Archive of Our Own

Damian swam calmly in the water. His father Bruce had strictly forbidden him from getting too close to the shore because the humans living on land were dangerous. But Damian wasn't afraid of anything, and he liked to get close enough to watch the humans playing on the beach. He never told his father where he was going, or else he'd get scolded. But he'd been coming to the beach regularly for several months now, and nothing had ever happened to him.

This time, he'd gotten caught in a fishing net. Up until now, he'd never really approached the humans, he was feeling confident, but not to the point of being seen by them. For the first time, Damian was really scared; he couldn't speak their language, no merfolk could, and he didn't know if he'd been caught by accident or not.

His father had warned him: merfolks were hunted, their scales were precious and fetched a good price. Their scales would naturally fall off and grow back, but his father had explained to him that human greed wouldn't stop at a few scales. Damian had heard stories of merfolks disappearing, being captured.

He'd told himself that kind of thing only happened to other merfolks. When the net was pulled in and the fishermen realized they'd indeed caught a merman, their faces stretched into a grin that sent a chill down Damian's spine. He had barely opened his mouth to try to speak to them when a pain in his neck stopped him in his tracks. His mind raced and his vision blurred. He made one last attempt to call out to his father, hearing his own chirps coming from his mouth, but out of the water there was no way his father could have heard him. Damian felt himself fall to the ground, his eyes closing and everything going black.

***

Slade was satisfied with his catch. Merfolks were difficult to capture because they lived in the depths and were especially suspicious of humans. That's why juveniles were his favorite: full of self-confidence and rebellion against the warnings of older merfolks, they often made this mistake, curious to learn more about the human world.

Slade looked at the merman collapsed on the deck of his boat. His son, Grant, had been a merfolks enthusiast in his lifetime. He had studied them and fought for their rights and to prevent their exploitation. In those days, Slade had always refused missions to capture a merfolk, knowing that his son would be very disappointed in him. But since Grant's death, Slade no longer felt that his hands were tied.

Slade was paid to capture and/or kill people. He didn't see any difference between doing it to humans or merfolks.

The only thing he felt remorse for was Dick. Dick had gone to the same school as Grant and was also passionate about merfolks. Dick was an orphan, and Slade had helped him financially in his search, contributing to expenses, paying for his underwater equipment and all the equipment and technology needed to locate and study the merfolks.

Dick would be disappointed too, but Dick would never know. Slade had learned that Dick's passion came from the fact that as a child he had been swept away by a strong current and no one had seen him floating. He would have drown, if not for a merman’s help – he rescued him and brought him to shore. Dick had once told Slade that he saw this merman regularly, which might explain why Dick had always been the best student in his class: few humans could boast of rubbing shoulders with merfolks. No one had any proof, and many thought he was lying, for the merman had always refused to show himself in the presence of other humans but Dick.

Slade knew Dick had been telling the truth all along, as the years of research had proven everything he said he learned with the merman to be true.

Slade hadn't seen much of Dick since Grant's death. Grant had passed away just a few months before the end of their senior year, and Slade had wanted to make sure Dick could finish out the school year, continuing to provide him financial support since he knew Dick wouldn't have been able to continue his studies otherwise. Dick had graduated and was now working at the Merfolks Research Institute in the next town over, with all the equipment and resources he needed there.

While Dick hadn't cut ties with Slade, their interactions had dwindled. Dick still came to visit Slade and his younger son Joey, who adored him, so he remained part of the family. But with Dick's research consuming so much of his time, Joey moving away for his own studies, and Slade throwing himself into work to cope with the grief of losing Grant, he and Dick had grown somewhat distant. After all, it had been six years since Grant's passing.

Six long years. Slade ordered his men to lock the merman in his cage, hoping wherever Grant was now, he might find a way to forgive his father's actions.

***

It was Thursday evening, Dick's favorite day of the week. He had deliberately left work early, as he always did on Thursdays. He had gone to the usual meeting place with Bruce, a rather secluded spot that Bruce had always insisted on using, rather than the more popular merfolks watching sites. Dick didn't mind the extra drive if it meant keeping Bruce safe from potential harm.

He had been working to improve his merfolk translator, recording every click, every intonation that Bruce had allowed him to capture over the years. The effort was starting to pay off, though he still had a long way to go. Many people still viewed merfolks as little more than fish, and considered the research Dick was doing a waste of money.

But Dick was determined that with time and dedication, he would eventually succeed in helping people understand just how much more similar to humans merfolks truly were. And even if they were "just fish", Dick believed that capturing them and tearing off their scales was a cruel and inhumane act that no creature should have to endure.

He parked his car and walked down the steps to the deserted beach. Bruce wasn't there yet, so Dick settled onto his usual large rock to wait for the merman's arrival.

Minutes ticked by with no sign of Bruce. Dick knew merfolks had an acute sense of time, and Bruce was always punctual. When a small eddy appeared in the water to his left, Dick grinned, expecting to see Bruce's familiar head pop up. It was him but to his surprise, the merman looked distraught. The rapid clicking was difficult for Dick to fully comprehend, even after all these years. Merfolk language worked more like sign language, with no conjugations or other complexities. Still, Dick understood that Bruce was talking about his family, and that they were missing.

"Who's missing?" Dick asked.

The clicking grew more insistent, and Dick realized Bruce was referring to Damian.

"How long?" he pressed.

Bruce began clicking frantically, the rapid pace once again overwhelming Dick's ability to fully comprehend. The poor merman seemed utterly panicked.

