Summary: Snippets of a blossoming romance between Jason Tood/Red Hood and an original character (named Ima), with other DC characters in supporting roles. Jason falls for a waitress at a diner he frequents with his best friend, Roy Harper. When she is caught in the crossfire between him and Black Mask, he is determined to protect her at all costs. What he does not expect is her falling for him, too. And how much she becomes a part of his – and the Batfamily’s – life.  

** Not strictly canon. Romance + fluff + minor angst. A lot of Batfamily feels. Title from the Coldplay song. Currently 8 chapters long, each one to be posted separately due to length. Editing may occur, depending on inspiration. 🙂 **

Chapters: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight

Eight

“It’ll just be a few days,” Jason said, rubbing Ima’s shoulders, “I promise.” He promised? Good luck keeping that, Jason. If he thought that three days had been enough to let her adjust to the idea of her moving to the manor, he was wrong. She continued to be sullen, and all he wanted to do at that moment was to pacify her. He had told her (at length) about what to expect from his adoptive family, that in spite of their “quirks”, they were the best company. “They’ll adore you,” he said cheerily, wiping away a single tear that betrayed her deeper feelings.

It was almost nine o’clock in the evening. She and Roy had shared a long goodbye hug an hour earlier, and he promised to visit her at the manor every chance he got, before speeding off to respond to an ongoing robbery. Her bags sat neatly by the doorway. He had arranged for Dick to pick her up; his adoptive brother had access to the Batmobile and was only glad to do it.      

She avoided his gaze, staring blankly at the door. “Hey, hey,” he said, lifting her chin up so she could face him, “You’ll have everything you’ll need. Plus, your cooking can give Alfred a run for his money. So, no more crying, okay? I’d bring you there myself, but remember Sully? The bartender from Wilson’s at the Narrows? Well, he tipped me off -”    

Deep brown eyes stared back at him, searching his, stopping all thought. “How about you, Jason?” He could have melted right there and then. “Who’s going to make you waffles in the morning? Wait up for you on patrol nights?” This was what she had been worried about? “Make sure you come home in one piece?” Home. He loved the sound of it coming from her lips.

“Uh, Roy?” he said, earning him a slap on the arm and a giggle he had been craving for three days. He pressed his forehead against hers. “I’ll come by. Okay?” And that was all she could hope for, knowing his standing with his family.

Feeling brazen all of a sudden, she tiptoed, laying her hands on his strong chest, angling her mouth to his – Beep. Beep. “I’m s-sorry, I need to get this,” he huffed, scooping his phone out of his pocket. She bit her lip, a little embarrassed, but also excited at the thought of what could have happened. What was she doing? “He’s outside.” His words and the sound of him grabbing her bags brought her out of her thoughts.

---

Once Jason buckled her safely onto the passenger seat of the Batmobile, she was able to get a better look at the driver. He was not the charming twenty-something-year-old man with wavy hair in black and blue tights that Jason originally described to her, but a… ten-year-old? She noted the red and yellow uniform with the signature “R” logo on the left breast. Robin?

“Damian?” Jason said, pushing his head further into the car through the window. “Hey, buddy!” He chuckled, attempting to ruffle his younger brother’s hair. This was swiftly deflected by the latter, a scowl forming below the green domino mask.        

“I’m thirteen, Todd. Stop treating me like a child. And, stop acting like one. Tt.” Ima found their exchange adorable.

“The old Bat finally let you take his sweet ride for a spin, huh?” Jason said, observing the interior, silently impressed with all the improvements since he last sat there. “Where’s -”

“Grayson has emergency business in Blüdhaven. And, Drake would only get to drive this before me over my dead body.”

“He can probably have that arranged.”

“Tt.”

Jason laughed out loud. He missed this.

“If you want to make sure she’s alright, you better see her there yourself, Todd. Don’t expect us to babysit her while you try get yourself killed again with your idiocy.” A beat. “The manor is literally fifteen minutes away.”

Like father, like son. If that was Damian’s way of letting him know he was missed in return, then he would take it.

“I missed you too, buddy.” With that, Jason gave Ima one last reassuring smile as the window slowly closed between them. She watched as he walked away from the car, helmet in hand. Please stay safe.  

“So, you must be Todd’s girlfriend.”

This was going to be a long trip.

