Hurt (Jason Todd/OC)

(One shot, alternate first chapter)

"It's a tragic night for the side of good. Tonight Gotham has lost the young sidekick of the Batman to the Joker's cruelty. We regret to inform the citizens of Gotham that the young boy was killed in a warehouse after Joker set off a bomb." The evening news broke over the city of Gotham showing an image of Batman holding his limp partner, the shot taken from above in a helicopter. Some nights... it just seemed that all hope was gone. It became harder to believe that good would prevail.
Good had a weakness... they didn't kill... and evil killed without hesitation. I ran a hand through my brown hair as I turned off the TV with a sigh. What bothered me was that the Joker was still at large after what he did. I stood from my crummy couch and walked to the kitchen area behind it in my small apartment. I'd taken a place in a run down spot in the city because it was all I could get. Being sixteen didn't leave much room for choices. Even with my emancipation my age caused problems with landlords. My rundown place with chipped brick walls and creaky wood floors was as good as I could get. Luckily... It was fairly vacant in the building so I didn't have much to worry about with neighbors.
One of these days this city was going to get me killed. The amount of crime and the hardships that the people on the side of justice faced just trying to contain it was too much for me to trust I'd remain safe here. I sat at the table in the silence thinking... of those bright beautiful eyes I'd had the pleasure of seeing up close once. It was such a brief moment... just like his very brief life here.
I ran a hand through my hair in agitation as I tried to think of something else... something less soul crushing. I could tell... he was about my age. Knowing Joker he had suffered a great deal before he was killed. I sighed and used the remote to turn on the tv. The news was showing a different boy who'd suffered at Jokers hands... and perished. Bruce Wayne's son Jason Todd was dead. I breathed in sharply as his face came on the screen and those eyes... I knew them anywhere even if I had only seen them once briefly.
I couldn't process this... Jason Todd was Robin... and he'd died tonight. I stood slowly on shaky legs and went into my bathroom to splash water on my face. I shook as I looked into the mirror. If I knew... then did Joker know? This could mean Bruce Wayne was Batman... I ran a hand over my face and then started to pace. I sat at my desk, in my one room apartment, next to the TV and turned on my computer. I typed in his name and watched with my heart in my throat as photos of him popped up on my screen. Tears stung my eyes and I shook as I tried to breathe through the burning pain. This wasn't fair.
I pulled up an article that had been sloppily slapped together and published within a few hours of Jason's death. It wasn't very informed, they hadn't spoken with his family yet and all they knew was that Jason was murdered by the Joker. It was too soon to find funeral information. I shut my computer off and shuffled over to my dresser to get ready for bed as my head spun. Jason was dead... Robin was dead. I'd only really been talked to by Jason at school once and it was the day after I was almost raped. He'd made a point of talking to me but I was so messed up I couldn't look up at him. If I had I would have known. I'd know those eyes anywhere. The eyes that comforted me and put me back together... the eyes that protected me and reassured me.
Jason is someone I could never thank enough... and I'd never get to thank him at all. I settled into bed after shutting the lights off and let the silent darkness of the apartment wash over me as my mind played every second of him helping me again and again. He couldn't be gone. He just couldn't be.
When I opened my eyes I couldn't remember shutting them. The sun was streaming into the apartment and my alarm was blaring. I had work today, no school because it is the weekend but I work one day of the weekend and every day after school during the week. I crawled out of bed quietly and wandered into my bathroom to shower. I toweled off as I got my uniform around and then changed into it. I grabbed a banana and a muffin on my way out the door, making sure to grab my bag and keys. I drive a little black car that's in rather poor shape, it gets me around though and keeps me from the subways and buses. Criminals seem to love targeting those places full of people and being trapped in those hordes of people freaks me out. Driving isn't necessarily safe but it makes me feel less trapped.
