Again, many thanks to my Beta's all of them.
Note the characters are property of DC comics I only barrow them on the weekend to keep from having to do my homework.
Chapter 9
Batman stood outside the cave, and he stared in to the darkness. He had never before been afraid of the darkness, by all that is rights you could say he has practically lived in a cave for more than half his life... and yet. He could not bring himself to enter this one for fear he would find, (or not find) what he had come looking for, the body of his son.
The pain wouldn't go away anymore. Dick knew his pain would not go away but maybe the dreams would let him sleep. The dreams were his only connection to his memories. Fragmented memories, of a persons he couldn't remember and yet those memories have kept him alive. They walked him through survival skills that he was pretty sure were not taught in boy scouts.
The infection in his arm was getting worse. He couldn't concentrate enough to rid himself of the throbbing in his head any more. Maybe if he could just sleep, sleep with out the dreams he would be ok. At this point he didn't care. He had been on the island for days could be more. He remembered loosing consciousness after setting his arm. The goop he made from the plants was not healing the wound. The battle seemed lost the poisons were beginning to spread through him. At this point he didn't care he just wanted to sleep and if it meant forever. That was ok. He couldn't remember the faces that popped up in his dreams he couldn't remember his name. If he died now he would have no regrets, at least none that he could remember.
"Dick, son, wake up,"
Dick painfully turned to his side. "The pain doesn't want to go away anymore ... so why don't you go away instead. Just let me sleep."
Bruce did a quick survey of his son, there was a large bruise and a dried scabbed wound on the side of his head he may still be suffering from the concussion, considerable bruising to his upper torso and arms as well as cuts on his hands, but his biggest worry was the compound fracture of his left arm he seemed to managed to reset it which is a remarkable feat considering the condition he must have been in at the time it was done. But the infection was already moving through his arm and up toward his neck. He was alive but he wouldn't last much longer.
"Batman to Superman." He only had to wait a moment for a response. "I found Nightwing. He's alive." He could hear the rousing cheer of happiness flood the transmission, than an elated man of steel came back over the link. "Great news, Batman."
"Superman can you meet me here. His wounds are pretty extensive. It will take me as much time to get him to the Batwing, as it would take you to get here and get him to Star Labs. Bruce could feel the change of attitude on the other side of the link. "On my way," was all he heard before the line went dead.
"Dick wake up." "NO more dreams.... please. I appreciate.... what you did.... but I can't do ....this anymore." He whimpered. He weakly swung his good arm expecting it to go through his vision just like it had time and time again but it didn't this time it stopped and fell back to his chest. "Your... real? "Yes son." Bruce smiled as Dick looked back at him confused and disoriented. "Your real!" Dick tried to sit up but Bruce held him down. "Lie still help is on the way. Your pretty banged up." "I tried to..." Dick mumbled barely coherent. "...I did everything you said..."
"Everything ...I...?" "Wait, you called me son. Are you my father?" Dick whispered seemingly lost in a struggle with his thoughts. "Dick you have a severe concussion you have had it for what is the better half of 5 days. Do you remember anything about the accident." "No. Nothing. My name is Dick?" Dick winced as he wrestled to get the words out of his mouth. "Everything is scrambled. My head hurts. I wrote everything down just like you told me." "I told you?" "Yea. I uh Uugh, I'm tired." "Dick stay awake son," Bruce commanded. "What else did I tell you? Talk to me." "I don't remember." He mumbled "Bits and pieces bits an pieces.... It started when I woke up on the rocks... just my head playing tricks... I guess..." Bruce could see the confusion in his son's eyes. "Nothing makes sense ... but at the time I was grateful for the thought any thought and the company... I don't like being alone... You, uh... it said; Find shelter. Make it if I had to... I wrote it down like you said..." Bruce saw him stare at the wall every time his memories began to falter. In big letter he had written Bat Angel Boy then the word Survive. "...Find away to signal...You said... I tried ... but it was so hard. I was so tired...I hurt...my head, my ribs, my arm... I had to set my arm. I couldn't remember. I kept forgetting what I needed to do ' "But you're remembering them now. Did you have any other memories? Did you see any one else." Bruce question. "Just you, the Angel, and the boy... I guess that would be my little brother...or maybe me?" He surmised "no,.. I think... well...he could be my brother. We have to be related somehow. "
