Epilogue
"Everyone report: Location?" Aqualad's quick command came through the com system. They'd been separated some half hour ago and had been trying to regroup. Problem was Scarecrow had so many goons drugged up on Fear Gas that it was all he could do to stay alive let alone get very far very quickly. Most of them had guns and even if they took down their own as often as he did, one or two had gotten in a lucky shot. The bullet embedded in his shoulder grated horribly whenever he moved, which was bad because he needed to keep moving.
Not that they didn't have bigger problems just now. Typically (damn Gotham Villains!) there was a bomb rigged to go off in just ten minutes that would take out the entire block, not just the thirty story building they were currently running amuck in. That wouldn't have been a total loss; Superboy had probably compromised the buildings structural integrity anyway when he was thrown into that support beam, but it was three in the afternoon. On a Saturday. In a shopping district. Not to mention all the people still affected by Fear Gas that otherwise wouldn't be here.
Oh and his teammates.
"Level two, west side." Robin responded, "Closing in on the bomb to disarm."
"Copy that, Robin. Miss Martian, rendezvous with Robin at the bomb site, he'll need protection while working."
"I can get there faster!" Superboy objected - his voice punctuated by grunts and groans as he punched people out.
"Negative Superboy, Miss Martian is closer. I need you after Scarecrow. We cannot let him get away with that chemical compound and you are immune to the gas."
"Miss Martian can't hold off that many goons for the time it'll take him to disarm that thing and you're all done for if it goes off!" 'You're', not 'we're'. Robin snorted and kicked a guy in the face.
"Guys, can it!" Robin paused to do a complicated flip over some baddies, grabbing hold of a light fixture and jarring his shoulder in the process. "Supey's got a point, and I'm not just saying that because I'm doing him. Aqualad, have Superboy sent down here and send Miss Martian to start an evac on street level. If I fail we need to limit casualties. Besides, Kid Flash's got Scarecrow handled with you and Artemis as backup, right KF?"
"You bet, Bro!"
"See? Aqualad, give the order!"
"You're sure?" Kaldur sounded convinced already, but he'd always been the polite one.
"As sure as Alfred is Awesome!"
"Alright. Team, implement Robin's plan... Good Luck." That last part was directed mainly at him, Robin knew. After all he was the one that was going to make sure they didn't all die, even if Aqualad, KF and Artemis were carrying out the original mission objective.
Filled with a new resolve and energy, Robin redoubled his efforts to make his way through the crowd. People fell around him to his kicks and punches, as well as stray bullets and clawing hands. Scarecrow was one of the more ruthless psychopaths Gotham had to offer and it never got easy facing off against him. His unsuspecting minions had no control and the smell of blood and death lingered in the air.
There! Finally the bomb was in his sights. As if on cue, a commotion sounded from the fire escape and Superboy burst in, throwing off about ten people in one mighty blow. He swung his arms widely, getting through the throng that way.
There was one exhilarating moment when the world seemed to slow down and their eyes met, then Robin smirked and jumped backward out of the way of a hammer that had been aimed at his head. Superboy came to meet him, throwing people aside to breach the distance.
"Superboy! I need at least a three meter radius to work in. Break guns! I don't want this thing set off prematurely by some bullet causing a spark." Robin was already prying open the casing on the timer, having scanned for trip wires. Thank the powers that be that Scarecrow was more into chemicals than machines. This was a system he knew; he could disarm this. Still that was a lot of TNT.
He began a more thorough examination as Superboy went about keeping the space clear. They had three minutes, twenty-eight seconds left so he had to work fast. Robin set about separating wires and locating his tools, whispering instructions to himself.
There was a shout and Robin turned. Sharp eyes took in Superboy running, a man pointing a gun in his own direction with his trigger finger already moving. He knew instantly that Superboy wasn't going to make it in time to stop the bullet. His brain ran through options. He could dodge but the open circuit-board would be exposed instead and then they'd all go boom. With a grimace, Robin turned back to what he was doing and braced himself.
The bullet thudded into his back, breaching Kevlar to embed itself into skin. Robin bit back the cry of pain and stuffed it all into the back of his mind. His vision tunnelled until all he was focusing on was the wires and the pliers that would cut the right ones to properly neutralise the threat.
Later on he would remember the roar that had erupted from Superboy. How he could hear a steady stream of people hitting the floor one after the other until there was silence except for laboured breathing and quick footsteps.
Right now, he cut the last wire and the clock screen went dead. Robin held his breath for a moment, glancing up to look for the first spark of an explosion. When it didn't come, he finally allowed himself to relax, falling back into waiting arms and worried murmurs until everything went black.
Dick woke to people talking. There was a fog he'd come to associate with pain killers clouding his mind and he struggled to focus. He lay there a while, listening to the soft murmurs that had to be just outside his door without actually understanding the words until it stopped and the door opened.
