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Happy Harbour,
Present Time
Breathing rapidly with shallow, choked sobs, Dick pulled his arms tighter around his trembling body. Tears ran continuously down his pale cheeks as he stared out at the ocean. The waves lapping at the bottom of the mountain on which he stood were so gentle, so... calm. It was almost soothing to the acrobat, who sat hunched over his knees at the edge of the Cave that the team so frequently spent time in.
Nobody even knew where he was. That thought made Dick sob harder than before and he pressed his face against his knees, clenching the material of his dark grey hoodie tightly in his hands. The sun was setting over the ocean and while the sight was beautiful, the wind had picked up and Dick shivered against the cold.
'Oh well,' he thought, 'it won't matter to me much longer'. I won't matter to anyone much longer'. The thought frightened him. It wasn't as if he didn't think people cared for him. Not at all! He knew how much Bruce, Alfred and the team loved him and it the thought of leaving them all brought about such a tremendous pain that Dick couldn't stand to dwell on it for long.
So he reminded himself about why he was here, terrified and alone, about to end his life.
_Breakline_
One day earlier
Gotham City
6:54pm
It had been a fantastic holiday. Dick grinned happily as he reminisced, gazing out of the spotless window of the family limousine as it pulled up the familiar driveway to the manor. Bruce had taken his ward and Alfred on a rare, but enjoyable family vacation to Paris. The billionaire had thought it time to give everyone a much needed break from the stresses of their hectic lives. Dick had loved every minute of it; the sightseeing, relaxation and food had all been amazing, but he was ready to come home.
That is, until he actually got there.
Leaping out of the limo, and grabbing the keys from an amused Bruce, Dick raced ahead of the two older men, leaping up to the front door of the mansion. However, upon moving to insert the key into the front door, he found that the door swung open on its own. After a confused pause, the hacker moved into the house hesitantly and switched the lights on.
The keys fell forgotten, to the floor as the boy gasped, stepping back from the scene. The house looked like a hurricane had passed through. Paintings were ripped down from the walls, floorboards torn up, china smashed on the floor, the sight was horrific.
Hearing the sound of the two older men approaching, Dick turned with wide eyes to the front door. He needed the reassuring glance from Bruce to say that, 'oh yes, they had expected a storm to come through' even though he knew that the damage was far to specific for it to have been caused by mother nature.
The second Bruce stepped into the house, he knew something was wrong. A quick glance around the room confirmed his suspicions and, concerned for any lingering danger, his eyes flew around the room to find his son's.
"Dick, come here, son, quickly now!" He called in a calm, yet serious voice, before wrapping a protective arm around the younger boy. "Alfred, stay outside and call the police" the elder vigilante hissed urgently to the butler standing in the doorway, "Tell them we've had visitors".
Slowly, the pair made their way through the house, mindful of the glass being crushed beneath their feet. Dick felt hollow as he glanced around himself at the damage. This was the second time someone had attacked his family and to be honest, he was tired of being hurt. He should never have lost his parents in the first place!
His parents.
With a panicked cry, Dick broke free of his father's arms to sprint down the hallway to the sitting room. He ignored Bruce's startled cry and shouts to come back. However, his determination to reach the room that meant so much to him was lost the second he arrived there. The acrobat almost threw up on the spot, but instead, fell to his knees miserably, not having the energy to tear his eyes from the destruction.
The painting of his parents that had once hung proudly above the fireplace, was lying, massacred on the floor. The frame had been snapped into pieces and Dick could see pieces of his beloved parents lying about the room, carelessly discarded. That painting, had been the last visual memory, besides the original photograph which was now old and faded, that he had of his parents, having lost many possessions in the orphanage.
He was broken.
Bruce finally caught up to him, having chased after his young ward after a moment of surprise. The sight of his child kneeling, traumatised on the floor in front of his most treasured possession, shattered his heart and he moved quickly to pull the boy against his chest, kneeling down beside him.
"It'll be alright, Dickie. We'll fix it, I promise. I'll make it better, okay" he soothed, rocking the silent boy slightly in his arms.
But it wasn't alright. Dick didn't cry just then, nor later when his friends and the league rushed over to over comfort and consolations, promises of revenge and protection, warmth and love. He just accepted it, without a sound, because he knew what the others didn't or tried to deny. The invasion and destruction of his second home, that had helped him heal his previously weakened heart, had broken him. Broken him far quicker and far more easily than the Joker, or any other villain, save Tony Zucco, ever could.
And he was done with being broken.
_Breakline_
Happy Harbour,
Present Time
Rising shakily to his feet, Dick knew it was time. His sobs began to quieten as he turned his thoughts to his loving parents, whom he would soon be united with. Shuffling towards the edge of the cliff, Dick swallowed past his nervousness as he gazed emotionlessly down at the water below. Far below. A distance he knew no human could survive falling form.
Falling. That was how his parents had died. How ironic. But Dick didn't care anymore, focussing only on the hurt he was feeling and the serene nothingness that he would welcome in a few short moments. It was time to say goodbye.
Taking a deep breath, the young acrobat lifted his foot into the air, before a terrified shout stilled his movements, almost startling him off of the edge. Turning his head, Dick met the petrified eyes of a loving father, who Dick had never seen so scared.
The man was inching himself closer to his boy, one arms raised in a peaceful, calming gesture, although the man himself looked anything but. Behind the billionaire, Dick caught a glimpse of Wally and Roy, both pale and shocked, clearly here after trying to help Bruce locate their missing friend. The older man's words caught his attention once more.
"Dickie, please, son, come back from the edge. I know you're hurt, but I promise we'll get through this, okay? Just like before. Please Dick, I need you! Alfred and I, we need you to be okay. Just come away from there, alright?" The man begged, his eyes glistening as he held out his hand to the distraught boy.
Dick turned back away from the man to the sea. This was not what he wanted. He loved Bruce as much as his parents and seeing his new father like this made it clear that his death would push the man over the edge. Glancing back at the hero, the boy gave a choked moan of anguish. He wanted so badly to see his parents, but... Bruce looked to broken, and if there was one thing Dick would never want another to be, it was to be broken, like he was. And as much as he hurt himself, he couldn't do it to the man he loved so much. He couldn't lose another parent.
With a shaky breath, the young hero turned completely away from the edge, to take a step back from the ocean, before glancing, hesitantly up at his father. Bruce gave a cry of relief before rushing over at a lightning speed to roughly pull the boy tightly into his arms. Once inside the protective embrace of his father, with the sound of the older man's sobs, Dick finally let go, burying his face into Bruce's chest as he clung on to the man desperately.
By now, most of the team and some league members had arrived on the scene and were watching with misery, some weeping openly. Both Roy and Wally watched with tears running down their cheeks as Bruce desperately tried to comfort the brokenhearted child in his arms. The gathered heros parted to allow the Dark Knight to pass hurriedly by them Dick in his arms, taking the acrobat down to his home, where all would be made time.
It was an exciting life, being a hero. The glitz and glam of the media portrayed it as an idealistic lifestyle, full of adventure and praise. They were tough and almost untouchable...but like all things, could be broken.