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Dick grit his teeth as he politely introduced himself, Peter beside him.
He shook the woman’s hand.
“Hi. Ya here for the appointment, no?” Dick turned to Peter.
“I swear, I really don’t need this.”
“No, Neal. You’re going through withdrawal. A first kidnapping is a harrowing experience. Just try it. I’ll go first.” Dick tuned out Peter replying slowly to all the therapist’s questions.
He didn’t need this.
Peter turned to him, poking his arm.
“You can leave.” Dick replied. Peter shook his head.
“If you insist.” Dick spat out, snapping his head to look at the blonde woman. Dr. Quentin? Quarvy? It was Q something for sure.
“First of all, any dead members of the family?”
“Depends on what you mean by dead.” The woman cocked her head and wrote down something. The pen scribbling was getting on his nerves. Dick watched the clock. 11PM. He should be out there, running. Fighting for Damian.
“Mr. Caffrey, over here. Okay. First of all, what did you feel when you were captured?” Calm. Knowing. Safe.
“Scared. Confused. In danger.”
“Mr. Caffrey, can you tell me more about yourself?”
“Well, I like to play catch,” with his family. Who thought he was dead.
“Go on.”
“I like reading.” The woman creased her eyebrows.
“Could you be more specific? Less vague.”
“I like reading non-fictional books. I enjoy spending time with friends, I hate solving mortgage cases.” Dick didn’t know what direction this was going.
“Okay. Do you have any siblings? Family? Tell me about them, what you love about them.” Alive dead, resurrected, or pretending to be deceased?
“I have five siblings.” Jason, Tim, Damian, Steph, Cassandra. Peter shot him a appalled look, but kept his silence.
“Todd. His ferocity, his willingness to do more, to cross over the line.”
“Could you give an example?”
“I- I can’t. He passed away a few years ago.” Dick didn’t have a ‘normal’
situation to talk about.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah. Alvin is smart, the most alert and I guess you could call him a detective. One time, he solved a puzzle in less than thirteen minutes, when it was supposed to take three days. Daniel- Daniel was.. the youngest. His previous life was.. bad. His mom hated how he turned out in the end, and can’t love him the way we do.” The way Dick did.
“Stephanie loves glitter, and she loves playing pranks on us. Cassie, shes the most caring, the kindest out of all of us.”
“Your parents?”
“Dead.”
“Oh. I am very sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah.”
“Middle child?” Peter asked, talking for the first time in hours.
“Eldest.”
“That must be alot of pressure. Well, Mr. Caffrey, you have clearly suffered quite a bit in your life. How old are you again?”
“Forty five.” The woman narrowed her eyes, but didn’t question it. She looked eerily familiar.
“I have a foster father.” Dick didn’t know what made him spit that out. Probably the lack of human contact for the past year.
“Oh?” Both Peter and the woman looked pleasantly surprised.
“He’s a stubborn brute and a terrible father but he really tries.” The woman nodded. It clicked. Quinn, Harley Quinn.
“Well, I’ve learnt so much about you, Neal.”
“The feelings mutual.”
“That’s a wrap. Caffrey, can I talk to ya-you for a second?” Peter nodded at Harley and left.
Harley took off her glasses and makeup, revealing the pale, bleached skin underneath.
“I’m sorry for the Boy Wonder’s death, Dickie.” Dick flopped back onto the chair.
“It was my fault, Harley.”
“Can I ask why you’re pretending to be a forty year old man? Word says ya’ dead.”
“Can I ask why you’re acting as a therapist?”
“Needed the money for me and Ive’s new apartment. Answer the question.”
“Mission. From B.”
“The big man, huh? I’ve heard another thing.”
“What are you saying, Harley?”
“That the little bird’s back.” Dick’s gaze hardened.
“Bruce replaced Damian?”
“Woah, no need to bring out the names! Nah, it’s the same kiddo.” Harley twisted a quickly turning blue lock of hair, spinning around her chair.
“…Damian’s back? And Bruce didn’t tell me.” Dick stood up slowly.
“Go get ‘im, tiger!”
“Thanks Harley. I hope you get that apartment.”
Dick stormed out of the office to face a surprised Bruce Wayne.
-
“Dick?” Dick recovered quickly, storming beside Bruce’s side.
“You.” Dick snarled, poking him hard in the chest.
“Bruce. Damian’s alive. Damian’s alive and HARLEY QUINN is the one who told me. Who went on an undercover mission for you? Who betrayed their family for you? Who dumped everything and everyone for you? And you don’t even tell me?” Dick was fuming mad, hissing at Bruce with full force.
“Dick-“
“Don’t ‘Dick’ me with that condescending tone, Bruce.”
“Father, is Quinn not-“ Damian’s eyes widened and turned to Bruce very very carefully.
“Father. Is this Richard?” Dick hugged Damian until he threatened to burst.
“You’re alive.”
“You’re alive!” Dick had never heard so much joy in Damian’s voice. It suited him.
“Richard.” Damian softly returned the hug, Bruce’s eyes burning with anger.
“Dick, you can’t abandon your mission.”
“My mission? It ended a long time ago. I have a new one now, Bruce. Protecting my family.” Dick grabbed Damian and pulled Peter out of the centre, glaring behind him.
“So… yeah.” Peter rubbed his hands together and looked around nervously.
“Damian. I can’t believe you- I missed you so much.” Dick placed his hands gently on Damian’s shoulders, beaming with happiness he hadn’t felt for a long time.
“I guess I got used to your incessant blabbering. I missed you too, Richard.”
“Guys, the Red Hood’s running towards us.”
“You dick.” Dick was then hit by a gun, promptly passing out.