Bruce watched his son relax in the sunroom across from the living room. Dick lowered himself into a backbend from the handstand he'd been in for the past few minutes. This morning had started off rough albeit Bruce's fault. They'd had a solid 2 weeks with no episodes, disruptions, or even crying and Bruce thought it would be an appropriate time to ask Dick about some of the pressing issues concerning the Court. He needed more information on Cobb and Lincoln Marsh. He also wanted to know if Dick knew who the rest of the Board members were so Bruce could start to investigate them as well.

He'd barely gotten halfway through his question when Dick had stopped him, "I don't want to talk about this Bruce"

"We need to Dick. You're doing better and I don't want to push you but-"

"So don't"

"But we need information on the Court so I can start to go after them"

"No, you need information on the Court so you obsess over them and not us"

Bruce frowned, "I've found reliable connections between-"

"I know" Dick cut him off again, "Lex, Cobb, and Ryland" Dick smiled, "It's solid Bruce. It'll be fine. They're scattered and not going to try a third time"

Bruce frowned, "Dick, try to take this seriously. We need to ensure they can't be a threat in the future and that means being proactive; not reactive"

Dick's small smile melted quickly into a cold front "Don't tell me to take this seriously" he turned on his heel and stormed off. He chose the sunroom and had apparently been sunning and stretching himself into complex angles ever since. Bruce wasn't sure what to do and he despised the uncertainty that Batman never seemed to experience. His son was slipping away from him little by little and Bruce wasn't sure what to do or the reason behind it. He'd seen the forced smiles he gave to Tim and Damian when he made himself care. He'd seen the lacking and distance between him and Jason, the emotional dissonance that was becoming palpable. Tim had confided in Megan, Leslie, and even Canary, but had admitted to Bruce that without literal telepathy or mental intervention, the best conclusion anyone had was that Dick was reflecting on a severe level. He was withdrawing into himself and Bruce prayed it was temporary. Every time he tried to force conversation of any kind with Dick Bruce was either shut out or humored. He could see it in his son's bright eyes every time they managed more than a few minutes of conversation. The oldest Robin's eyes held a glazed detached look, not unlike the look he had when he first saw Jason's headstone a month after the funeral he was unable to attend. Sometimes Bruce would catch himself staring too directly at his son's irises and noticed a glimmer of darkness, just a waver like a ripple over a pond that was much murkier at the bottom as the yellow of his altered genetics fought to make itself known.

He was days away from asking J'onn and Canary back for a more serious next step or proactive measure. Bruce refused to lose his son, even if it was to himself.

Wayne Manor hadn't been as quiet or morose as Dick lately. Every day had a visitor of some kind. Some days it was just Connor and Megan and other days it was the entire young justice team. Bruce was starting to request that the kids leave their mentors at home as he hated having to force small talk with anyone after the superficiality Dick had subjected him to. Luckily for him, Green Arrow, the Flash, Wonder Woman, and Superman knew well enough not to take his silence as his attempt to ignore them when they visited. Because of this, Alfred was regularly busy with cleaning, dinners, and restocking the household, allotting DIck more and more alone time. The boys had restarted school, Damian more consistently than the others, and Bruce had begun to pick up his responsibilities at Wayne Ent. more reliably as well. While he'd never wish for more family emergencies, he was grateful for the break from his usual 5-hour long board approval meetings.

Bruce knew his son was aware of his presence lingering just outside of the room everyone had deemed Dick's safe place. The doors were glass and transparent so when DIck was found sunning himself like a cat or stretching his calisthenics routines far more than necessary, they understood he needed time to himself. Unfortunately, Dick seemed to live in the sunroom nowadays, barely humoring Damian's occasional presence.

