When Sam got back upstairs, he saw Anya asleep on his bed. Sam sighed softly and carefully sat beside her, rubbing his eyes.

Anya moved and turned, waking up slightly, "Hey."

"Hey Anya." Sam looked over at her

"How did things go with Bruce?"

"Like how things always go with Bruce." He kissed her forehead.

"What did he say?"

"Nothing of value, he and Jason weren't close." Sam sighed,"He was looking at new kids already."

"Already?" She sighed.

"I saw them." Sam shook his head,"Gotham needs a Robin, or so he says."

"Gotham doesn't need a Robin." Anya rubbed his leg.

"Tell that to Bruce."

"I'm sorry, Kitty." Anya took his hand.

"Its fine, I'll talk to Dick about it later." Sam squeezed her hand.

"You wanna come for a nap?"

"I do." He pulled her close to him.

Anya chuckled,"Sleepy time." She covered his eyes.

"Back to bed for you." He hummed.

"I could sleep for days." Anya nodded.

"Then sleep."

"I am." Anya closed her eyes.

Sam kissed her forehead and yawned as he closed his eyes.

"Love you, Sam."

"Love you too, Anya."

*********************************

When Sam and Anya finally woke up, they heard talking from downstairs.

"I know those voices." Sam sat up.

"When did they get here?" Anya grabbed Sam's hoodie.

"I dunno." Sam grinned.

"Can I wear this? I don't know how you handle the cold here." Anya sighed.

"Oh- sure." Sam nodded.

"You sure? I can wear something else-"

"Wear it." Sam pointed.

"Okay Mr." Anya laughed and put it on.

"There, you look great."

"Yeah?" Anya posed jokingly.

"Yeah."

Anya hummed and zipped the hoodie up. Sam smiled at her and walked out. Anya quickly chased after him, going down the stairs.

"Ay! Old man!" Sam grinned.

"Young chap." Hank laughed and hugged him.

"The hell have you been? Cycling shorts?" Sam gave him a look.

"I've been busy." He shrugged.

"With cycling shorts?"

"I'm security." He said proudly.

"You look it." Sam chuckled.

"It's a good look on me, no?"

"It makes you look a bit, uh, old?"

"Hey, shut it." Hank pointed.

Sam laughed,"I'm kidding."

"Hi Dawn." Anya waved as she walked over.

"How have you both been?" Dawn asked them.

"We've been good. We missed you guys, especially Sam." Anya chuckled.

"I did." Sam hugged her.

"Well we missed you guys too." Dawn sighed,"I just... I wish it was on better circumstances."

"Yeah.." Sam shook his head.

"I'm sorry, kid." Hank rubbed his back.

"It's fine. I'm fine." Sam looked up at him.

"Are you sure?" Dawn turned to him.

"Y-yeah, yeah."

"Sam." Dawn crossed her arms.

Sam leaned against Dawn.

"Oh Sammy." Dawn sighed and rubbed his arm.

"I just... Can't believe he's really gone."

"I know... Neither can I."

"It's not the Manor without him, y'know? Playing his music, breaking something.." Sam looked off to the side.

"Flirting with women double his age." Dawn chuckled.

"Hey!" Sam nudged her,"That was only half of the girls."

"That was everyone." Dawn hummed,"Going from me and Donna to Anya and Rose."

"Even I settled with two eventually, it's not that hard." Sam shook his head.

"This was Jason we're on about. He was like Bruce, playboy." Hank added.

"Bruce is not a playboy."

"Oh, he is." Dick spoke from behind him.

"No." Sam groaned.

"Trust me."

"Thats just... It's gross."

"Tell me about it."

"I- Ew." Sam turned and hugged Dick,"Now I have to think about that!"

Dick chuckled before he crossed his arms,"As much as I love the reunion... I have some news."

"News?" Sam raised a brow.

"There's a new villain in Gotham. He goes by the name of Red Hood." Dick sighed

"Red Hood... Didn't the Joker go by that in the past?" Dawn asked.

