The Blind Bird [FINISHED]

Chapter 13

They stayed quiet in the Bio-ship. The tension didn't ease one bit and all of them looked at Dick, who was staring out the window and his face in a serious stare, then looked at each other for answers. They all shrugged and then looked forward.

They were close. The coordinates Dick put in were beeping about how close they were. Dick blinked out of his state, his pounding head not feeling any better from when he first arrived. He felt the Bio ship stop and felt everyone and heard everyone move around the ship.

"Is everyone ready? Do we all know the plan?" Kauldur asks.

"Take out Joker, Bane and then Deathstroke. Don't split up, even if they try to break us up." Wally repeated. Kauldur nodded and they dropped down from the Bio-ship. When Nightwing landed, he felt the presence of Bane and Joker, but no Deathstroke. He didn't know whether to be scared or relieved.

"I was beginning to wonder if you guys were ever going to arrive. After all, it is a pleasure seeing you again." Joker says, stepping forward.

Nightwing glared at Joker. "How did you even get out?" Dick spat.

"Why! If it isn't my favorite little Birdie! The boy blunder looking so menacing. As you can see, Deathy backed out at the last second. He says hi by the way and sends a message." Joker stepped forward and so did Bane.

"What's the message?" Wally asks, Skeptically.

Joker smirked and gripped the object in his hand. "He says your running out of time, Renegade. I'm pretty sure you know what he means by that. Hahah!" He laughed, throwing his whole body into it. The team was confused and Dick felt their presence change to questioning. Dick grit his teeth and rushed forward, ignoring Kauldur plan, when a high pitched squeal entered his brain. He stopped dead in his tracks and screamed as he fell to his knees. His head splitting into two it felt like. He fell to his side, covering his ears but it did no good. He could feel warm liquid coming out of his ears and his head, that already had a migraine, was like someone was throwing knives into his brain. He heard another angry scream enter in his brain. He knew who it was, but he was too busy trying to lessen the agony.

"What are you doing to them!" Wally shouted. Superboy was still on his feet, but it was clear his head was hurting him. Dick on the other hand, was in full blown agony.

"It's a little token Deathstroke gave me. Since the little Bird already had a splitting headache, and the knock off Superboy has super hearing, I decided to take them out first." Joker finished.

"Cí senior! It shall be easier with those two out of the way!" Bane shouts, rushing forward. Since two members were down, they split up and fought them. Aqualad and M'gaan fought Bane while Artemis and Wally took down Joker. The whole time, the device still going off and Dick eventually got to the point where it was too much and passed out, his hands still on his ears.

When Bane's venom was detached and Joker was tied up, they destroyed the device and Connor felt himself be relieved.

"That was very unpleasant." Connor stated, when they looked at him.

Wally saw that Dick was still in the same position as before and rushed to his side. When he turned him over, he saw the blood on his ears and his hands. Wally gulped when he saw that Dick looked anything but peaceful in his sleep. Connor stepped forward and took Nightwing in his hands.

"Come on, Nightwing needs to go to the Medical bay." Kauldur States.

"Yet again, a mission that leads him to the medical bay. We need to protect him more." Artemis says as they dragged Joker and Bane into the Bio ship.

"I know. Its already bad enough that he suffered those three years with Deathstroke. He needs to feel safe here. We need to get the old... Uh... Nightwing back." Wally says, forgetting both Bane and Joker were on the ship. He almost exposed Bruce and Dick!

"We need to force him to trust us. We need to do a team building exercise." Kauldur says as they stop by the Arkham asylum and drop both of them off before heading back to the Mountain.

"Do any of you know what Deathstroke's message meant?" M'gaan asks from her seat.

"No. But I'm pretty sure Dick knows." Wally says, glancing over at the sleeping Bird in Connors arms.

He started to stir when they landed, his eyebrows furrowed and he opened his eyes, although he didn't expect to really see anything. His head hurt and his body felt heavy, yet he felt light at the same time.

"He's awake." Dick heard and felt himself being jostled.

"What happened?" He asks.

"You went down." Wally informed as they entered the mountain.

"Oh yeah... Joker had some soft of devi-" he felt the contents in his stomach slowly come up and flung himself out of Connors arms and rushed toward the wall and emptied the contents in his stomach. He didn't know where he puked but his head pounded at the suddenly action and he grunted.

When he was done, he felt soemone rubbing his back and he leaned into them, throwing his hand over their shoulder. "I got you, bud, don't worry." Wally says as they walked towards the main room. Batman was there and when he saw them, his scowl immediately darkened.

"What happened?" He asked. Wally moved over and sat Dick on the couch.

"Well we went to the sight and only Joker and Bane were there. Deathstroke wasn't but he gave Joker some device that Dick and Connor heard. They both went down because apparently Dick already had a headache. We took care of them though but Dick was hurt." Kauldur explained.

"I had a headache from the interviews. I- uh- didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to worry." Dick says, sitting up from the couch.

"Worry or think you were weak?" Bruce asked.

That made Dick glare. "If I wanted to look weak Bruce all I have to do is think about my time with Deathstroke." Dick deadpanned.

"Dick, stop bringing it up!" Bruce shouted, taking everyone aback.

"Why? Can't take that you couldn't find me fast enough? Can't accept the fact that I slipped from your fingers so easily?" Dick asked, getting angry as well.

"Just stop bringing it up, we don't need to be reminded of it." Wally cut in.

"Oh I'm sorry I'm burdening you with my past. What do you want from me?! To be a silent little puppy who has a past that haunts him everyday?! Deathstroke is still out there and everyday I am scared to know that reality. You know what that message was about? It was about me giving into my dark desires and side. I don't want it to be true and you guys are just making it harder to accept that it isn't!" Dick yelled, causing his head to pound in refusal.

"That's why we want to help you!" M'gaan shouted. "We want you to talk to us. To trust us! We do see you as broken but fixable. We want to help you overcome everything, to make you desire the good in your heart again. We want you to trust us again like you used to."

The room fell silent as Dick felt the Aura around the room. He could feel the sadness, but then at the same time, he felt comfortable. He sighed. "It will take a lot to trust you guys again, but if it chases away the nightmares, I will confide in you guys more often. But right now, I need to leave. I need to be alone to think about recent events." He says before leaving the room. M'gaan practically deflated to the ground once Dick left the room.

"You did good, M'gaan. Maybe this will make him open up, Thank you." Bruce said, patting her shoulder before leaving the room as well.

"Did Batman just... Thank you?" Wally asks, lifting his eyebrow.

"I think so." Artemis jumps in.

They all watched the door with new found hope. They will made a promise to help Dick open up and so far, it was working.

A/N: I know, two updates in one day! Crazy!!! Well it's because testing is going on this week so I have no idea if I will be on. So enjoy! I'll try to update this week but no promises so that's why you have these two chaps!!!