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“Do yourselves a favor, and stay down,” Lark called out, as he dropped an unconscious thug on the floor from the catwalks above. He flipped forward through the air and landed on the ground, in the middle of a dozen unconscious thugs. His gear had had a few upgrades, especially since he’d been growing a lot.His armor, namely the chest plate, gauntlets and boots, had been reinforced with slightly heavier, more durable anti-ballistic plates. It retained the Zylon Fibers around the joints to maintain movement but also protect from bullets and knives. His right gauntlet also now had a mini computer, with a holographic interface, built into it. It was mostly for hacking and bypassing security, as well as encryption, decryption, and of course, linking up with Oracle and Batwoman’s computer in the HQ. His domino mask now sported a few different types of vision that he could cycle through, including telescopic vision; no need for binoculars anymore.The design of his costume was somewhat the same, except for a few design choices he personally made, such as the Lark Symbol on his right shoulder. The gauntlets now stretched to his elbows, with gold trim right at the elbow, and gold trip right at his knees. His new utility belt was of a sleek design with compartments instead of pouches, black, with the Lark symbol as a belt buckle. He had a gun holster on one hip, and his tactical stun baton on his other hip. The suit also came with some new security features, namely the utility belt which was booby trapped to electrocute anyone who didn’t know how to properly remove it. His domino mask was of the same design. All in all, Lark’s armor possessed a whole world of new upgrades.Lark and Batwoman had been keeping a close eye on Rupert Thorne the last few months. With Grave seemingly having up and disappeared three years ago, they had turned their focus, fully, back to the criminals they could find. And Rupert Thorne was at the top of the list.He’d been a big player in Gotham for decades, since the era of Carmine Falcone. Back then, he’d just your average Crime Boss; Carmine was the boss of bosses. But when the Falcone Empire fell, he swooped in and swiftly took control over large swaths of the Gotham’s Criminal Underground. The fall of the Falcones gave rise to other major mob bosses, however; Arnold Stromwell, and Black Mask.But a lot had changed in the last three years; Stromwell’s control over the Gotham Underground was falling apart and Rupert Throne was losing street reputation bit by bit. Though Thorne’s hold over the organized crime was still strong, his flagging reputation made it possible for Black Mask to make gains in his own bid for dominance over Gotham City. Of the three, Black Mask was the most sadistic and cruel.There was only one group in Gotham City that truly presented a problem for all three of them, however; Joker’s Gang. Joker was a rogue element, aligned with no one but himself. He ran a gang of fellow psychopaths and degenerates, who all shared his twisted sense of humor. While the Joker showed no interest in controlling Gotham’s crime, he was still a threat to all three of the most powerful Crime Bosses in Gotham.Things had changed for him, too; for him, Kate, Bruce, and Dick. After Dick graduated from High School, he moved out of the manor and into his own apartment in Uptown Gotham. He also took up a new secret identity; Nightwing. Bruce also released his trust fund to him, something his parents had set aside for him before they died. He’d given it to Lucius, and over the years, Lucius had turned it into a multi-million dollar fortune.Bruce also had a new sidekick, a new Robin; Timothy Jackson Drake. He was the son of a globetrotting businessman named Jack Drake. The kid was only 13 and currently still in training. He’d puzzled out Batman and Nightwing’s identities all on his own. He confronted Dick first, then Bruce. With Dick’s help, they persuaded Bruce to take on a new Robin.As for himself, Jason was now in his senior year of High School, having turned 18 last month, and was at the top of his class with Straight As and a GPA of 4.0. He hadn’t told Kate just yet, but he wanted to go to West Point, like she had, and like her father had before her.As for Dinah, he and Dinah had become good friends. Though she wasn’t a licensed therapist, he still saw he at least once a week, usually while beating up dirt bags, and talked about whatever was bothering him. It helped him work through some of his issues, including his anger a bit. Child trafficking of any kind was a trigger for him, so until they were confident he could handle such missions without flying off the handle, he’d been kept away from them. Jason hadn’t been happy about that, but his time with Dinah helped him learn to cope with that particular trigger. Aside from his “therapy”, Jason found he liked hanging out with Dinah besides; she was almost like a second mentor, and even taught him some boxing and Jeet Kun Do.Not all of the news was good, however. Last year, Barbara had been bound to a wheel chair, paralyzed from the waist down. The Joker showed up at her house and crippled her with a point-blank gun blast. She was a fighter though, and so although she couldn’t be Batgirl, she continued to aid in fighting Gotham’s Crime as Oracle. Jason had been benched after that incident though, because he personally hunted down the Joker and beat him. He wasn’t going to kill the clown, much as he wanted to, but Nightwing showed up and stopped him from going any further. He ended up going back to Arkham, but with an arm and a leg cast, stitched in his forehead, and a split lip.Currently, Batman was dealing with Two-Face on the opposite side of the city with Nightwing’s, formerly Robin, help. Batwoman and Lark took it upon themselves to bust up one of Thorne’s weapon smuggling schemes that he’d tried to hid with one of his legitimate businesses. It was exceedingly difficult to put Thorne away for any extended amount of time, because of his connections, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t fuck up his schemes.Lark heard gun shots in the distance and quickly raced off toward the source. He exited the warehouse, out onto the docks. Batwoman was, naturally, holding her own against a bunch of thugs, armed with various weapons, from guns to baseball bats. One of them even brandished a machete as he charged at black clad vigilante.“Batwoman!” Lark called, racing across the docks. He drew a grappling gun and fired it at a thug charging at her from behind. The line wrapped around him and Lark pulled, hard, yanking the thug backward and into one of his buddies. He knocked them both off of the docks and into the water below. Batwoman didn’t so much as glance back at him; she knew Lark had her back.“Do yourselves a favor and give up now,” Batwoman called, flipping backward and kicking a thug in the jaw as she bent backwards. She caught herself on her hands, then completed the back flip, right onto another guy’s shoulders. She rained punches down on her face, then hopped off of him and back handed another attacker.“I don’t think so BatBitch,” another man snarled.“BatBitch, huh? I’ll give you points for originality,” she replied, decking the guy in the face “but I’ll take a few teeth in compensation for it,” she finished, flipping forward and delivering a devastating axe heel to his head, knocking him out cold. “Mind your manners, or next time it’ll be your leg.”“You heard the lady!” Lark called as he leaped into the air and lunged at one of her attackers. “Mind” he shouted, kicking one man in the face and landing on his feet. “Your,” he swept the legs of two thugs. They crashed against the floor and he delivered a couple of punches to each of their faces to knock them out. “Manners.” Lark got to his feet and clapped his hands together, turning to Batwoman and flashing a smirk.“Good work, Lark. That seems to be the last of them. Did you--”“Tie them all up and alert the GCPD? I did. They should be on their way soon,” Lark interrupted. Batwoman smiled a bit and gestured toward their motorcycles, hidden just across the street from the docks.“Right then. Let’s finish up the rest of patrol for the night and get back to HQ,” Batwoman replied as the two of them mounted their motorcycles. “Oracle, is there anything else going on in Gotham that needs attention?”“Nope. Other than Batman and Nightwing’s tussle with Two-Face and his gang, the rest of Gotham seems clear,” Oracle replied over the comms.“Batman, Nightwing, do you two need a hand with Two-Face?” Lark asked. There was a silence from their end of the comms for a few moments, before Nightwing answered.“Nah, we’re all good! ‘Bout to wrap up here! Batman, heads up!” Nightwing shouted before the comm cut out. Lark glanced over at Batwoman, who shrugged her shoulders.“They can handle it. So lets finish tonight’s patrol and then head back home. I’ll bet Figaro misses you,” Batwoman said to him, flashing a smirk. Lark chuckled a bit, and together, the two of them revved their motorcycles and raced off into the night.Jason groaned as he cracked his knuckles and popped his shoulders a bit as he stripped out of his gear and hit the showers. Kate shooed him off to bed and opted to stay up for a little while longer and go over some evidence and data on her computer, as well as prepare for her father’s arrival in the morning.“Night Kate!” Jason called as he rubbed his bare shoulder and made his way for the lift.“Good night, Jason,” Kate called back without turning from the screen. She glanced back and watched him get into the lift, then turned her attention back to the screen.Jason sighed as he padded into the loft. He heard a soft meow and looked down to see Figaro, a  black and white Maine Coon cat, sitting at his feet. Jason smiled brightly at the cat; Kate had brought him home as a birthday present last year, and his color almost instantly reminded him of Figaro, that little black and white kitten from Pinocchio.“Figaro! Hey little guy!” Jason cooed, bending down to pick the cat up. At a year old, Figaro was as big as a regular house cat, but given another year or so, and he’d double in size, to roughly the size of a collie.Figaro started to purr when Jason cradled him in his arms as he moved through the loft. Jason patted the cat's soft fur, scratching his ears as he padded through the loft and toward his bedroom. Figaro jumped out of his arms in front of his water dish, leaving Jason to go into his room. Exhausted, the teen heaved a sigh and climbed into bed. Thank god it’s Friday. He let his thoughts settle, and became aware of Figaro jumping onto his bed. He glanced over at the cat, then huffed a little in annoyance when he made himself comfortable by curling up right beside his neck.