Queen Hippolyta had a routine every morning. Such things were typical of the day-in, day-out holding pattern of the Amazons as a people. One might think that several millennia would have made such trifles boring, but she still enjoyed a calm walk of the grounds and the simple joy of watching the sun rise on her island. After preparing her wardrobe for the day and ensuring her hair was in dignified order as befitting a queen, she took half an hour for herself, walking the balconies and slopes of Themyscira. The warm glow as the sun split the horizon, the palette of colors that heralded the new day, the sweet odors drifting from the lotuses blooming in a nearby garden…

A life far removed from war and pain; this was all she ever wanted for her sisters.

And the daughter that hadn't spoken to her in months.

A frown of regret marred her otherwise flawless features as she sighed and turned away from the magnificent vista. Reality set in once more, and she made her way back to the palace to prepare for the day ahead. It wasn't until she began putting in her earrings that she noticed something off and strode into the throne room. The lack of armored bodies standing guard was the first confirmation of oddity. The second was the raven-haired boy lounging on her throne some twenty feet off. Hippolyta's head slowly tilted to one side, eyes wide like she couldn't believe what she was seeing: her grandson, in nothing more than jeans and a gray tee, lying with his legs draped over the throne's armrest and currently making his way through a bag-full of chocolate-coated blueberries.

She blinked twice, almost expecting him to vanish. He didn't. Instead, his eyes flickered to her gawking form and the hand not occupied with stuffing his face came up to wave at her excitedly.

"'Sup, yia-yia?" he called, turning to sweep his legs so he was sitting normally. "Sleep well?"

Jason got up and marched toward her, munching on the chocolate-covered fruit with a sparkle in his eyes.

Hippolyta took another moment to get over the shock of finding him there before replying. "I did, actually." Her arms crossed and eyebrows knitted. "When did you get here? I didn't hear your arrival."

He grinned. "Nor would you have."

She blinked in confusion.

Which was when he started floating on his back and casually tossing blueberries down the hatch.

Hippolyta sighed. "So they solved it after all."

"Nope," he replied flippantly.

"…what do you mean?"

Jason gulped down the dregs of his snack and dropped back to the ground. "Whatever Zeus and his cronies did to me wasn't solved the same way as Mom. We tried barely a week after I left, and it failed miserably."

"Then…how—"

He shrugged. "I have no idea, but I thought it'd be nice for me to come and tell you that I'm fine." His lips quirked upward a bit. "Mom doesn't know I'm here; she's still a bit salty, but she'll come around."

Hippolyta's lips pursed. "I can't say I'm not surprised you did, given your attitude when last we spoke."

Jason cringed and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, uh…about that." He looked around uncomfortably. "I'm…really sorry for overreacting the way I did."

She frowned. "I'm the one who should apologize. You were right to accuse me, of everything. Truth be told, there was a part of me that didn't want you here, especially after you bested my finest warrior unaided." A sigh. "But that was my old fear talking, and you are my family, not Heracles." Her head bowed just slightly. "I had no right to expect any different from you, given what had happened."

Jason smiled ruefully. "Honestly, it may not have been your intention, but you did me a favor that day."

Her eyes widened.

He shrugged. "Up until then, I'd been using my powers as a crutch, relying on them to fight my battles and fix my mistakes instead of using my gray matter first. I was arrogant and entitled, and you saw it before anyone else. Honestly, I'm glad you talked to Olympus, for several reasons. Not the least of which how much experience I've gotten as a normal human—and how much humility I've been forced to learn as a result." He snorted a laugh. "You did me the biggest favor I never asked for, and because of that, my sister and I are still alive. So…yeah, I forgive you." His smile widened. "No…thank you."

Hippolyta blinked hard, a small smile slowly touching her lips. "I appreciate your perspective, but I was still in the wrong and would very much like to make it up to you."

Jason grinned, a touch of vindictive fire in his eyes. "I was hoping you'd say that." He sauntered toward her. "See, the other reason I came back was to ask for a favor."

She frowned and arched an eyebrow. "Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this?"

"Because you have very good instincts. I would know; I inherited them." Another feral grin. "I need access to that astral chamber of yours for a bit. It's important."

Her eyes widened. "You want to…no, absolutely not."

"Why not?" he half-whined.

"You want to speak face-to-face with the gods after what they did? Would you really risk losing your powers all over again for the chance to rub it in their faces?"

He nodded vigorously. "Oh yeah. Besides, given how they returned…I'm not sure they could take them again if they wanted to."

Hippolyta's lips pursed tightly, her head shaking as she released a sigh. "As you wish, but the consequences will be on your head."

"Of course." He waved at the rooms behind the throne. "After you."

She frowned and led him into a small, cylindrical chamber with a circular hole in the roof letting in just enough sunlight to illuminate the artifact sitting on a pedestal in the center. It was a golden tablet with various Olympic runes carved into its surface, with jagged edges like it had been torn off a larger object.

Hippolyta waved at the tablet. "Simply place your hands on the sides of the tablet and read the central inscription in your head. It will help to focus your mind and project your astral presence into their dimension."

He nodded, approaching the artifact with a ginger touch.

"I assume Diana taught you how to read Olympian script?"

Another nod, and a predatory smile to boot. "Don't worry." He gave her a jaunty, two-fingered salute. "See you in a bit!"

…

In the safety of his own head, Jason was willing to admit to being the tiniest bit worried about exactly what his grandmother had mentioned. Specifically, the possibility that Zeus and his ilk would take the opportunity to try suppressing his powers again. Because it was suppression, not reclamation. And that, he had theorized, was why the ritual they tried didn't work. When Diana lost her powers, it was because they were taken. After all, her many gifts were just that: gifts from the gods. As such, it was their prerogative to force her to relinquish them. By contrast, Jason's abilities were innate and, as he'd discovered in Bialya, grafted onto his body.