I pulled into the restaurant's parking for employees and rushed inside to clock in for my shift. As I worked tables, cleaning, taking orders, and serving them the chatter about Jason and Robin was bouncing around the place nonstop. The owner turned on the news and the reporters were all about the memorial for robin and the funeral for Jason. I jotted down the dates on my hand between tables. I need to go... I just have to. Jason's funeral was Monday and Robin's memorial was next weekend on Sunday. When the workday was done it was dark and I was in a hurry to get safely to my car and get home. Sunday was coming to an end and tomorrow I had school and a funeral to attend. I'd asked to have work off to attend my classmate's funeral so I don't have work. I know I need some sleep and to have everything I need around for tomorrow.
I fumbled with my car keys in the dark and accidentally dropped them. I groaned quietly as I stooped to pick them up. I startled and gasped as I was roughly knocked to the ground on my hands and knees, the pavement digging into my hands and knees. A large rough hand grabbed me by my hair and started to grope me through my waitress uniform. I opened my mouth to scream but the large hand in my hair moved to cover my mouth and a large portion of my face as he manhandled me into the position he wanted me in. I bit him and let out a short cry before the wind was knocked out of me. I think he might kill me and I don't think anyone will notice until it's over. My body aches and I feel like I'm going to choke on my own heart. I started to cry as the man started to try and rip my uniform open. My mind wandered to Robin, I wanted him to save me like he did before. He's gone though... and he isn't coming back. Just as I was about to give into despair I heard someone land with a thump in the parking lot just behind the man and I. My heart skipped a beat in hope as the man loosened his grasp on me to turn his attention to the intruder.
My eyes slid over the uniform and I recognised him as Nightwing. My body momentarily relaxed as I felt safety wash over me. I was safe... He came... even if it wasn't Jason I was still saved. Nightwing beat the man bloody and then proceeded to tie him up while I sat on the ground leaning against my car, watching him. I kept shaking and hyperventilating, I kept sniffling and crying. I couldn't stop myself. When he turned back to me he knelt in front of me and gently took my hands in his and looked down at all my little scrapes. "It's okay, you're okay now." He soothed but he just reminded me more of Jason and I burst into heart broken sobs.
"H-he's gone... he's really gone. Jason is gone... I wanted... I kept thinking he'd come and save me like before... but he's gone. He won't pick me up off the pavement and protect me from bad guys anymore... and more importantly where was I when he needed someone to do that for him? H-he's gone and he suffered... it's not fair. I never got to thank him." I wiped my eyes as I sobbed uncontrollably and Nightwing stared at me with his mouth gaping. "Y-you're here for the funeral, r-right?" I asked and he opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water. "I... Is Jason that other kid? Did he like to play superhero or something?" My eyes narrowed and the tears stopped. I glared at him and pushed him away as I stood on shaky legs. "Robin was a real Hero... don't belittle him to try and cover yourselves. He let me see his eyes to try and comfort me... I'd never forget them." Nightwing frowned and looked down at the ground for a moment while I struggled with my keys in my hurt, cold, and shaking hands.
"So you know... Who are you? Were you close with Jason?" I took in a sharp breath and hesitated a moment as my mind went over every moment I'd gotten with Jason. "No... I was walking home from work. My car was in the shop and the last train had already come and gone. I was scared but... I had mace and I just had to hope I'd get home okay. I was halfway home when I was attacked by a group of men. They molested me and they were about to rape me when... He came from the rooftop nearby and began to fend them off. I was in shock, completely shaken. He'd taken them out before I could really process what had happened. I was almost completely naked... It was cold and I was shaking. He tried to approach me but I started crying harder and tried to get away from him. I was out of my mind with fear and I couldn't tell who was good or bad at that point. He was masked and intimidating under the circumstances."
I paused as I unlocked my car and tossed my bag in the passenger seat before turning to Nightwing to finish telling him my story. "He did something to his wrist and suddenly I could see his brilliant green eyes. They were so gentle, so concerned... And I melted, my fear washing away and my body gave out. I relaxed because I knew I was safe with him. He picked me up off the concrete and helped me get dressed. He sat with me until I calmed down and then walked me back home. I didn't know then... I didn't know Jason at school. I knew of him but I've always been in my own little world with studying and work. The next day he made a point of talking to me as Jason but I was so messed up that... I couldn't even look up at him. He was a guy and I was still shaken and scared. I didn't know until I found out on the news robin and Jason had died. The eyes, I'd know them anywhere. They were... beautiful." I tried to express myself as I looked up at Nightwing, trying to make eye contact but the eye shields on the masks our vigilanties wear has always made me uncomfortable. I sighed and went to get into my car but he stopped me with a gentle hand on my shoulder.
