Chapter 43: A New Addition
Bruce's POV
I walk into the manor, and the first thing I hear is barking coming from upstairs. Then I hear yelling.
"Titus get away from her! She's evil!"
"I just wanna pet him!"
"But he doesn't want to be pet!"
"But he's trying to run towards me!"
"NO! He's my dog!"
"Stop being such a brat!"
"Stop being such a douche!"
"Stop being such a-"
"KIDS!" I yell before any curse words can escape their lips. I hear silence immediately after. "Come downstairs!"
Light footsteps are accompanied by a faint jingling. The jingling becomes louder as a large, black hound growls and bounds towards me.
"Woah boy!" I say in an attempt to prevent him from tackling me.
"Titus, he's safe. That is my father." Immediately, the dog stops in his tracks and returns to Damian.
I stare at him in confusion. Damian is petting the dog as it licks his hand while Chris just looks at them and smiles a bit.
"Explain. Now." I order.
Damian approaches me and leaves Titus on the stairs with Chris, who makes an attempt to pet him. She receives a low growl in response as she sighs in her defeat.
"I found him wandering the streets when I went out earlier today. I took it upon myself to adopt him and buy him a tag. His name is Titus, and he is my dog! Not Drake's, not Carter's, not Grayson's. Mine."
"Damian...you can't just get a stray off the streets and bring him into this house expecting that I'll let you keep him."
Before I can continue talking, Damian interrupts. "No Father! We must keep him! He's special! He's...he's my friend." I look down at my son, and in his eyes I can tell that he has some kind of connection with this dog.
I sigh. "Fine. I say we can keep the dog, but we'll have to run it past Alfred. And if we do keep the dog you have to take on most of the responsibilities of keeping him, and you have to share him. If he comes into this family, he is everyone's dog. Not just yours. Agreed?"
Damian frowns as he thinks over our terms. Finally, he sighs. "Yes, Father."
"Good. Now go play outside. I don't want him messing up the house. I'll go talk to Alfred."
Damian smiles up at me. "Thank you Father!" He turns behind him, where Chris somehow won Titus' trust.
"Titus! C'mon boy!" The dog's head jerks up as he follows his new master. Before Damian exits the door, he calls back. "Carter. I'm waiting." Chris raises an eyebrow but follows after him anyway.
"Oh boy..." I mutter to myself. A dog. I just hope the dog will help lighten things up around the house.
****Break****
Alfred's POV
"A what?" I ask in alarm.
"I know, I know. But Alfred he might help put this family back together. After all we've been through, I think a dog will really lighten the mood."
"But a dog?! Cats are neater and easier to take care of! Fish barely require any care! Would you like me to remind you what happened last time we kept a dog?"
"I know it's a lot of work to take care of a dog, but Damian has agreed to take on most of those responsibilities."
I raise an eyebrow. "Does he know what those responsibilities are?"
Master Bruce pauses for a second. "I would assume so, considering he's had to grow up pretty quickly."
I frown. "Well you shouldn't assume things too quickly." I say as I dust the windowsill. I look out the window and notice Christine, Damian, and the dog playing, smiling. I sigh at their happiness.
"Maybe a dog wouldn't hurt, but the moment something happens I will reconsider my decision." I turn around and see Master Bruce giving me a tiny smile. I smile a little wider before I return to my cleaning duties. "What is the dog's name?"
"Titus." He says before he exits the room.
I sigh. "Sounds like a troublemaker." I mutter.
I hear Bruce laughing lightly outside of the room.
****Break****
Tim's POV
I was sitting in the library after getting back from the Tower, minding my own business, cooped up with a good book called Angels and Demons. Real interesting book.
But now I'm covered up in slobber. My clothes have some rips, and I have two bite marks on my leg and one on my arm. Although the one on my arm is specifically from a certain Demon instead of a dog.
Chris pulls the dog off of my chest before it can sink it's teeth into my eye. "Get it off! Get it off!" I yell as the weight is off of my chest.
The dark hound runs out to it's master. Damian laughs, holding up his phone with a devilish smirk. I sit up. "Demon Spawn!" I growl as I wipe the slobber off of my face. He grins, muttering something about blackmail.
"How the hell did Alfred even allow that thing to come near this house?"
He glares at me, tearing his eyes off of his phone. He bends down and scratches the hound's ear. "His name is Titus, Drake. And he is my dog, so you keep your disgusting hands off of him." He orders.
I roll my eyes. "No problem."
"Ruff ruff!"
"I think he needs to go." Chris points out as I take a look at the scratches on my clothes.
Damian grins even wider. "I know the perfect place where he can expel his urine." He and the dog run out of the library and down the hallway.
For a moment I just sit here contemplating what he's talking about. "You do know what he's talking about right?" Chris asks with a raised eyebrow as she studies my silence.
I look at her, confused, as I stand up. "What do you-" My eyes widen. "God no. Damian!" I run out the library and into my room.
I just hope I'll be able to wear something tomorrow that isn't covered in dog piss or saliva.
****Break****
Dick's POV
Even before I enter the house I hear loud barks. And yelling.
"Master Damian get your dog out of the kitchen!"
