"All done Master Jason." Alfred had just finished patching up Jason's arm. Packing away the left over gauze and throwing out the blood stained ones.
During his patrol Jason stumbled across a Bat and his pair of Birds while trying to bring down a local drug ring. To Jason's stupidity he agreed to work together to take down the operation. It was going smoothly until the little birdbrain got his ass handed to him while attempting to stop a few truckloads of drugs from getting away. Fortunately Jason swooped in, just in time to block a deathly blow to Damian's skull. Unfortunately for Jason the heroic act meant taking a fairly large switchblade to the arm. If that wasn't bad enough two of the trucks got away in the chaos. With his bleeding arm Batman sent Jason to the Manor to get patched up, leaving the Big Bat and his loyal followers to hunt down the trucks.
Jason jumped off the medical table and testes his mobility. The cut was deep and required stiches, limiting Jason's fill range of use.
"Thanks Alf. It's almost good as new."
Jason struggled pulling his shirt over his head, but was unable to position his injured arm threw its own hole. Without hesitation Alfred stepped in to help his young charge.
"Thanks."
With his shirt no longer covering his view he stood face to face with his grandfather, his severely aged grandfather. Jason didn't know how he went so long without noticing Alfred's new collection of wrinkles and the over sized bags under his eyes.
With all the chaos going on around the Manor lately everyone seemed to be wrapped up in their own problems and worries. Alfred always carried the burden of trying to keep everyone moving forward, and it was taking its toll on the man.
Recently Dick's condition seemed to be getting worse, as if he stopped trying to get better. Tim has been struggling to keep Dick motivated to practice his short-term memory. It's come to the point where Dick will simply walk out of the room whenever the subject is brought up. Dick still can't stand to be in the same room as Damian alone, ever since he accidently hit him. On top of it all Dick avoids Bruce at all costs. You'll be sitting in a room with Dick trying to get him to listen to what you're saying with no luck, and then suddenly he will blot from the room at the sound of heavy footsteps.
Jason surprisingly has become the main watch over Dick in the past two weeks. Jason is the only one Dick is able to tolerate for long periods of time. Once Jason asked him why the special treatment and all he got for a response was, " You don't give me that look." Jason had no idea what he meant by that but he didn't look into it.
This behavior was ripping apart the family bit by bit. Something needed to change.
A kind voice pulled Jason from his thoughts. "I really wish you would be more careful Master Jason."
"You don't have to worry about me Alfred, I'm tougher that steel. "
Alfred gave Jason a half attempted smile in return, too tired to mask his emotions.
"Can I interest you in a cup of tea?"
"I'll get it Alfred. Wanna a cup? I can keep you company while you're on monitor duty?"
"That does sound delightful, thank you." Giving Jason a proper smile.
Jason returned the gesture and turned to head upstairs to the kitchen.
Boil faster, God damnit.
Jason was never the most patient person, so watching water boil was slow torture for the man. Jason's attention was pulled away from the kettle when he heard a crash from upstairs.
Dick.
Jason abandoned the water and raced up stairs towards the source of the commotion. As he got closer the crashes got louder, assuming the worse Jason prepared to fight intruders as he barged through the door. Upon entering the room Jason scanned over the room looking for his target, but only witnessed the room in complete disarray. His eyes landed on Dick standing by his bookshelf ripping items of the shelf and throwing them aside. By the looks of the room Dick had already pulled apart his bed, his dresser and the nightstand.
"What the hell are you doing Dick?"
Dick ignored his brother and continued to destroy his room. Jason marched up next to Dick, placing a hand on his shoulder. Dick flinched and spun his head to face Jason. Sharing eye contract for a second before Dick snapped out of his trance and returned his attention to the bookshelf.
"Dick what are you doing? Alfred is going to be so pissed."
"I couldn't sleep."
Jason raised an eyebrow. "So you decided to tare apart your room?"
"How else am I supposed to find it?"
….Did I miss something?
Dick gave up on the bookshelf and started looking under the furniture. Jason followed his every step.
"Looking for what?"
Dick looked up at his younger brother. Jason could see a wild look in his eyes. "The tape."
"What tape?"
"The tape Jason. THE GOD DAMN TAPE!"
Jason stepped back at Dick's outburst.
"The FUCKING tape that's keeping me up. It's playing over and OVER again. I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
Dick started to pace around the room, pulling his hair as he spoke.
"What are you talking about Dick?"
"The tape that they played, - My name is Richard Grayson I killed 9 men, and I went insane. I created a family in my head, Bruce Wayne isn't my adoptive father, Jason isn't real, Timothy isn't real, Damian isn't real, none of it is real. – It's somewhere in here!"
Jason slowly approached his brother. Pacing his hands on his shoulders forcing Dick to face him. Looking at Dick with concern.
"Dickie-Bird, there's nothing playing. You're hearing things."
A moment of silence passed between them.
"Oh…." A painful expression washed over Dick's face, one that Jason had never seen before. Dick gazed around the room. "I truly thought…"
"Hey, don't sweat it. I'll help you clean this up."