---

Wayne Manor. She was in freaking Wayne Manor. Taken there in the Batmobile. By no less than Robin. She had heard of the place, of course. Who had not? It was as much a part of Gotham’s landscape as… crime was. But, to breathe the air within its premises, to step on the manicured lawn firsthand –

“Close your mouth. Fireflies might get in,” Damian said, smirking. He had been silent for most of the trip, with the occasional “Tt” when they encountered a stray cat, muttering something about how they should be in shelters. He was a surprisingly smooth driver for his age. Did he even have a license?  

He was probably side-eyeing her. As awkward as it had been, she was too preoccupied by his earlier question – rather, statement – about her being Jason’s girlfriend. What was she to him? Neither of them ever brought it up while she was staying at the safe house. When he looked at her, she was almost certain that he saw her as more than a friend. They had held hands in moments of vulnerability, but never kissed. It was not like it never crossed her mind… 

“I-I’m sorry,” Ima replied, sheepishly. “It’s just that this is… incredible.”  

Damian scoffed. She still could not see his eyes behind the mask, but she could feel him observing her through his peripheral vision. They were standing on the dimly lit driveway, waiting for Alfred to open the majestic double doors. Jason had told her about a more traditional entryway for the Batmobile (something about a waterfall), but she did not mind this one; the alternative sounded nauseating.

Light shone on the ground, indicating that the doors were finally open. A bald-headed sixty-something-year-old gentleman wearing a vested suit with a tail stood at the entrance.      

“Pennyworth,” the young master said with his chin up, walking past Alfred into the manor.

“Master Damian,” the bald-headed butler replied with a British accent, unperturbed by the rudeness. His eyes then fell on her as she struggled to get her heavy luggage onto the first step.

“Leave it be, young miss. I’ll handle it.” He lifted the bag with a single hand, without so much as a wince; his age definitely belied his strength. “Forgive Master Damian’s demeanor. He’s quite… special.” Was trained to be an assassin from the age of three. Had a grandfather set on wiping out a third of human population, a mother who tried to kill him, and… well, Batman for a father. She was not offended the least bit. If anything, she wanted to hug him. She understood what it was like to have one’s childhood stripped away.

“I have prepared Master Jason’s room for you, Miss… Ima, is it?” Alfred said. She nodded with a smile. Although his tone was formal, he radiated a fatherly warmth. Or, perhaps, it was just bias from what Jason had told her about him? “He expressly stated that you stay there. He is hoping that it would make you feel more at home.”

She followed him inside and the light from the crystal chandeliers almost blinded her. The receiving area alone deserved a standing ovation for its beauty. The high domed ceiling, covered in what she assumed from her readings were eighteenth century paintings, was reminiscent of the Sistine Chapel. Victorian furniture. Her reflection on the marble flooring. The smell of sandalwood –

Alfred cleared his throat, bringing her out of her internal revelry.

He led her up the stairs and into a hallway lined with medieval artifacts, such as a propped up knight’s suit, and huge portraits of who she assumed to be Wayne ancestors. There was door after door after door, and she wondered why there was so many rooms and what was behind each of them. They turned a corner, revealing the Wayne family crest engraved onto a wooden panel. More portraits lined the walls, but this time, they were photographs, rather than paintings. She easily recognized Damian, even without the mask. The chin up and confident wide-legged stance gave him away. Whoever the others were, they were quite handsome, all clearly very young at the time the photos were taken.

Black hair, blue eyes. Black hair, blue eyes. Black hair – her heart skipped a beat. She knew the grin anywhere. It looked like he was in the middle of genuflecting, surrounded by auburn leaves, picking up a particularly large one he wanted to show to the camera.

“The first day of autumn.” Alfred was standing beside her. “I took that photograph.”

---

 After a warm shower, she started unpacking her things, only to find that she did not know where to put anything. There was just too many storage options for her measly belongings; Jason’s room could fit three of her old home in the Narrows. In the end, she decided to keep them on a chaise lounge near the king-sized bed. She took tattered baby picture of her younger brother out her wallet and set it down on one of the nightstands. “I miss you, Kai.”

