Chapter Text
Realizations can be damning. A lesson in patience coming from the universe that does not take its gentle time with you. Or does, depending on who you are. Jett was not one for those, never felt even slightly inclined to “trust the process” or what not. His math is what he had. And forty-five seconds in that moment.
Forty-five seconds is what probability told him the scaffolding was going to hold for. Forty-five seconds had to be enough. He could get his one win for the day, get the kid and roll clear. Forty-five seconds and all accounted for, yet the rust.
The beam snapped at the twenty-third second.
A child’s squeal covered by the groaning of metal like the cry of a dying animal and Jett could not get himself to stop. Every bit of his body telling him he was not going to make it. And before Jett could even process what was happening, a wall of black mass was already moving past him, tackling the kid clear of the collapse and rolling with her in his arms, taking the impact of falling rebar on armored shoulders.
There was not a single moment to spare as Red Hood got back up after the hit and did not stop moving. He shoved the debris off of his legs, hauling the kid in his arms and rushing for the clearing before the rest of the structure came down in a thunder of concrete and metal. What followed was absolute deafening silence. And the kid screeching, as Jett came to a stop, looking ahead at the mass of destruction and eyeing in disbelief the feat he had just witnessed.
The kid was sobbing, clawing at Jason and hyperventilating so hard Jett could practically see her vibrating. Yet he stood frozen, the legs that were so adamantly thrusting him forward now stuck like syrup to the ground. Had it been his fault? Did he almost just cost a kid’s life?
He could hear PJ already on comms, talking about evac routes, stating emergency units have been informed. Glancing around, he could see Ezra using his telekinesis to hold back a few loose chunks of rubble and Lian on the other end, helping civilians out. He should be there, he thinks. And yet he finds himself turning back towards the kid, walking slow.
There was Jason, standing her up and checking her for injuring, hands dusting off the debris from her clothes, her knees, and settling on her face.
“Hey there,” and Jett almost wants to run away. He’d never heard Jason sound like that, so oddly gentle. “Hey, you’re okay. I’ve got you, yea? You’re okay.”
The kid looked distant, eyes far away as she kept taking snappy breaths. Jason pulled her close, Jett watched as he wrapped his arms around her and continued speaking to her in a calm neutral tone, borderline nonsensical reassurances and trying to get her to breathe right. Jett stepped into his eyeline and Jason glanced up at him while continuing to calm the kid.
“-that’s it, you’re doing so good,” He pulled the kid away and kept his hands on her shoulders, “Can you tell me your name?”
“...Lara.”
“Good, Lara? Were you with someone here? Did you get lost?”
Jett watches, waiting as the kid looks around and her face crumbles, “...my mom,” she mutters out.
“Okay, that’s okay. You’re such a brave kid, your mom must be really brave too, right?”
Lara nods.
“So then how about we get out of here and help find your mom, Lara. How does that sound?”
The kid manages a nod before Jason stands up, picking her up again and making his way towards the extraction van. Jett catches his eye for a second, his face hard. With his other hand he gestures at him to follow.
His hand reaches for his ear, clicking on the comms link, “We’re done here. Wrap up. Fifteen minutes.”
Jett looked back at the rubble, at the very spot the kid had been and expanse of damage that followed. With much persistence, he turns away, watching Jason’s frame as the debris continues to snake around them. Swallowing the knot in his throat he makes his way after him.
The safehouse remained shrouded in a silence rarely known to them.
Jett sat on the edge of the couch, elbows on his knees, staring down at the floor. The rest of the team had slowly filtered in, Lian had checked them all for wounds, PJ was busy with recon stuff. Ezra was hovering, trying to check on Jett but knowing better than to crowd him.
Jason walked in, taking his time with his gear. Checked his sidearm, cleared the chamber and set it on the table.
“Jett,” he said, as he pulled off his gloves, one finger at a time. “A word,” as he walked out of the room. Everybody’s eyes landed on Jett who just watched as Jason leaved, slowly standing up and following. The place was spacious despite how small it was and maybe it was more obvious because of the lack of … stuff. They make their way to the usual training area. Jett enters and Jason closes the door behind him.
Before Jett turned to face him, Jason speaks, “Want to tell me what happened out there?”
Jett felt his jaw tighten, he walked to the other end of the room and leaned his back on the wall, sliding down and sitting on the floor. A moment passes, just silent tension stretching between them.
“Jett-,” Jason starts again and Jett beats him to it.
“I messed up.”
Jason is quiet for a moment, Jett looks up at him, ready to face the anger only to find his expressions soft. If anything, a bit tired.
“Yeah. You did.”
The bluntness made Jett flinch regardless, no matter how lacking Jason’s words were in the bite. Jason continues, “You saw the beams. You ran your numbers. And you thought you had a window-”
“I did have a window!”, Jett shot back. “I did the math-”
“Life is not about math. And you should know better than anyone it doesn’t care about feelings. It doesn’t care if you’re trying to prove something.”
Jett stares, his throat working. He feels his face heat up at that call out, “You don’t get it. I was just trying to help. I am not some guy who just gets lucky, okay?”, He broke off, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes, leaning his head back.
Jason does not say anything, Jett doesn’t want to look at him. Another bout of silence takes over before he hears Jason sigh and move, walking over to him and sliding down right next to him. They sit like that for a while before Jason speaks again.
“I know,” he starts as Jett shifts, pulling his knees closer to his chest and putting his head on them, hiding away from him. “I know what it’s like to want to save people. To want to prove something. The thing about it is it rarely ever works in your favor.”
Jason pauses. Jett does not move.
“We all make mistakes, but when others' lives are involved, we can hardly afford any. When your own life is on the line, we can’t afford any.”
Jett turns his head towards him, peering at him from above his elbow. Jason holds his gaze.
“You’re on a team, Jett. Friends with powers just like you who can be there for you. That means something.”
Jett watches his face somehow incredulous as he takes it all in, Jason letting the silence reign as Jett takes his time with it. Slowly, as he keeps peering at Jason, a sly smile takes over his face. He opens his mouth when Jason beats him to it.
“That’s the extent of advice you’re going to get from me, kid. I don’t do emotional speeches. That was a one time deal,” Jason stood up, clapping Jett on the shoulder and making his way out of the room.
Jett watches him, disbelief still marring his face yet some semblance of comfort settling in his chest. Something akin to warmth. He let out a shaky breath. Which turned into a laugh. Which then dissolved into a singular sob. Standing up he made his way out, to find his team all outside the door, varying levels of concern visible on their faces.
He stood still, feeling heat emanating from his ears as shame becomes the first feeling he can name before he feels arms around him. Lian was the first, soon to be followed by Ezra who hugs him from the side and PJ closes the distance with his arms covering them all.
Jett feels himself swallow another knot for the umpteenth time that day. Realizations can be damning.