A/N: Ok, so this is the sequel that I wrote a long time ago, but just got around to posting. WARNINGS: domestic violence, emotional manipulation, and swearing. Let me know what you think!
If Jason was surprised to see Dick trying to climb out the window the next morning, he didn't show it. "Going somewhere?" he asked, feeling he'd at least give his brother a chance to explain himself.
"Home," Dick replied, still couched on the windowsill, looking ready to throw himself out if Jason came any closer.
"Home as in the Manor or…"
"Home as in Blüdhaven."
"You mean where Catalina is?"
"…Yes."
"The same woman we established last night abused you?" He didn't say it in a mean way. Even so, Dick still flinched when he said it.
"She's not-" He stopped when Jason held up his hand.
"Don't try to lie to me, Dick, I know the truth, and so do you." He waited a moment to see if the older man would go out the window. "Why don't you have some breakfast?"
"I'm not hungry."
"Eat anyways. I have cereal." He smiled when that made Dick hesitate towards the room. "Come eat some cereal and we can talk about this."
"…Ok." Dick eased himself down, then crossed to Jason.
Jason waited until Dick left the room to go to the window and close it. He followed Dick into the kitchen and made him a bowl of cereal. It was the sugary kind that Alfred despised but was life-blood to the acrobat. He leaned against the counter while he watched Dick eat for a few minutes. Eventually, he sighed. "You know what we have to do today, Dick."
"I don't want to tell them."
"We have to tell them."
"No, we don't. We could….not tell them and just leave it be."
"There's a lot of things I'm willing to look the other way over," Dick rolled his eyes. "but you being abused isn't one of them."
Dick was quiet for a minute as he drowned his fruit loops. "How can I tell them? How-how do you explain something like this?"
"Well…I think I'll leave the actual words to you."
"You'll be there, right? When I tell them?"
"Yes. I won't leave unless you want me to go."
"Ok." Dick took another bite of his cereal. "What if they don't believe me?"
"Dick you're covered in bruises and you have a cut on your head, I doubt that'll be a problem. Besides, of our crazy family, do you think any of them won't believe you?"
"They might not…"
"They will, I promise."
Dick sighed after he took the final bite. "Who do we tell first?"
Jason nodded, pleased with the progress. "Well, we could start easy and tell Damian-"
"What? No! I can't tell Dami! He's a child!"
Jason literally bit his tongue to prevent himself from making a snarky comment. After all, it was Damian Wayne. The kid didn't need protection from something like this, considering he'd just threatened to strangle Jason with his own shoelaces last week. "We have to tell them all, Dick."
"But-"
"Which do you think is worse? Explaining what happened to Damian yourself, or having him hear it from someone else?"
Dick seemed to think about it for a minute, but eventually, Jason's reasoning won. "…I guess you're right. Not him first though."
"Fair enough. I'd say Tim-" his phone started ringing and he looked at it. "Speak of the devil. Hello?"
"Jason?" Tim asked like he was half convinced it was a trap.
"The one and only, fresh from the grave." Dick flinched and Jason made a mental note to curb the gallows humor around him. There was a sigh on the other end.
"What do you want, Jason? Why'd you call me?"
"I have something important to tell you. Are you at your apartment?"
"The Manor. I patrolled with Damian and Steph last night."
"No Bruce?"
"He got called away by the League for some reason."
That explained his lack of answering his phone. "Is he back?"
"Yeah, he got back an hour ago."
"Good. Dick and I will be there in an hour."
"Dick's with you? Is he ok? Barbara tried to get a hold of him last night, but he wasn't responding."
Jason glanced at Dick as he drank the milk from his bowl. "We'll see you in an hour, Tim."
"…..Yeah…. See you in an hour."
Jason hung up just as Dick finished his breakfast. "Ready?" Dick shook his head. "Its going to be ok, Dick. I promise."
"Pinky promise?"
Jason rolled his eyes at how juvenile that sounded, but considering the circumstances, he supposed Dick could be forgiven. "Yeah, pinky promise."
"Ok. Let's- let's go then."
