Maybe going back to the manor would be in Sam's best interest. She could go there and lock herself in her room, throw her technology against a wall and call it all good enough. No temptation to turn back around, no temptation to pick up the phones and hit redial, and demand it's a mistake and she takes it all back. It would be easier to go to the manor and tell Gar what happened because maybe Gar would tell her it was the wrong decision and none of them can give up on Jason. But, none of this has been easy so she doesn't go to the manor. Instead, she goes back to the Excellent Gotham, going up to the roof through the back where the crime unit doesn't see her.

She ditches her phones and her necklace on the roof, figuring all of it will be safe for an hour. She hides everything under the radiator unit before she heads back down and back to her bike. Then she drives to the one person who will not be so understanding of this entire mess but deserves an answer. And deserves to know what's going on, just in case.

"Hey." Molly greets, standing in her doorway.

Her hand rests on the doorframe, blocking Sam from inside while she wears a sowl. Sam looks to her feet and then back to Molly, knowing this is going to be difficult. She's thinking her own guilt might fall into the air and suffocate her like carbon monoxide poisoning. Maybe that'd be less painful.

"I need to talk to you." Sam states softly, tugging her sleeves over her blood-stained hands.

Molly scoffs, shaking her head as she keeps her hand on the door. It's unbelievable. She knows Jason dying was horrible. It's worse that Sam had to be the one to find him mangled and bloody. But, Molly cleaned his blood out of her suit and off of her hands. She cleaned his blood off of the bathroom floor that night all by herself. It was Molly that got Sam into bed with tear-stained cheeks and the smell of iron radiating off of her. It was Molly that had to take care of Sam instead of grieving for her friend. Molly didn't see what Sam did but she didn't have to because the blood across the entire bathroom and Sam's traumatized demeanor told her everything and it was fucking traumatizing for her, too. Molly still tried to be there for Sam and Sam does what she always does. She runs away from everything that hurts. That left Molly alone to deal with the loss of one of her best friends. Alone.

"You've been ignoring me for a week and now you want to talk?" Molly spits back. "I lost—"

"It's about Jason." Sam cuts her off because she knows she's been a shitty friend. She knows. Molly hesitates, her eyes narrowing as she shakes her head. "You can yell at me all you want and you can slam the door in my face but I bet you didn't replace your locks so I can just break in anyway."

"Seriously?" Molly asks, unamused.

Sam shrugs softly, sucking in a deep breath. "It's important. I know, alright?" Sam gestures her arms out. "Just...let me fucking--"

"Is that blood?" Molly asks, seeing Sam's hands.

Sam looks down, blood staining her hands yet again. Her hands are shaking and she didn't even realize it. When did they start shaking? Have they been shaking the whole time? When did the blood dry anyway? It feels chalky on her hands and it makes her grimace, shaking her head quickly.

"Uh...yeah." Sam nods and she sees Molly's face soften. Sam swears she doesn't deserve sympathy. "It's not mine. It is why I'm here though." Sam says softly. "Not Jason's either, to clarify."

Molly raises a brow at the last remark, knowing it can't be Jason's on account of him being dead. But, she's watching Sam shift her weight on her heels and her hands shake at her sides. Molly might be mad but she is also intrigued with what this could have to do with Jason and at the end of the day, she is worried about Sam. She knows Sam's body count is up to four but she knows Sam would say it's five. And that's always concerning. So, she lets out a sigh and moves her hand, stepping aside so Sam can enter the apartment.

"I'm mad at you. But, fine. Say whatever it is." Molly crosses her arms over her chest as the two of them stand in her kitchen.

"I'm sorry, okay? You were looking out for me and I just....couldn't deal with it. I'm sorry for yelling and being mean. I know, I know you lost him, too. And I'm sorry." Sam swallows thickly. "I just..." Sam shrugs in defeat. If she's going to get Molly to listen to her, she needs to tell her why she did it. "I think I thought I didn't deserve your help, okay? Maybe that's what it was. Like..." Sam pauses, looking up to the ceiling. "Uh, ya know? I, uh, I couldn't look out for Jason when he really needed it so I didn't fucking deserve it. I don't know. But I'm fucking sorry because you didn't deserve that."

"I know." Molly nods, softly as her brows furrow. As mad and as hurt as she is, she never wants Sam to feel like she doesn't deserve help. No one should feel that way and it wasn't even Sam's fault. "Why would you think you don't deserve help?"

Sam grits her teeth. "Oh, well, that's part of what I get to tell you." Sam rolls her eyes. "He just..." Sam chews the inside of her cheek. "He has saved my life more than once and...I couldn't fucking save him. And I should have seen it and I didn't. I should have been there for him and I wasn't...not in the way he clearly needed. He did....so much for me without ever knowing it, I think and I just...couldn't repay him. So...I took it out on you and Gar and Dick and everyone. And I'm just really fucking sorry." Sam's voice cracks.

There's a fear creeping into the back of Sam's head and for a reason she doesn't quite understand, she thinks about the anti-fear drug. It would be easier to have this conversation if she had it. But she doesn't. She has to suck it up and it sucks. It's making her think she was too hard on Jason for making and taking the drug in the first place. She snapped and went after him and maybe she was too hard on him because he was suffering and he wanted a way out without taking a way out. He just wanted help and to be Robin. It's all he ever wanted, to be fearless so he can do the one thing everyone thought he was best at. She thinks about the drug because all she wants right now is to stop running from everything that hurts and that scares her so she can stop hurting other people. The people that care about her. Maybe she was too hard on Jason for it.

"And I'm sorry for ignoring you. I did what I always do. I know. And I'm sorry. And some shit fucking happened and it just...got so fucking messy and I'd have to lie to you and I couldn't do that. But..." Sam's rambling pauses. "I have to tell you because it's not fucking fair to you and uh...I'm just...scared and tired of keeping secrets. But you can't tell anyone."

Molly lets out a breath as she watches Sam tug her sleeves down over the ligature scars. They're fading, slowly. But they are fading and it doesn't excuse Sam for being a shitty friend but...this can't be easy. Molly puts herself in Sam's shoes. She's uprooted from the only thing she has ever known and then tortured and given powers. Molly knows Sam always hated the idea of having powers. It was always good for other people but no thanks for her. Now she's stuck with them and not even by accident or by her own doing but by her abuser. She's then thrown into being a vigilante. Something Sam never quite understood why someone would do. Why risk your life for other people who don't give a fuck about you? And then Jason. It's not right but... things haven't been easy.

"Okay." Molly nods softly. "But, you need to get help for your own shit, okay? It's not fair to me, you're right."

Sam nods quickly. "Trust me, already thought about that." Sam scoffs. She should have followed in Jason's shoes. She should have taken Bruce's advice and just talked to Leslie.

"Okay so...what's going on?" Molly asks as she uncrosses her arms, resting one hand on her hip.

"Jason's alive." Sam spits the words out so fast Molly nearly misses them.

"That's not funny." Molly shakes her head but her voice lacks any and all venom.

"Yeah." Sam scoffs. "That's what I said but he is. Long story, not mine to tell. But he's alive. He's Red Hood." Sam explains, keeping it short.

Molly nods her head once, realizing that's why Red Hood dropped Deigo off. That's how he even knew about the missing kids. It's because Red Hood is Jason. That explains a lot while also explaining almost nothing.

Sam nods softly. "Yeah, he killed Pete Hawkins." Sam states as if she could see Molly putting pieces together.

"And you knew?" Molly asks as Sam watches her eyes start to glass over.

"He asked me not to fucking tell anyone and I told him he had to tell you and Gar because you'd both hate me if you guys knew I knew and didn't say anything." Sam shakes her head and while that's true, that does not stop the guilt from turning her stomach. "But shit is hitting the fan and...I don't know when he plans to tell you and I'm tired of keeping his secrets."

Molly's brows furrow as she's taken aback by everything. Jason is alive and comes back as a crime lord. That's already weird but now Sam is standing here saying she's tired of keeping his secrets. Sam is nothing if not loyal to the people she loves and Jason is very high up on that list of people.

"Okay, hold on." Molly closes her eyes for a second as she tries to process everything. "So, he's alive but he doesn't want anyone to know? Instead, he decides to become Red Hood? And now you're suddenly not on his side? What the hell is going on?"

Sam gestures her hands, waving them slightly with the roll of her eyes. "Mr. Drake was shot today, hit on Excellent Gotham."

"Is he okay?" Molly rushes. "Why...wait. Jason...didn't?"

"Uh....I don't know. Tim's gonna text me but uh, yeah it was Jason." Sam sucks in a breath and she decides she's just going to tell the story as quickly and as plainly as possible. It's going a bit numb anyway. "Some sort of threat to Tim because Jason is working with Scarecrow to make an anti-fear drug. Jason left the formula and it was coded. I figured it out, Jason figured out that I had to go to Tim. I only even went to Tim thinking Jason wouldn't think I would do that. But, of course he did because he knew I'd never be able to look you in the eye and not tell you he's alive. So, yeah."

Molly blinks a few times as the room falls silent. When Sam said it was about Jason, she really could have prepared her a little more for this. What the hell is going on and how is Molly supposed to just take all of this in? There's a small part of her that wonders if this is just a fever dream.

"Can...can I wash my hands while you digest that?" Sam asks after a few seconds of silence.

"Yeah..." Molly points to the kitchen sink while Sam walks over. "Why the hell are you so calm?"

"Probably shock." Sam mutters. "Oh, and let me give you a rundown of everything that's happened, literally this week. Jason's alive so Dick and me dug up his grave. Fun. All of the Titans got mad at me and basically turned on me for knowing he's alive. Ya know whatever. Then I remade the drug, got high, me and Jason then fought each other cause I went to confront him. While I was there, he was putting a bomb in Hank's chest. I failed, blah blah blah, we all failed. Hank blew up. Me and Dick kidnapped Crane, then fought Jason again. They almost shot me so I fought both of them, then Babs got Dick shot. Then Excellent Gotham got shot up while I was inside and I killed 3 more people because Jason gave them the drug." Sam says casually, the water almost overcoming her voice. 

"There's so much to unpack there." Molly mutters softly and decides maybe she should sit down. She needs to figure out which part of that she wants to dive into first.

"Oh, yeah, it's been a very eventful week. At this point, I think this is just my life. You know that little stuff I've been telling you about what happened?" Sam asks.

Sam told Molly bits and pieces of what happened to her, specifically over the last couple of years. But, Sam has also been very careful to avoid anything that could ever out any of their vigilante alter egos. She's been very careful not to give anything too detailed away about what happened to Jason in San Francisco. Sam always kept a lot of the details to herself, partially to keep secrets about everyone but also to spare Molly horrifying details. But, in order for Molly to understand everything that's led Jason here, she has to know the whole story. In every detail.

"Neglecting every important detail that would make your stories make sense, yes." Molly quips.

