A/N Sorry folks. Yesterday was Memorial Day and I was working in my yard all day. I didn't realize I hadn't posted another part of my story.
Cypher wants revenge against Batman and his former third Robin. What better way to get revenge than to use the Wayne Family to lure everyone to their doom.
Subliminal Death
By
AJ
Part 17: Head Games
Dick walked up to Tim and Samantha's room and peeked his head in. Tim seemed to be sleeping fine. He didn't want to disturb him. There was gentle music playing in the background from Tim's phone. Dick walked back to his room and was going to crawl into bed when he heard someone clear their throat. He looked up to see Koriand'ra sitting on the windowsill of his open window. Dick could feel his body suddenly tense.
"Kori? What are you doing here?"
"You've been missing meetings with the Titans," Kori stated. "In fact, you haven't been back for months."
"I'm sorry, I've been kind of busy," Dick replied. He could hear his daughter stirring in the alcove where her crib was kept.
Kori went over and looked in the crib. "Now, I understand," Kori answered. "She's beautiful."
"Ever since Babs left, I've been reluctant to place her in the nursery with the other children."
"Why?" Kori questioned. "She could begin her socializing now. All children on Tamara have their own space with other children their age as soon as they are born. They don't sleep in separate beds."
"Yeah, I guess I get that, sort of . . . "
"Children are cared for by all. You have the rest of your family to help take care of her," Kori pointed out. "Don't isolate yourself or her. She'll only resent you for it in the future."
"Yeah, you're right. I guess I haven't been thinking about what she needs." Dick rubbed his shoulders. They were sore from fighting Black Mask and his False Face gang, but it was much more than that, something else was still bothering him. "I just don't want her hurt."
"Dick, are you alright?" Kori asked.
"Fine, just the weight of the day catching up with me," Dick tried to brush it off.
"You're not as fine as you say you are," Kori pointed out. "Maybe you need to sit in a whirlpool," Kori suggested, her voice soft and lilting which suggested something more. "Maybe that will help."
Dick yawned, "Maybe after a bit of rest."
"How about I give you a massage. Listening to some music might also help you to fall asleep." Kori was aware that this wasn't the time to discuss why she really had come to see Dick. Even so, her Tamarian needs were urging her to do more than just talk.
"That actually sounds nice," Dick replied. He removed his shirt and laid on his stomach on the bed. Dick grabbed his phone and found some music to listen to. He put his earbuds in to listen. It didn't register that it was the same music that Tim was listening on his phone. His eyes were partially closed when he felt Kori's hands start to massage his shoulders and down his back. Even though he wanted to really enjoy Kori's ministration, a portion of his mind really wanted to know what happened. It was as if he had been sleepwalking and he woke up dressed as Nightwing and sitting in Black Mask's office with Red Robin tied up on the floor. Dick also wasn't aware that he was projecting that worry through the link he shared with his brothers.
Tim woke up feeling troubled, but it wasn't from him. It was Dick. He looked over to see that Sammie was asleep. Tim decided to see what the problem might be. He put on a robe and walked to Dick's room and knocked.
'Go away,' Kori thought.
"Come in," Dick said tiredly, removing his earbuds.
Kori pouted when Dick overrode her thoughts. She wasn't privy to the link that Dick shared with his brothers and didn't know how close they really were.
Tim opened the door and went inside and saw that Kori was with Dick. He did't expect to see her, but at the same time, he wasn't surprised that she was there. She often dropped by to let Dick know when he hadn't been to Titan meetings for a while. "Hi Kori, can I talk to Dick privately?"
"Of course," Kori sated. "How about I look after your daughter."
"Thanks. There's a bottle warmer on top of the changing table and bottles filled with formula if she wakes up." Dick stretched and sat up. The massage that Kori gave him helped to ease some of the soreness from his muscles. He watched as Kori gently picked up Haley and cradled her.
Tim could tell Dick was tired, but he could also tell that Dick was troubled. "Are you alright?"
Dick shook his head and signaled not here. ^No. I feel like I did something terrible, but I don't know what that is.^
^Why don't we go somewhere and talk about it,^ Tim suggested. ^Bruce's study? We won't be interrupted there.^
Dick got up and grabbed a throw blanket, wrapping it around his body. "Kori, I'll be back. Just let me know if Haley needs me."
Tim and Dick headed down to the study. Tim opened Bruce's study door and led Dick inside. Tim sat in one of the winged back chairs. "What do you want to know."
Dick grabbed a pillow off one of the chairs and laid on the floor. "What . . . what did I do?"
