Fic: Endings and Beginnings(Cass/Jason)
Apr. 22nd, 2008 10:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
milleniumrexTitle: Endings and Beginnings
Characters: Jason Todd/Cassandra Cain, Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, The Joker
Rating: R for violence and language
Words: 2042
Summary: Jason makes a fateful choice, and the Batfamily will never be the same.
Author's Notes: Written for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-syndicated.gif)
greeneyeloves OTP fic exchange, for request #31.
Damn her.
Jason hated having others in the way of a hunt. The Joker was his. He was going to put that grinning clown back in Arkham, with enough broken bones to ensure the asshole was a lot slower the next time they met. And he didn't need Batgirl getting in his way. Yeah, she was good, but he didn't share his hunts with anyone. And this warehouse was a deathtrap. The Joker's warehouses always were. You never knew when some sadistic little trap would spring up and eviscerate you. Watching from the rooftop, there was almost a morbid fascination as she made her way through it, searching for the lunatic hidden inside. Would she make it? Or would the Joker claim another victim? He found himself rooting for the lithe girl in the skintight leather. Maybe if she made it, he would let her get a few blows in before he swept in for the big hits. He was generous that way.
It happened within a second, as Jason knew it would. When the Joker struck, you never saw it coming. There must have been something on the floor that triggered the explosions, as the entire warehouse was engulfed in flames. Batgirl sprung out of the way, leaping into a corridor filled with giant nutcrackers who begun firing machine guns. A bullet clipped her side, but she shrugged it off, continuing to dodge until she was past the volley of bullets. It looked like she was home free, almost to the Joker's hideout, until she was suddenly dropped like a rock, crumbling to the ground. It took Jason a second to see the culprit - a cleverly painted bear trap that had been sprung, snapping closed on her leg.
Jason had watched enough. With a kick, he caved in the glass skylight and leapt into the fiery building.
_________________________
Cass desperately tried to wrench the trap off her leg. She could feel the blood running down into her boot, and the pain was unbearable, but she grit her teeth and continued pulling it. It wouldn't budge. She was trapped.
The mad cackling started growing louder, as a figure emerged from the flames. Cass stared into the sadistic, grinning visage of the Joker, who pulled a gun out from his jacket. Normally, this madman wouldn't have even caused her to break a sweat, but trapped and losing blood by the minute, Cass knew she couldn't win this fight.
"Well, well, well! Look what the Bat dragged in. Another of his little Batlings. Nice and gift-wrapped in Uncle Joker's special bear traps. Let's see if you're a pretty one under that mask."
As Joker reached for Cass's mask, she struck at his elbow with his fist, a last, desperate act of resistance that caused the Joker to sneer and put his gun to her forehead.
"Not in the mood to play, huh? Fine, we'll just skip ahead to the main event! Been a while since I killed a Bat-kid, and I've been meaning to - "
A gunshot rang out, and Cass closed her eyes, wondering if she would ever open them again. But there was no pain besides her leg and the ringing in her ears. She opened her eyes again after a second and saw the young man standing there, with a twisted expression of rage in his eyes. Joker stared blankly, then dropped to the ground, blood leaking from the side of his head. Jason stood there frozen, as the fires raged around them.
As the last bit of life drained out of the Joker's body, Jason stared down at Batgirl. Even through the mask, he could see the desperation in her eyes, but his mind was racing, trying to comprehend exactly what he had just done. He had always wanted to kill the Joker, but had never been able to finish the job. But seeing Cass at his mercy, seeing Joker ready to take another life like he had taken his.....there was nothing but instinct, and there was no turning back. For a second, Jason thought about letting all three of them burn in that warehouse. But as a flaming beam crashed down behind him, Jason knelt down and wrenched the bear trap off Cass' leg. Her leg was obviously broken, and the trap had cut deep, but she would live. Slinging her over his back, Jason shot his grappling hook up to the roof and got them out of there as the warehouse began to collapse, bringing an end to the Joker's reign of terror in fire.