Dick felt Bruce move on further down the hallway and he let himself relax, lowering his arch to the floor completely. The elephant in the room followed him everywhere but Dick wasn't ready to talk to Bruce. He wasn't ready to talk about any of it, because he knew what would happen the moment Bruce found out he'd killed people; that'd broken his father's code. He wasn't sure if he would be thrown out or placed in Arkham but Dick knew that Bruce would have no leniency for his crimes, even if they were committed under the Court's orders. That justification would be almost worse in retrospect actually. He wasn't ready to face the music of Bruce's judgment because he knew that not only did he deserve it all, but that he'd come to resent Bruce for accepting that he wasn't perfect at the end of the day.

It wasn't that Dick wanted to be viewed as superior in any way but he wasn't blind to the specific standards that Bruce held him to. Tim never toed the line before but Damian and Jason were both murderers by definition and, despite that, had earned Bruce's acceptance quite easily. Dick would never be allowed that leniency and it ate at him like a festering cancer. He was the first... Bruce's first attempt to allow someone into his blackened, isolated heart, and as unfair as it would be Dick knew Bruce would feel his actions and conflicted feelings were the ultimate betrayal of his trust to allow Robin into Batman's waited a little, feeling the sun soak into his skin until the warmth was verging on an uncomfortable heat and he couldn't tell if he was overheated or pleasantly drifting. He forced himself to move at that thought, climbing to his feet. He hadn't had very much time alone to do what he wanted to in recent weeks. He could only get some true solitary moments in his room or the sunroom. Bruce and Tim were always reviewing Court documents or his blood samples in the cave. Jason had taken over the kitchen and Damian searched him out each day to see if he had the patience to be allowed to stay at his side for most of it.

With most everyone gone today and Bruce heading out soon, Dick knew he'd had to take action now if he wanted to be proactive and not waited until Bruce's favorite Audi pulled out and down the driveway until the main gates opened and closed. He jogged down the hallway to the tall ornate clock and made his way down to the cave. He felt like was 13 again and sneaking out with Wally for the first time. Every time he looked around he expected to see Bruce's glower or Alfred's stern face preparing a reprimand.

Dick made his way down the stairs and to the Batcomputer. He logged in quietly and waited as the main monitor booted up.

"58780" he murmured to himself. He scanned the most recent files, trying to figure out where the best place to start would be. He tried searching the number in case it was a date associated with a file name but nothing came up as a match. He selected the most recent uploads and downloads but nothing seemed to stand out to him; they were all a dead end. Dick bit his tongue as he clicked on another file. They were each full of valuable information, most likely newly confirmed information, but none of it directly had to do with him. Most were notes and evidence against Cobb and Ryland with highlighted annotated comments about Lex Luthor. His file searches didn't bring up the numbers from the paper he'd woken up with and Dick was starting to wonder if he'd gotten it wrong. It was possible it was connected to a location or a lock somewhere and he'd assumed incorrectly that it was an electronic password. He wasn't sure what it could mean. It might be Slade, it might be Lincoln, but Dick was determined to find the connection between the number and himself. He honestly hoped that it was neither because the notion that now Slade and Lincoln could find him anywhere, anytime without him knowing was unsettling and a little demeaning to his situational awareness skills.

He's been searching the long way by going through every file that Bruce had recently added or viewed but what if he flipped it and searched by what the number could be identified through? He started a mass search that started looking for the number in every talon-related file on the Batcomputer. Nothing came up. Dick felt puzzlement work its way through him. Were the numbers wrong?

Dick sat back and sighed, what was he doing wrong? His shoulders slumped in preparation for defeat.

"Come on Kid, you can't have me believing this has got you stumped"

Dick's eyes flew open and he stumbled to his feet in surprise. He whirled around so fast his calf kicked the chair and sent it flying into a desk beside the main monitor, rattling the entire desk. Dick cringed as the harsh sound echoed and ruffled the bats above him. He looked to the newcomer and his breath caught in his throat at Slade's presence. For a second he didn't know what to say or do. He watched Slade, stunned hoping he was real and not at the same time.

