Chapter 14: Home

Warning! Suicide Thoughts!

Clattering, one washed plate after another made its way into the myriad cupboards of the large main kitchen at Wayne Manor. Alfred cleaned each of the high-end porcelain pieces with his hands inside the chrome sink, although he was aware that there was a fully functional dishwasher right next to him.

It was a habit from the old days that calmed him on nights like this. While the composed butler showed no outward emotion, he was nonetheless concerned. Alfred knew about the danger that Batman and Robin were facing, and it was missions like this that wouldn't let him rest until they both arrived home safely. Especially after the replacement jet had taken off about an hour ago. That always meant nothing good.

Suddenly, his plain wristwatch started beeping. Briefly, the old butler dried his hands with a kitchen towel before looking at the accessory in question and pressing a small button on the side.

The dial flipped open to reveal a screen announcing the imminent arrival of the Batman, as well as the number of people he had with him. Alfred had long ago built this little trick into the existing system so that he could always prepare the coffee and tea on in time for the visitors.

And so it was now.

Happy that the number of people present did not indicate a loss, the butler finished his current activity, took out expensive beans and tee from the drawer and started to prepare the three cups of coffee and one cup of tea.

Five minutes later, with a tray filled with hot drinks, he went down to the Batcave, where the jet was already landing. When the hatch opened, Alfred could already hear Damian's protesting voice: "Let go of me! I don't require help. I can walk by myself!"

Wounded, the boy dragged himself down the lowered cargo ramp, followed by Batman, who calmly walked up to him before turning once more around and calling out:

"Clark, take the capsule out with you, please."

Before the father forcefully propped up his exasperated son.

Alfred put the tray down on a nearby metal table and, sighing heavily, made his way to the Cave's small treatment area, where Bruce was already setting Damian down on the hospital bed.

The father matter-of-factly explained the status of the annoyed boy to the butler:

"He has a large laceration, which probably also involved the anterior branches of the Arteriae intercostales posteriores at the 11th rib. In addition, 1st and 2nd degree burns on his hand and a suspected concussion."

Alfred nodded in understanding and began treating the boy's many wounds. The old butler could tell that Damian seemed to have been overpowered by their adversary. It always visibly annoyed the boy when he lost and this time if wasn't different.

Batman was just turning away when Alfred added: "I've put coffee on the table for you and your guests sir."

With a quick nod, the Bat thanked his butler and headed towards Clark's direction, who was placing the about three-meters-long metal capsule onto the floor a few feet away from the Bat Computer.

Bruce approached and double-checked the data on the bulky tube, before pointing out the drinks to both Clark and Diana and then began refilling the gas containers.

Both heroes went to the small table to each have a cup of coffee.

Meanwhile, Batman was replacing the last bottle and sat down in front of his big Bat-computer so he could do some initial analysis.

Quickly, his gloved fingers wandered over the many keys, initiating one protocol, after another, so that more and more data was determined.

Clark approached him, followed by Diana, and handed Bruce his coffee before he began asking questions:

"Anything figured out yet?"

Without looking up, Batman grabbed the hot cup and then answered:

"It will take a bit time before the first results are available, even more so since I can't take a cell sample. The skin cannot be penetrated with my current technology. I would advocate that the two of you stay until I have gathered enough information to be sure that this creature won't endanger anyone anymore. That should be the case in an hour or two."

Batman turned around in his chair to the two Justice League members and pointed subliminally in the direction of his son, who was getting penetrated Alfred's gentle stitches at the other site of the cave:

"I don't want to risk another unpleasant surprise. Two near deaths are enough for me for now."

Seriously, Bruce looked at the faces of his teammates and immediately received nods of agreement from both, before Clark added:

"I'm also more reassured when I know there's no more danger coming from this thing."

The Kryptonian pulled out his cell phone before continuing: "I'll let Lois know that I'll be late."

While Superman turned away briefly to call his wife, Diana now solicited the conversation with the bat. She calmly braced one of her hands on her hips while the other held her cup:

"Do you already know what you want to do with this creature? After all, it can't stay with you forever."

Batman took a sip of his coffee before answering dryly:

"Once the research is done and I know for sure that more of them might not show up, the best option would be to send it back to where it came from. However, I am not sure yet if this is even possible. In the worst case, we have to make sure in another way that it can't harm anyone else. For example, by sending it into the phantom zone. But that can also be clarified later. For now, we'll wait for the results."

Suddenly, Robin's voice sounded distant, addressing his father: "In the meantime, we could analyze the audio files from the device we found earlier."

Surprised, Bruce looked over at his son: "You were able to recover the data?"

