Everyone is alright.
The Joker and the Mad Hatter attacked four of Batman's own, and with rest and some of Alfred's skillful care, they should be alright. Nightwing went a bit overboard, and scared Harley; he reminded her for a moment of how the Joker used to act. It was frightening, and the Joker barely made it out with his life.
After talking it out, Harley and Dick retired to bed, once again remaining at the Manor overnight. The next morning Dick goes to talk to Bruce, apologizing for his breach in protocol. Bruce has been up all night, trying to figure out how the Hatter controlled Batman's sons, and why they would have no recollection of their actions the night before.
Dick yawned. The bedroom was quiet, and he could feel the sunlight behind the curtains as he smiled. Wincing as he pulled himself out from under Harley, Dick quietly slipped into the bathroom. He blinked in surprise when he saw himself in the mirror. There were long bruises from every hit he'd taken from Tim, and his neck was dark with the Joker's handprints. He touched his neck lightly. "Ow," he muttered, and then he noticed the still visible marks clawed into his shoulder. He laughed quietly, examining the bite marks and scratches on his torso. "Wonder if this is how Bruce feels with Selina," he laughed again, splashing his face with cool water. After their talk, he'd slept better than he had in months. He couldn't let the Joker control his life with fear anymore, but as Dick walked back into the bedroom and pushed some of Harley's light hair away from her face, he couldn't help the nagging terror rising in his chest again. The Joker would come for them, he was sure of it.
Harley rolled slightly, frowning before turning back and adjusting her arms. She sighed as she settled again. Dick smiled before walking into the closet. He came out with a loose cotton v-neck and jeans on, and he slipped quietly out of the room. He slid down the banister in the foyer, and then walked into the parlor.
Selina sat beside the fire and Damian was on the opposite side of the room, curled up in a chair listening to his iPod. Bruce was nowhere to be found, and Jason sat quietly on the sofa, his back to Dick. Jumping over the back of the couch, Dick slid into the seat beside him. He elbowed Jason, reaching for the coffee pot on the table and pouring himself a mug.
"How's your side, little brother?" Dick asked teasingly, relaxing back into the sofa.
"Not as bad as my head," Jason groaned. "It feels like someone tried to pull my brains out through my ears." Dick lifted his legs up, crossing them over Jason's legs as he leaned his back against the arm of the sofa.
"I'm sure your head hurts. All that confliction about living in my shadow and whatnot," Dick smirked.
"What?" Jason looked at him in confusion. "What are you even talking about?"
"Mad Hatter shoved his hand up your ass and turned you into his own personal mind puppet last night," Dick yawned. "You and Tim tried to kill me because I was in your way. Bruce loves me more so you were gonna shoot me in the head to get me out of the picture," Dick raised his eyebrow. "Harboring some dark feelings, Jay?"
"Okay I have no idea what any of that means. Sure I'd kill you if you were in my way, but not over Saint Bruce or anything." Jason rolled his eyes. "You're annoying, but in a take out your kneecaps not kill you sort of way. No way I'd pull the trigger."
"You did," Dick insisted. "I was dodging bullets all night," he set his coffee mug down on the table. Selina glanced at them, and her attention turned back to the fireplace.
"Shit," Jason swore, rubbing his eyes. "Okay that was not me. What happened? Please tell me you didn't kick my hypnotized ass. I remember Joker doing that," he pointed at the strangulation marks on Dick's neck, "but for the love of all that's holy, tell me I didn't fucking bite you." He pointed at the bite marks visible in the V of Dick's v-neck. Dick glanced down confusedly and then laughed.
"No, that wasn't you, I promise," he chuckled. "That wasn't from the fight." Jason stared at him for a moment before it clicked.
"Ahh! Dude!" He pushed Dick away from him.
"What?" Dick laughed, steadying himself so he didn't fall off of the couch. "Please, like you haven't seen worse."
"No, get away from me. Pretty sure this sort of thing is why she's pregnant." Jason shoved him again. "You two- no. Get away."
Dick laughed harder, rolling his eyes. "'Pretty sure'? What's the matter Jay, did Bruce forget to give you the talk?" He stood and stretched, his shirt pulling up at the waist, fingernail scratches visible in his hips. Dick yawned, picking up his coffee again.
"Dude," Jason complained. "I'm not bringing my love life into here! You're my brother and she's like my sister now stop being gross before I make you."
"I just stretched!" Dick cried defensively, laughing. "And you can't bring your love life here because you don't have one. I think Damian gets more than you do at this point," Dick smirked and then glanced at Selina. "Where's Bruce?"