— —
In the end, Jason decided they should start with Bruce first. Despite his and Dick's agreement, he knew this was the greatest obstacle to overcome. 'Telling Bruce will be the hardest part. No matter how close Dick and Damian are…. Goldie can deny it until the day he dies, but Bruce's opinion matters to him. If he can tell Bruce, telling everyone else should be a piece of cake.' At least theoretically it should be. Dick recognized the route to the bat cave halfway there and literally attempted to throw himself off the back of Jason's bike. The sudden movement jarred their balance and nearly sent the two off the road and into a bush. Thankfully, Jason managed to stop the motorcycle before they crashed. He whipped around to look at his older brother, flipping up the visor of his helmet to do so.
"What the fuck?!" he demanded. "We could've crashed!"
"You're taking me to the- to B!" Dick defended. "You-you said we'd tell Tim first."
"I know what I said but….we have to tell B first, Dick."
"No-"
"Dick-"
"No way!"
"Dick!"
"No, I won't-"
"Richard John Grayson!" The silence after his yell surprised both of them. "Dick, we both know telling Bruce will be the hardest part. It's the biggest hurdle, so, its the one you should take first."
"But-"
"He's not going to be disappointed in you, or hate you. But your identity is compromised, he has to know."
"…ok."
"If you can make it through B, the rest will be a piece of cake." Dick didn't say anything, but he did flip the visor of his helmet back down and wrap this arms around Jason's middle again. Jason took this silence of agreement and flipped down his own visor. 'This will be a fun day.' He took off down the road again, heading for one for the hidden entrance to the Cave. Dick's grip on his abdomen remained tight. There was an uncomfortable, hard plastic pressing against his back; right between his shoulder blades. Dick pressed his forehead against that spot. 'I'll let him do it. In a few minutes, he'll be facing down the most stubborn, self-righteous man on the east coast.' The entrance of the Cave came into view and he stopped only so he could enter his access code. Driving into the cave, he parked next to the bat-mobile and waited until Dick had let go of him before he stood. He took his helmet off and set it down on the roof of the bat-mobile. Dick took his off and stood as well. Jason set Dick's helmet next to his own and looked at him. "Are you ready?"
"No."
"You are. I'll be right there, got it, Goldie? Have you ever known me to take Bruce's shit?" Dick shook his head. "Let's go then." They walked at a slow pace, Jason keeping pace with Dick until they reached the main part of the cave.
Bruce was at the computer, working on something. "Where were you last night?" he asked before either of them said anything.
'He must've had cameras that saw us coming…' Jason thought with slight irritation.
"Dick. Where were you last night? The girls needed back-up and you never answered your comm."
"Uh…" Dick stalled.
Bruce turned around and gave Dick with an intense look that wasn't a bat glare to anyone familiar with it but might've looked like it to the untrained eye. "I was gone, they needed you. So what's your excuse as to why you left the girls, Tim, and Damian, hanging?" Jason glared at him, but Bruce acted unaffected.
"I…uh…." Dick glanced at Jason, who noticed and smoothed out his own expression. He nodded to Dick encouragingly. "I-I was at Jason's."
"Why?"
"I-I was injured last night. I needed help and… he helped me."
"Keep going…" Jason muttered under his breath.
"I-I was hurt because…." Dick's voice faltered, a thousand thoughts and doubts going through his head. Every horrible reaction he assumed he'd get from Bruce. Shame. Disappointment. Anger. Resentment. He didn't think he could handle it. Wishing he could just disappear, he looked again at Jason, but his brother gave him a nod. "I was hurt because Cata-Catalina hurt me."
"…..What?" Bruce's expression softened into slight confusion. Clearly Dick's confession had caught him off guard.
"We were fighting- arguing, and she-she hurt me."
"She did?"
Dick swallowed. "Bruce, Catalina abuses me." He swayed, but Jason put a hand out to steady him. Dick watched Bruce's face, looking for any kind of reaction.
"No."
"…Huh?"
"No, you must be mistaken."
Jason had to smother the urge to shoot Bruce. Not to kill him, only maim him. He could feel Dick's muscles coiling under his hand. The acrobat wanted to bolt. "Keep going, Dickie," he whispered. "You can do it, keep going."
"I-I'm not…mistaken," Dick stammered. "She-she hits me. Insults me…. She slaps me and calls me a g-the g-word and punches me and-"
"No!" Bruce yelled, not quite in anger, more in desperation. "This…Dick, this….this isn't funny!"
