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Bruce hadn't thought twice about Red Hoods sudden slip back into more violent tenancies one Saturday evening. Sure, it was disappointing to hear but not unexpected, sometimes it happened, when Jason was faced with the worst Gotham had to offer. Bruce… Couldn't blame him, only give him a disapproving Batglare and be there when Jason apologised. His son truly had been trying, he did Bruce proud every time he went out with Rubber Bullets and after every mission that reported zero casualties… But tonight he'd been ignoring the comms, had gone on a shooting spree on a small drug ring and just generally fallen back into old habits. Not surprising, just sad to hear.
Babs was keeping an eye on him, since he'd cut all communication somehow, no matter what Oracle did she couldn't get through to him, the same static every time. It was the first unusual thing that looking back, Bruce should have realized something was wrong. Hood, while a smart lad in his own right, didn't have the same tech skills as Babs and Tim, his intellect was more on firearms, intel collection, general intimidation, hand to hand and 18th century poetry… Not out-teching Oracle of all people.
The second was when Hood had gotten dropped, easily, by a couple of goons, drugged and carried off. Batman was already well on his way, as soon as Babs had passed that along, grappling over rooftops to save his son and figure out what exactly had caused the sudden shift, (Jason had been doing so well, one of his longest no-killing streaks to boot.)
But, upon almost arriving at the scene, hearing the echoing sounds of gunfire, the building exploded in a plume of fire and smoke and ash. Bruce faltered, almost missed his grapple line.
"Cams show there was still 7 occupants in the building, including Hood." Came Oracle's report, straight after the explosion, having been keeping track the entire time. The rest of the clan had either been out on their own patrol (Cass was somewhere or other, but his daughter was practically a shadow, he struggled to find her sometimes but trusted her to be safe.) or at home (Duke and Damian had homework and were left at the Manor under Dick's watchful eye.) So he had kept them out of the loop, they didn't need to know about Hood's lapse, it was Bruce's problem to solve.
But hearing Hood was inside? Bruce restarted his grapples after the little mishap with renewed vigour, swooping down to the explosion site still heating his face and choking his lungs, rebreather instantly pulled onto his face to combat the smoke filled air.
"Emergency Services are already dispatched and 4 minutes out after several public calls." Oracle relayed, Bruce could detect the small tremble to her words but said nothing.
The rubble was everywhere and Bruce hated how familiar the scene was. His arms shook minutely as he began to delve into it, avoiding still burning patches of fire to search for any of the men or more importantly his son.
The Emergency Services arrived shortly after Bruce and had tugged two men out, one alive but in a serious condition, the other deceased and neither his son. He'd passed them off to the Ambulance Crew who were a little apprehensive of the Bat but didn't comment, letting the man continue his search. It was only after a clamour off to the side had him alerted.
"They've got him, B." Oracle relayed before Bruce could even get over to the small crowd.
The.. The body, because there was definitely nothing that could be done for... for that, was even worse than the last time. At least last time Bruce could recognize his son, hold him in his arms. This was…
His stomach churned and had he been alone he was sure he'd have turned to vomit. Still, he couldn't not with people around, the big bad Bat couldn't handle his stomach at one body? (Nobody would know he was a father mourning his son.)
"Log the time of death for 23:12." One called, because the ambulance crew could do nothing. Bruce wasn't sure he'd even recognize his son if not for the bulky mangled frame was wearing a charred Red Hood.
"I'm sorry B." Oracle spoke softly. "Would you like me to alert everyone else?"
But Bruce couldn't speak, could only stare silently, feel his legs weaken and his throat clog. Not again. Please.
One braver responder shuffled over to him. Hood had a Bat splayed over his chest after all, not that anyone could tell that now... Not with the state-
Bruce looked away. He couldn't. He couldn't stare at the burnt body beyond recognition, one arm entirely missing, and associate it with his son, his Jaylad.
"Would you like to... To take the body? It's not protocol but I think… I think no one would mind the exception for you, Sir." The woman offered, sympathetic look sent his way, mirrored by two more of the crew still with the body.