"Right, well, you know Deathstroke?" Sam questions and Molly nods slowly, already hating where this is going. "Well, when we got hurt together, yeah, it's because Deathstroke and Dr. Light kidnapped us and then tortured us. Some vendetta against Dick. And uh, you know Jason's limp he has sometimes? Yeah, Deathstroke dug the tracker out of his leg. Dropped us from a skyscraper, Conner saved Jason when he fell. Dick pulled me in. So, ya know, h, the powers! Jerry, abusive fuck, yeah that's all him." Sam says with the nod of her head."

"You were both kidnapped by Deathstroke?" Molly asks, earning another nod. "And Jerry gave you powers?"

"Well, experimented on to give me powers to give himself powers, yes." Sam nods her head, chewing the inside of her cheek. "Not really relevant right now, but I figured I'd throw that in there."

Sam sucks in a deep breath before she explains the story of Deathstroke to Molly. And the events that followed, this time in excruciating detail. Everything between being hit and Jason being choked. The two of them trying to defend the other only for it to be useless. She explains everything that happened outside of the skyscraper and then their talk in the bathroom that, up until this moment, has been just between her and Jason. Then she tells her about Jason walking out to the roof. She tells Molly every detail.

"That explains a lot." Molly nods. "I knew he was different. I knew something bad happened over there but..." Molly's heart aches and she really wishes Jason could have told her or talked to her about it. She isn't sure she could have helped, but she would have tried.

"Yeah..." Sam nods her head.

"Why are you telling me now?" Molly shakes her head in confusion. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't know. I just...you asked why I'm so calm and I just think it's my life now. And I think you should know. I think you need to know the whole story in order to understand any of it. It's bigger than Bruce taking Robin away from him. You have to know the story and you're the only one that doesn't." Sam shrugs softly.

"Right, okay, yeah. That makes sense." Molly nods her head before she decides to switch back to something else Sam said. Molly takes a seat at the kitchen table. "Wait, hold you, you made a fucking drug and then took it?!"

Sam glances at her as she shrugs and then looks back at the water. Everyone is so upset about that part of the story. "Yes. I'm fine. It was fine. Ya know, it wasn't like...I didn't die."

"You're an idiot." Molly groans as she holds the bridge of her nose while Sam dries her hands.

"I've been told." Sam nods her head as she leans against the counter, keeping the paper towels in her hands.

"I have so many questions." Molly rests her elbow on the table. "Why is Jason working with Scarecrow? I mean, are you sure?" Molly isn't sure why she asked. They literally kidnapped him, so they have to be sure but she just finds it so hard to believe.

"Oh, we are positive." Sam lets out a sigh. "Robin can't be scared." Sam grits her teeth, the anger bubbling back in her stomach like mixing pop rocks and pop. "It's...Bruce made Jason feel like he was only ever good enough as Robin. And he made him and Dick sign a fucking contract about not being scared or something. I don't even know. So, Jason gets fucking PTSD from Deathstroke because Dick got Deathstroke's son fucking killed and Bruce sends him to therapy and then for some fucking reason, decides to just....take it away. Robin can't be scared so Jason got immediate help, I fucking guess." Sam sneers and she is still so mad at Bruce.

So much of this is on him and he just left. He left Gotham in the hands of the Titans as if they weren't busy with their own shit. He leaves and Jason's back but he wouldn't know because he's unreachable. His own son is back from the damn dead and he doesn't even know. His other son is being hunted down and again, he doesn't even know. Dick lost Jason, too but it was all about Bruice even though Bruce is the one who could have prevented this. He could have made Jason see he didn't need to be Robin. He could have killed the Joker sooner. He could have just let him be Robin. There were options and Bruce always chose the worst one. They all let Jason down, but at least they're here unlike Bruce.

"Why...I mean..." Molly sucks in a breath, trying desperately to understand Jason. "So, he makes an anti-fear drug and I'm assuming it's the opposite of the fear gas?" Molly asks while Sam nods. "So, he's just...not scared." Molly rolls her eyes. "He doesn't feel anything else, does he? I mean...it's why we can't live without our adrenaline glands."

Sam nods, walking over to the trash can to toss out the paper towels. "Yeah, it's a little more complicated than that but yeah. It, uh, it's like it gets rid of hesitance, ya know? And then you just....do whatever seems fun and it thrives off of anger. It doesn't matter what you do either as long as you're fighting. That's how we fought. Neither of us really...tried. But, we did anyway and that's why. So, uh, yeah. But, um....I think Crane is withholding it. It looked like he was going through withdrawal tonight." Sam explains as she chews the inside of her cheek.

"He was actually there while Excellent Gotham was hit?" Hurt consumes Molly's voice as her brows raise.

"Yeah, outside. He didn't know I was there. He didn't see me, I guess but that doesn't matter."

Molly watches Sam carefully and as much as Molly wants to believe Sam is here out of the kindness of her heart to let her know about Jason, she also knows that is not the case. Everything is hitting the fan. She's friends with Tim and they both could have died. Jason is targeting the Titans. Gar is Jason's friend, too. Jason knows Sam is always at Excellent Gotham. If he's willing to target them, who else is he willing to target? Sam would not be standing here confessing everything if she wasn't scared and if something else didn't happen.

"Sam." Molly scolds as Sam walks over, taking a seat across from her. "Why are you really here? You didn't come because I deserved to know. I know you."

Sam shifts in her seat. "If he shows up here, calls you, texts you, I need you to call me, Dick, and Gar, okay? Don't let him in. I don't think he'll come after you because you're his friend, too but...I also never imagined he'd ever target the Drakes."

"He'll know you came here." Molly gestures a hand toward her, eyes darting to where the necklace normally sits.

"Ditched my phone and necklace." Sam states. "I'm going back for everything when I'm done here and I don't actually think that's how he knew about Tim. I don't think he's tracking me or anything but yeah, I wasn't taking that risk."

"So, I just...call you guys?"

Sam nods. "Yeah, keep him here or on the phone until we show up. I'll text you their numbers when I grab my phone. I just...want you to know. And uh, don't...don't go out of your way to contact him, please, okay? I really, really, want you left out of it. Crane is fucking insane. And I know he's gotten into Jason's head so Jason's been trying to kill Dick. I think if Bruce were here he'd be going after him, too. I don't know if the hit on Excellent Gotham was all Jason or Crane. I don't know. The more people involved, the more people Crane can weaponize Jason against."

Molly takes everything in and she's starting to grow worried for Jason. If Jason is targeting the Titans, of all people, where is that going to leave him? Even if all of this is Crane and the drug, what's going to happen to him? Sam is sitting here confessing everything to her which means, to some degree, Sam has lost hope in him. And that's not something Molly ever imagined happening. Is there only one way for this to end?

"What's gonna happen to him?" Molly asks quietly.

Sam shrugs. "I don't know." Sam's eyes start to water. "I hope he uh, stops taking the drug entirely and uh...then he comes home but I don't know." Sam sniffles softly, biting down her own tears.

If Jason doesn't stop taking the drug and he keeps working with Crane, that only leaves two options. Lock him up in Arkham or kill him. Not that anyone wants to do the second option, it's just that Jason will force it. He won't go out quietly or easily. It'll be a fight to the death and Sam knows that and she hates the idea of it. She thinks about everything she could possibly do to take the drug away. The only other thing is to try and kidnap him but, given her history, that just seems fucked up. She doesn't want him kidnapped or in Arkham or dead. All she can do is hope he snaps out of it.

Molly nods softly before tilting her head to the right slightly. Sam is looking down at the table, tugging her sleeves over her hands. "Are you okay?"

Sam shakes her head softly before looking up at Molly. "I, uh, I ended things tonight." Sam states as she watches Molly's frown grow deeper. "And, I don't mean it, I think we can get him back but, uh...I told him I gave up on him and I...regret it."

"I'm so sorry, Sam." Molly says and she knows it's bad for Sam to even say it. Sam is usually careful with her words when she's angry. "Have you tried everything else? To get him back?"

"Everything. I've tried talking to him and fighting him and yelling and we tried to trap him. I tried defending him and...yeah." Sam nods, the lump growing in her throat once more. "But...I promised him I'd never be like everyone else and I stood there and I did it anyway. I don't fucking mean it but I just...he could have gotten me and Tim killed. His dad might die. It's not really Jason but it's just...I just regret it. He'd never do that to me." There's a crack in Sam's voice as her eyes start to burn and turn a haunting shade of red.

"We're not kids anymore, Sam." Molly says sternly. "You can't keep every promise you make. Jason has always been bull-headed. I've known him for years. If Jason is good at something, it's pushing people away."

"Yeah, I know. His self-preservation is just self-destruction in disguise. But..."

"No, fuck that. You just said he blew up Hank. He's trying to kill Dick and he could have killed you more than once. He died and instead of coming back home to you or even crashing here for some reason, he became Red Hood. And that's fucked up. I love Jason but what he's doing is wrong and maybe he needs to hit rock bottom alone for it to make sense to him. You defend him against everyone and everything no matter what he does. Did you ever stop to think that the Deathstroke situation was his fault? You and Gar went along with the plan but Jason wanted to prove himself so you agreed. It was his fault. Sure, Dick had a hand in it and so did Rose and the other Titans. But it was Jason who didn't listen. It was Jason who thought he was better than a group of Titans. It was Jason that got you both dropped from a skyscraper. But, you come back and you take the blame for some reason. Why? Because you didn't tell him no? So? I met Gar and I don't think Gar would have told him no with or without you. So, if it's your fault, it's Gar's fault but you won't say it's Gar's fault. It's Jason's."

Molly isn't going to let Sam beat herself up over this again. Sam telling Jason she's done and she's giving up, that's a huge thing. And Molly knows it. Molly would love to believe there is another way. Jason doesn't handle abandonment well but if Sam is doing it, there is no other option. Jason needs to understand, in some way, that he can't just take a drug and make everything okay again. That's not how it works and it hurts people. He's hurting himself and he's hurting everyone else who cares about him. Maybe Jason needs to feel alone to get it.

"Okay, yeah, maybe. But, I just...what if this is worse, Molly? What then?" Sam sniffles. "What if...ya know? I don't want it to get him killed again."

"He's going to get himself killed again regardless and you're going to blame yourself for it no matter what you do." Molly says harshly. "You've tried everything else, try this. If it doesn't work, then you tried."

"That's not good enough!" Sam stands up, slamming her hands on the table. "Just trying isn't fucking good enough! It has to fucking work!" There's a squeak to her voice as if her vocal cords are finally giving out.

"No!" Molly yells back. "Sometimes, things just aren't enough, no matter how hard we try. That's just how it is." Molly shakes her head. 

"Yeah, but it should still be enough. It just has to be. It has to be...worth it." Sam's voice grows desperate.

"It's always worth it. It's always worth it to try.  Do you think Jason regrets trying with Catherine? Do you blame Jason for Catherine dying?"

"What? No, of course not." Sam scoffs.

