Happy New Year

Chapter 4: Richard John Grayson-Wayne

It was almost seven o'clock at night when Dick Grayson zeta'd to the Batcave dressed as Robin, the boy wonder. He was exhausted. His mathlete meeting had ended around five and the young teen had successfully managed to hack into the school's system updating his and Artemis' attendance before heading to Mt. Justice for training with his team.

He had stuck around the mountain a little bit longer to get in an extra run on the treadmill after training. It was a school night and competition season for him. He knew that short of Joker, Penguin, Two Face, Freeze, or ScareCrow breaking out of Arkham or BlackGate and doing something outrageous, Batman would be patrolling without Robin tonight. Besides, he had plenty of work to do and he still needed to review his notes for the debate next week.

The cave was empty when he arrived and he quickly changed back into his civvies, picked up his shoulder bag and used the elevator to return upstairs to Wayne Manor by the side kitchen entrance. Alfred was the only one home when he walked past the living room.

"Ahh, master Richard. You have returned home." the butler greeted smiling as he arranged a small stack of Time Magazines on the coffee table. "Dinner will be ready shortly,"

Dick smiled at the elder man. "Is dad home yet?"

"I'm afraid master Bruce had a late meeting and won't be joining us tonight, sir." Alfred informed him.

Dick nodded. "It's cool Alfie. I'm not really hungry. I'm going to get a start on my homework. I'll be in my room."

Alfred nodded to his young charge. "I understand, master Richard."

Dick closed the door to his room and collapsed into the chair in front of his desk dropping his shoulder bag at his feet. He really was drained and his mind was still on the conversation he'd had with Artemis earlier that day.

He needed a distraction. Reaching into his bag he took out two of his books and attempted to get to work on his homework. It was nearly nine when he pulled himself away from his desk to shower and get ready for bed. Alfred had brought him up a plate not long after he'd started on his assignments, but he hadn't bothered touching the food. He didn't have much of an appetite.

Bruce Wayne returned home just before ten that night annoyed. Sometimes he hated the division heads at Wayne Industries. They could get into arguments with each other over anything. The meeting had lasted three hours longer than it was supposed to and Bruce still had a headache from all of their bickering over the new budget.

He had gone up to check on Dick but found the young teen already in bed, fast asleep with his history book open and his head in the book drooling on one of the pages where he had fallen asleep reading.

Bruce removed the book from under his son smiling at the sight. The boy did always study hard. He pulled up the blankets covering the teen. He was leaving the room when he noticed the untouched plate on the boy's desk next to a few cue cards that the teen had highlighted. Practice cards for his debate, Bruce guessed.

Alfred was in the kitchen preparing another plate when he returned back downstairs.

"I was preparing to bring you your dinner down in the BatCave, sir." the butler admonished taking the plate from the man. "I take it that master Richard wasn't in the mood to eat alone."

Bruce shrugged. "Is he ever?"

Dick awoke the next morning to his alarm blaring and his stomach growling apparently annoyed by his decision to not eat dinner last night. Dick ignored it and moved around his room to get ready for school. He quickly dressed and packed his bag before grabbing his cell phone and checking it for messages.

Three from Wally, one from Artemis, two from Barbara Gordon and one from Connor. He frowned. He had forgotten that his phone was on silent last night. That was why he hadn't heard it go off. He responded to the texts from his teammates and sent Babs a quick message saying that he would see her in first period.

He headed down the halls of the manor and and down the stairs to the kitchen surprised to see both Bruce and Alfred in the kitchen talking.

"Morning chum," Bruce greeted when he saw his son. "Sorry I missed you last night. My meeting ran long."

Dick shrugged and offered his guardian a small smile. "It's fine, dad. I was actually heading out to school early. I'm meeting up with some of the decathalon team."

Bruce nodded and stood up grabbing his coffee mug from Alfred. "I'll give you a ride. I was heading in to the office anyway."

Dick followed his father out to the garage and got into the passenger seat of the silver mercedeces benz. Bruce had a garage full of flashy cars, but he tended to keep it professional and semi-low key on days where he drove his son to school, which lately hadn't been very often.

Bruce studied the fourteen year old as he got into the car and frowned when he noticed the boy flipping through index cards and muttering to himself.

"Nervous?" Bruce asked.

Dick shook his head. "Hardly, I know both sides of the argument inside and out."

