face after he flirted with Starfire. Good times. The best of times really. No one knew he was alive, he could do whatever he wanted.

Dick huffed and stood up. "Okay okay, I'm just thankful you're helping me. I have a few things I need to take care of before we leave. Meet back here at six?"

This caused Jason to tilt his head in question. "More secrets? Not that I care or anything but if it's about this mission then you better as shit tell me. It's not like we're going up against Dr. Light."

He couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him before turning back to him, standing by the front door once again. "Don't worry, this has nothing to do with the mission. It's personal."

"Oh?" That caught his attention, he was definitely hiding something and he would find out what. "Don't tell me you're seeing a certain redhead behind Dreamsicle's back?"

"What? No! I wouldn't do that." He cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable. "I am going to see Barbara but it's nothing like that. I need Oracle's intel, she may have leads on the Joker." He paused before adding, "I love Kory and I'm actually thinking about asking her to move in together. I just need to find the right time."

Scoffing, Jason replied, "Good luck with that. As long as you're in Gotham, it'll never be the right time."

"I know and Bruce doesn't help on that front. That's why I wanted to move to Blüdhaven or San Francisco. After this crisis is averted, I need to get the hell out of this city. Permanently."

It felt like Dick had given his life to protecting Gotham and what did he have to show for it? A scar on his head the size of a bullet. One he couldn't forget about because he could always feel it. Before his recent nightmares started, he was having recurring ones of being shot over and over again. Waking up in the infirmary, not remembering how he got there but the feeling of despair filling him to his core. It's not something he wanted to relive again.

"That's Bruce for you. Some things never change."

"You've changed, a lot."

And it's true, the Jason Todd standing before him had gone through the ringer but he was still standing tall. It took a lot of work for him to get to this point but he was overjoyed he did. Jason dying affected everyone, Jason returning for blood affected everyone in an even worse way. That change had not been for the best with the Lazarus pit running through his veins. He didn't care who he killed or how he did it when he first came back from Nanda Parbat. All he cared about was taking control of the underground while putting Bruce through hell. Thankfully, that was all behind them now. He hoped it stayed that way.

"Yeah well, at some point we all do. Now get out of my apartment before you get any more emotional than you already are. It's fucking annoying."

Dick couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him. "Alright alright, I'm going. I'll be back at six." With that, Dick disappeared, leaving his brother with nothing but his thoughts.

"Fuck!" That and a smash was all that echoed throughout the walls of his home. The poor book did not deserve to be thrown so carelessly through his apartment but it was the first thing he saw and that was good enough for him. He felt the itch of the pit rising in him as he thought back to the Joker. Fuck what time it was, he needed a shot of whiskey and his hands bloody from the punching bag in his living room.