#ayftbk

Jason took out Cobblepot, taking over the Iceberg Lounge as HQ for Hood's business. He didn't relish having an address for any enemies, but so far there hadn't been any problems.

Today...today there would be a problem—3 headaches in a trenchcoat were coming to investigate the new proprietor. Damian had found out the Bats would be paying the IL's new owner a visit as civilians, since they couldn't reach the Red Hood at night. Plans were swiftly made and set in motion.

At 8:00 p.m., Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, and Tim Drake walked into the Iceberg Lounge. It wasn't very busy yet, and the trio spread out slightly but stayed close enough to reach the others easily in case of trouble. The Bats' prey watched from hidden cameras and mics, the hunted hunting the hunters. At 8:40 the suited up Red Hood, Indigo, and Orphan came into the Lounge the back way. Jason buzzed his lieutenant to bring Bruce to his VIP section at the back. A minute later—just long enough to annoy the Bats—he had Dick and Tim escorted to the booth as well.

“Mr Wayne. To what do I owe the pleasure of your esteemed patronage, gracing my lowly establishment?” Red Hood leaned back against the seat, flanked by Indigo on his right and Orphan on his left. She levelled her penetrating stare on the Bats to unnerve them (not that they could see behind her mask). Jason and Steph enjoyed watching The Batman sweat, not knowing why. Indigo idly inspected the civilian Bats, then tapped her fingers casually on the table, just off-beat enough to put their guests on edge.

“I heard rumours that the Lounge was under new management and thought I'd take a look...it hasn't improved,” Brucie sniffed aristocratically, critically (detective-ly) scanning the red plush curtains blocking off the booth, the navy-painted walls and red faux-leather benches, the heavy oak table concealing Jason's guns and their weapons. Hood stayed still, not reacting to the dismissal.

“So what made you change from kingpin to bartender?” ask Dick conversationally, employing the Grayson CharmTM.

“Oh, I'm still running Gotham,” replied Jason equally as nicely. “I simply expanded my horizons. And I'm not a bartender, Mr Grayson, although I can make a mean Long Island. Would you like one?”

“No, thank you; I've had enough to drink tonight,” demurred Dick.

Liar. You had a shot of tequila. Stop acting so buzzed. Jason leaned forward slightly. “I insist.”

Steph abruptly stopped drumming her fingers, raising the tension another notch.

Dick swallowed. “No, thank you. Some other time, maybe. I've had enough tonight.”

Jason leaned back, spreading his arms—one casually behind Indigo. “Good for you, knowing and sticking to your limits. Trying to lessen the accidents your old man's famous for, huh?”

“Sort of,” Dick agreed.

Steph began her finger tapping again. Cass switched her stare from Dick to Tim, and so did Jason.

“So, the co-CEO of WE. Why are you here, Mr Drake-Wayne? Family outing for the press? I appreciate the business having hosted the Waynes here will produce.”

“Could I have one of those Long Islands, then?”

Jason could feel Dick and Bruce's askance glances. Evidently this wasn't part of the script for tonight...well, Jason's evening just got a lot more interesting.

“Of course!” He pushed a hidden button in the table and Lieutenant #2, Jeff, appeared (yes, this is goon named Jeff from @thisiswhereikeepdcthings, for those who are curious).

“One Long Island, please.” Feeling Steph kick his ankle, he added, “And one of Indy's regulars, while you're at it.”

Steph got her regular, drinking it happily through a special straw-hole in her mask. (Jason wondered at her ginger ale appreciation, but whatever his lady's heart desired.) Tim got his Iced Tea and began drinking it unconcernedly.

Jason watched him, analyzing. You are a typical Gen Z, huh. Don't care if i drugged or poisoned it or not. Death wish?

'Ghoul, add to R's file: Gen Z, borderline suicidal, further research required.' Jason spoke into the 4's comms, but no one could hear past his/their masks.

“Well, it's been a pleasure, come again,” Jason stood, stretching lazily. “I've got work to do, unfortunately, so I must say goodbye here. A couple a human traffickers haven't gotten the memo that I don't like murderers, kidnappers, and rapists, so I've got to go remind them. Don't feel you must leave—I'm sure Indigo and Orphan won't mind entertaining our VIPs.”