Curious, Diana asked: "What device?" as she was not told of this small detail.

Damian winced briefly as Alfred hit a receptive nerve with the curved needle before answering through clenched teeth:

"It came with the creature through the portal. Just before we left, I was able to repair the data on it almost completely. However, my laptop lacked the necessary technology for the last fragments, but with the main computer, even those should be recoverable. I saved it in the D-17 folder."

Promptly, Batman's fingers found their way back to the Many Keys and opened the folder. There were a total of 18 audio files that Bruce now ran the repair program over. He drew a first conclusion: "So it was some kind of recorder."

As soon as the first file had been restored, Batman opened the audio track and a voice familiar to all of them, accompanied by some noise, filled the large cave:

"Ok, seems like this thing is still intact. Maybe I can build something helpful with it, but I shouldn't waste the battery for now."

Clacking, the first recording ended and everyone in the room just looked at the big screen, speechless. Even Clark was lost his words. He paused in mid-conversation, allowing Lois questioning voice to resound from his cell phone. The Kryptonian, like everyone else present, couldn't believe who he was hearing. It was simply impossible. He quickly ended the conversation with his wife and rejoined the others.

Meanwhile, Diana looked anxiously at her friend Bruce. Hesitantly, she reached out a hand to his shoulder and was about to speak to him, but just before her slender fingers reached him and a glum: "Bruce..." already left her lips, the Amazon was interrupted by the autoplay:

"So, Nightwing here with his first log. Actually, this thing is for interrogations and it's probably pretty stupid to waste the battery like this, but hey, I've never made the best decisions and it's sooooo unbearably boring here."

They heard, a brief rustle before he continued:

"Let's see, what's the best way to start something like this. Well, I've been here in hell for about a week by now. At least I think so, since there are no day and night cycles and I only count my sleep cycles. What is certain, however, is that the weather. Sooty clouds on a consistently red sky and I won't even go into the sulfur smell. Everything is trying to kill you. You have to think carefully about every step you take or it could be your last. If the heat doesn't kill you, those nasty critters that lurk around every corner will. They're quite a nuisance and gave me a bad time the first day, so I had to cauterize that stupid wound from Trigon to keep myself from bleeding to death. If I hadn't been so lucky and found this cave with its water source, I probably would have been dead long ago. But with such a charming smile like mine, even Fortuna can't resist.

Anyway, this hole has now become my shelter and I'll wait here until Batman hopefully finds a way to open this stupid portal again. Until then, I'm living off the things that got sucked in here with me and try to let my burn heal somehow. Hopefully, there will be no infections."

Damian's eyes grew wide and he sat up in shock. Alfred had taken the final stitch and both were now looking equally befuddled at the computer. It was indeed Grayson speaking.

"Log entry two and it's now been nearly two and a half weeks since I arrived in hell. There's no sign of rescue yet, and in the meantime I've hauled most of the usable stuff that landed here from Earth into my cave. By the way, I decorated it a little bit.

Yeah sure, posters from superhero magazines are pretty old-school, but now I can throw little rocks at both Batman's and Bruce Wayne's faces without having to suffer the consequences. Red Robin and Robin have also found their place on my wall, by the way. Despite that I will always be exposed to Damian's scowl from now on. But that's how he is anyway.

I didn't find a photo of Alfred and Jason, but I did find a sticker book with smiley faces, and I have to say that an angry red smiley face, on the shoulders of a leather jacket model, looks a lot like Jason."

An amused chuckle could be heard:

"If I ever get out of here, I'm taking this picture with me and hang it on my fridge so I can laugh at it every day. But until then, I should start thinking about how to stock up my food reserves. I figure they'll last another week or two, and after that..."

A depressing sigh escaped the large speakers.

"...After that, I'll probably starve unless Bruce finds a way to get me out of here. So I'll keep my fingers crossed for myself and him until then."

Damian slowly rose and began to stride toward the computer. Alfred did not stop him.

"Captain Grayson to log, it's a light day outside with some sulfurous haze, they smell worse than the Eggman after three shower-free weeks. So nothing usual. Co-pilot Mr. Wayne is mute throughout, but is still awarded employee of the month for not making a face even in the worst of situations. However, unfortunately, the supplies are no longer enough for his party. One canned food won't fill our crew. Mr. Drake should come up with a solution for this. The ribs and the burn almost don't hurt anymore, fortunately there were no infections, but a scar will remain. At least I can move properly again, so our two defense admirals Todd and Wayne Junior can no longer call me a nicely paraphrased obstacle. Hopefully there won't be any more grumbling on the next mission."