"Bruce, slow down..." Dick urged, trying to get the merman to speak more clearly.

Dick didn’t know their actual names, but when he had suggested different human names to both Bruce and Damian in the past, to make it easier for him, they had each chosen one from Dick's list, and the names had simply stuck ever since.

"You think humans captured him? Are you certain?" Dick asked, trying to get a clearer understanding of the situation.

Bruce confirmed that he could no longer hear his son at all, and that some merfolks had reported seeing Damian venture a bit too close to the shore. Dick knew Bruce could typically hear Damian's clicks from miles away, so not having any contact for six hours must have sent the father into a complete tailspin.

"I'll try to look into this. I'll blow the horn if I hear anything, okay?" Dick said, trying to reassure the distressed merman.

Bruce gave a single nod of acknowledgment, then Dick heard the telltale click of gratitude before the merman disappeared back beneath the waves. The "horn" was a small tool Dick had created to emit a specific sound that Bruce could use to locate and recognize Dick's signal. It had never really been necessary before, but Dick took pride in developing new ways for them to communicate.

Dick had arrived at the beach with a smile, but now the cold wind brought him crashing back to the grim reality of the situation. If Damian had been captured, the outcome could be dire if he wasn't found quickly. But Dick knew he couldn't possibly handle this alone - everyone around him knew who he was, and no one with any common sense would openly admit to capturing a merfolk in front of him.

He would need help, but Dick wasn't sure where to turn. The only person he could think of was Slade - the man had always dealt in shady jobs. Dick had never fully understood the extent of Slade's activities, but he had seen the man associating with some unsavory characters. If anyone could blend in with a crowd of merfolks fishermen, it would be Slade.

Dick pulled out his cell phone and crossed his fingers, hoping Slade would be willing to assist.

***

Ra's al Ghul had invested a small fortune to acquire this merman. The creatures were larger than humans, their sharp claws and teeth capable of piercing flesh with disturbing ease, and their powerful tails could easily knock out a full-grown man with a single blow. Many humans steered clear of merfolks for this very reason, despite the allure. But Ra's trusted Slade, and the mercenary's reputation was well-established.

The creature in the cage floated there, inert. Its scales gleamed a gorgeous green hue; Ra's could already envision the substantial profits he would reap from possessing such a rare specimen.

"Here's the rest of your payment, Slade. You always come through - can't say I'm not impressed. I have to admit, I'm a little surprised you're getting into the whole merfolk capture business now. I seem to recall you steering clear of the trade just a few years ago. Not that I'm complaining - the last batch you brought in was top notch. Good call getting into the merfolk business, if you ask me. They're just animals after all, right?"

Ra's paused, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Though if I remember correctly, your kid was kind of fond of those creatures, wasn't he?"

Slade's eyes immediately darkened, and he shot Ra's an icy glare. He was not here to engage in idle chatter, let alone hear the man make comments about his son. "That's none of your business."

"Ah, I see I've struck a nerve. No matter, the transfer is complete. Thank you for your cooperation." Ra's waved a dismissive hand.

Slade silently turned and left the room. His line of work often required him to associate with weird individuals. Objectively, Slade himself was no better - he cared little about what ultimately befell his captives once they were handed over to his clients.

As he closed the door, Slade found his gaze drawn back to the merman in its glass enclosure one last time. The creature was young, and must have had a family of its own. It was someone's son.

Slade quickly pushed the thought aside. He turned his attention to Ra's, seeing the man's eyes gleam with a manic obsession as he examined the merman.

Slade turned and walked away without another word.

***

Six Years Earlier

Grant and Dick hurried towards the exit. School was almost out for the year, and they were discussing their plans for next year. Dick was hoping to work at a research institute, continuing his studies on merfolk and sharing his findings with the world. Grant, on the other hand, was feeling more adventurous and wanted to get out into the field.

The merfolks tended to avoid humans, but Grant knew they were being observed from underwater pods. That, to him, was the real thrill.

They nearly tripped on the stairs when they spotted Slade waiting for them a short distance away. Tonight, as they often did, they were going to swim at the beach. Excited, they made their way over to Slade's car. They reached the car and Slade ruffled his son's hair and did the same more gently with Dick. Grant brushed his father's hand aside with a grunt, but Dick seemed pleased, his cheeks flushing slightly.

"Come on, everybody in the car." After a short drive, they arrived at the Wilson family's large house.

The Wilsons were a wealthy family, and this wasn't the first time Dick had visited. He had gotten used to the family's hospitality - the Wilsons often invited him over for dinner. Yet every time Dick approached the grand entryway, he couldn't help but think about his own small, dilapidated apartment. The living room alone was bigger than his whole living space.

Joey was waiting for them impatiently. "What took you so long? I'm starving! Hey Dick, I found one of the rare Superman figure I talked to you about, I'll show it to you later!"

Dick had adapted quickly to this lavish lifestyle. Though he was often lonely in his tiny apartment, he felt at home with the Wilsons, as if he was living a normal life.  As normal as life could be in a multimillion-dollar mansion, that is.

The Wilsons' mother, Adeline, had passed away shortly after Joey's birth. From what Dick knew, she had been a generous and principled woman. The family didn't dwell much on the past - they had lost their mother, and Dick himself had grown up in an unstable home, so they were all eager to move forward.

Slade wasn't a true father figure to Dick. The subtle differences in how Slade treated his own sons versus Dick made it clear he wasn't seen as a son either. But blood ties or not, Dick spent much of his free time with the Wilsons when he wasn't working extra hours to keep up with his studies.

