Chapter Text
It takes a hour and half for someone to find him on the rooftop.
Dick sits on top of it and watches the sun rise. He couldn’t sleep. Why would he have been able to? They’re a million thoughts running through his head, only further enabled and complicated by more obstructions from this future dimension.
Even the city skyline is different. He supposes it would be, after twenty years, but he secretly wishes it wasn’t for the sole purpose of giving him comfort.
Then he hears the soft scuffle of boots pressing against concrete. He doesn’t turn, prepares the basic ‘how’d you know I was here’ line, until he hears a sharp intake of pain.
He whips his head back to see Bruce (the super old one) hauling himself onto the rooftop. Dick flies out towards him on instinct, catching him when he doubles over.
He should’ve figured it’d Bruce, anyway, given the rooftop. It’s the one they used used to start patrol from every night, back when they were Batman and Robin.
When things were simpler.
The older man just snorts. “That does not get any easier.”
“How’d you get up here?” Dick gapes.
Bruce pulls himself out of his hold and gives him a look. “Grappling hook.” He answers simply, moving over to where Dick had been perched just a moment before.
“Figured you’d be here.” He hums.
Dick takes a seat beside him in the spot he had last occupied, but says nothing. Bruce, on the other hand, seems to want to make the most of his trek up the building.
“What’s wrong?” He prompts.
Dick sighs, a heavy weight falling from his shoulders.
“This isn’t my future.” He confesses.
“Of course not. It’s an identical dimension that’s more ahead in time.”
“But—“ He groans, throwing his hands up in a gesture at nothing, “That’s the thing. That word. Identical. This isn’t— This can’t be where my life is leading to.”
Bruce gives him a long, hard look. “Why not?”
He winces. “I didn’t mean.. Bruce, you’re retired. Where I’m from, I mean — not even death can stop you from putting that cowl on. I just find it hard to believe.”
The older man just hums. “I would have twenty years ago, as well.”
“And Tim,” Dick continues ranting, absently pulling at his hair, “He would never — I mean, I know he’s had some rough times. I still feel guilty about it, even if it turned out alright. But he’s never… My Tim would never..”
“Are you sure?” Bruce reasons. This time, Dick goes silent. “I remember when he was younger. He would never admit it, but he was so scared. He was so careful not to lose himself. But I..” He sighs, “I blame myself for it, but it had to go wrong sometime.”
Dick bites back a cynical laugh. That’s your definition of admitting yourself into Arkham? Going wrong? He wants to ask. He wants to fight.
But a small part of his brain that’s always been the mediator reasons that Bruce isn’t entirely wrong. Tim’s always been afraid of losing his compassion. Hell, there was that other future where he did, wasn’t there? Perhaps it wasn’t so wrong..
“Jason and Roy are married,” Dick starts again, “And Jason’s good with kids, yeah, but I cannot ever imagine him settling down. And Duke’s the Red Hood. He grew up around Crime Alley. In what world—“
“He covers for the Red Hood.” Bruce says patiently. “Duke’s always selfless when it comes to his family. And he’s Jason’s favourite, though they won’t admit it — so of course he covers for him. And I don’t pretend to know what’s going on in Jason’s head. Not anymore.” He frowns, “He’s happy. That’s all I care about.”
“Maybe in your Earth,” Dick says bitterly, “My Jason.. I don’t know if he’ll ever be.”
Bruce simply hums. They sit in silence for a few moments. Dick tries to collect himself next to the older man, who seems so content, but his brain’s program just can’t stop running. There are so many contradictions and parallels.
“Kori doesn’t love me.” He blurts out just before he’s done finishing the thought, “Not like that. Not anymore.”
She shouldn’t, he finishes privately.
To his surprise, Bruce barks out a laugh.
Dick looks to him with a scowl on his face, and Bruce puts a hand on his shoulder plaintively, the other wiping under his eye.
“Sorry, chum. It’s just that that’s — the most unreasonable concern I’ve heard yet.” He smiles at Dick’s irked expression, “Do you think I ever stopped loving Talia? Or Khoa? Julie?”
“Of course not,” Dick shifts, “But you’re not.. in love with them anymore.”
“Not now,” He nods in agreement, “But people like us.. with this job, the things you go through together — it creates a bond with feelings stronger than most. I still care for and love Talia, and I doubt little more than going through a life-threatening experience together — like we do almost everyday — would make me fall in love with her again.”
“Maybe you’re right.” Dick says quietly.