They heard Dick seem to pause briefly before sighing and continuing in his pseudo-captain voice:

"Mr. Drake seems to have found a worst case solution to our little food problem. Protocol 4.7. hunting and consume native individuals. With the acid cocktail they always have inside them, this will probably be hotter than freshly cooked curry from Starfire. My stomach is already looking forward to it. In the best case, the portal would open beforehand and we would finally see something else like rocks, lava and monsters. But we can't hope for that. Get the men ready with weapons. We're going on a hunt. Captain Grayson out."

Damian came to a stop behind his father and the voice in front of him, took on a depressing tone:

"Log entry four, three months after my arrival in hell.

I'm...I'm starting to get scared of myself. All I do is talk to photos on the walls as if they were real people and look for any little diversion in this monotony. Every day I sit here in this shitty cave and stare at the same damn walls, unless I am forced to go hunting and put my life on the line, only to almost puke because of the meat. That I have not yet poisoned myself seems like a miracle. My body defends itself against the disgusting meat with cramps and sweating. What wouldn't I do now for one of Alfred's cucumber sandwiches.

It's so hard to keep telling myself that you're going to get out of here, but I want to survive as long as I can. Even if that means I'll start to go crazy. My mental training is helping to slow this process down, but I notice that its happening. More and more often, thoughts cross my mind that I've never had before. Thoughts from different voices all telling me something different and sometimes...suicide and I'm afraid they will eventually become a bigger part of me. Right now they don't affect me much, but who knows how long that will last and I'm mainly trying to calm myself down through this recording...

So Dick, hang in there."

The next file played and the voice was now much more shaky and startled:

"To-Today I almost did it. Seven months, Seven months it took me before standing in front of this acid pond for the first time and I almost threw myself in to it, ending it all. It's so easy, but I don't want to do it. I just don't want to end this way! But it's so hard not to give in to these dark thoughts. It's so loud in my head. So many voices and this one that pulls me to this pond. Tells me not to avoid any attack. To let go. It becomes more and more present. "

They heard Dick's shaky voice become more and more brittle and deep sobs committed the next words hard to understand: "I'm slowly loosing myself. It-it scares me..."

Nine more recordings followed in which Dick talked frantically about his suicidal thoughts and events, putting a thick lump in everyone's throat. Clark wondered if he should intervene to end this misery, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. So now an already almost emotionally dead voice rang out from Richard:

"Here Dick, 1 year after being stranded in hell. Although I have not used this thing for so long, but after all, today is the anniversary. Weather equal, near suicides have become part of my daily routine and I haven't eaten in three days and my stomach hurts from hunger. But I just couldn't hunt anything. If I can't change that soon, at least I won't have to worry about suicide anymore. Maybe then this will be my last log before I finally kick the bucket. After all, I'm surprised myself that I've lasted this long."

Alfred had to sit down on the hospital bed behind him in shock. Dick had been alive even after they had declared him dead.

Again the familiar voice rang out, but unlike before, this time it was much more relaxed, almost warm:

"Ok, Dick Grayson's last log, or rather my last things that I just wanted to get off my chest before this devices battery is completely empty. I've been here for eight years now and I've forgotten that I still had this voice recorder. In fact, I've gotten used to living here and it's actually got quite nice. Night has fallen and just everything in this world is shining, especially the living creatures. It seems as if the animals on this planet move with the sun and night. A completely different world has emerged and even though I will probably never see the sunlight again, it is beautiful.

Anyway, I don't blame anyone for still being here. I'm sure Bruce tried everything, but some things even he can't change. This is my life now."

Dick sighed heavily:

"The only one I blame is myself. There are so many things I really wanted to change, but since I can't get around to it anymore, I'll just get rid of them with the help of this recorder.

First of all, I would like to apologize to Bruce. For how we parted ways back when Batman and Robin were at odds and how selfish I acted when Jason took the role of Robin alongside you. If I could go back in time, I would do it differently and treat him like a brother right away instead of some kind of intruder. Maybe then some things would have been different between us.

But I swore to myself I wouldn't make that mistake with the other Robins. I know that was years ago, however, I don't think I ever really apologized for it. So sorry Bruce and Jason, for my stupid teenage behavior.

The second thing I regret follows on directly from that. I wish I would have cared more...more about my family. Since I moved to Bludhaven, we've drifted further and further apart over the years, each doing our own thing. Sure now and then fighting crime brought us together, but only because our job demanded it.

We always had a hard time to talk openly with each other or to see us as a real family. It would have been nice to just come together to have fun as a family and create a real bond between us that didn't symbolize Batman and the Robins, but Bruce Wayne and his sons. For example, I always liked this one time we watching The Mask of Zorro together as a family. I hold it dearly in my memories.