"Where do you think?" she said sadly, still not taking her eyes off of the fire burning in the hearth. Dick frowned and then left the room in search of Bruce. He went to the library, turning the hands of the clock to ten forty-eight, and then got on the elevator.
"Bruce," Dick said tentatively as he walked into the Batcave, seeing Bruce sitting at the computer banks just like he had been the night before. He was still wearing his batsuit. "Bruce?" Dick asked slowly, and then continued before he could be cut off. "I just want to say that I'm sorry for last night. I wasn't thinking straight, and I was a bit lost and blinded by fear, but I'm okay now."
Bruce didn't move or even acknowledge him.
"Bruce, I'm talking to you," Dick said, growing irritated. Bruce finally turned and stood, looking down at his oldest son. He wasn't sure how to react to Dick's complete disregard for protocol last night. "I'm sorry," Dick said again. Bruce examined him; dark bruises on his neck and one across his cheek where Tim had hit him, and Bruce raised his eyebrow at the bite mark visible on Dick's collarbone.
"You were out of control," he said darkly. "You have been losing control for a while."
"I know. I'm better now," Dick insisted. "Harley helped me realize that I can't let the Joker control my life. I was too afraid."
"And what would you have done if you had gotten your hands on the Joker long enough to end him? You weren't listening to Harley then."
"Well it's a good thing Jason was," Dick shrugged.
"This isn't a game, Dick. People's lives are at stake." Bruce glared at him. "You put everyone in danger for your own vendetta against him."
"I realize that," Dick said compliantly.
"Do not patronize me when you deliberately broke protocol," Bruce warned.
"I told you I was sorry," Dick said. "Harley and I talked, and it made me realize… I tried to take the easy way out, but you've told us before. The right way is never easy. I shouldn't have done what I did." Bruce studied him for a moment.
"I am going to believe you," he said slowly. "For now."
Dick looked down. "Yeah, forget it. I know you don't trust me."
"It's not that I don't trust you," Bruce objected, "it's just you have a hard time being rational when Harley is involved."
Dick opened his mouth, ready to say more, but he closed it again. Running a hand through his hair, he turned and walked back toward the elevator. "Good talk, Bruce," he said quietly.
"Dick!" Bruce called to him. "If she's the only one who can talk sense into you, keep listening."
"Bruce," Dick said slowly, pausing at the elevator doors. "Don't get angry, I know we've had this conversation before, but… I'm going to ask her to marry me."
"I know you are," Bruce sighed. "Dick if you could make it happen, I think you would spend every second of your time alone with her. You got upset that you had to share her attention at dinner." Bruce shook his head. "You two still haven't been together that long, but if you two weren't together anymore, I fear a funeral would be involved."
"Me too," Dick said quietly.
"Is she going to say yes this time?" Bruce smirked.
Dick laughed. "I hope so. I just don't know when. How did to propose to Selina?"
"I took her out to her favorite restaurant after a day together and then asked if she wanted to go on patrol..." Bruce suddenly looked embarrassed. "I asked her on the roof we met on."
"I can't think of anything that good," Dick looked down disappointedly. "I can't find the right time or the right place... I just don't think I can come up with something that accurately describes just how much I love her." Bruce felt awkward and didn't necessarily know what to do or how to help.
"What have you thought of? Besides asking her in my parlor," Bruce remembered. Dick blushed.
"Sorry about that," he smiled and looked down. "I just can't think of anything."
"I'm sure you'll think of something," Bruce assured him. "You're the best of all of us at this sort of thing."
"I'm not. I learned everything from you," Dick looked down and smiled at his shoes. "So have Jay and Tim, even Damian. They- we- all look up to you." Bruce shook his head.
"Sometimes it's best not to look up to me." He shook his head. "Anyway you love her, and she loves you. You'll know what to do."
"Thank you," Dick smiled at him. He turned to the elevator. "And Bruce," he hesitated, "if any of us had grown up without you as a mentor, well... Jay would probably be dead, Tim would be in foster homes, and God knows what would have become of Damian. We need you as a mentor. We will always look up to you." Dick shot him one last smile before stepping onto the elevator and pressing the button. After the short trip up, he stepped out into the library. He could hear loud voices in the parlor, especially what sounded like an excited Selina. He went over and peeked in. Harley was sitting with a sheepish grin as Selina hugged her. Jason was gone, but Tim and Steph sat on the couch with a deck of cards. Damian was playing with Clark across the room, shooting an annoyed look at Selina. "What's all the fuss about?" Dick asked slowly, stepping into the room. Harley beamed when she saw him.
"Selina asked me to be a bridesmaid. Like I'd say no." She rolled her eyes as Selina smacked her arm. Dick laughed.
"That's nice," he smiled, his arm draping over Harley's shoulder.
