A/N: Just a heads up, I didn't really have time to really edit this chapter. Like I didn't have time to run it through grammarly. I may repost it if I think I need to but I also may not, just wanted to let you folks know just in case. On top of that I noticed a typo on the last chapter that's really bothering me. It's right at the end when they're demanding to go in the ambulence, Tim is supposed to say HER father is a doctor... not MY father is a doctor...because Tim's dad is well, dead. Just needed to get that off my chest.
That being said, here's the next chapter!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Enjoy!
Chapter: 44
Darren was absolutely frantic in the ambulance. Livia found it difficult to watch, but they were in such close quarters with the EMTs trying to pin Darren down and look at his wounds that it was impossible for her to do much of anything else. The sirens blared as they sped through Gotham, and Darren—unhindered by the noise, or too hyper focused on his cousin to even consider such irritating sounds—surged forward once more desperately trying to leap to his feet and escape the people misguidedly trying to help him,
"Let me go! Let me go! I need to get him back, I need to—," Darren shouted, elbowing one of the EMTs hard enough that Livia swore she heard a bone crack, he fell unconscious to the ambulance ground. Tim winced and Livia figured she was right on the broken bone part. Her friend tried to stand, to make his way over to Darren, but they turned a sharp corner and he fell back against Stephanie. He stifled a cry of discomfort, clearly still not properly balanced since his attacked by William and still stiff and sore from the surgery.
Still raving and yelling Darren tried in vain to get up and move, to fling the doors open only to be pulled back from the doors by the EMTs. Livia couldn't help but feel the desire to help him. She knew that Dick was the only true family Darren had left. The fear he must have felt at the possibility of losing yet another family member was probably overwhelming. The terror probably mirrored the helplessness he felt at being rendered unable to help his cousin,
"Get a sedative," one of the EMT muttered, sweat staining their face as they tried to pin Darren's arm down,
"No!" Livia, Darren, Tim and Stephanie cried in unison. Darren for more obvious reasons, as he yet again tried to twist away from the medics and onto his feet. Livia and the others voiced their objection because they knew that if Darren passed out, he'd heal in a matter of seconds. Not only revealing to the EMTs that something was off about the Crownes but also that there were holes in their past stories, their histories, and everything they knew about the Waynes or the Crownes. Too many questions would be asked, especially when people started talking about what they saw in that ambulance.
Tim lurched forward, grabbing the edge of the gurney Darren was flailing around on for balance as he leaned as close as he could to his friend,
"Darren. I know. I know you're worried, I know that you think Dick may—,"
"No," Darren spat viciously, "You don't know what I think. You don't know what I feel!"
"You're right. I don't, but you need to calm down. We have a part to play," Livia was sure she and Stephanie were the only ones who could hear what was said, the rest of the ambulance crew were trying to get them to their destination and trying to keep their patient alive and from hurting himself as it appeared to them that's all Darren was trying to do,
"Fuck your roles and rules. I don't care! That psychopath will kill him! He'll die!" Darren roared, twisting out of the EMTs grip and trying to roll to his feet,
"Not yet," Tim stated, sounding so sure, "He won't kill Dick yet," Darren threw Tim a near disgusted look, one that portrayed a deeper knowledge at what Dick was possibly enduring…a fact that even Tim knew himself but not to the degree that Darren had survived. They all knew what he grew up with and what he had lived through just mere weeks ago,
"And that's somehow better? That's somehow worth doing nothing!" Darren snarled,
"We're not doing nothing but we cannot overstep as civilians," Tim replied, looking slightly pained by that fact, even if it was true, "We've dealt with the Joker before, we know—,"
"—Save your excuses for someone who cares!" Darren hissed, surging forward once more before falling back with a choking sound. He clutched at his side, where the first bullet had hit, confusion flickering across his face. Livia thought she saw his eyes flicker gold before she was moving up alongside Tim, fighting to keep her balance as the ambulance bed rocked wildly,
"I think I have a way to get us there quicker," she whispered to Tim, Stephanie appearing next to her as well, her expression confirming what Livia thought she saw,
"Steve get the fucking sedative!" one of the EMTs called. Darren coughed and tried to roll over towards his friends. Steve dropped the syringe and hurriedly moved grabbed Darren, trying to roll him onto his back once more,
"I can't do this anymore," Darren groaned meaningfully—though his expression was one of misery. That phrase probably had many different meanings to the EMTs, most likely none of them good. But to Livia, Tim and Stephanie they knew it meant he couldn't resist the Electrum trying to force his regenerative ability to activate. Darren coughed again twisting away from the hands that tried to keep him still,
"Livia whatever you're thinking…do it," Tim said hurriedly,
"Grab hold of me," Livia instructed, grabbing Darren's arm, her nails digging in deep so he couldn't pull away,
"Grab where?" Stephanie questioned,
"Anywhere, it doesn't matter!" Livia said impatiently, eyes closed and trying to focus. Tim clutched her shoulder while Stephanie looped her hand through Livia's arm. There was a moment of silence as Livia prepared her spell.
The spell Livia was utilizing should only to be used in emergencies as it could be disorienting and possibly disastrous if done incorrectly. Livia figured the present moment counted as an emergency. It was a Time Manipulation spell, but with a twist. Baudelaire witches were like other witches in that they don't have to access their magic, it was innately there…having a source wasn't necessarily a requirement as their reserves didn't diminish in the same way magicians or magic-users' reserves do. Livia's family of witches weren't limited when it came to spell casting…in fact they could technically recreate spells, it was why the Baudelaire Book of Shadows was not only a mess but so in depth and precise. Though to be fair Livia hadn't seen any other spell books so her perception on that fact could be off. Still she knew that she could cast this Time Manipulation spell and tailor it to her specific needs.
