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"You're not even sorry!" Jeff barked.
"We are sorry we've made you feel this way." Kaldur told him.
"That's not an aplology!"
"I'm not going to aplogise for putting the mission first." Bruce replied in his usual deep voice.
What good is the mission, if we lose ourselves trying to fulfill it?!"
Bruce was ignoring him, instead his attention was focused on his son.
His arm was around Alfred's shoulders and Alfred kept a hand at his chest, helping to keep him upright as he staggered over. Though Dick was in his twenties, that didn't stop him from worrying.
He was relying heavily on Alfred. His skin....it was turning dark, to the point where one is almost dead, but it was lighter than that. It's as if he was on the way to be.
If Dick was in there any longer....would he have died? Would Bruce have sent him on a mission that would have killed him?
His eyes were heavy, he was covered in sweat, he was so tired and weak. If Alfred wasn't holding him, he would have fallen.
"Jeff." Dick started, trying so hard to keep the weakness out of his voice.
I think the person you're really angry with....is me." "You're fucking right I'm angry with you! Mr. 'I don't join teams' Grayson was running a team with his father!"
"Jeff." Bruce started, knowing his son was not in the condition for this. "I understand it from Tim because he's a child, but you Grayson, are in your twenties!"
Dick brought up his arm and coughed into it.
"Dick." Bruce said softly. "I'm fine." He said. Bruce could see his legs getting weaker. "You're still weak, Dick. You're legs are getting weaker, you're relying on Alfred. Get some more rest. Jeff will still be here, won't you?"
"Yeah, I have to gather my things, because I am leaving." He growled. Bruce nodded to Alfred after Jeff turned his back.
"Come on, Master Dick." Alfred said softly, Dick didn't have the strength or energy to argue.
Morning rolled around, M'gann, Garfield, Victor, Forager, Conner, and Alfred all assembled in the sitting room. Bruce and Barbara would join them shortly.
"Dick, are you sure you wanna get up?" Tim asked. Dick coughed weakly before answering, "Yeah. Please Timmy?" Tim sighed, before going over and wrapped Dick's arm around his shoulders.
Thanks, Tim."
Bruce came in with Barbara as Dick started trying to get through to Jeff.
"Jeff,-" He tried to clear his throat. "-please-" "Stop. You're not sorry either." To Bruce and Tim, and everyone who was paying attention, it was clear Dick was relying heavily on Tim to stand.
"I am. I'm sorry-" Dick grunted. "-you had to get stuck in the x-pit with me. I'm sorry-" "Shut up, Grayson! You went behind my back and made me join your stupid Bat-Family business! I don't care what you have to say."
"I'm so gone." Jeff scowled before turning around. "Where's Helga?" "Uh, she left a while ago with Violet and the Markoves." Beast Boy told him.
Bruce could see Dick's legs were starting to give way, and Tim, also realizing this, tightened his grasp.
"Yeah, I don't blame her. Probably didn't want 'em to see all this."
Suddenly Tara and Brion walked in. "Where's Violet?" He asked. "Where's Helga?" He demanded.
"We have to rescue Violet!" Brion declared. "But we don't know where she is." Tara reasoned.
"This can't be true." Jefferson sat on the couch, his head in his hands. "I am sorry, but it is." Tara told him. "If my control chip hadn't malfunctioned, Brion and I never would have escaped."
"Helga-" "Jace betrayed you! Betrayed us all." "I gotta get outta here." Jeff declared.
"Jefferson-" Kaldur tried. "DON'T FOLLOW ME!" Jeff roared then stormed out. With him gone, all attention fell to Dick.
Tim's grip around his arm had tightened, much more than the grip was when Dick first got up. Bruce also noticed that Tim's arm was firmly around Dick's waist and he could see his legs starting to buckle.
Dick looked completely and utterly exhausted, his eyes kept drooping.
"I'll take him, Tim." Bruce said softly. Dick looked at him with tired eyes. "Let's get you back in bed, chum."
As Tim passed Dick to Bruce, that was when his legs gave out. "Whoa." Bruce said softly. Dick fumbled to grab Bruce's shirt. "I got you, I got you." He told his oldest son as he held him. He would have face-planted had Bruce not reacted as quickly as he did.
Conner, M'gann, Gar, Kaldur, and the rest of the gang, gave Dick pitiful eyes. They mentally kicked themselves for not noticing how weak he was after getting.
"Okay, okay, I'm gonna pick you up, okay?" Bruce said in such a fatherly concerned and loving voice, which had everyone, besides Tim, Alfred and Babs shocked.
When he received a small nod, Bruce but a hand under Dick's bottom, and one at his back. He hoisted Dick up, his head was resting on Bruce's shoulder. Bruce could feel the sweat rolling off him and hear his weak breathing.