That earned a smile. "How was school?"

"Fine." Dick answered a little too quickly.

Bruce took his eyes off the road for a moment and raised an eyebrow at him. "Anything exciting happen?"

Dick tried to play it off with a shrug. "Not really. Just a regular day. But I did find out i got an A on my English paper."

That was true at least. He had seen the grade posted online when he went to change the attendance records.

"Good work." Bruce praised. "How was practice?"

Dick shifted the cards. "Tedious. Bobby and Sarah still need to pick up their speed when multiplying differentials but other than that coach thinks we'll bring home another win this year."

Bruce nodded. "That's what I like to hear. I already scheduled the day off for both the Mathlete competition and the Academic Decathalon so Alfred and I will be there rooting for you from the front row. And Clark called me yesterday to tell me that he and Lois will be coming down next week to see your championship debate. I saw your cards last night. I agree, that you are ready, but that's not me telling you to slack off. Your team was amazing last Friday, but a lot of that was due to you being 100% prepared so keep at it. "

Dick forced a smile. Great, no pressure.

Bruce dropped Dick off at the front of the school with a quick wave and told him to have a good day. His stomach growled and he remembered that he didn't eat breakfast. He ignored it. There was no time. He headed straight for the library to meet up with his team. They had a lot of work to do.

Five o'clock. School was over and his phone was lighting up. Text from Wally. They had a mission. His stomach hissed at him and he mentally face-palmed. He had worked through lunch, spending the time doing homework because he was planning on meeting up with Roy and Wally after school, but scratch that now.

It was a good thing his homework was already completed because now he wouldn't have the time. He zeta'd to the cave, changing from his school uniform into Robin, grabbing a protein bar from his bag and downing it before zeta'ing to Mt. Justice and meeting the team.

2 days later...

Robin was exhausted and Dick Grayson, even more so. They had just returned home from their assignment and it was a complete and utter disaster. Heavy on the 'dis'.

Not only did Batman and a few other members of the League have to come and bail them out but both Batman and Superman were less than happy with the team right now and the assignment had been a failure.

On top of all that, Dick was pretty sure that Roy was using again, and that the bruises that both Artemis and Red Arrow were sporting when they arrived at the team briefing and had attempted to cover up with makeup were courtesy of their father. Not to mention Red Arrow's bandaged shoulder. Roy had told them he'd gotten hurt out on patrol the other night but the look on Artemis' face told him that there was more to the story.

It was subtle, and the young detective was probably the only person to catch it, but it had been there.

Robin was silent as the dynamic duo zeta'd back to the cave and immediately went for the showers. Batman was at the computers by the time he had finished and changed into his civvies. The Dark Knight's cowl was still up as he glared at the screen of the Batcomputer and typed away at the keyboard going through different files and comparing the analysis of different compounds he was working on for a case.

Dick didn't bother sticking around to help. He had already been lectured by Batman earlier that night at the cave with his team and again in private for his actions while on assignment. He was in no mood to make it worse by lingering when he had two days worth of schoolwork and assignments to catch up on, not to mention prepare for three different academic events.

He had already let down Batman. Nothing good could come from disappointing Bruce Wayne too.

Dick dragged himself to his bedroom and took out his books and got started. The clock on his bedside table told him that it was almost two in the morning. Alfred had brought him a plate of something light to eat. He pushed it to the side. He hadn't eaten all day, but he wasn't hungry at all right now. He was too tired to eat and he needed to knock out at least half of these assignments before school in the morning.

No big deal. He had pulled all nighters before. He just needed to focus. He needed to make a game plan. He needed to calm down. He needed to... He knew exactly what he needed to do.

Looking over his shoulder at his bedroom door, he sighed. Shaking his head, he stood and walked over to the door shutting it all the way. Then he went to the bathroom and locked the door behind him.

What he needed was hidden under his bathroom sink in the back with his extra toilentries. He grabbed the small case and opened taking out one of the small razors. He felt better just holding it. Calmer, more relaxed.

He let a beat past and closed his eyes trying his best to control his breathing. Focusing on using the breathing techniques Bruce had taught him. He opened his eyes and noticed that it hadn't worked, his hand was shaking slightly. He needed to do it.

