The Blind Bird [FINISHED]

Chapter 23

Dicks eyes slowly opened, to see nothing like he expected. He felt a presence and a weight on his bed from someone else. He groggily sat up, trying his hardest not to jostle the person sleeping on the bed. He felt his stomach reel at the movement and his body felt achy. He felt sick all around and couldn't help but let a miserable groan leave his mouth.

  That must have alerted the one on the bed because as soon as Dick let it slip, the persons head shot off, making the bed feel empty to the sixteen year old.

  "Your awake, how do you feel?" Dick knew that voice, and for some reason, he felt a hundred times better knowing it was him who was watching over him.

  "I'm okay. Nothing like feeling like a truck just ran me over." Dick says, letting a chuckle escape his lips.

  Jason couldn't help but chuckle as well. "You failed to mention you were feeling sick." Jason says, now getting down to the thing that's been bugging him since the arrived to put him to sleep. "Also that you ran off in your state anyways."

  Dick gulped and looked down, feeling a tightness on his neck. Not knowing what it was, Dick started to hyperventilate without knowing, grabbing at the cloth on his neck. Jason sprang up and grabbed Dicks hands, stopping him.

  "Stop, it's okay, no ones choking you. It's gauze. You were bleeding in the back of your neck." Jason confirmed, trying to calm down the distressed teen.

  Dick's breathing slowed a little, making Jason sigh with relief. Jason glanced at the hands he was holding, seeing that Canary had bandaged them. Probably to help hide them in case the team came in. Mentally thanking Canary, Jason sat back down in his chair, seeing Dick come to the realization that he wasn't being choked.

  "Are you okay?" Jason asks.

  Dick nodded stiffly before coughing. He sounded like he had mucus stuck in his lungs by the wet sound that his cough made. Jason just grabbed the water from the table that Canary left and handed it to Dick. In his blind state, he fumbled with the glass but drank it through the straw in embarrassment.

  "Thank you..." Dick says after Jason set the glass down.

  "Sure." He replies and looks down at his hands, sitting back in the chair. He clears his throat. "So... uh... we found the tracker that you ripped out of your neck." Jason says.

  Dick's head snapped over to him and his hand instantly went to the bandaged neck. "And?" Dick asks, his voice sleepy.

  "Bruce and i took it to the Batcave and found Deathstroke. We heard some of his conversation before he caught on that we were listening." Jason explained.

  "What did he say?" Dick asks, a small amount of fear detected in his voice.

  "The normal. He's gonna get you, you'll be in his clutches blah, blah, blah. We didn't believe any of-"

  "You should believe it, Jason! It isn't a joking Matter!" Dick yells, cutting Jason off. "It may seem non threatening to you, because you only just got sucked into it like two days ago, but speaking from someone who has spent 3 years with that psychopath, he is serious about his threats! If he wants me, he gets me! It's only a matter of time. He probably already has me in his sights right now! You can't just go around and make judgements from something you believe! It will piss him off and then I'll have to pay for it!" After his mini rant, Dick went into a coughing fit, his lungs burning from his speech.

  Jason was shocked at Dick's outburst, a pit of anger sparking up in him. "It's better to make light on a dark situation, Dick. It helps the body heal! I'm trying to make it sound like it isn't as bad as it is. I'm trying to help you!" Jason says.

  "You can't help the wounded. Not when the wound is burned into the brain." Dick says lowly, averting his eyes to anywhere but Jason. He couldn't see, but he could tell Jason wanted eye contact, and Dick wasn't giving it.

  Jason sighed, standing out of his chair and walking to the wall opposite of Dick. He put in hand on the wall and one on his hip. Jason had no clue why this situation was bugging him so much. He has only met the kid for two days and already he feels responsible for the teens course of life. He feels like... a big brother which irks him slightly for some reason. But if he's gonna be irked, might as well go all the way to big brother status.

  With that thought, Jason turned toward Dick and glared. He could tell Dick felt it because he stirred uncomfortable. "Wounded or not, I'm not letting your brain go down that path anymore. After you are well, we are getting you back to the old wonder boy I've heard so much about. Even if you are Nightwing now, I'm getting you back into the version I know. So sulk all you want right now, because it will all change." Jason says before turning and leaving, slamming the door behind him.

  Dick jumped and was surprised to hear Jason's hard opinion but Dick couldn't help but smile. He felt safe and happy whenever Jason was around, and with that thought craddling in his head, Dick finally fell asleep without a nightmare or thought of Deathstroke. The first sign of healing.