Chapter 11: Dropping Point

Dick's POV

It was storming outside, everything was flooded. Our Saturday is ruined. We have to spend it inside Bruce's office. Bruce was supposed to have taken us horseback riding, but it got cancelled because of the weather and an emergency business meeting. I was feeling really disappointed. I love riding and Jason's never been before. I was really looking forward to riding Tornado again. Bruce had given him to me when I was seven. And now the rain ruined everything.

"This sucks! I'm freaking bored!" Jason screamed at me from the window he had his face pressed up against.

"Jason, stop shouting and watch your language! Bruce is having a very important meeting in the room across from his office and I'm sure he doesn't want to have to walk over here to ask you to be quiet." I reprimanded him from the couch I was currently laying on.

He mumbled under his breath something about how I was 'a goodie goodie' who did everything I was told.

"Jason stop fogging up the window and come here." I ordered.

"But I'm bored!" He cried while standing beside me.

"Why don't you go turn on the TV?"

"It's not working because of the stupid storm!" he ranted.

"Did you bring your Gameboy?"

"Yes."

"Is it dead?"

"Duh!" he replied while rolling his eyes at me.

I sighed. "Well, mines in the car. So you'll have to find another way to entertain yourself."

He reached out and started tugging on my arm. "But I'm bored! Let's play a game or something!"

"No."

Jason fixed me with his wounded puppy dog look. "Please Dickie. You're the bestest big brother in the whole wide world." He said in his sweetest voice.

I gave in to his demand like he knew I would. "Fine. What do you want to play?"

He thought for a moment. "Hmm, let's play hide and seek!"

"Fine. You hide and I'll come and find you, but we have to stay on this floor. Understand?"

"Yeah, yeah. I got it. Now start counting to a hundred!" he demanded while shoving a pillow over my face. I then heard his footsteps leaving the office.

"One, two, three, four, five, twenty, thirty, thirty nine, fifty, seventy two, eighty nine, ninety eight, ninety nine, one hundred. Ready or not here I come!" I yelled while jumping off the couch.

The next second I heard the elevator ding. I told him to stay on this floor!

I ran up in time to see Jason laughing while the doors were closing.

"Get out of there! Now! I told you to stay on this floor!" I yelled at him.

"Nope!" Jason called as the doors closed.

The next moment a loud, echoing blast of lightning was heard. The building was plunged into darkness. The elevator froze.

I heard Jason start screaming somewhere below. "Dickie, help me!" he frantically screamed.

I felt my heart jolt. "I'm coming Jason!" I called out to him.

I ran over to the elevator doors and pushed as hard as I could, trying to force the doors open. Slowly they slid back into their hiding places and I peered down into the darkness. The elevator was like four or five floors below me.

"Help me!" Jason screamed.

I could hear the fear in his voice. Jay was slightly claustrophobic and he was afraid of the dark and really bad storms.

"It's okay, Jay. Just hold on a minute. I'm coming. Okay? Just hang on." I called down to him, while trying to keep my voice as calm as possible.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and walked backwards. I counted to three and took a running jump and soared across the empty space and grasped the thin bar on the other side of the shaft. I dropped down grabbing the next narrow bar. I could hear Bruce yelling for us in the distance. I dropped down again until my shoes impacted with the metal cage. I opened the trap door on the top of the prison and peered inside.

Jason was huddled in the corner, bawling. His knees were pulled up to his chest and his arms encircled his knees. His head rested on his knees.

I called down to him, "Jay, everything's okay. I'm here. Come over to me and I'll get you out of there. Okay?"

He shook his head.

"It's okay. I'm going to drop down and come get you. Just hold on."

I dropped down and crawled over to him and pulled him against my chest.

"It's okay. You're going to be okay. Stop crying everything's fine. I'm here." I whispered in his ear. I took his hands and pulled him up. "Okay Jay, I need you to get on my back so we can get out of here."

The elevator lurked suddenly, sending both of us crashing to the floor. Jason started to scream again. I yanked him off the floor and bent over so he could get on my back. We needed to get out of there now! His legs encircled my waist while his arms held tightly to my neck. I could feel his tears sliding down the back of my neck.

"Just hold on. Don't let go." I told him while climbing onto the top of the elevator and looking up at the floors above me.

********Break********

Bruce's POV

Lucius was just about to present the last report when the power went out. I heard Jason screaming. He didn't like storms or darkness. I excused myself to check on them.

"Dick, Jason are two alright?" I called as I opened the door of my office.

I received no answer. They weren't inside.

"Dickie, help me!" I heard Jason scream.

My heart pounded franticly as I left the office. I was probably on the verge of having a seizure when I noticed the doors to the elevator standing wide open. I heard the elevator jolt and Jason scream.

"Richard! Jason! Answer me!" I called.

I reached the elevator shaft stared down to see Dick slowly climbing up the cables with a hysterical Jason on his back. I felt myself age about twenty years. My heart threatened to escape my body.

As soon as they were level with the floor I grabbed them both and pulled them out of the shaft and away from the danger. I sank to floor pulling Jason onto my lap and pulling Dick against me. No one moved for what felt like a lifetime.

"What were you thinking! I told you not to leave this floor! Why didn't you stay in my office!" I roared at them.

Dick hung his head in shame, while Jason looked up at me with his tear stained face. "I'm sorry, Daddy. It's my fault. Dick told me not too, but I did it anyway. I'll never do it again. I promise. Can we go home now?"

********Break********

As soon as my head hit the pillow, I heard my bedroom door creak open slowly.

"What's wrong Chum?" I called to the figure standing in my doorway.

Dick entered my room and shut the door softly behind him, before approaching my bed.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked slowly.

"I'm disappointed in you and Jason. I told you to stay on that floor while my meeting was being conducted. And you should have known better than to leave Jason alone. You know the trouble he gets into. And you know better than to climb down an elevator shaft!"

"But he was scared. And you were too far away. And I guess I didn't think it through." He answered.

"Dick, I'm proud of you for putting your brother first, but you should have come and gotten me and told me what happened."

"But what if you're not there the next time something happens? Am I supposed to do nothing?" he asked.

"No. Just ask yourself what Robin would do. Just do the best you can until I get there. Okay?"

"Okay. I'll think it through if something happens again."

The next second, the sound of thunder rattled the mansion. Dick slid into the bed beside me. We heard the sound of footsteps come running down the hallway. My door was thrown open loudly as Jason clambered onto my bed and pressed himself against my side, clutching at my T-shirt.

"Hush, boys. I'm not going anywhere. Everything's okay. I'm here. You're both safe now." I whispered while tucking them under the covers. Looks like it's going to be one of those nights.