Bruce’s steady voice and the slow-moving sunset has made his mind calm a little. He thinks it over. He thinks about back home, with his brothers and his sister and his practically-sisters (and Barbara, who’s practically everybody else’s sister), about the Titans and Kori and maybe how happy he’d been to see her last time at the Watchtower—
And then all he can see and think about is a great blue electric force that’s tangling around him, splitting him apart and back together, and a pair of identical but slightly wearier blue eyes.
And then he just sees black.
“Dick! Dick, are you alright?”
Dick wakes up to the rhythmic beeping noise that alerts him to the fact he’s in the infirmary.
There’s a meshy configuration of blobs by the side of him that he thinks he can just about make out. Tanned skin, slicked back hair..
The figure leans over him. Dick blinks again, making out furrowed browns and a downturned nose.
“Bruce?” He murmurs.
Somebody answers, but it sounds like he’s drowning.
The next time he opens his eyes he sees the same figure next to him. Except unmasked, and with deep green eyes.
“Damian?” He blabbers.
Damian smiles at him softly. “Richard. You’re awake.”
Dick sits up in his bed, stumbling slightly. Damian tries his best to keep his sat straight, talking lowly at a smooth pace that Dick is just able to keep up with.
“…had Jason bring you here after you fell. I was worried you wouldn’t wake up, since we don’t know what exactly’s on those transpiration devices. Cassandra arrived about an hour ago, she’s been debriefing with the rest of the League on what to do.”
Dick snaps his neck trying to look at him.
“What?” Damian asks.
“No.. Grayson, Todd, Cain?” He says.
Damian lets out a bout of laughter. “Oh, please, Richard, I’m a grown man.” He pats Dick on the shoulder, “I don’t do that anymore. I’m not twelve.”
Dick squints at him. “Who are you and what have you done with my baby brother.”
Damian smiles. There’s a glint in his eye that Dick’s hardly seen before. “I believe Cassandra said inter-dimensional travel?” He jokes. “Really, you’re lucky your atoms weren’t completely re-arranged.”
He moves to get Dick a cup of water that the older one accepts with a small ‘thank you’ and drinks.
“Do I need to lecture you on correct protocol or has Timothy done it already?”
Dick thanks the stars that someone in the family is still obsessively organised, after he’s gotten over the mental frenzy caused by Damian referring to Tim without any insults (towards Tim) involved.
And on a first name basis. Are they sure this is an identical dimension?
“Everyone else said it was fine.” Dick says, taking the blame off himself. “They all technically have more experience than me so I let it go.”
Damian nods, and Dick takes the opportunity to take on him wholly. God, he really is a grown man. Dick won’t cry.
He might cry. Damian’s as tall as Bruce. And Dick excuses himself for mixing the two up when he was just waking, because Damian is really a carbon copy of his father. The only difference is he has his mother’s eyes and deep skin. And the posh accent — though certainly loosened — is never wearing off, it seems.
“You’re still Robin?” He asks, spying the uniform.
Damian has the in-character dignity to look a little flustered. “Of course. It is mine by birthright.” His gaze trails off to the wall, “I was Batman.. for a short while. It wasn’t quite a fit for me. I don’t know. Maybe I’m not just ready yet.”
“Cassandra seems happy to fill it.” Dick supplies.
“She is excellent.” Damian agrees. “But I don’t think anyone saw it coming.”
“Duke scared me.” Dick admits, to which his little brother laughs. “I was wondering why he was out patrolling at night! I’m shocked Bruce let another one of his kids become a crime lord.”
Damian makes an odd sort of squeaking noise. “Duke’s arguably more of a Gotham rogue than Jason is. He’s still Signal sometimes, but that Signal isn’t the one you remember from your time.” He looks back to Dick, “I think he gets a thrill out of playing tricks in the Red Hood costume. Flickering the lights, things like that.”
“He’s.. powerful.” Dick says truthfully. “It always kind of scared me.”
Damian pats his shoulder. “It is significantly less frightening when you see him using his powers to be both a disco ball and a disco dancer.”
The older one laughs, almost missing the sound of the door to the infirmary opening.
“Glad to see you’re alright.” Superman says — except it’s not Clark’s face he’s greeted with, but Jonathan’s.
“Jon!” Dick shouts, a little too excited.
“Hi, Dick.” Jon smiles kindly. “We’ve been talking with Cassandra and I think we’ve found something that’ll be able to take you back home.”
“Just like that?” Dick asks.
“Just like that.” Jon nods, “It seems the episode earlier was caused by your alternate self — our Dick — trying to get back home. We just need to connect to his device, and you can go. Whenever you’re ready and fully recovered, of course. I think your family will all be stopping by. And Kori’s on base, if you want to say goodbye.”
