Summary: S1 Ep24.
Disclaimer: I don't own DC
Dick didn't feel right doing this. Not only was he risking his teammates on an unsanctioned mission that was very personal, but he was also going behind Bruce's back. He knew he should be able to trust Batman with this, and Bruce would probably understand and be willing to help if he came to him with this, but the more he looked at the news reports about Haly's Circus being under investigation for possible theft, the more he wanted to just do something about it. No time for a proper mission setup now. Uncle Jack's in trouble.
Recently, Haly's Circus had been suspect to numerous possible tech robberies, with each robbery taking place while the circus was in town. Dick knew Uncle Jack was clean, he just needed to prove it to everyone else. Currently, the only person inside the circus that he actually knew was Jack Haly. Everyone else was a new act. All his old friends had either left the circus behind or had been murdered a few years ago when Tony Zucco broke out of jail and attempted to get revenge on Robin by going after the performers in the circus. Dick had lost a lot of his best friends that day, such as Olivia the animal trainer and Clay Williams, the strongman who was one of his parents' closest companions. Zucco had even targeted Dick Grayson at a charity gala with the intent to kill the former acrobat, but of course he failed to eliminate the boy. Regardless, the only person Dick could trust for sure in the circus was Haly. Everyone else could be dirty for all he knew.
Gathered in the monitor room were Robin, Superboy, Artemis, and Miss Martian. Dick didn't want to bring Zatanna or Wally since they knew his ID and would question his morals or personal desires. Kaldur had to help Aquaman in Atlantis, and he had honestly forgotten Roy was even on the team since he never spoke with anyone. Dick was explaining the mission to his strike force when Red Arrow walked in.
"This clown car got room for one more?" Shit. Roy knows my ID. Can't have him come along.
"We've p-pretty much got this covered." Roy leaned in to whisper to Dick.
"You've got the mission covered, but who's covering the three potential mole suspects you're bringing along?" Well, thanks for your concern. I'm fine, by the way. Well, if he doesn't care about my motives or whatever, I guess he could tag along. We do need all the help we can get here. Dick and the team made their way to Munich, where the circus was performing next. Dick had already set up their fake IDs: the Daring Dangers. He was Dan Danger, professional acrobat. No surprise there. Dick got everything set up with Jack relatively quickly, and was surprised by the lack of hoops he had to jump through to gain entry into the circus. Damn. He really is taking any help he can get right now, huh? They set up in their tent to discuss possible strategies before getting ready for a show. Ray, the new roustabout, rubbed Dick's head for luck before they went in, and Dick suddenly felt somewhat queasy. Damn. Did I eat something bad?
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Daring Dangers!" Dick winced at the familiar introduction before stepping out onto the platform. Roy looked to him for a second, the slightest hint of concern in his eyes, before starting the act.
The performance went as well as Dick would have expected, given that the others had 0 experience with the circus. He himself was doing fantastic, which, given his backstory, was no surprise. He did feel pretty weak, though, and towards the end of the act, Dick attempted a flip on the trapeze, only to miss the mark by an inch as he went tumbling to the ground. In that moment, his heart stopped. He pictured his own parents falling to their deaths, and he couldn't help but wonder if history was about to repeat itself. A wave of emotions rushed through him, and tears pricked at his eyes before he managed to hide them. No time for that now.
-Don't blow our cover!-
-But saving your life's okay?- Yes, please. Connor hurled a crate at Dick, which he landed on and leapt off of, barely catching M'gann's hand. He noticed her eyes flash green and sighed.
-What did I just say?-
-The crowd couldn't see me use telekinesis from below. Besides, I've been using it all night. I'm not exactly the acrobat you are-
-Yeah, neither am I right now. Think I caught some kinda bug or something. H-help me backstage- The team made their way backstage, where Dick noticed a man approach Haly.
"Jack Haly. Name's Faraday. Interpol." Jack sighed.
