Fic: "Dead Man's Memories" by kyrdwyn (PG-13, Tim Drake/Jason Todd)
Title: Dead Man's Memories
Author: kyrdwyn
Rating: PG-13
Series: Beloved
Fandom: Batman (comics)
Pairings/Characters: Tim Drake/Jason Todd, Hiro Okumura, Talia al Ghul
kissbingo Prompt: First
Summary: Tim has a dead man's memories.
Warnings: AU. Dark AU; Dubious Comic Book Science; Memories of Torture
Beta: None
Previous Parts: Beloved | Confusion | Revelation | Conversation
Notes: So, based on where this story is going, this is going to be the last of the kiss bingo prompts. I really can't see how I can do a blackout, so I've done the top line and I'm submitting it to the comm, and that's it for kiss bingo prompts. I may at some point in the future ask for prompts for this story if I get stalled, I don't know.
Jason looked at the device they'd retrieved from the old Wayne Enterprises warehouse the night they'd also found the alternate world Timothy. "You're sure that's the purpose of the device?" he asked the League scientist. The young man nodded. "What about reversing the process, if it were activated?"
"Given time, I probably could. Whoever designed it seemed to want to return," Hiro said. "I'd want to verify that, before we could consider using it."
"Make it priority," Jason ordered. He started to walk away, then stopped. "You said that it is a one to one exchange. Meaning if you were to activate it, you be exchanged with the Hiro Okumura in that universe."
Hiro tapped a finger on the table. "Well, maybe. I can't tell if it just exchanges minds and leaves the bodies in their correct universes or if it changes everything."
Bodies, Jason would bet, given that the Timothy he'd rescued had no tattoos. "What would happen if someone used it who was no longer alive in one of the universes? Say, if Ra's al Ghul in another universe were to use a similar device to come here?"
"I don't know. Either the still living person ends up here and no one is in the other universe, or the exchange doesn't happen at all if there can't be reciprocity." Hiro paused. "Or..."
"Or?" Jason asked.
"We know Ra's al Ghul did a lot of experimenting with the Lazarus Pit and it's effects in his quest for immortality. We know that he tried to transfer the injured White Ghost's consciousness into the body of a dead League member using the Pit."
Jason repressed a shudder at the memory. "The result being an insane White Ghost." Talia had beheaded the White Ghost after Ra's al Ghul's death. She couldn't afford to leave her half-brother alive and risk members of the League supporting him as the Head of the Demon instead of her.
"Right, but remember - it was the original White Ghost's body, healed, but the memories of the dead League member were mixed in with his own in the body. So, we know it's possible to have a dead man's memories put into a new body. Therefore it's possible that in a situation where one party was dead and the other alive, the exchange would happen - Person from Universe A transfers to Universe B, but instead of Person B going to Universe A, his memories transfer to Person A." Hiro glanced in the direction of the locked records room. "I'd have to check the original experiment notes to be sure on the White Ghost transfer, though. Just look at the notes, theoretical research only. I'm not going to do any experiments," he added when Jason began to scowl. His grandfather's experiments with the Lazarus Pit had been abominations in Jason's eyes, and in his mother's. The old man's quest for immortality had driven him insane more than once, and neither Talia nor Jason wanted to see it repeated. Neither had Tim, thus the refusal of the Pit at his death.
"I'll get you access to the records, but no actual experiments."
Jason left Hiro's lab and walked down the corridor to the living quarters of the League's safe house. He passed by his suite, as well as his mother's and Slade's suites, and stopped at the suite he had shared with Timothy. He'd moved after Tim's death, unable to handle staying in the rooms they'd shared together. He hadn't been in them since a few weeks after the secret funeral.
If Hiro's suppositions were right, would the Timothy who currently resided in the 'guest' quarters remember these rooms? Remember the hole in the wall made by one of Jason's knife blades when he'd thrown it during an argument? Remember the hidden compartment Jason's Tim had installed to hide their special toys? Jason bit his lip and leaned against the wall. He wasn't sure if he wanted this new Timothy to have his Timothy's memories, or if he was praying the younger man wouldn't.
