Robins!

Ouch

Dick Grayson felt helpless, just laying there in the white hospital bed at the edge of the Bat cave.  But Alfred had insisted he sit down for a moment, then forced him into a bed.  Dick was astounded.  It was just a few more scars.  But Bruce had said that if Dick had too many scars, it would be bad.

Like what bad?

It was only Joker.  Dick who had been Nightwing at the moment, had jumped in front of the knife, he had been trying to protect Jason, who had been unconscious.  Poor Jason, he didn't want his violent little brother hurt!

So he instinctively jumped in front of the knife, nothing bad, except for the giant J on his chest.  Nothing bad.

Dick sighed and looked at the rafters of the cave.  Damian didn't seem to be looking, so Dick quickly tip-toed out of the bed.  Damian and Alfred would kill him if he got out.  But Alfred was sleeping at his post, and Damian just wasn't looking.

Perfect, Dick snuck up the elevator and appeared into Wayne manor.  Dick relaxed his shoulders and sauntered down the hall to the living room, when he suddenly felt a strong pain where the J had been carved and he dropped weakly to the floor,"Agh!"

His cry rang across the manor, quickly alerting Jason and Tim.  Bruce stopped his office call to see what was happening.

Tim rushed quickly down the stairs, what the heck was making that infernal noise?  He skipped the stairs two at a time, then quickly rounding a corner he found the source of the noise.  Dick.  Why was Dick crouching bleeding on the floor?

Oh right, the mission, he remembered now.  Dick had jumped in front of Jason, and was carved in the chest.  Ouch.  He had been resorted to the bed, but he had complained till Damian and Alfred posted themselves near him to make sure he didn't get out of the bed.  Of course Damian would let Dick get away... gr....

Jason rounded the corner fast, almost running over a shocked looking Tim.  He looked over to see Dick almost laying on the ground, blood coming from his chest and staining his shirt.

"Tim!  What did you do?" screamed Jason.

"I didn't do anything!" Tim defended himself.

"Why does he have blood everywhere then?"  Jason screeched back.

Tim glared hard,"Because instead of Joker carving an unconscious you, Dick jumped in front and took the knife.  Which is why he is bleeding."

Jason felt his heart sink,"Oh...."

Dick stood up wearily and walked past his two shocked brothers,"Hey guys."

"Dick," Bruce appeared in front of him,"You need to go back downstairs."

"No, sorry Bruce.  I'm fine though." Dick smiled and continued down the hall.

Bruce yanked him back lightly, but Dick was so weak he fell on his tush.

"No, you are not fine." Bruce helped his eldest son up.

"Oh, Bruce, I've suffered worse.  I wouldn't worry about me.  Jason probably has a concussion though..." Dick pointed back at his brother,"Harley Quinn hit him pretty hard with her hammer..."

Bruce let go of Dick,"Jason..."

"I f***ing fine Bruce, you've just let Dick get away though!" Jason cried.

Bruce sighed deeply,"That kid is so stubborn.  I can't talk him down.  It's his fault, he'll just have to suffer it."

Tim looked shocked,"You're letting him get away with it."

"Dick said it himself, he's suffered worse, and he has!  He is very tough, I wouldn't worry.  One time he broke his arm and he handled it all by himself.  At age nine!  I'm telling you two, Dick is tough enough.  Don't worry."  Bruce still had concern laced on his face, but it was brushed away.

Tim looked doubtful, but Jason turned and walked away,"Whatever, Dick can suffer himself."

Tim gulped down and started walking up the stairs to his big brother's room.  There was still something fishy about this whole thing.

Tim creaked open his brother's door, to be met with Dick laying on his bed.  Doing the most unDicklike thing ever.  Crying.

He looked so pained.  And even when he was pained, he was able to smile, but I guess in his room, he just let all those emotions slide away.  Poor Dick.

Tim crept up to Dick and sat next to him,"You okay?"

Dick immediately brushed away his tears and fake smiled,"Peachy?   You?  Harley Quinn hit you kind of hard on the ribs, none of them are broken, right?"

Tim looked into his brother's eyes and could see sadness,"Dick, you're not okay, are you."

Dick turned away,"I'm fine."

"No you aren't.  What happened?"

"Nothing, just Alfred making a big deal out of a small scar, nothing big."

"Small scar?"

"I've gotten much bigger."

"Prove it."

Dick lifted up his shirt to reveal hundreds of scars, each one huger than the J carved into his chest.

"So you weren't crying about that?" Tim lifted an eyebrow.

"It's nothing you should worry about..." Dick trailed off, no longer smiling.

"What is it?" Tim asked,"Please tell."

"It was just a exercise that failed." Dick remembered failsafe, that was what they had called that exercise, everything had failed, he had sacrificed Conner, himself and Wally.  He was a terrible leader.

"Oh..."Tim wondered what it was,"What was it?"

"A mission that was in our heads, it was trained to fail no matter what." Dick said, then smiled,"Anyway, you never really told me if you were okay or not."

"I'm fine." Tim smiled back, now knowing that not even the strongest of people would be able to handle the smallest of scars without bringing back a memory that had changed their life.

Ouch.

That hurt his mind.