“No, I'm afraid we must go as well,” Brucie sounded so regretful. “Tim and I have a board meeting early tomorrow. Thank you for your hospitality, Mr Hood.”

“Just 'Hood' is fine. Mr Hood was my father,” he grinned, and escaped.

~♡~

Batman stepped out of the shadows as Red Hood ran across the roof.

“Red Hood.”

“Batman. Kinda busy.” He attempted to grapple away but Batman grappled beside him. He landed before Bruce and cut his line so that he'd land in the nearby garbage bin. As he continued his patrol he planned his next moves. Once he reached the BOOP, he looked at Orphan.

“Cass, I have a job for you.”

She nodded.

“I need this note to show up in B's suit, okay?”

Dear Batman, please don't interrupt my patrol again. You know where to find me if you get tired of replacing your grapples. Thank you in advance for stopping bothering me overtly. Red Hood.

Cass reported the mission successful the next night.

~♡~

The day after Bruce got the note, Batman showed up in Crime Alley, ironically in the same spot he and Jason had met the first time a dozen years earlier.

Jason sighed and dropped his gun back into his thigh holster. “This wasn't the place I said to meet me, Bats. Is the 'World's Greatest Detective' slipping? You know I meant the Lounge.”

“You're here, not in the Lounge,” growled Batman.

“So it's urgent, then? Come to ask me to take out Professor Pyg for you?”

“No.”

“Then stay out of my territory. I'd like to ask you to leave my city, but I do know my limits.”

“This is not a turf war, Hood.”

“Oh really. Look, you stay away from Crime Alley, the Narrows, the Bowery...the Red Light district, basically what you do anyways except for your biannual drive-throughs when it's quiet before an Arkham breakout. I will leave the Diamond district, the parts you regularly patrol, to you. Capisce?”

“I am not bargaining with you for my city. I was here first.”

Jason snorted. “Seriously? 'I was here first'? What are you, a toddler? You became Batman after I was here. This is my turf, and I'll have you know that for once in its life, Gotham is somewhat settled. I know you have a Rule, but I don't and I'm seeing results. You put mass murderers in jail to break out the next month. Do you know what the definition of insanity is? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting it to work that time. There was no Joker before Batman, no Scarecrow or Mad Hatter. They responded to you.

"At least I haven't had villains come after me because I'm Red Hood. Granted, I already have enemies, but most of them aren't certifiably nuts and I have a lot fewer Rogues because I end them. Even if you don't kill, you don't have to stop someone from doing it when it's deserved.”

With the end of his verbal beat-down, Jason parkoured away and sent Orphan to watch Batman and make sure he left.

~♡~

The quartet curled up on the sofa in their BOOP for movie night.  Steph was the self-proclaimed teacher of pop culture for her 3 uncultured assassins, though Jason knew most of it by now, and Steph'd indoctrinated Damian when she could when she and Jason visited the league. Tonight they were watching season 1 of ATLA. Damian loved Appa and Momo, as expected.

Jason and Steph were very glad they didn't live in the ATLA-verse or he'd have adopted so many animals. So far in their world, he'd adopted a puppy Steph had found homeless on the street; the black-and-white kitten Cass stole from under Selina's nose and named Alfred in honour of the man Jason told so many stories about; the dragon-bat Jason had given Damian when he returned from a League mission; and Jerry the Turkey, found on the outskirts of Star City by Damian. That was plenty.

As Steph snuggled into his left side and Damian on his right, with Cass's legs across him, Jason felt perfectly happy. Who wouldn't? They were a family.

~♡~

Bruce frowned as he fished the paper out of his utility belt—the pocket had been used to hold gummy bears since Jason was Robin, but now Tim ate them. Bruce pushed away the sadness and read the note. How has it gotten in? He'd suspect Dick or Tim, but they were off-world and in San Francisco, respectively, and Alfred would never. That left...

“Red Hood.”

