Chapter Text
Dick cheered as Damian landed the flip. The younger boy was still banned from patrol but insisted on training with the family. Everyone came to the consensus behind his back that it wouldn’t include combat but instead focus on tricking the boy into having fun. So gymnastics training it is. Oracle has started letting him keep watch over the comms on weekends letting him learn how to work cases from the safety of the cave. He was a quick study and accepted the tests that his predecessors devised before he could be allowed out as Robin. Tests that should mean he’ll be well into being a teenager before risking his life crime fighting…if he even still wanted to at that point.
Tim tightened the straps of his bandoliers settling into his new suit. He might have outgrown Robin but he wasn’t ready to leave it behind completely. And he knew he wanted to honor Jason so tonight was the perfect night to debut the new suit and name.
“Red Robin, are you ready?” Bruce called.
“Yes B. Let’s go,” Tim responded with a smile.
Alfred settled into the armchair, a cup of tea to his side and a book in his hand. He smiled for a moment resting his head back and listening to the sounds of the summer night coming in from the cracked window. Barbara had kicked him off the comms tonight insisting that he did not need to spend the early hours of his birthday watching over the family. She swore she would contact him if necessary but with Clark and Diana planning on checking in tonight he shouldn’t be bothered. It was already looking to be a much more peaceful birthday than most. He took a sip of his tea and cracked open his book. “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
Clark and Diana landed on the top of Wayne Tower looking over the city. For Gotham, it was rather quiet. Black Bat was waiting and tilted her head looking at the pair.
“Hello Black Bat, how are you tonight?” Diana asked.
“Good family has been busy, less so tonight. Everyone happy.” She signed.
“Where’s Spoiler?” Superman asked. “Doesn’t she normally patrol with you?”
“Right here,” the blonde piped up from behind the alien.
Clark jumped which had the women all laughing.
“Ha ha very funny.”
“I thought so,” Diana replied, smiling at him.
“What were you so focused on you couldn’t hear me?” Stephaine asked, tilting her head. “I mean I’m good but I’m not silent like the assassins of the family.” She continued pointing at Cass, ignoring the glare she sent back.
“A heartbeat,” Clark replied.
Jim Gordon knocked on the door to the clocktower waiting for his daughter to let him up, his head tilted up so he was looking at the camera. A bag of takeout was raised when the camera shifted slightly, alongside an eyebrow. The door slid open and he stepped into the elevator, waiting patiently as it climbed to the top floor.
“Dad,” Barbara said as the door opened. Jim stepped into the clear ops center, his eyes sweeping the monitors and screens before settling back on his daughter. “How did you…”
“I know, I’ve always known,” Jim replied. “I was hoping you would have told me on your own at some point. I gave you a year after Jason took out the clown but I’m done pretending I don’t know.”
“But you’re police commissioner, we’re vigilantes, it's technically-”
“Against the law, I know. But in the past year crime is down, overdoses are down next to nonexistent in children, most of the Rogues have backed off and are following the Red Code if not running in fear from Crime Alley.” Jim said, sitting down at the table across from Babs. “Things are actually getting better in Gotham recently, so forgive me for not wanting to keep secrets from my daughter.”
Babs sighed before smiling and rolling up to the table. “In case you didn’t figure it all out I’m Oracle but I was Batgirl…”
Scarlett leaned over the railing watching over the warehouse, Bill standing next to her looking out as well his eyes focusing on the new guards standing in the wings.
“Never thought I’d end up playing den mother to a bunch of homeless kids when I signed on with Hood.” She said a smile playing on her lips.
“Ah Tessa, you thought it was going to be all gang wars and adrenaline rushes? I thought you were smarter than that,” Bill replied with a laugh.
“Nah I figured Hood had a chance at changing things and I wanted in,” she replied. “I just wasn’t expecting on being breathin’ when he did.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Bill agreed, lighting a cigarette and placing it between his lips.
“Hey,” Clara’s voice rang out as she stepped onto the walkway. “You know the rules no smoking inside around the kids. Take it outside if you need to.”
“Speaking of den mother,” Bill muttered under his breath storing the cigarette.
