Flaming wings don't fly(Jason Todd x OC)

chapter 25: fighting chances

The cold fluorescent lights of the Batcave flickered overhead as Jason sat slumped in a chair by Aubrey's bedside. He hadn't moved in hours, his hand clasped around hers, watching her chest rise and fall in shallow, labored breaths. Windy sat on the other side, her eyes closed as she tried to rest, though Jason could tell she was just as anxious as he was. The warmth of the heat lamps surrounded them, creating a stifling cocoon of artificial heat to keep Aubrey stable, but it felt like nothing compared to the fire she carried inside of her.

Her body temperature had stopped dropping, but it was far too low. Windy, or Addi as she had told him to call her, had said there was nothing they could do now except wait and hope. 

Jason didn't like that. Waiting and hoping got him killed once. Now it might get Aubrey killed too. He wanted, needed, to do something to help her. He had piled on another blanket and put a new heating pad on her. He event went as far as boiling water and putting a hot wet towel on her forehead hoping it would help. Aubrey hadn't woken up, and her temperature raised slightly, but not enough.

Jason's eyes grew heavy. Despite the adrenaline coursing through him, exhaustion weighed down his limbs, and soon enough, sleep claimed him.

He was jolted awake by the sound of footsteps, the sharp clack of boots against the stone floor of the cave. Jason blinked, shaking off the grogginess, just in time to see Bruce storming into the medical wing, his face thunderous.

"What the hell are you thinking, Jason?" Bruce's voice was low but filled with restrained fury.

Jason stood, bracing himself as Addi stirred from her sleep. "Bruce, I didn't have a choice. She was dying."

"You brought her here," Bruce growled, his eyes narrowing at Aubrey's unconscious form. "You exposed the Batcave to someone—someone with powers you don't fully understand!"

Jason clenched his fists, standing his ground. "I trust her. She's saved my life more times than I can count. I wasn't going to let her die when we had a chance to save her."

Bruce took a step closer, his gaze hard and unyielding. "This is about more than just trust. You've compromised everything we've built here. What if she—"

Suddenly, the temperature in the room spiked. The oppressive heat surged in an instant, causing both men to stop mid-argument. The air crackled, and Jason's heart dropped as he turned toward Aubrey.

Her body was engulfed in flames. The blankets that had been on her had been reduced to ash.

The fire blazed so hot that even from across the room, Jason could feel it searing his skin. The heat was overwhelming, almost suffocating, and the equipment around Aubrey began to melt and burn. The sterile medical supplies, the extra blankets, even the heat lamps, all disintegrated under the intensity of the fire.

Addi gasped, shielding her face from the heat as she stepped back. "What's happening?"

Jason could barely respond, his eyes wide with shock, his mind screaming at him to do something—but he couldn't. He could only watch. She looked like a phoenix, rising from the ashes in a burst of fire and fury.

Then, as quickly as the fire erupted, it stopped. The flames vanished, the intense heat that had filled the room seemed to be sucked back into Aubrey's body. The room fell deathly silent, the air suddenly cool again.

Aubrey's eyes fluttered open, her breathing steady as she stared at the ceiling. Jason rushed to her side, disbelief and relief flooding through him. "Aubrey!"

Addi moved in closer, her voice trembling. "What was that? What just happened?"

Aubrey blinked, then turned her head slightly, her voice raspy but strong. "I used my fire... to burn the waterkindle out of my system."

Jason, still reeling from the shock, wasted no time. He pulled her into a tight hug, his breath shaky as he held her close. "Don't ever do that again," he muttered into her hair. 

Aubrey laughed softly, her arms wrapping around him in return. "I don't plan on it."

Her body was ice cold again, and he realized the only thing she had on was the fire proof suit she wore underneath her pants, jacket, and hood. It was a bodysuit that cut off right where her arm started, covering her shoulders and torso with the exception of where Alfred had cut it to take the bullet out and sew her up. Jason realized it also cut fairly high up on her waist, as he could see her legs and the outside of her hips fully exposed. 

Behind them, Bruce stood at the doorway, his face impassive, though Jason could sense the tension radiating off of him. Aubrey glanced up from Jason's embrace and locked eyes with Bruce. For a moment, the air in the cave was thick with unspoken tension, a silent conversation passing between them.

Bruce's expression hardened, and without a word, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the medical wing.

Jason broke the hug, pulling back to check on Aubrey. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

Aubrey smiled, though there was a trace of concern in her eyes. "I'm fine, Jason. But we need to talk about how they got waterkindle. It's only grown in our homeland—no one else would even know what it does. Whoever used it knew exactly who I was."

Jason's brow furrowed, his mind already racing. "So someone's targeting you. They knew what to use, and they wanted to make sure it killed you."

Aubrey nodded, her face serious. "Exactly. And that means someone's watching."

Jason tightened his grip on her hand. "We'll figure it out. But you need to rest first."

Aubrey glanced around the scorched and melted remains of the medical wing and raised an eyebrow. "Rest? I just scorched half the Batcave. I'm pretty sure I'm on Bruce's hit list now."

Jason couldn't help but chuckle, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Don't worry about him. We can deal with the Bat later."

Alfred entered the room quietly, followed by Dick, both of them taking in the damage with a mix of shock and concern. "I've prepared a room for you upstairs, Miss Aubrey," Alfred said with his usual calm grace. "It would be best for you to recover somewhere more... accommodating."

Aubrey smiled gratefully, but as she tried to stand, her legs wobbled beneath her. Jason didn't hesitate. He scooped her up into his arms, ignoring her weak protests.

"Jason, I can walk!" Aubrey protested, her voice light but exasperated.

"Not a chance," Jason replied, smirking. "You're not walking anywhere tonight."

From across the room, Dick chuckled as he stood next to Windy, making a dirty joke as the woman beside him shook her head. Dick smiled wider before turning to look at Aubrey who was straining to see over Jasons shoulder. "You're in good hands, Aubrey."

Windy smiled, shaking her head. "Hypocrite," Aubrey called over Jason's shoulder, giving her sister a playful glare as her eyelids fluttered with exhaustion. She gave up on fighting him, and just settled into his arms. She was once again reminded of how the man carrying her was almost twice her size, he all but dwarfed her! Forget looking over his shoulder, she could hardly look up to see his face from her current position, tucked into his chest as his arms supported her back and bare legs.

She had forgotten that the rest of her suit had burned off earlier. A sudden burst of cold hit her and she shivered, suddenly being grateful for the lack of clothing as Jason was far warmer than anything she had in her wardrobe. Telling herself it was just because of the waterkindle, she allowed herself to snuggle into him, pressing her body closer to his and letting his warmth heat her own body. 

Jason carried her up the stairs, the warmth of her body against his chest comforting him in ways he wasn't sure he could describe. She fought to stay awake, but eventually, her head rested gently against him, and her breathing evened out as she fell asleep in his arms.