Slade crashed down to the floor and barely had a second to suck in a breath before a heavy boot landed on his chest and pushed down hard, making it so that he could only take short, shallow breaths.
He let out a strangled chuckle, "What… don't you… want to know… why I did it? … My evil plan for… world… domi… nation?" he gasped out as the pressure on his chest increased with each word.
Batman snarled and bent down to pick Slade up by his shirt and then slammed him into a wall.
He leaned in close to Slade's face, "I. Don't. Care." He growled in that low, gravelly voice that he knew for a fact could make grown men cry for their mommies. As it was he could feel very slight tremors going through Slade's body now.
"Don't you?" Slade sneered, his voice coming out very steady for someone who was shaking from fear. He had excellent control of himself; Batman had to give him that.
"No," Batman growled, "I don't care because you failed. Robin is not yours. He never was and he never will be. You'd better get that into that thick skull of yours because if you don't I will beat it into you. You may have thought it was a clever idea to hide from me in my own territory but that was your second greatest mistake and now when the police come they will lock you up somewhere where I can get to you and I will come every single night until you get this idea that you could own a child and force him to do your bidding out of your head. Do. You. Understand?"
Slade made no move to answer and Batman was just about to lever a savage blow into his jaw when he was interrupted by the arrival of Beast Boy.
"Batman! You need to come with me now! Something's wrong with Robin, he won't let us near him." Beast Boy blurted out in a panicky voice.
There was a silence in the room for a few seconds as that information sunk in and then Slade started laughing.
His laughter only lasted for a few seconds before Batman's fist collided with his face and rendered him completely unconscious.
Batman turned to Cyborg, "Bring him, we're not taking any chances, he may not escape."
Cyborg nodded and went to pick Slade up and throw him over his shoulder.
Batman turned to Beast Boy, "Take us to him."
Beast Boy immediately turned around and started running back the way he came, Batman and Cyborg close on his heels.
The oppressive white of the room hit Batman as it had hit the others as he entered the room but he ignored it, his eyes immediately searching out his son. His eyes fell first on Starfire, who was crouched on the floor, staring straight ahead, and Raven, who was hovering close by. Then his eyes met with the blood-shot blue eyes which had locked on him the moment he had entered the room and he felt as if his heart had shattered into a million pieces. He didn't even notice that his mask was missing, didn't stop to wonder just how much Slade knew about his son and himself now. None of that mattered. What mattered was that his sweet, loving, strong child looked absolutely broken and was staring at him almost exactly as he had when he was a little boy and had just lost his parents. Dick looked exhausted and terrified and in pain and pleading, as if begging Bruce to make it all go away, and hell if Bruce wasn't going to grant that request as quickly and as effectively as he could.
He immediately started moving toward Dick but was stopped by Raven.
"Wait," She said, "I don't think he knows who we are. He's scared and confused so just take it slow with him."
Batman wanted to turn on her to snarl that he knew that, it was plainly obvious just by the look in his eyes, but he resisted the urge. Dick was scared and confused, he didn't need to scare and confuse him more by exploding at the floating girl. So he just nodded and continued moving toward Dick, going at the slow pace he had been planning on going. Dick's eyes never left him as he approached but the boy cringed as he crouched down to his level, as if expecting to be hit.
"Dick," Bruce said, dropping his Batman growl and using his normal voice, "I won't hurt you."
Dick squeezed his eyes closed and took a deep, shuddering breath, "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice hoarse, "I… don't know who you are." His eyes opened and Bruce could see the tears there, threatening to spill over, "I… I don't know who I am." And with that admission he dropped his head onto his knees and started sobbing quietly.
Bruce wanted to cry right along with him but he reined it in, Batman did not cry. He reached out to rest a hand on Dick's shoulder, "It's okay, Dickie, I-" he was cut off as Dick suddenly cried out in pain as Batman's hand landed on his injured shoulder. Batman immediately pulled his hand away, "What's wrong?" he asked immediately.
"Hurts." Dick gasped
"What does? Your shoulder?" Batman asked.
Dick nodded; his head still on his knees.
"Okay," Bruce soothed, "We'll make it better, but we need to get you to the plane first, okay?"
Dick merely nodded again.
"Okay, you're going to have to stand up for me though, can you do that?"
Dick took a deep breath before looking up at Batman again, "I think so." He said as he used his right arm to wipe his face dry.
Bruce had the sudden urge to lay into Slade all over again; instead he stood and offered Dick his hand.
Dick hesitated before taking it, "… Why do I trust you?" he wondered out loud as he took Batman's outstretched hand and allowed himself to be pulled up.
He stood for a second before he wobbled and his knees seemed to go out from under him. Batman quickly caught him and scooped him up into his arms, making sure it was his right shoulder that pressed into his chest instead of his left one.
"I don't know, kiddo." He murmured to Dick, "Maybe it's because I trust you."