"Funny?!" Jason snapped, feeling bad as Dick flinched away from his loud voice. "This isn't funny?! Fuck, Bruce! Of course, we fucking know this isn't a goddamn joke! Fucking look at him! There's a huge cut on his head! Why else would he have shown up at my door in the middle of the fucking night?! Can you think of any other reason he wouldn't have dropped everything and come to help?!" Bruce didn't say anything. "For once in your goddamn life, take your head out of your fucking ass!" As cathartic as it felt for him, one look at Dick told him his older brother didn't appreciate it. "Sorry, Dick, but it had to be done."
"Jay…" Dick said, sounding truly at a loss for words. "You-you can't just-"
"No, Dick, I can. Bruce wants to play the denial game and I got my fair share of that last night. So, look him in the eye and tell him again."
"Again?!"
"Again." He reached out, but Dick stepped away this time. "Tell him again, Dick."
Dick sighed and looked down at the floor. He rubbed the floor with his toe and crossed his arms. "Bruce, I'm being abused by Catalina. It-It's been going on for a while…. and I-I went to Jay's because… I don't know why but I can't take any more of it. I can't, B." There was silence, that went on for several minutes, so he lifted his head. Bruce stared at him in…sadness? Pity? Anger? Dick wasn't sure which he preferred.
"We'll- I'll take care of it…." Bruce said eventually.
"You will?"
"Yes. For now, you're not leaving Gotham or the Manor. Not until we get this situation handled."
"What about my job?"
"You're just a police officer, Dick. There are more of them."
'Kind of a dick-ish way of saying that,' Jason thought.
"Go upstairs. I want to talk to Jason."
"…ok." Dick looked at Jason, who nodded. He'd follow as soon as he could.
Jason waited until Dick disappeared up the stairs before turning to look at Bruce again. "What?" he asked.
"You were the one who convinced Dick to tell me," Bruce said.
"Great deduction, but yes." There was no reply. "Look, I'm sure it's eating you up inside that if it wasn't for the psycho-gun-wielding-outcast you still wouldn't know your golden child was abused by his girlfriend, but I'm not interested in rubbing it in right now. Dick won't admit it, but he does need your help because, as I'm sure you're aware, she knows his identity."
"I'm plenty aware….I've never….approved of Tarantula. She's always been too much of a loss cannon and I've suspected she's played a bigger part in….the death of criminals than Nightwing has told us."
"Well put those suspicions to work, because you need to get her out of Dick's life pronto."
"I will." Bruce sighed. 'I'll get her far, far away from him. I let an abuser like her get too close to Dick. I need to get her away from him.' He could hear Jason's footsteps receding to head upstairs. 'Of all people he went to Jason? Not me, or Tim, or even Barbara?' Clearly Dick wasn't thinking straight. 'Or maybe he is. I've never seen Jason so protective of any of them. Being protective is Dick's normal role… but I don't think he's exactly up for it right now.' There was a pang of pain in his chest. 'I have to fix this. I have to protect Dick better. My oldest son… I have to protect him.'
"Emotional constipated brick wall," Jason grumbled under his breath as he walked up the stairs. "You'd think he could at least show emotion for his golden boy." Apparently not even abuse could get Bruce to show an ounce of caring for them. Good to know. He exited though the grandfather clock and went looking for Dick. Luckily, it didn't take long to find him. He stood in the hall outside the den, arms crossed and looking at the floor. "What're you doing just standing in the hall?"
"…Tim and Dami are in there…" Dick replied after a few seconds. "I can hear them talking."
"So?"
"So, they're being nice to each other and in good moods and….I don't want to tell them."
Jason resisted the urge to sigh. Did they have to go over this again? He could see the reluctance on Dick's face when his older brother looked at him, so Jason relented. "Yes, you need to tell them. Trust me, it'll go much better hearing it from you than from Bruce."
"You could tell them."
"Yeah, hearing it from me would be just as bad. You can do, and I'll be right here."
"Promise?"
"Promise. Besides, you've already told Bruce so the hard part is over now."
"Ok….if you say so."
"Do you trust me, Dick?" Dick nodded. "The trust that I'm right about this. Ok?"
Dick sighed. "Ok." The two of them entered the den. Tim was stretched out on the couch, his laptop perched on his stomach while Damian was fueled in an armchair, reading and absentmindedly stroking Alfred the Cat. Meanwhile, Alfred, the person was setting down drinks for both of them. The three of them all look toward the door as Dick and Jason entered.
