Chapter 20: Happy Birthday to Me
Dick's POV
We enter the house with plastic bags in our hands. It's August 7...meaning school is starting in just a few weeks. Originally, we were going to buy school supplies, but I realized that their school starts in two weeks, so it's probably a little too early. Instead, we went uniform shopping.
Tim, Chris, and Damian are all 1 school year apart. Tim is going into sophomore year, Chris is beginning high school, and Damian is entering 8th grade. And at this age, they are all growing...a lot. I remember when school ended last year, Chris was constantly pulling down her skirt and complaining, "It's waaay too short! I don't need the attention of pervs!"
I still can't believe I didn't suspect that Chris knew mature words...everyone found out about a week after her visit to Arkham with Bruce and Damian. We were walking to an evening charity event when suddenly I heard a thud next to me. Apparently Chris tripped.
She yelled, "Awww crap," although it was slightly muffled by her fall. In our shock, we didn't notice a random guy come up behind Chris.
"Hey, don't worry. I'll help you up." It was kinda dark, so I could only make out the figure of the guy with the gruff and slightly creepy voice. He was fat.
He reached down to help her up, but Chris turned her body and slapped the guy's arms away from her.
"Damn perverted pedophiles. I wish they'd just piss off." She whispered loud enough for Bruce and I to hear, although I don't think she wanted us to. Then she kicked the guy in the balls, and he ran off, holding his groin.
She turned to us and, seeing the shocked looks on our faces, realized that we heard her.
"Did you just say piss off?" Bruce asked in a strict tone.
"Whoops," she said in a guilty tone.
The entire time we were in the uniform store, Damian was ranting about uniforms and schools and how he isn't a slave and whatever. Chris seemed okay with it all, although she kept trying on skirts. Apparently, they have different lengths for the skirts and she needs a "specific length." Girls. Tim barely grew so we didn't have to buy much for him. Chris is only 2 inches shorter than Tim. I wonder when he will have his big growth spurt...if he didn't have it already.
We are greeted by Alfred when we walk in, and he offers to take our clothes upstairs, like any regular butler would do. But we all know Alfred isn't just a regular butler. We refused his kind offer, and we all just stood there together.
"You've all gotten me a birthday present, right?" Chris asks.
"Why do I need to get you a birthday present? Girls shouldn't receive presents. They should be the ones to give us presents."
"Because I'm your sister and you love me...well... And since you're not getting me anything, I won't get you that Call of Duty game you still don't have for your birthday."
Damian stares at her with eyes full of hatred. Not strong hatred, just sibling hatred. He let out a grunt.
"Fine. I'll get you a stupid birthday present."
"How 'bout you?" She turned to Tim.
"Yea I got you something. I don't know if you'll like it though."
"It's probably a love letter." Damian teases, and both Chris and I elbow him. Tim starts blushing.
"Ignore him. I'm sure Chris will love what you give her." I say.
"Anyway...avoiding that awkwardness, what did you get me, Dick?" She turns to me.
"And why would I tell you?" I say, leaning down so my face is closer to hers.
"Dunno, thought you loved me enough to tell me ahead of time..."
"What kind of reason is that?"
"Just some random reason I came up with, because even if I put thought into it, you wouldn't tell me."
"Ok then. You'll find out on your birthday, at your party."
"Couldn't you come up with something more exciting than inviting all of your friends over and just playing around the manor and watching movies and all the stuff girls do." Damian asks.
"For your information, I invited guys to the party too. And yes, I had plenty of ideas, but not many of my friends have been here. Also, should I invite some of our friends?"
"You mean like Cassie and Beast Boy? I guess you could...just as long as they don't accidentally start talking about missions we've all had together." Tim states. I can see a blush starting to surface again. Cassie...another girl he kinda has a thing for.
"Alright, we'd better start our homework. Bruce will be home soon, and then we have to go on patrol." Tim continues. He and Damian, rather reluctantly, head up the stairs. I expect Chris to go follow them, but she just stands here next to me. I feel like she wants to tell me something important.
When the two of them are out of sight, Chris turns to me.
"I've been meaning to ask you..." Oh God what is it? "...why is your name Dick? Did our parents hate you or something? I don't mean to be rude or anything to our parents."
"What?" I was not expecting that...
"Well you know what dick means right? Your thingamabob. So your name is actually that...meaning if I said 'Hey...thingy! How was school?' you should respond. I don't really wanna say the exact name so... How did Dick even become the nickname for Richard? Is it like a stereotype for all people named Richard to be dicks? Why-"
"Where the hell is this coming from?!"
"Oh I've always meant to ask you. It's always been in my mind. I just thought 'Hey! Maybe I should ask my brother that question I've been meaning to ask him for a while!' a few minutes ago, so here we are! Having this conversation."
