Lily Of The Valley

Lily of the Valley

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: Jason Todd dies and comes back to life. As the League takes him in, he navigates his morality and family values over the years.

Chapters: 4/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Talia al Ghul, Ra's al Ghul, Damian Wayne, Barbara Gordon, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Sheila Haywood

Relationships: Jason Todd/Original Character(s)

Additional Tags: Immortal Jason Todd, League of Assassins Jason Todd, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Protective Talia al Ghul, Good Parent Talia al Ghul, Jason Todd Needs a Hug, Good Sibling Jason Todd, Hurt/Comfort, Adopted Children, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Emotional Manipulation, Claustrophobia, Child Death, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Resurrected Jason Todd

Chapter Four: Peace Lily

"This one, Gēgē," Damian whispered as he took a book off the shelf. Jason lay back and let Damian sit on his lap as he read the title.

"Can you turn the page for me, Damian?" Jason requested gently. Damian made a soft noise and obeyed. Jason couldn't use his hands when spending time with Damian, but he found ways around it. Damian had a fondness for Jason that not even Talia could explain. They spent most of their days together. The boys sometimes took a nap together in mid-afternoons when Talia was busy.

Halfway through the book, Damian stopped turning the pages at Jason's request. "Damian?" Jason whispered. Damian turned and looked up at him.

"Sleepy?" Damian asked. Jason nodded. "I can tell." Jason chuckled as Damian stood up and helped him to bed. Jason held back his laugh as Damian tucked him in. Talia smiled and crossed her arms as she watched the two boys from the doorway.

"You too, baby bird," Talia whispered. Damian obeyed and lay down in his bed. Talia tucked him in, and he quickly drifted off to sleep. She kissed his forehead and whispered something that neither boy could hear. Jason, however, lay awake, watching her. "Are you too tired to talk for a moment?"

"No, I'm not too tired," Jason whispered. She crouched by his bedside and pushed his bangs out of his face.

"Your bandages are coming off soon... And soon after, your training begins," Talia informed him, "Do you have any idea what that means for you?"

Jason shook his head, and Talia continued to speak. "Jason, I'll oversee your studies. Everything from history to hand-to-hand combat," she explained, "And then my father will take over your training once you're ready to spar with others."

He smiled. "Like homeschool?" Jason asked.

"It would be more intensive than homeschooling, but it would be something like that. I'm telling you now because there might be things that happen during your training that might not make sense... It might even frighten you at times-."

"But you'll be there, won't you?" Jason interrupted as he sat up.

The innocence written all over Jason's face moved her to tears. She had to fulfill her father's wishes. Talia promised to train Jason and examine the extent of his immortality before she'd even met him. She had no idea how sweet and gentle Jason was, nor how few years he'd been alive. Talia nodded as she turned her face away from Jason. "I'll do my best," Jason whispered to get her to smile. "Talia."

She embraced him and smoothed his hair down. "And I will do mine," Talia whispered. She squeezed his shoulder as she let go. "Get some rest." Jason nodded and lay down. She pulled the blankets over him and kissed his temple as she always did with Damian.

She left them alone to meet with Ra's and plead with him for Jason's soul. It was a fight she didn't see herself winning, but she had to try. "Baba, about Jason... I don't think he's suited-."

"I'm in no mood to hear your reservations on this matter... I allowed you to doctor him in a traditional sense as you asked, but I will not permit you to waste any more of my time. He will start training as soon as his hands have healed," Ra's snapped. Talia took a deep breath.

"You've already killed him once. Isn't his blood enough? Could we compare-."

"Should I exsanguinate the boy and bathe in his blood? Or should you have me drink his blood like some crazed beast?" Ra's asked sarcastically. Talia hung her head and looked out the window. "What changed?"

"He's only a child. A fragile child. Jason could be easily broken under the pressure of what you require," Talia whispered, "I don't think he understands his own gift."

"He will understand soon enough," Ra's replied, "But I'll take his state of mind into consideration..." Talia nodded and excused herself.

"I heard your footsteps, little one," Talia whispered. Jason came out from the shadows. She turned to face him, and he walked toward her with his head hung low.

"I didn't mean-. Well, I did mean to snoop... I'm sorry," Jason whispered. Talia opened her arms and embraced him.

"It's alright... Jason did you hear anything that you-. Do you have questions about anything you heard in there?" Talia asked. Jason nodded. "You can ask me."

Jason kicked at the air and mouthed what he had to say breathlessly before speaking aloud. "What did you mean by my gift?" Jason asked. "Do I have powers? Was that what you meant?"

Talia nodded. "Jason, would you like to sit with me in the garden?" she questioned. Jason nodded, and she led him by his arm to a small garden and helped him into his shoes. "Can you explain what happened to you in the past month?"

Jason smiled up at the warm sun. He hadn't been outdoors in weeks. Jason remembered what she asked after coming to his senses. Jason explained that he got sick from the cold twice and that the hospitals made a mistake.

"That's not at all what happened. Jason, you've died twice since December," Talia whispered, "But for one reason or another-."

Jason let out a laugh. "No," he shook his head. "I-. No." He tried to take a breath but couldn't get enough air. "That's not true..."

"Jason, you died-."

"Am I dead now?" Jason questioned. Talia shook her head. "Where am I? Am I being punished?"

"No, you're not dead, and you're not being punished... This island is your new home. It's where you'll grow up. I'll get you a room and playroom if that's what you like. Do boys your age play with toys?" Talia asked as she attempted to calm him down. Jason let out a breath and smiled. The smile was for Talia. Jason liked Talia, trusted her, and Jason wanted her to like him.

"I prefer books," Jason chuckled. Talia nodded and wiped tears from Jason's cheeks.

"A library then, little one," Talia whispered. She wrapped her arms around him, and he closed his eyes. Talia frowned and held onto Jason. All she wanted to do was protect him, but that wasn't in her power. Not anymore. Jason was no longer hers to care for and love. Jason belonged to Ra's now.