"Titus! Come!"
"Ruff ruff!"
"Carter get the leash! I'm going to take Titus out for a walk!"
"Get it yourself! I'm busy!"
"Master Damian! Dinner is almost ready! You cannot take Titus out for a walk yet!"
"But I want to!"
I enter the manor just as a large hound appears at the top of the stairs. I rub my eyes and he's gone.
Oh okay. Just my imagination.
I enter the kitchen where Alfred is preparing something that smells amazing.
"Hey Alfred? I thought I just heard and saw Ace..."
He turns around and looks at me, his lips almost in a line. "That is not Ace. Ace was much sweeter and gentler. That is Titus. Damian's dog." He turns back around.
Damian has a dog? How...? What...? When...?
"Sounds to me you don't like him too much."
He chuckles lightly. "Oh I don't. But he seems to be making everyone else happy. If you don't mind me saying I prefer Ace over Titus."
"But you barely know Titus. I guess you just met him today."
"Yes, that is true. But my first encounter with him he tried to jump on me and get the food on my tray!"
I chuckle. "That sounds like the first time you met Ace."
"Well, Ace had a smile on his face. Titus, however, looked like he wanted to murder me."
I chuckle as I walk out of the kitchen.
"Grayson!" He and Titus run down the steps and head toward me.
Now I see what Alfred meant by 'wanting to murder me.' Titus looks much meaner and aggressive looking than Ace. It's almost like I can see the anger in his eyes. Titus growls and prepares to lunge at me. I prepare to jump out of the way.
"Titus no! Grayson's a friend."
At Damian's words, Titus settles down. A few seconds later, Chris appears at the top of the stairs. "Dick! You're back!"
Titus turns around and starts running up the stairs toward Chris. Crap. Is he gonna attack her?
Chris bends down as the dog approaches her. He makes a jump at her, and she just laughs as I realize he's trying to lick her face. "Carter won over Titus' affection." Damian mutters.
I ruffle his hair despite Damian's objections. "Aw somebody's jealous."
"I am not!" Titus goes back to Damian and stands by his side. Damian pets Titus' head as both of them look up at me.
"Dinner is ready. Damian bring Titus outside." Alfred says as he peeps out from behind the kitchen door.
"Yes, Pennyworth." Damian walks out the door, Titus at his side.
Chris walks down the steps and approaches me. "So how's Wally?"
"Pretty good, but he's kinda upset about losing his legs."
"Well at least he's alive, right?"
"Yeah...now go and help Alfred set the table. I'll get Bruce and Jason."
"Okay." I run upstairs to the study and knock on the door before opening it. I swing it open. "Dad, dinner's-" I find Jason on the seat in front of the table in a bad mood and Bruce sitting on the chair behind the table. A test paper on top of the table has a big fat F right across it. Their eyes turn to me, then slowly I back away and quietly shut the door. "Never mind…" I mumble as the door shuts fully.
Bruce's POV
"Jason." He doesn't keep eye contact with me. He's leaning back on the chair with his arms crossed and a defiant look on his face. I look down at the history test. "This is the fourth F I've gotten this month." I state, but he doesn't respond so I continue. "Your answers tell me that you haven't even been trying to get the questions right."
He doesn't say anything as his frown deepens. "When was the last time you've studied?" I ask calmly, but he doesn't answer at all. "Jason." I call his name but he doesn't reply, and instead his brows furrow further.
"I asked you a question son. We won't be having dinner until you answer my question. Are you even trying anymore? Do you even want to finish college? Get a job? When was the last time you've studied?" I ask again.
Finally, his eyes dart at me as he narrows them almost leveling Batman's glare. "Bruce. What's the point of going to college and getting a job?" He growls, "Or having a normal life, at all," he leans forward, "living this life? I'm surprised Tim even reached 15!"
I lean back in my chair, keeping a stoic face on, I cross my arms over my chest and look into his teal green eyes. "Jason." I say calmly. "What's the real reason for this?" I ask with a soft voice even though I already know the reason. I want to hear it from him.
I can tell by his eyes that he's mildly surprised as he leans back further in his seat. His eyebrows arch slightly as his eyes drop to his feet and his mouth thins into a straight line.
"Son…" I mutter quietly.
Then his eyebrows furrow and he looks at me with an intense fire in his eyes, "She needs to be avenged. I will find her killer and I will kill him for what he did to my sister." He throws out in a low growl.
"Son. We've been doing the best we can to find her killer, but-"
"No you haven't!" He snaps, standing up. "If you have been trying then maybe she would have been avenged by now! If any of you have been trying then maybe she wouldn't have died at all!" He glares daggers into my eyes as his mouth forms into a scowl.
I keep my emotionless face.
"But none of you even gave a damn about my sister!" He yells.
I stand up, reminding him of our height difference. "Enough!" I growl, "I have been trying! We all have!"
"Really? How?" He counters. "When she was still here. You wouldn't even look at her except with shame or regret! Until finally you completely ignored her-"
"You think you did any better!?" I bark back. "You ignored her completely! You stayed away from her! Because of guilt instead of facing it! Causing her to run away which lead to her death!"