"Master Dick, Master Jason," Alfred said in surprise. "We didn't hear you enter the manor."
"Came in through the downstairs," Jason replied as Dick sat down in an armchair.
"What's wrong?" Tim asked with a frown. He sat up and set his laptop down on the table in front of him. "We couldn't get ahold of you last night, Dick. Barbara tried to hail you on your comm to back up Steph and Cass against Riddler, but you never answered."
Dick swallowed. "…Are they ok?" he asked in a quiet voice.
"Yeah, they're fine. Riddler gave Steph black eye, but she knocked out three of his teeth so, I'd say they're even."
"Where were you, Grayson?" Damian asked, voice sharp and disapproving. "It is unlike you not to come running to our aid."
"Sorry Dami, I-I had a lot going on last night."
"What could possibly have been more important?"
"Chill, Demon Spawn," Jason advice the youngest member of the family. "Give him a chance to explain himself. I swear the apple never falls far from the tree."
Tim's intelligent gaze slid from Dick, who looked so unsure, to Jason who stood over the chair Dick sat in with a protective posture. "Ok," he said, starting to get concerned. "What's going on here?"
"Tell them, Dickie."
Dick sighed. "Ok…" he began. "Uh….listen guys…I…uh…" Dick made the mistake of looking up from his pants to his brothers. Jason was wrong. Telling Bruce wasn't the hardest part. It had been hard, yes, but it couldn't compare to this. Nothing could compare to having to look into the eyes of two boys he'd helped train and raise, two boys who looked up to him and relied on him for comfort and aid (even if one of them refused to admit it) and tell them he was abused. 'I'm their big brother…I'm supposed to protect them from things like this, not be the cause of their exposure to it.' But he didn't want them to hear it from Bruce. Dick swallowed. "You guys know I'm dating Catalina…"
"Yeah…." Tim replied in a cautious tone, while Damian simply furrowed his brow. Alfred remained as sonic and silent as ever. "What does she have to do with this?"
"Everything I guess. She… Catalina abuses me." No one said anything. No one even moved. "That's why I didn't respond last night. I-I got back from patrol and we had a fight. She came at me with a knife and I had to climb out the window of our bedroom after locking myself in it. I didn't bring a comm with me so…."
"What nonsense is this Grayson?!" Damon demand all of a sudden, causing everyone but Tim to jump. "You claim this woman is….abusing you?"
"Yes. Do you- do you understand what-"
"I understand what the term means, Grayson. I'm not an imbecile. What I don't understand is how this would happen to someone who was trained by Father." Dick flinched but tried to hide it. "How can someone who was trained by Gotham's Dark Knight not see the signs of domestic violence and leave before the situation escalates to…stabbing?"
"That's enough, Devil Spawn," Jason scolded.
"Jay-" Dick began, but Jason quieted him with one look.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, he's a child, but he's not an ordinary kid, Dick. He can handle what I have to say." Jason turned back to Damian, who stared back at him with a defiant glare. "Let me clear up some points for you, short stack. Being trained by Bruce has nothing to do with this. Dick's skills as a vigilante have nothing to do with his situation. This can happen to anyone, kid. No matter their intellegence, background, or even if they're more powerful than Superman, it could happen to them. So don't insult Dick's skill and intelligence by claiming that this is some lapse in judgement from him. You got that?"
"I understand, Todd," Damian replied. "I….apologize, Grayson. I did not mean you were unskilled I merely meant that….this is….unexpected. I simply didn't expect your confession."
"That's better."
Dick looked at Tim, who stared at the floor, lost in thought. "You gonna say something, Timmy?" he asked.
"I-I don't understand…." Tim replied in a quiet voice.
"Really?" Jason asked him. "Small fry over there is like… 6, and yet you, the genius, are the one I'm supposed to explain this to?"
"What don't you understand, Timmy?" Dick asked.
"I…" Tim replied, seeming to trip over his words. "I don't understand how I missed it."
"What?" Jason asked in disbelief.
"How could I have missed that? I-I've seen Dick at least four times in the past week. Twelve in the last three. I haven't seen him with Catalina all that much but I…I still should've seen something!"
