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When Jason woke up it only took him a moment this time to remember. He’d been
rescued
captured by Batman. Had they locked him up? Was he already in Arkham? He stifled a gasp. He had to stay still.
He tried to calm down, listen, and pay attention to the details. Just like he’d been taught by both Batman and the League of Assassins.
He didn’t hear any beeping. They must have disconnected him from the heart monitor. He shifted a bit. He wasn’t restrained. He had to restrain a sigh of relief. He didn’t know what he would have done if he’d woken up restrained again. Okay. Continued assessing. He felt better. There was a slight tingling, so he was probably on pain meds. He could hear the distant sound of bats.
There was a slight shuffling to his right.
“Good to see you awake, Master Jason.”
Alfred.
If Alfred was here then he’d be okay. Alfred wouldn’t let anything happen to him.
He relaxed and opened his eyes.
“Alfred?” he said.
“My dear boy.” he said, laying his hand over Jason’s. “I am so grateful to be able to see you again.” The old butler, his grandfather, had tears in his eyes.
“Alfred.” Jason said and his eyes were tearing up too. He closed them. He wasn’t supposed to be here. He wasn’t supposed to come back. He had a plan! Bruce had replaced him! He let his murderer run free! He had to make them pay! But the Green wasn’t coming. His anger wasn’t rising up. He just felt…
Alfred was here. And never in a million years would Jason hurt Alfred.
“Shsss… Just rest. You’re safe now.”
“But… won’t Bru… won’t he… won’t I be taken to Arkham. I’ve killed people.”
“Certainly not.”
“But…”
“But nothing, Master Jason. You are a part of this family.”
Jason couldn’t help sneering. “Part of this family? He replaced me with the newest addition. My death didn’t even matter.”
“Master Jason.” Alfred said more seriously than Jaosn had ever heard him. “You were not replaced. That is not how family works. We may have added Master Tim to the household but that only means that the family has grown. You will always have a place here. And we have all missed you greatly.”
“Then why didn’t he avenge me?”
Alfred’s face softened. He reached out and held Jason’s hand between two of his own. “You know that is a line that Master Bruce cannot cross.”
“Not even for me?” Jason said and winced as his voice cracked.
Alfred sighed. “While I do not always agree with Master Bruce’s rules, I do understand where he comes from. If he were to kill the Joker, he believes that he would be unable to stop himself from killing other criminals who may not deserve it. The people look to him for protection and hope, but if he were to kill, then he believes that he would just become someone else they feared.”
“It’s not fair.”
“No, it is not.”
“I want to go home, Alfred.” Jason said, a tear escaping his eye.
“My dear, you are home. Everything else can be figured out later. You’re home now, and that is all that matters.”
—-
Five years later.
Jason let himself in the front door and made his way to the main family room. Shouts and laughter echoed through the whole mansion.
He let himself smile.
The family had grown so much in these few years. First Damian and then Steph and Cass, and Duke, who’d only been with them for a few months.
He stepped into the room and dodged a pillow.
“Hey!”
“Oh, sorry, Jason.” Dick said as he ducked behind the couch to avoid the pillow that Tim had thrown at him.
Jason ignored the chaos happening as he stepped further into the room. He made his way to the other couch where Cass was sitting, watching the others play fight.
“Hey, Cass.”
She smiled at him.
“What are we playing today?”
“Monopoly.”
Jason winced. “Are we still even allowed to play that? I thought Alfred banned us after last time.”
She pointed to the side table and Jason glanced over to see a box labeled Monopoly Junior.
He raised an eyebrow. Oh well. If Alfred got upset he’d just blame one of his many siblings. There were plenty of them to choose from.
For now, he could just enjoy sitting next to his sister and watch his siblings try to destroy each other in a pillow fight.
At least he’d get some of Alfred’s cookies out of it.