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Something’s wrong with me today.
My head feels off
Almost foggy, like I’m swimming through static. It’s more than just a headache.
Something deeper, heavier. For a minute, I actually think about skipping patrol. Just this once.
But I can’t.
The mobs have been getting restless lately too many weapons moving around, too many street level players acting like they run the show.
If I stay off the streets for too long, they start to forget who’s really in control.
I can’t let that happen.
So, Red Hood hits the streets, business as usual.
Batman still doesn’t know it’s me under the helmet. Jason Todd, back from the dead.
I’m waiting for the right time to drop that little bombshell, once everything’s in place.
Until then, I keep working the shadows, making sure Gotham remembers who holds the leash.
But tonight? Tonight’s a mess from the start.
“Just my luck,” I mutter as I step into a warehouse and immediately realize I’ve walked into a trap.
The place is packed wall to wall with explosives. I can hear a faint ticking echoing through the space a timer, hidden somewhere, speeding up.
Of course.
The goons knew I’d be coming. I’d scouted this location before.
They were ready.
The ticking grows louder, faster.
No time.
“That’s my cue to leave,” I mutter and make a break for the nearest window.
I hurl myself through the glass just as the entire warehouse detonates behind me.
The blast hits me mid air. Shards of glass tear into the backs of my legs, and the shockwave throws me like a ragdoll. I slam into the side of another building hard.
My head cracks against the wall,
pain exploding behind my eyes as the air is driven from my lungs.
The heat from the explosion rolls over me like a wave,
and parts of my suit already scorched from previous fights start to melt and peel off.
I stagger to my feet, barely staying upright.
“Shit,” I mutter, looking back.
“That building’s completely demolished.”
Smoke, flame, debris total ruin.
Then the dizziness hits, sharp and disorienting. The world tilts sideways.
“Crap,” I whisper, breathing heavy. “I need to get out of here.”
And I stumble into the shadows, trying not to black out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~. “Sir, there appears to be a disturbance,”
Alfred’s voice crackled through the Batcomputer’s comms, calm as ever, but edged with urgency.
Bruce turned from the data he had been analyzing.
“What kind of disturbance, Alfred?”
“Reports are coming in from the GCPD scanner. A warehouse in the East End has been completely destroyed.
Preliminary assessments suggest the explosion was caused by a cache of explosives stored inside. Witnesses claim the Red Hood was seen fleeing the scene just before the blast.
Bruce’s expression hardened. Red hood a joker wannabe most likely
Without another word, he suited up. The Batmobile roared to life beneath the cave, tires screeching as he raced into the night.
By the time Batman arrived, the warehouse was a smoking ruin.
Fire crews had mostly contained the blaze, but the structure itself was beyond saving.
Scorched steel beams jutted from the wreckage like broken bones, and the ground was littered with debris, ash, and the twisted remains of what once resembled crates.
If there had been evidence here, it was vaporized in the blast.
Kneeling near the epicenter, Batman scanned the area. No shell casings, no prints.
Not even shrapnel intact enough to trace. It was too clean.
Too clean.
“He may have torched the place to cover something,” Bruce muttered.
His suspicions immediately turned to Red Hood. he had a history of violent acts and wouldn’t be above torching a place with firepower.
Batman moved to a nearby utility pole, using his grapple to reach the broken security camera mounted there.
The lens was cracked, but the internal storage remained intact.
He hooked up a drive and began transferring the footage.
Moments later, the grainy video played on his gauntlet’s interface.
It showed Red Hood darting from the building, barely ahead of the fireball that consumed it. Injured his stride uneven.
“Got you,” Bruce said softly.
He followed the footage to another angle this one capturing Red Hood vanishing into the alleyways behind the warehouse.
Batman narrowed his eyes and brought up the city’s street cam grid.
“Let’s see where you went,” he murmured.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He tore off his Red Hood gear in a dark alley, stuffing it into a duffel bag he’d stashed earlier.
Bloodied, burned, and barely able to think straight, he knew he couldn’t risk being recognized.
Without the suit, he was just another bruised guy on the street.
Voices echoed nearby
people leaving a pub, laughing, unaware of the wreckage just blocks away.
