Artemis and Kaldur had thought of a plan to make sure the Justice League wouldn't lose one of their founding members (that the Batkids wouldn't lose their father). They had left the team on their way to the warehouse and ran back to the docks, staying out of Joker's and Batman's sight. They had decided to stay guard at the docks, though things had gotten a lot more complicated right about now.
"I am just waiting to hear a gunshot," muttered Aqualad, glancing at his companion. The blonde archer nodded her head. "Yeah. We should be doing something. This is... shit, we have never been this close to actually losing one of us."
Kaldur sighed mournfully. He wasn't close to Batman- none of them except for Robin were- but they still considered him... a part of the team? A mentor? He sighed again and ran a hand through his short hair.
"We can't do anything but watch and hope for the team to find Robin and Red Hood. If you were in his place and your sons would have been kidnapped and tor-" he choked. That was still Robin they were talking about, their cute, little, carefree bird- "if they had been abused, what would you do?" Artemis looked away, clenching her fists in anger. "I'd do everything to get them back."
"Exac-"
Suddenly, Artemis clamed a hand over his mouth, signalling him to be quiet, and pointed to their right. Aqualad narrowed his eyes to see in the darkness that had covered up so many crimes. He and Artemis were hidden by shadows, so they quietly observed the scene that played out in front of them.
The Joker was holding Batman at gunpoint, forcing him to walk in front of the villain. Aqualad gasped quietly. "Where are they going?" he whispered, motioning for Artemis to follow them.
She shrugged and jumped on one of the many windowsills without making a sound. She climbed until she reached the roof of the warehouse and looked down to see Aqualad following her lead. A second later, he stood next to her.
"Could you warn me the next time you decide to pull a stunt like that?" He muttered.
Artemis grinned. "Had a hard time keeping up with me?" He just rolled his eyes and looked back down, searching for the Joker. "There." He pointed at the green-haired man.
"Can you hear what they are saying?" asked Artemis, standing dangerously close to the edge. "Hm," he mumbled, staining his ears. Sadly, enhanced hearing was not part of the Atlantean power package, but they were close enough to at least hear snippets of their conversation.
"C'mon, Batsy, aren't you excited to see the little Birdie and Hoodie again?"
Aqualad couldn't see Batman's face, but he was sure that the hero was glaring daggers in the dark. "If you want to kill me, then don't do it in front of my partners." That bone chilling laugh escaped the Joker's scarred lips once again. "Don't be so impatient, dummy. Just wait for what I've planned for you and your little brats."
Artemis grabbed Kaldur's arm, her voice panicked. "The team is in the warehouse. We have to get them out before the Joker sees them." Aqualad nodded and they quietly slipped through one of the broken windows.
'Guys' called Artemis through the mind link, her worry infiltrating everyone's mind. 'What is it, Arty?' questioned Wally, clearly concerned for his girlfriend. 'The Joker is bringing Batman to Robin's and Red Hood's location to kill him in front of them' explained Artemis, straight to the point as usual. She bit her lip as she felt the rage that came from Damian and Tim in waves. 'We've got to follow them and stop that maniac' growled Red Robin, gritting his teeth.
He was so going to kill that bastard for ever messing with his family. He'd make him pay for ever touching Dick and Jason. He'd make him suffer for ever killing Jason all those years ago.
_
Dick didn't know when they had been lowered to the floor or by whom, but he welcomed the less painful position. His arms weren't aching too much and his head didn't throb as painful as the last time he had been awake.
But he was still in agony. His wounds had stopped bleeding, but he didn't even try to move, because he was pretty sure that the crust that covered the knife slashes and the skin that broke when the Joker had hit him with the crowbar- Dick really started to understand why Jason hated those things- would break and he'd start bleeding like a waterfall again, a really bloody waterfall.
He sighed softly and tried to get back to the merciful sleep that allowed him to escape the pain that raced through his whole body.
"Dick?" muttered a weak voice from behind him. "Are you awake?" The boy licked his dry, cracked lips. "Hm. You holding up, Jay?" he asked, eyes still closed. He was so tired, but Jason had sounded so relieved that he wasn't alone anymore that Dick just couldn't ignore him.
"Yea','m fine." Dick could see straight through his lie.
"Don' lie t' me."
"Like you did when you said you were fine?"
"That's different."
"How?"