What Livia desired to do was risky as she had not tried it before. The idea just popped into her head moments before Darren's ability to resist the Electrum in his blood faltered. She wanted to recreate a spell as she was casting it, which might not be completely unheard of but there was little time to actually research her theory. Interrupting a spell as it was cast was difficult, especially if the caster was the one doing the interrupting. It was like leaping through a hoop while dodging a thrown knife at the same time. Livia had done the same when Klarion had attacked her brother, but that was with Klarion doing the initial casting of whatever it was he'd done. Also the magic she used to interrupt Klarion's magic wasn't necessarily a spell but an innate ability most witches had…though slightly stronger in Baudleaires. There was no time to question herself, Livia needed to act.
Livia lassoed the ambulance's interior with the Time Manipulation spell—not mumbling or saying a single word out loud only needing to summon the spell in her mind, another gift granted by the Baudelaire bloodline—but created the extra parameter that anyone not touching her would be frozen in place…frozen in time. While those touching her would be unaffected by the spell. By limiting the the spell to the interior of the ambulance, it allowed the speed of the outside world and the traveling speed of the ambulance to remain unaltered while its occupants were the ones affected. Livia did make sure to exclude the drivers up front so they didn't ram into a car or a building on the way to the hospital.
Immediately Livia felt the strain of utilizing her magic and the gifts granted from stealing Klarion's power. Though the demon wasn't there to torment her at the moment, she knew he was probably gloating darkly at the prospect of her using her magic the way she was. Livia waited a few extra moments before letting out a sharp breath of air, her eyes opening to see the EMTs frozen in place the outside world flying past the windows of the ambulance doors as they sped through Gotham towards their destination,
"You can let go of me now," she grunted, "Do what you need to do." The spell was cast, those who were affected or unaffected would remain as such until Livia broke off the spell,
"How much time do we have?" Tim questioned, glancing at her worriedly. Darren regarded her in silence, a slightly pained expression on his face while Stephanie only held onto Livia tighter, as if afraid the curse would make Livia instantaneously disappear.
"As much time as you need," she replied stiffly—already Livia could feel her head start to spin, but she ignored the feeling. They couldn't have the EMTs find anything unusual and they needed to get to the hospital quickly, this was the only way they'd get what they wanted and needed, "But hurry," she added.
Tim nodded and turned to Darren, who was curled onto his side as if he had a stomachache. Surprisingly quiet though the desperate fire in his eyes had not dimmed. He was only biding his time, waiting for his chance to escape and find Dick, Livia knew it. Every inch of Darren was stiff with worry, nearly shaking with the emotion as if he wasn't quite sure what to do with such a chaotic combination of anger, fear, worry and desperation. He wanted something to fight, something to hit and hurt…but he was surrounded by friends and innocent people, it was agony for Darren just to sit and wait while his cousin was tortured for the amusement of a madman,
"We need to get the bullets out," Tim stated, helping Darren to take off his coat and unbutton his now thoroughly stained dress shirt. The ambulance jerked as it switched lanes, Livia stumbled into the edge of the gurney and she clutched at it, suddenly lightheaded. She gritted her teeth, righting herself with effort, "Stephanie, hand me the forceps would you."
Livia squeezed her eyes shut tightly, not out of queasiness, though she was starting to feel ill which was both due to using her magic so soon after creating her stupid fake invitation and the prospect of digging through someone's flesh for a bullet. The faked invitation seemed so long ago, and now a pointless act in its entirety. Livia closed her eyes to stave off the headache that started to throb just at her temple, Time Manipulation was exceptionally draining even for a Baudelaire witch. She was lucky she had that extra boost or she would have burned out minutes ago,
"Wait…hold on—where's the bullet?" Tim questioned suddenly,
"What? What do you mean where's the bullet?" Darren demanded incredulously. Livia opened her eyes to see both boys peering at Darren's side in complete confusion, "I know I was shot,"
"Yes. We were there, we all know you were shot," Stephanie stated scornfully, her worry as apparent as her annoyance at the matter. None of them wanted this to happen, and so soon after everyone had been brought back to the Manor in near perfect health.
All Livia could give was a grimace—her eyes shut tight once more—wishing she could add to their conversation, but the wet sensation of blood dribbling out her nose prevented Livia from letting anything out but a small and slightly pained groan. The conversation between Tim, Darren and Stephanie stopped, and Livia blinked her eyes opened to find her friends staring at her with concern,
"We need to hurry," Tim stated moving to Darren's shoulder. No one argued, "We'll be at the hospital soon and we need to somehow convince everyone to just take us to a bedroom and not the OR or Emergency Room,"
"I can help with that," Livia managed to get out,
"No! No more magic…it's, it's killing you," Darren insisted, fighting off another cough while fidgeting a little as Tim fished around in his shoulder for the bullet,
"Not yet…it's a…draining…spell, that's all," Livia stated tiredly, hoping that the sound of the sirens drowned out the beat of her heart at that lie. Darren didn't look convinced but she knew it wasn't her heart that failed to persuade him,
"I can't find it in your shoulder either," Tim hissed, "What is going—," suddenly Darren doubled over, his shoulders heaving as an unexpected and violent coughing fit erupted. Heavy wet coughs sounded, as if he were choking up his insides. Livia couldn't move forward to catch him as he fell forward off the gurney, but Tim and Stephanie flew towards Darren to grab him. Darren coughed again as they righted him up on the gurney. Livia and the others only able to watch in slight horror as blood stained his lips and teeth before Darren hacked up two gore-covered bullets into his hand,
"Ewww, nasty," Stephanie moaned, covering her mouth and looking sick…to be honest Livia didn't feel too good either but that didn't just have to do with the fact that Darren somehow choked two bullets out of himself, "Though I guess better upstairs than downstairs right?"