He and Grant had become close friends, often going to the beach in the evenings to swim, even as the weather cooled. It was this day, with Joey in tow, that the accident occurred. Grant was driving when his car skidded off the road on the uphill route. Joey emerged unscathed aside from a sore neck, while Dick broke his arm and leg and sustained a concussion. Grant, however, was not so fortunate.

It was Joey who had called Slade in a panic, and Slade had immediately summoned help. From the extent of Grant's injuries, it seemed he had died instantly - a small comfort.

Slade offered for Dick to stay with them, but the constant reminders of Grant's death made Dick decline. Still, Slade continued to support him, and Dick was deeply grateful.

***

Present

As soon as Slade got into his car, his phone suddenly vibrated. When he saw the name on the screen, his heart skipped a beat.

"Hello? Dick?"

A shaky, worried voice greeted him on the other end of the line. Forgetting all about the captive merman, Slade focused his full attention on the voice on the phone.

"Tell me what's going on." he urged.

"It's... You remember that merman who saved my life when I was a kid? Well, his son has gone missing today! He thinks he's been captured by humans - that he's going to be auctioned off and forced to spend the rest of his life in some rich man's aquarium, or even tortured for his scales! I can't investigate this on my own - everyone knows me, so no one will talk. But you... could you look into this? Do you have any well-placed contacts who might know something about a case like this? Please, Slade, I need your help..."

Slade's eyes closed and he bit down on his cheek, feeling a pang of guilt. Obviously, luck had not been on his side. At least if there had been any lingering doubt in Slade's mind that Dick could actually communicate with merfolks, there was none now.

"Dick..." Slade hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He refused to let Dick take on someone as powerful as Ra's al Ghul; it would put him in grave danger, and justice would not be served. The world was run by money and influence, and the rights of merfolks were still too heavily disputed for anyone to try challenging an al Ghul. "You should reconsider this. The merman is likely long gone by now - it would be nearly impossible to track him down. I'm sorry, but I don't think there's anything I can do to help."

"Slade, please, I'm begging you!" But Dick's desperate pleas would be to no avail; Slade knew exactly where the merman was being held, and by whom. He had no additional research to conduct - the only thing that mattered now was ensuring Dick stayed out of this.

"It's a dangerous world, Dick. You don't know who you're dealing with here. I'm truly sorry about your merman friend, but you have to let this go."

"Why? What do you know that you're not telling me?"

Slade responded with silence, and that alone was telling. Slade had always gone to great lengths to protect his two sons, and there was a time when he would have done the same for Dick. Even if their paths had diverged, Dick would have thought that Slade would have at least tried; it wasn't like him to give up from the start. This was suspicious, and Dick felt a growing sense of confusion in the pit of his stomach. Had Slade somehow learned about this merman situation? Did he know something about it?

"Drop this, Dick. A merman isn't worth risking your safety over."

Dick scoffed contemptuously; he couldn't believe Slade would think he'd simply abandon this. His voice was cold as he replied, "Fine, you don't have to help me. But you clearly don't know me very well if you think I'm just going to stand by and do nothing. I'll figure this out on my own. Say hello to Joey for me."

"Di-"

But Dick had already ended the call. Slade let out a frustrated sigh.

***

Dick's heart was pounding, his emotions in turmoil. He felt frustrated, stunned, and utterly dejected. Slade was the one person he could truly count on, and even Slade refused to help. No matter, Dick would have to take care of this himself. For now, he just needed to breathe, his hands still trembling from the phone call.

He was still sitting on the beach, not feeling up to driving in this state. So he simply remained there, gazing at the clouds and listening to the soothing sounds of the waves - though today, even the familiar smells made him want to retch.

Minutes passed, and Dick chided himself for getting so angry. Slade had been his only lead, and he'd just hung up on him. Trying to investigate this on his own would be incredibly difficult - he had no idea where to even begin. But if Slade knew something, maybe there would be information at his house or on his phone. Dick felt his heart racing again; the thought of having to talk to Slade again so soon made his stomach turn, but he couldn't rule out that possible lead. Swallowing his pride, he sent Slade an apologetic text. He needed to stay on good terms if he was going to gain access to Slade's home and devices to find any useful information.

Dick had always respected Slade - the man was true to his word, sometimes overly strict, but always giving his all. Dick was aware of the fact that his admiration for Slade bordered on infatuation. Whether Slade was replacing the father figure Dick had never had, or simply someone he could always count on in his darkest moments, Dick trusted him implicitly. He understood Slade's intentions were to keep him out of harm's way, but Dick's grip tightened on his phone. If Slade was withholding information, Dick would find out the truth, no matter what.

His phone suddenly vibrated, startling him. The message was simple: "Don't worry, it's already forgotten. But please stay out of this. This is not a game, you’ll end up killed."

Dicked didn’t care. Now, all he needed was an excuse to visit the Wilsons, and luckily he had one right in front of him - Joey. He felt guilty about using the young man, but he would stay focused on his goal. Tomorrow marked the start of school break, when Joey would be returning home to his father. Joey had been adamant that Dick visit during that time, and Dick had promised he would try. Now, he would make the time, no matter what.

He opened his conversation with Joey and replied that he would be available. Slade knew Dick and Joey saw each other regularly when Joey was in town, so it wouldn't raise any suspicions.

Joey's response came quickly, and the plan began to take shape.

***

Joey disembarked the bus, grabbing his suitcase with a smile as he was finally back home. Slade was waiting in his car just down the street, and they drove the rest of the way together. Joey excitedly told his father all about his life at college, though Slade listened with a somewhat distracted air, offering brief responses to keep the conversation going.

