Wonderland | Dick Grayson

Prologue

"In my experience, when people part it rarely is" Bruce sighed disappointedly.

"I didn't want to make a big thing out of this" Dick said, taking his seat beside Ashly who laid her head on his shoulder and her eyes went up to him as he spoke. "I just wanted to say a few things to clear the air" Dick began. "After I left, when I moved to Detroit, part of me was still back here... still trying to make sense about what happened, as a kid." Ashley looked down and gently patted his thigh in his support. "I struggled. There was this darkness inside of me, and I didn't know what to do with it. It hurt me, and I hurt others including Ashley. The whole time, I thought it was because of the way you raised me, the way you weaponized my childhood" Dick said. 

"That's one way to put it" Ashley interrupted sarcastically. 

"The point is, I blamed you for a lot of things that may or may not have been your fault" Dick told him. 

"I see" Bruce said, looking between the two. "So you've decided which one it is now and you've come to render a verdict?" He asked Dick. Ashley rolled her eyes and resisted the urge to take one of the books and chuck it at her father with as much force as she could render. 

"No" Dick said. "It doesn't matter anymore, the why or how" He told Bruce. "I know you only did what you knew, what you thought was best for me. The training... everything" Dick said and took in a deep breath. "You only did it so I would focus on something other than being angry and sad about what happened to my parents."

"And this, uh..." Bruce began, looking for the right words. "This darkness you mentioned..." Bruce said as if he were still struggling with the words. 

"I had to let it go in order to move on, and to get her back" Dick said, looking down at Ashley lovingly. "It was stopping me from realizing all the things you did that helped me."

"I'd be curious to know what you think those things are" Bruce said, leaning forward.  

"Maybe another time" Dick said, leaning forward.

"Cryptic" Bruce acknowledged. "Well done." 

"I learned from the best"  Dick said, looking down as Ashley laced her hand with his in boredom.

"Well, I appreciate you coming by" Bruce said, almost sadly. "Things haven't been the same since either of you left."

"You mean with Jason?" Ashley asked sarcastically, rolling her eyes. 

"Yes" Bruce nodded. "He's shown great promise, as I'm sure you noticed" Bruce said, almost like he was trying to convince himself of the statement. 

"If great promise means annoying as hell, then yeah I've noticed" Ashley said. "Unfortunately" She added as an afterthought.

"He does have some brought edges that do need sanding down" Bruce said in acknowledgment. 

"He's right up your alley then" Ashley said. 

"Well, perhaps after this conversation, I'll take an entirely new approach" Bruce chuckled.  

"I'll believe it when I see it" Dicks said with a hint of a smile. 

"Fair enough" Bruce said. "Old dogs, et cetera."  Dick quietly laughed at her father. "And you, any new tricks?" Bruce asked him. 

"Maybe" Dick said and nodded his head. 

"If there's anything you need, you let me know"  Bruce said to them both. 

"Well, as a matter of fact, there is" Ashley said. "I need to know if you've sold my highrise in Frisco?" Ashley asked.