How had he gotten it in? Either on patrol, and Bruce never noticed (impossible) or someone other than his family could get into the Cave and put it in before patrol (also impossible).

Very polite for a man who decapitated his enemies and made a public example of them. Was it someone using his name? Not likely. It seemed personal, so it was probably Hood. But why? Hood's profile so far indicated he liked dramatics and overt, attention-grabbing theatrics (just like every other Rogue) over scheming in the shadows, though Bruce didn't deny the villain's strategising. (That's what they want you to think.)

He tracked Hood down the next night and confirmed the note was from him. Unfortunately, the handwriting analysis was inconclusive (Jason trained for this for a reason.) The Red Hood also revealed that a) he was Gotham born and bred, b) he was from the poorer side of town (so how did he become Hood—someone had to fund him), and c) his beef with Batman seemed personal.  And the knife he cut the grapple with...where did he get it? Only a few knives in the world could cut a Bat-grapple. Hm.

~♡~

A week later Alfred knocked on Bruce's study and came in. “You have visitors, Master Bruce. A Mr and Mrs and Master al Ghul and a Miss Cain—C-A-I-N, not Miss K-A-N-E.”

Bruce blinked.  Why wasn't he aware the League was in Gotham? And why were they so polite? Normally there was at the least more property damage before they confronted him...and coming to him as Bruce Wayne, not Batman, was also very un-League-like...

The quartet walked in. Mr al Ghul was not Ra's al Ghul, with dark hair streaked white at the front, teal eyes, and more muscles and height than Bruce himself. Miss Cain was a petite Chinese young woman with short black hair and piercing hazel eyes that unsettled Bruce. Mrs al Ghul wasn't Talia or Nyssa, either, instead a blonde between Mr al Ghul and Miss Cain's heights who seemed familiar. Master al Ghul was scowly, short and dark with deep green eyes, and also seemed familiar, but even less than Mrs al Ghul. Where had he seen them before? It wasn't in the League...

The visitors sat, uninvited, in the comfy leather chairs in front of his desk, Mr and Mrs in one, and Master on Miss's knee in the other.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of a social call from the League of Assassins?” he asked stiffly, casually reaching for the freshly sharpened batarangs under his desk.

“And what relation are you to the other al Ghuls?”

“Oh, we're not League—not officially anymore, anyways. Damian and I are Talia's sons and Steph is her daughter-in-law. Cass is our sister, unrelated to the others,” answered Mr al Ghul.

Steph.

That's who she reminded him of. Stephanie Brown, Spoiler, Robin...and dead.

“Stephanie?” he asked stupidly, because he couldn't believe it.

“The one and only!” she replied. “Long story short, I didn't die for keeps on Leslie's operating table, but she faked my death and moved us to Africa, where I met...my husband, and later I met Dami and then Cass. Long time no see, B-man.”

“Why...why didn't you come back? Why did...did you really marry an al Ghul?”

Steph stiffened. “I didn't come 'home' because I had no reason to, at first. You fired me, Tim broke up with me, my mom was addicted to drugs and my dad's Cluemaster, I had PTSD from Sionis's torture...and why shouldn't I marry an al Ghul? You nearly did, and it's not like I knew you were rivals, because I was never given even a crash course in Robin and oh yeah, we're a team and we work well together and love each other unconditionally. You have no room and no right to judge my life choices—I mean, you're a furry with a truckload of issues. You beat up bad guys every night for kicks and giggles and from PTSD.”

“How did you figure out I was Batman?”

“I didn't; Jay told me. For all of your paranoia, an awful lot of your enemies know your identity—half the freakin' League of Assassins, Deathstroke, Waller, like half your Rogues know...”

“Jay?”

“Jason al Ghul,” said the man. “We've met before, Mr Wayne.”

Red Hood. Jason al Ghul is Red Hood...but Hood is a native Gothamite. Bruce scrutinized Jason al Ghul, noting the light smatter of freckles across the nose, the sharpened jawline, the set of the eyes...Jason al Ghul is Red Hood is my Jason. He had the same dark wavy hair, freckles, challenging gaze, smirk, attitude of his Jason...But there were differences too—a thin scar on his right eyebrow to match Steph's, the unnoticeable-to-a-Bat scar on his chin from Willis was gone, his eyes were more teal and less ocean blue...

