A/N: Wow! I didn't think anyone liked this fanfic. I was going to delete it, but the follows and favs I've received are wonderful and inspiring. Thank you! I own nothing, to my great displeasure, but the plot is mine. As always, reviews are love, so when you're done if there's something you like or something that you don't, please leave me a review. Also, if you'd like to support me, please check out my book on amazon, I'll have the synopsis to my book at the end of the chapter.
"So, Dick, it's been a while." Wally says with grin as he and Jesse walk up to Dick Grayson.
To Wally he hasn't seen the other man in quite some time, since Dick was just starting as Officer Grayson in the Bludhaven Police Department, when he pulled him over. At first, he was rather upset with the cop, but then he realized rather quickly that Dick was an amicable guy and even further that they got along great.
"Yeah, definitely. So, this is where you're living now, huh?" Dick grins as he, Jesse, and Wally sit down at a table in the middle of Jitters, taking a sip of his mocha, he grins good-naturedly, "Still drag racing?"
"No, I've left that life behind." Wally laughs, "What about you, have you moved up in rank at all since I last saw you?"
"It's only been a year, Wally, but yeah, it's in the works."
"Congratulations!" Wally says and that's when the throat clearing to his immediate left causes him to look sheepish, "Sorry, Dick, this is Jesse, Jesse, this is Dick." He introduces.
Dick reaches over the table, holding out a hand for the woman. "It's good to meet you, Jesse."
Jesse nods, "It's good meet you too, Dick."
"So, Wally, you've actually got a girlfriend now, huh? Haven't scared her away yet?"
"Shut up, Dick, you're such a dick."
Rolling his eyes, "As though I've never heard that one before."
"That's what you get when your name has all sort of nicknames and you choose Dick as your favorite." Wally laughs.
"So, Jesse, from what Wally tells me, you and he work together?"
"More or less." Jesse states uneasily, "I don't really live in Central, I'm just here with my father right now."
"Oh, so long distance, then."
"More or less."
"Well, man, we've got to do something, your brother can come too if he wants."
"What?"
"Your brother, you said he's here in Central interning?"
Dick nods and seems to think about something before he replies, "Yeah Tim, he's got an internship here in Central, as far away from Gotham as he can get, I guess."
"Well, you should have him join us. I know that my dad would like to have you over, you can invite him, too. We can have dinner at my dad's house."
"That'd be nice, thanks. And so, you've gotten in touch with your dad, I know last time I saw you, that was a sore spot for you."
"Where's Tim interning at in Central?" Jesse asks.
"Wayne Enterprises. There's a branch of it here in Central, although it's a small one."
"Wayne Enterprises, like the Wayne Enterprises from Gotham? That's a sweet deal. How'd he land that?"
"Well, it—" The vibrating in his pocket, stops him from saying what he wants. He looks at the phone and groans before answering. "What do you want?"
Wally can't hear the other side of the conversation, but he can tell it's not a pleasant one if Dick's tone is to be taken into account.
"So, I'm going to go, I'll see you later." Jesse says, giving Wally a small peck on the lips.
Wally frowns, "Why?"
Jesse gives Wally a knowing look, "You know why. I'm just here as a third wheel. You should have a chance to catch up with your friend. I'll go back to Star Labs—"
"You don't have to leave on my account." Dick says, as he pockets his phone.
Smiling, "It'll give you two a chance to catch up."
"So, Jesse, where does your dad work, that you're here in Central?" Dick asks.
Jesse sees that Dick's trying to keep her from leaving, and she smiles despite herself.
"Where's Babs?" Wally asks quickly.
Suddenly, Jesse perks up at this. She was told that Dick's girlfriend might be here. In fact, that's the whole reason she came, so she could have someone to talk to and wouldn't feel like a third wheel.
Chuckling, "That's what the phone call was about. Jay, my uhh…other brother, or one of them at least, he's here in Central too, he held Babs up, but she's coming."
"How many brothers do you have?" Jesse asks.
