"Hey…Mike," a clearing of the throat, "this…this is Jason. I…I know we haven't…uh…spoken in awhile, but…but…I really need someone to talk to. And…and you've always been a really good listener. So…um…if you get this…and don't have anything to do…I'd really appreciate seeing you again. Uh…yeah…ok that's it…bye." The voicemail ended abruptly and left Mike Ross slightly shocked.

He hadn't seen his friend, Jason Todd, in over a few years. He had been a decent guy to hang out with, but once he found out Trevor sold drugs, he refused to see the man again. He would still talk to Mike, but as Mike grew more dependent on the weed, Jason got more and more distant. Finally, he got a call, left Mike his number if he was ever in real trouble, and left New York. Mike hadn't heard from him sense.

Now, Jason wasn't really a bad person, exactly; he just tended to be a bit more aggressive and violent than others. But he could be oddly protective, which some jerks had found out when they tried to gang up on Mike. Jason was big, mean, and he knew how to pack a punch.

Mike sighed and flopped back down on his bed. He was finally just going to sleep all day because Harvey Specter, his boss, hadn't assigned him anything to do. Now it looked like he'd be comforting an old friend.

He did owe Jason, Mike reflected, as he got up, stretched, and began to dress. And, if it was something so serious that Jason actually wanted to talk about it, Mike was going to damn well listen. Jason didn't do feelings—he didn't really have any. He was a lot like Harvey in that sense.

Mike called Jason back, giving him the address for his apartment. Jason sounded so relieved to hear back from Mike and told him he would be there within the hour.

"Hey Jason," Mike said as he opened the door to view his friend. Jason looked haggard and tired, but he responded with a friendly greeting in turn. Jason followed Mike to the couch, where Mike handed him a beer and waited for Jason to begin to talk.

Five minutes passed in comfortable silence before Jason cleared his throat and began to speak. "I don't know how much you actually know about me, Mike. I was in New York to get away from my family. I had a strange family, you know that? No mother, but a father-figure of sorts. I had an older brother, who my father adopted, and a younger brother, also adopted. I just went back about a year ago to the city I grew up, and I found out the man who adopted us had gotten another kid—this one was biological and he didn't even know the child existed.

"I don't really like the kid, Mike. Hell, I don't really like anyone in that family. But…but now that kid's missing. Kidnapped, from what I hear. And the horrible part is, I can't do anything. This is going to sound crazy, but I don't want the kid to end up like me. You and I, Mike, we knew the streets. I grew up on the streets of Gotham before I was adopted. I just can't have Damian go through something so horrible. I don't want him to know the despair I felt, and I don't want Bruce to ruin another kid's life.

"And this, this is the worst part Mike. The kid's Mom did it. I'm 99% sure of it. She lives overseas, somewhere in the Middle East, I think. She moves around a lot. And she now has the guts to want her kid back—she left him with us in the first place! I can't just sit around and do nothing while everyone else searches, because if Talia doesn't want to be found, she won't be.

"I just need a way to make sure Bruce can keep the damn kid, Mike. Any freakin' way would be better that just doing nothing. What the hell should I do?"

Mike sat in silence, taking in his friend's outburst and rant. Finally, he slowly said, "Has anything been done to legally tied Damian to your Father?"

Jason stared blankly at him. He thought for a minute and then a huge smile crept onto his face. "Mike! Mike, that's brilliant. I don't think Bruce did any legal procedures or whatever. All the lawyers in Gotham are corrupt anyway. But I have no idea how to get Talia to court, or what lawyer to get or…" he trailed off looking thoughtfully at the ceiling.

"Good lawyers cost money," Mike bluntly stated before he could stop himself. To his surprise, Jason gave a slight laugh.

"Money won't be a problem, Mike," he responded. "Bruce is loaded. I need to find myself a really good lawyer—the best there is, if we're going to beat Talia. Because I guarantee she won't go down without a fight."

Mike swallowed nervously before gathering his courage and saying, "I know a good lawyer."

Jason raised an eyebrow at him. "Really? How?"

"I work for him."

"Mike, this isn't funny," Jason growled.

"I'm not joking!" Mike shot back and proceeded to explain the whole story about Trevor and the pot and the drop-off. How Harvey Specter, "the best damn closer ever" hired him and how life had been going since. Jason was shocked, but extremely impressed with Mike.

"Nice going man," Jason congratulated him. "It's a good chance, so don't screw it up."

"I don't plan on it," Mike truthfully replied.

"I gotta call Dick," Jason said excitedly, pulling a cell phone out of his pocket. "My older brother," Jason responded to the questioning look on Mike's face. "Here, I'll put it on speaker; if I get stuck, you can explain it for me." A ring, another, and another, and it was finally picked up.

"Hello?" a frazzled voice on the other end of the line asked.

"Hello? Um…Dick, this is Jason," Jason replied nervously.

"Jason? Are you—Be quiet DiNozzo or I'll go tell Gibbs!—sorry Jason. Not that I'm mad you called or anything, but I'm kind of in the middle of something, so—" Dick responded.

"It's about Damian," Jason quickly interjected.

"What do you know?" Dick's voice had suddenly gone cold. "What the hell aren't you telling me Jason!"

"Dick, please, I had nothing to do with his disappearance," Jason pleaded, "you have to believe me. I found a way to get help. Sort of."

There was a pregnant pause and Mike could feel the tension. He shuffled in his seat nervously. Finally Dick spoke again, "What?" Jason gave Mike a small nod, indicating he should speak.

"Um…hi. I'm Mike Ross a friend of Jason. I was thinking that you could do something to legally make sure you have sole custody of Damian, instead of his mother. I know a very good lawyer, and if money is no object—"

"It's not," Dick interrupted quickly, less venom in his voice.

"—then perhaps we can make sure there a consequences if Talia goes near her son again," Mike finished. He waited while Dick thought.

"I'm sending Bruce down, alright Jason? Play nice and get along—I just want Damian back, alright?" Dick finally said and Mike grinned at Jason, who simply made a sour face at the mention of Bruce's name. "And Jason," Dick continued, "that's a fantastic idea. Thanks for helping me find him."

"Don't want the kid to be another martyr like me," Jason said and he hung up, and Mike noticed the harshness in his words, but could find no explanation for it.

So here's the next installment.

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