𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒊𝒇𝒕 𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒅 (Batfam FanFic)

37. Breaking Point

"That's pretty much the gist of it. I'd explain it in more detail, but I can tell by your expression that you're trying to process the information I just gave you, so I'll leave it at that for now." Dick's expression softened as he finished up the story of how I ended up here and all that went down while I was missing. I was feeling well enough to sit up, but still felt a little fuzzy, so I haven't tried to get up out of bed yet. 

I looked down at my fidgeting hands. 

"So, did you guys ever find out what happened to Jason?" I looked back at Dick with a sorrowful expression. He smiled sadly and shook his head.

"Still haven't heard from him. But hey, now that we've finally got you back, we don't need to focus on him right now." I smiled at his kind words.

"Sorry for all the trouble." I looked out the window to my right, seeing the sun beginning to set, letting in orange hues into the room.

"C'mon, no one could have predicted that psycho would show up then and there, during one of Damian and Jason's hissy fits. You just got really unlucky is all." 

"I guess. But what about-" I stopped abruptly when I heard a knock on the door and before I could answer, it swung open, revealing bright red hair, sporting a white and red baseball-style shirt and some baggy blue jeans with sneakers.

"Yo, yo, yo! Heard Miss Missing was finally awake! Wanted to drop by and see how ya were doing." He held out a small bouquet of flowers and smiled. 

"Wally, I know you've finally learned to knock, but now you need to learn how to be patient." 

"What do you mean?" He looked at Dick with a genuinely confused expression.

"I mean, you need to wait for the person on the other side to answer ya idiot." Dick sighed.

"Oh! Well, it's not like I barged in on you naked or anything....that sounded wrong, but you get my point." He set the flowers down in a vase of water on the other side of my bed across from Dick. I continued to listen to them banter and ended up laughing. They both turned to look at me, however it didn't take long for the pain from my injured ribs to cause me to stop laughing.

"Anyways, Lucy this is-"

"I know, Wally West. We met before." I smiled and looked at Kid Flash. "Nice to see you again. Seems you're not doing anything suspicious this time."

"What? I don't know what you're talking about?" He rubbed the back of his head nervously and laughed. Dick gave him a side glance, wondering what I meant by my little comment. 

"Anyways, heard you were out cold, but I'm guessing you just woke up. Surprised this guy here isn't screaming his pants off." Moving on from my earlier comment, Walley decided to steer the conversation in a different direction.

"What do you mean? Wait, how long have I been out?" I tilted my head in confusion.

"Shoot man! You really did just wake up. Wow Dick, wanna keep her to yourself do ya? You know the rest of em have been worried sick about her." I looked to DIck who smiled nervously.

"Yeah well, I didn't want her to get overwhelmed, because I knew she'd have questions." He turned to me and continued speaking. "And to answer the one you just asked, it's been a little over a month." He smiled sadly.

"A month!?!" I exclaimed. I felt a burning pain shoot up from my ribs, which caused me to grimace in pain and grab my side.

"Woah! Take it easy. I know it's a lot to take in, especially with all the other information I gave you earlier. But even though it's been over a month, you haven't been doing anything but lay here. So of course you're still gonna be stiff and sore. So be careful." I smiled in response to his worried tone.

"A lot's happened while you were out to though," Walley said in a somber tone.

"Wally now's not the time."

"If not now, when, Dick? I bet she's already asked you about it and I bet you've already lied to her also."

"Lied to me about what?" I asked apprehensively, after Wally's statement. Dick looked at me with hesitation. I could tell that he was debating on whether he should tell me or not. "Lied to me about what, Dick?" I asked him again, this time with more sternness in my voice. He sighed and looked down at his hands before looking back up.

"Not too long after you were admitted to the hospital, while you were in surgery actually, Jason showed up at the Batcave. Tim, Damian, and Babs were at the hospital waiting on information about you, and Bruce and I were at the Batcave trying to locate Joker. Well, while we were closing in on where he was located, Jason walked in. Covered in blood." Dick paused and before he could say anymore, I could already guess what he was about to say. "He strolled in and it was almost like this was a game for him.

~1 month ago~

Dick's POV

"Dick, I think this area is the general location. He has to be there somewhere." Bruce exclaimed as he zoomed in on a specific area on a map of Gotham on the monitor.

"Alright, I'll get the Batmobile ready and-

"That won't be necessary." The sound of heavy footsteps, ones wearing that of large boots, echoed throughout the Batcave. Me and Bruce turned to see Jason emerge from the shadows, covered in blood. His pistols were out, one propped up by his head, while the other swung loosely from his left hand. Blood dripped from the barrel as he strode over to us.

"Jason! Where have you been!" Bruce exclaimed. He took three long strides before he and Jason were face to face.

"Oh, you know, taking care of your mess, as per usual." Jason holstered his pistols before he reached up and removed his bloodied mask.

"Jason, what have you done." Bruce stated in a very stern voice. I could tell things were about to get ugly, so I stepped closer, ready to separate the two if need be.

"I got rid of a problem that should've been sealed with a long time ago. I wasn't gonna let what happened to me happen to her."

They stood there in silence for a while, before Bruce punched Jason in the face, causing him to drop his mask.

"If you really cared, you would've actually helped us find her instead of waiting till after the fact!" Bruce yelled, before punching him again. Jason got up and struck Bruce in the gut.

Snapping out of my daze, I rushed over and pushed them away from each other, particularly holding Bruce back, since he's the one who kept trying to get at Jason.

"You don't get it. None of you do. Dick, don't tell me you don't agree that that piece of shit didn't deserve to die, even after all the things he's done!" I looked over at him and I wanted to say yes. Yes, I agree. I whole heartedly agree. But I couldn't. I had to be there for Bruce. Because I know deep down he didn't think Joker deserved to live either. But something was wrong. Something underneath the surface that I haven't been able to get to yet.

"Just go, Jason. Just go." I looked at him before he picked up his helmet and walked out. Bruce was fighting against me, however, the second Jason left, he slumped down in my arms.

"Where did I go wrong Dick? Where did I go wrong?" And for the first time, in a long time, I saw the great Batman, The Caped Crusader, The Vigilante of Gotham, break down in front of me.