Description: Cassandra had spent a lot of time watching Jason Todd lately. The only change in him the others had picked up, is that they mentioned that he seems quieter these days. However, Cassandra knows better, he's not quiet, not at all. He's screaming.

Hello, everyone, this is one of my newer one-shots. This story just kinda...happened without me meaning to. You know? It was just this small idea that just kinda grew. Plus I've always wanted to see more interaction between Cassandra and Jason. I think they could have a really cool friendship.

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Cassandra Cain had spent a lot of time watching Jason Todd lately.

Sure, he doesn't have the closest relationship with 'the family,' but she sees him often. Occasionally, it's at the Manor, but more often than not, she sees him on patrol. Regardless, she sees him enough to know his body language, and she knows him well enough to tell when something is off about it.

Like right now.

It had started small, just a glimpse. A small mannerism here, a flash of a facial expression there. It was barely detectible by her, and unnoticeable to the untrained eye, but it was a change nonetheless. A small anomaly tucked and hidden between his usual behavior.

From the moment Cassandra had first laid eyes on Jason (then got into a fight with him) she had always known there was more to him than he let on. There was his outer persona: confidence, anger, sarcasm and many other things. Behind that wall was sadness, trauma, intelligence, more anger, and a plethora of emotions he didn't want anyone to know he had.

She knew all that about Jason from the start, but what had bothered her most about these recent 'slip ups' was that they were at random, and so very subtle she almost missed them. It was as if some outer wall was begging to crumble, and you could just barely catch a peek between the small cracks.

That was how it had started.

As Cassandra consciously began to observe more closely, she notice it happening more and more. His shoulders and overall posture would droop ever so slightly. His breathing and the way he stood would change. Sometimes even his facial features. It only happened when he thought he was alone, or when he thought no one was looking or paying attention. Eventually it started happening even more often than that. No one else noticed.

In fact Cassandra suspected that was why he started letting it show more, whether it was conscious or not. He realized that these little changes slipped under everyone's radar.

Except Cassandra's.

She suspected he knew this as well, because he took great care in making sure it didn't show when he was in her presence. She still caught the glimpses though.

It was always the same, sad, lonely, tired...no, exhausted. Occasionally there was the smallest hint of anger, rather it was directed towards others or himself, she could not tell. Then these flashes of anger would always be snuffed out by a wave of the aforementioned emotions.

Cassandra had tried to pinpoint the exact origin of these feelings, but couldn't. They were just...there.

Of course, Cassandra knew life (and death) had not been kind to Jason, it hadn't been kind to her either. She understood, perhaps better than most, that sometimes people just get sad and tired. There are also times when it's easy to feel lonely despite being in a room full of people. Sometimes life wears on you, it could be one thing, or it could be a hundred tiny things that have built up. She also knows it's only made worse when others don't notice, like in Jason's case. The only change the others have picked up, is that they've mentioned that he seems quieter these days.

But he's not quiet, not at all. He's screaming.

Even the way he occasionally mentions being tired, is like a loud shrill yell to Cassandra. Maybe he is 'tired', but when he says it, he means more than that. He's screaming so loud, but it only falls on deaf ears.

Except hers.

Cassandra supposes that's why she found herself concealed in the shadows of a high Gotham rooftop. She was crouched near the edge, eyes trained on Jason, who was on a lower rooftop a little ways away. He thought he was alone, and he wasn't even making any effort to hide it any more. He was in full uniform, (minus the helmet) and sitting on the edge of the building. Jason's head hung low, and his eyes were closed. Smoke slowly wafted upwards from a lit cigarette he held between his index and middle fingers, he had barely touched it the whole time. It's like every fiber of him was oozing those heavy, dark emotions.

Had Cassandra not known him, or had he been an average citizen, and not a vigilante, she would've been worried about how close he was to the edge.

Cassandra supposed the other reason she found herself there was because she knew what it was like. She knew what it was like to feel as if you are yelling and no one to hear you. To be beaten down by certain feelings and have no way or desire to express it.

For her it was mostly the previous, she wasn't always good at expressing complex emotions. Cassandra was a quiet person, and often times no one could really tell when she was upset unless she told or showed them. However, she didn't always want to let others know how she felt. She and those around her lived a very specific lifestyle, a lifestyle that didn't always allow room those type of things. She would often tell herself that there were more important things to worry about than how she felt. So she would find herself sweeping her feelings aside and attempting to push forward. She imagined Jason did the same.

She wasn't going to let him do that, though. She wasn't going to allow him to continue to slowly crumble while everyone around him remained blind to it.

The only question was how she was going to help him. It would do no good to tell the others, it would only make it worse. He needed someone to see him, not to be forced to look. He needed to rest, but not the physical kind. He needs to be cared for. Even if there was no particular reason for the way felt, he needed...

Cassandra's train of thought was interrupted by an idea that popped into her mind.

It was something Dick had showed her on the internet once. It was meant to be a silly joke, but Cassandra supposed it was applicable in this instance.

Without another moment, she launched herself from her position and gracefully landed a little ways behind Jason.

His head popped up and his posture immediately straightened. Though Cassandra noted it was tense and as if it took a lot of effort. Jason whirled around, his hand ghosting towards one of the pistols on his side. He relaxed once he realized it was her.

"Hey, Cass." He attempted to sound normal, as he stood and put out his cigarette.

"What do you need?" He spoke casually.

Cassandra stood from the crouched position she had landed in.

"You. Going home." She stated, ignoring his question and stepping towards him.

"Listen, whatever happened, you can tell Bruce it wasn't me. I swear." Jason replied, putting his hands up defensively.

