A Tale Of Clowns

Chapter-13 What Friends Are For Part 2

Jason had finished putting his clothes away in his old room, the posters, books and photographs were all still here, she didn't get rid of anything! He checked under the carpet, the drawer key was still there, he took it and opened his drawer. It was still there! His diary! He opened the first page, all the way back in 2001 when his mom bought him this diary, he always kept it at her house, he knew Bruce would waste no time in reading it and his mom actually respected his privacy, speaking of his mom, his friends were probably telling her what happened to him.

He sat down on the bed and took his shoes off, he put his arms behind his head as he laid down, In just two months of his return to Gotham he'd managed to make the joker go M.I.A. with the help of Harley and Ivy, clear out a bunch of orphanages, lessen Crime Alley's crime rates at a baffling pace, all because Harley helped him. She didn't have to, but she was still there, and then there's Chris, always the reliable one even after all these years,he'd be there whenever Jason just wanted to talk, so was Harley but there was only so much one could talk about with someone who they didn't even know until two months ago.

Chris on the other hand? He truly understood him, his actions, his feelings towards the scum in Gotham. He even shared them with Jason, he would go out of his way to gather information for him and Harley even when he didn't have to, their sparring sessions were always heated too, in a good way. Ivy was supposed to be his one time ally but now she'd become a nice friend, just like Harley and Frank. And of course Max had to see him like this, he sees him after three years and he's scared, bleached and looks like the fucking Joker. His mom wouldn't mind too much, he guessed, not when she had suffered a similar experience.

Jason looked up when someone knocked on his door, "Come in" he said, the door opened and his mom stepped in and sat down besides him on the bed, "Jay, please, tell me what happened to you, your friends said you've been alive in for three years, were in the league of assassins, are the Red Hood." Jason nodded and explained everything to her, the grave crawling, Natalia pulled Jason into a hug when he told her that. It was nice.He laid his head on her lap for old times sake and continued while she ran her hand through his curls, she always adored his curls, that was something she and Bruce had in common.

He told her about Talia finding him, the months when he was catatonic then the lazarus pit, he all caste, the league of assassins, his teachers around the world, his work as the Red Hood. "i think Black Mask ambushed me since his power is fading at a dangerous rate, and I did steal a crate of kryptonite a few days ago." Natalia sat in silence for a few moments, gently scratching his scalp. "You said Talia, Talia Al ghul, had you for almost for all those three years, and that she found you six months after you had died?" Jason nodded "Yes?"

"I see. Well Jason you get some rest, I'll have a talk with Bruce Wayne about his ex kidnapping my son." Jason sighed "Mom- No- Just don't bring me up with him, I don't....want him to see me....not like this." Natalia took a deep breath and nodded. They stayed like that for a few seconds before Natalia asked him "Would you like to watch our old musicals?" Jason sat up and nodded with a small smile on his face, Natalia told him that everyone had left to get on with their day and that Max would be back to check up on him later, then they watched their old musicals, disney movies and classic movies for all dya. She took a leave from work that day, it was a special occasion after all.

After they had finished watching the jungle book he noticed something disturbing on his mother's neck, a painfully long scar at the side of her neck, he zeroed on it and asked "Mom. Who gave you that wretched scar?" Natalia just waved her hand dismissively "Oh don't worry Jay it's an old scar, it's nothing." Jason frowned "It's not nothing! Mom that looks fatal what happened?" They went back and forth for a few minutes before Natalia gave in. 

She sighed and said "Still stubborn as every Jay...." She then told him about her fight with Batman, how she had confronted about him not avenging Jason because of Superman, how she had to flee because of her wound. She had to knock him out as the lazarus pit took over him soon after.