𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 || 𝘉𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘴 + 𝘑𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 = 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘴

JASON HADN'T CLOSED HIS EYES THE ENTIRE NIGHT. Conflicting thoughts begged for his attention. Most gravitated towards his morals and the obligations he held. Some were bearable, while others had him sitting in uncomfortable silence.

He hated it. He hated the fact that Kate could get so deep into his mind that it could affect him. He hated that her words meant more to him than any others. What angered him the most was that she still had this effect. Despite the years apart from one another. Jason thought that maybe these feelings for her would've left like most things in his life. Or maybe her influence on him would've diminished over time.

But he was greatly wrong. As he sat in the passenger seat of the black BMW, her words echoed in his ears. A continuous harsh reminder of the person he'd become in two years. No matter how much he wished to, things couldn't be undone. His way of doing things was the right way of going about it. That's what he believed and he would stand by it.

And as he entered the Samson State, he felt more like an intruder than an occupant. Someone acting as if they stood for the name of Samson, but a fraud. An uncomfortable feeling Jason wished to rid himself of completely. But it was too late for that and he had to accept that.

The dingy and empty wooden walls echoed his footsteps. His presence is known to the person lying in their bed on the other side of that door. Even before he begins to turn the handle, the woman could hear the car pull in front of the mansion.

Entering the bedroom, Jason sniffled as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. White curtains pulled in front of the windows. The faintest sound of beeping and short and shallow breaths. It left the boy with shivers down his spine as he entered deeper.

"If you are going to sulk in the darkness, then you might as well leave," the voice chuckled. "But I would like to see my baby's face."

A soft smile pressed itself to Jason's lips as he approached the bed. The faint figure of his mother wrapped in blankets with her tired eyes watching him. Her once brown locks were turning a grey at the roots. A few strands caught in the bandage still wrapped around her head. But her green eyes were still as bright as ever.

"Well, you're going to have to get used to it," Jason quipped. "It isn't going to change with age."

"Oh, trust me, I know," Lillian huffed. "You used to be all emo- Sorry, I lied. You still are emo and shit. I don't know how to feel about it."

"This is how you treat me after I decide to visit you?" He feigns hurt. "Kinda cold coming from my mother."

Lilian laughs as she pats her son's leg. "You can take it," she says. "I've seen you take on things worse than a few words. You do it on a daily."

"Yeah, but they aren't my mother saying them," he states. "Who I might add, seems to make fun of me every time I see her. I can't imagine how Clint can deal with this and having a wife."

His mother's brows knitted together with a slight tilt of her head to the side. "What do you mean?" She mused. "Who's this Clint?"

"Clint Barton, ex Avengers," Jason reminded. "Also goes by Hawkeye. He's been helping Kate with getting her clean. But I can already tell he's going to go insane with me and Kate around."

She nodded with a hum. Her eyes slightly squinted in thought as she patted his hand softly. A once thoughtful look had her lips curling into a smile. "You give that effect all the time, sweetheart."

Their banter hadn't changed one bit since that night. Lilian still had that upbeat nature to her despite the things that have happened. Her smile didn't reach her eyes before, but now, it was as brighter than anything he'd ever seen. Nothing of the past holding her back from being the woman she's always been.

Of course, for a few months, she had been bedridden. In a coma where Carlton and Felix waited for her to wake up. Jason used his mother's state as a motivating factor. Seeing as the Samsons were seen as untouchable to the public eye. But Joseph broke that, and Jason was fully content on bringing the man stress and pain.

The pair's conversations had been cut short by the sound of a knock at the door. Both turn to find Felix with a soft smile on his lips. "Master Jason, we must get you ready for the press conference today."

Lilian frowned. "What press conference?" She asked. "I thought all your projects were put on hold."

"I cleared the construction for the homeless shelters." Jason stood his feet with a sigh. "Decided I needed to do some good. Besides running around fighting people."

"I thought you scraped those projects," Lilian stared at him quizzically. "But it's good you are doing it. Your father didn't like wasting his time with those types of things."

"Well, I'm not dad," he chuckled. "And you can thank Kate Bishop. I had a change of heart because of her."

A smirk formed on Lilian's lips as she adjusted herself in the bed. "When are you two going to get married?"

"Mom!"