She laid down, burying her face into the feather-filled pillows. Hoping that they still smelled of Jason. She then checked her cellphone for the eighth time that night. Where are you? Jason had given her the phone, which had been encrypted in such a way that he could call it without having it traced back to him. This made it impossible for her to call him back. “In case something happened, I don’t want bad guys tracing either of us through each other.” The arrangement kept her on edge, but she understood that it was necessary. She wondered if he did it to keep her from constantly checking in on him, too. Like a girlfriend would. “Stop it, Ima,” she scolded herself at the thought.  

Apart from Alfred, no one else seemed to be at home by the time she came down for dinner. It came as no surprise to her, since she was now living with a family of vigilantes who had unconventional night lives. Besides, it was no different from living with Jason and Roy. Except it was lonelier.

She was relieved to find the Brit waiting patiently for her by an open fireplace; otherwise, she would have had no idea how to find the dining room. “Ah, there you are. I thought you had a morbid preference for starvation,” he said stoically, “not unlike some members of this family.”  

Summary: Snippets of a blossoming romance between Jason Tood/Red Hood and an original character (named Ima), with other DC characters in supporting roles. Jason falls for a waitress at a diner he frequents with his best friend, Roy Harper. When she is caught in the crossfire between him and Black Mask, he is determined to protect her at all costs. What he does not expect is her falling for him, too. And how much she becomes a part of his – and the Batfamily’s – life.  

** Not strictly canon. Romance + fluff + minor angst. A lot of Batfamily feels. Title from the Coldplay song. Currently 8 chapters long, each one to be posted separately due to length. Editing may occur, depending on inspiration. 🙂 **

Chapters: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight

Seven

He had been patrolling for sixteen hours straight and decided to take a much needed break. Well, partially. This was a stakeout. Three weeks had passed since the warehouse incident and not a day went by when he was not on Black Mask’s trail. The creep was becoming increasingly difficult to track, even for the Bat family’s standards, so he was patient with every lead, no matter how small.

And in spite of having already gathered a mountain of evidence, he was hungry for more, or at least enough to lock Black Mask and his crew away for far longer than the crooked justice system allowed. Enough so that, this time, the powerful Gothamites could no longer bear the shame of their alliances with him. This was personal.  

Bruce would be proud. He chuckled at the thought that he was being more “detective” than “brawler”. Maybe the old man did rub off on him, after all.

“She checks out.” Speak of the…

He almost fell off the gargoyle he had been straddling atop one of Gotham’s ancient banks. His favorite. With his helmet off, he was about to chomp on a braaibroodtjies, when a familiar black cape whooshed in beside him. Only a few people could sneak up on him like that, and they all belonged to one family.

“Wh-”

“That young African-American waitress you’ve been harboring in your safe house,” Bruce said gruffly, eyes firmly planted on the streets below and setting up a scoping device on the concrete balcony within seconds using short, well-practiced motions. His swiftness would still put men half his age to shame.

“Wait, what? How’d you…?”

“Why does this still surprise you, Red Hood?”

Jason shook his head. This was Batman he was talking to.

“That’s, um… good to know. Thanks.”

“Although, I’m surprised you didn’t look into her background yourself.”

“I guess I’ve just been… preoccupied.” He did not have it in him to admit the real reason for it: he felt wrong going behind her back like that. He trusted her, was maybe even in… never mind. He did not need to hear another lecture on how emotional attachments affect “the misson”.

“Hn.” Maybe he already figured it out, anyway.

“The bounty. Which is why you and Arsenal are working together again.” It was not a question, rather a statement of fact.

Jason still had connections to the criminal underworld, which was how he had gotten wind of Black Mask’s ominous offer: his and Roy’s heads for a measly billion dollars each. How original. A death threat was nothing new to him. Neither was death itself. If anything, he was more worried about his best friend.    

“Yeah. Good ol’ Roy. We’ve got an international rogues gallery after our asses.” How many superheroes could brag about that?

When Bruce remained silent, he continued. “So, I guess Luke filled you in on the warehouse incident.” This face-to-face conversation was long overdue, with Bruce having just come back from a mission with the new Justice League of America he was mentoring.

“You were careless.” What, no cigar for not dying that time?

“We improvised.” He had only been following Batman’s no-kill rule. He wanted to argue that showing mercy was what got them into that mess. But this was not the time to sass. “I’m surprised you didn’t sic your new Watchtower pals on us.” Okay, maybe just a bit.

"It looked like you two had it under control.” Ha. Right. Wait, did he hear that right? Apparently, Jason was not the only one uncharacteristically trusting as of late.

