Chapter 18

By the time night comes around, Dick no longer needs the oxygen tube, the IV, or the monitor, but he still hasn't woken up since the little episode he had earlier. Not until everyone is either gone or asleep. Commissioner Gordon left with Barbara. Artemis went home but promised to be back the next day, as did Barbara. Bruce has let Wally sleep in the reclining chair and has sent Alfred home to rest. Bruce has stayed by Dick's side, though rests his head on Dick's hospital bed.

Amidst the night, Dick sits up, but is still asleep, in his dreams, he's in the maze…

Dick sits up, looking down at the marble podium below him. He's not even surprised anymore.

Dick swings his legs off the hospital bed and gets up.

His body feels as heavy as ever, but he moves onward. It's the same choice once again, right or straight. It's a gamble. No matter what he chooses, it'll just change. He decides straight this time, just to see. Sure enough, like before, dead end.

Dick places his hand on the wall.

"I'm getting real tired of this…" He mumbles, then turns around, starting back the other way. Night nurses have noticed him out of bed and approach him.

"Mr. Grayson?" A nurse asks.

The voices are back…

Lost cause…

He won't survive…

A disgrace…

He doesn't deserve the surname Grayson.

"M not… a disgrace… I… I will get out…" Dick mumbles, stumbling.

"Hey, you're alright." A Nurse says, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Wherever you think you are, you're not. You're at Gotham Central Hospital. You're safe. Let's get you back to bed." Dick stumbles as the nurse guides him back to his room, falling into her.

He leans against the wall, trying hard to get back up, the waves of vertigo just keep on coming, like he's facing former Count Vertigo himself. He pushes off, trying to continue forward, but nearly falls.

The nurse catches him, keeping him up.

"Easy, Mr. Grayson. I've got you."

"Emma, what seems to be the problem?" Another nurse asks.

"Our new pediatric patient, Richard Grayson, he seems to be sleepwalking." The nurse answers. "I'm trying to get him back to bed."

He continues to stumble back, and somehow actually finds himself back at the podium. He tries to turn around, but suddenly he can't seem to move of his own free will.

He flails about, trying to turn back around. He struggles against the nurses that are trying to lay him back in bed.

Focusing, Dick sees shadows gripping his arms. His eyes widen and he fights harder, but these shadows seem to have a death grip on his arms.

"No! I'm not going back!" Dick shouts, waking up most in the vicinity, that includes Bruce and Wally. "Just let me go home! I wanna go home!"

"Dick! Wake up!" Wally shouts. Dick stops struggling, looking forward.

He sees Wally in front of him and he starts crying.

"Please… make them stop… I don't want to hallucinate anymore… I just want out of here…"

"I'm not a hallucination… I'm here!" Wally says, stepping to him, he holds his head, just behind his ears, with his thumbs resting in front of his ears. "I'm here, Dick. You have to believe me…" Dick blinks a couple of times.

He starts seeing images of a hospital room. Wally in front of him, so close… He can almost feel his touch. He can see Bruce standing behind him, a look of fear and concern.

"Come back to reality… Wake up…" Wally says softly, shaking his head.

"No, don't shake him, he might attack you." A nurse warns, trying to separate the two. Wally pulls Dick into a hug, positioning his arms in such a way that he's basically encompassing all of Dick's upper body in his arms.

"I'm here… Please…" Wally begs, starting to cry himself. "Wake up…"

"I… can't give in… I can't die here…" Dick's voice has grown quiet. Wally pulls away from him and looks into his eyes. "But I want this hallucination to stay…" Dick reaches a hand up, brushing back some of Wally's hair. "I miss him so much… He's everything I have…" Wally gasps shakily, remembering that he said that exactly to his mom about Dick… Wally takes a chance, grabbing the back of Dick's head and pulling him in, kissing him. Dick's eyes slightly widen before sliding closed. Wally deepens the kiss by wrapping an arm around Dick's waist and pulling him closer. Wally pulls away after a moment, looking at Dick. The boy's eyes slide open. "I… I give up… Let this hallucination keep me… If I'm gonna die… M dying happy…"

"You're not going to die, Dick. It's not a hallucination, this is real. You're out, you're safe. Your grandfather won't get you." Wally says.

