Gotham at night had a way of making everything feel heavier.

The rain had stopped hours ago, but the streets still glistened under the orange glow of streetlights as the black shape of the Batmobile cut silently through the city. Inside, the engine’s quiet hum filled the space between driver and passenger.

Jason Todd sat in the passenger seat, his boots propped lightly against the edge of the dashboard before Bruce shot him a look.

Jason lowered them with a quiet huff.

“Relax,” he muttered, crossing his arms. “They weren’t even touching.”

Bruce Wayne didn’t respond right away, his focus on the road ahead. Gotham blurred past the windows in streaks of light and shadow.

Jason glanced sideways at him.

Bruce had said they were going for a drive. That was it. No patrol. No briefing. No mission.

Just a drive.

Which, in Jason’s experience, meant Bruce was thinking about something.

Jason leaned his head back against the seat.

At fifteen, he was already a seasoned Robin—fast, sharp, and stubborn in ways Bruce pretended to dislike but secretly relied on. His dark hair was still messy from patrol earlier, and a faint bruise colored the edge of his jaw where a thug had landed a lucky hit.

He barely noticed it.

What he did notice was the quiet.

Normally, when patrol ended, the cave had more life in it. Alfred moving around upstairs. Bruce reviewing reports. And sometimes—when he was home—Dick.

Jason stared out the window.

Dick Grayson had been gone a lot lately.

Not gone gone, obviously. Jason knew where he was. Everyone did. The leader of the Teen Titans, living in their ridiculous tower in the middle of the bay, saving the world with a team of teenage superheroes.

Jason was proud of him.

Seriously proud.

But that didn’t mean he didn’t miss him.

Dick had been the first person to treat Jason like he belonged in the Manor instead of some street kid Bruce dragged home. The first person to teach him tricks Bruce wouldn’t. The first person to laugh when Jason mouthed off instead of lecturing him about it.

Basically… the best big brother Jason had ever had.

And now the Manor felt weirdly quiet without him.

Jason shifted in the seat.

“So… where are we going?” he finally asked.

Bruce didn’t look at him.

“Out.”

Jason rolled his eyes.

“Wow. Helpful.”

They kept driving.

The city lights began thinning out, skyscrapers slowly giving way to the dark stretch of highway that led out toward the harbor. Jason frowned slightly.

Now that was weird.

He sat up a little.

“Uh… B? Why are we leaving Gotham?”

Bruce’s mouth twitched almost invisibly.

“Observation.”

Jason narrowed his eyes.

“That’s not an answer.”

Bruce said nothing.

The Batmobile continued across the long bridge stretching over dark water. Wind swept across the bay, rattling faintly against the armored body of the car.

Jason looked out the window.

And then he saw it.

At first it was just a shape in the distance—something tall rising out of the water.

As they got closer, lights appeared.

A massive T-shaped structure standing in the middle of the bay.

Jason blinked.

“No way.”

The Teen Titans Tower.

Jason turned slowly toward Bruce.

“…Are we—”

Bruce pulled the Batmobile into the small landing area near the base of the tower and shut off the engine.

Jason stared.

“What the—”

Before he could finish, movement caught his eye outside.

Jason looked up.

Standing just beyond the edge of the landing platform was a familiar figure leaning casually against the railing.

Hands in the pockets of a blue jacket.

Black hair ruffled by the wind.

Grinning.

Dick Grayson.

Dick pushed himself upright the second their eyes met.

“Hey, Little Wing.”

Jason’s brain completely short-circuited.

Because Dick wasn’t alone.

Standing nearby were the rest of the Titans—also out of costume—watching with amused smiles.

Starfire stood near the railing with her bright hair glowing under the tower lights.

Raven had her arms folded, expression calm but clearly entertained.

Beast Boy was already bouncing on his heels like he’d been waiting for this moment.