"uh….Replacement-"
"I figured out who Batman and Robin were for Pete's sake! And now I couldn't even tell my brother, my oldest brother, was abused?!"
"Tim!" Tim looked at Jason in shock. "Stop talking. Just stop."
"Tim…" Dick said. "It's not your fault. You're not supposed to be the one trying to keep me safe, it should be the other way. This whole mess is my fault-"
"No," Alfred said. The suddenness caused them all to jump. "It is not your fault, Master Dick. Do not ever blame what that…, wicked woman has done to you on yourself, do understand? It is no, and could never have been, your fault."
"I….I'll try, Alf."
Jason looked at the old butler and felt his chest tighten at the look in his eyes. 'Damn,' he thought. 'I didn't even think about how Alfred would react. He's known Dick since he was eight; longer than all of us. I can't imagine how awful this must feel for him.' He didn't get a chance to check, because Alfred walked toward the door.
"I'm going to get the two of you something to drink. I shall return in a moment."
"Have you told Bruce?" Tim asked.
"Yeah," Jason nodded. "That's why we came in through the downstairs."
"Good. Can I see your phone, Dick?"
"Sure," Dick replied, handing the device over without complaint. "Why though?"
"Just checking something…" Tim frowned as he turned it on. "Why did you turn it off?"
"I-I didn't. Cata must've. She…does that sometimes when she says I need to….take a break from….other people."
"She turns off your phone?" Jason asked.
"Only sometimes."
"Have you not installed the software Barbara created so we could keep our lines confidential?" Tim asked.
"I did but… Cata always wants to look at my phone so she can go through my messages and see who I text. It wasn't worth the fight to keep telling her no so I just got rid of any security features the would've prevented her from being able to get into it." He could feel the look Jason gave him. "Jay…stop."
"Dick, she goes through your phone," Jason said. "That's not normal." Dick never answered. Just as Tim handed the phone back to his oldest brother, it started ringing.
"Who is it?" Damian asked.
"…..Catalina," Dick answered in a soft voice.
"Don't answer it," Jason said, snatching the phone from his hand.
Dick leaped to his feet and gave his brother a desperate look. "Give it back."
"No, Dick. You can't talk to her."
"Come on….Cata gets mad at me if I don't answer her calls."
"That's what I mean! Don't give her the chance to get inside your head."
"Jay, please-" The phone stopped ringing and Dick put his head in his hands. Then it started ringing again. Dick leaped at Jason, who took a step back and held the phone back so it was out of Dick's reach. "Jay, give me back my phone!" Dick knelt on the cushion of the chair and gripped the back. "Please!"
"Just give it to him, Jason," Tim said, unnerved by Dick's behavior. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could remember when Dick's phone had died two weeks prior. He'd seemed to be edge after that until he left the Manor, and had looked as though he'd been reluctant to leave.
"She'll-" Jason began, but Tim glared at him.
"It's not worth Dick having a panic attack."
"…..Fine." Jason handed Dick his phone and the other man snatched it away to answer the call.
"Hi, Cata," Dick said turning around again.
"Dick, where are you?" Catalina asked him.
"Gotham. With my family."
"When will you come home?"
Dick sat down as he ran a hand through his hair. "I-I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"I-I don't think I am."
"Why not?!"
"Why not- Cata you came at me with a knife!"
"And I'm sorry, Dick. I was just angry-"
"A knife, Cata."
"Please, Dick? Can't you give me another chance?"
"Cata-"
"Do you love me, Dick?"
"Of course!"
"Then you'll give me another chance. Isn't that what you do for people who you love?"
"…..Yeah…"
"So?"
"I just….I don't think it's that simple, Cata."
"It is that simple, Dick. Just come home and we can work on this."
"I-I don't want to come home."
"Dick, don't be ridiculous. We love each other. We're just having issues, amor. That doesn't mean we need to call it quits."
"….I just need some time to think."
"Do you love me?"
"Yes, but-"
"If you love me, then you have no reason to think. Come home so we can work on this."
"….Can I please just have some time and space to think?"
"Fine. I'll do this for you because I love you. Remember that."
"I will."
"I love you, Dickie."
"….Love you too, Cata." Dick hung up and sighed, running his hands through his hair.
"What did she want?" Jason asked, his voice half cautious and half angry.
