Chapter Four: Trauma

Bruce

Between Dick's screaming and Jason's sobbing, Bruce couldn't help but think they were all lucky to have made it back to Wayne Manor in one piece. He sighed deeply and looked the two over. Dick had transitioned back into whimpering and begging. Jason had finally calmed down enough to at least look somewhat sane. "I can't drag both of you in," he said to Jason, who barely glanced back over at him. "If I cut you loose, are you going to run?" He shook his head, but didn't say anything. "Are you going to hurt anyone?" he shook his head again.

Deciding to trust the boy, and doubting that in his mental state Jason could do much damage anyway, Bruce cut him loose. Keep an eye on him, he thought as he got out of the driver's seat and reached into the back. I'll take the sane violent man over the insane one any day. And Jason was anything but sane.

Dick flinched away when Bruce tried to help him out of the car, but was eventually coaxed out. What the hell happened to you? He thought as he half-dragged his first Robin into the manor, making sure to never let Jason out of his eyesight. Hopefully Alfred could get a fear toxin antidote made, and quickly. He knew things would only get worse when the no doubt still pissed off Tim joined the party.

"Ah, Master Wayne," Alfred smiled politely and held the door open. Bruce could have sworn he saw worry in the man's eyes. "I've set up an area in the living room for Master Grayson." Bruce watched as Alfred turned to Jason, who had not yet made eye-contact or said anything to him. "It's good to see you alive, Master Todd," he added before leading the trio back.

Bruce set, well, more dropped, Dick onto the couch and watched as Jason slumped into a nearby chair, crossing his arms as he did so. "Shall I fetch them both a change of clothes?" Alfred asked.

Bruce shook his head in response. "I can handle it," he said and headed upstairs. He needed to get back in the field, needed to track down Scarecrow and end this madness, but he needed to clear his head, at least a little, before going back. Distraction would get him killed. It would get all of them killed.

He went into the room Dick had been staying in and opened the drawers, grabbing two pairs of sweatpants and two t-shirts. They would be too big on Jason, but they would fit better than any of Bruce's things, and Tim's would be too tight.

He glanced at the open bathroom door, and against his better judgment, walked in. He opened the medicine cabinet, half-hoping and half-dreading he'd find what he suspected would be there. He grabbed one of the orange bottles and checked the label. 'Grayson, Richard. Diazepam 10 mg. Take one tablet three times a day for 30 days, then as needed for anxiety with or without food. Refills remaining: 1.'

He opened the bottle, shook four tablets into his hand, and headed back to the living room, stopping in the kitchen to get two glasses of water. Jason was still slumped in the chair, arms crossed, glaring at Dick, who was still shaking and whimpering. "Here," Bruce said, handing Jason the change of clothes, one of the glasses of water, and two of the tablets.

"You're insane if you think I'm taking anything you give me," Jason said, his voice dull. Bruce wasn't sure if he preferred that to the anger he'd been hearing.

"Suit yourself, then," Bruce responded and approached Alfred, who was trying in vain to get a blood sample from Dick. "If he calms down enough to reason with, have him take these," he handed the remaining tablets and water to the butler. "If you have to knock him out with something, do it."

"Understood, sir," Alfred nodded and set the items to the side.

"And if you can do it, get him out of that uniform," Bruce added. "He's done for the night." He didn't wait for a reply before turning and leaving. Those two were in good hands, and he was confident Alfred wouldn't let a thing happen to either of them.

No, now he needed to focus on keeping Tim safe and on defeating Scarecrow before it was too late.

Jason

He needed Dick to calm down and take his meds, and he needed Alfred to leave. If those two things were to happen, however unlikely they may have been, then he would have a shot at really getting to Bruce. He wasn't confident he could get himself and Dick out of the manor without Alfred noticing, but he was confident he could keep the man from stopping them.

Bruce had checked him over pretty well, but Jason still had some tricks, and weapons, up his sleeve. Alfred wouldn't risk Dick's safety, and Jason knew it. A well-placed gun to the head or knife to the throat, and they would be out of there in no time.

He wasn't completely stupid, though. Dick was a better fighter, and he knew it. But if he took his meds, twice the regular dose if memory served him, he would be too delirious to fight back. And wouldn't it be so much fun to see how fast the Batman went after his first sidekick?

Wouldn't it be even more fun if the Bat was too late?

He had to keep himself from smirking. Alfred was already on-edge enough with his sudden reappearance, and with the knowledge of who he had become, and he had to play everything safe for once in his life. If you'd have played it safe in the first place, you wouldn't be in this mess. Joker never would have caught you, and you'd still be living it up as the Boy Wonder.

God, though, the whimpering coming from his once-friend was driving him more insane than he already was. How much of that shit did you inhale? he wondered, and couldn't help but flinch when he saw the other man jerk away from Alfred.

"Don't touch me," he had muttered. "I'm poison."

Jason had to admit he was a little bit impressed. Had it been another person, the stress from the fear toxin surely would have killed them by that point. He was impressed that Alfred was still standing on top of everything that had happened. Dick had been trying to push him away, however half-heartedly, for at least fifteen minutes.

Granted, Jason thought, he himself had lasted over a year being tortured by the Joker. He would have rescued you the same day you disappeared.

"I'm afraid you leave me no other choice, Master Grayson," Jason smirked when he heard Alfred speak, and had to hold back a laugh when he saw the man shove a syringe into the side of Dick's neck. He actually did it, he thought. He actually drugged him. "There," he nodded approvingly, and Jason listened as Dick's breathing turned from panicked and shallow to deep and even.

He just needed Alfred to leave.

"I would make yourself comfortable, Master Todd," the butler said without turning to face him. Really? he thought. After all those lectures you gave me about looking at the person you're speaking to? "Given recent circumstances, I won't be leaving either of you alone tonight. Especially now that the big secret's been revealed."

He felt his blood run cold. "Hey. I never asked. What's the big secret? Who is the big bad bat? His name. Tell me!"

Jason glanced at the tablets, wondering if they'd at least make his mind shut up for a few hours. No, he shook his head. He couldn't do that. He needed to stay alert, needed to wait for an opening to grab Dick and run.

And won't that hurt, Bruce? He thought, trying to keep the nervous laughter threatening to start up again at bay. Won't it hurt knowing that I took him from you and you couldn't do a damn thing?

He glanced over at the man who he had once thought of as a brother, and now saw only as an opportunity for revenge. Sleep well, prettyboy, he thought. If you survive what I'm going to put you through, you'll never sleep well again.