Ivy Nights51101930's request for Damian to find out about Dick's past. (Hope you like it! Sorry it took so long.)

Chapter 59: Free Fall

Dick's POV

"Ladies and gentleman, The Flying Graysons!" Pop Haley's voice rang out over the crowd.

I am the first to jump. At age seven, I can perform even the most challenging stunts. I perform the flip flawlessly as the crowd goes wild. Honestly, I love basking in the spotlight as the crowd cheers. I wait patiently for Daddy to catch Mommy. Seconds later, she's smiling, waiting for me to jump. I prepare to jump as she extends her hands towards me.

I never jumped. Her smile disappears as the sound of the rope breaks. Her hands are still outstretched to me as she falls.

That's when I always wake up screaming. I take a deep breath as tears fall from my eyes before I look over at the picture with me and my parents beside my bed. They died on this day. They died fifteen years ago. No, they were murdered fifteen years ago.

Damian's POV

Piano music? I stepped through the door and I could hear the instrument echoing the mournful tune throughout the manor. Following the sound of the music, the piano came into view along with Grayson moving his hands along the keys. I didn't know he could play. Soon, a hand was laid on my shoulder as I was led away from the room.

"Damian, its better if you just leave Dick alone today."Todd said quietly.

"Why?" I asked.

"His parents died on this day. He just wants to be alone."

"What happened to them?"

"They were murdered. The killer was never caught… just don't bother Dick, okay?"

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

I crept downstairs. I could see Grayson sitting very still in a chair as Father approached him. I knew they were about to leave for the cemetery. Todd said they go every year on this day.

"Dick, you ready to go?" Father asked as he laid his hand on Grayson's shoulder.

"Bruce, I'd rather go by myself this year." He softly replied.

"Dick… Are you sure? I don't think you should go alone." Father responded.

"I'm sure. I just want to be alone right now."

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

I climbed into the trunk of Grayson's Aston Martin. I couldn't let him go alone. He shouldn't have to face it alone. And if he were to need me, I shall be there for him.

As soon as we arrived at our destination, I followed him through the cemetery. Soon, he came to stop in front of two tomb stones. My heart clenched as he started crying. As I moved towards him, I stopped as someone quickly approached him from behind. Who is that?

I screamed as Grayson dropped beside the two tombstones. I sprinted towards the unknown figure that had hurt him and threw myself against him as he hit the ground and started screaming for help. I had only managed to bust the attackers lip before an arm was snaked around my waist, pulling me off of the figure as a hand was clamped over my mouth.

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

Dick's POV

I groaned. I tried to open my eyes, but I could only see darkness. Am I blindfolded? I tried to move my hands, but I couldn't. I became aware of the fact that my hands were bound behind me. This is not good. What happened? Was I kidnapped?

My thoughts froze as footsteps headed in my direction. I could hear laughter as the blindfold was ripped from my eyes. I blinked as the image of Tony Zucco came into view.

"Oh good. You're awake… Remember me, boy?" he laughed.

"You killed my parents." I growled as my eyes narrowed.

"Don't worry; you'll see them after your performance. And I've taken the liberty of getting an opening act for you."

He smiled darkly as he cocked his head. My eyes followed his and came to stop on Damian in the clutches of one of Zucco's men. His hands were pinned behind him as he struggled against his captor and spewed muffled profanities from beneath the hand clamped over his mouth. But, the thing that scared me the most was the fact that Damian was on the same platform that I stood on fifteen years ago as I watched my parents fall.

We were under the big top. The abandoned circus grounds in Gotham. No one has set foot inside this tent in fifteen years.

"The brat put up a fight after you were knocked unconscious, but you can see who won. I wouldn't worry about the kid. I figured that I'd let you see him go first. He's your opening act. I hope you've been practicing. Your solo's coming up."

"Please. He has nothing to do this with this. He's just a kid-" I began before his fist impacted my gut, taking my breath away.

"You were just a kid fifteen years ago. And you got away. I never leave a job unfinished! You were supposed to have fallen with them! But, you got away! You were able to identify me! The only witness was a seven year old brat! I had to leave everything behind because of you! You cost me my empire, my family, and my life! You got the damn Batman after me!" he paused before swallowing as a look of regret briefly flashed across his face. "You're the reason I had to go to that graveyard. You're the reason that my little brother is dead."

The mob boss's younger brother, Ralph Zucco wanted revenge against me a few years ago. Because of me, his big brother had to skip town. Ralph Zucco took control of his older brother's empire, but it crumbled under his control. He wanted revenge against me. He blamed me for the downfall of their empire. Ralph Zucco had mistaken Jason for me. The man almost killed Jay. But, he was arrested and tried. His life sentence ended quickly as a guard found him hanging in his cell. The second mob boss had made a lot of enemies and owed a lot of people money once he took control of his brother's empire.