The gods couldn't take his powers back because they were never theirs to give.

Besides, when those runes had activated, it hadn't felt like a rush of power entering his system like his mother had said. It was more like…a dam that had finally broken under the stress of a thousand cracks. Now he could only hope that if they tried putting it back together, he'd remember how to break it.

Such thoughts vacated his head as soon as his vision resolved into the ruined remains of what had no doubt been a proud and splendid city. The alabaster columns and gold décor of Olympus filled his vision, though the white stone was chipped and fragmented in places and the gold dulled by disuse and disrepair. The shambling environment certainly reflected the vibes exuded by the pantheon that sat before him around a large table filled with cakes of ambrosia and pitchers upon pitchers of nectar.

Something was muttered from one god to Zeus, and the king of Olympus rolled his electric eyes as he shouted mockingly in Jason's direction.

"Need something, your majesty? When last we spoke, you made it quite clear you would no longer serve." Zeus refused to even look in his direction, waving dismissively. "Begone, Hippolyta."

"I'm not my grandmother."

The hard statement immediately snapped every eye in Jason's direction. By their symbols alone, he recognized seven of the twenty-plus gods present. Apollo strumming his golden lyre. Hermes with his caduceus and winged helmet (a replacement, since Barry stole his old one as a gift for Jay Garrick during the war). Dionysus with his ever-flowing cup of wine. Hera and her multicolored robe, not unlike a peacock. Deimos and his delta-insignia. Poseidon by the three claw-like scars across his bare chest (made by his own trident courtesy of Aquaman). And of course, Zeus, whose white hair and lightning-rimmed eyes were enough indication.

Those eyes widened as soon as they saw Jason's malevolent smile.

"You," he growled in a voice like thunder, rising from his seat. "I would have thought you had learned your lesson by now."

Jason's astral form took a step toward him. "Oh, I did. More than you ever expected of me."

"Yet you return without an ounce of humility."

He cocked his head. "Humility? Before a pack of has-been gods who almost destroyed the world?" He grinned, all teeth. "Don't make me laugh."

Electricity flickered from Zeus' eyes. "And don't make me lose my temper. It was always short to begin with, but dealing with your family has made it even shorter."

"Bitch please. If you had any real power anymore, you would've used it to smite my parents a long time ago."

A startled murmur drifted through the crowd at the table, most of them looking on with mild annoyance, some with apathy, and a select few with a degree of amusement. One, a woman with brown hair and keen gray eyes, caught Jason's attention for a brief moment before he returned his focus to Zeus.

"But you don't," Jason added with a touch of snark. "None of your degenerate family does anymore thanks to mine." He shrugged. "I just came here to tell you that your last attempt at petty vengeance failed utterly. I have my powers back, stronger than ever, and by suppressing them in the first place, you made me stronger than you could ever have imagined." He smiled nastily. "So thanks for that."

Zeus strode toward him threateningly, arcs of lightning pouring from his eyes and leaping between his fingers. "Listen well, mortal—"

"No, you listen," Jason snarled. "No matter how much I've learned, how much I've grown, I'm still pissed that you continue to meddle in our affairs. And I know Mom is too." His eyes narrowed. "Especially if you did it all to help that psycho in Bialya."

Zeus blinked. "Who?"

Jason arched a skeptical eyebrow. "I'm surprised you don't already know, considering how perfectly you set me up for him. Your buddy Janus took his shot while I was still powerless—and failed, obviously."

Zeus tried to hide it, but the nervous shudder that ran through his features for the briefest moment was emulated to a much greater degree in the crowd behind him.

Jason's eyes narrowed. "So you do know him."

Zeus took a moment to think, pursing his lips. "We know him, yes, but his interference was unknown to us until now. Make no mistake, he is not one of us."

His predatory smile returned. "That's good, because for a second there, I thought I might have to call in a favor from Dr. Fate and drop a nuke or two into this dimension." His smile turned to a scowl. "Janus is mine. My sole purpose in coming to this time was to hunt my parents' killer, and anyone caught helping him will share his fate."

"You dare threaten us?" Zeus' lightning flared up threateningly. "Even in this weakened form, you are nothing more than an insect!"

Jason smiled nastily. "Well, the moment I got my powers back, I kicked the crap out of Janus for a good two minutes, so…" he shrugged, "I like my chances."

That caused an even bigger ripple in the crowd behind Zeus.

"Bottom line: the next time you even think about screwing with me or my family," Jason stepped forward, snarling, "just remember the stock I come from…'cause in my time, they've both killed the likes of you."

And with that spectacular mic-drop, Jason turned away and marched off toward the nexus of magic energy he'd emerged from. His vision blurred with intense light for a moment before he realized he wasn't back on Themyscira. His surroundings were…well, it was clear he was still on Olympus thanks to the architecture, but outside the well-beaten stone paths was an empty void of fog and floating pieces of the city. Jason frowned. His projection definitely stepped through a portal, but it had taken him to another section of the city, not back to Earth. It was after half a minute of trying to remember how to get back that he felt a presence behind him and turned to meet it.

The gray-eyed brunette from before was striding toward him with calm, almost gliding steps, a twinkle of amusement in her eyes though her expression was impassive at best.

Jason arched an eyebrow. "What do you want? Come to threaten me like the big man?" He waved toward the shambled palace in the distance.

She cracked the tiniest of smiles and shook her head slightly. "On the contrary. Few gods have the audacity to stand up to my father like that, much less threaten him. I applaud you, Jason Wayne."