“Get your ass out of my face,” Jason muttered at the cat. Figaro glanced back at him and shifted a little, then laid down to go to sleep. Jason heaved a sigh and patted Figaro a little, before rolling over to find sleep.Meanwhile, back in the HQ above, Kate was still working on a case. She and Batman had been keeping a close eye out for Grave the last few years. There were signs and traces here or there, but nothing solid to confirm that they were still here beyond a doubt. As an example, occasionally, a child might disappear from the Bowery, but that was common; it could’ve been anyone. They’d investigate, but find no trace of the child, however.Grave was on the back burner for the most part these days. With no leads to follow up on and no trace of them anywhere in Gotham, it was foolish to chase after nothing. And so they’d been focused on taking down the threats that they could actually see.“Alright, thanks Oracle. Let me know if you find anything,” Kate said to her. Oracle flashed a smile and nodded in reply.“You bet. Good night.”Kate wrapped up her investigations for the night and moved across the cave to change out of her gear. With that down, she made his way down the lift, into the loft, then to the bathroom for a shower. After that, she made her way to Jason’s bed room to check on him; there she found Jason fast asleep, with Figaro curled up on his chest. She chuckled a bit to herself at how adorable the sight was, then made her way to her own room. Her father was coming tomorrow. He and Jason seemed to get along well, and they had no secrets; he knew she and he were Batwoman and Lark.Kate made her way to her bedroom but stopped before the window. She looked out over the city below, taking in the sight of the city, basked in the soft glow of the city lights. Grave was out there somewhere, she could feel it. She was going to find them, and out an end to their schemes, one way or another.

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Jason covered his mouth as he yawned, stretching his limbs and padding out to the kitchen. He pulled on the black t-shirt he had in his hand, wearing a pair of black dorm pants and socks, then combed his black hair into place with his fingers. Figaro was already at his food dish, meowing at him.“Just a minute, Figaro,” Jason mumbled as he moved toward the coffee pot to get some coffee brewing. He wasn’t fast enough for Figaro, however; the cat looked up at Jason, meowed again, then swatted the bowl across the kitchen. Jason cursed as it hit his foot and nearly tripped him. “God, Figaro, you asshole!” Jason cursed, grabbing up the bowl. “You’re a rotten brat,” he added, glaring at the cat as he ducked under the counter for the cat food. He pulled out a bag of Purina One with real chicken, and poured it in his bowl. He set it down beside the water dish and Figaro was on it in seconds. Jason rolled his eyes, despite the smirk on his face, and turned his attention back to his work in the kitchen.“Spoiled brat,” he muttered to himself as he finished setting the coffee pot. Hit hit the power button and the coffee started to brew, then spun around, ducked back under the counter and grabbed a couple of frying pans. He moved toward the refrigerator and pulled out a flat of eggs and some smoked sausages, then grabbed a knife and a fork out of the drawer nearby, and a bowl out of the cabinet. With all the necessary tools at the ready, he got to work cooking breakfast. Today was a special occasion, and not just because Kate’s father was coming today, but also because he couldn’t wait to share the news with them both that he wanted to go to West Point.Jason was whistling a tune while he cooked breakfast, occasionally reaching over to pet Figaro while he moved back and forth across the kitchen. Figaro was currently parked on top of the island, purring softly whenever Jason patted him.It wasn’t until he heard the sound of feet shuffling across the floor, that Jason looked up from his work to see Kate coming out from her bedroom. The woman in question was garbed in her night clothes, which consisted of a white t-shirt, and black silk dorm pants. Her hair was a bit disheveled, and she still looked a bit tired; from that, Jason deduced that she’d been up quite late last night.“Morning,” Jason called to her, delivering some scrambled eggs, toast, and smoked sausage onto a plate on the kitchen island in front of her. Kate yawned, giving a nod in response. She sat at the island in front of the plated and scratched Figaro’s ears a bit.“Morning,” she replied, as Jason slid a cup of coffee and a fork across the island to her. “Thanks,” she replied, biting into her eggs. “Mmm, this is good, Jason! What’s in it?” she asked. Jason flashed a smug grin over his shoulder as he began scrambling another set of eggs in the pan.“Just a bit of thyme and marjoram,” Jason replied. “And the toast is covered in garlic butter,” he added as he moved the eggs around in the pan. A knock came at the door, interrupting his cooking, but it was Kate who got up first.“I’ve got it,” she said, moving toward the door. “It’s probably dad,” she added. She opened the door and lo and behold--“Katie, sweetheart,” Jacob said with a smile, hugging his daughter. Kate smiled brightly and hugged him back, gesturing inside her loft. Jacob made his way inside.“Dad! It’s nice to see you,” Kate replied cheerily. Jason set his bag down beside the couch and turned to Jason, who was busy cooking breakfast.“Jason. How’s my favorite grandson?” Jacob asked as he and Kate sat side-by-side at the kitchen island. Jason laughed as he dumped the next batch of scrambled eggs onto a plate, along with some toast slathered in garlic butter, and smoked sausage, and passed it to Jacob, followed by a glass of pineapple juice and a cup of coffee.“I’m you’re only grandson,” Jason replied casually as he began another batch of scrambled eggs. Jacob bit into his eggs and made an ‘mmm’ sound, then playfully Jabbed Kate in the side with his elbow.“You’re right, Katie; the boy is smart,” he teased, earning a chuckle of amusement from Kate, and a smirk from Jason. Jacob took a bite of sausage and soon found himself interrupted by Figaro. The cat sauntered over to him across the counter and sat next to his plate. Figaro meowed at him and waited expectantly. “Sorry Figaro, I almost forgot about you,” Jacob said to the cat, scratching his ears. Figaro purred, then hopped into Jacob’s lap, and brushed against him as the man continued scratching his ears.“He definitely likes you,” Jason commented as he set his breakfast on the kitchen island across from Kate and Jacob. He poured himself a cup of coffee and pineapple juice and then joined them at the island.“I can see that,” Jacob observed as Figaro continued purring and made himself comfortable in Jacob’s lap. He chuckled a bit in response as he continued eating with one hand and petting Figaro with the other. “Mmm, this boy can cook,” Jacob complimented. Jason grinned pridefully from ear to ear.“He’s been taking lessons from Alfred,” Kate explained, polishing off her eggs. “He’s gotten really good at cooking and has pretty much claimed the kitchen as his own,” Kate joked. Jason chuckled a bit as he swallowed a piece of sausage.“Well yeah, the kitchen is where I do my best work,” Jason replied. “I’m planning to be the next Iron Chef,” he joked, earning a laugh from Jacob. The man bit into his toast, then pointed his fork at Jason.“If anyone could accomplish that, it’d be you, kid,” Jacob replied.“Thanks old man,” Jason shot back as he sipped his pineapple juice. Jake gave a chuckle of amusement as he sipped his coffee. He watched then, as Figaro jumped out of his lap and sauntered over to his food bowl. The man looked over at Jason and flashed a smirk.“Old man, huh? I’d wager I could still take you,” Jacob teased. Jason laughed in response in a playful way as he sipped his coffee.“You think so? You sure you and your cane could keep up with me?” Jason teased back.“Alright, both of you cool it,” Kate interrupted with a laugh. The three of them finished breakfast while trading gossip, banter, and jokes between the three of them. When they were done, Jason gathered up all the dishes and cleaned them himself, setting them away in the cupboards and the drawers.“So dad, do you have a place to stay?” Kate asked, turning in her chair to face him. Jason rejoined them at the kitchen island and patted Figaro, who sauntered across the counter toward him and laid down in front of him.“Yeah, I figured I’d stay at the old Kane Manor up at Crest Hill. Old place hasn’t been used in a long time, since I started my military career,” Jacob replied. Kate nodded in agreement and glanced over at Jason.“Kane Manor was our family home for generations. Me and my--” Kate paused for a moment and glanced down at the counter, then looked back up at Jason “--sister would travel with our parents abroad, on account of dad’s military career.”“Ah, I see. I think I’ve heard of the Kanes, actually. Wasn’t Bruce’s mother--”“My sister,” Jacob filled in. Jason nodded and continued to pet Figaro. After another minute, the cat decided he’d had enough and jumped off of the island.Jason watched as he padded into the living room and made himself comfortable on the back of the couch.“So does that mean you’re planning to retire?” Kate asked with a smirk. Jacob snorted in response.“I’ll retire when I’m dead,” he replied, earning a laugh from both Kate and Jason.“Nah, but my old age is getting me less work. I’m mostly into intel now and running ops from behind the scenes. I’m on leave right now,” Jacob explained.“Well if you wanted to stay here, I wouldn’t mind lending you my room,” Jason offered, sipping his coffee, his second cup for the day. Jake snorted and waved his hand divisively.“Nah, I’m not gonna take your room, or your bed, kid. It’s fine. Besides, it’d be nice to see the old house again. It’s full of…old memories,” Jake replied with a fond smile on his face.“Like that tea party you, and Liz, and I had with my stuffed animals,” Kate put in with a giggle. Jake laughed in amusement and even Jason had a smile on his face.