Woohoo! I updated this when I said I would! I'm actually quite surprised with myself, seeing as I wrote it all last night and stayed up until almost 1:00 am doing so. My parents are out of town and my Grandma is staying with me, so I didn't expect any time to write! But alas, the first chapter of Ignoring The Countdown!

P.S. You really SHOULD read Ignoring The Truth first, but I suppose there is nothing stopping you from going on and reading this...

Life was hard, but that was okay. Because, when had it ever been easy for Dick Grayson? There was always something, something awful going on in his life. All he could hope for at the end of the day was to wake up again the next day. Because sometimes... sometimes it really felt like he was never going to wake back up again.

Being with his family was more help to his recovery than Dick could've ever imagined. Alfred was the comforting and dependent person he needed, someone who was ALWAYS there for him. Someone who woke him from the horrible nightmares, welcoming him back to reality with hot cocoa or cookies.

Jason was the friend he needed to take his mind of off things. He needed someone who could help him forget, someone he could play video games and walk in the hallways with at school.

And Bruce... He was Bruce. In a twisted and sick way, he was the Slade. True, the two had nothing in common, but he was more of a parental figure. Someone he could always depend on to say 'Suck it up' or 'Accidents happen'. Bruce was the Slade, but somehow that was good. He was there to remind him of the world around him, to remind him that his problems weren't always what needed his attention.

The Justice League and other heroes were part of his family too. But they were more of the distant relatives, just coming around occasionally and staying for dinner and small talk. They made him feel normal again, and sometimes in rare instants, he could forget everything. He could forget all the pain, the betrayal, the torture he had endured.

Yes. He definitely needed his family. They were there for him, there to wash away it all in an instant. He could never express with words how much they meant to him.

Right now though, was one of those moments where his brain was swiped clean by the normal acts they all put on. It took Dick a second to pull himself from his thoughts and recognize once again where he was.

He was sitting at the huge oak dining table in Wayne Manor. He was surrounded by his family- Brice, Jason, Clark, Donna, Barry, Wally- they were all there, laughing at how Barry and Wally had absolutely no table manners.

After dinner Bruce and the other adults went into another room to discuss 'adult things' while the three boys wandered the manor.

They eventually ended up in the TV room. It was a big room with dim lighting and comfy chairs positioned in front of a large flat screen. Shelves full of DVD's and video games lined the walls, stacked neatly in alphabetical order.

The three teenaged boys fell onto the chairs with a large thud, each moving around until they were sitting comfortably.

"So..." Jason drew the word out awkwardly, turning in his chair to stare at his friends. "You guys wanna play a video game?"

The three ended up spending their remaining time together playing a war game, on the same team trying to protect a flag against other players.

They won almost every time, and were long bored with the game when it was finally time for Wally to leave.

After the last of the visitors had left, Jason turned the game off and the two boys sat in silence for a moment.

"Dick, can I ask you something?" The room was silent once again as Jason turned to look at his brother.

Dick's hair was a tangled mess, his skin was pale and he looked awfully thin in the faded blue shirt he wore.

"Sure." Dick turned to face his brother as well, looking at him with questioning eyes.

"What was it like... being with Slade?" Jason didn't expect an answer from Dick, he did t even expect a response. But he had to know, if he was going to help Dick forget what had happened, he needed to know what went on those 8 months.

"What was it like? It was... hard. I tried so hard to please him, but it was hardly ever good enough. No matter what I did, there was still something that needed improvement. Some reason to punish me." An awkward silence filled the room as Dick fumed, remembering all the times he had been beaten for a stupid mistake.

"Once... He... He wanted me to shoot a gun. Not at anyone, just some target practice, but I refused anyway. When I took the oath to become Robin I had promised Bruce would ever shoot a gun. He beat me, told me that I would eventually have to use the gun that I'd have no other choice but to. One night, he was gone and I couldn't sleep. I went to train by myself; it was early in the morning... I didn't think anyone would care if I did a little target practice... I thought... I thought it would make him happy... Proud..."

There was the small sound of feet shuffling on the carpet- Dick didn't seem to take notice but Jason turned his head slightly to see Bruce standing in the doorway. Turning to look at Dick again Jason saw the fear evident in his eyes. Dick was reliving the moment, flexing his right hand ever so slightly...

"Wintergreen- his assistant- caught me. He told Slade in the morning and he... He wasn't happy with me. He punished me by breaking my hand. Said that... That if he couldn't trust me... To... To not train without supervision then he would... He would make it so I couldn't train at all." His chest was rising and falling in deep, fast breaths and Dick continued to flex his hand to ensure himself that it wasn't still broken.

"It hurt. Not just... Not just physically... I thought he would be proud of me... I was wrong. I was very wrong..." Dick said these words in a hushed whisper, blinking rapidly and flexing his hand all the while.

"I'm... I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning Jason, goodnight Bruce." Dick stood from his spot and moved towards the doorway, where a stunned and motionless Dark Knight stood.

"Goodnight, Dick." Bruce moved into the room and resumed the seat Dick had been in, turning to Jason. The boy was staring down at his hands, chills running up and down his spine from the story Dick had told.

"Jason..." Bruce began,

"I'm sorry," Jason interrupted, "I didn't think he would actually tell me anything, I just wanted... I wanted him to know that I was open for discussion if he ever needed someone to talk to..." Jason looked up at his adoptive father, a look of guilt evident on his features.

"It's alright Jason, just... Keep from asking too often about Slade. Every once in a while question might help him get it off his chest, but keep in mind that a lot of things are going to change with him."

Jason merely nodded, before following Bruce out of the room and towards the Batcave to get ready for patrol.

"Sixty days, Dick. I'll be back for you then so we can continue your training."

"Time's up Dick, time to come home."

"Come now, Richard. Did you really expect me to let you stay with them?"

Dick bolted up in bed with a gasp, sweat dripping down his face and the sheets clinging to his wet body. The clock on his bedside table read 4:53 am. Surely Bruce would be back from patrol by now? Probably fast asleep in his bedroom. Dick stared longingly at the door. Maybe Bruce wouldn't mind if...

No. He had already troubled the man enough that night. He didn't need to go waking him up in the middle of the night just to talk about some dumb nightmare.

What was there to talk about anyways? It wasn't like he could tell anyone of the little deal he and Slade had. No, if he told Bruce then the man would end up sending him all the way across the planet- possibly to the moon if he could. He couldn't run though, Dick knew that. If he wasn't here when Slade came for him the man would kill everyone he had ever met, even if it was someone he hardly knew.

But still... He needed comfort, someone to assure him that Slade wouldn't be coming for him now. But eventually, he would come. Making up his mind, Dick slowly peeled the damp covers from his skin.

He needed to talk to Bruce.

Do you guys like my attempt at a cliffhanger? Yeah I know, it's not the best ending, but I REALLY needed to sleep last night so...

Anyways, see you here next Sunday!