The Winchesters' New Protege

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished.

Bruce wakes up about thirty minutes later and it doesn't go well. At all.

He marches up to Jason, despite both Alfred and Tim's protest, pins him to the wall and snarls, "I am going to give you one chance to tell me who you are and how you know my identity."

He has his forearm pressed against Jason's chest and is slowly applying more pressure, which is only aggravating Jason's injuries. He tries to push Bruce off, but Bruce has the advantage in the position that they're in. Bruce pushes down even harder and repeats himself.

Jason doesn't answer and, instead, forcefully headbutts Bruce, sending him stumbling backwards. Alfred is about to step in and diffuse the situation but Bruce recoils, lunging forwards again. He grabs Jason arms and throws him against the wall. Jason crumples against it and falls to the floor. Bruce pulls him up by his collar and begins hitting him.

Tim and Alfred rush over and tries to pry Bruce off Jason. Bruce shrugs them off until Alfred says, in a very stern voice, "That is quite enough, Master Bruce. You need to let us explain."

He lets go of Jason and allows Alfred to pull him back. "Who are you?"

Jason slides down the wall, breathless. He rubs the blood off his face and runs his tongue over his teeth to check that Bruce hasn't dislodged any. "I'm surprised that you haven't recognised me yet."

"I have no idea who you are," Bruce says, stepping forwards. Alfred places his hand on Bruce's shoulder, just in case he goes for Jason again. "How could I possibly recognise you?"

Jason sighs, pulling himself up. Bruce moves back defensively, bringing his arms out to push Alfred and Tim behind him.

"You really have no idea. Do you, Bruce?" Bruce stiffens at the mention of his name, but Jason shrugs it off, starting to pace. "Then again, neither did Dick. I even had a damned conversation with him. Well, I'll admit that it was awfully one-sided. You know how talkative Goldie can be when he really gets going – he practically told me his whole life story." Jason stops. He's digging his own grave, but damn if this isn't satisfying. "It was nice, though, I guess. Hearing about the family and all." Jason pauses for a moment to examine Bruce's reaction. Not even a twitch. He can feel himself getting cockier. "I heard you have a kid. Like an actual kid. Damian, right? With Talia, too? I told you she had the hots for you, didn't I, boss?"

That sparks Bruce's memory.

[THE BATCAVE: March 30th, 2012]

"Would you ever... y'know, with Talia?" Robin asks. Bruce glances behind him.

"No. Talia and I are just working together for this case. When it's finished, she'll go back to the League of Assassins' base."

"Well," Robin says, throwing a kick into the air, "isn't that even more of a reason to go for it?"

"It's unprofessional."

"So? Personally, I don't see why you don't just go in for the kill. You obviously have a thing for her, and she clearly has the hots for you, and poor ol' Jason is over here, drowning in the sexual tension."

"Isn't it time you went to bed?"

"It's actually kinda disturbing. But it's still better than you and Selina," Robin continues, ignoring Bruce's implied command. By this point, he's stopped training and is now pacing the sparring mat.

"Go to bed, Jason."

"I mean, I like Selina and all. It's just that seeing you two go at it – you and anyone, really – is completely sickening. Not because I don't want you to be happy an' stuff. I just think that I," Jason thinks for a moment before adding, "and you, would be much happier if you both stopped dancing around each other and just fu-"