Chapter Text
“I’ve got a 904B firefly. All near troops head towards Park Row.” The radio started to sound.
Officer Dawn and officer García didn’t know how fast they needed to go.
It’s been months since the last firefly attack, luckily. They heard all kinds of sirens going into the same way. This must be more than serious.
”Copy that.” Officer García answered.
They could see the smoke a block away. They weren’t the first on scene that was clear.
“Officers, your job is to make sure people don’t come close. Batman is taking care of taking down Firefly.” Police commissioner Jim Gordon told them.
Both officers nodded and took their stance.
“Gracie!” A firefighter walked up to the officers.
“Phoebe! Please take care, work safely.” Officer Dawn hugged her wife who nodded.
“You stay safe too.” She left with giving her wife a kiss on the cheek.
Phoebe went back to her group. Her group was going inside. There had been sightings of people still inside the apartment complex that was burning with flames.
She was supposed to take the north side with her partner which they did. The flames became more aggressive. They were on the hallway of the third floor and a wooden beam that caught on fire fell right in between the two.
“Phoebe get back here!” Her partner yelled out.
”I’m getting this apartment! It’s the last one to check!” Phoebe said while she kicked down the door. She had heard a faint noise coming from further in the apartment.
Her partner was still yelling at her to come back.
It was a young kid, looked about eight year old. He was trapped under a heavy pillar and he inhaled way too much smoke.
Phoebe got closer to the kid and radioed it in.
“Hey kid, can you hear me? I need to get you out of here.”
The kid was coughing. He was fading in and out of consciousness very quickly.
The only coherent thing Phoebe heard him say was ‘mom.’
“sweetie is your mom still inside?” Phoebe hurriedly asked.
The boy nodded.
“I’m in need of back up. This kid told me his mother is still present. I didn’t see her, I need to take this kid out of here now.” Phoebe radioed.
She couldn’t access the windows anymore. Too much fire.
The pillar was luckily not as heavy as she’d think. She could lift it with one hand and quickly pull the boy out with the other. The kid was fully unconscious now.
Phoebe carried him towards the exit which was not well accessible anymore. But since the boy was concerningly light she managed.
Outside there was an ambulance ready for the boy. Phoebe put him onto the stretcher and actually wanted to go right back in to get the boys mother.
She was stopped by her boss. “You’re not going back in there! No one is! The building is going to collapse!”
“But his mother!” Phoebe yelled.
”I can’t risk your life!” Her boss yelled back.
She shook herself loose from her boss. She took a sprint and right before her the wooden staircase collapsed completely.
Out of pure desperation she fell to her knees and pulled her helmet off. Her colleagues helped her up and brought her to another ambulance to get checked out.
“I’VE GOT A YOUNG BOY AGED 8-10. PULSE LOW, NEEDS EMERGENCY SURGERY.” The ambulance personnel yelled while entering the ambulance.
Nurses immediately hurried to the boy and took him from the ambulance personnel into a room to take a good look at him.
He was critical, if they didn’t do something now this boy would die of his wounds.
The nurse saw he had a huge cut in his stomach. He lost too much blood, he inhaled way too much smoke.
The emergency treatment went successfully, but not successful enough for the boy to wake up.
He fell into a coma.
“Has anyone come for him yet?” A nurse asked Nurse Welma, who cared for him.
She shook her head. “No one has. We don’t have a name, age, anything. He is severely underweight and has signs of serious neglect.”
“So… there are signs…”
“That no one will come for him. Yes.” Nurse Welma finished her sentence. “It’s Gotham, wouldn’t be the first time. Though something about this boy…”
“What about him?”
”He feels different….”
“Okay well… It’s time for my lunch.” The nurse ended with a slight side eye and went on her way.
A week went by, the boy was stable. There were signs he could wake up any moment. Nurse Welma was changing the flowers at John Doe’s bedside.
It couldn’t be that there was no one that cared enough about this boy to visit him? To finally give him his name back?
She’d thought about this before…
It was one of the most unprofessional things she even thought about in all of her career.