"Wh-Whatever you say, hallucination Wally…" Dick mumbles, head rolling forward, eyes closing. He lifts his head back up a bit, opening his eyes somewhat to look at him. "You're so cute… like a… Like a little puppy… but have the brain of a ginger cat." Dick giggles. Wally closes his eyes tight, then sighs, looking at Dick, he gently takes his chin and lifts his head more.

"Come on, let's get you back to bed."

"Nly if you stay with me…" Dick mumbles. "Don't disssaa-pear… l-like the others…"

"I promise, I'm not going anywhere." Wally says, getting him over to the bed himself, not wanting the nurses to help. He helps Dick climb into bed then climbs in beside him. Wally wraps an arm over him. Dick turns and snuggles into Wally, placing his forehead on Wally's chest, he's so warm… Still feverish. Wally pulls him closer. "I'm so sorry…"

"Wht're you srry for… you… didn't put me in this hell hole…" Dick mumbles. "I… cn never… escape… I-It's hopeless… At least I can be happy… one last time…" Dick closes his eyes. "Grandfather… I-If you can hear me… I-If you can just… tell my loved ones m sorry…" Dick starts trembling.

"It's not your fault, Dick…" Bruce says, placing a hand on his arm. Dick opens his eyes and turns his head to look at him.

"Thought… I saw you too…" Dick mumbles. "Y-You're… jst a ha-hallucination… So… I… cn say this… Y-You… may not be my father by blood… but y-you… you've become that… in my eyes… Love you, Dad…" Bruce smiles a little sadly, rubbing Dick's arm.

"I love you too, chum…" Bruce says softly. Dick smiles a little then closes his eyes again, falling asleep. Bruce pulls the hospital blanket over the two boys. Wally starts crying again, sobbing softly. The nurses have just watched their interactions, finding it just… sad…

William had found his beheaded comrade, he sighs a little, placing a hand on his fallen fellow Owl.

"Rest peacefully, brother…" William says. He stands, pulling his owl hood back on, and he makes his way out of their base, out of the sewer. He isn't entirely sure where to start looking, but he has to figure that out. Batman didn't liberate him, that much he's sure, unless the Bat's violated his no killing rule. A rule which William is all too eager to break, especially if it means bringing his grandson back to him.

"Hey there, bird-face." A voice calls. William takes out his knives, turning and looking at the newcomer, stopping himself from striking. "Oh, feisty. Just like your spawn."

"Slade." William mutters.

"Oh, you know me? I'm honored." Deathstroke states.

"I like to keep tabs on criminals, especially ones with such raw power." William states. "You have an ounce of my respect."

"Now you're just flattering me." Deathstroke says. He pushes off the wall, approaching the Talon. "I must admit, I've always been fascinated with the Court." He starts walking circles around Will, who keeps his composure. "The physique alone, so dangerous, deadly. You operate in the shadows, no one truly believes you to exist."

"Why are you circling me like a vulture? State your business and be done with it. I'm busy." William states.

"So impatient, seems you've kept that twenty-year-old drive to just go, go, go." Deathstroke teases. "But yes, I do have business to discuss." He turns himself to look at the Talon. "I know what, or rather who, you're looking for. I know where he is."

"And where might that be?" William asks.

"Now that would be too easy, Billy." Deathstroke states.

"It's William, and you can just refer to me as Talon." William states. "Only my brothers and sisters can call me by my name."

"Fair, fair." Deathstroke states, starting to circle him again.

"How did you even know my name?" William asks, turning himself to look at the fellow assassin.

"Wasn't hard. There was a William Cobb, part of Haly's Traveling Circus almost one-hundred years ago. His specialty? Knife throwing, and you greeted me with your pretty silver, didn't you?" Deathstroke explains. "You see, I know the boy's backstory, he was part of Haly's Circus as a child. So, I looked more into the connections Haly's Circus had with the owls. There is an owl mark on Nathaniel Haly's gravestone, leading me to deduce his connections. He took you in when you were just a boy, didn't he? Became the only father you really knew."

"Yes… Nate was important to me." William admits. "I may be an immortal assassin, but I still have a human heart."

"Interesting, very interesting." Deathstroke says.

"Are you going to tell me what you want or not?" William asks.

"Hey, you changed the subject." Deathstroke teases, shrugging. "What I want is very simple." Deathstroke states, coming to stand in front of William again, who he's somehow taller than by a few inches. "Stand down. Leave the boy alone."

"And you're going to make me? You may be expensive, but that doesn't mean you're better than me, little boy." William states.

