"The losses were heavy, but all ranks would willingly undertake another operation under similar conditions…We have no regrets."
—Major General Robert Urquhart - Commander of 1st British Airborne Division (Commenting on the British defeat at Arnhem), January 1945

Business calls were not part of the bat's forte. Bruce Wayne's? Absolutely. Batman? No. He preferred to sneak in, growl a bit, then sneak out before the other person knew the conversation had even ended. An eleven-year-old brat just had to change that. It wasn't safe, he knew, for Bruce Wayne to take a sudden interest in the well-being of a random child from Crime Alley. Jason had never been at any Wayne Foundation charity event as far as he knew. No, Batman had to be the one to make the call and get the boy settled somewhere safer than the rat-infested hole he was living alone in.

Ma Gunn seemed to be the solution.

He had heard of her school's reputation through whisperings in the streets and at a few charity luncheons-a safe haven for the battered and broken. Ma Gunn was, by all accounts, a crusader for the children of the city when everyone else had forgotten them. It was perfect.

Someone just had to convince Jason. He stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the rotting walls of his apartment. The bite in the air made him shiver, his clenched jaw chattering every now and then.

"It's the best place for you," Batman said, voice low. "You cannot take the best care of yourself. We still have two months left of winter."

"So? I've been through it before and I can do it again. You think just because I do have some adult here that I can't handle it? That's bull."

"It's not healthy, Jason," growled the bat.

"That's rich coming from a grown man who dresses like a damn rodent in the middle of the night! If someone here needs to get his head checked and see about someone else taking care of him, it's you."

Batman clenched his fists. While he had come to terms with how much Jason looked like Dick, it was becoming more and more apparent how different the two were in temperament. While his ward was rarely angry and chose to sulk quietly when he was, Jason took the elder boy's rare outbursts and multiplied them. On one hand, Bruce understood it; no child with a life like Jason's should be expected to behave as if the world were a Little Orphan Annie episode. On the other, Batman was about to hang him by his toes from the ceiling.

Maybe the blood rushing to his head would stop his damn mouth.

You're not hanging anyone from anywhere, least of all an eleven-year-old boy.

As silence stretched outside of Batman's head, Jason's shoulders relaxed and he chanced an anxious glance up to the man's white eyelets.

"You're not, umm, contemplating my death, are you?"

The unease in his words quietened the vigilante's thoughts. "You know, when you're not swearing and insulting people, you're well-spoken for a—"

"Street rat?"

"Child."

"Oh..." he said, relaxing a little more.

The sight of the boy dropping his defenses, even just a little, and the way he had spoken gave Batman—more, Bruce—an idea. A tactic.

"When was the last time you went to school?" he asked.

Jason shrugged. "I read stuff."

Batman struggled to keep his temper at the non-answer as Bruce continued, "That doesn't answer my question. When was the last time you went to school?"

"Two years ago. My old man pulled me out when he had to make a few runs and Mom needed help around the house. I got books to help since then. I know how to read and add, okay? I ain't dumb."

"You aren't dumb."

"Exactly. Glad we both see one thing my way."

The vigilante barely kept from shaking his head or letting him know a few other ways he's describe the boy. Instead, he took a deep breath, allowing a calm to fill his lungs. It was clear how delicately he had to play his hand. One more wrong move, and Jason could clam up entirely, even shut him out until there was nothing more to be done but leave him be or drag him, kicking and screaming. No one needed the theatrics tonight.

"This place will give you an education that you've been missing since dropping out. As admirable as it is that you have attempted to stay caught up, Ma Gunn will provide you with better opportunities. You deserve to give yourself a chance to get out of this neighborhood and make something better of yourself than most people on these streets do."

His words chipped away at the boy's walls, and Batman knew one more comment could build them right back up, taller and stronger than ever, or could crumble them completely. It was worth the risk, he figured.

"What would your mother want for you?"

For an instant, a flash of anger blazed in the boy's eyes, and Bruce was sure he had lost him. Then, quick as it came, the flame extinguished and left Jason looking more like the eleven-year-old he was than Batman had ever seen him.

"Fine. You win. I'll try your stupid school."

If he were honest with himself, he would admit that the boy even lasting a week may be pushing it. But, damn it if he didn't expect the boy to last more than a day!

A dim light shined in the condemned apartment Batman had visited twice before, and he held out just an ounce of hope that some squatter had taken up residence since Jason left for school. As so often happens, hope was dashed and replaced with disappointment and frustration, this time directed at the little boy smoking on the floor.

Batman stormed in, taking the boy's arm and lifting the boy up without word, free hand tossing the cigarette to the floor. He stomped it out with unnecessary force, then pulled his savage stare up to meet Jason's.

"What are you doing back here?!"

"Let go of me!" Jason yelled, kicking his legs and swiping with his free arm.

It took all of Bruce's willpower to keep Batman from swiping at the kid right back. "Watch it. Tell me why aren't you in school. Now."

"Because I don't want to be a damn criminal, that's why!"

"What in the hell are you talking about?"

