Again a pretty fast update… It is really because this story is already done without beta, I'm sure of it now. Anyway, Enjoy chapter 3!
-\Mount Justice 3AM/-
Their worries for their friend had kept them all awake. They were gathered around the big TV hoping any new news would be broadcasted about their little friend and father. Since the cave is the only place except for Gotham who sent out live news from Gotham. So going home was not an option for the pumped up teenagers.
Most of them were chatting loudly in their, if you could call it, stress. There were two awfully quiet. It was Superboy who was just silence staring at the TV. He had already said that both the team as Robin just had to suck it up and go on with live (ignoring the fact most conversations were about the burned down house and not the ripping the mask off accident).
The other one was Wally. His legs were pulled up and he hadn't move ever since Kaldur had told him they could not save his friend. No not friend, best friend.
"Guys, isn't that The Joker?" Superboy spoke up after almost an hour of silence and turned on the sound of the TV.
The team's heads quickly snapped to the big screen seeing the clown like freak on the TV laughing loudly.
"Good morning Gotham!" the madman smiled. "I'm terribly sorry for interrupting whatever you were watching but I have something you all would love to know."
A picture of Robin appeared in the screen next to the green-haired villain. "Robin," the man sighed as if he called up a warm memory. "That good doing kid from Batsie," the smirk grew wider on the clowns face making it a creepy sight. "About him," the man started leaving the team on the edge of their seats. "We found something that might be interesting to see."
The image of the clown and the Boy Wonder was replaced by a video the team recognized way to well. Loud gasps sounded through the room as they saw Superboy holding Robin who struggled for his live.
"You can't do this to me!" The boy struggled even harder, moving his head widely from right to left. It was until Megan held his head still with her telekinesis. "No!" Kaldur's hand came closer every second what passed. "Nonononononononononononooo!" the trapped boy shouted.
The dark skinned hand came closer and closer till it touched the boy's face. He started to pile the mask. "Kaldur! Stop!" bit by bit the mask was coming of his face showing more and more skin. "Please!"
With one finally pull the mask flew of the boy's face showing deep blue, shocked, eyes.
The video stopped showing Dick's face. The screen waited a few seconds before the picture of Dick was replaced by the smiling Joker.
"Guess that says enough," he burst out in laughing. He picked a tear and started to talk again. "So Gotham's rich kid appears to be the Boy Blunder. Gotham's Dick Grayson!"
Again a roar of laughter filled the air with an heavy dose of atmosphere what stung all the teens hearts. Their friends secret was out. Out to whole Gotham. And it was because of them.
"I hope you all understand now the reason we have burned his house down and have started our hunt. We all hope you understand this and won't help the boy because death will be the punishment for that. Robin's death will be on my name," a sickening evil smile appeared on the man's face as his hunger for the boy's blood was even noticeable on the screen. "Joker out." The screen became black and the movie what was playing went on.
The team was shocked and silence had them in its grip. Minutes passed by before one sharp voice started to yell.
"I told you it was a bad idea! We've ruined his life, literally!" Artemis shouted beyond disbelieve this had happened.
"I get it!" Wally rose his voice after not speaking for so long. "I practically killed Robin!" tears of mixed up anger and sadness started to leak from the redhead's eyes.
"We all did," Kaldur said in a soft voice as he looked at the ground. "We should had listen to him, when he begged us not to rip off his mask. We didn't and now he's the target of all the criminals in Gotham."
"I'm going after him! Bring him to safety!" Wally shouted and zoomed off.
"Wait!" but before Kaldur could have said anything more the teen had disappeared in the Zeta Beam. He sighed, "Let's go. Find Robin before those criminals do."
The team shot up and left to the Zeta beam. Megan stayed behind. "I'll fallow you with the Bio-ship," she said before she run off to the hanger.
-\Day one, 7AM/-
"Wake up," Who's voice is that? Why is he waking me up? "You have to wake up,"
I opened my eyes and met a friendly face I recognized. "Simon?"
"I think you have to hear this," I saw he was serious by the face he wore and tried to rise but my body felt too numb to move.
I saw him show me a radio and turned it on. The last few words were sung from a song I could not place so quickly. Soon a short jingle sounded telling the news started.
"Good morning, it's 7AM and you're listening to radio Gotham morning news. This is Ellen Barker." A woman voice announced. "The first thing this morning Gotham woke up with is the news about the ID of our Boy Wonder Robin," my eyes widen. My ID? "This morning around 3AM was every TV station taken over by an broadcast from The Joker showing a video what revealed the identity from Robin as Dick Grayson, Billionaire Bruce Wayne's son. He also announced that he wanted to claim the boy's dead and warned every person who wanted to help him by the same faith of our hero. Rumors say that this makes Bruce Wayne the Batman though no prove is found on that side of the story."