"I don't know how, I don't know what…but for the first time in my life, I don't want to know," Tim stated, sounding both horrified and awed as he held out a bedpan for Darren to drop the bullets into.
Livia let out a cry and fell forward, her legs almost giving out as her spell snapped out of existence. Glancing out the backdoor windows, slightly panicked, Livia realized she had done it, they were at the hospital. No sooner had time started working normally did the doors to the ambulance fly open. Men and women in white coats grabbing hold of the gurney before Darren could even leap off it. They pulled them out one by one from the ambulance, leaving the confused and groggy EMTs in the dust.
Being corralled inside the hospital was as much a mess as getting to the hospital in the ambulance was, Livia stumbled after her friends as Darren put up a good and restrained fight to get off the gurney and to his feet. He had not forgotten about his cousin and he refused to be treated—not that Darren needed any treatment—until his cousin was found. Tim's demands and requests for a room and to call Dr. Leslie over were ignored, as it appeared the hospital was notified of their upcoming arrival beforehand, their procedures didn't follow that of what they needed more so what was required. People stared as Darren was dragged into the emergency room, doctors looking up concerned as he neared vicious maneuvering to free himself. Darren even went as far to shout, in a dark and menacing voice,
"I'll kill you all and the Joker myself if Dick doesn't make it out of this alive!" As he twisted and fought…nearly throwing a poor nurse through the air. A doctor leaned towards a nurse hissing to them,
"Call psych and grab a sedative."
At that Livia stepped forward and raised her hand to cup her mouth, making an impromptu megaphone—and though she did not need to use her hands to amplify her voice magically, it felt more natural doing that then just somehow suddenly sounding like a sports announcer,
"Enough! Stop! Everyone stop!" She shouted over the din, pushing power into her voice. Tim glared at her, looking ready to argue against her using magic but it was out of his hands and not his choice. They needed cooperation right now and Livia was the only person who could create that cohesion.
Everyone did as she said, they stopped doing whatever it was they were doing. Some people even froze in place, everyone except Darren. He twisted off the gurney and landed on his feet in a low crouch, looking near feral and predatory,
"Darren, do not jeopardize this. Dick will be fine! We will find him! We will get him back!" Tim reiterated. Darren shook his head, starting towards the door, "Think. Think Darren. Think about how this might affect the future, you need to stop. We will get Dick back, we will find him." Darren spun on his heel, facing Tim with a near deadly look on his face,
"You didn't find me. Not for three fucking days. A lot can happen in three days and a shit ton can happen in an hour. I know that! I know!" Tim jerked back as if Darren had struck him, a wounded look crossed his face before he hid it behind a facade of calm,
"We'll find him. But you need to stay here," Tim repeated,
"Like hell I—," Darren didn't get to finish his sentence as Jason suddenly appeared through the front door, looking deeply angry.
Darren twisted to face Jason, as if knowing exactly what he was about to do—perhaps his precognitive ability acting up—but didn't move fast enough to avoid Jason's sudden and strong grab. Before Livia could speak Darren's neck had been broken and he collapsed to the ground,
"Jason!" Barbara, also appearing through the front door, chided sharply gesturing to literally everyone watching. No one cried out, no one screamed. The Bats and Livia all looked around confused and extremely concerned,
"Oh right!" Livia cried, remembering that she had told them to stop…and they had, remaining frozen in place by her command, "We're getting a room, just a room. Nothing happened here that shouldn't have. You'll forget everything that wasn't completely normal protocol or behavior. And you will call Dr. Leslie over to our room as soon as she gets here…uh…proceed." Jason hoisted Darren up into his arms, ignoring Barbara's hissing rebukes while Stephanie followed them and the nurse to their room. Tim hurried to the computers to wipe away or cut the security footage of everything that had happened. It wouldn't do if someone with enough technological knowledge ever thought to test the Waynes' stories but it would do in a pinch.
Livia started to follow the others, but stumbled…the world spinning wildly on its axis. Blood dribbled down her chin and out the corner of her eyes like black tears. She was suddenly gasping for breath, chest heaving painfully…it hurt even to breathe. Livia fell to her knees, the lights too bright and the room suddenly too hot…everything flying by in blurred colors and filmy flashes. The sound of someone crying for help—perhaps herself—was the last thing Livia could comprehend as she succumbed to darkness.
Tim watched helplessly as Darren and Jason stood off. Their glares dark and stances unmovable. Jason barring the way out of the room, arms crossed while Darren stood in front of him, eye to eye, his hands by his side curled into bloodless fists. Barbara sat tiredly in the chair by the bed where Darren had been lying previously, his neck broken courtesy of Jason while Livia was still unconscious on the second bed in the room.