"Ummm..." I'm speechless.
"So anyway, if you're uncomfortable with me calling you Dick since we are having this conversation, or maybe because I'm a girl and something in that weird mind of yours makes a girl calling you Dick awkward, I can call you Richard. Maybe Richie...no. It just doesn't feel right, ya know? Like how certain people look like they should be named something different?" Chris raises an eyebrow. "So why did our parents hate you so much that they gave you a name whose nickname is an inappropriate word?"
"Um...wait, our parents didn't hate me! It just kinda happened! I don't know why they named me Richard! It's a nice name, okay! It just so happens that the nickname is...that..." I know she's just kidding, but the fact that she even suggested that my parents hate me kinda hurt, especially since their death anniversary is coming up. I think I raised my voice a little too much.
Chris' eyes widen slightly. "I'm not sure if your tone suggests annoyance because of the whole 'my name means penis' thing or the fact that I mentioned mom and dad...so close to their death anniversary, which also happens to be the day I was born." Then she sighs, but so softly that I barely hear it. "Sorry, Dick." At first, her apology for something that she didn't intend to do is meaningful, but shortly after she says that phrase, a smile starts tugging at her lips. I can't help but smile back.
"It's okay, sis. You didn't mean it. It's just that my...our parents...is a sensitive subject."
"If you want, you don't have to celebrate my birthday with me and you can just wallow in the corner of your darkened room."
I pull her into a hug. "Are you kidding? Of course I want to celebrate your birthday with the rest of the family. If I didn't, then you wouldn't be able to receive your awesome present."
She tightens her grip on me. "Ha. Thanks. I love you Dick."
"I love you too." I close my eyes, allowing myself to enjoy the moment of temporary bliss.
****Break****
Autumn's POV
I sit here on the chair having one another of those therapy sessions and for some reason...I"m happy. Maybe because I saw Harley bite off a woman's ear...literally.
I'm humming the tune of pop goes the weasel, it's stuck in my head and I don't know why...but I cock my head side to side, swaying it...I have a small grin as I hum and I close my eyes remembering the face of a mad man.
The voice of the doctor is distant and all I can hear is my own happy humming.
"Autumn! Autumn! Are you listening?!" I open my eyes and stop swaying my head and look at the doctor.
I blink my eyes and smile. "OMG...did you just ruin my mojo?" I say with wide eyes and a small grin as I stand up. "I...I was in the zone! You pulled me out of the zone!" I let out a quick laugh.
"You'll pay." I cock my head and smile.
The doctor moves backwards. "Why are you going to kill me?" She asks and I shrug.
"Cause, I'm bored…" My tiny smile returns and I move towards her. "And you're boring...so, I'm gonna kill you now, okay?" I tell her like an innocent girl would talk to a random stranger to do something for her.
****Break****
The last thing I remember are guards pulling me towards the cell, and a headless body with a blown off head, somehow...I got a hold of an explosive...cool!
I just sit on the floor staring at nothing...listening to the screams and the yelling all around me, and the whispers in my ears. I dart my eyes around and find shadows on the four walls moving around me.
The shadows turn and move around, dancing in the dark with only a little light coming from outside the door.
I blink once and the shadows disappear, returning to just one shadow, my shadow.
It's been days...weeks...months? I don't know...I haven't counted. There's no clock, no calendar, no window to tell me that it's morning, afternoon, or evening.
I hardly ever sleep now, not because of the hard bed or the stench of hopelessness, or even the yelling of insanity surrounding me, or the shadows that tend to dance on the walls night after night...nothing in this cell bothers me...but nightmares...and my own thoughts.
Not illusions, illusions of happiness, of love, of caring...illusions don't really bother me in this cell. Dreams, and nightmares.
I never liked sleeping, because I hate dreams and nightmares...but now, even when I'm awake, the nightmares still come to get me.
I would say that 'I wanna go home.' But as long as my big brother is staying here, I'm not going anywhere.
I've seen my brother here in Arkham. When he passes by my cell, I peek through the bars of the metal door's window and I look at him as he is being shoved towards the therapy room...I've seen how insane he is. His eyes are always wide, his hair is extremely messy now, and I can see right into his broken soul. One time, I overheard some of his doctors talking about him. They said that during his last session...when they asked him if he knew that what he did was wrong...he only laughed in their faces, a hard cold laugh.
Sometimes, I can hear his screams, since his cell is only down the hall. I can hear him yelling during his therapy sessions whenever I listen hard enough.
I haven't tried to talk to him. It could be pointless since he already pointed a gun to my head. He'll probably just push me away. But I have to try.
Eliza came...she asked me to get out before Arkham gets to me. But I told her "TOO LATE!"