"To be fair, I was thinking the same thing, sir," Felix added. "I've been waiting for quite some time."

"Not you too, Felix," Jason groaned.

"We're just messing with you, baby." Lilian grabbed his hands and held them softly. "Ever since you two were kids, I just thought-"

"Mom, please stop," he whined. "You and everyone else in this house know I'm not ready for that."

"No." Lilian's voice turned serious as she stared at her son. "You say you aren't ready. You've pushed everyone away that have cared about you. I'm not angry about it, but I just want you to be happy."

Pulling herself closer, she cupped Jason's cheeks softly. The faintest stinging behind his eyes as she brushed her thumbs against his cheeks. Shaking her head slightly with her teeth catching her bottom lip and nibbling on the flesh.

She couldn't stop herself from growing emotional. It felt like forever since she's last seen Jason for himself. Not some cold man that cared more about ridding the world of criminals than his once joyful self. It felt even longer since she's seen him smile wider than when he was a child. Or the sound of his weightless laugh that she cherishes.

"You're so much like your father," she whispered. "You both always tried pushing the people you love away to do the right thing. But you both couldn't realize the obvious things in front of you were all that you needed."

Jason pursed his lips as he leaned into his mother's touch. Pressing a kiss to her open hands before standing up and leaving. His hands were in tight fists as he quickly got ready for the press conference. Having Felix follow in tow with a deep frown etched into his features.

"She isn't wrong, you know," Felix said. "You are much like Michael and you both haven't been great with keeping the ones you need close. It's how your father went down the path he did."

Walking out of the bathroom, Jason adjusted the tie around his neck. "Sometimes, pushing away the people you love the most is how you get results."

"But it's also how you get to know your limits," Felix countered. "Know your limits, Master Jason. I won't bury any more Samson's. I've suffered enough."

"Neither I nor Precursor has limits, Felix," Jason sighed. "There's nothing for me beyond that suit and the company. It's always been like that, and I don't expect it to change."

Felix pursed his lips with a slight shake of his head. "You see one end to that journey and its revenge." Felix wasn't one to shed emotion. He'd always been a cold war veteran who threw the key to his box of problems. So, it came as a surprise to Jason when he saw the man's eyes well up with tears. Shaky breath's escaping his chest. "Kate is that life for you beyond the suit and the company."

A scoff left the boy, but Felix continued. "Ever since you two were children, I saw a spark in you that I haven't seen in a long time," he explained. "There was nothing there with you and Beth-"

Before he could finish, the stab of anger had Jason pointing at the man. "Don't you dare try and use her against me!" Jason warned. "She chose her life and I chose mine."

"And that's my point, Jason," Felix said, exasperated. "When Beth came into your life, she was just a nurse. But then, she became something more with your help."

"For good or for worse, I am unsure." He shrugged. "But the fact of the matter is that she laid down her cowl for you. When she asked you to do the same, you denied her and she moved on."

The man sucked in a trembling breath as he fidgeted with the key in his grasp. "But when I look at you and Kate, I see something different," he stated. "I see you finally being happy. That is what you are risking with going down this path."

Jason clenched his jaw as he stared at the man opposite to him. So many emotions in both of them that it sucked away the air within the room. Drowning it in a pool of fear and sorrow that both men radiated. It hurt him that no matter how much Felix may console him, it wouldn't change a thing. It hurt him even more than the man decided to use his ex against him. A cruel way of trying to change Jason's mind.

"If you continue down this road, I won't stay here to watch you fall," Felix told him. "I saw it with your father and you doing the same will bring me more pain than you can imagine."

Felix left the room without another word. Leaving a conflicted and pained man to stand in his bedroom. Thinking over the words exchanged in a matter of minutes and not finding anything to say or do. And even when he got to the press conference, he exchanged no words with anyone. His mind was preoccupied with his mother's words and Kate's. Only beckoning his security to follow inside the building rented out for the evening in Central Harlem.

Reporters and other local officials were scattered throughout the main hall. All eager to hear the sudden announcement Jason had for the city. Even more so considering this had been the first public appearance he's had in 3 years. There was every reason why people were so damn eager to see him and what he had planned.

