Holy shoot, long chapter. Over 1000 words! This is just because I'm enthusiastic about this at the moment. They'll probably get shorter eventually.

I meant to post this yesterday, but life got in the way. Oh well. It's going up now.

I had a comment about why I didn't just start with Bruce going to the Titans, so I want to adress that- or at least, something related to it. I'm trying to keep the story on sort of the same track- showing what'a happening with the League, and then showing what's going on with Dick at the same time. Each round of chapters happens simultaneously, or as close as I can get. For example, these three League chapters happen at the same time as the Dick chapters that are coming up. Then, the next round of League happens at the same time as the next round of Dick chapters. Sometimes, they'll overlap within the chapters themselves. Does that make any sense at all?

Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and try not to let your complete confusion about above attempted explanation ruin it :)

Bruce paced in the Batcave, waiting for Clark. He had pulled up everything he had about Deathstroke the Terminator and was reading it over as he waited impatiently for the boy scout. This was getting worse and worse as he read over the file, being reminded of just how dangerous Deathstroke was. No doubt he was worse now, with several years to improve and more anger fueling him. He needed to find his son quickly. And where was Clark?

"What's going on Bruce?" Clark, finally flying into the cave, asked. "You actually asked for help, so it has to be serious." He continued with a grin, which quickly disappeared in the face of the glare that Bruce gave him. "I'm not in the mood, Kent." Bruce growled.

Clark frowned. "One would think that with Dick back, you'd be happier." He muttered. "But apparently not. Where is he, anyway?"

With no apparent reason, Bruce rounded on him furiously. "Are you going to help me, Kent, or just fill up my cave with mindless chatter?"

"Okay, okay!" Clark yelped, hands up in surrender. "But seriously, where is he? Ma and Pa wanted me to invite him 'round over the weekend."

"If I knew, I wouldn't have called you here." Bruce snarled. "Shut up so I can think."

Clark refused to stay silent. "What do you mean, if you knew where he was?" He asked, alarmed. "He ran away again?" Bruce growled and pulled up the security footage from special Bat-cameras situated in his office. "Watch this and stop asking idiotic questions. I'll be upstairs when you're done."

"You're not going to watch it?"

"Not- not right now." Bruce faltered, and covered it up with a glare. "Just watch it."

He turned and somehow managed to sweep imperiously away, radiating irritation, despite the fact that he was dressed in sweats and not his Batsuit. Clark blinked after him for a few moments before playing the video.

His eyes widened. "Oh, no." He muttered.

When Clark rejoined Bruce in the kitchen upstairs, he stayed silent. Bruce glanced up from the papers he was looking at. "Did you watch it?" Clark nodded. "Are you alright?" He asked quietly. "My shoulder's fine now." Bruce said, deliberately misinterpreting the question. "Not about that." Clark sighed. God, Bruce could be so stupid sometimes. "About Dick."

"Of course not." Bruce snapped. "I've had two weeks with my son after three years of him being missing, and now he was kidnapped right in front of me. Did you think I'd be fine after that?"

Clark was really worried now. Bruce had actually admitted that he wasn't ok; that meant he was really, really upset and worried. "We'll find him." Clark encouraged. Bruce looked at him for a long moment. "I didn't call you here for encouragement." He said quietly. "I need you to help me find him."

Clark nodded. "Of course I will. Do you know who the man is?"

Bruce nodded, holding up a sheaf of papers. "Deathstroke the Terminator."

Clark frowned. "Didn't Dick call him-"

"He's changed names." Bruce interrupted. "He was Deathstroke in Gotham; he's Slade in Jump. Whichever name, he's bad news. Former mercenary for hire, although his…conversation with Dick in my office leads me to suspect he's not in that business anymore. What I do know is that he is dangerous, and expressed an interest in Dick even when he was first starting out. He's highly trained as an assassin and a soldier. I suspected that he had enhanced healing and strength, but I could never prove it."

"Ok." Clark pulled a chair over and sat down. "So, why does he want Dick?"

"That's what we have to figure out."

"And how are we going to do that?" Clark grinned.

Bruce fixed him with a glare. "We're going to Jump. Dick put a set of emergency files on my computer and gave Raven the password in case something like this happened. I have a feeling that they'll tell us everything we need to know."

"Why did he leave it with Raven?" Clark wondered. "Wouldn't it have made more sense to leave it with someone closer- Barbara, or Alfred, or even Tim?"

Bruce paused. He honestly hadn't thought about it, but now that he was thinking about it, he thought he knew. "I think it was so I wouldn't leave them out of this." Bruce said slowly. "He knows that if I could, I would do this solo. I don't like having you help, let alone the Titans. Maybe he knows that they can give me more information since they have fought Slade before." He frowned; something was niggling at him. "The letters…" He breathed. "Dick told me to remember the letters- the ones at the Tower."

Clark's eyes widened. "You think that Dick left something with the letters?"

Bruce nodded. "It makes sense." He said, a tiny smile flickering on his face. "If he knew something like this would happen- and we know he did- he would leave instructions. He wrote something in those letters that will help us."

Clark smiled widely. Maybe this would be easier than they thought. After all, even though Dick wasn't there, he was still trying to help them.

Then a thought struck him. "What about the League?"

Bruce glanced at him, puzzled. "What about them?"

Clark elaborated. "What are we going to tell them?" Bruce gave him a very Bruce answer. "Nothing."

Clark shook his head. "This is serious Bruce." He reprimanded him. "They need to know. They can help look for him."

"If he's in Gotham, I can find him myself."

"If." Clark stressed. "He's not based in Gotham anymore, Bruce. He probably left the city already. As far as I could tell from the conversation in your office, he only came to Gotham for Dick. Now that he's got him…"

Bruce closed his eyes and massaged his forehead. "Fine. You tell them. I'm going to focus on finding my son."

Oh. That…. that wasn't so good. "Why me?" Clark asked nervously. The League's reaction to this would not be pretty.

"It's your idea."

Clark groaned and fervently hoped that the League wouldn't be in the mood to shoot the messenger… or electrocute, beat up, mentally assault, or attack said messenger with kryptonite that Bruce would no doubt provide.

Yeah, I can so picture Bats going up to GA or someone and passing him some kryptonite. "Beat up Clark with this, since I'm going to be busy looking for my son." "Wait, what?" :D

Anyway, one more League chapter, then Dick and Slade!

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