"She wanted me to come home."
"You can't go back to her!" Tim objected. "Dick that'd be crazy!"
Dick tried to open his mouth, but Jason spoke up before he could. "You can't go back to her, Dick," he said.
"Yes," Damian agreed. "You cannot go anywhere near that woman."
"I must concur, Master Dick," Alfred said as he set down a tray with two drinks on it.
"But, Alf-" Dick began, but the butler interrupted him.
"I know this mess has confused you, sir, but we want what is best for you. Rest assured that we will not let any more harm come to you."
"But-"
"Listen, to Alfred, Dick," Jason said, not unkindly, which caused Dick's protest to die in his throat. "We're looking out for you."
"We know what's best," Tim added a lot of sincerity.
Dick sighed. 'What's the point in trying to argue with them?' he thought. 'It's not like they're listening to me.' Part of him was annoyed, but then he saw the sincere looks on their faces. 'They're just trying to help. I can't blame them for that.' He sighed again. "Alright…"
"Just stick with us. We'll make sure this is all ok."
"Right…" Dick slouched down in his seat. He kept staring at his phone, which didn't go unnoticed by anyone else in the room.
"Should we tell the girls?" Tim asked Jason.
The question made Dick look up and frown. 'Why would he ask Jay?' Dick expected Jason to redirect the question back to himself, but he didn't.
"Yes. We'll need Barbara's help with whatever Bruce has planned. Plus they'd kick our asses from here to Metropolis if we didn't tell them."
"True." Tim frowned when he saw the way Jason's words made Dick flinch. "Uh… Dick, do you want to go upstairs or something?"
"Why?" Dick asked, his brow furrowed.
"Just….because we're talking about some stuff and it might upset you."
"I'm fine, Timmy." He shifted, uncomfortable. 'I don't need them to use kid gloves around me.' He tried to sit up straighter. "I… I don't want to tell the girls right now. Just… today has me so emotionally drained, I don't think I need to go through all this again."
"We can tell them then."
"Yes," Damian agreed. "There is no need to strain yourself, Grayson."
"…I-I'll think about it." He yawned and slouched down in his seat even more. Despite being in Jason's bed, he hadn't slept well the previous night.
"Would you like to go upstairs and lie down, sir?" Alfred asked.
"No thanks, Alf." Dick yawned again. "I'm just gonna….close my eyes…" His eyelids slipped closed and his head fell to the side.
— —
" —will be the hardest part of this," someone… Bruce was saying. Dick frowned, keeping his eyes closed. What would it be the hardest part of? The hardest part of what?
"Could we… invent some evidence?" Tim suggested in a quiet tone. Yeah, they definitely still thought Dick was asleep.
"Invent evidence?" Damian asked.
"You know…make up something bad she did?"
"You mean fabricate evidence?" Bruce asked in clarification.
"I don't think right now is the time to be morally picky," Jason said, his voice still above Dick. "We just need to get this bitch away from Dick and fast."
'They're talking about Catalina!' Dick realized with a start. 'But… shouldn't I be part of the conversation?' Deciding that yes, he should be, he sat up and yawned to draw the attention of his family.
"Have a good nap?" Tim asked.
"Yeah… What're you guys discussing?"
"We're just deciding what to do about this… unfortunate situation," Bruce told him, his tone condescending to Dick's ears.
'Unfortunate situation?' Dick thought, his brain raising some of his defenses. 'Is that what I am now? Just… an unfortunate situation?'
"You're staying here until we can ensure Catalina is permanently removed from Blüdhaven. We're going to find a way to have her arrested-"
"We as is all of us?"
"We as in us. Myself, your brothers, and the girls."
Dick frowned. "Then what will I do?"
"What're you talking about, Grayson?" Damian asked.
"What will I do in all of this?"
"You don't need to worry about it," Jason assured him. "We'll take care of it."
"You will?"
"Yes," Bruce said. He turned to Tim. "Go through her history again, find something we can use to have her arrested."
"Better make it several things, Drake," Damian instructed. "And don't ruin it."
"I won't," Tim mumbled. "We can also send Steph and Cass to spy on her. Just in case she tries to contact Dick."
"Better change Dick's phone number just in case," Jason suggested.