"Exactly. Because he tried. He didn't let her overdose. He could have. He could have let her starve, too but he didn't. He loves his mom and she tried, too. But, you know how addiction is. Jason's trying wasn't enough to save her and she died. Catherine trying to be a parent wasn't enough and it lead Jason to the streets and shitty foster homes. But, that doesn't mean their effort wasn't worth it. Bruce tried, as much as you hate him, he tried and it got Jason killed and Dick a mess. I tried and you still took off." Molly shakes her head. "Dick has tried with all of you and you're killing people and losing y our mind, Jason is a drug addict working for Scarecrow, Gar is trying to pick everyone off the floor, Hank blew up, Jericho got killed, Dawn is gone. That doesn't mean his effort was wasted or useless."

Sam lets out a breath and maybe Molly makes a point. There is a point in trying. It might work but Sam would never know unless she tries. Putting in the effort is worth it but it's really hard to swallow when she feels so guilty about it. And what if it's not enough this time? Where is that supposed to leave her and Jason? All she wants is him to be home and happy and healthy and safe.

"What do we do when it's not enough? How do people even come back from that though?"

"Then we try something else." Molly answers simply. "And we keep trying. You giving up might be enough because if you give up, I'll side with you and he knows that. So, will Gar. So, will the Titans. He'll be alone. You're the last living person that would ever give up on him and you're his last chance at climbing out of the hole he dug himself. Maybe it is enough but you're never going to know if you pick up your phone and call him."

Sam nods her head quickly. "I know. It's just...I wish I would have just been enough to keep him...out of this. Like...that my validation was enough and love for him was. Or yours and Gar's. I just hope you're right and trying this way is enough. I don't--"

"No." Molly protests. "And you are enough. Don't let his bullshit make you ever think that you're not. You are. And he fucking tried with you, too. I have never seen him try in a way that he did with you. So, it was always enough for him. But, sometimes, being enough isn't the problem. It's bigger than you and me and Gar. You're enough. And he tried. And you tried. And I'm betting he's still trying in his own Jason way because if not, you'd be dead. And we both know it. So, he's still trying so you try this way. You tell him you give up and then you figure something else out. You have never known how to quit anything in your entire life. I mean, you would just ghost people because you can't quit a damn relationship."

"Okay, that went from inspiring to mean. Thanks." Sam quips. "I didn't ghost people." Sam mutters through a huff.

Molly narrows her eyes, offering Sam an accusatory look. "Yeah, you did." Molly argues. "But, you didn't ghost him, you actually ended things tonight because you're still trying." Molly pleads with her. "That is you trying and that is what's important. And you don't mean it. So, what are you gonna do?"

"Wait, I guess." Sam shrugs. "Try to figure out what else they could have planned. Work on the inside." Sam sucks in a breath, Molly waiting for another idea. "Bruce has a cure for the fear gas on the Batcomputer, maybe we can work on a cure for this one. Or just destroy the batch Crane is making while also finding a way to just take him out. Take him out with the drug and Jason has no choice then." Sam rambles, just tossing out the first things that come to her head.

"Exactly. He thinks you're giving up but you're not. You're trying to find another way to save him. Don't beat yourself up for it. But, then if he calls me, I'm going to talk to him not because you told me to but because I don't want him mixed up in this shit either." Molly sucks in a breath. "The one thing that has always worked with Jason is just having someone who listens."

"I know. Shit sucks." Sam lets out a deep sigh. "Hope it works."

"We'll get him back. You're not alone in this either." Molly offers a soft smile. "Then, you two can sort your shit out and give each other a fair shot at this. It'll all work out."

"That's really optimistic."

"I believe in you and I believe in Jason."

Sam offers a soft smile. "Thanks." Sam sniffles softly. "You should talk to Gar, you two got this whole optimism thing going. Could be like motivational speakers or some shit."

"You're hilarious." Sarcasm fills Molly's voice this time.

"I'm an idiot and hilarious. Mulit-facidet."

"Right." Molly rolls her eyes. "How was he though? I mean...after you told him?"

"He gave me this look once, uh, the day we got together and uh....he asked me what was so bad about him." Sam shakes her head. "I mean, I wanted to burst into tears with the look he gave me and the way he said it. It just....fuck Bruce, man." Sam scoffs. "And fuck me I guess because he gave me that same damn look tonight. You can be as optimistic as you want, but I don't he's going to forgive me for it."

"I told him once that it was you." Molly states. "You were it for him and he was it for you. It was just the two of you but you're both stupid and stubborn. You guys were together the next day." Molly's eyes widen. "I still think that's true."

"Why?"

"Because you're the only one he told he was alive. He could have told me when he brought Diego back but he didn't. He told you. He could have dragged you into the Crane stuff but he didn't. I don't think for a second, he did it to be an asshole or to push you away and I don't think you believe he did that either. And that day, outside the house, he knew exactly what to do. Your hands were glowing and he didn't even hesitate like he knew you'd never hurt him. Because Jason is forgiving. Stubborn and self-destructive, but forgiving."

Sam remembers her first night in Gotham and how casual he was but he seemed so happy and excited. Sam doesn't think she ever saw him smile so much before. And she thinks about how she almost kissed him that night because he was being Jason, annoying and yet somehow charming. She thinks he wanted to kiss her, too. She remembers how they were happy then. They were happy before and she thinks about the day she blurted out that she loved him. It was the start and end of everything. She remembers how he kissed her with everything in him that day as if he couldn't fathom being loved for just being Jason Todd. And she remembers how happy he was. Happy and loved and safe. She wonders if there's a pit somewhere that can send them back to those moments.

"Yeah, I hope you're right." Sam offers a sad smile. "Really miss him."

"We'll get him back." Molly smiles softly.

"Thanks." Sam clears her throat. "Uh, I gotta head out but thank you. I'm still gonna keep my distance a bit just in case but if something happens, call me and same thing if anything with Jason happens."

"Of course." Molly offers a reassuring nod.

"I'm still sorry." Sam scrunched her nose.

"I know." Molly scoffs. "I forgive you. Just work on your shit after this is over."

"You got it." Sam rolls her eyes before she heads out.

Sam heads back to Excellent Gotham to grab her things before she heads back to the manor. Once back at the manor, she finds Gar and the two of them sit down to discuss the night. Sam explains everything to him, what happened at Excellent Gotham, Mr. Drake, Tim, Molly, and Jason. She explains it all just trying to keep him informed and then she says she doesn't want to be involved in the whole thing anymore. Maybe it's safer for everyone if she isn't involved. Dick is already painting a big enough target on everyone, she doesn't want to contribute to that. So, the two of them talk back and forth well into the night, Gar just trying his best to be there for her but he tells her almost the same thing that Molly said. Besides agreeing with giving up. He knows she didn't tell him that to give up literally, but he is worried it'll send Jason further over the edge. He doesn't say that but he doesn't tell her it's all going to be okay either. So, they just sit and talk until they fall asleep.

The following day, everyone is gathered in the Batcave around the Batcomputer. Dick is explaining that Jason and Crane are putting the drug on the streets and last night was a just a trial. Sam broke the news to Dick when she woke up and right about now, she's regretting it, Dick says they can't look at Red Hood as Jason anymore. Not when they're distributing the drug to innocent people on the streets.

"Is that really fair?" Sam asks as she crosses her arms over her chest.

"Yes." Dick answers sternly. "You know what he's done and what he's doing. You took the drug. Do you want other people—"

"That's not what I'm saying." Sam sighs. "Look, it didn't turn me into a killer. Or some shit. And I'm not like.....normal. So, Jason has to be in there, off the drug. Like all of these people."

"But we can't view him like that. It'll cloud our judgment. Right now, he is Red Hood and him and Crane need to be stopped. If you don't want to be involved, I understand."

"I thought you were done anyway?" Gar asks, still a little bitter about the conversation from the night before.

He tries to be there for her but he really doesn't agree with her giving up and not wanting to help. They need her because she's the only one that has ever been able to get through to Jason. And without her, who's going to convince Dick not to kill him? Or Kory? They're both tired of this and Gar doesn't stand a chance arguing with them. Sam, on the other hand, will argue and fight to the death if that's what it takes.

"I am." Sam snips. "I'm just saying." She rolls her shoulders. "I fucking told you, he was worried and scared last night. Crane is withholding it from him. So, maybe we give him a day or something to come around, let the drug flush itself out. I was fine the next day but Jason's been taking it, probably, nonstop for a week. Erasing who is, I don't think that's gonna help." Sam narrows her eyes. "Unless, you have other plans than bringing him home."

"He's had plenty of chances to come home." Kory says, putting a hand on her hip.

"I thought you were against innocent people getting hurt?" Dick questions.

"Alright, if you wanna argue about morals and shit, go find Bruce." Sam scoffs. "Whatever." She puts her hands up in defeat, knowing there's no changing their minds this time. She doesn't even know why she's here.

Dick continues to explain he's going to use an illegal computer while Kory and Blackfire have someone else to take care of, leaving Sam, Gar, and Conner to themselves.

"What are you going to do when we find Jason?" Gar asks as Conner excuses himself to grab food for him and Krypto.

"Well, I guess nothing, Gar." Sam shakes her head, a snip in her voice as she spins slowly in her chair at the Batcomputer.

"He depends on us and you're just giving up." Gar protests.

"He almost fucking shot me and he almost killed Jack!" Sam yells as the guilt and regret continue to chew away at her bones. "He didn't pull the damn trigger but he already knew what they were gonna do."

"But it wasn't him." Gar's voice goes quiet but still holds the same annoyance.

"Yeah, but he's going to have to deal with his own consequences. He woke up one day and decided he didn't want to be scared anymore and went to fucking Crane. That was Jason Todd's decision. Before Red Hood. He needs to deal with it." Sam grits her teeth and it sucks.

It all just sucks and Gar is really making the whole thing worse. Sam doesn't expect him to side with her all the time, that's fine. But, it'd be really nice if he would just accept this. Molly did and Molly agrees. It is torture not picking up the phone and calling Jason. Sam just wishes Gar could see that.

"He was desperate." Gar defends and Sam doesn't know why he's being so stubborn about it.

"So was I." Sam says softly. "But I didn't go to a psychopath for help. He has to deal with it." Sam says quietly. "Why are you so..." Sam waves her hands around slightly, raising a brow at him. "I don't know, defensive about it?"

"The whole team is just falling apart." Gar shrugs. "And Dick doesn't seem like he really wants to try to help Jason anymore."

"I know." Sam rolls her chair over to Gar's before putting her hands on his shoulders. "It's hard but you keep your optimism. I'm not gonna let Dick or Kory kill him. I might not stand a chance but they'll have to go through me if that's what it's going to lead to. You know I don't even mean it. But I can't just take it back. You know I can't. I've tried everything else, Gar." Sam lets out a sigh, dropping her hands from Gar's shoulders. "I'm gonna go to the hospital and check on Tim. I owe him that since I can't tell him anything else." Sam stands up and starts to walk off. "Let me know if something happens though, please. I do care. I just....can't, Gar. It hurts."

