A/N

Hey all, it's been a while.

Here's a short recap of the story so far.

Damian and Dick ended up in a different dimension where Thomas Wayne is taking care of them and helping them heal. In the last chapter, they took a vacation to the beach and Dick worked through some Big Feelings.

Jason and Bruce went to a July 4th celebration, where one of Jason's friends found him. That friend's mother suggested a Theatre Arts day camp to Bruce.

END A/N

Pebbles to Boulders

TWB Chapter 14

2 August 2013

"Phone?"

"Yep."

"Charger"

"Yep"

"Lockpicks?"

"In my sleeves and boots."

"Lunch?"

"And snacks."

"Water? Juice?"

"Yep."

"Distress beacon?"

"Yes, Bruce."

"Don't eat anything but what Alfred made you. Use your common sense. Keep your belt hidden, but keep it on you."

"I know, Bruce."

"Text at least once an hour."

"Bruce! I know. I'll be okay. See you this evening." Jason smiled at his father, as he opened the car door, some excitement shining in his eyes. Bruce's eyebrow was furrowed slightly, the only visual cue of just how nervous he was. After his eldest had been kidnapped, Jason had been pulled out of school for several weeks, sending homework in remotely or via family friends. When January rolled around and there was still no sign of Richard, Bruce had reluctantly allowed Jason to return to school, but he had to check in throughout the day and he could not leave the school's campus without Alfred, his father, or someone else Bat approved, like Clark .

To make it easier on his father, as well as to have more time to search for his brother and such himself, Jason had dropped most of his extracurricular activities for the semester. The one he really missed had been Stage Crew. Being unable to commit to late rehearsals and the shows had made it more difficult to attend. He had still stayed in class council, because that was only for a short amount of time every couple of weeks. Luckily, they still kept him on the council even though he had been absent for the last month and a half of the Fall semester, accepting that there were extenuating circumstances.

All of that added up to the reason Jason was so excited to go to this day camp. It had taken a lot of pleading and wheedling to get Bruce to agree, especially after what happened at the picnic, but he had managed it. And now, he would be able to spend several superhero-free hours with his civilian friends, and learn things while he was at it!

Jason sometimes wondered why Bruce never did theatre as a kid. He and… Well, they used to joke about how Bruce didn't want word of his acting skills to get out because they would ruin his entrance. Also, it could potentially cast doubt on his dumb billionaire façade. Honestly, Bruce was so dramatic. No wonder the team didn't believe them when they said he was a big softy. Bruce planned those entrances to a tee for the best scare value. He also had the best puns. Jason didn't understand why the team were so afraid of him, or why they left when Jason said Batman had a good sense of humor.

Anyhow, today was about camp. And freedom. But mostly camp, because camp had counselors who knew what they were doing, kinda. Jason had chatted with Diana on the phone the day before for nearly an hour before Bruce came along and noticed. She had been at the camp for a few days already and was loving it. She said the counselors told her this week had a focus on visual effects and how to make unique background effects that would stick, even though they may not be the focus of the scene.

Two days after the three-week day camp started, Bruce had spoken to each counselor individually and collectively, and had run their background in the cave to his satisfaction. He found out the group Jason would be with and got a detailed itinerary for what they were doing each day and when, with some variability for activities outdoors in the courtyard. After hearing rave reviews from Diana via Jason and from Diana's mother, Bruce finally allowed it. His kid was starting late, and that might give him more attention, but he was Bruce Wayne so there.

Jason exited the car with his backpack bouncing on his shoulders and his bangs slipping into his eyes. "Tie your shoes!" Bruce called after him. Jason grumbled, but bent down and tied his shoelaces. He waved Bruce off and merged into the crowd headed up the stairs.

Diana was waiting for him just inside the entryway and gave him a happy hug when he got up to her. They went inside, chattering excitedly about what they might be doing today.

Dick pulled his knees to his chest, curling up in the chair and studying the floor.

"His name was Roy, and he was my friend. He was older than me, and I even looked up to him a little bit.

"We… we tried to escape. We tried to help everyone escape. We only got a little over half, but not everyone before we were caught. Dami managed to get to Alex, and I don't think Alex let him watch. They didn't figure out Alex and Damian were involved until later. They dragged us to these poles in the corner of the cafeteria and tied us to them. I kept struggling, so they tightened them until I couldn't move."

Dick stopped talking, a far off look in his eyes as he remembered.

"And then what happened?" His therapist, Melinda, asked gently, bringing him back to reality.

"He, Logarithm, he didn't just kill him. I… One of the nurses said… Only one of us needed to die. Or that he should only kill one of us. I don't remember the exact words, just the gist."

"So the nurse saved you?"