His vision swam. The adrenaline was gone. His legs gave out, and he collapsed beside a dumpster, unconscious before he even hit the pavement.
He woke up the next morning, groggy and disoriented, in a hotel room.
Naked.
“…Okay, what the fuck?”
Jason sat up slowly, blinking against the harsh sunlight filtering through the blinds.
His head pounded.
The room smelled faintly of cheap perfume and alcohol. It wasn’t familiar nothing about this was. He looked around.
His own clothes were in a crumpled pile on the floor, but they weren’t alone.
A second set of clothes definitely not his was draped across the chair.
He started to get up, but pain shot through his gut, forcing him back onto the bed with a groan.
He glanced down, then back at the mixed belongings.
The realization hit like a freight train.
“Oh… oh no. Crap. I need to leave.”
He scrambled to get dressed, moving fast despite the nausea and pounding in his skull.
whatever had happened he didn’t want to find out the details
Not now.
Clothes on, boots half laced, he yanked the window open and climbed out, disappearing into the early morning haze before anyone could ask questions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jason stumbled into his apartment, exhausted, dirty,
and still aching from the explosion.
Every step felt like dragging a cinderblock behind him. He didn’t bother turning on the lights just kicked the door shut behind him and dropped the duffel bag in the corner.
He barely made it to his bed before collapsing face-first into the sheets.
Everything hurt
the shame, the loneliness it all crashed over him in a wave he couldn’t hold back anymore.
He buried his face in the pillow and cried an cried until sleep finally took him.
The next morning, he woke up, wiped his face, and acted like nothing had happened.
Suit on. Helmet secure.
Back to patrol.
And that’s how it went every night, for the next month. Then another. Then another.
But his body started to betray him.
Food made him nauseous.
Sleep didn’t help. He could barely focus.
The weight of exhaustion crept in like a slow poison, but still, he pushed forward.
Until one night, on patrol, a voice stopped him cold.
“Jason.”
He turned.
“Talia?”
She stood calmly in the moonlight, wrapped in dark robes, eyes sharp as ever.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, suspicion in his tone.
“The League was attacked,”
she replied.
“I left Damian with his father while I handle the rebuilding.”
Jason raised an eyebrow. “Hmm.”
Talia studied him for a long moment, then a flicker of something lit behind her eyes.
“In fact,” she said slowly, “I could use your help with a few… matters.”
“What kind of matters?” he asked warily.
“Tracking down deserters. Traitors.
”
Jason glanced around the quiet city. Nothing urgent. No fires to put out.
“How long are we talking?”
“A month at most with both of us.”
He sighed, deadpan. “Fine. I’m in.”
A faint smirk curved her lips. “Excellent. I’ll book the flight.”
He didn’t ask where.
Didn’t care.
Maybe leaving Gotham if only for a while was exactly what he needed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Gaaaagggging—”
Jason lurched forward, gripping the seat in front of him as another wave of nausea hit.
He barely made it to the sick bag in time.
Talia looked up calmly from the pamphlet she’d been reading, arching an eyebrow.
“If I had known you didn’t handle planes well, I would’ve hired a car instead.”
Jason groaned, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
“I’m not normally like this. Something’s just… off.”
“Hmm.” Talia's eyes lingered on him, thoughtful.
“What?” he asked, noticing her look.
“Nothing,” she replied smoothly, but her gaze said otherwise.
Jason slumped back in his seat. “Are we almost there?”
Talia glanced at her phone. “Thirty more minutes.”
“Great,” Jason mumbled, already closing his eyes.
Exhaustion weighed heavy on him more than just
physical.
The plane hummed softly, and before he
could think too much about anything about his body, his past, the way Talia kept watching him he drifted off into a light, uneasy sleep for the remainder of the flight.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~”how many more traders are here? “
“There’s supposed to be 12 more they should be the last of them at this base”
Just as they started, going down the hall,
one of the traders jumped out from a ceiling panel. Jason shot him through his throat The smell of blood made Jason gag
“crap..” Jason threw up over the body
“ Jason, we taught you better than this. Stay alert.”
fuck off..” they got through the base without any other issues then took a cab to a hotel for the night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Taila woke with a start. Her eyes immediately darted toward the bathroom.