“See, I’m not so sure about that anymore. This girl, Ima… She saw everything, Bruce. She didn’t mean to, had no idea the exchange was happening. She’s innocent, but I doubt that matters to a sociopath like Roman. There may not be a bounty on her head right now -”  

“He may want to deal with her himself.” Bruce’s assessment made him cringe. Over his dead-again body.

Bruce listened patiently as Jason gave him updates, while still monitoring a local pharmacy for any suspicious activity. Although he did not get an invitation to the stakeout, he was grateful that his former Robin did not push him away this time. In spite of having been openly welcomed back into the family, Jason kept his distance, haunted by his past mistakes. He had a hard time accepting their affection, believing he did not deserve it just yet. Knowing that made Bruce’s heart ache.

The last time he saw Jason smiling the way he was now, as if he had not a burden in the world, was before Joker… No. He wanted to tell his son that he was proud of him for having outgrown (most of) his demons, for having become so much more than he gave himself credit for. That he loved him. But there were more pressing matters at the moment. And he did not want to scare him away.  

“… And she and Roy are getting along really well now, which is great! Less headaches for me. Plus, I mean, it’s not like it’s hard to like her, y’know what I mean? She’s pretty, and silly, and – and -”

Jason felt his cheeks turn red. Shut up.

“So, yeah, she’s great,” Jason finished sheepishly. How long was he gushing?  

He cleared his throat before becoming serious once again. If Bruce were at all annoyed by the waste of time, the man sure hid it well. Wait, was he grinning?

Jason slowly ran his hand through his hair, and sighed. “I don’t mind being on the run. I’ve been doing it almost my entire adult life. It’s bad enough that Roy got dragged into it, too. Well, okay, no – he gets half of the blame. But, Ima? I don’t know how I’m supposed to protect her without keeping her a prisoner in that safe house. Her brother gets murdered in cold blood before her own eyes, and she can’t even visit his grave to mourn him. I’m sure she gets lonely, too. And if anything were to happen to me, I don’t know how I’ll be able to -”  

“She can stay.”

“ – keep her… What?”

“At the manor.”

“The manor?”

“Indefinitely.”

Jason was rendered speechless. Just like that?

“I’ll trust her because I trust you, Jason. You’ve always had good instincts, only you used to act brashly upon them.”

“Bruce, I’m -”

“Not that person anymore,” the older man finished for him. “Besides, it could give you an excuse to drop by more often.”

It took Jason all of two seconds trying to process what he had just been told, until the sound of a grappling hook whizzing past him brought him back to reality. The cowl and cape were gone. Classic Bruce.

Oh, the old man had conveniently left the scoping device, too.

“Thanks, B.”

Summary: Snippets of a blossoming romance between Jason Tood/Red Hood and an original character (named Ima), with other DC characters in supporting roles. Jason falls for a waitress at a diner he frequents with his best friend, Roy Harper. When she is caught in the crossfire between him and Black Mask, he is determined to protect her at all costs. What he does not expect is her falling for him, too. And how much she becomes a part of his – and the Batfamily’s – life.  

** Not strictly canon. Romance + fluff + minor angst. A lot of Batfamily feels. Title from the Coldplay song. Currently 8 chapters long, each one to be posted separately due to length. Editing may occur, depending on inspiration. 🙂 **

Chapters: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight

Six

As the last drops of cold water seeped into the shower drain, Jason felt the soreness of his muscles go with them. He had gotten into a scuffle with a few teenagers from the Jokerz gang during last night’s patrol. They had hit him with their crowbars. He had scoffed before swiftly incapacitating all five of them, but also felt sorry that such young, impressionable minds chose to follow in the Joker’s footsteps. He stepped out of the shower, taking one last look at the mirror before heading out. Today, he just wanted to clear his head.

Ima had been patiently waiting for him by the kitchen island, Gone With the Wind open on one hand, its pages yellowed and tattered. He must have loved this book. She looked up to smile at him; he gave a small one back. He sat across from her, picking at her omelet with his fingers. “Hey!” she said, swatting at his thieving hand, “Yours is by the stove, Mr. Robbin’ Robin.” He laughed at her wordplay. “But I like yours. I like anything of yours.” If it were not for her chocolate skin, he would have seen the furious blush that crept up her face. Their giggling died down, taken over by an awkward silence. He cleared his throat, and she followed suit, each avoiding the gaze of the other.