But still...”Jaylad?” Bruce whispered, hoping both for confirmation and denial—if he was his Jason, then he'd failed him yet again, letting him somehow get mixed up with the LoA and become a killer, but if he wasn't, another hope had been raised and shattered—

“Took you long enough, you big boob,” wisecracked Jason as he and Steph exchanged glances and money (that Bruce steadfastly ignored).

“What-how-when-why...”

“Who, where,” finished Jason. “Who: Jason Peter Todd-Wayne. Where: Gotham Cemetery. When: approximately six months after he died, so seven years ago. What: he woke up, dug out of his ridiculously heavy and expensive coffin and six feet of dirt, and was kidnapped by Talia's men a while later. Why: to heal him and get back at you, but plans are a funny thing and change easily. How: I have zero ideas. Maybe I'm a meta, maybe there was a glitch; who knows?

"Anyways, I trained, became the best, met Steph, we hit it off, teamed up, got married, found Cass and got Damian, and came here.”

“But...it's really you?”

“I stole the Batmobile's tires when I was 12 and you adopted me because you're a weirdo who doesn't know how theft and adoption actually work. I replaced Dick and you fought about it, but he finally gave me his blessing to wear the pixie boots. Alfie taught me how to cook a lot, I almost always got A's in school, Pride & Prejudice is my favourite book, you and Alfie and I would always buy each other 1st edition books, and the first book you ever gave me was a 1st edition A Christmas Carol for Hanukkah. My favourite colour is green, but I always wore a red hoodie because it was the last thing my mom gave me. Anything else you want to know, B?”

Bruce came around the desk to hug his son, tears in his eyes. Steph moved so Jason could be better hugged and he shot her a look of betrayal and desperation. When Jason didn't relax after 10 seconds of hug Bruce let go. “I'm so glad you're alive, son. We all missed you so much.”

Jason looked at Steph in a panic. Now what do I do?! And This wasn't supposed to happen! Written across his face so clearly Steph didn't need Cass's skills to read it.

“Look, B, I'm the Red Hood.”

“So?”

“So?! You hate me! I kill, and you don't! I took over half of 'your' city! -which you rarely patrolled, but still- You knew already?!”

“I figured it out when I figured out Jason al Ghul was Jason Todd. You'll always be my son, Jaylad, no matter what you do. You're right, I don't agree with your methods—no one appointed you judge, jury, and executioner. Still, I won't deny that you have improved the city, and I won't lie that I mourned Joker's or Black Mask's deaths...It could be worse...but even if it wasn't, it wouldn't change the fact that you're my son, Jason, and I miss you. Alfred misses you, Dick misses you, Babs misses you, Tim misses you...”

Jason sniffed. “Alfie been coaching you, Pops?”

Bruce shook his head. “You said some things as Hood the last couple times we ran into each other that made me think. Harley and Alfred also forced me to quarterly therapy sessions since Joker died,” he muttered distastefully.

Jason grinned. “All of us have a regular talk with our shrink, too. Mom insisted after she offed Ra's. Healthy emotional relationships—this is why I chose Mom in the divorce,” he said sotto voce to Damian, Cass, and Steph.

Bruce was affronted and a little wierded out by Jason calling Talia Mom but too happy to truly care. “So will you stay for dinner?”

Steph nodded at Jason and the other two silently agreed via body language. Jason sighed. “Sure. I'd better tell Alfred I'm alive.”

“No need, my boy,” said his pseudo-grandfather, entering the study like he hadn't been eavesdropping and silently praying to everything that Bruce wouldn't mess this up. He warmly hugged Jason and Steph. “I am so glad to see you both alive once again,” he choked.

“Thanks, Alfie.  I missed you lots...'specially our book club and your orange turkey.”

“You always loved my food the most, Master Jason. Look how you've grown! And now happily married to Miss Stephanie. My, my. And who are your friends?”