She could hear Jason he was throwing up again.
She stood and walked over quietly. “Are you sick?” she asked softly, worry creeping into her voice.
Jason groaned. “No…”
Taila glanced toward the toilet, where chunks of vomit still clung to the rim. “That…” she said slowly, giving him a pointed look. “That’s not normal.”
Jason ran a hand through his hair, frustration and pain flashing across his face.
“You don’t think I know that? It’s not normal. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.
I’m throwing up all the time. My stomach hurts, and I can’t focus on anything.”
Taila studied him carefully, her mind racing to piece together what might be happening.
“Jason,” she said finally, “lay down on the bed for a moment.”
“Why?” he asked, rubbing his eyes.
She crossed her arms and gave him a flat look. “I just want to examine you.”
“I’m not injured,” he replied skeptically.
“But something’s definitely wrong,” she insisted.
Jason sighed but climbed onto the bed. Taila
approached and gently tugged at his shirt, pulling it up. She ran her hands over his torso, feeling the contours of his ribs. But when she reached his lower stomach, just beneath his navel, she hesitated.
Jason watched her face carefully.
“What is it? What do I have? A tumor?”
Taila shook her head, exhaling in frustration.
“Yes, you could call it that… but it’s not what you’re thinking.”
Jason frowned, confusion deepening. “Then what is it?”
She looked him straight in the eyes. “Have you… had intercourse recently?”
“No?” he said, surprise coloring his tone. “What does that have to do with anything?”
Taila’s voice dropped low. “Jason, you’re pregnant.”
His mouth dropped open. “What?”
“I’m a guy,” he said flatly.
Taila gave a small sigh, trying to find the right words. “The Lazarus Pit it can change your body.
This kind of thing happens. It’s common for someone affected to become intersex, to develop… physical changes.”
Jason’s face twisted in disbelief and horror. “What the fuck?! Am I… a girl now?!”
“No,” Taila said carefully, “but you’re not exactly a boy anymore, either.”
Jason sat upright on the bed, his hands gripping the sheets. “And I’m pregnant? How is that even….”
Taila softened, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Tomorrow, we’ll head back to the temple.
The other assassins there know more about the Lazarus Pit and its effects. They’ll help you
understand what’s happening.”
Jason swallowed hard, the weight of it sinking in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Six months later
“It’s time for you to leave,” the voice came quietly but firmly.
Jason looked up from the baby resting peacefully in his lap, the tiny fingers curling around his shirt.
The child’s soft breathing was the only sound in the room.
“Why?” Jason asked, voice low but steady.
“You no longer need protection, and we can no longer provide it,” came the reply. “I am dismantling the League of Assassins.”
Jason’s gaze dropped back to the baby, then back up, a mix of acceptance and uncertainty washing over him. “We’ll make our way back to Gotham then.”
“Don’t worry,” the voice assured him. “I’ve gathered
all your gear, and I’ll cover your travel expenses.”
Jason nodded, the weight of responsibility heavy on his shoulders. He carefully packed what he needed,
securing the baby close in a sling against his chest,
feeling the steady heartbeat against his own.
The little one cooed softly, unaware of the challenges ahead.
The journey back to Gotham was tense. He kept his bags light and his steps cautious.
Once in Gotham, he left his belongings at a safe house, a hidden spot only he knew about.
He didn’t worry much about his apartment or possessions being his own landlord meant everything
should still be safe. Still, his mind drifted to practical
concerns: the baby would need new clothes, supplies, things he hadn’t had to think about before.
But for now, with the child nestled close, Jason
allowed himself a moment of calm. He wasn’t just surviving anymore he was protecting something
he held the baby close in the sling on his chest as he hopped from roof to roof on his way back to his apartment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Master Bruce, the Red Hood has been spotted for the first time in six months,”
Alfred’s calm voice echoed through the Batcave’s comms.
“Shall I alert Dick and Tim since Damien is still grounded?
So you can put together a strategy to capture him?”
Bruce didn’t hesitate.
“Yes, Alfred. Alert them immediately.”
He moved swiftly, making his way down to the main control room of the Batcave to prepare.