"Please, just let Damian go." I pleaded.

The look of sadness was instantly replaced by a look of maliciousness. "Dickie boy wants us to let the kid go! We'd better do it!" he shouted as Damian was forced off the ledge, while screaming my name.

Time seemed to slowdown as he fell. My eyes kept switching from images of my parents to images of my brother. Before Damian's body could hit the ground, the sound of a grappling gun being fired was heard, followed by the image of Damian coming into contact with his father's chest as the two disappeared into the rafters of the dark tent.

Instantly, I was yanked to my feet as the murder's arm wound itself around my neck as his gun was pressed against my temple as I pulled at my restraints.

"Batman! Show yourself, now!" Zucco commanded as the fear in his voice gave himself away.

The next instant a scream was heard from the direction of where Zucco's man once stood on the platform. He no longer stood in his position. He had been swallowed by the darkness.

"Show yourself or else he dies now!" Zucco ordered as I felt the thin rope around my wrists slacken.

"Release the boy." Batman growled from the shadows before stepping into view.

I screamed as bullet lodged itself into my father's chest. Out of anger I drove my elbow into the killer's chest as the gun fell to the floor. He went down as my fist impacted his cheek. He lunged for his gun as I knocked the weapon away from his hand and held the gun in my own.

Damian's POV

I could see Zucco on the floor holding up his hands in surrender as Grayson loomed over him with the gun aimed directly at the murderer's forehead.

"I've waited a long time for this moment." Grayson growled between clenched teeth.

"Please, don't kill me." the man groveled as Grayson cocked the weapon.

"You took everything from me! You killed my parents! You ruined my life!" He screamed as the criminal whimpered.

"Please, don't kill me. I don't want to die."

I could see the anger and the hurt in his eyes, yet his hand was shaking. I could see tears forming in his eyes as his finger inched along the trigger. I moved forward with the intention of stopping him before a hand landed on my shoulder as Father shook his head at me.

I jumped as a shot rang out. I returned my attention to see Zucco crying as a stain formed around his pants. Yet, he was unharmed.

"I'm not like you, Zucco." Grayson spat before bringing the weapon across the criminal's temple and knocking him out.

The gun fell to the floor as he broke down and began crying. Before I could move, Father was beside him as Grayson cried into his chest. I've never seen him cry before.

"It's okay, Dickie. It's over now. Hush." Father whispered.

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

Dick's POV

Tears fell from my eyes as I stood before their graves. Fifteen years. For fifteen years, I've been coming here on this day. Fifteen years ago, I watched Tony Zucco threaten Pop Haley. I watched my parents fall to their death, fifteen years ago.

Soon a small pair of arms encircled my waist.

"Damian, I thought you and Bruce were going to wait for me in the car."

"You shouldn't be alone. I am here for you." He replied, while squeezing me tightly around my waist as my arms wrapped around him.

I then felt a heavy hand on my shoulder, only to have another set of small arms around my waist, followed by another hand landing on my free shoulder as I was handed a handkerchief.

Mom, Dad, this is Alfred, Bruce, Jason, Tim, and Damian. They're my second family. I miss you guys and I'll always love you, but I'm gonna be okay. One day, when we're all together, I'll introduce you.

For a while neither of no one moved. I took one last look at their graves before sighing and closing my eyes. We turned and left the graves, leaving my past with it.

"I am sorry they were taken from you." Damian responded softly.

"It's okay, Dami. I'll see them again one day." I replied as we headed for home.

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

"You okay?" Bruce asked.

"How did you know that I wouldn't have killed Zucco?" I asked.

"Because I know you." He whispered, wrapping his arm around me as silent tears dripped down my face. "Dick, I'm sorry. If there was any way I could have saved them, I would have."

"I know." I whispered as the man who became my second father squeezed my shoulder. But if there was a way I could go back and stop it from happening, I don't know if I would. I wouldn't change anything for the ways things are now. "Dad, I'm gonna be okay… Thank you for catching me when I fall."

"Always… Don't stay up too late, chum."

"I won't." I replied as he left, leaving me alone at the piano.

I was left alone for about thirty seconds before Damian joined me at the piano bench.

"I didn't know you could play."

"My mom taught me. She loved piano music. Sometimes, we'd find a church at whatever town we stopped at and she'd teach me how to play." I replied, smiling at the memory. "Do you want to try to learn how to play?"

"I suppose so... What was your mother like?"

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

Bruce's POV

Dick's going to be okay and Zucco will pay for his crimes. I pulled the covers more securely around Dick as he lay snoring in his bed. My eyes travelled over to the photograph of him with his parents. The treasured picture was stationed beside the one of me and him, taken shortly after I had adopted him. My eyes returned to the image of the Graysons.

"Thank you for sharing your son with me." I whispered before leaving his room.