"Can I come?" Gar asks with the scrunch of his nose, scratching the back of his head.

"Actually, yeah." Sam nods her head and offers him a soft smile. "That'd be really nice." Sam jerks her head towards the hallway. "Come on, I'll drive."

Jason shows up at the old ice cream factory where Crane's been having the anti-fear drug cooked. With the anti-fear drug making its way through Jason's system over the past few hours, he's still feeling a little confident as he walks in for another inhaler, even if it feels like there's a weight tugging at his chest. Technically, disturbing the drug worked which means he was right. He's just actively trying to forget about what happened after. He tries to focus solely on being the one in charge now. He is not replaceable or expendable and he's hoping Crane sees that now. He just destroyed the last good thing in his life for this plan and the second the drug wears off, he's consumed with regret and guilt. If that doesn't show dedication, what else does?

And Crane seems to be fine with it. He doesn't seem angry or upset. And that, for some reason, is making Jason feel uneasy. Bruce and Dick would be pissed and would be screaming at him, even if he were right. But, Crane is just saying he understands and he's not like Bruce. He forgives him for betraying him. Something seems off but Jason isn't going to push to find out what's going on. That just seems like pushing his luck. So, he plucks an inhaler from the table and hits it.

But, there's something wrong.

It burns. His throat feels like it's blistering from the inside out. His lungs feel like they're going to spasm right out of his chest. Jason starts coughing, asking Crane what's in the inhaler as his legs grow weak. It's hard to breathe and despite the drug he just took two hours ago, he's starting to panic. The last time it was hard to breathe like this, he died. He died. He died. He died and it was brutal and terrifying. He can't breathe and why can't he breathe? What did Crane give him? Why would Crane do this to him? Is Crane really going to kill him?

Jason's head spins as his limbs grow weak making him fall to the floor, trying to grip the table to stabilize himself. But, he falls anyway and his heart is beating so fast he thinks he might go into cardiac arrest. Everything spins and fades in and out of blurry and full focus. He can't fucking breathe and everything is heavy. It's heavy and his eyes are heavy and then it all goes black.

Sam and Gar make it to the hospital and spend a few hours hanging out with Tim who's grateful for the company. The good news is that his dad is going to be just fine and they're talking about releasing him as early as tomorrow. The bullet didn't hit anything major which is pure luck. But, he's thankful to have someone to talk to and keep him company anyway even if a part of him is still a little bitter about the whole ordeal, as he should be.

But, then Gar gets a text from Dick. They know where Jason and Crane are. They're getting together to shut them down and bring them in. Dick, specifically, doesn't want Sam there. Given everything that's happened, he doesn't want her involved anymore. Either she'll be a target or she's going to flip. If this ends poorly, she'll be a problem with bringing Jason and Crane in. It's in everyone's best interest if she stays out of it this time.

"Sorry, uh...I have to go." Gar says quietly.

Sam eyes him and she knows. "Dick?"

"Yeah." Gar nods his head. "He's gonna come get me so you can stay here."

"Ahh." Sam nods once, her heart sinking. She's staying out of it anyway but if Dick wants Gar back and is coming for him, that means maybe they found them. Some part of Sam still wants to be there just in case something happens. But, she can't very well go argue with Dick outside of a hospital entrance about going to fight Red Hood and Scarecrow, so she just sucks in a breath. "Um...can...can you just...ya know?"

Gar hesitates and he thinks for a second. If it came down to picking between Dick, Kory, Conner, and Blackfire or Jason, who would he pick? The Titans are his family but so is Jason and he doesn't want to bury another friend. He doesn't want to bury him again. Gar thinks about it and he's thinking if it came to it, maybe he would stand in front of Jason just to make sure Dick didn't kill him because he would do the same for Dick. And Jason would do the same for him.

"I'll do everything I can and I'll call you." Gar says. "Promise."

"Thanks, Gar." Sam offers a sad smile.

"Of course." Gar smiles back before looking to Tim. "Nice meeting you, dude. Glad your dad is okay." Gar says with a smile.

"Thanks, yeah, you, too." Tim nods his head as the two of them say their goodbyes and Gar heads out. Sam's eyes linger on the exit, finding it hard to just sit here. What if her saying she's giving up gives the Titans some right of passage to kill him? What then? "What? You're not gonna go?"

Sam shakes her head. "No, I, uh, I thought I'd hang out with you a little longer. It's probably just some bullshit anyway." Sam shifts in her seat with the roll of her eyes.

"Jason almost gets my dad killed and now you're not going to be involved?" Tim questions, a bit of hurt and anger in his voice.

"You're not gonna quit are you?" Sam questions him with a slight grimace.

"Nope." Tim shakes his head.

"I broke up with him, not my business." Sam shakes her head. "And that's if it's about Jason. Not sure why it would be but ya know." Sam rolls her shoulders, almost giving up on keeping this whole thing a secret from Tim, too.

"Right." Tim scoffs.

"Look," Sam faces him in defeat. "You want me to tell you things I don't know about," Sam's eyes widen, a hint for him to shut up about it. "But you also won't trust me. I'm just asking you to trust me, okay?"

"Will you ever tell me?" Tim asks carefully.

If Sam were being honest, she thinks she can trust Tim to keep it all a secret. He could be on forums and showing everything he has to news outlets about Bruce being Batman and Dick being Robin and Nightwing. If he wanted to tell everyone, he could and enough people would believe him. But, he keeps it to himself besides to Sam because Sam is a Titan. So, she thinks maybe she'll tell him at some point when everything calms down. It's all a little dangerous right now but maybe one day she will.

"Maybe." Sam shrugs. "But, you have got to fucking trust me."

"Alright, fine." Tim gives her a soft but triumphant smile. He's won enough for now and Sam knows it.

That seems to be enough for Tim to drop it for now as the two of them go back to talking about everything that's not vigilante-related for once.

Jason finally starts to come to, his head heavy and throbbing. His eyes are burning as he has the worst cold he's ever had and his vision is blurry, coming into focus a little slower than usual. His wrists are duct taped to the arms of a chair and his limbs feel too weak to even fight. He tugs just once but it's useless. He's been trained for this. He escaped that time with Deathstroke easily because it was in the training and duct tape is easy to escape from. But, he can't and the real drug has worn off. Tears start to brim his eyes and he has never felt more alone than he does right now.

He thought he could trust Crane. Him and Crane are supposed to be in this together. He said they had the same view of the city. But then Crane poisoned him. Why would he do that to him? Jason trusted him and Crane poisoned him. He knows he went behind Crane's back but Jason never did anything to hurt Crane yet Jason's the one duct taped to a chair and drugged. Jason swallows the hard lump in his throat and he should have just stayed in line.

He did it again.

He fucked it all up. He just had to go off and do his own thing with targeting Excellent Gotham, giving the drug to those random guys behind Crane's back. It's the same story over and over again, he just can't help himself and Jason wonders what the fuck is so wrong with him that he can't just stay in line. People trust him and then he pushes them away and he betrays them and he goes off on his own. Why does he always do this? It's all his fault and he trusted Crane. He really did. And he feels so alone.

Crane was the last person Jason thought he had that he could trust. Jason burned every single bridge he had with the Titans. Kory is going to be pissed and is going to take Dick's side, especially after Hank. Dawn would never trust him after what he did. Conner doesn't know him well enough. Jason has tried to kill Dick. After what happened last night with Sam, Jason doesn't even think Gar would help him. He's all alone. He's alone and he hates being this alone. He has no one and his mind is clear for the time in a week. He is fucking terrified and filled with shame and regret and remorse and everything is hitting him so hard he just wants to scream. He hates it.

Sam was right. He does regret it. He regrets all of it. He shouldn't have gone to Crane. He shouldn't have killed Hank. He shouldn't have targeted Dick. He never should have fought Sam or went after the Drake's. Everything he's done, he is regretting and there's nothing he can do about it. But he remembers Sam saying he can call Dick. Dick is his brother. He tried to kill him but maybe Sam is right. Sam would never tell him to call Dick if she didn't know for sure. Because even when she gives up, Jason knows she wouldn't risk him getting killed. He has to get out of here but he's weak and tired.

"I pity you, Jason." Crane says, but his voice is foggy as if he were down a long and distant tunnel. "You were reckless and you were impatient last night. And you act out of fear, not out of strength. You see, you're still afraid of Dick Grayson. And I failed you. I failed you as a teacher. But here's today's lesson. You know how I broke Batman? It wasn't with fear, it was with patience. I'm going to show you that you don't need to go running around Gotham, trying to destroy the Titans, you can just sit back and watch as the Titans destroy themselves."

Jason remains silent, unsure how he's even supposed to argue or if he can. It was Crane's idea to destroy the Titans anyway. Jason has just been so mad at them and felt abandoned he thought Crane was right but now he's not so sure. He can't be sure anymore. It all feels like lies. He's sobering up and everything feels like it was a lie. Just to use him.

"That's how we're going to take care of that...unpleasant girl of yours." Crane puts his hands behind his back, standing as if he owns the entire world. Jason's jaw clenches, his eyes focusing on Crane. "Patience. You wouldn't do it but you don't have to." Crane offers a kind smile and it makes Jason's skin crawl. "You see, your little act last night I'm sure really bothered her, right? You could have gotten her killed and her little friend. She has nowhere to go now, besides to the Titans and as the Titans crumble, so will she."

"That's not part of the plan." Jason chokes out, finding the energy to argue this point. "You said we'd leave her out of it."

Crane promised him from the beginning they would keep her out of it as long as she didn't side with the Titans. And she technically, did not do that. She has only been on Jason's side, just using Dick as a way to try and help him. Crane promised they would leave her out of it and she could join their side if she wanted to. Jason's getting the idea that was just a lie, too just to get him to cooperate with whatever Crane wanted to do.

"Did I?" Crane asks. "I don't think I ever said that. But," Crane sucks in a breath, leaning down to be eye-to-eye with Jason. "She threatened to kill me. She even beat me up." Crane almost sounds pitiful and hurt. "I told you, Jason. She's not on your side and she never was. Now. You can sit back and watch her destroy herself." Crane leans up, walking to the window to watch the workers.

Sam already gave up on him. They're done. There is no coming back from last night. But the panic still floods Jason's system because he knows, despite everything his mind has ever conditioned him to think, it was the hardest thing Sam had to do. He knows she tried to do everything besides that and he loves her anyway. He loves her anyway and he dragged her into this. He put her right in the middle of him and her friends. Her family that she tried to have. He did that to her.

Last night she said all Jason has done since coming back is hurt her, and she's right. He never meant to. He never dreamed of it hurting her but he did and now he's terrified it just got that much worse for her. She deserves better and Jason has no idea how he's supposed to get out of this.

Crane has to let him go eventually. Crane will need Jason for something and he can warn Sam. She told him not to contact her or Gar but maybe this will be an exception because she has to know. And maybe he can take her advice for fucking once and just call Dick. Because Crane just drugged him and is holding him hostage. Maybe he never could trust him.