Honestly, Bruce was surprised he could still carry Dick, as was probably everyone else around him. Dick was far too out of it. He used all of his energy to stand, and to try to get his tired mind take in what was happening. Now he was just completely out of it.
"Dad." He whined weakly and quietly. Conner's mouth fell open, he could hear due to his super-hearing.
"I got you, it's okay." Bruce soothed quietly. Dick hadn't called him 'Dad' since he was a kid. After panic attacks, nightmares, and the stupid training exercise he thought of, Dick had called him 'Dad'. He never told Dick to stop. He was honored that Dick called him that.
But over the years, the Dynamic Duo....just..... grew apart. The occasional 'Dad' was no more. In fact...they only ever talked on missions. About missions. They never talked like they used to.
Once sure that Dick was secure in his arms, he took off towards the Med bay. As if Dick was a child again, he nuzzled his face into Bruce's shoulder and his eyes closed. Bruce shifted his glance to the weak and limp boy in his arms.
Babs, Tim, and Alfred turned to the group. As much as they wanted to follow, they knew they had to stay and discuss the betrayal and kidnapping of Violet.
"Daddy." He whined as Bruce tried to lie him down. "Shhh." Bruce soothed. "It's okay. You just get some sleep, okay Dickie?" Bruce whispered soothingly as he ran a hand through his boy's hair.
Bruce got up to leave. "Don't go." Dick's small and broken voice pleaded. Instantly, Bruce turned around and sat in the chair. "I'm here, sweetheart, I'm here." Bruce soothed, gently taking Dick's clammy hand. A tear came out of Dick's eye, and with his other hand, Bruce wiped it away.
"Don't cry, Dickie." "I watched you all die." Dick told him weakly. Bruce squeezed Dick's clammy hand gently. "It wouldn't stop." He half sobbed. "I saw them fall again. I saw Jason, I saw Wally." Dick swallowed.
"I saw Timmy, I saw you, Babs, Kaldur, all of you. You were all either stabbed, or you fell or you were shot or someone killed you, or I had to choose between two of you." Bruce moved onto the bed, pulling Dick into his lap, and holding him close. His right arm around his back.
"I...I had to watch and choose for twenty-four hours...." Dick whispered as he weakly held Bruce. "I'm so sorry, son. I should have never sent you there." "Why am I so weak from it?" Dick asked between a cough. "I'm not sure. But just get some sleep, it will help.
"No." Dick weakly shook his head. "It's okay, I'm going to be here when you wake up. I promise." Bruce soothed softly, as he started stroking Dick's nose with his left hand.
An old trick he had learned when Dick was younger, it was guaranteed to put the boy to sleep.
Bruce could already see his eyes starting to droop and he smirked, he half expected it to work, but he was partially surprised that it still worked on the the twenty-year old.
"Don't go." Dick whimpered. Bruce knew he would have to discuss the betrayal of Dr. Jace with the others, and discuss the......Batman Inc situation. But he wouldn't leave Dick. Not now. Not when his child needed him.
"I'm not going anywhere, Dickie-baby." He whispered, before kissing Dick's sweaty forehead.
Dick nuzzled Bruce's chest as he closed his eyes. "I'm not leaving you. I'm here." He heard Bruce whisper as he felt Bruce's finger soothingly stroke his nose. "I love you." Dick mumbled. "I love you, too, Dickie-boo." He smirked.
"M'not eight anym're." Dick tried to act annoyed, but was betrayed by the sleepy smile on his face.
"Shhhhh, go to sleep." Bruce whispered. "How would you like it if I called you 'Brucey-boo'?" Dick yawned and Bruce chuckled through his nose and shook his head. "Go to sleep, child."
He stopped stroking Dick's noise when he saw Alfred come in. Dick whined at the sudden loss of contact, and Bruce's finger quickly returned to the action.
The pair of them saw Dick's scrunched up face from the loss of contact smooth out, and the boy raised his hand and weakly held a clump of Bruce's shirt. Both Alfred and Bruce looked at the boy fondly.
Bruce gave Dick a light squeeze. "There we go." He soothed.
Bruce continued to stroke his nose as Dick's breaths evened out, it didn't take long for his son to fall asleep.
Bruce had failed to be there in the past, but he would be there now. If Dick wanted love, he would give it, if he wanted a hug, Bruce would give it.
If Dick wanted to stay with Bruce after a nightmare, he would allow it, if Dick had trouble falling asleep and wanted Bruce there, he would be there. No questions asked.
He would rub Dick's back after a panic attack or nightmare, he would be there when his son was sick, he would be there to stroke his nose to sooth him to sleep if Dick wanted or needed it.
He couldn't believe his son almost dying was his wake-up call. Bruce will be there for as long as his sons want him to be. He will be there for Dick, and he will be there for Tim.
Whether they just want to be held, or they want to talk, he will be there. Bruce silently vows it as he looks down at the sleeping boy nuzzled against his chest.