Two more chapters, and then an epilogue! We're getting to the end, people!
This would take place while the gang is on Apokolips, obviously. The Justice League members were looking for Bruce, and Cyborg probably too, and any evidence as to the means of how they disappeared/got to the planet. Got sidetracked at the graves. This chapter is probably a little weird, too. Gah, I hope I get out of this weird funk before the last chapter!
In the end, Damian couldn't fulfill his promise to Tim. He couldn't go with them to Apokolips, as much as he wanted to.
"Drake will understand, Brother." Aris said, soothingly, hanging onto Damian's hand as they passed through the yard. The fireflies whizzed around their heads happily, alternating between creating patterns around them and landing in their hair. "You did everything you could."
"I should have known you and I were going to be affected." Damian sighed. "I should have known that our ghost physics applied to dimensional portals, that to us the portal was just another wall to walk through, not a doorway to somewhere else."
"No, you shouldn't have." Aris corrected. "Our only experience with portals was with Nightwing, and everything worked for him."
"Nightwing is perpetually an exception. To everything." Damian drawled. "But if I could have grabbed onto Titus, then maybe he wouldn't…maybe he would have been safer if…"
Damian's voice trailed off as they continued around the bend, as he picked up voices coming from the Wayne cemetery in front of them. Instantly he was on alert, because Alfred was in the cave, and no one else should be here. He didn't slow his walk, merely turned and picked Aris up, holding him tightly against his side as he manifested a green batarang in his hand. Aris remained quiet, wrapping his arms around Damian's neck, also creating a small purple dagger in his hands.
"…who he thinks he is. He's breaking the rules!" The male voice was sharp and annoyed. Damian assumed he would have to identify based on silhouettes and shadows, but quickly realized there was no need. Not with one member of the group glowing a bright green, and that light reflecting all of the other faces.
Green Lantern. The Justice League.
They were standing in front of Damian and Talia's gravestones, inspecting the damage Bruce had done to Damian's.
"Hal, you need to see it from-" The Flash – Barry Allen – muttered gently.
"From his perspective, yada yada. I know." Hal cut off. "This was his kid, I get that. And that sucks. But if it were any of us, you know he'd be trying to stop us too."
"Don't be so sure." Diana countered. "After everything he's been through, you don't know he wouldn't want to help you."
"It was a stupid decision, though." Barry tried against her, watching as Clark crouched and picked up a piece of the destroyed marble. "First off, he went on his own – and Hal's right, that's something he always harps on all of us about doing – and second off, he went in without any sort of backup, or any sort of plan!"
"This case is clouding his judgment." Hal carried.
Aris squirmed in Damian's arms, and Damian put him back on the ground. He could see Diana was already exasperated with this argument, could see that Green Lantern wasn't going to drop it any time soon. Clark suddenly tossed the stone back to the ground and stood.
"Don't be so quick to condemn him, Hal." Clark scolded.
"I'm not condemning him, Supes." Hal rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying, when he gets himself killed, don't expect me to be the most tearful person at his funeral."
"He better bite his tongue before I cut it out for him." Aris threatened quietly. Damian glanced down and saw the small dagger still in his clone's hand. He instantly snatched it from him.
"We should have known we weren't going to change his mind, no matter how much we pushed him." Clark exhaled. "When he gets back, we can yell at him all we want, but for now…we just need to sit and wait, and be ready to jump to his aid if the call comes through."
Hal sighed and crossed his arms, clearly not ready to drop the argument.
"But we do have to think of a punishment." Barry reminded. "He did break the rules. He went against what the League wanted for his own means and gains. I'm not saying it's a bad cause – Clark, you know that no one more than me hopes he succeeds in this – but he shouldn't get a special pass this time. He knew that going into it."
"We'll have a hearing." Diana said. "With everyone. Decide it then."
"What's the point?" Hal hummed bitterly. "No worse a punishment than going to save your son and coming back empty-handed."
The others remained silent, let the comment linger.
"How dare he." Aris suddenly growled. He was at least five feet away before Damian realized he'd moved, heading straight for Hal Jordan. "He will stop speaking against Father like this. He will stop bringing up the possibility of failure. He will stop this right now."
Damian lunged forward, grabbing Aris from behind just as another violet blade appeared in his hand. He wrapped his arms tightly around the younger's shoulders, pulling him against his chest. "It's okay, little one." He cooed, running a hand over Aris's hair, ignoring the tears brimming in the child's eyes and the wave of fireflies that flittered around them still. "The Lantern is our Father's friend."