"Look, I know why you're here, and forget it. My people are the cleanest bunch in the whole world. I do background checks on all of them beforehand!" Dick knew he was lying because he hadn't done a check on the team. However, the lie wasn't one of evil intent. Haly had this way of looking at someone and knowing if they were dirty or clean, and even if he could see some darkness inside a person, he often gave it the benefit of the doubt since he knew they would only approach him if they were in desperate need, and he was willing to offer it. Circus life ain't exactly glamorous. Faraday huffed before walking off, and Dick threw a glare at him. He knew Haly was innocent, and he would sooner die than let his surrogate grandfather lose the circus to a fraud, the circus he grew up in.
Dick hacked into Faraday's files and researched the parts that had been stolen. That was what brought the team to an old warehouse used for storing tech.
-If Interpol's already on this, then why are we bothering?-
-Because Batman said so. Why, you got something better to do?- Dick didn't mean to carry so much venom in his message, but this was personal to him. The team was going to clear Haly, no matter what.
-Why would the attacker hit here?-
-There ARE more obvious targets-
-And Faraday will have them covered. But I've analyzed the tech stolen, and it all points back to here- The team noticed a man in a large coat flip over the fence with such grace that Dick was caught off guard.
-Guess we know who it is. The other acrobat performance-
-Maybe. Keep an open mind, and move in- The team followed the crook inside, and they got him cornered. The criminal noticed them, and blew a blast of fire from a wand. Huh? I thought it was the acrobat! The team just barely dodged the attack, but Roy noticed that some crates had caught on fire.
"Those crates are full of live ammo! Move!" The warehouse caved in, and the crook started to run. Dick had been caught in a pretty heavy blast, but he ignored the pain and ran over to a weakened Megan. Shit! C'mon Megs, stay with me! Dick turned to Superboy. "We need to get her out of here."
"He's getting away!" Dude, your GIRLFRIEND is DYING!
"And that matters more than Miss M? The fire's killing her!" That seemed to snap Connor out of his trance, and a wave of concern washed over him as he took her in his arms and leapt away. Dick then started to walk forward, but the pain was tugging at him ferociously. Damn, getting reeeally hard to walk. Definitely gonna have a new scar cuz of this. Huh, haven't gotten one of those in a while.
"A-Artemis. Arrow. F-find the th-thief." Dick dropped to his knees as he gave in to the pain, and the others rushed over to pick him up.
"Because he matters more than you?!"
"You're still off your game pal. We're getting you out, too." Huh. Good to know he cares. The team made it back to their tent, where they started to discuss.
-So the acrobat and the firebreather?-
-Dressed in identical clothing. If the entire circus is involved, it may reach up to Haly.- No.
-You don't know that.- M'gann looked sheepishly to Dick.
-It would explain his lies- Dick snapped to his feet. Enough!
"I thought I told you all to keep an open mind!" Dick ran out of the tent, slamming the door behind him. He didn't mean to snap, but he couldn't just stand there and let them all accuse Jack like that. He's innocent. 100%.
Dick walked around the familiar grounds of the circus when a poster caught his eye. He looked over it as he heard Haly's voice in his head.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Flying Graysons! Dick looked down, doing his best to keep himself traught. C'mon. It's been 5 years. Enough of this. I can't just break down like this every time I get reminded of them. His comm went off and he answered. Probably just Roy or Arty asking for me.
"Dude, where are you?" Wally. Great.
"U-undercover mission. From Bats."
"Yeah. And I'm goin' on a date with Wonder Woman. I talked to Tornado, you guys are not on a mission. Not an official one, anyway." Huh. Guess he's not as dumb as he lets on. Well, can't keep this up forever...
"A-a friend. Jack Haly." Wally's eyes widened, and Dick could hear the surprise in his voice.
"The circus guy? From your Flying Grayson days?"
"Y-yeah. He's being set up with this...international crime spree. Someone on the troupe is dirty, but I need to prove Jack's clean...or he might lose the circus."
"T-then why not bring me along?! I know your backstory! I know what that circus means to you. It's where you grew up. It's where you...lost your-"
"I left you and Zee behind because you know my backstory. I didn't want my best pal...questioning my objectivity."
"Dude, that's what a best pal's for. Besides, you brought Roy. He knows." Dick sighed.