"Please." Bruce choked out and he wasn't sure what he was pleading for, was it for the body of his son (again) or for it all to be a dream, a hallucination, a trick? He had no idea. Running on autopilot, Bruce took the… Jason. He took him, placed him on the back seats of the Batmobile he couldn't remember calling (He later learnt Babs had sent it.) The nice ambulance lady who'd let him take his son had given him a sheet, pure white that was sullied from the ash and charred remnants, stained red from the blood. The car took him back to the Cave, unable to keep his hands steady enough to drive, Bruce could only stare at the sheet.
The cave was empty when he returned, except for Dick and Alfred.
"I thought it prudent to keep the children away, I was informed by Miss Gordon the… Sight wouldn't be pleasant." Alfred carefully explained when he helped a stark white Bruce from the car, the later on shaking legs like a new-born foal, Dick was still standing against the console, arms crossed, face blank but eyes red and teary.
"Please tell me it's not him." Dick whispered, and Bruce could only form a grim line with his lips. He wanted to go back to bed, restart the day, do things differently, head to Hood at the first sign of a change and be there for him. Had he know about the bomb this time, had to relive those final moments so similar to before?
"I- It's him." Bruce whispered back across the silent cave, Alfred ever the patient Saint, helped Bruce over to a chair, aiding the man in removing the cowl, grabbing a wet cloth to wipe away the ash and grime that had ended up on his lower face softly. Bruce could only blink in gratitude, eyes full of tears he finally felt safe enough to shed, as Dick edged to the car, dipping in to check. In the privacy of the cave, when Dick emerged from the car, he had no qualms about emptying his stomach in the nearest waste bin. The noise he made after he was done though was horrifying, Bruce shuddered at it, a pained keening howl of grief and hurt. While Bruce had always been a particularly silent yet violent mourner, Dick was not. The vigilante had always been loud in his grief, Bruce remember the first year anniversary of Dick's parents death, how the small boy he'd raised had sobbed and screamed loudly into Bruce's chest, had made his throat hoarse, lost his voice for nearly a week. The same such noises were coming from his eldest now as Dick stumbled over to him, slamming his weight into Bruce, arms wrapping around him which Bruce instantly mirrored.
"Please, not again." Dick pleaded through loud, hitching wails, Bruce couldn't reply, his own sobs clogged in his throat. Alfred vanished, up the stairs to the Manor, pale white and silent. Alfred's sorrow was usually more subtle, the man held a brave front to be there for others and waited until in solitude to mourn.
"I can't… Not again B- I promised, I promised I wouldn't let it happen again-" Dick keened, voice trembling much like his entire body, the shock and horror of the whole situation settling into his bones. Bruce could only numbly rub at Dick's back with one large hand, the only soothing action he could manage between his own tears. He had cried last time Jason died too, of course he had, he'd mourned for weeks and months but this time felt more intense, surreal, Bruce felt no denial this time as he had before, he knew he'd failed, without a doubt.
A noise interrupted the pair, Tim stood on the staircase, face hard and brows frowning.
"It's not him." Tim spoke, earning finches from both men, still in a tight hug.
"Tim..." Dick started but Tim shrugged them off.
"Have you even done any DNA testing?" Tim asked, condescending.
"Tim, Chum-" Bruce tried, through his own tears. Tim only rolled his eyes, unempathetic.
"It's fine, I'll do it. Only to prove its not him." Tim sighed. "Where am I heading?" Tim asked after not spying the body. Obviously Tim had either hacked into the comms or gotten it out of Alfred in private because none of the other siblings had ventured down.
Dick's eyes betrayed him, flicking to the Batmobile, Tim following his gaze and lighting up.
"Wait Tim don't-" Because Dick didn't want his little brother to see the state Hood was in but it was far too late. Tim had lifted the sheet and clinically observed the body, face blank, a mask Dick knew the boy had mastered at a young age, dragged to Gala's by his parents. A face he hated seeing on Tim, on someone who'd had to learn such a thing so young, how to appear emotionless, conceal everything.
"Hmm." He hummed, stoic and unfazed, which had Dick struggle out of Bruce's frozen arms to surge over to Tim.
