Death is Always Fair

Consequences of One's Actions

*Barbara's POV*

Who is that man?! He killed around twenty-one people, one of them Black Mask.

I looked at the police reports, and, according to almost everyone, the lights went out for about a minute, and when they came back on, Black Mask and his goons were on the ground dead, with slashes and stabs on their bodies.

Bruce assumed the League of Assassins, but since there's a deal with Ra's al Ghul for the Assassins to not operate in Gotham, we don't know.

"Could it just be Talia?" Dick asked in the Batcave.

Bruce sighed. "She wouldn't operate like this. She's not as sloppy as the wounds appear."

I cursed internally. I told them what happened, but they don't believe me.

"Mother?" Cass signed. We all flinched, knowing who she meant.

"It might be possible. She could be checking on you from time to time, so she was at the right place at the right time." Tim said.

I just nodded along to whatever they kept saying, thinking about who that man, Grant Letum, could be.

'A friend of a Rogue? No, I don't think the Rogues have any friends outside of each other. A magician? Possible, but he seems more powerful than Zatara or Constantine if he can erase so many people's memories and give them new ones with a snap of his fingers. I should ask Zatara if she could play my memories or something so they could believe me.' I think, putting on my jacket as everyone was leaving.

As I drive, more possibilities rush to my mind.

'He knows where I live. He knows who I am during the day and in the night. What if he tries to harm me or my family? Why does he seem so familiar, despite never seeing him before?' I keep thinking as I go into Jas- my apartment. I decided to live there instead since the Joker died. I didn't feel safe in my other apartment, since the Joker died so close to it, so I'm going to live here as I renovate.

I looked at the note that Grant left me the first time, and I began to inspect the handwriting. It looked... familiar for some reason.

Then it hit me.

No. No fucking way. It couldn't be Jason's handwriting, could it? He's dead and buried.

I keep thinking of any other reason, but the signs were there. The penmanship was clearly that of Jason Peter Todd.

That only left one question.

Was that man actually Jason, or someone who's trying to pass off as him?

Last I saw him, Jason was 15, shorter than me, dressed like a normal civilian, and eyes as blue as the ocean, and not what looked like a year or two younger than me, 6'0, and dressed like he was at a funeral, with eyes as white as snow.

'But if it is him, then it would explain how he knew this place and who you were.' One part of me thought.

'But why didn't he come back home and tell us?' Another part thought.

I then remembered what he's said.

"Oh, but you will. You will be responsible."

What did he mean by that? I know I threatened him, but he didn't seem all that concerned about it.

"On the contrary, Mr. Sionis, it is you who is going to be dancing with death." I remembered him saying.

Shit. How did I not think of that earlier? That should have been a dead giveaway. The disappearing, knowing who I am, the magic of shifting his appearance so he thought I couldn't recognize him.

It would also explain the cloak and scythe, and telling Roman to say hi to Joker for him in Hell.

Jason Todd was somehow alive, and as the Grim Reaper.

Letum! The Latin word for violent death! According to what Bruce has said in his report, Jason died a violent death, beaten with a crowbar and then in an explosion with his biological mother inside.

I slapped my head on my forehead, ashamed that I never even thought of this until now.

Jason Todd is the Grim Reaper, but now that leaves another question.

'Why is he always around me?' I think to myself, blushing. I knew Jason had a crush on me, but I thought he would grow out of it. He was cute in a little brother type of way, but now, in what looks like a 19 year-old version of himself, he seemed... handsome and charming.

I keep thinking of possibilities as I throw myself on my bed, going to sleep.

'I'll have to ask if I ever see "Grant Letum" ever again." I think to myself, already falling asleep.

*Jason's POV*

A sense went off in the back of my head.

'She knows.' I thought.

How could she? Did she look back at the note and recognize my handwriting? Did she think back to what I said to Black Mask about a dance with Death?

Seeing my face of confusion, Dr. Fate asked "I take it that Barbara Gordon has begun to suspect who you are?"

I shook my head. "I think she knows, not suspects."

Fate sighed. "This is why you should be invisible at all times, and not visible with a different face."

I nodded. "So what should I do? If she knows who I am, do I make her my companion now?" I asked with hope.

Fate chuckled. "Not right now, first, we must see what fate has in store for young Gordon as her death has been cheated."

I looked down. "Sorry."

Fate just chuckled while looking back at this magic ball he keeps looking into. Could he be seeing something about Chaos?

Since the few days that we've began to work together, I've seen him as a friend and ally. Yet, he still keeps some secrets from me. I can't see into his mind, but I know that he knows that I want to know what he's hiding from me.

I sighed while I just looked back into my notebook and saw yet more names. Teleporting away, ready to get to work, I keep thinking.

What am I going to do about Barbie?