“Mhm. And you and your sister had me braid your hair. I was so bad at it, but you girls liked it anyway,” Jake replied. Kate laughed as she recalled those bad hairdos she and her sister had walked around with all day.“Oh I remember. Mom laughed, but we were both so proud of you,” Kate said after a laugh. Jake snorted with held back laughter as he kissed his daughter’s temple.“Yeah, there are some good memories at that house,” Jake answered, turning to Jason. “Don’t worry about me, kid, but I appreciate the thought.” She turned back to Kate and patted her shoulder, flashing a smile. “You’re doing a good job raising him, Kate.”“Ah, well, don’t give me too much credit. He was a sweet kid, if a bit misguided, before I brought him here,” Kate said, glancing over at Jason. The teen blushed a bit and couched, turning in his chair to hide his face.“C’mon, really?” he complained a little. Jake and Kate laughed in response. Jason glanced over at the two of them, and then decided it was time to break the news. He cleared his throat, and drew their attention to him.“What is it?” Kate asked. Jason bit his lip for a moment.“There’s something I wanted to tell you,” Jason responded. “To both of you.” Kate and Jake exchanged looks, then turned their attention onto Jason again. “I was thinking about what I was going to do after High School--”“Oh, did you have a college in mind? Wherever you want to go, I promise, I’ll pay--” Kate started, but Jason shook his head to interrupt her.“No. I mean, I am thinking about a college, but this one won’t cost much at all,” Jason replied.“Well, don’t keep us in suspense. What school are you looking at?” Jake cut in, leaning against the kitchen island. The corners of Jason’s lips slowly tugged into a smile.“It’s a little place called ‘West Point’.” Jake and Kate both stared at him in surprise. Jason’s smile faltered when neither of them said anything at first. “Er...could you say something, please?” Jason asked, leaning forward a bit.“Sorry, we were just--” Kate started.“Surprised is all,” Jake finished.“So…what do you think?” Jason asked. “I looked into it myself. It’s a military school, and I know it’s going to be pretty rough there, but I think I can do it.”“Yes, of course!” Kate said cheerily. She rounded the island and hugged the teen and Jake came around from the other side and patted his back.“So proud to hear you wanna go to West Point! And don’t worry, I’ll pull some strings and make some recommendations! You’ll get in,” Jake assured him, donning a toothy grin as he patted the teen’s back.“I’m curious though; what made you choose West Point?” Kate asked. Jason glanced back and forth between Jake and Kate. His face heated up a bit and tinted pink. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously and cleared his throat.“I, uh…I chose it because…because of you,” Jason explained, glancing over at Kate. Kate stood there in silence for a few moments, before hugging the teen again.“I’m so proud,” she said to him. Jason chuckled a bit, then glanced back at Jake when the man wrapped an arm around his shoulders.“Proud as hell. You’ll make a fine cadet, a find solider, Jason,” Jake said to him. Jason flashed a smirk, and gave Jake a salute.“Thank you sir,” he replied, earning another grin from Jake.

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Jason, Kate, and Jake spent a good hour talking about West Point. Jake seemed the most enthusiastic about it while both he and Kate told Jason about the place. Kate had been expelled however, due to her being a lesbian; that was before “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was repealed, so Jason was confident that that wouldn’t be a problem for him. He didn’t really want to hide his relationship with Dick anymore. That was going to be an…interesting conversation to have with Dick. It was thoughtful of Dick to want to keep Jason out of the spotlight, but he was 18 now, legally an adult, and he didn’t want to hide anymore. He as sure Dick felt the same way, but was waiting for him to come to him first, and so that was what he intended to do today.First thing's first though. He'd made some plans for today, and first as a trip to Dinah's dojo to train a bit, talk, maybe just hang out a little. After that, he'd grab some food, then head over to Dick's apartment for a little personal time with his boyfriend. He'd have the whole day together with him after he met with Dinah.“Alright, well I’ve gotta get dressed and out the door. I have to go and meet Dinah down at her Dojo,” Jason explained, hooking a thumb over his shoulder and toward his bedroom. He hopped off of his still at the kitchen island and made his way toward his bedroom.“Alright, have fun Jason,” Kate called after him.“See you later, kid,” Jake chimed in. Jason padded into his bedroom and started grabbing some clothes. He pulled on a pair of faded jeans, a black t-shirt with a red bat symbol on it, then kicked on his sneakers. Figaro hopped up onto his nightstand as he moved toward it to grab his phone, watch, and wallet. Jason chuckled a bit and scratched the cats ears, earning a soft purr from the cat.“Don’t worry Figaro, I’ll be back tonight,” Jason said softly, reaching around the cat and grabbing his wallet. He shoved it in his back pocket, then hooked the chain to a belt loop on the front, then pocketed his phone, and lastly, fastened his watch to his left wrist.Jason glanced around his room, which was perfectly neat and tidy, with everything in its place. It was a rather spacious room, too, and yet not a thing was out of place. Even on his entertainment center, where he kept his Roku TV, video game console, and video games, everything was properly ordered and lined up in a neat, tidy fashion. The bookshelf beside it, was packed full of books, new and old, with little knickknacks placed here or there for a touch of character. He glanced over at his dresser which, once again, was neatly organized with knickknacks, pictures, figurines and such, all arranged in such away as to avoid appearing “cluttered” or haphazard. Even the sheets and blankets on his bed were tucked to near military precision.After a final look around his room to determine if there was anything else he’d need, he made an ‘aha’ sound, then grabbed his iPod and ear buds. He then moved toward his closet and grabbed out his favorite jacket; a black leather motorcycle jacket that Kate had gotten for him shortly after he’d first been adopted. He pulled on his jacket and pocketed his iPod, then gave Figaro a scratch behind the ears before he made his way out of his bedroom.“Alright, I’m off to go meet with Dinah! Bye mom!” Jason called back.“Did you just call me mom again?” Kate teased. Jason turned on the spot as he grabbed his keys and blushed a little bit. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously and gave a chuckle.“Oh…I, uh…I did?” he asked. Kate giggled a bit at his flustered response, and even Jake seemed amused by this situation. Jason grumbled a bit as his blush deepened a bit by the fact that Kate was giggling at him.“Don’t worry about, it’s fine,” Kate reassured him, waving her hand dismissively.“She is your mother though,” Jake pointed out, sipping his coffee “so there isn’t any shame in calling her that, right?” Jason’s blush faded, replace with a smile. He gave a nod in response.“Yeah, I suppose you’re right. I guess it’s just…weird, y’know?” Kate laughed at his response, and nodded her head in agreement.“Believe me, I know what you mean. I never imagined I’d ever be a mother,” she said, smiling fondly at Jason “and yet, here we are.” A silence settled over the room, a bit of an awkward silence. Finally, Jason turned and made his way out the door.“Anyway, I’ll see you guys later! Ciao!” Jason called back, and made his way into the elevator, down, then out the building. The teen made his way toward his car which was parked around to the side of the building. He opened the driver’s side door to his black 1988 Mercedes Benz 560 SL, and hopped behind the wheel.It wasn’t exactly the most flashy car in the world, but it was affordable. Kate wanted to get Jason a car for passing Driver’s ed and getting his licence, but he had been adamant that it not be too expensive. He wound up with this car, which only cost a couple thousand dollars. It had some issues, but he worked on the car himself, or as much as he was able with what he knew, to fix it up. What he couldn’t do on his own, he had done at a garage, while he observed so he could learn a bit more himself.Jason started the engine of the car and let it run for a few moments before he pulled away from the building and made his way down town toward Dinah’s dojo. Traffic in Gotham was a bit different than traffic in the rest of New Jersey. There was no etiquette in Gotham City; it was every man or woman for themselves. Nobody waited for you, nobody stopped for you, and if you didn’t make that turn before the other guy came flying around the corner, well, you snooze you loose. You had to be aggressive to survive Gotham City, and driving was no different to the surprise of no one.After a brief, ten minute drive across town, Dinah’s dojo came into sight. Jason pulled over into the parking lot nearby and shut off his car. He hopped out and raked a hand through his hair, before making his way in through the front door. Jason was greeted by the sound of a body slamming into a practice mat. As he rounded the corner, he heard a groan from young red haired man, laying on his back on the mat, with Dinah standing over him.“You okay, dude?” Jason asked, standing over him and arching an eyebrow. The man groaned and rolled over onto his stomach, pushing himself up onto his feet. The man groaned again and chuckled in response.“Yeah, just getting my ass kicked by Dinah again,” he replied. Dinah chuckled a little and patted the man on his shoulder.“Jason, I’d like you to meet a friend of mine--” she started.“Roy. Roy Harper,” Roy interjected with a grin, holding his hand out to the younger boy. Jason smirked and shook his hand earnestly.“Jason. Jason Todd. Nice to meet you, Roy,” Jason replied.“Likewise! Dinah’s told me about you! You’re the one Kate adopted, right?” Roy asked. Jason nodded.“Yeah, that’s me,” Jason replied. “She pulled my ass off the streets and turned my life around. Now I’m looking at being my senior class’ Valedictorian, and going to West Point. Go figure, right?” Jason joked. Roy laughed in response and patted Jason’s shoulder.