"Please Tim, you don't need to see-" Dick whined, throat scratching and eyes red raw.
"I need to prove it's not him, so you and Bruce don't mourn someone who can't be dead." Tim explained, frowning as he turned away from Dick to grab a pair of gloves. He didn't particularly want to start poking a body as destroyed as this one.
"Chum, please, stop." Bruce's order was soft and pained. "That's his armour, his Hood, I designed them, I can tell." Because as Jason slowly returned to a shaky relationship with Bruce, the man had gifted him with a new set of gear for Hood, the chest piece of the same material as his Batsuit, the Hood having lines to Oracle and the Cave, an invitation, silently, that he was welcome home anytime. He'd recognize the pieces anywhere even in their current state.
Tim huffed and ignored both, attempting to peel away the destroyed armour but it wouldn't budge, the heat likely having fused body and clothing. The Hood didn't budge either but with a little bit of precision and a set of pliers Tim loosened the front part enough to pull it off. The Hood piece was covered in Ash, dented in two places and covered in blood. The face underneath was beyond recognition but the hair, the parts that weren't singed, did match Jason's, the same dark shade he'd been dyeing it since he'd taken up Robin, against his natural Red.
"This will have to do." Tim dejectedly decided, taking the smashed Hood piece over to the computer to start running analysis.
Dick had gone silent, he didn't want to be optimistic, he couldn't bare the pain if he got his hopes up only to have them destroyed again, but as the same time he needed to know, needed to know for certain how he'd failed his Little Brother once again.
Alfred returned while the scan ran, a tray with three cups of herbal tea carried in his hands.
"I do believe, Master Tim, that I forbade any of you from coming down here." Alfred spoke, tone steady and even, even as Tim took the tea Alfred had intended for himself, instead holding Bruce's out for the man to take, which he did.
The scan continued, a steady hum in the background as Dick leant against Tim, still sobbing but quieter, slower, unable to help but hope the results were negative, the hope he'd feared having taking over. Bruce watched silently.
"B, come in?" Oracle sounded through the speakers.
"Received, and within earshot." Alfred leaned over to respond when Bruce only flinched at the voice, already associating it with the trauma, having Oracle in his ear as the building had exploded with his son inside.
"I thought you'd like to know all of the men who was in the building have been recovered, 5 pronounced dead, one in critical condition and… and Hood, the man in critical condition received two gunshot wounds, that match the guns typical to Red Hoods weaponry, both to the chest."
So not only had Hood been back on real bullets, he'd been shooting to kill or at least attempting to, his non-lethal shots were usually feet or knees if he was particularly pissed off.
“Thank you, Oracle.” Alfred replied.
“I’m just a call away if you need me.” Oracle signed off, knowing they’d need time and space.
The test continued to hum.
“Cass, I thought you were watching Duke and Damian.” Tim spoke, startling Bruce and Dick who (usually, probably) would have noticed the additional shadow, but hadn’t, too focused on the bar slowly filling.
“Sneaked off.”
“Damian did?”
Cass hummed and nodded. Duke would likely stay upstairs, he wasn’t one to break rules yet, nor had he really had much interaction with Jason since joining the family. Damian however would surely be sneaking his way down, be it through the shadows or the vents. He and Jason had a complex relationship that had begun at the League of Assassins and continued to twist and knot upon both of their returns to Gotham. It was one of respect but also hostility, the two usually ended up in an impromptu spar every time they met and yet after they’d weirdly get along. It was unnerving that Jason actually seemed to be able to make Damian smile even more than Dick… Which was terrifying.
“Jason gone?” Cass questioned once she caught sight of the test.
“Yes.”
“No.”
“We’ll see.”
The responses were very mixed and Alfred only silently raised an eyebrow as he kept an eye on both Dick and Bruce who’d both had to take a seat, still both in tears (which was worrisome, he’d never seen Bruce cry this except when his own parents had died as a child.)
Silence encompassed them again, Cass giving Dick a silent hug that he melted into, clinging to her with hitching shoulders and unsteady breaths.
Damian fell out of a vent two minutes later, dusted himself off and acted completely natural. Nobody spoke.
BEEP.