___________________________
Two weeks later:
Jason rubbed his eyes as he climbed out of bed. He wondered how long it would be before that damn grinning ghoul stopped haunting his dreams. The Joker was dead, and it was well deserved, but that didn't make the nightmares go away. In fact, it only seemed to make them worse.
The sound of Cass' morning workout could be heard from the living room. Jason had stopped being impressed by the fact that she was waking up before him every morning to keep in shape, and was now more amused by it than anything. As he walked into the living room, Cass was in the middle of what was probably her hundredth rep on the chin-up bar, the cast on her shattered leg adding a little extra weight to the workout. She turned briefly and smiled at Jason as he walked into the room, then went back to her exercise.
"You know, I put you up here so you could recover, not so you could take over my training equipment."
Cass grunted as she pulled herself up again. "Staying in shape."
"Yeah, I can see that. You know, the doctors did tell you to take it easy..."
"They're idiots."
Jason had to agree. The doctors had given Cass little chance of recovering 100% from the ligament damage in her leg, but based on sheer determination, Jason gave her much better odds. As soon as she had been able to get out of bed, she had been working out. And while she was out of commission, and he was laying low while the manhunt for the Joker's killer died down, they had both been surprised by what happened. Jason had been looking to clean up Gotham. The last thing he was looking for was to fall in love.
As Cass finished her workout(more due to exhaustion than any actual decision on her part), she allowed herself to collapse into Jason's waiting arms. Staring into his eyes, she could see the same haunted gaze that was there every morning.
"You dreamed about him again, didn't you?"
"Yeah. Nothing new, is it? Even dead, the clown's still fucking with me."
"You did the right thing, you know. He would have killed me."
"I know, babe. Doesn't make it any easier, though."
"He'll fade away. Evil always does. Let me help?"
Cass gently kissed Jason on the lips. Even if he didn't act like it, even if he still tortured himself day and night over what he did, he was her savior. And she had to try to return that favor just a little, even if it was a long shot.
________________
Alfred didn't know what to expect when the doorbell to Wayne manor rang in the afternoon. No guests were expected that day. So he was surprised to see Cass standing on the doormat, awkwardly balancing on her crutches with a look of grim determination on her face.
"Miss Cain! Good to see you out and about. Would you like to come in?"
"No. Need to speak to Bruce. Important."
"Well, of course, but you're still recovering. Let me get you something while I attempt to rustle Master Bruce up from the Batcave."
Cass acquiesed. She knew from experience that fighting Alfred when he was in protective mode was futile. She munched on a cucumber sandwich waiting for what seemed like an eternity until Bruce finally emerged from behind the secret entrance in the wall.
"Cass. Alfred told me this was urgent. I was in the middle of a case, so - "
"It's about Jason."
Bruce's face darkened. "Cassandra, you know he's wanted by the police. If you know where he is, tell him to turn himself in. It's the only way I can protect him."
"I'm living with him. So no. He saved my life, Bruce."
"He killed a man in cold blood. He has to answer for that. I know it's hard to understand, but we can't appoint ourselves - "
"He. Saved. My. Life." Cassandra took a deep breath, as she always did when she was about to speak at length. It still didn't come naturally to her. "He had a gun to my head. He would have pulled the trigger if he could. A second more, I would have been dead. Would you have preferred that?"
Bruce sighed. "Of course not. But it doesn't change the fact - "
"Then what? He does a good thing, but you want him to go to jail for it? Why? He's your son, Bruce."
"He made his own choices a while ago. I can't change what's been done."
"Maybe not. But you can change the future. He's hurting...and he needs someone besides me to tell him they understand."
"Cass, I can't promise..."
Cass stared Bruce in the eyes. "If you had one shot to keep the Joker from killing Jason...would you have taken it?"
