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Jason Todd had never expected to get a second chance at life, let alone one that rewound time to before everything fell apart. The moment he opened his eyes and found himself standing in Crime Alley, a younger version of himself—just a scrappy, street-smart kid trying to survive—he knew that something extraordinary had happened. The memories of his past life flooded his mind, but this time, there was no Lazarus Pit rage, no burning desire for vengeance. There was only clarity, a rare gift that told him exactly what he needed to do.
When Bruce Wayne found him trying to steal the tires off the Batmobile again, Jason allowed it to play out as it had before. He acted the part of the angry, defiant street kid, keeping the full extent of his knowledge hidden. But when Bruce offered to take him in, to adopt him, Jason made a vow to himself: this time, he would not get involved in the Bat-life. He would not become Robin. He would not be the soldier, the weapon, or the broken boy who died in a warehouse.
Instead, he would be a civilian.
In Wayne Manor, Jason embraced his new life with a single-minded determination that left Bruce baffled and, at times, overwhelmed. Jason threw himself into his studies and extracurricular activities with a fervor that bordered on obsession. He joined every club he could—debate, drama, chess, fencing, even the student government. He took up sports like swimming, soccer, and track, and made sure to keep up with his martial arts training in secret. By the end of his sophomore year, Jason was juggling over thirteen extracurricular activities, all while maintaining straight A's.
Bruce, who had anticipated another Robin in the making, found himself navigating the unexpected challenges of raising a teenager who was more interested in winning debate tournaments than chasing criminals across rooftops. He did his best to keep up with Jason's hectic schedule, attending every play, every competition, and every award ceremony, even as Alfred gently reminded him to get some rest.
Despite his refusal to acknowledge anything Bat-related, Jason's past life was never far from his mind. He maintained his training in secret, working out in the mansion's gym late at night when he was sure everyone else was asleep. He honed his skills, not out of a need for vengeance, but because they were a part of who he was—skills that had saved him before and might save him again, though he hoped they never would be necessary.
When it came time for college, Jason decided to take a gap year. But this wasn't your typical backpacking-through-Europe kind of gap year. Jason had unfinished business, and it involved the All-Blades. He traveled to remote corners of the world, seeking out the mystical weapons that had once been his. He did so under the guise of a civilian on a journey of self-discovery, avoiding any entanglement with the supernatural or the criminal underworld as best he could.
He returned to Gotham a year later, the All-Blades safely recovered and hidden away, and enrolled in pre-med at Gotham University. He threw himself into his studies with the same intensity he had shown in high school, determined to become a doctor—someone who could heal rather than harm.
At home, Jason's insistence on living a civilian life created an odd dynamic in the Wayne household. He became the big brother who nagged his younger siblings about going to college, about thinking beyond the Bat. He especially targeted Cassandra and Tim, urging them to consider their futures outside of the cave. “You can’t punch your way through life forever,” he would tell them, his tone half-teasing, half-serious.
Duke, the only one who maintained something of a normal schedule, became Jason’s closest companion. While the others slept through the day, exhausted from their nocturnal activities, Jason would drive Duke to his classes, pick him up afterward, and take him out for lunch. The two of them developed a deep bond, one based on mutual respect and shared experiences that didn’t involve punching criminals in the face.
Damian, on the other hand, struggled with Jason's refusal to acknowledge the Bat-life. Damian had been trained by the League of Assassins, molded into a warrior from birth, and here was Jason—someone who spoke every language he did, who could match him move for move in any sparring session—choosing to live as a civilian. It confounded him. What good was all their training, all their skills, if not to be used in the pursuit of justice?
Jason, for his part, handled Damian with patience and understanding, though he maintained firm boundaries. “Anything Bat-related stays in the cave, Damian,” he would remind him whenever the younger boy tried to discuss patrols or training at the dinner table. “We’re family first, vigilantes second.”
The shift in family dynamics took time to settle, but eventually, the Waynes found a new rhythm. Bruce, though initially perplexed by Jason's choices, respected them. He had always wanted his children to have choices, to lead the lives they wanted, and if Jason wanted to live as a civilian, then Bruce would support him in every way he could.
As the years passed, Jason became a well-respected medical student, with dreams of becoming a doctor who could give back to the city that had taken so much from him. He maintained his training, his connection to the mystical All-Blades, and his quiet but firm role as the family’s civilian anchor.
And though he never put on the cape and mask again, Jason Todd remained a hero in his own right—a brother, a mentor, and a man who had chosen to heal rather than hurt, to live rather than merely survive.