Chapter Text
Four weeks after Jason had found his way back to his family, he started his first day of school and therapy. Bruce and Alfred drove him to the school and brought him inside. Like during their tour and a follow up visit to evaluate Jason, the young man shadowed his father’s every move, not straying more than a few feet away. He also clutched his almost ever-present fidget toy close to his chest.
“Good morning, Jason!” Miah called as she approached the group. She shook Bruce and Alfred’s hands, smiling brightly. “First days are always a bit of a mystery, like we talked about, especially since Jason has never really been away from both family and home all at the same time since coming back to stay with you. He seems rather attached.”
Bruce hummed a bit as he looked at his son, who was standing hugged up against his left side. “Maybe we need a distraction of some sort?”
Miah nodded a little. “For today that may work okay, but it’s best to set up a daily routine of saying a quick goodbye at the door and just leaving. It cuts down on anxiety. A long goodbye will give him enough time to start to get upset and distraction only works for the moment. It can be quite scary for students to suddenly realize that a loved one is absent or missing. The first week or so may be rough, but most of the time our students adjust to their new routine within a few weeks.”
“Well, let’s see how it goes,” Bruce said, followed by a steadying breath.
Alfred took the cue and stepped over to Jason. He patted the young man on the back and said, “I shall see you this afternoon, Master Jason. Be a good lad.” Then he quickly turned and exited the building.
Jason’s lips turned down in a frown, but he didn’t move or react in any other way.
Bruce watched a bit apprehensively. He quickly wondered if this was truly the best option for Jason at this time. He knew the longer he stood there, the harder it would be for him to walk away and leave his son here. He also began to realize it was his own fears for Jason that kept his feet from moving...it hurt to not know what would happen and how Jason would feel and behave once Bruce walked out the door. If Jason were scared or hurt or in pain, the boy had no way to communicate any of that clearly. Yet, he was surrounded by experts, people who worked with others just like Jason.
Miah cleared her throat softly and gave Bruce a pointed look.
He nodded back with a tight smile. “Okay, right. I’ll see you this afternoon, Jason. Have fun with your new friends.” Bruce reached over and gave his son a quick hug and pat on the arm, before turning and exiting the school.
***
Jason was back in this buildingagain. Why did they keep coming here? He didn’t like this place. He didn’tnotlike it, either. It was just...confusing. He didn’t know these people. He didn’t know if the people here were safe or if they were...
He moved closer to the man that protected him. This man was always with him or nearby. This man would not let anyone hurt him.
Someone was patting his back and talking. It was the older man who always gave him food and made sure he wasclean and not lost in the big house. Then the older man was gone. He had left with quick steps. Soon the big man that was safe was hugging him and speaking. He too turned and disappeared swiftly out of the door. They had never left him like this or moved away from himthatfast. They hadalwayswaited for him, waved for him to follow or held onto his arm or hand.
Jason started to go toward the door to follow, when a woman stepped in front of his path.
“Okay, Jason, it’s time to go work with your new friends. Come with me.” The woman placed her hand on his arm and moved him away from the door. Then she slid her handonto his back and gently pushed him forward.
Jason huffed a little in frustration. Why was he here? Where did his...those men...he had someone here...with him...
“Come on, Jason. This way,” the woman said in a cheerful voice, guiding him further into the building.
Jason clung tohis fidget toy, rubbing the bumps. He didn’t want to leave the doorway. But the woman kept talking.
“I see you brought your ball. Maybe we will try a new fidget toy later on today.” She waved Jason to come with her. “Let’s go see what Nathan has Micah and Reid doing this morning.”
Jasonforgot...what was hedoing here? He didn’t knowhowhe was here...instead of the big house. Where did his safe people go? He thought they were with him when he came in...wherewas the door? Where was the older man with the food? Where was the other man that kept him safe?
“Come on, Poky!” The woman laughed amicably. “Over here at the corner table.”
Maybe she knew where to find the man. Hefollowed her over to the indicated table. She pulled out a chair, so Jason sat down.
“Good morning, Jason!” A man, dressed in a bright blue shirt, waved at him from across the round table. “Remember me? My name’s Nathan.”
Jason scowled. This man was not right. The hair was all wrong and the body wasn’t big enough. It wasn’t who Jasonwanted. There were others at the table. He tried to focus his eyes on the two people sitting on both sides of him. They were not his people either.
“You remember Micah and Reid? You will be working with them over the next few weeks. It’s always great to make new friends.” Nathan plucked a lanyard with a tag attachedup off the table and held it out for Jason to see. “Here’s your name tag. We would like for you to wear it at least the first week, so staff and students can get to know you.” Nathan handed the lanyardover to Miah, who slipped it over Jason’s head.
“Alright then,” Miah said, as she adjusted the tag. “It looks like you are all set, Jason. I’m going to go make my rounds. Have fun guys!” With a quick wave, she left their table and went to another one on the other side of the room where another group of people were gathered.
Nathanmoved a small plastic container toward Jason, the movement catching his attention. “Here’s a spot for your ball, Jason. Your family said that you liked to keep it safe while your hands are busy.”
Jason eyed the box for several seconds before he hesitantly placed his ball inside.
“Awesome, Jason!” Nathan smiled at him.
Micah clapped his hands and said, “Great job, Jason! Great job! Jason put his ball in the box! He did a great job!”
Jason didn’t like how loud Micah was talking or how he was clapping his hands. He thought about taking his ball out of the box again, to help him not think about how loud Micah was at the moment. But then, Nathan reached over and placed the box with his ball on a shelf that was set to the side of the table.