"No. Not Manor. Your...safe house." She clarified firmly.

"Come." She took his arm and attempted to pull along with her.

"What? No," Jason blurted, confused. "I gotta finish my patrol." He began to resist.

Cassandra turned a face him, releasing his arm.

"No." She simply stated.

"Listen Cass, I don't know what this is about, but the bad guys aren't gonna beat the crap outta themselves." He quipped, taking a step back.

"No." Cassandra repeated, "Gotham will be alright. Tonight...save you." She flicked him on the forehead.

"What?" Jason furrowed his brow, more confused than before.

"Is someone following me?" He added, glancing around suspiciously.

Cassandra huffed in frustration, she was once again having difficulty expressing what she was trying to say.

"No. Just follow." She once again took his arm.

Jason squirmed out of her grip and attempted to bolt, but Cassandra hooked his foot with her own and tripped him. Jason managed to use the momentum of his fall, and did a somersault, landing on one knee.

"Home." She insisted.

Jason heaved an exasperated sigh. "Fine."

"But I'm going because I want to." He shot her a glare.

"Forgot my hood anyway." Jason grumbled under his breath, brushing past her.

Cassandra spotted the red helmet on the corner of the rooftop. She didn't say anything about it, she simply cracked a small smile and quickly followed after him.

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When they arrived at the house, Cassandra was through the door before Jason was. She had been there once before, so Jason knew she knew her way around.

Jason couldn't help but wonder how she had known he was staying in this particular safe house. He suspected she had followed him. Worry that she had seen him on the building briefly flickered through his mind.

Dammit, he knew he shouldn't have been moping around like an idiot.

Upon entering the house, Cassandra had immediately made a bee line for his room, leaving Jason standing in the foyer. He heard the shuffling of his dresser drawers a few seconds later.

Right now Jason wasn't focusing on the hollow sadness that been nagging at him lately. He was more engrossed in trying to figure out what the hell Cassandra was up to.

Obviously she was trying to do something, Jason had no idea what. He knew full well Cassandra sometimes had trouble expressing herself. Speaking wasn't her first language, so he knew he needed to be patient.

But his patience was wearing thin this evening, it also didn't help that she had essentially dragged him home. Jason closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, relaxing himself. He was determined not to get angry or snappy, whatever she was doing he was sure she had a good reason.

The shuffling continued for a few moments before Cassandra emerged with a comfortable looking pair of sweat pants and a tee-shirt.

"Here." She tossed at Jason's face. He caught them with ease.

Cassandra than made her way into the kitchen, more noise followed. Jason looked down at the clothing in his hands, he got the point. Jason sighed and went to the bathroom to go change. There was no arguing with her when she got like this.

When Jason emerged a few minutes later, she had him go to the living room. Cassandra then came in a few moments later with a blanket. She spread it out on the floor and gestured for him to lay down on it.

Jason officially had no idea what was going on.

Cassandra let out another huff when he didn't comply. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his middle, lifting him up, despite his loud and colorful protests. Jason would never figure out how she could do that. He was a good 7 inches taller than her, and about 100 pounds heavier. It defied that laws of physics as far as he was concerned.

Eventually though, Jason managed to get free and he laid down on the blanket of his own accord. The ex-assassin then proceeded to roll him into a giant, annoyed burrito.

After that Cassandra helped him get up and hop to the couch. Jason sat down, still rolled up.

Then it got weirder.

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight, Jason just sat there awkwardly for several moments. Cassandra did so until they heard the sound of his tea kettle whistling in the kitchen.

"Stay." Cass spoke, before quickly heading into the kitchen.

Jason simply sat in a state of utter and complete stupor. He knew Cassandra was different, given her childhood that was to be expected, but this was downright bizarre.

Cassandra came back in with a cup of tea and a few random snacks Jason had floating around. The hardcore vigilante had to slip his arms out of the burrito to take them as she handed then over.

After that Cassandra went over to his movie stack and picked out ones she knew he liked the most. She brought them over for him to pick, sitting down next to him.

"Cass..." Jason started.

He sat his tea down on the coffee table and turned to better face her.

"What are you doing?" He asked calmly and quietly.

"Whatever you want." Was her reply.

"We can watch," she gestured to the movies, "Or if you want to talk...I listen." Cassandra spoke sincerely.

"And I appreciate it, but why? What is all this?" Jason inquired, still confused.

Cassandra glanced at the tea, the snacks, the movies, and the blanket still loosely wrapped around Jason.

"Happy lil sushi roll." She whispered.

Jason immediately knew what she was talking about. Images of the cutely drawn pictures flashed through his mind. She was referencing this mini comic he had seen on the web a few times. It was titled 'How to Care for a Sad Person.'

Yeah, she definitely saw him.

Jason let out a chuckle, "Remind me to keep you away from the internet." He tried to brush it off.

Yet, the word "Why?" escaped his lips before he could stop himself.

Truthfully, he knew the answer, but he wanted to know how much she knew.

Cassandra was quiet for a beat.

"Because sometimes...people get sad. I know what it is like to feel like you are..." She paused, "Screaming but no one can hear." She replied, tears beginning to glisten in her eyes.

Not only did she see him, but apparently she also knew. About everything.

Her words hit Jason hard, not only because she had picked up on how he had been feeling lately, but also because she had manage to put how he was feeling into words better than he himself could.

How ironic was that?

Jason simply stared at her, taken a back. He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it again. He then realized tears had begun to pool in his eyes as well.

"Thank you." He answered simply.

She gave him a sad smile, before leaning forward and pulling him into a hug. Jason wrapped his arms around her, resting his cheek on the top of her head.