Disclaimer: Owning Young Justice is reserved for people who are clever enough to renew it for a season three. Also for those who actually update their stories instead of waiting until their writing style has vastly changed to post again. So definitely not me, no.

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Chapter 27

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Mount Justice

May 29, 17:50 EDT

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Batman was on his way to the infirmary anyway, but then a shrill beep issued from the monitor on his belt. There was no way he could ever have left Dick's hospital room without some way to keep track of him. But the hope was to hear signs of improvement, not this.

The machines were flatlining.

Batman ran, and he could feel Bruce Wayne's terror and desperation slipping past the usually tight wall. Dick's vitals had been steady, he was stable. What happened to change that? There was no way after the month and a half spent praying, fearing, hoping, dreading, no way that Richard John Grayson could die now. Batman wouldn't let him. Bruce couldn't let him. Losing his son was not an option.

Batman flung the door open, ready to do whatever it took to get Dick's vitals up, but all he had time to do was take in the empty bed before a small figure slammed into him and began to fall backwards.

Instinct. Pure instinct and reflex was what led Batman to catch Dick before he could hit the floor and do more damage. From there it was easy to pull his son tight to his chest, hugging him for all he was worth, and easier still to keep Dick from struggling. "Easy there, it's all right, Richard," he said. He closed his eyes, feeling the terror subside. Of course. Waking up in an unfamiliar room with no one around, Robin's instincts took control. Dick thought he was still fighting, still alone, still in danger.

"Tata?"

Batman was Bruce now, even with the cowl covering his face. He swallowed. "It's alright, Dick," he said. "I'm here, you're safe. Wally's safe. It's all going to be okay." Was that a promise he could keep? Maybe not, but it felt good to say it all the same.

There was a long silence while Dick got his breathing under control. Bruce just held him, reveling in the feeling of the steadily beating heart. This was not going to go down the path of death. Richard, Dick, Robin, was here.

"Bruce?" Dick said. He still seemed hesitant, as though he couldn't quite convince himself that this safety was real. He couldn't be blamed for that. A month and half was the longest Richard Grayson had ever been kept in the hands of kidnappers. Bruce Wayne and Batman both had too many resources, too much to lose. Nothing would ever happen to their partner, their son.

Batman cursed himself. He was thinking in third person for both of his identities. Maybe he should try and get some sleep like Alfred had said yesterday. Three days was a long time not to get any sleep after much longer with very little rest.

"I'm here," Batman said. He pulled back slightly, letting go of Dick just long enough to pull his cowl back. He was Bruce Wayne. This was Richard Grayson. Everything would be all right so long as they were here. So long as Dick was fine.

Pulling back also gave him the opportunity to look down at Dick, examine him. The mask was still in place - unsurprising, that habit was drilled into any bat as soon as they joined the family business - but it didn't hide the deep exhaustion. Three days in a coma didn't mean that the past weeks had vanished, no matter how much they all might wish them to. What was surprising was how steady Dick seemed to be, although he was noticeably (to Batman, no one else would notice) favoring his side where the stab wound was still recovering.

"You shouldn't have gotten out of bed," Bruce said, gently placing his hand on his son's shoulder. "Your injuries are severe. We were all very worried about you."

"How long has it been since Deathstroke?" Dick asked. He took of his mask and rubbed at his eyes, and Bruce's breath caught when the beautiful blue eyes looked up at him. There had been moments where he thought he would never see them again, but here he was, and Dick was standing, even if he shouldn't be, and those eyes were uncovered. Dick was here.

"Bruce?" Dick said, prompting a response.

"Right," Bruce said. "You've been out for three days. I brought you to the cave with Kid Flash, whose injuries have already healed. You had a stab wound, a concussion, three dozen minor injuries, a cracked collarbone, and your shoulder had to be reset due to a slight incorrect placement from dislocation. Several older injuries, including your bullet wound from a month and a half ago, were infected, but have now been taken care of. Those injuries were kept from fully healing by the treatment you received at the hands of Deathstroke and Talia Al Ghul, although you probably thought them healed. You are malnourished, and Alfred will expect you to eat four meals a day for the next year to make up for every meal you missed. Is there anything I missed?"