"He started out as that." Kory nodded slowly,"Could this just be Joker again? Taunting us."

"If he is, I'll go kick his ass." Hank crossed his arms.

"I'm gonna wait to see if anything else comes to it. If it does, we can go all in." Dick ordered.

"Teach him a lesson he won't forget.' Sam muttered.

"I just want a couple of punches in... Maybe a few blows to the head." Gar agreed.

"I want to kill him."

"Sam." Anya sat on the counter.

"What? He deserves it." Sam crossed his arms.

"I know he does. But I'm not risking losing you too." She pointed at him.

"I wouldn't go alone." Sam shook his head

"You'd have all of us backing you up." Hank nudged him.

"Thanks, old man." Sam smiled at him.

"Shut it  kid."

"Nope."

Hank chuckled and shook his head.

"Alright everyone, do your thing... Look around... I'll shout when I need you." Dick nodded.

"Alright, Dick." Gar nodded.

*********************************

"So are there any cool things?" Connor asked Sam.

"Cool things?" Sam raised a brow.

"In the Manor." He looked around.

"Uh... I'm sure there's something." Sam shrugged.

"Can you show us?" Gar leaned against him.

"I'm not taking you into the BatCave."

"Oh c'mon!"

"Bruce's rules." Sam shrugged.

"Bruce... Isn't here." Connor pointed.

"His house, his rules." Sam sighed,"Come on, let's just get some food."

"We tried." Gar sighed to Connor.

"You tried?" Sam raised a brow with a smile.

"One day we'll get down there." Connor hummed.

"Not a chance." Sam walked through to the kitchen,"Oh, hey Kory."

Kory had her back turned to the three, she was holding her head as if she was in pain.

"Kory? You alright? The painkillers are in this cabinet." Sam pointed to the cabinet above him.

No response.

"Maybe she's gone deaf." Gar suggested.

"I don't have pills for that." Sam shook his head.

"I might-" Connor began.

That's when Kory turned, shooting fire at the trio.

"Shit-" Sam stumbled back.

Connor quickly pushed infront and blew an ice blast to protect them.

"Kory! What was that?" Gar held onto Sam's arm.

Kory raised her hand before she winced and looked around as if she was lost, turning to the fire,"Please tell me that was a grease fire."

"If by grease fire you mean, try to kill us with your fire powers, then yes. It was." Sam nodded, trying to steady his breath.

"I- what?"

"If Connor wasn't here, we'd be toast." Gar sighed.

"Guys I'm... I'm so sorry, I don't even remember coming to the kitchen." Kory sighed.

"Well, I'm getting a drink. Maybe you're dehydrated." Sam shook his head.

"Yeah... Maybe."

"Get some water, maybe fresh air." Gar suggested.

"Thanks guys but I think I'm just gonna go." Kory shook her head and rushed off.

"Okay, what the hell was that?" Sam looked around.

"I have no idea." Connor put out the small fire.

"Can't I get a glass of water without nearly being killed?" He grabbed a cup.

"Ah killer!" Gar jumped jokingly.

"Shush." Sam nudged him.

Connor stopped looking around, he'd thought he was serious,"Oh- right."

"Sam?" Dick walked into the kitchen.

"Yes?" Sam hummed as he spun around.

"I'm going out, you're in charge of the teens." He pointed.

"Out where?" Sam asked him.

"Arkham." Dick sighed.

"Why are you heading there?" Gar questioned

"I got some business, people to meet." He nodded.

"Criminals?"

"All criminals are at Arkham."

"What's the point in Arkham if they break out every other week?" Sam asked.

"I don't know, Sam." Dick sighed,"They need to up their security."

"Big time." Gar nodded.

"Right. I'll be back later." Dick waved and walked off.

Sam watched after him,"I wanna go."

"To Arkham?" Gar turned.

"To Arkham, I have stuff that those guys might want. Y'know, for info." Sam leaned against the counter.

"But Dick told you to stay." Connor sighed.

"But Dick doesn't have weed."