And I also told her that I wasn't leaving without my brother.
"He's all I've got left...I'm not going to lose Jase." I said with a tiny voice.
I lean on the wall staring at the door. Suddenly, I hear loud noises, explosions, gun shots...crying, screaming...wailing. The war is still burned in my head…
I think of The Unknown, that meta, the one who evolved...who had telekinesis...how much I was out of control in my own body. How he nearly killed me.
Nearly broke every bone in my body, after burning him to the ground and standing above him...I remember the world turning, but somehow I still made it to the escape pod. Burning in that pod, crashing down...with all those broken bones plus the dizziness from over using my abilities...I don't know how I survived.
But those people, the ones that captured me and put me in a van...they were wearing something a little different from the original uniform. And if they were the enemy, why didn't they just kill me when I was unconscious? They were the ones who patched me up...but why?
After destroying the van and killing everyone in it...everything was hazy already...the world spinning, my stomach churning...I don't understand how I could have survived life on the streets...and how had I gotten to a computer shop with all my injuries?
I shake my head. I remember some kind of clinic, and I remember leaving without meeting the person that owned the clinic...I remember feeling better after leaving that clinic, and as nights passed when I was on the streets...the world stopped turning.
I don't understand.
I can see a shadow in front of my door, and it unlocks. Maybe here comes another pointless session of therapy. I like therapy sessions, because when the guards comes...I like to mess with them and sometimes I like to lash out and kick them in the most painful part just to make their jobs much more difficult.
But when the door opens...I don't see a bunch of guards or a doctor. Jason stands, holding the door, with less wider eyes.
I've seen him hurt anyone near him. He could be dangerous...and I'm not going to fight back if he does attack.
I move back, away from the door.
"Autumn." He says emotionlessly, walking into the cell with a blank face.
"What are you doing here?" I ask.
"Why are you here?" He asks, dropping onto the floor in front of me. "Why did you turn yourself in?"
I move forward and sit down right in front of my big brother.
"How did you find out?"
He furrows his eyebrows, as if he's trying to remember. "Someone...told me…"
"Answer my question. We both know that you can break out anytime you want...so why don't you?" He still doesn't look at me.
"Because you're here. I won't leave because...you're my brother." I say. "And...you're my only family now...I never leave my family, not anymore. Not again." I look down at the floor, remembering my mom, my brother, my dad. Jason's my family…I get it now...but he's all I've got left...no one else.
"You know you can't stay here forever. You won't last long." He nearly whispers.
"No, I probably won't. I've gone through worse."
He lets out a small chuckle. "I have too."
"But I'm not leaving…"
"Why?"
"Because...I promised." He shoots his head at me. "I'll admit, bro. I'm a little...scared...this place is crazy freaky...and I hate it here...the stench of hope dying...the cold feeling consuming...every day, and every night here just makes things worse...this place, it's slowly breaking my mind more than I would like to admit. But I'm staying right here, for God knows how long...I'm only leaving when you're ready to go. No man gets left behind."
I tell him, rubbing my eyes as I look down at the floor.
"I'm sorry kid." He says.
I look at him, into my brother's eyes and see him slowly coming back. "You owe me one." He smiles a bit, but I can still see something wrong in his face.
I'm gonna claim his debt just a little later once we walk down the hall and pass by a certain cell.
I'm gonna make sure he doesn't do something that even I really wanna do. But it's for his own good...by that I mean his mentality.
"C'mon Jay-bird." Cool, I made a new nickname for him.
"Don't call me that." Or maybe it isn't exactly a new nickname...
Chris' POV
Two tombstones.
My birthday is both one of the happiest and one of the saddest days of the year.
My brother crouches in front of the tombstones, and I stand behind him, just staring at the names engraved into the stones.
John and Mary Grayson.
Dick stands up, signaling the end of the visit, and we head back to his car. I take one last glance at the tombstones of the parents I had always thought abandoned me. I found out I was wrong, and that I was parentless because of injustice.
"Happy birthday to me..." I whisper.
****Break****
"Happy birthday to me!" I yell, nearly causing Bruce to fall off of the ladder.
"Why are there so many decorations?" Tim asks as he comes up next to where I'm standing.
"I really don't know. Dad, why did you get so many decorations?"
"I didn't want this many...blame your brother for that." Bruce replies as he slowly steps down from the ladder. The sign he just put up says 'Happy 14th Birthday Christine!' That's a lot to put on a sign...they could've removed my name, or at least shortened it...or maybe even removed the '14th.'
"What time is it?" I ask.
Alfred, who just came out of the kitchen with snacks, turns to the wall clock I'm to lazy to turn my head to look at. "2:58. Guests will be arriving soon."
