Hey Brother

Chapter Forty

You know, I ask myself a lot of what if questions...what if I kill Jason? What if I make Roy actually betray Jason? What if I actually made this a happy story for once?

And then I laugh and do what I want because I am The Worst.

Tonight was the night of the gala. Tonight was the night that would alter the course of the Wayne family's lives forever.

Tonight, everything had to go according to plan.

Jason was fixing his tie when he heard a knock on his door. He opened it to find Damian standing there, holding a small rectangular box. "Is that-?"

"Yes. Put it somewhere on your person." Damian watched as Jason opened the box and slid the object inside into his sleeve. "Come on now, the gala is starting any minute."

The two brothers made their way down stairs to the ball room where the rest of the family was gathered with the significant others. They went over the plan one last time before splitting off as the gala began and guests started to arrive.

Jason kept a watch on the caterers, eyeing them carefully as they watched his family in turn. He watched as Karen and Helena made their way over to the drinks table, grabbing the drinks that were laid out specifically for the Waynes. He watched as they handed them out to all of his family members, watched as Bruce went up to the podium set up on the make shift stage, clinking his glass into the microphone.

"Hello! I would like to propose a toast, a toast for my sons, for Gotham, for new beginnings!" Everyone lifted their glasses and cheered, taking a sip of their drinks.

The plan was officially in motion.

Jason nodded to Helena and Karen, who each put their drinks down and made their way down the hallway. He observed as two of the caterers followed after them. He knew they could handle themselves, so he continued onwards into the crowd, seeking Damian out.

He found Damian chatting with Jon by the refreshments, nodding over Jon's shoulder at his younger brother.

"Excuse me, Jon."

Jason sent out a text to his family, letting them know it was time.

All of the Waynes present grabbed their stomachs at various moments in the minutes following, complaining about their stomachs hurting before they all subsequently vomited.

"Mom! Dad!" Damian cried out, running to his parents side. "What's happening?"

"I think...urgh...I think someone spiked our drinks." Bruce spoke loud enough for those around to hear and begin to spread the news. He then vomited once more, thanks to the drug that Wally whipped up for Jason to place in their drinks to upset their stomachs. It was harmless, minus the vomiting, of course.

"Who would do such a thing?" Damian asked, rubbing circles on his parents backs.

"I saw him place something in their drinks right before the girls handed out the cups!" A random citizen yelled, pointing a finger at Jason. Murmurs began to fly through the crowd as everyone glared at Jason.

Jason just smirked, raising his hands up in surrender. "Guilty." He chuckled, his sleeves sliding down to reveal the blade he had slipped there earlier. He pulled it up into his hand, pointing the blade at Damian. "The only one not dying right now appears to be you. But don't worry, I'll change that."

Damian put on his best face of betrayal. "Jay...how could you? After all we've been through, how could you betray us like this?"

Jason scoffed. "Grandfather said it was the only way he would accept me. I got rid of my competition in mother, now I'm getting rid of my competition in you and my ties to the outside world in these bumbling buffoons. Now, be a good boy and come to big brother so I can kill you and ascend, will you?"

Damian grit his teeth, grabbing a steak knife from the nearby table. "Like hell, Jason. You need help."

"The only thing I need is your death."

The two dove at each other, jumping into a fight as the people of the gala backed up, too enthralled by the fight to leave. Only one man wasn't backing up, he stayed seated in his chair, calmly sipping his champagne as he watched his grandsons battle.

Damian sliced at Jason, catching his cheek with his blade. Jason wiped the blood away, glaring at his younger brother. He dove at Damian, gasping when he felt the blade shallowly stab into his abdomen. He grabbed the blade from Damian, holding it in place and backed up, a look of a utter shock on his face. "D-dami?"

Damian sneered down at Jason, kicking him in the face and sending him to the ground. "Did you really think I was going to go along with your psychotic plan to take down grandfather? Really, Jason? What do you take me for, an idiot? I know better than that."

Jason wheezed for air as Damian grabbed the blade in his stomach and pushed it further in. "Da-dami...pl-please...its me. Jay."

Damian scoffed. "How else did you expect this to play out, Jason? I've always been the better combatant, you know that." He turned around and kicked Jason in the chest, knocking the air out of his brother. "You're pathetic, you know that? Thinking you could beat me to grandfather. I've been gunning for this spot since mother died. You just upped the anti when you tried to take it from me. Now, do us all a favor and die."

Damian reached down for the blade, only to be stopped by a voice. "Damian, allow me. He killed my daughter, after all."

Damian nodded, backing away from Jason's bloody body. He caught Jason's eye and winked over Ra's shoulder.

Jason took a deep, shuddering breath, waiting for the moment to strike. Ra's crouched next to him, pulling the blade out of Jason's stomach. "I've been waiting to do this since you killed Talia, you little imp."

Jason smirked. "I'd do it a thousand times over it meant saving Damian and my family."

Ra's narrowed his eyes. "Talia was your family too."

"She was a gene donor, nothing else."

"If that is your outlook, that makes this so much easier." Ra's raised the blade, getting ready to strike.

But Jason was quicker, slashing Ra's arm that held the blade with the specially made blade that Ivy made for him and forcing him to drop it.

Ra's chuckled. "You just gave me a flesh wound. How is that supposed to stop me?"

Jason wheezed. "The blade is poisonous, you'll be dead in minutes."

Ra's narrowed his eyes. "Is that so?" He grabbed the blade from Jason, slicing Jason's cheek. "Look's like you'll be dying too. I'll see you in hell, imp." Ra's stood up, stumbling a few feet away before collapsing in a fit of violent coughs.

Damian was at Jason's side in an instant. "Ivy! Ivy, we need the antidote, now!"

The Waynes rushed over the Jason's side as the cut on Jason's cheek began to turn a sickly green. Ivy placed a hand on Damian's shoulder. "Damian...there is no antidote."

Damian felt his world crashing around him. "What? No, no, no! This can't be happening. I can't be losing Jay, not like this, not to him."

Jason weakly gripped Damian's hand, squeezing it once. "Dami..." He coughed violently, blood dripping out of his mouth. "Even though you just stabbed me, I love you...never forget...I love you...all..."

His hand went limp in Damian's grasp and Damian felt his heart shatter.

"Jay! Jason, say something! Please, I can't lose you! Not like this, please." Damian sobbed. "I need you, Jason. I need you, please, don't go...don't leave me again. It was supposed to be us against the world, what happened to that, huh? What happened to never leaving me? Jason, wake up you asshole!" Damian fought against the arms that picked him up as the paramedics lifted Jason onto the stretcher. "No! Don't take him away from me! Jason! Jason!"

Damian watched helplessly as his brother was rushed out the room, his throat raw from screaming, his body aching from the fight. He collapsed into the nearest person, exhaustion hitting him as he realized he beat Ra's...but at what cost?