Notes: Forgot to mention this in the previous update but, my place is going through an internet upgrade during this week (around Thursday), and they advise that our connection may suffer during the upgrade. So I may be unable to post pages around that time of the week.

Anyway, enjoy the new chapter!

Part 2 – Chapter 5

Dick was out as Nightwing. It helped keep his mind off the situation with his brothers. He had stopped a car-jacking by making a guy's chest his landing pad and he had also stopped a few robberies. The night was still young and he was looking forward to what would be next.

His comm. crackled to life. Damian's timid voice called for him to come to a nearby rooftop. Dick was moving that way before Damian finished speaking. It finally seemed like one of his brothers was willing to talk about the issue rather than hide away.

He landed on the roof and looked around. This area was often empty at night due to lack of lighting and a gathering place for those engaging in less-than-legal activities.

"Robin?" he called out as he walked around. There was no sign of the characteristic red and green at all. "If this is a joke-"

He twisted around as he spoke, his words being cut off as he took in the glint of steel in the dark.

Dick did a backwards handspring to avoid the sharp blade. Only then did he have the chance to analyse who was wielding it.

"Robin?" his voice pitched in surprise as the young vigilante came running towards him, sword ready. Dick leapt over another swipe and tried to get in close to hold Damian steady. But Damian ducked and rolled out of the way. "What are you doing?" Had someone gotten to his brother?

"You are a threat," Damian droned, "and need to be removed. I challenge you, Richard Grayson, son of Batman and Catwoman."

"What?"

"Only one of us can be considered Batman's son. I will prove that I am the superior."

"I thought we were beyond proving yourself," Dick said, using his escrima sticks to deflect Damian's sword. "You're already wearing Robin's uniform!"

Damian felt slightly sick at the sight of the escrima sticks. He had one in his possession from when he had challenged the previous male Robins to prove his worth.

Dick had handed one to him without fight.

"You are father's blood son. I have been raised to take father's place as his eldest blood child. I can't do that if you're alive!"

Dick was shocked and he flipped off the side of the building. Damian's heart jumped into his throat.

Dick wouldn't just… die, would he? He shook his head and bit his lip in concentration. He had trained with his older brother numerous times, even though he had never faced the first Robin in battle (minus any form of mind control).

Damian glanced at his sword, the only reason he noticed the dark form of Nightwing sneaking up behind him in the reflection. He jumped back and swung around.

He hadn't sensed him coming at all!

Dick was looking for a quick way to disarm Damian. He didn't want to hurt his little brother but he knew that Damian could and would hurt him with the sword.

"Robin! This isn't the League and you don't have to prove yourself this way," he reasoned. Damian twitched but held his sword steady. Dick sprang to the side as Damian charged him again.

A few more slashes came his way and Damian tried to use his smaller height to his advantage. He slashed low, knowing that if he took out Dick's legs, the acrobat would be done for.

Dick could only jump, flip and spring out of the way. Getting in close to Damian meant leaving himself open to attack.

"Hold still!" Damian cried out, his voice cracking. Dick felt his heart break a little at the sound.

Why? Why was Damian attacking him? It couldn't just be the influence of growing up with the League of Assassins. And Damian didn't seem angry towards Dick. Just… sad?

The sword came towards him again.

Dick paused for a moment as he noticed Damian alter his attack at the last moment, slicing a shallow cut through Dick's upper leg.

It stung but Dick didn't allow himself to react beyond a wince of pain. Blood welled around the cut and spilled down the side of his leg as he stepped towards Damian.

Damian wasn't sad… he was scared.

Dick realised this as he leapt a kick, his good knee landing on Damian's shoulder and his arms shoving the boy to the ground.

Damian thrashed against Dick's hold, be he wasn't able to throw the older man off.

"Talk to me," Dick ordered. Damian shook his head and Dick ripped off the mask, revealing pools of tears growing in Damian's eyes.

Damian looked away, frowning in anger. He closed his eyes and let a few tears out.

"Seriously, Robin, talk to me." Dick moved back and pulled Damian to his knees. "What are you afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid!" Damian lied, clenching his hands tight. There were slight tremors running through his body.

Damian sniffed back the liquid in his nose and tried to rub away the evidence of tears on his face. He was happy that Dick was alive but disappointed and angry at himself for being weak.

Weak and useless. Unwanted.

His arms moved towards his midsection as it ached. His breathing was heavy.

Weak.

Hands rubbed over his upper arms, grounding him in the moment. Damian looked up into bright blue eyes. Nightwing had taken his mask off, something he never did in the field if he could help it.

"I can't do it," he whined, tears running down his cheeks. "Why? Why can't I kill you?"

"I'd like to think it's because you like me. Or because I'm so skilled," Dick quipped. He paused his motions for a moment but started again when Damian's gaze started to drift away. "Focus on me, little bird. What's wrong?"

Damian sniffed.

"Why?" he whined. Dick was kind and strong and Nightwing and an adult who could step up into the role of Batman whenever he wanted. Dick even made a better Batman than Bruce.

'"Why'?" Dick repeated in a questioning manner.

"Why? Why would father keep me, when he has you?" Damian saw the bond his father and mentor shared. They were close but, Damian had always been able to comfort himself by reminding himself that father was his father, that he was Batman's only son.

However, Dick was Batman's son too.

Damian wasn't needed. Not as a blood son.

In a soft voice that Dick had to strain to hear, Damian whispered;

"I can't beat you."

Dick was the desirable son, the wanted son. He was the one who bore Batman's legacy.

Dick heard the little whisper from Damian and all the worry and fear it contained.

He couldn't help thinking that Damian was eager to prove himself and believing he needed to prove himself. Even though he didn't need to prove anything.

"Why would father keep you?" Dick pondered. Then he leant closer, making sure Damian could hear his next words. "Think about this instead; Father kept you. He kept you. And he's not about to let you go. Neither am I. You're stuck with us."

Damian closed his eyes and breathed in and out, controlling his breathing. Then he opened them, the fear gone.

"Give me back my mask, idiot," he grumbled. Dick smiled at how he didn't push him away and passed Robin his mask.

"Wanna patrol together?" he asked, putting his own mask back on his face.

"Fine. Let's go." Robin replaced his sword in its hidden holster under his cape, pulled out his grapple gun and leapt from the rooftop, Nightwing right behind him.