Second Chance

I Hear You

Their guest sat down in front of Dick once Artemis and Wally went down the hall, prompting Dick to finally look up at her.

"Hey Dinah..."

Dick stopped rubbing his wrist and instead just laid both hands in his lap and leaned back in the chair, trying to get more comfortable under her gaze. It didn't really work well.

"Hello Richard. I--"

Dick's knee started to bounce nervously and his hand once more going to his wrist, his nervous tick not going unnoticed.

"Look, I don't really want to talk okay? I shouldn't have agreed to this."

"Then why did you?"

Dick's knee stopped suddenly and he grit his teeth.

"I don't know... I thought it might help. It used to."

Dinah hummed and nodded. Yes, she knew. After the simulation, Dick coming to her was a regular occurrence and his disposition began to improve dramatically. But when he left for a while and became Nightwing, the regular visits stopped. Eventually they began again after Jason's death but stopped completely when Tim came into the picture. As a matter of fact, Dick dropped everything when his new brother came along. He couldn't lose another brother, and certainly not in the way he lost Jason. For one, Dick didn't really have the time, though for the most part he didn't need them anymore. Tim needed him more and having another brother filled part of a void in Dick's life. But now...

"Yes, I remember that. So much has changed since then."

Dick made a weird noise from the back of his throat. Something between agreement and a scoff.

"Yeah... too much."

Dinah slowly leaned forward and rested her arms on her knees.

"So why don't we talk about that? I'm already here anyway."

Dick's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Same rules as before, nothing leaves this room. Not unless you want it to."

Dick's narrowed gaze remained locked with hers before he finally gave a resigned sigh and made himself sit a little straighter.

Well... he did initially agree to this.

"It... it started as a hazy feeling. A long time ago."

Dinah cocked an eyebrow at that.

"How long ago?"

Dick's feet shuffled along the carpet briefly.

"My parents."

Dinah frowned but nodded, leaning back into the chair again and clasping her hands together.

"After Bruce took me in and I became Robin it started to... lessen I guess and always felt like it was in the background. For a long time I was happy and able to keep it away. But after being shot and then Jason's death... it felt like I was starting to crack. But Tim, in a way, saved me when he came to us."

Dick's face turned stricken at the mention of his estranged brother.

"But with the invasion... I didn't just crack. I broke."

Dick's eyes started to widen and he gripped the armrests on his chair as his breath started to quicken.

"I... didn't mean for everything to get so messed up. I weighed everything, all the risks, I spent days and nights going over every possible plan, every possible outcome. I ran so many simulations, and this plan was the highest chance of survival for everyone! I have tried so long to make everyone understand that! Both Kaldur and Artemis knew this going in and they all agreed that no one but us, and Wally could know, because it would run the risk of the Light not buying Artemis's death!"