Then she leaned over and gently tugged at his white streak of hair. “Hey!” he said mockingly, playfully evading her reach. “Who’s a ‘Robbin’ Robin’ now?” But she did not laugh. Instead, she looked at him with childlike curiosity. She was so beautiful in that moment that it took all of his willpower not to go over to her side, lift her off the chair, and… No.

“Where did this come from?” Her question caught him off guard. His mind scrambled to find a way to divert her attention, but he knew she would not let up unless he answered her. At first he hesitated to tell her the truth, then realized that if he truly wanted to get to know her, she also had to get to know the real him. So, after taking a deep breath, he began telling her the story of his life.          He spared no important detail, from his days as an orphan to his life as Robin and beyond. To his surprise, she did not wince when he came to the supernatural parts or his violent and vengeful past. Instead, she looked at him with sympathy, wiping away a few stray tears he was not aware he was shedding.

She, in turn, told him about how her mother died from a drug overdose and how her father followed shortly, having drowned his sorrows in whiskey bottles. At thirteen, she was left to fend for her nine-year-old brother. They grew so close that she almost treated him like a son. When she had caught the mistress at an orphanage slapping Kai, she escaped with him, vowing to protect him at all costs. They lived off the streets, until she found work at the diner. She once dreamed of becoming a journalist, but neither she nor her brother could afford to finish schooling. She smiled sadly at the memory of Kai and her lost dream.  

It had been cathartic for both of them. And as the sun set, the conversation got lighter. Shared interests. Favorite TV shows. Previous relationships. Future dreams.

If only he could tell her that she was his.                        

Summary: Snippets of a blossoming romance between Jason Tood/Red Hood and an original character (named Ima), with other DC characters in supporting roles. Jason falls for a waitress at a diner he frequents with his best friend, Roy Harper. When she is caught in the crossfire between him and Black Mask, he is determined to protect her at all costs. What he does not expect is her falling for him, too. And how much she becomes a part of his – and the Batfamily’s – life.  

** Not strictly canon. Romance + fluff + minor angst. A lot of Batfamily feels. Title from the Coldplay song. Currently 8 chapters long, each one to be posted separately due to length. Editing may occur, depending on inspiration. 🙂 **

Chapters: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight

Four

The sunlight filling the room forced her to open her eyes. How long was she out? In spite of the softness of the bed, her entire body was sore. Spotless white walls. Two traditional Japanese swords overhead. A wall-to-wall bookshelf made of fine wood. A tire with a bat insignia? And beside it, a photo of Batman and Robin… Where was she? She pushed off the fluffy duvet that covered her. She was still wearing her uniform, except it was soiled and parts of it were singed. She wrinkled her nose at the smell of blood, sweat, and soot.  

All her senses were telling her that last night was not a dream. As she stepped onto the carpeted floor, she noticed the Post-it stuck on the bedside lamp. “Breakfast awaits”, followed by a smiley face. She rubbed her arms, feeling a small strip of gauze taped to the underside of her left arm. She peeled it off, revealing a puncture wound that looked suspiciously like one for intravenous fluid infusion. Her reflection on a full length mirror showed her the bandages on her face and other parts of her body. She yawned, straightened out what was left of her clothes, then gingerly walked out of the bedroom. Her stomach grumbled at the scent of freshly made waffles. Her eyes widened at who may have been causing them.  

“Jason?”

“Hey,” Jason said with a bright smile, setting a plated pile of scrumptious-looking waffles on the kitchen island. “I bet you’re hungry. You’ve been out for two days.” He was wearing an apron with “Kiss the Hood” haphazardly sprayed in red onto it (Roy’s idea of a joke). When she did not reply, he continued, “I made waffles. They’re probably not going to be as good as what you guys serve at the diner, I didn’t really have time to go grocery shopping this week, what with the -”  

His ramble was drowned out by the sight of Ima taking in her surroundings. She was a bug-eyed, and he found it adorable. The safe house looked like a bachelor’s pad, with its dark wood paneling and floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking a lake (underneath which a customized amphibious vehicle designed by no other than Lucius Fox himself was parked). Leather-covered furniture, modern industrial fixtures. All of it concealed the state-of-the-art reinforcements and built-in weaponry (not to mention the safe room within the safe house) to give a homey feel. A bomb could go off at their front door and it would not even make a dent. It was a far cry from the one he and Roy used to operate from when they first started getting clients. But that was in the past; they were working for Batman, Incorporated now. He and Roy were often caught in the crossfire or swept into shady political dealings as guns-for-hire. By employing them, Bruce (and, by extension, Oliver Queen) could keep constant tabs on them. And even if the older man would not admit it out loud, Jason knew he was being protective.  