At that last comment, Dick flushes.
Damian shakes his head. “Twenty years ago, Jon. Kori’andr and Richard won’t have gotten back together yet.”
“Will Mar’i be here?” Dick finds himself asking.
Both the men turn to look at each other. They’re having some sort of unheard conversation.
Jon turns back to and nods. “I think so.”
Dick breathes out, slowly. “Alright.”
“Shall you require some space from her?” Damian asks, trying to be attentive, “I understand it’s uncomfortable. She’s not..” He seems to be choking back some words, “Your daughter.”
Dick laughs a little, smiles at Damian kindly. “Oh no, I’ve already met her. She’s mine, no doubt about it.” At Damian’s smile, he blinks, “Are you two close?”
“Somewhat.” Damian cryptically answers.
“Stop trying to be mysterious,” Jon heckles, and then turns a grin onto Dick, “Damian spoils all his nieces and nephews rotten.”
At this Damian scoffs. He opens his mouth, undoubtedly to make a jape at Jon, before the door to the infirmary slides open, and Jason steps inside along with three other, younger masked vigilantes.
“Speaking of nieces and nephews..” Jon smiles.
At the implication, Dick lifts himself off the pillow slightly to get a closer look. Three teens — the eldest of them (or Dick assumes he is since he’s the tallest) is dressed in a yellow and black hooded suit. The shortest is wearing a suit that has frankly startling shades of green and pink, and the boy in between them (who’s currently dangling a belt over his sister’s head) is wearing a black and orange suit with a domino mask.
“Give that — Back!” The girl in green and pink yelps, bouncing off her tippy-toes trying to reach the belt.
Dick tries to cover up a snort. Jason looks back at them, decidedly less amused.
“Lance,” he barks, “Give your sister her belt back.”
The boy named Lance pouts, taking his attention away from his sister to make a jab back at his dad, “Yes, si—“
Before promptly being tackled to the floor.
The older kid sighs. “Hi, uncle Dick.” He says politely, sitting by Damian next to the bed. “You look.. different.”
Dick grins at him, “That’s because I’m not your uncle Dick yet.” He faintly recalls that list of names Jason had fired off at him earlier, and seeing the smudge of engine grease on the side of the kid’s face, he assumes; “Are you Drake?”
“Yeah,” He smirks, “But in Gotham, they call me Outlaw.”
Which — Go figure, he is Jason’s kid.
“That’s got to get confusing for them.” He thinks aloud.
“Rao,” Jon mutters, turning to Dick, “You know, I can barely keep up with the number of Bats nowadays, and I know more about them than anybody.”
“We’re not all Bats,” Drake argues and jabs a thumb back to Lance, who’s getting scolded by Jason in the corner, “Lance is an Arrow.”
Dick strains his neck to see that the kid does, infact, have a bow and arrow strapped over his shoulder.
“Uncle Dick!” The girl walks over, gasping at the sight of him, “You don’t know me! Hi! I’m Carrie!”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Dick responds sort-of awkwardly. It’s odd to meet so many people who only know you one-sidedly.
“Alright,” Jason calls out, walking out to the bed with Lance in tow, “Give your uncle Dick some space, ‘cause it’s only gonna get more crowded in here.”
He’s followed by a chorus of ‘Yes, Jay’s and Jon wincing, asking, “Should I go?”
Damian snaps his head up toward his friend, looking contemplative, “Only if you want to, Jon. Excluding anyone other than Bats doesn’t seem.. entirely necessary.”
He smiles at him softly. “I’ll go.” He decides, giving Dick one soft pat on the shoulder and saying one last goodbye before disappearing in a flash, “See you in twenty years!”
Then it is just Dick and his family in the infirmary, and he relaxes his shoulders a little.
He glances at Damian and hums, “You know, you haven’t changed all that much, Dames.”
Damian raises an eyebrow at him. Dick thinks he must be feeling tired, because he doesn’t feel like elaborating.
The door slides open again, and — uh, okay, Dick has no idea who that is. A man walks in wearing an all-dark grey suit with a mask and frankly dramatic cape. Dick wracks his mind for someone who dresses that like, other than Batman.
Then he pulls the fabric down, and—
“Tim,” Jason says, “Who said you could patrol?”
Tim rolls his eyes playfully, walking over to nudge his older brother in the shoulder, “Nobody, dingus. I got suited up for the watchtower.”
