Wonderland | Dick Grayson

8

"He's comatose" Dawn said softly. "It's been touch and go, but once your better you can look him over and see if there's anything we've missed" Dawn offered.

"Mmm" Ashley said, fighting to keep herself awake. "That's not good, I'll check on him as soon as I can get myself out of this bed" Ashley observed. "Do we know anything about him? Family, it he's a Russian spy sent my the Shadows to kill me?" Ashley asked, partially joking before readjusting herself as she thought about getting out of the infirmary. 

"I think it's better you see for yourself rather than having us explain this all to you" Dawn said. "You know more about this than any of us" She said softly. Ashley gave her a confused before looking at Hank. 

"Don't ask me" He said defensively. Ashley shook her head before pursing her lips. "Since we finally have you cornered, what happened back there?" Hank asked her, exasperation masking her anger.

"What are you talking about?" Ashley asked him.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about" Hank replied. "You and Dick's fucking disappearing act."

"Oh" Ashley said, pausing and laying her head back. "Dick's idea. Ask him" Ashley said with a sigh.

"And you just went along with that?" He asked her, looking at her like she was insane.

"I love him" Ashley shrugged. "And more than anything, I trust him."

"Seriously?" Hank asked her, shaking his head and looking at Dawn while he tried to make sense of her reasoning.

"Look, I know you don't trust him anymore" Ashley sighed, looking at him. "And I probably shouldn't either after he left me in Gotham, and the chances of him leaving me again are astronomically high but I trust him" Ashley tried to reason with him.

"You know if Garth was still here and he heard you say that, he would've kicked your ass" Hank scoffed.

"But he's not" Ashley said, rolling her eyes as Hank tried to make her feel worse.

"I'm just saying, when Roy wasn't around to be your voice of reason, Garth was" Hank told her. "And he would've been the first person to tell you to get the hell out of dodge" Hank reminded her.

"So are you two leaving then?" She asked them. 

"It's for the best" Dawn said gently. Hank nodded his agreement and Ashley sighed. "I don't know when though" Dawn added as an afterthought, looking at Hank.

Ashley nodded before looking back at Hank. "You know when my mom was killed, the people who killed her drowned me three times. I've been resuscitated three times in my life and it developed into a fear of water that was so strong I refused to learn how to swim."

"Okay?" Hank asked, wondering where the story was going.

"Garth pushed me to learn" Ashley admitted. "He didn't stop until he was sure I was good on my own. If I thought he would've wanted me to leave Dick, I probably would have by now" Ashley said, shaking her head before staring at the ceiling. "So please, don't try to tell me about what he would've wanted me to do" Ashley requested. "So, help me up?" She asked them. 

"Ashley, you just had most of your body fucked up. You cannot really be thinking running around this place right now" Hank said, shaking his head. 

"You can help me get up or I'll figure it out by myself eventually" Ashley shrugged. "I'm a runner, so I always do" Ashley said, reminding him.

"Fine" Hank said walking closer and helping the woman sit up correctly. Dawn silently went and got her clothes to put on, making Hank turn around and helping her with the shorts since bending would be hard for her.