The first time that this thought came more to the forefront of my mind was when Bruce got back from the dead and I left Damian to him. I enjoyed that we didn't just spend time at night as Batman and Robin, but also during the day as Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne.

I wanted to be there for him, unlike i did with Jason, and even though he can be a real pai in the ass, I just couldn't leave him alone. It was difficult and we both had our hurdles to overcome, but it was the first time I felt like a real big brother.

And then when I was back in Bludhaven, I felt like I was leaving something important behind, but crime fighting never really let me think about it.

Ever since I became Nightwing, I've always had this anger inside of me and I didn't know where it came from. But the last eight years have made me think a lot and I know now that I'm angry at myself. At never really holding on to the people I cared about, when really that's what we all needed. A family.

I've become what I never wanted. A second Batman who lets crooks run his life instead of living his own. Of course Nightwing is important, but there also has to be a Dick Grayson and he lives now in constant worry.

Worry that Bruce Wayne will never start living.

That Jason Todd will forever be trapped alone in his past.

That Tim Drake will never learn that he's better than the Red Robin.

And that Damian Wayne will always be entrenched behind walls because no one sees how hard this warm-hearted kid is trying for getting a little recognition and really just wants to belong somewhere.

My God, he should already be twenty. I wonder if he's taller than me by now.

Apparently I now know how Alfred must have felt whenever we were on patrol and put our lives on the line. And then you always had to patch us up too. I'm sorry Alfi that I always did that to you and that you had so many worries with us.

Anyway, as a third and final point, I'd like to thank you all."

A short giggle followed:

"Even though some of you threw things at my head or even tried to kill me. I wanted to especially give my thanks to you Bruce. For the second chance you gave me and for giving me another father, a concerned grandpa and a family despite the fact that we had our ups and downs and didn't really know how to make this work in the beginning.

But you know what they say. Kids are like pancakes. The first one is always a miss.

If I meet you again in the next life, I'll definitely invite you out on ventures more often and if I overhear that you didn't make an effort with my brothers, I'll personally show you the real hell Bruce."

A short pause arose before continuing:

"Then I guess this will now be the last of me. Despite the fact no one will ever hear this... It's probably just for the best. After all, all your identities are now on this thing and also my embarrassing speeches.

But before the battery finally dies, I want to say something I've never said before.

Thanks Dad, for everything. I love you guys.

Grayson out."

Diana watched as Bruce's hands started to shake and Damian sat down onto the floor, stunned, before the final recording started.

A thud was heard, as well as tearing paper and something that screeched animalistically. Things seemed to be thrown around and there was a constant rustling until the sounds suddenly stopped. They heard footsteps quickly approaching and finally falling silent. Unprepared, Dick's agonized cries hit those present in the room, causing a bitter shiver to run down their spines. At one point, these were accompanied by muffled rattling, and Richard began to stammer:

"They're gone, all gone, all gone! Don't leave me alone! I can't, not without you, not alone!"

Panicked sobs echoed out through the large speakers, testifying to how loneliness continued to break that helpless voice, until the next moment that animalistic screech sounded again. For a brief moment, silence fell and the air seemed to grow noticeably thin. But then another creature sounded. One that seemed to be much larger and growled throatily, before two last quick steps were heard and with a crash also this last recording finished.

Silence returned to the large Batcave, as no one dared to say anything. These recordings shocked them too much.

Finally Batman rose from his chair. At first he was still leaning on the edge of the large computer keyboard and Diana was about to address him, when suddenly his fist rose and he hit the pad so hard that not only individual keys and fragments scattered on the floor, but also his own hand started to bleed.

Growling, his shaky voice echoed through the cave:

"So many years. So many years he has been alive and fighting while I just left him there."

Diana was now very worried about her friend. She knew that the man in front of her was slowly starting to crack under the guilt, but he wasn't allowed to. Not in front of Damian.

"Bruce you shouldn't..."

"He's waited so long for me to get him out of there and I haven't even tried to reach him anymore."

One of Batman's hands found its way onto his face:

"I gave up on my son and he had to suffer so much because of me."

Damian was no different. The shock sat deep and layed heavy on his chest. He no longer even perceived the suffering of his own body and just stared impassively at the floor. Damian could not imagine what Richard had to go through all these years without anyone looking for him.

But it was already too late for that. Over a hundred years trapped in this other world was a guaranteed death sentence.

Clark and Diana could only watch as father and son gave in to their own thoughts and were crushed by reproaches, while Alfred struggled to keep his composure.

