Everyday Hero

Tough Decisions

Dick has been moved into a large, private room which was mostly necessary due to the number of large machines currently connected to his body. The other reason was the large number of visitors. Kaldur, Wally, and Artemis were all on the far side of the room near the door. They were quiet but there were dried tear stains on their faces, and their attention was on Dick. Despite him not moving a single muscle since they got there.

Alfred, Tim, and Barbara had pulled up chairs to sit at Dick's side. Tim had ended up falling asleep, his head coming to rest on his folded arms that rested on his brother's lap. Barbara was absently rubbing Tim's back while trying to stay awake herself. Alfred held one of Dick's hands in his own, constantly keeping a finger pressed to his pulse point.

His heart rate was too low. As was his breathing and... everything else at this point. And he was so pale. Sometimes Alfred found himself concentrating on his grandson's chest to watch it rise and fall, just to reassure himself that Dick was still alive. But his attention was turned away from his grandson when the door opened, making those closest to the door quickly look up and wordlessly make room for two others on the already cramped couch.

It was Megan and Connor, followed quickly by Clark and Bruce. Megan silently gave Artemis a quick hug before settling beside her with Connor on her other side. Bruce and Clark walked up to Dick's bed with Bruce just a couple steps behind Clark.

Clark stared at the young man for a moment, the young man that he had helped raised, before he focused on scanning and looking over Dick's whole body, particularly his brain.

After a moment he stepped back and turned towards Bruce with a sad look on his face.

"I don't know Bruce... if he were to--"

Clark was cut off as a knock came from the door, followed only a second later by James entering the room with a clipboard and a stack of papers. His expression was grim but he attempted to lighten up when he saw the amount of visitors for his patient. This amount of support was always a good thing, and always welcomed.

"Excuse me, Mr. Wayne..."

James's voice was merely a whisper, barely louder than the constant beeping filling the air by the machines.

"But as Richard's healthcare proxy, these forms have been prepared for you again. There... are some new ones on top for this certain... situation."

James silently handed them over with an almost hesitant expression starting to form.

Bruce took them with a wary look and sat on the last available chair near Dick's bed, Clark subtly walked over to his friend's side and started to glance at them himself and his eyebrows raised in alarm when he felt Bruce's body tense up beside him.

"Connor."

Connor's head shot up, he was starting to space out. He looked towards his mentor with a pointed stare which Clark returned.

"It's past noon, I think you and the others should go and get some lunch... all of you."

Connor blinked at him for a moment before gently shaking Megan and gesturing over to Barbara. Suddenly, Barbara's head shot up like she heard a gun shot and she swiveled her attention over to Megan for a second before quickly rousing Tim and leading him out of the room with the others.

Clark glanced nervously over at the doctor because... the Team wasn't all that subtle with their mind-link connections under situations like this. But if James had noticed anything strange about that interaction, he was not letting it show. Instead, he seemed to be focused on quietly reading through the first paper with Bruce, all the while trying to gauge whether or not the billionaire was looking to punch something at the moment.