"What makes you say that." "Well... I might be imagining it... before now ... you were shadows and words. He ... we kind of look like you..." Dick turned his head away and tried to close his eyes but the man whom stood in front of him would not allow it. "Come on, son. You have to keep talking." He urged. Dick looked up and slowly traced the emblem on the mans chest as if it was the first time he noticed it. "The bat" he whispered. "What about the bat. Son." Tapping on the bat emblem on Bruce's uniform. "Does everyone run around in these ...or do you just dress us funny." Dick wondered if he had ever seen the man smile like he was doing now it seemed so new yet so real. "Can't blame me for that one son. You designed your own costume." Bruce smiled "Why do we wear them...we don't ...hurt people do we? "No, no " "Then ....why do we...?" He pulled his mask from under the pillow he constructed from soft grasses. "No, son," answering the question. As if he had read the boys mind. "We try to help people, unfortunately we have to hide behind these to protect our selves and the ones we love.' Dick nodded still looking confused and really tired. He gently pulled the end of Bruce's cape against his chest, and closed his eyes for a minute but the costumed man was not going to allow him that. "So who was the angel that visited you?" "She didn't visit. I wish I could have remember... knowing her... I guess... had her with me all the time." He pulled a small frayed picture from under the grasses he lay on. "I found her picture in my glove. She's beautiful isn't she." Bruce looked down at picture of the one time batgirl carefully cradled in the injured man's shaky hands. "Yes, she is. She's been very unhappy since you disappeared." Dick stared at the tattered portrait; he could not imagine this woman with out that smile. "What's her name," he quarried. That was when he realized she wore the same emblem on her chest that he did. "Ohhhhhhh no....She's not my ...sister is she?.... Pllllease ssay she isn't my sister." "Nope, she is not your sister." He lifted a small device. From his belt and opened it. Batman to Oracle Barbara's tear streaked face came quickly over the screen "Here Batman." She sniffled "There someone who wants to speak to you." he turned the small device around and Dick stared at it in awe his angel was real. But she no longer wore the costume. She was crying. Gently reached for the screen almost praying that he would be able to reach through it. "I ..uh .." he mumbled as he looked up at the man who held the small box in front of him then back at the screen. "Don't cry...please ..uh... oracle" "I can't help it, I've never been so happy in my life." she returned crying harder. "Look, ... I am a little fuzzy on some things,... but I am pretty sure this is not how someone is suppose to act when they're happy." This just made her cry harder. Or maybe she was laughing. Or both. "I'm sorry" he returned, worried he may have said or done something wrong. "I didn't mean...." "It's Ok, you just gave us quite a scare, Wonder buns, but your safe now," another face came over the screen, A beautiful blond in black and yellow jacket over a skintight body suit. It was the first time she had ever seen Nightwing with out his mask but with all the bruising she still had no way of recognizing him. "... That's all that matters. I'll take care of your girl; just remember to call before you come over so we can make ourselves presentable. Hey Bat's you still there. Dick looked up the man had don a cowl over his head. Took the gadget from him. "Here, Canary Go ahead. "Superman should be there any moment now, Star labs is expecting our injured bird boy, anytime now." "Appreciate your assistance Canary. Thanks, for everything." He returned. No soonerdid he put away the device than another man came in the cave through the once solid ceiling. Dick looked awed at the man as he walked up to his makeshift bedside. "Wow." He smiled weakly "Ya know ...I was thinking ...that would be a great place to put a skylight." Superman chuckled as he kneeled down next to the boy, and ruffled his hair. "Glad I could help, Dick." "Bruce, I have Starlabs on stand by. We should be there in about 10 minutes. See you there in about 30?" Dick suddenly looked scared. "Bruce?... Your name is Bruce?" It didn't take a news reporter to realize what one of Dick's symptoms was. "Amnesia," Bruce answered Superman's unvoiced question. "Look," Dick emphasized as much as he possibly could in his condition. "I may not remember a lot but I think... I remember ...I don't wanna go to any Labs or Hospitals. Can't we just go home." Superman easily and gently picked up the injured young man, that's when they both realized Dick still had a firm grip on the batman's cape. "Right now home is not an option. Not this time." Batman announced. He removed a syringe from his utility belt and injected it in to Dicks arm then he removed the cape that his son still held on to from around his own neck and laid it gently over his son. "But I'll be there as soon as possible and as soon as you get the Ok from the doctors we'll take you take you home and you can let Alfred fuss over you." Dick quickly succumbed to the medication. Clark looked anxiously at his former teammate and a man he truly wanted to call friend. It didn't take ex-ray vision to see the worry on the man's face. "They'll take good care of him Bruce I promise." With no more than a glance Bruce thanked the man of steel and watched as the vanished through the sky.