Footsteps approached, and Jason's mind instantly identified them as his mother's. He took a breath and pushed himself upright to face her. Talia stopped close, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "What did Hiro say?"
Jason repeated the conversation, and Talia frowned. "Slade has been reviewing the surveillance on this Tim personally. What Hiro says about one body containing both sets of memories may be true. When this Timothy is asleep, he calls out for you often, when he does not seem to be in the grip of one nightmare or another that appears to be from our Timothy's experience. The loss of his eye, for example."
Jason shuddered. "He's not our Tim."
"No, but he somehow has our Tim's memories it seems. Jason," she said softly, "this could be the advantage we need to bring down the Batman and Raptor. A Timothy who has our Tim's memories and training, along with the memories and training of a Robin."
"I can't." He knew what his mother was going to ask.
"Please, Jason. I know it's hard." His mother stroked his hair.
"You have no idea how hard it is," Jason snapped. "Come talk to me when Slade's been killed and another's taken his place. Or when my father shows up from another universe, with memories only you and he would know."
Talia very obviously didn't flinch, but Jason could see he'd stuck home. "There are days," Talia said softly, "I would give anything to have your father back, no matter what strange form it would take. But you're right, until I'm faced with that, I don't know how I would react. But Jason," she added, "we have the chance to get this Timothy on our side, and you are the only person who can help with with a good deal of the memories he will be facing."
Jason wanted to scream, but his mother was right. Tim had been closest to Slade and Jason. They would be the ones who had a better chance of helping this Timothy cope with the memories. "I'll talk to him," Jason finally conceded. "But I make no promises. You saw how he reacted to Slade."
Talia smiled. "It is a start, and hopefully, in his world, the two of you have a much better relationship than he and Slade."
Jason snorted. "Don't bet on that."
Tim jackknifed upright in the bed, doubling over as his eye throbbed in agony. His mind kept replaying the terror of being strapped to a table in the Batman's lair, the man (monster) himself lowered a scalpel to remove Tim's right eye. The eye he used to take pictures with. Pictures of Batman and Robin, now Batman and Raptor. Tim had screamed until the pain caused him to black out. He whimpered at another throb of pain from his eye. When Tim had finally woken from his faint back then, he'd been back on the same rooftop where Raptor had captured him, his eye sloppily bandaged and a business card for a local medical clinic tucked into his hand.
A familiar hand settled on Tim's back, rubbing gently, comfortingly. Tim leaned into the lover's side, breathing in Jason's comforting scent, letting it dispel the lingering aura of the dream.
"Nightmare?"
"My eye," Tim said softly, knowing Jason would understand.
The hand on his back hesitated for a second, then resumed stroking. "Just a dream, a memory."
"I know," Tim said. He looked up at Jason and smiled at the concern he saw there. Tim reached up and pulled Jason's head down and pressed his lips against his lover's.
Jason was strangely hesitant in the kiss, but after a few seconds, he melted into it, tongue coming out to stroke at Tim's. The kiss felt strange and familiar at the same time, the taste of his lover new yet remembered.
Jason's free hand came up to tentatively brush over Tim's jaw. Desire replaced the remnants of pain and fear the nightmare had brought. "Jay...." Tim murmured into the kiss.
Abruptly, Jason pulled away, standing. "I can't," he said, voice shaking. "You're not...."
Reality crashed down on Tim. This wasn't....he wasn't this world's Timothy, and the man in front of him was not the Jason Todd he knew. They weren't lovers. That kiss had been their first to Tim, but not to Jason.
"I'm sorry," Tim said. "God, I'm sorry." He had the same face, same name as Jason's dead lover. No wonder Jason looked stricken.
Jason turned and walked out of the room without a word, but not before Tim could see the beginning of tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry," Tim said one last time as the door closed and locked behind Jason.
Tim collapsed back on the bed. He had to get home, to his home, his universe. Before he had more trouble remembering who he truly had been, and the memories of a dead man overwrote his own.
