dove in the darkness ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ⋘ jason todd ⋙

•Chapter 31•

"It's easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend."
- William Blake

<Hazel's>

The back of my eyes sting as we arrive back at the Cave after hours of being interrogated by police.

More like lying to the repeatedly about how the bodies on the floor really got knocked out and why on of them was in a separate room tied to a wooden chair.

There is someone tied to a chair? Weird. Flash came in a saved the day.

And that was partly true. The flash did come in his outfit, but it was after the bodies had hit the ground. I am positive that it was just a cover up so we wouldn't be suspicious.

"Is everyone-" Alfred says rushing in only to be cut off my Bruce.

"Everyone is fine, Alfred." He answers, though I don't feel fine.

As if Tim were reading my mind, he turns to me and whispers, "Are you ok?"

I glance to the group of people around me, which was everyone I had left with plus Dick, Barbara and Brooke. And all of them looked a mess.

There were several tears in their outfits, and every single one of the boys' suits were crumbled and out of place in some way.

"No." I whisper back, my eyes not meeting his. "I'm mad."

He doesn't say anything for a few moments before he says, "I got word from Iris; she said that she would like to thank you in person, and that your quick thinking might have saved her leg."

Despite my emotions being mostly negative at this moment, the thought of helping her caused a slight sliver of hope to surge through my body.

"I am really glad she is ok." I say with a small smile as I wrap my arms around myself.

Looking back to the others, I realize they grouped of, each of them having a seemingly serious conversation.

The only person that really stood out to me was Jason, though.

Somewhere throughout the long night he had loosed his tie around his neck and unbuttoned his white shirt a few buttons.

The way he looked, his body still tense, made the realize just how bad that note could have been.

He hasn't so much as glanced at me since he got the note, and, as far as I know, hasn't shown anyone the note yet... which made me feel even worse.

His eyes light up in anger as he speaks harshly to Bruce, Alfred and Damian, and only then does he pull the crumbled piece of paper out of his pocket and show Alfred, who's face pales almost instantly.

My skin crawls at the sight before I turn my attention to the other group.

Dick, Brooklyn and Barbara were all talking in hushed tones in the corner, occasionally glancing in our direction before setting their eyes back to each other.

In other words; Tim stayed behind as my babysitter and we both know it.

"Hazel." Bruce suddenly says causing my eyes to snap to his.

"Yes?"

"What did this 'Mark' ask you about?" He questions, his body now facing me.

Everyone stopped talking to listen as I breathe out. "Well... he said he saw all of us arrive and then me being dragged out on the dance floor, so he decided to help." I say skipping over a few details before I add, "It seemed like he wasn't trying to get me to spill secrets, but to realize that we shared the same traits. He said he could read people really well, and then he dropped my last name as if he wanted me to know it was-" I stop myself from saying his name. I mean, I don't even know if it was...