Gifts are never truly free

by siren_of_the_ocean

Summary:

When Jason Todd finds a doll while on the streets, he immediately thinks to sell it. The kid who jumpscares him on the way there details his plan.

Tim Drake, home alone and stalking Batman never expected to receive a doll from a street kid. Let alone for that doll to lead him to the worst experience in his life.

Not related to the Robin puppet or Beldames and their habits.

Notes:

johannahp posted a comment on the story Beldames and their habits. It gave me this idea and I just had to write it.

Chapter 1: The kids

Pawn or keep? It's a choice Jason had been debating his entire life.

New shoes, Pawn or keep? Found a watch on the sidewalk, pawn or keep? And now this doll. Pawn or keep?

On one hand, a doll wouldn't fetch much of a profit from the pawn shops. On the other, any money is good money. Keeping the doll would also take up space in his pack, space that could have been used for something more important.

Decision made, Jason turns on his heel. If he runs, he might make it to the pawn shop before they close.

Dark had already stretched it's fingers over Gotham. Casting deep shadows and drawing out the criminals. And of course, when the criminals are out, so is the bat.

Walking down the street, Jason keeps his eyes focused in front of him, not allowing himself to glance down alleys and books. That's just asking for trouble.

Which is why it takes him by surprise when a small rock bounces off of his shoulder, a quiet shriek from above keying him in to the cause.

As he glances up he sees a glimpse of a large, dark hoodie. "Hey!" Jason calls, having assumed that someone threw him with a rock. The face that peeks out from behind the ledge however, informs him that nothing was done on purpose.

"I'm sorry. I leaned a bit too close to the edge and I must have disturbed some rocks" a small voice explains. The face and the voice seem to match, young and apologetic. Small too. Much too small.

"What are you doing up there, kid?" Jason asks, eyeing the fire escape that leads to the roof. It wouldn't take the weight of a fly, let alone an actual child. When the kid doesn't answer, Jason sighs, trying to find another way up.

As if reading Jason's mind, the kid shuffles around before gingerly winding his way down between the fire escape and the drain pipe. "I'm just looking for someone" the kid says.

Seeing him up close now, Jason frowns. The clothes are well worn but not dirty. The kid is clean and well fed. Couldn't have been on the streets long, then. Especially when the backpack the kid carries is so small.

Reaching into his pocket, Jason grips the arm of the rag doll that he's found. He remembers his first few weeks on the street. Remembers them clearly.

If anyone had given him anything at all, let alone some kind of comfort object, Jason would have been a bit happier. Just a bit.

"Here" Jason says, holding out the doll to the kid. Not having expected that, the kid's eyes are wide in shock, hands clenched in his hoodie. "I. I can't take that" the kid protests, shaking his head.

Jason frowns more, his nose scrunching. He understands the kid's refusal. Nothing comes free on these streets. "You won't owe me anything, kid. Just take it" he insists.

The kid looks contemplative, wary as he reaches out toward the doll. The plain clothes, the tiny shoes, the black hair. It even kind of looked like the kid.

Grabbing the doll's arm, the kid backs up quickly. He doesn't seem to have any idea what to do with the doll, gripping the doll's arm and letting it dangle at his side.

"Thank you" The kid says, still sounding unsure. It makes Jason smile, waving at the kid as he makes his way back "Home".

xxxxxx

Tim does not compute. None of the street kids ever saw him, let alone spoke to him. And this one just gave him a toy, a toy that probably means a lot to them.

He shouldn't have taken it but then how do you explain that your family is rich when you're in this part of town? You don't, is the answer. Not if you can help it.

So he took the stupid doll. The one that looks like the kid who gave it to him. Same curly black hair, same strong features and freckles, even the clothing looks somewhat the same, though less worn.

Not knowing what else to do, Tim takes it with him while he watches Batman, Robin having been missing for a while. Of course, that is explained by Dick Grayson having moved to Bludhaven.

The doll's eyes unnerve him, seeming off somehow even if Tim can't pinpoint it.

So he keeps it close. During patrol, after patrol, on the way home. He even sets the doll on the chair next to his bed while he sleeps.

The next few days go the same. Tim carrying the doll everywhere he goes in a futile attempt to quell the guilt in his gut. But also, to keep an eye on the creepy thing. If it comes to life, he at least wants to see his death coming.

