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Rage.
That was all Jason felt anymore. Just rage.
It was almost like it didn't matter anymore. How he felt. There wasn't ever a change. Ever. The only thing he had felt before the rage was an overwhelming sadness. Then it was just anger from then on out.
He sneered under his helmet. He was mad that he died. That he was stupid enough to fall for Sheila's trick. That Bruce didn't avenge him. That he was so easily replaced. Like he didn't matter. Like he hadn't been Bruce's son.
He pushed all of his thoughts out of his head and focused on the task at hand.
He had made it into Titans Tower without any trouble. They still had his old codes in the system. He had ensured that no one else would be there. Just him and his replacement. The pretender.
Jason crept though the halls silently. Looking for the boy was harder than expected. There wasn't a sound in the tower. Maybe he had been wrong, and he wasn't here. Jason was just about to give up when he entered the kitchen and there he was. Not even in the suit he had stolen, just sweats and a bloody sweatshirt, crawling on the floor.
Wait.
That didn't sound right.
Indeed, the kid was crawling towards the counter in an attempt to stand up. He was gasping for breath and his sweatshirt was stained with blood. Blood that was slowly dripping on the floor. Jason saw the pain on his face, his young face. A face like Jason's had been.
What hurts more
He felt the anger leaving him.
A or B?
Then it returned.
Dad, please help me!
But not towards the kid. At whoever had done this. At Bruce for letting another kid go out there on the streets.
BOOM
Jason didn't remember making any decisions but suddenly he was moving. He knelt beside the kid and helped him lay down. He was hyperventilating.
"Kid." He said." What happened? Can you try to calm down for me?" The kid shook his head.
"Okay. Deep breaths." Jason instructed. He took one with the kid. After a couple minutes he was breathing normally. That was good.
"Okay, now tell me. What the hell happened to you?"
"You're the Red Hood, right? Why are you here?" The kid asked blearily.
Jason let out a chuckle. "I asked first."
The kid, what was his name? Tim, huffed. "M'fine. Just a minor stab wound."
"From who?" Jason asked in a hard voice.
"I dunno. These guys were beating up a dog and some kids were nearby. When I dropped down, I took care of them but there was another guy waiting for me. He got a lucky shot it."
Jason sucked in a breath. "Asshole. Did you beat him up?"
Tim snickered before wincing. "Yeah."
"Okay, you need stiches."
Ignoring Tim's protests Jason pulled him into his arms. He gently carried him over to the med bay.
"I can take care of myself." Tim protested.
Jason huffed out a dry laugh. "Yeah sure. Just let me help you."
Tim sighed and stared at the ceiling while Jason worked.
When he was down Jason sat down by the bed. "Why didn't Batman help you?"
Tim rolled his eyes. "Because I didn't tell him duh. I don't think he likes me so much."
Now Jason was confused. "What do you mean. You're his kid, right?"
Now Tim snorted. "No. I have parents. Yeah, they're barely around but they're still alive. I basically blackmailed him into being Robin. He didn't want me to but I'm stubborn." He explained like it was nothing.
Jason's mind was spinning. Nothing made sense anymore.
"What?"
"Yeah. But that's okay. He needs a Robin. I helped him not go all murdery. You know how bad it was. He almost killed the Joker even. Of course, the world would be better without him, but murder is just wrong."
Jason couldn't believe what he was hearing. Bruce....cared? Maybe. No, he was still an asshole and Jason was still mad at him.
"Okay kid." And Jason let his hand rest on the kid's head. Tim practically melted underneath it. Jason's heart clenched. Touch starved. He started combing his fingers through the kid's hair and in minutes he was fast asleep.
Jason got up shakily. Maybe he needed to think his plan through more. He had been about to hurt a child. There was something clearly wrong with him. And he needed to check on the situation with Bruce and Tim. If B was truly being an asshole, it was not going to be a pretty reunion. He had decided he liked Tim. And he would make sure he was being treated right.