Ima approached him slowly, and the sway of her hips almost made him drop the batter-covered spatula. He had grown used to seeing her after her shift at the diner, which was just when the sun was about to set. But the morning sun was making her ebony skin glow in a way he was not sure he could ever get used to. Gulp.  

“Where am I?” She said, suddenly light-headed, grabbing a nearby stool to steady herself. Jason quickly caught her by the small of her back and guided her onto the seat.

“In our safe house,” he replied. The safest. Well, second only to Wayne Manor.

“Our?”

“My, um, best friend lives here, too. He’ll be back any minute now.” She had met him before. Sort of.

“I had the strangest dream… I was in a burning building and… the Red Hood rescued me.”

He nervously wiped his hands on his apron and took a seat across from her. Yup, this conversation was happening.  

“Then he took off his mask,” she continued, looking confused, “and it was you.”

There was no point denying it. “It wasn’t a dream, Ima.”

He handed her a glass of water. After taking a sip, she stared at him with a blank expression that made him even more uneasy. What did she think of him now?

She nodded, but more to herself. Yes, Ima. He was that masked vigilante scaring the shit out of criminals in Gotham City. The “dangerous” and “lethal” one that the news warned the citizens about.

“You… saved me.” He nodded silently back.

“The explosion in the warehouse… those scary thugs with guns… m-my… my brother?” She choked out the last part, tears building up in her confused eyes. His heart broke for her. “All of it… happened?”

“Yes… What do you remember exactly?”

“I… I went over to the docks to bring him leftovers from the diner. He called me earlier that day to let me know that he was working late. It wasn’t the first time, but I wanted to surprise him. As – as I was walking toward the warehouse, I heard some men talking about – about -” Horror was clearly reflected in her eyes as the memory flooded back in. “- t-t-taking Kai down… they were going to shoot him, something about him knowing too much… I couldn’t move, I was so scared! Then I felt an arm grab me from behind and drag me into the warehouse…”

“What did you see?” What were her nightmares going to made of?

“A briefcase, two men were shaking hands over it… One of them had a black face. He looked so… evil. He sneered at me when his men dragged me in… asked that they bring me closer, pulled up my skirt…” Black Mask was going to pay. Dearly. “Kai kept begging them to let me go… Wouldn’t even take his share in the loot, he said…” She was staring off into the distance, as if watching the macabre scene playing on an invisible screen. “… then I heard it. My brother’s gasps for air…” A gunshot between the eyebrows. He had tripped over the lifeless body on the ground amid the chaos, recognized him immediately. Ima briefly introduced them months ago. If only he had known then…

Now her eyes were lifeless.

“I-I wanted to run to him, see if he was still b-breathing, but some of the men started yelling that there was an intruder, another one…” That idiotic moment when he and Roy got caught. “Th-there was p-panic, so I bit the arm that was holding me and ran for it…”

She collapsed on the floor, covering her face. “I l-left him there…” He knelt down beside her, enveloping her shivering shoulders. Her sobs were muffled in the firmness of his chest, tears drenching his shirt. “I never suspected a t-thing. I should’ve worked harder so that he didn’t have to take that job at the docks… I should’ve listened more… I should’ve, sh-should’ve -” He caught her slender hand as it pounded on his chest and gently held it. “Hey, hey. None of this was your fault. Kai ran with a bad crowd, but he didn’t deserve what happened to him.” But those who did this to him were going to get what they deserved. He would make sure of it.

As she clutched at him tighter, he could feel her chest heaving violently against his. He knew what it was like to lose the only family you knew, but he also knew that second chances were a thing. The seven missed calls from Oracle was proof enough that family was much more than just sharing DNA. She would get her second chance.    

A text message sent to Roy. Not patrolling tonight. The city could wait.