One night, while Tim is following Batman again, he sees the kid that gave him the (Possibly haunted) doll. The boy is standing at the corner, bouncing his leg as he waits for something.

When Tim approaches him, the boy gets a peculiar look on his face. At least, until he sees the doll in the side pocket of Tim's backpack. He seems to relax after that.

"Hey Kid. What are you doing here?" the boy asks. Tim falters before answering "Looking for someone", the same thing he said the first time. He is actually looking for Batman so it isn't even a lie.

The boy winces before straightening "Uh look kid. Looking for someone around here usually means something different" he says. Tim's confused frown causing him to clear his throat awkwardly and explain "This is the red light district Kid. Looking for someone here means you're either looking for a working girl or you're looking for a client"

The boy narrows his eyes before saying "And I goddamn hope that you're not looking for a client". Tim shakes his head quickly to clear that assumption "No. No. Not like that" he says, almost choking on the syllables.

"Good" he says, before sighing once "My name's Jason by the way" he continues, almost looking reluctant to give that information. "Tim" Tim breathes out quickly, mostly out of habit.

"Alright Timmy. Go home then. Or wherever you need to go" Jason demands, waving Tim off to leave, as a car slows down on the road.

Looking over Jason again, Tim frowns. He said that the only people here are prostitutes and clients. So what is Jason doing here?

Tim's eyes widen as he makes the connection, reaching to grab Jason's hand and pull him away from the curb. "Hey! what the fuck, kid?! You just lost me a client!" Jason yells, confirming Tim's suspicions.

Tim doesn't even think twice before reaching into his pack. He only keeps a certain amount of cash on him in case of emergency but it has to be something, right?

Pulling out his emergency money, he sees a few crumpled hundreds along with some small change. He immediately shoves it into Jason't hand, which still waves above him, angry.

Jason stops then. Blinks. Meets Tim's eyes in renewed confusion "Kid if this is your stash, I don't want it" he says. But Tim is stubborn. He keeps shoving the money into Jason's hands "Take it. I've got more at home but you need this. Please" Tim pleads.

That's what finally gets Jason to stop protesting, curling his fingers around the bills before shoving them in his pocket. He looks shocked, almost mutinous, finally realizing that Tim isn't actually a street kid. After all, no street kid had hundreds of dollars and they definitely wouldn't give it away.

Jason turns to flee, only glancing over his shoulder one more time to see Tim hanging his head, now alone on the curb.

Chapter 2: The doll

Summary:

We see a bit more of the doll. Unfortunately.

The next few months are hectic, Tim's parents having come back from a dig. Only for a few weeks though, as they claim.

They leave again in one. One week with his parents is all he apparently gets.

It makes Tim feel things. Like angry and sad and maybe a bit happy. Because if his parents are here, he can't stalk Batman. And he has to listen to them yelling at each other the whole time.

Tim's parents, though absent have always cared about Tim's future. During the week they were present, they signed him up for business classes and some extracurriculars as well.

Tim gives it a month before he leaves the debate club. All they did was stand around and brag. They didn't even have any actual debates.

Humanitarian relief classes are a bit more interesting. Tim doesn't think his parents would approve, if they knew the curriculum. After all, Tim's parents had never really been a big fan of helping the lower class.

First aid, he would stick to. Interesting and helpful. It would probably come in handy someday, especially in Gotham of all places.

Between all of the classes though, Tim hasn't had time for anything. Stalking Batman became a secondary prerogative as Tim tries to please his parents.

Because of this, he doesn't see Jason get caught by Batman. He doesn't see Robin reappear a few months later, either.

This leads to quite a shock the first time Tim goes back out. A shock and around 50 pictures he now has to develop.

The new Robin is angrier, fighting with more street style instead of the flips and maneuvers that the first Robin did. He also seems to care more about the people. Or at least shows it more.

He checks on the street kids, bringing them some snacks, sweets and dollars. Checking on the working girls in certain places. Even checking up on a few drug addicts that he seems to know.

Tim quickly becomes obsessed. Dick Grayson might not be Robin anymore but Tim thinks that the new one does justice to the name.

Even Batman seems to give in to Robin's exuberant personality every now and again. Which he quickly stops when the working girls almost scream at the sight of the Bat.

And during it all, Tim continues to carry the doll with him. Every now and again, the doll disappears for a few hours or even days. This reinforces the idea of the cursed doll in Tim's eyes.

Tim hides behind the water tower on the roof, settling on his haunches with his elbows stabilizing his camera. Then he waits.