His eyebrows shot up. "Father?" He blinked slowly. "You're Athena."

She bowed her head slightly, showing the olive wreath on her head a little more prominently. "At your service."

Jason frowned. "Considering you're stuck here thanks to us, I didn't think you'd be quite so…friendly to humans."

Athena smiled, a hint of sadness in her gray eyes. "On the contrary, who do you think helped your Justice League repel my family?"

His eyes widened, mouth gaped in an "O" until a grin spread over his face. "You always were more sympathetic to humanity than the rest." His head shook. "But I don't get it. If you were on our side, why are you stuck on this side of the barrier?"

Athena turned toward the empty void. "The spell used to seal us away was an incredibly complex one, requiring anchors on both sides of the dimensional barrier." She smiled sadly. "And both had to be gods."

"So…you took this end."

A nod. "While Hades took the other."

"Huh. I'm surprised, given how much the war must've fed his coffers."

Athena arched an eyebrow. "Running a kingdom of dead souls is apparently a great deal more work than one might think with such a rapidly-expanding population. And he's never gotten along with his brothers."

Jason snorted. "Serves them right for being assholes." They were silent a while before he frowned, crossing his arms. "No offense, but why seek me out like this? A goddess of wisdom doesn't seem like someone to waste her time and words on simple pleasantries."

A dark looked passed across her face. "You are not wrong, Jason. What you told us, about your battle with Janus…"

"Yeah, why was everyone looking so shaken? And why did Zeus disavow him, despite him clearly being Olympian?"

Athena answered hesitantly. "It is…a very long story. He is Olympian…but also Titan."

Jason's eyebrows shot skyward.

She frowned and stared at the ground. "And he was not always so quick to visit death on others." Athena met his eyes. "Suffice to say, you are not the first to suffer from my father's cruelty, not even within his own family."

Athena waved toward a pair of crumbling stone chairs, and they sat opposite each other, flanked on either side by the void.

"Janus was borne of the Titan Uranus and my sister Artemis. As both Titan and Olympian, he had innate power the likes of which neither had ever seen. To protect him from the increasingly hostile interest of his half-brother, Kronos, Uranus kept his birth a secret and sealed him away in a realm beyond the sight of the god of time, where only Janus' own gateways could ever reach. During the war with Kronos and his Titans, Zeus discovered his existence and power from Artemis, who revealed it all at a time of desperation. He may not have been able to reach Janus physically, but much like you, projected his presence and pleaded with him to help defeat Kronos.

"Janus, seeing the tyranny of his half-brother, agreed to fight, despite being the youngest of us all. With his ability to see even across dimensions and fine control over the fabric of space, Janus singlehandedly turned the tide and eventually defeated Kronos in single combat."

Jason's eyebrows knitted. "Wait—I thought the Big Three took out daddy dearest."

Athena scowled. "A revision of history that I was foolish enough to allow." Regret poured from her eyes and voice as she kept speaking. "Though not nearly as foolish as what I allowed my father to do to him after the war was over. When Kronos was defeated, we discovered another ability of Janus that none, even him, had known until then. Because he shares Titan and Olympian blood, he is a polymorph, capable of absorbing the powers and domains of other deific beings he defeats." Athena gulped hard. "Zeus…already feared his power, even before he learned of Janus' new dominion over time, and banished him from Olympus under the pretense of calming the other gods."

She stared at the ground, hints of grief lacing her tone. "It was supposed to be temporary, or so he said, but…in time, it became clear that my father had no intention of ever bringing him home. I know not where he has remained all this time, but now that he is on Earth, I must warn you of the immense danger he poses."

Jason snorted. "Yeah, I kinda figured that out already."

Her gray eyes darkened. "You know nothing of his true capabilities. That you are still alive can only mean one of two things: that he was holding back, or that something has happened to severely weaken him. Half of Olympus' might combined would not stand a chance against his power."

Jason smirked. "Well, you could say the same about their match-up with the Justice League."

Athena looked off to the side, shrugging. "A fair point." She frowned. "Still, if you have felt even a fraction of his strength, then you know how much of a threat he is."

"I do. Which is why I'm wondering why you're telling me all this." His head tilted and arms crossed. "I get that you're generally speaking on humanity's side, but defying your father's wishes while you're stuck on his turf seems a little dumb just to blab about a former ally."

"He was—" Athena's agitated tone cut off mid-sentence as she took a breath to calm herself. "He was more than that. And it pains me to hear that his pain has embittered him so."

Jason blinked. "You heard what I told Zeus. You know what I mean to do to him."

She nodded.

"Then why does it sound like you're asking me to save him?"

Athena met his questioning gaze with a hard look, averting her eyes a moment later. "I am."

"…he murdered my parents."

"I know."

"He almost murdered my sister. Tried to murder me."

She sighed, eyes slipping closed. "I know."

"Yet you're still asking."

Athena looked at him. "I am." She sighed hard. "The Janus I knew would cast himself into the pits of Tartarus before becoming the monster Kronos was. Part of me hopes that person is still in there somewhere…but if death is the only means of saving him from himself, so be it." She gave him a purposeful look. "To do so, you will need allies, even those outside your family."

Jason leaned toward her. "So you want to help me? How?" He waved at their surroundings. "Not that I wouldn't appreciate it, but you're not exactly in a position to offer, trapped as you are."

She smiled, a hint of scheming intelligence in her eyes. "Your father and I agree that understanding your enemy is half the battle, Jason Wayne. And no one knew him better than me. I will guide you as best I can, and in turn, you must use what I teach to better yourself, to become stronger, fight smarter. That you held your own against Janus once is indication that you are already on the right track, but even so, you were fighting blind." Her smile widened. "With me, you will not be."