All the while, Joey kept up a running conversation on his own phone, a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"Who are you talking to?" Slade asked curiously.

"Dick!" Joey replied enthusiastically. "You know, there's this new movie coming out that I told you about, and I wasn't sure if Dick would be able to make it, but we're going to see it this afternoon!"

Slade felt a twinge in his chest at the mention of Dick's name. He still felt guilty for keeping the truth from the young man, even if it was only to protect him. Slade knew Dick had a tendency to get into trouble no matter what, but perhaps knowing Dick would be with Joey could be reassuring - at least he wouldn't be putting himself in danger.

"You should tell him to come by later," Slade suggested. "He can even stay with us for the week, if he'd like."

Joey chuckled. "We're not kids anymore, Dad. You can just admit if you miss him, you know. You don't have to use me as an excuse."

Slade winced inwardly. This was territory he'd rather avoid. Dick was his eldest son's friend, making Slade old enough to be the young man's father. He'd always struggled to ignore the somewhat misplaced feelings he harbored for Dick - a vibrant, spirited individual who had never had an easy life, but always remained positive and ready to lend a hand to those in need, even at his own expense.

Asking Dick to come live with them after Grant's passing had been a mistake. In his grief, he'd felt the need to have Dick close, to know he was safe from harm's way. But to have the young man always near, yet forever out of reach, would have been too much for Slade to bear. Dick's refusal had been a relief.

That fateful day, Slade could have lost both his sons, as well as Dick. Even sending Joey off to boarding school had been agonizing. But Slade knew he couldn't be there for every step of his children's journeys.

Of course, Joey didn't know the full extent of Slade's inner turmoil. The young man had simply been trying to tease his father, unaware of the conflicts raging within. All Slade hoped was that Dick wouldn't divulge anything about the 'merman' incident and risk endangering Joey.

Yet Slade's honest response came easily. "I miss you both - all three of you."

Joey gave his father's shoulder a comforting squeeze. It had taken time, but Joey could now hear his brother's name without the negative associations. He had finally been able to move forward. The rest of the drive passed in peaceful silence, and barely had Joey dropped off his bags than he was out the door again. "See you tonight!"

"You're the one who misses Dick," Slade called after him, amused. "You're already running off without spending any more time with me!"

Joey just laughed and waved goodbye. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon and we can spend the whole week together!"

After the movie, Joey and Dick spent the afternoon exploring their old haunts - the arcade, the skate park, even stopping for ice cream. When dusk fell, Joey invited Dick to join them for dinner, an offer the young man readily accepted.

Though Joey loved his life at boarding school and college, he'd missed the warmth of family. Things hadn't been the same since Grant's passing, but life went on.

There was a palpable tension between Slade and Dick, which Joey attributed to their lack of interaction during his absence. But as the meal progressed, that unease gradually dissipated.

Joey felt entirely at home.

As he rose to clear the dishes, Joey looked back to see Slade and Dick conversing easily. Reaching the kitchen, he eyed the daunting pile of plates and utensils. "Oh, guys, I'm not doing all this by myself!"

Slade moved to get up, but Dick suddenly pulled out his phone, brow furrowed as he seemed to struggle to turn it on.

"Something wrong?" Slade asked.

"I'm not sure, I thought it still had power left. The screen won't turn on - I was hoping to let Tim know I'd be running late so he wouldn't worry."

Slade pulled his own phone from his pocket. "If you know his number, go ahead and let him know. We've got a charger upstairs in the office if you need to plug your phone in."

Dick's face lit up with a broad grin. "Thanks, you're a lifesaver! Tim tends to get caught up in his work, so I should have thought to give him a heads-up beforehand. I was being careless."

As Dick headed to the kitchen to join his son, he found himself holding Slade's unlocked phone. Dick couldn't believe his luck - his plan had worked perfectly. He wasn't sure what had caused Slade to let his guard down so much, but he was thankful; Dick wasn't about to miss this opportunity. If he could find any information about auctions involving merfolks, it could be invaluable for Bruce's search for Damian.

He felt guilty about keeping Joey in the dark, but the priority right now was Damian's safety. Even though Damian had been Dick's reason for coming to Slade's so early, he'd genuinely enjoyed reconnecting with his young friend and spending the day together.

When Slade and Joey returned to the living room a short while later, Dick was nowhere to be seen. Slade assumed he'd gone to the study to charge his phone, but Dick's belongings had vanished. Slade's own phone lay on the table, and a sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach as he realized he'd handed it over to Dick.

Steeling himself, Slade turned on the screen - and his worst fears were confirmed. Dick hadn't even tried to hide the fact that he'd been rifling through the device, leaving various apps open without a second thought. Slade set the phone down, running anxious hands over his face.

"Daddy? What's wrong?"

Slade didn't want to burden his son with the unsavory details, and lied. "According to the messages, Dick's friend needed him urgently. Don’t worry, you’ll be able to see more later this week."

Joey didn't seem fully convinced, but he didn't press the issue. He sent Dick a text, letting him know he was welcome to stop by again anytime during his vacation, and offering any assistance he might need.

***

The following day, Slade tried to reach Dick, but his calls went unanswered and his text messages went unresponded to. Slade's only option seemed to be driving to Dick's place, but as he stood next to Joey, his son made him change his mind.

"What, there’s a shooting range in town?! Dad, how come you never told me about that?"