And the test was finished.
‘DNA Match.’
Tim dropped his mug, Dick let out another distressed noise, burrowing into Cass whose face transformed to a sort of sad acceptance, gently carding fingers through Dick’s hair as he sobbed into her arms.
“I- It must be wrong, let me run it again-” Tim mumbled out, ignoring the shattered mug or spilt tea at his feet. Damian frozen stared at the screen then sighed heavily, blank face.
Bruce turned away, towards Alfred who pulled the adult into his own arms.
“My Dear Boy, I’m so sorry.” Alfred sympathetically offered up, as Bruce silently shuddered and nodded.
“My fault.”
“It’s not your fault, Master Bruce, we couldn’t have possibly known.”
“Tt.” Damian huffed and turned on the spot, heading back to the manor, disturbingly numb and blank. They all had their own ways of dealing with grief and Damian’s was to bottle everything up, not displaying anything outwardly. Dick watched him leave through tears, head pounding after sobbing so much, wanting nothing more than to crawl into bed and not leave for a week. Cass had reached an immediate saddened acceptance, she wasn’t one for falsely placed hope and knew first-hand the finality of death.
Nobody went back out on patrol that evening as news spread across Gotham like wildfire, Red Hood was dead, the Bats were in mourning. Bruce didn’t leave the cave for the entire evening and spent more time than healthy staring at the body they eventually laid out on a steel table, typically only used in the direst circumstances for surgery.
Dick had finally been led upstairs by Cass, the girl sticking with her brother for the rest of the night, no protests when Dick refused to let go of her for the whole evening, breaking out into more tears as soon as he managed to briefly stop. Cass was patient, didn’t complain and was grateful Alfred delivered them fluids because Dick needed them after so many tears.
Tim holed himself up in his room, pouring over numbers and facts and security footage, detailing every part into a report that was fuelled by his still apparent denial, despite the results.
Nobody saw Damian for two days.
Three days later they buried one of their own.
They’d attempted to track down some of Jason’s closer contacts, Roy and Kori and Artemis, but with no joy. It felt wrong for them to not be there but they simply couldn’t track them down. Wally had come, Dick not letting go of the others hand through the entire ceremony and only willing to after they’d all headed back to the cave for a sort of private wake-come-general after gathering, mood sombre and sad and-
“Jesus who fucking died, I was gone a week.” Jason snapped, on the stairs to the cave, Kori and Roy on either side of him.
“J-Jay?” Dick asked, eyes blown wide.
“Uh… yeah?” Jason asked with a frown, “Seriously though, who died?” Jason asked, spying the entire family in the cave and feeling reassured he hadn’t missed one of them dying.
“Jaylad?” Bruce whispered, the sound still carrying across the cave.
“I fucking told you he wasn’t dead.” Tim put his penny in, after he’d been pulled aside a day previous for a long lecture on how he wasn’t being kind to himself, overworking himself to prove Jason was alive.
“Not the time.” Cass inputted quietly.
“Tt, we were under the assumption you were dead, Todd.”
“Man, that’s wild, every time someone goes to space in this family I die, huh, Dickie?” Jason smirked, his joke completely at the wrong time. Dick let out a gross hiccupping sob that was a laugh but wet and hysterical before he was out of Wallys arms and barrelling into Jason who caught him with a stumble.
“Jesus, Dick. I’m alive, I just went to space for a week with Kori and Roy.”
“We’re in the Honeymoon phase and Kori wanted us to meet her slightly crazy sister, apparently she’s on a redemption arc.” Roy explained.
“Honeymoon phase?” Wally asked, with a frown, “I thought you and Jason were a couple, not you and Kori-”
“Oh uh-” Roy started,
“We’re in a three way partnership.” Jason explained and earned a pursed lip and then an accepting nod from Wally.
“Cool beans, as long as you’re all good with that, I’m not gonna interrupt.” Wally’s only concern had been any potential cheating.
“You-You’re dating?” Dick asked, teary eyes looking up at Jason from where he’d buried himself into his little brother's chest. Jason gave a bashful smile.