A flash of a Cape eventually attracts Tim's attention, shifting his grip to aim his camera in that direction. But when he gets his camera focused, it's already gone.

Tim sighs, resigned to moving closer to Crime Alley. He gets as far as standing before a voice startles him.

"Hey kid"

The scream Tim chokes on seems to startle the boy behind him. "Woah. Relax kid" the voice repeats, turning Tim to face around.

There, Tim sees. That's where the Cape went.

In front of him, in full Yellow, red and green, is Robin. Tim almost can't help himself, lifting his camera and snapping a shot. Robin raising an eyebrow, which is captured in the picture.

In that moment, Tim decides that this might be his favorite picture. "Kid. What are you doing here?" Robin asks, still standing in front of Tim. Instinctively, Tim answers "Looking for someone".

Robin stares at him for a little while before sighing "Alright. Who are you looking for?" he asks. Tim thinks back to the only other boy who ever saw him, let alone talked to him. The boy who gave him the doll.

"His name is Jason. I don't know his last name" Tim answers, deciding to take the opportunity to visit him. He doesn't see Robin freeze in front of him, his expression conflicted.

"Alright then. What's his address?" Robin asks, schooling himself to speak to the kid that somehow wants to visit him. Of course, he can't let the kid find out he's Robin but maybe he can put the kid's mind at ease by showing him that the boy he knew was adopted?

Tim stops, realizing that he doesn't know if Jason has a home, and thus an address. Even if he does, Tim doesn't know it. "I don't know. I think he was one of the street kids" Tim whispers, not really wanting to say the words 'I don't know' to Robin of all people.

Jason stops, realizing that he hasn't had an address for quite a while and wouldn't have shared it if he did anyway. So he decides to just take Tim around the neighborhood for a bit before telling him that Jason had been adopted by Bruce Wayne.

He could probably just cite some bullshit about detective work if Tim asks how he knows.

Turns out, Jason shouldn't have worried. When Robin says that Jason had been adopted by Bruce Wayne, Tim stills but quickly recovers. He doesn't ask questions, just thanks Robin. Though Jason can feel that something is just slightly off about something now.

xxxxxxx

Tim goes home in a daze. Robin is Jason. Jason is Robin. Jason had become Robin while Tim was away.

It all sits in his head as he continues to walk home. Not really registering as his mind whirls.

He places the doll (that he hasn't stopped carrying around) on the counter in the kitchen. Settling his head in his hands, he gazes out to Wayne manor.

"The Waynes. Oh wow. Jason deserves that. He's had a tough life and I'm really glad that it's finally starting to look up for him" Tim mutters, not even registering that he's speaking.

He doesn't notice the little doll, sitting on the counter, tilt its head at his musings. Doesn't even register the doll vanishing into thin air.

Not until he goes to bed and sees the doll in the chair. As it always is. But this time, Tim could have sworn that he didn't carry the doll there.

Looking into its blank button eyes, Tim feels unsettled. He stands up from his bed simply to turn it around, no longer facing Tim. No longer looking at him.

He should have paid more attention. Maybe he would have seen the malicious glint in the doll's eyes. Maybe he would have seen the doll turn its head to look at him.

Either way. It probably would have ended the same.

Chapter 3: The aftermath

Summary:

I know. I once again couldn't write a confrontation with the Beldame and Tim. I know. I wanted to, I promise. It just didn't work out that way.

Jason can't seem to forget the kid. The scrawny one that looked homeless but had hundreds of dollars on hand. The kid with the camera that came looking for Jason Todd.

Maybe that's a good thing.

His first clue is patrol. He no longer sees the glint of a camera in his peripheral. Not at all.

Thinking that maybe he had scared the kid out of nightly Bat photography, Jason doesn't think much of it. But then he finds out the kid's name. Well he went looking and found him soon enough.

Tim Drake. Heir to Drake Industries and apparently his next door neighbor. His second clue is nobody answering the door, no matter how hard or long he knocks.

The last clue, is the doll.

The doll he gifted Tim almost a year ago, now. It's just laying on a rooftop in Gotham. Abandoned.

Jason's first thought is that Tim dumped it here, which causes some sadness but he sees the logic in it. After looking around, he can see signs of a struggle. A scuff marking here, a dent in the brand new vent there But the thing that cinches it, is the blood.