For a change, it was Bruce who was speechless. Cass calmly stood up, balanced herself, thanked Alfred for the food, and left.
________________________
Cass relaxed on the couch, flipping through the channels. She wasn't all that surprised when the knock came at the door. About time.
"Stay right there, babe. Probably the pizza guy."
Jason opened the door. He and Bruce stared at each other for a second, neither sure what to say.
"Jason."
"Bruce. What the hell are you doing here?"
"I was planning to ask you to turn yourself in - "
"Well, let me tell you where you can stick - "
"But then I thought better of it. It wouldn't do any good for you to sit in a jail cell over this. I don't approve of what you did, and I like to think I would have found another way, but you did what you felt you had to do to save Cassandra. I can't fault you for that, but I can tell you I don't want it to happen again. And that's why I'm here. I'd like to try to make a fresh start. Regardless of everything that's happened between us, you are still my son."
Jason shook his head. "So what now, Bats? Am I supposed to put on the short pants again and do what you tell me? It's a little late for that."
"No. I just want a chance to get to know you again. I was...incorrect in treating you like an enemy. I should have reached out to you earlier. I'd like you and Cass to come over for Dinner at the manor in a few days. Alfred will contact you about the arrangements. No "job" talk. Just Bruce Wayne and Jason Todd. Are you willing to give it a chance?"
"Yeah, sure. Have the old man call me. But if I get the feeling it's a trap..."
"I'd never use the family home as a trap, Jason. Besides, if I wanted you captured, I'd have you on the ground already."
"Touche, Bats."
Cass silently grinned, hidden by the back of the couch. She knew it would work. Once she got Bruce and Jason talking, there was very little that couldn't be repaired with time. Jason would never have agreed to make the first move, so she had to bring Bruce to him. She was looking forward to seeing a little bit of the darkness and pain disappear from her predator bird's eyes. And then, when she was healed, they would run the rooftops together, the deadliest Batgirl and Robin team-up ever. Yes, the future was looking up. Even though neither of the men would have agreed to it, every Robin needed Batman, and Batman needed all his Robins. She was just doing her part.
Characters: Jason Todd/Cassandra Cain, Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, The Joker
Rating: R for violence and language
Words: 2042
Summary: Jason makes a fateful choice, and the Batfamily will never be the same.
Author's Notes: Written for
greeneyeloves OTP fic exchange, for request #31. Damn her.
Jason hated having others in the way of a hunt. The Joker was his. He was going to put that grinning clown back in Arkham, with enough broken bones to ensure the asshole was a lot slower the next time they met. And he didn't need Batgirl getting in his way. Yeah, she was good, but he didn't share his hunts with anyone. And this warehouse was a deathtrap. The Joker's warehouses always were. You never knew when some sadistic little trap would spring up and eviscerate you. Watching from the rooftop, there was almost a morbid fascination as she made her way through it, searching for the lunatic hidden inside. Would she make it? Or would the Joker claim another victim? He found himself rooting for the lithe girl in the skintight leather. Maybe if she made it, he would let her get a few blows in before he swept in for the big hits. He was generous that way.
It happened within a second, as Jason knew it would. When the Joker struck, you never saw it coming. There must have been something on the floor that triggered the explosions, as the entire warehouse was engulfed in flames. Batgirl sprung out of the way, leaping into a corridor filled with giant nutcrackers who begun firing machine guns. A bullet clipped her side, but she shrugged it off, continuing to dodge until she was past the volley of bullets. It looked like she was home free, almost to the Joker's hideout, until she was suddenly dropped like a rock, crumbling to the ground. It took Jason a second to see the culprit - a cleverly painted bear trap that had been sprung, snapping closed on her leg.
Jason had watched enough. With a kick, he caved in the glass skylight and leapt into the fiery building.
_________________________
Cass desperately tried to wrench the trap off her leg. She could feel the blood running down into her boot, and the pain was unbearable, but she grit her teeth and continued pulling it. It wouldn't budge. She was trapped.