"Thanks….. I'm going to take a cold shower first, kay?"
"Sure, take your time."
Dick turned away from Jason. Head hung low as he sulked towards the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Jason could feel this tight knot forming in his stomach. Pushing it aside he started to pick some of the mess around him.
"Oh…."
He gave me that look.
Pain and loss flooded through Dick like a tidal wave. The last member of this family had finally given up on him. Giving him that look to pity and fear, searching for their lost brother.
There's no one left.
Dick looked around the destroyed room. His room was completely destroyed, just like he was destroying his family. "I truly thought…."
Unstable.
"Hey don't sweat it, I'll help you clean this up."
"Thanks….. I'm going to take a cold shower first, kay?" Dick couldn't bear being in front of Jason anymore, not with that expression on his face.
"Sure, take your time."
Dick ventured towards the bathroom; with the tape still repeating it's self in the background. – I went insane. I created a family in my head, Bruce Wayne isn't my adoptive father, - steadily growing stronger.
Closing the door behind him. He headed straight for the shower, cranking it on to full pressure. Dick jumped back as the water made contact with his skin. Painful memories flashed through his head, causing him to back way from the spray.
Worthless.
Dick turned away from the shower, trying to collect himself.
I'm all alone now. - Grayson I killed 9 men – I'm just a burden to my family.
Dick's eye drifted down to cupboards under the sink where he was currently stashing his pills. Dick had recently taken a few pills in attempts to drown out the tape, but obviously his efforts failed.
- real, none of it is real –
They all hate you!
"Shut up…."
And it's no wonder. You're just extra weight to their already stressful lives. They don't need you any more. A waste of space.
Dick didn't have enough energy to fight back against the thoughts. Listening to it day in and day out, it was starting to sound more and more like the truth.
Dick pulled open the cupboard doors and grabbed the bottle of pills. Dick placed down the toilet seat lid and sat on it. Playing with the bottle of pills in his hands.
"You're pathetic."
Dick looked up to the voice, only to be greeted by all three of his brothers. Jason was sitting on the counter, Tim was leading on the wall by the shower, and Damian was standing directly in front of Dick.
"Dami." Dick reached up to cup his brothers face, but was stopped by Jason's voice.
"Don't you dare fucking touch him! He has enough injuries cause of you."
Looking back at Damian's face it was covered with burses, he had a cut lip and a bloody nose. Damian flinched away from Dick rising hand and ran from Dick, hiding in the far corner.
"I..?"
Tim stood up straight to stand protectively in front of Damian.
"You did that to him Dick, but of course you're too stupid to remember. Why do we even bother with you anymore?"
The words cut deep into him, ripping his heart into pieces.
"I did that to him?"
Jason jumped down from his resting place and walked up to Dick. "You're a pain in the ass Dick, I wish they never found you in the first place."
Dick couldn't look at them anymore; instead he refocused this gaze to his shoes.
"You're not you anymore. You don't belong in this family." The last comment was all of his brothers speaking in unison. Tears started running down his face, dropping on to the tilted floor.
Noticing a pair of feet that wasn't his he looked up to meet Bruce.
Bruce looked Dick up and down with disgust, "You're no son of mine." And walked away.
Dick could feel his heart shattering into a million pieces. Dick sat there broken unable to make himself get up for several minutes.
A bitter voice caused him to tilt in its direction. "I believe it's time for your medication Master Dick."
Dick looked down at his hand and saw a collection of pills resting in his hand. Looking back up at Alfred, he saw pure hatred radiate from the old man. The small pile of pills in his hand felt heavy.
"Thanks Alfred."
In one shift movement Dick swallowed them.
"Oh dear! What happened?" Alfred was standing in Dick's bedroom doorway surveying the room.
Jason turned to face him. "Sorry Alfred I forgot about the tea. Dick had a little episode, but he's fine now."
"That's quite alright Master Jason. Let me go fetch the hoover." Alfred turned and left Jason to himself.
Jason continued to gather up Dick's fallen clothes.
Damn it Dick, I'm not cleaning up this mess all by myself.
Jason stormed towards the bathroom and pounded on the door.
"Come on Dick, you've been in there long enough! Come help me clean!"
Jason waited for a response but none came. He knocked again.
"Stop shitting around Dick, I'm serious."
All Jason could hear was the running of the shower. The knot in his stomach grew.
"I'm coming in, so cover up your naked ass." Pushing the door open his eyes immediately landed on form on the floor.
Shit.
Jason rushed forward and knelt down beside Dick.
"Dick. Hey Dick wake up!" Jason tapped the side of his face but it showed no results.
It was at that moment that Jason noticed the bottle and the scattered pills surrounding them. Jason's mouth went dry.
"Fuck Dick, you're so stupid."
It was at that moment that Dick's body started to spasm uncontrollably.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit – ALFRED CALL AN AMBULANCE!"
Super long chapter this time! Thanks for reading, and sorry for the long wait. We are almost done!
I'm hoping to post the next chapter within the next week, so you guys don't have to wait too long.
Loving all the reviews, thank you so much!