This was intentional from Slade - he preferred guns to be out of his son's world. Even if it was somewhat hypocritical, given Slade's own profession and the weapons hidden around their home; he didn't want Joey stumbling upon them by chance.

"How did you find out about that?"

"Dick just told-"

Slade didn't pay any more attention to what he was told. The fact that Joey had heard from Dick proved the younger man was deliberately avoiding Slade. If Dick had used Slade's phone to gather information, then Slade would do the same. Once Joey headed off to shower, Slade picked up his phone, knowing his son never locked it, and placed a call to Dick, who picked up.

"Yeah?"

Slade knew he had to act quickly - Dick would likely hang up the moment he realized it was Slade.

"Dick, I-"

"Slade?" The contempt in Dick's voice made Slade's words catch in his throat. "I'm done talking to you, don't call me again."

"Wait, please, it’s a misunder-"

"Why!? You captured Damian and sold him to Ra's al Ghul! What part of that am I misunderstanding?!"

Technically, he hadn't sold Damian, but the details were irrelevant - the outcome was the same.

"Yes, that's what I did. But I didn't know-"

"You didn't know?! That you were capturing a merman? That he would be tortured, held captive, drugged until he died? Do you have any idea how long merfolks can survive in those conditions? Not long!"

"No, I didn't know he was Bruce's son-“

"So what?! It's not about who, it's about what!" Dick's voice cracked as he fought back tears. Slade tensed at the sound of Dick's sniffling. "I knew you were involved in shady stuff, but I thought with Grant - I thought at least that much, you'd never do. If it had been any other merfolk you captured, and I never found out, you wouldn't have felt an ounce of remorse. Even now, I don't think you do. I thought you..." Dick paused, taking a deep breath to steady his voice. "I knew you were hiding something, but that you were the one behind it all... I never want to see or speak to you again. Those are the last days I'll visit Joey, and after that I'm staying out of both your life. If he asks why I don’t answer his texts anymore, you'll just have to lie to him too."

Dick had hung up. Slade felt the urge to hurl the phone across the room, but stopped himself, remembering it was Joey's. A clear-headed Dick would already be putting himself in danger trying to rescue Damian, but an emotionally distraught Dick was even more likely to make reckless decisions.

Slade wanted to believe this was just a passing outburst, that Dick would calm down and do the sensible thing - nothing. That in time, he'd forgive Slade. But he'd never seen Dick this unraveled, and something told him the younger man wasn't bluffing. Slade couldn't let anything happen to him. He had no choice now - he had to follow Dick and ensure he didn't endanger himself.

Leaving a note for Joey on the table explaining an emergency had come up at work and he'd be back later, Slade left some money for pizza. Joey would be disappointed, but not surprised - this kind of thing happened frequently due to Slade's line of work, and his son was accustomed to it.

***

Dick spotted the truck entering Ra's al Ghul's unloading area. If he played his cards right, he could sneak in and get inside the building without incident. His heart was pounding - he wasn't a cop or a secret agent, he had no idea what he was doing or what kind of legal trouble he could land in for trespassing. Maybe he could end up in jail, but he didn't care. If no one else was going to fight for the merfolks, then he would, even if he had to do it alone. He knew countless merfolks were suffering, and Dick felt ashamed that he hadn't done more on his own.

It would likely be years before people finally opened their eyes, by which point many merfolks could be dead or enslaved in jars for the amusement of the wealthy. But now, Dick had a chance to actually do something. He slipped to the side, praying his hastily calculated camera blind spot was correct and the camera wouldn't spot him. Once inside what looked like a small car park, he hid behind a pillar before the truck stopped and the two passengers began unloading their cargo. It was all crates, and Dick had no idea what was inside, but he didn't trust Ra's al Ghul - it was probably something illegal again.

One of the men removed his jacket, draping it on the floor by the truck. The crates seemed heavy and the men were sweaty; they weren't using a pallet jack. They set the crate down near a pile of other boxes, then headed for a door that required a magnetic card to open. Dick gritted his teeth - this was a problem he had no idea how to solve.

After the men disappeared, Dick rushed to the abandoned jacket, finding a badge attached to the pocket. He thanked every deity as he quickly put on the jacket, knowing it would make him less suspicious if he encountered anyone. It was getting late, so Dick hoped most people had gone home already as he navigated the identical-looking hallways. When he came across signs on the wall, he hurried to follow the one for the laboratory. Hearing voices, he prayed they didn't belong to the two men, as they'd surely notice the name on the jacket.

Panicking, Dick ducked into the first open door he found, finding himself in a dark room with scattered points of light - likely computers or machinery. He closed the door behind him, holding his breath as the voices faded. His heart was so loud he thought the whole building could hear it. He got out and, following more signs, he made his way to the lab section, which encompassed multiple rooms, many protected by glass that allowed Dick to see in without entering. His heart sank in horror when he spotted the bloody, scaled corpse of a mermaid on an operating table. Tears welled in his eyes - he felt so powerless. What if Damian's body was the next one he found? How could he ever tell Bruce?

Dick walked forward, his body shaking. He tried his best to swallow his sobs, but he couldn't stop thinking about the two men who had passed him earlier, acting like nothing was wrong. How could they agree to this? And Slade? How could Slade...

Dick shook his head. Damian.

He continued searching. Some rooms were filled with glass jars of all kinds. Considering the variety of distinctive scales in them, many merfolks had passed through here. So many varying colors and sizes - Dick had never even seen so many different merfolks in his life.

