Chapter Text
Jason explained to Raven everything that happened to make him leave, Suzan and Helena also listened, they were more family to him than anyone back at Gotham ever was, so they deserved to know.
“Oh I don't like them!” Suzan shaking in place from pure anger. “I hope you know you didn't deserve their hatred, sweetie”
He looks down. “I know that now”
“Good”
“So little Danny was a king…” Helena whispered lost in thought. “I understand now why the ghosts have been quiet lately” She eyes Jason softly. “Being King is really something you want?”
“Nope, but somebody's gotta be, I don’t want anyone trying to make Danny king again, he deserves to be a kid in peace” He says firmly.
The women’s eyes softened at that.
Rachel looked at him with a warm, rare smile, she thinks her smiling will be more frequent with Jason in her life again, it was hard not when he was such a softie for his kid.
“Do you want company when you accept the throne?” She offers.
Jason perks up. “Please, it would be nice to have someone around when it happens”
She nods. “Then you have me”
They celebrate with the newly baked cake Suzan made, then he leaves after it’s almost midnight. Danny seems to have lost his will to sleep, looking around with attentive eyes, that confirmed that the ghosts from that day must be watching.
Jason and Rachel were in the living room, he handed Danny to his friend who hesitantly took him in her arms, she felt honored for being trusted with such a precious little thing, the baby looked at her funny, then he giggled making her heart melt as she let out a coo.
He held his laugh at seeing her like that, then he coughed.
“Uh, hi? I wanted to talk about the king thing” He says awkwardly to an empty space.
Mike and Alicia both pop up into the room, both looking excited to see him again, then freeze when they find Raven staring at them curiously.
“Ohhh, she can see us too!!”
Mike takes a sniff from the air. “She is magical” Then looks at Jason who didn’t seem to mind her presence. “Well, if our future king doesn’t mind her presence then so don’t we, right, Ali?”
“Of course! But those witches couldn’t see us though!” Alicia comments. “We usually have to make ourselves seen by humans for magical people to see us as well” She explains at Raven’s curious gaze.
“It may be the…demon blood in my veins” Rachel awkwardly confesses.
“Ohhh that may be it!”
“Well” A cough from the male ghost who then turned his attention back to Jason. “Have you decided then?”
“Yes” He sighs. “I'll be your king if that means keeping Danny out of the throne”
Mike positively beams. “Grandious! Normally to become king either you defeat the last current king in battle or they pass on the crown to another” He explains.
Jason arched a brow, well he ain’t fighting his kid soooo, he approached Raven, leaning in to look at his kid in her arms. “So, sweetheart, do I have your permission to be king?” He asked jokingly.
Danny giggles happily, hand grabbing his thumb. Yes! Good daddy, so, good king!
Jason felt a chill go through his spine as if some sort of power went through his veins, his eyes glowed pure green, for the first time not out of anger, he felt something inside his chest burn for a moment, then he felt lighter.
That's when he realized he was floating.
Rachel looked calm despite her shock at seeing his core momentarily, still holding Danny she reached out a hand to hold his hand and stop him from floating to the ceiling, they were both surprised she could even touch when he was in this form. He was glowing green, his hair has gone white and the white strand of hair went black, his eyes were fully green, the small tint of teal blue completely gone.
“Seems like we will need to practice your new powers” Raven offers with an easy smile.
“You becoming king seems to have unlocked your ghost’s core dormant abilities” Mike comments amazed. “Well this is great! Like missus said, better practice your new powers before going to the ghost zone!”
“Meanwhile we will be making preparations for your arrival! Everyone will know there is a new king, we all felt it through our cores!” Alicia said excitedly.
Jason sighed, okay, so he has a ghost powers now, he looked down at Raven who seemed kind of excited at the idea of helping him out, he was lucky he has Rachel at his side now.
Rachel was happy with how much progress Jason has made, he could float and go through walls easily now, and he could make himself indivisible to normal humans, her moths were more than willing to test that.
She knows the others from the team have noticed she seemed more relaxed and happy lately.
On the other hand, Nightwing has been depressed over something, probably because Jason left Gotham. She wished she could confront him about it, but she promised to not give any hint that she knew where her friend was currently residing.
“Soooo, you seem happy” Gar sang the words dramatically, breaking her out of her thoughts.
Cyborgs was waving his eyebrows at her. “Are you seeing someone? Is the guy nice? Do you need us to scare him off?”
She arched her brow, she? Dating Jason?....she thinks deeply about it, she wasn’t….opposed…but… he has gone through som much, and now he has a son to take care of, he needs to focus on that, as much as she wouldn’t mind loving him more than a friend, right now? It was not the time.