"I'm sorry, what?" Gar blinked.

"I have friends, Gar." Sam shrugged.

"Who?" Gar smirked.

"Shh, That's a secret."

"Can I have some?"

"Heh... No."

"Babe!" Gar gasped.

"No drugs for you." Sam poked him.

"I'm a treat when I'm on drugs." Gar hummed.

"You're a handful."

"I'm great." Gar pointed.

"Handful."

"..Handful indeed."

"Anyway, I gotta go. Gar, you're in charge." Sam pointed.

"Aw sick!" Gar clapped.

"No alcohol, no party, no drugs, don't break my stuff." Sam jogged off.

Gar slowly turned to Connor,"You wanna go to the BatCave?"

"I do." Connor nodded excitedly.

Gar laughed before he ran down.

*********************************

Sam looked around. This place... Arkham. It had an aura... It was eerie. But he had drugs. He could get info. He just needed to get past this guard blocking the door.

"Uh- Hi. I'm with Dick? Dick Grayson? He left his leverage behind."

"Got any ID on you kid?" The guard asked.

"Oh- sure." Sam fiddled around in his pockets.

"I don't got all day." He sighed.

Sam pulled out a fake ID, he knew he had it in this pair of trousers!

"Uh- here." Sam held it up.

"Go right ahead." The guard nodded.

"Thank you kindly." Sam gave him a nod as he walked.

Thank you, Alfred!

Up ahead he saw Dick walking down the hall.

"Dickie." Sam called to him.

"Sam- What are you doing here?" Dick blinked.

"You're not getting anything out of these punks without what they want." Sam patted his hoodie pocket.

"You brought the- Sam!" He sighed.

"You know they want talk without persuasion." Sam shrugged.

Dick held his head,"Hurry up then."

Sam caught up to Dick with a smile,"It's nice having friends."

"Where did you get that?"

"Friends. Street friends."

"You shouldn't have street friends."

"You weren't there and I wanted attention." Sam shook his head,"Just- Let's meet who we're meeting."

Dick sighed and took the bag as he walked to the cell,"Doctor Crane?"

"Weed. Look if you want my help, and you do, I'm gonna need some high quality flower. I'm talking 70-30 sativa. Lemon lyric my favourite, but I'm not a name-brand whore. Just get me in the ballpark. Anything above 25% THC. We can have our little tête-à-tête." Crane spoke.

Sam took a small plastic bag out of his pocket and dropped it inside of Crane's cell,"This good enough for youm"

"You're doing the stoner act, huh?" Dick crossed his arms.

"It's not an act, it helps my brain slow down. Arkham isn't really a venue for depressants."

"Maybe if we give him enough he'll just, y'know, keel over." Sam suggested,"Rid the world of him."

"Wait- Gotham PD actually has you on the payroll?" Dick put his hand infront of Sam.

"No... But when I'm a good little doggie I get given my treats." Crane looked at the weed.

"Take it then."

"A woman killed herself today, Doctor. Very strange case." Dick crossed his arms.

"I know." Crane chuckled as he opened the pack,"She asked for a new guy, Nightwing. Poor Batman." He tutted,"Has one small little killing spree and all of a sudden he's yesterdays news, ya know? You got papers kid?" He turned to Sam.

Sam sighed and pulled out some from his other pocket," This Nightwing guy, sounds like an asshole."

Dick gave him a nudge.

"Ah, I love ya brother, I do." Crane laughed.

"Somebody installed a subdermal pump in her arm." Dick sighed.

"Any idea who could have done that?" Sam raised a brow.

"No, but Barb sent over a cheat sheet, they're a vicious little fucker. Although, if we're being honest, a subcutaneous drug pump? That's too clever by half, but A-plus for originality." Crane shrugged as he rolled the joint.

"You wouldn't be, I don't know, helping them?" Sam gave him a look.

"Course not." Crane shook his head.

"The victim was a mother afraid of losing their child. So afraid she murdered four strangers." Dick told him.