A few droplets, usually not any cause for concern. But paired with Tim's disappearance (That's what it is, after all), it paints a much more sinister picture.

The trail leads nowhere. The blood seemingly leading into a wall. The damage stops there as well. But the wall itself has no blood, no damage. It seems completely unaffected by whatever fight happened.

Jason brings the mystery to Bruce, who looks over it once before diving in. The details that they find don't paint a pretty picture but it isn't the picture they wanted.

They find out that Tim's parents neglect him. They find out that he's regularly left alone at home for extremely long periods of time. They find out that his parents hadn't seen him in months, and that they'd fired the housekeeper weeks ago.

That, however does not help their current problem. It doesn't tell them where Tim is, or why anyone would kidnap him without ransom.

They keep looking.

So when Jason sees movement on the rooftop that Tim presumably dissapeared on, he gives Bruce a heads-up and dives towards it. He never would have expected what he finds.

There, on the rooftop is Tim. But he's not alone.

With him is what seems like a disembodied hand. It almost seems mechanical, made of metal and spindly as it is but it moves too smoothly to be robotic.

Seeing the hand go to impale its sharp points into Tim's neck, Robin drops down. Tim's eyes are wide, his clothes torn and bloody in some spots. He also has strings of spiderwebs clinging to him. Most importantly though, is the bloody stab wound in his side.

Robin's protective instincts kicking into gear, Jason lunged for the thing. Like Thing from Addams family. But evil, apparently.

Grabbing onto the thing results in a problem though, all of the mechanical bits turn out to be sharp, cutting into Jason's hands as he grabs. Tim, free for a moment, grabs something from around his neck, a necklace maybe?

At the end of the chain, is a key. It's almost as if the thing stills in it's presence. Jason takes the chance to smash it to pieces.

Bashing it against the roof, the wall and even the railing seems to do little damage. So he picks up a brick and smashes it like a bug.

That seems to do the trick, the thing stilling, parts littering the ground around him.

Behind him, Tim breathes deeply. Still shaky but he seems to be breathing easier.

Hearing Tim's shaky breathing, Jason turns around to assess Tim's injuries. Tim doesn't even struggle, completely complacent, almost comatose while Jason presses a pressure bandage to his side.

The other wounds are minor, scrapes and bruises littering his body. The only other injury of interest would be the small wound on his eyebrow. Though it seems to be scabbing over already, the wound seems precise, almost surgical.

When Jason is done with his assessment, he calls the situation in to B.

"Hey B?"

Grunt

"I found Tim Drake on a rooftop. Some kind of weird disembodied hand was trying to strangle him"

A slightly more emotive grunt before B says "I'll be there in 3"

Waiting for B, Robin takes initiative, wrapping Tim in a shock blanket. Hopefully the comatose state is just an effect of shock, the adrenaline wearing off.

Batman landing on the rooftop draws Jason's eyes to him, though Tim remains staring at the little key in his hands. Immediately, Jason can see Bruce cataloging information on the scene.

"I found him here, the weird hand thing was about to lunge for his neck. I intervened before it could injure him further. When Tim took out that key, it stilled and I used the opportunity to smash it" Robin reports. Batman grunting in affirmative, starting to gather the pieces of the hand in an evidence container.

Once inside, the container seals tight. Which turns out to be necessary when the hand suddenly lunges up, clawing at the box.

"What about the victim?" Bruce asks, voice softening slightly in concern. "He seems to be in shock. He hasn't reacted to much of anything since the Thing was....down".

Bruce nods his understanding, looking Tim over critically before he asks "Injuries?"

"Stab wound to the side. Thin but all the way through. Scrapes and bruises everywhere though nothing seems broken. His eyebrow has a wound but it seems almost surgical" Jason says. Bruce stopping him shortly after to huff "And yours?" Bruce questions.

Jason blinks, not having thought to have done an injury inspection on himself. Which is probably why Bruce is asking.

Checking himself over, he sees several cuts on his hands, some deep and others just barely drawing blood. None of the tendons seem severed, the muscles feel weaker but alright.

"Just my hands, and it doesn't seem like they have any major damage" Jason says, hands out to show the mentioned wounds. Bruce looks them over, reaching for his belt.

Then Jason has to sit there while Bruce meticulously cleans each and every cut on both of his hands. He complains the whole time, though it's mostly for show. Honestly, it's good to have someone take care of them, even if the wounds are minor.

