Silhouettes
Chapter 8

"How long?"

Dick flinched at the booming voice of Bruce's. He squirmed uncomfortably under Bruce's scrutinizing eyes. He honestly didn't plan the reveal like this. It should've been went like dad comes homes, Jason comes home, tell Bruce about Jason then show him Jason is truly alive. But no. No. No.

The worst possible way to find out that their dead son is alive is just when Jason is down at the cave with a broken hand that just broke his own memorial case.

But Dick knew when Jason pulled out his notebook and asked Bruce if he was the Bruce Wayne, the one who adopted him. That truly killed Bruce in a way. His dead son comes back with no memories of the past.

Dick sighed inwardly, wishing he could rewind time. He glanced at his brothers for any indication of help, but of course they were too busy spacing out while Bruce paced in front of them.

He coughed loudly catching Bruce's attention. Then Dick finally replied, "Well I only knew about him for like a week or two." He pointed at Tim. "He knew about him longer."

Tim gave him the dirtiest look ever, but he easily dodged himself out of the situation quickly. "Damian knew about Jason for five years!"

Bruce halts his pacing and turn to stare at his youngest son in disbelief. "Five years?"

A –tt— was heard and something along the lines of 'cowards' when Damian glared at his brothers. He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He gazed directly straight into his father's eyes. "From mother's information, Jason was revived six months after he died. Six months after his revival, mother found him, took him in till now. I met Jason after he was thrown in the Lazarus Pit. It simply restored his catatonic state, but his memories were lost."

"Wait, wait, wait." Dick suddenly stood up, appalled by the new information. "If Jason was revived six months after his death, where was he before Talia found him?"

Tim quickly figured it out and gave an answer to his older brother before Damian did. "He was in Gotham. Where else would Talia find him?"

Jason was in Gotham the whole time? Dick glanced at Bruce and even he was distressed by the details of his post-resurrection. He sat back down on his chair feeling dismayed all of the sudden. If only they had found him first. Things would be different. Jason would have his memories intact.

He snapped out of his imaginations when Damian insisted, "Father, you should be spending precious time with Todd. God knows what fatgirl is doing to him."

Bruce blinked. He honestly should be. Starting anew with Jason is his first priority and giving him new happy memories. He'd do anything to give him what he deserved. Bruce dismissed his kids with a simple wave and he glanced at the picture frame on his desk, a picture taken by Alfred. It was him and Jason, just right after they ate Jason's favorite chilidog. He touched the frame, his index finger outlining the smile on the young child's face.

A son who was once lost tragically is now miraculously brought back to him.

.

"That seriously went well than I originally thought!" Dick grinned earning two hardened glares from his younger brothers. He innocently looks at them. "What?"

Tim rolled his eyes. "Don't 'what' us, Dick! I thought we all decided that you were going to do the explaining!"

"The pressure was too much!" Dick defended himself haughtily.

Damian cuts into the conversation, sneering at both of them. "You two were useless, especially Drake!" Tim instantly gave him the 'what the fuck' look. Both brothers watched the youngest stalked off to his room.

"He's totally been ten times moodier ever since Jason got here." Tim informed out of the blue. "Maybe he doesn't like all of Bruce's attention on Jason?"

Dick shook his head. "If he didn't like that, Damian would be threatening to kill Jason by now." He shrugged, still unsure what his little brother's problem was.

"I guess." Tim replied, shrugging. He wasn't too sure about that. Damian seemed closer with Jason than Dick himself. Then again, with Damian's current attitude towards Jason, Tim isn't so sure about it anymore.

By the time the brothers arrived at the kitchen, the sight of Alfred and Stephanie greeted them. Their favorite butler was making his famous turkey sandwich with the crusts cut off. Stephanie was glued on her iPhone, giggling.

"Oh, hey! So, how was the talk with Bruce?" Stephanie beamed, looking excited for some reason.

Tim scrunched his face as if he had smelled something horrid. "You make it sound like your insinuating something else." He said accusingly.

Stephanie grinned innocently. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Dick leaned over Alfred, his hand sneaking for a piece of the sliced sandwich. Then his hand was quickly slapped away. Alfred reprimanded him. "This is for Master Jason." In retaliation, Dick pouted. "Master Richard, you are not a child anymore. You will just have to make a sandwich for yourself."