She looked around herself before she shut the curtains around his bed. So no one could see her.
She had a little cotton swab in her hand and carefully swabbed the inside of his mouth to obtain his DNA.
They had this fast working DNA machine gifted by Wayne Enterprises last year. If she quickly tested it that way she could definitely find out who it was.
“I’m really sorry little guy. I hope you wake up soon, but now with your family present.” Nurse Welma said before she left the boys bedside.
The machine was in the lab. She had to be careful not to seem suspicious. She could lose her job over this. This was highly, but highly prohibited, since there was no parental consent.
Welma had to wait twenty minutes before the test could give its results.
Much for being a fast working machine.
There was one person working in the lab. A newer employee. He just came from university and this was his first year employed. He was busy testing blood.
“You’re Mike right?” Welma began a conversation.
“Oh yes, I am.” He looked up from his work. “Are you testing something?” Mike asked.
Welma nodded. “Just a little something. Doctors orders!” She lied.
”oh right, well good luck!” Mike said and turned back to his work.
Twenty minutes felt like twenty hours but finally…
A printed card with the results rolled out.
No Exact Match Found.
maternal dna: Sheila Haywood.
paternal dna: Bruce Wayne.
There was more on the card but she just read the first three lines over and over again.
“what…” she muttered to herself. “That can’t be…”
”Having trouble with it?” Mike asked.
“Just some unexpected results that’s all!” Welma nervously laughed and left the room.
The boy was also older than they thought he was. An estimated age between 11 and 14 which was even more of a worry.
She didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t tell any of her colleagues in fear she’d get fired.
Did Bruce Wayne himself even know about this son?
Welma doubted by a lot. If he knew he had a biological son he wouldn’t look like this and certainly not be a John Doe.
The hospital got information about the apartment he was found in. It was supposedly owned by a Willis and Catherine Todd. There wasn’t a kid, from what the government knew, living there.
Though the kid was, what was told by the firefighter. Talking about a mom still inside.
Inside the apartment the boy was found in the remains of Catherine Todd were found. She passed away in the fire.
Willis Todd was locked up in prison. So if those were his parents it was clear why no one came to visit.
Still that didn’t explain the names on the DNA test. How did those names and the people in the apartment add up?
Welma had to reach Bruce Wayne. One way or another. He deserves to know.
She tried calling Wayne Enterprises. And as expected she couldn’t get Bruce Wayne himself on the phone.
She searched the internet until she found one possible phone number.
She dialed it and after a while someone picked up.
”Wayne Manor, this is Alfred Pennyworth speaking.” The other end answered.
”Hello this is Nurse Welma from Gotham General Hospital-“
”Is everything alright?” The man asked in a thick British accent.
”Is Mr Wayne there?”
“He is, is it urgent or can I take a message?” Alfred asked.
”It’s pretty urgent. It’s about his son.”
“Is he in the hospital?!” The man sounded very concerned.
“Yes.” Welma answered.
The man told Welma to hold and it took some time until…
”This is Bruce Wayne..”
“Hello I’m Welma from Gotham General Hospital. I’m afraid I have your son in my care.” She spoke.
”My son is right next to me.” Bruce told her.
”Your other son.” Welma said.
”I don’t have another son?”
”my DNA test says otherwise.”
”Gotham General you said?” Bruce sounded suddenly distant.
”Yes sir.”
“I’ll be there shortly.” Bruce said before he hung up.
After Welma hung the phone back she got paged to… John Doe’s room.
She hurried towards his room. She stuck the DNA report in her pocket.
Through the window she saw the boy. He sat up in the bed and was taking careful sips of water, given by another nurse.
Welma slowly entered the room and thanked the nurse. She handed her the water and left Welma alone.
“Hello, I’m nurse Welma. I’ve been caring for you this past week. I don’t know how much Mari told you… After a firefly attack you landed in a coma. We’re very glad you’re awake…” she ended it with a little question, indirectly asking for his name.
“I’m Jason Todd.” The boy got the hint and told her his name.