Jason’s kids all get a burst of energy from seeing another one of their uncles walk in the room, and then the door slides open again, and again. Before Dick knows it the infirmary has been completely filled out with all of his nearest family.
“Does it really take so little to get us all in one place?” He asks, turning to Cass who has taken a turn to sit beside him.
She giggles. “Of course.” At Dick’s expression, she smiles, “We miss each other. Don’t you?”
Her eyes trail off to find Stephanie — her wife, and that’s still odd — crouched near the floor with that girl from earlier, who’s wearing a suit with a familiar pink bat-symbol.
“Is she your daughter?” He asks, because he really wants to know before he leaves.
Cass stills. “No,” She answers in an oddly stunned tone, “Lucius’ daughter. We.. Steph doesn’t know if she wants kids, after…”
Then it’s Dick’s turn to squirm a little. He’d completely forgotten about the baby Steph had given up before. She was far too young to raise them — he doesn’t disagree with what she did — but for it to be affecting her still, after all these years, it must’ve really taken more out of her than he thought.
“And me..” Cass says, quietly, “I’m worried I couldn’t.”
“Because of your parents?” He asks softly. Cass doesn’t answer. He thinks he can guess why. He squeezes her shoulder, comfortingly, “No one’s saying you have to have kids. But if you wanted to, you’d be a great mom. Your parents were.. your parents, but Cass — you’re better than them. You’re better than probably everyone in this room.”
He hears her laugh under the cover of the cowl.
Another voice comes from the doorway, one that Dick can pick out from the rest of the room. A little girl.
“Is my dad here?” She asks.
Dick looks over to see his Mar’i, still in school uniform, waiting outside.
He pushes himself out of bed without thinking. Cass tugs on his arm and tries to usher him back into bed, but he wrangles himself out of her grip. There’s some minor commotion from Duke and Jason, stood near them, but Dick just works his way through the crowd until Mar’i can see him, on the other side of the doorway.
“Mar’i,” He breathes, “Hey, chere.”
She flings herself at him, barely giving Dick enough time to crouch down to her height and catch her in a tight hug.
“Are you okay?” She asks.
“Better than ever, princess.” He answers, a smile on his face. He lowers her down so she can stand on her own two feet, looking down at her face and bright green eyes — those are definitely her mother’s. “I’m gonna miss you back in my time.”
“Will you say hi to Mom for me?” She asks. The question is seemingly, innocent. But knows himself better — and he sees all the parts of himself in Mar’i which might be unassuming to others.
He laughs, despite himself, “Yeah, I will.”
And Mar’i smiles, “See you in twenty years.”
They manage to set up a connection back home in less than fifteen minutes. Dick goes through a carousel of hugs and goodbyes, and steps in the designated portal area. He waves his family goodbye.
He doesn’t see Koriand’r on his way out, but it’s fine. He’ll see her back home.
“Did it work?” Is the first thing he hears on the other side of the portal.
When the electric blue haze no longer engulfs his vision, he sees a familiar room of the Batcave, engulfed in smoke.
He coughs and shields his eyes.
“Guys? Is that you?” He asks.
“Dick?” Tim shouts, rushing towards him with eyes flickering over to his hairline — which doesn’t have any grey, yet, thankfully. “You’re back to normal.”
Dick, at the sight of his little brother — who he now knows is mostly likely going to go through some personal hell in the next twenty years — leaps forward without thinking and traps him into a hug.
“Dick?” Tim echoes, an undercurrent of worry heavy in his voice.
Dick pulls away, smiling, “You will never believe where I’ve just been.”
“Uh, yeah we can, Dickface,” Says Jason, still choking on the thick smoke permeating the room, “Twenty years in the future in some alternate timeline?”
Dick grins at him. There are a million things he thinks of saying. All some flavour of snarky or mischievous — about how Jason’s married, how he has kids, how he calls Lian Harper his daughter. But he says none of it.
“Yeah.”
“What’s it like?” Steph asks, further around the back of the room. Cass has a hand rested on her shoulder, keeping her upward — he supposes the impact from the teleporter was harsh, or gave them an excuse to touch each other. He has to stop himself from snickering.
Then, he shrugs, “Not much to say,” He lies, already moving to exit the room and head to the zetas.
“Really?” Tim sputters. Dick makes a mental note to keep ten times more of an eye on him.
“Really,” He nods, already halfway towards the door, “I gotta go.”
“You just got here.”
“I know,” Dick laughs, walking out the door. His siblings all follow with some phase of confusion on their faces. He’s not bothered. He’s only got one thing — one person — on his mind, “And now, I’ve got to get back.”