"Just brothers, well, that would be, well, I'm the oldest, then Jason, then Cass, she's my sister, then Tim, and well, now there's Damian, he's the youngest."
"What the hell? I didn't know you had such a big family," Wally asks. He's known Dick for some time, sure they haven't seen each other in a year but the man has never mentioned his family not once. It's just never come up.
Shrugging, "Well, it's a running joke among all of us, that Bruce had to adopt four kids before he finally had one of his own."
"Who's Bruce?"
"My—"
"Oh, good you're here."
Jesse looks over Dick's shoulder and notices that the man that's coming up to them is only a few years younger than Dick. His black hair is styled back, not like Dick's locks that are loose in his face. There's also a thick white streak that runs through his locks. It's striking against his black hair, and his green eyes are piercing to gaze into, almost like there's something unsettled in them.
"Hey, Babs." Dick walks over to the woman rolling herself in behind the man and bends down to give her a hug.
"Dick, I can't believe you left me with Jason." She says. "You know we don't get along."
"Oh, please, Babs, you love me and you know it." Jason says, as he takes a seat across from Wally and Jesse. He plops his feet atop of the table and reclines back into the booth.
"Who are these idiots?" Jason tosses over his shoulder.
Rolling his eyes with a sigh, Dick walks up to the table, to see his brother occupying the seat he was just sitting in and groans at the scene before him. A flabbergasted Wally and Jesse and a cavalier Jason.
"Jason, get your feet off the table." Babs says as she rolls up to the table. Turning to Wally and Jesse, she smiles, "Hi, I'm Barbara Gordon, but everyone calls me Babs. I'm Dick's girlfriend and this dumbass is Jason. He's unfortunately Dick's family." She finishes that last note with a smile and both their glares meet.
Dick tries to take a seat next to Jason, but with the boots in his face, and with Jason taking up most of the room, he turns to his younger brother, "You mind?"
"Not at all." Jason says, peaking one eye open before going back to trying to sleep.
"Sir, you cannot have your feet on the furniture. If you don't remove them, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave." A kind but stern voice causes Jason to moan as he takes his feet down and sits normally.
"You can make him leave now, if you want." Babs says excitedly, but the waitress just gives an approving nod Jason's way before walking away to tend to other customers.
"So, I ask you, who are these two dumbasses."
"Wow, rude much?" Dick asks, turning to his brother.
"Ehh…where's the replacement. I'm shocked he isn't here."
"You know, unlike you he does actually do something productive with his time." Babs growls, "Why don't you just go?"
"I'm so hurt, Babs, you don't want me here."
"No, what gave you that idea?"
Scoffing, he takes Dick's drink easily and starts drinking from it, "This is disgusting, Goldie, why did you get this?"
"Jason, if you're only here to make our lives unpleasant go somewhere else." Dick says finally snatching his drink out of his brother's hand.
Rolling his eyes, he just shakes his head, "I'll behave, I promise."
Wally and Jesse just look on completely bemused by this whole experienced. They hadn't expected this at all, but then again, who would? The guy was shameless, Jesse notices. She also once again takes notice of his rugged good looks and wild personality. She can't help but admire it, but he does seem insufferable to live with. His leather jacket and biker attire does give him the distinct air of danger.
"You done, staring, Sweetheart?" Jason asks with a knowing grin.
Jesse rightfully blushes, her face turning beet red, she can feel all eyes on her and she wants to sink into her seat and disappear when she feels Wally's heated gaze on her face. No doubt he's extremely jealous right now, not that he had any reason to be. She's not unfaithful and she loves Wally, it's just she's never seen anyone like this Jason-guy before.
"You know, you are kind of the fifth wheel, maybe you could go and leave us in peace." Babs suggests again, her voice makes it painfully obvious to everyone that she wants Jason to leave and not come back.
"Nah, I think I'm good right here." Jason says with a smirk, giving Babs a wink.
"Ugghh…can't you make him go away, Dick?"