"Then why," Aris's voice cracked, pulling halfheartedly against Damian's hold. "Why is he saying these things? Why does he think Father will fail in bringing you back?!"
"Because…he's pessimistic." Damian mumbled. "Don't take his words to heart. Look, no one else is."
"You underestimate his perseverance. He will return with…with something." Diana snapped.
"He will return with his son." Clark said firmly. "Now Hal, you and Barry head back to the Watchtower, tell everyone what we found."
"We found a whole lot o' nothing." Hal muttered.
Clark glared at him. "Head back to the Watchtower, tell everyone what we found."
Barry pulled on Hal's arm before he could argue again, and the two silently took off around the other side of the manor. As soon as they were out of sight, Clark sighed and shook his head. "…Hal's got a point."
"And I know you hate admitting it. Especially about Bruce." Diana dropped her shoulders. She took Clark's place at the side of Damian's stone, reaching out, running her fingers across the jagged remains. "Gods above, I hope he succeeds. I hope he can bring that little boy back."
"And I hope the cost isn't too great." Clark added. "I hope Bruce doesn't cross that line to have Damian returned."
"He wouldn't." Diana declared.
"For his flesh and blood? For his children?" Clark asked. He glanced over at the blinking cloud of lightning bugs nearby. What an interesting sight. "Come on, Diana. You know him better than that."
"I do." Diana admitted with a resigned sigh. The nearby bugs seemed to notice her defeat, and came swooping over to comfort her, blanketing her hair and space with light. "But Clark…what do we do? If…he doesn't come back."
"We take care of Gotham. We take care of his children." Clark said confidently. "We take care of the things he loved, and we make sure they're all safe."
"Just you and me?"
"It's…doable." Clark smiled. "But only as a last resort. Only if Bruce doesn't come back."
Diana glanced up and mirrored the grin. "Deal."
"See?" Damian whispered, rocking Aris slowly back and forth. The boy had slumped into his chest, dissipated the dagger. "They still believe in Father. And they are his closest friends."
Aris sniffed, spinning into Damian's neck. "G-good."
Damian smiled as Diana let out a giggle, twirling with the fireflies around her. He kissed at his twin's temple, feeling the tension buzzing under his skin as he whispered, "Don't worry, Aris. Everything will be fine."
"I am just…nervous. For Father. For your family. I want them safe. And the more these idiotic heroes say that Father won't be victorious in his quest…it is just very disheartening, Damian. And I don't know what to think." Aris's voice was shaky, and Damian could see he was quickly breaking down. "I want them all to shut up. I want them to stop sticking their noses in our business." Aris clutched at his shirt. "I…I just want them to bring you back."
"Me…" Damian hesitated. Because…this mission, bringing Damian back to life. It was inconceivable that they were this close. That this goal – they've all wanted for over a year – was actually plausible, actually in their grasp. All it took was a swing through an alien planet. No problem, not for the likes of them, right? If they succeeded it would be wonderful. Their family would be almost whole once more. If they succeeded…Aris would be left behind. Damian had known that from the moment Bruce went after Ra's, had tried to avoid the thought since then, too. He found himself holding his brother tighter. "…Me too, Aris."
"We should probably go." Clark exhaled. "You know the kids get annoyed when we get to see Bruce after a mission before they do."
"True." Diana let out another laugh, releasing one of the fireflies on her finger as she took to the sky. She gave one last glance to Damian's destroyed tombstone. "And a reunion like this? It would be a crime if we saw Damian before, say, Timothy."
"Ha! I hope Alfred has the ability to tape that one." Clark hummed as he followed suit. "Want to bet on it? Damian and Tim are reunited, hugs or punches?"
"Clark." Diana tsked, though her grin showed she wasn't actually annoyed. "Obviously you don't have siblings. I'm going with hugs, for sure…"
Their voices faded as they disappeared into the sky, but Damian had long since stopped listening. He was too focused on the child in his arms, on the destroyed tombstone nearby. Stay dead, be with Aris. Be alive, be with his Father. No, no, there had to be another way. If he got a second chance, surely Aris could too.
Aris's breath hitched as he let out a light sob. Damian glanced up at the lightning bugs for help.
This wasn't going to end well.
