𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 || 𝘈 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘖𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯

"NOT GONNA LIE TO YOU," Kate said. "This is a bit of a letdown."

Festive music played through the overhead speakers in the small store. Jason scanned one of the freezers full of drinks on display. With an addition of a hat and a new jacket. The last thing he wanted to deal with was getting noticed by a random bystander. And thankfully, they had passed by a store where he snatched the two pieces and gave the store owner more money than he likely deserved.

"Sorry to disappoint you," Clint muttered, scanning the shelf. "Wanna grab some of that rubbing alcohol over there? Lower shelf."

Jason reached inside, grabbed two energy drinks and walked back over. "You got this covered?" Clint asked.

The boy in question laughed. "Good to know I'm the personal piggy bank," he said, "but, yeah. I got it."

"So, what's the plan now?" Kate whispered. "Let me guess. We're going to your safe house? Is it in the Avengers Tower?"

"No," Clint grumbled. "Tony sold that. A few years ago."

He snatched the rubbing alcohol from the girl's hands and tossed them in the green basket and walked away. "That was sad on so many levels."

They followed the man towards the front counter and stood in a line. The dog stared up at Clint as he glanced down at the animal that nipped at the back of his pants. "All right," he huffed. "What is it? What do you want with me?"

"I think he sees you need a friend," Jason murmured. "You look like you could use one."

"Look, I gotta look for a place to stash you," Clint told Kate. "Safe. So I can recover the suit and clean your mess. Also, I don't like the comment."

"Stash me?" Kate chuckled. "I'm not a bag of money."

"No, you're not," Clint said. "A bag of money'd be useful to me."

Jason bit his lip to hold back the grin tugging at the corner of his lips. Pursing his lips as he handed Clint his card to purchase the items as Kate glared at both of them. Both childhood friends had always thrown those types of comments at one another when growing up. But something about hearing Hawkeye say something like that was amusing.

"I actually do know a place about 10 blocks away," Kate bit back. "Would a bag of money know a place?"

A smirk tugged at Jason's lips as he nudged Kate's arm. Grinning upon seeing that triumphant smile press itself to her lips. "Touché, Kate."

The trio walked the 10 blocks now standing out in front of an apartment. Kate carefully scanned the multiple names before sighing and pressing a button. When no one answered, she started pressing multiple buttons. Glancing back at the pair who raised their brows in question, and doubt of her promise.

One finally answered, "Y'ello."

"Yes, hey, uh..." she paused. "Hi. Yeah, we're... Uh, I got pizza."

"Huh?" The man asked. "What?"

"I got pi..." she sighed. "Uh-huh."

"Hello?"

It was rather painful hearing the altercation between the mystery man and Kate. So much so that Jason had begun to pinch the bridge of his nose. Finding amusement in the interaction, but second-hand embarrassment.

When the door opened, they made their way up the multiple flights of stairs. Stopping on the fourth floor where Kate led them down the hall and stopped in front of an apartment door.

"Okay, not exactly a fortress, but it'll do, right?" Clint said aloud.

"It's my aunt's place." She began to reach into her pockets. "She's in Florida for the winter. Hold that for me."

Jason took the bow and sighed. "I'm also the personal concierge," he muttered. "Good to know I'm valued for something."

Kate proudly showed off her lockpicking set, which Clint nodded dismissively. She turned towards the door, taking only a few seconds to unlock it. As soon as the lights turned on, the three hurried inside and shut the door behind them.

For a moment, Jason had to remember his surroundings. Search through his mind to piece together why the place looked so damn familiar to him. But when he did, it brought a smile to his face.

Kicking his shoes off he scanned the walls covered by pictures and trinkets. Bookcases are scattered throughout the narrow and clustered halls. Stopping when he saw a picture of him and Kate at Central Park. They must've been seven around the time. Jason remembers forcing Kate to ask her aunt to take them for a walk. It was probably the middle of July at the time. They'd spent most of the day there, playing hide and go seek and having lunch there. It was one of those memories that no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't forget.

His eyes broke from the picture towards Clint who sniffed the air. "Is there a cat in here?"

"Hm," Kate hummed. "There's cat hair."

"You allergic or something?" Jason leaned against the doorframe of the small kitchen. "Not judging or anything just would be the last thing I'd expect."

"Yeah, I am." Clint sniffled. "Okay. Here. I'm gonna need you to clean your wounds. Use this. Use soap, this and disinfect it."

Once he pulled out all the items in the bag, he sighed. "All right," he said. "I'm going back to your apartment to get that suit. And then I'm going back to my kids."

"You need help?" Jason asked as the man waved his hand.