Slade was decked out in his Deathstroke uniform, except for the rust-colored helmet. His armor shined and his chest straps and guns were secured firmly across his thighs, chest, and back. His white hair was clean and pristine and Dick would have never guessed the guy was held captive for months with barely 1 meal a day.

Dick glanced around the cave suddenly realizing that no one else was there to see the mercenary. He looked back at Slade, "Are-You're really here?" he asked hesitantly.

Slade's grey-blue eye widened before a knowing look flashed across his face. He tsked, ruffling his goatee, and stepped forward, "Awwww pretty bird, I don't know whether to be hurt that you can't tell I'm really here" he was only a few steps away now and Dick realized that he hadn't moved an inch. Slade saddled up so close their chests were nearly touching and leaned down so that his deep voice vibrated against Dick's ear and sent goosebumps along his arms, "Or flattered that you've hallucinated about me enough times for this to be confusing"

Dick still hadn't taken a breath, looking up into Slade's steely eye with a dedication he didn't mean to offer. Something held his own sovereignty just out of reach and all Dick could do was fall into the cool steel gaze of the hulking man in front of him. Dick's eyes darted between the singular point of attention and the black eyepatch earning him a smirk. That lit the fire Dick didn't know still lay in his gut and he growled, barring his teeth. Before he could think, he acted, throwing a fist out, intent on blacking the fair skin and cold gaze that always seemed to entrap him. Slade leaned back without moving his stance and grabbed Dick's arm, twisting it up and round. Dick was forced to stumble forward after his arm and the moment he was partially turned, Slade slammed his own caged arm back against his chest, forcing him into Slade's board form with an "Ooomph"

Dick could feel Slde's breath ruffling his hair as he leaned down and spoke, "Out of most people, I can appreciate seeing your attitude hasn't faded but I'm on a timer Little Bird. I just came by to make sure you found what you were looking for"

Dick growled and struggled, jerking a leg back into Slade's groin but missed and felt only air. He threw his head back preparing for a massive headache but Slade evaded that as well. Dick gave up on meaningful tactics and sagged downward, letting his body weight pull Slade down with him. Salde chuckled and firmed up his grip over Dick's front torso and hoisting him back up to his feet with little effort. Dick snarled at how he was being manhandled so easily, "Fuck off Slade. You of all people don't get to show up here and act like everything's fine"

"Oh?" Slade purred, "Why not? Is it because I didn't rescue you from the Court? I can apologize if that would make you better"

Dick glared at the monitor in front of them, "Drop the act, I remember everything you asshole"

"Oh so then you remember how I stole you away from them and kept you safe? Well at least until we realized there were more than a few trackers still implanted on your person"

"Yeah, and I also remember you shooting me and handing me over to them in the first place! Not doing a thing about their fucked up training or all the times they drugged me" Dick hoped Slade didn't catch how his voice wanted to crack at the end, "You fucking killed me, Slade!"

Slade, ever the astute one, discerned the hurt layering his words beneath the building anger, "Don't worry kid. You know I'd never rob this world of you permanently. I took the contract on you and spent a little under a year confirming your blood results with every possible test and comparison counter-test I could find. Just to confirm what he was claiming. Cobb was close to throwing a fit by the time I agreed. In all honesty, it threw a wrench into my own plans since I had started guestimating the best time to administer the same supersoldier serum that was used on myself"

"Why did you? You didn't have to! I lost 5 fucking years of my life Slade"

Slade seemed to consider his words, "If I didn't then someone would have"

Dick growled and struggled again but Slade tightened his hold, "And no one touches what's mine"

Dick tried to throw off Slade again, "Well too late you asshole! They did a lot more than touch me! I was fucking waterboarded and drugged and killed and-and they dragged my brothers into that shit Slade! I don't care if they wanted to obsess over me but my brothers are beyond crossing the line and you helped them do it! You gave those freaks the key to the castle!"