"Roy forced himself on the mission, and he's not here to keep an eye on me. He's here to watch the others." Wally scoffed.
"Because of the mole?"
"Y-yeah."
"Wow, some friend. Great priorities. Look, when you get back, let's...I don't know, talk about this or somethin'. You know I'm always gonna be your bro, right?" Dick smiled. Never doubted it for a second.
"Yeah. Thanks. I, uh, I needed this. I gotta go now. Talk to ya when I get back." He hung up and sighed as he continued walking. I shouldn't have done this. It's...too personal. I shoulda told Bruce, or Wally, or someone. Dick was snapped out of his thoughts when he walked into a tent that looked eerily familiar, and he vividly remembered. This was where it happened. This was where the Flying Graysons died.
Dick walked around the tent, his eyes fixed on the spot where he was standing 5 odd years ago. He remembered everything about the scene perfectly. The fall, his mother screaming his name, the gasps of the crowd, the horror in his own eyes, the police cars that came around after, Commissioner Gordon walking up to him to offer his sympathies, even Bruce stopping by after it all happened to place a blanket on his shoulders and quietly sit with him, not bothering to speak since he knew nothing he said would matter anyways. Dick was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Haly walk up behind him.
"Hey Di-Dan."
"Uh, h-hey. I was, uh, just-"
"It's alright." Jack put a hand on his shoulder from behind as they both gazed at a poster of the Flying Graysons that was hung up. "Y'know about them?"
"Y-yeah. My, uh, my parents were fans. I used to watch them a lot."
"They were the best damn acrobats to ever set foot on the Earth. I've never seen anyone match their grace."
"I, uh, I hear they left behind a kid."
"Yeah...old Dickie. I haven't seen him in a while. I shoulda done better to keep in touch with him after that Bruce Wayne fellow adopted him." Dick felt guilty. He hadn't exactly done the best job of keeping in touch with his circus family after becoming Robin. There was just too much on his plate, and it always hurt too much when he picked up the phone to call. He felt awful knowing that Haly blamed himself.
"I-I'm sure you did your best. Besides, it's b-been 5 years. I-I'm sure he's doin' better."
"I hope so. Dickie was a good kid. Of all the people I've ever worked with in this old place, he was a real special one. Wherever he is right now, I just hope he knows that I'm proud of him." Dick smiled. He hadn't gotten to speak to Jack since that night, and he was worried Jack may have forgotten him. Knowing that Jack still looked to him so fondly definitely brought a smile to his face.
"I, uh, I should probably head back. Gotta pack up for the move and all." Haly nodded and watched Dick walk off, a small smile finding its way to his old face.
Dick apologized to the others for his outburst earlier, and they all packed their equipment to prepare for the move to Geneva. As the train started, he made his way to their cabin to find Megan in bed. "You okay?"
"Yeah, just kinda weak. Started right before we left." Huh, weird.
"Same thing happened to me before the show. I remember Ray rubbed my head for good luck." Connor growled.
"That roustabout? He touched her before we boarded." Connor doesn't seem too turbed with that. Note to self: Try not to touch Megan without Connor approving. I do NOT wanna get on his bad side. "Guy must be a walking petri dish." Huh. Touches people and they go weak? Not to mention how unlikely an acrobat and a firebreather dressed in identical clothing would work together to rob a tech warehouse. Now here's a thought. Dick hurried out of their room and found Jack, the others following him.
"H-hey Jack. When did you first pick up Ray?"
"Around the Berlin tour a few weeks before you guys came on. Poor lad's down with the same flu as the rest of them." Yeah, right. Artemis had caught on to Dick's thoughts, and pitched in.
"We'll check on him. Least we could do." Haly nodded before they all went off to find Ray. They made their way to the cargo hold where he was supposed to be, only to find nobody there.
"Guess he wasn't that sick."
"Split up. Search the whole train, but do not engage without radioing in first." Dick made his way around the front end of the train before he heard muffled yells from a compartment. He kicked it open to find Haly?! But I just...oh I'm SUCH an idiot! That confirms it. Dick untied Haly and told him to get to safety before speaking in the mind link.
