Jason stared out the window sullenly.

He had a lot to think about lately.  Dick's, Tim's, and Damian's school year was ending, so he wasn't able to have the house to himself.  Bruce wasn't away on a business trip.  And dear Alfred was taking a small vacation.  He seemed to be having a lot of those lately.

But that wasn't what was worrying Jason.  It was life that was worrying him.  He was kind of sick of it.  What was to it?  Death wasn't all that bad!  Coming from someone who had died, but forced to come back to life.  Was it worth living?  He didn't have really anything to live for...

Jason took a deep sigh and looked at his watch.  It was 12:01 AM.  Wow, he had been staring out that window for a really really long time.  But the thing was, he wasn't tired.

So the only logical thing to do was to get a snack.  Maybe have some of that candy that Dick had hidden, but Jason had seen him do it.

Jason crept out of his room, careful not to wake any of his brothers up.  Or Bruce.  This was one of those rare days that both Dick and Bruce decided to go to sleep, and he wasn't about to wake either.

He knew why Bruce didn't want to sleep, because he might miss a crime happening in Gotham, and he knew how much Bruce hated that.  But Alfred had practically forced the reluctant adult to bed.  It was funny, but Jason hadn't laughed, because not getting enough sleep was unhealthy.  Well, Bruce was sleeping down in the Batcave... but that was about the closest he could get to sleeping.

Dick was a different story.   He was just scared to even sleep... was it called hypnophobia?  Jason didn't know.  But whatever, Jason had figured out how to get Dick to sleep, and that was that.

Jason walked slowly down the hall, and he paused to glance at all the pictures on the wall.  He wasn't in that many of them.  So he moved on.

To Tim's room.  Jason grinned with a wicked look.  He had an idea, why not write something embarrassing on Tim?  But when he opened the door, he realized it was a bad idea... Tim could be teased at school.  He wouldn't want that right?

When he reached Damian's room, he could practically here purring.  Probably coming from Damian's cat, Alfred.  He decided he shouldn't bother the little demon.

Dick's room was next, and Jason peeked into the door.  To be met with a sleeping Dick, he was whimpering in his bed.  Uh oh...

Then Dick started screaming.  Jason rushed in, and after an afterthought, shut the door to dampen the sound.  He couldn't get Bruce up here.

Dick never slept because of night terrors.. that's why he was so scared.  They happened less, now.  But more when he was younger.  He knew the drill, every night, Dick would scream, and Bruce would get up and rush up and comfort the teen.

Jason never helped.

He regretted that.

Well, he could help now, right?

"Dick!  Dick!  Wake up!"  Jason cried, shaking the younger boy.

Dick popped up, and immediately started to cry,"My, my, my... "

"Parents?"  Jason asked, he had seen this happen before.  And Bruce always asked this, and then comforted the kid.

But this was different.

"No.  It wasn't... it wasn't them." Dick said,"It was worse..."

"What do you mean?" Jason asked, genuinely surprised.

"It was you.. and Tim and Damian." Dick said, his eyes wet with tears.

Jason sharply gasped,"That's not normal..."

"I know..." with that Dick started crying even more, and with a sudden realization of who was sitting next to him, Dick scooched off the bed, tears still streaming down his face, and "Why why are you here?  Get away from me!  I don't need your, your insults!  Go away Jason!  I don't need anymore hurt!  I don't need more pain!  Just go away!"

With that Dick started to sob.

Jason eye's glazed over and a memory instantly came forth...

AAAAAAAAGHHHHHHH!

Jason was awakened by an ear deafening scream.

He walked down the hall.. to the room.

Dick was sitting up screaming, bed sheets spread allover the floor, pillow halfway across the bedroom, tears streaming down his face.

Scaredy cat!  Jason yelled.

Dick cried harder, They they...

Fell.. yeah I've heard it a million times before!  Oh your poor poor parents!  Well guess what?!  Mine are dead to, so get over it!  Jason taunted.

Go, go away! Dick screamed.

Baby scared?  Jason teased.

I don't need your insults!  Just because someone hurt you, doesn't mean you need to hurt me!  Dick screeched.

Whatever... circus scum!

Jason's eyes opened, and he found them wet with tears.

"Dick!  Is that what I did so many years ago...?" Jason sighed.

"Wasn't very nice!" Dick screamed,"Go away!  This is why I don't sleep anymore!"

The room fell silent, and Dick clamped a hand over his mouth and broke down and collapsed.

"No, I couldn't of have, I didn't... Wait, am I the reason you don't sleep?!" Jason asked putting an arm around the broken child.

"....yes..." Dick said softly.

"I can't believe I ever did that." Jason reflected.

"You did." Dick said, whimpered.

Jason didn't say anything, except,"I'm sorry."

"That's all I needed to hear." with that, Dick fell into his brother's lap, asleep.

And from that moment on... Jason knew that he needed to live.