Slade's voice held an edge to it, "Please" he scoffed, "Your own grandfather, no matter how many generations removed, was orchestrating this. Access to you and your family was a matter of time, not an if. Don't misconstrue who the enemy here is kid. I agreed to the first job so I could have an in when an opening to run presented itself. You don't realize how big the Court of Owls is yet kid. This isn't like dealing with the Injustice League"

Dick stopped and frowned, looking back over his shoulder to Slade, "What do you mean?" His gut dropped, "How underprepared are we, Slade?"

Slade smirked, "You kid? You'll be fine now that those pretty little red blood cells of yours can produce as much electrum as your body needs but daddy and your brothers aren't gonna like it when they find out how large and spread out the Court is"

"North America?" Dick asked in concern.

Slade shurgged, "Try international, kid. They've got that executive board of theirs in every large country and first world government there is"

"So they are in league with Luthor and the Light. There's no way they've gotten this big and stayed under the radar"

"That and more"

Dick clenched his fists in frustration, there was so little they already knew about the Court now Slade was confirming they were bigger than they had expected-their reach and government infiltration more came back to himself and realized he was still firmly in Slade's grip, "Let go of me, asshole. What I said still stands. You helped put me in that situation and I've been fucked for the last 5 years! I don't care if you thought it was all inevitable. You could have warned me or helped us"

Slade's grip tightened for a second before the large arms released him and stepped away. Dick whirled around to find Slade observing him.

"Well?" he demanded of the older man.

Slade's eye narrowed at his tone and Dick tensed, prepared for a fight. Slade made his way over to the fallen chair and picked it up before sitting down with his legs spread in an ever-so-dominant-alpha manner.

"Don't mind me" Slade intoned calmly, "I'll just wait until you realize that you're lucky it was me temporarily placing you in that situation and not somebody with less….manners"

Dick frowned, "Just because you took me out of there when it was convenient for you doesn't means shit. You could have taken me back to my family"

Slade rolled his eyes, "Yeah, that would have been a great idea. I've seen how supportive their rehabilitation is" Dick flushed, embarrassed that Slade had seen the tense interactions between him, Bruce, and his brothers in recent weeks, "Not to mention, the moment I did help your family, you and your brothers were kidnapped less than a year later".Slade leaned back and watched Dick cooly, waiting for him to object. Dick frowned and dropped his gaze; despising the points Slade brought up.

"Well?" Slade intoned coldly. Dick looked at Slade again unsure of how to respond. Slade replied for him, "Aren't you going to find what file that code unlocks?"

Dick crossed his arms, "How did you get into the Batcave this many times without Bruce knowing?" Dick countered.

Slade leaned back and placed his hands behind his neck, "Secrets like that are only meant for apprentices" his gaze darkened hungrily, "And you, boy, have yet to accept any such position with me"

Dick fidgeted under the intense gaze and quickly turned back to the computer, "Nothing is coming up with the title or connection" he narrowed his eyes back on Slade, "You left me those stupid numbers. Why can't you just tell me what they are?"

Slade smirked, "I wouldn't be a very good teacher if I told you all the answers, now would I?"

Dick spat, "You're not my teacher at all"

Slade's gaze roamed over Dick's form, noting the effort Dick took to suppress his shiver, "I've always been teaching you kid. Let's not play games and encourage blind denial"

Dick groaned and rubbed his head, "I'm not in the mood Slade. What's the point anyway? You're leading me to some stupid file on my own computer?"

Slade leaned forward, "I am, but you're the one making incorrect assumptions here by looking at only pdf and png-based files. I'm not a wiz like your brother but even I know there is more than just image files"

Dick frowned, prepared to snark back again when a sudden idea sparked more motivation in him as he realized that not all the files were searched, "Audio" he breathed as his fingers began flying. He did his best to ignore Slade's pleased figure from behind him. He would deal with the backstabbing dick later. He was far more interested in what Slade was so desperate for him to selected the newest one and pulled it up. It was an audio file, but it was locked. Dick selected it and keyed in 58780. The video file said accepted in bright green before disappearing and leaving him with the option to save elsewhere, send, or play. He was about to move the mouse and select play when Slade's hand closed over his. Dick jolted in surprise and flushed at his horrendous perception skills once again. For such a bulky man the guy could move like a feral cat sometimes.

