The Last Goodbye

Sweet Heroine

And it hurts you, and it burns you

Learning everything ain't what it seems

That's the thing about these days

I need something to sew me up by the seams again

Like sweet heroine

Pulsing through my veins like you ain't a sin

When Jason resurfaces in his mind, he notices he suddenly feels a great calm. Like waking up with just the right about of sleep. Calm like he hasn't felt in years. Peace he hasn't known since he died. 

When he resurfaces in his body, he notices he's on his knees Dick's apartment's hardwood floors. His arms are bound behind his back with a rope, connecting tightly around his torso like a python. Troya's nails are digging into his shoulder forcing him down. 

"Are you back now?" Troya, no Donna asks. 

"Yeah. I'm good now Troy. Is Tim okay?" 

"Yeah, Tim is fine. I managed to restrain you before you could do any damage besides some crushed boxes." Donna's voice sounds so normal and Jason loves her for it. In the past when this has happened people have always looked at him with such pity. 

Not Donna though. She looks like this was a totally normal occurrence, and he could start to see why Dick always spoke so highly of her. 

"Hey Donna" 

"Yeah, Jason?"

"You think you could let me up?"

Donna sounds sheepish, "of course." 

She immediately lets go and starts untying him. 

"Hey, Donna, how did you get me back so fast? Last time this happened I blacked out for days," followed up immediately with a panicked, "it hasn't been days right." 

"No. I uh, persuaded the pit to leave you alone." 

"How?" Jason has tried to get the green to leave him alone for years. 

Donna lifts the silver rope she had bound Jason in and meekly answers, "Diana's can compel the truth from people, mine can persuade people." 

"Hm." Is all Jason has to add, and then after a very pregnant pause, he follows up with a "thank you." 

Then Jason thinks about what led up to this, the barrage of information just learned about his brother. 

"Hey, Donna." 

Her voice is so soft and full of love. Motherly in a way. "Yes, Jason." 

"I think I am going to take a walk. I don't know when I'll be back, but I need some air." 

Jason goes out, practically runs down the stairs not even leaving time to think roach motel jokes to himself about Dick's living quarters. He makes it out the staircase, out the lobby that holds the perpetually broken elevator, and shoots outside. 

Donna took the unconquerable anger, but suddenly he realizes all he feels behind it. Fear. He is so afraid for his brother. 

Hurt. Did Dick not trust him to tell him anything of his life? That he was in so much pain every day of his life. 

Guilt, he feels guilty for not noticing anything was amiss sooner. 

But that's what Dick wanted, wasn't it? If Dick wanted him to know he would have told him. 

Dick didn't even think it was important to tell him he wasn't straight. Then Jason thinks back to what Donna said at the beginning of this never-ending night, "Dick hides the parts of himself, he doesn't like, which is sadly, a significant part of who Dick is."