Closer Than Your Shadow

The Boy Left Behind

December 12th 11:05 p.m.
Gotham
Batcave

We crashed inside of the elevator and Dick slammed the metal door shut while Bruce's stomps got louder. It began to lift and the yellow light flashed.

The air got knocked out of me when he kissed me. After a second of stillness I pulled away with my face already screwed up with what I was going to have to say.

"This is crazy."

"The only thing keeping me here was Zucco. I want to leave, with you."

My breath caught in my throat, "I want that too but there's so much figure out. I'm still thinking about Lenny...we left so much uncovered with him, Barbara didn't even find him in Gizelle's files. and what about you? You'd be on the run with me."

"I know," He leaned his forehead against mine and I felt my anchor sink. "I know all of this is going to be difficult to wade through, but we'll do it together. You'll wait for me?" He asked again.

"What are we waiting for?"

"Promise me. We'll go somewhere safe and I'll tell you everything. Follow me and don't stop. Okay?" He pulled the door open and Bruce was already waiting for us. His cowl was off, and his face held the same expression that his solo portraits did upstairs. Angry and alone.

"You think this is how they wanted you to do it, Dick? You do this, you can't come back."

"I don't want to come back. I gave my whole life for you. Over and over again. I let you turn me into whatever you needed but I'm fucking done. We're done."

"Robin is supposed to help people. You don't get to be the judge. You don't get to be the jury. You don't get to be the executioner." Bruce emphasized as his face grew darker and I looked to Dick.

"I don't want to be Robin either! I don't want to feel stuck in Gotham the rest of my life because you put a mask on me when I was a fucking kid. I was a kid and you told me I'd avenge my parents. You told me you'd help, but you sit in here chasing around murderers when you're too scared to fucking kill them. You have a code but look around you. You have nothing left because of it and it's your fault. Not mine or Alfred's. Not Barbara's. Yours."

I thought they were going to fly towards each other. Dick let go of my hand and pressed towards Bruce. I didn't see the use of getting in the way.

I knew this had been churning for awhile. It wasn't about me or the Maroni's anymore. It was more than that.

The air suddenly lost its tension as Bruce walked away. There wasn't a final jab or last word, but a solemn resign that I doubt happened often, if at all. Dick was in the same spot, but his body hummed with anger. He wanted to keep going. He was looking for a fight.

"We're done with the plan? Just like that? You're whisking her away after everything you two fucked up?" I hadn't noticed Donna standing next to the archway. She was watching everything from her silent spot, and Dick was avoiding the conversation they needed to have. We just fucked everything up for everyone, again.

"I know I called and-."

"And I came running to help like usual. You know I thought you'd learn after Jericho and Garth. I thought you'd stop trying to do everything by yourself because it always gets someone hurt. Always." She shook her head and I felt like I was watching Dick get scolded by his mother.

"You're not talking me out of it."

"Take Claire and get out of here. Just leave."

"I won't bother you for anything else."