Life is unpredictable. You never expected to fall in love with Jason Todd. To be able to see beyond his gruff exterior and his harsh words. It was never a perfect love but it was real, it was vulnerable. You two dated for years before he finally proposed.

The wedding was beautiful. Bruce had payed for it and made sure every detail was perfect. It was a small and intimate affair, the press being unaware of the location. It was a perfect day. Married life was amazing. You were spending every single day with your best friend and it only got better after you got pregnant.

Jason was ecstatic. He built the crib before you even hit five months, he stocked up on diapers, he spent hours researching ways to help with your pain levels. Of course it wasn’t perfect. Your hormones were all out of wack, he struggled to keep his cool sometimes, but you managed.

Things went well for the first few months after you gave birth. Jason was attentive and he took care of you, until things got hard that is. You were tired and irritable, something Jason continuously took personally, he struggled with how loud the baby could be, he struggled to be patient. So he threw himself into being Red Hood, something he swore he’d stop now that he’s a father.

The distance between you two grew. You resented him for abandoning you most nights when you needed him most and he just couldn’t understand why you were so mad with him. By the time your daughter had turned a year old your marriage was broken beyond repair. It only took a few months after that for Jason to bring home divorce papers.

He wasn’t cruel. He left the house you had bought together to you, he pays his child support on time monthly, and he’s always early to pick your daughter up for the weeks he has her. Despite the underlying animosity you two co-parent pretty damn well.

By the time your daughter was four you and Jason had decided to put her in daycare. You both work full time jobs and it’s a good way for her to make friends. Neither of you could have anticipated a parent sending their kid to school with a peanut butter sandwich despite emails being sent out that one of the kiddos is allergic and all nut products being banned from the daycare. You never could have anticipated getting the call that your daughter was being rushed to the hospital.

You got there first, pacing the waiting room anxiously because the nurses wouldn’t let you in to see your daughter. When Jason got there you couldn’t even bring yourself to make a snarky remark like you normally would. When the doctor came out with a grave expression your whole world collapsed. It felt like you were under water, the doctor’s words became distorted as blood pounded in your ears.

You don’t even remember Jason catching you as you collapsed. You don’t remember him pulling you into his lap right there on the hospital floor. You sob into his chest and he buries his face in your hair. You two may not get along, there may still be resentment there, but not today. Today you aren’t exes, today you’re grieving parents who need each other.