Jason nodded slowly, shrugging. "Fair enough." They stood up and faced each other. "I'll be back soon, then, and as often as I can." He smiled and bowed slightly. "A pleasure meeting you, Pallas Athena."

Athena smiled and bowed back. "Likewise, Jason Wayne. I sense that you have much farther yet to go."

He grinned as his vision began fading to white. "Here's hoping."

…

When his spirit returned to his body, Hippolyta was waiting for him with a concerned look.

"Well?" she asked.

Jason experimentally curled one hand into a fist and smiled. "Still stronger than ever."

She let out a sigh of relief and waved him back into the throne room, which had been restocked with the guards that he'd convinced to leave him and his grandmother for a word in private.

"I'm glad," Hippolyta said. "Last thing this family needed was a repeat incident of last time."

Jason winced.

"Have a safe trip home." She stopped short and turned to him. "Unless you'd like to stay?"

Jason smiled and shook his head. "Nah, I just came back for this." His smile faded. "And to…apologize, for how I left things last time."

Hippolyta smiled and held up a hand to stop him. "You already did."

"But you need to know I was wrong. I do need you." He frowned. "In fact, I may need you now more than ever. Especially if Athena was right about Janus…"

Her eyes widened. "You spoke to Athena?"

He grinned. "Oh yes. She was very helpful. I can see why your people revere her so much."

"She is one of the five who gave us life." Hippolyta's eyes darkened. "Unfortunately, most of the rest have perished since."

"I think we would've gotten along." He cast a look at the waning sunrise, the full light of day making him squint. "I better get going; this isn't the only important convo I need to have today."

Hippolyta sent him a smile and nod. "You are welcome back any time, engonós. Your victory in the arena—no, your existence has guaranteed that."

Jason smirked. "Is Philippus still salty that I won?"

She sighed. "She is rather cross to have been bested by a teenager, but you've earned her grudging respect. I daresay she's even grown to admire your restraint."

He winced. "Honestly, she should thank Kara for that. If she hadn't been there, you'd probably be short one general." He stretched and marched toward a nearby balcony, Hippolyta following behind him. "Which is why I'm going to see her next."

The queen smiled, a teasing lilt in her tone. "Is that the only reason?"

Jason side-eyed her hard. "Okay, who blabbed?"

Her head shook. "No one had to. I'm not so old as to have forgotten the look of adoration in a man's eye." Her smile widened a touch. "Especially not when I have such a recent example as your father to refresh my memory."

"…heh." Jason grinned and gave her a parting salute. "See you soon!"

With a puff of disturbed dust and a following sonic boom, he was on his way to Metropolis.

…

Chewing on pencils had become something of a pastime during Clara's work at the Daily Planet. So much so that Clark helpfully kept an entire box's worth in a caddy on her desk at all times just in case she damaged one a little too heavily. Wrapped up in an embezzling story for a nearby borough, she and the fifty-some-odd other reporters on the floor didn't notice the faint shadow that drifted over the windows nearest her desk. Or the inaudible-to-human-ears tapping that rang from that window a moment later. Clara snapped her eyes to the wide glass pane, finding nothing but empty space outside. Frowning, she slowly turned back to her work before the tapping was back.

Narrowing her eyes, she looked through the wall next to the window to see Jason sitting there smothering giggles in the hand not currently annoying her with those taps. Rolling her eyes, she got her phone halfway out to text him to stop being a twit when she realized—

There's…no ledge out there.

Her eyes widened and jaw dropped as she quickly typed out a message and headed for the nearest stairwell almost at a run. That drew the attention of a few others in the office, but she didn't care. As soon as she flung open the door to the roof, Clara stopped short and stared at the figure who floated up from the edge and slowly drifted over to land a few feet in front of her.

Grinning sheepishly, Jason threw his hands into the air and said, "Surprise!"

"You—what—when? How?"

Jason grimaced. "It's a…long story, that's actually about a week old."

She stared at him. "A week. You've had your powers back for a week and you didn't tell me?"

He cocked his head. "Well, to be fair, most of that time was spent sitting with Cass while she recovered."

"Recovered? From what?"

Jason sighed. "Oh, that's right. I told him not to tell you."

Kara frowned. "Told who not to tell me what?"

"Your cousin," he said, waving to a nearby alcove next to the spinning globe. "I wanted to be the one to break the news, and he said you'd be busy with work for the next couple days, so it worked out."

When she came within sight of the tent-like structure he'd erected, Kara's eyebrows hiked upward. "What's all this for?"

He grinned. "Celebration, of course! Our one-month anniversary and the return of my powers."

She chuckled lightly and shook her head as she followed him into the makeshift enclosure, though she obviously didn't feel the cold. When she sat, she was assaulted by a waft of steam bearing hints of roast beef and the most absurdly spicy pepper jack cheese. She snatched the first sandwich before Jason could even sit down. Laughing, he grabbed another one from the basket and munched away as the sun climbed to its apex.

"So how is it, being back to full power?"

Jason tilted his head and laughed nervously. "Gotta admit, it's going to take me a bit to get used to my own strength again. And the flight." His head shook slowly, grinning ear to ear. "Man I forgot how much I missed that. That freedom, the wind rushing in your face…there's nothing like it."

Kara smiled a little. "No there isn't."

Jason blinked and glanced at her face, a glance that gradually became a concerned stare. "Are you okay?"

She inhaled sharply, answering just a touch too quickly. "Huh? Yeah, I'm fine."

Jason blinked again, his stare unrelenting. "Kara, what's wrong?"