"Oh, there's a method to my madness, or madness to my method, take your pick." Deathstroke remarks. "There's a reason I want you to back off. I'm trying to help you. Sure, I may not be better than you, but as you said, you're immortal, you have some level of power I don't have. But I am the best of the best when it comes to us mortal folk." William crosses his arms.

"What are you getting at?" Will asks.

"I am working on earning the trust of Bruce Wayne for my employer, he is the one who, as I'm sure you know, has taken in your little Gray Son of Gotham." He starts to explain. "I can be very persuasive when I want to be. Allow me time to earn his trust, to let his guard down. I am working on a deal with him, I protect Richard from you and in return, I train him in everything I know. Allow me time to train and hone the boy's skills, so he is that much stronger, to become an even better Gray Son of Gotham than with his skillset alone."

"I am perfectly capable of training him myself." William states.

"But he won't adhere to it, he doesn't trust you." Deathstroke states. "He won't follow your orders, he won't listen to you. You took him from his loved ones, his family."

"I am his family…" William snarls. "I'm all he has left."

"Easy, tiger-owl." Deathstroke states. "Man, you Cobbs, so easily riled…" William huffs, glaring, even though he wears a mask, Deathstroke can feel it. "Aw, what a grumpy face." Deathstroke reaches and taps William's cheek. William blinks in utter bewilderment. The audacity of this man… "Seems he inherited something from you, your anger issues. And that luscious black hair." He states, laughing.

"I swear to God I'm going to kill…" William mutters.

"Temper, boy. Let's keep this civilized." Deathstroke says. "What God do you believe in anyway? Doesn't matter… Anyway, back to business. I can gain what you cannot from the boy. Trust, dedication, he will adhere better to my teachings, under my wing. And let's face it, once under that Electrum, he'll essentially be a mindless drone, not really learning anything from you no matter how much you train him. His current skillset is all you'd get. While impressive, still a little rough around the edges, as I'm sure you're aware."

"So, you want time to earn my grandson's trust and train him. What's your end goal?" William asks.

"A simple one really, to bring down Batman and your little Gray Son of Gotham may just be what we need, and perhaps destroy the rest of the Justice League along the way, as are the wishes of my employer, and it wouldn't hurt to become an Owl myself, they are such lovely birds." Deathstroke suggests.

"Yea, no…" William shuts that down.

"Very well… Though, if you want to expand your reach, beyond Gotham, my employer may be willing to help you in that regard." Deathstroke states. William pauses, thinking. "I have a plan, Talon. One that will work out the best for both of us. You get your grandson, a well-oiled death machine, and perhaps the whole country, maybe even the whole world, under your influence. And all you need to do is wait."

"And why should I trust you…?" William asks. "How do I know you won't stab me in the back?"

"Not like that would kill you, Mr. immortal." Deathstroke comments. "But you know the old adage, there be no trust amongst killers…"

"You got that right…" William states, he crosses his arms.

"But my intentions are pure, I only wish to contribute to your cause, and help my employer in the process. You know what they say about two birds and one stone, don't you, owl boy?" Deathstroke explains. William sighs.

"If you make me regret this, I will slaughter all you hold dear and make you watch as I turn them into a granny's pin cushion, then it'd be your turn. A slow, agonized, painful death…" William states, leaning in closer and closer to the masked assassins face.

"Are you trying to threaten me or kiss me?" Deathstroke teases. William grabs Deathstroke by the front of his suit.

"I'm not playing around! You have no idea how long I've waited, how much I fought, bled, and killed to get my hands on my boy!" William admits. "I've made so many sacrifices so that he can fulfill his destiny!"

"I have some idea… A theory if you will. You are the reason the rest of your family is dead. The Flying Graysons, the Court hired Zucco, just like they hired Chill. You hire the mob when you want your kills to go undetected." Deathstroke says quietly. William unhands Deathstroke, stepping back.

"How long do you need…?" William asks.

"Could be weeks, could be months. Hell, could even be years. It will take the time that it takes, just be patient. I can provide you with updates periodically on his progress." Deathstroke answers. "So, do we have a deal?" Deathstroke holds his hand out to him.

"We do. For now…" William states, taking Deathstroke's hand.

"Excellent. You won't be disappointed, I promise you." Deathstroke says, but William doesn't feel too good about making a deal with this man. Still though… William is far more dangerous.