There was a miserable tone set in the room, one that was newly overpowering. Tim despised being back in the hospital so soon since the last time, but they had no choice. Everything happened so fast and they were scrambling to try and pick up the pieces. Stephanie had left to help Batman and Damian search for the Joker. They didn't have time to plant a tracker on Dick, so they were in the dark as to where the psychopath had taken him. The entire situation was a mess.
The Bats were usually so prepared, ready for anything. But since the latest attempt by the Court to take Darren, they had been looking mostly at the Owls movements and forgot to focus on the other practically mundane possibilities of attacks Gotham could throw at them. That's not to say they were not protecting Gotham, they were, but the plight of the Court of Owls was growing. Especially with the possible threat of the League of Assassins aiming to steal the Electrum Formula or the Court seeing their desire to gain that closely kept secret as an act of war. On top of that security had to be lowered for the gala event. That problem was why they didn't host many galas apart from the Thomas and Martha Wayne Foundation event. Now they were trapped in the hospital while Dick was who knows where with a near rabid Darren ready to do anything to get his cousin back.
That helplessness Tim felt melded into guilt. He had not handled that situation very well. Trying to convince Darren that the rest of the Bats would rescue Darren didn't provide confidence. Their track record as of late had not been very good and trying to instill that trust so soon after Darren had been captured—an imprisonment that Darren still struggled with—went nowhere. Tim didn't want to make it seem like the only thing the Bats cared about was their public persona, that was not the case at all, though they did need to keep a certain image, that was typically not their priority. The reason they were so careful now was because of Darren's introduction to the family, the CPS and the upcoming criminal court case.
Darren may not understand that or care about their day personas, but those roles were important to Bruce. It was important for all their loved ones. For Barbara and her dad, for Bruce and Alfred, for Stephanie and her mother. The Bats had enemies, and those villains would be willing to use their loved ones as pawns to get to any one of the Bats, to hurt them. Darren hadn't experienced that side of vigilantism, not yet…perhaps he never would. But if he truly cared about Livia as much as it seemed he did, he would understand why they couldn't raise suspicion, even when one of their own was taken.
Jason's sharp voice cracked through Tim's train of thought, forcing his attention to the impasse before him,
"Get out of my way Jason," Darren snarled, looking like he was physically and mentally holding himself back. The door was just a piece of wood, Darren could crash through it and Jason without a second thought. The fact that Darren didn't try was a testament to his restraint despite the situation,
"No," Jason stated simply, "You're not going after your cousin, not like this,"
"Like you have the right to say anything about my current state! He's being tortured out there…we need to get him back, before—,"
"—We know what's going on out there," Jason hissed, his expression stormy, "trust me Dare. We know," Jason glanced over at Barbara…who's expression was lost almost as if she weren't quite present in the conversation. Tim knew that wasn't the case but this was an exceptionally situation for her as well as Darren,
"All the more reason to go out and find him!" Darren stated, "I don't understand why we're wasting our time here!"
"I already told you—," Tim started from his spot by Livia's bed. He'd taken the chair there, his leg bothering him from such continuous use,
"—Yes, I know. We're going to do nothing. We're going to play the false part of 'helpless ordinary citizens' while Dick is stuck…in the dark, with a madman," Darren snapped around to face Tim, his expression scarily thunderous. He looked like his father in that moment, his face hard and angry, "I don't care about your rules…I don't care what the city thinks. All I care about is Dick…all I care about is getting him back and—,"
"—and what? Killing the Joker?" Jason interrupted, "Get in line kid. We will get Dickie-bird back, you just need to keep your head until then. B doesn't want your unstable self out there while Dick's life is on the line," Tim winced as Darren snapped his head to face Jason.
Darren let out a short bark of laughter, dark and full of mirth…it wasn't a laugh Tim's ever heard from Darren before, though to be honest he hadn't heard Darren laugh all that much in the time that he'd known him.
"'Get in line?' Really? I don't see you trying particularly hard to kill the Joker," Jason's face turned to stone and he leaned forward, inches from Darren,
"And I don't see William Cobb six inches under either. He's still walking around, breathing or doing whatever you Talons do for air." Tim tried to rise, hoping to diffuse whatever bomb both boys were igniting but it was too late. A loud slam echoed through the room. The doorframe creaked slightly from Jason's impact against it, but the wood held…Darren despite his anger must be trying immensely to hold himself back,
"Let me through or I swear to God I'll—,"
"—You'll what?" Jason snapped as he scrambled to regain his footing, "You'll kill me?" Darren stared at him, unblinkingly, his expression unreadable. Jason grabbed Darren's arm, spreading the younger boy's fingers and planting them over his chest, right where his heart was,
"Go ahead. Do it. Kill me Talon. If you can't kill me there's no way in hell you'll be able to kill the Joker…let alone William!"
"Jason—," Tim admonished. He didn't know what Jason was trying to, what he was trying to accomplish, by goading Darren in such a way. But the answer came as soon as the confusion did. He was stalling. The longer he and Darren argued, the less likely he was to escape and seek his own version of justice. Tim understood the logic, though not the risk Jason was taking. Darren was in no state of mind to revisit every terrible thing William had done to him and certainly not when Dick's life was possibly on the line,
"You seem very eager to die a second time Jason…don't push me, I'm not keen on mercy and there's nothing I won't do to get the hell out of this room," Darren hissed, slowly increasing pressure from his fingers, using his strength to practically cut into Jason's chest…waiting for him to move, to flinch, to act. But Jason stood there, bearing it, his eyes narrowed, "Let me through," Darren insisted.