Kara's eyes widened with a sudden surge of panic, stumbling over her words for an answer. "Um…nothing, I'm fine."

Stare.

"Jason…it's really nothing."

"If it were nothing, you wouldn't have that look in your eyes."

Kara frowned crookedly. "What look?"

He leaned in closer, that intense gaze pinning her in place. "Like you're expecting to fade away any second."

She stared back incredulously for a moment before a hard sigh left her lips. "Good Rao, is it that obvious?"

"Is what obvious? Kara, what's going on?" He pursed his lips. "Is…this about me getting my powers back?"

"…in a way I guess?"

"I thought you'd be happier. I mean, the last time I was here in Metropolis, you said—"

"Yeah, I know. That's why I said it's nothing."

"It's not nothing if it's bothering you." Jason reached out and gently took her hand. "Come on, Kay. Talk to me."

She met his earnest eyes, thinking long and hard before shaking her head. "It's stupid. And petty."

"I'll be the judge of that."

Kara couldn't hold his gaze, so she stared at the gravel of the roof below them, one hand absently picking at her skirt. "It's just…when we first met, you'd just lost your powers. And…I gave you something to look forward to, which was the whole point." She hesitated, huffing hard. "Rao help me—I know this isn't like you." Kara frowned. "But…a part of me was afraid that…you were dating me to be close to my power, and I'd be less interesting when you finally got yours back."

Jason blinked hard, staring at her with an expression unreadable even to her.

She huffed. "See? I told you it was stupid." Kara felt embarrassed, and not a small bit ashamed at even thinking about him that way.

Until he said, "It's not stupid."

She hesitantly turned back to see him frowning, empathy shining in his eyes.

A teasing grin spread over his face. "Completely out of character for me, yes, and you should know better by now." The smile vanished. "But it's not stupid. I understand exactly where you're coming from."

Her eyes widened. "You do?"

He nodded slowly, looking out onto the horizon. "In a way. Though not with my powers…with my name."

"Because you're a Wayne," she breathed in realization.

Another nod. "Carrying a name like that growing up brings with it a lot of perks…and just as many vultures. Even in elementary school, I had one-percenters and wannabe one-percenters scrambling to get into my circle of influence. I was trusting enough back then that I didn't ask too many questions. Until I started paying for everything, and they kept dropping my name to get out of trouble." He sighed hard. "And then one of my 'friends' decided she didn't need me anymore, and bailed along with a half-dozen others." His head shook with a sardonic smile. "Say what you will about Damian, but he doesn't take kindly to anyone messing with his family, not even kids.

"So, he taught me how to spot fakes, people who are only after me for my money or status." He frowned. "Still, after that, it was always a lingering fear in the back of my head. That I wouldn't be able to tell even with practice if someone really liked me for me. And every time I saw it, that was another leg for that fear to stand on."

Kara gulped and nodded, understanding completely.

Jason's frown quickly gave way to a warm smile. "That's what made you—makes you so different." He turned his gaze to her. "All that nonsense has never impressed you, and that's one of many reasons we get along so well."

She smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Yeah…I'm sorry."

"Hey." He reached out and tipped her chin up, a strength to his touch that hadn't been there at Christmas. "You don't have to apologize for your insecurities. Everyone's got 'em, and I certainly have no place to judge."

"But still…" She shook herself. "Well, no, you're here and I should be happy about that. I am happy about that."

Jason still looked unsatisfied until he got a curious gleam in his eyes. "Say…can I tell you a secret?" He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "It's uh…kind of embarrassing."

Kara arched an eyebrow curiously. "Sure?"

He shrugged. "I figure turnabout's fair play."

She nodded.

And then Jason got really nervous, toying with his hands while doing anything and everything to avoid looking her in the eye. "I've uh…" his cheeks went red, and not from the cold, "I've had a crush on you since I was six years old."

For the briefest of moments, Kara's mind completely blanked out.

Okay…that was not what I expected to hear.

She blinked a few times, shaking herself off and noticing that his blush had engulfed his entire face.

Jason absently twirled a paper clip between his fingers to manage his nerves. "I uh…spent a lot of my childhood traveling with Mom and Dad on various business trips. One of the most frequent was here to Metropolis, which…is where I met you." He smiled, a nostalgic look in his eyes. "You were my one consistent babysitter, and certainly the most frequent." His smile faded a bit. "That's when I first noticed that sad look you get sometimes, when you think about him."

Kara froze, her tone quiet and hesitant. "Is…it really that obvious?"

He met her eyes, that same intense look shaking her a bit. "Only to someone who knows you like I do." He picked at the crust of one of the sandwiches. "You were wearing this…floral print dress one time. Staring out at the sunset." He rubbed his shoulder. "And…when I tapped your shoulder, there it was, right when you looked at me."

Kara frowned. "And that's…seven years from now?"

He shrugged. "Thereabouts. I didn't know the reason behind it until years later, when I was old enough to understand, but…I knew I didn't like it. So every time I saw that look, I did anything and everything to get your attention, to keep your mind off it. And then…when puberty started to hit…" he chuckled nervously, "that got a bit more complicated." His eyes darkened. "Especially when I found out about Five." His gaze returned to hers, flickering from one eye to the other. "Which…is why I made myself a promise, that when I was old enough…" he smiled softly and leaned right into her personal space, "I would break that pattern by kissing you."

Kara's eyebrows shot toward her hairline.

He smiled wider. "And a month ago, you made that promise happen." His smile faded a bit, a look of determination in his deep blues. "But I've decided it's not enough. I want more."

She blinked owlishly, face steadily turning red from his proximity.