The next room to his left caught his eye; in the middle of the white walls was a large, empty aquarium, and right next to it-

Damian was tied to a stretcher with strong straps. Some of his scales were missing, he was covered in wounds, and some of his claws had been torn off. Dick rushed to the door, swiping his badge, hoping it would open. He sighed with relief as the green light flashed and the lock clicked. He hurried over to Damian; was he still breathing? He knew merfolks could breathe out of water, but only for a few hours. He felt a faint heartbeat under his fingers; Damian was alive. Now he had to get him out of here, and fast. He'd been lucky in the alley, maybe everything would work out for his return as well.

He pushed the stretcher out of the room. No alarm had gone off yet; Dick tried to pick up his pace, but it wasn't easy with the stretcher, and he was afraid of making too much noise.

"Hey, you! What are you doing?"

Dick froze, his face paling. He slowly turned around to see a man approaching him. Shit, it was the man from the truck, the one who'd kept his jacket on. He was rather large, and Dick knew he wouldn't stand a chance if it came to a fight. If the man got too close, he'd see the name on the badge.

"I've been asked to move him." Dick said, trying to sound confident.

The man paused, his eyebrows furrowed, clearly unsure. "By whom?"

"Uh... I don't remember his name, I’m still new here, he's quite tall, gray hair.” He tried providing realistic but simple details. He learned in life that this kind of thing could go either way.

"Erik?"

Bingo.

"Ah, yes!" The man seemed more relaxed now.

"Strange, he didn't mention it to me." the man said.

Dick shrugged, acting like he didn't know why either, just following orders.

It was almost an accepted scenario until his colleague showed up, the one without his jacket. "I think I left it by the truck. Could you-"

The newcomer's gaze fell on Dick, then lingered on the jacket. Dick wished all jackets were the same, but the look of recognition on the man's face told him he'd been found out, and he panicked. He turned and started to push the stretcher, but the man stopped him.

"That's my jacket!"

The older man beside him turned to him. "What? Are you sure?"

His colleague rolled his eyes. "Yes!"

Dick started to run when he heard a thud and felt a whistle close to his ears. He saw a clear bullet hole in the wall in front of him; was he being shot at?!

Dick followed the signs to the parking lot, but remembered the end of the road was a real maze, very poorly signposted. These men knew their terrain and were armed; Dick was alone and lost. He was screwed. Bruce would think he had abandoned him, that he had stopped coming to the beach because he didn't care about Damian. Bruce would never see Damian again.

He felt a pain in his left arm and realized the bullet had hit him this time. He stumbled in panic and put his hand on his bruised arm. Now sitting on the ground, he saw the two men coming towards him. He tried to get up, but his trembling hands couldn't lift him.

There was a noise behind him and his blood froze; more men were coming, he was surrounded. He gasped and blinked as a gun rang close to him and he saw the older man fall to the ground. The youngest of his pursuers stopped in panic. He had no weapon and was frightened, trying to get away, but a second shot rang through the room and this time both men were down.

"Dick!"

Stunned, Dick lifted his wet eyes to the figure leaning over him.

"Slade?"

Slade hugged him. "Why do you never listen to anything anyone says?”

Footsteps sounded; several people approached. Dick tried to get up, but his body refused to obey. "Slade, I can't-"

Slade positioned himself so that Dick could put his arms around his neck and lay on his back. Dick gasped in pain as he moved his arm, but obeyed.

"Let’s get out of this mess."

As Slade started to walk away, Dick yelled. "What are you doing?! Not without Damian!"

"There's no time, they're coming, I'm already slowed down carrying you, I can't push the stretcher too."

"What if I get on with Damian? Or, wait, I can walk, I just need..."

"No, you can't. Leave him Dick, he's barely breathing, he's gone. You tried, you did your best, but you'll lose your life if you persist."

"No! I'm not leaving him! Damian is- He's like a son to me..."

Slade wanted to look up in despair, but he knew Dick meant it.

"I saw him born and raised. I couldn't save all the merfolks before him, and there are so many more I won't be able to save in the future, but him, him I'm so close to saving! Slade, if you don't want to help me, you can leave, but I'm not leaving without him."

Slade hesitated to stun him. The footsteps were only a hallway away. "Dick, you've got to get out of here, I'm begging you."

But Dick shook his head. "Help me get him out of here, Slade. He's a merman, he's a son. His father is completely distressed. If you won't do it for me or him, do it for Grant."

And what a terrible low blow. Grant would have been the first to jump at the chance to save a merman, the first to put his life on the line. Neither Grant nor Dick would be proud of what Slade had become. Or rather, what Slade had always been. Neither would Adeline, who would turn in her grave if she could see Slade capturing merfolks and humans alike, regardless of the consequences. She'd never learned what he did in the shadows while he was alive, or she'd have ripped his balls and heart out.

Slade turned toward the footsteps. "All right, then. Get on that damn stretcher and lie down. You don't get up under any circumstances, you understand? You keep your head down.”
 
Dick nodded, and Slade helped him up. He was shaking like a leaf, but he wasn't losing enough blood to be life-threatening. Slade, desperate to save Dick, had come prepared.

Dick's eyes widened as Slade pulled out a grenade. "What the..."

"Remember, I was in the army. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Dick, for his part, had no idea, but using grenades against civilians seemed questionable. Was it morally right to kill men in exchange for the life of a merman? Would Dick choose Damian's life over the lives of the men here? They may have families waiting for them.

But Dick closed his eyes and hid his head. These were men who knew what was done here and didn’t bat an eye. Dick had already made up his mind. He had been afraid the grenade would cause too much damage, but the explosion wasn't as devastating as he'd feared.