Unanimously, Bruce, Jason and Alfred decide to bring Tim to the cave. He still isn't responding and nobody feels like he should go home to an empty house while in shock.

Alfred basically demands to look the kid over in the cave, where they can treat his wounds and find out why he is unresponsive. So they load the kid into the batmobile, poking and prodding and at one point outright carrying him to where he needs to go.

Chapter 4: The answers

Summary:

Constantine once again whirls his way into the story.

The ride back to the cave is silent. Bruce brooding as he drives, Jason at his side keeping an eye on a, still comatose Tim.

Tim hasn't moved, his eyes blank as they stare at the key. His limbs are cold, either from shock or the temperature. Even with the shock blanket draped over his shoulders, Tim seems too pale, no colour on his cheeks.

Arriving, Alfred frowns at the boy, visible even with the domino mask he's wearing. He grabs a cup of tea from the tray at his side, shoving it delicately into Tim's hands. Tim, however doesn't grab onto the tea cup, letting it drop to the floor.

The loud crash of the cup smashing on the floor causes Tim to clutch the key more tightly, his fingers turning white at the knuckles. It's the first reaction to an external stimulus that Jason had seen this entire night.

Alfred doesn't seem suprised by the destroyed cup, rather removing the blanket from Tim's shoulders to look over his injuries.

The pressure bandage had done it's job, holding things together until Alfred stitches the wound shut. The scrapes are delicately cleaned and some bandaged. Alfred then checks over the bruises, making sure that nothing is broken.

He stops when he sees the wound at Tim's eyebrow. Poking at it, Tim finally reacts, flinching in pain. He hadn't even flinched while Alfred stitched his side.

It attracts Bruce's attention, as well as Jason's. Especially when Alfred swipes a sanitizing wipe over the wound and it starts to bleed again, this time with a black tinge.

"This is not blood" Alfred concludes, looking at the black smear on the wipe. Bruce stands to run analysis, Alfred handing him the wipe as he attempts to stem the bleeding.

The system doesn't recognize the substance at all, no matter how many times Bruce runs it through the system. "I'll have to run it through the League database" Bruce concludes, frustrated at the lack of information.

Jason nods, asking if they should take Tim along, ask anyone if they have an idea. Bruce agrees, reaching forward to gently place a domino mask over Tim's eyes.

Alfred mans the computer, looking through medical journals and articles, speaking to Leslie. Taking care of the medical side of things.

Meanwhile, Bruce and Jason prepare to Zeta. They decide that Jason should carry Tim, since Tim still isn't responding to anything at all.

The zeta doesn't take long. Nor does the trek to the watchtower's infirmary. The fact that they collect superheroes as they walk does delay them a bit, though.

Superman tries to stop them, ask why they brought another child to the watchtower. Batman ignores the question, continuing to walk. When Superman tries to physically stop Batman from walking further, Robin passes them, walking to the infirmary while guiding Tim along.

Tim can stand, they found but won't move unless guided. The easiest way to guide him is to grab his hand, not having reacted well to Jason leading him by the elbow.

They'd noticed that he does that. React to something sometimes, but there doesn't seem to be any thought in it. He'd flinch with blank eyes, wave when someone says hello but there would be no reaction other than that.

Batman theorized that the responses they were getting are muscle memory, rather than any evidence of conscious thought. The response to grabbing his elbow makes Jason seethe internally.

Batman eventually catches up to them right before they enter the infirmary. Superman trailing lightly behind him, scolded.

They help Tim into the infirmary, sitting him down on the bed. Bruce runs the substance through the league database, again receiving no hits on results.

The league members that followed them to the infirmary, pool into the room slowly. Zatanna is the only one to volunteer, scanning over Tim with a hand and a magic glow.

When she reaches Tim's eyes, a puff of smoke rises from them, forming buttons over his eyes. Zatanna frowns, cancelling the spell before repeating it again to ensure that it was correct.

"I. Don't know. This is really dark magic. Much darker than I tend to deal with. I do know someone who could help, if you would like" Zatanna explains, pulling up the contact for John Constantine. Batman initially hesitates but when the wound on Tim's head once again starts leaking, he gives in.

Constantine is there within half an hour, zetaing in with Zatanna. He complains the entire way there, cursing every few words. Cursing the league, magic, Zatanna and the world. He obviously didn't want to be here.

He stops cursing when Batman sends him a look, stepping forward. He flexes his hands, a construct of fire appearing below his hand as he scans up and down.