The mad cackling started growing louder, as a figure emerged from the flames. Cass stared into the sadistic, grinning visage of the Joker, who pulled a gun out from his jacket. Normally, this madman wouldn't have even caused her to break a sweat, but trapped and losing blood by the minute, Cass knew she couldn't win this fight.
"Well, well, well! Look what the Bat dragged in. Another of his little Batlings. Nice and gift-wrapped in Uncle Joker's special bear traps. Let's see if you're a pretty one under that mask."
As Joker reached for Cass's mask, she struck at his elbow with his fist, a last, desperate act of resistance that caused the Joker to sneer and put his gun to her forehead.
"Not in the mood to play, huh? Fine, we'll just skip ahead to the main event! Been a while since I killed a Bat-kid, and I've been meaning to - "
A gunshot rang out, and Cass closed her eyes, wondering if she would ever open them again. But there was no pain besides her leg and the ringing in her ears. She opened her eyes again after a second and saw the young man standing there, with a twisted expression of rage in his eyes. Joker stared blankly, then dropped to the ground, blood leaking from the side of his head. Jason stood there frozen, as the fires raged around them.
As the last bit of life drained out of the Joker's body, Jason stared down at Batgirl. Even through the mask, he could see the desperation in her eyes, but his mind was racing, trying to comprehend exactly what he had just done. He had always wanted to kill the Joker, but had never been able to finish the job. But seeing Cass at his mercy, seeing Joker ready to take another life like he had taken his.....there was nothing but instinct, and there was no turning back. For a second, Jason thought about letting all three of them burn in that warehouse. But as a flaming beam crashed down behind him, Jason knelt down and wrenched the bear trap off Cass' leg. Her leg was obviously broken, and the trap had cut deep, but she would live. Slinging her over his back, Jason shot his grappling hook up to the roof and got them out of there as the warehouse began to collapse, bringing an end to the Joker's reign of terror in fire.
___________________________
Two weeks later:
Jason rubbed his eyes as he climbed out of bed. He wondered how long it would be before that damn grinning ghoul stopped haunting his dreams. The Joker was dead, and it was well deserved, but that didn't make the nightmares go away. In fact, it only seemed to make them worse.
The sound of Cass' morning workout could be heard from the living room. Jason had stopped being impressed by the fact that she was waking up before him every morning to keep in shape, and was now more amused by it than anything. As he walked into the living room, Cass was in the middle of what was probably her hundredth rep on the chin-up bar, the cast on her shattered leg adding a little extra weight to the workout. She turned briefly and smiled at Jason as he walked into the room, then went back to her exercise.
"You know, I put you up here so you could recover, not so you could take over my training equipment."
Cass grunted as she pulled herself up again. "Staying in shape."
"Yeah, I can see that. You know, the doctors did tell you to take it easy..."
"They're idiots."
Jason had to agree. The doctors had given Cass little chance of recovering 100% from the ligament damage in her leg, but based on sheer determination, Jason gave her much better odds. As soon as she had been able to get out of bed, she had been working out. And while she was out of commission, and he was laying low while the manhunt for the Joker's killer died down, they had both been surprised by what happened. Jason had been looking to clean up Gotham. The last thing he was looking for was to fall in love.
As Cass finished her workout(more due to exhaustion than any actual decision on her part), she allowed herself to collapse into Jason's waiting arms. Staring into his eyes, she could see the same haunted gaze that was there every morning.
"You dreamed about him again, didn't you?"
"Yeah. Nothing new, is it? Even dead, the clown's still fucking with me."
"You did the right thing, you know. He would have killed me."
"I know, babe. Doesn't make it any easier, though."
"He'll fade away. Evil always does. Let me help?"
Cass gently kissed Jason on the lips. Even if he didn't act like it, even if he still tortured himself day and night over what he did, he was her savior. And she had to try to return that favor just a little, even if it was a long shot.