"Now who needs to watch it?"

The vicious look Batman sent him stilled Jason's limbs, a blush creeping into his cheeks. "Because," he started, losing the bite in his tone, "Ma Gunn is training the boys in her school to steal and hurt people. I'm not a criminal; I just boost what it takes to survive. I'm not going back there if all she's going to teach me is how to rob a museum or something."

"Of all the lies I have heard—"

"It's the truth! They're robbing the Gotham Museum of Art tonight! Some jewel or something. She has a contract out and has a whole group of boys with her."

A hint of belief flickered in Bruce's heart, but the Dark Knight pushed it away. Coolly setting Jason down, he stepped forward to tower over him. "You wasted one of the few chances you got and now you're lying to me. Whatever happens to you, Jason, you have no one to blame but yourself."

A mixture of anger and hurt crashed over the boy. A brief second of guilt pinched at Bruce's chest, but the emotions from both were pushed away.

"Fine. Don't believe me. You're just like everyone else. I told you I could take care of myself. I don't need some overgrown rat trying to do it for remember, you got no one to blame but yourself, too."

Bruce stared at the files littering his desk in the Batcave, trying to ignore the pair of eyes glued to the back of his head. He had relayed the information about Jason and his lies to Dick and Alfred, then went silent, choosing to occupy himself with cases rather than waste anymore time on he lost boy.

Just because he was finished with it, it didn't mean his ward was ready to drop it.

"What if he was telling the truth?"

"People like that don't tell the truth. You know that. Now, don't you have some training to do? You last aerial maneuvers were shaky. I want them perfected before patrol tonight or you're not coming with me."

"They weren't that shaky," the uttered, making a face. "And I just mean that it couldn't hurt to look into what he was saying. We go by the museum all the time, anyway."

"Drop it, Dick. I mean it, so help me."

Dick stumbled a little at his guardian's tone, and Bruce felt a second pang of guilt pierce his chest. It wasn't the boy's fault that the situation with Jason did not go according to plan. Still, Bruce was halfway in Batman mode, and the last thing Batman did was apologize.

Blessed quiet reached his ears. Then, voice small and unsure, Dick prodded, "But, what if this time he was?"

Bruce spun around in his chair, leveling his boy with a look that made him swallow a lump in his throat. "I told you to drop it. Go upstairs. If you can't follow instructions, I can't have you out there with me tonight."

"What?" the thirteen-year-old gaped. "Bruce, I was just saying that—"

"Richard! Upstairs."

A light mist made Dick's blue eyes glisten, but he quickly pushed away his emotion and raced out of the Batcave. Bruce turned, though whether it was to apologize or berate the boy more he couldn't tell. He didn't have time to register either way as his eyes met the cool stare of his butler's.

"I know what you're going to say."

"I somehow doubt that, Master Bruce, as I am still trying to find the words myself without saying a few that would make a sailor blush."

Bruce narrowed his eyes. "I don't appreciate being questioned by my child."

"Of course, sir. Because he was insolent and entirely out of line to have you entertain the thought of the other boy being correct. You have far better things to do than to police a museum for a moment to validate the boy's statements. There are other boys in this city that need bullying, after all."

Rubbing a hand over his face, Bruce took a deep breath to calm his nerves. "I'll apologize to him later for my tone, but he should know to listen to me. He knows what I say is in his best interest."

"Might I chance a guess, sir, and say that it may not be Master Dick you are displeased with, but the actions of this Jason Todd? Considering you cannot do much about that boy's actions, you may have taken that frustration about your lack of control in his particular situation and turned it onto your own ward?"

Damn it. He really, really hated when Alfred was right. Not that he was in the mood to say just that at the moment. Displaying all the maturity of a toddler, the man stood and stormed to his costume. They wanted him to check out the museum? Fine. And when he returned to prove they were wrong, prove that Jason Todd was nothing more than another disappointment on the streets of Gotham, he'd make them feel guilty. That would show them.

Dim lights flickered here and there in the windows of the museum, though Batman didn't hear an alarm blaring in the calm night. Security, he could wager a guess. Guards were patrolling the hallways of the museum, standing watch over the most expensive art and jewels the city held—outside of Bruce Wayne.

Only, the lights were too erratic, and too many collected at once. Like a hoard of fireflies barely detectible through the darkness, the flashlights searched for something. Security doesn't search unless there's a problem, and they certainly do not behave erratically.

Before he could curse himself at the idea he was incorrect, Batman crept closer, climbing up to the skylight of the building for a better vantage point to determine a plan of action. A few children scattered here and there hunted through the cases. He strained to hear their conversation, to understand who their leader was and who called for the heist, though he knew the answer to one before he laid eyes on her white hair.

The little bastard was right.

More guilt slammed into Bruce's heart, both at his behavior to the boy and his behavior in the cave. There would be time for that, later. Alfred would make sure of it, at least. He steeled himself and kicked through the skylight, triggering the alarm.