"He wasn't perfect but he was a good guy with a good heart." I looked up at his masked face, trying to figure out what he was thinking but it wasn't easy. "Yes... I... Have something he gave me that... I want to give back. I think he should be buried with it." Nightwing looked puzzled and intrigued. I took out a pin from a pocket in my jacket and held it out to him. It was a Robin pin and it had been a symbol of comfort and a promise. He promised I was never alone when he'd given it to me. "He said that it meant I was never alone... I want him to know that he isn't alone. He must have felt so alone that night and... I want to send him off knowing... he was never alone." Nightwing seemed both surprised and sad. He took the pin gently from me and looked down at it for a moment. "Why don't you give it to him at the funeral?" I looked away as I thought about it. "I wasn't sure if it'd be a closed casket. He should wear it... I don't want to just throw it into the hole." Nightwing hesitated a moment before giving a small nod. "Okay... I'll put it on him. I promise." I smiled a sad smile. "Thank you..." I climbed into my car and shut the door before pulling out of the parking lot and heading home.
The next morning was hard for me, I felt weary in my bones. I felt drained emotionally and it was hard to get up knowing what would be happening today. The school would probably be a nightmare with people all talking about and grieving Jason. Then after school would be the funeral. I pulled up to the school in my little black crappy car and parked, taking a moment to breathe as I looked out the windows at the kids around the school grounds. Most were in groups crying and comforting each other. I'd always been a bit of a loner, I wont be included in any group... I let out a small sigh and climbed out and headed straight for my locker but I came up short when Barbara Gordon stepped out in front of me. She was looking at me like she knew something everyone else didn't. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
Barbara was popular and beautiful. She had lots of friends and she was close with the Wayne family. She and I had never talked and her wanting to talk to me now made me extremely anxious. I frowned softly and looked from her to my locker behind her as I wondered if there was a way to get out of this. "Uhm, I kind of need to get into my locker and get to class. Is this important?" I asked, sounding uncomfortable and disinterested.
Barbara frowned at me for an uncomfortable moment before insisting. "This is very important. We need to talk." I sighed and nodded and followed her deeper into the school. She was taking me to the gym it seemed, they never had a first period class. She shut the door to the empty gym behind me and then we stared at each other in silence for a long moment. Neither of us really knowing how to talk to each other.
"Jason was my friend and he liked you. He liked you a lot. He kept his distance because you seemed afraid of him but he always wanted to be close to you. He watched out for you and made sure no on hurt you... and now he's gone and he can't do that for you anymore. I feel like he'd want me to take care of you for him and the best way I know how to do that is if we hang out and become friends." Barbara rambled uncomfortably but sincerely. I blinked at her a moment as I processed. My heart was hurting as I thought about Jason. I wish... I'd let him in when he'd tried to talk to me but... I was just too traumatized.

"I... I know he was Robin. I found out because of his picture on the news. His eyes are really distinct... I assume you know as well. I wish I'd let him in when he tried to talk to me that day but... I was too traumatized. I wish... I'd gotten to know him." A tear fell down my cheek and I wiped it away as I took a deep shaky breath in. Barbara wiped a tear off her own cheek as she wrapped an arm around herself.
"He was an amazing person... he didn't deserve this." I said softly, I hesitated as I moved forwards and wrapped my arms around her. She hugged me back as she started to cry and I found myself crying with her.
This wasn't fair... he didn't deserve this. He should still be here with those who love him. Something needed to be done about the joker. It's too bad Batman will never do what needs to be done.

(Let me know if you like this better than the original first chapter :)