The men were caught off guard, coughing in the smoke. Slade aimed precisely with his gun at the remaining individuals.

After a few seconds, he turned, checked on Dick, and pushed the stretcher toward the exit. There were still corridors to go, but Slade would allow no one to stop them.

They reached the parking level and Slade opened the door with a badge. "How did you get a badge?"

"I have my sources."

Dick didn't want to know the details. If Slade had worked with Ra's al Ghul, he'd likely done many questionable things. Dick wasn't sure he could forgive Slade that quickly, he would need time, but he was grateful the man had come for them.

He checked Damian's breathing. "We have to hurry."

Dick raised his head, fearing they would get caught on camera, but he noticed the security cameras had been destroyed. They approached a pickup truck - Dick was now certain Slade must have expected Damian to be with them. It would have been too hard to put Damian on his everyday car.

"We'll have to untie him and put him in the back."

"Okay, I'll ride with him.”

"No way, you're riding up front with me."

Dick started to argue, but Slade immediately cut him off. "It's not negotiable. If we get shot, you're not riding in the back, out in the open. You've already taken one bullet - if a second hits you, I'll be furious. The merman is heavy, so it won't move much despite the vehicle's motion, but if I drive fast and hit potholes, you might go flying."

Dick backed off, then remembered. "My bike! I came here on my bike and hid it in the woods."

"Don't worry, I'll get it later."

Damian was laying in the back and Dick rode up front with Slade. No one followed them, and after many long minutes, Dick finally relaxed. His body was still shaking, but this time he felt relief.

"I realize I haven't thanked you yet. Thank you for coming to save Damian."

"I came to save you."

"Yes, yes. The result is the same - Damian is saved, and that's all I wanted. I couldn't have done it without you, so thank you."

Slade's expression hardened. "You'll never do anything like that to me again, do you understand? Never again."

"As long as you capture merfolks, I'll go rescue them. Now that I know Ra's al Ghul is one of the traffickers-"

Slade's blood boiled. "Forget him. You stay out of this."

"But-"

"I'll take care of Ra's al Ghul. He won't be a problem anymore - I'll wipe him off the face of the planet. And you stay out of it.”

Dick was silent for a moment. "There will always be other traffickers, even if you take one out - there will still be plenty more."

Slade shook his head. "Dick, you can't play vigilante. You have to stay alive to keep warning people, to help them understand the true nature of the merfolks. You can't do any of that if you're dead."

The rest of the trip passed in silence as Dick started to feel the effects of exhaustion and the pain in his arm. He hadn't realized how tired he was until they left the building. He was beginning to drift off, his thoughts growing hazy, when Slade called out to him.

"Dick, Dick! Can you hear me? Stay awake. Where should I go?"

"Huh? Where are we...? Take the next left."

They drove to Dick's usual little beach. Getting the merman all the way down was no easy task, and Slade's arms would be sore the next day.

Once on the sand, Slade put the merman down after taking a few steps into the water, and watched as Dick went a little deeper. Slade had never liked the water: you couldn't see well, you moved slowly, you couldn't breathe, and who knew what might be lurking beneath the surface? No, frankly, people who loved the water were aliens to him. Dick pulled out a small, finger-length, horn-shaped tool. Slade watched as Dick bent down and submerged his head, the tool held to his lips. Slade heard nothing, but Dick soon stood up and walked back towards them.

Damian still hadn't regained consciousness, but Dick knew the merfolks had to be left to heal themselves. Trying to heal Damian himself could endanger his life even further, as Bruce had once told him.

Damian's head was underwater. Dick didn't know how long he'd been out of the water, but he knew he was safe now; there was nothing more Dick could do. With Damian's injuries, there was a chance that Bruce would have sensed his blood in the water, but Dick knew the horn had a longer range for the sensitive ears of merfolks.

Dick was lost in thought, waiting for a sign from Bruce, when he felt a hand slip into his own. He turned to see Slade looking at him, and Dick realized he must have been daydreaming for a while. Depending on the distance, it could take Bruce ten minutes to reach them.

Dick smiled at Slade and laid his head on the other man's shoulder. Slade gently stroked Dick's cheek with his free hand and planted a soft kiss on his forehead. Dick closed his eyes, content.

A minute later, Dick raised his head; Bruce had arrived, as had Damian's brother. Damian's brother had always been more wary of Dick and didn't seem to fully trust him. Dick had taken to calling him Jason, though the merman had never confirmed whether he accepted the human name.

Underwater, Bruce took Damian into his arms, while Slade realized he was speaking to the second merman present. He gently took the boy from Bruce. Bruce then poked his head above the water and faced them. Slade recoiled slightly; Damian wasn’t the only merman Slade had captured, but they were usually young and quickly put down. This one was full-grown, with no net to restrict his movements, and it was both impressive and intimidating.

Clicks could be heard, and it took Slade a few seconds before understanding that it was coming from the merman.

"No don’t worry, my arm will heal."  Dick still had his hand in Slade's, and he gave the other man a nod. "This is Slade. He helped me save Damian. I couldn't have done it without him."

He neglected to mention that Slade had also been the one to capture Damian in the first place.

Slade heard another series of clicks and chirps. It all sounded the same to him, but he saw Dick react to the sounds.

"He was out of the water by the time I got there. It's been maybe an hour and a half since I found him."

More clicks and responses, and again Slade had the impression of a one-way conversation, unable to convince himself that anyone could understand the apparent gibberish. But Dick replied with a broad smile.