"What about you two?" Jason asks, bringing a heated Wally and an embarrassed Jesse into the conversation. He flashes his white teeth their way and leans back into his seat.
"Maybe you should go." Wally says after a minute. It's not that he dislikes the guy, okay, maybe he does. His personality is too much and whatever is happening with Jesse and Jason is not something he wants to encourage. He has half a mind to punch the guy unconscious, with his speed he could do it too, and no one would be the wiser, but that would be wrong. So, wrong…He can't get over how right it would feel, he means wrong, but at the same time his hand fisting under the table is vibrating with the need to do it and worst of all, the guy seems like he can tell, too. His grin just keeps growing and the quick flicker of the eyes down at the table as though he's seeing through it and back up at Wally's face tells him that this guy is looking for a fight.
"Well, I'll go." Jason says as he slaps the table and stands.
Dick quickly scrambles out of the way before Jason just plows right over him.
As soon as he's out of ear shot, and out the door, Dick turns to Babs and he groans, "Why did you have to bring him along?"
"I felt bad for him, he was all lonely and pathetic looking, I don't know!"
"He's always pathetic looking." Dick turns to the other two, "I'm sorry, guys, that was my brother Jason. He's a bit much sometimes."
"Sometimes!"
"Babs, come on. You know he does that because like Bruce he can't handle emotion."
"Are you trying to tell me underneath that spikey distasteful exterior is a soft cuddly center that just wants to be loved?"
"Okay, I so did not need that imagery and I'm sure that everyone at this table can agree."
"My point exactly."
"Sorry, guys, Jason is my brother, but he's an acquired taste to deal with."
"Well, you can say that again." Wally laughs, but it's hollow. He still can't let it escape from his mind that Jason and Jesse had something, however brief. It infuriates him, but the more he dwells on it the more he realizes how idiotic he's being. Jesse would probably yell at him for even thinking of her this way. He feels ashamed, for doubting her no matter how slight.
"So, is Tim like that?" Wally asks.
Dick just laughs, "You can rest assured that none of my family is like that. Jason's just a special case, he's been through a lot."
Jesse can tell there's a story there, probably a painful one too, judging by the man's tone, but she doesn't press it. She can tell that Jason got under Wally's skin, even under hers, but in a drastically different way, and she's not about to start prying into people's lives, especially when she just met these people. That would be rude, but she can't help but be intrigued by the story, whatever it might be.
A/N: And yes, I am hinting that there might be more Jason/Jesse here. Review to tell me if you like this pairing. This fic is going to be slightly different than my others, it's going to be slower and a lot more agonizing to bring out. I am greatly appreciative of those of you who are willing to take a chance on this story. Please review to tell me what I'm doing wrong or right with this story. Let me know if someone's OOC, this is my first time writing most of these characters and I plan to use them again and again. Also, here's a synopsis for my book, please support me and check it out, it's on amazon and now on Nook as well.
In a future world, divided into just 4 countries, Markus Valentine becomes the new, 18-year-old Emperor of Eurasia, following the death of his father.
Arena fighting is the main sport and a newly rising star is Fane. He believes that arena fighting should be to the death, but the law forbids murder and those found guilty are sentenced to death.
This is the fate of Cornelius Johnston, a man who murdered his fiancée at the behest of his father, and whose life will become inextricably entwined with that of the new Emperor.
When Fane kills another man in the Arena, he is pardoned by Markus, much to the dismay of the crowd. But the new favourite and the young Emperor are soon on a collision course as both men fall in love with the alluring Rosalyn.
But after Fane and Rosalyn marry, Markus becomes jealous. He kills her family and takes her for his own, intent that she will provide him with a son and heir.
Exiled and alone, Fane meets Amaranta and they have two children together. But the memory of what Markus Valentine did still cuts deep and he is determined to exact vengeance on him.
Will a gladiator have his revenge on an Emperor? And will a murderer be pardoned against the laws of the country?