(For those who read my Deep End fanfic, the second chapter was almost done, but then decides to just crash, and delete a bunch of progress. Re-writting them soon. Eh.)

T'was inspired by @Pupeez4eva 's The Long Road Ahead. It was just so nice and angsty I love that fanfic so much, even if it wasn't updated (yet?) I still love it.

Anyway, onto the story.

~*O*~

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."

Sorry, Father. But it may be time for me to.

~*O*~

The Heretic looms over Damian. This is it, he looks up and glares. The time I fall. Let my eyes haunt him in the wake and sleep.

The blade plunges through him. Glory seems to spread across The Heretic's face. A sword through a body seems to feel like nothing. Im already dead, anyway. Was that it? He was already too dead to feel anymore.

But a cry escapes his mouth, and thats how the pain flourishes through him. The glory filled face of the Heretic grows, and the man leaves Damian in agony.

Dying was only the fortunate thing that could come his way. He even wished it would come quicker, but a figure looms over him. And, this is it, Damian thinks. This is the Heretic coming back to finish me off. End this agony.

The figure kneels down and Damian can see him properly now. His face is horrified, scared and bruised. "Damian," his voice was soft and broken, despaired.

Nightwing. Big ego. Grayson.

"Dick." But it comes out as more of a whisper than relief.

"Yeah — yeah, Im here Dami. Stay awake, come on — please, please for me," His eyes widened and Damian feels warmth from his hands. "Don't close those eyes — Damian; Please, Bruce'll be here soon, okay?" Damian's fully aware of the tears Dick is holding back.

"Stay..." It hurts so much to speak, but he's breathing and as long as his heart is beating, he's going to at least try.

Dick squeezes his hands. "Yeah, that's it, stay. We're gonna get you back to the mansion, you're gonna be fine and be smiling with us, you're going to be alive. You're going to stay, okay? Please," Tears pool from his eyes, and Damian wants to stop them to. He doesn't want to see Dick crying, he doesn't want to see him hurt.

And the only way is to live. To stay.

"Damian," Father, he recognizes. The fear is evident from his voice.

Something warm pressed against his forehead. Father's hands. And at this point, Damian thinks that maybe even if he did die, both of them would help each other, heal each other slowly.

His eyes are so heavy. "Damian," Father's voice brings him back to reality. And no, he wouldn't leave them with pain.

He'd stay, like he said.

He can hear Grayson murmuring and mumbling, telling him to stay awake, and that it'll be fine, it'll be over and he'll be with them; safe and sound (as he would tell Grayson to fuck off in the mansion).

"Hurts." Father doesn't speak, but he places an arm under his head and lifts him up so Damian's resting his back on Father's knee. Grayson still holds his hand.

Damian doesn't know if Grayson notices, but a tear had streamed down Father's mask.

And inside, Damian smiles.

Broken bones and a sword plunged through, still his heart beats, and as long as it does, he'll try to keep it that way.

"You'll stay?" Dick finally asks clearly, meeting his eyes. Father follows.

"Stay." A smile of relief spreads across Grayson's lips, and Father's too.

And he's sure of what he'd said. His body is in agony and pain, but yes, staying.

His feels Father's body relaxing, and Grayson's hand still holding his.

He breaths, and closes his eyes and wait for the pain to subside, and maybe wake up again back at the mansion.

Alive.

~*O*~

Should I try to make this a fanfic? Let's try to make this a fanfic. Somehow.

Okay. Ciao.