A moment or two of silence passed, with Darren's hand practically clawing over Jason's heart. Tim swallowed thickly as Jason remained silent, staring Darren down. He felt helpless before, now even more so. He couldn't help Batman find Dick, he couldn't get Darren to see reason and now he couldn't protect his two brothers from themselves. Everything was falling apart, everything was a mess,
"Let me through," Darren's voice dropped, sounding less angry and a little more desperate, "Don't make me turn into William…please…I need to help him. I just need to do something," Darren's voice sounded choked with despair.
Tim almost couldn't listen, couldn't watch. He wished he could say something comforting…something that would pull Darren back from this edge, one not so dangerous as it was destructive to himself and those around him, but there was nothing to say that would make this situation better. It wasn't that simple being a vigilante or associated with them, everything—every plan, movement or action—was strategic. Meticulously calculated so that nothing was ever put into question…and Darren hadn't been trained like that. There was no one in the Court of Owls that would be hurt by Darren's actions as a Talon. There was no consequence to killing as long as Talons were not caught. Caution regarding his identity was difficult for Darren to wrap his head around. But Darren had no choice, he needed to understand their precarious situation. Tim opened his mouth,
"Jason. Darren. Enough," Surprisingly it was Barbara who spoke. Breaking whatever spell of aggression that was fueling both Jason and Darren's rage. Darren broke away from Jason, stumbling back a few steps, his chest heaving,
"Let me go Barbara…please let me go…I can't, I can't just stay here. I can't do this your way." Barbara took a deep breath before shaking her head at Darren, her expression dismayed but firm,
"Dick made a choice Darren. He chose to keep you safe—,"
"—I'm a Talon! The Joker can't hurt me!" Darren shouted in near disbelief,
"The Joker specializes in psychological pain as well as physical Darren. We know this, we've even experienced this, it would not have turned out the way you'd expect it to," Barbara stated calmly, her voice barely revealing any strain or trembling at even talking about the Joker. Jason looked anywhere but at Barbara, the hand by his side curled into a fist as if that small movement were somehow keeping him together in the memory of his own death.
Darren just shook his head, slowly at first before it looked as if he were trying to throw those words out of his head, looking lost. A beat of silence and Darren finally stilled, taking a deep and shuddering breath, eyes locked on the ground,
"He doesn't deserve this…after everything he's done for me,"
"I know you think that Dick, because he's so happy and smiles and laughs…and is just, so full of life, that he can't endure this. That he can't survive this. But he will. He has before, this is not the first time Dick has faced the Joker as a civilian or as a vigilante. Dick will be fine, he will be found and we will get him back,"
"Why aren't you guys there. Why aren't you helping to find him?" Darren questioned,
"Aside from our histories with the Joker," Barbara started stiffly,
"We've been benched," Jason stated dryly,
"We're here for you," Barbara stated, throwing Jason a look. Darren looked angered by that notion,
"Don't worry, we're not too keen on being your babysitter either," Jason stated roughly. Tim rolled his eyes,
"They're here in case the Owls try something," he stated, Darren flinched, looking back at him with surprise, "They used Scarecrow's attack against us before we weren't going to take another chance…we don't want what happened last time to happen again."
Darren tilted his head, as if listening for something, and Tim realized he was trying to see if Tim was lying. He tried not to feel offended by that, Tim tried to see the reason behind Darren's mistrust. It had to do with what he said in the ambulance…or what he didn't say…it had to do with his perspective on protecting the story rather than the person or the severity of the matter. And it had to do with his past. Nothing by lies and deception, nothing but fighting and survival…and this to Darren was a matter of survival.
A moment passed, only interrupted by a sudden gasp of surprise as Livia sprung up on her bed, taking everything in. Tim shifted over to put a hand on her arm and ask if she was okay. Livia nodded, swallowing thickly before glancing over at Darren. His expression wavered as their eyes took in each other, before locking on viciously angry. He twisted around snatching Jason up by the throat,
"Let me out," Darren monotoned, no hint of anger in his voice…just the tension and anger that danced upon his face and snaked up his spine,
"And…here, I though…we were…having such a nice…heart to heart," Jason gasped out,
"You were distracting me. Let me out or I strangle you,"
"And you were letting them," Livia stated softly, her voice brittle in the tension of the room, she was surprisingly standing, a hand resting on the back of Tim's chair for support. Darren flinched lightly at the sound of her voice and at that revealed truth, but remained focused on his demand for freedom,
"You can do better than that," Jason rasped, a bitter grin on his face "…snap my neck…I know you want payback." Silence followed, painful and strained as Darren just smiled. A grin without emotion,
"This way's slower," All humor drained from Jason's face and Tim reached for his crutches, maybe if he threw them hard enough Darren would stop this absurdness,
"Darren," Livia stated sharply, wavering slightly on her feet, still exhausted from using her magic before,…Darren froze, but did not turn to face her. Tim didn't know what she was trying to do and felt nothing but confusion as she said "Sorry in advance," before she made a twisting motion with her hand. There was a sickening crack and Darren slumped over, his neck broken once more. Jason barely caught him in time before he crashed to the ground,
"Jesus," he muttered as he slid to the ground with Darren practically in his lap, rubbing at his throat. Barbara let out a sigh, partially out of relief and partially out of exasperation,
"We were hoping to get through this without killing him,"
"Sorry, I was bit too unconscious to get the memo," Livia stated weakly before collapsing to her knees. Tim reached to help her up but Livia shooed him away, gesturing for the tissue box which he got for her instead. She pinched at her nose to stop the sudden bleeding. Her eyes bled as well, the black blood dripped down her cheeks like morbid tears. She made no move to wipe them off,
"You need to stop using your magic. You did too much tonight," Tim insisted, "Rest, recharge." Livia scowled, watching as Jason laid Darren down on the bed, closing his eyes with slight care despite the fact that the kid had just been trying to kill him five seconds ago,