Slade leaned forward and Dick could feel the heat emanating from the man's chest and body, warming his back in a pleasant, almost overwhelming way, "What you're about to find here might be discomforting to say in the least kid" he spoke lowly and Dick had to do his best to listen to the words and not fall into the stupor that his voice begged him to.

"What-?'"

"I'm going to go. I'll be back for you kid but when you see this, take it in, I want your reaction to be genuine"

That confused Dick even more. Was this a video of him hurting someone while under the influence of the Court in some way?

Slade continued, his voice reverberating up Dick's back and shoulders, "When you see what's in this file, I don't want you to react how you think daddy would want you to, or how your brothers might expect from you. You can forget about the ridiculous notion of keeping your reaction under wraps because you need to play big-mature brother. You have no blood siblings in this world, you are not a big brother. Can you promise me that kid?"

"What the hell are you talking about Slade?" The urge to refute Slade's claim was on the tip of his tongue.

Slade chuckled lowly before he saw the hand over his descend upon his forehead and push his head back against Slade's chest. It continued through his locks in a carding motion and ended with a slightly gratifying tug, "Your self-deprecating, smothering tendencies aren't news to anyone pretty bird. Just remember what I said"

Dick was about to respond again, a mixture of confusion and irritation fueling his reaction. Slade leaned forward and spoke into the back of his head, his lips messing his locks in a way that made a different kind of fire flip around and burn his insides, "I'll be back for you Pretty Bird"

Dick watched the monitors religiously as he felt Slade pull away, the sudden absence of his body giving way to cold frigid air against his back and bringing about a horrendous shiver. He listened as Slade's steps faded away and still he never looked to see where Slade was leaving to, how he managed to enter the cave so steeled himself and forced his hand to move the mouse, clicking play as he did. It turned out to be an audio recording of Bruce and Clark's comms at some point. There was no date but Dick assumed it was deleted as the file had been locked on purpose. Was this an attempt to keep it well contained or had Bruce tried keeping this from him on purpose? It wasn't even saved in the Court of Owls files. Dick was utterly confused but he leaned against the desk and listened all the same.

The more he listened the more his body temperature started to drop. His fingers and toes fell numb with disbelief and his chest heated with anger and indignation, shock stunning him in place. He listened to the recording maybe 5 times before anyone found him.

"Bruce" Superman admonished, "What's wrong with him healing?"

"Nothing!" Batman bellowed, "I just-"

They stood in silence for a while with nothing but the electronic hum of hundreds of souls to accompany their thoughts as they grew as dark as the room they were kept in.

Superman prayed to Earth's and Krypton's gods that Bruce Wayne was mourning the pains his son had gone through in his usual self-inflicting way, and not ostracising his oldest.

"Take it down" Batman ordered quietly.

"What?" Superman asked.

Batman sent him a sharp look that brooked no room for questions or argument, "I-I mean, why? What do you mean?"

Batman took a deep breath like he trying to reel in his withering patience, "Take it down, destroy this place. Now"

Superman froze, "Bruce," He said, uncaring for the usual vigilante field rules at this point, "You can't ask me to kill these people"

"They're already dead, Clark. What they're doing now-this isn't living. This is a mercy killing"

Superman felt the air leave him, "A mercy killing?" He repeated, stunned.

Batman whirled on Superman, the building anger and frustration starting to leak from his figure, "What do you think would happen if we released these people?" He threw an arm out to the dark rows behind them.

Superman didn't have an answer, "They'd die. They need electrum and it's too dangerous to not only keep in existence, but also continually supply uncontrollable metas with it"

"There are other way-"

"What other ways!?" Batman yelled, "These are murders, some as old as Gotham itself. As soon as they're deprived of electrum they'll wither and die. Are you telling me that's better than just never waking up? To let them knowingly crumble and die while we deprive them of their addiction?"