"No, I'll be good," Clint assured. "Watch her for the time being. Make sure she doesn't do anything dumb." Jason turned to Kate with a teasing grin in response.

"I'm right here," Kate spoke up. "And, oh, yes, Clint, you may enter my apartment. Don't you need my keys?"

"Nope." Clint opened the door and stepped out. "I'm good. Stay here. Lock this door."

And like that, the door shut and Clint left without another word. Leaving two adults in an awkward silence that neither knew how to fill. So, Jason decided to retreat to the fridge as Kate brushed past him and collapsed on the couch.

Soon after, he had sat at the table with a bowl of cereal and his energy drink. Occasionally glancing over his shoulder and meeting the back of Kate's head. He felt the unnatural aura of her pent-up frustration wash over him as he sat uncomfortably. Searching for something to talk about that would just help him get rid of this constant anxiety in his stomach. Twisting and turning in his gut and making it hard for him to breathe.

"So," Jason muttered, "how's school?"

"Did you plan on killing those guys?"

The question came so suddenly that Jason inhaled sharply and froze. Fingers tensed around the metal spoon as he carefully placed it down. He knew it would be only a matter of time before the subject was brought up. He was just hoping to have more time to delay the inevitable.

Resting his hands on his thighs, Jason sighed. "Yes," he said. "I planned on killing them."

"What the hell happened to you?" She questioned.

A scoff escaped Jason as he rose from his chair. "A lot," he said. "People change, Kate. That's something I don't think you realize."

"Don't treat me like a child, Jason," she spat. "And stop avoiding the question."

"But I answered."

"Not entirely."

"Still answered," he said. "You asked what happened to me, I said, a lot. That's an answer."

If looks could kill, Kate's glare would've set him on fire and burned him alive. It may not have been appropriate to joke around or be a smartass when she was being serious about something. But he found himself doing his best not to admit things and see that maybe his ways weren't the best. Carlton has tried and has failed miserably many times.

Finding his spot near the sink leaned against the edge, Jason crossed his arms over his chest. Meeting Kate's gaze that held such confusion and frustration because of him.

"What do you want me to say?" Jason sighed. "Do you want me to say something in my brain randomly turned on and I decided to kill people? Do you think that it brings me any pleasure?"

"Well, with how quick you were to grab a gun before anything else kinda answer's that, doesn't it?" She spat. "I don't know what the hell happened to you, but you aren't the Jason I know. I don't even know who you are."

"What do you think happened, Kate?" He asked, pushing himself off the counter. "What do you think triggered me to become the Precursor? Or to kill people?" Kate knew what the answer was, she just could reply with the fiery gaze from Jason fixated on her.

Every single moment spent talking and avoiding the obvious. Jason's anger rose to a new level and continued on each second. Leaving flames in its wake and spreading like a wildfire in a forest. But it had been the cooling and sweeping winds of his inner moral obligation that sided with Kate. The piece of him that knew he could do better without the decision of killing criminals. He knew right or wrong, but the line dividing the two was almost blurry to Jason.

"You're a lot like your dad." Kate's words had him clenching his jaw, looking up at her. Meeting her glassy eyes held nothing but pain and sadness towards him.

"He always said if you have the chance, you should protect the ones in need," she reminded. "But striking fear in the people of this city- the people around you. That isn't helping."

Thankfully and by the grace of God, a telephone began to ring. Their attention snapped away from one another and to Kate's phone that rested on the coffee table in the living room. Her eyes flickered back to Jason for a moment longer than usual before she walked away and to the phone to answer it.

"Hey, mom," Kate greeted with a fake smile. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine, mom. Here, I'm going to put you on speaker."

Jason decided to step away, give the Bishop the time alone that she deserved. Making his way to the spare room he and Kate used to share when her aunt babysat them when their parents went on double dates. And the welcoming of the room was like a cold bucket of water hitting his skin.

The walls are scattered with leftover drawings from years ago. Life was far easier to go about for Jason back then. Able to live life without constant nightmares of the night his parents were murdered in front of him. They held him from relishing in the good things in his life and everything around him.

Grabbing his phone from his pocket, he placed it on the ground and stepped back a few feet. "Call, Carlton."

A grey hologram of his uncle appeared with him sitting on a stool. Likely in front of the hideout's computer, taking note of everything going on in the city. Taking notes of Joseph Martello and the Tracksuits. Gathering information to be able to relay it back to Jason. Who waited eagerly to plan his next move.

"Did you find, Ronin?" Carlton asked.