“Awesome! Yeah, I’ve had my fair share of shit to deal with. I had a little stint with drugs and alcohol. Dinah whipped my ass into shape though and turned my life back around,” Roy replied, wrapping an arm around Dinah’s shoulders.“Yeah, I know what it’s like to be at a low point and feel hopeless,” Dinah explained, turning to Jason. “Ollie didn’t know how to handle it, and naturally he handled it poorly--” Dinah started.“But things are looking up for me again! Anywho,” Roy started, holding his hand out to Jason again. He flashed the teen a smile and said “I got places to be, but I’ll see you later! You’re dating Dick, right?”“Yeah, why do you ask?” Jason asked, arching an eyebrow. Roy shrugged.“Ah, we’re best buds! Maybe the three of us can just hang out or chill sometime, right?” he asked. Jason gave a nod in response.“Sure, sounds great!”“Awesome! Later Jaybird!” Roy said to him, making his way past Jason. Jason followed the man with his eyes until he was out of sight, then turned back to Dinah.“Jaybird?” he asked. Dinah chuckled a bit and waved her hand dismissively.“Roy’s a sweet guy and quite friendly. I think you two would make good friends,” she explained.“Yeah? So did you set this up?” Jason asked with a smirk as he removed his jacket and hung it up nearby. Dinah cracked her knuckles and took a fighting stance on the matt.“Maybe I did. I guess you’ll never know. Unless you beat me, of course. Deal?” She replied, lips tugging into a smirk. Jason grinned and took up a fighting stance opposite her.“Deal,” he replied, ducking back as he threw a punch.Jason drove to Dick’s apartment in Gotham after his visit with Dinah. They talked and then had a sparring match, and she kicked his ass. Naturally. Dinah was an impressive fight and was always finding ways to surprise him. Jason joked that she could probably go toe-to-toe with Batwoman or Batman. Although he was almost certain she really could, if she wanted to.Jason glanced up toward Dick’s apartment, then down at the time. It was a little bit past noon. Fortunately, he’d brought lunch in the form of a Pepperoni and Bacon Pizza, with two bottles of soda. Jason smiled to himself and grabbed the pizza and soda, and made his way into the building. He trudged up the stairs to Dick’s apartment and stopped in front of the door, giving it a few hard knocks. He could hear someone talking on the other side of the door, could hear foot steps, and moments later, the door opened to reveal--“Tim,” Jason commented as the young teenager stood before him. Tim smiled up at him.“Jason, hey! Sorry, Dick and I were just talking! I was just leaving though,” Tim said to him, pulling on his red hoodie.“Relax, I’m not gonna bite your head off or anything, Timbo,” Jason replied with a smirk, ruffling the teen’s hair. Tim rolled his eyes.“You’re a dick,” Tim replied.“No, he’s a Dick,” Jason said, pointing at Dick “I’m Jason.” Tim groaned, despite the smirk on his face.“I’m going now,” he said, making his way past Jason and down the hall. Jason chuckled to himself, then made his way into the apartment, kicking the door closed with his foot, then kicking his shoes off at the door.“Hey Dickie, I brought food,” Jason called, watching as Dick cleaned up the couch. Jason made his way into the kitchen, making a face of disgust at Dick’s apartment; it looks like a bomb went off in here! There were clothes, books, papers and more scattered everywhere. Dick was Jason’s polar opposite when it came to cleaning habits. “Anyone ever tell you, that you live in a pig sty?” Jason asked, setting the pizza and sodas down on the table.“Yeah, so I’ve been told,” Dick called with a laugh from the living room. Jason chuckled to himself and shook his head, when he glanced down and saw a book of nursery rhymes on the table. Curious, he read one of them in a hushed tone to himself."Beware The Court of Owls, that watches all the time, ruling Gotham from a shadow perch, behind granite and lime. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed, speak not a whispered word of them or they'll send The Talon for your head." Dick padded into the room as he finished and Jason glanced up at him; he was garbed in a pair of black sweat pants, and a white tank top. “What’s this? Brushing up on your nursery rhymes, Dickie?” Jason teased.“Oh that? That’s work,” Dick replied, grabbing the book and closing it up. “Other work, if you know what I mean,” he added with a wink and a grin, making his way into his bedroom. “Why don’t you bring the pizza and soda into the living room? We’ll queue up Netflix, watch some movies--”“Suck face and feel each other up,” Jason interrupted with a mischievous grin and wiggle of his eyebrows, pulling a laugh out of Dick. Jason chuckled to himself and grabbed the pizza and soda, bringing it into the living room. He flopped down onto the couch and set everything on the coffee table. He opened the box and grabbed a slice.“Alright, so what are we watching?” Dick asked, sitting down beside Jason and grabbing the remote off of the coffee table. He launched Netflix and logged in, then glanced over at Jason, who was munching away on a slice of pizza.“Action!” Jason blurted out between bites. Dick laughed and sifted through his Favorites List, which consisted partly of Disney Films, Family Films, but also a few action and adventure films.“Alright, here we go. Here’s a good one!” Dick said cheerily as he turned on the movie “Dragonheart.”“Oh my god, I love this fuckin’ movie!” Jason blurted out, jumping in his seat to sit up right. Dick looked over at Jason and quirked an eyebrow.“Really?”“Oh hell yeah! It was my favorite as a kid. I used to love watching it.” Dick giggled a bit and leaned over to press a kiss to Jason’s jaw, then let his fingers stroke the teen’s hair out of his eyes, making Jason’s face tint pink.“You’re adorable, you know that?” he teased.The two of them settled in on the couch with Dick cuddled up against Jason, wrapped around his arm and both of them watching the movie. Jason was enthralled in the movie, barely noticing the way Dick caressed his hair, fingers brushing gently through his black locks. It was comforting, and made him sink into the couch a little, lean into Dick’s touch and just go with it."A knight is sworn to valour, his heart knows only virtue, his blade defends the helpless, his might upholds the weak, his word speaks only truth, his wrath undoes the wicked,” Jason recited in synch with Draco, which Dick found so adorable.But when the movie was over, and Jason had gotten comfortable, all curled up with Dick, they leaned in to kiss. Jason melted his lips against Dick’s and cupped his jaw. He shifted on the couch a kiss to give himself more room to move, to deepen the kiss. When they parted, Dick was smiling at him.“You know, you seemed awfully enthusiastic about that movie, Jay. It was cute,” Dick observed. Jason chuckled a bit and nodded, raking a hand through his hair.“That movie was…inspiring. Y’know, growing up with an abusive dad, and a drug addicted mother…I guess…sometimes I just liked to slip into a fantasy world,” Jason replied. Dick’s smile faded a bit when Jason spoke about his childhood. Even after three years together, Jason hadn’t said much about it. Dick knew some things, from the Batcave’s computer, but it held more weight, coming from Jason.“So, you…fancied yourself a knight then?” Dick asked, with a small smile. Jason chuckled a bit and glanced over at Dick.“Yeah, I guess. I liked to pretend that I could be something that I never could be, y’know? That movie made life suck a bit less, y’know?”“But you are a knight now, Jason,” Dick said with a twinkle in his eye. Jason glanced over at Dick and arched a brow.“What do you mean?”“You’re Lark. You’re Batwoman’s partner. You fight crime, you help the helpless. You are a knight, Jay,” Dick explained. Jason frowned a bit and turned the idea over in his head a bit. And then he smiled.“God you’re such a sap,” Jason teased. Dick laughed.“I noticed you didn’t say I was wrong,” Dick short back, and then Jason leaned in for a soft, tender kiss. “Hmm. You’ve become quite a good kisser, Jay,” Dick commented when they parted. Jason chuckled a bit.“Well, I had a good teacher,” he purred, letting his hand wander downward, toward Dick’s thigh, and giving it a squeeze. Dick bit his lip and carefully removed Jason’s hand. Jason flashed a confused look. “Did I do something wrong?”“No, it’s just…not yet. I know you’re ready to, y’know--”“Fuck? You know you can just say it, right? I’m not a prude,” Jason teased, grinning from ear to ear. Dick laughed and waved his hand dismissively.“I was going to say, ‘have sex’, or maybe ‘make love’--”“Because you’re a sappy bastard,” Jason teased.“But I don’t wanna just…do it, y’know? I want our--” Dick paused for a moment and pulled a face that had Jason arching an eyebrow “err, you’re first time, I mean…I want it to be good, y’know?”“Dick, it’s sex. What’s not good about it? We throw off our clothes, and just get down and dirty,” Jason replied, matter of factly, wiggling his eyebrows. Dick snorted with barely contained laughter.“Okay, but that’s not what I mean. I mean, we shouldn’t just--”“Fuck--”“Shut up for a minute!” Dick blurted out, clamping his hand over Jason’s mouth. Dick licked his lips, and looked up at Jason with a concerned expression. Jason seemed to pick up on it, because he moved the man’s hand away and enlaced their fingers.“Dick, what’s wrong?” Jason asked. Dick sighed and raked a hand through his hair. He didn’t really know how to broach the subject.“It’s just...y’know--”“You’re worried about…what happened to me as a kid?” Jason asked, carefully, eyes darting to the floor for a moment, before looking back up at Dick. “You’re worried that maybe I’m not ready for sex, because of what happened to me as a kid. You don’t want to--”“Rush into anything.” Jason nodded and was silent for a time. Dick was too and while Jason was staring at the floor, he was staring at Jason.“I’m working past all that crap, Dickie,” Jason finally said, looking up at Dick. “The guys who…hurt me…they’re in prison. For life. And I have Kate, and Dinah to help me through it. And…you” Jason said, his tone barely above a whisper at the last bit. He smiled at Dick and squeezed his fingers.