"Di-"

"This has nothing to do with Nightwing" Batman argued.

"This has everything to do with Nightwing" Superman argued furiously, "He wouldn't be okay with this. They're locked in here just like he was. We have no idea if these people would do good or bad if given the chance. We're robbing them of their second chance"

"This is not for debate Superman" Batman growled, "This place hurt my son, took my son. If we release these people, the only option for them is death. Some might die sooner than others and some might wreak havoc before they join the rest"

"Bruce-What are-? Would you say the same for the Joker? I mean god he killed Jason, he tortured Dick when he was Robin. You've saved him countless times"

"That's different and you know it"

"Do I? And Don't give me some excuse about how the Joker isn't from the 18th century"

"Joker is insane! These peoplemeantto hurt my son, turn him into something different. They targeted his morals, his motivation, his memories!"

…

"Bruce-you can't be serious right now. You can't blame the Court for making you doubt Dick"

"Don't you d-"

"Am I wrong? We all look at Dick and see someone else but that's not his fault!"

A long silence pertained…

"Either you do it the easy way or I find a way, but this graveyard will not be standing when I leave"

Dick didn't know when he'd fallen to his knees but at some point, he realized he was looking up at the monitors instead of down at them. He couldn't believe it. Everything he'd heard from Bruce and Clark-straight from the source. Clark easily acknowledged that he didn't see Dick when he looked at him anymore…What did that mean? He said it so easily, did his unrelated uncle just not see it as a problem?

And Bruce…

Bruce didn't trust Dick? At all? He doubted Dick's conviction and dedication to their mission? He came back to his family! He never had to and he did. He'd heard the way Bruce didn't respond to Clark at the end. Bruce was never one to leave things unsaid when in an argument; but this time he did.

He obeyed Bruce to the T in order to regain privileges and house freedoms in his own home. He'd never not done anything that wasn't for Batman or Gotham. His entire existence since he was 8 years old was for Bruce and his warped mission for justice. Bruce didn't trust him after he was killed and kidnapped? Under his watch, and he had the nerve not to trust Dick anymore!?

Dick should be the one with trust issues-his family let him die and left him to rot! To be experimented on until his own biology was unrecognizable!

A crazed laugh escaped Dick as he stared at the screen in amazement. Bruce was the one outwardly doubting Dick and his ethical morals, his dedication, but he'd been the one to sentence those talons to death. He rationalized hundreds of deaths to himself just because they would wither and die without electrum. How could he be so hypocritical and not see an issue with it? He'd killed so many of Dick's brothers and sisters. Dick shook his , he reminded himself. Don't fall back into that way of thinking.

Still, none of them deserved it. If anything, Dick would bet that those sleeping souls would also be the ones to rebel and take up arms against Cobb. They deserved a second chance! Batman had never saved them!The injustice and hypocrisy was truly amazing to Dick. Dick realized that Bruce must know about the deaths and sins Dick had committed if he was this ready to kill people. In comparison, Bruce's strict rules and hypervigilism seemed meek compared to what lay before him. He'd sicked Superman on so many unarmed 's own doubts and self-conscious worries about his place between Bruce and his brothers came flitting back to him with a second wind. Did Bruce truly love him? Unconditionally? Did Bruce not care for Dick as much now that his first Robin was tainted by death and murder?