"I can't wait to pick out dresses for you guys." Selina squealed.
"Good morning," Harley told Dick, smiling up at him. Dick kissed her slowly, smiling as he pulled her closer. When he leaned away, she blinked, still a bit stunned.
"Good morning. You look as stunning as ever."
"Suck up." Harley grinned.
"What? What did I do?"
"Everything." She smirked. She noticed the bite mark on his chest and blushed. "Oh God, I'm so sorry." She touched the mark, her cheeks bright crimson. Dick took her hand, smiling broadly.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," he laughed. "You weren't sorry last night, don't be sorry now." Dick had spoken quietly, but Tim still heard him and glanced his way. Selina moved his collar aside, looking at the marks.
"I've seen worse. I've done worse." She winked, getting up from beside Harley and sauntering over the door. Steph jumped up and ran over to them. After a second, she saw the marks. She burst into laughter.
"What?" Tim demanded, shuffling the deck.
"He... he has," she gasped through her laughter. "Bite marks." She mimed biting and dissolved into another fit of giggles. Damian glanced over at them, his face disgusted.
"But she's pregnant!" Tim cried. Dick rolled his eyes, laughing.
"Yeah, Tim," he smiled at Harley, kissing her blushing cheek.
"But..." Tim was interrupted by Steph smacking him.
"Pregnancy has nothing to do with it," she told him before laughing again. "But she bit him!"
"Hey, don't make it sound like she had all the fun," Dick protested. "You just can't see mine." Steph looked at Harley, clutching Tim to support herself as she laughed. He was between pained and amused, and Damian left the room.
"Sometimes I forget I'm stronger than him," Harley muttered, hiding her face behind her hair. Dick grinned.
"Believe me, I don't." he laughed, kissing her head. "But what's not to like?"
"I think I'm scarred now," Tim mumbled, and Steph hit him playfully.
"Don't be like that! I think it's cute."
"How can you think that is cute?!" Tim gestured to Dick, still laughing on the couch. Steph waved a hand dismissively.
"I'll show you sometime."
"Wait," Harley squinted at Tim, "you dated Wonder Girl, how do you not think that's cute?"
"Well, we- Wonder Girl- Cassie never-" Tim stuttered, blushing. He looked down. "We never actually- we never… 'did it'." A door slammed somewhere.
"So Steph has one up on her." Harley grinned. Steph glared at her.
"Hey! That was supposed to be-"
"-RICHARD!" Jason stormed into the room. Dick sat up, craning his neck to look over the back of the couch.
"What now, Jason? I wasn't shoving my love life in your face," he whined.
"You broke my helmet. You fucking broke my helmet!" His jaw was set as he glared at Dick.
"You tried to kill me!" he cried defensively.
"You could have just tased me unconscious!" He pulled Dick's escrima sticks out of his jacket and snapped them over his knee. "Oops. Now you can't."
Dick stared over the couch for a moment, shocked into silence, and then launched over the back of the couch at Jason. His socks slipped on the hardwood floor, but he scrambled back up furiously, diving at his brother, but Jason was already gone. He'd launched all four pieces of the broken escrima sticks at Dick and then ran from the room. Dick grabbed two eight inch long halves of his weapons, sprinting angrily after him. "Those were brand new! I'll kill you for this you son of a bitch!" he shouted after him.
"Fuck you!" Jason called back over his shoulder.
"How am I supposed to fight!?" Dick spat, chasing him down the right wing hallway. He stopped and took aim, expertly flinging one piece of the broken escrima stick straight down the hall at Jason. He saw it, but too late. It hit him in the back, between his shoulder blades and he stumbled. It was just enough for Dick to catch up to him. One hand shot out to catch Jason's jacket, and he yanked him back; there was a ripping sound as he fell at Dick's feet.
"You did not just…" He trailed off, too angry to continue the sentence. "I won't have to try too hard to kick your ass." He stood up, glaring at Dick. "Harley already wore you out."
Dick stared up at Jason, a good five inches taller than him, and then took off running back down the hallway as fast as he could.
"Get back here!" Jason yelled, sprinting after him.
"I didn't mean to rip it!" Dick cried over his shoulder, bursting into the foyer. He narrowly missed crashing into Alfred, only to smash into Bruce. He caught Dick's arms and looked down at him confusedly, and then Jason slammed the hallway door open. Dick let out a strangled cry and dove behind Bruce's shoulders.
"You can't hide from me!" He skidded to a stop in front of Bruce and glared at Dick over his shoulder.
"Enough, you two," Bruce snapped. "Whatever this is, it can wait. I just got off of the phone with Commissioner Gordon. Barbara is awake."