Dick looked up at him with wide eyes, "How can you trust someone who forgot you?" he asked.
Bruce felt a twang in his chest but ignored it, "You didn't really forget me, Dick." He answered with a confidence he only partly felt, "It'll come back to you."
"How can you be so sure?"
Batman allowed a small smile to grace his lips just long enough for Dick to see it, "Because I know you."
With that he swept his cape over the alarmingly thin figure in his arms and turned to the Titans. Starfire was crying openly while the rest of the team was watching on grimly. Slade was propped up against the wall closest to the door where Cyborg was keeping a watchful eye over him.
"Is he-?" Starfire started.
"He'll be alright, Starfire." Batman rumbled, "I'm taking him home to recuperate."
"What should we do with him?" Cyborg asked, indicating Slade.
Batman glanced down at the sorry excuse for a man in disdain, "Put him where he had Robin."
Cyborg smiled in grim satisfaction and nodded before moving to pick Slade up again.
"I'll contact the police from the plane. You lot should go home. I'll keep you updated on his progress."
Starfire nodded, "Thank you, Batman."
Batman turned to face Starfire full on, "Thank you." He said, his eyes resting briefly on each member of the Teen Titans before turning on his heel and stalking out of the room.
He could feel Robin still shaking against him, "It's alright, I'm getting you out of here."
He felt Dick nod against his chest.
By the time they reached the plane Dick had stilled and when Batman lifted his cape he saw that the boy had fallen asleep. He took him to the med bay and laid him on one of the beds there before giving him a small dose of morphine to keep him comfortable during the trip home. When he was sure Dick was comfortable he went back to the cockpit. He kept the plane hovering over the warehouse just long enough to see the Titans exit the warehouse and board their own plane before heading back to the manor.
Dick woke up just as Batman finished laying him down on one of the beds in the cave's medical bay.
"Hey," he murmured as he reached up to pull his cowl off, transforming himself back into Bruce Wayne, "How are you doing?"
Dick only stared up at him miserably before tears started welling up in his eyes again.
"Oh kiddo," Bruce moaned softly, "Don't cry, please. Is it your shoulder? Does it hurt again?"
Dick shook his head, "I'm sorry," he choked out, his voice still hoarse, "I just… you keep talking like you know me but I… I still can't remember…" he trailed off with a sob.
"Shhh, shhh, shhh," Bruce bade him as he reached out to cup Dick's cheek, fighting his own tears again; Dick hadn't looked this lost since the night his parents had been murdered, "It's alright, you'll remember."
"But what if I don't?"
"Dick-"
"Is that my name?" Dick cut him off suddenly, "I mean you keep calling me that, but those other girls kept calling me Robin… so which is it?"
Bruce gave a wry smile, "It's both."
Dick looked totally confused.
"I'll explain more later," Bruce promised, "But right now Alfred's going to want to check you for injuries and then you need to get some rest. We'll work on your memories in the morning, alright?"
Dick watched him for a moment before nodding, "Is your name Batman all the time or do you have two names too?"
Bruce smiled sadly, "I'm only Batman when the cowl is on, just like you're only Robin when your mask is on, otherwise I'm Bruce and you're Dick."
Dick nodded seriously before griping Bruce's hand tightly, "Thank you, for… for saving me and… everything else."
Bruce squeezed his hand back and replied, "I'll always come to save you Dick, you might not remember that right now but it's true, and you never have to thank me for everything else."
Dick smiled gratefully up at Bruce.
"Master Dick," Alfred announced his presence, "It is very good to see you again."
Dick looked to Bruce in confusion.
"Dick, this is Alfred, he takes care of us." Bruce explained.
"Oh," Dick said before looking to Alfred, "I'm sorry, I don't remember anything…"
Alfred immediately looked extremely worried, "Did you suffer a head injury, sir?"
"Not that I can remember." Dick answered.
"I didn't find any evidence of anything, Alfred." Bruce added.
"Hmm well I'll feel better after having checked for myself. Now then, young sir, are there any injuries you know of?"
An hour later Dick's shoulder and thumbs were wrapped and he had a healthy dose of pain medication in his system. Bruce carried him up to his bed and tucked him in, then sat on the edge of the bed and carded his fingers through his sleeping son's hair. He was determined not to leave his side tonight, he just hoped that sleeping in his own bed might actually be enough to bring Dick's memories back…
AN: Hey guys, hope you enjoyed this chapter :) the next chapter will be from Dick's POV again.
I just wanted to take a minute to tell you guys about stories I'm betaing: If you want a real tear jerker, check out 'Bright My Life' by Aurum Cast and if you want a Damian centric angsty story check out 'Even Tough Cookies Crack' by theraincanttouchus, both stories are really good and I totally advise checking them out! 'Bright My Life' is still in progress but 'Tough Cookies' is completed.
Hope everyone has a good week and thank you so much again to those of you who have followed, faved and reviewed! I love you all :)