“But I get it. If you’re not comfortable yet with…y’know…sex with me, then…I can wait, I guess,” he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. His face tinted pink and he turned his head, too embarrassed to look at Dick. “I’m terrible at this sentimental crap.” Dick laughed, and reached out to cup Jason’s jaw, making him look at him.“Nah, you’re doing fine,” Dick replied, leaning in for a gentle kiss.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jason and Dick did eventually get around to talking about the status of their relationship. They were ready to come out in the open with it. Of course, that didn’t mean they were going to track down the nearest reporter and announce it to the world, they were just going to start dating openly, now. Jason was happy that Dick had agreed to that, though he wasn’t looking forward to being thrust into the limelight. It was a small price to pay though, in exchange for not having to sneak around any more. That, and he wouldn't have to watch Dick act like the playboy at Galas anymore.Jason was also pleased to hear that Dick was thinking about striking out on his own. Dick had told him that he wanted to move to Bludhaven, to have his own city to look after, to get out from beneath Batman’s shadow. To become his own man. Jason had started giving thought to a new identity himself; he liked being Lark, but he was eighteen now and figured that, perhaps it was time to follow Dick’s lead, and carve out his own path, out from underneath Batwoman’s wing.Truth be told though, while Jason was happy for Dick, at the same time, he was also a bit…disappointed. Bludhaven was a thirty minute drive from Gotham, which meant that they wouldn’t be able to see each other as often as they liked. He wouldn’t call himself clingy, not by any stretch of the imagination. He supposed it was more that he’d just grown accustomed to being able to see Dick pretty much whenever he wanted, over the last three or four years. It was the change, he guessed.The rest of Jason’s day was spent down in the Bowery. Once a week, he volunteered down at the soup kitchen or the East End Clinic. Other times, he’d just go down there and pass out food to the homeless kids, who had no family at all. He’d been living in the lap of luxury for the last four years, but he’d made it a point to constantly remind himself of his roots, to remember where he came from, and what it was like to be a street rat. He never truly forgot, but it never hurt to remind himself.Jason had volunteered at the homeless shelter down in the Bowery, and had convinced Dick to come with him; Dick had wanted to know more about him, about his life before being adopted by Kate, so this seemed like the best way to show him. So he and Dick went down to the Bowery, with Jason driving.They made a stop by the local grocery store first, though. Jason had timed it so that by the time they arrived, the cooks there would be preparing for dinner. Jason wanted to bring real food for them, for once, instead of soup of stew. They ended up walking out with two shopping carts packed with food, and just barely managed to fit it all in the trunk, and in the back seat.“I have to admit, I’m a little…apprehensive,” Dick admitted, drumming his fingers on the arm rest of his seat as he looked out the window. Jason glanced over at Dick and arched an eyebrow. Dick turned to him and quickly added “it’s just…I grew up with loving parents, and an entire circus family, and then I was adopted by Bruce--”“You’re worried you’ll stick out like a sore thumb. I get it. How do you think I felt for the first year of my life, living with Kate? Hell, I still feel out of place,” Jason replied, lips curving into a grin. He turned his attention back to the road, fingers drumming against the steering wheel.“Right, sorry,” Dick replied, with an abashed smile. Jason snorted and gave the older male a dismissive hand wave.“It’s fine Dickie, stop apologizing,” Jason replied. He glanced over at Dick and flashed a smile. “You’re a sweet guy though, with a big heart, and that’s what I love about you.”“Aw, Jay! That’s--”“You tell anyone I said that, and I’ll kick your ass,” Jason said sternly, but with a hint of tease in his voice. Dick laughed in response and playfully jabbed Jason in the side with his elbow. Jason snickered a bit as he rounded the corner.He parked the car outside of what used to be Gotham Merchant’s Bank, which relocated to Uptown Gotham decades ago. Jason hopped out of the car and glanced up at the building, to the owl statues in place where most buildings hard gargoyles.“This is it. It used to be The Gotham Merchant’s Bank, before they moved up into the Diamond District. The build was left abandoned for decades, until it was renovated into a homeless shelter of sorts,” Jason explained. Dick gave a nod in response. “I wish they’d take those owl statues down though. They creep me out,” Jason commented. Dick laughed out loud.“You have a favorite gargoyle, but owls creep you out?” Dick asked, arching an eyebrow.“Yes! Owls are creepy! They’re like flying pillows filled with seething hatred!” Jason replied, prompting another laugh from Dick. The two of them then started hauling bags out of the car and made their way inside.“Can we get a little help? I bought food! We’re going to have a real meal tonight!” Jason called with a grin. The homeless people throughout the building cheered, seemingly enthused by the promise of a real meal for once. Some of the volunteer workers made their way out to Jason’s car and started dragging bags out of it and into the building. “I’m also going to use this opportunity to teach you to cook, because I’m tired of seeing you eat cereal and take out,” Jason whispered to Dick in jest. Dick snickered at him and leaned over to press a quick kiss to Jason’s cheek.Once they were in the kitchen, Jason grabbed an apron, and tossed one to Dick, and started cooking alongside the other chefs. They spent the better part of two hours cooking, with Jason guiding them all while he focused on his own dishes. Dick was impressed; it seemed all of Jason’s lessons with Alfred, and studying his cook books, turned him into a real chef.“These people don’t get to have good, home cooked meals like these very often! So don’t screw it up! They deserve the best!” Jason called as he finished grilling a steak. “Dick, pay attention! That steak is done!” Jason called glancing over in Dick’s direction. Dick looked up and smiled at his boyfriend, then pulled it out of the pan. Once all the food was done, Jason, Dick, an the other volunteers began serving the food. The homeless seemed more than pleased with it, too.“I can’t thank you enough, Jason,” said a woman with long, chocolate brown hair. She approached Jason with a bright smile, and shook his hand.“Dick, this is Jenna. She runs the homeless shelter,” Jason introduced. Jenna shook Dick’s hand, and Dick flashed her a bright smile in return.“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Jenna said to him. Dick chuckled and gave a nod in reply.“Likewise. There aren’t a lot of people that would do what you do,” Dick replied. Jenna nodded.“Yeah. That’s why I appreciate everything Jason does for us,” she added. Jason blushed a little bit and rubbed the back of his neck.“Well, I remember what its like. To be homeless, to scrounge for food in dumpsters or steal it,” Jason started, glancing back and forth between Dick and Jenna “and now I live in a loft, and I have money. I feel like I should use it to help people like me, right?”At that moment, Dick’s phone started to ring. He fished it out of his pocket and noted a text message from Roy.“Ah, right. Jay, I gotta get going. Roy and I had planned to hang out tonight,” Dick said to him. Jason glanced over at Dick and shrugged.“Sure. I’ll drop you back off at your place?” he suggested.“Sounds great, thanks babe,” Dick replied, pressing a kiss to Jason’s cheek. He smirked a little at the surprised look on Jenna’s face, then waved goodbye. “I’ll go wait for you in the case.”“Alright. I’ll be right out,” Jason called after him. He turned back to a confused Jenna and grinned at her, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeeeah…Dick Grayson is kind of my boyfriend.”“I see,” Jenna replied. Jason hooked a thumb over his shoulder and shrugged.“I should go. But thanks. See you next week?” he asked.“Sure thing,” she replied, giving him a hug. With that done, Jason made his way out of the building, down the stairs, and to the car.“Alright, sorry about that,” Jason said to Dick as he started the car. Dick waved his hand dismissively.“Don’t worry. It felt good to feed the homeless. And you know what else?” Dick asked. Jason glanced over at Dick as he pulled away from the curb. He waited patiently for Dick to reply, but the older man just kept staring at him. Jason smirked a little and rolled his eyes.“What?” Jason asked with a sigh.“You were adorable in there; cooking, cleaning, talking with people. Playing with the kids,” Dick teased a little playfully poking Jason in his side with his elbow. Jason’s face tinted pink.“Will you shut up?” Jason grumbled, prompting Dick to laugh and kiss his cheek.“You’re adorable when you’re flustered too,” Dick continued to tease. Jason glared at him to which Dick raised his hands defensively. “Okay, okay, I’m done.”Jason heaved a sigh as he made his way out of the elevator and toward the Loft. He’d just dropped Dick off and and only just gotten home. No sooner had he come through the door though, Figaro came up to him, purring and brushing against his leg.“Hey Figaro! Whose a good boy?” Jason cooed, kneeling down to pet the cat, who seemed quite pleased with the attention he was getting. Jason chuckled a bit as he kicked his shoes off at the door and picked Figaro up into his arms. Figaro purred happily as Jason patted the cat, shuffling through the loft. He founded the corner into the kitchen, and was surprised to see--“Kate,” Jason murmured. Kate looked up from the kitchen island and was laughing a bit. Sitting beside her, was a young woman with black hair who and sporting a smile of her own.“Jason. I thought you’d be out later,” Kate said to him.“Dick made plans with Roy for tonight, so I dropped him off and came home,” Jason replied, eyeing the woman beside Kate suspiciously. Kate turned to her and then back to Jason.“Oh Jason, this is Renee. Renee Montoya. She’s a detective with the GCPD,” Kate introduced. Jason set Figaro down and moved into the kitchen to shake her hand. “Renee, this is Jason.”