Jason licked his lips, eyes searching all over her face. "I want…I want to be there when you move out to college. I want to be there when you graduate, when you have your first exhibition, your first product line." He smiled. "I want to share another milkshake with you, and then another." His smile widened wolfishly. "And yes, I want to kiss you again, and again, and again; because my promise didn't account for just how addictive it is."

She bit her lower lip, face aflame.

With an adoring look in his eyes, Jason laced his fingers with hers. "I want to share my happiness with the person who deserves it most."

Kara stared at him blankly for about two seconds. And then proceeded to absolutely lose it with side-stitching laughter. The red, put-out look on his face forced her to calm quickly, waving excitedly in an attempt to keep him calm.

He grumbled, "Not how I expected that to go," amid her attempts to explain.

When she was finally coherent enough to speak, her first words were, "I'm so sorry! That was just so…sappy and…cheesy and…" her smile softened considerably as she rubbed a thumb over his hand, "sweet. That was really sweet."

Apparently mollified, Jason chewed his lower lip nervously. "Is it…weird? That I've had a crush on you since I was six? I mean, technically you kinda raised me."

Kara pursed her lips and looked up in thought for a second before shrugging. "Not any weirder than a cyborg who fell for me Kyle Reese style."

Jason blinked twice before he got the reference and chuckled. "Yeah, fair enough." His expression sharpened a bit. "Kara, I'm not—"

She stopped him with a finger on his lips. "Look, I know you're different, okay? But…I do have some concerns about all that."

"Shoot."

Her lips pursed tightly, a question that had been nagging her for weeks rising to the fore. "How much do you really know about me?"

Jason practically blanched at that. "Uh…well, I always had a bit of a crush on you, but when I found out about what happened with Brainy…I kinda went full-on stalker mode."

Her brows shot up.

"Hacked the Watchtower files, read up on your history, your preferences. Hell, even a psych eval that was conducted in 2025."

Kara stared at him. "I'm…not sure how I feel about that."

Jason grimaced. "Yeah, I'm not even gonna try and argue that wasn't a gross invasion of privacy, but…it helped me understand you better."

"And how much of that did you use when we first hung out?"

He winced. "Well uh…there was the milkshake thing…"

Kara smirked and crossed her arms. "That wasn't your first time in the diner, was it?"

He laughed nervously. "Nope. Of all the times you babysat me, I can't remember one where we didn't stop by to grab a shake. Strawberry banana was always your favorite."

"I figured as much."

"But aside from that…" His eyes darted about almost in a panic. "I mean, yes, I knew how to get you to open up, but…it's not like I ever made you feel anything you didn't want to." He looked at her earnestly. "I would never—"

A hand on his chest immediately stopped him, and a whisper followed a moment later. "I know. I just needed to hear it."

Jason's lips pursed, and he nodded slightly with a sigh.

Kara smiled wryly. "Though it does worry me a bit that you walked into this relationship already knowing so much about me and I know so little about you."

"Well, it's not like I know everything about you, Kara. If I did, this wouldn't be any fun." He arched an eyebrow and gently poked her in the cheek. "Besides, like I said before, that's your own fault for not asking." He smiled gently, good humor returned. "So, ask away."

Kara thought for a while, replaying the conversation in her head and alighting on something that had stuck with her. "You said…my kisses were addictive."

By the slight widening of his eyes, she knew he could tell where she was going.

"What does that mean, exactly?" she asked coyly.

He looked up and sighed dramatically, tapping a finger on his chin. "Well…it's been so long, I can't quite remember."

"Oh?"

Jason nodded, barely restraining a shit-eating grin. "I might need a reminder. Or two." He finally let it show. "Or a dozen."

It was at that point that Kara had finally had it and tackled him to the ground in a fierce lip-lock that was quickly drowning them both in affection. She'd been so careful before, when they first started dating. Like everything else on this planet, he'd been fragile but beautiful, like a glass sculpture. But now…now he was the toughest of rocks that could ever be found on Krypton or Earth, as firm and unyielding as his spirit. And sweet Rao, he gave as good as he got. The way his teeth tugged on her lip, the way his fingers curled in her hair…

Kara drew back, gasping for air and looking down to see the black of Jason's pupils dominating his eyes even as he maintained that big, stupid grin.

"See? I'm already learning new things about you."

"Like what?" she breathed.

Jason grinned even wider and drew closer to whisper in her ear. "I had no idea you were this forceful."

A rush of heat filled her face and body until she quickly recovered and whispered back, "Only when I see something I want."

And then she traced a line of kisses down his jaw to his neck, and planted a hickey that wouldn't be quite so easy to hide if it weren't the dead of winter. His answering groan inspired her to playfully flick her tongue over the red spot and kiss her way back up to his lips. Jason ran his hands up her arms, then grabbed her firmly by the shoulders and rolled them over to put him on top. He grinned down at her wolfishly as she bit her lower lip hard. That casual show of strength was an incredible turn-on she had not been expecting. It was as he leaned in to pin her down with his lips that she heard a faint whisper from below.

"Whenever you're done molesting my best friend's son, there's a letter from Parsons you'll probably want to open."

Kara's eyes snapped open in alarm, pushing Jason off even as she flushed down to her roots. Jason stared at her in confusion, realizing what was happening when she jabbed a finger downward, then motioned to her ear. His eyes turned to saucers and mouth gaped in an "O."

Kara schooled her returning whisper into something resembling politeness. "Yes, thank you Kal."

He apparently picked up on the hint of snark because she could hear the chuckle in his reply. "Have fun, you two. And remember…"

Her eyes rolled. "Don't do anything you wouldn't, yeah, yeah."

When she finally returned her attention to Jason, he was staring at her with a mixture of embarrassment and anticipation.

