The Collector

Chapter Sixteen

Dick shivered. In hindsight, leaving without a jacket had been a stupid idea. But he hadn't really been thinking, he had just needed to get away from the house. He knew he needed to pick a side but making that choice while surrounded by all the comforts Wayne Manor had to offer had felt too bias. He had needed neutral ground to properly look over the choice he had to make. He wasn't entirely sure why he had chosen the docks, he had just followed his feet and found himself staring out at the murky water. The wind blew in from the water and he shivered again. He sat down on the edge, his feet dangling down towards the water. He wished he had his music but had left the iPod Tim had brought for him back at the house. It hadn't felt right to bring it just in case he decided not to return.

He thought about the manor. Deep down he knew remaining with Bruce and his family would be better for his future. He knew Bruce would do everything in his power to keep him clean and make sure he had a future to work towards. The thought both comforted and scared him. He had been so reliant on external chemicals to make him feel okay, that the thought of never chasing that high again terrified him, it was all he could remember. But the thought of never having another person's blood on his hands made his shoulders feel lighter. Then there was Slade. As nice as a future at Wayne Manor sounded, Dick wasn't sure he could betray the man who had literally scraped him off the floor more times than he cared to admit. The man who had given him a purpose, rebuilt his body after years of mistreating it and tried, in his own way, to encourage him to sober up. Dick knew his life with Slade was messed up and wrong, but Slade had been there for him. To turn his back on the man without a word felt ungrateful.

'Going for a dip?' Dick didn't flinch at the voice; he'd heard the footfalls approaching.

'Can't swim,' he said, eyes trained ahead at the distant darkness. 'How did you find me?'

'Honestly?' Jason said, sitting himself down next to him. 'Lucky guess.' He dug in his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He pulled one out and placed it between his lips then offered the pack to his companion. Dick looked at him with raised eyebrows.

'You're not the only one who was dragged up on the streets,' Jason mumbled around the item in his mouth. 'End of the day nicotine is better than cocaine, so you pick your battles.'

'Thanks,' Dick said, taking the offered packet and pulling one out for himself. After lighting his own, Jason handed him a lighter. They sat in silence for a while before Jason finally sat back on his elbows.

'I'm sorry for yelling at you, I didn't mean to make you run.'

'I'm not running,' Dick said, tapping some of the ash from his cigarette into the water. 'I'm thinking. And it's okay, I understand I must be frustrating.'

'It's not you. I have history with Joker, he's a trigger point for me.' Jason confessed.

'You and me both.' The silence stretched on a little longer.

'So, what are you thinking about that required you to come here?' Jason looked around them. Boats hadn't been moored here in several years, not since they renovated the dock on the other side of town. People came here for one of three reasons, to be alone, do dodgy deals or swim with the fishes...and not in a cute scuba diving kind of way. Jason had figured Dick could have easily fit into any of those categories.

'Trying to decide whether to listen to my head or my heart,' Dick sighed, breathing out a trail of smoke.

'What are you a Disney Princess?' Jason teased. 'Alright, what's your head telling you.'

'To go back to Slade,' Dick said bluntly. His answer shocking the other boy. 'I owe Slade a debt of gratitude and he owes me money. He also knows everything about me, stuff that I haven't told you guys.'