Saving Grace: a Batman fanfiction

Chapter 15

**Hey, guys!! I’m delighted and honored that you’re reading Saving Grace. Quick note—if any of y’all have requests for this story, I want to hear them! Is there anything in particular you want to see? Do you guys want angst? Fluff? More of a particular character? Let me know in the comments and I’ll do my best to fit it in!!

            “Oh, please, what do you have against the Batman?”

            Grace’s voice was light, but Jason’s fists still curled. If only you knew, he thought drily. He settled on just rolling his eyes at her, but his mind was racing.

Bruce rescued her from thugs. Bruce rescued Grace from getting beaten to death and didn’t think it prudent to mention it to any of the rest of them, not even a few words.

He studied her face, all of the dark bruising. She noticed and glanced down at the table self-consciously. She looked to be in pretty bad shape and her eyes were a little unfocused, a sure sign of a pretty bad concussion.

“They hit your head?” he demanded, knowing it was a dumb question as soon as the words left his mouth because obviously they hit her head or her forehead wouldn’t be webbed with bruises.

“Yeah,” responded Grace, rubbing at the back of her neck.

Passionate hatred rushed through Jason’s veins at the sight of Grace and he made a low guttural growl. It wasn’t her he hated—God, he cared about her as much as he cared about—well, as much as he used to care about Dick. Like a little sister, a real one. It was seeing her like this. Defeated. Beat-up. Damaged. This wasn’t how she was supposed to be.

“You’ve ignored all of my texts,” Jason said through gritted teeth. Grace frowned up at him. Her long hair, which was usually brushed and lying sleekly down her back, hung tangled over her shoulders.

“Sorry,” she muttered, averting her eyes to her hands, picking at her pink nail polish.

“Why?”

She was being difficult, Jason knew. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe they were both just exceptionally grumpy today.

“Because—I don’t know, Jason,” she whined after a minute’s hesitation. She buried her head in her arms and sighed dramatically. The corners of Jason’s lips flickered and he wasn’t sure whether to snicker at her childish behavior or sigh angrily in irritation.

“I expect you to respond when I text you so that I know if you’re even still alive.”

Grace raised her head to glare at him head-on, and Jason was surprised by how pissed off she looked.

“I’m not part of your family, Jason.”

He laughed harshly.

“Well then that sucks for you, because you and me both know I’m the closest thing to it that you have.”

She glanced at the table, considering his words.

“What I mean is you don’t have to know where I am or how I’m doing. I’m not Bruce’s responsibility and I’m not yours. I came back to the group home for a reason. Because I need to live my life on my own. It’s better that way.”

            “Whatever,” said Jason, miffed. It wasn’t like him to be so open with other people, anyway. Maybe he was going soft. Getting too chummy with a kid. He wasn’t Dick.

“I have to go back,” said Grace, pushing up from the table. Jason nodded and got up too.

“I have to get going too.” He must have upset her because she didn’t even go back for Anna Karenina; just left, shoulders slumped, fists stuffed in the pockets of her sweatpants.