"So, am I dead?" he asked, only half-joking by the look on his face.

Kara chuckled. "No, you're good. Frankly, Kal's more worried about me corrupting you."

Jason laughed. "Somehow that does not surprise me."

"There is, however, something I need to check downstairs and uh…" she shifted nervously, standing up and dusting herself off, "I'd like you with me. For…moral support."

Jason blinked and joined her, taking her hand. "What's up?"

She exhaled sharply. "Letter just came in from Parsons."

His eyes widened slightly, his face quickly schooled into something painfully neutral. Kara barely restrained an eye-roll. Of course. He already knew what it said, and was still making every effort not to spoil it for her.

She smiled warmly and pecked his cheek, whispering, "Thanks, Jace."

He didn't ask what for, just nodded and followed her down the steps, their fingers interlaced. The office staff stared at the couple for a good minute when they arrived, until Clara's hand left Jason's to reach for the letter. She could've X-rayed it from the roof, but…this seemed like something to be done in person. Sick of the anticipation, she tore the envelope open, noting in her peripherals the stares and air of tension of Lois and Clark. That tension persisted and increased as she unfolded the document within, eyes scanning over the contents at normal speed before rereading it at superspeed. Then again. And again.

And then Jason let out the grin he'd been hiding for the last five minutes.

"Congratulations, Clara."

Lois leapt to her feet and half-shrieked as she practically tackled the blonde in excitement. "I knew it! I knew you could do it!"

Clark got up, grinning widely, and clapped her on the shoulder. "Nicely done, cous. I give you two years before you're setting the trends on Fifth Avenue."

Clara gave him a weird look. "The program's for four years, Clark."

"Your point?"

Clara giggled, pulling him into a tight hug and silently thanking him for his vote of confidence. "Thank you guys, all of you."

She looked back at Jason, reaching out to take his hand while the others continued to lump on the praise. He stayed with her amid the shouts of celebration that soon carried across the whole office. Even Perry got in on it, playfully ribbing her about bailing on them to rub elbows with the one percent. At which point Jason cheekily reminded him that she was already rubbing a bit more than that. It was the obnoxious eyebrow-waggle that finally got her to smack him upside the head.

The couple still spent the better part of the celebratory dinner back at the farm grossing out Jon.

…

By the time Jason got back to Wayne Manor, they had finished moving Cass's things into her old room. She'd just been discharged from her room on the Watchtower, and not a moment too soon. The first night she'd woken after Bialya, she couldn't sleep a wink, and despite her dyslexia, they burned through the first of the Percy Jackson series pretty quickly. To her delight, he'd actually anticipated that and brought the whole saga with him. They read all five books before she was finally tired enough to sleep. The days that followed kinda went downhill from there.

Like Jason, she was easily bored when forced to sit still, and in the efforts of speeding the healing process, had been forced to keep her hands occupied with his Nth-metal weapons as well. As a result, the few patrols he'd engaged in were without his trademark sword and steadily familiar shield. Things had been quiet since the Singapore excursion, almost a little too quiet, and Jason couldn't help feeling uneasy at what that could mean. The Decembrist cell in that bunker had been shut down, and Wayne Enterprises was doing its best to send every forced worker back home as a means of outreach in one of their regions of business.

Diana had been overseeing that particular project. However, many of those people hadn't been drafted or forced into service as much as they just hadn't had anywhere else to go. Working for the Decembrists was a better prospect than living on the streets. The situation was complicated, further so by the limits of cultural translation and the variety of the workers' origins, but the family had every confidence Diana would make the right decisions.

Since then, however, the Decembrists had all but vanished from the picture. Even Caden noted that the Dragon's operations were stalling somewhat, and he planned to take advantage of that in the near future by dethroning him for good. A part of Jason hoped that the silence meant Janus and his operatives were licking their wounds and would still be doing so for some time. A much larger part recognized it as the calm before a storm, the quiet in which an even greater scheme would be forged. Still, Jason was glad for the peace and quiet; no one wanted to usher in the new year with a crisis.

And yet he couldn't shake the memories of his confrontation with Janus, and specifically the location. What was so important about Bialya that so much of his time and resources would be spent trying to increase their political strength? The assassination attempt by Devil Dog on Christmas Eve coupled with the country-wide jammer of any and all WayneTech communicators made it pretty obvious he was allied with them. Jason could only hope they'd figure out what that meant before things got a whole lot worse. Last he checked, Qurac and Bialya were at least partial nuclear powers in this time, and even if they weren't, Bialya had enough metahuman operatives to make any armed confrontation a bloodbath.

All that was set aside as soon as Jason touched down on the roof and descended to the study to find Damian, Cass, and his parents sitting with various media. Alfred came in a moment later bearing a steaming mug of coffee, which he then laid on the table next to Jason's seat without a word.

"Thanks, Al."

He gave the boy a short nod before sidling off elsewhere. The conspicuous hum of a vacuum cleaner trailed in a while later.

It was a good two minutes before Diana spoke first. "So, what did you learn?"

Jason frowned and swirled the contents of his mug for a bit before answering. "Janus is known to Olympus, and not in a good way."

Damian frowned. "Ordinarily, I'd say the enemy of my enemy is—"

"Still an enemy," Bruce interrupted firmly. "History has proven that Olympus can't be trusted."

"With one exception," Jason said into his mug.

All eyes were on him.

"Athena spoke to me after I told off her dad, said she'd tell me everything she could about Janus and how to beat him."

"And did she?" Damian asked.

His head shook. "Told me a little about his background, but I get the feeling that all the information I need can't be communicated in a single conversation." He shrugged. "I'll be back for more soon enough." Jason directed a pointed look at his mother. "And you should too."