It's quiet on the way back to the Manor. It's as if no one really knows what to say or how to say it. Sure, the fight went just fine just like it usually does. They make a really good team and Blackfire is a good addition to the team. But, they didn't get Crane and they didn't get Jason. Instead, Crane and Jason are in the wind but Crane was also holding Jason hostage. Something happened that led Crane to do that and Gar is the one sitting here wondering what they're going to do about it and who the hell is going to be the one to break it to Sam. It was Dick's bright idea for her not to come along and maybe if she would have, she could have gotten Jason. Maybe if they had one more person it would have went differently. The team is divided and Gar hates it.

"Who's gonna tell Sam about Jason?" Gar asks and they walk through the Batcave.

The other Titans turn to look at him, glancing between each other before landing on Dick. It's not Conner or Blackfire's place to say anything, it's not their job. That's all Kory and Dick but Dick doesn't seem like he's going to be the one to say anything. Sam can say she's done all she wants but Dick knows if they tell her, she'll go off the rails looking for Jason. It could get herself killed, Jason killed, and she could kill Crane. Even if she does find them, what's to stop Crane from kidnapping her, too? Crane clearly has a way to do it if he can do it to Jason. And what if it's a trap? What if Jason isn't being held captive but it's a way to get the Titans to a different location? Telling Sam seems like it might just be a bad idea and in her best interest for her own safety.

"We don't have to tell her." Dick says.

Gar's eyes nearly bulge out of his head. "Seriously, dude?" Gar scoffs. "It's Jason. She's going to be pissed if she finds out and we didn't tell her."

"She decided she doesn't want any part of this anymore and I think that's for the best. If we tell her, we don't know what she'll do. We still need Crane." Dick argues, keeping it short.

"Screw that, man." Gar groans. "He took Jason and we know he did. There was proof of it back there. If something happens to him, she's gonna never forgive any of us. Let her decide if she wants back in."

"He's right, Gar. She's been a little bit of loose canon lately." Kory offers kindly.

Gar is also tired of the secrets. All keeping secrets from each other has done is get them hurt. That's all it's done and now they want to keep this huge thing from Sam? That's insane. She has every right to know and he doesn't understand why they would want to keep it from her. Maybe she'll explode but it's not like anyone else is going to go save Jason. What if he actually is in danger?

"Because of everything that's happened!" Gar defends, tossing his arms out to his sides. "If you guys were in her shoes, you'd probably be loose canons, too! I mean, Dick has been going off on his own most of the time. Bruce even snapped. And we just have to pretend like everything is normal?"

"I mean..." Conner chimes in. "She didn't tell us he was alive."

"Yeah, and that sucked but she was scared for his life. It sucks but at least I get it. And it was one day! What is keeping this from her going to do?"

Dick crosses his arms and he's really missing the days where the only problems he had were Jason and Sam pulling some dumb prank just to harass him. "Do you think she'll sit back and let us handle it or do you think she's going to take it into her own hands?"

Gar knows Sam will. It's Jason but Gar also knows that if it were him, she would do the same thing. The only reason she didn't come after him by herself with CADMUS is because she didn't know how to and it was CADMUS not just one person. But, Gar also got the story about Sam being the driving force to make sure they saved him, regardless of what was happening to Dick. Gar was the first priority. Sam is going to take this into her own hands but at this point, Gar is ready to jump right in with her. Jason came to save him.

"I know." Gar shrugs. "But what if she doesn't? What if she asks for help this time? We just don't even give her the option?"

"That could get her killed. It's for her own protection." Kory says.

"Well, that sucks." Gar snaps. "Keeping secrets from each other doesn't keep any of us safe." Gar scoffs as he goes to leave.

Now he knows how Sam feels. Arguing with them is exhausting. They won't even listen. It's either whatever they want to do or nothing. That's normally fine. Gar normally agrees and Dick and Kory usually do know better but not this time. This time it's wrong, for her own protection or not.

"Gar." Dick calls.

Gar turns around quickly, a look of defeat on his face. "If she asks, I'm not gonna lie." Gar shrugs his shoulders before he turns away and heads upstairs.

Gar finds Sam in the kitchen, rummaging through the cabinets for food. He wonders if this is what it felt like when she knew Jason was alive. His stomach feels like it might fall right to his feet, heavy with guilt. He wonders if she was also mad at him for asking here to keep it a secret because Gar's mad at Dick and Kory. It really fucking sucks and Gar wonders how the hell she even manages to keep everything a secret. He's been standing her for just a few seconds and he already wants to snap and spill everything. Maybe that's why she's been a bit off, because this just sucks and it's heavy.

She pops her head out from behind the cabinet door, a granola bar sticking out of her mouth, feeling someone had entered the kitchen. "Hey." Sam greets as she plucks the bar from her mouth.

"What are you doing?" Gar questions.

"Looking for food. Hospital food sucks." Sam says softly. "I guess." Sam mutters quietly as she plucks a box of Mac and cheese from the cabinet, a displeased look on her face.

"Don't you like that?" Gar asks, entering further into the kitchen.

"Yeah," Sam sighs. "Just not feeling it but I don't wanna go through the effort of making anything else or looking." Sam looks at the box and back to Gar. "Is there real milk in this?"

"Uh, yeah." Gar chuckles, sticking his hands in his jacket pockets. "Why?"

"Could have made it with the vegan butter and oat milk if you wanted some but never mind, I guess." Sam sighs, moving to the cabinet with the pots. But the room goes oddly silent, making Sam look back at Gar. He's just standing there, watching her. "What happened?" Sam asks as she turns around, leaning against the counter.

Gar shifts his weight on his feet. "What makes you think something happened?" Gar asks softly.

"You have a look and you're quiet. You didn't point out Bruce probably has vegan Mac and cheese somewhere or Dick probably pick some up for you." Sam explains. "I can always tell with you and Jason when something's wrong."

Sam watches as Gar looks to the ground and she is terrified what's going to come out of his mouth. Jason can't be dead again because Gar probably would be crying right now but he's not and his eyes aren't red which means he isn't sucking it up for her sake. The other Titans are probably fine because Gar wouldn't be so hesitant to tell her if something happened to them. So, she has to assume it has to do with Jason and there's a small part of her that thinks the Titans won this time and they sent Jason to Arkham instead of bringing him home. She swears she'll lose it if that's what happened.

"Um..." Gar scratches the back of his neck as he looks back to her. "Can you promise not to freak out?"

"I can't promise that." Sam shakes her head as she braces for whatever bullshit Gar is gonna say next. "Jason, right? Something happened?"

Gar nods softly. "By the time we got to the office where Crane and Jason were, they were gone. But, we think Crane had Jason duct taped to a chair and took him with him."

Sam blinks a few times and she swears she just forgot how to breathe. Not again. This cannot possibly be happening again.

"C-crane...you-I mean...you guys think C-Crane kidnapped him?" Sam sputters.

Gar nods. "Yeah."

Jason said she's the one with a habit of getting kidnapped but so far, they're both two to two here. And Sam hates it. Why the fuck would Crane need to kidnap him in the first place? If they're working together, then Crane has no reason to. Unless Jason is actually turning on him. In which case, it just got really dangerous to be Jason Todd.

"Do you know where they went?" Sam asks, trying to keep her voice level.

"No." Gar answers shamefully.

Sam offers a large nod as her appetite vanishes. She pushes from the counter, leaving the box and pot on the counter. "Thanks for telling me." Sam says as she walks up to Gar. "You guys aren't going to look for him, are you? And Dick said not to tell me, right?"

Gar nods once more, letting out a deep breath. "Dick thinks it could be a trap and yeah, he's worried what you'll do."

"Got it." Sam lets out a scoff with a bitter chuckle.

All she can hear is Tim in the back of her head about how she's supposed to be a hero. Well, so is Dick. She thinks that word is starting to lose its fucking meaning because what kind of hero just lets a psychopath kidnap someone? She knows it's more complicated than that but they're brothers and Jason was kidnapped. Again. It was fine the first time, but what? Round two and he's on his own? Is that how it is?

"You're gonna go, aren't you?" Gar asks.

"Yeah, and if Dick's gotta fucking problem with it, he'll have to go through me. I'm not letting Crane kidnap Jason and hold him fucking hostage. I don't care." Sam shakes her head, venom shooting through her words.

There's a bit of relief that fills Gar's chest. Maybe Dick is right and it's a trap but what if it's not? Deathstroke and Dr. Light could have been a trap, it kind of was. But, Dick went anyway to save Jason and Sam. Trap or not, they should be trying to find Jason and help him just in case it's not a trap.

"Can, uh, can I help?" Gar asks, making Sam do a double take.

Gar tends to do what Dick asks, especially since the whole Deathstroke thing and them accidentally losing Conner for a day. She kind of figured he wouldn't try to really stop her because that would be useless but she thought maybe he'd offer some voice of reason. The last thing she ever expected was Gar to ask if he could help, despite Dick's wishes.

"Huh?" Sam hums, eyes wide. "What?"

"He's my friend, too." Gar shrugs. "And he came to save me. I wanna help find him." Gar lets out a breath, eyes hopeful Sam will let him help.

"Yeah, uh...I mean...it could be a trap. I mean...are you sure? Dick is gonna be pissed." Sam furrows her brows, still eying him with confusion.

"I know." Gar nods. "But, I don't want you doing this alone either in case it is a trap or something happens like last time. I just wanna help. We can't let Crane hold him hostage." 

Sam nods quickly, figuring maybe it would be nice to not do this completely alone. "Okay, but, can you stay here? I might have to do some stuff you don't like and if it is a trap, we might be fucked." Sam says and Gar is about to protest. "No, no, I have an idea. Follow me." Sam gestures for him to follow her as she walks past him.

They walk to Jason's room, Sam shutting and locking the door behind them. She goes to one of Jason's hiding spots and grabs the tablet. She always puts it back, exactly where he kept it, just in case. She unlocks the tablet and goes to the software used to track her necklace. The tracking device is only synced with his tablet and his phone since Sam hated the idea of Bruce being able to track her. Jason was always fine.

"Here." Sam hands it over, showing a green blinking dot right on top of Wayne Manor. "You track me. My phone is synced to the Batcomputer. I'll text you every hour on the hour. If I miss, you call and if I don't call back in thirty seconds, get Dick. Something went wrong."

"Why do you know about this and just why?" Gar asks, confused as to what's even going on. "Why can't I go with?"

"Because Jason is a shithead who was lying to me before he died. I know where all of his hiding spots are and he knows where all of mine are. I, apparently, am the one with a habit of being kidnapped but I didn't want Bruce involved. Jason swore he'd always come find me." Sam shrugs casually. "So, you track me and then we know where he is. And then maybe we tell Dick where they're hiding out. See, everyone wins. If you're with me and we both get kidnapped then Crane has all three of us and Dick and Kory won't know where to go. I need someone here, just in case." Sam explains quickly.

