Selina's Sidekick

part twenty

last chapter laid the ground work for bigger things to come. just wait. just you wait. 

Jason tapped his foot, the nervous energy inside of him needing a release. Eyes shifting from his folded hands in his lap to his mom next to him calmly reading a magazine to the abstract art piece on the wall across the waiting room from them, Jason huffed. 

Selina turned the page in her magazine, glancing at Jason through the corner of her eye. "Nervous, kitten?"

Rolling his eyes, Jason slouched in his chair, not pausing the foot tapping as he did so. "No, I'm not nervous to have some psychologist pick apart my brain  like I'm the left over carcass of a roadkill animal and then tell me exactly what is psychiatrically wrong with me."

Snorting softly, Selina put her magazine down, turning to face her son. She reached over and put a hand on his cheek. "Jay, never lose your snark."

"Wasn't planning on it. But, alas, I have no idea what the good doctor's plans are for my obviously messed up brain." Jason scoffed, looking down at the magazine in his mom's lap briefly before meeting her eyes. "What if...what if they say I'm...that I...that I'm untreatable? That I'm too messed up from my childhood?"

Selina cooed, placing the magazine on the side table on her other side before pulling Jason towards her body. "Sweetie, they won't say that because it isn't true." 

Opening his mouth to reply, the teen was cut off by the doctor's door opening. The mother-son duo turned, standing up to greet the woman who would be evaluating Jason. She smiled warmly at them. "You must be Selina Kyle and Jason Todd-Kyle. I'm Dr. Henrietta Jameson. Pleasure to meet you both." They all shook hands and Dr. Jameson gestured for Jason to follow her into her office. She looked at Selina. "This will be about two and a half hours for testing. Feel free to stay or come back. Up to you."

"I'll stay." Selina looked at her son as she said this, sensing his anxiety about the whole ordeal. "Let me know if I can be of any help."

"Of course. Jason?" 

The teen trudged into the office, both ready to get it over with and hoping against hope that it didn't have to happen. 

Two hours and thirty six minutes later, the doors to the office were opening back up and Jason was walking out , his eyes slightly red rimmed as he avoided eye contact with his mom. Selina looked to Dr. Jameson, who motioned her into the office. Jason nodded, letting the thief know it was okay, he was okay, with her going in and talking with the woman. So Selina went in, carefully sitting in the arm chair across from the psychologist. "What is it?"

Dr. Jameson cleared her throat. "Well, normally I don't diagnose upon the first visitation, but you see, Jason...he exhibits the classic signs and characteristics of my patients who have bipolar disorder." Selina felt her heart sink. The doctor must have noticed this because she was talking once more. "Now, the good news is this is completely treatable. With the right therapist, medication, and support system, bipolar disorder is manageable and those with it can live very fulfilling lives. Selina, this is not a death sentence by any means."

Selina sighed. "I just...he's so young, you know?"

"Indeed he is. The usual onset for this disorder is around twenty five, but it can occur during the teenage years and even childhood. Now, Selina, I have list of therapists who I believe would be a great fit for Jason. I suggest you give them a call, see if any of them have availability to see him in the near future." Dr. Jameson stood up, walking towards the door. "And remember, this diagnosis doesn't change anything. He is still your son."

"Of course he is, he always will be my son. Nothing will ever change that." Selina followed the doctor out of her office, finding Jason scrolling through his phone. She walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder, causing him to look up at her. She smiled down at him, ruffling his hair to his annoyance. 

Looking back at the doctor, the feline themed thief thanked her before leading Jason out of the waiting room, the duo walking in a slightly tense silence. Clearing his throat and drawing his mom's attention, Jason began speaking softly. "You must think I'm insane."

"Oh, kitten, no. Never." Stopping in her tracks to pull her son into a hug, the mom of one soothed her child with the gesture. "This doesn't change anything. I still love you. I will always love you. You are my son. Forever."

Sniffling, the teen nodded against her shoulder, hugging her tightly. "'M sorry for disappointing you, mom."

Selina pulled out of the hug, looking at the vulnerable expression on Jason's face. She shook her head. "You aren't disappointing me, Jason. This is just something we'll deal with, together. I'm not going to let you fight this battle alone."

Giving a wobbly smile, Jason quickly wiped his eyes. "How'd I get so lucky?"

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing."

Heart full and emotionally exhausted, the teen leaned on his mom for support as they walked back to their apartment, knowing that they would be bombarded with questions as soon as they stepped in the door.

And they were right, of course, as soon as they stepped in the door Harley nearly tackled the duo to the ground as she babbled a mile a minute, questions spewing from her mouth as she helped them maneuver around Ivy's plants.

Selina held up a hand to silence her friend, which surprisingly worked as the former jester quieted down enough for the thief to get a word in and for Jason to slink away undetected by anyone but his mom.

"Harley...Jason has bipolar disorder."

"I knew it! Didn't I call it, red?" Harley nearly cheered, earning a glare from Selina. "Sorry, but I did. What did the doc say?"

While his mom filled her friends in on the appointment, Jason sat in his room with Isis, petting the cat as he stared out the window, pondering what this meant for his life now. He debated telling Tim, but decided against it. Tim didn't need to know everything about him.

Besides, what if he didn't want to be friends with him anymore once he found out?

Jason couldn't bear that notion.

No, it was better if it was kept in the family.

The less people who knew, the better.

Besides, it wasn't like this changed anything. He was still Jason, he was still going to be Magpie. And Tim was still Tim, still Robin.

That wasn't going to change any time soon.