Hey Brother

Chapter Thirty Six

I see people just starting this book and I'm like oh honey, you have a storm coming...

Anyways, can y'all believe my original plan for this story was just going to be a fluffy, happy family book and Talia was going to be like a fun wine aunt that breaks out of prison to visit her sons and not try to kill them?? Yeah, good times.

It was one in the morning when Damian made his way out to the oak tree, finding his older brother already sitting on the lowest branch, legs swinging carelessly. Jason noticed Damian and hopped down from the tree, landing next to his younger brother.

"Well?"

Damian sucked in a breath. "Grandfather contacted me directly with a proposal. He told me all about your plan and I feigned ignorance-"

"I knew you had figured it out after you visited Jon." Damian shot him a look. "Sorry, continue."

"Anyways, he told me about your plan, the one for grandfather's people to infiltrate the party as staff members and poison our families drinks. He wanted me to be angry, to want revenge. He wanted me to want you dead. So I gave him that. I told him that I wanted to take care of you myself in a public duel. He seemed...hesitant at first, but I told him that I can hold my own against you and that I know your weak spots. Ra's believed me." Damian steeled Jason with a look. "This is our one chance to take him down, Jay. Don't mess it up."

Jason immediately got what Damian was hinting at. "We're going to pull maneuver four?" Damian just nodded. "Do we have the supplies for it?"

"Leave that to us."

Jason whirled around to see the rest of his siblings standing there with determination on their faces. He turned to glare at Damian, betrayal in his eyes when Damian rolled his. "Jason, we aren't alone anymore. We need to use our resources, especially against Ra's."

"You need to learn to count on your family. We have connections, Jason. Ivy just happens to be a...dabbler in biochemistry. After Damian came to me with your request, I asked her right away if she would be willing to whip something up for a...project. She didn't ask any questions, she just agreed to it." Barbara explained.

"And Karen packs a mean punch, so her and I can work on taking out the assassins sent after us." Helena offered. "I know quite a few hiding places in the manor for their unconscious bodies."

"Wally will help work on a fake drug to place in our drinks. It will be suspicious if we aren't affected at least somewhat by something in the punch. But only the family drinks. We can't afford any lawsuits. Well, we can but...you know what I mean."

Jason looked around at all of his siblings, feeling a swell of emotions within him. Here they were, risking more than they knew to help bring down his evil grandfather, and he was trying to keep them out of the loop all this time, afraid they would hate him. Instead, they were showering him with subtle love, offering their various resources to aid in his crusade.

Jason really was the worst.

"I...I can't ask any of yo-"

"Oh, don't give us that bullshit." Tim scoffed. "We are doing this because we love you Jason. You and Damian. We don't want a repeat of the Talia situation. So we are going to help you bring your grandfather to justice."

Jason shot Damian a look and Damian gave him a subtle nod.

Good, at least Damian had his back.

"So, we're all in agreement?" All of his siblings nodded. "Do we tell mom and dad?"

"Yes, the more support we have, the better chance we have of this working." Cassandra nodded along to Stephanie's words.

"Does everyone feel this way?" Everyone nodded.

"Think about it, Jay, the more variables left unchecked, the more of a chance this could backfire."

"True...let's tell them tomorrow. Right now, we need to get some sleep. It is a school night, after all."

The siblings all filed inside, heading to their respective bed rooms.

Jason couldn't sleep, however, so it was a long night for him with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company.

His thoughts were running rampant, racing through his head like a hamster on a wheel. He tried his hardest to block them out but they demanded to be heard and paid attention to. So after awhile, he gave up, staring at the ceiling while his mind attacked him.

Jason didn't even try to defend himself, why should he? He knew his brain was correct. He was a monster. What kind of person plots to kill to their own mother and grandfather? And feels no remorse for it? He didn't deserve the support of his siblings or his parents. He was too much like Talia and Ra's and that's why he needed to rid the planet of himself. If he was already like them at sixteen, how much more like them would he grow up to be?

Jason couldn't stand himself.

He rolled over, noticing his phone lit up with a text message. He furrowed his brow, wondering who could be up at this hour. Grabbing his phone, he checked the message and felt butterflies in his stomach when he saw it was from Roy.

Hey...I don't know if you are still mad at me but I had to reach out since we haven't talked in a week. Damian told me you are seeing a therapist bc of your parents. I'm glad. I hope it helps. I miss you, Jaybird. I don't know if we are broken up or not, I hope not...I really like you. Anyways, I hope you are well. You can tell me to screw off if you want.

Jason felt the unmistakable knot of guilt in his stomach for how he had lashed out at Roy, simply for caring about him. He sent a quick text back, asking Roy to meet him in the courtyard before school tomorrow.

Roy replied instantly saying he would be there. He then sent another message asking what Tim's cryptic text was about.

What cryptic text?

He just said 'r u in?' Am I in for what?

...I'll explain tomorrow. Goodnight, Roy xx

Jason tossed his phone on the pile of laundry on his floor and laid back down, deciding he would need sleep for the upcoming conversation with his boyfriend.