In the Shadows

Chapter Nine

A/N: this is really short, deal with it. Chapter Ten will be out in the next week or so, whenever I feel like publishing it.

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Jason stared at the picture. He felt certain that he wasn't supposed to see it. It had been tucked away in a back page of the book Talia had loaned him. She was nearly a decade younger, posing next to a tall, burly man with dark hair and light eyes. Jason immediately recognized the man. Bruce. Damian's father. And, maybe... his?

He could remember him, looking at the picture. But he didn't know what to think. He had spent the last two weeks since Damian's interrogation waking up in the middle of the night. Nightmares, about a clown and a crowbar. He really hoped they were just nightmares. But he had a sinking feeling in his gut that it had something to do with his year of pit madness.

Jason knew that he had died at some point. He had to have, to end up in the pit. But he had never been able to make himself try to remember what happened. He had the feeling that the dreams were his subconscious trying to remind him. Unfortunately. Why the hell it wanted him to remember, he didn't know.

He was going to just put the photo back, but then thought of something else. He slipped it into his pocket for safekeeping. Damian would probably like it.

Speaking of Damian, Jason wondered if he was done showing off to the Great One yet. The boy had been working hard in training with Cass for the last week to prove his quick mastery to his grandfather. Damian was growing sick of it, but Cass seemed like she was having fun.

Leaving his room, he headed to find Talia. Down the hall from her chambers, he heard an argument between her and Damian.

"Mother! I just want to go for the summer! Todd and Cain can come with me! Nothing bad will happen! Grandfather said I earned a break!"

"This isn't what he had in mind, Damian."

"I will be responsible! I will be on my best behavior! He won't mind having us!"

Jason knocked on the door. Talia opened it, relief flooding her features. "Jason!"

Damian pushed past her. "Todd! I was telling Mother that we should spend the summer with Father! It would be good for us as an educational experience!"

Jason was startled. "Visit Bruce?"

"Yes! It was a brilliant idea! We could work on our fighting styles, and I could experience the other half of my family! Learn about the Gotham culture, and scope out my inheritance."

"I think the inheritance is going to his oldest, Richard, my love." Talia sounded oddly salty about her son's apparent older brother. Did she have a rivalry with a kid?

Damian frowned. "I knew about Todd, but I have ANOTHER brother?!"

"Not by blood." Talia grumbled. "Richard was an orphan he picked out of a circus tent."

A series of memories suddenly solidified in Jason's brain. "You mean Dick?"

Damian snickered. Talia thwacked him. "Yes. Unfortunately."

Damian wrinkled his nose. "I am not losing an inheritance to some no blood, circus boy named Dick. Now I HAVE to go, Mother!"

Talia sighed. "Let me discuss this with your grandfather first. Then we will see."

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome." Talia ran a hand over Damian's hair.