“This is my little brother, Damian. Steph 'n' I are fostering him. And Cass, Steph's BFF and Dami's and my sister.”

Alfred smiled warmly at Cass and Damian. “Delighted to meet you both. Is there anything I should or should not make for dinner?”

“Dami's vegetarian, but the rest of us will eat anything,” contributed Steph.

“Would you like to help me in the kitchen, then, Master Jason? I'm sure you have many stories to tell and there is much you glossed over.”

“Uh...sure. Can the others come? Watch at least? Steph an' I're teaching Cass and Dami to cook and they like to watch.”

Also they're highly trained assassins who will be left alone in an unfamiliar, neutral if not slightly hostile, environment.

“Of course, you are all welcome, any time. Master Bruce, will you be joining us as well?” Alfred turned at the door to stare pointedly.

“Yes, I've just got to let the others know Jason and Stephanie are alive. Dick made me promise...after...Jason's funeral...” he explained awkwardly to his guests. Jason swallowed.

“Is it alright if they come for dinner too?” asked Bruce.

Jason and Steph exchanged glances at Bruce asking and then looked at Cass and Damian, who shrugged. “...just warn Dick to turn off 'Golden Retriever Mode',” grumbled Jason.

“Thank you, son.”

Jason quickly followed Alfred to the kitchen, tracing the path in his memory and noticing the very few alterations from the past 7 years. He'd snuck into the Manor twice since he died—once, when he killed Joker, to get his stash from his hideyhole and his first copy of P&P; twice, a few months ago to check how much security changed from his Robin days. The memorial in the Cave infuriated him, but he talked it over with Steph and their (poor, underpaid) therapist and realized it was just Bruce Bruceing. The kitchen had been slightly updated, but everything was still in the places Jason remembered and he fell into an easy dance with Alfred while the others sat at the peninsula and watched and chatted.

Bruce opened the Bat-GC.

IamJustice: All report to my study at 17:00

IamtheNightWing: Why?

RedRobinYum:^

MasterofKnowledge: Is it good or bad?

IamJustice: Good. 17:00 at the latest. Mandatory family dinner.

Once everybody agreed to meet in Bruce's study at 5:00, he headed to the kitchen, still unbelieving that his son was actually in it. Alive and happy.

Bruce smiled to see Alfred and Jason in matching pink frilly aprons dancing around each other as they talked uninterrupted, a row of smiling spectators happy for Jason-his Jason-their Jason.

“...So then I turned to Steph, because she's always got –oh, hey, B.”

“What are you making? It smells delicious.”

Jason looked a little surprised. “The orange sauce for Alfie's turkey. I was just telling him about the time Steph and I were mugged as 'tourists' on a recon mission in Tokyo. The amateurs were laughable.”

Steph added, “I mean, they picked Jay as a target. I guess 'cause we're white they took us for tourists and not ninja. It took us a minute to knock 'em out—all 4 of them.”

Ace trotted in and Damian lit up when he began licking his hand.

“You like animals?” asked Bruce. Damian nodded.

Steph groaned. “He has a dog, cat, turkey, and dragonbat. Like is an understatement; that's why Dami's vegetarian. We put our foot down on the cow and made sure she went to a good home instead. Damian visits monthly.” “Batcow was going to be slaughtered inhumanely. She did not deserve that,” Damian sniffed.

Cass patted his spiky head. “Good job rescuing, Dami.”

“Batcow?” mouthed Bruce to Jason.

He grinned and nodded. “She's got a mark on her nose that looks kinda like your symbol, hence Bat-cow. I told him Dick named everything by adding the 'bat-' prefix when he was little.”

“You told him about us?”

“As much as I disliked it, you're all his family too. They made better bedtime stories than the League's history, anyways.” Jason looked back to stirring the sauce in the pot and Bruce and Alfred exchanged proud, happy looks.

~♡~

At 5:00 Dick and Tim came up the stairs from the Batcave, through the secret passageway, to Bruce's study. Babs came through the elevator door. “What's up, Bruce?”