The first thing to appear is the buttons over his eyes, just like Zatanna. Running it over his side again, they can also see a doll made of smoke.

"Where the fuck did you find this one, Bats?" Constantine asks, eyes lingering on the buttons as they fade. Batman growls almost imperceptibly as he demands "What happened?".

As Constantine cancels the spell, he answers "The kid was targeted by a beldame" as if that explains anything, already lighting a cigarette. "What's a beldame?" Jason questions, wiping the black substance from Tim's eye.

"No-one knows" is Constantine's answer, resulting in a Batman growl sent his way "No seriously. No-one knows. They go after kids. Unhappy kids at that. So nobody really knows since the kids either never come back at all or come back like this"

"However" he continues "We know that the kids that come back are like this because they lost part of their soul. Most likely from this little wound here". The dark liquid dripping from Tim's eyebrow seems to seep faster as Constantine speaks.

"His soul?" Superman sounds shocked even as he looks over Batman's shoulder at the computer. "His soul" Constantine confirms.

The room is silent for a bit before Jason asks the question everyone wants to "How do we fix it?". As the question leaves Jason's lips, Constantine blows out a puff of smoke "You don't. You'd have to find the part of the soul that's missing, reunite it with the body and then hope that the soul reattaches. The odds are impossible".

"Wait. If the soul is missing, could it be attached to something?" Batman asks, removing the Thing from the shelf he placed it on. Constantine gives the thing one look before he screws up his face in distaste "Yeah. A hand of a Beldame.That'll do it" he says.

He takes the box from Batman, holding it over Tim's chest and seemingly waiting for several seconds. "This is not working" he eventually says, drawing back "The soul doesn't want to reattach". "Is there a way to force it?" Superman asks but Constantine shakes his head "You can't force it. You can keep it near the body and hope that it chooses to go back".

That's when the Thing lunges again, clawing at the box where Constantine's fingers were. Were, because he dropped it the second it moved. Luckily, the box is sturdy, almost bulletproof in fact.

"That thing is still alive?" he demands, glaring around the room as the Thing continues to scramble. "Well it is severed. But yes it moves independantly" Batman answers.

Constantine lets out another muffled curse, gingerly picking up the box. "Well. If it's still conscious then it's possible that it's keeping the kid's souls captive on purpose. Rather then the soul refusing to rejoin" he muses, observing the hand as it moves around.

Batman frowns before clarifying "So we have to make it no longer conscious?". When Constantine nods his head, he pulls up the footage from the rooftop they found Tim on. "This is where the child dissapeared. As well as where we found him. If the...Beldame would be anywhere, it would be there" he says, readying himself for a mission.

The other members of the league stand as well, getting ready to leave with them "Why are you getting ready? This is a Gotham problem" Batman protests. "No. This is an unknown amount of missing children, caught by an unknown entity of unknown power" Diana says, already sheathing her sword at her side.

Batman relents, allowing Superman, Diana, Zatanna and Constantine to come with.

Jason, in the meanwhile removes the key from Tim's hand, stashing it in his pocket. He...has a feeling that he'll need it.

Chapter 5: The Beldame

Summary:

At least I wrote A fight scene?

The rooftop is quiet when they arrive, still in a way only Gotham can be. The civilians knowing better than to leave at this hour and the criminals scared off by the swarming Bats.

While Batman and Robin had not been on patrol, Nightwing and Oracle had kept the city at bay.

As they approach, the Thing starts to scratch at the box again, clawing desperately to escape. They take that as a good sign.

Landing on the rooftop, the wall Jason had thought suspicious glows lightly. This glow brightens as the Thing gets closer but nothing happens after that, not even when Zatanna presses the box against the wall.

However, they can see a glow spreading from Jason's pocket as well. He removes the key to see it glowing brightly.

As soon as the key is out in the open, a small door forms on the wall. Small enough for a child to crawl through but big enough for Superman, if he squeezes.

Unlocking the door reveals a glowing tunnel, colours running down the interior like a kaleidoscope. The tunnel undulates like an organ as they crawl through, the other side revealing...a house.

The interior of Drake manor, Robin notes. They can hear humming from another room.

Looking at each other, Batman and Robin decide to investigate. They launch a drone but it sizzles out of power a few seconds after launching. None of the other electronic devices survived either.

