Protecting our leader.

Chapter Nineteen.

P.O.V of Damian.

I know I shouldn't be reacting like this, but with Dick no longer giving me any attention I slipped lower then I had ever been before. I only came out at mealtimes, spent as much time as possible with mother as possible and isolated myself. No-one came asking after me, they didn't care about me. The only person who ever did was Dick, and first he was trying to kill me, and now he wasn't even taking care of himself. I now I should help him out of it like he brought me out of my episodes and sat with me when I wanted to add another scar to my collection, but right now all I did want to do was add another scar. No-one would know, No-one would care.
"Damian, dinner." Bruce called from the other side of my closed door.
"Coming." I called back and I heard his steps pad away and down to the dining room.
I threw on a top from the floor and went down to join them in the dining room. As was usual now, Dick wasn't down with us. He was up in his room, staring unseeing at the ceiling. I picked at my meal of pie, not part of the conversation that they were having. Eventually dinner ended and I headed back up to my room, only to stop in the doorway.
"Hey Dami." Dick said meekly.
"Dick." I didn't know what to say, so I just closed the door and headed over to him.
Any words and relief I had at seeing him was perished when I saw his arms.
"Dick, what are you doing?" I asked, moving over and prying the razor from his hand.
"You said it helped you," He said, "But I still don't feel anything." All of a sudden his voice rose to a shout, "Why can't I feel anything?!"
"Dick, it's alright." I comforted him, putting the item of self mutilation far from his reach, "Let's get these cleaned up."
He nodded and I went into my attached bathroom to grab a towel, keeping half an eye on him as he sat on my bed, his blood seeping into my sheets. I filled a small bucket with water and went back out to him, "Hold out your arm." He did as he was told and I gently cleaned up the blood. The injuries weren't as bad as I thought they would be, but they were still horrific to look at. Unlike me, he hadn't just cut lines into his body, he had carved his arm instead. The words nothing were written again and again all down his forearms. They had mainly stopped bleeding, fortunately they weren't deep, but I knew they would scar. I grabbed some gauze from under the sink, pouring away the now red water, and wrapped his arms in it, some of the material turning a faint red already, but nothing serious.
Now that that was done I finally let his words settle in, 'You said it helped you.' It was my fault that he tried this, but I would stay strong. For him, I would not cry, I would protect him.
"Can I stay with you tonight?" He asked and I was pulled from my thoughts.
"Of course." I gave him a weak smile, "My doors always open."
"It isn't now." He attempted humour and a strong smile spread across my face.
He was always the one making jokes, it showed me that he wasn't completely lost now.
I curled up on the bed as he lay down, both of us staring unseeingly at the ceiling. And, for the first time in a long while, we both slept the night through.

P.O.V of Wally.

I lay in bed with Artemis thinking about my actions. I had heard Jason talking about Rob. He was depressed, and I had avioded him. But it wsn't entirley my fault, Artemis couldn't face him either. But that didn't stop me from feeling guilty.
"What you think about?" Artemis purred, rolling so that she was on top of me.
"Maybe we should have stayed to see Rob." I said.
"Wally," She sighed, "I know you feel bad about not seeing him, but what's worse; avoiding him or letting him see how scared you are of him?"
I knew she was right, if he saw us shying away from him it wouldn't do him any good, "It doesn't stop me from feeling bad though."
"I know." She relased a breath, "I feel bad as well after hearing what Jason said, but this really is the best way. For all three of us."
"But what if he thinks we don't care about him?" I asked.
"How about we go and visit him tommorrw." She said, "That why you can rest easy."
"Thank you Arty."
"Why are you thanking me?" She chuckled, "You would have snuck off to see him anyway."
I wouldn't have, that's what suprised me most. That used to be me, sneaking off with Rob in the middel of the night. But as bad as I felt about avioding him, I still didn't want to see him. But I didn't admit that aloud, partly becuase I didn't want to, partly because she was kissing me.
All thoughts were wiped from my head as I kissed back, Rob was a problem for another day.

P.O.V of Dick.

I had spent the night with Damian. And I had actually managed to get at least six hours of sleep rather than the normal two hours as it had been lately. When I woke back up the sun was at a slight slant through the window and Damian was sitting over at his multiple computers watching the rest of the house sleep.
"Morning Dick." He said as he spun around and saw me sitting up again.
"Morning." I replied, my voice still dead.
"Do you want to go out today?" He asked, "I know a man down at the park who I need to see."
I thought about school for a moment, but quickly dismissed the thought from my mind. All I wanted to do was sleep, but maybe some fresh would be good fro me. I hadn't been outside any longer than necessary since I began to feel this way, "Sure. Let's go."
"Not yet." He said, "First, you need to shower and have something to nibble on."
Of course, that was all anyone wanted me to do these days, nibble on something. But, Damian looked so hopeful that I couldn't say no.
"If I go shower and nibble on something you promise you'll try and help me?" I asked.
"On my mothers life."
I tried to give him a smile, the feeling weird now, and went to shower. Where of course, Damian had removed all the sharp objects. I didn't want to carve, but it was meant to help you feel. Though now I know it didn't, I don't think I would be doing it again.