Understandably, he was still frustrated and conflicted with Kate's and his mother's words. They hung in the front of his mind, begging him for their attention. Jason didn't want to be his father. He wanted to be better than him. He wanted to show this city that he would be able to bring them what they needed. This was just the first step of becoming better than his father.

Walking up to the stand, Jason adjusted the tie around his neck. Noticing the multitude of cameras focused on him and waiting for what he had to say. A few camera flashes blinded him momentarily as he cleared his throat. He wouldn't admit it, but he's always hated the idea of these press conferences. They took away from the time needed to start building. But this is what he had to endure since he decided to announce everything last minute.

"Since the Blip, the world has suffered," he said. "The massive influx of people losing their homes and being left on the streets to fend for themselves. Even longer have I done nothing to change that."

At Bishop Security, Kate stood at one of the TVs near the front desk she worked. The tiniest of smile's pressed itself against her face. Catching her bottom lip between her teeth to contain the euphoric feeling she felt in herself.

"I've been thinking a lot of what my parents might've done if I was the one taken from them," he confessed. "What would they do differently? But I've decided to deviate from them. Do things my way."

"So, I have started the construction to build 3 homeless shelters across New York." His announcement earned a massive wave of commotion from the crowd. Question's being thrown at him, left and right by reporters.

"Mister Samson, Kassandra Kane from Channell 2," a woman called out. "What do you think about the recent events with criminal activity and the Precursor being at the brunt of it?"

Jason pursed his lips. "In a time that we no longer have the Avengers, I think we need a hero," he explained. "Sure, some may not agree with their methods, but I believe the Precursor is another saviour and protector of New York."

His words brought on an onslaught of other questions relating to him, the Precursor. But beneath all the commotion, the sound of a roaring engine got Jason's attention. His eyes widened at the sight of his black BMW come barrelling up the front steps of the building. People screamed as they ran away from the chaos. Jason quickly rolled out of the path of the vehicle that crashed into the pillar beside the stage.

Jason carefully got to his feet as security and police pointed their guns at the vehicle. "Step out with your hands up!" Someone yelled. "Step out or we will open fire!"

Kate and a few others at Bishop Security were stood to their feet watching the news broadcast. One rogue cameraman was capturing the entire incident. People ran out of frame in the direction of the exit to get far from the threat.

She felt an unusual pain in her stomach as she watched Jason slowly rise to his feet in the far left. Eyes glued to the vehicle as the sound of the door handle snapped open. "Get out of there, Jason."

Two hands peeked out through the cracks of the door as it slowly opened. "Master Jason, please," Felix's voice cried. "Get far away from here. It is not safe."

As Felix revealed himself, the butler revealed the bomb strapped to his chest. Wires connecting to multiple devices with a phone having a countdown timer in the centre. The older man's face was battered with a black eye with blood leaking from his nose. Jason's feet carried him towards the man without even realizing it as he scanned the vest.

"Mister Samson, stay away!" A police officer warned. "We don't know if it's a remote detonation."

"He's my friend!" Jason yelled back. "Just call someone to help."

"Jason." Felix placed his hand on the boy's shoulder and shook his head. "It was Joseph. He's here."

Those words had Jason looking around urgently before spotting the silhouette of the man by the front doors. The man did a mock salute before turning around and leaving without a single word. Jason's face screwed up in anger as he turned his attention back to Felix and looked at the vest.

The phone beeped each second that it counted down. And it was down to 30, leaving no room for any help to come and save the man. "I can help," Jason whispered. "I can save you."

"Jason, stop," Felix told the boy. "It's fine, my boy. It's all right."

"No." Jason shook his head. "No, no, no. You don't get to do this. You aren't clocking out, Felix. You get to stay here and deal with me."

"Listen to me," Felix said. "You need to go. Remember what I always told you; no sacrifice too great."

Tears welled up in the boy's eyes as he tried to find the words to speak. To protest and promise this man he would save him, but he couldn't find anything. Only earning a shove from Felix as he waved his hand.

"Now, go," Felix ordered. "Go!"

Everyone quickly rushed out of the building with the little time they had left. When they made it onto the street, the bomb went off. The ground shook as the building blew out a large gust of smoke. Jason left to stare at the entrance, tears streaming down his cheeks. His eyes burned with fury as his mind focused on one single thing.

Kill Joseph Martello.