no rest for the wicked [jason todd]

fifteen

WHEN TYE FINALLY WOKE UP IN THE HOSPITAL BED,

tired and aching everywhere in her body, she was alone. The room was dark other than the lights from the hall, the door barely opened a crack. Suddenly, the lights flicked on and someone stepped in. Despite her blurry vision, she could see him. Tall, dark hair, wearing a hat. Honestly, a lot of men in her life looked like that, but he was taller than Dick. Bulkier in the shoulders. It was Jason. He hadn't looked at her yet. "Jason?" She asked, voice raspy.

"Tye? Tye, oh my God," Jason said, stepping over toward her and putting a hand on her cheek. "Oh my God, are you okay? Don't get up." He gently pushed her shoulder down when she tried to sit up. "You've been out for a couple days. You lost a lot of blood."

Tye squinted, reaching for her torso, but Jason stopped her, holding her hand in his own for a moment. "It hurts," she told him softly, and he offered a smile, shaking his head. "What-- Did something... Jason, please don't tell me I'm missing a chunk of skin in my torso." He didn't say anything for a moment, but when she pulled her shirt up this time, he didn't stop her from doing it. "That's-- Are those words?" She asked quietly.

Jason tilted his head down, muttering a curse to himself. "I'll find them," he said to Tye, "he deserves to die after what he's done."

"What does it say, Jason?" Tye managed, punctuating every word as she looked up toward him. His hand was shaking as he put it over his mouth, not wanting to say anything, and Tye paused for a moment. Why was this affecting him so much? He wasn't hurt, and they hardly knew each other.

"Jokes on you," Jason muttered, "that's what it says, Tye."

Tye's lips tilted into a little frown. "Jokes on who?" She asked, and he didn't meet her eyes for a long moment. "I don't get it, Jay," she said quietly, "jokes on who?"

He rubbed over his eyes, taking a deep inhale. Then he turned toward the window, his arms folded across his chest. "Jokes on me," he muttered, turning back toward her. "It's my fault you're in this situation, okay? I got attached to you and then Davey messed it up. He told someone and then--" He ran his hands through his hair, giving an angry sigh. "It's all my fault, Tye! This shouldn't have happened and I swear, I'll find him and I'll make sure he never says a word again!" He slammed a hand against the wall, looking back out the window.

Tye nearly jumped out of her skin, eyes going a little more round than before. She reached for the landline on her bedside table and let her hand linger on it. "Jason," she begged, "please, just calm down."

He turned back toward her, looking a little shocked to hear her voice shaking. She was scared of him. "I don't think we should communicate anymore," he said, scanning her face, "I think it's for the best if I leave now."

"Don't you dare," Tye's voice dropped to a whisper as she stared up at him, "I've never felt safe, Jason, not ever until I met you. You make me feel like I'm safe again, like a home. I don't... I can't lose you. You can't turn and walk away from me now, don't you dare--" Her voice shook and she reached out for his hand when he stepped closer. "Please," she said softly.

Jason swallowed. "Then," he began, "I need to be able to protect you for the time being. That means when you're allowed to go home, I think you should..." He paused, closing his eyes. "I think you should stay with me so that I can protect you. I need to be able to protect you. If something happens to you again, Tye, it's completely my fault."

She gave a little nod and stifled a yawn behind her hand. "Why am I so tired?" She mumbled toward him, "I slept for a couple days."

"Your body needs to heal," Jason murmured, "I'll go find your doctor, let him know you woke up."

The minute he'd left the room, Tye lifted the phone up, trying to remember the numbers she needed to reach. Then, she dialled Jim, the only one she could remember off the top of her head. When he picked up, voice tired and maybe a little half-asleep, she smiled. "Hello?" He managed, stifling a yawn, "Who's this?"

"The hospital," Tye offered, and her voice was definitely raspy, throat dry, "or... No. Tye. It's Tye, sir. I'm awake."

She heard a rustle and then suddenly, "Tye? Look, no formalities needed. Do you need someone? I can be on my way right now."

She paused, closing her eyes and leaning back against the pillow behind her head, figuring that the comfort of the material might lull her back to sleep once she hung up the phone. "I'm okay. How about tomorrow?" She offered, fighting off her own yawn now. "I'm exhausted right now, and I'm not sure I'd stay awake long enough to speak to you."

Jim laughed, and she wondered if he'd been worried about her. "Okay," he said softly, "I'll drop by tomorrow. Don't worry about work. The job's finished." He paused, and she heard footsteps -- his, probably -- over the line. "We know who the Hood is. We're done chasing him."

Tye nodded after a moment, pressing her lips together. "Right," she mumbled quietly, "I'll see you then, Jim."

"Rest easy, Tye," Jim said as his own goodbye, and she hung up the phone, leaning back against the pillow. Within moments, she fell back to sleep.

Jason stepped into the room, finding her asleep, and paused. He smiled, gently, and he closed the door as he stepped in. Then, he moved toward the chair in the corner of the room, the one he'd been sleeping in for the time being. He sat down, leaned back and stared out the window toward the city. It hadn't been his city, it never had been, but it was so close to it. He was replaced. He'd been replaced by the Batman now.

He was replaceable now, apparently.

If the Batman thought he was so replaceable, maybe he should show him that the Hood wasn't just some sort of temporary figure looming over the city. Maybe he should show them all that he wasn't so replaceable anymore; he was important. People needed him. She needed him.