Chapter 10: I'll Be There

Dick's POV

Timmy would be going on patrol with Jason tonight, while Damian would be with going with me. That's how things normally went. I was the only one who had a lot of patience for Damian. Besides, Bruce, Jason, and Damian were too much alike. Plus Damian and Tim normally ended up trying to kill each other. Besides, Bruce normally assigned Tim to Jay. Jay behaved better and was less inclined to kill someone if Tim were with him. He didn't think twice about killing something if Damian was with him. They were both assassins, so it really didn't matter to either of them. But it really bothered Tim, so Jason tried his best to go the night without killing anyone.

I walked into the Batcave and reached for my costume. We were on our own tonight; Bruce had gone with Clark on a mission. As I was getting dressed, I heard shouting coming from the arena. Damian and Timmy were fighting with spears. Great.

Deciding they weren't going to kill each other, I sat down to put my mask on.

"Dick, where's Bruce?" Jason called from behind me.

I finished putting on my mask and turned towards him. "Jay, get dressed. Bruce went with Clark on a mission."

He slid his costume on. "Why didn't you go? Are they still going?" he asked while pointing at our battling brothers.

"It was only a two person job and yes, they're still going." I replied, while separating Tim and Damian.

"What's my route?" He called.

I dragged Tim and Damian over to Batmobile and made them get in the back. Then I turned back towards him and answered, "You and Timmy take the West and South side."

"Fine." He replied while leaping into the passenger's seat.

********Break********

Damian's POV

Tt. Nothing was happening tonight. I was not amused. I swung onto a gargoyle and proceeded to check my Twitter.

"Robin, get off your phone and pay attention."

Damn Grayson! Must he be so serious! I slid my phone back into my belt. Last time I was on patrol with Father and I refused to put my phone away, he hurled it into the air and let a Batarang slice it in half. He didn't even get me a new one immediately! I had to wait an entire week! I was not willing to risk it again. Unless, I wanted a new phone-

"Robin, are you paying attention?"

"Of course."

"Then what did I just say?"

"You asked if I was paying attention." I said shrewdly.

Dick's POV

I rolled my eyes beneath my mask. Then I pointed down below.

He peered over the edge. A drug deal was going on.

"Now, we need to plan this out. There are two of us and five of them. We need-"

Before I could finish, Damian had leapt from his position and landed onto the form of a dealer.

"Dammit!" I cursed. I moved out of the shadows and flipped onto the back of one of the dealers. I drew my escrima sticks and landed a blow behind his head before flipping behind another thug.

Before I could take him out, I heard Damian yelp. I turned to find someone holding Damian by his neck, threatening to break it.

"Drop your weapons and put your hands up! Or the kid dies!" the criminal ordered.

I did what he asked. I wasn't going to try anything while Damian's life was being threatened.

Damian's POV

Damn! I messed up. Now we were in the clutches of brainless drug dealers. This is humiliating. And Grayson surrenders easily. Why? He should have stopped them!

Grayson was being seized by two of the mindless criminals and they tied his hands together behind his back. My hands were forcibly tied as well. We were made to enter an old warehouse filled with crates containing the drugs. We were forced onto our knees. That's when he entered. Expensive Italian fitted suit, graying hair, Italian accent. Carmine Falcone; crime lord, mafia boss, arms dealer, and drug runner.

He strutted over to Grayson. He bent down and grabbed a fist full of Grayson's hair and wrenched his head back. "Where's your daddy?"

Grayson stayed silent.

Falcone nodded to one of his henchmen and he stepped forward. He pulled his fist back and launched it forward, striking Grayson's mouth. Blood oozed from his broken lips.

"Are we ready to talk now?"

Grayson spat a concoction of saliva and blood in Falcone's face.

Falcone pulled a silk handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the residue from his face. The henchman stepped forward again and struck Grayson roughly across the cheek. I could see a bruise starting to form. Falcone then nodded and two of his hired help began dragging Grayson outside towards the docks.

"Maybe the brat will be more cooperative now." The mafia boss threatened as the henchman handed over his gun.

Grayson yelled, "Don't touch him!"

In response, Falcone fired the weapon. The bullet embedded itself in Grayson's chest and he fell backwards into the murky water.

That's when I started to scream. I could control my emotions no longer. A rag was forced down my throat to stifle my cries of agony and rage. My brother. They had just killed my brother.