He exhaled a shaky breath as he rolled up the sleep of his sweatshirt and cut a line into his flesh. It felt good. Really good. He knew from past experience that the deeper he cut the better it felt, but he had to be careful. He couldn't cut too deep.

He made four semi-deep gashes on his forearm. Deep enough for him to feel better, but not bad enough that he would need stitches, though it would more than likely give him a scar, not that he really cared.

He was bleeding, a lot. Quickly he cleaned up the mess and bandaged his arm and rolled down his sleeve. He'd wasted enough time. He needed to get back to work.

Dick sat back down at his desk and yawned before blinking rapidly a few times trying to jar himself back. Sure, he felt better now, but physically, he was still drained.

He opened the drawer on the side of his desk and reached in the back and pulled out a small plastic bottle of pills. He popped off the cap and shook two of the pills ito his hand. Each pill was 200 mg. Pure caffeine.

He flipped the bottle over read the back. Directions (adults): Take 1/2 - 1 tablet (100-200mg) every 3-4 hours as needed. not to exceed 3 tablets (600mg) every 24 hours. Do not take within 5 hours of bedtime.

Dick sighed. No worries there. He wasn't planning on going to bed at all tonight. He closed the bottle and dry swallowed one of the tablets saving the other for later. He was going to need it.

Friday night Dick collapsed into his bed face first. He was drenched in sweat and still wearing his workout clothes and he didn't even care.

Bruce had just finished drilling him on the elements of the periodic table, their properties and the atomic number and mass of each element during a training session down in the cave. Bruce had wanted Dick to prepare for the academic decathalon but didn't want the teen to miss out on any training as Robin so he had decided to combine the two activities saying that it would be a great mental workout as well as physical one for the boy. He had been right.

Bruce had been pleased with his son at the end of the workout and Dick was happy. He had been nervous when they first started and he had gotten a few of the questions wrong, but as they kept going he had been able to keep up with the pace even if he did feel did feel completely drained mentally and physically. It was worth it to get a nod of approval from both Batman and Bruce.

Now he just had to survive the rest of the weekend. He still had practice for the decathalon with the rest of his team and prep for the debate all weekend and that was when he didn't have training at Mt. Justice with the rest of young justice.

He was just about to drift off to sleep when he heard the tapping on the two windows that led out to the balcony of his room.

Dick groaned and sat up. Muttering to himself about killing Wally for whatever he wanted this late.

He opened the balcony window to see a drenched Artemis standing there shivering in the rain. It was storming outside, not too mention late. He hurriedly pulled the older girl in and eyed her curiously.

She was crying. She was trying to hide it, probably hoping he couldn't tell the difference with the rain, but he noticed. He also noticed that she was favoring her right side and that there was a large bruise on her neck like someone had tried to choke her.

Dick caught his second wind and ran into the bathroom to get a bath sheet and draped it over the soggy girl before directing her too the edge of his bed and sitting down next to her.

"What happened?" Dick asked quietly his eyes shut tight. He was almost too afraid to hear the answer.

Artemis stared at him for a moment before shaking her head and breaking down in tears.

Dick had gone down downstairs and made two cups of hot chocolate for them while Artemis showered. Alfred was down in the Batcave and Batman had already left to patrol Gotham so he hadn't raised any suspicion, but they weren't in the clear yet.

Artemis had told him that she had just left home. She had stolen Oliver's car. Her father was drunk so it wasn't like he was going to be driving anyway, but her parents still had no idea where she went.

Roy and Oliver had gotten into it a few days ago and Roy had taken off. Dick had already known that. He, Wally and Kaldur were actually talking about stopping by the older teen's safe house and planning an intervention before training one day this week. Both Kaldur and the speedster had been texting him nonstop since their mission earlier in the week, about how they were concerned for their friend.

What he hadn't known was that the teen had returned home tonight and pulled Oliver off of his baby sister before getting into it with the eldest archer all over again. When Artemis left, Dinah had just gotten home and was pulling her husband and son apart.

It sounded to Dick like Oliver was getting worse. The man seriously needed help.

He re-entered his room and frowned before quickly looking away when he noticed the huge purplish bruise decorating her torso. He had left a set of basketball shorts and a sweatshirt out for the girl to put on. He had tossed her clothes in the wash before he made the hot cocoa and verified that the manor was empty. Her wardrobe was now drying in the dryer in the laundry room.

He handed the teen a mug. "Did Oliver do that?"