Suddenly, a song pops into my head. Haha...a song that Damian despises, but kinda fits into the situation. Might as well start singing, since he should be coming down soon.
"Hehe..." I start humming the beginning part.
"Haha!" Dick starts laughing. He understands, I think. He moves to the door.
"The window is open, so's that door." At that moment, Dick opens the door as I open the window nearest to me.
"I didn't know they did that anymore! Who knew we owned eight thousand salad plates!"
"Oh no..." Damian says, covering his ears as he descends the stairs. Tim smiles at him. He's enjoying his pain.
"For years I've roamed these empty halls. -the ones over in a different wing- Why have a ballroom with no balls! Finally they're opening up the gate! There'll be actual, real live people, -new people, not you guys- it'll be totally strange. But wow am I so ready for this change!" I hold down the note.
"Father, make her stop!" Damian complains, but Father just smiles.
"Cause for the first time in forever, there'll be music, there'll be light -since ya know...we're creatures of the night-" Hey that rhymes! I start moving around the room, flailing my arms everywhere and twirling around and whatnot...I probably look like a lunatic. At least Dick is joining me. "For the first time in forever, I'll be dancing through the night. Don't know if I'm elated or gassy, but I'm somewhere in that zone. Cause for the first time in forever..."
"No! Shut up Carter! I demand that you cease your horrid singing!"
"It's not horrid! You said it yourself once, her singing is pretty good!" Tim interjects.
"I won't be alone. I can't wait to meet everyone. *gasp* What if I meet 'the one?' -unless, of course, I already have." My crush suddenly comes to mind.
"What?! What do you mean you already have? Are you dating someone secretly? How do I not already know?!" Bruce suddenly interjects, but I only smile at him and continue singing.
"Tonight imagine me gown and all,"
"Christine Elle Grayson-Wayne, who is this boy?!" Bruce interrupts, but I ignore him.
"Fetchingly draped against the wall. The picture of sophisticated grace...oomph."
Bruce keeps trying to interrupt my singing, but I keep ignoring him. He finally stops when Dick approaches him and whispers something in his ear.
"I suddenly see him standing there, a beautiful stranger tall and fair. I wanna stuff some chocolate in my face." I put my hands over my mouth to create the muffling effect. I suddenly see a bowl of chocolates on the counter that Alfred just put out. I'm about to go to them when Alfred steps in front of me.
"Miss Christine. Don't even think about it. It is unladylike." I roll my eyes at him and continue.
"But then we laugh and talk all evening, which is totally bizarre. Nothing like the life I've led so far... For the first time in forever, there'll be magic, there'll be fun." I start getting dreamy eyes as I think of love...as I said before, hopeless romantic. "For the first time in forever, I could be noticed by someone." Again, I think of my crush. "And I know it is totally crazy, to dream I'd find romance! But for the first time in forever, at least I've got a chance..."
I hum the instrumental in between Anna's and Elsa's part as Damian comes up next to Father.
"Is it over? Please tell me it's over!"
"Damian, we watched the movie last night. You know it's not yet over." Tim states, a smirk on his face.
"Don't let them in...don't let them see... -don't listen to me, Alfred. Let them in please." I smirk. "Be the good girl, you always have to be... -right Dad?- Conceal, don't feel...put on a show! Make one wrong move and everyone will know -don't worry, I've kept my secret identity secret for 3 years-" I say, looking at Bruce. He has a look on his face like he's trying to process something. Probably he's still thinking about what I said earlier. I move to the window and notice some cars approaching the estate.
"But it's only for today (it's only for today!) It's agony to wait (it's agony to wait!) Tell Alfred to open up...the gate...The Gate!" I turn to Alfred, who sighs, a smile on his face, and he presses a button on the speaker next to the door. The large black gate of the manor slowly opens for the approaching cars.
"For the first time in forever, I'm getting what I'm dreaming of! A chance to change my lonely world! A chance to find true love! And I know it all ends tomorrow, so it has to be today! Cause for the first time in forever! For the first time in forever! Nothing's in my way! Oh!"
At that moment, Damian gives a sigh of relief. "Finally...it's over!"
Suddenly, our first guest bursts into the room. "Is someone singing Frozen!"
"Hell yea!" I reply.
"For the first time in forever..." we sing in unison.
"God help me..." Damian pleads.
Even though my friend isn't the best singer, she knows when she's needed. Perfect timing. Thank God my best friend, Laurel Fray, loves to annoy her brother as much as I love to annoy mine.