Soon after that discovery, they see that Superman had lost his powers, no superpowers at all. Diana confirms that she is experiencing the same, as Constantine and Zatanna show that they still have their magic.

2 heavy hitters down, Jason doesn't feel as confident as he did before. Whatever this is is obviously powerful enough to remove the non-magical superpowers of Superman and Wonder woman.

"Have you seen my son? He hasn't been back in hours" a voice calls, luring them closer. Following the voice, they see a woman in the house. Blonde hair cut medium length and a black dress.

They only see the real clue when she turns around. And by then it's too late.

She turns, revealing black buttons instead of eyes. As she turns, the floor falls away, revealing a web like a funnel web spider would make.

Zatanna ends up stuck for a bit, fighting against the web. The others stand ready to fight.

"You think you can fight me? Me?" The Beldame demands, waving her hand. Her appearance falls away like an illusion, revealing paper white skin, black hair and limbs longer than any being should have.

Her eyes fixate on Zatanna, still stuck to the web before Constantine sets the web around him alight. The web burns away revealing that, below them, is nothing. Nothing at all.

He decides not to risk it with the fire again, sticking to other spells that have less of a chance of damaging the web.

Meanwhile, Superman climbs the net, using the strength from his stature to free Zatanna. Batman engaging the Beldame directly as Wonder Woman slings her lasso around her legs.

Constantine engages as well, sending Superman to hold the door. Between Constantine and Zatanna, there should be no battle at all.

The Beldame, however, is unnaturally strong. Bending reality to her will and manipulating as she goes.

"You're just a scared little boy in an alleyway. Deciding to inflict fear on the people who took away your parents"

"How can you be so confident? After what happened in Newcastle?"

"Oh? Has Daddy let you out to play? How cute"

"Your gods have all the power and yet they let people die. They let millions die every day. Not of war or age but of famine and hunger and exposure. Tell yourself the truth now"

"You know" The Beldame says, speaking to Jason this time as the people around him falter and get tangled in the web "That doll was meant for you. I sent it to you, dear"

"This is all your fault"

The words cause Jason to still, staring at the Beldame with wide eyes. Because everything she's said so far has been true. Possibly extrapolated but she hasn't told a single lie.

He found the doll. He gave it to Tim. Tim found her. And is now possibly dying. All because of Jason. He should have kept the doll.

Constantine is the first to recover, whispering "For Astra" as he launches a fireball at the Beldame's smirking face. It burns her skin, turning it to flakes and melting the buttons off. By the time everyone else joins in, there's little left to do.

Diana wraps the Beldame in her lasso, tying her tightly as Zatanna drags her toward the door. She would free the children, whether she wants to or not.

Once on the other side, they drag the Beldame to the infirmary. To Tim.

"Alright then. Give him back his soul" Robin demands, standing over the bound Beldame with hands on his hips. His mouth quickly turns up into a snarl when she starts to laugh "Why would I do that? I need that soul. After all, you wouldn't take the food from an old lady's mouth".

Jason feels about ready to take a swing at her before Constantine steps between them "You will give this child back his soul or you will die returning it" he says, hand already alight. Jason can see her disfigured face screwing up in hate.

"No" Batman's voice rings out. It stills Constantine but seems to please her. "We don't kill. But. I am willing to make an agreement" he continues.

The Beldame stills on the floor, a smirk finding it's way onto her lips "Like a game?".

When Batman confirms, her eyes shine in victory.

"A finding things game?" she hums, amused even as she stares down the justice league.

"Alright then. If you find. The one child that escaped me unharmed, I will free Timothy's soul"

"Do we get any hints?" Superman asks, realizing the daunting odds of this game already. "Hmmmm. Three. You get 3 hints" she decides, holding up 3 fingers

"First. Neglect may not always be the lack of love but the lack of attention. Second, what is seen by the eyes of a child is rarely believed. Third, I always did have a type after she escaped"

Batman already starts to input data into the computer, searching for newspaper stories about missing children that were found. He finds a few articles, which he then narrows, stipulating the pronoun "She" for the child. None of the hits make sense at all.

So Batman expands on the search. Thinking over the clues, he deduces that the child wasn't believed by any authorities and that she possibly wasn't even reported missing.

In the end, he finds one story. The story of a little girl receiving a doll that leads her to another world where everything is perfect. But it's all fake. The story about how this girl escaped from something she calls. A Beldame.

Chapter 6: The game

Summary:

Never trust a Beldame.