It's not a lie, it's true. Sam's put some thought into the vigilante life after all of this is sorted out, hoping things go back to some form of normal. It's dangerous to be out there as a team and alone. It's dangerous both ways and it's dangerous to have people know but, Sam thinks it might be worse for her to be alone out there and no one know where she is or what she's doing. Having someone be eyes and ears behind a screen seems like it might be helpful, especially if something goes wrong.

"Right, okay, yeah." Gar nods and this isn't really what he meant by helping but she has a point. At least this way, if something happens, it's not the three of them stuck in a bad situation with no one knowing where they are. At least they'll know where to find Sam and Jason. "You're gonna call if things start looking bad, right?" Gar asks as Sam remains silent, moving her eyes from the left to the right before landing back on Gar. "Dr. Light? Deathstroke?" Gar presses, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Fine." Sam nods her head quickly. "If it starts looking like it might go even a little south, I'll call you. But, I don't even know if I'll be able to find him."

"What're you gonna do?"

"I know a few people I can grab, try to get some intell on where Red Hood and Crane would go. Someone knows and they'll start talking."

Gar lets out a sigh, deciding it's best he doesn't know what she's going to do to them. Maybe him staying back is a good idea if she thinks that's the only way to find him. If anyone is gonna know how to work around Gothamites, it'll be her.

"They in Batcave?" Sam asks as she heads for the door.

"Yeah."

"Great." Sam sucks in a breath. "Okay, I'm going to get my suit and find him. If he asks, you can tell Dick you're helping but try not to show him, please. He'll come after me and probably fuck it up. If Crane has him hostage, I can get through to Jason."

"Are you going to bring him back?" Gar asks, a bit of hope in his eyes.

"Not if he doesn't ask." Sam shakes her head. "If Crane had to duct tape him to a chair that means Jason isn't siding with him as much anymore. While I feel guilty and I hate myself for last night," Sam shakes her head. "Maybe that does have something to do with it." Sam starts the walk to the Batcave. "He has to make the decision on his own. As much as it fucking sucks." Sam scoffs. "Okay, I'll be back later. Every hour." Sam nods once before she darts behind the grandfather clock.

Sam walks right over to the display with her suit, ripping the case open as she grabs Dick's and Kory's attention. If they want to work this alone and not save him, fine. But that's not her and they're not stopping her.

"Where are you going?" Kory asks.

Sam spins around and she shrugs her shoulders sadly. "To save Jason." Sam answers simply.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Kory asks and they really should have known Gar was going to tell her immediately.

"You're staying here. We don't--"

"I don't care." Sam rolls her eyes as she cuts Dick off. "Do you really want to tell me to just...let Crane kidnap him? Me? Of all people?" Sam asks.

"It could be a trap." Dick argues and he's also tired of this back and forth. He's never met anyone so hardheaded. Why can't she just listen? Just once?

"Yeah, maybe." Sam shrugs softly. "And that's a risk I am willing to take because I give a fuck about him." Sam snips right back. It almost feels like she's arguing with her parents.

"You could get hurt or worse." Kory states. "For all we know, this is what Crane and Jason want."

"It's not safe." Dick says. "We can't risk it. You don't know what you'll be walking into."

"I don't fucking care if I get hurt!" Sam's voice cracks with frustration. "That's part of the job! Getting hurt to keep people, innocent strangers safe. You think I'm not gonna risk getting a little hurt to save someone I actually care about? I love him anyway and I'm going to save him." Sam lets out a bitter scoff. "You know, Tim said something to me last night. I didn't tell him shit, don't worry. But, he said that I'm supposed to be a hero." Sam shakes her head. "And he's fucking right, ya know? It's just complicated but look at you guys. We're supposed to be heroes! And you're all just gonna...sit back? Let whatever happens, happen? No, fuck that. I did that last time and we see what fucking happened."

"We aren't sitting back." Dick says sternly. "We've been trying to bring home this whole time but he clearly, doesn't want that. He dug his hole and he has to deal with it. He made his choice."

"I'm not going back and forth about it anymore. Just...what is it? I mean, Deathstroke, was it just that you felt you had our blood on your hands? So, you were obligated to do something? And now that Jason's kidnapping doesn't have shit to do with you, your hands are clean? Is that what this is? Why not try to fucking save him?! You know Crane. Crane could have snapped and then...what? That's just it. One less body to deal with."

"Hey!" Kory scolds. "You know that is not what this is. We all have given Jason a fair chance but Dick's right he made his choice. He knows how bad Crane can be."

"That doesn't make it okay." Sam says quietly. "I made a promise to him and I broke one of those. I'm not breaking another one tonight. He is not Robin anymore so if Crane wants to go after him, he gets to deal with me and if you have such a fucking problem with that, I guess you can try to stop me but I'm going." Sam turns back around, grabbing her suit before she slams the case closed. "I was wrong about what I said about trying. Sometimes, it isn't enough. But, at least I'm fucking trying. Unlike you guys."

Dick lets out an exasperated sigh. "You don't know when to quit do you?"

Sam shakes her head, the corner of her mouth perking up. "Not when it comes to people I happen to like." Sam spins around, suit in hand and she heads off to change and leave.

"You know, she handled that well actually." Kory says softly. "All things considered."

"Yeah." Dick scoffs. "That's the worrying part."

Sam heads off on the bike once she's suited up. She gets to Crime Alley figuring that might be her best bet for any type of answer. She uses her phone to look into the men she killed last night and see what their ties could be to Red Hood and Scarecrow. Their files don't have too much but they are a few notes about people the three of them used to run with so Sam figures she can start there. Someone knows where Red Hood and Scarecrow would be. This is Gotham and they're in the drug trade.

Sam tracks one of the men down, following him carefully from the rooftops and waiting for the right moment to confront him. The whole rooftop thing might have actually been a good idea, she will give Bruce that one. She waits until an alley with almost no lighting comes up. So, she takes her opportunity to get down from the rooftops and beat him to the alley. Just as he approaches, Sam yanks into the alleyway, slamming him against the wet brick as hard as she can.

"Where is Red Hood?" Sam seethes, her teeth grinding under her mask,

The man looks down at her as her arm is pressed against his throat. "How the fuck would I know?"

Sam pulls back just enough to shove him against the wall, this time his head bangs against the wet bricks. "Bullshit. You know where he's hiding out. Him and Scarecrow, fucking spill."

"Fuck you." He spits.

Sam does not have time for this. She's done arguing and going back and forth with people. All he has to do is give up a name or a place. It's not that hard. So, she pulls out a knife and holds it right to his jugular.

"Do you wanna end up like your friends? It's all pretty easy to make happen." Sam presses the tip of the knife into his skin, just enough to break skin and blood starts leaking down his neck.

His eyes widen, filled with panic. "I don't know!"

"Bullshit!" Sam yells back, doing her best to refrain from pressing the knife further into his neck. "Red Hood was able to get your friends which means there has to be some sort of connection. Tell me where he is."

"I don't know!" The man's voice is panicked. "Jeremiah! Word is he has an in with Red Hood and Scarecrow for whatever they're cooking."

"And where the fuck would he be?" Sam almost mocks him. A name is fine but come on.

"Robinson Park!" He yells back, the panic leaking from his pores. "He's been dealing there."

"Thank you." Sam pats the man's cheek. "Was that so fucking hard?" Sam scoffs, dropping the man. "Seriously, get your shit together and do something more productive." Sam rolls her eyes as she shoots the grappling hook to the rooftop, leaving the man alone in the alley.

Sam reaches Robinson Park and gives Gar a quick text to let him know everything is fine. Then, she makes her way inside of the park to look for this Jeremiah guy. Sam was able to figure out what he looks like thanks to him and the guy she just grabbed having been busted for dealing just a few months ago.

It doesn't take Sam too long to find him near a bridge. That's where she sneaks up behind him and grabs him, slamming him against the cement just as she did with the previous guy. She's hoping he'll be willing to spill a little quick but she's also betting she is not going to get that lucky tonight.

"Red Hood. Where is he?" Sam asks with fire in her words.

Jeremiah laughs. "You think I'm gonna tell you? You're a fucking bat--"

Sam yanks her fist back and punches him in the face. He spits blood out by her boots, looking back at her with fury. "I am not a fucking bat." Sam says through gritted teeth. "I will burn you alive limb by fucking limb until you spill where Red Hood is."

"Yeah? And uh, what makes you think I even know?" He gives her this grin that makes her want to scream.

"Word is you have an in for the drug him and Scarecrow are putting on the streets. I assume it was a test run last night. Unless, you're full of shit just trying to get some weird ass respect." Sam quips, tilting her head to the right.

"I'm not telling you shit." He scoffs.

"You know, Red Hood decapitated six men, right? Of some of Gotham's most notorious families in the business. Yeah, I can be worse. And I will start with you." Sam tugs her glove off with her other hand, still keeping pressure on his neck. She shows the neon green so bright it illuminates her face. Jeremiah watches her before Sam touches a finger to his face, he lets out a horrendous scream, echoing through the tunnel under the bridge. "Every limb but I won't kill you. I'll let infection set in and that can kill you. Tell me where the fuck he is!"

Jeremiah lets out a sigh, gritting his teeth. "There's that old ice cream factory. They were cooking there."

"They're not there. Titans showed up tonight. Where else would they go?"

"Aren't you a fucking Titans?" He sneers.

"Does it really seem like I'm a Titan?" Sam narrows her eyes at him.

"There's the old Wellington pump station. Heard they had a hookup there." Jeremiah says reluctantly. "I don't fucking know anything else."

"Thank you." Sam lets go of him as he falls to the ground. "You know, you should also get your shit together. I know you deal to kids. Stop or I will actually kill you. Leave kids the out of it." Sam rolls her eyes, earning herself a confused look as she walks out of the tunnel.

Once Sam gets back to her bike, she heads right to the pump station. The drive feels like it takes an eternity when it only takes twenty minutes. She's growing more anxious as more time goes by. She doesn't know how long Crane has had him tied up for or what he's doing to even keep Jason tied up. Jason should be able to get out of duct tape. So, she worries as every minute passes by.

The closer she gets to the building, the more she starts to remember what it was like the night he died. The drive and how it was freezing but she didn't even notice because she was so panicked. She was going to save him but she was too late. Every second from the phone call to Molly until she passed out is embedded into the deepest parts of her mind, tattooed and stitched as cruel reminders of the world they live in sometimes. She can't forget but she's trying to save Jason again and it's like she's thrown back into that night all over again.

It can't end like that again.

It can't.

When Sam gets to the pump station, she parks far off in the old parking lot before making her way to the back of the building. She uses her grappling hook to get to the roof where she finds a skylight looking into the building. That's when she spots Jason, now tied to a chair. Crane is walking around, throwing his hands around dramatically but there seems to be a pep in his step, as if he's happy or excited about something. Sam rolls her eyes. He's so fucking insane.

