Chapter Text
The first thing I heard was someone calling my name. Someone who was dead.
A memory flashed in my head.
“ Today you guys will be going in a simulation which is a doomed-to-fail mission. Your subconscious will not remember that till after but your consciousness will.”
I blinked and opened his eyes. Batman was leaning over me.
Batman opened his mouth and said something but I wasn’t paying attention. If that was a simulation that means. That means Jason and Damian and Tim and Barbara and Donna and Stephanie and Cass and none of them and none of it happened. None of it.
“Robin!” I blinked quickly and turned. “Sorry. What?” I could Batman share a look with Dinah and Martian Manhunter. “I asked if you’re okay?” I nod. “Yeah, I’m good.” M’gann stared at me and I nodded slightly and she nodded back.
‘ Night-. Rob-. Dick. You remember all of it, right?’
‘Yeah. But I don’t think Batman will let us talk about it now.’
‘Okay. Do you think I can mindlink in Gotham or wait till tomorrow?’
‘Tomorrow. I’m going to tell B and it would be better if we didn’t mindlink at that time. But stay ready in case I do.’
She nodded slightly and the link evaporated.
Batman continued talking. “All of you will have mandatory sessions with Black Canary. That’s all. You can go home now.”
Bruce sweeps me under his cape, and I stumble along after him into the old, incredibly outdated Zeta-tubes.
(Roy and I had replaced those many times. They had moved on to M-clocks, personal wristwatches that functioned as the former tubes, with the same destination limitation, which were embedded within rocks, concrete, or in alley walls around the world.)
They make it back to the cave, and Dick changes out of uniform and so does Bruce. Before he can go up Bruce drags him back to the computer.
They stare at each other till Bruce sighs. “What happened?” He stares at him.
“ Damian. No killing your brother, even if he called you demon child.”
“Tt. Fine.”
-
“TIM! GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!”
“SHOVE IT STEPH.”
“Cass can you get them.“
“Babs,”
“Cass.”
“Fine.”
-
“Jason.”
“Duke.”
“Harper.”
“What the fuck.”
“Let me have it, Carrie.”
-
“Dick. C’mon, let’s go.”
“Okay. Okay. I’m coming Kori.”
-
“Contingency 059. That’s what happened.”
Whatever Bruce was thinking was not that. He stared. “Contingency 059.” I nodded. “Yes. M’gann and me.” Bruce stared at him. “How long?” “31 years.” Bruce stared at me and I stared back.
Bruce’s eyes widened. “Is something wrong? Other than the 31 years in a simulation that seemed real thing?” Bruce got up. “Your eyes flickered light yellow.” I stared at him.
“That’s weird. You wouldn’t think that would transfer. None of my scars or anything else did. Why did the Talon eyes?”
“Talon eyes?”
I ignored him and snatched some of his stitching material and a shuriken. I cut a little cut on my forearm. Black and red spilled. I quickly stitched it up. “If that’s still here. I should tell M’gann.”
‘ M’gann!’
‘Dick?’
‘So you remember how Owlman took me but you guys were able to save me. But he had gotten halfway done so some of my blood has stayed black and at times my eyes flicker yellow.’
‘Yes. Why?’
‘While my scars and all of that are gone. My eyes still flicker yellow and some of my blood is still black.’
‘That’s not good at all.’
‘No. If you have the privacy you should check for anything. Maybe in your Martian form? I really don’t know but better safe than sorry.’
‘Okay. Thanks for telling me. I’ll tell you if I find anything.’
I shook his head. “So. Are you going tell others or not?” Bruce stood up. “Black Canary and Martian Manhunter. You were trapped in a simulation with M’gann for what was 31 years for you two. You both need to talk to Black Canary and have Martian Manhunter check for anything wrong with your subconsciouses.”
I hummed. “Yeah. That makes sense. Are you going to bench both of us? Because that’s going to make a lot of questions from the team. Unless you are also telling them.”
“I won’t tell the team unless you want me to. But you and M’gann will be benched for recovery. If you can, I would like a report on what happened after. Only major things.” Bruce looked at me. “You can go upstairs,”
I looked around at the cave and so many things were missing. The training bars and guns and swords and all of it gone. The cots on the upper floor. The cots near the corner for guests like Roy and a lifted space for Barbara and an energy table for Kori. Barbara. Kori. There were gone and so is everyone else.
I quickly walked up the stairs and into the manor almost tripping over air. I hate that I’m so much smaller than I was. I quickly walked through the halls and almost walked past my room.
I stopped and turned right back into it. This wasn’t the ‘simulation’. This wasn’t the world where I was with Kori and Barbara and all the kids and Roy and Donna and Garth and all of them.
I stepped inside and turned around. It was the room that he used to have. The room I changed and turned into Bette’s room.
Bette and Kate. They aren’t here either. Fuck.
It’s just M’gann and me. Because this Roy won’t be the same and Kate might not become Batwoman or if she does, not for a while. Since that’s happening Bette won’t come in. Barbara isn’t here and Jason and Tim and Steph and Cass and all of them aren’t here and won’t be. Rose and Joseph won’t be here. Zatanna, Raquel, Tula, Garth, Gar, Raven, Donna, Hank, Dawn. None of them.
I sit on the bed and look out into the muddy sky. It never did get better.
(Jason rolled his eyes. “Dick. Tell your fucking demon child to stop bothering me.”
“Are you scared of me?” Damian asked.
“No.”
Dick sighed. “Boys.”
They both sighed. “Sorry.”
-
Roy stood by him and M’gann as they stared at the statues.
“I. I.” M’gann stared at Conner’s statue.
Dick just looped an arm over his shoulder.
-
“Kara, let’s go! Lex is acting up and Lena will be fine.” I exclaimed.
“Are you sure?”
I nodded. “We have the best medical equipment that anyone could have. I’m sure Bart is fine watching her as well.”
Kara nodded and touched her watch. Her suit formed as she let her hair go and took off her glasses. “Okay. Let’s go kill a man.”)
I shook my head. I need to go to sleep. Get some rest and energy. Maybe this is all a joke and I’ll wake up and Raven will say it was just a trick.
But that’s not going to happen.
I close my eyes and take a breath and pretend that I’m not a child again.