The Blind Bird [FINISHED]

Chapter 8

Dick woke with a start, his head hurt and his body felt like lead. He didn't want to move, but the more awake he became, the more the memories started coming back to him. He needed to get out of here. He needed to go home to the Wayne manner. He needed to release his stress and what better way to do that then to do some trapeze practice. He sat up, smelling the familiar scent of his old room and sighed as he began to get out of the bed.

He felt around the walls until he came upon a door knob. Turning it, he quietly poked his head out, hearing for any subtle movements. Since it was all dark to Dick, he needed to know. Thankfully, he heard the loud snoring of Wally from a few doors down.

What time was it? Nightwing thought to himself.

He shook it off and walked over to the Zeta tube, but was frozen in spot when he heard heavy footsteps approaching him. He tried to grip the presence but he couldn't quite remember whose it belonged too until a heavy hand landed on his shoulder, making him jump.

"Nightwing? You okay?" It was Connor which made Dick sigh in relief.

"It's just you. Yeah I'm fine. I'm just gonna go out for a while." Dick says quietly under his breath.

"Is that wise?" Connor asked.

"Yeah. I'm not going anywhere dangerous. I'm just gonna go see Batman. I'll be back. By the way, what time is it so I know what coordinates to use?" Dick asked.

"It's 1:41 am." He says.

"Thank ya much. I'll be back soon." That meant he had to use the one that was closer to the cave than the manor. He sighed and felt forward to go to the Zeta tubes, but the hand fell on his shoulder once again.

"I don't think you should leave. Since you've been back you haven't gotten any sleep. You need to stay." Connor says, gripping tighter on Dick's shoulder.

"I'm fine." Dick insists, pushing past the fact that Connor was correct about him not getting any sleep.

"No you aren't. Stay. Get some more sleep and then in the morning you can go when we know you are safe." He says, nodding.

Dick, being stuck in a crossroads, slumped in defeat and weakly nodded. "Your right. I'm gonna go back to bed." He says and turns to go back to his room. Once in there he closed the door and slumped against the metal surface.

He just needed to sleep for another four hours. How hard could that be?

*4:15am*

The mountain was engulfed in a scream that woke up the team. They got up and into a stance, ready to attack anyone who infiltrated the place. They rushed out of their rooms, hearing silence as they cautiously look around.

"What was that?" Wally whispers, looking around.

Artemis shrugs. She lowered her bow, but another scream entered the area and she lifted it higher than before.

"Are we being attacked?!" M'gaan asked, running up to the team

Wally was about to answer, but they're answer followed shortly which made them all pale.

"DONT DO THIS TO ME! NO.... IT BURNS! NO!" shouted a voice they knew too well. Wally was already on the run and rushed over to Dicks room. He shoved up the door to see Dick thrashing in his bed, his forehead was drenched in sweat and his body was shaking as it thrashed.

"Rob- Knightwing!" He shouted and rushed over to the bedside.

"NIGHTWING!" Artemis shouted, rushing in to shake the boy awake. Thankfully he was on the verge of awake and sleep, so he bolted up in his bed, his heart pounding as he felt around to make sure he wasn't on the expierements table and instead was indeed on something soft.

He could feel the presence of his team mates and once he felt them, he slumped against the bed rest and brought his knees to his chest. "Sorry..." He says, his voice hoarse.

"What are you apologizing for?!" Kauldur says, getting a little angry at the youngest member.

Robins head lowered. "I thought maybe sleeping would help... But I ended up waking you guys in the process..." He says. "I'm fine now."

"No you aren't. Talk to us Night. You need to talk to us." Artemis says.

"You can wake us up anytime. I just want to make you fee-"

"I'm fine!" Dick snapped, cutting Wally off. He could feel the teams shocked aura and sighed. "Look, what I've been through has nothing to do with you guys. Just leave it be. When I want to tell you guys what really happened and need your opinions, I will ask for them. Till then, just stick to being my team." Dick spat, coldly, before getting off the bed and walking out of the room, leaving the shocked teens behind to watch their youngest member walking away.

"He has to open up." M'gaan says, once Dick wasn't in earshot anymore.

"He will. Just give him some space. He will come around and when he does we need to be there to comfort him." Artemis says before they nodded and parted ways.