"It's the least I can do for you. Even if you hadn't saved me when I was a kid, I know what it's like to lose your family. Nobody wants to go through that." And Slade felt Dick's hand squeeze his even tighter. "Let me know how he's doing, okay? He's banged up, but nothing vital seems to have been touched, but I only saw the superficial wounds. I'll be back every night to check on him."

Bruce nodded and turned to Slade. After a brief series of clicks, Dick translated for him: "He thanks you for helping to save his son. He says if you ever need help, if you require something that can only be found underwater, he'll always be there to assist you."

Slade was surprised that Dick had never asked Bruce about underwater treasures. Merfolks didn't seem to care much for gold and jewels, and Slade was somehow sure Dick had never considered that possibility.

Then again, Slade felt a bit ashamed. It was his fault, after all, even if someone else would have likely captured a merman for Ra's al Ghul that day, if Slade had refused.

Slade replied to Bruce, feeling a little foolish under the impression that only Dick could communicate with him, but knowing that he and Dick spoke the same language, so Bruce understood him just as well. "Dick told me that you saved him when he was young. I was just returning the favor - you don't owe me anything.”

Dick felt his heart bubble with pleasure.

Slade knew the value of a child was beyond measure, and that Bruce would be forever grateful, no matter what Slade said.

Jason had disappeared with Damian, and after a few more minutes, so had Bruce. Slade felt he'd had a surreal day. He turned to Dick. "Hospital. Now. Before it gets infected or you catch a cold."

"Wait. I don't want to ask you to quit your job, I don't like what you're doing, but I don't want to upset your whole life and choices. But... can you promise me that you'll never capture merfolks again?"

"If you promise me you'll never put yourself in danger like you did today."

Slade saw Dick narrow his eyes, feeling trapped. Of course Dick would risk himself again if he learned another merman was being captured and he had a chance to save them. "Well, let me change my part of the bargain. If you promise that the next time you pull a stunt like this, you'll warn me first, let me help plan it instead of rushing in, and let me come with you."

Dick could agree to that. "Promise!"

"All right. Hospital, and then, let's go home."

"Will you drop me off at my place once I’m discharged? Or bring me my bike-"

"No. I said let's go home. I live on the edge of your town, close enough to where you work that it won't be an inconvenience. There's no way I'm letting you out of my sight ever again."

Dick stood on tiptoe and wrapped his healthy arm around Slade, feeling the warmth of his body. This time his heart was racing for a whole new reason. They stayed like this for what felt like an hour, but was probably barely a minute.

Their faces were so close that Dick could feel Slade's breath on his cheek. Slowly, they turned their face towards each other and their lips met in a gentle kiss. He would still need time to forgive him, but Dick felt safe and at home in these arms. He knew Slade would keep his promise, and Dick wondered if it wasn't time for him to take a chance on the life he'd been denied after Grant's death.

Dick’s smile radiated sunshine, beaming with a golden, luminous energy. "Alright. Let's go home.”

***

Joey was getting ready for bed when his phone rang.

"Yeah, Dad?"

"Hey kiddo, I'm gonna be later than expected. Dick's in the hospital."

"What? What happened? Weren’t you at work? Did he call you? Is he okay?"

"Relax, he's fine."

"I'm coming down there."

"No, no, stay at home, I was just letting you know so you wouldn't worry-" Slade could hear the sounds of Joey rushing around, keys jingling, bag zipping up. He knew his son wasn't listening anymore.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes."

Slade was gonna have to explain the whole situation. His son was about to find out it was a bullet that got Dick, and he was running out of excuses.

Less than half an hour later, Joey burst into Dick's hospital room. "Dick? You okay, man?"

Dick was lying there, bandaged up but looking surprisingly chipper for someone who'd just taken a hit.

"The nurse said you got shot! I thought she had the wrong room at first, but the doc confirmed it. What the heck happened?"

Dick glanced over at Slade. If he didn't want to tell Joey, Dick would keep quiet. But Slade went ahead and laid out the whole story, not holding back on his own role in it. Slade never shied away from being who he was, always said the most important thing was growing from your mistakes.

But Dick wasn’t proud of himself either. "I shouldn't have used you like I did. You've got every right to be pissed. But I'm glad I got to spend the day with you, even if I was mostly preoccupied with Damian."

Joey let out a heavy sigh. "I'm shaken up, and I don't like what you did at all... But I don't blame you. I'm just glad you're okay. When Dad said you were in the hospital, I thought the worst, after what happened with Grant..." His voice trailed off.

Dick's eyes welled up and he motioned for Joey to come closer. Joey leaned in and Dick wrapped his good arm around him. Slade watched the touching scene, a small smile on his face. He could get used to this.

"I’ve– We've decided that Dick will live with us from now on." Slade announced.

Joey's face lit up. "Awesome, I can't wait for summer so we can hang out all the time!"

"I'll still be working, but yeah, we’ll be together every night and on my days off. You can even come by my job sometimes."

"Yes, I'd love to!" Joey replied enthusiastically.

Slade cleared his throat. There was no way he was going to hide his relationship with Dick until his dying day. Dick understood, and a complicated expression crossed his face.

"There’s something else… Your father and I... We like each other." Dick said simply.

Joey rolled his eyes. "I know. I've seen how Dad behaved with you, and I even thought you were hiding your relationship from me and Grant at one point. I thought it was kinda weird when I was younger, but I mean, you’re good to each other. I won’t call you Dad, though. You’re still Dick."

Dick was surprised, but absolutely delighted. Joey grinned, taking his father's and Dick's hands. "So... When are we going home?"

***

THE END