The story is brushed off as a piece of fiction, even though the author clearly tagged it as non-fiction. She obviously wasn't believed.

Looking at the author, Batman sees a name. Coraline Jones, now at the age of 30 lives in Minnesota. She lives alone, writing articles and short stories for magazines and newspapers.

Contacting her isn't difficult. All it takes is a look into the police database, finding a current contact number for her. Her reaction makes it difficult.

"You have the Beldame tied up in the watchtower. Yeah right. Please stop calling for pranks. I actually do use this number for work" she says as she hangs up.

Batman stares at the phone before calling again "Look-" Batman interrupts Coraline before she can speak further "The Beldame. It has a child's soul trapped. The child is still alive and well but a part of his soul is still with her".

That makes her stop and think "I'll come take a look. But if this is a prank call, I swear I will have you locked up" She decides. Superman leaving to go collect her.

When they arrive once again, Superman has a stern looking woman at his side. Her black, almost blue hair kept out of her face, revealing her striking blue eyes. As the Beldame said, much like Tim.

She looks over Tim for a moment. Then sighs. "I thought I would be the last one" she says, laying a hand on Tim's forehead. Turning to Superman, she says "She won't let him go", Diana countering with "She said that she would. We won".

This earns her a pitying look "The Other Mother never plays by the same rules. She will never let you take Tim's soul back. You have to play a game that you can win" Coraline says, keeping her hand on Tim's forehead.

"Well then. What game can we win?" Diana asks, earning a smirk from Coraline as she answers "A bluff".

xxxxx

"Have you found her yet? Tim is running out of time" The creature in the cell sing-songs, sounding oh so pleased at the thought of a dead Tim. Jason almost lunged at her just for that, only held back by Batman grabbing his cape.

Coraline coming into view drains the smile from her lips like the taste of salt, instead of sugar. The Beldame's lips turn into a snarl as her eyes come to rest on Coraline's blue ones.

"So you managed it. You found her" a smirk "Good". The lunge suprises everyone but Coraline as the Beldame lunges at her, bits and pieces of machinery bursting from the coils of the whip.

Coraline dodges all of the extra appendages, leading the Beldame directly to a symbol drawn onto the ground in chalk. On contact with the Beldame, it immediately bursts into flames.

The heat from the surrounding flames melt some of the appendages, further disfiguring her face and limbs. "You can either give the boy's soul back, along with freeing the souls of the others. Or you can die like this" Coraline says, expression completely serious.

The Beldame struggles for a while yet, eyeing the circle for a way out as her eyes start to drip melted plastic onto her dress. She then smiles, saying "I'd rather die".

Batman draws back, ready to go back to the drawing board and so does Superman. But Constantine doesn't break the circle. Doesn't douse the flames.

"I have enough souls on my ledger that this won't do much to me or my reputation. Say goodbye" he says, Coraline smiling at his side as he clenches his fist. The flames burn brighter, hotter and higher before swirling around the circle.

By the time Constantine relaxes his hand, there's nothing but a bit of melted plastic left.

Of course, Batman growls at Constantine for killing her but the relief in Coraline's breaks down his nerve. The swirling lights around what's left of the Beldame do help as well.

The one light moves forward, as if approaching before the 5 lights clear into the shape of children. Two boys and three girls. All with black hair and seemingly blue eyes. All under the age of 13.

They don't move towards anywhere, simply hovering above the floor "Thank you" the one intones, voice washing over the occupants of the room. That's all they say before all of them vanish, flashing white before disappearing completely.

A second later, a faint whine from behind them causes them to turn, seeing Tim staring at his hands but blushing brightly. "I can't believe I met the Justice League. And I was comatose" he mutters, earning a laugh from Robin, who quickly approaches him.

They talk for a bit, Jason taking the opportunity to take a statement for his reports later. But it turns out that they get along well without the business.

Tim is led from the watchtower smiling brightly. Zatanna attached to his hip to go cleanse his house and scan for any more malicious signatures. Batman and Robin take their leave shortly after, zetaing to the cave to write their reports.

"If I do say, sir. I think you both deserve a day off. After all, you did just save a child's soul" Alfred objects when Bruce takes a seat at the computer.

Not wanting to fight Alfred, Bruce gets up to change, missing the smile Alfred sends at his back. They all did well today, they could all rest for now

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 9 of Tim Drake AU's
• Part 3 of The doll