Son Of The Bat (Son of Batman Reader x Raven)

Chapter 13.0

    An apartment sat inside Gotham Clocktower. A glass coffee table held nothing but some papers and the gun that shot Maroni, the remaining bullets scattered on the table. Y/n lay on the couch, asleep with a blanket over him. Dried tears stained his cheeks as his head lay in Cass’s lap. She ran her thumb over the top of her brother’s black hair. No thought in her mind but wanting to be there for her brother, just as he had been there for all of them. “He’ll be okay, Jason.” A soft voice spoke.

Barbara had parked her wheelchair in front of the armchair where Jason sat. His elbows rested on his thighs, his hands in his hair. “I’ve never seen him like that. I didn’t know he had that rage. I never knew he was even capable of killing. But he shot Maroni’s nephew in the head, and he didn’t even flinch.”

    Barbara placed her hand on his knee. “For years Y/n had to deal with us. The reason you didn’t know he had that rage is because he was hiding it.” “I should have known. All of us watched-I watched him grow up. I know him better than everybody, except for Selina, and I never knew.” “Jason, you can’t blame yourself." "That's where you're wrong. It all-he started getting like this when Stephanie had her thing."

    Jason clenched his fists together. "I saw the signs and I chose to ignore them. I thought he'd be fine. And then it looked like he got better and I relaxed. But he was hiding it inside. This was chosen for him. Since he was six years old he's had to deal with us. I should have protected him."

    It was the next morning. The sun had just come up and was shining through the windows. The sound of coffee being poured filled the air. Barbara was at the kitchen counter, pouring coffee into mugs. There were four, but she only put coffee into three. Then she put varying levels of creamer inside the coffee and for the last one microwaved a cup of water before stirring in a packet of Hot Cocoa mix.

    Then she put everything on a tray and wheeled to the living room. The living room was a bit of a mess. Cass sat on the couch, her legs wrapped in a blanket as she stared absentmindedly into the table. On the floor though, there were two people under a blanket. Y/n had nightmares and was laying on the floor. The only thing Jason thought to do was hold him there, cradle his brother in his arms.

    Barbara put another mug near her place around the coffee table and she wheeled around the TV, playing the news, and put the other two on the table near the boys. “Are we going to the manor today? I just remembered Alfred is there alone. With her-” “Guys.” Jason’s voice cut through the sound of Cass’ questions. “Look.” All eyes, including Y/n's, followed Jason’s gaze to the TV.

    Vicki Vale stood in front of a camera on a rooftop, a crime scene behind her. “Here we are at the scene of a fight that took place last night. Batman and Catwoman fought against the masked villain known as Deathstroke around 11pm last night. Eye witnesses report that they saw the three fighting when Deathstroke incapacitated Batman and stabbed Catwoman. There is speculation but as far as anyone can tell, Catwoman’s wounds were fatal. Blood left at the crime scene was tested and confirmed the identity of the masked heroine as Selina Kyle…”

    The words became muffled as the new revelation echoed in Y/n’s head. They figure it out. Bruce got sloppy, rightfully so, but still. He allowed the public to identify Selina Kyle as Catwoman. And it would only be a matter of time before they asked who Batman was. And if he himself was Robin.

    Another day had passed and they had been at the Manor for the night before. Now, they were standing on the grounds of the manor. More specifically the graveyard, filled with generations of Waynes. And at the forefront lie Jason Todd, Stephanie Brown, Dick Grayson, and now Selina Kyle: 'Hero. Wife. Mother.'

    They knew by now Y/n would want to be left alone so they all left one by one. Alfred, Stephanie, Tim, Barbara, Cass, and Jason. Bruce was still hiding in his room, and Damian had been in the wind. But now, the boy was alone.