"How's the team? Where are Tim and Jason? Alfred? And are you sure Wally's all right? Can I see everyone?" Dick said. His voice was unsteady, and he looked paler than he had a moment before, but there was a bright fire that burned in those blue eyes.

"The team is fine, and will be better when they hear you're awake," Bruce said. He pulled Dick into his arms, carrying him back to the hospital bed before the boy could protest. "Tim and Jason are here, masked and impatient and a little scared, although that will also be better once they hear that you're awake. Alfred is home, preparing the manor to have life in it again. Wally's fine, I promise. And yes, you can see everyone if you promise to lay down on this bed and not move until I tell you to." Bruce set his son on the bed and glared at him as confidently as he could, which wasn't very. He was here, he was alive, and Bruce didn't know if he'd be able to ground Dick for a good year.

All right, maybe a few months.

Or a week.

Dick glared fiercely for about two seconds, but then sighed. "I promise."

"Good."

Bruce stood staring at Dick for several minutes. Then he slipped his cowl on. Dick immediately placed his mask securely on his face.

Batman turned on his comm. "Jason, Tim, infirmary. Now."

Dick smirked. "Not going to tell them I'm feeling the Aster?"

"They'll find out on their own soon enough," Batman said, although he couldn't stop a smile from crossing his face. A Batman smile of course, but a smile nonetheless.

"And the team?"

"After family."

"Of course."

Mount Justice

May 29, 17:59 EDT

"Jason, Tim, infirmary. Now."

Those were the scariest words that Jason had ever heard in his entire life. And he'd heard some pretty terrifying things. But going to the infirmary could only mean one of a few things, and most of those things weren't good. They involved Dick dying, or getting worse, or some horrible thing like that.

It would be just like the golden boy to go and leave him with a grieving Batman.

Tim and Jason were running before the brief communication finished. It was very Batman to leave them in the dark as to the reason that they were required at the infirmary, but it was also better this way. If Dick was dying, Jason wanted to be there, maybe, but he wasn't sure he would be able to move if he heard it over the com. Not after Deathstroke's attack. Not after everything.

"Do you think that he's okay?" Tim asked. His voice was small, and although Jason couldn't see his eyes underneath the mask, they were probably scared.

Heck, Jason was scared. No, terrified.

"He has to be," Jason said. If he's not, I'm going to find him in hell and kill him again, he thought.

When they reached the door, it was open. No hesitation right now, because hesitation could hurt too much. Jason led the way through the door, then stopped dead at the unexpected sight. Batman was sitting on the edge of the bed, talking quietly with a genuine smile on his face. Yes it was a Batman smile, but a real one, not the strained ones that Jason had seen for the past month and a half. The reason for the smile was clear.

Dick was sitting on the bed, awake, and laughing.

There was a cry of relief as Jason stood frozen in the doorway, and he watched in a dazed sort of way as Tim dove past him onto the bed and threw his arms around Dick. "You're alive!" Tim said.

Dick laughed. "Yeah, I'm alive and I'm feeling the Aster."

Jason moved then. He was suddenly on the bed and he would forever deny it afterwards, but his arms were around Dick too, and he was crying. Crap! Tears were actually running down his face! Sure Tim was crying too, and Dick's eyes were probably watery, but Jason Todd didn't cry. Nope.

But maybe this once it was okay. They were all together. And Dick was alive. So tears were fine because nothing else mattered.

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Mount Justice

June 1, 10:00 EDT

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Even two days made a world of difference in how Dick felt. The pain was fading fast. His minor injuries were almost gone, although the cracked collarbone and the wound in his side were going to take a bit more time to heal. The team had come in and out of his room almost as often as Bruce, Tim, and Jason did. The visit from Alfred was the best, because he did bring cookies, and that was when it really sunk in that he was safe.

Alfred meant the manor, the batcave, his room at home, with the Flying Graysons poster and a picture of he and Babs on the bedside table. Batman and Bruce meant safety and home, sure, but they also meant a lot of other things that had more to do with fighting for your life, so Alfred was the calming one.

Dick stretched, careful to avoid stretching the side with the stab wound. It would eventually be just another scar among many from his time as Robin, but right now it was a painful reminder of fighting for his life.

And that was a reminder that he wasn't Robin right now. Jason was.

