Lost Stars

Chapter Thirty Two

-Athena's POV-

"Red Hood!" I shouted, plummeting towards the busy street. My grapple buckled and snapped, no doubt caused by the fire a couple days ago. I hadn't bothered to check any of my gear for any problems because I had been too focused on nursing Jason back to health.

I regretted not checking as soon as I started to fall.

Just as I was sure I would taste asphalt, a muscular arm snaked around my midsection. Jason pulled me up into him, hugging my body tight against his chest with one arm. I looked up at him with fear, shock, thankfulness in my eyes. Jason didn't look down at me. He just continued on until we stopped on top of the Old Wayne Tower.

I crouched down on one of the gargoyles. Jason sat beside me. "What happened? Did someone snipe at you?"

"No," I shook my head, "Black Mask's little explosion last week must've weakened my lines and I didn't know until it was too late." I pulled out my grapple gun, inspecting the part where the tear had occurred. My line seemed to have ripped completely out of the end of the gun.

Jason took it out of my hands. I pouted, reaching for it. He jumped back. I raised an eyebrow, challenging him with my face. I dove forward, but he moved again. Because of my momentum, I slid forward off of the statue. My hips and legs dangled off as I gripped the horn of the beast with both of my hands. Jason crept onto my statue, staring down at me with a childlike grin.

I expected him to put his hand out to help me, but he just continued to tease me. I stuck my tongue out at him. "You know if you fall, you're going to die," Jason said, squatting down to meet my face.

"Thanks for that little fact," I groaned, trying to pull myself up. Jason pinched my finger, making me drop slightly. I glared up at him again. He just continued to smile.

I tried to pull myself up with a lot of force, but it back fired. As soon as I let go, preparing to land feet first on the gargoyle, my hands slipped and tumbled down the side of the building.

"Athena!" Jason screeched, diving head first down after me. I wasn't falling straight down. I was sliding on my palms, trying to find a single window opening to grab. I saw Jason's outstretched hand just as I snagged a jagged piece of old brick. I gripped it with my fingers. Jason rested on the wall beside me. He panted loudly, out of breath. "Holy crap," he mumbled. Despite me being completely safe, Jason refused to lower his hand.

I climbed up on top of the brick, my legs dangling over. Jason studied me for a few moments. His eyes seemed focused and distant at the same time. He just wouldn't take his gaze off of me. I slapped his palm down harshly. "Jason, I'm okay," I snapped.

He seemed to snap out of his daze. "We-we should be getting back to the mission," he said, lacking all of his personality. His voice sounded kind of timid and...hurt?

Jason handed me his spare grapple gun and quickly darted away. I sighed. I had managed to fuck everything up. Again.

"We need to attack Black Mask," I said, "we can't show him that trying to blow you up is okay."

"You mean us."

I barely heard him over the sound of traffic. I wasn't completely sure what he had said. "Huh?"

"I agree. Let's go blow up his office building," Jason grumbled, swinging around a building and disappearing from my view.

Something felt a little wrong. I didn't see Jason pop back out. Cautiously, I climbed around the building. Just as I suspected, Jason wasn't there. He was standing on top of a coffee shop, facing towards the city.