"No. Well, maybe. But no. Logarithm decided to flip a coin to decide which of us died, because he knew that where I was from, there was a, a serial killer who flipped a coin to decide everything. If you lived or died. How he should kill you. If he hurt you. Everything."

"And the coin landed on Roy?"

"That's the horrible part!" Dick cried out. "It didn't! It landed on heads, and heads was me, but when Logarithm tried to shoot me… I don't, I don't even know how Roy got free, but suddenly he was in front of me, and we were both covered in blood. He," sob "He might have lived. He got shot in the chest, it had the potential to be nonlethal, but Logarithm, Logarithm was pissed and he shot Roy two more times." Dick mimed it. "In the arm, his remaining arm because he was missing one above the elbow, and in the head." Tears were pouring down Dick's cheeks, and he had curled further into his ball. The therapist made an abortive motion to pat him on the back, deciding against it at the last moment so she didn't send him into a flashback on accident.

"He… Roy tried to tell me something, after Logarithm shot him the first time, but he didn't say it fast enough. He gave me this, this look. There was something about it. I know he was in pain, but he looked… he looked relieved or regretful or something. And then Logarithm killed him, and I saw the light die in his eyes."

"What happened after Roy died?"

"After Roy was murdered?"

"Yes. What happened after Roy was murdered? Did they take you back to your room?"

Dick shook his head. He sniffled and wiped his face with his sleeve. The therapist offered some tissues and waited patiently for him to speak. He crumbled one of the tissues up in his hand, and uncurled a bit. "I don't really remember what happened right after that. I remember a really dark room, with no light. I don't think they cleaned me up or gave me a change of clothes, at least not right away. Everything following Roy's murder is kind of a blur to me. I don't even know how long I was separate from everyone else, although Damian might know. He's so little that he would probably just say 'long time,' rather than how long a time, though, and I don't really want to bring it up with him."

"You might want to speak to him about it. He might have internalized it, and be needing to speak about it with someone, and I can tell he loves you."

"Yeah. He does. I love him too."

They settled into an awkward silence, before the therapist decided to break it. "Roy died a hero. He would have wanted you to live and be happy. Otherwise, he would not have jumped in front of the gun, or he might have hesitated long enough that jumping in front of the gun would not have saved you. That's what you should remember from that. He wanted to protect you."

"But why? Why did he find me worth protecting? I'm not that special."

"Actually, you are."

Dick looked up and met her eyes in confusion.

"Everything you've told me so far has been rather frank about your role in things. If anything, you've downplayed anything positive. Take what you've told me today. You said that you and Roy planned an escape. You could have just gotten yourself, Roy, Alex, and Damian out. You probably would have succeeded. Instead, you tried to get everyone out. You glossed over it, but you got over half the kids who were being experimented on out. It's likely that many of them would have died if they hadn't left, so by getting them out, you saved their lives."

"But they had to go through the woods. I don't know how close we were to civilization, but I don't think it was anywhere near where we were. For all I know, they all died."

"But you don't know that. In fact, there's evidence to the contrary. How were you found?"

"I… I don't know." Dick said, slightly amazed he hadn't thought about it.

"Any ideas?"

"Well, there was a video… But it was on a camcorder and taken at least a couple hours from the prison. I… I couldn't think of any signs to tell any rescuers except… except the numbers. I made sure they could see the numbers."

"So, they knew to look for the tattoos."

"Yeah, and they would have been able to find the escaped kids, the ones who weren't recaptured, if they made it to civilization."

"Then those kids would have been able to lead them back to the prison." The therapist finished. "If you think about it, you and your friends saved everyone you could."

"Charlie." Dick breathed.

"Charlie?"

"There was a fifth member of the escape planning committee. Roy's roommate Charlie. I completely forgot about him. He was in charge of getting food and medicine so we didn't die."

"He made it out?"

"Yeah. I opened the door for him from the control room. That's where I was caught. He grabbed a lot of food, but I don't know how long it would have lasted. It might have gotten them to help though."

"The escape you planned made it so that everyone was saved, and I'm assuming the operation was shut down."

"Yeah. I mean, I wasn't the only person planning, and Roy took the initiative to start the plan. I was too scared. I don't know if I would have done it without him."

"There's nothing wrong with that. Your actions led to many people being saved, but even if you had done nothing, it was not your responsibility to save everyone. Do you understand?"

Dick hesitated.

"Richard, your friend's death was entirely the fault of the Bluemen, specifically Logarithm. They created the prison, experimented on you, made it so that you needed to try to leave as you did. And Logarithm pulled the trigger. Your friend wanted you to live, and you need to remember that you are doing what your friend wanted."

"Mellowing in grief and fear?"

"No, living." She stressed. "Living free and away from the Bluemen. I'm sure he'd want you to be happy as well, but I think he would understand that it takes time to get over what those monsters did to you.

"Your friend wanted you to live and he got his wish."