Did Bruce not want him anymore? If he got more information out of Dick and went after the Court-successfully took them down in Gotham, even across the world….would Bruce throw Dick away? Distance himelf until there was no love to be lost at all? He could only stare at the screen, the proof that Slade was right and that Bruce had never trusted him. Never believed in him or had faith in Dick's ability to make the right and just decisions. The proof that Dick would always be strides behind Bruce's impossibly high standards was splayed before him. He was brought into this life learning from Bruce and he'd never truly understood the man that said one thing and made contingency plans to prove the opposite. Bruce Wayne took him in out of moral obligation but in reality, Bruce Wayne guilt-tripped his lonely self and Batman got saddled with an 8-year-old burden. How could Bruce not trust Dick after all he'd suffered for a cause that wasn't even his to begin with? How could Bruce not feel that he owed Dick the world for failing him ? How could he...? Dick couldn't fathom any more thoughts as the list of what he was lost for the sake of Bruce's unattainable approval grew and grew. Dick felt afloat, lost in the tumultuous sea that was Bruce's justice. Deep and dangerous and churning, taking and never giving anything beneficial for long.

What good was the sea anyway? For water? What water? You'd have to boil half of it away for it not to dehydrate a person to death.

For a second, blackness sprinted across his vision and his knees grew weak. He didn't know what to do; what to believe.

The only thing he could comprehend was why Slade had insisted on his reaction being true to his feelings and not that of his family's. Slade might just want chaos, but it was clear he knew how Dick would view this and wanted Bruce to suffer for his hypocricy. Slade had always hated Bruce, but Dick couldn't find a single reason to defend Bruce at the moment. Slade was playing the devil's card in the most blatant way and Dick still couldn't fault him. Was he just the weak to everyone who managed to stay more than a few years in his life? His boundaries crumpled by the number of the relationship and not its value.

A sudden thought occurred to him that froze his insides with horror. Jason and Tim had been down here with Bruce since Dick was brought back and rescued from the Court the second time. They'd helped Bruce upload and save every possible file related to the Court. Had Jason and Tim known? Was Damian aware? Was his family keeping more than just his death from him?

Dick could actually see Jason supporting Bruce in the decision to end an issue with death, as Jason believed that killing a killer saved more lives in the long run. Tim was always supporting Bruce and Dick never held it against him, but Dick knew that Tim was aware of every single code and update that entered and exited this computing system. He spent his free time cleaning it up and upgrading the parts for fun; there was no way Tim didn't know about this and if Tim knew that Jason knew and oh god…. Dick wobbled and fell to the side. He clutched at the desk and pulled himself up on unsteady legs as his breathing sped up rapidly. His brothers had known about this. They'd supported Bruce, helped him hide these atrocities, and then let Bruce throw his unstableness back in his face like it was judgment day.

It was one thing for Bruce to feel he had the right to decide when and how Dick learned information, especially about himself, but for his brothers to hold the same stance. He truly must have fallen from grace in their eyes if he didn't deserve his own must think I'm unstable or mentally handicapped if they think I can't handle this information. If they think they made the right decision and kept it from me knowing I'd disagree. Was it because I didn't want to talk about the Court? Did they think I was protecting my brothers and si- the talons?Rage and injustice were bolstering his limbs while confusion and his insecurities flooded his heart and chest, each bubbling and trying to overtake the next emotion and reaction.

His thoughts were speeding in and out of his head too quickly for him to rationally take stock of and collect himself when footsteps sounded to his left. Dick snapped his head up to see Jason and Tim halt at the bottom of the steps. Their faces were concerned and attentive but as soon as he made eye contact with his brothers, their faces hardened with unease and apprehension.

Jason stopped where he was. He and Tim had come back home around the same time and noticed Dick wasn't upstairs in the Manor. They'd been calling for almost 20 minutes straight with no answer. Tim had almost pressed his panic button, the star button on their phones which was coded to call Bruce and not a new number. Jason convinced him to hold off, suggesting they actually check the entire house.

"Dick has been weird lately he might've wandered around to clear his head" Jason argued.

Tim sighed. He kept his phone out and ready but didn't message Buce just yet, "Fine" he relented. They'd investigated the manor, then the backyard, and finally the cave. Tim was worried Dick had gone out into the forest behind the Manor's backyard but they found something worse in the cave. Dick was hunched over the main desk before the Batcomputer and monitors. His shoulders and back were bulging with tensed muscle and his eyes were bright gold and stricken red as if he hadn't blinked in a year, the bloodshot look adding another level of crazed to the posture of their older brother.