****Break****
It's almost 6 o'clock. Everyone has arrived. My friends from school, including Laurel and Tim, along with some of my friends that I met because of some co op missions came. Cassie is on the couch talking to Tim. Damian is currently standing in a corner, his back against the wall as Mia is talking to him. Dick is trying to leave unnoticed through a door that leads to a different wing of the manor. Just before he closes the door, I see a flash of red hair. Barbara. Bruce is chatting with Uncle Clark...wait why is he here? I didn't invite him, Kara, or Conner. I doubt Dad invited them...
I am chatting with my group of friends. Somehow, we started talking about an incident that happened to my friend Matt.
"Admit it...you love Taylor Swift." My friend Tyler teases.
"I like her music, okay! That doesn't mean I love her. Besides, her music relates to everyone!"
"There's no use denying it, Matt. Luke and Laurel already told us the whole story." I state.
"You can't trust Luke! And you'll believe anything Laurel says. She's your best friend!"
"Hey, Luke is your twin brother! I don't always trust him, but I don't think he'd be joking about this. And Laurel was there when it happened. And I do not believe everything she says!"
"Back to the point. Matt, we all know you took the mic away from Laurel when you were playing that singing game and started singing 'You Belong with Me.'" Tim, my friend, says.
"THAT DOESN'T MEAN I ADORE HER OR ANYTHING OKAY!"
We all burst out laughing. We know he doesn't love Taylor Swift. We were just teasing him so he'd yell and attract attention. It worked. Everyone stops talking and looks at Matt.
"Shut up you guys..." He softly states. But we keep laughing.
After a few seconds everyone starts talking again. Everything seems fine until Cassie turns on the TV.
"Uncle Bruce..." Cassie starts.
"This is great." Tim states sarcastically.
Bruce walks over to them, and the look on Tim's face makes me approach them as well.
Bruce and I stare at the screen. Oh great... Tim turns up the volume.
"Clayface has just escaped from Arkham Asylum, and for some reason has taken on the form of two other inmates: Jason and Autumn Haywood. Police will be searching for the two." Footage from a security camera pops up and shows the two familiar faces running out of the asylum.
"Why would Clayface take on the form of two other inmates, whom I have never heard of." Laurel whispers to me.
"Maybe those two aren't familiar faces, so if people see them, they wouldn't be reported immediately." But I know there's a different reason.
"Chris, Tim. Alfred needs help in the kitchen. I think you'll also need to have Damian help you. Alfred can't do all that work on his own." Tim and I nod in response. Tim leaves Cassie and I excuse myself from my friends. I see Bruce head over to Clark.
A criminal just had to escape on my birthday...happy birthday to me...
****Break****
Bruce's POV
"You just had to interrupt us?" Dick complains. I happened to walk in on something...
"It's important. Besides, why are you doing it with Barbara on your sister's birthday? You should be celebrating with her." I glare at my son.
"It's been a while! You of all people should know what it feels like to be inactive for a long time. You get needy sometimes!"
"At least I know how to control myself...and the right day to do it."
We enter the kitchen.
"Oh yea...I probably should've warned you about what they were up to..." Chris says.
"You knew and you didn't care?" Dick asks.
"Well, I saw you and Barbara sneak off, and just because it's my birthday doesn't mean you have to be unhappy." She smirks, but I can also see her slightly shiver, as if she's disgusted by the topic of this conversation.
"Alright. You know why we're all here." I state.
"Yes, Father. I do not believe that Clayface is the one who escaped."
"Me too. Why would Clayface even disguise himself as them? He doesn't need to." Tim asks.
"Which is why I will investigate. Damian, you may come, but the rest of you, watch over the party and make sure no one enters the study. Clark will help the three of you."
Dick lets out a sigh, which I return with a glare. He glares back at me, and then ushers Tim and Chris out of the kitchen.
"Let's go Father. I can't wait to leave this wretched party."
****Break****
Robin and I follow the guard leading us to Jason's cell. After a few turns, the guard stops in front of one of the metal doors. He unlocks it and opens it, allowing us to enter.
"Jason." The man crouching in the corner of the dark room raises his head. He looks like Jason...he's actually looking less insane. His eyes aren't as wide as they were the last time I visited him.
"What do you want? Shouldn't you be tracking down Clayface." His voice is harsh, but not crazed...slightly calm actually. The real Jason would've added a swear word in that sentence...or started yelling in my face.
"Did you know that Clayface escaped looking like you and a fellow inmate. Do you have any idea why he would pick you two instead of your other inmates? Or maybe even a random civilian?"
"I don't have any idea why."
"Batman, this is ridiculous." Robin says as he unsheathes his sword and heads to Jason.
"Robin, what are you doing?" I ask in a stern tone.
"There's a faster way to do this." Damian stands over Jason.
"Wait, what are you doing? You wouldn't-" Robin cuts him off when his blade slices through Jason's neck.
"JASON!" I know that it's not really him, but just the sight of it...
