Jason had been surprised to find the apartment empty but ready for new occupants. The furniture was all neatly arranged, with most of the basics, like sheets and pots and pans, stored away in cabinets. He'd poked around when he first got there with Ace, ignoring his dog in favor of finding anything useful. He'd felt bad about that. Ace was the best dog, and not just because he was Batman and Nightwing's dog. Jason felt like Ace got him in a way nobody else could. He was still mad someone had taken the dog and not just him, but he reminded himself that Ace was tough.
In no time at all, Jason had ripped up some sheets to rig a system that would keep the door closed even if someone picked the lock. He'd also managed to wedge a chair under the knob, and brace that chair with a few other pieces of tipped-over furniture. He'd pushed the bookshelf in front of the window, going carefully so it wouldn't fall over. Then, he'd grabbed the sharpest knife he could find in the kitchen. You didn't survive being an orphan in Crime Alley without learning how to make it hard for people to get to you. Jason didn't need Bat training to know that anyone who tried to get into his little fortress would be slowed down by the obstacle course he'd set up, maybe enough for him to stab them and run.
He'd hunkered down to gather information using the weird computer thing he'd found when he'd woken up, and now he waited anxiously for Dick to arrive. It seemed like hours before that familiar voice called from the other side of the door. Jason breathed such a big sigh of relief, he was certain his new brother could hear it from the hallway.
"Just a minute. There's stuff in the way." Jason set about clearing the mess of chairs, with Ace pulling at some to help him get to the door faster. When he finally loosened the ties he'd made with the sheets, Jason was red-faced from exertion. But it was worth it. On the other side of that door, he found a man who was unmistakably, even aged up by ten years. "Dick!" Jason threw himself at his brother in a rare hug. He'd been in trouble before, but never anything like this, and never with someone he knew 100% would have his back.