All the emotions that Dick's fate caused in them did not make anyone present immediately notice that a metallic rumbling sounded into the room.

Only as it got louder Superman became aware of it and sharpened his ears.

In fact, it quickly became louder and louder, and Diana now also heard these muffled thumps, which were now joined by a guttural growl.

Clark realized where this was coming from: "Batman, the creature is waking up!"

Still caught up in his emotions, at first Bruce just looked at Clark in confusion before a loud crash made his head turn around to the tube.

Instantly, a clawed bird leg peeled itself out of the hard metal, accompanied by several clouds of gas that were now pouring out.

Enraged, the creature inside screeched and Bruce wasted no time:

"Computer, activate protocol C-13!"

A little off to the side, a metal cage about 3x5m in size was raised from the ground, so Batman now instructed Superman and Wonder Woman:

"Throw it in there as soon as I open the pod, but don't breathe in the gas!"

Both nodded in understanding and got ready.

Bruce flipped the release switch and instantly the door of the vessel popped open with a jolt.

Fortunately for them, Wonder Woman had not taken off her lasso, so the bound creature struggled against it as hard as it could, desperately kicking its free legs, while Diana and Clark, in one swift action, threw it into the prepared cage.

Batman closed both the heavy cage door and that of the capsule to stop the gas.

Clark saw the lasso loosen under the creature's power and turned skeptically to the Bat, who was typing in various commands on the computer:

"So much for this great sleeping gas. Are you sure the cage is stable enough?"

Batman didn't look up as he spoke:

"It's made of Inertron. There's nothing more stable than this metal and even you would probably have trouble breaking out of one of those." *

Superman looked dumbfounded at his friend. He had encountered this material before in the form of chains and had really struggled to escape them in the past:

"How did you get your hands on so much of this stuff?"

Dryly, the bat replied only: "Trade secret."

Clark looked back at the creature and noticed how it still had that strange slime from their fight clinging to its body:

"And what is that sticky stuff you used there, anyway?"

Instead of Batman, Diana now replied with a slightly sour undertone:

"Bruce used napalm."

Superman's eyes grew wide: "You carry around napalm? Are you crazy?"

Wonder Woman hunched her shoulders: "Told him so."

Dryly, however, Batman simply replied: "Special circumstances, special means."

So while a small discussion arose between the three, regarding Bruce's methods and ethical stance, Damian's eyes fell on this strange creature.

He had only been able to watch the whole time, since he would not have been of any help in his weakened condition and his head was still processing the things that happened to Grayson.

Curious, he stepped closer to the cage and stopped a few meters in front of it at a safe distance. The golden lasso loosened further, now releasing its kicking prisoner. The creature ran on all fours up and down the cage, hissing violently and repeatedly hitting with its limbs against the thick metal bars.

However, they withstood the superhuman forces and made no effort to bend.

In fact, after a few minutes, the beast gave up quite quickly and looked back and forth under its helmet-like feathers before coming to a halt in the middle of the cage.

Annoyed, its claws ran through the many dark feathers and tried to get down this annoying sticky stuff that was spread on the creature's head and upper body.

However, this didn't work out quite so well and it tried another method.

Suddenly the feathers took on a strange sheen and seemed to become more movable, including the rigid helmet-like ones on its head.

Like a dog, the creature effortlessly shook all the dirt from its body and the now drooping feathers on its head folded back, allowing it to scratch its temple unhindered with one of its wings.

For the first time, Damian could now see the creature's face and what initially started as mild amazement, quickly turned into pure disbelief.

Automatically, the boy stepped closer and looked at the narrow features on the bluish skin, which he had not recognized at first.

The firm eye parts, the narrow mouth, the symmetrically correct nose. Damian had drawn it before and would be able to do it again at any time. This face had burned itself into his mind in such a way that he could never forget it, even if the face was a little slimmer by now.

He didn't even notice how those shining eyes fixed him angrily and from behind a shocked voice screamed at him:

"Damian, get away from the cage!"

The boy was now standing directly in front of this beast and did not seem to notice the warning until the flashing tail was darting towards him. Fortunately, Superman was able to pull the boy back in time with his superspeed, before the flashing tail slipped through the metal bars and sank crashing into the ground where Damian had been standing just a second ago.

Clark grabbed the befuddled boy by his shoulders and spoke to him authoritatively:

"Have you gone crazy? It could have killed you."

"I,...it..."

Damian just stammered to himself and needed a moment to process what he had seen when his father approached.

The boy looked at him uncertainly and before Bruce could say anything Damian regained his speech:

"Father it...it's Richard."

Notes:

According to the DC-Wiki, Inertron is the hardest material in the DC universe.