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

Chapter 49: Not worth the risks

The rain fell in sheets over Gotham, drumming against the rooftops and pooling in the streets. Flare stood in the middle of it, her mind consumed by Jason's last words, his face disappearing into the choking shadows. Her fists clenched, and a few embers flared around her knuckles, casting a faint glow against the rain-slicked pavement.

She turned, hands shaking with suppressed rage and worry, and dialed a number she considered involving numerous times before. The line clicked, and a familiar voice answered with guarded curiosity.

"Aubrey?"

"Addi," she said, her voice raw and low. "I need you."

There was a pause on the line, and Flare could practically hear her sister's surprise.

"What happened?"

"It's... it's Mom. She's back, and she took Jason."

A sharp intake of breath sounded on the other end. "You're sure it was her?"

"Yes." Flare's voice shook. "And she's out for blood. More ruthless. Pretty sure your gonna be next on her list if the info I got is correct. I thought about telling you earlier but i wasn't sure how you would react."

"Where are you?"

Flare gave her the location, and within minutes, Addi was there, her figure cutting through the rain. She wore a dark coat, the hood shielding her face, and her gaze was intense, stormy, just like her powers.

They stood in silence for a moment, the rain pouring down around them. Flare felt a strange comfort in her sister's presence, but she couldn't shake the fear that gnawed at her heart. Jason was out there, somewhere in the clutches of their mother. And she didn't know how long he had.

"Are you going to ask them for help?" Addi's voice was quiet but resolute.

Flare clenched her jaw, the hesitation evident. It wasn't in her nature to ask for help, especially from the Batfamily. She had fought for years to prove herself alone, to be independent, to forge her own path. But this was different. This was Jason's life on the line.

"Yes," she said finally, her voice steady. "I have no other choice."

Together, they made their way to Wayne Manor. The imposing structure loomed in the distance, lights barely visible through the rain. Flare's heart beat faster as they approached, memories of tense exchanges and moments of judgment flashing through her mind. Jason had always kept a certain distance from the Batfamily, refusing to let them control him. She had followed his lead out of instinct, knowing better to reveal to much to people who could easily use that information to control her. But tonight, she would lay it all bare.

As they stepped inside the manor, Alfred greeted them, his eyes widening in surprise as he took in their bedraggled forms. "Miss Aubrey, Miss Addi... what brings you here at this hour?" The 'without Jason' was unspoken, but Aubrey knew it was there.

Aubrey's gaze was sharp, her tone clipped. "Where's Bruce?"

"He's in the Batcave," Alfred replied, his voice calm but with a note of understanding in his eyes. "Shall I take you to him?"

They followed Alfred through the hidden corridors and into the Batcave, where Bruce Wayne sat in front of the Batcomputer, his expression hardening as they approached. Dick Grayson stood beside him, his arms crossed, a slight frown on his face.

Bruce rose, his gaze narrowing as he looked at Aubrey and Addi. "What happened?"

"It's the Black Fog, our mother." Aubrey said, her voice brittle. "She's back. She took Jason. That's who the two of us have been working against for the past moth and a half now."