Blessing In Disguise

Sixteen

I'm on fire when I wake. Not literally, of course, but my throat burns and my whole body aches. It takes me quite a while to register my surroundings.

It's my old room. The thick cloth curtains are drawn, but the window is open. They blow out and relax with each puff of wind. It's dark out, and my silver clock reads somewhere between nine forty-five and ten pm.

It's frighteningly quiet. I wonder if I'm in a realistic dream until I try the pinch test. Nope. Reality has finally returned me home. I decide that the quiet is just everyone out on patrol.

Dick's probably back out in the field, and I'm going to guess that Tim went with. Babs might be out, but Dick explained to me what happened to her while I was gone. She's paralyzed, by the same force that brought me down.

Back in San Francisco, Donna mentioned that there were two new girls. One who used to be Spoiler is Batgirl now, so Babs definitely isn't in that spot. And the ninja girl Cassandra who was once Ra's, if I can remember right. My new sisters.

I wonder if Bruce came home when we did. If so, I hope he's met Damian. He needs to get to know his blood child and he needs to get close to the kid. All Damian ever asked me about, back in that old mansion, was his Father.

Speaking of the little devil, the kid is now in my room. "Jason? Are you awake?"

My own voice frightens me. It crackles so bad that I can't make out words. But I cough a little and sit up. "Yeah. You alright, little D?"

"Yes. Father must go out on patrol, so he sent me up to check on you."

Well, there's two of my problems solved.

"I'm alright. You wanna go to sleep or wait up for him?"

"May I stay up so late? Mother would never allow me to do that."

"Oh, Dami. Of course you can stay up! I'd never ask you to sleep while everyone's on patrol. But you need to fill me in. How long was I out for?"

"A day and then some. We have been here for a few hours, and Father picked us up from the... Arrows. You collapsed on the plane and were sick, so he rushed to you rather than us flying out here."

"Alright. Are you settling in here okay?"

"Yes. I have my own room now, and our brothers have helped me when I need it. The girls are also kind to me."

"That's good. I haven't met them yet, except for Barbara."

"You will like Cass. She and I met a few times in Grandfather's training facilities. She has fair training and works as Black Bat. Stephanie is a brat but Tim likes her, so we must put up with her. She is currently Batgirl. Barbara works as Oracle. I watched her work last night because Father was getting you settled. She is quite talented."

"Isn't she? We were really close before I died. Dick liked her a lot. We all thought they were going to get married before he got her the papers to be adopted. She turned into the big sister really quickly."

"Father told me to stay with her while he took you upstairs. She looked at me and said, 'You're a cute kid. You wanna come up on my lap or something?' I did so, and I watched her work. I do not know why someone so kind must suffer such a disability. She deserves the ability to walk again."

"I know," I say, leaning against the wall. I sigh and get up, stretching. "Let me see what I can get dressed in. I might raid Dick's stuff. Then we can go downstairs."

"Tim said you might read to me if you were awake. Would you?"

"Sure I will. I might even make something to eat too."

"Like what?"

"Well, I'd have to take a look at what there is. If there's ingredients enough, we might be able to make milkshakes."

"What is that?"

"Oh, Dami, you have so much to learn."