A part of her does question if this is a trap. Jason is faster and stronger than Crane. Jason should have been able to escape. He has all of the training and he can easily take Crane. It doesn't even look like Crane is armed but Sam knows Jason is. It doesn't make a lot of sense but she's watching carefully and Jason doesn't even seem to be partaking in whatever nonsense Crane is on about. So, she brushes the thought of it being a trap away and thinks maybe Crane drugged him. That would explain everything. Trap or not, she's getting into this building and she's grabbing Jason.

She tries to look at everything surrounding them and the drum barrels on the catwalk. All she needs to do is distract Crane long enough to get Jason free. That's the point. It's not so much a rescue mission as it is just getting him free. If she can get him free and he can walk, he can escape Crane if it comes to that. Then, she spots an alarm sitting far off on the back wall and she has an idea.

"Hey, you at the Batcomputer?" Sam whispers into the phone.

"Uh...yeah, yeah, why? What's up?" Gar wheels himself closer to the keyboard, looking at the screens.

"Crane has Jason tied up. I'm at a pump station but I can see an alarm of some sort, not a fire alarm. Is there anyway to like...trigger it from where you are?" Sam asks.

"I can try, hold on." Gar says as he starts typing away.

"Or trigger anything to distract Crane so I can grab Jason."

"How long do you need?"

"Three minutes, tops." Sam keeps watch as Jason's head nods softly as if he's trying to stay awake and failing miserably.

"Okay, yeah, there's an alarm system that's still active in the building. I can set it off but as soon as Crane disables it, that'll be it. So, you have to be quick." Gar explains, getting into the building's security system.

"Okay, yeah. Quick, got it." Sam nods her head. "Ready when you are."

"Hang up and I'll trigger it. Text me when you get somewhere safe."

"Of course, thank you." Sam says softly before she hangs up.

She grabs a knife from her belt and starts working on the lock to the skylight. Luckily, this was a part of Jason's training. Lock-picking. Of course it was. As soon as she has the lock picked and the window ready to be opened, she hears the blaring of an alarm.

Jason and Crane both jump, looking around as the noise echoes and bounces off of the walls. Crane looks to grow more and more annoyed before he storms off and that's when Sam makes her move. She opens the window, using the grappling hook to lower herself down as quickly as possible.

Once her feet touch solid ground, she yanks the hook loose and runs to Jason, immediately bending down to be face-to-face with him. His pupils are blown and he's barely awake but his eyes widen just a little, trying to make her out. It's blurry but he swears it's Sam. That can't be right. Why the hell would she come?

Sam swears she finds herself hating Crane more and more by the second. She shakes her head and grabs a knife, cutting Jason's hands free before she comes to his face again.

"Jay? Can you walk?" She asks quietly, just loud enough so he can hear her above the alarm. But all Jason does is stare at her and he just can't believe she's really in front of him right now. Maybe he's hallucinating. "Jay?" Sam places her hands on his cheeks. "Hey, can you walk?"

It's her. She came.

Jason nods weakly and he thinks he might burst at the seams. He thought he was alone.

"Come on." Sam helps him up.

Jason's arm rests over her shoulders as the two of them head to the exit, opposite the way Crane went. Jason's footing is a little unsteady but he tries his best while Sam keeps him stable, one arm wrapped around him and the other holding his arm around her shoulders.

The entire walk to Sam's bike has Jason's head spinning, both from the high and the confusion of her showing up in the first place. She broke up with him and she gave up on him. His head might be foggy and he might be out of it right now, but he knows that happened. And yet she's here anyway. Not Dick or Kory or Gar. It's Sam who showed up. Maybe she shouldn't have but she did. And even in this state, Jason thinks maybe it was still a hard decision, given what happened last night...and the last time she found him. But, she showed up anyway and he does not deserve that.

Every part of her wants to explode like a volcano. It wasn't fucking a trap. Crane drugged him and tied him up so he couldn't fucking leave. That's what happened. Dick and Kory, they were wrong. They were fine letting Jason suffer over a what if situation. Sam just grabbed him without any damn problems. All she needed was a little help from Gar. it was fine. It went fine but who knows what Crane's plan for the rest of the night was. This could have gone so much worse for him and Dick and Kory just didn't care. They didn't care enough to try.

And then there's Crane. It just drives her insane. Jason got himself wrapped up in this but he doesn't deserve to be drugged and held hostage. Sam swears people in general don't really don't deserve it. But, now it's happened to Jason and she thinks maybe she shouldn't leave him again. Every part of her doesn't want to leave him again.

"Can you hold on?" Sam asks as they reach her bike.

"Uh..." Jason sucks in a breath before he nods. "Yeah, got it." He mutters, his words slurring together slightly.

"Where do you wanna go?" Sam asks, biting down her own hope that he'll say the manor.

Jason's heart rate spikes for a quick second with the question and for that split second, he almost spits out manor. But, that second is just that, a second. He can't go back. Not like this. Not now. If they want to turn him in, he can't run or defend himself and he's not putting Sam in that position anymore. So, he tells her another hideout he has and Sam just nods, all hopes of bringing him back fading away.

"I'll go slow." Sam says softly as she gets on the bike first, Jason wobbly getting on behind her.

Sam bends uncomfortably around, popping the spare helmet on his head. She slides the face shield down before turning back around and grabbing his arms to wrap around her. Once her own helmet is on, she takes off, leaving the pump station in the rearview mirrors.

When they reach the hideout, Sam helps Jason inside and upstairs with his directions. They reach the room that contains a mattress, an old broken dresser, and a few lamps scattered about the floor. Sam helps Jason over to the bed and helps him to sit down.

Jason sits with his knees bent, feet planted on the floor and his eyes locked on Sam. He just can't believe this is real. He still thinks he might be hallucinating or maybe he's just having a really vivid dream.

"Are you okay?" Sam asks as she kneels in front of him, resting her hands on his knees but Jason's head sways. "Jay?"

Everything hurts and it's spinning. And his chest hurts, the lump in his throat hurts. Every piece of his body is aching and burning and heavy, exhausted. But, Sam is here, right in front of him. She broke up with him last night and she gave up but she's right in front of him and he is so thankful. Why is she here? He doesn't deserve it.

Jason reaches forward, tugging her mask off of her face as if just to make sure it's her. "You came." His brows pull together as if he's in pain.

Sam's heart breaks at the surprise and tenderness of his voice. He really thought she wouldn't? She knows what she said but...does he think it's that easy?

"I'll always come to save you." Sam whispers, her eyes watering as they scan over his face.

Jason can feel his bottom lip start to quiver. He really fucked it all up and he's high and it's the worst high of his life. It all sucks and she's here and he doesn't know why. He wants to take it all back. He wants to turn back time and take everything back. He wants to go back to that day in her room when she was the one that told him loving him is the easiest thing she'd ever done because he knows that isn't true anymore. And it is breaking him.

"But you..." Jason chokes on his own words. "You said you were fucking done and--"

"Doesn't matter." Sam shakes her head, cutting him off. She searches his face until his eyes meet hers. Jason thinks she's never looked sadder. "If someone's going to hurt you or kidnap you, they're gonna have to deal with me." Her voice is candid but there's a weight of heartbreak etched in every syllable.

He doesn't deserve it and Crane betrayed him and hurt him. Another person he trusted hurt him and yeah, he went behind Crane's back first but did he deserve this? And Sam is the one still offering him kindness through everything. He could have gotten her killed, twice, and she's sitting in front of him with sad but kind eyes and Jason hates who he's becoming.

Jason sucks in a shaky breath and there's a part of him that can't do it anymore. He can't deal with the heaviness or the way his chest feels like it's going to collapse in on itself. He can't deal with the spinning or the numbness or any of it. His head bows forward slowly until his forehead lands on her shoulder. Tears start to fall from his eyes and everything around him is fucked up and a mess and it's all his fault. Why did he do this? What has he become? Was he better off dead?

Maybe he was better off dead.

Sam's teeth grit together as she hears him sniffle and feels him shake. Hitting rock bottom shouldn't be like this because it's him. If only he knew that he always deserved better and believed it. Maybe if he was treated better from the beginning. Maybe if trying would have just been enough the first time around.

"Jay." Sam whispers, hearing a soft cry come from Jason's throat. "It's okay." She says softly, moving away just enough to get him to pick his head up. She shakes her head at him, brows knitted together. "It's okay." Sam says again but this time she moves closer and pulls him into a hug and that's when Jason finally breaks entirely.

He's hurt so many people. And for what? He can feel the itch of withdrawal and the migraine kicking in. He wants to peel his skin off of his bones but his chest hurts and he doesn't think he can breathe. He sucks in a breath but all that comes from it is a cough and a cry. He wraps his arms around Sam and he feels her hug him tighter. Why is she doing this? He doesn't deserve it. Why did she even save him? Maybe he shouldn't be saved. Maybe Joker had it right the first time. Hank would be alive. Tim's dad would be okay. Sam wouldn't be mixed up in this. Dick wouldn't have been shot. Maybe it would be better if he had just stayed dead.

It feels that way anyway.

It's like a pull he can feel in the marrow of his bones, The betrayal to fate. He has no business being alive and he can feel it. Maybe that's how it should be. He was never very good at being good anyway and if he's no good, what's the point? He's more fucked up than he ever was before. Why does he bother trying? He should just be alone, it's what he deserves.

But, there's this voice in the back of his head that says maybe it's just the high this time. Whatever Crane has him on maybe it's messing with his head, maybe it's that and the betrayal of the night. Maybe it's the withdrawal. Maybe it's just a mix of everything.

So, he pulls away and Sam's hands come to his face and it's like an instinct. There's no effort in her showing up and caring about him because she just does. And it's right now with her thumbs, rubbing the warm tears away that Jason starts to wonder if this is unconditional. There were always conditions to people loving him and he thought maybe Sam's was just that he was three for her, or maybe Crane was right about her using him. Maybe it was just that she felt obligated to him because of Deathstroke. But, he almost got her killed and they fought and he killed Hank and she's sitting in front of him, helping him as if it is the easiest thing she's ever done. She just does it and maybe that's unconditional, even when someone says they give up.

Jason's breath is shallow and ragged and he just can't breathe. He wants to remember what it feels like to breathe again. To breathe effortlessly.

"Hard to breathe." Jason mutters, tears slowly falling down his cheeks.

Sam nods her head before she rests her forehead against his. Her eyes close and they just sit like that. Jason's eyes close a few seconds later and he always wonders how she knows what to do and say. No one ever did. Not like this. But, she does this and the act of her being there, in this moment, without even saying a word, gets Jason to suck in a full breath for the first time tonight. His tears start to slow down and the brutal thoughts about himself start to grow quiet. The only sound he can hear is his own breathing and the cars passing outside. He never thought silence could be so comforting.

Sam isn't sure if this night changes anything. Maybe he'll go right back to Crane but maybe he won't. Maybe tonight and last night stacked on top of each other is enough to get Jason back on solid ground. Maybe he's tired of drowning. She is hoping he's tired of it. And even if not, for tonight, she's going to let herself believe he is. Because he was the one kidnapped and held hostage and betrayed. He was the one left alone and the only people willing to help him were her and Gar. Maybe letting him hit rock bottom was a good enough idea, but maybe she isn't willing to follow through with it. Not if it leads him here. There has to be another way.