Diana sighed hard, averting her gaze. "You don't get it; it's a pattern with her, a toxic pattern of mistrust."

"And freaking out every time helps that how?"

Bruce frowned and sighed. "He does have a point. How many times did you have to forgive me in the early days, for being so stubborn and closed-off?"

Diana frowned. "A great many, I know."

"How is this any different?"

Another sigh. "Because she's known me all my life and she should know better than to question my judgment."

Bruce arched an eyebrow. "You're also her kid, and no matter how old you get, a part of her will always remember you that way. She has a great many more years of experience than you, and while that does jade and embitter her to a degree, it also gives her a degree of wisdom rarely found in this world."

"And I'd be a fool to cut that off for a wound already healed." Diana groaned. "I am not looking forward to that conversation."

He stroked her cheek. "Yet you're still brave enough to have it."

She smiled and pecked his lips, turning back to their children. "Hardships aside, it's been a great year."

"Yes it has," Cass said with a smile from her place by the fire.

Alfred strode into the room just then, taking a moment to tidy up the mantlepiece before turning to the others, hands tucked behind his back. "On that topic, any resolutions to declare?"

Silence hung in the air for a few moments before Damian replied first, a cocky gleam in his eye.

"I resolve to have the Titans beat the Justice League in an exhibition match."

A few eyebrows hiked upward at that.

"Tough talk," Diana teased, "care to back it up?"

Damian grinned. "Gimme six months and a pick of arena."

"You're on," Bruce replied with a confident smile.

"And you, sir?" Alfred asked him.

He blinked and thought for a second. "To be a better Batman, for my city and the people I love."

Diana smiled and spoke next. "To have all my family under one roof."

From her place at the fire, Cass said with a small grin, "To read the entirety of Tolkien's works."

Damian snorted and Diana let out a low whistle at that. It was quite a task for someone with dyslexia.

Then all eyes drifted to Jason, who had been staring into the flames with a strange, contemplative look in his eye. He didn't smile, nor did he frown. Instead, his expression was caught somewhere between contentment and tension in a façade of serenity. His gaze slowly drifted over those gathered, from Alfred to Cass to Damian, where his eyes lingered a moment, before finally settling on his side-by-side parents.

"To live up to my name," Jason said finally, eyes narrowing in determination. "Both of them."

At that, everyone drifted into a contented silence, returning to their previous activities until Cass remembered someone who'd been left out.

"Alfred, what about—"

It was then that she looked around to find that the butler was nowhere to be seen. But even so, she and others knew what his answer would be.

To live another year and watch his beloved family grow ever larger and stronger.

…

As Jason tried to sleep that night, he found his eyes drawn inexorably to the obsidian tablet hanging on his wall. His gaze traced the etched name of his ancestor as he reflected on the rich family history he had inherited. A frown marred his features when he remembered that wasn't the only family tree he belonged to. The other was marred with countless records of greed, intrigue, and betrayal; both of allies and each other. If living in the past—and especially without his powers—had taught him anything, it was the importance of knowing himself.

All of himself.

And even then, there were parts he still didn't understand. Jason strode over to a nearby window, pulling it open and leaning against the sill as the cold winter air blew through his room. With his powers returned, he barely felt it, but shivered all the same in reflex. He lifted his hands into his vision, curling them into fists as he tried to focus on what he'd felt in Bialya, on the power that had lit his blood aflame and lit up his body like Christmas. The runes did not answer, just as they hadn't since they receded that day.

Part of him wondered if it was a fluke, or something that could only be triggered in the heat of battle or desperation. Without more research, without more experience, it was impossible to know. Only time would tell. And therein lay the rub: time. The very force of nature he'd been battling against since his arrival the night of the rehearsal, and he had no idea he'd been doing so quite literally. Athena's words to him kept coming back again and again; he could not do this alone. But then, that had been the whole lesson of being rendered human.

Despite Janus' immense power and intelligence, when push came to shove, he acted on his own or through those he put little faith in. And that more than anything made him vulnerable. Jason's parents had protected him long enough to give them a fighting chance through his sojourn in time. Nightwing stepped in before Deathstroke could finish him off. Red had interrupted Richard Dragon's impending execution. Kara had shielded him from a grenade when he was kidnapped. Even with direct intervention, Cass stopped him from killing Jason, and in turn Jason had taught him a valuable lesson about underestimating the power of family.

Jason Wayne was not alone.

The Tomorrow Knight was not alone.

And as long as even one of his friends and family still drew breath, he never would be.

AN: Well, that brings us to the end of this origin story. I hope you all enjoyed the ride and the concept behind this character. Let it be known that I have every intention to continue writing this story moving forward, but decided to do so in a new entry titled The Tomorrow Knight: Vagabonds. I don't know when I'll be able to put out the first chapter of that, but with finals week coming up, I don't expect it to be for a good while. As such, if you want to stay apprised of any further developments in the TK saga, I suggest you follow me as an author so FFnet will send an email whenever I release the new story.

There are a lot of questions still to be answered, especially with regard to our main antagonist, whose identity is finally known. But like Athena said, there's going to be a lot of work in the coming days, and he's going to need allies, even those outside the "family." I won't say more for the sake of not spoiling too much, but the next story will feature three such allies within the opening arc, and a "season premier" that should knock some socks off.

With that said, I hope you enjoyed this little epilogue and are looking forward to the next installment.

Drake out.

Musical Inspirations:

God of War (2018) - Echoes of an Old Life: Olympus in ruins/threatening Zeus/meeting Athena/the myth of Janus

Daredevil (Season 3) - Still Stapled Together: "...can I tell you a secret?"/promise kept/reminder/letter