Dick didn't know how to reply. His brother had a point. "Don't tell the others 'bout my scars, Jaybird. Promise."
"Why?"
"'m the youngest of the team an' I don' have any powers. I can't allow m'self to appear weak."
He heard a low chuckle. "I thought you were s'pposed to be the smart one, Dick." He could imagine Jason rolling his eyes at him.
"What's tha's'pposed to mean," he mumbled, still fighting to finally open his crystal blue orbs. He was just so tired.
"Scars don' make you weak. They just show that you've been through things n'one should have gone through an' survived it. Yes, they remind you- me, too- of the pain, the death, but try to remember that you'r' still here. Don't be ashamed to show who you are, Dick, because the scars are a part of you, whether you like it or not. They tell the story of your life, the ups and downs throughout all this mess."
Dick was silent for a moment. "You're smarter than you look, Jay."
"I know."
Dick mentally rolled his eyes, but a small smile tugged at his lips.
"If you truly believe in what you've just said, th'n why're you always wearing long sleeve shirts?"
"You noticed?"
Dick could hear the guarded tone in his younger brother's voice.
"You didn' answer m' question."
"I- You were strong, through whatever happened to you. You survived, I didn't. My scars don't show strength, they just show defeat."
"Says the one who's lying right... behind me, I guess. I can't open my eyes, so..."
Again the dry chuckle. "You know what I mean. I died. I... gave up."
Dick sighed. "Don't we all at one point?"
Jason didn't answer. "Let's make a deal," he finally said. Dick agreed sceptically and Jason continued. "When we get out of here, we'll both stop hiding our scars, deal?"
Dick smiled slightly. "Deal."
Since when Jason could be sensitive, he didn't know, but he liked that new side of him.
He froze when he heard the door open. Batman's training had taught him how to appear calm and collected, even if he was scared or hurt, like now. His heart beat rapidly, but his breathing was regular. The breath on the back of his neck told him that Jason was doing the same. "Wakey, wakey, Bird boys. Big old daddy is hear to say hello."
Dick stiffed as he heard that Bruce was there and he could hear the Joker cackle. "I knew you were awake. Come on, Bird Brain, open those baby blue eyes of yours." As Dick didn't reply, the Joker crouched down next to him, gun still pointed at Batman, even though Dick couldn't see that. "If you don't obey, Robin, I'll make sure you lose another parent."
Dick gritted his teeth. He slowly opened his eyes, even if he had trouble focusing on the face in front of him. "That's a good boy." He patted Dick's head like a parent or teacher would and Dick grimaced in disgust.
"Now to the other boy!" said the Joker excitedly, clapping his hands.
"No need to yell, old man, 'm already awake," muttered Jason, struggling to open his eyes as well.
"Yay, family reunion," squealed the Joker. He grabbed Dick by the shoulders and yanked him in a sitting position. Dick yelped in pain as he felt a few cuts reopening and squeezed his eyes shut. He could hear Batman's growl as he was propped up against the wall. He breathed heavily as he tried to get the pain under control. Next to him, he could hear Jason grunt as the Joker sat him against the wall as well.
"Now," said the Joker, motioning Batman to step forward with a wave of his gun. "Dear Batsy here has agreed to... how do I put it? Help me out here, will you, Batman?"
Batman growled as he slowly turned his face to look at the maniac. "I agreed to do whatever it takes to get Robin and Red Hood away from you." His voice was cold and unwavering.
"Yes, yes, right, how smart you are!" chirped the Joker, giggling like mad. "Now I remember." Then he smirked. "Ready to hold up your part of the deal?"
Bruce glanced at Dick and Jason. He hated to see them hurt, but he hated the shocked and desperate looks on their faces even more as they shook their heads. "Yes," he said, giving all his attention to his soon to be killer, trying to ignore his sons' pleadings. "Do what you have to do." The Joker looked at him for a second, then he burst out laughing, clutching his stomach, his whole body wracked with manic giggles. "Oh, that was a good one. I didn't know you could be so funny! You thought I was going to kill you?! I already told you there is more than one way to die."
He regained his composure and held the gun at Batman's face once more, craziness glistening in his eyes. Then he turned the weapon around, so the handle was facing the vigilante. "Kill me," he said. "Kill me and your sons walk free, defy me and they'll die. It's your choice."
_
A/N: Ahh! Please don't kill me. Did any of you see that coming? Comment below!