Dick smiled softly. His face was still wet, but he could kind of understand where the therapist was coming from. Roy would have wanted him to live, but at the cost of his own life? And so far away from home? Also, would he have wanted Dick to live if he knew Dick would have so much trouble adjusting to normal life?

"On that note," the therapist said. "Our time is almost up. Let's go get your grandfather and I'll see you in a few days. Alright, Richard?"

Dick nodded.

"Remember, contact me if you need me."

"Yes ma'am."

Thomas looked up as the door opened. Richard came out, followed by Mrs. Melinda Sherman, the boy's therapist. The weekend trip to the beach had done wonders to help Richard's healing along. While he still had some difficulty with language when he was tired or not interested in trying, he was mostly speaking in one language at a time, and just talking in general. A lot. Within the week following the trip, Thomas had learned about a trip to Dinosaur Island that led to a Dinosaur in the Batcave, how the Batcave got its name, the first time Robin met Kid Flash, and many more stories. The stories were centered around Robin. All of them. And they were mostly told to Damian, who really needed no more reasons to hero worship his older brother. Seriously. At this point, if Richard said to jump off a cliff, Damian would take a running leap.

It worried Thomas. Not just on account of the five year old's reaction. Richard was fourteen… He should have stories of school and sports, friends and time spent with his parents. But he seemed to be avoiding thinking about that part of his life, as if there was nothing interesting, nothing good from… well… Dick Grayson. From his studies, he recalled reading something about dissociation, how it doesn't always seem obvious and could be subtle in execution.

This was not subtle.

Standing up, Thomas briefly laid a hand on Richard's shoulder and gestured to the waiting room chair. Then, he followed Melinda into her office. He glanced back once, confirming Richard had sat down in the chair, before closing the door behind him. They both sat down next to her desk.

"Well?" He asked, giving her his attention.

Melinda took a deep breath and rubbed above her eyes. It took a minute before she could summon the words.

"Did you know he saw a friend die?"

Thomas sucked in a breath, but then let it out. "No, but it doesn't surprise me. The life he led in that world… It's not unlikely."

She sighed. "I understand you did not sign a confidentiality agreement in covering Richard's care for you, and, legally, I have to tell you when Richard says anything concerning."

"I hear a 'but' in there."

"But I'm not sure if this is concerning Richard's well-being related to his mental state or if this is something he needs, or wants, to keep secret. I don't know if you can help with this. What is your agreement with him, regarding what he says here?"

"We never spoke about it." Thomas admitted. "He knows I'm talking to you about his treatment plan and ways I can help him. I wouldn't be surprised if he has guessed some of what we talk about."

"That's what I guessed." She bit her lip, and then nodded. "Richard doesn't remember much following his friend's death, but it sounds like he was tortured. He has no idea how much time passed before he came back to himself. He disassociated, and his self-esteem is incredibly low."

Thomas grunted and clicked his tongue once. "He seems to be doing that quite a bit lately." He mused.

"How so?"

"He's been talking a lot more the last week or so, ever since we got back from the beach. But, none of it is about Dick Grayson, his name before he was adopted. Almost none of it is about Richard Wayne either. It sounds like… From what I can tell, he had a separate identity, a separate personality. Robin. I think his father encouraged it."

Mrs. Sherman pursed her lips. "It fits." She said. "He might believe that this persona is stronger than himself and is hiding behind it. It'll take some time, but we might be able to draw his true self out."

"Any suggestions for doing that?" Thomas asked.

She tapped her chin. "Maybe… We need to show him that the two personas are one and the same. Try complimenting anything he's doing right. Ask about stories outside of Robin, without excluding Robin. Maybe school stories?"

"Positive Reinforcement."

"Exactly."

"The school year starts up again in about a month and a half. Will he be ready?"

"It's hard to say." Melinda said. "As he is currently, he definitely should not be in school. If he keeps improving, he may be able to begin on a trial basis. How long do you need to get him enrolled?"

"At least a couple weeks." Thomas replied.

"Then, we'll re-evaluate in a couple weeks." She paused, visibly drawing up her courage. "Be gentle with him, but do not walk on eggshells. He's on a precipice. We need to make sure he's tipping the right way."

A/N

I have graduated! In the last 12 months, I have earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering and in Aerospace Engineering from Cornell University. I have also received and accepted a job offer, working on cool stuff, and am moving soon to a great location to get started.

Good part, I have the next few chapters blocked out and the time to write and type more. Bad part, I'm going to disappear in a couple weeks while moving until I get settled somewhere. Maybe reappear in late February, early March. I will most likely update once more before I disappear, but can't promise an exact date. I'm waiting for feedback from Inky.

The plot's kicking into gear. The next couple chapters lead to a major plot point, and then there's school.

The next chapter is titled 3 Months.