"I'm fine. I'm a dead woman walking anyway," she stated dryly, as if it were some kind of joke,
"Livia," Tim stated worriedly,
"Will he hate me? Will he forgive me for this?" She asked, her eyes on Darren's unconscious form. Barbara carted a hand gently through his hair, as if in an effort to comfort him and his worry for Dick,
"No, he won't hate you. He'll understand," Tim murmured, hoping in vain that was true. He didn't know what it would do to Livia or Darren if they were at odds because of this. Tim knew Darren was quick to anger and defensiveness if pushed, but this was a different situation where it was not his life on the line but his cousin's life. Once they got Dick back…perhaps Darren would understand their reasoning and Livia's actions,
"How did you even do that? Magic doesn't work on Talons," Jason questioned,
"I manipulated the air around his neck…so technically I didn't use magic on him," Livia stated shakily,
"Magical loophole. Sweet," Jason crowed, "I'm gonna get Dr. Leslie in here. Maybe she'll be able to keep Dare out until we get Goldie back." With that Jason left the room, perhaps using the excuse of calling Dr. Leslie down to calm himself and forget what was said earlier. Old wounds don't heal as well as one might think they do and both Jason and Darren said a lot of deeply painful things to each other, whether trying to distract the other or out of angered panic, no one just gets over their traumas being thrown back in their face so quickly,
"Right. Sweet." Tim muttered, looking on as Livia gazed mournfully over at Darren, feeling even more helpless than before.
Darren sat in the passenger seat next to Barbara as they drove back to the Manor. Both of them silent as they passed through the late morning traffic of Gotham. Darren felt nothing but panic when he woke so suddenly from being killed. Livia, Tim and Jason were already gone. It was just Barbara there to tell Darren that they had found Dick, he was worse for wear, but alive. 'Alive' Barbara had repeated, and pulled Darren in for an unwanted hug—her shoulders quivering with relief. Darren wanted to pull away, uncomfortable, but he let her hold him close. She needed it and perhaps Darren did as well, he never really knew when he wanted such affection.
In that moment Darren forgot his own emotions and remembered that others had them and were affected by them. He realized that she'd faced her own tormentor that night—the psychopath who took her mobility from her. The Joker had taken someone she loved and she had been stuck dealing with Darren, unable to even help get Dick back. Darren hadn't considered that last night. In fact, Darren hadn't thought about a lot of things…only his panic for Dick. A desperate mantra had pulsed through his head, nonononono not Dick, not him. He can't die, he can't die, he can't be dying, he can't be dead. Darren's only focus was on what his cousin might possibly be going through. His only need to get his cousin back. Darren was used to being the one that was hurt, he was used to that pain. But this was something he never experienced before, he'd never been on this side of a kidnapping, a capture, or an imprisonment. Darren didn't know how to handle such a thing. It was almost as if a completely different person took over that night.
Nothing. That's what Darren felt as he stared out the car window without seeing the world pass him by. Nothing. He felt numb. Trying to ignore the nagging notion that he should feel guilty about what he said the night before. Maybe Darren even wanted to feel guilty for saying what he said to Jason and Tim. But he didn't feel guilty, there was only one thing that Darren recognized he felt: anger. At what or whom,Darren didn't know. But it was preventing him from properly processing what happened the night before.
So he sat there, simmering with anger…unsure of what to do or say or feel. Trying hard not to think of Dick or what he would see once he got to the Manor.
Darren remembered being ready to kill Jason. Ready to just tear right through the man and go on with the mission in mind. It would have been easy, it would have even felt good to kill Jason just to get out of that room…that stifling, suffocatingly small room…there was nothing that could have stopped him. Everything that Darren had forced down and locked away in order to keep that killer instinct at bay, sated within the second it took to rip Jason's heart out. Darren had every intention and every opportunity to act on his untapped training…yet, something held him back. It was peculiar, it was unwelcome as it prevented Darren from doing what he needed to do in order to save Dick. It was unbearable because it meant when he needed that instinct to kill the most…there was a possibility that Darren couldn't follow through. What was he if unable to be an assassin. What was he if couldn't be a vigilante. What would he become if he couldn't be both an assassin and vigilante, what would happen if he couldn't find a balance anymore. How could he be a savior of Gotham if there was nothing left of what he once was and what he was trying to become?
Livia drifted to mind then, she believed in Darren. That is what she told him. Darren remembered her voice the night before, echoing in the room lightly. So frail and thin and Darren had froze. He'd almost abandoned his advance against Jason, almost. But he couldn't do it, he couldn't just give up on Dick and turn his back on the people trying to keep him locked away in that room to comfort Livia. Darren wanted to, he wanted so badly to go to Livia. To put his arms around her, to seek comfort, to hold Livia…to keep her alive. To keep Livia breathing in some way. To stop that curse. But Darren didn't know how to do that. Talons were immune to magic and were unable to practice it. There was nothing Darren could do for Livia just like there was nothing Darren could do for Dick. He also remembered her apologizing. Then the abrupt and alarming feeling of his neck snapping to his side…then nothing. Livia had snapped his neck, the realization of that settled over Darren uneasily. Should he be upset about that, like Darren had been when his father snapped his neck…or should he let the matter go? Was it right to just let it go? Darren wouldn't be doing it because Livia meant something more to him than he ever thought another person could. No he'd be letting it go because Livia was trying to help him whereas Slade had been trying to use him. Same with Jason, his only intention was to help though unappreciated by Darren the purpose was the identical. Still Livia's interference sat restlessly within him. Darren didn't like Livia having that power over him, it reminded Darren of Sophie.