“Have been for nearly a year, I just didn’t know how to tell you all.” Jason shrugged
Bruce was next to stumble over, weight crashing into the embracing pair, his own tears back.
“Holy fuck B, I’m okay I promise.” Jason bit out as Bruce frantically clasped one wrist, fingers pressed against his pulse, letting out a shudder and another whisper of ‘Jaylad’ sagging in relief.
“Please inform us in future if you’re going on trips, Todd. Your… absence hasn’t been pleasant.” Damian sighed, grateful to see Jason’s return, but he restrained any urge to barrel over like Dick and Bruce, knowing he wouldn’t be turned away if he later attempted to invade his brother's bed space, permitting Kori and Roy didn’t linger.
“Tim went… intense conspiracy theorist and it was kinda terrifying, glad you’re, y’know, not dead.” Duke shrugged because he and Jason were acquaintances at best and honestly he just felt awkward that everyone had been so deep in grief and mourning and he’d just... been there.
“I did not-!” Tim blushed and shook his head and also moved over. Alfred watched over fondly, glad everything had worked out.
“He did.” Cass betrayed, “Worried.” She added and Tim scrunched up his face.
“Wasn’t worried, knew you were fine.”
“But the Hood- The DNA-”
“Oh yeah, some fucker raided one of my safehouses, I got the alert once we got back on the planet, the whole place was trashed, guns and everythin’, partly why I’m here, was going to report it but… guess the perps dead and that’s why y’all look like you just had a funeral.” Jason shrugged. “Hey wait does that mean I have another headstone? Can hardly re-use the old one with the wrong dates- Did you put them near each other, I could just end up with a row of them at this point-”
“No!” Dick hissed out instantly. “Not allowed to die. I’m the eldest, me first. I can’t fucking handle this ever again.” Dick whined, Jason’s face flashed with something, surprise or hurt.
“How about I promise to try not to die and you promise you won’t say anything like that again, huh, Dickie? And I’ll give you a whole day of cuddle privileges to make up for all of this?”
“A week.” Dick countered, “It’s been five days, so five days plus tax.” Dick finally gave a quiet laugh, still wet because the tears had kept flowing only these were of relief and elation not sadness and grief.
“Fine.” Jason let out a suffering noise which Kori and Roy only laughed at, Wally chiming in too.
“Should I be jealous?” Wally asked.
“Yeah I think we should be.” Roy hummed in agreement.
“Oh shut up you sap, I just spent a week in space with you and our girlfriend having the most mind blowing kinky-”
“Woah, woah my ears!” Tim screeched dramatically, Damian curling his lip in disgust. Cass let out a giggle and Dick waggled his eyebrows.
“Are we not open to discuss-” Kori started, Roy slapping a hand over her mouth.
“Oh?” Dick asked, finally feeling a weight lift in his chest. Bruce had been uncharacteristically silent until that comment, pulling back and preparing to give the safe sex speech he’d forced Wally and Dick through (much to their embarrassment and discomfort, because Batman giving you The Talk was terrifying.)
“No! Stop B don’t say anything!” Jason gasped out, pulling out of any choking embrace to quickly usher Kori and Roy up the stairs. “Quick before he pulls out a 100 slide PowerPoint.” Jason hissed, Roy laughing his ass off as they were both led out of the cave, followed by a human octopus, a terrifying bat and a squabble of children in various degrees of distress, discomfort and pure elation.
“I fucking hate this family, godamnit this is why I don’t bring people home!” Jason yelled, attempting to flee.
“We love you too Jason!” Dick yelled back, his words weren’t a joke and Jason knew that much, could hear the sincerity and it warmed his heart.
“Jason, get back here, I need to teach you the proper application of-”
"Shut the fuck up B!"
“Is it always like this?” Duke asked.
“Yep, Little Brother.” Cass cheekily answered.
“Sadly so, Master Thomas.”
“You’re in timeout, get on top of the fridge!” Jason yelled at Bruce.
Tim filmed the whole thing, even after Bruce trapped the trio in the kitchen and dragged out the most awkward, informative safe sex PowerPoint known to man, earning immature wheezes and snickers from Dick and Tim.
Damian erased the entire afternoon from his memory.