"It takes real fear to do that, you're an expert in the field."

"Wait, wait. When Barb said your names it... It rung a little bell in my head. The two little carney brothers that Bruce Wayne took in for PR? You're that Dick and Sam Grayson?" Crane pointed.

"You know who we are?" Sam crossed his arms.

He knew why Crane knew him. It's why he hated him... Feared him.

"They're just stories. Biblical brother. I mean really, you guys ditched the family safety net, you flee swinging Wayne Manor and then years later, like the motherfucking prodigal son, home again, home again, jiggy jig." Crane hummed.

"We didn't come here to talk about us."

"That's okay... Kid, you got a light?" Crane turned to him.

"No." Dick shook his head.

"Oh, a light? You mean this?" Sam took out a lighter,"I think I'll keep it."

Crane leaned back,"That's okay, I got connections." He threw the cig,"Yes, the file. Now... Uh- my best guess, which is just a guess. Is that this guy somehow knows who this Nightwing character really is and has some sort of jealousy complex."

"Who'd be jealous of a guy dressed up as an oversized bird?" Sam hummed.

"That's all you have to say?" Dick scoffed.

"I paid good for that weed." Sam sighed.

"Look- Maybe the guy had a background in explosions, so... Military... Construction... Maybe just a little bit of an internet hog." Crane sighed.

"Thanks for your help." Dick shook his head and turned around, taking Sam's arm.

"We're leaving already?"

"Yes-"

"It's the bird's opening." Crane hummed.

"Say again?" Sam turned.

"The bird's opening. Its one of the oldest known openings in chess. It was made famous in 1855 by a man named Henry Edward Bird. Its a classic king pawn opening. The two are connected, they rely on each other. The king moves stealthily in the shadows while the pawns are sent into the teeth of destruction so that he may advance." Crane looked at the sheet.

"I'll keep that in mind.." Sam nodded slowly.

"You got all that from a cheat sheet?" Dick raised a brow.

"Yeah. The note. It's written on the back of a page from a chess manual. It's just his opening move." Crane smirked.

"He's got a plan.."

"Find the pawn, you find the king." He shrugged.

*********************************

Sam stood outside his room, waiting for the others.

"So what happened with Crane?" Anya walked up.

"I gave him drugs and he talked." Sam shrugged,"Something about chess."

"We should take drugs one day." Anya hummed.

"Nah, not my style."

"Then why do you have drugs?" He hugged his side.

"Because I have street friends and know Arkham prisoners love drugs." Sam shrugged.

"I've taken them a few times... I used to do it to piss off my parents."

"Not being fully in control, not aware of my actions." Sam sighed,"Its not for me."

Anya nodded and took his hand as they walked into the cave. Sam smiled at her, lightly squeezing her hand as they walked over to Dick.

"So what's going on?" Anya asked.

"Us four, we're going to the bank where the parents of the other kidnapped kids are. They're doing a robbery right now." Dick sighed,"You four, will find the kids and get them out safely before any of the parents do anything they regret."

"Sounds like a plan, we've got this." Gat nodded.

"Everyone, go suit up." Dick clapped.

"Yes!" Sam grinned.

Once everyone had suited up they all set off. The four teens getting to the car park where the kids were rumoured to be.

"Where do you think they'll be hidden?" Connor asked.

"A car... Van maybe." Anya looked around.

"Anywhere you can stuff a bunch of kids." Sam nodded.

"I have x-ray vision." Connor held up his hand.

"Then you can check the cars, just so we don't accidentally open a bombed vehicle." Gat told him.

"That would be better." Anya nodded.

"Dont want to blow up " Sam shook his head.

Connor looked around until he walked to a van, while Anya wandered to the side. Sam began looking through the windshields of cars and tapping on the glass of those he couldn't see through.

Connor opened up a van, seeing about four children inside with Red masks so he took them off,"I got the kids."

Sam raised his brow as he approached a second van,"Hang on, can you check in here, Conner?"