“What was that?” Clara said, rounding on Bill.
“Nothing ma’am,” Bill replied sheepishly, ignoring the snickering from Tessa.
Clara glared for a moment before turning her attention to Tessa. “Has everyone been by yet tonight?”
“Sam stopped by early, she’s doing well with the working girls, some would still prefer to work with you but they get it with you taking over watching over the kids. Tommy was by before nightfall apparently there’s been some chatter, the intel got passed on to the others,” Tessa answered. “Obviously Bill is here. I’m signing off for the night soon. Peter is taking over from me. Cobblepot swung by and left some donations, Ivy and Quinn too. Selina has been in the rafters for most of the night. Bats and the kid stopped by too briefly, kid apparently has picked up a new name, Red Robin.”
“Wonder how long til there’s a new Robin,” Bill commented.
“I give it six months,” Clara said.
“A year.”
“Guess we’ll just have to see,” Bill replied to the bets.
“Scar, while I appreciate the update that all wasn’t what I asked,” Clara said, bringing them back to focus.
“If you were asking about the boss you could’ve just said so,” she replied.
“Then yes, I’m askin’ about the boss, you know what day today is.”
There was a solid thump as a large man landed on the roof. If he looked across the street he would see a large mural, kept up by the people of the neighborhood, who had added plenty of detail over the last year. Kids would be playing in the park next to the building as soon as the sun came up and the gardens surrounding it were thriving with both food plants and flowers even with the summer’s heat. He stretched rolling his wrist wincing slightly at the stretch of the newly healed skin over his newest tattoo. The black semicolon stood in stark contrast to the white scar tissue surrounding it. His phone chirped and he pulled up the text message in the display on his mask.
“Happy Birthday Habibi - Sender unknown” he read a smile playing on his lips. The message minimized again as he turned his head to the small scuff behind him.
“Happy Birthday Hood,” Micheal, one of the street kids, said, coming over and hugging him.
“What are you still doing up?” Hood asked, tilting his head down.
“I wanted to be the first to wish you a happy birthday,” the kid said with a smile.
“Well officially you’re the second, my mom just barely beat you but good try,” Hood said ruffling their hair. “Now get back inside and go to sleep it’s too late for you to be up.”
“Yessir,” they said before heading back to the edge of the roof. “Hood, you aren’t alone today are you?”
“Nah kid, I’m gunna get mobbed by my family later. I won’t be alone today.”
“That’s good, no one should be alone on their birthday,” Micheal said before heading back off the roof.
Hood shook his head before heading off himself, coming to rest alongside one of the gargoyles on the top of the Gotham Cathedral.
“Aren’t you glad you had a chance my butcherbird?” Lady Gotham said, draping herself over the wings of the gargoyle to his left, her fanged grin glinting in the moonlight.
“Most days,” Jason said, looking over the city.
“Not perfect but better than it was,” Lazarus replied, a faint green glow shining off the dark stone the only indication that he wasn’t hallucinating its presence.
“I think I liked it better when you were just in my head,” Jason muttered under his breath.
“But I like this so much better,” it replied, baring its teeth.
“Now Lazzie, don’t tease him today.”
“Some people have an angel and a devil on their shoulders, what do I have, oh a sentient city and a primordial being, 'cause that makes sense,” Jason muttered under his breath.
“She does have wings and I’ve been called a demon so you aren’t that far off.”
“On that note, I’m headed in cause I’m not dealing with your commentary today.”
“It’s late, you better be turning in,” Gotham replied with a huff. Gotham froze, “Hood,” she called, getting his attention and pointing. There on a rooftop across from them, a teen sat at the edge of the rooftop looking down, a look of determination on their face.
“Shit fuck” Jason swore as he swung over and landed next to the teen close but not too close giving them distance but still being close enough he could grab them if he failed.
The teen looked over at Hood and sighed. “I figured by now all of you would’ve been done for the night.”
Jason studied them, noting the hoodie's long sleeves pulled down over their hands even in the summer heat, the frown on their face. “Well, I’m glad I wasn’t.”
The teen snorted and looked down, “So what you’re gonna give me some spiel on how things always get better. That this is a permanent solution to a temporary problem that I should just suck it up and everything will work out in the end.”