Darren forced thoughts of Sophie from his mind, watching emotionlessly as the Manor grew closer and closer in the distance until they finally pulled into the driveway. Darren was out of the car and to the front door in an instant, but stilled just within the threshold of the entryway. Darren remembered bitterly arriving back from the hospital just a week and a half ago, and the discomfort he felt stepping into the place he called home. It was like deja vu, Darren worried of that happening all over again.
Creaks echoed loudly within the mansion, reaching Darren's ears like bells in a tower. Footsteps and muted voices danced around the near empty halls of the house. People coming and going, the click of dog nails on the wood, the rustle of curtains. All of it a cacophony of home. Darren felt his shoulders relax as he stepped further into the house, Barbara stepping around him to go find Bruce—most likely to get more information on what happened to Dick, Darren knew he didn't want that information any time soon.
Darren stood, unable to move, unable to even force himself to try and listen for Dick. The house settled loudly and Darren could hear along with the noise the slow steady breaths of his cousin, the steady beeps of machines around him, the slight hiss of air through a nasal cannula. Darren curled his hands into fists, closing his eyes and trying to calm his breathing.
Dick was hurt, Darren knew that, he knew Dick wasn't all in one piece. But it wasn't that bad, Darren needed to convince himself that Dick was okay. They got him fixed up and sent home before me, they managed to do that…therefore Dick has to be okay Darren thought to himself over and over again, eyes still sealed shut, still frozen in the entrance to the manor. Unwilling to move forward…petrified of what awaited him within,
"Darren?" Tim's voice questioned. Darren blinked his eyes opened…remembering vividly how harshly he had treated his friend the night before. Darren wanted to apologize, but felt his attention diverted half centered on Tim and half focused on Dick up above in his room,
"I-I…Is…is he okay?" Darren finally managed to get out, his voice sounding foreign in his ears. Tim gave him a grim smile,
"Why don't you see for yourself?" Tim turned and started up the stairs. Stopping halfway to look back expectantly at Darren.
After a moment of hesitation, Darren started up after Tim. Trailing a few feet behind him…cautious and uncertain of what to expect. It felt like an eternity before they were up to Dick's room. The door was cracked open, partially ajar and Tim knocked on it lightly telling Dick he had a visitor. Tim leaned back, letting Darren through and again after a moment's hesitation, Darren stepped into the room. Air hissed up his throat as he tried to refrain from gasping out loud, Darren managed to stifle the sound, only inhaling sharply through his nose.
Dick was definitely worse for wear. The entire right side of Dick's face was a bruise, dark and purple. His right eye was puffed up and closed, though he managed to open it at the sound of Darren's muffled gasp. The rest of Dick was covered with sheets but his arms were on top of the comforter. His left arm was in a sling and his right shoulder was wrapped heavily, blotches of red seeping through already. On his right hand Darren saw a bandage wrapped around his three middle fingers, blood crusted on the outside where fingernails had been torn off.
Darren only heard his heart rate accelerate, panic warping everything as he wondered what happened to Dick and how could Darren let this happen to his cousin. He was a Talon…he couldn't be hurt…he couldn't be killed and yet Dick sacrificed himself. Darren didn't even need to check to know that Dick's torso was probably entirely wrapped with gauze. Darren could only stare at Dick…unable to move,
"I-I'll give you two a moment alone," Tim mumbled, stepping out and shutting the door behind him. It was only then that Darren was able to slump into the nearby seat. Red Watch shifts were probably enacted for Dick…it was uncanny and unnerving being on this side of the bed. Darren didn't know what feeling was rising in his chest but it was unpleasant,
"Hey there kiddo," Dick rasped, a crooked smile on his face. Despite whatever pain Dick was in, he still had a smile on his face. There was still that spark of light and laughter in his eye, however dimmed for the moment. Darren only gaped, uncertain of what to say, what to do or of anything. After another pause fo silence, Dick spoke again,
"So I heard you and Jason got into quite an argument while I was out. Didn't think you cared so much about my wellbeing." It was a joke. Darren knew it was a joke, he knew it was supposed be Dick being funny and lighthearted. But Darren was too tense and wound up for humor…it only sparked his anger and before he knew it he'd grabbed Dick but the front of his shirt,
"You didn't think I cared? Of course I care! Of course I care! I'm your cousin! I'm your family…I'd be a killer if it weren't for you, I'd be on the streets if you hadn't insisted on finding me! I'd be lost if you were killed, I'd be nothing if you were dead. I-I—how could you? How could you let yourself be taken away! I'm a Talon. I'm unkillable! He couldn't do this to me! Why did you do this, why did you let him do this to you! Why!" Darren bellowed at Dick's startled face.