"This isn't about me! Or how she died! It's about avenging her and actually trying! She died, Bruce! And none of you give a damn about it! All of you just move on like it never happened! None of you are even trying anymore to find her killer!"
"You think it's easy!? You think it's as easy as that? What if we did find her killer and killed him? Then what? It won't change anything! It won't bring her back! It won't make anyone feel any better! We're doing all we can to find this criminal, everything!"
"Don't give me that sh*t! You're not doing crap! Not back then, not now! Because you're too afraid to face your emotions! So instead you don't do anything!"
"It hasn't been easy Jason!"
"It's never been." He glares into my eyes as he growls in a hush tone for emphasis. "Not when I was alive, or when she was alive. Or when I died, or now that she's dead. It's never been easy." He steps back and turns towards the grandfather clock. "Why?" He asks himself. "Because you're a coward." He growls and walks down the cave as the grandfather clock shuts tightly behind him.
Jason's POV
I type on the cave's computer. They won't figure this out so I will.
I start by scanning through all the files from that night. First are the surveillance cameras on the way to the carnival, but all I see is Autumn as she went inside through the entrance with her bike. I rewind a few hours back - it's an abandoned carnival. It's creepy too, so my guess is that no one but Phoenix and the culprit would go in.
But no one went in the entrance, no one except for Phoenix with her bike and that was all the camera caught.
But after 12am, the cameras anywhere near the carnival shut down. Whoever did this was smart. Obviously planned to kill her from the start.
I go to the autopsy lab, to the table where some of Autumn's things that were with her that night lay. My hands hover over the objects: a few weapons, some shuriken stars with droplets of blood on them, and then her phone.
I put on a glove and take her phone. This phone has a whole lot of evidence. It's got a very important call recording on it. I've already played it a billion times before, and we already tried tracing it, but still nothing.
But I play it anyways.
December 21, 10:08pm
"What?"
"You know where to go later. I know where to go. You know the exact time. Don't be late because you know what will happen if you are. 12 o clock sharp, is that clear?"
"Crystal."
"Good. Just called in to check with you"
"I will be there!"
'End of call'
December 21, 10:08pm
The signal was tampered with; not even Tim could find out where the call came from. They obviously used a voice modulator, so we couldn't get anything from their voice.
I sigh and scroll through her messages on December 21. She sent something to Chris: a voicemail. A goodbye message.
She texted some guy named R.
I keep scrolling through all her messages, then through her call logs.
Jake Rein, Scott Daly, Jackass, R, Damian, Tsina Kai, Suki Kai, Cielo Roman, Reesey C.
She seemed pretty social.
Mrs. Anthony, Coby.
January 17:
R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R.
It continues on 20 times, a gap within a few minutes after another.
January 21:
Chris
Obviously to make that last call.
Jake Rein
I furrow my eyebrows and check the time of the call.
12:11am
Was it really necessary for her to call her friend just before her death?
I roll my eyes. They were probably together.
I look through the papers. Time of death: 3:11am. Fight started roughly 12 o' clock. Her life was ended at three am. That's one hell of a fight.
"Jay?" I turn around to find no one in front of me. I look down slightly to see Tim standing in front of me, looking up with big blue eyes.
"What do you want Replacement?" I ask gruffly.
"You didn't have dinner with us…" He states quietly.
"Yeah so?"
"You didn't have lunch either."
I look away. "Busy."
"Doing what?"
"You know what, kid."
A long uncomfortable silence. "Maybe...I can help." He mumbles.
****Break****
Dick's POV
"Are you sure, Z?" I ask over the phone while pulling my shirt off.
"Yeah, sorry Dick." She says regrettably. "I wish I could do more, but the death of your friend and the awakening of Wally doesn't seem to have any connection...at least by magic."
I nod silently. "Okay. Thanks anyways Z."
"Are you sure I can't do anything else to help?" She asks politely.
"No, it's fine. Thanks though."
"Anytime Dick. Send Barbara my best regards!"
"Okay. Bye."
"Bye." I drop the call and throw my phone on my bed.
I sigh and strip off my pants and walk into my shower. I turn it on and just stand here for a while, letting the water soak me.
Barbara's theory is a long shot, but it could work. What I know from experience is that this world is messed up, and not just this world.
Parallel universes, different Earths, Speed Force, magic, gods, meta humans, aliens. clones...
Then there are immortals and people coming back from the dead.
It's hard to imagine a universe where everything is normal, where there are no superheroes or villains. A world where all this messed up stuff is just a fantasy and none of this is real. If only we were born into THAT world.
I chuckle at the idea.
But the fact that all that can happen...I don't see why Wally coming back and Autumn leaving can't be a coincidence.
Ever heard of the term to receive a life, you must give one?
You can't light a lit candle.
What if Autumn bargained her life so that Wally could come back? But then why would she do that? Wally says they hardly even met. And how could that happen? It doesn't make any sense, but it's all I've got.
The world is like a spider web. Everything is connected to everything.
Wow, I've gotta put that in my book of quotes.
If I can find a way to prove this, then maybe...maybe we can fix things. I've known for a long time that there are one too many ways to cheat death.