The low hum of computers and the faint glow of monitors filled the space with an eerie calm before the storm.
Suddenly, his earpiece crackled to life.
“Hey, B,” came Nightwing’s voice, tense but controlled. “Tim’s with me. We need to hurry Red Hood’s already on the move.”
“He’s already out?” Bruce asked, eyes narrowing.
“Yeah, he’s heading to the location now. We’ll meet you there.”
“Perfect,” Bruce replied. “Alert Tim to be ready. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
Minutes later, they were speeding through the city in the Batmobile,
the familiar roar of the engine blending with the distant sounds of Gotham’s restless night.
They approached the last known location of Red Hood’s sighting and parked the vehicle discreetly in a shadowed alley.
Without hesitation, the three of them scaled the rooftops, blending into the darkness as they began to scout the area.
“Is that him?” Nightwing whispered, pointing to a shadowy figure moving with practiced stealth.
Batman’s eyes locked onto the target. “Yes. Tell Tim to circle around. We need to cut him off.”
The hunt had begun.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was just a few blocks from my apartment when I noticed I have tail
“ shit”
now I have to lose them before I can go home
he looks down at the baby in his arms still sound asleep, rocked to sleep by Jason’s parkour
he tries to double back away from his apartment and identify his tail
Batman
“Figures”
not even one day back
He starts to go faster
“Night wing to dammit”
He goes even fast losing track of which building he’s on
some thing wrapped around his ankle as he leaps
“fuck”
grappling hook before he can grab his knife to cut. It pulls tight.
Oh no
He’s falling
Crap
He flips mid air, so not to land on the baby he wraps him self tightly around him
Protecting him he drops about four stories onto the lid of a large plastic garbage can
“ahhh..”
his body relax for a moment feeling that his baby is unharmed
There’s an awful pain in the back of his neck and back
he Ignores it
he needs to move
He gets up quickly and cut the grapple on his leg
he is sure it was Tim the replacement but he doesn’t know where he is
Oh fuck “
He feels the replacement slam into his back, trying to subdue him
he curls, protectively over the baby and shoved him back and jumps onto the fire escape to make a run for it
he makes another two buildings before he’s cornered
By Nightwing and the replacement
why today?”
He sees nightwing whispering in to his ear piece
The replacement stiffens preparation for a fight
He hears the wind of the cap
“RED HOOD”
Batman leaps from the shadows and grabs red hood, turns him on his back and pins him to the ground
But before he could subdue him completely
“ahahah “
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
a baby that’s the last thing he expected to be strapped to the red hoods
“what”
Night wing had the same reaction
“why do you have a baby”
Tim stayed quiet
They could tell red hood was glaring from beneath mask
“That’s none of your business. Can you get off me?!”
Night wing but in
“ No you could’ve stolen that baby!”
“why would I steal a baby!?”
“for ransom!?”
Tim looked up
“Who’s baby is it?”
“he is mine!”
Batman lifted one hand off of Jason’s to look at the baby
Jason glared but did not protest.
he gently Moved aside the fabric.
“hmm”
The baby had pail skin with blue eyes and black hair with a white streak
Jason slowly reached to remove his helmet, making sure Batman was aware of his movements
he sat his helmet to side next to him and looked up at batman through messy hair
Batman and Nightwing stood in silence.
then Tim spoke up
“At least we know the babies not stolen”
referring to the matching white streak in there hair
Bruce let go of Jason
“Jason”
Jason, curled in on himself nervous yet careful of the baby on his chest that was just starting to calm down
hi dad”
Richard spoke up
Jay?”
“hey dickie “
Tim stared in shock
Night wing walked over to the kneeling Jason and Batman,
and sat down next to them looking at Jason thoroughly
Jason spoke up
“This is not really how I want this to go”
not looking at either of them
Dick grabs his shoulder, gently, put him into a hug
Batman speaks up
“Come on, let’s get you the Batmobile so Alfred can
take a look at you “
Jason tries to stand,but stumbles back down to his
knees
Tim speaks up ashamed
“I did make him fall four stories”
“Night wing should probably carry him”
Jason gave Tim a dirty look
Night wing picked Jason up without question
Jason was exhausted so much so that he fell asleep
but he felt safe