"To start, you kind of made an ass of yourself, causing havoc. Jason went to retrieve you so we could help you. You beat him up. That was just a start. I don't know if I should tell you the rest. Dick. Are you okay? Dick?" Tim looked down to see that Dick had fallen asleep. 'Looks like I'll wait. I'll stay with him until he's ready to talk.' Tim put a second pillow under his head and sat back down. He pulled up his legs and slowly went into a meditative state, even though he only intended to wait for Dick to wake up. In that state, Tim went over the events in his head, the images swirling around and around more doubt forming in his mind. 'I know I shouldn't have any doubts about Dick, but I can't get over the feeling that he led me to Black Mask. I felt I was used for something, and Dick didn't tell me. I must give Dick some credit. He did fight Cypher's control. I'm going to have to tell him. And I don't like what I'm feeling.'
It wasn't long until Dick woke up, remembering what Tim had just told him. 'I made an ass of myself?' Dick questioned. 'I hurt Jay? What exactly did I do?'
Dick sat up and noticed that Tim was sitting there with a hurt look on his face. "Can you explain that when I came to, why we were in Black Mask office? Tim?"
Tim didn't answer.
Dick didn't understand that Tim was in some meditative state that wasn't natural. Tim didn't even hear Dick's question. The fact that Dick might have hurt Tim in some way, caused Dick to feel terrible, that he didn't even deserve Tim. Dick was supposed to be Tim's guardian and he felt like he let him down. He hurt both Jay and Tim in some way, letting both down. That fogginess was coming back. He needed to clear his head. Dick left Bruce's office and headed to the trees in the woods behind the Manor. For a moment, while in the trees, the fog lifted, but his memories of that time didn't return. He still needed to know.
Tim sat there a little longer still caught in playing out those events when he noticed Dick was gone. 'Shit, now I'm going to have to find him,' Tim suddenly felt annoyed. I really need to talk to someone about this if I can't talk to Dick. I think I'm going to go visit my Dad's grave at the centenary. I just don't know how to approach this.'
Tim got up, went back to his room, got dressed and headed out to the family cemetery. It was still early. The sun hadn't come up yet. Tim sat in front of his parent's gravestone. "Dad, I need help with something. I wish you were here right now." Tim started to cry. The feeling of betrayal became overwhelming.
'Good thing I checked the schedule before I left the house. Classes were canceled for the day.' Jason was sitting in the living room when he noticed Dick ran past him. He looked out the window and saw Dick running into the woods and then a short while later Tim was heading out towards the cemetery down another path. 'Now what the hell did those two do now?'
Jason could feel the confusion between them both. 'Damn it, now I have to be the one to fix it. Let's start with Lil Red.'
Jason headed outside and followed Tim's trail. He noticed that Tim was crying at his father's gravestone. Jason walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What happened? Why are you in tears?"
Tim didn't answer him at first. "Tim?" Jason called Tim's name again.
'How do I tell him what Cypher is capable of?' Tim silently questioned. 'He doesn't know that Cypher was conniving. He uses subliminal messages to find out your worst fears and wishes. Maybe deep-down Dick still hated Jason for replacing him as Robin. Technically, I replaced him, too, but back then, I wanted Dick to be Robin again. And Dick refused. Then I put on that uniform to help them, to save them. I would not have minded not wearing that uniform ever again, but I realized Batman needed a Robin.' Tim questioned once more. 'How do I tell him? I can't even talk to Bruce. It might hurt him because he worked so hard to get Dick to understand, but I figured out the truth long ago, why Bruce really took in Jason in. There are things I know I wish I didn't. I don't want to believe that Dick is capable of hating Jason, but Cypher must have gotten it out of him. And to use me as bait for Black Mask? I guess I should be grateful he kept Black Mask from killing me, but it still hurt. To see the look in Dick's eyes? He had to have known I was following him, leading me into a trap. So, he could . . . How do I tell him?'
"Tim, if you don't want to talk, I understand," Jason said. "Just don't shut me or anyone else out, please. I'm going to find Dick and see what he knows."
Jason left Tim sitting by his father's grave. This was the most perplexing thing. Everyone was behaving in ways that were uncharacteristic. It was baffling. Jason looked around and found Dick by the pond. Instead of approaching him, Jason watched from a distance. What he saw also disturbed him.
Dick sat close to the edge of the water; his knees pulled up to his chest. He was concentrating hard on trying to remember but he couldn't. 'Everything is so fuzzy,' Dick's hands went to grip at his hair. 'I'm so confused.' Dick sighed heavily. 'What did mom use to say? You'll stay confused until you ask questions? I don't know, something along the lines. I should go and ask Tim.' Dick got up slowly and started to walk back to the Manor. He hesitated when he sensed Tim' aura was nearby. Dick walked in that direction and found Tim's aura leading to the cemetery. He passed Jason without even seeing him.
"How do I tell, Dick?" Tim asked his father, but there was only silence. He was startled when a voice spoke behind him.
"How do you tell me what?" Dick asked.
Tim whirled around. 'Oh boy.'
Continues with Part 18: Hurtful Revelations
