Back at Titans tower, the others were left dumbfounded as their leader took off running. This was unprecedented, but they really should have expected something of that nature after seeing all Robin had been through. They decided to leave him be the rest of the night, assuming he just needed time to process things. It wasn't until half of the justice league- including Roy and Wally- showed up at their door that they began to worry.
Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Flash, along with Roy and Wally, headed wordlessly to Dick's room. The amount of confusion, particularly Beast Boy's, escalated to immense proportions. Superman entered the room first, followed quickly by Diana, then Roy and Wally, and finally Barry and Hal. They saw the Boy Wonder, sobbing in a ball- ah yes, this was Christian indeed. Diana came over and stroked his hair. Between sobs, he murmured,
"Hi Auntie Diana..." Superman sat next to her, Roy and Wally, the side he faced, and Hal and Barry sat at the foot of the bed. The boy was encircled by those who loved him most- save one person.
"We're here now, Christian." Said Clark quietly.
"Yeah, man." Said Roy.
"And if you need us..." Started Wally.
"... We're here," Said Barry.
"Always." Added Hal. Christian nodded, sniffling as tears streamed down his face.
"I-I have to tell you guys somethin'" he said quietly. "What is it?" Asked Diana. Christian looked Wally and Roy right in the eyes.
"There's someone else here..." He said. "Someone Bad."
"Who?" Asked the Man Of Steel. Christian shook his head as the fresh tears came anew. Suddenly he stopped crying. His eyes shut, and his head tilted back as he turned onto his back. When his eyes should have opened, they stayed shut, until he began shaking.
"I apologize." Said a female voice, "My poor Christian is too upset to be out right now."
"And you are...?" Asked Roy hesitantly.
"My name is Charlotte."
"Is Christian your son?" Asked Barry.
"Yes." She replied weakly.
"I was made just after him, so that he could have a mother." She coughed harshly.
"Why are you sick?" Asked Wally.
"He is making us sick... He is trying to kill Dick through us."
"Who is he?" Wondered Hal. Fantine shook her head.
"He is nameless. He appeared after..." She was quiet. "Jack will tell you more than I can." She coughed. "All I know is h-he-" more coughing "- tried to kill Dick, but I got in the way..."
Suddenly Charlotte was gone, and Jack had come out. Roy could tell by the disgusted look on his face.
"What do you want?"
"What happened to create him?" Asked Wally.
"Welp, I might as well tell ya since y'all are here already. Old Dickie-Bird got roped into being an apprentice for that piece of shit Slade." There was an unnerving silence, so Jack continued "Yup. The man done tricked Dick's friends into thinking he'd made some contraption that stops time or whatever. Then, this big ol' guy cinder block came on over and got Dickie by himself. But that ol' contraption doo-hickey he set up was a trap. The damn thing blew up and infected all a' young Dickie's new friends with some 'nanoscopic probe' bullshit that'd kill his friends unless Dickie done did whatever thing he asked."
"How did he get out?" Whispered Diana in shock.
"He done went and infected himself with those probes. Well, I did, anyways. I told him 'If I lose my friends, you lose your apprentice. And I know how you hate to lose.' They got home and got the probes out, so y'all don't have to worry about that." Everyone stared as Jack's tale finished. The remaining question of 'who was he?' Still lingered in the air, but was cut off by Dick's eyes shutting again.
"Christian, it's so cold. Come to me, Christian, the light is fading... Come to me, and rest against my shoulder... Let me hold you close before the life I lead is over..."
"Charlotte," said Clark quietly, "Christian isn't here." She looked to the bookshelf above where Roy and Wally sat.
"Christian, where did you go?!" She shrieked. She tried to sit up, but was brought down by the pain in her chest. She took a rasping breath. "Tell Christian I love him And I'll see him when I wake..." And just like that, Charlotte had passed away before their very eyes.
Immediately, Dick's body shot up from bed and Christian let out a heart-wrenching wail. Everyone leapt to their feet and went over to hush him. Diana and Clark were the first to get to him. The boy cried and wailed until he couldn't breathe anymore. He wanted his father to come and hold him, no one else. He loved his Aunties and Uncles a lot, but he loved his Daddy much more than anyone could ever understand. No amount of patting or hushing could calm him down. It was a good thing his bedroom was soundproof, because Superman doubted the thing the Teen Titans wanted to hear at 2AM was the shrieks of an inconsolable child. Christian grabbed the communicator that sat on Dick's bedside table and tried calling Batman again.
Meanwhile, in Gotham City, Batman was in the middle of fighting a small gang when his communicator rang. He answered with a grunt. He nearly stopped short when he heard Christian's quavering voice on the other end.
"Daddy?" Said a tearful voice. He quickly took out the leader of the Gang with a roundhouse kick.
"Yes, Christian?" He said softly, not wanting to frighten the boy.
"When are you coming back?" It broke Bruce's heart to hear the child cry. He leapt into the Batmobile without waiting for Commissioner Gordon to see the crooks off. It could wait. His son needed him.
"I'm on my way, alright?" He said, speeding in the direction of Jump City.
"Okay... Bye Daddy..."
"Goodbye, Christian." Batman hung up the communicator and used the Batmobile's biggest speed boost. He lurched back in his seat and was propelled forward faster than ever before. He had to get to his son. He just had to.