There is always another way.

Sam pulls away once Jason's breathing seems to be back to normal. "You okay?" Sam whispers, Jason seeing her own eyes turning a light shade of pink.

"I'm so fucking sorry." Jason coughs out. "For fucking everything."

"I know." Sam nods her head quickly, brows pulling together.

"No," Jason spits and he hates how his mouth feels like he's tried to swallow thirty cotton balls. "You don't fucking deserve it. None of you do. I'm so sorry." Jason's voice is pleading and begging and Sam wishes she could take out of her own heart and replace it with his just to ease some of his pain.

"Jay, you're high. We can talk about it later, okay?" Sam nods her head. "Come on, let's get you to bed, okay? You gotta sleep it off. I don't know what he gave you." Sam's hands slide off of his face and back to his knees. She would love to discuss this now but she's not sure how much of this he'll even remember when the high wears off. If they're going to talk, she wants him to be sober. This isn't actually his fault this time but she still wants him to be sober.

Jason nods his head, feeling more defeated than he already was. He's thinking she really means it. She really is done and she really is giving up on him. She was just there so Crane didn't go too far and kill him. And he wants to take it all back.

"Hey, I promise, okay?" Sam nods her head softly, seeing the deflated look on his face. "We can talk tomorrow if you still want to, promise." Sam offers a subtle but reassuring smile and that seems to do the trick.

Jason nods softly again and accepts it. He's exhausted anyway and maybe him spuing apology after apology like this isn't going to get them anymore. Maybe she is right. He just hopes she means it.

"Want help?" Sam asks.

Jason shakes his head, tugging his jacket off sloppily before telling Sam his spare clothes are in the broken dresser in the corner. Sam grabs him a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie from the drawer before moving back over to him. Jason struggles more and more trying to get the hoodie off, his limbs failing him as he grows defeated and exhausted. The breaking really used up all of his remaining energy.

"Lemme help." Sam rests the clothes beside him before she tugs the hoodie off gently.

She helps him take the armor off next, leaving him in a black tank top. And that's when she sees two scars peaking out of the very edges of the tank top on his chest. Her heart plummets remembering exactly what he looked like after the autopsy. His face was mangled and pale, blood long cleaned off of his body and the stitches trailing from his chest down his abdomen. She wonders why those didn't heal but the marks on his face did. But, her heart breaks because now he's permanently marked with what happened to him. He'll never be able to forget it anyway, but now he has a physical reminder and that's just not fair. At least he can probably dye his hair if he wants but there's nothing to do about the scars.

Why did it have to happen to him?

Sam glances to his face, his eyes drooping and then she looks at the white streak of hair. Jason said he thinks it's lame and she wonders what he thinks of the scars. She thinks he probably hates those, too. Another reminder. And she wants to say something but what the hell is she supposed to say? Yeah, sorry Bruce had an autopsy performed? Didn't think you'd come back from the dead? That's ridiculous. But, she also can feel his stare falling back on her and he starts to shift. Not saying anything, that's always an option with him. She doesn't have to.

So, she doesn't. Instead, she just traces over them because that's what she always does to his scars. And Jason thinks he might cry again. He hates those fucking scars. The white streak he can deal with, but those scars? Why did Bruce even have it done? Was it not fucking obvious what the cause of death was? He was brutally murdered by a crowbar to the face, something he'll never forget, and now he has fucking autopsy scars. Those are a little hard to explain. At least if he had crowbar scars, they could be explained by a mugging. The white streak is just a choice. Autopsy scars? There's no normal explanation for those. But, then Sam runs her thumbs over the scars anyway as if they're any other scar and Jason wants to combust. He thinks he might burst into flames right under her fingertips.

She offers a small but kind smile before she helps him take his boots off. And something about him not refusing her help this time is kind of reassuring for once. Usually, Jason would be telling her he can do it himself and he's fine but now he's just quiet. A part of that is concerning but him letting her help without protest is nice and maybe he's coming around. Maybe he is off the drug.

Once Jason is out of his Red Hood gear, Sam helps him get the other hoodie and pants on before Jason finally lays down. His head spins but his back starts to cramp in just the right way that starts to feel good. And all he wants to do is sleep this whole thing off.

Sam offers him a sad smile, resting her hand on his cheek. "Okay, I'm gonna head out. Call Dick if you change your mind and you wanna come home." Sam whispers before she goes to stand up.

Sam doesn't really intend to leave. She figures she'll just go downstairs until he wakes up and then they can go from there. She doesn't want to overstep by staying here with him if he's not going to ask. At the end of the day, he's out of it and it's not really her place right now. Even if the very thought of leaving him alone makes her want to burst into tears.

Jason doesn't even think before he grabs her hand as she pulls it away from his cheek. She hasn't even gotten up. Her other hand is on her knee to help herself up and she's looking at Jason, one brow raised and waiting. He doesn't want to be alone. Not this time. Just for tonight, he can't be alone.

"Can you stay...please?" Jason lets go of her hand, eyes looking up her, sad and pitiful.

It's like a knife is shoved through her ribs and right into her heart. How the hell could she ever say no to that? Jason Todd rarely asks people to stay and she already left him once. She's not doing it again. There will be another way because this? This isn't it. This is torture for him and for her and there is another way. She's not leaving him alone so she nods.

"Okay." Sam nods her head and Jason moves over. Sam sits down, moving the pillow up against the wall so she can lean against the wall comfortably. "You can lay down." Sam says softly, gesturing to her lap. "I can play with your hair until you fall asleep."

Jason eyes up her, barely keeping his eyes open but there's a warmth that consumes his chest this time. "Thanks for everything, Sammy." He has no idea how he'll ever be able to repay her. But, he is so thankful she's here and that he's not alone. 

"You and me." Sam says right back as Jason lays his head down in her lap.

Tears prick his eyes as they close because it's still her and him. Somehow, against all odds, it's the two them. He does not deserve it but he's thankful and he loves her. His head is pounding and throbbing, dizzy and foggy but he finds himself thinking maybe he's done with Crane. After everything tonight and having Sam still show up, maybe she's right. She's tried to save him this whole time but all he's done is push. She stayed for him, at the very least, maybe he can try to stay for her and then himself. Even if it's too late to salvage anything between them.

Sam's fingers tangle through the white streak of hair, lightly rubbing his scalp and she thinks this feels normal. Some part of this feels normal and maybe she's starting to hope it can go back to normal if he comes back to the manor. Maybe he can forgive her. She forgives him. She forgave him the second she saw the look of withdrawal on his face. She forgave him for everything else the second her own high wore off. Maybe if he calls Dick, if he's really off of the drug, maybe it can go to normal and maybe Molly's right. Maybe they can find a way back.

Sam pleads for them to be able to find their way back.

It doesn't take long for the exhaustion to take over and send Jason into a deep sleep. Sam can always tell when he really falls asleep because his leg twitches and then his entire body relaxes as if it's the only time he can really breathe. It's as if being awake is just too hard sometimes so when sleep does take over, his entire body just collapses on itself. She desperately wishes it weren't so hard for him. It's not really her job anymore, but if there were a way to make it easier for him, she'd do it in a heartbeat.

"Hey." Sam whispers into the phone, her hand still running through Jason's hair.

"Is everything okay?" Gar asks quickly.

"We've been worried." Kory adds in and Sam figures she's on speaker and she wonders when Gar decided to loop them in.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Crane drugged him. He's asleep now." Sam watches the white fall over her fingers and then through them. His arm is draped lazily over her legs but keeping her in place and she wonders if it still feels safe like this for him. It does for her.

"He's asleep?" Dick questions and Sam thinks there might even be a softness to his voice.

"Yes." Sam answers back. "Whatever Crane drugged him with was enough to subdue him and now he's tired. So, he's asleep."

"Is that what he told you?" Dick asks and Sam just rolls her eyes.

"No, but I could tell given he was tied to a chair and I had to help him walk. He was drugged." Sam mutters sternly, trying to keep her voice down.

"Is he okay?" Kory asks and Sam can hear the worry in her voice.

Sam keeps her eyes on him and it's the same answer. It's always the same answer and she really, really hopes one day it'll change.

"No." Sam answers. "He's not. But, I got him."

Gar can hear the bitterness mixing with heartbreak in her tone. He's relieved she was able to get Jason and setting off the alarms works. He's a little surprised it worked since the three of them together don't seem to have the best of luck. But, Sam has Jason now and he knows she fought with Dick and Kory before leaving, about them not helping. Gar isn't sure Sam is going to be so willing to come back, especially if she's getting through to Jason.

"You're not coming back, are you?" Gar asks.

Sam swallows thickly. "No, I gotta stay. I can't leave him like this. But, I'll be back tomorrow."

"Did he tell you anything before he passed out?" Dick asks.

"He said he was really sorry but he, uh, he was really upset and drugged so I said we'd talk later. Then, he asked if I could stay. Um...I think maybe, he'll come around when he wakes up so if he calls you, Dick, you better answer and let him come home, okay?" Sam's words should be stern but instead, they're desperate and aching.

"Okay." Dick agrees simply, not willing to go back and forth this time. "Did you kill anyone tonight?"

"No," Sam scoffs. "I let them off with a warning for helping me."

Dick gains a soft smile. He didn't want her to go. He was really concerned for her safety, for all of the Titans' safety. But, she didn't kill anyone and she was right about Jason. She got him free and brought him somewhere safe, with just a little help from Gar. She had a plan of some sort and a backup just in case it was a trap. Dick hopes Jason realizes one day how lucky he is to have someone who's willing to learn from past mistakes and forgive and forget so easily. Not many people are willing to do that. And Dick is proud.

"Good work." Dick says. "Both of you." Sam can't see it but he offers Gar a simple nod.

She's still a little mad but it is nice to hear she did good for once. Bruce wasn't very much of a positive reinforcement kind of person. Jason always said she was doing a good job but it was different and that's when she finally gets it.

Molly and Gar were right. It was never about her being enough for him because it's different. Her validation is important but she wasn't the one who gave him the suit. She wasn't the one that took him in. Jason always knew she was doing good and she's good at being a vigilante but hearing it from Dick, means something different.

It's like she expects Jason to think she's good because he loves her and that's the thing. Of course, Sam always believed in him because she loves him. That was never the issue. Dick's been doing this for over ten years. Bruce even longer. And Dick was the one who said she could be a Titan. It was Dick that introduced her to it. Like Bruce introducing Jason to it. It's different hearing it from the person who believed in her. It never had anything to do with her.

"Thank you." Sam says softly, a soft smile on her lips. "I'm gonna go. Thanks for letting me do this and not following me." Sam says. "I'll be back tomorrow." She sighs before she hangs up, resting her phone on the floor beside the mattress before she rests her head against the wall, closing her eyes.