Jason had been tasked by Richard to find out what was going on with the Blackwoods and the Ranaldinis concerning Ember and Evan Sinclair. Both of them were constantly under attack and the only thing connecting them was the article that had been taken down from the Gazette and Ember's real identity as the sole heiress to two of the most influential crime families in Gotham.

As Jason had the right connections within the Gotham underworld, it wasn't hard for him to get to the core of the issue.

He managed to obtain information through one of his trusted informants and the case was more complicated than Richard had warned him about. Having the required information at hand, he decided to drop by the Manor that night and tell his brothers in detail about all he had found.

But he was aware that Ember was staying at the manor and he was still officially dead so he would have to be careful and use the discreet way of entering through his bedroom window.

It wasn't the first time for him to be using that mode of entrance. Each time he was grounded and that happened very often in his early teenage years, he snuck out using that window until he got caught by Bruce himself.

Climbing back in through that window was somewhat nostalgic and his feet soon found the firm footing of the small balcony with ornate railing. 

The night air was cold as he stood there for a while, listening for the surroundings to be sure that he hadn't caused any unwanted noise. He knew Ember's room was one floor below but he wasn't aware that her room was directly under his own.

As he stood there, the familiar scent of cigarette smoke reached him and he paused, knowing he wasn't the one smoking. In the family, Tim smoked too but there was no chance for him to be anywhere close.

Surprised, he came close to the railing and looked down, seeing the redhead guest that he had only heard about puffing out a cigarette. It seemed as if she was tensed so she had come out to the balcony for a smoke.

So that was Ember, he thought, the young woman who was right in the center of the dangerous conspiracies brewing in the heart of Gotham underworld. She was hunched slightly against the railings, her hand holding the cigarette dangling carelessly and the other massaging her temple.

It was clear that she was troubled about something.

But before Jason could draw back and retreat to his room, his phone rang, shattering the silence around him. Frantic, he disconnected the call and stepped back but it seemed as if the person below had gotten alert.

"Who are you?" She called, looking up as she had seen him for a brief second, "what are you doing there?"

She had gotten worried that even at Wayne Manor, someone sent by those darned crime families had shown up to spy on her and was risking their safety. But then she recalled that Richard had told her that the security systems at Wayne Manor couldn't be bypassed by any intruders, Tim made sure of that.

On the other hand, Jason considered that he could totally ignore her, and she would just think she imagined seeing someone up there. Perhaps that would have been the better option. But curiosity got the better of him and he looked back down.

Ember paused because she hadn't seen him before when Richard had introduced his family to her. But then it could be probable that the Waynes had other members she hadn't met yet.

"I hope I didn't startle you," Jason remarked and saw her features relax a little as if accepting the fact that she was not under threat.

"It's fine... I haven't seen you before though so I got surprised, that's all."

"People don't normally see me," he smiled, figuring out a way to fix his troubles regarding staying hidden at the Manor, "I'm Jason. You are?"

"Jason?" She looked as if she had heard that name before and when realization struck, her eyes widened, "Jason Todd?"

"The one and only. Didn't catch your name though."

She was still processing that she was talking to someone who was proclaimed dead. "Ember. But... Didn't you die?"

"I did," he chuckled softly, "mind if I come down to explain?"

She thought about it but then shifted to one side to make room for him. Much to her surprise he easily climbed down the balcony above hers and landed right beside her.

"How did you do that?"

"I could have used the common method of apparition but then I have already startled you enough," he remarked, knowing that his abrupt appearance was serving as a distraction from whatever was troubling her earlier.

Pondering over his words, she finally realized what he meant, "So you're a ghost."

"You could say that. Why else would I be here?" 

Jason was quite carefree about the entire ordeal and knew Tim would freak out and panic if he found out that he was talking to their guest at the moment. All the more fun for him to keep the conversation going.

Plus if she believed that he was a ghost, it would no longer be an issue for him to sneak in and out of the Manor. He could just randomly pop in and out as long as the others pretended not to see him. He would enlighten them with his brilliant idea at breakfast the next morning, he thought.