Next: Maternal Devotion
Author: kyrdwyn
Rating: PG-13
Series: Beloved
Fandom: Batman (comics)
Pairings/Characters: Tim Drake/Jason Todd, Hiro Okumura, Talia al Ghul
kissbingo Prompt: First
Summary: Tim has a dead man's memories.
Warnings: AU. Dark AU; Dubious Comic Book Science; Memories of Torture
Beta: None
Previous Parts: Beloved | Confusion | Revelation | Conversation
Notes: So, based on where this story is going, this is going to be the last of the kiss bingo prompts. I really can't see how I can do a blackout, so I've done the top line and I'm submitting it to the comm, and that's it for kiss bingo prompts. I may at some point in the future ask for prompts for this story if I get stalled, I don't know.
Jason looked at the device they'd retrieved from the old Wayne Enterprises warehouse the night they'd also found the alternate world Timothy. "You're sure that's the purpose of the device?" he asked the League scientist. The young man nodded. "What about reversing the process, if it were activated?"
"Given time, I probably could. Whoever designed it seemed to want to return," Hiro said. "I'd want to verify that, before we could consider using it."
"Make it priority," Jason ordered. He started to walk away, then stopped. "You said that it is a one to one exchange. Meaning if you were to activate it, you be exchanged with the Hiro Okumura in that universe."
Hiro tapped a finger on the table. "Well, maybe. I can't tell if it just exchanges minds and leaves the bodies in their correct universes or if it changes everything."
Bodies, Jason would bet, given that the Timothy he'd rescued had no tattoos. "What would happen if someone used it who was no longer alive in one of the universes? Say, if Ra's al Ghul in another universe were to use a similar device to come here?"
"I don't know. Either the still living person ends up here and no one is in the other universe, or the exchange doesn't happen at all if there can't be reciprocity." Hiro paused. "Or..."
"Or?" Jason asked.
"We know Ra's al Ghul did a lot of experimenting with the Lazarus Pit and it's effects in his quest for immortality. We know that he tried to transfer the injured White Ghost's consciousness into the body of a dead League member using the Pit."
Jason repressed a shudder at the memory. "The result being an insane White Ghost." Talia had beheaded the White Ghost after Ra's al Ghul's death. She couldn't afford to leave her half-brother alive and risk members of the League supporting him as the Head of the Demon instead of her.
"Right, but remember - it was the original White Ghost's body, healed, but the memories of the dead League member were mixed in with his own in the body. So, we know it's possible to have a dead man's memories put into a new body. Therefore it's possible that in a situation where one party was dead and the other alive, the exchange would happen - Person from Universe A transfers to Universe B, but instead of Person B going to Universe A, his memories transfer to Person A." Hiro glanced in the direction of the locked records room. "I'd have to check the original experiment notes to be sure on the White Ghost transfer, though. Just look at the notes, theoretical research only. I'm not going to do any experiments," he added when Jason began to scowl. His grandfather's experiments with the Lazarus Pit had been abominations in Jason's eyes, and in his mother's. The old man's quest for immortality had driven him insane more than once, and neither Talia nor Jason wanted to see it repeated. Neither had Tim, thus the refusal of the Pit at his death.
"I'll get you access to the records, but no actual experiments."
Jason left Hiro's lab and walked down the corridor to the living quarters of the League's safe house. He passed by his suite, as well as his mother's and Slade's suites, and stopped at the suite he had shared with Timothy. He'd moved after Tim's death, unable to handle staying in the rooms they'd shared together. He hadn't been in them since a few weeks after the secret funeral.
If Hiro's suppositions were right, would the Timothy who currently resided in the 'guest' quarters remember these rooms? Remember the hole in the wall made by one of Jason's knife blades when he'd thrown it during an argument? Remember the hidden compartment Jason's Tim had installed to hide their special toys? Jason bit his lip and leaned against the wall. He wasn't sure if he wanted this new Timothy to have his Timothy's memories, or if he was praying the younger man wouldn't.