Welma wrote down his name on her paper.
“Very well Jason. We didn’t know who you were until now…”
“Can I go home?” Jason asked.
”Your home burned down Jason… I’m really sorry but the entire apartment complex is unlivable.”
“oh…”
“Tell me more about what you’re feeling and who you are.” Welma asked.
”Uh… I’m feeling fine.” Jason answered.
“How old are you?”
“..12.”
Welma’s eyes grew larger. 12?
This boy was so under nutritious and underweight that he looked 8-10.
This boy needed serious help.
“I’m going to make sure they give you some real food to eat…” Welma said as she pushed some buttons. “The doctor is coming later to check up on you.”
”No need…” Jason said. Wanting to exit the bed. “I really can’t afford all of this. It’s been nice but I’ll eat somewhere else.”
“Jason you have to stay. You’re not healthy enough to leave.” Welma told him. “You’re staying here.”
Jason stayed in the bed. Not long after someone came by and gave him some food.
Jason ate like he hadn’t had food for months. Which was more added concern. Obviously he was hungry, he just woke up after a week. But this was another level.
Welma kept him company until she was called to the front desk.
She went there and an older gentleman together with… Bruce Wayne! Stood in front of her.
“Are you Welma?” Bruce asked.
She nodded. “The boy just woke up. I haven’t told him anything. This will be a major shock for him. Since there is a very high chance that he also had no clue.
Bruce nodded. “Can I at least see him?”
Welma thought for a bit but eventually nodded. She gave them visitor badges and they followed her.
Welma entered the room, Bruce and Alfred looked through the window.
She thought Jason had no clue but the first thing he said was about that.
“What are those old men doing at the window?”
Welma nervously laughed. She didn’t know how Jason would take this news. “Okay kid. I’m about to tell you, or show you something that’ll shake up your world.”
“Okay you’re making me a little scared…”
Welma handed him the DNA results. “Those results are from your DNA…”
“My…. my dad is Bruce Wayne?” He said insecurely.
Welma nodded. “And the younger of the two staring into the room is Bruce Wayne. He also didn’t know he was your biological father.”
“What about… my parents…?” Jason asked. Welma noticed he tried to not cry. His eyes and voice were betraying him.
“About Catherine Todd…”
Jasons expression changed. As if he had forgotten his mother was also in the fire.
“She’s dead?”
Welma nodded. “I’m sorry kid…”
Jasons eyes betrayed him completely and he started to quietly sob.
At that time the doctor came in for a full check up.
It took a while but Jason was healthy enough. The wound on his stomach would need some time to heal but apart from that he needed vitamins and gain weight.
Bruce Wayne was still looking into the room. Keeping his respectable distance. Jason kept looking at him until he signed him to come in.
After a serious doubt Bruce decided to come inside.
Jason checked him up and down.
“so… you’re my father?”
“They say so..” Bruce smiled. “I’m sorry we meet so late, and under these circumstances.”
”It’s not your fault. You didn’t know.” Jason said.
“I’m Bruce.”
”Jason.”
”This is my butler, Alfred.”
Jason gave him a little wave.
“I brought some chocolate bars.” Bruce smiled. “Alfred told me not to get them but… after being asleep for that long I thought you’d like a little sweet treat.”
Jason smiled as wide as he could at the moment. Which wasn’t that wide. He took a chocolate and ate it, again as if this was his first meal in years.
“Mr. Wayne?” Welma said. “Could I speak with you, privately?”
Bruce nodded.
They took their conversation to the hallway. “This kid is ill. He’s underweight and has nutritious issues. This is a sign of neglect. The person he thought was his mother passed away. The person he thought was his father is locked up… I hate to ask this from you but would you take this boy in?”
Without a doubt Bruce answered immediately. “Yes, yes I will.”
“Are you sure sir? These kids are a tough case… This boy has so much trauma and a long way to go…” she explained.
“I saw the results. No kid deserves a life he led. I have the money and resources to care for him.. I’ll take him in.” Bruce answered.