"I did," Jason sighed. "It was Kate. She stole the suit. Now she has Tracksuits hunting her down and Clint Barton tasked me with watching her."

"Wait," Carlton laughed. "Clint Barton? Like, the Hawkeye?"

"Yup," Jason sighed. "I haven't wrapped my head around it just yet, but he's out grabbing the suit."

Carlton hummed. "From the CCTV footage, it doesn't look like any suit is going to survive that fire," he said. "How is Kate, by the way? Is she hurt?"

"Ah," Jason waved. "Nothing she can't manage. She's a damn trooper."

"That's understating it," Carlton sighed. "I think that after tonight, you should just come back. You did your part. Now it's Clint's responsibility."

Clearing his throat, Jason shifted on his feet. The action had Carlton frowning. "What's up?" He asked. "What's on your mind?"

The man inhaled deeply as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Is she sleeping alright?"

Carlton was taken by surprise by the question but nodded. "She's been alright," he said. "Besides the constant throwing up, I would say she's doing alright. Felix has been taking care of her."

Jason nodded stiffly as he paced aimlessly around the bedroom. Composure and thoughts dwindling him down to a white spec of self-doubt and hatred. A horrible mixture for a person such as Jason who needed his head clear. Allowing him to operate to his fullest potential, but with Kate's words filling his mind. It grew harder and harder to think clearly.

Something in Carlton could tell something was on the boy's mind. Perhaps it's something he picked up on watching over the boy for the past 2 years. "She wouldn't want you doing this, Jason."

For once, Jason agreed on something with the man. The woman, likely asleep, wouldn't want him doing the things he's doing. Saving people is what she would want from him. But it seemed he was going against everyone he loved as of recently.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he shook his head. "Did you track the Tracksuits?"

"No," Carlton paused, "I lost them in the alleyways they took to avoid the police."

"Okay." Jason nodded. "Keep me posted. I'll likely be back tomorrow morning. Let Felix know to be ready in the city to swing around to Kate's aunt's place. That's where we'll be staying."

Before he could end the call, Carlton stopped him. "Jason," he sighed, "visit her when you get back. At least talk to her once."

All Jason could spare was another stiff nod before ending the call. Picking his phone off the ground and sighed heavily. Shoving it in his pocket and leaving the bedroom. He was quickly met by Kate who he guessed was heading to bed.

Stepping out of her way, Jason watched her enter the room. A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she looked around. "Man, so many memories in here," she muttered. "I forgot how long it's been since I've visited."

"Not visiting if your aunt isn't here," he tried to joke. "But, yeah. Took me a moment to remember the place with everything going on in life."

Kate hummed as she sat down on the tiny bed against the left side of the room. Holding a piece of the blanket in her hands with a soft smile. "I remember you raving on and on about the girl you went to school with."

"Bethany Lane," Jason said. "Not much of her anymore nowadays."

She hummed in thought as Jason leaned against the door frame. He took the moment to look her over with a sigh. Seeing the obvious tension in her shoulders. They weren't as tense as their earlier talk, but she looked relaxed. Mainly because at first, she thought he was just a soulless killer, calling himself a hero. But, she could still see the boy that she remembers getting piggyback rides from. The boy that got sent to the hospital fighting a group of boys picking on her. Pieces of Jason, her Jason, was still intact. It was just a matter of breaking this new facade to let the real him out.

"Kate," Jason paused, swallowing the lump in his throat, "if this gets out of control and your life is put in harm's way, I will kill whoever to save you."

"What if that's not what I want?" Kate challenged softly. She wasn't willing to put a fight against her friend. What she was willing to do is fight for him right now. Do whatever she could to make him better.

It was a good question that Jason didn't how to answer. Only able to find that deep down in his heart, it didn't matter what she wanted in the end. There were some things he could live without. Such as his humanity, which he tore off and threw to the side. But, Kate, there were too many connections and emotions there. Far too many unspoken feelings that he wasn't ready to let go unannounced.

He licked his lips as he shook his head. "You are the one thing that I have left to remind me of my old self," he said. "If I lose that, I don't know what I'll do."

It was only a brief insight on his mind and even little on his feelings. Because let's be honest, the last things either of them had time to deal with were unreciprocated feelings or awkwardness. Especially with Jason would have to stay in the same apartment as her for the rest of the night.

"I lost my parents, Kate." He shook his head. "I can't lose you too."

"Where does this end, Jason?" She asked. "When will you stop and realize that neither your parents would want this from you?"

Jason nibbled on his bottom lip as he shook his head. "I don't know, Kate," he admitted. "I haven't decided."

With that, Jason shut the door and left Kate to hang onto his words for dear life.