Usually being grounded to your room seems like the crappiest time in the world for a kid, let alone a teenager. But for an adult who's been rewinded back to his prime years, it's a whole new experience. I haven't been so interested in this old room I used to occupy in Wayne Manor, owned by Bruce Wayne. The man who took me off the streets and cleaned me up. The man who taught me how to defend myself and stand for justice. The man I loved, but despised all these years. Why was I brought here?

Jason gets up from his bed and stands in the mirror. He pulls off his Robin costume and observes his now youthful body. His sharp blue eyes light up his teenage face. He looks at his jet black hair with no sign of the little white streak he used to have, a side effect of the Lazarus pit. Jason realizes that at this point in his life he hasn't died yet. He snaps out of his thoughts when he hears a knock on the door.

"Jason?", Says the familiar voice.

"What?", Jason says in a peeved voice.

"Dinner is ready. Come down to the table." Bruce commands. You can hear his footsteps as he walks away.

After finding and putting on some casual clothes from his closet, Jason goes downstairs and enters the dining room. The only one currently at the table is Bruce, in the head seat. Jason walks to the seat right of him and sits. Just that moment, Alfred comes in from the kitchen bringing tray after tray of food; vegetables, fruits, breads, and as the main course, baked chicken. As he sets the last platter in front of Jason, he remembers how much he misses Alfred's cooking. If there was something he missed about being Robin, it was Bruce's amazing butler.

"Geez this looks awesome, Alfred!" Jason exclaims.

"Only the best for my family, Master Jason." Alfred says in his calm voice. He smiles after going back to the kitchen. The room is quiet; the only sounds heard are the clinks and tinks of forks tapping the ceramic plate.

Jason speaks up, "Where is everyone?"

"It's just us, Jason." Bruce replies bluntly.

"What happened to Dick?"

"He couldn't stay for dinner. He had a previous engagement." As they conversate, Alfred comes in and fills their glasses with what looks like lemonade.

"Old Richard had a date huh? I feel sorry for the girl." Jason says.

"Was that a joke I heard?" Bruce asks after taking a sip of his drink, "looks like your sense of humor is coming back."

Jason frowns. "Did I really beat that man to death?"

"Just half to death. He is alive but has many injuries. What got into you, Jason?" He says putting his fork down.

Jason gathers his thoughts,"The Joker. The Joker is up to something big."

"We know that. Some how he's connected with Ra's al Ghul. We've been tracking him down but his plans are always random. But we will find him. You know we always get him Jason."

"No you don't understand, Bruce." Jason's voice gets frustrated. "We cannot let the Joker play anymore of his sick games and put innocent lives in danger. We have to make the hard call and make sure he is given the highest punishment."

Bruce shakes his head."Are you telling me that we should kill the Joker?"

Jason continues even after seeing Bruce's face filled with shock, "He's... He's going to take me Bruce. He's going take me from you."

There were many ways Jason could imagine Bruce reacting to what he said but what he did caught Jason off guard. Bruce stood up, walked over to the boy and gave him a hug. At first Jason hesitated, but accepted the hug. Bruce's hard squeeze gives him a sense of belonging. Jason missed that. The feeling of fatherly love he found with Bruce. The feeling is so strong that it can heal old scars. Scars that haven't happened yet but Jason knows that they are to come soon.

"No one is taking you away Jason. You have to remember that I will do anything to keep you safe. Do you know why I took you in?"

"So I wouldn't steal your tires?" Jason questions.

Bruce chuckles. "Not only because of that, but because I saw young boy who was lost. You needed a family and that's what I gave you. Sure you were reckless, hard headed, arrogant..."

"Are you done?"

"And impatient. But I looked past that and saw some light in you. Deep down covered by all that lone wolf attitude was a good kid. I knew then and I know now that you have so much potential. You can be Robin. You can be a great hero some day. Maybe you can even be Batman. But when I saw you that day, I knew who you were going to be."

"Who?"

"My son." Bruce ruffles up his hair and puts his hand on his shoulders. "You're not a street rat, you're not a thug. You are my little bird. Always will be." He smiles at Jason and walks back to his seat. Jason sits there speechless, stunned by Bruce's touching words. Finally he gathers himself up and manages to speak.

"Bruce?"

"Yes Jason?"

"Please pass the salt."

...

After that excellently prepared meal, Jason fell into the soothing arms of sleep.

"Jason! Jason come here you rotten piece of garbage!"

"Willis stop! Don't hurt him!"

Willis smacks the woman aside and staggers toward Jason.

"You're gonna regret not getting me that beer, boy!"

Jason starts running down a hallway that seems endless until he trips on something. Jason looks back and sees a crowbar. Before he can think, he is startled by the shadowy figure that appeared in front of him.

"Bruce, help me!" Jason cries.

"No one can help you now." says the shadow as he disappears.

"No! No! Please help me! Bruce!"

"Oh son, why so serious? We're going to have so much fun!" says a voice behind him. Jason looks around and sees his father with clown make up and green hair. He then laughs maniacally with all his strength, as if it were his last.

The floor then shatters like glass, leaving Jason to fall into the pits of laughter. Once to the bottom, Jason sees he's on some sort of platform. He looks to his left and sees Batman trying to reach for something. Jason runs to his side and searches for what Batman was reaching for. He looks down and sees a man with a red helmet on his head falling down into what seems a vat of chemicals. But before the man splashes into his toxic fate, he throws the helmet he had on towards Jason. Jason catches it and observes the red helmet.

"Put it on Jason. It's your destiny." says the Batman.

"But this is not who I am." Jason replies hesitantly.

"Put it on Jason! Put it on!" Batman yells impatiently.

"No!!!" Jason shouts jumping up from his bed. He looks around and recognizes his room. His room in Wayne manor. He shakes his head and pulls the blanket on himself. Alfred rapidly opens the door and steps in.

"Master Jason! Are you alright?"

"Um... Yeah Alfred I'm... I'm OK."

"Were you attacked?"

"No no. It was just a nightmare. I got scared. Sorry for the noise."

"Are you sure you are fine Master Jason?"

"Yes. I am fine. Thank you, Alfred."

He nods and starts to close the door.

"Wait! Alfred!" Jason blurts out.

"Yes?"

"Please don't tell Bruce about this."

Alfred thinks and then nods again, "it will be our secret Master Jason." he closes the door leaving Jason alone once again. Jason lies back down and stares at the ceiling in thought.

"That wasn't a bad dream," Jason thinks, "it's the future. And it's not going to change."