Dick Grayson one shots

Secrets hurt P2

GiovannaSales076 this one's for you... and daaaaaang is she a long one. I apologize as well for the disjointed mess that is this chapter :)
Italics = flashback

Dick slid to the ground, bringing his knees up to his chest and hiding his face in them. The words from his father figure that had chased him away dancing around his brain.

The quiet rustle of fabric drew Dick's attention, and he looked up, hoping desperately to see Bruce  there to bring him home.

What he did see however was not Bruce. Men in bone-white masks stood around him, knives glinting wickedly in their hands.

Dick jumped to his feet and reached for a batarang... only to remember his utility belt had been left behind with his mentor.

Gritting his teeth, Dick launched into hand to hand.

For a moment it seemed he might be gaining ground... but the moment was fleeting, and he soon found a knife resting against his throat, a man in a gold gilded suit standing in front of him.

"Join us... or die," he said in an almost comically threatening tone.

"Sorry, think I'll pass," Dick hissed, struggling against the hands pressing him against the wall.

The man's head tilted slowly to the right. "Then die and join us," he said, his voice suddenly sinister.

There was a flash of metal and a spurt of blood as a blade was stuck in Dick's chest, piercing his heart.

"Grayson!" Damian was calling, waving a hand in front of his brother's face.

"Sorry," Dick replied weakly, still reeling from the flashback. "Just got a bit lost in thought."

Damian rolled his eyes. "I was asking if you wanted to come on patrol with us," he said, placing his hands on his hips.

Dick sighed, knowing Damian wouldn't take any excuses. "Sure," he said weakly. At least he wouldn't be left alone in the manor with his thoughts again...

Damian broke into an excited grin, grabbing the elder's hand and nearly jumping up and down as he led him down to the cave.

To say Bruce was surprised to see Dick down there would be an understatement. Dick however, didn't miss the flicker of happiness, and perhaps even excitement on the man's face.

"Wow, Goldie's finally coming out to play," Jason said, clapping slowly.

Dick stiffened at the nickname. "Thought it was about time," he said sheepishly.

Bruce cleared his throat. "Jason, you take sector one, Dick, sector two. Damian... You and Tim cover sector three. I'll take sector four."

Tim and Damian glared daggers at each other across the room and Jason snickered.

Dick let out an imperceptible breath of relief. Bruce was likely trying to show his trust by having him cover a sector alone, but he was mostly just relieved he wouldn't have to be as constantly on guard as he would have to be if any of his brothers were there.

—

Patrol had been slow in Dick's sector, a petty thief here and there, but otherwise nothing.

It was almost a relief, until Dick realized that probably meant that either his brothers or Bruce had to deal with more of the nightly psychos. Or they were just having an unusually quiet night... he was hoping for that.

His hopes, however, were dashed when he received an emergency alert, the location blinking in Tim & Damian's sector.

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