What's Up With Nightwing

Chapter 10

"We're doing what?" I yelled while standing on top of a rooftop in my Red Hood costume with Batman, Robin, Red Robin, and Nightwing,

"Nightwings going to pretend to patrol, and act like he's back in the game. We are going to all watch from the shadows and wait for Deathstroke to pounce on his prey." Tim explained, while slapping his hands together like a venus fly trap catching a fly as Dick flinched at his analogy and motion, "Sorry." Tim turned to Dick,

"No, its okay." He said before shifting to the side of the roof, "I can do this, I can do this, I can-" Dick hopped up and down to hype himself up before taking a running start toward the ledge and diving off. A few hours into Nightwing's patrol he had stopped some muggings and little offences. He finally ended up in a small ally while me, red robin, robin, and batman all hid in the vicinity, keeping a close eyes on him,

"Slade, I know your here." Nightwing suddenly voiced as Deathstroke appeared out of the shadows suprising me though I was fairly certain he didn't see me,

"So your back on the field, prettybird, even after last night?" He said with his stupid snarky voice,

"I'm not your prettybird." Nightwing replied, crossing his arms as Deathstroke began circling him, yet Nightwing didn't let him, rather he kept watch on him. He was trying to be strong but he was afraid,

"Not going to lie, I'm not liking the extra weight you've gained. I prefer you skinny, I guess I'll have to adjust that too, along with that attitude I had to beat out of you last time." Deathstroke hissed over Nightwing's shoulder making him shudder and making me clench my fists in pure anger and hatred,

"No, you're not going to do any of that." Nightwing snapped. Didn't end well when Deathstroke grabbed him around the neck and picked him up. Dick flailed trying to reach the ground but he couldn't. The boiling rage in me brought me to act out of the plan. I jumped behind Deathstroke and pulled my gun on him, this one wasn't loaded with blanks like my others were,

"Last time Dick made the mistake of going for the heart which he should have known you didn't have. Let's see if you don't have a brain." I slid my thumb back and wrapped my index around the trigger while he let go of Nightwing. Everything he did to Dick flashed in my eyes, the nights Dick spent crying thinking I wasn't listening, the eating disorder, the bruises, the zoning out, the flinching, everything. I closed my eyes and pulled the trigger,

"No!" I heard Nightwing shout as my hand was pulled up to the sky where the bullet shot out, completely missing Deathstroke's head. When I opened my eyes Nightwing was holding my arm up to keep me from hurting anyone, Deathstroke. Deathstroke took off into the shadows leaving only me and Nightwing who was panting and holding his knees,

"What the heck, Dick? I could have had him! Why'd you do that?" In a moment of unbridled rage I backhanded Dick with enough force to bring him to the ground,

"Jason, I couldn't let you kill him..." Dick uttered with a weak, defeated voice,

"Why? You already did? Be should be dead so why does it matter if I kill him again?" I asked a valid question,

"I'm sorry, Jason-" Dick hung his head and tried to stand up. My eyes softened as I walked over to help him up, but he avoided my touch and got up himself,

"Let's just go back to the cave."

We got back and Alfred looked over Dick's cheekbone that had a small slice and big black bruise while I brooded a few feet away, leaning against a table with my arms crossed,

"Did Deathstroke do this?" Alfred asked as Dick and I made subtle eye contact. I shrunk into my shoulders and Dick averted his eyes down,

"I see." Alfed took note of our behavior, he knew I did it. Alfred took a deep inhale like he was about to pop off,