Note the characters are property of DC comics I only barrow them on the weekend to keep from having to do my homework.
Chapter 9
Batman stood outside the cave, and he stared in to the darkness. He had never before been afraid of the darkness, by all that is rights you could say he has practically lived in a cave for more than half his life... and yet. He could not bring himself to enter this one for fear he would find, (or not find) what he had come looking for, the body of his son.
The pain wouldn't go away anymore. Dick knew his pain would not go away but maybe the dreams would let him sleep. The dreams were his only connection to his memories. Fragmented memories, of a persons he couldn't remember and yet those memories have kept him alive. They walked him through survival skills that he was pretty sure were not taught in boy scouts.
The infection in his arm was getting worse. He couldn't concentrate enough to rid himself of the throbbing in his head any more. Maybe if he could just sleep, sleep with out the dreams he would be ok. At this point he didn't care. He had been on the island for days could be more. He remembered loosing consciousness after setting his arm. The goop he made from the plants was not healing the wound. The battle seemed lost the poisons were beginning to spread through him. At this point he didn't care he just wanted to sleep and if it meant forever. That was ok. He couldn't remember the faces that popped up in his dreams he couldn't remember his name. If he died now he would have no regrets, at least none that he could remember.
"Dick, son, wake up,"
Dick painfully turned to his side. "The pain doesn't want to go away anymore ... so why don't you go away instead. Just let me sleep."
Bruce did a quick survey of his son, there was a large bruise and a dried scabbed wound on the side of his head he may still be suffering from the concussion, considerable bruising to his upper torso and arms as well as cuts on his hands, but his biggest worry was the compound fracture of his left arm he seemed to managed to reset it which is a remarkable feat considering the condition he must have been in at the time it was done. But the infection was already moving through his arm and up toward his neck. He was alive but he wouldn't last much longer.
"Batman to Superman." He only had to wait a moment for a response. "I found Nightwing. He's alive." He could hear the rousing cheer of happiness flood the transmission, than an elated man of steel came back over the link. "Great news, Batman."
"Superman can you meet me here. His wounds are pretty extensive. It will take me as much time to get him to the Batwing, as it would take you to get here and get him to Star Labs. Bruce could feel the change of attitude on the other side of the link. "On my way," was all he heard before the line went dead.
"Dick wake up." "NO more dreams.... please. I appreciate.... what you did.... but I can't do ....this anymore." He whimpered. He weakly swung his good arm expecting it to go through his vision just like it had time and time again but it didn't this time it stopped and fell back to his chest. "Your... real? "Yes son." Bruce smiled as Dick looked back at him confused and disoriented. "Your real!" Dick tried to sit up but Bruce held him down. "Lie still help is on the way. Your pretty banged up." "I tried to..." Dick mumbled barely coherent. "...I did everything you said..."
"Everything ...I...?" "Wait, you called me son. Are you my father?" Dick whispered seemingly lost in a struggle with his thoughts. "Dick you have a severe concussion you have had it for what is the better half of 5 days. Do you remember anything about the accident." "No. Nothing. My name is Dick?" Dick winced as he wrestled to get the words out of his mouth. "Everything is scrambled. My head hurts. I wrote everything down just like you told me." "I told you?" "Yea. I uh Uugh, I'm tired." "Dick stay awake son," Bruce commanded. "What else did I tell you? Talk to me." "I don't remember." He mumbled "Bits and pieces bits an pieces.... It started when I woke up on the rocks... just my head playing tricks... I guess..." Bruce could see the confusion in his son's eyes. "Nothing makes sense ... but at the time I was grateful for the thought any thought and the company... I don't like being alone... You, uh... it said; Find shelter. Make it if I had to... I wrote it down like you said..." Bruce saw him stare at the wall every time his memories began to falter. In big letter he had written Bat Angel Boy then the word Survive. "...Find away to signal...You said... I tried ... but it was so hard. I was so tired...I hurt...my head, my ribs, my arm... I had to set my arm. I couldn't remember. I kept forgetting what I needed to do ' "But you're remembering them now. Did you have any other memories? Did you see any one else." Bruce question. "Just you, the Angel, and the boy... I guess that would be my little brother...or maybe me?" He surmised "no,.. I think... well...he could be my brother. We have to be related somehow. "