What just happened?That washisball and now it was out of reach! Jason felt...something. He didn’t know exactly what that feeling was, but he knew it was not a good feeling. He had no words to speak this feeling, however he wanted to use some words to say how he was...nothappy. He turned sideways in his seat so his back was to Micah and he did not have to look at Nathan. He crossed his arms, keeping his eyes down to the ground.
Unperturbed by the display, Nathan set atub of buttons down on the table. “We’re going to sort buttons today. We can sort them by color or we can sort them by shape. We can even sort them by the amount of holes. See? Some have two holes and some have four holes.”
Micah clapped his hands again and grinned. “Red and blue!” he shouted. “Red and blue buttons.”
Nathan placed a bowl in front of Micah and said, “Great! Here’s a bowl to put all of the red and blue buttons that you find in.” Turning to Jason, he said, “Okay, Jay, how will you sort the buttons?”
Jason frowned and ducked his head even more. He refused to look up at Nathan, keeping his eyes unfocused and away from the man. He didn’t like sitting at this table. This place was not familiar and these people were strange. Where were the people who kept him safe?
“Keep thinking about it, buddy. I’ll help you get started if you need me to.” The teacher just smiled easily and placed a bowl down in front of Jason. Nathan focused his attention on the next person, voice still upbeat and cheerful. “Reid, what about you? What buttons do you want to find?”
“Squares. Two squares. There’s two squares,” Reid muttered as he rocked back and forth.
“Yes, Reid! I see some square buttons, too.” Nathan took out the two square buttons that were on top of the pile. “That’s some great thinking,” the man praised.
Jason huffed in irritation. He wanted his ball, but it was in the box on the shelf. He glared around the table. He didn’t like the way that Micah kept clapping his hands, shouting and laughing about each button he put in his bowl. Reid was equally frustrating by the way he was rocking back and forth and repeating the same words over and over again...words Jason couldn’t fully comprehend. Jason didn’t understand why he had to sit here at this table with these people and look at these little things and put them in bowls. He didn’t understand...
“Let’s keep thinking of other ways to sort the buttons. What kind of buttons can you find, Jay?” Nathan spread out a little handful of buttons in front of Jason. “I see some yellow buttons and black buttons. Look at these buttons that are circles. And here’s one that has a shank instead of holes.” Nathan reached over and gently took one of Jason’s hands. He ran one of Jason’s fingers along the back of the button. It had a plastic loop sticking out of the smooth flat surface.
Jason blinked at the sensation. He moved his eyes to look at what his finger was rubbing against. The button was large and white with a blue swirl and the plastic loop on the back. It reminded him a little bit of his ball with the bumps.
“The shank is a piece of the button that sticks out and forms a loop. The loop is where the thread goes through to attach the button to the fabric,” Nathan explained. “Buttons with shanks don’t have holes that go through the whole button. So, buttons with shanks will not have holes in them, just the big loop on the back.”
Nathan put the button into Jason’s bowl. It landed with aplink.
“Do you see any other buttons with a shank, Jay?” the man asked, moving some of the buttons around for Jason to have a better look.
“Thirteen squares,” Reid mumbled from his place next to Jason.
Jason gave the briefest of glances toward the man who continued rocking and counting his buttons. He then looked back down at the buttons in his pile. Jason slowly reached out and picked up a bright yellow button.
“Does that one have a shank? I think I see holes in it,” Nathan said, tone a little questioning, but still light.
Jason tilted his head slightly and then leaned forward, plopping the button down into Reid’s bowl.
Reid made a surprised grunt and stopped rocking for a few moments, eyeing the new button in his bowl. Then he started rocking again and muttered, “Fourteen squares.”
Nathan smiled over at Jason and nodded his head. “That was great, Jay. You found a square button for Reid. I like how you helped your friend.”
Jason turned his face away and looked down at the floor. He still was confused about what he was doing here and where his protectors had gone, but he thought that maybe these new people were...not so bad...maybe.
***
Three weeks passed with Jason’s new school schedule. Bruce was able to concentrate more on his nightly activities. Dick was spending his weekdays and nights in Bludhaven again, only stopping by the Manor on weekends. Tim split his time between school, the Drake Estate with his dad, and Wayne Manor.
Jason had settled into his routine nicely. He seemed to enjoy going to school. Only a few days ago, he had walked through the school’s entrance, turned around to face Bruce, quickly patting the man’s arm almost in mockery of how Bruce bid him goodbye every morning. Then Jason had simplywalked away to find his teacher and classmates. Miah had covered the smile on her face and stifled a snort, eyes dancing bright with joy.
Bruce stood stunned. He didn’t know what emotion he felt more—a sense of loss at Jason’s newly found independence or an overwhelming sense of hope at the boy’s obvious improvement.
There were a few not so great issuesthat they still needed to address with Jason’s well-being. The boyhadhad a few more night-terrors. He would wake up screaming at least one night a week, if not more. Sometimes, Jason would refuse to go to bed. When Alfred would pull back the covers for the boy to climb in, Jason would scowl and walk to the opposite side of the room, refusing for hours to lay down.
The school had also informed Bruce that Jason should see an optometrist for his eyes. Perhaps his injuries had caused damage to his vision. Leslie had mentioned the same during her initial examination. It might be the reason his eyes stayed unfocused most of the time.
The last concern was Jason’s ability to communicate and comprehend language. Most of his brain injuries were concentrated to his left side and the front and temporal lobes. These areas control speech and language. In order to help Jason, the injured areas would have to be assessed and evaluated more closely by medical professionals in order to know how best to help him recover verbal communication.
The guilt that Bruce felt was overwhelming. If Joker were to break out of Arkham any time soon, he didn’t know if he would be able to control his hate toward that clown. As he sat holding Jason after another round of nightmares, he prayed that Joker would stay in Arkham. An hour later as he watchedhis son’s eyes close in sleep, he prayed that Joker would break out.