Footsteps approached, and Jason's mind instantly identified them as his mother's. He took a breath and pushed himself upright to face her. Talia stopped close, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "What did Hiro say?"
Jason repeated the conversation, and Talia frowned. "Slade has been reviewing the surveillance on this Tim personally. What Hiro says about one body containing both sets of memories may be true. When this Timothy is asleep, he calls out for you often, when he does not seem to be in the grip of one nightmare or another that appears to be from our Timothy's experience. The loss of his eye, for example."
Jason shuddered. "He's not our Tim."
"No, but he somehow has our Tim's memories it seems. Jason," she said softly, "this could be the advantage we need to bring down the Batman and Raptor. A Timothy who has our Tim's memories and training, along with the memories and training of a Robin."
"I can't." He knew what his mother was going to ask.
"Please, Jason. I know it's hard." His mother stroked his hair.
"You have no idea how hard it is," Jason snapped. "Come talk to me when Slade's been killed and another's taken his place. Or when my father shows up from another universe, with memories only you and he would know."
Talia very obviously didn't flinch, but Jason could see he'd stuck home. "There are days," Talia said softly, "I would give anything to have your father back, no matter what strange form it would take. But you're right, until I'm faced with that, I don't know how I would react. But Jason," she added, "we have the chance to get this Timothy on our side, and you are the only person who can help with with a good deal of the memories he will be facing."
Jason wanted to scream, but his mother was right. Tim had been closest to Slade and Jason. They would be the ones who had a better chance of helping this Timothy cope with the memories. "I'll talk to him," Jason finally conceded. "But I make no promises. You saw how he reacted to Slade."
Talia smiled. "It is a start, and hopefully, in his world, the two of you have a much better relationship than he and Slade."
Jason snorted. "Don't bet on that."
Tim jackknifed upright in the bed, doubling over as his eye throbbed in agony. His mind kept replaying the terror of being strapped to a table in the Batman's lair, the man (monster) himself lowered a scalpel to remove Tim's right eye. The eye he used to take pictures with. Pictures of Batman and Robin, now Batman and Raptor. Tim had screamed until the pain caused him to black out. He whimpered at another throb of pain from his eye. When Tim had finally woken from his faint back then, he'd been back on the same rooftop where Raptor had captured him, his eye sloppily bandaged and a business card for a local medical clinic tucked into his hand.
A familiar hand settled on Tim's back, rubbing gently, comfortingly. Tim leaned into the lover's side, breathing in Jason's comforting scent, letting it dispel the lingering aura of the dream.
"Nightmare?"
"My eye," Tim said softly, knowing Jason would understand.
The hand on his back hesitated for a second, then resumed stroking. "Just a dream, a memory."
"I know," Tim said. He looked up at Jason and smiled at the concern he saw there. Tim reached up and pulled Jason's head down and pressed his lips against his lover's.
Jason was strangely hesitant in the kiss, but after a few seconds, he melted into it, tongue coming out to stroke at Tim's. The kiss felt strange and familiar at the same time, the taste of his lover new yet remembered.
Jason's free hand came up to tentatively brush over Tim's jaw. Desire replaced the remnants of pain and fear the nightmare had brought. "Jay...." Tim murmured into the kiss.
Abruptly, Jason pulled away, standing. "I can't," he said, voice shaking. "You're not...."
Reality crashed down on Tim. This wasn't....he wasn't this world's Timothy, and the man in front of him was not the Jason Todd he knew. They weren't lovers. That kiss had been their first to Tim, but not to Jason.
"I'm sorry," Tim said. "God, I'm sorry." He had the same face, same name as Jason's dead lover. No wonder Jason looked stricken.
Jason turned and walked out of the room without a word, but not before Tim could see the beginning of tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry," Tim said one last time as the door closed and locked behind Jason.
Tim collapsed back on the bed. He had to get home, to his home, his universe. Before he had more trouble remembering who he truly had been, and the memories of a dead man overwrote his own.
Next: Maternal Devotion