"Oh..." But Ember still didn't seem too convinced, "but I thought ghosts didn't exist."

"Well, we all have our moments of realization some day or other."

As he was standing right beside her, she could see the unusual white streak in his hair but that was the only thing about him that struck her as strange. Other than that, he seemed very alive. Or perhaps it was just a trick of the light, she thought. Besides, even if ghosts existed she had no idea whether they would really be translucent like those shown in the movies or not.

"See that tombstone over there?" He pointed to the distant Wayne Cemetery that was visible from her balcony, "That's my grave."

"Right... And yet you're here, talking to me as if you aren't dead at all," she mumbled, lighting up the cigarette, "beats me why I am not freaking out."

"You must have had an even rougher day to worry about instead. Or your life is already in too much trouble for you to get scared by ghosts," he remarked and she paused, turning to look at him as if startled by the accuracy of his words, "Looks like I'm right."

He didn't probe further but watched her as she considered whether or not to open up to a ghost. 

Finally, she sighed, "You could say that. I lost my job today. Again."

He had some context about her working for the Gotham Gazette earlier and then getting fired from the paper due to an article she had written. And seeing her right then as well as hearing it from her, he could assume why Gotham Daily had fired her too.

"So you came out here to poison your lungs instead?" He remarked, catching her look at him deliriously, "Hey, I know. I'm not the best person to give a lecture on not smoking. But still..."

She thought about crushing out the cigarette but then didn't do so, "I guess I've gotten too used to smoking out of stress. But I just needed to distract myself from all this shit my life is turning into and this seemed like the only option I could use at the moment..."

Jason felt that if he kept silent, she might just open up about what exactly was going on. A little explanation from her might help in setting things into perspective for him too regarding her involvement with the article and the families.

"All I wanted was to be a good investigative journalist and somehow that left me here, caught up in this feud between two families that I would rather not have anything to do with... It frustrates me how easy it is for these people to use everything in their power and make others' lives hell. And then when someone tries to stand up for the truth, they get rid of them too."

Unsurprisingly, those words struck close to his heart too. He had also seen firsthand how cruel Gotham could be especially for an average citizen who was alone in the city and battling its injustices.

"I understand. Been there myself," he mumbled, an understanding look glazing his bluish-green eyes. "You know, I used to live on the streets after my mother died and before Bruce took me in. This city's a shithole and I've seen that up close. It gets even worse if you are on your own and don't have anyone to back you up."

He was right. She knew how hard it had been for her to do everything on her own, to grow up alone and without the support of a family who could love her unconditionally and provide respite in trialing moments.

Talking to him right then, she felt somewhat better. He understood what she was going through and whether or not he was there or she was just imagining him, his presence offered comfort.

"Look, Gotham's a tough place. But tough people find a way to survive and make a difference. You might be down now, but it doesn't mean you're out. You've got a voice, and sometimes that's all you need to start a revolution," he spoke reassuringly, knowing that she needed that comfort at the moment.

She needed to know that she wasn't alone and that she would make it through the hardships she was currently facing.

She shook her head at his kind words, letting them sink in, "Oh come on... You think I could start a revolution?"

"If you put your mind and heart into it, you could," he replied.

"I don't know how you were as a person but you certainly are a very nice ghost," she remarked, "I think I needed to hear this from someone..."

"In the words of a modern poet; Survival of the richest, the city's ours until the fall," he quoted a song lyric playfully, lightening the mood. She got the hint and a smile broke out on her face at last.

"I didn't know ghosts listened to songs too," she replied.

"Well, I'm a man of taste and so what if I died?" He shrugged, "The music lives. But there are very few singers these days who actually put poetry into their songs."

She laughed softly, letting go of the tension that had been building up inside her. Jason was right; the city was a shithole but what would that make her if she gave up too soon?

It was futile to stop now that she had come so far. If she did, it would only make those crime families succeed in their motive of silencing her.

***