“Nice to meet you, Jason,” Renee replied, flashing him a welcoming smile. Jason flashed a smile back, then took a seat at the island opposite of Renee. Renee turned to Kate and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Well, it’s been fun, but I’ve got the graveyard shift. Any chance I’ll see you again?” she asked, with a mischievous smile. Kate giggled a bit and nodded.“Oh, definitely,” she replied, watching as Renee sauntered out of the loft.“I don’t like her,” Jason said sourly, as soon as she was out the door. Kate turned Jason and gave a snort of amusement.“Renee? What’s wrong with Renee?”“Well, she’s a cop for starters,” Jason started.“Detective--”“Still a cop. Cops are crooked,” Jason said sourly.“What about James Gordon? And Harvey Bullock?” Kate asked, arching an eyebrow.“Gordon is the exception. And Bullock, I guess. Even if he is a giant jackass,” Jason replied.“And your boyfriend?” she asked. Jason blushed a little and snorted.“What about him?”“He’s planning to join the BPD,” Kate added. Jason flashed a look of realization. He’d almost forgotten about that.“Dick is…well…he’s Dick. He’s good, no matter what job he has,” Jason answered. Kate laughed at him, to which Jason blushed a little bit. “What?”“Nothing, you’re just adorable!”“Why does everyone keep saying that?!”“Because it’s true!” Kate sighed a little and got up off of her stool and rounded the island. “It’s sweet that you’re looking out for me, but I’m a big girl, and I can take care of myself.” Jason blushed again and sighed, then got up and headed toward his room.“Well…alright. Good night.”“Good night,” Kate called after him. Kate padded toward her bedroom when her phone went off. She picked it up off of the nightstand and read it; it was from Oracle, and it was concerning--“The Court of Owls,” she murmured to herself, with an attached image of a white Owl Mask. Kate recalled that Bruce had had an obsession with the Court as a child. He’d thought they were behind the murder of his parents, but all his digging turned up nothing. Though with the appearance of this group, Gave, perhaps the idea of the Court was not so outlandish…still, a mask was not truly proof that the court was anything but a nursery rhyme.-sorry. Tell Batman that I’m not interested in checking out the validity of fairy tales.- Kate hit send on the text, the got dressed down for bed.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Months went by in the blink of an eye, without so much as a whiff of a trail of Grave. Batman continued to investigate the Court of Owls, despite protests that it was folly; he never found any proof that they were anything other than a fairy tale, many years ago. It was doubtful he would find proof now. But he protested that the existence of Grave was proof of the possibility that the Court also existed. Either way, he was left to his investigations alone; Batwoman and Lark opted to focus on threats they could actually see.In that time, though, Nightwing had carved out quite a reputation for himself in Bludhaven. “The Batman of Bludhaven” they called him. And Dick was doing good work as a police officer and detective over there as well.As for Jason…well, it was graduation day for him. His last day of High School had been a couple of weeks ago, but today was Graduation Day. Kate had insisted on throwing a big party for him and Alfred offered the use of the manor for such an occasion; He, Dick, Roy, and others, wanted to celebrate his graduation together, as they had when Dick graduated years before.Everyone was gathered at the manor, which wasn’t very many people. All of Jason’s school friends were celebrating with their own families, so that just left Dinah, Roy, Dick, Alfred, Tim, Bruce, Kate, and her father Jacob. They were all gathered in the backyard of Wayne Manor, with Alfred on the grill. The grill in question, was more of an outdoor kitchen, with a brick barbecue island with a large, stainless steel grill, complete with cabinets, sink, dishwasher, and a mini fridge. Beside it, was an outdoor mini bar in similar style to the grill.“Go long!” Roy shouted to Jason as he reared back with the football. Jason grinned from ear to ear as he ran across the yard, eyes on the ball when Roy launched it in his direction. Jason jumped into the air and caught the ball in his arms, tumbling across the grass as he caught it. He jumped up and held the ball up in the air with one hand, flashing a triumphant grin.“Master Jason, Master Roy! The food is prepared!” Alfred called to them. Jason laughed out loud and threw the ball toward Roy as he jogged over toward the grill. Roy laughed in reply and caught the ball as he raced after Jason. “Here you are, Master Jason; chili dogs and curly fries,” Alfred said to him with a smile on his face as he offered the youth a plate with two chili dogs and some curly fries on it.“Hell yeah--er--I mean, thanks Alfred,” Jason exclaimed, moving over toward the table. Roy snickered behind him, accepting his food and then joining Jason at a table nearby.“Mmm, this is good! Thanks Alfred!” Roy called, talking with his mouth full as he gave the old man a thumbs up. He shrunk in his seat at a well placed glare from Alfred.“Manners, Master Roy. We don’t talk with out mouths full,” Alfred chided. Roy swallowed his food, then flashed the man a shy grin.“Sorry.” Jason snickered beside him, to which Roy elbowed him in the back, only for Jason to shove him back.“Boys, you’re supposed to be adults. Behave,” Dinah teased, arching an eyebrow at the two of them. The two of them laughed and Jason gave a dismissive hand wave.“Please, Dinah. When have you ever known me to act like an adult?” Jason joked.“Never,” Kate cut in, teasingly. Jason mock pouted as he looked up at her.“Hey, you’re supposed to be on my side,” Jason replied. Kate laughed in response.“I am, when you’re right,” she answered. Jason snorted in reply despite the smirk on his face and finished his chili dogs.“Where’s Dick, by the way?” he asked, after he finished.“Right here, babe!” Dick called with a smile as he waved to Jason from the manor and made his way over to him. Dick sat down beside Jason and leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek. “Sorry, I’ve been working on a surprise for you,” Dick admitted, flashing a smile. Jason snorted and reached into his pocket for a pack of mints, popping one into his mouth before pocketing them again.“That so?” Jason asked with a smirk, sucking on the mint in his mouth. Dick snickered in amusement and pointed to Jason’s mouth.“You freshening your breath, just for me?”“Mhm,” Jason hummed, wiggling his eyebrows. Dick snickered again and leaned in for another kiss, when a flash interrupted them. They both looked over to see Roy with his phone out, taking a picture.“Excuse me, but what the fuck do you think you’re doing? Jason asked in a serious (not really) tone.“Language, Master Jason!” Alfred called from across the yard.“Sorry!’ he called back, turning his attention back onto the red head in front of him.“Just capturing a moment! My two best buds, sucking faces and looking all adorable with each other--”“Yeah no,” Dick said with a laugh as he lurched across the table and snatched Roy’s phone away. Roy jumped over the table but Dick held it out of reach.“Gimme that back, Dick,” Roy called out, using Dick’s name as an insult and prompting him to laugh. He handed it back to Roy who glared at him, though the glare didn’t hold any real anger. Jason just sat there and laughed, shaking his head in amusement. After a time, he glanced over at Dick.“So, about that surprise?” he asked. Dick smiled from ear to ear and got up from the table, gently urging Jason to follow him.“Let me show you,” he said. Jason smiled in reply and followed after the acrobat, across the yard and into the house.“They’re gonna fuck, aren’t they?” Roy snorted with amusement once they disappeared inside.Dick led Jason through the manor, their fingers intertwined. Jason felt that butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling, and seeing the smile on Dick’s face, strangely excited him.Dick led him down the hallway and toward his bedroom. He paused at the door and looked over at Jason, still wearing that gorgeous smile. Dick then turned back to his door and pushed it open, ushering Jason inside. Jason paused in the middle of the room and looked around, surprised. He heard the door close behind him, but was focused on the room; the curtains were closed and the lights off. The only source of light, were the candles lit around the room. The bed had been made up, and Jason could see--“Silk sheets?” he asked, turning to Dick, his stomach doing backflips. Was he finally going to get to sleep with Dick? He’d only been dreaming of this for months now! Dick chuckled in amusement and gently cupped Jason’s jaw, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.“Yeah. I thought this would be a …nice surprise. A good way to celebrate your graduation,” Dick said softly, parting from Jason and moving toward the bed. He peeled his shirt off and tossed it on the floor, then sat on the bed and waited for Jason.Jason felt his jeans grow tight, swallowed hard, and felt his stomach do backflips. He was excited to finally be doing this, and so he didn’t waste any time. Jason kicked his shoes off and peeled off his shirt, tossing it to the floor. He closed the difference between he and Dick, then placed a hand on the man’s chest and kissed him. He pressed his lips against Dick’s, deepening the kiss and slipping his tongue into the other man’s mouth. Dick’s arm wound itself around Jason’s neck, fingers curling in his hair, as he moaned into the kiss.Jason gently pushed Dick back onto the bed, crawling up onto it as he continued kissing Dick. He felt one of Dick’s hands cupping his crotch in his jeans. Jason groaned in response, rocking his hips into Dick’s touch.“Damn,,” Jason breathed with a smirk on his face as he moved down to Dick’s neck, kissing, and nibbling the flesh there. Dick moaned quietly as he popped the button on Jason’s jeans and pulling down the zipper. He heard the button on his own jeans pop, followed by a firm hand, rubbing his erection through his underwear. Dick gasped and bucked into the hand. He heard Jason snickering in his ear, then gasped again when Jason’s hand slipped underneath his underwear and starting rubbing circles on his swollen head with his index finger.