“He is nice” Raven says softly. “But I don’t think he is ready for something like that for a while”
“Oh c’mon! Surely he can be ready for you, right?” Gar chuckled.
Rachel frowned, it’s not like she could tell the details of why he won’t be, not for a while, so she just shrugs, not liking how dismissive Gar was about someone’s willingness.
Usually Dick would have commented on their conversation, but right now he just looked like he wasn't all there., and Gar seems to finally ask what is going on.
“What about you N? No offense, but you look like shit” Gar said with a concerned look.
Wally looked at his best friend just as worried. “Yeah man, is everything all right?”
“No, not really” The man whispers.
“What happened?” Asked Donna softly.
He opened his mouth but no words came out, he shook his head. “It’s nothing, don’t worry about it”
Before any of them could push for further explanations, they hear the Titan’s hideout ring two new entrances.
Starfire and Arsenal, welcome!
The robotic voice could be heard from the other room.
“Oh? Roy came with Kori?” Wally said, baffled. “I thought he was too busy with Lian to come back to the team…”
“I’m just passing by” Said Harper as he and Koriand’r entered the room, both looking concerned.
Nightwing stood up as if he was about to flee.
“No, you ain’t” Roy snarls, glaring daggers at him. “Where the hell is Jason? He has gone MIA, not answering our calls neither showing up in Crime Alley, his thugs have been very stubborn to share any information, just that there is a new boss”
“Did you perhaps…put our friend into Arkham?” Kori asked with a pang of hope he would say no.
“If he did, I’ll beat your ass” Harper muttered loudly.
“Hey, hey, what’s going on guys?” Gar said confused just like the others.
Donna was trying to connect the dots with the little information she had. “Are you two talking about the Red Hood? The one you used to work with?”
“Why are you guys even worried about a criminal?” Wally asked stunned. “I mean, we always assumed you worked together just because you needed to at the time” He shook his head. “No way you guys actually care about that fuck up, right?”
Kori and Roy glare at Wally at that, they were about to scold him when they were cut off.
“Don’t call him that!” Dick hissed at his best friend.
The speedster’s eyes widened in shock, his friend looked like he was about to burst into tears despite his anger.
“D?” He whispers standing up.
“Dick, what happened to Jason?” Roy asked, trying to suppress his concern over how the other man reacted.
Nightwing looked away, shame written in his features. “He…he took his own life”
Kori felt tears fall down her cheek, no, her friend would never, he was strong, he was happy last time she saw him, he was, right?
Roy felt numb, his expression neutral despite how he felt, he promised himself that he would keep an eye on Jason, make sure he was alright, he was his friend after all, he had noticed the signs, but thought he had gotten better, had they taken too long to check on him? Was this their fault?
“I don’t get it, who is this Jason? Tell us the truth, Nightwing” Cyborg said, looking at their leader.
“You…you didn’t tell them?” Harper asked, surprised.
“I—”
“The little Robin, the one we treated so badly because Grayson was throwing a tantrum,” Kori explained, knowing fully well her ex would try to hide it.
“Wait, that Jason!?” Gar exclaimed in horror. “How did he come back? Why didn't you tell us!?”
Dick tries to explain. “We don't know how, and he was…he came back wrong, angry at the world, he became a crime lord, he killed–”
“You were ashamed of him…” Rachel commented trying to keep herself calm.
“No!” He looked at her in horror. “Never!”
“Then why didn't you tell us?”
“I…” He looks away when she arches a brow.
“That’s what I thought” She sighs.”Excuse me, I have to go home” The woman says before disappearing, she heard the other screaming as Roy jumped to punch Grayson but she paid no mind.
Appearing in the middle of the living room she hears a coo, turning to the sound she finds Jason holding Danny who was reaching his little arms towards her.
“Oh? Back so quick?” The man asks. “Usually you come here at night, is everything alright?”
“Well…” She starts then blurts out: “Apparently everyone thinks you’re dead”
“....what?” He asks dumbly, the hell happened while he was gone?
“I mean technically they are half right” She shrugs.
“Did you just make a pun?”
“....no….maybe”
Jason looked up at the ceiling, was he in some sort of alternate dimension or something?
He sighs. “Tell me what happened”
She nods and starts to explain what she heard.
By the end of it he did not know if he should cry or laugh.
Becca has some explaining to do.
Somewhere in Crime alley, a woman in red and black gear and a red helmet sneezed.
“Fuck…” Becca cusses.
Carlos gave her a quick look. “Got a cold boss?”
“Nah, but I think Jay may have found out we ‘killed’ him”
“Shit….”
“Yeah, shit indeed”
“...does that mean we get to see the little one again?” Harpley asked excitedly.
“Probably”
“Yippee!”
Yup, they are fucked.