-Guys. I think our mystery thief may have 'borrowed' M'gann's shapeshifting, so there's a good chance Ray also has her telepathy- Connor heard this and put two and two together.
-Oh, don't tell me it's HIM!-
-Uh, who?-
-I think Ray is the Parasite, the purple guy who once stole Superman's powers. He has the metahuman ability to copy someone's abilities and skills with physical contact. The weakness is a side effect of him stealing your energy-
-Found him!- Dick and the others hurried to Connor's location as he was busy fighting Parasite.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the 'Daring Dangers'. I gotta say, you put up a good act, but I can smell a Martian and Kryptonian from a mile away." Crap!
-Superboy, get out of here before he- Dick's warning was too late, as Parasite used M'gann's telekinesis to pull Connor, draining his energy. He then turned to the archers, using heat vision to fry their bows. Whoa, whoa, whoa! Where did he get heat vision from?! Dick leapt at Parasite and struggled with him for a bit before he was sent flying off the train, barely being saved by Roy. M'gann helped Connor up.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, just weak."
"You're drained. He took more power than you even have! Heat vision?!"
"I have the genetic potential for it. Musta been enough for him." Dick growled before going back inside. Once they were all suited up, he pulled up the holo-map and revealed a flash drive he had swiped from Parasite.
"It's not all a bust. I picked Parasite's pocket. Alright, looks like the components he's putting together are supposed to create a machine that...generates black holes?! And all he's missing for it to work is a particle accelerator!"
"Like the large boson collider in Geneva?"
"The circus' next stop. But now that he can fly, he's got a big head start." Everyone looked to Megan and Connor, who rubbed their heads sheepishly.
"Sorry."
"Not your fault, but this thing could kill millions. We need to move." Roy turned to him.
"You and I need to move. Without powers the others would slow us down." Arty pulled out a crossbow and smirked.
"You're not the only one with a back-up bow." Connor punched the wall next to him in.
"And my powers are back." What?! It took me like a full hour!
"How?"
"I'm still-"
"I guess Kryptonians recover faster than humans or Martians." Okay...
Megan got up and smirked. "Don't even think about leaving me behind." No point in arguing now.
The team made their way to the warehouse Dick had traced Parasite to, and they started to sneak in.
-Alright, we need to take him down before he manages to activate his device. Remember, he has some pretty high-level powers, so be- Connor ignored everything Dick said and burst through the wall, roaring before charging at Parasite. -careful- What is he doing?! The team followed him in, and Dick rushed to the console to deactivate the device while the others took on Parasite. Almost got it! Dick heard Parasite roar in anger, and he looked behind to see heat vision beams fly to his head. He quickly ducked out of the way and flipped to safety, dodging Parasite's follow-up attacks before Artemis shot a combustible gas arrow that was lit up by the heat vision. Connor, who seemed to have come back to his senses, shielded M'gann from the heat as Parasite suffered the downsides of having absorbed Martian powers. Dick ran back to the console, quickly finishing his work on the device and shutting it down just as Interpol arrived.
"Thanks for the alert, Robin. It helps to prep the inhibitor collar in advance." Dick smiled.
"Happy to be of service." He watched Parasite get dragged away as Arty helped Roy up and Connor checked on M'gann. Great. Parasite's locked up, the circus has all charges dropped, only leaves one thing...
As everyone else packed up, Dick approached Haly. "Well, all charges have been dropped and the real criminal is behind bars. I suppose I have you Dangers to thank for that."
"N-not sure what you mean."
"Heh. I suppose not. But, I guess you'll be taking your leave now."
"Yeah, time to move on." Haly smiled before placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Well, Dick, I'll miss ya." WHAT?! How the hell did he-
"I-I-It's D-Dan! Dan D-Danger!" Haly chuckled.
"Son, you've grown. But, some things never change. Like the sight of a Grayson on the trapeze. You can't fake that. Can't hide it. So, do an old ringmaster one last favor?" Dick smiled and nodded.
"For old times' sake."