He turned his head and grinned sluggishly, giving a floppy wave. Batman crossed the room and looked down at him for a moment before typing something on his wrist-com and removing the cowl. Bruce gently laid a hand on his forehead, brushing Dick's fringe from his face.
"Getting shot is the worst..." Dick slurred, still smiling. "Wish I could wear more layers of Kevlar without compromising manoeuvrability..."
"You're coherent, good - and you remember, which is even better. The bullet broke one of your ribs but thankfully didn't reach any vital organs and you lost a lot of blood. I'm here to take you home once the drugs have cleared your system enough to let you walk."
Dick leant into the hand that had moved to his cheek, thumb gently brushing at skin. "Can he come too?" Robin asked, pointing a wavering finger behind Bruce.
Superboy stood by the wall, arms crossed and just watching him. While that was probably a borderline stalker quality, it was so inherently Conner that it settled him, comforted knowing he was safe as long as his lover was watching over him.
A wry smiled touched his foster father's lips and the man turned his head to look at Conner. Dick couldn't see Bruce's face but Superboy's turned determined, not pleading or seeking anything, just determined. There was a long moment when nothing was said and then Bruce turned back and his smile was a little more serene. "Of course; then again I don't think I could keep him away even if I did say no."
Dick laughed at this, though the action caused a jolt of pain that bypassed the painkillers and he hissed. Worried hands held him down gently, soothing against his chest and uninjured shoulder.
When he was able to open his eyes again, Conner was still by the wall, though much more tense than he had been. Dick realised at that moment that Conner and Bruce had shared something just now, some sort of mutual trust. Bruce had allowed Conner to see beyond his batman persona, into a private, personal moment and Conner had trusted Bruce enough to allow him to comfort Dick in his place. He almost laughed again, but withheld. Robin had no desire to experience that hurt again anytime soon.
The others found him as Dick was getting ready to leave for home. They fussed over him until Conner stepped in with a protective glare and his imposing size. They quickly settled for filling him in on what had gone down after he'd lost consciousness.
"Flash Junior here caught Scarecrow by luck alone." Artemis smirked and jerked a thumb in Wally's direction. "Tripped the crim by accidentally tripping himself. Smashed the chemical vials but at least Scarecrow didn't get to make off with it. Bat-daddy took him to Arkham."
"I can't help it if I'm awesome." Kid Flash preened, standing in what he no doubt thought to be a heroic pose with his hands on his hips and head turned to the side. Artemis poked him in the stomach and he doubled over with an 'oof'. "Besides, that's nothing! You should have seen what Megan turned into to scare all those civilians off when they weren't listening to her!" Wally raised his arms over his head through his laughter and growled, imitating what might have been a stop motion B-grade movie monster.
M'gann bristled and turned red over her green. "Well they wouldn't leave! I had to do something!"
"Ow ow ow! Stop making me laugh." Dick complained, clutching at his back with the arm that wasn't stuck to his chest by a sling and trying to stifle giggles.
Conner loomed behind him, hand gently resting on the back of Dick's neck. At least he hadn't followed through on his threat to carry him to the teleporter. Dick could walk on his own, thank you very much. Still that little reassurance that Conner was there was nice. His fingers kept dancing higher to ruffle Dick's hair and it sent tiny shivers of pleasure to counterpoint the discomfort.
They were met by nearly the entire Justice League.
Superman stepped forward and patted Dick on the shoulder. "Hey'ya kiddo, you're looking much better than when they brought you in." He beamed up at the rest of Young Justice, causing most to shift in embarrassment. Clark's smile was rather dazzling, especially when he meant it to be.
"So why's everyone here?" Dick asked. He looked around from face to face but there was nothing he could really glean from them about the exact situation. Black Canary did wink at him, though, before she went back to hiding whatever expression she wanted to show behind a smirk.
To his surprise it was Kaldur who replied, stepping in front of the crowd to face him. "Yesterday you made the right call. It did not occur to me to plan for failure on your part, a mistake that could have had catastrophic consequences. You were able to communicate your plan efficiently and effectively to the team. You showed trust and an understanding of each of our strengths and weaknesses."
"Three years ago when I was named leader, I told you it would only be until you were ready. Yesterday you proved yourself." Kaldur paused and Dick could swear there was a hint of teasing that appeared in his tone with his next words. "That is if you are ready?"
Dick turned to look at all his teammates in turn. They smiled and nodded, and Wally even gave him a thumbs up (with both hands too). He settled on Conner longest, reaching out to surreptitiously links fingers between their bodies. When Dick turned back he was grinning from ear to ear and he couldn't remember a time everything had gone so right.
"I'm ready."