“Jay,”” Dick breathed out, but he was going to show the younger man, that he could give as good as he got. Dick reached into Jason’s underwear and firmly grasped his cock, giving it a few awkward, but firm tugs. Jason’s own ministrations faltered as his head fell against Dick’s shoulder, letting out a broken moan.“Th-that’s--nngh--cheating,” Jason teased, sucking up a mark on Dick’s neck.“All’s fair in love and war,” Dick whispered back, sealing his lips against Jason’s. Jason moaned into the kiss, then decided to up the ante a bit. He hooked his fingers into the waistband of Dick’s jeans and underwear. Dick got the hint, and lifted his hips as Jason tugged, and pulled his pants and underwear down and off, tossing them to the floor and leaving him naked on the bed beneath the younger man.“Hold that thought,” Jason panted as he parted from Dick. He removed his own pants and underwear, eyes glistening with mischief as he watched Dick’s eyes rake over his naked body. Dick moved up the bed, then Jason crawled onto his after him. The two of them wrapped their arms around each other and kissed, hands exploring, fingers teasing. Jason nipped at Dick’s lips, and Dick’s fingers toyed with Jason’s nipples. Every time they moved against each other, their erections brushed and pulled moans out of both of the.“Wait,” Dick breathed, parting from Jason for a moment. He turned on the bed, twisting his upper half, and reaching toward the night stand. He pulled out a condom and a bottle of lube, and grinned at Jason. “I want you to do it,” Dick whispered. Jason swallowed hard; he was both nervous and excited at the same time. He’d never…topped anyone before. Dick was asking a very intimate thing of him.“Alright,” Jason replied, flashing a smile. He took the condom and opened it, eyes darting up toward Dick. His mouth ran dry and his jaw dropped as he watched Dick kneel on the bed and start pressing a pair of lubed fingers into himself. And he was watching Jason with a smug grin on his face.“Like what you--nngh--see?” Dick teased, letting out a lewd moan as he fucked himself with his fingers. Jason swallowed hard and quickly rolled the condom onto his own dick, which felt hard as steel at the moment. When Jason looked up at Dick again, the man was still hard and panting, but moving toward him. Jason gasped when he felt Dick’s hand start working up and down his cock, getting him slick.“Dick, I--”“Ssh, don’t worry, I’ll guide you,” Dick whispered in his ear, lips curving into a grin. Jason swallowed again and flashed a nervous smile. With some prompting from Dick, he moved over him, pressing the head of his cock against Dick’s hole. Dick looked up at him, and Jason couldn’t help himself; he leaned down and kissed that stupid smile off his face. And then he pressed himself inside.Dick moaned into the kiss, his hands sliding up Jason’s arms, then to his shoulders, down to his chest. One hand curled around his neck while the other hand slid across his chest and abs.“More,” Dick panted out. Jason nodded and pressed further into Dick, groaning at how tight and hot he was. He panted out and kept pushing until he felt himself pressed flush against Dick’s ass. “Move,” Dick breathed. Jason pulled out, then pushed back in, groaning at the feeling.“Nngh, damn, you’re so tight,” Jason whispered, leaning down for a kiss. Dick chuckled a bit, then pulled a yelp of surprise out of Jason when he flipped them over. He grabbed Jason’s hands and pinned them above his head.“Here, let me,” Dick said softly, leaning down for another kiss.“Shit, this is so hot,” Jason panted out, grinning like the devil. Dick grinned back at him, then started to ride him, sliding up off of Jason’s cock before pushing himself back down. He moaned softly, them enlaced his fingers with Jason’s and gave them a light squeeze.“Mmm, Jay, you’re so big,” Dick breathed, moving his hips and setting an even pace. Jason can’t help but to grip Dick’s hips and thrust into him, pulling loud moans out of both of them. Dick and Jason exchange glanced, then Dick starts riding Jason faster.Jason throws his head back and lets out the most lewd moan. He’s sure the whole manor can hear him, but he doesn’t care. He grips Dick’s hips harder and thrusts up into him, fucking into him as Dick thrusts down. Dick rides him faster, harder, the both of them crying out. They each reach a hand out toward each other, enlacing their fingers together.“Dick, I’m gonna--gonna cum! I can’t…sorry!” Jason breathed out, arching up off of the bed.“Do it, let go,” Dick panted. He leaned down for a kiss, swallowing Jason’s cry of pleasure as he thrusts up hard into Dick, spilling into the condom. Dick keeps riding Jason through it, chasing his own orgasm. He pulls away from Jason and throws his head back, when an erratic jerk from Jason strikes his prostate just right. Dick came hard, shooting up onto Jason’s chest. He panted heavily, barely managing to pull himself off of Jason before collapsing onto the bed beside him.The two of them lay beside each other, chests heaving and breathing heavily, bodies covered in a light sheen of sweat. Jason blindly fumbled on the night stand for some tissues he’d seen and cleaned himself up, then peeled off the condom and tossed both into the trash can beside the bed. Jason made a mental note to tease him about the fact that he had tissues, lube, and a trash bin beside his bed, later. Then, he looked over at Dick and grinned.“That was--”“Fucking amazing,” Dick finished, earning a breathless chuckle from Jason. Jason rolled over on his side and pulled Dick to his chest. Dick giggled when Jason buried his face in his neck and started leaving kisses and nips on his skin. “Jay stop,” Dick giggled. Jason pulled away and grinned at him, then leaned in for a sweet, gentle kiss.“I’m glad we did this,” he said.“Me too,” Dick replied with a fond smile, leaning in and pressing his lips against Jason’s once more. “Hmm. D’you think we should get dressed and--”“Pretty sure they heard us babe. I think they know what’s going on,” Jason replied with a sly grin. He heaved a contented sigh and then pulled Dick closer to his chest, leaning toward him for a kiss. “So c’mon, stay in bed with me. Fool around. Maybe we can go for round two?” Jason teased, wiggling his eyebrows. Dick snorted in amusement and kissed him back.“Fine. I don’t really wanna get out of bed anyway,” Dick answered, curling up against Jason.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Summer was over much too quickly for Jason. He had gotten a letter that he’d been admitted to West Point. Unfortunately, he learned that he’d be starting near the end of June, giving him only a three weeks or so of summer to enjoy. In addition to that, he also had to go through some psych evals and physical exams to be admitted, but Jacob’s recommendation had really made the difference.Jason and Roy spent some of that time hanging out. They became good friends, fast, even going out on patrol together a few times. Of course, Roy liked to tease him about still being “Lark”, but Jason wasn’t quite ready to give up the alias just yet. He still needed to come up with a new one, and he figured he’d have the time to do that.Dick and Jason also spent a good chunk of what little summer he had, together. And that was why Jason and Dick spent so much time together; because at West Point, they’d have almost no time to spend with each other. Weekends, maybe, but through the whole rest of the week? Definitely a no; one required clearance to even get onto the school grounds.Of course, once summer was over, it was time for Jason to head to West Point. Dick offered to come with, to see him off, and Kate offered to drive, since Freshmen weren’t allowed to have cars.The drive to West Point would take roughly four hours, so Kate and Jason woke early, at five in the morning.“Morning Figaro,” Jason muttered with a smile as he patted the cat, who was curled on his chest. He carefully moved Figaro who seemed a little miffed about being disturbed, then grabbed some clothes and shuffled out of his bedroom. Kate had just gotten out of the shower, so he made his way past her and into the bathroom.“Good morning,” Kate aid to him as she moved into the kitchen.“Morning,” Jason called back, closing the bathroom door shut behind himself. While he showered, Kate started a pot of coffee, and breakfast. She was in a relatively good mood this morning, humming a tune to herself as she threw some bacon in one pan, cracked some eggs in another, and threw some toast into the toaster. Today was the day that they were to leave for West Point, and she felt so proud of Jason. She almost felt like…a real mother.Breakfast was nearly done when she called Dick’s apartment to check if he was ready to go. She didn’t have to worry about her father, because as a military man, he was always up just before the crack of dawn.“Hi Dick. We’re making breakfast right now and we’ll be by soon to pick you up. Alright, bye.”Kate switched her phone off, then turned back to breakfast, dumping the last of the scrambled eggs onto a plate for Jason, along with some toast with garlic butter, and three crispy strips of bacon, with a glass of pineapple juice.“Mmm, smells good,” Jason called as he came out of the bathroom, dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a white button up shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He hopped up at the island on one of the stools just as Kate set the plate, a fork, and his juice in front of him. “Thanks,” Jason said cheerily, digging into the scrambled eggs. “Mmm, delicious!” Jason complimented. Kate sat across from him and began eating her own food.“Thanks. Scrambled eggs with two cloves, mashed, of garlic, with two tablespoons of fresh basil, and two table spoons of fresh grated gruyere,” Kate answered. “And toast from the fresh bread I baked myself, with a thin layer of garlic butter.”“Mmm, wow, your cooking is amazing, as always” Jason complimented with a full mouth. He got a look from Kate and shrugged, swallowing his food first. “Sorry.” Kate just flashed a smile at him and continued to eat.A silence took hold of the room, broken for only moments when Figaro hopped up onto the counter looking for Jason’s attention. Jason smiled and patted the cat. He suspected that Figaro knew he was leaving, because he was never quite this cuddly.“Nervous?” Kate asked, glancing up at the teen as she stabbed at her eggs. Jason chuckled a bit, swallowing down some pineapple juice. He looked up at her and nodded.