Connor nodded with a smile as he looked in the van,"Oh no."

"What?" Anya opened the van.

"These... These are the parents- Its a trap!" Sam's eyes widened.

"Dick, you need to get out of there." Anya quickly spoke into her comm.

Sam leaned in,"Those aren't the parents!"

Although all the four teens could hear was... Static.

"Dick? Dick?!" Sam yelled through his comm.

"Gar, Connor, stay here." Anya grabbed Sam's hand and ran.

Sam stumbled slightly but kept running, everything was going wrong.

"Come on." Anya panted as they ran to the bank.

"I'm coming!"

When they got to the bank... They saw the older Titans coughing, covered in ash.

"Dick?" Sam yelled, running for him.

"Sam." Dick quickly ran to him, "Are you hurt?"

"No- I'm fine. What about you?" Sam asked quickly.

"Don't worry about me." Dick sighed.

"I have to worry about you, you're my brother." Sam shook his head.

"But I'm your older brother... I'm okay, Sammy."

"What happened to my other older brother?" Sam asked quietly.

Dick held his head,"Luckily that didn't happen to me."

Sam leaned against his shoulder,"Barb is gonna kill you."

"I know." Dick looked back at the bank.

"We really fucked up, huh?"

"Just a little." Dick ruffled his hair.

"At least the kids are safe."

"At least everyone's safe... Only thing is they got all the money." Dick sighed.

"Question is, what are they gonna do with it?" Sam looked up at him.

"Whatever Red Hood needs twenty-five million for." Dick looked around.

"Which could be... A lot "

"Come on. We gotta go."

"Yeah.."

*********************************

"Gar's playing chess?" Anya sat on the spinning chair in the BatCave as they tried to figure out the clues Crane gave them.

"Well, the bird's opening is a chess move." Sam shrugged,"But I am surprised it's him."

"I'm very smart." Gar pointed,"Connor, can you find more defensive moves against the Bird's Opening?"

"Hm, on it." Connor began typing as Sam peeked over his shoulder.

Connor went through a few names before one of them Dick listened in on.

Hobbs Gambit.

"Hm, that sounds interesting." Sam raised a brow.

"Hobbs?" Anya span towards him.

"Unsound but nonetheless interesting and uncommon."

"No- Not that. Hobbs Powder Group, they used to make explosives." Dick quickly walked over to the computer,"Bruce and I shut them down years ago for street dealing."

"So... This Red Hood guy is getting explosives and God knows what else form those tools?" Sam raised a brow.

"Maybe." Kory stood up.

"There's an 911 call, about two minutes ago from the Hobbs building." Connor clicked into the call.

They listened as they heard the 911 call, the details didn't add up, it was a fake call to attract the police!

"They're walking into a trap, just like we did." Sam shook his head.

"We gotta stop it!" Gar ran to get his jacket.

*********************************

Sam crouched as he snuck around the building.

"Everyone stick in your twos, I'm going ahead." Dick spoke in the comms.

"Sticking." Sam muttered quietly.

"Which means no running off, Sam." Dick sighed.

"I wasn't gonna." Sam rolled his eyes.

"You would." Gar hummed.

Sam huffed, a hand resting on his holster.

"Come on, KitKat." Anya nudged him as everyone separated.

"Coming." Sam sighed.

"I just want this Red Hood stuff to get over with." Anya sighed as they walked around.

"I'd like to give him a talking to when we find him." Sam sighed,"He made me interact with Crane for info. Fucking Crane!"

"Next time- If there is a next time. I'll go instead." Anya assured him.

"I'll get you what he likes." Sam nodded.

"Pinky promise I won't touch it." Anya hummed

"You better not."

"I swear on my life." Anya kissed his cheek as she walked in front.

Sam chuckled,"Okay, I believe you."

Anya went to speak but that's when they heard... Gunshots.

"Shit." Sam took out his own gun, heading towards the sound.

Anya used her power to conjure up a dagger as they heard talking. Sam leaned against a wall, listening.