"Speaking of Jason, where is he?" Tim asked. Whenever Stephanie was around, Jason was around.

"Oh, he's in his room. He's got some phone call from his friend." Stephanie informed.

"A friend? He has friends here already?" Dick raised an eyebrow.

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Ohh. Rude. I'm so telling him." She snickered, suddenly typing really fast on her phone.

"Wait, don't—"

"Too late."

Tim glanced over at her phone and assured his brother. "Don't worry, she didn't send anything."

.

"—send some as soon as possible. You should have told me earlier about your condition Jason."

"Sorry."

A deep long sigh then, "Take care of yourself and please watch over him." Click.

Jason sighed, feeling as if he'd been scolded. Then again, he was scolded. He should've called Talia ages ago, but he guessed either Roy or Kori contacted her about his recent blackout. Either that Talia just knows somehow. She sees all.

His phone vibrated and glanced at it.

Stephanie Brown ; Dick is looking for you! Come down to the kitchen when you're done talking with Roy.

Jason quickly replied with a simple 'be right there'. He pocketed his iPhone and headed out of his room. He didn't want his family waiting for him for a long time.

Hm. Family?

It was odd thinking about family. The word seemed so unfamiliar especially coming out of his mouth. But why would it seem weird when he already had a family? Dick, Tim, Damian, Alfred, Bruce…

"Auuughhhhh!"

Suddenly, Jason is down on all fours, his hands on his head. It was as if a blunt object to the head was attacking him repeatedly. The pain was excruciating that he hoped the pain would come and go. He had migraines before, but this one was a different kind of pain. He felt like someone was attacking him inside his own mind. It was different from the usual 'drilling into his skull' kind of feeling.

He slightly snapped out of it when he felt the slight touch on his shoulder and he managed to crane his neck to see whom it was. The excruciating pain abruptly stopped and he gave himself a few seconds before standing up with the help of Damian.

"-tt- Todd, you haven't had an episode for years." He said, stating the facts. Jason glanced at him and instantly knew that the little kid hasn't forgotten anything of their time together. Living with the al Ghul's was either a paradise or hell. A paradise when he's spending time with Talia or Damian. Hell when Ra's himself was around.

Jason finally was able to support his own weight while slowly leaving Damian's support. "Thanks."

They snapped their head at the sudden heavy footsteps heading their way. Damian grunted lowly when the figure revealed himself at the corner of the hallway. The feared expression on Bruce's was evident. It was as if he'd almost lost a son again.

"I heard a scream." Bruce said, trying to contain his façade, but the crack in his voice told another thing.

Jason didn't say anything. He was in awe, staring at his 'father' the one who took him in. Damian saw this and sighed inwardly. "Todd tripped. He fell flat on his face unfortunately."

"Oh I'm glad you are ok, Jason." Bruce's voice trembled.

Then without a second thought, Bruce approached quickly and didn't give a hesitation when he pulled Jason into an embraced. Damian took this sign to leave to give them space. It was much needed after the fiasco at the cave. Just after Bruce found them, he immediately called the three bothers leaving Jason with Stephanie.

In shocked of how things just turned, it took Jason a moment to register that this man was hugging him tight as if he'd disappear from the spot. He awkwardly hugged back, unsure how to feel that he was abandoned by him earlier.

Bruce finally pulled away, keeping Jason in arm's length. Jason took this chance to finally look at the man who had the heart of adopting him off the streets. Compared of the picture of him in the notebook, Bruce looked much older. Before he can speak, Bruce beat him to it.

"I'm glad you're back, son."

Jason swallowed. Tears appeared in the brim of his eyes. It was suddenly hard to say something he'd always wanted to say. Instead, he returned the hug and the words 'i'm finally back home' were left unsaid.

woo! i actually updated. not as long as the last chapter but it's something. next chapter should have a lot of bonding and fluff and it might have slight steph/jason that is... if i can actually write it lol. after chapter 9, it will be serious there after and soon answers to jason's headacheeeessssssssss!