Bruce sighed. “I had visitors today, Tim, and...one of them was Stephanie. Leslie faked her death and took her to Africa.”

Once everyone processed that statement, Bruce continued. “She was with a man...who was Jason Todd. Somehow he's alive—none of us know how, but he is.”

Everone stared at Bruce in shock and disbelief.

“Their DNA matches, and so do their memories. I know it's a surprise, but Jason and Stephanie are alive and well.”

“What took so long? Why now? It's been almost eight years! Was-was it recent?”

Bruce shook his head. “That's another thing. The new gang taking over Gotham—Red Hood, and his lieutenants Indigo and Orphan...the Red Hood is Jason and Stephanie is Indigo.”

“Jason Peter Todd, 'I'm-Robin-and-being-Robin-gives-me-magic', is Red Hood,” clarified Babs slowly. “What happened?”

“I was lured by my bio-mom and brutally attacked before I was left for dead in a warehouse rigged to blow.”

Everyone stared as Jason entered the study, comparing the changes to the Jason they knew and mourned.

“Being beaten half to death with a crowbar and waking up in your coffin six feet under sure changes your perspective on things.”

Dick choked and Babs and Tim's eyes widened. They'd never known exactly what happened to Jason since Batman arrived just too late.

“Hello, Big Wing, Barbie. Long time no see...you look good.”

“So do you.” Babs wheeled over and Jason leaned over to hug her.

“Well anything would be better than the last time you saw me, huh?” He turned to Dick. “Stop beating yourself up about missing my funeral. I was mad for a bit- but that was mostly the Pit Madness- you were offworld and didn't know. It's fine. Just come to my next one.”

Dick flew to Jason and wrapped him arms around him in a way even Jason couldn't escape the inevitable octopus hug. “Little Wing! I missed you so much!”

After a couple minutes of tearful Dick Jason pulled away to look Tim over. “You're my Replacement, I see. Well, I was Dick's. You did a good job as Robin, but you're definitely better as Red Robin. No one's quite the OG Robin, huh?”

Tim flushed, pleased at meeting his hero-crush and said hero-crush complimenting him.

Ooh, right, you're Steph's ex...this will be awkward, realized Jason. “And hold off the Inquisition until we're all at supper. I'm only telling doing this once, if I can help it. Speaking of, Alfie sent me up here to say dinner's on in 10.”

While Jason talked with the others, Bruce looked on happily. This was the happiest day he'd had since...before Jason died, he realized with a start.

While everyone washed up and Cass and Damian helped Alfred bring the food over, Jason cornered Steph by the dining room door. “Hey, are you sure you're okay?”

“Yes, Jay. You're more important to them and they knew you longer. I'm not that self-centred, yeesh. It wasn't my place...and seeing you and Tim's first meeting would've been even more awkward if I just popped in and was like, 'hey, it's me, ya ex and your predecessor's wife! Also surprise, I'm not actually dead!'”

“Stephanie,” Bruce walked up.

“Yes?”

He took a deep breath. “I apologize for not training you when you were Robin, and making you an outsider. You reminded me strongly of Jason and...it was quite painful. I am truly sorry...and...I suppose you're my daughter-in-law, now?”

“You're always gonna be stuck with me somehow, B-man!” grinned Steph. “Thanks for the apology, and I already forgave you in therapy. We're good.”

Bruce exhaled a little, relieved, and Jason nodded approvingly. “You're doing better than I thought, B.”

He escaped into the dining room after expressing his weekly emotional range in one afternoon and Jason turned to Steph.

“Thanks for your support, love.”

“No problem—DRC gotta stick together!” Jason snorted and grinned at her humour and kissed her slowly. “You're the best.”

~♡~

Tim halted in the hallway's shadows as Jason and Steph broke apart and walked into the room, hand-in-hand. That was a bit of a shock. Somehow, when Bruce had said Stephanie came in with Jason, he hadn't thought, with with Jason.

