□Jason□

That son of a goddamned bitch. He really showed.

I knew he would, I just didn't think it would be that quick. Either way, I'll get out quicker than he can blink.

He seems taller and more intimidating than I remember, but that was two years ago. I'm not the same person I was back then, and neither was he.

I used to give no shits back then, but now I do. Well, about two shits anyways. Then that's it.

"I see you,"

And there it is.

His gravely ass voice, to match his gravely ass characteristics.

I watch him in his fucking bird costume, ears pointed and all. God, it's stupid.

He looks so goddamned stupid, crouching near the kid I found to be Tim Drake.

I guess he got a promotion, from the last time I saw him, as he was just a trainee.

Look at him now, trying to be all high and mighty.

I hate them. I hate all of them.

I especially hate him, who forgot about me like I was nothing.

The girl I met -- having a spitting personality of Bruce Wayne's -- she's the only one who ever really mourned me, from what I've been told and what I've seen.

So I don't hate her, not as much as the rest anyways. She's still a kid. She used to know nothing about this. About what Bruce and the rest of them did.

"How do you want to do this? I come to you or you come to me?"

I scoff at Batman's continuation, shaking my head. I'll make it out just fine, without him seeing anything he doesn't need to see.

So I step out into the dim light of the warehouse I'm held up in for tonight, and stop after a couple feet of walking.

He's standing now, in front of his son, almost protectively.

"Look at you, all high and mighty," I growl, tilting my head.

I'm not gonna lie, seeing him standing there fucking hurts. It makes me so fucking jealous, but I can't help it. I used to be one of his kids, and now I'm not. I can't mope around getting all whiny because I'm not there anymore -- I'm dead to them.

"I asked you a question."

"And I don't have to fucking answer to you,"

"Fine, I'll come to you then."

I shake my head, knowing what I'm gonna do to him, how I'm gonna make his head spin. He charges towards me, and I swiftly leap up, grabbing the bar above me, swinging myself backwards with ease. As I use momentum to go forward, I see he's already preparing himself for a kick from me.

But I'm not going to kick him.

Instead, as he comes close enough, I let go of the bar, my body flying over him. I hear him spin around and start coming back towards me, and I immediately kick back, letting him catch my foot.

He yanks me backwards, and I twist my body, so I'm facing him.

Quickly, before he can slam me down to the ground, I reach for his neck, grab on, and push myself upwards. My free right foot pushes off of his left shoulder, and I leap upwards, into the shadowy darkness of the second floor.

Then, grabbing the second floor railing, I flip myself over the railing and land on my feet, softly.

I escape out of the warehouse within the next ten seconds with silence.

□Mara□

"He was dressed in red, right?"

"Yes. Bright red, with a brown leather jacket."

"He's a damn good fighter. Knows more moves than I do, so he could be from the League,"

"Yeah, he's adgile, quick, and knows how to maneuver himself out of certain situations. He's obviously from the League."

"He's cocky too,"

Someone scoffs.

I recognize two voices.

My brothers and my fathers, as I wake up slowly. They're trying to be quiet, but the cave echoes like crazy. As I open my eyes, I let myself adjust to the bright light.

After a few seconds, I see a couple people in the familiar medical room.

Dad, Dick, Tim, and Alfred. No Damian.

Shit, Damian. Where is he? Did he make it home?

Dad and Dick stop talking as I sit up properly now. I spot Tim on the cot, with a bowl next to him. I'm still half asleep, so I just stare at him.

"He's gonna be fine, Mara. He just went through what was put into your system." Dad's voice rings through my head, and I nod a little.

"You should go back to sleep, even though you're getting off from school until we figure this all out."

"What?" That snaps me to Dick's attention. He looks slightly startled at my sudden movements, but shakes it off.

"Mara, you're staying down here until we find your killer," Dad says, and I blink.

"What? Why?"

"Mara, this is not up for debate, if that's what your asking."

"Dad, why do I have to stay here? School is perfectly safe, he's not just gonna come waltzing in -- " I stop abruptly, an idea dawning on me.

Now Alfred turns to face us, giving me an exasperated look. I give him a small, quick smirk.

"Okay, so - so just hear me out, just listen to me. Don't say or do anything, don't even react right away; just listen to what I have to say," I state slowly, looking between the three men down here, but mostly Dad.

He looks skeptical of me, like he already knows what I'm going to say.

I take their silence as their compliance.

"Okay, so I was thinking, that if we want to catch this person who's trying to kill me, then -"

"No." Dad blurts out, and I frown at him.

"Dad I said hear me out -"

"You said nothing about when you were done talking Mara, and no, whatever idea you have cooking up in that big brain of yours, my answer is a no."

"But Dad -!"

"No, Mara, that is my final answer!"

And then Dad stalks off, up and out of the medical bay. I grumble in irritation, slumping back into my chair.

Alfred just looks at the floor and then turns back to Tim.

"Mara, he's not trying to be controlling of you -"

"Yeah I know Dick. Trust me, I know, he's 'just trying to protect me'. Well screw that! And screw him too, because I'm not some fragile painting that, if you look at it the wrong way, will break! I've been through shit, hell, every single person in the world has been through shit, and I think I'm strong enough to fight this fucking killer of mine face to face. Jesus, if we figure out who he is, and I see them on the street, I'm gonna beat the shit out of 'em!" At this point I've stood up, waving my hands in the air like a crazy person, shouting like one too.

Alfred has turned back around, now having both men looking at me. It's funny, they've both got smirks on their faces.

Why the fuck are they smiling? The hell do they have to smile about?!

Alfred takes a breath, and chuckles. I glare at him, but he just shrugs it off.

"Yeah, you're definitely Bruce's kid." Dick says, and I give him an exaggerated eyeroll.

I frown further and drop my hands to my sides, sitting back down.

"What am I supposed to do if he's not going to listen to me?!" I complain to Dick, and he turns to me, looking like he's about to give me a lecture.

"You want an honest answer?" Dick asks, suddenly furrowing his brows, and peering at Alfred, then back to me. I tilt my head, confused at his actions.

He moves his hand to tell me to come closer.

I get up and lean over, letting him whisper without having Alfred hear.

"You're gonna have to break the rules."

a/n - so i hope you liked jason's early return, and sorry if his character was off (it's kinda hard to write the brother's personalities/perspectives sometimes lol). also, i can't write fight scenes so sorry if that was bad too haha. anyways, until next time!

- siri2727