Ghostwriter

Chapter 14

Barbara cradles Colton in her arms. He tugs on her hair. Her glasses sit out of the baby's reach on the table, slobber coating the lenses. Colton fusses and strains for them. Barbara bounces him.

Nightwing left an hour ago; him picking up Colton had been a last-ditch favor that Barbara cashed in before he trudged his overdramatic butt back to his stomping grounds in Bludhaven with Manon, fuming about Jason all the way.

Antigone sleeps in a cot across the room. Gauze wraps around her leg, and a bullet rests on the tray besides a pair of red tweezers. A cast holds her wrist together. Jason stands over her, and Alfred cleans his tools. Red Robin's elsewhere, interrogating the driver.

"Thanks for coming." Jason leans against the wall.

Alfred nods. "Of course... You do know that Master Bruce is most displeased with you for a number of reasons, and attempting to hide her from us will only worsen it?"

"Since when did I ever need the old man's approval?" Jason scoffs.

"A lifetime ago, Master Jason." Alfred packs his tools.

Jason looks away. "Yeah, well, that lifetime is long gone."

"But the connections you made last. Breaking all of them will do you no good, especially with the new editions." Alfred checks his watch. "I must return to the manor, Master Bruce's dinner still needs to be put in the oven. You're all welcome to come, naturally."

Jason shakes his head. Barbara smiles as she untangles her hair from Colton's grip. "As much as we love your cooking, there's work to be done. You know how it is."

"Well then. The medicine should wear off within the hour. Duty calls." Alfred turns on his heel and leaves. Barbara waves goodbye and Alfred nods at her.

Barbara holds out Colton for Jason. "I don't want to type with only one hand. He's yours now anyway, you should get used to him."

That, and she knows that holding babies makes people less aggressive. Jason's going to need to be holding that baby when Tim walks back in with whatever news the man choked up.

Jason frowns and takes the warm bundle from her hands. "She didn't believe me when I told her. I haven't seen her as Red Hood since."

Barbara nods. "Makes sense, but it'll work out eventually. She'll feel the bond and cave. All soulmates do eventually, and she can't be too far from caving anyway given the circumstances."

Colton fusses and reaches for his mama. Jason turns so that the baby can't see Antigone, and Colton calms. Colton blinks and yawns. Barbara smiles. "Must be naptime."

Jason brushes a curl out of Colton's face, then confesses softly, "I've been building a crib. It hasn't worked out to well; I can't get the leveling just right. I'll probably just buy one."

Barbara smiles and leans forward, clasping his hands together. "Keep that stuff up, and she just might fall without the soulmate thing working on your behalf. It doesn't work if you don't really fall in love anyway. Raw attraction can only get you so far."

"Look at you, handing out relationship advice. Should I call Dick back up?"

Barbara gives him the stink eye, knowing full well not to take his words personally. He's retreating behind a wall of sarcasm to hide something. She studies him. The way he looks at his soulmate, then looks away. The way he cradles Colton like a china doll. The way he leans on the wall within reaching distance of Antigone.