Dick's POV

I surfaced underneath the dock. Thank God, my costume is lined with Kevlar. I could hear Damian sobbing and screaming, but it abruptly stopped. My heart felt crushed; Damian was crying for me. I peered up from the holes in the dock. Damian was being gagged by the asshole who had managed to draw blood from my lips. However my heart filled with rage when the bastard struck my youngest brother. Hard. I was pissed.

Falcone walked over to Damian. He gripped Dami's hair and jerked his head backwards. "I'm not going to be able to get anything out of the brat tonight. Put him in one of the crates, I'll be back tomorrow." He released his grip and turned to walk back towards his limo.

I pulled myself onto the dock and silently crept into the warehouse. I'd have to let Falcone go. I needed to get to Dami. He thinks I'm dead.

I snuck up behind the first thug and slammed his head forcefully into a support beam, knocking him unconscious. I turned to find the asshole that had hurt Damian and me.

"Where's Robin?" I growled in my Batman voice.

"You'll never find out." He threatened while removing a hunting knife from his belt. He then rushed at me, swinging his knife madly.

I flipped right over him and my fist impacted with his jaw. I heard the sharp crack. I had just broken his jaw. I then grabbed his arm which held the weapon and twisted it sharply. I heard the sharp crack and the sound of metal hitting concrete flooring. I had just broken his arm and hand. Sweeping his legs from underneath him, I drove my knee into his throat.

"Tell me where Robin is! Now!"

Damian's POV

I was in a crate. Darkness consumed me. I was securely tied and gagged. But I didn't care. I couldn't stop crying. My brother was dead and it was my fault. I wanted him to come find me and save me. Then he would take me into his arms and mutter words of comfort and nonsense. Then he would wipe away me tears and tell me that he loved me. But it wasn't going to happen. He was dead, because of me.

The top of my prison was pried away and light conquered the darkness. I shut my eyes tightly. Someone gently began untying me. "Robin? Open your eyes, it's me, Nightwing."

It was a lie, a trick. Nightwing was dead.

I was carefully lifted from my prison and pulled into a warm embrace. "Robin, it's okay. Everything's okay. You're safe now. I'm here."

I allowed my eyes to capture an image of my savior. Grayson!

""I… I… I'm…ssorry. It… wwass… aaall… mmy ffault." I cried.

He wiped the tears from my eyes and whispered, "You're my little brother and I love you. I'd never let anyone hurt you or take you away from me. I'd do anything to get you back and keep you safe." He then gently kissed my forehead.

I looked up and met his eyes. "You promise?"

"No matter what, I'll be there. Always."

********Break********

Dick's POV

I stopped the Batmobile and Jason climbed into the passenger's seat. He was carrying Timmy. He paused and looked at the figure of Damian curled up and asleep with his head resting in my lap. He slid into the seat quietly. Timmy was also asleep. I placed the machine on auto-pilot and turned to look at them. I then noticed a bandage on Tim's neck.

"What happened to his neck! And what happened to your helmet?" I whispered savagely.

Jason glared at me. "What the hell happened to your face!"

I sighed. "It's a long story."

"Yeah. It's just one of those nights."

We pulled into the cave and I bent down and collected Damian. Jason had Timmy nestled in his arms.

"My room or yours?"

I turned to face him. "What?"

"It's obvious they won't be sleeping alone, duh. Besides, you can tell me your long story."

"Are you going to tell me what happened to the two of you?"

"I'll think about it." he answered.

"Fine, then we use my room. Yours smells like beer, cigarettes, and leather."

Sarcastically, he replied, "You say that like it's a bad thing and I have no idea what you're talking about."

********Break*********

Bruce's POV

That freaking Boy Scout had me doing a completely useless mission! I swear he only wanted somebody to talk to. Couldn't he have called Barry or Ollie! I'm busy!

I climbed the staircase and went to check on the boys. I opened the door to Dick's room and smiled. Tim and Damian, along with their stuffed animals, had their arms encircled around each other. Jason had his arms folded around Tim's torso. Dick was clinging to Damian.

My smile vanished, when I noticed dried blood encrusted upon Dick's face, a bandage on Tim's neck, a hand shaped mark on Damian's face, and rope burns on Dick's and Damian's hands. Wait, is that a chunk of concrete embedded in Jason's back? Come morning, they had a lot of explaining to do.