Where there's supposed to be blood, clay flows out of the neck. The colors of Jason's head and body are replaced by the dull light brown color. The clay mushes together and slowly rises. A face forms: Clayface.
"Well well Batman, looks like you got me." Clayface says sarcastically.
"Why are you posing as Jason and Autumn Haywood?"
"Because he said that he could get me what I wanted: your destruction." A gush of clay heads towards Robin, but he moves out of the way, causing the clay to hit the wall.
"I don't have time for this." I take out my taser and shoot it at Clayface.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!" Clayface screams as a surge of electricity courses through him. That should've caught the guards' attention.
Clayface falls to the floor, now just a lump of clay.
"We'd better go." I say. Robin nods in response.
****Break****
Dick's POV
"Bye! I hope you had fun!" I say to the last of Chris' friends, not including our friends. Uncle Clark, Kara, Conner, Cassie, Mia, Uncle Ollie, and Barbara are all in the living room watching the news. Chris is outside saying goodbye to her close friends, and Tim is standing next to me.
"It's been an hour. They should be back soon." Tim turns to the clump of superheroes. "Shouldn't you guys be heading back to your cities?"
"Well I'm not allowed to leave until Bruce comes back, meaning these two can't go either." Clark gestures to Conner and Kara.
"Red Arrow's got Star City covered." Ollie says, not taking his eyes off the screen.
"Themyscira's a long flight home, so Bruce said I could sleep over."
"He...he did?" Tim asks.
"Yup. I'll be leaving first thing in the morning."
"Oh...ok." Tim likes so many girls but is too shy to do anything...poor guy.
The door to the study opens and Bruce and Damian emerge, still in their work clothes.
"Hood is out. Clayface was just a diversion. Turns out Jason had him pose as him and Autumn, probably so their drug ring wouldn't get suspicious of the coinciding events of them getting out and Hood and Phoenix returning. Also probably to delay my search for them. Dick, Tim, go suit up. Where's Chris?" Batman says in a very serious tone.
"Outside. She's coming back." I look outside, and I can see Chris waving to the leaving cars as she walks back.
I turn back around. Tim is already headed for the study. Bruce is staring at the huddle of heroes in his living room.
"Cassie, I assume you are sleeping over?"
"Yes."
Bruce shouts. "Alfred, prepare one of the guests rooms!"
Alfred's voice echoes into the room. "There is no need to shout, Master Bruce. I can hear everything just fine through the open door!"
"Ollie and Mia, thanks for coming. Clark, you can go now." He says the second part with a hint of disgust, but Clark just rolls his eyes.
"Kara, Conner, c'mon. We're going now. Bye Bruce! Thanks for inviting us." Clark says. Kara and Conner say "Bye Dick" as they pass by my post next to the door.
"I didn't invite you..." Bruce whispers once the three of them are out the door. It doesn't matter though, they have super hearing.
Just outside the door, I hear Chris yell, "Bye Uncle Clark! Bye Kara! Bye Conner!" Then she enters.
"We should be heading out, too. We'll be in a nearby hotel. Bye Bruce." Uncle Ollie stands up, and Mia does shortly after. Mia says "Bye Damian" as she follows Ollie out the door. "Bye Dick. Bye Chris," she says to us.
"Barbara, are you gonna join us tonight?" I ask.
"Sadly, no. I promised my dad that I'd have a movie night with him. Bye Bruce, Damian, Chris." Then she approaches me and kisses me on my cheek. "Bye Dick," she whispers into my ear before she walks out the door. Ahh, Barbara.
"Hurry up. We need to find Jason." Batman orders.
****Break****
"Anything?" I ask over the com.
"Nothing." I hear that word 4 times.
"We've searched everywhere. He's hidden well. Call it a night." Bruce says, obviously annoyed.
"Maybe we'll have better luck tomorrow."
"Grayson, now is not the time to be an optimist." Damian criticizes. I don't see what's wrong with being happy-go-lucky and optimistic.
"We should get back to Cassie. She's alone with Alfred." Tim's voice says over the com.
"Tim and Cassie...hm...what would that be? Tassie? Cim? Cassim? Tissie? I think I like Tassie." Chris teases, and I can sense Tim blushing in a different sector.
****Break****
Autumn's POV
I press my ear on the door, holding my gun. I listen to what's going on.
"So are you two in this ring?"
"Wait...what about The Bat? He'll kill us all when he finds out about this drug ring."
I hear a slap. "No, you douche, The Bat don't kill."
"The Red Hood?"
"The Phoenix? This is their territory after all...we're screwed when they find out that we've stopped working for The Hood."
"Scratch them! They're dead! They haven't shown up for a month, what makes you guys think they'll come back from the dead?"