Dick jerked when Tim's footsteps made a louder sound and whipped to the left with an unblinking gaze. A bright yellow, glowing, unblinking gaze.

"Shit," Jason said under his breath.

Tim didn't reply but he must have felt the same way as he saw Tim press the panic button on his cell, alerting Bruce within peered at the monitor but it was a black audio recording. There wasn't even a time or date stamp on the top right like all saved audio recordings from patrol were. What was Dick listening to?

Dick started them down with an unsettling, but overly focused gaze, that reminded Jason of the time a mountain lion found him when he was hiking with Roy in California. The cat-sized them up and stayed just long enough to let them know it could be a threat if it wanted to. In the end, it loped off after a raccoon but Dick's mind was obviously elsewhere right now, maybe closer to a mountain lion's than was safe. Jason was glad that Damian wasn't due back home from school for another hour at least as dealing with Dick always got difficult around the child assassin.

"What do we do?" Jason said, mostly to himself.

Tim's panicked voice responded despite that, "How am I supposed to know? We can barely beat him when he's himself much less….Can we-should we use one of those words? To calm him down, to stop him for now?"

Jason tensed, he hated knowing that they had this level of control over Dick in any way. He knew his brother would despise losing his independence and sovereignty as well. His ability to make decisions, no matter how ill-thought-out, was something he took seriously. Always forcing Damian to choose for himself.

"Fuck, I dunno" Jason replied, "What do we even say?"

Tim licked his lips, "Uh, Talon stop"

Dick's eyes narrowed in confusion for a second before some knowing look flashed through his eyes and they widened noticeably. He took a shuddering breath but Jason wasn't able to read him at all.

Must be the wrong phrase, Jason thought, "Talon, sleep?" Dick's gaze connected with his and his eyes managed to get even wider, shock seemed to smear and warp his face as his bright yellow irises jumped from Jason to Tim and back again.

"No, it's a color too, I think, or maybe the way we say it?" Tim said back to Jason while keeping his eyes on Dick, "Maybe start with Grey Son?" he suggested.

He was only trying to keep his voice low and neutral but Dick heard and took a trembling step back. Jason and Tim exchanged a look, "Did it work?" Jason asked the room.

Jason took a step forward trying to gauge their brother's mental state. The moment Jason took a step forward, Dick's expression twisted so suddenly and violently he almost backed up himself. Ire and anger speared Dick's eyes and mouth, twisting it in a way that Jason had never seen, even in the throws of a Court fueled madness and frenzy, "No, it didn't fuckingwork" Dick spat.

Jason felt his stomach drop through his ass and into hell, only to be refilled with ice so cold it felt like liquid nitrogen before it burned and melted your skin, "Fuck" was all he could say.

"Yea….fuck" Dick mocked.

"Dick?" Tim asked, "Is that you? We-we didn't know, your eyes are-"

"Are what?" Dick spat causing Tim to recoil, "My eyes are fucked forever because my great great great grandfather shot me full of drugs as a baby? Because my parents let some doctor stab her fetus? Because you guys left me with a psycho for 5 years?!" he spread apart his arms, "Which is it? Huh? Which part of me is my fault?!"

Tim could only stare back. He'd battled a wide range of criminals, deranged and cruel but his oldest brother had never spoken to him with such base harshness, with such cruelty lacing his tone.

Jason wasn't sure what Dick was feeling, what was going through his head, or what had brought this on but he knew one thing: Dick was hurting. He was hurting so bad he was lashing out as best he could. Jason lived in this state of pain for the first 2 years after Talia resurrected him. It was a painful but fulfilling existence to quench his emptiness with anger and heat; addicting at most times. The highs were strengthening and enlightening, empowering like any drug, but the lows were where he realized how much suffering he'd caused.

Jason's eyes jumped to the monitors. What had Dick seen or heard? What had Bruce done now?