Dick and Barbara have been deployed earlier after reports of the city being militarized, and started scouting out the city. They saw men in military uniforms and anti-air structures. Alfred relays Batman's location to them, and upon finding him and Jason, much to their disbelief that a deadman walks again. They were so sure Jason was dead. But what else catches their attention the most is that Batman is practically brutalizing Penguin thugs. "Oh my God." Batgirl mutters under her breath.
Dick shakes his head in disgust and tries to shrug it off to leap down to assist Bruce and Jason, and shortly, too, does Barbara. "Got your hand full?" Nightwing quirks.
Dick and Barbara try to not focus on Jason, and turn their attention to the thugs. They know Bruce and Jason can handle this, but they wanted to lend a hand anyways. Jason is a little rusty, though still, he's still as violent as before. Bruce, however, even with one hand, is cracking skulls and breaking bones. But brutally. He knocks a thug down and holds their arm up, and as they're on the ground, he knee drops his shoulder, dislocating his shoulder and cracking bones. The man cries out in pain, and Batman knee drops him again in the face, busting his nose as blood flows out.
Another thug comes up from behind him, and he elbows them in the abdomen. As he hunches over, the caped crusader headbutts him and then kicks him in the knee. The thug falls down on one knee, and Batman punches him in the face twice and then positions his head to snap his neck. Following this, another thug tries to attack him, and he blocks another hit as he swipes at their throat with the blades in his gauntlet. Slitting it open as blood spews out. Jason sees this and he's almost proud of Bruce.
Dick and Barbara try to hold him back, and instead of letting them restrain him, he pushes them off and he keeps going. Jason ignores them, and Dick doesn't give up, still trying to hold back Bruce. Barbara tries to help out, and now the thugs have a newfound fear for Batman. A primal rage and brutality. They start to run away now. Batman headbutts Dick and gets him off of him. Dick rubs his face as he massages the impact wound. Barbara, and even Jason, are shocked. Startled. "What the hell?" Dick shouts back as he tries to collect himself.
"I had this under control." Bruce snarls, not facing Dick.
Dick shoves him, shouting. "You're out of control!"
Batman scowls. His eyes piercing into his soul. Dick stands his ground and he scowls back. "And you're in my way." Batman responds coldly.
Dick's composure waivers. Almost emotional now. Barbara doesn't know how to react, aside from speechless. Conflicted. "Bruce…" Jason mutters under his breath. Perplexed.
Moments later after a dead, chilling silence, Batman issues a demand. "Go back to Bludhaven."
Dick's stoic composure was so strong before, but begins to show the cracks in the surface, and a broken heart can be found underneath. "Bruce, what are you doing?" Barbara retorts, not wanting to stand idly by.
Dick reasserts himself as he barks back to Bruce. "Fine. I will." He then channels his anger and his heartbreak. His voice cracks halfway through. "And you can go to Hell."
Dick then walks away and he grapples away. Barbara follows behind him, trying to salvage the situation, or comfort him at least. Batman turns around and sees Jason, afraid too. "What are you doing?" Jason asks.
"What I need to do." Bruce answers back, bluntly. "You can understand."
Bruce then calls the Batmobile to his location for Jason, and he stands there as he watches him grapple away, standing alone. Concerned what world he came back into after revival.
Barbara tries to talk to Dick, but he doesn't listen. But one thing that does resonate with him still, is his compassion for Barbara. He holds her cheek and Barbara leans her head onto it, and she holds his hand. "I'm sorry. But I gotta get away for a while." Dick reassures Barbara, still trying to control his emotions.
Barbara, still processing the recent events, finally manages to voice a word. "Let me come with you."
She was so sure before about her stance that the justice system was broken, but now she begins to rethink her position. Wondering what Evan would do. Dick stares into her eyes, weighing his options. She starts to shed a tear as everything starts to close in all at once, and she can barely hold it in. Dick rubs her cheek gently as he comes to his conclusion. "Okay."
Barbara smiles, delighted. "Thank you."
Dick rests his head next to hers, and then he takes her aside and grapples away with her in his arms.