I smirk and start bursting through the doors holding my gun up and smiling. "I'm back b****es!"
I take most of them down with a grin on my face. I kick the dealer's head and keep both my guns, then turn to the other guy that's about to stab me with the knife. He holds the knife over his head with the the thought of ending me probably in his head. But I hold his hands as he tries to make the knife at least touch my nose. I grin and kick him in the balls, he crouches and I pin him to the table and hold the arm holding the knife down, he tries to get it out of my grasp and stab me, but I twist his arm and he yells as I listen to the loud crack.
I grab the knife, and grin at him. "Bye bye." I taunt and stab the knife right through his neck, and stand up as I watch the blood drip down the table.
I smirk. "That was...kinda fun."
Tim's POV
"What do we do?" I ask as I stand next to Dick in the cave.
Well, Jason and Autumn broke out. It's been two days and they haven't been seen since.
It's pretty weird, since Joker's cell wasn't even touched by the two. I thought that maybe they had some sort of plan...to break into Arkham and kill The Joker...but no.
Jason went on a rampage and we were forced to bring him to Arkham. Autumn turned herself in...and they just stayed there…
Why didn't they end that mad man? Like they really want to?
Could they have changed?
"We can't find them unless they make a move." Bruce says.
They have made a move...much earlier. I investigated, there wasn't much evidence to be collected...except for dead bodies.
"So what? We're gonna just sit here and do nothing?" Chris reacts.
"No. We're gonna search the city, all night if we have to."
"And what? Bring him back to Arkham!?" Dick suddenly gets all defensive. "Bruce! That didn't work the first time! We all know that Arkham will just make things worse for my brother!"
Bruce shakes his head.
"No, it's time to bring him home...for good." Bruce walks towards the vehicle and I turn my head to Chris.
"What does he mean by that?" I ask. Chris just shrugs and follows.
****Break****
"Sector four, clear." I say over the com.
"Just be careful, okay Red Robin. Scarecrow just got out." Dick says on the other end of the line.
It turns out that Jason wasn't the only one who broke out...Scarecrow did too, around the time with the confusion between Jason and Clayface, and I'm right on top of him.
"Um...yeah. About that...I think you guys need to come over here to my sector. It's not clear." But I can probably handle The Scarecrow...but then again, maybe not...wait, TOO LATE.
I miscalculated his arrival.
He's on a highspeed chase and he's just about to pass by the building I'm standing on. I look down. 3…2...1. Now!
I jump on the car's roof and it swivels and drifts in the road with the cops right behind. I hold onto the roof.
Then the car heads straight towards a building. My eyes widen and I jump off of the car, and so does the driver holding a suit case.
Scarecrow gets up and looks down at the brown suit case he was holding onto a second ago and then he smiles...the suitcase starts to melt into a green puddle and smoke starts to come out. I pull on my oxygen mask as a thick fog of green smoke starts to surround me.
I can hear the police cars crash and the sirens dying. Then suddenly I hear loud screams. I look around me, my body in alert mode...searching my surroundings for the missing Scarecrow.
Where did he go? I listen attentively. I can hear screams of fear and horror...I listen harder and I hear a shuffling from behind me. I kick Scarecrow who was just about to stab me with a knife in my back.
He falls backwards and I punch and kick him. He slashes and kicks and tries to punch me, but I dodge. Then he smiles under that weird sack of his.
"Don't deny the fear…" He says. My eyes widen as my vision starts to blur. I feel my mask and I notice a dent, probably from a knife.
He somehow got lucky and slashed it. I press the distress signal on my belt before the world turns sideways and my vision starts to blacken, the last thing I hear is…"Don't worry, you won't last long."
It's just a nightmare...just a nightmare...not real...it isn't real...STOP!
I hold my dad's body as he dies...Jack Drake. He's bleeding all over the place, with a boomerang in his heart. He stares at me for a while.
"DAD! NO! DON'T DIE! DON'T! I STILL NEED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING! DAAAD!" He stares at me with a sad face and tears in his eyes as blood spills out of his mouth...he breathes his last, and he dies with his eyes open.
"DAD!" I yell and cry. "NO!" I cry and hold the dead body. "NOO! DAD DON'T GO! I STILL HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU!"
Then the world turns and now I'm standing, standing in front of Commissioner Gordon outside our mansion as the police takes away my dad's body. "I'm sorry kid...but there's nothing you could have done about it." He says.
Then everything around me turns black, I'm surrounded by just blackness. "Oh, but there was something you could have done." A cold voice says, I'd know that voice anywhere...it's Batman's heavy voice.
"You're Robin...how could you not have saved your dad." I look around me, but I just see endless blackness.
"Batman?"
"That's why you're not Robin anymore."