“I could if you think that it would help.” Jason shrugged, “I mean that’s all true but it sounds like you’ve already heard that and it didn’t resonate so I’d rather not waste my breath.”
The teen chuckled, “Then why’d you stop then?”
Jason shrugged off his jacket and rolled up his sleeve, shifting his hips so he was turned toward the teen and both his scars and his tattoo were visible in the streetlight. “Cause literally a year ago I was in your shoes and it was only cause of a borderline miracle and some friends in both high and low places that I survived and I don’t want to see someone else be in that place if I can help it.”
“But you’re a hero?”
“Doesn’t stop things from hurting, from being hard. Didn’t stop me from breaking for a bit.”
“But the clown…”
“Yep, I killed him and then attempted. Something I’m thankful I failed at. The second one at least, can’t be upset that the fucking clown is dead.”
“I thought it would get easier, that things would get better.”
“How about you get off the ledge and we talk about it? We can stay on the roof but let’s just move away from the edge a bit?”
“No,” the teen said, shaking their head and looking away.
“Ok, ok,” Jason said, his hands coming up palms out. “Can I at least get your name, kid?”
“Blake, it’s Blake,” they replied.
“Ok Blake, tell me to fuck off if you want but I’m guessing the clown fucked something up for you. Your family, your friends, something. And when I put him in the dirt you hoped it meant things would get better, go back to how they were before.”
Blake’s hands had tightened into fists and they were curled into themselves. “But it didn’t. Things were still fucked.”
Blake nodded, tears creeping down through tightly closed eyes. “I know 'cause I thought the same thing.”
Blake’s eyes flew open and they looked at Hood. “I thought that killing the source of my nightmares would mean I’d get a good night's sleep. I hoped that I could go back to the kid I was with dreams of university.” Jason sighed, “But that’s not how things work. The only way is forward. And I won’t lie, kid forward sucks sometimes and it’s hard. It’s damn hard. And there will be days where mentally you’ll be back up on this rooftop. But forward also means the good things, the small ways things get better. And the big things that you wanted to happen and gave up on.”
“But Blake, you have to make that choice. The choice to get down with me and make the decision to hope that things will get better. And get the help to see that through.” Jason said, standing and reaching a hand out. “I don’t know your story yet but I’m damn sure not letting you finish it tonight. Ya hear me?”
Blake took a deep breath, seeming to steel themself before reaching out and taking Jason’s hand. Jason pulled the kid into a tight hug moving the pair of them away from the edge. Blake started sobbing and Jason stood there rubbing his hand up and down their back comforting them. As their tears slowed Jason spoke, “I’m taking you to the Todd Center. Everyone there knows the Alley and gets it. It’s no cost for treatment and it’ll help you get your feet under yourself so you can get better. After I drop you off, if you give me your address I’ll swing by and get some of your stuff so you're more comfortable ok? I’ll leave my burner number for you if you want to talk in the future, ok kid?”
Blake nodded twice before rattling off an address.
“Is there anyone you want them to call for you?” Jason asked gently.
“My mom,” Blake whispered.
Jason nodded, “consider it done,” before escorting them off the roof.
Back in the cave what felt like hours later, Jason dried off and changed, the last back to the manor he shut off the lights as he made the slow trek back to the family wing. He peeked his head in on his siblings, chuckling slightly at Cass and Steph intertwined in a mess of limbs, Dick halfway turned around on the bed only the massive size of the manor’s beds keeping him from being half on the floor. Tim had papers scattered all around him and Damian had his dog and cat taking up easily half the bed. Bruce and Alfred would both wake if he checked on them but a quick check of the manor’s security on his phone saw both sleeping soundly. Most of his family safe and sound, everyone in the same place for the party later in the day. He opened the door to his own room and Austen, a brindle pit, lifted his head, his tail thumping against the bed, sending Shelley, a black cat with bright green eyes across the bed away from the danger zone. He smiled at the pair and curled up in the bed, Austen and Shelley both bracketing him with a comforting weight as he drifted off to dreamless sleep, looking forward to waking up again with his family and celebrating another year.