Simon turned the radio off and laid it beside me. My hands were before my mouth as I felt panic rise inside me. They know, they all know. No mask to hide behind and no fake smile to feel save behind anymore. It's all gone.
I started to feel naked. Feel watched. I pulled the blanked up hiding my face far enough to watch over it. Wait, blanked? Those weren't there when I fainted. Simon must have laid those over me.
"You understand how serious this is?" I simply nodded. All words had escaped my mouth to never return again. "Any plans to survive this?" I nodded again. "Care to share?" this time my head barely moved as I tried to nod.
Why was I so badly shocked? I knew from the moment I started this could happen. I knew ever since I put on that mask that once it was gone my life would be at stake. That after losing my mask, any mistake could cost my life and many others. Than why am I shocked like this?
"You're okay, Dick? Can I call you Dick? Or do you like Grayson better?" The black-haired man came closer to me and I shook my head.
"Dick is fine," I felt tears stinging in my eyes. How much I would do to be with Bruce right now. To be in his warm embrace and know everything would be okay. That he would cover me with his cape and tell me that he won't let anybody come near me. That I know I was safe. But I wasn't safe. I know that.
Suddenly two warm arms surrounded me and pulled me against the warm and welcoming chest. "You'll be safe here," my fingers brought the fabric of his uniform into the palm of my hands and tears started to make their way down my face. I was too tired to hide my tears. I was also too tired to be haunted down, to fight back.
I was even too tired to deny how much I liked this hug, how much I liked it to be held like this. It was kind of familiar to how Bruce sometimes holds me.
I felt all strength disappearing from my arms and hands. I felt the fabric of his uniform slowly slip out of my hands and my arms fell down.
"You're still too weak, aren't you?" I gave a slight nod as answer.
He slowly started to lean forward making me flinch a bit but I noticed the strong hand under my back bringing me slowly down into the soft carpet. He took the blanked and laid it over me.
"My shift is over, but I'll bring you something to eat before my shift begins. That's around 7PM. Rest for now, okay?" he leaned over me as he spoke. His eyes, his expression was so familiar. Something I had seen often on Bruce. He wore almost the same expression as Bruce had the first time he hushed me at night. The first night with the nightmare. The man had something fatherly over him. Something I somehow really liked.
His hand brushed my bangs out of my face and leaned back again. I proceed a soft smile and felt the world slip away. The soft pillow caught my head as it turned away together with all the strength I had left in my body. Everything was black again.
-\Day four 6 AM/-
"We've searched every place in Gotham and he's nowhere to be found. What now?" Kid Flash whined exhausted as he dropped himself at a park bench with a loud thud. "He could be just as easy be dead already."
"Don't say that!" Megan said clearly not liking the words of the speedster. "I'm sure he's out here somewhere."
"He is the Boy Wonder," Artemis began as she took a seat next to the redhead. "He could have blend in and live God knows what kind of life."
"Have we no way to contact him?" The leader asked the team, refusing to give up on the boy already.
"I may could get his phone number. But wouldn't he already contact us if he had his phone with him?" Artemis said holding up her cell phone.
"He can be so angry with us that he refused to take help from us," Kaldur thought out loud. "Try it."
Artemis nodded and started to dial a number on het phone and held it by her ear awaiting the click. Soon enough her expectations where satisfied as she heard a soft click followed by a tired "hallo?"
"Bette? Sorry for waking you, but I really need the number of that freshman who's all over the TV right now. You have it, right?" The girl was playing nervously with her long ponytail as he waited for an answer from the just woken up girl.
"S-sure," the girl said still half asleep. "Why do you need it? I told you to ignore him, didn't I?"
"I know but I got wrapped up in stuff and now I really need to speak him right now," the blonde said, pulling her blond locks slightly.
The older girl gave a sigh and answered. "Fine, I'll text you his number. But you have to understand the chance is small he still has his cellphone since all this fuss about him being Robin. Can you believe it? Anyway, I'm going back to sleep if you don't mind. It's, what, 6 AM or something?"
"I understand," The archer had released her hair from the torturer it had been in a few seconds ago and placed the free hand in her hip. "Thanks Bette,"
A lazy "Welcome," came from the other blonde lips and a click told Artemis the girl had hung up.
"I truly hope he has his phone," the girl said with her eyes sealed on the phone in her hand, waiting for it to buzz.
-\Day four 7AM/-
The door slowly opened and the man in the red uniform entered the room with a tray. He closed the door behind him and carefully walked to the sleeping teen. He sat down next to the boy setting down the tray and looked at the boy for a few seconds before sighing. "You're really still a kid."
He watched how the boy's arms where strangled around the second pillow, coiled up like most young boys did and was softly murmuring things under his breath.
Ever since he had seen the boy sleep he started to feel something for him. Something you should feel when you see your precious son sleep. He wanted to hold him, hug him and tell him that everything will be fine.
"Bruce," Simon sat a little closer to the boy after he heard the boy's father's name leaving his lips.
