Jason nearly went mad. The only thing that was in his mind was that he should be dead, and living his afterlife with his Nico. He didn't break his promise, but he beat the assassins bloody, before dashing off into the outside. He fell to the ground, sobbing hard. He was happy... he was so happy being dead... why was he alive?

Three months later, Gotham was alerted of a new vigilante. Batman began to search for the other, looking to kick him out. He traced him to an old apartment.

He stood in the apartment, watching the vigilante. He couldn't see the other's face.

"Kill me... please." The vigilante whispered. The voice was young - 12 years old if Batman had to guess, "Please, Batman... kill me." The figure turned around, revealing....

"Jason?" Batman asked, shocked.

Jason gave a choked sob, "Good god... the dead aren't supposed to stay alive... it's tearing me to shreds. I miss him, too. Please... kill me... break the rule just this once... it's not killing if I already died."

"No." Batman shook his head firmly, "You know I can't do that..."

Jason grabbed his former mentor and father figure's hand, and begged, "Please... I shouldn't be here! I'm not meant to live. Please... send me back. I need to return to the Underworld... you don't understand... I... I can't tell you why, but I have to go back.... please..."

Batman sighed, before picking up his twelve year old son, and carried him to the famous car, "I can't kill anyone... especially not you."

Jason just sobbed into his mentor's shoulder, "Please... Bruce... I want to die."

Batman shook his head, and sat Jason down in the seat next to his, "Then you're on suicide watch."

Jason cried harder, "Bruce... I'm sorry... I can't... I need to go back! I need him... I need to go back to him... he needs me!"

Bruce froze as he went to turn on autopilot. His eyes went to Jason's sobbing form, "Who?"

Jason bit his lip, "I met him in the Underworld. The only human ever allowed to go in and out... I... we... I love him Bruce... I can't stay... because I'm needed elsewhere."

Bruce gently touched Jason's shoulder, "If he loves you, then he will understand."

The other paused, "I promised him I wouldn't kill... but I... the Lazarus pit is messing with my mind Bruce... I'm scared. What if I lose control? If I go insane? I don't want to live like that..."

Batman hugged Jason firmly, and a tear slipped past his cowl, "I won't let that happen. I swear. Just please... come back to the manor. You might not know it, but I... I met a kid who figured out all of our identities. He was orphaned a few weeks ago. Just like with you and Dick... I couldn't leave him to be hurt. He isn't Robin... Dick didn't want him to be Robin until Tim proved himself capable and worthy... I agreed..." Bruce, safe within the tinted car windows, took off his cowl, "I... after you... you died... we fell apart. Dick was having nightmares again, I was more closed off. We're still just barely holding it together... Jason... we need you, too. Even your new brother, Tim, needs someone to talk to closer to his age... I can't... I can't lose you again."

Jason gave a broken sob in response, "But I can't stay... I shouldn't be here. I'm going mad, Bruce... I want to die. I needed to stay dead."

"Jason... Jason listen to me!" Batman shook his shoulders, "You are a fighter - a hero - so fight for yourself!"

"You don't understand..." Jason shook his head, "I hear the souls of the damned screaming. I can hear the underworld, Bruce. If I don't go back willingly, I will be faced with eternity in pain. I knew the rules and I broke them - willingly or not. I have to either get permission or go back."

"Then we'll get permission!"

Jason shook his head, "Only one person has ever had permission and it was under special conditions."

"Jason... you have a second chance... don't you see?"

"I see that I broke the number one law of the Underworld. I see that I could be doomed for eternity. I should wait... wait for death to retrieve me... surely he will!"

"That'd be accurate." A voice said from the back seat, "If you hadn't met me, that is."