Bruce nodded. "I thought of that. As long as he takes time off work, or better yet quits, and we change his phone number, she'll have no ways of getting in contact with him."
"It would be advisable for him to stay inside the Manor as well," Damian suggested.
"I'm right here!" Dick snapped, jumping to his feet. Everyone looked at him in shock. "Stop talking about me like I'm invisible, because I'm not! I'm right here!"
"Dick-" Bruce began, but his son cut him off.
"Does anyone at all care about what I want?! Huh?! Does anyone want to know how I feel about all this?! Or do I not get a say in what happens?!"
"We're just trying to protect you, Dick-" Tim began, but a glare from his brother made him stop.
"I don't need you controlling the rest of my life! I-I'm done with everyone telling me everything and controlling my life! I-I…. I need air!" He left the room without another word, ignoring the calls of his name that followed him. As he made his way through the kitchen he spotted the keys to Tim's motorcycle on the counter. He snatched them up and practically ran to the garage. He didn't have a helmet, but he didn't care. Within five minutes of his storming out, he sped down the driveway of the Manor. Once he drove past the gates, he amped up the speed even more.
The speed made his heart race and filled him with a thrill of freedom. He let out a sigh of relief that was drowned out by the bike. Muscles all over his body relaxed and the tension drained from his limbs. It finally felt like he could breathe. No one controlled him here. He wasn't in a tiny apartment filled with tension and anger and reluctance. 'Isn't that where I'm heading back to right now?' he wondered as his brain took in the familiar route to Blüdhaven. 'Where else am I supposed to go? I know Jason said I can't go back but….but no one can not make me.'
Did he want to go back to Catalina?
'I love her,' Dick thought. 'She's… I love her. No matter what she's done… I still love her.' The conflict made him unsure of what to do. 'I love her, but… she's abusing me.'
She could always stop.
'Will she though? What if she doesn't? Can I keep going in this relationship?' He didn't have a clear answer. As logical as he knew it was for him to leave, it was hard to think of leaving someone he loved so much. Someone who'd comforted him and laughed with him, made him feel special-
And hit him, insulted him, and made him feel bad when he didn't want to have sex.
Dick sighed as he slowed down once he was inside the Blüdhaven city limits. Part of his mind told him to get out of the city, but the other encouraged him to go back to Cata. Give her another chance. His conversation with Jason the night before come back to him in snippets. His brother was right though. This whole picture felt wrong.
Eventually, he stopped outside his apartment building and turned off the bike. His muscles wouldn't let him move. His brain wasn't thinking about his situation anymore though, he thought about his parents. Not what they would think of this, (although that thought induced anxiety), he thought about their after show rituals. When his dad would lift his mom off the ladder, whispering to her in Romani as he did. He'd kissed her twice and tell her how wonderful she'd done. Or the daises his father had always found somehow and would leave on Dick's mother's pillow early in the morning. The way his mother had always fixed his father's hair. The daises braided into a crown he wore with pride as he helped clean the elephant pen. Never any tension or anger or reluctance.
He also thought about Lois and Clark. The way Lois smiled at Clark like he was the sun. Teasing him and fixing the fake glasses on his face. How she would throw herself in danger to save him, despite Clark being indestructible.
Or Barry and Iris. The constant looks of love and adoration they were always giving each other. He could never imagine Iris hurting Barry or insulting him. It just wasn't… possible.
Dick sighed. 'Why can't I have that?' he thought. 'I want that. Intimacy, closeness, love that never hurts. I-I want that.' He sighed again. "….And I'm never going to get it if I stay with Cata." Mind made up, Dick got off the bike and slow made his way into the building, then up to their apartment. After a moment of hesitation, he tested the doorknob. It was unlocked.
"Dick?" Catalina asked as he walked into the apartment. As soon as he crossed the threshold, she ran to him and threw her arms around him. "I'm so happy you came back, mi amor." She tried to kiss him, but Dick turned his head.
"Cata," Dick said, but she just kept trying to kiss him. "Cata, no. Stop." With a firm, but gentle grasp, Dick grabbed her wrists and pushed her away. "I said stop."
"What's wrong, sweetie?"
"…I can't do this anymore, Cata."
"Amor-"
"No."
"Dick."
"I'm leaving, Cata. I-I have to leave." Dick let go of her, then headed for their bedroom.
"You can't leave! Dick, I love you!"