“Yeah, a lot. What if I--”“You can handle it, Jason. I know you. I trained you. You’re going to do fine,” Kate reassured him, flashing a confident smile. “You’ve already got some basic military training in your belt, and you’re a straight A student with a 4.0 GPA. Your discipline could use a little work, but otherwise--”“I get it, I get it. Thanks,” Jason cut in with a chuckle of amusement as he scoffed down a piece of bacon. They finished breakfast in relative silence, then Jason said his goodbyes to Figaro. The two of them then made their way down to her car, and dropped by Wayne Manor to pick Dick up, then Kane Manor to pick up Jacob. Once everyone was ready to go, they began the hours long trip to West Point, New York.They passed the time between music, banter, jokes, and generally just talking. Jacob seemed to approve of Dick and Jason’s relationship, but he drilled Dick like a stern dad, which both Kate and Jason found utterly amusing. Dick kept composed and calm though, which was no surprise, given who his mentor was.Jason and Jacob got along pretty well, trading jokes and stories of their exploits. In Jacob’s case, he talked about some of his missions in the military, and Jason shared a few close calls he’d had as Lark. Jacob seemed rather impressed, and even Dick shared a couple of stories from missions as both Robin, and Nightwing.In no time at all, or so it seemed, they arrived at West Point. The campus itself was impressive, with students marching across campus in full uniform, and Freshman moving to and fro, getting ready for their first day. Parents were saying good bye to their children and sending them on their way. And now it was Jason's turn.“Well, this is it,” Jason said with a smile, hefting his bag over his shoulder and flashing a smile. He, Kate, Dick, and Jason all made their way across campus, directed by the staff, to Eisenhower Hall for Orientation. Parents and students alike were slowly shuffling into the room. The four of them took seats near the back and waited patiently for it to begin.“Wow, this place is really nice,” Dick whispered to Jason.“Of course. West Point is one of the most prestigious military academies in the country,” Jacob answered with a smirk on his face. Moments later, a man in uniform took the stage, tapping on the microphone.“Good morning ladies, and gentlemen. I welcome you to the United States Military Academy of West Point,” the man started. He gave a short speech about West Point and what to expect here, before it was time to say goodbye. And they had only sixty seconds to do so. Kate hugged him first, then Jacob, then Dick. Dick pressed a quick kiss to his lips, to which Jason smiled.“Take care, babe,” Dick said to him. Jason chuckled again and leaned in for another quick kiss.“I'll be fine. No worries.”“You've made us proud, son. No matter what happens from here on out,” Jacob complimented with a smile, patting Jason's shoulder. Jason allowed himself a smirk, then grabbed the man for a hug.“Thank you sir,” he replied. Jacob returned the hug, patting Jason on the back. And now it was Kate's turn. She placed her hands on his shoulders and smiled at the young man.“You've only been with us for four years and yet, here you are; from street rat, to Army Brat,” she joked. Jason laughed and hugged her tight.“Thanks for taking that chance on me...mom,” Jason said softly. Kate parted from her and wiped at her eyes.“Great, now I'm crying. Thanks for that,” she joked, earning a laugh from the others. The three of them smiled at Jason and enjoyed their last few seconds with him before it was time to leave. Jason watched the three of them go, knowing that it;d be a while before he'd have the chance to see, or talk to them again. And even when he had the chance, it'd be limited. It sucked, but he wanted to do this, and he was ready for it.“New Cadets, move! Let's Go!” A man in black pants and a white shirt, with military stripes ordered. The cadets, Jason included, shuffled out of the room in single file with their bags on their backs. “Eyes forward! Single File! You! You think you're special?! I said eyes forward!” he shouted at them, then handed them off to a Senior, or “Firstie”.Their first stop, was to be fitted and issued their physical training uniforms, along with a bag with everything they were allowed to carry for the next six weeks. After that, it was off to the barber shop for the boys, where they all got crew cuts. Jason mentally lamented the loss of his hair; he hated crew cuts, but it'd grow back. From there, they were all assigned to companies, where they immediately began learning the basics of taking orders.“You wait for a command! You do not do things on your own initiative! Is that clear?!” an Senior shouted at them.“'Sir, yes sir!” the cadets all shouted in almost-unison. And then they were instructed on how to march information, while the Upperclassmen shouted orders and insults at them.The day was long and difficult, but Jason had a leg up, in regards to the training. Kate had busted his ass when he was training to be Lark, so for the most part, all of this was like a rehash for him.All of it culminated in the Oath Ceremony. All of the cadets were required to dress in their dress uniforms. Their families were gathered for one last look at the new class before basic training would begin.As he marched out onto the field with the other cadets, the upperclassmen leading the march, Jason felt a surge of both excitement and nervousness. He managed to spy a look without being caught, and saw Dick, Jacob, and Kate watching the ceremony from the stands. A Senior gave a brief history about West Point.Then, an officer took up the front when the cadets came to a stop and spoke into the microphone.“Cadets, raise your right hand.” The Oath was administered, and the cadets repeated  it. Jason felt a sense of pride because there was once a time when he wouldn't have believed he'd ever make it to college, let alone West Point, of all places. Yet here he was, and he felt so proud of himself. And so he couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. He made it. 
Gotham, that night... 
Batman stood atop a gargoyle in The Diamond District in Uptown Gotham. A moderately wealthy man, worth Fifteen Million Dollars, reported death threats in his mail to the GCPD. It was ordinary, run-of-the-mill for Gotham City, or anywhere for that matter, but Batman felt compelled to look into it. His instincts told him there was something *different* about this particular case.And so here he was, looking out over the Penthouse of one Matthew Bellmont. Two GCPD Police Officers stood outside wearing fur lined coats and armed with pistols. It was a cold night and the slight breeze in the air only added to the chill.Batman had been here, watching, for a good three hours and yet nothing out of the ordinary had appeared yet. His instincts were usually correct, but there remained the possibility that he could have been--He saw it then; a shadowy figure prowling around on the rooftop. Batman watched it carefully, activated his cowl’s telescopic vision to get a better look. He watched as the figure moved toward the unawares GCPD officer and drew a dagger; an assassin!Batman quickly pulled out a grappling gun and fired it across the way.“Above you!” he shouted, trying to warn to warn the officers as he jumped off of the gargoyle and swung through the air. The officers looked in his direction, then up. Gasping on shock they drew their guns and fired as the assassin came down at them, but their bullets did nothing. The assassin swung a dagger at the first officer’s throat, then slashed the other’s with a clawed hand. As Batman jumped onto the rooftop, the assassin fled inside after its target and Batman pursued. He tackled the assassin and together, the two of them crashed through the window.Matthew Bellmont came out of his room in pajamas and armed with a shotgun.“What’s going--oh my god!” he shouted in surprise.“Run!” Batman shouted at him, throwing the assassin across the room. Matthew said nothing, but booked it toward the lift that led out of his loft. The assassin recovered and threw several shurikens at his target, but missed. The embedded in the metal of the elevator door instead.Batman’s eyes narrowed when the assassin turned his attention onto him. The assassin was garbed in black, trimmed with gold and gold adornments. The mask bore a vague resemblance to an owl, with glowing red eyes. One arm was draped, up to the elbow in elegant gold designs, with raised knuckles, and the fingers tips curving into lethal claws. The assassin bore a dagger in his other hand. Batman managed to get a closer look as he ducked back to avoid the blade; a golden owl with its wings outstretched, made up the crossguard, with an intricate pommel, fitted with a sunset fire opal.His eyes widened at the sight of the dagger; The Court of Owls! That moment of hesitation allowed the assassin to deliver an elbow strike to Batman’s sternum, sending him crashing to the floor. The assassin attempted to deliver the killing blow with his dagger, but Batman slapped it aside, then punched the assassin in the face. He wrapped his legs around his arm, then somersaulted, slamming him into the floor. He dislocated the shoulder, and yet oddly enough, the assassin made not one peep. It was curious, but during the whole fight, the assassin hadn’t uttered a single sound…The assassin attempted to flip, landing a kick to Batman’s face, sending him toppling backward. Batman recovered to see the assassin racing at him, arm dangling limply at his side, dagger clenching in his other hand. He swung the dagger again, and again, but each time, Batman dodged the blade. Finally, after a fourth strike, Batman grabbed the assassin’s arm and swung him over his head, slamming him through the coffee table.Suddenly, the assassin started convulsing on the spot. Thinking quickly, Batman pulled off his mask--“No,” he breathed, stunned by what he saw. The assassin’s face was drained of all color, its eyes fogged over. He was…dead. A corpse, reanimated for some sick purpose. As the assassin convulsed, it started to…melt…into some black goo, and then…died, leaving behind only its gear.Batman had proof that the Court of Owls indeed existed…but the reality was much darker than he’d thought. If they were reanimating corpses to use as disposable assassins…