"I would miss him too," the black haired man spoke as he stroke the bangs out of the boy's face.
"Bruce!" the man was surprised by the angst in the boy's voice. Was he having a nightmare? "Daaaaad!"
Simon quickly covered the boy's mouth. If someone hear him scream they'll come to have a look and they both won't end up better if that happens.
"Dick, wake up!" the man called out in a hushed shout, shaking the boy slightly.
Dick's eyes shot open and started at the man with wide eyes. After a few seconds of silence stares he seemed to relax as he let out a tensed sight and his eyes lids lowered to a normal height.
"You had a nightmare?" the man asked giving he boy an concern look.
"Yeah," the boy said eying the food. He was hungry, he always was after a nightmare.
"Was it about Bruce, your father?" he saw the boy nod. He smiled about how sure he was that the boy trusted him. Answering so quickly and honest…
"He died," the boy said trying hard not to tear. "I've been dreaming that since I part from him," the boy frowned as he noticed the tears blur his vision. "I hadn't had a change to say goodbye."
Simon pulled the boy toward him wrapping his arms around him soothing the boy with his hug. "I feel so sorry for you."
"He adopted me as his son when I lost all the family I had. Ever since he's like my father to me. He had lost his parents to a murder too, so we're kind of alike and he understands me so well," the boy told while he had his face dug into the man's chest.
"Is Bruce also Batman?" The man asked. Dick knew the man would eventually ask. Though he took longer than he had thought.
"Yes, he is. I found out by myself and when I knew I fallowed him when he was on his way to get the man who murdered my parents. On that moment I saw my change of having revenge on the man. But instead of letting the man fall to death I saved him and brought him to justice. Batman thought I had potential and trained me as his sidekick. I became Robin and the first sidekick."
The man was silence, he knew the boy wasn't in for a talk. He wouldn't be either after all what happened to him. So instead of using words he was just caressing the boy's back as he held him, like a father would.
After a long silence the man decided to distract the boy a bit. "How about a breakfast?" Simon asked eyeing the food.
The boy fallowed his glance an nodded with a slight smile. "I could use some off that…" the boy shove the tray closed and took the bread first. "You're really too good for me."
"No, I'm not," Dick looked up at that. "You're the one who has been too good for people. Now it's my turn to help somebody."
The teen smiled. It was great to hear a good come back, one who sounded pretty much like something Bruce would say, well except that Bruce also is or was a hero. Come to think of, how come this man felt so much like Bruce? If you think about it he's nothing like Bruce but somehow he gave the feeling like he was Bruce. Was it his head going nuts, wanting his father so bad that he was seeing him in every male he saw? Could be… but he had no prove. Since Simon was the only person, let alone male, he had seen for the past four days.
"How are you feeling? Getting you strength back?" The man asked as he watched the boy nibble on his breakfast.
"Not completely, but I've stopped shaking constantly," the boy said before he took sip from his tea.
Simon gave Dick a sweet smile. "That is some improvement."
"It's much for fainting from blood loss and recovering without any blood transfusion."
-\Day four 8 AM/-
Three teen sat on the bench of the park, one hovered in the air and the other refused to sit down. They all looked weary though one wore a thinking face.
"Maybe we should search the house, look if we can find bodies…" Aqualad thought out loud.
A loud protest in moans and groans told the leader the team was done with. They had been searching for hours and days and the energy was already not what is used to be since they hadn't sleep that night because they felt bad about the whole ripping of Robin's mask mishap.
"If we find them we don't need to search anymore," the blonde teen said as a motivation for the rest to kick into action.
"We most likely can't," Kid Flash said as he sunk even further into the stone hard bench. "Since it's Gotham's heroes and Gotham's playboy and billionaire who are missing. The police is most likely keeping an eye on this all and not to forget the TV and news who wants to know as much as possible. The house is probable full with reporters looking for the survivors or maybe even the Batcave."
"There you have a point," Kaldur said in a bit absent voice. "If they know we're looking for them they will fallow us because we make more change finding our teammates than they do."
The archer took out her phone. "Maybe they found something," she said as she opened an app on her mobile showing the latest news. "See here we have it," The team came closer to her to have a peek on her screen which was right now, way too small. "Police refuses entrance reporters into Wayne Mention. How would we ever get in?" the girl said as the team watched an picture of the building strapped down with the familiar yellow tape with the words "Police, don't cross" written on it.
"Maybe they will let us in. Justice League and stuff. The police would try to help them right?" Megan spoke from behind the group still staring over Artemis's shoulder.
"You're right!" Kid Flash jumped up with new regained energy. "Bat's friend are also friends from the commissioner, right?"
"No harm in trying," Kaldur said still calm.
I know. Weird place to stop but my chapter would be too long. So I just had to cut in half somewhere. This seemed as the best place to cut it.
Anyway I hope you enjoyed it :D
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