The Curious Case of Jason Todd

III

Just after eight o'clock that night, the door to Bruce's office creaked open and a tiny, dark-haired head popped in. Jason grinned at the large man behind the desk and bounded up to Bruce's black leather chair, his curly hair bouncing with each step.

"Look Dad! Look!" He twirled in place to show off his Batman pajamas and held up a smiling stuffed bat toy. Bruce smiled at the exuberant child and lifted Jason up to put on his lap. He held the small boy's back against his chest, his large hand spread entirely across Jason's chest and stomach. Bruce smiled softly down at Jason, an innocent, happy Jason that he never got to meet. Jason giggled as he made the bat's wings flop up and down.

"Do you like the Batman?"

"Yes!" Jason kicked his legs out in excitement and winked up at his father, "He's my favorite!"

"Do you like him better than Superman?" Bruce raised an eyebrow when Jason stuck out his tongue.

"Superman cheats with his powers. Without them Batman would kick his butt!" Jason's grin widen when Bruce chuckled at his response.

"I'll have to tell him that next time. Were you going to bed?"

"I saw Damian," Bruce felt his body tense just a bit but the child in his lap didn't notice. Damian had skipped dinner that night, preferring to eat in his room away from Jason. Although his son had been pacified by Zatanna's assurance that Jason's current predicament could be reversed, they still had to wait until she could properly identify the spell and find or develop a counter-curse. She did warn Damian though that the curse would have been irreversible if Damian was the one who was hit with it. So for however long, Jason was stuck as a five-year-old.

Bruce only wished that he could call on Talia al Ghul as Jason had done when Tim had been deaged by Poison Ivy.

Poison Ivy... the deaging serum... now this deaging spell... Was there a connection? Or was it just a sick coincidence? He couldn't wonder about it now, Jason was talking again.

"I asked him if he didn't like me because my feet are smelly."

Bruce's lips twitched, "What did he say?"

Jason paused and fiddled with the bat's ears, "He said a lot of big words that I don't know. I think he called me a stupid baby."

Bruce raised his other hand to run his fingers through Jason's thick, wavy hair. "That wasn't very nice of him. I will have a talk with Damian tonight."

Jason shrugged and stared pointedly at his bat toy, "It don't matter. I told him that he speaks like an old man and asked if he needed help up the stairs."

Bruce laughed a deep belly laugh that rattled Jason's body. He was afraid his new dad would be upset but it seemed like he thought Jason was funny. Jason really liked his new dad and the older man Alfred but his new brother Damian wasn't very nice. Jason didn't tell his dad everything that Damian said because he wasn't a snitch but he hoped that the older boy would be nicer to him. He was actually kind of scary.

Jason yawned and relaxed against his Dad. He hugged his brand new bat toy and let his Dad stroke his hair. It felt really nice; no one ever did that for him before.

"Okay, kiddo," Bruce whispered twenty minutes later, "Time for bed." He picked up the nearly unconscious child and carried him to Jason's room. When he tucked the child into bed, Jason reached out to grab his finger with a surprisingly strong grip.

"What if I have a bad dream?" His eyes were glazed with sleep but the child was fighting it.

"My room is just down the hall. The one with the big double doors," Bruce whispered.

"But aren't you the Batman?" The poor child looked confused by the double life aspect. "When do you sleep?"

"Even the Batman needs a night off." Bruce had asked Barbara and her Birds of Prey to take over regular patrol duties for the night. He skimmed over the entire issue and merely explained that there was a problem with Damian and Jason and that he would need a night or two at home. He was, of course, on call if absolutely necessary. Barbara had sighed in exasperation and agreed to his request but stated that Jason needed to stop hurting the other Robins. Bruce was torn between defending Jason and offering a proper explanation for the situation. Instead he turned off the com link.

He hoped Tim would come home soon...

Bruce pulled the red blankets up to Jason's chin and brushed his lips over the child's forehead.

"Night Daddy."

"Goodnight son."

Bruce really shouldn't have been surprised when he woke the next morning to find Jason had wedged himself under his arm and snuggled to Bruce's side.

A/N Hey y'all! How is it so far?

Tim, Dickie Bird, Babs, and temper tantrums are NEXT