"What makes you say that." "Well... I might be imagining it... before now ... you were shadows and words. He ... we kind of look like you..." Dick turned his head away and tried to close his eyes but the man whom stood in front of him would not allow it. "Come on, son. You have to keep talking." He urged. Dick looked up and slowly traced the emblem on the mans chest as if it was the first time he noticed it. "The bat" he whispered. "What about the bat. Son." Tapping on the bat emblem on Bruce's uniform. "Does everyone run around in these ...or do you just dress us funny." Dick wondered if he had ever seen the man smile like he was doing now it seemed so new yet so real. "Can't blame me for that one son. You designed your own costume." Bruce smiled "Why do we wear them...we don't ...hurt people do we? "No, no " "Then ....why do we...?" He pulled his mask from under the pillow he constructed from soft grasses. "No, son," answering the question. As if he had read the boys mind. "We try to help people, unfortunately we have to hide behind these to protect our selves and the ones we love.' Dick nodded still looking confused and really tired. He gently pulled the end of Bruce's cape against his chest, and closed his eyes for a minute but the costumed man was not going to allow him that. "So who was the angel that visited you?" "She didn't visit. I wish I could have remember... knowing her... I guess... had her with me all the time." He pulled a small frayed picture from under the grasses he lay on. "I found her picture in my glove. She's beautiful isn't she." Bruce looked down at picture of the one time batgirl carefully cradled in the injured man's shaky hands. "Yes, she is. She's been very unhappy since you disappeared." Dick stared at the tattered portrait; he could not imagine this woman with out that smile. "What's her name," he quarried. That was when he realized she wore the same emblem on her chest that he did. "Ohhhhhhh no....She's not my ...sister is she?.... Pllllease ssay she isn't my sister." "Nope, she is not your sister." He lifted a small device. From his belt and opened it. Batman to Oracle Barbara's tear streaked face came quickly over the screen "Here Batman." She sniffled "There someone who wants to speak to you." he turned the small device around and Dick stared at it in awe his angel was real. But she no longer wore the costume. She was crying. Gently reached for the screen almost praying that he would be able to reach through it. "I ..uh .." he mumbled as he looked up at the man who held the small box in front of him then back at the screen. "Don't cry...please ..uh... oracle" "I can't help it, I've never been so happy in my life." she returned crying harder. "Look, ... I am a little fuzzy on some things,... but I am pretty sure this is not how someone is suppose to act when they're happy." This just made her cry harder. Or maybe she was laughing. Or both. "I'm sorry" he returned, worried he may have said or done something wrong. "I didn't mean...." "It's Ok, you just gave us quite a scare, Wonder buns, but your safe now," another face came over the screen, A beautiful blond in black and yellow jacket over a skintight body suit. It was the first time she had ever seen Nightwing with out his mask but with all the bruising she still had no way of recognizing him. "... That's all that matters. I'll take care of your girl; just remember to call before you come over so we can make ourselves presentable. Hey Bat's you still there. Dick looked up the man had don a cowl over his head. Took the gadget from him. "Here, Canary Go ahead. "Superman should be there any moment now, Star labs is expecting our injured bird boy, anytime now." "Appreciate your assistance Canary. Thanks, for everything." He returned. No soonerdid he put away the device than another man came in the cave through the once solid ceiling. Dick looked awed at the man as he walked up to his makeshift bedside. "Wow." He smiled weakly "Ya know ...I was thinking ...that would be a great place to put a skylight." Superman chuckled as he kneeled down next to the boy, and ruffled his hair. "Glad I could help, Dick." "Bruce, I have Starlabs on stand by. We should be there in about 10 minutes. See you there in about 30?" Dick suddenly looked scared. "Bruce?... Your name is Bruce?" It didn't take a news reporter to realize what one of Dick's symptoms was. "Amnesia," Bruce answered Superman's unvoiced question. "Look," Dick emphasized as much as he possibly could in his condition. "I may not remember a lot but I think... I remember ...I don't wanna go to any Labs or Hospitals. Can't we just go home." Superman easily and gently picked up the injured young man, that's when they both realized Dick still had a firm grip on the batman's cape. "Right now home is not an option. Not this time." Batman announced. He removed a syringe from his utility belt and injected it in to Dicks arm then he removed the cape that his son still held on to from around his own neck and laid it gently over his son. "But I'll be there as soon as possible and as soon as you get the Ok from the doctors we'll take you take you home and you can let Alfred fuss over you." Dick quickly succumbed to the medication. Clark looked anxiously at his former teammate and a man he truly wanted to call friend. It didn't take ex-ray vision to see the worry on the man's face. "They'll take good care of him Bruce I promise." With no more than a glance Bruce thanked the man of steel and watched as the vanished through the sky.