Bring Him Back

Plan B- In Motion

Dick was currently being helped onto a surgical table by Bruce. Every breath he took in was pure pain, and they had to stop multiple times just to let him catch his breath.

When he finally managed to sit down, Bruce gripped his shoulder then cradled the back of his neck, carefully letting him lay down.

Though it was slow and gentle, Dick couldn't help the low groan that passed through his lips.

When his head touched the surface, he allowed his sunken blue eyes to close.

He was exhausted. Just the task of simple movements made him gasp for air.

Bruce kept a hand on his son's shoulder while he turned his head to the door, hearing multiple people come in.

Wally, Jason, and Kaldur entered. Tim and Barbara not far behind them.

"The rest of the team has been notified. Of... well everything."

Bruce nodded, his gaze returning back to his son.

His breathing was hard and his chest shook with the effort.

"How'd they take it?"

Kaldur gave a quick glance to the others.

"Some, or most really, are still wary of Jason and his current 'identity crisis' but their main concern... is Dick. Most of them have suspected something was going on with him. But they did not think it was this severe."

Dick's chest shook with a rattling cough, followed by a painful moan.

Bruce removed his hand from his shoulder, instead placing it gently on his forehead.

It seemed to calm him but he kept his eyes closed. It was becoming apparent that he may not even be able to open them if he wanted to.

"That's to be expected. We'll deal with Jason's 'issue' later."

Jason snorted and rolled his eyes before settling them on Dick, his fists clenching.

"Right now, we need to focus on helping him live."

Leslie and J'onn came behind the young heroes, scrubbed up.

"Everything is ready. If we're going to do this, it needs to be now. Please, you all need to leave the operating room--"

"I'm staying until he's under the anesthesia." Bruce interrupted Leslie, giving her a pointed stare.

Leslie gave him an impatient "Fine" before shooing the others out.

Wally was the last to leave and before he closed he turned back to Leslie and J'onn.

"Is this... really safe?"

Fine time to be asking that now...

"At this point, it's the only real chance he's got."

Wally grimaced and left without another word.

As soon as the door closed Leslie lifted up a needle and injected it into Dick's arm.

He winced at first before his head started lolling back.

J'onn started connecting the monitors to his body, the steady sound of the heart monitor started beeping, filling the once silent room.

Bruce helped Leslie situate the ventilator comfortably before he was also shooed from the room.

Leslie and J'onn shared a glance before she grabbed the scalpel and made the first incision.
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It's been nearly two and a half hours now, and the entire Bat Clan and the original League and YJ members were gathered in the med bay waiting room.

No one said a word, almost as if afraid to speak.

Afraid to break the silence, and the tension was so sharp in the air.

Everyone was on edge.

Every minute or so someone different would look up from the floor, looking at the door to the OR.

Everyone wanted to hear news. Any at all.

But at the same time, they were also dreading what they would hear.
_______________________________________

Sweat was pouring from Leslie's face, of all the operations and treatments she's done on the members of the bat family-- this was the most daunting.

Yet it wasn't even the most dangerous or risky.

But it was pretty far up on the list anyway.

She was nearly finished when a sharp beep cut through the air.

She didn't even have time to glance up before J'onn was rushing over to grab extra blood bags and getting the crash cart.

"He's going into hypovolemic shock, he's losing too much blood and his blood pressure is starting to drop."

Leslie's hands remained steady as she placed the epidural catheter, getting ready to seal the incisions.

"I know, but I can't stop now, it will just put him in more danger. Just keep him breathing, keep him stable!"

J'onn applied the blood bags and increased his flow of oxygen.

The next few minutes were stressful, and seemed to drag on forever.

Until eventually, his blood pressure began to stabilize and the sharp beep echoing in the room ceased.

They both breathed a sigh of relief and started to clean him up while making sure he was stabilized.

When they were finished they wrapped his chest in soft gauze and covered him up to his chest in a soft, light blanket before setting his head on a little pillow.

They connected a pulse oximeter before wheeling him to the prepared recovery room.

After hooking him up to the rest of the monitors and IV equipment, and making sure everything was stable, they left the room to clean themselves up and take care of the OR room.

Once finished, they opened the OR doors into the waiting room where everyone stood up, awaiting news.

Leslie took a deep breath before telling them the prognosis of the operation.

Although she was hopeful, she couldn't let their hopes get up.

He survived the operation. But the next 24 hours will be crucial to his survival.