I turn my head forward and there, I see Batman, he's on the ground, blood spilling out of his mouth and down his nose...and his suit is tattered.
I try to run to him, but I'm just stuck here in place. I can't move.
"Batman's worst fear is to be responsible for Robin's death, and Robin's worst fear is to be responsible for Batman's death."
An invisible force hits Batman on his face and I scream. "STOP!"
"But...you're not Robin anymore, are you?" The voice switches to The Demon's voice.
"You didn't deserve to be Robin. You just forced Batman into making you Robin, because apparently, he needed a Robin." Dick's cold voice echoes around me. Batman gets hit again by the invisible force.
"But you never were a great Robin, were you?" Chris' unusual cold voice echoes.
"But even if you aren't Robin anymore...you're still a failure. You'll let Batman die even as Red Robin...because you aren't good enough. You're just a detective, a replacement." Jason's cold hard voice blasts around the darkness.
Batman gets up and stands. He looks at me. "You were only a cheap replacement for the original." Batman says as he narrows his eyes. "You aren't Robin anymore, you never were."
Suddenly Batman's figure starts to turn into black ashes and the untouchable wind blows him away as I scream and try to reach for the ashes.
I shoot my eyes open and yell. Things are blurry, but I try to get up...something's binding me down.
I lash and struggle, but whatever is holding me down is strong.
Then my vision starts to clear up a bit I'm in a dark place, lying on a bed. There's one window next to me with the wind blowing in. The place looks like some kind of apartment bedroom...an old and abandoned apartment. There's a small wooden table in front of the window where there's a needle and a small bottle lying on a tray.
There's someone standing beside me and I need to squint to see his or her face. But all I see is light reflecting off of something bright and shiny. My eyes widen and I start to struggle even harder, but he's holding me down with his hands, and I don't think I can even stand.
"There's no use fighting it. With the amount of toxins you inhaled...you'd hardly be able to sit up."
I groan and he lets go, but I still can't get up. "You're stuck on that bed, until the antidote completely kicks in." He says, crossing his arms.
"Why not...just kill me. Why did you save me?" I ask. He takes a step towards the window.
"Hey, I didn't save you...it's just so that you'll owe me one. You'll have to repay me"
"Since when did you ever ask for help?"
"It's none of your business, okay?" I furrow my eyebrows.
"You gonna stay here?" I ask.
"Just until they come and get you." He says, holding up the belt that was placed on the desk.
"What is this place?"
"An old apartment, in case you haven't noticed."
"Your home?" I ask, looking around.
"No." He answers and I look at him. Why does he still have his helmet on?
A short silence and I listen to the loud wailing of the police sirens and beeping cars. "Why not come home? You know, back to the manor?" He turns towards the window and looks outside. "The doors are always open. He told you that, didn't he?" He just stares, light reflecting off of his helmet.
"Maybe." He says.
"I don't understand why you and Bruce just don't talk and, why you won't come-" He looks at me.
"Just shut your gob and wait for them here, Replacement." He says, putting his hand on the large window, preparing to jump out.
"Wait." I say. "Listen, you're my brother too, and we all want you to come home. I know you want to, too." I say. "Why don't you?" I ask.
"I can't." He says simply. "It isn't that simple, after all the crimes I've committed...he wouldn't take me back."
"You don't know that." I say, starting to regain the feeling in my limbs.
"Yes I do."
"No you don't. He's looking for you right now, and you know what he said? 'It's time to take him home, for good.' That's what he said." I say.
He lowers his head. 'He told me that before too...but I ended up in Arkham." He says and finally jumps out the window.
I start to sit up, and that's when Batman and Robin come crashing through the door.
"Did he hurt you?" Batman says, moving to my side.
I shake my head. "No...no he didn't...he didn't." I say looking down. "He didn't hurt me at all." I just stare at the floor as Batman stands beside me.
****Break****
Jason's POV
I drive down the dark and empty neighborhood.
Cackling echoes my ears, followed by the sounds of gunshots and my own screaming voice. I remember the blood on my hands, when the bullet went through that innocent person. All because of that mad man...it may have happened a few years ago...but I still remember it up to this day.
I shake my head and keep my eyes on the road.
First night out on patrol since Arkham. I'm already back on my feet, but my little sister still isn't.
She's just been in her room for three days.
I still can't believe that when we passed by The Joker's cell, she made sure that I didn't go and kill him. I think I know why. But, she hates The Joker, maybe not as much as I do. But she still does, and I know that she'd do anything just to watch that clown die in hell. But no...instead she held me back as I tried to head for the cell.
She didn't want me to kill him…
I park the motorcycle and walk to the house. I open the front door and turn on the lights. "Damn…" I say out loud, taking a good look around.