"I know." Dick tried not to look at her as he grabbed a duffel bag from the closet.
"If you know then why would you leave?"
"Because that's not enough. Not anymore." He put the bag on the bed, then opened his dresser drawer.
"Dick, please. I know you're upset about last night." Catalina slipped in front of him and put her hands on either side of his face. "It will never happen again, I promise. Last night was the last time."
Dick sighed, glancing down, before looking back at her eyes. "You have no idea how much I want to believe you."
"Then believe me. It was the last time, I promise."
"I don't believe you, not this time."
"Why not?"
"Because every time it happens is the last time it will ever happen. That's why." The change in Catalina was nearly instantaneous. Her brown eyes went from loving and desperate to angry and hard in a matter of seconds. It was a change Dick was used to and it sent a shiver down his spine. His muscles tensed up involuntarily. Wanting out of the situation, Dick turned away to put clothes in the duffel bag.
"So you're just going to leave?!" she demanded, watching him pack with her arms crossed.
"Yes."
"Why?! So you can go running to someone else? Right into someone else's bed, whore?" Dick flinched but didn't respond. "Hey. Hey!" Catalina grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her. "Answer me when I'm talking to you."
"…Let go, Cata." Dick tried to pull his head back, but her grip was tight, her nails digging into his skin. "I said let go."
"Then answer me."
"…No, I'm not leaving you for someone else." Catalina's grip loosened enough for Dick to get free. He resumed his packing, trying not to look at her.
"Even if you were it wouldn't last." Catalina crossed her arms again. "No one else will ever love you the way I do."
"Guess I'll find out when I get to that."
"Why would they?" She kept going like he hadn't even spoken. "Why would anyone want to love someone as broken of an emotional mess as you are?"
Dick flinched. "…I don't know…"
"You should just stay. Who else would put up with you?" Dick didn't answer. Instead, he packed his last shirt, then went to the bathroom. He returned seconds later with his toothbrush and put it in the bag. He grabbed a couple of things from a drawer and put them in the bag as well before zipping it closed. "Dick." Catalina grabbed the strap of his bag to stop him.
"Let go."
"What exactly do you intend on doing? Hm? Because if you're thinking about having me arrested, I don't think my brother, the DA, would like that much. And what exactly would the officers at the BPD think when you have to recount how you allegedly let your girlfriend hit you?"
Dick sighed. "I'm not having you arrested, Cata. Not…not yet at least. What I want is for you to leave Blüdhaven and never come back. You have two weeks. If you're not gone by then, I'll let my family deal with you." He jerked the strap of his bag free. "Good-bye, Catalina."
"I'll tell the police who you are!"
Her words made Dick stop in his tracks. "Do that, and my family will come after you, along with at least half of the superhero community. So if I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut and get the hell out of here." He turned his back on her and left without another word; ignoring the insults she yelled at his back.
— —
Failure was twisted Jason's gut as he climbed the stairs to his apartment. 'I'm doing a fucking great job,' he thought. 'Dick fucking went back to her.' He frowned at himself. 'Why should I feel bad? He's the one who went back! It's not like he's trusting and caring and the person who least deserving of abuse.' And there was no way Jason felt like a failure of a brother for not stopping Dick. 'Fuck this!' He groaned as he opened the door to his apartment. Jason froze when he walked in and saw Dick sitting on the couch. "What the-"
"I'm staying out of Blüdhaven for two weeks," Dick said, his arms crossed in clear defiance. "I'm still going to work and patrolling, so if you guys want to tail me during the day, or join me at night, I'll accept that. I'm not staying at the Manor though. I want to stay here with you. None of you are to go after Catalina. I gave her a two-week ultimatum. If she's not gone by then, then you guys can handle her. Got that?"
Jason blinked. "…..Ok," he replied. "Fine."
"Good. And I will tell the girls. Just…on my own terms and not today. Today has been…long."
"Fair enough." Jason sat down next to him and reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, but Dick stiffened and moved away. 'Guess it'll take longer for him to be back to normal completely.' He glanced at his brother from the corner of his eye as he turned on the tv. 'But if this new attitude is an indicator, he'll be ok. He'll come out on the other side.' That was what Dick Grayson did best. 'He's a resilient motherfucker. And that bitch can never take that from him.'