When he'd seen Jason and the team in Blüdhaven it didn't take him long to register that Jason was now Robin, Batman's partner. It made sense. In a way it was a really good thing. Dick was getting too old to be Robin.

Hah. Fifteen years old and already grown out of his first superhero identity. To be fair, he'd been Robin for six years, but still, it was kind of sad.

"Hey."

Dick turned to see Artemis coming towards him. She wasn't in costume, and her hair was even out of its usual ponytail. "What's up?" he said, patting the ground next to him. He'd escaped from the infirmary a few hours ago and made his way to a corner of the cave. Bruce knew where he was, so it wasn't a big deal.

Artemis sat down, but didn't look at him. Her forehead was scrunched and her eyes were dark.

"Artemis? Is something wrong?" Dick asked. This was kind of worrying. Usually they could talk no problem, usually by now she would have said what was eating her and they would make some joke and move on and it wouldn't be a big deal.

"You said we'd laugh about it someday," Artemis finally said.

Dick stiffened. He knew the team was aware of his identity - most of them at least - but he hadn't given it much thought other than to be relieved that he didn't have to keep as many secrets from them.

But there were a few other things that he might want to spend some time thinking about. Like that.

He laughed awkwardly, running his hand through his hair. "Yeah, right. I'd hoped that you guys would learn my identity in a slightly less alarming way. And it was kind of nice to have you around the school. It meant that there was always someone there that I could trust. Regardless of the fact that you didn't know I was Robin."

Artemis stayed silent for a moment. "It made sense once he told us, you know," she said, shaking her head. "Too much sense. But there aren't clues until you know, even with Jason and Tim. You guys just seemed like the strangest wealthy family in Gotham. Adoptions that worked out, actual charity. A playboy philanthropist who masquerades as a vigilante by night? Didn't seem plausible. But I'm glad it was you. I guess Gotham Academy could be slightly more bearable knowing that you and Barbara are superheroes too."

Dick nodded. Batgirl. From his perusing of the footage in Gotham last night, she'd been doing a great job. Jason too. Did Gotham need four heroes? Where did he fit in to all of this now?

"Are you going to leave the team?" Artemis said out of nowhere. "You've been so distant since you woke up, and Wally's been worried, and neither you nor Batman has said anything about Jason being recalled as Robin and you coming back, but I thought it would be the first thing you brought up. Are you going to retire from hero work?"

Huh. Retired at fifteen. That would be a story to tell the kids.

For a long moment Dick was silent. He hadn't thought about retiring. In a way that sounded perfect. No more fear and death and torture, no more Joker venom and fear toxins. No more fighting against shadowy organizations.

But he would lose everyone if he did that. Sure they would still be friends and family. Heck, Batman would likely feel some relief at the idea that Dick wouldn't be running around with a target on his chest anymore. But there would be no more missions, no more team. No more nights with Batman on the skyscrapers of Gotham, watching their city like silent knights. No more secret meetings to train Batgirl that sometimes ended with hours of conversation. No more fighting someone bigger than him and winning.

Somehow retiring just wasn't on the table.

"If you wanted me to leave you won't get rid of me this easily," Dick said, meeting Artemis's eyes. "It would take a lot more than a kidnapping by an organization of assassins and a fight with a jerk with a sword to take me out of the hero business."

Artemis grinned. "Are you traught?"

Dick grinned back. "Definitely."

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Televisions across the US

June 16, 19:00 EDT

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"This is Cat Grant reporting live from Gotham City, where Richard Grayson is finally being reunited with Bruce Wayne after his kidnapping two months ago. Grayson was declared dead by the supreme court several weeks ago, but Gotham Police Department head, Commissioner Gordon, didn't give up so easily. Commissioner Gordon found Grayson in a warehouse just outside of Gotham, where his kidnappers apparently left him to die. Grayson's injuries have not been released to the public, but an inside source has told us that they were severe. The Commissioner has released a statement that those responsible for this kidnapping will be found and dealt with. Cat Grant, out."

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Long time no see. Long time no update.

Good news, I'm currently inspired, which has absolutely nothing to do with me marathoning season 1 last weekend, no not at all. Nor with my current reawakened love of superheroes (which is actually thanks to Infinity Wars). Nope.

Also, shout out to my sister who got mad when I posted a story and it wasn't an update in this. Love you!

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