Artemis sat down on the opposite side of Dick's bed and sipped her drink. Dick sighed and shook his head.

"This has gone too far, Artemis." he began. "I really think we should tell-"

"No." Artemis looked at her friend and skook her head. "No. It's not what you think, Dick. He didn't know."

Dick set his cup down on his nightstand and shifted so that he sat facing the girl. He ran an exasperate hand across his face rubbing his eyes, suddenly remembering how tired he was. His face held a pained expression as he spoke.

"How could he not know?" Dick tried. "He hurt you and Roy. Artemis, I care about him too, but he has a problem. He needs help. I really think we should tell Bruce. He could-"

Artemis shook her head again. "No. We can't tell. No one can know."

Dick stood up. This was getting ridiculous. "Artemis, I get that he's your dad, but if things are so bad you had to leave in the middle of the night-"

"He called me Dinah." Artemis blurted cutting him off.

Dick looked shock. "What?"

Artemis sighed and lowered her cup into her lap. "He called me Dinah." she repeated this time her voice barely above a whisper.

Dick sat back down. "He thought...?"

Artemis nodded. "Yeah." she swallowed hard before looking up at her friend with tears in her eyes. "Like I said, he didn't know. He was drunk. Then he was angry. He didn't realize what he was doing. And last night when he..." she shook her head. "He called me 'Dinah'. So you can't tell anyone. No one can know."

Dick let out a shaky breath. His eyes lingered on her bruised neck for a moment before he lowered his gaze trying to shake the thought of her equally bruised torso. "He didn't...? Artemis? Ollie didn't?"

The teen shook her head quickly biting down on her lower lip. "No. Nothing happened. At least not...He didn't do that."

Dick frowned. The palm of Artemis' hand was massaging her wrist and he could see the faint tint of red. He stood up and walked over to the girl taking the cup from her.

"You hurt yourself." Dick winced turning her hand so he could get a better look at the lines on her wrist and forearm. Thankfully none of them were too deep, but they had started to bleed again over where she had sealed them.

Artemis shrugged. "I couldn't help it."

Dick didn't comment as he helped clean and bandage the wounds. He was too tired to fight and it was late. The clock on his nightstand read 11:54 PM.

Dick collapsed onto his bed. Artemis was laying on the opposite side tucked into herself. He let out a deep sigh. "I wish I never made you that promise."

Artemis' body shuddered as she tried to suppress a sob. She couldn't breakdown again. She was stronger than that. Instead she pulled the covers tighter around her. "I know."

Artemis had set her alarm to wake her up so that she would be able to dress and leave the manor before anyone knew she was there. That was the plan at least. But she and Dick were so exhausted, both of them slept through the alarm going off.

It was Alfred who discovered the two asleep in bed the next morning and shut the door after frowning at the sight. He walked down the hall and entered the study of Bruce Wayne. The billionare playboy was sitting at his desk typing something on his computer when the butler entered.

"I do believe I've found the explanation for your early morning call, sir." Alfred began.

Bruce looked up. "Are those Artemis'?"

He was referring to the pile of clothes neatly draped over the butler's arm. Alfred nodded. "Yes, sir. I believe they are. I found these this morning in the dryer. And I just saw the young miss Queen asleep in master Richard' s bed. She was wearing his sweatshirt while her clothes were in the laundry."

Bruce furrowed his brow. "Artemis is here? In Dick's bed?"

Alfred's face remained stoic. "I do not believe anything explicit happened between them, master Bruce, if that is what you are implying."

Bruce shook his head slightly amused. "Of course not, Alfred. I just meant Dinah called this morning saying Artemis was missing. She said she ran away in the middle of the night and had assumed she went to Wally's house. Wally said he hadn't heard from her. She assumed he was covering for her. So did I. She thought Dick might know something. I just hadn't expected her to be here."

Alfred nodded. "Understandable, sir. But it did seem as though the two had a late night whatever the case. Should we let them sleep in a little longer?"

Bruce paused thinking about it for a moment. "Sounds like a plan. An extra hour couldn't hurt much. Dick looked like he could use the extra rest from what I saw last night. Let them sleep in a bit longer then take Artemis her clothes abd let them know I would like to see both of them before breakfast. I'm sure there's a good explanation for all of this."

"Very well sir." Alfred nodded turning to leave.

To Be Continued...