Jason was alive. Steph was alive. Jason and Steph had somehow met and were together. He and Steph had only dated for a bit before they broke up and then she “died”, but it was still weird, your ex dating your...brother (was he even his brother since they had literally never interacted except for a couple times at formal Gotham events when they were small)? The emotions were confusing so he shoved them down to deal with later. All that mattered was the dead ex-Robins were with them now. It wasn't like he still had romantic feelings for Steph anyways, it was just...all so confusing. He remembered Steph's random tangents when she was younger and a bittersweet pang jolted through Tim. Steph was always such a chaos gremlin. He couldn't decide if it was better or worse that she hadn't appeared to change much since her “death.”

~♡~

Dick, Babs, and Tim walked into the dining room and halted. “...Who're you?”

Jason looked up from pouring sparkling cider and introduced the strangers. “This is Cass—she's family—and Damian...” He and Steph suddenly looked at each other, slightly panicked.

“Is he yours?” Dick asked.

“No...Steph and I're his guardians.” We didn't tell B yet! Jason screamed internally.

Alfred actually joined the family for dinner, sitting at the foot. Bruce was at the head, the Bats sat along the left, and the guests were on the right. The feast had several delicious vegetarian options for Damian in the mix of bounty. Alfred had been so happy he may have gone slightly overboard on the menu.

“So...you and Jason are together?” Babs asked Steph.

“Yep! Five years since we met.” Steph proudly showed off her diamond-and-amethyst wedding ring.

“How did you...not die? And meet each other?” Babs continued cautiously.

“Well, I did die on the table, but Leslie brought me back,” Steph confessed easily. “We went to Africa, and I finished school online and learned some nursing from Leslie. I saw a group of kids being taken by force so a friend and I jumped in, Jay came by a minute later and finished the fight and walked me home. He asked me out a couple months later, and we got married two years ago.”

“You look...happy,” said Tim.

Steph smiled, love shining at Jason. “I am. I'm sorry about the awkwardness 'cause of...us,” she gestured between her and Tim, and her and Jason, “but I didn't know you were brothers when we started dating...”

“It's okay—I'm not jealous or anything, it's just, um...all quite surprising. Everything.”

Steph nodded at Tim thankfully, then turned to Jason. “Why don't you tell your story, habibi?”

“Ugh, fine. I died, woke up in my coffin about six months later, catatonic. I do remember digging through the wood and dirt with my belt buckle and fingernails...I wandered the streets for a while on muscle memory until I fought off a few of T's guys and she came to see who did that and recognized me. She fixed my catatonia and dialled my anger issues to 11 by dunking me in the Knockoff Mountain Dew and sent me 'round the world to train, where I met Steph. Anything else you want to hear, should I censor for innocent ears?” Jason asked Dick, nodding at Tim, who sqwalked in outrage.

“Shouldn't you censor for Damian's innocent ears?”

“Damian hasn't had the luxury of innocent ears,”Jason said coldly, all joking gone. He hated kids getting touched by the world, marked indelibly before their time, and Damian had not had an easy childhood.

Dick cleared his throat. “So, how'd you meet Cass?”

Steph volunteered to tell the story. “We'd just arrived in Hong Kong, so I went out for groceries. On my way back, I saw Cass fighting...I think it was eight guys. I helped out and dragged her home with me. That was a little over a year ago. Dami showed up on our doorstep, courtesy of Talia, about then, too.”

The rest of the meal continued in the same manner, telling stories on both sides from when they hadn't seen each other. Then Cass looked at Jason and signed rapidly. He nodded and stood. “Thanks for dinner, Alfie; it was delicious. We've got to leave now; see y'all later. Have a safe patrol.” Steph and Damian also stood and followed them to the door. Bruce trailed behind. “Will you come by soon? You're all always welcome here, anytime.”

“Thanks, B. We'll be by later this week to make it up to Alfred by skipping out without doing dishes.” Jason and Damian drove off on a motorbike, side-by-side with Steph and Cass.

Tim followed them aerially by a drone, but only traced them to the Iceberg Lounge before he lost them.

~♡~

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Notes: In this Mashup of Canon, Tim has already struck out on his own and is Red Robin, so there will be no tension between him and Damian. Happy family only.