It was then that Darren realized where the anger before was coming from. It was anger directed at Dick, for letting himself be taken away, for letting himself be hurt in Darren's stead when it would not matter what happened to Darren. He was a Talon, he was more durable. It shouldn't have been Dick—why so carelessly throw away his life when Darren had an eternal one to spare? Darren was angry at himself for playing civilian. If he had acted, none of this would have happened. If he had acted back in July instead of following his instincts, he wouldn't have been captured and Tim wouldn't have broken his leg. If he had acted at the gala, Dick would be standing on his own two feet not wheezing with a collapsed lung.
Hands tugged on his shoulders as he shook Dick and shouted, as he shook his cousin roughly in his grasp…a flailing hand managing to make contact on the unbruised side of his cousin's face, before disappearing altogether yelling echoed behind him but Darren ignored it all. He didn't intend to hurt Dick, it was the only way he really knew of letting everything out apart from yelling and shouting.
Everything he'd let bubble up unexpressed from last night exploded then, everything forced out at seeing Dick in bed like this…still and pale and broken as a corpse. Memories of the Court of Owls cropped up vividly in his head, background to the ever growing feeling fo fear for his cousin, at what he had to go through on Darren's behalf. Canary's voice suddenly joined the fray of wild thoughts and feelings, 'Why is it okay with you that you had to live through your time with the Court but not for anyone else?'
The answer was simple…Darren was used to it. He's lived with it since he was five…he couldn't let anyone else suffer as he had. Darren would take that hurt, that pain, so others wouldn't have to…and then Dick had been taken by the Joker. How could he let that happen to Dick, when he was a Talon?
Suddenly strong arms roped themselves around Darren's middle, hauling Darren away and out fo the room still shouting, still raving…tears and sobs even joining the furious words as his worry and fear paralleled his anger. Bruce, the one who had grabbed him, forced Darren out into the hallway, slamming him into a wall with an arm against his throat. Darren didn't even try to fight him, he was trying to peek around the man at Dick, who had disappeared behind the door Tim inside sitting with him and making sure Darren hadn't inflicted any damage. Bruce followed Darren's movements, blocking his view until Darren was silent, eyes locked on Bruce's dark grey eyes,
"We do not…ever…attack someone who has been injured. No matter how angry, or triggered or worried," Bruce hissed as Darren squirmed uncomfortably under his arm, "We do not do that." Darren struggled to take a breath and Bruce finally let him go, dropping him to the ground wheezing,
"He could have died…he might have been killed…he'd leave me…just like my mom…just like Asher…just like everyone I ever cared about," Darren rambled mournfully, his hands and body shaking as he tried to steady his breathing,
"What?" Bruce breathed, "No…no, Darren no," he crouched down, suddenly less angry and more concerned,
"He's could have died…he knew he could have been killed…but he still, this still happened," Darren nearly moaned, focused only on his panic, only on the future of an immortal. They would all leave him one day…and some of those he cared about would leave him sooner than the others,
"Darren. Dick is okay. He's stable, he's really banged up, but considering this is the Joker…his injuries were minimal. Dick will be fine. He's not leaving you, no one is…no one is dying," Bruce stated firmly, if not kindly. Darren didn't hear Bruce's words…the hallway suddenly felt stiflingly small…like it was shrinking in on him. Darren surged away from Bruce suddenly needing as much space as possible,
"I-I didn't mean to, I didn't want to hurt him," Darren stumbled over his words as Bruce rose to meet him, putting a cautionary hand out…barring him from trying to see Dick again. Darren wanted desperately to see his cousin, just to explain and talk to him…actually talk to him. Extreme guilt flooded through him at everything that happened moments ago and the night before,
"I know. But you are much stronger than anyone else…you can't go off on people like that…especially when they're injured," Darren nodded stiffly,
"I-uh-I can't be here…I, I can't…" he couldn't articulate himself properly around Bruce. Not like this, not when he was panicking this badly. Bruce seemed to understand though,
"Go outside. Take a walk…get some air. You can see Dick later, when you have a cooler head." Darren turned on his heel and all but sprinted out of the Manor. Shame hounding him every step of the way as well as the sinister memories of Blackout and William's haunting laugh.
A/N: Hope you liked that chapter! I just a have a few things I'd like to get through here:
1) This chapter really focused on Darren's state of mind, or lack thereof, and how he tries to come to terms with what happened last chapter. When you are thrown or overwhelmed or dealing with extreme emotional turmoil sometimes you act out, sometimes you behave in ways you never think you would. Some people become quiet, others yell or shout or scream, sometimes they shut down or shut others out and other times they lash out physically. Darren is so used to breaking down or withdrawing or harming himself and what happened was just so alarming-because he didn't expect it, and he was helpless in stopping it-that it really just got let out on Dick. There was no way for him to try and control the situation the way he attempted to do when he and Tim were cornered by Talons.
2) Some of this chapter was cut out becuase it was so long and it was freaking late, I would not have been able to edit it all. The chapter where Darren calms down and returns to himself is in the next chapter.
3) Dick's reasoning for why he did what he did will be in the next chapter as well.
4) I hope Darren's thoughts on the whole Slade vs Livia thing made sense; the use/manipulate/help aspect.
5) I hope this chapter wasn't so repetitive...I tried not to let it get too much like that, but sometimes things get by me.
6) How am I doing on chapter lengths. Are they getting too long, do you want me to mix them up. Let me know what you guys prefer. It would be really helpful!
As always, any questions, comments or concerns PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! I will answer them the best I can.
Next chapter on Thursday!