________________
Alfred didn't know what to expect when the doorbell to Wayne manor rang in the afternoon. No guests were expected that day. So he was surprised to see Cass standing on the doormat, awkwardly balancing on her crutches with a look of grim determination on her face.
"Miss Cain! Good to see you out and about. Would you like to come in?"
"No. Need to speak to Bruce. Important."
"Well, of course, but you're still recovering. Let me get you something while I attempt to rustle Master Bruce up from the Batcave."
Cass acquiesed. She knew from experience that fighting Alfred when he was in protective mode was futile. She munched on a cucumber sandwich waiting for what seemed like an eternity until Bruce finally emerged from behind the secret entrance in the wall.
"Cass. Alfred told me this was urgent. I was in the middle of a case, so - "
"It's about Jason."
Bruce's face darkened. "Cassandra, you know he's wanted by the police. If you know where he is, tell him to turn himself in. It's the only way I can protect him."
"I'm living with him. So no. He saved my life, Bruce."
"He killed a man in cold blood. He has to answer for that. I know it's hard to understand, but we can't appoint ourselves - "
"He. Saved. My. Life." Cassandra took a deep breath, as she always did when she was about to speak at length. It still didn't come naturally to her. "He had a gun to my head. He would have pulled the trigger if he could. A second more, I would have been dead. Would you have preferred that?"
Bruce sighed. "Of course not. But it doesn't change the fact - "
"Then what? He does a good thing, but you want him to go to jail for it? Why? He's your son, Bruce."
"He made his own choices a while ago. I can't change what's been done."
"Maybe not. But you can change the future. He's hurting...and he needs someone besides me to tell him they understand."
"Cass, I can't promise..."
Cass stared Bruce in the eyes. "If you had one shot to keep the Joker from killing Jason...would you have taken it?"
For a change, it was Bruce who was speechless. Cass calmly stood up, balanced herself, thanked Alfred for the food, and left.
________________________
Cass relaxed on the couch, flipping through the channels. She wasn't all that surprised when the knock came at the door. About time.
"Stay right there, babe. Probably the pizza guy."
Jason opened the door. He and Bruce stared at each other for a second, neither sure what to say.
"Jason."
"Bruce. What the hell are you doing here?"
"I was planning to ask you to turn yourself in - "
"Well, let me tell you where you can stick - "
"But then I thought better of it. It wouldn't do any good for you to sit in a jail cell over this. I don't approve of what you did, and I like to think I would have found another way, but you did what you felt you had to do to save Cassandra. I can't fault you for that, but I can tell you I don't want it to happen again. And that's why I'm here. I'd like to try to make a fresh start. Regardless of everything that's happened between us, you are still my son."
Jason shook his head. "So what now, Bats? Am I supposed to put on the short pants again and do what you tell me? It's a little late for that."
"No. I just want a chance to get to know you again. I was...incorrect in treating you like an enemy. I should have reached out to you earlier. I'd like you and Cass to come over for Dinner at the manor in a few days. Alfred will contact you about the arrangements. No "job" talk. Just Bruce Wayne and Jason Todd. Are you willing to give it a chance?"
"Yeah, sure. Have the old man call me. But if I get the feeling it's a trap..."
"I'd never use the family home as a trap, Jason. Besides, if I wanted you captured, I'd have you on the ground already."
"Touche, Bats."
Cass silently grinned, hidden by the back of the couch. She knew it would work. Once she got Bruce and Jason talking, there was very little that couldn't be repaired with time. Jason would never have agreed to make the first move, so she had to bring Bruce to him. She was looking forward to seeing a little bit of the darkness and pain disappear from her predator bird's eyes. And then, when she was healed, they would run the rooftops together, the deadliest Batgirl and Robin team-up ever. Yes, the future was looking up. Even though neither of the men would have agreed to it, every Robin needed Batman, and Batman needed all his Robins. She was just doing her part.