At once, half a dozen eyes looked up to him with a mix of anger and panic. Ma Gunn's eyes leveled him with a glare of restrained rage masked beneath her arrogant grin.

"Sic him, boys," she hissed.

The group ran forward with fists, pipes, and guns held high. A stampede of half-cocked teenagers, Batman knew, could sometimes be worse than half the inmates of Arkham between unpredictability and insanity. They were still wet behind the ears and poorly trained, which made six of them difficult to ward off without causing too much damage. He had the upper hand, though it faltered a time or two, and the blur of fury they caused created a few moving blind spots.

"Batman, watch out!" a voice rang out.

The vigilante had all of a second to look up at the source. The shadows hid him well, while the rest of him lay masked behind the boy he was currently struggling with.

And then, with a dim ray of moonlight, Batman saw him. That little pain in the ass. Though the voice in his head held a note of irritation, a swell of pride erupted in his chest. It gave him an extra burst of energy, and together with Jason they subdued the thugs in Ma's care.

"You okay, Batman?" Jason shouted, simultaneously delivering a knock-out punch to his target.

"I'm fine. And you did fine," he assured the boy, unable to hide his surprise at Jason's skill. "What are you doing here?"

Jason shrugged, stepping over his opponent. "You didn't believe me, and someone had to stop this from happening. Figured it might as well be me."

"Why not the police?"

The street rat scoffed so hard he almost sneezed. "Really? I'm no stoolie, and half the pigs are on the mafia payroll, anyway. Didn't think it was worth the risk."

Couldn't argue there. No time to even if he wanted. Ma Gunn approached the pair, a savage sneer pulled over her teeth. "You couldn't leave well enough alone, could you?"

"Can it, lady."

"Manners, manners, you little brat," she snapped.

A sinking feeling washed over Batman's gut as he watched the woman pull a revolver from her purse and aim it at Jason. He could see it all in slow-motion, like watching a film frame-by-frame. He didn't think, didn't allow Jason to do more than take a step back before he sent his own foot straight into the woman's jaw.

Gunn stumbled then collapsed backward by the force, dazed eyes swimming. Shocked by the man's actions, Jason turned to stare at him.

"You hit ladies?"

"I hit anyone who threatens to kill a child, Jason. Come on. I know a couple of police we can call who wouldn't be a waste of time."

Jason sent one more gaping look to Ma Gunn before following Batman out of the museum. Not a minute later, the police arrived thanks to the tripped alarm, though it took several more minutes for Batman to relay the story to the Commissioner. Jason uneasily kept to the side as words were exchanged and wrists were cuffed, his mind running at a million miles an hour.

Police were everywhere, and Batman knew he had nowhere to really go. Nowhere legal, anyway. They were going to take him away to an orphanage, he just knew it. His heart pounded in his chest at the thought.

No way was he letting that happen to him.

He turned on his heel to leave, only to be stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder. "Going somewhere?"

Jason winced at the gravelly sound of Batman's voice, though tried to regain some of his composure. "Yeah. My work here is done, or whatever you say when something like this happens. I gotta split."

"Where are you going exactly?"

"Home. Where else?"

Batman sighed, the Bruce side of him winning out over the Dark Knight. Perhaps it was the wide blue eyes that stared up at him, so nervous for whatever was about to happen. Perhaps it was because the Batman side of him was so pleased by Jason's actions, he decided not to interfere. Either way, the millionaire was grateful at the lack of interruptions with his next question.

"Did you want somewhere to stay?"

"What?" Jason asked, brows furrowed. "Look, I appreciate it, but I ain't going to no children's home or orphanage. They aren't the places for me, and I doubt they'd like me too much, either. I can handle myself just fine, like I told you."

Batman shook his head, his hand staying firm. "I mean, do you want to come stay with me? You can at least take a look at the place and see how you feel about it. Temporary if you want it to be, at least until the winter is over. You shouldn't be out in this cold."

Jason peered at him, waiting for a "gotcha" or for this weird dream to end, but nothing happened. "What happens if I do go with you? I don't even know who you are. You could be a crazy person and I could be in the gutter by tomorrow morning with my throat cut open."

Crossing his arms, Batman arched an eyebrow in spite of it being hidden beneath the cowl. "You honestly believe I would do that?"

"It's Gotham. Stranger things have happened."

Though both sides of the bat had to admit his words were true, neither one responded. They both just watched as Jason played the debate in his head, arms wrapping around him to ward off he chilled air.

At long last, he managed a small, "Just for a little while. Temporary, like you said. I'll leave when it gets warm."

Batman allowed himself a smile—his second in the same amount of days, he realized, when it came to Jason Todd—and led the troublemaker to the Batmobile. He would have a lot to explain to Alfred and Dick, he knew, especially after his behavior earlier in the evening. Still, he could swallow his pride if it meant providing a safe haven to another remarkable child.

Thanks for reading everyone! I wrote this on my iPad, so apologies for any typos I may not have caught. Still trying to get used to it. Hope you all enjoyed, and as usual all reviews/follows/favorites are greatly apprciated!

—Defective