"Outgunned... Outmanned... You know the tune." They heard Red Hood speak.

Anya nudged Sam as she climbed up higher to get a closer view. Sam nodded, he didn't know Red Hood was a thespian.

"He's a Hamilton fan?" Anya blinked.

"Didn't expect it." Sam shrugged, keeping his gun aimed forward as he slowly edged towards the noise.

The two peered over the edge, watching as Nightwing and Red Hood battled it out. Anya raised her head a little as she noticed someone in the shadows near Red Hood's side.

"Anya? Am I seeing things or..?"

"Hm?" Anya looked at Sam before she looked down.

"Is there someone over there?" Sam gestured with his gun.

"Yeah, yeah I think so." Anya nodded,"Want me to go?"

"You check it out, I'll keep an eye on them." Sam pointed.

Anya gave another nod as she slowly made her way over. Sam sighed and kept a close eye on Dick and Red Hood.

"Sam, I think I might know-" Anya began but then there was a bang... Half of Red Hood's helmet was broken! Who was it?

Sam's face sank... No- No, it couldn't be! It was...

"Jason..?" Sam covered his mouth.

"Jason?" The oldest Grayson brother asked in shock.

"In living colour. I got a new name now though... Red Hood." Jason smirked as the girl from above threw some sort of smoke bomb down before the window above them smashed. When the smoke cleared... The girl nor Jason was there.

Sam jumped down from where he was was and stumbled over to Dick.

"It can't be." Dick shook his head.

"Jason..." Sam shook his head.

Anya jumped down,"Was- Was it really him?"

"It can't... No, its not. It-" Sam stopped and grabbed Dick's arm,"Dick?"

"I... Yeah... Yeah it looked like him. Sounded like him." Dick sighed.

"Oh god.." Sam covered his face.

"We... We need to get back to the Manor." Dick looked at the two.

Sam nodded and squeezed Anya's hand. Anya looked at Sam before they quickly left.

*********************************

"You said you'd handle it." Harriet pointed at Jason as they got back to their apartment.

"You said you'd keep us alone, don't think I didn't see those two watching us." Jason crossed his arms.

"I couldn't get them away myself. He told me no weapons. I can fight but not that well. Besides... One of those two was your brother, Jason."

"You could've, I don't know, threw one of those grenades at them, messed with their vision. Now Sam and Dick know." Jason began to pace, shaking his head.

"That wouldn't have stopped Dick." Harriet sighed,"You realise he's gonna know, right? We'll be expecting a call any minute."

"Well, he can fuck off." Jason continued pacing,"Now I need to figure our how to stop them coming after me, after us."

"You could... Send- Send a message. A sign."

"Those guys are notoriously bad at reading signs and reading them right without help." Jason scoffed.

"They got the chess piece. Aren't I smart, Jay?" Harriet hummed.

"They nearly didn't, they're getting info from someone." Jason shook his head.

"Well it ain't me, I spent a long time thinking of the chess piece."

"These guys don't think smart, they see something at a glance and react. Like with the bank."

"Good thing you left them... Right? Or do you miss them?... Miss your brothers?" Harriet carefully spoke, she couldn't have Jason mad.

"Miss them?" Jason turned to her,"Does it look like I miss them?"

"I'm just saying. I mean- I miss my mom. It's kinda the same."

Jason crossed his arms,"I don't miss them. I don't need them anymore."

Harriet bit her cheek,"I hear you listen to the voicemail-"

"I don't miss him!" Jason snapped.

Harriet jumped and held up her hands,"Okay! I'm just saying." She turned around.

Jason sighed and turned around as well,"Look- I'm sorry. Just... Just stop talking about them."

Harriet sighed,"I'm.. Gonna go out and get some food."

"Yeah, yeah you do that."

"I'll see you later Jason." Harriet sighed and put her coat on.

Jason nodded to her before looking around at the walls, anything to distract himself really.

Harriet hesitated before she kissed Jason's cheek and quickly left. Jason placed a hand to his cheek but shook his head.