So, for the past month, I've been getting these horribly painful electric shocks anytime I move around my house (like to the point of actually seeing sparks of electricity in the dark). I went to wash my face the other morning and I got a huge electric shock just by touching the running water. The first thing my dumb brain thought about was the song Kissin u by Miranda Cosgrove because of the lyric "Sparks fly, it's like electricity". I listened to the song because I haven't heard it in a while and then I somehow started thinking about Dick and Wally... and here we are!
TW: A bit of a graphic description of an injury.
Disclaimer: I don't own any DC characters.
"Dick," Bruce warns him sternly. "You need to give Alfred space to work. We'll take care of Damian."
Dick feels his body react, but only after Bruce gently, but firmly, nudges him out of the way. He wants to stay; he needs to stay. Damian looks so helpless lying on the medical table in the back of the Cave. He's covered in blood and there's a huge hole in the middle of his left leg. His uniform is in pieces. What's more terrifying than anything is the lack of resistance and sharp-tongued commentary coming from Damian. That's how Dick knows the situation is serious. But worse of all, Damian is in this condition because of him.
Logically he knows he can't do anything for Damian right now. As much as it pains him to admit it, Bruce is right and he's only going to get in the way. He knows basic first aid, but when it comes to more detailed and complex procedures, it's best to leave it to Alfred. He will be able to take care of things and Bruce will assist when needed. Dick knows Bruce will do anything to help Alfred and save his son; there's no doubt about that. Even if he wants to help, to do something to make things just a little bit better, Dick doesn't know if he can remain calm and focused long enough to follow orders from Alfred.
As he walks away from the medical section of the Cave and towards the computer in the center of the cavern, he suddenly knows what he can do to help. If he can't fix Damian, he can find those that did this to him and make them pay.
As if in a trance, he makes his way to the computers, wasting no time in pulling up all the security cameras from the warehouse where he'd been with Damian less than an hour ago. He'd lost sight of the perpetrators when he'd rushed to his injured brother's side. He wasn't going to make the same mistake.
Dick puts all his years of training and experience to good use as he analyzes any little detail his eyes can see. He knows he won't be able to stop until he finds out where the culprits are hiding.
"You know we pay Oracle to do this for us," Dick hears the deep, gruff voice of Jason suddenly from behind him.
As much as he's surprised to hear his brother's voice in the Cave, his eyes don't leave the many screens in front of him.
"I don't need her help," he retorts, remarking how aggressive he sounds only after the words have left his mouth.
"Pretty sure that's never stopped her before, Dickhead," Jason counters, immediately fighting fire with fire.
Dick doesn't know what to answer because he knows Jason is right. But this isn't Barbara's fight to fight; it's his. Barbara wasn't the one to get distracted and let Damian wander off into the building by himself. Barbara, or Jason for that matter, weren't the ones too slow to come to Damian's rescue. They didn't have to watch as his little brother was taken by surprise and pushed off the catwalk of the warehouse. The two of them didn't wait in horror, the seconds ticking by as Damian fell to the ground, trying desperately to shoot off his grappling hook only to miss at the very last second and land on the unforgiving cement. Only he heard the loud thump of the small body landing on the cement. A sound that is closely followed by Damian screaming as he reacts to the sudden sensation of having landed on a broken metal rod. The image of Damian laying on the ground, limp like a ragdoll and a giant metal rod piercing through his leg will haunt Dick forever.
Jason sighs loudly enough to drag Dick out of his thoughts. For a couple of seconds, he's distracted enough that he doesn't see the image of Damian falling anymore. But it doesn't last. His thoughts immediately go back to Damian as he looks back at the dozen camera feeds displayed on the computer.
"Dick, you know you're not going to see this through alone," Jason finally says. He's removed his helmet, his voice now less synthesized. "We all heard you call for help over the comms. We heard your frantic crying and his pained breathing. As much as that Demon Spawn is a thorn in our asses, he's our little Gremlin. No one else gets to mess with him."
Dick nods in response because he agrees with his brother. But Dick is the only one to blame for the situation they're in.