"That's my boy." Dick told the gang that they would need to perform in one last farewell performance, and they all seemed relatively okay with it. The Daring Dangers stepped out for their final act, and Dick was by far the stand-out of this one. It felt like a massive weight had been lifted off his shoulders as he soared freely across the stage. Haly smiled and watched closely as Dick flipped expertly on the trapeze. It brought back old memories of the young boy messing around in his free time and prepping for performances. Yeah. There's only one person left on Earth who can move like THAT.
After the performance, Haly approached Dick. "Son, that was pretty amazing. Who knew you still got it in ya!"
"T-thanks. It felt good...being up there. One last time." Haly smiled and hugged Dick.
"I told you, living with Bruce Wayne would change your life forever. And now look at you. Perfect. He sure did well by you." Dick smiled and nodded.
"He did his best. There were some things he wasn't sure on, but I couldn't have asked for a better dad."
"You look happy, son. Are you?" A silence overtook them for a few seconds as Dick really thought about that. Sure, he had some not-so-asterous things in his life, but he also had great parts too. He had Bruce, Alfred, Wally, Zatanna, and the rest of the team. Not to mention being Robin. It was all he could ever ask for. But he wasn't quite there yet.
"...I'm getting there. Slowly."
"Well, no rush. Take your time, and it'll come to you naturally. I'm gonna miss you, Dick." They hugged for one last moment before Dick said his goodbyes and left for the Bio-ship. Haly looked back to his desk, specifically, a framed picture of himself with Dick and his parents. He picked it up and smiled fondly.
"Your boy's a good one. One of the best. If only you could see him now."
Dick made his way back to the Batcave, already knowing what was awaiting him. The moment he Zeta'd in, Bruce was there, glaring. However, the glare wasn't as hard as Dick expected. He saw a tinge of sympathy behind it.
"Uh...hi." Bruce didn't respond. "Look, I know...I shouldn't have gone behind your back or whatever, but I...I had to do this one. Sorry. I couldn't just stand by and let Haly take the fall for this." Bruce stood up and walked over to his son, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I know. Are you okay?"
"Y-yeah. It, uh, it helped. A lot. I feel better than I have in a while."
"Good. Now don't EVER do something like this again. Next time you have a request for a mission, especially one as personal as this, you come to me. No exceptions. Understood?"
"Y-yes sir." Bruce then gave the softest smile as he let Dick upstairs for a snack before they went on patrol. And yes, he was mad that Dick had gone behind his back, and he did force Dick to wake up earlier for an extra hour of training for the next week, but he was also happy that Dick had finally gotten some portion of the guilt out of his system in a way Bruce never could. He was getting closer to escaping his demons, and Bruce was grateful for that much.
This was a way longer chapter cuz there was a ton I wanted to fit in here, and I didn't feel like it warranted a part 2, since I try to reserve two-parters for the chapters that really affect Dick on a personal level. On a side note, I'm going to have to cut down on my uploads a bit because my school started today, but I will definitely still upload regularly. Probably going to do one chapter every other day, maybe more depending on how much free time I have, with hopefully double uploads on weekends to make up for it. This book isn't going anywhere, so don't worry about that, it's just that now that school is starting, I won't have as much time to work on it so I'm gonna have to upload less frequently than the standard 1-2 chapters per day. I will definitely do at the very least 1 chapter every other day, but I'll probably end up doing more than that cuz this book is really fun to write and I can't help myself, even if it might suck. Next 3 chapters are all Chalant fluff, and after that I'm thinking of doing Dick/Kal and Dick/Connor chapters, since they are the two relationships I've focused the least on recently. I know I've sorta ignored Babs and Luke (and even Donna to an extent), but there's just too many characters to balance and I honestly also don't exactly know what I could write with them. I was thinking of having a chapter where Luke and Babs find out Dick's ID, but I don't know if I want them to know it this early. I might have a chapter with Dick's Gotham friends and another with him and Donna, but I'm not sure yet. If you wanna see those, just tell me in a review or something (and maybe include a suggestion about what I could write with them cuz I'm not entirely sure myself). Feel free to review and leave comments or suggestions. Next chapter up soon.