He doesn't continue arguing with Jason, but that doesn't mean he's going to stop looking. His eyes continue to roam over the several screens, desperate for any hints. He feels Jason stand behind him for a couple more seconds, probably debating if this is a fight worth having. But after a while, Jason leaves and his footsteps quietly retreat farther into the Cave.
Dick has no concept of time as he continues his desperate search. He thinks he hears Bruce and Alfred emerging from where they'd been performing surgery on Damian, but he's not sure. If something was wrong, they would have come to get him. Right now, they're doing their job and he's busy doing his. He can go see Damian once he's found the ones responsible for hurting him.
Suddenly, there's a gust of wind strong enough to cause his chair to swivel a little. It's a jarring contrast to the stillness and silence he's been stewing in for who knows how long. And just as abruptly as the change in atmosphere, there's the sudden solid feel of a hand gently grabbing his left arm.
Dick would recognize that touch anywhere. He knows it's Wally. He doesn't know how Wally knew to come here though. Actually, it was probably Jason's doing. Or maybe Alfred's? Or possibly Bruce did it, but only after being encouraged to do so by Alfred. What he does know is that Wally is slowly dragging him up off the chair.
Wally's touch and embrace are grounding. Since Damian's injury, his entire world has revolved around finding the criminals who'd hurt him. But the longer he stays standing, wrapped up in his boyfriend's arms, the more he starts to lose that focus. The screens he's staring at over Wally's shoulder start to blur as tears escape his eyes. It doesn't take long before he can't see them at all.
Wally is whispering in his ear, telling him it's going to be okay. That he checked on Damian and that he's going to recover. That he'll help his family find the perpetrators. Wally promises he won't let him go through this alone. That he's here for Dick.
All alone wrapped up in his grief, Dick had lost focus. He knew that people needed to be punished, but he got lost in the idea of immediately taking on that task alone. By simply grounding him, Wally helped Dick lose focus once again, but for the right reasons this time. There would be an opportunity to bring the criminals to justice. After all, he was surrounded by a family, all experts on avenging. Wally is right. And Dick is grateful Wally is there to help him remember that.
Dick holds on to his anchor for a little while longer. He waits until his tears dry up and his breathing — which he hadn't realized how erratic it had gotten — slows down. He gently pulls out of Wally's arms and looks at his partner in the eyes for the first time since leaving for Gotham earlier that day.
"Are you okay, Dick?" Wally asks, finally breaking the silence of the Cave.
"You said Damian was out of surgery?" Dick can't help but ask, even if he knows he's ignoring Wally's question.
"Yeah, Jason told me he was out of surgery when he called me," Wally confirms which allows a huge weight to lift from Dick's shoulders. "He's resting now, but everything went well."
"I..." Dick trails off, for once having a hard time finding his words. He wants to ask if he can see Damian. He wants to know why Jason called Wally. He wants to see if Bruce has any leads because he has no doubt Bruce got Oracle to help. But Dick isn't sure where to start. Thankfully, Wally seems to know exactly what he's thinking.
"Jason called me as soon as he got the all-clear from Alfred. Apparently, he tried to come and tell you after your first conversation with him, but you ignored him." At this last statement, Wally's voice takes a quizzical tone. He doesn't think Dick actually ignored Jason; especially if he was telling him Damian was okay. Wally is pretty sure Dick had just been so wrapped up in his own guilt and focused on his one-man mission of justice, that he had been unaware of his surroundings.
"I don't remember Jason coming back," Dick admits quietly. He seems stunned by his own admission.
"I know," Wally reassures him. "That's why Jason called, he thought I could, and I quote, "help get your head out of your ass". I came here as fast as I could."
Dick manages a small smile at Jason's dramaticism. But he recognizes he's going to have to thank his brother for helping him.
"Do you want to go check on Damian?" Wally asks, sensing that it's what Dick needs right now. He needs to see his brother safe and sound with his own two eyes. "Bruce is with him, and I think he wants to talk to you."
"Okay," Dick replies. He takes a deep breath as Wally nods in response. He takes the hand Wally offers him and together they walk towards the medical section of the Cave.
Things still aren't okay, but Wally has helped shift his focus back in the right direction.
